May 5, 2026 • 41 mins
Nick Wright from First Things First joins the show to tell Colin the most impressive part about LeBron James’ performance so far in the postseason and why the Chiefs are ready to contend for Super Bowls again.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good stuff Today. It's a Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Bulls have a new GM Nix hammer, the Sixers Wemby
in the Spurs top match up with Minnesota Nick right
around the corner. So the Lakers Thunder play tonight. Lebron
is a fifteen point underdog, Colin, It's not Lebron, it's
the Lakers. That's Lebron. He's a fifteen point underdog, biggest
(00:53):
of his career. Yeah, we were talking about this yesterday.
He can kind of play as long as he wants.
He's a play initiator. He's so smart. The question is
this is why I think JJ Reddick is a great
coach for him, because JJ's authentic. He doesn't have a filter.
He's going to give you the truth if he's upset
with Lebron. Lebron respects him, and Lebron's always been that.
(01:15):
Lebron likes smart people. His handlers are smart, his agent smart,
his friends are smart.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
He likes JJ Reddick. He likes smart people because.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Lebron doesn't have a lot of interest in playing with
kids and teaching them how to play basketball. He loves
Kevin Love or Chris Bosh or d Wade. You know,
he likes that, and very few young players he really
likes playing with. And I think JJ Reddick is authentic,
there's no filter. But I think what's fascinating about Lebron
is and let's start with this. Mike Breen was on
(01:46):
Ryan Roussillo's podcast yesterday, and what he says sounds outrageous,
but I think Mike Breen is right. And he talked
about Lebron's career going forward.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
The guy's been an NBA player more than half of
his life, which is kind of.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
Hard to believe.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
And I do believe he could play for another He's
forty one, he could play for another eight nine years,
and like he could come off the bench and average
eighteen minutes a game and give you twelve seven and five.
I think he's because of his mind's brilliant basketball mind.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
He could still do that.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I actually think I thought more four to five. I
don't think it's outrageous. We've said before some usually hyper
athletic athletes age quickly, Cam Newton, people like Jokic, where
it's passing and screen setting and rebounding and shooting.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You just age better.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Lebron's very unique and that you get both of them,
you get I mean, he still attacks the basket in transition,
He bullies smaller defend defenders, generates very good shots. His
jumper's always been hit and miss, so he didn't have
a great year shooting, but his jump SHOT's been hit
and miss, his free throw shoot. He's not a naturally soft,
(03:05):
fluid shooter. He's very muscular and a lot of bigger
players Larry Bird was an exception where you had a
big forward who was the best shooter in the league.
That's very, very rare. And so my take is for
Lebron going forward, it's a mind game. He's been a
CEO for twenty years. He has a better resume than
Ruy Luca and Austin Reeves combined. And now you're going
(03:27):
to ask him going forward, Hey, CEO with the best
resume and most brilliant mind, are you willing to just
be an advisor? Are you willing to be a third option?
So I think it's all mental going forward. I don't
really worry about the physicality stuff. I really don't is that.
(03:48):
You know, Tom Brady aged, but nobody said, okay, Tom,
you're the backup quarterback, or we're going to have you
play back up tight Andre on special teams. He was
still the quarterback taking the snaps for Lebron. What you're
saying with Luca, who's the number one usage rate guy
in the league, it's Lebron.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Are you going to play off ball a lot?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
And Lebron's thinking, I'm in better shape than this guy,
I'm stronger than this guy. I generate great shots like
this guy. And he's a better player than Austin Reeves,
who's a very good player. So I think there's a
mine game going forward for Lebron. It's not the physical stuff.
We all think it's the physical stuff. It's the mental stuff.
Is he willing to be a third option when he's
(04:28):
thinking I just beat Houston largely by myself. I made
Marcus Smart look nine years younger. DeAndre Ayton moody. DeAndre
Ayton was totally focused I mean Ruey, who's always had
talent flourished Lebron's thinking, you're sure you want me to
be a third option. But I do think La for
business and JJ Reddick the intellect, unfiltered, honest, secure with
(04:52):
himself long contract. I think Reddick's a perfect coach for him.
He's just a perfect coach with that. Nick Wright, first
things for is joining us. You know the first rounds.
I said this yesterday, Nick, is that in the history
if they write the book on Lebron and there's twenty chapters,
this may not even make the book. The Houston site,
(05:13):
it may And I'm like, folks, you don't want to
forget this, because what we just witnessed was a far deeper,
younger athletic I mean, Jabari Smith and Jen Goon and
Aman Thompson. You're like, yeah, what I mean. I look
at it and I'm like, this is this is like
fourth fifth chapter, like the early Lebron, Pete Lebron and
(05:35):
whatever the hell I just watched Lebron.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
And yeah, and I'm so I'm as a sports fan
and obviously a Lebron fan, I'm so grateful we got
this chapter. You're right, Colin, it wouldn't be in the
you know, first fifty pages of his book, even though
it was a series where in the game that essentially
won the series and an ninety minute span he threw
(06:02):
an alley oop to his son and then had the
steal in game tying three, and then after everybody was
like getting a little chesty in Houston. Ah, they're tired.
We have the momentum. All of that. Lebron put on
a forty minute twenty eight seven and eight masterclass, controlling
(06:23):
every aspect of the game and controlling every aspect of
the series, and it also gave us Colin two real gifts,
one sports fans.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
And one media fan.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
So let me just tell you those real quick for
it we move on. First one is listen, I'm bummed
Luca's hurt, But had Luca not been hurt, we might
not have ever gotten one more series where Lebron hand
on the joystick, follow me guys all control everything. And
(06:57):
it was so gratifying to be able to watch that,
watch him figure out the series early, adjust late.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
And then close it.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
And when he was in that Swiss army knife role,
we wouldn't have gotten that. So without the Luke injury,
that wouldn't have been there, So that was just fun.
If it is that could be the last playoff series
win of his career, any of these could be so
for that, And then from a media perspective, if I
made just quickly, it was really delightful watching the progression
(07:30):
of folks who have been let's call it Lebron skeptics
most of their television figures starting the series, when they
thought the Lakers had no chance, they were like, well,
if Lebron pulls this off, then fine, maybe he's the goat,
but they're getting swept. And then three days later they're like,
(07:53):
you know what, the Rockets are just awful.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Anybody could beat him.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
And then three days after that, when it.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
Looked like the Rockets might come back.
Speaker 6 (08:02):
They were like, you know what, I think this Rockets
team can pull off the first ever three to zero comeback.
What a stain on Lebron. And then when they win,
it just immediately goes to we'll see him do it
against OKC. Just the full tour de force of cope,
which I really enjoyed from Afar.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
That was good. It's so true.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
So we're gonna get We're gonna get to whimbying but
I want to talk about Celtics is that I have
struggled all the year figuring the East out. I mean,
Detroit's number one seed. Are they of six in the West?
I don't even know. Last year the Pacers with Halliburt
and you're like, are they the best team? And then
the Celtics hung around without Tatum even though they're not
(08:47):
very athletic and Jalen Brown's good, but they don't they
need like more athleticism.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
So I don't even know how good the Knicks are.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
But I said the Celtics losing is great because I
don't think tanking's the end of the world. I think
it's a uniquely loaded draft, and about nine teams need
a star. The Warriors, by the way, could do it.
Dallas get the BYU sensation and it would solve a
lot of problems. But of the eleven three point shooting teams,
one remains. And sports should be like a well balanced meal,
(09:18):
little protein, little carbs, little vegetables. I didn't like the
tush push. It got less effective, good for the league.
The Celtics were the new face of the three point shot,
and they embarrassed themselves, shooting seven of them with three
and a half minutes left, trailing by one, and you've
never been a Boston believer. I have been more so,
(09:38):
But what was your take on the way it ended,
the ridiculousness of the dependence on the.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Three so well, listen, and you're right that historically I've
not been a Boston believer right up until this postseason
when I picked them to win the title and then
they go out like that. Ah, So that wasn't great
for me. But so here is the thing. I I
totally agree with what you're going where you're headed, which
(10:04):
is stylistically, everyone playing the same style would be bad
for the.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
Health of the sport.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Additionally, the fact that that style is one that minimizes
the importance of athleticism, aggression and dunking on people's head
and maximizes the importance of three point specialist. It's just
bad bird TV product. That's the tush push comp is
(10:33):
a good one, it's just bad television. And so I
am glad that even if it was just bad luck
that it didn't end up working out, because we don't
want everyone playing the same way, first of all, and
there is absolutely and you are seeing it every single
(10:54):
night in the playoffs two different ways.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
You need to be able to win in this league.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
You need to be able to build a team that
can sustain an eighty two game season comfortably make the playoffs,
have a decent seed, and you need to have a
team that can win possession battle playoff games, and very
often that means get to the damn rim, go get
a foul, get a pull up jump shot. And it's
(11:23):
really interesting Boston under Missoula because it's been four years.
The second they coasted to a championship that banner hangs forever.
But year one they struggled mightily in round one. They
were down three to two in round two, and then
they were down three to zero in the conference finals
(11:46):
to an eight seed and lost.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
The third year, they blew.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Back to back twenty point leads against the Knicks, and
this year they blow a three to one lead again.
It's a sixers team that granted finally got healthy at
the end of the year, but you wouldn't have been
been in that position had you taken care of business earlier.
And so I think that if I'm Boston, if I'm
(12:12):
running the team, I have two major questions this summer.
One is is Jalen Brown a piece we should move.
Does he even want to? Does he when he says
this was the best most fun I've ever had in
any year of my career, And it's like, really, you
guys went out and round one and your co star
(12:33):
was injured all year. That's not great. And the other
one is do we need to turn the throttle down
a bit on the three point variants? Are we underselling
how talented we are and our ability to beat teams
kind of straight up rather than adding so much randomness
(12:54):
to games?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah? No, will listen.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And I also, frankly just don't like math deciding sport.
I always say analytics, Yes, Like last night, it's a
great example. I want to shift to this Minnesota. Their
GM built Denver a team that could kind of beat
anybody he leaves, not the same roster, overpaid in a
couple of players, goes to Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
And I said it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I'm like, guys, they're a tough matchup for San Antonio.
Julius Randall is the kind of guy that can give
Wemby problems, get him off balance, bully him.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I mean he's like two fifty.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
He's like Zach Randolph two fifty five of muscle, and
he's just a lot and you may not love him
in the three point analytic world, Julius Randall's a hell
of a basketball player. And I'm watching that series last
night and I'm like, offensively, they got Wemby totally off
his game, and I'm like, I don't think that.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Was fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
You know who, If this game's tied in the fourth,
Minnesota's gonna win every time. And I think I think
I think San Antonio is in a bit of a
I think they're in a little bit of trouble.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
I think it's more than a little bit of trouble.
I think so, I think there's a lot to unpack.
Your First of all, remember the big argument that we,
not you and I had, but that was being had
when Wimby was like, hey, defense is fifty percent of
the game.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Well, then I get that.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Then I guess last night's game from Wimby is right
alongside Michael Jordan's sixty three point playoff loss too right.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
Twelve blocks.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Never see anything like it, but twelve blocks with minimal
offensive impact, and all of a sudden the team's beatable.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
You have one of the.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
Greatest defensive performances any players had since Wilt Chamberlain in
the playoffs, and your team loses because you can't get
enough buckets.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
That's first point.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Second point is this your toeng Julius Randall. There is
no player in the league more prepared to give Wimby
trouble than Rudy.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Rudy's known him since he was a kid.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
He is the second longest guy in the league to Wimby,
and he's so much stronger than him, and so so
it is a very interesting chess match right now, which
is this colin. When Rudy is on the court, both
teams offenses.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Are going to struggle.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
The Timbrels offense will struggle because when Rudy's on the court,
Wimby doesn't have to guard anybody out on the perimeter.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
He can just patrol the rim.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
And the Spurs offense is going to struggle because when
Rudy's on the court, Wimby can only be out on
the perimeter offensively because Rudy can keep him out of
the paint. And then when you take Rudy off the
court like they did in the fourth quarter, all of
a sudden, Wimby's got to guard the perimeter. Now you
can get to the rim. And so if Anthony Edwards
(15:40):
is just gonna get healthier and all of a sudden,
Tarren Shannon Junior looks like the second fastest player in
the league. To Maxie, They're gonna keep coming at you
with nas Reed and Julius Randall. Jade McDaniels was in
fell trouble the whole game, and they were fine.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
Minnesota. Had they lost last night.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
If they had been stolen, like, if they had blown
it at the end, I think that's a very, very
tough one to get over. But they escaped even though
they kind of screwed up down the stretch. I think
right now they're the favorites in the series. I think
right now Minnesota is the favorite.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I know they're not. Literally, I think they are the
favorite in the series.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, I said earlier, the most disrespected pro sports franchise
in the league. They've been a back to back Western
Conference finals. They match up with everybody, and we treat
them like the Pelicans. It's like, guys, the coaching, the experience,
they're the best fourth quarter team left.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
The coaching is unbelievable. Chris Finch is great, and Anthony
Edwards is just and this goes back to your three
point shooting thing. You know what, people like watching Anthony
Edwards trying to dunk on people.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Thank you a naked aggression. That is one of the
cool things about the NBA.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
So if Adam Silver is not going to take my
free advice from two years ago, which is don't change
the court, don't get rid of the corner three, all
you got to do is say, hey, guess what dunks
also worth three points?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Now go get it, Fellas.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
If you're not going to do that, then it is
probably good to have some of the three point shooting
teams clipped in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Okay, I want to end with this.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I've said I think Mike Brown deserves a lot of credit.
Making Cat a point center was brilliant. He's doubled as
his his totals. It takes some of the heat off
Brunson to have to create everything. So I think, first
of all, coaching first three games of the Hawks series,
you're like Quinn Snyder's changing the series. Since then, Mike
(17:36):
Brown has done really good job. Cat's always been an
incredibly skilled, little flaky, a little odd, but incredibly skilled
big and now their offense looks different. But I struggled
with the Knicks because I said this earlier last year.
Suddenly the Pacers were great? Or were they this year?
It's the Pistons or are they? People love the Calves.
I don't like them. I'm like, I don't know what
(17:58):
to make of the Knicks. They're like a really good
football team at a bad conference. What do I make
of what the Knicks are doing well?
Speaker 6 (18:05):
So I couldn't believe our great stats guy Josh told
me this this morning. I could not believe it. The
Knicks last three games. They won all of them by
twenty five plus. That's never happened in the history of
the NBA in the playoffs. But think about that, so, like,
(18:25):
think about all the walkover Round one sweeps. The Shaq
Kobe Lakers, or the Steph Durant Warriors.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Or the MJ Bowls or the.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Lebron Heat have never once did they have three straight
twenty five point victories. So the fact that they've done
that makes me you have to sit up and take notice.
Last night, I did you know? I picked yesterday and
again my Finals was Celtics over Nuggets. So take it
for what you will. It's pretty rare. You don't have
(18:56):
either finalists make it out a round one. But I said,
I thought the Sixers, if they're healthy, will win the series.
But I expected them to lose last night because the
three to one comeback, the emotion of Game seven.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
But they didn't just lose. They got curb stomped.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
And the Knicks right now are in the midst of
the best four game stretch of basketball they've had. I mean, honestly,
maybe of my lifetime, and so you have to take
them seriously. I do wonder, you know, as the series evolves,
if they're going to be able to keep Maxie in check,
if Embiid looks better in the next game. But I
(19:39):
do think this, and I would imagine everyone with respect
to the Pistons, I think everyone probably agrees with this.
The winner of this series will be a big favorite
in the conference finals.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
I feel like this.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
The winner of whoever gets through this series will represent
the East in the NBA Finals, which might very well
be again it's the Minnesota Timberwolves. Like that is on
the board that Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves get all
the way to the finish line.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Here.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Finally, much of the chagrin of Jmack. Brett Veach said,
Mahomes is way ahead of schedule and everybody loves to bury.
You know, they let everybody loves to bury. And I
always say in the NFL it's pretty simple. Is your owner,
your GM, your coach, and your quarterback as your competitive
Now you may have it down a year, you lose
a tackle, but they addressed all of it in the draft.
(20:30):
Just some thoughts on Mahomes being ahead of schedule, well,
I have.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
A lot of thoughts. Also, speaking of Jmax shout out.
I don't know if you saw this on Twitter a
couple of weeks ago, Colin shout out to Patrick Mahomes
not only being one of the two greatest quarterbacks ever
live in the best quarterback currently playing, but also such
a gracious, good sport. Yeah, as he shook Jmax's hand
after I don't know a half decade of Jmack burying
(20:56):
him at every chance he gets, I thought it was
a great job by Patrick there. Now on the Chiefs,
I am I've been saying for months. Patrick Mahomes is
going to be dancing at Travis Kelsey's wedding and he's
going to be starting in week one, and I think
he is on track to do both of those things.
And anybody that thinks that any time in NFL history
(21:19):
where you have an A plus quarterback and an A
plus coach and a smart front office, that you're about
to enter the wilderness of a rebuild, I just show.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
It to me where it's happened.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Danny on overtime yesterday had Kenneth Walker on. I do
think the most important offseason edition was the fact that
the Chiefs are now going to have a running game.
You have to respect. They are tied Colin with the Jets.
I think it's the Jets, but they are tied for
the longest streak of seasons without eight thousand yard rusher.
(21:54):
They've never had a thousand yard back Patrick's whole career.
Now you're gonna have to respect the run game.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Listen.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
I color me crazy, but I do think the team
that has been to five of the last eight Super Bowls.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Is gonna be okay. But I guess we'll see.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah. Good seeing you very very as well. Good energy.
First things, five.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Five of seven.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
Actually I think I undersold the Chiefs. I think it's
five of the last seven. They all run together, so
much they won three of.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Something like that. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Talk to you, Leonard, It's hard to keep track. Nick
ran first things first after our show.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, it's the two offseason moves. I love Kenneth Walker
to the Chiefs. Tyler linderbaumd of the Raiders, those feel
like they'll produce wins like that that you will generate
w's off those. You go ask Matt Hasselbeck about having
a great center.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
The history.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
I started watching football in the seventies. Mike Webster was
the center for the Dynasty the Steelers, and after that
it was Jim Otto for the Raiders, and then I
think the Dolphins had a great center.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I don't remember off the top of my head.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
They had a great center when they had the Bob
Greasy teams like it just it's one of those positions
that gets lost. We always talk left tackles. Tyler Linderbaum.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I mean, if you.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Start looking at why the Chargers through the years have struggled,
it's not been quarterback. They've had some good coaches, they've
had great pass rushers. It's like they can't get the
old line right, and specifically they have struggled often at
that center position.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Thoughts on Aaron Rodgers getting very interesting in Chicago. It's
the hurt.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
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Speaker 3 (23:47):
Hey is Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Now.
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Speaker 3 (24:16):
Coming away.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Frank I Soola, NBA writer and analyst. Been covering the
Knicks for a long time. Feeling good to New York Yankees.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Giant turbout. Ready to turn it around, New York Knicks.
Jmak with a.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
News no, no, no, turn on the news.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
This is the Herdline News. Let's get started with my
main man. Victor Wembama set an NBA record last night
with a staggering twelve blocks. I don't know where you
guys are seeing all these goaltends. I didn't see him.
Everything looked clean to me. He just was dominant on
the interior.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Colin.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
Here's one thing I have not heard anybody say. This morning,
I was reading online. Did you see how many minutes
played last night? Forty minutes? He died for a season high.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Yeah, he averaged what twenty eight and a half during
the right Now, we knew you and I had discussed this.
I knew we would play more in the postseason. But
that was a real stretch for him. And that's the problem, Colin.
Speaker 8 (25:15):
He hasn't done forty minutes except once this season. Did
you see what happened the game after he did forty minutes?
So he played forty minutes Hans Denver in that overtime
thriller one day off. Then he played Philly he played
sixteen minutes. So I don't know how Wemby's going to
bounce back from this, because there's not any data to
show when he plays this many minutes on that kind
of frail frame, how he bounces back, Colin. He was
(25:37):
five of seventeen shooting over eight from three. I love
one Ben Yama. He was great defensively well, they got
him off his game, there was no question. And the
other thing that people aren't talking about is Chris Finch
benched Gobert for like the first nine minutes of the
fourth quarter, and that's when Minnesota pulled away because then
you space the floor with nas Reed. Wemby not as effective.
I think he had maybe one block in the fourth quarter,
(26:00):
but Chris Finch pushed all the right buttons and listen,
I still like the Spurs in this series. I don't
know if Wemby's gonna be a big force in game two.
I think it's got to be Darreon Fox. Darren Fox
killed them last night. Hi our largest plus minus on
the team. He was awful. Listen, if you're into prop betting,
I would take a gander at some unders on Wemby.
(26:22):
Don't fire on anything but Colin. Again, there isn't data
of him. How's he gonna play after forty minutes? Did
you see him turn an ankle late in the game,
landed on I think it was Randall landing on his
elbow to another time. This frame for Webbin Yama is
going to be a big story.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
It is absolutely yeah.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
All right, let's move on to the Houston Rockets and
Kevin Durant. I know you and Nick just buried Kevin
Durant and rightfully, so you know, listen, the guy played
a lot last year and then just doesn't show up
in the playoffs injured. Well, Raphael Stone, the GM of Houston,
is taking some flak because he's saying, well, we didn't
just get KD for championship or bust. Really, here's what
(26:59):
he said.
Speaker 9 (27:01):
The goal is to put a roster in place that
has a chance to compete for a championship. But that
doesn't mean. That doesn't mean if you don't if you
make the if you don't make the finals or something,
you fail. Not once did I ever say, with respect
to bring Kevin in that it was championship or bust.
I never said that to him, I never said that
(27:22):
to anybody.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
That's that's very much not our attitude.
Speaker 9 (27:25):
We thought he could be addited to the team, to
the young guys of how to work like a professional,
how to like really hone your craft. I thought he
did a really good job of that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
You buying that, I think next year, so just think
about this. Fred van Bleet returns, and then Shepard and
Aman Thompson, who are more natural off ball guards than
on ball, but they're getting more reps at that they'll
be more comfortable with the ball. KD is not a
(27:58):
ball handler. I mean when you trap him still to
this day. I mean we saw the Lakers do it.
They trapped him and just discombobulated him. What you're gonna
see with Katie going forward as a man, Thompson grows,
and Jabari Smith and and and Shepherd and now Fred
van Bleet, He's just gonna get fewer touches this year
(28:20):
without I mean a lot of times. They just needed
Kevin to have the ball in his hands. Next year,
if they don't make a trade, they don't.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Well that's interesting they make a trade. I'm not certain
Kevin Durant on the Rockets next year, Like, I don't
know if that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
High guy Jason Timp made a really good debate. He said,
when you look at San Antonio and Oka, see this
Houston team needs to take a big swing.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Jabari Smith, shen Goon.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
And maybe three draft picks or two, then you could
have Yannis with van Bleat.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Then it's Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I mean Milwaukee's not He's not They're not training him
with Golden State. They don't have anything they're gonna get
in return. Same with the Knicks, although the Knicks could
give you og and draft picks.
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
I think Houston's in a very You're gonna need some
very savvy GMing in Houston because I like their young
players a lot. But you start looking at ok See
in San Antonio their third.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
So one of the problems is Tari Easen, the small
forward who was great against the Lakers. He could be
on the move because I think he's a free agent
and a lot of teams are going to kick the
tires on a small ball three and D guy. He
could play four, So you lose him. And if you're
talking about moving Javari Smith and Shan Gun, what do
you do You got like four guys to play with
you Jianness. I mean we're seeing that you need the
(29:45):
deeper roster OKC Spurs. You need seven eight guys to
get through the regular season and then the playoffs. So
I am the Giannis.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
One's interesting.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Let me float this to you.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
So there is a team that really struggled in the
first round. I think we mentioned this during the regular season.
The Detroit Pistons did nothing at the deadline. They have
Cad Cunningham, a big gap and two bigs. What are
the Pistons lose to the Calves? Do they make a
swing on KD. Hey, we've got our leader in Caid.
I don't think come play the wing man. No, I
just I don't. And this is nothing against Katie. Is
(30:16):
he really what they need? They're a young team that
plays intense defense with a star. Now again, Caide needs
the ball in his hands. Katie doesn't. But I like
what Detroit's doing. I like what I kind of like it.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Down three or one to Orlando. Again, this is part
of a process. They're not Oklahoma City yet. They don't
have a whimby but in the East, I don't think
Detroit should make a rash move. I don't think that's
the play for them.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I don't.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Well, we'll see what happens against the Calves. I'm taking
the Calves tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
But that's you're taking the Pistons in that series.
Speaker 8 (30:47):
Yes, you in America. All right, let's go to the
final story, Colin, and that's the Green Bay Packers. I
don't know if you've noticed, they've had some quiet moves offensively.
They lost Romeo Dobbs to the Patriots. They lost Dantavian
Wicks to the Eagles. That opens the door for Matthew Golden,
the burner from Texas, to have a big season. He
kind of listened. I don't I'm not calling him anybody
(31:08):
a bust. He had a quiet season. I think he
went like the longest stretch for any first round receiver
without a touchdown in like twenty years. He did nothing
most of the season, and then you see against the
Bears he had an electric touchdown.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
I think you gotta be careful. Roma Dunze hasn't done
anything for the Bears, and I like, oh.
Speaker 8 (31:26):
He did some stuff last I mean Golden did like nothing.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I think he's pretty talented.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
I like him. Oh, I love I think he's gonna
be Fantasy football guys. Put Golden on your flag list.
He only had twenty nine catches for three hundred and
sixty one yards Colling. That's like a two week stretch
for Jamar Chase. Okay, we got to see more.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Yeah, and they also had a lot of mouths to feed.
I mean they I don't know I think I don't
worry about the I don't worry about their tight end
and wide receiver group.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think their offense is fine. I don't worry about
Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I my take on Green Bay is, you know Kenny Clark,
Rashaun Gary er Gone, it's Micah Parsons who's not great
against the run. Jeff Halfley left, so I lose there
is this great defensive coordinator. I lose a couple of
my bigs up front. Mike is not good against the run.
How can you well? I mean, when whenever I find
a team like Green Bay that I really like their coach,
I really like their offensive pieces, my question is, well,
(32:23):
can you keep their offense off the field. That's why
it's so inpl like the reality is with Chicago the
knock on not getting an edge rusher. I mean, if
you look at what they've what Chicago did in the draft,
is they think their offense is going to be so gifted.
They're gonna they're gonna ball control. You're not gonna get
the ball back. I don't think Green Bay has Chicago's
(32:44):
offensive talent, and I don't think I think Ben Johnson's
more creative than Lafleur. I'm not sure he's a better coach,
but he's more creative, so I don't worry about Green
Bay and points and skill.
Speaker 8 (32:53):
So this is probably the most fun division to talk about, Colin.
We could probably do an hour on this. So let's
go through the four teams real quick. Detroit Lions. You
hyped up the schedule this year. I think they're very easy.
Everybody loves the Lions, right, eleven and twelve win team Detroit? Okay,
hold on, so Detroit eleven twelve. Chicago Bears just pushed
the Rams to the brink, and every arrow is pointing
up the Bears top.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Ten to eleven wins schedule much tougher. Still need to
add Rusher like them along. So two great teams. Let's
skip to the Minnesota Vikings. Add Kyler Murray to go
with the great You love Kyler Murray. He calls a
great deep ball. Kyler Murray will not be as good
as Darnold in this offense, but he's an upgrade that
was probably an eight win team.
Speaker 8 (33:31):
So is either the Packers are not going to be
great or people are sleeping on them and they're undervalued.
I'll just remind everybody that game against Denver. They were
one of the top teams in the NFC. They're leading,
they lose Watson and Micah Parsons in like a four
minute span. Season just ended and fell apart.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
There.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
Yeah, you buying Packers.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Twelve wins to Chicago and Detroit and division so no
playoffs for Greenbay.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Remember it. It's not that I don't like them.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
You know, they were the team last year that I
waited the last week to make my prediction. I feel
the same way.
Speaker 8 (34:06):
I might just go Packers Super Bowl. You're so against them,
you hate them.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I'm not against that. I think.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I just think Detroit. I think Detroit. If I had
to pick today, Detroit's a playoff team. Are they division
champs or wild card? They solved their left tackle issue.
That's the one thing I worried everything else with Detroit.
I like I think there. I think they solved today
Sewele's going to be a first ballot Hall of Payer
right tackle. I think I Detroit solved their primary issue,
(34:33):
and I think they're gonna be really good.
Speaker 8 (34:34):
By the way, saw your buddy Jared Goff over the
weekend at the Music Festival. He looked so in shape
ready to rock.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Yeah, that was that. That Beach's Life.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
Yes, Beach Life. They were asking about Lincoln Riley was there.
People were asking him, Jay Mack, where's Coward. I was like,
he's in Chicago, like bundled up. I think he's wearing
a scarf right now.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Well, I wasn't at Beach's Life. I was at Burbs'
Life in Chicago. J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping that the
Herd line.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
You tell me what decision you would make. I'll explain next.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
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Speaker 8 (35:18):
Saturday night is the Baseball Night on Fox, and this week,
Jordan Walker looks to keep his breakout season rolling as
he leaves the Cardinals against Manny Machado and the Padres
or Mets Diamondbacks Saturday at seven Eastern only on Fox.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
So I think a lot of its gamesmanship.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
You know, when you get into the Aaron Rodgers business,
he's going to do things. He's a little indifferent to
his off seasons. And the Steelers went out with kind
of a quirky tender. They offered to put the pressure
on him. Then all of a sudden, a story leaks
out that Arizona is interested. And I think the initial
response by people is he's not that interested.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Folks.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
I can tell you, as you age in your profession,
different stuff matters, and the times I've left in my career,
stuff that mattered when I moved in my thirties doesn't
matter as much now. And so I said, I always
get out and I tell my kids this, get a
yellow pad out in a pen and write it down,
and look at it and sleep on it and look
(36:17):
at it and look at the words you write. Because
I've moved cross country three or four times. It really matters,
not just thinking about it or talking about it. Write
it down when you're going to make a huge career change.
So I said, let's take the yellow pad out. People
think you stay with the Steelers. Arizona's a mess. I
think it's a lot closer than people think. So take
the yellow padout. Let's do pros for Arizona. So you
(36:41):
take the yellow pad out. Young offensive head coach Aaron
sees himself as a young forty year old guy that's
just the way he operates. He knows Nat Hackett. Nat Hackett,
regardless of what you think. It was a pretty good
offensive coordinator and that's his guy. Tremendous. McBride's an tremendous
(37:02):
tight end. I think they're running back and tight end
talent is exceptional. It's closer to California. Again, just for
a lot of people, you want to get closer to family.
He's closer to California, his place in Malibu, and he
gets to play indoors at this point, California, kid, you
want to play in hail storms and snowstorms in twelve degrees.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
All right, let's go pro.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Steelers. They had a pretty good offensive line last year.
They put some draft capital on it. I think it's
pretty good. He knows the locker room. It's his guys
now for one year. But they liked him better ownership stability,
much easier to vision. Although I think Cincinnati's did in
(37:46):
play this year. And if Jesse Minner can coach, and
my guess as he can, Baltimore and Cincinnati should be
pretty good. And say what you want about Cleveland, they've
had backed about great drafts. Cleveland's got dudes and they've
got playoff momentum. Nine know, year to year things change,
but they got into the playoffs. That feels pretty good.
Now let's look at cons ownership for Arizona is not ideal.
(38:11):
Division is brutal though. I think San Francisco is getting
really really long in the two. Offensive line not good.
They addressed it, but it pretty shaky offensive line and
Aaron as he's aged, they don't want to get hit.
I totally get it. CON's on the Steelers. You can
(38:32):
say what you want, but Dk Metcalf fifty nine catches
he is on the other side yards and catches. He
was just not a factor last year, and you has
got the build of a number one wide receiver. But
you start looking around at the offensive talent this league.
Is dk Metcalf now just a physically imposing number two.
(38:53):
Friar Mouth is a nice tight end, but the other
tight end's more of a more of a blocking guy.
The head coach is My McCarthy. He's more than capable.
But let's be honest, it didn't feel like they were
They vibed in Green Bay. You're suddenly thinking older Mike
McCarthy vibes now and you're a West Coast guy. I mean,
it's okay living in the East coast, New York, d C.
(39:16):
I think Pittsburgh I got nothing against it, but you know,
Aaron Rodgers kind of cool California guy.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
Pittsburgh whatevs.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
So I think when you look at pros and cons,
I said yesterday, I think I would choose Arizona. I
think you're gonna have an offensive culture. Nat Hackett, young
offensive coach from McVeigh system, tremendous talent. I think Harrison.
I don't know j Mack how you feel, but I
do think he's developing into something. I think Arizona's offensive
talent is good. Yes, the division's very good. You're gonna
(39:46):
lose to Seattle and the Rams, I would presume, but
it's like Cincinnati and Baltimore. Cincinnati's defensive line now has
got actually some guys with Dexter Lawrence in the draft
the last two years. He well, if here's Matt Hasselbeck
yesterday on on the rumor about.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Aaron Hackett in Arizona.
Speaker 10 (40:06):
Aaron Rodgers is, like, you know, affection for Nathaniel Hackett.
It's it's well known, it's well documented. Like you just
I have those guys in my life. You just talk
to them all the time and it you know, you
talk about your team.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
Oh yeah, we're good.
Speaker 10 (40:20):
Man, Like, we got a great wide receiver, you know, Marvin,
he's so great, and we got this tight end he's
the best I've ever seen. And you know, we're gonna
get this guy in the draft, this running back. You know,
we just needed you know, we just need your Kobe
to play, you know, at elite level. You know that
kind of thing, like you kind of just like you
dance around it. But I do think that he doesn't
mind toying with everybody the way that he does, especially
(40:43):
in the media.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
I honestly think if I was Aaron Rodgers at his age,
Jeremiah Love Algiers at running back McBride Harrison, I mean,
you say, well, the division's tough. You're not winning a
super Bowl in Pittsburgh, You're not winning it in Arizona.
It's quality of life. What am I surrounded with? I'm
playing it. I'm close to Malibu. I think I choose Arizona.
Speaker 8 (41:03):
Let me flip it on you though. Okay, the Jets
tried the same thing with Rogers. Okay, did not work.
No playoffs, They had to do justin fields last year.
Now they're doing Gino Smith. Okay, the Steelers look at them.
They're stuck in the middle. Does Arizona want to try
to win seven games with Rogers or bottom out and
go for a quarterback in next year's draft.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
I think i'd take Aaron Rodgers. Oh stop, I think
I would. I think I won our three
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good stuff Today. It's a Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Bulls have a new GM Nix hammer, the Sixers Wemby
in the Spurs top match up with Minnesota Nick right
around the corner. So the Lakers Thunder play tonight. Lebron
is a fifteen point underdog, Colin, It's not Lebron, it's
the Lakers. That's Lebron. He's a fifteen point underdog, biggest
(00:53):
of his career. Yeah, we were talking about this yesterday.
He can kind of play as long as he wants.
He's a play initiator. He's so smart. The question is
this is why I think JJ Reddick is a great
coach for him, because JJ's authentic. He doesn't have a filter.
He's going to give you the truth if he's upset
with Lebron. Lebron respects him, and Lebron's always been that.
(01:15):
Lebron likes smart people. His handlers are smart, his agent smart,
his friends are smart.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
He likes JJ Reddick. He likes smart people because.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Lebron doesn't have a lot of interest in playing with
kids and teaching them how to play basketball. He loves
Kevin Love or Chris Bosh or d Wade. You know,
he likes that, and very few young players he really
likes playing with. And I think JJ Reddick is authentic,
there's no filter. But I think what's fascinating about Lebron
is and let's start with this. Mike Breen was on
(01:46):
Ryan Roussillo's podcast yesterday, and what he says sounds outrageous,
but I think Mike Breen is right. And he talked
about Lebron's career going forward.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
The guy's been an NBA player more than half of
his life, which is kind of.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
Hard to believe.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
And I do believe he could play for another He's
forty one, he could play for another eight nine years,
and like he could come off the bench and average
eighteen minutes a game and give you twelve seven and five.
I think he's because of his mind's brilliant basketball mind.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
He could still do that.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I actually think I thought more four to five. I
don't think it's outrageous. We've said before some usually hyper
athletic athletes age quickly, Cam Newton, people like Jokic, where
it's passing and screen setting and rebounding and shooting.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You just age better.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Lebron's very unique and that you get both of them,
you get I mean, he still attacks the basket in transition,
He bullies smaller defend defenders, generates very good shots. His
jumper's always been hit and miss, so he didn't have
a great year shooting, but his jump SHOT's been hit
and miss, his free throw shoot. He's not a naturally soft,
(03:05):
fluid shooter. He's very muscular and a lot of bigger
players Larry Bird was an exception where you had a
big forward who was the best shooter in the league.
That's very, very rare. And so my take is for
Lebron going forward, it's a mind game. He's been a
CEO for twenty years. He has a better resume than
Ruy Luca and Austin Reeves combined. And now you're going
(03:27):
to ask him going forward, Hey, CEO with the best
resume and most brilliant mind, are you willing to just
be an advisor? Are you willing to be a third option?
So I think it's all mental going forward. I don't
really worry about the physicality stuff. I really don't is that.
(03:48):
You know, Tom Brady aged, but nobody said, okay, Tom,
you're the backup quarterback, or we're going to have you
play back up tight Andre on special teams. He was
still the quarterback taking the snaps for Lebron. What you're
saying with Luca, who's the number one usage rate guy
in the league, it's Lebron.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Are you going to play off ball a lot?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
And Lebron's thinking, I'm in better shape than this guy,
I'm stronger than this guy. I generate great shots like
this guy. And he's a better player than Austin Reeves,
who's a very good player. So I think there's a
mine game going forward for Lebron. It's not the physical stuff.
We all think it's the physical stuff. It's the mental stuff.
Is he willing to be a third option when he's
(04:28):
thinking I just beat Houston largely by myself. I made
Marcus Smart look nine years younger. DeAndre Ayton moody. DeAndre
Ayton was totally focused I mean Ruey, who's always had
talent flourished Lebron's thinking, you're sure you want me to
be a third option. But I do think La for
business and JJ Reddick the intellect, unfiltered, honest, secure with
(04:52):
himself long contract. I think Reddick's a perfect coach for him.
He's just a perfect coach with that. Nick Wright, first
things for is joining us. You know the first rounds.
I said this yesterday, Nick, is that in the history
if they write the book on Lebron and there's twenty chapters,
this may not even make the book. The Houston site,
(05:13):
it may And I'm like, folks, you don't want to
forget this, because what we just witnessed was a far deeper,
younger athletic I mean, Jabari Smith and Jen Goon and
Aman Thompson. You're like, yeah, what I mean. I look
at it and I'm like, this is this is like
fourth fifth chapter, like the early Lebron, Pete Lebron and
(05:35):
whatever the hell I just watched Lebron.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
And yeah, and I'm so I'm as a sports fan
and obviously a Lebron fan, I'm so grateful we got
this chapter. You're right, Colin, it wouldn't be in the
you know, first fifty pages of his book, even though
it was a series where in the game that essentially
won the series and an ninety minute span he threw
(06:02):
an alley oop to his son and then had the
steal in game tying three, and then after everybody was
like getting a little chesty in Houston. Ah, they're tired.
We have the momentum. All of that. Lebron put on
a forty minute twenty eight seven and eight masterclass, controlling
(06:23):
every aspect of the game and controlling every aspect of
the series, and it also gave us Colin two real gifts,
one sports fans.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
And one media fan.
Speaker 6 (06:36):
So let me just tell you those real quick for
it we move on. First one is listen, I'm bummed
Luca's hurt, But had Luca not been hurt, we might
not have ever gotten one more series where Lebron hand
on the joystick, follow me guys all control everything. And
(06:57):
it was so gratifying to be able to watch that,
watch him figure out the series early, adjust late.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
And then close it.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
And when he was in that Swiss army knife role,
we wouldn't have gotten that. So without the Luke injury,
that wouldn't have been there, So that was just fun.
If it is that could be the last playoff series
win of his career, any of these could be so
for that, And then from a media perspective, if I
made just quickly, it was really delightful watching the progression
(07:30):
of folks who have been let's call it Lebron skeptics
most of their television figures starting the series, when they
thought the Lakers had no chance, they were like, well,
if Lebron pulls this off, then fine, maybe he's the goat,
but they're getting swept. And then three days later they're like,
(07:53):
you know what, the Rockets are just awful.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
Anybody could beat him.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
And then three days after that, when it.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
Looked like the Rockets might come back.
Speaker 6 (08:02):
They were like, you know what, I think this Rockets
team can pull off the first ever three to zero comeback.
What a stain on Lebron. And then when they win,
it just immediately goes to we'll see him do it
against OKC. Just the full tour de force of cope,
which I really enjoyed from Afar.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
That was good. It's so true.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
So we're gonna get We're gonna get to whimbying but
I want to talk about Celtics is that I have
struggled all the year figuring the East out. I mean,
Detroit's number one seed. Are they of six in the West?
I don't even know. Last year the Pacers with Halliburt
and you're like, are they the best team? And then
the Celtics hung around without Tatum even though they're not
(08:47):
very athletic and Jalen Brown's good, but they don't they
need like more athleticism.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
So I don't even know how good the Knicks are.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
But I said the Celtics losing is great because I
don't think tanking's the end of the world. I think
it's a uniquely loaded draft, and about nine teams need
a star. The Warriors, by the way, could do it.
Dallas get the BYU sensation and it would solve a
lot of problems. But of the eleven three point shooting teams,
one remains. And sports should be like a well balanced meal,
(09:18):
little protein, little carbs, little vegetables. I didn't like the
tush push. It got less effective, good for the league.
The Celtics were the new face of the three point shot,
and they embarrassed themselves, shooting seven of them with three
and a half minutes left, trailing by one, and you've
never been a Boston believer. I have been more so,
(09:38):
But what was your take on the way it ended,
the ridiculousness of the dependence on the.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Three so well, listen, and you're right that historically I've
not been a Boston believer right up until this postseason
when I picked them to win the title and then
they go out like that. Ah, So that wasn't great
for me. But so here is the thing. I I
totally agree with what you're going where you're headed, which
(10:04):
is stylistically, everyone playing the same style would be bad
for the.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
Health of the sport.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Additionally, the fact that that style is one that minimizes
the importance of athleticism, aggression and dunking on people's head
and maximizes the importance of three point specialist. It's just
bad bird TV product. That's the tush push comp is
(10:33):
a good one, it's just bad television. And so I
am glad that even if it was just bad luck
that it didn't end up working out, because we don't
want everyone playing the same way, first of all, and
there is absolutely and you are seeing it every single
(10:54):
night in the playoffs two different ways.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
You need to be able to win in this league.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
You need to be able to build a team that
can sustain an eighty two game season comfortably make the playoffs,
have a decent seed, and you need to have a
team that can win possession battle playoff games, and very
often that means get to the damn rim, go get
a foul, get a pull up jump shot. And it's
(11:23):
really interesting Boston under Missoula because it's been four years.
The second they coasted to a championship that banner hangs forever.
But year one they struggled mightily in round one. They
were down three to two in round two, and then
they were down three to zero in the conference finals
(11:46):
to an eight seed and lost.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
The third year, they blew.
Speaker 6 (11:51):
Back to back twenty point leads against the Knicks, and
this year they blow a three to one lead again.
It's a sixers team that granted finally got healthy at
the end of the year, but you wouldn't have been
been in that position had you taken care of business earlier.
And so I think that if I'm Boston, if I'm
(12:12):
running the team, I have two major questions this summer.
One is is Jalen Brown a piece we should move.
Does he even want to? Does he when he says
this was the best most fun I've ever had in
any year of my career, And it's like, really, you
guys went out and round one and your co star
(12:33):
was injured all year. That's not great. And the other
one is do we need to turn the throttle down
a bit on the three point variants? Are we underselling
how talented we are and our ability to beat teams
kind of straight up rather than adding so much randomness
(12:54):
to games?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah? No, will listen.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And I also, frankly just don't like math deciding sport.
I always say analytics, Yes, Like last night, it's a
great example. I want to shift to this Minnesota. Their
GM built Denver a team that could kind of beat
anybody he leaves, not the same roster, overpaid in a
couple of players, goes to Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
And I said it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I'm like, guys, they're a tough matchup for San Antonio.
Julius Randall is the kind of guy that can give
Wemby problems, get him off balance, bully him.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I mean he's like two fifty.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
He's like Zach Randolph two fifty five of muscle, and
he's just a lot and you may not love him
in the three point analytic world, Julius Randall's a hell
of a basketball player. And I'm watching that series last
night and I'm like, offensively, they got Wemby totally off
his game, and I'm like, I don't think that.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Was fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
You know who, If this game's tied in the fourth,
Minnesota's gonna win every time. And I think I think
I think San Antonio is in a bit of a
I think they're in a little bit of trouble.
Speaker 6 (13:58):
I think it's more than a little bit of trouble.
I think so, I think there's a lot to unpack.
Your First of all, remember the big argument that we,
not you and I had, but that was being had
when Wimby was like, hey, defense is fifty percent of
the game.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Well, then I get that.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Then I guess last night's game from Wimby is right
alongside Michael Jordan's sixty three point playoff loss too right.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
Twelve blocks.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Never see anything like it, but twelve blocks with minimal
offensive impact, and all of a sudden the team's beatable.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
You have one of the.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
Greatest defensive performances any players had since Wilt Chamberlain in
the playoffs, and your team loses because you can't get
enough buckets.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
That's first point.
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Second point is this your toeng Julius Randall. There is
no player in the league more prepared to give Wimby
trouble than Rudy.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Rudy's known him since he was a kid.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
He is the second longest guy in the league to Wimby,
and he's so much stronger than him, and so so
it is a very interesting chess match right now, which
is this colin. When Rudy is on the court, both
teams offenses.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
Are going to struggle.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
The Timbrels offense will struggle because when Rudy's on the court,
Wimby doesn't have to guard anybody out on the perimeter.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
He can just patrol the rim.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
And the Spurs offense is going to struggle because when
Rudy's on the court, Wimby can only be out on
the perimeter offensively because Rudy can keep him out of
the paint. And then when you take Rudy off the
court like they did in the fourth quarter, all of
a sudden, Wimby's got to guard the perimeter. Now you
can get to the rim. And so if Anthony Edwards
(15:40):
is just gonna get healthier and all of a sudden,
Tarren Shannon Junior looks like the second fastest player in
the league. To Maxie, They're gonna keep coming at you
with nas Reed and Julius Randall. Jade McDaniels was in
fell trouble the whole game, and they were fine.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
Minnesota. Had they lost last night.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
If they had been stolen, like, if they had blown
it at the end, I think that's a very, very
tough one to get over. But they escaped even though
they kind of screwed up down the stretch. I think
right now they're the favorites in the series. I think
right now Minnesota is the favorite.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I know they're not. Literally, I think they are the
favorite in the series.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, I said earlier, the most disrespected pro sports franchise
in the league. They've been a back to back Western
Conference finals. They match up with everybody, and we treat
them like the Pelicans. It's like, guys, the coaching, the experience,
they're the best fourth quarter team left.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
The coaching is unbelievable. Chris Finch is great, and Anthony
Edwards is just and this goes back to your three
point shooting thing. You know what, people like watching Anthony
Edwards trying to dunk on people.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Thank you a naked aggression. That is one of the
cool things about the NBA.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
So if Adam Silver is not going to take my
free advice from two years ago, which is don't change
the court, don't get rid of the corner three, all
you got to do is say, hey, guess what dunks
also worth three points?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Now go get it, Fellas.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
If you're not going to do that, then it is
probably good to have some of the three point shooting
teams clipped in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Okay, I want to end with this.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
I've said I think Mike Brown deserves a lot of credit.
Making Cat a point center was brilliant. He's doubled as
his his totals. It takes some of the heat off
Brunson to have to create everything. So I think, first
of all, coaching first three games of the Hawks series,
you're like Quinn Snyder's changing the series. Since then, Mike
(17:36):
Brown has done really good job. Cat's always been an
incredibly skilled, little flaky, a little odd, but incredibly skilled
big and now their offense looks different. But I struggled
with the Knicks because I said this earlier last year.
Suddenly the Pacers were great? Or were they this year?
It's the Pistons or are they? People love the Calves.
I don't like them. I'm like, I don't know what
(17:58):
to make of the Knicks. They're like a really good
football team at a bad conference. What do I make
of what the Knicks are doing well?
Speaker 6 (18:05):
So I couldn't believe our great stats guy Josh told
me this this morning. I could not believe it. The
Knicks last three games. They won all of them by
twenty five plus. That's never happened in the history of
the NBA in the playoffs. But think about that, so, like,
(18:25):
think about all the walkover Round one sweeps. The Shaq
Kobe Lakers, or the Steph Durant Warriors.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Or the MJ Bowls or the.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Lebron Heat have never once did they have three straight
twenty five point victories. So the fact that they've done
that makes me you have to sit up and take notice.
Last night, I did you know? I picked yesterday and
again my Finals was Celtics over Nuggets. So take it
for what you will. It's pretty rare. You don't have
(18:56):
either finalists make it out a round one. But I said,
I thought the Sixers, if they're healthy, will win the series.
But I expected them to lose last night because the
three to one comeback, the emotion of Game seven.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
But they didn't just lose. They got curb stomped.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
And the Knicks right now are in the midst of
the best four game stretch of basketball they've had. I mean, honestly,
maybe of my lifetime, and so you have to take
them seriously. I do wonder, you know, as the series evolves,
if they're going to be able to keep Maxie in check,
if Embiid looks better in the next game. But I
(19:39):
do think this, and I would imagine everyone with respect
to the Pistons, I think everyone probably agrees with this.
The winner of this series will be a big favorite
in the conference finals.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
I feel like this.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
The winner of whoever gets through this series will represent
the East in the NBA Finals, which might very well
be again it's the Minnesota Timberwolves. Like that is on
the board that Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves get all
the way to the finish line.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Here.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Finally, much of the chagrin of Jmack. Brett Veach said,
Mahomes is way ahead of schedule and everybody loves to bury.
You know, they let everybody loves to bury. And I
always say in the NFL it's pretty simple. Is your owner,
your GM, your coach, and your quarterback as your competitive
Now you may have it down a year, you lose
a tackle, but they addressed all of it in the draft.
(20:30):
Just some thoughts on Mahomes being ahead of schedule, well,
I have.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
A lot of thoughts. Also, speaking of Jmax shout out.
I don't know if you saw this on Twitter a
couple of weeks ago, Colin shout out to Patrick Mahomes
not only being one of the two greatest quarterbacks ever
live in the best quarterback currently playing, but also such
a gracious, good sport. Yeah, as he shook Jmax's hand
after I don't know a half decade of Jmack burying
(20:56):
him at every chance he gets, I thought it was
a great job by Patrick there. Now on the Chiefs,
I am I've been saying for months. Patrick Mahomes is
going to be dancing at Travis Kelsey's wedding and he's
going to be starting in week one, and I think
he is on track to do both of those things.
And anybody that thinks that any time in NFL history
(21:19):
where you have an A plus quarterback and an A
plus coach and a smart front office, that you're about
to enter the wilderness of a rebuild, I just show.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
It to me where it's happened.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Danny on overtime yesterday had Kenneth Walker on. I do
think the most important offseason edition was the fact that
the Chiefs are now going to have a running game.
You have to respect. They are tied Colin with the Jets.
I think it's the Jets, but they are tied for
the longest streak of seasons without eight thousand yard rusher.
(21:54):
They've never had a thousand yard back Patrick's whole career.
Now you're gonna have to respect the run game.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Listen.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
I color me crazy, but I do think the team
that has been to five of the last eight Super Bowls.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Is gonna be okay. But I guess we'll see.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah. Good seeing you very very as well. Good energy.
First things, five.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Five of seven.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
Actually I think I undersold the Chiefs. I think it's
five of the last seven. They all run together, so
much they won three of.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Something like that. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Talk to you, Leonard, It's hard to keep track. Nick
ran first things first after our show.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, it's the two offseason moves. I love Kenneth Walker
to the Chiefs. Tyler linderbaumd of the Raiders, those feel
like they'll produce wins like that that you will generate
w's off those. You go ask Matt Hasselbeck about having
a great center.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
The history.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
I started watching football in the seventies. Mike Webster was
the center for the Dynasty the Steelers, and after that
it was Jim Otto for the Raiders, and then I
think the Dolphins had a great center.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I don't remember off the top of my head.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
They had a great center when they had the Bob
Greasy teams like it just it's one of those positions
that gets lost. We always talk left tackles. Tyler Linderbaum.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
I mean, if you.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Start looking at why the Chargers through the years have struggled,
it's not been quarterback. They've had some good coaches, they've
had great pass rushers. It's like they can't get the
old line right, and specifically they have struggled often at
that center position.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Thoughts on Aaron Rodgers getting very interesting in Chicago. It's
the hurt.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
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Speaker 3 (23:47):
Hey is Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Now.
Speaker 7 (23:50):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
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Speaker 5 (24:00):
Up. That's right.
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Speaker 3 (24:16):
Coming away.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Frank I Soola, NBA writer and analyst. Been covering the
Knicks for a long time. Feeling good to New York Yankees.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Giant turbout. Ready to turn it around, New York Knicks.
Jmak with a.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
News no, no, no, turn on the news.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
This is the Herdline News. Let's get started with my
main man. Victor Wembama set an NBA record last night
with a staggering twelve blocks. I don't know where you
guys are seeing all these goaltends. I didn't see him.
Everything looked clean to me. He just was dominant on
the interior.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Colin.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
Here's one thing I have not heard anybody say. This morning,
I was reading online. Did you see how many minutes
played last night? Forty minutes? He died for a season high.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Yeah, he averaged what twenty eight and a half during
the right Now, we knew you and I had discussed this.
I knew we would play more in the postseason. But
that was a real stretch for him. And that's the problem, Colin.
Speaker 8 (25:15):
He hasn't done forty minutes except once this season. Did
you see what happened the game after he did forty minutes?
So he played forty minutes Hans Denver in that overtime
thriller one day off. Then he played Philly he played
sixteen minutes. So I don't know how Wemby's going to
bounce back from this, because there's not any data to
show when he plays this many minutes on that kind
of frail frame, how he bounces back, Colin. He was
(25:37):
five of seventeen shooting over eight from three. I love
one Ben Yama. He was great defensively well, they got
him off his game, there was no question. And the
other thing that people aren't talking about is Chris Finch
benched Gobert for like the first nine minutes of the
fourth quarter, and that's when Minnesota pulled away because then
you space the floor with nas Reed. Wemby not as effective.
I think he had maybe one block in the fourth quarter,
(26:00):
but Chris Finch pushed all the right buttons and listen,
I still like the Spurs in this series. I don't
know if Wemby's gonna be a big force in game two.
I think it's got to be Darreon Fox. Darren Fox
killed them last night. Hi our largest plus minus on
the team. He was awful. Listen, if you're into prop betting,
I would take a gander at some unders on Wemby.
(26:22):
Don't fire on anything but Colin. Again, there isn't data
of him. How's he gonna play after forty minutes? Did
you see him turn an ankle late in the game,
landed on I think it was Randall landing on his
elbow to another time. This frame for Webbin Yama is
going to be a big story.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
It is absolutely yeah.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
All right, let's move on to the Houston Rockets and
Kevin Durant. I know you and Nick just buried Kevin
Durant and rightfully, so you know, listen, the guy played
a lot last year and then just doesn't show up
in the playoffs injured. Well, Raphael Stone, the GM of Houston,
is taking some flak because he's saying, well, we didn't
just get KD for championship or bust. Really, here's what
(26:59):
he said.
Speaker 9 (27:01):
The goal is to put a roster in place that
has a chance to compete for a championship. But that
doesn't mean. That doesn't mean if you don't if you
make the if you don't make the finals or something,
you fail. Not once did I ever say, with respect
to bring Kevin in that it was championship or bust.
I never said that to him, I never said that
(27:22):
to anybody.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
That's that's very much not our attitude.
Speaker 9 (27:25):
We thought he could be addited to the team, to
the young guys of how to work like a professional,
how to like really hone your craft. I thought he
did a really good job of that.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
You buying that, I think next year, so just think
about this. Fred van Bleet returns, and then Shepard and
Aman Thompson, who are more natural off ball guards than
on ball, but they're getting more reps at that they'll
be more comfortable with the ball. KD is not a
(27:58):
ball handler. I mean when you trap him still to
this day. I mean we saw the Lakers do it.
They trapped him and just discombobulated him. What you're gonna
see with Katie going forward as a man, Thompson grows,
and Jabari Smith and and and Shepherd and now Fred
van Bleet, He's just gonna get fewer touches this year
(28:20):
without I mean a lot of times. They just needed
Kevin to have the ball in his hands. Next year,
if they don't make a trade, they don't.
Speaker 8 (28:29):
Well that's interesting they make a trade. I'm not certain
Kevin Durant on the Rockets next year, Like, I don't
know if that's a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
High guy Jason Timp made a really good debate. He said,
when you look at San Antonio and Oka, see this
Houston team needs to take a big swing.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
Jabari Smith, shen Goon.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
And maybe three draft picks or two, then you could
have Yannis with van Bleat.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Then it's Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I mean Milwaukee's not He's not They're not training him
with Golden State. They don't have anything they're gonna get
in return. Same with the Knicks, although the Knicks could
give you og and draft picks.
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Geez.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
I think Houston's in a very You're gonna need some
very savvy GMing in Houston because I like their young
players a lot. But you start looking at ok See
in San Antonio their third.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
So one of the problems is Tari Easen, the small
forward who was great against the Lakers. He could be
on the move because I think he's a free agent
and a lot of teams are going to kick the
tires on a small ball three and D guy. He
could play four, So you lose him. And if you're
talking about moving Javari Smith and Shan Gun, what do
you do You got like four guys to play with
you Jianness. I mean we're seeing that you need the
(29:45):
deeper roster OKC Spurs. You need seven eight guys to
get through the regular season and then the playoffs. So
I am the Giannis.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
One's interesting.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Let me float this to you.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
So there is a team that really struggled in the
first round. I think we mentioned this during the regular season.
The Detroit Pistons did nothing at the deadline. They have
Cad Cunningham, a big gap and two bigs. What are
the Pistons lose to the Calves? Do they make a
swing on KD. Hey, we've got our leader in Caid.
I don't think come play the wing man. No, I
just I don't. And this is nothing against Katie. Is
(30:16):
he really what they need? They're a young team that
plays intense defense with a star. Now again, Caide needs
the ball in his hands. Katie doesn't. But I like
what Detroit's doing. I like what I kind of like it.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Down three or one to Orlando. Again, this is part
of a process. They're not Oklahoma City yet. They don't
have a whimby but in the East, I don't think
Detroit should make a rash move. I don't think that's
the play for them.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I don't.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Well, we'll see what happens against the Calves. I'm taking
the Calves tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
But that's you're taking the Pistons in that series.
Speaker 8 (30:47):
Yes, you in America. All right, let's go to the
final story, Colin, and that's the Green Bay Packers. I
don't know if you've noticed, they've had some quiet moves offensively.
They lost Romeo Dobbs to the Patriots. They lost Dantavian
Wicks to the Eagles. That opens the door for Matthew Golden,
the burner from Texas, to have a big season. He
kind of listened. I don't I'm not calling him anybody
(31:08):
a bust. He had a quiet season. I think he
went like the longest stretch for any first round receiver
without a touchdown in like twenty years. He did nothing
most of the season, and then you see against the
Bears he had an electric touchdown.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
I think you gotta be careful. Roma Dunze hasn't done
anything for the Bears, and I like, oh.
Speaker 8 (31:26):
He did some stuff last I mean Golden did like nothing.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I think he's pretty talented.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
I like him. Oh, I love I think he's gonna
be Fantasy football guys. Put Golden on your flag list.
He only had twenty nine catches for three hundred and
sixty one yards Colling. That's like a two week stretch
for Jamar Chase. Okay, we got to see more.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Yeah, and they also had a lot of mouths to feed.
I mean they I don't know I think I don't
worry about the I don't worry about their tight end
and wide receiver group.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think their offense is fine. I don't worry about
Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I my take on Green Bay is, you know Kenny Clark,
Rashaun Gary er Gone, it's Micah Parsons who's not great
against the run. Jeff Halfley left, so I lose there
is this great defensive coordinator. I lose a couple of
my bigs up front. Mike is not good against the run.
How can you well? I mean, when whenever I find
a team like Green Bay that I really like their coach,
I really like their offensive pieces, my question is, well,
(32:23):
can you keep their offense off the field. That's why
it's so inpl like the reality is with Chicago the
knock on not getting an edge rusher. I mean, if
you look at what they've what Chicago did in the draft,
is they think their offense is going to be so gifted.
They're gonna they're gonna ball control. You're not gonna get
the ball back. I don't think Green Bay has Chicago's
(32:44):
offensive talent, and I don't think I think Ben Johnson's
more creative than Lafleur. I'm not sure he's a better coach,
but he's more creative, so I don't worry about Green
Bay and points and skill.
Speaker 8 (32:53):
So this is probably the most fun division to talk about, Colin.
We could probably do an hour on this. So let's
go through the four teams real quick. Detroit Lions. You
hyped up the schedule this year. I think they're very easy.
Everybody loves the Lions, right, eleven and twelve win team Detroit? Okay,
hold on, so Detroit eleven twelve. Chicago Bears just pushed
the Rams to the brink, and every arrow is pointing
up the Bears top.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Ten to eleven wins schedule much tougher. Still need to
add Rusher like them along. So two great teams. Let's
skip to the Minnesota Vikings. Add Kyler Murray to go
with the great You love Kyler Murray. He calls a
great deep ball. Kyler Murray will not be as good
as Darnold in this offense, but he's an upgrade that
was probably an eight win team.
Speaker 8 (33:31):
So is either the Packers are not going to be
great or people are sleeping on them and they're undervalued.
I'll just remind everybody that game against Denver. They were
one of the top teams in the NFC. They're leading,
they lose Watson and Micah Parsons in like a four
minute span. Season just ended and fell apart.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
There.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
Yeah, you buying Packers.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Twelve wins to Chicago and Detroit and division so no
playoffs for Greenbay.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Remember it. It's not that I don't like them.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
You know, they were the team last year that I
waited the last week to make my prediction. I feel
the same way.
Speaker 8 (34:06):
I might just go Packers Super Bowl. You're so against them,
you hate them.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I'm not against that. I think.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I just think Detroit. I think Detroit. If I had
to pick today, Detroit's a playoff team. Are they division
champs or wild card? They solved their left tackle issue.
That's the one thing I worried everything else with Detroit.
I like I think there. I think they solved today
Sewele's going to be a first ballot Hall of Payer
right tackle. I think I Detroit solved their primary issue,
(34:33):
and I think they're gonna be really good.
Speaker 8 (34:34):
By the way, saw your buddy Jared Goff over the
weekend at the Music Festival. He looked so in shape
ready to rock.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Yeah, that was that. That Beach's Life.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
Yes, Beach Life. They were asking about Lincoln Riley was there.
People were asking him, Jay Mack, where's Coward. I was like,
he's in Chicago, like bundled up. I think he's wearing
a scarf right now.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Well, I wasn't at Beach's Life. I was at Burbs'
Life in Chicago. J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping that the
Herd line.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
You tell me what decision you would make. I'll explain next.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neonon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (35:18):
Saturday night is the Baseball Night on Fox, and this week,
Jordan Walker looks to keep his breakout season rolling as
he leaves the Cardinals against Manny Machado and the Padres
or Mets Diamondbacks Saturday at seven Eastern only on Fox.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
So I think a lot of its gamesmanship.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
You know, when you get into the Aaron Rodgers business,
he's going to do things. He's a little indifferent to
his off seasons. And the Steelers went out with kind
of a quirky tender. They offered to put the pressure
on him. Then all of a sudden, a story leaks
out that Arizona is interested. And I think the initial
response by people is he's not that interested.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Folks.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
I can tell you, as you age in your profession,
different stuff matters, and the times I've left in my career,
stuff that mattered when I moved in my thirties doesn't
matter as much now. And so I said, I always
get out and I tell my kids this, get a
yellow pad out in a pen and write it down,
and look at it and sleep on it and look
(36:17):
at it and look at the words you write. Because
I've moved cross country three or four times. It really matters,
not just thinking about it or talking about it. Write
it down when you're going to make a huge career change.
So I said, let's take the yellow pad out. People
think you stay with the Steelers. Arizona's a mess. I
think it's a lot closer than people think. So take
the yellow padout. Let's do pros for Arizona. So you
(36:41):
take the yellow pad out. Young offensive head coach Aaron
sees himself as a young forty year old guy that's
just the way he operates. He knows Nat Hackett. Nat Hackett,
regardless of what you think. It was a pretty good
offensive coordinator and that's his guy. Tremendous. McBride's an tremendous
(37:02):
tight end. I think they're running back and tight end
talent is exceptional. It's closer to California. Again, just for
a lot of people, you want to get closer to family.
He's closer to California, his place in Malibu, and he
gets to play indoors at this point, California, kid, you
want to play in hail storms and snowstorms in twelve degrees.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
All right, let's go pro.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Steelers. They had a pretty good offensive line last year.
They put some draft capital on it. I think it's
pretty good. He knows the locker room. It's his guys
now for one year. But they liked him better ownership stability,
much easier to vision. Although I think Cincinnati's did in
(37:46):
play this year. And if Jesse Minner can coach, and
my guess as he can, Baltimore and Cincinnati should be
pretty good. And say what you want about Cleveland, they've
had backed about great drafts. Cleveland's got dudes and they've
got playoff momentum. Nine know, year to year things change,
but they got into the playoffs. That feels pretty good.
Now let's look at cons ownership for Arizona is not ideal.
(38:11):
Division is brutal though. I think San Francisco is getting
really really long in the two. Offensive line not good.
They addressed it, but it pretty shaky offensive line and
Aaron as he's aged, they don't want to get hit.
I totally get it. CON's on the Steelers. You can
(38:32):
say what you want, but Dk Metcalf fifty nine catches
he is on the other side yards and catches. He
was just not a factor last year, and you has
got the build of a number one wide receiver. But
you start looking around at the offensive talent this league.
Is dk Metcalf now just a physically imposing number two.
(38:53):
Friar Mouth is a nice tight end, but the other
tight end's more of a more of a blocking guy.
The head coach is My McCarthy. He's more than capable.
But let's be honest, it didn't feel like they were
They vibed in Green Bay. You're suddenly thinking older Mike
McCarthy vibes now and you're a West Coast guy. I mean,
it's okay living in the East coast, New York, d C.
(39:16):
I think Pittsburgh I got nothing against it, but you know,
Aaron Rodgers kind of cool California guy.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
Pittsburgh whatevs.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
So I think when you look at pros and cons,
I said yesterday, I think I would choose Arizona. I
think you're gonna have an offensive culture. Nat Hackett, young
offensive coach from McVeigh system, tremendous talent. I think Harrison.
I don't know j Mack how you feel, but I
do think he's developing into something. I think Arizona's offensive
talent is good. Yes, the division's very good. You're gonna
(39:46):
lose to Seattle and the Rams, I would presume, but
it's like Cincinnati and Baltimore. Cincinnati's defensive line now has
got actually some guys with Dexter Lawrence in the draft
the last two years. He well, if here's Matt Hasselbeck
yesterday on on the rumor about.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Aaron Hackett in Arizona.
Speaker 10 (40:06):
Aaron Rodgers is, like, you know, affection for Nathaniel Hackett.
It's it's well known, it's well documented. Like you just
I have those guys in my life. You just talk
to them all the time and it you know, you
talk about your team.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
Oh yeah, we're good.
Speaker 10 (40:20):
Man, Like, we got a great wide receiver, you know, Marvin,
he's so great, and we got this tight end he's
the best I've ever seen. And you know, we're gonna
get this guy in the draft, this running back. You know,
we just needed you know, we just need your Kobe
to play, you know, at elite level. You know that
kind of thing, like you kind of just like you
dance around it. But I do think that he doesn't
mind toying with everybody the way that he does, especially
(40:43):
in the media.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
I honestly think if I was Aaron Rodgers at his age,
Jeremiah Love Algiers at running back McBride Harrison, I mean,
you say, well, the division's tough. You're not winning a
super Bowl in Pittsburgh, You're not winning it in Arizona.
It's quality of life. What am I surrounded with? I'm
playing it. I'm close to Malibu. I think I choose Arizona.
Speaker 8 (41:03):
Let me flip it on you though. Okay, the Jets
tried the same thing with Rogers. Okay, did not work.
No playoffs, They had to do justin fields last year.
Now they're doing Gino Smith. Okay, the Steelers look at them.
They're stuck in the middle. Does Arizona want to try
to win seven games with Rogers or bottom out and
go for a quarterback in next year's draft.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
I think i'd take Aaron Rodgers. Oh stop, I think
I would. I think I won our three
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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