May 24, 2024 • 37 mins
Chris Broussard & Rob Parker discuss the Celtics vs Pacers series already being over after just two games played. Plus, Chris and Rob also talk shop on Rick Carlisle throwing in the towel and on why Shohei Ohtani should not pitch ever again.
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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
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Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brushaw and Rob Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
All yay, it is the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'm Chris Bruce Haard alongside my partner Rob Parker, and
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So keep it locked on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app,
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(01:21):
you won't be disappointed. With that said, let me welcome
to my partner on this funky.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Flash back Friday, Rob Parker, what's that.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Mapping in, mister chrissawn on this holiday weekend, long weekend
for people, and people will have the night for us,
not for us. We're working on Monday. Yes, wake the kids,
call the neighbors. The Odd Couple will be loud and
proud on Memorial Day.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yes, absolutely, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to the weekend though nonetheless, even
though it's not an extra long one. But it'll be fun.
It'll be good and lots to talk about, Rob. So
let's get to it. The Odd Couple crew is in
the house. The super producer Rob g is out. It
is Steve Patrick, Sweeker.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Patrick, what's up?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Chris?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Robtrick? What's up? What's up? I'll tell you Chris Patrick.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
And this is not to slight anybody at the studio,
Fox Sports Radio and Sherman ever, you have to.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Say that, I'm not I'm not slighting anybody.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
But Patrick comes with the energy all the time. I
see he just Patrick is that I'm.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Just always bring the action. Rob, come on, he brings
the energy. Chris like in the building. That's all on
the updates? Is is it our man Steve di Seger.
I didn't hear him earlier. It is Steve the.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Sager on Friday Media, Elijah Sabu and on the Ones
and twos in for DJ.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Alex tight shirt is Why are you buging? That's right? Mary?
How are you?
Speaker 5 (03:11):
I'm good. I just got in from Texas this morning.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Wow. Yeah, I was family again. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
My little sister graduated high school. Yes, what's your name, Catherine?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Catherine? Congratulations part of Texas.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Austin?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, so I was Have you been there. That's a
college town, big college as. You need to have a thing.
But I haven't been there.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
You need to have That's one place I have not been.
I want to check out Austin, Texas.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
The brisket is good, the food is good. Yeah, it's
it's fun. I enjoy it. It's not my favorite though.
I think La is better, of course, but it's really hot.
I stepped out the plane and I was sweating buckets,
like one minute.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
In is phenomenal Texas, Chris. You know at certain places
in the summer you.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Could have it, like, right, I say, Louisa, Louisiana from
crazy here can't even go outside?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
All right, Well, let's get get this party started.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Rob, and last night a lot of it took place
while we were on the air. The Boston Celtics go
up too oh over the Indiana Pacers two obviously, yes,
obviously won by sixteen points, and they're now up too
oh on the Pacers, and Rob, I think this is over,
(04:37):
not just because they're up too oh. In fact, if
they were just up too oh, I really wouldn't say
it's I mean, look, we both thought Boston's gonna I
mean I had no doubt Boston's gonna win this series.
So I, in a sense thought it was over from
the start. But I'm not just saying it's done because
it's two oh or because they're better. I'm saying it's
(05:00):
done because Tyres Halliburton, the best player for the Pacers,
is now questionable. He had to leave last night's game
with a hamstring injury. He's questionable for Game three and
probably further on with the sore hamstring. So do you
(05:21):
agree that this thing is over? And you said it
it's the story of this year's playoffs?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Yeah, just the postseason. I mean I never said series
is over, like, uh, so you get you still give
Indiana chance to win.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
This, No, give them a chance to make it a series.
Win a couple of games, but not win.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
No.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
I picked Boston in six, so I'm sticking with that pick.
But it does not just mean they can win a
few games. They can win a game or two, but
can they winning the series. I don't believe they can
win the series. I don't think it's going to automatically
a four games. We've seen this before where a team
is missing a player. Yeah, yeah, and Chris, they come out,
put together some effort, the other team takes them lightly
(06:00):
right and they win a game or so. But yeah,
I don't know how they can do it without Halliburton.
I mean, he's a tremendous player. He's the spark plug.
And it's a shame. And like I said, it's what
we've seen all postseason with all these injuries, and it's
never some seldom used backup Qus like the biggest star
(06:23):
on the team. It's like like, like that's what's crazy.
People get hurt, but the biggest stars just just.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Time and time again. Is so frustrating.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, and it has been unlike any other postseason. There's
always been injuries, but this year without and we don't
have data to back it up around I can't I
cannot remember a postseason where almost they seemed like more
than half of the teams lost their best player.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Let's see, Milwaukee was without Yiannis.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Eventually, I mean New York they didn't lose their best player,
but they were so banged up it was ridiculous. And
he got hurt at the end of this you know
series in game seven. But you can count them just
because the number of injuries, right O Gion and Nobe, Mitchell, Robinson.
That's not even counting Julius Randalls, who was out a
long time. So they're there now. Indiana. Miami was without
(07:26):
Jimmy Butler. Cleveland was without you know, in parts of
it series with baltim with Boston, Donovan, Mitchell, and Jared
Allen two all Stars. It was more so the East
rob than the West for for some reason. But even
in the West, the Clippers didn't have Kawhi and this
is it's just been incredible. And then there's guys playing
(07:46):
through injury like Luca uh and a few others.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
But he's had some games where he wasn't one.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
You look at the Celtics path rob Miami, they beat
them in five. Jimmy Butler didn't play at all. Cleveland
they beat in five, and Donovan Mitchell missed a few games.
Jared Allen I think missed the whole series.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Did he at all? I didn't realize. I don't think
he played at all.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'll check it out to make sure, but I don't
think he played at all. And then and now I
should say Indiana rob is without its best player and
we'll see when he comes back. But Rob to me obviously,
and I don't think there's gonna be any issue of them. Yeah, yeah,
(08:35):
Jared Allen missed the whole series for Cleveland. They're going
to win this series without question. And now Rob. I
think it adds to the pressure for them to go
ahead and absolutely win the championship.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I think the pressure was already high.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
I think when they started the season it was championship
or bust. I think when Denver went down, Denver's the
one team that people would have been.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like, hey, they lost to Denver, you gotta give them credit.
They lost to Denver and Golden State, right, two.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Champions with older players, veterans who's still in their prime.
You can't really slight the Celtics for that. But once
Denver was eliminating. Now you've got a Minnesota team that
is led by a twenty two year old. You've got
a Dallas team that's led by a twenty five year old.
And so now Rob, and on top of that, throw
(09:36):
in the fact that now you could gif they sweep
and maybe they won't. Maybe it'll go five. But if
they sweep Indiana or whenever they get rid of them, Rob,
if they sweep them, they can have as much as
they gotta, like ten days rest. If they don't, it'll
still be seven or eight, and maybe we'll see how
(09:56):
this series in the West goes.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
But this one could go seven. This one could be
a barn burner.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
And so that gives the Celtics time for their censor,
Chris Stavsworzingis, who is important for them. Gives him time
to rest and get healthy. I don't even have to
play him this series, and then you are ready, you
are rested and ready for the Dallas Mavericks or the
Minnesota Timberwolves. So to me, Rob, it just ratchets up
(10:22):
the pressure even more on Boston to win.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I mean, I think they had pressure anyway, but I
hear you know what you've laid out. I just think
that they've knocked on the door. They've had a good team,
they've had the best record in the league. There's all
these things that have piled up at some point, and
they've heard all of the other stuff. And I think,
actually that they will win the championship. Really yeah, I do.
(10:48):
I think they'll beat the team coming from the West.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Just because this is the first time you've said that.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I've changed my mind on them, because I Chris, you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
First time, so you were you you had picked Denver
and in Dallas. I think, right, yeah, And I'm starting
to think that this could line up nicely for them.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Especially if you have a big series out west, you
know what I mean, Like a big series out West.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
You see Anthony Edwards already showing some fatigue right right,
there's something there and banged up.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
And here's the other thing, Chris, I just think they
they have experience, like they have, they have some experience
going for him. I was like, Jalen Brown comes up big.
We know what kind of player he is. Tatum in
that first game in uh overtime, Chris, we know his
(11:41):
his struggles with clutch moments, and you know, what I mean,
making big baskets. I was impressed that was he could
have easily missed that he had a bad fourth quarter.
And what do you do bounce back in overtime? Like
like that's what you want from you? Give me another chance?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
You know what I mean? You open the door.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Okay, I'm gonna make you pay this time because I didn't.
I failed in the fourth quarter. So I'm looking at
those things. It ain't like talent wise, those other two
teams in the West are heading shoulders and they got
no shot.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
I'm with you. If it's Denver, I'm all the way
in on Denver.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
If Denver was coming out of the West, Chris, I've
been there experience. I like the team. I like the joker,
I like the team concept that they have. I like
Mike Malone. Okay, that's easy for me. I'm starting to
look at Boston as maybe the tea leaves are aligning, Chris.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Maybe the big, big bad wolf out west.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
With these two teams, after they knock each other off
for whoever, you know, it's left standing, it's beatable.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
They're not look differently.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
If and I don't think this is going to happen,
but let's say Dallas sweat Minnesota, would you feel differently,
because they will get the finals are starting. When the
finals start, it's not gonna you know, if you're out,
rob It's not based on how right, So they're getting
you know, if they both swept, they might get both
get about a week off.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
If not, that's the only thing that's good and bad.
And I understand it's set up. It'll be a long week.
That's a long stretch right for basketball especially you used
to playing this time of the year every other night.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
But I get it.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I mean it's all for TV, and it's all lined
up and they have the finals locked in on the schedule,
on the TV schedule, So I get it. But yeah,
you know, I would look at Dallas differently if they
if they you said if Dallas.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
If they swept, Yeah, if they swept, if.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
They swept, But I don't think they'll sweep Minnesota. And
I think there'll be a battle of six games. Could
it go seven?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Maybe? And I just think.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Boston, for all that they've been through, Chris and all
of the like, they have a pattern bad games. You
look at them and you go, oh, I just don't
have Then they come right back like after that game
when I came right back, sixteen point win, dominant win,
did what they had to do. And if they can
do that again and take one out of two in Indiana,
(14:04):
come back and wrap it up, that that would be
exactly what you would want from them. So I'm gonna
for the first time, I'm moving towards Boston winning the championship.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Look, I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at
that prediction.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
It did cross my mind today that because I've been saying,
if it's Minnesota Boston, I'm definitely taking Minnesota. If it's
Dallas Boston, I'll see how I feel, you know, starting
in the finals. But yeah, I look, and even if
it's Minnesota, I mean Boston, we've been hard on them
(14:37):
because they won sixty four games. They have nights when
they just upset, upset and exasperate you, right, and like,
what in the world are they doing?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Right? But excuse me?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Overall, they they're playing very good basketball. And again, Rob,
I mean, you talk about a light trek to the finals,
so well, it could have been a fit of.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
But I'm I'm right now.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
I feel like I'll take the West winner, and I've
picked Minnesota to win it all. I'll stick with them
for now, But no, I'm not. I don't think that's
a terrible take. I don't think that's a terrible take because,
like you said, they're all young. They're all young, and
Dallas is prone to have some bad We saw Kyrie
last series wasn't offensively great, right, nine point and Anthony
(15:25):
everards Rob has you know, he's had some forty point
games and then some nineteen point games and shooting poorly
from the field.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So Cat same way. So no, that that's fair all right?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox is Boston? Is
their path to the finals so light that you think
now they're going to win it. They're going to win
the championship. Your thoughts next, Chris and Rob The Odd Couple,
Fox Sports Radio. Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts.
(15:57):
Be sure to catch us live every week they from
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Speaker 3 (16:15):
App by searching fs R.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
Pauli Fusco with Tony Fusco, you know as the host
of the number one rated Paully and Tony Fusco Show.
We get tons and tons of fanmail every day.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Piles of it.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
In fact, Tony, why don't you open up one of
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Hey, listen to this. Dear Pauli and Toni, your sports
takes the dumbest and most terribly not Wait this other one,
Dear Pauli in Toni, you suck more than anyone. Wait
this one, Dear Pauli and Toni, you guys are the
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Get it.
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Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, it is the Eye Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
We're live from the tire reck dot Com studios.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Tyreck dot Com will help you get there.
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They've got an unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free roll
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dot Com is the way tirebuying should be, and the
Eye Couple the way sports talk radio should be. All Right, Rob,
we gonna uh go. Let's talk a little baseball. I
(17:32):
know you're excited about this. When I saw this story,
I was like, you know, let me throw my man
a bone. And we know how much you love baseball.
We don't talk as much baseball as you probably would like.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
And I we talk more baseball.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
We talk more than most we do the shows, but
we still don't talk a lot. But this story, Rob,
it was an interesting story in ESPN.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I don't know if you saw it. It came out a
few days ago.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
The title is, is Shohei o'tany too good of a
hitter to pitch like Babe Ruth?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Question mark? And there's an interesting quote, Rob.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We know that Babe Ruth, when he was pitching full time,
he was not hitting the.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Fifty forty to fifty and sixty home runs in a season.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
He only and there was one season, Rob where he really,
you know, pitched. His last year pitching full time was
also his best year as a hitter while pitching, but
he had. It was nineteen nineteen. He had twenty nine
home runs led the league and one hundred and thirteen RBI,
which also led the league, hit three twenty two and
(18:43):
then after that they were basically done with him pitching.
He threw a few more games over the next couple
of years, but basically trans transitioned to being a full
time hitter. And here was a quote Rob that Babe
Ruth said kind of about why he made transition.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Here's what he said.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I don't think a man can pitch in his regular
turn and play every other game at some other position
and keep that pace year after year. He said, I
can do it this season, all right, and not feel it,
for I'm young and strong and don't mind the work,
but I wouldn't guarantee to do it for many seasons.
(19:25):
And his last year when he did that, Robbie.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Was twenty four.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Okay, now show hey Otani. Obviously, this year Rob is
not hitting, I'm sorry, not pitching. And he's twenty nine
years old and he's hitting a career high rob three
forty eight, and he's leading the league and slugging ops,
ops plus total bases, although his slug while his batting
(19:50):
averages up. He hit three h four last year. His
slugging and ops are down but slightly. But you know,
he led the league last year he's this year, but
they're down a little bit. So I want to throw
it out to you Robb. He's hitting three forty eight
league high. It's gonna be up there at home runs.
He got thirteen right now, what are your thoughts on that?
(20:11):
Do you think like maybe they should transition him to
strictly a battery you know, and field player.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
It's all fair and for a true disclosure, we need
to say that that quote that you read from Babe Ruth, yep,
that came from sound that Steve di Sega.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Got at the game. So I just want to make
sure that everybody knows that Steve.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Is he listening Steve when Rob is calling you old
year old, although it's Steve even older than you, I
know he might be younger.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
But anyway, No, this is all logical, Chris, because when
he pitches, that means it's two days.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Really right where he's not pitting, that's two days.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
What if they done so obviously not hit him when
these pitches. Do they sit him the next game or
the game tour?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
I think it's taking it. I think it's the game before. Yeah,
I think probably the game before to get ready, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (21:04):
So, so you're you're missing a unbelievable bat for two days,
So is that really what you want to do and
make him where he's only getting up five times. It's
a real argument, it really is. I say this, Chris,
I think it's simple. You allow him to do both
as long as he can where he's at that level
(21:26):
on both ends, as soon as the pitching, and he's
just the starter, not an elite starter at some point.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Because Chris, how do you win championships in Major league
based pitcher hitching?
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Right?
Speaker 4 (21:41):
So if he's an elite pitcher, you can't give that up,
you really And I get the hitting part.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
The Dodgers are loaded, their lineup loaded. Yeah, I agree?
Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (21:55):
I totally agree, Like, as long as because he is better,
a better pitcher then Babe Ruth was. You know, Babeer
was like a solid, you know, a solid pitcher. But
Otany is an elite pitcher. He's not the best in
the league. He's not the best cole or anything like that.
He's pitcher, right, He's an elite level, like an all
(22:16):
star caliber pitcher. And like you said, that's what you
need to win championships. Rob, I would argue, especially on
the Dodgers, and I don't mean for his whole career
because we obviously, anytime you have a fantastic hitter, you
want to see him to hit right. But like say,
(22:37):
for next season, as stacked as the Dodgers are, if
I was forced to choose one or the other, you
can make an argument you choose pitching, like that he
should pitch.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
He probably wouldn't want to do that, but I'm just
saying that lineup is so stacked, as you said that
they could afford to miss his back, but they need pitching.
And if he's gonna do that at an elite level,
I would say if I had to choose one. Thankfully
you don't, but I would pitch him next year if
(23:11):
I had to only choose one. But overall, I'm with
you in that you let him do both. He'll eventually,
you would think he'll eventually, you.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Know, and you just say, Chris, and he's twenty nine, okay,
like you can't keep it up and at some point
you'll look at it and maybe the pitching will fall
off if he becomes like you know, and maybe how
about this, Chris just a as a as a slip
this in as far as a little twist to the
(23:42):
whole storyline, you have.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
What if.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
You make him a closer, you know what I mean,
like so that you could still utilize his arm yep,
not all the time, like just to I just need
you to get three outs in the ninth inning. That's
all I need to do is row. He tows pretty hard.
I mean, he's not blowing everybody. Yeah, he's a hard
throw strike. He's a strikeout pitcher.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Because my only concern with that.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I like what you're saying, but my only concern would
be sometimes there are some closers rob you know, they
come in and it's just heat, right, that's there. They're
just throwing heat, And I wonder what type of impact
that might have on him.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Maybe it would be fine, but you know what I mean,
if he's.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Just basically throwing it as hard as he can every
time up there, you remember that effect as hitting or
I mean, I don't know if that hurts you more
than pitching six innings.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
And the other thing, too, is that you're not winning
all the time. For the close of the pitch every night,
you know what I mean, Like like the games you're
you're out of the game. He's not gonna pitch those nights.
If he pitches the knife but you know it, pitch
a couple and it's usually you get just three outs,
so he can pitch a few days in a row.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
And then and then.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
They go on a three game losing street Cris where
he's not pitching. You you would cover, you're just hitting.
Worried about that. I'm just saying, not the totally lose,
not the totally losing arm. He has a live arm.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I would think that that actually is what will happen Rob,
Like once he's I don't know what, maybe he'll pitch
as a starter for three more years and then when
start thirty two years, right, you start to see the decline,
then he becomes a closer. What would really be stunning.
And look, his whole career so far has been stunning.
(25:29):
But there are a lot the greats, Rob the absolute
great pictures they do last you know what I mean, Verlander,
and you know they're gonna courts now, right, So if
could he remain, I mean, it'd be shocking if at
thirty five and thirty six he still was this level
(25:50):
of pitcher.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But here look at this John Smoltz. Smolti's in the
Hall of Fame. Chris was a starter, lights out and
then got hurt. You remember he came back because a
closer and became an elite closer like like you can do,
and that was because of injury. But I'm saying you
could transition.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Into that closer idea. I think it makes all the
sense in the world. And I would imagine that that's
something they would look at. You know, they also could
look at relief, middle relief or something, right, but I
think you, unless you already had a great closer, you
would probably look to see if he can be the closer.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
First.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
He's got to be a closer or starter like middle relief.
You're not going to do that, Yeah, why not? Because
because you want to keep him in the game and
it's a bads and and if you're pitching middle relief,
you know what I mean, it's either got to be
start the game Chris pitched six to seven in is grade,
or you're winning the game because you put him in
and he got the final three outs, but no middle relief.
(26:51):
It would have to be one of those two.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
I thought, Robie, we talked about it that I felt
and they got a long way to go, but I
felt like he should be even better at the plate
this year. Now that he's not pitching, you know, it
just makes common sense. I mean, that's why guys don't
do both. Or one reason is because to be a
great picture you have to focus on it full time.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Or to be a great batter, same thing.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And I felt like, now that he doesn't have to
split his time, he's gonna be phenomenal and Rob he's
hitting three forty eight with thirteen dingers.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
And now I'll say this, I saw two things.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I think he's the only one on Pace Chris for
forty forty. He's on Pace forty home runs, forty steals. Yeah,
I don't know if you saw last night. Did you
see the practical the prank they pulled on him?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Did you see it?
Speaker 4 (27:44):
No, he was getting up to Beck getting ready in
the dugout to go to the you know, get ready
for his at bat, and they had somebody put on
a helmet like they were gonna pinch it for him.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Chris. It's priceless video, Like he's like, well, how did
he respond? Because he was like like he was like,
you know, like right right right. They're like, oh, no,
so and So, They're like so and so is gonna
hit and he's like he.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
Just like as a puzzle, like I'm not hitting, and
then and then they all start laughing, and then it's
classic video.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
If you haven't seen it, I tell.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
You one thing, And you know, I've said he's the
best baseball player I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
And I guess I'm gonna be honest. I'm not gonna
be a hypocrite. I guess this falls in the rob
into that thinking that some have.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
And we had a caller said last night that there's
a difference between best and greatest because obviously he's not
the goat.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Guys do a lot more. But he's the best baseball
player I've seen.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
No we've ever seen this at this level on the
lead pitcher and an lead hitter. Like that's why all
the baseball players christ and you notice went crazy. You
remember they were ready to give him the MVP over
Aaron Judge a couple of years ago. You remember that
CC Sabbathi And I'm like, every basically, JD. Martinez, he
should get it every year, the MVP every year, blah
(29:06):
blah blah.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
And he hasn't won it every year.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
And I get the reason why Judge had a historic
year that year.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Chris, I thought he was.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Clearly the MVP, and if you remember, only two voters
voted for Otani, they both covered the angels, right right,
that didn't look good.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yeah, he's won two of the last three. But what
I will say, Rob, is let's say he stopped. Let's
say he doesn't pitch anymore, and he's just a hitter
that goat idea, unless he becomes you know what I mean,
like Barry Bonds in terms of homers or hits, you know,
three thirty.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Five or whatever.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
It's only in that conversation because he could do both, right,
I mean, unless he became you know, but not at
this point he's historic hitter, no, right, totally, Like forty
four home runs, three hundred three oh five whatever's not
gonna get.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You that goat status. So I agree he'd have.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
To do both for a significant amount of time unless
his heating just continues to get better and better, all.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Right, eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
You'll turn the way in should show, hey, Otani drop
the pitching? Is he too good of a hitter to pitch?
Your thoughts, Chris and Rob Fox Sports Radio eight seven
seven ninety nine on Fox. 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
(30:32):
seven pm 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 FSR. Whoa Mary Mary is in the crates?
(30:54):
Come on now, well, you and your mom must have
hit you to all this thing. No, you know, listen,
I group listened to like Arab music.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Arab music.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Yeah, because my mom is from Sudan, so she came
to America like two thousand and one.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So what you know about this? I'm a creat nigger.
You're doing it.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
We are alive from the Tiereck dot Com Studios.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Rob. I don't know if you saw this at the end.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
You know, the game kind of got out of hand
and maybe people weren't watching it closely. But last night
in the fourth quarter, so Boston, you know, won last
night's game against Indiana. Tyrese Halliburton gets hurt in the
second half, third quarter.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
And they are down ninety nine eighty two.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Rob seventeen points with nine and a half minutes left
to play, and Rick Carlisle takes out, Pascal Siakam, who
was crushing Boston had twenty eight points on thirteen of
seventeen shooting.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
And TJ McConnell.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Who is you know well in these playoffs and with
Tyree's Halliburton, now obviously he's your your top point guard.
He takes them out rob at that point and never
puts them back in. In fact, obviously Halliburton didn't play
at all, but the other two starters, uh nim Hard
(32:19):
and Nie Smith, they only played the combine four minutes,
four and a half minutes, and that was all by
nim Hart, and so he would ended the game rob
with people like Ben Shephard. I don't me ended the game,
but like these guys played the majority of the fourth quarter,
Ben Shepherd, Isaiah Jackson, Doug McDermott. Here was Carlile's explanation,
(32:42):
because a lot of people were wondering, man, it looks
like you threw into town here is.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
We weren't. We weren't giving up, But it was an
opportunity to get some energetic, fresh guys in there to fight,
you know, and they did some they did some good things.
Are you know the guys that had played to that point,
you know, Pascal was very tired. You know, Aaron had
four fouls, He was tired. I mean, so that was it.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
And he's saying something about wanting to see, you know,
what Doug McDermott could do and.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
What these guys could do, like it was a preseason game.
Speaker 6 (33:18):
Row.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Look, chances are they weren't coming down back down seventeen with.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Nine and a half minutes left.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
But Rob, we've seen, like we've talked about, that's not
the insurmountable lead that it used to be. And they
already gave away literally gave away game one.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Oh they didn't, right, and then.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Again I don't think they would have come back, but
you give it a puncher, you give it a try,
and they really didn't give it a try. Some people
might say, Okay, they're getting ready for Game three. I
kind of get that logic, but I just didn't like it, Rob,
because to me, that's too much time left. And in fact,
I just kept playing their starters right, pretty much dropped
the rest of the fourth quarter, and so I just think, well, again.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
Wind up being sixteen points, right, well, sixteen points the
front faith, Yeah, yeah, so it wasn't like it was
thirty six points and that's why Boston.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
I'm not gonna kill Rick Carlisle Chris from the standpoint
of once you lose Halliburton and and you look at
it as an opportunity to be able to get some
people some rest so that you can be ready we
come home and get back in the series. Like if
you play those guys during that stretch and you lose
or somebody gets hurt or I'm just people are gonna
(34:40):
be like, why were they still in the game, like
this game was oh like like it's a catch twenty two.
But I do understand him saying I need to save
some minutes.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
I just need to save some minutes and.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
We need to regroup. We did it before against the Knicks.
We were down oh two, right, they lost both games.
Madison Square Garden came back won the two games in Indiana.
So so from that standpoint, I'm not gonna kill him.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Yeah, I would have liked to see I get there's
a certain time you could throw in the towel. I
would have liked to see them gone, maybe three more
minutes or so, okay, six minutes left, we're down fifteen
six minutes.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Dougie Fresh, You're all right, I gotta be honest.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I don't even I might go down to four or
five minutes just because again, let's hit some threes, get
some stops, and you all of a sudden it might
be a game.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
I do get what you're saying. They should see.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I can only play thirty one minutes, so you give
it your best shot in game three, that's really gonna
be the same.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
That's your shit.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
That's that's everything right there. Game three at home, Chris
without your start player.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yeah, I was look Rick Carlisle and you covered him
in Detroit.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
He's a really good coach. He's got the championship in Dallas,
was in.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
Detroit when he was with that Pistons team that wound
up winning with Larry.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Yep and he was good, you know, he got him
the fifty wins and all that. And then he's obviously
been good with Indiana. So he's a very good coach.
But I don't think it's been a good series for him,
you know, I think obviously Game one we talked about
no time out, he didn't call time out with ten
seconds left or instruct the players too, and then he
didn't switch on that last play when Jaylen Brown hits
(36:22):
the three and his team just start turning the ball
over crazy. And then last night the controversy over did
he give up too soon? So you know we'll see Rob.
They have shown hert They've been great at home. I
think they're undefeated at home too, and so and Boston's
undefeated on the road.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
So this should be a good game three.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
And you know, you wish Holliburton could play Rob, but
I don't think he will be able to. He saw
Anobi after several dead games, missed, tried to come back.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
He couldn't even run. He was scooting.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
Yeah, it doesn't look like, uh yeah, like it's gonna
be good for India. But I think Rick just did
what he thought would be the best to try to
rally the troops and have.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Them ready for Game three. And and you hate y'all,
I hear you.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
If you could have waited another three or four minutes,
it probably would have looked even better if they fell
behind by twenty five, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And they didn't.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Right then you just get him out and look Rob
without their point guard. Maybe they go sign Caitlin Clark.
I mean, some people think she could play in the NBA,
So who.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Knows You're just gonna never let me lift this one down.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
I'm shocked that you're running from this date. This is
the first take I've ever seen you.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Run from what.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
You didn't even run from Tom Brady anyone, like three
superhowls after you said he was done. But this when
you you, I give you credit, though, Hey I was wrong,
I was off miss all right, but all right, we
got an hour left.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Y'all know what to dude, Locket
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 FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brushaw and Rob Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
All yay, it is the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'm Chris Bruce Haard alongside my partner Rob Parker, and
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So keep it locked on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app,
or Serious XM Channel eighty three. However you may be listening,
(01:21):
you won't be disappointed. With that said, let me welcome
to my partner on this funky.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Flash back Friday, Rob Parker, what's that.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Mapping in, mister chrissawn on this holiday weekend, long weekend
for people, and people will have the night for us,
not for us. We're working on Monday. Yes, wake the kids,
call the neighbors. The Odd Couple will be loud and
proud on Memorial Day.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yes, absolutely, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to the weekend though nonetheless, even
though it's not an extra long one. But it'll be fun.
It'll be good and lots to talk about, Rob. So
let's get to it. The Odd Couple crew is in
the house. The super producer Rob g is out. It
is Steve Patrick, Sweeker.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Patrick, what's up?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Chris?
Speaker 1 (02:15):
What's up?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Robtrick? What's up? What's up? I'll tell you Chris Patrick.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
And this is not to slight anybody at the studio,
Fox Sports Radio and Sherman ever, you have to.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Say that, I'm not I'm not slighting anybody.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
But Patrick comes with the energy all the time. I
see he just Patrick is that I'm.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Just always bring the action. Rob, come on, he brings
the energy. Chris like in the building. That's all on
the updates? Is is it our man Steve di Seger.
I didn't hear him earlier. It is Steve the.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Sager on Friday Media, Elijah Sabu and on the Ones
and twos in for DJ.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Alex tight shirt is Why are you buging? That's right? Mary?
How are you?
Speaker 5 (03:11):
I'm good. I just got in from Texas this morning.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Wow. Yeah, I was family again. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
My little sister graduated high school. Yes, what's your name, Catherine?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Catherine? Congratulations part of Texas.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Austin?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, so I was Have you been there. That's a
college town, big college as. You need to have a thing.
But I haven't been there.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
You need to have That's one place I have not been.
I want to check out Austin, Texas.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
The brisket is good, the food is good. Yeah, it's
it's fun. I enjoy it. It's not my favorite though.
I think La is better, of course, but it's really hot.
I stepped out the plane and I was sweating buckets,
like one minute.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
In is phenomenal Texas, Chris. You know at certain places
in the summer you.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Could have it, like, right, I say, Louisa, Louisiana from
crazy here can't even go outside?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
All right, Well, let's get get this party started.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Rob, and last night a lot of it took place
while we were on the air. The Boston Celtics go
up too oh over the Indiana Pacers two obviously, yes,
obviously won by sixteen points, and they're now up too
oh on the Pacers, and Rob, I think this is over,
(04:37):
not just because they're up too oh. In fact, if
they were just up too oh, I really wouldn't say
it's I mean, look, we both thought Boston's gonna I
mean I had no doubt Boston's gonna win this series.
So I, in a sense thought it was over from
the start. But I'm not just saying it's done because
it's two oh or because they're better. I'm saying it's
(05:00):
done because Tyres Halliburton, the best player for the Pacers,
is now questionable. He had to leave last night's game
with a hamstring injury. He's questionable for Game three and
probably further on with the sore hamstring. So do you
(05:21):
agree that this thing is over? And you said it
it's the story of this year's playoffs?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Yeah, just the postseason. I mean I never said series
is over, like, uh, so you get you still give
Indiana chance to win.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
This, No, give them a chance to make it a series.
Win a couple of games, but not win.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
No.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
I picked Boston in six, so I'm sticking with that pick.
But it does not just mean they can win a
few games. They can win a game or two, but
can they winning the series. I don't believe they can
win the series. I don't think it's going to automatically
a four games. We've seen this before where a team
is missing a player. Yeah, yeah, and Chris, they come out,
put together some effort, the other team takes them lightly
(06:00):
right and they win a game or so. But yeah,
I don't know how they can do it without Halliburton.
I mean, he's a tremendous player. He's the spark plug.
And it's a shame. And like I said, it's what
we've seen all postseason with all these injuries, and it's
never some seldom used backup Qus like the biggest star
(06:23):
on the team. It's like like, like that's what's crazy.
People get hurt, but the biggest stars just just.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Time and time again. Is so frustrating.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah, and it has been unlike any other postseason. There's
always been injuries, but this year without and we don't
have data to back it up around I can't I
cannot remember a postseason where almost they seemed like more
than half of the teams lost their best player.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Let's see, Milwaukee was without Yiannis.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Eventually, I mean New York they didn't lose their best player,
but they were so banged up it was ridiculous. And
he got hurt at the end of this you know
series in game seven. But you can count them just
because the number of injuries, right O Gion and Nobe, Mitchell, Robinson.
That's not even counting Julius Randalls, who was out a
long time. So they're there now. Indiana. Miami was without
(07:26):
Jimmy Butler. Cleveland was without you know, in parts of
it series with baltim with Boston, Donovan, Mitchell, and Jared
Allen two all Stars. It was more so the East
rob than the West for for some reason. But even
in the West, the Clippers didn't have Kawhi and this
is it's just been incredible. And then there's guys playing
(07:46):
through injury like Luca uh and a few others.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
But he's had some games where he wasn't one.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
You look at the Celtics path rob Miami, they beat
them in five. Jimmy Butler didn't play at all. Cleveland
they beat in five, and Donovan Mitchell missed a few games.
Jared Allen I think missed the whole series.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Did he at all? I didn't realize. I don't think
he played at all.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'll check it out to make sure, but I don't
think he played at all. And then and now I
should say Indiana rob is without its best player and
we'll see when he comes back. But Rob to me obviously,
and I don't think there's gonna be any issue of them. Yeah, yeah,
(08:35):
Jared Allen missed the whole series for Cleveland. They're going
to win this series without question. And now Rob. I
think it adds to the pressure for them to go
ahead and absolutely win the championship.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I think the pressure was already high.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
I think when they started the season it was championship
or bust. I think when Denver went down, Denver's the
one team that people would have been.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like, hey, they lost to Denver, you gotta give them credit.
They lost to Denver and Golden State, right, two.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Champions with older players, veterans who's still in their prime.
You can't really slight the Celtics for that. But once
Denver was eliminating. Now you've got a Minnesota team that
is led by a twenty two year old. You've got
a Dallas team that's led by a twenty five year old.
And so now Rob, and on top of that, throw
(09:36):
in the fact that now you could gif they sweep
and maybe they won't. Maybe it'll go five. But if
they sweep Indiana or whenever they get rid of them, Rob,
if they sweep them, they can have as much as
they gotta, like ten days rest. If they don't, it'll
still be seven or eight, and maybe we'll see how
(09:56):
this series in the West goes.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
But this one could go seven. This one could be
a barn burner.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
And so that gives the Celtics time for their censor,
Chris Stavsworzingis, who is important for them. Gives him time
to rest and get healthy. I don't even have to
play him this series, and then you are ready, you
are rested and ready for the Dallas Mavericks or the
Minnesota Timberwolves. So to me, Rob, it just ratchets up
(10:22):
the pressure even more on Boston to win.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I mean, I think they had pressure anyway, but I
hear you know what you've laid out. I just think
that they've knocked on the door. They've had a good team,
they've had the best record in the league. There's all
these things that have piled up at some point, and
they've heard all of the other stuff. And I think,
actually that they will win the championship. Really yeah, I do.
(10:48):
I think they'll beat the team coming from the West.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Just because this is the first time you've said that.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
I've changed my mind on them, because I Chris, you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
First time, so you were you you had picked Denver
and in Dallas. I think, right, yeah, And I'm starting
to think that this could line up nicely for them.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Especially if you have a big series out west, you
know what I mean, Like a big series out West.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
You see Anthony Edwards already showing some fatigue right right,
there's something there and banged up.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
And here's the other thing, Chris, I just think they
they have experience, like they have, they have some experience
going for him. I was like, Jalen Brown comes up big.
We know what kind of player he is. Tatum in
that first game in uh overtime, Chris, we know his
(11:41):
his struggles with clutch moments, and you know, what I mean,
making big baskets. I was impressed that was he could
have easily missed that he had a bad fourth quarter.
And what do you do bounce back in overtime? Like
like that's what you want from you? Give me another chance?
Speaker 3 (11:57):
You know what I mean? You open the door.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Okay, I'm gonna make you pay this time because I didn't.
I failed in the fourth quarter. So I'm looking at
those things. It ain't like talent wise, those other two
teams in the West are heading shoulders and they got
no shot.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
I'm with you. If it's Denver, I'm all the way
in on Denver.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
If Denver was coming out of the West, Chris, I've
been there experience. I like the team. I like the joker,
I like the team concept that they have. I like
Mike Malone. Okay, that's easy for me. I'm starting to
look at Boston as maybe the tea leaves are aligning, Chris.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Maybe the big, big bad wolf out west.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
With these two teams, after they knock each other off
for whoever, you know, it's left standing, it's beatable.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
They're not look differently.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
If and I don't think this is going to happen,
but let's say Dallas sweat Minnesota, would you feel differently,
because they will get the finals are starting. When the
finals start, it's not gonna you know, if you're out,
rob It's not based on how right, So they're getting
you know, if they both swept, they might get both
get about a week off.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
If not, that's the only thing that's good and bad.
And I understand it's set up. It'll be a long week.
That's a long stretch right for basketball especially you used
to playing this time of the year every other night.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
But I get it.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I mean it's all for TV, and it's all lined
up and they have the finals locked in on the schedule,
on the TV schedule, So I get it. But yeah,
you know, I would look at Dallas differently if they
if they you said if Dallas.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
If they swept, Yeah, if they swept, if.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
They swept, But I don't think they'll sweep Minnesota. And
I think there'll be a battle of six games. Could
it go seven?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Maybe? And I just think.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Boston, for all that they've been through, Chris and all
of the like, they have a pattern bad games. You
look at them and you go, oh, I just don't
have Then they come right back like after that game
when I came right back, sixteen point win, dominant win,
did what they had to do. And if they can
do that again and take one out of two in Indiana,
(14:04):
come back and wrap it up, that that would be
exactly what you would want from them. So I'm gonna
for the first time, I'm moving towards Boston winning the championship.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Look, I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at
that prediction.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
It did cross my mind today that because I've been saying,
if it's Minnesota Boston, I'm definitely taking Minnesota. If it's
Dallas Boston, I'll see how I feel, you know, starting
in the finals. But yeah, I look, and even if
it's Minnesota, I mean Boston, we've been hard on them
(14:37):
because they won sixty four games. They have nights when
they just upset, upset and exasperate you, right, and like,
what in the world are they doing?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Right? But excuse me?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Overall, they they're playing very good basketball. And again, Rob,
I mean, you talk about a light trek to the finals,
so well, it could have been a fit of.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
But I'm I'm right now.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
I feel like I'll take the West winner, and I've
picked Minnesota to win it all. I'll stick with them
for now, But no, I'm not. I don't think that's
a terrible take. I don't think that's a terrible take because,
like you said, they're all young. They're all young, and
Dallas is prone to have some bad We saw Kyrie
last series wasn't offensively great, right, nine point and Anthony
(15:25):
everards Rob has you know, he's had some forty point
games and then some nineteen point games and shooting poorly
from the field.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So Cat same way. So no, that that's fair all right?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox is Boston? Is
their path to the finals so light that you think
now they're going to win it. They're going to win
the championship. Your thoughts next, Chris and Rob The Odd Couple,
Fox Sports Radio. Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts.
(15:57):
Be sure to catch us live every week they from
seven pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
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Speaker 3 (16:15):
App by searching fs R.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
Pauli Fusco with Tony Fusco, you know as the host
of the number one rated Paully and Tony Fusco Show.
We get tons and tons of fanmail every day.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Piles of it.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
In fact, Tony, why don't you open up one of
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Speaker 2 (16:31):
Hey, listen to this. Dear Pauli and Toni, your sports
takes the dumbest and most terribly not Wait this other one,
Dear Pauli in Toni, you suck more than anyone. Wait
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Speaker 6 (16:52):
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Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, it is the Eye Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
We're live from the tire reck dot Com studios.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Tyreck dot Com will help you get there.
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Eye Couple the way sports talk radio should be. All Right, Rob,
we gonna uh go. Let's talk a little baseball. I
(17:32):
know you're excited about this. When I saw this story,
I was like, you know, let me throw my man
a bone. And we know how much you love baseball.
We don't talk as much baseball as you probably would like.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
And I we talk more baseball.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
We talk more than most we do the shows, but
we still don't talk a lot. But this story, Rob,
it was an interesting story in ESPN.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I don't know if you saw it. It came out a
few days ago.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
The title is, is Shohei o'tany too good of a
hitter to pitch like Babe Ruth?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Question mark? And there's an interesting quote, Rob.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We know that Babe Ruth, when he was pitching full time,
he was not hitting the.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Fifty forty to fifty and sixty home runs in a season.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
He only and there was one season, Rob where he really,
you know, pitched. His last year pitching full time was
also his best year as a hitter while pitching, but
he had. It was nineteen nineteen. He had twenty nine
home runs led the league and one hundred and thirteen RBI,
which also led the league, hit three twenty two and
(18:43):
then after that they were basically done with him pitching.
He threw a few more games over the next couple
of years, but basically trans transitioned to being a full
time hitter. And here was a quote Rob that Babe
Ruth said kind of about why he made transition.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Here's what he said.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
I don't think a man can pitch in his regular
turn and play every other game at some other position
and keep that pace year after year. He said, I
can do it this season, all right, and not feel it,
for I'm young and strong and don't mind the work,
but I wouldn't guarantee to do it for many seasons.
(19:25):
And his last year when he did that, Robbie.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Was twenty four.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Okay, now show hey Otani. Obviously, this year Rob is
not hitting, I'm sorry, not pitching. And he's twenty nine
years old and he's hitting a career high rob three
forty eight, and he's leading the league and slugging ops,
ops plus total bases, although his slug while his batting
(19:50):
averages up. He hit three h four last year. His
slugging and ops are down but slightly. But you know,
he led the league last year he's this year, but
they're down a little bit. So I want to throw
it out to you Robb. He's hitting three forty eight
league high. It's gonna be up there at home runs.
He got thirteen right now, what are your thoughts on that?
(20:11):
Do you think like maybe they should transition him to
strictly a battery you know, and field player.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
It's all fair and for a true disclosure, we need
to say that that quote that you read from Babe Ruth, yep,
that came from sound that Steve di Sega.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Got at the game. So I just want to make
sure that everybody knows that Steve.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Is he listening Steve when Rob is calling you old
year old, although it's Steve even older than you, I
know he might be younger.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
But anyway, No, this is all logical, Chris, because when
he pitches, that means it's two days.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Really right where he's not pitting, that's two days.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
What if they done so obviously not hit him when
these pitches. Do they sit him the next game or
the game tour?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
I think it's taking it. I think it's the game before. Yeah,
I think probably the game before to get ready, you
know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (21:04):
So, so you're you're missing a unbelievable bat for two days,
So is that really what you want to do and
make him where he's only getting up five times. It's
a real argument, it really is. I say this, Chris,
I think it's simple. You allow him to do both
as long as he can where he's at that level
(21:26):
on both ends, as soon as the pitching, and he's
just the starter, not an elite starter at some point.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Because Chris, how do you win championships in Major league
based pitcher hitching?
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Right?
Speaker 4 (21:41):
So if he's an elite pitcher, you can't give that up,
you really And I get the hitting part.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
The Dodgers are loaded, their lineup loaded. Yeah, I agree?
Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (21:55):
I totally agree, Like, as long as because he is better,
a better pitcher then Babe Ruth was. You know, Babeer
was like a solid, you know, a solid pitcher. But
Otany is an elite pitcher. He's not the best in
the league. He's not the best cole or anything like that.
He's pitcher, right, He's an elite level, like an all
(22:16):
star caliber pitcher. And like you said, that's what you
need to win championships. Rob, I would argue, especially on
the Dodgers, and I don't mean for his whole career
because we obviously, anytime you have a fantastic hitter, you
want to see him to hit right. But like say,
(22:37):
for next season, as stacked as the Dodgers are, if
I was forced to choose one or the other, you
can make an argument you choose pitching, like that he
should pitch.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
He probably wouldn't want to do that, but I'm just
saying that lineup is so stacked, as you said that
they could afford to miss his back, but they need pitching.
And if he's gonna do that at an elite level,
I would say if I had to choose one. Thankfully
you don't, but I would pitch him next year if
(23:11):
I had to only choose one. But overall, I'm with
you in that you let him do both. He'll eventually,
you would think he'll eventually, you.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Know, and you just say, Chris, and he's twenty nine, okay,
like you can't keep it up and at some point
you'll look at it and maybe the pitching will fall
off if he becomes like you know, and maybe how
about this, Chris just a as a as a slip
this in as far as a little twist to the
(23:42):
whole storyline, you have.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
What if.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
You make him a closer, you know what I mean,
like so that you could still utilize his arm yep,
not all the time, like just to I just need
you to get three outs in the ninth inning. That's
all I need to do is row. He tows pretty hard.
I mean, he's not blowing everybody. Yeah, he's a hard
throw strike. He's a strikeout pitcher.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Because my only concern with that.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I like what you're saying, but my only concern would
be sometimes there are some closers rob you know, they
come in and it's just heat, right, that's there. They're
just throwing heat, And I wonder what type of impact
that might have on him.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Maybe it would be fine, but you know what I mean,
if he's.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Just basically throwing it as hard as he can every
time up there, you remember that effect as hitting or
I mean, I don't know if that hurts you more
than pitching six innings.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
And the other thing, too, is that you're not winning
all the time. For the close of the pitch every night,
you know what I mean, Like like the games you're
you're out of the game. He's not gonna pitch those nights.
If he pitches the knife but you know it, pitch
a couple and it's usually you get just three outs,
so he can pitch a few days in a row.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
And then and then.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
They go on a three game losing street Cris where
he's not pitching. You you would cover, you're just hitting.
Worried about that. I'm just saying, not the totally lose,
not the totally losing arm. He has a live arm.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I would think that that actually is what will happen Rob,
Like once he's I don't know what, maybe he'll pitch
as a starter for three more years and then when
start thirty two years, right, you start to see the decline,
then he becomes a closer. What would really be stunning.
And look, his whole career so far has been stunning.
(25:29):
But there are a lot the greats, Rob the absolute
great pictures they do last you know what I mean, Verlander,
and you know they're gonna courts now, right, So if
could he remain, I mean, it'd be shocking if at
thirty five and thirty six he still was this level
(25:50):
of pitcher.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
But here look at this John Smoltz. Smolti's in the
Hall of Fame. Chris was a starter, lights out and
then got hurt. You remember he came back because a
closer and became an elite closer like like you can do,
and that was because of injury. But I'm saying you
could transition.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Into that closer idea. I think it makes all the
sense in the world. And I would imagine that that's
something they would look at. You know, they also could
look at relief, middle relief or something, right, but I
think you, unless you already had a great closer, you
would probably look to see if he can be the closer.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
First.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
He's got to be a closer or starter like middle relief.
You're not going to do that, Yeah, why not? Because
because you want to keep him in the game and
it's a bads and and if you're pitching middle relief,
you know what I mean, it's either got to be
start the game Chris pitched six to seven in is grade,
or you're winning the game because you put him in
and he got the final three outs, but no middle relief.
(26:51):
It would have to be one of those two.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
I thought, Robie, we talked about it that I felt
and they got a long way to go, but I
felt like he should be even better at the plate
this year. Now that he's not pitching, you know, it
just makes common sense. I mean, that's why guys don't
do both. Or one reason is because to be a
great picture you have to focus on it full time.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Or to be a great batter, same thing.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And I felt like, now that he doesn't have to
split his time, he's gonna be phenomenal and Rob he's
hitting three forty eight with thirteen dingers.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
And now I'll say this, I saw two things.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I think he's the only one on Pace Chris for
forty forty. He's on Pace forty home runs, forty steals. Yeah,
I don't know if you saw last night. Did you
see the practical the prank they pulled on him?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Did you see it?
Speaker 4 (27:44):
No, he was getting up to Beck getting ready in
the dugout to go to the you know, get ready
for his at bat, and they had somebody put on
a helmet like they were gonna pinch it for him.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Chris. It's priceless video, Like he's like, well, how did
he respond? Because he was like like he was like,
you know, like right right right. They're like, oh, no,
so and So, They're like so and so is gonna
hit and he's like he.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
Just like as a puzzle, like I'm not hitting, and
then and then they all start laughing, and then it's
classic video.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
If you haven't seen it, I tell.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
You one thing, And you know, I've said he's the
best baseball player I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
And I guess I'm gonna be honest. I'm not gonna
be a hypocrite. I guess this falls in the rob
into that thinking that some have.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
And we had a caller said last night that there's
a difference between best and greatest because obviously he's not
the goat.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Guys do a lot more. But he's the best baseball
player I've seen.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
No we've ever seen this at this level on the
lead pitcher and an lead hitter. Like that's why all
the baseball players christ and you notice went crazy. You
remember they were ready to give him the MVP over
Aaron Judge a couple of years ago. You remember that
CC Sabbathi And I'm like, every basically, JD. Martinez, he
should get it every year, the MVP every year, blah
(29:06):
blah blah.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
And he hasn't won it every year.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
And I get the reason why Judge had a historic
year that year.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Chris, I thought he was.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Clearly the MVP, and if you remember, only two voters
voted for Otani, they both covered the angels, right right,
that didn't look good.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yeah, he's won two of the last three. But what
I will say, Rob, is let's say he stopped. Let's
say he doesn't pitch anymore, and he's just a hitter
that goat idea, unless he becomes you know what I mean,
like Barry Bonds in terms of homers or hits, you know,
three thirty.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Five or whatever.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
It's only in that conversation because he could do both, right,
I mean, unless he became you know, but not at
this point he's historic hitter, no, right, totally, Like forty
four home runs, three hundred three oh five whatever's not
gonna get.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You that goat status. So I agree he'd have.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
To do both for a significant amount of time unless
his heating just continues to get better and better, all.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Right, eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
You'll turn the way in should show, hey, Otani drop
the pitching? Is he too good of a hitter to pitch?
Your thoughts, Chris and Rob Fox Sports Radio eight seven
seven ninety nine on Fox. 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
(30:32):
seven pm 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 FSR. Whoa Mary Mary is in the crates?
(30:54):
Come on now, well, you and your mom must have
hit you to all this thing. No, you know, listen,
I group listened to like Arab music.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Arab music.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
Yeah, because my mom is from Sudan, so she came
to America like two thousand and one.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So what you know about this? I'm a creat nigger.
You're doing it.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
We are alive from the Tiereck dot Com Studios.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Rob. I don't know if you saw this at the end.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
You know, the game kind of got out of hand
and maybe people weren't watching it closely. But last night
in the fourth quarter, so Boston, you know, won last
night's game against Indiana. Tyrese Halliburton gets hurt in the
second half, third quarter.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
And they are down ninety nine eighty two.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Rob seventeen points with nine and a half minutes left
to play, and Rick Carlisle takes out, Pascal Siakam, who
was crushing Boston had twenty eight points on thirteen of
seventeen shooting.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
And TJ McConnell.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Who is you know well in these playoffs and with
Tyree's Halliburton, now obviously he's your your top point guard.
He takes them out rob at that point and never
puts them back in. In fact, obviously Halliburton didn't play
at all, but the other two starters, uh nim Hard
(32:19):
and Nie Smith, they only played the combine four minutes,
four and a half minutes, and that was all by
nim Hart, and so he would ended the game rob
with people like Ben Shephard. I don't me ended the game,
but like these guys played the majority of the fourth quarter,
Ben Shepherd, Isaiah Jackson, Doug McDermott. Here was Carlile's explanation,
(32:42):
because a lot of people were wondering, man, it looks
like you threw into town here is.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
We weren't. We weren't giving up, But it was an
opportunity to get some energetic, fresh guys in there to fight,
you know, and they did some they did some good things.
Are you know the guys that had played to that point,
you know, Pascal was very tired. You know, Aaron had
four fouls, He was tired. I mean, so that was it.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
And he's saying something about wanting to see, you know,
what Doug McDermott could do and.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
What these guys could do, like it was a preseason game.
Speaker 6 (33:18):
Row.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Look, chances are they weren't coming down back down seventeen with.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Nine and a half minutes left.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
But Rob, we've seen, like we've talked about, that's not
the insurmountable lead that it used to be. And they
already gave away literally gave away game one.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Oh they didn't, right, and then.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Again I don't think they would have come back, but
you give it a puncher, you give it a try,
and they really didn't give it a try. Some people
might say, Okay, they're getting ready for Game three. I
kind of get that logic, but I just didn't like it, Rob,
because to me, that's too much time left. And in fact,
I just kept playing their starters right, pretty much dropped
the rest of the fourth quarter, and so I just think, well, again.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
Wind up being sixteen points, right, well, sixteen points the
front faith, Yeah, yeah, so it wasn't like it was
thirty six points and that's why Boston.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
I'm not gonna kill Rick Carlisle Chris from the standpoint
of once you lose Halliburton and and you look at
it as an opportunity to be able to get some
people some rest so that you can be ready we
come home and get back in the series. Like if
you play those guys during that stretch and you lose
or somebody gets hurt or I'm just people are gonna
(34:40):
be like, why were they still in the game, like
this game was oh like like it's a catch twenty two.
But I do understand him saying I need to save
some minutes.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
I just need to save some minutes and.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
We need to regroup. We did it before against the Knicks.
We were down oh two, right, they lost both games.
Madison Square Garden came back won the two games in Indiana.
So so from that standpoint, I'm not gonna kill him.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Yeah, I would have liked to see I get there's
a certain time you could throw in the towel. I
would have liked to see them gone, maybe three more
minutes or so, okay, six minutes left, we're down fifteen
six minutes.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Dougie Fresh, You're all right, I gotta be honest.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I don't even I might go down to four or
five minutes just because again, let's hit some threes, get
some stops, and you all of a sudden it might
be a game.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
I do get what you're saying. They should see.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I can only play thirty one minutes, so you give
it your best shot in game three, that's really gonna
be the same.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
That's your shit.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
That's that's everything right there. Game three at home, Chris
without your start player.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Yeah, I was look Rick Carlisle and you covered him
in Detroit.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
He's a really good coach. He's got the championship in Dallas,
was in.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
Detroit when he was with that Pistons team that wound
up winning with Larry.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Yep and he was good, you know, he got him
the fifty wins and all that. And then he's obviously
been good with Indiana. So he's a very good coach.
But I don't think it's been a good series for him,
you know, I think obviously Game one we talked about
no time out, he didn't call time out with ten
seconds left or instruct the players too, and then he
didn't switch on that last play when Jaylen Brown hits
(36:22):
the three and his team just start turning the ball
over crazy. And then last night the controversy over did
he give up too soon? So you know we'll see Rob.
They have shown hert They've been great at home. I
think they're undefeated at home too, and so and Boston's
undefeated on the road.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
So this should be a good game three.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
And you know, you wish Holliburton could play Rob, but
I don't think he will be able to. He saw
Anobi after several dead games, missed, tried to come back.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
He couldn't even run. He was scooting.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
Yeah, it doesn't look like, uh yeah, like it's gonna
be good for India. But I think Rick just did
what he thought would be the best to try to
rally the troops and have.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Them ready for Game three. And and you hate y'all,
I hear you.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
If you could have waited another three or four minutes,
it probably would have looked even better if they fell
behind by twenty five, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And they didn't.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Right then you just get him out and look Rob
without their point guard. Maybe they go sign Caitlin Clark.
I mean, some people think she could play in the NBA,
So who.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Knows You're just gonna never let me lift this one down.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
I'm shocked that you're running from this date. This is
the first take I've ever seen you.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Run from what.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
You didn't even run from Tom Brady anyone, like three
superhowls after you said he was done. But this when
you you, I give you credit, though, Hey I was wrong,
I was off miss all right, but all right, we
got an hour left.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Y'all know what to dude, Locket
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com