WEBVTT - Hour 3 – Adam Silver, Waiting for Roger 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:03.560 You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:04.440 Sports Radio. 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:06.920 We made it to the final hour on this Tuesday 0:00:07.000 --> 0:00:10.360 NBA Draft coming up tonight. We'll talk to the commissioner here. 0:00:10.480 --> 0:00:14.000 In a moment, the Heat made it official, acquiring Yannis 0:00:14.560 --> 0:00:18.160 and the Bucks, get Tyler Hero, three first round picks 0:00:18.360 --> 0:00:22.160 and some other players going to the Bucks. We got 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:28.520 World Cup today and tonight Portugal, Uzbekistan, England, Ghana, Panama, Croatia, Columbia, Congo. 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:32.159 D R say good morning those watching on Peacock, our 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:35.239 streaming partner of the NBC Sports Network. We say good 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:39.040 morning to our radio affiliates as well around the country. 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:42.280 Let's bring in the commissioner, Adam Silver. Always good to 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:45.120 see you again. Thank you for showing up being punctual 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:48.280 as always. What did you think of the trade with 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:49.319 Yannis last night? 0:00:50.159 --> 0:00:50.960 I was interesting. 0:00:51.320 --> 0:00:54.720 There have been discussions around Jannis getting moved for a 0:00:54.760 --> 0:00:59.160 while now. Yeah, obviously had a great run in Milwaukee, 0:00:59.800 --> 0:01:03.040 and you know, people had predicted under this new system 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:05.640 with the second Apron, that we wouldn't have player movement. 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:09.600 Certain amount of player movements good, you know, creates renewed 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:12.600 energy and hope and markets. I think even in Milwaukee. 0:01:12.600 --> 0:01:15.479 There was a sense there that it was time to rebuild. 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.560 You know, a lot of excitement around Giannis going to Miami. 0:01:18.640 --> 0:01:22.240 So at least for early reports are it's positive. 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:28.640 How involved are you in the final process with that trade. 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:28.959 Not at all. 0:01:29.080 --> 0:01:31.920 The only thing that happens from a league office standpoint 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:34.720 is there's an official trade call where you have to 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:40.160 match up rosters and caps for you know, CBA purposes 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:43.920 there you know, physicals that get administered. But you know, 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:46.920 I think people get confused sometimes as to whether we 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:49.560 approve trades meeting we think it's a good trade, that 0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:51.640 that's not our role. It's only to make sure that 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:53.800 the mechanics fit under the CBA. 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:56.840 Yeah, but I always go back to Commissioner Stern with 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.000 the Chris Paul trade that he betoed. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.040 Well, that issue always comes up. 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:04.400 But you may remember at the time, David was in 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:08.240 essence the acting owner of New Orleans and so I 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.160 know there was enormous confusion around that, but he vetoed 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.160 that trade that was brought to him by the THENGM 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.280 as wearing the hat of the owner of the team. 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:20.480 And it was why when we ran the Clippers, when 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:25.000 I ran early on as commissioner having learned my lesson. 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:27.720 There was a guy named Dick Parsons who was the 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:29.920 interim governor, and I said, Dick, you're in charge of 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:33.320 that team. Other than the league playing its role as 0:02:33.360 --> 0:02:37.000 it would with any trade, I have no say over 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:39.720 what basketball decisions will be made for the organization. 0:02:39.800 --> 0:02:40.800 So lesson learned there. 0:02:41.280 --> 0:02:44.040 But again he David was in essence acting as owner 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:45.520 of the team, not as commissioner. 0:02:46.320 --> 0:02:48.840 Where do we stand with the Clippers? Since you mentioned 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:52.640 that with sort of off the court stuff with the 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:54.600 owner and Kawhi Leonard. 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:59.600 Investigation is still ongoing. The law firm down the street 0:02:59.600 --> 0:03:02.320 from our office in New York walked Out is overseeing 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:04.959 the investigation, and I know they're hoping to wrap it 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:06.200 up this summer. 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.080 But this I don't know if it affects oh, so 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:11.280 it has to be later this summer. I didn't know 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:14.520 if it would affect draft picks or anything going into 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:15.320 this draft tonight. 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:20.440 Certainly nothing affecting tonight, but beyond that, you know no 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:21.640 decisions have been made. 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:25.320 Help me understand the importance if I was going to 0:03:25.400 --> 0:03:30.840 look at a New York team winning a title in baseball, football, basketball. 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:34.480 Where would you put the importance of New York winning 0:03:34.520 --> 0:03:39.160 that title in basketball over say the Giants or the Yankees. 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:43.200 Yeah, I'll say really answering as a New Yorker that 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:48.360 I think this championship was unique because of the fifty 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:53.080 three year gap before they last won a championship. You know, 0:03:53.320 --> 0:03:55.040 I grew up a Yankee fan. The Yankees have had 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:56.880 so much success in New York. It's a huge deal 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.160 when they win a World Series. But I think again 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:04.440 because so much pent up, you know, just fandom around 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:07.960 this Nick team and desire to see a championship again. Also, 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.680 Madison Square Garden, as you know, you know, located in 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.720 you know, the heart of Manhattan. I always think of 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.200 basketball as a city sport, so it seemed to take 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:22.520 on this unique attention here. I will say again being 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:25.160 in this market. I mean, over two million people took 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:27.960 to the streets for the parade, and it just it 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.719 felt like it brought people together like nothing else in 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:36.680 recent history. It just there were viewing parties everywhere, walking 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:39.279 to work, just being out on the streets in my neighborhood. 0:04:39.360 --> 0:04:43.560 You saw Nick merchandise virtually on everyone, all the store windows, 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:46.480 et cetera. So you know, it's it was just amazing. 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:49.000 I think this to see what this championship meant to 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:49.800 New York right. 0:04:49.640 --> 0:04:53.160 Now, Your first NBA game was a Knicks game? 0:04:54.839 --> 0:04:57.919 Definitely yeah. As a kid, no, no question. My probably 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:02.479 my my first, you know, thirty games. I mean, you know, 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:05.200 when I was a kid, we didn't travel to NBA games. 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:07.320 So I think I grew up to the extent I 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:09.640 was able to go to games, it was exclusively going 0:05:09.640 --> 0:05:10.719 to Knicks games. 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:15.480 You of course have to host the draft tonight. Can 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.280 you look back now? Does everybody get together and help 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:22.840 me understand when you're preparing for announcing these names, how 0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:25.800 does that work where you need to learn how to 0:05:25.920 --> 0:05:27.640 pronounce those who might be drafted? 0:05:28.080 --> 0:05:30.119 Well, first of all, in terms of everyone getting together, 0:05:30.160 --> 0:05:33.200 actually right after this interview, across the street from a 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:37.839 Rockefeller Center and there's a luncheon for all the lottery 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:41.840 picks and their families and friends. Some of them bring 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:46.080 their coaches, high school coaches. It's a really cool event 0:05:46.279 --> 0:05:49.800 and Andre Guidala, head of the Players Association, will speak 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.680 to them. I will as well, but it's really an 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:57.719 opportunity to welcome them to the NBA family and opportunity 0:05:57.720 --> 0:05:59.440 for the player Association talk to them a little bit 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:01.600 about joining this unique attorney. 0:06:01.640 --> 0:06:02.440 I'm always amazed. 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:05.720 I think we're up to about five thousand players in 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:06.400 the history of. 0:06:06.360 --> 0:06:09.520 This league have been in the NBA. 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:12.440 I mean, it's quite an amazingly small number considering the 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.839 history of this league, and it's sort of a welcome 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:18.400 So that happens today, just you know, an hour from now. 0:06:19.080 --> 0:06:21.440 In terms of pronunciations, we've sort of learned our lessons. 0:06:21.480 --> 0:06:24.440 So what we do now, for example, at the Chicago Combine, 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:28.120 we actually we ask every player to to look into 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:30.599 a camera and say his name the way he wants 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:33.760 it said, because in some cases, what has become the 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:36.520 pronunciation of the name in college or from wherever else 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:39.599 isn't necessarily the way they want it said. Uh, you 0:06:39.640 --> 0:06:43.280 know AJ de Bonsea, for example, I was with him 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:47.080 and his dad, and his father's name is a Nisse, 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:50.599 and he AJ is a junior, and they both said 0:06:50.640 --> 0:06:52.680 to me, we want we want you to say whatever 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:55.120 number he's picked to say on Niss de bon Set 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:57.640 instead of AJ. I think he's still going to go 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:00.560 by AJ. But you know, like that's that's an example. 0:07:01.400 --> 0:07:06.440 But you know we we also then they folks in 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:08.719 the league office right out for me fanatically. I'm sure 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.200 when you pronounce the names on air, it was the same, 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:12.560 and they're the best I. 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:16.160 Can Was there ever a name where you got tripped 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:18.320 up or we're nervous about getting tripped up? 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:25.320 I think Giannis is in the news. I remember practicing 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:28.360 that one a few times. I think when you look 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:29.680 at the spelling, you only got. 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:30.440 That much more confused. 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:33.840 You just have to say, you know, put it aside, 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:36.000 so yes. 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:38.840 Or when and Yama as well. 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:43.280 Yeah, yeah, then then we just go by wemby going forward. 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:46.760 But yeah, that one too busier in the off season 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:47.960 or during the season. 0:07:49.640 --> 0:07:52.480 Definitely during the season, just because there's things that come 0:07:52.560 --> 0:07:55.880 up every day, you know, with games every day every night, 0:07:56.000 --> 0:07:59.880 there's always something that that needs the league offices attention. 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:03.760 But pretty busy offseason, I mean different addition, we also 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.880 collectively oversee the WNBA with my WNBA colleague, so that 0:08:07.960 --> 0:08:10.920 keeps us pretty busy. But we are summer league coming 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:14.400 up right around the corner. After the draft. We're looking 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:18.440 at potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle. We're looking 0:08:18.520 --> 0:08:21.320 at potentially creating a League in Europe, so I'll do 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.400 a fair amount of traveling in the off season as well, 0:08:23.440 --> 0:08:26.080 but I'll get some time in there as well, so 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:27.600 it's a little bit more relaxed. 0:08:28.280 --> 0:08:31.280 We look in at twenty twenty eight, Seattle and Vegas 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:38.160 still the leading candidates for expansion, and if so, Memphis 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:41.400 or Minnesota going to the Eastern Conference does that sound fair? 0:08:41.760 --> 0:08:44.920 So if we expand at least we're thinking eight twenty 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.959 nine season. The only two cities at the moment we're 0:08:48.000 --> 0:08:50.640 looking at our las Vegas and Seattle. We haven't had 0:08:50.640 --> 0:08:52.800 a vote on it, and it's not a foregone conclusion, 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:55.320 but we're in the process of talking to groups that 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:59.000 are interested in getting an expansion team in those two cities. 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:02.080 And then yes, and then well, if we do add 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.800 two teams, we'll want to likely even out the conferences, 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:06.200 so there will be some movement then. 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:12.320 But you're looking at two teams, not either Seattle or Vegas. 0:09:12.840 --> 0:09:14.839 Yeah, we're currently looking at two teams. 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:17.080 But what we've said is it's possible we won't expand 0:09:17.080 --> 0:09:19.400 at all, and we could expand to just one market, 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:22.559 but we're officially looking at both those markets right now. 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.800 I'm talking to the commissioner, Adam Silver NBA Draft coming 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:28.320 up tonight. I think we've gone what eight years with 0:09:28.400 --> 0:09:31.679 a different champion. I think we've gone eight years with 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:37.880 a non US born player winning MVP. Which trend would 0:09:37.960 --> 0:09:41.200 you like to continue as commissioner if you could pick 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:42.600 between those two, you. 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:45.280 Know, honestly, neither one. 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:47.360 I mean, I think it's interesting that you've had so 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:49.360 many international players as MVPs. 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:50.679 I mean, we just talked about Giannis. 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.040 And also it's interesting on draft night as a reminder, 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:55.640 fifteenth pick in the draft, not the first pick, not 0:09:55.720 --> 0:09:58.120 a top five pick, but the fifteenth. So it shows 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:02.800 how deep the town is in this and the majority 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:04.760 of our players are still American. 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:07.760 It's roughly seventy percent of the league are Americans. 0:10:07.800 --> 0:10:11.280 So you know, I think, if anything, that rash of 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:15.720 international MVPs has got the attention of youth development in 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:18.880 the US and the programs or whether that's just happenstance 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:21.080 or there's a better job we all need to do collectively, 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:23.839 No question, is enormous talent coming out of the US. 0:10:24.160 --> 0:10:26.800 This current draft is an example, and I think on 0:10:26.920 --> 0:10:30.480 the eight different champions in eight years, that wasn't our 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:34.520 goal per se. The goal over time has been, you know, 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:37.720 I've said it to be more NFL like where you 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:40.720 believe your team has a shot. You know it maybe 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:43.520 not every single season, but your view is regardless of 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:46.080 the market size, if your team is well managed, if 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:47.560 you have a little bit of luck in there, that 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:49.439 you have a good chance to be in the playoffs 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:52.400 and potentially be the champion. And so I think what 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:56.480 we've seen is societal changes. I think that nobody's going 0:10:56.559 --> 0:11:00.440 to say that Victor Wembenyama in San Antonio can't get 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:03.120 global attention because it's a smaller market. I think I 0:11:03.120 --> 0:11:05.960 love the fact this year, even San Antonio versus New York, 0:11:06.000 --> 0:11:08.880 I don't think the storyline was small market versus big market. 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:11.400 It was you know, Wemby versus you know, Jaylen or 0:11:11.400 --> 0:11:14.880 whatever else. And so I think the players recognize they 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:17.719 can have success regardless of where they are. And I 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:19.880 also think that the changes we've made in the CBA, 0:11:20.200 --> 0:11:23.840 you know that we've it's still a soft cap system, 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:26.559 but they're so called second apron. You know, we want 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:28.720 a better distribution than the players, and we're seeing that. 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:32.040 But having said that, my goal sitting here isn't to 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:34.840 ensure we have yet a ninth different champion next year. 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:39.360 I think if there's roughly parody of opportunity and through 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:42.840 strong management and great players teams can repeat, that's great too. 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:45.840 I just think that fans want a sense that it's 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.199 not top heavy as it was historically in the NBA. 0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:53.560 Remember three teams won sixty percent of the championships over 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.040 the first sixty five years of this league. And you know, 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.400 David Stern used to joke, you know, when he first 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:00.960 became commissioner, you were just going back and forth from 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:02.520 Boston to LA that was the job. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:03.600 And I think, you. 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:05.400 Know as much as and I get that question all 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:07.360 the time, like, oh, aren't dynasty's great? 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:08.000 They're great. 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.600 I think depending on how they're formed, I don't think 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:13.600 fans are as enthusiastic about them if one team is 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:16.560 spending drastically more than another team. So I like where 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:18.520 we are and I'm not rooting for either one of 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:21.880 those trends to continue. And but again, let's I think 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:25.680 going into this coming season, new talent coming into league, 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:28.840 a lot of deep talent around the league. You know, 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:31.560 I think there'll be teams that are favored, but I 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.280 think more fans will believe in their teams than their 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:36.000 teams have a legitimate shot to win. 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.679 What has kept you up at night before an NBA topic. 0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:45.240 Always the sports betting stuff. I mean, no question about it. 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:47.720 I mean both. You know, when it was illegal, it 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.040 kept us up, and when it's legal, it keeps us up. 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.960 I mean in some ways, you know, you can better 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:55.400 monitor it when it's legal, but a lot of the 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:58.240 bad stuff is happening illegally. But I think given the 0:12:58.280 --> 0:13:01.480 prevalence of enormous amount of sports in our society, and 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:03.640 by the way it's now, it's the prediction markets too, 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:06.719 those are really sports betting platforms. I mean, everybody's a 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:10.559 lot of chatter around predictions around wars and elections and things, 0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:12.600 but the majority of the money on those platforms is 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:16.280 around sports. So and that's not regulated state by state. 0:13:16.320 --> 0:13:16.880 That's federal. 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:19.160 And then I'm always reminding people in a global sport 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:22.680 like ours. Last I counted, there was something like eighty 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:26.800 five other countries that had legal sports betting, legalized sports 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:27.600 betting on the NBA. 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:29.840 So is no way we're going to turn the clock 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:30.440 back on that. 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:35.120 You know, we're constantly looking at new ways to monitor activity. 0:13:35.480 --> 0:13:37.920 You know, even lines around the world, you can still 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:40.600 pay attention to them and if there's sort of strange 0:13:40.640 --> 0:13:43.760 line movements, try to figure out what's going on. Continue 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:46.800 educating our players and everyone involved in the game on 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:49.200 the dire consequences of betting. 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:51.319 But that's definitely something that keeps me up. 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:56.840 Tanking or flopping. What do you spend more time on? 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:01.280 Well, this season, we spent more time on tanking, and 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:04.679 we came up with a new system going into next 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:08.520 season which just in short, largely flattens the odds for 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:14.400 the non playoff teams, and presumably we'll disincentivize teams from 0:14:14.440 --> 0:14:16.760 that sort of behavior. I mean, there's no question it 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:21.120 got out of hand, you know, and we want the 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:23.400 focus to be on winning games, and I think that's 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:25.920 what's going to change. It'll be really interesting to see 0:14:25.960 --> 0:14:28.600 next season because we'll be going into a world we've 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:33.200 never been in before where there's essentially no incentive to 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:36.000 be at the bottom. In fact, you know, we have 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:39.360 a concept we're calling draft relegation sort of you're actually 0:14:39.400 --> 0:14:41.880 odds of getting a top pick go down if you're 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:45.280 one of the bottom three picks. So you know, was 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:48.160 very focused on that. This year, flopping started to get 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:51.800 more attention early rounds at the playoffs this year. That's 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:54.440 something we have a competition committee meeting in Las Vegas 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:55.160 for two days. 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.600 We'll certainly be spending a lot of time on that. 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:02.000 I mean, I think that the concept in terms of flopping, 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:05.160 I mean historically in the league for us, it was 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:07.560 when a player snapped his head back and then you 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:10.520 saw in video replay, maybe often after the game, that 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:13.040 the other player didn't even touch him, et cetera. 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:15.040 Look like a player was shot out of a rocket, etc. 0:15:15.280 --> 0:15:16.880 And wasn't even touched, you know. 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:21.200 As I've said, you know recently, I think what modern 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:25.600 flopping is often more about players trying to sell calls 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:30.120 to officials. They're taught that in certain circumstances, so in 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:33.120 many cases it actually is a foul, but you could 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:36.240 argue they're overreacting to it, and I think we got 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:39.160 to spend time looking at where that line is, where 0:15:39.160 --> 0:15:42.280 it's just in some cases just a non call, you know. 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:45.120 And historically if a player chose to fall to the 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.120 ground but nothing was called and the ball still in play, 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:50.840 it's just a disadvantage to his team. And the thought 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:52.760 was players just going to get up and it's going 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:55.200 to stop doing that if the officials aren't rewarding them 0:15:55.240 --> 0:15:56.040 for that behavior. 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:57.600 But I also, you know, I'm. 0:15:57.440 --> 0:16:01.000 Listening to fans, and I think to a certain maybe 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:03.840 to a large extent, fans don't necessarily want to see 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:05.400 guys falling down on every play. 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:07.920 So that's something we'll pay more attention to this summer. 0:16:08.000 --> 0:16:10.360 Yeah, I brought this up. It feels like the WNBA 0:16:10.640 --> 0:16:14.040 allows play on more than the NBA does. It feels 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:17.000 like these guys are really skilled at I'm going to 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:19.000 draw contact, and I'm going to let you know that 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.520 I'm drawing contact where the WNBA might be a little 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:23.480 more lenient. Now, I don't know if that's fair as 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:26.200 a blanket to put over it, but I see a 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:28.320 lot of WNBA games as well. 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:31.160 Yeah, it's it's an interesting comment. I mean, one thing 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:33.400 I've learned. I mean, the women's game is just different 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:35.960 than the men's game. I mean, ultimately, MONTI McCutcheon is 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:40.160 overseeing the entire officiating program. So there are different WNBA 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:44.000 officials and in certain cases different managers of those officials, 0:16:44.000 --> 0:16:48.360 but overall, the total and totality, the program's overseen by 0:16:48.360 --> 0:16:51.640 the same people. So again, I think lessons learned for 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:54.600 us over the years too, just in different approaches to 0:16:54.640 --> 0:16:56.760 the women's game and the men's game. It's just it's 0:16:56.800 --> 0:17:00.600 just played differently to a certain extent. But maybe right 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:04.119 I mean again, I think that you know, you know, 0:17:04.160 --> 0:17:06.800 the direction to the officiating crew for the last few 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:10.439 years has been sort of to recalibrate a bit to 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:13.119 allow a more physical defense. We don't necessarily want to 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:15.439 go back where you know, it was sort of brute 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:17.960 force defense, and I remember those years and in some 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:22.040 cases less from a skill standpoint, it was just more physicality, 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:24.680 And I don't necessarily think people want that, but I mean, 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:27.720 I think the fans and the players like to be 0:17:27.760 --> 0:17:30.879 able to play physical defense, and so to the extent 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:33.640 then that you know, a player is just falling down 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:35.560 or whatever else is a result of that. I think 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:38.280 in most cases, you know, fans just want to see 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:40.840 the flow of the game. They don't want the constant 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:43.280 stoppage and play. So it's it's it's always just looking 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:44.359 to find that right balance. 0:17:44.880 --> 0:17:47.600 Is there anything you need from me before we before 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:48.800 we say goodbye. 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:51.560 Maybe just to promote the draft tonight, ab. 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:56.800 Who took away my voting privileges? Commissioner. 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:01.160 You know there's a guy named Mike Bass Communications. He's 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:05.600 off camera right over there. Have your folks talk to him. 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:10.200 I mean, there aren't many guys like me still hanging around, Commissioner. 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:12.480 I didn't know your voting privileges were taken away. 0:18:12.720 --> 0:18:16.360 Yes they were. I think when I left. I think 0:18:16.440 --> 0:18:20.119 we left when I left ESPN. Apparently NBA left me 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:20.639 as well. 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.120 All right, I'm gonna look into that one. 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:27.359 If David Stern was still around, I'd have my I'd 0:18:27.359 --> 0:18:30.760 have my vote. Can you yell at somebody right now? 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:36.840 Can you yell at Mike Bass right there? Mike? 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:39.639 My media training is such that they say, like, don't. 0:18:42.960 --> 0:18:45.919 Thank you. Good to talk to you again, commission All right, 0:18:46.000 --> 0:18:49.960 that's Adam Silver. He'll restore my voting privileges. And you 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:51.680 know what, I didn't even think of it, because I 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:53.239 mean I do talk a lot about it. I did 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.720 get to vote, and I you know, viewed it truly 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:58.480 as a privilege, just like the Heisman and Paul goes, 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:01.400 why don't you have a vote? I go, I'll be damned, 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:04.679 why don't I have a vote. I'm gonna get some 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:06.760 of my best people on that. Yes, Paul, I know. 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:08.880 What's gonna happen now, because I know you. Now they're 0:19:08.920 --> 0:19:10.520 gonna say you have a vote, and you're going like, 0:19:10.840 --> 0:19:11.960 I don't know if I want to vote. 0:19:12.000 --> 0:19:13.280 I want to be mark. No, no, no, I do want 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:14.920 to vom you do want it? Yes? I do want 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:19.800 to Do you want me to follow up on this? Yeah? Okay, yes, yes. 0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:24.200 How about we take a break. We'll get to phone calls, 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:26.920 update our poll results. We're back after this. 0:19:27.680 --> 0:19:29.800 Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:33.520 Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:36.760 on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 0:19:37.119 --> 0:19:40.160 Hey is Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio Now. 0:19:40.160 --> 0:19:41.360 In addition to hearing. 0:19:41.160 --> 0:19:43.880 Us live weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.760 to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, We're excited to 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:49.800 announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show. 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:50.760 Yup, that's right. 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.360 You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:56.400 every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich 0:19:56.560 --> 0:20:00.240 FSR on YouTube again go to YouTube search co be 0:20:00.320 --> 0:20:01.920 no Edrich FSR. 0:20:02.280 --> 0:20:03.520 Check us out on YouTube. 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:07.000