July 31, 2024 • 36 mins
Former NFL quarterback Shaun King is in for Rob, and he and Chris discuss Steve Kerr’s decision to bench Joel Embiid one game after benching Jayson Tatum tell us why your opinion of the Jeffrey Simmons viral moment with a Nashville radio host depends on what side of the microphone you’re on. Plus, podcast host Cuffs the Legend swings by to discuss how the 2024 and 2012 Team USA Basketball teams would fare in a hypothetical matchup with the 1992 Dream Team.
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Episode Transcript
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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 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Let's start here Sean with Team USA, and you know
they're expected to win the gold and so far, so good.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
They beat Serbia. Now, Serbia obviously had.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Who many people think, including myself, is the best player
in the world, in Nicola Jokic, and then he had
a squad with him that last year last summer won
or finished second in the World Cup.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
They got the seal metal without.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Jokics, So you know, you thought, okay, they're a pretty
good team.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
We may handled them, beat them by twenty six.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And then today we met South Sudan, which had shocked
America in almost beating them in an exhibition game, lost
by a point on a last second shot by Lebron James.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
And today it was kind of get back.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
We definitely took South Sudan lightly to take nothing away
from them, but today we ended up putting it on
them from the get go, had the lead essentially and
beat them by seventeen. Now, before we get into everything,
I was talking with some people earlier, and you know,
their exhibition games for Team USA were against teams in
(01:46):
their group.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So they played.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Serbia in an exhibition played South Sudan, and someone was
saying to me, was that really fair to not America necessarily?
But like Soudan, if they had never played America in
that exhibition game, they would have had a chance. I'm
not saying they would have beat them, but they could
(02:09):
have snuck up, you know what I mean, on America
like they did in the first game and they almost
beat them, Whereas this time, when it really counted, you
couldn't sneak up on them. So I thought there was
some you know, some logic there, but nonetheless it didn't matter.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
And one of the big stories.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Today Jason Tatum, who had not played in the last
game when we beat Serbia, and that was a huge story.
He actually started this game with Lebron, James, Anthony Davis,
Devin Booker, and Steph Curry and instead of Tatum not
playing at all, it was Joel Embiid, an MVP.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Who you know, did not see any time. I'm sure
and I don't know, rob G. Did Steve Kurkse say
something about it?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Was he?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I'm sure it was asked about.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
It, but I'm I'm without even knowing. I have to
believe he talked to Mbid before the game and said, look,
you know matchups last game, Jason Tatum didn't play, so
this game because of the matchups, they're smaller, they're quicker.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
We're gonna give you the day off. But here here's
a quote from Steve Kerr.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Yeah, I wish we had the sound, but apparently it's
hard to get that kind of stuff from overseas. Steve
Kerr told the media the reason why he benched Joe
l Embiid was quote, this is the fastest team of
the tournament. We're gonna play. We wanted to match up.
They made fourteen threes against us in London. The whole
game plan today was gonna be about switching and staying
in front of people. And then he also said later
(03:43):
that Joel Embiid will start the next game alongside Lebron James,
Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Drew Holiday. So Jason Tatum
back to the bench.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Who do we know who they're playing Puerto Rico. Okay,
all right, you said a lot.
Speaker 7 (03:58):
I mean you said a lot.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm allowed to put you on a word count moving
forward the rest of the three hours. I gotta be
able to get my opinions in points in. Chris, stop
trying to bully be. I'm a guest in your house.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
To your to your first right, you are remember that
to your first.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Point two NBA MVPs. Nonwithstanding, Nikola Joker is not the
best player in the world anymore.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
Let's move on.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Who's better.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
Let's move on.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
We might have to. We got three hours right time.
Speaker 7 (04:28):
I don't just bog down in the first seven that.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
People will talk about that.
Speaker 7 (04:32):
But he's not the best player in the world.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I'm not even gonna ask you that. I'm not gonna
have you spoil it. The answer is probably nonsensical, but
we'll get it out.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Secondly, Steve Kurz tripping, I mean, they beat Serbia by
I think twenty six. They beat Sudan to Day by
twenty I think seventeen. I mean, come on, everybody should
be getting minutes. I think in this stage of the
tournament or the Olympics, there's the tournament still their group.
You're still trying to figure out what's your best five. Like,
(05:04):
I think the one thing that has kind of separated
the team so far is anybody can have an off
day and they can still win. Like people talked about
Tatum not scoring or not playing, right, they still won
by twenty six. Today Steph Curry was one to nine
oh six from three and they still won but by seventeen.
So I think they're so loaded offensively, they have so
(05:26):
much firepower. I think people are just trying to make
a big deal out of small things. But then, and
if you're Steve Kurr, like, why does Tatum not get
at least ten minutes?
Speaker 4 (05:37):
I agree with. I could see him be not playing
because it's an entry too much. I can see him.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
I could see guys like MB Anthony Davis if they're
not playing a big team, them resting because of their
injury history. But come on, man, Tatum's an athletic wing
that can defend, that can score. There's no reason for
him not to see at least double digit minutes.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, I agree. I mean I got no issue there.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I will say this like it's we can't look at it, like, oh,
they blew them out by twenty, so just empty the
benches because and look the bench is great, right, we're
talking about all NBA level players all throughout the roster.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
Do they even have a bench though, Chris, I mean
they started like a different five.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Well yeah, I mean I'm just talking about per you know.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I mean, the only consistent starters have been Lebron, Steph
and kept Well, I think it'll be Kevin Durant going forward,
but really he had been a consistent starter. But right,
the only ones who started I believe every game is
Lebron and Steph. But in the early rounds it matters
(06:44):
how much you beat a team by, like that's calculated
to it. Right, So but again you could still you
can't tell me you couldn't have put Jason Tatum in
and still blown out Serbia or mbiad in tonight and
still blown out South Sudan. But I think the EMBIID
(07:04):
situation today Sean Steve Kerr took a lot of heat,
Charles Barkley, Steven A.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Smith, Kendrick Perkins, like.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
A lot of people, Rob Parker jumped on Steve Kerr
and many more than I just named for benching an
All NBA player in Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
So I honestly believe, and I don't know for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Maybe he would have done it anyway, but not playing embiid,
which was a matchup, like I get the matchup thing,
but not playing him at all, Sean. This helped Steve
Kerr with the Jason Tatum situation absolutely because he can
now say it was never about Jason. You know, Jason's
(07:55):
a phenomenal player, and you saw we started in the
next game and we needed him, I mean, was athletic
and stuff. It was always about the matchups. And like
I said, I talked to Jason before the game. I
talked to Joel before this game.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Every game, it may be a different player. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
First of all, I don't know that that's the truth.
And secondly, it doesn't have to be that way, because
to your point, everybody can get a few minutes. But
this helps. This gives Kerr a somewhat believable and certainly
logical explanation for why he didn't play Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
What could you be playing against in Jason Tatum's a
bad matchup.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
No what I'm saying, but the matchups, the matchups were
like they looked at Serbia was big and strong and
so they played three right, and they have guards. Now
you could I agree, because Tatum obviously can play guard.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
But my point is just this.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Now Steve Kirk can say with a straight face, it
wasn't about Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
It was about the matchups.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
And I mean, Joel Embi's one of the best five
players in the world.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
And we didn't play him. So don't come at me.
He wouldn't say.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
It like this, but don't come at me like I
benched Jason Tatum because it's just about forty minutes.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I can't get everybody in.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
There might be a player every game that doesn't play happened.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
To be Tatum.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
First, it was Joe LMB second, next time it might
be he'll throw out a name Devin Booker or something.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
So I'm just saying it gives him a little cover.
I agree with you. I think it's hogwashed, but it
certainly gives him some cover.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I just think this is Steve Kurt's biggest flaw because
we've seen it manifest himself with the Warriors last year
when he didn' wouldn't play not this, not this, not
Clay's last season there. The year were four when he
wouldn't play Kaminga in a series where you knew you
needed athleticism in youth, but he was in his feelings
against Kaminga wouldn't playing. I don't know if something happened
between him and Tatum. I don't know if Tatum showed
(09:57):
up like to shoot around. And I'm speculating, I having
no factual evidence whatsoever. But I just think this might
have been Kerk trying to prove a point to Tatum.
I don't know what that point was, but I think
that's what occurs weaknesses. He's sensitive, he holds grudges, in
my opinion, to God.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
So why do you think he didn't play embiid.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I think it was completely I think it was very
much related to the Tatum situation.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
And see I think he was and Bead's more believable
because you're playing a smaller Sudan team. Anthony Davis and
Bam give you way more athleticism, way more ability to
run the court, get out on a fast break. I
just don't know who you could play against with Jason
Tatum's like not a great matchup for you.
Speaker 7 (10:41):
Well, look, especially when you played.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Derek White and Devin Booker and I mean Anthony Edwards
and Drew Like, it's hard for you to tell me
Tatum sat because of matchup.
Speaker 7 (10:52):
I get him.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Bid, Here's what Tatum has to tell himself for his
own mental health, you know, andanity, this is not about
and I want your opinion before we go to break.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
This is not about who's better.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Jason Tatum is better than Derek White, better than Drew Holliday,
better than Bam out of Bayou, and I think he's.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Better than Devin Booker.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
But so he's got to understand they're not playing because
they're better than me, or they didn't play that game
because they're better than me. It's because of the you know,
matchups or whatever curse saw. But I know it's not
because I'm not better than those cats.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
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 8 (11:46):
Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball.
We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's
more about the stories about what made these people love
their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way.
We talked to we talked to players, We tell you stories.
You downloaded, you listen to it.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think you like it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
Listen to All Ball with Doug Gotlieb on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Our next guest is the host.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
We're waiting on him, but the host of the Some
Dude Show podcast.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
You got to check it out. It's a great show.
He was a friend of the show. He's been here before.
Our man, Cuffs the legend.
Speaker 9 (12:30):
What's up, brouh Fellas Man, I'm happy to be back, man,
I'm happy to be back. Man. Always a good time
with y'all. Mane my god, what's up?
Speaker 7 (12:38):
Brother man?
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Blessings man to finally being able to get on the
platform and talk a little ball with you.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
Man. We've been following each other on.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
The platform formerly known as Twitter. I guess I can
call it. I'm still not comfortable for quite a time.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Well, Cuffs, you tweeted at me a couple that was yesterday,
a couple of days ago. Yeah, My guess is you
just wanted to get on the show because the subsens
in the tweet, the substance of the tweet is.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
A little crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I mean, so I'm mad at you because we needed
to get you on anyway. But let me read it.
Let me read it so the audience can laugh at you.
Don't take it personal. The twenty twelve Team USA would
beat nineteen ninety two Dream Team at Chris Brusard, so cous.
(13:31):
Just let me let me quickly go over to roster
for twenty tweet.
Speaker 9 (13:35):
Please do.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis are the Biggs and Kevin
Love I guess, but no, no, just just stop at
Chandler and Davis. They gotta match up with you and
and David Robinson. I'll take you in and David Robinson
power forwards. You got Kevin Love Crime Love Man, I'm
(14:00):
Kevin Love is getting demolished by Prime Charles Barkley or
call Malone or call Malone absolutely and then I'm not.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
But let me now you the rest of the name.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Kevin Durant, that's fine, Lebron great in his prime. Russell
Westbrook not really the setting for him. You got admit that,
but he's on there. Darren Williams was great at that time,
Andre Woodala, Kobe James, Harden, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony.
That's a squad, But why are they beating the ninety
(14:34):
two dreams it?
Speaker 9 (14:36):
I think this the twenty twelve squad. First of all,
it's a lot of veribles, it's all hypothetical. I might
have fun with this stuff. I'm saying, a seven game
series scenario seven games, not a one game scenario. Seven
game series anywhere in the world, right neutral court, whenever
you have Lebron James, the NBA's all time leading scorer,
(15:00):
right and Kevin Durant, I'm gonna stop at those two
guys that right there alone would be the best duo
we've ever seen on the court versatility wise, that lives
the IQ. I feel like KD would equal lives or
neutralize Michael Jordan's.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Here's the problem with KD, like because I think you
could argue Magic and Kareem. Now, Kareem was at the
tail end of his prime when Magic was earlier in
his career. But Kevin Durant, I think you'll admit this,
and and Durant's great. They're all great, So I'm not
arguing against his greatness. Physical basket, physical defense bothers him
(15:43):
like against Boston.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
No, it really no. I'm gonna tell you why.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Boston and Kyrie was on the floor with him, so
it ain't like you didn't have any other players that
the defense had to worry about.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
They got physical.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And when he in Brooklyn with him in that sweep
in the playoffs, Kevin Durant was struggling to get the
ball up court.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
He was turning the ball over uncharacteristically.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
He shot in the thirty percents, you know something, in
thirty percent, under forty percent. Jason Tatum out played him,
and they all they did was get physical, kind of
like nineties basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
So this notion Durant would have been a superstar back then.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Don't get me wrong, but this notion that, oh my gosh,
they wouldn't have known what to do with Durant. Now,
they would have got physical with Duran because you were
allowed you back then, and he still would have been great,
but he wouldn't have been any better than he is
right now.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
Let's put the puzzle together. Let's put the puzzle together.
Like the Avengers who is your five you're putting out
there against not only the twenty twelve team, but even
the team now Sean like the twenty twenty forties team.
He watched it right now. I agree with y'all. They
have to get it done. They can't show they got
to go out here and get the gold medal first
and foremost. Look at the crows they're playing against. They're
(17:03):
not playing against Angola in ninety two, who were happy
to be there signing autographs. They were they were they playing.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Against South Sudan that just started playing just the.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
First who's out there. There's prone a couple of dudes.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
They had a cup of coffee in the NBA, so
let me arrest them for d one players.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Basketball is about matchups. Who's your starting five on that
twelve team? If you're playing the Dream team, who's your
who's your starting five.
Speaker 9 (17:29):
I'm playing Lebron James at point guard, and then I'm
putting Kobe at the two, Kad at the three. We're
going Carmelo Anthony. I don't know why, all of a sudden,
everybody acting like Carmelo. Carmelo is not a top ten
all time leading scorer, one of the top three cure
scorers ever, one of the greatest tops.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Three curest scores ever. I mean, look, mellows great. I
don't want to disparage Melo, but you trip there.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
Currently that's the current players, Chris.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
The top three pure scores ever.
Speaker 9 (18:04):
I mean stop that top five. No, oh my god, Mello.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Is great again. I don't want to disparage Mellow, but
you're going too far.
Speaker 9 (18:15):
I mean, come on, we're talking international fever basketball rules.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
We talked with Melo, so you're not talking about you're
talking about I'm talking about NB of NBA players.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I'm talking about NBA career. Yeah, so you're saying he's
one of the top five pure scores ever.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Melo is going Mellow finish.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
He didn't even shoot forty five for his career.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
He was hot.
Speaker 9 (18:37):
Value of Chris. You know that he was a hot
that's a problem.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
That's a problem if you high volume and you don't
ain't efficient, that's a negative.
Speaker 9 (18:47):
So here's my five, Kobe, bron and Melo, and I'm
gonna go with crime Blake Griffin at my five.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
So so wassince, here's what I feel like, and and
the rules depend the matter to what rules we're playing.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
We're playing ninety two.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Looking at so so when Blake was on that team,
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
I think it was Tyson Chanler. I think it was
Tyson Chandler and somebody else.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Blake wasn't on that team.
Speaker 9 (19:16):
He was on the team. Man, I'm look up.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
The roster, Rogie, look up the roster.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
That works in my favor even more, Chris, because they're
gonna counter with the Admiral Paul Malone, Pippin Jordan Magic
and Nope, Malone might score one hundred and twenty points.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
That no, no, Malone is Malone is getting space here.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
I'm putting Barkley in over Milon.
Speaker 9 (19:40):
Either way, Barkley and Malone would get played off the
floor with Durant and Braun and them. That's spacing. I'm
telling you.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
Blake was.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Blake was replaced by Anthony Davis because of injury. Here's
here's this to me, cuffs, this should have been your argument.
Bird was a shell of himself. He never played again.
Right after that, he wasn't practicing, didn't play much, and
that Magic was a year removed from the NBAST Magic
was a year removed from the NBA. But here's the problem.
(20:13):
And you might you might disagree with this cuff. Players
back then play team.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Basketball better than they do today.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Now.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Most players grow up.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Playing and playing the NBA most one or two man basketball.
Speaker 9 (20:27):
I soo.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
They're great with the ball in their hands, not so
great without it in their hands, or a high pick
and roll spread the floor.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
That's one or two man ball.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Back then, they played five man basketball, including Jordan, like
all of them, played five man basketball.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
That's a more effective way of player than.
Speaker 9 (20:47):
Hey. Listen, Chris, I agree with you. I'm like my
pop says it all the time. They shoot too many threes. Now,
that's the one thing I will agree with y'all with.
But let's be let's be real here. Jordan was playing
in the triangle off fence, but outside of that, they
playing bodybuilder basketball. Those Nicks, they were clogging up the paint.
You've seen those Pacer teams with the Davis brothers.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Oh, they were more physical, for sure, they were physical,
But those Nick games, those Bulls Knick series, go look
at the film.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
It was clogged up paint.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
No, the paint.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, I agree, but I'm saying the offenses weren't built
around one player.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
No, there was very little high pick and roll.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
At that point, Isaiah Thomas and you were in very
little high pick and roll.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
It was more five man offenses.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
And the reason Golden State, even without Kevin Durant, could
win two championships was because they played five man basketball.
And now a lot of players are like, no, my gosh,
what is this? Right, But but it's better. I mean,
I like the three because obviously three is worth more
than two. But I'm just saying. One of the reasons
(21:51):
these under talented international teams are able to play with
US is because they get everybody involved. Yeah, but but
they're still they're pros that aren't stars in the NBA
for the most part. They go over there, they got
a bunch of role players and maybe one star, and
(22:11):
they pushing us because they play more, they get more
backdoor cuts, they do more screening.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
It's more five man basketball.
Speaker 9 (22:21):
Let me say this though, a lot of times you
see guys in the international stage, they play with more confidence. Right,
He's like, dang, look at Evan Fournier or look at
Dennis Shrewder, or look at Franz Wagner. Right, you see
these guys. But the fans also have to understand in
their NBA role. They're a role player on that team.
They can these guys if you unlock them and give
them the green light and give them more shots, you
(22:43):
will see guys be able.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Wellner Vagner's been unlocked. Wagner's unlocked, and he's.
Speaker 9 (22:48):
And you see, I.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Mean, you deal it, like.
Speaker 7 (22:53):
What's it.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
If Fournier had his opportunities to be unlocked, he just
didn't do much with it.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
But Dennis Shrewder looks great international ball shooter.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I thought Shooter was gonna develop into a star, like
an opportunity.
Speaker 7 (23:08):
If Bron would have got off the way Shooter would
have been.
Speaker 9 (23:11):
Oh, come on, don't do it. I knew I knew it.
I knew it now, man, I knew it.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I'm just joking this because we've been debating this.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Who is the best player.
Speaker 9 (23:25):
In the world right now, right now today?
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Lebron at thirty two.
Speaker 9 (23:30):
Now, right now, I mean we're watching these Olympics right now,
and when I'm watching these international games, Yo, kitch is
over there right He's supposed to be the best player
in the world. I'm gonna be real with you. Lebron
has looked like the best player in the world, and
his teammates agree.
Speaker 4 (23:43):
But here's the problem.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
You cough, Lebron, you're just celeidated a whole hour and
a half of radio.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Between me and ain't the authority on this. I'm just humoring.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
No, no, I'm just but hold on cause you know,
and I'm not just talking about in a sixth game
Olympic tournament, Lebron has looked like the best player in
Team USA, in the world.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
That's fine right now, but.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I'm you can he can do that over six games
where you're playing twenty five minutes a night. You got
great help, so you don't your team doesn't lose the
league when you go to the bench and like it's different,
you're getting rest, no back to backs. He ain't the
best player in the NBA season anymore. And that's no
(24:30):
slight on Lebron. You know, I love Lebron, but he
got Anthony Davis and they're not a huge, you know,
top tier contender.
Speaker 7 (24:39):
Right now.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
You can't say, huh, they're the best duo in the world.
They're showing you everybody that right now.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Man.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I mean, I look, I know you gonna say Lebron
is the best at every single thing, but come to it,
they he ain't the best player in the world right now.
Speaker 9 (24:59):
Okay, this tournament is not the measure of the best
player in the world. Its first. He's not, but I
would say is the overall best player in the world. Yokic?
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Is Sean anything to say? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (25:13):
Discuss the discussion was this. I don't think there is
a consensus number one player in the world right now.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
I think it's up for grabs.
Speaker 9 (25:23):
Some Knights is Nis, some nice is Johnny, even though
I think his game is ugly aesthetically like some.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Nic right he don't Can he be the best because
he doesn't have a He obviously not consistent jump shooter,
and it's that would be fine if you went in
the post and was beasting mugs as a seventh but
he doesn't do that either, so you know he doesn't
have a go to shot.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Souse.
Speaker 9 (25:44):
I'm gonna tell you who's not that guy real quick,
dear camera. I call him the camera roon cry baby,
the double Agent. Joel embiid oh yea.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
We ad guy.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
We ain't mad at because he embid. I think mb
is kind of being exposed in these Olympics. I agree
with you on that.
Speaker 9 (26:06):
You gotta get in shape that's my thing with him.
His game is nice. He skill. You gotta get in shape.
You're talking about emb Yeah, he's.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Always hurt Kansas. He got a lazy game, you know
what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Lazy game.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Yeah, And he looks in the way right now, like
they don't even need him. I mean, he looks like
he's in the way. So he touts the legend Bam
is balling. Great stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Man.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Check him out on the Some Dude Show podcast. Cuffs
the legend great stuff. As always, brother, we will talk soon.
Speaker 9 (26:40):
Anytime, y'all.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
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 f s
R to listen live.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Jeffrey Simons, Rob G explain or Simmons. I'm sorry, uh,
explain the situation here with the.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
Yeah, he is one of the best players in football.
You know, don't let Sean fool you. He may not
be the joker, but he is a two time.
Speaker 7 (27:07):
Off front Simmons.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Jeffrey Simmons is a beast Titans.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
And I don't know if you guys saw this, but
on Tuesday they had the Titans training camp, and there
were media outlis broadcasting live from camp, which is not unusual.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Simmons walked up.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
To Buck Rising, who was a radio host in the area,
after practice while Rising was still on air, and had
some choice words for Rising, at one point calling him
a word that people use for cat, which obviously bled
out onto the air was picked up by several cameras.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
It became a viral moment.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Well, somebody within the Titans organization got to Simmons and
on Wednesday, he issued a statement through the team saying, quote,
that's not who I am or who I want to
be seen as. At the end of the day, I
take full accountability of my actions on the field, and
I promise that won't ever happen again. Now, guys, Chris
is in the media. You played and you're down the media.
(28:03):
How do you handle a situation like this from both
perspectives we want?
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Yeah, we got two different you know, we have two perspectives.
They may be the same, but from different viewpoints.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
So tell me what you think as an athlete being
criticized by media members.
Speaker 5 (28:20):
I mean, I just playing quarterback in that league. You
learn and it takes time. It's nobody wants to turn
the TV on to hear people criticizing them, you know,
or being overly.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
I guess, harsh in.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Their evaluation, especially if you feel like they're not justified
or not right. But this seemed personal, and the fact
that Jeffrey Simmons didn't apologize himself lets me know that
he meant every word that he said to Buck Rising
and he's not really sorry about it. And sometimes when
you have local media members that cover the team, you know,
(28:55):
if you're talking Titans four or five days a week,
you know, eight months out of the twelve, like sometimes
content like you go beyond and above, like just giving
your opinion, and that seemed personal.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Don't you think it could happen with national media's I mean,
somebody could get mad as something I said or you said,
or Rob said or Stephen A.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Smith said or skip back, you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (29:21):
And I think I think athletes are more forgiving at
times to the national guys because like Chris, for instance,
on the show that you do with Nick, you guys
are talking all thirty two teams over the course of
a year at different points. It would be different if
you guys are based in Nashville and all you really
talk is titans Like. The level of accountability I guess
from player to media member to me.
Speaker 7 (29:43):
Is a little more and more stringent.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Like you should know better than to say this or
to have this opinion based on what's actually really been transpiring.
And this could go back to I don't know this
for a fact, but this could go back to Buck
maybe feeling a certain way that Jeffrey disagreed when they
fired for Abel, Like you, this was something that built
up to. Now, this wasn't a spur of the moment thing.
(30:06):
This was Jeffrey saying I can't wait to bump into him.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
I will say this and you can speak to this show.
You know, I wasn't a world class athlete. You were,
and I mean anybody makes it NFL, it was a
world class athlete has a career. I could understand, even
as I sit here in the media for thirty plus years,
I can understand how a player who's a world class
(30:34):
athlete might look at a medium, a reporter, a writer,
a broadcaster and be like, you serious, br you could
not carry my jockstrap.
Speaker 7 (30:48):
You.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
I mean, you didn't even play high school football, basketball,
whatever it might be.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
And you got the audacity that criticized me my game.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
I get that.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I mean a part of me that definitely understands that.
But here's where I do believe we in the media
do have that right to criticize it. Obviously, it's our jobs,
but it's beyond that. It's some It can be right
and wrong too. I think, Sean, look, I don't know
the first thing about fixing cars. But if I pay
(31:20):
somebody to fix my car and they jack it up,
I'm well within my rights to go out and I'm like, yo,
what do you I paid you five hundred dollars or
whatever and you ruined my car, or if if maybe
wasn't my car. But he consistently an auto mechanic is
messing up people's car.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
He doesn't do a good job. They're not professional, whatever
it might be.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I even though I don't know anything about fixing cars,
I do think I have a right to tell people, look,
don't go there. I'm sorry, this guy is not professional.
He doesn't fix cars. Well, he messed my car up.
So I do think, even though media members aren't that
didn't play, we're never as good as these professional athletes.
(32:06):
Because you're professional and you are being paid, we can
judge you and say, well, you're getting paid to play
football and you're not doing you didn't do this right
or you didn't do that right. They expected more from
you when they paid you, and the fans paid your salary,
you know, in a thendirect way, and they expected more,
(32:27):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
So that's how I look at it, Sean.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
I mean, I was raised to who much is given,
much is required, and when you become a professional athlete,
especially now you know in this information age, with all
the technology, that's just a part of it. Like, man,
you gotta have bulletproof emotions if you want to be
an elite professional athlete. You can't let opinions impact you emotionally.
And it's been frustrating for jeff you know what I know.
(32:53):
I think it was a rob Jed that said he
compared Simmons to Joker, But in reality, Jeffrey Simon is
one of the top five to six defensive players in football,
and he's been stuck on bad teams. So there's a
frustration that goes with that, and sometimes you lash out.
I mean, football is a violent, physical game. It's played
with emotion. That's a huge part of it, you know,
(33:15):
I think in Jeffery's defense, because one of his teammates
was walking over to do an interview when he initially
started that interaction, I don't know if he knew that
they were live on air because if you go and
rewatch the actual video his teammates walking over to sit
down when it starts, and then Buck says you can
come on right now, and you could tell from from
(33:35):
Buck's response that there's been some back and forth there.
Speaker 7 (33:38):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Colly didn't know if he was on the air, but
that's still I mean, I think I love what you said, like,
and I'm when athletes come into the league, they need
to be told this. You know, have rookie transition programs
and things like that where it needs to be explained.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Look, this is a part of it.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
This is a part of your job is actually dealing
with the media, talking to them at practices, games, and
even dealing with the criticism like it is there. I mean,
in our job, Sean, now you're media, we have to
deal with criticism too.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Yeah, don't read the comments. You have to.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
I always say, you have to know what type of
person you are if you want to get all into comments,
and it doesn't affect you, fine, But if you think
it would affect you, don't read them, you know, because
you do have to have thicked skin when in any
public job, politician, I call it bullet people entertainer, especially
in football, Chris. Because of this reason, you only get
(34:39):
seventeen performances. You know, in basketball you get eighty two,
Baseball you dot one hundred and sixty something, sixty two,
in football you get seventeen. I've seen it impact players
like there have been times, and I'm not picking on him.
He's just an example that I think everybody listening can
kind of relate to. I've seen Lamar Jackson play a
football trying to denounce and disprove what the critics are
(35:04):
saying about him.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Well, I thought that AFC Championship.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Well, I'm not gonna run today. I'm gonna play strictly
from the pocket, right. I can see what it impacts players,
like did you?
Speaker 7 (35:14):
And I don't.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
We don't have to redo the whole game, but I
want your opinion on this because remember he had the
long run. I think it was twenty one yards, and
I don't know that he could have broken away from
the guy, but he wasn't really even trying.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
You know, he was kind of looking back and like,
you know, reaching out to.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
The guy almost the stiff army, but kind of looking
back instead of just taking off and trying to get
out on the sideline and go all the way, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
And I thought that was a mistake.
Speaker 7 (35:42):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
I think he gets impacted at times by the noise.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
It happens to athletes all the time, and you know,
I've been there, so I'm not criticizing the athletes, because man,
it takes experience. Now, I'm telling you when especially in
the NFL, and this is when the seventeen games coming
to play.
Speaker 7 (36:02):
Chris, you played in.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
It's six days of evaluation on all these forms, and
everybody's got an opinion
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
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Let's start here Sean with Team USA, and you know
they're expected to win the gold and so far, so good.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
They beat Serbia. Now, Serbia obviously had.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Who many people think, including myself, is the best player
in the world, in Nicola Jokic, and then he had
a squad with him that last year last summer won
or finished second in the World Cup.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
They got the seal metal without.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Jokics, So you know, you thought, okay, they're a pretty
good team.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
We may handled them, beat them by twenty six.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And then today we met South Sudan, which had shocked
America in almost beating them in an exhibition game, lost
by a point on a last second shot by Lebron James.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
And today it was kind of get back.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
We definitely took South Sudan lightly to take nothing away
from them, but today we ended up putting it on
them from the get go, had the lead essentially and
beat them by seventeen. Now, before we get into everything,
I was talking with some people earlier, and you know,
their exhibition games for Team USA were against teams in
(01:46):
their group.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So they played.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Serbia in an exhibition played South Sudan, and someone was
saying to me, was that really fair to not America necessarily?
But like Soudan, if they had never played America in
that exhibition game, they would have had a chance. I'm
not saying they would have beat them, but they could
(02:09):
have snuck up, you know what I mean, on America
like they did in the first game and they almost
beat them, Whereas this time, when it really counted, you
couldn't sneak up on them. So I thought there was
some you know, some logic there, but nonetheless it didn't matter.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
And one of the big stories.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Today Jason Tatum, who had not played in the last
game when we beat Serbia, and that was a huge story.
He actually started this game with Lebron, James, Anthony Davis,
Devin Booker, and Steph Curry and instead of Tatum not
playing at all, it was Joel Embiid, an MVP.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Who you know, did not see any time. I'm sure
and I don't know, rob G. Did Steve Kurkse say
something about it?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Was he?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I'm sure it was asked about.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
It, but I'm I'm without even knowing. I have to
believe he talked to Mbid before the game and said, look,
you know matchups last game, Jason Tatum didn't play, so
this game because of the matchups, they're smaller, they're quicker.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
We're gonna give you the day off. But here here's
a quote from Steve Kerr.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Yeah, I wish we had the sound, but apparently it's
hard to get that kind of stuff from overseas. Steve
Kerr told the media the reason why he benched Joe
l Embiid was quote, this is the fastest team of
the tournament. We're gonna play. We wanted to match up.
They made fourteen threes against us in London. The whole
game plan today was gonna be about switching and staying
in front of people. And then he also said later
(03:43):
that Joel Embiid will start the next game alongside Lebron James,
Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Drew Holiday. So Jason Tatum
back to the bench.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Who do we know who they're playing Puerto Rico. Okay,
all right, you said a lot.
Speaker 7 (03:58):
I mean you said a lot.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I'm allowed to put you on a word count moving
forward the rest of the three hours. I gotta be
able to get my opinions in points in. Chris, stop
trying to bully be. I'm a guest in your house.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
To your to your first right, you are remember that
to your first.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
Point two NBA MVPs. Nonwithstanding, Nikola Joker is not the
best player in the world anymore.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
Let's move on.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Who's better.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
Let's move on.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
We might have to. We got three hours right time.
Speaker 7 (04:28):
I don't just bog down in the first seven that.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
People will talk about that.
Speaker 7 (04:32):
But he's not the best player in the world.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I'm not even gonna ask you that. I'm not gonna
have you spoil it. The answer is probably nonsensical, but
we'll get it out.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Secondly, Steve Kurz tripping, I mean, they beat Serbia by
I think twenty six. They beat Sudan to Day by
twenty I think seventeen. I mean, come on, everybody should
be getting minutes. I think in this stage of the
tournament or the Olympics, there's the tournament still their group.
You're still trying to figure out what's your best five. Like,
(05:04):
I think the one thing that has kind of separated
the team so far is anybody can have an off
day and they can still win. Like people talked about
Tatum not scoring or not playing, right, they still won
by twenty six. Today Steph Curry was one to nine
oh six from three and they still won but by seventeen.
So I think they're so loaded offensively, they have so
(05:26):
much firepower. I think people are just trying to make
a big deal out of small things. But then, and
if you're Steve Kurr, like, why does Tatum not get
at least ten minutes?
Speaker 4 (05:37):
I agree with. I could see him be not playing
because it's an entry too much. I can see him.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
I could see guys like MB Anthony Davis if they're
not playing a big team, them resting because of their
injury history. But come on, man, Tatum's an athletic wing
that can defend, that can score. There's no reason for
him not to see at least double digit minutes.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, I agree. I mean I got no issue there.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
I will say this like it's we can't look at it, like, oh,
they blew them out by twenty, so just empty the
benches because and look the bench is great, right, we're
talking about all NBA level players all throughout the roster.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
Do they even have a bench though, Chris, I mean
they started like a different five.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Well yeah, I mean I'm just talking about per you know.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I mean, the only consistent starters have been Lebron, Steph
and kept Well, I think it'll be Kevin Durant going forward,
but really he had been a consistent starter. But right,
the only ones who started I believe every game is
Lebron and Steph. But in the early rounds it matters
(06:44):
how much you beat a team by, like that's calculated
to it. Right, So but again you could still you
can't tell me you couldn't have put Jason Tatum in
and still blown out Serbia or mbiad in tonight and
still blown out South Sudan. But I think the EMBIID
(07:04):
situation today Sean Steve Kerr took a lot of heat,
Charles Barkley, Steven A.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Smith, Kendrick Perkins, like.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
A lot of people, Rob Parker jumped on Steve Kerr
and many more than I just named for benching an
All NBA player in Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
So I honestly believe, and I don't know for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Maybe he would have done it anyway, but not playing embiid,
which was a matchup, like I get the matchup thing,
but not playing him at all, Sean. This helped Steve
Kerr with the Jason Tatum situation absolutely because he can
now say it was never about Jason. You know, Jason's
(07:55):
a phenomenal player, and you saw we started in the
next game and we needed him, I mean, was athletic
and stuff. It was always about the matchups. And like
I said, I talked to Jason before the game. I
talked to Joel before this game.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Every game, it may be a different player. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
First of all, I don't know that that's the truth.
And secondly, it doesn't have to be that way, because
to your point, everybody can get a few minutes. But
this helps. This gives Kerr a somewhat believable and certainly
logical explanation for why he didn't play Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
What could you be playing against in Jason Tatum's a
bad matchup.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
No what I'm saying, but the matchups, the matchups were
like they looked at Serbia was big and strong and
so they played three right, and they have guards. Now
you could I agree, because Tatum obviously can play guard.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
But my point is just this.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Now Steve Kirk can say with a straight face, it
wasn't about Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
It was about the matchups.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
And I mean, Joel Embi's one of the best five
players in the world.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
And we didn't play him. So don't come at me.
He wouldn't say.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
It like this, but don't come at me like I
benched Jason Tatum because it's just about forty minutes.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I can't get everybody in.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
There might be a player every game that doesn't play happened.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
To be Tatum.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
First, it was Joe LMB second, next time it might
be he'll throw out a name Devin Booker or something.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
So I'm just saying it gives him a little cover.
I agree with you. I think it's hogwashed, but it
certainly gives him some cover.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I just think this is Steve Kurt's biggest flaw because
we've seen it manifest himself with the Warriors last year
when he didn' wouldn't play not this, not this, not
Clay's last season there. The year were four when he
wouldn't play Kaminga in a series where you knew you
needed athleticism in youth, but he was in his feelings
against Kaminga wouldn't playing. I don't know if something happened
between him and Tatum. I don't know if Tatum showed
(09:57):
up like to shoot around. And I'm speculating, I having
no factual evidence whatsoever. But I just think this might
have been Kerk trying to prove a point to Tatum.
I don't know what that point was, but I think
that's what occurs weaknesses. He's sensitive, he holds grudges, in
my opinion, to God.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
So why do you think he didn't play embiid.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I think it was completely I think it was very
much related to the Tatum situation.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
And see I think he was and Bead's more believable
because you're playing a smaller Sudan team. Anthony Davis and
Bam give you way more athleticism, way more ability to
run the court, get out on a fast break. I
just don't know who you could play against with Jason
Tatum's like not a great matchup for you.
Speaker 7 (10:41):
Well, look, especially when you played.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Derek White and Devin Booker and I mean Anthony Edwards
and Drew Like, it's hard for you to tell me
Tatum sat because of matchup.
Speaker 7 (10:52):
I get him.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Bid, Here's what Tatum has to tell himself for his
own mental health, you know, andanity, this is not about
and I want your opinion before we go to break.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
This is not about who's better.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Jason Tatum is better than Derek White, better than Drew Holliday,
better than Bam out of Bayou, and I think he's.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Better than Devin Booker.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
But so he's got to understand they're not playing because
they're better than me, or they didn't play that game
because they're better than me. It's because of the you know,
matchups or whatever curse saw. But I know it's not
because I'm not better than those cats.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
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 8 (11:46):
Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball.
We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's
more about the stories about what made these people love
their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way.
We talked to we talked to players, We tell you stories.
You downloaded, you listen to it.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think you like it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
Listen to All Ball with Doug Gotlieb on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Our next guest is the host.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
We're waiting on him, but the host of the Some
Dude Show podcast.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
You got to check it out. It's a great show.
He was a friend of the show. He's been here before.
Our man, Cuffs the legend.
Speaker 9 (12:30):
What's up, brouh Fellas Man, I'm happy to be back, man,
I'm happy to be back. Man. Always a good time
with y'all. Mane my god, what's up?
Speaker 7 (12:38):
Brother man?
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Blessings man to finally being able to get on the
platform and talk a little ball with you.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
Man. We've been following each other on.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
The platform formerly known as Twitter. I guess I can
call it. I'm still not comfortable for quite a time.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Well, Cuffs, you tweeted at me a couple that was yesterday,
a couple of days ago. Yeah, My guess is you
just wanted to get on the show because the subsens
in the tweet, the substance of the tweet is.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
A little crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I mean, so I'm mad at you because we needed
to get you on anyway. But let me read it.
Let me read it so the audience can laugh at you.
Don't take it personal. The twenty twelve Team USA would
beat nineteen ninety two Dream Team at Chris Brusard, so cous.
(13:31):
Just let me let me quickly go over to roster
for twenty tweet.
Speaker 9 (13:35):
Please do.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis are the Biggs and Kevin
Love I guess, but no, no, just just stop at
Chandler and Davis. They gotta match up with you and
and David Robinson. I'll take you in and David Robinson
power forwards. You got Kevin Love Crime Love Man, I'm
(14:00):
Kevin Love is getting demolished by Prime Charles Barkley or
call Malone or call Malone absolutely and then I'm not.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
But let me now you the rest of the name.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Kevin Durant, that's fine, Lebron great in his prime. Russell
Westbrook not really the setting for him. You got admit that,
but he's on there. Darren Williams was great at that time,
Andre Woodala, Kobe James, Harden, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony.
That's a squad, But why are they beating the ninety
(14:34):
two dreams it?
Speaker 9 (14:36):
I think this the twenty twelve squad. First of all,
it's a lot of veribles, it's all hypothetical. I might
have fun with this stuff. I'm saying, a seven game
series scenario seven games, not a one game scenario. Seven
game series anywhere in the world, right neutral court, whenever
you have Lebron James, the NBA's all time leading scorer,
(15:00):
right and Kevin Durant, I'm gonna stop at those two
guys that right there alone would be the best duo
we've ever seen on the court versatility wise, that lives
the IQ. I feel like KD would equal lives or
neutralize Michael Jordan's.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Here's the problem with KD, like because I think you
could argue Magic and Kareem. Now, Kareem was at the
tail end of his prime when Magic was earlier in
his career. But Kevin Durant, I think you'll admit this,
and and Durant's great. They're all great, So I'm not
arguing against his greatness. Physical basket, physical defense bothers him
(15:43):
like against Boston.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
No, it really no. I'm gonna tell you why.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Boston and Kyrie was on the floor with him, so
it ain't like you didn't have any other players that
the defense had to worry about.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
They got physical.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And when he in Brooklyn with him in that sweep
in the playoffs, Kevin Durant was struggling to get the
ball up court.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
He was turning the ball over uncharacteristically.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
He shot in the thirty percents, you know something, in
thirty percent, under forty percent. Jason Tatum out played him,
and they all they did was get physical, kind of
like nineties basketball.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
So this notion Durant would have been a superstar back then.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Don't get me wrong, but this notion that, oh my gosh,
they wouldn't have known what to do with Durant. Now,
they would have got physical with Duran because you were
allowed you back then, and he still would have been great,
but he wouldn't have been any better than he is
right now.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
Let's put the puzzle together. Let's put the puzzle together.
Like the Avengers who is your five you're putting out
there against not only the twenty twelve team, but even
the team now Sean like the twenty twenty forties team.
He watched it right now. I agree with y'all. They
have to get it done. They can't show they got
to go out here and get the gold medal first
and foremost. Look at the crows they're playing against. They're
(17:03):
not playing against Angola in ninety two, who were happy
to be there signing autographs. They were they were they playing.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Against South Sudan that just started playing just the.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
First who's out there. There's prone a couple of dudes.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
They had a cup of coffee in the NBA, so
let me arrest them for d one players.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
Basketball is about matchups. Who's your starting five on that
twelve team? If you're playing the Dream team, who's your
who's your starting five.
Speaker 9 (17:29):
I'm playing Lebron James at point guard, and then I'm
putting Kobe at the two, Kad at the three. We're
going Carmelo Anthony. I don't know why, all of a sudden,
everybody acting like Carmelo. Carmelo is not a top ten
all time leading scorer, one of the top three cure
scorers ever, one of the greatest tops.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Three curest scores ever. I mean, look, mellows great. I
don't want to disparage Melo, but you trip there.
Speaker 9 (17:57):
Currently that's the current players, Chris.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
The top three pure scores ever.
Speaker 9 (18:04):
I mean stop that top five. No, oh my god, Mello.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Is great again. I don't want to disparage Mellow, but
you're going too far.
Speaker 9 (18:15):
I mean, come on, we're talking international fever basketball rules.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
We talked with Melo, so you're not talking about you're
talking about I'm talking about NB of NBA players.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I'm talking about NBA career. Yeah, so you're saying he's
one of the top five pure scores ever.
Speaker 9 (18:32):
Melo is going Mellow finish.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
He didn't even shoot forty five for his career.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
He was hot.
Speaker 9 (18:37):
Value of Chris. You know that he was a hot
that's a problem.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
That's a problem if you high volume and you don't
ain't efficient, that's a negative.
Speaker 9 (18:47):
So here's my five, Kobe, bron and Melo, and I'm
gonna go with crime Blake Griffin at my five.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
So so wassince, here's what I feel like, and and
the rules depend the matter to what rules we're playing.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
We're playing ninety two.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Looking at so so when Blake was on that team,
I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
I think it was Tyson Chanler. I think it was
Tyson Chandler and somebody else.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Blake wasn't on that team.
Speaker 9 (19:16):
He was on the team. Man, I'm look up.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
The roster, Rogie, look up the roster.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
That works in my favor even more, Chris, because they're
gonna counter with the Admiral Paul Malone, Pippin Jordan Magic
and Nope, Malone might score one hundred and twenty points.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
That no, no, Malone is Malone is getting space here.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
I'm putting Barkley in over Milon.
Speaker 9 (19:40):
Either way, Barkley and Malone would get played off the
floor with Durant and Braun and them. That's spacing. I'm
telling you.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
Blake was.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Blake was replaced by Anthony Davis because of injury. Here's
here's this to me, cuffs, this should have been your argument.
Bird was a shell of himself. He never played again.
Right after that, he wasn't practicing, didn't play much, and
that Magic was a year removed from the NBAST Magic
was a year removed from the NBA. But here's the problem.
(20:13):
And you might you might disagree with this cuff. Players
back then play team.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Basketball better than they do today.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Now.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Most players grow up.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Playing and playing the NBA most one or two man basketball.
Speaker 9 (20:27):
I soo.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
They're great with the ball in their hands, not so
great without it in their hands, or a high pick
and roll spread the floor.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
That's one or two man ball.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Back then, they played five man basketball, including Jordan, like
all of them, played five man basketball.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
That's a more effective way of player than.
Speaker 9 (20:47):
Hey. Listen, Chris, I agree with you. I'm like my
pop says it all the time. They shoot too many threes. Now,
that's the one thing I will agree with y'all with.
But let's be let's be real here. Jordan was playing
in the triangle off fence, but outside of that, they
playing bodybuilder basketball. Those Nicks, they were clogging up the paint.
You've seen those Pacer teams with the Davis brothers.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Oh, they were more physical, for sure, they were physical,
But those Nick games, those Bulls Knick series, go look
at the film.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
It was clogged up paint.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
No, the paint.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, I agree, but I'm saying the offenses weren't built
around one player.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
No, there was very little high pick and roll.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
At that point, Isaiah Thomas and you were in very
little high pick and roll.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
It was more five man offenses.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
And the reason Golden State, even without Kevin Durant, could
win two championships was because they played five man basketball.
And now a lot of players are like, no, my gosh,
what is this? Right, But but it's better. I mean,
I like the three because obviously three is worth more
than two. But I'm just saying. One of the reasons
(21:51):
these under talented international teams are able to play with
US is because they get everybody involved. Yeah, but but
they're still they're pros that aren't stars in the NBA
for the most part. They go over there, they got
a bunch of role players and maybe one star, and
(22:11):
they pushing us because they play more, they get more
backdoor cuts, they do more screening.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
It's more five man basketball.
Speaker 9 (22:21):
Let me say this though, a lot of times you
see guys in the international stage, they play with more confidence. Right,
He's like, dang, look at Evan Fournier or look at
Dennis Shrewder, or look at Franz Wagner. Right, you see
these guys. But the fans also have to understand in
their NBA role. They're a role player on that team.
They can these guys if you unlock them and give
them the green light and give them more shots, you
(22:43):
will see guys be able.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Wellner Vagner's been unlocked. Wagner's unlocked, and he's.
Speaker 9 (22:48):
And you see, I.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Mean, you deal it, like.
Speaker 7 (22:53):
What's it.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
If Fournier had his opportunities to be unlocked, he just
didn't do much with it.
Speaker 9 (22:58):
But Dennis Shrewder looks great international ball shooter.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I thought Shooter was gonna develop into a star, like
an opportunity.
Speaker 7 (23:08):
If Bron would have got off the way Shooter would
have been.
Speaker 9 (23:11):
Oh, come on, don't do it. I knew I knew it.
I knew it now, man, I knew it.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I'm just joking this because we've been debating this.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Who is the best player.
Speaker 9 (23:25):
In the world right now, right now today?
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Lebron at thirty two.
Speaker 9 (23:30):
Now, right now, I mean we're watching these Olympics right now,
and when I'm watching these international games, Yo, kitch is
over there right He's supposed to be the best player
in the world. I'm gonna be real with you. Lebron
has looked like the best player in the world, and
his teammates agree.
Speaker 4 (23:43):
But here's the problem.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
You cough, Lebron, you're just celeidated a whole hour and
a half of radio.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Between me and ain't the authority on this. I'm just humoring.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
No, no, I'm just but hold on cause you know,
and I'm not just talking about in a sixth game
Olympic tournament, Lebron has looked like the best player in
Team USA, in the world.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
That's fine right now, but.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I'm you can he can do that over six games
where you're playing twenty five minutes a night. You got
great help, so you don't your team doesn't lose the
league when you go to the bench and like it's different,
you're getting rest, no back to backs. He ain't the
best player in the NBA season anymore. And that's no
(24:30):
slight on Lebron. You know, I love Lebron, but he
got Anthony Davis and they're not a huge, you know,
top tier contender.
Speaker 7 (24:39):
Right now.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
You can't say, huh, they're the best duo in the world.
They're showing you everybody that right now.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Man.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
I mean, I look, I know you gonna say Lebron
is the best at every single thing, but come to it,
they he ain't the best player in the world right now.
Speaker 9 (24:59):
Okay, this tournament is not the measure of the best
player in the world. Its first. He's not, but I
would say is the overall best player in the world. Yokic?
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Is Sean anything to say? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (25:13):
Discuss the discussion was this. I don't think there is
a consensus number one player in the world right now.
Speaker 7 (25:21):
I think it's up for grabs.
Speaker 9 (25:23):
Some Knights is Nis, some nice is Johnny, even though
I think his game is ugly aesthetically like some.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Nic right he don't Can he be the best because
he doesn't have a He obviously not consistent jump shooter,
and it's that would be fine if you went in
the post and was beasting mugs as a seventh but
he doesn't do that either, so you know he doesn't
have a go to shot.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Souse.
Speaker 9 (25:44):
I'm gonna tell you who's not that guy real quick,
dear camera. I call him the camera roon cry baby,
the double Agent. Joel embiid oh yea.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
We ad guy.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
We ain't mad at because he embid. I think mb
is kind of being exposed in these Olympics. I agree
with you on that.
Speaker 9 (26:06):
You gotta get in shape that's my thing with him.
His game is nice. He skill. You gotta get in shape.
You're talking about emb Yeah, he's.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Always hurt Kansas. He got a lazy game, you know
what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Lazy game.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Yeah, And he looks in the way right now, like
they don't even need him. I mean, he looks like
he's in the way. So he touts the legend Bam
is balling. Great stuff.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Man.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Check him out on the Some Dude Show podcast. Cuffs
the legend great stuff. As always, brother, we will talk soon.
Speaker 9 (26:40):
Anytime, y'all.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
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 f s
R to listen live.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Jeffrey Simons, Rob G explain or Simmons. I'm sorry, uh,
explain the situation here with the.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
Yeah, he is one of the best players in football.
You know, don't let Sean fool you. He may not
be the joker, but he is a two time.
Speaker 7 (27:07):
Off front Simmons.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Jeffrey Simmons is a beast Titans.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
And I don't know if you guys saw this, but
on Tuesday they had the Titans training camp, and there
were media outlis broadcasting live from camp, which is not unusual.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Simmons walked up.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
To Buck Rising, who was a radio host in the area,
after practice while Rising was still on air, and had
some choice words for Rising, at one point calling him
a word that people use for cat, which obviously bled
out onto the air was picked up by several cameras.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
It became a viral moment.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Well, somebody within the Titans organization got to Simmons and
on Wednesday, he issued a statement through the team saying, quote,
that's not who I am or who I want to
be seen as. At the end of the day, I
take full accountability of my actions on the field, and
I promise that won't ever happen again. Now, guys, Chris
is in the media. You played and you're down the media.
(28:03):
How do you handle a situation like this from both
perspectives we want?
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Yeah, we got two different you know, we have two perspectives.
They may be the same, but from different viewpoints.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
So tell me what you think as an athlete being
criticized by media members.
Speaker 5 (28:20):
I mean, I just playing quarterback in that league. You
learn and it takes time. It's nobody wants to turn
the TV on to hear people criticizing them, you know,
or being overly.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
I guess, harsh in.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Their evaluation, especially if you feel like they're not justified
or not right. But this seemed personal, and the fact
that Jeffrey Simmons didn't apologize himself lets me know that
he meant every word that he said to Buck Rising
and he's not really sorry about it. And sometimes when
you have local media members that cover the team, you know,
(28:55):
if you're talking Titans four or five days a week,
you know, eight months out of the twelve, like sometimes
content like you go beyond and above, like just giving
your opinion, and that seemed personal.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Don't you think it could happen with national media's I mean,
somebody could get mad as something I said or you said,
or Rob said or Stephen A.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Smith said or skip back, you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (29:21):
And I think I think athletes are more forgiving at
times to the national guys because like Chris, for instance,
on the show that you do with Nick, you guys
are talking all thirty two teams over the course of
a year at different points. It would be different if
you guys are based in Nashville and all you really
talk is titans Like. The level of accountability I guess
from player to media member to me.
Speaker 7 (29:43):
Is a little more and more stringent.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Like you should know better than to say this or
to have this opinion based on what's actually really been transpiring.
And this could go back to I don't know this
for a fact, but this could go back to Buck
maybe feeling a certain way that Jeffrey disagreed when they
fired for Abel, Like you, this was something that built
up to. Now, this wasn't a spur of the moment thing.
(30:06):
This was Jeffrey saying I can't wait to bump into him.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
I will say this and you can speak to this show.
You know, I wasn't a world class athlete. You were,
and I mean anybody makes it NFL, it was a
world class athlete has a career. I could understand, even
as I sit here in the media for thirty plus years,
I can understand how a player who's a world class
(30:34):
athlete might look at a medium, a reporter, a writer,
a broadcaster and be like, you serious, br you could
not carry my jockstrap.
Speaker 7 (30:48):
You.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
I mean, you didn't even play high school football, basketball,
whatever it might be.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
And you got the audacity that criticized me my game.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
I get that.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I mean a part of me that definitely understands that.
But here's where I do believe we in the media
do have that right to criticize it. Obviously, it's our jobs,
but it's beyond that. It's some It can be right
and wrong too. I think, Sean, look, I don't know
the first thing about fixing cars. But if I pay
(31:20):
somebody to fix my car and they jack it up,
I'm well within my rights to go out and I'm like, yo,
what do you I paid you five hundred dollars or
whatever and you ruined my car, or if if maybe
wasn't my car. But he consistently an auto mechanic is
messing up people's car.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
He doesn't do a good job. They're not professional, whatever
it might be.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I even though I don't know anything about fixing cars,
I do think I have a right to tell people, look,
don't go there. I'm sorry, this guy is not professional.
He doesn't fix cars. Well, he messed my car up.
So I do think, even though media members aren't that
didn't play, we're never as good as these professional athletes.
(32:06):
Because you're professional and you are being paid, we can
judge you and say, well, you're getting paid to play
football and you're not doing you didn't do this right
or you didn't do that right. They expected more from
you when they paid you, and the fans paid your salary,
you know, in a thendirect way, and they expected more,
(32:27):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
So that's how I look at it, Sean.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
I mean, I was raised to who much is given,
much is required, and when you become a professional athlete,
especially now you know in this information age, with all
the technology, that's just a part of it. Like, man,
you gotta have bulletproof emotions if you want to be
an elite professional athlete. You can't let opinions impact you emotionally.
And it's been frustrating for jeff you know what I know.
(32:53):
I think it was a rob Jed that said he
compared Simmons to Joker, But in reality, Jeffrey Simon is
one of the top five to six defensive players in football,
and he's been stuck on bad teams. So there's a
frustration that goes with that, and sometimes you lash out.
I mean, football is a violent, physical game. It's played
with emotion. That's a huge part of it, you know,
(33:15):
I think in Jeffery's defense, because one of his teammates
was walking over to do an interview when he initially
started that interaction, I don't know if he knew that
they were live on air because if you go and
rewatch the actual video his teammates walking over to sit
down when it starts, and then Buck says you can
come on right now, and you could tell from from
(33:35):
Buck's response that there's been some back and forth there.
Speaker 7 (33:38):
I don't think.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Colly didn't know if he was on the air, but
that's still I mean, I think I love what you said, like,
and I'm when athletes come into the league, they need
to be told this. You know, have rookie transition programs
and things like that where it needs to be explained.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Look, this is a part of it.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
This is a part of your job is actually dealing
with the media, talking to them at practices, games, and
even dealing with the criticism like it is there. I mean,
in our job, Sean, now you're media, we have to
deal with criticism too.
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Yeah, don't read the comments. You have to.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
I always say, you have to know what type of
person you are if you want to get all into comments,
and it doesn't affect you, fine, But if you think
it would affect you, don't read them, you know, because
you do have to have thicked skin when in any
public job, politician, I call it bullet people entertainer, especially
in football, Chris. Because of this reason, you only get
(34:39):
seventeen performances. You know, in basketball you get eighty two,
Baseball you dot one hundred and sixty something, sixty two,
in football you get seventeen. I've seen it impact players
like there have been times, and I'm not picking on him.
He's just an example that I think everybody listening can
kind of relate to. I've seen Lamar Jackson play a
football trying to denounce and disprove what the critics are
(35:04):
saying about him.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Well, I thought that AFC Championship.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Well, I'm not gonna run today. I'm gonna play strictly
from the pocket, right. I can see what it impacts players,
like did you?
Speaker 7 (35:14):
And I don't.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
We don't have to redo the whole game, but I
want your opinion on this because remember he had the
long run. I think it was twenty one yards, and
I don't know that he could have broken away from
the guy, but he wasn't really even trying.
Speaker 4 (35:28):
You know, he was kind of looking back and like,
you know, reaching out to.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
The guy almost the stiff army, but kind of looking
back instead of just taking off and trying to get
out on the sideline and go all the way, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
And I thought that was a mistake.
Speaker 7 (35:42):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (35:42):
I think he gets impacted at times by the noise.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
It happens to athletes all the time, and you know,
I've been there, so I'm not criticizing the athletes, because man,
it takes experience. Now, I'm telling you when especially in
the NFL, and this is when the seventeen games coming
to play.
Speaker 7 (36:02):
Chris, you played in.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
It's six days of evaluation on all these forms, and
everybody's got an opinion
Hosts And Creators
Rob Parker
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