WEBVTT - The Dave Pasch Podcast - Mikal Bridges 0:00:04.160 --> 0:00:07.680 Welcome back to the Dave Pass Podcast. We took off 0:00:07.680 --> 0:00:11.560 for about a month. We're kicking things back off with 0:00:11.760 --> 0:00:14.600 a guest who not only can talk about the Super 0:00:14.640 --> 0:00:18.400 Bowl champion LA Rams, but also can talk about the 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:22.480 team with the best record in the NBA, Suns forward 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:26.079 mckel Bridges, who has become one of the best two 0:00:26.120 --> 0:00:31.120 way players in the NBA. Terrific offensive player, borderline All Star, 0:00:31.920 --> 0:00:35.600 but also a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:38.360 and certainly to make one of the two All NBA 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:41.280 teams coming out. Mckel is going to talk about being 0:00:41.400 --> 0:00:46.640 at Super Bowl fifty six, his bet with teammate Cam Johnson, 0:00:46.680 --> 0:00:50.640 who's a Bengals fan, and what embarrassing thing Cam has 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:55.640 to do after his team lost to mckell's Rams ongoing 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:59.200 and we're figuring out the time and place. This will 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:03.480 be very Are you very very great? But yep, this 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:05.959 is my most favorite bet. There we had who were 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:09.840 some of mckel's favorite players growing up. He grew up 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:13.200 in Philadelphia but became a Rams fan. How he became 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:17.679 a Rams fan, his relationship with former Cardinal and current 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:23.720 Sons owner Larry Fitzgerald, the differences between Manti Williams, his 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:27.600 current head coach, and Jay Wright is national champion coach 0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:31.600 at Villanova. What it's like playing with Chris Paul and 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:35.320 lessons learned from being in the NBA Finals in twenty 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:40.040 twenty one. We are presented by betmgm, the official sports 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:43.200 betting partner of the Arizona Cardinals, and by Hila River 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:47.160 Hotels and Casinos. You can sign up for betmgm today 0:01:47.560 --> 0:01:50.720 using code cards one thousand and get your first bet 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:54.040 risk free up to one thousand dollars. New customer offer 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:57.240 paid in free bets. Visit betmgm dot com for terms 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:02.040 and conditions. Twenty one and over Arizona only. Please gamble responsibly. 0:02:02.160 --> 0:02:06.040 Gambling problem called one eight hundred next step. You can 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:10.119 also follow us on Twitter at pash pop. We're back 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:12.680 with another edition of the Day Pash Podcast and our 0:02:12.720 --> 0:02:20.280 guest is Suns forward mckel bridges. Michael, let's start with 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:23.440 talking about your rams were just a few days removed 0:02:23.560 --> 0:02:26.680 from winning the Super Bowl. I know you watched the game, 0:02:26.919 --> 0:02:29.200 Where did you watch the game with, Who did you 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:32.679 watch the game, and what was your reaction when the 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:37.640 clock hit zero? In your rams were Super Bowl champs. Well, 0:02:37.680 --> 0:02:39.080 first of all, I like to start. This is a 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:43.360 great way to start. This is this is a leveling 0:02:43.400 --> 0:02:46.520 comments we have right now. But yeah, I was in 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:49.400 I was in LA for Super Bowl. Me and Cam 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:52.440 Johnson where you went. You know, I'm right saying he's 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:56.440 just a bigle staying and he's just so five minute. 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:58.480 It was really dope. That was my third time being 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:01.960 in that building and it's just unbelievable what they do. 0:03:02.160 --> 0:03:05.600 But man, watching that whole game and experience the Super 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:09.520 Bowl was unbelievable, you know, something I always wanted to 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:12.760 go to and I just blessed that and happy that 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:15.320 my team was there. It was dope. Man. I was 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:18.240 so excited. I felt like when when we won, I 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:19.800 felt like I won, man. I felt like I was 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:21.360 a part of the team and it was just it 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:24.240 was amazing feeling. Do you know any guys on the team. 0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:27.280 Have you been able to cultivate relationships with with any 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:31.080 of the current players? Yeah, I think I know a couple, 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.679 but the one I'm closer with is probably Ramsey. He's 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.120 want to remember him hit me up when I got 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:39.640 drafted and everything, which was pretty dope. He was in 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:42.400 LA yet, but uh, that was just dopeing him for 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:45.040 that man and just kind of doing a little fresh 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:48.960 up with him. It's been really cool. How did you 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:53.279 become a Rams fan because you grew up in Philly? 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:57.040 Were you an Eagles fan growing up? Now? So I 0:03:57.080 --> 0:04:00.360 grew so, I grew up, so I became round saying 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.600 off mad and alone playing a video game. Um, I 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:07.400 was big on Marshall Falk and Kurt Warner, you know. 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:11.160 I was Bruce tory Hill autumn guys man, so fell 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:13.960 in love with them during the game. But I mean, 0:04:13.960 --> 0:04:15.760 growing up there, like, it wasn't like I hated the 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:17.839 Eagles at all. Like I have a lot of fair 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:20.800 players on that on Eagles man, like with Shady and 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:25.120 big d like like Djack. Like I know the Eagles 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:27.760 as much as I know my Rams, just because all 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:30.840 my friends and stuff and enjoy watching them. It's just 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:34.080 I was just a Rams fan, and I just I 0:04:34.200 --> 0:04:36.720 just stuck with him even when he was bad. I was, 0:04:36.760 --> 0:04:39.400 I'm rooted for the Eagles and everything. I liked them, 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:41.840 and I always, you know, stayed with them. So this 0:04:41.960 --> 0:04:45.760 is primarily mckel since I worked for ESPN, but I 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.400 also do the Cardinals games. This is primarily a football 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.680 podcast and the first guest when this kicked off last 0:04:51.720 --> 0:04:55.200 summer was Kurt Warner. And you know Kurt obviously playing 0:04:55.200 --> 0:04:59.039 here with the Cardinals, but most people know him for, 0:04:59.360 --> 0:05:01.680 you know, least nationally for what he did with the 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:05.400 Rams and the movie American Underdog is out. I've seen it. 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:08.440 It's great. It's all about his story leading up to 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:13.159 the Rams Super Bowl. Nothing on the Cardinals in there. 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:16.679 The sequel would be just as good as the original story. 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:19.000 And that's what Kurt said, Those aren't my words. Have 0:05:19.120 --> 0:05:22.000 you had a chance to see the movie yet? No? 0:05:22.240 --> 0:05:25.920 I have not, and I have to. Man. I remember, 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:28.120 I actually didn't know they were coming out one until, 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:31.800 like I saw the trailer and I was like, first 0:05:31.960 --> 0:05:35.919 ah saw was was they showing like cliffs? And also 0:05:36.000 --> 0:05:38.760 I was like thirteen and in the Rams color might 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:40.880 hold up, this is not about to be And then 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:44.240 I kept watching the preview of Oh that's that's dope, 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:47.360 but I've never got a chance to watch it. So 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:50.280 you said you went to the game with Cam Johnson, 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:53.479 and I read about you guys had a bet that 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:59.479 involved several layers of embarrassment for the loser. The one 0:05:59.520 --> 0:06:03.039 thing that struck me the most was did he have 0:06:03.120 --> 0:06:08.120 to set up a lemonade stand somewhere because he lost? Yeah, 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.640 this is uh, this will be. This is ongoing and 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:14.640 we're figuring out the time and place and we will 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:19.120 let the city of Phoenix and people in Arizona know 0:06:19.279 --> 0:06:23.360 where it will be because this will be very very 0:06:23.480 --> 0:06:26.680 very great and we're figuring out the date now. But 0:06:26.920 --> 0:06:30.200 he will have a lemonade stand. If he Cam's little 0:06:30.240 --> 0:06:33.400 lemonade stand, he can name it whatever he wants. But um, yep, 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:36.960 this is my most favorite bet that we have. Is 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.200 it is the lemonade gonna be free? Or is it 0:06:39.200 --> 0:06:41.320 gonna be like five cents? You're gonna have like one 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:44.240 of those signs that as the of like the five 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.640 is backwards, you know, like a little kid would write, Yeah, 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.240 we're talking to cam. I think cam My son off 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:53.760 fifty five cents. You know. We had a combo about 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:56.600 you know, the gas prices being up. You know, you 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:58.720 don't you don't want to take two people's money, you 0:06:58.760 --> 0:07:01.160 know what I'm saying. So we're just we're figuring all 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:04.440 that out right now. This is gonna be great. All right, Well, 0:07:04.800 --> 0:07:06.800 we'll finish with football, but I do want to shift 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:08.800 to basketball, because you guys are the best team in 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:12.200 the NBA right now. They have only been seventeen teams 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:16.720 in NBA history to win more than sixty five games, 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:20.040 and you guys are on pace to do that. And 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:21.880 I've got a couple of year games coming up on 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:25.440 ABC against Utah and against Milwaukee. And I had you 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:27.400 guys early in the year. I had you a bunch 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:30.920 last year. The thing that stands out to me the most, 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:34.440 and we can talk about Chris Paul and Devin Booker, 0:07:35.120 --> 0:07:37.240 but the thing that stands out to me the most 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:43.520 is your guys chemistry. And I'm curious, did that start 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:48.560 before Chris Paul's arrival or did it start when Chris 0:07:48.560 --> 0:07:51.560 got here and you guys and MONI that you guys 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:55.200 all kind of came together and started to really build 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:59.080 those relationships to a point where it's affecting whether you 0:07:59.120 --> 0:08:02.520 win games. Yeah, I started with money got here, man. 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.440 You know, my second year, right, the bubble year, That's 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:08.720 when it really started money doing that culture and everything. 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:12.680 You know, after a tough year, a kindege of the 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:14.600 league like dang and then the league was like this. 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:17.480 But a lot of my vest has been on other 0:08:17.680 --> 0:08:20.400 good teams. STU tell me that this is not the NBA, 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:22.760 and you know, so don't get better one day and 0:08:23.360 --> 0:08:26.360 you know it's switched from me fast going to my 0:08:26.400 --> 0:08:30.880 second year money, just embracing it and you know, building 0:08:30.880 --> 0:08:33.280 this culture and started then. And then we got to 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:36.120 the bubble. And then bubble got us even closer because 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:39.360 the whole pandemic and everybody in the world going through it. 0:08:39.400 --> 0:08:42.679 And then you know, our whole thing was they made 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:45.240 this bubble up so that I was just us in 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:49.800 our lando got nothing to lose. Uh No, we had 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.920 to make good playoffs, we had to go undefeated and 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:56.320 other things to go our way. So we just kind 0:08:56.320 --> 0:08:59.480 of just had that just us against the world mentality, man, 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:02.120 and just got real closed down there, and it just 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:04.480 kept things going. Well. We got CP going to the 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:08.200 summer and goes for the next year. Where do you think, 0:09:08.200 --> 0:09:10.400 because we, you know, on the outside can look in 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:13.840 and guess, but you're obviously a part of it. You're 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:16.840 there every day. You've been there with Chris every day 0:09:17.360 --> 0:09:21.839 and just looking at his history, helping push the Clippers 0:09:22.000 --> 0:09:25.760 in the right direction, getting Houston to a position where 0:09:25.760 --> 0:09:29.120 they almost beat the Warriors in the Conference finals. Where 0:09:29.240 --> 0:09:32.920 is his biggest impact felt with you guys, and in 0:09:33.040 --> 0:09:36.400 terms of growing the culture and getting you to a 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:40.679 point last year where you're in the finals see the winner. Man, 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:44.720 he just drank so much to the table, and I 0:09:44.760 --> 0:09:47.080 mean bringing a Hall of Famer in. Man, it's just 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:51.240 unbelie avoiding what he does. He's just who he is 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.319 as a person and what his mind is. Everybody's not 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:58.400 built like him, especially mentally, and he's just so crappy 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.160 on the court, knows the games so well. That's why 0:10:01.200 --> 0:10:03.680 he's just so separated them a lot of other players. 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:07.520 But I think his biggest thing is that he wants 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:10.000 to win. And he's always a crazy thing. And I 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:12.600 know people he hasn't won championship and stuff, but he's 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:15.000 been on teams that go to players go far, so 0:10:16.040 --> 0:10:18.240 he's been a winner, you know, I mean championships on 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:20.360 the five you being a loser, you know, you could 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:25.600 win seventy percent of games and you win championship. Doesn't 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:27.520 mean you're a loser, just you just couldn't get over 0:10:27.559 --> 0:10:30.880 that hump. But you're winning games every year and putting 0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:33.200 your team in a position to win every year. So 0:10:33.880 --> 0:10:37.120 you know, he just he had that energy and everybody 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:40.600 else had the same energy. Man, it's just great. There 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:42.800 was no question in LA that there was some friction 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.280 with him and Blake Griffin, and there were a lot 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.480 of people that said, you know, Blake just couldn't take 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:52.959 Chris's personality and a lot of guys don't respond well 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:56.480 to that. You guys obviously have. Did you have a 0:10:56.520 --> 0:10:59.760 moment where you were challenged at all by him? And 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:02.560 just based on your background, I'm guessing you welcomed it. 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:05.680 Do you do you have any recollection of anything like that. 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:07.800 I know what's happened with Ayton, but has it happened 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:10.920 with you at all? Yeah? Always, Man, it goes on 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.880 to this day. We're all competitors and see what's greatness 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:16.520 one of everybody, and it's it's all the time. Man. 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:18.839 We just were staying on each other and keep getting 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:22.959 better and everything, uh not get satisfied. And we need that, 0:11:23.040 --> 0:11:25.840 you know, we you know, we won a lot of games. 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:28.960 Right now we can easily just be relaxed and just think, 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:31.800 you know, oh we're being everybody right now. It's gonna 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:34.640 be easy to you know, I try, It's gonna be 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.440 easy to win championship like, no, it's not like that. 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.040 You know, you gotta keep that fire and keep going 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:42.760 and never being satisfied. Um, you know I learned that 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:45.680 when I was in college. But m C and him 0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:48.880 demanding that at all times, it's just something that we need, 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:52.040 especially coming from one of our leaders. Um, it's it's great. 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:53.880 You know, that's what it takes. That's what it really 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:58.320 takes to go far. And see's just keeping everybody, you know, 0:11:58.520 --> 0:12:01.679 just just right there. You know, we're all excited so 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:05.000 how we're playing, but we all know that just our 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:06.640 biggest thing is trying to be the best team that 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:10.160 could be. By the end of the year, Well, you've 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:13.000 become more than just a good player. You came into 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:15.000 the NBA. You were a good player based on what 0:12:15.120 --> 0:12:18.040 you did in college, winning two national championships. I think 0:12:18.040 --> 0:12:21.079 everybody knew you were a good player, but you become 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:23.679 one of the best two way players in the NBA. 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:26.320 And I saw recently. I think it was just the 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:29.760 other day that in NBA dot Com has you right 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:34.439 now number two behind Jannis for Defensive Player of the Year. 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:36.520 Now I'm one of the voters, so at the end 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:38.800 of the year, I'll do all the all the awards, MVP, 0:12:39.000 --> 0:12:42.040 Defensive Player of the Year, all NBA teams, and I 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:45.400 take a lot of time and effort when I vote 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:51.640 because it's directly tied to your guys finances in your contracts, 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:58.480 and so I'm very, very careful and respectful with the process. So, 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:01.440 knowing that they're still a month and a half two 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.839 months to go here in the season, give me your 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:10.480 pitch on why you should be Defensive Player of the Year, man, 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:14.960 I don't know. I just that's just not think I 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:17.920 think about. Man, Honestly, I just got there. I play hard. 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:19.920 I just try to find ways to win, helps the 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:22.240 team as much as I can. I just got there 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:25.000 to play hard for my teammates and coaches. I promise you. 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.040 I don't really, you know, think about things like that obviously, 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:30.800 like you said, it was a contracts. I know, agents 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:33.320 and everybody else, family friends, which is great, you know. 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:36.319 I never I'm always grateful and I'm never gonna take 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:38.960 anything for granted. But I just got there. Hoop. Man. 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:40.480 I just try to be the best player I could 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:43.160 be and try to give the best chance I get 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:46.120 to help my team win. So um, that's what really 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:48.000 all is. And I know a lot of people just 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.680 saying just the same, but I truly mean it. I 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:52.840 love this team, I love my guys, and I just 0:13:53.280 --> 0:13:55.880 I just got there and play and just do whatever 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:59.960 it takes well, whether you win the award or not. 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:02.120 But there's still time. But I don't think there's any 0:14:02.200 --> 0:14:04.559 question you're going to be on one of the All 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:08.800 NBA defensive teams. That's that's a point that is I 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:10.920 think set and Stone, you're you're gonna make one of 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:13.439 those teams. You at this point probably first team, and 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:17.320 again you you could still win the award. What is 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:21.480 the biggest challenge with being a great defensive player in 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:25.240 the NBA? Because you're guarding the other team's best player 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:27.680 and it's not always going to be somebody that plays 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:32.480 your position. So what's the key When one night you 0:14:32.520 --> 0:14:34.520 may have to be going up against James Harden, the 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:38.640 next night it might be Lebron James, what's the key 0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:42.880 for you? Um, there's no in tantasy man, And I 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:47.280 think that's just individually for myself that I take no 0:14:47.440 --> 0:14:50.720 pride ins is knowing what players do and know what 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:53.560 they like to do and and go out and play hard. 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:56.840 But um, it also an't done. You know, all the 0:14:56.880 --> 0:14:59.960 things that do off the court and then give us 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:03.000 toff ready to guard those guys makes my job way easier. No, 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:05.080 I got four guys behind me. That's just gonna make 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:07.640 my life way easier. You know. I know it's never 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:10.720 just me out there. They give me all the confidence 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:13.120 in the world who out there and be aggressive and 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.680 you know, do things and you know, play my way defensively, 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:22.600 and I'm just really blessed, you know we just like 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:24.480 I said this, the four guys behind me, man, they 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:27.480 just make things way easier for me. And I think 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:30.000 that's why where we're at right now, just because of 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:33.000 how well we all play together. For you, when you 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:37.120 talk about preparation, how much are you studying? So let's 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:40.800 say you know you're playing well now Philly and you 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:43.080 got to go up against James Harden or when healthy 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:47.120 Brooklyn and you're playing Kevin Durant, how much are you 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:53.000 studying of their games? How much are you preparing mentally 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:58.320 ahead of time for that challenge? Um, I mean it's tough. 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:00.880 It's tough in the league. Just you play. You play 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:03.680 every other day, so it's not like an advance. But 0:16:03.760 --> 0:16:06.880 it's just you know, you see, but you just the 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:09.680 next game, and you couldn't you know, if you have 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:12.360 a couple of days off and they're plenty about to play, 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.160 they might be on TV or they're playing the day 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:17.960 before or one of your off days. You know, I watched, 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:20.480 you know, just watch a lot of basketball and just 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:23.400 watching just watching out the whole game, also looking at 0:16:23.400 --> 0:16:26.120 the players that might guard. Also just seeing their offense 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:29.720 and how they play together. But that's what I was 0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:32.080 just watching a lot of basketball, man, just watching games. 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.840 They know other games. And then kind of easier too, 0:16:35.920 --> 0:16:39.040 if you play them early in the year or a 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.440 week ago, you could go back to the game and watch, 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:43.880 you know, what they were doing as well. What's the 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:47.600 greatest lesson you think you guys learned from the experience 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:50.240 last year of going to the finals and getting that 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:54.200 close to winning a championship. You know, some teams get 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:58.720 that far and you know the next year after not 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:01.880 accomplishing that goal. You see it more in football than 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.320 the NBA, but you do see it where a team 0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.960 makes the finals doesn't win struggles the next year. You guys, 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:10.520 haven't you guys have been better this year than last year. 0:17:10.600 --> 0:17:13.080 So what was the biggest lesson that you guys took 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.600 away from that experience a year ago. There's no what 0:17:16.680 --> 0:17:18.800 it takes, you know, it takes everybody, and it's all 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:21.560 the little things. Um. And that's what we knew. You know, 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:26.199 we had that feeling, you know, being thirsty to be 0:17:26.280 --> 0:17:28.840 back there. We know what we have to do. Um. 0:17:28.920 --> 0:17:31.560 You know, obviously it was it was tough to sit 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:35.200 there and watch them celebrate, but you know you can't 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:37.919 stuck about it. You know, you gotta you gotta go on, 0:17:38.080 --> 0:17:40.320 you know, you gotta right. If we sit here and 0:17:40.400 --> 0:17:42.080 just be upset about it, you know that's not going 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:44.720 to help for the year after, for next year. We 0:17:44.800 --> 0:17:47.480 just knew we had to do obviously a stune, but 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:49.639 you know, I still think it was just a hell 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:51.439 of a year. But just knowing that we had to 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:54.240 come back and do all the other little things. Even 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:55.879 though we thought we was doing all the little things, 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:59.360 you gotta do even more of little things, and right, 0:17:59.440 --> 0:18:01.320 we just you know, that's what it really is, just 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:03.719 playing a whole forty eight every game. A couple more 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:05.399 and we'll get you out of here. I'm curious you 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:08.680 talked about Monty earlier in the culture that he started. 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:13.760 You play for a guy Villanova that is different in 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:19.720 terms of, you know, how he approaches building culture, but 0:18:19.960 --> 0:18:24.800 he's built culture nonetheless. And you know, Jay Wright is 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:26.840 a guy that has had as much success at the 0:18:26.880 --> 0:18:29.960 college level as anybody the last twenty years. What are 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.399 some of the similarities with Jay and Monty? What are 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:37.520 some of the differences? Oh? Man, differences, They really too 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:40.360 many differences. Man. They're they're literally they're literally the same 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:44.760 um Man. They want the best out of you. It's 0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:48.480 just all about the details, you know. That's that's what 0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:54.159 coach right and you know, defending and rebound everything, man, executing, 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:58.600 Like they're literally the same person. It's crazy. Just I 0:18:58.720 --> 0:19:00.639 merro on my first guy here and how he was 0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:03.560 I'm looking at him like, dang, I just felt like 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:06.119 I felt like I'm with Coach Right again, you know, 0:19:06.280 --> 0:19:10.200 And it's, uh, it's dope. And you know, especially knowing 0:19:11.359 --> 0:19:13.399 you know who they are. To think about Coach right, 0:19:13.480 --> 0:19:16.359 mind is that they both really care um at the 0:19:16.440 --> 0:19:18.800 end of the day, you know, and they both they 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:22.840 call you up, they're calling you out, and it's just 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:26.360 I'm blessed to I've been coached by two great coaches. 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:29.760 Man's just and they both helped me, you know, keep 0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:32.120 shriving and be the best player I can be every 0:19:32.119 --> 0:19:34.720 single day. And I'll just never take them for granted. 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:39.760 Larry Fitzgerald, how is your relationship with him? If he 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:43.000 had a chance to get to know fits? And have 0:19:43.119 --> 0:19:45.800 you seen him play basketball? He claims to be pretty good? 0:19:46.160 --> 0:19:50.040 Can he hoop it all? Fitz? Great, dude, man, I'm happy. 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:53.080 You know me man kid watching football all the time 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:56.239 and know who he is, and me always picking him 0:19:56.320 --> 0:19:58.360 up in maddened drafts and knowing that you're gonna catch 0:19:58.359 --> 0:20:02.480 every single thing. You know, my, my TV throws it 0:20:02.560 --> 0:20:05.679 to him. Um, he's great, man. You know, I love 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:09.000 football and I know Larry fitz for so long just 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:12.040 knowing the type of player he is, and uh, it's 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:14.720 just great, you know, building a friendship with him and 0:20:15.520 --> 0:20:18.639 knowing the type of person he is, and everybody always 0:20:18.680 --> 0:20:21.560 told tell me he's the greatest person and meeting them 0:20:21.600 --> 0:20:24.880 and really saying the same as that thing to other 0:20:24.880 --> 0:20:27.320 people when they asked me about him, because it really is. Man, 0:20:27.359 --> 0:20:31.080 He's just he's just a great dude. Man, He's special. 0:20:31.280 --> 0:20:35.120 That's just not everybody's like that not everybody's like who 0:20:35.119 --> 0:20:37.520 he is and that's why that's why it makes him 0:20:37.560 --> 0:20:40.560 so different man, because he's just such a great guy. 0:20:40.960 --> 0:20:42.520 But I've never seen a hoop. Yeah, I've never seen 0:20:42.560 --> 0:20:45.840 a hoop. The big debate, for whatever reason, by the way, 0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:48.520 after the super Bowl is should Matthew Stafford be in 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:51.439 the Hall of Fame? And I'm curious if you have 0:20:51.480 --> 0:20:54.320 a take on that, because people, look, he had great 0:20:54.400 --> 0:20:57.440 numbers in Detroit and then he wins the super Bowl 0:20:57.480 --> 0:21:00.679 and everybody says, well, that automatically makes you Hall of Famer. 0:21:01.440 --> 0:21:03.480 I'm not sure where I stand on that. He's still 0:21:03.520 --> 0:21:05.439 got you know, who knows the guy could play for 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:09.480 five more years. You have a thought on that at all? Yeah, 0:21:09.520 --> 0:21:13.159 I had to committee. I tapped into the numbers. But 0:21:13.160 --> 0:21:15.800 I know, I know a lot of people say that 0:21:15.840 --> 0:21:18.399 he wouldn't be All of Famer because he hasn't won 0:21:18.400 --> 0:21:21.159 a championship thing like that, and he did, so I 0:21:21.160 --> 0:21:23.359 just I wonder what the next excuse would be. So 0:21:24.119 --> 0:21:25.920 how the world goes there say one thing and then 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:29.040 they do it that is another excuse. So so we'll see, 0:21:30.200 --> 0:21:35.520 all right, last one, if Sean McVeigh retires, what what 0:21:35.520 --> 0:21:38.159 will what will your reaction be if he decides, you 0:21:38.200 --> 0:21:40.160 know what, I'm gonna go do TV. I'm gonna get 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:43.520 a coaching for a while. You know, if you have upset. 0:21:43.600 --> 0:21:46.200