The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Tua Tagovailoa, Tom Brady, Browns, and free agency

Episode Date: February 11, 2020

Colin gives his reasons why he would draft Tua Tagovailoa, why Patriots owner Robert Kraft is letting Tom Brady test free agency, why Brady feels disrespected, why he believes the Cleveland Browns will continue to have issues, and who are the top available quarterbacks he would go after. Guests include Charlotte Flair, Mark Medina, Brady Poppinga, and Ric Bucher. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. 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. To Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a loaded Tuesday. Live in Los Angeles, this is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio on FS1. The Queen Charlotte Flair in 45 minutes. Brady Pappanga, Rick Buecker, Mark Medina, who does a Great job covering the NBA and Joy Taylor joining me. Joy, how are you?

I'm great. I'm very excited for you. You've been talking about getting Charlotte Flare on the show for a long time now. Charlotte Flair owns the internet. She is a radiant beauty. She is the star of the WWE. And I used to make fun of forever. I watched it as a kid growing up. I made fun of their fans. She's a rock star. So she's going to stop by her show. I've been trying for a year to get her on the show. So she's coming on the show today. It'd be fun. So I want to start Joy with this. one of the things that a lot of people use the term woke, and I prefer the term purity. I think Twitter and social media is kind of a BS 24-7 purity test.

None of us are perfect. All of us are flawed. Get over it. Stop rushing to social media because somebody else had a bad tweet. If you only have one bad tweet in your life, you've looked a hell of a life. We have bad days. I've had bad segments. I've had bad sentences.

Life isn't perfect. a purity test. Be nice. Treat people like you'd like to be treated the rest of the Bible's commentary. I don't care about it. Just be a nice person. None of us are perfect. And I saw yesterday, Tua, he's the quarterback at Alabama's got some medical issues. Well, what do you know? His three-month CT scan on his fractured hip was positive. He's got a healed hip. Now, he still has to wait another month to get cleared for football activities, but the first test for Tua, who's been banged up in college, is good. His hip is good. I would take him number one, but let's not talk about number one. Let's talk about this. I hear a lot of this about Tua. Well, college guys that get hurt,

they always get hurt in the NFL. Let me ask you, do you think the Philadelphia Eagles regret signing Carson Wentz who was hurt in college? Do you think the Houston, Texas, regret drafting Deshawn Watson who was hurt in college. I don't. Well, what about RG3? He was cruddy. It wasn't his injuries. It was his injuries and he wasn't very good. That's why he's a backup. The injuries didn't end RG3. He wasn't any good. He's a backup. He's probably a star in the XFL. It wasn't the injuries. Carson Wentz is hurt. DeShone Watson's hurt. Mahomes has been hurt. Aaron Rogers is hurt. Matt Stafford's hurt. The side idea, you're looking for a perfect quarterback.

They don't exist. They don't exist. Aaron Rogers, you've been telling me for a decade. He's the best thing since sliced bread. He got a coach fired. He's had one great season. It's been massive drama. He can be a tenuous leader.

Green Bay is relevant, aren't they? Every time I look at the Vegas Super Bowl odds, Green Bay's top five. You think they regret drafting Aaron Rogers? Do you think Houston regret drafting Deshawn Watson. You think Philadelphia regrets drafting Carson Wentz? The reason RG3 and Sam Bradford, it wasn't the injuries, they weren't good enough. They were just guys. Bradford was fine, but he's a guy. He's not carrying a team. RG3 is not

carrying a team? I would, if you're the Chargers, if you're the dolphins, if you're the Colts, let me ask you them, is two a better than the guy you got? Boom, I'm in. I draft him. I go three, four years on him. By year two or three, if he's all banged up, I draft somebody else. But this kid's a once in a lie. Have you ever seen his college stats? 22 and 2. Well, that's Alabama. 87 touchdowns 11 picks. 69% completion rate. He got better every year. Leadership, coachable. I've never seen college stats like this. 87 touchdowns and 11 picks. That's like video game crap. And that's in the SEC, which easily has the best defenses in college football.

I mean, it's the only conference where you got seven NFL guys every Saturday on defense. He ate it alive. He got better every year. And let me tell you something. Let's say I'm the Chargers. And I draft Tua wherever you draft him or Miami. And I know going in, he's only going to start 12 to 13 games a year for five years. I'd still take him.

because I think he's special enough to win eight or nine of those 12 or 13. So all I need is a competent backup to win one more game. Boom, I win my division. If he wins nine out of 13 games a year and misses three games a year, I just need a competent backup, which, by the way, in 2020 in the NFL, there's a ton of competent backups. I mean, Gardner Minshue came out of nowhere. The guy's all over the country playing quarterback now.

It's just this purity BS 24-7 stuff. You're all looking for perfection. It doesn't exist. Andrew Luck and John Elway are the only college quarterbacks of my life that came out and I couldn't nitpick them. I mean, about the only two guys you're like smart, big, arm, work hard, coachable, can move a little bit. That's it. Two guys, history of my life, four decades of watching the NFL draft.

two quarterbacks. Who gives a rip if a guy is hurt in college? Is he going to add juice to your franchise? What are the chargers need today? They need energy. They need juice. What's Carolina need? Juice.

They got a new owner. He wants juice. He wants to sell tickets. What's Indianapolis need? Energy. They're kind of flat. Jacoby percent's a nice kid. It's just kind of,

dey, ye, boring. So whenever I hear about this, well, you know, he got hurt in college. It's football. After week four, everybody's banged up. All I know is if Tua could start 12 games a year for me, if I'm the Chargers, the Colts, Carolina, Miami, I get 12 to 13 starts.

That kid's winning 8 to 9. Give me a competent backup who can win one more game and I'm winning my division 9 out of 10 years as long as, you know, Patrick Mahomes may screwed up a little bit. But you're telling me the Chargers, Tua's not going to change the franchise? I think you're nuts. He got cleared yesterday.

He's my number one pick. He's special. I've never seen a college quarterback with numbers like his ever. And he did it in the SEC. Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Florida. I mean, everybody, just defense, defense, defense every week. All right, let me shift to this. You know, I just read a story this morning where if you have an optimistic partner in life,

that you live longer. So cynicism is not great for long life. If you have an optimistic husband, optimistic wife, it can even take a cranky person and extend life. Listen, in sports, a lifetime is like 15 years. Brady and Belichick have lived like two lifetimes by NFL standards. One of the signs you can tell that this puppy now is not great is they're both privately complaining about each other. So there's a story that Robert Kraft wants the Patriots and Tom Brady to, quote, see what's out there in free agency.

There's another story that says, Robert Kraft, quote, you know what I want. You know what's happened here is that Robert Kraft was in Brady's corner and Robert Kraft. has gone back to being a businessman, which means he's sort of in Belichick's corner because Belichick's got 10 more years to coach and Brady's got about two years to play. But what's really happened in this relationship is what you don't want to happen in non-football relationships. Both Belichick and New England are privately complaining about Brady, and Brady, I've been told, is privately complaining about New England. This is how you and I don't want to end.

60, 70 years old, privately complaining about our partner, which is why this puppy's got about a year left. I know New England's complaining about Brady. How do I know it? Because I saw an article two years ago with Seth Wickersham on ESPN the magazine where there were multiple anonymous quote saying, Brady's a system quarterback and the coaches in New England think many guys could win here. That was not exactly a subtle shot at Brady inside the room. And then I also know that the New England people are banging on Brady because Tom's wife, and Tom let this end up in the documentary and he could have edited it out, Tom's saying to his wife, I don't feel respect here. Why? Because New England's privately complaining about him and some of it's getting to Tom.

And how do I know Tom's complaining about New England? I'll write a book about it someday, but I've got it well-sourced. He's complaining about New England. And also because Tom Curran, the most connected writer in Boston, was on our show yesterday and talked about things that I'm hearing, and I don't know if Tom and I are hearing them from the same people, but he's the most well-connected patriot guy I know, and he's hearing what I'm hearing about Brady and his misgivings about New England. It's about this, very simply, Colin.

He wants to get to the line, be under centerer in shotgun in 2020, and look across at the defense and say, you know what, I got an app for that. I got a guy here, I got a guy there. I know we can execute on this play that's going to work. And he hasn't really felt that way the last two years. So it hasn't been a lot of fun. funnel offensively. So it's not about the money. It's about the opportunity to enjoy the football,

to enjoy the offensive side of things, to not have to throw it away six times a game or run for his life or not know exactly where his receivers are going to be. So that is the surrounding cast is as important or more important than the money. Okay, so that's exactly what I'm hearing. Tom's complaining, but my point is, is that what you want to end up in life is that you're optimistic, you go home every night, you have a good dinner, you have good laughs, optimism extends life. This is now officially in New England, a relationship where both parties are privately nagging about the other, meaning ideally they should break up, but realistically, there's not a great market for either. New England doesn't have a backup plan, and Brady on the free agent

market is not a hot commodity outside of maybe one or two teams. It's an ugly, cranky relationship. This is not the way you and I want to end, but it's the reality of this. Even Bob Kraft, Brady's biggest supporter, is quoted now twice saying, you know what I want, you know what I want, but it's probably best Tom test the free agent market. Listen, they've been, this is two lifetimes in the NFL. two different dynasties.

This is not where you want to be. Robert Kraft has removed himself. It's back to business. They're both privately bickering. Tom's not a hot free agent. New England would rather replace him but has no plan. Welcome to a good football team going forward, but no longer a Super Bowl contender.

All right. Coming up next, we've got a bunch of stuff. First of all, Joe L.M.B. needs to stop talking, period. I am over Joel M. B'd in the Philadelphia 76 or Charlotte Flair stopping by, and I'm going to suggest something next. And I'm going to get nothing but crap. I'm going to get nothing but crap. But I don't understand why it's not being considered,

and you tell me how I'm wrong. That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete

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

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. 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 hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliver Show, I'm bringing you. conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano and our podcast point game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall.

And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

MDrive, everyday supplement. Go to MDrivefermen.com. Code heard 20% off. Charlotte Flair is going to be joining us in 10 minute, the Queen. She owns the Internet. I stop following everybody else. Okay, so you're going to think this is nuts and crazy. But correct me if I'm wrong, the NBA draft, the baseball draft, the hockey draft, and the NFL draft.

for bad teams, you're trying to draft somebody that changes your future. So look at the top 10 teams drafting. And who's the team nobody's talking about? We're speculating with every team. Detroit. Detroit's a bad franchise. I talk about bad franchises all the time on my show. Cleveland, Oakland, the New York Giants, a lot of Cleveland.

Because at least Cleveland has a brand. Detroit's bad and boring. If I ran that franchise or owned it, I keep reading all these mock drafts. Well, they're going to take a cornerback from Ohio State. Ooh, boy, that's a game changer, isn't it? That'll get them from fourth to, I don't know, third. Go draft a quarterback. Nothing against Matt Stafford.

Put him on the market and see what you can get. I don't even like Cam Newton. He got to a Super Bowl. You guys all bang on James Winston. He's a tire fire, but he's a fire. He's fun to watch. Matt Stafford's 11 years, zero playoff wins, no division titles. And frankly, it's been wide open.

You had the Aaron Rogers got hurt year. Minnesota, Case Keenham Kirk Cousins. It ain't exactly Dan Marino. You had Chicago drafting Tribusky. I like Matt Stafford. Put him on the market. See what you can get. But 11 years?

I don't have a division title. What's the loyalty? Well, he's the best we've ever had. that is a you problem. Draft better. If I got Tua and I got a cornerback from the Big Ten, and I own that team, and I run that team, who's changing our history?

A corner? Yeah, boy, that'll be exciting. The day that happens, do you hear they got a corner in Detroit? Matt Stafford, you've had multiple opportunities in this division. Chicago's picking the wrong quarterback. Minnesota's never loved their quarterback. Aaron got hurt. McCarthy-Aren feud.

No division titles. His record in the NFL. 69, 79, and 1 is a starter. It's Andy Dalton with a better arm. I like him. I like Matt. Put him on the market. If Brady bolts New England, I got news for you.

Belichick's going to sign him. I'm not disputing talent, but I'm over talent. Win games. win games. I mean, at least you've got to give Cleveland credit. They're going for it. OBJ, Jarvis Landry, Baker, Mayfield, they're aggressive. You can bang all you want on John Gruden.

Hell, he's aggressive. He trades Khalil Mack. He's accumulating first picks. You can bang on Miami all you want. Hell, they're aggressive. Number three, you're going to settle for a corner? You got Burrow maybe. You got Tua.

You got Justin Herbert. Roll the dice, 11 years, 10 games under 500. And now he's hurt. He's past his prime. He's banged up. Again, great kid. You know, again, there's value for Matt Stafford. But the franchise, are you just going to go draft a corner?

You think that's going to change anything that's going to sell a ticket? That's going to sell a jersey? Give me a break. Detroit doesn't even have a brand. And there's bad teams with brand. Oakland's got a brand. Giants do. Roll the dice.

Take a risk. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, speaking of those Browns, they're hoping their new head coach and GM can turn things around in 2020, and two key components going forward should be their star wide receivers. Jay Glazer is reporting that Kevin Stavansky wants to keep both Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in Cleveland. Glazer also says it's.

important for them to show that they're on board with what Stefansky is looking to build. They both had over a thousand receiving yards last season. Obviously, Odell is coming off of surgery. He said he played hurt all last season and he's more motivated than ever. He also said he liked what Stefanski is saying. This was a conversation that obviously, and it might be a little bit more of us like wanting to see Odell play with a great quarterback and, you know, be visible and in a relevant situation again, which I don't know will happen in Cleveland this year because

that division is not going to look the same as it did last year. Obviously, the Ravens dominated, but we are assuming since now it's going to take Burrow, Pittsburgh is going to get Ben Rathesberger back, it's just not going to be the same. It was kind of a small window there, and the Browns did not take advantage of it. That said, I am interested to see what Savansky and the new GM do. It would make sense that you'd want to hang on to O'Dell and Jarvis Landry. Yeah. I mean, the interesting thing is, if you look at statistically, Baker Mayfield,

when he threw Jarvis and Odell, had lousy pass-erating. numbers. So I don't doubt their talent. The question's going to become very quickly here, Joy, within the next 12 to 15 games of Baker's career, did we reach? Nobody disputes their talent. But when Baker was throwing the ball to Odell and Jarvis, his pass-a-rating numbers were poor. Right. So we've seen Jarvis and Odell have success in other places. Yeah, this is not a, listen, this whole franchise is too immature for me. I can't take them seriously until they grow up. They're too noisy, noise equals distraction. I've said it a million times. So I don't, I just can't, I can't wrap my arms around them as a top 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Super Bowl franchise until they grow up.

The question here is not Landry and O'Dell. The question very quickly is going to be, does Stefanski have a grown-up who can quarterback you to the next level? Because at this point, that is absolutely up for debate. O'Dall and Jarvis's talent is not debatable. But if you look, just go look at data. Like, Baker couldn't get the ball to guys that are wide open their entire career. This whole season was obviously very dysfunctional for Cleveland. We both agreed we liked what we saw from Baker at the Super Bowl.

He seemed very put together, liked everything he had to say. Obviously, as he said also, there's nothing I can do about the on the field stuff until it's time to be on the field. But again, to me, first you got to win your division, and that's not going to be the same division next year. So the Lakers had dropped three of their last four home games heading into last night's matchup with the Suns, but they bounced back in a big way with six players scoring double. digit points in the 125-100 route. Roger and Rondo had one of his best games of the year with a season high 23 points. And LeBron made a little history. He passed Michael Jordan for fifth all-time and made free throws. But this is a positive sign for the Lakers when you're talking about their

depth and having the ability to have that many players contribute. Can I play the All-Star game? Can I throw it a conspiracy theory? Sure. Watch Rondo and Coosma play. Ronno never passes in the ball. ball. Okay. What do you think there's beef there? I think Rondo is always trying to prove a point. Every game he's ever played. He's very manipulative. I mean, there's always been what they call the TV Rondo. Rondo is always great on television. Like if the game was on Saturday night on ABC, it would be great Rondo and then Rondo disappears. I don't think Rondo and Kuzma, just something I notice. I'll pay attention to that next time. I did not pick up on that.

Bondo does not connect with Kuzma. I mean, maybe. Maybe it was just last night. Okay. Well, I'm sure Lakers fans are intended to do it, let us know. It was their 40th win of the season the first time since 2010

that they've reached that mark before the All-Star break. But I thought it was, obviously it's the Suns or 13th in the West, but I thought it was a good sign that they had that many people contributing. Finally, the Sixers were booted home on Sunday despite getting the win over the Bulls.

Joellen Bede seemed to be shushing the crowd after he made a three-pointer at the end of the game and posted a picture of the moment on Instagram with the caption, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Hashtag the process. Batman quote.

His former teammate, Jimmy Butler, liked the picture and commented, I know a place where villains are welcome. Oh, boy. You know I love that. Embed followed the post on Twitter and said, Made for this. If I can take it, then you can too.

Hashtag Philly Tough. hashtag all love. I mean, Jimmy Butler is right. Miami is a place and you can go if you're a villain and thrive. Jimmy Butler was definitely considered a villain by most people in the media in the league before he got to Miami and now he's

flourishing, but that's because that's the kind of mentality they have in Miami. And I mean, it's just this is just the kind of like NBA drama that makes this part of the season so great. Yeah, it is, you get around the trading deadline and it passes and teams are now locked in.

players now are locked into situations they can no longer get out of until the offseason. So they know they're going to get their money and now they want to give you their opinions because you can't be traded anymore. So now you can just go out on the internet and just say, I'm unhappy and the team can't get rid of you. I mean, the bigger picture, though, is we have talked about the past couple weeks is Joelle and Bede, the player that you would move out of Philadelphia. So that is not just us talking about that. That is the conversation that's being had.

Right. And they are having a frustrating season. So it's not surprising to me that Joelle and Bede. is putting that out there, especially if the fans are reacting that way. But, you know, Jimmy Butler just doing a little open recruiting. It isn't bad either. Enjoy with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. Nostalgia is a very powerful thing. Years and years ago, I think I can tell this story now and get nobody in trouble. Urban Meyer was a young football coach. And he had coached under Lou Holtz at Notre Dame. and then Urban Meyer left Notre Dame and he went to Bowling Green and then he went to Utah and he was the hot coach in the country.

And Notre Dame wanted to hire Urban Meyer. And Florida, the Gators wanted to hire Urban Meyer. Now, Urban is of my age when Florida was irrelevant in football when we were growing up and Notre Dame was everything. And nostalgia is really powerful. You know, the sports you like at nine are the ones you mostly like the rest of your life. You know what I mean? So Urban Meyer was now up for the Notre Dame job and the Florida job.

But Lou Holtz, so he called Lou Holtz. And he said, Lou, what should I do? And Lou Holt said, take Florida. You can get anybody into Florida. That's just a factory of football guys. Notre Dame, you got academic. She got the weather. It's a small town.

It turns some recruits off. Nostalgia would make you believe Notre Dame is the better job. But Urban knew and Lou knew. in college football in the last 10 years, you got to get players. In Florida, Florida gets players. And so Urban took the Florida job and won a national title because he didn't let nostalgia overwhelm him. And let me talk about Joe L.M.B.

If you look at most guys running NBA teams, they're 45, 48, 49, they grew up in a league with Jabbar and Karim and Shaq and Akeem. and they grew up in an era of centers. And so every time they do that anonymous poll, that executive poll in the NBA every year, who would you build your franchise around? You ever notice it's all centers? Oh, yeah, I love centers.

Why do we keep talking about centers? It's over. There's only one center in the league I like. It's in Denver, and he's a point center because he passes. 18 NBA teams played last night. You know who had the most assists? the center for Denver. Yokevich.

He's the one guy I like because he's not a true center. He passes. He makes everybody better. Yokic makes everybody better. That's the center I like. The reality is M.B. gets way too much press. If you go back to the last shack title with the Lakers, the 18 years since then,

there is no true center that has won a title. You could say Tim Duncan won three. Tim Duncan's considered the greatest power forward of all time. Kevin Garnett won with Boston, but he was a forward. Dirk Novitsky's 6-11. He may look like a center, but he's a three. It's a Kauai League, a LeBron League, it's a Steff League, it's a Durant League. It was the late Kobe League.

Is everybody watching what's happening to the NBA right now? Don't get me, I like, there's a difference between size and sense. centers. I love Janice. I love Janice. He's not a center. I love Anthony Davis. He has said publicly. I hate playing center. Don't get me wrong. Size matters. But a lot of these guys, now, M.B.'s a good free throw shooter. So you can have him late in games. A lot of these centers aren't. But we spend so much time talking about M.B. Philadelphia did something called the process. And it was rebuilding their franchise. If you go look at what the process was, essentially, we're going to draft the tallest guy available. It was built on size.

They haven't done anything. By the way, the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors are the last two dynasties in this league. They didn't have real centers. Kvon Looney, Joel Anthony, Udana's Haslam. They were big.

They had size. They weren't really back. to back centers, back to the basket centers. I mean, I like M. B. I think he's fun. I think he's, you know, a baby shack talented, but the league is changing. Damien Lillard now can control the game. Steph Curry controls the game.

Look at John Morant. John Morant in an hour has turned around Memphis. Why? He's got the ball in his hands. He's creating for himself. He's creating for others. John Morant has taken a bad roster and overnight in the West. They're a playoff team.

today. So it's nothing again. I can acknowledge, I can acknowledge Joe L.V. But the center in the league to me, that's the future is the kid in Denver, who's got a bad body. Last night took like, you know, eight shots and ended up with 13 assists and 10 rebounds and 15 points, highly efficient. elevates everybody.

You just don't watch the Denver Nuggets. I don't watch much of the Denver. You get into that mountain time zone, Albuquerque, Salt Lake, Denver. The TV schedule is all messed up. I watch a lot of jazz games because I ski a lot. I don't see a lot of Denver. Last year, I watched them seven times, seven quarters before the playoffs started. But we're all in this Embed thing.

I'm sorry. That's not the future of the league. It's not winning championships. We're going to have, at the end of this year, we're going to have two forwards, Kauai and Paul George with the Clippers. We're going to have Janice a forward and Chris Middleton a forward for Milwaukee.

We're going to have a four in Anthony Davis and whatever LeBron is. He can be a point guard, he can be a three, whatever you want to call LeBron, controlling the playoffs. That's the NBA, wings and guards. We spend way too much time talking about Joel M. Bid.

Right now he would open up the best pure center in the league, y'all tell me Tembid. He would open up on the road in the Eastern Conference. That's your franchise? That's the guy you want to keep wasting time on? I set at the trading deadline. Get a hall for him, build around Ben Simmons. I just, I cannot believe how much time we, it's all nostalgia. Nistalgia is powerful. I'm done with back-to-back centers. I'm back to the basket dudes. If you can't pass, if you can't elevate others, I'm not interested. The Queen Charlotte Flair, the rock star of

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

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app, Search learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th.

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

Quarterback on office blue 42. A rep. My mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.

I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball, like, After you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Our next guest is officially, and there is no argument.

The busiest person internationally in sports. Charlotte Flair is a 10-time WWE champion. works 52 weeks a year. Let's bring the Queen out. This is an interview we've been working on now for nine months. Look at this. Do you know how lucky we are today? We love having you on the show.

Obviously the daughter of the legendary Rick Flair. You are a rock star. People have no idea how the hours you put. Joy yesterday, I told Joy, you were on the show today. She's like, you've got to be kidding me. I have five guests a day. The struggle is real. Seriously.

The I go to your event. I cannot believe the production. I can't believe your travel schedule. Just give somebody an average day for Charlotte Flair. An average day. So I'm not shy about talking about our travel schedule. When I hear people say, oh, I have a flight. I'm like, I fly almost every single day.

I'm usually on the road five days a week. and if I don't have appearances during the middle of the week, we fly into a city either on a Friday or a Saturday. We do a one hour to four hour drive to the next town, live event, live event, TVs, Monday, or pay-per-view. And internationally, we do about 14 shows in a row. And that's all year-round. There is no off-season.

Unless you're injured, so knock on wood. And you are married to a professional wrestler. Not married yet, engaged. Oh, okay. That's why I missed your birthday video. I just got an engaged Minceri message me and was like, can you send a happy birthday video to

Colin? I was like, I missed it the week later, sorry. Happy late birthday. Well, thank you. And as long as he treats you great, that's all we care about, Charlotte. So you are a rock star in a male-dominated sport. Okay, that's not easy. So you were really breaking ground. Go back to your first year.

Did you sense pushback when you were being promoted? you were selling more tickets. You're getting much more social media play. Did you ever sense resentment? No, I didn't sense resentment. If anything, I think we raised the bar for the men as well, like having competition. But since I was never raised to think that, okay, I couldn't do what, you know, what men could do. So when I started at WWI, I just wanted to prove how athletic I was.

It was more the chip on my shoulder being Rick Flair's daughter. It's just, okay, I have to work harder. than everyone male or female. And then I think the boys actually were like, wow, the girls are really doing it. And then the guys that have little girls were like, okay, we want to bring our little girls to the show and see what you can do.

So I didn't sense resentment. You, by the way, were a volleyball player. I was. You didn't initially, it's not that you didn't embrace it, but you chose athletics. Give me the day, Charlotte, the moment you said, this wrestling thing is kind of interesting. Well, I didn't grow up wanting to wrestle.

My brothers, you know, wanted to be just like my dad. I just never saw myself as a diva or a model. And actually, it wasn't until WrestleMania in Miami when the four horsemen were inducted in 2012. One of the producers was trying to get my little brother in the business and get him motivated. So he looked at me at dinner and was like, why aren't you doing this? And I was just kind of like, I don't know. And I wasn't really doing a lot with my life. I'd already graduated from college.

I was a little lost. And three months later, I reported to NXT in Tampa July 2012, and the rest is history. And when did you know? And I think I've asked, I asked Hulk Hogan this once. I said, when did you know you hit with the consumers? And he talked about, he goes, you know, I was popular. And then I went to Madison Square Garden. He goes, I couldn't walk down the street.

When did you know, Charlotte? Wow, the audience. Because it should be noted that the consumers, the wrestling fans, about 75% of the don't pop. You popped early. When did you know? I think it was in 2015 when I debuted on Raw.

I think people were like, wow. She's just a good wrestler. She wasn't known for her looks. I mean, or I wasn't known for my looks. Yeah, you're pretty good there too. No, but it was like, here is this woman that like when you watch her,

you're not going, well, wow, she's just good for a female. you're like, no, she's just that good. And then I think I had this presence about me because I actually debuted with my dad as my manager. Right. So I'm like, okay, I'm either going to sink or swim. And having Rick Flair beside you as one of the greatest of all time,

like I wanted the attention on me. So I'm like, how am I going to ooze that confidence and charisma for people to go, actually, she's standing out, not her dad. And that was either, you know, it was probably the greatest learning experience having my dad out there because either he was going to over. overshadow me or not. And I think people were just like, wow, she's just, you either have the it factor or you don't. And when I first started, I did not have the it factor. You know, you remind me of Rock, because I've met Rock about three times. No, you really do.

So I met Rock behind the scenes years ago at the place I used to work, ESPN. It was about eight, nine years ago. And I did an interview with him. And he wasn't, I think he would just, he was just getting into Hollywood. Yeah. And I remember. telling my producer, I'm like, boy, that guy's got it. I said, you know, it's the look. It's the smile. Now, by the way, so when you walk through a room, I see you before you come on the air. I'm like, you have an it quality. But there's a difference between at some point you had to buy into it. I had to buy into that. So my dad always told me the most important part of your segment is the minute you walk through the curtain. If you don't believe in yourself, the audience isn't

going to believe in yourself. Great advice. And even when you're I'd be sitting backstage. I'm like, I don't know how to do this. I feel like I'm going to fade. I don't remember my match. I don't know. Like, how do you be the queen? And like, sometimes I still go, gosh, how am I going to be that, that badass that walks through the curtain? Because I don't feel like that every single day. But it's just, when that music hits and I walk through, I'm like, I know I'm that good. And I just, that grew with me. And having that confidence, what I did was like, okay, I created this character and this woman that I wanted to be like in my personal life and I never forgot that.

And so like here is this queen that's confident, that's independent, that, you know, is standing out in a male-dominated world. And that was just the message I wanted to send to everyone. So I just like play that over and over in my mind. Now what's your current relationship with Becky Lynch? Number one doesn't talk about number two. That's what I thought it was. So there is clearly, now she is an antagonizer.

She likes to get under your skin. Is that fair to say? Yeah, that's fair to say Yeah, and you are the current champion And the number two is Well, she's the champion right now Okay, but you're viewed as It's fair to say

I'm a champion whether I have the title or not Well, I would say there's a quality to you No, I would say there's a quality to you As Hulk wasn't always the champion Yeah But he was always the Hulk Yes Do you feel that she is jealous of you?

Okay, are we talking on script or off script? Both that's okay um it all it all melts into one so Becky and I call ourselves Thelman Louise um this roller coaster that we've been on professionally and personally makes us who we are today I needed the man to be the queen and she needed the queen to be the man and um I don't want to use the word jealousy but there is such a competitive nature to both

of us I want to be the best she wants to be the best she wants to be the best and that's very important to have in this business because once you're at that point where okay well I don't want to be on top anymore if you don't want to be on top then you're in the wrong place by the way next the next WrestleMania is WrestleMania what 30 what is the next 36 well wait Tampa or L.A which one which L.A. is next isn't it? We have Tampa and April April 5th and then L.A. that we just announced next year now that will be at the stadium. Yes. At Sofi. At Sofi. Our fourth year to

L.A. So that'll be 80,000 people. Yes. That is unbelievable. Like I just, I watched the movie not long ago, Bohemian Rhapsody. It was about the movie of Queen. Speaking of the Queen. And they were showing Freddie Mercury performing at Wembley Stadium.

And they had the camera from behind him. I watched that and I thought, oh my God. I talk to joy. I get nervous. So is there ever been a moment in your career so far when you walked out, what has been the most electrifying arena? So my first WrestleMania

was at, well, the first one I performed at, because I was actually in Triple H's entrance two years prior at the San Jose stadium, but AT&T Stadium, 1001,000 people. What is it like? To be able to control the emotions

of 101,000 people, I mean, there's nothing like it. Like now, you know, I was, really hard on my dad when he went through that period when he retired from WWE he just couldn't you know hang up the boots. Of course he you know made some different choices what came out of retirement and I'm just like what are you doing like I just I did not get it I'm like you have spent your entire life

dedicating and sacrificing yourself to this industry just quit like dad just like take the time off be a dad be a husband just do something get a hobby So now that I'm in his shoes, I get it. Like, I can't imagine the day comes where they say that I can't perform and be the queen again. Because, like, when you're in that ring and whether you're the good guy or the bad guy, it's... There's nothing like it. And, like, I will say this, though. It's, like, harder to speak in front of 10 people than it is to wrestle in front of that many.

And that's a perfect out. It is Charlotte Flair, the Queen. Thank you so much. Thank you. This was worth every second. Hour two in L.A. Next. Want more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays,

the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok. podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free. iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now what's up guys this is clivert Taylor the fourth and on my podcast the clivert show i'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff like being an internet famous referee we're in the middle of a game this linebacker you know these kids linebacker walks up to me he goes hey ref my mom wants you to wave at her what time out

quarterback on office blue 42 a rep my mama want you to wave at her what Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves. I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall.

And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball like,

after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ah, here we go, hour two. We're live in L.A.

This is The Heard, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, Charlotte Clare, WWE Star. You know, wrestling fans, Joy Tate, I don't always make fun of me. For years and years, I called wrestling fans, booger eaters. Right.

But I've always brought on. I brought The Rock on. I brought Hulk on. I brought Charlotte Flair on. I did it the other company. If you can give me a star, if you can give me a star, by the way, I would bring Tom Hanks on tomorrow. I'd bring Jamie Fox on tomorrow.

I've had Snoot Dogg on the show. Anytime a star is offered to me that has even a smidgen connection, Charlotte's got more of a smidge connection to sports. I bring them on the show. You'd be stupid not to. I loved her. I've interviewed lots. of wrestlers and I've always said

the best interviews in all of sports, in any area are wrestlers. Because they're performers. 100% all the time. They get it more than anyone in the industry how to be compelling and entertaining and no matter what we're in the entertainment industry. That's what this is.

Every day we're trying to be, you and I are in the interesting business. That's it. And they have great stories. They're athletes. They're huge personalities. They can talk for hours. They're the best. I mean, rock and Charlotte Flair pop, as they say on television. They're good-looking people.

Yes. As soon as they're the kind of people that walk in the room, you're like, up. If you're flipping on the dial for cable and Charlotte Flares on, you stop. Yes. If the Rock's on, if Hulk Hogan, you stop. Just like debate shows. If guys are arguing on TV and you're flipping through the dial, you'll stop on it and watch because most of what's on cable is boring.

And Charlotte Flair is not boring. So I love to have her on the show. She's welcome any time. And I still think there are some wrestling fans that need to get a grip. But I kind of like being hated by the wrestling fans. I'm going to start going to wrestling events. Ooh, you should. And I'm going to become the villain of WWE.

You're a heel. I'll be a total heel. So I want to talk about something. It's pretty amazing. You know, we've always believed, remember, free agency in the NFL is not very far off, folks. It's March. We're in February. We're now in mid-February, getting close to mid-February.

It's not far off. The range and the number of quarterbacks that are a free agent, it's real. So I'm not going to count guys like Marcus Mariotta who, you know, nobody's looking at him, you know, nothing against the kid, but even Tennessee moved off him for Ryan Tannahill. Here are the available quarterbacks right now. These will be guys, I think, will get a phone call to be a starter. Brady, Breeze, Prescott, Dack, Tana Hill, Philip Rivers, James, Winston, Teddy Bridgewater.

They're free agents, and they'll get a call by at least one team. We also have two other quarterbacks who could either be cut or traded, Cam Newton and Andy Dalton. So that seven guys in the league, I think, will get calls. There are also five college quarterbacks who I believe all can go in the first round. Two is my favorite. Then Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, Jacob Isson has the best arm in the draft out of Washington. I've seen him play 20 games, college games, Georgia, Washington, absolute canon.

He's going to go late first round. Then Jordan Love at Utah State, I also think's going to go first round. Everybody moves up for quarterbacks. Don't listen to anybody that doesn't have at least four going in the first round. So that's 12 quarterbacks, Cam Dalton, the starters, and then the five college guys. There's six guys, six I would make a run at. and I think, and I'll give you the order I would give him. Tua's number one.

I think Tua is the most talented college quarterback to come out in a couple of years. 87 touchdowns, 11 picks. He's mobile, but loves to throw it from the pocket. I do think he's a lot like Drew Brees. You told me Baker Mayfield was like Breeze. I told you. No, he's not. Tua is Breeze.

He is alarmingly accurate at his age. Coachable, smart, I don't care about the injuries. Number two is Brady. I know he's only got two years left, but no single player could walk into a Chargers or a Colt and immediately change the culture and the attitude in the building. Number three is Justin Herbert. I think he's got, I think he's a more talented version of Joe Burrow. I think he's bigger.

I think he's got a better arm. I think he's a slightly more athletic or mobile quarterback. That's certainly debatable. Number four, Teddy Bridgewater. The ceiling's low. He doesn't throw the ball deep downfield. There's a lot of Alex Smith here. Alex was a little better straight line runner.

Teddy is bright, learns the playbook. Grown up, doesn't turn it over. One every game he started for the Saints. Then I'd put Joe Burrow at 5. I think, you know, a lot of people like Burrow. I like Burrow. I don't like him as much as everybody else, but I like Joe Burrow. And then Dak Prescott, grown up, wins games.

There's a ceiling. But I do think he's a guy that's going to get calls if he was on the market. I think Dallas, by the way, is going to sign him. So it's a massive free agent market. This is really a rare year when you have, you've got all sorts of college talent, NFL talent, Cam Andy, Dalton, guys on, I don't think, there's never been a year in my life that you've had this kind of free agent opportunity. James Winston, two turnover prone, Philip Rivers, two turnover prone.

Again, they're on the market, not guys I'd call and build around. I've seen enough. but the order I would say is a Tua of Brady, a Herbert, a Bridgewater, a Burrow, and a Dac Prescott. Now, people say, you know, I hear this about Tom Brady. Well, well, here's a, I mean, he would

work with certain teams, but Indianapolis is too young. Let me ask you. There's only two quarterbacks on this board that if they went to Indianapolis, you would say tomorrow they're going to win their division, two and Brady. You don't need Brady forever. You bring over Brady and draft a quarterback, a young guy in the fourth round, and then

next year you go draft him earlier. So I don't buy that Tom Brady doesn't have value. I don't think he's got a lot of value for a lot of teams, but he would instantly, the only guy in the league that I think would instantly change a franchise like the Chargers or Carolina or Indianapolis faster than Brady is Tua. Justin Herbert, Burrow, I'm not sure. So there you go. By the way, I want to talk about this.

Dean Spanos owns the Chargers and through the years. You know, people in San Diego don't like him. Like, he, you know, he moved the franchise, so he's persona on Grotta down in San Diego. And there's certainly times you could criticize him. You know, a lot of holdouts has been at times a frugal is a nice way of saying it. Charger fans yesterday, all 11 of them, created a massive Twitter storm. Dean Spanos is a terrible human being. I know Dean.

And I like him, and I like the family. And it was trending. Dean Spanos is terrible. Look how he's treating Philip Rivers. This is outrageous. I can't believe this. Regardless of how I feel or you feel about Dean Spanos. I have an understanding, I think, and a connection that most fans don't to Dean Spanos and the family. I will say this. He's not a perfect owner. There's things I do like and things I don't like. But if you're defending Philip Rivers here, you don't get it. It's over. And they treated him like gold. And Philip Rivers acknowledged they treated me like family. Folks, baseball's about romanticizing. Basketball, their style points. Football's about winning. Brough, that's it. It's not about style and it's not about romanticizing. Philip Rivers was paid over $20 million a year in the years he was good. He's got a $200 million or more net worth. Philip Rivers was treated like gold. It's over. He's got three qualities that don't work. Old, unathletic, and mistake prone. James Winston is mistake prone, and none of you

like him. Right? You all want him done. This guy's old and unathletic. At least James is young and can move a little bit. It's over. Stop romanticizing it. That's for baseball nerds. You know, you baseball guys, you can't, I'll listen to guys who like baseball on radio. You can't talk about the sport without waxing poetic 1964. You're talking about guys that are dead. I mean, it's like seriously. 1930s, 40s, 50s, 6. That's not football. You never hear a sports talk show host bring up Red Grange. Ever.

Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Cofax. That's a regular topic in baseball. Baseball is about romanticizing. Football's about winning on Sunday. That's all it's about. Basketball, you can even have style points. I don't like Westbrook. He doesn't win.

But a lot of people like him because he's fun to watch. He's fun to watch. There are style points in the NBA. MB drives me crazy. have any wins. But he's fun to watch. Style matters in basketball. Romanticizing and history matters in baseball. Football at Sunday. Win. Phillips not winning enough. You're not winning enough. I mean, at least with Eli, you could grab onto the Super Bowls. Tom Brady's old, grab onto the Super Bulls. Philip, you grab onto a lot of touchdown passes. And the Chargers treated him great.

They gave him Lidani and Tomlinson. At the time of his peak, best player in the league. They gave him Antonio Gates. Hall of Fame tied in. They never had a shortage of wide receiver weapons. Philip Rivers was treated great and has acknowledged that was treated like family. Stop with a fake Twitter outrage. You don't have to like the owner, but don't tell me it's not time to move on and don't tell me they didn't treat him well. They treated him great.

All right, coming up next, Mark Medina is one of my favorite guys. A writer USA Today NBA guy. I gotta be honest. Are the Lakers good enough to win the champion? Chip. Andrew Wiggins to the Warriors. Milwaukee and the Clippers got better. Mark's always a great listen if you love the NBA. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending,

opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so rapidly. up in the chase, that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still

chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about How healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player. to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us

on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball.

So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tomorrow, it's a Big East doubleheader on FS1, first number 23, Creight in Battles Miles Powell, and 10th ranked Seton Hall, followed by Marcus Howard and, number 18 Marquette, taking on 15th ranked Villanova. The action tips off at 630 Eastern on FS1 or watch anywhere on the Fox Sports app. By the way, Marcus Howard plays for Marquette. It's going to be a top. He's got to be a lottery pick.

Have you seen him play? He's really good. I will start seeing him play now that you talked about. Yeah, Marcus Howard for Marquette, really good player. About two, three weeks ago popped it on television. Like, oh, that's an NBA dude. He can play. He's not John Morant dynamic, but he's a score.

Mark Medina, NBA, USA Today used to cover the Lakers, then the Warriors. Then he went big time. He covers the entire league. You are one of the rare people out there. I think the Clippers are the best team in the league. I think Milwaukee's the second best. I think the Lakers are third. Mostly I like LeBron, but I think they lack depth.

They could use another shooter off the bench. But you like the Lakers this morning over the Clippers. Why? Yeah, well, I was with you before the season started, where I gave the edge of the Clippers because of all the reasons you outlined. They got Kauai Leonard, Paul George, a lot more depth and continuity. I think the Lakers have overachieved a little bit this season by the fact that they haven't just leaned on LeBron James Anthony Davis.

I think those stars have aligned really well where everyone's bought into the coaching staff. They've managed the health really well. They really have. I think the role players, with exception to some of the hiccups with Kyle Kuzman, Rajan Rondo, most of those role players have been the best versions of themselves. And the chemistry, Colin, I think, has really been

a distinguishable advantage that the clippers, frankly, have lacked because of the injuries, Kauaisloid management, just different lineups. So I think that's where I'm giving the edge right now to the Lakers. So I was a big believer and don't trade Kuzma. I was in the minority. If you go to the internet, it was get rid of him. Why do you think the Lakers kept Kuzma? I think it was two things. One, I think they agree with you, Colin, about,

hey, he's still a young asset that will continue to grow. I think that they attached a lot of his struggles to the fact that he was coming off an injury off of time with Team USA. He was trying to get adjusted with coming off the bench, accounting for Anthony Davis. But in the last month, his numbers have increased steadily. Thank you. And I think the second thing, it goes back to the chemistry part. I think the Lakers are very mindful that they don't want to disrupt a good thing going in terms of the chemistry and the dynamics. And so I think that was another thing that tilted the scale of, you know what, as talented as Marcus Morris is in the Clippers made the right move, it could help them even more. Yeah, he's another guy that can guard LeBron for nine minutes a night.

Exactly. But I think for the Lakers, they didn't want to disrupt any more continuity because it's been such a good thing. And by the way, great point. you bring in Anthony Davis and you don't expect Kyle Kuzma to at least try to figure out for 35 games, how do I fit here? It's like everybody slow down. You bring in Anthony Davis to LeBron. I mean, the Lakers are, this thing is a work in progress.

And they wanted to run Kuzmoff. And it's like he's a baby. He's talented. And they're just trying to figure out the rotations with this. Right. And think about the times during LeBron James's rest of the career. I'm not comparing Kyle Kuzma to Chris Bosch. or Kevin Love by any means.

But there is always that third guy that had those initial struggles. With LeBron. Right. And you're trying to figure out what's your role. How do you be the team guy while still being valuable from an individual standpoint? And I think relative to where he was before, Kyle has turned a corner. And now that he's healthier, I think that you're going to see continuous upside throughout the rest of the season. So Houston to me is a fascinating mess.

I think the owner wants one thing. The GM wants another. the head coach wants another, Hardin wants another. I do think they're talented, but I do not think they're built for the playoffs. I think you can marginalize them if you play them back to back to back to back to back nights. You can force them to do things they don't want.

You disagree. I don't buy into Houston. You do a little. A little. And that's the emphasis. A little. It's the Lakers, Clippers,

bucks, and everyone else, right? But I think within the very screwy parameters that the rockets are dealing with, I think when they were looking at, getting rid of Clint Capella and getting, you know, wing presence with Robert Covington. I think they're of the mind of look, Clint was a great player. But is he going to stop the elite big guys in the NBA in the playoff series?

No. So why try to put up that fight? Let's tap into something we're really good at, which is take a lot of threes, have some perimeter defense and maybe control a little bit of the tempo. So I think it's a matter of them being able to junk up a game or two. Now, is that going to result in them being the Lakers or the clippers and the play? Elf series, barring health, no. But I think that they could win in the first round, make things interesting. So it's at least a speed bump.

But to your point, Colin, it's Lakers, Clippers, bucks, and everyone else. And then we can debate the exact order of those three teams. The Clippers are fascinating because I do think they're, they got a little, they got two of everything. I mean, Kauai's clone is almost Paul George, a wing defender about six, seven, who can take over games. Kauai's had more postseason success than Paul George. But they've got two bigs and they've got a couple of young guys.

And they throw waves of people at you and a championship winning coach. But there have been multiple stories now that have been published that, you know, the load management, it doesn't sit well with everybody because the regular seasons are Shloid. It's a lot of work. You're on that plane. Three in the morning you land. Kauai's not playing again. Are you concerned at all about a little bit of resentment the load management?

creates. I'm not concerned about any resentment, but I am concerned of what the trickle-down effect has done in terms of continuity. And the Clippers will be the first to admit that, where Paul George opened the season out first 11 games. Kawhi Leonard, they thought entering the season, it wasn't going to be the same kind of load management that he had in Toronto. All of a sudden, it's a little bit similar. And then there's been some of the secondary guys having injuries. And as a result of that, very little practice time, very little continuity. I've been told this, very little practice time. Yeah. And the thing is, as much as Doc Rivers might rightfully want to bemoan that,

look, this is what you signed up for. You knew going into the season that at the very least, you wouldn't have Paul George to open the season, and that maybe Kauai Leonard wouldn't be on load management, but it would be a stretch to think he's playing all 82. Yeah. And so I think there's a matter of you knew what the cards you're dealt. How do you adjust from that? It's interesting.

And I believe environments matter. I mean, you've worked in newsrooms before. I think the worst I ever was as a teammate was in the worst station I ever worked at years ago locally. Environments matter. I think Andrew Wiggins is not an alpha. He's kind of a low-key, thoughtful kid. You put him in Minnesota and say, lead us. And it's not his personality.

Now you put him in Golden State. And they just say, run up and down the court, be athletic, be smart. I think he's going to work in Golden State. I'm not saying they stole him, but I like him more than DeAngelo Russell long term as a franchise player. Yeah, I think it was a better fit from a positional need standpoint,

and I think the fact that, look, from what I heard and seen, DeAngelo didn't cause problems with the Warriors, but there came a realization. He is who he is. He's not going to be a great defender. He is who he is. And he's a great point guard,

but once Steph Curry comes back and Clay Thompson comes back, all of a sudden, you have too many players in the back court. And so here, ever since Kevin Durant left, they really had no solution of how do you fill that wing position. They still don't because Kevin Durant is still amazing. But he is able to provide some of that defense and that second or that perimeter

scoring that they lacked once Kevin was out. And I think the underrated thing about this deal beyond the fact that it was win-win for what both teams need, the Warriors are banking on the fact that Minnesota is not going to be good next year because they got a top three protected pick. And even with these changes, I think there's a lot of internal thought within the Warriors that, you know what, this pick is going to reward us next season. Yeah, let's go to Philadelphia. We have seen, it's fascinating, in baseball, analytics now are taking over sports.

In baseball, in the last five years, the game looks different. It's home runs or strikeouts. Nobody sees a strikeout as a negative. A ground ball is death. A strikeout, it's no big deal. So everybody's swinging for the fence. And the NBA stylistically, it's a three-point league. or get the ball to three-point shooters.

In the NFL, the best athlete now is the quarterback, run around gets occasionally hurt. We can live with it. You've got to be a playmaker. Let's go to basketball. Embeded Simmons. Okay, forget what I think, which is get a haul for Embed,

build around Simmons, and its ability to get the ball to shooters. When you talk to sources around the league, Mark, who would they choose Embeditor Simmons? I don't think there's a clear answer. But I think that there is getting to the point where the Sixers are navigating a gray area where you wanted to say, hey, trust the process, right? They're a young team and you want to be patient. But in the NBA, there's also a finite window of when you can make that push into championship contending.

And the East is wide open. So I think philosophically, I'm of the mind of its today's MBA and centers are becoming less valuable. I would pick Ben Simmons. Here's where some of the gray area is, is that Ben, As versatile as he is, as a playmaker, he lacks what everyone needs in a modern NBA player of being able to shoot consistently and willingly. I think with Joel Ambite, he is not a dinosaur as a big man, but he is not a Anthony Davis or a Janus where he can stretch the floor. He can be a really good rim protector and he has been. He can roll to the basket.

That's what's needed in today's NBA. But I don't think that he can be that guy that's suddenly becoming a stretch five. So philosophically, you know, the Sixers have the rest of this season, see how the play. playoffs go, but if it doesn't work out this year, they're going to have to make some tough decisions, and it's all about what they get in return. Can they get some draft picks, some shooters to help Ben Simmons? By the way, we are all, Mark Medina joining us USA today. We're all prisoners of the moment, right? We are, I am, I'm guilty of it all the time. I try not to be, I fight it. So let's just take out, remember, we would both agree with this. If Kevin Durant,

Stefan, Clay, and Kavon Luni don't get hurt, the Warriors win last year. Oh, of course. Of course. They get hurt. The whole team. team gets hurt. So Toronto wins. And now we're like, less Toronto. It's unbelievable. LeBron had left the East. The East was wide open and Kauai Leonard

went to a very solid veteran driven roster with an excellent coach Nick Nurse. Toronto now is on a wild streak. And I'm hearing this, oh Toronto, this is a championship team. Isn't Toronto, let's just take away last

year's fluky injuries. Toronto's always been great in the regular season. This is who they are. They're well run. They work their tail off. It's a great organization. I'm watching them win 14, 15 straight. That's not a championship team, is it?

I don't think so because of the talent that the Bucks and the Lakers and the Clippers have. That being said, even though I'm with you, that the Warriors would have won last year's finals had Kevin Durant and Clay Thompson not gotten hurt. There was a clear difference in the United. the organization once Kauai Leonard was there as opposed to to DeMar de Rose. No question. And they had a much better chance. I think to the Raptors credit, once Kauai was gone, they still had a culture. They still have Nick Nurse. They kept Kyle Lowry. They were

able to keep Markisal. Fred Flan Lede is there. They still have a lot of the pieces around them that ensure that championship success. But when we're micro analyzing those three teams, the talent and the depth is just so above and beyond everyone else that I don't think this 15 game winning streak is going to amount to much against either of those three teams. I think Milwaukee is going to fly through the east, you. Yeah, I think so until they meet Milwaukee, basically. Yeah, I mean, no, I think Milwaukee's going to fly to the east.

Of course. And you know what the fascinating thing is with that, to what extent could that boost their championship chances? Because I think it's going to be Lakers, Clippers, Western Conference Finals, seven-game series. I'm giving the edge to the Lakers, but it's really a toss-up. And do they wear each other out to the point that by the time they're at the finals, they're not fully healthy, they're exhausted, and the bucks are the complete opposite? I talked to an NBA scout, an advanced scout about a week ago, I went for a walk and ran into him on the strand down here in Manhattan Beach. And he goes, he's been scouting teams.

He's like Milwaukee is going to fly through the east. He goes, size, experience, coaching, defense. He goes, you can't beat him at home. Yeah. He goes, good luck at home. They're just going to blow you out. So I think it's going to be a little bit like those LeBron teams. you know, when they would sweep through the east in the first round,

challenged a little in the Eastern Conference finals. Mark Medina, where do you go? What's the next game you cover? Well, I'm going to be in L.A. for a good bit. And I'm going to Chicago for All-Star weekend, but just, you know, the unfortunate news with Kobe Bryant's passing a few weeks ago. It's really required me to be in L.A. for a lot of the Laker games and Kobe's Memorial.

So I'll be in Chicago this week for All-Star, but I'll be on L.A. the next few weeks for everything else. Great seeing you. Likewise. Appreciate it. By the way, computer systems and cars are the new normal. They get expensive. If they break, go to CarShield.com.

The code is heard or call 800 car 6,000. Mention the code, H-E-R-D, Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. So Zion Williamson has only played in eight games this season since returning from his knee injury. And after missing another one on Saturday with a sprained ankle,

he is trying to be patient through these injuries. trust the Pelicans advice. They just tell me longevity, the bigger picture, it's more long time. You know, they've been doing this for a long time and I'm just learning, so, you know, I'll follow their guidance. It's got to be frustrating for Zion this year.

Listen, you do get to a point where, I mean, I still love him as a player, but everything we were concerned about, preseason, summer league, regular season, it's just happening. Well, I'm not going to go as far as to say he is injury prone. It's just some might just be this year. It's just not the year for Zion to be 100%. And as we know, when you're coming off of one injury, you tend to kind of baby that side.

And then, you know, you get to compensate. You overcompensate. Maybe it's something to the same side again. So it's also going back from injury is very mental. It's exhausting. to go through rehab. It's exhausting to be frustrated that you can't go out there and you feel like you're ready to go and doctors are telling you that you can't go. And obviously he's learning how to run a different way and they're trying to work on his diet. Like it's a lot to throw at him in his rookie year

when I'm sure all he wants to do is go out there and play basketball. He's automatic energy. Regardless of what you think, when he's on the floor, he is juice. He is. He just jumps off the TV. He said he's ready to go tonight against the trailblazers. So we'll see if he's out there. But I just think at this year is just, it's just going to be that year. It's a loss season. A loss season as far as what we're really going to see Zion at his full potential, even though he is back from his injury. So, speaking of injuries, Tua continues to make progress in his recovery from his hip surgery last November. He recently had a CT scan. And according to Ian Rappaport, the fracture into his hip has healed and the results were as positive as possible. It will get another medical check at the

combine at the end of the month and then he's expected to be able to hold a throwing session. for teams ahead of the draft. Obviously, him not being 100% at the combine doesn't bother me. He's going to go do all the interviews. Look at how he throws the ball. Look at how accurate it is. You love Tua. No, I just, I mean, he can do it pocket.

He can do it moving. His ball is, this is Drew Brees. You told me it was Baker. This is Drew Brees. This is what Breeze looked like in college. I think he is incredibly talented. But I had Burrow ahead of Tua before this hip injury. So I certainly have to stay with that now.

I do think he is a great, incredible talent. But what were we just talking about was Zion and injuries? Wasn't that a concern? Yeah, I get it, but Zion's got a weight issue. That said, I don't think that if you need a quarterback, you should pass onto it. You should absolutely take two. I think you should draft a quarterback every year. Every time I watch the video, I like him more.

God, he throws a beautiful ball. And you know, here's the other thing I like about. I wouldn't watch it. He's mobile, but he's not mobile enough. that he's ever going to, it'll always be about his passing game. No, I mean, he's just what I, he's exactly what I want. He's like, like Daniel Jones. He knows what he's like.

He's a little bit like Drew Brees was when he was 24 years old. Drew was an athlete. Drew could move around, but he wasn't a good enough athlete that he ever thought he was anything other than a great pocket quarterback. I like a little move to a move is just enough for me. I love everything about to it except for the injuries. But then again, I would still take him because I think that his talent is worth taking that risk.

Finally, Tayson Hill's been a great utility player for the Saints, but he sees himself as a franchise quarterback. He does. And he is willing to leave New Orleans

to make that happen. Here he is, courtesy of the AP Top 25 Football Podcasts. I definitely view myself as a franchise quarterback. Do I want to leave? The fact of the matter is,

no, I don't. But as you look at free agency, you have to find the right opportunity for you. You have to find the situation to take care of your family. I want to play quarterback in this league. And if New Orleans don't view me that way,

well, then I have to leave. Sure, you should. I mean, I would. I don't know if he's a starting quarterback. I really don't. I just don't know. I think he's a really good football player. Am I building around him?

I don't know if I am. He's not a natural enough thrower. I think if it's New Orleans, I think you do. Yeah. How many more years the Struberies have left? You're going to assume that they're going to move Teddy Bridgewater because of the value that Teddy has right now.

So what's your plan moving forward? No, if I'm New Orleans, I keep him. So he can stay and makes, basically these are his options. He's a restricted free agent. Sean Payton said, I think someone is going to make him an offer. He can stay for $6 million and then become an unrestricted free agent next year and hit the open market and see what happens. I think that New Orleans should try and figure out a way to keep him there.

I'm not sure if he's a franchise quarterback that you build around at any place other than New Orleans because we haven't seen enough of him at that space. If I made him a franchise quarterback, if Drew retired tomorrow, I'd give it to taste him and I would draft somebody. Right. Because they're pretty young offensively, and I'm not saying he can't be, but I'm not, it doesn't, he's not as natural enough a thrower. He's an athlete. He's a great athlete. But I think that we are moving into that space where you can be an athlete and play that position. I just think he works in New Orleans.

Like he fits, he fits that style. He fits the energy of that team. He knows that team. He feels comfortable there. And they need a plan if they're going to move Teddy Bridgewater. Now, they may keep Teddy Bridgewater, but they can't pay everybody. Teddy is going to get offers. Right.

Teddy is going to get offers. So you have to figure something out, but you can't be in a position where you don't have a quarterback. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. I got Brady Pupinga today, Mr. Energy. Honestly, he could be a pro wrestler.

Brady Pupingo, former Packer, Mr. Energy. His thoughts on this free agency stuff around the corner. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending.

Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped. up in the chase, that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing, and we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different

intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about on healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too Steve Nash will get that thing, that man, hell get the flying,

he running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. If you're buying a used car, the internet can be confusing, vague pricing, not anymore, go to True Car, upfront pricing dealer online, drive happier. All right, Brady Pupinga, Super Bowl champ, eight years in the NFL. There's a lot of things going on. I want to start with Taysam Hill. He's a BYU guy. You're a BYU guy. You know him. He's a great kid. I'm not sure he's a franchise quarterback. I think he's a great athlete. I think he's an average thrower. Tell me the backstory. He's going to get a chance in New Orleans, I think, and I do think

somebody in the market will offer him. Are you surprised when you watch them at BYU that he can be a franchise quarterback. No, no, no, no. Because the thing that that separated him from any other player was this internal confidence that at times is interpreted as cockiness. And you see that with guys like Aaron Rogers, you see it with Brett Fav. And it's just an immense amount of self-confidence that whatever challenges your way that you'll be able to overcome. And he has that. And that's why you're seeing him play all these different positions. He comes out cold. Think about when he goes out and plays quarterback, subbing in for Drew Brees. It's not like he's in rhythm or kind of in the flow the game, it's cold and the dude goes out and

is phenomenal, even throwing the ball. So imagine if he actually had some plays that kind of lead up to some of his throws. You're a fan. A huge fan just because of his mentality, his inner internal confidence, and then ultimately the influence he has on his teammates. You watch whenever he makes a big run or does a big

play, his teammates go crazy. And, you know, Sean Payton recognizes that. So yeah, I see him as a franchise court. I was shocked, as a matter of fact, when Drew Brees went down, that they just didn't give the keys to taste him. I also understood that they didn't want to rehaul the whole offense mid-season knowing that Drew Breeze is most likely going to come

back at some point. Bridgewater mostly is Breeze. Yeah, I mean, they could do the same concepts and kind of fit, taste them in here and there, but yeah, they didn't have to do any overhauling, which is nice because there's not enough time in the middle of the season to do that. You have been critical of Phillip Rivers. Yesterday I said that, you know,

all 11 Chargers fans were outraged on Twitter that the Spanos family had moved on, and my takeaway was, this is not baseball. romanticize your career. Sunday win the game. He's not winning enough, and I like him. Your thoughts as somebody who's actually faced, Philip, what do you make him as a player? Well, you know, he's a productive player, obviously. He's, he was a good throwing quarterback, but he was extremely petty in the sense that he didn't focus on what I felt on, the things that it took to win games. For example, I felt like he was the kind of guy that if he went out

had a phenomenal game statistically but lost, he would be good with that versus going out and having an average day and winning. You felt that? I felt that about him. And it just had to do with interactions. I remember in one of our games, they came up to,

it was a year after that they went 14 and 2, went to divisional round and lost. Remember that at home to the Patriots? Yeah. And so they came up to Green Bay, and that same year we were terrible. And so they thought they were going to just walk all over us. And we kicked their hideys.

But I just remember Philip talking so much, smacked Al Harris. I'm like, of all guys to talk smack to, you don't go after Al Harris. And to me, it was just kind of his, is like an immaturity element. And it kind of, I would say, spills over into how he played.

And so it didn't surprise me when you see him have these phenomenal statistics, but he's unable to deliver in the biggest games. It just, it makes sense. Because like I said, I believe his focus was more on those things, statistics, passing yards, instead of winning football games. He's known as

the biggest trash talker in league history at quarterback. But he's not a good trash talker. He's corny. He's pet. I'm telling him. He's very petty. What do you mean corny? It's not like a really good like, wow, that guy got a really good one liner. Like, I got to give a credit for that one, you know?

It's more like, dude, you sound like you're in middle school talking on the playground. Oh, we're going to, Al, we're coming after you, Al. I'm like, what? I don't even care. But it just was a little like, it's not what I'm used to. Because when you play with guys like FAR, at that time, he was the starting quarterback. he had such a, like I talked about that, internal self-confidence that he's not even going to engage. He doesn't acknowledge you.

He doesn't go there. He's like, dude, I got bigger things to do other than getting these little, you know, banters back and forth with some defensive back. By the way, is the best press corner mankind in the history of the NFL. Well, he's good. Al Harris is phenomenal. Oh, I know. I like that. Philip Rivers, not so much.

And he's not a lot to be in the Hall of Fame. I get sick and tired of the Chargers people say he's a walk hall of favor. Look at his staff. Well, guess what? Stats are so inflated because he played in the end. air of throwing the ball, okay? And his stats aren't so much historically impactful to where you'd say, oh yeah, that guy's going to be in the Hall of Fame. I mean, he's just not a Hall of Fame guy.

He's not a guy that did the very thing a quarterback needs to do. Win big games. He didn't do it. That's fair enough. Brady Papanga joining a Super Bowl champ. All right, there's a lot of, here's my, I'm drafting Tua. I don't care about the injuries. Play 13 games a year, win nine, your backup win-ones more. That's tenure in the playoffs. I think Tua is Breeze. I never bought Baker-Maveville. was Breeze. I didn't think he had the temperament, the maturity. I didn't think he had the accuracy. And I thought the Oklahoma system kind of elevates everybody. I think two is Breeze.

You think two is brief. Okay. I think he's on 87 touchdowns, 11 picks against SEC defenses. I like, I like to. But I have a problem with the fact, and it's just evaluation. I love him. I can see where you're coming from. But the fact that he had superior talent around him to where he could throw up 50-50 balls to his guys, and they would catch them and make him look good between quotations, it makes it hard to really see what his true capabilities are as a quarterback, especially if he does, you know, I mean, the NFL, everybody's the talent's pretty much the same. No, that is a, but when the numbers are so great against, it's the SEC. Yeah, I get it. I get it.

I'm just, I'm just, I, it's just when you got a guy that, I mean, they're showing these highlights right here, and they're to wide open, C-Fers. That's not the NFL. Look at that. Or a jump ball, a back shoulder to a guy, and that's a heck of a play by the receiver. And the NFL, it's very rare you get those opportunities. You know, Steve Young one said in college, everybody's open, been the pros, nobody's open. You've got to throw guys open. And I agree. He's got phenomenal accuracy. But one thing I would take a pause with is absolutely that hip issue. I mean, you see him moving right there. He's changed direction. He's evading the rush and those kind of. If his hip is any issue, that guy is going to be neutral. tremendously because he won't be able to move. All right, Tom Brady's on the market. What's your take? Tom Brady, my man. Oh, you know what?

He's got to go back to New England. That's how I see it. Because I believe when he hits the market outside of a freakish outlier like the Chargers that potentially because of the stadium and all that kind of stuff, I don't believe he's going to have a very robust market. And that's what Kraft is saying. When Kraft is saying, hey, let's see what the market says. Kraft isn't an idiot.

I mean, the guy's a billionaire for a reason. He understands the dynamics of a market system. And I believe they feel like if he goes to the market, they're going to realize, or he's going to realize, man, I should stay in the winning it. Because they're going to pay me more money. I'm more valuable to them than I am to any other franchise. And it's going to be the path of least resistance of winning another Super Bowl to stay with the Patriot. Is there another team out there looking for a quarterback that really is like, oh, we're a quarterback away.

There really isn't. I think Indianapolis and the Chargers, he walks in. he's great for the culture. The weapons in L.A. with the Chargers and the O-line and tight ends for the Colts, I think he wins. He can challenge for the division day one. I don't think he can overcome Miami. I don't think you can take him to a place with a lousy O-Line or no weapons.

And even now, I do think Belichick is helping him more than he's helping Belichick, right? Yeah, schematically. But I do think. I'll say this. Let me say this. One spot that's very fascinating. is the 49ers. Because you remember a couple years ago

when the 49ers acquired Garapolo and maybe John Lynch said this half jokingly, but he acquired, hey, would you be, to Bill Belichick, would you be willing to trade or talk about trading Tom Brady? Because Jimmy Garapolo's contract is such to where they could get out from under it and they're not locked into guarantees.

I know it. And being that, hey, we just needed a quarterback that in a big game like the Super Bowl that could make some throws, which Garapido missed, man. Then I'm Manuel Sanders, that post route where he blew past those two safeties of secondary guys, that wins in the game. And that's a conventional throw.

There's nothing special about that. Just lay it out there and let your guy run under it. He didn't connect. And so who knows? Maybe that's a situation. I could see that being, hey, we'll pay you to come in here believing that you're the guy that can get us over the top. But outside of that, I don't buy the chargers. And I don't buy the cults.

No, I don't think it's a robust market. Brady Pappinga, eight years, Super Bowl champ. We're going to go skiing someday. Thomas. Valentine, three days away. Happy fun. One 800 flowers. Amazing offer today. 18 red roses, 29, 99, or upgrade to 24 stem colorful rolls medley. Only five bucks more. One 800 flowers. Code Herd. Hour three next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

On Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHard Radio app. By the way, Jay Glazer's got a story today. He writes a column for The Athletic. That's that subscription journalism website. It's doing very well, by the way. They read a lot of their stuff. They do good videos as well. The Browns are not going to trade Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. Last year, I spent a ton of time talking about the Cleveland Browns. I'm not going to spend as much time talking about them this year because at this point,

they're just not mature enough. I've got a basic rule in this world that you're led by your quarterback and your quarterback's maturity will define how good you are, not your quarterback's talent. James Winston immature, Cam distracted immature, Baker Mayfield immature, Johnny Mansell immature. A lot of guys come into this league. They're just not ready to lead. They're talented. Cam's talented.

James is talented. Baker's talented. It's not that. It's maturity. And that's why I've said before. If I was running an NFL franchise, I said, Baker's not, to me, is not really a draftable guy as a quarterback because then I have to tie my career to Baker. I would be much more willing to tie my career to a less talented quarterback, Teddy

Bridgewater, where I get. get great maturity. Alex Smith, a little less talented, great maturity. Because I can drive to work every day knowing I'm not going to get a phone call at three in the morning because my quarterback's been a schmuck. So I've decided they shouldn't get rid of Jarvis Landry and OBJ, I guess at this point. Kevin Stefansky, it's a talent league. The question really isn't about the wide receivers.

The question is about can the quarterback show maturity? I think it's very difficult. In my life, I was just talking to a buddy about this the other day. the guys I went to college with who are immature, are now immature 50-year-olds. I can make Aaron Rogers' arm got better. There's things you can do to improve. But immature, it can be tough.

You grow up, maybe you're spoiled. You know, maybe you didn't have enough conflict in your life. Maybe it was easy street. I mean, Jay Cutler, his immaturity never changed. James. I just saw Johnny Manzell the other day on Instagram or something saying, hey, man, I'm just lit. I just love my life.

And I'm like, Johnny Manzell told you what he was from day one. Johnny Mansell never lied. Johnny Manzell's like, I like to be, I like to have fun. That's why I called him undraftable. So Baker has shown me what he is and what he is is not very mature. So until he shows maturity, they're not really, to me, that captivating. They're just not an elite team.

There's too many mature kids quarterbacking, leading their franchises. And I know what you're going to say. Well, you're talking about Cleveland now, and you say you're not going to talk about Cleveland. What I'm saying is last year, I spent a ton of time on him, and they just didn't show me an ability. Baker didn't show me an ability to be mature enough to handle the position. If he shows it to me through eight or nine weeks, I'm all in.

I don't believe he can do it. I thought it was a nice Super Bowl showing. He was measured. He was more mature. I thought it was great campaigning and great messaging. But I just can't spend a ton of time on a franchise where right now I have not seen an ability in season for the most important player to be a grownup. I got to see it. I think the Super Bowl was a nice start.

But words in January are not actions in the fall. Coming up next, Rick Buecker. As we get into the nitty gritty green. 30 games or less, regular season. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Wipers, it's winter. Go to Michelin Endurance XT, silicone wiper blades, real world proven two times longer at Walmart. Rick Buecker joining us.

Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. Bukes has been covering the NBA since the early 90s. He's my buddy. All right, here we go. This is a really good time in the NBA because now it's trading deadlines done. players, you're stuck with where you're at. So you've got to the bottom line, the tape don't lie. You got to play hard.

Everybody's stuck with everybody now. Right. You know, before the trading deadline, you can call out the coach. There's a lot of game. Main pieces. There's still potential for a buyout here or there. You could add a piece. But as far as the core, you are correct.

Okay, so let's go. I had Mark Medina on earlier. And he said something interesting. He said, listen, because I like the clippers, the way they're, the construct of the clippers. But he said, listen, they're not practicing a lot together. The load management. He said, now you got Marcus Morris, another piece. He goes, they really haven't played together very much, whereas the Lakers, by not moving Kuzma, have really found a nice chemistry. When I size up the Clippers and Lakers to you today,

who you got in a series and why today? If they played today? Today. Today would be the Lakers' best chance of making it happen. I still don't think that they would win. And we've seen that from the two times that they've played each other. The Clippers have the wherewithal that when they decide to play and they put everybody out there, they're just a better team. They're a deeper team. The work that Anthony Davis has to do and the number of bodies that the clippers can

throw at him and LeBron is going to wear them down. They just, they match up with what the Lakers have. as well or better than anybody else in the league. And that's, they have the kryptonite. They have the antidote. Most people don't have the requisite size and athleticism and defensive mentality to match up with both Anthony Davis and LeBron James. That's where I think Utah is.

The clippers do. Yeah, Utah's got everything. They can't match out with LeBron. Exactly. Exactly. You have to have, you have to have a dominant small forward. It's why the warriors fell off so precipitously and why they were so good before because against the small forwards, the best small forwards, we can throw Kevin Durant at you,

we can throw Andre Aguadal at you, we can throw Clay Thompson at you, we can throw multiple quality defenders at the heart of what you do. That's what made them special. And when all those guys are gone, now you don't have that thing. It's why you go get Andrew Wiggins because he at least fits the prototype. He's an athletic wing who can defend at that position, at the small forward. Yeah, it's interesting. So the Marcus Morrigan. deal. I didn't know if the Lakers wanted him, but I knew they didn't want him with the clippers. It felt like to me the Lakers were like, okay, you got Patrick Beverly, you got Kauai and Paul, you got a bunch of guys you can throw at LeBron. The Lakers are smart enough to go, we don't need

another guy, you can throw at LeBron. And so to me, did the Lakers want Marcus Morris or do they just not want him on the clippers? They wanted him and they did not believe that the clippers were going to get him. Wow. Because, and they didn't think that they had to give up Kuzma to get him because there is a beef between Jim Dolan and Steve Ballmer about the building of the arena that Steve Balmer wants to build a mile away from the forum. And the forum. Guess who owns the forum? James Dolan.

James Dolan. So they've been, Dolan has filed lawsuits. He's doing everything he can to stop that. The Lakers were convinced, oh, the Knicks aren't trading Marcus Morris to the Clippers. They're not dealing with them. They've got a beef going on. They're not going to help the clippers. Jim Dolan doesn't want to help the clippers.

We know how the personal vendettas that Jim Dolan has, right? I mean, it's understandable that the Lakers would think that way. So they didn't, I don't know if they ever really intended to put Kyle Kuzma in the deal. My thought is probably not. But they let the Knicks believe until the 11th hour that they would put Kuzma in the deal. And then, last second, they said, we'll give you Danny Green in two seconds, thinking there's no way they're going to the Clippers. This is all they got.

They're not going to go anywhere now. And Dolan wants to move Morris. And the Knicks said, no, we'll go do a deal with the Clippers. Watch us. Wow. So Clippers did want to get another body in that rotation. Because honestly, if you're playing against Javall McGee and LeBron James and Anthony Davis, adding their, I mean, look, they don't want to leave anything to chance.

They want to make sure that they have everything that they need in their arsenal, no matter who they face. And Marcus Morris, look, and for me, if I was the Lakers, I would have given up Kyle Kuzma. Because, look, I understand how talented he is and what his potential is. But you don't know what he is as a playoff player. Marcus Morris has been in the playoffs three of the, the last four years. He's played

30 minutes. He's averaged 30 minutes and 32 games. He shoots over 40% from three in the playoffs. And oh, by the way, he's played alongside stars in those playoff games. So he's been that efficient and effective not being a central

piece. He knows how to fill this role. He would have been the ideal piece in my mind if you're really going for it. If the Lakers are really going for it. But here's the problem. If you get Marcus Morris, and I And I keep saying this. Almost everybody I respect, you included, doesn't think the Lakers could beat the bucks or the clippers, I agree.

I think they're probably third. And I think they would struggle. I think there are certain teams that could give them, you know, I do think Denver could be a matchup problem. I think Utah can be problematic. Structured them to six games in a playoff series. If they don't win this year, what are they next year if they trade Cozma? They're just old and expensive. I mean, this is what happens with LeBron.

Like Doug Gottliebola says this. There's always that kid in the neighborhood. invite through with a party and all the kids love him, he leaves, the house is a mess. Lamps are broken, everybody is sick. LeBron leaves a franchise. He demands you get old and expensive. And then LeBron leaves and you're done. I understand that.

And I understand where if you're playing a slightly longer game and you're waiting for Coosma to develop and he gets some playoff experience and he shows you what you can be, maybe that's the case. But there is the assumption then that Anthony Davis isn't going anywhere. or that what you do this year isn't going to impact his decision. If they get knocked out early, does Anthony Davis look at it and say, well, okay, so we're waiting on Kuzma to get better? You don't think he'd leave. Anthony's not leaving L.A. For everything that I've seen with his relationship with LeBron, I would tend to think not.

Yes, the relationship is great. But I also know that there are people in Anthony Davis's camp who believe that he should be the star and that he should be the star in a big market and they're going to be a couple teams in really big markets that are going to afford him that opportunity should he so choose to go that direction. Okay, we talked about this yesterday.

So the key, the key, I'm going to tell you the key to the next dynasty in the NBA. Okay. Is Chris Middleton. Okay, now just listen. You think this is crazy. Look at your reaction.

Joy. Okay. I agree because I know where he's going. Okay. Now, acknowledge this. Acknowledge this. But if Yannis goes to the Warriors with Stefan, Clay, and Traymond, they are winning this title. They are going to be an unbelievable basketball team.

Okay. Okay. Yonis is going to stay in Milwaukee. I agree. If he goes to the finals, because they're eventually going to win. But Chris Middleton disappeared about every third playoff game last year. And if they get to the Eastern Conference finals, and Middleton doesn't deliver.

And they can't get past a veteran long, well-coached Toronto, or a younger but more, I think a little more athletic Boston team with Brad Stevens. And it's because Janus is dropping 38 and 17 rebounds. And Middleton disappears in two games. I'm Janus. I am out. I am done. I'm not waiting on a Texas A&M second round guy to become Kauai.

if Middleton doesn't deliver in the East play because last year, you guys kept telling me, oh, it's Middleton. I'm like, every third game, he pops. Right. He disappeared. If Chris Middleton disappears in the Eastern Conference finals and the honest is dropping 38 and 17,

he's not sticking around. I can get Clay, Steph, Drayman, and me. I'm not losing a series for four years. I was not, first of all, don't put me in with you guys because I wasn't telling, I was not singing Chris Middleton. Britson's praises to you.

We can go back and check the tape. Am I not? No, I like your theory. I believe that it is misguided when it comes to Janus onto Ticompo. I feel as if he is one of those guys who feels beholden to Milwaukee because he feels they built him as much as he built them. I'm saying, I just, I don't believe that he's just going to go running. to the most ideal spot.

He didn't come up in the AAU culture. He didn't come up in the U.S. culture. He's not built that way. So I don't expect that to be the difference. And this is the one other issue that I have because this reminds me of all the talk with LeBron in Cleveland. Oh, they can't get LeBron any help in Cleveland.

Oh, if they'd only get some players around him in Cleveland. LeBron wasn't everything that he could be in Cleveland. that was as much a factor. And if the bucks fall short, it won't be all on Chris Middleton. It will be at least in part because Janus Antecompo wasn't able to do everything

that his physical ability should allow him to do. His game will not have mature to the point where he understands how to win. Because whether it's Chris Middleton or anybody else, he has enough around him that if he is everything that he can be, they can win a championship. I'm just not sure he's at that point yet.

So you think they play Boston wouldn't be able to stop him. So he would go 36 and 16. Yeah. But Boston's too good that that alone will beat them. So Middleton has to drop 24 four times in a series. He can't just because we know Janus is not going to be stopped by Boston. They don't have the personnel in the front court to stop it. Correct.

So he's going to put up great MVP series numbers. Right. But that alone is not beating. Boston. By the way, that alone's not beating Toronto, but I think they'll defend him more arduously than Boston could. They have more length. Toronto. Toronto is the real kryptonite

for Janus in the Eastern conference. I think I just blew your mind that Chris Middleton is the key to the next five-year dynasty in this league. You routinely blow my mind. I don't know if this rises to that level that this one

does. By the way, you know I had Charlotte Flair on earlier? Yeah. When she walks into the studio. Yeah. The temperature changed. Yeah. You should watch that WWE stuff. I'm not kidding you.

I'm all over it. I also watched the XFL. What did you make of it? I was duly impressed. I was really impressed. And I got to tell you, I think they're going to be disruptors. Hearing the plays, hearing everybody miced up, hearing that exchange. Like the NFL has always had a closed gate when it comes to all that.

I found that fascinating. How about the transparency on the replay? Yes. Right behind the guys. Yes. Yeah, look at that. Go to that. It was all good. In fact, there was a later, I think they had a technical difficulty because there was a later game, the Guardians game maybe, where you couldn't hear everything.

I was like, hey, where is it? I was impressed too. Yeah, no, I thought it was well done. Look, I thought the AAF was good football. It just drove me crazy. I didn't know where to find it. The beauty of this is. It's all over the place.

Saturday and Sunday, major networks. Well done. Can you imagine if Chris Middleton ever watched this show? He'd be like, who's that jerk? I mean, I hope I never. bump into Chris Middleton. He's a really nice guy. I know.

He's got a great reputation. Yeah. All right. Rick Buecker, Joy Taylor with the news. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Philip Rivers and the Chargers have parted ways after 16 seasons, but Rivers still wants to play football. He's realistic about how much time he has left in the league. He said, I do feel I have some emotional fire and passion still left. I can say for certain that if I'm playing, it's a two-year mess. maximum. Certainly you want a chance to win a championship, but it's not just about that. If you told me right now you're going to play for two years and you're going to be good, but you'll not win a Super Bowl where you still play, heck yeah, I'll still play.

I don't know. Again, I just don't know what the market is for Philip Rivers. I don't think it's very big. And look, like I liked Philip Rivers. I enjoy watching his career. I like the fact that he talks trash, even if Brady Papingka was saying, just kind of corny about. his trash dock, but he just played with an energy

that I like. I thought his press conference at the end of his last game was very telling. I always felt like he was a passionate guy. He's obviously a very tough guy as one of the craziest starting streaks in league history. How about this? He'd be a great analyst. He would be a great analyst.

Quarterback, well-known. Great personality. Huge energy. He's got Romo energy. I do think he'd be good analyst. I think he would be really good. I think he'd be a great backup veteran situation. for somewhere that has a young, that's why I thought if they kept him for another year, Chua going there would be a good situation to learn.

But I don't know if that's Philip Rivers personality. He's going to take someone under his wing like that. You know, this is the thing I hate about being a sportscaster. I love Philip. I think he's been on the show multiple times. It's over. I said this about Eli. I interviewed Eli five times.

I love Cooper Manning. I love Archie. There are these quarterbacks, Eli and Philip, where I have to go on the air and say, it's over. Well, yeah, just because you like someone or rooting for someone doesn't mean that you can't give in your honest opinion about what they're doing on the field. Yeah, like Eli, I said three years ago, it's over. I'm watching it. It's over.

It's okay. He's older. He's unathletic and he makes too many mistakes. Philip became Eli, which is age, unathletic, mistake prone. You can be, like, again, you guys all clobber James Winston. He's young and athletic and mistake prone. When you add the old and the unathletic to mistake prone, it's the career. end and I think Philip and Eli became the same player.

I don't have a problem with the Chargers moving off of him. This is, they want to move in a different direction and it's time. I just think that if they do take Tua, if Tua ended up there, would have been a good situation for him to learn under him. That's what I think Tua ends up in Miami either way. And Justin Herbert ends up with the Chargers. So John Lynch spent the last few days, last few years. I'm sorry, putting together a roster that was obviously talented enough to reach a Super Bowl.

He compared past nineers season, off seasons to going to a grocery store. and taking whatever they wanted. But now they're going to have less cap space. They might have to cut back in certain situations. He said it's not bleak. It's not like some people where you have to cut players just to be able to meet certain deals. I think more so understanding that there are players

that are really good players we want to take care of knowing it's tight. There may have to be some tradeoffs along the way, but I think we're in a good position to find a way, certainly to keep the core together. Jimmy Ward, I'd probably move off of. I like him, but I don't know. Like Jimmy Ward's one of those good players,

has some injuries. I think we can draft the position. That's a guy I'd move off of. So in 2017, they had 90 million of Capspace. They're currently projected to have 19.6 million this off season. So obviously a big swing there. Listen, they got their quarterback, they got their weapons, and they got their D-line. They're actually in a pretty good spot. They need another corner or maybe another safety. That's about it. Well, look, teams look different every single year. You have to make moves and make everything fit. They're big, unrestricted free agents, as you mentioned, are Jimmy Ward. They also have a

Daniel Sanders, Ronald Blair, and Eric Armstead up. So they're going to look a little bit different at some of those positions next year. But overall, I think they're still in a good space. Finally, Andrea Godala returned to Golden State as a member of the Miami Heat last night. Steph Curry and Clay Thompson were in attendance to see their former teammate. They played a little game of rock paper scissors to decide who would give the pregame speech. Steph won. So Clay had the responsibility of speaking to the crowd.

But she did a very nice intro for Iggy. and Iggy spoke to the crowd as well and thanked everyone for supporting the team. I need your help on this. So I heard Andre Iguada interviewed after the game. Right. And he was asked about Memphis.

Yes. And he talked about the young guys, take care of your money and your chicken. Yeah. So what does the chicken mean? Money. Chicken is money. And your mentals.

Chicken and your mentals. So what does mentals mean? Your brain, like your energy, your body. So chicken is money. Yes. When did that happen? When was that?

That was Marshawn Lynch. When Marshawn Lynch had his last game, he did an interview. Yeah. He told young guys, take care of your chicken and your mentals. And so he's, he's, it's an ode to Marcion's. Okay. So chicken is money. Taking care of your young guys.

That's what Andre, what Iggy was talking about. So when I go to negotiate with Eric, I'm like, I need more chicken. When I'm negotiating my contract, give me more chicken. And I'll worry about my mentals. I thought it was Mentos. Like the candy. Mentos. I thought Henri de Guadal was saying I want chicken and mentos.

No, mentals. Yeah, but he gave a nice speech. It was a good game, actually. The Warriors were competitive. You're going to get your heartbroken by Miami. You're just going to get your heart broken. They're all. It's all right.

Listen, I'm a Dolphins fan. My heart can take it. It's been a great season. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurdline News. Best part of the NBA season,

28, 29, 30 games. left. The teams are stuck with who they've got. They're starting to line up, play defense. This is the time I start watching a lot of NBA basketball. We'll size it up for you. We'll put teams in three categories. Championships can win a series or schedule your vacation. That's coming up next. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Flyers, Islanders, Discover Card key matchup, match all the cash back at Discover, you're earning your credit card end of your first year. 95% of places in the U.S. accept the credit card. Discover.com slash yes.

All right, Joy Taylor is joining me. The All-Star break is this week. Every team has 30 games or left left in the regular season. So we thought today we'd have a little fun, a NBA topic, which is can you win a championship, can you win a playoff series, or can you just start booking a vacation? At this point in the NBA, we kind of know what you are, let's go Joy. All right, which tier are LeBron and the Lakers in? They can win a championship. There's three

things. They're long. They lead the NBA in seven blocks a night. That's an unbelievable number. Length matters because it gets you extra possessions. Their experience, that matters in the playoffs. They're also really efficient. They're shooting 49% Joy. That's an incredible percentage. So I get the efficiency.

I get LeBron. I get the length. And I get guys who have been around this league before. This is a championship team. Which tier are Nicola Yokic and the Denver Nuggets in? They can win a playoff series, but they have a problem. They don't have a third score. So they have Yokic, they have Jamal Murray, but their third score is Gary Harris,

who's a 6-4 kid from Michigan State, nice player. But when you start going up against the Clippers and the Lakers and even Utah to me, who's your third best player, I don't think they have one. I do think they're really good at home. I think they're well-coached. They're going to win a playoff series,

but at some point they don't have the depth of scoring to win a championship. What about Kauai Leonard and the Clippers? They can win a championship. This is my favorite to win it. I think we both think they're very good. Here's something to remember. When Kauai Leonard and Paul George have both played, they're 17 and 5. They've got everything.

They've got, and again, Kauai and Paul play both ends of the floor. I got a championship coach. They add Marcus Morris. I think this should be the favorite to win the NBA championship and they are. What about Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz? Which tier? I think they can win a series. I've seen them a lot this year.

Their issue, they're a little like Denver. They need another wing athlete. They can't make stops on the wing. So they've got Bogdanovich can shoot. Donovan Mitchell can. Joe Ingalls can get hot. But they're missing an athlete on the perimeter. They have the fewest steals in the NBA.

Again, they don't make you uncomfortable defensively. They remind me a little bit of. bit of Boston. Boston has the athletic wings. They could use some size, whereas Utah's got the size, but I need somebody else. I need somebody else. Now, I will say this about Utah. This is the one thing Utah's great at. They get hot from three between Donovan and Joe Ingalls and Bogdanovich. They can get scorching hot from three. In fact, they have the best three-point shooting percentage in the NBA. They shoot 39 percent. from threes. So you can outplay Utah.

And this is the game I went to. You can out play Utah. And they get hot for four minutes. And it's so Utah is a scary team to play because teams that you can out play and lose to, and that's them, are always a headache. So the Warriors were for a while. Yep. Which tier are James Hardin and the Houston Rockets in? Joy, I break your heart. This is book a vacation. They got this is, they can't win a playoff series. I slept on it. Okay, here's the problem. They can't shoot. Okay, since January 1st, this is their real team now.

They're the fourth worst shooting team in the league. They're also in their last 15 games. Okay, sub-500. That's with the best score in the league. They're also the second worst rebounding differential in the NBA. So I got small, I got weird fit, I got not playing well, and not shooting well. That's not a good team. I want to wait a little while on it.

Which tier are Chris Paul and the Thunder in? Can't book a vacation. You can book a vacation. Nice story. But every time they've played good teams this year, they're two and six in the eight games they played top four seeds. They're 11 and 16 against any playoff team. There's a difference between a great team and a great story. They've been a great story.

They just don't have enough scores. They just don't have enough guys that can get buckets. That's it. Which tier are Luca and the Mavericks in? Now, I will say this is the weirdest team in the league. They can win a playoff series. Okay, they're significantly better on the road than at home, meaning they're going to steal game one of a series potentially.

They're going to go on the road and they're going to win game one on the road. They're 18 and 8 on the road. Another thing is when they're healthy, they are electric scoring. Between Porzingas and Luca, they have quarters. You can't stop them. So they're an electric team, they're well-coated. And they're playing with house money. They're babies.

It's a young team. They're not expected to win a championship. They're not going to have any anxiety when they play. And they're also making 15 three-pointers per game. Now, just think about that. They're so fun to watch. They are. They really are.

I've seen a lot of Dallas play this year. Again, not a great team, but like Utah, they'll shoot you out of a game in five minutes if you're not careful. Which tier are Janus and the Bucks in? Can win a championship. They have length. They have size. They have experience. They're well-coach.

They're the clippers of the East. not quite as athletic on the wing, but can't beat him at home. Everybody I know in the league feels like they're going to fly through the East right now against the East this year. They've played 31 games against the East. They've won 28. So they're going to get through the East and get to the finals, having played almost the minimum number of playoff games required. They'll be very rested. Well-rested team.

Which tier are Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors then? They can win a playoff series, but this is Fool's Gold again. They play hard and they're well-coached. But they don't hit a lot of threes. They can be streaky offensively. Again, length, experience. Fred Band Bleet is wonderful. It's a regular season story.

And they play defense. As Mike Dunleby told me years ago in the NBA, if you play defense, you're going to win 40 games in this league. because a lot of teams are tired. The travel's rough. Toronto plays defense and has length and they can shut you down and that wins a lot of games.

But when you get to the playoffs and you're facing stars, you need buckets and they don't have enough buckets. Oh, yeah, they have great talent and culture, but you can't replace Kauai Leonard. Can't. What tier are Kemba Walker and the Boston Celtics in? Can win a playoff series?

I need another score. Excellent defense. I think they have the second best field goal percentage defense in the NBA. Again, this is a, They're the opposite of Dallas. Dallas plays no defense but can shoot you out of a game. I feel like with Boston I could use more size than another score. They play real defense.

They're good at home. But again, I don't know how they stop Janus in a series. I think they can beat everybody for a game, but I don't think they have enough punch to beat the good teams four times. All right. There's only one answer to this. We'll see if you get it right. Which tier are Jimmy Butler in the Miami Heat Inn?

Can book a vacation. Boo! First of all, Joy, they have two undrafted players in their starting five. And? They can't shoot. So they got two big problems. Listen, Jimmy Buller's a great athlete.

They play, it's typical. Two All-Stars. And then nobody else who can shoot. What do you mean? They shoot 44% from the field the last two weeks. It's almost dead last in the NBA. They can't shoot. Now, again, they're a high-low team.

The two guys you love are. terrific. But the bottom end, there's not a lot in the... You really don't think they can win a playoff series. I don't think over the course of seven games, they would beat Philadelphia. I don't think they could. Philadelphia's got too many good players.

Well, let's ask about Philadelphia then. Joelle and Bied and the Sixers. Can win a playoff series, but at 13 games, they play the top four seeds in the East, they're six and seven. So again, they're just too talented not to win a playoff series. There's no way they can't get it right. First of all, they got Alec Berks and Glenn

and the third at a trading deadline. So they added two shooters, which was an issue. You cannot convince me in the East. This Philadelphia 76ers, first seven, first seven guys to play. It is simply way too talented not to win a playoff series. There's no way. Now they got guys off the bench you can shoot. There's no way they don't win a playoff series.

As enigmatic as the Embed Simmons relationship is, it's impossible. See, here's the problem with Miami. You like Miami, so it makes me want to cheer for Miami. Goulet, look this up. In the history of the NBA, has there ever been a team with two undrafted players that got to a conference championship?

Goulet, can you find that in 30 seconds? Yeah, I'll have that in the next minute, no problem. Good luck. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I think they're a great story and they play hard and it's full story and they play defense and they're well run, but you can't. They don't have enough talent. They ought to get a little more consistent with the shooting, but I do think they have

enough talent to win a playoff series. So we have the bucks, Clippers, Lakers can win a championship. Nice little graphic there. The only thing I disagree in America, I have the Sixers, the Celtics, the Jazz, Dallas, Denver, and Toronto winning a playoff series. Miami Rockets OKC

Book of Vacation. And the only thing I disagree with, people will disagree on Miami. If you live in Miami and you're listening, just ask yourself, you get into a big series and you can't score at the basket against something, like with Toronto's length or Milwaukee's length, Miami, you're going a struggle at the basket. And I think in a series, you would struggle against Philadelphia.

Well, like, you don't think they would win the first round. Well, I don't think they'd beat Philadelphia in a series. Over time, Philadelphia's got too much talent. And Philadelphia is... I don't know. I kind of like that match up. All right. There you go. MDrive, everyday supplement for guys. Go to mDrive for men.com. The code is H-E-R-D to get 20% off your first purchase. M-Drive is not for everybody. It's just for the driven. Today was one of my favorite shows. Charlotte Flair, Mark Medina, Brady Pappenga, and Rick Buecker. Now, we are off tomorrow back Thursday, Friday. Tomorrow we get knocked off the air by what?

I don't even know. NASCAR. So tomorrow we just get knocked off the air. And so tonight, you guys are doing the radio show. I gave it to Gottlieb. So I'm just taking the day off, playing with the dogs, hanging out, working out, playing tennis. We'll see it Thursday, Friday. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

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