April 7, 2025 • 41 mins
Jason McIntyre fills in for Colin to react to Duke's shocking collapse to Houston in the final minutes of the Final Four
He believes LeBron James and the Lakers look like top contenders in the West after their win over the Thunder
Jimmy Butler says Steph doesn’t get any calls
Guest: John Fanta
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome into the Herd. Happy Monday.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
It's me Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd, who is
fishing in parks unknown. I will not give away his location,
but if you follow him online.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
You've seen the fishing video that's hysterical. Joyed today by
Alex Curry. Alex, how are you? We're back? Jmac. We're
to whack.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
It's been a minute, but you know what a fun
weekend to come back like it was. I know you
were doing like your own sports stuff, but can we
just like yesterday was like such an incredible TV day
for sports. You got to have breakfasts with baseball, lunch
with the NCAA Women's Championship Yukon just like absolute domination,
and then you had dinner with h Are you a
(01:08):
White Lotus fan?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Listen? No spoilers I'm not spoiling.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
I'm not smiling, but it was.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Just like it was amazing.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Okay, Yeah, I was in salt Lake City over the weekend.
Alex and her Dodger Blue Dodge is on a rough weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
We'll talk about that. Yeah, I was.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
In salt Lake City. Youth sports, a lot of fun.
Salt Lake City is a beautiful town. I'd never been,
but I was asked this past weekend, Jason, what's the
scariest movie you've ever seen? I said, well, that's easy,
the final eight minutes of Duke against Houston.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Because Saturday night, folks, I.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Was a wreck, a total train wreck, which is what
the Duke offense was down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Folks.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Listen, we're gonna talk of Vechkin, We're gonna talk Lakers,
but we have to open with the devastating Duke loss
over the weekend. At the final four, Duke in total
control of Houston and just blows it down the stretch
in unforgettable fashion, one of those games where you just
left scratching your head. I'm gonna bar with some dads,
and I could tell things were not trending well. Uh,
(02:03):
even though Duke was up fourteen with that eight minutes lefty,
they got Cooper Flag, the best freshman on the planet,
and yes, I will be glazing Cooper Flag later despite
all the hate we're seeing online.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
I asked for the check from the bartender. I was like,
I got to get out of here. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
This does not look good. And folks, Houston shocks Duke,
and I mean stuns them. And it's shouldn't be that
much of a surprise to some of us because like
all college basketball season, what have we talked about. It's
the veteran teams using the transfer portal to bring twenty
two to twenty three, twenty four year olds onto the court,
(02:36):
and those are the teams that have thrived, but not Duke.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Duke rode three freshmen in.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
The starting lineup all the way to the Final four,
and their youth showed folks on Saturday night. Now Fox
Sports asked me to do a mock draft and I
did one, and I had three Duke freshmen in the
top twenty. They've got a great team. But what did
we see win Saturday night? The veterans, the KG Houston veterans.
They lean on twenty three year old LJ. Cryer, who
(03:01):
had just an unbelievable six point play during that comeback.
Who do they lean on a twenty three year old
Roberts who hits two clutch free throws and the duke
youth showed, folks, I'm sure you've seen the numbers of
the meltdown. It was, oh my gosh, we're up nine
with three minutes left.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
We're good.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Cooper Flagg hit that three from the baseline and I'm
going crazy, Jay's life. We're going to the title game.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
And then it just fell apart.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
The youth show. Look, they can't inbound the basketball.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Folks.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
You guys, remember the greatest singular play of the NCAA
tournament so far was Houston Purdue two point eight seconds
left and Kelvin Sampson, the veteran older coach, dials up
an amazing play. They get the dunk and Houston prevails
over Purdue. Fast forward to the Final four Saturday night,
young coach John Shire, and we'll get to John Shire
(03:49):
in a moment, because if you want to blame anybody,
you can blame him. He couldn't inbound the basketball. It
was painful to watch. Anybody who's coached basketball at any
level or played basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
You know, in bounds a you got some stuff dialed up.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
You know, even now they're going with a football play
where you just have four players running down the court.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Duke had nothing. It was painful to watch.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Here's Kelvin Sampson, the great Houston coach, talking about culture
and veterans in the victory.
Speaker 6 (04:16):
There's something to be said about having a culture that's
based on how you win. You know, there's some nice
when the ball goes in and teams don't have defensive
players like Duke does, or don't have defensive players like
this team does or that team does. But our team
is they think they're going to win every game they play,
(04:38):
you know, irregardless of what other people think or say.
They think they're going to win.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, I listen, Kelvin Samson with a masterclass down the stretch,
never quitting. Now I do listen. You never want to
crush anybody when they're young. And John Shire aka White Mike, Yes,
that was his nickname in high school because he was
in Chicago and he was honestly getting buckets like Michael Jordan.
Shire just had a brutal season and our staff dug
up an incredible stat I had not seen all weekend
(05:05):
until this morning. So in close games this season, Duke
was one. In three close games are five points or less,
they were one and three. Folks, Duke lost four games
all season, so in the close games they kind of
sort of melted. Now, some of that is due to
three freshmen in the starting lineup. I watched college basketball
all season, unlike some people, and I remember in November
they gave it to Flag down the stretch. I think
(05:26):
at the time he was still technically seventeen, and Flag
kind of struggled against Kansas, couldn't get the bucket and
they lose. But since John Shire took over in twenty
twenty two, in games five points or less, john Shire
just eleven and twelve.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Now, I know what you're gonna say, Jay, you crush
Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Why can't you cross John Shire and listen, If you
want to blame somebody, you gotta blame Shire. And I
don't want a nitpick, but Sion James number fourteen on
Do Good Player, he hit his head on the hardwood.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It looked brutal. He goes down and.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
You're like, oh, that guy's definitely concussed.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You gotta get him out.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
He barely sits out and what happens a couple of
minutes later, dribbling Baseline drubbles it off his leg out
of bounds turnover, and then Shire had him inbounding the
ball and he looked so rattled, like he didn't know
what to do, and it was just like Shire, some
situational awareness, please. Now, I know there's a segment of
Houston fans out there upset that I have not really
talked about the Cougars. I've been focusing on Duke, and
(06:22):
that's because Duke lost the game. Houston didn't win it.
That's really what happened. And we'll get to Houston because
they played Florida tonight. A little preface.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I'm on Florida.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I like the Gators tonight. It's gonna be a great game.
Houston obviously a tough team. But folks, when you take
down Duke and then you got to go play two
nights later, you've just slayed the dragon. I think there
will be a little bit of a letdown, and I
will I'm kind of close out on this note because
I know that people want Jason. You got a bag
on Cooper flag. Why was he fading away like Anthony Davis.
Let me just remind you, guys, coach k had RJ.
(06:55):
Barrett and Zion Williamson.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Okay, two top five.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Picks just a few years ago, and they lose in
the Elite eight to Michigan State.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Okay, so it happens. These young guys struggle in March.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Barrett and Zion were freshman Cooper Flagg can Nipple by
the way, worms kinnep in the second half.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
They were young, they vanished. Congrats to Houston.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Now let's get to a positive basketball story from the weekend.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
And you know, I gotta talk about the La Lakers.
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
So I was at Lakers Warriors Thursday and it was
a bit of a funeral at the Crypt. It felt sad.
The Lakers just looked out of swords. Luca had his
worst game with the Lakers Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And all of a sudden, it's like, oh, you're coming
the Warriors. We'll get to the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
How the Lakers bounce back. They beat the Pelicans Friday.
Nobody cares irrelevant game. So Sunday they go to ok
Se Mighty Okac, everybody's favorite.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
They got the MVP.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
You're gonna win like sixty five sixty eight games, And
what did the Lakers do? If you guys were watching,
if you switched over when Yukon started destroying South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
If you watch the Lakers, they put on a clinic.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And I know everybody loves to talk about loud Dort
and the Dorcher Chamber. Well, he tried to guard Luca
yesterday and Luca was getting basically a deep tissue massage
at a day spot. He roasted lou Dort.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Chit. Holmgren had no chance.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Look at that step back three over the.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Seven footer plot out. I mean, folks, the.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Lakers had one of the great three point shooting days
in franchise history. I think they tied a franchise record
for threes. At one point in the first half, they
were twelve to fifteen. But why was that happening? Because
Luka Doncic owns the Okac thunder.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
He does. I'm sorry, I hate.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
To admit it, but Luca with Dallas last year extinguished Okase.
It was a masterful series for Luca and he did
the same yesterday. They tried the hard doubles, Luca made
the right pass. They tried the big guys step back
three just in their face.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Lud Dort won on one.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
I know, Hey, Cowherd's buddy, Bill Simmons is like lou Dort, defensive.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Player of the year. You show that Lakers tape. He
didn't do a damn thing. He could not stop Luca.
Who can? But I want to hear about OKC going.
What is that like? Twenty two and one against the East?
Who cares? Show me what he's doing against Luca?
Speaker 4 (09:08):
And again in these highlights, you put anybody on Luka
Dancic and it was game over.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Now at some point we're gonna have to talk about SGA.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I don't again, I don't want to be in the
business of Monday morning filling in for Coward and I'm
out here hammer and players.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Okay, but folks.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
A year ago, I saw one of these ai internet
videos where somebody had sliced like, you know, fake voice
over Anthony Edwards talking about OKAC, and in the video
they were like free throw merchant SGA and I thought
it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen, so I
started using it on the show. Cowhard loved it, he laughed,
(09:45):
and it became.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
A running thing. I would say it all the time.
Now I'm not.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Saying I started free throw merchant, but it's out there
now and everybody calls SGA a free throw merchant. Well,
JJ Reddick, who is a young coach with the Lakers,
made it a point, we're not letting s get.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
To the free throw line.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
Okay, for the first time in three years. The presumptive MVP,
I would give it to Yokich, but that's just me.
The presumptive MVP. SGA did not shoot a free throw.
And here's the best part. You had to be watching closely.
So at one point, SGA takes Luca baseline and does
that fadeaway thing where he kicks his leg out and
(10:21):
the ref blows a whistle and then Luca's like, no, no, no, replay, replay,
begging JJ Redick.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Reddicks like, all right, well replay it. What does the
replay show.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
SGA was not touched, He stuck his leg out and
drew the foul.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Luca Dante to victory.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
And I know it's a small point, and it's one
data point in a huge game in a big season,
but that proved to me that SGA is the kind
of guy who gets all the calls. And if you
watch closely. He kept driving all game long, and he
would miss his shot. I think he was like twelve
of twenty five. He would miss his shot and look
to the ref, where's the whistle? What's going on? He
(10:56):
got no free throw attempts. The Lakers sent a message,
and I know everybody's Jay who cares about this game.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
It does okay, fair enough.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
If you want to say it doesn't matter, it doesn't count,
that's fine. Here's the reality. The Lakers want to avoid
the play and they've almost done that. They needed a
split against Oka See they match up again tonight.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
They needed a split.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Now the Lakers got their victory, they were probably out celebrating.
I wouldn't be shocked if we saw like the Lakers
backups play or a lot of minutes for Bronnie and
you know, the end of the bench. Guys, maybe they
get a lot of effort tonight. Lakers sent notice to
okac Hey, guys, we're not afraid of you.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Now. Some of us have been saying that for months.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Ok See really really good regular season team.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
But I don't know if they can do it in
the playoffs. Folks.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
We've seen James Harden dominate a regular season they had
to change rules so that James Harden couldn't do that
pull through and keep getting to the line, and what
would happen every postseason? Inevitably there would be a James
Harden meltdown game where he couldn't get to the line,
wasn't getting the whist, so it got in his head.
I saw that from OKC yesterday. This is a really
(12:05):
good regular season team. I don't know if they can
do it in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And that's why I like the Lakers, who everything well.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
And what in their favorite yesterday right? The Warriors lose,
will do them soon. The Nuggets lose, Lakers win, Lakers
headed for the three seed, headed for the Western Conference Finals.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Sorry, Houston, I hate to do it.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
And it's just gonna be a glorious postseason run for LA.
Here we got the standings on the screen. If the
Lakers get the three, they would well hopefully not.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Face the Warriors in the first round.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Hopefully it'd be Minnesota, anybody but the Warriors, and then
it's Houston and then they're onto the conference finals. But
a great, great Sunday for the Lakers, Alex. I don't
want to get too.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Excited, but listen, it's Monday, It's the Lakers. It was
a great win.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I like that we get excited because there's so many
doubters on the Lakers, and I like to remind people,
this is a Lakers team that has one of the
greatest players of all time in Lebron James. We didn't
even with more experience than anybody on that court. And
then you have the future of the NBA in Luka
Doncic and Austin Reeves like they have a power three,
and everyone was like, eh, whatever, like washed, No, they're not.
(13:12):
Lebron is not. He is one of the best players
on that court, if not the best, especially late in
the game. Fear the Lakers, because if you're facing them
in a series in the playoffs, they are the team
to make it.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Totally. I'm so glad you mentioned Lebron. I have it
in my notes. I didn't even mention it.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Lebron didn't attempt to free throw yesterday. He didn't even
have to attack the market at all. That was beautiful
for him though, so he could rested and play a
lot tonight.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Folks. Lebron I did look this up.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Is only the second time this season he did not
attempt to free throw. The other was in a blowout
over the Spurs. So Lebron not driving. He's rested, folks.
Late Lakers are dangerous. Alex there come up here on
the Herd, Folks. The Golden State Warriors picked up a
few awesome wins last week.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Everybody excited. I was starting to fall victim.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And then last night at home against Houston, Oh, Steph
Curry did what? It went that badly. We'll talk about
that next year on the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern not am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Back here on the Herd, Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd,
who's turned into a fisherman this week. Apparently hopefully he
doesn't have to deal with any whales out there in
the ocean. Let's go to my favorite player for the
last decade in sports, my favorite athlete, Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Folks, So I think.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I fell in love with him with Davidson when he
was a young player and led that amazing run by
the Wildcats to the Elite eight, and I followed his
career with the Warriors, and it just so happened. I
was lucky enough that he was at my gym in
like twenty twenty one, because I work out at the
old Clippers facility and he's training there after getting surgery
on his hand.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
And I just rolled up, you know, I'm playing.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Basketball, lifting or whatever, and I see Steph Curry walk
by with like, you know, a couple of his people
as trainers. Of course, all the parents are stared. Everybody
staring at Curry, you know, Jay Max undaunted.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
I just rolled right up. I was like, Steph, hey,
you wrote my podcast like five years ago.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
What's up, bro? And we start talking. I get a
picture with him. That's like the only athlete that I
would actually get try to get a picture with, maybe Lebron.
And I'm just like the biggest Curry fanboy. So I
was torn last week when I went to Lakers Warriors.
You know, obviously I'm a Lakers fan.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I wore a Luca T shirt, but I have a
Curry jersey.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
I'm a Curry fanboy. And last week Curry was just
unbelievable in sendy Aary stuff, Drop fifty two on Memphis
in Memphis. Then went to the Lakers and had thirty seven.
The next night had thirty six in Denver, and everybody
at that point is like, Okay, Warriors are set. You're
the second best team in the West. And they did,
look hella good. Three straight row wins, very impressive. And
(15:49):
then yesterday they went home to face the Houston Rockets,
and everybody's like, Okay, they got this. Warriors could get
the three seed, maybe the two. In one of the
great defensive performances the season, the Houston Rockets held Steph
Curry to one of ten, shooting one of eight from deep.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Three points. Folks. It was a master class defensively.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
And we got a member of the staff here who's
a big Houston fanboy, and he's like they were throwing
the kitchen sink at him, you know, the blitzing the doubles.
He come over half court and they're swarming. They just
refuse to give Curry anything. It was a pretty great
defensive showing. Okay, I'm on Thompson, it's awesome. It wasn't
all him, it wasn't that goon Dylan Brooks. It was
just a total defensive effort. However, if you watch closely,
(16:35):
a lot of arguing with the wars. They were unhappy
with the calls. Draymond got into it with shem Gooon
because that's.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
What he does. A European, big white guy.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Draymond loves to act tough and get an elbow in
the face.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Okay, that's It's what he doesn't o yell at me.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
So after the game, Jimmy Butler met the media and
he was incensed at the way the refs handled Steph Curry.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
I've never seen an individual get found and he gets founts.
To me, I think that's astounding. But you know, it's
crazy to say, but he's used to it. You know,
it's been happening to him his whole career and he's
found a way through it, around it, under it, whatever
you want to call it. I'm pretty sure it's been
having him for sixteen short years. I get to see
(17:20):
it in it really angerous to me that he's on
my team and he gets hacked like that.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Now that's interesting because he Stephan made thirteen or fourteen
free throws against the Lakers Thursday, zero for zero.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
What a day, right.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Lebron doesn't attempt a free throw and Curry doesn't go
to the line, which is crazy.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So I started thinking.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
About this, and yeah, you guys know that there is
this ara issue in the NBA. The old guys think, oh,
these young guys, they can't play in our era.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
With the hand check rules and the toughness. It's nonsense.
We'll get to it a little later, saving it.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
For later, but it's interesting because if you guys, you
know the older generational there was a book called The
Jordan Rules by the great Sam Smith, and it talks
about how the Pistons roffed up Michael.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Jordan is undeniable. They just clogged the lane.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
At anytime Jordan would come in there, boom, Mohrn, Rodman, Lambier.
They would all jack him up. And famously there's video
out there of Jordan.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Saying, I wasn't strong enough.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I had to go in the gym, and then of
course they cut to a gym video of Michael lifting
weights had to get stronger. This is more Jordan haesiography,
where they're just creating a narrative that.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Is kind of like a half truth.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Yes, the Jordan Rules existed, Yes the Pistons roughed up Jordan,
but it wasn't about him weightlifting to get better. It
was more about the Pistons getting old. They went to
the finals three.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Years in a row.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
They broke down and that's when the Bulls finally swept him.
It wasn't Michael Jordan getting stronger. It was Phil's triangle
offense filling text Winter Starre a triangle offense working. It
wasn't just Michael Jordan getting tougher. This isn't about Steph
Curry not being tough enough to hang with the physicality.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Of the Rockets.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
And by the way, Curry and Emai Udoka, the Rockets
Coast exchange some words.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Curry won a foul calls.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Udoka was basically like, shut the hell up, stop whining.
And of course Curry, he's not gonna take that, especially
in his home arena.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
And I don't think it's a toughness thing.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I don't think there's a blueprint for how to stop
Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We know this, he's the greatest shooter in NBA history.
We know this.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
When he's running off seven screens on one possession and
that that kind of thing happens, it's gonna free up
Podzenski and Kuminga and.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
These other guys for threes.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Guess what they didn't make their shots. Yesterday against the Lakers.
Pods was eight of ten from three. He can't duplicate
that in the playoffs. He's not doing that at eight
of ten was a one off. You know, Kuminga had
a great game. What happened to him yesterday? Ghost Invisible
Curry is awesome when he scores. The Warriors are not
good when Curry doesn't lead them in points. And it's like,
(19:54):
I like Jimmy Butler a lot. I'm a huge fan.
He's not looking like the offensive guy he used to be.
Now he could, he's saving it for the playoffs. I
think the Warriors are going to be fine, but I'm
not buying the height that they're the second best team
in the West. That would be the Los Angeles Lakers,
the biggest threat to the OKC Thunder.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Let's go to Alex Curry with the news. Turn on
the news.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Well, JMC is a new all time goal scorer in
the NHL. Alex Ovechkin scored his eight hundred and ninety
fifth goal on Sunday against Islanders. The former record holder,
Wayne Gretzky, the Great One, was in attendance and they
stopped the game in New York, and everybody celebrated his
accomplishment on the ice. It was great. They kind of
they rolled out a carpet onto the ice and Wayne
(20:40):
Gretzky gave Ovechkin his flowers. He's been following him around
kind of the last month waiting for this moment to happen.
And I don't know if you saw it, but Ovechkin
had a chance to beat it in the last game,
but he didn't want to because it was on an
empty net, and he said he wanted to earn the
final goal in order to break Gretzky's goal. But this
(21:01):
is insane. Gretzky like broke that record in ninety four
and scored his last goal in ninety nine. So the
great one number ninety nine scored his last goal in
ninety nine, and it has been decades since anybody has
ever gotten close to doing this. What do you think
is the next, like biggest record.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I think that's really awesome, Alex.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
At the risk of teasing a segment later, I think
it's awesome that the NHL was totally wrapping its arms
around this for about a month. This week, yes, Hockey's
had two huge stories this year, that All Star Game thing,
the Nation's.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Cup, that like huge.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Other leagues take notice, Yeah, because that was incredible.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
And this hopefully, hopefully other leagues take notice of a
positive story, yes, and embrace in a positive manner a
successful star of this generation surpassing a Wayne Gretzky accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I don't think anybody's saying, oh, Vex gets better than Gretzky.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
I don't no, no, no, no, I don't always saying
that it's different, right, it's again in different generation. This
is going to go back to the Jordan and Lebron argument.
It's kind of just who you believe was great for you.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
At that time.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
And I just love how supportive yes and into it
when Gretzky was, because he was he was following around
the Capitals in Ovechkin the last month, just in Casey
was going to break this record. But it was beautiful.
His wife gave Obchkin's wife a gift. He I think
he told the capitals like, I think he got a
(22:31):
Rolls Royce when he broke the record, so he's like,
step up your game, you better get him a good gift. So, yeah,
congratulations to Avechkin insane accomplishment and just so incredible to
be able to see such a superstar play this long.
Like I love when we get to experience greatness, which
is beautiful. Okay, move into baseball and the Dodgers. They
lost two of three games in Philly over the weekend,
(22:53):
but Philly superstar Bryce Harper had a message for anybody
who doesn't like how LA is doing business.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
I don't know if people like this, but I feel
like only losers complain about what they're doing. You know,
I think they're a great team, They're a great organization.
That's why guys want to go there. Employ LA's a
great study to play in. Obviously, it's uh, you know,
they're at the you know, mecca of kind of the
world of from everything right from food to nightlife to
(23:22):
the sports probably you know, the.
Speaker 9 (23:24):
Dodgers to the Lakers, to anybody.
Speaker 8 (23:25):
If they're going to continue to get guys, they're going
to continue to pull guys from you know, the sport
and if that's bullpen starting pitching international players or anything
like that.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
I think this was the most incredible response that you
can have to anybody complaining about a winning team. Only
losers complain about what they're doing because he's right, Like,
the Dodgers aren't doing anything illegal. They figured out a
way to beat the system. So what you should be
doing is you should be watching and learning, or look
in the mirror, look at your ownership. Why aren't they
(23:55):
doing something? Why aren't they pulling out the checkbook? The
Dodgers are doing it right. They're making it a place
where superstars want to come play. They're paying the team,
and they're making that money back with merch and the
fans coming to the games and the sponsorships. Like it's like,
hats off to Bryce because I think that can go
for like anything you're complaining about in sports, like, get
(24:16):
over it.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I kind of got it.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
So you know, I have like a journalism background when
I wrote for newspapers and magazines. Elis I gotta ask,
who are these losers that are complaining?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Is this like online stuff or is it are.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
They out teams? It's it's it's a fan bases, it's teams,
it's players. It's people who aren't putting together a winning
team saying they cheated. They're doing all this deferred money.
How are they able to go and buy all these players?
Excuse me? Do not remember the Yankees for decades doing this.
This is what baseball is. You can go out and
you can Hey, guys a ton of money. So don't
(24:52):
get mad at the Dodgers for doing whatever it takes
to win get you to your ownership.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Or would you prefer a salary cap like fastal.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
It's not the way the game is. Like baseball, players
get guaranteed money no matter what, and there's not really
a sout. You play a luxury tax, but they're not like.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Basketball's guaranteed salaries too, but they have a cap, like
the Lakers can't go over the cap, whereas New Orleans
also has the cap and they don't want to go
so they're on like the same playing field. Do you
think like the Pirates or the Dodgers should have a
cap just like the Yankees league?
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Why, it's never been that way, so you can't unless
like the league does something to change it.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
It's always been this way, so.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Stop the planning. No, no, no, it's just part of
the game. There's always been powerhouses. But the thing with baseball,
unlike other team sports, baseball is an individual sport played
in a team atmosphere, so you can pay all the guys,
and you still might not be the best team out there.
You still can't win because you like if a pitcher
has a bad game where it's the guys aren't seeing
(25:51):
the ball well at the plate, like, it's doesn't guarantee
that you're gonna win, opposed to like basketball and football,
where you rely on each other. Like baseball, it's a
very individual sport. Yeah, so it's I just like, hats
off to Bryce about this. It was just such a
Philly response and I loved it so much. Okay, final story.
(26:13):
The Knicks have been doing okay since Jalen Brunson turned
his ankle nearly a month ago, going nine and six
without their point right now. Brunson returned to the lineup
yesterday as an ex beat the Suns, and Brunson had
fifteen points and six assists in his return. This is yeah,
we're coming down the stretch here, Jay Matt. How much
better are the knicks chances in the East with a
(26:34):
healthy brunt Song back in the lineup? Right It's it's
night and day.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Definitely need him, You need him to get to the
conference finals. It's gonna be tough for my Knicks a Lakers,
but I'm born in New York.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Sit they're currently and third. You got four games left.
Two of those you got Celtics, Pistons, Calves. Knicks are
oh and six against Boston and Calves this year.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
The problem they had.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
To be tough the Celtics in the second round, and
that's like mission impossible.
Speaker 7 (27:04):
It is.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I don't know. I mean they had, like you said,
they haven't beaten the Calves or the Knicks this year.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
They haven't beaten Boston or the Calves this year, Calves
or yeah and three, they're they're fading. They four games left,
three of those games against the playoff teams Celtics, Pistons, Calves.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I don't even know if I trust Thibodeau, you know,
to cook up something to beat the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
It's just tough. It's it's gonna be tough because I love.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
They have a three game lead on the Pacers, so
they're like steady in that they have to win if
they want to hold onto that third third spot.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
I listen, we gotta we gotta pace ourselves this week.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
So with that Knicks win, I think the Suns were
mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Okay, and Kevin Durant obviously
ain't gonna be playing for the Suns next year. That's
like pretty well documented, like he didn't like that they
tried to trade him. So I just wonder if there's
an early Knicks flame out, do they then look, hey,
we need to level up.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
They got to either rid of the coach or add
Kevin Durant or what. I don't know, they're gonna need something.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Oh yeah, I mean, look, if it didn't work, again,
look at the mirror. Look at the mirror and figure
out what you need to do to get better.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Okay, so Calves holding the Calves last year bounced in
the first round.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Everybody's like, oh my, I think, but.
Speaker 5 (28:16):
They're young with so much talent, like there's potential there.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
No, I'm sorry, Cabs got buy They got out of
the first round barely against Orlando and then lost badly
to the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
But it's like, oh, should we run it back?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Donovan Mitchell trade and now the Caves look awesome.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
There's a number one seed, So maybe you need another year.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
To bake for the next Yeah you could, but again,
is that a risk you're willing to take? Or do
you add another superstar? To that makes right away. Who
you know can be a difference maker.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
I'm a guy, Alex, impatient, let me adjust in traffic
and impatient, Uh in the taffic.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I'm no traffic. I'm so patient.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I will in LA.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
It's just it is what it is like.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So if it rains, you're doing thirty five on the
highway like most other.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
People, I am in a crowd. I feel like I
could be, like secretly a great race car driver. Oh
like that's like a weird secret thing to have. I
am a professional driver. I am great.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You would do well in New York. I love having
New York. All right, Alex scurry with the news.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Heard Line News.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
So who's got the edge tonight? Houston and Kelvin Sampson
or the Florida Gators. You know who. I'm back and
we'll talk to John Phanta, the great college basketball announcer.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Next.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern nn AM Pacific.
Speaker 10 (29:31):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch
us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to
four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the
iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world. We have a lot of fun talking
about the stories behind the stories in the world of
(29:53):
sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't
seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact
that we've been frem for the last twenty years and
still work together, I mean that says something, right, So
check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be sure to
(30:14):
check out Covino and Rich Live on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of
the live show, just search Covin on Rich wherever you
get your podcasts, and of course on social media.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
That's Covino and Rich McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd, oh Boy, Houston, Florida.
Tonight in the Natty Very Excited Florida opened up as
a favorite. Looks like money coming in on Houston to
break it all down. We got the great John Fantom,
Fox Sports college basketball reporter host.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
He announces his games.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
He's got a podcast, he's blowing up.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
On social John. How's it going this morning?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
J Mac?
Speaker 11 (30:52):
It is great to be with you. Look a national
title in the balance, and this all time final four
that you and I talked about. We said, well, to
be all time, it's gotten to deliver the goods. Well,
that Saturday night, it's how you deliver the goods. That
was big time stuff in both games. I was in
(31:12):
the elevator with two people who have attended the last
thirty five of these.
Speaker 9 (31:16):
Wow, and they.
Speaker 11 (31:17):
Both said, that's the while the Saturday Night in the
final four I've ever had.
Speaker 9 (31:20):
I have to agree that was crazy.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Man.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
So it's interesting both of the teams that won, John,
they were trailing at half and they both looked to
be in trouble. Houston was like, I felt they were dead,
Dude's got them, and then Florida couldn't stop broom inside.
But the second half, man, things changed. So we had
two veteran teams, but one veteran coach and another kind
of nubie in Golden.
Speaker 11 (31:41):
I think that that's what's interesting about tonight. Houston's never
won the national championship. And you think five Slam a
jama and all of those great players from Hakeem to
Clyde Drexler and those legendary teams, they never were able
to cut down the nets.
Speaker 9 (31:58):
Now they ran into Patrick you back in eighty four.
Speaker 11 (32:02):
So for Houston, Kelvin SAMs has been working at this.
This program's one hundred and sixty and twenty three in
their last one hundred and eighty three games. It would
be an amazing story for him to accomplish this. The
job that he has done with this program. When he
took over, nobody was at these games. We're talking. You
could count the people in the stands. They've built a
(32:25):
beautiful building in the Fertida Center. They make the move
from the American of the Big Twelve. How J Mack
has Houston come into the Big twelve and dominating the
league back to back years, only losing one time in
league play this year. This is a remarkable rise of
a Titan in college basketball that's not a blue blood
(32:46):
brand but has had a villa Nova like renaissance under
Jay Wright. That's what Kelvin has delivered with the Houston Cougars.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So we'll get to Duke in a minute in their meltdown,
but I do want to quickly ask about the Florida Gators,
who seemed to begin in a short shrift in all
this because of the Houston comeback and the Kelvin Samson story.
I'm just saying, I think Walter Clayton, the young guard
who was a no star recruit, starts at Iona, then
lands at Florida, and now he just had from what
I saw, was like the greatest scoring output in the
(33:16):
final four wins since like nineteen eighty one. I think
he had thirty four points. He looks like Kemba Walk
out there.
Speaker 9 (33:22):
He looks up to Kemba Walker.
Speaker 11 (33:24):
He told us this past week that he has watched
a ton of Kemba Walker's run with Connecticut back in
twenty eleven, when the Huskies won eleven consecutive games Bigga's Tournament,
the national Championship. Well, Clayton led Florida to the SEC
tournament title. Jmack, You and I know how good the
SEC was. That Clayton was absolutely outstanding and now this
guy is a tough shot taker and even tougher shot maker,
(33:48):
you cannot just send one at him. And that's the
dilemma for Houston. It is only fitting that the best
defensive team in this sport now has to find a
way to crap the code of the here row of
this tournament. He has put the cape on. He's been
brilliant and to your point, the nugget of all nuggets
that makes you want to watch tonight. In America, we
(34:10):
have not seen a player in the NCAA tournament in
the Elite eight or later have back to back thirty
plus point games since Larry Bird in nineteen seventy nine.
Enough said, Clayton has been that man.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
So you talked a little bit about Houston's strategy. I
don't know if it's gonna work. If they've doubled Clayton.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Hard and they want to do the double in the traps.
Florida's one of the.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
Best three point shooting teams in the country. I think seventeenth,
they're gonna have their guys can make a Martin is
the study. He's been to the Final four. I like
their bigs, picking pop guys. I'm on Florida here, I
don't well Houston changes stripes or just stick with what
got him there.
Speaker 11 (34:48):
Well, I think they're gonna stick with what gotain there
because they're going to send doubles. They're gonna try to
blitz on ball screens. They like to create chaos, but
they have the front line that could stay with any
opposing frontline enough that they don't really get paid in
terms of easy They don't give up easy buckets, but
(35:09):
Florida has the pieces to capitalize with superimeter shooting. To
your point, I think this game gets decided on which
back court is better offensively at the end of the day,
because if they do try to frazzle Clayton with their defense,
which they're going to, they're gonna apply ball pressure. They're
gonna swarm the ball. They're gonna make him work. Will
Elijah Martin and Will Richard be able to cash in. Conversely,
(35:31):
if you're Florida, you want to send coverage hard at
l J. Cryer, you cannot let l J. Cryer get
cooking early. He's coming off a twenty plus point performance.
Speaker 9 (35:41):
He was brilliant.
Speaker 11 (35:43):
Milo Shuzan and Emmanuel Sharp did not shoot the ball
well on Saturday Night, Sharp made a couple of huge shots,
including the biggest one of the game I felt when
he cut the lead from six to three. But if
you are Houston, the reason why you're different this year
is you have had a three headed monster in your backcourt.
Speaker 9 (36:05):
That can get cooking at any instance.
Speaker 11 (36:08):
Florida can shut teams down offensively too, make no mistake
about adjacent Florida can defend. And if you didn't think
they could, look at the job they did on Jenni
broom An's a hot Pettiford who only made one shot
on Saturday Night. So Florida's really good defensively. They're top
ten in the country themselves. They're number two in offense.
To me, it's a guard's game tonight. Florida does have
(36:31):
the best guard on paper, but Houston's got some really
difficult shot makers. This is a toss up for a reason.
My pick in my bracket was Florida. So I'm staying
committed to my guns here because Clayton has been a
man possessed and I trust Florida's front line.
Speaker 9 (36:49):
But could Houston win this game? Of course?
Speaker 4 (36:51):
Yeah, yeah, certainly, all right. I want to save us
a few minutes here for Duke and the meltdown. I'm
going to start with the obvious. Why didn't john Shire
have one friggin inbounds play ready for the final minute
of the game when Duke melted down.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
There's no way to explain it. It's one of the
all time collapses in the history of the NCAA tournament
for them to be up by fourteen points with eight
minutes left. Now, I tweeted it, we're all but done here.
It's because we were Cooper Flatt was having a sensational
performance all of a sudden in the last five six minutes,
(37:26):
and Houston's defense has something to do with it. But Duke,
how do you turn into hero ball? How they were
not moving to basketball? They were not getting high percentage looks.
Only one made field goal in the last ten minutes
of the game. One of the things that we asked
heading into this Duke season, Jason, was would they have
(37:46):
enough point guard play to get them to the finish
line against the elite? They didn't have point guard play
in the late goings on Saturday night. Tyree Proctor wasn't
good enough, Seon James wasn't good enough, and as a result, Conkinipple.
Speaker 9 (37:58):
Where'd he go?
Speaker 11 (38:00):
A huge first half disappears in the second half. This
is now a part of the definition of John Shire.
Now does it mean that it defines him forever? No,
Tony Bennett overcame Demons, Jay Wright.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
They'llan know what.
Speaker 11 (38:14):
People wanted Jay Wright out at one point. Then he
became one of the greatest coaches of all time. Dan
Hurley and Yukon lost to Teddy Allen three weeks three
years ago. Then he wins back to back national championships.
This is gonna sting with John Shire forever because of
how good this team was and they were the favorite.
But now it's up to him to respond. You and
I both know the next time he's in a big
(38:35):
NCAA tournament game, it's gonna be the lead question, and
it's gonna be the lead thing on our minds.
Speaker 9 (38:39):
They choke this game allway. There is no other way
to put it.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
I'm glad you used choke. It is okay to use choke.
It's fine people choke.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
It happens. I've choked in sports, you've choked. I'm sure. Anyways,
I need to ask.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
This as is calling for a conclusion in the courtroom
do you believe Scion James, who hit his head hard
on the floor, came back, turned the ball over.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
And then couldn't inbound it.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Do you believe he was possibly concussed in the second half.
I did not see heavy basketball from him, and I
don't know why he was on the floor.
Speaker 11 (39:07):
Well, I'm not going to sit here and say that
I think he was because of in today's times, if
you're even remotely close, they're sitting you on the bench.
These medical staffs are not forcing the issue. And I
don't care what it is. Concussions. That's the one thing
that all talking with trainers through the years, Jason, that's
(39:29):
a very very sensitive thing that could lead to some
legal action if they played him, you know, And that
was even in the shadow of a doubt. I don't
think so. I don't think so. I'm sure he was
shaken up. We know he was, and he wasn't himself late.
But this is nothing new. Like back in January, Houston's
(39:53):
down six at Allenfield House, down six with less than
fifteen seconds to go in overtime.
Speaker 9 (40:00):
The game looks over. I stepped away from the game
for a second.
Speaker 11 (40:04):
They bury a three, they get a steal on the
inbounds bury another three to send the game a double
overtime for Houston.
Speaker 9 (40:13):
That was nothing new on Saturday night. That's what they do.
Speaker 11 (40:16):
You have to beat them over the course of forty minutes,
and you have to do it on their terms. So
they earned that, But I did feel that shier. You know,
it's the image Jason is real at the final four.
The head coach is up on the court, his staff
is down in seats. I just couldn't help but look
at him and be like, this is a thirty seven
(40:36):
year old and we're seeing it right now against a
season vet. Because they looked lost their late and that's
why that inbound scenario. I would have run the football play. Yeah,
I'll pass to somebody else and see who you can
get it into. I think that that's the route that
I take. But you and I aren't the coach. John's
going to have a long career. I still believe in
John Shaye this one. This one really the inability to
(41:01):
get that in when you have Cooper Flag, they don't
have a single player under six foot five.
Speaker 9 (41:04):
How do you not get the ball?
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Yeah, just lob it up to Cooper, But not in
the middle of the court, Like, well, what what was that? Anyways?
Speaker 4 (41:10):
John Fanta, the great college football reporter, podcast host, TV host.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
He's everywhere, He's doing everything, John, thanks for crushing a man.
Enjoy the game tonight.
Speaker 9 (41:18):
You're awesome, j Mac, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (41:21):
All right, John Fanta? Oh, the Duke's loss still hurts. Honestly,
I got buddies still texting me. Did that really happen?
Speaker 3 (41:27):
Now?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
Listen, I didn't watch White Lotus last night, Alex, but
I know Duke is upset with the Dwight T shirt?
Do you kidding?
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Like the gift? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (41:35):
John, I had to like take a screenshot from the
internet to add it to a tweet.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Yeah. So, uh, tough one for Duke. E. They'll bounce back.
They got the Bowser brothers coming next year to Durham.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
All right, coming up next? Yes, I'm going back to
Cooper Flag. Did his NBA stock take a hit?
Speaker 3 (41:50):
Next
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. 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 Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Welcome into the Herd. Happy Monday.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
It's me Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd, who is
fishing in parks unknown. I will not give away his location,
but if you follow him online.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
You've seen the fishing video that's hysterical. Joyed today by
Alex Curry. Alex, how are you? We're back? Jmac. We're
to whack.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
It's been a minute, but you know what a fun
weekend to come back like it was. I know you
were doing like your own sports stuff, but can we
just like yesterday was like such an incredible TV day
for sports. You got to have breakfasts with baseball, lunch
with the NCAA Women's Championship Yukon just like absolute domination,
and then you had dinner with h Are you a
(01:08):
White Lotus fan?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Listen? No spoilers I'm not spoiling.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
I'm not smiling, but it was.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Just like it was amazing.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Okay, Yeah, I was in salt Lake City over the weekend.
Alex and her Dodger Blue Dodge is on a rough weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
We'll talk about that. Yeah, I was.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
In salt Lake City. Youth sports, a lot of fun.
Salt Lake City is a beautiful town. I'd never been,
but I was asked this past weekend, Jason, what's the
scariest movie you've ever seen? I said, well, that's easy,
the final eight minutes of Duke against Houston.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Because Saturday night, folks, I.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Was a wreck, a total train wreck, which is what
the Duke offense was down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Folks.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Listen, we're gonna talk of Vechkin, We're gonna talk Lakers,
but we have to open with the devastating Duke loss
over the weekend. At the final four, Duke in total
control of Houston and just blows it down the stretch
in unforgettable fashion, one of those games where you just
left scratching your head. I'm gonna bar with some dads,
and I could tell things were not trending well. Uh,
(02:03):
even though Duke was up fourteen with that eight minutes lefty,
they got Cooper Flag, the best freshman on the planet,
and yes, I will be glazing Cooper Flag later despite
all the hate we're seeing online.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
I asked for the check from the bartender. I was like,
I got to get out of here. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
This does not look good. And folks, Houston shocks Duke,
and I mean stuns them. And it's shouldn't be that
much of a surprise to some of us because like
all college basketball season, what have we talked about. It's
the veteran teams using the transfer portal to bring twenty
two to twenty three, twenty four year olds onto the court,
(02:36):
and those are the teams that have thrived, but not Duke.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Duke rode three freshmen in.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
The starting lineup all the way to the Final four,
and their youth showed folks on Saturday night. Now Fox
Sports asked me to do a mock draft and I
did one, and I had three Duke freshmen in the
top twenty. They've got a great team. But what did
we see win Saturday night? The veterans, the KG Houston veterans.
They lean on twenty three year old LJ. Cryer, who
(03:01):
had just an unbelievable six point play during that comeback.
Who do they lean on a twenty three year old
Roberts who hits two clutch free throws and the duke
youth showed, folks, I'm sure you've seen the numbers of
the meltdown. It was, oh my gosh, we're up nine
with three minutes left.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
We're good.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Cooper Flagg hit that three from the baseline and I'm
going crazy, Jay's life. We're going to the title game.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
And then it just fell apart.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
The youth show. Look, they can't inbound the basketball.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Folks.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
You guys, remember the greatest singular play of the NCAA
tournament so far was Houston Purdue two point eight seconds
left and Kelvin Sampson, the veteran older coach, dials up
an amazing play. They get the dunk and Houston prevails
over Purdue. Fast forward to the Final four Saturday night,
young coach John Shire, and we'll get to John Shire
(03:49):
in a moment, because if you want to blame anybody,
you can blame him. He couldn't inbound the basketball. It
was painful to watch. Anybody who's coached basketball at any
level or played basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
You know, in bounds a you got some stuff dialed up.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
You know, even now they're going with a football play
where you just have four players running down the court.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Duke had nothing. It was painful to watch.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Here's Kelvin Sampson, the great Houston coach, talking about culture
and veterans in the victory.
Speaker 6 (04:16):
There's something to be said about having a culture that's
based on how you win. You know, there's some nice
when the ball goes in and teams don't have defensive
players like Duke does, or don't have defensive players like
this team does or that team does. But our team
is they think they're going to win every game they play,
(04:38):
you know, irregardless of what other people think or say.
They think they're going to win.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, I listen, Kelvin Samson with a masterclass down the stretch,
never quitting. Now I do listen. You never want to
crush anybody when they're young. And John Shire aka White Mike, Yes,
that was his nickname in high school because he was
in Chicago and he was honestly getting buckets like Michael Jordan.
Shire just had a brutal season and our staff dug
up an incredible stat I had not seen all weekend
(05:05):
until this morning. So in close games this season, Duke
was one. In three close games are five points or less,
they were one and three. Folks, Duke lost four games
all season, so in the close games they kind of
sort of melted. Now, some of that is due to
three freshmen in the starting lineup. I watched college basketball
all season, unlike some people, and I remember in November
they gave it to Flag down the stretch. I think
(05:26):
at the time he was still technically seventeen, and Flag
kind of struggled against Kansas, couldn't get the bucket and
they lose. But since John Shire took over in twenty
twenty two, in games five points or less, john Shire
just eleven and twelve.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Now, I know what you're gonna say, Jay, you crush
Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Why can't you cross John Shire and listen, If you
want to blame somebody, you gotta blame Shire. And I
don't want a nitpick, but Sion James number fourteen on
Do Good Player, he hit his head on the hardwood.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It looked brutal. He goes down and.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
You're like, oh, that guy's definitely concussed.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
You gotta get him out.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
He barely sits out and what happens a couple of
minutes later, dribbling Baseline drubbles it off his leg out
of bounds turnover, and then Shire had him inbounding the
ball and he looked so rattled, like he didn't know
what to do, and it was just like Shire, some
situational awareness, please. Now, I know there's a segment of
Houston fans out there upset that I have not really
talked about the Cougars. I've been focusing on Duke, and
(06:22):
that's because Duke lost the game. Houston didn't win it.
That's really what happened. And we'll get to Houston because
they played Florida tonight. A little preface.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I'm on Florida.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I like the Gators tonight. It's gonna be a great game.
Houston obviously a tough team. But folks, when you take
down Duke and then you got to go play two
nights later, you've just slayed the dragon. I think there
will be a little bit of a letdown, and I
will I'm kind of close out on this note because
I know that people want Jason. You got a bag
on Cooper flag. Why was he fading away like Anthony Davis.
Let me just remind you, guys, coach k had RJ.
(06:55):
Barrett and Zion Williamson.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Okay, two top five.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Picks just a few years ago, and they lose in
the Elite eight to Michigan State.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Okay, so it happens. These young guys struggle in March.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Barrett and Zion were freshman Cooper Flagg can Nipple by
the way, worms kinnep in the second half.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
They were young, they vanished. Congrats to Houston.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Now let's get to a positive basketball story from the weekend.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
And you know, I gotta talk about the La Lakers.
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
So I was at Lakers Warriors Thursday and it was
a bit of a funeral at the Crypt. It felt sad.
The Lakers just looked out of swords. Luca had his
worst game with the Lakers Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And all of a sudden, it's like, oh, you're coming
the Warriors. We'll get to the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
How the Lakers bounce back. They beat the Pelicans Friday.
Nobody cares irrelevant game. So Sunday they go to ok
Se Mighty Okac, everybody's favorite.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
They got the MVP.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
You're gonna win like sixty five sixty eight games, And
what did the Lakers do? If you guys were watching,
if you switched over when Yukon started destroying South Carolina.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
If you watch the Lakers, they put on a clinic.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And I know everybody loves to talk about loud Dort
and the Dorcher Chamber. Well, he tried to guard Luca
yesterday and Luca was getting basically a deep tissue massage
at a day spot. He roasted lou Dort.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Chit. Holmgren had no chance.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Look at that step back three over the.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Seven footer plot out. I mean, folks, the.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Lakers had one of the great three point shooting days
in franchise history. I think they tied a franchise record
for threes. At one point in the first half, they
were twelve to fifteen. But why was that happening? Because
Luka Doncic owns the Okac thunder.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
He does. I'm sorry, I hate.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
To admit it, but Luca with Dallas last year extinguished Okase.
It was a masterful series for Luca and he did
the same yesterday. They tried the hard doubles, Luca made
the right pass. They tried the big guys step back
three just in their face.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Lud Dort won on one.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
I know, Hey, Cowherd's buddy, Bill Simmons is like lou Dort, defensive.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Player of the year. You show that Lakers tape. He
didn't do a damn thing. He could not stop Luca.
Who can? But I want to hear about OKC going.
What is that like? Twenty two and one against the East?
Who cares? Show me what he's doing against Luca?
Speaker 4 (09:08):
And again in these highlights, you put anybody on Luka
Dancic and it was game over.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Now at some point we're gonna have to talk about SGA.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I don't again, I don't want to be in the
business of Monday morning filling in for Coward and I'm
out here hammer and players.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Okay, but folks.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
A year ago, I saw one of these ai internet
videos where somebody had sliced like, you know, fake voice
over Anthony Edwards talking about OKAC, and in the video
they were like free throw merchant SGA and I thought
it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen, so I
started using it on the show. Cowhard loved it, he laughed,
(09:45):
and it became.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
A running thing. I would say it all the time.
Now I'm not.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Saying I started free throw merchant, but it's out there
now and everybody calls SGA a free throw merchant. Well,
JJ Reddick, who is a young coach with the Lakers,
made it a point, we're not letting s get.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
To the free throw line.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
Okay, for the first time in three years. The presumptive MVP,
I would give it to Yokich, but that's just me.
The presumptive MVP. SGA did not shoot a free throw.
And here's the best part. You had to be watching closely.
So at one point, SGA takes Luca baseline and does
that fadeaway thing where he kicks his leg out and
(10:21):
the ref blows a whistle and then Luca's like, no, no, no, replay, replay,
begging JJ Redick.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Reddicks like, all right, well replay it. What does the
replay show.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
SGA was not touched, He stuck his leg out and
drew the foul.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Luca Dante to victory.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
And I know it's a small point, and it's one
data point in a huge game in a big season,
but that proved to me that SGA is the kind
of guy who gets all the calls. And if you
watch closely. He kept driving all game long, and he
would miss his shot. I think he was like twelve
of twenty five. He would miss his shot and look
to the ref, where's the whistle? What's going on? He
(10:56):
got no free throw attempts. The Lakers sent a message,
and I know everybody's Jay who cares about this game.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
It does okay, fair enough.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
If you want to say it doesn't matter, it doesn't count,
that's fine. Here's the reality. The Lakers want to avoid
the play and they've almost done that. They needed a
split against Oka See they match up again tonight.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
They needed a split.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Now the Lakers got their victory, they were probably out celebrating.
I wouldn't be shocked if we saw like the Lakers
backups play or a lot of minutes for Bronnie and
you know, the end of the bench. Guys, maybe they
get a lot of effort tonight. Lakers sent notice to
okac Hey, guys, we're not afraid of you.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Now. Some of us have been saying that for months.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Ok See really really good regular season team.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
But I don't know if they can do it in
the playoffs. Folks.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
We've seen James Harden dominate a regular season they had
to change rules so that James Harden couldn't do that
pull through and keep getting to the line, and what
would happen every postseason? Inevitably there would be a James
Harden meltdown game where he couldn't get to the line,
wasn't getting the whist, so it got in his head.
I saw that from OKC yesterday. This is a really
(12:05):
good regular season team. I don't know if they can
do it in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And that's why I like the Lakers, who everything well.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
And what in their favorite yesterday right? The Warriors lose,
will do them soon. The Nuggets lose, Lakers win, Lakers
headed for the three seed, headed for the Western Conference Finals.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Sorry, Houston, I hate to do it.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
And it's just gonna be a glorious postseason run for LA.
Here we got the standings on the screen. If the
Lakers get the three, they would well hopefully not.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Face the Warriors in the first round.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Hopefully it'd be Minnesota, anybody but the Warriors, and then
it's Houston and then they're onto the conference finals. But
a great, great Sunday for the Lakers, Alex. I don't
want to get too.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Excited, but listen, it's Monday, It's the Lakers. It was
a great win.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I like that we get excited because there's so many
doubters on the Lakers, and I like to remind people,
this is a Lakers team that has one of the
greatest players of all time in Lebron James. We didn't
even with more experience than anybody on that court. And
then you have the future of the NBA in Luka
Doncic and Austin Reeves like they have a power three,
and everyone was like, eh, whatever, like washed, No, they're not.
(13:12):
Lebron is not. He is one of the best players
on that court, if not the best, especially late in
the game. Fear the Lakers, because if you're facing them
in a series in the playoffs, they are the team
to make it.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Totally. I'm so glad you mentioned Lebron. I have it
in my notes. I didn't even mention it.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Lebron didn't attempt to free throw yesterday. He didn't even
have to attack the market at all. That was beautiful
for him though, so he could rested and play a
lot tonight.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Folks. Lebron I did look this up.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Is only the second time this season he did not
attempt to free throw. The other was in a blowout
over the Spurs. So Lebron not driving. He's rested, folks.
Late Lakers are dangerous. Alex there come up here on
the Herd, Folks. The Golden State Warriors picked up a
few awesome wins last week.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Everybody excited. I was starting to fall victim.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And then last night at home against Houston, Oh, Steph
Curry did what? It went that badly. We'll talk about
that next year on the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern not am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Back here on the Herd, Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd,
who's turned into a fisherman this week. Apparently hopefully he
doesn't have to deal with any whales out there in
the ocean. Let's go to my favorite player for the
last decade in sports, my favorite athlete, Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Folks, So I think.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I fell in love with him with Davidson when he
was a young player and led that amazing run by
the Wildcats to the Elite eight, and I followed his
career with the Warriors, and it just so happened. I
was lucky enough that he was at my gym in
like twenty twenty one, because I work out at the
old Clippers facility and he's training there after getting surgery
on his hand.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
And I just rolled up, you know, I'm playing.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Basketball, lifting or whatever, and I see Steph Curry walk
by with like, you know, a couple of his people
as trainers. Of course, all the parents are stared. Everybody
staring at Curry, you know, Jay Max undaunted.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
I just rolled right up. I was like, Steph, hey,
you wrote my podcast like five years ago.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
What's up, bro? And we start talking. I get a
picture with him. That's like the only athlete that I
would actually get try to get a picture with, maybe Lebron.
And I'm just like the biggest Curry fanboy. So I
was torn last week when I went to Lakers Warriors.
You know, obviously I'm a Lakers fan.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I wore a Luca T shirt, but I have a
Curry jersey.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
I'm a Curry fanboy. And last week Curry was just
unbelievable in sendy Aary stuff, Drop fifty two on Memphis
in Memphis. Then went to the Lakers and had thirty seven.
The next night had thirty six in Denver, and everybody
at that point is like, Okay, Warriors are set. You're
the second best team in the West. And they did,
look hella good. Three straight row wins, very impressive. And
(15:49):
then yesterday they went home to face the Houston Rockets,
and everybody's like, Okay, they got this. Warriors could get
the three seed, maybe the two. In one of the
great defensive performances the season, the Houston Rockets held Steph
Curry to one of ten, shooting one of eight from deep.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Three points. Folks. It was a master class defensively.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
And we got a member of the staff here who's
a big Houston fanboy, and he's like they were throwing
the kitchen sink at him, you know, the blitzing the doubles.
He come over half court and they're swarming. They just
refuse to give Curry anything. It was a pretty great
defensive showing. Okay, I'm on Thompson, it's awesome. It wasn't
all him, it wasn't that goon Dylan Brooks. It was
just a total defensive effort. However, if you watch closely,
(16:35):
a lot of arguing with the wars. They were unhappy
with the calls. Draymond got into it with shem Gooon
because that's.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
What he does. A European, big white guy.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Draymond loves to act tough and get an elbow in
the face.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Okay, that's It's what he doesn't o yell at me.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
So after the game, Jimmy Butler met the media and
he was incensed at the way the refs handled Steph Curry.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
I've never seen an individual get found and he gets founts.
To me, I think that's astounding. But you know, it's
crazy to say, but he's used to it. You know,
it's been happening to him his whole career and he's
found a way through it, around it, under it, whatever
you want to call it. I'm pretty sure it's been
having him for sixteen short years. I get to see
(17:20):
it in it really angerous to me that he's on
my team and he gets hacked like that.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
Now that's interesting because he Stephan made thirteen or fourteen
free throws against the Lakers Thursday, zero for zero.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
What a day, right.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Lebron doesn't attempt a free throw and Curry doesn't go
to the line, which is crazy.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So I started thinking.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
About this, and yeah, you guys know that there is
this ara issue in the NBA. The old guys think, oh,
these young guys, they can't play in our era.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
With the hand check rules and the toughness. It's nonsense.
We'll get to it a little later, saving it.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
For later, but it's interesting because if you guys, you
know the older generational there was a book called The
Jordan Rules by the great Sam Smith, and it talks
about how the Pistons roffed up Michael.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Jordan is undeniable. They just clogged the lane.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
At anytime Jordan would come in there, boom, Mohrn, Rodman, Lambier.
They would all jack him up. And famously there's video
out there of Jordan.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Saying, I wasn't strong enough.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I had to go in the gym, and then of
course they cut to a gym video of Michael lifting
weights had to get stronger. This is more Jordan haesiography,
where they're just creating a narrative that.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Is kind of like a half truth.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Yes, the Jordan Rules existed, Yes the Pistons roughed up Jordan,
but it wasn't about him weightlifting to get better. It
was more about the Pistons getting old. They went to
the finals three.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Years in a row.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
They broke down and that's when the Bulls finally swept him.
It wasn't Michael Jordan getting stronger. It was Phil's triangle
offense filling text Winter Starre a triangle offense working. It
wasn't just Michael Jordan getting tougher. This isn't about Steph
Curry not being tough enough to hang with the physicality.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Of the Rockets.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
And by the way, Curry and Emai Udoka, the Rockets
Coast exchange some words.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Curry won a foul calls.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Udoka was basically like, shut the hell up, stop whining.
And of course Curry, he's not gonna take that, especially
in his home arena.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
And I don't think it's a toughness thing.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
I don't think there's a blueprint for how to stop
Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We know this, he's the greatest shooter in NBA history.
We know this.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
When he's running off seven screens on one possession and
that that kind of thing happens, it's gonna free up
Podzenski and Kuminga and.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
These other guys for threes.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Guess what they didn't make their shots. Yesterday against the Lakers.
Pods was eight of ten from three. He can't duplicate
that in the playoffs. He's not doing that at eight
of ten was a one off. You know, Kuminga had
a great game. What happened to him yesterday? Ghost Invisible
Curry is awesome when he scores. The Warriors are not
good when Curry doesn't lead them in points. And it's like,
(19:54):
I like Jimmy Butler a lot. I'm a huge fan.
He's not looking like the offensive guy he used to be.
Now he could, he's saving it for the playoffs. I
think the Warriors are going to be fine, but I'm
not buying the height that they're the second best team
in the West. That would be the Los Angeles Lakers,
the biggest threat to the OKC Thunder.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Let's go to Alex Curry with the news. Turn on
the news.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Well, JMC is a new all time goal scorer in
the NHL. Alex Ovechkin scored his eight hundred and ninety
fifth goal on Sunday against Islanders. The former record holder,
Wayne Gretzky, the Great One, was in attendance and they
stopped the game in New York, and everybody celebrated his
accomplishment on the ice. It was great. They kind of
they rolled out a carpet onto the ice and Wayne
(20:40):
Gretzky gave Ovechkin his flowers. He's been following him around
kind of the last month waiting for this moment to happen.
And I don't know if you saw it, but Ovechkin
had a chance to beat it in the last game,
but he didn't want to because it was on an
empty net, and he said he wanted to earn the
final goal in order to break Gretzky's goal. But this
(21:01):
is insane. Gretzky like broke that record in ninety four
and scored his last goal in ninety nine. So the
great one number ninety nine scored his last goal in
ninety nine, and it has been decades since anybody has
ever gotten close to doing this. What do you think
is the next, like biggest record.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
I think that's really awesome, Alex.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
At the risk of teasing a segment later, I think
it's awesome that the NHL was totally wrapping its arms
around this for about a month. This week, yes, Hockey's
had two huge stories this year, that All Star Game thing,
the Nation's.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Cup, that like huge.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Other leagues take notice, Yeah, because that was incredible.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
And this hopefully, hopefully other leagues take notice of a
positive story, yes, and embrace in a positive manner a
successful star of this generation surpassing a Wayne Gretzky accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I don't think anybody's saying, oh, Vex gets better than Gretzky.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
I don't no, no, no, no, I don't always saying
that it's different, right, it's again in different generation. This
is going to go back to the Jordan and Lebron argument.
It's kind of just who you believe was great for you.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
At that time.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
And I just love how supportive yes and into it
when Gretzky was, because he was he was following around
the Capitals in Ovechkin the last month, just in Casey
was going to break this record. But it was beautiful.
His wife gave Obchkin's wife a gift. He I think
he told the capitals like, I think he got a
(22:31):
Rolls Royce when he broke the record, so he's like,
step up your game, you better get him a good gift. So, yeah,
congratulations to Avechkin insane accomplishment and just so incredible to
be able to see such a superstar play this long.
Like I love when we get to experience greatness, which
is beautiful. Okay, move into baseball and the Dodgers. They
lost two of three games in Philly over the weekend,
(22:53):
but Philly superstar Bryce Harper had a message for anybody
who doesn't like how LA is doing business.
Speaker 8 (23:01):
I don't know if people like this, but I feel
like only losers complain about what they're doing. You know,
I think they're a great team, They're a great organization.
That's why guys want to go there. Employ LA's a
great study to play in. Obviously, it's uh, you know,
they're at the you know, mecca of kind of the
world of from everything right from food to nightlife to
(23:22):
the sports probably you know, the.
Speaker 9 (23:24):
Dodgers to the Lakers, to anybody.
Speaker 8 (23:25):
If they're going to continue to get guys, they're going
to continue to pull guys from you know, the sport
and if that's bullpen starting pitching international players or anything
like that.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
I think this was the most incredible response that you
can have to anybody complaining about a winning team. Only
losers complain about what they're doing because he's right, Like,
the Dodgers aren't doing anything illegal. They figured out a
way to beat the system. So what you should be
doing is you should be watching and learning, or look
in the mirror, look at your ownership. Why aren't they
(23:55):
doing something? Why aren't they pulling out the checkbook? The
Dodgers are doing it right. They're making it a place
where superstars want to come play. They're paying the team,
and they're making that money back with merch and the
fans coming to the games and the sponsorships. Like it's like,
hats off to Bryce because I think that can go
for like anything you're complaining about in sports, like, get
(24:16):
over it.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I kind of got it.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
So you know, I have like a journalism background when
I wrote for newspapers and magazines. Elis I gotta ask,
who are these losers that are complaining?
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Is this like online stuff or is it are.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
They out teams? It's it's it's a fan bases, it's teams,
it's players. It's people who aren't putting together a winning
team saying they cheated. They're doing all this deferred money.
How are they able to go and buy all these players?
Excuse me? Do not remember the Yankees for decades doing this.
This is what baseball is. You can go out and
you can Hey, guys a ton of money. So don't
(24:52):
get mad at the Dodgers for doing whatever it takes
to win get you to your ownership.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Or would you prefer a salary cap like fastal.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
It's not the way the game is. Like baseball, players
get guaranteed money no matter what, and there's not really
a sout. You play a luxury tax, but they're not like.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Basketball's guaranteed salaries too, but they have a cap, like
the Lakers can't go over the cap, whereas New Orleans
also has the cap and they don't want to go
so they're on like the same playing field. Do you
think like the Pirates or the Dodgers should have a
cap just like the Yankees league?
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Why, it's never been that way, so you can't unless
like the league does something to change it.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
It's always been this way, so.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Stop the planning. No, no, no, it's just part of
the game. There's always been powerhouses. But the thing with baseball,
unlike other team sports, baseball is an individual sport played
in a team atmosphere, so you can pay all the guys,
and you still might not be the best team out there.
You still can't win because you like if a pitcher
has a bad game where it's the guys aren't seeing
(25:51):
the ball well at the plate, like, it's doesn't guarantee
that you're gonna win, opposed to like basketball and football,
where you rely on each other. Like baseball, it's a
very individual sport. Yeah, so it's I just like, hats
off to Bryce about this. It was just such a
Philly response and I loved it so much. Okay, final story.
(26:13):
The Knicks have been doing okay since Jalen Brunson turned
his ankle nearly a month ago, going nine and six
without their point right now. Brunson returned to the lineup
yesterday as an ex beat the Suns, and Brunson had
fifteen points and six assists in his return. This is yeah,
we're coming down the stretch here, Jay Matt. How much
better are the knicks chances in the East with a
(26:34):
healthy brunt Song back in the lineup? Right It's it's
night and day.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Definitely need him, You need him to get to the
conference finals. It's gonna be tough for my Knicks a Lakers,
but I'm born in New York.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Sit they're currently and third. You got four games left.
Two of those you got Celtics, Pistons, Calves. Knicks are
oh and six against Boston and Calves this year.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
The problem they had.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
To be tough the Celtics in the second round, and
that's like mission impossible.
Speaker 7 (27:04):
It is.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
I don't know. I mean they had, like you said,
they haven't beaten the Calves or the Knicks this year.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
They haven't beaten Boston or the Calves this year, Calves
or yeah and three, they're they're fading. They four games left,
three of those games against the playoff teams Celtics, Pistons, Calves.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I don't even know if I trust Thibodeau, you know,
to cook up something to beat the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
It's just tough. It's it's gonna be tough because I love.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
They have a three game lead on the Pacers, so
they're like steady in that they have to win if
they want to hold onto that third third spot.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
I listen, we gotta we gotta pace ourselves this week.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
So with that Knicks win, I think the Suns were
mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Okay, and Kevin Durant obviously
ain't gonna be playing for the Suns next year. That's
like pretty well documented, like he didn't like that they
tried to trade him. So I just wonder if there's
an early Knicks flame out, do they then look, hey,
we need to level up.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
They got to either rid of the coach or add
Kevin Durant or what. I don't know, they're gonna need something.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Oh yeah, I mean, look, if it didn't work, again,
look at the mirror. Look at the mirror and figure
out what you need to do to get better.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Okay, so Calves holding the Calves last year bounced in
the first round.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Everybody's like, oh my, I think, but.
Speaker 5 (28:16):
They're young with so much talent, like there's potential there.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
No, I'm sorry, Cabs got buy They got out of
the first round barely against Orlando and then lost badly
to the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
But it's like, oh, should we run it back?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Donovan Mitchell trade and now the Caves look awesome.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
There's a number one seed, So maybe you need another year.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
To bake for the next Yeah you could, but again,
is that a risk you're willing to take? Or do
you add another superstar? To that makes right away. Who
you know can be a difference maker.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
I'm a guy, Alex, impatient, let me adjust in traffic
and impatient, Uh in the taffic.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I'm no traffic. I'm so patient.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
I will in LA.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
It's just it is what it is like.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So if it rains, you're doing thirty five on the
highway like most other.
Speaker 5 (28:56):
People, I am in a crowd. I feel like I
could be, like secretly a great race car driver. Oh
like that's like a weird secret thing to have. I
am a professional driver. I am great.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
You would do well in New York. I love having
New York. All right, Alex scurry with the news.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Heard Line News.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
So who's got the edge tonight? Houston and Kelvin Sampson
or the Florida Gators. You know who. I'm back and
we'll talk to John Phanta, the great college basketball announcer.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Next.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern nn AM Pacific.
Speaker 10 (29:31):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch
us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to
four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the
iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world. We have a lot of fun talking
about the stories behind the stories in the world of
(29:53):
sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't
seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact
that we've been frem for the last twenty years and
still work together, I mean that says something, right, So
check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be sure to
(30:14):
check out Covino and Rich Live on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern,
two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of
the live show, just search Covin on Rich wherever you
get your podcasts, and of course on social media.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
That's Covino and Rich McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd, oh Boy, Houston, Florida.
Tonight in the Natty Very Excited Florida opened up as
a favorite. Looks like money coming in on Houston to
break it all down. We got the great John Fantom,
Fox Sports college basketball reporter host.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
He announces his games.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
He's got a podcast, he's blowing up.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
On social John. How's it going this morning?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
J Mac?
Speaker 11 (30:52):
It is great to be with you. Look a national
title in the balance, and this all time final four
that you and I talked about. We said, well, to
be all time, it's gotten to deliver the goods. Well,
that Saturday night, it's how you deliver the goods. That
was big time stuff in both games. I was in
(31:12):
the elevator with two people who have attended the last
thirty five of these.
Speaker 9 (31:16):
Wow, and they.
Speaker 11 (31:17):
Both said, that's the while the Saturday Night in the
final four I've ever had.
Speaker 9 (31:20):
I have to agree that was crazy.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Man.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
So it's interesting both of the teams that won, John,
they were trailing at half and they both looked to
be in trouble. Houston was like, I felt they were dead,
Dude's got them, and then Florida couldn't stop broom inside.
But the second half, man, things changed. So we had
two veteran teams, but one veteran coach and another kind
of nubie in Golden.
Speaker 11 (31:41):
I think that that's what's interesting about tonight. Houston's never
won the national championship. And you think five Slam a
jama and all of those great players from Hakeem to
Clyde Drexler and those legendary teams, they never were able
to cut down the nets.
Speaker 9 (31:58):
Now they ran into Patrick you back in eighty four.
Speaker 11 (32:02):
So for Houston, Kelvin SAMs has been working at this.
This program's one hundred and sixty and twenty three in
their last one hundred and eighty three games. It would
be an amazing story for him to accomplish this. The
job that he has done with this program. When he
took over, nobody was at these games. We're talking. You
could count the people in the stands. They've built a
(32:25):
beautiful building in the Fertida Center. They make the move
from the American of the Big Twelve. How J Mack
has Houston come into the Big twelve and dominating the
league back to back years, only losing one time in
league play this year. This is a remarkable rise of
a Titan in college basketball that's not a blue blood
(32:46):
brand but has had a villa Nova like renaissance under
Jay Wright. That's what Kelvin has delivered with the Houston Cougars.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So we'll get to Duke in a minute in their meltdown,
but I do want to quickly ask about the Florida Gators,
who seemed to begin in a short shrift in all
this because of the Houston comeback and the Kelvin Samson story.
I'm just saying, I think Walter Clayton, the young guard
who was a no star recruit, starts at Iona, then
lands at Florida, and now he just had from what
I saw, was like the greatest scoring output in the
(33:16):
final four wins since like nineteen eighty one. I think
he had thirty four points. He looks like Kemba Walk
out there.
Speaker 9 (33:22):
He looks up to Kemba Walker.
Speaker 11 (33:24):
He told us this past week that he has watched
a ton of Kemba Walker's run with Connecticut back in
twenty eleven, when the Huskies won eleven consecutive games Bigga's Tournament,
the national Championship. Well, Clayton led Florida to the SEC
tournament title. Jmack, You and I know how good the
SEC was. That Clayton was absolutely outstanding and now this
guy is a tough shot taker and even tougher shot maker,
(33:48):
you cannot just send one at him. And that's the
dilemma for Houston. It is only fitting that the best
defensive team in this sport now has to find a
way to crap the code of the here row of
this tournament. He has put the cape on. He's been
brilliant and to your point, the nugget of all nuggets
that makes you want to watch tonight. In America, we
(34:10):
have not seen a player in the NCAA tournament in
the Elite eight or later have back to back thirty
plus point games since Larry Bird in nineteen seventy nine.
Enough said, Clayton has been that man.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
So you talked a little bit about Houston's strategy. I
don't know if it's gonna work. If they've doubled Clayton.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Hard and they want to do the double in the traps.
Florida's one of the.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
Best three point shooting teams in the country. I think seventeenth,
they're gonna have their guys can make a Martin is
the study. He's been to the Final four. I like
their bigs, picking pop guys. I'm on Florida here, I
don't well Houston changes stripes or just stick with what
got him there.
Speaker 11 (34:48):
Well, I think they're gonna stick with what gotain there
because they're going to send doubles. They're gonna try to
blitz on ball screens. They like to create chaos, but
they have the front line that could stay with any
opposing frontline enough that they don't really get paid in
terms of easy They don't give up easy buckets, but
(35:09):
Florida has the pieces to capitalize with superimeter shooting. To
your point, I think this game gets decided on which
back court is better offensively at the end of the day,
because if they do try to frazzle Clayton with their defense,
which they're going to, they're gonna apply ball pressure. They're
gonna swarm the ball. They're gonna make him work. Will
Elijah Martin and Will Richard be able to cash in. Conversely,
(35:31):
if you're Florida, you want to send coverage hard at
l J. Cryer, you cannot let l J. Cryer get
cooking early. He's coming off a twenty plus point performance.
Speaker 9 (35:41):
He was brilliant.
Speaker 11 (35:43):
Milo Shuzan and Emmanuel Sharp did not shoot the ball
well on Saturday Night, Sharp made a couple of huge shots,
including the biggest one of the game I felt when
he cut the lead from six to three. But if
you are Houston, the reason why you're different this year
is you have had a three headed monster in your backcourt.
Speaker 9 (36:05):
That can get cooking at any instance.
Speaker 11 (36:08):
Florida can shut teams down offensively too, make no mistake
about adjacent Florida can defend. And if you didn't think
they could, look at the job they did on Jenni
broom An's a hot Pettiford who only made one shot
on Saturday Night. So Florida's really good defensively. They're top
ten in the country themselves. They're number two in offense.
To me, it's a guard's game tonight. Florida does have
(36:31):
the best guard on paper, but Houston's got some really
difficult shot makers. This is a toss up for a reason.
My pick in my bracket was Florida. So I'm staying
committed to my guns here because Clayton has been a
man possessed and I trust Florida's front line.
Speaker 9 (36:49):
But could Houston win this game? Of course?
Speaker 4 (36:51):
Yeah, yeah, certainly, all right. I want to save us
a few minutes here for Duke and the meltdown. I'm
going to start with the obvious. Why didn't john Shire
have one friggin inbounds play ready for the final minute
of the game when Duke melted down.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
There's no way to explain it. It's one of the
all time collapses in the history of the NCAA tournament
for them to be up by fourteen points with eight
minutes left. Now, I tweeted it, we're all but done here.
It's because we were Cooper Flatt was having a sensational
performance all of a sudden in the last five six minutes,
(37:26):
and Houston's defense has something to do with it. But Duke,
how do you turn into hero ball? How they were
not moving to basketball? They were not getting high percentage looks.
Only one made field goal in the last ten minutes
of the game. One of the things that we asked
heading into this Duke season, Jason, was would they have
(37:46):
enough point guard play to get them to the finish
line against the elite? They didn't have point guard play
in the late goings on Saturday night. Tyree Proctor wasn't
good enough, Seon James wasn't good enough, and as a result, Conkinipple.
Speaker 9 (37:58):
Where'd he go?
Speaker 11 (38:00):
A huge first half disappears in the second half. This
is now a part of the definition of John Shire.
Now does it mean that it defines him forever? No,
Tony Bennett overcame Demons, Jay Wright.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
They'llan know what.
Speaker 11 (38:14):
People wanted Jay Wright out at one point. Then he
became one of the greatest coaches of all time. Dan
Hurley and Yukon lost to Teddy Allen three weeks three
years ago. Then he wins back to back national championships.
This is gonna sting with John Shire forever because of
how good this team was and they were the favorite.
But now it's up to him to respond. You and
I both know the next time he's in a big
(38:35):
NCAA tournament game, it's gonna be the lead question, and
it's gonna be the lead thing on our minds.
Speaker 9 (38:39):
They choke this game allway. There is no other way
to put it.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
I'm glad you used choke. It is okay to use choke.
It's fine people choke.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
It happens. I've choked in sports, you've choked. I'm sure. Anyways,
I need to ask.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
This as is calling for a conclusion in the courtroom
do you believe Scion James, who hit his head hard
on the floor, came back, turned the ball over.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
And then couldn't inbound it.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Do you believe he was possibly concussed in the second half.
I did not see heavy basketball from him, and I
don't know why he was on the floor.
Speaker 11 (39:07):
Well, I'm not going to sit here and say that
I think he was because of in today's times, if
you're even remotely close, they're sitting you on the bench.
These medical staffs are not forcing the issue. And I
don't care what it is. Concussions. That's the one thing
that all talking with trainers through the years, Jason, that's
(39:29):
a very very sensitive thing that could lead to some
legal action if they played him, you know, And that
was even in the shadow of a doubt. I don't
think so. I don't think so. I'm sure he was
shaken up. We know he was, and he wasn't himself late.
But this is nothing new. Like back in January, Houston's
(39:53):
down six at Allenfield House, down six with less than
fifteen seconds to go in overtime.
Speaker 9 (40:00):
The game looks over. I stepped away from the game
for a second.
Speaker 11 (40:04):
They bury a three, they get a steal on the
inbounds bury another three to send the game a double
overtime for Houston.
Speaker 9 (40:13):
That was nothing new on Saturday night. That's what they do.
Speaker 11 (40:16):
You have to beat them over the course of forty minutes,
and you have to do it on their terms. So
they earned that, But I did feel that shier. You know,
it's the image Jason is real at the final four.
The head coach is up on the court, his staff
is down in seats. I just couldn't help but look
at him and be like, this is a thirty seven
(40:36):
year old and we're seeing it right now against a
season vet. Because they looked lost their late and that's
why that inbound scenario. I would have run the football play. Yeah,
I'll pass to somebody else and see who you can
get it into. I think that that's the route that
I take. But you and I aren't the coach. John's
going to have a long career. I still believe in
John Shaye this one. This one really the inability to
(41:01):
get that in when you have Cooper Flag, they don't
have a single player under six foot five.
Speaker 9 (41:04):
How do you not get the ball?
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Yeah, just lob it up to Cooper, But not in
the middle of the court, Like, well, what what was that? Anyways?
Speaker 4 (41:10):
John Fanta, the great college football reporter, podcast host, TV host.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
He's everywhere, He's doing everything, John, thanks for crushing a man.
Enjoy the game tonight.
Speaker 9 (41:18):
You're awesome, j Mac, thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (41:21):
All right, John Fanta? Oh, the Duke's loss still hurts. Honestly,
I got buddies still texting me. Did that really happen?
Speaker 3 (41:27):
Now?
Speaker 4 (41:27):
Listen, I didn't watch White Lotus last night, Alex, but
I know Duke is upset with the Dwight T shirt?
Do you kidding?
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Like the gift? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (41:35):
John, I had to like take a screenshot from the
internet to add it to a tweet.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Yeah. So, uh, tough one for Duke. E. They'll bounce back.
They got the Bowser brothers coming next year to Durham.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
All right, coming up next? Yes, I'm going back to
Cooper Flag. Did his NBA stock take a hit?
Speaker 3 (41:50):
Next
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