The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR-1-Kirk Cousins, Alvin Kamara, Jimmy G

Episode Date: September 2, 2020

Doug Gottlieb in for ColinPeople are overreacting to Kirk Cousins commentsThe Saints called Alvin Kamara's bluffWhy Jimmy Garoppolo is better than Dak PrescottGuest: Ben Golliver Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

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

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

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

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports 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 Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. What up? Welcome in. This is The Hurd. Wherever you may be in, however you may be making it as part of your day. Thanks so much. I am Doug Gottlie.

Filling in for Colin Cowherd on the IHeart Radio Network. Fox Sports Radio. Radio. No TV. So that means naked Wednesdays. So it is naked Wednesdays. No, not me for you. You can be. I get watching, listening to the show. We got a lot to get to. The Nuggets beat the jazz last night, and while that's probably not going to be the most watched series, or watched Game 7, it was very telling. And I think, you know, what we saw last night does play into the rest of the NBA playoffs.

Also, it's why there's an alarming stat about. James Harden as he gets ready for game seven tonight. It's not just about his game seven stats in the past. It's his fourth quarter and overtime stats. I'll tell you what I believe is behind that. Jeff Benedict's going to join us in an hour and a half. He's the author of a new book that, believe or not, your boy Colin Cowher told me you got to read this book. He is reading it. It's about the Patriots dynasty, and what many believe is the end of the dynasty, the breakup of Belichick and Brady. Joel Klatte will join us as we have renewed energy, renewed energy in regards to the Big Ten possibly playing football this year. You have, if you're listening to us, you're coming off of listing most likely to Dan Patrick, also part of our Fox Sports Radio family, who said sources close to him told them October 10th is the date that they want to play football by so that the Big Ten can still compete in the college football playoff.

Again, that doesn't mean it's happening. It just means that would be their target date. And in 30 minutes, Ben Goliver is going to join us. He is in the bubble. We'll get his sense of everything that's at stake tonight for Houston, for Mike Dan Tony, for James Harden, for Russell Westbrook. And oh yeah, by the way, the Bucks don't want to go down two games, none like the Toronto Raptors did last night.

But let's start with the NFL. Let's start with Kirk Cousins. right in the Kirk Cousins is the guy who is most likely by my estimation to always say what would read as the right thing

right he does that aw gee shucks doesn't he it's almost there's a little Russell Wilson to him as well where where it's like

did did you take a class on PR and somebody told you this is what you're supposed to say because he does have a tendency to say what the media would most often tell you is the right thing. But many people in my position are using part of his quote to partially laugh at him. Also laugh at some of the precautions we're taking in regards to COVID-19. And they're using it to make a bigger point, which honestly, he doesn't actually make if you read the whole quote. It is disingenuous to say that Kirk Cousins by saying if I die, I die,

right? Which is, you guys are familiar, it's a famous quote from the movie. You die, he dies, he dies. But what, I'm going to be okay. Even if I die, I die, I die. I kind of.

to have peace at that. That's what everybody's talking about. People are talking about, like, so let me read the quote. He was on with Kyle Brandt. KB is a friend, and he's on Good Morning Football. He has a pod on that pod. Kirk Cousin said, I'm not going to call anybody stupid for the trouble it could get me in, but I'm about 0.000. So he is a little bit in denial of the actual numbers by anyone's estimation because that's not what the percentages tell you. On the other hand, if he simply said,

hey, there's a very, very slight chance that if I get COVID, that I'm going to get sick enough to actually have to be hospitalized or whatever. Now look, some of this is a reaction to the CDC and their story and their report that came out that 94% of people who died from COVID-19 died of co-morbidities. So in addition to the fact that he's a professional athlete, he's in great shape, he doesn't have pre-existing health conditions, all of those, his numbers might be closer to accurate than inaccurate. it. He goes on. I want to respect other people's concerns. But for me, right, that's the, that's his way of saying, no disrespect, what? And when somebody says no disrespect, what comes out of their mouth the very next sentence? Something usually disrespectful. But for me personally, if you're talking, no one else can get the virus, what is your concern? You could get it.

I'd say I'm going to go about my daily life. If I get it, I'm going to ride it out. I'm going to let nature do its course. Survival of the fittest kind of approach. And just say, if it knocks me out, it knocks me out. I'm going to be okay. Even if I die, I die. I kind of have peace with that.

That's what everyone's talking about. That's not the end of the quote. I guess it's not. I actually had to text to help my friends in the media who were slaughtering Kirk cousins or laughing at people who have, protective of COVID from COVID 19, whatever. And because there's another part.

Wait, he said more. He said more. That's really where I fall on it. So my opinion on wearing masks is it's really about being respectful to other people. It has nothing to do with my personal thoughts. Wait, what? What Kirk Cousins is saying is I'm not a high risk. I'm not a low risk.

I am a very, very minimal risk. But you don't wear a mask simply because of yourself, you wear a mask because, by his estimation, it's about being respectful. The truth is it's a little bit more about being respectful. It's about not wanting to spread it to somebody who may have some underlying health issues, somebody who's elderly or, in cousin's case, his kids.

Now, is he totally educated on the virus? No. sometimes education is a very good thing. Sometimes partial education is not. There's a lot to this, right? Like the Big Ten, it feels like overreacted to being really well educated on it because there was a report that it's not a report. The statistics that show you can contract myocarditis if you get COVID-19. And an athlete, myocarditis can cause sudden death.

No one wants that for anyone, let alone for an athlete representing a university. But if you read part of the quote, it feels like he's telling you it's not even as rough on your body as the flu. That's what people who want to believe that it's some sort of media creation. Oh, it's 5G cell phone towers only, right? You heard that one? Like you heard all the different. He's saying, I don't think it's going to affect me. And if it does, I'm going to ride it out.

And then he does the fake bravery thing, if I die, I die. But he goes back and essentially says, I'm going to wear a mask because it's not about me. It's about everybody else. Which is exactly how you should take it. Exactly how you should take it. You've got to take it seriously and be a little bit over-precautious. And maybe you don't value your own health or maybe you think I'm healthy as a horse. I'm going to be fine.

but it's not about you, it's about everybody. It's simple. We're a mask and we get everything back. It's not that hard. But we're doing that thing we do in the media. This is not a you thing. This isn't us thing. This is me talking group talk to everybody who I work with, who I've worked for.

I've worked at three different places. We do it. Some of it we do because you don't have the attention span, you know, to live. listen to quotes in totality. Some of it we do because it doesn't make a good headline. A lot of it we do because we see gotcha moments and we just want to pound the gotcha moments. Play the hits. But that doesn't make it right.

Colin tweeted out earlier today. You mean to tell me a guy, essentially you mean to tell me a guy that gets, you know, puts himself in harm's way in football, is scared of a virus like he gets it. But again, that's only part of the quote. the rest of the quote is accurate, which is, and it's not really about me, it's about everybody else. Essentially, Kirk Cousins saying, I don't know if masks work or if they don't work. I don't think I'm really going to get sick from it, but I'll wear the damn mask so that everybody else feels good. Fine, I don't care why you wear it. You can wear it to be sarcastic, you can wear it to be cautious, you can wear it to be respectful,

you can wear it for a million reasons. Just wear a mask, it's not that hard. and if you don't have a mask as I lose them all the time, pretty much any place you walk into has them and they'll hand it to you. You couldn't make it any easier for people. This is like the voting thing, right? Like, I love the fact that we're creating more and more avenues for people to vote. If you don't vote, like, this is on you.

Last presidential election, I was not registered to vote. The day of the election, I registered to vote and voted twice. kidding on the last part. But we're going to, we're going to, half of us are going to vilify Kirk Cousins. Half of us are going to vilify scientists and doctors saying, see, Kirk Cousins, professional athlete, smart guy. Not a scientist, not a doctor.

Definitely not an infectious disease expert. actually just as, you know, I don't really think it's going to affect me. If I get sick, I get sick. But I'll wear the damn mask because it makes everybody else happy. Fine. Right? Don't care why you wear it. I don't care.

Just do it. It's like voting. I don't care who you vote for. Really don't care. Just vote. But this is a good portion, a good portion of so many stories having to do with the pandemic. you know the big 10 and people's you know wanting the big 10 to play football and the idea of the big 10 presidents being overreactive overreacted that they had overreacted to a store actually a report from real scientists and real doctors about something that could happen to their athletes but kirk cousins was asked to elaborate he did and while he doesn't believe that that he could truthfully get sick or let alone die,

because if you did, you wouldn't say that. And nor has he really dug into the idea that, like, a good portion of COVID-19 and the dangerous aspects of it is not just whether or not you could die. Like, we have this tendency to go, like, well, you didn't die, so you're fine. No, I mean, it can do massive damage to your lungs. Maybe not Kirk Cousins, but there are people that have lingering

and will have a life of lung issues from it. but that's not even the point. The biggest point and most important point is we're doing that thing that we like to do in the media and it's not a you problem, it's an us problem. We're taking a portion of a quote, make it into an I gotcha moment. Kirk Cousins doesn't fear the virus.

He doesn't want to wear a mask. He doesn't think the masks actually work. Even though at the end, he essentially says, I'll wear the mask if nothing else to be respectful of other people. Fine. Coming up next, It's called a negotiation.

And one successful NFL team called a star's bluff yesterday. That's upcoming next. I'm Doug Gottlie. This is The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, 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. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from back. basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little camp? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,

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

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast. Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite. 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, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Doug Gottlieb in for Colin, this is The Herd. Thanks so much for making it as part of your day on a Wednesday, Hump Day. What day is it?

What day is it? It's hump day, what, what? That great commercial with the camel. He's another camel hump day commercial, right? Remember we used to have jingles? Whatever happened to jingles? I saw this story and I thought it was interesting. Alvin Kamara is expected to practice today with an Orleans.

and Saints. Now, Mara's been doing the hold-in, right? The hold-in is the sleep under of NFL negotiations. Do you guys know what a sleep under is? Okay, a sleep over, you go over to somebody's house, you throw on a movie, you get a bunch of snacks, you play video, they play Fortnite, they text friends, they IG live, they Snapchat everybody, they stay up super, super late. They annoy the hell out of whoever parents had them doing a sleepover if the parents pay attention to them. If not, the parents pay no attention. They don't sleep at all. Then they come back to you the next day.

Crazy, crazy, cranky and tired. Too much sugar. Not enough sleep. They end up not liking each other at the end of the day because somebody, no doubt, is an early riser and wake somebody else up. You know, it's the sleepover. I used to have sleepovers all the time. Sleepovers still exist. The sleep under, sleep under is when we do this with our kids all the time, which is you go over to somebody's house, you hang out.

You swim, you play, you watch, play Fortnite, do all that stuff. And then like 9, 30, 10 o'clock will come pick you, I'd be sleep in your own house. And then if you want, the next morning, we'll take you back over there and you have breakfast together. Sleep under. Hold in is, hey, I want a new contract, but I'm not going to not show up. So I don't miss meetings. I know what's going on. I just want a new deal.

And this is a way of not making you look bad, having a report that I'm not there. I also can't necessarily get fined. I'm getting all my treatment. I'm getting some of my work in. I'm just not going to go run around, catch passes, run the risk of getting injured, injured, contact, non-contact injury, right? That's the hold in as opposed to the old school. I ain't showing up.

Call my agent if you need me. Hold out. Pay me my money. Show me the money. Show me. Okay, you understand the difference? Hold out and hold in. Okay.

So Alvin Kamara is doing the hold-in. And there's some negotiation there. And suddenly yesterday, Josina Anderson tweeted out that the Norland Saints are open to trading Alvin Kamara. What? What?

Life comes at you fast. Right? And though it's been reported that he didn't ask for Christian McCaffrey money, this is a problem with so many running backs is they massively, massively overplay their hand. Right?

Joe Mixon signed a contract yesterday. It's essentially a four-year deal. And Joe Mixon's deal is going to pay him on the, it's, you know, $48 million is how it reads, right? Four-year, $48 million contract. And the devil obviously is always in the details. He's going to get a $10 million signing bonus with a $1.3 million base for this year. So he'll make 11.3 this year.

eight next year, eight the following year, 9.3 in 2020. So it's going to average out to about $9 million a year. Joe Mixon is a starting running back, a franchise back, a really, really good player. And that is well below what Christian McCaffrey made because he's not as productive as Christian McCaffrey. But it's getting long-term stability, getting life-changing, generational wealth, as best you can with a declining market to be a running back. but what the Saints did yesterday was call his bluff, Alvin Kamara's bluff.

And they've still kind of left it out there. Because at the end of the day, if you don't want to play football, if you don't want to negotiate in real good faith and understand that we can't give him the ball. You're not the kind of, he was hurt last year. They won without him.

He's a very good hybrid back. But he's not a bell cow. And you're not going to throw to him 100 times a year. and he hasn't stayed healthy long enough. Outside of the fact that he doesn't catch 100 balls and he doesn't rush for over 1,000 yards, he's exactly like Christian McCaffrey and deserves Christian McCaffrey money.

And the only way to truly negotiate is to threaten to walk out that door or send a guy out that door, which is what the Saints did yesterday. Hey, listen, if we can't come to terms, it's fine. We'll find somebody who will overpay to trade you and to give you what you might think is a contract that you're worth.

but we're just not, we're not speaking the same language. In a not so shocking turn of events, Alvin Kamara is probably going to practice today. My guess is they'll get a contract done. Although the Saints left it out there, trade is still a possibility. Somebody wants to overpay you and you want to negotiate as if you're Christian McCaffrey or you want to negotiate

on the plus side of $10 plus million a year. We ain't doing that. Joe Mixing got nine. Probably reasonable to think that's about your range. Let's get to Ryan Music with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Good morning, Ryan. What do you got for us? Oh, Doug, we have got so much to talk about. Let's start with some NBA from last night. Game 7 between the Duggets and the Jazz went to the Nuggets, so they're going to remain in the bubble while the Jazz are headed home. And for the Jazz, NBA insider Chris Haynes is reporting their star player Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz will finalize a max extension when Free Agency opens in mid-October, according to league sources.

Yeah, and he was fantastic for the most part in the bubble, especially in the playoffs. What a wild turn of events, though, at the end of that game last night. If you didn't see it, you didn't see it, the nuggets were up two points, and they threw the ball into their best player, the Jazz did, that being Donovan Mitchell. And he struggled. He was nine of 22. but, you know, he spun around into a double team. He lost the basketball. Yeah.

The nuggets come down on a three-on-one. Get a lay-up, a contested lay-up, but a lay-up, Torrey Craig misses the lay-up. Yeah. The Jazz got it back, ran it up to court, and Mike Conley in and out's a three-pointer that would have won the game. Yeah. Like, it was anyway.

It was like it almost went through the bottom of the hoop and then somehow came back out. I mean, that's as close to actually making a three. That's what you call a good miss. But I mean, and I don't know if you guys saw, but Mike Malone, the head coach, the Nuggets after the game, they're bringing it in. Like, hey, next time we have a uncontested fast break,

let's not throw it to Tori Craig because he's the one who choked that layup. I don't know how Donovan Mitchell lost the basketball, trying to spin out of that double team. I don't know how Tori Craig missed a layoff. But ball in the air, I mean, that's when he becomes a maker miss. League. Both teams were absolutely gassed, but like, look, Don Mitchell's worth that money.

He's their franchise. He's their franchise guy they want to build around. The question becomes, can he start to elevate everybody else on his team? That's going to be the challenge for him. As, you know, Mike Conley is a huge contract and a pass-first guy, but he's got to make everybody else better because they don't have the overall talent. We'll wrap it up with some NFL here, Doug. Leonard Fournett was released by the Jags a couple days ago. Yesterday, he hit the waiver wire. and he remained there all day without an NFL team picking him up. So now he's a free agent. The news of today is that NFL insider Mike Gerardi is reporting that the Patriots are not interested.

And as well as head coach Sean McVeigh of the Rams, he was asked about signing the former number all over pick. He said he's a good player. We feel good about the guys we have in house. So we're not looking to add anyone. Yeah, this is probably one of those he should wait, train and see who goes down. or see who holds out, right? Like if a Dalvin Cook holds out and he can be a placeholder,

I know he's very different. What's interesting about it, Fournet did catch 76 balls last year. And if you told anybody that, like, no way. Because he's thought of as like an Adrian Peterson, like in archaic, I'm a thousand-yard rush. He did have a very good year last year.

But he's going to have to play for probably league minimum for a year and bet on himself. And so if I was advising Leonard Fournet, don't make it about the money, make it about the opportunity, wait for a team that really needs a running back where you can come in and show what you have in the tank. And that's Ryan Music with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. Yeah, interesting night last night in the NBA, the Boston Celtics. Marcus Smart hits five threes last night. And Kemba Walker with the Kemba step back to kind of ice the game or put them up three to ultimately win the game. And the Celtics now have two games to none lead on the Toronto Raptors.

Where have I heard this before? Before, Kauai Leonard, this was kind of the story of the Raptors. Great in the regular season. I also have a thought, though, on the Celtics continuing to win with Kemba as their point guard, as opposed to Kyrie as their point guard. Jimmy Butler said something, which is really, really interesting earlier today, getting ready for game two against the Bucks. I want to get to that.

Also, I feel like the Lakers are, and to a lesser extent, and to a certain extent the Clippers as well. They're not only on a crash course because they're the two best teams, but they're going to face teams that are... Did you guys see the reaction to Jamal Murray? He was on with Scott Van Pelt last night. And he's like, well, you know, you got to play Thursday. He's like, we got to play Thursday?

Like, yeah, dude. You get one day off and then you got to play. They're so tired. Ben Gulliver joins us, NBA Insider for Sports Illustrated. How would you describe the level of fatigue between the jazz and the news? Nuggets last night. No, I mean, they fell off the cliff, didn't they? It was high scoring game, high scoring game, high scoring game, that entire series.

They get to game seven, and the final score looks like a halftime score, 80 to 78. I mean, you saw it in that crazy final sequence. The only way you can explain that final sequence, all the poor decisions, the mistakes, the turnovers, the miss shots, all of it. It's just all fatigue. I think it's all coming out in various ways. So, I mean, it was a thrilling ending, very chaotic. It was fun to see how excited the Denver Nuggets were there to celebrate that.

I mean, clearly that was sort of their championship. They've got to turn around, like you said, in 48 hours and play a really good Clippers team. That's a matchup nightmare for them across the board. I don't envy their position right now. If Houston loses tonight, does Dan Tone even bother getting on the team playing? Or is it over with the loss? Oh, we've seen a few of those, haven't we? I mean, Alvin Gentry, Brett Brown.

There's been a few people who are like, you know, thanks for your service here at the bubble for two months, giving up all your family time and all that. see you later. I mean, the writing's been on the wall there for a while. We've already seen some rumors picking up with, you know, his name being linked to other jobs. I would expect that to continue. Look, I think they're facing, you know, bigger stakes than just about anyone except for maybe Milwaukee right now in terms of who's going to be in this biggest disappointments category. I think if you're Houston, you come into these playoffs with sky high expectations, monster salaries, you know, having changed your team up midseason and needing to have those

types of moves pay off in the short term. And if you lose to Chris Paul, the guy you traded away for internal reasons last year, I mean, that's an utter disaster. So Milwaukee is kind of a similar deal. I mean, they really are, you know, facing it all right now. If they can't turn this series around tonight against Miami, I think there's going to be a lot of questions. Yonis, free agency, coach Bud,

does he find himself, you know, next to Dan Tony and those kinds of conversations? All that stuff's in play right now. All right, let's stick for just for a second because I do want to get into Milwaukee. I want to get in Toronto and Boston a second. I want to discuss the Lakers and the Clippers. Ben Gulliver joined us, NBA Insider for Sports Illustrated. He's joining us, by the way, live from the bubble. Okay, so when we're watching on TV, like the juxtaposition of Chris Paul

making all the plays down the stretch and Russell Westbrook making so many mistakes down the stretch, it was just, I mean, alarming to see. Now, we would also contend Oklahoma City's super young outside of Chris Paul and Stephen Adams, right? And they did have to mount that comeback in order to come back and kind of steal that win in game six. What about Hardin? Did you see this stat that who gave us that stat that's out there? Kevin O'Connor from the ringer had the stat. James Hardin shooting 23% from three in fourth quarter and overtime.

of games. I just, in the playoffs the last five years, is he tired? Is he tight? What would you draw as the conclusion as to why Hardin struggles in those key moments? Well, I think first thing, Houston should still win this series. They're the better team. They have the best overall player in Hardin. Now, he needs to show it. There's no question. They've won games easily in this series. They've lost all the tight games in the series. That's a little foreboding because you're going into a game seven expecting a tight game. Everybody's tired, everybody's fatigue. I think with Hardin, part of it is that Dorts in his head.

I mean, I think that Dord's done a really nice job guarding him. That series changed. You know, when Dort wasn't out there early, Hardin looked so much more comfortable. And I think that he's more willing to defer because he's got a guy who's hounding them throughout a lot of this series. And he's more willing to give the ball up and let Westbrook do his thing. I got to say, we've seen Westbrook have these turnover issues, miss shot issues, late in games over and over and over again.

No one should be surprised by this least of all the Rockets. I think it's inexcusable for them to have the ball in his hands on that final possession the last game. I mean, not that you expect him to throw it straight out of bounds, but you don't necessarily feel like you're in good hands. I mean, his disappointment level was super high after that game. I mean, he was struggling to even communicate with the media in his post-game press car, but just, you know, clipped answers and that kind of thing.

but I think that he's frustrated because he's been there before. I mean, it's been first round exit, first round exit, first round exit, ever since Kevin Durant left. And to me, it does have to come down to James Harden, reasserting himself, stepping forward, and, you know, getting himself a little bit more comfortable and forcing the issue. I mean, I think that ultimately a shock from James Hardin, despite his percentages in a lot of these situations,

I would rather live and die with him than any of their other players out there. And I think for him, it's just, you know, it's kind of a gut check. It's a reputation check type moment. He's had a few of those go either way. You know, he's actually won more in the playoffs than most people give him credit for. But when he loses, he loses spectacularly. And this is an opportunity to do that tonight. There's no doubt.

Ben Oliver, joining us live from the bubble, Sports Illustrated NBA insider. Okay, let's get to Milwaukee. Jimmy Butler, there's a clip him, Sam Amick had him, was recording him at shoot around. He's like, look, everybody wants to put Janus on me. But Janus is maybe the best helpside defender in the league. And you put him on me. he's not going to leave me and leave me open

so it takes away kind of how they do what they do. What does Milwaukee do today against the Miami Heat to try and slow down Jimmy Butler? That conversation about Yonis needed to switch on to Jimmy Butler I think that was a little bit misguided. I mean, to me their best defensive option

late in that game is either going to be West Matthews or it's Chris Middleton. I just think that Jimmy can get under and get by Yonis a little bit more easily than those other two guys. I think they're just built a little bit better to handle them. But they need be showing a lot more help. You can't just let him go one-on-one ISO and get these, you know, clean looks. I think that they do need to be pressuring the ball out of his hand. I respect Miami's secondary

options, but I still think, like, you know, don't let a Jimmy Butler career night, you know, beat you and knock you down. Like, you know, let somebody else do it. To me, the off, the issue for Milwaukee wasn't necessarily, you know, Janus's defense or their coverage or anything else like that. It was kind of their offense. His worst scoring performance, you know, in a long time in the playoffs. He never looked comfortable late in games. He's just pressing. He's not really into his rhythm. If it hadn't been for a great shooting night for Chris Middleton, they would have been really up a creek in terms of their overall offense. So they've got to figure that thing out. And look, they had an amazing offense all regular season long, and it really hasn't translated

that much in the bubble. I'm not sure if it's their shooters. I'm not sure if it's the lack of blood. So I mean, Yonis himself has been regularly spectacular. But the other guys need to be kind of, you know, supporting him and maybe making him feel more comfortable. I think he if you're Milwaukee, you also have to learn how to manage a lot. I just feel so much stress around this group. I think the expectations and the pressure and all those questions about creating, see, that kind of stuff weighs on them. Every time they lose, they really look rattled and shaken late in the game and during their post-game press conferences, all these questions about will coach Bud ever adjust? Is he just going to continue to go down with the ship? I mean, those are

very valid questions at this point. They know it. They've heard those questions. And I think, it was just something to watch. I mean, this could be a situation. where these guys, you know, start to bend a little bit under that pressure. I think Kyrie Irving, talent-wise, probably the best offensive point guard in the league. That's me. Like, I understand Steph, you know, is a better shooter and a more flamboyant passer. Just to me, I think Kyrie has all of the weaponry. But I watched Kemba, who did not shoot particularly well last night.

And I do not believe is as good a player as Kyrie Irving. but I watched essentially the game's ceiling shot, right? The Lecomba step back and how they react to him and how well the Celtics play. Is it crazy to say that Kemba is not a better player, but he is clearly better for the Celtics in watching them play in the playoffs? No, I think that's, I think it's patently obvious personally. I mean, they've been so much better, so much happier,

so much more focused, so much more together this season than last season. It's been night and day. I mean, there's no doubt about it. I think Kemba said it himself, you know, he's been in a lot of situation in his career where he hasn't had the supporting help. Like if they get down in a game like they did during game two, all the pressure goes to him. And it's not really like a kind of a team approach to kind of give back into it. And Boston's just rolling right now. I mean, undefeated in the playoffs, Tatum has been playing out of his mind. They've been doing a great job limiting the other

team's best players. I mean, M.B. got his numbers in the first round, but he didn't really have that major series changing impact. Pascal C. Occam's been pretty MIA in the second round. Again, you got to credit Boston's defense to some of that. But even, you know, things like Marcus Smart stepping up and hitting those five-threes, you know, that's the product to me of a healthy team culture. Like you don't have role players stepping up, feeling comfortable and empowered, you know, especially if they're not known as shooters to get on that kind of a role and to keep it going, unless everybody likes and trusts each other.

And so I do give a lot of credit to Campbell Walker there. That team was just a mess last year. And everybody remembers the playoff meltdown, Kyrie trying to take on all these defensive responsibilities that he's not qualified for. and taking very wild shot selection and all that stuff. That's just not been the case this year. Brad Stevens has highlighted the differences between this year's Celtics and last year of Celtics. And I think he points to their camaraderie and their trust almost more than anything.

Awesome stuff, Ben. Awesome, awesome stuff. Am I crazy to think as much as the Clippers and Lakers are favorites, the two teams they're facing are so gassed that these may not be particularly good series leading us into the Western Conference Finals? I think it's the biggest story in the West right now is the rest advantage for sure because, you know, as you mentioned, Jamal Murray, looking exhausted, and you just even thinking about Thursday, I was even wondering, like, if you're Denver, do you consider just going out there,

seeing how it goes in the first quarter? And if you get behind, just punt that game and try to save some energy for later in the series, you never get that extra rest day here in the bubble. It's just every other day all the way through. You know, I think that's a really tricky coaching challenge and something that I would watch, especially if they got down big earlier in that game, I would think about just pulling the plug in and kind of saving it for later. And then same deal. I mean, the Lakers are going to have even more rest than the clippers. They're coming off a really strong first-round series. I mean, it kind of seems like we're headed, you know, with these two monoliths, you know,

both from Los Angeles, heading straight for each other here in the bubble. And we'll see if that's how it plays out. All right, a little Thunderdome, two-team entry, one team win, one-team exit. Great stuff, Ben. Thanks so much for joining us. Enjoy the bubble, and we appreciate you being our guest on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, my pleasure. Take care.

pleasure is all mine. You know, the greatest wide receiver of all time sides with the Niners quarterback currently over the Cowboys quarterback currently. Jimmy G. better than Dak? I think he's right. I'll prove it to you. Next in the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep. That's me, Clifford Taylor the fourth. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

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

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

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade

of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

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

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app.

Search learn the hard way and listen now. Doug Gottliebend for Colin. This is the herd. Jerry Rice was on 975 the game. He was asked about Dak Prescott and if he had Kyle Shanahan as a head coach as opposed to what he's been working with in Dallas. This was the greatest wide receiver of all time.

Jerry Rice had this to say. I think Prescott would have success, but I don't think he would be like Jimmy G. Overall, I think Jimmy G is a better quarterback than Dak. I'm sorry, I'm going to call it. Yeah, it's just my opinion. That's my opinion. I can be wrong, but I think right now with Jimmy G, he's a better quarterback than Dak Prescott.

Now, he's also synonymous with the 49ers, even though he went to the Super Bowl with the Raiders. Jerry Rice is most known as a Niner. And, you know, you can't, when you're a Niner, it's not like college in terms of arch rival, but when you're a Niners, it's not like you're going to credit the Cowboys quarterback for being better than the Niners. But I don't think it's a crazy statement. I don't. In fairness to Jimmy G., he's only been a healthy starter for one year, right?

One year, because he got hurt the previous year. And the previous year to that, he sat and then, you know, obviously they were good at the end of the season. I don't know if they got every team's best stuff or people knew what he's doing. The criticism of Jimmy Garapolo has not been how good he is. it's that he is prone to the big mistake. And in fairness to Dak Prescott, Jimmy Garoppolo didn't make the plays down the stretch. You know, Manuel Sanders is open. It wasn't just that he missed Emmanuel Sanders on what should have been an explosive play

and maybe a game winning play. It's that he massively overthrew him, play which if you underthrow, you're likely to get a PI and get the ball down around the one-yard line. So I would, if you told me that Garapolo didn't play, well down the stretch against Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl with the lead? I would agree with you. But what has Dak Prescott done to make you believe that he would perform well down the stretch? Right?

If you want to tell me that in a pressure-pack situation, like the Super Bowl, he didn't play well, fine. I saw the Philadelphia Eagles game where the Eagles have a bunch of rummies at wide receiver and the Cowboys can't move the football against the Eagles late in the year. Yeah, they had the number one. ranked offense based on gross statistics, but go and look at what they actually accomplished. I think Kyle Shanahan is a great offensive mind. Of course not. But like coaching can only get you so far. And if anything, Kyle Shanahan, if he was coaching Dak Prescott, Dak Prescott would hand the ball off more and throw the football less. How do I know that?

because that's how Kyle Shanahan calls offensive football. He just does. Go back and look at the Cowboys last year. Instead of saying they have the number one ranked offense, look what they did against the actual good teams and look what the Niners did against the good teams. Is there some bias there with Jerry Rice? Sure.

But one guys won a bunch of playoff games. The other ones, what, 1-1? That's how you, that does become the NW. I got bad news for Kyrie Irving. He lost without playing last night. I'll explain why next. I'm Doug Gottliep. This is The Hurt.

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 bands. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a hear, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.