The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR-2-Lamar Jackson, NBA Playoffs

Episode Date: September 3, 2020

In this hour of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Doug Gottlieb--in for Colin--ponders whether the rest of the NFL can catch up to Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Lamar Jackson in the regular season. Also, B...leacher Report senior NBA writer and FS1 analyst Ric Bucher shares his infinite wisdom on a crazy night in the NBA playoffs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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.
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Starting point is 00:01:39 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversation. 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok.
Starting point is 00:02:11 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 SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching Herd. Fox Sports Radio. What up? Welcome in. This is The Herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be making this part of your day.
Starting point is 00:02:50 Thanks so much. Rick Buecker, NBA Insider, Fox Sports 1 and Bleach Report. He'll join us in 15 minutes. Get his thoughts on last night's two unbelievable games. Unbelievable games. You know where you lose me? you know, and I, and I do on some level understand. I'm not lost on the understanding that you grow tired of politics and the intersection of them in sports.
Starting point is 00:03:25 Like, I get it. I understand it. And earlier, I said it's, I mean, what Stephen A. Smith said earlier on worst take, I'm sorry, first take was that, You know, Steve Nashkin hired as head coach the Brooklyn Knights' white privilege. Like, it's, it's laughable. It's laughable. Right. I think there is, most of us live, I believe, in the middle ground of the real world.
Starting point is 00:03:56 And the middle ground, you can sit there and go, look, there are, there's treatment of black people, which is wrong. By the way, there's treatment of Hispanic people that's been wrong. There's treatment of Asians that have been wrong. There's treatments of mixed race people, light skin black people. you know, dark-skinned, Mexican people that are wronged by light-skinned, Mexican people. Like, there's treatment that has been wrong. But every hire, every bad action, even, bad actor, if you will, is the expression. Of white person versus black doesn't mean they're automatically racist or that race even plays a factor.
Starting point is 00:04:33 And every hiring of a white person instead of a black person does not mean that race played a factor. and Steve Nash falls right into that. So I understand how you would grow tired of it. I do. But if you want to tell me, you sit here and go like, I'm not watching basketball because it's too political. Like, okay, I grow as tired of political discussions and debates and whatever. Those are two great basketball games or do really close and competitive basketball games.
Starting point is 00:05:05 and I don't think outside of the outside of kind of denouncing or laughing at Stephen A's assessment of white privilege with Steve Nashby and hired the discussion of the games and the players and the motivations and whatever, nothing to do with the race.
Starting point is 00:05:27 It's funny because when I have said this about Lamar Jackson right and anytime anyone has said this about Lamar Jackson again, this is what we do. do. When you say something about a black quarterback, it suddenly becomes about race. You say it about a white quarterback and it's about how crummy the quarterback. Like, I was alive and on national radio when Tim Tebow was a starting quarterback. And I said, and we can pull any tape you'd like
Starting point is 00:05:54 from both the previous two networks I pulled. Like, it ain't going to last. That dude can't throw. And analyst after analyst is like, you know, he might want to think about switching positions. So Lamar Jackson's coming out. He's the fastest quarterback I think any of us have ever seen. And yeah, he won the Heisman trophy, but he was wildly at times inaccurate, short and underneath stuff. And one position coach said, are you going to run with the wide receivers? Well, that's racist.
Starting point is 00:06:33 No, it's not. No, it's not. Eric Crouch was asked to switch positions. Have him before. Great college quarterback. Tim Tebow, they talked about switching positions. Had before. Great college quarterback.
Starting point is 00:06:49 Oh, yeah, by the way, no one said, are you going to play wide receiver? Which, by the way, he lined up and played wide receiver as a rookie for the Ravens. Oh, no, no, Doug. He wasn't playing wide receiver. He was split out wide as a second quarterback. Oh, okay. We're good then. But all I've said about Lamar Jackson is, like, look, end of the day, first and 10,
Starting point is 00:07:12 80 yards to go, down six points. Can you throw the football accurately enough, well enough outside the numbers to win a game? Right? And he is, and you can say, well, he's not a running quarterback. Well, he runs more than any quarterback in the modern history of football. He's run the football more since he's become a starter than any quarterback in the history of the NFL. And what do all those guys have in common? they all get hurt.
Starting point is 00:07:44 Because in the NFL, you don't get faster. Everybody else does. Sometimes you don't even need a contact injury. Sometimes just to, you know, I mean, look at the crummy field in D.C. And what happened to RG3? Vince Young, I think some of his personal stuff imploded him. He was a pro bowler as a rookie. And he faded.
Starting point is 00:08:06 Steve Young, who was a running quarterback, who got a throw, became a Hall of Famer. Like, look, he struggled early in his career, then went to the USFL, then came back and backed up. And I know he played late into his 30s, but it was an injury-mired career because he got so beat up. I mean, L. Deshaun Watson, who's a tremendous quarterback. He tore his ACL in the NFL.
Starting point is 00:08:31 He tore his ACL in college. And it's changed how much he can throw. So while many predicted, and I would consider myself included, that the league eventually would catch up to Lamar Jackson. He obviously did not last year. We'll see this year. We'll see this year. He also got better.
Starting point is 00:08:49 Let's give credit where it's due. They also put a great team around him with bigger targets and Hollywood Brown who could take the top off the defense. Like they created kind of the perfect scenario for him to succeed offensively and had the perfect offensive coordinator in Greg Roman. But when you get to the playoffs, got to throw the football. You just do. You just do. because at some point you're going to get behind. I mean, the Chiefs trailed in all three playoff games.
Starting point is 00:09:21 My big numbers, 24-0-0 at home to the Texans. In the Super Bowl, they were being dominated. At that point in time, you got to, hey, listen, we don't want to go away from our game plan, but we've got to change it some and start throwing the football. Last night I watched Janus, and I believe this comparison was made, I believe it was made by Colin Cowherd like a week or a week and a half ago. They're the same guy. They're physically imposing and dominant in the regular season.
Starting point is 00:09:55 Lamar Jackson was dominant in the regular season. What happens in the postseason? Well, the year before, the L.A. Chargers put seven defensive backs out there and said, hey, we're just going to corral you and make you throw the football and beat us. And he couldn't. At home against a wild car team. couldn't do it. And then this year, what happened? You know, also when you run the football, you can fumble the ball. Turnovers are a problem. His accuracy is a problem. The ability to
Starting point is 00:10:26 move the ball, they get behind and they can't come back. That's what happened. Playoffs are, it's like a different sport than the regular season. And now we watch Janus. And the things he get away with defensively, now he gets called for a foul. The things he get away with are offensively, he gets called for a foul, like just bully ball over guys. David Thorpe joined us 20 minutes ago. Dude's been in basketball his entire life. And when he said it's completely accurate. Look, he doesn't have to be a great three-point shooter.
Starting point is 00:11:00 By the way, he shot the ball well from three in the bubble in the regular season. Once you get to the playoffs, though, like, you got to have a go-to. You've got to be able to step in and knock down a jump shot. you will not get to that rim with consistency, even when they put four other guys outside the three-point line. They will make you prove your weakness is a strength, or your weakness will undo you. Open for a reason, right?
Starting point is 00:11:31 That's Lou Dort last night. That's Janus in this series. That's Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. It doesn't mean that they're not super talented, and it doesn't mean especially Lamar who's only played two years. in the NFL. Like he can look at the leaps and bounds he improved from season one to season two.
Starting point is 00:11:48 Yannis, he's been doing it a little bit longer and there's just some flaws in how big he is, how long he is to what he can tighten up and it's hard to be, you know, I don't know if he'd become a natural shooter, but look, Jason Kidd went from Aeson Kidd, could not make a jump shot to when Jason Kidd retired. People know this, he was actually
Starting point is 00:12:05 eighth all time in three-pointers made in NBA history. You know, he was, he was from a non-shooter to a guy who could make a set shot three. Michael Jordan improved overtime. Hell, Brooke Lopez is his teammate. He didn't shoot a three. Didn't make a three like his first eight years in the NBA. You know, now he's become a viable weapon from three.
Starting point is 00:12:30 So you can get there. But the point is the playoffs, if you don't have that one thing it takes to win big against better competition. And the NBA, it's about a consistent jump shot. It's about a consistent jump shot. I mean, like look, LeBron James, at times against the Spurs, they would dare him to shoot that mid-range shot, and he would have a crisis in confidence at times. It's really that simple.
Starting point is 00:13:01 You know, Lamar Jackson, like these, he has to be a more accurate and competent passer. He's very good. When they're on time, on target with the lead, running the football, you know, they try and get him to third and manageable, and then he's still a run past that. You get to third and seven plus,
Starting point is 00:13:18 or third in California and you got to drop back there like Dan Marino and go through your progressions like yeah it's a little tougher. Heck, there's a little Peyton Manning to him. Right? Like look, Peyton Manning when everything is going as planned,
Starting point is 00:13:40 people forget this. This is the discussion that has been lost and the Tom Brady is the goat thing. When Peyton Manning retired, there were many people who know and evaluate the quarterback position are like, Peyton Man is the greatest quarterback ever. I didn't agree with it,
Starting point is 00:13:57 but that is what quarterback, be like, if you're going to play quarterback, if you want to be a great quarterback in the NFL, the number one tape you want to throw on is Peyton Manning. But, you know, now because Brady's won six and Aaron Rogers probably has a better skill set,
Starting point is 00:14:13 like that's the discussion. Then there's Joe Montana. But payman, but look, the truth is, Peyton Manning's basically a 500 quarterback in the playoffs. Why? Because in the playoffs, things don't go as planned. Like, the way I visualize Pey Manning is if, like, he's one of those guys that if he has his coffee the same time every day and relieves himself at the same time and has his meeting the same time and works out the same time and does work the same time and meets his kids, like he's one of those programmed guys. Hey, great.
Starting point is 00:14:51 But what happens when the Starbucks that he normally goes? to is closed. And suddenly, or his car breaks down, or the internet is down, right? Or his assistant calls in sick. Right? Like one thing goes wrong and all of a sudden it's he, he's just not as good. Whereas, again, not discussed anymore. When Brett Farve retired, you could easily make the case of Brett Farver is the greatest
Starting point is 00:15:23 quarterback ever, or at least in the conversation. He's got the Lou Gehrig record for most consecutive games started. Right? Won a couple soups. MVP's. One soup bowl, excuse me. MVP? I think three MVP, right?
Starting point is 00:15:47 Records galore. Did it in Green Bay, surrounded by marginal talent at best. Heck, even when he went to New York, people forget, before he got hurt and he played hurt with like a torn bicep, they were nine and three. then they go into and it goes to Minnesota the arch rival of the Packers comes and beats the Packers in Green Bay goes to the NFC championship game
Starting point is 00:16:06 loses to the Vikings I mean loses to the Saints but they win that game he gets back to like like look Brett Farver's an all-time great Brett Far was better than the playoffs than Peyton Manning. Why? Because Brett Farer didn't need a script just give me the ball, get open
Starting point is 00:16:22 and I'll get it to you. If not I'll run or I'll run over a couple guys and I'll throw it, you know, into double, triple coverage, and somehow we'll hope it works out. Why? Because he's a dude who functioned well in chaos and just figured it out. Paymanning wasn't. Payman, everything had to be in order.
Starting point is 00:16:47 Everything is in order for Lamar Jackson. You start getting downhill. Whereas Pat Mahomes, we go off script, we get behind. Okay, snap me the ball. Get open. I'll figure it out. That's the difference. and in the playoffs, that's the difference.
Starting point is 00:17:03 Plays don't matter. They just don't. Get out of my way. I'm going to go make a shot. And if somebody comes and helps, I'm going to get them with the open shot, and they're going to knock it down. And you look at Janice,
Starting point is 00:17:16 when things are going, when they're playing with a lead, and he's playing downhill, and he's getting to the rim, and they're helping out, he kick it out for three-point shot. It's great. They start missing some shots,
Starting point is 00:17:25 and the team starts building the wall defensively, and he can't get in, and he's like, him to just go ahead and shoot the jump shot. That ain't what he does. The great orator, Mike Tyson, said it best. Everybody's got a plan
Starting point is 00:17:42 until they get punched in the face. Let's see what the buck's plan is. All right, coming up next. Rick Buecher's going to join us. We'll get to his thoughts. Did Houston postpone the inevitable? How much trouble are the bucks in? What about the Raptors?
Starting point is 00:18:00 Now, down two games done. This is without question, must win tonight, and Clippers and Lakers seem destined to meet each other because the teams they're matching up are absolutely guests. Plus, the story of the day is Steve Nash is the new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. Basketball team, not soccer team. We thought he'd coach soccer. That's a wow. We'll get Rick Buecker's thoughts upcoming next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio,
Starting point is 00:18:33 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.
Starting point is 00:18:58 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 what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits,
Starting point is 00:19:12 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,
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Starting point is 00:19:56 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.
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Starting point is 00:20:41 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.
Starting point is 00:20:57 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, Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.
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Starting point is 00:22:01 learn the hard way. Open your free. iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now Doug all the even for Colin this is the herd got re-ent rhyme music up coming with the news shortly there is a lot of news in the world of sports a lot Josh Gordon
Starting point is 00:22:21 not yet back in the league but has signed with an NFL team we'll get more on that upcoming but let's react to an amazing night in the NBA we have more games today. Like, I mean, Jamal Murray, Rick Buecker joins us, NBA insider Fox Sports One, Bleach report. I thought Jamal Murray's reaction after winning game seven to Scott Van Pelt, good friend of both
Starting point is 00:22:50 of ours, says it all, right? Wait, we play Thursday? Like, I don't know how they have the gas in the tank to legitimately compete, at least in the early part of the series. And even then, like, you just, the idea. of recovering when you're already exhausted and you've been in this bubble, that kind of jumps out to me about that particular game tonight? Buk?
Starting point is 00:23:16 You with me? Yeah. Okay. So they jump out to you? I mean, these guys, I can't imagine what they have in the tank. No, I mean, the one benefit is you're not traveling. So you're not jumping on a plane. You know, you get out of the arena and you get back to your hotel.
Starting point is 00:23:34 and so there's there's there is the lack of the exhaustion from travel but just emotionally uh yeah i can't imagine and then it's just prepping for a completely different uh a different type team i don't know that i gave the nugget under any circumstances you could give them four days of rest and i don't know that i would see them as being uh a threat to to knock off the clippers but that said, I'm not anticipating, I'm really not anticipating anything special as a result of this. Rick Beiger joining us. Let's get to last night. I think we start with the Rockets game. Should we be more impressed with Oklahoma City finding a way to cobble it together and get to game seven, or should we react to Houston kind of postponing the inevitable, a flawed team whose
Starting point is 00:24:26 flaws were exposed and they still kind of survived? Yeah, look, there was so much pressure on Houston to try to overcome, but I felt as if Houston basically said they asked Oklahoma City to win the game and the thunder just refused. No, we're not going to, we don't want this. It was, it just wasn't playoff basketball. It was a comedy of errors down the stretch. There was nothing, it was a survival when it came to game seven. So it doesn't feel me. Honestly, for me, it was disappointing to watch on both ends.
Starting point is 00:25:07 Whoever was going to come out of it didn't make me feel as if they were going to be prepared to put up any sort of a fight against the Lakers. I honestly don't expect the second round to be anything or nearly as exciting as we saw in the first round. I would expect that both of these series are going to be over in pretty perfunctory fashion. How can Stephen Adams not even look at scoring the basketball? Like, like, I just, there are so many possessions in which you're just like, look, dude, if you just look, if you just slip to the rim and they throw it to the rim, you catch it and dunk the basketball, I have, how has, how is he, how does he lack that much offensive skill? And it doesn't even take a lot of skill. It's just like the wherewithal to, I'm a foot taller than everybody guarding me and they're barely even guarding me. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:25:56 Well, I don't, I just wonder how much of it is Stephen Adams' mindset. and how much of it is the way that they've decided that they want to play. And when you've played a certain way all year and there's certain things that you look for, I mean, it's like the inbound class at the end of the game. I mean, say, Alex, say Gil just also didn't recognize that he had PJ Tucker on his back and had an easy opportunity to score. So it, to me, it was mind-boggling the lack of recognition on so many fronts. I can only attribute it to you're so used to playing a certain way looking for a certain thing.
Starting point is 00:26:39 But the execution, again, that's where it's hard for me to give the Rockets too much credit because I just thought that the Thunder's execution down the stretch was atrocious. It was atrocious. All right, let's get to the – well, let me stick with Houston. Any chance they look at the possibility of moving hard and in the offseason? No, I wouldn't expect that they would move Harden. I would expect that they would move Westbrook before they moved Harden. And is there the possibility of that?
Starting point is 00:27:09 Honestly, I think there is just because of the financial situation that they're facing and that the league is facing. But that's the real unknown. I talked to an owner the other day because I was really curious whether there was going to be a push to blow up the CBA and, and negotiate a new one. And he didn't go so far as that. And I actually talked to a couple owners about that. It's not as if that's on the top of their agenda. At least they're not letting, they didn't let me know that it was.
Starting point is 00:27:45 But the bump that the, what I was told is the bump that the salary cap got that allowed the Golden State Warriors to sign Kevin Durant as a free agent, anticipate the cap going down. down as much as that went up. And the ramifications of that is going to be incredibly severe. And I think the only way they get around that, short of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, is for the players union to agree to kind of smooth out the huge deficit that is coming. But it certainly is, and, you know, based on sort of the indications of where Tillman-Fertita is and the losses that he's suffered outside as a team, I've been told more than once, there's, you know, don't be surprised if they're looking to move one of their salaries. But I would expect it would be Russell Westbrook before it would be James Harden. You know, it's interesting. You talk about the, like, I think we all operate under this assumption that this is the only,
Starting point is 00:28:56 that these teams have. Now the Lakers, like that's a family-owned shop. They're obviously losing a ton of money. You know, they do have their, you know, they do have some at least content on Spectrum SportsNet which is part of their contract so they'll be able to kind of make due. But like
Starting point is 00:29:12 you said, Tilman Fertina is a restaurateur. Right? And I mean, you go through all the restaurants they own and that business is just being crushed nationally. We all operate as if there's just unlimited sums of money, coming in. Don't worry. These owners have their billionaires. They got unlimited sums of money.
Starting point is 00:29:30 He overpaid for the team. He's overpaying in terms of salaries. And his primary source of income is being decimated by the pandemic. And we don't think there's going to be adjustment. Of course they're. And oh, yeah, by the way, they're not winning. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's a combination of things. And next season doesn't offer a whole lot of relief. I think it's why Adam Silver has talked about pushing the, the start of the season back from December to January or later because it's essentially, I think Adam in the league is looking at it and saying if we get a vaccine by, you know, this January, maybe we can open it up and we can have fans.
Starting point is 00:30:13 But if they don't, if they're not able to have fans, if they're not able to sell season tickets for next season, that is going to have a huge crush on their revenue overall and on the salary cap structure. Rick Bueger joining us. What's wrong with the Bucks? I don't know that there's anything wrong with them other than Yannis doesn't have the kind of game necessary to lead a team in the postseason. And so now you're leaning on Chris Middleton. And for whatever reason, their defensive acuity that we saw during the regular season was lost over the
Starting point is 00:30:56 break. They simply just do not are not playing at the same level defensively, particularly when it comes to closing out on the perimeter. And I can't explain why that is, but honestly, I think you and I, Doug, are on the same page here. It has long been my, you know, my, my, my, my issue with people who have labeled Janice as this superstar or the best player in the game or even MVP is that his game's not fully formed. He's a dynamic, talented player. By analytics, you can make a case, but if you understand the game, you realize that he is, you know, I saw some of the debate, you know, Scotty Pippen suggesting that he's
Starting point is 00:31:50 a Robin. I think he has the mentality of a Batman. I think he, I don't think he's afraid of the moment. I just don't think he has the skill set yet or the game that allows him to be that. I completely agree with you. Completely. I kind of started the hour saying it's a lot like Lamar Jackson where he's,
Starting point is 00:32:06 there's a lot to like there, but he's just not, he's just not refined enough in terms of throwing the football, third and, you know, seven plus, eight plus, to win a championship, to win the playoffs. And it's the same with Janus. It's David Thorpe joined us earlier. He's Look, it is not even about the three-pointers.
Starting point is 00:32:22 He can't consistently make an 18-footer that the best NBA players always make to keep that defense honest. Well, then that's focusing on he's got to have a three-point shot. And then if he does, he's going to be unstoppable. It's like, no, not the way that team functions. If you want to play through him in half-court set, I'm not putting him above the arc. I'm putting him below the free throw line where he can operate on a step-back, or a mid-range jumper or face-up or get to his Euro step, go either direction. Now he becomes an unstoppable force that if you have to crowd him to defend him,
Starting point is 00:33:06 now you have three-point shooters around him. If you put him out at the three-point arc, now he still becomes more limited and can't be your playmaker from there that he can be working below the free-throw line. It's the same as what, like, if people want to understand what he has to develop, it's Kevin Durant's game the last time we saw him with the Golden State Warriors, which is catch it below the free throw line. Can you take one dribble and pull up and hit a shot? If you, if you, and he has the same size and length, he could be very much KD,
Starting point is 00:33:46 but he does not have that element in his game. Yeah, I don't. I don't, I don't, I, KD was, I, Katie, well, this is a longer discussion. Maybe we'll have it on the pod. Rick Buehker joining us from, from Bleach Report. Okay, so let's get to the Toronto Raptors. Everybody likes the Raptors. Rabbers are cute, cuddly.
Starting point is 00:34:06 Oh man, Nick Nurse Coach the Year, look what he did without Kauai. Now they're down two games to none. How fixable are their issues against the Celtics? This is a tough one for me because I, I've been on the, Raptors bandwagon all year and watching them in the bubble against Boston during the regular the regular eight games. I saw the matchups and I was like, ooh, this might be a problem. But you know what? The Raptors experience and their ability to execute in the clutch is going to be the difference maker. And then we got game two and that's the exact exactly the kind of game that.
Starting point is 00:34:53 I thought the Raptors would be able to win against the Celtics, and they weren't. And it was largely because with the matchups as they are against Boston, they looked to Pascal Seaccom to be that guy, and he's not there yet. That just became painfully apparent to me. I thought, okay, if he's not, there's other options you can go to, but because of the size and length difference, Tile Lowry, Fred Van Bleet, very difficult. So, man, after watching Game 2, I don't know, Doug.
Starting point is 00:35:32 I'm open to ideas because I would like to think that the Raptors can still make this a series and could still potentially win it. But from what I've seen to this point, the things that I thought would carry them are not there. Rick Bueker joining us. Bukle, you live in Northern California. I know you're close with a lot of the Warriors guys. Steve Nash spent some time there as a consultant. What's your reaction to him being named the new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets?
Starting point is 00:36:02 I thought it was a brilliant, inspired pick. I don't think that there's a person out there that they could have hired that, you know, outside of a coach with a championship ring, that could have gone into Brooklyn and immediately held the respect of KD and Kyrie. That previous relationship with KD. Steve obviously was a consultant with the Warriors and has spent time with him.
Starting point is 00:36:34 I know that Kyrie respects him just as a point guard and a league MVP. Look, he needs a strong staff. I think he's very fortunate. The Jok Vang, agreed to stay on as an assistant coach. but I see this a lot as with Larry Bird when he went into Indiana and coached Reggie Miller and Mark Jackson and a disparate group of quietly some big personalities there and was able to coach them to the finals. There's big expectations.
Starting point is 00:37:07 Nash as a communicator, his IQ. I just, I don't think they could have done better. We'll see if it works because there's still a lot of questions. Sure. The expectations are high. Nobody knows what KD. is going to look like when he comes out of this. He's going to have missed more time with the Achilles 10 than anybody has ever missed with the Achilles 10. For sure.
Starting point is 00:37:30 For sure. So there's a lot of questions there. And then just, you know, making it work between KD and Kyrie and what do you do with Karris Lavert? And can you maintain a sort of, you know, the camaraderie that was, I thought, lost this past year that made them good. last year. But if you're going to bring a guy in there who has the personality and the credentials, I mean, honestly, you know, people were talking about Greg Popovich going there. I don't know that that was ever a realistic possibility. But I'm not even sure at this point in Popper's career with these guys that it would have worked, that I'd have more confidence in it working than
Starting point is 00:38:12 with Nash. I don't know if it's going to work. But I, I, I, I, I, I like, I like the idea that Sean Marks is going with. I don't know if I like the idea. I get it. And they apparently have a great relationship. And so much of, tell me if this is a wrong statement. The NBA is about relationships and respect, right? You got to have relationships with the people you work with and work for,
Starting point is 00:38:35 and you got to have the respect of the locker room. And I think that's why it makes sense to me. I don't know if it'll work because I don't, I don't know. I don't know if Kyrie works as a championship team anywhere. And I don't know what KD is going to look like when he comes off. this injury. Agreed with all that. The relationship and the ability to manage people are the first two things you need. But then the third is you have to be able to make guys better and convince them that your way works. And if you get that, now you got to triumph. If you don't,
Starting point is 00:39:12 then the first two eventually wear out. Be it great stuff. Look forward. to reading some in Bleach's Report and seeing you on Fox Sports One. Appreciate you being our guest. You got it, sir. Let's get to rhyme music with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.
Starting point is 00:39:31 All right, Doug. You mentioned it earlier, Josh Gordon, back with the team, but not necessarily back in the NFL. He has signed a new one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, but still awaiting official reinstatement in the NFL. Well, so Antonio Brown's not ready until midseason, right? And some people thought Antonio Brown would fit there. But again, relationships. Josh Gordon was there previously. So he knows kind of the deal. I think you take one of two troubled wide receivers. And for them to take Josh Gordon instead of Antonio Brown does not vote well for Antonio Brown. And another NFL wide receiver news, the Patriots cut wide receiver, Mohamed Sunnu.
Starting point is 00:40:13 Very shortly after last season, acquiring him mid-year-old. year in a trade from the Atlanta Balkans. And that Patriots didn't last very long. No, I mean, remember, they gave up I think a second round pick to get Muhammad Snew, whereas the Broncos only got a
Starting point is 00:40:31 third round pick for Emmanuel Sanders. But I don't know if the Broncos would have traded him, you know, to the Patriots in the AFC, but obviously the Niners made a better choice in who they traded for. But there are two things you can count on, right?
Starting point is 00:40:47 Do things you can count on. Maybe more than that. Sunrise in the east and set in the West. And as good as the patriots are at evaluating seemingly every position, wide receiver is not one of them. And that's Ryan's music with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.
Starting point is 00:41:04 The Herd Lie News. Last night was messy in the NBA. Messy. Messy. We'll try and clean up that mess. Next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.
Starting point is 00:41:23 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,
Starting point is 00:41:45 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifert 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.
Starting point is 00:42:06 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
Starting point is 00:42:40 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.
Starting point is 00:43:00 What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.
Starting point is 00:43:18 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.
Starting point is 00:43:40 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 therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own
Starting point is 00:44:01 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.
Starting point is 00:44:24 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.
Starting point is 00:44:38 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 iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Doug Ghalybin for Colin.
Starting point is 00:44:54 This is The Hurt. Thanks so much for joining us. Joe Klaude's going to join us next hour. Joe Klaude is definitely going to join us. Man, you were talking to talk about the swings and the sways of the... Yes, two days ago, apparently, you know, the president called the commissioner of the Big Ten, people were like, man. The president's like, they're on the one-yard line.
Starting point is 00:45:15 I pointed out there's two one-yard lines. on a football field. Apparently, maybe the other one. There's a new report at a Penn State that 30 to 35% of athletes
Starting point is 00:45:30 who contract COVID, contract myocarditis. That, of course, would put the brakes on the Big Ten, believing they could play college football. We'll get Joe Clat knows a lot more about what's going on. I don't even know if he can say all that he knows,
Starting point is 00:45:45 but he generally has a lot of strong opinions and he's great at what he does covering college football for Fox Sports. He'll join us 15 past next hour. And then, like, I love you. Ryan Music is my producer on the Doug Gottlieb show follows this show on Fox Sports Radio. Love him to death. But we decided our best for last and he was like, so our best for last because Steve Nash is now the union head coach in the Brooklyn Nets and because we saw Russell Westbrook, who's an MVP,
Starting point is 00:46:16 he averaged triple double, and we saw Chris Paul lose, although play really, really well in the series, and lift his team up. Hey, why not do the top 10 point guards of all time? Ryan was giving me names. I love you, but I'm good on. This one I'm good on. This one I'm good on. That's me telling Ryan, hey, let's talk volleyball players. I'm going to give you a list of great.
Starting point is 00:46:41 He was a volleyball player in college. I was a list of great volleyball players in all the time. He was like, yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm good. Good. Anyway. Last night was messy. Just messy.
Starting point is 00:46:54 I mean, actually the night before was super messy too. Denver. It was like one of those bad viral videos of dudes turning the ball over. Tory Craig misses a dead layup to win the game. And then Mike Conley gets another three in and out. It was just messy. And then with the fouls called at the end of the Bucks heat game, can we just admit something?
Starting point is 00:47:18 thing. Reggie Miller was a great player. I don't believe Reggie Miller truthfully. Had he not done what, did what he did to the New York Knicks, I don't think he would be in the Hall of Fame. And you're like,
Starting point is 00:47:35 how can you say that? That's sacrilege. You don't like Reggie? No, no. I was actually a ballboy for Reggie Miller when he played at UCLA. But Reggie Miller was all NBA third team three times.
Starting point is 00:47:50 That's it. He was never first or second team all NBA. In other words, he was not believed to be one of the top ten players in the NBA at any point in time in his career yet he's in the Hall of Fame. And it's really because of, I mean, he was consistent, he was with one team, and what he did to the Knicks was remarkable. But he also ruined the NBA. Ruined the NBA, kicking out his legs.
Starting point is 00:48:18 Now, the truth is that this move was, first started by a guy named Lloyd Free. Do you guys know what Lloyd Free's nickname was? World. World be free. Change his name legally to World Be Free. And now World Be Free, he didn't necessarily change his name because he wanted World Peace. He changed his name because Lloyd Free believed he was all world. That's a true story. But Lloyd Free used to kick out his legs to draw a foul on jump shots. Of course, three-point jump shots were the specialty of
Starting point is 00:48:55 not only Lloyd-free, but also Reggie Miller. Reggie Miller essentially either, I don't know if he invented the move. It's a lot like Kobe Bryant kind of stealing the nickname Mamba from a kid. Right? That's what happened.
Starting point is 00:49:14 Reggie Miller took this move from Lloyd-Free and popularized it and it's become the Reggie Miller move. It's ruined basketball. It is unwatchable to watch guys shoot threes and then fall down anytime anywhere near them. And no, I don't think either was a foul. Yes, makeup calls do take place. That felt like a makeup call.
Starting point is 00:49:34 Miami was going to win. Then there's a foul in the three point shot that wasn't really a foul. So they call a foul on a three point shot that wasn't really a foul. Jimmy Butler wins the two. The rightful team won the game. There, cleaned up the mess. All right, coming up next, the Brooklyn Nets have made a bold hire. They have hired Steve Nash
Starting point is 00:49:56 become their next head coach. Why'd they do it? I'll explain. Next in the herd. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.
Starting point is 00:50:13 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
Starting point is 00:50:30 with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.
Starting point is 00:50:48 It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing huge. 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host care games. This space is about black men's experiences, having
Starting point is 00:51:22 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.
Starting point is 00:51:46 From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's 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. It was a wild year.
Starting point is 00:52:03 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

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