March 27, 2025 • 33 mins
Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington react to the latest from the feud between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith, and Rob breaks down why LeBron needs to lay off. The guys celebrate Opening Day by highlighting the best baseball towns in America. Plus, is Duke the biggest brand in college basketball?
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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
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
We gotta do.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We gotta do some dirty laundry and deal with this stuff.
I mean, we can't ignore it. Let's just be honest.
We cannot ignore what's happening out there in the atmosphere
between stephen A Smith, Lebron James and it's ugly. Lebron
went to IG did some put some stuff out there
on steven A. Stephen A opened up first take today
(00:51):
when ballistic on Lebron and this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Is this is just crazy.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
We do have us stephen A's comments to open up
and I think it went for fifth teen minutes to
start the show on first take.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Let's hear I suggest that he'd be happy with the
things that I haven't brought up. I never brought up
really and never really discussed why you were not at
Kobe Bryant's memorial service. I never really brought up with
disgust why you did not attend Dwayne Wade's Hall of
Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you
capturing a championship for the first time in your career.
(01:24):
I brought up none of that. I didn't bring up
the fact that even though when people had asked, you
had alluded to what had happened tragically to your son,
and thank god he's okay with his heart condition.
Speaker 5 (01:35):
I didn't bring up the.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Fact that even though you couldn't go to the Hall
of Fame induction of Dwayne Wade weeks later, weeks earlier,
you were out of the country on business. I didn't
bring that up. That's your personal business, okay. But the
fact is you wasn't at the Hall of Fame induction
of a brother that's gonna drastically assist to you being
a Hall of Famer because he helped you become the
champion that you were and he was a big brother
(01:56):
to you. I brought up none of these things. But
Lebron James, at the end of day wants to come
at me and he's walking around pouting.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
All right, what would your take on this, man, Well,
if we're going to full thing, including you know, Lebron's
post on social media, I tell you what, man, it's
gotten extremely petty and it's gotten extremely personal.
Speaker 7 (02:19):
And I didn't see this portion of it coming because
both of them are knee deep in their profession. And
that's the part to me that it's shocking is because
for all things people say about Steven A. Smith, one thing,
for the most part, for the most part, for his
long career being in the public GUYE, he doesn't really
go personal for the most part. He can say a
(02:40):
lot about your game, he can say a lot about this,
but he tries to keep it on the playing fields
or courts of said sports. But when he brought up there,
I'm not gonna bring up that you didn't go to
the Kobe Bryant memorial. That's when I knew, Oh, this
is beyond. This is beyond just some we're just having
a little petty war. This is personal. Because he had
to double back on Instagram and say I'm sorry, I
(03:02):
was incorrect.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
He was there.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
You know, that wasn't my main point, but I do
want to apologize because he was there, and that to
me shows how wrapped up in this. Stephen A is
because he is now he's been a you know, a.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Very professional man, a journalist.
Speaker 7 (03:17):
So for him to kind of not check on that
before he said it shows me he's locked in, ready
for war with this because he is now doing stuff
he normally doesn't do.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Let's go to Lebron.
Speaker 7 (03:27):
Lebron is trying to wrap up a season in the NBA,
trying to get the team the top three to four seed.
Lebron's trying to get ready to wait me, trying to
have a chance to win the fifth Ring, but instead
he's being petty. Lebron is going on the ESPN, but
instead of going on with the guy I got the
feel winning, let's hash it out on TV. No. I'm
gonna go to Pat McAfee, you know, somebody who is
you know, new Words to ESPN, and I'm gonna help
(03:49):
his show. I'm gonna help his ratings, I'm gonna help
his social media followings. And that's gonna be a way
of taking another stab at steven A. And then I'm
gonna talk back about steven A. He's an his tighties
and he's on these one dies a little you know,
tighty Teddy White and going at stephen A and going
at him, and then so to the point later on
(04:09):
today stephen A talking about he's the type of guy
Lebron that will put a smile on your face and
put a knife in your back.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
This is going way beyond just a normal jab or two.
This is personal.
Speaker 7 (04:20):
This is something that is clearly those two are gonna
have to work out because this is real for them.
And it's disappointed to see two brothers I know who
are extremely professional to take what they do seriously to
go this far because it's not where where does it stop?
Lebron's posting little videos and steven A, you know, working out,
punching and making fun of him there stephen A's saying
(04:41):
what he's saying.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Where does it stop? Rob?
Speaker 7 (04:43):
And that's the thing that to me makes me go, well,
now it's gonna have because eventually, does steven A have
to say something he'd been holding back in the.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
Chamber for fifteen twenty years.
Speaker 7 (04:51):
Does Lebron have to, you know, then do something, say
something he's been holding for ten to fifteen years, like
where is the line?
Speaker 5 (04:57):
And I think we have now across that where I'm
wor he's gonna get you can't come back.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I gotta say this and full transparency. Everybody knows steven
A and I are friends.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I'm not even gonna sit here and act like, Okay,
we're friends, not TV friends, not friends because we are
in the same business.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
We're friends, right, Okay, but I'm gonna tell you this.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I'm gonna I think Lebron James is totally unprofessional and
I'm gonna say that. And you can push back on
me that steven A is is going back at him
and whatnot. But this all started where Lebron confronted stephen
A in a in a public setting like warning this reaction,
warning people to know whether you can make your point
(05:49):
without having to do that. People can say, well, stephen
A said, is on TV. That's what he does for
his living. Stephen A didn't get it get buy a
TV station to rip Bronnie. Do you understand what I'm saying.
That's what he does. He works on television. And number two,
Lebron is the one who won't let it go. I
(06:10):
thought you made your point. Don't talk about my son.
Whatever stephen A was there, there were no blows exchanged.
Stephen A said, what he had to say, and that
should have been the end of it. Why are you
continuing this? Why it doesn't make any sense. Lebron's too
(06:31):
big for this and he's tackling one of the biggest
guys in the media business.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Stephen A ain't going nowhere.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Guess whose career is longer, stephen A's or Lebron's. And
Lebron's play forever. But you can't have a forty five
fifty year media career. You can't. And it makes no
sense on Lebron's part. It's childish. You made your point.
(07:01):
If you want to do anything else, pick up the phone,
have a conversation.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
If the roles were reversed and stephen A started, I'd
be saying the same thing for Steve to stephen A.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I would.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Because he didn't start this. He was doing his job.
Lebron didn't like it, That's fine. I got words for you,
steven A. Can you come to the bag, Can I
pick up a phone, Can we have a zoom call?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Chew them out whatever you want to do. I got that.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I've been chewed out plenty of times in my career
by athletes.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Plenty. But this stuff here and.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
The memes and all these other things and videos and
childish from a guy who is one of the greatest
players who ever played. Concentrate on the Lakers. Concentrate on
your team. Why are you wasting energy on a reporter
that has no effect on your career, your legacy. It's
(08:04):
a waste, am I right.
Speaker 7 (08:06):
That's where it gets weird, because at some point you
would think, Lebron, look you, if you want to play
the game of who had the bigger moment, you ran
up on him and you made you look you know, ooh,
he ran up on him.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
He looked tough. You could have ended it there.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I think that where the back and forth is happening
is because Stephen A, the day after the whole encounter
on the court happened, went on on first take and
actually was like, Yo, I'm gonna be honest. As a father,
I can understand, and I think, you know, we talked
about it on our show and I actually was shocked.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I thought he was gonna do scorched Earth and he
didn't do it. And he didn't.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
The problem I think in their you know, and this
is where I think it continues is then he's been
on multiple podcasts, since I should have did this. Man,
if he would have did this, I would have did it.
And then Lebron is in his petty bag. Oh really,
what would you have done?
Speaker 8 (08:52):
So?
Speaker 7 (08:54):
And now it's just the bars back and forth. And
and that's why I said earlier, okay, well then where
does it end? Because now today Steve and they said
what he said, you know, stabbing people, you know, he
was stabbing the back. And he didn't even go to
your man's you know, because now it's personal. You didn't
go to your man's you know, ceremony, hall of fame ceremony.
You didn't go to Kobe Sting. Now again he had
(09:14):
to retrack you. But my point is, now I've taken
those personal barbs that you those jams that you does
Lebron come back and start this, Oh well that's why
you got fire from you know whatever, like it was,
so it should be over. And that's the thing because
Lebron to be as great as he is, Lebron to
be arguably in the countation if you want to say, first, second, third, whatever,
to be the businessman, to stoot all this the petty
(09:37):
is is actually it is uncanny, and that dude, you literally.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Have it all.
Speaker 7 (09:43):
You have a beautiful family, you have your son on
the same team as you with the NBA. You have
another son who's ball and looks like he's gonna go
do great in college. You have all these wonderful things,
and it is perplexing because it's like, why are we
doing this?
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Why are we.
Speaker 7 (09:59):
Turning and going back and forth when you have the
opportunity to just focus on trying to get your fifth ring.
You got Luke on the team, you're trying to work
on that. You're trying to focus on that, And it
is unusual and it makes no sense for me for
him to continue doing this, going on Pat McAfee show
doing an exclusive interview so long and in depth that
he hardly ever does.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
This is why it's so perplexing.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
And then Stephen A obviously this is good for business,
it's good for first take, it's good for his the
Steven A. Smith Show shout out to his show. So
it's it to me, this is why it's gonna keep going.
Lebron is showing no end to his petty steven A
ain't gonna let you. I ain't backing down for nobody,
and that right so so Rob gets some popcorn.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
We might be here for a little bit.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
So we know it's opening day. We talked about it
and uh bake. Some baseball games are still going on,
and you know I was out at the ballpark today.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
You know you were there as well.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We were both at Dodger Stadium way before the action started,
but still just the atmosphere and everything.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And we know what a town.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
We both live in Los Angeles, and we know what
a baseball town. I know everybody LA, the Lakers, LA
is the Dodgers as well, Like.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Don't getting very close.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
It's like fifty fifty forty nine fifty right, yeah, it's
it's whichever side you want to say. It is very
much a baseball town for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
And people who don't know the Dodgers draw like four
million people every year, four million like people go to
Dodger games. People have on If I told you that
three or four of our producers have on Dodger Hatson
and uh Jersey's Ryan and who else Shay has his on?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Well, don't look at don't look at you got yours
on too, Mind your business.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Danny g does he have his own shore?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Jason Stewart as well, Yeah, Jason Stewart, I mean, everybody
and their uncle. But my point is it's a big
baseball town. And the question is, as you know, I've
covered baseball for thirty nine years.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
I've been to all the ball parks, all.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
The stadiums and everything that you can talk about. And
I know it's easy to just look at New York
and Los Angeles and maybe Philly or Boston or whatever
and say those are, you know, the best baseball towns.
But I'm gonna tell you something different. And I've been
saying this for a while. The best baseball town to
(12:43):
me in America, and Kelvin you've you've heard me say
this in Saint Louis, Missouri. I think Saint Louis is
the baseball capital of the United States. And I don't know,
(13:03):
I've been there, obviously, And if you go to a
game everybody has read on it's pretty amazing. And here's
the thing, Okay, they draw look at their attendance. I
think in the last twenty five years, maybe one year
under three.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Million, okay, right, and you say, well, what's the big deal?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Do you know what the population is for the city
of Saint Louis.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
And I'm talking about in the city proper.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Okay, two hundred and eighty one thousand.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Now, I no, it's not the metro area. Don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I'm not trying to pretend that everybody in their uncle
from only the city are going to games.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
But don't you find that to be unbelievable?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Seriously, a city that's small to a track that's not
like Tampa. Tampa and places like that probably have a
bigger population. Bryan, look up Tampa's population. I guarante you
was bigger than Saint Louis.
Speaker 7 (14:02):
Oh yeah, Tampa, My yeah, that probably my guess off
the six seven.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Right, Boston four hundred thousand. Boston has like six hundred thousand.
I'm talking about city proper, right. New York has eight.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Million, LA has like five million.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Ye right, I'm talking about so LA has five million
and it draws four million a year and Saint Louis
has two hundred and eighty one thousand and they draw
three million a year. Saint Louis is the baseball capital
of the United States.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And I'm from New York that has two teams.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And when they opened up the two new stadium City
Field and Yankee Stadium that year two thousand and nine,
you ready, Kelvin, Yeah, New York sold eight million baseball
tickets in one year and the two new stadiums eight
million tickets. So for me to city here and tell
you that Saint Louis is the baseball capital of the
(14:59):
United States.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
They love that team.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
That city's run two football teams out of Saint Louis.
Think about that. As big as football is around the
United States. Don't mess with their Cardinals and don't mess
with their Saint Louis Blues. That's what that town is about,
baseball first and the NHL second.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Without a doubt.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
I mean, when you think of kind of the some
of the teams that are blue bloods, if you will,
in baseball, you mentioned it. We talk about the New
York teams, We talk about LA because of the size
of the cities and what they mean. But when you're
talking about impact, what the teams mean in that city,
you gotta absolutely put Saint Louis up there. I mean,
very passionate as the city. I've never been to the city,
(15:43):
but I only hear that. I only hear how dedicated
they are. I only hear how educated they are. I
only hear how passionate their fans are. And that's again refreshating.
I think every team has every city has rob those
teams where yeah, we have multiple teams, but this franchise
matters more as much as the Celtics. Meaning in Boston
(16:05):
you always hear it's the Bruins or it's the Red Sox.
It isn't the Celtics as much as you think because
of obviously they want so much back in the sixties
and seventies. But with the Saint Louis Cardinals, that's all
you hear.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
And you know the Detroit thing, like people don't understand.
I know Detroit is a football town, but don't don't
get it twisted. You know that when the Tigers are
really good, without a doubt, Tigers are a big deal.
I mean obviously, especially the Red Wings. You know that
ninety two thousand run was huge. So Saint Louis is
up there now. As somebody who hasn't been there, I
(16:39):
can't overly.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Speak for them.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
What city, would you say, yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
So, yeah, So I'll say this. I think, well, Boston
clearly is up there. We know that, just the way
they feel about their Red Sox, it's it's on another level.
But I will speak for the city that I've lived
in now for thirteen fourteen years and say one of
the things that makes LA fans, specifically the Dodgers talking
about Angels, we talked about the Dodgers remix.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
It interesting to me, is you just mentioned it? Dude?
Speaker 7 (17:08):
They have so much going on here. You have like
eight professional teams. You got two football teams, you got
two baseball.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
You got amusement parks, you got amusement.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
Parts, you got Disneyland, the Trojans are good, you got theater,
you got Hollywood, mountains, oceans. And for the Dodgers, who
consistently draw what they draw consistently, be the water cooler talk, consistently,
be the thing people wear consistently, you know, drawn a
fervor from the city and had a rough relationship with
(17:38):
the Mexican and Mexican American community here back fixed exactly
in the in the you know, fifties, sixties, sixties, and
if you don't know, for those who maybe don't. Obviously
we're a national show. The way they kind of came
in where they put Dodger Stadium and Chavez Ravine and
kind of knocked out the community, the Mexican and the
Mexican American community that was there. There was some beef
(17:59):
and they they have done an amazing job mending that relationship,
infusing the Latin culture here and the Dodgers. And then
obviously sometimes God gives you an alleyut them getting Fernando Valezuela.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
When they got him robbed, that was huge.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Come on, they land him in nineteen eighty, well, you
know he ends up coming up eighty eighty one, perfect timing,
the commit cities coming around. But and you'll hear it
from the people themselves, right, they'll tell you I was
a little out on the Dodgers or I watched them,
but I wasn't all in, like you know, I felt
a little certain way about them. And then for them
to land him the timing they did, they win that year.
(18:40):
He's special, the team special. It was just absolutely huge
for them.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
So that was on.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
You go to a game and see the Latin population.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
It is mass and mass, and the female population.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
The ladies do not play out here about their Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
We talked about Rodney Peach's wife, Holly Robinson. Pete is
the biggest Dodger fans.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
You would think Rodney don't even like the Dodgers if
you compare those two. How much he's in talking about it,
supporting it. And my last point too, and I think
you'll appreciate this. We talked about it yesterday, I believe
two days ago. But the organization is very aware of
some things culturally. They make it a point and I'm
gonna say this, and you know, I don't tout in
(19:27):
post like a lot talk about a lot of things
that I do and all this, but there are days
where the director in my ear is a black person
to meet a black person on the stage with Jerry
Harrison Junior on the set, I mean, you know, and
I'm tossing it out to Kirsten Watson, black sideline reporter.
(19:49):
I mean, that's a rarity, you know, to have. You know,
it's just me so many people in baseball. You know
that as somebody MLB bro Baseball trying to get back
to growing the game in the African American community, and
the Dodgers have made it up you know, making a
point to like, you know, have that that awareness of
the culture the city where they live, multicultural city like
(20:12):
La and and some of the do things that they
do is really cool. So but it's an awesome place.
And not to mention the Paul Parkers, you know, that's
incredible out there.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
It is. Are you kidding? It's incredible out there? Dude.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
What a night you know, to go out to Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
The weather seventy five degrees, not humid, It's just beautiful
to go hang out.
Speaker 7 (20:34):
Yeah, one part behind you is the beautiful just ravine
and mountain esque. Then the other side behind you is
downtown in LA with the beautiful look of the skyline.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
It's just it's absolutely incredible.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
I want to bring in Ryan, Yeah, our producer, And
Ryan's a huge baseball for a huge Dodger fan.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
But he's been around.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Ryan, You've been to ballparks around the country, not saying
not not counting Dodger Stadium because that's your hometown team.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Any place you've been to consider.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Like like, uh, just a great baseball atmosphere or or
city or fan base.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
I've I've been lucky to go to a handful of
historic parts. I've been to Fenway, I've been to Wrigley,
I've been the Yankee Stadium. Uh, camping yards beautiful, that's my.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
That's my favorite.
Speaker 8 (21:21):
And that's I think all of those really are. Every
every place I've been to, it's you can definitely feel
the passion that these fans have, especially these these older
fan bases where you know, these franchises have been there
for hundreds of years now. I would probably say, I
it's hard to say it's specifically.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
As I get it. It's a great place to go.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And have you been there yet, Calvin, I mean, that's
on your it got to be on your bucket line.
And you want to go to a day game, you
know what I mean. You want to go to a
day game. And it's in the neighborhood in Chicago, like
people's houses around the corner.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
But it's Quaine. It's old school.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
They'll never build a new one, you know what I mean,
Like the cub won't get a new place, and neither
will fend Way.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
But Chicago is a great town for baseball.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
Oh out of dum I mean, and they're passionated and
to the point where you know they thought they literally
have people die and there.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Curse.
Speaker 7 (22:23):
Yeah, people first thought they were cursed in they wanted
all right, go ahead, Lord, you.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Can take me now.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
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 Kelvin.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Yeah, uh, March Madness Sweet sixteen going on.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
We know that, yep.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
And of course Duke is one of those schools they're
playing a night correct, right, Yeah, Duke is playing. I
don't know, I'm looking at the games. I don't know
how many people and yeah that's four.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Well, let's talk about Duke. And you know you love.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Basketball and you played it at a one of the
high school UH state championship and was Duke big to
you growing up? And the question I guess we're gonna
ask to you and everybody listening is is Duke the
biggest brand.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
In college basketball?
Speaker 1 (23:28):
We know about Yukler U c l A back in
the day, that's what I call it, Yuckler and how
great they were in that program that was a long
time ago. But UH Caller Parry and Kentucky was supposed
to be that they should have won like five championships
(23:48):
in a row or whatever.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
That didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
He only won one, and then you got the other
schools North Carolina and some other state Michigan, you know.
But what do you think about the brand Duke? Is
it the biggest in college basket?
Speaker 7 (24:06):
Here's the reason why the answers. Yes, you can make
a case for some others, but the answer is Duke.
And it's a multiple reasons why. You just mentioned something.
Most things in life you love because it was your
formidable years, right. You love your home team because you
were you know, ten to sixteen years old and they
were great. They had that team you loved, you know,
your favorite show because you were you know, eight to
(24:27):
fifteen sixteen and that was.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Your favorite show. So on and so forth.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
The reason why Duke is the answer is because for
the last thirty plus years, they have been consistently good.
They have had championship teams or teams that were contending regularly,
and so therefore they were always prominent because they were winning.
Speaker 5 (24:47):
Also, they also had teams you hated.
Speaker 7 (24:50):
Maybe you hated Christian Ladner, maybe you hated JJ Reddick,
maybe you hated you know, Hejajon.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Langdon right right, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
Maybe you hated so many of these players, the type
of players they have you maybe you don't like the
fact that they have well to do at least has
perceived well to do students, guys from you know, different
backgrounds and.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
All of that. Maybe you didn't like Coach K.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
So the Cameron crazies, you need a little hate in
there to make them popular as well. You need the success.
And they put a lot of guys in the NBA.
So the Duke conversation continues because oh Garrison, great Hill.
Oh Christian Latner wasn't as great in the NBA, but
he had a long NBA career. Now you got Jason Tatum,
one of the best players in the league currently is
(25:32):
of course a raiding champ.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
Kyrie is a champ.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
I mean, so you know, they they've kind of checked
all the boxes getting the hate, but they're good putting
players in the league.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
You love them, you hate them, but you're talking about them.
They've been consistent.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
They had a big time figure in Coach k is
arguably the biggest face of college basketball for the last
twenty five thirty years. So when I think it's number one, dude,
now North Carolina's close. Kent Tuch, he is close, but
I think Duke is the answer. Whether you like it
or hate it, Duke is the answer.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yeah, I'm gonna go against Duke on this. And I
know the pedigree and the rivalry with North Carolina, and
that's college basketball. I get all that, but I just
I always feel like maybe they haven't won enough. Their
impact or imprint in the NBA wasn't as big or
(26:32):
as it could. You want to say Kyrie who had
a cup of coffee and a sweet role layer Duke,
you know what I mean? Play with eleven games for
Jason Tatum, even his startom and winning a championship, he's
always kind of been downplayed. Would you say that, you
would say, got Duke pedigree? Why wouldn't you think highly
(26:54):
of him? And yeah, well there's another guy who, to me,
you would look at as disappointing. And I don't know,
I mean, what are the Duke has five national championships.
It just seems like it should have been more considering
the other players that they had there.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
And you know what I mean, if you can you
got a substitute who you substitute do for, then.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I think I would take North Carolina overdue.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
I'm not mad. That's why I said, I'm not mad.
To me, those are.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Serious and I know that the championships are like the same,
right is it five five or five four?
Speaker 7 (27:35):
Uh? Let me pull that back up. Yeah, keep going,
but yes, right around there, it's like five and six.
I think North Carolina may have six.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
I don't know. I would put North Carolina. Guess who
went there?
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Michael Jeffrey, Jordan, James Worthy and I know those are
kicking back some names, but those are all times.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
The great Carol my wrong or right?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (27:57):
You listen now, they got the NBA guy, the they
got the alum Rashid Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Kenny Smith, you know,
Sam Perkins, Brad daughtery uh, who else we visited. I'm
trying to think even more recent, some recent years. But
they got some guys too. That's why I said, North Carolina,
(28:18):
if you, if you, if you say them, I'm not
mad at that as well. Those are kind of the
two answers it should be Kansas. Kansas should say what
about us? You know, like what about I know, we
got to think about Kansas. I think about Dorothy. That's
about it. They gotta be feeling like why not? Why
why don't we get more love? That's what I think
(28:44):
those are.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
I mean, I'm trying to think if there's even another
real possible answer.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Jump in on this conversation and uh, you follow the
version of Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
What are you guys talking about?
Speaker 9 (28:53):
Okay, go ahead, like stop it like Kentucky, like you
want to talk like that's the one that you guys
haven't mentioned to this point, but Kentucky started start.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
You aren't listening watching.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
One right now? University of Florida.
Speaker 9 (29:07):
You said that last second and last school to go
back to back, No Florida.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
And you know what is because all those kids just
stayed like if they would have gone to the NBA
that that that was one of those things.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
I'm just saying, I hard for that.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
It's had a heck of her career.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
I told you their program. I wouldn't put them with
North Carolina.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
They're not up there, I respect.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Really you're saying that, or they're in Kentucky's class.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
No, I don't, but I'm they're you know, they're playing
right now, and there there are the Villanova class, aren't
they Villanova?
Speaker 3 (29:37):
More like Villanova?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
I think it's fair that next tier. Maybe you know Villanova.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So you like Kentucky. The problem with Kentucky is that
they should have won more. And I look at it
as of late an underachieving program. And maybe I'm being
biased because of the Caliperi thing, and I just think that, ma'am.
You want to talk about talent when you draft what?
They draft five guys in the first round of the
n b A, I mean, like to me, six.
Speaker 9 (30:06):
Even when Kentucky was down for that period of time,
still putting pros in the.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
League like that, ain't no question about that they got.
Speaker 9 (30:13):
When some of these other blue bloods have been down,
they're not putting pros in the league.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
So here's the here's the list, guys. Just U c
l A with you again. I'm almost hard to count.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
Was crazy.
Speaker 7 (30:23):
We know where they fit and that was just like
eleven for them Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
In the twenties. You know what I mean. We don't
count that.
Speaker 7 (30:30):
Yeap Yukon at six H North Carolina said, why is
it a Yuka?
Speaker 5 (30:36):
Yeah, Yuka might want to slap us.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
I don't know even Yukon that I don't look at
them as a blue blood. I know what if they
won four champions six six.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
I think they just got too you know, in the
last two years two three.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
That's because what's the name Kevin Ollie won one?
Speaker 7 (30:52):
Yep, Kevin Oli and then obviously they won back and
you had the Rip Hamilton team win and yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
They got fourway won again. What was that? Okafer?
Speaker 7 (31:02):
Yeah, so Yukon is looking at us right now judging
the odd couple and Martin White and you Ryan.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Said, I would put Yukon in that other group that
you just mentioned.
Speaker 7 (31:12):
That's crazy. If you're Yukon, they got smoked. Matter of fact,
next trash talking Tuesday, they're gonna have some smoke for us.
I'm serious. I would put them in what'd you just say?
What was the other group? I said, you got Florida,
you got Villanova?
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Yeah, like like, I would put them in that group.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
And I know that they won more, but I would not,
despite the six championships, would not put them with Duke
in North Carolina.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
I wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (31:36):
It was frustrated me, Martin to appreciate this since you
went there Michigan, because they've had a good, really good
run the last decade, going a few couple title games
and whatnot. And they lost a couple with the Fab Five.
Had they won those, they be right up at the top.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
As far as you mean, if Rick Patino hadn't cheated,
I'll with you on that. Okay, I'm with you on that,
but you get what I'm saying. Even if they on.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
That twenty thirteen, I remember sitting there twenty thirteen, having
driven Black from Atlanta going to the final four Washingtonational
Championship game at home, turning my buddy and said, when
this win is vacated in six years, it's not gonna
feel any better that they called the third foul and
National Player of the Year on that block.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
It was it was a clean block, clean block. I
lost my mind.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yes, that's when you know officials they predetermine those those fouls,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Oh yeah, man, that was so clean. It really if you.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
Got that all he fouled them, you know like that,
that's where they are.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Yeah, man.
Speaker 7 (32:36):
But it's a good question though, because again, like I'm
glad I thought of you got in that. It's somebody
listening right now, who's saying, how could you guys not
say it's you kint? They just had back to back,
they've won a bunch of different times, a couple of
different coaches, three few different coaches as well. I'm trying
to think of it as anybody else. I mean Indiana,
you know that's the the who's your state is a
basketball state?
Speaker 5 (32:57):
They've got five.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
So just to round off the list for quit, you
got uclave at eleven, Kentucky with eight, Yukon six, North
Carolina six, Duke Indiana with five each, and then Kansas
with four, and then just from there just you know,
a bunch of random You have Villanovo three, Cincinnati two,
so on and so forth.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
So it's an interesting conversation.
Speaker 7 (33:15):
I just think for me, the hate that Duke gets,
the love obviously, if you're a big fan of him,
those things matter. The rivalry between North Carolina makes it
great for both schools obviously, And I'm not mad if
you say North Carolina. I told you I think that
would be the other team that if you ask me tomorrow,
I might say North Carolina.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Those are the two teams to me. Kentucky right there
as well.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
But
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.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
We gotta do.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We gotta do some dirty laundry and deal with this stuff.
I mean, we can't ignore it. Let's just be honest.
We cannot ignore what's happening out there in the atmosphere
between stephen A Smith, Lebron James and it's ugly. Lebron
went to IG did some put some stuff out there
on steven A. Stephen A opened up first take today
(00:51):
when ballistic on Lebron and this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Is this is just crazy.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
We do have us stephen A's comments to open up
and I think it went for fifth teen minutes to
start the show on first take.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Let's hear I suggest that he'd be happy with the
things that I haven't brought up. I never brought up
really and never really discussed why you were not at
Kobe Bryant's memorial service. I never really brought up with
disgust why you did not attend Dwayne Wade's Hall of
Fame induction when that man was directly responsible for you
capturing a championship for the first time in your career.
(01:24):
I brought up none of that. I didn't bring up
the fact that even though when people had asked, you
had alluded to what had happened tragically to your son,
and thank god he's okay with his heart condition.
Speaker 5 (01:35):
I didn't bring up the.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
Fact that even though you couldn't go to the Hall
of Fame induction of Dwayne Wade weeks later, weeks earlier,
you were out of the country on business. I didn't
bring that up. That's your personal business, okay. But the
fact is you wasn't at the Hall of Fame induction
of a brother that's gonna drastically assist to you being
a Hall of Famer because he helped you become the
champion that you were and he was a big brother
(01:56):
to you. I brought up none of these things. But
Lebron James, at the end of day wants to come
at me and he's walking around pouting.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
All right, what would your take on this, man, Well,
if we're going to full thing, including you know, Lebron's
post on social media, I tell you what, man, it's
gotten extremely petty and it's gotten extremely personal.
Speaker 7 (02:19):
And I didn't see this portion of it coming because
both of them are knee deep in their profession. And
that's the part to me that it's shocking is because
for all things people say about Steven A. Smith, one thing,
for the most part, for the most part, for his
long career being in the public GUYE, he doesn't really
go personal for the most part. He can say a
(02:40):
lot about your game, he can say a lot about this,
but he tries to keep it on the playing fields
or courts of said sports. But when he brought up there,
I'm not gonna bring up that you didn't go to
the Kobe Bryant memorial. That's when I knew, Oh, this
is beyond. This is beyond just some we're just having
a little petty war. This is personal. Because he had
to double back on Instagram and say I'm sorry, I
(03:02):
was incorrect.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
He was there.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
You know, that wasn't my main point, but I do
want to apologize because he was there, and that to
me shows how wrapped up in this. Stephen A is
because he is now he's been a you know, a.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Very professional man, a journalist.
Speaker 7 (03:17):
So for him to kind of not check on that
before he said it shows me he's locked in, ready
for war with this because he is now doing stuff
he normally doesn't do.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Let's go to Lebron.
Speaker 7 (03:27):
Lebron is trying to wrap up a season in the NBA,
trying to get the team the top three to four seed.
Lebron's trying to get ready to wait me, trying to
have a chance to win the fifth Ring, but instead
he's being petty. Lebron is going on the ESPN, but
instead of going on with the guy I got the
feel winning, let's hash it out on TV. No. I'm
gonna go to Pat McAfee, you know, somebody who is
you know, new Words to ESPN, and I'm gonna help
(03:49):
his show. I'm gonna help his ratings, I'm gonna help
his social media followings. And that's gonna be a way
of taking another stab at steven A. And then I'm
gonna talk back about steven A. He's an his tighties
and he's on these one dies a little you know,
tighty Teddy White and going at stephen A and going
at him, and then so to the point later on
(04:09):
today stephen A talking about he's the type of guy
Lebron that will put a smile on your face and
put a knife in your back.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
This is going way beyond just a normal jab or two.
This is personal.
Speaker 7 (04:20):
This is something that is clearly those two are gonna
have to work out because this is real for them.
And it's disappointed to see two brothers I know who
are extremely professional to take what they do seriously to
go this far because it's not where where does it stop?
Lebron's posting little videos and steven A, you know, working out,
punching and making fun of him there stephen A's saying
(04:41):
what he's saying.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Where does it stop? Rob?
Speaker 7 (04:43):
And that's the thing that to me makes me go, well,
now it's gonna have because eventually, does steven A have
to say something he'd been holding back in the.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
Chamber for fifteen twenty years.
Speaker 7 (04:51):
Does Lebron have to, you know, then do something, say
something he's been holding for ten to fifteen years, like
where is the line?
Speaker 5 (04:57):
And I think we have now across that where I'm
wor he's gonna get you can't come back.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I gotta say this and full transparency. Everybody knows steven
A and I are friends.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I'm not even gonna sit here and act like, Okay,
we're friends, not TV friends, not friends because we are
in the same business.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
We're friends, right, Okay, but I'm gonna tell you this.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
I'm gonna I think Lebron James is totally unprofessional and
I'm gonna say that. And you can push back on
me that steven A is is going back at him
and whatnot. But this all started where Lebron confronted stephen
A in a in a public setting like warning this reaction,
warning people to know whether you can make your point
(05:49):
without having to do that. People can say, well, stephen
A said, is on TV. That's what he does for
his living. Stephen A didn't get it get buy a
TV station to rip Bronnie. Do you understand what I'm saying.
That's what he does. He works on television. And number two,
Lebron is the one who won't let it go. I
(06:10):
thought you made your point. Don't talk about my son.
Whatever stephen A was there, there were no blows exchanged.
Stephen A said, what he had to say, and that
should have been the end of it. Why are you
continuing this? Why it doesn't make any sense. Lebron's too
(06:31):
big for this and he's tackling one of the biggest
guys in the media business.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Stephen A ain't going nowhere.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Guess whose career is longer, stephen A's or Lebron's. And
Lebron's play forever. But you can't have a forty five
fifty year media career. You can't. And it makes no
sense on Lebron's part. It's childish. You made your point.
(07:01):
If you want to do anything else, pick up the phone,
have a conversation.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
If the roles were reversed and stephen A started, I'd
be saying the same thing for Steve to stephen A.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I would.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Because he didn't start this. He was doing his job.
Lebron didn't like it, That's fine. I got words for you,
steven A. Can you come to the bag, Can I
pick up a phone, Can we have a zoom call?
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Chew them out whatever you want to do. I got that.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I've been chewed out plenty of times in my career
by athletes.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Plenty. But this stuff here and.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
The memes and all these other things and videos and
childish from a guy who is one of the greatest
players who ever played. Concentrate on the Lakers. Concentrate on
your team. Why are you wasting energy on a reporter
that has no effect on your career, your legacy. It's
(08:04):
a waste, am I right.
Speaker 7 (08:06):
That's where it gets weird, because at some point you
would think, Lebron, look you, if you want to play
the game of who had the bigger moment, you ran
up on him and you made you look you know, ooh,
he ran up on him.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
He looked tough. You could have ended it there.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I think that where the back and forth is happening
is because Stephen A, the day after the whole encounter
on the court happened, went on on first take and
actually was like, Yo, I'm gonna be honest. As a father,
I can understand, and I think, you know, we talked
about it on our show and I actually was shocked.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I thought he was gonna do scorched Earth and he
didn't do it. And he didn't.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
The problem I think in their you know, and this
is where I think it continues is then he's been
on multiple podcasts, since I should have did this. Man,
if he would have did this, I would have did it.
And then Lebron is in his petty bag. Oh really,
what would you have done?
Speaker 8 (08:52):
So?
Speaker 7 (08:54):
And now it's just the bars back and forth. And
and that's why I said earlier, okay, well then where
does it end? Because now today Steve and they said
what he said, you know, stabbing people, you know, he
was stabbing the back. And he didn't even go to
your man's you know, because now it's personal. You didn't
go to your man's you know, ceremony, hall of fame ceremony.
You didn't go to Kobe Sting. Now again he had
(09:14):
to retrack you. But my point is, now I've taken
those personal barbs that you those jams that you does
Lebron come back and start this, Oh well that's why
you got fire from you know whatever, like it was,
so it should be over. And that's the thing because
Lebron to be as great as he is, Lebron to
be arguably in the countation if you want to say, first, second, third, whatever,
to be the businessman, to stoot all this the petty
(09:37):
is is actually it is uncanny, and that dude, you literally.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Have it all.
Speaker 7 (09:43):
You have a beautiful family, you have your son on
the same team as you with the NBA. You have
another son who's ball and looks like he's gonna go
do great in college. You have all these wonderful things,
and it is perplexing because it's like, why are we
doing this?
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Why are we.
Speaker 7 (09:59):
Turning and going back and forth when you have the
opportunity to just focus on trying to get your fifth ring.
You got Luke on the team, you're trying to work
on that. You're trying to focus on that, And it
is unusual and it makes no sense for me for
him to continue doing this, going on Pat McAfee show
doing an exclusive interview so long and in depth that
he hardly ever does.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
This is why it's so perplexing.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
And then Stephen A obviously this is good for business,
it's good for first take, it's good for his the
Steven A. Smith Show shout out to his show. So
it's it to me, this is why it's gonna keep going.
Lebron is showing no end to his petty steven A
ain't gonna let you. I ain't backing down for nobody,
and that right so so Rob gets some popcorn.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
We might be here for a little bit.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
So we know it's opening day. We talked about it
and uh bake. Some baseball games are still going on,
and you know I was out at the ballpark today.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
You know you were there as well.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We were both at Dodger Stadium way before the action started,
but still just the atmosphere and everything.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And we know what a town.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
We both live in Los Angeles, and we know what
a baseball town. I know everybody LA, the Lakers, LA
is the Dodgers as well, Like.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Don't getting very close.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
It's like fifty fifty forty nine fifty right, yeah, it's
it's whichever side you want to say. It is very
much a baseball town for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
And people who don't know the Dodgers draw like four
million people every year, four million like people go to
Dodger games. People have on If I told you that
three or four of our producers have on Dodger Hatson
and uh Jersey's Ryan and who else Shay has his on?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Well, don't look at don't look at you got yours
on too, Mind your business.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Danny g does he have his own shore?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Jason Stewart as well, Yeah, Jason Stewart, I mean, everybody
and their uncle. But my point is it's a big
baseball town. And the question is, as you know, I've
covered baseball for thirty nine years.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
I've been to all the ball parks, all.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
The stadiums and everything that you can talk about. And
I know it's easy to just look at New York
and Los Angeles and maybe Philly or Boston or whatever
and say those are, you know, the best baseball towns.
But I'm gonna tell you something different. And I've been
saying this for a while. The best baseball town to
(12:43):
me in America, and Kelvin you've you've heard me say
this in Saint Louis, Missouri. I think Saint Louis is
the baseball capital of the United States. And I don't know,
(13:03):
I've been there, obviously, And if you go to a
game everybody has read on it's pretty amazing. And here's
the thing, Okay, they draw look at their attendance. I
think in the last twenty five years, maybe one year
under three.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Million, okay, right, and you say, well, what's the big deal?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Do you know what the population is for the city
of Saint Louis.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
And I'm talking about in the city proper.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
Okay, two hundred and eighty one thousand.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Now, I no, it's not the metro area. Don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I'm not trying to pretend that everybody in their uncle
from only the city are going to games.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
But don't you find that to be unbelievable?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Seriously, a city that's small to a track that's not
like Tampa. Tampa and places like that probably have a
bigger population. Bryan, look up Tampa's population. I guarante you
was bigger than Saint Louis.
Speaker 7 (14:02):
Oh yeah, Tampa, My yeah, that probably my guess off
the six seven.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Right, Boston four hundred thousand. Boston has like six hundred thousand.
I'm talking about city proper, right. New York has eight.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Million, LA has like five million.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Ye right, I'm talking about so LA has five million
and it draws four million a year and Saint Louis
has two hundred and eighty one thousand and they draw
three million a year. Saint Louis is the baseball capital
of the United States.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And I'm from New York that has two teams.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And when they opened up the two new stadium City
Field and Yankee Stadium that year two thousand and nine,
you ready, Kelvin, Yeah, New York sold eight million baseball
tickets in one year and the two new stadiums eight
million tickets. So for me to city here and tell
you that Saint Louis is the baseball capital of the
(14:59):
United States.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
They love that team.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
That city's run two football teams out of Saint Louis.
Think about that. As big as football is around the
United States. Don't mess with their Cardinals and don't mess
with their Saint Louis Blues. That's what that town is about,
baseball first and the NHL second.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Without a doubt.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
I mean, when you think of kind of the some
of the teams that are blue bloods, if you will,
in baseball, you mentioned it. We talk about the New
York teams, We talk about LA because of the size
of the cities and what they mean. But when you're
talking about impact, what the teams mean in that city,
you gotta absolutely put Saint Louis up there. I mean,
very passionate as the city. I've never been to the city,
(15:43):
but I only hear that. I only hear how dedicated
they are. I only hear how educated they are. I
only hear how passionate their fans are. And that's again refreshating.
I think every team has every city has rob those
teams where yeah, we have multiple teams, but this franchise
matters more as much as the Celtics. Meaning in Boston
(16:05):
you always hear it's the Bruins or it's the Red Sox.
It isn't the Celtics as much as you think because
of obviously they want so much back in the sixties
and seventies. But with the Saint Louis Cardinals, that's all
you hear.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
And you know the Detroit thing, like people don't understand.
I know Detroit is a football town, but don't don't
get it twisted. You know that when the Tigers are
really good, without a doubt, Tigers are a big deal.
I mean obviously, especially the Red Wings. You know that
ninety two thousand run was huge. So Saint Louis is
up there now. As somebody who hasn't been there, I
(16:39):
can't overly.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Speak for them.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
What city, would you say, yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
So, yeah, So I'll say this. I think, well, Boston
clearly is up there. We know that, just the way
they feel about their Red Sox, it's it's on another level.
But I will speak for the city that I've lived
in now for thirteen fourteen years and say one of
the things that makes LA fans, specifically the Dodgers talking
about Angels, we talked about the Dodgers remix.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
It interesting to me, is you just mentioned it? Dude?
Speaker 7 (17:08):
They have so much going on here. You have like
eight professional teams. You got two football teams, you got
two baseball.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
You got amusement parks, you got amusement.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
Parts, you got Disneyland, the Trojans are good, you got theater,
you got Hollywood, mountains, oceans. And for the Dodgers, who
consistently draw what they draw consistently, be the water cooler talk, consistently,
be the thing people wear consistently, you know, drawn a
fervor from the city and had a rough relationship with
(17:38):
the Mexican and Mexican American community here back fixed exactly
in the in the you know, fifties, sixties, sixties, and
if you don't know, for those who maybe don't. Obviously
we're a national show. The way they kind of came
in where they put Dodger Stadium and Chavez Ravine and
kind of knocked out the community, the Mexican and the
Mexican American community that was there. There was some beef
(17:59):
and they they have done an amazing job mending that relationship,
infusing the Latin culture here and the Dodgers. And then
obviously sometimes God gives you an alleyut them getting Fernando Valezuela.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
When they got him robbed, that was huge.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Come on, they land him in nineteen eighty, well, you
know he ends up coming up eighty eighty one, perfect timing,
the commit cities coming around. But and you'll hear it
from the people themselves, right, they'll tell you I was
a little out on the Dodgers or I watched them,
but I wasn't all in, like you know, I felt
a little certain way about them. And then for them
to land him the timing they did, they win that year.
(18:40):
He's special, the team special. It was just absolutely huge
for them.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
So that was on.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
You go to a game and see the Latin population.
Speaker 7 (18:50):
It is mass and mass, and the female population.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
The ladies do not play out here about their Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
We talked about Rodney Peach's wife, Holly Robinson. Pete is
the biggest Dodger fans.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
You would think Rodney don't even like the Dodgers if
you compare those two. How much he's in talking about it,
supporting it. And my last point too, and I think
you'll appreciate this. We talked about it yesterday, I believe
two days ago. But the organization is very aware of
some things culturally. They make it a point and I'm
gonna say this, and you know, I don't tout in
(19:27):
post like a lot talk about a lot of things
that I do and all this, but there are days
where the director in my ear is a black person
to meet a black person on the stage with Jerry
Harrison Junior on the set, I mean, you know, and
I'm tossing it out to Kirsten Watson, black sideline reporter.
(19:49):
I mean, that's a rarity, you know, to have. You know,
it's just me so many people in baseball. You know
that as somebody MLB bro Baseball trying to get back
to growing the game in the African American community, and
the Dodgers have made it up you know, making a
point to like, you know, have that that awareness of
the culture the city where they live, multicultural city like
(20:12):
La and and some of the do things that they
do is really cool. So but it's an awesome place.
And not to mention the Paul Parkers, you know, that's
incredible out there.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
It is. Are you kidding? It's incredible out there? Dude.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
What a night you know, to go out to Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
The weather seventy five degrees, not humid, It's just beautiful
to go hang out.
Speaker 7 (20:34):
Yeah, one part behind you is the beautiful just ravine
and mountain esque. Then the other side behind you is
downtown in LA with the beautiful look of the skyline.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
It's just it's absolutely incredible.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
I want to bring in Ryan, Yeah, our producer, And
Ryan's a huge baseball for a huge Dodger fan.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
But he's been around.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Ryan, You've been to ballparks around the country, not saying
not not counting Dodger Stadium because that's your hometown team.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Any place you've been to consider.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Like like, uh, just a great baseball atmosphere or or
city or fan base.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
I've I've been lucky to go to a handful of
historic parts. I've been to Fenway, I've been to Wrigley,
I've been the Yankee Stadium. Uh, camping yards beautiful, that's my.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
That's my favorite.
Speaker 8 (21:21):
And that's I think all of those really are. Every
every place I've been to, it's you can definitely feel
the passion that these fans have, especially these these older
fan bases where you know, these franchises have been there
for hundreds of years now. I would probably say, I
it's hard to say it's specifically.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
As I get it. It's a great place to go.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And have you been there yet, Calvin, I mean, that's
on your it got to be on your bucket line.
And you want to go to a day game, you
know what I mean. You want to go to a
day game. And it's in the neighborhood in Chicago, like
people's houses around the corner.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
But it's Quaine. It's old school.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
They'll never build a new one, you know what I mean,
Like the cub won't get a new place, and neither
will fend Way.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
But Chicago is a great town for baseball.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
Oh out of dum I mean, and they're passionated and
to the point where you know they thought they literally
have people die and there.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Curse.
Speaker 7 (22:23):
Yeah, people first thought they were cursed in they wanted
all right, go ahead, Lord, you.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
Can take me now.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
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 Kelvin.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Yeah, uh, March Madness Sweet sixteen going on.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
We know that, yep.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
And of course Duke is one of those schools they're
playing a night correct, right, Yeah, Duke is playing. I
don't know, I'm looking at the games. I don't know
how many people and yeah that's four.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Well, let's talk about Duke. And you know you love.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Basketball and you played it at a one of the
high school UH state championship and was Duke big to
you growing up? And the question I guess we're gonna
ask to you and everybody listening is is Duke the
biggest brand.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
In college basketball?
Speaker 1 (23:28):
We know about Yukler U c l A back in
the day, that's what I call it, Yuckler and how
great they were in that program that was a long
time ago. But UH Caller Parry and Kentucky was supposed
to be that they should have won like five championships
(23:48):
in a row or whatever.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
That didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
He only won one, and then you got the other
schools North Carolina and some other state Michigan, you know.
But what do you think about the brand Duke? Is
it the biggest in college basket?
Speaker 7 (24:06):
Here's the reason why the answers. Yes, you can make
a case for some others, but the answer is Duke.
And it's a multiple reasons why. You just mentioned something.
Most things in life you love because it was your
formidable years, right. You love your home team because you
were you know, ten to sixteen years old and they
were great. They had that team you loved, you know,
your favorite show because you were you know, eight to
(24:27):
fifteen sixteen and that was.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Your favorite show. So on and so forth.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
The reason why Duke is the answer is because for
the last thirty plus years, they have been consistently good.
They have had championship teams or teams that were contending regularly,
and so therefore they were always prominent because they were winning.
Speaker 5 (24:47):
Also, they also had teams you hated.
Speaker 7 (24:50):
Maybe you hated Christian Ladner, maybe you hated JJ Reddick,
maybe you hated you know, Hejajon.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Langdon right right, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
Maybe you hated so many of these players, the type
of players they have you maybe you don't like the
fact that they have well to do at least has
perceived well to do students, guys from you know, different
backgrounds and.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
All of that. Maybe you didn't like Coach K.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
So the Cameron crazies, you need a little hate in
there to make them popular as well. You need the success.
And they put a lot of guys in the NBA.
So the Duke conversation continues because oh Garrison, great Hill.
Oh Christian Latner wasn't as great in the NBA, but
he had a long NBA career. Now you got Jason Tatum,
one of the best players in the league currently is
(25:32):
of course a raiding champ.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
Kyrie is a champ.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
I mean, so you know, they they've kind of checked
all the boxes getting the hate, but they're good putting
players in the league.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
You love them, you hate them, but you're talking about them.
They've been consistent.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
They had a big time figure in Coach k is
arguably the biggest face of college basketball for the last
twenty five thirty years. So when I think it's number one, dude,
now North Carolina's close. Kent Tuch, he is close, but
I think Duke is the answer. Whether you like it
or hate it, Duke is the answer.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yeah, I'm gonna go against Duke on this. And I
know the pedigree and the rivalry with North Carolina, and
that's college basketball. I get all that, but I just
I always feel like maybe they haven't won enough. Their
impact or imprint in the NBA wasn't as big or
(26:32):
as it could. You want to say Kyrie who had
a cup of coffee and a sweet role layer Duke,
you know what I mean? Play with eleven games for
Jason Tatum, even his startom and winning a championship, he's
always kind of been downplayed. Would you say that, you
would say, got Duke pedigree? Why wouldn't you think highly
(26:54):
of him? And yeah, well there's another guy who, to me,
you would look at as disappointing. And I don't know,
I mean, what are the Duke has five national championships.
It just seems like it should have been more considering
the other players that they had there.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
And you know what I mean, if you can you
got a substitute who you substitute do for, then.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I think I would take North Carolina overdue.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
I'm not mad. That's why I said, I'm not mad.
To me, those are.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Serious and I know that the championships are like the same,
right is it five five or five four?
Speaker 7 (27:35):
Uh? Let me pull that back up. Yeah, keep going,
but yes, right around there, it's like five and six.
I think North Carolina may have six.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
I don't know. I would put North Carolina. Guess who
went there?
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Michael Jeffrey, Jordan, James Worthy and I know those are
kicking back some names, but those are all times.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
The great Carol my wrong or right?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (27:57):
You listen now, they got the NBA guy, the they
got the alum Rashid Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Kenny Smith, you know,
Sam Perkins, Brad daughtery uh, who else we visited. I'm
trying to think even more recent, some recent years. But
they got some guys too. That's why I said, North Carolina,
(28:18):
if you, if you, if you say them, I'm not
mad at that as well. Those are kind of the
two answers it should be Kansas. Kansas should say what
about us? You know, like what about I know, we
got to think about Kansas. I think about Dorothy. That's
about it. They gotta be feeling like why not? Why
why don't we get more love? That's what I think
(28:44):
those are.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
I mean, I'm trying to think if there's even another
real possible answer.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Jump in on this conversation and uh, you follow the
version of Kentucky.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
What are you guys talking about?
Speaker 9 (28:53):
Okay, go ahead, like stop it like Kentucky, like you
want to talk like that's the one that you guys
haven't mentioned to this point, but Kentucky started start.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
You aren't listening watching.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
One right now? University of Florida.
Speaker 9 (29:07):
You said that last second and last school to go
back to back, No Florida.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
And you know what is because all those kids just
stayed like if they would have gone to the NBA
that that that was one of those things.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
I'm just saying, I hard for that.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
It's had a heck of her career.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
I told you their program. I wouldn't put them with
North Carolina.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
They're not up there, I respect.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Really you're saying that, or they're in Kentucky's class.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
No, I don't, but I'm they're you know, they're playing
right now, and there there are the Villanova class, aren't
they Villanova?
Speaker 3 (29:37):
More like Villanova?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
I think it's fair that next tier. Maybe you know Villanova.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
So you like Kentucky. The problem with Kentucky is that
they should have won more. And I look at it
as of late an underachieving program. And maybe I'm being
biased because of the Caliperi thing, and I just think that, ma'am.
You want to talk about talent when you draft what?
They draft five guys in the first round of the
n b A, I mean, like to me, six.
Speaker 9 (30:06):
Even when Kentucky was down for that period of time,
still putting pros in the.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
League like that, ain't no question about that they got.
Speaker 9 (30:13):
When some of these other blue bloods have been down,
they're not putting pros in the league.
Speaker 7 (30:17):
So here's the here's the list, guys. Just U c
l A with you again. I'm almost hard to count.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
Was crazy.
Speaker 7 (30:23):
We know where they fit and that was just like
eleven for them Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
In the twenties. You know what I mean. We don't
count that.
Speaker 7 (30:30):
Yeap Yukon at six H North Carolina said, why is
it a Yuka?
Speaker 5 (30:36):
Yeah, Yuka might want to slap us.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
I don't know even Yukon that I don't look at
them as a blue blood. I know what if they
won four champions six six.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
I think they just got too you know, in the
last two years two three.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
That's because what's the name Kevin Ollie won one?
Speaker 7 (30:52):
Yep, Kevin Oli and then obviously they won back and
you had the Rip Hamilton team win and yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
They got fourway won again. What was that? Okafer?
Speaker 7 (31:02):
Yeah, so Yukon is looking at us right now judging
the odd couple and Martin White and you Ryan.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Said, I would put Yukon in that other group that
you just mentioned.
Speaker 7 (31:12):
That's crazy. If you're Yukon, they got smoked. Matter of fact,
next trash talking Tuesday, they're gonna have some smoke for us.
I'm serious. I would put them in what'd you just say?
What was the other group? I said, you got Florida,
you got Villanova?
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Yeah, like like, I would put them in that group.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
And I know that they won more, but I would not,
despite the six championships, would not put them with Duke
in North Carolina.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
I wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (31:36):
It was frustrated me, Martin to appreciate this since you
went there Michigan, because they've had a good, really good
run the last decade, going a few couple title games
and whatnot. And they lost a couple with the Fab Five.
Had they won those, they be right up at the top.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
As far as you mean, if Rick Patino hadn't cheated,
I'll with you on that. Okay, I'm with you on that,
but you get what I'm saying. Even if they on.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
That twenty thirteen, I remember sitting there twenty thirteen, having
driven Black from Atlanta going to the final four Washingtonational
Championship game at home, turning my buddy and said, when
this win is vacated in six years, it's not gonna
feel any better that they called the third foul and
National Player of the Year on that block.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
It was it was a clean block, clean block. I
lost my mind.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yes, that's when you know officials they predetermine those those fouls,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (32:28):
Oh yeah, man, that was so clean. It really if you.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
Got that all he fouled them, you know like that,
that's where they are.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Yeah, man.
Speaker 7 (32:36):
But it's a good question though, because again, like I'm
glad I thought of you got in that. It's somebody
listening right now, who's saying, how could you guys not
say it's you kint? They just had back to back,
they've won a bunch of different times, a couple of
different coaches, three few different coaches as well. I'm trying
to think of it as anybody else. I mean Indiana,
you know that's the the who's your state is a
basketball state?
Speaker 5 (32:57):
They've got five.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
So just to round off the list for quit, you
got uclave at eleven, Kentucky with eight, Yukon six, North
Carolina six, Duke Indiana with five each, and then Kansas
with four, and then just from there just you know,
a bunch of random You have Villanovo three, Cincinnati two,
so on and so forth.
Speaker 5 (33:12):
So it's an interesting conversation.
Speaker 7 (33:15):
I just think for me, the hate that Duke gets,
the love obviously, if you're a big fan of him,
those things matter. The rivalry between North Carolina makes it
great for both schools obviously, And I'm not mad if
you say North Carolina. I told you I think that
would be the other team that if you ask me tomorrow,
I might say North Carolina.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
Those are the two teams to me. Kentucky right there
as well.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
But
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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