1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 1: Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at 5 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every 6 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: or FSR. 8 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 2: This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver 9 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 2: on Fox Sports Radio. 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: Here we go. It is Tuesday. We are live in Chicago. 11 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: It's the Herd wherever you may be and however you 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: may be listening or watching. Thanks for making us part 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: of your day. Nick Right one hour, Alexi Lawless one 14 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: hundred days out from the World Cup here in the States. 15 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: So fourteen thousand, five hundred people is a lot of 16 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: people to have in a survey all fifty states. The 17 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: Athletic Today's survey of fourteen thousand, five hundred sports fans, 18 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: and they asked them about baseball. Are you enthusiastic, hopeful, indifferent, disappointed, upset? 19 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: And four percent of people are upset. They'd be upset 20 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: if it was seventy four and Blue Skies tomorrow. There's 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 1: just a small percentage of very cranky people who aren't 22 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: happy unless are unhappy. But the remarkable thing about the 23 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: survey is sixty seven percent of baseball fans today are 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: enthusiastic and hopeful. That is triple when this survey was 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: done in twenty twenty two. They don't do it every year, 26 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 1: so before the Dodgers dynasty was created, the sport gave 27 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: American sports fans an entirely different vibe. They are more enthusiastic. 28 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: Is the Dodgers feel like they're pulling away. Should be 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: noted that Dodgers needed seven games to win the World 30 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: Series over a Canadian and we're mostly outplayed for the 31 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: World Series. Dodgers also lead in road attendants, so even 32 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: if they're not your stars, you like paying to watch 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: the Dodgers second in road attendants. The playoff Chicago Cubs 34 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: a very big brand who have elevated and added to 35 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: their roster. They should be better next year. So the 36 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: Cubs and the Dodgers are winning a lot and everybody 37 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: is almost entirely happier, three times more happy than three 38 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: years ago. So what's hurting baseball? And what hurts any store, 39 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: any industry is lousy. What hurts baseball is the a's 40 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: and the Marlins and the White Sox and the cruddy 41 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: Cardinals and the Pirates. You put those products in the store, 42 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: that hurts the store. The stores never hurt with the 43 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: best bakery in town or the best produce in town. 44 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: And the Dodgers are an all star team. And what 45 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: this I mean? You can't let Cincinnati and Saint Louis 46 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 1: economies limit everybody else. That's a mandami. Feel like there's 47 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: a bottom ten percent of everything, but not getting in 48 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: the way. And Baseball's improved for a couple of reasons. 49 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: Number one, they made necessary changes universal dh pitch clock, 50 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: defensive shift. They made necessary changes that I wish for 51 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: the record the NBA would do. And they have not 52 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: gotten in the way of great They have not gotten 53 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: in the way I mean, think about it. If you 54 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: had a salary cap. It's not like suddenly the Cardinals 55 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: would have all this money or players would want to 56 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: play in Cincinnati. Let them go where they want to go. 57 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: They want to go to the Mets and the Padres. 58 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: Right now, you have like seven excellent teams one in Canada, 59 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: the Blue Jays, the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Astros if 60 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: they're healthy, the Brewers, the Mariners were great, the Phillies, 61 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: the Padres Atlanta should be better so And for the record, 62 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: in the last ten years, half of the sport has 63 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: at least gotten to a World Series, proving if you're 64 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: well run, you will get there. But I think a 65 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: lot of the negative discussion about the Dodgers is jealousy 66 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: number one. But it's also this fatalistic nature to society. 67 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: Like I've been hearing for the last month sports section, 68 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: sports journalism is dead. Well, that's funny because I read 69 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: The Athletic for at least forty five minutes a day, 70 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: and I see sports journalism all the time. I hear 71 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: it with Pablo Torre's podcast, I read it all day 72 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: on substack. I see it with Jeremy Fowler and others 73 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 1: at ESPN. I see sports journalism everywhere as much as 74 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. Well, what about local sports pages. They've 75 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: been circling the drain since the late nineties because of Craigslist. 76 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: Like I can remember a decade or so ago going 77 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: to Birmingham, Michigan opening up the Detroit Free Press, a 78 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: legendary paper, and it had the depth of a in 79 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: and out burger menu. It was like seven items onto obituaries. 80 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: Local sports sections have been dying forever. Doesn't mean all 81 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: sports journalism is dead. And I mean I hear about 82 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: these fatalists with college sports. I'm watching college basketball this year. 83 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: Michigan's Great, Duke's Great, Carolina, Arizona, Florida, I know, Yukon, Gonzaga. 84 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: It's all the blue bloods. They're all good. Where's the problem. 85 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: I'm watching college football? All the college ratings up, up, 86 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: revenue up, attendants up, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Texas, Miami. 87 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: Where's the nil problem? There's just fatalists everywhere. And my 88 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: take on the Dodgers have been sure, there's going to 89 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: be envy, but they lead baseball and rode to tenants 90 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: and the Cubs or second. I think the Yankees are third. 91 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: I mean, if I own you remember, streamers and TV 92 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 1: networks don't have an obligation to televise everybody. They generally 93 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: televised my entire life since I was a kid. The 94 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: top eight or nine teams when I was a kid 95 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: growing up in the seventies. You know who was on 96 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: all the time. The Cincinnati Reds with Johnny Bench and 97 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: Pete Rose and the Dodgers with the Garvey and the 98 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: Lopes and Ron Say and Bill Russell and Tommy Lust sorta. 99 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: And that was late seventies and eighties or thereabouts. And 100 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: then it was the Pittsburgh Pirates had Dave Parker and 101 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: Willie starge On in the Phillies had Mike shit Schmid 102 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: excuse me, and Greg Lisinski and it was all the 103 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: same teams. I didn't ever see the Milwaukee Brewers of 104 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Twins on TV networks back in the seventies 105 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: and eighties. Phillies and the Pirates, you know, the Dodgers 106 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: and the Reds and the Royals had Brett Saberhagen and 107 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: the amos Otis and Freddie Podtak and take a deep breath. 108 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: Sports journalism isn't entirely dead. The platforms have change that 109 00:06:55,200 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: comes from different areas. And baseball's fine because if you 110 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: are a big market Philadelphia, the product's great. Toronto Yankees, Dodgers, 111 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: Astros of healthy Padres, they're putting a good product on television. 112 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: All take like eight stacked rosters and not worry about 113 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: the bottom eight percent of the sport or bottom twelve 114 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: percent for the record, The Guardians were good. The Brewers 115 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: are excellent, the Mariners were excellent. Those are considered like 116 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: small market teams. It's hard for me from the Northwest. 117 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: I think of Seattle as small market. That feels kind 118 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: of big to me. And Microsoft and Starbucks and downtown 119 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: and the waterfront and but you know, in baseball maybe 120 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: it is. But here's Dave Roberts, Dodger manager. And if 121 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: the Dodgers product, if it's bad for baseball. 122 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: You know, you always have to have somebody to teams 123 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 3: and fans, you know, enjoy disliking, and that's good for sports. 124 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 3: I think I was one of those guys that didn't 125 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 3: like the Yankees. Saw all their value with the sports 126 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 3: I think scouting and played of them. I think we 127 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 3: do as good as anyone in baseball of that. To 128 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 3: get superstars to play well every night, to put out 129 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 3: a good product every single night, I think we'd do 130 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 3: a good job at that. 131 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, just fine, lead the sport in road attendance, cub 132 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: second Yankees up there. Better the product, the more good products, 133 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: the more stacked rosters, the better it is. Okay, So 134 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:32,559 Speaker 1: I like Rich Paul Lebron's agent. Interesting guy. He's a 135 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: very powerful guy in the NBA. But we showed you 136 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: a video yesterday of Luca and JJ Reddick Saturday night 137 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: against the Warriors having a confrontation on the sideline and 138 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,839 Speaker 1: JJ Reddick tried to talk to him, Luca blew him off. 139 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: Reddick chased him down the bench, grabbed his arm, sat 140 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: there and kind of got into his grill, and it 141 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: was pretty clearly a confrontation and JJ Reddick wasn't let 142 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: him walk by him and blow him off. He came down, 143 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: looked him in the eye, did some barking, and then 144 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: left and then Luca got up and Vanderbilt jumps in 145 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: the middle. Rich Paul says that is very healthy for 146 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: the relationship here. 147 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 3: He is. 148 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 4: That leads to a healthy relationship because that means that 149 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 4: there's a profound respect for the player, and there should 150 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 4: be a profound respect for the coach, and I think 151 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 4: it ultimately ultimately leads to a healthy relationship. 152 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 5: When things happen in. 153 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 6: Such a media robust environment that we're looking for the 154 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 6: drama of it all, and we want to talk about 155 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 6: the drama of it all, but the reality of it is, Hey, 156 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 6: these guys are getting paid a lot of money to 157 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 6: do a high level job. 158 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, totally disagree. NBA is a star driven lead. KD 159 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: got his feelings hurt, left Golden State. Lebron didn't like 160 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 1: David Blatt. David Black got fired. Lebron had his issues 161 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: with Spoe, a great coach, He left Miami and didn't 162 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: even give Boston d Wade heads up. Magic and Paul 163 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: Westhead famously didn't get along. Magic got him fired. Rick 164 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: Carlyle didn't see eyed eye with Luca's lack of defensive effort. 165 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: Rick Carlyle was excused. This is a star driven league. 166 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 1: It's totally different. In football. Andy Reid and Travis Kelsey 167 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: can go chest to chess and Jeff's Saturday and Peyton 168 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 1: Manning can scream at each other, and Josh McDaniels and 169 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: Tom Brady can scream at each other, and Ben Johnson 170 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: could be ticked off at Caleb Williams and Sean Payton 171 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: and bow Nicks on the sideline are barking at each other. 172 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 7: And it's. 173 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: Fine in football because football's not star driven. The football 174 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: culture doesn't pander the football culture. You can get cut. 175 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: The coach has power too, so does the general manager. 176 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: You need each other. You're not making twenty two million 177 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: dollars a year on shoes and sports apparel. And the 178 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,199 Speaker 1: reality is they're no guaranteed contracts and accountability is really 179 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 1: important in football. The basketball culture is get drafted at nineteen, 180 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: sign your supermax at twenty three, and if you don't 181 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 1: like the coach, he's seacrest out. That's the basketball culture. 182 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: So jj Reddick and Luca are not necessarily built to 183 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: be best friends. JJ Reddick was known as a grinder, 184 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: an intense grinder as a player. Luca it made headlines 185 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: this summer when he actually worked out. Hey have you 186 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: heard pro athlete jogging? I mean they're not the same 187 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: cap Luca is gifted. At thirteen years old, things come 188 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: easy for him. JJ Reddick was a grinder in the NBA. 189 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: And remember this, five of the last seven Coach of 190 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: the Year awards in the NBA five of the last seven. 191 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: Five of the last seven aren't coaching the team they 192 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: won the award for. It is a player league. So 193 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: if there's animosity, this ownership group did not hire JJ Reddick. 194 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: And when jj Reddick got the job, what was the 195 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: headline quote, Lebron's buddy gets the head coaching job. I'm 196 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: not sure how long Lebron's in town, meaning his buddy 197 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: could be in trouble. So I don't buy the oh, 198 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: you know there's a high paid got. Our football culture 199 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: is different. I mean, teammates come to blows during practice. 200 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: In football. Football is about accountability. You can get cut. 201 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: There's less guarantees. You're not worshiped at thirteen. In fact, 202 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,559 Speaker 1: half of the players on the NFL rosters were undrafted. 203 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: They're late bloomers, late developers. Their bodies take a while 204 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: to rev up and catch up, you know. And that's 205 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: not NBA. At NBA, you can spot the talent by fourteen, fifteen, 206 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: sixteen years old. I mean Luca is playing for Real 207 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: Madrid at sixteen, Tom Brady at sixteen. You know, at 208 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: sixteen years old, like you have your first crush. A 209 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: lot of parents don't like to let their kids play 210 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: until they're like fifteen in football, So I don't buy 211 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: that it's just kumbaya. It's just the way it is. 212 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: I mean, again, I'm not saying it's the end of 213 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: the world, but don't confuse basketball culture. When Lebron was 214 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: blowing off Spo when he got to Miami, there's a 215 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: lot of pieces of video. I remember going to a 216 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: couple of games, and a lot of times Lebron and 217 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: spou did not see eyed ee. Lebron left pat Riley 218 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: and Eric Spolstra to go back to Cleveland. Some of 219 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 1: that was Lebron wanted his way and he was the 220 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,239 Speaker 1: best player in the world. But you know, I don't 221 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: I don't think it's all just fine. 222 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 5: J Mack. 223 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: Pretty convincing argument by me. 224 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 8: You have they miss You're patting yourself on the back there, Listen. 225 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 8: I think it's actually a decent argument. I don't hate it, Colin, 226 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 8: and I think it leads to why the basketball culture 227 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 8: in America is so dominant among all the sports. 228 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: That's why young people follow on social media. They love 229 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: their athletes. 230 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 8: In the NBA, they're more popular than NFL, Major League Baseball. 231 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 8: All the numbers bear it out. It's an individual sport exactly. 232 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 8: And they think the basketball players are badasses. Lebron's dunking 233 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 8: on someone, Lucas talking smack to his coach. He's not 234 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 8: taking that garbage like there's I know football players are tough, 235 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 8: you know, because they're rugged and beaty. 236 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: Culture different, Yeah, the culture. 237 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 8: In the NBA is unbelievable, and I think that's why 238 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 8: young people in America gravitate toward it. 239 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: You go on to basketball. 240 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 8: Courts, Yeah, you go to some Chicago basketball courts. Today 241 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 8: You're missing a lot of Lucas step backs, a lot 242 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 8: of Lebron dunking, a lot of jawjacking. You don't get 243 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 8: pick up football game. It just it just doesn't really happen. 244 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, interesting stuff today. Remarkably, as we get ready for 245 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: free agency in a week I think it's a week 246 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: out starting tomorrow, there is one player who apparently has 247 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: no market and I am shocked by it. Next, It's 248 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: The Herd. 249 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays 250 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: and noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio 251 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: FS one and the iHeartRadio app. 252 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 6: Hey, it's Rob Parker and Calvin Washington from The Odd 253 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 6: Couple on Fox Sports Radio. 254 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 7: And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from seven 255 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 7: to ten pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are 256 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 7: excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show. 257 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: That's right. 258 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 6: You can now watch The Odd Couple live on YouTube 259 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 6: every day. 260 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 7: All you gotta do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube 261 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 7: again YouTube. Just search Odd Couple FSR, check us out 262 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 7: on YouTube and subscribe. 263 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: You're the athletic. It's almost like this is journalism. There 264 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: is no current market in a league desperate for quarterbacks. 265 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: There's no current marker for backup Mac Jones in San Francisco. 266 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: So there's a market for small, injury prone and expensive Kyler, 267 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: Murray and Tua. There is reportedly more journalism, a market 268 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: for Anthony Richardson, who can't consistently complete underneath throws, drag 269 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: routes and screen passes. There's a market for Gino Smith, 270 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: the turnover machine, Jimmy Garoppolo, who hasn't played in years, 271 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: and Philip Rivers, who was on a couch for half 272 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: a decade and is athletic as athletic as the microphone 273 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: I'm talking into. Philip Rivers had a market. Mac Jones 274 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: has none. He's twenty seven, he was second in the 275 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: NFL and completion percentage last year, young, accurate, inexpensive season. 276 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: You know what this is. This is the ultimate insider 277 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 1: respect to Kyle Shanahan, Kyler Murray, Garoppolo, Gino Smith, Anthony Richardson, 278 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: and Philip Rivers have markets, and Mac Jones wouldn't work 279 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: with Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota or Shane Stiken. I mean, 280 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 1: Colts have a good olne Jonathan Taylor at running back, 281 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: ample weapons offensive coach. Mac Jones wouldn't work there, I am. 282 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: I mean this is people inside the league paying respect 283 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: to Kyle Shanahan. So I mean I if there were 284 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 1: five quarterbacks draft and free agency or trades that I 285 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: would take that. I think of the five best on 286 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: the market, Fernando Mendoza is absolutely number one. He'd be 287 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: my number one. I would say mac Jones would be 288 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: by two because he is so inexpensive. I think Malik Willis, 289 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: despite the scarcity of starts, is a really interesting addition. 290 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: I hadn't go Ty Simpson sit him for a year, 291 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: and then Aaron Rodgers is cheap. So if there was 292 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: a fab five of available quarterbacks, I'd have. I mean 293 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: mac Jones may want to raise eventually, but I mean 294 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: seasoned young. Also, Sam Darnold spent you know, some time 295 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: sitting on the bench behind Brock Purty with Kyle Shanahan 296 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: in San Francisco. He re emerged in Minnesota and crushed it. 297 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: I think mac Jones is a pretty heady kid. I 298 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: think playing behind Mac Jones, brock Purty, playing with that ecosystem, 299 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: with Kyle Shanahan getting a handful of starts, what do 300 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 1: you get five and three at eight starts? I mean, 301 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: this is Mac Jones during Combine Week on his current aspirations. 302 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 9: I learned so much this year. And I'm obviously being 303 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 9: coached by some great coaches and I know a lot 304 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 9: and I've learned a lot, but I really learned a 305 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 9: lot this year. 306 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 1: It's definitely motivating for me. 307 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 9: I feel like I can get back and do that 308 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 9: and I have my slag back and I feel like 309 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,239 Speaker 9: that's important to me and I can go out there 310 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 9: and win games for whoever. 311 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, the uh, I mean, listen, I think I think 312 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: Shanahan's great. But the first thing Mac Jones said is, boy, 313 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: I learned a lot. You go talk to Sam Darnold 314 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: about his year two and however long he was in 315 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: San Francisco. I think it was a year he talks about. 316 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: I learned so much from Brock Purty and Kyle Shanahan. 317 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: So I mean, I I just am I mean again, 318 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm not saying it's Fernando Mendoza and I'm not saying 319 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: he's as talented even as an old Aaron Rodgers, but 320 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: the price tag a draft pick. I mean the Colts 321 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: gave up two first rounders for a corner who didn't 322 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,959 Speaker 1: finish last year because it was banged up. I cannot 323 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 1: believe a Kevin O'Connell or a shanstyle and isn't interested 324 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: at all. But real journalism. I thought it was all. 325 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: I thought it all dried up. The athletic reporting. There's 326 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: no market. 327 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays 328 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 2: and noone Easter, not a em Pacific. 329 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: Here we go. It's our two, Alexi Lawless going to 330 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: be showing up our three one hundred days out from 331 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: the World Cup. So I am Mike Sando, who does 332 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 1: excellent work. He polled four executives in the NFL and 333 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: he said, you know, forget all these mock drafts. Four 334 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: executives in the NFL, give me your top ten, give 335 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: me your top ten mock draft. And a couple of 336 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: things just jumped out to me. Fernando Mendoza, rvel Rees, 337 00:20:54,960 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: David Bailey, Carnel Tate, who feels can't miss a bunch 338 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: of Miami guys, MacKaye Lemon, the receiver, Jeremiah Loved the 339 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: running back Peter Woods Clemson, zero SEC guys, four NFL 340 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: execs who used to fall over themselves to draft SCC guys, 341 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: zero SEC guys in the top ten. I'm telling you, 342 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: the NIL has been a Netflix uber level disruptor. The 343 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: transfer portal and the NIL they have hurt the SEC, 344 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: college basketball and college football. They don't have the money. 345 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: I mean, think about Alabama football. They have a first 346 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: round quarterback, potentially a first round tackle offensively, and an 347 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: excellent head coach. Blown out by Indiana. Men's college basketball 348 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: current ap pole top fifteen one SEC team. I mean, 349 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: just let me read you the teams ACC, Big twelve, 350 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: Big ten, Yukon SEC, Big twelve, Big twelve, Big ten, 351 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: Big ten, Big twelve, Big ten, Gonzaga, ACC, Big twelve, 352 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: Big ten, one SECT. I mean that it is five 353 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,360 Speaker 1: years ago we were worried about the lack of competitive 354 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: balance in college sport, and I think it's funny when 355 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: the SEC was paying players, everything is rosy now that 356 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: it's above board, We've got a real problem college football 357 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: and basketball. Now the problem is down south. One basketball 358 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:49,880 Speaker 1: team in the top fifteen Top ten according to Mike 359 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: Sando for NFL Execs, No best receivers, Big Ten, best back, 360 00:22:55,680 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: Notre Dame, best O Lineman, Utah Miami. Wow. Joel Klatt 361 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: on the lack of SEC talent in the NFL Draft 362 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: Joel Clatt, you know it's something. I mean, it was 363 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: weird to watch. Alabama's got a great coach, great quarterback, 364 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 1: a great left tackle and just gets housed by Indiana. 365 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: And for the record, I thought the NIL would change 366 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: college sports and make the Big Ten and the ACC 367 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 1: more viable. I did not think it would become this, 368 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: and this is nobody in the top ten. I will 369 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: say I think the best corner I saw play college 370 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 1: football this year played at LSU. I do think they 371 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 1: have the best corner, but I mean, and in Fernando 372 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: Mendoza didn't even come from the SEC to go to Indiana. 373 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: He was at cow whatever conference they're in now is Caldy, Indiana. 374 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: So again, we all knew that transfer portal and NIL 375 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: would change, but it's it's distinct. Here is clap. 376 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 10: Mock one point, oh, I had ten players from the 377 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 10: Big Ten in the first round and only nine from 378 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 10: the SEC. That's obviously a vast difference than what we 379 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:26,120 Speaker 10: saw in the late two thousand teens, you know, seventeen 380 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 10: eighteen nineteen, when it was just SEC littered with the SEC. 381 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 10: In the NFL Best running Back Notre Dame Best wide 382 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 10: receiver a debate between Carnel Tate and Makai Lemon, both 383 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 10: from the Big Ten. So even the skill is sitting 384 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,120 Speaker 10: outside of that footprint, which is something that we haven't 385 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 10: seen in a long time. 386 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: And it's not going anywhere back to back to back 387 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 1: Natty's by I mean, the Big Ten basketball conference in 388 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: the Big twelve are a mile above the SEC this year. 389 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: And if you go look at the quarterback play next 390 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: year in the Big Ten returning quarterbacks, I've never ever 391 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: seen a s can get a conference was eight quarterbacks 392 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: who I think could play on Sunday seven or eight. 393 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:08,919 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's getting worse. I think the 394 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 1: gap is growing. I mean, if you go look at 395 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: the quarterbacks coming back to school next year in the 396 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: Big Ten, it is incredible. The Pac twelve was always 397 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: a quarterback conference in their best year. I mean there 398 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: was there was a year it was it the uh, 399 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: the Nick Foles Andrew Luck Matt Barkley. There was a 400 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: year the Pac twelve had several you know, I never 401 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: thought Matt Barkley was a top NFL prospector Nick Foles 402 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: Andrew luck was. But it's like double this year in 403 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: the Big ten with that Nick Wright. First things first, 404 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: as joining us live on Tuesday. So I like Rich Paul. 405 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: I think he usually makes a lot of sense. But 406 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: he said something about the JJ Reddick Luka dantach kerfuffle 407 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: on the sideline, and I mean it's confrontational and blowing 408 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: somebody off. And JJ Reddick is a he's a you know, 409 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: he's a guy that's combative. He's gonna give you his opinion. 410 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 11: Smug I think smug is fair. Oh yeah, a little 411 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 11: full of himself. I mean we've known JJ Reddick for 412 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 11: twenty years. He's kind of the same guy he's been 413 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 11: since he walked onto the Duke campus. Smart guy, good coach. 414 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 11: You know, I don't know if I would enjoy a 415 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 11: round of golf with him. Maybe I would, but go ahead, 416 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 11: as you were. 417 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: So, Rich Paul says very healthy. He said coach and 418 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: star conflict healthy And I said no, no, no, no, no, no. 419 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: In the NFL, Andy Reid, Travis Kelsey. No, that's the 420 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: football culture, right, you all need each other. The basketball 421 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: culture is Lebron didn't like David Blatt, Luca didn't like 422 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: Rick Carlile Kawhi didn't like Pop KD. Got his feelings 423 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: hurt in Golden State. The NBA is different. Come into 424 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: the league at nineteen, super max twenty three to twenty four. 425 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: The coaches, I mean, Spoe and Lebron had their issues. 426 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: Lebron left it and give them heads up like, I 427 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: don't buy into this. Oh it's no big deal, do you? 428 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 5: Well? I don't think it's nothing. 429 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 11: I maybe don't think it's quite as big of a 430 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 11: deal as it appears. 431 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 7: You do. 432 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:21,479 Speaker 11: Listen, Luca annoys his coaches. Luca annoys a lot of people. 433 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 11: Luca his incessant griping at the officials and kind of 434 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:33,479 Speaker 11: stubbornness in style of play can be grading for I 435 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 11: think his coaches, his management, fans of other teams. Now, 436 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 11: it's the tax on a guy who this year, in 437 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 11: what is universally being regarded as a down year, is 438 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 11: going to win the scoring title. Is scoring thirty three 439 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 11: a night and giving you eight rebounds nine assists to 440 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 11: go along with it, and so the juice is obviously 441 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 11: worth the squeeze. I do think it is incumbent upon coaches, 442 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 11: even young coaches like JJ, even former players like JJ, 443 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 11: to remember, I'm not allowed to be immature. The player is. 444 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 5: It's unfair, but that's reality. 445 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 11: Like we saw the other night Chris Finch tell Anthony 446 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,239 Speaker 11: Edwards pass when you're double teamed, and Anthony Edwards then 447 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 11: got triple teamed and took the shot anyway, made it 448 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 11: and then started screaming at Chris Finch, this is who 449 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 11: I am, this is what I do, And Chris Finch 450 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 11: just kind of had to eat it in the moment, 451 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 11: and then privately they can chat. They have a great 452 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 11: relationship because players can be emotional, players can be immature, 453 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 11: coaches can't be. So I wouldn't have thought this video 454 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 11: was a huge deal. What I like about it the 455 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 11: least is and I don't know if it's gonna loop 456 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 11: one more time. 457 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 5: It starts. 458 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 11: The confrontation starts because Luca won't give JJ a handshake, 459 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 11: Like if you really watch what happens here Al Arrington 460 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 11: part of its own show yesterday, Like JJ's trying to 461 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 11: give Luca five Luca won't do it, So Luca walks 462 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 11: away and they go back and forth and they're barking 463 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 11: at each other, and then watch the end. Before JJ 464 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 11: walks away, Luca relents and puts his hand out to 465 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 11: get right there to give him five, and JJ won't 466 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 11: give it to him. Like you didn't give me five, 467 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 11: I won't give you five. And that's what got Luca going. 468 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 7: Now. 469 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 11: Shout out to Jared Vanderbilt for playing peacemaker, But I 470 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 11: just don't I think JJ cannot meet. 471 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 5: Luca's immaturity with his own. 472 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 11: JJ is the literal adult, the coach he has to be, 473 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 11: I think better than that. 474 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 5: And he also has to recognize. 475 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 11: This in this moment right now, Luke at Anjij is 476 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 11: way better at his job than JJ Redick, is it 477 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 11: his Luca at Anji is one of the handful of 478 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 11: very greatest players in the league, even with his flaws, 479 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 11: JJ Reddick has not earned that distinction yet. 480 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, don't you think everybody you know jmak thinks I'm 481 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: constantly hating but Lebron is older. But that said, he 482 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: played well immediately with Austin Reeves. He actually was the 483 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: best teammate ADS ever had he worked with Kookie j R. Smith. 484 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving was a was kind of a broken brand 485 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: in Cleveland before Lebron gone there. I mean, Dwayne Wade 486 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: and Lebron never really fit, but it worked. Lebron works 487 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: with everybody. It's like assault in a kitchen. It's good 488 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: on everything. And my take is, yet, when Lebron and 489 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: Luc are on the floor together, it's the Lakers worst tandem. 490 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: Doesn't that give you a little pause on that Jalen 491 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: Brunson becomes a star when he leaves him Lebron's struggling 492 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: to make it worse work. Doesn't that give you some 493 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: paus I do? 494 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 5: It does give me some pause. 495 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 11: However, I not enough to overwhelm the fact that I 496 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 11: saw this guy be, in my opinion, in the discussion 497 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,719 Speaker 11: for best player Alive and carry an underwhelming team to 498 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 11: the finals. Now, it does not long ago that a 499 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 11: year and a half ago he's in the finals with Again, 500 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 11: Kyrie is a really good player, but not a superstar, 501 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 11: and it was role players. What is definitionally true is 502 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 11: Luca is not easy to build around. You need specific 503 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 11: archetypes of players to build around him. Yes, And to me, 504 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 11: what is such a shame of the Lakers squandering last 505 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 11: year their first year with Luca, and this year is 506 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 11: the reason they didn't have the right pieces, the right 507 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 11: players to put around Luka Ancic is because they didn't 508 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 11: have the right pieces put around Lebron James. 509 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 5: Because it's the same type of player. 510 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 11: Who do you need for old Lebron James defenders and 511 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 11: three point shooters? Who do you need for young Luka 512 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 11: Dncic defenders and three point shooters? And they didn't get them, 513 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 11: And so it is a He is not an easy 514 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 11: of a fit to plug into a team as Kevin Durant, 515 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 11: Kevin Ray. 516 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 5: Just drop on any team. 517 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 11: He's gonna take his seventeen shots, He's gonna score his 518 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 11: twenty seven points, gonna be awesome. 519 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 5: Luca is different. 520 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 11: What has surprised me is this Colin Lebron this year 521 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 11: career low in usage rate. That's not surprising. He's forty one, 522 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 11: He's in year twenty three. 523 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,959 Speaker 1: This would be the Luca before the year. I said, folks, 524 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: there's gonna be a gap Lebron and Luca who is 525 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: going to take over the offense. So Lebron doesn't have 526 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: the ball that much, and that part's fine, Lebron being 527 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: at his career low makes sense. What doesn't make sense 528 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: is Luca's usage rate this year with the Lakers is 529 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: high than any year of his career. 530 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 5: With the MAVs. 531 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 11: So it doesn't make sense that Luca with Lebron who 532 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 11: is no longer one of the ten best players in 533 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 11: the league but still one of the twenty best players, 534 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 11: and Austin Reeves coming on that Lucas actually has a 535 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 11: higher usage rate than he had when he was playing 536 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 11: Daniel Gafford. 537 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 5: In PJ Washington. 538 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 11: That is confusing and confounding and not ideal for the 539 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 11: Lakers path forward. 540 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,959 Speaker 1: One of the things that's always been true in the NBA, 541 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: and as I was watching the Spurs and the Knicks 542 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: on Sunday, I watched the whole game, and one of 543 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: the things that's always been true is if you're a 544 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: talented team that doesn't have a title, you play harder 545 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 1: in the regular season, and then once you get the title, 546 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: like in Oklahoma City last year, or a Celtics team, 547 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: you know, a little different vibe. That Bulls team with 548 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: Derreck Rose, you know, they played like it was Game 549 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: seven of the finals all regular season. So w I'm 550 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 1: watching the Knicks. Their net rating, I think leads the league. 551 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 1: They play very good defense against the kind of worn 552 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 1: down San Antonio team, but I still see a completely 553 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: flawed team that will get to the postseason. And you 554 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 1: can hunt their two best stars Jalen and Cat. You 555 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: can just go after them, or do you think there's 556 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: something there's a secret sauce Mike Brown. It's different because 557 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 1: right now this is about as well as they have 558 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 1: played in the last two to three years. 559 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I think that they have to be I. 560 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 11: Was actually at this Nick Spurs game and it looked 561 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:30,320 Speaker 11: like the Spurs were going to blow them out of 562 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 11: the water. They were twenty two to seven early, and 563 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 11: then the Knicks just hit an onslot for the next 564 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 11: hour and the game was over. 565 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 5: I do really like this next team. 566 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,760 Speaker 11: I think it is it makes sense the way it's built. 567 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 11: If your two best stars one is going to be 568 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 11: undersized in Jalen brunts and the other is going to 569 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 11: be a defensive liability in Cat, if those are going 570 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,800 Speaker 11: to be your two leading scorers, then you must build 571 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 11: the exact type of supporting Cat they built. They built 572 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,840 Speaker 11: with og, with heart, with McHale Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, length 573 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,319 Speaker 11: and defense on the wings, a good backup center. I 574 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 11: like the addition at Alvarado. I do think that they 575 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:14,719 Speaker 11: are more likely to use their depth this year with 576 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:15,800 Speaker 11: Mike Brown than they. 577 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,800 Speaker 5: Did with Tibbs, and so I do. 578 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 11: The team makes sense and the East does feel wide open. 579 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 11: I think Detroit is really good, and Detroit has dominated 580 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 11: the Knicks this regular season. 581 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: Detroit's a very limited half court offense. They don't have 582 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 1: a dab a great second score. You know, in the playoffs, 583 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: when you can just basically drop a game plan for 584 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:42,080 Speaker 1: five games against Kate Cunningham, you know there's a ceiling 585 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 1: with Detroit. 586 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 5: That's what worries me. 587 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 11: I maybe it wouldn't be quite as adamant as you. 588 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 5: But that they were in Detroit. 589 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 11: It worries me a little bit like Houston did last year, 590 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,839 Speaker 11: where it's like, man, there's a really good team having 591 00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 11: a great season, but can you trust them to go 592 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 11: get a buck in a seven game series repeatedly? Other 593 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:05,840 Speaker 11: than Cade, I don't know. So Cleveland I don't trust 594 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 11: at all. And then there's Boston, which if Jason Tatum 595 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 11: I believe is coming back soon. If Jason Tatum is 596 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:18,399 Speaker 11: even eighty percent of Jason Tatum. By the playoffs, they're 597 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:20,760 Speaker 11: the team to beat in the East, but right after 598 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 11: them is New York. And because Tatum's coming off an injury, 599 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 11: I think the Knicks are a very live threat to 600 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:31,760 Speaker 11: make their first finals this century, which would be awesome. 601 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 11: And then listen, going into the finals last year, I 602 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:38,759 Speaker 11: don't think anybody thought Indiana had a shot. They find 603 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 11: themselves in Game seven with the lead before Halliburton goes down. 604 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:44,240 Speaker 11: You make the finals, you can win the title. 605 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. I got about five questions I could ask you here, 606 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 1: and I got one more. Fernando Mendoza met with Matt 607 00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: Hasselbeck this weekend and he said, I know I'm a 608 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 1: goober and and Hasselbeck said, you know, I've played with 609 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 1: Andrew Locke. Just lean into being a nerd. And Mendoza 610 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: is a funny player, like I talked about this earlier. 611 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:21,840 Speaker 1: Cameron Boozer is not flashy. Either's Kate Cunningham. There's a 612 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:23,960 Speaker 1: lot of guys in the NBA that aren't flashy, but 613 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: they're really winning players. Cominga's flashy, Jahn Moran's flashy, Zach 614 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,880 Speaker 1: Levine's Flashy's ion flashy, like in the NBA, the culture 615 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: flash sells like I totally get it. Fans where their 616 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: favorite basketball players gear, so you're more loyal to a player, 617 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:42,279 Speaker 1: even if Zach Levine doesn't win games. In football, there 618 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 1: does feel like there's this reality is that a lot 619 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: of the great quarterbacks are kind of nerds, are kind 620 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:54,399 Speaker 1: of not cool. How do you land with Mendoza? You 621 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: you don't love college football, but you watch a lot 622 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:59,799 Speaker 1: of sports. What do you make of the nerd thing? 623 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: I don't think it will I don't Adam Morrison came 624 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,080 Speaker 1: into the NBA out of Gonzaga. I remember a GM 625 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 1: telling me he will not fit in the locker room. 626 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: He's just too odd. But it doesn't seem to matter 627 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: in football. 628 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 11: No, Listen, if the quarterback's great, then I don't think 629 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,240 Speaker 11: it really matters. I think luck is a good comp 630 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 11: I think they're you know, it worked until it didn't 631 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:23,920 Speaker 11: for Russell Wilson, who has a unique personality, you know 632 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 11: what I mean, Nobody cared so much as long as 633 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,360 Speaker 11: he was still a really good player. So my concern 634 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 11: Mendoza is less about you know, his call umn, very 635 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 11: unique interview style and and all of that, and it's 636 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 11: more of this. If we were to take Colin all 637 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 11: of the quarterbacks taken in the top ten in the 638 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:55,280 Speaker 11: last five years, where would he stack up. And that's 639 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 11: where I fear like that this is he is the 640 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 11: number one quarterback kind of by default, Like is he 641 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 11: a better prospect than you. 642 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 5: Know, Caleb Drake Jaden. No, So he's in that class, 643 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 5: he's at. 644 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: Best fourth, He's or Burrow either. 645 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:21,479 Speaker 11: Oh no, And that's going back even further. He said 646 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:23,240 Speaker 11: he might be a better end up a better player. 647 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 11: He's not a better prospect than Trevor, but. 648 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 5: I think we can go the I don't know that 649 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:29,319 Speaker 5: he is. 650 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 11: He's I do think he's a better prospect than cam 651 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 11: Ward was, who also felt a little bit by default 652 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,040 Speaker 11: the number you know, the the number one pick of 653 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:44,520 Speaker 11: the draft. And so it is I look at him 654 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:49,399 Speaker 11: as he would make a ton of sense as the 655 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 11: third quarterback off the board in the twelfth. 656 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 5: Pick of the draft. But because it's a. 657 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:58,960 Speaker 11: Quarterback draft where Tye Simpson is going to go the 658 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:03,280 Speaker 11: second quarterback, he's the number one quarterback by a mile. 659 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 11: And that's again not putting a ceiling on. 660 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 5: What he can be. 661 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 11: You know, your guy bo Nix. I didn't see it 662 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:14,000 Speaker 11: at all. He's had an awesome two years. A lot 663 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 11: of people love JJ McCarthy. He's fighting for his job, 664 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:20,360 Speaker 11: so I'm not saying it's definitive on what he'll be. 665 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 11: But this is not to me the type of number 666 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:29,960 Speaker 11: one pick where it's like, man, how lucky did the 667 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:33,680 Speaker 11: Raiders get? It's more like, okay, you might have your guy. 668 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:35,240 Speaker 11: That's where I layd on Mendoz. 669 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: Hey. Any World Cup story that I mean listening on 670 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,120 Speaker 1: our soil, I think it's going to be. It's the 671 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 1: most since I was a kid, when I'm sold that 672 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 1: when soccer started, the best player we had was Kyle 673 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:50,080 Speaker 1: wrote Junior, who was like more of a football player, 674 00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 1: but he was the best guy and he loves soccer 675 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:56,400 Speaker 1: and so you know, and then we got into Clint Dempsey, 676 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:59,640 Speaker 1: Alexi Lawless, Landon Donovan and now we're a point with 677 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 1: Christian policit. We got real players. Yeah, we have strikers, 678 00:41:03,719 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: we have goal scorers that play internationally. So I do 679 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:09,759 Speaker 1: think we're a top twelve ish, maybe we're better than 680 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:12,000 Speaker 1: that on home soil. What is your thought on the 681 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 1: World Cup? 682 00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:15,439 Speaker 11: So that listen if you can tell from my set 683 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:17,759 Speaker 11: up behind me. You know, we're one hundred days out 684 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 11: from the World Cup and our set looks like it. 685 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:23,040 Speaker 11: We do have Chris Richards on the show later today, 686 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 11: so I'll give you one US take and one outside 687 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:28,319 Speaker 11: of the US take for kind of storylines. Hundred days 688 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:31,760 Speaker 11: out for the US, this is the way fans should 689 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:34,759 Speaker 11: look at it. They are going to get out of 690 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 11: the group stage, particularly because this year with the expanded field, 691 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,440 Speaker 11: it's the thirty two teams make it out of the 692 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 11: group stage instead of fewer as the way it used 693 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:48,759 Speaker 11: to be. So it would be a catastrophe not to 694 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,560 Speaker 11: make it out of the group stage. They'll make it 695 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,759 Speaker 11: out of the group stage. The goals should be then, 696 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:59,279 Speaker 11: let me rephrase it. The expectation should be make it 697 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:05,759 Speaker 11: to the final sixteen, and the hope should be make 698 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 11: the first quarter final in my adult life. You said 699 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:13,720 Speaker 11: they're around the tenth to twelfth best team in the world. 700 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:17,359 Speaker 11: That's about right. Can you play a little above your 701 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:20,840 Speaker 11: seed because it's at home and get to the final 702 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:25,520 Speaker 11: eight and set up the biggest American soccer game in 703 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 11: thirty two years. 704 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 5: That would be that. 705 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 11: That to me is a realistic hope. Anything past that 706 00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:36,799 Speaker 11: is gravy and anything short of the final sixteen is 707 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:39,359 Speaker 11: a disappointment. And if somehow they were to not make 708 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 11: it out of the group stage, it's an utter travesty. 709 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:45,239 Speaker 5: Like but I don't think that's going to happen. So 710 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:45,879 Speaker 5: that's for the. 711 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:49,560 Speaker 11: US and for the world at large. Spain is a 712 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:54,000 Speaker 11: deserving favorite. And what I You have arguably two of 713 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:58,799 Speaker 11: the three greatest soccer players ever for in Messi and Ronaldo. 714 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,480 Speaker 11: Four years ago, I don't think anybody thought either one 715 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:04,040 Speaker 11: of them would be playing in this tournament. Both of 716 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:07,360 Speaker 11: the they're both playing assuming help. Both of their teams, 717 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:11,359 Speaker 11: particularly Messies, the defending champ have a legit shot. So 718 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:15,000 Speaker 11: all of that with my own personal storyline of you 719 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:17,839 Speaker 11: talked about your life growing up watching soccer, My life 720 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,799 Speaker 11: growing up watching soccer was who's going to get to 721 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 11: lose to Brazil? Because Brazil's just the best. And the 722 00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 11: last twenty years Brazil has been wildly disappointing in this tournament. 723 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:33,960 Speaker 11: They have only made one deep run and it ended 724 00:43:34,239 --> 00:43:38,239 Speaker 11: in a seven to one loss in the semifinals. Brazil's 725 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 11: talented enough to change that this year. 726 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:42,160 Speaker 5: I wonder if they do. 727 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,160 Speaker 11: So there's my little World Cup primer, which I am 728 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:49,239 Speaker 11: super into. You always preface you'll kind of undersell my 729 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 11: college football affinity because I'm not a nerd like you. 730 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:56,160 Speaker 11: I like college football, but I love the World Cup, 731 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:57,480 Speaker 11: and so I'm super excited. 732 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:00,480 Speaker 1: Now it's going to be unbelievable. I just it. Just 733 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 1: June is usually a dead time for our business. It 734 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:06,800 Speaker 1: is gonna be a the biggest June of our lives, 735 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: certainly at fall. 736 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:11,080 Speaker 11: It's speaking of Fox stuff. Can I give you one 737 00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:13,840 Speaker 11: other plug? How about this? What a great if I 738 00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:16,440 Speaker 11: can pat myself on the back company man. I am 739 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 11: guess where I'm going this weekend? 740 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:21,120 Speaker 5: Colin? Now? Is it to cover the event? 741 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:22,960 Speaker 11: Maybe? Do I just happen to be there? No way 742 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:26,000 Speaker 11: to tell, but I'll be in Tokyo for the World 743 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:29,759 Speaker 11: Baseball Classic. I'm gonna go to some games, go to 744 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 11: some WBC games. 745 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:33,320 Speaker 5: I'll be a man on the ground for first things. 746 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:36,160 Speaker 11: First, you always joke our show with an unlimited budget. 747 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:40,759 Speaker 11: We're sitting a correspondent to Tokyo to watch Japan take 748 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,800 Speaker 11: on South Korea Round one of the World Baseball Classic. 749 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:44,319 Speaker 5: How about that? 750 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 1: I'm impressed. I will tell you bitter at your unlimited budget, 751 00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:55,360 Speaker 1: but I'm impressed about it. World Baseball Classic, Yeah, I 752 00:44:55,400 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 1: was just I mean, it's it's, uh, you know when 753 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:02,240 Speaker 1: you watch the hockey team, which everybody but sports writers 754 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:05,040 Speaker 1: loved in America, men's and women's, and then you watch 755 00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: the World Baseball Classic, and then you have guys like 756 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,000 Speaker 1: kd Are like, yeah, I want to play for the 757 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:13,400 Speaker 1: country as much as everybody's like, you know, these athletes, 758 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:16,640 Speaker 1: these pro athletes, these guys care Otani's there and Bryce 759 00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:19,360 Speaker 1: Harper is going to be there, and it's going to 760 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:20,080 Speaker 1: be fantastic.