1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: This is straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: straight Fire, Fam, It's me Jason McIntyre here Straight Fire 3 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: for Wednesday, July four, Fresh off the All Star Game 4 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: last night. What a performance you know that one of 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: the coolest moments in recent MLB All Star history where 6 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: Vlad Guerrero hits a bomb right wins the m v P. 7 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: I mean he hit I think it was a four 8 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty eight foot tape measure. Job Otani started, 9 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: got the win, and an Australian picture got to save 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: quite a night for Major League Baseball. UM just a 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: great showcase event. Fox put on an outstanding show and 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: baseball fans have to be happy. In addition of baseball 13 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: fans being happy, how about basketball fans? Finally, Team USA 14 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 1: rebound from back to back elves to Nigeria and Australia. 15 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: USA takes its UH frustrations out on lowly Argentina, and 16 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: I know Argentina historically had the Golden Generation with Manu 17 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: ginobilean company that ain't this Argentina. Team USA put it 18 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: on in one by I think like, if you haven't 19 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: seen the highlight yet this morning zact Levine basically levitating 20 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: through the lane, hanging in the air and then dunking, 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: just detonating on the head of some Argentinean defender. It 22 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: was filthy, totally nasty stuff from Zach Levine. You guys 23 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: know I am a huge Jack Levine guy. The dunk 24 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: was great, the wind was better. I'll just say this 25 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: about Argentina. They went to Vegas and they lost to 26 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: Australia on a buzzer beating three by Patty Mills. They 27 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,279 Speaker 1: got smoked by Nigeria and they got smoked by the USA. 28 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: Don't think Argentina is gonna be meddling at the Olympics 29 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,040 Speaker 1: in Japan, which started crazily like two weeks um. And 30 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: because you guys know I like basketball, and because it 31 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: was low hanging fruit. Before Argentina played the USA team, 32 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: we were able to get an interview with Joe Varton, 33 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: the guy who went toe to toe with Popovich in 34 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: the interview scene around the world on Tuesday, Vardon, of 35 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: course asking legitimate questions. Popovitch tried to bs his way 36 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: through it. Vardon called him on it, and pop just 37 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: tried to come over the top of him in the 38 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: interview room. It was not a good look for pop. 39 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: I understand his frustrations. So we talked to Joe Varton. 40 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: You guys will like it. It is uh, you know minutes. 41 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: He's not as negative on the team as I am. Um. 42 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: Obviously against Argentina, Jayson Tatum did not play, so they 43 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: had a shorter bench. Um be a look good, k 44 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: d look good. Uh, Dame Lillard looked good. My guy Levine. 45 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: I gotta mention him twice in the first three minutes 46 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: of the pod. Um. But you guys will like Joe Varton. 47 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: Before we get to that, just a couple of quick 48 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: house cleaning items. Yes, thank you for all the kind 49 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: words about the Saturday show. It's weird somehow when I 50 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: was able to pick the time slot that I wanted 51 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: on the Saturday show because I was on the East 52 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 1: Coast and I wanted to, you know, kind of get 53 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: the show done early and out of the way. I 54 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: don't want to like a radio show in the middle 55 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: of the weekend. Um, and then yeah, it kind of 56 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 1: ties up your day. So I wanted to do this 57 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: radio show early on Saturdays, and coming out here it 58 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: made life kind of tougher. Um being on uh, you know, 59 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: waking up at six am every Saturday. Um. But it 60 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: was awesome because, as luck would have it, my Saturday 61 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: morning radio show had more affiliates than I think any 62 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: sports talk show on my Heart Radio. And that's I 63 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: know that sounded doesn't sound crazy, even bigger than some 64 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: of the daily shows. I think, bigger than all of 65 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: them except for the late Rush Limbaughs Show, who was 66 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: carried on just a million channels. But for whatever reason, 67 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: that early morning show that I did on Saturday was 68 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: heard by more or markets than anyone because Saturday morning, 69 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: not a lot of radio stations are putting out original 70 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: content because the listening audience is diminished. Except my Heart 71 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: has is in tons of markets, so the show had 72 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: a massive following. I mean, I would get people saying, hey, man, 73 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: you're part of my Saturday morning routine. Every weekend, I'm 74 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: turning it tuning in and then I catch the rest 75 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: of the podcast and I was like, damn, that's awesome, 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: and yeah, it is pretty cool. And the more I 77 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: think about it, you know, initially I was like, Okay, 78 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'll drop the Saturday show, no big deal. 79 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: But then you think, man, I put six years into it. Um, 80 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: I had many producers who I became friendly with. Um. 81 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: You know Rob g producer this podcast was one of 82 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: my I think he was my second weekend producer. Um, 83 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: and it's good. Like right now when I do the 84 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: Saturday show after me used to be Steve Hartman, who 85 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: we had on this podcast as a guest, crazy guy 86 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: in San Diego. Um, but now it's t J Houshminzada 87 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: and LaVar Arrington, a couple really cool guys. I've become 88 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: friendly with. Whosh. Um, I've become friendly with a var 89 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: erring team. We are slated to do Undisputed and speak 90 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: for yourself coming up here in short order. Um. Yeah, 91 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: Like you know, we're like the BT. We joke about it, 92 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: LaVar and I and Hush Benzata, but like we've got 93 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: great camaraderie. Like I've talked about this a lot. Like 94 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: the idea of going on TV used to be, you know, 95 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: ten years ago was foreign to me. Like I'm a blogger, 96 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: I got no shot. And once you're able to prove 97 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: yourself and climb in the ring and say you know 98 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: you're wrong about X y Z, here's why, and then 99 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 1: someone is like, oh, I didn't think of it. To 100 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 1: look at that way or I was not aware of 101 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: that stat Um, you just bring something different to the table, 102 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: and I've always tried to do that. I'm trying to 103 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: do it with this podcast. Um. I think I did 104 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: it with the Saturday radio show. UM. I think I've 105 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: done that at Fox and FS one. And I would 106 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: recommend you know, I get a lot of these instagram 107 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: DM s, hey man, what would you recommend um for 108 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: a guy about to enter my senior year of college. 109 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: I just finished college and I don't really know how 110 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: to attack the workplace. I'm like, it's not easy. You know, 111 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: I don't need to revisit when I was coming out 112 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: of college. I think I've talked about this briefly, but 113 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: I was able to milk a fifth year out of 114 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: college out of my parents because I had transferred from 115 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: Virginia Tech to j M you and you know, I 116 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: spaced out the classes where I wasn't doing a ton 117 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: of classes. I only need a couple of credits. But 118 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: I milked both semesters, so I graduated halfway through. But 119 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: I milked that final semester to stick around, and I 120 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: had job offers before Uh may you know, like I 121 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: had walked in December, and I was technically a graduate. 122 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 1: But I had a couple of other classes to go to, 123 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: and I had job offers. I could have left them 124 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: to go. I had a job offer in Kentucky, I 125 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: had a job offer in Michigan. I was like, hell, no, 126 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: I don't want to go to those places. I all 127 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: my friends and like, I'm young, I want to party, 128 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 1: obviously want to be girls, and like I want to 129 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: enjoy my young life. I don't want to go to 130 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: some small town way off the mapp where I don't 131 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: know anybody for hours. And you know, when you get 132 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: your first job, you're working weekends and crappy hours and 133 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: ain't great, especially in the newspaper business, which is what 134 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: I was going into. The thing is now, when when 135 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: you guys are asking me for advice, it the game 136 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: done changed. As everybody likes to note, like, nobody wants 137 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: to go into newspapers, nobody wants to go into magazines. 138 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: Magazines are dying. Everybody wants to go into web, but 139 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: it's weird. The web doesn't pay, and a lot of 140 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: people want to go to podcasting, but that always doesn't pay. 141 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: TV is very difficult to crack. Radio is hard as hell. 142 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: I mean, they got a bench of like ten guys waiting, 143 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: chomping at the bit to get my spot on Saturday. 144 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: And it's like giving advice. It's difficult, and you've gotta 145 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: cut through. You gotta find kind of a niche. And 146 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: would you find it where you still you know where 147 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: you start out thinking, oh, this could buy my niche. 148 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: You take it as long as you can, and then 149 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: you see where other things are headed. And I think 150 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: I said this on Monday's pod Skate. Where the puck 151 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: is going now where it has been? And then you 152 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: pivot to the next one and then onto the next one. 153 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: You're constantly reinventing yourself, um, in whatever field to go into. 154 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: And in the sports field, folks, you know things are 155 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 1: changing rapidly. Um. Soccer is on the IRA, on the rise. UM. 156 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: Obviously there's a lot of streaming happening now. Major League 157 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: Baseball is going through kind of an interesting season. I 158 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 1: think Otani's really altering things, and baseball is very popular 159 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: still basketball obviously, we know the social media angle, like 160 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: there's just so much out there, and I think some 161 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: of the stuff I've talked to you guys about on 162 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: the Saturday show that really resonated. I'm gonna start to 163 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: bring a little more to this podcast, to Straight Fire, 164 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: so obviously look out for that here in the coming months. 165 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: But before I pratt along any longer, let's talk to 166 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: Joe Varden from The Athletic about Team USA basketball. Jason 167 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: likes to think he knows everything when it comes to sports. 168 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: I know what sports fans want, but for everything he doesn't. 169 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: He knows a guy who does. Let's just say I 170 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: know a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy. 171 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: Let's welcome into Straight Fire a guy who he made 172 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 1: news this week. We love to bring on guys who 173 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 1: are newsmakers. He got into it with Popovitch. That might 174 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: be a bit strong. I don't want to oversell it, 175 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: but you guys know his work. He's covered Lebron for 176 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: many years now. He's at the Athletic. Joe Varden, Joe, 177 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: how are you man? I'm doing fine, finean yeah, yeah, 178 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: thank you for taking the time to come on. As 179 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: soon as I saw the exchange last night and everybody 180 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: was saying on social media, Barton's turn it up again, 181 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: I hit up Rob g like, Rob, we need to 182 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: get Martin on the pod. First of all, Um, you 183 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: know we'll get to the team USA stuff. But your 184 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: question to me seemed very fair. Uh. And Popovitch was 185 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: flat out lying or you know, being willfully ignorant saying well, 186 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: nobody blows them out. I mean, I've seen all the numbers. 187 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: The last time the US played Nigeria in in an exhibition, 188 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: they went by like eighties eighty something points. Uh. And 189 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: in the Olympics it went by like I think forty. 190 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: So I don't know. Take me through the pop exchange. No, well, 191 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: thank you, and I'm happy to do it. Um. I mean, 192 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: I think where we need to start is that the 193 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: question was not directed towards coach. It was directed towards Dane. 194 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: And the reason is, um. Right now, with availability being 195 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: what it is and with the COVID stuff we're working 196 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: through it all, we only get so many cracks at 197 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:37,719 Speaker 1: these players. It's not like we can go hang out 198 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: a lockers like we used to and and ask some 199 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: questions on the spot. So Tin say, didn't practice the 200 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: day after losing to Nigeria and so there was no 201 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: media availability and then they lose to Australia. So, um, 202 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: this is the first time I've seen a player since since, 203 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: you know, the four minutes that we got a chance 204 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: to talk to these guys after the after the after 205 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 1: the Nigeria game. And so I asked Dame Uh what 206 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: it was like for him having sat at home and 207 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: watched team that he got cut from the team that 208 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: he decided not to join. And I didn't say the 209 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 1: words blow them out, because the average margin of victory 210 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: in those two years it was like thirty two points 211 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: and thirty points respectively. It's right there in the Team 212 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 1: USA notes. But I was also thinking about how those 213 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: teams have been undefeated, Okay, and then now you're looking 214 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 1: at this team. Uh, Damien's first two games with t 215 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: m U s A they're owing two uh. And then 216 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: you know in these two summers under Papovich they're not 217 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: They were nine and five. So I just wanted to 218 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: ask him what that was like to watch what he 219 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: watched on TV and then to be experiencing the other 220 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: end of it. And he, uh, he gave me a 221 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: great answer. You know, it's he said, it was different. Um. 222 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: But then he also said, you know, I've also seen 223 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: Team USA may be challenged before, but maybe never lose 224 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: two in a row. And so then coach interjected, and 225 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: he interjected based off of a question that I asked 226 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: him after losing to Nigeria, in which I said to him, 227 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: I am asking this question from the angle of American 228 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: exceptionalism in basketball. I admit it. I said that, And 229 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: then I said, but you lost in Nigeria after you've 230 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 1: been preaching defense and rebounding and respecting opponents and then 231 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: losing the way he did, Um, does that mean that 232 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: the messages aren't getting through? And he gave an answer, 233 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: a nice answer, nice enough, UM. But so he was 234 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: going to use this opportunity. I get I don't know why, 235 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: but but he put himself into that discussion, and when 236 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: he started to say what he was saying, I just 237 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: I wasn't going to UM. I wasn't going to allow 238 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: him to make those statements that are untrue UM, and 239 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: and like to use it to kind of make an 240 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: example out of me. So the part of the audio 241 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:01,599 Speaker 1: that you can't really hear is when he's talking and 242 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 1: he's starting to say what he's staying. I'm just saying, no, 243 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: that's not true. The two years I was talking about 244 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: to Dame, like your average margin of victory, it was 245 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: and thirty and that you did win the gold medal 246 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 1: game in the Rio Olympics by thirty points, so this 247 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: isn't true. Uh and and but you couldn't you couldn't 248 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: You couldn't hear that. You could just hear what he's 249 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 1: say and the grand standing was a bit much from Pop. 250 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: I'll just start here, Joe. You know, Pop has accomplished 251 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: a lot in his career. Five rings, Um, nobody's trying 252 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: to challenge his credentials. Obviously one of the best five 253 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: coaches in NBA history. Is he the guy at the 254 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: age of seventy two to lead a bunch of multimillionaires 255 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: who are really going to Japan, let's be real, to 256 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: bolster their brand globally, sell Moore sneakers, all that fun stuff. 257 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: Is he the guy for this group? You know, I've 258 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: been thinking about that, and it's like, you really do 259 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: want to give the proper respect and do credit that 260 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 1: he deserves for one of the most remarkable NBA co 261 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: coaching careers that the league has ever known. There's no 262 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: question about that. Um. When it comes to this team 263 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: and you look at the record and you say, well, 264 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: whatever Pop is doing, it's not working. But I think 265 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: you do have to include more people when you're talking 266 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: about the failures to this point. I mean, the roster 267 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: construction is what it is. UM that has been an issue. Uh, 268 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: certain stars either not wanting to play or being injured, 269 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: UM has has been an issue. UM. And then like 270 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: in these games, you know when they lose, like the 271 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: execution at the end as has been suspect. And yeah, 272 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: I mean in these two losses that we've seen already 273 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: this week. I mean Katie who obviously is maybe going 274 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: to go down as the greatest Olympic basketball player ever. Um, 275 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: he's ten of thirty. So you know, kN PAPOVICHO watch that. 276 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: I don't know. I thought and I still do think 277 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: that that Greg has a way with these players. He 278 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: has these team dinners, he buys all the wine, they 279 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: open up, they grow closer. At work for decades in 280 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: San Antonio, and I still think it can work. But um, 281 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: there are things that aren't working right now, and they 282 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: haven't worked for two summers, and they do. They have 283 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: to figure it out, and it's got to be him 284 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: that does it. I was told that the team that 285 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: started against Nigeria, I think it was four all NBA 286 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: players from this season and Kevin Durant, who is an 287 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: All NBA guy. I was told they had never practiced together. 288 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: Is that accurate or no? I don't see how it 289 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: could be. Um, they practiced together for four days last 290 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: week in Vegas, so they have practice together, but they've 291 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: never played a game together. I guess they'd scrimmaged in practice. Yeah. Yeah. 292 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: They played against the Select team, the which is like 293 00:15:55,680 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: the group of younger player exactly those guys. And from 294 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: what I was told, um, the Select team was pretty 295 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: tough on him, especially early, and that's not good. That's 296 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: a guy that's really bad. Now, I will say the 297 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: the issue with the roster construction. We could dive deep. Um, 298 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: I'll just start like they're big men are basically Kevin 299 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: Love and Draymond Green. Kevin Love hasn't done a damn 300 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: thing in the league in two years. I know you 301 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: covered him a lot in Cleveland. You probably know him 302 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: very well. Um, it was all the hubbub. Was he 303 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: chosen for this team because he's white? I'll ask you, like, A, 304 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: are these bigs good enough to go against the European 305 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: bigs who can dominate inside? And where the hell is 306 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: Julius Randall Um, you know where is Uh, why don't 307 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: they of Christian Wood as a floor spacer like that? 308 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: I feel like they have options obviously the Karl Anthony 309 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: town situation because he played for what was it Puerto 310 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: Rico or something, he's ineligible. Yeah, those are great points, um, 311 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: especially having seen what we've seen lately. You know, they 312 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: made a conscious decision. And by the way, Bam out 313 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: of Bio is part of that group. Yes, and he 314 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: isn't and and he had not played well in these 315 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: first two games, not not played well at all. Um. 316 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: You know, they made a conscious decision to go with Kevin, 317 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: and they explained it to a t you know, Greg, 318 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: I mean he said, listen, we need Rudy Gobert when 319 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: we played France to to move away from the rim. Um. 320 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: Kevin is is one of the few bigs in the 321 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: NBA who's American shoot threes and uh. And we didn't 322 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: have that in the World Cup in twenty nineteen. And 323 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: so that's why he's there. And that's fine. But in 324 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: these two in the first two games, you know, Kevin 325 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 1: played three minutes and had three fouls. He didn't play 326 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: at all against against Australia. So yeah, and you started 327 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: asking those questions like, well, you know Julius obviously, like 328 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I think I gave him a fifth place 329 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: for m v P, like he he had a remarkable year. 330 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: And then you started asking those questions like why this 331 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: guy instead of that guy? Um, I just will the team. 332 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: So the Bucks are playing the Sons in the finals, 333 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: and I believe what Drew Holiday is certainly a guy 334 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 1: that would make the team. And then I assumed Devin 335 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: Booker as well, well, Devin and and then also Chris 336 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:17,880 Speaker 1: mid Middleton hold over. So those three guys will certainly 337 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: add something. But again, they're gonna be coming off a 338 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: grueling playoffs, right, They're gonna probably go from whenever however 339 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: long the series goes. And then three days later they 340 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: were in Japan. I don't think we can expect him 341 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: to contribute early. I don't know, what, do you think 342 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: There's no like Savior coming in on a white horse 343 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: to save the day? Is there? No? No? I mean 344 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,439 Speaker 1: the Saviors are on the team. The Saviors are Damian 345 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: Lillard Um who can go let's say, in a forty 346 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: minute game. Let's say he can go off for forty okay, 347 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: instead of fifty um and and Kevin Durant, Like those 348 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: are the quote saviors. What these three guys will do, 349 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: we are the following. Drew Holiday will immediately be their 350 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: best on Baltimo. End of discussion. He won't start, but 351 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: he could. He certainly will come off the bench play 352 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: good minutes. Devin Booker can spell, uh can spell, and 353 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: push Bradley Beale and it's certainly going to be somebody 354 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: who can come in and be electric off the bench 355 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 1: in a way that maybe zac Lavine has not been 356 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 1: able to do so far. And then Chris Middleton makes 357 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: so you don't have to play Jeremy Grant. Um. So 358 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: those are all like contributions, those are things they don't have. 359 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: But but the big guns are there right now. I'll 360 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,400 Speaker 1: challenge you a little bit. Do you think, in terms 361 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: of fit in an international game, Chris Middleton is an 362 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: upgrade over Jeremy Grant. I do, and I but your 363 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: point is well taken. It's very well taken, because Chris 364 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: struggled mightily in China. I mean he really had a 365 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: hard time over there, especially in the loss to France 366 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: and then again to Serbia. Um. But he's he's evolved 367 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: so much as a player that, yeah, I do think 368 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,479 Speaker 1: he's an upgrade over Jeremy, but he's not. He's not 369 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: gonna be you know. It's not Lebron or Steph coming 370 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: in on a on a white horse to save. That's 371 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: not how this works. Um, I don't know where. Listen, 372 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: everybody thinks they're probably gonna end up winning gold. But 373 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: when you start to look at the opener against France, 374 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: and like you said, Rudy Gobert can just stand because 375 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: there is no goaltending rule right at the at the Olympics. Um, No, 376 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: there is a goaltending rule. There is no three seconds, 377 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: no defensive correct no defensive three seconds. But what happened 378 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: with the late free throw against Nigeria. It appeared as if, um, 379 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: the ball was basically pulled off the rim, and the 380 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: US was looking for like, wait, where's the call? And 381 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 1: there was no call? What what's the what was the 382 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 1: ruling there? That's right now, the ruling was correct. Um. 383 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: In international play, you can um knock a ball off 384 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: of a rim. What you cannot do is interfere with 385 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: the ball that has not touched the rim, that's on 386 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: its way down. That is the goal tend and and 387 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: the US was actually called for a while yesterday. Um 388 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 1: so the play was correct. Mike Brown and his staff 389 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: did a great job of teaching the Nigerians how to 390 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: do that. Um So, yeah, that's that's the rule. Because 391 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: I listen, I went and bet France getting sixteen and 392 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: a half in the opener Frances line up. You know, 393 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: I mean, sixteen and a half for a team has 394 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: just lost to uh To to exhibition games. I don't 395 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: know how in the next two weeks, Joe, dramatically things 396 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,880 Speaker 1: are going to change, do you I mean, do you think. 397 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: I don't expect the losing to continue, but I can't 398 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 1: imagine how all of a sudden in two weeks this 399 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 1: team is going to magically get it together. I just 400 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: I think. I mean, because I was with them in 401 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: China and you could say, well, you know that wasn't 402 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: nearly as good of a roster at this point, and 403 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: I guess that's true. But that's like, you know, pop 404 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: Pop was demanding respect from from me and from US 405 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: for these other teams. Well, if that's the case, then 406 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: I also need to respect the NBA players who went 407 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: on the behalf in the United States and finished in 408 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: seventh um two years ago. And so let's go, let 409 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: me go over that rule for anybody who forgot the 410 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,479 Speaker 1: nineteen World Cup in China, which is everyone. They had Donovan, Mitchell, 411 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: Harrison Barnes, Joe Harris, Um Middleton, Kemba, Walker Tatum who 412 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: barely played Marcus Smart plumb lely. So I guess this 413 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 1: team is a little bit better, but I don't think 414 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: it's demonstrably better, do you? No, right, I don't. And 415 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: and so that's the point is that, like, um, I 416 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: am not gonna say that that I expect the United 417 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: States to willing gold anymore. I think they can, and 418 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: I think they may. But you know, let's say they 419 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: get out, they get out of pool play against a 420 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 1: tough French team and also the Czech Republic, which is 421 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: really good. You know, in the in the medal round, 422 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 1: Luca don Chech could go for forty and beat this 423 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: team on his own. He could. That is sad to 424 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: think about. But I'm a hundred percent with you. I 425 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: don't care how good of a defender Drew Holiday is. 426 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,479 Speaker 1: Luke is gonna get whatever he wants, and he's been 427 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: playing with those guys for a while. Yeah he has 428 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 1: he has, so listen, Like, depending on your point of view, 429 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: this is either gonna be really exciting or really stressful, 430 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,640 Speaker 1: but it's gonna be a very competitive one. The big 431 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: tim Um all right, let me let me go back 432 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: to the Nigeria game. I don't want to sell them short. 433 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 1: They did have seven seven NBA players on the roster 434 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,640 Speaker 1: I counted, but none of them are NBA starters. Okay, 435 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: now Australia, is that accurate? Right? That that is exactly accurate? Well? 436 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: What it depends on what you think about. Come on, 437 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: Delia delil for did get out of here? Um? I 438 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 1: did love him coming out of Duke but U at 439 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: any rate like the Australia team I feel like is 440 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: better now. The scary thing is they didn't even have 441 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 1: Ben Simmons, who is electing to hang out with his 442 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: girlfriend all summer instead of um play basketball for Australia. 443 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: But we haven't talked at France is, like you said, 444 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: pretty good. I'm looking at the Czech Republic roster. I 445 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: don't see any NBA guys, do you, Oh Saturanski, I'm 446 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: sorry I missed. And Yon Vesley, the former Wizard who 447 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,199 Speaker 1: was I think a lottery pick and it was a 448 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: colossal bust. But this is a good get back for him. Yeah. 449 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: And I mean they're like they were solid in China 450 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: and then you know they came through their qualifiers just now. 451 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 1: And it's just people. Basketball is different, and these guys 452 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 1: who are role players at best on these NBA teams, 453 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: they get on their national teams and they play like stars. 454 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: They just do um. You know, like Patty Mills from 455 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: since last night, who he's had a great NBA career, 456 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: but my goodness, like he he shredded at twenty one 457 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: points and like four assists. Um, you know, I don't 458 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: know if he did I don't know how many times 459 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: he did that for the spurs of the season, but 460 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: not many. Yeah, you know, I listen, Damian Lillard is 461 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: an incredible player. He used, you know, an m v 462 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: P candidate. He got destroyed head to head by Patty Mills. No, 463 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: just put it in context. You know, how the hell 464 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: does that happen? Well, I mean Damien, Like, yeah, I 465 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 1: guess he's you know, he's got some liabilities defensively, Um, 466 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: but you know, I think there's also and this is 467 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: kind of the hope to like you could say, like 468 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 1: the way a picture in spring training throws only one 469 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: pitch in in and outing to work on it, or 470 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: like Bill Belichick's Patriots during the preseason. They work on 471 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: one thing and they lose so they get better at it. 472 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: The team us stay switched every single pick and roll in, 473 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 1: every slip screen and all that stuff last night and 474 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: got shredded doing it. So maybe you know that has 475 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: something to do with it, But like that's that's the thing, 476 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: and and that's kind of puts this in context, is that, like, yes, 477 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: Damien struggles defensively, but the margin for air on the 478 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: rest of the team is so small the teams they 479 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: couldn't overcome that. And that's the first time really, I mean, 480 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: at least since you know the oh four debac hole 481 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: um that that we've ever seen that before. Yeah, Joe, 482 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 1: I'm a huge Zach Lavine fan, but he's never played 483 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: a big basketball game in his life. And the idea 484 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: that he's supposed to come off the bench and all 485 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: of a sudden lead a team, I mean, we we 486 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: know he's a combo guard, he's not a pure point 487 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: What are they doing Zach Lavine really your backup point court? Well, well, 488 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: don't keep in mind though, Drew Holiday, who actually is 489 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: the one he's not there? Um. And then but gosh, like, 490 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: and I think some of this speaks to, you know, 491 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: the guys who just said no or got hurt, like 492 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Um. You know when you 493 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,360 Speaker 1: add those three guys who are playing in the finals, 494 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: like you are leaving yourself vulnerable for stuff like what's 495 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 1: happening now. And then also like you put yourself behind 496 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: eight ball as far as getting everybody on the same page. 497 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: Like these three dudes are probably going to join this 498 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: team literally in Tokyo, um and they won't know any 499 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: of the stuff, any of the sets, and they'll be tired, 500 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: and it's just you know, that's gonna be a lot 501 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: to overcome. They could play the French with nine players, 502 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, did this could be a blood bath for 503 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: the US in in Japan. Fox Sports Radio has the 504 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of 505 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within 506 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app search f s R to 507 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: listen live. Alright, a couple more questions real quick, Draymond Green, 508 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: I read your p sitting the Athletic on Draymond Green's 509 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: secrets to a great team USA defense, which is in 510 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: hindsight kind of comical given that couldn't stop a nosebleed 511 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: UH in too opens. Maybe that'll change. But is Draymond 512 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: Green there as a recruiting tool to get Damelloward to 513 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: the Warriors um or or poach someone else because I 514 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: don't know, I think I can't do anything offensively nothing, Well, 515 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, certainly the company line is the Draymond 516 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: It's the first team All defense of NBA player now 517 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 1: at thirty one. UH. Steve Kerr told the team us 518 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 1: s a UH committee for putting the roster together that 519 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: there is no better UM one through five defender in 520 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 1: the league than Draymond as far as being able to 521 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: defend every position. UM. So that's all that is ostensibly 522 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: why he is there now. You know, Steve is also 523 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 1: the coach of the Warriors, and Draymond plays for the Warriors, 524 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: and um, you know, like in additions to like whatever 525 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: recruiting Draymond can do. You know, before the the Australia game, 526 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: it was literally Steve Kerr who was feeding Damian all 527 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: of all of his passes and and and flips for 528 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: Damien's pregame workouts. So these are things that are just 529 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: unavoidable and they're part of the team. USA, lare it 530 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: just happens? And now literally the coach of the Warriors 531 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,679 Speaker 1: gets to work with Dave Willard every single day. That 532 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: is fascinating. Um, I don't know, listen, I'm just spitballing. 533 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: We got a long way to go to free agency. 534 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,439 Speaker 1: But do you see anyway Dame fits on the Warriors 535 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: with Curry Clay Draymond. I mean they their backcourt will 536 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: be a sieve defensively, but nobody plays defense in the 537 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: league anyway now right, maybe it doesn't matter. Well, I mean, 538 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 1: I think we don't know how healthy Clay Thompson is 539 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: going to be, how well he'll be able to move, 540 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: but he I mean he's obviously an excellent defender. Uh, 541 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 1: and Draymond is is still very good obviously first team 542 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: on and b A. I think the question be what 543 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: what did what would they have had to give up 544 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: to get Damien? And then like to then you say, 545 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: now what does the roster look like? But yeah, I 546 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: mean you know, but put those too, I mean they 547 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: are smaller, uh, Stephen and and and uh and Damien, 548 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: So you have some questions there, but I mean two 549 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: of the most dynamic, games changing players that we have 550 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: in the league. Are you surprised Joe Zion Williamson is 551 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: not on this team? Surprised? No? I wish you would 552 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 1: have done it for him, um. I think it would 553 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 1: have been great for him, especially with sort of a 554 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: discontent that either he or his family is experiencing in 555 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: New Orleans and things like that. It would have been 556 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: great to put him around a roster full of players 557 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: who have um enjoyed the success in the league like 558 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: some of these guys have. Is there a reason you 559 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: think he's not here? I mean, we know Auntie Davis 560 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: is hurt. We get that Auntie Davis here would be 561 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: a game changer for this team at both ends. Zion 562 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: could be too. Why isn't he here? You know? I honestly, 563 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: I could speculate, but I don't know, and I don't 564 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: know the answer to that. Um. But you know, he 565 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: lists like his his advisors are his family, and I 566 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: like obviously they had some questions or concerns. It could 567 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: be any number of things. I don't want to speculate, 568 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: but they didn't feel this was right for him, and 569 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: so he didn't do it all right, Joe, I'll spend 570 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: it forward on the final question, do you believe if 571 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: the US does not win gold, we will not see 572 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: NBA players in the Olympics going forward? Will they just 573 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 1: totally revamp the system, say this is run its course. 574 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: We're going to get a bunch of twenty three and 575 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: under guys. We're gonna start building him from high school 576 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: and college, and we're gonna that's going to be our 577 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: foundation as opposed to this NBA t because we don't 578 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: want our our lead getting embarrassed losing. Should we lose 579 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 1: to Iran or something crazy like that happens, that will 580 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: not happen. But could this be the last chance of 581 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: seeing NBA players in the Olympics. No, especially, I mean 582 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 1: for for like a bunch of reasons, but here's one 583 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: for you. Olympics are in Paris. It's one of the 584 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: most beautiful, wonderful cities in the world. Um, there's no way, 585 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: no way the NBA pros would would um reject the 586 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: opportunity to go and hang out and play there two 587 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 1: weeks in the summer. That's that's not happen. Okay, fair 588 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: enough maybe after that, but listen, you don't want to 589 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: be the team. Actually, you want to be the team 590 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: that follows the team that doesn't win gold, because then 591 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: your expectations are low and you can smash everybody, all right, 592 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 1: Joe Vardon great stuff. Try to you know, try not 593 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,400 Speaker 1: to get into pop any issues with him, um, you know, 594 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: and I know he's old in ordinerary. But you do 595 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: a great job. I love your work, and uh enjoy 596 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: Team USA and Japan obviously, Yeah, I enjoyed this. Thanks 597 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: for having me, and thank you for all that