December 6, 2023 • 47 mins
Chris Broussard and Rob Parker talk LeBron's legacy amid the in-season tournament. Plus, the guys talk Ohtani's free agency in the MLB and the Knicks trade targets.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for the Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brush and Rob Parker. A.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, it is the Odd Couple. I'm Chris Brusard alongside
my partner Parker, and we are coming to you live
all the way live from the tire rack dot Com
studio lot. And we're brought to you, of course by
(00:57):
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Keep it locked here for the next three hours. You
(01:18):
won't be disappointed. On Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app
or Serious XM Channel eighty three. With that said, let
me welcome in my partner, Rod Parker. What's up man,
what's happening to mister Chris Shawd? How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I am fantastic? How about yourself?
Speaker 4 (01:38):
All good, busy day of course, but getting things done.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I can't get over.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
How quickly the days are melting away.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
The year's melting.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Away, Chris, and you know, planning for this party and
all that stuff.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
So I'm keeping busy. But it's gonna be a fun time.
I promise you that. Just don't roast me too much,
making me all the way across the country, so better
be a fun time. How long am I supposed to
roast you?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
For?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Five minutes? That's minutes? How much time you want? No?
Like two? Oh? That's all you got to do is
two minutes. I'm sorry, I think? What am I think?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I know?
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah? You know what, you do your best work at
two minutes. That's what I'm talking. Five minutes.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It is all right? Yeah, okay, okay, it's all good.
We got Greg Jennings super Bowl Champion of the Hour.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
That's always fun. We got the Hod Couple crew in
full effect. The super producer Rob g is out, so
our man Patrick Sweeker is in running things. DJ Alex
Heiser aka Alex the Vegan on the ones and the
twos on the Update is our man Brian, the Loquacious One,
Brian Finley and social media the great Elijah Real quick, Patrick,
(03:04):
are you there there? To Mike? Yeah, what's up right?
Let's pull the curtain back.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Chris doesn't even know this, but for people Patrick and
I Chris, you know, have come up with a little
hello goodbye kind of thing. So every night when I
leave Fox Sports Radio, I say it to Alex and
to the whole crew from this is from my days
at Channel four w D I V and.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
I knew it wouldn't be anything original, so I always
say to them you ready, Patrick, Okay?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
So I always say n b see you later, and
Patrick always says, oh, CBS raw Parker. So that's our
little give and take every night.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
It's fun. Thank you for that, right, Yes, Alex loves it.
Alex tell Chris what is it? CBS, CBS you soon?
Good me? Here you doing all right? Alex Envy see
(04:10):
you later, CBS.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
So Rob, I mean, I get the NBCU later, but BBS,
CBS you soon came, ANBCU soon, Fox you soon.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It could be anything. I mean, it's like TV channels,
fantastic I pulled the curve back. Everybody's feeling better about themselves, right, yes, absolutely,
all right, Rob, let's talk about this NBA N Season
tournament and the action is hot and heavy. And last
night the LA Lakers rob They moved on to the
(04:46):
semi finals, the Vegas portion of the tournament, where they
will face the New Orleans Pelicans tomorrow UH for a
chance to go to the first ever championship game of
the inn season tournament. They will face the winner of
the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers. And last night,
(05:11):
interestingly robbed the Lakers. Who aren't you know, they're not
a fantastic team. They are a very good team, technically
a contender, but in the end season tournament games, they're
five and zero, all right, and they're rolling in the tournament. Uh.
And last night Lebron James thirty one points, eleven assists,
(05:33):
eight rebounds, five steals. What a game, especially being at
thirty eight years old. He played forty minutes and they
outlasted Kevin Durant and Devin Booker's Phoenix Suns one O.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Six, one O three.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And Rob, first, let's deal with the micro quickly, because
I don't I don't think it's a huge discussion. But
did you see the way that game ended, Rob Yes,
with the timeout call from Lebron as Austin Reeves was
losing the basketball in the backcourt. Did you what were
your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Well, I mean I saw what Kevin Durant talked about.
He was yeah, he very diplomatic and just said it,
yeah that if we got to worry about the referees
at the end, then it's on us and the stuff
that we could do. And I hear when you have
more turnovers, Chris, in the first quarter than field goals,
you know, like like those two for the night, which, yeah,
(06:27):
but they had ten turnovers in the first quarter and
nine buckets like those are the things, So I understand that.
I mean, was it the best officiating Chris, No, it wasn't.
But is it the end of the world.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
No, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
They twenty two turnovers they just didn't play with and
they lost quarter behind. I thought the Lakers outplayed him
and they lost by three. Think about that by three, right,
They only lay for less than two minutes in the
fourth quarter. So yeah, I'm with Durant who said, looks
one play, it's a forty eight minute game.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
You know that wasn't the ball game.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I do think it was a smart play by Lebron
as he saw Reeves losing the ball to call time out.
I don't know if they beat you know what I mean,
if he did it in time. It was hard to
tell on the even looking at it several times on replay,
and I don't know that they got it right. I
(07:26):
lean toward the call being late, you know, like I
lean toward Lebron didn't call it in time. But to
your point, in Durant's point, I'm not gonna throw a
hissy fit over it because the Suns didn't play well
enough to win anyway. But let's get to Lebron in
this tournament. So you know, there's been scuttle but out
(07:47):
there rib that Lebron really, you know, he hasn't said this,
but that he really is intent on winning this tournament
because it's the first N season tournament and he wants,
you know, to add that to his legacy. What your
thoughts if Lebron and the Lakers do win this tournament,
does it add anything.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
To his legacy? Is it a big deal or not?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Really?
Speaker 5 (08:11):
To you?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I don't think it's a big deal at all. And
here's the other thing too. If he loses in the finals,
will that count against him?
Speaker 1 (08:19):
No, it won't.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Nobody will say, oh, who are you talking about if
you say Lebron is the fulfilled the finals failure of
all time? And I add another l if they lose,
So which one is it?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Does it matter or doesn't it matter?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Or we don't know yet until he wins it, you know,
like that, then it matters because if he loses, then
again it will be another time you're in the finals
of whatever it is, Chris the tournament, the finals, and
it would be another l So because Michael Jordan didn't
play in that era, he didn't lose any in season tournaments,
I don't know how that factors in. And if Lebron
(08:56):
goes as I said, and he loses said he get
there years in a row and they lose all three,
is that going to be a negative or like so,
so I only think the only people who will value
it are Lebron's people.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
If he wins.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
If he loses, it won't be a big deal that
That's really how I think it'll factor in. And then
you know, the first year or something, if the Bucks
demolished them in the championship.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
People will be like, oh, it's just what just an
end season game? What is this? It's no big deal?
Because I think that will be the response. I don't
agree with your whole if he because if he lost,
we can't value it if he wins it because if
he lost, would it be a big deal thing. I mean,
Michael Jordan lost the years he didn't get to the finals.
(09:44):
You know, we don't count those as losses against them.
We could. We don't count every series. How many did
he win? How many playoff series did he lose? No,
but it's the finals. He's getting the last round. In
their right mind with compare this to the NBA. No,
but but you're winning.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
You're winning something that separates you from everybody else losing
in Michael Jordan losing the first or second round, that
that doesn't nobody people losing.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
The first or second round.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
I'm talking about when you when you have a chance
to win something and be if we're gonna put a
value on it, then there's there's no value if you lose.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That's my point. What's the value? The value on playoffs?
I mean, we don't have to argue about the value.
I'm just saying lose and win it, right. I just
don't agree with that train of thought. And I obviously, look, first,
when everybody thinks of lebron Is legacy, they automatically think
of the goat and more Michael Jordan conversation. Obviously, this
is not really a factor in that at all. Obviously
(10:44):
Michael Jordan never had a chance to play in these
nd season tournaments, so it won't factor in that way.
But I look, we talked about it briefly last night, Rob.
I do think Lebron is trying everything, trying to accomplish
everything he can to try to strengthen his goat argument.
(11:08):
And I think he may have conceded in his mind
that he's not gonna catch jordanan championships. I mean and
and at best, and I think this is a wild
long shot. At best, he would tie him, you know
what I mean, Rob, at best, But even then, you're right,
that's a major laun shot. I don't think he's gonna
(11:29):
tie him. I don't think he's gonna win another championship.
And so I think Lebron is like, look, he's he's
assaulting the record books, He's gonna have the longevity already
has the longevity argument, and I think he you know,
this is just another thing to add a pelt on
the wall, if you will. And I look, I understand
(11:52):
this is not even a playoff series, let alone in
NBA finals. But when you're competitive, if you're in a turn,
you want to win, you know. I mean, these all
these these guys that played in college, when they went
to a Christmas tournament, it didn't mean anything. It didn't
even mean you're gonna get into the NCAA tournament, but
(12:14):
you want to win. So I understand how the competitiveness
of the players is being ratcheted up. Kevin Durant said
last night after the game, this felt like.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
A playoff game.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
He said, all day, I got fans, friends and family
calling me, texting me. It was like a playoff atmosphere.
It felt like a playoff game. And I get that
because the players are competitive and this is something before
you you can win, so you want to do it,
even if it's not a finals or a ring or anything.
And I think rob years from now, I don't think,
(12:46):
you know again, it'll won't be the NBA Finals, nor
is it meant to be the NBA Finals. But I
do think it will mean something ten years from now,
five years even from now, maybe fifteen years so, and
I think it'll be a feathering people's cap if wm
Banyama Victor Winbanyama and Check Holmgren end up.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Having some great rivalry.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I think when you're battling and debating about who was better,
you know, rings of course is in there, statistics is
in there, and I think you'll be at a throwing
as he won five in season tournaments, he only won one,
and for Lebron, I think obviously he'll be long and
gone as far as retirement by then.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
But I do think to.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Be able to look back for the Lebron like you said, Rob,
those Lebron's guys that think he's the goat, to be
able to say, man at thirty eight or thirty nine,
he won the first in season tournament. He's in his
freaking twenty first year and he won the first in
season tournament. Like I just think it'll be another feather
in Lebron's cap. I don't think it puts him out
(13:56):
a Jordan, but I think it'll be a feather in
his cap.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
I want to say that deep down after Adam Silver
is no longer commissioner.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
There's a chance that.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
This could go by the wayside, like the three toom
of two free throws. I just thinks with it not
in time, I think that they'll realize that they don't
really need it, that this is.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Well, it's not about need, but it does. It has
created a little buzz Okay. I'm just wouldn't be there
if it wasn't there.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
In time, I think they might realize or a different
breed or generation of kids or players where where they
can just play and it's not this load management and
guys not wanting to play.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I just see.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I don't think that's the only thing though, Well, but
that was that that that was the driving force on
trying to get people to make the games more interesting
and put some more effort into them. I just think
it's gonna go by the wayside, not when Adam Silver,
because this is his baby, but it could in time,
uh disappear, That's what I think.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
I don't know why I would even if it doesn't
become if it doesn't become hot, I guess it could,
but I just don't see any harm in it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
But let's s thro it out to the listeners.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
A seven seven ninety nine on Fox A seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine Lebron James in
season tournament? Does his legacy benefit from this? If he
wins it? Will it be a feathernist cat? Will it
add to his legacy? And if you want to throw
in your thoughts and feelings overall on the tournament. I
(15:25):
think it could become a big deal down the line
in the future. Rob thinks it could be on the
way out in the future. What are your thoughts? Eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox Chris and Rob The
Odd Couple Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
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Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
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(16:12):
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Speaker 1 (16:42):
It is The Odd Couple.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I'm Chrissy's Rob.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
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(17:04):
don't miss us again. We got Randy Mueller, former NFL
Executive of the Year, and Fox Sports Radio NFL analysts
coming up in a moment or i should say at
the bottom of the hour, not in the moment, in
about thirty moments, but first, we want to go talk
(17:24):
a little bit of baseball and Rob show, Hey, o
Tani the biggest name on the free agent market. Of course,
Juan Soto has now reportedly signed with the Yankees, or
he's going to the Yankees. Yeah, yeah, there's a there's.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
A trade report out out there that it's happening on
getting close to happening, not officially, not not signed.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
He's not a trade yeah, and but yeah they're talking
here in New York, Rob, they're talking like it's a
done deal.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
But Otani of.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Course now their reports Rob that he's it down to
four teams. Which four would that be.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I'm a little surprised by that because the Yankees and
Mets apparently are out.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
So is it Boston? No, Rob g told me was
for somebody get on that so we can get the
But he said it was the Dodgers, the Angels, the Giants,
and Toronto. Wow or not? And Toronto doesn't make sense
because as you said, there there's talk that he doesn't
(18:30):
want to go to the East coast, So why would
you go to Toronto.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
I get Toronto being you know, Chris obviously is in
another country in Canada, international flair, but still it's the
East Coast, and if you're going to go to the
East Coast, pardon me, as you've been saying all along,
why wouldn't you go on the biggest stage and play
for the Yankees?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
And yeah, you know, And I'm not like especially, I
feel like he should be playing for the Yankees. I'm sorry.
Dodgers fans, Giants fans, and those are great franchises too.
I just Rob, I I'd like to see it with
the Yankees person. Red Sox would be hot too, because
obviously they're one of the national teams. And the Dodgers too.
(19:15):
I think, Rob, if those are indeed his final four
and money is you know pretty much even I think
you should go to the Dodgers, right, No, I agree.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
If it's definitely about the West Coast, it's not going
to be the Angels. I know they were in it.
They're trying to he's trying to be nice, Chris. If
it was the Angels, he wouldn't be entertaining anybody else.
It would be a dundee. Okay, it would just be up.
They paid Trout one of the highest paid contracts ever,
so it can't be.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That would really be a downer. If you've stayed with
the angel Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
No, it know, nothing against them, but it would probably
mean we're very rarely if ever go see him, Chris One.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
And that that brings us to where we are with Otani.
And there are a couple of things out there people
don't don't really talk about. And two of them Chris
One I brought up. And I get people want to
have their own personal what they want to do for
themselves and their families.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I respect that. I'm not trying to be like flip
with that. Right.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
If you don't want to do something, or you don't
want to live in a certain place, you know, nobody
can make you do that. But for the sport of baseball,
when you have a unicorn, Chris, let's just be honest.
Seventy five percent of the United States lives on the
East Coast or whatever it is, sixty five Like, go
(20:38):
look it up and when that oh yeah, and Chris,
it is unbelieved in the Midwest, so you're just talking
about No, it was the East coast because you remember,
Detroit is in the Eastern time zone, Atlanta, like you
know what I meant.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Eastern time But yeah, Deastroit, do they know, do they Detroita.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
No, Detroit is eastern, so you take Cleveland is Eastern
time zone. I'm talking about like se like.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Sixty of the Eastern times zone.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah, like sixty five seventy percent of country lives there.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Do you know that?
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And between DC and Boston, Christie population is unbelievable, like
the percentage of people who live between DC and live
between Boston. But my point is showhy not entertaining. Playing
on the East Coast is bad for baseball because once again,
it's a situation where people are sleep going to sleep.
(21:32):
When this guy is playing most of his games, it's
it's just eighty one games on the West coast. Chris,
you can't, oh, well, he'll be on the road to play, yeah,
eighty one games, or or at home at Dodger Stadium
or at in Annah or whatever you want to say.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
And the other part that I just looked it up.
It says forty seven point six percent East co of
Americans live in the Eastern time zone, still half the country.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Almost after country. That's a big number. And here's the
other one, Chris, good good, you looked it up. I
know it's huge. The other part, Chris is we're not
getting any juice here is Otani about to move teams.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
And everything secretive.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
This is supposed to be like almost a decision like
for baseball, not not only Lebron. Yeah, Lebron's decision almost
not not not on the same level because he no.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I mean baseball baseball version of it. Yeah, I'm just saying,
have the social media like basketball. But you're right, I mean,
he's his biggest I think he's the best player ever.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
I'm not saying he's the goat obviously after common you
know what I mean, right, right, But but I'm so yeah,
I think it's baseball.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Baseball gets no juice from it because it's close knit.
Nobody knows what's going on, and he's threatened that if
they leak anything out that they're going to be a
limited you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So there's no jews from it. We he talked about
it yesterday with Dave Roberts and God bless him, but
the GM for the Dodgers came out afterwards. What he
said said he was surprised that actually confirmed it.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Yeah, and he wouldn't talk about let me let me find.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Exactly, So maybe you were right. Remember I was saying
that I didn't think that was a big deal, but
maybe you're right, Chris. Yeah, I mean, they they I
don't know if that I would hope that little bit,
wouldn't you know, wouldn't be a huge General manager manager
Brandon Gomes admitted a few hours later after Roberts spoke,
that he was surprised Roberts had confirmed the meetings and
(23:38):
refused to comment himself on them. Wow, that's from Buster
Oy's story in ESPN on ESPN dot com. Well, here,
let me say a few things about that, and you're
right on both counts. As far as it would be great,
I would you know, we already said it. I'd love
to see him in New York. I would be fine
in Boston. Rob Boston is one of those huge teams,
(24:03):
and I agree. I mean, you're right, it'd be better
if he was on the East Coast. Michael Jordan. Rob
played in Chicago. Lebron played the bulk of his career,
you know, in the East, on the East Coast, you know,
you do get. I mean, look, there obviously have been
great Lakers and Dodgers players, right, no doubt about it.
(24:24):
But more people just see because your games aren't so.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Listen, let me give you a guy that a lot
of people didn't get to see, Ken Griffy Jr. Playing
in Seattle. That's the that's the guy you didn't get.
I don't care what you said. We know what the
numbers are. We know Junior was great. You didn't see
that many games with Ken Griffy Jr. Playing he was
in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Most people that talk about Griffy's greatness are going off
the numbers and the highlights that you on Sports Center
and all that. But you're right, the games probably, I
mean relatively speaking, it wasn't a ton of people that
watched him regularly. I here's my only thing about the
free agency, and Buster only wrote a great story about
(25:06):
that ride. Right, That's what I was just reference to
ESPN saying show the title is show hell Tiny's secret
secretive free agency is a missed opportunity for him at MLB.
Here's the thing though, all the and you know, I
covered a ton of NBA free agencies, Lebron's decision, Kevin
Durant going to Golden State, all that, they're all secretive. Now,
(25:29):
they didn't issue threats to the team. If you say
a word, I'm gonna hold it against you. But Lebron
didn't come out after every meeting and give a you know,
a tell you a detailed report on what each meeting
was like, what each team said. Turan didn't. They all
(25:50):
were secretive. And as reporters, you're talking to agents, you're
talking to people, you know, executives for the teams, you're
talking to people who know the players, you know as friends.
And that's how the information was coming out. It wasn't
coming out from the player making some big announcements. And
(26:13):
you see, it can go wrong. Unfortunately for Lebron with
the decision, people killed him for that, you know. And
so I I, look, I agree you shouldn't. I don't
think you should threaten teams and say if you leak
any information, I'm not coming here, or whatever it might be.
But I also think to think that the player is
(26:36):
gonna come out after every meeting and discuss it. Look,
the Yankees told me this, and they offered that, and
they you know, no I do this or that. It's
just not it's not the I've never covered an NBA
one like that. No, no, no, don't. And I don't
want it. I don't want it to be coming from
him Chris.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
I get that, but because he's from a foreign country
and probably has a smaller circle, like there's nothing coming out.
There's no do you know what I mean, there's no juice.
And that's what I'm talking about, Like there aren't even
the rumors like, hey, you know what Boston went in
and there's like nothing.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But I do think don't you think that I hear
you because it's just better. I mean, look, that's been
great for better be juicy. Every summer has become great
for basketball because of all the free agency talk. But
he probably and you touched on it, it's probably got
a lot to do with just maybe culturally and I
don't know what it's like in Japan with the free agency,
(27:35):
but you know the story by Buster only had a
report in there. How when he accepted the MVP award,
he had a dog with him and people were trying
to find out the name of the dog, and he
wouldn't They wouldn't even tell. So it might be something cultural,
you know, he just doesn't you know, he's not always
He's doing kind of the least amount that he has
(27:58):
to do with media in Anaheim, and so I think
it might just be he doesn't really want this to
become a circus. He doesn't want to, you know, I
think that's just it. Robi doesn't want it to become
a circus. Yeah, I just think it's right. Yeah, it
is just right.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
And and Chris, the idea that not playing on the
East Coast is a disservice to the game. I mean,
I just I saw Hedeki Matt Suey play in the Bronx, Chris,
and he was a fan favorite. They won a World series.
Hedeki Matsui, Godzilla was a nickname, hit hit. What three
(28:33):
home runs in that World Series in two thousand and
nine that they won was the MVP, Chris. He didn't
even start every game. He guy won the MVP. He
had unbelievable. The Yankees had so many Japanese signs up
on the on the on the fences, Chris, you know, advertisers.
Games were broadcast Hedeki Matsui. I read an interview about him.
He talked about what it was like to play for
(28:55):
the Yankees, to wear that jersey, like going back to Japan,
what that meant to Japanese people, you know what I
mean that he was a Yankee And I just thought, man.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Stunned Rob that he's not visiting or he really even
giving the Yankees a thought. I'm stunned by that to
at least talk to him, right, Yeah, I mean, I
guess he's look to each his own and he is
in a whole different country. If we were in a
totally different country, we weren't great with the language, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Mean, maybe we're feeling different.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
He may not. I'm sure he knows the Yankees obviously,
just from even when he was just in Japan, but
he may not, you know what I mean, It just
may not.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Him like that.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
And again he's talking Dodgers, so it's not like he's
talking about going to some you know, little going to
Detroit dunk City, but you know what I mean, Like,
but I hear you, Like I said, I'd love to
see him on the East Coast. But if he's with
the Dodgers, Rob, and for him, he should go to
(29:58):
the Dodgers, No, I because he's great individually, He's already
a legend and will be one. But it's going to
like if he goes to Anaheim or some other one
of these other teams Toronto or I mean, maybe he'll
win maybe, But right now at least it looks like
with the Dodgers, you're going to be You're gonna get
(30:19):
a chance to be on the biggest stage you will get.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
It's gonna be in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Right, you have a chance. You will have a chance.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
So all right?
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Your thoughts on
Otany's free agency? Is he doing the game and even
himself a disservice by one not considering playing on the
East Coast and two not just you know, allowing information
to leak out about his free agency?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Your thoughts?
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Next? Is Chris A. Robb The I Couple? Eight seven
seven ninety nine on Fox Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Easter four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
It is The Odd Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob. We're
live from the tire right dot Com Studios. We're brought
to you by Progressive Insurance. Progressive makes bundling easy and affordable.
You can get a multi policy discount by combining to
your motorcycle, RV, boat, ATV and more. All of your
protection is in one place you can bundle and save
(31:28):
at Progressive dot com. We got Sean Merriman, friend of
the show for Morell pro linebacker now the founder of
Lights Out Extreme Fighting. We'll talk to him at the
bottom of the hour. That's always a lot of fun,
a little bit scary, but always fun talking with Lights
Out Merriman. Rob Let's go to the NBA for now
(31:52):
and the New York Knicks having a you know, a
season basically that you would expect from the Knicks right
now in the middle of nowhere in the East. They're
twelve and eight and last night they got hammered by
the Milwaukee Bucks in the quarterfinals of the Playing or the.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Nd season tournament.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
And Kenny Smith on T and T was talking about
what's wrong with the Knicks and you kind of said
that they're just right there in the middle of the
middle of nowhere, Chris right nowhere, not bad enough to
get the top pick championship.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
Remember they beat Cleveland last year in the first round,
and yeah, that was a nice kind of series win
for them, and uh, but that was it, Like that
was it, and that's where they.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Are, and that was you knew that's as far as
they were going.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Uh. Here is Kenny Smith on T and t's Inside
the NBA last night talking about the Knicks.
Speaker 7 (32:53):
This is why the Knicks are gonna stay in the middle.
Every game that they play, they always have the second
best player. You play Boston, you got the second or
third best player. You play Orlando with Ben Carroll. They
don't have a player that's better than Ben Carroll. Milwaukee,
we know what he don't. Philadelphia, they don't. The Indiana Pacers,
(33:14):
Tyres Halibard is the best player on the floor if
you say that correct. If you play the Miami Heat,
Jimmy Butler is the best player on the floor. You
play the Keveland Cavaliers, you have Joan. You don't have
the best player on the floor.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
No night.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
Now, they can play better than you, but they are
not walking into the gym and saying you have no
margin for era.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
You know what and today rock quickly before you go.
There was a report by Sean Serania, who obviously breaks
a lot of NBA news today, saying that the Knicks
are in the market trying to trade for a superstar. Yeah,
I bet they are.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
I mean they they've been trying to lure a superstar
for twenty exactly, so they got enough to trade when
they wouldn't get Donovan Mitchell because they didn't want to
give up all of the draft picks that they had stockpiled.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Remember that. How long ago was that? And a lot
of people will tell you Danny Ayins, who's running the Jazz,
was only gonna trade Mitchell to the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
If he absolutely just fleeced them.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Right, No, get that, But to your point, and I
think ultimately Kenny's right, there are exceptions. You covered the
Pistons in two thousand and four when they beat the
shot Kobe Lakers. Obviously they didn't have no best player
on the floor. The Seattle SuperSonics back to nine tap
and a couple of times, not only two times recently.
(34:39):
And of course, look when when Dallas beat the Heat,
and really it was the Heat. Melton was but Dirk
was at least a superstar. But the Heat had the
two best players on the floor and Lebron and Wade.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
And I was gonna say, Christian listening to Kenny Smith,
I know he's from New York and everything, but he
sounded like Mark Jackson.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Did you hear like.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
You mean his voice Yeah, he sounded like when he
was breaking it down and talking about the Knicks.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
I just it was weird. It was sound like the voice.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
It sounded like Mark Jackson, and he really did, and
it was just kind of weird. But anyway, his point
is well taken and that's well thought out, and I
think he's right. And if you're the Knicks, Chris, you
gotta do something. The worst place to be is where
they are. It's the nowhere land. It's the worst. You
(35:31):
rather bottom out and get and hope and pray you
get a whim b or you get you know what
I mean, Like, you gotta it's either that or you
gotta be good.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
The middle you get nothing.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
You just get just enough talent to stay where you are,
but not enough to change your position. And that's a
bad spot to be in. And that's where the Knicks
are there. They're they're they're nothing.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Yeah, and let me quickly rhyme.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I'm gonna take a quick tangent just to clarify something
we said last segment. When Mark Moseley, the kicker for
the Washington Redskins, won the MVP in nineteen eighty two,
that was a strike shortened year. Remember they only played
nine games, right, Okay, yep, and the Redskins won the
Super Bowl. Joe Thaisman was their quarterback. He had thirteen
(36:23):
touchdowns eight picks. Unbelievable, it was hard to nine picks
actually thirty Yeah, thirteen touchdown, nine picks. The award John Riggins,
remember Riggins. Riggins was a great player.
Speaker 7 (36:36):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
He was their leading rusher that year. He's a Hall
of Famer, Rob, but that year he averaged three point
one yards of care. It was if you could give
it for him the NFL, right, and so I guess
they figured, Hey, the kicker hit ninety five percent of
his kicks twenty for twenty one that year, so he
got no. That's kind of an embarrassing mint that that
(37:00):
that guy actually won MVP. No offense to But yeah,
back to the Knicks, Rob, here's what I think, Yes,
try to get the superstar. Right. Let's just look off
the top of our heads at the last few teams
to win championships Denver, Nicole Jokis, who wanted Golden State,
Steph Curry, Giannis with Milwaukee, Lebron with the Lakers, Kawhi
(37:27):
with Toronto. Then you had the Warriors years then you
had Lebron in twenty sixteen. I mean, just keep going back. Yes,
we talked about it. Probably the only two years Rob
in modern history where a team without a superstar won,
it was Detroit No. Four and the Seattle SuperSonics in
(37:47):
seventy nine. This is what I think you would have
to do if you can't get the superstar, because to
your point, they've been trying for years, for decades, they
got met and you know, you know what happened there
if I forgot passed the second round and that was
only one time they even got that far. Rob, I
(38:10):
think if you can't get the superstar, what you have
to do in these I don't know that these are
the types of players to do this, but you would
have to, and I think it could work in today's NBA.
You would have to get players that can shoot the
lights out and you play five man basketball. Most teams
(38:34):
today play one or two man basketball. One man where
your io, your best player a lot and he creates
everything for everybody, or high pick and roll everybody's faces
around the hot the two you know, pick and roll guys,
and you you either do something in the pick and
roll or you kick it out to the shooters. That's
(38:55):
basically how most teams play. If you play a five
man brand of basketball, where it's equal opportunity to offense,
the ball is popping, it's moving around, it's not sticking,
nobody's dribbling too much, and you can shoot and you
can defend, and defense is just hard. If you have
(39:16):
the requisite level of athleticism and strength, then.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
I think you can make some noise.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
I'll go to like when San Antonio ran through the
heat in twenty fourteen. Now, granted they had Tim Duncan,
but Tim Duncan was old. He wasn't you know, the
Tim Duncan of his greatness. Tony Parker was even a
tag old at that point. And my new same thing.
They ran through the heat, and I get the heat.
We're a bit banged up with Wayde and Bosh, but
(39:45):
they they moved the ball, they out They played smart
basketball and team basketball. Rob Golden State. Nobody thought Golden
State was gonna ever even win a championship, let alone
four right when Steve took over what he do he
instant before that, and Mark Jackson did a great job
with them defensively, and they were a really good fifty
(40:08):
win team. But they were just doing the same thing
everybody else did offensively, which was high pick and.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Roll with Steph.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And then Kerk came in and said, you know what,
We're gonna pop move the basketball. Steph's gonna be off
the ball, moving, running off screens and getting you know,
getting jump shots, and they start. The rest is history.
They beat They played five man basketball in a one
or two man ball league. And you know, Steph was
(40:37):
not supposed to be all They's from Davidson, Draymond's second
round pick, Clay late lottery pick from Washington. And so
I'm not saying it's easy. I'm just saying, if you
don't have a superstar, to me, that is your the
way you have to play to win big in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
If you don't have a superstar.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Yeah, I mean, and it takes some luck, Chris, just
what you said, getting some players and being fortunate that
it all measures together.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
It's just it's a tough spot to be in.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
And people gonna go to the Garden and sell out
and buy tickets because they're basketball fans in New York.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
They love basketball, they love the Knicks, and let the opponent, well,
the opponent's superstar. But you know what I mean, people
want to go to the garden and no, I know.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
It is a great atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
It is, and you've never spread it. Yeah, because I
even been I used to joke about, I mean, massive
square garden, rob you know, great place to watch basketball, rappers,
superstar celebrities in the crowd in the front row for
first ten to twenty rows.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
But you know, they've renovated it and it's really nice now.
Before the renovation, it was not one of the top
arenas in terms of you know, no, no, no, it was.
It was outdated. It was outdated. But now it's actually
really nice with the renovation, so I'll give them credit
for that.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
And for people who have never been there, you know,
it's like going to a theater because they darkened the
seats the house and only this your court is lit right,
so it feels like you're on stage. It really is
a great atmosphere. And you know, I covered a million
games there and loved being in that building for basketball.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
But that's what the Knicks are. They just don't and
the frustration of.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Fans and people thinking that they had something going and
then last you know, was it two years ago they
fell off Chris after that one year they beat them,
they were supposed to beat the Hawks, remember that, Yeah, right,
and Trey Young. I'm just saying, right, that was a year.
I mean, Trey is a clutch guy. You know, he's
got that heart. But even rob if they had won
(42:52):
that though, you know what I.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Mean, No, no, no, I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
But they but they felt good about that because they
felt like they finally got Julius Randall, who they thought,
maybe he'll be guy exactly like that, and then the
next year he had that bad year the very next year.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Look, you got they've got three really good players, Jalen Brunston,
Julius Randall, RJ.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
Barrett.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
But they're not the type of players robed to play
the way I just suggested. And they're not. You know,
none of them are like a superstar for sure. I mean,
you're stretching it a tad to even say they're stars.
(43:33):
Put up numbers, right, I mean, if you want to
call Julis Randall a star, okay, you want to call
it Jalen Brunston now a star, okay, But you know
what I'm saying, Like, but that Detroit team, here's the
thing too, Rob that Detroit team, and I guess you
could say this about then Chauncey Billups had been a
bust before he went to Detroit, and but he was
(43:58):
a top pick.
Speaker 3 (43:59):
What was Chauncey the fourth pick in the draft something
like that third pick? I think was third. He was hot, Yeah,
I think it was third.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Rashid Wallace was a top four pick, I believe, so
they had, like Jeff Van Gundy used to say this,
like they they yeah, they didn't have. You know what
you might expect from a top three pick for your career,
but that when you're that level of pick, usually it
(44:29):
means you got major league talent. And Chauncey and and
uh Rashid had that Rob and you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (44:40):
And then you know, Rip was an underperforming player in DC,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
And he blossomed and he put up numbers. You know,
indeed he was a twenty point score there.
Speaker 4 (44:52):
But I'm telling you, when Michael Jordan made that trade
with Joe Dumars, he thought he fleeced you.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
I did too, I thought Stackhouse there was Stout said,
had he led the league, he's one or two in
the league. He was it was number two. One year, Chris,
he was number twenty nine game or so.
Speaker 4 (45:08):
So Michael thought, oh man, you know what I mean
for but see that's where go ahead. No, I'm just
gonna say and and and rip. You remember it had
issues staying healthy a little bit and in Washington.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
So but see that's where Rod putting together a team.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
And again that team wasn't necessarily the ball popping and
moving all the time. But Joe Dumars built a team
Chauncey Rip, Rashid, Ben Wallace, Tayshawn Prince right, and he
wasn't a star, but he fit. Like that's the thing.
All those guys fit. So what I would say, I
(45:45):
gave my formula. But there are others. But the common
denominator is somehow you gotta get guys that are unselfish
and don't care about the individual numbers. And it's not
gonna be one guy. You know, try outshine everybody. You're
going to play as a team. And that's what those
(46:06):
Pistons did. Rob and they every night, Chris for eight years.
You know, it's an incredible run. It real, it really
really was. It was a fun place to be. They
sold out the building every night. It was great. It
was going to work. Remember that, go to work.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
Yep, yep, that's what they did.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
They may have been out, you know by this point,
maybe they weren't gonna win it, but remember.
Speaker 3 (46:31):
They traded Chauncey for Iverson.
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Now, Iverson would have been that superstar, right, I mean,
I guess he was kind of on the tail end,
but he had put up big numbers in there.
Speaker 4 (46:42):
They had to make a move because remember they lost
three straight Eastern cop you know.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
What I mean.
Speaker 4 (46:48):
Yeah, you couldn't bring back the same team again like
they just had.
Speaker 3 (46:52):
But Chauncey was probably the wrong guy to trade.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
He was such a great leader, you know what I
mean against somebody didn't forget to the count because Chauncey
lost four straight conference finals.
Speaker 4 (47:04):
Yeah, because remember he lost, he lost, He lost four straight.
I mean, Chauncey was that close to baby going to
four straight NBA finals.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
He was.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Chelsea is an interesting case of Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Oh he is.
Speaker 3 (47:20):
He's an interesting one, all right.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
Uh, it's the couple of Christmas robbed Knicks basketball. What
in the world can the Knicks do to become a
championship level team? Do they need a superstar? Your Starts. Next,
Christian robbed the couple. Fox Sports Radio
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for the Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to the best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Brush and Rob Parker. A.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, it is the Odd Couple. I'm Chris Brusard alongside
my partner Parker, and we are coming to you live
all the way live from the tire rack dot Com
studio lot. And we're brought to you, of course by
(00:57):
Progressive Progressive Insurance. They make bundling e and affordable, so
get a most hip policy discount. I can bind your motorcycle, RV, boat,
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Keep it locked here for the next three hours. You
(01:18):
won't be disappointed. On Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app
or Serious XM Channel eighty three. With that said, let
me welcome in my partner, Rod Parker. What's up man,
what's happening to mister Chris Shawd? How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I am fantastic? How about yourself?
Speaker 4 (01:38):
All good, busy day of course, but getting things done.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I can't get over.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
How quickly the days are melting away.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
The year's melting.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Away, Chris, and you know, planning for this party and
all that stuff.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
So I'm keeping busy. But it's gonna be a fun time.
I promise you that. Just don't roast me too much,
making me all the way across the country, so better
be a fun time. How long am I supposed to
roast you?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
For?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Five minutes? That's minutes? How much time you want? No?
Like two? Oh? That's all you got to do is
two minutes. I'm sorry, I think? What am I think?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I know?
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah? You know what, you do your best work at
two minutes. That's what I'm talking. Five minutes.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It is all right? Yeah, okay, okay, it's all good.
We got Greg Jennings super Bowl Champion of the Hour.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
That's always fun. We got the Hod Couple crew in
full effect. The super producer Rob g is out, so
our man Patrick Sweeker is in running things. DJ Alex
Heiser aka Alex the Vegan on the ones and the
twos on the Update is our man Brian, the Loquacious One,
Brian Finley and social media the great Elijah Real quick, Patrick,
(03:04):
are you there there? To Mike? Yeah, what's up right?
Let's pull the curtain back.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Chris doesn't even know this, but for people Patrick and
I Chris, you know, have come up with a little
hello goodbye kind of thing. So every night when I
leave Fox Sports Radio, I say it to Alex and
to the whole crew from this is from my days
at Channel four w D I V and.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
I knew it wouldn't be anything original, so I always
say to them you ready, Patrick, Okay?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
So I always say n b see you later, and
Patrick always says, oh, CBS raw Parker. So that's our
little give and take every night.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
It's fun. Thank you for that, right, Yes, Alex loves it.
Alex tell Chris what is it? CBS, CBS you soon?
Good me? Here you doing all right? Alex Envy see
(04:10):
you later, CBS.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
So Rob, I mean, I get the NBCU later, but BBS,
CBS you soon came, ANBCU soon, Fox you soon.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It could be anything. I mean, it's like TV channels,
fantastic I pulled the curve back. Everybody's feeling better about themselves, right, yes, absolutely,
all right, Rob, let's talk about this NBA N Season
tournament and the action is hot and heavy. And last
night the LA Lakers rob They moved on to the
(04:46):
semi finals, the Vegas portion of the tournament, where they
will face the New Orleans Pelicans tomorrow UH for a
chance to go to the first ever championship game of
the inn season tournament. They will face the winner of
the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers. And last night,
(05:11):
interestingly robbed the Lakers. Who aren't you know, they're not
a fantastic team. They are a very good team, technically
a contender, but in the end season tournament games, they're
five and zero, all right, and they're rolling in the tournament. Uh.
And last night Lebron James thirty one points, eleven assists,
(05:33):
eight rebounds, five steals. What a game, especially being at
thirty eight years old. He played forty minutes and they
outlasted Kevin Durant and Devin Booker's Phoenix Suns one O.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Six, one O three.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
And Rob, first, let's deal with the micro quickly, because
I don't I don't think it's a huge discussion. But
did you see the way that game ended, Rob Yes,
with the timeout call from Lebron as Austin Reeves was
losing the basketball in the backcourt. Did you what were
your thoughts on that?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Well, I mean I saw what Kevin Durant talked about.
He was yeah, he very diplomatic and just said it,
yeah that if we got to worry about the referees
at the end, then it's on us and the stuff
that we could do. And I hear when you have
more turnovers, Chris, in the first quarter than field goals,
you know, like like those two for the night, which, yeah,
(06:27):
but they had ten turnovers in the first quarter and
nine buckets like those are the things, So I understand that.
I mean, was it the best officiating Chris, No, it wasn't.
But is it the end of the world.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
No, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
They twenty two turnovers they just didn't play with and
they lost quarter behind. I thought the Lakers outplayed him
and they lost by three. Think about that by three, right,
They only lay for less than two minutes in the
fourth quarter. So yeah, I'm with Durant who said, looks
one play, it's a forty eight minute game.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
You know that wasn't the ball game.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I do think it was a smart play by Lebron
as he saw Reeves losing the ball to call time out.
I don't know if they beat you know what I mean,
if he did it in time. It was hard to
tell on the even looking at it several times on replay,
and I don't know that they got it right. I
(07:26):
lean toward the call being late, you know, like I
lean toward Lebron didn't call it in time. But to
your point, in Durant's point, I'm not gonna throw a
hissy fit over it because the Suns didn't play well
enough to win anyway. But let's get to Lebron in
this tournament. So you know, there's been scuttle but out
(07:47):
there rib that Lebron really, you know, he hasn't said this,
but that he really is intent on winning this tournament
because it's the first N season tournament and he wants,
you know, to add that to his legacy. What your
thoughts if Lebron and the Lakers do win this tournament,
does it add anything.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
To his legacy? Is it a big deal or not?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Really?
Speaker 5 (08:11):
To you?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I don't think it's a big deal at all. And
here's the other thing too. If he loses in the finals,
will that count against him?
Speaker 1 (08:19):
No, it won't.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Nobody will say, oh, who are you talking about if
you say Lebron is the fulfilled the finals failure of
all time? And I add another l if they lose,
So which one is it?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Does it matter or doesn't it matter?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Or we don't know yet until he wins it, you know,
like that, then it matters because if he loses, then
again it will be another time you're in the finals
of whatever it is, Chris the tournament, the finals, and
it would be another l So because Michael Jordan didn't
play in that era, he didn't lose any in season tournaments,
I don't know how that factors in. And if Lebron
(08:56):
goes as I said, and he loses said he get
there years in a row and they lose all three,
is that going to be a negative or like so,
so I only think the only people who will value
it are Lebron's people.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
If he wins.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
If he loses, it won't be a big deal that
That's really how I think it'll factor in. And then
you know, the first year or something, if the Bucks
demolished them in the championship.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
People will be like, oh, it's just what just an
end season game? What is this? It's no big deal?
Because I think that will be the response. I don't
agree with your whole if he because if he lost,
we can't value it if he wins it because if
he lost, would it be a big deal thing. I mean,
Michael Jordan lost the years he didn't get to the finals.
(09:44):
You know, we don't count those as losses against them.
We could. We don't count every series. How many did
he win? How many playoff series did he lose? No,
but it's the finals. He's getting the last round. In
their right mind with compare this to the NBA. No,
but but you're winning.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
You're winning something that separates you from everybody else losing
in Michael Jordan losing the first or second round, that
that doesn't nobody people losing.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
The first or second round.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
I'm talking about when you when you have a chance
to win something and be if we're gonna put a
value on it, then there's there's no value if you lose.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That's my point. What's the value? The value on playoffs?
I mean, we don't have to argue about the value.
I'm just saying lose and win it, right. I just
don't agree with that train of thought. And I obviously, look, first,
when everybody thinks of lebron Is legacy, they automatically think
of the goat and more Michael Jordan conversation. Obviously, this
is not really a factor in that at all. Obviously
(10:44):
Michael Jordan never had a chance to play in these
nd season tournaments, so it won't factor in that way.
But I look, we talked about it briefly last night, Rob.
I do think Lebron is trying everything, trying to accomplish
everything he can to try to strengthen his goat argument.
(11:08):
And I think he may have conceded in his mind
that he's not gonna catch jordanan championships. I mean and
and at best, and I think this is a wild
long shot. At best, he would tie him, you know
what I mean, Rob, at best, But even then, you're right,
that's a major laun shot. I don't think he's gonna
(11:29):
tie him. I don't think he's gonna win another championship.
And so I think Lebron is like, look, he's he's
assaulting the record books, He's gonna have the longevity already
has the longevity argument, and I think he you know,
this is just another thing to add a pelt on
the wall, if you will. And I look, I understand
(11:52):
this is not even a playoff series, let alone in
NBA finals. But when you're competitive, if you're in a turn,
you want to win, you know. I mean, these all
these these guys that played in college, when they went
to a Christmas tournament, it didn't mean anything. It didn't
even mean you're gonna get into the NCAA tournament, but
(12:14):
you want to win. So I understand how the competitiveness
of the players is being ratcheted up. Kevin Durant said
last night after the game, this felt like.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
A playoff game.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
He said, all day, I got fans, friends and family
calling me, texting me. It was like a playoff atmosphere.
It felt like a playoff game. And I get that
because the players are competitive and this is something before
you you can win, so you want to do it,
even if it's not a finals or a ring or anything.
And I think rob years from now, I don't think,
(12:46):
you know again, it'll won't be the NBA Finals, nor
is it meant to be the NBA Finals. But I
do think it will mean something ten years from now,
five years even from now, maybe fifteen years so, and
I think it'll be a feathering people's cap if wm
Banyama Victor Winbanyama and Check Holmgren end up.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Having some great rivalry.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I think when you're battling and debating about who was better,
you know, rings of course is in there, statistics is
in there, and I think you'll be at a throwing
as he won five in season tournaments, he only won one,
and for Lebron, I think obviously he'll be long and
gone as far as retirement by then.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
But I do think to.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Be able to look back for the Lebron like you said, Rob,
those Lebron's guys that think he's the goat, to be
able to say, man at thirty eight or thirty nine,
he won the first in season tournament. He's in his
freaking twenty first year and he won the first in
season tournament. Like I just think it'll be another feather
in Lebron's cap. I don't think it puts him out
(13:56):
a Jordan, but I think it'll be a feather in
his cap.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
I want to say that deep down after Adam Silver
is no longer commissioner.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
There's a chance that.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
This could go by the wayside, like the three toom
of two free throws. I just thinks with it not
in time, I think that they'll realize that they don't
really need it, that this is.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Well, it's not about need, but it does. It has
created a little buzz Okay. I'm just wouldn't be there
if it wasn't there.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
In time, I think they might realize or a different
breed or generation of kids or players where where they
can just play and it's not this load management and
guys not wanting to play.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I just see.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I don't think that's the only thing though, Well, but
that was that that that was the driving force on
trying to get people to make the games more interesting
and put some more effort into them. I just think
it's gonna go by the wayside, not when Adam Silver,
because this is his baby, but it could in time,
uh disappear, That's what I think.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
I don't know why I would even if it doesn't
become if it doesn't become hot, I guess it could,
but I just don't see any harm in it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
But let's s thro it out to the listeners.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
A seven seven ninety nine on Fox A seven seven
nine nine six sixty three sixty nine Lebron James in
season tournament? Does his legacy benefit from this? If he
wins it? Will it be a feathernist cat? Will it
add to his legacy? And if you want to throw
in your thoughts and feelings overall on the tournament. I
(15:25):
think it could become a big deal down the line
in the future. Rob thinks it could be on the
way out in the future. What are your thoughts? Eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox Chris and Rob The
Odd Couple Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben
Maller with me and a lot to have you join
us on our weekly auditory journey dress What in God's
name is the Fifth Hour? I'll tell you it's a
spin off of it. Ben Mathershaw Cult hit overnights on FSR.
Why should you listen? Picture if you will? A world
where we chat with captains of industry in media, sports,
and more. Every week explore some amazing facts about human
(16:12):
nature and more. Listen to the Fifth Hour with Ben
Maler on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening
to The Odd Couple podcasts.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Be sure to check us out 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 1 (16:42):
It is The Odd Couple.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I'm Chrissy's Rob.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
We are live from the tire Rag dot com studios
and all you I Couple fans out there. If you
miss any portion of this show, just download the podcast.
New episodes go up daily or all the platforms. Just
type in Odd Couple wherever you get your pot podcast,
download the show and hit the follow button so you
(17:04):
don't miss us again. We got Randy Mueller, former NFL
Executive of the Year, and Fox Sports Radio NFL analysts
coming up in a moment or i should say at
the bottom of the hour, not in the moment, in
about thirty moments, but first, we want to go talk
(17:24):
a little bit of baseball and Rob show, Hey, o
Tani the biggest name on the free agent market. Of course,
Juan Soto has now reportedly signed with the Yankees, or
he's going to the Yankees. Yeah, yeah, there's a there's.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
A trade report out out there that it's happening on
getting close to happening, not officially, not not signed.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
He's not a trade yeah, and but yeah they're talking
here in New York, Rob, they're talking like it's a
done deal.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
But Otani of.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Course now their reports Rob that he's it down to
four teams. Which four would that be.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
I'm a little surprised by that because the Yankees and
Mets apparently are out.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
So is it Boston? No, Rob g told me was
for somebody get on that so we can get the
But he said it was the Dodgers, the Angels, the Giants,
and Toronto. Wow or not? And Toronto doesn't make sense
because as you said, there there's talk that he doesn't
(18:30):
want to go to the East coast, So why would
you go to Toronto.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
I get Toronto being you know, Chris obviously is in
another country in Canada, international flair, but still it's the
East Coast, and if you're going to go to the
East Coast, pardon me, as you've been saying all along,
why wouldn't you go on the biggest stage and play
for the Yankees?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
And yeah, you know, And I'm not like especially, I
feel like he should be playing for the Yankees. I'm sorry.
Dodgers fans, Giants fans, and those are great franchises too.
I just Rob, I I'd like to see it with
the Yankees person. Red Sox would be hot too, because
obviously they're one of the national teams. And the Dodgers too.
(19:15):
I think, Rob, if those are indeed his final four
and money is you know pretty much even I think
you should go to the Dodgers, right, No, I agree.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
If it's definitely about the West Coast, it's not going
to be the Angels. I know they were in it.
They're trying to he's trying to be nice, Chris. If
it was the Angels, he wouldn't be entertaining anybody else.
It would be a dundee. Okay, it would just be up.
They paid Trout one of the highest paid contracts ever,
so it can't be.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
That would really be a downer. If you've stayed with
the angel Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
No, it know, nothing against them, but it would probably
mean we're very rarely if ever go see him, Chris One.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
And that that brings us to where we are with Otani.
And there are a couple of things out there people
don't don't really talk about. And two of them Chris
One I brought up. And I get people want to
have their own personal what they want to do for
themselves and their families.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I respect that. I'm not trying to be like flip
with that. Right.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
If you don't want to do something, or you don't
want to live in a certain place, you know, nobody
can make you do that. But for the sport of baseball,
when you have a unicorn, Chris, let's just be honest.
Seventy five percent of the United States lives on the
East Coast or whatever it is, sixty five Like, go
(20:38):
look it up and when that oh yeah, and Chris,
it is unbelieved in the Midwest, so you're just talking
about No, it was the East coast because you remember,
Detroit is in the Eastern time zone, Atlanta, like you
know what I meant.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Eastern time But yeah, Deastroit, do they know, do they Detroita.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
No, Detroit is eastern, so you take Cleveland is Eastern
time zone. I'm talking about like se like.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Sixty of the Eastern times zone.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Yeah, like sixty five seventy percent of country lives there.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Do you know that?
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And between DC and Boston, Christie population is unbelievable, like
the percentage of people who live between DC and live
between Boston. But my point is showhy not entertaining. Playing
on the East Coast is bad for baseball because once again,
it's a situation where people are sleep going to sleep.
(21:32):
When this guy is playing most of his games, it's
it's just eighty one games on the West coast. Chris,
you can't, oh, well, he'll be on the road to play, yeah,
eighty one games, or or at home at Dodger Stadium
or at in Annah or whatever you want to say.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
And the other part that I just looked it up.
It says forty seven point six percent East co of
Americans live in the Eastern time zone, still half the country.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Almost after country. That's a big number. And here's the
other one, Chris, good good, you looked it up. I
know it's huge. The other part, Chris is we're not
getting any juice here is Otani about to move teams.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
And everything secretive.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
This is supposed to be like almost a decision like
for baseball, not not only Lebron. Yeah, Lebron's decision almost
not not not on the same level because he no.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I mean baseball baseball version of it. Yeah, I'm just saying,
have the social media like basketball. But you're right, I mean,
he's his biggest I think he's the best player ever.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
I'm not saying he's the goat obviously after common you
know what I mean, right, right, But but I'm so yeah,
I think it's baseball.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Baseball gets no juice from it because it's close knit.
Nobody knows what's going on, and he's threatened that if
they leak anything out that they're going to be a
limited you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So there's no jews from it. We he talked about
it yesterday with Dave Roberts and God bless him, but
the GM for the Dodgers came out afterwards. What he
said said he was surprised that actually confirmed it.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Yeah, and he wouldn't talk about let me let me find.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Exactly, So maybe you were right. Remember I was saying
that I didn't think that was a big deal, but
maybe you're right, Chris. Yeah, I mean, they they I
don't know if that I would hope that little bit,
wouldn't you know, wouldn't be a huge General manager manager
Brandon Gomes admitted a few hours later after Roberts spoke,
that he was surprised Roberts had confirmed the meetings and
(23:38):
refused to comment himself on them. Wow, that's from Buster
Oy's story in ESPN on ESPN dot com. Well, here,
let me say a few things about that, and you're
right on both counts. As far as it would be great,
I would you know, we already said it. I'd love
to see him in New York. I would be fine
in Boston. Rob Boston is one of those huge teams,
(24:03):
and I agree. I mean, you're right, it'd be better
if he was on the East Coast. Michael Jordan. Rob
played in Chicago. Lebron played the bulk of his career,
you know, in the East, on the East Coast, you know,
you do get. I mean, look, there obviously have been
great Lakers and Dodgers players, right, no doubt about it.
(24:24):
But more people just see because your games aren't so.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
Listen, let me give you a guy that a lot
of people didn't get to see, Ken Griffy Jr. Playing
in Seattle. That's the that's the guy you didn't get.
I don't care what you said. We know what the
numbers are. We know Junior was great. You didn't see
that many games with Ken Griffy Jr. Playing he was
in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Most people that talk about Griffy's greatness are going off
the numbers and the highlights that you on Sports Center
and all that. But you're right, the games probably, I
mean relatively speaking, it wasn't a ton of people that
watched him regularly. I here's my only thing about the
free agency, and Buster only wrote a great story about
(25:06):
that ride. Right, That's what I was just reference to
ESPN saying show the title is show hell Tiny's secret
secretive free agency is a missed opportunity for him at MLB.
Here's the thing though, all the and you know, I
covered a ton of NBA free agencies, Lebron's decision, Kevin
Durant going to Golden State, all that, they're all secretive. Now,
(25:29):
they didn't issue threats to the team. If you say
a word, I'm gonna hold it against you. But Lebron
didn't come out after every meeting and give a you know,
a tell you a detailed report on what each meeting
was like, what each team said. Turan didn't. They all
(25:50):
were secretive. And as reporters, you're talking to agents, you're
talking to people, you know, executives for the teams, you're
talking to people who know the players, you know as friends.
And that's how the information was coming out. It wasn't
coming out from the player making some big announcements. And
(26:13):
you see, it can go wrong. Unfortunately for Lebron with
the decision, people killed him for that, you know. And
so I I, look, I agree you shouldn't. I don't
think you should threaten teams and say if you leak
any information, I'm not coming here, or whatever it might be.
But I also think to think that the player is
(26:36):
gonna come out after every meeting and discuss it. Look,
the Yankees told me this, and they offered that, and
they you know, no I do this or that. It's
just not it's not the I've never covered an NBA
one like that. No, no, no, don't. And I don't
want it. I don't want it to be coming from
him Chris.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
I get that, but because he's from a foreign country
and probably has a smaller circle, like there's nothing coming out.
There's no do you know what I mean, there's no juice.
And that's what I'm talking about, Like there aren't even
the rumors like, hey, you know what Boston went in
and there's like nothing.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But I do think don't you think that I hear
you because it's just better. I mean, look, that's been
great for better be juicy. Every summer has become great
for basketball because of all the free agency talk. But
he probably and you touched on it, it's probably got
a lot to do with just maybe culturally and I
don't know what it's like in Japan with the free agency,
(27:35):
but you know the story by Buster only had a
report in there. How when he accepted the MVP award,
he had a dog with him and people were trying
to find out the name of the dog, and he
wouldn't They wouldn't even tell. So it might be something cultural,
you know, he just doesn't you know, he's not always
He's doing kind of the least amount that he has
(27:58):
to do with media in Anaheim, and so I think
it might just be he doesn't really want this to
become a circus. He doesn't want to, you know, I
think that's just it. Robi doesn't want it to become
a circus. Yeah, I just think it's right. Yeah, it
is just right.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
And and Chris, the idea that not playing on the
East Coast is a disservice to the game. I mean,
I just I saw Hedeki Matt Suey play in the Bronx, Chris,
and he was a fan favorite. They won a World series.
Hedeki Matsui, Godzilla was a nickname, hit hit. What three
(28:33):
home runs in that World Series in two thousand and
nine that they won was the MVP, Chris. He didn't
even start every game. He guy won the MVP. He
had unbelievable. The Yankees had so many Japanese signs up
on the on the on the fences, Chris, you know, advertisers.
Games were broadcast Hedeki Matsui. I read an interview about him.
He talked about what it was like to play for
(28:55):
the Yankees, to wear that jersey, like going back to Japan,
what that meant to Japanese people, you know what I
mean that he was a Yankee And I just thought, man.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Stunned Rob that he's not visiting or he really even
giving the Yankees a thought. I'm stunned by that to
at least talk to him, right, Yeah, I mean, I
guess he's look to each his own and he is
in a whole different country. If we were in a
totally different country, we weren't great with the language, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Mean, maybe we're feeling different.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
He may not. I'm sure he knows the Yankees obviously,
just from even when he was just in Japan, but
he may not, you know what I mean, It just
may not.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Him like that.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
And again he's talking Dodgers, so it's not like he's
talking about going to some you know, little going to
Detroit dunk City, but you know what I mean, Like,
but I hear you, Like I said, I'd love to
see him on the East Coast. But if he's with
the Dodgers, Rob, and for him, he should go to
(29:58):
the Dodgers, No, I because he's great individually, He's already
a legend and will be one. But it's going to
like if he goes to Anaheim or some other one
of these other teams Toronto or I mean, maybe he'll
win maybe, But right now at least it looks like
with the Dodgers, you're going to be You're gonna get
(30:19):
a chance to be on the biggest stage you will get.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
It's gonna be in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Right, you have a chance. You will have a chance.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
So all right?
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Your thoughts on
Otany's free agency? Is he doing the game and even
himself a disservice by one not considering playing on the
East Coast and two not just you know, allowing information
to leak out about his free agency?
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Your thoughts?
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Next? Is Chris A. Robb The I Couple? Eight seven
seven ninety nine on Fox Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Easter four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
It is The Odd Couple. I'm Chris, He's Rob. We're
live from the tire right dot Com Studios. We're brought
to you by Progressive Insurance. Progressive makes bundling easy and affordable.
You can get a multi policy discount by combining to
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(31:28):
at Progressive dot com. We got Sean Merriman, friend of
the show for Morell pro linebacker now the founder of
Lights Out Extreme Fighting. We'll talk to him at the
bottom of the hour. That's always a lot of fun,
a little bit scary, but always fun talking with Lights
Out Merriman. Rob Let's go to the NBA for now
(31:52):
and the New York Knicks having a you know, a
season basically that you would expect from the Knicks right
now in the middle of nowhere in the East. They're
twelve and eight and last night they got hammered by
the Milwaukee Bucks in the quarterfinals of the Playing or the.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Nd season tournament.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
And Kenny Smith on T and T was talking about
what's wrong with the Knicks and you kind of said
that they're just right there in the middle of the
middle of nowhere, Chris right nowhere, not bad enough to
get the top pick championship.
Speaker 4 (32:35):
Remember they beat Cleveland last year in the first round,
and yeah, that was a nice kind of series win
for them, and uh, but that was it, Like that
was it, and that's where they.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Are, and that was you knew that's as far as
they were going.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Uh. Here is Kenny Smith on T and t's Inside
the NBA last night talking about the Knicks.
Speaker 7 (32:53):
This is why the Knicks are gonna stay in the middle.
Every game that they play, they always have the second
best player. You play Boston, you got the second or
third best player. You play Orlando with Ben Carroll. They
don't have a player that's better than Ben Carroll. Milwaukee,
we know what he don't. Philadelphia, they don't. The Indiana Pacers,
(33:14):
Tyres Halibard is the best player on the floor if
you say that correct. If you play the Miami Heat,
Jimmy Butler is the best player on the floor. You
play the Keveland Cavaliers, you have Joan. You don't have
the best player on the floor.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
No night.
Speaker 7 (33:27):
Now, they can play better than you, but they are
not walking into the gym and saying you have no
margin for era.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
You know what and today rock quickly before you go.
There was a report by Sean Serania, who obviously breaks
a lot of NBA news today, saying that the Knicks
are in the market trying to trade for a superstar. Yeah,
I bet they are.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
I mean they they've been trying to lure a superstar
for twenty exactly, so they got enough to trade when
they wouldn't get Donovan Mitchell because they didn't want to
give up all of the draft picks that they had stockpiled.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Remember that. How long ago was that? And a lot
of people will tell you Danny Ayins, who's running the Jazz,
was only gonna trade Mitchell to the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
If he absolutely just fleeced them.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Right, No, get that, But to your point, and I
think ultimately Kenny's right, there are exceptions. You covered the
Pistons in two thousand and four when they beat the
shot Kobe Lakers. Obviously they didn't have no best player
on the floor. The Seattle SuperSonics back to nine tap
and a couple of times, not only two times recently.
(34:39):
And of course, look when when Dallas beat the Heat,
and really it was the Heat. Melton was but Dirk
was at least a superstar. But the Heat had the
two best players on the floor and Lebron and Wade.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
And I was gonna say, Christian listening to Kenny Smith,
I know he's from New York and everything, but he
sounded like Mark Jackson.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Did you hear like.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
You mean his voice Yeah, he sounded like when he
was breaking it down and talking about the Knicks.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
I just it was weird. It was sound like the voice.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
It sounded like Mark Jackson, and he really did, and
it was just kind of weird. But anyway, his point
is well taken and that's well thought out, and I
think he's right. And if you're the Knicks, Chris, you
gotta do something. The worst place to be is where
they are. It's the nowhere land. It's the worst. You
(35:31):
rather bottom out and get and hope and pray you
get a whim b or you get you know what
I mean, Like, you gotta it's either that or you
gotta be good.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
The middle you get nothing.
Speaker 4 (35:43):
You just get just enough talent to stay where you are,
but not enough to change your position. And that's a
bad spot to be in. And that's where the Knicks
are there. They're they're they're nothing.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Yeah, and let me quickly rhyme.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I'm gonna take a quick tangent just to clarify something
we said last segment. When Mark Moseley, the kicker for
the Washington Redskins, won the MVP in nineteen eighty two,
that was a strike shortened year. Remember they only played
nine games, right, Okay, yep, and the Redskins won the
Super Bowl. Joe Thaisman was their quarterback. He had thirteen
(36:23):
touchdowns eight picks. Unbelievable, it was hard to nine picks
actually thirty Yeah, thirteen touchdown, nine picks. The award John Riggins,
remember Riggins. Riggins was a great player.
Speaker 7 (36:36):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
He was their leading rusher that year. He's a Hall
of Famer, Rob, but that year he averaged three point
one yards of care. It was if you could give
it for him the NFL, right, and so I guess
they figured, Hey, the kicker hit ninety five percent of
his kicks twenty for twenty one that year, so he
got no. That's kind of an embarrassing mint that that
(37:00):
that guy actually won MVP. No offense to But yeah,
back to the Knicks, Rob, here's what I think, Yes,
try to get the superstar. Right. Let's just look off
the top of our heads at the last few teams
to win championships Denver, Nicole Jokis, who wanted Golden State,
Steph Curry, Giannis with Milwaukee, Lebron with the Lakers, Kawhi
(37:27):
with Toronto. Then you had the Warriors years then you
had Lebron in twenty sixteen. I mean, just keep going back. Yes,
we talked about it. Probably the only two years Rob
in modern history where a team without a superstar won,
it was Detroit No. Four and the Seattle SuperSonics in
(37:47):
seventy nine. This is what I think you would have
to do if you can't get the superstar, because to
your point, they've been trying for years, for decades, they
got met and you know, you know what happened there
if I forgot passed the second round and that was
only one time they even got that far. Rob, I
(38:10):
think if you can't get the superstar, what you have
to do in these I don't know that these are
the types of players to do this, but you would
have to, and I think it could work in today's NBA.
You would have to get players that can shoot the
lights out and you play five man basketball. Most teams
(38:34):
today play one or two man basketball. One man where
your io, your best player a lot and he creates
everything for everybody, or high pick and roll everybody's faces
around the hot the two you know, pick and roll guys,
and you you either do something in the pick and
roll or you kick it out to the shooters. That's
(38:55):
basically how most teams play. If you play a five
man brand of basketball, where it's equal opportunity to offense,
the ball is popping, it's moving around, it's not sticking,
nobody's dribbling too much, and you can shoot and you
can defend, and defense is just hard. If you have
(39:16):
the requisite level of athleticism and strength, then.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
I think you can make some noise.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
I'll go to like when San Antonio ran through the
heat in twenty fourteen. Now, granted they had Tim Duncan,
but Tim Duncan was old. He wasn't you know, the
Tim Duncan of his greatness. Tony Parker was even a
tag old at that point. And my new same thing.
They ran through the heat, and I get the heat.
We're a bit banged up with Wayde and Bosh, but
(39:45):
they they moved the ball, they out They played smart
basketball and team basketball. Rob Golden State. Nobody thought Golden
State was gonna ever even win a championship, let alone
four right when Steve took over what he do he
instant before that, and Mark Jackson did a great job
with them defensively, and they were a really good fifty
(40:08):
win team. But they were just doing the same thing
everybody else did offensively, which was high pick and.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
Roll with Steph.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And then Kerk came in and said, you know what,
We're gonna pop move the basketball. Steph's gonna be off
the ball, moving, running off screens and getting you know,
getting jump shots, and they start. The rest is history.
They beat They played five man basketball in a one
or two man ball league. And you know, Steph was
(40:37):
not supposed to be all They's from Davidson, Draymond's second
round pick, Clay late lottery pick from Washington. And so
I'm not saying it's easy. I'm just saying, if you
don't have a superstar, to me, that is your the
way you have to play to win big in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
If you don't have a superstar.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Yeah, I mean, and it takes some luck, Chris, just
what you said, getting some players and being fortunate that
it all measures together.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
It's just it's a tough spot to be in.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
And people gonna go to the Garden and sell out
and buy tickets because they're basketball fans in New York.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
They love basketball, they love the Knicks, and let the opponent, well,
the opponent's superstar. But you know what I mean, people
want to go to the garden and no, I know.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
It is a great atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
It is, and you've never spread it. Yeah, because I
even been I used to joke about, I mean, massive
square garden, rob you know, great place to watch basketball, rappers,
superstar celebrities in the crowd in the front row for
first ten to twenty rows.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
But you know, they've renovated it and it's really nice now.
Before the renovation, it was not one of the top
arenas in terms of you know, no, no, no, it was.
It was outdated. It was outdated. But now it's actually
really nice with the renovation, so I'll give them credit
for that.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
And for people who have never been there, you know,
it's like going to a theater because they darkened the
seats the house and only this your court is lit right,
so it feels like you're on stage. It really is
a great atmosphere. And you know, I covered a million
games there and loved being in that building for basketball.
Speaker 1 (42:22):
But that's what the Knicks are. They just don't and
the frustration of.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Fans and people thinking that they had something going and
then last you know, was it two years ago they
fell off Chris after that one year they beat them,
they were supposed to beat the Hawks, remember that, Yeah, right,
and Trey Young. I'm just saying, right, that was a year.
I mean, Trey is a clutch guy. You know, he's
got that heart. But even rob if they had won
(42:52):
that though, you know what I.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Mean, No, no, no, I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
But they but they felt good about that because they
felt like they finally got Julius Randall, who they thought,
maybe he'll be guy exactly like that, and then the
next year he had that bad year the very next year.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Look, you got they've got three really good players, Jalen Brunston,
Julius Randall, RJ.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
Barrett.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
But they're not the type of players robed to play
the way I just suggested. And they're not. You know,
none of them are like a superstar for sure. I mean,
you're stretching it a tad to even say they're stars.
(43:33):
Put up numbers, right, I mean, if you want to
call Julis Randall a star, okay, you want to call
it Jalen Brunston now a star, okay, But you know
what I'm saying, Like, but that Detroit team, here's the
thing too, Rob that Detroit team, and I guess you
could say this about then Chauncey Billups had been a
bust before he went to Detroit, and but he was
(43:58):
a top pick.
Speaker 3 (43:59):
What was Chauncey the fourth pick in the draft something
like that third pick? I think was third. He was hot, Yeah,
I think it was third.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Rashid Wallace was a top four pick, I believe, so
they had, like Jeff Van Gundy used to say this,
like they they yeah, they didn't have. You know what
you might expect from a top three pick for your career,
but that when you're that level of pick, usually it
(44:29):
means you got major league talent. And Chauncey and and
uh Rashid had that Rob and you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (44:40):
And then you know, Rip was an underperforming player in DC,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
And he blossomed and he put up numbers. You know,
indeed he was a twenty point score there.
Speaker 4 (44:52):
But I'm telling you, when Michael Jordan made that trade
with Joe Dumars, he thought he fleeced you.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
I did too, I thought Stackhouse there was Stout said,
had he led the league, he's one or two in
the league. He was it was number two. One year, Chris,
he was number twenty nine game or so.
Speaker 4 (45:08):
So Michael thought, oh man, you know what I mean
for but see that's where go ahead. No, I'm just
gonna say and and and rip. You remember it had
issues staying healthy a little bit and in Washington.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
So but see that's where Rod putting together a team.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
And again that team wasn't necessarily the ball popping and
moving all the time. But Joe Dumars built a team
Chauncey Rip, Rashid, Ben Wallace, Tayshawn Prince right, and he
wasn't a star, but he fit. Like that's the thing.
All those guys fit. So what I would say, I
(45:45):
gave my formula. But there are others. But the common
denominator is somehow you gotta get guys that are unselfish
and don't care about the individual numbers. And it's not
gonna be one guy. You know, try outshine everybody. You're
going to play as a team. And that's what those
(46:06):
Pistons did. Rob and they every night, Chris for eight years.
You know, it's an incredible run. It real, it really
really was. It was a fun place to be. They
sold out the building every night. It was great. It
was going to work. Remember that, go to work.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
Yep, yep, that's what they did.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
They may have been out, you know by this point,
maybe they weren't gonna win it, but remember.
Speaker 3 (46:31):
They traded Chauncey for Iverson.
Speaker 1 (46:34):
Now, Iverson would have been that superstar, right, I mean,
I guess he was kind of on the tail end,
but he had put up big numbers in there.
Speaker 4 (46:42):
They had to make a move because remember they lost
three straight Eastern cop you know.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
What I mean.
Speaker 4 (46:48):
Yeah, you couldn't bring back the same team again like
they just had.
Speaker 3 (46:52):
But Chauncey was probably the wrong guy to trade.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
He was such a great leader, you know what I
mean against somebody didn't forget to the count because Chauncey
lost four straight conference finals.
Speaker 4 (47:04):
Yeah, because remember he lost, he lost, He lost four straight.
I mean, Chauncey was that close to baby going to
four straight NBA finals.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
He was.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Chelsea is an interesting case of Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
Oh he is.
Speaker 3 (47:20):
He's an interesting one, all right.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
Uh, it's the couple of Christmas robbed Knicks basketball. What
in the world can the Knicks do to become a
championship level team? Do they need a superstar? Your Starts. Next,
Christian robbed the couple. Fox Sports Radio
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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