WEBVTT - We Must Protect The Beleaguered Front Office Executives! 0:00:00.800 --> 0:00:18.080 Come on this episode of the Heat Check. 0:00:18.680 --> 0:00:25.040 We talk about the underrepresented, the disenfranchised group of people 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:29.600 who are finally getting some equality in the world. The 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:35.199 NBA front office execs are unionizing folks. It's happening, Thank god, 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:38.560 because who knows who would have taken advantage of them 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:43.280 if they weren't to create a collective union a Sacramento, 0:00:43.320 --> 0:00:46.360 we talk about them. They finally fire Luke Walton and 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:49.400 now what the question is now what? And then thirdly 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:54.319 we delve into an investigation that almost that revealed what 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:58.760 we almost saw, which was the NBA Finals completely shutting 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:02.520 down to me a favored rock and dropped out fucking lead. 0:01:12.920 --> 0:01:16.640 So we talked recently about the dysfunction of the Blazers 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:23.240 organization that led to an investigation into workplace misconduct by 0:01:23.480 --> 0:01:27.840 one neil o'she who it still has a job and 0:01:27.959 --> 0:01:32.280 the investigation is still ongoing. There has been some recent 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:36.960 developments about this well. First and foremost, Trailblazer's president and 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:42.560 CEO Chris McGowan, in the midst of all this, recently 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:45.480 resigned from his position his post. He had been there 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:47.760 ten plus years. He had been there the exact same 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:52.680 amount of time as neil o'she huge surprise. By all accounts, 0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:55.160 everybody loved him. He was given a ton of power 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:58.760 from Paul Allen, and then when Paul Allen passed away, 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:02.800 rip Paul Allen, Jody Allen, his sister. He was set 0:02:02.800 --> 0:02:06.400 to take on a bigger, more important role within the organization. 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:10.920 And apparently now he said, hey, my resignation has nothing 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:17.520 to do with the Olshane investigation whatsoever. Sure, sure, Okay 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:20.600 McGowan was in the last year of his contract. Since 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.080 he started the same year as Olshay, people are one 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:25.800 hundred percent going to think that the two things are related. 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.000 Even if they're not. He might move on to greener pastures. 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:31.200 Who knows. Maybe there were some things that were going 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:32.880 on with this role that had nothing to do with 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:35.440 Neil o'sha being kind of an asshole and putting a 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:37.760 negative stain onto his reputation. He's like, I gotta go. 0:02:38.000 --> 0:02:42.760 But maybe maybe had nothing to do with that. Maybe Apparently, though, 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:46.799 this investigation into the Blazer's workplace environment, along with the 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:51.080 Robert Sarver investigation, I'm sure, has a whole lot of 0:02:51.520 --> 0:02:57.920 NBA front office execs scared, running scared, making moves like 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:02.440 little rats in the corners, shifting around, scurrying around like 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:05.520 when you turn the lights on your How scared you 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:10.600 may ask, Well, apparently there is a new push to 0:03:10.840 --> 0:03:15.440 expedite the creation of an NBA can't make this stuff 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:20.919 up an NBA Front office employees union because they are 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:25.800 worried that teams are going to start using such allegations 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:29.720 like hostile workplace environments and ramp at sexism and racism 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:36.200 as being four cause terminations where those contracts will immediately 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:40.280 be avoided in those gms will get no money. Really, huh, 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:45.320 you don't say. According to ESPN, NBA general managers are 0:03:45.400 --> 0:03:49.480 working to finalize the formation of a professional association that 0:03:49.600 --> 0:03:55.120 would collectively support executives with access to legal defense funds 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:59.360 because they don't have enough money themselves, lawyer referrals, and 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:05.920 public relations professionals to help basically prevent any blowback to 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:10.080 stain their own reputations for possible shitty things that they've done. 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:16.400 Why now, you may ask, COVID Mostly COVID because revenue 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:20.600 is way down. There are NBA executives who are afraid 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:25.960 that Portland is creating a precedent a blueprint to invoke 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:33.600 firing four cause to avoid payment on big money contracts. Imagine, 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:38.240 if you will, if Sacramento could find some way to 0:04:38.360 --> 0:04:41.680 fire Luke Walton for cause where they wouldn't have to 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.400 pay him out his contract, how fast do you think 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:45.320 he would have been fired? How fast do you think 0:04:45.320 --> 0:04:48.279 some sexual investigation would have been going on into him? 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:50.200 Which I mean, I think that already happened, by the way, 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:53.880 I think that happened. I google it. I think it 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:58.359 happened again. The question is why will these same NBA 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:02.200 executives point out that over the nine years in Portland, 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.880 the NBA has received quote no calls to the league 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:13.040 office or tips to its hotline alleging workplace complaints against 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:18.920 oshe huh. Nor has the Blazer's HR department received any 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:25.599 complaints until recent quote unquote recent weeks. Excuse me, excuse me. 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:28.960 This all leads me to a point about something I've 0:05:29.000 --> 0:05:32.000 been thinking about since this story came out last week. 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:34.960 Can we talk about the elephant in the room here, 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:38.440 because it's been weighing on my mind and I feel 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:41.440 I need, as a voice of reason to come out 0:05:41.480 --> 0:05:45.159 and say some things. Can you just come with me 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:50.520 to this place. Imagine that you yourself have been working within 0:05:50.839 --> 0:05:52.680 the NBA front office ranks. Maybe you went to like 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.640 Wichita State, trying to get your feet wet, and you 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:59.760 find yourself in with the Portland Trailblazers. You're maybe like 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:03.840 a a scout, right, your little assistant scout. You're just 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.120 starting out, You're just a baby in the game, and 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:10.120 you discover that in your early goings that the workplace 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:16.200 environment is how we say, unsavory, less than ideal, not 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:21.799 quite toxic, but not clean water, not quite flint water, 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:26.919 but definitely not like Portland or New York water, like 0:06:27.279 --> 0:06:30.320 DC water, Like it tastes like shit, but you and 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.919 you know there's something wrong with it, but you can't 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:37.760 exactly point out why. Who exactly do you complain to? 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:43.000 Like you go to the anonymous NBA tip line, like 0:06:43.080 --> 0:06:46.200 be serious, like ringing ring ring. Uh yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:49.320 this is trusted Creek. I'd like to speak with Adam Silver. 0:06:50.240 --> 0:06:53.200 Who are you? Yeah, yeah, I'm an NBA assistant scout 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.480 for Portland Trail Basers. I've been here for sixty days. 0:06:55.480 --> 0:07:01.040 I'd like to report to some malfeasans like click excuse me, 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:03.960 I'd like to report my GM for saying some mean 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:07.599 things to me When I told them that Jonathan Kaminga 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:12.800 had a nasty left hand, he called me a fucking idiot. Who, Like, 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:16.360 who do you think these people have access to? Like, oh, 0:07:16.400 --> 0:07:19.240 we haven't heard any complaints against Neil O'Shea in the 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:21.600 nine years that he's been there. Like, who are these 0:07:21.760 --> 0:07:24.800 people these cogs in the wheel supposed to be going 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:28.400 and complaining too? Right? Like do you think that these 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:31.400 people have access to those that are in power? Like? 0:07:31.480 --> 0:07:34.920 Who are these people you're supposed to hit up? It's 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.120 not the GM. Hey, Neil, just want to let you know. 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:40.200 I'd like to put a little piece of paper into 0:07:40.240 --> 0:07:42.800 the tip box. I think you were mean to me 0:07:42.920 --> 0:07:45.400 last Tuesday when I brought my tuna fish sandwich in 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:49.240 and you said my breathsteaks, Like what are we talking 0:07:49.240 --> 0:07:52.600 about here? Like these people are just cogs in the wheel. 0:07:52.600 --> 0:07:58.800 They're easily replaceable, expendable, a normal everyday bolt. You could 0:07:58.840 --> 0:08:01.560 pick up the ACE hardware. You're what's special? Just fucking 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:07.160 there's a million of you waiting in line, just salivating 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:09.680 over the chance to work for an NBA team. No, 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:12.960 so you just put up with some shits. You're not 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:15.559 gonna complain You're gonna put up with some shit until 0:08:15.640 --> 0:08:20.000 you don't have to anymore. Everyone, though, starts out as 0:08:20.000 --> 0:08:23.720 a bolt, everyone just an every day bolt, turning into 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:28.240 Eric Spolstra, Like Eric Spolstra was the video coord that 0:08:28.280 --> 0:08:31.760 one gotta good, that one gotta going the Eric Spostra 0:08:32.040 --> 0:08:35.320 was a video coordinator at one point in time. Do 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:36.960 you think people thought he was gonna be one of 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:44.440 the most highly respected NBA coaches in modern memory. No, 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:48.200 So there is no incentive if you're an everyday little 0:08:48.200 --> 0:08:51.800 bolt to be truthful about these things. There's no way 0:08:52.040 --> 0:08:56.000 to be honest about these types of things in an 0:08:56.160 --> 0:09:01.280 environment which has no protections for whistle blow like it is, 0:09:02.080 --> 0:09:05.640 does not behoove you to say a peep. This is 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:10.000 why not a few, but apparently dozens of employees came 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:13.480 out all at the same time, just mysteriously. When Robert 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:16.720 Sarva came under investigation, it was like a waterfall came 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:21.240 down of complaints. Because once enough people are there, then 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:25.120 you feel brave. Bravery is not easy when you're the 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:30.160 only ones saying anything like they talk about Uh, trailblazers 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:32.600 are the ones with the arrows in their fucking backs, 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:35.600 like you don't want to be those people, you know 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.560 what I'm saying, Like, that's why the old shat probe 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:41.240 took all of twenty four hours to escalate into a 0:09:41.320 --> 0:09:45.040 full scale investigation, because you talk to a couple people 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:48.880 and you're like, oh shit, yep, so here's the thing. 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:53.520 I am sure there's more than a few toxic environments 0:09:53.520 --> 0:09:56.800 in the NBA. I'm sure how long did Donald Sterling 0:09:56.880 --> 0:09:59.760 exist before? I mean, how you think that was just 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:03.199 new new news like this? He just woke up one 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:05.719 day and was like, I am gonna start being a slumlord. 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:08.360 I'm gonna start dropping the end bob to my side piece. 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:12.320 Like no, no, this had been going on, right, Like 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:17.200 we needed video evidence for this thing to become a 0:10:17.240 --> 0:10:20.640 full scale gotta get this guy out of here twenty 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:23.400 twenty one. It is a different world, boy, And the 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:29.640 NBA is full of machismo, right, and vulnerability is lucked 0:10:29.720 --> 0:10:33.559 down upon. There is a ton of competition. You have 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:35.800 to put up with so much shit just to be 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:40.679 in that place. Like think about you know Gerson rosis 0:10:40.720 --> 0:10:45.000 in Minnesota, Like so many of these front office employees 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:48.640 were athletes themselves, and they were like running suicides until 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:51.040 they threw up. They're like, oh, well, I was put 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:54.040 in to like one hundred and one degree like tool 0:10:54.080 --> 0:10:56.600 shed when I missed three free throws at the end 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:59.520 of the game against you know, Portland State. But like 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:02.240 I can put up with someone calling my breath smell 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:05.560 like hot pickled pigs feet, Like what's that? You know? 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:07.680 At least I didn't at least I didn't have to 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:12.400 like sit into a like a sauna. These guys played 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:15.960 for guys like Bobby Knight, like neil o'sha is nothing. 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:20.440 Neil O'Shane is a dream. My college coach was way 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:23.520 worse than that, Like what do you mean toxic work environment? 0:11:23.559 --> 0:11:26.560 Like what do you mean, oh, just because no one's complained, 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:30.079 nothing's going on, Like and on top of that, like, 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:32.920 let's talk about this union we got it to I mean, 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:37.120 are you serious? Like they don't need a union. Do 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:40.560 you know who needs a union? Walmart workers need a union. 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:47.160 Unions protect employees from predatory instincts of their employers who 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:52.439 tried it always take advantage of underprivileged, underserved, voiceless workers 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.480 who make like seven dollars an hour, people who do 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:58.040 not get paid enough, people who have to work under 0:11:58.080 --> 0:12:02.880 extreme working conditions. People cannot lobby to protect themselves. Right, 0:12:03.480 --> 0:12:06.679 They need a union because they will be fired as 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:08.600 soon as they try to speak up from themselves. They 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:11.280 are the voiceless. They need a union. You know who 0:12:11.280 --> 0:12:16.640 doesn't need a union? People with ten year long contracts. 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:20.679 We will make millions of dollars who normally when fired 0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:24.120 right off into the sunset with a fat fucking check. 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:28.640 Those people, they don't need a unionized like they now. 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:34.360 These fuckers are working over time to keep doing everything 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:37.840 that they can to keep those parachutes, those golden, golden 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:42.000 parachutes intact. Because that's how it's always been. It doesn't 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:45.760 fucking matter if you berate your secretary or tell her 0:12:45.800 --> 0:12:48.560 she looks good in that tight ass skirt or called 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:51.680 John from Accounting an incombinent piece of shit, like no, 0:12:52.040 --> 0:12:54.520 if you get fired, you get paid. That's the way 0:12:54.520 --> 0:12:58.720 it goes. NBA front office execs, they don't need a 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:01.880 fucking union like they don't. The funny thing, though, is 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:05.000 that this is all coming up after they looked into 0:13:05.080 --> 0:13:10.120 neil o'shay. Because neil o'sha had tenure, lifetime tenure. Jody 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:12.280 Allen was never gonna fire in Neil o'she and by 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:14.800 the way, Neil o'sha is terrible at his job period, 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:19.320 Like that is not a debate. He's not good and 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.120 he's been in the good graces of an owner and 0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:24.840 the owner's now sister who's largely completely hands off, and 0:13:24.920 --> 0:13:27.319 it's gonna take an investigation like this for him to 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:30.400 lose his job. And now everyone's like, oh fuck. If 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:35.560 Neil Snake Tongue O Shay can get fired, all of 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:39.320 us can be fired. And if he doesn't get any money, 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:44.319 none of us are getting money. Come on, now, come 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.280 on now, so let's form a union to get defense 0:13:47.360 --> 0:13:52.199 funds to protect us so that no matter how egregious 0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:55.160 our behavior is, in order for us to get out, 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:57.920 in order for you to show us the door, you 0:13:58.000 --> 0:14:00.560 need to pay us our fucking gwop. Like that's the 0:14:00.640 --> 0:14:06.600 deal that shit is. It is ridiculous. The lengths that 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:11.480 millionaires will go to make sure to protect themselves and 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:16.520 they're fucking millionaire friends to make sure they all stay paid. 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:19.600 It never ceases to amaze me. Man, Like they are out, 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.239 I mean, the things that they will do, the excuses 0:14:23.280 --> 0:14:26.000 that they will make, like they're like, oh, well, these 0:14:26.040 --> 0:14:29.960 owners you know, we gotta basically say, hey, these owners, 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:32.560 they're the real bad guys, like we are the little guys. 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:35.240 They are the big. Get the fuck out here a 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:41.520 union for allegedly shitty and incompetent employees, most of them 0:14:41.640 --> 0:14:44.280 that are mediocre at their job, to stay paid no 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:47.120 matter what they do. Get the fuck out of here. 0:14:47.400 --> 0:14:50.960 Fuck your union, Fuck your couch like I'm gonna put 0:14:50.960 --> 0:14:53.680 my little feet all over your couch and put my 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:57.680 mud all over if are you serious? I cannot wait 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:00.960 to see how this sends. I can wait, Mi am 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:03.320 on the edge of my seat. I tell you what. 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:07.440 If GM's actually fuck around and successfully form a union 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:13.040 to absolve them from what we're finally seeing as a 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:17.800 baby semblance of accountability. Only when there's video evidence and 0:15:18.000 --> 0:15:22.120 a mountain of employee complaints and you still stay paid 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:26.600 and protected, Holy shit, are we in for a hell 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:39.600 of a ride only We'll talk about this last week, 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.040 But you know who has been broke for a long 0:15:42.080 --> 0:15:45.040 ass time in Sacramento. They have been a broke ass, 0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:47.800 poverty ass franchise for a very long time, and they 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:52.600 needed fixing. So last week I was on ESPN Sacramento 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:56.320 with Damien Barley Barling and Kenny Carway to talk about 0:15:56.320 --> 0:16:01.240 the Kings fun conversation. They basically knew exactly what I knew, 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:03.560 which is this guy Luke Walton, he's gotta go, He's 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:06.600 gotta go. They follow the Kings like a religion. When 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:09.080 a nice little banter, you know, if you're in Sacramento, 0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:10.960 I mean, what else do you talk about? Truthfully, no 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:14.600 shade to Damien and Kenny, but like it's that's it, right, 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:17.040 there's anything else going on there? I don't know. So 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:22.920 we said, no way, Luke Walton is the King's coach tomorrow, right, 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.520 Like I knew they were losing games. We talked about 0:16:25.520 --> 0:16:28.040 and I'm like, yo, he's gotta go. Right, So this 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:31.480 is what I tweeted. Went on ESPN Sacramento Today with 0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:34.200 the host Damien Barling and I Am k Diddy and 0:16:34.720 --> 0:16:37.400 said the exact same thing. No reason that the King 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:39.640 should be getting their doors blown off tonight with the 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:43.040 talent that they have. And let me tell you, I 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:46.440 have never seen someone come after me for such an 0:16:46.480 --> 0:16:50.240 innocuous and completely factual take Like that wasn't even a 0:16:50.240 --> 0:16:52.760 hot take. That was a nice statement about the Kings 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:56.200 having good pieces and not needing to lose and not 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:59.560 needing to lose in this fashion, and their coach was 0:17:00.320 --> 0:17:05.240 culpable of that fact, right, culpable. I won't give his 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:07.600 handle out, but I think it might have been Luke 0:17:07.640 --> 0:17:10.720 Walton's burner like truthfully, the way that he was speaking, 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:15.320 he tweeted this with all due respect, your opinion is 0:17:15.640 --> 0:17:18.760 the complete opposite of every reporter that covers this team 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:20.720 on a day to day basis, and almost all national 0:17:20.800 --> 0:17:25.040 NBA reporters. Okay, Luke, like Okay Luke that it was 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:29.200 Luke right. An insane thing to say, considering that both 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.000 Damien and Kenny one hundred percent agreed with me that 0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:34.119 Luke Walton needed to go. Luke Wald's need to go 0:17:34.160 --> 0:17:37.200 for years, which is that they have too much talent 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:41.879 to be fucking around blowing huge leads, looking completely inconsistent, 0:17:42.400 --> 0:17:44.960 sometimes great, sometimes not great, and not even sniffing the 0:17:44.960 --> 0:17:49.080 playoffs pretty much every year. And then I responded to him, 0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:51.720 which is just the fact that this is a segment now, 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:55.240 which is what that Luke Walton isn't to blame for 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:58.359 the four guard lineup that allows posing centers to feast 0:17:58.600 --> 0:18:02.160 that Davion Tyres Gylliburton, Buddy Heal, Harrison and Fox are 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:05.359 just scrubs that they are the ones to blame. I 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:08.320 listen and read. I mean if you think I'm not 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:11.240 listening and reading, uh, it's time to clean house. And 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:13.919 then he doubled down and he will actually me. He 0:18:14.080 --> 0:18:17.000 was like, well, actually they play a three guard lineup, 0:18:17.040 --> 0:18:20.600 not a four guard None of the players you noted 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:24.000 are an All Star. Pause. Yeah, nobody that plays on 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:26.119 the Kings, no matter how good they are, is gonna 0:18:26.119 --> 0:18:29.679 be an All Star. Like but fucking Boogie Cousins, one 0:18:29.680 --> 0:18:33.880 of the most dominant big men in NBA history, barely 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:36.040 made the All Star Game and they shipped him the 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:41.040 fuck out And many of them have struggled offensive late 0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:44.199 to start the season. No shit, they're all four guards 0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:46.240 playing on the court at the same time. Like, what 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:47.520 do you think they're gonna all be able to get 0:18:47.520 --> 0:18:51.360 their shot off? There's no mismatches? Are you serious? It's 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:54.800 like you no shit? Anyway, this team has only projected 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.199 to be the tenth or eleventh and the standings, what 0:18:57.320 --> 0:18:59.879 have you been reading that? This is a indicating that 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:03.520 this was a playoff roster pause. Calves were also indicated 0:19:03.560 --> 0:19:05.560 to be an eleven seed and see what they're doing. 0:19:06.800 --> 0:19:09.679 He even denied the fact to me that Harrison Barnes 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:13.360 was a two guard when I set him an article 0:19:13.440 --> 0:19:18.359 screenshot that headline said, Harrison Barnes struggles to adapt to 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:22.680 play two in the NBA. Like, what are we talking about? People? 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:25.560 What are we saying? People will just go to any 0:19:25.640 --> 0:19:27.719 lengths to make a woman sound wrong on the internet. 0:19:27.880 --> 0:19:31.480 They really will. Anyway, My points stands. Luke Walton was 0:19:31.520 --> 0:19:34.280 a trash coach, and I predicted if he lost two 0:19:34.280 --> 0:19:37.000 more games, he would be fired. And guess what, Luke 0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:39.600 Walton here on a Monday, and on a Tuesday his 0:19:39.680 --> 0:19:42.320 asses fired. I said, watch your butt, Luke, and his 0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:45.439 butt is now sitting on a couch. His butt is 0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:50.160 now chilling at the crib. His butt is now probably 0:19:50.240 --> 0:19:52.240 headed to the Lakers bench, to the Warriors bench to 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:54.240 sit there. Because he came there and he was okay there. 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:56.960 That's not to say that he was unpopular with the team. 0:19:57.119 --> 0:19:59.479 He wasn't. Tyrese Haliburton had very nice things to say 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.440 about Luke all accounts a decent guy. I just don't 0:20:03.440 --> 0:20:04.800 think he's a very good coach. That's what he said, 0:20:05.560 --> 0:20:10.640 he said very nice, flowery things, but Alvin Gentry. Alvin 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:14.560 Gentry has been named the semi interim head coach. In 0:20:14.640 --> 0:20:18.800 a WOJE reporting, Wolj bomb Gentry. This is what he said. 0:20:19.040 --> 0:20:23.119 Gentry is already under contract through the two twenty three season. 0:20:23.960 --> 0:20:28.880 He gets a raise, why, I don't know, to take 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:33.440 the interim job and agreement on some benchmarks of success 0:20:33.600 --> 0:20:35.560 the rest of the season with the team to try 0:20:35.600 --> 0:20:41.480 and keep the job longer. John Hollinger wrote this about 0:20:41.520 --> 0:20:45.320 Alvin Gentry. Alvin Gentry is you can tell in my tone, 0:20:45.320 --> 0:20:47.080 I don't believe this at all. He is one of 0:20:47.160 --> 0:20:50.000 the most beloved people in the league. He's worked for 0:20:50.160 --> 0:20:53.240 darn near every team in the league. He's a retread. Obviously, 0:20:53.240 --> 0:20:55.679 that means he's a retread, and you'll have trouble finding 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:57.919 many people with anything bad to say about him. He's 0:20:57.920 --> 0:21:00.560 also pretty much seen everything this league has to He 0:21:00.600 --> 0:21:03.639 worked for Donald Sterling's Clippers, so nothing that happens in 0:21:03.720 --> 0:21:06.359 Sacramento is likely to face him. What you're trying to 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:09.679 say there is that he has been so unsuccessful that 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:13.480 he's bounced around like a journeyman, and that he's worked 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:17.600 for dysfunctional teams that largely stayed dysfunctional in his tenure 0:21:17.720 --> 0:21:19.560 on those teams. He is one of those people, those 0:21:19.560 --> 0:21:22.919 little bolts that doesn't speak about the shit that's going on. 0:21:23.119 --> 0:21:26.040 That's him. And he got a head coaching gig and 0:21:26.080 --> 0:21:31.879 he failed at that head coaching gig multiple times. Uh so, Yeah, 0:21:31.920 --> 0:21:33.639 he got into a fight with the GM of the 0:21:33.680 --> 0:21:38.000 New Orleans Pelicans recently because the Pelicans GM clowned him 0:21:38.119 --> 0:21:40.000 for giving him all the answers to the test and 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:43.800 his ass still not knowing how to solve the problem. 0:21:44.280 --> 0:21:46.119 And this guy is the interim head coach with a 0:21:46.119 --> 0:21:50.399 new fucking race. These guys, more things changed, more things 0:21:50.440 --> 0:21:55.000 to stay the same. You're in. Fox himself does not 0:21:55.160 --> 0:21:58.560 expect the Kings to have a big overhaul due to 0:21:58.600 --> 0:22:00.720 the change from Luke Walton Viele Gentry and that is 0:22:00.760 --> 0:22:04.040 a shame, I tell you what. And he emphasized finishing 0:22:04.080 --> 0:22:07.960 plays and getting out to good starts. So what happened 0:22:08.000 --> 0:22:11.760 folks first game? In their first game under Gentry against 0:22:11.760 --> 0:22:15.160 the Sixers, the Kings were three and a half point 0:22:15.240 --> 0:22:22.119 favorites against the Sixers without Tobias Harris, no mb'd of course, 0:22:22.160 --> 0:22:26.439 no Ben Simmons. No, Danny Green and I hammered the Kings. 0:22:26.760 --> 0:22:30.119 I knew dead cats. They don't bounce that high. No, 0:22:30.280 --> 0:22:33.560 they don't. The Kings led by nine early in the 0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:37.440 fourth quarter, but guess what, folks, they were outscored twenty 0:22:37.640 --> 0:22:40.000 five to eight over the final nine minutes forty five seconds. 0:22:40.040 --> 0:22:43.840 So yes, nothing changed. Nothing. That's exactly what the Kings 0:22:43.880 --> 0:22:46.400 have been doing. This is what I'm saying. I don't 0:22:46.400 --> 0:22:48.000 know why they get these big leads and then they 0:22:48.000 --> 0:22:51.119 give them up. But I don't know. It can't just 0:22:51.160 --> 0:22:54.600 be the player's fault for that. These are professional athletes. 0:22:55.080 --> 0:22:58.560 So gentry got its first chance to talk about what's 0:22:58.600 --> 0:23:02.280 going wrong with the Kings. That's what he said. Uh 0:23:02.359 --> 0:23:06.200 quote bottom line, you have to step up and make shots. 0:23:06.240 --> 0:23:09.720 Pause pause. He's already put in the blame on the players, 0:23:09.760 --> 0:23:13.280 isn't he. We got some good looks at it, and 0:23:13.320 --> 0:23:16.120 we didn't make them. That's where we've struggled. We played 0:23:16.160 --> 0:23:18.040 a team that had a lot of their starters missing, 0:23:18.080 --> 0:23:21.439 and we didn't get the job done. Oh my god, 0:23:21.680 --> 0:23:25.520 Once again, Tristan Thompson, the voice of reason. Let's see 0:23:25.520 --> 0:23:26.600 what he has to say. 0:23:26.800 --> 0:23:29.240 Everyone's gotta get a reality check. You gotta just have 0:23:29.359 --> 0:23:31.640 more toughness and grit, like you know, playing a little 0:23:31.640 --> 0:23:35.040 too nice, Gotta get a little nasty, Gotta hit the 0:23:35.119 --> 0:23:37.840 motherfuck on the floor, Gotta make someone feel you, you 0:23:37.880 --> 0:23:40.919 know what I'm saying, Like Frich to get hit like 0:23:40.960 --> 0:23:45.120 that in his eye playing hard, someone's gotta go set 0:23:45.280 --> 0:23:47.320 set a legal screen or a backpick on someone to 0:23:47.359 --> 0:23:49.480 feel that, you know what I'm saying, Like Rich, he 0:23:49.680 --> 0:23:52.000 he punches the clock in that kid works, he's got 0:23:52.000 --> 0:23:54.800 better every year for this, for this team and this franchise. 0:23:55.240 --> 0:23:57.560 And he gets hit and Diye has a bus to die. 0:23:57.560 --> 0:23:59.160 But no one, you know, no one gets a hard 0:23:59.200 --> 0:24:01.000 foul or makes someone feel them, you know what I'm saying, 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:04.280 Like that's the little things like can't be nice in 0:24:04.359 --> 0:24:07.800 this league. Can't be nice nice teams always always finished last, 0:24:07.880 --> 0:24:10.520 or or get excited about the lottery balls. So all 0:24:10.560 --> 0:24:12.600 these all these guys here that on this roster, they 0:24:12.600 --> 0:24:14.399 don't want to lose, They don't want to lose, they 0:24:14.440 --> 0:24:16.240 want to win. But we all got to look in 0:24:16.280 --> 0:24:19.159 the mirror and get one percent better. Everyone, everyone, everyone 0:24:19.160 --> 0:24:22.840 that steps in this building to work has to look 0:24:22.840 --> 0:24:25.320 and see how can they get better because right now 0:24:25.359 --> 0:24:27.720 it's it's it's not a good feeling. We're not where 0:24:27.720 --> 0:24:30.400 we want to be. So it takes everyone. Everyone's got 0:24:30.400 --> 0:24:33.240 to be better, and everyone's gotta be realed themselves, be 0:24:33.440 --> 0:24:36.400