May 8, 2024 • 52 mins
On a Wednesday edition of The Best Of The Doug Gottlieb Show: Ryan Hollins and Dan Beyer in for Doug as they discuss the Oklahoma City Thunder and the path they took as an organization to be in contention this year for an NBA title.
In this week's version of "The Midway": Dan, Ryan and the crew talk about who wore their uniform best.
Dan and Ryan welcome NBA Analyst and former 15-year vet Olden Polynice onto the show to talk about the Thunder, Lebron and to play "Olden Days".
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Box Sports Radio.
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
That rumble you here coming from the great state of
Oklahoma as the Thunder take it to the MAVs of
the NBA last night, looking ahead to Nixon Pacers tonight.
So much more to get to as we are broadcasting
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He is Ryan Hollins. I'm Dan Byer Thunder and MAVs
bit entertaining Last night Oklahoma City, Ryan ends up pulling
away at the end, getting the big victory to go
up one to zero in the best of seven series.
And while these is far from over, Oklahoma City making
(01:03):
a bit of a statement last night, and that won
seventeen ninety five victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, I think everybody's saying it, Okay, sees for real.
I think everybody's saying that the Timberwolves are for real. Dan,
what are you saying?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
This is you know this is a series that when
we looked at the Conference semi finals, I think we
were toggling. I know Knicks Pacers has history, but really
we're like, Okay, it's Denver Minnesota gonna be the better
better series or is it going to be Oklahoma City
in Dallas? And I actually sided with Oklahoma City in Dallas.
I thought that would be the better series, and I
(01:42):
still think it could play out that way. I don't
think a lot changed last night with what with Oklahoma
Citi's win, and how the series can play out. I
think Dallas has every opportunity to win a game too. Dallas,
I don't think is good enough to go in and
win this series in five games. But Dallas can win
(02:03):
in Oklahoma City. It just didn't happen last night, and
Oklahoma City had a lot of momentum going loud. Dort
kind of locking up Luca, and we'll get to Luca's
look would a little bit later on in the show.
I was not surprised at the outcome and how it
played out, But by no means am I counting Dallas
out of this series. But what I just find so
(02:25):
so amazing. And this may be a topic that you're
gonna hear in different realms of sports media over the
next couple of weeks or however long Oklahoma City ends
up lasting in these NBA playoffs, But the thought that
just kept coming into my mind and watching last night
and again being reminded that this starting lineup has an
(02:46):
average age that doesn't top twenty three, as crazy as
that is, is how Oklahoma City has set them up
for success and what Sam Presty has obviously done in
accumulating first round picks. They still have thirteen of which
which will be a graphic that you'll see between now
(03:06):
and twenty thirty. They have thirteen first round picks. Like
there was ay they've got two in the upcoming draft.
There was a scenario where they at one time had
four first round picks in twenty twenty four. So Ryan,
as I'm watching last night and they're playing great basketball
and everything is falling into place in those forty eight minutes.
(03:28):
I'm saying to myself, how in the world do they
get better because they will have the assets to And
how in the world do teams coming off of even
our conversation yesterday, how do the Lakers feel and watching
what Oklahoma City is doing. How do the Philadelphia seventy
six ers feel where a decade ago it was trust
(03:50):
the process and that seemed to fail pretty miserably. How
do these other teams that are looking to turn things
around look at Oklahoma City, who now is the top
team in the Western Conference and honestly probably the top
team in making any moves over the next five years
in the NBA, Like this is just the start of
their dominance. I was more in awe of that in
(04:11):
the overall pickture than of just even watching them pull
away from Dallas in the fourth quarter last night.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
No, you're right, Dan, and it's got to be intimidating.
And the reason that you say it is is because
they have draft picks. They become a Western Conference version
of who the Miami Heat. They're bringing in undrafted guys,
they're bringing in late picks, and they're getting value on
(04:39):
the dollar for every player that is touching that roster.
And when I spoke with peeps over at Oklahoma City,
their mindset, their culture.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Where they were always is.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
The one thing they said is that you know, we're developing,
We're developing. And it got to the point where this
year they go we're developing. We go stop it. Body
wants to hear the developing thing. When you got shake
yochis Alexander playing at an MVP level?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
You guys are are are? I think?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I think at that time they're like second or third
in the Western Conference and chet Holmgren far ahead of
pace Man. So what they're doing culture wise is working.
They have the draft picks. And you know what I
woke up Dan with on my mind when I thought
about Oklahoma City. You look at j Dubb, Jaylen Williams,
(05:29):
you look at home Grin, you look at Shaye, and
I just think back to a time and place where
they had a team that was even more talented. And
I wonder if they make that same mistake and they
say James harden and I'm so glad I thank god
that they didn't say, James Harden Man, you go on
(05:50):
go to Houston, because we don't think you and Westbrook
can match. When it came to Kevin Durant and they
didn't give Kevin Durant the things that he wanted. It
made him feel comfortable enough to stay, to feel like
they we're gonna be competitive enough with him there to
win a championship?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Is Oklahoma City?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
How do they navigate when these guys go from being
potential and developing in youth, when they have to make
those really hard decisions to say, no, this is something
that we're going to keep together. And then whether they
do with these draft picks, you gotta trade them or
you're gonna trade them out for a later draft, you're
gonna hold on to them? What are you going to
(06:26):
be able to do? But the real value is to
be talking about the Miami Heat, Dan and I don't
know if you can see the comparisons, is that when
they're putting guys on their roster, they're developing, they're getting better,
they're playing within that system that dribble drive offense, and
they're getting so much better. And then you can make
a trade, you can make a move, and you get
even more assets because you're doing a great job developing
(06:48):
and building culture at the same time.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
It's amazing on what they've hit on. When you look
at the Oklahoma City Thunder and you look at how
they are constructed, it isn't just five guys who were
the number one, number two, or number three overall picks
in the draft. Chat Holmgren was Heck, he even missed
last year, you know, missed the entire season. He was
the number two overall pick. Their MVP candidate who you
(07:14):
heard Isaac longcron mention as one of the three finalists
for the MVP. Tonight ends up coming over in a
trade from the Clippers that sent Paul George from Oklahoma
City to LA. So not only do you get SGA,
you get the load of picks that you got from
him that he even posted on social media. But what
(07:34):
is so amazing about what they have done is how
quickly they have done it. And the reason I point
this out was we were talking before the show and
I even asked someone you are at Fox Sports Radio, said,
Kevin Durant left in twenty sixteen. How many years do
you think that Oklahoma City was at the bottom of
(07:55):
the NBA during that time? From then until now? And
there's okay, eight years, They're like probably about seven. And
Ryan it was two. They had two years where they
bottomed out. We completely forget about Russell Westbrook staying after
Kevin Durant and then saying, okay, well, let's make a move.
(08:17):
Let's let's you know, trade simonas. Let's let's trade him
for Paul George. We'll bring him over from Indiana and
we'll try to build up our own, you know, new
Durant in Westbrook. And that didn't work out. All that
happened was first round exits, see you later, bye bye.
So you need a big retool. So then you ship
Westbrook to Houston, you ship Paul George to LA and
(08:38):
then you start this for what you're talking about, retool
and developing these players. And that's what's so amazing to me.
Just two years at the bottom of the NBA, and
when you're the Philadelphia seventy six ers who had this
planned I don't know, tang for five years, whatever the
case was. And then the draft picks that you make
and that you fail on they've hit. They hit on
Jalen Williams. He they hit on the other Jail Williams
(09:00):
if I mean, you know he's even contributing at at
some point. There are so many things that the Oklahoma
City thunder have done right that have allowed them to
get to this point. And I I don't know if
any other team could have the track record of nailing
the picks and the decisions that Oklahoma City has done.
But if I'm the Clippers who did that deal with them,
(09:21):
if I'm the Milwaukee Bucks, heck, if I'm the Los
Angeles Lakers and you're trying to keep your stars happy,
you're almost at a dead end in sort of, you know,
in that essence, And maybe the Lakers are unfair because
of the brand that they are. Maybe like, you can
do this in Oklahoma City, but you maybe can't do
it in other places. I'm not too sure about that.
(09:43):
You would know more about that than I would. But
it was just two years of sacrifice, and now you're
talking about a next decade of possibly I don't want
to say dominance in the West, but they're going to
be there in the West. And if they're and they're
gonna be there year in and year out with all
these cards and tools to trade with. It is truly
one of the remarkable things that we've ever seen in
(10:03):
the NBA, Considering how we thought how difficult it was
to turn around a franchise in the NBA without that
single star player that we feel has to be given
to you in an NBA draft at the top of
the draft. What they have done is truly remarkable.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Now, Dan, you're right on, and you know it's funny
you say that. Can another franchise do that? Could you
do that with the Knicks? Can you even you know
it's funny. Everybody's like Trey, Paul, George, get rid of them.
Why would you sign Kawhi? The Clippers are in a situation.
They can't buy them out again. They've been bought them
out for a long time. You know, they can't buy
them out again. And this draws me close to home. Man,
(10:41):
with my Rockets, you got to understand in Houston, I
want to say, this is the first ever rebuild that
the Rockets have kind of like gone through. The fan
base didn't understand it, Dan. They maybe had a year
or two of patients, you know, sign it for Jalen
Green and the young talent that's there. But this year
was like, man, go be competitive, Like we want to
be a piece of something. Those franchises that are used
(11:04):
to winning and seeing their guys play at a high level, Dan,
they want no pieces of a rebuild, so you hit
it right on the hand.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
So get the Lakers, man.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Things didn't go well with those Angelo Young, D'Angelo, Russell
years and and and Jordan Clarkson, all those and guess what,
all those guys were really good. All Julie's ran, all
those guys on the Lakers were really really good. They
did a stand up job of draft and getting talent in.
But those big cities, those big markets, even though it
(11:34):
may be the best way to be good, they don't
want to hear it. Man, They don't want to hear it.
They don't have any any patience for it. But I
think the goal is and and Dan, I think you
gloss over to Oka. See think about they tried to
take one of those years and hands off the determined
Chris Paul. They were ready to They're ready to say,
Chris Paul home. It was like you didn't have a
place here, Chris, and they were like, nah, come out
(11:56):
and win.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
So that was a happy accident that they end up having.
And they did trade trade Westbrook. But you know, at
the end of the day, they've done a good job
of Again, I want you to remember this word. And for
those who may may not play basketball's playing. It's called culture.
And the one thing culture is your mindset. May consider
that everybody's unified. So you say Miami Heat and you
(12:18):
think about culture, right, you think about toughness. You know
they're tough. You know when you think about the Lakers,
they have a culture of banners. Their expectation is to
go win there, Hey New York, Hey, the Garden, just
toughness there. When you think of tips tips, culture is toughness.
As guys got to play a lot of minutes. We
know the ideenta. You think of Golden State Warriors, you
think about winning, you think about three point shooting, you
(12:40):
think about spacing, speed, you know, leadership. So you know,
building a culture where those players fit in a culture
is very important whether you're developing you have a winning
product already.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I think that there's similarities and I could, you know,
I could talk about where I think that the like
a team like the Milwaukee Bucks failed where Oklahoma City succeeded.
But I think your point of the Clipper is spot
on because this is an organization that was, you know,
prior to the last twelve years or so, was known
for losing. That's what they It's what they were. They
(13:12):
were the second team in the town. They were the
laughing stock of the NBA. That's who they were. So
now you get new ownership in and now you have
Lob City, and guess what things are changing. But things
didn't change as much as you thought. Yeah, they're not
losing sixteen, you know, sixty five games a season, but
now you're not advancing. And now, if you're Steve Balmer,
(13:32):
you get into the free agent game and say, all right,
we're going to bring in Kawhi Leonard. Guess what We're
going to bring in Paul George via this trade where
you trade Shay Gilgess Alexander as part of that deal,
plus all those assets to try to, in essence, get
that ready made title team. And now here we are
in twenty twenty four. James Harden's future is not known
(13:54):
with the Clippers. Paul George's future is not known with
the Clippers. Heck, Kawhi Leonard's future is not known with
the Clippers. Now that franchise is teetering, and obviously there
was neglect to Donald Stirling there. I don't think Steve
Balmer's going to neglect that franchise one iota. But they're
at a heck of a crossroads about to enter a
new building. And if you would have taken maybe the
(14:14):
route of Oklahoma City, because heck, let's face it, the
Clippers were used to losing. They were used to those things.
You just needed the right people to manage it. I mean, man,
how much would the Clippers want to trade spots with
Oklahoma City? Right now? They would do it in an
absolute heartbeat. But five years ago it sounds crazy to
even think of that they'd be willing to do that.
(14:35):
But now when you look at it, man, the thunder
are in a spot and the Clippers are in a
spot and a place that you don't want to be.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Well, you talked yesterday about Lebron. How do you build
around Lebron? And when a star comes in, he's gonna
say my way or the highway. So it was Kawhi
Leonard that said I'm going to come to LA and
I'm not doing it alone. And if Kawhi could have
done it again, maybe he would have saw he I
won't be alone. If we keep this shake, kid, uh,
we're gonna be a pretty good, pretty good shape and
(15:05):
have our draft picks and be well all.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
But at that time, I don't I don't think people
could see it.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I don't think anybody knew that Sga was gonna end
up being who he is. And man, at the end
of the day, he's one of the best players in
the league, hands down. Uh, there's no question there. But man,
but he's he's a flat out baller.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Man.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
But uh, he has really just made a name for himself.
But if you go back to that time, you know,
you said Kawhi teamed up with Paul George and throw
James hard in the mix. Man, you'd have said, for sure,
this is the championship. But uh, I don't think anybody
could have seen Shay becoming what he is. And I
covered him, Uh work putt with the Clippers there and
covered him in his first years and and you knew
(15:44):
he was gonna be pretty good. Man, But he had
a chance to go and grow and excel and okay, see,
man said, they really got behind him. I remember when
when Paul George first signed to the Thunder, we were
working out at the U c l A Men's gym
and I looked up and I've never seen this for
and to support Paul George and Russ and those guys.
Billy Donovan came out and I want to say, the
(16:07):
owner was there, the GM, the trainers, everybody was there
and was like, look, we're getting behind Paul George. He's
our new guy. We're gonna show him love. And I've
never seen that from an organization. So heats up to that, man,
I'm telling you it was. It was impressive.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We gotta wrap with this. But I when I look
at who's alive still in these NBA playoffs, I think
that the biggest my biggest takeaway is when we mention
those teams who are Phoenix is another team you can
you can bring into the mix and falling victim to this.
I don't know if it's when now pandemic. I don't
know if it's keep superstars happy pandemic. I don't know
(16:43):
how to how to you know what exact phrase it is.
But aside from maybe Dallas, none of these teams are
sitting there trying to accommodate their stars.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You look at you know, Boston and what Dannyeen shut
up and Brad Stevens is now you know continuing. I mean,
they have stars, but that's a heck of a team.
Last night, Jalen Brown and Derek White were the stars
and they don't even have Porzingis. Right now, you look
at all the Pacers are seem like a team that's that's,
you know, an up and coming squad, and now in
the conference semi finals, we expect more great things from
(17:18):
Jalen Brunson than the Knicks in the future. The Timberwolves
like nobody in these playoffs aside from maybe Dallas, and
I just say maybe because they did the Kyrie trade
last year for Luca and to try to say, like,
all right, Luca, we're bringing him in. Are you trying
to satisfy your star player to make it work like
their cultures that you talk about? And I feel that
that's such a changing of the guard in the NBA.
(17:40):
When you look at where these eight teams are and
the teams that aren't in the conference semifinals.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
What's changing is it doesn't look like it's working out
when it happens. And I'm all pro player, so those
guys have to make good on what it is. And
don't get me wrong, you got to strike right while
the iron is hot. So we'll give example. We talked
about Kawhi earlier, right, you made the big investment into Hawaii.
Kawai hasn't been healthy. That's not his fault. He wants
(18:08):
to be on the floor, there's no question there. But
it seems of it hasn't paid out. Look at Giannis
out to the COOPO. Giannis is a guy who, hey, man,
make this move, make this move. He hasn't paid out.
Hey Lebron James, shout out Lebron. But the truth to
the truth, man, he's in the playing game, you know,
back to back and ends up losing in the first round.
(18:28):
So those catered stars gotta be careful. They got to
deliver because we want empower the players. We know how
good those guys are. But at the end of the day,
they got to deliver. And Kawhi Leonard hats off to
him because when the moves made for him to go
to Toronto, he delivered.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
But as an organization, you're in a tough place.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But because you're saying we're gonna give everything up to bring
this guy in and get this guy in, and we're
talking winning here because make no mistake, off the court
or dan, the business of basketball is thankful for those
stars because they put butts in seats. Okay, so there's
a value. That's a whole nother discussion. But from a
winning and a basketball standpoint, it hasn't paid off. It
hasn't paid off. And Dan, I want to know what
(19:07):
you think about this. There's an interesting conversation in when
I think Coach Deagnoll was talking about SGA and one
thing that he said is that he's never taken on
this star role. He's still embracing his teammates. He does
everything that the other guys do. And I thought that
was an interesting stance as we talk about okacs success
(19:29):
and kind of giving the rein to these star players.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
And I'll tell you there is one thing, there's one instance,
in one scenario where I think proves what you just
said in its entirety.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
This is the best of the Done dot Leap Show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Welcome man, getting set for Pacers next tonight's Game two.
Also looking at a debate that was sparked yesterday as
the NBA and NFL have become rivals again. We'll get
to that in a bit, but we are broadcasting live
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(20:10):
free shipping. Free Road has a protection in over ten
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should be. I also feel that the drama over the
new NBA TV contract and the possibility that inside the
NBA could be going away. It's like when they take
your favorite item off of your favorite chain restaurant menu.
(20:33):
It is it is so disheartening. It's like everybody loves this,
why are you taking it away? And then it just
it could happen. But hopefully there's a way to save
inside the NBA at some point whenever this TV deal
gets settled. He is Ryan Hollins. Hit him up at
the Ryan Hollins. You can find me at Dan Byer
on Fox. It is a Wednesday, Ryan Hollins. And you
(20:55):
know what we do on Wednesday on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
You know what we do every Wednesday at four o'clock
eastern one Pacific.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
What do we do?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We get the crew together and come together in a
segment that we like to call the Midway.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
He's not getting.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
It's time for.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
The Midway. The Midway's founder is Jason Stewart and Jason
Stewart if you want to give Ryan Hollins a little
background on the midway how we go about things, and
and I could even then take it from there on
our topic today and how it originated. I just wanted
to it.
Speaker 7 (21:31):
It's the middle of the show, and it's the middle
of the week, and I wanted a reason to be
able to call something a midway. And then I thought about,
why don't we just have like a topic and go
around the room, whether it be like a you know,
give our favorite something, or give a commentary on something,
and but just have a conversation. In other words, we're
(21:53):
not just gonna line it up, go one by one
and give answers and move on. We just a conversation.
Feel free to chime in, feel free to criticize each
other's choices. Just have a lot of fun, Brian, That's
all I'm asking.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
I don't like Dan's choice, you don't like my.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Joy, you don't even know what it is yet. So
this got me thinking for the topic today, and I
threw this out and Jason gave it the thumbs up,
So we're gonna do it. First of all, the Mavericks'
uniforms are so below average. And Oklahoma City and there's
six colors that they use for their color scheme all
(22:31):
over the map. Not a great uniform game. Last night
in the NBA between the Thunder and MAVs. It also
it dawned on me, has there ever been a player
who has been as good as Luka Doncic that looks
as bad as he does in a uniform like it is?
It does not make a lot of sense. And to
(22:52):
magnify the point, last night on inside the NBA during
the Celtics Calves game, or I think it was that time,
or maybe it was afterwards, they showed Luka Datcic walking
into the arena in Oklahoma City dressed in a nice
sharp looking suits. You know, you know, Kenny Charles Shack,
(23:12):
We're all, uh oh, this is a business trip.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
You know.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
They were ready for Luca to bring it, and Luca
kind of kept in check last night. But when you
watch Luca play in how he dresses on the court,
he has to be the worst dressed best basketball player
we've ever seen. Because the undershirt is the sleeve is
(23:37):
cut off of the right arm, but it's not even
at the seam of the T shirt, there's wristbands, there's
knee braces, there's leggings. So one knee is black, one
knee is white. It is all over the place with
Luka Doncic. So I wanted us to talk about best
looking players in uniforms, like who wears a U form
(24:00):
well and maybe who doesn't wear a uniform well in sports.
You get her with that, Hollins, I.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Think that I'm gonna pay homage to where it goes.
Now people think that I don't like Michael Jordan for
some weird reason. I just we talked about this yesterday.
I don't want to have the goat debate. That's not
what I'm what I'm bringing it up for. But I
want to give Mike his credit. Mike in his era
was so fly that Michael Jordan was timeless. We still
(24:30):
wear Jordan's today. But as you talk about the the
equipment Michael with the with the arm sleeve and then
the lex leave you see Anthony Edwards rocks it.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
That's the Jordan.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
That's where the Jordan comparisons called young bull nose and
put on the Jordan equipment. You put on the little elbow,
the little elbow sleeve and you put on the legs.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Leave. That's the MJ look.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Anthony Edwards gets it, Mike, Mike set the standard man.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I would also say that I believe that Jordan looked
cooler in a red Bull's uniform than the white. Agreed.
You're with me, Jason Stewart on that one. Red and black, y'all. Yes,
there is something about that red of the Bulls. I
didn't love when they went to the black uniforms for
a time. I think that the white is whatever. But
(25:18):
when he wears the red Bulls uniformed, even with the
old ones, when the Jordan was just in the white
letter and there wasn't a trim around it, there's just
something about the way Jordan looked, So I can get
on board with that. I actually think Kobe probably looked
the coolest of anybody in the last twenty thirty years
(25:38):
in the NBA of how they looked in a uniform.
And again a tip of the cap to the Lakers
great unis purple gold. And then even when they brought
in the whites, Kobe looked cool. Changed numbers looked cool.
Either way. I think I would prefer the eights over
the twenty four when it comes to Kobe, but I
think Kobe Kobe looked like that's like a basketball player.
(26:03):
When you see Kobe dressed, that is the ideal basketball player.
I think in the last twenty or thirty years, when
it comes.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
I want to know if you know about this, So
take a look, and once you see it, you can
never unsee it. Kobe Bryant were the most oversized jersey ever.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
It was. It was like a it was dude. It
was like a four or five X teams.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So when you look at Kobe's jerseys, if you notice,
he'd always you see those famous pictures called You'd be
like chewing on his jersey or you know, he's pulling it,
he's doing stuff. Yeah, Kobe's jersey was so oversized, but
it's weird. You don't think of him as having an
oversized jersey.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
I never would have guessed it because I think, I
don't know. Maybe maybe it's me from the baggy clothes
and my generation and where I am. Maybe that's why
I But even even when like the Lakers kind of
had a more thicker around the shoulders uniform, like in
the early two thousands, I still think he looks good.
But early Kobe with the eight bald head whole deal,
(27:05):
like it just it works. It worked for Kobe.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I think the opposite of Michael and Kobe and they
I think they wore their uniform Bess.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think the opposite. And this has come full circle.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
This was ridiculous when it was out, and it was
ridiculous ever since. But now it's become a meme and
a joke.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
But TJ. Ford's Bucks uniform, Yes, I'm looking at it
right now.
Speaker 7 (27:30):
It's about five inches off the ankles and it's ridiculously baggy.
I can't believe. I know that was kind of the
look at the time, but I think even for the
time he got laughed at, didn't.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
He Yeah, it was ridiculous because you're like, how do
you dribble between your legs right? Like, hey, it's like
going through a car wash.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
I remember in middle school we would have contests to
see who could get the baggiest, you know, like like
like like pants and shirts, and I would go get
five XT's. I have five X shirts that are that
are floating around somewhere. And Dan, don't you don't you
look at me crazy? I know you got some five
X and SIXX. Cuse just sitting around somewhere too.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Bit I'll tell you what I still like when I'm
shopping for gym shorts, basketball shorts like these aren't baggy enough. Sorry,
They're just not. They're not. And now everything is cut
above the knee. I'm like, no, I need them, need
them down below the knee. I'll never change that way.
This is, by the way, not just basketball only. This
(28:31):
is all sports. Because I'm gonna bring up a current
player that I also think wears his jersey very very well,
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. Big guy hing stripes. Yes,
good half on top. I think Aaron Judge. The Yankee
pinstripes certainly do help, But I think Aaron Judge sports
(28:53):
a good look on.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
The field in similar vane. I was thinking too, And
maybe it's it's the oversized baseball player that are more
like football players. But Bo Jackson really filled out, as
you know. If remember that uniform barely fit on him,
and he looked great. He could have played without clothes on,
but he it just looked amazing. Google image Bo Jackson
(29:18):
Royals and you won't regret it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
You also like, you have the top button kind of
un buttoned so it was he had to.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Hold on.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Hold on, guys, I think we're forgetting forgetting basketball royalty
here as far as we're talking culture, it looks Alan
Iverson A I A.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I come on, guys, I could never get with a headband.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
You couldn't get you hold on? You mean you can't
wear the headband and you wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Like both all the above, Like it wouldn't work with me, man,
I was never. I was never. It was too much
of an accessory to me.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Crazy Dan, the headband is legendary. AI hit the head
brand with the with the four braids. I know, I know,
I get it. Heck Lebron wore it for a while.
I mean, yes, that is not true.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That is not true because I'll say this, you want
to talk about college shops, Alan Iverson in his Georgetown
uniform off the top that what.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
You know, hey, fellas, what do you think about this?
One of the best jerseys ever, Pinstripe Orlando Magic.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I would go, well, Shack was shocked, but Penny because
Penny wore one in because Penny was tall and lanky,
Penny Hardaway. I'm talking about like it worked, like it
really worked because the one was you know here you
have what six ' nine and you know, tall, skinny kid.
(30:50):
It worked in that fashion. I think there's some in football.
I'll give you a bad one in football. Peyton Manning
in his helmet like like he wore some jacked up
overly safety helmet in his later years in Denver. But
even when he was with the Colts, like this face
(31:13):
mask that he was wearing. Peyton Manning was for as
great as he was, did not lose coolness in the
uniform that he wore. Like Baker Mayfield. I actually think
Baker Mayfield can kind of pull it off. Maybe not
top of the list. Or do you think Baker looks cool?
(31:33):
He's compact, He's nowhere near the size of Peyton Manning.
Baker makes it work. I think Peyton in his jacked
up helmets made him look weird in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
You know who you know who had a crazy look
to me or like was always clean? Mike Vick, Yes,
Mike vic had a Mike Vick had the look.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
How about Deon Sanders look good? Feel good to play
good man? Shout I proud?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Yeah, Dion's the only one who could do that, Like
you could you know, have his flash with the towel
and make it work. Yeah, well, I think the a
lot of falcons black and red help Iowa. Sam.
Speaker 8 (32:12):
Yeah, let's so when you brought up When you brought
up Peyton Manning, I thought of Actually, I didn't think
of as a helmet.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
First.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
I thought of his floppy sleeves. Get this though. For him,
the floppy sleeves were cool and iconic. But it actually
made me think before that. It made me think about
not to bring it back to Iowa, which I do
a lot. But the Iowa quarterbacks the last three years
have had the big floppy sleeves. And listen, nothing epitomized
(32:41):
floppy sleeves. Nothing epitomizes the failing nineteen seventies offense which
they put on the field. Like the big floppy nineteen
seventies sleeves. They looked like Dary Bradshaw out there, but
without the winning, without the offense.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Now that you say that about his sleeves, I think
it does add to it. But just search Peyton Manning
images in Google and there isn't a time where you're like, yeah,
I like that helmet. Like there are different versions of
the Colts Brocos early days with the colts and they
all look jacked up. Heck, even at Tennessee. I think
he wore like a big funky face mask that should
(33:16):
be worn by like, you know, Jack Lambert or something like.
Speaker 7 (33:20):
I think I think Peyton's issue was his jeens, Like
he just doesn't have that skeletal structure that's impressive. Like
the opposite of Peyton Manning is DJ Mattcalf. Like I
have a theory about is that DK Metcalf too. DJ's
looks good to My theory about DK Metcalf is that
(33:41):
he wears uniform and pads so the other guys don't
feel beat.
Speaker 9 (33:46):
By the way d DJ Metcalf will be performing tonight
at Clay in Pasadena.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Hey, I got I got another one. A throwback doctor J.
You big A big fan of those jerseys?
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Yes, even the shoes, right, you know, yeah, the six
in the seventy six ers or are you going way
back like aba new jersey nets?
Speaker 4 (34:10):
You know, I think I'm going. I think I just
sent it to you guys. I don't know if it
came through, but I'm going with the nets that nets jersey.
I like that, man.
Speaker 7 (34:20):
I think it juxtaposed against some of the white players
of his time. He looks so good like Phil Jackson.
I saw a recent picture of Phil Jackson running down
the court, and my gosh, it's either he put no
thought into what he's what he's doing, or what he's wearing,
or that's just he's just a weird looking dude.
Speaker 9 (34:40):
Are we talking about the same picture that didn't leave
much of the imagination?
Speaker 2 (34:44):
I think so, Ye Corner. Yeah, there were years where
Larry Bird wore a tank top that made him look
like a Russian weightlifter because they were it was so
thin like that, like the straps are on the shoulder.
It was so thin you need some thickness to or
maybe maybe even a track star, you know, like it
was just a very weird cut on on Larry Bird.
(35:07):
He didn't necessary you mentioned uh doctor j and and
uh yeah, so that got me thinking of Larry Bird anyway.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Were you guys a fan of those not this Laker
uniform but the shack and Kobe when they when the
Rick Fox Laker uniforms with like the kind of the
wide shoulder.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Yeah, that's why that's why I thought Kobe, because I
think he made that look cool as well. I think
it helped I don't know. I don't know if it
helped Shack, but I envisioned Shack in that jersey when
I think Lakers more than anything.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
Oh, they were disgusting.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
You didn't like you think Kobe did make him look good.
Jobe was that good. He made him look good. They
were disgusting, though.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
I forget off the top of my head, So excuse me. Ryan,
did you play when they came out with the like
the T shirt jerseys? Were you still in the.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
League, dude? I love the T shirt jerseys.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Now, some people hated them because a lot of guys
have never had something like on their sleeves. I loved them.
In fact, I still have some today like I have.
Adidas came and what they did is they gave us.
They gave us when I played for the Clippers in practice,
they gave us a couple of the just like shirts
and they were like, just practice.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
In them so you can get used to them.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
And the mindset was nobody's buying jerseys, so if we
make the jerseys into shirts, guys like Dan Byer might rock.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Them, but they didn't. I was never a huge jersey guy.
I only have a couple of jerseys and I really
don't wear them. I probably warn it, maybe like once
or twice in the last five or ten years.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
Hey, questioning guys, want you aud you?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I just by the way, I just got your text. Yes,
the doctor.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Jay right, those are clean, right the nets if you
go look them up if you hadn't seen it, if
you are over the age of thirty. Is it appropriate
outside of a sporting event to wear.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I I've I've done it, not of like of a
current player, but I did. I did wear it too.
I did. I did have an Ohio State jersey that
I wore to the Rollers Bowl one Ryan.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
If if you asked this question, I think twenty years ago,
I think the the answer is it is inappropriate. But
it has become like commonplace, Like it's almost weird to
show up to a game without a uniform. When you
watch NFL games, everybody has a jersey on.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
No, no, no, I mean outside of outside of a
sporting a.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Bit like to work, okay, just to walk down the street.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Yeah yeah, no, no, no, no, of course you can win.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Yeah no, no, no, I'm not a scrooge now, I mean
this is no no, no, no, no, I mean like like
you're just in the grocery store, which you're.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Yeah, you're not, You're not catching me. You know, you
know I'd be dead if I walked into work with
a Caitlin Clark Iowa T shirt jersey. There is no way,
just kidding, sick, just completely kidding, completely mean.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
That it's in the hamper right now. But I'll be
going to the grocery store in that baby.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Not a real jersey, the T shirt jerseys I've wore.
Jersey's okay with you. If I had a Brandon Jennings
Bucks jersey and it was the red, it was the
red T shirt when they went when they had their
Christmas collars for a while.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
Now, I will say this, I'll throw this out there, guys.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I played ten years for nine different teams, and I
will say one of my favorite jerseys was when I
was in Cleveland. There was like an all black throwback.
I always loved the alternates. There was a black like
throwback jersey. We wore one of my favorites. But I've
got I've got a lot of jerseys, man, it's a privilege.
Speaker 4 (38:45):
I've got a lot of jerseys.
Speaker 9 (38:47):
By the way, we have a Ryan Holland's jersey.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Update.
Speaker 9 (38:50):
I'm not joking about this A Ryan Hollands two thousand
and six, two thousand and seven Charlotte Bobcats jersey as
we speak, available on eBay four three fifty dollars.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
What is it? A game war pre owned?
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It says, waw Do I buy my own jersey?
Speaker 3 (39:09):
I feel I feel like, well, I'm gonna say it
inappropriate name.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Do I go get my memorabilia back?
Speaker 7 (39:16):
I was thinking the exact opposite. I thought that the
seller's name was high End rawlins.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
I say, you about to wrap this up? You got
something to say?
Speaker 8 (39:29):
Just catching I'm not really into hockey that much, but
just catching some highlights last night. The New York Rangers
in their primary colors red, white, and blue look fantastic.
I think you got the the white, you got the
white sort of outline around the red numbers. And just
like the stripes, the red and white stripes, the red pants,
the blue socks.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
It just it fits so well, looks so good.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Hey, how do you guys rank this? Where does this
one ranked that?
Speaker 3 (39:54):
Nolan Ryan, the the Astros with the color the yellow orange.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Hi, yes, I'll tell you who rocked that really well.
Billy Hatcher.
Speaker 9 (40:07):
Oh yes, yes, By the way, notice how Holland's is
trying to get in the good graces of Houston after his.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
The two sabotage questions from my guys, I mean my
old family's doing it to me.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Dan. Oh, that's the midway for telling midway. All right, Hey,
we went deep in the uniform game. Jared Butler is
my college basketball one as well. When he played at
Baylor a few years ago and they won the national championship,
no one looked cooler than him, and he had the
newer jerseys, the shorter cut those are you you were styling?
(40:43):
If if you are are dressed like Jared Butler was
for the Baylor Bears, He's Ryan Hollins. Hit him up
at the Ryan Hollins you can find me at Dan
Byer on Fox.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
The love fest with Oklahoma City could end with the
loss in Game two, but for now we sing the
praises of what the thunder have done. He's Ryan Hollands.
I'm Dan Byer sitting in for Doug Gottlieb here on
Fox Sports Radio. We bring in our good buddy NBA
analysts for FSR and fifteen year NBA vet Olden Polonies
and Olden to bring you in on the conversation that
(41:24):
Ryan Hollins and I were having, and Ryan posed this
question to me of the culture of Oklahoma City, what
I think about it and how they've developed this culture.
I'm amazed at just watching them do their postgame interviews.
There was the commitment to allow their local broadcaster in
the first round to get the first interview as opposed
(41:45):
to the national broadcast. You saw it last night with
all the teammates around Shay Gildess Alexander because you would
know that the the MVP candidate for this year's award
would be the one that the media would want to
talk to, but all of his teammates are What do
you like about this Oklahoma City thunder team that ended
(42:05):
up going one to zero on Dallas after last night's
twenty two point win.
Speaker 6 (42:09):
Well, there's so many things to like about them. First
of all, you know, they play with a passion that
we rarely see in the NBA. It's a youthful exuberance
and they just go out there. It's almost like, you know,
I think somebody mentioned it last night. It's like almost
like a college atmosphere, you know, Oloma City. It's not
a lot of things to do there, but they have
(42:30):
embraced this team, you know, my former Sonics, and so
they have really just gone the distance. You know. Sam
Presty started all this back in Seattle, and he's just
I mean, he has a depth touch when it comes
to this and giving guys a chance to get better
(42:51):
and figure it out. You know. Dag Nault, you know,
is incredible right now, he's doing stuff. I mean again,
it's a breath of fresh air just to see it.
He's allowing these players to be themselves and they are
still playing hard, being respectful. No one's like being divas.
And so to me, that's what I love most about it,
(43:12):
you know, regardless of what happens, what the outcomes are
gonna be in games, they are playing the game the
right way. I mean, it's one for all, all for one,
and I'm loving it.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
Oh p what's up? Man?
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Been a long time op A For those who don't
know we're talking, okay, see o P Man. I remember
when I was a young bull in the gym and
I was training for the draft, and you took the
time out and you came and coach me up, man,
And look you got fifteen. I got ten, op because
they wanted me to shoot threes. We ain't work on threes,
oh p. But how you doing?
Speaker 4 (43:47):
Man?
Speaker 3 (43:48):
And before you after you entered that, I gotta tee
you up because I gotta let Dan Bayer in on
the little secret that he doesn't know about it. And
I'm gonna I'm gonna tee you up for that. But
how you doing, op?
Speaker 6 (44:00):
I'm doing great? Ryan. It's great to hear from you
and great to see you know all your success. You
know the touch on what you just said. You know,
my whole thing has always been to help others, you know,
and so if I'm able to do it, then you
know my services are available. And so I was. I
was thankful and blessed to be able to help, and
(44:20):
you were kind enough to receive it. So I appreciate
it as well.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
I appreciate you now, oh Pe? Okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Dan Buyers believes that Lebron James just needs to retire
now for somebody who's still playing at a high level,
Oh Pe, should Lebron James hang it up?
Speaker 6 (44:39):
I don't believe so, because one of the things we
used to have back in the days is they're gonna
have to wheel me off. They're gonna have to literally
will me off the basketball court. And I think Lebron
is in that mentality, He's in that headspace. It's like
they're gonna have to wheel him up. But the thing
about it is he's nowhere near done. I mean, he's
still doing things that make us like go wow. And
(45:03):
so as long as he's able to do that, and
he has the passion for the game and the love
of the game, man, keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Does he take up a lot of air in the
room in the NBA though, And I thought.
Speaker 6 (45:15):
Of course he does. Dan, I totally agree with that.
Of course he does. Because the Lakers play differently when
Lebron is out, like in street clothes, when they know
there's no chance he's gonna play. The level of play
is totally different than when he's on the court. So
that's that's definite. But at the same time, he's still
(45:36):
Lebron James. He's not Lebron James from you know, twenty
ten and all that, but he's still Lebron James. And
he still commands respect and you've still got to like
pay attention to You can't just say, oh, that's an
thirty nine year old, No, you have to defend him.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
How do you think Laker fans would respond if he
wasn't back next year?
Speaker 6 (46:00):
Well, it depends on which Laker fans you're asking, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:02):
Yeah, I think that's actually even a good point that
there would be some that would actually not be too
mad about it.
Speaker 6 (46:08):
There's two sets of Laker fans, so I mean the
not Kobe fans they'll be happy. But you know, die
hard Laker fans who just root for the team. You know,
I think they'll be okay as well, because I mean,
six years, one championship, I mean there's not you know, hey,
(46:29):
if we're gonna make a move and go in a
different direction, let's do it. You know. The thing about
the Lakers that they are the Lakers no matter what.
You know, eventually they're gonna get right back to where
they used to be or where they need to be.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Now. Op.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
The one thing I always appreciated about you is you
were always in shape and your job was to guard
the other team's best post player. Okay, you went head
to head with whoever had decided. Op, you got them.
You had to go guard the best. Now, Op, these
are not my These are not my words though, Pisa,
don't jump on me. But there's a lot of people
out there saying that Nicola Jokic is a fraud. O,
(47:07):
p you had to guard the best. You saw the
best in the game at the five. What would you
have to say to those people calling out Jokic? Man,
what's wrong with tim?
Speaker 6 (47:16):
And those are those are people that are real silly,
you know. They people do stuff just to get notoriety
or notice or social media hype. I don't buy into that. Man.
This is a two time MVP defending chance. The guy
is amazing. But I will also temper my statement and
say this also. I also laugh when they say, oh,
(47:39):
he's the greatest ever. You know, I'm a little leery
about that too. So we gotta find something in the middle,
you know, because he's not the greatest past or ever.
You know, that belongs to Magic Johnson. You can go
stocking in there. You throw a lot of people in there,
Pete Marriviage, but you know, the best big man, No,
(48:00):
he's one of the best players in the NBA at
the moment, will he go down as an all time
great time will tell we are in this society of
everything right now, and that's not how it works. You
guys are comparing somebody that's still playing to people that
have been retired for thirty forty years. They're already done,
(48:20):
their resume is complete. We don't know what the resume
is gonna end up being.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
Olden Polonies joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
Ryan Hollins, I'm Dan Beyer. I don't think Jokich is
a fraud. I think that the Nuggets kind of are.
We'll see how they bounce back in Game three on Friday.
But you open the door, Olden. It's a tradition unlike
any other. Here on the Doug Gottlieb Show, it's time
for Olden Days with our good buddy Olden Polonies.
Speaker 6 (48:47):
Way needs you never missed up.
Speaker 10 (48:54):
Olden Day, all right, Olden Holding Day. The lyrics of
one Jason Stewart, all right. So how would Pat Ewing
do against one the kol How would that match up?
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Go?
Speaker 6 (49:10):
I don't know. That's why we do all this stuff
because we have no way to prove it.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
What about what about a Chemolajuan. What about a Chemolajuan
against the kolok.
Speaker 6 (49:21):
Listen, I don't know, Op, Op.
Speaker 3 (49:26):
You did just say that he's not the greatest of
all time, so you're you're comparing somewhere he Op go back, Hey, Opie,
if I know anything about you, you ain't got no
bet down and.
Speaker 6 (49:36):
You come on, Pie, I'm not saying that I don't
know because again I don't know. Because we can't put
them together against each other. All we can do is
look at the stats. Jokis isn't done yet, so we
have to wait till he's done and then compare the stats.
Speaker 4 (49:51):
That's how That's what I'm sat is pretty good. O
P those that's still that's pretty good man.
Speaker 6 (49:58):
Y'all could just stat don't compare the past ewings and
kim olage ones right now, not.
Speaker 4 (50:04):
Even cold Pat don't have a title?
Speaker 6 (50:06):
Who cares?
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Op, don't do that?
Speaker 4 (50:09):
O P O P. Don't do that.
Speaker 6 (50:11):
O pay has Jack Haley has multiple ring.
Speaker 4 (50:15):
You see now you know better? No Jack Haley, Stan
slander here? Man? What's wrong with you? Op?
Speaker 6 (50:20):
Hey? I know he's UCLA and all that made recipe.
That's one of my favorite people, man, But Hey, he
has multiple rings. Set doesn't sell you to new story.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
Ah, there was Olden days a tradition again unlike any
other here on the Doug Gottlieb Show, when Olden Polonies
joins us the last one before we let you go?
Do the Knicks have enough in the tank? Since we're
talking about New York in this series with Indiana, can
they play with six six and a half seven?
Speaker 4 (50:56):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (50:57):
How difficult is it gonna be for New York to
keep up this page?
Speaker 6 (51:00):
Well, it's gonna be tough, but you know what Josh
Hart is showing that he can do it. You know
the Vitenzo Brunson. You know, it's funny to me watching
Brunson perform. You know, he's gonna shoot ninety percent of shots,
but yet they don't double team and they don't get
the ball out of his hands. So that's bad coaching,
you know, on Rick Halouf's foot. But at the same time,
(51:21):
you know they are so scrappy. That's a lot of
times hard work beats talent, and so to me, that's
what I'm loving about him. I think they're gonna get
by Indiana. So if they get by Indiana and then
they're gonna face off against them Celtics, where they've had
success against, you know again, another team who's playing really
(51:41):
well without a guy that if he played, you know,
Julius Randall, I don't think they would be as successful.
Speaker 2 (51:50):
We'll find out tonight Game two with the Nixon Pacers.
Can the Pacers even an upper Can the Nicks and
Jalen Brunson continue on that great forty point streak that
he's been on. Olden love having you on. We'll talk
to you again soon, man.
Speaker 6 (52:02):
Thanks all right, guys, take care
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
three to five Eastern twelve two Pacific on Box Sports Radio.
Find your local station for The Doug Gottlieb Show at
boxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching fsr AH.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
That rumble you here coming from the great state of
Oklahoma as the Thunder take it to the MAVs of
the NBA last night, looking ahead to Nixon Pacers tonight.
So much more to get to as we are broadcasting
love for the tierrec dot com studios, Tierraq dot cow
will help you get there. An unmatched selection, fast free shipping,
three road has a protection and over ten thousand recommended
(00:41):
installers tierrac dot com. The way tire buying should be.
He is Ryan Hollins. I'm Dan Byer Thunder and MAVs
bit entertaining Last night Oklahoma City, Ryan ends up pulling
away at the end, getting the big victory to go
up one to zero in the best of seven series.
And while these is far from over, Oklahoma City making
(01:03):
a bit of a statement last night, and that won
seventeen ninety five victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, I think everybody's saying it, Okay, sees for real.
I think everybody's saying that the Timberwolves are for real. Dan,
what are you saying?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
This is you know this is a series that when
we looked at the Conference semi finals, I think we
were toggling. I know Knicks Pacers has history, but really
we're like, Okay, it's Denver Minnesota gonna be the better
better series or is it going to be Oklahoma City
in Dallas? And I actually sided with Oklahoma City in Dallas.
I thought that would be the better series, and I
(01:42):
still think it could play out that way. I don't
think a lot changed last night with what with Oklahoma
Citi's win, and how the series can play out. I
think Dallas has every opportunity to win a game too. Dallas,
I don't think is good enough to go in and
win this series in five games. But Dallas can win
(02:03):
in Oklahoma City. It just didn't happen last night, and
Oklahoma City had a lot of momentum going loud. Dort
kind of locking up Luca, and we'll get to Luca's
look would a little bit later on in the show.
I was not surprised at the outcome and how it
played out, But by no means am I counting Dallas
out of this series. But what I just find so
(02:25):
so amazing. And this may be a topic that you're
gonna hear in different realms of sports media over the
next couple of weeks or however long Oklahoma City ends
up lasting in these NBA playoffs, But the thought that
just kept coming into my mind and watching last night
and again being reminded that this starting lineup has an
(02:46):
average age that doesn't top twenty three, as crazy as
that is, is how Oklahoma City has set them up
for success and what Sam Presty has obviously done in
accumulating first round picks. They still have thirteen of which
which will be a graphic that you'll see between now
(03:06):
and twenty thirty. They have thirteen first round picks. Like
there was ay they've got two in the upcoming draft.
There was a scenario where they at one time had
four first round picks in twenty twenty four. So Ryan,
as I'm watching last night and they're playing great basketball
and everything is falling into place in those forty eight minutes.
(03:28):
I'm saying to myself, how in the world do they
get better because they will have the assets to And
how in the world do teams coming off of even
our conversation yesterday, how do the Lakers feel and watching
what Oklahoma City is doing. How do the Philadelphia seventy
six ers feel where a decade ago it was trust
(03:50):
the process and that seemed to fail pretty miserably. How
do these other teams that are looking to turn things
around look at Oklahoma City, who now is the top
team in the Western Conference and honestly probably the top
team in making any moves over the next five years
in the NBA, Like this is just the start of
their dominance. I was more in awe of that in
(04:11):
the overall pickture than of just even watching them pull
away from Dallas in the fourth quarter last night.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
No, you're right, Dan, and it's got to be intimidating.
And the reason that you say it is is because
they have draft picks. They become a Western Conference version
of who the Miami Heat. They're bringing in undrafted guys,
they're bringing in late picks, and they're getting value on
(04:39):
the dollar for every player that is touching that roster.
And when I spoke with peeps over at Oklahoma City,
their mindset, their culture.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Where they were always is.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
The one thing they said is that you know, we're developing,
We're developing. And it got to the point where this
year they go we're developing. We go stop it. Body
wants to hear the developing thing. When you got shake
yochis Alexander playing at an MVP level?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
You guys are are are? I think?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I think at that time they're like second or third
in the Western Conference and chet Holmgren far ahead of
pace Man. So what they're doing culture wise is working.
They have the draft picks. And you know what I
woke up Dan with on my mind when I thought
about Oklahoma City. You look at j Dubb, Jaylen Williams,
(05:29):
you look at home Grin, you look at Shaye, and
I just think back to a time and place where
they had a team that was even more talented. And
I wonder if they make that same mistake and they
say James harden and I'm so glad I thank god
that they didn't say, James Harden Man, you go on
(05:50):
go to Houston, because we don't think you and Westbrook
can match. When it came to Kevin Durant and they
didn't give Kevin Durant the things that he wanted. It
made him feel comfortable enough to stay, to feel like
they we're gonna be competitive enough with him there to
win a championship?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Is Oklahoma City?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
How do they navigate when these guys go from being
potential and developing in youth, when they have to make
those really hard decisions to say, no, this is something
that we're going to keep together. And then whether they
do with these draft picks, you gotta trade them or
you're gonna trade them out for a later draft, you're
gonna hold on to them? What are you going to
(06:26):
be able to do? But the real value is to
be talking about the Miami Heat, Dan and I don't
know if you can see the comparisons, is that when
they're putting guys on their roster, they're developing, they're getting better,
they're playing within that system that dribble drive offense, and
they're getting so much better. And then you can make
a trade, you can make a move, and you get
even more assets because you're doing a great job developing
(06:48):
and building culture at the same time.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
It's amazing on what they've hit on. When you look
at the Oklahoma City Thunder and you look at how
they are constructed, it isn't just five guys who were
the number one, number two, or number three overall picks
in the draft. Chat Holmgren was Heck, he even missed
last year, you know, missed the entire season. He was
the number two overall pick. Their MVP candidate who you
(07:14):
heard Isaac longcron mention as one of the three finalists
for the MVP. Tonight ends up coming over in a
trade from the Clippers that sent Paul George from Oklahoma
City to LA. So not only do you get SGA,
you get the load of picks that you got from
him that he even posted on social media. But what
(07:34):
is so amazing about what they have done is how
quickly they have done it. And the reason I point
this out was we were talking before the show and
I even asked someone you are at Fox Sports Radio, said,
Kevin Durant left in twenty sixteen. How many years do
you think that Oklahoma City was at the bottom of
(07:55):
the NBA during that time? From then until now? And
there's okay, eight years, They're like probably about seven. And
Ryan it was two. They had two years where they
bottomed out. We completely forget about Russell Westbrook staying after
Kevin Durant and then saying, okay, well, let's make a move.
(08:17):
Let's let's you know, trade simonas. Let's let's trade him
for Paul George. We'll bring him over from Indiana and
we'll try to build up our own, you know, new
Durant in Westbrook. And that didn't work out. All that
happened was first round exits, see you later, bye bye.
So you need a big retool. So then you ship
Westbrook to Houston, you ship Paul George to LA and
(08:38):
then you start this for what you're talking about, retool
and developing these players. And that's what's so amazing to me.
Just two years at the bottom of the NBA, and
when you're the Philadelphia seventy six ers who had this
planned I don't know, tang for five years, whatever the
case was. And then the draft picks that you make
and that you fail on they've hit. They hit on
Jalen Williams. He they hit on the other Jail Williams
(09:00):
if I mean, you know he's even contributing at at
some point. There are so many things that the Oklahoma
City thunder have done right that have allowed them to
get to this point. And I I don't know if
any other team could have the track record of nailing
the picks and the decisions that Oklahoma City has done.
But if I'm the Clippers who did that deal with them,
(09:21):
if I'm the Milwaukee Bucks, heck, if I'm the Los
Angeles Lakers and you're trying to keep your stars happy,
you're almost at a dead end in sort of, you know,
in that essence, And maybe the Lakers are unfair because
of the brand that they are. Maybe like, you can
do this in Oklahoma City, but you maybe can't do
it in other places. I'm not too sure about that.
(09:43):
You would know more about that than I would. But
it was just two years of sacrifice, and now you're
talking about a next decade of possibly I don't want
to say dominance in the West, but they're going to
be there in the West. And if they're and they're
gonna be there year in and year out with all
these cards and tools to trade with. It is truly
one of the remarkable things that we've ever seen in
(10:03):
the NBA, Considering how we thought how difficult it was
to turn around a franchise in the NBA without that
single star player that we feel has to be given
to you in an NBA draft at the top of
the draft. What they have done is truly remarkable.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Now, Dan, you're right on, and you know it's funny
you say that. Can another franchise do that? Could you
do that with the Knicks? Can you even you know
it's funny. Everybody's like Trey, Paul, George, get rid of them.
Why would you sign Kawhi? The Clippers are in a situation.
They can't buy them out again. They've been bought them
out for a long time. You know, they can't buy
them out again. And this draws me close to home. Man,
(10:41):
with my Rockets, you got to understand in Houston, I
want to say, this is the first ever rebuild that
the Rockets have kind of like gone through. The fan
base didn't understand it, Dan. They maybe had a year
or two of patients, you know, sign it for Jalen
Green and the young talent that's there. But this year
was like, man, go be competitive, Like we want to
be a piece of something. Those franchises that are used
(11:04):
to winning and seeing their guys play at a high level, Dan,
they want no pieces of a rebuild, so you hit
it right on the hand.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
So get the Lakers, man.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Things didn't go well with those Angelo Young, D'Angelo, Russell
years and and and Jordan Clarkson, all those and guess what,
all those guys were really good. All Julie's ran, all
those guys on the Lakers were really really good. They
did a stand up job of draft and getting talent in.
But those big cities, those big markets, even though it
(11:34):
may be the best way to be good, they don't
want to hear it. Man, They don't want to hear it.
They don't have any any patience for it. But I
think the goal is and and Dan, I think you
gloss over to Oka. See think about they tried to
take one of those years and hands off the determined
Chris Paul. They were ready to They're ready to say,
Chris Paul home. It was like you didn't have a
place here, Chris, and they were like, nah, come out
(11:56):
and win.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
So that was a happy accident that they end up having.
And they did trade trade Westbrook. But you know, at
the end of the day, they've done a good job
of Again, I want you to remember this word. And for
those who may may not play basketball's playing. It's called culture.
And the one thing culture is your mindset. May consider
that everybody's unified. So you say Miami Heat and you
(12:18):
think about culture, right, you think about toughness. You know
they're tough. You know when you think about the Lakers,
they have a culture of banners. Their expectation is to
go win there, Hey New York, Hey, the Garden, just
toughness there. When you think of tips tips, culture is toughness.
As guys got to play a lot of minutes. We
know the ideenta. You think of Golden State Warriors, you
think about winning, you think about three point shooting, you
(12:40):
think about spacing, speed, you know, leadership. So you know,
building a culture where those players fit in a culture
is very important whether you're developing you have a winning
product already.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I think that there's similarities and I could, you know,
I could talk about where I think that the like
a team like the Milwaukee Bucks failed where Oklahoma City succeeded.
But I think your point of the Clipper is spot
on because this is an organization that was, you know,
prior to the last twelve years or so, was known
for losing. That's what they It's what they were. They
(13:12):
were the second team in the town. They were the
laughing stock of the NBA. That's who they were. So
now you get new ownership in and now you have
Lob City, and guess what things are changing. But things
didn't change as much as you thought. Yeah, they're not
losing sixteen, you know, sixty five games a season, but
now you're not advancing. And now, if you're Steve Balmer,
(13:32):
you get into the free agent game and say, all right,
we're going to bring in Kawhi Leonard. Guess what We're
going to bring in Paul George via this trade where
you trade Shay Gilgess Alexander as part of that deal,
plus all those assets to try to, in essence, get
that ready made title team. And now here we are
in twenty twenty four. James Harden's future is not known
(13:54):
with the Clippers. Paul George's future is not known with
the Clippers. Heck, Kawhi Leonard's future is not known with
the Clippers. Now that franchise is teetering, and obviously there
was neglect to Donald Stirling there. I don't think Steve
Balmer's going to neglect that franchise one iota. But they're
at a heck of a crossroads about to enter a
new building. And if you would have taken maybe the
(14:14):
route of Oklahoma City, because heck, let's face it, the
Clippers were used to losing. They were used to those things.
You just needed the right people to manage it. I mean, man,
how much would the Clippers want to trade spots with
Oklahoma City? Right now? They would do it in an
absolute heartbeat. But five years ago it sounds crazy to
even think of that they'd be willing to do that.
(14:35):
But now when you look at it, man, the thunder
are in a spot and the Clippers are in a
spot and a place that you don't want to be.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Well, you talked yesterday about Lebron. How do you build
around Lebron? And when a star comes in, he's gonna
say my way or the highway. So it was Kawhi
Leonard that said I'm going to come to LA and
I'm not doing it alone. And if Kawhi could have
done it again, maybe he would have saw he I
won't be alone. If we keep this shake, kid, uh,
we're gonna be a pretty good, pretty good shape and
(15:05):
have our draft picks and be well all.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
But at that time, I don't I don't think people
could see it.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I don't think anybody knew that Sga was gonna end
up being who he is. And man, at the end
of the day, he's one of the best players in
the league, hands down. Uh, there's no question there. But man,
but he's he's a flat out baller.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Man.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
But uh, he has really just made a name for himself.
But if you go back to that time, you know,
you said Kawhi teamed up with Paul George and throw
James hard in the mix. Man, you'd have said, for sure,
this is the championship. But uh, I don't think anybody
could have seen Shay becoming what he is. And I
covered him, Uh work putt with the Clippers there and
covered him in his first years and and you knew
(15:44):
he was gonna be pretty good. Man, But he had
a chance to go and grow and excel and okay, see,
man said, they really got behind him. I remember when
when Paul George first signed to the Thunder, we were
working out at the U c l A Men's gym
and I looked up and I've never seen this for
and to support Paul George and Russ and those guys.
Billy Donovan came out and I want to say, the
(16:07):
owner was there, the GM, the trainers, everybody was there
and was like, look, we're getting behind Paul George. He's
our new guy. We're gonna show him love. And I've
never seen that from an organization. So heats up to that, man,
I'm telling you it was. It was impressive.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
We gotta wrap with this. But I when I look
at who's alive still in these NBA playoffs, I think
that the biggest my biggest takeaway is when we mention
those teams who are Phoenix is another team you can
you can bring into the mix and falling victim to this.
I don't know if it's when now pandemic. I don't
know if it's keep superstars happy pandemic. I don't know
(16:43):
how to how to you know what exact phrase it is.
But aside from maybe Dallas, none of these teams are
sitting there trying to accommodate their stars.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You look at you know, Boston and what Dannyeen shut
up and Brad Stevens is now you know continuing. I mean,
they have stars, but that's a heck of a team.
Last night, Jalen Brown and Derek White were the stars
and they don't even have Porzingis. Right now, you look
at all the Pacers are seem like a team that's that's,
you know, an up and coming squad, and now in
the conference semi finals, we expect more great things from
(17:18):
Jalen Brunson than the Knicks in the future. The Timberwolves
like nobody in these playoffs aside from maybe Dallas, and
I just say maybe because they did the Kyrie trade
last year for Luca and to try to say, like,
all right, Luca, we're bringing him in. Are you trying
to satisfy your star player to make it work like
their cultures that you talk about? And I feel that
that's such a changing of the guard in the NBA.
(17:40):
When you look at where these eight teams are and
the teams that aren't in the conference semifinals.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
What's changing is it doesn't look like it's working out
when it happens. And I'm all pro player, so those
guys have to make good on what it is. And
don't get me wrong, you got to strike right while
the iron is hot. So we'll give example. We talked
about Kawhi earlier, right, you made the big investment into Hawaii.
Kawai hasn't been healthy. That's not his fault. He wants
(18:08):
to be on the floor, there's no question there. But
it seems of it hasn't paid out. Look at Giannis
out to the COOPO. Giannis is a guy who, hey, man,
make this move, make this move. He hasn't paid out.
Hey Lebron James, shout out Lebron. But the truth to
the truth, man, he's in the playing game, you know,
back to back and ends up losing in the first round.
(18:28):
So those catered stars gotta be careful. They got to
deliver because we want empower the players. We know how
good those guys are. But at the end of the day,
they got to deliver. And Kawhi Leonard hats off to
him because when the moves made for him to go
to Toronto, he delivered.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
But as an organization, you're in a tough place.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But because you're saying we're gonna give everything up to bring
this guy in and get this guy in, and we're
talking winning here because make no mistake, off the court
or dan, the business of basketball is thankful for those
stars because they put butts in seats. Okay, so there's
a value. That's a whole nother discussion. But from a
winning and a basketball standpoint, it hasn't paid off. It
hasn't paid off. And Dan, I want to know what
(19:07):
you think about this. There's an interesting conversation in when
I think Coach Deagnoll was talking about SGA and one
thing that he said is that he's never taken on
this star role. He's still embracing his teammates. He does
everything that the other guys do. And I thought that
was an interesting stance as we talk about okacs success
(19:29):
and kind of giving the rein to these star players.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
And I'll tell you there is one thing, there's one instance,
in one scenario where I think proves what you just
said in its entirety.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
This is the best of the Done dot Leap Show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Welcome man, getting set for Pacers next tonight's Game two.
Also looking at a debate that was sparked yesterday as
the NBA and NFL have become rivals again. We'll get
to that in a bit, but we are broadcasting live
from the tire Rack dot Com Studios tyrec dot Com
will help you get there at on met selection fast
(20:10):
free shipping. Free Road has a protection in over ten
thousand recommended installers. Tirec dot com the way tire buying
should be. I also feel that the drama over the
new NBA TV contract and the possibility that inside the
NBA could be going away. It's like when they take
your favorite item off of your favorite chain restaurant menu.
(20:33):
It is it is so disheartening. It's like everybody loves this,
why are you taking it away? And then it just
it could happen. But hopefully there's a way to save
inside the NBA at some point whenever this TV deal
gets settled. He is Ryan Hollins. Hit him up at
the Ryan Hollins. You can find me at Dan Byer
on Fox. It is a Wednesday, Ryan Hollins. And you
(20:55):
know what we do on Wednesday on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
You know what we do every Wednesday at four o'clock
eastern one Pacific.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
What do we do?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We get the crew together and come together in a
segment that we like to call the Midway.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
He's not getting.
Speaker 6 (21:12):
It's time for.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
The Midway. The Midway's founder is Jason Stewart and Jason
Stewart if you want to give Ryan Hollins a little
background on the midway how we go about things, and
and I could even then take it from there on
our topic today and how it originated. I just wanted
to it.
Speaker 7 (21:31):
It's the middle of the show, and it's the middle
of the week, and I wanted a reason to be
able to call something a midway. And then I thought about,
why don't we just have like a topic and go
around the room, whether it be like a you know,
give our favorite something, or give a commentary on something,
and but just have a conversation. In other words, we're
(21:53):
not just gonna line it up, go one by one
and give answers and move on. We just a conversation.
Feel free to chime in, feel free to criticize each
other's choices. Just have a lot of fun, Brian, That's
all I'm asking.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
I don't like Dan's choice, you don't like my.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Joy, you don't even know what it is yet. So
this got me thinking for the topic today, and I
threw this out and Jason gave it the thumbs up,
So we're gonna do it. First of all, the Mavericks'
uniforms are so below average. And Oklahoma City and there's
six colors that they use for their color scheme all
(22:31):
over the map. Not a great uniform game. Last night
in the NBA between the Thunder and MAVs. It also
it dawned on me, has there ever been a player
who has been as good as Luka Doncic that looks
as bad as he does in a uniform like it is?
It does not make a lot of sense. And to
(22:52):
magnify the point, last night on inside the NBA during
the Celtics Calves game, or I think it was that time,
or maybe it was afterwards, they showed Luka Datcic walking
into the arena in Oklahoma City dressed in a nice
sharp looking suits. You know, you know, Kenny Charles Shack,
(23:12):
We're all, uh oh, this is a business trip.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
You know.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
They were ready for Luca to bring it, and Luca
kind of kept in check last night. But when you
watch Luca play in how he dresses on the court,
he has to be the worst dressed best basketball player
we've ever seen. Because the undershirt is the sleeve is
(23:37):
cut off of the right arm, but it's not even
at the seam of the T shirt, there's wristbands, there's
knee braces, there's leggings. So one knee is black, one
knee is white. It is all over the place with
Luka Doncic. So I wanted us to talk about best
looking players in uniforms, like who wears a U form
(24:00):
well and maybe who doesn't wear a uniform well in sports.
You get her with that, Hollins, I.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Think that I'm gonna pay homage to where it goes.
Now people think that I don't like Michael Jordan for
some weird reason. I just we talked about this yesterday.
I don't want to have the goat debate. That's not
what I'm what I'm bringing it up for. But I
want to give Mike his credit. Mike in his era
was so fly that Michael Jordan was timeless. We still
(24:30):
wear Jordan's today. But as you talk about the the
equipment Michael with the with the arm sleeve and then
the lex leave you see Anthony Edwards rocks it.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
That's the Jordan.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
That's where the Jordan comparisons called young bull nose and
put on the Jordan equipment. You put on the little elbow,
the little elbow sleeve and you put on the legs.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Leave. That's the MJ look.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Anthony Edwards gets it, Mike, Mike set the standard man.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I would also say that I believe that Jordan looked
cooler in a red Bull's uniform than the white. Agreed.
You're with me, Jason Stewart on that one. Red and black, y'all. Yes,
there is something about that red of the Bulls. I
didn't love when they went to the black uniforms for
a time. I think that the white is whatever. But
(25:18):
when he wears the red Bulls uniformed, even with the
old ones, when the Jordan was just in the white
letter and there wasn't a trim around it, there's just
something about the way Jordan looked, So I can get
on board with that. I actually think Kobe probably looked
the coolest of anybody in the last twenty thirty years
(25:38):
in the NBA of how they looked in a uniform.
And again a tip of the cap to the Lakers
great unis purple gold. And then even when they brought
in the whites, Kobe looked cool. Changed numbers looked cool.
Either way. I think I would prefer the eights over
the twenty four when it comes to Kobe, but I
think Kobe Kobe looked like that's like a basketball player.
(26:03):
When you see Kobe dressed, that is the ideal basketball player.
I think in the last twenty or thirty years, when
it comes.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
I want to know if you know about this, So
take a look, and once you see it, you can
never unsee it. Kobe Bryant were the most oversized jersey ever.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
It was. It was like a it was dude. It
was like a four or five X teams.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So when you look at Kobe's jerseys, if you notice,
he'd always you see those famous pictures called You'd be
like chewing on his jersey or you know, he's pulling it,
he's doing stuff. Yeah, Kobe's jersey was so oversized, but
it's weird. You don't think of him as having an
oversized jersey.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
I never would have guessed it because I think, I
don't know. Maybe maybe it's me from the baggy clothes
and my generation and where I am. Maybe that's why
I But even even when like the Lakers kind of
had a more thicker around the shoulders uniform, like in
the early two thousands, I still think he looks good.
But early Kobe with the eight bald head whole deal,
(27:05):
like it just it works. It worked for Kobe.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I think the opposite of Michael and Kobe and they
I think they wore their uniform Bess.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think the opposite. And this has come full circle.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
This was ridiculous when it was out, and it was
ridiculous ever since. But now it's become a meme and
a joke.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
But TJ. Ford's Bucks uniform, Yes, I'm looking at it
right now.
Speaker 7 (27:30):
It's about five inches off the ankles and it's ridiculously baggy.
I can't believe. I know that was kind of the
look at the time, but I think even for the
time he got laughed at, didn't.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
He Yeah, it was ridiculous because you're like, how do
you dribble between your legs right? Like, hey, it's like
going through a car wash.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
I remember in middle school we would have contests to
see who could get the baggiest, you know, like like
like like pants and shirts, and I would go get
five XT's. I have five X shirts that are that
are floating around somewhere. And Dan, don't you don't you
look at me crazy? I know you got some five
X and SIXX. Cuse just sitting around somewhere too.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Bit I'll tell you what I still like when I'm
shopping for gym shorts, basketball shorts like these aren't baggy enough. Sorry,
They're just not. They're not. And now everything is cut
above the knee. I'm like, no, I need them, need
them down below the knee. I'll never change that way.
This is, by the way, not just basketball only. This
(28:31):
is all sports. Because I'm gonna bring up a current
player that I also think wears his jersey very very well,
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. Big guy hing stripes. Yes,
good half on top. I think Aaron Judge. The Yankee
pinstripes certainly do help, But I think Aaron Judge sports
(28:53):
a good look on.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
The field in similar vane. I was thinking too, And
maybe it's it's the oversized baseball player that are more
like football players. But Bo Jackson really filled out, as
you know. If remember that uniform barely fit on him,
and he looked great. He could have played without clothes on,
but he it just looked amazing. Google image Bo Jackson
(29:18):
Royals and you won't regret it.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
You also like, you have the top button kind of
un buttoned so it was he had to.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
Hold on.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Hold on, guys, I think we're forgetting forgetting basketball royalty
here as far as we're talking culture, it looks Alan
Iverson A I A.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I come on, guys, I could never get with a headband.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
You couldn't get you hold on? You mean you can't
wear the headband and you wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Like both all the above, Like it wouldn't work with me, man,
I was never. I was never. It was too much
of an accessory to me.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Crazy Dan, the headband is legendary. AI hit the head
brand with the with the four braids. I know, I know,
I get it. Heck Lebron wore it for a while.
I mean, yes, that is not true.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That is not true because I'll say this, you want
to talk about college shops, Alan Iverson in his Georgetown
uniform off the top that what.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
You know, hey, fellas, what do you think about this?
One of the best jerseys ever, Pinstripe Orlando Magic.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I would go, well, Shack was shocked, but Penny because
Penny wore one in because Penny was tall and lanky,
Penny Hardaway. I'm talking about like it worked, like it
really worked because the one was you know here you
have what six ' nine and you know, tall, skinny kid.
(30:50):
It worked in that fashion. I think there's some in football.
I'll give you a bad one in football. Peyton Manning
in his helmet like like he wore some jacked up
overly safety helmet in his later years in Denver. But
even when he was with the Colts, like this face
(31:13):
mask that he was wearing. Peyton Manning was for as
great as he was, did not lose coolness in the
uniform that he wore. Like Baker Mayfield. I actually think
Baker Mayfield can kind of pull it off. Maybe not
top of the list. Or do you think Baker looks cool?
(31:33):
He's compact, He's nowhere near the size of Peyton Manning.
Baker makes it work. I think Peyton in his jacked
up helmets made him look weird in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
You know who you know who had a crazy look
to me or like was always clean? Mike Vick, Yes,
Mike vic had a Mike Vick had the look.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
How about Deon Sanders look good? Feel good to play
good man? Shout I proud?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Yeah, Dion's the only one who could do that, Like
you could you know, have his flash with the towel
and make it work. Yeah, well, I think the a
lot of falcons black and red help Iowa. Sam.
Speaker 8 (32:12):
Yeah, let's so when you brought up When you brought
up Peyton Manning, I thought of Actually, I didn't think
of as a helmet.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
First.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
I thought of his floppy sleeves. Get this though. For him,
the floppy sleeves were cool and iconic. But it actually
made me think before that. It made me think about
not to bring it back to Iowa, which I do
a lot. But the Iowa quarterbacks the last three years
have had the big floppy sleeves. And listen, nothing epitomized
(32:41):
floppy sleeves. Nothing epitomizes the failing nineteen seventies offense which
they put on the field. Like the big floppy nineteen
seventies sleeves. They looked like Dary Bradshaw out there, but
without the winning, without the offense.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Now that you say that about his sleeves, I think
it does add to it. But just search Peyton Manning
images in Google and there isn't a time where you're like, yeah,
I like that helmet. Like there are different versions of
the Colts Brocos early days with the colts and they
all look jacked up. Heck, even at Tennessee. I think
he wore like a big funky face mask that should
(33:16):
be worn by like, you know, Jack Lambert or something like.
Speaker 7 (33:20):
I think I think Peyton's issue was his jeens, Like
he just doesn't have that skeletal structure that's impressive. Like
the opposite of Peyton Manning is DJ Mattcalf. Like I
have a theory about is that DK Metcalf too. DJ's
looks good to My theory about DK Metcalf is that
(33:41):
he wears uniform and pads so the other guys don't
feel beat.
Speaker 9 (33:46):
By the way d DJ Metcalf will be performing tonight
at Clay in Pasadena.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Hey, I got I got another one. A throwback doctor J.
You big A big fan of those jerseys?
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Yes, even the shoes, right, you know, yeah, the six
in the seventy six ers or are you going way
back like aba new jersey nets?
Speaker 4 (34:10):
You know, I think I'm going. I think I just
sent it to you guys. I don't know if it
came through, but I'm going with the nets that nets jersey.
I like that, man.
Speaker 7 (34:20):
I think it juxtaposed against some of the white players
of his time. He looks so good like Phil Jackson.
I saw a recent picture of Phil Jackson running down
the court, and my gosh, it's either he put no
thought into what he's what he's doing, or what he's wearing,
or that's just he's just a weird looking dude.
Speaker 9 (34:40):
Are we talking about the same picture that didn't leave
much of the imagination?
Speaker 2 (34:44):
I think so, Ye Corner. Yeah, there were years where
Larry Bird wore a tank top that made him look
like a Russian weightlifter because they were it was so
thin like that, like the straps are on the shoulder.
It was so thin you need some thickness to or
maybe maybe even a track star, you know, like it
was just a very weird cut on on Larry Bird.
(35:07):
He didn't necessary you mentioned uh doctor j and and
uh yeah, so that got me thinking of Larry Bird anyway.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Were you guys a fan of those not this Laker
uniform but the shack and Kobe when they when the
Rick Fox Laker uniforms with like the kind of the
wide shoulder.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Yeah, that's why that's why I thought Kobe, because I
think he made that look cool as well. I think
it helped I don't know. I don't know if it
helped Shack, but I envisioned Shack in that jersey when
I think Lakers more than anything.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
Oh, they were disgusting.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
You didn't like you think Kobe did make him look good.
Jobe was that good. He made him look good. They
were disgusting, though.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
I forget off the top of my head, So excuse me. Ryan,
did you play when they came out with the like
the T shirt jerseys? Were you still in the.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
League, dude? I love the T shirt jerseys.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Now, some people hated them because a lot of guys
have never had something like on their sleeves. I loved them.
In fact, I still have some today like I have.
Adidas came and what they did is they gave us.
They gave us when I played for the Clippers in practice,
they gave us a couple of the just like shirts
and they were like, just practice.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
In them so you can get used to them.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
And the mindset was nobody's buying jerseys, so if we
make the jerseys into shirts, guys like Dan Byer might rock.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Them, but they didn't. I was never a huge jersey guy.
I only have a couple of jerseys and I really
don't wear them. I probably warn it, maybe like once
or twice in the last five or ten years.
Speaker 4 (36:44):
Hey, questioning guys, want you aud you?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I just by the way, I just got your text. Yes,
the doctor.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Jay right, those are clean, right the nets if you
go look them up if you hadn't seen it, if
you are over the age of thirty. Is it appropriate
outside of a sporting event to wear.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I I've I've done it, not of like of a
current player, but I did. I did wear it too.
I did. I did have an Ohio State jersey that
I wore to the Rollers Bowl one Ryan.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
If if you asked this question, I think twenty years ago,
I think the the answer is it is inappropriate. But
it has become like commonplace, Like it's almost weird to
show up to a game without a uniform. When you
watch NFL games, everybody has a jersey on.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
No, no, no, I mean outside of outside of a
sporting a.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Bit like to work, okay, just to walk down the street.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Yeah yeah, no, no, no, no, of course you can win.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
Yeah no, no, no, I'm not a scrooge now, I mean
this is no no, no, no, no, I mean like like
you're just in the grocery store, which you're.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Yeah, you're not, You're not catching me. You know, you
know I'd be dead if I walked into work with
a Caitlin Clark Iowa T shirt jersey. There is no way,
just kidding, sick, just completely kidding, completely mean.
Speaker 8 (38:02):
That it's in the hamper right now. But I'll be
going to the grocery store in that baby.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Not a real jersey, the T shirt jerseys I've wore.
Jersey's okay with you. If I had a Brandon Jennings
Bucks jersey and it was the red, it was the
red T shirt when they went when they had their
Christmas collars for a while.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
Now, I will say this, I'll throw this out there, guys.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I played ten years for nine different teams, and I
will say one of my favorite jerseys was when I
was in Cleveland. There was like an all black throwback.
I always loved the alternates. There was a black like
throwback jersey. We wore one of my favorites. But I've
got I've got a lot of jerseys, man, it's a privilege.
Speaker 4 (38:45):
I've got a lot of jerseys.
Speaker 9 (38:47):
By the way, we have a Ryan Holland's jersey.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Update.
Speaker 9 (38:50):
I'm not joking about this A Ryan Hollands two thousand
and six, two thousand and seven Charlotte Bobcats jersey as
we speak, available on eBay four three fifty dollars.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
What is it? A game war pre owned?
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It says, waw Do I buy my own jersey?
Speaker 3 (39:09):
I feel I feel like, well, I'm gonna say it
inappropriate name.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Do I go get my memorabilia back?
Speaker 7 (39:16):
I was thinking the exact opposite. I thought that the
seller's name was high End rawlins.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
I say, you about to wrap this up? You got
something to say?
Speaker 8 (39:29):
Just catching I'm not really into hockey that much, but
just catching some highlights last night. The New York Rangers
in their primary colors red, white, and blue look fantastic.
I think you got the the white, you got the
white sort of outline around the red numbers. And just
like the stripes, the red and white stripes, the red pants,
the blue socks.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
It just it fits so well, looks so good.
Speaker 4 (39:51):
Hey, how do you guys rank this? Where does this
one ranked that?
Speaker 3 (39:54):
Nolan Ryan, the the Astros with the color the yellow orange.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Hi, yes, I'll tell you who rocked that really well.
Billy Hatcher.
Speaker 9 (40:07):
Oh yes, yes, By the way, notice how Holland's is
trying to get in the good graces of Houston after his.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
The two sabotage questions from my guys, I mean my
old family's doing it to me.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Dan. Oh, that's the midway for telling midway. All right, Hey,
we went deep in the uniform game. Jared Butler is
my college basketball one as well. When he played at
Baylor a few years ago and they won the national championship,
no one looked cooler than him, and he had the
newer jerseys, the shorter cut those are you you were styling?
(40:43):
If if you are are dressed like Jared Butler was
for the Baylor Bears, He's Ryan Hollins. Hit him up
at the Ryan Hollins you can find me at Dan
Byer on Fox.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
The love fest with Oklahoma City could end with the
loss in Game two, but for now we sing the
praises of what the thunder have done. He's Ryan Hollands.
I'm Dan Byer sitting in for Doug Gottlieb here on
Fox Sports Radio. We bring in our good buddy NBA
analysts for FSR and fifteen year NBA vet Olden Polonies
and Olden to bring you in on the conversation that
(41:24):
Ryan Hollins and I were having, and Ryan posed this
question to me of the culture of Oklahoma City, what
I think about it and how they've developed this culture.
I'm amazed at just watching them do their postgame interviews.
There was the commitment to allow their local broadcaster in
the first round to get the first interview as opposed
(41:45):
to the national broadcast. You saw it last night with
all the teammates around Shay Gildess Alexander because you would
know that the the MVP candidate for this year's award
would be the one that the media would want to
talk to, but all of his teammates are What do
you like about this Oklahoma City thunder team that ended
(42:05):
up going one to zero on Dallas after last night's
twenty two point win.
Speaker 6 (42:09):
Well, there's so many things to like about them. First
of all, you know, they play with a passion that
we rarely see in the NBA. It's a youthful exuberance
and they just go out there. It's almost like, you know,
I think somebody mentioned it last night. It's like almost
like a college atmosphere, you know, Oloma City. It's not
a lot of things to do there, but they have
(42:30):
embraced this team, you know, my former Sonics, and so
they have really just gone the distance. You know. Sam
Presty started all this back in Seattle, and he's just
I mean, he has a depth touch when it comes
to this and giving guys a chance to get better
(42:51):
and figure it out. You know. Dag Nault, you know,
is incredible right now, he's doing stuff. I mean again,
it's a breath of fresh air just to see it.
He's allowing these players to be themselves and they are
still playing hard, being respectful. No one's like being divas.
And so to me, that's what I love most about it,
(43:12):
you know, regardless of what happens, what the outcomes are
gonna be in games, they are playing the game the
right way. I mean, it's one for all, all for one,
and I'm loving it.
Speaker 4 (43:25):
Oh p what's up? Man?
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Been a long time op A For those who don't
know we're talking, okay, see o P Man. I remember
when I was a young bull in the gym and
I was training for the draft, and you took the
time out and you came and coach me up, man,
And look you got fifteen. I got ten, op because
they wanted me to shoot threes. We ain't work on threes,
oh p. But how you doing?
Speaker 4 (43:47):
Man?
Speaker 3 (43:48):
And before you after you entered that, I gotta tee
you up because I gotta let Dan Bayer in on
the little secret that he doesn't know about it. And
I'm gonna I'm gonna tee you up for that. But
how you doing, op?
Speaker 6 (44:00):
I'm doing great? Ryan. It's great to hear from you
and great to see you know all your success. You
know the touch on what you just said. You know,
my whole thing has always been to help others, you know,
and so if I'm able to do it, then you
know my services are available. And so I was. I
was thankful and blessed to be able to help, and
(44:20):
you were kind enough to receive it. So I appreciate
it as well.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
I appreciate you now, oh Pe? Okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
Dan Buyers believes that Lebron James just needs to retire
now for somebody who's still playing at a high level,
Oh Pe, should Lebron James hang it up?
Speaker 6 (44:39):
I don't believe so, because one of the things we
used to have back in the days is they're gonna
have to wheel me off. They're gonna have to literally
will me off the basketball court. And I think Lebron
is in that mentality, He's in that headspace. It's like
they're gonna have to wheel him up. But the thing
about it is he's nowhere near done. I mean, he's
still doing things that make us like go wow. And
(45:03):
so as long as he's able to do that, and
he has the passion for the game and the love
of the game, man, keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Does he take up a lot of air in the
room in the NBA though, And I thought.
Speaker 6 (45:15):
Of course he does. Dan, I totally agree with that.
Of course he does. Because the Lakers play differently when
Lebron is out, like in street clothes, when they know
there's no chance he's gonna play. The level of play
is totally different than when he's on the court. So
that's that's definite. But at the same time, he's still
(45:36):
Lebron James. He's not Lebron James from you know, twenty
ten and all that, but he's still Lebron James. And
he still commands respect and you've still got to like
pay attention to You can't just say, oh, that's an
thirty nine year old, No, you have to defend him.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
How do you think Laker fans would respond if he
wasn't back next year?
Speaker 6 (46:00):
Well, it depends on which Laker fans you're asking, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:02):
Yeah, I think that's actually even a good point that
there would be some that would actually not be too
mad about it.
Speaker 6 (46:08):
There's two sets of Laker fans, so I mean the
not Kobe fans they'll be happy. But you know, die
hard Laker fans who just root for the team. You know,
I think they'll be okay as well, because I mean,
six years, one championship, I mean there's not you know, hey,
(46:29):
if we're gonna make a move and go in a
different direction, let's do it. You know. The thing about
the Lakers that they are the Lakers no matter what.
You know, eventually they're gonna get right back to where
they used to be or where they need to be.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Now. Op.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
The one thing I always appreciated about you is you
were always in shape and your job was to guard
the other team's best post player. Okay, you went head
to head with whoever had decided. Op, you got them.
You had to go guard the best. Now, Op, these
are not my These are not my words though, Pisa,
don't jump on me. But there's a lot of people
out there saying that Nicola Jokic is a fraud. O,
(47:07):
p you had to guard the best. You saw the
best in the game at the five. What would you
have to say to those people calling out Jokic? Man,
what's wrong with tim?
Speaker 6 (47:16):
And those are those are people that are real silly,
you know. They people do stuff just to get notoriety
or notice or social media hype. I don't buy into that. Man.
This is a two time MVP defending chance. The guy
is amazing. But I will also temper my statement and
say this also. I also laugh when they say, oh,
(47:39):
he's the greatest ever. You know, I'm a little leery
about that too. So we gotta find something in the middle,
you know, because he's not the greatest past or ever.
You know, that belongs to Magic Johnson. You can go
stocking in there. You throw a lot of people in there,
Pete Marriviage, but you know, the best big man, No,
(48:00):
he's one of the best players in the NBA at
the moment, will he go down as an all time
great time will tell we are in this society of
everything right now, and that's not how it works. You
guys are comparing somebody that's still playing to people that
have been retired for thirty forty years. They're already done,
(48:20):
their resume is complete. We don't know what the resume
is gonna end up being.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
Olden Polonies joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
Ryan Hollins, I'm Dan Beyer. I don't think Jokich is
a fraud. I think that the Nuggets kind of are.
We'll see how they bounce back in Game three on Friday.
But you open the door, Olden. It's a tradition unlike
any other. Here on the Doug Gottlieb Show, it's time
for Olden Days with our good buddy Olden Polonies.
Speaker 6 (48:47):
Way needs you never missed up.
Speaker 10 (48:54):
Olden Day, all right, Olden Holding Day. The lyrics of
one Jason Stewart, all right. So how would Pat Ewing
do against one the kol How would that match up?
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Go?
Speaker 6 (49:10):
I don't know. That's why we do all this stuff
because we have no way to prove it.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
What about what about a Chemolajuan. What about a Chemolajuan
against the kolok.
Speaker 6 (49:21):
Listen, I don't know, Op, Op.
Speaker 3 (49:26):
You did just say that he's not the greatest of
all time, so you're you're comparing somewhere he Op go back, Hey, Opie,
if I know anything about you, you ain't got no
bet down and.
Speaker 6 (49:36):
You come on, Pie, I'm not saying that I don't
know because again I don't know. Because we can't put
them together against each other. All we can do is
look at the stats. Jokis isn't done yet, so we
have to wait till he's done and then compare the stats.
Speaker 4 (49:51):
That's how That's what I'm sat is pretty good. O
P those that's still that's pretty good man.
Speaker 6 (49:58):
Y'all could just stat don't compare the past ewings and
kim olage ones right now, not.
Speaker 4 (50:04):
Even cold Pat don't have a title?
Speaker 6 (50:06):
Who cares?
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Op, don't do that?
Speaker 4 (50:09):
O P O P. Don't do that.
Speaker 6 (50:11):
O pay has Jack Haley has multiple ring.
Speaker 4 (50:15):
You see now you know better? No Jack Haley, Stan
slander here? Man? What's wrong with you? Op?
Speaker 6 (50:20):
Hey? I know he's UCLA and all that made recipe.
That's one of my favorite people, man, But Hey, he
has multiple rings. Set doesn't sell you to new story.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
Ah, there was Olden days a tradition again unlike any
other here on the Doug Gottlieb Show, when Olden Polonies
joins us the last one before we let you go?
Do the Knicks have enough in the tank? Since we're
talking about New York in this series with Indiana, can
they play with six six and a half seven?
Speaker 4 (50:56):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (50:57):
How difficult is it gonna be for New York to
keep up this page?
Speaker 6 (51:00):
Well, it's gonna be tough, but you know what Josh
Hart is showing that he can do it. You know
the Vitenzo Brunson. You know, it's funny to me watching
Brunson perform. You know, he's gonna shoot ninety percent of shots,
but yet they don't double team and they don't get
the ball out of his hands. So that's bad coaching,
you know, on Rick Halouf's foot. But at the same time,
(51:21):
you know they are so scrappy. That's a lot of
times hard work beats talent, and so to me, that's
what I'm loving about him. I think they're gonna get
by Indiana. So if they get by Indiana and then
they're gonna face off against them Celtics, where they've had
success against, you know again, another team who's playing really
(51:41):
well without a guy that if he played, you know,
Julius Randall, I don't think they would be as successful.
Speaker 2 (51:50):
We'll find out tonight Game two with the Nixon Pacers.
Can the Pacers even an upper Can the Nicks and
Jalen Brunson continue on that great forty point streak that
he's been on. Olden love having you on. We'll talk
to you again soon, man.
Speaker 6 (52:02):
Thanks all right, guys, take care
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