May 29, 2025 • 41 mins
Jason Smith: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 26, exciting, universally loved by fans & teammates, an incredible talent and the MVP. If you're being honest, forget Anthony Edwards. SGA is the "Face of the NBA."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Hello, Welcome and side hour two The Jason Smith Show
with my best friend Mike Harmon, Live from the Tireck
dot com studios where we just watched, well, a very
compelling ending depending on what you bet. Middle of the game,
(00:50):
the Thunder, who are what twenty seven and a half?
You could have gotten the Wolves with twenty seven and
a half at halftime? Right, no plus thirty one plus
thirty one? Final score Thunder one twenty four Timberwolves ninety four.
As Harmon stood up, just.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Play.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
There's no such thing as useless three pointers? Why you
just laugh?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Right?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
They make the shot one twenty four ninety one.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
The Thunder run out the shot clock violation.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Okay, fine ball.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
Comes in with four seconds left, twenty four foot three
point shot booming.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
It's like, wow, I'll tell you. Okay, So the Thunder
are headed to the NBA Finals. I have a week
and a day off. Game one of the NBA Finals
is next Thursday. Their first time in the finals since
twenty twelve. And again, when you have three MVPs over
a twelve year span, I think you're underachieving. I think
you're under it. KD and Westbrook and SGA, I think
(01:55):
you're underachieving. Wait, we're the little engche of the cook.
Now you've had three MVPs over a ten years.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Fans a lot of stars, and you had James Harden.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You couldn't hold onto him. Okay, a lot of James Areden. Uh. Now, look,
this is a game that was long decided. Basically, Look,
the Thunder got out to a lead and the Tea
Wolves packed it away. You can tell when teams know
coming in, yeah, we'll put up a little bit of
a fight. When things start going our way, we know
we're done. And the Tea Wolves just absolutely knew they
(02:25):
were done in the middle of the first half of
this game, right, And it was just they never threatened,
They never really pushed forth with some kind of push
like what I said at the beginning of the show,
if the NBA wanted to put in a rule that
if you're up three to zero or three to one
and you're going home for a game, we can end
the series. Circus Vargas know something. We don't need to
(02:47):
play it because it's a waste of everybody's time, because
teams down three zip, three to one going on the road,
forget it, forget it, you're not you're they put it away,
and it's a waste of television, a waste of space.
We had games like this. So if the NBA wanted
to set now three to two, no, no, no, and
and three two if that, if if the and three
one three oho, if the team down is playing at home, no,
we'll keep that going. But three one or three to zero,
(03:09):
if that team down is going on the road, okay, No, No,
the series you can clinch getting that third win of
the series if you're up by two or more games
and you're going home for the next game.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
Is replaced with the live theatrical version of Scooby Doo
and the Kiss, you know, rock and Roll Mystery or
something that way, you.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Get to tell them, you know you did. Everybody that
still bought tickets, gets to go to the arena for
a big party, and they have.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Certainly there's a bounce house movie. There's a bounce house.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yeah, there's face painting, there's crafts. You can make bracelets,
yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, maybe some karaoke.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
There's a big contest, I mean side cage. Okay, folks
might not.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Life be, but you gotta make it a family friendly
atmosphere too, as well as you gotta have something for everybody.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Gotta make it nice for the people and still come out.
The players still have to show up and make appearances.
Maybe they signed some autographs.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Thinking they get the Western Conference Finals trophy and they
get you know, they they That's that's what they do.
They We're just gonna anoint you because there's a lot
of time off. Now, it's not like you don't have
to worry about Well, there's a celebration, curt a week off.
Oh you're good. No, you get to go and do
that a week That's how that's you'd buy. That would
be more entertaining, more entertaining, and it would be more
it wouldn't be as big of a waste of time. Yeah,
(04:28):
this was awful. I'd rather watch this instead of the
Pro Bowl, right, so we have that, But if.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
You want to bear hears, yeah, I'd rather watch that,
not this game.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Not this game. I'd rather watch a practice. Here's that,
not a game, not a game, not a game. Here's
how it sounded at the end with thunder TV.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Ninety four of the Final A thirty point route. Not
a single day went by this season, but Oklahoma City
did not hold the best record in the West. And
now this historic, relentless thunderstorm has unstoppably, emphatically and officially
earned the Moniker Best.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
In the West. Okay, yes or no? Was that written
down and he read off it written? Now, that was
a WWE provo.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I had that.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Ready and packed and I was waiting for him to
tell me. He was at the Hartford Civic Center on
Saturday night. I think it's at the door one hundred percent.
He had that call, and maybe he wrote it at halftime.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Because you know what, in his mom's basement doesn't But
I'm like, Okay, play it again. There's no way that
wasn't read off the card. I started play it one
more time.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
One four ninety four of the Final A thirty point
route In that paper. Not a single day went by
this season, but Oklahoma City did not vote the worst
record in the West. And now this historic, relentless thunderstorm
has unstoppably emphatically and officially earned the Moniker Best in
the West.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Unstoppably emphatically. Now that's all written down. That's all written down.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Either that or he was channeling Jackie Childs from Seinfeld
the late great Dusty row Your face is my case
hard times.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
All right, I'm gonna write this down so I get
to say it and I get to use all the
adjectives I want to indubidly. Yeah, I had this, I
had the sour us up and I just put those
words in. You see all the stuff I had there, emphatically, expeditiously.
So what's it? What? What's a big takeaway from a
game that was not in doubt over the course of
(06:28):
the past two and a half hours. Matt Pinto on
the line. But Mat Pinto he was a he was
a Clippers guy for a while, Right, pretty sure he's
that bad? Yeah? Pretty wow?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Frostburg off the top rope. What was worse? What was
what was worse that? Or Tanner Scott today? What was
you want to come say that to my face. Yea,
he worked for the Hornets and some Yeah, I don't
know how many I'm gonna have left. But that's the thing.
You can't waste a Kurshaw day, and he did. You
(07:01):
probably have you get me all rolled up? Smith, you
probably have. I don't know that you have twelve Kershaw days. Yeah,
I was gonna say if you said it a ten
and a half for you. Are you getting to double
digit man? Yeah, that's tough. Yeah, that's tough, man. Right
back to that stuff. Now.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Look, you know we're pondering the meaning of life. Look
what happened and we went going from a burial today.
Your life was better than this game. Oh, if you're
not gonna show up, put that up on the big screen.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Instead of face painting, man, face painting, I'm an expert.
I did it for you. Barkley and Kenny Smith get
their faces painted instead. That would be kind of cool.
You literally have the clown mask for whatever you look like.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Elsa.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yes, I got the Elsa face paint. I look awesome.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
They gave me a little sparkles that yeah, okay, But
like the ice trails.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Sure, we've had the conversation the last few nights about
all listen, if you're really the face of the league
or someone people want to make the face of the league.
And Ann Edwards, you got to show up, right, will up?
Warren n Eds coming up later on this hour. But
I told you, why did I pick the Thunder to win?
Why did I pick the Thunder? Look? I know that
SGA was going to be a more consistent superstar throughout
(08:11):
this series, and he was, and SGA had and SGA
was there and led the He led the Thunder every
single game, right, I mean it was. This is a
guy that gets rewarded with the MVP in the middle
of this series, and he shows everybody why he was
the MVP in the NBA this year thirty one, thirty eight,
fourteen and the loss. Okay, I got not.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
To say everybody's thrown away is thirty eight, forty and
thirty four.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Okay. He led them to the NBA Finals and and
Edwards had two games at least where he didn't show up.
And I don't know that he really knows offensively when
he needs to push when he doesn't, right, like that
That's the whole thing with Ann Edwards. But yet still
he's so athletic, and he's so good, and he and again,
and he has the sweatband on his arm like Jordan.
He's Jordan. He's Jordan. You want to really have a
(08:58):
convert a real good face to the league conversation about
who could be that. This is your guy? Sga is
your guy. This is a guy who suddenly has led
the thunder as you ord Matt Pinto say, not a
day out of first place. This year, he wins the MVP.
They are into the NBA Finals and will enter as
an overwhelming favorite to win this series. In probably five games.
(09:18):
Sga has shown in a very short amount of time,
still twenty five years old, that he is the best
all around player playing in the game right now. That
is exciting. That is someone that you can push and say, hey,
this guy is really just getting started. He just wins
the MVP. Now he's really just getting going. Everybody loves him.
Everybody loves Sga. He doesn't have any detractors. Everybody say, well,
(09:41):
I wish he would do this more, he would do this,
he would do this. He is universally loved. This is
your face of the league in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Well, I mean you have the obvious of the free
throw merchant. Well, he didn't need to do it today
because they beat the absolute snot out of these guys
only had to go to the line four times. So
that's always in the back pocket. And that's the thing
to remember, right, is that it's there when you need
it and you can lean into it. And certainly Anthony
Edwards in this game tried to. He just didn't get
(10:09):
the calls, at least early on when it was still
a kind of a game. But for SGA, the only
thing that comes against him is he's playing for the Thunder. Well,
if they go on a run. And this is where
it gets interesting, right, is where we've been talking about
parody and where the league is and trying to figure
out power shifts and balances, and whenever a team starts
(10:32):
to look like they're coming together, it's like, are we
crown them?
Speaker 1 (10:36):
And it's gonna be all right, there's a dynastic run.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
It has to happen, and then it falls apart after
a year, a couple of guys get hurt and we move.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
On to the next shiny object.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Thunder with all their draft picks with a young core,
they're not going anywhere for a while. So now this
has the opportunity to ges date and I like that
it gets to just build to that point as opposed
to you're the guy, which is what we do usually
after a series or a couple or a month and
a half of basketball, like we did with Edwards. Didn't
mean we didn't like him last year, but all of
(11:07):
a sudden in the playoffs, has a couple of monster performances.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
He's like, yeah, crown that guy. He fits the suit.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Going back to the Johnny Bravo reference that you know,
desegremate and all of that stuff. But it's the idea
that it can build to make him the guy, right
because we've had Jo kitchen, there's an appreciation. But he's
seven feet so no matter what else he does, he's
seven feet. He's not a guy that everybody knows stuff
about except he's got a couple of brothers and that
(11:35):
he likes to hang out with his horses.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
That's it. That Okay, what do you do with that?
Speaker 5 (11:40):
You got Yannis Like, there's always that arms distance with
the international guys for some reason.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
By the way, Shae is Canadian, So is that a problem.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Now you can still be good because are we gonna
acquire them, because then that makes it easier for him.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
The face.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well, that's a big bargaining chip for Canada said, hey,
you can't, you can't have SG.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
Well, well, I don't know, No, we gotta go back,
we gotta come back with somebody negotiation. Sure, but to
your point, I mean it's now on the table. Assuming
they go and they take care of business against We'll
just say, for sake of argument, the Pacers.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Uh, and then coming into next.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Year they'll be the prohibited favorites unless there's some substantive
change that happens out of the blue that this core
returns and will be ready to defend their title. And
you still have draft picks to go and fill in
anything that you perceive to be holes. It's a very
dangerous place for the rest of the Western Conference.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
SGA is your face of the league. I mean there's
really there's no there's nowhere, nowhere else to go because
he checks he checks every box that you want from
a guy. You want somebody who is exciting, yes, who's dominate? Yes?
Is he interesting when you hear him talk, yes? Do
his teammates love him? Yeah? Every interview he does, his
teammates stand with him. They love the guy. Really, this
(13:02):
was the thing. It's always been about team. It's like
I've got my guys with me. Yeah, I I I
don't know why we keep pushing and why the push
to make Anthony Edwards happen or somebody else happen, Like
this is like okay, you're you're really looking too far
and now here it is maybe this is the anointment
of him getting to the finals, which he's probably gonna win. Okay,
all right, here's gild gills Hell's end. Is your face
(13:24):
in the leagu Yeah, the word anointment sounds like it
hits the year wrong.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
But I would say this for the Anthony Edwards, you know,
those that pushed that part of the narrative. It's just
the easy one to one video comparisons because SGA is
smooth as hell, but it's not a lot of explosive plays. Right,
gets to the rim, gets to the foul line. We
talked about it earlier in the series. Is there such
(13:50):
a thing as a quiet thirty eight points? He's a
guy that does it, yeah, fairly consistently. Yeah, right, it's
I guess goes to some of the YO kitchens and
and other players of that ilk where it's all right,
they get their stats, but it's not gonna dot the
highlight reel like it becomes the long storytell to get
to all right, watch watch how surgical this is over
(14:12):
the course of the game versus hey, here's John Morant
flying over people like he's evil, and evil flying over
would be you know, centers and those trying to stand
in the way. So with SGA, we don't have a
lot of those. Ah, that's a nice look at layup. Okay,
he dunk today and it became a high light immediately.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
It was like, hey, don't you know not every one
of Jordan's highlights was always something where it was hey, look,
how great. Sometimes it was just hey, I'm coming down.
I'm in a fifteen foot jumper. Okay, but counts just
like the others. And I mean that's a that's a
killer there. I mean, it's just a different to be
But it's just.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
A different cell point now, right, that's thirty years of
lore and the way the game was digested versus our
short attention span theater now and.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Now you have a hole for who is the next
you know, we we went from Jordan to a little
bit of Kobe to Lebron and now what it is
now Lebron is going as jed this is your guy, man,
this is your guy. Exit out about a Fresco exit
Swallen Dome. A lot more from this game. We'll preview
the NBA Finals, and we got more on Ann Edwards too,
because boy, if you thought last night was a big night,
(15:19):
we talked about him. Now wait to hear what's coming
up in a bit but straight ahead, special guest stopping
by all the big news as we get to a
big landmark day in Major League Baseball. That's next Jason
and Mike Fox.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
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 1 (15:43):
Fox Sports Radio. The Jason Smith Show with my best
friend Mike Harmon Thunder into the NBA Finals. We'll have
more on this coming up in a few minutes. But
this is a big week in Major League Baseball, one
of those weeks where you stop, you take stock of
what we've seen and what we could see going up.
Memorial Day, fourth of July, Labor Day, we do that
(16:07):
nobody better break down all the big stories. Been longtime
front of the show. MLB Network insider extraordinaires got the
MLB Network showcase Game of the Week tomorrow between my
two favorite teams, the Phillies and the Braves. Yay, it
is John. I gotta say your name, it is John
(16:28):
Palmer Rosi. All right, what do you got, Pope?
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Hey, have you heard from the Pope yet? You said
you were trying to get the Pope on to do
an interview. What have you heard yet?
Speaker 4 (16:38):
So, first of all, good evening, great with you. I
am I actually received an email today, true story, no way.
I received an email today from the Vatican explaining explaining
what the next steps are. So this this, I want
to make this statement to everybody, everybody out there in
(17:01):
America and beyond listening to us tonight. The postal mail
still works. It works not only domestically to check in
with your aunt or your cousin that you haven't talked
to in a while, but internationally too. And so I
sent a letter, wrote it out to the Vice the
(17:24):
Vice director of the Vatican Press Office, asking what the
procedure would be to be able to speak directly with
the Holy Father about about the White Sox bullpen and
other significant matters to humanity. And what the response was
is that you now have to fill out some different
procedural things on letterhead to make sure that you're part
(17:46):
of the system. So I have not been approved, but
against considerable odds, I received a very professional, detailed letter
email today from the Vatican Press office.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So we're in.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
We're not in the front door, but we're at least
in the Saint Peter's square, so it might happen. And
even if and even if it doesn't happen, I have
decided that that h just receiving a letter back is
actually it is actually pretty cool. I feel like I
feel like I should frame the email. But yeah, I'm grateful.
(18:23):
I'm by the way, So I thought when you were
talking about favorite teams that you were going to discuss
the matchup of the favorite teams of this particular radio
program today between the White Sox and the Mets, where
where a young right hander by the name of Mike
Vassil from Boston, mass who was actually originally drafted by
(18:46):
the Mets, proceeded to shut down his former team over
two scoreless stings, thus making him the Tyrese Halliburton of
the of the White Sox series.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Wow. Thanks for that, Paul, I appreciate that. Thank you. Wow.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
They were they were lucky to get by the pistons.
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
No, wait, now this is this is Hey, I got
I gotta go back this. So you sent a letter
and they responded with an email.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yes, because because and here's how I'm glad you asked that.
Here's here's my uh, here's the reason why. Because there
is actually actually the Vatican appears to be a bit
more advanced than than me, and in that my chosen
method of communication was the handwritten letter, to which they
responded via email, introducing me thus the twenty first century.
(19:38):
But but what I would also point out that I do,
and again this is just you know, John's thoughts on
how to correspond with people, is that I actually have
letterhead that has my email address on the bottom of it.
So that way you don't even have to include the
business card. You just send them a letter and and
there you go. So that's that's the that's the backstory.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Now, Now did you did you did you sign it
when you wrote it? John Paul Morosi, did you tell
the story you were, you know, all the stuff named
for the pope and all that? Did you tell that story?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
So? So, studyingly, Jason, I did not. I did not
need to remind the Vatican that there had recently been
a pope named John Paul.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Oh okay, all right, okay, what.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Assumes this is?
Speaker 6 (20:21):
What assumes?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
This is, as they say, essential knowledge to the folks
working there at Saint Peter Square. But but what I
what I did do is I reminded them that I
speak some Spanish and Italian, and I made sure that
I addressed at the top that And this is the again,
when you're corresponding with with connections and people in Italy,
(20:45):
if you are seeking to a professional person, all professional
folks there are either dottrre or lottrresa, as in you
basically use doctor or doctor however you would say it
in English. If you have a degree of any of
any significance, if you say are a baseball insider, or
if you host a national radio show on Fox Sports Radio,
(21:07):
you would be basically considered doctor in a in a
in a more official capacity. So I sent the letter
or and made sure that I got it back. So
I did study the customs, But I did not feel
it necessary to remind them that that I was named
(21:27):
after a pope, because I assumed that since I was baptized.
I mean, there's there's got to be a record to
be float around there somewhere. I mean, there's some at
some point in time, this information made its way back
to the to the Vatican, back when I was born.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
But then they said why did why did Mom leave
out the H in John?
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Because Mom said, so, no.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
Exactly what I've been saying forever, but that could be
a question. It's like, you're kind of named after him,
but you know, not.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
That not that we're entirely off topic, but did I
actually explain to you why why my name is the
name that it is. So my mom heavily under under
sedation after after giving birth to me, the whole thing,
which will which will surprise no one. I was kind
of a real pain during the whole process. So so
(22:17):
she's a little bit sedated that they come in with
all the documents. Okay, Chris, what are you going.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
To name your child?
Speaker 4 (22:22):
And and she said John Paul. And they said, how
are you gonna spell? Are you gonna spell John? And
she said, well, the same way you always spell it jo.
When is there any other way to spell it? And
they said, well, some people these days like going with
j O N. And She's like, oh, okay, let's do that.
That sounds great. How I was named Jay when I
am not Jonathan. She just had this the the the
(22:48):
nurse at Marquette General Hospital. Uh, just asked the right
question of the right person at the right time, and
she said, yeah, yeah, leave off the age, because I
say so j O N.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
The way you say it is like when I go
into a rest of they go, would you like extra
cheese for an extra seventy five cents? Let's go with that. Yeah,
let's go with that. Yeah, that's how your mom made
that decision. Yeah, extra cheese, let's go with that. Yeah,
let's hear it.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Yeah exactly, I would like the extra age. It's gonna
cost you next to twenty five bucks. Okay, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
They swaddled me in pink because they ran out of blue.
So for a minute I was Michelle until they slapped
mom awake.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
He was the real pain.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
So we're not going to go with the h see there.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
You go, all right?
Speaker 5 (23:24):
So I got asked the question for Prostburg here JP
what happens here with the Dodgers back end of game
situation because they run Kershaw Day and Scott's already blown
five saves.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
They got some problems and and you know, they've they've
obviously tried to go with some external solutions that they
brought Intraveno, who pitched fine so that he was he
was good today. They they need to probably be a
bit more aggressive now looking at the waiver wire and
or potentially digging backing some of these charters. It's they're
(23:58):
trying to do something that really no team has ever
done to my knowledge, which is basically throw six or
seven starters at the league and then hope the bullpen
figures it out. And it's not really a great operation
in my opinion. I mean that they're still in first place,
they're still going to make the playoffs. They'll be fine
(24:21):
to a large extent, but I'm not seeing right now
a bullpen that looks like one that's going to be
able to navigate all of October, and they're going to
have to address it. Fortunately for them, we're now at
the end of May. June usually is when trade stuff
starts getting kicked around. And there are a number of
teams Marlins now, the Orioles, you would assume based on
(24:42):
the way they're playing, the Pirates, other ball clubs, the
Rockies certainly, but again are you going to be asking
the Rockies for their relievers right now? So there's just
there's a lot of a lot of need for bullpen
around the game. And I think this is just the
Dodgers having to live with the flawed nature of their plan.
(25:02):
It may still work out, but it's not foolproof when
you've got this many starters who are unable to start
on four days rest. I think the last I checked,
I believe only one or two games this entire season
for the Dodgers were started on regular rest. And eventually
the bill is coming due, and with a lot of
Dodger relievers injured, they may have to get more aggressive
(25:26):
than just waiver claims and sending out Barnes and tailor.
I mean, they're gonna have to probably be a little
bit more aggressive with the way they are managing their
roster now to make sure they have coverage or else.
I'm afraid for their standpoint that the injuries might compound
on themselves.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
John Palm Morosi our guest right now, and it is
a big time in the life of John Palm Rosi.
Not only is he moving closer into nailing down that
interview with Pope Leo, things have to be great around
the Rossi household right now, and I got to think
around well, around your dad as well, because John, Paul,
the Tigers are the best team in baseball, and you
(26:04):
look at all the other teams, all the Yankees. Yes
they're scaring everybody. Now they're injured, but still it's a
bad division. The Tigers are the best team in baseball.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
They are, and they just they just beat the Giants
in three straight a really good team. Good teams find
ways to respond, and they lost the first three games
of that series against Cleveland. They come back Sunday with
Schoobl's absolute masterpiece, which I just think was one of
the best pitch games any of us have seen all year,
(26:33):
and then they play the Giants and just find different
ways to win. Tommy Cainley two winnings, scoreless today. Again.
Candy is the kind of guy, by the way, that
the Dodgers I'm sure they would love to have right now.
So there's there are a lot of interesting story lines
with the Tigers team, I think Torkelsen's resurgence has been
(26:54):
one of them. You're seeing Colt Keith who had a
huge day to day to really help them win that
ball game. Riley Green I still think is going to
be an All Star. And the rotation is is solid
and Jackson job did not finish five innings today, but
man does he have a special arm. It just they
pitched really well and their lineup is deeper than it
(27:15):
was last year when they when they almost made the
World Series, or when at least almost made the Alcs.
And so for me, they're they're they're a really good team.
This is not just a good start. And by the way,
they're in a pretty pretty solid Division two. Looking at
how good the second, third and fourth place teams are
in terms of their records. It's they're not just walking
(27:35):
through easy opponents here. They're playing good teams. And when
you sweep the Giants, you get a lot of attention,
which is deservedly. So right now for the Detroit Tigers, yeah,
I mean.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
You also have a great bounce back from Javier Baiazy,
who's in the news a lot because his name is
mentioned whenever. I'll bring it back up, and we see
people Crol Armstrong bring fantastic things.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Don't bring that trade up.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
That I've heard. I've heard young Petekor Armstrong is doing
a pretty good job there in Chicago. I actually had
a chance to watch him play in person this year.
He's doing pretty well. I've I've got and you've got
a credit Jared Banner and the and the Cubs that
did a great job with the front office to bring
him over the time. But you're right, Hobby Bayas, despite
the the ejection over the weekend where he has the
(28:20):
issues with the strike zone, he is doing a great
job of feeding off of the emotional energy of Comerica Park,
which now is all of a sudden again one of
the more raucous ballparks in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So Pete Crow Armstrong is going to be the face
of Major League based on stop stop stop stop d.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
He may well be, You'll be. I will say this,
he is going to be an All star. Nellison, You're
not going to get much sympathy from me, Jason. You've
got this is this is the market that that that
traded away John Smoltz for two months of dole. Alexander Okay,
so so there's not exactly You're not going to get
a whole lot of sympathy here, but I I understand
the pain. Uh listen, the Mets are. They're a fine team, Tyrone,
(28:58):
Taylor good.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
You got to We're good. We're twelve, We're twelve games
over five hundred. We're good. We're absolutely good.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
You're you're good. You're good.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
I'm not as good as you, but you know, not as.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Good as the Phillies, not as good as the Phillies,
but you're good.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
He's on Twitter at John Morosi, that is at John Morosi,
who is going to next steps into securing an interview
with Pope Leo also called Conclave two. So there it is.
There is a se starring John Paul Morossi. I just see,
I can see a movie. You know, your you you
journeying to Italy to interview the Pope and all the
(29:33):
the adventures you have getting there and trying to secure
the interview with the Pope. Like I think that's a movie.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Well, I gotta take some video. I gotta take some photos.
By the way, when you when you said the next
steps and Italian would be pros.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
John Paul Morossi next step, he pro PASTI John Paul
is always Bundy O on the title. We'll work on
the will work shopping works. Have a good call, brother,
you see your buddy, There goes John Paul Morosi. Well,
I mean next steps to interview the pope. That's amazing,
(30:09):
so awesome time now to find out what's trending in
the wide world of sports from a guy who I
don't know. Martin, you ever interviewed the pope before?
Speaker 5 (30:16):
Have you?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Or maybe you have. I don't know, never interviewed the pope.
Speaker 7 (30:19):
But we did get the day off of school the
last time a new pope was elected at my Jesuit
High school, so that really you.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Got the day of Jesuit.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
See, they got you too.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Like like you were getting ready to go to school
and instead of hey, it's snowing out, it was the
white smoke is out, stay home.
Speaker 7 (30:33):
I believe the white smoke came around lunchtime. And then
after that they were like, all bets are off, everybody
go home.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
I'm ditching for the day. We got a new pope.
So it's trending today.
Speaker 7 (30:44):
We had some finals in some of these conferences, the
Western Conference of the NBA.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
It's all settled up now.
Speaker 7 (30:50):
Oklahoma City will advance to the NBA Finals after beating
Minnesota one twenty four to ninety four in Game five
of the Conference Finals. The NBA MVP SA Gildess Alexander
finished with thirty four points. Chet Holmgren added twenty two,
Jalen J. W. Williams with nineteen. Anthony Edwards finished with
nineteen points on eighteen shots.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
The NHL's Eastern Conference.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
Will be represented by the Florida Panthers as they beat
the Carolina Hurricanes live to three.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Carolina did jump out to a two to lead by
the end.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Of the first period, but Florida roared back by the
end of the second of taking the lead and never
looked back. In his first comment, says cutting kicker Justin
Tucker Ravens. Head coach John Harbo said the decision was
a quote complex decision making process between him, Steve, team
owner Steve Bashatti, President Sashi Brown, and general manager Eric Tacosta.
(31:39):
Pete Carl Armstrong got his fiftieth RBI and a two
to one win for the Cubs over the Rockies. The
Braves and the Phillies play tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Due to rain.
Speaker 7 (31:47):
Guardians outscored the Dodgers seven to four thanks to a
three run homer in the eighth inning from Angel Martinez.
Thanks a lot Tanner, Scott Clayton Kershaw five innutes, pitch
six hits, three strikeouts. He's out twenty six from three thousand.
The Pirates caruses dinabacks ten to one, Paul Stein's six
and two Thursdy and He's pitch seven strikeouts from the
Brewers walk it off back to back games against the
(32:10):
Red Sox six to five and ten and exists when
this three game sweep over there, White Sox top the
Mets nine to four, Giant Tigers edge the Giants four
to three. The race shout out the Twins five nothing
Houston started. Ronel Blanco undergoing elbow surgery next week that
I'll saw online him this year in most of twenty
twenty six a the Astros did beat the A's five
(32:31):
to three.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Back to you, guys, thanks a bunch Martin, Jason Smith,
Mike Harmon live from the Fox Sports Radio Studios coming
up next. Very harsh on n Edwards the last couple
of nights right his performance in some of the games
this series absolutely deserved, right for a guy who' supposed
to be the face of the league. Here is the
chosen one. But coming up next, I'm gonna actually help
(32:52):
him with what I think he absolutely needs next in
his evolution to be a superstar and continue to be
a superstar and a bigger one in the NBA. Somebody
already used the familyman thing. No, no telling you what
he needs that's coming up next right here, Fox. From
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Speaker 2 (33:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Jacent Smith's
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Oh, it's always good to hear Shaboozy, but I don't
think you get ready Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Don't forget. Our best of podcast goes it right after
the show is over. Just search Jason Smith and Mike
Harmon wherever you get your podcast for I'm be sure
to follow review the podcast rated five stars again. Just
search Jason Smith and Mike Harmon wherever you get your podcasts.
You'll find today's show and a best of version posted
right after we get off the air. Well, the Thunder
are into the NBA Finals with a crushing one twenty
(34:36):
four ninety four win over the Timberwolves was never in doubt.
We'll have more on them coming up in a few minutes.
But Anthony Edwards is someone who the last couple of
Nice Boy we've really been rough on, and rightfully so
because for the superstar. He's positioning himself to be for
the hype that he's been given from former athletes and pundits.
(34:56):
The guy doesn't show up a lot, and he doesn'
show up enough in big series and the Timberwolves are
going home. Didn't show up in Game one, didn't show
up in the previous game. And that's a problem, right
if you're the face of the league, which he's not,
but if you're gonna be the face league, you have
to show up in every playoff game. And he doesn't.
(35:16):
And part of it is and you know, and it's
a really big thing. And I know you know all
the criticism we've had him the last couple of nights,
but not I want to help a little bit because
I'm about that. I'm about that positive.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Here about the positivity, okay, because first off, it was
just a step up in class, right, you got the
victory lap after beating the Lakers, you take down the Warriors, well,
degree of difficulty, A lot of arguments about its STEPH
Curry unavailable, no big man that you have to worry about,
or swarming defense for the Golden State Warriors. We can
all stipulate to that. Here an attacking squad eight to
(35:51):
nine deep, that all come at you from all angles,
I believe. On the radio broadcast at some point they go,
I think he's got ten hands in his face.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Now you've heard him say after the game the other night,
I don't look like it. As I struggled, I didn't
get shot. They didn't let me get shots, which is, dude,
you have to find the shots. You have to find
find the way to impact the game. He made the basketball, Jason,
and he would he wouldn't take any responsibility for which
is not what stars do. Now, I was thinking about
this after Rick Buker said this last on the show
about Anthony Edward, which may be the most damning thing
(36:22):
about Edwards to this point. Now here's one of the
reasons why Rick Buker told us why Edwards sometimes tends
to struggle in situations like this.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Like sometimes he can't read the defense. He needs Dante
to tell him, Donte Defincenzo to tell him what the
defense is doing and how they're playing.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Like that is that is the most.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Alarming admission by a star player that I can recall
ever hearing in my life. I mean, we're talking about
we're comparing this guy to Michael Jordan's and he can't
read defenses. And if you can't read the defense and
it looks the floor looks muddy, you're going to be tentive,
(37:01):
in tentative. You're going to like not be sure of
where you can go. And if you can't, you can't,
like or from the mid range. Then all you're looking
for is is there a path for me to get
to the rim? And if there isn't, again, that's what's
going to make a guy hesitant or tentative.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Now, huge deal, right, that's a huge deal. I can't
read your defenses. I tell Dante DiVincenzo, I tell him
what's going on. This is what Anthony Edwards needs. Okay,
this is where he needs. A Hall of Famer who
cares about the game, who cares about him, someone like Shaq,
because Shaq can really say from personally to sit down
with him in the offseason and say, you need to
(37:41):
do more, you need to do more if you're really
going to do something in this league, because Shack can
say because at different points where Shack at the point
his career, Hey, I had fun the first few years
I was in movies. Everything was great, But then I
knew my legacy was at stake, so I knew I
had to get someplace else other than Orlando, and I
had to, you know, get with a team where we
were going to win. The businesses was about winning championships,
and look I went and I won three with the Lakers.
(38:02):
I went one more with the heat Shack Hall of
Famer needs to sit Anthony Edwards down and say, you
can't just exist on what you do. If you have
trouble reading the defenses, guess what you got to get
in the film and understanding. You got have coaches explain
things to you. You have to the light switch has
to go on for you to go that. You know,
everybody has a lot of talent, but eventually, if you
(38:24):
want to be one of the all time greats, you
got to bring something else to the party. And you
need to take this off season to say how do
I become the best version of myself and not be
someone who can go out there and either not know
what I see and be tentative and then not take
responsibility for it. He needs that sit down from someone
who'll listen to that will say, look, this is your legas,
(38:45):
this is your life, your career, this is what you
need to do if you really want to be that
next level guy. And hopefully Anthony Edwards listens and in
five years there's a big ESPN story about how, oh,
a conversation I had with Shack after the Western Conference
finals and twenty twenty five really set me on the
right path. Like, I'm hoping that's what we get well
as a conversation.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
We've had numerous times, you and I over the years
as related to athletes translating their skills sets into the NFL. Right,
and certainly in these kind of terms, when you're looking
at the quarterback position where you have all world athletes
you've dominated, or refining your skills as a cornerback, as
(39:26):
a wide receiver, whatever. I mean, there's a different level
to it and nuance to separate good and athletic to
becoming great and consistently great.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (39:36):
The Kyler Murray example always comes up. Yeah, take your
shots about the video games, whatever, But this is a
guy where everything came easy. Right, You're a Heisman winner,
you're a top draft pick in baseball, and then all
of a sudden it becomes the weight. I've got to
spend extra time in the film room and I've got
to spend extra time communicating with the wide receivers in
(39:57):
a rotating group of them, right, and try to get
that consistency of delivery and timing, et cetera. Same thing
on the NBA side, for for Anthony Edwards here is yeah,
it's gonna be a revolving door of teammates. We certainly
see that year to year, the way the salary cap
works and guys trying to get paid in trades and
everything else. But it's also the you can't just rely
(40:20):
on the brute strength of what you were when you
were drafted into the league. There's got to be an
evolution to it. Today would have been a great example
of it.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
Right.
Speaker 5 (40:28):
He tried to affect the game, but it was all
on drives to the hoop. And if you're not getting a.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Call, no, right, you're not going to the game with
times a series where dude, this is killing your team.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
But he's one of seven from three point range. You
can look at the shot chart. Consistently hitting from the
outside isn't there. The mid ranges are there. It's predicated
a lot on getting to the rack and affecting the
game that way. You've got to evolve, expand it. He
needs that, He needs that conversation with a Hall of
Famer and that will do him a war. Buy the
cameo coming up next as good as the thunder Ar
(41:01):
steamrolling into the NBA Finals.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Have they been really underachievers the last few years? WHOA,
that's next, Fox,
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 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Hello, Welcome and side hour two The Jason Smith Show
with my best friend Mike Harmon, Live from the Tireck
dot com studios where we just watched, well, a very
compelling ending depending on what you bet. Middle of the game,
(00:50):
the Thunder, who are what twenty seven and a half?
You could have gotten the Wolves with twenty seven and
a half at halftime? Right, no plus thirty one plus
thirty one? Final score Thunder one twenty four Timberwolves ninety four.
As Harmon stood up, just.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Play.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
There's no such thing as useless three pointers? Why you
just laugh?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Right?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
They make the shot one twenty four ninety one.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
The Thunder run out the shot clock violation.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Okay, fine ball.
Speaker 5 (01:27):
Comes in with four seconds left, twenty four foot three
point shot booming.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
It's like, wow, I'll tell you. Okay, So the Thunder
are headed to the NBA Finals. I have a week
and a day off. Game one of the NBA Finals
is next Thursday. Their first time in the finals since
twenty twelve. And again, when you have three MVPs over
a twelve year span, I think you're underachieving. I think
you're under it. KD and Westbrook and SGA, I think
(01:55):
you're underachieving. Wait, we're the little engche of the cook.
Now you've had three MVPs over a ten years.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Fans a lot of stars, and you had James Harden.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You couldn't hold onto him. Okay, a lot of James Areden. Uh. Now, look,
this is a game that was long decided. Basically, Look,
the Thunder got out to a lead and the Tea
Wolves packed it away. You can tell when teams know
coming in, yeah, we'll put up a little bit of
a fight. When things start going our way, we know
we're done. And the Tea Wolves just absolutely knew they
(02:25):
were done in the middle of the first half of
this game, right, And it was just they never threatened,
They never really pushed forth with some kind of push
like what I said at the beginning of the show,
if the NBA wanted to put in a rule that
if you're up three to zero or three to one
and you're going home for a game, we can end
the series. Circus Vargas know something. We don't need to
(02:47):
play it because it's a waste of everybody's time, because
teams down three zip, three to one going on the road,
forget it, forget it, you're not you're they put it away,
and it's a waste of television, a waste of space.
We had games like this. So if the NBA wanted
to set now three to two, no, no, no, and
and three two if that, if if the and three
one three oho, if the team down is playing at home, no,
we'll keep that going. But three one or three to zero,
(03:09):
if that team down is going on the road, okay, No, No,
the series you can clinch getting that third win of
the series if you're up by two or more games
and you're going home for the next game.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
Is replaced with the live theatrical version of Scooby Doo
and the Kiss, you know, rock and Roll Mystery or
something that way, you.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Get to tell them, you know you did. Everybody that
still bought tickets, gets to go to the arena for
a big party, and they have.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Certainly there's a bounce house movie. There's a bounce house.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yeah, there's face painting, there's crafts. You can make bracelets,
yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, maybe some karaoke.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
There's a big contest, I mean side cage. Okay, folks
might not.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Life be, but you gotta make it a family friendly
atmosphere too, as well as you gotta have something for everybody.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Gotta make it nice for the people and still come out.
The players still have to show up and make appearances.
Maybe they signed some autographs.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Thinking they get the Western Conference Finals trophy and they
get you know, they they That's that's what they do.
They We're just gonna anoint you because there's a lot
of time off. Now, it's not like you don't have
to worry about Well, there's a celebration, curt a week off.
Oh you're good. No, you get to go and do
that a week That's how that's you'd buy. That would
be more entertaining, more entertaining, and it would be more
it wouldn't be as big of a waste of time. Yeah,
(04:28):
this was awful. I'd rather watch this instead of the
Pro Bowl, right, so we have that, But if.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
You want to bear hears, yeah, I'd rather watch that,
not this game.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Not this game. I'd rather watch a practice. Here's that,
not a game, not a game, not a game. Here's
how it sounded at the end with thunder TV.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Ninety four of the Final A thirty point route. Not
a single day went by this season, but Oklahoma City
did not hold the best record in the West. And
now this historic, relentless thunderstorm has unstoppably, emphatically and officially
earned the Moniker Best.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
In the West. Okay, yes or no? Was that written
down and he read off it written? Now, that was
a WWE provo.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I had that.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Ready and packed and I was waiting for him to
tell me. He was at the Hartford Civic Center on
Saturday night. I think it's at the door one hundred percent.
He had that call, and maybe he wrote it at halftime.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Because you know what, in his mom's basement doesn't But
I'm like, Okay, play it again. There's no way that
wasn't read off the card. I started play it one
more time.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
One four ninety four of the Final A thirty point
route In that paper. Not a single day went by
this season, but Oklahoma City did not vote the worst
record in the West. And now this historic, relentless thunderstorm
has unstoppably emphatically and officially earned the Moniker Best in
the West.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Unstoppably emphatically. Now that's all written down. That's all written down.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Either that or he was channeling Jackie Childs from Seinfeld
the late great Dusty row Your face is my case
hard times.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
All right, I'm gonna write this down so I get
to say it and I get to use all the
adjectives I want to indubidly. Yeah, I had this, I
had the sour us up and I just put those
words in. You see all the stuff I had there, emphatically, expeditiously.
So what's it? What? What's a big takeaway from a
game that was not in doubt over the course of
(06:28):
the past two and a half hours. Matt Pinto on
the line. But Mat Pinto he was a he was
a Clippers guy for a while, Right, pretty sure he's
that bad? Yeah? Pretty wow?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Frostburg off the top rope. What was worse? What was
what was worse that? Or Tanner Scott today? What was
you want to come say that to my face. Yea,
he worked for the Hornets and some Yeah, I don't
know how many I'm gonna have left. But that's the thing.
You can't waste a Kurshaw day, and he did. You
(07:01):
probably have you get me all rolled up? Smith, you
probably have. I don't know that you have twelve Kershaw days. Yeah,
I was gonna say if you said it a ten
and a half for you. Are you getting to double
digit man? Yeah, that's tough. Yeah, that's tough, man. Right
back to that stuff. Now.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Look, you know we're pondering the meaning of life. Look
what happened and we went going from a burial today.
Your life was better than this game. Oh, if you're
not gonna show up, put that up on the big screen.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Instead of face painting, man, face painting, I'm an expert.
I did it for you. Barkley and Kenny Smith get
their faces painted instead. That would be kind of cool.
You literally have the clown mask for whatever you look like.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Elsa.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yes, I got the Elsa face paint. I look awesome.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
They gave me a little sparkles that yeah, okay, But
like the ice trails.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Sure, we've had the conversation the last few nights about
all listen, if you're really the face of the league
or someone people want to make the face of the league.
And Ann Edwards, you got to show up, right, will up?
Warren n Eds coming up later on this hour. But
I told you, why did I pick the Thunder to win?
Why did I pick the Thunder? Look? I know that
SGA was going to be a more consistent superstar throughout
(08:11):
this series, and he was, and SGA had and SGA
was there and led the He led the Thunder every
single game, right, I mean it was. This is a
guy that gets rewarded with the MVP in the middle
of this series, and he shows everybody why he was
the MVP in the NBA this year thirty one, thirty eight,
fourteen and the loss. Okay, I got not.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
To say everybody's thrown away is thirty eight, forty and
thirty four.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Okay. He led them to the NBA Finals and and
Edwards had two games at least where he didn't show up.
And I don't know that he really knows offensively when
he needs to push when he doesn't, right, like that
That's the whole thing with Ann Edwards. But yet still
he's so athletic, and he's so good, and he and again,
and he has the sweatband on his arm like Jordan.
He's Jordan. He's Jordan. You want to really have a
(08:58):
convert a real good face to the league conversation about
who could be that. This is your guy? Sga is
your guy. This is a guy who suddenly has led
the thunder as you ord Matt Pinto say, not a
day out of first place. This year, he wins the MVP.
They are into the NBA Finals and will enter as
an overwhelming favorite to win this series. In probably five games.
(09:18):
Sga has shown in a very short amount of time,
still twenty five years old, that he is the best
all around player playing in the game right now. That
is exciting. That is someone that you can push and say, hey,
this guy is really just getting started. He just wins
the MVP. Now he's really just getting going. Everybody loves him.
Everybody loves Sga. He doesn't have any detractors. Everybody say, well,
(09:41):
I wish he would do this more, he would do this,
he would do this. He is universally loved. This is
your face of the league in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Well, I mean you have the obvious of the free
throw merchant. Well, he didn't need to do it today
because they beat the absolute snot out of these guys
only had to go to the line four times. So
that's always in the back pocket. And that's the thing
to remember, right, is that it's there when you need
it and you can lean into it. And certainly Anthony
Edwards in this game tried to. He just didn't get
(10:09):
the calls, at least early on when it was still
a kind of a game. But for SGA, the only
thing that comes against him is he's playing for the Thunder. Well,
if they go on a run. And this is where
it gets interesting, right, is where we've been talking about
parody and where the league is and trying to figure
out power shifts and balances, and whenever a team starts
(10:32):
to look like they're coming together, it's like, are we
crown them?
Speaker 1 (10:36):
And it's gonna be all right, there's a dynastic run.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
It has to happen, and then it falls apart after
a year, a couple of guys get hurt and we move.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
On to the next shiny object.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Thunder with all their draft picks with a young core,
they're not going anywhere for a while. So now this
has the opportunity to ges date and I like that
it gets to just build to that point as opposed
to you're the guy, which is what we do usually
after a series or a couple or a month and
a half of basketball, like we did with Edwards. Didn't
mean we didn't like him last year, but all of
(11:07):
a sudden in the playoffs, has a couple of monster performances.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
He's like, yeah, crown that guy. He fits the suit.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Going back to the Johnny Bravo reference that you know,
desegremate and all of that stuff. But it's the idea
that it can build to make him the guy, right
because we've had Jo kitchen, there's an appreciation. But he's
seven feet so no matter what else he does, he's
seven feet. He's not a guy that everybody knows stuff
about except he's got a couple of brothers and that
(11:35):
he likes to hang out with his horses.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
That's it. That Okay, what do you do with that?
Speaker 5 (11:40):
You got Yannis Like, there's always that arms distance with
the international guys for some reason.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
By the way, Shae is Canadian, So is that a problem.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Now you can still be good because are we gonna
acquire them, because then that makes it easier for him.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
The face.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well, that's a big bargaining chip for Canada said, hey,
you can't, you can't have SG.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
Well, well, I don't know, No, we gotta go back,
we gotta come back with somebody negotiation. Sure, but to
your point, I mean it's now on the table. Assuming
they go and they take care of business against We'll
just say, for sake of argument, the Pacers.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Uh, and then coming into next.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Year they'll be the prohibited favorites unless there's some substantive
change that happens out of the blue that this core
returns and will be ready to defend their title. And
you still have draft picks to go and fill in
anything that you perceive to be holes. It's a very
dangerous place for the rest of the Western Conference.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
SGA is your face of the league. I mean there's
really there's no there's nowhere, nowhere else to go because
he checks he checks every box that you want from
a guy. You want somebody who is exciting, yes, who's dominate? Yes?
Is he interesting when you hear him talk, yes? Do
his teammates love him? Yeah? Every interview he does, his
teammates stand with him. They love the guy. Really, this
(13:02):
was the thing. It's always been about team. It's like
I've got my guys with me. Yeah, I I I
don't know why we keep pushing and why the push
to make Anthony Edwards happen or somebody else happen, Like
this is like okay, you're you're really looking too far
and now here it is maybe this is the anointment
of him getting to the finals, which he's probably gonna win. Okay,
all right, here's gild gills Hell's end. Is your face
(13:24):
in the leagu Yeah, the word anointment sounds like it
hits the year wrong.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
But I would say this for the Anthony Edwards, you know,
those that pushed that part of the narrative. It's just
the easy one to one video comparisons because SGA is
smooth as hell, but it's not a lot of explosive plays. Right,
gets to the rim, gets to the foul line. We
talked about it earlier in the series. Is there such
(13:50):
a thing as a quiet thirty eight points? He's a
guy that does it, yeah, fairly consistently. Yeah, right, it's
I guess goes to some of the YO kitchens and
and other players of that ilk where it's all right,
they get their stats, but it's not gonna dot the
highlight reel like it becomes the long storytell to get
to all right, watch watch how surgical this is over
(14:12):
the course of the game versus hey, here's John Morant
flying over people like he's evil, and evil flying over
would be you know, centers and those trying to stand
in the way. So with SGA, we don't have a
lot of those. Ah, that's a nice look at layup. Okay,
he dunk today and it became a high light immediately.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
It was like, hey, don't you know not every one
of Jordan's highlights was always something where it was hey, look,
how great. Sometimes it was just hey, I'm coming down.
I'm in a fifteen foot jumper. Okay, but counts just
like the others. And I mean that's a that's a
killer there. I mean, it's just a different to be
But it's just.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
A different cell point now, right, that's thirty years of
lore and the way the game was digested versus our
short attention span theater now and.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Now you have a hole for who is the next
you know, we we went from Jordan to a little
bit of Kobe to Lebron and now what it is
now Lebron is going as jed this is your guy, man,
this is your guy. Exit out about a Fresco exit
Swallen Dome. A lot more from this game. We'll preview
the NBA Finals, and we got more on Ann Edwards too,
because boy, if you thought last night was a big night,
(15:19):
we talked about him. Now wait to hear what's coming
up in a bit but straight ahead, special guest stopping
by all the big news as we get to a
big landmark day in Major League Baseball. That's next Jason
and Mike Fox.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
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 1 (15:43):
Fox Sports Radio. The Jason Smith Show with my best
friend Mike Harmon Thunder into the NBA Finals. We'll have
more on this coming up in a few minutes. But
this is a big week in Major League Baseball, one
of those weeks where you stop, you take stock of
what we've seen and what we could see going up.
Memorial Day, fourth of July, Labor Day, we do that
(16:07):
nobody better break down all the big stories. Been longtime
front of the show. MLB Network insider extraordinaires got the
MLB Network showcase Game of the Week tomorrow between my
two favorite teams, the Phillies and the Braves. Yay, it
is John. I gotta say your name, it is John
(16:28):
Palmer Rosi. All right, what do you got, Pope?
Speaker 6 (16:31):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Hey, have you heard from the Pope yet? You said
you were trying to get the Pope on to do
an interview. What have you heard yet?
Speaker 4 (16:38):
So, first of all, good evening, great with you. I
am I actually received an email today, true story, no way.
I received an email today from the Vatican explaining explaining
what the next steps are. So this this, I want
to make this statement to everybody, everybody out there in
(17:01):
America and beyond listening to us tonight. The postal mail
still works. It works not only domestically to check in
with your aunt or your cousin that you haven't talked
to in a while, but internationally too. And so I
sent a letter, wrote it out to the Vice the
(17:24):
Vice director of the Vatican Press Office, asking what the
procedure would be to be able to speak directly with
the Holy Father about about the White Sox bullpen and
other significant matters to humanity. And what the response was
is that you now have to fill out some different
procedural things on letterhead to make sure that you're part
(17:46):
of the system. So I have not been approved, but
against considerable odds, I received a very professional, detailed letter
email today from the Vatican Press office.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So we're in.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
We're not in the front door, but we're at least
in the Saint Peter's square, so it might happen. And
even if and even if it doesn't happen, I have
decided that that h just receiving a letter back is
actually it is actually pretty cool. I feel like I
feel like I should frame the email. But yeah, I'm grateful.
(18:23):
I'm by the way, So I thought when you were
talking about favorite teams that you were going to discuss
the matchup of the favorite teams of this particular radio
program today between the White Sox and the Mets, where
where a young right hander by the name of Mike
Vassil from Boston, mass who was actually originally drafted by
(18:46):
the Mets, proceeded to shut down his former team over
two scoreless stings, thus making him the Tyrese Halliburton of
the of the White Sox series.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Wow. Thanks for that, Paul, I appreciate that. Thank you. Wow.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
They were they were lucky to get by the pistons.
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
No, wait, now this is this is Hey, I got
I gotta go back this. So you sent a letter
and they responded with an email.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yes, because because and here's how I'm glad you asked that.
Here's here's my uh, here's the reason why. Because there
is actually actually the Vatican appears to be a bit
more advanced than than me, and in that my chosen
method of communication was the handwritten letter, to which they
responded via email, introducing me thus the twenty first century.
(19:38):
But but what I would also point out that I do,
and again this is just you know, John's thoughts on
how to correspond with people, is that I actually have
letterhead that has my email address on the bottom of it.
So that way you don't even have to include the
business card. You just send them a letter and and
there you go. So that's that's the that's the backstory.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Now, Now did you did you did you sign it
when you wrote it? John Paul Morosi, did you tell
the story you were, you know, all the stuff named
for the pope and all that? Did you tell that story?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
So? So, studyingly, Jason, I did not. I did not
need to remind the Vatican that there had recently been
a pope named John Paul.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Oh okay, all right, okay, what.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Assumes this is?
Speaker 6 (20:21):
What assumes?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
This is, as they say, essential knowledge to the folks
working there at Saint Peter Square. But but what I
what I did do is I reminded them that I
speak some Spanish and Italian, and I made sure that
I addressed at the top that And this is the again,
when you're corresponding with with connections and people in Italy,
(20:45):
if you are seeking to a professional person, all professional
folks there are either dottrre or lottrresa, as in you
basically use doctor or doctor however you would say it
in English. If you have a degree of any of
any significance, if you say are a baseball insider, or
if you host a national radio show on Fox Sports Radio,
(21:07):
you would be basically considered doctor in a in a
in a more official capacity. So I sent the letter
or and made sure that I got it back. So
I did study the customs, But I did not feel
it necessary to remind them that that I was named
(21:27):
after a pope, because I assumed that since I was baptized.
I mean, there's there's got to be a record to
be float around there somewhere. I mean, there's some at
some point in time, this information made its way back
to the to the Vatican, back when I was born.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
But then they said why did why did Mom leave
out the H in John?
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Because Mom said, so, no.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
Exactly what I've been saying forever, but that could be
a question. It's like, you're kind of named after him,
but you know, not.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
That not that we're entirely off topic, but did I
actually explain to you why why my name is the
name that it is. So my mom heavily under under
sedation after after giving birth to me, the whole thing,
which will which will surprise no one. I was kind
of a real pain during the whole process. So so
(22:17):
she's a little bit sedated that they come in with
all the documents. Okay, Chris, what are you going.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
To name your child?
Speaker 4 (22:22):
And and she said John Paul. And they said, how
are you gonna spell? Are you gonna spell John? And
she said, well, the same way you always spell it jo.
When is there any other way to spell it? And
they said, well, some people these days like going with
j O N. And She's like, oh, okay, let's do that.
That sounds great. How I was named Jay when I
am not Jonathan. She just had this the the the
(22:48):
nurse at Marquette General Hospital. Uh, just asked the right
question of the right person at the right time, and
she said, yeah, yeah, leave off the age, because I
say so j O N.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
The way you say it is like when I go
into a rest of they go, would you like extra
cheese for an extra seventy five cents? Let's go with that. Yeah,
let's go with that. Yeah, that's how your mom made
that decision. Yeah, extra cheese, let's go with that. Yeah,
let's hear it.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Yeah exactly, I would like the extra age. It's gonna
cost you next to twenty five bucks. Okay, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
They swaddled me in pink because they ran out of blue.
So for a minute I was Michelle until they slapped
mom awake.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
He was the real pain.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
So we're not going to go with the h see there.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
You go, all right?
Speaker 5 (23:24):
So I got asked the question for Prostburg here JP
what happens here with the Dodgers back end of game
situation because they run Kershaw Day and Scott's already blown
five saves.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
They got some problems and and you know, they've they've
obviously tried to go with some external solutions that they
brought Intraveno, who pitched fine so that he was he
was good today. They they need to probably be a
bit more aggressive now looking at the waiver wire and
or potentially digging backing some of these charters. It's they're
(23:58):
trying to do something that really no team has ever
done to my knowledge, which is basically throw six or
seven starters at the league and then hope the bullpen
figures it out. And it's not really a great operation
in my opinion. I mean that they're still in first place,
they're still going to make the playoffs. They'll be fine
(24:21):
to a large extent, but I'm not seeing right now
a bullpen that looks like one that's going to be
able to navigate all of October, and they're going to
have to address it. Fortunately for them, we're now at
the end of May. June usually is when trade stuff
starts getting kicked around. And there are a number of
teams Marlins now, the Orioles, you would assume based on
(24:42):
the way they're playing, the Pirates, other ball clubs, the
Rockies certainly, but again are you going to be asking
the Rockies for their relievers right now? So there's just
there's a lot of a lot of need for bullpen
around the game. And I think this is just the
Dodgers having to live with the flawed nature of their plan.
(25:02):
It may still work out, but it's not foolproof when
you've got this many starters who are unable to start
on four days rest. I think the last I checked,
I believe only one or two games this entire season
for the Dodgers were started on regular rest. And eventually
the bill is coming due, and with a lot of
Dodger relievers injured, they may have to get more aggressive
(25:26):
than just waiver claims and sending out Barnes and tailor.
I mean, they're gonna have to probably be a little
bit more aggressive with the way they are managing their
roster now to make sure they have coverage or else.
I'm afraid for their standpoint that the injuries might compound
on themselves.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
John Palm Morosi our guest right now, and it is
a big time in the life of John Palm Rosi.
Not only is he moving closer into nailing down that
interview with Pope Leo, things have to be great around
the Rossi household right now, and I got to think
around well, around your dad as well, because John, Paul,
the Tigers are the best team in baseball, and you
(26:04):
look at all the other teams, all the Yankees. Yes
they're scaring everybody. Now they're injured, but still it's a
bad division. The Tigers are the best team in baseball.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
They are, and they just they just beat the Giants
in three straight a really good team. Good teams find
ways to respond, and they lost the first three games
of that series against Cleveland. They come back Sunday with
Schoobl's absolute masterpiece, which I just think was one of
the best pitch games any of us have seen all year,
(26:33):
and then they play the Giants and just find different
ways to win. Tommy Cainley two winnings, scoreless today. Again.
Candy is the kind of guy, by the way, that
the Dodgers I'm sure they would love to have right now.
So there's there are a lot of interesting story lines
with the Tigers team, I think Torkelsen's resurgence has been
(26:54):
one of them. You're seeing Colt Keith who had a
huge day to day to really help them win that
ball game. Riley Green I still think is going to
be an All Star. And the rotation is is solid
and Jackson job did not finish five innings today, but
man does he have a special arm. It just they
pitched really well and their lineup is deeper than it
(27:15):
was last year when they when they almost made the
World Series, or when at least almost made the Alcs.
And so for me, they're they're they're a really good team.
This is not just a good start. And by the way,
they're in a pretty pretty solid Division two. Looking at
how good the second, third and fourth place teams are
in terms of their records. It's they're not just walking
(27:35):
through easy opponents here. They're playing good teams. And when
you sweep the Giants, you get a lot of attention,
which is deservedly. So right now for the Detroit Tigers, yeah,
I mean.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
You also have a great bounce back from Javier Baiazy,
who's in the news a lot because his name is
mentioned whenever. I'll bring it back up, and we see
people Crol Armstrong bring fantastic things.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Don't bring that trade up.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
That I've heard. I've heard young Petekor Armstrong is doing
a pretty good job there in Chicago. I actually had
a chance to watch him play in person this year.
He's doing pretty well. I've I've got and you've got
a credit Jared Banner and the and the Cubs that
did a great job with the front office to bring
him over the time. But you're right, Hobby Bayas, despite
the the ejection over the weekend where he has the
(28:20):
issues with the strike zone, he is doing a great
job of feeding off of the emotional energy of Comerica Park,
which now is all of a sudden again one of
the more raucous ballparks in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So Pete Crow Armstrong is going to be the face
of Major League based on stop stop stop stop d.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
He may well be, You'll be. I will say this,
he is going to be an All star. Nellison, You're
not going to get much sympathy from me, Jason. You've
got this is this is the market that that that
traded away John Smoltz for two months of dole. Alexander Okay,
so so there's not exactly You're not going to get
a whole lot of sympathy here, but I I understand
the pain. Uh listen, the Mets are. They're a fine team, Tyrone,
(28:58):
Taylor good.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
You got to We're good. We're twelve, We're twelve games
over five hundred. We're good. We're absolutely good.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
You're you're good. You're good.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
I'm not as good as you, but you know, not as.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
Good as the Phillies, not as good as the Phillies,
but you're good.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
He's on Twitter at John Morosi, that is at John Morosi,
who is going to next steps into securing an interview
with Pope Leo also called Conclave two. So there it is.
There is a se starring John Paul Morossi. I just see,
I can see a movie. You know, your you you
journeying to Italy to interview the Pope and all the
(29:33):
the adventures you have getting there and trying to secure
the interview with the Pope. Like I think that's a movie.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Well, I gotta take some video. I gotta take some photos.
By the way, when you when you said the next
steps and Italian would be pros.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
John Paul Morossi next step, he pro PASTI John Paul
is always Bundy O on the title. We'll work on
the will work shopping works. Have a good call, brother,
you see your buddy, There goes John Paul Morosi. Well,
I mean next steps to interview the pope. That's amazing,
(30:09):
so awesome time now to find out what's trending in
the wide world of sports from a guy who I
don't know. Martin, you ever interviewed the pope before?
Speaker 5 (30:16):
Have you?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Or maybe you have. I don't know, never interviewed the pope.
Speaker 7 (30:19):
But we did get the day off of school the
last time a new pope was elected at my Jesuit
High school, so that really you.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Got the day of Jesuit.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
See, they got you too.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Like like you were getting ready to go to school
and instead of hey, it's snowing out, it was the
white smoke is out, stay home.
Speaker 7 (30:33):
I believe the white smoke came around lunchtime. And then
after that they were like, all bets are off, everybody
go home.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
I'm ditching for the day. We got a new pope.
So it's trending today.
Speaker 7 (30:44):
We had some finals in some of these conferences, the
Western Conference of the NBA.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
It's all settled up now.
Speaker 7 (30:50):
Oklahoma City will advance to the NBA Finals after beating
Minnesota one twenty four to ninety four in Game five
of the Conference Finals. The NBA MVP SA Gildess Alexander
finished with thirty four points. Chet Holmgren added twenty two,
Jalen J. W. Williams with nineteen. Anthony Edwards finished with
nineteen points on eighteen shots.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
The NHL's Eastern Conference.
Speaker 7 (31:11):
Will be represented by the Florida Panthers as they beat
the Carolina Hurricanes live to three.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Carolina did jump out to a two to lead by
the end.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Of the first period, but Florida roared back by the
end of the second of taking the lead and never
looked back. In his first comment, says cutting kicker Justin
Tucker Ravens. Head coach John Harbo said the decision was
a quote complex decision making process between him, Steve, team
owner Steve Bashatti, President Sashi Brown, and general manager Eric Tacosta.
(31:39):
Pete Carl Armstrong got his fiftieth RBI and a two
to one win for the Cubs over the Rockies. The
Braves and the Phillies play tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Due to rain.
Speaker 7 (31:47):
Guardians outscored the Dodgers seven to four thanks to a
three run homer in the eighth inning from Angel Martinez.
Thanks a lot Tanner, Scott Clayton Kershaw five innutes, pitch
six hits, three strikeouts. He's out twenty six from three thousand.
The Pirates caruses dinabacks ten to one, Paul Stein's six
and two Thursdy and He's pitch seven strikeouts from the
Brewers walk it off back to back games against the
(32:10):
Red Sox six to five and ten and exists when
this three game sweep over there, White Sox top the
Mets nine to four, Giant Tigers edge the Giants four
to three. The race shout out the Twins five nothing
Houston started. Ronel Blanco undergoing elbow surgery next week that
I'll saw online him this year in most of twenty
twenty six a the Astros did beat the A's five
(32:31):
to three.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Back to you, guys, thanks a bunch Martin, Jason Smith,
Mike Harmon live from the Fox Sports Radio Studios coming
up next. Very harsh on n Edwards the last couple
of nights right his performance in some of the games
this series absolutely deserved, right for a guy who' supposed
to be the face of the league. Here is the
chosen one. But coming up next, I'm gonna actually help
(32:52):
him with what I think he absolutely needs next in
his evolution to be a superstar and continue to be
a superstar and a bigger one in the NBA. Somebody
already used the familyman thing. No, no telling you what
he needs that's coming up next right here, Fox. From
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Speaker 2 (33:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Jacent Smith's
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
Oh, it's always good to hear Shaboozy, but I don't
think you get ready Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Don't forget. Our best of podcast goes it right after
the show is over. Just search Jason Smith and Mike
Harmon wherever you get your podcast for I'm be sure
to follow review the podcast rated five stars again. Just
search Jason Smith and Mike Harmon wherever you get your podcasts.
You'll find today's show and a best of version posted
right after we get off the air. Well, the Thunder
are into the NBA Finals with a crushing one twenty
(34:36):
four ninety four win over the Timberwolves was never in doubt.
We'll have more on them coming up in a few minutes.
But Anthony Edwards is someone who the last couple of
Nice Boy we've really been rough on, and rightfully so
because for the superstar. He's positioning himself to be for
the hype that he's been given from former athletes and pundits.
(34:56):
The guy doesn't show up a lot, and he doesn'
show up enough in big series and the Timberwolves are
going home. Didn't show up in Game one, didn't show
up in the previous game. And that's a problem, right
if you're the face of the league, which he's not,
but if you're gonna be the face league, you have
to show up in every playoff game. And he doesn't.
(35:16):
And part of it is and you know, and it's
a really big thing. And I know you know all
the criticism we've had him the last couple of nights,
but not I want to help a little bit because
I'm about that. I'm about that positive.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Here about the positivity, okay, because first off, it was
just a step up in class, right, you got the
victory lap after beating the Lakers, you take down the Warriors, well,
degree of difficulty, A lot of arguments about its STEPH
Curry unavailable, no big man that you have to worry about,
or swarming defense for the Golden State Warriors. We can
all stipulate to that. Here an attacking squad eight to
(35:51):
nine deep, that all come at you from all angles,
I believe. On the radio broadcast at some point they go,
I think he's got ten hands in his face.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Now you've heard him say after the game the other night,
I don't look like it. As I struggled, I didn't
get shot. They didn't let me get shots, which is, dude,
you have to find the shots. You have to find
find the way to impact the game. He made the basketball, Jason,
and he would he wouldn't take any responsibility for which
is not what stars do. Now, I was thinking about
this after Rick Buker said this last on the show
about Anthony Edward, which may be the most damning thing
(36:22):
about Edwards to this point. Now here's one of the
reasons why Rick Buker told us why Edwards sometimes tends
to struggle in situations like this.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Like sometimes he can't read the defense. He needs Dante
to tell him, Donte Defincenzo to tell him what the
defense is doing and how they're playing.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Like that is that is the most.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Alarming admission by a star player that I can recall
ever hearing in my life. I mean, we're talking about
we're comparing this guy to Michael Jordan's and he can't
read defenses. And if you can't read the defense and
it looks the floor looks muddy, you're going to be tentive,
(37:01):
in tentative. You're going to like not be sure of
where you can go. And if you can't, you can't,
like or from the mid range. Then all you're looking
for is is there a path for me to get
to the rim? And if there isn't, again, that's what's
going to make a guy hesitant or tentative.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Now, huge deal, right, that's a huge deal. I can't
read your defenses. I tell Dante DiVincenzo, I tell him
what's going on. This is what Anthony Edwards needs. Okay,
this is where he needs. A Hall of Famer who
cares about the game, who cares about him, someone like Shaq,
because Shaq can really say from personally to sit down
with him in the offseason and say, you need to
(37:41):
do more, you need to do more if you're really
going to do something in this league, because Shack can
say because at different points where Shack at the point
his career, Hey, I had fun the first few years
I was in movies. Everything was great, But then I
knew my legacy was at stake, so I knew I
had to get someplace else other than Orlando, and I
had to, you know, get with a team where we
were going to win. The businesses was about winning championships,
and look I went and I won three with the Lakers.
(38:02):
I went one more with the heat Shack Hall of
Famer needs to sit Anthony Edwards down and say, you
can't just exist on what you do. If you have
trouble reading the defenses, guess what you got to get
in the film and understanding. You got have coaches explain
things to you. You have to the light switch has
to go on for you to go that. You know,
everybody has a lot of talent, but eventually, if you
(38:24):
want to be one of the all time greats, you
got to bring something else to the party. And you
need to take this off season to say how do
I become the best version of myself and not be
someone who can go out there and either not know
what I see and be tentative and then not take
responsibility for it. He needs that sit down from someone
who'll listen to that will say, look, this is your legas,
(38:45):
this is your life, your career, this is what you
need to do if you really want to be that
next level guy. And hopefully Anthony Edwards listens and in
five years there's a big ESPN story about how, oh,
a conversation I had with Shack after the Western Conference
finals and twenty twenty five really set me on the
right path. Like, I'm hoping that's what we get well
as a conversation.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
We've had numerous times, you and I over the years
as related to athletes translating their skills sets into the NFL. Right,
and certainly in these kind of terms, when you're looking
at the quarterback position where you have all world athletes
you've dominated, or refining your skills as a cornerback, as
(39:26):
a wide receiver, whatever. I mean, there's a different level
to it and nuance to separate good and athletic to
becoming great and consistently great.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (39:36):
The Kyler Murray example always comes up. Yeah, take your
shots about the video games, whatever, But this is a
guy where everything came easy. Right, You're a Heisman winner,
you're a top draft pick in baseball, and then all
of a sudden it becomes the weight. I've got to
spend extra time in the film room and I've got
to spend extra time communicating with the wide receivers in
(39:57):
a rotating group of them, right, and try to get
that consistency of delivery and timing, et cetera. Same thing
on the NBA side, for for Anthony Edwards here is yeah,
it's gonna be a revolving door of teammates. We certainly
see that year to year, the way the salary cap
works and guys trying to get paid in trades and
everything else. But it's also the you can't just rely
(40:20):
on the brute strength of what you were when you
were drafted into the league. There's got to be an
evolution to it. Today would have been a great example
of it.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
Right.
Speaker 5 (40:28):
He tried to affect the game, but it was all
on drives to the hoop. And if you're not getting a.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Call, no, right, you're not going to the game with
times a series where dude, this is killing your team.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
But he's one of seven from three point range. You
can look at the shot chart. Consistently hitting from the
outside isn't there. The mid ranges are there. It's predicated
a lot on getting to the rack and affecting the
game that way. You've got to evolve, expand it. He
needs that, He needs that conversation with a Hall of
Famer and that will do him a war. Buy the
cameo coming up next as good as the thunder Ar
(41:01):
steamrolling into the NBA Finals.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Have they been really underachievers the last few years? WHOA,
that's next, Fox,
Hosts And Creators
Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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