April 12, 2021 • 39 mins
Chris and Rob discuss Kyrie Irving's decision to take time away from the team for 'personal reasons' yet again and tell us if it might negatively affect the Brooklyn Nets down the road, and tell us if Detroit Tigers youngster Akil Baddoo is destined for superstardom. Plus, Timberwolves VP of Player Programs/Diversity and Inclusion Tru Pettigrew checks in to discuss how T'Wolves players are coping with the latest incident of an innocent black male being killed at the hands of police.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
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(00:22):
R party. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right,
it's the I Couple. Chris and Rob coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studio dood Lot. You
can also follow robbing me on social media. Rob is
(00:43):
at Roy Parker FS one on both Twitter and Instagram.
I am at Chris Underscore, Bruce Art on Twitter, Chris
Bruce R. Sixty eight on the gram at the bottom
of the hour. Different type of guest, uh Troupe Pettigrew.
He's the Minnesota Timberwolves Vice president of Player Programs, Diversity
(01:07):
and Inclusion. And as you know, the professional teams in Minnesota,
the Twins, the t Wolves, and the hockey team I
can't think of their name, the Wire, the Wild. Yes,
they are not playing today because of the latest shooting
(01:28):
which took play place yesterday, the police shooting of an
unknarmed twenty year old African American man an they ruled
to the homicide. It's already ruled as a homicide. That's
what I saw, Okay, okay, uh, well, I was quick.
I'm just saying to me, that's good because she said,
(01:51):
I mean, she clearly shot him, and she said she
was trying to use she thought she was using her
taser instead of a gun. One that sounds like a lie.
But if it's not you if you don't know the difference,
if you're a cop and you know a little difference
between a taser and a gun, you shouldn't be You
shouldn't be in that position, as simple as that. So
(02:13):
we'll see how that plays out. But as interest, I
hadn't heard that yet, Rob. But anyway, I just saw
it somewhere like I'm trying to find a story, but
I did see. You know, it wasn't a tweet. It
was a new story. I just find it. That's part
of his job is to deal with the players, and
these are young African American men going through you know,
look rob Let's face. I was just talking to a
(02:36):
friend of mine, one of my college teammates in basketball
who lived in Minnesota and Minneapolis and he In fact,
he lived in the suburb next to Brooklyn's Center, which
was a suburb that Dante Wright was killed in. He
lived right next door. I think it was called Brooklyn Park.
And he's got a son's one is twenty four and
(03:00):
the other I believe is twenty. And he's concerned. He's like,
what I mean, I've got daughters. I'm concerned about them.
But obviously it seems happen more with black men. And
if I had a son that age or you look,
it could happen. You know, it's happening the older black
(03:20):
men too. But a lot of African Americans I've spoken
with who have sons that age are very concerned. And
so we'll talk with true and see what you tell.
You know, these young players who probably are were we
I mean, you heard Lebron James, Lebron James say he
was frightened, and he's Lebron Jack, who I think everybody
(03:42):
will go over many times. And I've been in that situation,
and it's not it's never cool. It's never good because
you just don't know. You've got too many cops out there, Chris,
who are afraid of black men, just period. And you
cannot You shouldn't be a cop if you're afraid of
the people you're going you're supposed to protect and serve.
(04:05):
You can't, can't. I mean just the other day, the
other one we saw was the lieutenant in the army
and his fatigues. And you know he has, Chris, he
knows his rights. You don't have to get out of
a car on a traffic stop. They immediately want him
to get out the car for what he drives to
(04:25):
a lighted gas stations. That sounds like somebody who wants
to do something where cameras are like, like, none of
it makes none of it makes sense, Chris, none of it.
I mean, if they'll do that to somebody in army fatigue,
that's what I'm just saying. Like that they I mean,
anybody can buy army fatigue, you know that. But but
I'm just saying, he knows his rights, Chris. It's a
(04:48):
it's up traffic stop, right, it's a traffic stop. Really,
get out the car with guns drawn because your lights
it's on the back, Chris, it's there. But of course
they don't see that. They see a brand new truck
and a black guy driving in. I'm sorry, this is
(05:10):
what goes on, and it's ridiculous, it's a heartbreaking. I
was texting with I've been texting with an NBA coach
tonight who is gonna he has not has to, he's
going to and he has to address his players and
talk about this because Rob, you just said it, black
(05:30):
male in a nice car. Yes, I think I've said
this on the show before. I've never been stopped by
myself just for no reason. I've been stopped plenty of
times for speeding or whatever, but no, for no reason.
I've never been stopped by myself because I think cops
may think I'm white because I'm very light skinned, obviously.
(05:50):
But I've been stopped three times, and every time for nothing,
and each time I was with African American males who
clearly were you know, dark skinned, brown skin, clearly black.
One time was an NBA player doing nothing? No, no, no, dad.
What they said, Chris. They said it was something about
he had led lights on at the b They didn't
(06:12):
give us a ticket or anything, but because about his
lights wrong, which I don't even it's fix. It's a
fishing expedition, Chris. They're hoping that you got something. Do
you know what like, like, that's really what it is. Yeah.
I can remember after covering a game down in land Over, Maryland,
Chris the old days, the bullets, me, Clifton Brown from
(06:36):
the New York Times, another reporter, and my best friend Fred.
We're all dropping Fred off from the game after we
went out nothing. You know, a blinking yellow, we slow down.
You know you're not supposed to stop. You slow down,
a blinking yellow, right, blinking red, you stop, slows down?
(06:56):
Cops come pull us over? Four other cops, cars, dogs, everything,
what I'm serious? All we're doing it and three of
us are, you know, members of the media. It's late, Chris,
game's over. You go out for you know a little bit,
and then it's late. I'll give you that, but it's
no crime. And Cliff Brown gets out of here as
(07:19):
his New York Times ID and then all of a
sudden everything was all right. They had no cause to
stop us. No, those four black guys in the car,
that's it. And it was late. Wow. Well, um, its interesting, Rabbit,
And we didn't mean to kind of get off when
I was just introducing up. But but it's interesting because
we're gonna talk about Kyrie Irving and we will him
(07:42):
they're not playing the night because they were scheduled to
play Minnesota the Brooklyn Nets, but Kyrie was going to
miss the game for personal reasons. Anyway. Now, I think
it came out before. I think it did. I think
it came out that he wasn't gonna play before I
heard that, right, Yeah, I don't know about this. The army, uh,
(08:05):
the guy that was in the army. Yeah, but that
that happened in December. We just got the body cam,
you know what I mean. Yeah, that happened in December
and we just finally saw the pictures to go along
with that. So that wasn't new. But this is when
Kyrie sat out his first sabbatical, if you will, early
in the season. It was at least somewhat related to
(08:28):
the events that went on into Capitol. I don't know
if this time, you know, it's related to any of
these recent events or not. But um, what is your
what are your thoughts? Rob? I mean, look, we talked
about it with Carrie Kittles. Um, maybe the Nets, I
would I'm sure Rob, they have some type of understanding
(08:50):
with Kyrie. I would think Carrie, you know, he's a
former Net, he's I'm sure he's plugged in with that team.
He's got people there, he's still building, you know what
I mean. On the organization, maybe that same exact people,
but I'm sure he knows some people, Chris. I'm if
the nets know what's going on and they're cool with it,
I'm gonna be cool with it. And you know this
(09:10):
teammates organizations. If there's a problem, they let you know.
They might not say it directly, Chris, but they would
put something out there if they weren't happy or if
there's some issue. Do you know what I mean, Like
there would have been something, And I just kywe's a
different cat. I can appreciate people being different. Everybody's not
the same. If this is what he has to deal
(09:33):
with or how he deals with stuff, everybody's different. And
I it's no excuse when he's out there and carry
said it. When he's out there, ain't balling, He ain't
it ain't like he don't want to play or he's
not playing or he's not pulling his weight, Chris, when
he does come back. But she was incredible rob that
because and we don't know this, but from the outside
(09:54):
looking in, it kind of feels like basketball is not
his prior. Ay, it feels I'm not saying it isn't,
but you know, him missing so many games, and it
feels that way. He's obviously got many other interests. But
on the other hand, he's so good it's like how
(10:14):
in the world. And obviously at a younger point in
his life, he clearly worked very hard on You see
the play made Saturday, Chris underneath the basket. I can't
remember the face he does it. He does it once
every half, but I know, but there was some play
I just shook my head like, how did he how
did that go in? He's one of my my fun my,
(10:37):
I don't know, funny stood. He's one of the most
exciting players in the league, one of the guys I
most enjoy watching rob right because the handle is ridiculous,
the finishes are ridiculous. He can hit the three, he
can hit the mid range. I mean, it's just crazy.
But you know, look, I'm with you in that. You
(10:59):
just if a guy's going through something mentally and he
needs a break, don't know what, right right then, and
he's that good and not that it shouldn't be the
case for the fourteenth or fifteenth man but we know
this business robe and in any business really, it's gonna
(11:19):
be different from the superstars, right and has an issue.
You know, we might have to get another producer. You
better be here every day, um, and you better get
here early. But but you know with Kyrie, you're going
to do what you have to do to have him
at his best. Um. I Rob, there's a part of
(11:41):
me that wonders. And I don't know if this is
a goal or thought even a thought in Kyrie's mind,
but um, could something you know, could could down the
line in the future. We know that there's been an
emphasis on mental health in the NBA, and you know
(12:02):
we've seen Demark de Ros and Kevin Love talking about it. Uh,
you wonder if something could be at some point where
guys get if you need a little mental day. Yeah, yeah,
I'm not I'm not sure. I think it's definitely unique. Remember,
(12:25):
you only play eighty normally eighty two games. It's three
hundred and sixty five days a year. There's plenty of time.
And I'm not saying, Chris, whatever you're going through, I
don't know if the NBA's headed to that. I just
don't I think on an individual on an individual level.
But I don't think they're going to establish like some
sort of thing where you can kind of opt out.
(12:46):
And I think that it would have to player would
have to just, you know what I mean, like go
to ownership and say, man, I'm going through this and
I need time, you know what I mean, And then
they'd have to evaluate them, send them to have him
see a doctor or whatever, and then go, Okay, yeah,
this dude's under some streuss and some things are going
on in his life that he needs to take a
(13:08):
mental break. Yeah, I don't. I don't see that becoming
an official thing anytime soon, if ever. But it's interesting.
It really is an interesting situation. And I'll tell you this, Rob,
And like you, I've picked the Nets to win it
(13:28):
if they win it, and I obviously they're more talented
than anybody else. I think even the teams that are
trying to beat them probably admit that the Nets have
the most talent talent in the league. So they're an aberration,
They're an unusual situation. But Rob, if they win this championship,
(13:50):
I gotta be honest, I think it may change. It's
gonna change. It's already changed, like the way peap players
look at the regular season has already changed. If they
win it, it is going to change, I think drastically.
I We already have some players who don't think the
(14:12):
regular season is as important because it's really all about
winning the championship. And if they can win the championship
with guys missing so many games and taking days off
and their stars only played maybe fifteen twenty games together, obviously,
(14:33):
like I said, no other team has this type of talent.
But I do think it could lead to a drastic
change in the way guys view the regular season. Yeah,
it is different, um, but that that's that's up to
the league to make it worth while again, you know.
And that's the thing you don't want to have where
(14:55):
your regular season has been uh, you know, diminished, and
people don't care about it. If you don't, you just don't.
You don't want that. You don't want to madness exactly
what they say, the hell with college basketball. I'll see
you in March, and that's it. And so you watch
three weeks of college basketball and and and you call
it a day. That's what college basketball's gone, right, right, Nah,
(15:17):
I hear you. You definitely don't want that, So Ken
the Nettes get it done? Um, are you starting to
worry about their continuity, their familiarity, their chemistry? Eight seven,
seven ninety nine Fox, Are these guys playing We all
know how talented they are. Are they playing enough games together?
(15:41):
It's been seven folks, Kyrie, James Harden, Kevin Durant have
played seven games together. That's it and they're heading into
the playoffs in a few weeks. Will they have enough
chemistry to get it done? You're turned away? In with
(16:02):
Chris and Rob the ID couple Fox Sports Radio. Fox
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(16:23):
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Fix you'll turn away in on the nets and Kyrie Irving.
Let's get to it, all right, Dre and Michigan. You're
on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Dre?
And what it dude? People's y'all right? Oh yeah, what
(17:29):
it looked like, Brian? What it looked like? Oh it
looked very well, Chris. That quote from Friday about the
hard times make strong man, that's mine now I put
out Yes that belongs to me? Good? Yes? Hey, also too,
how you broke down a difference between the E eight
I mean er and the A versus the N work.
It's not a difference, just the way we speak it
(17:51):
but it means the same thing. Thank you for right
all right for you. So no on to the nets.
I think I think that's gonna come back to hunt
them only because you know now at the time when
you build up that continuity, so when you come down,
when you got to get down in the mud, you
know you can trust your brother. You know your brother
got you when like, let's say, on the defensive sign, oh,
calcul in my mans slack, because I know what you're
(18:12):
gonna do. You got to build that colladie. Now you
can't just go into the playoff thing like okay, boom,
we got it. Yeah, y'all got all the talent in
the world, but eventually y'all don't have to rely on
y'all chemistry too. Not. Look, it's something, it's legit. Like
I said, Rob, if they win this championship, it will
be wholly unprecedented. I mean, they got the talent too,
but we haven't seen it happen this way, but we'll see,
(18:35):
you know, it'll when they get in the tough moments,
you know, the grind out games that if they if
they're challenging a series, you know, and you don't remember though,
that Golden State team right now. Obviously, the other guys
outside of Durant had it. Remember k D was hurt
for a long stretch in the first year, right toward
the end of the season, and he came back and
(18:57):
he was ready for the playoffs. And obviously they just
ran through everybody. So we will see, but they are.
It's gonna be interesting. Tony in DC, you're in the
odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Tony Fellas,
what's good? Always glad to hear you, guys, voices always
off with you, Cats, God bless um. Two things here.
(19:20):
I think that they won't have a problem because out
of every team in the East, the two most important
players on the nets are championship and battle tested. Kyrie,
I believe was on the team down three one. He
knows what it's like to hit the big shot in
the big absolutely, KAD knows how to hit the big
shot in the big moment. So even if they do
have some rough waters, they got the two guys like, hey, guys,
(19:43):
we're gonna be okay, play our game. This is what
we gotta do. And these are two top dogs on
your team that even Harden has to listen to because
he hasn't been to where they've been and experience what
they experience. So I think even Steve Nash might fall
back a little bit and lean on these two guys.
So that's what you think, those that those two are
more important than Harden, well as far as leadership, wives,
(20:07):
as far as like getting to the it's safe to
get to the East Finals game seven or the Finals
game five, just that they've got guys who've done it before. Yeah,
they've done it. So Harden might take a back seat, Like,
you know what, guys, I'm gonna play my game. I mean,
he might go on, you know, confidentially, Hey KD, what
how do you do? How do I get over the hump? Now?
You know, sometimes you got to swallow your pride and
(20:29):
you know, or maybe it's easier to play though when
you know you got the other two guys. You know
what I'm saying right like, like it ain't a lot
of it the case for Duran go Yeah, yeah, Lebron
min thanks, Tony, appreciate it. Let's go to Andre and Massachusetts.
I mean Massachusetts. You're on the high couple of Fox
(20:50):
Sports Radio. What's up Andrey here? You need somebody to
do that Alex, can you do Andrea go? Yeah, guys,
thanks for taking my call. Thank I got you? What
I mean? By way of by way of Summer, New Jersey?
(21:12):
Chris knows about something. Oh yeah, that's where my daughters
went through high school and summer what what? What exit
is that? What exit was that? Is that? Eight? Or nine?
A little known you know the exit. I get off
at like forty two Springfield Avenue. I take Springfield Avenue
right right through, uh through Urbanton. My family, my grandfather
(21:32):
actually lived in Union and I was born in Summits.
Literally fact, Iced Tea as a kid lived Iced Tea,
the rapper lived in Summit. Did he went with LA? Yeah,
don't exactly right with his gangster persona. Right before he
went to LA, he lived in Summer. Where was he
born in Summer, New Jersey? I I don't know if
(21:53):
he was born there. He may have been. I think
he was, but I'm not positive. We can look it up.
What do you got? But yeah, real quick, we have
to get to Kyrie Irving, who's over there, you know,
obviously from West aren't New Jersey. If these antics continue
to Brooklyn, nets are gonna have serious problems to fill
it up the seventy sixers and don't count out the
Milwaukee Bucks. These teams in terms of their defense, are
tried and true. So if they get in a dog fight,
(22:15):
a nipping tuck type of series and one of these
three guys, most notably Kyrie Irving and or James Harden
goes off the reservation, they can't get bounced in the East.
Before they make it to that match up with the Lakers.
They got to get it together and be unified to
go into the playoffs. Thanks for the time, all right,
we got it. He was born in Newark, Rob iced team,
(22:35):
but he grew up he lived in Summit. Yeah. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart
Radio app. We're coming to you live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios. I'm very pleased to welcome in our
next guests. He is the Minnesota Timberwolves Vice president of
(22:59):
Player Programs and Diversity and Inclusion, True Petigrew. Welcome to
the Eye Couple. What's happening, Thank you, thank you, what's up? Gentlemen,
Thanks for having me pleasure to be there. Yes, it's
great to have you on brother. And look, obviously the
Timberwolves game was canceled tonight or postponed because of what's
(23:21):
going on in uh, you know, Minneapolis Sunday, the shooting
killing of Dante Right, And this is I mean, I believe,
I imagine your job is challenging all the time. But
your responsibility, correct me if I'm wrong, is to talk
with the players and comfort them, educate them, soothe them,
(23:47):
you know whatever, you know, just deal with their emotional
and mental state. Make sure that they're fine in that regard.
Is that what you're called to do? And then how
do you do it in a situation like this? That's correct, Chris.
It is to help educate them and provide some sense
of healing whenever there are crises or traumatic moments like
(24:11):
this like we've experienced and similar to what we are
still experiencing with the Derek Chauvin trial with the death
of George Floyd, is to provide, as you if you've said,
some guidance, some direction and ways to provide healing, resolution
and reconciliation where we're necessary. How about where pro sports
(24:35):
is I mean, if this was four or five years ago.
You know, the show must go on. I mean, let's
just be honest. The NFL, if I remember, played games
after Kennedy was assassinated, if you could believe that. And
now when these unfortunate things happen in our communities, these
(24:55):
sports teams and leagues pull the plugs on games. We
come a long way. Is that a good thing? What
does that say about where these leagues are? I think
it is a good thing, rob because it's really speaking
to the evolution of how we are recognizing the humanity
(25:16):
not only of the members of society, but also the players,
and recognizing that they are members of these communities and
members of the society, and that they are dealing with
trauma themselves and still having the expectation to go out
and play and perform. And you know, it's a case
by case basis, is sending the message that that is
(25:43):
not as significant as playing this game. And so I
think we have come a long way. And I think
it is a good thing because it speaks to how
we've prioritized human feelings and emotions and the sensitivity that
comes with that. I think there's a place for empathy
in business and it's my belief that the more we
(26:08):
realize that, the more successful holistically that our organizations, institutions,
and businesses will be true. How is this affecting the players?
I mean, obviously we don't want you to mention individual names,
but you know, just generally, what are some of the things,
you know, the different emotions and feelings that some of
the different players have with these incidents. It ranges Chris
(26:35):
from frustration to anger to confusion, and I guess the
probably the most consistent I guess emotion, if you want
to call it an emotion, is the exhaustion, just exhausted
(26:57):
and entired? Are they are? There? Are guys fearful for themselves?
There there? They obviously all got nice cars, you know
what I mean? That black black man in a nice
car seem yeah, you know more often. You know, it's interesting, Um,
had you asked me that a year ago, Um, you know,
(27:22):
that may have been a little more accurate. I'm not
hearing that right now. I'm hearing more of the frustration,
and I think the concern for family more so than
concern for themselves. It's them, it's family members, right. But
and it's not to say that wants this emotional roller coasters.
(27:46):
You know, levels off at some point if it does.
But I think right now it's concerned for loved ones,
concerned for family members, concerned for friends, not that any
of them are immune to it. That's just not what
I'm hearing right now. Is in uh you know, like
if it was around the time of Ahmad Aubrey or Mediating,
(28:07):
maybe even a year ago, back last day with George Floyd,
you I recall maybe hearing more of that then, of
concern for themselves, But right now it's it's really I'm
just tired. I'm just tired and frustrated and just searching
for answers. Is it really what it boils down to
(28:29):
right now? Is there a place also in pro sports
the NBA for players you just talked about it being tired,
mentally drained, you know, like this wearing on you where
they can pull back and maybe say I just I
can't play or I just need to clear my head
for a day or two. Is that open for players
(28:51):
to be able to request that and our teams willing
to hear that. I think so. I would say that
we have gotten to that place where teams and organizations
the Timberwolves organization as well as other teams, are making
sure that the organization is availing themselves and the resources
(29:13):
to the players that whatever you need right now to
make sure that you are feeling supported, you are feeling whole,
your mental, physical, and emotional health and well being is
a priority, and I believe a lot of teams are
really starting to take that approach these true I believe,
correct me if I'm wrong that you started with the
(29:35):
Timberwolves after the George Floyd incident. Did that just seeing
I mean, obviously the league is overwhelmingly African American and
seeing that event, did that, to your knowledge, change whether
it's just the Timberwolves organization or other teams around the league,
or the league itself, how they view the need to
(29:57):
help these players and like you said, bring some like
you to address these issues with them. And I can
speak from from my experience on that, Chris, and you're
You're absolutely right. It was on the heels of the
unfortunate incident with mister Floyd last May where I came
in to speak with the Timberwolves organization by their request
(30:19):
to speak with the players to address some of their
concerns and frustrations and fears and to help them, provide
them with some tools and resources and perspectives really to
help them understand how to process the information, help them
understand how to seek that healing that they were looking for,
(30:41):
both both mentally and emotionally. And it was around that
time that I also went and spoke with the Minnesota Twins,
and then the Arizona Diaming Backs, and the Minnesota Wild
and the Cincinnati read So it's spread and so I
spoke with a number of sports teams around that time,
(31:02):
which they all reached out to me, so which says
that they have all recognized the need for that. And
I would imagine a part of that came from internally
the players expressing some frustration and the leadership in the
organization recognizing and realizing, hey, we may need to provide
(31:23):
a resource for them to help our players understand how
to cope with the trauma that they're dealing with right now.
And I do want to say this, Chris, I don't
know if this has been on the updates, to be honest.
Aaron Hicks, the outfielder for the Yankees, Yep, he opted
not to play tonight, you know, due to the situation
in Minnesota. So So there's a player, yeah, who just
(31:47):
decided he couldn't play today and didn't want to play,
so he opted not to play for the Yankees. So
this is some of the stuff we're talking about. Well, yeah,
go ahead, go ahead, We up to that point, I'll
say this, and we forget because these athletes get paid,
obviously get paid a lot of money, but this is
their job. There are people who I know, because I
(32:09):
do this type of work with corporations and organizations across
the country, is that when they had seen these events.
I mean, you know, historically, whether it was as I
mentioned before, George Floyd or an Amad Aubrey or Porlando
Castile or you name it, that have felt so out
of sorts and traumatized that they were in the right
(32:31):
frame of mind to show up to work the next
day because it just seems so insignificant in the grand
scheme of things. And so this is their job, their
human beings, and I think we lose sight of that.
So if the person that works at Company X and
Corporate America feels that ways and extended that courtesy for
(32:53):
whatever reason, we don't think that these human being athletes
should be extended that same courtesy. Well, we were talking
about that earlier, true with Kyrie Irving, who you know,
has taken a few breaks this season at by it
related to the Capitol shootings a few months ago in December.
(33:15):
And yeah, personal reasons. Now, what would you say to
the person that says, because I think a lot of
people say, Okay, your break, your You get four months
off in between seasons, and that's when you can, you know,
get your catch your breath, so to speak, or get
your mind right. But when once the season starts and
(33:36):
the ball goes up, we expect you to be ready
every game, because that's how it's been historically. What would
you say to the person that has that perspective. I
would say, when these incidents occur, they're not on a timeline.
These incidents, these traumatic incidents, aren't waiting until the off
season right take place. And so if we could them
(34:00):
on a timeline next one where they shouldn't be happening
at all. But then let's think about it when we're
saying that this is happening now. And I don't know
if they quote unquote took mental health breaks, but I
think it was some time back in the seventies. I
was talking to some of the coaches earlier about this.
I think it was back in the seventies when we
(34:20):
saw Kareem and Bill Russell and Muhammad Ali and Jim
Brown really used their platform and take a stand and
speak about the social injustices that were taking place even
then during their time and taking a stand to suggest
that something needs to be done about this because this
(34:41):
is occupying our headspace, occupying our bond space, and sociologists
will tell you and again this is where we've evolved
to your point earlier, Rob that I think it's healthy
and commendable for organizations and sports teams to realize that, Okay,
whatever where we focus on is going to occupy our thoughts,
(35:03):
and the things that we think about the most affects
how we feel emotionally. The things that impact how we
feel emotionally influences how we feel physically, ultimately affects how
we perform and our productivity. There's a continuum that is
that that's triggered with the things that we intake that
(35:25):
occupy our headspace, and so it's compromising not only the
mental and physical health and wellbeing of that individual, but
from a pure business perspective, you're compromising the quality of
the perform performance and the product that you're providing to
everyone involved in every stakeholder, and to me, that benefits
(35:48):
no one. Great stuff, Man, a real good insight. True.
We appreciate, appreciate. Yeah, keep up the great work with
the Timberwolves and the other teams you're speaking to, Man,
we appreciate it. Now, Thank you all, Thank you for
having me, and keep up the great work as well.
Thank you. All right, keep it locked. Fox Sports Radio,
The Eye Couple, More to come. Fox Sports Radio has
(36:08):
the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all
of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and
within the iHeartRadio app search f SR to listen live.
All right, it is the I Couple, Chris and Rob
Wait wrapping up a Magic City Monday, coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. You have something,
(36:29):
Rob Badu, Badu Badu. It's another homework, Chris. That sounds
an awful lot like cheering to me, And ain't cheering
what I'm just. I'm just making sure that you know
that Badu killed Badu for the Detroit Tigers has homeward again. Whoever,
(36:55):
it's been unbelievable. Badu Baduka. I heard of Ericabadu. Ericabadu
very nice, she was very good. Let me ask you this,
but dude, speaking of Badu, um, obviously he's not gonna
stay at this pace. But you know, do you think
(37:17):
he's a he looks like a future star obviously, Well,
what are your thoughts on that? Well, he was a
Rule five Chris, so he was you know, considered somebody,
but it didn't work out with the Twins, so he
was made available. But he was a prospect. It's not
like he came out of nowhere, you know what I mean,
and the Tigers claimed him, and uh, you know, sometimes
in the major leagues it just takes a chance, like
(37:39):
you just get your chance to finally get your at bats,
you know what I mean. And then some guys take off,
some guys struggle. It takes a while to get there
some guys. I'm not saying he's gonna be, you know,
an All Star or anything like that. But what a
nice start and a nice story, that's all I think.
It's cool. It's a great start. Well, last year, who
(38:01):
was the guy with Tampa Bay that had the really
nice uh postseason? I can't think of his name. Yeah,
he has a weird last names that kind of came
out of nowhere. Yeah. Oh he had a great he
had all those home runs, Chris, he was he was
magical in the postseason for Tampa Bay. That's the right word. Uh,
(38:26):
get robbed g on the mic. Uh your your Lakers?
I mean you had your chest stuck out, you know
after that Fluke win over the nets? That's what I
mean from Yeah, I mean what you got to say?
Now they're down one o four to eighty nine to
the very Meadia. Hello, hello, Chris? Did you not? Did
(38:48):
you forget that when we made that bet? I had
them winning one game while A D and Lebron were out? Well,
then why did you jump bad when they beat the net?
Did they jump bad? Why are you always lying? Man?
You were all? You were all like older Laker. We
don't even need Lebron. We don't even we we all that.
(39:09):
Look at drum you know what drumming? Let me say this,
Can we call away a mine? Where's Nick? Right? Can
we get him back on the line? Since since Andre
Drummond is the next coming of Kareem abdul Jabbar, we'll
stop Rob. Have you looked at the box score tonight? Drumming.
We score next. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is doing three points.
That's what I'm saying. Five minutes. That was an aviation
(39:32):
Christian know it was. He does have ten rebounds yeppee.
But he's got oh yeah. The only problem is eight
of them came off of his own missus. Everything's funny.
That's your man, Rob, your new Kareem. Enjoy him all right.
We'll see you guys tomorrow. Peace,
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s
(00:22):
R party. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right,
it's the I Couple. Chris and Rob coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studio dood Lot. You
can also follow robbing me on social media. Rob is
(00:43):
at Roy Parker FS one on both Twitter and Instagram.
I am at Chris Underscore, Bruce Art on Twitter, Chris
Bruce R. Sixty eight on the gram at the bottom
of the hour. Different type of guest, uh Troupe Pettigrew.
He's the Minnesota Timberwolves Vice president of Player Programs, Diversity
(01:07):
and Inclusion. And as you know, the professional teams in Minnesota,
the Twins, the t Wolves, and the hockey team I
can't think of their name, the Wire, the Wild. Yes,
they are not playing today because of the latest shooting
(01:28):
which took play place yesterday, the police shooting of an
unknarmed twenty year old African American man an they ruled
to the homicide. It's already ruled as a homicide. That's
what I saw, Okay, okay, uh, well, I was quick.
I'm just saying to me, that's good because she said,
(01:51):
I mean, she clearly shot him, and she said she
was trying to use she thought she was using her
taser instead of a gun. One that sounds like a lie.
But if it's not you if you don't know the difference,
if you're a cop and you know a little difference
between a taser and a gun, you shouldn't be You
shouldn't be in that position, as simple as that. So
(02:13):
we'll see how that plays out. But as interest, I
hadn't heard that yet, Rob. But anyway, I just saw
it somewhere like I'm trying to find a story, but
I did see. You know, it wasn't a tweet. It
was a new story. I just find it. That's part
of his job is to deal with the players, and
these are young African American men going through you know,
look rob Let's face. I was just talking to a
(02:36):
friend of mine, one of my college teammates in basketball
who lived in Minnesota and Minneapolis and he In fact,
he lived in the suburb next to Brooklyn's Center, which
was a suburb that Dante Wright was killed in. He
lived right next door. I think it was called Brooklyn Park.
And he's got a son's one is twenty four and
(03:00):
the other I believe is twenty. And he's concerned. He's like,
what I mean, I've got daughters. I'm concerned about them.
But obviously it seems happen more with black men. And
if I had a son that age or you look,
it could happen. You know, it's happening the older black
(03:20):
men too. But a lot of African Americans I've spoken
with who have sons that age are very concerned. And
so we'll talk with true and see what you tell.
You know, these young players who probably are were we
I mean, you heard Lebron James, Lebron James say he
was frightened, and he's Lebron Jack, who I think everybody
(03:42):
will go over many times. And I've been in that situation,
and it's not it's never cool. It's never good because
you just don't know. You've got too many cops out there, Chris,
who are afraid of black men, just period. And you
cannot You shouldn't be a cop if you're afraid of
the people you're going you're supposed to protect and serve.
(04:05):
You can't, can't. I mean just the other day, the
other one we saw was the lieutenant in the army
and his fatigues. And you know he has, Chris, he
knows his rights. You don't have to get out of
a car on a traffic stop. They immediately want him
to get out the car for what he drives to
(04:25):
a lighted gas stations. That sounds like somebody who wants
to do something where cameras are like, like, none of
it makes none of it makes sense, Chris, none of it.
I mean, if they'll do that to somebody in army fatigue,
that's what I'm just saying. Like that they I mean,
anybody can buy army fatigue, you know that. But but
I'm just saying, he knows his rights, Chris. It's a
(04:48):
it's up traffic stop, right, it's a traffic stop. Really,
get out the car with guns drawn because your lights
it's on the back, Chris, it's there. But of course
they don't see that. They see a brand new truck
and a black guy driving in. I'm sorry, this is
(05:10):
what goes on, and it's ridiculous, it's a heartbreaking. I
was texting with I've been texting with an NBA coach
tonight who is gonna he has not has to, he's
going to and he has to address his players and
talk about this because Rob, you just said it, black
(05:30):
male in a nice car. Yes, I think I've said
this on the show before. I've never been stopped by
myself just for no reason. I've been stopped plenty of
times for speeding or whatever, but no, for no reason.
I've never been stopped by myself because I think cops
may think I'm white because I'm very light skinned, obviously.
(05:50):
But I've been stopped three times, and every time for nothing,
and each time I was with African American males who
clearly were you know, dark skinned, brown skin, clearly black.
One time was an NBA player doing nothing? No, no, no, dad.
What they said, Chris. They said it was something about
he had led lights on at the b They didn't
(06:12):
give us a ticket or anything, but because about his
lights wrong, which I don't even it's fix. It's a
fishing expedition, Chris. They're hoping that you got something. Do
you know what like, like, that's really what it is. Yeah.
I can remember after covering a game down in land Over, Maryland,
Chris the old days, the bullets, me, Clifton Brown from
(06:36):
the New York Times, another reporter, and my best friend Fred.
We're all dropping Fred off from the game after we
went out nothing. You know, a blinking yellow, we slow down.
You know you're not supposed to stop. You slow down,
a blinking yellow, right, blinking red, you stop, slows down?
(06:56):
Cops come pull us over? Four other cops, cars, dogs, everything,
what I'm serious? All we're doing it and three of
us are, you know, members of the media. It's late, Chris,
game's over. You go out for you know a little bit,
and then it's late. I'll give you that, but it's
no crime. And Cliff Brown gets out of here as
(07:19):
his New York Times ID and then all of a
sudden everything was all right. They had no cause to
stop us. No, those four black guys in the car,
that's it. And it was late. Wow. Well, um, its interesting, Rabbit,
And we didn't mean to kind of get off when
I was just introducing up. But but it's interesting because
we're gonna talk about Kyrie Irving and we will him
(07:42):
they're not playing the night because they were scheduled to
play Minnesota the Brooklyn Nets, but Kyrie was going to
miss the game for personal reasons. Anyway. Now, I think
it came out before. I think it did. I think
it came out that he wasn't gonna play before I
heard that, right, Yeah, I don't know about this. The army, uh,
(08:05):
the guy that was in the army. Yeah, but that
that happened in December. We just got the body cam,
you know what I mean. Yeah, that happened in December
and we just finally saw the pictures to go along
with that. So that wasn't new. But this is when
Kyrie sat out his first sabbatical, if you will, early
in the season. It was at least somewhat related to
(08:28):
the events that went on into Capitol. I don't know
if this time, you know, it's related to any of
these recent events or not. But um, what is your
what are your thoughts? Rob? I mean, look, we talked
about it with Carrie Kittles. Um, maybe the Nets, I
would I'm sure Rob, they have some type of understanding
(08:50):
with Kyrie. I would think Carrie, you know, he's a
former Net, he's I'm sure he's plugged in with that team.
He's got people there, he's still building, you know what
I mean. On the organization, maybe that same exact people,
but I'm sure he knows some people, Chris. I'm if
the nets know what's going on and they're cool with it,
I'm gonna be cool with it. And you know this
(09:10):
teammates organizations. If there's a problem, they let you know.
They might not say it directly, Chris, but they would
put something out there if they weren't happy or if
there's some issue. Do you know what I mean, Like
there would have been something, And I just kywe's a
different cat. I can appreciate people being different. Everybody's not
the same. If this is what he has to deal
(09:33):
with or how he deals with stuff, everybody's different. And
I it's no excuse when he's out there and carry
said it. When he's out there, ain't balling, He ain't
it ain't like he don't want to play or he's
not playing or he's not pulling his weight, Chris, when
he does come back. But she was incredible rob that
because and we don't know this, but from the outside
(09:54):
looking in, it kind of feels like basketball is not
his prior. Ay, it feels I'm not saying it isn't,
but you know, him missing so many games, and it
feels that way. He's obviously got many other interests. But
on the other hand, he's so good it's like how
(10:14):
in the world. And obviously at a younger point in
his life, he clearly worked very hard on You see
the play made Saturday, Chris underneath the basket. I can't
remember the face he does it. He does it once
every half, but I know, but there was some play
I just shook my head like, how did he how
did that go in? He's one of my my fun my,
(10:37):
I don't know, funny stood. He's one of the most
exciting players in the league, one of the guys I
most enjoy watching rob right because the handle is ridiculous,
the finishes are ridiculous. He can hit the three, he
can hit the mid range. I mean, it's just crazy.
But you know, look, I'm with you in that. You
(10:59):
just if a guy's going through something mentally and he
needs a break, don't know what, right right then, and
he's that good and not that it shouldn't be the
case for the fourteenth or fifteenth man but we know
this business robe and in any business really, it's gonna
(11:19):
be different from the superstars, right and has an issue.
You know, we might have to get another producer. You
better be here every day, um, and you better get
here early. But but you know with Kyrie, you're going
to do what you have to do to have him
at his best. Um. I Rob, there's a part of
(11:41):
me that wonders. And I don't know if this is
a goal or thought even a thought in Kyrie's mind,
but um, could something you know, could could down the
line in the future. We know that there's been an
emphasis on mental health in the NBA, and you know
(12:02):
we've seen Demark de Ros and Kevin Love talking about it. Uh,
you wonder if something could be at some point where
guys get if you need a little mental day. Yeah, yeah,
I'm not I'm not sure. I think it's definitely unique. Remember,
(12:25):
you only play eighty normally eighty two games. It's three
hundred and sixty five days a year. There's plenty of time.
And I'm not saying, Chris, whatever you're going through, I
don't know if the NBA's headed to that. I just
don't I think on an individual on an individual level.
But I don't think they're going to establish like some
sort of thing where you can kind of opt out.
(12:46):
And I think that it would have to player would
have to just, you know what I mean, like go
to ownership and say, man, I'm going through this and
I need time, you know what I mean, And then
they'd have to evaluate them, send them to have him
see a doctor or whatever, and then go, Okay, yeah,
this dude's under some streuss and some things are going
on in his life that he needs to take a
(13:08):
mental break. Yeah, I don't. I don't see that becoming
an official thing anytime soon, if ever. But it's interesting.
It really is an interesting situation. And I'll tell you this, Rob,
And like you, I've picked the Nets to win it
(13:28):
if they win it, and I obviously they're more talented
than anybody else. I think even the teams that are
trying to beat them probably admit that the Nets have
the most talent talent in the league. So they're an aberration,
They're an unusual situation. But Rob, if they win this championship,
(13:50):
I gotta be honest, I think it may change. It's
gonna change. It's already changed, like the way peap players
look at the regular season has already changed. If they
win it, it is going to change, I think drastically.
I We already have some players who don't think the
(14:12):
regular season is as important because it's really all about
winning the championship. And if they can win the championship
with guys missing so many games and taking days off
and their stars only played maybe fifteen twenty games together, obviously,
(14:33):
like I said, no other team has this type of talent.
But I do think it could lead to a drastic
change in the way guys view the regular season. Yeah,
it is different, um, but that that's that's up to
the league to make it worth while again, you know.
And that's the thing you don't want to have where
(14:55):
your regular season has been uh, you know, diminished, and
people don't care about it. If you don't, you just don't.
You don't want that. You don't want to madness exactly
what they say, the hell with college basketball. I'll see
you in March, and that's it. And so you watch
three weeks of college basketball and and and you call
it a day. That's what college basketball's gone, right, right, Nah,
(15:17):
I hear you. You definitely don't want that, So Ken
the Nettes get it done? Um, are you starting to
worry about their continuity, their familiarity, their chemistry? Eight seven,
seven ninety nine Fox, Are these guys playing We all
know how talented they are. Are they playing enough games together?
(15:41):
It's been seven folks, Kyrie, James Harden, Kevin Durant have
played seven games together. That's it and they're heading into
the playoffs in a few weeks. Will they have enough
chemistry to get it done? You're turned away? In with
(16:02):
Chris and Rob the ID couple Fox Sports Radio. Fox
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(16:23):
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(16:46):
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(17:08):
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Fix you'll turn away in on the nets and Kyrie Irving.
Let's get to it, all right, Dre and Michigan. You're
on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Dre?
And what it dude? People's y'all right? Oh yeah, what
(17:29):
it looked like, Brian? What it looked like? Oh it
looked very well, Chris. That quote from Friday about the
hard times make strong man, that's mine now I put
out Yes that belongs to me? Good? Yes? Hey, also too,
how you broke down a difference between the E eight
I mean er and the A versus the N work.
It's not a difference, just the way we speak it
(17:51):
but it means the same thing. Thank you for right
all right for you. So no on to the nets.
I think I think that's gonna come back to hunt
them only because you know now at the time when
you build up that continuity, so when you come down,
when you got to get down in the mud, you
know you can trust your brother. You know your brother
got you when like, let's say, on the defensive sign, oh,
calcul in my mans slack, because I know what you're
(18:12):
gonna do. You got to build that colladie. Now you
can't just go into the playoff thing like okay, boom,
we got it. Yeah, y'all got all the talent in
the world, but eventually y'all don't have to rely on
y'all chemistry too. Not. Look, it's something, it's legit. Like
I said, Rob, if they win this championship, it will
be wholly unprecedented. I mean, they got the talent too,
but we haven't seen it happen this way, but we'll see,
(18:35):
you know, it'll when they get in the tough moments,
you know, the grind out games that if they if
they're challenging a series, you know, and you don't remember though,
that Golden State team right now. Obviously, the other guys
outside of Durant had it. Remember k D was hurt
for a long stretch in the first year, right toward
the end of the season, and he came back and
(18:57):
he was ready for the playoffs. And obviously they just
ran through everybody. So we will see, but they are.
It's gonna be interesting. Tony in DC, you're in the
odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Tony Fellas,
what's good? Always glad to hear you, guys, voices always
off with you, Cats, God bless um. Two things here.
(19:20):
I think that they won't have a problem because out
of every team in the East, the two most important
players on the nets are championship and battle tested. Kyrie,
I believe was on the team down three one. He
knows what it's like to hit the big shot in
the big absolutely, KAD knows how to hit the big
shot in the big moment. So even if they do
have some rough waters, they got the two guys like, hey, guys,
(19:43):
we're gonna be okay, play our game. This is what
we gotta do. And these are two top dogs on
your team that even Harden has to listen to because
he hasn't been to where they've been and experience what
they experience. So I think even Steve Nash might fall
back a little bit and lean on these two guys.
So that's what you think, those that those two are
more important than Harden, well as far as leadership, wives,
(20:07):
as far as like getting to the it's safe to
get to the East Finals game seven or the Finals
game five, just that they've got guys who've done it before. Yeah,
they've done it. So Harden might take a back seat, Like,
you know what, guys, I'm gonna play my game. I mean,
he might go on, you know, confidentially, Hey KD, what
how do you do? How do I get over the hump? Now?
You know, sometimes you got to swallow your pride and
(20:29):
you know, or maybe it's easier to play though when
you know you got the other two guys. You know
what I'm saying right like, like it ain't a lot
of it the case for Duran go Yeah, yeah, Lebron
min thanks, Tony, appreciate it. Let's go to Andre and Massachusetts.
I mean Massachusetts. You're on the high couple of Fox
(20:50):
Sports Radio. What's up Andrey here? You need somebody to
do that Alex, can you do Andrea go? Yeah, guys,
thanks for taking my call. Thank I got you? What
I mean? By way of by way of Summer, New Jersey?
(21:12):
Chris knows about something. Oh yeah, that's where my daughters
went through high school and summer what what? What exit
is that? What exit was that? Is that? Eight? Or nine?
A little known you know the exit. I get off
at like forty two Springfield Avenue. I take Springfield Avenue
right right through, uh through Urbanton. My family, my grandfather
(21:32):
actually lived in Union and I was born in Summits.
Literally fact, Iced Tea as a kid lived Iced Tea,
the rapper lived in Summit. Did he went with LA? Yeah,
don't exactly right with his gangster persona. Right before he
went to LA, he lived in Summer. Where was he
born in Summer, New Jersey? I I don't know if
(21:53):
he was born there. He may have been. I think
he was, but I'm not positive. We can look it up.
What do you got? But yeah, real quick, we have
to get to Kyrie Irving, who's over there, you know,
obviously from West aren't New Jersey. If these antics continue
to Brooklyn, nets are gonna have serious problems to fill
it up the seventy sixers and don't count out the
Milwaukee Bucks. These teams in terms of their defense, are
tried and true. So if they get in a dog fight,
(22:15):
a nipping tuck type of series and one of these
three guys, most notably Kyrie Irving and or James Harden
goes off the reservation, they can't get bounced in the East.
Before they make it to that match up with the Lakers.
They got to get it together and be unified to
go into the playoffs. Thanks for the time, all right,
we got it. He was born in Newark, Rob iced team,
(22:35):
but he grew up he lived in Summit. Yeah. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with
Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern
four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart
Radio app. We're coming to you live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios. I'm very pleased to welcome in our
next guests. He is the Minnesota Timberwolves Vice president of
(22:59):
Player Programs and Diversity and Inclusion, True Petigrew. Welcome to
the Eye Couple. What's happening, Thank you, thank you, what's up? Gentlemen,
Thanks for having me pleasure to be there. Yes, it's
great to have you on brother. And look, obviously the
Timberwolves game was canceled tonight or postponed because of what's
(23:21):
going on in uh, you know, Minneapolis Sunday, the shooting
killing of Dante Right, And this is I mean, I believe,
I imagine your job is challenging all the time. But
your responsibility, correct me if I'm wrong, is to talk
with the players and comfort them, educate them, soothe them,
(23:47):
you know whatever, you know, just deal with their emotional
and mental state. Make sure that they're fine in that regard.
Is that what you're called to do? And then how
do you do it in a situation like this? That's correct, Chris.
It is to help educate them and provide some sense
of healing whenever there are crises or traumatic moments like
(24:11):
this like we've experienced and similar to what we are
still experiencing with the Derek Chauvin trial with the death
of George Floyd, is to provide, as you if you've said,
some guidance, some direction and ways to provide healing, resolution
and reconciliation where we're necessary. How about where pro sports
(24:35):
is I mean, if this was four or five years ago.
You know, the show must go on. I mean, let's
just be honest. The NFL, if I remember, played games
after Kennedy was assassinated, if you could believe that. And
now when these unfortunate things happen in our communities, these
(24:55):
sports teams and leagues pull the plugs on games. We
come a long way. Is that a good thing? What
does that say about where these leagues are? I think
it is a good thing, rob because it's really speaking
to the evolution of how we are recognizing the humanity
(25:16):
not only of the members of society, but also the players,
and recognizing that they are members of these communities and
members of the society, and that they are dealing with
trauma themselves and still having the expectation to go out
and play and perform. And you know, it's a case
by case basis, is sending the message that that is
(25:43):
not as significant as playing this game. And so I
think we have come a long way. And I think
it is a good thing because it speaks to how
we've prioritized human feelings and emotions and the sensitivity that
comes with that. I think there's a place for empathy
in business and it's my belief that the more we
(26:08):
realize that, the more successful holistically that our organizations, institutions,
and businesses will be true. How is this affecting the players?
I mean, obviously we don't want you to mention individual names,
but you know, just generally, what are some of the things,
you know, the different emotions and feelings that some of
the different players have with these incidents. It ranges Chris
(26:35):
from frustration to anger to confusion, and I guess the
probably the most consistent I guess emotion, if you want
to call it an emotion, is the exhaustion, just exhausted
(26:57):
and entired? Are they are? There? Are guys fearful for themselves?
There there? They obviously all got nice cars, you know
what I mean? That black black man in a nice
car seem yeah, you know more often. You know, it's interesting, Um,
had you asked me that a year ago, Um, you know,
(27:22):
that may have been a little more accurate. I'm not
hearing that right now. I'm hearing more of the frustration,
and I think the concern for family more so than
concern for themselves. It's them, it's family members, right. But
and it's not to say that wants this emotional roller coasters.
(27:46):
You know, levels off at some point if it does.
But I think right now it's concerned for loved ones,
concerned for family members, concerned for friends, not that any
of them are immune to it. That's just not what
I'm hearing right now. Is in uh you know, like
if it was around the time of Ahmad Aubrey or Mediating,
(28:07):
maybe even a year ago, back last day with George Floyd,
you I recall maybe hearing more of that then, of
concern for themselves, But right now it's it's really I'm
just tired. I'm just tired and frustrated and just searching
for answers. Is it really what it boils down to
(28:29):
right now? Is there a place also in pro sports
the NBA for players you just talked about it being tired,
mentally drained, you know, like this wearing on you where
they can pull back and maybe say I just I
can't play or I just need to clear my head
for a day or two. Is that open for players
(28:51):
to be able to request that and our teams willing
to hear that. I think so. I would say that
we have gotten to that place where teams and organizations
the Timberwolves organization as well as other teams, are making
sure that the organization is availing themselves and the resources
(29:13):
to the players that whatever you need right now to
make sure that you are feeling supported, you are feeling whole,
your mental, physical, and emotional health and well being is
a priority, and I believe a lot of teams are
really starting to take that approach these true I believe,
correct me if I'm wrong that you started with the
(29:35):
Timberwolves after the George Floyd incident. Did that just seeing
I mean, obviously the league is overwhelmingly African American and
seeing that event, did that, to your knowledge, change whether
it's just the Timberwolves organization or other teams around the league,
or the league itself, how they view the need to
(29:57):
help these players and like you said, bring some like
you to address these issues with them. And I can
speak from from my experience on that, Chris, and you're
You're absolutely right. It was on the heels of the
unfortunate incident with mister Floyd last May where I came
in to speak with the Timberwolves organization by their request
(30:19):
to speak with the players to address some of their
concerns and frustrations and fears and to help them, provide
them with some tools and resources and perspectives really to
help them understand how to process the information, help them
understand how to seek that healing that they were looking for,
(30:41):
both both mentally and emotionally. And it was around that
time that I also went and spoke with the Minnesota Twins,
and then the Arizona Diaming Backs, and the Minnesota Wild
and the Cincinnati read So it's spread and so I
spoke with a number of sports teams around that time,
(31:02):
which they all reached out to me, so which says
that they have all recognized the need for that. And
I would imagine a part of that came from internally
the players expressing some frustration and the leadership in the
organization recognizing and realizing, hey, we may need to provide
(31:23):
a resource for them to help our players understand how
to cope with the trauma that they're dealing with right now.
And I do want to say this, Chris, I don't
know if this has been on the updates, to be honest.
Aaron Hicks, the outfielder for the Yankees, Yep, he opted
not to play tonight, you know, due to the situation
in Minnesota. So So there's a player, yeah, who just
(31:47):
decided he couldn't play today and didn't want to play,
so he opted not to play for the Yankees. So
this is some of the stuff we're talking about. Well, yeah,
go ahead, go ahead, We up to that point, I'll
say this, and we forget because these athletes get paid,
obviously get paid a lot of money, but this is
their job. There are people who I know, because I
(32:09):
do this type of work with corporations and organizations across
the country, is that when they had seen these events.
I mean, you know, historically, whether it was as I
mentioned before, George Floyd or an Amad Aubrey or Porlando
Castile or you name it, that have felt so out
of sorts and traumatized that they were in the right
(32:31):
frame of mind to show up to work the next
day because it just seems so insignificant in the grand
scheme of things. And so this is their job, their
human beings, and I think we lose sight of that.
So if the person that works at Company X and
Corporate America feels that ways and extended that courtesy for
(32:53):
whatever reason, we don't think that these human being athletes
should be extended that same courtesy. Well, we were talking
about that earlier, true with Kyrie Irving, who you know,
has taken a few breaks this season at by it
related to the Capitol shootings a few months ago in December.
(33:15):
And yeah, personal reasons. Now, what would you say to
the person that says, because I think a lot of
people say, Okay, your break, your You get four months
off in between seasons, and that's when you can, you know,
get your catch your breath, so to speak, or get
your mind right. But when once the season starts and
(33:36):
the ball goes up, we expect you to be ready
every game, because that's how it's been historically. What would
you say to the person that has that perspective. I
would say, when these incidents occur, they're not on a timeline.
These incidents, these traumatic incidents, aren't waiting until the off
season right take place. And so if we could them
(34:00):
on a timeline next one where they shouldn't be happening
at all. But then let's think about it when we're
saying that this is happening now. And I don't know
if they quote unquote took mental health breaks, but I
think it was some time back in the seventies. I
was talking to some of the coaches earlier about this.
I think it was back in the seventies when we
(34:20):
saw Kareem and Bill Russell and Muhammad Ali and Jim
Brown really used their platform and take a stand and
speak about the social injustices that were taking place even
then during their time and taking a stand to suggest
that something needs to be done about this because this
(34:41):
is occupying our headspace, occupying our bond space, and sociologists
will tell you and again this is where we've evolved
to your point earlier, Rob that I think it's healthy
and commendable for organizations and sports teams to realize that, Okay,
whatever where we focus on is going to occupy our thoughts,
(35:03):
and the things that we think about the most affects
how we feel emotionally. The things that impact how we
feel emotionally influences how we feel physically, ultimately affects how
we perform and our productivity. There's a continuum that is
that that's triggered with the things that we intake that
(35:25):
occupy our headspace, and so it's compromising not only the
mental and physical health and wellbeing of that individual, but
from a pure business perspective, you're compromising the quality of
the perform performance and the product that you're providing to
everyone involved in every stakeholder, and to me, that benefits
(35:48):
no one. Great stuff, Man, a real good insight. True.
We appreciate, appreciate. Yeah, keep up the great work with
the Timberwolves and the other teams you're speaking to, Man,
we appreciate it. Now, Thank you all, Thank you for
having me, and keep up the great work as well.
Thank you. All right, keep it locked. Fox Sports Radio,
The Eye Couple, More to come. Fox Sports Radio has
(36:08):
the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all
of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and
within the iHeartRadio app search f SR to listen live.
All right, it is the I Couple, Chris and Rob
Wait wrapping up a Magic City Monday, coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios. You have something,
(36:29):
Rob Badu, Badu Badu. It's another homework, Chris. That sounds
an awful lot like cheering to me, And ain't cheering
what I'm just. I'm just making sure that you know
that Badu killed Badu for the Detroit Tigers has homeward again. Whoever,
(36:55):
it's been unbelievable. Badu Baduka. I heard of Ericabadu. Ericabadu
very nice, she was very good. Let me ask you this,
but dude, speaking of Badu, um, obviously he's not gonna
stay at this pace. But you know, do you think
(37:17):
he's a he looks like a future star obviously, Well,
what are your thoughts on that? Well, he was a
Rule five Chris, so he was you know, considered somebody,
but it didn't work out with the Twins, so he
was made available. But he was a prospect. It's not
like he came out of nowhere, you know what I mean,
and the Tigers claimed him, and uh, you know, sometimes
in the major leagues it just takes a chance, like
(37:39):
you just get your chance to finally get your at bats,
you know what I mean. And then some guys take off,
some guys struggle. It takes a while to get there
some guys. I'm not saying he's gonna be, you know,
an All Star or anything like that. But what a
nice start and a nice story, that's all I think.
It's cool. It's a great start. Well, last year, who
(38:01):
was the guy with Tampa Bay that had the really
nice uh postseason? I can't think of his name. Yeah,
he has a weird last names that kind of came
out of nowhere. Yeah. Oh he had a great he
had all those home runs, Chris, he was he was
magical in the postseason for Tampa Bay. That's the right word. Uh,
(38:26):
get robbed g on the mic. Uh your your Lakers?
I mean you had your chest stuck out, you know
after that Fluke win over the nets? That's what I
mean from Yeah, I mean what you got to say?
Now they're down one o four to eighty nine to
the very Meadia. Hello, hello, Chris? Did you not? Did
(38:48):
you forget that when we made that bet? I had
them winning one game while A D and Lebron were out? Well,
then why did you jump bad when they beat the net?
Did they jump bad? Why are you always lying? Man?
You were all? You were all like older Laker. We
don't even need Lebron. We don't even we we all that.
(39:09):
Look at drum you know what drumming? Let me say this,
Can we call away a mine? Where's Nick? Right? Can
we get him back on the line? Since since Andre
Drummond is the next coming of Kareem abdul Jabbar, we'll
stop Rob. Have you looked at the box score tonight? Drumming.
We score next. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is doing three points.
That's what I'm saying. Five minutes. That was an aviation
(39:32):
Christian know it was. He does have ten rebounds yeppee.
But he's got oh yeah. The only problem is eight
of them came off of his own missus. Everything's funny.
That's your man, Rob, your new Kareem. Enjoy him all right.
We'll see you guys tomorrow. Peace,
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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