August 5, 2020 • 41 mins
Damian Lillard is a much better player than Russell Westbrook
The Clippers do not care about the regular season
The Bucs are absolutely a Super Bowl contender
Carmelo Anthony took too long to "get it"
Colin plays TB or Not TB
Guest: Nick Wright, FS1's First Things First
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of Herd podcast. Be
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the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowhert on Fox
Sports Radio. Ah here we go live in Los Angelos,
(00:28):
So on a Wednesday, this is the Herd. Wherever you
may be and however you may be listening. We are
on Fox Sports Radio and we are on f S one.
That is great to have you in today, Nick Wright.
In thirty minutes, Joey Taylor is joining me. More great
(00:49):
basketball last night. You know, I was into it because
it was Westbrook against Damian Lillard, and that's a little
bit or right, they don't like each other much. I
was thinking of you watching the game, watching Westbrook. I'm like,
this must be such a new experience for Colin because
he's liking how Westbrook is playing. Now, yes, he's played,
he's played very well. But you know, it's interesting in
this political season that campaign donations are important, right, it's
(01:13):
hard to win an election if you don't have a
lot of money. You need money, you need marketing, you
need promotion as a politician, but it also helps a
lot as an athlete, marketing promotion. So Westbrook is a
Michael Jordan client. Westbrook has been controversial. Westbrook played with
(01:33):
a superstar. Westbrook's now in a national team with a
national player, James Harden. And there's a little old Damian
Lillard up in the remote Pacific Northwest. He never has controversy.
You know, nobody really talks about him. He's never played
with a superstar. He's just rock steady. But you do
get despite all the marketing and promotion for Westbrook, Damian
(01:55):
Lillard once again proved last night he's the better player
than Westbrook. I mean, forget the stat sheet where Russell
Westbrook took two three pointers miss both took twelve free throws,
made five fifteen points and a minus ten plus minus,
whereas Dame shot forty three percent on threes, seven free throws,
(02:17):
made six twenty one points and a plus three. We
have a lot of examples of these guys facing each other.
In fact, nine times in the last two years, Portland
won three of four this year against Houston, and the
Blazers beat Oklahoma City in Westbrook last year. In the
nine games, Westbrook is two and seven, Dames seven and two.
(02:39):
Westbrook shoots forty percent. Dame shoots forty three percent. Westbrook
shoots thirty percent on threes. Dame shoots forty two and
a half percent. Westbrook is a minus forty Dame's a
plus forty nine. It ain't close nine meetings. Dame's a
better shooter, less erratic, more dependable, better teammate. It is
(03:01):
not close. But Westbrook, WHOA? You get a lot of WHOA?
You also get a lot of ug. Ask yourself this,
on the open market, who would swallow Westbrooks contract? A
handful of awful teams? Who would on an open market
make an offer for Dame Lillard? About half the league?
(03:24):
One guy is the worst three point shooter in the bubble.
The other, now without Steph Curry, is the best shooter
in the bubble. There's only two players in the NBA,
Steph Curry and Damian Lillard. There's two in the NBA.
They're shooting ranges. Oh, look at they entered the arena.
From that point forward, they can shoot from everywhere, that
is it. But one guy went to UCLA, played with
(03:45):
k D, plays with James Hazarden, was part of a
national team. And one guy went to Weber State, and
he's up in Portland and he makes no news. Even
the biggest shot of his life, he just looked at
the camera went that's Dame, a significantly better player. But
the politician that's got more marketing and more promotion and
more donations and the bigger budget. I mean, listen, Oklahoma City,
(04:10):
if you still think Westbrook's better, Westbrook left OKAC the
team got better. How I mean every player that's left Westbrook, who,
by the way, has played very well until last night
in the bubble. Every player's left him's improved. Guys have
become All stars. So I think about this. Westbrooks never
won a play playoff series in his life. When he
(04:32):
was the best player, Dame one two last year, last
year two as the best player. In the last couple
of years, only four guys in the NBA have made
first Team, All Pro and second team. I'll read him
to you, Harden, Yannis KD, and Damian Lillard. But you
go to Weaver State, You're not controversial. You never played
(04:54):
with a star. You're up in the row city, in
the corner of the country. I mean that's you're You're
you're competing against a five hundred million dollars candidate that's
got nothing but corporate backing and national backing and national marketing.
Once again, they played last night, who's better? I don't
(05:15):
I don't think it's an argument anymore. Last nine games,
it is not close, all right? So, oh, what a
tremendously big moment last night in the NBA. This is
this is the shot heard round Orlando. Uh here it
is the owas entertaining Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker. They
(05:39):
bring the double a Booker book on the Spin fires
for the land ladies and gentlemen. If you don't know,
now you do. Shocker the team that hasn't cared about
the regular season all year, or the Clippers doesn't care
(06:02):
about the regular season even in the bubble. This is
big for Phoenix. They're three and on the bubble. They're
fighting for a playoff spot. It's a fun story. Phoenix
are really good NBA towns, one of those NBA towns.
They love their basketball. They've had bad basketball for several years,
but it's a fun story for Phoenix, it means nothing
for the Clippers. I mean the Clippers this year have
told us time and again they got beat by twenty
(06:25):
six by Memphis. This year in the regular season, Clippers
did they got beat by Sacramento twice. They got beat
by Phoenix. Now twice they lost to Chicago and Atlanta
in awful Minnesota. They don't care. And the reason they
don't care is because the man who owns the team
is a get it guy, Steve Balmer. Steve Balmer was
(06:47):
at Microsoft in Seattle and his entire time there. Who
did they battle Apple and Steve Jobs? They write books
about those relationships. Gates Balmer, Paul Allen against Steve Jobs.
And when you're battling somebody that big, you got to
(07:07):
have a better product. You need wins, big wins, not
subtle wins and nuance. So Balmer has been in this
battle when he bought the Clippers, and he was now
in a city with his Apple, the Lakers, and the
Lakers their gear is all over Los Angeles. It is
hard to find a Clipper hat and think about this,
(07:29):
how do you catch up? One way, get your own
building and win championships. It's not about being better than
the Lakers. Before this year, the Lakers six straight losing seasons.
The Clippers have been very good for six years and
very exciting. Hard to find a Clipper hat in town.
(07:51):
The one time in New York where the Mets were
better than the Yankees, two things happened. The Yankees were
awful in the eighties, and the Mets went out and
got stars and won a title, a World Series title,
and for a brief time it was a Met city.
The Mets didn't get the city because they had like
guys that hustled. No, they had Keith Hernandez, they had stars,
(08:15):
They had Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, they stole the tabloids
in the back page, and they won a World Series.
You got to do both. So Steve Balmer, who is
now going to build a new arena, went out and
got Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to get him. He
had to clear some space. And then he got a star,
(08:37):
you know, Doc Rivers, star coach, like he's got all
of it working here. I got I got Doc Rivers
when I get here. Okay, he's a star coach. Now
I got to get a couple of star players. This
is what you do. He does not care about the
regular season. He doesn't care. They've had the better regular
season before this year than the Lakers for six great years.
You still can't find a clipperhat in town. The way
(08:58):
the Mets did it was stars and titles. That is
that you're not beating Apple up at Microsoft because you've
got a better mouse. That's not gonna do it. You
gotta come out and beat them on a massive product.
And so the Clippers do not care about the regular season,
nor should they. The only way to shift this paradigm
(09:20):
in Los Angeles, like the Mets briefly did, stars, younger stars,
and champion chips. Getting to the Western Conference finals is
not enough. It's simply not enough. So the Clippers are
going to be more rested. They're already deeper, they've got
the star coach. And by the way, we're in a bubble.
(09:44):
There's no home court advantage anyway, so it doesn't even matter.
So when I watch Phoenix win last night, I'm very
happy for Phoenix. It's a terrific NBA town. They're three
and oh they're playing hard, and it's it's great to
see this bubble where these you know, borderline teams like
Phoenix are. This is March madness, man, they are. It is.
You can sense the intensity, the sudden death feel to it.
(10:05):
But the Clippers have been telling us all year not
it's not really into it. So they're now into it
in a bubble. By the way, the good news Hot
Wings Williams lap Dance Lou did play last night. He did,
he did. We can call him either. It's either I
like lap Dance, Lou Joy likes Hot Wings. Williams Sannon said,
(10:30):
Lemon Pepper Lou. I think it's the third one. It's
pretty good. One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four
hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app,
Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like. So.
Leshaun McCoy is very very good and very good player,
and the Bucks picked him up. Played with Kansas City
(10:50):
last year. Good situational running back, addswer their running back depth,
which is kind of a weakness for Tampa last year.
And uh, Lashawn McCoy has been very talkative in regards
to Tom Brady. He admits the weather in tom Brady,
that's why I came and here yesterday he was talking
about the early practices so far with the goat Tom Brady.
(11:11):
To actually see him work, I mean, he's like a general,
you know, leading the troops, teaching them what he wants
in the routes, things like that. He looked real good.
I mean, and as he's thrown the ball, you know,
I hear a couple of guys with my dang, how
many years you think he'll playing? And that's how good
he looked. Seriously, to really construct an opinion on Tom
(11:33):
Brady in Tampa, you have to go back to last
year because outside of that town, nobody watches them. Nobody
watches Tampa. They don't show up on national TV games
even in their own division. Atlanta and cam Newton for years,
and Breeze and the Saints are much bigger TV draws.
I mean, it's it's a college football town. Mostly not anymore.
(11:55):
But let's go back to last year, where Tampa was
fairly predictable. Bruce Arians head coach, Todd Bowles defensive coordinator.
We're in their first year. It's a very young roster. Predictably,
they were bad in the first half of the season,
two and six in the first eight young roster New system,
new coaches. Let's start though November tenth on a Sunday
(12:15):
against Arizona. From that point forward, the second half of
the season. The part Belichick Owa says really is the season.
No experimenting Now, new coach, new defensive coordinator, new team. Now,
guys are eight games in with an exhibition season, and
they were five and three, won all three road games,
and defensively top two or three team in the league
(12:36):
with Key Analytics stats. Their only losses were to the
Division champion Saints, the Division champion Texans, and an overtime
loss to Atlanta shocker Jamis Winston to a pick six
and ot. This was an above average team down the
stretch that only needed an adult at quarterback. Now they've
added Tom maybe the best blocking tight end in Gronk
(12:58):
Lashawn McCoy at running back, upgraded right tackle, which was
the offense's weakness. And oh, by the way, Bruce Arians
and Todd Bowles in their second year. And this should
be noted because schedules matter. They get a massive schedule
break every schedule. This is a team that's going to
score a lot of points. Pro Football Focus has them
with the fifth best roster in the Sport. They've got
(13:20):
six games I would call go either way games Denver, Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs, Vikings.
These are really good teams. Five are at home and
Green Bay. They get ten days to prepare. That is
a huge scheduling break. You're not winning that game at Arrowhead.
It'll be hard enough to win it in Tampa. You're
(13:41):
not winning at Narrowhead. Oh it's in Tampa. They got
to go to Denver. Then their last five go either
way games are all at home, Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs,
and Vikings. I mean that November twenty ninth game in
Kansas City blowing sideways. You're not winning that game down
in Tampa. You got a shot, so I said it yesterday.
(14:03):
Baltimore in Tampa Bay would not shock me one bit
if they ended up playing in Tampa the side of
this year Super Bowl. Be sure to catch live editions
of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine Ampacific on
Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio. Ass Poor
Nick Wright today once again, last nine times Damian Lillard
(14:26):
has faced Westbrook, it's been humiliating for Westbrook, and once
again the better player surfaced with a w last night
brought to you by Mercedes. Ben's the best or nothing.
I want to hear this, So all right, mister Westbrook
in Houston. I mean, nine times they've met in the
last two years, it's seven wins for Dan. I mean
it's incredible. I mean, what more do you need? Okay, listen,
(14:52):
I don't know why you insist on doing this. My
guess is you're just obfuscating to try to avoid giving
Carmelo Anthony his due after you've crushed Syracuse legend greatest
US Olympic basketball player of all time for the better
part of ten years. But we let's do this. Let's
talk Russ and Harden, because you're it. One's the ninth
(15:12):
best player in the world. Once I'm sorry, Russ and Harden.
Russ and Lillard. One's the ninth best basketball player in
the world. On the one's the eleventh best basketball player
in the world. It's very, very close. But I think
this year is a great example as to why it's
totally legitimate to hold Russ an equal, if not higher
esteem than than Dame. Dame dealt with injuries this year
(15:33):
around his team did they didn't have their full roster,
didn't have a ton of talent. How'd that work out
for him? Because they were eight games under five hundred
headed into the bubble. When Russ had Kde leave, what
did he do? He put a team on his back,
average to triple double the first of three straight years
and carried them to the playoffs. Now, if you're making
(15:55):
the argument, if you have a stacked roster, who would
better contribut mute to winning? You can make that argument
for Dame. But to me, I'm gonna use two of
my medium mentors, one from younger in life and one
from right now. Who's the better broadcaster, Bob Costs or
Colin Cowhert Bob Well, I guess it depends on what
you're trying to do. If you're if you're if you're
a host in the Olympics. With respect to you, Colin,
(16:18):
I'll take Bob. If you it's like, hey, I got
three hours in a microphone and a new network, I'll
take you. Yeah. So if there you go exactly so,
if you if you're gonna have a stacked roster, maybe
Dame's efficiency wins out. But if you need someone to
take on the workload himself and make sure you're never
a thirty win team, as the Blazers were pacing to
(16:39):
be well, then maybe Russ is the answer. So the
Clippers lost last night and I could literally as I'm
watching and I'm thinking, oh, Nick literally went and got
a second bud light. He is having the time of
his life. And to this, I say, I say, the
Clippers lost to Minnesota, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Sacramento twice. They
(16:59):
lost to Memphis by twenty six. They didn't care about
the regular season in LA. They sure as hell don't
care about it in a bubble like this is who
they are, right like we know they don't care about
that game against Phoenix. Man, Man, I can't imagine what
a wonderful life your amazing children must have had whenever
they bring home a test. If they get an a,
(17:20):
they were trying and if they failed, well they must not.
They didn't care about it. Like either way they win,
it's just great. If you operate under the premise of
whenever a team loses, they didn't care, well, then every
team's awesome. And my question would be, when are you
going to start caring? Like if you didn't care, maybe
(17:40):
don't play. Kawai thirty seven minutes, which for him is
essentially two games worth of playing. If you don't care,
maybe don't rush Lou Williams back when he's fresh office
trip to the Strip Club and the Wings, like, but
he did play. You're a team built to stop perimeter scoring,
and a perimeter score dropped third five on your head,
(18:01):
primarily guarded by your future goat Kawhi Leonard and Paul
George like, at some point the warning signs have to matter,
and I guess they're not gonna matter for America until
the Clippers are down three two in the second round
of the playoffs, and it's like, oh wait, they didn't
care in the regular season, so they didn't build chemistry,
(18:22):
they didn't flush out their rotation fully, they didn't ever
get an answer for a real interior rim protector, and
so why they've been treated like look, even at the
end of the game, it's like, how did they get
back in the game? Paul George airballs of three that
Kawhi's lucky enough to get the rebound four Like They're
a good not great team that's been anointed for reasons
(18:44):
I will never understand, and people aren't gonna believe it
until they're going home sometime probably before the conference final.
Well we disagree there. So I'm watching last night. They
put the standings up. They put the standings up in
the West, and you know the East doesn't matter because
it's somebody from the West to win it. So they
put the standing up in the West. And Memphis just
lost one of their better players a couple days ago,
Jaron Jackson. So Memphis is in big trouble. Yeah, yeah,
(19:07):
he's out. So that's he's our second best player to
John Morand so they got troubles and Portland now nur
kiches back. Mellow's playing very well. I acknowledge it took
him thirty six years old, but he finally decided to
get on a treadmill. And the point being is that,
let's be honest about this. When's the last time you
looked Portland's gonna be the eight la the one you
(19:28):
have to acknowledge this is probably the most dangerous eight seed.
Now with no Avery Bradley for the Lakers Toronto, that's
a frightening first round for the Lakers. Right well, listen,
of the possible eight seeds, I think Portland could be
the most dangerous, well, the most problematic, if you will.
New Orleans. Also, by the way, New Orleans Ketton might
(19:50):
steal this thing. Their last five games, you should pull
it up. I think it's twice against Sacramento, they get Washington.
I think they get Orlando in San Antonio. I think
that's their last five. They could go five and oh
now that Zion's playing. But here is the problem for
Portland in a first round series against the Lakers. If
you were to line up all thirty teams in the
(20:12):
NBA and say, front of the line, who is the
roster most equipped to slow down Lebron front of the
line probably be the Clippers because they have Kawai and
Paul George, Marcus Morris. They build their team around that.
The very last team in line would not be the Knicks,
would not be the Hawks, it would be Portland. Now
(20:33):
that Trevor Rees is not in the bubble, they do
not have a single person who can guard Lebron. They're
starting lineup there. I guess it would be Carmelo Anthony,
who I know you think so highly of now they
coming off the bench, Gary Trent Junr has been in
revelation three point shooting wise, he can't guard Lebron. They
don't have a single person and on their roster to
(20:56):
guard Lebron, to even slow him down. And so, while yeah,
the Lakers would I'm sure prefer to face the Sons
or the Kings and have an easy five game sweep,
Lebron's clearly easing himself into the bubble. And if you
want him to be up and running by round two,
give him Portland in round one. Will He'll average thirty
(21:16):
five a game in that series because they got no
answer for him whatsoever. So that's the long way of saying,
they don't scare me. Could they could it be a
gentleman sweep instead of a sweep shore, but they just
the lack of Areza kills them as far as even
having a single person to throw at Lebron. James So
years ago, when Lebron went from Miami to Cleveland again,
(21:39):
he moved off of Andrew Wiggins. They had a chance
to draft Andrew Wiggins, but the word was that Lebron
didn't like Wiggins because he didn't have any dog in him.
He wasn't gonna be that. And for the record, Lebron's
been right. I believe that dog is developed, you know,
somewhere between seven years old and twelve. And if you
don't have it, you don't develop it. I mean, if
(22:00):
you take magic in Lebron's DNA, it's been leadership first
day in the league. If you take the late Kobe
and MJ's relentlessness, obsessiveness, it starts in childhood, on first
day in the league. Anthony Davis is talented nick he
disappears in fourth quarters. He shoots like forty percent this
year in the fourth. He doesn't have any dog in him,
(22:21):
and that's what wins in the postseason. Aren't you a
little concern? Four times against the Clippers, he evaporated in
the fourth and despite that, Listen, the Lakers were tied
with six months left. First game of the year, second
game of the year against the Clippers, it comes down
to a ridiculous overturn calling Lebron's potentially game tying shot,
(22:42):
and they won the next two. I would be concerned
if Anthony Davis had to be your best player, but
he doesn't, and he is a way over qualified Robin.
And so what you're going to have is Anthony Davis
playing the biggest games of his life. Anthony Davis has
of I'm sure the biggest failures and successes he's ever
(23:04):
had in the NBA in these playoffs, and I think
he'll come out on the other side a champion and
a changed player. But when you have America, I guess,
and I wouldn't think you would be part of it.
Has forgotten the single most reliable thing in sports is
Lebron James and the playoffs over the last decade, what
(23:24):
he gives you night in, night out. The last time
we saw him in the playoffs, he carried an atrocious
Cavs team to the finals, culminating in the fifty one
point performance in Game one before he broke his hand
out of frustration, Like, you don't need Anthony Davis to
take over in the fourth because Lebron will do that.
And I think Anthony Davis maybe has a little more
(23:46):
dog than you're giving him credit for. But I think
whatever it is, he will learn and gain so much
from this deep championship playoff run that in the years
to come, he'll be able to be that fourth quarter
guy that right now the Lakers are relying on Lebron
to be. Yeah, I was going to ask you a
question about the Buccaneers, but you have a disagreed with
(24:07):
me on everything there's no chance you you know, I
think it's funny. I was saying this about Tampa Bay
last year was very predictable. Young roster, new coach, new coordinator.
I love their defensive coordinator and their head coach. They
were bad early two and six. At the second half
of the season, the young roster, oh, they were five
and three and really only lost were beaten by the
(24:29):
Saints in the Texans. Those were very good teams with
quarterbacks with some real star power. I look at this
Tampa team and I think Todd Bull second year, Aryan
second year maybe the best blocking tight end tom I
look at tampath to day, I think, you know, I
start looking around the NFC. Everybody's got a hold. Can
Carson Wednesday healthy? Russell Wilson's basically bailing out bad line play?
(24:53):
Aaron Rodgers? Do we know what Matt Laflora can do?
Can you at least acknowledge Tampa's going to be a
playoff team with they're gonna be a playoff team? Well,
here's all go a step further and not quite as far.
Tampa has listened. Last six weeks of the year, they
had a top five defense. I like airings and left,
which I agree with you entirely on that Gronk will
(25:15):
be good for them, even if he's not vintage Grounk,
they might have Certainly, it's in the argument the best
pair of receivers in football, and they improve the offensive line.
So the question just is, Colin, are the Buccaneers a
quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender? They thought so,
and so they thought they think they brought that quarterback in.
(25:37):
I think Tom Brady's forty three years old, and we
have seen significant deterioration each of the last three years
from MVP to good but not great to downright bad
last year. If Tom Brady is what you and many
others think he will be this year, yeah, the Bucks
can win eleven twelve games and can be a Super
Bowl contender. But if they're not, it will be because
(26:01):
of Brady. Because I agree with every point you made.
They have built, They've flushed out this roster, the deep
insurge at the end of the year, they're not going
to be kneecapped by interceptions like they were last season.
So yeah, let's just see what you know Tampa Bay
can do, and I'm excited to see it. Maybe I'll
be wrong. I got nothing against Brady. I think he's
(26:21):
got some some curious choices in his social group and friends.
But aside from that, I got no problem with Brady.
I just I want to see him do it, and
we'll be able to see because he's on an excellent roster.
I agree with you there. Look at him, he looks
he looks thirty one years old. He just he is
his body shape, he's just very very good. Listen, you know,
(26:41):
you and I just don't. We don't agree on a lot.
We don't. Our lifestyles are different. Are are what we
uh at night? What we drink is different? Are are
you know? I mean, some guys, did you finish that?
Did you drink that bottle of tequila? I left you?
I left to an unopened bottle. Oh that's a lie.
That's by the way. I'm glad you're incorporating into the
(27:02):
show all Time Chiefs, Great and Champion, Lashawn McCoy. I
assume you'll go into the Hall of Fame as the
chief since that's when we want a super Bowl with
just how to fit that in? Get out of here,
Nick Wright. First things first, good scene, be sure to
catch live editions of the Herd week dayson noon Easter
ninety Empacific. A lot of you think I don't like
Carmelo Anthony. Calomelo Anthony frustrated me. But last night he
(27:25):
hit big shots for Portland and at thirty six year old,
thirty six years old, at the end of the road,
he's finally in shape and he has found a perfect
spot to plan. You know, I always tell my wife,
you got the good in me. There was me in
my twenties. That was my first wife, and I was
so obsessed with my career and I was so tunnel vision.
(27:45):
And now I'm older. You know, I'm beaten down as
a broadcaster. I'm like, you get the good me. I'm
more fun. I like vacations. I like to hang out.
I you know, I cannot think about work all the time.
Damian Lillard got the good Carmelo Anthony. He doesn't have options.
He's not the player he once was. He knows he's
not Dame in this carmelow. I like it's a little late,
(28:09):
but I like it. And Damian Lillard talked about his performance.
He hit the big shot of the game last night.
Here's Dame. He's a Hall of Famer. You know, I
think it's more disappointing that people are surprised by it,
you know what I mean. He's a he's a Hall
of famer. Like I said, he's a great teammate, and
that's what we expect from him. You know. We put
him in those positions because we expect him to make
(28:30):
those shots. We believe he's going to make those shots.
And we brought him here because we knew he would
make a difference for our team, and he's been doing that.
First of all, he is a Hall of Famer. That's
not even disputable. It's called the Basketball Hall of Fame,
and even if it wasn't, he would make it. But
he's Syracuse national champion, ten time All Star, top twenty
all time scorer, three gold medals in the Olympics, and
(28:52):
he was very good in the Olympics. Of course, he's
a Hall of famer. And again, Dame's getting the good mellow, right,
we all mature, we all grow. He's not getting the
twenty three year old mellow. Here's the interesting thing. When
I think about NBA stars, and Melo's certainly a star,
they always fall in two categories. Now I'm not talking
NBA players. Those those fall in multiple categories. But stars
(29:15):
Dame's a star, Lebron's a star, Eighty's a star, Kawhi,
Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, they always fall into two categories,
winning stars and stat stars, And the difference is not talent.
The difference is not talent. The winning stars are Kobe
and Lebron and Steph Curry and Dwyane Wade and Magic
(29:40):
Johnson and Bird. The stat stars are Tracy McGrady and
Dominique Wilkins and Carmelo Anthony. I wrote a few down
this morning, t Mac George Gervin, who I loved as
a kid. It is not talent. Carmelo is more talented
than Steph Curry, bigger, stronger, more talented. Dominique Wilkins to
(30:00):
is more gifted physically than even d Wade. It is
not about that. It is about self awareness, and the
winning stars have it at a very early age. Do
I give them credit or their parents? Hell if I know.
But this league is about kids coming in. This is
not college football. When you come in at twenty four,
(30:21):
you're come in at nineteen, twenty twenty one years old.
Do you have at nineteen twenty twenty one years old
latest twenty two. Do you understand how valuable coaching is?
Do you understand how hard you have to work to
be able to be good on the offensive and defensive end.
Do you understand some nights take fewer shots even though
you can get the points to get teammates involved. Do
(30:43):
you have the self awareness to understand how valuable everybody
is beyond yourself? Because to get to the NBA at
twenty one, you were the best high school player, the
best au player, the best college player. I mean you
are literally like a prodigy. I mean, think about this.
In America every year there's about eight basketball players. How
(31:05):
many times do you watch people play basketball? Young people,
eight of them a year from America make the NBA.
I mean, like like play You're a prodigy, like a
music prodigy, like the kid that goes to Harvard at
fifteen years old or MT it's seventeen, right, fifteen seventeen.
So and that's my knock. This is not a knock
on Carmelo Dominique, But there were moments in time that
(31:27):
Carmelo kept showing me he just didn't have the self awareness.
And give an example when Lebron went from Cleveland and Miami,
Miami back to Cleveland. He didn't demand trades because he
manipulated the situation so he would join good players. When
Carmelo left Denver, instead of just being a little more patient,
he demanded a trade and the Knicks had to give
(31:47):
up all sorts of talent and all sorts of pick
all sorts of players, guaranteeing they weren't going to be
a championship team. Self awareness. Lebron had it, Melo didn't.
How about the fact that Lebron, I mean, thirteen years ago,
watched the game and went, I'm gonna start working on
my three point shot. Carmelo begrudging, begrudgingly, never wanted to
(32:10):
take an extra step and a half back. He didn't
like it. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't embrace it
like Lebron did. How about the fact that when he
went to Oklahoma City, off the bench, I'm a bench player. Well,
actually on that team he wore a bench player. It's
not that Melo's lacked talent. I mean, he's a ten
time All Star, three golds Syracuse Dead. But there have
(32:31):
been multiple instances where Jeremy Lynn remember when the Knicks
for about a month caught fire. They were the talk
of basketball with Jeremy Lynn. Melo came back. Instead of
embracing Jeremy Lynn and the winning streak, He's like, no,
I'm not gonna play that offense, dude, It's about winning games.
Time and time again. Mellow lacked the self awareness. And
(32:53):
this is the gap to me between the Kobe's, the
Wades and the George Gervins and their nice guys and
the Kneeks and the Mellow. Now they may have the
self awareness at twenty eight and at thirty four and
now in their fifties, but when they were twenty two
and twenty three and twenty one and twenty and they
were building that reputation, they turn people off. Remember, your
(33:17):
prime in this league is twenty two to about twenty eight,
maybe twenty nine thirty. Now, now Lebron's like Brady exceptional,
but that's the difference. He's a Hall of Famer. Dame
is now getting the good Mellow, the more mature Mellow.
That not as talented Mellow. We don't need you to
score twenty Mellow. You gotta occasionally play some defense, Mellow,
and this is a good Mellow. I mean he can
(33:39):
fill it up. He's talented. There's no I mean, they
got no wing scores. They need Mellow bad. They got
a great backcourt and Nurkic, so they have a humongous
hole in their team. I mean, I talked to somebody
up in Portland that covers them when they got Mellow
and they're like, no, this is gonna work, Like we
just need the guy in the wing, the six seven
guy that can shoot jumpers. So it's that cell phone sport.
(34:00):
This is incredibly cruel. In almost every business in the world,
you become a millionaire, your prime is forty two to
fifty five. You can make all those mistakes when you're
twenty years old. Pro sports is different. You have to
be smart, self aware, focused. You don't get to have
(34:22):
a social life like like an average twenty two year old. Oh,
you're carrying the franchise. Figure all the difficult stuff out
For guys like me. I didn't have to worry about
that. That That was forty. Pro athletes have to figure it
out at nineteen twenty, twenty years old, like Luca Donchez
twenty years old. Dude, you are the face of the
Dallas Mavericks. Mark Cuban's number one business. You're the face
(34:42):
the hell. I wasn't ready for that at twenty were
you Luca Is? And that was mellows thing he's now.
It just took longer for him to kind of get
the big picture. Now he's perfect, But there was a
lot of years in there where forcing a trade, not
embracing Jeremy Lynn kind of laughing at those who suggested
you come off the bench, not really working on that
(35:04):
fifteen years ago, working on that three point shot. That
was clearly the future of the league. And that's why
he'll make the Hall of Fame, but he won't be
in that other category of stars to me, the winning stars.
One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like. Today's
(35:27):
best for last is you know the old saying to
be or not to be? When that Shakespeare something this
is t B or not TB. What will Tom Brady
accomplish in his first year or not accomplish? Joy? Here
we go. Tom Brady throws for thirty plus touchdown passes
to TB or not to be ones. I think he'll
start potentially slow, but it'll be TB. Okay. So he
(35:50):
has averaged thirty one in his career. James through thirty
three last year, and that doesn't count the sixty through
to the other team. So this is not just a
good receiving group. This has been. This is now the
top tight end and receiving group, an upgrade on the
offensive line and a better running back group. So and
(36:11):
Lashawn McCoy can catch. He had thirty catches last year.
He's just got a lot of available targets. He's got
a lot of people, a lot of mouse to feed,
and nobody sprinkles it around quite And by the way,
the targets are all so big. Mike Evans is six six,
Gronk is six six. He's got big oj Howard, big
targets in the red zone. And there's not a lot
(36:32):
of feeling that there's like ego involved at this point.
Tom Brady throws for four thousand plus yards TB or
not TV. Okay, he's thrown a TB. He's thrown for
four thousand yards in eight of nine years. I don't
even know what he threw four last year. But James
through for fifty one hundred yards last year, so he
Brady had four thousand last year. Think about this, he
(36:53):
had no tight end. Really, they had no deep threat.
Did Edelman play every game or did heat? He had
more drops than he'd ever had. So he threw last
year and they and they had some offensive line issues
and no fullback, so no running games. So he was
often throwing third and long. And Brady got to four
thousand yards last year. This is the easiest one. He'll
(37:13):
throw over over four thousand yards. BUCKS will have its
top three offense TV or not TV. This is an
easy TV. First of all, they were number three last year,
which is hard to believe. Right, You're like with all
those interceptions. They've added Gronk, they've added Brady, They've upgraded
the right tackle, they've added Lashawn McCoy. Again, this is
a too constructive opinion on Tampa. You have to go
(37:35):
back to last year. They were a really good team.
At the end of the year. They were just a
turnover prone mess offensively, but their defense was better. They
haven't had good special teams in forever, so that that,
to me is their biggest hang up. In New England,
they always had great special teams. Tampa special teams historically
are a mess. That's the fault with a team. It's
not that, but they will have a top three offense.
(37:57):
Bucks will make the playoffs TV or TV. Well that's
a TV. Yeah, okay, So again, seven teams now make
the playoffs. Seven that's an extra team. So you can
look at about four or five teams. We know, you
know Arizona is going to be a little over at
skis in that division. We know that Carolina is kind
(38:18):
of rebuilding. We know Washington is rebuilding. Joe Judge has
never coached the game in the NFL. Of the sixteen teams,
I can take about four to five. You talk yourself
out of very quickly. And I do believe they have
better personnel significantly on offense than Atlanta. So yeah, there's
a playoff team. The Bucks will win the NFC South
TB or not TB. That's a not TV. First of all,
(38:40):
the Bucks are the Saints are favored. The Saints have
won at three years in a row, and the Saints
may be the best team in the NFC. When I
say that the Saints have a better O line than
the Bucks, and it's been together longer and Frankly, I
think they have a better consistent pass rush than Tampa does.
So if you give me a better line D line
(39:00):
and Sean Payton, and they also added Emmanuel Sanders, so
they got plenty of firepower. They will not throw the
ball down the field as well as Tampa, but they'll
be incredibly efficient in Tampa's defensive fronts. Really good. The
Bucks will reach the Super Bowl TB or not TB.
(39:21):
I'm gonna say TB wildcard teams can make it. Okay,
So NFC ask yourself this, the NFC's up for grabs.
Who is significantly better Green Bay not really? San Francisco absolutely,
there's no question. But they also play in the toughest
(39:42):
division in football, and it's very possible. Losers of Super
Bowls often have a hangover a little. What if San
Francisco wins ten or eleven, Tampa wins twelve, New Orleans
thirteen and the game's in Tampa. Yah, it's interesting Tom
Brady makes the Pro Bowl TB or not. No, that's
not there's just too many good quarterbacks. I mean, just
think that's Russell Wilson's gonna make it. I mean, you
(40:04):
can write that down. Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jared Goff,
Carson and wayannz Dack's gonna put up good numbers. Who else,
Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford. There's just too much that.
I mean, Kirk Cousins, by the way, we'll put up
good numbers. There's just too many good quarterbacks. He won't
(40:24):
get that. You're really you're going all in with Tampa
this year. Huh. I don't see, you know what it is.
I think the two best teams in the NFL are
arguably in the AFC. Chiefs, yes and so, and then
I think San Francisco depends don't love their secondary. Let's
(40:45):
see if Brandon Aiyuk, the wide receiver from Arizona State,
can play. They lost Emmanuel Sanders, Dante Pettis hasn't been
what they thought. Let's see how their wide receiving corps adapts,
if Kittle can stay healthy, if Garoppolo takes another step
app But I think the top of the AFC is
really great. I think the NFC on Fox is way better.
(41:08):
Is it as deep? I mean, it's NFC's deeper. Is
it as good? At times? I don't know. It's like
I'll give you an example. I love Seattle. Their offensive
line's a mess. Pro Football Focus ranks their defensive line
as thirty second. Philadelphia Carson Wentz stay healthy, a lot
of new pieces on the perimeter. Offensively, there's everybody that's good.
(41:30):
Even San Francisco Emmanuel Sanders leaves, George Kittle can get hurt.
Can they stay healthy on the weapon side, that's like
a real issue for them. I just I think that
they are a playoff team. I think it's a wildcard situation. Yeah,
I don't know if they can
Thanks for listening to the Best of Herd podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday from twelve to
three eastern nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and FS one. Find your local station for The Herd
at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd is
the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowhert on Fox
Sports Radio. Ah here we go live in Los Angelos,
(00:28):
So on a Wednesday, this is the Herd. Wherever you
may be and however you may be listening. We are
on Fox Sports Radio and we are on f S one.
That is great to have you in today, Nick Wright.
In thirty minutes, Joey Taylor is joining me. More great
(00:49):
basketball last night. You know, I was into it because
it was Westbrook against Damian Lillard, and that's a little
bit or right, they don't like each other much. I
was thinking of you watching the game, watching Westbrook. I'm like,
this must be such a new experience for Colin because
he's liking how Westbrook is playing. Now, yes, he's played,
he's played very well. But you know, it's interesting in
this political season that campaign donations are important, right, it's
(01:13):
hard to win an election if you don't have a
lot of money. You need money, you need marketing, you
need promotion as a politician, but it also helps a
lot as an athlete, marketing promotion. So Westbrook is a
Michael Jordan client. Westbrook has been controversial. Westbrook played with
(01:33):
a superstar. Westbrook's now in a national team with a
national player, James Harden. And there's a little old Damian
Lillard up in the remote Pacific Northwest. He never has controversy.
You know, nobody really talks about him. He's never played
with a superstar. He's just rock steady. But you do
get despite all the marketing and promotion for Westbrook, Damian
(01:55):
Lillard once again proved last night he's the better player
than Westbrook. I mean, forget the stat sheet where Russell
Westbrook took two three pointers miss both took twelve free throws,
made five fifteen points and a minus ten plus minus,
whereas Dame shot forty three percent on threes, seven free throws,
(02:17):
made six twenty one points and a plus three. We
have a lot of examples of these guys facing each other.
In fact, nine times in the last two years, Portland
won three of four this year against Houston, and the
Blazers beat Oklahoma City in Westbrook last year. In the
nine games, Westbrook is two and seven, Dames seven and two.
(02:39):
Westbrook shoots forty percent. Dame shoots forty three percent. Westbrook
shoots thirty percent on threes. Dame shoots forty two and
a half percent. Westbrook is a minus forty Dame's a
plus forty nine. It ain't close nine meetings. Dame's a
better shooter, less erratic, more dependable, better teammate. It is
(03:01):
not close. But Westbrook, WHOA? You get a lot of WHOA?
You also get a lot of ug. Ask yourself this,
on the open market, who would swallow Westbrooks contract? A
handful of awful teams? Who would on an open market
make an offer for Dame Lillard? About half the league?
(03:24):
One guy is the worst three point shooter in the bubble.
The other, now without Steph Curry, is the best shooter
in the bubble. There's only two players in the NBA,
Steph Curry and Damian Lillard. There's two in the NBA.
They're shooting ranges. Oh, look at they entered the arena.
From that point forward, they can shoot from everywhere, that
is it. But one guy went to UCLA, played with
(03:45):
k D, plays with James Hazarden, was part of a
national team. And one guy went to Weber State, and
he's up in Portland and he makes no news. Even
the biggest shot of his life, he just looked at
the camera went that's Dame, a significantly better player. But
the politician that's got more marketing and more promotion and
more donations and the bigger budget. I mean, listen, Oklahoma City,
(04:10):
if you still think Westbrook's better, Westbrook left OKAC the
team got better. How I mean every player that's left Westbrook, who,
by the way, has played very well until last night
in the bubble. Every player's left him's improved. Guys have
become All stars. So I think about this. Westbrooks never
won a play playoff series in his life. When he
(04:32):
was the best player, Dame one two last year, last
year two as the best player. In the last couple
of years, only four guys in the NBA have made
first Team, All Pro and second team. I'll read him
to you, Harden, Yannis KD, and Damian Lillard. But you
go to Weaver State, You're not controversial. You never played
(04:54):
with a star. You're up in the row city, in
the corner of the country. I mean that's you're You're
you're competing against a five hundred million dollars candidate that's
got nothing but corporate backing and national backing and national marketing.
Once again, they played last night, who's better? I don't
(05:15):
I don't think it's an argument anymore. Last nine games,
it is not close, all right? So, oh, what a
tremendously big moment last night in the NBA. This is
this is the shot heard round Orlando. Uh here it
is the owas entertaining Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker. They
(05:39):
bring the double a Booker book on the Spin fires
for the land ladies and gentlemen. If you don't know,
now you do. Shocker the team that hasn't cared about
the regular season all year, or the Clippers doesn't care
(06:02):
about the regular season even in the bubble. This is
big for Phoenix. They're three and on the bubble. They're
fighting for a playoff spot. It's a fun story. Phoenix
are really good NBA towns, one of those NBA towns.
They love their basketball. They've had bad basketball for several years,
but it's a fun story for Phoenix, it means nothing
for the Clippers. I mean the Clippers this year have
told us time and again they got beat by twenty
(06:25):
six by Memphis. This year in the regular season, Clippers
did they got beat by Sacramento twice. They got beat
by Phoenix. Now twice they lost to Chicago and Atlanta
in awful Minnesota. They don't care. And the reason they
don't care is because the man who owns the team
is a get it guy, Steve Balmer. Steve Balmer was
(06:47):
at Microsoft in Seattle and his entire time there. Who
did they battle Apple and Steve Jobs? They write books
about those relationships. Gates Balmer, Paul Allen against Steve Jobs.
And when you're battling somebody that big, you got to
(07:07):
have a better product. You need wins, big wins, not
subtle wins and nuance. So Balmer has been in this
battle when he bought the Clippers, and he was now
in a city with his Apple, the Lakers, and the
Lakers their gear is all over Los Angeles. It is
hard to find a Clipper hat and think about this,
(07:29):
how do you catch up? One way, get your own
building and win championships. It's not about being better than
the Lakers. Before this year, the Lakers six straight losing seasons.
The Clippers have been very good for six years and
very exciting. Hard to find a Clipper hat in town.
(07:51):
The one time in New York where the Mets were
better than the Yankees, two things happened. The Yankees were
awful in the eighties, and the Mets went out and
got stars and won a title, a World Series title,
and for a brief time it was a Met city.
The Mets didn't get the city because they had like
guys that hustled. No, they had Keith Hernandez, they had stars,
(08:15):
They had Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, they stole the tabloids
in the back page, and they won a World Series.
You got to do both. So Steve Balmer, who is
now going to build a new arena, went out and
got Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to get him. He
had to clear some space. And then he got a star,
(08:37):
you know, Doc Rivers, star coach, like he's got all
of it working here. I got I got Doc Rivers
when I get here. Okay, he's a star coach. Now
I got to get a couple of star players. This
is what you do. He does not care about the
regular season. He doesn't care. They've had the better regular
season before this year than the Lakers for six great years.
You still can't find a clipperhat in town. The way
(08:58):
the Mets did it was stars and titles. That is
that you're not beating Apple up at Microsoft because you've
got a better mouse. That's not gonna do it. You
gotta come out and beat them on a massive product.
And so the Clippers do not care about the regular season,
nor should they. The only way to shift this paradigm
(09:20):
in Los Angeles, like the Mets briefly did, stars, younger stars,
and champion chips. Getting to the Western Conference finals is
not enough. It's simply not enough. So the Clippers are
going to be more rested. They're already deeper, they've got
the star coach. And by the way, we're in a bubble.
(09:44):
There's no home court advantage anyway, so it doesn't even matter.
So when I watch Phoenix win last night, I'm very
happy for Phoenix. It's a terrific NBA town. They're three
and oh they're playing hard, and it's it's great to
see this bubble where these you know, borderline teams like
Phoenix are. This is March madness, man, they are. It is.
You can sense the intensity, the sudden death feel to it.
(10:05):
But the Clippers have been telling us all year not
it's not really into it. So they're now into it
in a bubble. By the way, the good news Hot
Wings Williams lap Dance Lou did play last night. He did,
he did. We can call him either. It's either I
like lap Dance, Lou Joy likes Hot Wings. Williams Sannon said,
(10:30):
Lemon Pepper Lou. I think it's the third one. It's
pretty good. One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four
hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app,
Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like. So.
Leshaun McCoy is very very good and very good player,
and the Bucks picked him up. Played with Kansas City
(10:50):
last year. Good situational running back, addswer their running back depth,
which is kind of a weakness for Tampa last year.
And uh, Lashawn McCoy has been very talkative in regards
to Tom Brady. He admits the weather in tom Brady,
that's why I came and here yesterday he was talking
about the early practices so far with the goat Tom Brady.
(11:11):
To actually see him work, I mean, he's like a general,
you know, leading the troops, teaching them what he wants
in the routes, things like that. He looked real good.
I mean, and as he's thrown the ball, you know,
I hear a couple of guys with my dang, how
many years you think he'll playing? And that's how good
he looked. Seriously, to really construct an opinion on Tom
(11:33):
Brady in Tampa, you have to go back to last
year because outside of that town, nobody watches them. Nobody
watches Tampa. They don't show up on national TV games
even in their own division. Atlanta and cam Newton for years,
and Breeze and the Saints are much bigger TV draws.
I mean, it's it's a college football town. Mostly not anymore.
(11:55):
But let's go back to last year, where Tampa was
fairly predictable. Bruce Arians head coach, Todd Bowles defensive coordinator.
We're in their first year. It's a very young roster. Predictably,
they were bad in the first half of the season,
two and six in the first eight young roster New system,
new coaches. Let's start though November tenth on a Sunday
(12:15):
against Arizona. From that point forward, the second half of
the season. The part Belichick Owa says really is the season.
No experimenting Now, new coach, new defensive coordinator, new team. Now,
guys are eight games in with an exhibition season, and
they were five and three, won all three road games,
and defensively top two or three team in the league
(12:36):
with Key Analytics stats. Their only losses were to the
Division champion Saints, the Division champion Texans, and an overtime
loss to Atlanta shocker Jamis Winston to a pick six
and ot. This was an above average team down the
stretch that only needed an adult at quarterback. Now they've
added Tom maybe the best blocking tight end in Gronk
(12:58):
Lashawn McCoy at running back, upgraded right tackle, which was
the offense's weakness. And oh, by the way, Bruce Arians
and Todd Bowles in their second year. And this should
be noted because schedules matter. They get a massive schedule
break every schedule. This is a team that's going to
score a lot of points. Pro Football Focus has them
with the fifth best roster in the Sport. They've got
(13:20):
six games I would call go either way games Denver, Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs, Vikings.
These are really good teams. Five are at home and
Green Bay. They get ten days to prepare. That is
a huge scheduling break. You're not winning that game at Arrowhead.
It'll be hard enough to win it in Tampa. You're
(13:41):
not winning at Narrowhead. Oh it's in Tampa. They got
to go to Denver. Then their last five go either
way games are all at home, Chargers, Packers, Rams, Chiefs,
and Vikings. I mean that November twenty ninth game in
Kansas City blowing sideways. You're not winning that game down
in Tampa. You got a shot, so I said it yesterday.
(14:03):
Baltimore in Tampa Bay would not shock me one bit
if they ended up playing in Tampa the side of
this year Super Bowl. Be sure to catch live editions
of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine Ampacific on
Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio. Ass Poor
Nick Wright today once again, last nine times Damian Lillard
(14:26):
has faced Westbrook, it's been humiliating for Westbrook, and once
again the better player surfaced with a w last night
brought to you by Mercedes. Ben's the best or nothing.
I want to hear this, So all right, mister Westbrook
in Houston. I mean, nine times they've met in the
last two years, it's seven wins for Dan. I mean
it's incredible. I mean, what more do you need? Okay, listen,
(14:52):
I don't know why you insist on doing this. My
guess is you're just obfuscating to try to avoid giving
Carmelo Anthony his due after you've crushed Syracuse legend greatest
US Olympic basketball player of all time for the better
part of ten years. But we let's do this. Let's
talk Russ and Harden, because you're it. One's the ninth
(15:12):
best player in the world. Once I'm sorry, Russ and Harden.
Russ and Lillard. One's the ninth best basketball player in
the world. On the one's the eleventh best basketball player
in the world. It's very, very close. But I think
this year is a great example as to why it's
totally legitimate to hold Russ an equal, if not higher
esteem than than Dame. Dame dealt with injuries this year
(15:33):
around his team did they didn't have their full roster,
didn't have a ton of talent. How'd that work out
for him? Because they were eight games under five hundred
headed into the bubble. When Russ had Kde leave, what
did he do? He put a team on his back,
average to triple double the first of three straight years
and carried them to the playoffs. Now, if you're making
(15:55):
the argument, if you have a stacked roster, who would
better contribut mute to winning? You can make that argument
for Dame. But to me, I'm gonna use two of
my medium mentors, one from younger in life and one
from right now. Who's the better broadcaster, Bob Costs or
Colin Cowhert Bob Well, I guess it depends on what
you're trying to do. If you're if you're if you're
a host in the Olympics. With respect to you, Colin,
(16:18):
I'll take Bob. If you it's like, hey, I got
three hours in a microphone and a new network, I'll
take you. Yeah. So if there you go exactly so,
if you if you're gonna have a stacked roster, maybe
Dame's efficiency wins out. But if you need someone to
take on the workload himself and make sure you're never
a thirty win team, as the Blazers were pacing to
(16:39):
be well, then maybe Russ is the answer. So the
Clippers lost last night and I could literally as I'm
watching and I'm thinking, oh, Nick literally went and got
a second bud light. He is having the time of
his life. And to this, I say, I say, the
Clippers lost to Minnesota, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Sacramento twice. They
(16:59):
lost to Memphis by twenty six. They didn't care about
the regular season in LA. They sure as hell don't
care about it in a bubble like this is who
they are, right like we know they don't care about
that game against Phoenix. Man, Man, I can't imagine what
a wonderful life your amazing children must have had whenever
they bring home a test. If they get an a,
(17:20):
they were trying and if they failed, well they must not.
They didn't care about it. Like either way they win,
it's just great. If you operate under the premise of
whenever a team loses, they didn't care, well, then every
team's awesome. And my question would be, when are you
going to start caring? Like if you didn't care, maybe
(17:40):
don't play. Kawai thirty seven minutes, which for him is
essentially two games worth of playing. If you don't care,
maybe don't rush Lou Williams back when he's fresh office
trip to the Strip Club and the Wings, like, but
he did play. You're a team built to stop perimeter scoring,
and a perimeter score dropped third five on your head,
(18:01):
primarily guarded by your future goat Kawhi Leonard and Paul
George like, at some point the warning signs have to matter,
and I guess they're not gonna matter for America until
the Clippers are down three two in the second round
of the playoffs, and it's like, oh wait, they didn't
care in the regular season, so they didn't build chemistry,
(18:22):
they didn't flush out their rotation fully, they didn't ever
get an answer for a real interior rim protector, and
so why they've been treated like look, even at the
end of the game, it's like, how did they get
back in the game? Paul George airballs of three that
Kawhi's lucky enough to get the rebound four Like They're
a good not great team that's been anointed for reasons
(18:44):
I will never understand, and people aren't gonna believe it
until they're going home sometime probably before the conference final.
Well we disagree there. So I'm watching last night. They
put the standings up. They put the standings up in
the West, and you know the East doesn't matter because
it's somebody from the West to win it. So they
put the standing up in the West. And Memphis just
lost one of their better players a couple days ago,
Jaron Jackson. So Memphis is in big trouble. Yeah, yeah,
(19:07):
he's out. So that's he's our second best player to
John Morand so they got troubles and Portland now nur
kiches back. Mellow's playing very well. I acknowledge it took
him thirty six years old, but he finally decided to
get on a treadmill. And the point being is that,
let's be honest about this. When's the last time you
looked Portland's gonna be the eight la the one you
(19:28):
have to acknowledge this is probably the most dangerous eight seed.
Now with no Avery Bradley for the Lakers Toronto, that's
a frightening first round for the Lakers. Right well, listen,
of the possible eight seeds, I think Portland could be
the most dangerous, well, the most problematic, if you will.
New Orleans. Also, by the way, New Orleans Ketton might
(19:50):
steal this thing. Their last five games, you should pull
it up. I think it's twice against Sacramento, they get Washington.
I think they get Orlando in San Antonio. I think
that's their last five. They could go five and oh
now that Zion's playing. But here is the problem for
Portland in a first round series against the Lakers. If
you were to line up all thirty teams in the
(20:12):
NBA and say, front of the line, who is the
roster most equipped to slow down Lebron front of the
line probably be the Clippers because they have Kawai and
Paul George, Marcus Morris. They build their team around that.
The very last team in line would not be the Knicks,
would not be the Hawks, it would be Portland. Now
(20:33):
that Trevor Rees is not in the bubble, they do
not have a single person who can guard Lebron. They're
starting lineup there. I guess it would be Carmelo Anthony,
who I know you think so highly of now they
coming off the bench, Gary Trent Junr has been in
revelation three point shooting wise, he can't guard Lebron. They
don't have a single person and on their roster to
(20:56):
guard Lebron, to even slow him down. And so, while yeah,
the Lakers would I'm sure prefer to face the Sons
or the Kings and have an easy five game sweep,
Lebron's clearly easing himself into the bubble. And if you
want him to be up and running by round two,
give him Portland in round one. Will He'll average thirty
(21:16):
five a game in that series because they got no
answer for him whatsoever. So that's the long way of saying,
they don't scare me. Could they could it be a
gentleman sweep instead of a sweep shore, but they just
the lack of Areza kills them as far as even
having a single person to throw at Lebron. James So
years ago, when Lebron went from Miami to Cleveland again,
(21:39):
he moved off of Andrew Wiggins. They had a chance
to draft Andrew Wiggins, but the word was that Lebron
didn't like Wiggins because he didn't have any dog in him.
He wasn't gonna be that. And for the record, Lebron's
been right. I believe that dog is developed, you know,
somewhere between seven years old and twelve. And if you
don't have it, you don't develop it. I mean, if
(22:00):
you take magic in Lebron's DNA, it's been leadership first
day in the league. If you take the late Kobe
and MJ's relentlessness, obsessiveness, it starts in childhood, on first
day in the league. Anthony Davis is talented nick he
disappears in fourth quarters. He shoots like forty percent this
year in the fourth. He doesn't have any dog in him,
(22:21):
and that's what wins in the postseason. Aren't you a
little concern? Four times against the Clippers, he evaporated in
the fourth and despite that, Listen, the Lakers were tied
with six months left. First game of the year, second
game of the year against the Clippers, it comes down
to a ridiculous overturn calling Lebron's potentially game tying shot,
(22:42):
and they won the next two. I would be concerned
if Anthony Davis had to be your best player, but
he doesn't, and he is a way over qualified Robin.
And so what you're going to have is Anthony Davis
playing the biggest games of his life. Anthony Davis has
of I'm sure the biggest failures and successes he's ever
(23:04):
had in the NBA in these playoffs, and I think
he'll come out on the other side a champion and
a changed player. But when you have America, I guess,
and I wouldn't think you would be part of it.
Has forgotten the single most reliable thing in sports is
Lebron James and the playoffs over the last decade, what
(23:24):
he gives you night in, night out. The last time
we saw him in the playoffs, he carried an atrocious
Cavs team to the finals, culminating in the fifty one
point performance in Game one before he broke his hand
out of frustration, Like, you don't need Anthony Davis to
take over in the fourth because Lebron will do that.
And I think Anthony Davis maybe has a little more
(23:46):
dog than you're giving him credit for. But I think
whatever it is, he will learn and gain so much
from this deep championship playoff run that in the years
to come, he'll be able to be that fourth quarter
guy that right now the Lakers are relying on Lebron
to be. Yeah, I was going to ask you a
question about the Buccaneers, but you have a disagreed with
(24:07):
me on everything there's no chance you you know, I
think it's funny. I was saying this about Tampa Bay
last year was very predictable. Young roster, new coach, new coordinator.
I love their defensive coordinator and their head coach. They
were bad early two and six. At the second half
of the season, the young roster, oh, they were five
and three and really only lost were beaten by the
(24:29):
Saints in the Texans. Those were very good teams with
quarterbacks with some real star power. I look at this
Tampa team and I think Todd Bull second year, Aryan
second year maybe the best blocking tight end tom I
look at tampath to day, I think, you know, I
start looking around the NFC. Everybody's got a hold. Can
Carson Wednesday healthy? Russell Wilson's basically bailing out bad line play?
(24:53):
Aaron Rodgers? Do we know what Matt Laflora can do?
Can you at least acknowledge Tampa's going to be a
playoff team with they're gonna be a playoff team? Well,
here's all go a step further and not quite as far.
Tampa has listened. Last six weeks of the year, they
had a top five defense. I like airings and left,
which I agree with you entirely on that Gronk will
(25:15):
be good for them, even if he's not vintage Grounk,
they might have Certainly, it's in the argument the best
pair of receivers in football, and they improve the offensive line.
So the question just is, Colin, are the Buccaneers a
quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender? They thought so,
and so they thought they think they brought that quarterback in.
(25:37):
I think Tom Brady's forty three years old, and we
have seen significant deterioration each of the last three years
from MVP to good but not great to downright bad
last year. If Tom Brady is what you and many
others think he will be this year, yeah, the Bucks
can win eleven twelve games and can be a Super
Bowl contender. But if they're not, it will be because
(26:01):
of Brady. Because I agree with every point you made.
They have built, They've flushed out this roster, the deep
insurge at the end of the year, they're not going
to be kneecapped by interceptions like they were last season.
So yeah, let's just see what you know Tampa Bay
can do, and I'm excited to see it. Maybe I'll
be wrong. I got nothing against Brady. I think he's
(26:21):
got some some curious choices in his social group and friends.
But aside from that, I got no problem with Brady.
I just I want to see him do it, and
we'll be able to see because he's on an excellent roster.
I agree with you there. Look at him, he looks
he looks thirty one years old. He just he is
his body shape, he's just very very good. Listen, you know,
(26:41):
you and I just don't. We don't agree on a lot.
We don't. Our lifestyles are different. Are are what we
uh at night? What we drink is different? Are are
you know? I mean, some guys, did you finish that?
Did you drink that bottle of tequila? I left you?
I left to an unopened bottle. Oh that's a lie.
That's by the way. I'm glad you're incorporating into the
(27:02):
show all Time Chiefs, Great and Champion, Lashawn McCoy. I
assume you'll go into the Hall of Fame as the
chief since that's when we want a super Bowl with
just how to fit that in? Get out of here,
Nick Wright. First things first, good scene, be sure to
catch live editions of the Herd week dayson noon Easter
ninety Empacific. A lot of you think I don't like
Carmelo Anthony. Calomelo Anthony frustrated me. But last night he
(27:25):
hit big shots for Portland and at thirty six year old,
thirty six years old, at the end of the road,
he's finally in shape and he has found a perfect
spot to plan. You know, I always tell my wife,
you got the good in me. There was me in
my twenties. That was my first wife, and I was
so obsessed with my career and I was so tunnel vision.
(27:45):
And now I'm older. You know, I'm beaten down as
a broadcaster. I'm like, you get the good me. I'm
more fun. I like vacations. I like to hang out.
I you know, I cannot think about work all the time.
Damian Lillard got the good Carmelo Anthony. He doesn't have options.
He's not the player he once was. He knows he's
not Dame in this carmelow. I like it's a little late,
(28:09):
but I like it. And Damian Lillard talked about his performance.
He hit the big shot of the game last night.
Here's Dame. He's a Hall of Famer. You know, I
think it's more disappointing that people are surprised by it,
you know what I mean. He's a he's a Hall
of famer. Like I said, he's a great teammate, and
that's what we expect from him. You know. We put
him in those positions because we expect him to make
(28:30):
those shots. We believe he's going to make those shots.
And we brought him here because we knew he would
make a difference for our team, and he's been doing that.
First of all, he is a Hall of Famer. That's
not even disputable. It's called the Basketball Hall of Fame,
and even if it wasn't, he would make it. But
he's Syracuse national champion, ten time All Star, top twenty
all time scorer, three gold medals in the Olympics, and
(28:52):
he was very good in the Olympics. Of course, he's
a Hall of famer. And again, Dame's getting the good mellow, right,
we all mature, we all grow. He's not getting the
twenty three year old mellow. Here's the interesting thing. When
I think about NBA stars, and Melo's certainly a star,
they always fall in two categories. Now I'm not talking
NBA players. Those those fall in multiple categories. But stars
(29:15):
Dame's a star, Lebron's a star, Eighty's a star, Kawhi,
Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, they always fall into two categories,
winning stars and stat stars, And the difference is not talent.
The difference is not talent. The winning stars are Kobe
and Lebron and Steph Curry and Dwyane Wade and Magic
(29:40):
Johnson and Bird. The stat stars are Tracy McGrady and
Dominique Wilkins and Carmelo Anthony. I wrote a few down
this morning, t Mac George Gervin, who I loved as
a kid. It is not talent. Carmelo is more talented
than Steph Curry, bigger, stronger, more talented. Dominique Wilkins to
(30:00):
is more gifted physically than even d Wade. It is
not about that. It is about self awareness, and the
winning stars have it at a very early age. Do
I give them credit or their parents? Hell if I know.
But this league is about kids coming in. This is
not college football. When you come in at twenty four,
(30:21):
you're come in at nineteen, twenty twenty one years old.
Do you have at nineteen twenty twenty one years old
latest twenty two. Do you understand how valuable coaching is?
Do you understand how hard you have to work to
be able to be good on the offensive and defensive end.
Do you understand some nights take fewer shots even though
you can get the points to get teammates involved. Do
(30:43):
you have the self awareness to understand how valuable everybody
is beyond yourself? Because to get to the NBA at
twenty one, you were the best high school player, the
best au player, the best college player. I mean you
are literally like a prodigy. I mean, think about this.
In America every year there's about eight basketball players. How
(31:05):
many times do you watch people play basketball? Young people,
eight of them a year from America make the NBA.
I mean, like like play You're a prodigy, like a
music prodigy, like the kid that goes to Harvard at
fifteen years old or MT it's seventeen, right, fifteen seventeen.
So and that's my knock. This is not a knock
on Carmelo Dominique, But there were moments in time that
(31:27):
Carmelo kept showing me he just didn't have the self awareness.
And give an example when Lebron went from Cleveland and Miami,
Miami back to Cleveland. He didn't demand trades because he
manipulated the situation so he would join good players. When
Carmelo left Denver, instead of just being a little more patient,
he demanded a trade and the Knicks had to give
(31:47):
up all sorts of talent and all sorts of pick
all sorts of players, guaranteeing they weren't going to be
a championship team. Self awareness. Lebron had it, Melo didn't.
How about the fact that Lebron, I mean, thirteen years ago,
watched the game and went, I'm gonna start working on
my three point shot. Carmelo begrudging, begrudgingly, never wanted to
(32:10):
take an extra step and a half back. He didn't
like it. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't embrace it
like Lebron did. How about the fact that when he
went to Oklahoma City, off the bench, I'm a bench player. Well,
actually on that team he wore a bench player. It's
not that Melo's lacked talent. I mean, he's a ten
time All Star, three golds Syracuse Dead. But there have
(32:31):
been multiple instances where Jeremy Lynn remember when the Knicks
for about a month caught fire. They were the talk
of basketball with Jeremy Lynn. Melo came back. Instead of
embracing Jeremy Lynn and the winning streak, He's like, no,
I'm not gonna play that offense, dude, It's about winning games.
Time and time again. Mellow lacked the self awareness. And
(32:53):
this is the gap to me between the Kobe's, the
Wades and the George Gervins and their nice guys and
the Kneeks and the Mellow. Now they may have the
self awareness at twenty eight and at thirty four and
now in their fifties, but when they were twenty two
and twenty three and twenty one and twenty and they
were building that reputation, they turn people off. Remember, your
(33:17):
prime in this league is twenty two to about twenty eight,
maybe twenty nine thirty. Now, now Lebron's like Brady exceptional,
but that's the difference. He's a Hall of Famer. Dame
is now getting the good Mellow, the more mature Mellow.
That not as talented Mellow. We don't need you to
score twenty Mellow. You gotta occasionally play some defense, Mellow,
and this is a good Mellow. I mean he can
(33:39):
fill it up. He's talented. There's no I mean, they
got no wing scores. They need Mellow bad. They got
a great backcourt and Nurkic, so they have a humongous
hole in their team. I mean, I talked to somebody
up in Portland that covers them when they got Mellow
and they're like, no, this is gonna work, Like we
just need the guy in the wing, the six seven
guy that can shoot jumpers. So it's that cell phone sport.
(34:00):
This is incredibly cruel. In almost every business in the world,
you become a millionaire, your prime is forty two to
fifty five. You can make all those mistakes when you're
twenty years old. Pro sports is different. You have to
be smart, self aware, focused. You don't get to have
(34:22):
a social life like like an average twenty two year old. Oh,
you're carrying the franchise. Figure all the difficult stuff out
For guys like me. I didn't have to worry about
that. That That was forty. Pro athletes have to figure it
out at nineteen twenty, twenty years old, like Luca Donchez
twenty years old. Dude, you are the face of the
Dallas Mavericks. Mark Cuban's number one business. You're the face
(34:42):
the hell. I wasn't ready for that at twenty were
you Luca Is? And that was mellows thing he's now.
It just took longer for him to kind of get
the big picture. Now he's perfect, But there was a
lot of years in there where forcing a trade, not
embracing Jeremy Lynn kind of laughing at those who suggested
you come off the bench, not really working on that
(35:04):
fifteen years ago, working on that three point shot. That
was clearly the future of the league. And that's why
he'll make the Hall of Fame, but he won't be
in that other category of stars to me, the winning stars.
One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like. Today's
(35:27):
best for last is you know the old saying to
be or not to be? When that Shakespeare something this
is t B or not TB. What will Tom Brady
accomplish in his first year or not accomplish? Joy? Here
we go. Tom Brady throws for thirty plus touchdown passes
to TB or not to be ones. I think he'll
start potentially slow, but it'll be TB. Okay. So he
(35:50):
has averaged thirty one in his career. James through thirty
three last year, and that doesn't count the sixty through
to the other team. So this is not just a
good receiving group. This has been. This is now the
top tight end and receiving group, an upgrade on the
offensive line and a better running back group. So and
(36:11):
Lashawn McCoy can catch. He had thirty catches last year.
He's just got a lot of available targets. He's got
a lot of people, a lot of mouse to feed,
and nobody sprinkles it around quite And by the way,
the targets are all so big. Mike Evans is six six,
Gronk is six six. He's got big oj Howard, big
targets in the red zone. And there's not a lot
(36:32):
of feeling that there's like ego involved at this point.
Tom Brady throws for four thousand plus yards TB or
not TV. Okay, he's thrown a TB. He's thrown for
four thousand yards in eight of nine years. I don't
even know what he threw four last year. But James
through for fifty one hundred yards last year, so he
Brady had four thousand last year. Think about this, he
(36:53):
had no tight end. Really, they had no deep threat.
Did Edelman play every game or did heat? He had
more drops than he'd ever had. So he threw last
year and they and they had some offensive line issues
and no fullback, so no running games. So he was
often throwing third and long. And Brady got to four
thousand yards last year. This is the easiest one. He'll
(37:13):
throw over over four thousand yards. BUCKS will have its
top three offense TV or not TV. This is an
easy TV. First of all, they were number three last year,
which is hard to believe. Right, You're like with all
those interceptions. They've added Gronk, they've added Brady, They've upgraded
the right tackle, they've added Lashawn McCoy. Again, this is
a too constructive opinion on Tampa. You have to go
(37:35):
back to last year. They were a really good team.
At the end of the year. They were just a
turnover prone mess offensively, but their defense was better. They
haven't had good special teams in forever, so that that,
to me is their biggest hang up. In New England,
they always had great special teams. Tampa special teams historically
are a mess. That's the fault with a team. It's
not that, but they will have a top three offense.
(37:57):
Bucks will make the playoffs TV or TV. Well that's
a TV. Yeah, okay, So again, seven teams now make
the playoffs. Seven that's an extra team. So you can
look at about four or five teams. We know, you
know Arizona is going to be a little over at
skis in that division. We know that Carolina is kind
(38:18):
of rebuilding. We know Washington is rebuilding. Joe Judge has
never coached the game in the NFL. Of the sixteen teams,
I can take about four to five. You talk yourself
out of very quickly. And I do believe they have
better personnel significantly on offense than Atlanta. So yeah, there's
a playoff team. The Bucks will win the NFC South
TB or not TB. That's a not TV. First of all,
(38:40):
the Bucks are the Saints are favored. The Saints have
won at three years in a row, and the Saints
may be the best team in the NFC. When I
say that the Saints have a better O line than
the Bucks, and it's been together longer and Frankly, I
think they have a better consistent pass rush than Tampa does.
So if you give me a better line D line
(39:00):
and Sean Payton, and they also added Emmanuel Sanders, so
they got plenty of firepower. They will not throw the
ball down the field as well as Tampa, but they'll
be incredibly efficient in Tampa's defensive fronts. Really good. The
Bucks will reach the Super Bowl TB or not TB.
(39:21):
I'm gonna say TB wildcard teams can make it. Okay,
So NFC ask yourself this, the NFC's up for grabs.
Who is significantly better Green Bay not really? San Francisco absolutely,
there's no question. But they also play in the toughest
(39:42):
division in football, and it's very possible. Losers of Super
Bowls often have a hangover a little. What if San
Francisco wins ten or eleven, Tampa wins twelve, New Orleans
thirteen and the game's in Tampa. Yah, it's interesting Tom
Brady makes the Pro Bowl TB or not. No, that's
not there's just too many good quarterbacks. I mean, just
think that's Russell Wilson's gonna make it. I mean, you
(40:04):
can write that down. Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jared Goff,
Carson and wayannz Dack's gonna put up good numbers. Who else,
Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford. There's just too much that.
I mean, Kirk Cousins, by the way, we'll put up
good numbers. There's just too many good quarterbacks. He won't
(40:24):
get that. You're really you're going all in with Tampa
this year. Huh. I don't see, you know what it is.
I think the two best teams in the NFL are
arguably in the AFC. Chiefs, yes and so, and then
I think San Francisco depends don't love their secondary. Let's
(40:45):
see if Brandon Aiyuk, the wide receiver from Arizona State,
can play. They lost Emmanuel Sanders, Dante Pettis hasn't been
what they thought. Let's see how their wide receiving corps adapts,
if Kittle can stay healthy, if Garoppolo takes another step
app But I think the top of the AFC is
really great. I think the NFC on Fox is way better.
(41:08):
Is it as deep? I mean, it's NFC's deeper. Is
it as good? At times? I don't know. It's like
I'll give you an example. I love Seattle. Their offensive
line's a mess. Pro Football Focus ranks their defensive line
as thirty second. Philadelphia Carson Wentz stay healthy, a lot
of new pieces on the perimeter. Offensively, there's everybody that's good.
(41:30):
Even San Francisco Emmanuel Sanders leaves, George Kittle can get hurt.
Can they stay healthy on the weapon side, that's like
a real issue for them. I just I think that
they are a playoff team. I think it's a wildcard situation. Yeah,
I don't know if they can
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