April 29, 2024 • 41 mins
Colin explains why the Bears had a surprisingly great draft and the clear message the Cowboys were sending with theirs
The Bills and the 49ers are sending a message to their WRs
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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(00:22):
listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go
live in Los Angeles. It's The Herd. Wherever you may
be and however you may be listening or watching. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Jmac Wild Weekend
one of the best non football season weekends of the year.
(00:42):
A lot of the big names in the NBA. If
the Nuggets beat the Lakers, Tonight's steps out, Kd's out,
Lebron's gonna be out, and Bead's about to get vanquished
and shoved out. All started. All the big stars in
the NBA, the old guys, the superstars are getting bounced.
Are all the young kids taking over?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Its Jalen Brunson's time, Baby, Anthony Edwards time.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, it's a good time. Let's start with the NFL Draft.
So I'm not a big believer that you can forecast
who had the best NFL Draft. I don't know how fourth, fifth, sixth,
seventh rounder is going to do, but I have felt
through the years I can be more accurate assessing who
won the draft if I combine your free agent moves
(01:26):
with your top two or maybe three picks than my
accuracy on you know, grading what you did, looking how
you improved much easier and using that, the Chicago Bears,
more than any NFL team, will simply look different. They
upgraded personnel more than any NFL franchise, almost all of
(01:49):
it on offense. One team, the Chicago Bears, between Keenan Allen,
DeAndre Swift, Jerald Everett, Caleum Williams, Roma Dunze, that's a
great group. And because the division is now so stacked offensively,
go look at Minnesota's offensive personnel, Green Bays in Detroit.
There's only one way to win in that division, and
(02:12):
it's not defense. You're going to have to outscore people.
Three offensive coaches and the Bears have a defensive coach.
So last season, the Chicago Bears were twenty seventh in passing.
They're not going to look anything like that this season.
They were a terrible fourth quarter team. They could not
play from behind you have to be able to play
(02:34):
from behind, especially in a division with three offensive coaches
and stacked offensive rosters. The Bears couldn't last year, but
now they have two legit receivers and now a rookie
who could be a third. Two legit tight ends, NFL productive,
a good running back too, legitimate tackles, and yes, a
(02:57):
much better quarterback not close. Kleb Williams is significantly more talented,
more accurate than justin fields. So the first time I
can ever remember the Bears having a top seven, eight,
nine to ten offensive personnel group. This is a real team,
(03:18):
a real offense. And if you count free agency and
your top couple of picks, no NFL team and it's
the right side of the ball will look more different
than the Chicago Bears and the man the architecture. Ryan
Poles GM of Chicago talked about it.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think we made huge strides forward. There's work to
be done, but you know, this is an impact draft
for this organization. For sure, everything fell into place. I
would have never guessed that it would have lined up
the way that it did, so we're all excited. A
lot of hard work went into it and it paid
off for sure. Now it's time to started a new
(04:01):
chapter for this organization.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
One of the best receiver groups in the league, one
of the most talented quarterbacks, better than average tight end,
a running back that can catch polls. As a former
offensive lineman, I like both their tackles. This is the way,
this is the side of the ball. And no team
upgraded more than the Chicago Bears if you count free
agency and their top couple of picks that I can guarantee.
(04:27):
The other takeaway from the off season free agency in
draft is the opposite end of the spectrum, the Dallas Cowboys,
who did not get any better in free agency. They
had no money because they're overpaying Dak, and did not
draft a running back although they need two desperately, and
they need another receiver or three, and they only got
(04:49):
one in the sixth round. They will be more dependent
on Dak Prescott than ever before. And there are basic
lines that we know are true. If Dak doesn't get
one hundred yards run support, he's got a losing record.
Dak has feasted on losing teams in the NFL, and
with Philadelphia signing AJ Brown, Devonte Smith and acquiring Saquon Barkley,
(05:14):
and upgrading coordinators. You better be ready and you better
have Ammo. And Dallas signed Zeke who is washed. We
saw it in New England, so don't confuse tanking with strategy.
Billionaires would rather have an average season but maintain leverage.
(05:35):
I mean, Jerry's not going to super Bowls in the
last twenty five years anyway. What he doesn't want to do,
and the reality of how Jerry Jones has lived the
last several years is paying a B quarterback a plus
money and he does not want to do that again.
He would rather sacrifice this season. They'll be good, they
won't be terrible. They got too many good players. It's
(05:57):
the NFC, it's weak Washington, New York still kind of
rebuilding teams, right, But Jerry does not want to lose
leverage again like he did last time on Dak and
massively overpay for him. And the rumors and the numbers
that Dak wants is fifty five to sixty million a year.
That's Mahomes territory and he's not close. So what did
the Cowboys do? Didn't draft the young running back, didn't
(06:19):
really attack receiver. They rebuilt their offensive line for Dak.
Perhaps or the next quarterback. I thought it was strategy.
I'm not in a contract year gonna let your number soar. Hey,
Mahomes won a super Bowl without a number one receiver.
You've got a number one receiver. You have a more
than capable head coach. He won a Super Bowl. You've
(06:40):
got a good solid BB minus B plus tied end.
But we're gonna build the offensive line. That's how we
got you to be thirteen and three when you entered
this league. I thought it was a strategy draft, and
I don't disagree with it. But billionaires do not like
losing leverage. They'll lose football games. They're okay losing football game.
(07:00):
They don't like losing leverage, and Jerry wants leverage and negotiations.
And my guess is when you take Dak's run game away,
his numbers drop. And that's what Jerry now. You can
win games, and they can win games of that new
on line and that defense, but it won't be a
Dak led team because we know the truth is when
(07:21):
Dak has to be the centerpiece of the offense without
a great run game, and Zeke's not the answer. Here
is Jerry afterwards on their draft.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Relatively we have given ourselves a chance to be better
at the end of next year than we were at
the end of this year, because I'm figuring in now
some young guys that last year didn't play as much
as they're going to be playing this year, and some
(07:53):
of the positivists there. We're in a situation where these
young players were their first, second, third year guys. They've
got to start carrying the mayo for the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, you're not the Lions. You got whacked by the
Packers in the playoff game. You're not the Rams anymore.
You're not the Niners. Forget the Chiefs. Bill's Ravens. Jerry
knows the truth here. This is going to be a
completely dack led offense and there'll be limitations in a
contract year. All right, lot to talk about in the NBA.
(08:28):
Joel mbi Joel EMBII not happy that a lot of
nick fans bought tickets and were at the Philadelphia game.
I'd worry more about you than the fans.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Just me.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But I've been told for years that Joel Embiid is
a superstar. I've been assured he is MVP over Jokich,
even though Yokich analytically is a much better player. But
once again, I watch a series and Embiid is not
even the best player in the series. Jalen Brunson is
last year's second round against Boston, he shot twenty eight
percent in the deciding game. How about yesterday? How about
(09:03):
this series? Do you know what he's shooting in the
fourth quarter in the series against the Knicks, seventeen percent.
You keep telling me he's one thing, and I keep
seeing he's another. And somebody said it on the internet.
Apologies for not noticing who, but he plays small. He's
out there on their perimeter. Defensively, He's out there handling
the ball and shooting zero factor in the fourth quarter.
(09:26):
Not only is he shooting poorly in the fourth quarter,
do you realize that he has only two rebounds in
the series. In the fourth quarter, he shrinks. That's why
you pay a superstar. That's why you paid MJ or
Magic or Lebron or Steph. It's not for the first
eight minute, it's for the last five. He's not scoring,
(09:49):
he's not rebounding, and the Knicks are cleaning up on
the offensive glass. Now, the Knicks are a very diligent, hardworking,
aggressive team that rebounds offensively very well, but they're rebound
offensively even better against Embiid. That can't be the case
when you've got a guy that's the m v P
and year after year. And by the way, it's okay
(10:12):
if you're kind of a big man's Kawhi, where you're
a good basketball player, but you're not foundational, you're not
a cornerstone guy. You're not gonna you're not gonna carry
me to the playoffs your injuries. That's okay, But I've
been sold that you are. And this series has created absolute,
inarguable clarity. He's a really good basketball player, but he's
(10:33):
way closer to Kawhi than he is to Lebron And
that's okay. And afterwards, what did he say? He was
bummed out about Nick fans outnumbering Sixer fans. Here's John.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Thank He's unfortunate and I'm not calling him out, but
it is disappointing. No, Obviously, you got a lot of
these fans that down the road, especially because Shirley is
considers four style, so you know, they've always shown up
and I don't think that should happen.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah, not okay, By the way, maybe Nick fans only
an hour and a half down the road went to
the game because they've been hopeless for a decade and
now they're hopefull orreas Philadelphia with Embiid has always been hopefull,
But this morning feels hopeless. So if you're selling me
on one thing, okay, I'll listen to the sales job.
(11:32):
But when I'm seeing something different than you're selling me,
that's clarity and we can just say and it's fine.
There's Lebron up here, there's Quirky Kawhi down here, and
embiids in the ladder. That's the category he's in, which
is fine. It's still a very good player in the NBA.
I will say this about the Knicks Jalen Brunson. There
(11:52):
was arguments is he an a? Is he a one?
Very few times in NBA history has the small guy
let a team to a championship Isaiah Thomas, Steph Curry.
Now we don't know if Jalen's going to get you there,
but there's no question watching the series, who the soul
of the series is. Who the best player in the
series is, Who's the leader of the series, Who's the
(12:14):
heartbeat of the series. It's Jalen Brunson, not ambid Dot
not just on the outcomes, but when you watch the game,
the relentlessness of Brunson fits New York style and Embiid
plays small and Brunson plays big. That's how it comes
across to me. J Mac what a weekend.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, I mean, listen, Jalen Brunson. Remember he's everything Carmelo
Anthony was supposed to be. Remember how Anthony he was
supposed to be the nick savior and the superstar. It's
Jalen Brunson, Colin. And by the way, you know we
saw Kevin Durant get bounced last night. Kevin Durant would
look like a real good number two to Jalen Brunson's
number one in New York.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Well, that's crazy. I thought about that this morning. It's
not crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Kevin Durant likely will get traded this all season.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Get a bucket from Durant. Yeah, I don't need him
to be cornerstone.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He ain't going to be the leader in the huddle.
We know that.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, he wasn't in Golden State and that's the most
success he's had.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
It's crazy how the NBA works Like Durant isn't a
one He couldn't win anywhere as a one, okay see
Brooklyn Phoenix, but as a.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Two, amazing, right, that's for years. I said, Anthony Davis
is the greatest two in league history. I'm not going
to build around him, but he's remarkable player. Anthony Davis
is a remarkable player. Some guys don't have the personality
like Kawhi Kevin Durant MBID. Nobody's disputing they're great. Bronson's
(13:33):
got the game and the personality and the emotional character,
Wherewithal that's a one, Curry's a one, Lebron's a one.
I think Luca's got a lot of one. He can
drive me crazy, but I think he's a one.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
People are too fixated on height. Oh you can't be
a small guard. It's about what's in here, the heart,
and Brunson has that like we've never seen. Be sure
to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and Noone
Easter not a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Buffalo said Stefan Diggs, like you, We're moving on and
the San Francisco forty nine ers also sent a message.
This weekend. They drafted two receivers. I watched them both
play this year. Both are NFL players. Ricky Pearsoon in
the first round, Jacob Cowing later rounds from Arizona, one
of the Pac twelves better players. San Francisco sent a
(14:21):
message to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk. You guys are
really good and we really like you, but you're not
the reason we're winning. It's Kyle Shanahan, It's Christian McCaffrey,
It's Trent Williams. It's the defense, it's the physicality, the franchise,
play design and play calling. No Kyle Shanahan offense is
going to be led and dependent on a Moody wide receiver. So,
(14:44):
especially in twenty twenty forty, give you some sense of
how much over the last half decade, wide receivers has
grown in talent and abundance. Ten of the first thirty
seven picks in this draft ten were wide receivers. The
well run Eagles backed up the Brinks Trump to not
(15:07):
just Devonte Smith, but a J. Brown. Teams are signing
two receivers the huge deals, so teams are not going
to be trapped or beholdened to receivers that go on Instagram.
This is not the NBA. They're not going to do that.
There are positions that are really valuable, and there's a
scarcity of talent. You know, there are those positions in
(15:28):
the NFL, like you still need running backs, and generally
there's not a ton of them. But if you go
to last year's draft, fifth round Puka Nakua for the Rams,
third round Tank Dell for Houston, both became stars. The
top ten wide receivers last year in the NFL in
terms of yards, half of them, five of ten were
still on their rookie contract. So racing to your Instagram,
(15:53):
going out and publicly shaming a team or being difficult,
they will move off you. Now, this was a great
left tackle draft. Generally there are a premium on left
tackles because there's about one to two great ones of
draft this year. There have been seven to eight quarterbacks.
On average, we get one to two great ones a year.
This was a big quarterback year. But I thought the
San Francisco forty nine ers just sent a message We're
(16:16):
not going to be beholden to wide receivers. This is
a Shanahan team, it's a Trent William team. It's a
Christian McCaffrey team, a George Kittle team. That does not
mean Ayuk isn't talented. It's not that Deebo Samuel's not valuable.
That's not what they're saying. But what they're saying is
there's an abundance at this position. Our DNA, at our
core is Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey, and they went
(16:38):
and got two wide receivers. Here's j Mack with the news.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
No, no, no, turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
This is the herd Line news. All right, let's start
with the Lakers big Game five tonight in Denver. How
about that game four win Saturday night? I know you
were locked in. Impressive stuff for Darvin Ham, Lebron James, everybody,
and Game five and Ver tonight. Lebron is making sure
his team takes it one game at a time.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
The only opportunity for us is just to play the
next game. And we've given ourselves another life. We give
ourselves another lifeline, and it's a one game series for us.
You know, So Monday's game, I believe it's Monday. Yeah,
Monday's game is the most important game of the season
for us, and we understand that and we know that,
so you know what's that stake? You know, if you lose,
(17:24):
you're done? Are you win? You keep going?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah? Well, Jamal Murray, is he a game time decision tonight?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yep, he is questionable with a calf strain. It looked
like it was giving him problems at the end of
Game three. He's not had a great series. I mean,
obviously he had a game winning shot at the buzzer,
so you can't rip the guy. But Colin I think
the craziest staut of the playoffs so far. Through four
games in the series, the Lakers have led for one
hundred and thirty six of one hundred and ninety two minutes.
If dis were boxing, it's not, and we're grading rounds quarters.
(17:54):
The Lakers are winning the series. They have been the
better team. I know people don't want to hear that well,
but they have been.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
We've said this going into the series that they match
up with him very well. They don't have the closers.
Porter can hit a shot, Murray can hit a shot,
Jokic can hit a shot. Lebron at the end of
these games and Ad sometimes look gassed because d Lo
doesn't show up or Ruey doesn't show up playoff series
when you have two evenly matched teams come down to
the final six minutes. Denver's the much better final six
(18:22):
minutes team, but they do match up. I mean, the
Lakers are one of the few teams. Minnesota is another
that can go toe to toe with Denver in terms
of size and length. There's only a few teams in
the league that can do it. Boston I think probably can,
Milwaukee could, Lakers could, Minnesota could, but they're a big team.
That's a hard matchup. But La matches up very well
for most of the game.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
In a season where we've seen more twenty and thirty
point comebacks than ever before in NBA history, why can't
we see it come back from down three? Oho? Listen,
this Denver team does not have a bench. They don't
have a bench at all. They the bench has given
him nothing in this series.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
You think the Lakers have a great bench.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I don't think it's over. I mean, Prince played it
basically the entire fourth quarter over Ruya Haachi Mora, Hatchie
Morrow is basic Bendest.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
The series is over tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Probably that's what the gambling line says. I think Nuggets
are four. Yeah, I take it, take the Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
I would take the Nuggets to win and cover.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I haven't really touched this series. I'm just sorry. My
eyes are telling me that the Lakers are not done again.
You can't say they're gonna win four.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
In a row.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
By the way, a lot of teams lead the Kansas
City Chiefs in Super Bowls. They keep winning them.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yeah, no, no, certainly, Lakers have a massive uphill climb.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, Niners. It's funny how this works with Kansas City.
They trail all the time, they get out played all
the time. When it's over, they always win.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
For the sake of the show. What do you want
to happen? Let me refrave it.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
What do I want to happen? Well, I think it's
fascinating if Lebron gets knocked out, curries out, Kd's out.
This is officially the changing of the guard. You watch
OKC in Minnesota and you watch Indiana this this is
this season. You're watching an NBA pivot. Dame's gonna be out.
Older guys steps out, Lebron's out Brons.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Except for the sake of the show, you want Lebron
in the playoffs as long as possible. You know that
you're not leading the show with OKC. Colin. You're not
doing that. You're not leading the show with the Cleveland Calves.
You know it's not owe k C.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I'm gonna lead my show with OKAC plenty of times
over the next decade.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I next decade, I think.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I think their runway is long. Those guys are better
than I thought. Quick. We knew they were good. We
all knew Okayse was talented. They're better faster than we thought.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I'll give you Anthony Edwards because he's got some Jordan
vibes going on. But I will not give you Okaycy.
You're not leading the show was SGA and Shed whole year.
I'm sorry, not happening. Next up, Dallas, Mavericks Colin. They
killed me yesterday. Man down thirty one basically kawhi, Oh,
he's not gonna play Matts thought it was a rap.
They didn't show up. They were down thirty one points,
yet they came back to take a lead with Creve
(20:55):
Minet's That was.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
One of the craziest fourth quarters ever.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
I mean, that game was wild, unbelievable. Now an underplayed
angle is Luka Doncic is injured. Okay, he is dealing
with a right knee injury. He got cooked on the perimeter.
Remember he was so good defensively in Game two, and
that's something happened in Game three.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Isn't it interesting that Luca, who's number one in the
NBA in usage rate, is breaking down in the playoffs?
Don't well? I mean, if you go to the history
of usage rate for years and years, Harden would get
to the second round of the playoffs, late first round.
He ran out of gas. Luca, number one in the
NBA usage rate, is breaking down like it's a real
(21:34):
thing here. This is what the late Kobe Bryant used
to tell them when they asked, like, you can't win
titles dominating the ball, you're a human being. You'll run
out of gas. So Luca's breaking down.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Can a twenty five year old breakdown?
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
I mean, do you understand how long and hard the
NBA is. You can have play one hundred games against
the world's best athletes. I don't care how old you are.
I mean, Lebron figured this out early. If you have
teammates Meat Battye all Ray.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Now, now Dow Tim Hardaway's out in Jerseys. He's one
of their top six seven players. Anyways, Luca is not
having a great series thirty eight percent shooting twenty six
percent for three. He talked about how he's letting down
Kyrie Irving.
Speaker 7 (22:13):
I just got to help him more. I feel like
I'm letting him also, I gotta i gotta be there.
I gotta help him more. He's given everything that he
has and he's been amazing for us the whole series.
I gotta take an advantage of that and just makes
my life easier that he's on the court.
Speaker 5 (22:31):
Well.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, also Kyrie. You know who guards Kyrie being a
Westbrook or a Hardener, poor defenders. Who's guarding Luca. The
Clippers have excellent wing defenders. They're not great in the
back court defending. So there's a reason Kyrie's having the
series he's having and Lucas didn't forget how to shoot
a basketball. The Clippers have wing defenders in length and
they're they're a hard matchup for Luca.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I mean, Kyrie Irving, let's be real. I know you
and I aren't huge fans. I'm a lot huge fan.
I think he's an amazing player.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Oh amazing.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
He's been the best player in the series. Heart has
been great.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Yeh. By the way, we've said this before. For whatever reason,
there was this narrative playoff Paul, playoff, p Paul George,
like he wasn't a good playoff. But if you go
look at Paul George regular season numbers and playoff numbers,
they're very similar. So he was great yesterday. So it's just.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Hit big three.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Yeah. I mean people for years banged on him because
he couldn't beat the heatels. He had Roy Hibbert. It
was he, George Hill and Roy Hibbert, and you're like,
why can't he beat the Heatles And it's like, yeah,
I mean, when you ask a player in the NBA
to carry a series, they're not going to do it.
So it's like Paul George is, oh, I was one
of my favorite players in the league. And it's like
(23:38):
now he's got help, he's fresh in the fourth quarter
and he hit big shots yesterday.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
It's just tough for me to watch a guy like
Jalen Brunson absolutely dominate, totally dominate a sixers team by
himself largely. I mean, Josh Hart was over seven, and
we can't see other guys do the same thing. I
think a system has a lot to do with it,
and for whatever reason, like Lucas strugg in this playoff
system this series, He's been great against it.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It's a tough matchup because of the personnel by the
Clippers they have are It's a very deep roster with
a lot of good athletes that have length.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I still have MAVs in the series. Who you got, I.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Would say the Clippers. I always I feel the MAVs
are lobsided because there they have two great scorers and
then there's a major drop off to like PJ. Washington,
Whereas I feel the Clippers on any night, Harden could
go big, Kawai could go get Paul George Westbrook off
the bench, could give you twenty Howel is normally he's
been good for years. Norman's good player.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
The final story is the Vikings. They got their quarterback
and JJ McCarthy introduced him to the team and the
media and he's getting ready to know his teammates now.
McCarthy said Justin Jefferson reached out to give him some
advice on coming into the league and said he's really
excited to get a connection going with JJ. Interesting talk
(24:50):
from McCarthy and the chatter like Justin Jefferson reaching out
to him if he's gonna be the backup. I'm telling you,
I think he's starting Week one. You got Sam Darnold
is your guy?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Hunh Yeah, I mean I One of the things that
was obvious about this draft is that it was Michael Pennix,
not JJ McCarthy, that four teams wanted to move up
from Minnesota needed a quarterback, and yet they moved out
one spot. Three teams four if you count Atlanta, would
(25:21):
have drafted Michael Pennix in the top ten. So all
that chatter, it's a learning moment. All the chatter about
Penix falling to the second was all subterfuge. That was
all a smoke screen. So that people right because the
media just you give them a little you give them
a little bone, and they just chew that thing forever.
(25:42):
So what we found is, as Jim Harbaugh tried to
build up all this momentum urgency for JJ McCarthy, the
league didn't listen. Everybody looked at tape and went, he's
a game manager who could develop into something, Whereas the
league looked at Penis and went, bro, that's a starting
quarterback in the NFL very quickly. So what did we
learn about the draft? All that JJ McCarthy is the
(26:03):
third best quarterback maybe second. Nonsense, That's not what the
draft showed you. It showed you that multiple teams love Panix,
but they sent messages out that he wasn't ready for
the NFL. Four teams wanted him in the top ten.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I need to call a twenty second time out. Do
we remember who those four teams were? Because not all
teams are created equal. Calling you know this, I'm gonna
go ahead and say, if Kevin O'Connell, who you call?
What the tall McVeigh, If he identifies McCarthy as the
guy I want and I'm willing to wait for, I'm
not moving up for any of the other guys. I
trust his word more than sorry. Raiders fans, who are.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
The other team?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Falcons? What do those guys know? What have they ever done?
What they Saints satany coach is terrible? What were you
talking about? You bagged on the Dennis Allen all the time.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Well, Minnesota's not exactly dominated.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
This to Kevin O'Connell, though, is the guy against.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Even Kevin O'Connell if he truly loved JJ McCarthy would
have moved up more than a spot and given up
a mid rounder. McCarthy knew, Kevin O'Connell knew the truth.
They're all watching the same film. If he his whole
thing was McCarthy can work. If you look at the
(27:10):
way the Vikings are built, They're built for the quarterback
to come in and sit. That's what they're built for.
And McCarthy's a guy that I think Kevin O'Connell looks
at and thinks he needs to sit. He needs to
sit for a year. Everybody I trust on this business
says Drake May and JJ McCarthy are not ready week
one to play bow Knicks panics all our college starts.
(27:32):
Jade and Daniels Caleb are ready to play bow Knicks
may have a lower ceiling. He's ready to play. JJ
and Drake May need a year of refinement. That's what
I hear from all my guys.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Possible now, if JJ starts and gets Justin Jefferson, that's
like Burrow getting Chase And if Drake May ends up
getting Brandon Ayuk in New England, that's a superstar. I mean,
he was an All Pro receiver like that changes the
equation pretty dramatically.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
I think JJ McCarthy is going to succeed because of
where we landed more than he's just an uber town.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Now mcarthy goes to the Raiders, it's.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Not gonna work, right, Yeah. Jmck with the news.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
All right, New England Patriots post Belichick. I loved what
they did and it's the opposite of what Bill's been
doing in recent years. Plus Colin Wright, Colin Wrong Good,
one long one Top of the Hour. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and Noone Easter
not a im Pacific.
Speaker 8 (28:34):
What do you get when you combine a three time
Manager of the Year at a three time National Sports
Writer of the Year.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
It's the Book of Joe podcast.
Speaker 8 (28:43):
Hey, this is Tom Ferducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games
and what may have occurred to the dugout maybe in
the nineteen eighties. I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scene in Major League.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Baseball, cars, wind, whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 8 (29:03):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app,
on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Tonight on FS one, it's an AL Central showdown in
Chicago as the Twins take on the White Sox. It
all begins at sevent eastern on FS one.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
So again, very difficult to judge the draft because I
you know, I watched most of the guys drafted Round one,
two three. I got a sense of who they are
free agents, we know who they are. But I did
like what New England did, just sort of theoretically. So
Bill Belichick, I know everybody loves him, was allergic to offense.
He's got great stories, that's awesome. He's the best defensive
(29:42):
coach ever, that's all so great. He doesn't know what
he's doing offensively with personnel. The last eight drafts will
tell you this. So girod Mayo, one of his better players,
comes in. He's the new coach. Seven of eight picks offense,
the first five picks offense. I've watched most of these
guys play it's the anti Belichick draft. So last year
(30:04):
Bill Belichick, even with the slowest least dynamic receiving corps
tight end core in the league, that's not disputable, started
the draft with a corner, a defensive tackle, and a linebacker.
Later drafted multiple guards and a kicker. They did nothing
to help Mac Jones. Gerard Mayo comes in offense offense,
(30:27):
offense offense with Elliott Woolf. So the Houston Texans, for
the record, their general manager worked under Belichick for years.
How is it that the Houston Texans over the last
two years have been so good in personnel, drafting, in
free agency with the same guy in New England and
they butchered it because Belichick had his thumb on Nick Cazario.
(30:53):
The young man goes to Houston. Houston now is one
of the models of personnel the last two drafts and
the last two free agency period. So I don't know
how good Drake may is going to be, but they're
setting him up to succeed. And you know the other
thing is if you look at Mac Jones, and I
think we all admit now he was a Pro Bowl
as his first year, but there was a ceiling with
(31:15):
Mac Jones and Drake may is a bigger, stronger guy
with better mobility. He's a better athlete. He is, But
they didn't do anything to help Mac Jones. They overpaid
for possession receivers and overpaid for mediocre tight ends. I mean,
they brought in Zeke who was washed running back, they
did nothing to help him. They made the offensive coordinator
Matt Patricia. So I don't think Mac Jones was ever
(31:38):
going to be Patrick Mahomes. But you got to help
these young guys out. And whether or not Drake may
makes it, I don't know. But this draft was built
to help the young guy. Speed receivers, lineman built to
help the young guy. I mean, Belichick let Jakobe Myers go,
who was universally thought of as their most talented receiver
(31:59):
and their hardest working. They let him go. They let
Joe Tooney go, the best interior offensive line of New
England's had in a decade. So I don't know if
Gerard Mayo's going to make it. I don't know if
Drake may is going to make it, but they're given
the kid a shot. Belichick did nothing to help Mac Jones.
Probably the only thing he did. I liked he moved
(32:20):
off Cam Newton. Remember the second year in camp, He's like,
we're gonna go with mac Jones. That's what you do.
But after that it was almost like mac Jones was
working against the franchise and here's the new Patriots coach.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Now we go into the draft with the needs.
Speaker 9 (32:34):
Obviously we had a lot of needs on the offensive
side of the ball, and I think Elliott and Grow
and Alonso and all those guys did a great job.
Our scouting department, collaborating with our coaches, did a good
job really targeting people, you know, really on both sides
of the ball. But we know that to win games
in this league, you have to have a productive offense.
So that was the focus going on.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
So we know in the last twenty years, we know this,
We have all the data on it. Last two years.
First round quarterbacks are a fifty to fifty proposition. But
if you go back and look at the ones that
have succeeded almost without exception, though there are some exceptions,
they've gone to the better organizations Baltimore, Kansas City, you know,
(33:18):
the Rams. That's the guys that have succeeded. Then they're
the players like Trevor Lawrence who doesn't go to an
elite organization, or Justin Herbert, and they're so good they
can get into the playoffs. But there's almost no chance
for a B prospect to flourish when you don't give
(33:39):
them help. I mean JJ McCarthy in my opinion and
in the opinion of the NFLGMS. Drake May is more
talented than JJ McCarthy, right, but JJ McCarthy has a
much greater opportunity to flourish in Minnesota than Drake May
does in New England. I did like this draft, though
it's the anti Belichick draft. It was receivers, skill people offense.
(34:03):
I mean last year they go corner linebacker and defensive tackle,
kicker and two guards when all they had is possession receivers.
You know, I'd given mac Jones a fighting chance. Speaking
of a fighting chance, the Suns didn't have one. Now,
this is very typical of the NBA. The players are
leaking stuff for Phoenix today, blaming Frank Vogel for the loss.
It's so NBA it hurts. But I was thinking about
(34:24):
this this morning as Phoenix got swept by the te Wolves.
And it's weird because Phoenix faced the te Wolves in
the regular season I think three times, beat them all,
three times by double digits. But we know the regular
season and the postseason. NBA is a different sport. But
you know, take Lebron James out of it. When's the
last time a super team worked. It is really difficult
(34:48):
to microwaves success in the NBA. The top three seeds
in the West, Denver, OKC, in Minnesota, they put them
in the oven. They baked for years. They didn't microwave them.
In the East. The Celtics, Tatum and Jalen Brown. That's
their core. They've added pieces, they've subtracted pieces. That's their core.
The Suns are a great message to other owners in gms.
(35:14):
Baking in the oven beats the microwave. The basketball culture
in America, as we've noted several times, AAU basketball's gone south.
That's why the best players are now Europeans. Everybody wants
to get their bag. This guy get to bucket. The
Sun's losing is great for all of us that think
AU basketball is hurting the sport. The Sun's losing is
(35:37):
a win for roster construction, patience, chemistry, The oven over
the microwave. For the record, that was the old NBA,
which so many people loved. First round of these playoffs
down eleven percent from last year, and the numbers have
been going down for several years, trying to microwave stuff
(35:59):
stars top of stars. I didn't think Phoenix was gonna
win the West. I didn't think Phoenix was gonna win
the title, but I thought they'd be super viable and
fun and exciting. And this team looked like Katie and Brooklyn.
It was a lot of talent, but they didn't play
together that much. They were streaky good for a week
to ten days, then they wouldn't be available. So I
(36:19):
think it's a great example. It's a referendum on KD
to a large degree as well, but I think it's
a bigger referendum, and it's a message. It's a cautionary
tale that just microwaving in this league. Take Lebron out.
Lebron's an all timer, Lebron's different. Take him out, you'd
have to go back to like the Celtics with KG
and Ray Allen, where you can kind of microwave it
(36:40):
and win. And they got one title. They were great,
but they got one by and large slow patient draft
develop stick with your coach, don't let you bring these
stars in. Look at what they're doing to Vogel. They
already want Vogel out. That's not the answer. That's not
the answer. With the Suns, here's a booker after a roster.
Speaker 10 (37:04):
Wise, you know, everybody talks about the firepower, but you know,
you look around the league, it comes down to the details.
I don't I don't want to keep saying that, but
it's a it's a super important thing. You can't just
go out there and think you're gonna win off talent.
You know, the game is more complicated than that.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Yeah, it really is. But you start looking at the
NBA now and I'm I'm not knocking it, but it
is the reality. I think this is why the NBA
is going to Amazon for their new package. They want
to go get streaming money because they know they've got
issues right now with their product, which is leaning heavily
toward European players, which I love. I love their game.
I love seven footers that can shoot threes. I love
(37:47):
the passing of Jokic. I love the international players, SGA, Canada, Luca,
whatever it is. I love the players. But NBA is
saying we're going to take the Amazon money. Basically, we're
gonna take the money because right now, if you start
looking at it, Steph lebron K d and Bead's going
to be toast. Dame's going to be out of it.
(38:08):
It's a lot of OKC in Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Aunt Edwards is fun, but it's Minnesota. It's not a
basketball hot bed. If you walked up to the average
person in America on the street and said, hey, you
want to talk about Aunt Edwards, An Sga and chet Holmgren,
they don't know who they are. We're sports people. Jannis
Lillard are probably out as well. So it's it's and
I'm listen. I like the way Denver plays. I think
(38:32):
I predicted Denver Boston in the finals. I will say
this though. I will say this, I think Denver and
Boston are getting to the championship. Minnesota matches up with Denver,
they really do. They match up with Denver, so that series,
I don't know. I don't think OKAC does. I think
(38:52):
Minnesota though, matches up with the Nuggets and they could
chip away at them as Boston flies through comes out
well rested in the East.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
To your point on microwaving a title. I went back
and looked at the Sun's roster. Remember the Sons went
to the finals against Giannis and the Bucks. Yeah, Okay,
Devin Booker homegrown talent. They drafted him, Michail Bridges homegrown talent,
drafted DeAndre Ayton, homegown drafted Cameron Johnson, also drafted by
the Suns. They just added Chris Paul and he took
them to the trucks level. You do need homegrown, but no,
(39:21):
it's just like with the stocks Colin. Nobody wants to
buy and hold stocks. They want to day trade, but
that's got to go to the moon. They want.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Boston's done it right. They've kept their core guys, and
they had Marcus Smart as a core guy, and then
they basically went and got a better version of Marcus
Smart Drew Holliday, but he was the same kind of player.
Defense first, offense, second a little bit. Yeah, but it
basically the core. And then you know they've kept Horford,
(39:48):
but they pour zingis they bring in. But the core
the essence of what the Celtics are. They have draft picks.
They have two great all star players. That's Denver Oklahoma.
Minnesota now minnesot They brought in Mike Conley.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Right.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
What's funny about Minnesota is the league was talking about
small ball. They went twin towers. They went huge size.
You look at it now and you're like, Phoenix did
not match up. I mean Dallas and the Clippers. There
are moments you like both teams. There wasn't five minutes
in the Sun's t Wolves series, and I watched three
of the four games completely. There wasn't five minutes of
(40:23):
the series. I thought Phoenix matched up with them at
all from the very beginning.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
The problem is a regular season Suns beat them three
times three and.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Zero by ten point more.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
It's time. So it just shows the regular season fouled
us away because I bricked. I had the Sons winning
the series. I don't know, man, Minnesota, You're right, is
a good matchup for Denver. They got McDaniels on the wing,
they got Rudy Gobert, huge size. I do think if
you look salary caps, some of the capologists have looked
at it. The Tea Wolves owner, who's notoriously frugal, does
(40:53):
not like to go into the tax. They will be
massively into the tax after the season, so there's a
chance like this is their chance, and they'll probably we
try to unload Carl Anthony Towns after this.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
But I'll tell you Karl Anthony Towns has done himself favors.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
I mean, he's a clear number two.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
He's a hard matchup's when he's not in foul trouble,
he's a handful. There's a little Rashid Wallace where you're like,
oh that's good. It's just like you know he's gonna
get his points. He's just a hard guy to match
up against, all right. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong top of
our number two 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
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(00:22):
listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go
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be and however you may be listening or watching. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Jmac Wild Weekend
one of the best non football season weekends of the year.
(00:42):
A lot of the big names in the NBA. If
the Nuggets beat the Lakers, Tonight's steps out, Kd's out,
Lebron's gonna be out, and Bead's about to get vanquished
and shoved out. All started. All the big stars in
the NBA, the old guys, the superstars are getting bounced.
Are all the young kids taking over?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Its Jalen Brunson's time, Baby, Anthony Edwards time.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, it's a good time. Let's start with the NFL Draft.
So I'm not a big believer that you can forecast
who had the best NFL Draft. I don't know how fourth, fifth, sixth,
seventh rounder is going to do, but I have felt
through the years I can be more accurate assessing who
won the draft if I combine your free agent moves
(01:26):
with your top two or maybe three picks than my
accuracy on you know, grading what you did, looking how
you improved much easier and using that, the Chicago Bears,
more than any NFL team, will simply look different. They
upgraded personnel more than any NFL franchise, almost all of
(01:49):
it on offense. One team, the Chicago Bears, between Keenan Allen,
DeAndre Swift, Jerald Everett, Caleum Williams, Roma Dunze, that's a
great group. And because the division is now so stacked offensively,
go look at Minnesota's offensive personnel, Green Bays in Detroit.
There's only one way to win in that division, and
(02:12):
it's not defense. You're going to have to outscore people.
Three offensive coaches and the Bears have a defensive coach.
So last season, the Chicago Bears were twenty seventh in passing.
They're not going to look anything like that this season.
They were a terrible fourth quarter team. They could not
play from behind you have to be able to play
(02:34):
from behind, especially in a division with three offensive coaches
and stacked offensive rosters. The Bears couldn't last year, but
now they have two legit receivers and now a rookie
who could be a third. Two legit tight ends, NFL productive,
a good running back too, legitimate tackles, and yes, a
(02:57):
much better quarterback not close. Kleb Williams is significantly more talented,
more accurate than justin fields. So the first time I
can ever remember the Bears having a top seven, eight,
nine to ten offensive personnel group. This is a real team,
(03:18):
a real offense. And if you count free agency and
your top couple of picks, no NFL team and it's
the right side of the ball will look more different
than the Chicago Bears and the man the architecture. Ryan
Poles GM of Chicago talked about it.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think we made huge strides forward. There's work to
be done, but you know, this is an impact draft
for this organization. For sure, everything fell into place. I
would have never guessed that it would have lined up
the way that it did, so we're all excited. A
lot of hard work went into it and it paid
off for sure. Now it's time to started a new
(04:01):
chapter for this organization.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
One of the best receiver groups in the league, one
of the most talented quarterbacks, better than average tight end,
a running back that can catch polls. As a former
offensive lineman, I like both their tackles. This is the way,
this is the side of the ball. And no team
upgraded more than the Chicago Bears if you count free
agency and their top couple of picks that I can guarantee.
(04:27):
The other takeaway from the off season free agency in
draft is the opposite end of the spectrum, the Dallas Cowboys,
who did not get any better in free agency. They
had no money because they're overpaying Dak, and did not
draft a running back although they need two desperately, and
they need another receiver or three, and they only got
(04:49):
one in the sixth round. They will be more dependent
on Dak Prescott than ever before. And there are basic
lines that we know are true. If Dak doesn't get
one hundred yards run support, he's got a losing record.
Dak has feasted on losing teams in the NFL, and
with Philadelphia signing AJ Brown, Devonte Smith and acquiring Saquon Barkley,
(05:14):
and upgrading coordinators. You better be ready and you better
have Ammo. And Dallas signed Zeke who is washed. We
saw it in New England, so don't confuse tanking with strategy.
Billionaires would rather have an average season but maintain leverage.
(05:35):
I mean, Jerry's not going to super Bowls in the
last twenty five years anyway. What he doesn't want to do,
and the reality of how Jerry Jones has lived the
last several years is paying a B quarterback a plus
money and he does not want to do that again.
He would rather sacrifice this season. They'll be good, they
won't be terrible. They got too many good players. It's
(05:57):
the NFC, it's weak Washington, New York still kind of
rebuilding teams, right, But Jerry does not want to lose
leverage again like he did last time on Dak and
massively overpay for him. And the rumors and the numbers
that Dak wants is fifty five to sixty million a year.
That's Mahomes territory and he's not close. So what did
the Cowboys do? Didn't draft the young running back, didn't
(06:19):
really attack receiver. They rebuilt their offensive line for Dak.
Perhaps or the next quarterback. I thought it was strategy.
I'm not in a contract year gonna let your number soar. Hey,
Mahomes won a super Bowl without a number one receiver.
You've got a number one receiver. You have a more
than capable head coach. He won a Super Bowl. You've
(06:40):
got a good solid BB minus B plus tied end.
But we're gonna build the offensive line. That's how we
got you to be thirteen and three when you entered
this league. I thought it was a strategy draft, and
I don't disagree with it. But billionaires do not like
losing leverage. They'll lose football games. They're okay losing football game.
(07:00):
They don't like losing leverage, and Jerry wants leverage and negotiations.
And my guess is when you take Dak's run game away,
his numbers drop. And that's what Jerry now. You can
win games, and they can win games of that new
on line and that defense, but it won't be a
Dak led team because we know the truth is when
(07:21):
Dak has to be the centerpiece of the offense without
a great run game, and Zeke's not the answer. Here
is Jerry afterwards on their draft.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Relatively we have given ourselves a chance to be better
at the end of next year than we were at
the end of this year, because I'm figuring in now
some young guys that last year didn't play as much
as they're going to be playing this year, and some
(07:53):
of the positivists there. We're in a situation where these
young players were their first, second, third year guys. They've
got to start carrying the mayo for the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, you're not the Lions. You got whacked by the
Packers in the playoff game. You're not the Rams anymore.
You're not the Niners. Forget the Chiefs. Bill's Ravens. Jerry
knows the truth here. This is going to be a
completely dack led offense and there'll be limitations in a
contract year. All right, lot to talk about in the NBA.
(08:28):
Joel mbi Joel EMBII not happy that a lot of
nick fans bought tickets and were at the Philadelphia game.
I'd worry more about you than the fans.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Just me.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But I've been told for years that Joel Embiid is
a superstar. I've been assured he is MVP over Jokich,
even though Yokich analytically is a much better player. But
once again, I watch a series and Embiid is not
even the best player in the series. Jalen Brunson is
last year's second round against Boston, he shot twenty eight
percent in the deciding game. How about yesterday? How about
(09:03):
this series? Do you know what he's shooting in the
fourth quarter in the series against the Knicks, seventeen percent.
You keep telling me he's one thing, and I keep
seeing he's another. And somebody said it on the internet.
Apologies for not noticing who, but he plays small. He's
out there on their perimeter. Defensively, He's out there handling
the ball and shooting zero factor in the fourth quarter.
(09:26):
Not only is he shooting poorly in the fourth quarter,
do you realize that he has only two rebounds in
the series. In the fourth quarter, he shrinks. That's why
you pay a superstar. That's why you paid MJ or
Magic or Lebron or Steph. It's not for the first
eight minute, it's for the last five. He's not scoring,
(09:49):
he's not rebounding, and the Knicks are cleaning up on
the offensive glass. Now, the Knicks are a very diligent, hardworking,
aggressive team that rebounds offensively very well, but they're rebound
offensively even better against Embiid. That can't be the case
when you've got a guy that's the m v P
and year after year. And by the way, it's okay
(10:12):
if you're kind of a big man's Kawhi, where you're
a good basketball player, but you're not foundational, you're not
a cornerstone guy. You're not gonna you're not gonna carry
me to the playoffs your injuries. That's okay, But I've
been sold that you are. And this series has created absolute,
inarguable clarity. He's a really good basketball player, but he's
(10:33):
way closer to Kawhi than he is to Lebron And
that's okay. And afterwards, what did he say? He was
bummed out about Nick fans outnumbering Sixer fans. Here's John.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Thank He's unfortunate and I'm not calling him out, but
it is disappointing. No, Obviously, you got a lot of
these fans that down the road, especially because Shirley is
considers four style, so you know, they've always shown up
and I don't think that should happen.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah, not okay, By the way, maybe Nick fans only
an hour and a half down the road went to
the game because they've been hopeless for a decade and
now they're hopefull orreas Philadelphia with Embiid has always been hopefull,
But this morning feels hopeless. So if you're selling me
on one thing, okay, I'll listen to the sales job.
(11:32):
But when I'm seeing something different than you're selling me,
that's clarity and we can just say and it's fine.
There's Lebron up here, there's Quirky Kawhi down here, and
embiids in the ladder. That's the category he's in, which
is fine. It's still a very good player in the NBA.
I will say this about the Knicks Jalen Brunson. There
(11:52):
was arguments is he an a? Is he a one?
Very few times in NBA history has the small guy
let a team to a championship Isaiah Thomas, Steph Curry.
Now we don't know if Jalen's going to get you there,
but there's no question watching the series, who the soul
of the series is. Who the best player in the
series is, Who's the leader of the series, Who's the
(12:14):
heartbeat of the series. It's Jalen Brunson, not ambid Dot
not just on the outcomes, but when you watch the game,
the relentlessness of Brunson fits New York style and Embiid
plays small and Brunson plays big. That's how it comes
across to me. J Mac what a weekend.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, I mean, listen, Jalen Brunson. Remember he's everything Carmelo
Anthony was supposed to be. Remember how Anthony he was
supposed to be the nick savior and the superstar. It's
Jalen Brunson, Colin. And by the way, you know we
saw Kevin Durant get bounced last night. Kevin Durant would
look like a real good number two to Jalen Brunson's
number one in New York.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Well, that's crazy. I thought about that this morning. It's
not crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Kevin Durant likely will get traded this all season.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Get a bucket from Durant. Yeah, I don't need him
to be cornerstone.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He ain't going to be the leader in the huddle.
We know that.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, he wasn't in Golden State and that's the most
success he's had.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
It's crazy how the NBA works Like Durant isn't a
one He couldn't win anywhere as a one, okay see
Brooklyn Phoenix, but as a.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Two, amazing, right, that's for years. I said, Anthony Davis
is the greatest two in league history. I'm not going
to build around him, but he's remarkable player. Anthony Davis
is a remarkable player. Some guys don't have the personality
like Kawhi Kevin Durant MBID. Nobody's disputing they're great. Bronson's
(13:33):
got the game and the personality and the emotional character,
Wherewithal that's a one, Curry's a one, Lebron's a one.
I think Luca's got a lot of one. He can
drive me crazy, but I think he's a one.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
People are too fixated on height. Oh you can't be
a small guard. It's about what's in here, the heart,
and Brunson has that like we've never seen. Be sure
to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and Noone
Easter not a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Buffalo said Stefan Diggs, like you, We're moving on and
the San Francisco forty nine ers also sent a message.
This weekend. They drafted two receivers. I watched them both
play this year. Both are NFL players. Ricky Pearsoon in
the first round, Jacob Cowing later rounds from Arizona, one
of the Pac twelves better players. San Francisco sent a
(14:21):
message to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk. You guys are
really good and we really like you, but you're not
the reason we're winning. It's Kyle Shanahan, It's Christian McCaffrey,
It's Trent Williams. It's the defense, it's the physicality, the franchise,
play design and play calling. No Kyle Shanahan offense is
going to be led and dependent on a Moody wide receiver. So,
(14:44):
especially in twenty twenty forty, give you some sense of
how much over the last half decade, wide receivers has
grown in talent and abundance. Ten of the first thirty
seven picks in this draft ten were wide receivers. The
well run Eagles backed up the Brinks Trump to not
(15:07):
just Devonte Smith, but a J. Brown. Teams are signing
two receivers the huge deals, so teams are not going
to be trapped or beholdened to receivers that go on Instagram.
This is not the NBA. They're not going to do that.
There are positions that are really valuable, and there's a
scarcity of talent. You know, there are those positions in
(15:28):
the NFL, like you still need running backs, and generally
there's not a ton of them. But if you go
to last year's draft, fifth round Puka Nakua for the Rams,
third round Tank Dell for Houston, both became stars. The
top ten wide receivers last year in the NFL in
terms of yards, half of them, five of ten were
still on their rookie contract. So racing to your Instagram,
(15:53):
going out and publicly shaming a team or being difficult,
they will move off you. Now, this was a great
left tackle draft. Generally there are a premium on left
tackles because there's about one to two great ones of
draft this year. There have been seven to eight quarterbacks.
On average, we get one to two great ones a year.
This was a big quarterback year. But I thought the
San Francisco forty nine ers just sent a message We're
(16:16):
not going to be beholden to wide receivers. This is
a Shanahan team, it's a Trent William team. It's a
Christian McCaffrey team, a George Kittle team. That does not
mean Ayuk isn't talented. It's not that Deebo Samuel's not valuable.
That's not what they're saying. But what they're saying is
there's an abundance at this position. Our DNA, at our
core is Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey, and they went
(16:38):
and got two wide receivers. Here's j Mack with the news.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
No, no, no, turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
This is the herd Line news. All right, let's start
with the Lakers big Game five tonight in Denver. How
about that game four win Saturday night? I know you
were locked in. Impressive stuff for Darvin Ham, Lebron James, everybody,
and Game five and Ver tonight. Lebron is making sure
his team takes it one game at a time.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
The only opportunity for us is just to play the
next game. And we've given ourselves another life. We give
ourselves another lifeline, and it's a one game series for us.
You know, So Monday's game, I believe it's Monday. Yeah,
Monday's game is the most important game of the season
for us, and we understand that and we know that,
so you know what's that stake? You know, if you lose,
(17:24):
you're done? Are you win? You keep going?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah? Well, Jamal Murray, is he a game time decision tonight?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yep, he is questionable with a calf strain. It looked
like it was giving him problems at the end of
Game three. He's not had a great series. I mean,
obviously he had a game winning shot at the buzzer,
so you can't rip the guy. But Colin I think
the craziest staut of the playoffs so far. Through four
games in the series, the Lakers have led for one
hundred and thirty six of one hundred and ninety two minutes.
If dis were boxing, it's not, and we're grading rounds quarters.
(17:54):
The Lakers are winning the series. They have been the
better team. I know people don't want to hear that well,
but they have been.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
We've said this going into the series that they match
up with him very well. They don't have the closers.
Porter can hit a shot, Murray can hit a shot,
Jokic can hit a shot. Lebron at the end of
these games and Ad sometimes look gassed because d Lo
doesn't show up or Ruey doesn't show up playoff series
when you have two evenly matched teams come down to
the final six minutes. Denver's the much better final six
(18:22):
minutes team, but they do match up. I mean, the
Lakers are one of the few teams. Minnesota is another
that can go toe to toe with Denver in terms
of size and length. There's only a few teams in
the league that can do it. Boston I think probably can,
Milwaukee could, Lakers could, Minnesota could, but they're a big team.
That's a hard matchup. But La matches up very well
for most of the game.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
In a season where we've seen more twenty and thirty
point comebacks than ever before in NBA history, why can't
we see it come back from down three? Oho? Listen,
this Denver team does not have a bench. They don't
have a bench at all. They the bench has given
him nothing in this series.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
You think the Lakers have a great bench.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
I don't think it's over. I mean, Prince played it
basically the entire fourth quarter over Ruya Haachi Mora, Hatchie
Morrow is basic Bendest.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
The series is over tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Probably that's what the gambling line says. I think Nuggets
are four. Yeah, I take it, take the Nuggets.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
I would take the Nuggets to win and cover.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I haven't really touched this series. I'm just sorry. My
eyes are telling me that the Lakers are not done again.
You can't say they're gonna win four.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
In a row.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
By the way, a lot of teams lead the Kansas
City Chiefs in Super Bowls. They keep winning them.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yeah, no, no, certainly, Lakers have a massive uphill climb.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, Niners. It's funny how this works with Kansas City.
They trail all the time, they get out played all
the time. When it's over, they always win.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
For the sake of the show. What do you want
to happen? Let me refrave it.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
What do I want to happen? Well, I think it's
fascinating if Lebron gets knocked out, curries out, Kd's out.
This is officially the changing of the guard. You watch
OKC in Minnesota and you watch Indiana this this is
this season. You're watching an NBA pivot. Dame's gonna be out.
Older guys steps out, Lebron's out Brons.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Except for the sake of the show, you want Lebron
in the playoffs as long as possible. You know that
you're not leading the show with OKC. Colin. You're not
doing that. You're not leading the show with the Cleveland Calves.
You know it's not owe k C.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
I'm gonna lead my show with OKAC plenty of times
over the next decade.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I next decade, I think.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
I think their runway is long. Those guys are better
than I thought. Quick. We knew they were good. We
all knew Okayse was talented. They're better faster than we thought.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I'll give you Anthony Edwards because he's got some Jordan
vibes going on. But I will not give you Okaycy.
You're not leading the show was SGA and Shed whole year.
I'm sorry, not happening. Next up, Dallas, Mavericks Colin. They
killed me yesterday. Man down thirty one basically kawhi, Oh,
he's not gonna play Matts thought it was a rap.
They didn't show up. They were down thirty one points,
yet they came back to take a lead with Creve
(20:55):
Minet's That was.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
One of the craziest fourth quarters ever.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
I mean, that game was wild, unbelievable. Now an underplayed
angle is Luka Doncic is injured. Okay, he is dealing
with a right knee injury. He got cooked on the perimeter.
Remember he was so good defensively in Game two, and
that's something happened in Game three.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Isn't it interesting that Luca, who's number one in the
NBA in usage rate, is breaking down in the playoffs?
Don't well? I mean, if you go to the history
of usage rate for years and years, Harden would get
to the second round of the playoffs, late first round.
He ran out of gas. Luca, number one in the
NBA usage rate, is breaking down like it's a real
(21:34):
thing here. This is what the late Kobe Bryant used
to tell them when they asked, like, you can't win
titles dominating the ball, you're a human being. You'll run
out of gas. So Luca's breaking down.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Can a twenty five year old breakdown?
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
I mean, do you understand how long and hard the
NBA is. You can have play one hundred games against
the world's best athletes. I don't care how old you are.
I mean, Lebron figured this out early. If you have
teammates Meat Battye all Ray.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Now, now Dow Tim Hardaway's out in Jerseys. He's one
of their top six seven players. Anyways, Luca is not
having a great series thirty eight percent shooting twenty six
percent for three. He talked about how he's letting down
Kyrie Irving.
Speaker 7 (22:13):
I just got to help him more. I feel like
I'm letting him also, I gotta i gotta be there.
I gotta help him more. He's given everything that he
has and he's been amazing for us the whole series.
I gotta take an advantage of that and just makes
my life easier that he's on the court.
Speaker 5 (22:31):
Well.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, also Kyrie. You know who guards Kyrie being a
Westbrook or a Hardener, poor defenders. Who's guarding Luca. The
Clippers have excellent wing defenders. They're not great in the
back court defending. So there's a reason Kyrie's having the
series he's having and Lucas didn't forget how to shoot
a basketball. The Clippers have wing defenders in length and
they're they're a hard matchup for Luca.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
I mean, Kyrie Irving, let's be real. I know you
and I aren't huge fans. I'm a lot huge fan.
I think he's an amazing player.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Oh amazing.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
He's been the best player in the series. Heart has
been great.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Yeh. By the way, we've said this before. For whatever reason,
there was this narrative playoff Paul, playoff, p Paul George,
like he wasn't a good playoff. But if you go
look at Paul George regular season numbers and playoff numbers,
they're very similar. So he was great yesterday. So it's just.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Hit big three.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Yeah. I mean people for years banged on him because
he couldn't beat the heatels. He had Roy Hibbert. It
was he, George Hill and Roy Hibbert, and you're like,
why can't he beat the Heatles And it's like, yeah,
I mean, when you ask a player in the NBA
to carry a series, they're not going to do it.
So it's like Paul George is, oh, I was one
of my favorite players in the league. And it's like
(23:38):
now he's got help, he's fresh in the fourth quarter
and he hit big shots yesterday.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
It's just tough for me to watch a guy like
Jalen Brunson absolutely dominate, totally dominate a sixers team by
himself largely. I mean, Josh Hart was over seven, and
we can't see other guys do the same thing. I
think a system has a lot to do with it,
and for whatever reason, like Lucas strugg in this playoff
system this series, He's been great against it.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It's a tough matchup because of the personnel by the
Clippers they have are It's a very deep roster with
a lot of good athletes that have length.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I still have MAVs in the series. Who you got, I.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Would say the Clippers. I always I feel the MAVs
are lobsided because there they have two great scorers and
then there's a major drop off to like PJ. Washington,
Whereas I feel the Clippers on any night, Harden could
go big, Kawai could go get Paul George Westbrook off
the bench, could give you twenty Howel is normally he's
been good for years. Norman's good player.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
The final story is the Vikings. They got their quarterback
and JJ McCarthy introduced him to the team and the
media and he's getting ready to know his teammates now.
McCarthy said Justin Jefferson reached out to give him some
advice on coming into the league and said he's really
excited to get a connection going with JJ. Interesting talk
(24:50):
from McCarthy and the chatter like Justin Jefferson reaching out
to him if he's gonna be the backup. I'm telling you,
I think he's starting Week one. You got Sam Darnold
is your guy?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
Hunh Yeah, I mean I One of the things that
was obvious about this draft is that it was Michael Pennix,
not JJ McCarthy, that four teams wanted to move up
from Minnesota needed a quarterback, and yet they moved out
one spot. Three teams four if you count Atlanta, would
(25:21):
have drafted Michael Pennix in the top ten. So all
that chatter, it's a learning moment. All the chatter about
Penix falling to the second was all subterfuge. That was
all a smoke screen. So that people right because the
media just you give them a little you give them
a little bone, and they just chew that thing forever.
(25:42):
So what we found is, as Jim Harbaugh tried to
build up all this momentum urgency for JJ McCarthy, the
league didn't listen. Everybody looked at tape and went, he's
a game manager who could develop into something, Whereas the
league looked at Penis and went, bro, that's a starting
quarterback in the NFL very quickly. So what did we
learn about the draft? All that JJ McCarthy is the
(26:03):
third best quarterback maybe second. Nonsense, That's not what the
draft showed you. It showed you that multiple teams love Panix,
but they sent messages out that he wasn't ready for
the NFL. Four teams wanted him in the top ten.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I need to call a twenty second time out. Do
we remember who those four teams were? Because not all
teams are created equal. Calling you know this, I'm gonna
go ahead and say, if Kevin O'Connell, who you call?
What the tall McVeigh, If he identifies McCarthy as the
guy I want and I'm willing to wait for, I'm
not moving up for any of the other guys. I
trust his word more than sorry. Raiders fans, who are.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
The other team?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Falcons? What do those guys know? What have they ever done?
What they Saints satany coach is terrible? What were you
talking about? You bagged on the Dennis Allen all the time.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Well, Minnesota's not exactly dominated.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
This to Kevin O'Connell, though, is the guy against.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Even Kevin O'Connell if he truly loved JJ McCarthy would
have moved up more than a spot and given up
a mid rounder. McCarthy knew, Kevin O'Connell knew the truth.
They're all watching the same film. If he his whole
thing was McCarthy can work. If you look at the
(27:10):
way the Vikings are built, They're built for the quarterback
to come in and sit. That's what they're built for.
And McCarthy's a guy that I think Kevin O'Connell looks
at and thinks he needs to sit. He needs to
sit for a year. Everybody I trust on this business
says Drake May and JJ McCarthy are not ready week
one to play bow Knicks panics all our college starts.
(27:32):
Jade and Daniels Caleb are ready to play bow Knicks
may have a lower ceiling. He's ready to play. JJ
and Drake May need a year of refinement. That's what
I hear from all my guys.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Possible now, if JJ starts and gets Justin Jefferson, that's
like Burrow getting Chase And if Drake May ends up
getting Brandon Ayuk in New England, that's a superstar. I mean,
he was an All Pro receiver like that changes the
equation pretty dramatically.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
I think JJ McCarthy is going to succeed because of
where we landed more than he's just an uber town.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Now mcarthy goes to the Raiders, it's.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Not gonna work, right, Yeah. Jmck with the news.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
All right, New England Patriots post Belichick. I loved what
they did and it's the opposite of what Bill's been
doing in recent years. Plus Colin Wright, Colin Wrong Good,
one long one Top of the Hour. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and Noone Easter
not a im Pacific.
Speaker 8 (28:34):
What do you get when you combine a three time
Manager of the Year at a three time National Sports
Writer of the Year.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
It's the Book of Joe podcast.
Speaker 8 (28:43):
Hey, this is Tom Ferducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games
and what may have occurred to the dugout maybe in
the nineteen eighties. I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scene in Major League.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Baseball, cars, wind, whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 8 (29:03):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app,
on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Tonight on FS one, it's an AL Central showdown in
Chicago as the Twins take on the White Sox. It
all begins at sevent eastern on FS one.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
So again, very difficult to judge the draft because I
you know, I watched most of the guys drafted Round one,
two three. I got a sense of who they are
free agents, we know who they are. But I did
like what New England did, just sort of theoretically. So
Bill Belichick, I know everybody loves him, was allergic to offense.
He's got great stories, that's awesome. He's the best defensive
(29:42):
coach ever, that's all so great. He doesn't know what
he's doing offensively with personnel. The last eight drafts will
tell you this. So girod Mayo, one of his better players,
comes in. He's the new coach. Seven of eight picks offense,
the first five picks offense. I've watched most of these
guys play it's the anti Belichick draft. So last year
(30:04):
Bill Belichick, even with the slowest least dynamic receiving corps
tight end core in the league, that's not disputable, started
the draft with a corner, a defensive tackle, and a linebacker.
Later drafted multiple guards and a kicker. They did nothing
to help Mac Jones. Gerard Mayo comes in offense offense,
(30:27):
offense offense with Elliott Woolf. So the Houston Texans, for
the record, their general manager worked under Belichick for years.
How is it that the Houston Texans over the last
two years have been so good in personnel, drafting, in
free agency with the same guy in New England and
they butchered it because Belichick had his thumb on Nick Cazario.
(30:53):
The young man goes to Houston. Houston now is one
of the models of personnel the last two drafts and
the last two free agency period. So I don't know
how good Drake may is going to be, but they're
setting him up to succeed. And you know the other
thing is if you look at Mac Jones, and I
think we all admit now he was a Pro Bowl
as his first year, but there was a ceiling with
(31:15):
Mac Jones and Drake may is a bigger, stronger guy
with better mobility. He's a better athlete. He is, But
they didn't do anything to help Mac Jones. They overpaid
for possession receivers and overpaid for mediocre tight ends. I mean,
they brought in Zeke who was washed running back, they
did nothing to help him. They made the offensive coordinator
Matt Patricia. So I don't think Mac Jones was ever
(31:38):
going to be Patrick Mahomes. But you got to help
these young guys out. And whether or not Drake may
makes it, I don't know. But this draft was built
to help the young guy. Speed receivers, lineman built to
help the young guy. I mean, Belichick let Jakobe Myers go,
who was universally thought of as their most talented receiver
(31:59):
and their hardest working. They let him go. They let
Joe Tooney go, the best interior offensive line of New
England's had in a decade. So I don't know if
Gerard Mayo's going to make it. I don't know if
Drake may is going to make it, but they're given
the kid a shot. Belichick did nothing to help Mac Jones.
Probably the only thing he did. I liked he moved
(32:20):
off Cam Newton. Remember the second year in camp, He's like,
we're gonna go with mac Jones. That's what you do.
But after that it was almost like mac Jones was
working against the franchise and here's the new Patriots coach.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Now we go into the draft with the needs.
Speaker 9 (32:34):
Obviously we had a lot of needs on the offensive
side of the ball, and I think Elliott and Grow
and Alonso and all those guys did a great job.
Our scouting department, collaborating with our coaches, did a good
job really targeting people, you know, really on both sides
of the ball. But we know that to win games
in this league, you have to have a productive offense.
So that was the focus going on.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
So we know in the last twenty years, we know this,
We have all the data on it. Last two years.
First round quarterbacks are a fifty to fifty proposition. But
if you go back and look at the ones that
have succeeded almost without exception, though there are some exceptions,
they've gone to the better organizations Baltimore, Kansas City, you know,
(33:18):
the Rams. That's the guys that have succeeded. Then they're
the players like Trevor Lawrence who doesn't go to an
elite organization, or Justin Herbert, and they're so good they
can get into the playoffs. But there's almost no chance
for a B prospect to flourish when you don't give
(33:39):
them help. I mean JJ McCarthy in my opinion and
in the opinion of the NFLGMS. Drake May is more
talented than JJ McCarthy, right, but JJ McCarthy has a
much greater opportunity to flourish in Minnesota than Drake May
does in New England. I did like this draft, though
it's the anti Belichick draft. It was receivers, skill people offense.
(34:03):
I mean last year they go corner linebacker and defensive tackle,
kicker and two guards when all they had is possession receivers.
You know, I'd given mac Jones a fighting chance. Speaking
of a fighting chance, the Suns didn't have one. Now,
this is very typical of the NBA. The players are
leaking stuff for Phoenix today, blaming Frank Vogel for the loss.
It's so NBA it hurts. But I was thinking about
(34:24):
this this morning as Phoenix got swept by the te Wolves.
And it's weird because Phoenix faced the te Wolves in
the regular season I think three times, beat them all,
three times by double digits. But we know the regular
season and the postseason. NBA is a different sport. But
you know, take Lebron James out of it. When's the
last time a super team worked. It is really difficult
(34:48):
to microwaves success in the NBA. The top three seeds
in the West, Denver, OKC, in Minnesota, they put them
in the oven. They baked for years. They didn't microwave them.
In the East. The Celtics, Tatum and Jalen Brown. That's
their core. They've added pieces, they've subtracted pieces. That's their core.
The Suns are a great message to other owners in gms.
(35:14):
Baking in the oven beats the microwave. The basketball culture
in America, as we've noted several times, AAU basketball's gone south.
That's why the best players are now Europeans. Everybody wants
to get their bag. This guy get to bucket. The
Sun's losing is great for all of us that think
AU basketball is hurting the sport. The Sun's losing is
(35:37):
a win for roster construction, patience, chemistry, The oven over
the microwave. For the record, that was the old NBA,
which so many people loved. First round of these playoffs
down eleven percent from last year, and the numbers have
been going down for several years, trying to microwave stuff
(35:59):
stars top of stars. I didn't think Phoenix was gonna
win the West. I didn't think Phoenix was gonna win
the title, but I thought they'd be super viable and
fun and exciting. And this team looked like Katie and Brooklyn.
It was a lot of talent, but they didn't play
together that much. They were streaky good for a week
to ten days, then they wouldn't be available. So I
(36:19):
think it's a great example. It's a referendum on KD
to a large degree as well, but I think it's
a bigger referendum, and it's a message. It's a cautionary
tale that just microwaving in this league. Take Lebron out.
Lebron's an all timer, Lebron's different. Take him out, you'd
have to go back to like the Celtics with KG
and Ray Allen, where you can kind of microwave it
(36:40):
and win. And they got one title. They were great,
but they got one by and large slow patient draft
develop stick with your coach, don't let you bring these
stars in. Look at what they're doing to Vogel. They
already want Vogel out. That's not the answer. That's not
the answer. With the Suns, here's a booker after a roster.
Speaker 10 (37:04):
Wise, you know, everybody talks about the firepower, but you know,
you look around the league, it comes down to the details.
I don't I don't want to keep saying that, but
it's a it's a super important thing. You can't just
go out there and think you're gonna win off talent.
You know, the game is more complicated than that.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Yeah, it really is. But you start looking at the
NBA now and I'm I'm not knocking it, but it
is the reality. I think this is why the NBA
is going to Amazon for their new package. They want
to go get streaming money because they know they've got
issues right now with their product, which is leaning heavily
toward European players, which I love. I love their game.
I love seven footers that can shoot threes. I love
(37:47):
the passing of Jokic. I love the international players, SGA, Canada, Luca,
whatever it is. I love the players. But NBA is
saying we're going to take the Amazon money. Basically, we're
gonna take the money because right now, if you start
looking at it, Steph lebron K d and Bead's going
to be toast. Dame's going to be out of it.
(38:08):
It's a lot of OKC in Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (38:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Aunt Edwards is fun, but it's Minnesota. It's not a
basketball hot bed. If you walked up to the average
person in America on the street and said, hey, you
want to talk about Aunt Edwards, An Sga and chet Holmgren,
they don't know who they are. We're sports people. Jannis
Lillard are probably out as well. So it's it's and
I'm listen. I like the way Denver plays. I think
(38:32):
I predicted Denver Boston in the finals. I will say
this though. I will say this, I think Denver and
Boston are getting to the championship. Minnesota matches up with Denver,
they really do. They match up with Denver, so that series,
I don't know. I don't think OKAC does. I think
(38:52):
Minnesota though, matches up with the Nuggets and they could
chip away at them as Boston flies through comes out
well rested in the East.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
To your point on microwaving a title. I went back
and looked at the Sun's roster. Remember the Sons went
to the finals against Giannis and the Bucks. Yeah, Okay,
Devin Booker homegrown talent. They drafted him, Michail Bridges homegrown talent,
drafted DeAndre Ayton, homegown drafted Cameron Johnson, also drafted by
the Suns. They just added Chris Paul and he took
them to the trucks level. You do need homegrown, but no,
(39:21):
it's just like with the stocks Colin. Nobody wants to
buy and hold stocks. They want to day trade, but
that's got to go to the moon. They want.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Boston's done it right. They've kept their core guys, and
they had Marcus Smart as a core guy, and then
they basically went and got a better version of Marcus
Smart Drew Holliday, but he was the same kind of player.
Defense first, offense, second a little bit. Yeah, but it
basically the core. And then you know they've kept Horford,
(39:48):
but they pour zingis they bring in. But the core
the essence of what the Celtics are. They have draft picks.
They have two great all star players. That's Denver Oklahoma.
Minnesota now minnesot They brought in Mike Conley.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Right.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
What's funny about Minnesota is the league was talking about
small ball. They went twin towers. They went huge size.
You look at it now and you're like, Phoenix did
not match up. I mean Dallas and the Clippers. There
are moments you like both teams. There wasn't five minutes
in the Sun's t Wolves series, and I watched three
of the four games completely. There wasn't five minutes of
(40:23):
the series. I thought Phoenix matched up with them at
all from the very beginning.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
The problem is a regular season Suns beat them three
times three and.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Zero by ten point more.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
It's time. So it just shows the regular season fouled
us away because I bricked. I had the Sons winning
the series. I don't know, man, Minnesota, You're right, is
a good matchup for Denver. They got McDaniels on the wing,
they got Rudy Gobert, huge size. I do think if
you look salary caps, some of the capologists have looked
at it. The Tea Wolves owner, who's notoriously frugal, does
(40:53):
not like to go into the tax. They will be
massively into the tax after the season, so there's a
chance like this is their chance, and they'll probably we
try to unload Carl Anthony Towns after this.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
But I'll tell you Karl Anthony Towns has done himself favors.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
I mean, he's a clear number two.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
He's a hard matchup's when he's not in foul trouble,
he's a handful. There's a little Rashid Wallace where you're like,
oh that's good. It's just like you know he's gonna
get his points. He's just a hard guy to match
up against, all right. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong top of
our number two next
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