June 12, 2024 • 32 mins
Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell joins The Herd to talk about their offseason and the NFC North
More on the legendary life of Jerry West
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Rick Buker was really good on Jerry West. We'll bring
that back at the very end of the show. I
went out to dinner last night with Rick Buker and
we were talking about all things Golden State and NBA,
so with a heavy heart. Rick was pretty close to
Jerry West and Bill Walton, and he shared that with
us about an hour ago, So we'll bring that back.
Kevin O'Connell is going to be joining us here pretty soon.
(00:46):
So the NBA Finals resumes tonight. It is in Dallas.
I like Dallas big. I do think Kyrie Irving and Lively,
the rookie, both bothered by the intense environment of Boston, NBA,
the proximity for a rookie to be in an NBA Finals.
I'd sort of marveled at how well Lively had played
(01:07):
through the playoffs, for a nineteen or twenty year old
to be asked big assignments in the playoffs out a duke.
One year at Duke, I think, I think he's been terrific.
Your role players and your young players, generally in the
playoffs in the finals are better at home. Your stars,
you know, you usually get a pretty, you know, reasonable performance.
(01:31):
You know, same thing every every game. Again, will Porzingis play?
And I mentioned this earlier, I think porzingis. I think
when Porzingis signed, because he was viewed as sort of
unsuccessful and not working in Dallas. When Porzingis signed with Boston,
people didn't watch him in Washington and had no idea
(01:53):
how well he played. He was sensational and he has
been when he's on the floor. Absolutely every data metric
would show this. He makes Boston a much better team.
Cross your fingers if you're a Celtic fan. Will he
play tonight? J Mack with the news?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
No, No turn on the news. This is the herd
line news.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
All right, let's stick with the NBA Finals.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Kyrie Irving has been absolutely terrible, averaging fourteen points per
game on thirty five percent shooting. It seemed to me
like the Boston crowd got to him in Game two.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
Did you see a.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Couple gestures to the crowd YEP, it just wasn't a
good look at him trying to take Jason Tatum or
just turn over.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Kyrie's not been good here. He is talking about having
to play better.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
We started with me just telling ma Hermano just I
got to play better for him, alongside him, and you know,
in order for us to you know, accomplish our goal,
we both have to be playing well and we both
have to be doing the little things and doing whatever
it takes to win. So easy conversation, but it started
with me reaching out, just letting him know that, you know,
(02:58):
it's my it's my fault take accountability for not playing
particularly well. So we know what we're in for. But
now we got to raise it to it in the
higher level. And it starts with me.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, I think there are certain environments, like we know
a college, college players unravel very quickly on the road, basketball, football,
they're younger generally in the NBA. Don't think pro athletes
are bothered by it. But Kyrie was a Celtic, you know,
felt like a little bit of a kind of a
tense relationship and so Boston fans have let him have it,
(03:28):
and I think it's affecting it.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I just wonder Colin watching him play. I know Lebron
said he's the most gifted player ever.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
He looks limited out there and what he can do
against length, well, like he's settling for mid range garbage.
He's not getting to the Rimy attempted two free throws
in two games, and he hasn't made a three pointer.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well, like Luca has had lower numbers of assists. So
it does feel like, this is what I said after
the game two game, It does feel like Luca's doing
his thing and Kyrie's doing his thing, kind of like
Dame and Giannis. When you put him together this year,
Initially you're like, there's no symmetry, Brown Tatum, Derek White.
When you start playing with guys and it feels different.
(04:07):
Boston feels like they're a cohesive, collaborative unit tied together
with a string. In Boston, it was like Luca your turn,
Kyrie your turn. I didn't feel any symmetry with that
combo at all.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I do wonder.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
You know a lot of people have made this small
guard can't win thing, Steph Curry against these Celtics.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I know they didn't have holiday, but they had Marcus,
so Marty was awesome.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Curry lit these guys up because of the three pointer.
He moves great off the ball. Watch Kyrie, you're irving
off the ball to I tell me what he's doing.
Not a lot of movement, well standing around. He's just
not even close to the player Curry is.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
No, he's not. And they're also flawed players. Luca is
poor defensively. Yeah, he's having a round. And Kyrie is
more of an ISO player, you know. So Steph Curry
may not be great defensively, but offensively he's flawless floaters
at the rim movement. Steph Curry is a flawless offensive player.
Both Luca and Kyrie do have holes in their game.
(05:06):
The only Boston hole in this series to me, has
been who closes it? Is it Tatum or Brown? I
haven't have to worry about that. So that's right. That's
that's noteworthy. With Porzingis, they've had leads. You take Porzingis out,
these are going to be much closer games in Dallas.
Then who's closing for Boston could be the problem. We've
(05:29):
been concerned about it just hadn't been an issue in
the first two.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
What about Porzingis seventy five percent? Is that still a
problem for them?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yes? If I said, you give me Porzingis for eighteen minutes,
nine and a half, that's rim protection. Okay, that takes
the Lobs out. Watch Dallas's lob game come back in
tonight and in Game four if Porzingis doesn't play.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, all right. Next up is the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
They drafted Jayden Daniels with the second overall picky.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
They hope he's the franchise QB. They've coveted it for
a while. Terry McLaurin scary.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Terry will surely be happy to have a proper quarterback
under center and to get him the ball.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Here's what he had to say about the rookie at
camp so far.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
He came here really prepared.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
I feel like when he was getting ones reps or
where he's working with the two's like he does a
great job of getting the most out of his the
reps that he needs to to accomplish. He's humble, but
he's confident in his ability. Like he's played at the
highest level. He's played against really great competition, and he
knows that he can make all the throws, so he's
not putting the car before the horse. He's literally taking
(06:31):
this thing day by day, and he's doing a really good.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Job right now.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Have you noticed everybody says the same thing about him.
How mature Jaden Daniels is. That is so important. We
always joke about the hat on backwards thing, but all
the comments about Jaden Daniels, College, Brian Kelly, pro, they're
all the same thing. This guy is really mature. I'm
telling you watch out for the kid. Everything I hear.
(07:02):
I have a good source around that organization. They love him.
They don't like him, they love him.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's gonna have a chance early at Tampa, which is
not an amazing defense though verst the Giants, you know,
defensive line is good to rest and Bengals and then Cardinals.
Here's a schedule, so there's a world where they start
two and two, three and one and all of a sudden,
is like dad right here.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
With Kayleb, that's a very workable Schedule's.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Get a little more difficult with Browns and Ravens.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Actually, I have him in the playoffs. I think they'll
make it.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That's crazy talk.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
The final story is Oh, yeah, here we go.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
You're gonna love this one.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
So Christian McCaffrey got the big contract extension recently and
he was named the Madden twenty twenty five cover athlete yesterday.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
In an appearance on NFL Network.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
McCaffrey was asked about landing the cover and whether he's
worried about the Madden curse.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
No, I'm not superstitious at all about it. I was
so excited now, I mean, this was this was such
honor to be able to you know, when I first
got the call, I was I was in shock and
something that I just never thought what happened to me.
I never thought that, you know, somebody would call and
tell me I'm on the cover of matt And so
when I got the call, I wouldn't figure out any curse.
I was just excited. And uh no, I mean I
(08:16):
think that stuff is killing the myth, and you know,
whatever happens happens.
Speaker 8 (08:21):
But I'm I'm I'm excited to be uncovered.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, it is a myth. We have enough conspiracy theories
in the world. Let's just not the.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Only problem is, if you look at some of the
cover guys, they've had the worst seasons of their career.
Josh Allen last year, Colum, Yeah, it's still.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
A pretty good season. I'll take Josh Allen. I'll take
his worst year ever.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I mean, do you need me to go through all?
I don't want to go through all.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
A lot of like Antonio brown On, like, there's been
a lot of guys who went sideways.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
You're not worried. Okay, that was good.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I'm happy you're not gonna worried worry.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
Jay mcklins, Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping
by the herd Line news.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Well, he's entering his third season as head coach of
the Minnesota Vikings, and in this t this division has
gotten really, really good. Kevin O'Connell's joining us. This is
supposed to be the off season for guys like you,
but you've been very busy assigned justin Jefferson, and you know,
I got a million things to ask you. I want
to go back to Sam Donald, so I always predict
how the quarterbacks are going to do. I love Donald
(09:17):
out of college. I loved him. People remind me all
the time that he's not as good as I said,
But Kyle liked him, and you like him, so I
trust smart guys. What do you see with Sam that
hasn't necessarily always worked in terms of winning in the NFL?
What do you see as a guy who played the
position and coaches it.
Speaker 9 (09:40):
Yeah, I think Colin you weren't, you know, as far
as talent goes, as far as ability, Sam Donald coming
out had everything that you look for in you know,
a quarterback you're willing to invest a first round pick in.
And look, we all have different quarterback journeys. And I
joke about this, I use that term very loosely for myself,
(10:01):
but we all have different paths, We go different situations.
You know, what type of mentality you have in that
moment to execute the offense that you're in. What is
that offense asking you to do to attempt to try
to go win football games? And I think that, you know,
when we're getting Sam is as important as getting Sam himself.
(10:23):
I think he's in a great place in his career.
I think he really did some things even last year
in a limited amount of time. But he really benefited
from from Kyle and Brian Greasy and playing, you know,
in a quarterback room with Brock Purty and watching you know,
a guy execute an offense at a really high level
and then getting a chance limited, but getting a chance
(10:43):
to you know, execute that offense himself.
Speaker 8 (10:47):
I think he's matured a ton.
Speaker 9 (10:49):
He understands, you know, exactly who he is as a quarterback.
And and when we went to try to get Sam
to come to Minnesota, him and I had some great
dialogue about out my feelings towards Sam and his excitement
about joining our team, a lot of which has to
do with playing with some of the teammates he's going
to get to play with, and Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T. J. Hawkinson,
(11:11):
Aaron Jones, and Ty Chandler. We've got a continuity along
the offensive line. And and oh, by the way, we're
challenged by, you know, a really really good defense and
practice every day that's only gotten better with some of
the additions that we've made. So I'm looking for Sam
to continue what he's done this spring, which is he's
had a great spring. But ultimately it's going to be
about training camp and preparing to be the quarterback of
(11:36):
our of our team. And and can he stack some
days together and build confidence not only in himself but
through his teammates watching him go to work every day
and tirelessly prepared it to be at his best.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and newon Eastern a em Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio
FS one, and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
You have had the most in tristing career in terms
of teammates at quarterback and players under you. You've had
everybody from the goat to Stafford to trash talk and
Philip Rivers to the nicest guy in the world, Kirk
Cousins to young Jared Goff to kacky Johnny Manziel. You've
(12:20):
had everything. I mean, you had all the personalities. If
I said to you, what is the one thing that
you're gonna miss about Kirk Cousins, the one thing you've
had such this breadth of quarterback personalities, What do you
miss about Kirk?
Speaker 8 (12:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (12:37):
Really, I mean Colin Kirk and I go back to
my time in Washington in twenty seventeen, building a relationship
as his position coach, watching him do do a lot
of really good things, and then you know, unfortunately we
you know, we didn't have him. The following year, he
found his way to Minnesota, where who would have known
(12:59):
three or four years behind that I would get a
chance to come here and be his head coach, and
and really this the relationship formed the amount of you know,
just belief we had in each other and both chasing,
you know, like minded goals of the Minnesota Vikings being
the best team we could help make it be. You know,
I really enjoyed my time with Kirk. I think the
(13:21):
world of them as a person and a player, a leader.
You know, those are things that you know, I look
and will continue to look back on really fondly, you know,
of our time together. But in a lot of ways,
Kirk's helped me become the coach I am today, and
I'm excited to coach the quarterbacks we have on our team,
whether it's Sam Darnold, JJ McCarthy, Nick Mullins is a
(13:44):
guy that's been here essentially since I became the head
coach of the Vikings for you know that, you know,
coming right before that first season started, and then Jaron
All's you know, continuing to develop and growing every single
day as another young player in this league.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
So I'm excited about that quarterback room.
Speaker 9 (14:01):
I'm learning things every single day about the different aspects
of my job. Starting first and foremost as being the
head coach, but also I still like being around the
quarterback position.
Speaker 8 (14:10):
I still like, you know, having that role as the.
Speaker 9 (14:13):
Play caller where I build those relationships with the quarterbacks
so that the amount of connection and the trust that's built,
we can go feel like we're, you know, having a
chance to really be at our best when it's time
to go compete for seventeen ops this fall.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So Jan McCarthy, when I watched him, my takeaway was
the tough part for him would be he always had
a lead at Michigan. He always had a run game
at Michigan. That's not the NFL. I mean, there are
times you can have a good run game and you
figure out after two series, we can't run on these guys.
The NFL is a whole different ballgame. You almost even
(14:50):
Brady's playing behind all the time. Maholmes is playing behind
in Super Bowls, so that transition. He's tall enough, he
can move, he can make the throws. He's smart andough.
The Alabama quarterbacks sometimes come into this league and it's like, oh,
they know I'm throwing. How do you create stress for
JJ McCarthy, which is what NFL quarterbacks face real game
(15:14):
stress because at Michigan, with that group of dominating line
play and that coach, it didn't feel like an NFL
experience to me Or am I wrong?
Speaker 9 (15:26):
Well, Colin, you know, I think we can absolutely create
it by the environment that we put him in, and
that's how we structure practices. He's going to be playing
against Obrian Flores defense every single day with a variety
of different looks. They're going to confuse him. They're gonna,
you know, put some stress and some pressure on him
(15:46):
at times. He's going to get the opportunity to respond
to snap in and snap out adversity. There's gonna be
some days in camp where maybe you know, he walks
off the field frustrated, and it's about what he does
in those moments. Can we continue to have growth? Can
we come out the next day and not make some
of the same mistakes twice? And then I think the
other part of it is calling. You know, when in
(16:08):
my evaluation of JJ, it took me down a road
where I really wanted to sync up a lot of
the quarterbacks in the draft based upon you know what
flow and I call the weighty downs and those those
important downs that are third down third downs in the
red area, some of the two minute drives where you've
got to find a way to move the team with
(16:30):
maybe necessarily not having the clock as your ally, and
you've got to be able to adapt and play regardless
of how the game is gone. You've got to make
some of those plays. And I think that's what defines
successful quarterbacks in this league. It's not the games where
you know you're hitting a bunch of layups and moving
the football at will.
Speaker 8 (16:48):
It's the games where it's been tough.
Speaker 9 (16:49):
Yeah, we got to make this play on this third
and seven right now to have a chance to capture
momentum in this football game. And there was evidence when
you study AJ McCarthy's it's one of those things where
the run game at Michigan obviously was a real benefit
to him, you know, marrying that with a play action
game that allowed him to.
Speaker 8 (17:10):
You know, show his trade to throwing the football down
the field.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
But you can't really build a team in a philosophy around,
you know, some of those traits and principles without having
a really good third down operation. And some of the
throws that he was asked to make reading coverage, tight
window throws, and I'm talking third and seven, eight, nine
plus colin, where the quarterback is the main driver behind
(17:36):
the ability, you know, for that unit to have success
on that play. And then ultimately, once you get that
third and nine, you can go back to running the
ball and imposing your will on the opponent. But there's
still gonna be those weighty downs, even in games you're leading,
even in games you're trying to hunt down the league,
close games in the playoffs that that he was able
to experience, I would just say that there was enough
(17:58):
there to show that he's more than capable of continuing
that growth and development at our level. And then you
got to look inward, and you got to look at
what you're going to be putting that player into from
an offense standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, what type of
playmakers does that player have around him, to where it's
as simple, do your job, permise and can you go
(18:19):
execute with great detail what we're asking you to do,
snap in and snap out, distribute the football to your
teammates and and kind of let the offense work hand
in hand with you.
Speaker 8 (18:31):
And then ultimately there's going to be some downs.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Where we need the quarterback to make a play that
is the facts of life in the NFL, and I
feel very strongly that JJ is going to be capable
of making those plays in those moments to not only
experience success, but continue on a trajectory that we're pretty
excited about where he can get to.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
By the way, I'm guessing I saw your son behind you.
Is it bring your kid to workday today? Because I
saw him right behind you.
Speaker 8 (18:55):
Yeah. You know what we did.
Speaker 9 (18:57):
We brought you know, we last day of OTAs today.
Figure get these guys out and put them to work.
We had a bunch of our coaches kids out there
helping out with the footballs and spotting the ball and
just kind of getting to be around it. I figured, Hey,
and other professions people get to, Yeah, bring their kids
to work. Why not in the NFL, especially this time
(19:18):
of year where we're in the you know, finishing up
the off season, great time, kids are out of school,
and I'm always looking for any extra moments I could have,
you know, with my kids and making up for a
lot of time that we commit to these jobs that
we have.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yep, congrats on Justin Jefferson, coach, appreciate you giving us
the time. Good camp nice talking. We'll see we'll have
you on again. I appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
Yeah, absolutely, Colin, appreciate you. All right.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Kevin O'Connell, Uh yeah. Bring your kids to I brought
my kids a couple of times to work the studio.
They kind of like that thing. They got no interest
in doing this, but they kind of like the studio.
You know, you never brought your kids to work. You
want me to one day, I don't care. It doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I got I got one troublemaker and then one rule follower.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
You have it.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh that's funny.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah, so everybody has that one kid falls in line together.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Just what I mean troublemaker? What does that mean?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Take a guess.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Well, there's a lot of different troubles. It's seven. It's
different than seventeen where you I know where you live
at seventeen, it's real trouble. It's seven. They had an
extra cookie.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I got two great kids. I look forward to bringing
them here one day.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
So all right, there you go. All right, Rick Buker,
real touching stuff on Jerry West he was on earlier today.
I want to bring some of that back coming up.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern, not a em Pacific.
Speaker 10 (20:37):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
But here's the thing.
Speaker 10 (20:43):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
want to get to and.
Speaker 11 (20:46):
That's why we have a brand new podcast called over Promised.
You see, we're having so much fun in our two
hour show. We never get to everything, honestly because this
guy is over promising things we never have time for.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, you blubber lip.
Speaker 10 (21:00):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years. Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show,
and we want you to be a part of it.
We're gonna be talking sports, of course, but we're also
going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and
I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time,
it will continue on our after show called over Promised. Well,
if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure
(21:21):
you check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by the way,
so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder.
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 11 (21:28):
There you go over promising, and remember you could see
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen over Promised with
Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
When it comes to those that you want to protect
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We had Rick Buker on earlier today who was very
close to Jerry West, who built the Lakers dynasty and
then another Laker dynasty and then helped in the Warrior dynasty,
(22:01):
the first great guard, mister Clutch became the Yogo logo,
a multiple time Executive of the Year, and he always
felt like the all time great basketball consultant. If you
had an issue, you called Jerry West up until very
recently and earlier today Rick stopped buying. We discussed how
important Jerry was to the game of basketball.
Speaker 12 (22:24):
This is why I'm always amazed when people don't put
him in the top three or four all time Lakers.
And it's a combination of what he was as a
player and what he was as an executive. And I mean,
this news is kind of hard for me because Jerry was,
as you said, a singular.
Speaker 8 (22:43):
Guy, and.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
You I would joke about it like i would.
Speaker 12 (22:48):
Get on the phone with him and I'd ask him
one question, and I'd have a lot of questions for him.
I'd ask him one question, and forty five minutes later,
I'm waiting to ask.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
My second question. Is breadth of nol?
Speaker 12 (23:00):
I mean, he he just and it was one of
the things that made him so special as an executive
because he could talk to great players. As a great player,
he never lost he never lost that feel for what
it meant to be a great player, even when he
became an executive.
Speaker 9 (23:20):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (23:21):
And his his going and getting and and and at
the same time he figured out ways to make the
front office numbers details work. I mean, his his getting
shack from Orlando to to the Lakers was no small
(23:42):
feat at that time. That was that was that took
a lot of heavy lifting. But the the other part
was that for all that he did, there was a
humility about him.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
There's no coo. I always felt he never lost there's
a vulnerable I've said this about Tom Brady. Considering how
good he looks and how good he's been, there was
always sort of a like like Bill runs the show
I'm Just a Quarterback. There is a humility to Jerry. Now,
Jerry could be very relentless if you look at his childhood.
All of our childhood shape our personalities as adults. Sure,
(24:17):
but there was I meant when he made that Shack deal.
I can remember reading a story where he said he
got sick. It was such a big deal, and Shack
was regarded as literally an immovable unicorn. There was no Shack.
He made the deal. He felt for the Bus family,
for the city of Los Angeles. He was so nervous
(24:38):
that I guess he got sick physically well he I mean,
he couldn't watch games. He would get on the car.
Speaker 12 (24:44):
He would get into his car and drive on the
freeways and listen to games because he couldn't stand just
sitting there in the stands watching games. And it looked,
I mean that some of our greatest assets are also
our biggest defects. Right, And And what drove him and
what kind of fueled that humility was this feeling like
(25:07):
if I don't work as hard as I possibly can,
I'm I'm not gonna make it. I'm I'm going to lose.
I'm gonna be I'm gonna not be good enough and
and it was almost like a paranoia and a and
an obsession to work as hard as he did. Uh,
And so that fueled him. But at the time it
made him a little crazy too. I mean he was
(25:29):
he was known as he was known as both the
Logo and l Loco.
Speaker 8 (25:35):
He had both.
Speaker 12 (25:36):
Nicknames and and lived up to both of them. But man,
what I just a tortured human being in some ways,
but just a genuine I gotta tell you, just between
losing Bill and and now losing Jerry, like, those are
two guys that were They brought such a humanity to
(25:58):
the league. If you were in the lead and you've
got a chance to know them. That's what made the
NBA so special, is the fabric of it and the
people that you got to know and who they were.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Well, the NFL's always been very corporate. Basketball has been
the artist league's I always feel that basketball, NBA basketball
is similar to international soccer that MESSI may be flawed
and Rinaldo's not perfect, but this is an open canvas.
The ball is yours make art. Football is diagrammed a
(26:31):
lot of practices, It's marching band stay on task. That's right,
it's marching band. Basketball is where our great sports artists live,
same with international soccer. And so because of that, aesthetics matter.
Speaker 12 (26:45):
And personality does too, Like the personality of somebody is
visible and informs how they play.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
So a flawed player that I mean for a long time,
Kareem was the best player in the planet, but he
was never really embraced because it was a bit prickly,
Doctor j There was more flavor, there was more color,
there was magic, magic Johnson like, right. So it's like
in basketball, these are artists that can You're gonna spill
(27:14):
some paint, yeah, like right, Like the greatest players shoot
forty eight percent. There's a lot of paint to be spilled.
And so when I look at Jerry and I look
at his the logo at Loco, that's part of basketball,
his tough childhood. There's also something to be said about
small state or small town. People who go to big
cities have sort of that intuitive fear like, oh, I'm
(27:36):
a little kid, small town and it drives him. For
Jerry always felt a little West Virginia.
Speaker 12 (27:41):
One thousand percent without question. As long as you could
put the suit, I mean, you just take take a
look at that, Like you can put a suit and
tie on him, small town kid, but he's still he's
still got that West Virginia look to him.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
What's interesting about Jerry is a lot of times as
people age in industry, you know, the young don't really listen. Yep,
the young, they're disconnected. It's the old guy. It is
fascinating to see the reverence Michael Kobe, Durant, Lebron, there's
(28:18):
a reverence to a mid eighty year old guy, and
I don't know what that is.
Speaker 12 (28:24):
A big part of it was the fact that as
we get older, sometimes we fall into I know it
all and this is the way I've done it, and
this has been my formula for success.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
And and Jerry was never that way.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
Yes, when I would ask a question in forty five
minutes later, but he wanted to know what I knew,
and that's often where the conversation started. He was, as
to the very end, was looking to pick other people's
brains about what's going on and how they let him evolved.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
He was.
Speaker 12 (28:59):
It was an amazing.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
Listener and all.
Speaker 12 (29:02):
He never approached it like when he would approach great players.
He would it wasn't like, let me tell you how
this works. He would ask them what's going on. And
when you have somebody who's accomplished with Jerry has accomplished,
and they want to know first where you're coming from. Now,
(29:22):
guys feel like you're invested in them as opposed to
you're just trying to show them the ropes. No, you
understand that this individual's ropes might be different than what
I've experienced. Let me see how my knowledge applies to
their situation. It's nuanced, But that was Jerry to the
very end.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Condolences to his family and those around him. Jerry West
passing away overnight, surrounded by a family at the age
of eighty six. So Kevin O'Connell dropped by it. Today,
Rick Bucker has some thoughts on Jerry West, and tomorrow
we will have Dan Hurley on our show. And tonight
Game three, Dallas back home, Luca a bit hobbled, my guest,
(30:07):
Kyrie plays well, lively, the rookie plays well. Role players
tend to at home play better. Dallas has the energy
early no porzingis or limited porzingis. Boston loses. I would
say one eighteen one ten good game, fun game, to
(30:28):
watch a lot of intensity. Dallas is it's a big
loud arena. You're going way over the total. Uh, interesting,
well what is the total?
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Two fifteen? Oh no, you have two eighteen. I can't
do math this morning.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Oh no, you had two twenty eight ten. Interesting you
have it as Dallas winning. I think there's a real
concern here Colin Celtics. They win this game, it's over.
And these NBA Finals a little bit of a massive dud.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Well, there's been many of them because of the Celtics.
There's been how many sweeps and gentlemen sweeps. The West
had some really good series and Minnesota well, OKC, Dallas,
Minnesota Denver were great series.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Knicks, Pacers and Nicks.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
But the Knicks pace really good. I know, but Knicks
fell apart physically, so you didn't get all their good players.
I wouldn't call it an all time great series.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
What were the other good series?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Well? I think, ok see, Dallas was great. Yes, I
think Minnesota Denver Game seven was fantastic.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
I thought most of the West was compelling. I thought
the East was a layup for the Celtics. I think
if the Knicks would have stayed healthy, they could have
pushed Boston made them uncomfortable, but they didn't, so you
ended up not having Mitchell, Robinson, Randall. I mean, everybody
got her og got hurt. So at the end it
was just a very muted, mediocre team.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Was the East mediocre because the Celtics were that good
or because everyone else.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Is that bad and injured?
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Well, I mean the Celtics did go twenty three and
seven against the West, so the Celtics are very good.
But the East. Two things can be true. The East
thinks and Boston's really good.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
How long before people are like.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Well, this title's okay.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
But they didn't beat Denver because everybody thought Denver would.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Why do you if they sweep Dallas and Lucas not
one hundred percent, it's not going to feel as big.
Oh come on, you had Dallas? What are you talking?
Speaker 5 (32:11):
I did?
Speaker 3 (32:12):
I mean I was rooting Dallas. Let's let's give Tatum
as due. You're not going to try to bury Tatum
if he wins this series.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Almost their fourth leading score
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 1 (00:25):
Rick Buker was really good on Jerry West. We'll bring
that back at the very end of the show. I
went out to dinner last night with Rick Buker and
we were talking about all things Golden State and NBA,
so with a heavy heart. Rick was pretty close to
Jerry West and Bill Walton, and he shared that with
us about an hour ago, So we'll bring that back.
Kevin O'Connell is going to be joining us here pretty soon.
(00:46):
So the NBA Finals resumes tonight. It is in Dallas.
I like Dallas big. I do think Kyrie Irving and Lively,
the rookie, both bothered by the intense environment of Boston, NBA,
the proximity for a rookie to be in an NBA Finals.
I'd sort of marveled at how well Lively had played
(01:07):
through the playoffs, for a nineteen or twenty year old
to be asked big assignments in the playoffs out a duke.
One year at Duke, I think, I think he's been terrific.
Your role players and your young players, generally in the
playoffs in the finals are better at home. Your stars,
you know, you usually get a pretty, you know, reasonable performance.
(01:31):
You know, same thing every every game. Again, will Porzingis play?
And I mentioned this earlier, I think porzingis. I think
when Porzingis signed, because he was viewed as sort of
unsuccessful and not working in Dallas. When Porzingis signed with Boston,
people didn't watch him in Washington and had no idea
(01:53):
how well he played. He was sensational and he has
been when he's on the floor. Absolutely every data metric
would show this. He makes Boston a much better team.
Cross your fingers if you're a Celtic fan. Will he
play tonight? J Mack with the news?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
No, No turn on the news. This is the herd
line news.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
All right, let's stick with the NBA Finals.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Kyrie Irving has been absolutely terrible, averaging fourteen points per
game on thirty five percent shooting. It seemed to me
like the Boston crowd got to him in Game two.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
Did you see a.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Couple gestures to the crowd YEP, it just wasn't a
good look at him trying to take Jason Tatum or
just turn over.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Kyrie's not been good here. He is talking about having
to play better.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
We started with me just telling ma Hermano just I
got to play better for him, alongside him, and you know,
in order for us to you know, accomplish our goal,
we both have to be playing well and we both
have to be doing the little things and doing whatever
it takes to win. So easy conversation, but it started
with me reaching out, just letting him know that, you know,
(02:58):
it's my it's my fault take accountability for not playing
particularly well. So we know what we're in for. But
now we got to raise it to it in the
higher level. And it starts with me.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yeah, I think there are certain environments, like we know
a college, college players unravel very quickly on the road, basketball, football,
they're younger generally in the NBA. Don't think pro athletes
are bothered by it. But Kyrie was a Celtic, you know,
felt like a little bit of a kind of a
tense relationship and so Boston fans have let him have it,
(03:28):
and I think it's affecting it.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I just wonder Colin watching him play. I know Lebron
said he's the most gifted player ever.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
He looks limited out there and what he can do
against length, well, like he's settling for mid range garbage.
He's not getting to the Rimy attempted two free throws
in two games, and he hasn't made a three pointer.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well, like Luca has had lower numbers of assists. So
it does feel like, this is what I said after
the game two game, It does feel like Luca's doing
his thing and Kyrie's doing his thing, kind of like
Dame and Giannis. When you put him together this year,
Initially you're like, there's no symmetry, Brown Tatum, Derek White.
When you start playing with guys and it feels different.
(04:07):
Boston feels like they're a cohesive, collaborative unit tied together
with a string. In Boston, it was like Luca your turn,
Kyrie your turn. I didn't feel any symmetry with that
combo at all.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I do wonder.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
You know a lot of people have made this small
guard can't win thing, Steph Curry against these Celtics.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I know they didn't have holiday, but they had Marcus,
so Marty was awesome.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Curry lit these guys up because of the three pointer.
He moves great off the ball. Watch Kyrie, you're irving
off the ball to I tell me what he's doing.
Not a lot of movement, well standing around. He's just
not even close to the player Curry is.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
No, he's not. And they're also flawed players. Luca is
poor defensively. Yeah, he's having a round. And Kyrie is
more of an ISO player, you know. So Steph Curry
may not be great defensively, but offensively he's flawless floaters
at the rim movement. Steph Curry is a flawless offensive player.
Both Luca and Kyrie do have holes in their game.
(05:06):
The only Boston hole in this series to me, has
been who closes it? Is it Tatum or Brown? I
haven't have to worry about that. So that's right. That's
that's noteworthy. With Porzingis, they've had leads. You take Porzingis out,
these are going to be much closer games in Dallas.
Then who's closing for Boston could be the problem. We've
(05:29):
been concerned about it just hadn't been an issue in
the first two.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
What about Porzingis seventy five percent? Is that still a
problem for them?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yes? If I said, you give me Porzingis for eighteen minutes,
nine and a half, that's rim protection. Okay, that takes
the Lobs out. Watch Dallas's lob game come back in
tonight and in Game four if Porzingis doesn't play.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, all right. Next up is the Commanders.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
They drafted Jayden Daniels with the second overall picky.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
They hope he's the franchise QB. They've coveted it for
a while. Terry McLaurin scary.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Terry will surely be happy to have a proper quarterback
under center and to get him the ball.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Here's what he had to say about the rookie at
camp so far.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
He came here really prepared.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
I feel like when he was getting ones reps or
where he's working with the two's like he does a
great job of getting the most out of his the
reps that he needs to to accomplish. He's humble, but
he's confident in his ability. Like he's played at the
highest level. He's played against really great competition, and he
knows that he can make all the throws, so he's
not putting the car before the horse. He's literally taking
(06:31):
this thing day by day, and he's doing a really good.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Job right now.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Have you noticed everybody says the same thing about him.
How mature Jaden Daniels is. That is so important. We
always joke about the hat on backwards thing, but all
the comments about Jaden Daniels, College, Brian Kelly, pro, they're
all the same thing. This guy is really mature. I'm
telling you watch out for the kid. Everything I hear.
(07:02):
I have a good source around that organization. They love him.
They don't like him, they love him.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's gonna have a chance early at Tampa, which is
not an amazing defense though verst the Giants, you know,
defensive line is good to rest and Bengals and then Cardinals.
Here's a schedule, so there's a world where they start
two and two, three and one and all of a sudden,
is like dad right here.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
With Kayleb, that's a very workable Schedule's.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Get a little more difficult with Browns and Ravens.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Actually, I have him in the playoffs. I think they'll
make it.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
That's crazy talk.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
The final story is Oh, yeah, here we go.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
You're gonna love this one.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
So Christian McCaffrey got the big contract extension recently and
he was named the Madden twenty twenty five cover athlete yesterday.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
In an appearance on NFL Network.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
McCaffrey was asked about landing the cover and whether he's
worried about the Madden curse.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
No, I'm not superstitious at all about it. I was
so excited now, I mean, this was this was such
honor to be able to you know, when I first
got the call, I was I was in shock and
something that I just never thought what happened to me.
I never thought that, you know, somebody would call and
tell me I'm on the cover of matt And so
when I got the call, I wouldn't figure out any curse.
I was just excited. And uh no, I mean I
(08:16):
think that stuff is killing the myth, and you know,
whatever happens happens.
Speaker 8 (08:21):
But I'm I'm I'm excited to be uncovered.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, it is a myth. We have enough conspiracy theories
in the world. Let's just not the.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Only problem is, if you look at some of the
cover guys, they've had the worst seasons of their career.
Josh Allen last year, Colum, Yeah, it's still.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
A pretty good season. I'll take Josh Allen. I'll take
his worst year ever.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I mean, do you need me to go through all?
I don't want to go through all.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
A lot of like Antonio brown On, like, there's been
a lot of guys who went sideways.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
You're not worried. Okay, that was good.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
I'm happy you're not gonna worried worry.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
Jay mcklins, Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping
by the herd Line news.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Well, he's entering his third season as head coach of
the Minnesota Vikings, and in this t this division has
gotten really, really good. Kevin O'Connell's joining us. This is
supposed to be the off season for guys like you,
but you've been very busy assigned justin Jefferson, and you know,
I got a million things to ask you. I want
to go back to Sam Donald, so I always predict
how the quarterbacks are going to do. I love Donald
(09:17):
out of college. I loved him. People remind me all
the time that he's not as good as I said,
But Kyle liked him, and you like him, so I
trust smart guys. What do you see with Sam that
hasn't necessarily always worked in terms of winning in the NFL?
What do you see as a guy who played the
position and coaches it.
Speaker 9 (09:40):
Yeah, I think Colin you weren't, you know, as far
as talent goes, as far as ability, Sam Donald coming
out had everything that you look for in you know,
a quarterback you're willing to invest a first round pick in.
And look, we all have different quarterback journeys. And I
joke about this, I use that term very loosely for myself,
(10:01):
but we all have different paths, We go different situations.
You know, what type of mentality you have in that
moment to execute the offense that you're in. What is
that offense asking you to do to attempt to try
to go win football games? And I think that, you know,
when we're getting Sam is as important as getting Sam himself.
(10:23):
I think he's in a great place in his career.
I think he really did some things even last year
in a limited amount of time. But he really benefited
from from Kyle and Brian Greasy and playing, you know,
in a quarterback room with Brock Purty and watching you know,
a guy execute an offense at a really high level
and then getting a chance limited, but getting a chance
(10:43):
to you know, execute that offense himself.
Speaker 8 (10:47):
I think he's matured a ton.
Speaker 9 (10:49):
He understands, you know, exactly who he is as a quarterback.
And and when we went to try to get Sam
to come to Minnesota, him and I had some great
dialogue about out my feelings towards Sam and his excitement
about joining our team, a lot of which has to
do with playing with some of the teammates he's going
to get to play with, and Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T. J. Hawkinson,
(11:11):
Aaron Jones, and Ty Chandler. We've got a continuity along
the offensive line. And and oh, by the way, we're
challenged by, you know, a really really good defense and
practice every day that's only gotten better with some of
the additions that we've made. So I'm looking for Sam
to continue what he's done this spring, which is he's
had a great spring. But ultimately it's going to be
about training camp and preparing to be the quarterback of
(11:36):
our of our team. And and can he stack some
days together and build confidence not only in himself but
through his teammates watching him go to work every day
and tirelessly prepared it to be at his best.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and newon Eastern a em Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio
FS one, and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
You have had the most in tristing career in terms
of teammates at quarterback and players under you. You've had
everybody from the goat to Stafford to trash talk and
Philip Rivers to the nicest guy in the world, Kirk
Cousins to young Jared Goff to kacky Johnny Manziel. You've
(12:20):
had everything. I mean, you had all the personalities. If
I said to you, what is the one thing that
you're gonna miss about Kirk Cousins, the one thing you've
had such this breadth of quarterback personalities, What do you
miss about Kirk?
Speaker 8 (12:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (12:37):
Really, I mean Colin Kirk and I go back to
my time in Washington in twenty seventeen, building a relationship
as his position coach, watching him do do a lot
of really good things, and then you know, unfortunately we
you know, we didn't have him. The following year, he
found his way to Minnesota, where who would have known
(12:59):
three or four years behind that I would get a
chance to come here and be his head coach, and
and really this the relationship formed the amount of you know,
just belief we had in each other and both chasing,
you know, like minded goals of the Minnesota Vikings being
the best team we could help make it be. You know,
I really enjoyed my time with Kirk. I think the
(13:21):
world of them as a person and a player, a leader.
You know, those are things that you know, I look
and will continue to look back on really fondly, you know,
of our time together. But in a lot of ways,
Kirk's helped me become the coach I am today, and
I'm excited to coach the quarterbacks we have on our team,
whether it's Sam Darnold, JJ McCarthy, Nick Mullins is a
(13:44):
guy that's been here essentially since I became the head
coach of the Vikings for you know that, you know,
coming right before that first season started, and then Jaron
All's you know, continuing to develop and growing every single
day as another young player in this league.
Speaker 8 (13:58):
So I'm excited about that quarterback room.
Speaker 9 (14:01):
I'm learning things every single day about the different aspects
of my job. Starting first and foremost as being the
head coach, but also I still like being around the
quarterback position.
Speaker 8 (14:10):
I still like, you know, having that role as the.
Speaker 9 (14:13):
Play caller where I build those relationships with the quarterbacks
so that the amount of connection and the trust that's built,
we can go feel like we're, you know, having a
chance to really be at our best when it's time
to go compete for seventeen ops this fall.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
So Jan McCarthy, when I watched him, my takeaway was
the tough part for him would be he always had
a lead at Michigan. He always had a run game
at Michigan. That's not the NFL. I mean, there are
times you can have a good run game and you
figure out after two series, we can't run on these guys.
The NFL is a whole different ballgame. You almost even
(14:50):
Brady's playing behind all the time. Maholmes is playing behind
in Super Bowls, so that transition. He's tall enough, he
can move, he can make the throws. He's smart andough.
The Alabama quarterbacks sometimes come into this league and it's like, oh,
they know I'm throwing. How do you create stress for
JJ McCarthy, which is what NFL quarterbacks face real game
(15:14):
stress because at Michigan, with that group of dominating line
play and that coach, it didn't feel like an NFL
experience to me Or am I wrong?
Speaker 9 (15:26):
Well, Colin, you know, I think we can absolutely create
it by the environment that we put him in, and
that's how we structure practices. He's going to be playing
against Obrian Flores defense every single day with a variety
of different looks. They're going to confuse him. They're gonna,
you know, put some stress and some pressure on him
(15:46):
at times. He's going to get the opportunity to respond
to snap in and snap out adversity. There's gonna be
some days in camp where maybe you know, he walks
off the field frustrated, and it's about what he does
in those moments. Can we continue to have growth? Can
we come out the next day and not make some
of the same mistakes twice? And then I think the
other part of it is calling. You know, when in
(16:08):
my evaluation of JJ, it took me down a road
where I really wanted to sync up a lot of
the quarterbacks in the draft based upon you know what
flow and I call the weighty downs and those those
important downs that are third down third downs in the
red area, some of the two minute drives where you've
got to find a way to move the team with
(16:30):
maybe necessarily not having the clock as your ally, and
you've got to be able to adapt and play regardless
of how the game is gone. You've got to make
some of those plays. And I think that's what defines
successful quarterbacks in this league. It's not the games where
you know you're hitting a bunch of layups and moving
the football at will.
Speaker 8 (16:48):
It's the games where it's been tough.
Speaker 9 (16:49):
Yeah, we got to make this play on this third
and seven right now to have a chance to capture
momentum in this football game. And there was evidence when
you study AJ McCarthy's it's one of those things where
the run game at Michigan obviously was a real benefit
to him, you know, marrying that with a play action
game that allowed him to.
Speaker 8 (17:10):
You know, show his trade to throwing the football down
the field.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
But you can't really build a team in a philosophy around,
you know, some of those traits and principles without having
a really good third down operation. And some of the
throws that he was asked to make reading coverage, tight
window throws, and I'm talking third and seven, eight, nine
plus colin, where the quarterback is the main driver behind
(17:36):
the ability, you know, for that unit to have success
on that play. And then ultimately, once you get that
third and nine, you can go back to running the
ball and imposing your will on the opponent. But there's
still gonna be those weighty downs, even in games you're leading,
even in games you're trying to hunt down the league,
close games in the playoffs that that he was able
to experience, I would just say that there was enough
(17:58):
there to show that he's more than capable of continuing
that growth and development at our level. And then you
got to look inward, and you got to look at
what you're going to be putting that player into from
an offense standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, what type of
playmakers does that player have around him, to where it's
as simple, do your job, permise and can you go
(18:19):
execute with great detail what we're asking you to do,
snap in and snap out, distribute the football to your
teammates and and kind of let the offense work hand
in hand with you.
Speaker 8 (18:31):
And then ultimately there's going to be some downs.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Where we need the quarterback to make a play that
is the facts of life in the NFL, and I
feel very strongly that JJ is going to be capable
of making those plays in those moments to not only
experience success, but continue on a trajectory that we're pretty
excited about where he can get to.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
By the way, I'm guessing I saw your son behind you.
Is it bring your kid to workday today? Because I
saw him right behind you.
Speaker 8 (18:55):
Yeah. You know what we did.
Speaker 9 (18:57):
We brought you know, we last day of OTAs today.
Figure get these guys out and put them to work.
We had a bunch of our coaches kids out there
helping out with the footballs and spotting the ball and
just kind of getting to be around it. I figured, Hey,
and other professions people get to, Yeah, bring their kids
to work. Why not in the NFL, especially this time
(19:18):
of year where we're in the you know, finishing up
the off season, great time, kids are out of school,
and I'm always looking for any extra moments I could have,
you know, with my kids and making up for a
lot of time that we commit to these jobs that
we have.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yep, congrats on Justin Jefferson, coach, appreciate you giving us
the time. Good camp nice talking. We'll see we'll have
you on again. I appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (19:42):
Yeah, absolutely, Colin, appreciate you. All right.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Kevin O'Connell, Uh yeah. Bring your kids to I brought
my kids a couple of times to work the studio.
They kind of like that thing. They got no interest
in doing this, but they kind of like the studio.
You know, you never brought your kids to work. You
want me to one day, I don't care. It doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I got I got one troublemaker and then one rule follower.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
You have it.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh that's funny.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yeah, so everybody has that one kid falls in line together.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Just what I mean troublemaker? What does that mean?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Take a guess.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Well, there's a lot of different troubles. It's seven. It's
different than seventeen where you I know where you live
at seventeen, it's real trouble. It's seven. They had an
extra cookie.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I got two great kids. I look forward to bringing
them here one day.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
So all right, there you go. All right, Rick Buker,
real touching stuff on Jerry West he was on earlier today.
I want to bring some of that back coming up.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern, not a em Pacific.
Speaker 10 (20:37):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.
Speaker 8 (20:42):
But here's the thing.
Speaker 10 (20:43):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
want to get to and.
Speaker 11 (20:46):
That's why we have a brand new podcast called over Promised.
You see, we're having so much fun in our two
hour show. We never get to everything, honestly because this
guy is over promising things we never have time for.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, you blubber lip.
Speaker 10 (21:00):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years. Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show,
and we want you to be a part of it.
We're gonna be talking sports, of course, but we're also
going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and
I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time,
it will continue on our after show called over Promised. Well,
if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure
(21:21):
you check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by the way,
so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder.
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 11 (21:28):
There you go over promising, and remember you could see
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen over Promised with
Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
When it comes to those that you want to protect
the most, go to simplysafecolin dot com twenty percent off
any new system no safe like simply Safe censors windows doors.
We had Rick Buker on earlier today who was very
close to Jerry West, who built the Lakers dynasty and
then another Laker dynasty and then helped in the Warrior dynasty,
(22:01):
the first great guard, mister Clutch became the Yogo logo,
a multiple time Executive of the Year, and he always
felt like the all time great basketball consultant. If you
had an issue, you called Jerry West up until very
recently and earlier today Rick stopped buying. We discussed how
important Jerry was to the game of basketball.
Speaker 12 (22:24):
This is why I'm always amazed when people don't put
him in the top three or four all time Lakers.
And it's a combination of what he was as a
player and what he was as an executive. And I mean,
this news is kind of hard for me because Jerry was,
as you said, a singular.
Speaker 8 (22:43):
Guy, and.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
You I would joke about it like i would.
Speaker 12 (22:48):
Get on the phone with him and I'd ask him
one question, and I'd have a lot of questions for him.
I'd ask him one question, and forty five minutes later,
I'm waiting to ask.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
My second question. Is breadth of nol?
Speaker 12 (23:00):
I mean, he he just and it was one of
the things that made him so special as an executive
because he could talk to great players. As a great player,
he never lost he never lost that feel for what
it meant to be a great player, even when he
became an executive.
Speaker 9 (23:20):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (23:21):
And his his going and getting and and and at
the same time he figured out ways to make the
front office numbers details work. I mean, his his getting
shack from Orlando to to the Lakers was no small
(23:42):
feat at that time. That was that was that took
a lot of heavy lifting. But the the other part
was that for all that he did, there was a
humility about him.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
There's no coo. I always felt he never lost there's
a vulnerable I've said this about Tom Brady. Considering how
good he looks and how good he's been, there was
always sort of a like like Bill runs the show
I'm Just a Quarterback. There is a humility to Jerry. Now,
Jerry could be very relentless if you look at his childhood.
All of our childhood shape our personalities as adults. Sure,
(24:17):
but there was I meant when he made that Shack deal.
I can remember reading a story where he said he
got sick. It was such a big deal, and Shack
was regarded as literally an immovable unicorn. There was no Shack.
He made the deal. He felt for the Bus family,
for the city of Los Angeles. He was so nervous
(24:38):
that I guess he got sick physically well he I mean,
he couldn't watch games. He would get on the car.
Speaker 12 (24:44):
He would get into his car and drive on the
freeways and listen to games because he couldn't stand just
sitting there in the stands watching games. And it looked,
I mean that some of our greatest assets are also
our biggest defects. Right, And And what drove him and
what kind of fueled that humility was this feeling like
(25:07):
if I don't work as hard as I possibly can,
I'm I'm not gonna make it. I'm I'm going to lose.
I'm gonna be I'm gonna not be good enough and
and it was almost like a paranoia and a and
an obsession to work as hard as he did. Uh,
And so that fueled him. But at the time it
made him a little crazy too. I mean he was
(25:29):
he was known as he was known as both the
Logo and l Loco.
Speaker 8 (25:35):
He had both.
Speaker 12 (25:36):
Nicknames and and lived up to both of them. But man,
what I just a tortured human being in some ways,
but just a genuine I gotta tell you, just between
losing Bill and and now losing Jerry, like, those are
two guys that were They brought such a humanity to
(25:58):
the league. If you were in the lead and you've
got a chance to know them. That's what made the
NBA so special, is the fabric of it and the
people that you got to know and who they were.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Well, the NFL's always been very corporate. Basketball has been
the artist league's I always feel that basketball, NBA basketball
is similar to international soccer that MESSI may be flawed
and Rinaldo's not perfect, but this is an open canvas.
The ball is yours make art. Football is diagrammed a
(26:31):
lot of practices, It's marching band stay on task. That's right,
it's marching band. Basketball is where our great sports artists live,
same with international soccer. And so because of that, aesthetics matter.
Speaker 12 (26:45):
And personality does too, Like the personality of somebody is
visible and informs how they play.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
So a flawed player that I mean for a long time,
Kareem was the best player in the planet, but he
was never really embraced because it was a bit prickly,
Doctor j There was more flavor, there was more color,
there was magic, magic Johnson like, right. So it's like
in basketball, these are artists that can You're gonna spill
(27:14):
some paint, yeah, like right, Like the greatest players shoot
forty eight percent. There's a lot of paint to be spilled.
And so when I look at Jerry and I look
at his the logo at Loco, that's part of basketball,
his tough childhood. There's also something to be said about
small state or small town. People who go to big
cities have sort of that intuitive fear like, oh, I'm
(27:36):
a little kid, small town and it drives him. For
Jerry always felt a little West Virginia.
Speaker 12 (27:41):
One thousand percent without question. As long as you could
put the suit, I mean, you just take take a
look at that, Like you can put a suit and
tie on him, small town kid, but he's still he's
still got that West Virginia look to him.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
What's interesting about Jerry is a lot of times as
people age in industry, you know, the young don't really listen. Yep,
the young, they're disconnected. It's the old guy. It is
fascinating to see the reverence Michael Kobe, Durant, Lebron, there's
(28:18):
a reverence to a mid eighty year old guy, and
I don't know what that is.
Speaker 12 (28:24):
A big part of it was the fact that as
we get older, sometimes we fall into I know it
all and this is the way I've done it, and
this has been my formula for success.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
And and Jerry was never that way.
Speaker 12 (28:41):
Yes, when I would ask a question in forty five
minutes later, but he wanted to know what I knew,
and that's often where the conversation started. He was, as
to the very end, was looking to pick other people's
brains about what's going on and how they let him evolved.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
He was.
Speaker 12 (28:59):
It was an amazing.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
Listener and all.
Speaker 12 (29:02):
He never approached it like when he would approach great players.
He would it wasn't like, let me tell you how
this works. He would ask them what's going on. And
when you have somebody who's accomplished with Jerry has accomplished,
and they want to know first where you're coming from. Now,
(29:22):
guys feel like you're invested in them as opposed to
you're just trying to show them the ropes. No, you
understand that this individual's ropes might be different than what
I've experienced. Let me see how my knowledge applies to
their situation. It's nuanced, But that was Jerry to the
very end.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Condolences to his family and those around him. Jerry West
passing away overnight, surrounded by a family at the age
of eighty six. So Kevin O'Connell dropped by it. Today,
Rick Bucker has some thoughts on Jerry West, and tomorrow
we will have Dan Hurley on our show. And tonight
Game three, Dallas back home, Luca a bit hobbled, my guest,
(30:07):
Kyrie plays well, lively, the rookie plays well. Role players
tend to at home play better. Dallas has the energy
early no porzingis or limited porzingis. Boston loses. I would
say one eighteen one ten good game, fun game, to
(30:28):
watch a lot of intensity. Dallas is it's a big
loud arena. You're going way over the total. Uh, interesting,
well what is the total?
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Two fifteen? Oh no, you have two eighteen. I can't
do math this morning.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Oh no, you had two twenty eight ten. Interesting you
have it as Dallas winning. I think there's a real
concern here Colin Celtics. They win this game, it's over.
And these NBA Finals a little bit of a massive dud.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Well, there's been many of them because of the Celtics.
There's been how many sweeps and gentlemen sweeps. The West
had some really good series and Minnesota well, OKC, Dallas,
Minnesota Denver were great series.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Knicks, Pacers and Nicks.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
But the Knicks pace really good. I know, but Knicks
fell apart physically, so you didn't get all their good players.
I wouldn't call it an all time great series.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
What were the other good series?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Well? I think, ok see, Dallas was great. Yes, I
think Minnesota Denver Game seven was fantastic.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
I thought most of the West was compelling. I thought
the East was a layup for the Celtics. I think
if the Knicks would have stayed healthy, they could have
pushed Boston made them uncomfortable, but they didn't, so you
ended up not having Mitchell, Robinson, Randall. I mean, everybody
got her og got hurt. So at the end it
was just a very muted, mediocre team.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Was the East mediocre because the Celtics were that good
or because everyone else.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Is that bad and injured?
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Well, I mean the Celtics did go twenty three and
seven against the West, so the Celtics are very good.
But the East. Two things can be true. The East
thinks and Boston's really good.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
How long before people are like.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Well, this title's okay.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
But they didn't beat Denver because everybody thought Denver would.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Why do you if they sweep Dallas and Lucas not
one hundred percent, it's not going to feel as big.
Oh come on, you had Dallas? What are you talking?
Speaker 5 (32:11):
I did?
Speaker 3 (32:12):
I mean I was rooting Dallas. Let's let's give Tatum
as due. You're not going to try to bury Tatum
if he wins this series.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Almost their fourth leading score
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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