Justin Tucker Released, NBA Playoffs, Greg Popovich Era ends, Cowboys News

Welcome to "The Morning Kickoff Show" with Mike "Hardball" Hardge & "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry. Today the guys talk about Justin Tucker released by Baltimore Ravens, NBA Playoff nail biting games, Greg Popovich press conference, Dallas Cowboys offseason needs, a preview of Texas Baseball vs Lamar & NBA playoff games tonight & “The World’s Strongest Take!” Plus, a conversation with Joe Cook of Inside Texas. You can hear it all here on “The Morning Kickoff Show!”

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Good Morning, Austin, Ktown, Fluggerville, Htown, Parentland, Leander and Seals
Be Texas, wherever you may be listening. This is a
Texas Tuesday edition of The Morning Kickoff right here on
Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
Pop has a new name.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Game Ones of the second Rounds got started last night.
Joe Cook of Inside Texas will join us at seven
thirty four and maybe we could get an explanation on
the new quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. He's a backup
the Ravens release Justin Tucker, and so much more.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
I am your host, Mike Harballhart.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
My co host is AWWE Hall of Famer and recognized
as the world's strongest man.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
He is d Mark Henry.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Good morning Austin. Our guy Marcus is behind the boards.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
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Speaker 1 (01:32):
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(01:54):
Heart will receive the message and you might win a
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Speaker 3 (02:01):
Let's get right into it.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
We're definitely gonna talk a lot of basketball today because
there were some great, great games that took place last night.
But I want to get into this conversation about Justin Tucker.
The news broke yesterday afternoon that the Baltimore Ravens were
going to release Justin Tucker. And for those that have

(02:25):
not been following the story, or have been following the story.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Obviously, it is not a good story.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
It's a little disappointing when you think about what Justin
Tucker has meant to this team and the NFL. But
the stories continue to remain about some Deshaun Watson type
activities and the release of the statement from the general manager,
Eric Dacostack reads like this, Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult,

(02:56):
and this is one for those instances. Considering our current roster,
we had made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
Justin Tucker, excuse me.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Justin created many significant and unforgettable moments in Ravens history.
His reliability, focus, drive, resilience, and extraordinary talent made him
one of the league's best kid kickers for over a decade.
We are grateful for Justin's many contributions and playing for
the Ravens. We sincerely wish him and his family the

(03:29):
very best in this next chapter of their lives. And
that was the statement that was released yesterday. Mark, You
and I obviously have been following Justin Tucker all of
our lives, not all of them, well, I.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Guess for sure, for sure.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
All of his life from his time at Westlake High
School to his time on the Forty Acres and then
of course going on to the next level for him
in the NFL. He's one of the most accurate kickers
in the history.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
Of the game.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
He will definitely be a Hall of Famer at some point,
at least we hope he will be, depending on what
happens moving forward.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
But it's a sad, sad day.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
For the Baltimore Ravens and Justin Tucker by being released
by this team.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
I mean, it's always horrible to see somebody not be
charged and it all be allegations and still stuff happens.
But these companies, they have to protect theirselves.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
I'm sure that Justin understands.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
That the Ravens are just taking precautionary measures to make
sure that they are not taken down with the ship. Yeah,
and I'm hoping that none of this is true, none
of it comes to.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
Light and say that he was.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Guilty, But he's still not been charged, right, So until
that happens, you know, I think we still need to
let do process take place.

Speaker 1 (05:10):
Justin Tucker played thirteen seasons in the NFL with the
Baltimore Ravens. He's an eight time All pro A seven
time Pro Bowler. He's on the NFLS twenty tens All
Decade Team.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
He's has the.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
Longest field goal in the history of the NFL, sixty
six yards. He also has the highest field goal percentage
in the history of the NFL.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
He has the league's.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
Three time leader in made field goals, two time leader
in field goal percentage. Most seasons with thirty plus field
goals made, he has nine of those. Most fifty yard
field goals in one game with three. He has most
fifty yard field goals in a season with ten. He's

(06:02):
the fastest kicker to one thousand points, fastest kicker to
three hundred field goals. He's the Ravens leader in field
goals made. I mean, the list goes on and on
and on. For what Justin Tucker was able to achieve
in the NFL. It's just amazing to think about it
because thirteen seasons in the league and then you.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
Realize the importance of him.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Let's put it like this, when Baltimore would get in
field goal position, they would try to do it to
get to the forty yard line, so he would make
fifty yard and sixty yard field goals. They were like,
we're in field goal range. Let's take Anne and set
it up for him to get ready to kick.

Speaker 2 (06:42):
That is crazy to think about, But I'm gonna tell
you something else. You look at his high school career dominant, yep.
You look at his college career dominant. You look at
him and the pros dominant.

Speaker 3 (06:59):
Yeh.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
He's in that Magic Johnson category, that Larry Bird category,
where you win in high school, you win in college,
you win in the pros. Like, there's not many people
that you can point at and say, Wow, that dude.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
Is domined his whole life, no doubt, no doubt. You
start to look at it. He was five. He made
five hundred and twenty four point after attempts in five
hundred and thirty two attempts. So my man has been
doing it for a long time. But Ian Rappaport of
the NFL Network talked about Justin Tucker and he believes

(07:35):
that this was the end of Justin Tucker.

Speaker 4 (07:39):
I think it's fair to say it was a football
decision mostly because of Justin Tucker's age and these struggles
that had this year, especially compared to the bar that
he set throughout his entire potentially Hall of fame, career,
multi year Pro Bowler, multi year All Pro. However, you
cannot say that this is only a football decision. Really,
this is about so much more in these decisions, especially

(08:01):
when it comes to say goodbye one of the all
time greats of a franchise.

Speaker 3 (08:05):
They don't exist in a vacuum.

Speaker 4 (08:06):
Yes, thirty five years old, Justin Tucker has earned a
high salary's been one of the highest paid kickers in
the NFL. He struggled this year and all that, but
the many, many allegations sixteen I believe from Baltimore Area
Massuse's allegation that Tucker and his family have denied allegation
that the NFL.

Speaker 3 (08:24):
Is still looking into. Of course, they played a role,
and as.

Speaker 4 (08:28):
Soon as became clear that the Ravens were at least
thinking about moving on from as soon as it became
clear that they drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round
of this draft, you knew that it was at least
possible that Justin Tucker's days were numbered. That is, of course,
what happened today. The original plan from the Ravens was
to let this investigation play out, let the NFL come

(08:51):
to its decision on what it meant for the future
of Justin Tucker. In the end, they decide, you know what,
drafted kicker, move on. It is the end for Tucker
with the Ravens. That would not be surprised given the
allegations and his age and it's performance.

Speaker 3 (09:06):
This is the last time we see Tucker in an
NFL uniform. Dang dang. That will be tough. That would
be tough.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
But the most important thing here is that they get
this whole situation ironed out. As he said, he's played
in the league a very long time, thirteen years. He
probably if this does not happen, then he probably plays
at least three to four more years because he's that accurate.
Last year's struggles for the first time is when people

(09:35):
really started to think that this was the allegations were
playing a.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
Role to his thought process.

Speaker 1 (09:43):
So he is one of the best kickers in the
history of the game, will probably be recognized as such.
But you know as well as I do, there will
be this cloud that will stick around him until all
these allegations are gone figured out whatever it may be.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Does he wait to try to get another job before
I don't think that it would be. They would be
best to go get another job now, because you know
it's still going to be hanging over the head of
whoever drafts it or picks him up.

Speaker 3 (10:24):
But you want to kind of make sure that the.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Way it's clear, and you know he's had some allegations
actually charge him and him fight those charges. The only
way to get out of it is the counter suit. Right,
So all of these nineteen people that have are sixteen
people that have made charges against him, He's going to
have to go after their throats.

Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, he has to, because here's the deal.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
I mean, well, his livelihood is in question, his post
livelihood being able to finish out his career because don't
forget he did a lot for that community as well.
He did worked with a lot of charities. He you know,
he performed with the opera. I mean, he's a talented,
talented guy, and you want to be able to continue, right, They're.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
Not gonna want him around with this kind of cloud over. Yeah,
you want to make sure you clear that cloud up immediately.

Speaker 1 (11:22):
Coming up next, we're just getting started here on the
morning kickoff. Coming up next, we're gonna be talking about
the Knicks and what they were able to do. We've
got Joe Cook of Inside Texas coming up at seven
thirty four and Pop has a new title. We'll close
out the first hour with that. But we're just getting
started here on the morning kickoff on a Texas Tuesday

(11:45):
edition on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.

Speaker 3 (11:49):
Welcome back to the board.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
To kickoff right here on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred
The Zone, Mike Harballhart's World Strongest Man in w W
Hall of Fame or d Mark hen and of course
we got our guy Marcus behind the boards. Coming up
in the next segment, we have Joe Cook of Inside
Texas as he breaks down the new transfer portal player

(12:12):
that decided to come and play for the University of
Texas and he will shed some light on that. But
right now I want to talk NBA and the NBA
is into its second round and let me just say
that it has started off with a bang. We have
two more games tonight with Indiana at Cleveland. That series

(12:33):
was a great opening matchup, and of course Golden State
and Minnesota will take place tonight, and that's one that
I'm highly anticipated, especially because of Anthony Edwards thinking that
he was going to play against this type of team.

Speaker 3 (12:50):
But when we were growing up.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
Mark, there was a commercial about the NBA and what
it said was the NBA it's fantastic. Last night, the
NBA was fantastic. And I can't get enough of this
matchup between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.

(13:14):
As you know throughout history, That's exactly what it was.
It was history. Both of these teams are historically talented.
The New York Knicks the wheel, the fight that all
the fans and what they want to stand for. And
then the Boston Celtics Rd Arbaka goes all the way back.

(13:34):
You know what I'm saying, Bill Russell, you know heard,
you know what's going down with Boston. This was a knockdown,
drag out fight once again, and it was just one
of those special special matchups.

Speaker 5 (13:51):
I'm a fantastic defender and Holiday this Rich puts on
a funny fucks Tibby three after trailing by twenty.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
I mean can also draw foul.

Speaker 5 (14:01):
That's a prover the road he is in Achine player
over the spin off Holiday Inside he goes outside in
and over three Jack Cluckett six, now over Robinson three.
No wire gone right through his hands, picked up by Nick.

Speaker 3 (14:21):
Pratt, a little dribble hand off.

Speaker 5 (14:24):
Here Towns prints it up for the lead. It's off
the tatum. The defense was there. We have got overtime
and oh still derision es and a congested corner is

(14:45):
somehow tungue it out inside.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
Under the Hans hand and a foul. The tatum is
here in the corner. Prince, here's three pos.

Speaker 5 (14:57):
It's a sixth point New York leading.

Speaker 6 (14:59):
Over time.

Speaker 3 (15:00):
The Times holidays in talk to Brown.

Speaker 5 (15:08):
He's hoping from the streamun the' t off to Brown
Rich's hair.

Speaker 3 (15:17):
They hold it.

Speaker 1 (15:21):
The Knicks came from behind a twenty point deficit. The
New York Knicks have shown that they are the Cardiact
kids of the NBA playoffs. Jalen Brunson is built different.
He has shown that if the game is on the line,

(15:41):
it's amazing.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
That he can still get the ball like you're supposed
to deny, deny, deny, deny, and somehow, some way he
gets the basketball. Man that's coaching. I'm talking about this
and in my takingest taken what actually it was. And

(16:04):
now I'm not gonna talk much about the game. We're
talking about the game now, but everything surrounding it and
that went with it is what I'm going to be
talking about. You don't want to miss it, but.

Speaker 3 (16:16):
Hard the.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
Coaching was excellent, the cause the timeouts like it was
that was basketball.

Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yep, you know. So you know we'll get into it.
But I'm just saying, man like, what a night, What
a night? This is? Uh, this is where this game
got away from me.

Speaker 1 (16:40):
Early in the ballgame, Derek White was taking all of
the shots, and I told I looked at my son
and I said, why is he shooting this much? He's
a select shooter. He's not the feature. He's not the offense.
He's not the guy that should be shooting the ball
that much much early in the game. Secondly, when you miss,

(17:04):
I said, miss now.

Speaker 3 (17:06):
Forty five three pointers.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
You took sixty three pointers and you missed forty five.

Speaker 3 (17:18):
That goes back to your coaching.

Speaker 2 (17:19):
Coaching, That goes back to your coaching, Like the common.

Speaker 1 (17:23):
Sense will tell you, Jalen Brown, you are one of
ten from three point land. Derek White, you are five
of sixteen from three point land. Jason Tatum, you are
four of fifteen from three point land.

Speaker 3 (17:45):
Jalen Brown was eight of ten from the free throw line.

Speaker 1 (17:47):
You know what that tells me. Keep attacking the rim,
take the basket. Yes, two, not from three, not from three.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
It's not your night.

Speaker 2 (17:57):
You look at this when when Bridger came off the
bench the first time, first play, they ran for him
out front, double screen, shoot the three.

Speaker 3 (18:09):
He knocked it down.

Speaker 2 (18:11):
The next two he missed. Yep, he went out the
game because he's not a starter. But dere White, Dereck
White is the starter. And they continued to run those
pinned down screenplays and shoot, that's their offense. They it
wasn't They didn't do anything different. They just were not hidden.

(18:33):
You missed forty five.

Speaker 3 (18:35):
They were not hitting. Let it rain.

Speaker 2 (18:41):
We're over there doing ring down fire. There was no
fire that was coming out there. They called the Thanos
and it just warm worm worm Thanos.

Speaker 3 (18:54):
Yesterday was og out of Noble.

Speaker 7 (18:57):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
He had a huge, huge game for the New York Knicks.
He finished with twenty nine points. He and Jalen Brunson
each had twenty nine points. But the defensive player of
the game. Most of the time you would think defense,
you would think Drew Holliday. Drew Holliday is somebody that
normally locks down the competition, but yesterday it was Miles Bridges.

(19:22):
Miles Bridges played fifty one minutes.

Speaker 3 (19:26):
Of that game. He played the entire game.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
And I was told yesterday and I ended up hearing
it during the broadcast that Miles Bridges has never missed
a basketball game because of injury. The last time Miles
Bridges missed a game was his junior year of high school,
his junior year.

Speaker 3 (19:53):
Basketball. The dude just don't get hurt.

Speaker 1 (20:00):
He plays eighty two games a year. When I heard
that yesterday, I was like, you have got to be
kidding me. He was All Defensive Team in twenty twenty two.
He got the Julius Irving Award in twenty eighteen. He
too is a Villanova guy. So you see him in
the commercials with Brunson, Hart and Bridges and then DiVincenzo

(20:27):
who is now playing for Minnesota. But just thinking about
that as a whole, when you start to understand the
ability of this player in his career, in his career,
dude has never missed a basketball game. That to me, Look,
that was perfect what you said. The Cal Ripken of

(20:50):
the NBA. I've never like that, not like that. I
wasn't even thinking about cal Ripkin.

Speaker 3 (20:58):
In that time, I was like, wow, that that was perfect.
I gave you some love. But it's just the simple
fact of this NIXT team finds.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
A way to get it done. You know, we talked about.

Speaker 1 (21:13):
Golden State and just finding a way to win during
this this particular player is.

Speaker 2 (21:19):
Hard and clutch, Yes, heart and clutch like that. You
at some point you gotta doubt youself, you gotta get nervous.

Speaker 3 (21:28):
Jayalen Brunson don't have none of that.

Speaker 1 (21:30):
Jalen Brunson is a guy that has he won the
most Clutched Player award this season. He shows it every
single night. Nothing man moment is never too big for me. Unbelievable.
I cannot understand it. I think this series is going seven.

(21:51):
I think the next one that we're talking about, we're
gonna talk about the Nuggets and what we saw from Okay.

Speaker 8 (21:56):
See.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
I think that's going seven and I can't be more
excited about it.

Speaker 1 (22:00):
Coming up next, we've got Joe Cook of Inside Texas
breaking down Texas football and what we should expect right
here on the Morning Kickoff on sports Radio AM thirteen
hundred The Zone. Welcome back to the Morning Kickoff on
Sports Radio Am thirteen hundred the zone.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
It is Tuesday.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
So we go to our guy, Joe Cook of Inside Texas.
You can follow him at Joseph Cook eighty nine. And
as always, Joe, thank you for joining us. Let's get
right into it. Texas did something that I don't think
anybody was truly thinking that they were going to do,
and that is bringing in another quarterback. Please explain to

(22:45):
us what that's all about.

Speaker 7 (22:47):
Yeah, so they go and pick up Troy transfer Matthew Caldwell,
fifth year player. I think he went from Jackson State
to Gardner Webb to Troy and had a quality season
at Troy. And obviously it's not to bring in competition
for Arch Manning, but it's more so, I guess, to
bring in competition for the backup for kJ Lacey, for

(23:08):
Tray Owens. And it's a little bit of an insurance policy.
Let's say that, you know, like quinn Ewers has, and
like so many different seasons in Texas football in the
past twenty five years, the backup quarterback is going to
start a couple of games.

Speaker 3 (23:23):
Let's say they're SEC games.

Speaker 7 (23:25):
Do you want a second year player doing that or
do you want maybe a fifth year senior, and I
know there's some more variables there, but I think that's
the line of thinking with why Steve Starkejian did that.
It's a fifth year senior, it's someone with a lot
of experience, it's someone who has played for I mean,
I think heat well he it's I think what the

(23:47):
offense would look like if Arch Manning were to go
out than if Trey Owens would has some mobility to him,
And I think it's just a way you know, when
you have two and now one, but when you have
two scholarships available and you're trying to find insurance policies
for the entire twenty twenty five season, and it's a
guy who's only going to be on your depth chart
for one year, seems like a good idea. So if

(24:09):
they went head and used him, the best case scenario
is we only see him when Texas is up by
thirty in the fourth quarter.

Speaker 1 (24:15):
So let me ask you this real quick. What are
some of his intangibles? So those that who have not
watched film on him should be looking for.

Speaker 7 (24:24):
Yeah, like I mentioned, he's got mobility, He's a little
bit more of a He's not so much a statue
in the pocket, and you know, he's just got that
experience and he's worked his way up.

Speaker 3 (24:36):
I know, you don't go to Jackson State under rich
Rod if you don't have a little bit of mobility
are on that zone read. But then you know he
had to go to Gardner. Webb worked his way back.

Speaker 7 (24:47):
Into the FBS ranks and ended up at a toy
program that's done some good things over the years. I
can't remember off the top of my head what they
did last year, but I know that he did some
good things in eventually got I think he you know,
kind of took over as a starter for one reason
or another last year and got to sixteen hundred yards
passing in twelve touchdowns. So someone who has worked his

(25:12):
way back up into the FBS ranks has enough mobility
to you know, I guess mirror Arc somewhat in that
sense where if they did have to go to a
backup quarterback, or they did need someone to be a
backup for you know, the end of a game, that
could probably keep a similar offense in place without having
to throw the book out and start over from scratch.

Speaker 2 (25:33):
Well, I mean, we've seen Trey and practice, and we've
seen him in last year spring game. We've seen him
in extra action when things got out of hand. Why
him though, out of all the quarterbacks that are out there,

(25:55):
and they go to Troy to find.

Speaker 7 (25:57):
One, Yeah, well, I mean there's that arch Manning guy
that kind of makes things a little tough. If you're
trying to look for playing time in your senior year,
you know, you're you're usually you're when you're hunting quarterbacks
in the portal, you're most often looking for guys who
want to play right away, and that's why they're usually
leaving their destination. This guy was between Auburn and Texas

(26:19):
and he's actually from the town of Auburn, uh and
it originally went to Auburn High School. I think the
Tigers thought they had a good beat on him, but
but Texas was able to get them. And you know, yeah,
you'd be great if you could just keep stacking other
five stars in there, but it's just not really feasible.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
So you try to get the next best thing that
you can, and this was what was available.

Speaker 7 (26:42):
And I think the best part is, yes, he's got
the ability to be that experience back up, but.

Speaker 3 (26:48):
He doesn't he doesn't drop a bomb in that depth chart.

Speaker 7 (26:51):
You know it's you can You can probably look at
Treo Ands and kJ Lcey and say, like, guys, you're
a red shirt freshman and a freshman you'll are going
to have bright futures, but your presence we need something
a little bit more if something big were to happen,
or you can earn that.

Speaker 3 (27:07):
Over the course of the summer and flaw camp and
prove us wrong.

Speaker 7 (27:11):
So I think that's what it comes down to, is
just not looking to leave a season where so much
is you know, being asked, maybe on a freshman or
on freshmen, especially when you know they kind to be
on the road for basically the entire month of October.

Speaker 1 (27:29):
We're talking to Joe Cook of Inside Texas. You can
follow him at Joseph Cook eighty nine. And Joe, you know,
we're going to continue the conversation about Texas football because
there is some other positions that we have not talked about.
In those positions are the linebacker positions. Obviously Anthony Hill

(27:50):
is a name too for everyone to always talk about,
but you also look at a guy like Colin Simmons,
what are the expectations are some of the other guys
to fill some of those voids of a David Benda.

Speaker 7 (28:05):
Yeah, I think the linebacker crew may be one of
the strongest positions on the team. I think he can
look at almost everybody who's on scholarship, maybe except for
one player, and feel pretty good if they had to
play in a.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
Game, no matter who the opponent was.

Speaker 7 (28:21):
Anthony Hill obviously is who he is all American, but
Leon Mila Foule made a lot of.

Speaker 3 (28:26):
Progress last year.

Speaker 7 (28:27):
Brad Spence is someone that earned some good reviews over
the course of spring. After that, you've got Tyan Anthony
Smith who's done great. I know, Mark, You've seen his
exploits up close and personal. He's been a player that
you know, as long as he put on a little
bit of college weight, like everybody seems to do, he
would look great. And he even had some bright flashes

(28:48):
last year. But then even look at some of the freshmen.
You can see Bo Barnes from Dallas Skyline. He's someone
that earned a fifth star from on three and I
think while there were some other recruits that are highly ranked,
Bo Barnes jumped in the fold, wanted to go to
Texas and then he ended up being just as highly rated.
If not higher ranked than some of those guys. So

(29:09):
I think the linebacker room is in great shape this year.
Now when some of these guys move on, because Anthony
Hill is probably gonna move on, I don't know. I
think he's the only true senior among this crew. But
then you know, you got to start getting ready for
the next generation. I think some recruiting needs to be
done in this class to help keep that pipeline going.
But I'd say the linebacker rooms as good as any

(29:31):
in the country, not just because of Anthony Hill, but
just because of the guys they have around him this year.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
So everybody's talking about Bow. What is Bow's like? Number
one intangible? He's big and fast.

Speaker 7 (29:46):
I think he was running sub eleven or sub eleven
to one hundreds even after even at like two hundred
and twenty five.

Speaker 3 (29:54):
Thirty pounds in high school.

Speaker 7 (29:56):
So he's he's thick, I mean, and he charges pretty
quick he comes downhill. He's not going to be someone
that takes you know, two or three years to get
up to two hundred and twenty pounds, and then you
know you have to worry about how he holds up
on some physical battles. He's already a big He's already
a big kid. You know he's gonna be playing against

(30:17):
some men and he can bring some pop I bet
we see him a good amount on special teams running
downhill and on punt and he should be able to
Hopefully we'll see him levy some hits this upcoming season.

Speaker 1 (30:29):
There he is Joe Cook of Inside Texas. You make
sure you follow him at Joseph Cook eighty nine. As always,
Thanks Joe.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
Thank you, guys, appreciate it. There he is Joe Cook
of Inside Texas.

Speaker 1 (30:42):
When we come back, Gregg Popovich has a new job
and we'll talk about it. He seems pretty happy right
here on the morning kickoff on sports Radio AM thirteen
hundred the Zone, Greg stuff bar got Joe Cook of
the Inside Texas. Makes sure you follow him at Joseph
Cook eighty nine. Also, now's the time for you to

(31:05):
get a pair of tickets, the possibility of winning a
pair of tickets to see Jason Aldean. That's right, Jason
Aldean August the sixteenth at the Moody Center.

Speaker 3 (31:16):
All you have to do is leave the word.

Speaker 1 (31:18):
Big big by tapping that red microphone and leaving it
on the AM thirteen hundred the Zone page and the
word of the day is big to win a pair
of tickets to see Jason Aldean August the sixteenth at
the Moody Center.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
All right, let's get into Greg Popovich.

Speaker 1 (31:40):
It was announced on Friday that Greg Popovich was stepping
down as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
We talked a little bit about that yesterday, but now
Pop got a chance to meet with the media for.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
The first time.

Speaker 1 (31:57):
He was accompanied by m Tim Duncan managing nobly did.
John te Cook came back to see the press conference
as well, and Pop made the announcement that he was
going to step down and that Mitch Johnson would be
the new full time head coach.

Speaker 8 (32:20):
I want to make sure understand what the new job is,
which is in the jeliague for a few years behind
the bench, a few years on the bench, a few years,
and he took over this year and did a fantastic job,

(32:44):
very with circumstances that were very difficult, and we saw
him in action and he was brilliant. Players respect him
to hold him accountable, and I couldn't be more thrilled
for him and his family and friends. It's just a

(33:04):
tribute to him. All the players who were in tom
were able to come, and especially a special guest, Janey Murray,
who Mitch has known since he was nine years old,
since Dejente was nine years old. He came all this
way just to be here for this day, and Minch

(33:25):
and I both appreciate it very much.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
And you know, the more you start to think about
this and the separation of Pop in that particular role,
if you've got a chance to watch the video of Pop,
you can see that his left side is still not
able to move as freely, obviously going through that stroke.

(33:49):
But he does have a new job himself, and his
title is very very special to him.

Speaker 8 (33:57):
I want to make you really understands what the new
job is.

Speaker 3 (34:04):
I'm no longer coach. I'm no longer coach, I'm el Hafe.

Speaker 1 (34:11):
So he is now the president and still will be
working in some capacity. But watching him yesterday, you can
see the fight that he has the ability to even
get there and walk on his own is something that
I'm sure that a lot of Spurs fans were happy

(34:31):
to see.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
Not only were they happy to see, but it also
lets everybody know how impaired he is and.

Speaker 3 (34:43):
The head coach deserves that. The head coach deserves the for.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
Everybody to know one coach Papavich coach signs for me.

Speaker 3 (34:54):
That's the first thing. And the second thing is you
visibly can see that coach up cannot run the team. Yep.

Speaker 2 (35:04):
So now that gives you more credence to say, Okay, yeah,
somebody does need to come in.

Speaker 3 (35:10):
We're not running coach Pop out.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
Because that's a lot of people were like, no, you
gotta give coach Pop the chance to you know, get back.
They're telling you he can't yep, And coach Pop is
co signing for this situation.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
Yeah, it's a It was an eye opening experience. And again,
Greg Popovich twenty nine years on that sideline, consecutive win,
I mean just just a class act. And as we
talked about before, so many people have looked at Pop
and understood that he is more than just a coach.

Speaker 3 (35:51):
He is a a leader of men. He's a military guy.

Speaker 1 (35:55):
He understands what it's like to be put in some
unique situations and being able to lead all these other
people and make a positive impact.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
And it's a team sport. He's gonna put the team
before the player. I mean, you got Tim Duncan on
your team, you got David Robinson on your team. He
did not feature them to be dominant entities on their own,
but they played in a system and of course they
were great. They always rose to the occasion, except for

(36:29):
that time when Elajah one and David Robinson. But we're
not gonna talk about that. The team sport mentality, that's
what San Antonio wants to continue on.

Speaker 3 (36:41):
And they have one of their own as a representative
to be the coach.

Speaker 2 (36:47):
And he did a hell of a job this year.
And if Wimby didn't go down, I picked for forty
wins would have been I think attainable. Yeah, it's just
you know, you look at it, where the future is
going to hold for this team and the possibilities of

(37:07):
certain draft picks and a draft pool, and what's next
for this team is it's a big year.

Speaker 3 (37:15):
It is going to be a huge year for what
Now that you know that this is your squad.

Speaker 1 (37:22):
Right now, they say that they have him them taking
a Carter Bryant, a six to eight wing from Arizona.
He's the guy that they are looking at to be
the next person. They already brought in dearon Fox to
be the leader of that team. Harrison Barnes is going

(37:42):
to be thirty three next month. You look at Devin
Vasel and Tilden Johnson. They got some guys that can
really play to the campoint talking about your point of
possibly getting the forty wins, fifty wins.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
Now you start looking at.

Speaker 2 (37:57):
This team and I think the biggest thing for this
team is to get.

Speaker 3 (38:01):
Into the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (38:02):
Do what you can to get into the playoffs, and
then we'll see, yeh, see what you can do after that.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
So we'll see.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
But big news coming out of San Antonio, the changing of.

Speaker 3 (38:14):
The guard, the end of an era.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
And now we move on to the next moment coming
up next in our number two, the Denver Nuggets, another
come from behind win and as I said, the NBA
has been fantastic. We'll talk about it next our number
two on a Texas Tuesday edition of The Morning Kickoff

(38:37):
right here on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
Welcome back to our number two of the Morning Kickoff
right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
Mike Harballhard's the world strongest man in w W Hall
of Famer The Mark Henry and our guy Marcus behind
the boards, our number one. We talked about Justin Tucker,

(38:58):
probably the greatest kicker in NFL history, being released by
the Baltimore Ravens, all due to, you know, football decisions
that had to be made with an ongoing investigation. The
Knicks come from twenty down to defeat the Boston Celtics
one oh eight to one oh five in overtime where.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
The Celtics missed forty five three pointers forty five And.

Speaker 1 (39:28):
Of course we talked to Joe Cook about the new
quarterback in the QB room at the University of Texas,
and we also talked about coach Pop and his new
job as l he FE. But right now I want
to get into the conversation about the Denver Nuggets beating
OKC at the Buzzer and it was a special special

(39:50):
day for one Aaron Gordon.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
Second one for home Brown.

Speaker 5 (40:03):
It runs out, Crown grubs it seven seconds, lock Westbrook
five seconds.

Speaker 3 (40:08):
They're talking about what Gordon got it?

Speaker 5 (40:12):
Aaron Jordan with a dick shot, Williams rick hook, No, God,
the Nuggets steal game one.

Speaker 3 (40:22):
That's a winner for Aaron Gordon one twenty one till
one nineteen.

Speaker 1 (40:28):
What a special special game, a special special shot as
Aaron Gordon does it again. Let's not forget about Aaron Gordon.
On April the twenty six, he made the game winning
dunk as time expired. They had to go back and
watch the video of him making that dunk. And then
he makes a shot the game winning three with two

(40:52):
point eight seconds left last night, And let me just say,
you start to look at this team. Is this a
team of destiny? I know it's one game. I'm not
going to get hyperbolic about it, but listen, the Denver
Nuggets fired their head coach three games left in the
regular season. They fired their head coach who took them

(41:16):
to a championship. And if you look last night, it
looks like the Joker has now become the head coach.

Speaker 3 (41:22):
He is Pete Rohols player manager on that bench.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
And now you're starting to see a guy in the
Joker who played forty two minutes last night, have forty
two points, twenty two rebounds, and this team is maybe
a team of destiny.

Speaker 3 (41:44):
Let's hear from the Joker in his postgame All.

Speaker 5 (41:48):
Right, Nicole, you guys stuck around all game long, walk
me through that final possession and what you saw and
that makes I mean, I think.

Speaker 9 (41:55):
Our goalie in the deepens and Justin leuchak at the
ball and theye g did a out on that time too,
and we got the rebound a little bit questionable because
the ball bounds the flow and nobody wanted to grab it.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Uh. And Ross, we have a bassat for Ross.

Speaker 9 (42:12):
Ross attack the paint kick out for eight year and
he made you shooting amazing for three this year and
you know.

Speaker 3 (42:18):
That a big one. What is it about this team
that even allows you.

Speaker 2 (42:21):
Guys to be in a position to win this game?

Speaker 9 (42:23):
I told, I told you think last we find away.
You know it's never perfect, we never we make mistakes Vietnam,
we make stupid mistakes, but we we we find away.

Speaker 3 (42:33):
And that's what uh like I said.

Speaker 9 (42:36):
The scription of this team is to find a way.

Speaker 7 (42:38):
A massive game for you, a forty twenty playoff game.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
What is it about your fight that you want to
use to inspire this team?

Speaker 9 (42:46):
I think, I think, I mean like I was a
little bit uh not aggressive the right way, and then
I figured out I miss a bunch of shots, of course,
but the team wants me to be aggressive and I'm
trying to I'm.

Speaker 3 (42:56):
Trying just trying to have the thing to win the game,
the winner, big time win for the diverdum. Do you
know what he said? What you said?

Speaker 8 (43:06):
We?

Speaker 2 (43:07):
Oh yeah, we made mistakes, We made dumb mistakes, but
we play hard and we keep playing for each other.
That I just said that about coach Popovich's mentality that
the team first, and it's a we, not an I.

Speaker 3 (43:24):
He never said I.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
He put he put reverence on people's name when he
said that who had the ball?

Speaker 3 (43:35):
He said Russ had the ball. He did say he.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
He said he got the he attacked the paint, kicked
it out and Aaron made a great shot. Yep, he like,
I love that.

Speaker 8 (43:50):
You know.

Speaker 2 (43:51):
My wife always telling me you you gotta identify like
sometimes you say he and she too much. And I
stand what that is, especially after the way that he
was phrasing it. He was basically saying, Mike is running point,
Marcus is doing that. You cannot have a really good

(44:16):
team if everybody's not sharing the load, right, and he is,
as much as he was the star wart of that
defensive effort and the offense, obviously scoring forty two points, everybody.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
Else he put emphasis on him and I think that's great.

Speaker 8 (44:37):
Man.

Speaker 1 (44:37):
Well, you start to look at this team and what
exactly has gone on, And the scuttle was about Russ.
Oh wi is Russ playing so much? Well, Russ is
a difference maker. You've been to talk about Well, you
talk about energy. He has energy all the time. There's
no off button for him. But the beautiful thing about

(44:59):
what Russ is starting to see is for him to
be able to move and maneuver during this time.

Speaker 3 (45:06):
He has guys that he can lean on.

Speaker 1 (45:08):
He has an Aaron Gordon who has been big in
the biggest moments of these games.

Speaker 3 (45:14):
In this run that they're on. You look at what
you get from Nicolo Jokis. He's the MVP. We know
what that is.

Speaker 1 (45:21):
Jamal Murray with twenty one last night, but he had
six assists.

Speaker 3 (45:27):
So this team moves the ball around.

Speaker 1 (45:30):
And with Russ, he can go out there and I'm
not gonna say freelance, but he can kind of freelance.
He can be a guy that can go in there
and get the rebounds thirty double double machine that he
used to be, and he understands his role.

Speaker 3 (45:45):
He finished with eighteen points last night. Yeah, and you
talked about Murray.

Speaker 2 (45:50):
Murray's been really hurt the last two years and hadn't
been able to really step up since they actually.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
Lost to the Lakers in the bubble.

Speaker 2 (46:04):
Like that's how long ago he's since he's been healthy,
and now he is attagging the paint and dunk posterizing
people again, hitting the big three, getting the ball to
Joker in situations that are easy for him to score. Right,
Joker had about twenty five of those points were gimmes,

(46:29):
they were bunnies, and it was because of what Russ
and what Murray are doing to help him.

Speaker 1 (46:37):
Yeah, it's like I said, these particular matchups have been
really really exciting for me. I love watching these games
because of the excitement of it. And now we're getting
true playoff basketball. There wasn't a lot of dumb fouls.
It was just basketball.

Speaker 3 (46:58):
You go and you get a.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
Chance to play physical. The free throws pretty much, even
thirty three free throw attempts for Denver, twenty eight for OKC.
You look at what OKC is now, and this is
the best team in basketball. Let's not get it twisted.
I'm not putting them putting dirt on them at all.
This team is solid through and through chat Holmgren. Gotta

(47:22):
make those free throws. You make the free throws games
over you win those ball games. You start to look
at what Shae Gil Chris Alexander was able to do
again another thirty three point game, ten rebounds, almost had
a triple double himself. But the big news for them
was Alex Caruso came to play for them last night.

(47:43):
Caruso played an unbelievable game, not only on the offensive
end where he finished with twenty points, but he also
played HELLI five defense when he was on the big
when they needed a stop, Caruso was the one who
was making this So they got what they needed out
of them. But like I said, I'm not pouring dirt

(48:04):
on this team at all. This is the best team
in basketball before. Cruso is an all defensive guy, Oh
for sure. I mean he's been First team second team
multiple times. Like he is a unbelievable defensive player. I
was so mad when the Lakers let him go, like
he I was like, man, you got to keep certain people.
He's a colches center, you know, so like that. That's

(48:27):
another option.

Speaker 3 (48:30):
For being able to.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Talk about him, is the fact that you know, he's
one of those guys that you wanted your franchise, no
doubt about it.

Speaker 1 (48:38):
So you start to think about the Lakers, and you
talked about it. You didn't want them trade.

Speaker 3 (48:44):
That is the first time I ever heard you say
you didn't want somebody. That's the first time.

Speaker 2 (48:50):
It ain't gonna be the last time, because there's a
couple other people that I was mad that left Lakerland.
But man, that's he was one of my favorite players. Yeah,
kid from college station.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
His dad used to be the athletic director assistant athletic
director at Texas A and M, and he went on
to play at Texas A and M as well. But yeah,
this was another one of those great, great series openers
that I expect to see a game seven all the
way through and through this exciting time. I have not

(49:25):
been this excited to watch these basketball games as much
as I am right now. Like I look forward to
these basketball games because you have the star power, but
you also have the clutch gene. The Knicks and the
Celtics great opener last night, the Nuggets and OKC great

(49:47):
closer for last night. Let's see what tonight brings us
as we get closer and closer to finding.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
Out who's going to be crowned NBA.

Speaker 1 (49:56):
Champion for the twenty twenty four to twenty five season.
Coming up next, we're gonna talk a team that hasn't
been crowned in a long time, the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 3 (50:06):
Yes, Mark, we're.

Speaker 1 (50:06):
Gonna talk about the Cowboys, but I'm not gonna bring
up the crypt keeper when we come back right here
on the morning kickoff on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred
The Zone. Welcome back to the morning kickoff right here
on sports Radio AM thirteen one hundred The Zone. The
Dallas Cowboys have made some moves throughout the offseason that

(50:29):
some find a little bit interesting.

Speaker 3 (50:31):
They've also signed a bunch of.

Speaker 1 (50:33):
Their free agents, two contracts that are being talked about
as well.

Speaker 3 (50:40):
Also next season.

Speaker 1 (50:42):
Next year, the NFL Draft will be held in Washington, DC,
and they're expecting over a million people to show up
for the NFL Draft.

Speaker 3 (50:55):
There was over seven.

Speaker 1 (50:56):
Hundred that showed up in Green Bays, so it is
going to be an interesting move with the NFL Draft.
I love the fact that they're moving it to different
places as well. Sometimes you get a chance to go
to a place you probably would never go if you're
big into the NFL draft. So those are some of
the things that are happening around the NFL.

Speaker 3 (51:18):
But as far as the Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (51:21):
And their off season, we have tried and tried and
tried to figure out what is going to excite us,
what is going to make us more.

Speaker 3 (51:33):
Enthralled to watch the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (51:36):
I know that you pretty much said that you're done
with them, You're no longer hanging out with the Cowboys
for a while.

Speaker 3 (51:42):
I know Cam is pretty much done with them, He's
already said that.

Speaker 1 (51:48):
But during this offseason, my question is there's some big
name guys that are still out there, and.

Speaker 3 (51:54):
Would they move the needle for you at this time?

Speaker 1 (52:00):
Why receivers We've talked about, right, you wanted to try
to make an impact on the wide receiver. You didn't
really go out and get one in the NFL Draft.
So those are one of the questions that are out there.
So let me ask you this, as of May the fifth,
no particular order, why receiver wise, would you.

Speaker 3 (52:26):
Look at Keenan Allen.

Speaker 8 (52:29):
No.

Speaker 1 (52:31):
Would you look at Tyler Boy No. Would you look
at Brandon Powell?

Speaker 4 (52:42):
No?

Speaker 1 (52:45):
Would you look at Anthony Schwartz. No, is that because
you don't know who. I never heard of him.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
There's that part, right, there's that part who No, like they.

Speaker 2 (53:00):
Had there was a chance to get Renfro, didn't get him.
There was a chance a chance to draft hunder Renfro
and didn't draft me. I don't we don't want to
go back there.

Speaker 3 (53:08):
Yeah, I'm already mad. All right.

Speaker 2 (53:10):
You know there was a there's still a chance that
they can get Amari Cooper Dame ding Ding. That was
I was saving that one for you. I was saving
Amari Cooper for you and more more is the other
one that's still out there. Those are the only two.

Speaker 3 (53:26):
I won't. I don't want nobody else otherwise there ain't
no we wait what's more? What's more?

Speaker 8 (53:32):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (53:35):
Who do you used to play for Chicago? Elijah Moore? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (53:41):
Interesting, I like possession that somebody's got a compliment CD.

Speaker 3 (53:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (53:47):
So here's what the Cowboys have in TOWD right now.
Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo, who they for some reason was
the second coming. Yeah, they love him, and Ceedee Lamb.

Speaker 1 (54:01):
But you also have Jalen Brooks, Cavante Turpin, Seth Williams,
Paris Campbell, tray Shawn Holden, who is a new college
free agent, and Joshua Kelly who is a free agent
wide receiver as well.

Speaker 3 (54:20):
None of those names really move.

Speaker 2 (54:23):
You at all, Right, No, I mean, I'm just like guys,
just because you have numbers, don't you don't can't add
them up and make them work, like you need somebody
that actually every.

Speaker 3 (54:38):
Play you got to account for.

Speaker 2 (54:39):
What about Jamison Crowder, he dropped balls like you get
he's not reliable. I'm talking about man Amari Cooper when
the ball hit his hands and he catches it.

Speaker 3 (54:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:54):
Well, the Cowboys are are are a team of not
destiny anymore, just a team of can we please get
into the playoffs and go to the championship round. But
here's Will Cologne talking about the Dallas Cowboys and the
lackluster of the offseason.

Speaker 6 (55:14):
Yeah, this team is only going to go as far
as Dak Prescott takes him. I know Jerry Jones has
historically said that.

Speaker 3 (55:19):
But at the end of the day, they need a
run game.

Speaker 6 (55:21):
And that's what's so important about having shot Himan. If
you remember Brian Schottenheim when he's with the Jets, man
the Jets had a good offense line, a good run game,
and a defense to back them up.

Speaker 3 (55:30):
I think that's what he's trying to install.

Speaker 6 (55:32):
Overall, Man Dak is getting older right Ceedee Lamb is
doing all he can in his body to be the
best receiver he can. For the Cowboys. What has to
happen is we need more production out of tight end position.
We need a running back that can promote and kind
of sell this offense. You talk about all the good
teams in the league who have a running back, like
the Green Bay Packers, like the Philadelphia Eagles, like you

(55:53):
can even go to Detroit and what they're two headed
dogs they have back there.

Speaker 3 (55:57):
What you need for the Dallas Cowboys is they need
to not get it and nobody knows what that is.

Speaker 6 (56:03):
And so if you're a Jerry Jones and company, you
have to get more dogs in the building that can
really get this offense going in a positive way. Because
when I look at this team right now and I'm
and I'm with Kyle, you don't feel anything because they
haven't given you anything to feel.

Speaker 2 (56:16):
They haven't given you anything to feel. Where where is
the power runner back that's gonna.

Speaker 3 (56:23):
Javonte Williams that's your guy. Now your guy? Why you
keep on?

Speaker 2 (56:30):
Told you I'm on man until they do something that
makes me go okay, I guess I'll stay right.

Speaker 3 (56:38):
I'm out the dough. I'm a free agent. Okay.

Speaker 1 (56:43):
So if you and I don't even like nobody, That's
what I was just about to say. I was about
to ask you that I was gonna honestly ask you
if you were to lay everybody, if you were to
leave the Cowboy Nation and you had to pick a squad.
You already said you're you mad at Mike Tomlin, So

(57:04):
he's not your guys anymore?

Speaker 2 (57:07):
Would you Who would you be a fan of if
you had? Folks, We're gonna put this on the poll
for you. We gotta help Mark. Henry Mark is mad
at his teams.

Speaker 1 (57:19):
I said teams, because yes, because he's mad at the Lakers.

Speaker 3 (57:25):
Are you still? The Yankees are doing okay? So you okay?

Speaker 1 (57:30):
But what about the Dallas cowboy Who should you become
a fan of?

Speaker 2 (57:38):
I hate everybody. I don't want to be a fan
of nobody but the Cowboys. But they I'm I'm a
man with no country. This is boom Man, like I
don't understand, like Jerry Jones, Like, help me. I don't
want to be a fan of nobody else.

Speaker 3 (57:56):
That's fair. I appreciate that.

Speaker 2 (57:58):
Be be loyal to the end, bro, I'm trying to
I'm sitting here thinking, I don't like nobody. No West
Coast teams, no East Coast teams, everything else in the
middle make me nauseous.

Speaker 1 (58:12):
Yeah, that's a that's a great way of looking. I'm
trying to stay and you go to the South.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (58:18):
I can tolerate the Texas. I could tolerate New Orleans.
But who wants somebody to tolerate them?

Speaker 3 (58:25):
You want to be all in.

Speaker 2 (58:27):
I'm not all in. You're not all in on any
team nobody, Wow, not one team I like. I like
what Detroit does, but they Detroit want to be no
Detroit fans.

Speaker 3 (58:43):
Hey, at least you know you'll be in the playoffs.
You don't even care them. I want to love, man,
I want passion. You're laughing at me, But this is horrible.
It's horrible to feel like this, Like I'll take it
serious that wait, wait, go back for a second. You

(59:04):
said you just want to lost.

Speaker 2 (59:07):
I don't even want to talk to you no more
like I wish we could just go to commercial and
we wasn't on a time.

Speaker 3 (59:14):
Man, Man, I just got me over there hot.

Speaker 2 (59:19):
I've got you passionate, I got you passion. That's the
passion that this team needs. Jarry Jones, don't understand that
I ain't the only one. I'm tired of looking at
the internet and seeing people talk about how oh man,
I spent fifteen hundred dollars to take my family to
Dallas and they were up by ten and then they lost,

(59:40):
and everybody was sad in the car, nobody talking like
that's what that's my existence right now. Spend a lot
of money and then don't get nothing for it, go
home empty that everybody in the car quiet. My wife
and kids don't want to talk to me because they

(01:00:00):
know I'm gonna be mad.

Speaker 3 (01:00:03):
Hell, I'm not gonna take this anymore.

Speaker 2 (01:00:06):
That's how That's how my man, Mark Henry feels.

Speaker 3 (01:00:10):
I'm with you.

Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
So let me understand. We cannot leave the Cowboys. We
do not want to leave the Cowboys. But right now
you just want to love again, and we need to.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
Make We need to start playing some R and b
us for you coming up next. You don't want to
miss it, he told you earlier. You don't want to
miss his world's Strongest tank. Why do I got tears
in my eyes? Right here on the morning canick off
my sports Radio thirteen hundred.

Speaker 3 (01:00:45):
That's all the beat is here. It means one thing.

Speaker 1 (01:00:52):
W WE Hall of Famer and the World's Strongest Man
d Mark Henry brings you.

Speaker 3 (01:00:58):
His world's strongest take, taking away big fellow cards.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
You know what TI in time for the world's strongest
take by the world's strongest man, Marcus.

Speaker 3 (01:01:14):
Back then they didn't know me. Now I'm hot, they're
all on me. Last night was not only the best
night of the entire year.

Speaker 2 (01:01:32):
For basketball in the NBA, but there was something strange
that happened. Nobody complained about the referees. The referees were
invisible for a change. They didn't dictate the game because

(01:01:54):
they made calls. Balls got poked and went out of bounds.
They called it a turnover. It didn't go to the
other team. Charles Barkley complained at one point, Oh, that
should have been a jump ball. And you you are

(01:02:15):
allowed to call a time out if you have the
ball sitting and you fold the ball and you look
at the reff do you do. You don't have to
say it in words. All you gotta do is make
the motion. Come on, Charles, your your Hall of Famer.
Let's let's get the rules right. But my take is

(01:02:39):
that there are a lot of people that don't watch
the NBA because of the officiating, because of the carrying,
because of the travel the traveling, because of the uh,
miscellaneous files that they don't call chet Holgren bump, bump bump.

Speaker 3 (01:03:01):
They called it.

Speaker 8 (01:03:03):
It was. It was.

Speaker 3 (01:03:04):
It was a very unique night to see.

Speaker 2 (01:03:07):
The both highlight games get officiated correctly. We've been fussing
and fighting all this year hard about how the officiating
has watered the game down and it makes it not
exciting to watch.

Speaker 3 (01:03:25):
Didn't happened last night, Nope, not one.

Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
Referee incident, and and and and and please let's keep
it going through the rest of his playoffs. Good officiating.
It's a novel concept. But my take is that last
night reminded me of March Madness. It reminded me of

(01:03:48):
March Madness because the game was bigger.

Speaker 3 (01:03:52):
Than the players for a change.

Speaker 2 (01:03:55):
And then we're a couple of players that stepped up
and stood out. Joker stepped up and stood out. Jalen
stepped up and stood out. But for the most part,
it was the collective. It was the actual basketball that
was played. It was the calls were the correct calls,

(01:04:20):
and actually there weren't that many of them.

Speaker 3 (01:04:22):
They were just timely calls being made or to.

Speaker 2 (01:04:27):
Rent well, if you started getting too rough, they started
calling more fouls. I was blown away at the night.
I stayed up very late because I had to watch
the post game.

Speaker 3 (01:04:43):
I normally just go to sleep, but I was.

Speaker 2 (01:04:47):
I felt compelled to stay up and hear the analysts
interview the players.

Speaker 3 (01:04:56):
And that's where I got my take from, because.

Speaker 2 (01:05:00):
There were several people said, man, this felt like college,
this felt.

Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
Like march madness, and what are we gonna have to
do hard to keep this going? What say you?

Speaker 2 (01:05:12):
Well, I just hope that they continue to play it
by this type of level.

Speaker 3 (01:05:20):
Last night was outstanding.

Speaker 2 (01:05:23):
I tell you, I was not more excited to watch
the games than I were yesterday.

Speaker 1 (01:05:31):
I looked forward to these games. I made sure I
was in a great place to watch these games because
of the high level intensity in which these teams were
going to be playing.

Speaker 3 (01:05:47):
I look, I know that we're not gonna get this.
Every single day. I get that.

Speaker 1 (01:05:54):
But the thing that really excites me about it, to
your point, the officials didn't make themselves.

Speaker 3 (01:06:02):
Part of it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
Right, There's great players in the NBA, a lot of talent,
and just officiate the rules.

Speaker 3 (01:06:10):
Officiate the rules. If they are fouling too much, call
the foul. I said it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
At one point during the Knicks game, They're trying to
play defense so far out and so hard on the
edges that sometimes you should call that because they're impeding
the progress on which the player is trying to go.

Speaker 3 (01:06:34):
Those are the fouls that I would prefer you.

Speaker 1 (01:06:36):
Call, not the tiki taki ones, not the ones that
have no bearing and are so far away from the
play I'm excited about these playoffs because the talent that
is there, There is a ton of talent on each
of these teams moving forward that we have to be

(01:06:57):
able to watch.

Speaker 3 (01:06:58):
Look at let's go to the next game.

Speaker 2 (01:07:02):
Everybody thought it was over, and the heart of the
Knicks coming back and making that game what it was
and then going back and forth remind you of the
of the early nineties. Yea, the Knicks would score Patrick Ewing,

(01:07:25):
they'd go right back down.

Speaker 3 (01:07:26):
Jordan would score, They would come back down.

Speaker 2 (01:07:30):
Charles Oakley get a rebound, kick it out to John Starks,
hit the three. They go right back. Steve kurtinells a three.
It was like back and forth basketball, and with each
shot leading up until one minute left in the game,
you just knew somebody was gonna miss and it was

(01:07:54):
just gonna be over. Everybody kept hitting right and they
just ran out of time. It's like, that's the unbelievable
thing about it. And when when you get to what
Joker did and you see the effect that he had
on that team and him going to the sideline, the

(01:08:14):
coach stood to the side.

Speaker 3 (01:08:17):
And he was telling people, listen, this is what we
need to do. Keep doing that. Listen, man, you gotta
step up. We got a break.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
I could not he spoke better English on the bench
as a coach than he did an interview in the
post game. Yeah yeah, I'm like, wait, wait a minute,
he was just speaking perfect English. Yup, he speaks basketball.
It was unbelievable night.

Speaker 1 (01:08:41):
Yeah, great basketball. Excited about it. Can't wait to see
what tonight brings. Speaking up tonight will preview that and
the number one team in the land gets back on
the field and we'll talk about that as well right
here on the Morning.

Speaker 3 (01:08:57):
Kickoff on Sports Radio AM thirteen The Zone.

Speaker 6 (01:09:02):
One.

Speaker 3 (01:09:02):
Another great show that we have right here on the
Morning Kickoff.

Speaker 1 (01:09:06):
And if you missed any part of the show, all
you got to do is get over to our podcast page,
download the iHeartRadio app, get over to the Morning Kickoff
and you will be updated on all things about the
Morning Kickoff. We also want to give a shout out
to Covert, Forward and Chevy in Huddle cover Ford, Chevy

(01:09:29):
and Huddle my Home Away from Home and Mark you
have a relationship with the Coverts as well in BKA
and uh just always always doing great things for the community.

Speaker 3 (01:09:41):
They've been around since nineteen oh nine.

Speaker 1 (01:09:43):
And what better way then to get graduation started because
it's right around the corner then picking up a.

Speaker 3 (01:09:49):
Car from Covert or Trump from Covert as well.

Speaker 1 (01:09:53):
And if you want us to be a part of
something that you want to share with the people, all
you got to do is hit us up. You can
d at Harball Hards on social media at the Mark
Henry and we can get something going because we would
love to represent you and your company as well. Tonight,
Texas Baseball, which remains the number one team in the land.

(01:10:16):
We'll be taking on Lamar. Lamar comes in one of
the better teams in their conference. First pitch will be
at six thirty at UFCU Dish Fault Field. This is
the last time regular season. This will be the last
week that you get a chance to watch your Texas
Longhorns at home, as the Horns will take on Lamar,

(01:10:38):
and then Friday, Saturday Sunday, the Florida Gators come in
town before they go on the road to end the
regular season at Oklahoma.

Speaker 3 (01:10:47):
Be up in Norman, Oklahoma.

Speaker 1 (01:10:49):
Tonight's game will be on SEC Network Plus first pitch
at six thirty, but you can listen to it on
one three to one FM arding at six point fifteen
with Craig Way and I think it's gonna be Keith
Morland if I'm not mistaken, but that.

Speaker 3 (01:11:08):
Team is on fire.

Speaker 1 (01:11:09):
Also, the SEC Softball Tournament starts today, but Texas does
not play until Thursday, So we'll give you more and
give you results of the SEC Softball Tournament as they
get that kicked off today. I'll be watching some of
those games this afternoon as well to see who Texas

(01:11:29):
is going to play.

Speaker 3 (01:11:31):
But tonight, I've been talking to NBA. Love NBA.

Speaker 1 (01:11:34):
Shout out to the Knicks with their one oh eight
to one oh five overtime victory over the Boston Celtics,
and shout out to the Denver Nuggets.

Speaker 3 (01:11:43):
Both road teams get a victory.

Speaker 1 (01:11:46):
Yesterday as they get ready to play again one one nineteen.
But tonight, Indiana takes on the Cleveland Cavaliers. They tip
off at six o'clock. Cleveland is an eight and a
half point favorite after Indianapolis came Indiana came in and
got the road victory as well, that's your guy, Haliburton.

Speaker 2 (01:12:10):
Yeah, I got I got a that that's that line
is too long, that's too much because with Mobley is
supposed to be mobiley injured and also yeah man Garland
and Garland may not be one hundred if he plays

(01:12:32):
at all. So like this is this is this is
a bad time for Cleveland to have the injury bug.
Well this that game is gonna be big. But the
game that I cannot wait for is Golden State in Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (01:12:46):
I know it's just one game, it's a series, Mark,
it's a series.

Speaker 1 (01:12:50):
Yeah, but that game with Anthony Edwards going up against
Draymond Steph, Jimmy Butler, and and Rudy Gobert. They already
don't like each other, both of those teams. And two
years ago, two years ago, Anthony Edwards stated that he
wanted to play Golden State in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:13:13):
He said, I want to go up.

Speaker 1 (01:13:14):
Against them, and you know why because Golden State was
the standard for a long time. Golden State was the
team that throughout the years have been able to make
things happen with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green all
being part of it. This series is going to be
a blood bath. You talked about it about the officiating

(01:13:37):
staying out of the way. I need the officials to
get in the way of this one because this one
is going to be physical because you already know Jimmy
Butler wants to come in and oppose his will. Let's
not forget Jimmy was calling out that entire team at
one point when he was there.

Speaker 3 (01:13:54):
Now he's on another.

Speaker 1 (01:13:55):
Team with Golden State to try to win a championship.
You look at Minnesota and the nas Reed shooting from
the outside, McDaniel being able to lock up on defense.

Speaker 3 (01:14:10):
Forty five.

Speaker 2 (01:14:13):
Playble Dog dare you to get within fifteen feet of
the basket.

Speaker 3 (01:14:17):
Yeah, I dare you. He is that guy. And he
finally showed up.

Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
And Shaq said the other day, I can't believe I
gotta say this, but Rudy Gobert, you look good out there.

Speaker 3 (01:14:29):
Those are the types of matchups that I look forward to.
I'm excited.

Speaker 2 (01:14:32):
I'm talking about excited to watch this matchup tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:14:37):
Is Steph gonna be healthy? Is this gonna be the guy?
Is he gonna be the guy that is ready to
go that we expect to see. He came up clutch
in the second half of the other night against the
young buck Houston Rockets.

Speaker 3 (01:14:52):
But this is a different team.

Speaker 1 (01:14:53):
Minnesota has been here, They've been in the battles before,
and Anthony Edwards is a difference maker. Who is going
to be able to guard Anthony Edwards to make it
where he can't get there.

Speaker 3 (01:15:07):
They're putting Jimmy Butler on him. I would think so.
I would think so, because there's no way Draymond's gonna
be able to stay with him. Not fast enough. No, no,
And this is this is the one that everybody's gonna
be looking forward to.

Speaker 1 (01:15:20):
I can't wait for this game tonight and we'll be
talking about it all tomorrow. We'll also recap what we
saw in Texas baseball is they try to get a
new streak going after they had a tough, tough weekend
in Fayetteville, Arkansas. So we will see what happens there.
But the Pacers and the Cavaliers tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:15:42):
Who you got. I'm gonna have to go Pacers, Pacers.
It'll be a two to zero lead on the road.

Speaker 1 (01:15:52):
They will win two games on the road, which they
always say a series doesn't start until you win.

Speaker 3 (01:15:58):
A game on the road.

Speaker 1 (01:15:59):
Well, the pay did that already, and if they get too,
my goodness, that'll be different.

Speaker 3 (01:16:05):
And of course the Warriors and the Timberwolves. Who you got? Warriors?
All right?

Speaker 1 (01:16:12):
Well I'm going Timberwolves and I can't wait because I'm
looking at Anthony Edwards as that dude man we talk
about the face of the NBA.

Speaker 2 (01:16:22):
Now's your chance against playoff? Jimmy, I'm not being against
playoff again for.

Speaker 3 (01:16:29):
Marcus, for my guy Mark Henry.

Speaker 1 (01:16:31):
I want to thank you the people for always listening
and make sure you tell your friends.

Speaker 2 (01:16:36):
We're also on YouTube, Facebook Live, and Twitter live as well,
so for these guys watching, make sure you tune in.

Speaker 3 (01:16:46):
Tomorrow will be better tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (01:16:47):
Don't believe everything you see, because even salt looks like sugar.

Speaker 3 (01:16:50):
Peace,