December 17, 2021 • 42 mins
Chris and Rob talk about Kyrie’s return to the Nets in a part-time role, new Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson stops by, and the guys break down Brandon Staley’s decisions to go for it last night and the reactions to it today.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
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(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Rod Parker. Yeah, it is the I Couple.
I'm Chris Bruce ar the Last Side, my partner Rob Parker,
(00:46):
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios, and we have a great show for you
today on a funky flash back Friday, myself and Rod
Parker keep it locked right here for the next three
hours on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app or Serious
(01:07):
XM Channel eighty three. We got Hugh Jackson, head coach
of Grambling State of coach of course, coach in the
NFL as well with the Raiders and the Cleveland brown
So we look forward to speaking to him at the
bottom of the hour. Let me welcome in my partner,
mister Rob Parker. What's up, brother, what's happening? Mister Chris Bussard,
(01:28):
A couple of things I want to get off my
plate real quick as we get started on this show.
I'm looking forward to it on this Friday. All right, well,
let's shoot you probably it's probably the same for you.
But today is my fifth anniversary on Fox Sports Radio.
It was December seventeen, twenty sixteen, Chris, my first show
(01:50):
with Mark Willard on Saturday morning, which would have been tomorrow,
right five years ago, right from ten am to one
Pacific time. Very thankful, five full years here on the Nusly,
I got no idea, you have no Idemember stuff like that, rightly, Yeah, yeah,
we's gotta be around Fox Sports the same day, right one. Yeah,
(02:15):
um yeah, And I did. My first show was with
Brian no on the weekends. It was a Saturday evening show,
I believe, right, But it's around five years, I mean
the same thing. Yeah, so five years and uh Marty
and and uh Sean from Sacramento. They're like, you know,
we're gonna get into this Kyrie news. But like Sean like,
(02:37):
uh Marty, Marty's like, give me credit. I told you
that kywe and and and he just didn't. He wanted
to sit out the first third of the season. And
that's the way. And I'm like, wait a minute, it's
not just Kywee's decision. The Nets are the ones who
had to say he could come back. So Kywee didn't
decide that he wanted to sit out the first third
(02:57):
of this into that. Yeah, I mean, I'm yeah, anything else,
that's it? All right? We got DJ Alex Tisher is
on vacation today. I guess he and Rob g So
we got the heavy one. The heavy one. Don Brown
is in full of fact. Let's see what he does
(03:19):
on the again, you're limited because he's all Christmas music,
but hey, do your best, all right. On the uh
producer's role is our man Bo Benson, who's uh gonna
do a great job tonight. And updates, Yes, b e
a u U. On the updates is our man as
(03:39):
always on Friday, Steve this say all right, Rob, you
got into it. Kyrie Irving is back, all right, The
Nets are bringing Kyrie back as a part time player. No,
he is not getting vaccinated. He will be able to
practice in home, you know, at home in New York,
but he won't be able to play home games like
(04:00):
we all knew. But he will play the road games,
right I have. They've got twenty seven of their fifty
three games remaining are on the road and in Toronto. Right,
he won't be He'll he'll miss three, the two in
New York and against the Knicks, and then one in Toronto.
So the bottom line, no, Kyrie is back as a
(04:20):
part time player. Rob Parker, your thoughts. I think the
Nets have made a mistake here, and the big mistake
Chris is ultimately if they get to where they want,
they're setting themselves up where he won't be able to
play in the postseason or play part time. I just
think for a cohesiveness of a team, everybody's kind of
(04:44):
got to be in and this is gonna be in
and out. They lost the game. If they lose a
game when Kyrie doesn't play, is it because you don't
have Kyrie? Like the whole You've turned the whole season
and maybe maybe I get it. It seems strange the
timing beca because of what's happening with COVID and people
getting you know what I mean, Like the time it
(05:05):
seems a couple of games they've had eight players, right,
they're missing people are so it's weird. But I just
think you get all the way to the NBA Finals
and he won't be able to play the four home
games for the Nets in Brooklyn. Strange to me ultimately,
and if they believe, look, they're guys in the NBA
(05:28):
who are playing. So I'm not down on him playing
totally because if he was on another team, he would
be playing without the vaccination. That's that's not It's about
the cohesiveness, not about whether he's vacccinated or not. Chris,
you got it, Because I know people want to think.
Some people were like, oh, I love that the Nets
took that hard stand against him for not getting vaccinated.
That's not your thing, right, That's not what I'm talking about.
(05:50):
My mind is about a team thing cohesive. Either you're
in or you're out, you know what I mean, Like,
you gotta be there every day, practice, be on the road.
You know. That's how you build chemistry. That's how you
build a team. And I think that's where they might
be misguided or shortsided, but we'll see. I would say,
if you ask me to vote either side, I think
(06:12):
the Nets made a huge mistake. I think their original
idea was the right idea. That either you're all the
way in or you're not. I was with you early on, Robb,
as far as when Kyrie announced or it was put
out that he wouldn't be getting vaccinated and was eligible
for the role games but not home games. I was
(06:33):
fully on board with you. I was like, look, you're
either in or you're out. For Chemistry's purposes, we need
you there all the time. You have to get used
to playing with Kevin Durant, with James Harden. It's about
winning a championship, and if you aren't there for the
home games, then stay home for good. If you're not
there for all eighty two, then don't be there for
(06:55):
forty one of them. I was with you on that.
I changed my mind because of the way the Nets
have played, and more so, I'm gonna behind James Harden.
I thought Rob that the Nets could win the championship
with Jess, James Harden and Kevin Durant leading him. I
thought they could win it without Kyrie. I thought James
(07:17):
Harden playing as he has for the past decade, Kevin
Durant being as great as he is, and right now
he's probably the front runner for the MVP and a
nice decent cast of role players. I thought that was enough.
But Kevin James Harden has not played like a superstar.
He's played like an All star. He's played okay, you know,
(07:40):
pretty good. But I don't think they're good enough without
Kyrie to win a championship, and probably not even the East,
like if you put a gun to my head, nets
as they are right now without Kyrie. I take Milwaukee
and this is about winning a championship. And Joe the
(08:00):
owner said it when he's saying Kyrie, you know, is
basically banished from the team a few months ago, he said,
it's about winning the championship. And I think the nets
looked at I'm not buying all the cold the players are.
You know, we're missing players for COVID. We Duran's playing
too many minutes. No, I think it's because they don't
(08:21):
think the nets look good enough. That's my opinion. I
don't think it has hardly anything, if if anything at
all to do with players sitting out for COVID and
all that. Every team's gotta deal with that, all right.
I think it's because they're watching them and saying we
can beat the bad teams and the mediocre teams we're
owing six against Chicago, Phoenix, Golden State, Milwaukee, Miami. And
(08:48):
look I saw Jaylen Rose today, Rob. He said he
thinks Harden's gonna be, you know, reinvigorated by Kyrie's presence.
He thinks Harden's been lack of days ago because Kyrie's gone.
I don't know about that, but you know, I think
Harden playing the way he's playing right now, Rob, it's fine.
If Kyrie's there. See he's giving him twenty nine and seven,
(09:09):
that's great. If he's the third scorer, see I have.
I have the opposite way, and the way that you're
looking at it is strange because if if if Cardon
was playing to his ability, Chris, and they were struggling
against the better teams, then I would buy your argument.
What did he gonna starting? No, No, I'm no, But
(09:31):
I'm just saying, but he's not there yet. I'm not
I'm not ready when he getting there. I'm not I'm
not ready to say. I'm not ready to say that,
uh that that he can't play better or this is
who he is. Thirty games in twenty nine games into
a eighty two games season. I'm just not. I can't
(09:53):
so so that's what I'm saying. That's what yeah is.
That is that if he was playing James hard nesque
and they would and they couldn't beat those teams, then
I'd be like, Okay, this isn't gonna work because he's
playing well, what's wrong with him Kyd's play? I don't know,
but I'm just saying. I mean, because he had the
worst hamstring injury in the history of mankind. I mean,
(10:14):
I don't know, my good you know what I'm saying though, Like, no,
I get it, but I don't think people are looking
at Do you think Anthony Davis is who he is
and this is how he's gonna play the rest of
the year, Well, Anthony Davis, there's a history of being
in it, you know, lack of days ago. I'm talking
about James Harden. No, but I was just doesn't look
like James Harden. But that I don't have time if
(10:36):
I'm the Nets. Now. Look, I did say I would
play out December before I bring Kyrie back. They're they're
not even waiting that long. But I'm not convinced we're
gonna get James Harden being back to what he is.
Don't know what we're gonna get that'll be interesting. Not
been winning at seventy five percent, what do you expect
(10:57):
out of the Nets now? It's not even the record.
It's beating the number one seed. They're the number one seed.
That's fine, but they're not beating the good teams. They've
had one of the easiest schedules in the league so far,
and I think with Kyrie, they can be the best
team in the East and if not the league. And
(11:19):
I hear you because I was all on board with
the chemistry thing too. Oh, this is tough for chemistry,
But then I looked at it this way. The main
player I was concerned about chemistry wise was James Harden
because Kevin Duray, you know this, right, He's gonna be
himself no matter who he's playing. Would get me the rock.
I'm gonna shoot my mid range jumper occasional three. I'm
gonna get my buckets Kyrie or not. That's the fact.
(11:42):
The rest of the guys, Joe Harris, Nick Klaxton, Blake Griffin,
Bruce Brown, all these role players, they get in where
they fit in. That's what you do as a role player.
James Harden, to me, was the guy that was going
to be affected. I looked at it like, when Kyrie's
not there, Harden's gonna have to be giving you close
(12:02):
to thirty a night or twenty six a night behind,
you know, behind Kevin Durant. When Kyrie's there, now, all
of a sudden, he's gonna flip the switch and be
mister playmaker. Don't shoot as much, get Kyrie and Kevin
Durant off, and then get in where you fit in.
But here's the thing. Harden's playing that way anyway. He's
(12:22):
playing that way without Kyrie. He's only taking fourteen shots
a game. Rob that's his lowis since he left Oklahoma City. Yeah,
but I don't I'm just like I said, your point
is well taken, But I don't believe that that's the
entire Harden We're gonna see all year, and maybe it'll change.
But it doesn't make sense to me that you put
(12:43):
yourself at a disadvantage come postseason time because you won't
have your whole team. So if you lose games without Kyrie,
then what's gonna be? Then what's gonna be? Oh? Well,
Kyrie couldn't play, So so we lost the two games
in Brooklyn. We lost the home court advantage because we
don't have all but they'll still look they'll still have
and if you're right, they'll still have two superstars right now,
(13:06):
they got one to me until he getting Let me
ask you this. If he doesn't play the four games
in the finals and they win the championship, where does
does Kylee get any credit? Like? How much credit would
he get? Well, I mean, obviously we'd have to see
how the games went, but I think he gets a
lot because I I think if he comes back Rob
and they look significantly better, I think we're all gonna
(13:29):
recognize that. And I hear you. Look, it's not ideal, okay,
a team like Golden State, where they really are based
on their offense and the ball and player movement and
spacing all that, it might hurt um. A team that
didn't have a Kevin Durant who's so great and we
weren't talking about the great players and Kyrie and Harden
(13:50):
that they have, maybe it will hurt more. But I
just we've seen it with guys being injured. Rob, you know,
in a in a playoff series that could only play
half of the games in the series. When Kyrie's there
on the road it's gonna help, especially if they get
a rhythm going in the regular season. They let's say
(14:12):
they after play a series where they play three or
four games on the road and they were cooking in
the regular season with Kyrie, then they're gonna probably be
favorite in those games on the road, at least some
of them. And then you go back home and you
still got not only Kevin Durant, but James Harden, and
if if you're right, James Harden is gonna get better.
(14:34):
So I think it's doable. I just don't even think
they get to the finals without Kyrie, and so I'm
taking my chances. That's my look. It looked I don't
think this would happen. But rob worst case scenario, Kyrie
comes in screws everything up after six weeks is not working,
then you could sit him down, right, I mean, maybe
(14:57):
he doesn't want to play, right, or maybe decide, you
know what I gotta I gotta be with my guys
every night, right and gets vaccinated. But right, and here's
the thing too, Right, I'll say this to your point,
if either Durant or Harden was not on board, no,
I get that, then I would say, don't do it.
Even if I felt like we really need Kyrie, I
(15:18):
would say we can't do it if these guys aren't
on board. No, definitely. If those guys were like, no,
he gotta be all the way in or whatever, then
it would be impossible. But I just think, especially you know,
not having a guy when you are at home in
the NBA, is could could come back to bite them.
That's probably all right. Eight seven seven ninety nine on
(15:41):
Fox eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine.
Your turn to weigh in. Do you think the Nats
are doing the right thing by bringing back Kyrie or
are they making a mistake? Eight seven seven ninety nine
on Fox. Let us hear from you. Thanks for listening
to The Odd Couple podcast. Want to check us out
live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern
(16:05):
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 R. Our next guests
former head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns now
the new head coach at Grammling State University. We're proud
(16:28):
to welcome in, Hugh Jackson, Hugh, how are you. I'm
doing good man, how you guys doing here? Your gratulations?
Mazel talk, thank you. It's business side. Yeah, man, it's
great to have you on and we're great to see you.
Glad to see you coaching at Grambler. Let's get right
to it. We don't have a ton of time um
(16:48):
coaching at Grambling. Tell us how excited you are about this?
And Robin, I look, we saw, we all saw that
Dion Sanders got the second best player in the country
to go to Jackson State to play for him. We
love it. I would love to see more of our
top black athletes go to HBCUs. What do you think
(17:11):
we've called them sleeping giants? What do you think about again,
you ede Grambling and the potential that HBCUs have based
off of what Deon Sanders just did at Jackson State.
I think what Dion did really open the door. And
I think Eddie, George and myself and I'm not trying
(17:31):
to speak for Eddie, but we're gonna do everything we
can to kick it open even more. I think it's
time for change. I think it's truly time for people
to recognize that there's football being played all across the country,
that the SWACK is a conference that should be reckoned with,
and again you just said it. I mean, here's what
they called five star player that made a decision not
(17:52):
to go to Florida State and go to Jackson State.
And I truly believe there'll be more that follows here
pretty shortly. For you tell us about the decision to
take the job and go to Grambling, and you know
what made you make that move? Well, I tell everybody
you know, when you think of Grambling, what was the
(18:13):
first thing you think of? One of the greatest coaches
in the history that's ever coached this game and Eddie
Robinson to have an opportunity to walk in the shoes
that he walked in and lead the g Men, the
Grambling men, the Grambling State men this season is unbelievable
to me. So obviously there's a lot of work to do.
(18:34):
I'm excited about the challenge. I think the young men
are excited. I think the camps is excited. What we
got a lot of work to do in order to
make this thing happen the way that I wanted to. Hugh,
I want to get back to the you know, top
athletes choose the HBCUs. I've been an advocate for that
for a while. I've always thought basketball was where it
(18:54):
should start, because the difference in facilities between say a
Grambling and an ls you isn't as big of a
deal in basketball, but in football, you know, it is
a bigger deal. I think, how what would you say
to though, like, how do you overcome obviously you don't
have the facilities at Grambling that LSU has. How difficult
(19:17):
is it for a football player that wants to get
to the NFL to overcome that difference in facilities? Is
it a big difference because obviously he's gonna get top
coaching you've been in the NFL. But are the facilities
and everything that big of a difference or is it
just Hey, it's more enjoyable of course with these great facilities.
But as far as your game, your skill, how great
(19:40):
of a player you can become, it doesn't matter. I
think you just hit on something because I think that's
truly what it is. It's starting not to matter. I
think the fact that these nils and the deals that
are out there for these players, I think they now
see their value as in playing you need to be
someplace where you're comfortable, and it needs to become more
(20:00):
about the people that are going to be dealing with
you every day and the people that are gonna put
you in a position to succeed. And I think that's
what it's truly all about now. I think the players,
there's not anymore about just the fancy stadiums and all
the optics and all those things. Hey, look we have
a nice stadium too, and we're gonna make you our
weight room and those things as nice as we can
(20:22):
make it, because at the end of the day, there's
still work to be done, whether you in some Power
five schools weight room or our weight room. So at
the end of the day, it comes down to the
people you're gonna be with and then putting you in
the best position to be the best student athlete you
can do. Hugh, how much does it help? And Chris
brought it up briefly with you being a former NFL coach,
(20:45):
knowing what it takes to play at that level. You know,
when you go to recruit and you talk to some
of these kids, you know what it takes to get
into the NFL. This is is this a big selling point.
Same thing with Dion Sanders when you're getting all the
dbs I played dB, Yeah, I was. You know what
I mean, Like, is that a huge selling point for you? Oh? Absolutely?
(21:07):
And then you know, as you can see, uh, hopefully
these quarterbacks will want to come here and play at Grambling.
Two of the greatest that ever played the game played
here in Shag Harris and Doug Williams. So there's gonna
be an opportunity for young talented quarterbacks, guys that think
they can play the position at a high level, to
come here and get that kind of training that will
prepare them to have a chance to be in the
(21:29):
National Football League. Because that's what we're gonna do here.
You we got to ask you about this. Uh. You know, look,
Rob and I are just a couple of sports writers.
We're gonna talk about a minute. But Brandon Stale league
last night. I gotta believe you saw the game and
him going for it five times on fourth down. They
only converted two of them, basically gave up three field
(21:50):
goals nine points. I mean, are we tripping when we
say take the points, kick the field goals or what
is your thought on that? Yeah? Well, I don't think
you're tripping. I mean, obviously, when you don't make them, boy,
it's not a good deal. If you make them, you
look like a genius, you know. And obviously I'm sure,
(22:11):
and I can't speak for him. He told his team
that we're gonna be very aggressive. He was gonna put
him in position to score more points because they're playing
against a team that scored a lot of points. And
then when you don't do it and you look back
and say, boy, we could have kept kick field goals
and possibly won this game, you know, it's gonna haunt
you a little bit. But that's all analytics, you know,
that's what the analytical numbers are telling them. Be very aggressive,
(22:33):
go take those shots. But as they head coach, you know,
if it's not working, it's not working. So you got
to make those decisions, and you got to live with
it and move on. Where are you at on that?
Do you just go with the math because the math
did support these decisions, or are you more old school
like I'm going to take the points. I'm kind of
old school and I like the other side of it.
(22:54):
That's what I said. It gets down to it. If
I've tried it once and it did not happen for me.
You can betch you bottom dollar. I'm kicking the next
work well, especially well the one at the half. If
you remember, the Chiefs were up pending nothing. They come back,
they're winning fourteen to ten. You kick a field goal, right,
you go into the half up seventeen to ten, you're
(23:16):
up a field goal, I mean a touchdown. That was
the one that really bothered me, you know, like like
because instead the Chiefs come back out feeling like they
didn't get any points. Right, we're only down one score.
I don't know, it just felt like they let the
Chiefs back in, right, And there's no question you said it.
I mean, I'm sure the Chiefs are like they let
(23:37):
them back in. I'm sure San Diego shows, i mean
the Los Angeles charges, so like, boy, if we could
have made it, we've kind of had a chance maybe
to put this team away. So again it's it's a
coach's field. You gotta fill it. But I do know this,
if you're not making them, at some point in time,
you have pulled the trigger and go kick it right,
all right, Hugh, thanks a lot, Look great luck over
(23:59):
at Grand Gambling. We'll be getting you on periods. I
need to come down for a game that year. You
men are always welcome to come down to it. All right,
we'll get we gotta get down there. Bruce Hard is
like Smith down in Louisiana. You know that. I love it.
Just be careful because they'll have their hand in your pockets.
(24:20):
Have you guys been down there? Have you guys been
to Tony's in louis We're down in Louisiana. Yeah, that
never been to Grambling. I've been, you know, Baton Rouge
in New Orleans and all that. Never Graham, Oh well,
it's outside of New Orleans. I think it's in uh
Bas Drip as you go through basht with Tony's is
an unbebelievable place to eat. I have to take you
(24:42):
men there. We're gonna do it. Let's plan. I've never
been to a game at Grambling either. I would love
to do it. Let's do it, all right, Thanks a
lot you, Happy holidays, man, Thank you guys, you guys,
thanks for listening to the Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven pm Pacific on Fox
(25:05):
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 R. Hey,
it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller
along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would meet a
lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.
(25:28):
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I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
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(25:51):
It is the r Couple. I am Chris. Here is Rob.
We're live from the Fox Sports Radio studios as we
head in the hour number three. Here on a funky
flashback Friday, we got our man, Lamar Mitchell, the MGM
Grand Director of Racing Sports, coming up at the bottom
of the hour to get you right for your betting weekend.
(26:15):
Rob needs to listen to Lamar, maybe you need to
call him before you do. Sheckyl city every day. Lamar
got his own job. He can't help me out every night.
I'm winning to night, Chris call, you're kidding. I picked
some winners tonight. Have you been following the scores? Yeah?
I got the game zone what you got. I'm just
I'm just relaxing though, until it's over, because you know
(26:37):
what I'm saying. I look good for a little while
yesterday too, Yeah I was. I was looking good and
then I got my feelings hurt. Speaking of looking good,
your thoughts on Kyrie Irving coming back? Rob? Do you
like it? We'll be quick yeah, um no. I just
think you need to be all the way in. I
(26:59):
think chemistry could it could wind up biting them. And
the other thing too, was him not being available. God forbid.
He gets COVID and in a bad you know, in
the playoffs or at some point you know, like there's
a lot of stuff that can happen, and then you
say you did all that for what You don't even
have them. I just I just think you want to
(27:19):
make it. When people make commitments to teams and whatnot.
You got everybody's kind of got to be committed, uh,
in this situation, and only because of where they are
in New York. If this was anywhere else, Chris, I'm fine,
it's about able to play. Yeah, he was somewhere else,
he'd be playing, yeah, right right, But but but he's not.
He's in New York and and nobody else on the
(27:42):
two New York teams not able to play except for him.
That's what I'm saying. The bottom line is they're doing
this to win. That's it. I'm not buying. Do you
buy Rob that we got so many players out, because
why would you bring back somebody that's not vaccinated right
her by it? He can't play and he can't play
(28:02):
at home, right, So you haven't sold anything. What you've
done is maybe put them in harm's away pays. I'm
with you, like the look, I get it. They're trying
to spend it. This is one reason, and one reason only.
They don't think they look very good without Kyrie and Rob.
I'm I don't know how this came to pass, but
(28:26):
I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Durant might have went
to somebody in authority and been like, hey, you know,
I think maybe we should look at bringing Kyrie in.
I really wouldn't be surprised, Rob, because we know that
they don't do this, and rightly, so without k D
and James Harden being on board, you don't do Oh no,
(28:50):
I agree, I agree with that one. So I think
that people have to be on board because absolutely, and again,
let's just be fair, other guys are playing in the
NBA who are not vaccinated and the NFL exactly, so
it's not just kywe and it's unfair to just act
as if it's just temp. Right. My only thing is
(29:12):
about he just happens to play in New York City,
the same way that Wiggins with the Warriors plays in
San Francisco. But I remember he went and got vaccinated.
He got vaccinated. What we gotta do, right, He could
have set out and good for the Warriors because he's
playing well exactly. That's he made the commitment to the team, right,
(29:33):
That's all. And the other thing is this, Rob, they
are paying Kyrie. They were paying him seventeen million plus
to sit on his button post black history, post on
ig all right, so they said, you know, look there
is an element too of you know what, man, get
your butt out here, we're paying you. You're gonna earn
(29:55):
this money, so we'll see how it works out. I
like it. I initially was against him playing just in
road games, but I don't think the nets have looked
all that great. I mean, yeah, they got the first seed,
but they haven't beat many good teams. So I think
it's all about winning a championship, and I think their
best chance to do that even within playing part time
(30:16):
at this point, I think it's to go get Kyrie.
And they're doing it all right, Rob. Let's get to
a story we've alluded to several times, but last night,
Brandon Staley, head coach, first year head coach of the
LA Chargers, I went four on fourth down rib five times.
Not that's just is that an NFL record? Chris? Seriously,
(30:38):
I like, I don't watch him something. I haven't seen
anything like that. But you're right, you usually it just
you use five times like like it just doesn't happen
that often. Like yeah, But anyway, and they converted two
of them, but in not converting the other three, they
left nine points on the board. I said earlier, Rob,
(31:00):
it's not maybe you feel this differently to me, It's
not as black and white and saying they left nine
points on the board. They lost by less than that.
I don't remember what the exact what was the exact score.
Let's see, they lost by six, They lost by six,
right right, they lost by six, they left nine points
on the board, they would have won. I don't think
it's as easy as saying that, because I think circumstances
(31:24):
impact the way guys play, the way coaches called the game,
so on and so forth. So I think it was
so early things just would have happened differently, and who
knows who would have won. But I didn't agree with
the moves Rob, and I'll say it because of it,
and he made you know, Steve the seger our great
update guy got upset because a caller called him a
(31:47):
computer gig. I thought the callers playing around, but you know,
he did call him a computer gig. And here's the thing, Rob,
he made those move moves based on a computer. Don't
It wasn't feel it was a computer told you that
you have a better probability of getting the first down,
(32:10):
so go for it. That's what it was. Because Rob,
the computer did say the analytics said every time they
went for it, they should go for it. So yeah,
but instance you are not listening to your football instincts.
You're listening to a computer or Chris, the pace or
(32:30):
what the game is? There are games and I brought
it up earlier. Can you give me what was the
officials the final score that ms I'm talking about. No,
I'm talking about the Rams Chiefs game when it was
fifth when the Rams beat them fifty four or whatever
it was, Chris, that was a game where feeling the game,
(32:52):
you need to score, Like field goals weren't gonna help
you in that game. So you gotta you gotta have
a feel for what what what game is taking place? Right,
That's what I made were holding they were holding my
homes at the first drive was great? And that was
it and and and it wasn'tntil The four scored thirteen
points through the three through almost three quarters, Chris, right
(33:14):
like like that wasn't the game? Like if you're if
you're feeling it and going, wow, they scored the first ten,
We're up fourteen to ten, here's the last player to
have let's kick the field goal. We're up by three,
I mean up by seven seven seven? What would have
been so terrible? Chris on that last play to do
(33:36):
that and kick the field goal. That's that's the one
that bothered me. And right when did three points become
something to sneeze at? I know, I just I mean,
I'm how many NFL games do we watch and go
three points? You say it all the time, and there's
truth to it. I mean you say it with you know,
a negative meaning, but still there's truth to it. How
(33:59):
many of the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's first Super
Bowl Probably the first one was when it was Vintary.
I think he had two field goals and then one
in the next two, but still the field goals were huge.
They was huge. How About when Bill Parcells? Bill Parcells
won in Super Bowl Chris, that's when Scott Norwood missed
the field goal. It was right, he missed the field
(34:20):
goal foot Buffalo. I mean, we could go on and
on and on about this season, Rob, how many times
has there been two minutes left or less and the
team's got the football and you're like, oh gosh, all
they need to do is getting field goal ranged right?
And it seems like they do it just about every time. Right.
It's unbelievable how they kim move the ball, the whole game, right,
(34:42):
and then it comes out to them because the defense
is you know, well, and they're not prevented that point.
You know, they know the off them from getting the
field GOALNGE, but they moved to the point. Is Rob
three points? I get it, it's not seven, but it's valuable.
It's oh, your bull And I'm sorry, Like, here's the
(35:04):
what it boils down to, Rob Brandon stay and look
he's off to a nice start. I mean they're eight
and six. Let's not act like they've been world beaters.
Yeah they were second, right, it ain't it ain't that
far away right from where they were. Let's right. So,
I mean he's viewed as one of the little boy
geniuses and maybe it is. But I tell you what, Rob,
(35:28):
when you do things like this, I mean, in any circumstance,
but this puts even more of a target on you,
you better win. But see, Chris, you better win, better work.
Here's my other thing too, And I get with trying
to have an identity, but but there's also about playing
to the game situation. And let's go to back to
(35:51):
the Atlanta UH Patriots super Bowl. Chris Okay Shanahan and
that Super Bowl you remember it's third down. Julio Jones
makes a great catch on the sidelines. You remember, sets
up Chris first and ten at the twenty two. At
the twenty two yard line, you're already in field goal range.
(36:12):
Am I right or wrong? Yeah? Right? Okay, you're up
by eight. If you kick a field goal, you're up
by eleven. That means Tom Brady has to score two
touchdowns in the final two and a half minutes. Chris, two,
not one. One, He could score one. If you're up
(36:33):
by eleven, you get You gotta get the two. You
know the two, right, But I'm just saying, but you
gotta get a touchdown to be in a field goal
two possessions right right to beat you. He can't beat you, okay, right?
What are they doing instead of running the football is
set up the field goal and eating clock? Right, you run, Chris,
(36:54):
You're absolutely right. He throws the ball. There's a hole, fifth, ten,
ten yard penalty, there's a sack. They lose twelve, fifteen yards.
Guess what they're out of field goal range. I don't
care if you through all year, Chris, that's not throwing downs.
Those are not throwing down Those are winning downs, right,
(37:17):
absolutely right, that's what I'm talking about, a field for
the game. Well, Rob, and I agree with you, but
we can't throw this out. This is a possibility that
some of these young coaches who have this reputation Shanahan, now,
(37:39):
Brandon Stage, I know what you're gonna says, right, Kellen Moore,
who's not the head coach, but he's offensive coordinator in Dallas.
They want to show off the good handling the ball,
long right, kicking field goals. Oh, it looks great when
you know for a hundred years you kicked the field
goal when it was fourth and five. And now here
(37:59):
comes a little hot shot that played in coach Division
three football, right, doesn't have the stature of some of
these other coaches in the NFL, and he's outsmarting everybody
because he's converting on fourth and five, fourth and seven,
fourth and nine, and he did convert on fourth and
nine last time they played the Chiefs. But it's I
(38:21):
don't don't then I don't know Brandon Stanley, so I
don't know. It's most I'm just saying I'm not taking
it off the board, Rob, that there's a little show
off in that, that there's a little East there's a
lot of show off because you're right kicking field goals
Bill Belichick through three passes Chris to win a game.
(38:41):
Thank you good. Analytically it didn't you would like what
This game is terrible? What is he doing trying to win?
He wants to win, Chris. It don't matter how I
don't get it. Thank you and Rob. Here's the other thing,
because brand Is Lea defended himself last night after the game,
(39:03):
and he defended himself today as well. You're one thing,
Yeah play the real football people will understand that what
I'm doing is playing to the strengths of our football team.
And what I'm doing is I'm trying to make the
decisions that I think are gonna win us the game,
that are gonna win us the game, and I'm ready
to live with all that smoke that comes with it.
(39:25):
I've been very transparent about that. What makes football and
competition so great is that there aren't going to be
perfect decisions, but you need to be able to live
with the decisions, and your team needs to know why
you're making these decisions so that they can live with
them too. You know. I just I know the way
that my mindset is I know the way that our
mindset is around earlier a real football thank you? Did
(39:52):
you hear that? That's what he could have stopped it
right after that? The real football people know what I'm doing.
You guys don't know football, thank you. A hundred years.
They've been playing football, and I get it. The game changes,
you make new discoveries and all that. But I bet you, Rob,
Bill Belichick is kicking a few of those field goals. Absolutely,
(40:17):
And I'm gonna give you here. I'm gonna cut right
to the chase. Is Andy Reid a real football guy? Right?
Because Andy Reid yesterday right in Brandon Stately's face fourth
and seven. Now, you might say, well, fourth and seven,
that's well Staley went for it on fourth and five,
and then when they played the Chiefs in the earlier
(40:38):
in the season, he went forward on fourth and nine.
So this is within the range fourth and seven from
the Chargers eleven yard line. Rob, what does Andy Reid do?
Kicks a field goal? Yep, they go up ten. Oh,
but I guess he's not a real football person. Right
fourth to day he could have said, Chris, wait, we
(41:00):
already got seven, we got the lead. We could bludgeon
them right here in their home field. Let's just let's
go for it. Let's go for the juggular. No, Patrick Mahomes,
Travis Kelsey, Tyreek Hill. I'm aggressive. I'm aggressive. They can't
beat us. It's the Chargers. They think, now, you could
do whatever we want. No, we want the points. And
(41:24):
then Rob early in the third quarter, fourth and eight,
they're down fourteen ten at the Chargers fourteen. Okay, you're
right there in the red zone. Again, they gi a
field goal. Ye. So I'm just robbed, and I mean again,
circumstances changed, But I think it's fair to say they're
(41:46):
not tied at the end of the game. If they
don't get those two field goals, right, they wouldn't have been,
no doubt. Hey, let me say this last thing about analytics, Rob,
because we've talked about it at nauseum in all types
of sports, but analytics, like last night when I said
the numbers supported right, supported the staleley going forward on
(42:08):
fourth down, you know what those numbers don't do, Ribbed, though,
they're not specific to the teams that are playing their
numbers from all over the league this year historically, so
they don't care. They don't know the numbers don't know
if the opposing quarterback is Patrick Mahomes or Daniel Jones,
exactly right. They don't know if the opposing defense has
(42:33):
great or paper thin. So you gotta, like you said,
feel for the game who were playing. And I guess
he can say he took that into account because the
Chiefs can score, but like you said, they weren't scoring
last and that's like the nature of that can
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. 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 R.
(00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brusa and Rod Parker. Yeah, it is the I Couple.
I'm Chris Bruce ar the Last Side, my partner Rob Parker,
(00:46):
and we're coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios, and we have a great show for you
today on a funky flash back Friday, myself and Rod
Parker keep it locked right here for the next three
hours on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app or Serious
(01:07):
XM Channel eighty three. We got Hugh Jackson, head coach
of Grambling State of coach of course, coach in the
NFL as well with the Raiders and the Cleveland brown
So we look forward to speaking to him at the
bottom of the hour. Let me welcome in my partner,
mister Rob Parker. What's up, brother, what's happening? Mister Chris Bussard,
(01:28):
A couple of things I want to get off my
plate real quick as we get started on this show.
I'm looking forward to it on this Friday. All right, well,
let's shoot you probably it's probably the same for you.
But today is my fifth anniversary on Fox Sports Radio.
It was December seventeen, twenty sixteen, Chris, my first show
(01:50):
with Mark Willard on Saturday morning, which would have been tomorrow,
right five years ago, right from ten am to one
Pacific time. Very thankful, five full years here on the Nusly,
I got no idea, you have no Idemember stuff like that, rightly, Yeah, yeah,
we's gotta be around Fox Sports the same day, right one. Yeah,
(02:15):
um yeah, And I did. My first show was with
Brian no on the weekends. It was a Saturday evening show,
I believe, right, But it's around five years, I mean
the same thing. Yeah, so five years and uh Marty
and and uh Sean from Sacramento. They're like, you know,
we're gonna get into this Kyrie news. But like Sean like,
(02:37):
uh Marty, Marty's like, give me credit. I told you
that kywe and and and he just didn't. He wanted
to sit out the first third of the season. And
that's the way. And I'm like, wait a minute, it's
not just Kywee's decision. The Nets are the ones who
had to say he could come back. So Kywee didn't
decide that he wanted to sit out the first third
(02:57):
of this into that. Yeah, I mean, I'm yeah, anything else,
that's it? All right? We got DJ Alex Tisher is
on vacation today. I guess he and Rob g So
we got the heavy one. The heavy one. Don Brown
is in full of fact. Let's see what he does
(03:19):
on the again, you're limited because he's all Christmas music,
but hey, do your best, all right. On the uh
producer's role is our man Bo Benson, who's uh gonna
do a great job tonight. And updates, Yes, b e
a u U. On the updates is our man as
(03:39):
always on Friday, Steve this say all right, Rob, you
got into it. Kyrie Irving is back, all right, The
Nets are bringing Kyrie back as a part time player. No,
he is not getting vaccinated. He will be able to
practice in home, you know, at home in New York,
but he won't be able to play home games like
(04:00):
we all knew. But he will play the road games,
right I have. They've got twenty seven of their fifty
three games remaining are on the road and in Toronto. Right,
he won't be He'll he'll miss three, the two in
New York and against the Knicks, and then one in Toronto.
So the bottom line, no, Kyrie is back as a
(04:20):
part time player. Rob Parker, your thoughts. I think the
Nets have made a mistake here, and the big mistake
Chris is ultimately if they get to where they want,
they're setting themselves up where he won't be able to
play in the postseason or play part time. I just
think for a cohesiveness of a team, everybody's kind of
(04:44):
got to be in and this is gonna be in
and out. They lost the game. If they lose a
game when Kyrie doesn't play, is it because you don't
have Kyrie? Like the whole You've turned the whole season
and maybe maybe I get it. It seems strange the
timing beca because of what's happening with COVID and people
getting you know what I mean, Like the time it
(05:05):
seems a couple of games they've had eight players, right,
they're missing people are so it's weird. But I just
think you get all the way to the NBA Finals
and he won't be able to play the four home
games for the Nets in Brooklyn. Strange to me ultimately,
and if they believe, look, they're guys in the NBA
(05:28):
who are playing. So I'm not down on him playing
totally because if he was on another team, he would
be playing without the vaccination. That's that's not It's about
the cohesiveness, not about whether he's vacccinated or not. Chris,
you got it, Because I know people want to think.
Some people were like, oh, I love that the Nets
took that hard stand against him for not getting vaccinated.
That's not your thing, right, That's not what I'm talking about.
(05:50):
My mind is about a team thing cohesive. Either you're
in or you're out, you know what I mean, Like,
you gotta be there every day, practice, be on the road.
You know. That's how you build chemistry. That's how you
build a team. And I think that's where they might
be misguided or shortsided, but we'll see. I would say,
if you ask me to vote either side, I think
(06:12):
the Nets made a huge mistake. I think their original
idea was the right idea. That either you're all the
way in or you're not. I was with you early on, Robb,
as far as when Kyrie announced or it was put
out that he wouldn't be getting vaccinated and was eligible
for the role games but not home games. I was
(06:33):
fully on board with you. I was like, look, you're
either in or you're out. For Chemistry's purposes, we need
you there all the time. You have to get used
to playing with Kevin Durant, with James Harden. It's about
winning a championship, and if you aren't there for the
home games, then stay home for good. If you're not
there for all eighty two, then don't be there for
(06:55):
forty one of them. I was with you on that.
I changed my mind because of the way the Nets
have played, and more so, I'm gonna behind James Harden.
I thought Rob that the Nets could win the championship
with Jess, James Harden and Kevin Durant leading him. I
thought they could win it without Kyrie. I thought James
(07:17):
Harden playing as he has for the past decade, Kevin
Durant being as great as he is, and right now
he's probably the front runner for the MVP and a
nice decent cast of role players. I thought that was enough.
But Kevin James Harden has not played like a superstar.
He's played like an All star. He's played okay, you know,
(07:40):
pretty good. But I don't think they're good enough without
Kyrie to win a championship, and probably not even the East,
like if you put a gun to my head, nets
as they are right now without Kyrie. I take Milwaukee
and this is about winning a championship. And Joe the
(08:00):
owner said it when he's saying Kyrie, you know, is
basically banished from the team a few months ago, he said,
it's about winning the championship. And I think the nets
looked at I'm not buying all the cold the players are.
You know, we're missing players for COVID. We Duran's playing
too many minutes. No, I think it's because they don't
(08:21):
think the nets look good enough. That's my opinion. I
don't think it has hardly anything, if if anything at
all to do with players sitting out for COVID and
all that. Every team's gotta deal with that, all right.
I think it's because they're watching them and saying we
can beat the bad teams and the mediocre teams we're
owing six against Chicago, Phoenix, Golden State, Milwaukee, Miami. And
(08:48):
look I saw Jaylen Rose today, Rob. He said he
thinks Harden's gonna be, you know, reinvigorated by Kyrie's presence.
He thinks Harden's been lack of days ago because Kyrie's gone.
I don't know about that, but you know, I think
Harden playing the way he's playing right now, Rob, it's fine.
If Kyrie's there. See he's giving him twenty nine and seven,
(09:09):
that's great. If he's the third scorer, see I have.
I have the opposite way, and the way that you're
looking at it is strange because if if if Cardon
was playing to his ability, Chris, and they were struggling
against the better teams, then I would buy your argument.
What did he gonna starting? No, No, I'm no, But
(09:31):
I'm just saying, but he's not there yet. I'm not
I'm not ready when he getting there. I'm not I'm
not ready to say. I'm not ready to say that,
uh that that he can't play better or this is
who he is. Thirty games in twenty nine games into
a eighty two games season. I'm just not. I can't
(09:53):
so so that's what I'm saying. That's what yeah is.
That is that if he was playing James hard nesque
and they would and they couldn't beat those teams, then
I'd be like, Okay, this isn't gonna work because he's
playing well, what's wrong with him Kyd's play? I don't know,
but I'm just saying. I mean, because he had the
worst hamstring injury in the history of mankind. I mean,
(10:14):
I don't know, my good you know what I'm saying though, Like, no,
I get it, but I don't think people are looking
at Do you think Anthony Davis is who he is
and this is how he's gonna play the rest of
the year, Well, Anthony Davis, there's a history of being
in it, you know, lack of days ago. I'm talking
about James Harden. No, but I was just doesn't look
like James Harden. But that I don't have time if
(10:36):
I'm the Nets. Now. Look, I did say I would
play out December before I bring Kyrie back. They're they're
not even waiting that long. But I'm not convinced we're
gonna get James Harden being back to what he is.
Don't know what we're gonna get that'll be interesting. Not
been winning at seventy five percent, what do you expect
(10:57):
out of the Nets now? It's not even the record.
It's beating the number one seed. They're the number one seed.
That's fine, but they're not beating the good teams. They've
had one of the easiest schedules in the league so far,
and I think with Kyrie, they can be the best
team in the East and if not the league. And
(11:19):
I hear you because I was all on board with
the chemistry thing too. Oh, this is tough for chemistry,
But then I looked at it this way. The main
player I was concerned about chemistry wise was James Harden
because Kevin Duray, you know this, right, He's gonna be
himself no matter who he's playing. Would get me the rock.
I'm gonna shoot my mid range jumper occasional three. I'm
gonna get my buckets Kyrie or not. That's the fact.
(11:42):
The rest of the guys, Joe Harris, Nick Klaxton, Blake Griffin,
Bruce Brown, all these role players, they get in where
they fit in. That's what you do as a role player.
James Harden, to me, was the guy that was going
to be affected. I looked at it like, when Kyrie's
not there, Harden's gonna have to be giving you close
(12:02):
to thirty a night or twenty six a night behind,
you know, behind Kevin Durant. When Kyrie's there, now, all
of a sudden, he's gonna flip the switch and be
mister playmaker. Don't shoot as much, get Kyrie and Kevin
Durant off, and then get in where you fit in.
But here's the thing. Harden's playing that way anyway. He's
(12:22):
playing that way without Kyrie. He's only taking fourteen shots
a game. Rob that's his lowis since he left Oklahoma City. Yeah,
but I don't I'm just like I said, your point
is well taken, But I don't believe that that's the
entire Harden We're gonna see all year, and maybe it'll change.
But it doesn't make sense to me that you put
(12:43):
yourself at a disadvantage come postseason time because you won't
have your whole team. So if you lose games without Kyrie,
then what's gonna be? Then what's gonna be? Oh? Well,
Kyrie couldn't play, So so we lost the two games
in Brooklyn. We lost the home court advantage because we
don't have all but they'll still look they'll still have
and if you're right, they'll still have two superstars right now,
(13:06):
they got one to me until he getting Let me
ask you this. If he doesn't play the four games
in the finals and they win the championship, where does
does Kylee get any credit? Like? How much credit would
he get? Well, I mean, obviously we'd have to see
how the games went, but I think he gets a
lot because I I think if he comes back Rob
and they look significantly better, I think we're all gonna
(13:29):
recognize that. And I hear you. Look, it's not ideal, okay,
a team like Golden State, where they really are based
on their offense and the ball and player movement and
spacing all that, it might hurt um. A team that
didn't have a Kevin Durant who's so great and we
weren't talking about the great players and Kyrie and Harden
(13:50):
that they have, maybe it will hurt more. But I
just we've seen it with guys being injured. Rob, you know,
in a in a playoff series that could only play
half of the games in the series. When Kyrie's there
on the road it's gonna help, especially if they get
a rhythm going in the regular season. They let's say
(14:12):
they after play a series where they play three or
four games on the road and they were cooking in
the regular season with Kyrie, then they're gonna probably be
favorite in those games on the road, at least some
of them. And then you go back home and you
still got not only Kevin Durant, but James Harden, and
if if you're right, James Harden is gonna get better.
(14:34):
So I think it's doable. I just don't even think
they get to the finals without Kyrie, and so I'm
taking my chances. That's my look. It looked I don't
think this would happen. But rob worst case scenario, Kyrie
comes in screws everything up after six weeks is not working,
then you could sit him down, right, I mean, maybe
(14:57):
he doesn't want to play, right, or maybe decide, you
know what I gotta I gotta be with my guys
every night, right and gets vaccinated. But right, and here's
the thing too, Right, I'll say this to your point,
if either Durant or Harden was not on board, no,
I get that, then I would say, don't do it.
Even if I felt like we really need Kyrie, I
(15:18):
would say we can't do it if these guys aren't
on board. No, definitely. If those guys were like, no,
he gotta be all the way in or whatever, then
it would be impossible. But I just think, especially you know,
not having a guy when you are at home in
the NBA, is could could come back to bite them.
That's probably all right. Eight seven seven ninety nine on
(15:41):
Fox eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine.
Your turn to weigh in. Do you think the Nats
are doing the right thing by bringing back Kyrie or
are they making a mistake? Eight seven seven ninety nine
on Fox. Let us hear from you. Thanks for listening
to The Odd Couple podcast. Want to check us out
live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern
(16:05):
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 R. Our next guests
former head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns now
the new head coach at Grammling State University. We're proud
(16:28):
to welcome in, Hugh Jackson, Hugh, how are you. I'm
doing good man, how you guys doing here? Your gratulations?
Mazel talk, thank you. It's business side. Yeah, man, it's
great to have you on and we're great to see you.
Glad to see you coaching at Grambler. Let's get right
to it. We don't have a ton of time um
(16:48):
coaching at Grambling. Tell us how excited you are about this?
And Robin, I look, we saw, we all saw that
Dion Sanders got the second best player in the country
to go to Jackson State to play for him. We
love it. I would love to see more of our
top black athletes go to HBCUs. What do you think
(17:11):
we've called them sleeping giants? What do you think about again,
you ede Grambling and the potential that HBCUs have based
off of what Deon Sanders just did at Jackson State.
I think what Dion did really open the door. And
I think Eddie, George and myself and I'm not trying
(17:31):
to speak for Eddie, but we're gonna do everything we
can to kick it open even more. I think it's
time for change. I think it's truly time for people
to recognize that there's football being played all across the country,
that the SWACK is a conference that should be reckoned with,
and again you just said it. I mean, here's what
they called five star player that made a decision not
(17:52):
to go to Florida State and go to Jackson State.
And I truly believe there'll be more that follows here
pretty shortly. For you tell us about the decision to
take the job and go to Grambling, and you know
what made you make that move? Well, I tell everybody
you know, when you think of Grambling, what was the
(18:13):
first thing you think of? One of the greatest coaches
in the history that's ever coached this game and Eddie
Robinson to have an opportunity to walk in the shoes
that he walked in and lead the g Men, the
Grambling men, the Grambling State men this season is unbelievable
to me. So obviously there's a lot of work to do.
(18:34):
I'm excited about the challenge. I think the young men
are excited. I think the camps is excited. What we
got a lot of work to do in order to
make this thing happen the way that I wanted to. Hugh,
I want to get back to the you know, top
athletes choose the HBCUs. I've been an advocate for that
for a while. I've always thought basketball was where it
(18:54):
should start, because the difference in facilities between say a
Grambling and an ls you isn't as big of a
deal in basketball, but in football, you know, it is
a bigger deal. I think, how what would you say
to though, like, how do you overcome obviously you don't
have the facilities at Grambling that LSU has. How difficult
(19:17):
is it for a football player that wants to get
to the NFL to overcome that difference in facilities? Is
it a big difference because obviously he's gonna get top
coaching you've been in the NFL. But are the facilities
and everything that big of a difference or is it
just Hey, it's more enjoyable of course with these great facilities.
But as far as your game, your skill, how great
(19:40):
of a player you can become, it doesn't matter. I
think you just hit on something because I think that's
truly what it is. It's starting not to matter. I
think the fact that these nils and the deals that
are out there for these players, I think they now
see their value as in playing you need to be
someplace where you're comfortable, and it needs to become more
(20:00):
about the people that are going to be dealing with
you every day and the people that are gonna put
you in a position to succeed. And I think that's
what it's truly all about now. I think the players,
there's not anymore about just the fancy stadiums and all
the optics and all those things. Hey, look we have
a nice stadium too, and we're gonna make you our
weight room and those things as nice as we can
(20:22):
make it, because at the end of the day, there's
still work to be done, whether you in some Power
five schools weight room or our weight room. So at
the end of the day, it comes down to the
people you're gonna be with and then putting you in
the best position to be the best student athlete you
can do. Hugh, how much does it help? And Chris
brought it up briefly with you being a former NFL coach,
(20:45):
knowing what it takes to play at that level. You know,
when you go to recruit and you talk to some
of these kids, you know what it takes to get
into the NFL. This is is this a big selling point.
Same thing with Dion Sanders when you're getting all the
dbs I played dB, Yeah, I was. You know what
I mean, Like, is that a huge selling point for you? Oh? Absolutely?
(21:07):
And then you know, as you can see, uh, hopefully
these quarterbacks will want to come here and play at Grambling.
Two of the greatest that ever played the game played
here in Shag Harris and Doug Williams. So there's gonna
be an opportunity for young talented quarterbacks, guys that think
they can play the position at a high level, to
come here and get that kind of training that will
prepare them to have a chance to be in the
(21:29):
National Football League. Because that's what we're gonna do here.
You we got to ask you about this. Uh. You know, look,
Rob and I are just a couple of sports writers.
We're gonna talk about a minute. But Brandon Stale league
last night. I gotta believe you saw the game and
him going for it five times on fourth down. They
only converted two of them, basically gave up three field
(21:50):
goals nine points. I mean, are we tripping when we
say take the points, kick the field goals or what
is your thought on that? Yeah? Well, I don't think
you're tripping. I mean, obviously, when you don't make them, boy,
it's not a good deal. If you make them, you
look like a genius, you know. And obviously I'm sure,
(22:11):
and I can't speak for him. He told his team
that we're gonna be very aggressive. He was gonna put
him in position to score more points because they're playing
against a team that scored a lot of points. And
then when you don't do it and you look back
and say, boy, we could have kept kick field goals
and possibly won this game, you know, it's gonna haunt
you a little bit. But that's all analytics, you know,
that's what the analytical numbers are telling them. Be very aggressive,
(22:33):
go take those shots. But as they head coach, you know,
if it's not working, it's not working. So you got
to make those decisions, and you got to live with
it and move on. Where are you at on that?
Do you just go with the math because the math
did support these decisions, or are you more old school
like I'm going to take the points. I'm kind of
old school and I like the other side of it.
(22:54):
That's what I said. It gets down to it. If
I've tried it once and it did not happen for me.
You can betch you bottom dollar. I'm kicking the next
work well, especially well the one at the half. If
you remember, the Chiefs were up pending nothing. They come back,
they're winning fourteen to ten. You kick a field goal, right,
you go into the half up seventeen to ten, you're
(23:16):
up a field goal, I mean a touchdown. That was
the one that really bothered me, you know, like like
because instead the Chiefs come back out feeling like they
didn't get any points. Right, we're only down one score.
I don't know, it just felt like they let the
Chiefs back in, right, And there's no question you said it.
I mean, I'm sure the Chiefs are like they let
(23:37):
them back in. I'm sure San Diego shows, i mean
the Los Angeles charges, so like, boy, if we could
have made it, we've kind of had a chance maybe
to put this team away. So again it's it's a
coach's field. You gotta fill it. But I do know this,
if you're not making them, at some point in time,
you have pulled the trigger and go kick it right,
all right, Hugh, thanks a lot, Look great luck over
(23:59):
at Grand Gambling. We'll be getting you on periods. I
need to come down for a game that year. You
men are always welcome to come down to it. All right,
we'll get we gotta get down there. Bruce Hard is
like Smith down in Louisiana. You know that. I love it.
Just be careful because they'll have their hand in your pockets.
(24:20):
Have you guys been down there? Have you guys been
to Tony's in louis We're down in Louisiana. Yeah, that
never been to Grambling. I've been, you know, Baton Rouge
in New Orleans and all that. Never Graham, Oh well,
it's outside of New Orleans. I think it's in uh
Bas Drip as you go through basht with Tony's is
an unbebelievable place to eat. I have to take you
(24:42):
men there. We're gonna do it. Let's plan. I've never
been to a game at Grambling either. I would love
to do it. Let's do it, all right, Thanks a
lot you, Happy holidays, man, Thank you guys, you guys,
thanks for listening to the Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven pm Pacific on Fox
(25:05):
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 R. Hey,
it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller
along with my trustee sidekick David Gascon. Would meet a
lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.
(25:28):
You're asking one in God's name is the Fifth Hour?
I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
Maller show, cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen?
Picture if you will a world will we chat with
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Explorer some amazing facts about the human nature and more.
Let'sten to the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the
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(25:51):
It is the r Couple. I am Chris. Here is Rob.
We're live from the Fox Sports Radio studios as we
head in the hour number three. Here on a funky
flashback Friday, we got our man, Lamar Mitchell, the MGM
Grand Director of Racing Sports, coming up at the bottom
of the hour to get you right for your betting weekend.
(26:15):
Rob needs to listen to Lamar, maybe you need to
call him before you do. Sheckyl city every day. Lamar
got his own job. He can't help me out every night.
I'm winning to night, Chris call, you're kidding. I picked
some winners tonight. Have you been following the scores? Yeah?
I got the game zone what you got. I'm just
I'm just relaxing though, until it's over, because you know
(26:37):
what I'm saying. I look good for a little while
yesterday too, Yeah I was. I was looking good and
then I got my feelings hurt. Speaking of looking good,
your thoughts on Kyrie Irving coming back? Rob? Do you
like it? We'll be quick yeah, um no. I just
think you need to be all the way in. I
(26:59):
think chemistry could it could wind up biting them. And
the other thing too, was him not being available. God forbid.
He gets COVID and in a bad you know, in
the playoffs or at some point you know, like there's
a lot of stuff that can happen, and then you
say you did all that for what You don't even
have them. I just I just think you want to
(27:19):
make it. When people make commitments to teams and whatnot.
You got everybody's kind of got to be committed, uh,
in this situation, and only because of where they are
in New York. If this was anywhere else, Chris, I'm fine,
it's about able to play. Yeah, he was somewhere else,
he'd be playing, yeah, right right, But but but he's not.
He's in New York and and nobody else on the
(27:42):
two New York teams not able to play except for him.
That's what I'm saying. The bottom line is they're doing
this to win. That's it. I'm not buying. Do you
buy Rob that we got so many players out, because
why would you bring back somebody that's not vaccinated right
her by it? He can't play and he can't play
(28:02):
at home, right, So you haven't sold anything. What you've
done is maybe put them in harm's away pays. I'm
with you, like the look, I get it. They're trying
to spend it. This is one reason, and one reason only.
They don't think they look very good without Kyrie and Rob.
I'm I don't know how this came to pass, but
(28:26):
I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Durant might have went
to somebody in authority and been like, hey, you know,
I think maybe we should look at bringing Kyrie in.
I really wouldn't be surprised, Rob, because we know that
they don't do this, and rightly, so without k D
and James Harden being on board, you don't do Oh no,
(28:50):
I agree, I agree with that one. So I think
that people have to be on board because absolutely, and again,
let's just be fair, other guys are playing in the
NBA who are not vaccinated and the NFL exactly, so
it's not just kywe and it's unfair to just act
as if it's just temp. Right. My only thing is
(29:12):
about he just happens to play in New York City,
the same way that Wiggins with the Warriors plays in
San Francisco. But I remember he went and got vaccinated.
He got vaccinated. What we gotta do, right, He could
have set out and good for the Warriors because he's
playing well exactly. That's he made the commitment to the team, right,
(29:33):
That's all. And the other thing is this, Rob, they
are paying Kyrie. They were paying him seventeen million plus
to sit on his button post black history, post on
ig all right, so they said, you know, look there
is an element too of you know what, man, get
your butt out here, we're paying you. You're gonna earn
(29:55):
this money, so we'll see how it works out. I
like it. I initially was against him playing just in
road games, but I don't think the nets have looked
all that great. I mean, yeah, they got the first seed,
but they haven't beat many good teams. So I think
it's all about winning a championship, and I think their
best chance to do that even within playing part time
(30:16):
at this point, I think it's to go get Kyrie.
And they're doing it all right, Rob. Let's get to
a story we've alluded to several times, but last night,
Brandon Staley, head coach, first year head coach of the
LA Chargers, I went four on fourth down rib five times.
Not that's just is that an NFL record? Chris? Seriously,
(30:38):
I like, I don't watch him something. I haven't seen
anything like that. But you're right, you usually it just
you use five times like like it just doesn't happen
that often. Like yeah, But anyway, and they converted two
of them, but in not converting the other three, they
left nine points on the board. I said earlier, Rob,
(31:00):
it's not maybe you feel this differently to me, It's
not as black and white and saying they left nine
points on the board. They lost by less than that.
I don't remember what the exact what was the exact score.
Let's see, they lost by six, They lost by six,
right right, they lost by six, they left nine points
on the board, they would have won. I don't think
it's as easy as saying that, because I think circumstances
(31:24):
impact the way guys play, the way coaches called the game,
so on and so forth. So I think it was
so early things just would have happened differently, and who
knows who would have won. But I didn't agree with
the moves Rob, and I'll say it because of it,
and he made you know, Steve the seger our great
update guy got upset because a caller called him a
(31:47):
computer gig. I thought the callers playing around, but you know,
he did call him a computer gig. And here's the thing, Rob,
he made those move moves based on a computer. Don't
It wasn't feel it was a computer told you that
you have a better probability of getting the first down,
(32:10):
so go for it. That's what it was. Because Rob,
the computer did say the analytics said every time they
went for it, they should go for it. So yeah,
but instance you are not listening to your football instincts.
You're listening to a computer or Chris, the pace or
(32:30):
what the game is? There are games and I brought
it up earlier. Can you give me what was the
officials the final score that ms I'm talking about. No,
I'm talking about the Rams Chiefs game when it was
fifth when the Rams beat them fifty four or whatever
it was, Chris, that was a game where feeling the game,
(32:52):
you need to score, Like field goals weren't gonna help
you in that game. So you gotta you gotta have
a feel for what what what game is taking place? Right,
That's what I made were holding they were holding my
homes at the first drive was great? And that was
it and and and it wasn'tntil The four scored thirteen
points through the three through almost three quarters, Chris, right
(33:14):
like like that wasn't the game? Like if you're if
you're feeling it and going, wow, they scored the first ten,
We're up fourteen to ten, here's the last player to
have let's kick the field goal. We're up by three,
I mean up by seven seven seven? What would have
been so terrible? Chris on that last play to do
(33:36):
that and kick the field goal. That's that's the one
that bothered me. And right when did three points become
something to sneeze at? I know, I just I mean,
I'm how many NFL games do we watch and go
three points? You say it all the time, and there's
truth to it. I mean you say it with you know,
a negative meaning, but still there's truth to it. How
(33:59):
many of the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's first Super
Bowl Probably the first one was when it was Vintary.
I think he had two field goals and then one
in the next two, but still the field goals were huge.
They was huge. How About when Bill Parcells? Bill Parcells
won in Super Bowl Chris, that's when Scott Norwood missed
the field goal. It was right, he missed the field
(34:20):
goal foot Buffalo. I mean, we could go on and
on and on about this season, Rob, how many times
has there been two minutes left or less and the
team's got the football and you're like, oh gosh, all
they need to do is getting field goal ranged right?
And it seems like they do it just about every time. Right.
It's unbelievable how they kim move the ball, the whole game, right,
(34:42):
and then it comes out to them because the defense
is you know, well, and they're not prevented that point.
You know, they know the off them from getting the
field GOALNGE, but they moved to the point. Is Rob
three points? I get it, it's not seven, but it's valuable.
It's oh, your bull And I'm sorry, Like, here's the
(35:04):
what it boils down to, Rob Brandon stay and look
he's off to a nice start. I mean they're eight
and six. Let's not act like they've been world beaters.
Yeah they were second, right, it ain't it ain't that
far away right from where they were. Let's right. So,
I mean he's viewed as one of the little boy
geniuses and maybe it is. But I tell you what, Rob,
(35:28):
when you do things like this, I mean, in any circumstance,
but this puts even more of a target on you,
you better win. But see, Chris, you better win, better work.
Here's my other thing too, And I get with trying
to have an identity, but but there's also about playing
to the game situation. And let's go to back to
(35:51):
the Atlanta UH Patriots super Bowl. Chris Okay Shanahan and
that Super Bowl you remember it's third down. Julio Jones
makes a great catch on the sidelines. You remember, sets
up Chris first and ten at the twenty two. At
the twenty two yard line, you're already in field goal range.
(36:12):
Am I right or wrong? Yeah? Right? Okay, you're up
by eight. If you kick a field goal, you're up
by eleven. That means Tom Brady has to score two
touchdowns in the final two and a half minutes. Chris, two,
not one. One, He could score one. If you're up
(36:33):
by eleven, you get You gotta get the two. You
know the two, right, But I'm just saying, but you
gotta get a touchdown to be in a field goal
two possessions right right to beat you. He can't beat you, okay, right?
What are they doing instead of running the football is
set up the field goal and eating clock? Right, you run, Chris,
(36:54):
You're absolutely right. He throws the ball. There's a hole, fifth, ten,
ten yard penalty, there's a sack. They lose twelve, fifteen yards.
Guess what they're out of field goal range. I don't
care if you through all year, Chris, that's not throwing downs.
Those are not throwing down Those are winning downs, right,
(37:17):
absolutely right, that's what I'm talking about, a field for
the game. Well, Rob, and I agree with you, but
we can't throw this out. This is a possibility that
some of these young coaches who have this reputation Shanahan, now,
(37:39):
Brandon Stage, I know what you're gonna says, right, Kellen Moore,
who's not the head coach, but he's offensive coordinator in Dallas.
They want to show off the good handling the ball,
long right, kicking field goals. Oh, it looks great when
you know for a hundred years you kicked the field
goal when it was fourth and five. And now here
(37:59):
comes a little hot shot that played in coach Division
three football, right, doesn't have the stature of some of
these other coaches in the NFL, and he's outsmarting everybody
because he's converting on fourth and five, fourth and seven,
fourth and nine, and he did convert on fourth and
nine last time they played the Chiefs. But it's I
(38:21):
don't don't then I don't know Brandon Stanley, so I
don't know. It's most I'm just saying I'm not taking
it off the board, Rob, that there's a little show
off in that, that there's a little East there's a
lot of show off because you're right kicking field goals
Bill Belichick through three passes Chris to win a game.
(38:41):
Thank you good. Analytically it didn't you would like what
This game is terrible? What is he doing trying to win?
He wants to win, Chris. It don't matter how I
don't get it. Thank you and Rob. Here's the other thing,
because brand Is Lea defended himself last night after the game,
(39:03):
and he defended himself today as well. You're one thing,
Yeah play the real football people will understand that what
I'm doing is playing to the strengths of our football team.
And what I'm doing is I'm trying to make the
decisions that I think are gonna win us the game,
that are gonna win us the game, and I'm ready
to live with all that smoke that comes with it.
(39:25):
I've been very transparent about that. What makes football and
competition so great is that there aren't going to be
perfect decisions, but you need to be able to live
with the decisions, and your team needs to know why
you're making these decisions so that they can live with
them too. You know. I just I know the way
that my mindset is I know the way that our
mindset is around earlier a real football thank you? Did
(39:52):
you hear that? That's what he could have stopped it
right after that? The real football people know what I'm doing.
You guys don't know football, thank you. A hundred years.
They've been playing football, and I get it. The game changes,
you make new discoveries and all that. But I bet you, Rob,
Bill Belichick is kicking a few of those field goals. Absolutely,
(40:17):
And I'm gonna give you here. I'm gonna cut right
to the chase. Is Andy Reid a real football guy? Right?
Because Andy Reid yesterday right in Brandon Stately's face fourth
and seven. Now, you might say, well, fourth and seven,
that's well Staley went for it on fourth and five,
and then when they played the Chiefs in the earlier
(40:38):
in the season, he went forward on fourth and nine.
So this is within the range fourth and seven from
the Chargers eleven yard line. Rob, what does Andy Reid do?
Kicks a field goal? Yep, they go up ten. Oh,
but I guess he's not a real football person. Right
fourth to day he could have said, Chris, wait, we
(41:00):
already got seven, we got the lead. We could bludgeon
them right here in their home field. Let's just let's
go for it. Let's go for the juggular. No, Patrick Mahomes,
Travis Kelsey, Tyreek Hill. I'm aggressive. I'm aggressive. They can't
beat us. It's the Chargers. They think, now, you could
do whatever we want. No, we want the points. And
(41:24):
then Rob early in the third quarter, fourth and eight,
they're down fourteen ten at the Chargers fourteen. Okay, you're
right there in the red zone. Again, they gi a
field goal. Ye. So I'm just robbed, and I mean again,
circumstances changed, But I think it's fair to say they're
(41:46):
not tied at the end of the game. If they
don't get those two field goals, right, they wouldn't have been,
no doubt. Hey, let me say this last thing about analytics, Rob,
because we've talked about it at nauseum in all types
of sports, but analytics, like last night when I said
the numbers supported right, supported the staleley going forward on
(42:08):
fourth down, you know what those numbers don't do, Ribbed, though,
they're not specific to the teams that are playing their
numbers from all over the league this year historically, so
they don't care. They don't know the numbers don't know
if the opposing quarterback is Patrick Mahomes or Daniel Jones,
exactly right. They don't know if the opposing defense has
(42:33):
great or paper thin. So you gotta, like you said,
feel for the game who were playing. And I guess
he can say he took that into account because the
Chiefs can score, but like you said, they weren't scoring
last and that's like the nature of that can
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