June 1, 2023 • 41 mins
The list of NFL teams who are under pressure to win this season
FOX Sports NBA analyst Ric Bucher joins The Herd to opine on the remaining championship window for the Boston Celtics, Golden State General Manager Bob Myers' resignation, and Heat-Nuggets in the NBA Finals
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:18):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Welcome back, Hour number two on The Herd. It's me
Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowhard, joined by Alex Hurry. Alex,
he made it through one hour two to go.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
When did you actually get back from Paris as a
jetlag actually hit you yet?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Not yet, not yet. I've got a good night's sleep,
It slept a little bit on the plane, and just.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Right back into the takes.
Speaker 5 (00:43):
It's kind of like what you have to do.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
It's like just keep rolling, don't don't allow yourself to
think about what time it is like back in Paris.
Speaker 5 (00:49):
Like I'm here, I'm delirious.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, we're gonna do it. Yes, we're gonna got a
great guest coming up, Rick Buker joining the show in
a few minutes. But first, I you know, listen, I
started looking at the NFL lands this year, and there's
certainly some teams and coaches who are under massive pressure
this year to win. So I got a top ten
list for you. Will count down ten to one the
teams that are the most pressure in the NFL this season.
(01:12):
Let's get it started.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Number ten.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm starting with the Cleveland Browns at ten. Yes, some
weird expectations in Vegas for the Browns as win total
was a little higher than expected. Deshaun Watson, as Mangini
just told you, has a year under his belt to
get acclimated. And oh, by the way, Kevin Stefanski, the
pressure's on. This is year four, year one. He goes
to the playoffs and wins a game, then they regress,
(01:35):
then they regress more. He's got to get to the
playoffs and win. I think he's got to get to
the super Bowl, probably to keep everybody happy in Cleveland.
A lot of pressure on the Cleveland Browns this year.
Starting at number ten, Number nine, number nine, number nine,
the Baltimore Ravens. Listen, I know we all love Lamar Jackson.
I've defended him on the show. A ton got one
(01:57):
playoff win. They just gave him all of the money.
They added Odell Beckham. This is the best receiving locker
room that Lamar Jackson has had in Baltimore. They got
a new OC. There's a lot of newness. I'm not
as bullish on them this year. I think there is
a lot of pressure though, on this team to kind
of get back. Lamar's gotta stay healthy. You just got
a fat contract. Ravens checking in at number nine, number eighth.
(02:20):
Here we go Denver, Broncos. My guys, Sean Payton. We
miss him on the Herd, but he's got bigger fish
to fry and vet Denver. Listen, Russell Wilson. We could
be honest, he wasn't good last year. Massive regression. We
can blame it on Hackett if we want to. We
can blame it on him acclimating in his first year
in Denver. But the cole reality is, you bring in
(02:41):
an offensive minded coach and what was his first move.
Let's bring in a good backup quarterback Jared Sidham who
proved a lot with the Raiders. And I just wonder, folks,
how much pressure is on Russell Wilson and Sean Payton
to really make a deep run and get to the
Super Bowl. Folks, if they don't make the playoffs. I
think we could seriously look at Russell Wilson is being
on the move elsewhere in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Number seven.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Ah, yes, here we go, number seven. I know my
Los Angeles friends are not gonna like this, but I
have the Rams at seven. Okay, let's remember Aaron Donald
nearly retired after the Super Bowl, Matt Stafford coming off
of major surgery. There were questions do the Rams move
on from him? And oh, by the way, their coach
McVeigh came super close to retireing they trade away Jalen Ramsey.
(03:27):
Look at the defensive depth chart for this team. You
got a bunch of dudes like I've never heard of.
I don't know this team could stop anybody. We'll see
what Stafford has left in the tank. It's a very
thin roster. And folks, if they missed the playoffs, remember
they were Super Bowl winners and then the worst drop
off from a Super Bowl winner, I believe. Ever, what
if they missed the playoffs again, what's gonna happen? Does
(03:48):
mcveiy say I'm out? Does Aaron Donald check out? I
think the Rams have massive pressure this season.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Number six.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Let's go back to the AFC. The Miami Dolphins a
team I can't stay and they got some pressure. Listen,
you don't go all in and pick up Jalen Ramsey
and expect no pressure. Remember last year Tyreek Hill, this
year Jalen Ramsey. Oh, by the way, what's Tua's future? Like,
everybody gave McDaniel the genius label, and I'm not banging that.
(04:16):
McDaniel was like excellent last year. But they have a loaded,
top heavy roster and a lot of questions at quarterback.
If TWOA can't stay healthy and avoid the concussions, financially
they're all in. I mean, you could luck. I gotta
love their roster. They got talent, but they also got
to win. I think Super Bowl or bust for the Miami.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Dolphins Number five.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Let's go back to San Francisco. Listen. I talked about
it with Eric Mangini. This is a team they got
some issues. I know they were close last year with
Rock Purty, but let's remember they traded up for Trey Lance.
There is not a lot of wiggle room. If this
team all of a sudden regresses to say nine wins,
you're gonna start having questions. Boy, can Shanahan ever win
the Big One? What the hell were they doing trading
(04:56):
up for Trey Lance? And then you gotta start, you know,
thinking like, is Rock perty the guy? If there's regression?
I like Purty a lot. I don't think regression happens.
But there is pressure in San Francisco to get to
a super Bowl. They come up short now twice in
the Shanahan era. Number four, let's go to the Dallas Cowboys.
Everybody loves talking about the Cowboys, folks, when you dump
(05:18):
your OC and your defensive quartern and out two off seasons,
has gone around hunting for jobs, and you got McCarthy,
who's like, I got the offense. Now you got Dak
Prescott kind of the offense. Jeke is gone, Like, I
don't know who else you're gonna blame if this team
doesn't deliver. Dallas is as good defensively as they've ever been,
(05:39):
but we know offense matters more in this league. I
think there's a lot of pressure on Dallas, and folks,
it's not that out of a take, but there's a
world where this team misses the playoffs and McCarthy's gone,
and then do you elevate Quinn and what do you do?
It could go sideways. A lot of pressure on the
Dallas Cowboys heading into the season. Number three, Ah, yes,
my New York Jets. I'm trying to crowbar them into
(06:01):
every segment on the show. Obviously listen, there's obviously pressure Sala.
We know he needs to win playoffs or your fire.
GM Joe Douglas, you better get to the playoffs or
you're fired. Aaron Rodgers, playoffs would be nice. You gotta
get to a super Bowl, buddy, you gotta get back
to a super Bowl. Rogers, you just have to. I know,
what's your first year. You got a young team, You're
in a leadership role. I do believe Aaron Rodgers is motivated,
(06:25):
as I said at the outset of the show, motivated
to do what Brady did. Leave the place that didn't
totally love you or respect you. Draft it over your
head and you want to leave and win a super Bowl.
A lot of pressure on Aaron Rodgers. A lot of
the guys in the front office and coaches, they're also
worried about this season.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Number two.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Colin Cowherd loves Justin Herbert more than any player in
the league, possibly and the Chargers. I know some people
are gonna say, whoh can they win a playoff game?
Speaker 6 (06:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Can they? Please? Seriously, Brandon Staley, how many more chances
is he gonna get? They bring a new OC in Kellimore,
and you gotta wonder, like, all right, you know we
came up a little short in the playoffs against the
Jags after blowing a massive lead. Will change out the OC?
What do you change out if you don't win a
playoff game or maybe make a deep playoff run? What's
(07:14):
got to be the head coach? And you're paying Justin
Herbert so he's no longer on the rookie deal. A
lot of pressure on the Chargers number one.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yes, you knew it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Was coming, ladies and gentlemen. The Buffalo Bills last year
went into the season super Bowl favorites. Josh Allen MVP favorite.
They won a lot of games and what happened in
the playoffs? They crept out once again. The Buffalo Bills
are teetering. This is a massive season. I see the
big story of this week. Josh Allen's now got a
new girlfriend. He's dating an actress. Great congratulations, Josh Allen.
(07:47):
What are you gonna do with the Hopkins situation. Are
you gonna go get him? Stefan Diggs doesn't seem particularly happy,
or maybe he's just old and Krabby Buffalo really laid
an egg at home in the playoffs last year. And folks,
there is more pressure on the Bills to get to
the super Bowl than any other team in the NFL.
All right, let's get you our guest, Rick Bucker, NBA
(08:09):
analyst for Fox. Here's the man, the myth, the legend,
love talking who off with Rick Buker. Some breaking news
just before you came on. Well it's not huge, but
Brad Stevens gave more than a vote of confidence to
Joe Missoula, his head coach, say he will be back.
You were not particularly surprised by.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
That, No, I think I was on with Colin a
couple of weeks ago, right after they fell down three
to zero, and said that I didn't see them making
a change. It's not the way the Boston Celtics operate
in generally talk a lot about making changes and then don't.
But with Brad Stevens being a former head coach, I
figured he would have a certain amount of sympathy for
Joe Miszula stepping into that seat for the first time.
(08:52):
And look, they've they've been churning the head coaching position
a little bit here over the last couple of years.
They might want a little stability.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Let's stay with the Celtics real quick. Jayalen Brown eight baskets,
eight turnovers in Game seven. Yeah, all NBA team looking
at a super max. Yeah, I think it's a no brainer.
I think you get him together and keep the continuity.
Other people not so much. But I'll say this, Rick,
is it easier to unload him now? Yeah? Or you
given the super max and you give it another year
(09:23):
and then you offload him because the market opens up
a lot more teams willing to trade for Jalen Brown
with three or four years left on his deal. Maybe
some an Orlando would be interested. I'm just throwing out
a land because that's what people do. Or Lando Magic well.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
In general, if you have a guy signed up long term,
it opens up your possibility of being able to deal
with because people know what they're getting and they know
how long they're going to have it. So it is
a tricky proposition for all. I mean everybody after the loss,
everybody was like, you got to break up Tatum and
Brown and you gotta change things up and be the
(10:00):
Boston Celtics where the bar is set winning championships. I'm
not mad at that logic. I also understand the other
side of it, though, which is they've had this unbelievable success.
These guys are twenty five, twenty six years old, and
so do your risk. God, here's the problem, and it
is because of the super Max. It is because of
(10:21):
the success individual success those two guys have had. If
you pay Brown an Tatum, that's your pay, like they've
got to get you there now, and the supporting cast
that you have now, you're not going to be able
to afford. So if you believe that these guys can
(10:43):
elevate themselves and they can make other guys better as
opposed to getting better guys to make them better, then
I say go ahead, pay them. That's where you place
your bet. I'm not convinced in the same way that
when we looked at Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, like
we were like two great individual talents. But can that
(11:05):
combin nation win you a championship or is there always
a little bit of friction there because of just the
dynamics of how they play. That's what I see in
Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. So if you're happy, just
like you're always going to the playoffs, which a lot
of teams would take what Boston Celtics have had. If
you're happy with that, then load up on them and
(11:27):
you know that you're guaranteed to be good.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
There was also some duplication with Lebron and Wade, not
total duplication, but they also had Bosh to blame all
he was the fall guy. Anytime things went right, Oh,
I had Bosh come on, hey, you're not doing anything well.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
But there was also like Lebron was a at heart
a playmaker and Dwayne Wade at heart is a shooting guard.
And they also had a very unique relationship where Dwayne
Wade was going to push Lebron James. This is one
of my issues with j and Jalen, like who's the
(12:02):
driving force there? Are they making each other better? I
know they like each other, I know they work out
with each other. I know they're both hard workers. But
is there somebody who's saying, hey, you're not good enough
right now, you're not playing well enough right now? Do
they have the ability to say that to each other
and demand more and I just haven't seen that.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Do you think Brad Stevens would do this often rumored
deal Jalen Brown for Jalen Brown and something for Damian
Lillard and.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Something I do not see that. I do not see
that happening. The difficulty is, and again, much like Katie
and Russ, like Jason Tatum has been anointed the best
player and talent wise, I don't argue with that, but
Jalen Brown is the more aggressive, plays and acts like
(12:49):
a number one. So how do you get around that conundrum?
And that for me is you take the risk. If
you want to play for championships, you got to break
that up and you gotta come up with a different formula.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
We'll get to the finals in a second. I want
to go to the Suns. They still don't have a coach.
Unless it happened in the last thirty seconds, coaching Booker
and Durant, you would think that's more appealing than going
to Philly, or you'd think that's more appealing the Bucks,
both who have major questions this offseason, like why is
this job not field? What are you hearing?
Speaker 6 (13:21):
I I haven't heard a word about who they might
be going after at this point. But I think they're
one of the reasons that they haven't been aggressive and
going out and getting somebody is because there's still another
shooter drop, which is what are you gonna do with
DeAndre Eighten? Like they have to make that move before
(13:43):
they can do anything else. And one of the interesting
rumors that I've heard, Oh, here we go. Yeah, I
wasn't gonna save this, but you know what this is
for you? Yeah, yeah, is the idea of trading DeAndre
Ayton to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie that that more
(14:04):
so than seeing Kyrie go to the Lakers, it makes
a ton of sense. I well, certainly for the for
the Dallas.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Mavericks, getting DeAndre Ayden.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Oh, DeAndre Ayton next to Luka Dancics makes a lot
more sense than Kyrie irving one. You've got a little
You've got you've got a rim protector, you've got some size.
You have a guy who's happily being the number two
that doesn't need the ball to operate. And it validates
having traded Dorian Finney Smith in the pieces that they
sent and Spencer Dinwitti and the Picks to the Brooklyn
(14:38):
nets because you couldn't get DeAndrea Ayton for Dorian Finney
Smith and Spencer Dinwitty and what they sent to the nets.
So getting Kyrie Irving now becomes oh, but look we
got DeAndrea Ayton. So again just a rumor, not reporting
that it's going to happen, But to me, it makes
a lot of sense for both sides, and Kevin Durant
(14:59):
and and Kyrie Irving reunited and as we've seen.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That worked out so well, just worked out swimmingly in Brooklyn.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
I'm not saying I'm not saying that I would do it,
but Matt Matt Ishbi, the new owner, has demonstrated that
he likes to swing for the fences and this would
certainly be that if.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
You thought that was the least likable team in the
league before. Are they keeping Chris Paul in the scenario?
Speaker 6 (15:19):
By the way, uh no, I believe you. I don't
know that you could keep Chris Paul in that.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
I think that would be the least likable team in
the in the league. I mean, Devin Booker is so mouthy,
I mean, you know, cool, and then Kyrie Irving, who
knows when he's showing up? I shouldn't bash.
Speaker 6 (15:34):
I will say the reality, it's difficult to know how
to interpret it. But kicking Monnie Williams to the curb
and the unbothered by Devin Booker that that didn't that
I'm not one hundred percent sure what he meant, but
not knowing what he meant, I don't feel good about
Monny Williams didn't deserve that. Whatever happened, he didn't deserve that.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
All right, one last one before the finals, Bob Meyer
steps down. Yeah, or was pushed out? I don't know.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
He was really unclear. Definitely not pushed out.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
He had an offer on the table.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Oh yeah, Okay, he no, he could have stayed. So
it was the worst. It was the worst kept rumor
that he was looking to leave because he was just
he was worn out, and he also faced the very
difficult proposition of you're going to have to break up
the Big three, and he came in and grew up
and won championships with these guys, and most gms take
(16:31):
the approach I'm not going to have a relationship with
my players because I'm going to get to a point
where I have to trade them, and I need to
be cold hearted about it. And Bob decided I'm not
gonna do that, and it served them well because when
things flared up between Steve Kerr and Draymond Green, or
Draymond and Jordan Poole or whatever, all of the and
(16:52):
half a dozen other things that haven't been reported, he
was able to go to those players and say, hey,
we gotta get we got we gotta we have to
resolve this. Well, the downside of it is now you're
at a point where you got to look at Steph
Curry and say, yeah, I just traded Lay Thompson and
Draymond Green and mom said I'd rather spend time with
my kids and didn't have to do that.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
It feels like a massive undertaking. This is not I
don't think it's a great job. I know that sounds crazy.
I don't think it's a great job right now.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
I would agree with you because the bar is set
so high and people don't want people. Look there's I'm
working with people here who believe that as long as
you have Steph and Clay and Drey and Steve Kerr,
they're still going to be a championship contender. Yeah, they
that I do not. I don't seeing Clay look Clay's
(17:44):
not Clay anymore. Dray's not Drey anymore. And the championship
teams that they have, remember strengthen numbers, like, they don't
have that same depth. It's can they reinvent themselves around
Steph Curry? Yes, I believe they can, but there's a
lot of work to be done.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
All right, Finals, everybody and their mom is picking Denver.
They are the third largest favorite in the last twenty years. Yeah,
Miami obviously, seven game series, grueling, exhaust Jimmy Butler, by
the way, I know people aren't talking about it. Rick
last four games against Boston, he shot like thirty five percent.
He's tired, he's exhausted. Now you've got to go to altitude.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
You've had returns for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
At nine points spread tonight. Is there any case that
the Heat can win this series? Like? What is that?
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Like?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
They have nobody to guard Yokic. Obviously them ain't gonna
guard him, Like remember Anthony Davis could not cart him.
I just I can't. I don't know what the path
to victory here is unless they keep making threes, which
is unsustainable.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Well, yeah, so look, we didn't expect them to beat
the Bucks. The Knicks with the one team I expected
them to beat. I didn't expect them initially to beat Boston,
and then when the way Boston came out, I've changed
my tune. My heart wants Miami to at least be
(19:01):
competitive in this series, and I would love to see
them get rewarded for what they are. It's like rooting
for Seabiscuit against war Admiral.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Look, there's a horse racing reference, but the fact is
the zone is what killed Boston.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Nikola Jokic. You put him in the middle of the
zone and you have guys cutting, and the shooters that
they have they ain't gonna work against Denver, and so
I just don't I wish I saw a path to
Miami pulling an upset or being formidable. I just don't
see it. So I'm with the majority the masses.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I saw a stat where they played eleven possessions of
zone this season against the Nuggets that he did, and
the Nuggets called nineteen points, which is not bad.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Now.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
The one bet that I do kind of like here
is like, do you think Spolstro who's a great coach,
goes all in and says we're stopping Jokic or do
you think the strategy is we're gonna let Yokic get
fifty three like he did against the Sons in the loss.
We're not letting Jamal Murray and Michael Porter and those
guys go off from deep and that's our best path.
Do you think that they let yokajat That would.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Be my strategy, Okay, because one it's going to test
his endurance. And two, the one thing that Jokic showed
me more of this year, but that I haven't consistently seen,
which is why he was never my MVP at the
top of my MVP ballot, is because he rather be
a facilitator. He rather get everybody involved. If you said,
(20:33):
you know what, go get fifty and beat me, I
don't know that he would consistently do that. It's just
not It's a little bit like Lebron James. He feels like,
I want to play the game, I want to get
everybody involved. I don't want to dominate the ball So
I look, as I said, he's done more of that
this year, which is why I considered putting him at
the top of my ballot for the first time this year.
(20:55):
But there was time I saw a regression through these
playof where it was like, jok this is your time
to press the issue. This is your time to impose
your will. Don't lay back, And he was still he
was relying on Jamal Murray happy to set screens and
hand it off, and he's just too good and he
(21:16):
was too big in the in the last series not
to do that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I'm work shopping a take here on just the idea
that centers are back.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
In on his show, So like, hey, I'm just trying
out some material.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, that centers are kind of back in vogue. Yoka.
Remember the last center to be a centerpiece on an
NBA Finals team was was who would be? You want
to go Duncan? You want to go Shack? But yeah,
you could go Duncan and it wouldn't be shocked with
the Heat, it would be shacked with the Lakers. I
just wonder, like Jokic center, I mean, he's best player
(21:49):
in the league and and Rick there is something to
the analytics revolution going on in the league and Miami
Heat or anti analytics. They couldn't make threes all season,
Now they make all of them. They got undrafted players
scoring fifty two percent of their points against Boston that's
unheard of. Like, what is happening or is this just
a wacky outlier of a season.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
No, I think it's I think it's a natural evolution
because I when we say centers, it's not traditional center.
These guys aren't on the block right right, it's it's
it's really they've We've just gotten taller and heavier and stronger.
And but if you can't shoot a three, you're not
(22:28):
playing a five. I mean, Jokic embiid you. You have
to be able to shoot the three, and most of
these guys are operating from the high post are beyond.
So yes, big I would say big men are back
in vogue. But it's simply a byproduct of like we've
seen the six nine, six ten guys becoming guards and
(22:49):
point forwards and all of that. So now we we've
what we're getting is we're getting point We're getting point centers.
That's what we're getting.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
The other half of this would be the AA culture.
I know we've talked about this for a while. Your
kid played AAU, my son has like it's just not working.
I don't think in America, and you look at the
league and how these Europeans are coming in and totally
dominating Rick. You go back twenty twenty five, thirty years,
it was like barely any non Americans on the All
(23:17):
NBA teams. Now the MVPs are all almost all did
not play high school basketball here. I know MB did
a little bit, But then you look at wee Bin
Yama number one pick, he didn't play here. And you
look at twenty twenty four because I do that because
I'm a nerd. Yeah, three of the top five guys European.
Like something's there's a there's a shift going on. I
know it's been happening for a while, but people aren't
(23:37):
really talking about this. It's happening in baseball if you
look at like how many players or Latin versus it's
starting to grow. It's happening in the NBA. But does
the league do you think cares? And I just I
know that's a wacky question, but we look at interest
in Yokich versus the heat, and I don't know, continue.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
Yeah, No, I think there is an element there. I
don't think that US basketballs embrace international play. Like for
all that Giannis has done and for as great a
personality as he is, he's not embraced the way staff
for Lebron are He's just not and that's not I mean,
that's that's just the reality. So I think there is
(24:15):
that little bit of disconnect and US basketball fans don't
want to hear this. They don't want to hear what
you just brought up, which is which is spot on.
We're we're looking at the possibility that a Canadian and
a Serb are going to dominate the NBA Finals and
win a championship. Here like the best the best American
player we have in this series is Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler,
(24:38):
not to take anything away from him, but that to
your point, like that's where it's trending. The Canadian basketball
program has been has evolved mightily. What they're doing in Europe.
They're killing us because AAU the coaching has fallen off nightly.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
There's like a capitalist something going on where you can
make a lot of money in AU basketball. But are
the kids learning and now we're running NBA Analyst Fox,
really good, love your stuff, Rick, Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
My pleasure all right, one more heard The Herd streams
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Speaker 3 (25:22):
Back here on the Herd, Let's go to Alex Curry
with the news.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
No, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd
Line News.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Well, they act The NBA Finals tip off tonight and
the Heat will have a tough task defending Yokis Now.
The Lakers, who were one of the top defensive team
Sensitorde Deadline had no answer to the Joker, but Jimmy
Butler says, it will require a team effort to take
down Yokich and the Nuggets.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
And this is what we had to say.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Guarding him as a team with all five guys. You know,
he does everything so well, and we're gonna have to
be in the gaps. We gonna have to gang rebound.
You know, we can't have defensive lapses. And I'm just
gonna have to get after it. I think at the
end of the day, he's a major key, as DJ
Keller will say, and we're gonna have to lock in.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
There's no denying that Jokic is the best player in
the finals. Right It's gonna take every bit of effort
from that Heat team to try to contain him. But
what I do love is kind of the attitude that
we've seen from both of these teams heading into the finals. First,
we saw Jimmy Butler at the Eastern Conference Final championship
not take the trophy, say I'll wait to hold the
next one. And then when Jokic was recently asked about
(26:39):
being the favorite in the finals, he said, there are
no favorites. Anything can happen in the finals. So you
kind of have this underdog mentality going in for both
of these teams. Now, the Nuggets are favored according to
Fox Bet by eight and a half. So who are
you taking in Game one tonight in Denver?
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I bet? I guess I got a bad number. I
took the Nuggets favored by nine. I think it was
like the third thing I did when I got off
the plane. Okay, it's like, I gotta take the Nuggets.
So the number I saw was teams that are coming
off five or more days of rest heading into the
finals and have home court advantage, Yeah, are eight and
one in game ones.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
So it's better to have more rest.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Better to have more rest, and better to be at
home and you're at altitude. But here's a scary thing
for the Heat. Yeah, teams with that rest and home
court are eight and one overall in the finals, meaning
they're gonna win. They're almost certainly.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, so it's not only game one, but it's the
whole series. So that's why they're like minus three sixty
to win the title.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
The other scary thing is the Heat have won all
game ones in this postseason, right, they did it on
the road and what was it? What was the first
series in Milwaukee, New York and then Boston and it's
like they know, hey, we got game one, we got
stole home court.
Speaker 8 (27:51):
Event.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, what if they don't do that tonight, then you're like, oh.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
I don't think that's as big of a factor.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
The Heat of defied all odds making it to this
point with the second eighth seed ever to make it
to the NBA Finals. They have seven undrafted guys on
their team, like they are.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
The ultimate underdog. And when you're coming off of.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
A crazy series like they just did against Boston and
it's so close that you can carry it into this.
They have the momentum, they have that fire. I think
that's going.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
To be able to help them. They're gonna have to
use that to their advantage.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So I just don't know. You mentioned the Lakers were
the best defensive team. Couldn't stop them, couldn't stop them.
They had bigs. Yeah, Miami has one big and bam Adebayo. Like,
do they start Kevin Love and try to like Kevin
Love next to Yokis? Is gonna look like a little kid, Like.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
It's gonna take a full team effort. I don't know
a full team effort to try to stop them.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
I give me the Nuggets. I picked the Nuggets in seven.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
Seven.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Make me a little less to that. I bet the
Nuggets to.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
Night yet, so are you changing that to what?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Like five? I'm not gonna I'll stick with the seven,
but you what's your pick?
Speaker 4 (28:54):
It's so I Rick said it beautifully, like my heart
wants Miami to win, but like my head is picking Denver.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, the plucky underdrag. Everybody loves me.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
I love an underdog.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
I was an underdog in life and in sports, so
like I always go with.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
The undergo totally agree.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
I know.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
Okay, let's move on to the NFL, where the Dolphins
will look to build on last season's success, which culminated
in a nine to eight record and playoff first on
Tyreek Hill expects more wins in twenty twenty three with
all their offensive firepower, and he believes Tua will go
off this season.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Here's what he had to say.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Obviously, we got one of the most accurate quarterbacks in
the NFL, and I'm sticking to my stance on that. So,
you know, having two ad quarterback and you know, just
having the offensive google that we have in our and our.
Speaker 10 (29:42):
Head coaches is is wonderful, you know.
Speaker 9 (29:45):
So having those weapons, he's gonna go crazy, man, you know,
because he can have me on one side, me and
Water on one side.
Speaker 10 (29:52):
The VNE and Righthem on another side.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
You know, you forgot about brasing and said, you know,
you're throwing those guys like that who can get open
anytime they want to.
Speaker 10 (29:59):
So you know, Scott's leaving for his Dolphense.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
They're a really good offensive team. But the question is
going to be can to a stay healthy. We saw
some really scary concussion situations happened with to A last
year where we question is he even going to play
football again? Should he even be playing football again? So
cantus stay healthy and now in the AFC East with
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
On the Jets.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Obviously, the Bills and Josh Allen have a lot to
prove this year, and you can't count out the Patriots
and Bill Belichick.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
It's a tough division.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yeah, it's funny, Alex. I'm looking at the depth chart
for the Dolphins. I didn't hear a lot of offensive
line talk from Tyreek Hill. How was that offensive line
last year?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Tyrek?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
You want to address that? No, I No, Armstead is
a good player, but there's a lot of questions on
that offensive line, And like you said, can to us
stay healthy?
Speaker 5 (30:49):
That's number one.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
He could not last year. No, could not. And by
the way, Teddy Bridgewater, I will Teddy Bridgewater came and
start against the Jets, and I believe the second play
the Jets instantly were blitzing off the edges not to
Ridgewater up, so then they beat the third string guy.
It's like, if you can't protect your quarterback, no chance.
I'm not as bullish on the Dolphins as everyone else where.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
Do you think they'll finish in the divisions?
Speaker 3 (31:08):
A third in the division that could still be a
playoff to you, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Maybe, all right, We'll stick in in the AFC East.
The Patriots brought in Bill O'Brien as our offensive coordinator
after last season's lackluster approach, and mac Jones will look
to bounce back in year three after a down season,
and he already seems to be meshing with this new OC.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
I think everything he's done so far has been really good.
I think the communication is the most important part in trust.
I think it all starts with that. When you're with
a new coach and he's done a great job and
controlling the room, I feel like everyone's on the same page.
Just got to continue to do it. It's it's a marathon,
not a sprints. There's a lot of familiarity, but it's
a new relationship still and we're just working on that trust.
(31:50):
That's what I care about. I'm very, very much so
a trustworthy person, and that's what we're trying to build.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
He's saying all the things you want to hear, and
you kind of have to say these things. But how
much of an impact do you think O'Brien can make
in his first year after not having an offensive coordinator
last year?
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Good luck, I'm not this is the last place team
in the division. I think we'd agreed. Yeah, yeah, definitely,
mac Jones. Easy to say the right things in May
and June. Okay, let's see what happens when the bullets
start flying for real in September and you're throwing the
ball to Juju Smith, Schuster, Devonte Parker, Taekwon Thwart. I
just I'm not a believer in this team at all.
I think Vegas had them at seven and a half. Alex,
would you take the over the under.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
Seven and a half wins?
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Probably the under?
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Yeah, yeah, six.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
They have to have their full schedule up in front
of me.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
And then then you start wondering, does Bill look to
move off mac Jones? And like, it just does not
look optimistic for the Patriots heading into next season.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
It hasn't looked optimistic since Tom Brady.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Yeah, interesting how that works?
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
You run the the goat kind of out of town
as Belichick did, and now you stick and you're probably
not gonna win a play So if I asked you, Alex, yeah,
how many playoff games will Bill Belichick win post Brady?
He has one appearance and they lost by I think
seventy to the game. Any more years has left on
his contract We'll just say five will he would one
(33:15):
playoff game in the next five years, not with the
group they have right now, so they'd have to find
a new quarterback something weapons.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
You don't want to have to go all in. But
they're also like Jason, they're in your teams.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Oh yeah, I'll go after the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
I'm gonna say.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
You know, born in New York, so I dislike all
Boston teams vehemently.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Well I mean you got beat on for years.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Yes, yeah, yeah, I try to block that out. I
think we've lost seventeen straight game. I think it's like
thirteen to the Patriots, but I can't wait for payback
this year. Yeah, that would be great. Y Yes, Alex
with the news.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The
Herd Line News.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Coming up next, we will go back to Boston because
should they blow it up? Do you trade Jalen Brown
break up the Tatum Brown relationship? That's next year on
the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 11 (34:11):
Hey Gang, This Jay Laser, host of Unbreakable a mental
health podcast, and each week we try to help turn
our mental health issues into mental wealth, and we dive
in with everyone from a world of sports and entertainment
like Sean McVay, Lindsey Vaughn, Michael Phelp, David Spade, Guy Fiemi,
and also those who can help us in between the ears,
(34:31):
anyone from a therapist to someone like Ed Milette or
John Gordon. So each week, listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer,
a mental health podcast on iHeartRadio, app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get podcasts.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
The NBA Finals tip off tonight, along with your chance
to win five thousand dollars predicting six game one outcomes
on the Fox Best.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Super Six app.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
Download the app now and enter your picks for free
for a chance to win.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Big back here on the Herd. NBA Finals start tonight.
A lot of the talk right now is one of
the teams that's not here, the Boston Celtics. Everybody thought
the path had cleared out for them when the Bucks
were ousted. Celtics able to extinguish the sixers and seven,
nice little comeback there, and then they lose to Miami
(35:18):
kind of in tough fashion to go down oh two,
end up rallying, but they lose in seven at home,
and everybody now in Boston Joey Bagga Donuts. He wants
to blow the team up. Get Jalen Brown out of here.
He stinks they turnovers. You know, maybe he had a
hand injury, as Collins alluded to over the last couple weeks. Well,
on the plane back from Paris, I read this article.
(35:41):
I think it was in Slate about the TV show Jeopardy.
I don't know if you guys remember what Jeopardy was
like twenty years ago. It was just a game show.
Every night. It was on like Wheel of Fortune and
you watch Jeopardy and that's what it was. And in
recent years, like a new guy took over the show
and they have made Jeopardy like a mass deal. Like
Jeopardy's exploded into all these various tournaments. There's a second
(36:04):
chance tournament on Jeopardy where if you were really good
and put up big numbers, but you lost to one
of these juggernaut dudes, Ken Jennings or James Holds, whatever
his name is, they now have this tournament for the
second chance guys. Then they have a Master's tournament. They
have a high school reunion show. Jeopardy has really like
exploded into this own universe where instead of staying the same,
(36:25):
you've gone bigger. Right, I'm not like the biggest Jeopardy watcher,
but I do watch it sometimes and now there's just
too much to keep up. It's massive, but it's gotten bigger.
They've doubled down on Jeopardy and tripled down. They've almost
made it like a Marvel universe where like ant Man
gets his own spin off and what was the other
(36:46):
awesome Black Panther was incredible, Like Marvel has exploded, gotten bigger,
And what Boston fans are now saying is no, no,
this isn't working. We gotta start over. We gotta get
smaller and get Jalen Brown out of here, and we
want to Damian Lite heard it, and I just totally
disagree with this idea that you trade Jalen Brown. Do
you guys remember how good this Celtics team has been
(37:08):
in the postseason in the last four years? Okay, conference finals,
lost to the Heat in six, go to the NBA Finals,
lose in six, and then they lose in these are
conference finals in seven. They're close. This is not Damian
Lillard and CJ. McCollum in Portland getting knocked out in
the first round, but maybe make one conference finals and
(37:29):
we got us to keep these guys together. This is
not that Jalen Brown twenty six, Tatum twenty five. You
know what this is. This is the time when your
business doubles down and triples down. Think about when the
Warriors lost to Lebron in the finals. The seventy three
win Warriors, maybe the greatest team ever and they lose
in the finals after being up three to one. Did
(37:49):
the Warriors decide, you know what, we should break up
the Splash brothers. Lebron ruined us. We we can't get
through even though they had one title in twenty fifteen.
They said, no, you know what we want to do.
Beg girl. We're going out and get Kevin Durant, bring
him in and then turn into a dynasty. You go bigger,
Jeopardy bigger. If I'm Boston, I do the opposite of
(38:13):
getting rid of Jaylen Brown. I stick with these two,
and I look what I can make around the edges.
Hey can I package brogged in? And I mean Derek White.
Everybody loves in the hero of game six. Can I
package Horford and brogged in and picks and go big
game hunting for an unhappy superstar. Karl Anthony Towns seems
(38:33):
unhappy in Minnesota. I know the Knicks one him. But
if I'm Boston, I do the opposite of what conventional
wisdom is. Let's break up Brown and Tato. It's just
not working. It's working. What are you talking about? You
made the conference finals, the NBA Finals, which they led
to one against Golden State, and then the conference finals again.
It's a damn good team. Brad Stevens has something here
(38:54):
for sure. Joe Mizzula probably gonna need some more assistant coaches,
as there are reports that Ema Udoka, who took the
job in Houston, is going to pick up maybe three
of Missoula's assistants, So Joe Mossoula is gonna have to
replenish the bench. That's very important for sure, because Missoula
had some tough times early in that Miami series, just
getting body bagged by Eric Spolstra. But if I'm Boston,
(39:16):
I am looking all around. How can I level up?
And listen, there's a guy in New Orleans who has
been injured a lot and they paid him, and how
happy is he. We don't know how happy is David
Griffin with him. Some of the comments at the end
(39:37):
of the season. I'm not saying Boston goes out and
gets Zion will I'm not saying that. But if I'm Boston,
I'm looking for ways to get bigger in terms of
another star as opposed to shrink it down. And hey,
let's get Jaylen Brown out of here. We got to
manage the cap Listen. Grant Williams is one of these
guys like Missoula didn't know what to do with it.
He was instrumental the prior year with Udoka. Remember Game
(39:59):
seven against a Bucks. The guy hits a bazillion threes
and they advanced to the NBA Finals. Grant Williams looks
like they're not gonna be able to keep him. That's fine.
Maybe you can package Williams and if you've got to
move Derek White, you got to move. You can't keep everybody,
but I think you've got to keep the foundational pieces
in Tatum and Brown. And again this is coming from
a guy who does not like anything Boston. I grew
(40:20):
up not liking the Celtics, but I respected Larry Byrd,
couldn't stand Danny Ymes, but man, that guy was an
awesome basketball player. Kevin McHale Robert. I just did not
like any of those teams, but for some reason I
gravitate toward Tatum and again. Jalen Brown worked out leading
up to the draft at my gym. I knew his
trainer pretty well, so I I not intimate knowledge of
Jaalen Brown, but I did go watch some of the workouts. Like,
(40:43):
the guy is a beast. I'm definitely like Jalen Brown.
I'm rooting for. I'm just telling you, if you break
up Brown and Tatum, when you go out to the
Eastern Conference Finals three times in four years, you're asking
for trouble because there is this grass is Always Greener
theory that oh, well, yeah, we bring in Dame Lillard,
he could stretch the floor. Just be careful. We've seen
(41:03):
a lot of people make mistakes shrinking down and changing up.
These are young guys, these are emerging stars in this league,
all NBA players, and you're gonna break it up because
you weren't happy with Jalen Brown's performance in Game seven.
He didn't play well. Tata Murden is ankle what are
you gonna do? Relax, Boston. Bigger is better in this instance.
We got one hour left in the show. Let's see
(41:25):
what we're gonna talk about. Oh, we got Albert Breer
stopping by in the final hour. We'll talk a little.
Aaron Rodgers shocker. Should be a fun one, Alex. It's
a big week ahead.
Speaker 6 (41:36):
You excited?
Speaker 5 (41:37):
I mean it's a big night tonight.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Yes, and the final a few hours away.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
Here we go.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday from twelve to three eastern,
nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS one.
Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports
Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on
the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Welcome back, Hour number two on The Herd. It's me
Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowhard, joined by Alex Hurry. Alex,
he made it through one hour two to go.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
When did you actually get back from Paris as a
jetlag actually hit you yet?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Not yet, not yet. I've got a good night's sleep,
It slept a little bit on the plane, and just.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Right back into the takes.
Speaker 5 (00:43):
It's kind of like what you have to do.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
It's like just keep rolling, don't don't allow yourself to
think about what time it is like back in Paris.
Speaker 5 (00:49):
Like I'm here, I'm delirious.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, we're gonna do it. Yes, we're gonna got a
great guest coming up, Rick Buker joining the show in
a few minutes. But first, I you know, listen, I
started looking at the NFL lands this year, and there's
certainly some teams and coaches who are under massive pressure
this year to win. So I got a top ten
list for you. Will count down ten to one the
teams that are the most pressure in the NFL this season.
(01:12):
Let's get it started.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Number ten.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm starting with the Cleveland Browns at ten. Yes, some
weird expectations in Vegas for the Browns as win total
was a little higher than expected. Deshaun Watson, as Mangini
just told you, has a year under his belt to
get acclimated. And oh, by the way, Kevin Stefanski, the
pressure's on. This is year four, year one. He goes
to the playoffs and wins a game, then they regress,
(01:35):
then they regress more. He's got to get to the
playoffs and win. I think he's got to get to
the super Bowl, probably to keep everybody happy in Cleveland.
A lot of pressure on the Cleveland Browns this year.
Starting at number ten, Number nine, number nine, number nine,
the Baltimore Ravens. Listen, I know we all love Lamar Jackson.
I've defended him on the show. A ton got one
(01:57):
playoff win. They just gave him all of the money.
They added Odell Beckham. This is the best receiving locker
room that Lamar Jackson has had in Baltimore. They got
a new OC. There's a lot of newness. I'm not
as bullish on them this year. I think there is
a lot of pressure though, on this team to kind
of get back. Lamar's gotta stay healthy. You just got
a fat contract. Ravens checking in at number nine, number eighth.
(02:20):
Here we go Denver, Broncos. My guys, Sean Payton. We
miss him on the Herd, but he's got bigger fish
to fry and vet Denver. Listen, Russell Wilson. We could
be honest, he wasn't good last year. Massive regression. We
can blame it on Hackett if we want to. We
can blame it on him acclimating in his first year
in Denver. But the cole reality is, you bring in
(02:41):
an offensive minded coach and what was his first move.
Let's bring in a good backup quarterback Jared Sidham who
proved a lot with the Raiders. And I just wonder, folks,
how much pressure is on Russell Wilson and Sean Payton
to really make a deep run and get to the
Super Bowl. Folks, if they don't make the playoffs. I
think we could seriously look at Russell Wilson is being
on the move elsewhere in Denver.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Number seven.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Ah, yes, here we go, number seven. I know my
Los Angeles friends are not gonna like this, but I
have the Rams at seven. Okay, let's remember Aaron Donald
nearly retired after the Super Bowl, Matt Stafford coming off
of major surgery. There were questions do the Rams move
on from him? And oh, by the way, their coach
McVeigh came super close to retireing they trade away Jalen Ramsey.
(03:27):
Look at the defensive depth chart for this team. You
got a bunch of dudes like I've never heard of.
I don't know this team could stop anybody. We'll see
what Stafford has left in the tank. It's a very
thin roster. And folks, if they missed the playoffs, remember
they were Super Bowl winners and then the worst drop
off from a Super Bowl winner, I believe. Ever, what
if they missed the playoffs again, what's gonna happen? Does
(03:48):
mcveiy say I'm out? Does Aaron Donald check out? I
think the Rams have massive pressure this season.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Number six.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Let's go back to the AFC. The Miami Dolphins a
team I can't stay and they got some pressure. Listen,
you don't go all in and pick up Jalen Ramsey
and expect no pressure. Remember last year Tyreek Hill, this
year Jalen Ramsey. Oh, by the way, what's Tua's future? Like,
everybody gave McDaniel the genius label, and I'm not banging that.
(04:16):
McDaniel was like excellent last year. But they have a loaded,
top heavy roster and a lot of questions at quarterback.
If TWOA can't stay healthy and avoid the concussions, financially
they're all in. I mean, you could luck. I gotta
love their roster. They got talent, but they also got
to win. I think Super Bowl or bust for the Miami.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Dolphins Number five.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Let's go back to San Francisco. Listen. I talked about
it with Eric Mangini. This is a team they got
some issues. I know they were close last year with
Rock Purty, but let's remember they traded up for Trey Lance.
There is not a lot of wiggle room. If this
team all of a sudden regresses to say nine wins,
you're gonna start having questions. Boy, can Shanahan ever win
the Big One? What the hell were they doing trading
(04:56):
up for Trey Lance? And then you gotta start, you know,
thinking like, is Rock perty the guy? If there's regression?
I like Purty a lot. I don't think regression happens.
But there is pressure in San Francisco to get to
a super Bowl. They come up short now twice in
the Shanahan era. Number four, let's go to the Dallas Cowboys.
Everybody loves talking about the Cowboys, folks, when you dump
(05:18):
your OC and your defensive quartern and out two off seasons,
has gone around hunting for jobs, and you got McCarthy,
who's like, I got the offense. Now you got Dak
Prescott kind of the offense. Jeke is gone, Like, I
don't know who else you're gonna blame if this team
doesn't deliver. Dallas is as good defensively as they've ever been,
(05:39):
but we know offense matters more in this league. I
think there's a lot of pressure on Dallas, and folks,
it's not that out of a take, but there's a
world where this team misses the playoffs and McCarthy's gone,
and then do you elevate Quinn and what do you do?
It could go sideways. A lot of pressure on the
Dallas Cowboys heading into the season. Number three, Ah, yes,
my New York Jets. I'm trying to crowbar them into
(06:01):
every segment on the show. Obviously listen, there's obviously pressure Sala.
We know he needs to win playoffs or your fire.
GM Joe Douglas, you better get to the playoffs or
you're fired. Aaron Rodgers, playoffs would be nice. You gotta
get to a super Bowl, buddy, you gotta get back
to a super Bowl. Rogers, you just have to. I know,
what's your first year. You got a young team, You're
in a leadership role. I do believe Aaron Rodgers is motivated,
(06:25):
as I said at the outset of the show, motivated
to do what Brady did. Leave the place that didn't
totally love you or respect you. Draft it over your
head and you want to leave and win a super Bowl.
A lot of pressure on Aaron Rodgers. A lot of
the guys in the front office and coaches, they're also
worried about this season.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Number two.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Colin Cowherd loves Justin Herbert more than any player in
the league, possibly and the Chargers. I know some people
are gonna say, whoh can they win a playoff game?
Speaker 6 (06:54):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Can they? Please? Seriously, Brandon Staley, how many more chances
is he gonna get? They bring a new OC in Kellimore,
and you gotta wonder, like, all right, you know we
came up a little short in the playoffs against the
Jags after blowing a massive lead. Will change out the OC?
What do you change out if you don't win a
playoff game or maybe make a deep playoff run? What's
(07:14):
got to be the head coach? And you're paying Justin
Herbert so he's no longer on the rookie deal. A
lot of pressure on the Chargers number one.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yes, you knew it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Was coming, ladies and gentlemen. The Buffalo Bills last year
went into the season super Bowl favorites. Josh Allen MVP favorite.
They won a lot of games and what happened in
the playoffs? They crept out once again. The Buffalo Bills
are teetering. This is a massive season. I see the
big story of this week. Josh Allen's now got a
new girlfriend. He's dating an actress. Great congratulations, Josh Allen.
(07:47):
What are you gonna do with the Hopkins situation. Are
you gonna go get him? Stefan Diggs doesn't seem particularly happy,
or maybe he's just old and Krabby Buffalo really laid
an egg at home in the playoffs last year. And folks,
there is more pressure on the Bills to get to
the super Bowl than any other team in the NFL.
All right, let's get you our guest, Rick Bucker, NBA
(08:09):
analyst for Fox. Here's the man, the myth, the legend,
love talking who off with Rick Buker. Some breaking news
just before you came on. Well it's not huge, but
Brad Stevens gave more than a vote of confidence to
Joe Missoula, his head coach, say he will be back.
You were not particularly surprised by.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
That, No, I think I was on with Colin a
couple of weeks ago, right after they fell down three
to zero, and said that I didn't see them making
a change. It's not the way the Boston Celtics operate
in generally talk a lot about making changes and then don't.
But with Brad Stevens being a former head coach, I
figured he would have a certain amount of sympathy for
Joe Miszula stepping into that seat for the first time.
(08:52):
And look, they've they've been churning the head coaching position
a little bit here over the last couple of years.
They might want a little stability.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Let's stay with the Celtics real quick. Jayalen Brown eight baskets,
eight turnovers in Game seven. Yeah, all NBA team looking
at a super max. Yeah, I think it's a no brainer.
I think you get him together and keep the continuity.
Other people not so much. But I'll say this, Rick,
is it easier to unload him now? Yeah? Or you
given the super max and you give it another year
(09:23):
and then you offload him because the market opens up
a lot more teams willing to trade for Jalen Brown
with three or four years left on his deal. Maybe
some an Orlando would be interested. I'm just throwing out
a land because that's what people do. Or Lando Magic well.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
In general, if you have a guy signed up long term,
it opens up your possibility of being able to deal
with because people know what they're getting and they know
how long they're going to have it. So it is
a tricky proposition for all. I mean everybody after the loss,
everybody was like, you got to break up Tatum and
Brown and you gotta change things up and be the
(10:00):
Boston Celtics where the bar is set winning championships. I'm
not mad at that logic. I also understand the other
side of it, though, which is they've had this unbelievable success.
These guys are twenty five, twenty six years old, and
so do your risk. God, here's the problem, and it
is because of the super Max. It is because of
(10:21):
the success individual success those two guys have had. If
you pay Brown an Tatum, that's your pay, like they've
got to get you there now, and the supporting cast
that you have now, you're not going to be able
to afford. So if you believe that these guys can
(10:43):
elevate themselves and they can make other guys better as
opposed to getting better guys to make them better, then
I say go ahead, pay them. That's where you place
your bet. I'm not convinced in the same way that
when we looked at Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, like
we were like two great individual talents. But can that
(11:05):
combin nation win you a championship or is there always
a little bit of friction there because of just the
dynamics of how they play. That's what I see in
Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. So if you're happy, just
like you're always going to the playoffs, which a lot
of teams would take what Boston Celtics have had. If
you're happy with that, then load up on them and
(11:27):
you know that you're guaranteed to be good.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
There was also some duplication with Lebron and Wade, not
total duplication, but they also had Bosh to blame all
he was the fall guy. Anytime things went right, Oh,
I had Bosh come on, hey, you're not doing anything well.
Speaker 6 (11:40):
But there was also like Lebron was a at heart
a playmaker and Dwayne Wade at heart is a shooting guard.
And they also had a very unique relationship where Dwayne
Wade was going to push Lebron James. This is one
of my issues with j and Jalen, like who's the
(12:02):
driving force there? Are they making each other better? I
know they like each other, I know they work out
with each other. I know they're both hard workers. But
is there somebody who's saying, hey, you're not good enough
right now, you're not playing well enough right now? Do
they have the ability to say that to each other
and demand more and I just haven't seen that.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Do you think Brad Stevens would do this often rumored
deal Jalen Brown for Jalen Brown and something for Damian
Lillard and.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Something I do not see that. I do not see
that happening. The difficulty is, and again, much like Katie
and Russ, like Jason Tatum has been anointed the best
player and talent wise, I don't argue with that, but
Jalen Brown is the more aggressive, plays and acts like
(12:49):
a number one. So how do you get around that conundrum?
And that for me is you take the risk. If
you want to play for championships, you got to break
that up and you gotta come up with a different formula.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
We'll get to the finals in a second. I want
to go to the Suns. They still don't have a coach.
Unless it happened in the last thirty seconds, coaching Booker
and Durant, you would think that's more appealing than going
to Philly, or you'd think that's more appealing the Bucks,
both who have major questions this offseason, like why is
this job not field? What are you hearing?
Speaker 6 (13:21):
I I haven't heard a word about who they might
be going after at this point. But I think they're
one of the reasons that they haven't been aggressive and
going out and getting somebody is because there's still another
shooter drop, which is what are you gonna do with
DeAndre Eighten? Like they have to make that move before
(13:43):
they can do anything else. And one of the interesting
rumors that I've heard, Oh, here we go. Yeah, I
wasn't gonna save this, but you know what this is
for you? Yeah, yeah, is the idea of trading DeAndre
Ayton to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie that that more
(14:04):
so than seeing Kyrie go to the Lakers, it makes
a ton of sense. I well, certainly for the for
the Dallas.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Mavericks, getting DeAndre Ayden.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Oh, DeAndre Ayton next to Luka Dancics makes a lot
more sense than Kyrie irving one. You've got a little
You've got you've got a rim protector, you've got some size.
You have a guy who's happily being the number two
that doesn't need the ball to operate. And it validates
having traded Dorian Finney Smith in the pieces that they
sent and Spencer Dinwitti and the Picks to the Brooklyn
(14:38):
nets because you couldn't get DeAndrea Ayton for Dorian Finney
Smith and Spencer Dinwitty and what they sent to the nets.
So getting Kyrie Irving now becomes oh, but look we
got DeAndrea Ayton. So again just a rumor, not reporting
that it's going to happen, But to me, it makes
a lot of sense for both sides, and Kevin Durant
(14:59):
and and Kyrie Irving reunited and as we've seen.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
That worked out so well, just worked out swimmingly in Brooklyn.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
I'm not saying I'm not saying that I would do it,
but Matt Matt Ishbi, the new owner, has demonstrated that
he likes to swing for the fences and this would
certainly be that if.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
You thought that was the least likable team in the
league before. Are they keeping Chris Paul in the scenario?
Speaker 6 (15:19):
By the way, uh no, I believe you. I don't
know that you could keep Chris Paul in that.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
I think that would be the least likable team in
the in the league. I mean, Devin Booker is so mouthy,
I mean, you know, cool, and then Kyrie Irving, who
knows when he's showing up? I shouldn't bash.
Speaker 6 (15:34):
I will say the reality, it's difficult to know how
to interpret it. But kicking Monnie Williams to the curb
and the unbothered by Devin Booker that that didn't that
I'm not one hundred percent sure what he meant, but
not knowing what he meant, I don't feel good about
Monny Williams didn't deserve that. Whatever happened, he didn't deserve that.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
All right, one last one before the finals, Bob Meyer
steps down. Yeah, or was pushed out? I don't know.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
He was really unclear. Definitely not pushed out.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
He had an offer on the table.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Oh yeah, Okay, he no, he could have stayed. So
it was the worst. It was the worst kept rumor
that he was looking to leave because he was just
he was worn out, and he also faced the very
difficult proposition of you're going to have to break up
the Big three, and he came in and grew up
and won championships with these guys, and most gms take
(16:31):
the approach I'm not going to have a relationship with
my players because I'm going to get to a point
where I have to trade them, and I need to
be cold hearted about it. And Bob decided I'm not
gonna do that, and it served them well because when
things flared up between Steve Kerr and Draymond Green, or
Draymond and Jordan Poole or whatever, all of the and
(16:52):
half a dozen other things that haven't been reported, he
was able to go to those players and say, hey,
we gotta get we got we gotta we have to
resolve this. Well, the downside of it is now you're
at a point where you got to look at Steph
Curry and say, yeah, I just traded Lay Thompson and
Draymond Green and mom said I'd rather spend time with
my kids and didn't have to do that.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
It feels like a massive undertaking. This is not I
don't think it's a great job. I know that sounds crazy.
I don't think it's a great job right now.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
I would agree with you because the bar is set
so high and people don't want people. Look there's I'm
working with people here who believe that as long as
you have Steph and Clay and Drey and Steve Kerr,
they're still going to be a championship contender. Yeah, they
that I do not. I don't seeing Clay look Clay's
(17:44):
not Clay anymore. Dray's not Drey anymore. And the championship
teams that they have, remember strengthen numbers, like, they don't
have that same depth. It's can they reinvent themselves around
Steph Curry? Yes, I believe they can, but there's a
lot of work to be done.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
All right, Finals, everybody and their mom is picking Denver.
They are the third largest favorite in the last twenty years. Yeah,
Miami obviously, seven game series, grueling, exhaust Jimmy Butler, by
the way, I know people aren't talking about it. Rick
last four games against Boston, he shot like thirty five percent.
He's tired, he's exhausted. Now you've got to go to altitude.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
You've had returns for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
At nine points spread tonight. Is there any case that
the Heat can win this series? Like? What is that?
Speaker 6 (18:26):
Like?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
They have nobody to guard Yokic. Obviously them ain't gonna
guard him, Like remember Anthony Davis could not cart him.
I just I can't. I don't know what the path
to victory here is unless they keep making threes, which
is unsustainable.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
Well, yeah, so look, we didn't expect them to beat
the Bucks. The Knicks with the one team I expected
them to beat. I didn't expect them initially to beat Boston,
and then when the way Boston came out, I've changed
my tune. My heart wants Miami to at least be
(19:01):
competitive in this series, and I would love to see
them get rewarded for what they are. It's like rooting
for Seabiscuit against war Admiral.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Look, there's a horse racing reference, but the fact is
the zone is what killed Boston.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Nikola Jokic. You put him in the middle of the
zone and you have guys cutting, and the shooters that
they have they ain't gonna work against Denver, and so
I just don't I wish I saw a path to
Miami pulling an upset or being formidable. I just don't
see it. So I'm with the majority the masses.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I saw a stat where they played eleven possessions of
zone this season against the Nuggets that he did, and
the Nuggets called nineteen points, which is not bad.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Now.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
The one bet that I do kind of like here
is like, do you think Spolstro who's a great coach,
goes all in and says we're stopping Jokic or do
you think the strategy is we're gonna let Yokic get
fifty three like he did against the Sons in the loss.
We're not letting Jamal Murray and Michael Porter and those
guys go off from deep and that's our best path.
Do you think that they let yokajat That would.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Be my strategy, Okay, because one it's going to test
his endurance. And two, the one thing that Jokic showed
me more of this year, but that I haven't consistently seen,
which is why he was never my MVP at the
top of my MVP ballot, is because he rather be
a facilitator. He rather get everybody involved. If you said,
(20:33):
you know what, go get fifty and beat me, I
don't know that he would consistently do that. It's just
not It's a little bit like Lebron James. He feels like,
I want to play the game, I want to get
everybody involved. I don't want to dominate the ball So
I look, as I said, he's done more of that
this year, which is why I considered putting him at
the top of my ballot for the first time this year.
(20:55):
But there was time I saw a regression through these
playof where it was like, jok this is your time
to press the issue. This is your time to impose
your will. Don't lay back, And he was still he
was relying on Jamal Murray happy to set screens and
hand it off, and he's just too good and he
(21:16):
was too big in the in the last series not
to do that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I'm work shopping a take here on just the idea
that centers are back.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
In on his show, So like, hey, I'm just trying
out some material.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Yeah, that centers are kind of back in vogue. Yoka.
Remember the last center to be a centerpiece on an
NBA Finals team was was who would be? You want
to go Duncan? You want to go Shack? But yeah,
you could go Duncan and it wouldn't be shocked with
the Heat, it would be shacked with the Lakers. I
just wonder, like Jokic center, I mean, he's best player
(21:49):
in the league and and Rick there is something to
the analytics revolution going on in the league and Miami
Heat or anti analytics. They couldn't make threes all season,
Now they make all of them. They got undrafted players
scoring fifty two percent of their points against Boston that's
unheard of. Like, what is happening or is this just
a wacky outlier of a season.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
No, I think it's I think it's a natural evolution
because I when we say centers, it's not traditional center.
These guys aren't on the block right right, it's it's
it's really they've We've just gotten taller and heavier and stronger.
And but if you can't shoot a three, you're not
(22:28):
playing a five. I mean, Jokic embiid you. You have
to be able to shoot the three, and most of
these guys are operating from the high post are beyond.
So yes, big I would say big men are back
in vogue. But it's simply a byproduct of like we've
seen the six nine, six ten guys becoming guards and
(22:49):
point forwards and all of that. So now we we've
what we're getting is we're getting point We're getting point centers.
That's what we're getting.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
The other half of this would be the AA culture.
I know we've talked about this for a while. Your
kid played AAU, my son has like it's just not working.
I don't think in America, and you look at the
league and how these Europeans are coming in and totally
dominating Rick. You go back twenty twenty five, thirty years,
it was like barely any non Americans on the All
(23:17):
NBA teams. Now the MVPs are all almost all did
not play high school basketball here. I know MB did
a little bit, But then you look at wee Bin
Yama number one pick, he didn't play here. And you
look at twenty twenty four because I do that because
I'm a nerd. Yeah, three of the top five guys European.
Like something's there's a there's a shift going on. I
know it's been happening for a while, but people aren't
(23:37):
really talking about this. It's happening in baseball if you
look at like how many players or Latin versus it's
starting to grow. It's happening in the NBA. But does
the league do you think cares? And I just I
know that's a wacky question, but we look at interest
in Yokich versus the heat, and I don't know, continue.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
Yeah, No, I think there is an element there. I
don't think that US basketballs embrace international play. Like for
all that Giannis has done and for as great a
personality as he is, he's not embraced the way staff
for Lebron are He's just not and that's not I mean,
that's that's just the reality. So I think there is
(24:15):
that little bit of disconnect and US basketball fans don't
want to hear this. They don't want to hear what
you just brought up, which is which is spot on.
We're we're looking at the possibility that a Canadian and
a Serb are going to dominate the NBA Finals and
win a championship. Here like the best the best American
player we have in this series is Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler,
(24:38):
not to take anything away from him, but that to
your point, like that's where it's trending. The Canadian basketball
program has been has evolved mightily. What they're doing in Europe.
They're killing us because AAU the coaching has fallen off nightly.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
There's like a capitalist something going on where you can
make a lot of money in AU basketball. But are
the kids learning and now we're running NBA Analyst Fox,
really good, love your stuff, Rick, Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
My pleasure all right, one more heard The Herd streams
twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Within
the iHeartRadio app Search Herd to listen live or on
demand whenever you like.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Back here on the Herd, Let's go to Alex Curry
with the news.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
No, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd
Line News.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Well, they act The NBA Finals tip off tonight and
the Heat will have a tough task defending Yokis Now.
The Lakers, who were one of the top defensive team
Sensitorde Deadline had no answer to the Joker, but Jimmy
Butler says, it will require a team effort to take
down Yokich and the Nuggets.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
And this is what we had to say.
Speaker 7 (25:52):
Guarding him as a team with all five guys. You know,
he does everything so well, and we're gonna have to
be in the gaps. We gonna have to gang rebound.
You know, we can't have defensive lapses. And I'm just
gonna have to get after it. I think at the
end of the day, he's a major key, as DJ
Keller will say, and we're gonna have to lock in.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
There's no denying that Jokic is the best player in
the finals. Right It's gonna take every bit of effort
from that Heat team to try to contain him. But
what I do love is kind of the attitude that
we've seen from both of these teams heading into the finals. First,
we saw Jimmy Butler at the Eastern Conference Final championship
not take the trophy, say I'll wait to hold the
next one. And then when Jokic was recently asked about
(26:39):
being the favorite in the finals, he said, there are
no favorites. Anything can happen in the finals. So you
kind of have this underdog mentality going in for both
of these teams. Now, the Nuggets are favored according to
Fox Bet by eight and a half. So who are
you taking in Game one tonight in Denver?
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I bet? I guess I got a bad number. I
took the Nuggets favored by nine. I think it was
like the third thing I did when I got off
the plane. Okay, it's like, I gotta take the Nuggets.
So the number I saw was teams that are coming
off five or more days of rest heading into the
finals and have home court advantage, Yeah, are eight and
one in game ones.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
So it's better to have more rest.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Better to have more rest, and better to be at
home and you're at altitude. But here's a scary thing
for the Heat. Yeah, teams with that rest and home
court are eight and one overall in the finals, meaning
they're gonna win. They're almost certainly.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, so it's not only game one, but it's the
whole series. So that's why they're like minus three sixty
to win the title.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
The other scary thing is the Heat have won all
game ones in this postseason, right, they did it on
the road and what was it? What was the first
series in Milwaukee, New York and then Boston and it's
like they know, hey, we got game one, we got
stole home court.
Speaker 8 (27:51):
Event.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, what if they don't do that tonight, then you're like, oh.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
I don't think that's as big of a factor.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
The Heat of defied all odds making it to this
point with the second eighth seed ever to make it
to the NBA Finals. They have seven undrafted guys on
their team, like they are.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
The ultimate underdog. And when you're coming off of.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
A crazy series like they just did against Boston and
it's so close that you can carry it into this.
They have the momentum, they have that fire. I think
that's going.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
To be able to help them. They're gonna have to
use that to their advantage.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So I just don't know. You mentioned the Lakers were
the best defensive team. Couldn't stop them, couldn't stop them.
They had bigs. Yeah, Miami has one big and bam Adebayo. Like,
do they start Kevin Love and try to like Kevin
Love next to Yokis? Is gonna look like a little kid, Like.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
It's gonna take a full team effort. I don't know
a full team effort to try to stop them.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
I give me the Nuggets. I picked the Nuggets in seven.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
Seven.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Make me a little less to that. I bet the
Nuggets to.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
Night yet, so are you changing that to what?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Like five? I'm not gonna I'll stick with the seven,
but you what's your pick?
Speaker 4 (28:54):
It's so I Rick said it beautifully, like my heart
wants Miami to win, but like my head is picking Denver.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, the plucky underdrag. Everybody loves me.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
I love an underdog.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
I was an underdog in life and in sports, so
like I always go with.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
The undergo totally agree.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
I know.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
Okay, let's move on to the NFL, where the Dolphins
will look to build on last season's success, which culminated
in a nine to eight record and playoff first on
Tyreek Hill expects more wins in twenty twenty three with
all their offensive firepower, and he believes Tua will go
off this season.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Here's what he had to say.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Obviously, we got one of the most accurate quarterbacks in
the NFL, and I'm sticking to my stance on that. So,
you know, having two ad quarterback and you know, just
having the offensive google that we have in our and our.
Speaker 10 (29:42):
Head coaches is is wonderful, you know.
Speaker 9 (29:45):
So having those weapons, he's gonna go crazy, man, you know,
because he can have me on one side, me and
Water on one side.
Speaker 10 (29:52):
The VNE and Righthem on another side.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
You know, you forgot about brasing and said, you know,
you're throwing those guys like that who can get open
anytime they want to.
Speaker 10 (29:59):
So you know, Scott's leaving for his Dolphense.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
They're a really good offensive team. But the question is
going to be can to a stay healthy. We saw
some really scary concussion situations happened with to A last
year where we question is he even going to play
football again? Should he even be playing football again? So
cantus stay healthy and now in the AFC East with
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
On the Jets.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Obviously, the Bills and Josh Allen have a lot to
prove this year, and you can't count out the Patriots
and Bill Belichick.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
It's a tough division.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yeah, it's funny, Alex. I'm looking at the depth chart
for the Dolphins. I didn't hear a lot of offensive
line talk from Tyreek Hill. How was that offensive line
last year?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Tyrek?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
You want to address that? No, I No, Armstead is
a good player, but there's a lot of questions on
that offensive line, And like you said, can to us
stay healthy?
Speaker 5 (30:49):
That's number one.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
He could not last year. No, could not. And by
the way, Teddy Bridgewater, I will Teddy Bridgewater came and
start against the Jets, and I believe the second play
the Jets instantly were blitzing off the edges not to
Ridgewater up, so then they beat the third string guy.
It's like, if you can't protect your quarterback, no chance.
I'm not as bullish on the Dolphins as everyone else where.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
Do you think they'll finish in the divisions?
Speaker 3 (31:08):
A third in the division that could still be a
playoff to you, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Maybe, all right, We'll stick in in the AFC East.
The Patriots brought in Bill O'Brien as our offensive coordinator
after last season's lackluster approach, and mac Jones will look
to bounce back in year three after a down season,
and he already seems to be meshing with this new OC.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
I think everything he's done so far has been really good.
I think the communication is the most important part in trust.
I think it all starts with that. When you're with
a new coach and he's done a great job and
controlling the room, I feel like everyone's on the same page.
Just got to continue to do it. It's it's a marathon,
not a sprints. There's a lot of familiarity, but it's
a new relationship still and we're just working on that trust.
(31:50):
That's what I care about. I'm very, very much so
a trustworthy person, and that's what we're trying to build.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
He's saying all the things you want to hear, and
you kind of have to say these things. But how
much of an impact do you think O'Brien can make
in his first year after not having an offensive coordinator
last year?
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Good luck, I'm not this is the last place team
in the division. I think we'd agreed. Yeah, yeah, definitely,
mac Jones. Easy to say the right things in May
and June. Okay, let's see what happens when the bullets
start flying for real in September and you're throwing the
ball to Juju Smith, Schuster, Devonte Parker, Taekwon Thwart. I
just I'm not a believer in this team at all.
I think Vegas had them at seven and a half. Alex,
would you take the over the under.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
Seven and a half wins?
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Probably the under?
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Yeah, yeah, six.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
They have to have their full schedule up in front
of me.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
And then then you start wondering, does Bill look to
move off mac Jones? And like, it just does not
look optimistic for the Patriots heading into next season.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
It hasn't looked optimistic since Tom Brady.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Yeah, interesting how that works?
Speaker 8 (32:52):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
You run the the goat kind of out of town
as Belichick did, and now you stick and you're probably
not gonna win a play So if I asked you, Alex, yeah,
how many playoff games will Bill Belichick win post Brady?
He has one appearance and they lost by I think
seventy to the game. Any more years has left on
his contract We'll just say five will he would one
(33:15):
playoff game in the next five years, not with the
group they have right now, so they'd have to find
a new quarterback something weapons.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
You don't want to have to go all in. But
they're also like Jason, they're in your teams.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Oh yeah, I'll go after the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
I'm gonna say.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
You know, born in New York, so I dislike all
Boston teams vehemently.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Well I mean you got beat on for years.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Yes, yeah, yeah, I try to block that out. I
think we've lost seventeen straight game. I think it's like
thirteen to the Patriots, but I can't wait for payback
this year. Yeah, that would be great. Y Yes, Alex
with the news.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The
Herd Line News.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Coming up next, we will go back to Boston because
should they blow it up? Do you trade Jalen Brown
break up the Tatum Brown relationship? That's next year on
the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 11 (34:11):
Hey Gang, This Jay Laser, host of Unbreakable a mental
health podcast, and each week we try to help turn
our mental health issues into mental wealth, and we dive
in with everyone from a world of sports and entertainment
like Sean McVay, Lindsey Vaughn, Michael Phelp, David Spade, Guy Fiemi,
and also those who can help us in between the ears,
(34:31):
anyone from a therapist to someone like Ed Milette or
John Gordon. So each week, listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer,
a mental health podcast on iHeartRadio, app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get podcasts.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
The NBA Finals tip off tonight, along with your chance
to win five thousand dollars predicting six game one outcomes
on the Fox Best.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Super Six app.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
Download the app now and enter your picks for free
for a chance to win.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Big back here on the Herd. NBA Finals start tonight.
A lot of the talk right now is one of
the teams that's not here, the Boston Celtics. Everybody thought
the path had cleared out for them when the Bucks
were ousted. Celtics able to extinguish the sixers and seven,
nice little comeback there, and then they lose to Miami
(35:18):
kind of in tough fashion to go down oh two,
end up rallying, but they lose in seven at home,
and everybody now in Boston Joey Bagga Donuts. He wants
to blow the team up. Get Jalen Brown out of here.
He stinks they turnovers. You know, maybe he had a
hand injury, as Collins alluded to over the last couple weeks. Well,
on the plane back from Paris, I read this article.
(35:41):
I think it was in Slate about the TV show Jeopardy.
I don't know if you guys remember what Jeopardy was
like twenty years ago. It was just a game show.
Every night. It was on like Wheel of Fortune and
you watch Jeopardy and that's what it was. And in
recent years, like a new guy took over the show
and they have made Jeopardy like a mass deal. Like
Jeopardy's exploded into all these various tournaments. There's a second
(36:04):
chance tournament on Jeopardy where if you were really good
and put up big numbers, but you lost to one
of these juggernaut dudes, Ken Jennings or James Holds, whatever
his name is, they now have this tournament for the
second chance guys. Then they have a Master's tournament. They
have a high school reunion show. Jeopardy has really like
exploded into this own universe where instead of staying the same,
(36:25):
you've gone bigger. Right, I'm not like the biggest Jeopardy watcher,
but I do watch it sometimes and now there's just
too much to keep up. It's massive, but it's gotten bigger.
They've doubled down on Jeopardy and tripled down. They've almost
made it like a Marvel universe where like ant Man
gets his own spin off and what was the other
(36:46):
awesome Black Panther was incredible, Like Marvel has exploded, gotten bigger,
And what Boston fans are now saying is no, no,
this isn't working. We gotta start over. We gotta get
smaller and get Jalen Brown out of here, and we
want to Damian Lite heard it, and I just totally
disagree with this idea that you trade Jalen Brown. Do
you guys remember how good this Celtics team has been
(37:08):
in the postseason in the last four years? Okay, conference finals,
lost to the Heat in six, go to the NBA Finals,
lose in six, and then they lose in these are
conference finals in seven. They're close. This is not Damian
Lillard and CJ. McCollum in Portland getting knocked out in
the first round, but maybe make one conference finals and
(37:29):
we got us to keep these guys together. This is
not that Jalen Brown twenty six, Tatum twenty five. You
know what this is. This is the time when your
business doubles down and triples down. Think about when the
Warriors lost to Lebron in the finals. The seventy three
win Warriors, maybe the greatest team ever and they lose
in the finals after being up three to one. Did
(37:49):
the Warriors decide, you know what, we should break up
the Splash brothers. Lebron ruined us. We we can't get
through even though they had one title in twenty fifteen.
They said, no, you know what we want to do.
Beg girl. We're going out and get Kevin Durant, bring
him in and then turn into a dynasty. You go bigger,
Jeopardy bigger. If I'm Boston, I do the opposite of
(38:13):
getting rid of Jaylen Brown. I stick with these two,
and I look what I can make around the edges.
Hey can I package brogged in? And I mean Derek White.
Everybody loves in the hero of game six. Can I
package Horford and brogged in and picks and go big
game hunting for an unhappy superstar. Karl Anthony Towns seems
(38:33):
unhappy in Minnesota. I know the Knicks one him. But
if I'm Boston, I do the opposite of what conventional
wisdom is. Let's break up Brown and Tato. It's just
not working. It's working. What are you talking about? You
made the conference finals, the NBA Finals, which they led
to one against Golden State, and then the conference finals again.
It's a damn good team. Brad Stevens has something here
(38:54):
for sure. Joe Mizzula probably gonna need some more assistant coaches,
as there are reports that Ema Udoka, who took the
job in Houston, is going to pick up maybe three
of Missoula's assistants, So Joe Mossoula is gonna have to
replenish the bench. That's very important for sure, because Missoula
had some tough times early in that Miami series, just
getting body bagged by Eric Spolstra. But if I'm Boston,
(39:16):
I am looking all around. How can I level up?
And listen, there's a guy in New Orleans who has
been injured a lot and they paid him, and how
happy is he. We don't know how happy is David
Griffin with him. Some of the comments at the end
(39:37):
of the season. I'm not saying Boston goes out and
gets Zion will I'm not saying that. But if I'm Boston,
I'm looking for ways to get bigger in terms of
another star as opposed to shrink it down. And hey,
let's get Jaylen Brown out of here. We got to
manage the cap Listen. Grant Williams is one of these
guys like Missoula didn't know what to do with it.
He was instrumental the prior year with Udoka. Remember Game
(39:59):
seven against a Bucks. The guy hits a bazillion threes
and they advanced to the NBA Finals. Grant Williams looks
like they're not gonna be able to keep him. That's fine.
Maybe you can package Williams and if you've got to
move Derek White, you got to move. You can't keep everybody,
but I think you've got to keep the foundational pieces
in Tatum and Brown. And again this is coming from
a guy who does not like anything Boston. I grew
(40:20):
up not liking the Celtics, but I respected Larry Byrd,
couldn't stand Danny Ymes, but man, that guy was an
awesome basketball player. Kevin McHale Robert. I just did not
like any of those teams, but for some reason I
gravitate toward Tatum and again. Jalen Brown worked out leading
up to the draft at my gym. I knew his
trainer pretty well, so I I not intimate knowledge of
Jaalen Brown, but I did go watch some of the workouts. Like,
(40:43):
the guy is a beast. I'm definitely like Jalen Brown.
I'm rooting for. I'm just telling you, if you break
up Brown and Tatum, when you go out to the
Eastern Conference Finals three times in four years, you're asking
for trouble because there is this grass is Always Greener
theory that oh, well, yeah, we bring in Dame Lillard,
he could stretch the floor. Just be careful. We've seen
(41:03):
a lot of people make mistakes shrinking down and changing up.
These are young guys, these are emerging stars in this league,
all NBA players, and you're gonna break it up because
you weren't happy with Jalen Brown's performance in Game seven.
He didn't play well. Tata Murden is ankle what are
you gonna do? Relax, Boston. Bigger is better in this instance.
We got one hour left in the show. Let's see
(41:25):
what we're gonna talk about. Oh, we got Albert Breer
stopping by in the final hour. We'll talk a little.
Aaron Rodgers shocker. Should be a fun one, Alex. It's
a big week ahead.
Speaker 6 (41:36):
You excited?
Speaker 5 (41:37):
I mean it's a big night tonight.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
Yes, and the final a few hours away.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
Here we go.
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