May 14, 2024 • 33 mins
Chris and Rob get into a heated debate over the Denver Nuggets improbably tying up their series with the Timberwolves 2-2 after back-to-back road wins in Minnesota and discuss Reggie Miller’s and Michael Wilbon’s very public criticisms of LeBron James in the last week. Plus, Denver Gazette columnist Woody Paige swings by to discuss his early experiences on ESPN with Chris and Rob, how the Nuggets have managed to overcome their 0-2 hole against the Timberwolves, Jamal Murray’s return to form in the last two games, Nikola Jokic’s MVP season thus far and much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seventh Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
You are right the Denver Nuggets, Man, I'm gonna give
them credit. I'm gonna give them credit. Like you said,
a lot of people were down on them. I did
think it might not go seven, Like I said, that
was my pick, but I was like, man, they might
not even get to seven.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
I was feeling like six is five even possible.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I thought, at worst Minnesota would go home or I'm sorry,
go back to Denver up three to one, Rob, And
instead the Nuggets took control of the series. And I
gotta give them credit because not only did they have
to fight through the mental anguish of being down two
(01:14):
having lost the first two at home, but Rob, it
looked like they were at a massive physical disadvantage.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
They looked slower, they looked.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Overwhelmed by the timberwolve speed and athleticism, and they came
out and they solved it.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Nicola Jokic was great.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Jamal Murray, Rob who I think, while Yogic is obviously
their best player and the hub of what they do,
I think the key is Murray because they need him
to really play well to win. But Aaron Gordon hit
threes to Grudy Gobert away from the basket, and.
Speaker 5 (01:55):
They played well.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I gotta give them credit, and their defense was strong.
So yeah, I think they showed the heart of a champion.
And now we got a serious and while I still
got the Timberwolves in seven, objectively speaking, you have to say.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Denver now has control.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
They got the home court advantage in these last three games,
and they have the momentum.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
The one thing, though, Rob, I don't know what momentum.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Means in this series because it's gone exactly opposite of
what you would expect, right with the road team winning
every game. So it's gonna it's a great series, and
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
All right.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
I'm gonna say this.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I'm not patting myself on the back, but I'm just
saying I did say, don't count these guys out even
when they were down. Oh to Chris, And this was
my point when we talked on Friday, because I know
you and Antonio were talking about there are no adjustments
to be made.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Well what adjustment?
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Well?
Speaker 1 (02:54):
What can at My biggest argument was they can play
better because that the way they played in the first
two games is different from playing well and losing those
two games. Then I would look at it and go, dude,
they got no shot.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
But there's a reason.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Teams no, no, But I'm just saying, but people can
play better.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Team can make them play back.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Okay, but people, But I didn't believe they were done
because I didn't see the best of those guys yet.
Jamal Murray was what shooting like twenty two percent at
one point or something.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
He's been shooting like that throughout the whole postseason.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, but but at that point where they were after
the first two games, late shots.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But he hasn't really been hot.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
But I think But there were a lot of people
and Antonio and who else he from, you sounded more
like it was gonna be a sweet I mean, I
know you said you said like this, you said it
was over.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Did you say that. Did you say it was a
series was over? You did say that?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I thought it was old. I think I still think
December was gonna win. I'm not backing down for my pick.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
No, I'm not saying that the timber Wolves were right.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
But you when you say the series is over, that
doesn't that doesn'tund like somebody who has a seven game
series when.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
You say this series is over.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I thought after too that they were in control of Minnesota?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Was not?
Speaker 5 (04:07):
You just said control? The series was over? Was your words?
Do we have a hot task?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
That's fine.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You're gonna pay yourself on the back and give me
some give me some some reasoning there other than that
they could play better, because that I mean, you're gonna
get up here like you you saw something what you see?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
I knew that they could play better. Yeah, they get
hit shot know that they couldn't that they when you
when that's you, Chris, you know just too good. You
are too good.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
They can't let me tell you that the mother Defensively,
they can't do anything. I don't know what if judgments
can they make. I don't see it because they're more
athletic and they don't look that good in the jokers
this and.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
The jokers that point the jokers what and my point
about the point totally?
Speaker 5 (04:56):
What did Sidney my points totally?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Anybody who listened to this show knows that you had
them dead and buried after two games. You're miscalculated, you
misreading the room. You misread the room on the championship tea,
you misread the room. You became a prison of the moment,
which is the worst when it comes to it being
an analysis of being a trying to analysis.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
You don't.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
You can.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
You rule all the time?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Wemby the defensive Player of the year. Oh, MVP Chris,
You're wrong every day here, every day and you were
dead wrong on this. You had them dead and buried
and guess what now you're saying they're alive and have.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Control of the series.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
How did that happen? Since an objective analyst? No, if
I'm wrong, hold on, I listened to your garbage. If
I'm wrong, I'll let me I'm wrong. But you you
gonna sit here? Had no reason?
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Reason?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
No, no, no, no no no.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
You don't want to hear it. You don't want to
hear my reason?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Go ahead, go ahead. Are you gonna let me talk
or not you could talk, well, then't be quiet.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
I don't have to be quiet, just talk.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
No, I'm not gonna sit here and let you interrupt
me every time.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
Chris, Yeah, whyett, I don't need to be quiet. Go
ahead and talk. I'll stop talking when you talk, all right.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
First of all, if you're gonna accuse me of being wrong,
know what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
You wrong?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You said Wiby was the defensive Player of the here.
I never said that. I say he's my vote for
Defensive Player of the year. Hold on, I never said
he was gonna win it. In fact, I said he
wasn't gonna win it, but that's not gonna affect my vote. Secondly,
who are MVP? I said, yok are just gonna win it.
(07:00):
But my MVP vote is Luca.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
So how is that wrong?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I wasn't predicting Luca was gonna win it or Winby
was gonna win it. So so I I give reasoning
and I made my picks for what I saw.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
It doesn't mean I was wrong wrong. I didn't.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Did I say Luca was brother? Chris? Did I say
you don't understanding world?
Speaker 7 (07:27):
I do?
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Now you don't?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
You obviously thought I don't pick you who I think
is going to win?
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Could I pick who I think should win?
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Write?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
And I'm telling you that your reason is is that wrong?
It is ill, ill faded, And you do it all
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
You picked Tom Brady to win the MVP over Aaron
Rodgers that year.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
Who okay, Rob, all right, I'm just I'm goat. I
don't know all your picks. I don't know who I'm
piving you picks. I last year I picked.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Joe LMB to win m v P. Did he win?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I don't remember what he did win?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And I'm not running around saying I was right, because
it ain't no right and wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You pick who you think, you don't I don't if
everybody picked based on well, I think everybody else gonna
vote for him, so let me vote for him. Why
would you even have people with votes? You don't understand
what you're talking about. Just like when you watch the Nuggets.
If you watch the Nuggets, you don't know what you
watch it. No, you don't know what. But you your
(08:31):
reason there was they could play.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Kenny, they could playda loss by playing Jimmy basketball analysis.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
You're in that Parker.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
You're analysis was jud they're dead, the series is over.
You're supposed to be the basketball analyst, and you couldn't
have been more wrong to say with Antonio Daniels.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
He Atonio Daniels don't know anything either.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I didn't say that.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
He's the one who said that the Nuggets were to
lose to Lakers, and he said they had no answer.
He also said they had no answer from Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Okay, so he was wrong.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
So what you what when they walk to the house, Oh,
don't be surprised if they got swept.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Now come on with that.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Antonio Daniels aren't here. I'll talk about you and me
talk to them when we get there. And all you
could say, at least they give me some reasoning. No,
you got a lot of nerds wrong, You got a
lot of nerves. Stick up my shirts, thretting like a
rooster when you don't know what the heck was going on?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
All right?
Speaker 8 (09:39):
You like, I know that they can play better. I
mean they could just make shots. Okay, congratulations, Rob Parker.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
No, you what you don't know, Chris is we talked
about it with the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
And this was the example. What you mean?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I gave you the example of when Anthony Davis scored
forty points in Game one on the road.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
In Denver and they lost.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
And I said that was a sign that the Lakers
can't win a game.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
That couldn't I know this year last year.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben
Maller along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would mean
a lot to have you join us on our weekly
auditory journey.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
You're asking, what in God's name is the Fifth Hour.
Speaker 7 (10:39):
I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
Maler show, a cult hit overnights on FSR.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 7 (10:46):
Picture if you will, a world where we chat with
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Speaker 3 (11:01):
You know the games are on and Reggie Miller that
was the Denver robbed you was at the Denver. That
was the Denver game, the Denver Minnesota game right game four,
and Reggie Miller is calling the game, Rob and uh,
he just you know, And they show Anthony Edwards after
(11:23):
Game three Rob and Anthony Edwards says it was his fault.
I didn't play well, I didn't come out with energy whatever,
and I'll take this loss.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
This is on me.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And Reggie took it for some whatever reason, took it
as an opportunity to really bash Lebron James.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
And here he goes, we've got veteran status in our games.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
A lot of people smelt Russ Moore the like and
point fingers that other. Here's a twenty two year old saying,
this is all Hicks my fault.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yeah, And obviously he did not mention Lebron and what
when he said veteran, it's like, okay. Once he said
Mount Rushmore, it was over. It was like, oh wow,
he's like calling out Lebron. And I expect Rob. I
might be wrong. We'll see, I expect. Whenever Reggie Miller
(12:19):
addresses this publicly, I'm I'm thinking he will deny.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
That he was talking about Lebron. Do you agree?
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (12:27):
No, I think I don't know how he's going to
say that. I don't know who was he talking about.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
In this league?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Chris and the other guy. The other guy's on Mount
Rushmore don't play in the league.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
They were tired. I guess who was he talking about?
Magic Johnson.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I'm like, I know, I'm with you. Obviously only one player.
You think he's going to say though that I was
talking about? Yes, I was Reggie. Were you talking about Lebron?
I was talking Lebron.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I don't think he's going to answer the question. But
I don't think he's gonna deny it. I just don't
think he'll.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I don't think I think he could throw Now, you're right,
he probably won't go into this much detail. He won't
go into detail on it because he could theoretic talking
about players shooter he and obviously he might be on
I guess if you want to say he's on the
mountain rest word because he changed the game, but.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Obviously he's not viewed as the top four player.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah, I say Kd's on some people's I mean say
that Chris.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Right, But I I agree. I don't think he'll I
don't think he'll name names. But what are your thoughts
on this.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
So I'm going to say this.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I want to go back, Chris, to to a week
and you and tell me if I'm it's a stretch,
if I'm reading too much into the te leaves. But
did you hear with Michael Willbond after Okay, Chris, we
both know Michael Willbond.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
For a million years.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
When Darbnham got fired, I've never heard Michael Willbond so angry, right,
and took it out on Lebron. I mean he went
at Lebron and.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
He said, I'm I'm talking about Lebron and Anthony Davis.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
Am I right?
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:12):
And he obviously dressed addressed Lebron because he was like,
you say you're.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
The gold right, That's okay. It was strong stuff.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
It was very strong.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Okay, So will Bond and now we are Reggie Miller
and I just wonder, Chris, there's two things I thought
of right away. A they already don't have a relationship
with Lebron, so it doesn't matter. And will Bond does
I'm just some degree.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
I mean, he's yeah, he has a relationship, and he's
he knows Lebron's pr guy. So I'm not saying they're
like like they're not as tight.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
As like him and Charles Barb him and Michael George something.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Like, you know what I mean, Right, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not like there's no yeah, but you know he's
done sitting down interviews with Lebron, which Lebron doesn't just
do it anybody, right, you.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
But it's either okay, So it's partly that or partly
that the end is nearing and you feel like Chris
like it doesn't matter, like like it doesn't matter, like
I'm just gonna say whatever I gotta say. If he does,
people don't want to talk to me. Lebron might play
a couple more or whatever it is. It just feels
(15:23):
like like there might be a degree of that.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Am I stretch? Is it a stretch? Am I reaching?
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Well?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Because people always when a guy is that big, you
gotta you know what I mean, you kind of want.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
To navigate through the water.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Not that you can't be critical, Chris, but you know,
when you're that critical on that kind of form format
for them, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
About that have to Oh yeah, I'm sure that's a
good question.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
The first thing I would say, like I said, will
Bond does have a relationship with Lebron because there's some
school of thought out there, and I don't agree with this.
Some people think he's trying to protect or sustain Michael
Jordan's goat status, right, like you know he's trying to
(16:13):
He was tearing down Lebron so because that's Jordan's competition
for the goal. I don't think that. Yeah, I just don't.
I think he was saying what he really felt.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I the thing is Rob Willbon doesn't need Lebron or
any player.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
But that's what I like.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Neither do you A like we're not reporters anymore.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
No, but that we don't have to.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Get an interview with somebody or try to break stories
or try to have them talk to us.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
I mean, we just.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
You don't talk to us, No matter we don't, that's
doesn't doesn't change our job.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
We could talk now. I was close with Lebron.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
I I haven't seen Lebron in a long time, just
because I don't go to as many games anymore. And
I used to write a lot. I wrote about five
or six cover stories on Lebron. There was a point
where where Lebron would like I did a lot of
sit down interviews with him, and we were really close,
(17:19):
but I also felt like or you know, close.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
As a reporter and journalist.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I mean, I mean, I don't act like we were
best friends or anything like that. But I did feel though,
like Rob, I still have to call it like I
see it.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
I can't just because I'm close with him.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
He gives me access that I have to, you know,
muzzle myself, and I tried to get my true feelings.
Sometimes it was very prolebron like when he when he
went to Miami, Robin just about every national figure was
killing him.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Because I felt like, you know, everybody's saying he's ego maniac.
I was like, well, he's he is suppressing his ego
to go play with two other stars. He was going
from being the king to wherever they were trying to
say three kings and all that stuff, you know, and I.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Was saying, he's sacrificing, you know, money.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
He was willing, at least initially it was to take
a little less money and stuff and so but anyway,
and then other times, Rob, I had to be critical.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You and I were.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
On first take during with Skip during that Dallas Miami.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Series when Lebron was like, yes, I put him down.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I sent you a picture of that recently, Chris, I
sent you a picture that I found.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
And I you know, I had been for years, you know,
a few years on first take Rob debating Skip about Lebron.
Skip of course was going against him, and I was defeat.
Didn't even make every stop. But truthfully, I felt that.
But I couldn't defend what happened against Dallas.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
No.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
I had to be objective. And you know, but that
is it can't be a challenge because sometimes you feel
like you need a player, But when you're in a
position like will mine or us or whatever, you don't
need the players because you're just giving your opinion, you
know what I mean. Like and that can even sometimes
(19:32):
it can even for some people. Rob, if you're close
to a player, it can't affect your commentary, right, and.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
You don't want to get into that right that realm
where you're doing that. You gotta be real. You can
be cool. It's a tough spot to be in, Chris,
but I just you got to face it when you can.
But the recent criticism to me.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Sounds like just sounds like you feel like.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
People have have harbored.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Some people have harbored these feelings against Lebron for years.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
No, I just think.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I just think at the end of at the end
of as time goes on, you know what I mean, Like,
you can't keep biting your tongue at some point, right
and I think, and I think that's where we are.
Speaker 5 (20:29):
Lebron's at the end. He might not be here in
another year or two.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
He's not the same player, not gonna be in the
championship or whatever it is. You know, it could be subconscious,
Chris not conscious. Subconscious. There are other stars in the league.
While look at that man, look at the Jokers won
three m VP. Do you see what I'm saying, Like
like like subconscious, the league is moving on, and I'm
not gonna be hurt by Lebron, even if I think
(20:54):
I'm just Bron will be.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
It'll be interesting to see what he does post playing Career.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio dot com
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Speaker 4 (21:11):
Our next guest. Oh, we both go back more than
twenty years now. At this point, he's a.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Famous Denver Gazet columnist. You see him all the time
on ESPN's Around the Horn. Our friend, Woody Page, Woody,
welcome to the Eye Couple.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
I'd like to go back twenty years guys.
Speaker 9 (21:34):
Period, right, I hear your next Hey, Woody, I was
telling Chris the story of when I tried out with
you for Cole Pizza for first intend remember that many
many moons ago.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
I remember, sure, Yes, I wanted both of you guys
to be my partner there.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
You remember that?
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Yes, yeah, I got I got stuck with the guys.
I don't know what happened to Skip.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
We were saying, and I mean you were the star
of the show at at that time, and I because
I was on there all the time and you were,
you would have had honcho on that first and then.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Back in the day.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
All right, wood he Well.
Speaker 6 (22:19):
You guys are calling me to congratulate.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
Me, right, Why what did you say? Tell us?
Speaker 6 (22:25):
Well, I was the one who said the series was
over between Minnesota and Denver and uh and Michael Malone
used me and the tape that he gave the players.
I'm the reason why they come back to make it too, too.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I would he I think I have you seen the tape.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
No, I've heard about it though, Yeah, I'm one of
the people in it.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Yeah I didn't.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
I believe I'm guessing because I was being really gloated
about them being done. So I'm in there too, but
I was in agreement. I still picked the Minnesota in set.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
I didn't pick.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
I thought after the first two games it might be quicker.
What do you think changed would he.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
In those you know, from those first two games to
the second two.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Guys, I think it's you. You'd have to go beyond
just making the thirty second response. There are a bunch
of different things. Truthfully, that happened. Well. One of the
issues that nobody's talking about is they were bringing the
ball up. The Nuggets were bringing the ball up to
court slowly, and they weren't getting into their offense. One
(23:39):
of the changes they made, and if you watch the
game the next game you'll see it is they're getting
across the midcourt line and two three, four seconds. So
it's giving them more of a chance to get into
the pick and roll with Murray and yokicch that and
(24:00):
can get you know, deeper in the court. So I
think that that is a small point. Maybe to some people,
but getting into your offense a lot quicker. And I
think secondly is both the bigs of the Timberwolves are
struggling in this series and Jo Kisch is going right
(24:23):
at Gobert. And if you've got Towns not you know,
hitting two out of ten shots or five out of sixteen,
you're not getting any help out of the out of
the Bigs. And so it's all on Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
How about fans in Denver Woody.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I mean, after you one of the championship a year
ago and then they lose the first two games at home,
did people panic in Denver?
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Well, I'm sayyboy, jump off a belt. I hold, yeah,
of course they did. Here's the point for you guys.
Tonight the Avalanche playing and they got both both their
teams in the basketball and hockey in the second round,
and not one of them is won a game at home.
(25:10):
The Avalanche lost the other night at home. The Nuggets
have lost two at home. This is the greatest home
court advantage in all sports. And for you to lose
at home, I think at least the I think we'll
see the Avalanche, who play in an hour or so.
I think they'll tie up that series and it'll be
(25:31):
too two also, So they're both in a situation where
if they are able to protect the home advantage that
we talked about over and over, you know, since you
guys were kids, we were talking about you know, in
football always had an advantage. Baseball the ball flies out
of course field, and of course in basketball and hockey
(25:54):
you wear teams down. So I mean, if they turned
this series around in both swarts because of the home court,
which has been a disadvantage to them, I think that
makes a difference. But I think this Minnesota Nuggets series
is going to go to the seventh game. I see
(26:14):
the Nuggets finally grabbing a game at home that kind
of figured it out. Murray seems to be and it
wasn't point. It wasn't made of it the other night,
I guess. But his screen in his in his leg
seems to be a lot better based on the way
he was moving around. So I think that having a day.
We saw something the other night that happened. The Denver
(26:36):
bench finally contributed more than two points.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
So right, and that's big two on the road.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Chris, What what what is Murray like? I don't know
him personally, I like him. I love his game. Obviously,
I didn't like though, you know, the situation where he's
through the heat pad. I actually think he definitely should
have been suspended, and if the Nuggets weren't down oh too,
(27:02):
maybe he would have been. I didn't like that he
didn't talk to the media after that, so I was
disappointed in that, and and it seemed to me like
it was an indictment of his character. But I've always
liked him outside of that. What is he like to
the degree that.
Speaker 6 (27:20):
You know him, Oh, he's really a nice guy. I
don't know that I've ever met a Canadian. I didn't
like that one played hockey.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Was I was gonna say what he did Canadians on
the nicest people going career.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Yeah, yeah, genuinely. If you Chris, if you or Rob
spent time with him, you'd go, there's one of the
nicest guys in the world. He's really a For instance,
early in the series, when he hit the two shots
that that won games against the Lakers, that the first
person he'd go go to was his his dad. His
(27:54):
dad's a class act. And I mean he comes from
a great family. He comes from good roots, growing up
in Canada, and I was kind of having fun with it.
But he genuinely is a good guy. With the Kentucky
briefly and he is a gentleman that was totally unlike him.
(28:15):
And we've all seen you guys have coded sports enough.
We've seen guys go off, and we saw it with
the Kitchen a couple of years ago when he whacked
the guy in the back of the head. And the
Kitchen is a good guy. He plays about every Fountain's
golf in his place. But I think you know Gobert,
(28:35):
you talked about it. He should have been spended. I
was in favor of that, actually, But Gobert earlier in
the year did the money sign, got all over the referees.
He was fined one hundred thousand dollars in a regular
season game, and that's basically what the league decided in
this situation. And Gobert last night was accused of doing
(29:01):
that money sign toward the referees. And if you saw
that play where he shoved Murray in the back, they
were late to call the play and that's when he
made So I would say this, I've known hundreds of
basketball players well, from Julia Serving to Bobby Jones, who
(29:26):
two guys that played for Philadelphia and championship teams, to
Michael Jordan, and I think all of them. This is
not defending Murray because I said to you, I thought
you sh'd been spending too. But I think every one
of them that I've known in fifty years of coming
basketball have had their moments. And he was so frustrated
(29:47):
he couldn't make anything. He felt like he was getting
jobbed on the court. If you remember, right before this
situation happened, he was trapped over on the side near
mid court and he didn't get a foul call. He
couldn't get the basket out, basketball out. It happens to
all of us. I think maybe you two guys, have
(30:10):
you a good churchman that you are, that you've never
had a call up work.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Well, at least moment I started to show it a
moment exactly at least Chris is at church.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
At least one of us are.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Yeah, I'm sure I've been pissed at a time, not
only Oh yeah, on national television. I'm on.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
That's that's right.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
I've gotten pissed on national television. And I don't know,
I don't I'm not sure. I have been whether I've
been suspended One time, I'll tell you I've never said this.
One time ESPN said take the rest of the week off,
and I thought, oh, they're giving me a vacation. I
don't know whether that was vacation or suspension.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
That was a suspension right there, take the rest of
the week off.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Right?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
That was?
Speaker 6 (30:58):
That was the ould Pizta.
Speaker 5 (31:01):
The Cole Pizza days.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Many yep, So what he last thing? We got about
a minute here. I also got a feel and maybe
I think that people they don't want the Joker to
win again. There's like he won three MVPs. If he wins,
(31:23):
if he wins another championship back to back, people are
gonna have to put this guy and respect him and
put him in. I say to I told to Chris
he'd be in my top ten in the NBA if
he was able to win a championship, and especially being
down oh two and coming back and then going through
to win another championship.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Where are you on where he fits in?
Speaker 6 (31:43):
Yeah? Well, he actually won for MVP, so the year
he didn't win the last year is not winning the
regular season MVP. He was the fine. So he's got
four I think it was sort of like Magic Johnson.
When he came in the league, we had never seen
anybody there was six ten as a point guard. He
really changed the concept of the game because if you remember,
(32:06):
and I'll make this short, but in the finals when
Kreem Abdul Jabbar was hurt, he moved from point point
guard to center and we went got totally changed the
concept of the game. Well, guess what we have seen.
A man in Yo could change the concept of the game.
And I think you're going to see more and more
(32:26):
players actually try to adopt what he's doing. So will
Chamberlain change the game? I think that Magic change the game.
And we're seeing that, and guys don't really know how
to take that, and there is fatigue. I mean, people
are saying, you know, we're tired of seeing his game,
(32:46):
let's see somebody else. Well, you're seeing Anthony Edwards. I
am so amazed by how many great young players they
are in the league.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
Yeah, and I.
Speaker 6 (32:55):
Think they're getting better educated at basketball by not going
to come because they're playing at au BO one hundred
days a year. They're playing, they're playing at academies, and
I think they're getting better as shooters. They're getting better
as athletes, and I'm amazed. And so when you've got
a guy that's not an athlete, and you could define athlete,
(33:19):
but when he's a basketball player, he is a basketball.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
He's the first point center we had to point forwards.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
He's a point center and there's no doubt about that.
Would he thank you.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
For joining the way, always afraid to talk with you.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 6 (33:35):
Yeah, and if we ever start co Pizza again, it'll
be the three of us.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Yes, let's do it. Let's do it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seventh Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
You are right the Denver Nuggets, Man, I'm gonna give
them credit. I'm gonna give them credit. Like you said,
a lot of people were down on them. I did
think it might not go seven, Like I said, that
was my pick, but I was like, man, they might
not even get to seven.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
I was feeling like six is five even possible.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I thought, at worst Minnesota would go home or I'm sorry,
go back to Denver up three to one, Rob, And
instead the Nuggets took control of the series. And I
gotta give them credit because not only did they have
to fight through the mental anguish of being down two
(01:14):
having lost the first two at home, but Rob, it
looked like they were at a massive physical disadvantage.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
They looked slower, they looked.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Overwhelmed by the timberwolve speed and athleticism, and they came
out and they solved it.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Nicola Jokic was great.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Jamal Murray, Rob who I think, while Yogic is obviously
their best player and the hub of what they do,
I think the key is Murray because they need him
to really play well to win. But Aaron Gordon hit
threes to Grudy Gobert away from the basket, and.
Speaker 5 (01:55):
They played well.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I gotta give them credit, and their defense was strong.
So yeah, I think they showed the heart of a champion.
And now we got a serious and while I still
got the Timberwolves in seven, objectively speaking, you have to say.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Denver now has control.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
They got the home court advantage in these last three games,
and they have the momentum.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
The one thing, though, Rob, I don't know what momentum.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Means in this series because it's gone exactly opposite of
what you would expect, right with the road team winning
every game. So it's gonna it's a great series, and
I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
All right.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
I'm gonna say this.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I'm not patting myself on the back, but I'm just
saying I did say, don't count these guys out even
when they were down. Oh to Chris, And this was
my point when we talked on Friday, because I know
you and Antonio were talking about there are no adjustments
to be made.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Well what adjustment?
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Well?
Speaker 1 (02:54):
What can at My biggest argument was they can play
better because that the way they played in the first
two games is different from playing well and losing those
two games. Then I would look at it and go, dude,
they got no shot.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
But there's a reason.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Teams no, no, But I'm just saying, but people can
play better.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Team can make them play back.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Okay, but people, But I didn't believe they were done
because I didn't see the best of those guys yet.
Jamal Murray was what shooting like twenty two percent at
one point or something.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
He's been shooting like that throughout the whole postseason.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, but but at that point where they were after
the first two games, late shots.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But he hasn't really been hot.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
But I think But there were a lot of people
and Antonio and who else he from, you sounded more
like it was gonna be a sweet I mean, I
know you said you said like this, you said it
was over.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Did you say that. Did you say it was a
series was over? You did say that?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I thought it was old. I think I still think
December was gonna win. I'm not backing down for my pick.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
No, I'm not saying that the timber Wolves were right.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
But you when you say the series is over, that
doesn't that doesn'tund like somebody who has a seven game
series when.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
You say this series is over.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
I thought after too that they were in control of Minnesota?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Was not?
Speaker 5 (04:07):
You just said control? The series was over? Was your words?
Do we have a hot task?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
That's fine.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
You're gonna pay yourself on the back and give me
some give me some some reasoning there other than that
they could play better, because that I mean, you're gonna
get up here like you you saw something what you see?
Speaker 5 (04:23):
I knew that they could play better. Yeah, they get
hit shot know that they couldn't that they when you
when that's you, Chris, you know just too good. You
are too good.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
They can't let me tell you that the mother Defensively,
they can't do anything. I don't know what if judgments
can they make. I don't see it because they're more
athletic and they don't look that good in the jokers
this and.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
The jokers that point the jokers what and my point
about the point totally?
Speaker 5 (04:56):
What did Sidney my points totally?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Anybody who listened to this show knows that you had
them dead and buried after two games. You're miscalculated, you
misreading the room. You misread the room on the championship tea,
you misread the room. You became a prison of the moment,
which is the worst when it comes to it being
an analysis of being a trying to analysis.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
You don't.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
You can.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
You rule all the time?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Wemby the defensive Player of the year. Oh, MVP Chris,
You're wrong every day here, every day and you were
dead wrong on this. You had them dead and buried
and guess what now you're saying they're alive and have.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Control of the series.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
How did that happen? Since an objective analyst? No, if
I'm wrong, hold on, I listened to your garbage. If
I'm wrong, I'll let me I'm wrong. But you you
gonna sit here? Had no reason?
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Reason?
Speaker 4 (06:06):
No, no, no, no no no.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
You don't want to hear it. You don't want to
hear my reason?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Go ahead, go ahead. Are you gonna let me talk
or not you could talk, well, then't be quiet.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
I don't have to be quiet, just talk.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
No, I'm not gonna sit here and let you interrupt
me every time.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
Chris, Yeah, whyett, I don't need to be quiet. Go
ahead and talk. I'll stop talking when you talk, all right.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
First of all, if you're gonna accuse me of being wrong,
know what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
You wrong?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You said Wiby was the defensive Player of the here.
I never said that. I say he's my vote for
Defensive Player of the year. Hold on, I never said
he was gonna win it. In fact, I said he
wasn't gonna win it, but that's not gonna affect my vote. Secondly,
who are MVP? I said, yok are just gonna win it.
(07:00):
But my MVP vote is Luca.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
So how is that wrong?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I wasn't predicting Luca was gonna win it or Winby
was gonna win it. So so I I give reasoning
and I made my picks for what I saw.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
It doesn't mean I was wrong wrong. I didn't.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Did I say Luca was brother? Chris? Did I say
you don't understanding world?
Speaker 7 (07:27):
I do?
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Now you don't?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
You obviously thought I don't pick you who I think
is going to win?
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Could I pick who I think should win?
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Write?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
And I'm telling you that your reason is is that wrong?
It is ill, ill faded, And you do it all
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
You picked Tom Brady to win the MVP over Aaron
Rodgers that year.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
Who okay, Rob, all right, I'm just I'm goat. I
don't know all your picks. I don't know who I'm
piving you picks. I last year I picked.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Joe LMB to win m v P. Did he win?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
I don't remember what he did win?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And I'm not running around saying I was right, because
it ain't no right and wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You pick who you think, you don't I don't if
everybody picked based on well, I think everybody else gonna
vote for him, so let me vote for him. Why
would you even have people with votes? You don't understand
what you're talking about. Just like when you watch the Nuggets.
If you watch the Nuggets, you don't know what you
watch it. No, you don't know what. But you your
(08:31):
reason there was they could play.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Kenny, they could playda loss by playing Jimmy basketball analysis.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
You're in that Parker.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
You're analysis was jud they're dead, the series is over.
You're supposed to be the basketball analyst, and you couldn't
have been more wrong to say with Antonio Daniels.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
He Atonio Daniels don't know anything either.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I didn't say that.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
He's the one who said that the Nuggets were to
lose to Lakers, and he said they had no answer.
He also said they had no answer from Minnesota.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Okay, so he was wrong.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
So what you what when they walk to the house, Oh,
don't be surprised if they got swept.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Now come on with that.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Antonio Daniels aren't here. I'll talk about you and me
talk to them when we get there. And all you
could say, at least they give me some reasoning. No,
you got a lot of nerds wrong, You got a
lot of nerves. Stick up my shirts, thretting like a
rooster when you don't know what the heck was going on?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
All right?
Speaker 8 (09:39):
You like, I know that they can play better. I
mean they could just make shots. Okay, congratulations, Rob Parker.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
No, you what you don't know, Chris is we talked
about it with the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
And this was the example. What you mean?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
I gave you the example of when Anthony Davis scored
forty points in Game one on the road.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
In Denver and they lost.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
And I said that was a sign that the Lakers
can't win a game.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
That couldn't I know this year last year.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben
Maller along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would mean
a lot to have you join us on our weekly
auditory journey.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
You're asking, what in God's name is the Fifth Hour.
Speaker 7 (10:39):
I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
Maler show, a cult hit overnights on FSR.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 7 (10:46):
Picture if you will, a world where we chat with
captains of industry in media, sports, and more every week,
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen
to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast this weekend.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
You know the games are on and Reggie Miller that
was the Denver robbed you was at the Denver. That
was the Denver game, the Denver Minnesota game right game four,
and Reggie Miller is calling the game, Rob and uh,
he just you know, And they show Anthony Edwards after
(11:23):
Game three Rob and Anthony Edwards says it was his fault.
I didn't play well, I didn't come out with energy whatever,
and I'll take this loss.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
This is on me.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And Reggie took it for some whatever reason, took it
as an opportunity to really bash Lebron James.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
And here he goes, we've got veteran status in our games.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
A lot of people smelt Russ Moore the like and
point fingers that other. Here's a twenty two year old saying,
this is all Hicks my fault.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yeah, And obviously he did not mention Lebron and what
when he said veteran, it's like, okay. Once he said
Mount Rushmore, it was over. It was like, oh wow,
he's like calling out Lebron. And I expect Rob. I
might be wrong. We'll see, I expect. Whenever Reggie Miller
(12:19):
addresses this publicly, I'm I'm thinking he will deny.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
That he was talking about Lebron. Do you agree?
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (12:27):
No, I think I don't know how he's going to
say that. I don't know who was he talking about.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
In this league?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Chris and the other guy. The other guy's on Mount
Rushmore don't play in the league.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
They were tired. I guess who was he talking about?
Magic Johnson.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I'm like, I know, I'm with you. Obviously only one player.
You think he's going to say though that I was
talking about? Yes, I was Reggie. Were you talking about Lebron?
I was talking Lebron.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I don't think he's going to answer the question. But
I don't think he's gonna deny it. I just don't
think he'll.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I don't think I think he could throw Now, you're right,
he probably won't go into this much detail. He won't
go into detail on it because he could theoretic talking
about players shooter he and obviously he might be on
I guess if you want to say he's on the
mountain rest word because he changed the game, but.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Obviously he's not viewed as the top four player.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Yeah, I say Kd's on some people's I mean say
that Chris.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Right, But I I agree. I don't think he'll I
don't think he'll name names. But what are your thoughts
on this.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
So I'm going to say this.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
I want to go back, Chris, to to a week
and you and tell me if I'm it's a stretch,
if I'm reading too much into the te leaves. But
did you hear with Michael Willbond after Okay, Chris, we
both know Michael Willbond.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
For a million years.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
When Darbnham got fired, I've never heard Michael Willbond so angry, right,
and took it out on Lebron. I mean he went
at Lebron and.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
He said, I'm I'm talking about Lebron and Anthony Davis.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
Am I right?
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:12):
And he obviously dressed addressed Lebron because he was like,
you say you're.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
The gold right, That's okay. It was strong stuff.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
It was very strong.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Okay, So will Bond and now we are Reggie Miller
and I just wonder, Chris, there's two things I thought
of right away. A they already don't have a relationship
with Lebron, so it doesn't matter. And will Bond does
I'm just some degree.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
I mean, he's yeah, he has a relationship, and he's
he knows Lebron's pr guy. So I'm not saying they're
like like they're not as tight.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
As like him and Charles Barb him and Michael George something.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Like, you know what I mean, Right, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not like there's no yeah, but you know he's
done sitting down interviews with Lebron, which Lebron doesn't just
do it anybody, right, you.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
But it's either okay, So it's partly that or partly
that the end is nearing and you feel like Chris
like it doesn't matter, like like it doesn't matter, like
I'm just gonna say whatever I gotta say. If he does,
people don't want to talk to me. Lebron might play
a couple more or whatever it is. It just feels
(15:23):
like like there might be a degree of that.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Am I stretch? Is it a stretch? Am I reaching?
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Well?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Because people always when a guy is that big, you
gotta you know what I mean, you kind of want.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
To navigate through the water.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Not that you can't be critical, Chris, but you know,
when you're that critical on that kind of form format
for them, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
About that have to Oh yeah, I'm sure that's a
good question.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
The first thing I would say, like I said, will
Bond does have a relationship with Lebron because there's some
school of thought out there, and I don't agree with this.
Some people think he's trying to protect or sustain Michael
Jordan's goat status, right, like you know he's trying to
(16:13):
He was tearing down Lebron so because that's Jordan's competition
for the goal. I don't think that. Yeah, I just don't.
I think he was saying what he really felt.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Now.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I the thing is Rob Willbon doesn't need Lebron or
any player.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
But that's what I like.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Neither do you A like we're not reporters anymore.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
No, but that we don't have to.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Get an interview with somebody or try to break stories
or try to have them talk to us.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
I mean, we just.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
You don't talk to us, No matter we don't, that's
doesn't doesn't change our job.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
We could talk now. I was close with Lebron.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
I I haven't seen Lebron in a long time, just
because I don't go to as many games anymore. And
I used to write a lot. I wrote about five
or six cover stories on Lebron. There was a point
where where Lebron would like I did a lot of
sit down interviews with him, and we were really close,
(17:19):
but I also felt like or you know, close.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
As a reporter and journalist.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I mean, I mean, I don't act like we were
best friends or anything like that. But I did feel though,
like Rob, I still have to call it like I
see it.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
I can't just because I'm close with him.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
He gives me access that I have to, you know,
muzzle myself, and I tried to get my true feelings.
Sometimes it was very prolebron like when he when he
went to Miami, Robin just about every national figure was
killing him.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Because I felt like, you know, everybody's saying he's ego maniac.
I was like, well, he's he is suppressing his ego
to go play with two other stars. He was going
from being the king to wherever they were trying to
say three kings and all that stuff, you know, and I.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Was saying, he's sacrificing, you know, money.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
He was willing, at least initially it was to take
a little less money and stuff and so but anyway,
and then other times, Rob, I had to be critical.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You and I were.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
On first take during with Skip during that Dallas Miami.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Series when Lebron was like, yes, I put him down.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
I sent you a picture of that recently, Chris, I
sent you a picture that I found.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
And I you know, I had been for years, you know,
a few years on first take Rob debating Skip about Lebron.
Skip of course was going against him, and I was defeat.
Didn't even make every stop. But truthfully, I felt that.
But I couldn't defend what happened against Dallas.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
No.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
I had to be objective. And you know, but that
is it can't be a challenge because sometimes you feel
like you need a player, But when you're in a
position like will mine or us or whatever, you don't
need the players because you're just giving your opinion, you
know what I mean. Like and that can even sometimes
(19:32):
it can even for some people. Rob, if you're close
to a player, it can't affect your commentary, right, and.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
You don't want to get into that right that realm
where you're doing that. You gotta be real. You can
be cool. It's a tough spot to be in, Chris,
but I just you got to face it when you can.
But the recent criticism to me.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Sounds like just sounds like you feel like.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
People have have harbored.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Some people have harbored these feelings against Lebron for years.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
No, I just think.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I just think at the end of at the end
of as time goes on, you know what I mean, Like,
you can't keep biting your tongue at some point, right
and I think, and I think that's where we are.
Speaker 5 (20:29):
Lebron's at the end. He might not be here in
another year or two.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
He's not the same player, not gonna be in the
championship or whatever it is. You know, it could be subconscious,
Chris not conscious. Subconscious. There are other stars in the league.
While look at that man, look at the Jokers won
three m VP. Do you see what I'm saying, Like
like like subconscious, the league is moving on, and I'm
not gonna be hurt by Lebron, even if I think
(20:54):
I'm just Bron will be.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
It'll be interesting to see what he does post playing Career.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio dot com
and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Our next guest. Oh, we both go back more than
twenty years now. At this point, he's a.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Famous Denver Gazet columnist. You see him all the time
on ESPN's Around the Horn. Our friend, Woody Page, Woody,
welcome to the Eye Couple.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
I'd like to go back twenty years guys.
Speaker 9 (21:34):
Period, right, I hear your next Hey, Woody, I was
telling Chris the story of when I tried out with
you for Cole Pizza for first intend remember that many
many moons ago.
Speaker 6 (21:45):
I remember, sure, Yes, I wanted both of you guys
to be my partner there.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
You remember that?
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Yes, yeah, I got I got stuck with the guys.
I don't know what happened to Skip.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
We were saying, and I mean you were the star
of the show at at that time, and I because
I was on there all the time and you were,
you would have had honcho on that first and then.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Back in the day.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
All right, wood he Well.
Speaker 6 (22:19):
You guys are calling me to congratulate.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
Me, right, Why what did you say? Tell us?
Speaker 6 (22:25):
Well, I was the one who said the series was
over between Minnesota and Denver and uh and Michael Malone
used me and the tape that he gave the players.
I'm the reason why they come back to make it too, too.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I would he I think I have you seen the tape.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
No, I've heard about it though, Yeah, I'm one of
the people in it.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Yeah I didn't.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
I believe I'm guessing because I was being really gloated
about them being done. So I'm in there too, but
I was in agreement. I still picked the Minnesota in set.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
I didn't pick.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
I thought after the first two games it might be quicker.
What do you think changed would he.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
In those you know, from those first two games to
the second two.
Speaker 6 (23:17):
Guys, I think it's you. You'd have to go beyond
just making the thirty second response. There are a bunch
of different things. Truthfully, that happened. Well. One of the
issues that nobody's talking about is they were bringing the
ball up. The Nuggets were bringing the ball up to
court slowly, and they weren't getting into their offense. One
(23:39):
of the changes they made, and if you watch the
game the next game you'll see it is they're getting
across the midcourt line and two three, four seconds. So
it's giving them more of a chance to get into
the pick and roll with Murray and yokicch that and
(24:00):
can get you know, deeper in the court. So I
think that that is a small point. Maybe to some people,
but getting into your offense a lot quicker. And I
think secondly is both the bigs of the Timberwolves are
struggling in this series and Jo Kisch is going right
(24:23):
at Gobert. And if you've got Towns not you know,
hitting two out of ten shots or five out of sixteen,
you're not getting any help out of the out of
the Bigs. And so it's all on Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
How about fans in Denver Woody.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I mean, after you one of the championship a year
ago and then they lose the first two games at home,
did people panic in Denver?
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Well, I'm sayyboy, jump off a belt. I hold, yeah,
of course they did. Here's the point for you guys.
Tonight the Avalanche playing and they got both both their
teams in the basketball and hockey in the second round,
and not one of them is won a game at home.
(25:10):
The Avalanche lost the other night at home. The Nuggets
have lost two at home. This is the greatest home
court advantage in all sports. And for you to lose
at home, I think at least the I think we'll
see the Avalanche, who play in an hour or so.
I think they'll tie up that series and it'll be
(25:31):
too two also, So they're both in a situation where
if they are able to protect the home advantage that
we talked about over and over, you know, since you
guys were kids, we were talking about you know, in
football always had an advantage. Baseball the ball flies out
of course field, and of course in basketball and hockey
(25:54):
you wear teams down. So I mean, if they turned
this series around in both swarts because of the home court,
which has been a disadvantage to them, I think that
makes a difference. But I think this Minnesota Nuggets series
is going to go to the seventh game. I see
(26:14):
the Nuggets finally grabbing a game at home that kind
of figured it out. Murray seems to be and it
wasn't point. It wasn't made of it the other night,
I guess. But his screen in his in his leg
seems to be a lot better based on the way
he was moving around. So I think that having a day.
We saw something the other night that happened. The Denver
(26:36):
bench finally contributed more than two points.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
So right, and that's big two on the road.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Chris, What what what is Murray like? I don't know
him personally, I like him. I love his game. Obviously,
I didn't like though, you know, the situation where he's
through the heat pad. I actually think he definitely should
have been suspended, and if the Nuggets weren't down oh too,
(27:02):
maybe he would have been. I didn't like that he
didn't talk to the media after that, so I was
disappointed in that, and and it seemed to me like
it was an indictment of his character. But I've always
liked him outside of that. What is he like to
the degree that.
Speaker 6 (27:20):
You know him, Oh, he's really a nice guy. I
don't know that I've ever met a Canadian. I didn't
like that one played hockey.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Was I was gonna say what he did Canadians on
the nicest people going career.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Yeah, yeah, genuinely. If you Chris, if you or Rob
spent time with him, you'd go, there's one of the
nicest guys in the world. He's really a For instance,
early in the series, when he hit the two shots
that that won games against the Lakers, that the first
person he'd go go to was his his dad. His
(27:54):
dad's a class act. And I mean he comes from
a great family. He comes from good roots, growing up
in Canada, and I was kind of having fun with it.
But he genuinely is a good guy. With the Kentucky
briefly and he is a gentleman that was totally unlike him.
(28:15):
And we've all seen you guys have coded sports enough.
We've seen guys go off, and we saw it with
the Kitchen a couple of years ago when he whacked
the guy in the back of the head. And the
Kitchen is a good guy. He plays about every Fountain's
golf in his place. But I think you know Gobert,
(28:35):
you talked about it. He should have been spended. I
was in favor of that, actually, But Gobert earlier in
the year did the money sign, got all over the referees.
He was fined one hundred thousand dollars in a regular
season game, and that's basically what the league decided in
this situation. And Gobert last night was accused of doing
(29:01):
that money sign toward the referees. And if you saw
that play where he shoved Murray in the back, they
were late to call the play and that's when he
made So I would say this, I've known hundreds of
basketball players well, from Julia Serving to Bobby Jones, who
(29:26):
two guys that played for Philadelphia and championship teams, to
Michael Jordan, and I think all of them. This is
not defending Murray because I said to you, I thought
you sh'd been spending too. But I think every one
of them that I've known in fifty years of coming
basketball have had their moments. And he was so frustrated
(29:47):
he couldn't make anything. He felt like he was getting
jobbed on the court. If you remember, right before this
situation happened, he was trapped over on the side near
mid court and he didn't get a foul call. He
couldn't get the basket out, basketball out. It happens to
all of us. I think maybe you two guys, have
(30:10):
you a good churchman that you are, that you've never
had a call up work.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Well, at least moment I started to show it a
moment exactly at least Chris is at church.
Speaker 5 (30:23):
At least one of us are.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Yeah, I'm sure I've been pissed at a time, not
only Oh yeah, on national television. I'm on.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
That's that's right.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
I've gotten pissed on national television. And I don't know,
I don't I'm not sure. I have been whether I've
been suspended One time, I'll tell you I've never said this.
One time ESPN said take the rest of the week off,
and I thought, oh, they're giving me a vacation. I
don't know whether that was vacation or suspension.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
That was a suspension right there, take the rest of
the week off.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Right?
Speaker 2 (30:57):
That was?
Speaker 6 (30:58):
That was the ould Pizta.
Speaker 5 (31:01):
The Cole Pizza days.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Many yep, So what he last thing? We got about
a minute here. I also got a feel and maybe
I think that people they don't want the Joker to
win again. There's like he won three MVPs. If he wins,
(31:23):
if he wins another championship back to back, people are
gonna have to put this guy and respect him and
put him in. I say to I told to Chris
he'd be in my top ten in the NBA if
he was able to win a championship, and especially being
down oh two and coming back and then going through
to win another championship.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
Where are you on where he fits in?
Speaker 6 (31:43):
Yeah? Well, he actually won for MVP, so the year
he didn't win the last year is not winning the
regular season MVP. He was the fine. So he's got
four I think it was sort of like Magic Johnson.
When he came in the league, we had never seen
anybody there was six ten as a point guard. He
really changed the concept of the game because if you remember,
(32:06):
and I'll make this short, but in the finals when
Kreem Abdul Jabbar was hurt, he moved from point point
guard to center and we went got totally changed the
concept of the game. Well, guess what we have seen.
A man in Yo could change the concept of the game.
And I think you're going to see more and more
(32:26):
players actually try to adopt what he's doing. So will
Chamberlain change the game? I think that Magic change the game.
And we're seeing that, and guys don't really know how
to take that, and there is fatigue. I mean, people
are saying, you know, we're tired of seeing his game,
(32:46):
let's see somebody else. Well, you're seeing Anthony Edwards. I
am so amazed by how many great young players they
are in the league.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
Yeah, and I.
Speaker 6 (32:55):
Think they're getting better educated at basketball by not going
to come because they're playing at au BO one hundred
days a year. They're playing, they're playing at academies, and
I think they're getting better as shooters. They're getting better
as athletes, and I'm amazed. And so when you've got
a guy that's not an athlete, and you could define athlete,
(33:19):
but when he's a basketball player, he is a basketball.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
He's the first point center we had to point forwards.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
He's a point center and there's no doubt about that.
Would he thank you.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
For joining the way, always afraid to talk with you.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 6 (33:35):
Yeah, and if we ever start co Pizza again, it'll
be the three of us.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Yes, let's do it. Let's do it.
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