The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR 1-Westbrook-Lillard, Clippers

Episode Date: August 5, 2020

Colin explains why Damian Lillard is better than Russell Westbrook, and the Clippers not caring about the regular season.Guest: Nick Wright 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. 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 AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me.

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. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. 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. 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 Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go, live in Los Angeles on a Wednesday. This is The Hurt, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We are on Fox Sports Radio, and we are on FS1.

That is great to have you in today. Nick Wright in 30 minutes, Joy Taylor is joining me. More great basketball last night. You know, I was into it because it was Westbrook against Damien Lillard, and that's a little bit of right. They don't like each other much. I was thinking of you watching the game, watching Westbrook. I'm like, it must be such a new experience for Colin because he's liking how Westbrook is playing now. Yes, he's played very well.

But you know what's interesting in this political season that campaign donations are important, right? It's hard to win an election if you don't have a lot of money. Right. You need money. You need marketing. You need promotion as a politician. But it also helps a lot as an athlete, marketing promotion. So Westbrook is a Michael Jordan client.

Westbrook has been controversial. Westbrook played with a superstar. Westbrook's now in a national team with a national player, James Hardin. And there's a little old Damian Lillard up in the remote Pacific Northwest. He never has controversy. You know, nobody really talks about him. He's never played with a superstar. He's just rock steady.

But you do get, despite all the marketing and promotion for Westbrook, Damian Lillard once again proved last night he's the better player than Westbrook. I mean, forget the stat sheet where Russell Westbrook took two, three-pointers, missed both, took 12 free throws, made five, 15 points, and a minus-10 plus-minus, whereas Dame shot 43% on threes, seven free throws made six, 21 points, and a plus-3. We have a lot of examples of these guys facing each other. In fact, nine times in the last two years. Portland won three of four this year against Houston

and the Blazers beat Oklahoma City in Westbrook last year. In the nine games, Westbrook is two and seven. Dame is seven and two. Westbrook shoots 40%. Dame shoots 43%. Westbrook shoots 30% on threes. Dame shoots 42 and a half percent. Westbrook is a minus.

40. Dames a plus 49. It ain't close. Nine meetings. Dame's a better shooter, less erratic, more dependable, a better teammate. It is not close. But Westbrook, whoa!

You get a lot of, whoa! You also get a lot of ugh. Ask yourself this. On the open market, who would swallow Westbrook's contract? A handful of awful teams. Who would, on an open market, make an offer for Dame Lillard.

About half the league. One guy is the worst three-point shooter in the bubble. The other now without Steph Curry is the best shooter in the bubble. There's only two players in the NBA. Steph Curry and Damian Lillard. There's two in the NBA. Their shooting ranges, oh, look at, they entered the arena. From that point forward, they can shoot from everywhere.

That is it. But one guy went to UCLA, played with KD, plays with James Hardin, was part of a national team, and one guy went to Webebe. state and he's up in Portland and he makes no news. Even the biggest shot of his life. He just looked at the camera and went, that's Dame, a significantly better player. But the politician that's got more marketing and more promotion and more donations and

the bigger budget. I mean, listen, Oklahoma City, if you still think Westbrook's better, Westbrook left OKC, the team got better. How? I mean, every player that's left Westbrook, who, by the way, has played very well until last night in the bubble. Every player that's left him has improved guys. It's become all-stars.

So think about this. Westbrook's never won a play a playoff series in his life when he was the best player. Dame won two last year. Last year, two, as the best player. In the last couple of years, only four guys in the NBA have made first team, all pro, and second team. I'll read them to you. Harden, Janus, K.D.

and Damien Lillard. But you go to Weber State, you're not controversial, you never play with a star, you're up in the Rose City, in the corner of the country. We just, I mean, you're competing against a $500 million candidate that's got nothing but corporate backing and national backing and national marketing.

Once again, they played last night. Who's better? I don't think it's an argument anymore. Last nine games, it is. not close. All right. So, oh, what a tremendously big moment last night in the NBA. This is the shot heard round Orlando.

Here it is the always entertaining Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker. They bring the double at Booker. On the spin. Fires for the win. Got it. Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't know, now you do. Shocker, the team that hasn't cared about the regular season all year, the Clippers, doesn't care about the regular season even in the bubble.

This is big for Phoenix. They're 3 in the bubble. They're fighting for a playoff spot. It's a fun story. Phoenix are really good NBA towns. One of those NBA towns, they love their basketball. They've had bad basketball for several years. But it's a fun story for Phoenix.

It means nothing for the Clifax. I mean, the Clippers this year have told us time and again. They got beat by 26 by Memphis this year in the regular season. Clippers did. They got beat by Sacramento twice. They got beat by Phoenix now twice. They lost to Chicago and Atlanta and awful Minnesota. They don't care.

And the reason they don't care is because the man who owns the team is a get it guy, Steve Balmer. Steve Balmer was at Microsoft in Seattle. And his entire time there, who did they battle? Apple and Steve Jobs. They write books about those relationships. Gates, Balmer, Paul Allen against Steve Jobs. And when you're battling somebody that big,

you've got to have a better product. You need wins, big wins, not subtle wins and nuance. So Balmer's been in this battle when he bought the Clippers. And he was now in a city with his apple, the Lakers. And the Lakers, their gear is all over Los Angeles. It is hard to find a clipper hat. And think about this. How do you catch up?

One way. Get your own building and win championships. It's not about being better than the Lakers. Before this year, the Lakers six straight losing seasons. The Clippers have been very good for six years and very exciting. hard to find a clipper hat in town. The one time in New York where the Mets were better than the Yankees, two things happened.

The Yankees were awful in the 80s, and the Mets went out and got stars and won a title, a World Series title. And for a brief time, it was a Mets city. The Mets didn't get the city because they had like guys that hustled. No, they had Keith Hernandez. They had stars. They had Doc Gooden,

Darrell's Strawberry. They stole the tabloids in the back page, and they won a World Series. You got to do both. So Steve Ballmer, who is now going to build a new arena, went out and got Paul George and Kauai Leonard. To get him, he had to clear some space. And then he got a star coach, you know, Doc Rivers star coach. Like he's got all of it working here. I got, I got Doc Rivers when I get here.

Okay, he's a star coach. Now I got to get a couple of star players. This is what you do. He does not care about the regular season. He doesn't care. They've had the better regular season before this year than the Lakers for six great years. You still can't find a clipper hat in town.

The way the Mets did it was Stars and Titles. That is it. You're not beating Apple up at Microsoft because you've got a better mouse. That's not going to do it. You've got to come out and beat them on a massive product. And so the Clippers do not care about the regular season, nor should. day. The only way to shift this paradigm in Los Angeles, like the Mets briefly did, stars, younger stars, and championships. Getting to the Western Conference finals is not enough. It's simply not enough. So the clippers are

going to be more rested. They're already deeper. They've got the star coach. And by the way, we're in a bubble. There's no home court advantage anyway. It doesn't even matter. So when I watch Phoenix win last night, I'm very happy for Phoenix. It's a terrific NBA town. They're 3-0. They're playing hard. And it's great to see this bubble where these borderline teams like Phoenix, they are,

this is March Madness, man. It is, you can sense the intensity, the sudden death feel to it. But the Clippers have been telling us all year. Not really into it. So they're now into it in a bubble. By the way, the good news. Hot Wings Williams, Lap Dance Lou, did play last night.

He did. We can call him either. It's either I like lap dance Lou. Joy likes Hot Wings Williams. Shannon said Lemon Pepper Lou, which I think is. We got the third one. It's pretty good.

Pretty good stuff. All right. Coming up, it is now funny. See, I love when you have these star players. And, you know, remember when LeBron left Cleveland for the first time? It was after he went to the Olympics. and I always theorized that LeBron went to the Olympics, you know, after seven years in Cleveland, he started, he went to practice with, you know, like really good players.

And, you know, once he did a nice restaurant, it's hard to go down. Once you fly in a nicer airline, first class, it's harder to go coach. Once you stay in a four seasons, it's harder to go to Motel 6. Once LeBron actually like went to the Olympics and played with the world's best basketball players, it was hard to go back to those old Cav teams. That's when he said, I want to play with Bosch, I want to play with a rea, I want to play with D. Wade. And coming up next, interesting to watch what's happening with Brady in Tampa and some of the comments being made by brand new teammates to Tom Brady. Really good stuff.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it. but 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. I 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 a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all day. But just so y'all know. 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 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 Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapy. Kier 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,

Austin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So, LeShah McCoy is very, very good. And very good player. And the Bucks picked him up, played with Kansas City last year, good situational running back. Actually, they're running back depth, which is kind of a weakness for Tampa last year.

And Lashon McCoy has been very talkative in regards to Tom Brady. He admits the weather in Tom Brady, that's why he came. And yesterday he was talking about the early practices so far with the goat, Tom Brady. To actually see him work, I mean, he's like a general. you know, leading the troops, you know, teaching him what he wants in the routes, things like that. He looked real good. I mean, and as he's throwing the ball, you know, I heard a couple of guys whispered like, dang, how many years you think he'll play?

And that's how good he looked, seriously. To really construct an opinion on Tom Brady in Tampa, you have to go back to last year because outside of that town, nobody watches them. Nobody watches Tampa. They don't show up on national TV games, even in their own. division, Atlanta and Cam Newton for years and Breeze and the Saints are much bigger TV

draws. I mean, it's a college football town, mostly. Not anymore. But let's go back to last year where Tampa was fairly predictable. Bruce Ariens head coach, Todd Bowles defensive coordinator, were in their first year. It's a very young roster. Predictably,

they were bad in the first half of the season, two and six in the first eight. Young roster, new system, new coaches. Let's start, though, November 10th on a Sunday against Arizona. From that point forward, the second half of the season, the part Belichick always says really is the season, no experimenting

now. New coach, new defensive coordinator, new team. Now guys are eight games in with an exhibition season, and they were five and three, won all three road games, and defensively top two or three team in the league with key analytic stats.

Their only losses were to the division champion Saints, the division champion Texans, and an overtime loss to Atlanta, shocker, James Winston through a pick six and O.T. This was an above-average team down the stretch that only needed an adult at quarterback. Now they've added Tom, maybe the best blocking tight end in Gronk, Lashon McCoy at running back, upgraded right tackle, which was the offense's weakness, and oh, by the way, Bruce Ariens and Todd Bowles in their second year. And this should be noted because schedules matter. They get a massive schedule break. Every schedule, this

This is a team that's going to score a lot of points. Pro football focus has them with the fifth best roster in the sport. They've got six games I would call go either way games. Denver, Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs, Vikings. These are really good teams. Five are at home. And Green Bay, they get 10 days to prepare. That is a huge scheduling break.

You're not winning that game at Arrowhead. It'll be hard enough to win it in Tampa. You're not winning it in Arrowhead. Oh, it's in Tampa. They got to go to Denver, then their last five go either way games are all at home. Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs, and Vikings. I mean, that November 29th game in Kansas City, blowing sideways, you're not winning that game. Down in Tampa, you got a shot.

So I said it yesterday. Baltimore and Tampa Bay would not shock me one bit if they ended up playing in Tampa the site of this year Super Bowl. Joy Taitle with the news. No, no, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, the Lakers have been successful on the court since the NBA restarted,

clenching the top seat in the West, but off the court, LeBron is still working through one big challenge of being in the bubble. Obviously, being working with a family, there's an unbelievable sacrifice that we're all making. It's very difficult, nothing else has ever compared to this.

So it's a huge sacrifice that we're all making. I miss the hell out of my family, my wife, my kids, my mother, and so on and so on. So, you know, it's a huge challenge. So he got there on July 9th. So he's been in the bubble for four weeks. Family and friends aren't allowed in the bubble until the second round of the playoffs, which is scheduled to start on August 31st. Family can arrive on the 30th.

So essentially it would be basically another month before anyone can come into the bubble. during the second round of the playoffs. This is something that concerned me from the beginning talks of having the bubble. That it can go either way, right? Like we were a little concerned about some of the single guys being able to deal with not, you know, breaking the bubble or trying to sneak anyone in. But I thought more overwhelmingly it was going to be much more stressful for guys that have families and kids.

Well, I mean, listen, in America right now, there's 15 to 20 million Americans that have somebody in a nursing home in their family and you can't go visit them. Right. So I mean this is. And you're dealing with the constant anxiety of that is an extremely dangerous place for someone who's vulnerable to be right now. This is the new America. There's a lot of this separation happening in America. The good news is most of these athletes are incredible shape. Their families are healthy. But this is this is something I think everybody's battling. Well, I do think it's very important that they are letting family and friends in once you hit the second round of the playoffs. We are not realizing this or thinking about this right now.

But a lot of these teams are going to start going home. Like once the playoffs start, there's going to be a significant amount of teams going home. And then, yes. And then as the playoffs commence and you lose, you go home. Yeah. So it's not like there's going to be this many people in the bubble as they start bringing family and friends in, which is I'm sure why they designed it that way. And of course, they have to be quarantined.

But this is a big stress factor. I mean, being away from your family, especially it's a very stark contrast because we were just quarantined for months. So you've been with your family spending an unusual amount of time with them to now going to being completely away from them. So I understand that the emotional and mental stress this adds. And I do think this will eventually play a factor as you get into the later rounds of the playoffs. Right now, obviously, you know, they kind of just got there.

So they're mentally preparing for a long run, especially teams like the Lakers and Clippers and ones that were expecting to be in the championship. But I do think it will eventually play a role. So the heat were without Jimmy Butler, who was out with a right with right ankle soreness yesterday, but they still beat the Celtics. Bam, Atabio stepped up in Butler's accents with 24. 21 points and 12 rebounds. Duncan Robinson also had 21 points.

And Goran Dragich also added 20. What a horrible loss for the Celtics. Horrible loss for them. It was bad loss for the Celtics. Great win for the heat. And they didn't lose, they, you know, got a regular season win against the Celtics.

If Jason Tatum doesn't play really well, I mean, Boston doesn't have a ton of size. That's why they don't match up with Milwaukee. I watched the second half of this game. They just couldn't make stops. You know, they just couldn't make a stop. And if Jason Tatum doesn't play spectacularly well. There are times this team

gets stagnant offensively, and that's what a really good coach. The heat also are extremely dangerous when they get hot because they have really great three point shooters, Duncan Robinson being one of them. They never trailed in the 112. 106 win. How small Boston looks. This is why they don't match up with Milwaukee. They look so small at times. Well, this was also a really, this was a significant win for the heat as well because Jimmy Butler wasn't out there. So the ball movement was great. You saw what

Bolsh was able to do with this young team and building a culture that you don't have Jimmy Butler out there and are still able to get a big win over the Celtics. The lead for the three seed in the east is cut to one and a half games now. Goran Dragach unfortunately left the game at the very end. He has a slight sprain to his ankle, which is not great news for the heat, but it's not, you know, it's not tremendous. So hopefully he'll be back out there soon. But I thought this was, I mean, again, I sat on the couch and watch basketball all day yesterday. I thought that was a great win, great team win for the heat. Finally, Derek Carr has a chip on his shoulder as he enters the seventh season as Raiders' quarterback.

And when he was asked if he considered opting out this year, he said he has too much on the line in 2020 to do that. I have a lot to prove to myself. I have a lot to prove to my organization. I'm going to be completely honest. I'm tired of being disrespectful. So there was no question I was going to play this year. Woo.

So the question is how much should we respect him? We're going to do a blind resume game later with Derek Carr. Because the question becomes he's ticked off. I like him more than everybody else. I put him in that like 12, 13th. best quarterback. I like him significantly. I think most people think he's somewhere in the middle of the pack. I think he's a, you can make an argument. His issue is it's a Kirk Cousin thing. A lot of times he just doesn't let it rip. He just does not let it go. He doesn't want to throw picks. But I like

him. I think he's got a lot of Tony Romo in him athletically and accuracy-wise. I like Derrick Carr. I like Derrick Carr too. I think where it went wrong for Derek Carr was the injury in the playoffs. Yeah. He was trending upwards and that was devastating. dating, it sort of derailed everything, and now we kind of look at him as a, you know, middle of the pack quarterback. I think he has the potential to do more, but what is his ceiling? When you watch these highlights, he throws, you know, he moves well. I'm telling you, there's a lot of Romo here.

I like Derrick Carr. He throws a really accurate ball on the run. He's always been Romo to me. I don't think he's quite as athletic, but there's, when I watch him, I see Romo. This is a very, it's very spicy of him. though. You see Joe Burrow? I see, no, I think when I look at him. When you see, your comp for Joe Burrow was Tony Robo.

Yeah, and I think Romo and Joe Burrow are probably a little more athletic than Derek Carr. But this is what Burrow looks like. He moves. Burrow can throw on the run. He can throw static in the pocket. Derek Carr is not, if you told me Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins. A lot of people would take cousins, I'd probably lean Derek Carr on that. I think I would go with Derek Carr too.

This is very Raider-like, though. He's tired of being disrespected. Yeah. Yeah, a little spicy. Look at this throw. Boom, bullet right there. It's like my old high school tape. It looks exactly like to enjoy it with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. I mean, poor Nick Wright today. Once again, last nine times Damian Lillard has faced Westbrook. It's been humiliating for Westbrook. And once again, the better player surfaced with a W last night. Brought to you by Mercedes-Benz the best or nothing.

I want to hear this. So, all right, Mr. Westbrook. in Houston. I mean, nine times they've met in the last two years. It's seven wins for Dane. I'm already annoyed. I mean, it's incredible. I mean, what more do you need? Okay. Listen, I don't know why you insist on doing this. My guess is you're just obfuscating to try to avoid giving Carmelo Anthony his due after you've crushed Syracuse legend, greatest U.S. Olympic basketball player of all time for the better part of 10 years. But we, let, let, let's, let's, let's, Let's do this. Let's talk Russ and Harden.

Because one's the ninth best player in the world. I'm sorry, Russ and Harden, Russ and Lillard. One's the ninth best basketball player in the world. One's the 11th best basketball player in the world. It's very, very close. But I think this year is a great example as to why it's totally legitimate to hold Russ in equal, if not higher esteem than Dame.

Dame dealt with injuries this year around his team did. They didn't have their full roster. and have a ton of talent. How'd that work out for him? Because they were eight games under 500 headed into the bubble. When Russ had KD leave, what did he do? He put a team on his back,

averaged a triple double, the first of three straight years, and carried them to the playoffs. Now, if you're making the argument, if you have a stacked roster who would better contribute to winning, you can make that argument for Dame. But to me, I'm going to use two of my medium mentors,

one from younger in life one from right now. Who's the better broadcaster? Bob Costis or Colin Cowher? Bob. Well, I guess it depends on what you're trying to do. If you're hosting the Olympics with respect to you, Colin, I'll take Bob. It's like, hey, I got three hours in a microphone and a new network, I'll take you. Yeah. So if there you go, exactly. So if you're going to have a stacked roster, maybe Dame's efficiency wins out. But if you need someone to take on the workload himself and make sure you're never a 30-win team as the Blazers were pacing to be. Well, then maybe Russ is the answer.

So the Clippers lost last night, and I could literally, as I'm watching it, I'm thinking, oh, Nick literally went and got a second Bud Light. He is having the time of his life. And to this, I say, I say, the Clippers lost a Minnesota, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Sacramento, twice. They lost to Memphis by 26. They didn't care about the regular season in L.A. They sure is how they don't care about it in a bubble.

Like, this is who they are, right? Like, we know they don't care about that game against Phoenix. Man, man, I can't imagine. What a wonderful life your amazing children must have had whenever they bring home a test. If they get an A, they were trying, and if they failed, well, they must not, they didn't care about it. Like, either way, they win.

It's just great. If you operate under the premise of whenever a team loses, they didn't care, well, then every team's awesome. And my question would be, when are you going to start caring? Like, if you didn't care, maybe don't play Kauai 37 minutes, which for him is essentially two games worth of playing. If you don't care, maybe don't rush Lou Williams back with his fresh off his trip to the strip club and the wings. But he did play. You're a team built to stop perimeter scoring, and a perimeter score dropped 35 on your head, primarily guarded.

by your future goat, Kauai Leonard, and Paul George. Like, at some point, the warning signs have to matter. And I guess they're not going to matter for America until the clippers are down three, two in the second round of the playoffs. And it's like, oh, wait, they didn't care in the regular season. So they didn't build chemistry. They didn't flush out their rotation fully. They didn't ever get an answer for a real interior rim protector.

And so why they've been treated, like look even at the end of the game. It's like how did they get back in the game? Paul George air balls a three that Kauai's lucky enough to get the rebound for. Like they're a good, not great team that's been anointed for reasons I will never understand, and people aren't going to believe it until they're going home sometime probably before the conference finals. Well, we disagree there. So I'm watching last night they put the standings up. They put the standings up in the West and, you know, the East doesn't matter because somebody from the West will win it.

So they put the standing up in the West and Memphis just lost one of the United. better players a couple days ago, Jaron Jackson. So Memphis is in big trouble. Sharon Jackson. Yeah, he's out. So he's their second best player to John Moran. So they got troubles. And Portland now, Nurkich is back.

Mello's playing very well. I acknowledge it took him 36 years old, but he finally decided to get on a treadmill. And the point being is that let's be honest about this. When's the last time you looked, Portland's going to be the eight, L.A., the one? You have to acknowledge,

this is probably the most dangerous eight seed now with no Avery Bradley for the Lakers orondo. That's a frightening first round for the Lakers, right? Well, listen, of the possible eight seeds, I think Portland could be the most dangerous, well, the most problematic, if you will. New Orleans also, by the way, New Orleans might steal this thing.

Their last five games, you should pull it up. I think it's twice against Sacramento. They get Washington. I think they get Orlando and San Antonio. I think that's their last five. They could go five and oh now that's, Lions playing. But here is the problem for Portland in a first round series against the Lakers. If you were to line up all 30 teams in the NBA and say front of the line, who is the roster

most equipped to slow down LeBron? Front of the line probably be the Clippers because they have Kauai and Paul George, Marcus Morris, they build their team around that. The very last team in line would not be the Knicks, would not be the Hawks. It would be Portland. now that Trevor Aries is not in the bubble. They do not have a single person who can guard LeBron. Their starting lineup, I guess it would be Carmelo Anthony, who I know you think so highly of now. They coming off the bench,

Gary Trent Jr. has been a revelation three-point shooting wise. He can't guard LeBron. They don't have a single person on their roster to guard LeBron to even slow him down. And so while, yeah, the Lakers would, I'm sure, prefer to, face the sons or the kings and have an easy five-game sweep. LeBron's clearly easing himself into the bubble. And if you want him to be up and running by round two, give him Portland in round one. He'll average 35 a game in that series because they got no answer for him whatsoever.

So that's the long way of saying they don't scare me. Could they, would it be a gentleman sweep instead of a sweep? Sure. But they just, the lack of a Riza kills them as far as even having a single person to throw at Lebron. James. So years ago, when LeBron went from Miami to Cleveland again, he moved off of Andrew Wiggins. They had a chance to draft Andrew Wiggins. But the word was that LeBron didn't like Wiggins because he didn't have any dog in him. He wasn't going to be that. And for the record, LeBron's been right. I believe that dog is developed, you know, somewhere between seven years old and 12. And if you don't have it, you don't develop it. I mean, if you take magic in LeBron's DNA,

it's been leadership first day in the league. If you take the late Kobe and MJ's relentlessness, obsessiveness, it starts in childhood on, first day in the league. Anthony Davis is talented. Nick, he disappears in fourth quarters. He shoots like 40% this year in the fourth. He doesn't have any dog in him, and that's what wins in the postseason.

Aren't you a little concerned? Four times against the clippers. He evaporated in the fourth. And despite that, listen, The Lakers were tied with six minutes left, first game of the year, second game of the year against the Clippers. It comes down to a ridiculous overturned call and LeBron's potentially game-tying shot, and they won the next two.

I would be concerned if Anthony Davis had to be your best player, but he doesn't. And he is a way over-qualified Robin. And so what you're going to have is Anthony Davis playing the biggest games of his life. Anthony Davis have some of, I'm sure, the biggest failures, and successes he's ever had in the NBA in these playoffs. And I think he'll come out on the other side, a champion and a changed player. But when you have, America, I guess, and I wouldn't think you would be part of it,

has forgotten the single most reliable thing in sports is LeBron James in the playoffs over the last decade. What he gives you night in, night out. The last time we saw him in the playoffs, he carried an atrocious Cavs team to the finals, culminating in the 51-point performance in game one before he broke his hand out of frustration. Like, you don't need Anthony Davis to take over in the fourth, because LeBron will do that. And I think Anthony Davis maybe has a little more dog

than you're giving him credit for, but I think whatever it is, he will learn and gain so much from this deep championship playoff run that in the years to come, he'll be able to be that fourth quarter guy that right now the Lakers are relying on LeBron to be. I was going to ask you a question about the Buccaneers, but you have disagreed with me on everything. There's no chance.

You know, I think it's funny. I was saying this about Tampa Bay. Last year was very predictable. Young roster, new coach, new coordinator. I love their defensive coordinator and their head coach. They were bad early. Two and six. At the second after the season, the young roster, oh, they were five and three and really only lost, were beaten by the Saints and the Texans.

Those were very good teams with quarterbacks. some real star power. I look at this Tampa team and I think Todd Bull's second year, Arian's second year, maybe the best blocking tight end. Tom, I look at Tampa today and I think, you know, I start looking around the NFC, everybody's got a hold. Can Carson Wednesday healthy? Russell Wilson's basically bailing out bad line play.

Aaron Rogers, do we know what Matt LaFleur can do? Can you at least acknowledge? Tampa's going to be a playoff team with Brady. They're going to be a playoff team. Well, here's, I'll go a step further and not quite as far. Tampa has, listen, last six weeks of the year, they had a top five defense. I like erringes and left which. I agree with you entirely on that.

Gronk will be good for them even if he's not vintage gronk. They might have, certainly it's in the argument, the best pair of receivers in football, and they improved the offensive line. So the question just is, Colin, are the Buccaneers a quarterback away from being, a Super Bowl contender. They thought so. And so they thought, they think they brought that quarterback in. I think Tom Brady's 43 years old, and we have seen significant deterioration each of the last three years, from MVP to good but not great to downright bad last year. If Tom Brady is what you and many others think he will be this year, yeah, the Bucks can win

11, 12 games and can be a Super Bowl contender. But if they're not, it will be because of Brady because I agree with every point you made. They have built, they have flushed out this roster, the defense surged at the end of the year. They're not going to be kneecapped by interceptions like they were last season. So yeah, let's just see what, you know, Tampa Bay can do. And I'm excited to see it. Maybe I'll be wrong.

I got nothing against Brady. I think he's got some curious choices in his social group and friends. But aside from that, I got no problem with Brady. I just, I want to see him do it. And we'll be able to see because he's on a excellent. roster. I agree with you there. Look at him. He looks 31 years old. He just, he is, his body shape. He's just very, very good. Listen, you know, you and I just don't, we don't agree on a lot. We don't, our lifestyles are different. Are, our, what we, uh, at night,

what we drink is different. Are, are, are, you know, I mean, some guys, I go to bed early. Did you finish that? Did you drink that bottle of tequila? I left you? I had a small set. I left to an unopened bottle. Oh, that's a lie. That's a lie. By the way, I'm glad you're incorporating into the show all-time chiefs great and champion LaShawn McCoy. I assume he'll go into the Hall of Fame as a Chief since that's who we won a Super Bowl with. Just had to fit that in. Get out of here. Nick Wright first, things first.

Good seeing you. See you. Coming up next, the blind resume on Derek Carr, he wants respect. So we'll just play the game. I don't know the answer to this. My staff's going to play the game with me. We're going to play this game together. How good is Derek Carr?

Blind resume. I do not know the quarterbacks they're going to put up against him. So we're going to play this game next. with the Raiders, Derek Carr, the Las Vegas Raiders, Derek Carr. 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. 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'll say. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

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 what 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 with Little Kim?

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

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

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fantine, 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. person. Join me, Keir Gaines, as 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. Getting older, harder to get out of bed, putting on unwanted weight. There's a way to solve it, to get more lean and recapture that energy. MDriveforMen.com. Rite Aid has it, so it's vitamin shop, Walgreens, MDrive for Men.com. So Derek Carr, the Raiders, they're moving to Vegas, moving in the direction of, stop bad-mouthing me. Derek Carr, as camp open, says, I want more respect. I have a lot to prove to myself. I have a lot to prove to my organization. I'm going to be completely honest here. I'm tired of being disrespectful. So there was no question

I was going to play this year. Okay. So the question begs. How much respect does he deserve? So we invented something had never been done before in the history of the world called Blind Resumé. I doubt it had ever been done, but we're taking credit for it. So this way it takes out all the bias. You just get numbers and you have to make a decision on what's better. And it's amazing how often you get fooled on this when you don't bring in your bias of your favorite quarterback who plays for a team you hate or a team you like.

So let's do the blind resume on Derek Carr. How much respect. I like him more than most. But I said blind resume. I'm going to take out all my bias on this. His brother comes on the show. I've had Derek on the show. So let's put it up.

Blind resume. So on the left is Derek Carr. 90 touchdowns, 37 picks, 15,000 passing yards. These are the last four years of Derek Carr. That's a real timeline. Last four years. Would you take Derek Carr or the quarterback on the right? The numbers are, I mean, they're basically the same.

I get a slightly higher passer rating. So I'd probably go. quarterback on the right because the passer rating does matter. Who's the quarterback on the right? I have no idea. All right. Okay, okay. There you go.

Isn't it amazing? I love this game. Okay. So it is Dak Prescott. Okay. So the quarterback in the right. It is amazing. So the quarterback in the right had seven more TDs and a higher passer rating.

All right. Let's do it again. All right. This is just last season. Last year, Derek Carr, 21 TDs, eight picks, 4,000 yards. completion percentage is unbelievable, 70% passer rating of 100. So the guy on the right for our radio audience, a few more touchdown passes, yards are the same, but a significantly lower completion percentage, 60% and a passer rating high 80s.

I would take Derek Carr over this quarterback. The quarterback is. I knew it. Tom Brady. I knew it. Okay, this just goes to show you. So, okay, so how much respect. So we would take DAC over him, but he was way better than Brady last year.

And by the way, Brady had a much better defense. And most of us believe Belichick's the best coach ever. So we want to do it a more time? All right, Derek Carr, this is career now. So we went four years last year, now career. Completion percentage for Derek Carr is 64% for our radio audience, seven yards an attempt, pass a rating at 91, and a touchdown percentage. What is that again?

touchdown percentage is percent of your throws that end up touchdowns, 4.3. So the blind resume on the right has a slightly lower completion percentage, a slightly higher yards per attempt, a lower passer rating, and the same touchdown percentage. So let me look at this. I would probably take. I think I know who. I think I would take Derek Carr. Because the pass.

Because I know how this game works. I think I know who. Okay. I'll take Derek Carr. Oh, no. Okay. I was fooled. Marcus Marioada.

But boy, they're dead even. Yeah, but I'm definitely taking Derek Carr over Marcus Marietta. So now when you talk about Derek Carr, blind resume, Dak, blind resume, him over Brady, blind resume, really dead even with Marcus Marioata. So I'm as confused now as I was five minutes ago. Exactly. As amazing as that soundbite is, I don't disagree with him.

I do think Derek Carr gets to do. disrespected a lot. He's not a bad quarterback. No, he's not bad at all. Oh, hell no, he's not bad at all. I do think he gets disrespected. Do it yourself projects. Go to loz.com.

Everything you need to create your own sanctuary at home. I have built a bar cart. Makes the games, makes that nightly beer two more enjoyable. Hashtag Lowe's goals. 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 IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not. 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. 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 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. 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, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliverd Show on the I-Heart 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.