The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Saturday Special for Jul 13, 2019 - Colin speaks w/FS1 Speak For Yourself host Jason Whitlock

Episode Date: July 13, 2019

On this edition of The Herd Saturday Podcast with Colin Cowherd, Colin brings in Jason Whitlock to discuss why the Rockets traded for Russell Westbrook, who actually won the trade and what’s next for the Thunder and Sam Presti. Also Colin and Whitlock take a deep dive into the Women’s World Cup victory, the impact of Megan Rapinoe in the public eye and whether they deserve equal pay. And finally the ever-growing top heavy college football teams.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played. with and just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast imagine an olympics

where doping is not only legal but encouraged it's the enhanced games some call it grotesque others say it's unleashing human potential either way the podcast's superhuman documented it all embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. That's the Saturday morning podcast.

Man, what a crazy from the Women's World Cup to the NBA Free Agency. What a crazy last couple of weeks it's been, and I'm going to bring on my friend Jason Whitlock. speak for yourself. Three to four 30 Eastern FS1. Former offensive lineman at Ball State. Worked at ESPN, Fox Sports, AOL, Kansas City Star, blah, blah, blah. All right, Whitlock.

First of all, let's start with this. It's Saturday morning. Russell Westbrook has been moved. Your initial reaction to Westbrook's OKC career. I was saying on my show, it kind of felt like at the end, Sam Presti was being held hostage. He just wanted to get out of a hostage situation.

I think he probably feels pretty good today that it can start over. Yeah, I think they feel real good that they can start over. Look, they got 15 first round picks, I think, over the next seven years to work with. And so as a general manager, that's probably got to be fun. He's probably sitting there saying, look, we once had Harden, Westbrook and Kevin Durant, I can do it again. But, you know, my initial thoughts, Colin, mostly go to humor. I find this entire situation with Westbrook, humor. And you're part of the humor I find in it because you sat out there on a limb for five or six years criticizing this guy and saying, look, I just don't think this works. I don't think he's an ideal point guard.

I don't think guys like playing with him. And you took a lot of heat. Yeah. A lot of heat. And there's no better feeling than this payoff that you're having right now. Yesterday on my show, I did a commentary saying that when they retire Westbrook's number in OKC, they need to have you do the introduction. 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, 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 SportsSlic 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.

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. How 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Well, you know, it's funny about that because years ago, I heard this from a friend of Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick's theory is, if you cannot evaluate your own talent, you have no business.

evaluating college talent or the other 31 teams. Belichick knows when his players have tapped out. He's great at this. I think Sam Presti made a mistake. History tells you, Jason, and I've been watching this league like you for three decades, hyper athletic guards, point guards that can't shoot don't win titles, and they don't age well. Stevie Francis fell off a cliff. Marbury fell off a cliff.

Westbrook, to me, just look at history. Watch film. I never got it. Were you ever a Westbrook fan? Yeah, the first triple double season, I gave him credit. And look, we used to sit on and speak for yourself and I would defend Westbrook while you were tearing into him. And so, no, was he one of my favorite players? Did I think he played smart?

No, but I didn't think you could discount the effort. No, the one thing I will say, Calhurt and Sam Presti's, defense is sitting in Oklahoma City where you're not an ideal location, I think it clouds your view. I think it makes you overlook some of Westbrook's warts and just say, man, the guy plays so hard and our fans love him and he doesn't mind being here. And I think it just kind of clouds your view. And so, again, I'm not what you did, not remotely easy.

But if someone is going to see his flaws, it's going to be someone from a distance who can just be cold and objective. And so that's a defense for Sam Presti. The rest of us that didn't see it as early as true, we have no defense. 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 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, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight reel. 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 close. to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlyce on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it

and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro.

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. a good person. Join me, Keir Games, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented

it all, embedded in the games, and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, Mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Red. My mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

You know, let me say where I was wrong, though. This league is about finding stars and stars that get us. along with others. Kobe wasn't easy, but he got along with Gasol and Shaq long enough to win five rings. I've been a huge Chris Paul fan forever. And for the record, Pelicans, Clippers, and Rockets had their best individual seasons ever with, in the regular season, with Chris Paul. He wins. But this is something I overlooked. I heard for years he was difficult. And my takeaway was he plays defense. He's super smart, high basketball IQ. It's everybody else's fault. Okay, so he forced his way to New Orleans. He forced his way out of the Clippers, and now he wants his way out of

Houston. At some point, did I just miss on Chris Paul that he, you got to get along with stars. The example I would use Jason, Matt Damon's a good actor. He's not Merrill Streep. He's not Jack Nicholson. He's not the classically trained Jeremy Iyer's. What makes Matt Damon a superstar is he's a good actor who can get along with other stars very well. Chris Paul like Damon's very good, but he's not Kobe. He's not talented enough to not. get along with co-stars. And I think to a large degree, I whiffed on Chris Paul. What do you make of him now bouncing around the league? It's not a great look for Chris Paul. What I've always liked about Chris Paul, but I think he's in the wrong era is he is this generation's Isaiah Thomas,

but he never found his Chuck Daly. He never was able to me partner with a coach and then just build a culture and a team around him. I think that's the issue with Chris Paul. I know that he's someone who is friends with Isaiah Thomas, and I think saw himself as this generation's Isaiah Thomas, but he just wasn't able to pull it off. He wasn't able to build a team in his image. And look, I guarantee you, in this era, Isaiah Thomas would be seen as difficult. but, you know, when the coach and the organization are all in with you and you have a great coach that you're working with,

you can be a little bit difficult. Look, obviously Michael Jordan was very difficult, but he had things his way and he had Phil Jackson to work with, and it worked out. Chris Paul, I just don't think ever found the right dance partner. You talk more politics than I do in sports, but I will say this. I did like, as we shift gears, I like the balance we have in sports. My wife's vegan. I can't be vegan because I believe it's too rigid.

I tend to be kind of a moderate politically, a moderate liver. I work out every day, but it's 30 minutes. It's not an hour. I'm very much down the middle, try to get along with everybody. Megan Rapino is highly, she's a dissenter. She's a disruptor. Muhammad Ali was. Obviously, she's not Muhammad Ali.

LeBron James is. I like the balance we have in America now, where LeBron's outspoken, Serena's outspoken, Rapino's outspoken, but Mike Trout isn't. Brooks Kepka isn't. Tom Brady isn't. Christian Pulisick's very quiet, and he's our men's soccer star. So my takeaway in Megan Rapino is, I like even. I like balance. So I didn't have a problem with Rapino firing shots at a fairly controversial president, or a real controversial president. What did you make of Rapino's emergence and comments over the last three weeks to a month?

Well, I think Rapino is authentic. That is how she actually feels. And I think she's super talented. And so whether we want to or not, we're going to have to listen to her. As it relates to sports overall, I really don't want to have a political discussion in sports. I don't think any of these guys are really qualified. From Rapino to LeBron James, I think they're doing the best they can.

They're saying what they believe, but I don't think it's very informed, and I wish they would leave it to others. Again, I can't beat up Rapino like I did Colin Kaepernick because I just think she's far more authentic. She's certainly far more talented in her sport. Having said that, leaving Rapino out of this, I do think one thing that has been undercovered in the world of sports, because no one wants to take that heat, I thought that women's soccer team made fools of themselves overall.

I thought the celebrations, the arrogance, all of it was over the top and reminded me of one of those international basketball teams we had, I think, were maybe Allen Iverson and some others were on it. And I think they ended up winning a bronze medal or whatever, but people didn't like the way they behaved. They didn't represent the country well. And they got criticized for it. I think there's a segment of America that doesn't like this U.S. women's soccer team

because they got some toxic femininity going on. They're just a little too over the top, too in your face, too arrogant for some people. Yeah, I mean, my takeaway is if you don't like them, representing America, then you can't tell me you love Trump. And I don't want to talk too much politics. But I always feel this way. And I think I've told you this. Trump is like a controversial Howard Stern in the 70s and 80s. He doesn't give you anywhere to land, but for or against him. And I think that's his game plan. He's trying to strengthen his base and clean up the other side. In his opinion, it's lost its way. And I kind of think, you can't tell me you like Trump because

globally, he gets a ton of pushback, representing America, and then tell me you hate the soccer team, even though they win because they land wrong for America. Like, you either like our bravado and understand it, or you don't like it. And if you fall on, don't like Trump and don't like the U.S. World Cup team, I'm good. But I think it's an illustration of people's personal politics. If you love the women's world team hate Trump or vice versa. Does that make any sense? Some, where I would disagree, is like, look, if these guys want to get involved in politics in a real way, have at it. Go run for Congress, go do something, and then go behave like silly politicians do now where everything's pandering to the camera and Twitter. If Megan Rapino wants to be AOC, you know, have at it.

She's older than AOC, so go run for Congress or whatever. It's just for me, in sports, I would prefer to escape the political divisiveness. What do we do? You know, it's interesting about the equal pay topic. Obviously, again, it's polarizing. There's a reason in fashion that the number one male model makes less than the 75th best female supermodel because women drive the commerce in fashion. Similarly, men mostly drive the commerce in sports. All professional leagues have men, 99% of sports bettors are men, about 70% of sports viewers are men.

So males, men generally drive the consumption of American sports from betting to viewing to participating, blah, blah, blah. But there are these unique situations where Serena is significantly more interesting than the best American male player. And clearly the United States women's team is a juggernaut, and our men can't even make the World Cup. So that's where I'm like, then just pay them. Like overall, I think men generally earn more money because they drive men's consumption drives the industry. But I think we do have a rare situation. Do we not with the United States Women's National team where, listen, the numbers are huge. They out drew in their final the men's World Cup game by, I think, like 20%.

Well, look, just remember, the men's World Cup game had no American team even in the tournament, let alone the finals. And so I'm not sure. I don't believe they're unfairly paid. I think that they're playing single A, AA baseball, and they're dominant. They're not in the major leagues in terms of the number of women's teams around the globe competing, the quality of play. There's a reason why we beat Thailand 13 Neal, because just Thailand's just not that good, and the competition in the World Cup just isn't nearly in women's soccer,

just isn't nearly as intense or as competitive as the men. They're having to play catch-up. And so I analogize this to the argument they have in the WNBA, where the WNBA players, oh, my God, we don't fly first class. Oh, my God. We don't say it's the best hotels. And I was like, you do know there was a time when that was true of male NBA players as they built their business.

And so there's a process. And again, I play football in the Mid-American Conference. We bus to 90% of our games. We didn't fly. And it's because the Mid-American Conference football doesn't generate that kind of revenue or interest to justify it. And so I think there's a process. there's a hill that women's sports are climbing up and women's soccer in particular.

It doesn't have the same kind of history as tennis. Again, I don't think we had a team until 1985. We had a U.S. men's national men's soccer team in 1885. And so, again, my argument is like I think they're arguing for reparations far more than they are for equal pay. They want to be paid because they think it's unfair that we didn't start a women's World Cup team in 1885, and we should be right where the men are who have 100 years of history in a business that, you know, I think the World Cup, I think, started in 1930 or 1931.

They're just, the men are just in a stronger business that's been around longer, and as time goes on, things are going to improve for the women, and their pay will increase. but men have walked in those shoes. And so, and again, this is where I'm frustrated where politics introduces itself into sports because I don't think this is really about equal pay or the women's soccer players being treated unfairly. I think they're just being used to further the argument that they have in politics, that women aren't paid equal for equal work. And so let's gin up something over here in women's soccer and use it as a big example to make this big political point.

That's a good point. Jason Whitlock, good argument on his side. Speak for yourself, 3 to 430 Eastern FS1. So the NBA stuff we've got, the soccer stuff we covered. Now we move into a football season, college and pro. I've got to ask you one big macro question because obviously we have the Big Ten and a lot of conferences, a connection with it FS1 in Fox Sports. Are you concerned as somebody who loves college football?

I am at the, you know, we talk about the NBA lack of parity. Bama Clemson favored again. I feel the sport is leaning too far heavily southern. And I think Denver West doesn't care. I look at local TV ratings for big bowl games. They're not very good. What do you make of the dominance of Alabama and Clemson? Three of the last four titles, overwhelmingly favored this year.

Clemson looks like with that quarterback, they're going nowhere for several years. Do you worry about the health of that sport? Yes, but I don't blame it on Clemson-Alabama dominance. I think those things would actually be a strength. I just think we've oversaturated things with the bowl games. I think the teams play too many games. And I think, and I'm way out on, I'm out on a bigger limb than you were on Westbrook, I think the playoff system has been a mistake.

I think college basketball was a lot. when there was an incredible emphasis on the regular season and an incredible importance placed on winning your conference championship. There used to be a mystique to whoever the Big Ten champion was and going out and playing the Pac-12 champion in the Rose Bowl. That's gone. Everything now was focused on who can make it into this 14-playoff deal, and the regular season has been de-emphasized

and winning your conference championship has been de-emphasized. It's a very, very good point. I don't think you're crazy. You know, Mark Cuban once told me this. He said, everybody thinks in sports, put all your games on. And he goes, scarcity matters.

The NFL's got one game a week. He goes, college basketball, baseball. The games are all on. So like the NBA, I can watch every game every night. The NBA regular season ratings don't matter. I think you point out something that's fascinating. When I was a kid growing up, Jason, if my Huskies won the Pact 12, I almost didn't care about the bowl game. Like that meant, I really, if you beat USC and UCLA as a Washington State kid, I won.

I felt great about that, even if we lost the Rose Bowl. Look, I think the whole argument at the end of the year about who's number one. And, you know, I think that was actually good. and I think we've been driven off a cliff that it's playoffs, playoffs, playoffs, and we've got to know who's number one. And I think we lost some of the uniqueness and the mystery of college football.

And we've given it up and it doesn't seem like we'll ever get it back. I can remember years ago, when I first got to Kansas City and started having success, our mayor was Emmanuel Cleaver. And he's now a longtime member of Congress. But I can remember he brought me over to his, he was a minister to church and brought me over. And one of the things he told me was, don't tell everybody everything about yourself, about yourself. Be a mystery. That's far more interesting.

Yeah, no, it's a really good point. I think, like you said, it's too late to bring it back. What's the old saying? Hors is out of the barn. But I do think now they'll just expand the playoff. But I do think your overarching point, which is the regular season is really all about getting to the tournament, which, by the way, there's 130 Division I football teams. Only four can get in, and we already know two of them.

So it does puncture a lot of the spirit of Labor Day until mid-Dcember. Let me say this. If a tournament was the end-all be-all and was going to make your sport popular, wouldn't college basketball's regular season be more? important than what it is because they got the best tournament. And so again, when you place all that emphasis on a tournament, I think you de-emphasize the overwhelming majority of games that you play, which are during the regular season. Good stuff, Whitlock.

I should host a show with you. Oh, wait, I did. And I was exhausted. Good talking to you, buddy. Thank you. 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 SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy, guy not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you

funnier. This week my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart

radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to and learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor.

It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.