July 18, 2024 • 34 mins
Chris and Rob explain why the WNBA players’ union should be more appreciative of the massive media rights raise given to them by the NBA, discuss Bronny James finally breaking out his slump at the NBA Summer League and tell us if Caleb Williams should have been willing to hold out of Chicago Bears training camp in order to ensure that the club can’t franchise tag him after his rookie deal expires.
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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
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Couple at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
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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 1 (00:28):
Yes, indeed, we are the Odd Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
We're live from the tirereg dot com studios. Tirereg dot
com will help you get there. They've got an unmatched selection,
fast free shipping, free row, has a protection and more
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way tirebind should be in this right here, The Odd
(00:50):
Couple is the way sports talk radio should be. We
got Tyson's Tower of Trivia Russell Westbrook edition coming up
at the bottom of this hour, so that's gonna be
a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
And Chris, I do want to make a little guy
from Kansas City was talking about the stuff I'm doing
with MLB bro. We do have a minor announcement. We
now have an MLB Bro TV show starting Monday five
pm on the streaming service hbcu Go dot TV. So
every week we'll have a.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
TV show, Yeah, thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Minute TV show Chris every week, which is just amazing.
We continue to grow. Jalen Guilkey. You remember his dad,
Chris played for the Cardinals and the Mets. I don't
all right, his dad Bernard Guilty. He was an outfielder.
He played for the Cardinals and Mets. And matter of fact,
he's the host of the show, Jalen Guilty. But the
only reason you be on it, uh, I'll do a
(01:51):
bro you need to know feature. I'll just have like
one feature every other week. I wouldn't be on every week.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
It's for the younger guys.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Need to know.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
You're gonna pretty quick.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
But I was gonna say Chris Berman. I think his
best nickname for a baseball player, Chris was for Jalen's father,
Bernard Guilty.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
What do you call him?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Innocent and toil proven guilty? Bernard innocent and to proven guilty.
That's pretty good. I like that.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
I mean, knowing how Berman used to do it, that's right.
That good.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Innocent Bernard innocent until proven.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
All right, Well, Rob, the.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
W NBA speaking of proven guilty is I don't know.
They might be a little bit a tad bit upset
at this new situation with the NBA.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
So here's the deal, Rob. We all know that the
NBA is going to.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Have a new TV deal eleven years seventy six billion dollars.
That's almost seven billion dollars a year, right, And the NBA, Rob,
which owns sixty percent of the WNBA and really has
kept the WNBA afloat.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Adam Silver, the commissioner.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
For the NBA, said back in twenty eighteen that the
WNBA had lost about ten million dollars every year since
it began.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Okay, it's and that was in nineteen ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
This year, the Washington Post reported Rob earlier this year
that the WNBA is expected to lose fifty million dollars
this season. So they're not making money, they're not breaking even,
they're losing money. And the only way they still exist
(03:55):
for all the great athletes and players in that league
is because the NBA has carried them literally. And so
the NBA got to decide, Rob, how much of our
TV revenue are we going to give to the WNBA,
and they've decided, I guess over the eleven years it
(04:16):
will be two point two billion to the WNBA. So
of their seventy six billion, they're given two point two
billion to the WNBA. Comes out to like two hundred
million a year, okay, And that's an increase rob of
one hundred and forty million. They were getting sixty So
now they're tripling, more than tripling their amount. But Terry Jackson,
(04:41):
who's the executive director of the WNBA Players Union, is
not you know, she's a little bit perturbed. I guess
she feels like they're being undervalued. Here's what she says.
We have wondered for months how the NBA would value
the WNBA and its media rights deal with a report
abordately seventy five billion dollar deal on the table, the
(05:03):
league is in control of its own destiny. More precisely,
the NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
That's a strong statement.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
The NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA, she says.
We look forward to learning how the NBA arrived at
a two hundred million dollar, you know, per year valuation,
if initial reports are accurate or even close neither the
NBA nor the WNBA can deny that in the last
few years we've seen unprecedented growth across all metrics. The
(05:34):
players continue to demonstrate their commitment to building the brand,
and that the fans keep showing up. There's no excuse
to undervalue the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Again your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
All right, So give the NBA first back the last
twenty nine years. Quis of losses that it'd be cool
if you want to do that first.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And then you go out quickly rob according to the numbers,
you know, ten million dollars a year since nineteen it's
roughly somewhere between two hundred and two hundred and sixty
million dollars in.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Okay, So so they go and losses that the NBA
without the NBA, Chris, it would be no league. Right,
we agree with that, Like they kept it alive.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
They could try, but it wouldn't. Yeah, the NBA kept
it alive.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Kept it alive. And I know for a fact that
when people when they signed deals Chris with people, they
would say, and you gotta contribute to the WNBA, Like
if you want to make a deal with us and
you have to take some you know what I mean?
Like like portion has to go to the WNBA. If
you want to make a deal with us, you can't
just say I just want the guys and not partake.
(06:42):
And this was David Stearns's baby, one of his legacy things,
so he tried hard to keep it afloat Chris, because
he started it. Remember there were other women's leagues before this,
the WBL and some other women's leagues before the WNBA.
But I don't know what leg they have to stand
on Caitlin Clark's games, Chris, if you could show me,
(07:05):
because I would say to them, hey, you know, if
you want to go out on your own and go
out and work your own deals and do all that,
have at it, and if you could do better. No
I don't, right, Chris, I'd say, have at it, go
ahead without without the NBA. You're not attached. You want
to be a separate league, will separate you, Go do
(07:26):
your thing. You could do better deals on corporate sponsorship
without the NBA there, if you could do all that
on your own, I welcome you to detach yourself from
the NBA and go do your own thing, because they'll
come running back in a New York minute, Chris.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I'm with you. I'm sorry this is.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Not and let's throw out this disclaimer, Rob, because some
people just don't get it. This has nothing to do
with gender. It has nothing to do with women versus men.
The athletes are paid, Rob, you and I have covered
many lockouts and all of that. They are paid a
(08:09):
certain percentage in the NBA is roughly in most leagues,
it's roughly.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Half, right, half of the money that.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
The sports generates is what the athletes are paying. So
the reason NBA salaries are skyrocketing is because the sports
popularity in terms of jersey sales and parking and attendance
and TV deals most importantly, and all.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Of that is skyrocketing.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
They're not just giving these players money to be nice them, right,
They're giving them half of the money that the league generates.
And the WNBA, we just said it, they're generating no money.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
They're they're generating no money.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
And so the NBA, Rob, I'm looking at talking about
the NBA's revenue, let's put it at seven billion a year.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
With the new TV deal, they are given the WNBA.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Two hundred million, or of the seventy six billion, they're
giving them two point two billion, that's about roughly three
percent of the NBA's revenue. Rob, When you're given three
percent of your revenue to a league that's making nothing,
(09:28):
that's not contributing to your bottom line.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Made, has never been in the block, been the block.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You're doing them a favor.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And I mean, you look, and I hate to put
it this way, but I don't take this literally.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Maybe I should beggars.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Oh go ahead, what'd you say?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Beggars can't be choosers. I mean they're funding you. You
said it, Rob. If you want to go out on
your own, have at it. But we're funding you, and
we're we're giving you more than your.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Liken', then economically you deserve it.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Has nothing to do. And here's what I don't like.
I don't like when she puts in here and it's
just one little phrase. Our players. The players continue to
demonstrate their commitment to building the brand.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
What athletes don't like.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I don't want to hear about how hard the w
NBA players work. We know they work hard, they work
as hard as the NBA players, But guess what, so
do track and field athletes. So do bicyclists, then, and
and and.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Weight lifts, and they don't a big money because they
can't generate the revenue. Like, let's just be real. It's
the same thing, Chris. There's college baseball. They have the
World Series. There you go. They sell out for that.
Every other game there's there's family and friends in the stands.
That's what you see. The college World Series, Chris, is
(10:54):
sold out right, okay, But the rest of the year,
nobody's going. Nobody's watching. You cannot expect to make what
college football or college basketball, even though there's a college
baseball team.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
No, just as hard, they're just as committed to their craft.
They've many of them got.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Just as much of a chance or want to get
to the pros as the football players.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You gotta understand it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Though the college games aren't on national television on Saturday afternoon.
I mean, is that fair? Like that's the thing. Don't
tell me. Well, just we play the same sport. We
should be on just as much as the men. Well,
if you were as popular, you would be.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
It's so easy if we talk about it all the time.
What do I do, Chris? I criticize the women in
this country. I do because it's on you watch the games.
Take your boyfriend on a day to your husband, Chris
to a w NBA game. Fill up the stands. There's
plenty of women to fill up the stands, right, go
(12:00):
do it. The men can't ignore you if you have
a packed house at the Barclays Chris with a liberty
of playing. If they packed the house every night they have.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
It would start getting as There's no doubt about it.
And Rob, remember too, the WNBA season is only forty games.
It's half as long as the NBA season. So you
have to take that into account too. I mean that's
a small thing, but it is a legitimate thing.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
No, that's legit.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Your season is not as long.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And so I just again, it's not nothing to do
with you know, any quality or anything like that.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It is what the sport generations.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Rob, we talked about the man, Chris. Supply and demand.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
We talked about it. Rob.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We worked just as hard as Colin Coward her We
want to say that worked, right. He's making more than us.
His way show generates way more. Steve, we work as
hard as Steven A. Stephen paid like he's a freaking
quarterback exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
I mean, he's like he's Justin Jefferson or something.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And and but Hey, we worked just as hard, we
put just as much into our craft.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
We get it. This is how it.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Works, right. We don't all get paid the same amount
because we're all doing the same job. It doesn't work
like that. We're in the same industry. And and if
if our ratings somehow Chris superseded or or we had
something that was better than Colin, than the bosses would
have to say, well, maybe we need to write this.
Maybe right, maybe it's the odd couple and we need
(13:40):
to move them in that slot. And that looking at
killing it like that's how it works, and no one.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
But you can't just go up in there talking about
well he making this. Why can't you know?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
You you have you have to understand how things work,
so this will be interesting. I just I mean, again, Rod,
we talked about it with Brandon Auk yesterday.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Leverage.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
If you don't have any leverage, then you know, you're
kind of just blowing smoke.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, I don't know what. Yeah, I don't know what
leverage they have because, like I said, other than Kaitlin
Clark and maybe Angel reached Chris their games, the attendance
has to spike the rest of the places. I mean,
like I said it before the season started. She would
be like the Harlem Globe Trotters every time she shows up.
They got the crowds and all that. But there's still
(14:25):
a lot of five thousand, four thousand and six thousand nights, Chris,
where the other games are being played.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Rap her games.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Or she's one of twelve teams, right, she's on one
of twelve her So that one of twelve is what
like eight percent. The fever, which is her team accounts
for thirty three and a half percent of the WNBA's
totally thirty I mean, that's what four times the amount
that they should her. Their average attendance is fifteen, one
(14:55):
hundred and forty two.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
The league averages seven.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Everybody else's averaged seven thousand, six hundred and forty five. So,
I mean, business, Let's not just get emotional about stuff,
all right, all right? Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox,
Rob and I just broke it down WNBA. I'm not
gonna stay upset, because I mean, they understand that the
hands that feeds them. But you know, they they release
(15:20):
a statement they don't want to be undervalued by the
NBA giving them three percent roughly of their TV revenue
when the sport is not generating even that amount of production,
so to speak. So what are your thoughts on this?
Is it unfair to the WNBA? Is it fair to
(15:41):
the WNBA? Is it beyond fair like they're getting more
than their bringing in your thoughts? Next eight seven, seven
ninety nine on Fox AH A couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
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Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
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Speaker 5 (16:03):
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(16:25):
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Speaker 1 (16:39):
All Right, it's the Acauble, Chris and Rob. We're live
from the tire rag dot com studios. Tire rag dot
com will help you get there. They've got an unmatched selection,
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ten thousand to recommend to installers. Tire rag dot com
is the way tire buying should be. And Rob, last
(17:03):
night I said it going out of the last segment.
Ronnie James with a nice game last night. Lakers get
the W. But the bigger story to many people, Ronnie
James not only hits his first three pointer, he actually
hits two.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
He finishes two for five from three.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
But Robbie scored twelve points, had a team high nine
in the first half, and really, to me, out of
I guess it was six total Summer League games, last
night was the first one where you were like, oh,
he looks like a pro. He played well, he was aggressive,
He obviously hit some shots. He's finished five.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
For eleven, so it's not like he like lit the
world on fire.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
But he took good shots. He stayed within himself too,
Like you might be tempted. You hit a couple shots,
you think you've got it going.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
You know you have played very well.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Everybody's watching you, you might want to get You might
get overly aggressive and start doing too much. He played
within himself and you know, didn't force the action, but
he was aggressive. I think he might have been more
aggressive than many of his other games. Droe had a
nice drive to the bucket with a fancy finish underneath
(18:23):
a defender, kind of you know, went up under the defender.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
So played a nice game, Robin.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
If you're a guy, if you're someone who's cheering for Bronnie,
then I think.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
You were encouraged by what you saw last night.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yeah, you can't make a big deal out of it.
I mean he had played so poorly that he definitely
needed that. That was important. You know, when you owed
for fifteen from three, you know you gotta start making
some baskets, Chris. I don't care who you are, It
just you have to. And he can't. He couldn't continue
on the pace that he was because it had gotten
to the point where it was almost Harrison uh the play.
(19:02):
And and then you got, as you said, a semblance
of you know that he belonged out there for a change,
and that was good for him, and and and that's
how you got to play it. He didn't cross over
and now solidify. Oh yeah, he's an NBA player because
he scored twelve points on five for eleven, but summer league,
(19:22):
in summer league against most guys who will not n
ot be in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
That's what people got to understand.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Most of most of those guys will not be in
the NBA and not good enough.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
That's the closest they'll get.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yeah, And that's why the poor play was was so
star Chris and stuck out because this is happening against
guys who aren't going to be in the league. So
what do you get in the league. So it's good
for him, good for him?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, yeah, I think it was. And look the thing
for him and whether you like it or not.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
He's in the league. You know, Rober we talked about.
He's got the.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Three year deal guaranteed is four years, but three of
them are guaranteed.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
He's in the league. Like he's going to get every opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Rob. It's like Eddie House says, some guys have to
play themselves into the league, and and this is the
rare case where someone Broni's gonna have to play himself
out of the league.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Like if he if he and look.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
If in three years, Rob, he hasn't shown that he
can be an NBA player, And that doesn't even necessarily
mean a guy.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
I mean, you would hope certainly by then that he's in.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
A rotation, but that doesn't even necessarily mean you're in
the rotation. You know, there are guys in the league
for several years who aren't ever a part of a rotation.
You know, so, but you have to show something like
you you know, and he's got three years to do it,
and that's a ton of time. Don't have to worry
(21:00):
about making the team. All he has to do is
work on his game. And that's a great like advantage
to have, Rob.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Or unrealistic for most people. Most people have to make
a team, earn their way on and there's pressure that
goes with it, and anxiety and all kinds of other stuff. Chris,
you know, your here's your opportunity. You don't want to
blow it. You know a lot is on the line.
It could change your life or it could. And then
you know, there's a lot of people who have basketball
in their minds and then Chris, they're lost after they
(21:32):
don't make it, make it to the next level. I
mean they're devastated. They don't even know what to do next.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Well, he's he's got pressure in that he's Lebron James Junior,
and you know, all eyes on him even to a
level that he doesn't deserve. Just you know, it's just
that who his dad is. He doesn't have the and
that makes up for a rock. He doesn't have the pressure,
like you said, of having to make a team, having
to make a living, but he's got the pressure of.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
What his name is. So all right, we got an
hour left. You know what to do? Lock it.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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listen live.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
It is the ad couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot com studios.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Tyre rag dot com will help you get there. They've
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Unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free road has a protection
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Speaker 4 (22:32):
Tire rag dot com the way tire buying should be. Rob.
We were talking.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
About the WNBA earlier, about their deal, their TV deal
now that the NBA has decided to give them and
Sabrina Merchant, who covers the WNBA for the Athletic will
join us at the bottom of the hour, so it'll
be good to talk to her about that and plenty
of other stuff going on around the league. Caitlin Clark
(22:58):
angel rees playing really well and of course the All
Star Game coming up soon, so keep it locked for that.
That's in about twenty five to thirty minutes.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
W NBA All Star Game.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I might watch this one. This This would be the
first one that I will watch. It would be something
if they beat the Olympic team, you know, which is
made up of course of w NBA players. But it's
the All Stars, right, you might not even know since
you're not really.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Paying attention to it.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
It's the it's the Olympic team, rob playing against the
remaining All Stars in the league who aren't on the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
But it doesn't make sense though, because because some of
the All Stars, the best players are on the Olympic team.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
No, right, well all the Olympics, Olympics. But I like
the you know, I like the little intrigue that presents
to me, you know, and I think that that'll give
a little Now quickly, Martin Weiss, if you're listening this
game between the is he is he listening?
Speaker 3 (24:01):
He's listening to the tapes of Jim Rome. I think
he's not listening to us.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
The Wizards and the King's game is over.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
So I wanted to know what was the line for
Alex sar if he has it, but Wizards won seventy
three sixty nine.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Get on that, Martin and let us know.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yeah, I would love to, I would. He said he
was one for.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Five, right, I got it right here, Chris, Okay, it's
one for six, nine rebounds, one steal, one block, five
personal fouls, and two points three assists.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Also, so, uh, Brannie James style numbers, right, I mean
he's not.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I mean that's the number two pick and he's having
his struggles.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
But you know, look again, just Rob, we talked about it.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Even if he was averaging twenty five you could, we wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Buy into it. We wouldn't even buy into that, right.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, remember last year Brandon Miller with the Charlotte he
looked bad and yeah, obviously had a nice rookie year.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, he did look beat I remember that, remember that?
Speaker 1 (25:04):
So you can't jump to too many conclusions, positively or negatively,
So it is what it is. But Rob, another rookie
in the NFL, Caleb Williams just signed his contract with
the Bears, and it took a while, even though they're
on a rookie scale, so you're there are only so
many things to negotiate this and the salary obviously.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
Isn't one of them. But the big, big.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
News that Caleb Williams asked, and he's represented by his
family like his father, but he asked Rob the Bears
to not franchise tagging or I'm assuming it was dropped
your right to franchise tag right after my rookie scale
(25:54):
contract is up, and the Bear said no, And I mean,
that's that's interesting. I will say this, I'm surprised that
that's even like an option.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
You can anything, Chris, if you could do you know,
almost anything and have somebody take something out or add something,
you know, like it's just negotiating. Most of the team's
not gonna give that up because it's the over it's
the ultimate hammer. It's the worst. It's the worst deal
that any organized labor could put on there their workers.
(26:35):
Chris is the It's just it's so one side, That's
what I mean. It's so one sided. It's ridiculous, Like like, really,
it's so bad. And I'm gonna give Caleb credit. I'm
gonna give them Charlie Hayes credit. Thank you for at
least Chris putting it out there and asking for something
(26:59):
that doesn't work your favor. I'm not saying that I
thought the Bears would would would would do it, but
at least to even bring it up and say, man, like,
what what is this? Who agreed to this ridiculous rule,
a collective bargaining agreement that basically handcuffs us for years
to come?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I mean, it is such ave been half the guy
for seven years without him getting like a real contract,
you know, I mean, you know, relatively.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Speaking, it's just it's it's a bad deal. And and
and I give him credit, Chris for even approaching that
or even having that. We haven't heard too many players
who have even they just say I'm happy to be
in the end.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Like I said, I've kind of assumed that it's you know,
it's not even negotiable. But here's the thing, Rob, he
was not, and I don't it doesn't seem like from
the reports that he really pushed it, you know what
I mean, It's kind of been reported like he asked,
(27:59):
they said know, and he let it go and they
moved on. I don't know if that actually is how
it happened, but that's what it seems. Well, here's what
I want to ask you. Well, that's what I'm saying that.
That's why I'm like I said, I'm shocked that it
is even something you could negotiate. And obviously you make
(28:19):
sense when you say, well, you could negotiate anything, but
you couldn't go and say, well, look how I want
a real deal.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Forget this rookie scale thing, give me a real contract.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
I'm like, you know, the biggest prospect in the last
five years.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
I mean, I don't even think you could do that.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So that's why I'm even surprised that this is something
you could that could be considered.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I gotta assume even in the CBA, right, that's like
the minimum you could ask for stuff, and if somebody
really wants you could they work around circumvent you know,
like the rookie scale. Like I've said, I don't circumvent it.
I'm not saying that they're going to give you more
(29:04):
money than it's allowed, but there might be some other
thing that they allow where they say, you know what,
we can't give you the money.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
You know, there are some other things.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
But that's where I'm surprised the franchise tag is one
of them. And maybe, look, I'm not saying I'm right
it must. I haven't seen it written that it's not
one of them.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
But my point is, here's the thing that that you're
not thinking about. It's not automatic, like people don't automatically
give you the franchise. So a team has an option
on whether or not to use it.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
The team no, no, no, but that's what I'm saying,
going to start getting that option.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
No. But that's what I think makes it negotiable is
that a team can say we're not using the franchise
tag on this guy or that you know what I mean. Like,
they have an option. It's not like written in that
you have to use it. If if a player becomes
to a certain point, you could say, no, i'm good,
we'll let you bounce or you know what I mean,
or whatever, we're not going to offer you a franchise tag.
(30:07):
So since it's an option for a team. I'm saying
that's why he could ask.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
For but I don't know if that's I mean, again,
I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying, like his dad, Rob,
who represents him as I said, reportedly was talking about
wanting like a percentage of the team he's drafted by.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
And you know that's like.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
That Blide laws. You can't own the team and plays.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
But I'm just saying, they're all collectively bargained right.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
But but but you because you don't have to use
the tag, which is the difference, is what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I don't know. I mean, I don't do you know
for a fact, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I'm just saying I'm surprised this is even negotiable, and
I don't know why.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
So I'm not saying it's not. I guess it is.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
But the thing is this, Rob, he was not in
asking for that. You know this, you're just potentially going
against the Bears. Every owner in the league would have
been like if it was if they were considering doing
this all the owner you know, none of the owners,
(31:14):
Rob wanted the Bears to do that because then it
sets a precedent. But and every number one pick coming
after that, and other guys would be wanting like, hey,
you can't franchise.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
But the Vikings did that when they gave Kirk Cousins
a fully guaranteed contract and they flipped out, or when
or when or when the Browns gave uh Deshan Watson
that deal, Chris people like like like they did do that,
like like there were teams that went rogue. That's why
they used to hate Al Davis. You remember that in
the league. They used to Al Davis was always in
(31:46):
trouble with the league because he was doing what he
wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
And then knocked out.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
And then they none of them followed suit with the
fully guaranteed deals.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
But he but I think I think they value this,
and they value the non you know, not fully guaranteed
deals too obviously, But I think they value this so
much because, as you said, that is such a hammer
that because I wonder Rob, like, if indeed it's negotiable,
(32:16):
what was to stop Caleb Williams from being like, well, look,
if you want me to play, you gotta you gotta
take this clause out about the franchise. That I mean,
if you're gonna ask for it, why not go all
the way?
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Yeah, don't he got the leverage.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
I don't know if that's how he wanted to start
his career or whatever. You know, like he that's a
tough way.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I mean, I am saying that.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I think.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
I'm not saying I would do that or you shouldn't.
I'm just saying, if you ask about it, and maybe,
like I said, maybe it wasn't a long drawn out issue.
Speaker 4 (32:54):
Maybe just said hey, any way, we can get this.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Off right as you're sitting there, and then you never know,
I mean, who knows if somebody might say, hey, you
know what if this means a lot to you and
we want to start off on them, you know what
I mean? Like sometimes one of my old radio partners,
Mike Stone, had in his contract, Chris, every every time
you do the contract that if Bruce Springsteen is within
(33:19):
fifty or sixty miles of wherever he is, he gets
the day off to go to a Bruce Springsteen Country
That's concert. That was in his contract. So Bruce is
playing somewhere, you know, within I said it was like
two hundred miles. So if he's in Cleveland, you know
what I mean, he get the day off he could
because he was a big Bruce Springsteen fan. So my
(33:39):
point is most people aren't getting that in their deal, right, Like,
most people just aren't getting that. So you ask, you
never know what they might give you, all right.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine, Caleb Williams ass
reportedly if they could take the franchise tag claws out
of his contract, so they wouldn't have the right to
do that. He didn't get it. But what are your
(34:10):
thoughts on him even asking for it?
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Uh? And I for one am surprised that you know
that's negotiable.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
And do you think more players will follow suit? Maybe
some players will actually go to the wall for the
right not to be franchised. Your thoughts next? Christian rob
The aka Fox Sports Radio
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 Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
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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 1 (00:28):
Yes, indeed, we are the Odd Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
We're live from the tirereg dot com studios. Tirereg dot
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way tirebind should be in this right here, The Odd
(00:50):
Couple is the way sports talk radio should be. We
got Tyson's Tower of Trivia Russell Westbrook edition coming up
at the bottom of this hour, so that's gonna be
a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
And Chris, I do want to make a little guy
from Kansas City was talking about the stuff I'm doing
with MLB bro. We do have a minor announcement. We
now have an MLB Bro TV show starting Monday five
pm on the streaming service hbcu Go dot TV. So
every week we'll have a.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
TV show, Yeah, thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Minute TV show Chris every week, which is just amazing.
We continue to grow. Jalen Guilkey. You remember his dad,
Chris played for the Cardinals and the Mets. I don't
all right, his dad Bernard Guilty. He was an outfielder.
He played for the Cardinals and Mets. And matter of fact,
he's the host of the show, Jalen Guilty. But the
only reason you be on it, uh, I'll do a
(01:51):
bro you need to know feature. I'll just have like
one feature every other week. I wouldn't be on every week.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
It's for the younger guys.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Need to know.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
You're gonna pretty quick.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
But I was gonna say Chris Berman. I think his
best nickname for a baseball player, Chris was for Jalen's father,
Bernard Guilty.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
What do you call him?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Innocent and toil proven guilty? Bernard innocent and to proven guilty.
That's pretty good. I like that.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
I mean, knowing how Berman used to do it, that's right.
That good.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Innocent Bernard innocent until proven.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
All right, Well, Rob, the.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
W NBA speaking of proven guilty is I don't know.
They might be a little bit a tad bit upset
at this new situation with the NBA.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
So here's the deal, Rob. We all know that the
NBA is going to.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Have a new TV deal eleven years seventy six billion dollars.
That's almost seven billion dollars a year, right, And the NBA, Rob,
which owns sixty percent of the WNBA and really has
kept the WNBA afloat.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Adam Silver, the commissioner.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
For the NBA, said back in twenty eighteen that the
WNBA had lost about ten million dollars every year since
it began.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Okay, it's and that was in nineteen ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
This year, the Washington Post reported Rob earlier this year
that the WNBA is expected to lose fifty million dollars
this season. So they're not making money, they're not breaking even,
they're losing money. And the only way they still exist
(03:55):
for all the great athletes and players in that league
is because the NBA has carried them literally. And so
the NBA got to decide, Rob, how much of our
TV revenue are we going to give to the WNBA,
and they've decided, I guess over the eleven years it
(04:16):
will be two point two billion to the WNBA. So
of their seventy six billion, they're given two point two
billion to the WNBA. Comes out to like two hundred
million a year, okay, And that's an increase rob of
one hundred and forty million. They were getting sixty So
now they're tripling, more than tripling their amount. But Terry Jackson,
(04:41):
who's the executive director of the WNBA Players Union, is
not you know, she's a little bit perturbed. I guess
she feels like they're being undervalued. Here's what she says.
We have wondered for months how the NBA would value
the WNBA and its media rights deal with a report
abordately seventy five billion dollar deal on the table, the
(05:03):
league is in control of its own destiny. More precisely,
the NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
That's a strong statement.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
The NBA controls the destiny of the WNBA, she says.
We look forward to learning how the NBA arrived at
a two hundred million dollar, you know, per year valuation,
if initial reports are accurate or even close neither the
NBA nor the WNBA can deny that in the last
few years we've seen unprecedented growth across all metrics. The
(05:34):
players continue to demonstrate their commitment to building the brand,
and that the fans keep showing up. There's no excuse
to undervalue the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Again your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
All right, So give the NBA first back the last
twenty nine years. Quis of losses that it'd be cool
if you want to do that first.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And then you go out quickly rob according to the numbers,
you know, ten million dollars a year since nineteen it's
roughly somewhere between two hundred and two hundred and sixty
million dollars in.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Okay, So so they go and losses that the NBA
without the NBA, Chris, it would be no league. Right,
we agree with that, Like they kept it alive.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
They could try, but it wouldn't. Yeah, the NBA kept
it alive.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Kept it alive. And I know for a fact that
when people when they signed deals Chris with people, they
would say, and you gotta contribute to the WNBA, Like
if you want to make a deal with us and
you have to take some you know what I mean?
Like like portion has to go to the WNBA. If
you want to make a deal with us, you can't
just say I just want the guys and not partake.
(06:42):
And this was David Stearns's baby, one of his legacy things,
so he tried hard to keep it afloat Chris, because
he started it. Remember there were other women's leagues before this,
the WBL and some other women's leagues before the WNBA.
But I don't know what leg they have to stand
on Caitlin Clark's games, Chris, if you could show me,
(07:05):
because I would say to them, hey, you know, if
you want to go out on your own and go
out and work your own deals and do all that,
have at it, and if you could do better. No
I don't, right, Chris, I'd say, have at it, go
ahead without without the NBA. You're not attached. You want
to be a separate league, will separate you, Go do
(07:26):
your thing. You could do better deals on corporate sponsorship
without the NBA there, if you could do all that
on your own, I welcome you to detach yourself from
the NBA and go do your own thing, because they'll
come running back in a New York minute, Chris.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I'm with you. I'm sorry this is.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Not and let's throw out this disclaimer, Rob, because some
people just don't get it. This has nothing to do
with gender. It has nothing to do with women versus men.
The athletes are paid, Rob, you and I have covered
many lockouts and all of that. They are paid a
(08:09):
certain percentage in the NBA is roughly in most leagues,
it's roughly.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Half, right, half of the money that.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
The sports generates is what the athletes are paying. So
the reason NBA salaries are skyrocketing is because the sports
popularity in terms of jersey sales and parking and attendance
and TV deals most importantly, and all.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Of that is skyrocketing.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
They're not just giving these players money to be nice them, right,
They're giving them half of the money that the league generates.
And the WNBA, we just said it, they're generating no money.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
They're they're generating no money.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
And so the NBA, Rob, I'm looking at talking about
the NBA's revenue, let's put it at seven billion a year.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
With the new TV deal, they are given the WNBA.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Two hundred million, or of the seventy six billion, they're
giving them two point two billion, that's about roughly three
percent of the NBA's revenue. Rob, When you're given three
percent of your revenue to a league that's making nothing,
(09:28):
that's not contributing to your bottom line.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Made, has never been in the block, been the block.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
You're doing them a favor.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And I mean, you look, and I hate to put
it this way, but I don't take this literally.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Maybe I should beggars.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Oh go ahead, what'd you say?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Beggars can't be choosers. I mean they're funding you. You
said it, Rob. If you want to go out on
your own, have at it. But we're funding you, and
we're we're giving you more than your.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Liken', then economically you deserve it.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Has nothing to do. And here's what I don't like.
I don't like when she puts in here and it's
just one little phrase. Our players. The players continue to
demonstrate their commitment to building the brand.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
What athletes don't like.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I don't want to hear about how hard the w
NBA players work. We know they work hard, they work
as hard as the NBA players, But guess what, so
do track and field athletes. So do bicyclists, then, and
and and.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Weight lifts, and they don't a big money because they
can't generate the revenue. Like, let's just be real. It's
the same thing, Chris. There's college baseball. They have the
World Series. There you go. They sell out for that.
Every other game there's there's family and friends in the stands.
That's what you see. The college World Series, Chris, is
(10:54):
sold out right, okay, But the rest of the year,
nobody's going. Nobody's watching. You cannot expect to make what
college football or college basketball, even though there's a college
baseball team.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
No, just as hard, they're just as committed to their craft.
They've many of them got.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Just as much of a chance or want to get
to the pros as the football players.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
You gotta understand it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Though the college games aren't on national television on Saturday afternoon.
I mean, is that fair? Like that's the thing. Don't
tell me. Well, just we play the same sport. We
should be on just as much as the men. Well,
if you were as popular, you would be.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
It's so easy if we talk about it all the time.
What do I do, Chris? I criticize the women in
this country. I do because it's on you watch the games.
Take your boyfriend on a day to your husband, Chris
to a w NBA game. Fill up the stands. There's
plenty of women to fill up the stands, right, go
(12:00):
do it. The men can't ignore you if you have
a packed house at the Barclays Chris with a liberty
of playing. If they packed the house every night they have.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
It would start getting as There's no doubt about it.
And Rob, remember too, the WNBA season is only forty games.
It's half as long as the NBA season. So you
have to take that into account too. I mean that's
a small thing, but it is a legitimate thing.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
No, that's legit.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Your season is not as long.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And so I just again, it's not nothing to do
with you know, any quality or anything like that.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It is what the sport generations.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Rob, we talked about the man, Chris. Supply and demand.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
We talked about it. Rob.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We worked just as hard as Colin Coward her We
want to say that worked, right. He's making more than us.
His way show generates way more. Steve, we work as
hard as Steven A. Stephen paid like he's a freaking
quarterback exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
I mean, he's like he's Justin Jefferson or something.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And and but Hey, we worked just as hard, we
put just as much into our craft.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
We get it. This is how it.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Works, right. We don't all get paid the same amount
because we're all doing the same job. It doesn't work
like that. We're in the same industry. And and if
if our ratings somehow Chris superseded or or we had
something that was better than Colin, than the bosses would
have to say, well, maybe we need to write this.
Maybe right, maybe it's the odd couple and we need
(13:40):
to move them in that slot. And that looking at
killing it like that's how it works, and no one.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
But you can't just go up in there talking about
well he making this. Why can't you know?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
You you have you have to understand how things work,
so this will be interesting. I just I mean, again, Rod,
we talked about it with Brandon Auk yesterday.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Leverage.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
If you don't have any leverage, then you know, you're
kind of just blowing smoke.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, I don't know what. Yeah, I don't know what
leverage they have because, like I said, other than Kaitlin
Clark and maybe Angel reached Chris their games, the attendance
has to spike the rest of the places. I mean,
like I said it before the season started. She would
be like the Harlem Globe Trotters every time she shows up.
They got the crowds and all that. But there's still
(14:25):
a lot of five thousand, four thousand and six thousand nights, Chris,
where the other games are being played.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Rap her games.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Or she's one of twelve teams, right, she's on one
of twelve her So that one of twelve is what
like eight percent. The fever, which is her team accounts
for thirty three and a half percent of the WNBA's
totally thirty I mean, that's what four times the amount
that they should her. Their average attendance is fifteen, one
(14:55):
hundred and forty two.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
The league averages seven.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Everybody else's averaged seven thousand, six hundred and forty five. So,
I mean, business, Let's not just get emotional about stuff,
all right, all right? Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox,
Rob and I just broke it down WNBA. I'm not
gonna stay upset, because I mean, they understand that the
hands that feeds them. But you know, they they release
(15:20):
a statement they don't want to be undervalued by the
NBA giving them three percent roughly of their TV revenue
when the sport is not generating even that amount of production,
so to speak. So what are your thoughts on this?
Is it unfair to the WNBA? Is it fair to
(15:41):
the WNBA? Is it beyond fair like they're getting more
than their bringing in your thoughts? Next eight seven, seven
ninety nine on Fox AH A couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
Hey gang, Listen to Jay Glazer, host of Unbreakable, a
mental wealth podcast, and every week we will have on
leaders from sports entertainment like Sean McVay, Lindsey Vaughn, Michael Felt,
David Spade, got Fiemi, and also those who can help
us in between the ears, anyone from a therapist to
someone like Ed Milett for John Gordon. We've all been
(16:25):
through some sort of adversity to get to the top.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
We've all used different tools.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer and Mental Wealth podcast
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
All Right, it's the Acauble, Chris and Rob. We're live
from the tire rag dot com studios. Tire rag dot
com will help you get there. They've got an unmatched selection,
fast free shipping, free row hazard protection, and more than
ten thousand to recommend to installers. Tire rag dot com
is the way tire buying should be. And Rob, last
(17:03):
night I said it going out of the last segment.
Ronnie James with a nice game last night. Lakers get
the W. But the bigger story to many people, Ronnie
James not only hits his first three pointer, he actually
hits two.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
He finishes two for five from three.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
But Robbie scored twelve points, had a team high nine
in the first half, and really, to me, out of
I guess it was six total Summer League games, last
night was the first one where you were like, oh,
he looks like a pro. He played well, he was aggressive,
He obviously hit some shots. He's finished five.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
For eleven, so it's not like he like lit the
world on fire.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
But he took good shots. He stayed within himself too,
Like you might be tempted. You hit a couple shots,
you think you've got it going.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
You know you have played very well.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Everybody's watching you, you might want to get You might
get overly aggressive and start doing too much. He played
within himself and you know, didn't force the action, but
he was aggressive. I think he might have been more
aggressive than many of his other games. Droe had a
nice drive to the bucket with a fancy finish underneath
(18:23):
a defender, kind of you know, went up under the defender.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
So played a nice game, Robin.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
If you're a guy, if you're someone who's cheering for Bronnie,
then I think.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
You were encouraged by what you saw last night.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Yeah, you can't make a big deal out of it.
I mean he had played so poorly that he definitely
needed that. That was important. You know, when you owed
for fifteen from three, you know you gotta start making
some baskets, Chris. I don't care who you are, It
just you have to. And he can't. He couldn't continue
on the pace that he was because it had gotten
to the point where it was almost Harrison uh the play.
(19:02):
And and then you got, as you said, a semblance
of you know that he belonged out there for a change,
and that was good for him, and and and that's
how you got to play it. He didn't cross over
and now solidify. Oh yeah, he's an NBA player because
he scored twelve points on five for eleven, but summer league,
(19:22):
in summer league against most guys who will not n
ot be in the NBA.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
That's what people got to understand.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Most of most of those guys will not be in
the NBA and not good enough.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
That's the closest they'll get.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Yeah, And that's why the poor play was was so
star Chris and stuck out because this is happening against
guys who aren't going to be in the league. So
what do you get in the league. So it's good
for him, good for him?
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, yeah, I think it was. And look the thing
for him and whether you like it or not.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
He's in the league. You know, Rober we talked about.
He's got the.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Three year deal guaranteed is four years, but three of
them are guaranteed.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
He's in the league. Like he's going to get every opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Rob. It's like Eddie House says, some guys have to
play themselves into the league, and and this is the
rare case where someone Broni's gonna have to play himself
out of the league.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Like if he if he and look.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
If in three years, Rob, he hasn't shown that he
can be an NBA player, And that doesn't even necessarily
mean a guy.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
I mean, you would hope certainly by then that he's in.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
A rotation, but that doesn't even necessarily mean you're in
the rotation. You know, there are guys in the league
for several years who aren't ever a part of a rotation.
You know, so, but you have to show something like
you you know, and he's got three years to do it,
and that's a ton of time. Don't have to worry
(21:00):
about making the team. All he has to do is
work on his game. And that's a great like advantage
to have, Rob.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Or unrealistic for most people. Most people have to make
a team, earn their way on and there's pressure that
goes with it, and anxiety and all kinds of other stuff. Chris,
you know, your here's your opportunity. You don't want to
blow it. You know a lot is on the line.
It could change your life or it could. And then
you know, there's a lot of people who have basketball
in their minds and then Chris, they're lost after they
(21:32):
don't make it, make it to the next level. I
mean they're devastated. They don't even know what to do next.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Well, he's he's got pressure in that he's Lebron James Junior,
and you know, all eyes on him even to a
level that he doesn't deserve. Just you know, it's just
that who his dad is. He doesn't have the and
that makes up for a rock. He doesn't have the pressure,
like you said, of having to make a team, having
to make a living, but he's got the pressure of.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
What his name is. So all right, we got an
hour left. You know what to do? Lock it.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
It is the ad couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot com studios.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Tyre rag dot com will help you get there. They've
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Speaker 1 (22:23):
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Speaker 4 (22:32):
Tire rag dot com the way tire buying should be. Rob.
We were talking.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
About the WNBA earlier, about their deal, their TV deal
now that the NBA has decided to give them and
Sabrina Merchant, who covers the WNBA for the Athletic will
join us at the bottom of the hour, so it'll
be good to talk to her about that and plenty
of other stuff going on around the league. Caitlin Clark
(22:58):
angel rees playing really well and of course the All
Star Game coming up soon, so keep it locked for that.
That's in about twenty five to thirty minutes.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
W NBA All Star Game.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I might watch this one. This This would be the
first one that I will watch. It would be something
if they beat the Olympic team, you know, which is
made up of course of w NBA players. But it's
the All Stars, right, you might not even know since
you're not really.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Paying attention to it.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
It's the it's the Olympic team, rob playing against the
remaining All Stars in the league who aren't on the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
But it doesn't make sense though, because because some of
the All Stars, the best players are on the Olympic team.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
No, right, well all the Olympics, Olympics. But I like
the you know, I like the little intrigue that presents
to me, you know, and I think that that'll give
a little Now quickly, Martin Weiss, if you're listening this
game between the is he is he listening?
Speaker 3 (24:01):
He's listening to the tapes of Jim Rome. I think
he's not listening to us.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
The Wizards and the King's game is over.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
So I wanted to know what was the line for
Alex sar if he has it, but Wizards won seventy
three sixty nine.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Get on that, Martin and let us know.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yeah, I would love to, I would. He said he
was one for.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Five, right, I got it right here, Chris, Okay, it's
one for six, nine rebounds, one steal, one block, five
personal fouls, and two points three assists.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Also, so, uh, Brannie James style numbers, right, I mean
he's not.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I mean that's the number two pick and he's having
his struggles.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
But you know, look again, just Rob, we talked about it.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Even if he was averaging twenty five you could, we wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Buy into it. We wouldn't even buy into that, right.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, remember last year Brandon Miller with the Charlotte he
looked bad and yeah, obviously had a nice rookie year.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, he did look beat I remember that, remember that?
Speaker 1 (25:04):
So you can't jump to too many conclusions, positively or negatively,
So it is what it is. But Rob, another rookie
in the NFL, Caleb Williams just signed his contract with
the Bears, and it took a while, even though they're
on a rookie scale, so you're there are only so
many things to negotiate this and the salary obviously.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
Isn't one of them. But the big, big.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
News that Caleb Williams asked, and he's represented by his
family like his father, but he asked Rob the Bears
to not franchise tagging or I'm assuming it was dropped
your right to franchise tag right after my rookie scale
(25:54):
contract is up, and the Bear said no, And I mean,
that's that's interesting. I will say this, I'm surprised that
that's even like an option.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
You can anything, Chris, if you could do you know,
almost anything and have somebody take something out or add something,
you know, like it's just negotiating. Most of the team's
not gonna give that up because it's the over it's
the ultimate hammer. It's the worst. It's the worst deal
that any organized labor could put on there their workers.
(26:35):
Chris is the It's just it's so one side, That's
what I mean. It's so one sided. It's ridiculous, Like like, really,
it's so bad. And I'm gonna give Caleb credit. I'm
gonna give them Charlie Hayes credit. Thank you for at
least Chris putting it out there and asking for something
(26:59):
that doesn't work your favor. I'm not saying that I
thought the Bears would would would would do it, but
at least to even bring it up and say, man, like,
what what is this? Who agreed to this ridiculous rule,
a collective bargaining agreement that basically handcuffs us for years
to come?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
I mean, it is such ave been half the guy
for seven years without him getting like a real contract,
you know, I mean, you know, relatively.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Speaking, it's just it's it's a bad deal. And and
and I give him credit, Chris for even approaching that
or even having that. We haven't heard too many players
who have even they just say I'm happy to be
in the end.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Like I said, I've kind of assumed that it's you know,
it's not even negotiable. But here's the thing, Rob, he
was not, and I don't it doesn't seem like from
the reports that he really pushed it, you know what
I mean, It's kind of been reported like he asked,
(27:59):
they said know, and he let it go and they
moved on. I don't know if that actually is how
it happened, but that's what it seems. Well, here's what
I want to ask you. Well, that's what I'm saying that.
That's why I'm like I said, I'm shocked that it
is even something you could negotiate. And obviously you make
(28:19):
sense when you say, well, you could negotiate anything, but
you couldn't go and say, well, look how I want
a real deal.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Forget this rookie scale thing, give me a real contract.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
I'm like, you know, the biggest prospect in the last
five years.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
I mean, I don't even think you could do that.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So that's why I'm even surprised that this is something
you could that could be considered.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I gotta assume even in the CBA, right, that's like
the minimum you could ask for stuff, and if somebody
really wants you could they work around circumvent you know,
like the rookie scale. Like I've said, I don't circumvent it.
I'm not saying that they're going to give you more
(29:04):
money than it's allowed, but there might be some other
thing that they allow where they say, you know what,
we can't give you the money.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
You know, there are some other things.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
But that's where I'm surprised the franchise tag is one
of them. And maybe, look, I'm not saying I'm right
it must. I haven't seen it written that it's not
one of them.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
But my point is, here's the thing that that you're
not thinking about. It's not automatic, like people don't automatically
give you the franchise. So a team has an option
on whether or not to use it.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
The team no, no, no, but that's what I'm saying,
going to start getting that option.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
No. But that's what I think makes it negotiable is
that a team can say we're not using the franchise
tag on this guy or that you know what I mean. Like,
they have an option. It's not like written in that
you have to use it. If if a player becomes
to a certain point, you could say, no, i'm good,
we'll let you bounce or you know what I mean,
or whatever, we're not going to offer you a franchise tag.
(30:07):
So since it's an option for a team. I'm saying
that's why he could ask.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
For but I don't know if that's I mean, again,
I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying, like his dad, Rob,
who represents him as I said, reportedly was talking about
wanting like a percentage of the team he's drafted by.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
And you know that's like.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
That Blide laws. You can't own the team and plays.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
But I'm just saying, they're all collectively bargained right.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
But but but you because you don't have to use
the tag, which is the difference, is what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I don't know. I mean, I don't do you know
for a fact, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I'm just saying I'm surprised this is even negotiable, and
I don't know why.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
So I'm not saying it's not. I guess it is.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
But the thing is this, Rob, he was not in
asking for that. You know this, you're just potentially going
against the Bears. Every owner in the league would have
been like if it was if they were considering doing
this all the owner you know, none of the owners,
(31:14):
Rob wanted the Bears to do that because then it
sets a precedent. But and every number one pick coming
after that, and other guys would be wanting like, hey,
you can't franchise.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
But the Vikings did that when they gave Kirk Cousins
a fully guaranteed contract and they flipped out, or when
or when or when the Browns gave uh Deshan Watson
that deal, Chris people like like like they did do that,
like like there were teams that went rogue. That's why
they used to hate Al Davis. You remember that in
the league. They used to Al Davis was always in
(31:46):
trouble with the league because he was doing what he
wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
And then knocked out.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
And then they none of them followed suit with the
fully guaranteed deals.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
But he but I think I think they value this,
and they value the non you know, not fully guaranteed
deals too obviously, But I think they value this so
much because, as you said, that is such a hammer
that because I wonder Rob, like, if indeed it's negotiable,
(32:16):
what was to stop Caleb Williams from being like, well, look,
if you want me to play, you gotta you gotta
take this clause out about the franchise. That I mean,
if you're gonna ask for it, why not go all
the way?
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Yeah, don't he got the leverage.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
I don't know if that's how he wanted to start
his career or whatever. You know, like he that's a
tough way.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
I mean, I am saying that.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I think.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
I'm not saying I would do that or you shouldn't.
I'm just saying, if you ask about it, and maybe,
like I said, maybe it wasn't a long drawn out issue.
Speaker 4 (32:54):
Maybe just said hey, any way, we can get this.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Off right as you're sitting there, and then you never know,
I mean, who knows if somebody might say, hey, you
know what if this means a lot to you and
we want to start off on them, you know what
I mean? Like sometimes one of my old radio partners,
Mike Stone, had in his contract, Chris, every every time
you do the contract that if Bruce Springsteen is within
(33:19):
fifty or sixty miles of wherever he is, he gets
the day off to go to a Bruce Springsteen Country
That's concert. That was in his contract. So Bruce is
playing somewhere, you know, within I said it was like
two hundred miles. So if he's in Cleveland, you know
what I mean, he get the day off he could
because he was a big Bruce Springsteen fan. So my
(33:39):
point is most people aren't getting that in their deal, right, Like,
most people just aren't getting that. So you ask, you
never know what they might give you, all right.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine, Caleb Williams ass
reportedly if they could take the franchise tag claws out
of his contract, so they wouldn't have the right to
do that. He didn't get it. But what are your
(34:10):
thoughts on him even asking for it?
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Uh? And I for one am surprised that you know
that's negotiable.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
And do you think more players will follow suit? Maybe
some players will actually go to the wall for the
right not to be franchised. Your thoughts next? Christian rob
The aka Fox Sports Radio
Host
Rob Parker
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