The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Russell Westbrook, Paul George, NFL draft, Kyler Murray

Episode Date: April 22, 2019

Colin talks about the continued poor play of Oklahoma City Thunder G Russell Westbrook, F Paul George joining in on not talking to the media, the NFL draft, and the possibility of the Arizona Cardinals not drafting QB Kyler Murray. Guests include Chris Broussard, Ric Bucher, Joel Klatt, and DeAngelo Hall. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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 herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. Now let's get this party started. listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we got a show. It's a Monday. This is The Heard. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're live in Los Angeles on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio on FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me.

It is great to see everybody. Hope you had a happy Easter. Joy, how are you? Good. Happy Easter Monday. Yes, another great weekend of all sorts of stuff. This is NFL draft week. So one hour from now, Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, Joel Platt next hour on the draft. It's one of my favorite weeks of the year. NBA playoffs. You only have a couple more days to do mock drafts. We have a couple more days for me to consume them or do a mock draft. As Joey knows, I love those.

You know, it's funny. When you go on vacation, kids are really not built for vacations. If I said you're going to go on vacation and you're going to take these four little people, they're emotionally dependent and very needy. You'd be like, oh, I don't want to travel with needy, emotionally dependent people. But they're your kids, you love them, so you go. They're not really built for vacations. Kids really aren't built for vacation.

You want to go on vacation and relax. And if you have four kids and go on a vacation, you can't relax. But you love and they're your kids and you do it and I've done it and blah, blah, blah. Same thing in the NBA. It's the right kind of personality that works in the playoffs. And I've said this for years. Russell Westbrook's a stat pattern in the regular season. He's going to win awards.

He's not built for the playoffs. And for the third year in a row, I'm not a hater. one of the advantages I have doing the show over you is your fans, you're emotional. I try not to be. And the story with Westbrook and Kevin Durant had a lot of emotion. Kevin Durant bailed on him on a small market to go join a growing dynasty and nobody like KD. We don't like that. And everybody's rooting for Westbrook, the little guy who got dumped in Oklahoma City.

And we were rooting for Westbrook. And once you bring emotion into a sports argument, dead, I win, and I won here. But my show is not about winning. It's about trying to tell you something that you never thought about before. So let me start with this. Westbrook's never been built for the postseason. There's three reasons why.

A, playoff basketball is all about adapting. It's a chess match. It's the same opponent five times, six times, seven times. He doesn't, Westbrook doesn't adapt. He's a human tornado. He's got one speed. He's a sprinter. The playoffs are about a marathon.

Moving this piece, getting this piece. That's not Westbrook's game. That's the opposite of Westbrook's game. He's not adaptable. One speed, 100 miles an hour, he's not built for the playoffs. Very Derek Rose-like. Second thing is,

playoff basketball is about coaching. Greg Popovich, Brad Stevens. This is why I pick coaches as much as teams in the playoffs. Well, Westbrook's very, very difficult to coach. He's inflexible. His personality's inflexible. His game is inflexible. He's a my way or a highway guy.

I think even Westbrook fans would acknowledge he's kind of rigid. And number three is he's volatile. You do not want volatility. Playoff basketball is all about crisis. How do you handle crisis? Westbrook's arguing with fans, children, media, coaches, rivals. The three things that matter in playoff basketball.

And this is why I sold my stock on Westbrook three years ago. The playoffs are about adapting. He doesn't. They're about coaching. He's hard to coach. And they're about handling crisis with calm. He's the opposite. He's completely volatile, which is the last thing you want in playoff basketball.

He's not built for this time of the year. But you were rooting for him because he's the little guy and he got dumped by KD and KD joined a dynasty and that stinks and you like the little guy and the underdog and so you were emotionally all in on Westbrook and it clouded your judgment. I was never a hater on this. It was right in front of you. Look at the data. Look at the numbers.

He's the three things I don't want. Can't adapt. Can't coach him in volatile. And by the way, Charles Barkley pointed something out yesterday after the broadcast and this is the exact same thing. my two buddies, Dan and Eric, were in my house watching the games, and we were talking about exactly what Barkley points out. Even though he's only two for eight,

when they were down six, eight points, he didn't panic. He finally made a shot. You know, a lot of times you can tell he is not trying to compete with Russell. Russell is trying to compete with him. Here, here, 100% right. And folks, giving him the most valuable player, trophy just enabled him. Oklahoma City

enabled him. UCLA enabled him. The OKC media enabled him. The fans have enabled him. NBA media. But you know who wouldn't enable him? Kevin Durant. So I'm dumb with this. I want to be any part of this. Kevin Durant left and

told people it was in articles. It was documented. It was written about. You're enabling him. And the MVP did the exact same thing. You told him by giving him the most valuable player based on a stat. This is awesome. More of that. And so he pads that and he thinks that's great. But triple doubles don't win playoff games. Adaptability, coachability, not being volatile. Russell Westbrook has never been built to succeed in the postseason. Some players just are.

Some players just aren't and he's the latter. It's not about hating. The minute you get emotional, it's my advantage over anybody that watches or listens to the show. Because we all know this. We get emotional about our kids. We get emotional about our wives. We get emotional about our teams. And then we get blinded by it. It's not been difficult to see.

He is now, without a doubt, a liability to the franchise. I can make an argument. He's one of the 10 worst contracts in sports. They're on the hook for four more years, averaging $40 million, and it's getting worse. And he's been enabled. and there's nowhere to go on it. There's nowhere to go on it.

Like I say, you can always go hard to lighten up. Tom Coughlin did that with the New York Giants. He was a hard ass, then he lightened up. And the players bought in. You can't go soft and enabling ice cream for breakfast and then come in and go, no way, we're all eating. And the kid just roll their eyes at dad and mom and laugh.

Once you enable somebody, you cannot get strict. You can't. You can be rough on people, Belichick, Tom Coughlin, and lighten up. That works. The opposite does not. Oklahoma City is absolutely trapped. You pick the wrong guy and you've enabled him and this is what you're left with. There are four teams in the NBA, I think, four or five teams in the NBA that have multiple all-stars.

They're all flying through the playoffs except one. OKC. Let me shift to this. This story is just crazy. Come Thursday, the NFL draft, there's going to be one overriding story who's getting Tyler Murray. It's mostly a defensive draft with a bunch of interior linemen and pass rushers outside of Nick Bosa. You know, you didn't watch a ton of them play a bunch of games. So, you know, the reality of this Thursday's draft, if you're a diehard draft fanatic like I am, I'm going to love it. But last year was all about quarterbacks and Baker and Donald and Rosen and Lamar and Josh. It was like, oh, my God, quarterback.

This year it's about interior defensive linemen, except Kyler Murray. And I told you last week, I would not draft Kyler Murray. I would stay with Josh Rosen and go get the best players in the first round, the second round, the third round. He may go play baseball. I think he's too small. I do think he's a first round quarterback talent. But I would stick with Rosen.

There's a story now. The Arizona Cardinals from Pete Prisco of CBS, a dependable guy, he's well-sourced. Arizona's decided they're not going to draft Kyler Murray. And I'll tell you why I like what they're doing here. If you look at the six or seven teams in this league that I trust, that I think the front office really knows what they're doing, New England, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Rams, Chargers, Chiefs, the teams I really think know what they're doing. They have a very simple formula. Get your franchise quarterback, protect your franchise quarterback,

and then draft guys that can get their quarterback. It's real simple. So they got Josh Rosen. They've got number one done. What I think they should do with their number one pick is get Nick Bosa, the best pass rusher in college football. That would take care of three. So they'd have one finish, get the quarterback,

and they'd have three finalize, get guys who attack the quarterback. And then with the number of the number of, one pick in the second round. They'll have the first pick in the second round. Go get the Mississippi State Center or the kid from North Carolina State the best two centers. And then you'd solve number

two. And then in two years, you would have solved one, two, and three. And by the way, the first pick in the third round, there's a great guard from Oklahoma that's projected to go top of the third. Go get him. And then you will have solved one last year, two and

three in this draft. Elite players, one, two, three. Listen, this is nothing against Kyler Murray, but this league is not complicated. The same teams and the same GMs and the same coaches are winning every year. The formula, like the same formula on Wall Street, the same formula on Main Street. Get your quarterback, get guys to protect him, and then get guys to attack their quarterback.

You got number one last year. You can fill out two and three this year. It's a great draft for pass rushers. Bosa, you'll get the best one. It's an exceptional draft for offensive linemen. You're going to have number one pick in the second round, number one pick in the third round. You can go get a starting offensive lineman with both of those picks. But if you start over with Kyler Murray, you're going to have a new offense, a new game plan, your worldview is going to have to change. And I think you're kind of back to step one. Because you're not going to get a world-class pass rusher in the second

round. All right? So to me, I like the story I hear today. It's a confusing story. I've always kind of felt they're probably going to go to Kyler Murray. It's not what I would do. But according to the stories today, Pete Priscoe says, no, they're going to keep Josh Rosen. Joel Clatt next hour, Colin Wright, calling wrong in 50 minutes. That's where we stand on that. Coming up next, even Steve Kerr, who's generally very complimentary of the NBA and the star players, brought up a point about Russell Westbrook and criticized him. That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports

Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you, exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories,

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Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness. professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that.

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showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's sports. By the way, Damien Lillard had 17 points in the second half. Westbrook had one. So you'd think he'd be, you know, a little humble. Never fails. He's not. So after the game, there was an incident where Paul George is one of the best guys in the league. He's one of the nicest guys in the league. Everybody likes Paul George. He is now apparently hitched his wagon to Damien, excuse me, to Russell Westbrook. He's going to do the same, you know, kind of nonsense post game. I think it's a big mistake by Paul George. I think people like

Paul George, I think I think Westbrook's become Bitcoin, unstable and a bad investment. I don't think there's any question that Oklahoma City, the owner is going to have to write a $65 million check salary cap issues. He's being rewarded with a third straight first round playoff exit. I don't know any billionaires, but I'm just going to guess on this one. They don't like writing $60 million checks and not getting anything of substance in return. It's going to go with that right there. I don't know that to be true, but I'm thinking it is.

I think Oklahoma City would bail tomorrow on Westbrook. His contract for the next four years, average is about $40 million. He can't shoot. It's getting worse. He's on the back nine of his career. And so there was this last game a couple days ago. It was this last night after the game, game three a couple days ago. Paul George Westbrook dealing with the Oklahoma City.

By the way, this is dealing with the Oklahoma City media, which is overwhelmingly in Westbrook's corner. Barry Trammell with the Oklahoma and Russell, the first half both teams struggled offensively as sort of a slug of a game. Both teams got going in the second half. What happened that sort of reversed the tone of this game? Next question.

Steve Kerr came out. Steve's Kerr, coach of the Warriors, former player and broadcaster and general manager, is overwhelmingly pro NBA player. He is the ultimate player's coach. And he came out and he said, we got to be careful as a. league. This is dangerous. We're in a good place. Fans love the game. They love the connection they feel to the players. It's important for the players to understand that it's a key dynamic to this league. I don't think this is a healthy dynamic. Of course it's not a healthy

dynamic. If Tom Brady was doing that every single day to the media or if Peyton Manning in his prime was or Patrick Mahomes or Bryce Harper or Mike Trout, this is not what you want. And it's unfortunate that Paul George is buying into the oddness and strangeness of Russell Westbrook. I mean, just to give you an example, we've reached the tipping point with Westbrook, where you can no longer constantly defend him, even if you cover him. You lose credibility. Royce Young is like Mr. Westbrook fan.

He covers the thunder. Even he put this on Twitter. He goes, as a blazer checked in this weekend, the assistant told him, chief, don't help on Russ. Let him shoot. I mean, now that's the Oklahoma City media. They're starting to turn on him. the fans during the game with Westbrook, they started grumbling and booing him.

So Russ has been enabled and he's rigid. What happens now when people start turning on him? I think this is a big mistake for Paul George. You've got a great reputation. You're coachable. You work your tail off. You're likable. Russell Westbrook right now is not somebody you want to be associated with.

Look at his contract next four years, 38, 41, 44, and 47 million. That's an awful contract. And Oklahoma City is trapped and they've enabled him. Paul George, choose wisely in this league. Choose your agent, choose your team, choose your friends, choose your enemies, choose your allies carefully. It's a bad look and Steve Kerr nailed it.

Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So just like in game three, the third quarter of game four's OKC, Portland matchup was Lillard time. Dames scored 15 in the quarter, pushing the Blazers lead to as much as 19. And he swore he wouldn't allow his team to fall into the trap of trading taunts. So he stuck to his word.

We had a business-like mentality. And it was the first time that after game three, it was like, you know, we're in the locker room saying they lived at the free throw line and all this stuff. But game four, we're not talking to nobody but ourselves. Referees can call it how they want to call it. we're just going to worry about ourselves. You're going to play hard. We're going to stay together.

Whenever the crowd get into it, we're going to just keep doing what we do and come out on top. So I was proud that we was able to stick to that and actually get it done. But a lot of that is because of what we have been through during the regular season and how we came together.

I'll tell you what, he is one of the incredibly likable guys. And for the record, I find NBA stars on average to be incredibly likable. They don't want to get in fights. Jaylon Rose once told me, You don't mess with a moneymaker. They're happy guys. They love basketball.

Damien's an incredibly nice kid. Went to a small college, by the way. So kind of came into the league with a chip on his shoulder. Goes to Portland. Nobody pays attention to him. But God, was he good in the second half? He's great. And he's, I don't think he's competing with Russbrook,

but if he was, he's clearly winning. I think they're just a better team all around also. They have more shot makers. At one point, another, maybe we can just admit that it's not all just Russ not playing well. Maybe it's also a little bit of the Blazers are actually very good. They have a bunch of shot makers. You know, it's funny, they lost Nurkich in the middle of the year of the center. And everyone thought that was the end of their season.

And I did. And they went and got Canner and Rodney Hood. And, you know, yesterday they just, even Steph Curry's brother, he's, you know, they've just got a, they've got more guys that can hit a shot. C.J. McCollum was brilliant yesterday. Huge. Huge last night. I don't. I don't know. I like them as a team. And I don't actually mind the back and forth with with this. Like, this is a series that we want to see. You need a little bit of scrappiness

Like what's going on with the sixers and that's We bullshit this would be that series And it is. Okay, so you were just talking about it. Russell Westbrook's next question response to Barry Chammell's questions. Steve Kerr doesn't find it harmless or humorous. He told the athletic, I don't think this is a healthy dynamic.

To be very careful as a league, we're in a good place right now, very popular. Fans love the game, the social dynamic, the dynamic, the fashion. But more than anything, they love the connection they feel to the players. You've got to feed information to the fans. It's dangerous when you go. down the path of no communication.

You just played the clip of Paul George saying no question. I actually, I'm on the other side of this. I think Steve Kerr's being a little melodramatic here. I don't think that in general there's going to be some widespread, no question. I'm just here so I don't get fined movement around the NBA. I think this is Russell Westbrook's personality. And clearly he has some issue with Barry Trammell. If he doesn't have an issue with Barry Trammell, he's created an issue with him.

And Paul George is his teammate, and they seem to be riding off into the the sunset together, so he's borrowing his personality in this spot, because I don't think that's Paul George's personality. It's never been. But it's like everything you said earlier, who's going to step to him? Who's changing this situation? No one. This is Russell Westbrook. He's the villain of the NBA. He's clearly embraced that title. And this is who he is. Like this is Russell Westbrook, whether it's good, whether it's bad, whether they're winning or whether they're losing. He is consistent. Like him, hate him, whatever it is. This is what it is. It's going to get worse, though because

Iverson got to a finals. So in the end, you're like, success gives you authority. He was in the finals? Yeah, but now, like the momentum is bad. No, no, no. I don't think he's trending upwards or the thunder are trending upwards

in any way. This is not going to be a good look for them getting out in the first round again. But I still don't think that this is a humongous issue. Like this is something that the league needs to address. It's not like he's not answering anyone's questions. He's just not answering very,

Barry Trammell's questions and who knows what the situation is with it. Maybe Russ created this issue in his head or maybe he has a legitimate problem with him. I don't know. All I'm saying is everyone probably needs to calm down. Like Russell Westbrook is not going to fall in line. That's not his personality. He's defiant and neither you nor I or the league or anyone in the Thunderfront office is going to change that. So finally, things got heated on the court Saturday in game four between the Sixers and the Nets.

Some of that emotion carried on after the game. So according to the NBA, Brooklyn GM, Sean Marks, was suspended for a game and fined $25,000 for entering the referee's locker room following the game. There was a big fight. Joel Embeddeed aggressively blocked Jared Allen's shot. And then Jared Dudley took exception to it. He's been going back and forth with Embedd and Simmons and Jimmy Butler returned the favor. I don't know.

Overreacted a little here. I don't know. I think when it goes into the stands, you kind of have to do something. Because it did pour a little bit off the court. Now, as far as Sean Marks goes, obviously the NBA does not want that. But I guarantee you that his players love that. Yeah, listen, when you're the underdog like Brooklyn, your job is to make a series ugly.

And they've done a really good job. They don't have nearly the talent. I'll always defend the underdog. This is all game planning. Let's make it physical and ugly. Let's make this an inartistic series. I've been really impressed with Brooklyn. I have too.

I really like Brooklyn in this series. I think they've made it. We said before, you knew that Philly had a little bit of a chemistry issue. The stars hadn't played together, but I think this has been a wildly entertaining series. It's been fun. The Blazers and Thunder and this series have been really fun, despite the fact that it may not be going as long as we would have hoped to either series. But they have been fun to watch. Yeah.

Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. Joel Klatte, next hour. 30 minutes from now, Colin Wright, Colin Wrong on Monday. let's bring in Chris Broussard. It's been a very interesting first round of the NBA playoffs.

Well, well, well, I kind of brought out the hammer today. What about my assertion? Surprise, surprise. What about my assertion that there have always been, there are certain players. I've said this in the NFL. The NFL playoffs are not built for deep threat-wide receivers. Because by the time you get to January, the weather's windy and cold. So quarterbacks, by the way, don't want to throw the ball downfield.

the NFL is built for possession receivers, running games, efficiency. So throw the ball over the top quarterback is great September, October, November. Similarly, Westbrook is not built for the playoffs. He's not real adaptable. He can be tough to coach. He tends to be volatile. What you're looking for in the playoffs is adaptability, coachability. In crisis, the volatility shrinks.

It's not that he's not a great player, but the playoffs don't feel like they're designed for his rigidity. Well, it's more so just that, yeah, obviously in the playoffs is where you win championships. I don't think you're going to win a championship with him as your lead guy. Yeah. And if you look at him as the lead guy in the regular season, you only win to a certain degree. Right. You might win 50 games.

Right. You know, you're not going to 60. You're not going to be this amazing team, period, with him as your leader. Now, that's, with him and Kevin Durant, they obviously. Obviously, we're a great team and close to winning a championship. What I've said about Russell, like the question people have asked is, are these playoffs ruining or changing his legacy? My answer is no, because his legacy's not going to be tied to winning.

His legacy is going to be similar to that of Alan Iverson, of Pistol Pete Marevich, Dominique Wilkins, this great individual phenom who did what no one else could do. But he's not going to lead you to. to a title. The one thing that would hurt his legacy, in my view, and he's still a Hall of Fame and all that, but was if other players began averaging triple doubles for a season. Like if it became something that, like, Ben Simmons does it, LeBron does it next year, maybe

James Harden does it when, like, if it became a thing and then it would be like, oh, it wasn't that unique what he did. Where this is hurting Russell Westbrook, this series is in his current status within the league. Like now, Damien Lillard is a better basketball player than Russell Westbrook. No question. Westbrook is a more athletic player. He's more explosive. He's more of a spectacle. Lillard is who you'd rather have on your team. So Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, James Hardin now are ahead of Westbrook at the point guard. When we talk about top five players in the world, and, you know, the three, four, five, it always kind of varies. Westbrook's no longer in that conversation.

Thank you. Two months ago, you would have been like, you know, and Westbrook might be in there. You know, your average his triple double he's in there. No, he's not anymore. So it's hurting him with his current status, not so much with his legacy. I mean, listen, they're tied to him for four years. I always feel as a parent, you're a parent. You can be hard on your kids and lighten up. But if you become an enabling ice cream for breakfast parent and then try to be tough later, your kids don't buy it. I think Oklahoma City has enabled him to the point of no return. I would agree, and I compared him to Alan Iverson. Alan Iverson never had a lot of playoff success except for the one year, 2001, with who? Larry Brown, a coach that would challenge him and harness him a little bit and try to change him.

Now, Larry gave a lot, too, because Iverson was Iverson, but he also, I mean, it's legendary how much they went at it. That's what you would need with Westbrook, but here's the thing. Iverson was caught by Larry Brown relatively early in his career, you know, five, six years in, something like that. It's not, Westbrook is now setting his ways, and he's had tremendous success doing what he does. And one of his great strengths, like Joy was saying in the break, you know, he's not listening to anybody, which can be good because he's always been told you can't do this. UCLA, you weren't even that good at UCLA. Your junior year in high school, you average like 10, 11 points a game.

You can't make it to the NBA. that's been a strength for him, but it's also a weakness because he's not going to listen. When Magic Johnson criticized him in the 2012 finals, and he said Westbrook played the worst game he's ever seen by a point guard in the NBA finals because he said he was too wild. Westbrook said, I'm not changing my game for anybody, no matter what anybody says. That's been a strength, but it's also a weakness. But you mentioned there stuck with him for four years. I wouldn't trade him.

Not that you can't. It's going to be difficult, number one. Here's the thing, Colin. And I know, look, if I'm Oklahoma City, I'm all, I am, what I'm going back to the drawing board, I'm saying, okay, we got to build around Russ and Paul. What we need are shooters. They can't shoot.

Westbrook can draw a double team every single time down the court. If he kicks it, he's a willing pass. If he kicks it to you, you got to have guys that can knock it down. That's what I try. But I'm on the record. You're not winning a championship with him. But here's the thing. Everybody's not going to win a championship.

Was the Stockton-Malone era waste in Utah? No, but they were built and designed to win a championship. They just happened to have to face the greatest player and the greatest team of all time. They were built. They had rebounders, scores, ball handlers. They were built to win a championship. They were not a flawed. The architecture with Utah was not flawed.

It's like Phil Mickelson. He's not flawed. He just faced Tiger for 12 years in his prime. Joe Frazier was built to be the heavyweight champ. He just happened to go up against Muhammad Ali. This team is not even close to built to be a championship team. That's a good point. That's a good point because I was going to mention Ewing and Nash and Phoenix.

And Sacramento with Chris Weber and those guys. You're right. They were built where you thought they could win. But there was a dynasty. But what about Alan Iverson in Philly? Was it the right move to get rid of him? When you have a legend, especially in Westbrook's case

where he chose O'KC when Durant left you. Oklahoma City, Colin, here's the fact. They may never win a championship. At least for the next 30 years. Utah's never won a championship. The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship.

You have really good franchises, thriving NBA franchises that have never won a championship. But those teams were always willing to build to win a title. Just because Dan Marino, didn't win a title. His teams were good enough. They were built right. What Oklahoma City is doing is we're hostage. We're not going to change the architecture. You've got Paul George, a top 15 player in the league. Well, hold on. He is a top 15 player, and he's escaping. With all the criticism of

Westbrook, George has not been good either. He has not been good. And the next question stuff, unless he's had a beef with somebody, he looks like a major follower right now. There's no question. I mean, come on, Paul George. Like, be your own man. Man, unless there's some beef he had with somebody where he's doing it justifiably, I don't get it. But I get where you're coming from. But I also say, look, this is a business. And Westbrook is a local legend.

He puts fans in the stands. And what are you, look, Colin, what do you do? Let's trade Westbrook and George and start all over. Well, it doesn't always work when you start all over. How long did it take Sacramento? They're still not in the playoffs. Phoenix, you know, Orlando. I'm not just got in the playoffs.

Detroit, Detroit went seven years without the playoffs. We're starting over. And then they finally go to, you know what? Let's bring in Blake Giffon. I'm not for starting over. I'd keep Stephen Adams. I'd keep Paul George. I'd keep Dennis Schroeder.

There are a lot of components I like. The Westbrook thing, though, I will always defend organizations that are building and constantly evolving to win titles. And they don't because they face a dynasty. They face Tiger Woods. they face. But Oklahoma City is just being stubborn. Nope, this is what we are. This is not even, you're not trying to get better.

You're just trying to sell tickets. And I, okay, we got a lot of stuff here. It makes some sense. It's interesting, but I still wouldn't trade him. Occasionally, I'd throw a strike. Okay, we got, we have, by the way, I don't know if anybody noticed, the Celtics swept in the first round. Chris Broussard.

Be sure to catch live editions. of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments,

that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action

with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me,

your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Game. 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 real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this plant to a billion dollar fraud. but with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

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

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

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

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Welcome back. Clippers plan their butts off, but Golden State's just better. Kevin Durant was unbelievable yesterday. So I felt for years and years, Chris Broussard joining me, that LeBron was the best player in the world. Durant was not really challenging him, but he was the second best player in the world. And I think this is what happens over time.

I think Durant's got a little less miles on his legs. I think LeBron, after seven, eight straight finals trips, you just wear the threat on the tires. And I do believe this is the first year in the last decade where I felt that Durant surpassed LeBron. He's a better defender than LeBron. He's healthier than LeBron. So he's more dependable physically.

I think he's the best shot maker in the world. Now, I think he's been that for the last several years. I watched him yesterday, and I'm like, listen, the bench scoring by the clippers, the coaching. Clippers did so much right. Steph didn't play what. And Durant's just like, I'm just going to make shots when I have to make shots. I don't think there's a player in the world who is harder to defend than Kevin Durant in the entire world.

And I think he's separated from everybody. I think he's better than LeBron now. I've always said he's unguardable. And when he was in Oklahoma City, I used to say he's a seven-foot version, or really I'd say Steph Curry is a six-three version. of Kevin Durant. Like they're both unstoppable. They shoot terrifically. They can take you off the dribble.

They can finish. They got mid-range play. They finish at the rim. The difference is Durant's seven feet tall, so you can't stop him. Is he better than LeBron? Here's the thing, Colin. And I don't take anything away from Kevin Durant.

But even when people bring up the finals, where he made the shots in LeBron's face at the end of games, Do you know how much easier it is when you've got Steph Curry and Clay Thompson also on the floor? Like it just opens things up so much for him. So LeBron's playing out there with these young boys and doing everything. And KD has this perfect system with these great players around him. So it's tough at this point. I'm leaving it all open during these play.

to who's the best player in the world. I can't say as LeBron. They didn't even make the playoffs. One minute left. Who would you take to have the ball? KD. Okay, one minute left. The other team's got a hot shooter.

Who would you rather put on him? Oh, that's a good one. For a minute? I mean, I think LeBron can go hard for a minute. A minute I might go LeBron. Listen, I have been the ultimate LeBron guy. I mean, outside of Nick Wright, I'm probably second in the country. Well, Shannon Sharp, of course.

Yeah, I mean, but I think there are just times. I'm not, I mean, listen, I said it. You're not out of bounds. No, at this point. I think LeBron's the second best player in the world. I'm not saying he's ninth. I'm not throwing, and I might be premature. I'm not saying it can't be yonis.

I can't shoot. I get he can't shoot, but can you stop him. Well, you can if you double him low. I don't like. But he can pass. Let's see what he leads Milwaukee to. All right. He hasn't yet.

in a playoff series. Let's see. And what about the beard? I'm just saying, like, if the beard leads Houston past Golden State, you can't tell me it might not be James Hardin. And that is Kevin Durant. Best player in the league? I'm just, does he have as much

around him as Hardin as Durant? No, no, I like Hardin. I like, I'm on it. If Hardin lead, with Chris Paul, not quite what he used to be. By the way, used to be, there was a long stretch here where Westbrook was better than Hardin, then they were close. Can we all acknowledge Westbrook and Hardin? There is a massive separation. I told you when they were teammates there last year,

I polled about 70 people around the league informally. The majority said trade Westbrook, not Hardin. Now it's not. Hardin's better. Now it would be 30. He is in a better system. He's in a perfect system for him. I mean, Mike Nantz-on-Sys own.

But Hardin does deserve a lot of credit. He's unbelievable. All right. Craziest team in the league. Joy and I love this team. but you can literally see the dysfunction. Their point guard can't shoot. Their big guy struggles to stay healthy.

Jimmy Butler doesn't like anybody. Tobias Harris is good, but I don't want to pay him huge money. I just keep watching Philadelphia. There's so much I love about Philadelphia. But there's no way you can convince me in 10 years Jimmy Butler's on this team. He may not be on the team next year. Now, he does get along with Embed. He does.

Yeah, they get along well. Because they're both kind of personality driven. And a lot of people are looking at him as, He's a Philly kind of guy. Confrontational, brash, bold, says what he wants. So what are you going to do with this Philadelphia team? Because they have too much talent to struggle with Brooklyn. What's going on here with this team?

Well, first I have to watch and see what happens. If they beat Toronto, now you got to rethink. Holy moly. Both series in the East. I mean, I miss LeBron in the playoffs, but these two Eastern Conference series, oh my God. This is the best the East has been since. Boston's big three was around or maybe Miami and Chicago.

Like this is a great, it's going to be a great second round. With Philadelphia, you've come off to trade and bead stuff, I imagine, right? No. You still, after what you've just seen? Oh, come on. You would give up Joel Embedd? First of all, this league now, you have to shoot a three or have somebody that can get the ball to guys that can shoot a three. Anthony Davis, Carl Anthony Towns, Joel Embed.

Embed missed a playoff game in this series. He missed two in last year. He missed two years. He's missed more games that he's played. If you're telling me to take a choice this morning, I'm taking Simmons over M.B. But why do you have to make that choice right now? Because otherwise you're going to have Simmons on the court and Mbed and neither shoot to three. You cannot beat a Houston with two guys that can't shoot a three.

M.B. gives you, see, everybody's not, M.B. gives you something nobody else in this league has. What? A dominant low post player who also, he's going to get better at shooting threes as time goes on. And I know you have to stagger him and Ben Simmons because you're right. Both, he can't shoot. You need spacing. But there's no way I'm trading him be right now. I give it one more year. Ben better come back with some semblance of a jump shot. Or you're moving off him? No, I'm just saying. I'm upset if he doesn't come back with some semblance of a

jump shot if I'm Philadelphia. But there's no way I'm splitting him up this summer. Nobody can stop him being. So if they get blasted by Toronto. And I mean 4 to 1. Okay. You're just going to Chris Broussard's like, oh, I'm totally happy. Let's get ice cream. See you next year. No, if they get beat 4-1 or, you know, blast it even if it's 6.

All right. I'm letting Jimmy Butler go. Oh. I'm re-signing Tobias Harris because he's a shooter. Tobias is going to fit with my two young stars. Obviously, we got an off-season plan for M-B or for Simmons, and I'm bringing in more shooters. That's what I'm doing. So you're just letting Jimmy Butler walk.

He's pretty good. Can I sign four max people? No. Jimmy Butler's what, 30? Could I not argue. I would sign him for four years max? So you're going to let go, arguably the best, probably the second best player on the team, just let him go. He hasn't been that in this series.

He was good in the one game. Simmons and Harris have been good in this series, and obviously NB's been the guy. This is why it's a weird dynamic. Like you watch them and you're like, God, I love watching Philly play. I love watching Philadelphia play. I think they're my favorite watch in the league. right now. Right.

They're up there. There's no question. But there's just stuff doesn't quite, and Jimmy Butler is athletic and can hit a three. I like Jimmy Butler at two concerns about him. One, his age. Two, we know he's had issues in locker rooms. Even here in Philly, even though, like I said,

he and Embed are getting along and stuff, if I empower him now, give him $150 million, whatever it is, how you think that's going to go? he's acted that way heading in the free agency I'll throw this little rumor at you I don't have much time Butler loves L.A. He chooses the Lakers I could definitely see that happen

and they trade a bunch of players to get Anthony Davis and it's LeBron Jimmy Butler Anthony Davis next year that is the scenario I've been told that is the likely best case scenario I agree I've heard that yeah because Butler wants to be in a big city He loves L.A. If Kyrie and Kady go to now he could go to New York with KD

if Kyrie doesn't. That's a possibility. I don't see him with the Clippers. Yeah, LA, look, he's, where he's had trouble in locker rooms is the young players. LeBron is older. He'll respect LeBron's authority. I think, I think he'd be good with LeBron. Great stuff.

Chris Broussard hour two next. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, We break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field. and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. 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, Keer Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure,

and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen, kingdom on earth.

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

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

and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face like. up and smile. That means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can, like, I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports.

out of Monday, this is The Heard. Hour 2, wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in beautiful Los Angeles on My Heart Radio, Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. It is NFL draft week. It's a very exciting time. Her brother, of course, the Hall of Famer Jason Taylor for the Miami Dolphins. And this is a fun week. It will not be a star-studded NFL draft like last year, which is all quarterbacks and Baker Mayfield.

It does feel very, this is in the trenches. drafts. Yes. And for people like you and I who really love, you know, we love football, we love the culture of it, to the casual fan, it's a bunch of Alabama interior linemen, but I think it's a fascinating draft and I think there's a

series of like historically mad teams that could get really good fast. So it's great to have you in. Every Monday at this time, listen, I have a lot of opinions and I felt years ago that I would buy more credibility with you, the audience. If I admit every Monday at this time, we make

a lot of mistakes. Things don't always go our way. We call it where Colin is right, where Colin is wrong. Here we go. Where Colin was right? Well, Russell Westbrook, I didn't buy him three years ago. I wasn't a hater. I just don't think he's built for the playoffs. He's non-adaptable, and I think that's what the playoffs are all about. I think he's got a certain rigidity that it's fine in the regular season. I think he's a bit of a stat patter. But I never bought into the MVP because of the triple double. I don't think that makes you valuable. It just makes you talented. He's shooting 36% in the series, but still taking 20 shots a game. For a while this regular season, he scaled back on the shots, but he becomes Westbrook. Points, rebounds, assists are

all down in the playoffs. I think he's just too fragile to rely on emotionally. I think he's a remarkable talent. I'd vote him into the Hall of Fame. There is an Iverson quality that I enjoy. Iverson got to won finals. But in the end on this, I've been more right than wrong that I don't think you can build around him. I don't think he's a number one. I think he's wildly entertaining. He's worth the price of admission. But right now, I don't think he's worth the price of his contract. Where Colin was wrong. You know, I said throughout the course of the year, I didn't buy Denver, and I didn't buy Toronto. Now, Orlando is a really weak playoff team. But the one thing I like about Toronto, we all knew that after the Derozen trade, Kauai Leonard's better than Derozen,

so they upgraded. But my whole thing with them is I could never trust a team where Kyle Lowry was your second best player. Well, he's not anymore. Pascall Seacum is their number two guy. He's an emerging young star. Fred Van Bleet is playing his butt off and gets real minutes and can score. And Kyle Lowry sometimes is irrelevant. I mean, he feels like the fourth best player on the team.

They've got size. And by the way, in the second half of the season, Seyakum averaged 20 a game, seven rebounds, and shot almost 55%. So Lowry now is not the guy they depend on because I just don't think Kyle's the kind of guy that I trust in the playoffs. And Toronto, now, can they get past Philly? I don't think they're good enough to get to the finals. But with the emergence of their young players, I think they're tougher than I thought two months ago.

Where Colin was right? I never bailed on the Celtics. I kept hearing, oh, they're struggling in the regular season. And I kept saying, listen, they've got ingredients that will prevail in the playoffs. They've got a great head coach who's good situationally. They've got one of the best closers in the world in Kyrie Irving. and they've got playoff experience. I don't give a rip if in Tuesday night in January,

they go to Memphis and get blown out. The playoffs are all about ingredients, and they've got the three key ingredients you need to advance in the playoffs. Great head coach, great closer offensively, and experience in these crisis games. By the way, they hadn't won four straight since January. Now they go to the playoffs and win four straight. I never sold my Celtic stock,

and seemingly everybody else did. Where Colin was wrong. I can take a right for this, but I'll take a wrong. Russell Wilson did sign a contract last week, long term, very expensive to stay with the Seahawks. I told you a month ago, I had heard that he was willing to leave. His wife, Sierra, and him liked the idea of New York for her career. And then he made up kind of a make-believe deadline and the Seahawks folded because my belief is because they knew he was not bluffing. But since he signed, I'll take a wrong.

I think Seattle made the right move. I do worry about Seattle going forward because unlike Green Bay with Aaron Rogers' contract, I think there's a lot of really, really good young Packer players going forward. I don't know of Seattle. They don't have a lot of draft capital. I do not know if they're well positioned going forward. But you have to pay Russell Wilson.

He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Next to Steve Young, he may be the most undervalued great quarterback of my lifetime. I'll take a wrong on that. Where Colin was right? I said, John Gruden's a TV analyst for the last decade. I'm not sure he's a head coach, and the dysfunction with the Raiders continues. It's Barnum and Bailey. So a story last Friday, the Raiders and Gruden sent their scouts home pre-draft.

Reportedly, he doesn't trust them. My question is, how does a story like this leak? I mean, that shows me the dysfunction. That story should not leak that Gruden's having trust issues. I talked to an NFL coach over the weekend that told me the Trent Brown left tackle contract is one of the biggest eye rolls in the NFL. They're paying him double what he's worth. I feel the Raiders are making things up kind of as they go.

If they draft Kyler Murray, all bets are off. Then it's officially put the tent on this team and play the clown music. But the dysfunction is, listen, you cannot be out of any business like the NFL. Baseball may be. But football changes like annually. You can't be out of a business like this or something. tech for 10 years. The Raiders looked like they're kind of a circus.

Where Colin was wrong. I kind of bought into the rumors eight weeks ago that Kyler Murray was going to go number one. I mean, he fits Cliff Kingsbury. O-line's bad. He's a run-around quarterback. But stories this weekend by CBS's Pete Prescoe say, the ownership

pushed for him initially. They're having trouble selling tickets. And they thought if they put his name out there, they could sell some tickets. But I'm told, said Prisko, they're going in a different direction. They're not going to draft Kyler Murray. Listen, I bought into it. I mean, listen, if you're asking me what I would do, I'd stay with Josh Rosen.

But you can make an argument, and I kind of bought into it, that the offensive line so bad in a division where you're going to have to score points, Kyler Murray can add lib his way out of the protection issues. And Kingsbury, you've got to give the franchise to him, because if he doesn't work, everybody gets fired. But Pete Priscoe's saying they're not moving. Where Colin was right? Jay Glazer reporting something we have been banging on.

Twitter is not your friend, athletes and media members. According to Jay Glazer in the athletic, I was in a general manager's office a couple years ago and he said, Jay, you got to see this. This kid said the dumbest stuff you could ever imagine on social media. I'm not going to repeat the language he was using, but they were all laughing saying, well, this blankety blanks off our board. Glazer is noting now that NFL teams are hiring firms to rake over social media and they're moving players off their board and down their board based on social media posts.

Folks, Twitter's a loaded gun. Be very careful with it. I have twice in my career said no to hiring somebody because I went to their Twitter account. Jay Glazer reporting what we've been warning you about. It ain't your friend. It's a loaded gun and be very very. Very careful using it. It can do far more harm than it can good to your career.

Where Colin was wrong. Yeah, the Utah Jazz haven't even been competitive. I said before the playoffs, I thought, I know they don't have enough great shooters to win the title, but I think maybe they're the fifth best team in the playoffs. You know, after Golden State, Houston, maybe Philly, Milwaukee, Boston. I mean, they've been blasted twice. They got a huge break the other day.

James Harden went 0 for 15 in Utah, and they still won. they're now struggling to hit free throws. Listen, they've always been a flawed basketball team. Donovan Mitchell's a great kid and a great young player. Joe Ingalls can hit a three for you. They just don't have enough shooters. Ricky Rubio can't shoot. They just simply do not have enough shooters.

But this series has not really been remotely competitive. And my guess here, Houston wins it in a sweep, and it actually shocks me. Where Colin was right? I've been saying in the last couple weeks, we've got to admit it now that Kevin Durant's the best basketball player in the world. He had 33 points yesterday. in his last two games he's had 38 and 33. He's shooting almost 60%. He's hitting 93% on free throws.

To me, I don't even know why there's pushback. I think he's now become easily the player in the world you'd want with a minute left. And on the defensive end, if it was Himmer-Lebron with a minute left in the game, I think he's the better defensive player. I think he's the great shot maker in the NBA for the last several years. He's an automatic two, and he's a very high three. and 90% from the free throw line. Remember what he said last week?

I loved it. I'm not going to get in the way of the game because, you know, I want to have a little back and forth with Patrick Beverly. I'm Kevin Durant. You know who I am. That's funny. And finally, where Colin was right?

The Arizona Cardinals released a 2019 hype video last Thursday. Joey and I noted that. They had 16 quarterbacks in the hype video except Josh Rosen. 43 minutes later, the Arizona Cardinals, after listening to our show clearly, edited the video, and now Josh Rosen was sprinkled in their hype video. Well, they released the second video with their away games, and it conveniently had some splashes of Josh Rosen in there.

So we're going to just assume that they updated it before they posted it, yeah. Arizona Could you put your arms just around Josh Rosen a little? I just don't know why it would hurt to have him in there. It makes no sense to me. Could you give the kid?

How about give him a free spa treatment for the weekend? Could you just love Josh Rosen? Give him a hug once in the past three months. A little love? Can't even put him in the high video. God!

All right. Coming up next, Joel Clatt. Joel Clat is going to argue with me on this Kyler Murray thing. Very small, Kyler Murray, who could also play baseball. Kyler Murray. Joe Clatt 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 I-Hard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the night. breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so 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

on healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets.

meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant, this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history.

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

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

but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs, Gabby Thomas, and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world,

Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Sunday, NASCAR returns to the legendary Talladega Super Speedway for the wildest race of the year. Bush, Hamlin, and the Gano battle for the top of the standings and try to avoid the big one.

The Geico 500 Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Fox. Kyle Bush, hey, you see that? Kyle Bush having a big year there, Goulet. He loves NASCAR over there. I went 68 miles an hour at one point this weekend. Not lying to you. Wow. In Manhattan Beach, that's big.

Flying. I saw those. Down roast grants? Just flying. 68 miles an hour. Felt like Kyle Bush. All right, Joel Clat joining us. You were drafted by the Padres back in 2011, 2011.

2000. 2000. 2000. What am I saying? 2011. 2000. And 11th round, my bad. 11th round.

There you go. You were also played college football in Colorado. So you and Kyler Murray have a lot in common. You're kind of flaky. You can't figure out your sports. Oh, wow. Okay. Great.

This is the direction it's going to go. Well, I mean, here we go. Buckle up, everybody. Here we go. So you guys are like, I like this. I like this. Pick a lane. All I mean, it's tough to be gifted at two different things.

All you can do is blab. But that's fine. Okay. Go ahead. Hey, blab and journalism. Two lanes. Big J. Great at both.

So the point is that Kyler Murray, why am I going to draft Kyler Murray number one? Give away Josh Rosen. He gets banged in the leg a couple times, goes, I'm out baseball. He's not going to do that. He's made it abundantly clear that he's done with baseball. Oh, really? Where?

Several different times. Equally from his own mouth, he said, yeah, I'm done with baseball. He paid back the $1.5 million of the bonus. In fact, he had offers from the A's after his Heisman win that said, hey, we're going to give you $10 more million. to come and give up football and come be in Oakland A, and he said no thanks. He said no thanks several different times, including even playing last year to begin with. I don't think he would have played last year unless he not only loved football, but thought

there was a future there. And you have to give him this. He is really smart. He understands the math of the situation. It is way more lucrative, way more lucrative to be an NFL starting quarterback than it is to be a draft pick playing baseball trying to make it. Now, you can all disagree and point to the, you know, Bryce Harper contracts and Nolan Aronado contracts out there and the Mike Trout contracts, but those are so few and far between. All you have to do is actually look at the data. And if you

went back all the way to 2004, and you said, what is the top position player drafted out of college baseball get during his career versus the top quarterback selected in the NFL draft? And you would see that going back to 2004, there are only two quarterbacks that made less in their career than the top baseball draft pick from a position player standpoint in that draft. Only two, Jamarcus Russell and E.J. Manuel are the only two that got passed by, I believe it was the third baseman for the Cubs. Chris Bryant and Matt Wheaters were the only two that made more in their career playing baseball. I'm here to tell you it's way more lucrative. Kyler knows what he's doing. He's a football.

player and he's going to Arizona. Okay, so the NFL is, you know, you're our lead college football analyst, so let me tell how the NFL works. Oh, okay, please. Big J. Journalism on me right here. Let me go on you, sit back and learn something. Let's do it. It is a comfy couch.

So the NFL, here's the rule. Get your quarterback. Yeah. Protect your quarterback. Yep. Got it. And draft guys that can get their quarterback. That's kind of what Chris Ballard, Howie Roseman, Bella check.

Yeah. It's kind of a simple league. So you got Josh Rosen. I can take Nick Bosa. That takes care of three. Oh, so you think one is done. You think they've got their quarterback. I can get, why would I take, I can go get the best pass rusher, arguably.

Well, a great pass rusher doesn't do anything for you unless you've got the quarterback position set. Okay. But if I feel I do. I mean, what is Vaughn Miller done for Denver now that their quarterback position's in flux? Because their offensive line. Let me answer that. Nothing. He's done nothing.

Okay. So I would argue Arizona's not done with number one. Okay. You're going down to two and three. We need to stop at one. Denver doesn't have one or two figured out. They got number three. So they have to get the quarterback.

I believe Josh... But you went to three with Arizona right? Well, time out. They got number one done. You said go get Bosa. You think number one is done? I think Josh Rosen's a guy in the next 10 years. Okay, this is not a knock on Josh,

but don't you think Fit has a lot to do with it as well? Unless you're a generational talent like an Aaron Rogers who can probably make it work with just about any coordinator, attitude aside. I'm just talking about skill level. Fit has a lot to do with it now. I mean, the style of quarterback that you have versus the style of coach you are has a ton to do with whether you and your team are successful. Let me just tell you this right now.

I think Josh Rosen will be successful in the NFL. It's not going to be with Cliff Kingsbury. Why? Because I think there are oil and water, not personality-wise, but from a schematic standpoint. Sit back. Hold on. Let me educate you for a second. Josh Rosen is a black and white type quarterback.

He wants to know the why. He's very cerebral. He wants to know why things are happening. The details of the offense. Where's the timing of the mechanism of the concept? Which defender are we bracketing? How are we attacking that? Where's my base three-man progression?

Where do I go for an alert, so on and so forth? That's not technically the offense that Cliff Kingsbury has. See, Cliff cut his teeth under Mike Leach. Now, this is not the pure air raid that Cliff has, But that offense, going back to Hellmummy and Valdosta State and Mike Leach and Kentucky and all those places, it's a gray area offense. Your quarterback has to be very fluid in the type of reads that he makes. It's very much like basketball.

You've got to be a point guard. It's very fluid. There's not set in stone details. We're going to read the progression to green grass. You hear this a lot from those type of offenses. We're going to attack the space to the defense. What does that mean? How do you do it?

Where do you bracket it? Well, we're going to do it with fluidity, with adjustment of routes. That's why there's so few concepts and so many adjustments off of it. I'm telling you that Kyler's much more suited and a better fit for Cliff than Josh. That's not a knock on Josh. In fact, Josh is going to be very successful if and when he gets to a place where he can run a black and white offense where the detail is the king of the offense. All right, so Nick Bose is out there.

You're just going to give up the best pass rusher in five years. Let him go to somebody else. I just told you why because you said, bring up the graphic ink. Collins points, one, two, and three. Get a quarterback, protect him. You got to get a quarterback. I'm just telling you that you've got to do one before you do two and three. You don't have to.

You can build your O line until you get your quarterback. You can't put drywall up without framing, Colin. Did my second house. Well, that's why it fell over. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. That's why it fell over. I'm just telling you, I don't think it's a prerequisite, right? You can't just say, okay, how do we get these three elements and in what order?

order. The order has to be right. You've got to go one, two, and then three, I think. I think, so I think you're wrong. I think Arizona needs to draft Kyler. I think the reports out there that they're not going to draft him are erroneous and false. I think that they're doing that to increase Rosen's draft stock. He's a baseball player. What do you mean he's a baseball player? I'm not a big, baseball. How many times has he had an opportunity to play baseball for millions of dollars and turned it down? I can count at least three. All right, let's move to something else. better. Getting trounced.

Right. Real quick here. Speechless over there, Joy. Do you sense that too? I'm not going to go out in the weeds. This draft's built for me. It's not built for the viewing public. I love this draft. You do. Oh, I love it. It's a bunch of... Because it's a meat and potatoes draft. Oh, I love it. Last year was all flash and nonsense and crotch-grabbit. I'm not into that stuff. I'm into

interior linemen. Who's the best player in the draft? And don't give me Kyler Murray. No, I won't. Who's the best player in the draft? Your boy, Nick Bosa. Who's the second best player? and Williams, the defensive line. I would flip those two, but I think those are the two best players. Yeah, that's fine. I think a lot of teams have them one and two in whatever order they want. For me, it's Bosa because he's more impactful. Yeah, it can make the, it's good argument.

From a get to the quarterback, create turnover standpoint, not that Williams is not impactful. These two are the class, the prize of the drafts, no doubt. Every source I have, every scout I've talked to has said Quinn and Williams, Alabama, Nick Bosa are the best players. in this draft. No doubt. I think that they are as good defensive linemen slash pass rushers that we've had maybe in two three, maybe four years come into the draft. Let me ask you this with my expertise

in the NFL. Let's say Arizona passes on Kyler Murray. Oakland's probably the next team at four that would consider him. Does Gruden's offense work with Kyler Murray? Yes. It does. Yes. Short, quick decisions. Get the ball out. Fast feet.

Timing kept in the feet. Everything is quick and that's that's very much what what kailer can do and will do do do you have any inside sources saying arizona will take kailer murray yes oh so you're breaking news here i'm not breaking news i'm i'm i'm 90 percent again i would be shocked if they're if they're not going to take him all right so you're i mean as yeah very good sources that i've talked to say yeah that's the pick i don't know where to go on this i know i would not i would keep josh rosen by the way here's your mock draft put this up for the world to see kiler murray Bosa, Quinn and Williams, okay, Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Duane, I'll tell you, Andre Dillard,

underrated Washington State. Yeah, I like Andre Diller. If you want to talk to meat potatoes, those offensive linemen type of, Andre Dillard from Washington State. Think about this perspective. He only gave up one sack, I believe, last year, and you could say, oh, there are other guys that didn't give up any. He had over 300 more pass blocking opportunities than the next closest lineman.

300. Yeah, he's a beast. Joel Clatt, Jay Glazer, Chris Spielman, Rob Stone, Fox Sports Radio Thursday night throughout the entire first round live from Nashville. Are you going to Nashville? I am. I'm headed out there tomorrow. What a city. I know, but I'll work no play this week.

That doesn't exist in my life. That's why don't do the draft. You're the best. Nashville is unbelievable. Are you okay? I was a little hard on you. No, let me tell you something. I'm like Captain America.

I got a shield right here. Bang, everything bounces off. When you have my level of expertise, nothing bothers me. I was going to say stubbornness. but you call it expertise. That's fine. I'm the Westbrook of hosts. I just do it my way.

Like Teflon. My way, baby. All right. Fox Sports Radio Nashville, Joy Taylor, with the news. No, no,

no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. I actually thought that was a rather light exchange between you. I know, usually it's arm wrestling. I appreciate that. There's a little more hostility and jabs thrown.

I felt like there was, it was like the smiling cobra. I came with a smile today. Well, we didn't talk too much about Baker today. Oh, that's true. One Baker job. The touchdown maker?

The Magic Man? So in the aftermath of Magic Johnson stepping down as president, Shaq is pushing hard for two former Laker Grates to take over. Here was his pitch this morning, this morning on his podcast. I think Kobe or Jerry West should take the job.

Kobe would be a slam dunk. I don't think Kobe would do it. His guy isn't there. You know, a lot of people saying, well, Rob Kalinka's only job was to take care of Kobe. What gives him general manager experience? Bring a guy like Kobe in there. them two working together.

If he does it, everybody would be excited, but guess what? Now, you still got work to do. Like, you know, we're only going to be on the Kobe's a general manager kick for one year. He got one year now. If he comes in and he brings four or five guys with him and they do something, it'll probably turn out as the greatest move ever. But there's a guy across the hall. He's the one that brought Showtime back.

Their relationship didn't into it. Well, I think they should just bring him back. Hey, you know what? They got the money. They should give it to them. The Lakers, I thought we were going to, to move off the family thing? I think that they should.

I think they tried the family thing. It clearly did not work. And maybe, you know, Magic had some ideas for a way to take the organization and they didn't want to give him the only way to do it or who knows what happened really in that situation. I don't think that Kobe wants this position. I think he's seen what happened with Magic. And even though I do actually think Kobe would be better at this position than Magic because Kobe doesn't care if he makes a move that other people don't.

like, whereas Magic wants to be the face and the big brother and the mentor in that regard. But he does make a point. Shaq does make a point that Rob Polinka is there. And I mean, not everyone around the league seems to like working with Rod Polinka. So you got to bring somebody in there that everyone around the league respects. And Kobe is that guy. I think Kobe likes being the sniper in the bushes a little bit more and throwing out stuff. Than actually being the person.

Oh, yeah. I mean, listen, the best job in any business is consultant. You don't get blamed for anything, but you can always say, you know, I made that deal and nobody denies it. I think Kobe likes having a voice through Polinka. I don't think he wants to run the franchise and be in the opposite, 615 every morning from Orange County to Staples. I mean, I don't know why Jerry West would take that unless they, like Shaq said, they just threw all the money in the world at him to make him flip. But I don't, I don't know. I feel like they just need to find someone in that position that makes sense for the future.

Someone can work with LeBron and for the future Just hire the right person. It doesn't always have to be In the family. So Kevin Durant will be a free agent again this summer And he says now that Now says that he Not the media will deliver the message And in his own words, he told NBC Sports Bay Area But I wasn't a free agent, none of this bleep would go on, right?

None of the speculation about who I am. What's wrong with my mental? Why I'm miserable? Why I'm happy with life? Nothing. They need me. Well, he's right. We like him. We don't need him, but we like him. I don't know. I would say in this particular playoff run, we do need Kevin Durant.

I don't have a problem with Kevin Durant being spicy with the media. This is who Kevin Durant is as well. You know what? Can I just say this? The ratings are down for the playoffs. And everybody is saying no LeBron. The playoffs aren't as good. Can I push back on this?

This is the best first round I can remember in a long time. Underdogs went on the road and one. in Toronto and one in Philadelphia. I think this has been, and I've been critical of the NBA this year, because I don't think it's been a great story year. I think this is as entertaining a first round as even the Boston sweep at competitive games. I think it's felt a lot like the old NBA.

A lot of rivalries, a lot of physical. I've loved it. Yes, it has been fun. So I totally agree with you there. And as far as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and being mad at the media, I'm 100 percent on Kevin Durant's side because I feel like this constant talk about him being a free agent and where's he going to go and what's going to happen? It's fun. It's fun. But for him, it's not. He's trying to focus on winning another championship. What does he care about answering questions

about that? And it's probably exhausting. So I really, it doesn't bother me at all. I would, there's no way any normal human person could deal with being asked about the same thing that they cannot give an answer on incessantly all day long. It would be exhausting for anyone. Finally, she just mentioned the Celtics. Few teams had as many ups and downs this year as Celtics did, but they completed their sweep of the Pacers to advance. Kyrie had 14 points and 7 assists. Hayward had 20 points, and Morris added 18. Tatum at 18 points and 8 rebound.

So all around, they're playing really well. They're going to end up matching up with Milwaukee. Great series. Close out tonight against the Pistons. Oh, we're going to have in the second round, we're going to have Rockets Warriors, Boston, Milwaukee. Those are unbelievable six, seven games. series. I don't, I, I picked the Celtics to make it to the finals at the beginning

of the year like you did, but I didn't pick them to win. I don't know. I don't know about that series. They got a lot of shopmakers, Joy. I know, but Milwaukee, like, we've been telling them out all year. I don't know. It's going to be fun. But I don't know if I so

decisively give it to the Celtics. Oh, I can't wait. Boston, Milwaukee is a great series. It's going to be fun. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. heard lie news. You know, it's funny yesterday, I was

watching last night and Barclay was listing his five best players in the NBA. He never uses Steph. He never puts Steph in there. I think he likes the physical component. Do we have the audio of Charles Barkley? So he was talking about the five best players in the NBA. Let's roll a tape on Sir Charles. And I'm making my list here. Checking it twice.

And I said, LeBron, Katie, Janice, James, and Kauai. Those are the five best basketball players in my opinion. You don't think if you're in that or not in that. Not in front

these guys. I'm just asking a question. If I said the damn answer, don't ask me a question. I didn't know that was the answer. We know from past experience that sometimes your lists are subject to change. Well, I lost to know, but these three guys here is that Westbrook in there? Is that,

if I don't slap the hell out of you on national television. It's Mr. Sunday. Charles B. It's my list. Okay, that's funny. I love those guys. First of all, Charles never put Steph in. Time out. You could make an argument that Steph Curry is the best ball handler in the world,

the best shooter in the world, and the best passer in the world. Forget his IQ, his leadership qualities. His personality is perfect. He gets along with their stars. What's Kauai the best player in the world at? I'm not denying Kauai's a tremendous two-way player. What's Kauai? the best player in the world at. I want your medical degree. I want your law degree. I don't want

your liberal arts degree. I don't want to tell me you're good at a bunch of stuff. I want great. I want specifics. Steph Curry changes the temperature of an arena. He's got a Mike Tyson tequila shot quality to him. Bang, game over. Kauai, you wake up after three hours, he's got 26 points, he's got eight rebounds, and he's been terrific on both ends. But he doesn't take over games. He's just a terrific player. I'm a big believer in specialists. I want your law degree. I want your architectural degree. I want your medical degree. I want you to be great at something. I don't want your liberal arts degree. Well, I'm well read. I've traveled a little. What are you specifically great at? Of the six or seven components to basketball, you can argue

that Steph Curry is the best at three of them. Best ball handler, absolutely, best shooter, absolutely, and I'd argue he may be the best passer in the game. Kauai's a really excellent two-way player. But I don't know how you don't. Barkley doesn't like Steph. I don't know how you don't put Steph in the top five players in the world. There's just a handful of guys. There are not many guys in this league that I would call them like the tsunamis of the league.

They just go on these 10-0 runs. Kyrie's one of them. Dorent's one of them. Durant's one of them. LeBron's one of them. It's like five in the NBA. Not saying Yonis isn't great and Kauai is not great. but there are about a handful of guys in this league.

LeBron's still one of them. We're in a four-and-a-half-minute stretch. It goes from a four-point game to a 13-point game, and you're like, what happened? I never feel that with Kauai. I just think he's really, really good. So I don't get the pushback on Kauai Leonard. He gets so much disrespect around the NBA.

And Steph Curry to me is, and I like Kauai. I don't get not putting Steph Curry in these lists. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd, weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

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

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

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 real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

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

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

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

Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ledecki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals.

At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports.

A new member of the Fox Sports One team NBA analyst Rick Buecker covering the NBA since 1992. Senior Rider Bleacher Report, great to have you back in. I could have taunted today. I could have dropped the hammer on Westbrook. I've always contended. He's not built for the playoffs, which is he's too volatile. He's a very volatile personality. I don't like volatility in crisis.

He's not adaptable. He's kind of a rigid player. I think the playoffs are all about adaptability, not rigidity. So what do you make of what we see third straight year out of Westbrook? I have long been one who has defended him, and particularly the way he tried to adjust this year, because I felt as if for the first time he conceded. And I had people tell me in the Thunder organization

that when he went down, guns ablazing and still lost against Utah, he said, I'm never going to lose that way again. I'm going to find a way to use the pieces around me. He's tried to do that. this year. But as a as a GM said to me just recently who knows Russ well said there's a little string that you can pull in his head and when you pull it all bets are off which means emotionally he's going to get into he's no longer thinking the game he's reacting. Yesterday he got into a one-on-one you-what with Lillard. It's this whole series and what's really kind of confounding

for me is that if you look at Russ and Damien, they have a lot in common. They were lightly recruited in high school. They were not, they had to earn their stripes in college. Even when they got to the league and they were drafted high, people thought, what are you doing? They had like one specific team believe in them. They've proved otherwise. They've always had their doubters in various ways. So if there's anybody that Russ would know and say, I can't intimidate this guy. I know where he comes from. He comes from the tough streets of Oakland, just like I came from L.A. Like, I'm not

going to try to get over on him, and yet he has tried to mock him as if he can mentally like intimidate Lillard, which means to me, which says to me that Russ is not thinking the game. He's not thinking his opponent. He's just, and the whole idea where you hit a

second quarter three, and you have the primal scream and you think you've won the game, it's like he's in a sword fight, and he thinks if I just get you once, it's over. instead of it's 48 minutes. And Lillard, meanwhile, is just sitting back, strategizing, staying with his game. I've never, I've always thought Russ is going to get it. He's going to get it.

He's going to funnel it. And this is the first time where I've thought, I don't know if he's ever. I've seen some crazy guys. Ron Artax, Lamar Odom, guys that I never thought would hoist a championship trophy because they were just too unpredictable. So I never want to say never, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. about Russ. I've had him for a few years. Kauai Leonard, good two-way player.

Yeah. Nonverbal, odd personality, only player Popovich has ever struggled with. I like him a lot. And Toronto is better than I thought. But when I keep hearing Kauai get lumped in with Hardin and Janus and Durant, I don't buy it. I see why it happens. Because he does make your team better. But does he make, and this is going to sound like a contradiction, but does he make players better? Does he make the game easier for them?

You know who he is? He's Clay Thompson on steroids. Both are kind of socially awkward. They're quiet. They're two-way players. They're supreme two-way players. But they play within themselves in this little fun, on their island.

And they don't necessarily take over. over a game in that respect. They don't bring a team with them. You can give them the ball and they'll do amazing things. You can say stop that guy and they'll do amazing things. But if you say, okay, organize us. Steph brings the warriors together. Clay just gets hot for four minutes.

Yes, exactly. And tore it, like, tore it. I mean, and with Kauai. Like, okay, what do we do? How do we stop this guy? And you can throw everything at him. And as a result, certain things will open up. but it's not the same as Kauai saying

and actually Russ has this same issue like how do I marry what I do individually with utilizing all the pieces around me for Russ it's either or like I'm either giving it up and letting somebody else make the make the play or I'm going to go like a bat out of hell

Kauai doesn't even try to give it up to anybody else he's like I'm here you give it to me okay I'm going to go get it done it is it's not he lacks a connective tissue, which a magic had, which a LeBron has, what a Steph has, what a Nash had. It's not always guards. I kind of feel like he's on an island. Yeah. And there is a way the teams rally around a guy in when he plays and he brings everybody there. You can see it. I mean, how many times do you see Kauai do something and his teammates celebrate around? Like it's, as you said, is a bonding experience based on what he does.

And he makes amazing plays. I mean, it's just. There's times where between the hands and the physical just ability to move forward and go through people, what do you do with that? But the game's a little more complex than that, and I'll be interested to see how they balance that. Because how do you not give it to him in certain situations over, say, a Kyle Lowry? But Kyle Lowry is going to be able to utilize, even though he's not as good as a one-on-one guy, he's going to be able to utilize all the pieces around him. You live in San Francisco, see the Warriors as much as anybody. Houston looks lethal. They look more physical.

I'd argue Houston's better this year than last, and I never thought that was going to happen. Where is the warrior's big vulnerability? Well, it still is defensively, and their ability to sustain that. So it's going to be a matter of, for all that we've talked about, Steph, and this is where, like,

Steph has so many intangibles that I want to put him in that top five, but defensively, you can attack him. Yeah, he's a smaller player. You can't hide him. I would say the combination of Steph, Steph's defense, their collective defense, and the fact that they have no bench anymore.

The bench is just they're going to the death lineup earlier and earlier. Do you think they're vulnerable? Oh, without question. Without question. I mean, everybody made a big deal about the game that they lost to Clippers that Kevin Durant didn't shoot the ball. The Warriors scored 131 points. I don't care who's shooting the ball. You're okay.

They gave up 135 points to the Los Angeles Clippers. 135 points to the 10th best offense in the league in a playoff game. To me, that's where they're vulnerable, is their ability. And as we know, with the rockets, particularly with Hardin, attacking on the pick and roll. How are you going to defend the pick and roll? Can Andrew Bogot come over and stop either if you're not? He stops hardened, the ball's going to the rim, and Capella's going to finish. And while Bogot is better than cousins in doing that, the fact of the matter is that's still going to be a challenge.

There's a reason he was in the Australian League. And it wasn't because he just unilaterally decided to do that. We'll see if he's able to sustain his play. One year from now, where's Jimmy Butler? I'm going to go with New York right now. I don't mind that. That's fun. Yeah.

I've heard that he and KD have had conversations. and that they've talked about playing together. Again, another one of these national team connections. I'm still not certain that Kyrie is leaving Boston. I think he didn't make a mistake. I think Brad Stevens is Mike Dan Tony. All guards are better. You don't leave Steve Kerr, Mike Dan Tony, Brad Stevens is a guard.

And you don't leave a young Boston Celtics team that has so many things in front of it that it's capable of accomplishing. And I get it that he and Katie are boys and, and the New York aura, but this is a little bit, this is a little bit different. He's got one championship. Can he get more?

He could get a lot more in Boston, and he can come in, and as he is, he's the guy that's stirring the drink right now. Okay, Rick Buecker's a regular now. I'm going to be here on a couple of days this week. NFL draft Thursday. Rick Buechr, great stuff.

Love having you as part of the team is FS1. Hour three around the corner in Los Angeles. It's The Herd. One more Herd? The Herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Within the IHeart Radio app, search Heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Ah, it's great to have you, and we're live in L.A.

Hour 3, this is The Heard, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, it's great to have you here, Joy and I. Thanks for, I hope you had a nice Easter weekend. The show is flying by on a Monday. Thursday is the NFL draft, one of my favorite things of the year. This kind of draft week, NBA playoffs. off week. And we're also on Sirius XM Channel 83. So you had nice Easter? I had a great Easter. How was your Easter? It's nice. It was just a lot of food and I watched

NBA basketball with a bunch of buddies. Oh, by the way, I have a new friend in Major League Baseball. Have you heard about this Cole Tucker kid plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates? He got called up this weekend for the Pirates and he had a home run in his first game. His mom and dad were in the crowd. And I followed him on Twitter and he followed me and DM me. He goes, I watch you every morning with my dad. And I said, let's be friends. So I'm going to go watch him with the Dodgers this week. Is that how men become friends?

Yeah, I said, I want to be your friend. Cole Tucker. Hey, Goulet, you have any famous friends? Because I got one right now. How many you have? Zero. Do you not consider him a friend? Well, Goulet's not famous.

You're famous. Yeah, somewhat. My whole point is, Cole Tucker and I are. You're America's media icon. I am America's media icon. It's a very good point. But I now have a friend in Major League Baseball. I'm going to go see him this one.

weekend, meet his parents. I now resent Cole Tucker. He's an incredible story. And by the way, he looks so young. You look at him and you're like, if you're a parent, he looks like a kid should look in the major leagues. Goes out, bang, home run. Great story. Coming up in 15 minutes, DeAngelo Hall stops by. We'll talk some draft stories, and he's got

some good ones. And coming up, earlier I said Russell Westbrook's contract is one of the 10 worst. We're going to go back and look right now at some of the really bad contracts in sports. They can completely hamstring an organization. All right, well, the thunder, I was wrong about this series, are going to get knocked out in the first round third year in a row yet again.

And you think I'm picking on Russell Westbrook. One of the advantages I have doing the show over you is your fans, you're emotional. I try not to be. And the story with Westbrook and Kevin Durant had a lot of emotion. Kevin Durant bailed on him on a small market to go join a growing dynasty and nobody like KD. We don't like that. And everybody's rooting for Westbrook, the little guy who got dumped in Oklahoma City.

And we were rooting for Westbrook. And once you bring emotion into a sports argument, you're dead. I win and I won here. But my show's not about winning. It's about trying to tell you something that you never thought about before. So let me start with this. Westbrook's never been built for the postseason. There's three reasons why.

A, playoff basketball. is all about adapting. It's a chess match. It's the same opponent five times, six times, seven times. He doesn't, Westbrook doesn't adapt. He's a human tornado. He's got one speed. He's a sprinter.

The playoffs are about a marathon. Moving this piece, getting this piece. That's not Westbrook's game. That's the opposite of Westbrook's game. He's not adaptable. One speed, 100 miles an hour, he's not built for the playoffs. Very Derek Rose-like.

Second thing is, playoff basketball is about coaching. Greg Popovich, Brad Stevens. This is why I pick coaches as much as teams in the playoffs. Well, Westbrook's very, very difficult to coach. He's inflexible. His personality's inflexible. His game is inflexible.

He's a My Way or a Highway guy. I think even Westbrook fans would acknowledge he's kind of rigid. And number three is, he's volatile. You do not want volatility. Playoff basketball is all about crisis. How do you handle crisis? Westbrook's arguing with fans, children, media, coaches, rivals.

The three things that matter in playoff basketball. And this is why I sold my stock on Westbrook three years ago. The playoffs are about adapting. He doesn't. They're about coaching. he's hard to coach. And they're about handling crisis with calm. He's the opposite.

He's completely volatile, which is the last thing you want in playoff basketball. He's not built for this time of the year. But you were rooting for him because he's the little guy and he got dumped by KD and KD joined a dynasty. And that stinks. And you like the little guy and the underdog. And so you were emotionally all in on Westbrook

and it clouded your judgment. I was never a hater on this. It was right in front of you. Look at the data. Look at the numbers. He's the three things I don't want. Can't adapt, can't coach him in volatile. And by the way, Charles Barkley pointed something out yesterday after the broadcast,

and this is the exact same thing. My two buddies, Dan and Eric, were in my house watching the games. And we were talking about exactly what Barkley points out. Even though he's only two for eight, when they were down six, eight points, he didn't panic. He finally made a shot. You know, a lot of times you can tell he is not trying to compete with Russell. Russell is trying to compete with him.

Here, here, a hundred percent right. And folks, giving him the most valuable player trophy just enabled him. Oklahoma City enabled him. UCLA enabled him. The OKC media enabled him. The fans have enabled him. NBA media. But you know who wouldn't enable him?

Kevin Durant. said, I'm dumb with this. I want to be any part of this. Kevin Durant left and told people it was in articles. It was documented. It was written about. You're enabling him. And the MVP did the exact same thing.

You told him by giving him the most valuable player based on a stat. This is awesome. More of that. And so he pads that. And he thinks that's great. But triple doubles don't win playoff games. Adaptability. Coachability.

Not being volatile. Russell Westbrook has never been built to succeed in the postseason. Some players just are. Some players just aren't, and he's the latter. It's not about hating. The minute you get emotional, it's my advantage over anybody that watches or listens to the show. Because we all know this. We get emotional about our kids.

We get emotional about our wives. We get emotional about our teams. And then we get blinded by it. It's not been difficult to see. he is now, without a doubt, a liability to the franchise. I can make an argument. He's one of the 10 worst contracts in sports. They're on the hook for four more years, averaging $40 million,

and it's getting worse, and he's been enabled. And there's nowhere to go on it. There's nowhere to go on it. Like I say, you can always go hard to lighten up. Tom Coughlin did that with the New York Giants. He was a hard ass, then he lightened up, and the players bought in. You can't go soft and enabling ice cream for breakfast and then come in and go, no way, we're all eating. And the kid just roll their eyes at dad and mom and laugh.

Once you enable somebody, you cannot get strict. You can't. You can be rough on people, Belichick, Tom Coughlin, and lighten up. That works. The opposite does not. Oklahoma City is absolutely trapped. You pick the wrong guy, and you've enabled him, and this is what you're left with. There are four teams in the NBA, I think.

Four or five teams in the NBA that have multiple all-stars. They're all flying through the playoffs, except one. OK, C. Let me shift to this. This story is just crazy. Come Thursday, the NFL draft, there's going to be one overriding story who's getting Tyler Murray. It's mostly a defensive draft.

draft with a bunch of interior linemen and pass rushers outside of Nick Bosa. You know, you didn't watch a ton of them play a bunch of games. So, you know, the reality of this Thursday's draft, if you're a diehard draft fanatic like I am, I'm going to love it. But last year was all about quarterbacks and Baker and Donald and Rosen and Lamar and Josh. It was like, oh, I got quarterback. This year it's about interior defensive linemen except Kyler Murray.

And I told you last week, I would not. draft Kyler Murray. I would stay with Josh Rosent and go get the best players in the first round, the second round, the third round. He may go play baseball. I think he's too small. I do think he's a first round quarterback talent. But I would stick with Rosen. There's a story now. The Arizona Cardinals from Pete Prisco of CBS, a dependable guy, he's well-sourced. Arizona's decided

they're not going to draft Kyler Murray. And I'll tell you why I like what they're doing here. if you look at the six or seven teams in this league that I trust that I think the front office really knows what they're doing. New England, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Rams, Chargers, Chiefs. The teams I really think know what they're doing. They have a very simple formula. Get your franchise quarterback. Protect your franchise quarterback.

And then draft guys that can get their quarterback. It's real simple. So they got Josh Rosen. They've got number one done. What I think they should do with their number one pick is get Nick Bosa, the best pass rusher in college football. That would take care of three. So they'd have one finish, get the quarterback, and they'd have three finalize, get guys

to attack the quarterback. And then with the number one pick in the second round, they'll have the first pick in the second round, go get the Mississippi State Center or the kid from North Carolina State the best two centers. And then you'd solve number two. And then in two years, you would have solved one, two, and three. And by the way, the first pick in the third round, there's a great guard from Oklahoma that's projected to go top of the third. Go get him.

And then you will have solved one last year, two and three in this draft. Elite players, one, two, three. Listen, this is nothing against Kyler Murray. But this league is not complicated. The same teams and the same GMs and the same coaches are winning every year. the formula, like the same formula on Wall Street, the same formula on Main Street. Get your quarterback, get guys to protect him, and then get guys to attack their quarterback. You got number one last year.

You can fill out two and three this year. It's a great draft for pass rushers. Nick Bosa, you'll get the best one. It's an exceptional draft for offensive linemen. You're going to have number one pick in the second round, number one pick in the third round. you can go get a starting offensive lineman with both of those picks. But if you start over with Kyler Murray, you're going to have a new offense, a new game plan, your worldview is going to have to change.

And I think you're kind of back to step one. All right. DeAngelo Halls around the corner, former Pro Bowl defensive back, who has great draft stories. This is draft week in the NFL. I'm totally fired up for it. I think teams like the Jets, the Raiders, the Packers, New England. have a chance to, I mean, Arizona can change their franchises. This is a great draft defensively.

And if you need that, the Raiders do, the Packers do. You have a chance. New England's got 12 draft picks. They have a lot of capital. And I'm told they want to move up for the first time, Belichick, in a long time. DeAngelo Hall is 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 IHard Radio app. MDrive is a supplement you should use every day. Stronger, more energy, and drive. Clinically tested ingredients to learn more. MDrive4Mend.com. Today, refine your prime with MDrive. DeAngelo Hall played for a decade and a half in the NFL, a multiple-time pro bowler.

He was a redskin. He was a raider, and he was an Atlanta Falcon initially. Let's go. It's draft week. Take me back, you know, when you're a young player and you're coming out of college, I remember you at Virginia Tech. I remember your career.

You were outspoken. You could do a little bit of everything. You were an elite corner. Were you nervous? Were you anxious? Did teams lie to you? Did you have a sense where you were going? I mean, I think everyone lies to you.

Everyone makes you feel like you're the best thing since sliced bread. You know, I can remember working out for the Giants. And I'm sitting here thanking the Giants got the number one overall pick. Wow. You know, I'm excited. And so I go to this workout. They come to my college. They came to Virginia Tech.

Yeah. And they sent the special teams. coordinator at the time. Coach Prefer, still know his name. And so he has me out there catching punch, running all around, and I'm over here thinking to myself like, I'm a corner. I know

they're not going to draft me number one. And so toward the end of the workout, he tells me, yeah, you know, we're thinking if you're still on the board, we're going to get you, you know, with the second round pick. And I'm thinking, well, coach, if I'm still on the board in the second round, then Lord help me, I'm going to be

very upset. But, you know, The whole process, you know, for me, it was a little bit different because I was one at the time they invited about five or six guys to New York. Yeah, you were eight-peck. Yeah, I was the eighth pick. But I was around guys who in college, you know, I didn't win many awards. I was one of those guys who was just a freakish athlete. I was really good, but didn't have like stats that jumped off the board. People didn't throw, nobody threw to your side.

Yeah, I had one interception. And so to think I was going to win the Jim Thorpe Award was asinine at the time. And so, you know, I'm at the draft with guys like Ben Rothesberger, Eli Manning, Roy Williams, the receiver, you know, all these guys who I, you know, I've watched in college and I'm kind of like, wow, wow, wow. And so, you know, I was such the little peon guy there that I was just happy to be there. Like I knew, like, you probably heard the joke, me and Ben had a running bet who was going to be the last guy in the green room.

And I was kind of like, cool, dude, I'm cool with being the last guy. What's that? the 10th pick, I'll take that, you know what I mean? Like I had no no pressure. I was just happy to be around these guys because coming from a college like Virginia Tech at the time, we didn't win a lot of football games.

I was just happy to be around those guys. It's an interesting draft because it's very defensive driven. I mean, I don't remember. There was a draft about a decade ago, I feel like that was a lot of defensive linemen. You know, I mean, Kyler Murray is going to be the story of the draft. If you ran Arizona, you can get Nick Bosa. You can say, I got Josh

Rosen, I'm going to get Nick Bosa, or you can say, I'm going to get Kyle Murray and start over. What would you do? Because of the head coach they have and the style of play that I've seen his offenses operate with in college, I would say if we're going to succeed with this coach and we have faith in this coach that he's going to be here for the length of his contract, I think you have to draft Kyler because he just. fits what you think Cliff's offense is going to look like. Now, Cliff could come in and say, hey, I'm going to take a little bit of this. I'm going to take a little bit of that, take a little bit of this,

and make a totally different offense that Josh Rosen could excel in. And it could be difficult for Kyle to excel in. And so we still really don't know what Arizona's offense is going to look like. And so for them, yes, they can play this game of chicken where they are looking at Kyle of Murray the whole time. Like, I'm going to get him. I'm going to get him. Nope, I'm not going to get them.

And it's up to every. else to kind of figure out what they're going to do because I could see both things working out. I believe if you draft a guy, 10th overall, like Josh Rosen, you give him a chance. I mean, you drafted him 10 for a reason. You know, the other thing, DeAngelo is I'm a big believer is you just, I remember talking to Odell Beckham. And I can say this now. I couldn't say it when I had talked to him because he was with the Giants. But I asked him a question about New York's personnel.

And Odell Beckham had told me face-to-face on FaceTime. He said, listen, we need about seven more dudes. We just need more dudes. And here's why I don't like taking Kyler Murray. So if I just stay with Rosen, I get Nick Bosa. I take Kyler Murray. I don't get Nick Bosa. Listen, this whole league now outside a quarterback is finding the next Khalil Mack.

If Arizona needs about seven more dudes, I take Kyler. So let's say you think Kyler is this much better than John. But if you take Kyler, I don't get Nick Bosa. I just want to lock a room of guys that walk in, you're like, yeah, because let's be honest. They want to compete. There's about seven, even on the good teams, there's about seven guys you're like, you know, Jets, Jamal Adams, it's going to be Levian Bell. And that's kind of how I always felt in Washington.

I always felt like, man, we need some more dudes. Like when they got rid of Albert Hainsworth, I wasn't upset because they got rid of Albert Hainsworth because he wasn't making play. I was upset because whenever there was a scuffle, whenever there was a scuffle, whenever there was a problem on the field, Auburn Haynesworth was always one of the first ones ready to go throw some blows. And it wasn't that I wanted him to throw blows

and get penalties, but I wanted that guy to fight for his brother. And I wanted all the other guys around to see that. And so that's the dude. You know, when you speak of the dude reference, that's what you want. You want dudes who have that dog that want to compete because I'm telling you,

there's a lot of guys in the league that don't have it and don't want it. And I don't know how they got to where they are. It is a lot that just somehow slipped through the crack. Yeah. That's why it's so fascinating when you sit in this seat and you see the GMs and you're like, how could you not tell that this dude didn't want to play football? Because everything I've seen watching film showed me that he really didn't want to play football.

He made plays. He did this because he was good at it. He didn't do it because he likes playing football or loves playing football. Nick Bosa is a complete. He loves playing football. Oh, you just, they're not 10 guys. in this draft that want to play football more than Nick Bosa. I think he has a chance to be better than Joey Bosa, who I thought took some plays off.

Nick's a grinder. And so to me, I just not going to pass on that opportunity. Okay, so Donovan McNabb came out. I think Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck are very similar. I think they're two of the best quarterback prospects in the last decade. Both got the you know what kicked out of them. They get hurt. So Donovan McNabb came out and talked about Carson Wentz.

Here we go. When Nick Poles was able to take him to a Super Bowl and then possibly take them back to the NFC championship proves that some people can get into that offense and be very successful. And I think personally, if he can't get out of the second round or the next two, you know, maybe three years, they should look to possibly draft another quarterback

because you just don't know about his durability. You know, staying healthy is very key in this league. The team only goes as far as their quarterback takes them. They put so much their eggs in the basket with Carson with and he's got to prove that in the next two years. should be noted, Carson Wentz in 2017 was 11 and 2 and was going to be the MVP before he got hurt. Yes, he was. I mean, he's a filthy level athlete.

I mean, he is just, I think he's more talented than Andrew Luck in terms of mobility, arm strength. I don't think anybody can be smarter at the line of scrimmage than Andrew Luck. But what Donovan is saying, do you believe there are people in the Philadelphia organization? Because I think we both love Carson Wentz. And I think we both think he's better than Nick Foles. Yeah, absolutely. But do you believe there are people in the organization, take me to your career,

that are sitting there thinking, Carson can't stay healthy? Yeah, it's absolutely people who say that, but they're also the same people who would have wanted to keep Nick Foles over Carson Wentz. And I'm not saying it's right or wrong, because they both can be really good quarterbacks and really great quarterbacks,

and the problem in the National Football League, a team will draft a guy who's a great player. but might not necessarily fit what they want them to do. And you hear Donovan say, Nick Foz was able to do this in that offense. I think Carson Wentz is able to do the same things in that offense. I just think Nick Foz is comfortable, well, got really, really comfortable with the way in which the coach called the plays and just how smooth he was at the line of scrimmage. And, you know, a lot of players I heard saying things like, well, you know,

we want, when Carson had got hurt, a lot of guys were saying, well, you know, we can't wait for Nick Foz to get back in here because he's, he's so calm at the line of scrimmage. And so, you know, he's such a calming demeanor. When you heard earlier in the year, they couldn't wait for Carson to get back out there because they said Nick Foz was a little bit too calm and two, too, just easy going. They wanted the fiery guy Carson Wentz. And so, you know, in this league, you can have two things and they can both be great. You know, I think Carson Wentz is is a much better player. I think. I think Nick Foals, it was just a perfect storm. See, I think that too. You know, sometimes the ball just bounces your way. DeAngelo, Nick Foles is going to go down to Jacksonville. Jacksonville doesn't have Philly's O-Line. They don't have Phillies coaches. They don't have, Philly wins a game every year on the home field advantage.

There's an apathy to Jacksonville. I mean, one of the safest bets in the NFL that Nick Foles could get all that money, he's going to go down to Jacksonville, and they're going to go six and ten or seven and nine. People are forgetting this. Philadelphia is an elite organization. it would be hard as a quarterback not to win with that O-line, that staff, that defense, that home field. And the coach calling plays, like you said, that staff. That staff is a big reason why if a quarterback would have got drafted to Cleveland versus any other place in the past,

when they were just running through quarterback after quarterback after quarterback. You know, at a certain point it comes, is not necessarily that player is how he's getting coached. That's why you heard me on this show numerous times in the past talk about Lamar Jackson when we said, hey, if they don't develop him, it's not going to be his fault. We know he can play. We know he can throw the football. He threw it in college. Yes, it's a little bit different in the National Football League,

but if he's not being asked to throw the football or taught how to throw it to keep developing as a thrower of the football and you're just going to run him around, how long is he going to last doing that? And part of what is going to make him dangerous is not. the call runs, it's the him dropping back and just having those four or five guys rushing and him taking advantage of that. When you start running all that read option stuff, we're going to bring a safety in the box. And you, Jamal Adams, whoever that safety is, go get them. And you're going to probably win that battle the safety is over the quarterback.

Unless you have a freaky guy like Lamar in certain situations, a Michael Vick type who could just outrun your safety. But to me, you're dangerous when you're dangerous. you can develop a quarterback and you have to be able to let him drop back and throw the football around to do that. Good to see you, bud. Good to see you too. All week. DeAngelo Hall, 15 years, 14 actually in the National Football League.

Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So apparently Magic is still helping the Lakers, even though he stepped down as the team's president on April 10th. He still had this to say to TMZ. Everybody know I love the Lakers. Yes, sir.

You know? And so I'm going to always help them. You have to do things sometime on your own terms, no matter what other people think, see? Yes, sir. And I'm that guy. Yes, sir. But I'm still helping them.

It's almost like I've never left. I'm still talking to him every day. Yes, sir. You've been to L.A. You've been Mr. L.A. my whole life, man. I'm going to help him get the Lakers back right. You can believe that. Magic is the best.

I mean, look, this is what it is. This is what we all thought. I mean, I didn't think that magic was just going to disappear off the, Lakers spectrum. He just wanted to be able to be magic. Have you heard the news story? It's in the L.A. Times. That, yeah, they're going to, and I like Kurt Ramas. I just saw him a month ago at a restaurant by, he lives where I live.

I like Kurt Ramas, but they're going to keep it in the family. And they're not going to hire anybody over Polinka. And it's like, so I've heard Pat Riley, Kobe, Kurt Rambus, Magic Johnson, folks, Jeannie, don't you want a pair of eyes? that are new and fresh to the organization? To me, I just don't want people around who are too afraid to tell me if I'm doing something wrong. Right? You want people that encourage you.

You want people that have a positive energy and a positive attitude. But you also need someone who, while doing that, can also say, this is not the right thing, and you have to respect them saying that to you. And if you keep it too in the family, people can sometimes feel afraid to say when something's not going right. Yeah. Or if they just have a difference of opinion. in general because they don't want to mess up their relationship with you. And I know that it happens also sometimes when it's outside of the family,

but you've got to bring in somebody who can stand there and say, these are my credentials for this position. This is what I've done somewhere else. This is the success that I've had away from you, and you brought me here to do a job. I mean, think about this. Did Nick Saban have any connection to Alabama? Did Pete Carroll have any connection to USC?

Uh, generally speaking, the best of the best of, available candidate for any job in the country is not in your building already. It's very rare when that's the case. Yeah, I mean, we're living in a country of 320 million people. If your company has an opening, it's very rare for the top job that the candidate just happens to be in the cubicle down there, down to the left. I mean, there is something to promoting from within because you want to encourage people to have the ability to see the next step for their career.

No question. But paralyzed by it? No, yeah, exactly. You can't be paralyzed by it. And, you know, I don't think it ever works when ownership is meddling. But I think in this situation, it's on Jeannie to make a decision and give it to someone who knows what they're doing. Now, that said, I think that they should hire hire hire hire hire hire Tyler as the head coach. I would hire Monty Williams as the head coach because Monty is close with Jimmy Butler.

And I would call Monty Williams. And I'd say, I'm going to wait for you. I'm going to wait the entire time. You think you can get Jimmy Butler to L.A.? Monty, you're the coach. And then I would call the guy that runs the Raptors, and I'd say, you close with Kauai, I'm going to hire you. And that would give me a shot to almost virtually guarantee I would get Kauai or Jimmy,

not both. If I can get one of them with LeBron, then I can trade everybody else. I can trade my whole damn roster and get Anthony Davis. Then I got a real team. I don't think Jimmy Butler is coming for the coach. So to me, it's more important to put someone in place who has some chemistry with LeBron and who has won a championship. And to me, that's Tailu.

don't think Monty Williams is a bad option. I just think that the priorities in that and that's as far as the head coach goes lie with LeBron. So just like in game three, the third quarter of game four's OKC Portland matchup was Lillard time. He scored 15 in the quarter pushing the Blazers lead to as much as 19. And he also said he wasn't going to let the the trap of taunting affect his team. And he stuck to his word. We had a business-like mentality. And it was the first time that After game three, it was like, you know, we're in the locker room saying they lived at the free throw line and all this stuff. But game four, we're not talking to nobody but ourselves. Referees can call it how they want to call it.

We're just going to worry about ourselves. We're going to play hard. We're going to stay together. Whenever the crowd get into it, we're going to just keep doing what we do and come out on top. So I was proud that we was able to stick to that and actually get it done. But a lot of that is because of what we have been through during the regular season and how we came together. I think it's probably also just time to give the Blazers some credit overall as a team. Nurich got hurt, their second best player, and they went out and got Enis Canter and Rodney Hood.

CJ McCollum was huge last night. You know, the other thing is this is why Toronto is a dangerous team. They've got one great player, Kauai. But they've got about four guys that can get you a bucket. Portland's got about four guys. Seth Curry, Damien, C.J. McCollum. Rodney Hood can hit something in the angle. and you kind of start looking around with Portland.

They're leading this series because they've had very few dry spells. Somebody can always hit a bucket. Well, that's the point. Even when someone does, even if Dame does have a dry spell, there's other guys. McCullum was great yesterday.

So, I mean, I'm watching Toronto, and it's just, I don't think Toronto, Portland can win at all, but there's value in not having a six-minute dry spell. OKC can just go five minutes and can't get a bucket. Right. So I'm saying I think everyone's really focusing on Westbrook and, you know, what's going on with Paul George.

Maybe it's just that the Thunder aren't as good all around as the Blazers are. They have more guys. So finally, we talked about Russell Westbrook's next question responses to Barry Trammell's questions. And Paul George jumped in on that as well. And Steve Kerr does not find it harmless or humorous. He told the athletic, I don't think this is a healthy dynamic. We have to be very careful as a league. We're in a good place right now, very popular.

Fans love the game, the social dynamic, the fashion. more than anything, they love the connection they feel to the players. You've got to feed information to fans. It's dangerous when you go down that path of no communication. I think we're being a little bit dramatic here because this is not going to become a trend around the league. Hope not. Some guys have issues with certain media members.

Who knows why? Maybe Russell Westbrook made this up in his mind to have a chip on his shoulder. Maybe he has a legitimate problem. Who knows? But Russ wears the black hat. He does not have a problem being the villain. And you have to have a villain. and that's how it all works.

Everybody has different personalities. Everybody says he doesn't have a problem being the villain, but he's not played well the last two years as a villain. Maybe he doesn't like it as much as we think. He's become a villain. I'm not sure. I'm not sure he loves it. I think that matches his game.

He plays with this rage and relentless energy. He's... What happened to his shot? I don't know. He can't even hit a free throw now. I can't... I don't have an answer for all those things. But all I'm saying is,

Everyone's just panicking and freaking out about this, like, next question thing. He's not doing it to every single media member. I think this is who Russ is. Like, this is Russ's personality. There's no need to overreact it. It's not going to become a thing around the league where nobody talks to the media anymore. God, this series has been fascinating. It's been really fun.

It really has. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. Remember, I wondered about a month ago, Barclay and Kenny Smith came on and they're like, we're taking the Blazers to win it all. We're all like, like, out plays. They're playing well.

I mean, to go into Oklahoma City, I think Oklahoma City has an 11-game playoff road losing streak. And that's a very hard place to play. It is. It is. Denver and O KC out west are just tough environments. Coming up next, we talk about bad contracts with Russell Westbrook.

I think it's a contract now, 40 million next four years on average. I think it's a liability. What are the worst contracts in sports? We'll talk about that, not just basketball, football, baseball, all of them. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Mother's Day around the corner, go to 1-800 Flowers.com, 36 sorbet, Bucco, Roses, $36.6 bucks, 1-800 Flowers.com, radio icon enter Herd, H-E-R-D.

Do it every day at this time. We call it best for last. After almost three hours, Colin apparently hasn't gotten to the point yet. Quit holding out on us, cowherd. It's the best for last. A couple years ago, Russell Westbrook signed a contract five years over 205 million. And I said at the time, you're going to get tied down to that. The game is moving in a shooter's direction, and he can't shoot, and it's gotten considerably worse. And I thought, instead of just talking about Westbrook, there are some really bad contracts in sports.

Most of them you could see coming for miles. How about the 10 worst contracts currently in sports? Number 10. Kirk Cousins. Vikings were 13 and 3 with Case Keenum. 9 and 7 with Kirk Cousins. three years, $84 million. There's a no trade provision in his contract.

If you cut him, you'd still owe him $60 million. You'd have $60 million in dead money. I think Kirk Cousins is a solid quarterback. I do not think he's a top five quarterback. That's where he's paid or a top 10 quarterback. I'm not sure he's a top 15 quarterback. He has never been a great big, prime time game quarterback. I don't think he's terrible.

I think he's a spot starter. I think he's a great backup or a guy that, give a couple year deal to, but this is a bad contract. Number nine. Chris Davis of the Orioles. Seven years, 161 million guaranteed first year of the deal a couple years ago. He's batting 200 since the contract. He just went 0 for 54.

You know, it's funny. Chris was a really good player, and when he signed that, I thought that's a long contract, but it's almost like he's been affected negatively by the contract. Sometimes you get these guys that are power hitters, and you give them big money, and it gets into their head, but he has signed through 2022, and as of right now, it's an albatross. Number eight. Trent Brown, highest paid offensive linemen in NFL history. I'm not sure he's the Raiders' best offensive lineman.

He is certainly not the best tackle in his own division. 37 million guaranteed, four-year 66 million, seven-round draft pick, heaviest player in the NFL currently. last year they started him and it worked for New England but it should be noted every offensive lineman that leaves New England gets considerably worse number seven Bobby Benia now Bobby's only making 1.2 million a year but he hasn't played baseball since 2001 it's my favorite ever how is this not number one well he's he signed a deal with the Mets it's almost like an annuity just pay me 1.2 million a year forever.

So he'll keep making 1.2 million a year for the Mets until 2035, and he hasn't played with him since the 90s. Seriously, I have to know what number one is if this is not number one. All right. Number seven. Russell Westbrook, biggest contract in NBA history.

Three years guaranteed. They haven't made it past the first round post, Kevin, Durant. You know, I think a lot of this is they lost Hardin, they lost Durant. In Oklahoma City, said, listen, we lost. two of the three superstars, whatever, we're not losing this guy. So that part I get.

But I think the bigger issue is he is devolved, eroded as a player. It's your third straight one, first round exit. And, you know, again, if they were getting to the second or third round, you can validate that contract because you get five or six or seven or eight more home games, make a couple million bucks a home game in the NBA. But when you're a first round exit guy with that contract, that is a losing proposition. Number five. Albert Pooleholz.

This one made no sense. He was a great player with St. Louis. You know, he batted 300 or better every year in St. Louis, but they signed him when he was old. And now he's 39. He'll be over 41 at the end of his contract. He's hit over 300 one year with the Angels, and he's hurt all the time. So they're getting to the end of this deal.

But this deal didn't make any sense when they signed it. He was past his prime. He had one or two great years left. I think the Angels were trying to grab some market share. It was just a bad contract. Number four. Miguel Cabreras is worse. Eight years, 248 million.

Oh, yo, yo. Under contract for five more years, he missed most of last year with an injury, currently 35. In the past three seasons, Mr. Home Run hitter has hit 19 home runs total. Baseball's got some bad contract. And baseball, the contracts are long. This is as bad. Don't get me wrong.

There was about six years you would have paid this guy anywhere. anything. They just picked the wrong time to give him the contract. Number three. John Gruden, who was out of the league for a decade. Raiders went four and 12. They appear to be kind of making it up as they go. Nine years left on the deal, a hundred million dollar deal, longest biggest coaching contract ever. And by the way, it's one of the poorest NFL teams. So they have no leverage with him. Now he has said if he doesn't get it done, he'll get the money back. He did offer that. But I, I, I, I just don't think that somebody that's out of a sport for 10 years should come into any business

and set records for the highest compensation. Number two. John Wall. Now, the reason his contract is worse than Russell Westbrook is Westbrook's a better player. And Westbrook at least plays. John's hurt. Four years, 170 million. The stories now, he's not going to play next year.

So, I mean, I can say what I want about Westbrook, but Westbrook's giving you the effort. Westbrook's playing. Now, the sport's moving away from Westbrook. But John Wallace now, he just had an awful injury, another surgery. So he's going to come back and not be the same player. Played 32 games this year, 41 games last year. It's as bad an NBA contract as the sport has right now. Number one.

Jacoby Ellsbury. Seven years, over 150 million. He hasn't played since 2017. If he played, he would be overpaid. He doesn't play. The Yankees, by the way, everybody with the Yankees is hurt. And the problem is Ellsbury's always hurt. Two years left in his contract.

Hasn't had a year in it that he's played up to it. Signed before the start of 2014. And you know, it was interesting because he's a smaller player. He's outfielder, good speed, can get on base. But when you're injured and the strength of your game is your legs, this has been you know what's funny about this it was a bad contract when you signed it

everybody said when you signed it he's heard a lot I mean even Yankee fans are like it's not a great contract and it's funny when you look back at these deals almost all of them you can argue that was a bad deal

I will tell you one of the reasons I put Kirk Cousin's 10th and I don't like his contract but the Vikings didn't want to pay Kay's Keenham a fortune and felt that Cousins was a bigger stronger version of kind of a C plus B minus

K's Keenum. So I'll give the Vikings credit in their division with Aaron Rogers and Matt Stafford, you got to have a quarterback and Kurt was on the market. There wasn't one of the draft they could get. It's really not Kirk's fault. By the way, if you gave him $4 million more less a year, I'd be okay

with it because then he would be the 12th highest paid quarterback and I would be okay with it. But you get what the market dictates at that point and he's a quarterback. And Minnesota frankly had a bunch of good defensive players. They're like, we can't just wait to draft and develop college guy. We're good enough to win our division now. So Minnesota, I give a little bit of a pass to. They were trapped. You only get about two college quarterbacks a year that can play,

and they had a lot of these good defensive players. They weren't going to sit around and develop a quarterback for three years. So that's why Kirk's contract gets bashed a lot. It's not a good contract by NFL standards. Trent Brown of the Raiders, that is an albatross. You can't pay. He's not a top eight, ten left tackle in the sport, and he's the highest paid left offensive lineman in NFL history. Joy and I return tomorrow. I'll speak for yourself next. It's a hurt.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline.

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