1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. Oh boy, oh boy, 2 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: here we go Straight Fire podcast. I am Jason McIntyre. 3 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: I don't know where to begin. I am picking myself 4 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: up off the ground after that demoralizing, embarrassing Lakers defeat 5 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: at the hands of Damian Lillard. Dame time. First of all, 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: let's just get started. How good of a day of 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: basketball was that? I mean just phenomenal start to finish. 8 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: You get the Bucks gagging in their first playoff game, 9 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: getting their pants pulled down by the Orlando Magic, the 10 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: first time that the two number one seeds Bucks and 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: Lakers both lost in their first game of the playoffs 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: since two thousand three. And someone just sent me a 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: funny text message saying the Lakers have now gone three 14 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: thousand and fifteen days since their last playoff victory. I mean, 15 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: that's just staggering to I can't even comprehend how long 16 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: that's been for the Lakers. Um, you know, do I 17 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: want to start with the Lakers misfree throws a d 18 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: mrs two Lebron mrs too. I mean this was back 19 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: to back in like a forty second span. The Damian 20 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: Lillard three pointers. Some really questionable Frank Vogel decisions. I 21 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,559 Speaker 1: guess I want to start here. I I have done 22 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: some reading on the art of war. I'm sure you 23 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: guys have read that book. And there's a saying sweat 24 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: more in training, bleed less in war. And I've been 25 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: reading all these stories about how the Lakers have not 26 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: wanted to practice, and you know, they need time off. 27 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: They've got to get their minds straight because the bubble 28 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: is unique and it's more of a mental battle than 29 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: it is a physical one. And I saw a team 30 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: go out there against an eighth seed that is, you know, 31 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: really a four seed masquerading as an eight and they 32 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: the Lakers shot five of thirty two that's fifteen percent 33 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: on three pointers. They made five three pointers. Damian Lillard 34 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: himself made six. It felt like they all came in 35 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,239 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, but they did not. Damian Lillard was 36 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: pretty phenomenal, I thought, and Robber you can disagree with me. 37 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: I thought Caruso did a pretty damn good job against 38 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: him for three quarters. Now, Doug Gottlie pointed out something 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: pretty interesting. He said, with about five minutes left, he 40 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: stopped that he like tweeted out this video Caruso after 41 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: a Laker stopped, tugged on his jersey toward Frank Vogel 42 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: in the bench, which is basically universal for get me 43 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: out of the game. And the Lakers they don't call 44 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: it time out. Of course, they go down the court. 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: Danny Green, you know who lives in my neighborhood. See 46 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: him around walking his dogs all the time. Nice guy. 47 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: He clangs the three. He was he was pretty bad, 48 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: and Portland gets the rebound. Damian Lillard comes down the 49 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: court and Caruso is just a step, you know, a 50 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: step closer to the hoop than he should have been 51 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: on Damian Lillard, and boom, Lillard bangs of three, tie 52 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: game and the Lakers never let again. Now that was 53 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: with five minutes left. Caruso was their best player, I 54 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: thought off the bench plus twelve and twenty nine minutes. 55 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: Morris offered some great minutes off the bench as well. 56 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: He was plus twelve and nineteen minutes. Rob G. I 57 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: don't want to pin this on Lebron, who was pretty 58 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: damn good. Uh twenty three point seventeen rebounds, fifteen assists. 59 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure by you know, mid morning on Wednesday, someone 60 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: will dig up that's the first fifteen game by anyone 61 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: in like thirty seven years or something. I mean, Lebron 62 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: was pretty damn good. Anthony Davis, though I have some questions. 63 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: Um I saw stat that Anthony Davis was two for 64 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: fifteen out of the restricted area, a lot of layups 65 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: and dunks. He missed all his three pointers. And my 66 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: big bugaboo with Anthony Davis, I'd be watching Laker games 67 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: with other Laker fans, season ticket holders, buddies, and Anthony 68 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: Davis has this pensiant for fading away and he likes 69 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: to settle for the jumper man. You could do that 70 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: in New Orleans to get away with it a d 71 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: you can't do that in the playoffs and get away 72 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: with it with the Lakers. I mean, I don't know, 73 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: rob G. I'll turn it over to you. I need 74 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: to take a deep breath, and um, I don't want 75 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: to go to all in. It's one game. But if 76 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: you listen to Brian Winhorse yesterday, he made good points 77 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: that there's no home court advantage here really hurts the Lakers, 78 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: and I don't, all right, what do you got, robbed? Well, 79 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 1: first off, Danny Green us to move. He's not welcome 80 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: in Southern California anymore, and he's not allowed on the 81 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: Outer Couple anymore, even though we've had him on a 82 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: few times temporarily banned from the show on Fox Sports Radio. 83 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: I mean it was it was a bad game, and 84 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: and it was a lot of the same issues that 85 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: they've had when they got to the bubble to kind 86 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: of rear their head again. They just could and hit 87 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: open shots a stay of their life. Javel McGhee has 88 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: been a dumpster fire. I couldn't tell whether it was 89 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: the fact that Frank Vogel insisted on playing centers the 90 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: entire game or the fact that they couldn't hit an 91 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: open jump shot on the outside, or maybe both, But 92 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: it seemed like Lebron and a d never got comfortable. Yeah, 93 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: they never got those easy buckets that can just gonna 94 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: get themselves going to open up the rest of their game. 95 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: It looked like everything was very congested and everything was 96 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: a struggle for them to score offensively. If they still 97 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 1: almost want yeah, they listen, they blew this game. I'm 98 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: firmly believing when you leave by six and the fourth, 99 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: you blew it. Now, they weren't at home, so you 100 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: can't say they blew it at home and they didn't 101 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: lose home court advantage. But you're right about the Bigs. 102 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: When you play two bigs, that allows them to play 103 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: white Side and Nurkics and Whiteside was kind of a 104 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: beast inside. I mean, the guy had five blocks in 105 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: twenty six minutes. He was plus thirteen. That was second 106 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: on the team plus minus behind Damian Lillard. And if 107 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: you just play one center, whether it's Ad, Dwight or Javeail, 108 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: and you play Morris at the four, drag him out, 109 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: make nor kids go to the perimeter. I agree, a 110 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: pent Whiteside out there's bad news for the Lakers because 111 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: Javail and Dwight Howard they don't block shots like Whiteside. 112 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't think it's back to the drawing 113 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: board for the Lakers. But um, I'm not gonna say 114 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: I wavered. I still think they can win the championship. Definitely. 115 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: Obviously they're gonna they're gonna need to improve shooting. I 116 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: don't know how that happens overnight. But I'm gonna say, 117 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not gonna blame the role players. I'm 118 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: not gonna say Danny Green and KCP were four shooting 119 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: KCP by the way over nine over five from three. 120 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: He scored one point in the game. He was an 121 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: abject failure. Danny Green four for twelve. But you can't 122 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: blame the role players, right Rob. I mean, nobody's looking 123 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: at the bucks and saying yeah, man, Pat Connerton and 124 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: Blood so didn't get it done, and Middleton was invisible. 125 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: Although Middleton's an All Star. Ultimately, Anthony Davis, I think, 126 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: is gonna be the one who gets beat up a lot. 127 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna say Anthony Davis absolutely has to play better. 128 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: Eight for two shooting oh for five from three, miss 129 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: five free throws. Anthony Davis in his playoff debut for 130 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: the Lakers. I'm gonna go with um. If I was 131 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: grading him, I would say Anthony Davis was a D 132 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: in his debut for the Lakers. I give him a 133 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: D minus. I didn't. I wasn't impressed with the way 134 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: he know he didn't play well, and a lot of 135 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: it goes back to like he were saying earlier, he 136 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: was a little bit too finesse, and then once it 137 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: seemed like his shot wasn't falling early, he decided I'm 138 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: just gonna crash the front of the ram and see 139 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: what happens. The problem with doing that is that McGhee 140 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: or Howard were in at the same time, so you 141 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: saw three four or seven footers all within two ft 142 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: of each other. So you can't just power your way 143 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: through that, especially the guy with like Anthony Davis, who 144 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,679 Speaker 1: was more of a finesse big man. Anyways, but going 145 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: back to the end of the game, as bad as 146 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: Danny Green and KCP play, you saw they were taking 147 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: more clutched shots late than Lebron James. Was the fact 148 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: that Lebron only took three shots in the last seven minutes, 149 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: and one of them was on an offensive rebound tipping. 150 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: That can't happen, not in the city of Kobe Bryant. 151 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna try to get in lebronze head, and he 152 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: wants to get everyone involved and activated. He needs to 153 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: unlock everyone else, otherwise he's just gonna have to carry 154 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: the team. Might he come out and go for forty 155 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: and ten in Game two? Now I know he's an 156 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: older guys thirty five years old. Uh, there's only one 157 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: day between games, But I mean the Lakers need Lebron, 158 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: like Anthony Davis. I don't know if he's built to 159 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: carry them in the postseason. He did carry the Pelicans 160 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 1: to a series win over the Blazers are sweep in fact, 161 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: and by the way, I'm probably gonna get hammered for 162 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: saying the Lakers We're gonna sweep the Blazers, and then, 163 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: of course the Lakers go out and lose Game one. 164 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: Not a good look for your boy, But compounding matters, 165 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: I was oh and one on my best bet first 166 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: with on the podcast, I had the Bucks like an idiot. 167 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: I even told myself, if you go listen to Tuesday's podcast, 168 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: don't bet double digit favorites. And the Bucks were double 169 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,599 Speaker 1: digit favorite and failed. Um let's quickly buzz through the 170 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: other two games. Nobody really cares that the Rockets smothered Okay, 171 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: see without Westbrook they won by you know, fifteen. It 172 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: felt like James Harden seven. Jeff Green had a I 173 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: mean Jeff Green. The Lakers could have used him. He 174 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: had twenty two points in the Indiana Miami game. Developing situation, 175 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: Victor Oladipo, who came into the bubble hurt, went down 176 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: clutching a knee in the first quarter. Only played nine 177 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: minutes and um, Indiana lost. I don't know where they're 178 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: going to get scoring from. It feels like Miami is 179 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:38,839 Speaker 1: going to win that series. Jimmy Butler a k A 180 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: Jimmy Buckets if you want to say a K A 181 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: future Laker. I would love to have Jimmy Butler. I mean, 182 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: he's a dog. I know, Rob G that's your thing, 183 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: future Laker. H Any thoughts though on the Bucks losing. 184 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: Who do you have more concerned about the Lakers of 185 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: the Bucks? I mean you have to naturally say the 186 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: Lakers only because the Blazers are a much better team 187 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: than the Magic, so by default you'd be more. I'm 188 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: not concerned about either one of them. I'm still not 189 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: wavering off the Lakers in five pick. I don't think 190 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: that I saw anything from Portland's that I wasn't expecting 191 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: to see. The Bucks, though, What was interesting with them 192 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 1: is that, just like the Lakers, all of the bad 193 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: habits they built up in the playing games kind of 194 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: materialized themselves again in game one. But here's something that 195 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 1: just to calm all the nerves of everyone in Laker Land. 196 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: In Bucks Country. This was the first time since two 197 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: thousand three that both number one sees lose game one 198 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. It was the Spurs lost to the 199 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: Suns that year and the Pistons lost to the Magic, 200 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: and what happened that they played each other in the finals. 201 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: So relax, Okay, it's one game. There's a reason why 202 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: they played seven, alright, So listen. I'm not I'm with you. 203 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: I'm not panicking over the Lakers. There's no excuses. Anti 204 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: Davis needs to play better. I do believe Lakers will 205 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: bounce back in Game two and win. I'm not gonna 206 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: go with a guarantee, although um they better win the 207 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: better win for the NBA's sake, I still think Lakers clip. Listen, 208 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: it's one game. You never want to go overboard. Lakers 209 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: will be fine, Bucks will be fine. Let's not panic. 210 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: I want to quickly jump into a story that I 211 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: saw on Monday, and I had some interesting texts with 212 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: Rob g on this topic. I spoke to some people 213 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 1: in the sports media industry about it, but it all 214 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: started when I When you go back to the interview 215 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: I did uh Tuesday with Brian Wynhorst from ESPN, you 216 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: know he talked about constantly trying to be ahead of 217 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: the curve and how there really wasn't a ton of 218 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: value anymore in news. It had become essentially com modified, 219 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: and the real value is looking ahead and reading the 220 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: tea leaves, if you will, to see what's next. And 221 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: you know, I saw that happening when I was back 222 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: on the Big Lead, the website I created way back 223 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: in two thousand and six. I saw it, you know, 224 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 1: maybe three or four years ago. You could start to 225 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: see that everybody was trying to just jump on breaking 226 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: news posted on a website and quickly get those clicks, 227 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: you get the Google fire hose to do in your 228 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: direction because you were first, you know, first in air quotes. Uh, 229 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: it was really valuable. And you know, when the Big 230 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: League was getting sold from USA today, I spoke to 231 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: the company that was buying it, and I mentioned this 232 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: to them, like, listen, the value of breaking news just 233 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: isn't there anymore. Yeah, you know, maybe a huge piece 234 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: of Tom Brady news you want to have up and 235 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: react to it quickly, but by and large, there was 236 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: not a lot of value in breaking news. And they 237 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: disagreed with me significantly, And I said, okay, well that's 238 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: how I see it, guys, And they said thank you 239 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: for your service, and I moved on. You know, I 240 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 1: was upset for three or four minutes, and then my wife, 241 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,599 Speaker 1: wife Rete, quickly reminded me, well, at least you're not 242 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: gonna have to be tethered to a computer all the time. 243 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: You don't have to be a slave to breaking news. 244 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,719 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, yeah, you're right, and uh, 245 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: it worked out the best for me. And it brings 246 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: me to this story I saw Monday in The Athletic 247 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: Why the NBA has a serious viewership problem it needs 248 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: to fix it was written by a fellow named Sherwood Strauss, 249 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: and I had talked to Rob g about this. On Monday, 250 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: I texted some people in the NBA ecosystem about this 251 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 1: and listen, Obviously, there was one big number in this 252 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: story that jumps out, okay, and it was NBA viewership 253 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: is down forty five cent from which was the lockout season. 254 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: If you remember the year Lebron won his first title 255 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: with the Heat his second year in Miami, and the 256 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: numbers are pretty startling when you look back at that season, 257 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: the average regular season games on ABC drew five point 258 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: four million viewers. This season, the number was down to 259 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: two point nine million viewers. Okay, obviously that sounds significant, 260 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: but I didn't think the author did a great job 261 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: of providing context. And I don't want to sound like 262 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: I'm in the tank for the NBA. There the league 263 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: has many problems, which you'll get too shortly, But when 264 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: you look at prime time TV ratings for some context 265 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: versus just like the NBA, I did that and you 266 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: come up with in the coveted eighteen to forty nine demo, 267 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: which matters the most to advertisers because that demographic spends 268 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: And you know, we'll get into a little bit more 269 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: of it shortly, But when you look at that coveted demographic, 270 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: prime time TV in there were forty two shows that 271 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: registered a rating of three or better. That's roughly four 272 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: million people watching forty two shows. This is according to 273 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: Deadline Hollywood. Fast forward to five shows get a three 274 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: point out rating or better, so forty two to five. 275 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: There is bottom line, there's far less people watching prime 276 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: time TV, I e. NBA games, sitcoms on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC. 277 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: It's just that's the reality. The NBA decline has been 278 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: similar to that, actually not as bad as primetime TV. 279 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: And I love This is where I love to ask 280 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: myself a question because I have a feeling you guys 281 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: are listening and asking the same question. Well, Jason, look 282 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: at baseball, baseball, why isn't it down? It's kind of 283 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: flat over the same course, Well, that's easy. Primetime TV 284 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: runs September two, I believe May May or when the 285 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: sweeps are right. They basically run the school season um 286 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: or the school calendar year September to May. When is baseball? Oh, 287 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: baseball is mostly on TV mid June through August. In 288 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: the regular season, they're up against almost nothing. There's a 289 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: reason baseball is flat is because it's not up against anything. 290 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: And also, remember, their audience is older than the NBA's audience. 291 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: They're big in the fifty five and up, so the 292 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: NBA is big in the young audience. They're out of 293 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: school in the summer, and you know they're going to 294 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: baseball games because that's what people do in the summer. 295 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: So it's obvious why baseball isn't down. NB. I don't 296 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: think we need to get into that. You guys are 297 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: smart enough. The NBA, I'm sorry, the NFL is king 298 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: we know that. Okay, only sixteen games, there's urgency, right, 299 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: you've got fantasy gambling. Football is in a great place. 300 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: It's going to be in a great place for a while. 301 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: But this piece in The Athletic seemed to focus heavily 302 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: on the NBA and social justice issues and of course China, 303 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: and it seemed to frame the drop in ratings around 304 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: China and social issues, and I thought that was a 305 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: little bit off. And I want to ask you guys this, 306 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: Are you not watching or paying to the paying attention 307 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: to the NBA because of the social issues and you know, 308 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: black lives matter on the court and equality on the 309 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: back of a jersey? Are you really saying I'm done 310 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: with the NBA. I'm not watching it at all, because 311 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: I personally haven't heard anybody in real life tell me 312 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 1: that that. I'm so turned off. I'm not watching any 313 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: of the games. You basically, if you didn't watch the 314 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: NBA before, you aren't watching it now. And that just 315 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: adds to why you're not watching it now. Does Steve 316 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: Kerr and Gregg Popovitch getting political constantly? Is that driving 317 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: you away? I mean, yeah, you're gonna have jokers on 318 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 1: Twitter say yeah, yeah, I'm definitely not watching it because 319 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: of Kura and Popovich. Really, Okay, your handle isn't even 320 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: a real name, your picture is not you. Why would 321 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: I believe anything you say. I'm sorry, I can't. I 322 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 1: can't buy into the trolls on social media in real life. 323 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 1: Do you know anybody bailing on the NBA because of this? 324 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: I could find folks. One person that I personally know, 325 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: whether you go through your fans on Facebook, from high school, college, current, 326 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: I know one person and he actually bailed on the NFL. 327 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: And I don't think he's listening to this. It's my 328 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: wife's stepdad. He is a Vietnam veteran. He was drafted 329 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: into the Vietnam War at eighteen, and he was a 330 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 1: huge NFL fan and when the players started kneeling I 331 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: think it was three or four years ago, he bailed 332 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: and he stop cold turkey, and that is a fact, 333 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: and we didn't really talk too much about it, but 334 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: he was just very unhappy with the players kneeling in again. 335 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: He's a Vietnam veteran, Hey, I get that. I think 336 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 1: he's slowly gotten back into the NFL. He's a big 337 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: Giants fan, so we had plenty of Jets Giants debates, 338 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: but He's the only person I actually know who bailed 339 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: on a sport because of you know, the social issues. 340 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: Now I haven't talked to about the NBA, but I 341 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: will get to the bottom of that because I know 342 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: you can't wait to hear it. So anyways, the two 343 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: things I think the author really missed in this story, 344 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: and maybe we'll get you know, try to get him 345 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: on the podcast down the road when NBA playoffs starting 346 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: to roll, start to roll in a little later in 347 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: the postseason. But my number one issue is just who 348 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 1: is the NBA audience? And number two, how poorly the 349 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: best markets have done. So you know, when your core 350 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 1: audience is the NBA, and it's like eighteen to forty nine, right, 351 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: the young audience, the urban demographic, they're habits are gonna 352 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: change and quite rapidly. Okay, my kids really like the NBA. 353 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 1: Are they sitting down devouring every game? No, of course not. 354 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: They don't have time for that. They got they gotta 355 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 1: play Roadblocks and all these other games on their iPad. 356 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: And then you know, we got the streaming services. And 357 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,719 Speaker 1: you know, I thought a comparison could be the current 358 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: situation with malls. If you guys have noticed malls are 359 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: now ghost towns. And this was pre COVID. They were 360 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: becoming ghost towns. And nobody goes to malls anymore to shop. 361 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: You do your shopping online. Your habits change over time. 362 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: I remember when I was a kid, the mall was 363 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: the congregation spot. Everybody would go to the mall to 364 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: hang out. Right on Friday night, we would go. My 365 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: parents would drop us off. We'd go to the mall. 366 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,479 Speaker 1: We maybe buy a CD h we try to hit 367 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: on some girls. We'd get some pizza. And on Saturday, 368 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 1: people go to the mall and shop like that's what 369 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: you did. But your habits change. I bought a suit 370 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: online last year. I buy sneakers online. I don't go 371 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: to malls anymore and buy clothes. That doesn't mean I 372 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: don't buy clothes. I just do it in a different way. 373 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: And I think it's similarly. NBA fans are just consuming 374 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: the game differently. That's simply what's happening now. People don't 375 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: have to watch every game. They'll stream them, okay, they 376 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: will follow the highlights on Instagram and Twitter. Because you 377 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: know what, young people, they are not making a ton 378 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: of money and maybe they can't afford cable and they'll 379 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: watch it on YouTube TV and I don't know how 380 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: the NBA can account for that. They can certainly track 381 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: some of those numbers, but they're not gonna be the same. 382 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: And the big factor, of course, is the TV deals 383 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: are incredibly lucrative, and that the TV deal drop, so 384 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: do the salary cap numbers, and that's not good for 385 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: the league. I don't really know how the and and 386 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: be able to handle that. That's something in the coming 387 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: years they'll have to factor in. But the just because 388 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: the TV numbers are eroding, I don't think it means 389 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: the NBA culture is struggling. I mean, when you look 390 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: at social media, which I don't know what that's worth, 391 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: but it's certainly worth something. It's somewhere between something and nothing. 392 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: Steph Curry has thirty I think thirty one million followers 393 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: on Instagram. I think that's more than the top ten 394 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: or maybe the top fifteen baseball players combined. And I 395 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: think it's more than the top five and fl players combined. 396 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: That's just Steph Curry, who, by the way, has less 397 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: than half of the Instagram followers Lebron does. Now, what 398 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 1: does that mean? How do you quantify that we're still 399 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: figuring it out. You know, social media is still in 400 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: its infancy. Okay, Instagram has been around ten years, Twitter 401 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: maybe like twelve, Facebook probably like fifteen. These are still 402 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,959 Speaker 1: the early years. We're still trying to quantify that. And 403 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 1: I think until we can, we can't say that the 404 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,360 Speaker 1: NBA audiences, they're losing their audience on TV. Nobody wants 405 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: to watch it anymore. I just I think that's a 406 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: parallel that kind of falls short. And you know, when 407 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: you're trying to figure out what Instagram followers mean, I mean, 408 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: think of it this way, like the young influential crowd, 409 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: the eighteen to forty nine, you can you can go 410 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: younger if you want. They're the one telling their parents, Hey, 411 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: I gotta go back to school shopping. I want to 412 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: buy this brand because Steph Curry wears that which is 413 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: under armour. You know, the kids want certain sneakers because 414 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving has a cool sneaker. I mean, like, I 415 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: don't know that that's how it should be. That's kind 416 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: of how it is, right. The popular college football teams, 417 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: I remember Miami Hurricanes were popular. I'll never forget going 418 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: to a mall back to school shopping. I think it 419 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: was before like seventh grade, and I had to have 420 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: this Miami Hurricanes, not the starter jacket, but the cool 421 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 1: sweatshirt with the starters sign on it. And it was like, oh, 422 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: Miami Hurricanes, they're really popular and cool and they're good. 423 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: I need to wear that gear. Well, now it's the individual. 424 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: Athletes are brands, especially in the NBA. Think about this. 425 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: LaMelo Ball hasn't played an NBA game, hasn't been drafted, 426 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: and I think he has more Instagram followers than any 427 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: baseball player. Again, what does that mean. I don't know, 428 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: but he's gonna go into an organization in the NBA 429 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: with an automatic fan base. Zion Williamson had one. You know, 430 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: these guys are huge before they even get to the lead. 431 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 1: Can you don't see that in college baseball players. You 432 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: don't really see that in college football. That not that 433 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: to the extent of basketball. You've got high school basketball 434 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: players with massive followings that you don't see at the 435 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: high school level in football and baseball. So figuring out 436 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: the audience is my first issue with this article in 437 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: The Athletic, and number two is like, you know, when 438 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: you really look deep at the ratings, in sports. Okay, again, 439 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: we're removing NFL from the equation because markets don't really matter. 440 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: But the markets matter greatly in baseball and basketball because 441 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: the seasons are so long. Okay, think about it this way. 442 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: You need the big markets and the biggest TV markets. 443 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: I looked this up. Number one obviously New York. Number 444 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: two is l A. Number three Chicago, number four is Philly, 445 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 1: five is Fort Worth, Texas, six is San Francisco. Those 446 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: markets account for the bulk of the viewing audience. Okay, 447 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: obviously there are pockets in St. Louis and New Orleans. 448 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:01,439 Speaker 1: Those all matter, but the largest pockets are in those 449 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: those five, five or six markets. Okay, for baseball, guess 450 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: how lucky the sport's been in the two thousand tents. 451 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: The New York Yankees had the best record of the 452 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: American League. Guess who had the second best record, the 453 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: Boston Red Sox. It kind of helps baseball when the 454 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,199 Speaker 1: two biggest markets in the A L are dominant. By 455 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: the way, Texas Rangers fifth best record and in the 456 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: National League the best record in the two thousand tents, 457 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: l A Dodgers biggest market. Now, baseball has no salary cap, 458 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: so it's a super unique situation in that. Oh where 459 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,959 Speaker 1: you look at that the best teams in baseball spend 460 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: the most money. Oh, look, baseball's thriving. Okay, we get it. 461 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: Basketball has a salary cap. And oh, would you look 462 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 1: at that in the two thousand tents, just as NBA 463 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: ratings are sagging, the New York Knicks stink. They were 464 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,719 Speaker 1: in atrocity for virtually the entire decade. Oh look, the 465 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 1: Lakers had the worst six year run in the history 466 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: of the franchise. After Kobe left. Well they have final 467 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: coat years of Kobe and after he was gone, and 468 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,239 Speaker 1: then you have the Chicago Bulls after as soon as 469 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: Derrick Rose kept getting hurt, the Bulls were terrible. So 470 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: the biggest markets, New York, Lakers, struggling Clippers were a 471 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: non factor until this year. The Bulls stink. The seventis 472 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: have been up and down. You look at the biggest 473 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: markets in the NBA and they're they're doing terrible. Why 474 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,399 Speaker 1: do you think the ratings are down? Now, this is 475 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: where it gets super interesting, and I'll wrap up on this. 476 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: I know baseball was better for regular season numbers according 477 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 1: to the Athletic for the decade than basketball. But when 478 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: you compare the Finals versus the World Series, tell me 479 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: what you get. Well, I've done the homework, and in 480 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: these the NBA Finals beat the World Series every year 481 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 1: except for one year, and that was when the Chicago Cubs, 482 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: major market team hadn't won a World Series in forever. 483 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: When they won the World Series, they beat the NBA. 484 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:06,400 Speaker 1: But that's the only year. So again, I went too deep, 485 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: probably on an article in The Athletic that maybe eighteen 486 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: of you read and ten cared about. But I think 487 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 1: it's a big topic and again big picture, as Brian 488 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: Winhorse said, it's going to impact the salary cap down 489 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 1: the road, and that's why this story matters. And I'm 490 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: gonna try to do this on the podcast. Gets you 491 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: stuff that you may not care about, but I'm gonna 492 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: make you care about it, kind of the way your 493 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: parents tell you gotta eat your vegetables. You gotta eat 494 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: your veggies, and you're like, I know, thanks, you gotta 495 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: eat the vegetables. Folks. The only thing better than sitting 496 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: on your couch watching the game. He's making money while 497 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: you do it. Your best bat all right, And to 498 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: wrap up this episode of Straight Fire, By the way, 499 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: remember subscribe, rate and review. That's always crucial to the 500 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: podcast growing the audience. Uh, we've seen already massive growth 501 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 1: in just a week. Really thrilled with the development of 502 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: the podcast. Rob g a great producer Fox Sports Radio 503 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio given it a big push. Obviously, the 504 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: great guests help. So give us a five star review 505 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: when you get a chance. And here is the best 506 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,159 Speaker 1: bet for Wednesday. I'm staying in the bubble. I have 507 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: had people instagram me on the d M. S Hey, Jason, 508 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: you gotta look at this baseball. Some people have mentioned 509 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: some Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm gonna when I hit a snag, 510 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: I will lean on you guys for support. But I'm 511 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: going to the bubble and I'm going back to the 512 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: well and I'm going to my guy, Michael Porter Jr. 513 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,440 Speaker 1: And the Denver Nuggets favored by four against Utah. They 514 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: took a good punch from the Jazz on Monday. I 515 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: think the Denver bounces back and wins comfortably. I liked 516 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: them by four. I was looking at the sixers, but 517 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: that line has come down. Of course. Gordon Hayward now 518 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: out four weeks. That's a big loss. Boston has really 519 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: a bench that just has never delivered in the playoffs, 520 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: hasn't really played in the playoffs. Brad Wannamaker, Grant Williams, 521 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: Robert Williams, Are you kidding me? So? I nearly took Philly, 522 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: But I'm a big Jayson Tatum guy. If you listen 523 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: to Tuesday's podcast, I am going to go with the 524 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets favor by four against Utah. Come on your Kich, deliver, 525 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray, let's go. Thanks again for listening, guys, We 526 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: will see you tomorrow.