April 27, 2022 • 34 mins
Chris and Rob explain why they have a big problem with Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers trying to pass the buck rather than simply admitting that he has lengthy history of playoff failures as an NBA head coach, and discuss whether or not the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers need to wrestle control of their franchises back from their team’s respective superstars (LeBron James and Anthony Davis & Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving). Plus, Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller swings by to discuss his partnership with USAA ahead of the NFL Draft, whether or not the AFC West should be viewed as the best division in the NFL, how the acquisition of Davante Adams should impact the Raiders offense, 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 podcast.
Be sure to catch us 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
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of The Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Parker. Yeah, it is
(00:42):
The Odd Couple. I'm Chris Brusar alongside my partner Rob Parker,
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studio, Good Live, and we have a great three
hours planning for you. A lot of NBA. You got
a couple of big games tonight, Milwaukee trying to close
out the Chicago Bulls and Golden State trying to close
(01:04):
out the Denver Nuggets. And always when you're up three
one and you fail to close the deal, shut the door,
turn out the lights, then you never know what could
happen after that. So these teams need to go ahead
and get it done tonight. Don't give Denver or Chicago
any life. Speaking of life, keep it locked right here
(01:27):
on Fox Sports Radio. The iHeartRadio app or Serious XM
Channel eighty three. However, you may be listening and you
won't be sorry. Let me bring in my partner, Rob Parker.
What's up man? What's happened to mister Chris Bussard? How
are you? I am excellent, brother, I am excellent. Looking
forward to a great show. Yes, and today the last
(01:50):
day on campus other than the final the semester, Chris
is just about over, and it was a great semester,
so I'm pretty happy about that. Looking forward to the summer,
looking forward to some vacation time. You know, been working
a lot, so I'm looking I'm feeling good, feeling good today.
Do you have any vacations planned already? H Tentatively. I'm
(02:13):
gonna go to Dubai with my brother. Yeah, so that's
the big vacation. And then, you know, my typical go around,
see some friends and go to some ball games and
eat and drink. You know, I like to do that.
So a couple of those. What about you? Are you
guys going anywhere yet? We have a family reunion. We
do a family reunion on my father's side every two years,
(02:35):
not every year, that's smart. Yeah, every other year and
it's like a week. It's a week long. That's so
long to be around family. Man, Christian is ready to
go in three hours. Nah nah, Because what we do
is we go we go to a destination. So we'll
go that we've been there, like so people could do
all the stuff, right. So during the day, I mean,
it's like forty people and so during the day, you know,
(02:58):
some people want to go golf, people are gonna play basketball,
some people go swim. Whatever you want to do. You
just you know, you're doing it hanging out. And then
every night we all get together for a dinner at
somebody's house. Yeah, it's everybody under my father and his
three siblings. So they we're doing that in July, and
then we're supposed to go to Martha's Vineyard in August. Yeah,
(03:22):
we just started a few years ago, but yeah, we
we go. You know, Um, that's fun. You know, it's like, yeah,
I've still not been there. That's somewhere I'm going to go.
I'm not. Yeah. Yeah, let me know, man, when you
go up there, all the time is August, you know,
and Spike leads up there. Henry Lewis get would your
wife be mad if I had a nineteen year old
(03:44):
with me, like, is that bad? Would that be bad? Like?
If I what up with y'all, I don't know how
much we'd be hanging out. But your wife would be
like Christal would be like, he's pathetic. Oh, she's get
it out. Daughters, I'll twin right, my daughters twenty four, Now,
(04:04):
that's what I'm saying. Non be like, but I remember
your daughters, christ And they were like three when we
went to Orlando, And am I right? There were like
three or four? Dad? Yeah, two three, two to four somewhere. Yeah,
I remember that. And to think that they're, you know,
graduated out of college all that stuff as amazing. It
just really time flies, brother, But it's it's great. They're
(04:26):
doing well. So you know that you're happy about that.
But all right, let's introduce the I Couple crew on
this worship Wednesday. Of course, DJ Alex Tyshert a k a.
The Vegan is on the ones and the twos. Super
producer Rob g is in the house and on the updates.
That's right, the loquacious mister Bryan Finley. All right, Rob,
(04:49):
let's get into this doc rivers. Rob I talked about it.
I just said, you know, Golden State Milwaukee want to
close these teams out. Well, Doc Rivers and the Sixers,
not surprisingly, didn't take care of business. In Game five
they were up three oh. They've lost the last two
games and Game six is now in Toronto. I think Philly,
(05:15):
it's hard to say. I think they'll win Game six.
I think they'll win the series. Nobody in NBA history
has dropped the three oh lead ever, ever, first round,
second round, third round finals. Never, And isn't it. It's
just interesting, Rob, because you know when Doc got hired
(05:35):
by the Sixers, we brought up man. Doc. That's an
interesting hire. We were starting You just got fired by
the Clippers. You underachieved there for what six years? Seven years?
However long he was there, never got him past his
second round, dropped the three one league with a great
(05:56):
tandem of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. He had great
teams the whole time he was there. Injuries early were
a problem, but not the year he got fired. And
it's just interesting. Right when we were talking about all
the leads, Doc's blown and like, is he the guy
to get you to the promised land? I gotta admit, Rob,
(06:17):
I wasn't. I didn't foresee another blown lead, like you
know what I mean. I didn't foresee him doing blowing
a three one lead again. And here we are just
a year later, two years later, and he's in jeopardy
of blowing a three o lead. He's already the only
coach to drop more than one three one lead. He's
(06:39):
done it three times. But he could become the first
to drop a three o lead. And Doc ain't having it,
Rob Doc. I was asked about it today and pushed back,
here he is to use me as an example, But
I wish I would tell the whole story with me.
All right, m Mayor Landel teams the eighth seed. No
(07:00):
one gives me credit for getting up against the Pistons
who won the title. That was in the ABC. Go
look at that. I want you to go back and
look at that roster. I dare you go back and
look at that roster and you would say, not a
hell of a coaching other. Really, I mean the Clipper
team that we lost three one, Chris Paul didn't play
(07:21):
in the first two games. It was playing on one
leg um and we didn't have home court. And then
the last one to me is the one we blew.
That's the one I said, we blew that. And now
I was in the bubble, and anything could happened in
the bubble. Well there's no home court. Game seven would
have been in LA, you know, but it just happened.
So I would say with me, some of them is
(07:43):
we got I gotta do better. Always always take my
own responsibility. Uh. And then some of it is circumstances happened.
You know this one. Let's win it and we don't
have to talk about it. I'm not buying it, stopped, Doc,
Would you just delivered his mouthpractice? No, we don't want
(08:08):
to hear it. Wear it. It's your record, Doc rivers.
We could go back and and dissect every series and
give you a scenario in a circumstance. And can I
tell you, Chris, the Pistons didn't win the championship that year.
That's not true? Why right? It was the next year.
(08:29):
It was the next year that they won the championship.
And in fairness, Rob, nobody kills Doc for that loss.
No nobody that if anything, if anybody gets killed for that,
you know who it is, Tracy McGrady, right, because he
thought it was Gray. Yeah. Three one. McGrady was like, man,
it's great to get to the second round. Exactly, Doctor,
(08:49):
it's the accumulation. If that was the only time on
Doc's record, Rob, nobody would even mention that. But Chris,
this is I'm sorry. You have have to wear it.
It's your record. You don't need to him and Hall.
It sounds like a guy who's panicking or worried that
this is gonna happen again. It is what it is.
(09:12):
You know, guys, you could talk about that all you want.
That that's my resume, but also talk about the championship
by one in Boston. Okay, I did win that, so
I have won big games and I have been in
those moments. But the other stuff, Yeah, it happened, and
you can't run from it. It's like coaches Chris and
(09:34):
won credit for winning, and when things go bad, they're
pointing out the players. Right, you can't have it both
ways because you know what, when you won, the players
play great and you got credit. And you know what,
when when you lose and the players don't play great,
you're going to get blame as well. That's what happens. Otherwise,
(09:58):
if it was always about the PLA players, we wouldn't
be talking about these coaches, Chris and giving them accolades
and talk about the job that they've done exactly. So
I'm sorry. If I'm in Philadelphia, I don't want to
hear it. I don't want to hear it. Last year,
the wound is still fresh, Chris. Then they got beat
(10:20):
by the Hawks, right and I mean real, and that's
not a very good Hawks team. I'm sorry. No, and
that that right there. Forget about the other ones, Doc,
what about last year and the year you know, with
anything can happen in the bubble? Stop That was another
one of trying to throw himself an excuse. Don't say
that you were up three to one. You got there
(10:41):
three to one. All you had to do was win
one game. And you had Kawhi Leonard who was trying
to win a third championship with a third franchise, Chris,
and he was healthy. Yep, I'm not buying it. So
whenever I hear this story and Doc, just wear it, Doc,
the same way you wear with ride that championship. You
(11:02):
gotta wear the other stuff and you can't take off
the shirt and go shirtless because the shirt got catch
up on it from the game the series you lost,
but you're still wearing that nice blazer because that's the
one you won the championship in. Wear it all, and yeah,
I gotta get my job done, and my teams haven't
(11:23):
done well in those moments when we've taken a lead.
This is gonna change here and we're gonna get this
thing done in Philadelphia and move on. That's all I
want to hear from him. Well, look, Doc, Doc wanted
the whole story to be told, and I'll tell the
whole story. Doc has lost thirty one elimination games. That's
(11:46):
the most buy any coach in NBA history. Doc has
lost seven of his last eight elimination games. Rob into Doc.
He's blown three three one leads. He's only OA ever
to do that. No one has done more than one
other than him. In twenty oh nine, he blew a
three two league. Twenty ten, twenty twelve, blue three two leads,
(12:11):
twenty sixteen, blew a two oh lead twenty twenty. We
mentioned that the three one league with the Clippers, and
he brought up that Houston series in twenty fifteen. I
was covering that for ESPN, and he's right. Chris missed
the first two games of that series, but Chris came
back for the last five. Rob they split the first two,
(12:34):
all right, it was one one, and when Chris Paul
came back, and Chris Paul was great twenty one points,
ten assists a game on forty nine percent shooting in
the five he played. The first two games Chris played Rob,
they blew the Rockets out one by twenty five, one
(12:57):
by almost by more than thirty. And they were up,
that's what they were up three one, and everybody thought
it was over. And then when the Rockets come back,
it was largely with James Harden on the bench, and
they somehow outscored the Clippers forty to fifteen in a
run to turn the thirteen point deficit in Game six
(13:21):
into a twelve point win. It was. It was just colossal.
And so look, Doc gets his love. Doc was named
one of the top fifteen coaches. Ever, I think for
the most part, Rob Doc Doc doesn't get a ton
of criticism. We're two of the few that have been
(13:42):
just willing to call him out and say, hey, he's
blowing these leads, But most of the media give him
a pass. Chris. It's fact. It's just fact that We're
just talking facts and you can't keep doing that and
expected That's why when the Clippers fired on Chris, they
deserved to fire him. What it was like without I
(14:04):
can't believe they know the Clipper is gonna let Doc go?
What what if? Everybody and in NBA media Chris that
year just about pick the Clippers go to the championship?
Am I right with that team? Yeah? That was was thinking.
There was talking about Kawhy being the top which was ridiculous,
(14:24):
but the top five player ever, Yes, it was. It
was laid out and everybody thought wild. Look at this
team they owned. They always kept beating the Lakers, right,
they matched up great against him, Chris. Everything was laid out,
Everything was laid out for him, and and they up
three to one and they choke. If you can't get
fired off of that, you can't get fired anything. He's
(14:46):
gonna I mean, I don't know for a fact, but
everyone around the league thinks he's gonna get fired if
he If they lose this series, it's justified. It's justified.
If they lose the next round, it's justified. The conference
finals might save his gig. The finals, I think would,
(15:09):
and I don't know that Darryl moorey don't want to
get Mike D'Antoni in there, you know. I think he's
just almost waiting for an opportunity to get Mike D'Antoni
in there, or maybe somebody else. But we're gonna throw
it out to you guys eight seven seven ninety nine
on Fox eight seven seven ninety nine six sixty three
sixty nine. Are you with Doc on this? Is he
(15:32):
getting a bum rap for all these blown leads? Or
are you with us that, Hey, you gotta wear it, Doc?
And how much blame does he deserve? Is it just
on the players or does Doc deserve something to blame
for those blown leads as well? Hey, it's me Bob Parker.
Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for
(15:55):
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest name to newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the Eyecast, we've got all the basis covered.
New episodes drop every Thursday, So do yourself a favor
and listen to Inside the Partner with Rob Parker on
the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks
(16:18):
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 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 fs
(16:39):
R Merry Merry. All right, it's the Eye Couple dealing
with the dead battery. Go to Auto Zone so America's
number one battery destination offering free battery services like free
battery testing and charging. So next time you're having battery trouble,
head on over to the Zone. Auto Zone your battery
solution and America's number one battery destination. All right, Rob,
(17:05):
there was a really good story written today about the Lakers.
I think it was in I don't know it was
Bleacher Report or The Athlete. We're talking about the Lakers
and the Nets. I didn't think the title was, uh
that they need to wrestle back control. Here it is,
can Nets Lakers slash Lakers front offices rest back control
(17:31):
of their franchises from their stars? Uh? You know, obviously
saying Lebron's run and clutch are running the Lakers and
KD and Kyrie. I mean, Kyrie basically alluded to it
in his press conference and he's he and Kade got
to manage the team alongside the owner and the GM
(17:51):
um are running the nets. But what are your thoughts
on that? Yeah, I don't think that they're the same.
I really don't. I think having them put, I don't
see what trades are moves that Durant and and what's
that Steve Nash? Yeah, but they just said they signed
off on it. I mean, I don't I don't think
that that was isn't the GM what's his name? Mark's
(18:13):
friends with Steve Nash. That's like I think had a
lot to do with them. Well, but I but I
know that they have a relationship as well as GM,
and they signed off on it. But I'm talking about
player moves and whatnot. And the Lakers even their stories
coming out now that that they really didn't want Westbrook
and that the Clutch pushed it on them. Now you
(18:35):
know that's kind of coming out there. That's what we
kind of thought that it wasn't um all what the
Lakers wanted to do, and it was what Clutch and
Lebron wanted to do, and I know nobody wants to
claim him now because it didn't work out. So I
don't know. It seems like Lebron has way more uh
saying player person because he didn't get Ti Lou, I said,
(18:58):
player personnel. Well, but coach player, I mean player. They
didn't want to pay Tylo for whatever reason. They made
a mistake there. I don't I don't understand why they
would want to coach on the Chief and Vogel they
got on the Chief compared to what Lou wanted. Lou
wanted to championship, so he was looking for a certain
amount of money, where Vogel was looking for another opportunity
(19:20):
to get back into being a you know, a head coach.
So I don't think that they're on the same level
pay wise. And for whatever reason, the Lakers don't aren't
hurting for money, but they didn't want to pay thy Lou.
So I have no idea why that happened, but it
seemed player personnel wise, that clutch has you know, like
a lot of say as to what who plays with
(19:42):
Lebron and who comes along or whatever on the ride.
And I'm just saying, I'm not saying that they don't
have the nets stars don't have any influence, but I
think Lebron has bigger influence. And I think if you're
the Lakers, were what went down this year with the
moves that were made and and you know how this
thing was a colossal failure. I think they need to
(20:06):
work to make sure that they're doing what's right for
the organization. Well, what do you think about Kyrie saying
he and KD need to manage the team along with
I just think it's a word. I don't think that
that's what he meant. I just think he's talking about
being involved, you know, a sounding board. I don't think
he thinks he's the general manager. I just think that's
(20:28):
a word. I disagree. I mean, he said too many things.
He said he's gonna wants to manage the team with
KD and the owner in the gym, and he said
they don't need a head coach. I could head coaches,
KD could be the head coach. Like this is he's
saying it too many times. And the one thing I'll
give Lebron, like, I don't think Lebron's just dictating like
(20:50):
a puppet master what they do, because like I said,
I brought up tylu to show that's an example of
something he wanted that he didn't get, And so I
don't think he's just getting every single thing he wanted.
And I will throw this out he wanted Anthony Davis,
like the reason the Lakers have banner number seventeen. They
can complain all they want about Lebrin wanting this and
(21:13):
that or clutch. That's what got them Anthony Davis, and
that only got him not only banner number seventeen, but
whatever degree of optimism exists with the team right now,
it came because of those Lebron and Ad. So I
think that those two have delivered at least whereas the
(21:36):
Nets have it delivered. I do think they both, though,
need to to take control of their franchises, Lakers and
the Nets. I get it. It's I agree with you
Robbing that you should. You should consult some of your
stars on certain deals. Hey, we're thinking about going after someone,
(21:59):
so do you think about him? He think he'd be
a good fit, would we? Look, we've been talking this
trade with this team, and sometimes you don't need to
go to the players, But I think sometimes you can
use them, like you said, as a sounding board. But
I think the players have to understand that you were
(22:21):
going to make the final decision. And while you may
consult them, you're going at the end of the day,
you're gonna have the final say. It's just as simple
as that. And I, like I said, with Lebron, the
most success he ever had in one franchise was Miami,
and that was because they ran the organization, did not
(22:43):
let him dictate what they were gonna do. And I
think you you're right in that. Pat Riley obviously has
more you know, casche than most most people, certainly Rob
pelink in those guys, or Sean Marks and Brooklyn. But
if you got the owner behind you, I don't care
(23:04):
what your name is. If the owner is behind you,
then you've got Paul. They'll never pick a lowly paid
general manager over a start. Well, it depends on the
relationship Rob. The Lakers love Rob Pelinka because of Kobe
and Rob. I think remember remember at the All Star Game,
(23:25):
Lebron was dropping that hit, those hints about he might
want to go back to Cleveland, he might want to
finish somewhere else, and then the Lakers kind of, you know,
came out with some stuff of their own and then
Lebron and they quickly were like, nah, we want to
finish with the Lakers. We like. It was like they
called his bluff, like Yode, we could move on, dude,
(23:48):
because we ain't no good this year with you. And
it was like he was like, oh na, get it
out there back that I want to stay. I'm finishing
my career with the Lakers. What y'all talking about? Like
you have lever. Lebron ain't twenty seven anymore. He's thirty seven.
He loves La. His family set there like you have
leverage and durance locked up till twenty twenty six, So
(24:13):
they got I know he could pull it. Is it
even in his personality to pull a James Hard And
I don't know, But if he wants to go that
route and kind of ruin the last couple of years
of his career, that's on him. But they got leverageing
that you got him locked up through twenty twenty six,
Like they to me, they definitely don't need to be
lollygagging and tiptoeing around Kyrie. He don't want to go nowhere.
(24:37):
Nobody else wants him because of all the foolishness. Shoot you,
you've got leverage and they need to take it and
start running their franchise like championship teams. 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 seven Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
(24:59):
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 R. We
are the Eye Couple. We are live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios, and we're glad to be joined by
our next guest. He's a Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl
(25:21):
tight end, Darren Waller. Darren, how are you welcome to
the Our Couple. I'm doing great, Chris, How y'all doing
what's up? Rob? Great? We're great, man. Great to have
you on. Now you are You're appearing on behalf of
the USAA NFL Draft Salute to Service Specialty Vin. Can
you tell us about that organization and why you're representing
(25:44):
them and so excited about it? Yeah, with the USAA,
I have a family member cousin that sirved twenty years
in the military. So when this partnership was brought to
my attention. There was something I definitely wanted to jump
into just to show appreciation to her and to everyone
that serves in the military. But we're having a thing
(26:04):
called Chalk Talk at Allegian Stadium tomorrow round noon, and
you know, just to interact with members of the military
from Nellis Air Force Base and Creech Air Force Base
here in Vegas. I'm staying out with them, talk ball,
talk life, you know, just interact and have a good
time and get the excitement going for the draft experience
here in Vegas. Great man, Now, you you were a
(26:24):
six round draft pick back in twenty fifteen out of
Georgia Tech, and obviously you've gone on to really have
a top notch career. Talk to us about draft night,
like what is it like for a college kid and
in particular your case where you were a late draft pick.
But how exciting is it? How nerve racking? Is it? All? Right?
(26:45):
When you're like a six round pick. Do you know
you're gonna be a sixth round pick? Do you not
pay attention? You wait for them to hit you up.
I understand if you're in the first round or second round,
but how in tune were you for the draft. Yeah,
it's definitely a nerve wracking experience at the same time exciting,
(27:07):
you know, because you're gonna be actually headed to the
league where you know, for me, I never really thought
that I would grown up. I was really gonna make
it this far, to be honest, but to be able
to even be in that position is great. I knew
I was probably gonna go day three just because I
played in the triple option office in college, you know,
me and he really throw the ball like that. So
I didn't really have the production or the film, you know,
(27:27):
but I knew i'd be day three, and it was
a nerve wracking experience. So it kind of got down
towards the edge and teams were calling talking about if
you go undraft, you can come here. So it was
like a little uh, definitely nervous down the stretch, but
relieving once my name got off them. Wow. Wow, now
you guys have had I don't think this is an overstatement.
(27:50):
An incredible offseason. You bring in DeVante Adams to join
you and in the division, is you know, gonna be
incredibly stacked. Russell Wilson joins the division. The Chargers and
the Chiefs already we're great teams. How excited are you?
(28:11):
How much do you think, like, how much better do
you think DeVante Adams any other offseason moves that you
guys have made which were big, How much better is
that gonna make you? And you know, when you guys
going to training camp, what are you really realistically expecting
to do with this team? Um? Yeah, it was adding
Devonte to the Knicks. I felt he really puts defenses
(28:33):
in a bind because you can't double team people because
then you're gonna have matchups that aren't favorable for the
other two guys, including you know, me and Hunter Refro.
And then if you really want to drop deep in
coverage and have two high safeties, we got Josh Jacobs
running the ball, so just forces defenses and could take
(28:53):
who they're gonna take out of the game or how
they're gonna approach us. And I feel like you can
attack in so many different ways. So I'm excited about
that just to see how we develop that chemistry, you know,
because it looks great on paper, but now it's about
learning this system, learning how to line up in different
positions so that God can't be they can't game play
on us being lined up in one spot. You know.
It's however, how we keep moving around and if we
(29:14):
learn more and more, it's going to be really hard
for defenses on a week to week to say, you know,
this is what we're gonna do to stop them because
we've had we got too much talent. Is this the
toughest division in football? Oh? For sure? I was just
saying that. I mean as far as from a talent perspective,
like the name a tougher division in you know, recent
(29:35):
memory almost you know. So I'm excited about the week
the week competition, lining up against these defenses that have
added a lot of superpowers and you know that just
the quarterback in the division, it's just going to make
for you know, a fun brand of football, competitive weekend
week out, and that's all I can really ask for.
You got a new coach. Have you've been able to
sit down with Josh McDaniels and kind of see what
(29:59):
differences he's gonna make with the team and what do
you think about those? Yeah? I remember I met Josh
day after he was hired, and you know, just talking
about he was asking me a lot about what I
liked that went on here. I didn't like what I
thought it would be better, and then just share with
me some of his philosophies. And then now we just
(30:20):
finished on three days of minicamp in our first couple
of weeks with the playbook in the system, and you know,
it's a new language. But I love the way that
is challenging us, and it's going to allow us to
do a lot of things and expand upon, you know,
the game that we've already built individually and collectively. So
I'm very excited about it. It seems to me like
Las Vegas would be a distracting place to play, just
(30:44):
you know, so much is going on. If you want
to get in trouble, you can to the city's twenty
four to seven. You know, It's not like playing in
Green Bay or playing in you know, Cleveland or places
that you know just don't have that kind of life
and flair. How do you avoid, you know, getting too
wrapped up in Las Vegas. Yeah, I feel that's a
(31:08):
great point and a great question. I feel like Vegas
is a place that would really expose, you know, your
day to day character and your day your day to
day process, is how committed you are to you know,
your craft or whatever you may do on a day
to day basis because they are awesome me temptations and distractions,
but you know, uh, just for me as far as
(31:28):
you know me being addiction like I would a meeting,
I got my own community people out here that like me,
that I lean on, and uh, you know, my sponsor
out here here. He also said, you know, you choose
your own level of distractions. So for me, that's about
I keep that quote in my head as I go
about my day because these things are all going to
be here, you know, the media, the you know, clubs,
(31:48):
you know, dispensaries and all types of stuff. Nobody. It's
about you know what really matters to me on a
day day basis, and how do I walk improve through
my actions and through how my life? What really matters
to me? Now, Darren, are you a basketball fan? I
am a basketball fan, all right? So I imagine you
saw John Moran's dunk last night, right, Oh yeah, for
(32:13):
a guy that got dunked on Unfortunately year I saw
that you saying for a guy meaning you know you
got a fortunate you've been okay, okay, I thought you
been in high school or something. You got dunked on
him but all right, we were just talking about because
a lot of people are saying that that was the
greatest dunk in playoff history. What do you think about that?
(32:36):
Do you think it was? Oh man? Yeah, yeah, Yeah,
that's gotta be up there. I think I think you're
a little young. I mean, how a nine year old?
Did you know that? You know, I'm not even gonna
u let you get away with that. To be your
great grandfather Joe drives about the thing. George Mike and
(33:00):
had a nast back in fifty one. I remember when
the ball had laces, and when the ball had laces
it was easier to dump. Okay, now you got one, Darren.
You sound like you got one you think was up
there with that one? Um? I think was it when
Lebron was in Cleveland he felt on Garnett and the
(33:22):
Celtics in the place. Yeah, that when Kevin Harland said,
with no regard for human life? Yeah yeah, that one.
That one was nasty. That one was nasty. That that
one was nasty. Yeah. All right, Well that's our man,
Darren Waller. We appreciate your time. Man. Look go ahead
out have a great season this year. We're gonna be
watching you guys because as you said, we agree, Robin I.
(33:44):
It's the toughest division in the NFL and so um
you know, hopefully you guys will have a healthy season
and made the best team win. Oh yeah, no doubt. Man.
Appreciate you guys having me all right. Brother. That's Darren Waller,
Bowl tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders, joining us
(34:05):
right here on the odd couple
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us 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
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of The Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Parker. Yeah, it is
(00:42):
The Odd Couple. I'm Chris Brusar alongside my partner Rob Parker,
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studio, Good Live, and we have a great three
hours planning for you. A lot of NBA. You got
a couple of big games tonight, Milwaukee trying to close
out the Chicago Bulls and Golden State trying to close
(01:04):
out the Denver Nuggets. And always when you're up three
one and you fail to close the deal, shut the door,
turn out the lights, then you never know what could
happen after that. So these teams need to go ahead
and get it done tonight. Don't give Denver or Chicago
any life. Speaking of life, keep it locked right here
(01:27):
on Fox Sports Radio. The iHeartRadio app or Serious XM
Channel eighty three. However, you may be listening and you
won't be sorry. Let me bring in my partner, Rob Parker.
What's up man? What's happened to mister Chris Bussard? How
are you? I am excellent, brother, I am excellent. Looking
forward to a great show. Yes, and today the last
(01:50):
day on campus other than the final the semester, Chris
is just about over, and it was a great semester,
so I'm pretty happy about that. Looking forward to the summer,
looking forward to some vacation time. You know, been working
a lot, so I'm looking I'm feeling good, feeling good today.
Do you have any vacations planned already? H Tentatively. I'm
(02:13):
gonna go to Dubai with my brother. Yeah, so that's
the big vacation. And then, you know, my typical go around,
see some friends and go to some ball games and
eat and drink. You know, I like to do that.
So a couple of those. What about you? Are you
guys going anywhere yet? We have a family reunion. We
do a family reunion on my father's side every two years,
(02:35):
not every year, that's smart. Yeah, every other year and
it's like a week. It's a week long. That's so
long to be around family. Man, Christian is ready to
go in three hours. Nah nah, Because what we do
is we go we go to a destination. So we'll
go that we've been there, like so people could do
all the stuff, right. So during the day, I mean,
it's like forty people and so during the day, you know,
(02:58):
some people want to go golf, people are gonna play basketball,
some people go swim. Whatever you want to do. You
just you know, you're doing it hanging out. And then
every night we all get together for a dinner at
somebody's house. Yeah, it's everybody under my father and his
three siblings. So they we're doing that in July, and
then we're supposed to go to Martha's Vineyard in August. Yeah,
(03:22):
we just started a few years ago, but yeah, we
we go. You know, Um, that's fun. You know, it's like, yeah,
I've still not been there. That's somewhere I'm going to go.
I'm not. Yeah. Yeah, let me know, man, when you
go up there, all the time is August, you know,
and Spike leads up there. Henry Lewis get would your
wife be mad if I had a nineteen year old
(03:44):
with me, like, is that bad? Would that be bad? Like?
If I what up with y'all, I don't know how
much we'd be hanging out. But your wife would be
like Christal would be like, he's pathetic. Oh, she's get
it out. Daughters, I'll twin right, my daughters twenty four, Now,
(04:04):
that's what I'm saying. Non be like, but I remember
your daughters, christ And they were like three when we
went to Orlando, And am I right? There were like
three or four? Dad? Yeah, two three, two to four somewhere. Yeah,
I remember that. And to think that they're, you know,
graduated out of college all that stuff as amazing. It
just really time flies, brother, But it's it's great. They're
(04:26):
doing well. So you know that you're happy about that.
But all right, let's introduce the I Couple crew on
this worship Wednesday. Of course, DJ Alex Tyshert a k a.
The Vegan is on the ones and the twos. Super
producer Rob g is in the house and on the updates.
That's right, the loquacious mister Bryan Finley. All right, Rob,
(04:49):
let's get into this doc rivers. Rob I talked about it.
I just said, you know, Golden State Milwaukee want to
close these teams out. Well, Doc Rivers and the Sixers,
not surprisingly, didn't take care of business. In Game five
they were up three oh. They've lost the last two
games and Game six is now in Toronto. I think Philly,
(05:15):
it's hard to say. I think they'll win Game six.
I think they'll win the series. Nobody in NBA history
has dropped the three oh lead ever, ever, first round,
second round, third round finals. Never, And isn't it. It's
just interesting, Rob, because you know when Doc got hired
(05:35):
by the Sixers, we brought up man. Doc. That's an
interesting hire. We were starting You just got fired by
the Clippers. You underachieved there for what six years? Seven years?
However long he was there, never got him past his
second round, dropped the three one league with a great
(05:56):
tandem of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. He had great
teams the whole time he was there. Injuries early were
a problem, but not the year he got fired. And
it's just interesting. Right when we were talking about all
the leads, Doc's blown and like, is he the guy
to get you to the promised land? I gotta admit, Rob,
(06:17):
I wasn't. I didn't foresee another blown lead, like you
know what I mean. I didn't foresee him doing blowing
a three one lead again. And here we are just
a year later, two years later, and he's in jeopardy
of blowing a three o lead. He's already the only
coach to drop more than one three one lead. He's
(06:39):
done it three times. But he could become the first
to drop a three o lead. And Doc ain't having it,
Rob Doc. I was asked about it today and pushed back,
here he is to use me as an example, But
I wish I would tell the whole story with me.
All right, m Mayor Landel teams the eighth seed. No
(07:00):
one gives me credit for getting up against the Pistons
who won the title. That was in the ABC. Go
look at that. I want you to go back and
look at that roster. I dare you go back and
look at that roster and you would say, not a
hell of a coaching other. Really, I mean the Clipper
team that we lost three one, Chris Paul didn't play
(07:21):
in the first two games. It was playing on one
leg um and we didn't have home court. And then
the last one to me is the one we blew.
That's the one I said, we blew that. And now
I was in the bubble, and anything could happened in
the bubble. Well there's no home court. Game seven would
have been in LA, you know, but it just happened.
So I would say with me, some of them is
(07:43):
we got I gotta do better. Always always take my
own responsibility. Uh. And then some of it is circumstances happened.
You know this one. Let's win it and we don't
have to talk about it. I'm not buying it, stopped, Doc,
Would you just delivered his mouthpractice? No, we don't want
(08:08):
to hear it. Wear it. It's your record, Doc rivers.
We could go back and and dissect every series and
give you a scenario in a circumstance. And can I
tell you, Chris, the Pistons didn't win the championship that year.
That's not true? Why right? It was the next year.
(08:29):
It was the next year that they won the championship.
And in fairness, Rob, nobody kills Doc for that loss.
No nobody that if anything, if anybody gets killed for that,
you know who it is, Tracy McGrady, right, because he
thought it was Gray. Yeah. Three one. McGrady was like, man,
it's great to get to the second round. Exactly, Doctor,
(08:49):
it's the accumulation. If that was the only time on
Doc's record, Rob, nobody would even mention that. But Chris,
this is I'm sorry. You have have to wear it.
It's your record. You don't need to him and Hall.
It sounds like a guy who's panicking or worried that
this is gonna happen again. It is what it is.
(09:12):
You know, guys, you could talk about that all you want.
That that's my resume, but also talk about the championship
by one in Boston. Okay, I did win that, so
I have won big games and I have been in
those moments. But the other stuff, Yeah, it happened, and
you can't run from it. It's like coaches Chris and
(09:34):
won credit for winning, and when things go bad, they're
pointing out the players. Right, you can't have it both
ways because you know what, when you won, the players
play great and you got credit. And you know what,
when when you lose and the players don't play great,
you're going to get blame as well. That's what happens. Otherwise,
(09:58):
if it was always about the PLA players, we wouldn't
be talking about these coaches, Chris and giving them accolades
and talk about the job that they've done exactly. So
I'm sorry. If I'm in Philadelphia, I don't want to
hear it. I don't want to hear it. Last year,
the wound is still fresh, Chris. Then they got beat
(10:20):
by the Hawks, right and I mean real, and that's
not a very good Hawks team. I'm sorry. No, and
that that right there. Forget about the other ones, Doc,
what about last year and the year you know, with
anything can happen in the bubble? Stop That was another
one of trying to throw himself an excuse. Don't say
that you were up three to one. You got there
(10:41):
three to one. All you had to do was win
one game. And you had Kawhi Leonard who was trying
to win a third championship with a third franchise, Chris,
and he was healthy. Yep, I'm not buying it. So
whenever I hear this story and Doc, just wear it, Doc,
the same way you wear with ride that championship. You
(11:02):
gotta wear the other stuff and you can't take off
the shirt and go shirtless because the shirt got catch
up on it from the game the series you lost,
but you're still wearing that nice blazer because that's the
one you won the championship in. Wear it all, and yeah,
I gotta get my job done, and my teams haven't
(11:23):
done well in those moments when we've taken a lead.
This is gonna change here and we're gonna get this
thing done in Philadelphia and move on. That's all I
want to hear from him. Well, look, Doc, Doc wanted
the whole story to be told, and I'll tell the
whole story. Doc has lost thirty one elimination games. That's
(11:46):
the most buy any coach in NBA history. Doc has
lost seven of his last eight elimination games. Rob into Doc.
He's blown three three one leads. He's only OA ever
to do that. No one has done more than one
other than him. In twenty oh nine, he blew a
three two league. Twenty ten, twenty twelve, blue three two leads,
(12:11):
twenty sixteen, blew a two oh lead twenty twenty. We
mentioned that the three one league with the Clippers, and
he brought up that Houston series in twenty fifteen. I
was covering that for ESPN, and he's right. Chris missed
the first two games of that series, but Chris came
back for the last five. Rob they split the first two,
(12:34):
all right, it was one one, and when Chris Paul
came back, and Chris Paul was great twenty one points,
ten assists a game on forty nine percent shooting in
the five he played. The first two games Chris played Rob,
they blew the Rockets out one by twenty five, one
(12:57):
by almost by more than thirty. And they were up,
that's what they were up three one, and everybody thought
it was over. And then when the Rockets come back,
it was largely with James Harden on the bench, and
they somehow outscored the Clippers forty to fifteen in a
run to turn the thirteen point deficit in Game six
(13:21):
into a twelve point win. It was. It was just colossal.
And so look, Doc gets his love. Doc was named
one of the top fifteen coaches. Ever, I think for
the most part, Rob Doc Doc doesn't get a ton
of criticism. We're two of the few that have been
(13:42):
just willing to call him out and say, hey, he's
blowing these leads, But most of the media give him
a pass. Chris. It's fact. It's just fact that We're
just talking facts and you can't keep doing that and
expected That's why when the Clippers fired on Chris, they
deserved to fire him. What it was like without I
(14:04):
can't believe they know the Clipper is gonna let Doc go?
What what if? Everybody and in NBA media Chris that
year just about pick the Clippers go to the championship?
Am I right with that team? Yeah? That was was thinking.
There was talking about Kawhy being the top which was ridiculous,
(14:24):
but the top five player ever, Yes, it was. It
was laid out and everybody thought wild. Look at this
team they owned. They always kept beating the Lakers, right,
they matched up great against him, Chris. Everything was laid out,
Everything was laid out for him, and and they up
three to one and they choke. If you can't get
fired off of that, you can't get fired anything. He's
(14:46):
gonna I mean, I don't know for a fact, but
everyone around the league thinks he's gonna get fired if
he If they lose this series, it's justified. It's justified.
If they lose the next round, it's justified. The conference
finals might save his gig. The finals, I think would,
(15:09):
and I don't know that Darryl moorey don't want to
get Mike D'Antoni in there, you know. I think he's
just almost waiting for an opportunity to get Mike D'Antoni
in there, or maybe somebody else. But we're gonna throw
it out to you guys eight seven seven ninety nine
on Fox eight seven seven ninety nine six sixty three
sixty nine. Are you with Doc on this? Is he
(15:32):
getting a bum rap for all these blown leads? Or
are you with us that, Hey, you gotta wear it, Doc?
And how much blame does he deserve? Is it just
on the players or does Doc deserve something to blame
for those blown leads as well? Hey, it's me Bob Parker.
Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for
(15:55):
twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk, featuring the
biggest name to newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe
in analytics or the Eyecast, we've got all the basis covered.
New episodes drop every Thursday, So do yourself a favor
and listen to Inside the Partner with Rob Parker on
the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks
(16:18):
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 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 fs
(16:39):
R Merry Merry. All right, it's the Eye Couple dealing
with the dead battery. Go to Auto Zone so America's
number one battery destination offering free battery services like free
battery testing and charging. So next time you're having battery trouble,
head on over to the Zone. Auto Zone your battery
solution and America's number one battery destination. All right, Rob,
(17:05):
there was a really good story written today about the Lakers.
I think it was in I don't know it was
Bleacher Report or The Athlete. We're talking about the Lakers
and the Nets. I didn't think the title was, uh
that they need to wrestle back control. Here it is,
can Nets Lakers slash Lakers front offices rest back control
(17:31):
of their franchises from their stars? Uh? You know, obviously
saying Lebron's run and clutch are running the Lakers and
KD and Kyrie. I mean, Kyrie basically alluded to it
in his press conference and he's he and Kade got
to manage the team alongside the owner and the GM
(17:51):
um are running the nets. But what are your thoughts
on that? Yeah, I don't think that they're the same.
I really don't. I think having them put, I don't
see what trades are moves that Durant and and what's
that Steve Nash? Yeah, but they just said they signed
off on it. I mean, I don't I don't think
that that was isn't the GM what's his name? Mark's
(18:13):
friends with Steve Nash. That's like I think had a
lot to do with them. Well, but I but I
know that they have a relationship as well as GM,
and they signed off on it. But I'm talking about
player moves and whatnot. And the Lakers even their stories
coming out now that that they really didn't want Westbrook
and that the Clutch pushed it on them. Now you
(18:35):
know that's kind of coming out there. That's what we
kind of thought that it wasn't um all what the
Lakers wanted to do, and it was what Clutch and
Lebron wanted to do, and I know nobody wants to
claim him now because it didn't work out. So I
don't know. It seems like Lebron has way more uh
saying player person because he didn't get Ti Lou, I said,
(18:58):
player personnel. Well, but coach player, I mean player. They
didn't want to pay Tylo for whatever reason. They made
a mistake there. I don't I don't understand why they
would want to coach on the Chief and Vogel they
got on the Chief compared to what Lou wanted. Lou
wanted to championship, so he was looking for a certain
amount of money, where Vogel was looking for another opportunity
(19:20):
to get back into being a you know, a head coach.
So I don't think that they're on the same level
pay wise. And for whatever reason, the Lakers don't aren't
hurting for money, but they didn't want to pay thy Lou.
So I have no idea why that happened, but it
seemed player personnel wise, that clutch has you know, like
a lot of say as to what who plays with
(19:42):
Lebron and who comes along or whatever on the ride.
And I'm just saying, I'm not saying that they don't
have the nets stars don't have any influence, but I
think Lebron has bigger influence. And I think if you're
the Lakers, were what went down this year with the
moves that were made and and you know how this
thing was a colossal failure. I think they need to
(20:06):
work to make sure that they're doing what's right for
the organization. Well, what do you think about Kyrie saying
he and KD need to manage the team along with
I just think it's a word. I don't think that
that's what he meant. I just think he's talking about
being involved, you know, a sounding board. I don't think
he thinks he's the general manager. I just think that's
(20:28):
a word. I disagree. I mean, he said too many things.
He said he's gonna wants to manage the team with
KD and the owner in the gym, and he said
they don't need a head coach. I could head coaches,
KD could be the head coach. Like this is he's
saying it too many times. And the one thing I'll
give Lebron, like, I don't think Lebron's just dictating like
(20:50):
a puppet master what they do, because like I said,
I brought up tylu to show that's an example of
something he wanted that he didn't get, And so I
don't think he's just getting every single thing he wanted.
And I will throw this out he wanted Anthony Davis,
like the reason the Lakers have banner number seventeen. They
can complain all they want about Lebrin wanting this and
(21:13):
that or clutch. That's what got them Anthony Davis, and
that only got him not only banner number seventeen, but
whatever degree of optimism exists with the team right now,
it came because of those Lebron and Ad. So I
think that those two have delivered at least whereas the
(21:36):
Nets have it delivered. I do think they both, though,
need to to take control of their franchises, Lakers and
the Nets. I get it. It's I agree with you
Robbing that you should. You should consult some of your
stars on certain deals. Hey, we're thinking about going after someone,
(21:59):
so do you think about him? He think he'd be
a good fit, would we? Look, we've been talking this
trade with this team, and sometimes you don't need to
go to the players, But I think sometimes you can
use them, like you said, as a sounding board. But
I think the players have to understand that you were
(22:21):
going to make the final decision. And while you may
consult them, you're going at the end of the day,
you're gonna have the final say. It's just as simple
as that. And I, like I said, with Lebron, the
most success he ever had in one franchise was Miami,
and that was because they ran the organization, did not
(22:43):
let him dictate what they were gonna do. And I
think you you're right in that. Pat Riley obviously has
more you know, casche than most most people, certainly Rob
pelink in those guys, or Sean Marks and Brooklyn. But
if you got the owner behind you, I don't care
(23:04):
what your name is. If the owner is behind you,
then you've got Paul. They'll never pick a lowly paid
general manager over a start. Well, it depends on the
relationship Rob. The Lakers love Rob Pelinka because of Kobe
and Rob. I think remember remember at the All Star Game,
(23:25):
Lebron was dropping that hit, those hints about he might
want to go back to Cleveland, he might want to
finish somewhere else, and then the Lakers kind of, you know,
came out with some stuff of their own and then
Lebron and they quickly were like, nah, we want to
finish with the Lakers. We like. It was like they
called his bluff, like Yode, we could move on, dude,
(23:48):
because we ain't no good this year with you. And
it was like he was like, oh na, get it
out there back that I want to stay. I'm finishing
my career with the Lakers. What y'all talking about? Like
you have lever. Lebron ain't twenty seven anymore. He's thirty seven.
He loves La. His family set there like you have
leverage and durance locked up till twenty twenty six, So
(24:13):
they got I know he could pull it. Is it
even in his personality to pull a James Hard And
I don't know, But if he wants to go that
route and kind of ruin the last couple of years
of his career, that's on him. But they got leverageing
that you got him locked up through twenty twenty six,
Like they to me, they definitely don't need to be
lollygagging and tiptoeing around Kyrie. He don't want to go nowhere.
(24:37):
Nobody else wants him because of all the foolishness. Shoot you,
you've got leverage and they need to take it and
start running their franchise like championship teams. 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 seven Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
(24:59):
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 R. We
are the Eye Couple. We are live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios, and we're glad to be joined by
our next guest. He's a Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl
(25:21):
tight end, Darren Waller. Darren, how are you welcome to
the Our Couple. I'm doing great, Chris, How y'all doing
what's up? Rob? Great? We're great, man. Great to have
you on. Now you are You're appearing on behalf of
the USAA NFL Draft Salute to Service Specialty Vin. Can
you tell us about that organization and why you're representing
(25:44):
them and so excited about it? Yeah, with the USAA,
I have a family member cousin that sirved twenty years
in the military. So when this partnership was brought to
my attention. There was something I definitely wanted to jump
into just to show appreciation to her and to everyone
that serves in the military. But we're having a thing
(26:04):
called Chalk Talk at Allegian Stadium tomorrow round noon, and
you know, just to interact with members of the military
from Nellis Air Force Base and Creech Air Force Base
here in Vegas. I'm staying out with them, talk ball,
talk life, you know, just interact and have a good
time and get the excitement going for the draft experience
here in Vegas. Great man, Now, you you were a
(26:24):
six round draft pick back in twenty fifteen out of
Georgia Tech, and obviously you've gone on to really have
a top notch career. Talk to us about draft night,
like what is it like for a college kid and
in particular your case where you were a late draft pick.
But how exciting is it? How nerve racking? Is it? All? Right?
(26:45):
When you're like a six round pick. Do you know
you're gonna be a sixth round pick? Do you not
pay attention? You wait for them to hit you up.
I understand if you're in the first round or second round,
but how in tune were you for the draft. Yeah,
it's definitely a nerve wracking experience at the same time exciting,
(27:07):
you know, because you're gonna be actually headed to the
league where you know, for me, I never really thought
that I would grown up. I was really gonna make
it this far, to be honest, but to be able
to even be in that position is great. I knew
I was probably gonna go day three just because I
played in the triple option office in college, you know,
me and he really throw the ball like that. So
I didn't really have the production or the film, you know,
(27:27):
but I knew i'd be day three, and it was
a nerve wracking experience. So it kind of got down
towards the edge and teams were calling talking about if
you go undraft, you can come here. So it was
like a little uh, definitely nervous down the stretch, but
relieving once my name got off them. Wow. Wow, now
you guys have had I don't think this is an overstatement.
(27:50):
An incredible offseason. You bring in DeVante Adams to join
you and in the division, is you know, gonna be
incredibly stacked. Russell Wilson joins the division. The Chargers and
the Chiefs already we're great teams. How excited are you?
(28:11):
How much do you think, like, how much better do
you think DeVante Adams any other offseason moves that you
guys have made which were big, How much better is
that gonna make you? And you know, when you guys
going to training camp, what are you really realistically expecting
to do with this team? Um? Yeah, it was adding
Devonte to the Knicks. I felt he really puts defenses
(28:33):
in a bind because you can't double team people because
then you're gonna have matchups that aren't favorable for the
other two guys, including you know, me and Hunter Refro.
And then if you really want to drop deep in
coverage and have two high safeties, we got Josh Jacobs
running the ball, so just forces defenses and could take
(28:53):
who they're gonna take out of the game or how
they're gonna approach us. And I feel like you can
attack in so many different ways. So I'm excited about
that just to see how we develop that chemistry, you know,
because it looks great on paper, but now it's about
learning this system, learning how to line up in different
positions so that God can't be they can't game play
on us being lined up in one spot. You know.
It's however, how we keep moving around and if we
(29:14):
learn more and more, it's going to be really hard
for defenses on a week to week to say, you know,
this is what we're gonna do to stop them because
we've had we got too much talent. Is this the
toughest division in football? Oh? For sure? I was just
saying that. I mean as far as from a talent perspective,
like the name a tougher division in you know, recent
(29:35):
memory almost you know. So I'm excited about the week
the week competition, lining up against these defenses that have
added a lot of superpowers and you know that just
the quarterback in the division, it's just going to make
for you know, a fun brand of football, competitive weekend
week out, and that's all I can really ask for.
You got a new coach. Have you've been able to
sit down with Josh McDaniels and kind of see what
(29:59):
differences he's gonna make with the team and what do
you think about those? Yeah? I remember I met Josh
day after he was hired, and you know, just talking
about he was asking me a lot about what I
liked that went on here. I didn't like what I
thought it would be better, and then just share with
me some of his philosophies. And then now we just
(30:20):
finished on three days of minicamp in our first couple
of weeks with the playbook in the system, and you know,
it's a new language. But I love the way that
is challenging us, and it's going to allow us to
do a lot of things and expand upon, you know,
the game that we've already built individually and collectively. So
I'm very excited about it. It seems to me like
Las Vegas would be a distracting place to play, just
(30:44):
you know, so much is going on. If you want
to get in trouble, you can to the city's twenty
four to seven. You know, It's not like playing in
Green Bay or playing in you know, Cleveland or places
that you know just don't have that kind of life
and flair. How do you avoid, you know, getting too
wrapped up in Las Vegas. Yeah, I feel that's a
(31:08):
great point and a great question. I feel like Vegas
is a place that would really expose, you know, your
day to day character and your day your day to
day process, is how committed you are to you know,
your craft or whatever you may do on a day
to day basis because they are awesome me temptations and distractions,
but you know, uh, just for me as far as
(31:28):
you know me being addiction like I would a meeting,
I got my own community people out here that like me,
that I lean on, and uh, you know, my sponsor
out here here. He also said, you know, you choose
your own level of distractions. So for me, that's about
I keep that quote in my head as I go
about my day because these things are all going to
be here, you know, the media, the you know, clubs,
(31:48):
you know, dispensaries and all types of stuff. Nobody. It's
about you know what really matters to me on a
day day basis, and how do I walk improve through
my actions and through how my life? What really matters
to me? Now, Darren, are you a basketball fan? I
am a basketball fan, all right? So I imagine you
saw John Moran's dunk last night, right, Oh yeah, for
(32:13):
a guy that got dunked on Unfortunately year I saw
that you saying for a guy meaning you know you
got a fortunate you've been okay, okay, I thought you
been in high school or something. You got dunked on
him but all right, we were just talking about because
a lot of people are saying that that was the
greatest dunk in playoff history. What do you think about that?
(32:36):
Do you think it was? Oh man? Yeah, yeah, Yeah,
that's gotta be up there. I think I think you're
a little young. I mean, how a nine year old?
Did you know that? You know, I'm not even gonna
u let you get away with that. To be your
great grandfather Joe drives about the thing. George Mike and
(33:00):
had a nast back in fifty one. I remember when
the ball had laces, and when the ball had laces
it was easier to dump. Okay, now you got one, Darren.
You sound like you got one you think was up
there with that one? Um? I think was it when
Lebron was in Cleveland he felt on Garnett and the
(33:22):
Celtics in the place. Yeah, that when Kevin Harland said,
with no regard for human life? Yeah yeah, that one.
That one was nasty. That one was nasty. That that
one was nasty. Yeah. All right, Well that's our man,
Darren Waller. We appreciate your time. Man. Look go ahead
out have a great season this year. We're gonna be
watching you guys because as you said, we agree, Robin I.
(33:44):
It's the toughest division in the NFL and so um
you know, hopefully you guys will have a healthy season
and made the best team win. Oh yeah, no doubt. Man.
Appreciate you guys having me all right. Brother. That's Darren Waller,
Bowl tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders, joining us
(34:05):
right here on the odd couple
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Rob Parker
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