August 13, 2026 • 38 mins
Jason Smith and Mike Harmon talk all things related to the Lakers sale to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner. Jason pitches a new perspective that LeBron deserves the credit for the Lakers resurgence and ridiculous 12.5 billion dollar price point.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
Eleve you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Hello, Welcome in side our one, the Jason Smith Show
with my bass friend Mike Harmon. Check out our YouTube
channel for the show. Just search Jason Smith Show within YouTube. Again,
that's Jason Smith's Show. Hit the subscribe button, tap the
thumbs up icon, comment away, agree or disagree. Just let
us know what you think. Again, search Jason Smith's Show
(00:50):
and subscribe on YouTube. We'll love you forever and ever
and ever. So welcome back. After a couple of days.
I remember turn your microphone on. It says, oh, you
know you've been going two days. I was.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I was expecting you to filibuster for about ten minutes
before you got to me. What okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
David Bailey is the greatest defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
In the history of the NFL. OH sorry what okay? Yeah,
yeah yeah, and Club Nick say red Club Nick, get
those pre order jerseys in for kids. But it's good
to be back a couple of days with the kid.
She's getting ready to fly to New York and begin
the college experience at the end of the week. So
a lot of running around and tom foolery. So a
little bit of a pause and now back with you.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Just just just tell me the truth. Yeah, she didn't
want to hang out with you at all. And you
spent the last two days buying cards and getting them graded.
I did buy a bunch of cars. They are going
to get graded.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Uh, couple that got shipped right away to grating from
the guy bought him from.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, because you texted me today you want to buy
some David Bailey rookie text.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Me to say it. I mean, I have a couple
that are are ready to flip. There's no question about it. Quick.
Hey man, you got to strike one. The iron's hot.
If the head the headline news good bad or whatever. Wait,
people are talking him, get him out there, get him
out there.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
But today, speaking of money, money, maybe you could put
a couple of nickels together because I'm sure if after
what happened today. The Dodgers will be for sale soon.
The Lakers being sold today again, a story that I
think took us all by surprise, all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Wait, the Lakers go.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Because when I first saw that, right, okay, being in
my fifties, now, when I get up, first thing I
do is turn on my phone and check and see
the world is there.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
So I get on the phone.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I get on and I see Lakers sale, Lakers sale
approved or whatever the headline was, and I go. But
the sale wasn't already approved. It was like a year ago.
They were sold again. Oh my, what are you kidding me?
The Lakers were sold again.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So me, being the early riser that I am, insomniac,
it started coming through and it was another one of
those this can't be real. So you're immediately searching any
NBA insider, every LA reporters, like this is legit. And
after about seven sources, I said, Okay, I guess this
(03:02):
is a legit thing, so let's try to break it down. Crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
The Lakers being sold for twelve point five billion dollars
to businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Eiger. Bob Iger, Yes,
that name the former ESPN Disney executive. We used to
get emails from Bob Iger all the time. Couple of
runs from the desk of Bob Iger. Oh, and now
he owns the Lakers. You felt, Barry, did you ever
get like a couple of you know, pins, Mickey Mouse.
(03:29):
It was just like, hey, to explain some things happening now,
or hey, good luck, here's what we've done, just to
you know, Hey, things are things are great from the
desk of Bob Iyke.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
The corporate overlord. Yeah, we got that from the desk
of Bob Bike. Congratulations out a nice year.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So not Jared Kushner. Josh Kushner is the owner of
the Lakers. Everybody did a double take as well. This
is Josh Kushner is the owner of This is not
Don Kushner's rock concert from the late seventies. This is
Josh Kushner. This is not Kushman from Jerry McGuire. I
got cushlash, Slash, this is Josh. Have a little cushlash.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Because Josh Kushner, business, sports and political worlds all collide.
People get a little upset. Now.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
This story is so much fun from so many perspectives
because my favorite part was after reading Okay, wait a minute,
Mark Walter really sold the team nine months after he
got approved as owner, and I'm reading all the quotes
It's been such an honor to own the Lakers, it's great,
and you know he bought them for ten billion, sells
them now for twelve point five billion, and I'm reading
(04:34):
it going okay, okay, I already know. I feel like
I didn't go to law school, but I know when
my lawyer Spidey Sense starts taking my Peter Tingle, it's
Peter Tingle, it starts up going okay, so.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
What is up here?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And then you do a little bit of digging and
you find out just how much financially Mark Walter could
be on the hook for as he is being investigated
for federal loan fraud. The probe center around billions of
dollars in undisclosed related party transactions between his insurance companies.
So basically, here's a guy that owns the Dodgers, owns
(05:07):
the Lakers, and now being investigated for federal loan fraud.
So all of a sudden, hey man gotta start liquid dating.
That's ah uh okay, I guess I gotta pick all right,
let's sell the Lakers. We'll sell the Lakers instead. There
is no I mean just to hear people talk today
and say things like it was just a deal. This
was the way it was always Yeah, because that's what
(05:28):
you do. You meant to buy the Lakers to flip them.
The Lakers are flip. Flip that basketball team, Flip that
NBA team. I took over a team that oh the
roof wasn't was leaked and we didn't have a garage.
And look what I've done in a year now. It's
all worth two points. Because a guy that's worth twenty
five billion dollars gets into buying the Lakers only to
flip them a year later, Right, that's how it goes well.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I mean, I can't fault the guy for taking two
point five billion profit off the table, but I mean,
are they subject because you know, if you buy a house,
it's the two year rule right before you have a
low work capital gains off the earnings if the property
goes up. Same thing here, I mean, like, since it's
under two years, is he taxed at a higher rate?
(06:09):
But yes, just dismissing it as a financial transaction, I'm like, again,
not to sneeze a two point five billion, But to
think that it was a quick flip. But I gotta
ask you this for Luka Doncic, it was quick to
get on Twitter and oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah. Does
he now get like something from the Guinness people most
owners and fewest franchises? Oh I maybe, yeah, maybe.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I got five and two? Oh yeah, five, that's pretty good?
Like do I do I get? Do I get a plaque?
And a swell party? They common they popped some some
of those little streamer things. And I say this only
with a with a little bit of of of comedic
timing on this is that how long before the Dodgers
are for sale? I mean, because Mark Walter ha this
(06:54):
is this could be a very expensive investigation all of
a sudden. If you're liquidating the Lakers, you are equid
dating the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Ll I mean that does put twelve billion back in
your book? Does?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
But you know one look, no one buys a sports
team to sell it in a year. All of this stuff,
I think the average person is smart enough to see it.
And when you understand the financial stakes, that could be okay,
well maybe owning this but might need some cash on hand.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
A little bit here. Now you a little bit of
cash might have to pay off. Remember buildable hours the Mets.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Right, wait a minute, we lost a lot of cash
on that whole Ponzi pyramid scheme. And here comes Steve
Cohing like that's how it goes. But it's just watch Billions,
watch Big. Damian Lewis should be a guest on every
show the next twenty four hours, explaining just how things
go in big business, even though you know Bobby bill
and there's your bounty, you know there we go get that. Yeah,
(07:45):
get Damian Lewis on. Well, promise we'll only talk about
Band of Brothers. We'll only talk about Band of Brothers.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
That's it. I can't promise that guy's had a long
illustrious he does, but I really want to talk about band.
That was great, great series, no question about it. If
you haven't watched it, you should go back and effort
through that.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What is a hold up, Captain Soble? That's major Horton
moved all right, but but you think about it right now.
Now we've got the Lakers distress property, yes, high profit, okay, cool,
but remember the Dodgers how they got sold to them
in the first place.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Bankruptcy. So what a wicked web we've got going on here,
Almost as wicked as something spun by Spider Man, that
dast web slinger. I mean, it's it's it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
But honestly, you don't know, Like, if I want to
buy the Dodgers, I'm getting some money. People together go
with Hey, so you just want to just dove double
check here, because.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
This is a sale that came together in seventy two hours.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Man, Like that's what That's what I mean, Like, it's
it's being told some that's nonsense. Again, all the stuff
we're being told, you have to just just read past
the head.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
But it's like the schoolble thing that nobody heard from anybody,
and then Saturday morning they got a wild hair up
and they go and swing a deal. Same thing here,
twelve billion dollar. You know what. Yeah, I'm I'm you know,
I'm out on my little putting green. I think, uh,
I think it's to the point where I've got to
sell this squad. But what it does do right, not
only do you start doing your due diligence about the
(09:13):
Dodgers and making sure you've got your ducks in a row,
and make sure all your loans and business stuff. High
vetting processes are done properly. Remember this also takes them
out of the Vegas running. So you've got it. You've
got an availability there. So any of the would be
ownership groups there, they're back in play now then maybe fortified.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, I mean, look, I mean just understand that no
one buys teams to do this. You buy properties, you
buy land to try to flip it. You buy a
house that's in that's in bad shape, and you put
money into it, you bring it. He walks up to
Now you think that happened? Was Ty Pennington outside of
(09:57):
the Crypto arena with a bullhorn going, let's.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Go, let's flip this team and sell it away. Let's
do it. I don't know. Did I have a film
crew out there for it? Is this gonna be on
the next Wonderful World of Disney? You need to get
back in on that. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I mean the only place I've seen Todd Pennington lately
is on late at night doing infomercials.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah he does one for one of those games on
your phone. Oh he does. Yeah, yeah, he's got one
of those.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Because I want to default and everybody, I say, I
think they do that turn your cash to gold thing
like that.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I don't know if he doesn't, but that's kind of
what I love. At our time share is this Eric Strata?
Oh yeah, timeshare? Or get you out of a time share?
It depends on Wait wait what time you come in?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Obviously you see you know why this story is going,
why the Lakers are sold in all these things. Now
for a little bit different take on this, right, take
a little differently is that this is a Laker team
that is now was sold for ten billion dollars a
year ago, sold for twelve and a half billion dollars.
Now the person not getting nearly enough credit for this
(11:04):
valuation of the again business broke all kinds of records
in the NBA. Now twelve billion dollars. Remember when the
Clippers were bought for two billion? Now he only wants
to defend that at the time.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
It's time.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
This is where the Lakers is where Mark Walter, this
is where Bob Iger, This is where Josh Kushner. This
is where Genie Buss needs to call Lebron James and
say thank you for raising the brand for the better
part of the last decade. Because people forget when Lebron came.
Before Lebron came to the Lakers, it was a bad time.
The Lakers were not winning, they were not competing. It
(11:40):
was Kobe Bryant was the only one left. He wanted
to stay with the franchise, which is incredibly admirable, but
he was nearing the end of his playing career. The
Lakers brand was at an all time low right because
it was it was after Doctor Buss died. He passes
it over to his kids, and the team doesn't win.
They kept, you know, Genie Busses firing every every brother
that she has. It's like a real life success.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
We did a lot of stories on the infighting in Chaos.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
For years, the Laker brand was in the toilet. But
Lebron decides to come to la because he wanted the
Laker brand and this is what I want if I'm
gonna go here, I'm gonna leave Miami, to leave Cleveland,
I'm gonna go I wanna go try it in La
as he started his own production company and everything going
on here. Yes, Lebron coming to the Lakers was a
(12:26):
big deal for him. They won a championship, but it
was such a big deal because the Lakers turned back
into the Lakers with Lebron James. They're not getting sold
for twelve billion dollars if Lebron James doesn't show up
eight years ago. Because there was no plan, there was
no there was no recruiting, there was no we're gonna
go out and get the next best superstar. We're gonna
go out and get three guys compete for a championship.
(12:48):
This was Lebron showing up and telling Magic Johnson, yeah,
I'm coming now, I'm getting back on a plane. Oh great,
Like I mean, that's what Lebron has done over the court.
There's nook. It's just I decide I'm going to Miami.
I'm going back to Cleveland. No, I'm going I'm going
to la Lebron by himself, took the Laker brand and
put it back at the top to the point where
they were able to go make a move and go
(13:09):
get Luka Dancic and try to restart the Laker dynasty.
And now you have a top three, top five player
overall in the league again, who's twenty six years old,
who was very marketable. This does not happen without Lebron
James being a Laker for eight years. So on the
Jerry Jones, Hey, if I don't win championships, I can
at least look at money and show you how I've won.
This is one of Lebron's biggest victories that doesn't come
(13:30):
in the NBA finals. What he has done, he is
single handedly brought that Laker brand up to being worth
twelve point five billion dollars.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Remember as we started the show where the final runs
of Kobe Bryant's career again, they paid him a lot
of money. He went out and we were on air
when he had his sixty point performance. That was great,
but it was all about Kobe, right. It was the
finishing of his career. There were no expectations on that team,
and you couldn't walk into any conversation about the Lakers
(13:59):
without so one with the derisive tone referencing Smush Parker.
Who want a Smush Parker? Aft to get and you
get a side? Sway was it? But he was the guy.
He was the guy that embodied right am, I.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Wrongs like this is like Sam Mitchell every time someone
brings up Kobe's and I know I single guarded the guy.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I can't get away from it. Well side this basketball,
I let I single covered him my decision. But anyway,
the point being that we then add a couple of
years and in theory you look at some of the drafts.
Those guys were interesting and then they all went elsewhere
and had to get good elsewhere. Right when you look
at Ingram, you look at LaMelo or or Lonzo Ball
(14:41):
before he got hurt whatever. But all of those things,
those guys, it didn't work out. And then it was
the waiting game. You you could trade on nostalgia and
trade on history, and certainly they have, there's no question
about it. And that was there was some novelty and
excitement about it. And it was the double ed sword,
right like two face in in the Batman Chronicles, of
(15:06):
which were you getting all the mom and pop thing
is cool in a world that was changing, Steve Balmer
and others coming in the corporate moneies, uh and whatever.
But the competition changing. So if they weren't playing well,
you got the the hatred of that model. And then
Lebron comes in. They're relevant just by him showing up
back on all these TV I mean, hell, look at
(15:28):
what he did with the schedule this year. He decided
what day where he wanted to be for Christmas. I mean, look,
come on, he's still the face of this league. People
want to turn the.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Page, call him and say thank you because this doesn't
happen without Lebron James, none of that.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
What do you think you send him? What do you
get a guy who's got you know, two hundred million
of his or a billion of his own.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Here's what the that liquid, Here's what the new jersey
is gonna look like. We're changing the colors from purple
and gold. Wow, Okay, I like that. Yeah, No, bob
Byger's on. It's gonna be Disney colors.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Now. It's gonna I mean had two stints there, so
I mean, you know that's not a bad thing.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
It's gonna be the sky blue and the stars and yeah,
Mickey Mouse and all that.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
That's gonna be the new logo for the Lakers. And
at altern next Fridays there are Stitch on the back.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I mean, come on, exit out out a Fresca, exit
swollen dome. Jason Smith Mike Garvin live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios. We got more Laker talk on the way,
but straight ahead, we say farewell to an NBA legend
and first ballot Hall of Famer. The shocking news Today,
we break it down next Jason to Mike Fox Sports Radio.
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So while the Lakers were being sold, Russell Westbrook decides
to say I'm out.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Now, let me just say this.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Russell Westbrook eighteen seasons in the NBA, first guy to
have it a triple double in a season since Oscar
Robertson did it a couple of times, had an incredible career,
says he's going out on his own terms. He had
some interest from the Wizards and the Kings, which, like
I thought teams in the NBA would call him, but
(19:35):
Wizards in the Uh?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Sorry? Was that was that too soon? Was that too soon?
But that was cool. I'm just saying I'm not as
bad as Swash Parker, but that was cool. The first
thing I.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Want to say, to be quite honest. Is that here
is Westbrook, as he says, going out on his own terms.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Is he one hundred percent retired? I don't know. I
don't know that for this year.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
If because you see what happened the end of last
year and guys showing up and playing big roles that
hadn't played all year, whether it's for the Spurs, for
the Knicks, a guy like Jose Alvaradosh I'm sure you
watch Hose Alvarado going, really that guy who's won the title?
Really that guy? I really wonder if Westbrook is it
says I'm retiring, but just keeps a low profile and
(20:23):
if we get after the All Star break and there's
a team that needs some sort of push, he's okay
with coming off the bench. It's a big contender that
Westbrook doesn't come back for one last run in the
playoffs with a really good team, Like does he want
to come back? Because right now I can see all
the competitive all the big contenders going, yeah, sorry, Russ,
we're all full up right now. You near the end
(20:44):
of your career. But still, what do you.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Have six or seven triple doubles last year? Like he's
still you know, can can can? Do it.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
He doesn't want to do it for the Kings or
the Wizards, right, I understand it's good Hey, as much
as the Wizards maybe. Actually Okay, he doesn't want to
do that. But if the Knicks or the Celtics or
the Nuggets call again, or whoever somebody near, Hey, they
have a need for a point guard off the bench.
I really think he's gonna leave the door open a
little bit to potentially something happening for this year after
(21:13):
the All Star break, because he will have just played
staying in shape.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
What's it worth? Hey, we have a need here? We don't.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
We don't have our general of the second unit coming
in and Westbrook again. I can see him coming in
and doing that. So is he really one hundred percent done?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah? I don't know that he's got the door all
the way closed.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I think it's closed most of the way, but allowing
someone to step in and say, hey, what are we doing?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Well? But that's just it right between injuries, inconsistency, and
the opportunity to raise your hand. Now, you last, as
we started the show, you wanted to make sure, Hey,
give Lebron his flowers for what he did for the
LA sale and the twelve point five billion dollars. You
gotta blame it for bringing Westbrook in though that was
one of the moves. It didn't quite work out so
(21:57):
well with the Lakers, and a lot of it is
fit and operations behind the scenes and all the mechanics
of getting this all to work. But yeah, if you're
gonna go through another slug at eighteen years unless you're
gonna get paid maximum money and you've just resigned yourself
that all right. I'm here for the paycheck. They've sold
me that I can put some asses in seats. They'll
(22:18):
do forty seven bobblehead giveaways to commemorate all of my
great moments. All of those things are great. Otherwise you're like,
I don't want to go to those squads. Now. The
Wizards could be.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Interesting because if it breaks, right, dude, I get I
get the Wizard.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
It could. But it's like everything needs to break you No, no, no,
but that's just it.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Treane Young needs to be healthy and on the court.
Anthony Davis needs to be healthy and on the court.
Gilbert Arenas needs to be healthy and on the court.
John Wall needs go back into the mix. Bradley Beal
needs to be healthy and on the Bradley Beal Wes
Unseld needs to be healthy and on the court.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
But yesterday, that's back when they were the Bullets. Yeah, no,
I mean bring back the Washington Bullets. By the way,
I had seen the teaser. It was Jeff Schwartz of
Excel Sports Management j E. F. F. Not to be
confused with our sports radio. Yeah, the former Alignment now
prognosticator on Countdown each weekend. Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.
(23:19):
He teased something big for today. Well, I didn't know
if he knew about the Lakers. It's like no. And
then there's the Russell Westbrook announcement, which was narrated by
Michael B. Jordan.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Well, because didn't he wasn't he the first guy to
weigh in to talk about how, oh, the Lakers can
be sold for twelve billion dollars, but teams really don't
want it, you know that just want to salary caps.
They cannot spend money, like like.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
To kill all the veterans. And you look, you've got
the aprons and you go through the mid levels. I
know you got a big thing to tell us, but
can we ask you about the Lakers? Being sold. Sure,
I don't forget my thing. Hey, I got to my thing.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Russell Westbrook's retiring. Russell Westbrooks retiring. Don't forget my thing.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Yeah yeah, We've got all season to talk about that. That
the Lakers are sold today, Okay, And we want to
know a wat and how it came together in seventy
two hours now allegedly, But Russell Westbrookna, you give Miss
Flowers nine All Star appearances, a couple of All Star
Game MTVPS, two time First Team All NBA, the MVP obviously,
the triple doubles five times All NBA Second Team, two
(24:17):
times All NBA Third Team twice and scoring three times
and assists NBA. I mean seventy fifth anniversary squad. I mean,
he's got accolades for days. And folks didn't like him
because he spoke his mind and one thing and again,
owing to that Kings and Wizards thing, he really was
mad when he wasn't winning. Yeah, yeah, no he was,
(24:38):
which is one of the things that endeared him to me,
is like, no, he was pissed when they were at
a bad run.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
I'm like, hey, I'm getting paid whatever, what do I
care my checks for cashing. Okay, great.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
But and that's the thing is that people are making
out Russell Westbrook's legacy to be way more complicated than
it is, right because all you do is turn on
TV to and the Westbrook story breaks, and when the analyst,
whoever it is, is asked about it, this is what
they do. They go, see the thing with russ Is
and it's all this. Hey, here's a big Algonquin roundtable,
(25:14):
deep thoughts on Russell. The thing about russ How many
times did you get the word mercurial mixed in every
did you drink? Every time you heard that?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Today, every guy was the same.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
They were all Let me sit back and give you
that contemplative look and go, you know what you gotta
understand about russ Is. There's a bunch of different things,
and it's like, I'm gonna give you some real inside,
some real deep jackhandy thoughts here about Russell Westbrook and
all that. But Russell Westbrook's legacy, his optic is not
(25:44):
what you would expect a guy with this kind of resume.
It feels like there is something missing from his career.
And as you taught, people talked about the mercurial Russell
Westbrook speaking his mind all of these things. But it's
really much simpler, right, and his legacy shouldn't be an
issue at all. Now, playing for six or seven teams
(26:04):
in the last six that's tough, right, six seven, sixteens
by seven years, that's tough.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That's a tough way to end, right, that's a tough
way to art. Right. But why, I don't even think
Shack played on that many teams. He didn't go sixteen
seven years. So that is a thing.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And I get that, right, I get that the last
seven years, you know, for most of his thirties, when
you think he still should be playing at a high level.
But it's really simple. Why is why are people talking
about Russell Westbrook?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Yet?
Speaker 1 (26:32):
It's not gushing, they're not overflowing with how they feel
about him. The reason is because Russell Westbrook is the
best NBA player to never win a championship. He is
the best player to never win. And when you don't win,
it's really hard to get your legacy. For some people,
(26:53):
it's really hard to put their legacy in. It doesn't
for me, it doesn't matter. He didn't win, right, He
was this good for righteen years?
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Right?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
But the thing is you want to know why, and
you want to know why Russell Westbrook has that that
that optic out there is because when everybody else left
Oklahoma City and got traded, he decided to stay.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Right KD wanted out? What did he do? He decided,
I'm done.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
I don't want the Oklahoma City newspaper or to write
us about me. I want to get out and go
chase rings because I don't want people to keep saying I.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Can't win a championship.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Right, you had the Thunder decide we don't think we
can afford James Harden, who we're trading James Harden. Wait,
why don't you wait until you absolutely see you can't
afford him? Because you could have kept him with Westbrook
in the backcourt because KD left. You could have done that, right,
But when those guys were leaving being traded, Russell Westbrook
decided to stay. And when you decide to stay in
Oklahoma City after that rule, Look, they get to the
(27:48):
finals in twenty twelve, and you think, man, this team
with these three guys, they're gonna just run rough shot
over the NBA. For the better part of the next decade,
he stays in Oklahoma City where quite honestly, the three
best players he played with for the next seven years
were PG thirteen, Steven Adams, and maybe a season of
Victor Oladipo. Like, he did not have anybody to play.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
With, Yeah, but he had an enforcer in Adams that
was ready to go to war with him.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
They won fifty five games, they made the playoffs and
made it back to the Western Conference Finals once. But
he had no help because it's hard to build a dynasty.
It was hard to build a dynasty then in Oklahoma City.
Now they figured out a way. You get SGA, you
know how to get the draft picks, and now you've
built a really good team that's sustainable. But back then
you couldn't do it. You couldn't get all these free
agents to come play in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
They couldn't.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
And against the best guy he played with was Paul George.
And Paul George as we've seen, Hey he's a stad guy,
but you see Paul George bounce from team the team,
and his teams don't win. So okay, he did not
have nearly the support you need to win championships to
even get far in the playoffs. So his thing, why
people see his career as one that's kind of unfulfilled.
(28:59):
And why they have troubled talking about his legacy is
because he stayed when everybody else left or got traded.
He decided, I like it here, I want to stay.
And he spent all of his twenties with Oklahoma City
fruitlessly trying to get by the beginning of the Warriors dynasty,
where they were too good overall other teams in the
West were too good. Overall the Rockets got better towards
(29:19):
the end of the decade. Like this is what he
decided to do. He decided to stay. And you can't
win as just one star in the MBED at least
somebody else needs some sort of plan. And as we
have seen over the course of the past few years,
this is how teams are built.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
Now.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
You don't need three superstars, but you definitely need a
one a a one in a one a right.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Just ask Becky Hammond. You need a one in a
one a right.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
You need young players under controllable contracts that are playing great.
Oklahoma City never had that, but he decided to stay
and because of that, his twenties kind of ran with
Hey he was a big highlight his mixtape was great.
He would average triple doubles, doing things we had never
seen in the NBA in thirty forty years. But still
that's the reason why, because he stayed where it was
(30:00):
not going to be possible for him to win an
NBA championship with the way it was, and so his
best years were just spent garnering stats. Right. He was
like Dominique Wilkins in the eighties and the nineties, where Okay,
well Atlanta's not winning anything, but boy Wilkes is gonna
get those stats, gonna score those points.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
That's the reason why Russell Westbrook doesn't get the credit
that he should get where it should be. This is
one of the top five point guards of all time.
This is the guy doing things we hadn't seen in
the NBA in years. All of these things should just
be said straight up about Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Let's go to his last year with Oklahoma City. You
talked about Paul George. Okay, I had a great year,
Steven Adams, Shrewder, Jeremy Grant, Markkeith Morris, Terrence Ferguson. Should
I go on? I think it makes the point. Raymond
Felton was on that squad. I mean, come on, that's
all you need to say. I mean, really, that is
(30:51):
not I'm not telling you anything. That's not something you
could just go look and go, boy, who are some
of those guys he played? Yeah, he went.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
From him KD and hardened to him and Paul George
and Okay, that's really what it was.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
That's what you tried that. Eventually he bounced around and
tried to win and tried to chase but by then
he was a different player. And bringing a guy like
that so ball dependent into offenses, I mean, we joke
about it all the time. There's only one basketball and
yes he averages a triple double, but he makes sure
(31:24):
he gets his and not to deride it, but the
shooting percentages start start to wane, and it's the longer
you're in the league, you have your expectations of how
guys are gonna come to work and work around you.
That becomes a much more difficult proposition with every passing year.
So yeah, it's tough to It was tough to watch
(31:47):
some of the little clips that started showing up in
my timeline on him just kind of dismissing this career
as well. Like no, no, no, I mean celebrated for
what it was. Whether you got along with him as
a reporter or not, that's on you. I don't care
about that. Like I like watching the guy play as
a fan of the league and guys that dictated, and look,
(32:07):
did he get into mini squabbles with guys? Yeah? Did
you like how he handled guys that called him west Brock? Yeah?
Maybe maybe not, but all told, you know, he was
a guy that showed up for work every day, and
in the NBA, at least for several of those years,
you couldn't say that with most of your.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Stars exit at about a fresca exit swallen down The
Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific, Fox.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with My best Friend
Mike Harmon. Every day, it seems like there's gonna be
new quarterback news. We're gonna get a quarterback decision every
day in training cab, which okay, we kind of need that.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
No, he keeps his line going. I mean, we're not
gonna get a Lakers team sale every day. I know
there's there's thirty two teams.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
We have thirty two quarterbacks that you you gotta get creative,
give us something every day. Uh, today it was the
turn of two NFL team, So let us know about
their plans for this weekend.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Number one to a tongue of iLoo, will start Friday night.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Hey for the Falcons. Uh, let's let let let's just
put cards on the table here. He's gonna start because
he has I don't know why we're even pushing this
like it's a it's a question. Michael Penick Junior is
not going to be cleared enough for a long time.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Well, hell he can this guy, I don't know. Yeah,
I mean he's not going to be He's not going.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
To be cleared for the type of workload, daily workload
that is needed. So yeah, of course two was going
to be the guy out of the gate. And is
it the right call, Yes, just like it was the
right call for Kyler Murray to come in over JJ McCarthy,
because if you start McCarthy, you're just waiting to put
Kyler Murray in at some point.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
The same thing happens here.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
If Michael Pennick starts, You're just waiting to see what
Tua would do, so it's the right call. But I mean,
let's just let's just understand that this is no longer
any sort of quarter back derby. That two is the
guy as long as he's healthy, and if not, then
it could be Chris Miller.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
But if it's Tua is the guy, you want to
explain who either of those guys are Younger, maybe not
so well versed audience, could be Steve de Berg.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
But I mean, this is this is going to be
to his job to start the season. And just like
in Minnesota, McCarthy will play at some point, and just
like Michael Pennix Junior will play at some point. Because
quarterbacks get hurt, they get dinged up, they get ineffective.
When you have an ineffective quarterback and a guy who's
your second string quarterback that may be able to do it, yeah,
(34:35):
they're both going to play. But this is let let's
let's just not even let's not even keep talking about
this like this is any sort of derby.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Tua is the guy. Yeah, just like with the Minnesota
situation yesterday, it's like, I like that teams don't feel
they're beholding to these first round picks anymore. All right,
proof of proof of concept. We've got a team that
could make some noise. And look, the NFC South is
what's that word? Not good? Yeah, no, not no, no no.
(35:04):
So it's basically we're fighting to nine and eight and
that could win us a division. Now we'll talk more
on that in earnest as the night goes on. But
you're looking at the squad. You paid Drake London a
ton of money. You paid Jon Robinson a ton of money.
At least with Tua, we know he can throw that
lollipop down the field and find Drake London, or he
(35:24):
can do the two step and get it into Robinson's hands.
Life is good. One hundred catches plus coming, just like
Christian McCaffrey a year ago for the forty nine ers
book it. But you know what you have for Michael
Pennick Jr. It can't stay healthy, can't get on the field.
And he had a long, well chronicled history before last
year's injury. Right, that was the the what whipped cream
(35:48):
on the Sunday. Now you're just waiting for the cherry
at this point. So yeah, you got to run with
two as much you can. Likewise, the Kyler Murray situation,
you got a squad that's got a lot of talent
in that NFC, nor that you're looking to catch a
little fire early. You know what McCarthy has been. Kyler
Murray has had some really good starts to seasons in
(36:09):
the past. Unfortunately he was a member of the Cardinals
and he had to make too many plays with his feet. Now,
how much of that was on him study habits and
whatever else versus the ineptitude of the system and circumstances
around him. Where you go now to O'Connell and maybe
you can harness all of that into better play. You
give it a shot with Tua. Yeah, there's no question.
(36:30):
Like I said, Pennix Junior, like wave the white flag
a couple of I mean, Cooper Rush is not your guy.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
No, No, the other thing is. And just get used
to this. This is gonna piss a lot of people off.
But when you get used to something like this before,
it tempers the anger. Deshaun Watson's gonna start preseason Week
one this week for the Browns. He's going to start
week one this year regular season for Cleveland, and he
will get a long time to go out there and
(36:58):
show that he can't get it done. Jimmy hassel That's
why Jimmy Hasselm is the one of the worst owners
that you could ever possibly see in sports, because, hey,
I'm paying the guy this kind of money, I've got
no return. I am gonna put him as long as
he can stand up. I am putting him out there
to make sure to give him every single chance to perform.
Even though we know it's over for Deshaun Watson, right
(37:19):
we know the guy's mailed it in since he signed
with the Browns. He didn't want to go there, but
they guaranteed him all the money, and that was just stupid.
But the fact is, you know that when he's healthy,
Jimmy Haslam wants him because he's paying him all that money.
I'm gonna make a bad decision worse by continuing to say,
let's put him out there now. It doesn't mean he's
gonna start all season because Shador Sanders, of course, will
(37:40):
play a little bit too, just like I said a
few minutes ago, with all the other situations in the
game with ineffectiveness and injury, but Deshaun Watson's going to
start Week one for the Browns, he will be under center,
and if you're a Browns fan, you can't stand Deshaun Watson.
I get it, I get it, but just accept it
because that's absolutely happening.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
It's the old rule of thumb of accept the terms
sunk cost. That money's spent, you're not getting any of
it back, and all it's done is hamstring ye all
the way along. Twenty twenty is a long time ago.
That was the thirty three and seven seventy percent completion
rate Houston Texans Deshaun Watson before operation shut down, an injury,
(38:21):
and before the what you've seen over these last three years,
it's been a disaster. And then he did nothing last year,
So why keep chasing? But that's what Jimmy Haslam does,
to the point of getting mocked by his ninety five
year old father about trading out all of the good
pieces of teams he owns.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Exit up bout a Fresca, Exit swollen dumb. Jason Smith
Mike Harman live from the Fox Sports Radio studio. So
there go two more QB derbies that are no longer derbies.
Next we get back into the biggest story of the day.
Keep it right here, Jason and Mike Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
They sold to who
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Foxsports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every night on the
iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Eleve you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Hello, Welcome in side our one, the Jason Smith Show
with my bass friend Mike Harmon. Check out our YouTube
channel for the show. Just search Jason Smith Show within YouTube. Again,
that's Jason Smith's Show. Hit the subscribe button, tap the
thumbs up icon, comment away, agree or disagree. Just let
us know what you think. Again, search Jason Smith's Show
(00:50):
and subscribe on YouTube. We'll love you forever and ever
and ever. So welcome back. After a couple of days.
I remember turn your microphone on. It says, oh, you
know you've been going two days. I was.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I was expecting you to filibuster for about ten minutes
before you got to me. What okay.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
David Bailey is the greatest defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
In the history of the NFL. OH sorry what okay? Yeah,
yeah yeah, and Club Nick say red Club Nick, get
those pre order jerseys in for kids. But it's good
to be back a couple of days with the kid.
She's getting ready to fly to New York and begin
the college experience at the end of the week. So
a lot of running around and tom foolery. So a
little bit of a pause and now back with you.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Just just just tell me the truth. Yeah, she didn't
want to hang out with you at all. And you
spent the last two days buying cards and getting them graded.
I did buy a bunch of cars. They are going
to get graded.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Uh, couple that got shipped right away to grating from
the guy bought him from.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, because you texted me today you want to buy
some David Bailey rookie text.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Me to say it. I mean, I have a couple
that are are ready to flip. There's no question about it. Quick.
Hey man, you got to strike one. The iron's hot.
If the head the headline news good bad or whatever. Wait,
people are talking him, get him out there, get him
out there.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
But today, speaking of money, money, maybe you could put
a couple of nickels together because I'm sure if after
what happened today. The Dodgers will be for sale soon.
The Lakers being sold today again, a story that I
think took us all by surprise, all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Wait, the Lakers go.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Because when I first saw that, right, okay, being in
my fifties, now, when I get up, first thing I
do is turn on my phone and check and see
the world is there.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
So I get on the phone.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I get on and I see Lakers sale, Lakers sale
approved or whatever the headline was, and I go. But
the sale wasn't already approved. It was like a year ago.
They were sold again. Oh my, what are you kidding me?
The Lakers were sold again.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So me, being the early riser that I am, insomniac,
it started coming through and it was another one of
those this can't be real. So you're immediately searching any
NBA insider, every LA reporters, like this is legit. And
after about seven sources, I said, Okay, I guess this
(03:02):
is a legit thing, so let's try to break it down. Crazy.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
The Lakers being sold for twelve point five billion dollars
to businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Eiger. Bob Iger, Yes,
that name the former ESPN Disney executive. We used to
get emails from Bob Iger all the time. Couple of
runs from the desk of Bob Iger. Oh, and now
he owns the Lakers. You felt, Barry, did you ever
get like a couple of you know, pins, Mickey Mouse.
(03:29):
It was just like, hey, to explain some things happening now,
or hey, good luck, here's what we've done, just to
you know, Hey, things are things are great from the
desk of Bob Iyke.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
The corporate overlord. Yeah, we got that from the desk
of Bob Bike. Congratulations out a nice year.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
So not Jared Kushner. Josh Kushner is the owner of
the Lakers. Everybody did a double take as well. This
is Josh Kushner is the owner of This is not
Don Kushner's rock concert from the late seventies. This is
Josh Kushner. This is not Kushman from Jerry McGuire. I
got cushlash, Slash, this is Josh. Have a little cushlash.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Because Josh Kushner, business, sports and political worlds all collide.
People get a little upset. Now.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
This story is so much fun from so many perspectives
because my favorite part was after reading Okay, wait a minute,
Mark Walter really sold the team nine months after he
got approved as owner, and I'm reading all the quotes
It's been such an honor to own the Lakers, it's great,
and you know he bought them for ten billion, sells
them now for twelve point five billion, and I'm reading
(04:34):
it going okay, okay, I already know. I feel like
I didn't go to law school, but I know when
my lawyer Spidey Sense starts taking my Peter Tingle, it's
Peter Tingle, it starts up going okay, so.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
What is up here?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
And then you do a little bit of digging and
you find out just how much financially Mark Walter could
be on the hook for as he is being investigated
for federal loan fraud. The probe center around billions of
dollars in undisclosed related party transactions between his insurance companies.
So basically, here's a guy that owns the Dodgers, owns
(05:07):
the Lakers, and now being investigated for federal loan fraud.
So all of a sudden, hey man gotta start liquid dating.
That's ah uh okay, I guess I gotta pick all right,
let's sell the Lakers. We'll sell the Lakers instead. There
is no I mean just to hear people talk today
and say things like it was just a deal. This
was the way it was always Yeah, because that's what
(05:28):
you do. You meant to buy the Lakers to flip them.
The Lakers are flip. Flip that basketball team, Flip that
NBA team. I took over a team that oh the
roof wasn't was leaked and we didn't have a garage.
And look what I've done in a year now. It's
all worth two points. Because a guy that's worth twenty
five billion dollars gets into buying the Lakers only to
flip them a year later, Right, that's how it goes well.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
I mean, I can't fault the guy for taking two
point five billion profit off the table, but I mean,
are they subject because you know, if you buy a house,
it's the two year rule right before you have a
low work capital gains off the earnings if the property
goes up. Same thing here, I mean, like, since it's
under two years, is he taxed at a higher rate?
(06:09):
But yes, just dismissing it as a financial transaction, I'm like, again,
not to sneeze a two point five billion, But to
think that it was a quick flip. But I gotta
ask you this for Luka Doncic, it was quick to
get on Twitter and oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah. Does
he now get like something from the Guinness people most
owners and fewest franchises? Oh I maybe, yeah, maybe.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I got five and two? Oh yeah, five, that's pretty good?
Like do I do I get? Do I get a plaque?
And a swell party? They common they popped some some
of those little streamer things. And I say this only
with a with a little bit of of of comedic
timing on this is that how long before the Dodgers
are for sale? I mean, because Mark Walter ha this
(06:54):
is this could be a very expensive investigation all of
a sudden. If you're liquidating the Lakers, you are equid
dating the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Ll I mean that does put twelve billion back in
your book? Does?
Speaker 1 (07:05):
But you know one look, no one buys a sports
team to sell it in a year. All of this stuff,
I think the average person is smart enough to see it.
And when you understand the financial stakes, that could be okay,
well maybe owning this but might need some cash on hand.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
A little bit here. Now you a little bit of
cash might have to pay off. Remember buildable hours the Mets.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Right, wait a minute, we lost a lot of cash
on that whole Ponzi pyramid scheme. And here comes Steve
Cohing like that's how it goes. But it's just watch Billions,
watch Big. Damian Lewis should be a guest on every
show the next twenty four hours, explaining just how things
go in big business, even though you know Bobby bill
and there's your bounty, you know there we go get that. Yeah,
(07:45):
get Damian Lewis on. Well, promise we'll only talk about
Band of Brothers. We'll only talk about Band of Brothers.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
That's it. I can't promise that guy's had a long
illustrious he does, but I really want to talk about band.
That was great, great series, no question about it. If
you haven't watched it, you should go back and effort
through that.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
What is a hold up, Captain Soble? That's major Horton
moved all right, but but you think about it right now.
Now we've got the Lakers distress property, yes, high profit, okay, cool,
but remember the Dodgers how they got sold to them
in the first place.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Bankruptcy. So what a wicked web we've got going on here,
Almost as wicked as something spun by Spider Man, that
dast web slinger. I mean, it's it's it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
But honestly, you don't know, Like, if I want to
buy the Dodgers, I'm getting some money. People together go
with Hey, so you just want to just dove double
check here, because.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
This is a sale that came together in seventy two hours.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Man, Like that's what That's what I mean, Like, it's
it's being told some that's nonsense. Again, all the stuff
we're being told, you have to just just read past
the head.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
But it's like the schoolble thing that nobody heard from anybody,
and then Saturday morning they got a wild hair up
and they go and swing a deal. Same thing here,
twelve billion dollar. You know what. Yeah, I'm I'm you know,
I'm out on my little putting green. I think, uh,
I think it's to the point where I've got to
sell this squad. But what it does do right, not
only do you start doing your due diligence about the
(09:13):
Dodgers and making sure you've got your ducks in a row,
and make sure all your loans and business stuff. High
vetting processes are done properly. Remember this also takes them
out of the Vegas running. So you've got it. You've
got an availability there. So any of the would be
ownership groups there, they're back in play now then maybe fortified.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, I mean, look, I mean just understand that no
one buys teams to do this. You buy properties, you
buy land to try to flip it. You buy a
house that's in that's in bad shape, and you put
money into it, you bring it. He walks up to
Now you think that happened? Was Ty Pennington outside of
(09:57):
the Crypto arena with a bullhorn going, let's.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Go, let's flip this team and sell it away. Let's
do it. I don't know. Did I have a film
crew out there for it? Is this gonna be on
the next Wonderful World of Disney? You need to get
back in on that. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I mean the only place I've seen Todd Pennington lately
is on late at night doing infomercials.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah he does one for one of those games on
your phone. Oh he does. Yeah, yeah, he's got one
of those.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Because I want to default and everybody, I say, I
think they do that turn your cash to gold thing
like that.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I don't know if he doesn't, but that's kind of
what I love. At our time share is this Eric Strata?
Oh yeah, timeshare? Or get you out of a time share?
It depends on Wait wait what time you come in?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Now?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Obviously you see you know why this story is going,
why the Lakers are sold in all these things. Now
for a little bit different take on this, right, take
a little differently is that this is a Laker team
that is now was sold for ten billion dollars a
year ago, sold for twelve and a half billion dollars.
Now the person not getting nearly enough credit for this
(11:04):
valuation of the again business broke all kinds of records
in the NBA. Now twelve billion dollars. Remember when the
Clippers were bought for two billion? Now he only wants
to defend that at the time.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
It's time.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
This is where the Lakers is where Mark Walter, this
is where Bob Iger, This is where Josh Kushner. This
is where Genie Buss needs to call Lebron James and
say thank you for raising the brand for the better
part of the last decade. Because people forget when Lebron came.
Before Lebron came to the Lakers, it was a bad time.
The Lakers were not winning, they were not competing. It
(11:40):
was Kobe Bryant was the only one left. He wanted
to stay with the franchise, which is incredibly admirable, but
he was nearing the end of his playing career. The
Lakers brand was at an all time low right because
it was it was after Doctor Buss died. He passes
it over to his kids, and the team doesn't win.
They kept, you know, Genie Busses firing every every brother
that she has. It's like a real life success.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
We did a lot of stories on the infighting in Chaos.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
For years, the Laker brand was in the toilet. But
Lebron decides to come to la because he wanted the
Laker brand and this is what I want if I'm
gonna go here, I'm gonna leave Miami, to leave Cleveland,
I'm gonna go I wanna go try it in La
as he started his own production company and everything going
on here. Yes, Lebron coming to the Lakers was a
(12:26):
big deal for him. They won a championship, but it
was such a big deal because the Lakers turned back
into the Lakers with Lebron James. They're not getting sold
for twelve billion dollars if Lebron James doesn't show up
eight years ago. Because there was no plan, there was
no there was no recruiting, there was no we're gonna
go out and get the next best superstar. We're gonna
go out and get three guys compete for a championship.
(12:48):
This was Lebron showing up and telling Magic Johnson, yeah,
I'm coming now, I'm getting back on a plane. Oh great,
Like I mean, that's what Lebron has done over the court.
There's nook. It's just I decide I'm going to Miami.
I'm going back to Cleveland. No, I'm going I'm going
to la Lebron by himself, took the Laker brand and
put it back at the top to the point where
they were able to go make a move and go
(13:09):
get Luka Dancic and try to restart the Laker dynasty.
And now you have a top three, top five player
overall in the league again, who's twenty six years old,
who was very marketable. This does not happen without Lebron
James being a Laker for eight years. So on the
Jerry Jones, Hey, if I don't win championships, I can
at least look at money and show you how I've won.
This is one of Lebron's biggest victories that doesn't come
(13:30):
in the NBA finals. What he has done, he is
single handedly brought that Laker brand up to being worth
twelve point five billion dollars.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Remember as we started the show where the final runs
of Kobe Bryant's career again, they paid him a lot
of money. He went out and we were on air
when he had his sixty point performance. That was great,
but it was all about Kobe, right. It was the
finishing of his career. There were no expectations on that team,
and you couldn't walk into any conversation about the Lakers
(13:59):
without so one with the derisive tone referencing Smush Parker.
Who want a Smush Parker? Aft to get and you
get a side? Sway was it? But he was the guy.
He was the guy that embodied right am, I.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Wrongs like this is like Sam Mitchell every time someone
brings up Kobe's and I know I single guarded the guy.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I can't get away from it. Well side this basketball,
I let I single covered him my decision. But anyway,
the point being that we then add a couple of
years and in theory you look at some of the drafts.
Those guys were interesting and then they all went elsewhere
and had to get good elsewhere. Right when you look
at Ingram, you look at LaMelo or or Lonzo Ball
(14:41):
before he got hurt whatever. But all of those things,
those guys, it didn't work out. And then it was
the waiting game. You you could trade on nostalgia and
trade on history, and certainly they have, there's no question
about it. And that was there was some novelty and
excitement about it. And it was the double ed sword,
right like two face in in the Batman Chronicles, of
(15:06):
which were you getting all the mom and pop thing
is cool in a world that was changing, Steve Balmer
and others coming in the corporate moneies, uh and whatever.
But the competition changing. So if they weren't playing well,
you got the the hatred of that model. And then
Lebron comes in. They're relevant just by him showing up
back on all these TV I mean, hell, look at
(15:28):
what he did with the schedule this year. He decided
what day where he wanted to be for Christmas. I mean, look,
come on, he's still the face of this league. People
want to turn the.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Page, call him and say thank you because this doesn't
happen without Lebron James, none of that.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
What do you think you send him? What do you
get a guy who's got you know, two hundred million
of his or a billion of his own.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Here's what the that liquid, Here's what the new jersey
is gonna look like. We're changing the colors from purple
and gold. Wow, Okay, I like that. Yeah, No, bob
Byger's on. It's gonna be Disney colors.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Now. It's gonna I mean had two stints there, so
I mean, you know that's not a bad thing.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
It's gonna be the sky blue and the stars and yeah,
Mickey Mouse and all that.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
That's gonna be the new logo for the Lakers. And
at altern next Fridays there are Stitch on the back.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I mean, come on, exit out out a Fresca, exit
swollen dome. Jason Smith Mike Garvin live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios. We got more Laker talk on the way,
but straight ahead, we say farewell to an NBA legend
and first ballot Hall of Famer. The shocking news Today,
we break it down next Jason to Mike Fox Sports Radio.
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Speaker 2 (17:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Set gots here.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I have a podcast empire. It continues to grow, and
I have brought it here to iHeart. I'm also doing
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because my.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Wife wanted to kick me out of the house.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
It's called Stegatzi Company Live, which is available in podcast
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of the biggest names in sports, a lot of phone.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Calls, I love you guys.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
You show It's one of my favorites.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
A lot of interact shit guys not taking themselves too seriously.
Those are just some of the things that you could
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So listen to Steve Gotson Company Live and our original podcast.
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(18:28):
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the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Fox Sports Radio, the Jason Smith Show with my best
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be sure to catch the podcast. Just search our names,
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Speaker 3 (18:55):
Again.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Just search Jason Smith and Mike Harmon wherever you get
your podcasts. You'll find today's full show and a best
of version posted right after we get off the air.
So while the Lakers were being sold, Russell Westbrook decides
to say I'm out.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Now, let me just say this.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Russell Westbrook eighteen seasons in the NBA, first guy to
have it a triple double in a season since Oscar
Robertson did it a couple of times, had an incredible career,
says he's going out on his own terms. He had
some interest from the Wizards and the Kings, which, like
I thought teams in the NBA would call him, but
(19:35):
Wizards in the Uh?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Sorry? Was that was that too soon? Was that too soon?
But that was cool. I'm just saying I'm not as
bad as Swash Parker, but that was cool. The first
thing I.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Want to say, to be quite honest. Is that here
is Westbrook, as he says, going out on his own terms.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Is he one hundred percent retired? I don't know. I
don't know that for this year.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
If because you see what happened the end of last
year and guys showing up and playing big roles that
hadn't played all year, whether it's for the Spurs, for
the Knicks, a guy like Jose Alvaradosh I'm sure you
watch Hose Alvarado going, really that guy who's won the title?
Really that guy? I really wonder if Westbrook is it
says I'm retiring, but just keeps a low profile and
(20:23):
if we get after the All Star break and there's
a team that needs some sort of push, he's okay
with coming off the bench. It's a big contender that
Westbrook doesn't come back for one last run in the
playoffs with a really good team, Like does he want
to come back? Because right now I can see all
the competitive all the big contenders going, yeah, sorry, Russ,
we're all full up right now. You near the end
(20:44):
of your career. But still, what do you.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Have six or seven triple doubles last year? Like he's
still you know, can can can? Do it.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
He doesn't want to do it for the Kings or
the Wizards, right, I understand it's good Hey, as much
as the Wizards maybe. Actually Okay, he doesn't want to
do that. But if the Knicks or the Celtics or
the Nuggets call again, or whoever somebody near, Hey, they
have a need for a point guard off the bench.
I really think he's gonna leave the door open a
little bit to potentially something happening for this year after
(21:13):
the All Star break, because he will have just played
staying in shape.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
What's it worth? Hey, we have a need here? We don't.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
We don't have our general of the second unit coming
in and Westbrook again. I can see him coming in
and doing that. So is he really one hundred percent done?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah? I don't know that he's got the door all
the way closed.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I think it's closed most of the way, but allowing
someone to step in and say, hey, what are we doing?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Well? But that's just it right between injuries, inconsistency, and
the opportunity to raise your hand. Now, you last, as
we started the show, you wanted to make sure, Hey,
give Lebron his flowers for what he did for the
LA sale and the twelve point five billion dollars. You
gotta blame it for bringing Westbrook in though that was
one of the moves. It didn't quite work out so
(21:57):
well with the Lakers, and a lot of it is
fit and operations behind the scenes and all the mechanics
of getting this all to work. But yeah, if you're
gonna go through another slug at eighteen years unless you're
gonna get paid maximum money and you've just resigned yourself
that all right. I'm here for the paycheck. They've sold
me that I can put some asses in seats. They'll
(22:18):
do forty seven bobblehead giveaways to commemorate all of my
great moments. All of those things are great. Otherwise you're like,
I don't want to go to those squads. Now. The
Wizards could be.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Interesting because if it breaks, right, dude, I get I
get the Wizard.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
It could. But it's like everything needs to break you No, no, no,
but that's just it.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Treane Young needs to be healthy and on the court.
Anthony Davis needs to be healthy and on the court.
Gilbert Arenas needs to be healthy and on the court.
John Wall needs go back into the mix. Bradley Beal
needs to be healthy and on the Bradley Beal Wes
Unseld needs to be healthy and on the court.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
But yesterday, that's back when they were the Bullets. Yeah, no,
I mean bring back the Washington Bullets. By the way,
I had seen the teaser. It was Jeff Schwartz of
Excel Sports Management j E. F. F. Not to be
confused with our sports radio. Yeah, the former Alignment now
prognosticator on Countdown each weekend. Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.
(23:19):
He teased something big for today. Well, I didn't know
if he knew about the Lakers. It's like no. And
then there's the Russell Westbrook announcement, which was narrated by
Michael B. Jordan.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Well, because didn't he wasn't he the first guy to
weigh in to talk about how, oh, the Lakers can
be sold for twelve billion dollars, but teams really don't
want it, you know that just want to salary caps.
They cannot spend money, like like.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
To kill all the veterans. And you look, you've got
the aprons and you go through the mid levels. I
know you got a big thing to tell us, but
can we ask you about the Lakers? Being sold. Sure,
I don't forget my thing. Hey, I got to my thing.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Russell Westbrook's retiring. Russell Westbrooks retiring. Don't forget my thing.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Yeah yeah, We've got all season to talk about that. That
the Lakers are sold today, Okay, And we want to
know a wat and how it came together in seventy
two hours now allegedly, But Russell Westbrookna, you give Miss
Flowers nine All Star appearances, a couple of All Star
Game MTVPS, two time First Team All NBA, the MVP obviously,
the triple doubles five times All NBA Second Team, two
(24:17):
times All NBA Third Team twice and scoring three times
and assists NBA. I mean seventy fifth anniversary squad. I mean,
he's got accolades for days. And folks didn't like him
because he spoke his mind and one thing and again,
owing to that Kings and Wizards thing, he really was
mad when he wasn't winning. Yeah, yeah, no he was,
(24:38):
which is one of the things that endeared him to me,
is like, no, he was pissed when they were at
a bad run.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
I'm like, hey, I'm getting paid whatever, what do I
care my checks for cashing. Okay, great.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
But and that's the thing is that people are making
out Russell Westbrook's legacy to be way more complicated than
it is, right because all you do is turn on
TV to and the Westbrook story breaks, and when the analyst,
whoever it is, is asked about it, this is what
they do. They go, see the thing with russ Is
and it's all this. Hey, here's a big Algonquin roundtable,
(25:14):
deep thoughts on Russell. The thing about russ How many
times did you get the word mercurial mixed in every
did you drink? Every time you heard that?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Today, every guy was the same.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
They were all Let me sit back and give you
that contemplative look and go, you know what you gotta
understand about russ Is. There's a bunch of different things,
and it's like, I'm gonna give you some real inside,
some real deep jackhandy thoughts here about Russell Westbrook and
all that. But Russell Westbrook's legacy, his optic is not
(25:44):
what you would expect a guy with this kind of resume.
It feels like there is something missing from his career.
And as you taught, people talked about the mercurial Russell
Westbrook speaking his mind all of these things. But it's
really much simpler, right, and his legacy shouldn't be an
issue at all. Now, playing for six or seven teams
(26:04):
in the last six that's tough, right, six seven, sixteens
by seven years, that's tough.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That's a tough way to end, right, that's a tough
way to art. Right. But why, I don't even think
Shack played on that many teams. He didn't go sixteen
seven years. So that is a thing.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
And I get that, right, I get that the last
seven years, you know, for most of his thirties, when
you think he still should be playing at a high level.
But it's really simple. Why is why are people talking
about Russell Westbrook?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Yet?
Speaker 1 (26:32):
It's not gushing, they're not overflowing with how they feel
about him. The reason is because Russell Westbrook is the
best NBA player to never win a championship. He is
the best player to never win. And when you don't win,
it's really hard to get your legacy. For some people,
(26:53):
it's really hard to put their legacy in. It doesn't
for me, it doesn't matter. He didn't win, right, He
was this good for righteen years?
Speaker 3 (27:01):
Right?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
But the thing is you want to know why, and
you want to know why Russell Westbrook has that that
that optic out there is because when everybody else left
Oklahoma City and got traded, he decided to stay.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Right KD wanted out? What did he do? He decided,
I'm done.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
I don't want the Oklahoma City newspaper or to write
us about me. I want to get out and go
chase rings because I don't want people to keep saying I.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Can't win a championship.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Right, you had the Thunder decide we don't think we
can afford James Harden, who we're trading James Harden. Wait,
why don't you wait until you absolutely see you can't
afford him? Because you could have kept him with Westbrook
in the backcourt because KD left. You could have done that, right,
But when those guys were leaving being traded, Russell Westbrook
decided to stay. And when you decide to stay in
Oklahoma City after that rule, Look, they get to the
(27:48):
finals in twenty twelve, and you think, man, this team
with these three guys, they're gonna just run rough shot
over the NBA. For the better part of the next decade,
he stays in Oklahoma City where quite honestly, the three
best players he played with for the next seven years
were PG thirteen, Steven Adams, and maybe a season of
Victor Oladipo. Like, he did not have anybody to play.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
With, Yeah, but he had an enforcer in Adams that
was ready to go to war with him.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
They won fifty five games, they made the playoffs and
made it back to the Western Conference Finals once. But
he had no help because it's hard to build a dynasty.
It was hard to build a dynasty then in Oklahoma City.
Now they figured out a way. You get SGA, you
know how to get the draft picks, and now you've
built a really good team that's sustainable. But back then
you couldn't do it. You couldn't get all these free
agents to come play in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
They couldn't.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
And against the best guy he played with was Paul George.
And Paul George as we've seen, Hey he's a stad guy,
but you see Paul George bounce from team the team,
and his teams don't win. So okay, he did not
have nearly the support you need to win championships to
even get far in the playoffs. So his thing, why
people see his career as one that's kind of unfulfilled.
(28:59):
And why they have troubled talking about his legacy is
because he stayed when everybody else left or got traded.
He decided, I like it here, I want to stay.
And he spent all of his twenties with Oklahoma City
fruitlessly trying to get by the beginning of the Warriors dynasty,
where they were too good overall other teams in the
West were too good. Overall the Rockets got better towards
(29:19):
the end of the decade. Like this is what he
decided to do. He decided to stay. And you can't
win as just one star in the MBED at least
somebody else needs some sort of plan. And as we
have seen over the course of the past few years,
this is how teams are built.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
Now.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
You don't need three superstars, but you definitely need a
one a a one in a one a right.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Just ask Becky Hammond. You need a one in a
one a right.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
You need young players under controllable contracts that are playing great.
Oklahoma City never had that, but he decided to stay
and because of that, his twenties kind of ran with
Hey he was a big highlight his mixtape was great.
He would average triple doubles, doing things we had never
seen in the NBA in thirty forty years. But still
that's the reason why, because he stayed where it was
(30:00):
not going to be possible for him to win an
NBA championship with the way it was, and so his
best years were just spent garnering stats. Right. He was
like Dominique Wilkins in the eighties and the nineties, where Okay,
well Atlanta's not winning anything, but boy Wilkes is gonna
get those stats, gonna score those points.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
That's the reason why Russell Westbrook doesn't get the credit
that he should get where it should be. This is
one of the top five point guards of all time.
This is the guy doing things we hadn't seen in
the NBA in years. All of these things should just
be said straight up about Russell Westbrook.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Let's go to his last year with Oklahoma City. You
talked about Paul George. Okay, I had a great year,
Steven Adams, Shrewder, Jeremy Grant, Markkeith Morris, Terrence Ferguson. Should
I go on? I think it makes the point. Raymond
Felton was on that squad. I mean, come on, that's
all you need to say. I mean, really, that is
(30:51):
not I'm not telling you anything. That's not something you
could just go look and go, boy, who are some
of those guys he played? Yeah, he went.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
From him KD and hardened to him and Paul George
and Okay, that's really what it was.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
That's what you tried that. Eventually he bounced around and
tried to win and tried to chase but by then
he was a different player. And bringing a guy like
that so ball dependent into offenses, I mean, we joke
about it all the time. There's only one basketball and
yes he averages a triple double, but he makes sure
(31:24):
he gets his and not to deride it, but the
shooting percentages start start to wane, and it's the longer
you're in the league, you have your expectations of how
guys are gonna come to work and work around you.
That becomes a much more difficult proposition with every passing year.
So yeah, it's tough to It was tough to watch
(31:47):
some of the little clips that started showing up in
my timeline on him just kind of dismissing this career
as well. Like no, no, no, I mean celebrated for
what it was. Whether you got along with him as
a reporter or not, that's on you. I don't care
about that. Like I like watching the guy play as
a fan of the league and guys that dictated, and look,
(32:07):
did he get into mini squabbles with guys? Yeah? Did
you like how he handled guys that called him west Brock? Yeah?
Maybe maybe not, but all told, you know, he was
a guy that showed up for work every day, and
in the NBA, at least for several of those years,
you couldn't say that with most of your.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Stars exit at about a fresca exit swallen down The
Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific, Fox.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with My best Friend
Mike Harmon. Every day, it seems like there's gonna be
new quarterback news. We're gonna get a quarterback decision every
day in training cab, which okay, we kind of need that.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
No, he keeps his line going. I mean, we're not
gonna get a Lakers team sale every day. I know
there's there's thirty two teams.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
We have thirty two quarterbacks that you you gotta get creative,
give us something every day. Uh, today it was the
turn of two NFL team, So let us know about
their plans for this weekend.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Number one to a tongue of iLoo, will start Friday night.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Hey for the Falcons. Uh, let's let let let's just
put cards on the table here. He's gonna start because
he has I don't know why we're even pushing this
like it's a it's a question. Michael Penick Junior is
not going to be cleared enough for a long time.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Well, hell he can this guy, I don't know. Yeah,
I mean he's not going to be He's not going.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
To be cleared for the type of workload, daily workload
that is needed. So yeah, of course two was going
to be the guy out of the gate. And is
it the right call, Yes, just like it was the
right call for Kyler Murray to come in over JJ McCarthy,
because if you start McCarthy, you're just waiting to put
Kyler Murray in at some point.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
The same thing happens here.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
If Michael Pennick starts, You're just waiting to see what
Tua would do, so it's the right call. But I mean,
let's just let's just understand that this is no longer
any sort of quarter back derby. That two is the
guy as long as he's healthy, and if not, then
it could be Chris Miller.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
But if it's Tua is the guy, you want to
explain who either of those guys are Younger, maybe not
so well versed audience, could be Steve de Berg.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
But I mean, this is this is going to be
to his job to start the season. And just like
in Minnesota, McCarthy will play at some point, and just
like Michael Pennix Junior will play at some point. Because
quarterbacks get hurt, they get dinged up, they get ineffective.
When you have an ineffective quarterback and a guy who's
your second string quarterback that may be able to do it, yeah,
(34:35):
they're both going to play. But this is let let's
let's just not even let's not even keep talking about
this like this is any sort of derby.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Tua is the guy. Yeah, just like with the Minnesota
situation yesterday, it's like, I like that teams don't feel
they're beholding to these first round picks anymore. All right,
proof of proof of concept. We've got a team that
could make some noise. And look, the NFC South is
what's that word? Not good? Yeah, no, not no, no no.
(35:04):
So it's basically we're fighting to nine and eight and
that could win us a division. Now we'll talk more
on that in earnest as the night goes on. But
you're looking at the squad. You paid Drake London a
ton of money. You paid Jon Robinson a ton of money.
At least with Tua, we know he can throw that
lollipop down the field and find Drake London, or he
(35:24):
can do the two step and get it into Robinson's hands.
Life is good. One hundred catches plus coming, just like
Christian McCaffrey a year ago for the forty nine ers
book it. But you know what you have for Michael
Pennick Jr. It can't stay healthy, can't get on the field.
And he had a long, well chronicled history before last
year's injury. Right, that was the the what whipped cream
(35:48):
on the Sunday. Now you're just waiting for the cherry
at this point. So yeah, you got to run with
two as much you can. Likewise, the Kyler Murray situation,
you got a squad that's got a lot of talent
in that NFC, nor that you're looking to catch a
little fire early. You know what McCarthy has been. Kyler
Murray has had some really good starts to seasons in
(36:09):
the past. Unfortunately he was a member of the Cardinals
and he had to make too many plays with his feet. Now,
how much of that was on him study habits and
whatever else versus the ineptitude of the system and circumstances
around him. Where you go now to O'Connell and maybe
you can harness all of that into better play. You
give it a shot with Tua. Yeah, there's no question.
(36:30):
Like I said, Pennix Junior, like wave the white flag
a couple of I mean, Cooper Rush is not your guy.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
No, No, the other thing is. And just get used
to this. This is gonna piss a lot of people off.
But when you get used to something like this before,
it tempers the anger. Deshaun Watson's gonna start preseason Week
one this week for the Browns. He's going to start
week one this year regular season for Cleveland, and he
will get a long time to go out there and
(36:58):
show that he can't get it done. Jimmy hassel That's
why Jimmy Hasselm is the one of the worst owners
that you could ever possibly see in sports, because, hey,
I'm paying the guy this kind of money, I've got
no return. I am gonna put him as long as
he can stand up. I am putting him out there
to make sure to give him every single chance to perform.
Even though we know it's over for Deshaun Watson, right
(37:19):
we know the guy's mailed it in since he signed
with the Browns. He didn't want to go there, but
they guaranteed him all the money, and that was just stupid.
But the fact is, you know that when he's healthy,
Jimmy Haslam wants him because he's paying him all that money.
I'm gonna make a bad decision worse by continuing to say,
let's put him out there now. It doesn't mean he's
gonna start all season because Shador Sanders, of course, will
(37:40):
play a little bit too, just like I said a
few minutes ago, with all the other situations in the
game with ineffectiveness and injury, but Deshaun Watson's going to
start Week one for the Browns, he will be under center,
and if you're a Browns fan, you can't stand Deshaun Watson.
I get it, I get it, but just accept it
because that's absolutely happening.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
It's the old rule of thumb of accept the terms
sunk cost. That money's spent, you're not getting any of
it back, and all it's done is hamstring ye all
the way along. Twenty twenty is a long time ago.
That was the thirty three and seven seventy percent completion
rate Houston Texans Deshaun Watson before operation shut down, an injury,
(38:21):
and before the what you've seen over these last three years,
it's been a disaster. And then he did nothing last year,
So why keep chasing? But that's what Jimmy Haslam does,
to the point of getting mocked by his ninety five
year old father about trading out all of the good
pieces of teams he owns.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Exit up bout a Fresca, Exit swollen dumb. Jason Smith
Mike Harman live from the Fox Sports Radio studio. So
there go two more QB derbies that are no longer derbies.
Next we get back into the biggest story of the day.
Keep it right here, Jason and Mike Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
They sold to who
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Mike Harmon
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