January 11, 2024 • 39 mins
Chris and Rob discuss whether or not the history of cheating in New England complicates Bill Belichick’s legacy in the same way steroid allegations complicated Barry Bonds’ and tell us which NFL franchise makes the most sense as a potential landing spot for Belichick. Plus, NBA champion and FOX Sports Radio NBA analyst Eddie House swings by to discuss the Boston Celtics’ overall dominance at home, why he’s so high on Anthony Edwards, the likelihood that the Golden State Warriors’ roster gets an overhaul at the trade deadline and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots or their owner
Robert Kraft have decided to part ways. That's how Belichick
worded it.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
He got.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I don't think I think he knew. Yeah, I think
he knew they didn't want him. I think they didn't
want him, and he knew they didn't want him, so
he was ready to step down. No, but I don't
think I think he also had have been ready to
step down. He wants those fifteen wins to pass Don Shuler.
(01:05):
It would take him four years at this rate to
get that, and he might not have four years of
coaching left in him. He's seventy two. The oldest coach
ever seventy three. That was Romeo Crenell was actually interim
at that time. So he might have three years maybe
four left to coach, and I'm sure he wants to
go somewhere and get a Super Bowl and those alongside
(01:25):
those fifteen wins, and that was not happening in New England.
I thought, Rob, the way it was handled was good.
Quickly before I know, you got stuff to say. But
you know you and I have been saying all along,
you cannot.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Fire Bill Belichick.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
You just can't because of his legendary his legendary coaching status.
But at the same time, Rob, it was definitively clear,
I think, unequivocally clear that his time, it was time
to go.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
They're not gonna get any better under him.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It just had gone, had run its course, And so
I think it could have really been an ugly situation
had he just refused to if you're right, and they
just wanted to fire him and he agreed to a
mutual party of the ways, or he didn't agree to that,
(02:31):
you know, and then they would have had to come
out and fire him or not fire him. And even
though they didn't want him, just because they know he's
a legend, maybe they wanted him to get those fifteen
wins in the Patriots uniform. They wouldn't have fired him.
It just could have gotten really ugly. And I actually
thought today went well. I thought it was good. He
said he's a patriot for life. That was all good.
(02:55):
And he's free to go where he wants now, so
he's not limited to teams they might unquote trade him to.
So I just thought they handle what could have become
an ugly situation and a really acrimonious situation.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I thought they handled it well. It won't be a
Jimmy Johnson.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Jerry Jones type thing where they're feuding for twenty eight years,
so when he's ready to go back, I'm sure it'll
be fine. So yeah, I thought they did a good
job with that.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, I just think he was fired. And you go
to him and say, we could do one or two things.
We can make nice and have you walk out of
here and not look bad for you and your reputation,
or you know, we can do which one do you
want to do? And he picked the right one, which
is to go along with it and say I'm a
(03:42):
patriot for life and all the things that people want
to hear, and you move on. You know, twenty four
years in an organization is a long time. There's only
two jobs you get to keep longer, and that's a
Supreme Court justice and pope. So you know he had
no choice. Those are the two jobs that you get
to keep for life. And twenty four years is a
(04:03):
long time for Bill Bill Belichick, So now comes you
know where he'll go from here, his future. There'll be
somebody who'll snap him up. It will Yeah, we'll get more,
we'll get that. I think he'll have his choice, but
we'll get to that. Let me ask you this, what
(04:24):
what are your thoughts on his legacy. I mean, he's
he's obviously he could still build on it, but at
this point.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Yeah, I just think.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
It's strange in American sports how some people don't carry
baggage with them but others do. Because frankly, I look
at Bill Belichick as the Barry Bonds of the NFL.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
I do no coach will.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Ever fined more money a half a million dollars. Uh,
look at the trail of draft picks they lost. He
had situation after situation, Even as Lake chris As a
number of years ago with the Cincinnati filming of the sidelines,
and people say, well, why did they videotape Cincinnati, they
(05:12):
beat them eighth straight time while there was a new
coach when they started to videotape that guy.
Speaker 5 (05:18):
So there's a pattern there. Josh McDaniels.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Under the Bill Belichick tree, what happened, got fired in Denver,
he was found out Chris videotaping team signals as well
and was fired there in Denver. Obviously didn't play well
either after they got off to the great start. And
then Eric Mangini, his own disciple, you can't have a
more damning proclamation from anybody than the guy who was
(05:50):
in your inner circle, Chris and was one of your
disciples and one of the guys from the Bill Belichick
coaching tree, Eric Mangini, who when he became coach of
the g made it very clear that don't do to
me what you do to everybody else, Like don't I mean, like,
if that is not damning, I don't know what else is.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
That's not an outsider.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
That's not somebody who Bill Belichick fired who didn't have
a career going. You know what, he was a head
coach in the same division and didn't want to fall
prey to it. So of course you talk about the
six Super Bowls, but you can't tell the whole story
about Bill Belichick unless it includes the cheating scandals that
(06:34):
were involved. It would be great, Chris if you could
throw flowers at him and he didn't have any of
that stuff to be able to, you know, mar taint
whatever you want to say his career. I still believe
that the Patriots never got the full credit that they
should have winning you know, six super Bowls and what
(06:56):
they were able to accomplish because people always questioned what
whough it was completely on the up and out. And
I think that's a shame because they did do a
you know, they did a lot of winning and people
will always remember that.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, look, I'll give you that. His legacy is a
tad bit tainted. I don't think he's anywhere near Barry Bonds.
I think that's ridiculous that comparison. I mean, taking performance
enhancing drugs is a lot different than a deflated ball
or even a spygate. In my view, I think Bonds
(07:34):
and you look at you know, even like say deflate Gate,
when they found out the balls were deflated, they changed
them and the Patriots still rolled, you know, so they
were still performing. Now, Bonds was a great player, obviously
his whole career, but he wasn't the power.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
Hitter that he became.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I mean he had like forty or more homers like
three times his first eleven or twelve years, only hit
over and any one time in his career he didn't, No,
but he hit forty, hit forty five or more five
straight years a guy who had only hit forty or
more like three times. Like I said, you know, no,
I'm not denying he was great, but he was a
(08:15):
different type player. I mean, he became like the greatest
power hitter of all time, and he had not been
that type of hitter. He was a he was had power,
but not like he became. It became cartoonish in his
seventy three one year So I think that's that's going overboard.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
But I do agree that, like I think he's the goat.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I just think when you look at the you know, comparisons,
I mean, six super Bowls is more than every franchise
except Pittsburgh which has six, So like, no franchise has
more super Bowls than this one man. And I do
(08:57):
agree though that the reason it's even arguable because some
people might say he's not the goat. The reason his
accomplishment is clearly he's the goat with the six rings
and the nine super Bowl appearances. But I think there
are two things, Rob that make it arguable to most people.
(09:20):
And one of them I think you brought up we
can erase the spy gate and the the flake gate.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
I mean, it is a part of his story.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
And then I think secondly is the fact that he
didn't he didn't have He wasn't even a mediocre coach statistically.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Without Tom Brady, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
And I don't hold the reason I say he's still
the goat in terms of that is because you look
at all the other quote unquote challengers.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You know, Andy Reid.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Was did a great job, but didn't start winning super
Bowls at least until Patrick Mahomes. Bill Wash only one,
you know, and started winning when Joe Montana was there,
and Chuck Noll won with Bradshaw, and then in the
eighties when that whole Steve curtain left. You know, he
was very mediocre to pour in the eighties as far
(10:15):
as his record, and then you know Joe Gibbs, Joe
Gibbs won it with three different quarterbacks, Rob, but he
did have you know, several of his seasons where he
did miss the playoffs, not half, but you know, he
had a good number in his career where he missed
the playoffs. So every great coach has had those down years.
(10:36):
So I'm not gonna that's why I still think he's
the Goat. But his record without Brady is is just
not good. I mean, eleven seasons without Brady, only made
the playoffs twice, had a winning percentage of forty five
percent without Brady with seventy eight or seventy seven percent
(10:57):
with Brady, and obviously all the Super Bowl. So I
think those would be the two things that may give
people pause as to all I don't know what it
is the.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Goat because of the the cheating scandals.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
And his record without Brady, but I would, at the
end of the day say, you know what, all things consider,
I think he's the goat.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
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Speaker 6 (11:30):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
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Speaker 7 (11:39):
To and that's why we have a brand new podcast
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in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
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Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, you blobber Lisa and me.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
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for years.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
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(12:19):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
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or wherever you get your podcasts, and speaking.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Of Bellichick, of course we're gonna stick with that theme today.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
That's the hot story to hot topic.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
And Rob, there are seven coaching of vacancies outside of
New England. And let me know if you think any
of these makes sense for Belichick to go to or
for the team to want him. Seattle, Washington, Atlanta, Las
(13:02):
Vegas Raiders, LA Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
There's only one. In my book, Bill Belichick's clock is ticking.
He don't have time to develop, no quarterback and take
time to develop get a team that's down in the dumps.
He's trying to win fifteen.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Games in three years, two years, seven and seven, right,
seven and eight years?
Speaker 4 (13:32):
And don't you think he's going for a super Bowl too?
Speaker 5 (13:35):
No? I think it would be I think it would
be nice.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I'm not saying he wanted, but that's not If he
coaches two more years and they win eight games his
first year and eight the next, he's.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
Good, you know what I'm saying. Like he's good. You
don't have to win again for anybody.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
I mean, he's won. I mean you could if you
want to say he didn't win or whatever. I don't
think you can hold it against him. But if he
does win and he does get the record, you know,
going somewhere else, then you're talking about a different narrative,
a second act, you know what I mean, It'll be
seventy four years old.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I mean it would be to go out like that.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Can you imagine he wins eight games, Chris the next year,
how many he's fifteen to past fifteen? He wins seven
the first year or whatever, and then eight the next year,
they're a wild card, they go to the super Bowl,
they win it, and he's got the record. He's got
this fifteen wins and he won a super Bowl and
seventy four a storybook.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I'm just saying, I agree with you. I don't think any.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Of these make sense for Belichick except and I'm sure
this is the one you were talking about.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
The Chargers.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yeah, that's the only one.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Because of what they have, they've grossly underachieved.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
I don't know if the Panthers have underachieved. They don't
have talent. I don't think some of these other teams
Chris have underachieved. They don't have talent.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
No, no, And like you said, first of all, Belichick
is not does not have the time.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
He's gonna coach what.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Three maybe four more years. He doesn't have the time
to build a new team. And like some people have
thrown out a lot of people in the media, Rob Atlanta, Oh,
they're gonna trade for Justin Field.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
You have him.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
They got talent.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
They do have talent, but we don't know what Justin
Fields is. And I don't think I had a.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Choice between Justin Fields and uh, Justin Herbert. I'm taking
Justin Herbert.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
I'm just that's a no brainer.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
That's and he took a step back last year. We
talked about the picks. He's got stuff that needs to
get fixed too. I'm not saying he's an automatic Super
Bowl winner and he's the greatest thing since light spread.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
I'm not saying that.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Remember, he's led the league. They hadn't He led the
league in fourth quarter interceptions?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
Yeah one point? Yeah, at one point too.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
So well, all right, so so there's that. I agree
with you.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
I don't think any of those outside of the Chargers
makes sense. And I think for the charge Look, if
I'm the Chargers and Harball's my first choice. If I'm
the Chargers, he is, you know, known as the quote
unquote quarterback whisper and Justin Herbert, as great as he is,
Rob or as good as he is, he broke a
(16:21):
little bit last year. He declined a little bit, so
he needs to be fixed a little bit. And I
like Harball in that situation. And Harball just did a
great job at San Francisco, and so I trust him
to get that defense fixed as well. But outside of him,
if they had to settle, if you will, for Belichick's
(16:42):
that's okay. But Rob, I think the real jobs for Belichick,
the ones that I think he be most interested in
and most effective at, are not yet open. And I
think somebody these jobs, Rob, if they weren't open yesterday,
(17:06):
they should be open today because these are teams that
have quarterbacks. These are teams that are in win now
mode and they're on a timeline just like Belichick. And
those teams, Rob are Philadelphia, Dallas and Buffalo. Now, no,
(17:31):
they got coaches, they're in the playoffs, and if they
do well, they won't be open.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Most likely. If they do well, stick with them.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
But if they falter, if Buffalo loses to Pittsburgh, and
we know Buffalo up and down inconsistent, you have no
idea which Bill's team is showing up. If Philadelphia, let's
forget lose in the tam I mean, that's bad enough.
If they just lose the Tampa, Sirianni could be in
trouble if they get pumbled, pumbled by Tampa. If they
(18:09):
get pumbled by Tampa, then they he could really be
in trouble. And then Mike McCarthy, I don't think he
we know what Jerry said the other day, came back
and walked it back. I don't think he's like on
the hot seat, but I think badly if it goes badly,
(18:33):
they could move on. I agree with you. That's why
I think of those three, I think Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Is the best if if, if, if they become open.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I think Buffalo's second best for Belichick, and I think
Dallas would be third best. Because of what you said,
could he coexist with Jerry Jones? Now people talk about
his mentor Bill Parcells did it for a few years,
but it ended badly.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
It ended Bill Bill Bill I had.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
I think Bill was just desperate at that point, and
it was really because it's just that's not remember if
I'm if I'm cooking the meal, I want to buy
the groceries. He knew what he was getting into going
to Dallas. They run it like a mom and pop store.
Everybody's related, Chris, you know what I mean. Like, No,
that ain't the ideal situation. If you're Bill Parker. I
(19:30):
think I do believe that Belichick.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I don't know if he would have accepted this in
New England and he said he, you know, would be
open to it in that press conference, and you liked
his comments.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
I thought they were I didn't fully believe.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I do believe Rob that he could go to another
organization and just be a coach, because you.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Know, it's different. It's one thing.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I've been here twenty four years and been running things
and now you want to take that away from me,
versus Oh, I'm just going here. I'm known as a
great coach. This is what I do best. Yeah, they
want me as a coach, Like I just think that's
easier to accept.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
And I feel you, Like I said, I.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Think Dallas would be the third of those three options because.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Of Jerry Jones.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
But if I'm Dallas, Rob, if they if if McCarthy
loses to Green Bay, which I don't see happening, or
if they.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Lose at home when they've won fifteen or sixteen in
a row, he's in trouble.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
No, he's in trouble.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
And if that's what I'm saying, If that happens, or
if they lose in a second maybe third round because
of clock management issues, right, some craziness at the end
of the game, which we've seen happen with them not
managing the clockwell, then I think they might move on
and Bell.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
If I'm Jerry.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Jones, Rob, and I'm like, man, I got a team
that's ready to win a championship or you know, they're
ready to compete. They're as good as anybody essentially as
far as talent.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I need to win. Now, I'm I'm I'm thinking about
Belichick because I think Belichick, I.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Do think he wants to I know once is not
the right word, because of course everybody wants.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
To, right, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Like, I think he I think he's I think if
he takes a job, Rob, it's only.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
To win a super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I don't I think he wants the record too, but
I think he wants a super Bowl too. I think
it's I think it's I think it's the record, like
like at this point seventy two, like, if you win, fine,
But I just think he's like, I need fifteen more wins.
I gotta get fifty more wins. I don't want to
be that close and then not, you know, not finish
(21:54):
the job. That would feel like unfulfilling, do you know
what I mean? Because if you go back to four
years ago, you would have never imagined that he'd be
in the spot of Churse. If you add the last
four years, right, add two more wins.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Or whatever, he would be he would be right there.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And then the last couple of years have been so
bad is why he's in this hole. So I just
think he wants to be a team that's competitive. If
a team that wins eight or not, Chris, if he's
nine and eight, nine more wins, he's right there, do
you know what I mean? That's not even a great
season nine and eight.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I think, and I could be wrong, but I think
he's heard. He knows the narrative that's out there, that's
Brady's braidy, which I agree.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
With the narrative that Brady's won the divorce, that.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Brady showed that he was the driving force, not the
Belichick wasn't important and didn't do anything but that he
was the driving force by going to Tampa in his
first year, taking a seven and nine.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Team and winning the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
And I think think he knows people are saying, well,
havn't done He ain't done nothing without Brady, wasn't really
good in Cleveland, although I thought he may have gotten
a shafted, but still he only made the playoffs once
in five years. You know, hadn't won since Brady left,
didn't win in the years when Brady was injured, you
(23:20):
know when he played there, didn't win with Drew bledsoe.
So I think that he knows that's out there too,
and that the way to solidify that is to or
shut that up, I should.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Say, is to get a Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
I disagree.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I think it's about if you're the all time winner
and wins and you're that guy, you solidified like I
was the greatest NFL coach, I won the most games,
I have the most Super Bowls, Like you can go
tip for Tad and say Brady did this and he
only has that. And if you want to and be
honest with the way that the team was constructed early
(23:57):
on the defense, Adam Beni, Terry, all those kind of things.
You can he can make an argument that he was
he was important to was definitely important. No, I'm not
saying he wasn't important. I'm just saying, but it's aboup
to me. He's the only thing that's left for him
is to be the winningest coach in NFL history. I
don't think it's.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
The super Bowl. Would be gravy, would be for sprinkles
on top Chris.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
I'm not saying he doesn't want to win, but for
him to finish, to completely continue at seventy two years old,
after twenty four year run, somewhere is about can I
get that record? It would mean the world to him
when you're when it's your record, that's a that's and
and it would be is the super Bowls he got.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
I mean, even if he doesn't have that record, he's
got the six super Bowls, more than any franchise except Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Like I hear you, I think he wants it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Not that's fine, I'm just saying I also think he
wants that super Bowl and a Rod. There's a consequence,
like if he goes to a team that's ready made
a Philly a Dallas a Buffalo and they fall on
their face. Maybe they're not quite as good as they
were before he got there. And I'm not saying that
(25:10):
would be the case. I don't think that would be
the case. That's why I'm advocating that if these teams
fall flat, they should all look at Belichick.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
But I'm saying if he did fall flat with that team.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Then you think there's a drum beat now or he
just did it with Brady, Well, it would be much louder.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Than Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup
in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR
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Speaker 3 (25:45):
That's right, NBA Champion, Fox Sports Radio, NBA Analysts, NBA Sharpshooter,
the one, the only, mister Eddie House.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
What's up man, what's up?
Speaker 8 (25:56):
Gentlemen? How are you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (25:58):
We are great, brother, right to have you on.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
And obviously the team that you cover and that you
played for and win the championship with in two thousand
and eight is playing the Milwaukee Bucks right now. It's
early air, in the second quarter, but Milwaukee right now
getting the best of the Celtics up forty one twenty three.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
But the Celtics have the best record in the league.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
They've been playing great basketball, so I'm not gonna just
focus on this game.
Speaker 8 (26:26):
Overall.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
What are you seeing from them that you like and
that tells you that they could be poised to win
the championship.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
There's one word that comes to mind. It's resiliency. I
think in the previous years, you know, these guys were young,
but now they've been they're older. They've been in the
league seven eight years. Even though they're age wise they're young,
but league wise, they're real vets. They've been in conference championships,
they've been to the finals and they fell short. And
(26:56):
I told I said this on air last night after
the game against Minnesota, I said, I believe it was
their best win of the season. They were down in
the fourth quarter. Going into the fourth quarter, they were losing.
They weren't playing great basketball on either side of the ball.
But in that fourth quarter, their defense came to play.
They started playing defense. Jason Tatum was on Edwards at times,
(27:17):
Jalen Brown dug in and took the challenge on Anthony Edwards,
and then they just were moving the basketball. I thought
that they moved the ball and then they found the
matchups that they liked, where before I thought that they
might have fell in love with the three and try
to shoot their way back in the game. Now they're
playing their way back in the games as opposed to
trying to shoot their way from the three back into games.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Well, to your point, they're second in the league in
defensive rating. We all knew they could play offense, and
last year, you know, they were a little bit more offense.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
They still had a good defense last year.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
But tell me about do you see better defense this
season or commitment to that and why is it better?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
And also the.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Growth of Joe Missoula, who really, you know, got questioned
a lot last season.
Speaker 8 (28:03):
Well, I'll start with Joe. Let's let's talk about being
thrown into the fire. That was literally exactly what happened
to him. Three days before training camp opens up. They're saying, hey,
you got to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Now you're not prepared. You don't know how to prepare.
And he had to go through last year to understand
what it takes to be a coach. You don't know
unless you're in that seat. And then I thought he
(28:24):
did a fantastic job with hiring Sam Cassell and Charles
Lee and getting the staff around him, and that do
things great that he doesn't do well to acknowledge the
fact that, hey, I have some deficiencies and I need
to cover that up by finding some guys that can
help me that's better at doing these things that I'm
not so great at. So I think that humility number one,
(28:45):
and then number two is I think the guys understand
exactly where he's coming from, and it is a mindset
of he always speaks on mindset and I think they
have that and you look at the players that they
have where now Jalen says he wanted to be all
NBA the beginning of season, and he's playing hard defense.
He's doing it by example, not just lift service. Jason
(29:05):
the same way. I think that game against Gilgis Alexander,
they gave up forty points in the third quarter. They
lost that quarter forty to fifteen, but in that fourth quarter,
Jason Tatum cut Stay Gillis SGA's water off. It was
tough to leading for him in that fourth quarter, but
the damage had already been done. But the fact that
you see that. So when your leaders are leading by
(29:25):
example and they're going out there playing hard, it's hard
for the role players not to go out there and
give it. They're all in. Let's not forget that Derek
White is who Derek White is. Defensively, we all know
what Drew Holliday brings defensive and portzengis on the flip
side of everything is much People talk about his rebounding.
He's not that physical. He's been a great rim protector
and a rim and a basket deterror at the rim
(29:48):
for this team. So I think it's just a combination
of everybody believing it's mixing at the right time, being
a young team, becoming a veteran team, and understanding exactly
what you have to do to win. Because you went
the Riggers that haven't quite got there yet.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Let me ask you about the Clippers. I was at
the game last night. Kawhi Leonard got the new contract,
got cashed out. I think it's an easy business decision. Obviously,
they're opening up a new building. Kawhi has been healthy
this year. I know he's missed a few games, but
played what twenty seven in the row. Chris was that
the number it was something like that.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
In thirty two, thirty two or.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Thirty six, which is incredible for him considering what's happened
in the last three or four years. But just the
Clippers in general, a lot of people, I know you
were one of them, didn't know how it was gonna fit.
But they look like they're going to be in the
mix and the West right, I mean when you consider them, definitely,
if everything kind of goes right, they'd have a great
shot to come out of the West.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
If Denver falters.
Speaker 8 (30:47):
Yeah, if you look at them, I think that they'll
be right there for for a number of reasons. That
for once. The number one reason is they probably have
top two, top three wing defenders. When you talk about
their length, their physicality, what they're able to do defensively,
that could switch a bunch of They could switch if
they need to. And then you got Paul George who
(31:09):
could score without throughout the game and be a closer
if he needs to. But we know that Kawhi is
the main closure. But we know what James Harder brings
to the table. But I think what gets lost in
the wash and what they're doing is the greatness of
Tilou number one, but also the selflessness of Russell Westbrook
recognize it. I think that was big time to recognize, like,
(31:29):
hey man, I don't need to be a starter. Let
me come off the bench. It will prove better for
this team if I come off the bench, Let James
do a thing, and you could play us together in
spert minutes and not at not long periods of time.
So you got to give credit to professionals. And that's
one thing that when great players come together, if they
do have high basketball IQs and not just talent, they
(31:51):
figure ways out to make it work and make it happen.
And that's what we're seeing right now.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
No, I totally agree.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think the Westbrook decision to go to the bench,
some people wonder if it were really was his decision,
even if it wasn't Eddie his, you know, him accepting
it and not having bad body language and not complaining
like that was huge.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I think that was the key because we all knew.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
I think we all knew that the other three could
play well together because Harden can be a great point
guard when he wants to, and so I thought that
was huge. I agree with you on that you got
a good look at Minnesota the other night, Like you said,
great game against the Celtic Celtics edgdom in a really
close one. The question I think people are wondering, and
(32:38):
it's the same with Okac. But I want to focus
on Minnesota is are they for real? Like they got
a great record, best in the West right now? But
are they a team that you look at and say,
you know what they they gonna be tough in like
they could they could push Denver in the West.
Speaker 8 (32:58):
Believe what I see. A lot of times we don't
want to believe what we're looking at. And this is
a young, emergent team, Anthony Edwards's special talent, Jaden McDaniels,
e defense, they're the number one team defensive ratings, right,
It's not by accident. So the one thing that got
to catch up to that defense is their offense. And
Anthony Edwards is a hell of a player. I know
(33:21):
Gobert wasn't there last night, but when I was watching
that game, and besides in the fourth quartern overtime, when
we were able to the Celtiants were able to take
specific matchups and get the specific matchup they wanted the
course of that game, it was tough, fled. It was
hard for them to get anything easy. Now they made shots,
it was hard for them to penetrate the paint. They
weren't really getting rebounds. They got beat up in points
(33:42):
in the paint in the first half. But this is
a real team. It's like, okay, So everybody wants to
doubt and say, hey, is Minnesota real? But then not
look at the Lakers and say, you know what, the
Lakers might not have a shot because of Lebron and Ad.
You say they do, but I don't tell you that
with your eyes. Watched the Minnesota Timberwolves, and I've seen
(34:02):
him a couple of times. Actually i've seen him. I've
watched him play about eight nine games, okay, and that's
the truth. Twice against the Celtics and the rest of
the time just going through the NBA League Pass and
checking them out. Because I'm a fan of Edwards. I
like what he does, a supporter of what he does.
How they who they're real?
Speaker 5 (34:18):
Did he did? Anthony Edwards? Good job?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Chris and I thought he should have been the Rookie
of the Year. Chris and I didn't think Mellow played
enough games. Chris, you remember that, Yeah, and he had
more excuse splashy and all that, and he had a
really good year when he was playing. But now I
think when you look now at Anthony Edwards, I think
people missed a boat on him.
Speaker 8 (34:39):
Yeah, and that happens because of people getting nambored by
certain things. And Melo splashed the hell out of the league.
I mean box office, and I mean you talk about
a walking star, he's a star. He moves like a star,
He walks like a star, he acts like a star,
he plays like a star.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Don't win like a star, right, you know?
Speaker 8 (34:57):
Well, and tell me what star by theyself one? You
know it takes a while, and what star came right
into the league winning That didn't have help. So at
the end of the day, that's really where it lies.
But Anthony Edwards is a straight killer. I had an
opportunity watching this summer against Puerto Rico in Vegas, and
most of the times when those guys come back from
(35:18):
playing for the country, they go to another level because
they're surrounded by stars the whole time, and they're forced
to battle against stars. And sometimes guys come out and
they're regular, but then every one of them seem a
little better than some guys come out and they take
a huge jump, and Anthy Edwards has taken a giant
(35:38):
league in this game. I really enjoy watching him play basketball.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Nah, there's no doubt about it. Do you think Indiana?
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I mean, they played some tough teams, tough and I
know they're with dou Tyre's Halliburton right now, But how
good do you think they are? I know they don't
have the greatest record, but they look like they could
be a dangerous team.
Speaker 8 (35:57):
They just don't play a defense the rem protections out there.
I think though, the Lakers exposed how to beat the
Indiana Pacers, and that was count of paint. Think about
that game in the tournament was eighty six points in
the paint and twenty seven free throws and they only
scored one hundred and thirteen total points, but all of it.
So they showed the recipe. And then the game after
(36:19):
that Milwaukee played them and Yanni's I think that was
the Yeah, that's the game where Yanni's had was chasing
the balls, you know what I mean, he was. He
dominated the paint and that to me is the one
thing that they have to get right. And I don't
see how they get that right. They don't have.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Most almost look like they don't even like they've conceded.
We're not really defending. We're just gonna try to outscore you.
That's how it really looks.
Speaker 8 (36:43):
Well, that's not gonna work. I played on a team
like that with the Suns, and that's never gonna work
in the league. It's gonna be splashy, it's gonna look good.
It's gonna win you some regular season a bunch of
regular season games actually, and it's gonna sell a lot
of tickets and jerseys. For what it's not gonna do
is put you in a position to hoyst the championship
because you're gonna have to get stops. You can't outscore everybody.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
How about the Golden State Warriors. What they lose by
thirty eight points last night? Was it thirty six or
thirty eight? Yeah, they got holly, What is happening there?
That's what's happening it really, you know, we always talk
about falling off the cliff, the wheels coming off, but
my goodness, just give me your synopsis of what's happening there.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
And even Steve Kerr seems so frustrated and.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Irritated I mean, I watch him now in the press conferences,
seemed like a different guy.
Speaker 8 (37:33):
Well, it's when losing it is. And pat Riley told
me this is winning and misery. So when you're winning,
you're happy and if you're winning, but when you're losing,
it's misery. And if you're not winning, you're miserable. And
that's what's happening over there and also on time as
far as Steve Kerr. But you know, Clay is just
I don't think Clay has that confidence, you know, and
Clay has first.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I think you played that many years and have that
much success and lose your confidence.
Speaker 8 (37:58):
Well, when you blow out a team and you blow
out your knee and then you try to come back
and play the same way, and then you have glimpses
a couple of games here and a couple of games
there where you are yourself and you feel like that
you continue to chase that. I think Clays have to
change his game and how he played. He's not that
same player right now now, you know. And he's getting older,
(38:19):
So that hurts. Wiggins is not showing up. That hurts
Chris Woom just got hurt. That hurts the only one
that I felt like had been constant a bit consistent.
Is Steph Curry. He's the only game. You only could
ride him so much, Okay, and so that is the problem.
They mortgage their future. You know, they got rid. They
(38:40):
made some draft picks not didn't pay out for him.
They mortgaged their future for the right now, and they
got a championship out of it, you know what I mean.
He did get a championship in twenty twenty two. But
this is the repercussions of those actions. And also I
think not not having Dramond out there as much says
he had all of the antics and stuff like that
(39:02):
he could cost the team. He also helps them get
a lot of wins because their offense predicated with the dribble,
hand off, the back door cut, his basketball IQ, his
ability to switch and things like that. Just not being there,
it's tough, and we've seen it, like he needs to
be out there, but he needs to be in his
right mind, and it sounds like he is. And I'm
hopeful to see him coming back and for this team
(39:23):
to get back because we need Steph Curry in the playoffs.
That's fun. I'm sorry, that's our.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
As always, brother, We appreciate you.
Speaker 8 (39:34):
Right on man, take care of guys.
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 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruce and Ron Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots or their owner
Robert Kraft have decided to part ways. That's how Belichick
worded it.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
He got.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I don't think I think he knew. Yeah, I think
he knew they didn't want him. I think they didn't
want him, and he knew they didn't want him, so
he was ready to step down. No, but I don't
think I think he also had have been ready to
step down. He wants those fifteen wins to pass Don Shuler.
(01:05):
It would take him four years at this rate to
get that, and he might not have four years of
coaching left in him. He's seventy two. The oldest coach
ever seventy three. That was Romeo Crenell was actually interim
at that time. So he might have three years maybe
four left to coach, and I'm sure he wants to
go somewhere and get a Super Bowl and those alongside
(01:25):
those fifteen wins, and that was not happening in New England.
I thought, Rob, the way it was handled was good.
Quickly before I know, you got stuff to say. But
you know you and I have been saying all along,
you cannot.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Fire Bill Belichick.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
You just can't because of his legendary his legendary coaching status.
But at the same time, Rob, it was definitively clear,
I think, unequivocally clear that his time, it was time
to go.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
They're not gonna get any better under him.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It just had gone, had run its course, And so
I think it could have really been an ugly situation
had he just refused to if you're right, and they
just wanted to fire him and he agreed to a
mutual party of the ways, or he didn't agree to that,
(02:31):
you know, and then they would have had to come
out and fire him or not fire him. And even
though they didn't want him, just because they know he's
a legend, maybe they wanted him to get those fifteen
wins in the Patriots uniform. They wouldn't have fired him.
It just could have gotten really ugly. And I actually
thought today went well. I thought it was good. He
said he's a patriot for life. That was all good.
(02:55):
And he's free to go where he wants now, so
he's not limited to teams they might unquote trade him to.
So I just thought they handle what could have become
an ugly situation and a really acrimonious situation.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I thought they handled it well. It won't be a
Jimmy Johnson.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Jerry Jones type thing where they're feuding for twenty eight years,
so when he's ready to go back, I'm sure it'll
be fine. So yeah, I thought they did a good
job with that.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, I just think he was fired. And you go
to him and say, we could do one or two things.
We can make nice and have you walk out of
here and not look bad for you and your reputation,
or you know, we can do which one do you
want to do? And he picked the right one, which
is to go along with it and say I'm a
(03:42):
patriot for life and all the things that people want
to hear, and you move on. You know, twenty four
years in an organization is a long time. There's only
two jobs you get to keep longer, and that's a
Supreme Court justice and pope. So you know he had
no choice. Those are the two jobs that you get
to keep for life. And twenty four years is a
(04:03):
long time for Bill Bill Belichick, So now comes you
know where he'll go from here, his future. There'll be
somebody who'll snap him up. It will Yeah, we'll get more,
we'll get that. I think he'll have his choice, but
we'll get to that. Let me ask you this, what
(04:24):
what are your thoughts on his legacy. I mean, he's
he's obviously he could still build on it, but at
this point.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Yeah, I just think.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
It's strange in American sports how some people don't carry
baggage with them but others do. Because frankly, I look
at Bill Belichick as the Barry Bonds of the NFL.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
I do no coach will.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Ever fined more money a half a million dollars. Uh,
look at the trail of draft picks they lost. He
had situation after situation, Even as Lake chris As a
number of years ago with the Cincinnati filming of the sidelines,
and people say, well, why did they videotape Cincinnati, they
(05:12):
beat them eighth straight time while there was a new
coach when they started to videotape that guy.
Speaker 5 (05:18):
So there's a pattern there. Josh McDaniels.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Under the Bill Belichick tree, what happened, got fired in Denver,
he was found out Chris videotaping team signals as well
and was fired there in Denver. Obviously didn't play well
either after they got off to the great start. And
then Eric Mangini, his own disciple, you can't have a
more damning proclamation from anybody than the guy who was
(05:50):
in your inner circle, Chris and was one of your
disciples and one of the guys from the Bill Belichick
coaching tree, Eric Mangini, who when he became coach of
the g made it very clear that don't do to
me what you do to everybody else, Like don't I mean, like,
if that is not damning, I don't know what else is.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
That's not an outsider.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
That's not somebody who Bill Belichick fired who didn't have
a career going. You know what, he was a head
coach in the same division and didn't want to fall
prey to it. So of course you talk about the
six Super Bowls, but you can't tell the whole story
about Bill Belichick unless it includes the cheating scandals that
(06:34):
were involved. It would be great, Chris if you could
throw flowers at him and he didn't have any of
that stuff to be able to, you know, mar taint
whatever you want to say his career. I still believe
that the Patriots never got the full credit that they
should have winning you know, six super Bowls and what
(06:56):
they were able to accomplish because people always questioned what
whough it was completely on the up and out. And
I think that's a shame because they did do a
you know, they did a lot of winning and people
will always remember that.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, look, I'll give you that. His legacy is a
tad bit tainted. I don't think he's anywhere near Barry Bonds.
I think that's ridiculous that comparison. I mean, taking performance
enhancing drugs is a lot different than a deflated ball
or even a spygate. In my view, I think Bonds
(07:34):
and you look at you know, even like say deflate Gate,
when they found out the balls were deflated, they changed
them and the Patriots still rolled, you know, so they
were still performing. Now, Bonds was a great player, obviously
his whole career, but he wasn't the power.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
Hitter that he became.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I mean he had like forty or more homers like
three times his first eleven or twelve years, only hit
over and any one time in his career he didn't, No,
but he hit forty, hit forty five or more five
straight years a guy who had only hit forty or
more like three times. Like I said, you know, no,
I'm not denying he was great, but he was a
(08:15):
different type player. I mean, he became like the greatest
power hitter of all time, and he had not been
that type of hitter. He was a he was had power,
but not like he became. It became cartoonish in his
seventy three one year So I think that's that's going overboard.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
But I do agree that, like I think he's the goat.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I just think when you look at the you know, comparisons,
I mean, six super Bowls is more than every franchise
except Pittsburgh which has six, So like, no franchise has
more super Bowls than this one man. And I do
(08:57):
agree though that the reason it's even arguable because some
people might say he's not the goat. The reason his
accomplishment is clearly he's the goat with the six rings
and the nine super Bowl appearances. But I think there
are two things, Rob that make it arguable to most people.
(09:20):
And one of them I think you brought up we
can erase the spy gate and the the flake gate.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
I mean, it is a part of his story.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
And then I think secondly is the fact that he
didn't he didn't have He wasn't even a mediocre coach statistically.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Without Tom Brady, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
And I don't hold the reason I say he's still
the goat in terms of that is because you look
at all the other quote unquote challengers.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You know, Andy Reid.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Was did a great job, but didn't start winning super
Bowls at least until Patrick Mahomes. Bill Wash only one,
you know, and started winning when Joe Montana was there,
and Chuck Noll won with Bradshaw, and then in the
eighties when that whole Steve curtain left. You know, he
was very mediocre to pour in the eighties as far
(10:15):
as his record, and then you know Joe Gibbs, Joe
Gibbs won it with three different quarterbacks, Rob, but he
did have you know, several of his seasons where he
did miss the playoffs, not half, but you know, he
had a good number in his career where he missed
the playoffs. So every great coach has had those down years.
(10:36):
So I'm not gonna that's why I still think he's
the Goat. But his record without Brady is is just
not good. I mean, eleven seasons without Brady, only made
the playoffs twice, had a winning percentage of forty five
percent without Brady with seventy eight or seventy seven percent
(10:57):
with Brady, and obviously all the Super Bowl. So I
think those would be the two things that may give
people pause as to all I don't know what it
is the.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Goat because of the the cheating scandals.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
And his record without Brady, but I would, at the
end of the day say, you know what, all things consider,
I think he's the goat.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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listen live.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern. But here's the thing, we
never have enough time to get to everything we want
to get.
Speaker 7 (11:39):
To and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, you blobber Lisa and me.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised. Well, if
you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you
check out over Promised and also Uncensored by the way,
so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder.
(12:19):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
There you go, over Promising. Remember you could see it
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to over Promised
with Covino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts, and speaking.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Of Bellichick, of course we're gonna stick with that theme today.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
That's the hot story to hot topic.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
And Rob, there are seven coaching of vacancies outside of
New England. And let me know if you think any
of these makes sense for Belichick to go to or
for the team to want him. Seattle, Washington, Atlanta, Las
(13:02):
Vegas Raiders, LA Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
There's only one. In my book, Bill Belichick's clock is ticking.
He don't have time to develop, no quarterback and take
time to develop get a team that's down in the dumps.
He's trying to win fifteen.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Games in three years, two years, seven and seven, right,
seven and eight years?
Speaker 4 (13:32):
And don't you think he's going for a super Bowl too?
Speaker 5 (13:35):
No? I think it would be I think it would
be nice.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I'm not saying he wanted, but that's not If he
coaches two more years and they win eight games his
first year and eight the next, he's.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
Good, you know what I'm saying. Like he's good. You
don't have to win again for anybody.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
I mean, he's won. I mean you could if you
want to say he didn't win or whatever. I don't
think you can hold it against him. But if he
does win and he does get the record, you know,
going somewhere else, then you're talking about a different narrative,
a second act, you know what I mean, It'll be
seventy four years old.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I mean it would be to go out like that.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Can you imagine he wins eight games, Chris the next year,
how many he's fifteen to past fifteen? He wins seven
the first year or whatever, and then eight the next year,
they're a wild card, they go to the super Bowl,
they win it, and he's got the record. He's got
this fifteen wins and he won a super Bowl and
seventy four a storybook.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
I'm just saying, I agree with you. I don't think any.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Of these make sense for Belichick except and I'm sure
this is the one you were talking about.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
The Chargers.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yeah, that's the only one.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Because of what they have, they've grossly underachieved.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
I don't know if the Panthers have underachieved. They don't
have talent. I don't think some of these other teams
Chris have underachieved. They don't have talent.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
No, no, And like you said, first of all, Belichick
is not does not have the time.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
He's gonna coach what.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Three maybe four more years. He doesn't have the time
to build a new team. And like some people have
thrown out a lot of people in the media, Rob Atlanta, Oh,
they're gonna trade for Justin Field.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
You have him.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
They got talent.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
They do have talent, but we don't know what Justin
Fields is. And I don't think I had a.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Choice between Justin Fields and uh, Justin Herbert. I'm taking
Justin Herbert.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
I'm just that's a no brainer.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
That's and he took a step back last year. We
talked about the picks. He's got stuff that needs to
get fixed too. I'm not saying he's an automatic Super
Bowl winner and he's the greatest thing since light spread.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
I'm not saying that.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Remember, he's led the league. They hadn't He led the
league in fourth quarter interceptions?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
Yeah one point? Yeah, at one point too.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
So well, all right, so so there's that. I agree
with you.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
I don't think any of those outside of the Chargers
makes sense. And I think for the charge Look, if
I'm the Chargers and Harball's my first choice. If I'm
the Chargers, he is, you know, known as the quote
unquote quarterback whisper and Justin Herbert, as great as he is,
Rob or as good as he is, he broke a
(16:21):
little bit last year. He declined a little bit, so
he needs to be fixed a little bit. And I
like Harball in that situation. And Harball just did a
great job at San Francisco, and so I trust him
to get that defense fixed as well. But outside of him,
if they had to settle, if you will, for Belichick's
(16:42):
that's okay. But Rob, I think the real jobs for Belichick,
the ones that I think he be most interested in
and most effective at, are not yet open. And I
think somebody these jobs, Rob, if they weren't open yesterday,
(17:06):
they should be open today because these are teams that
have quarterbacks. These are teams that are in win now
mode and they're on a timeline just like Belichick. And
those teams, Rob are Philadelphia, Dallas and Buffalo. Now, no,
(17:31):
they got coaches, they're in the playoffs, and if they
do well, they won't be open.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Most likely. If they do well, stick with them.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
But if they falter, if Buffalo loses to Pittsburgh, and
we know Buffalo up and down inconsistent, you have no
idea which Bill's team is showing up. If Philadelphia, let's
forget lose in the tam I mean, that's bad enough.
If they just lose the Tampa, Sirianni could be in
trouble if they get pumbled, pumbled by Tampa. If they
(18:09):
get pumbled by Tampa, then they he could really be
in trouble. And then Mike McCarthy, I don't think he
we know what Jerry said the other day, came back
and walked it back. I don't think he's like on
the hot seat, but I think badly if it goes badly,
(18:33):
they could move on. I agree with you. That's why
I think of those three, I think Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Is the best if if, if, if they become open.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I think Buffalo's second best for Belichick, and I think
Dallas would be third best. Because of what you said,
could he coexist with Jerry Jones? Now people talk about
his mentor Bill Parcells did it for a few years,
but it ended badly.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
It ended Bill Bill Bill I had.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
I think Bill was just desperate at that point, and
it was really because it's just that's not remember if
I'm if I'm cooking the meal, I want to buy
the groceries. He knew what he was getting into going
to Dallas. They run it like a mom and pop store.
Everybody's related, Chris, you know what I mean. Like, No,
that ain't the ideal situation. If you're Bill Parker. I
(19:30):
think I do believe that Belichick.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I don't know if he would have accepted this in
New England and he said he, you know, would be
open to it in that press conference, and you liked
his comments.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
I thought they were I didn't fully believe.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
I do believe Rob that he could go to another
organization and just be a coach, because you.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Know, it's different. It's one thing.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I've been here twenty four years and been running things
and now you want to take that away from me,
versus Oh, I'm just going here. I'm known as a
great coach. This is what I do best. Yeah, they
want me as a coach, Like I just think that's
easier to accept.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
And I feel you, Like I said, I.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Think Dallas would be the third of those three options because.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Of Jerry Jones.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
But if I'm Dallas, Rob, if they if if McCarthy
loses to Green Bay, which I don't see happening, or
if they.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Lose at home when they've won fifteen or sixteen in
a row, he's in trouble.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
No, he's in trouble.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
And if that's what I'm saying, If that happens, or
if they lose in a second maybe third round because
of clock management issues, right, some craziness at the end
of the game, which we've seen happen with them not
managing the clockwell, then I think they might move on
and Bell.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
If I'm Jerry.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Jones, Rob, and I'm like, man, I got a team
that's ready to win a championship or you know, they're
ready to compete. They're as good as anybody essentially as
far as talent.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I need to win. Now, I'm I'm I'm thinking about
Belichick because I think Belichick, I.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Do think he wants to I know once is not
the right word, because of course everybody wants.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
To, right, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Like, I think he I think he's I think if
he takes a job, Rob, it's only.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
To win a super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I don't I think he wants the record too, but
I think he wants a super Bowl too. I think
it's I think it's I think it's the record, like
like at this point seventy two, like, if you win, fine,
But I just think he's like, I need fifteen more wins.
I gotta get fifty more wins. I don't want to
be that close and then not, you know, not finish
(21:54):
the job. That would feel like unfulfilling, do you know
what I mean? Because if you go back to four
years ago, you would have never imagined that he'd be
in the spot of Churse. If you add the last
four years, right, add two more wins.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Or whatever, he would be he would be right there.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And then the last couple of years have been so
bad is why he's in this hole. So I just
think he wants to be a team that's competitive. If
a team that wins eight or not, Chris, if he's
nine and eight, nine more wins, he's right there, do
you know what I mean? That's not even a great
season nine and eight.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I think, and I could be wrong, but I think
he's heard. He knows the narrative that's out there, that's
Brady's braidy, which I agree.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
With the narrative that Brady's won the divorce, that.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Brady showed that he was the driving force, not the
Belichick wasn't important and didn't do anything but that he
was the driving force by going to Tampa in his
first year, taking a seven and nine.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Team and winning the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
And I think think he knows people are saying, well,
havn't done He ain't done nothing without Brady, wasn't really
good in Cleveland, although I thought he may have gotten
a shafted, but still he only made the playoffs once
in five years. You know, hadn't won since Brady left,
didn't win in the years when Brady was injured, you
(23:20):
know when he played there, didn't win with Drew bledsoe.
So I think that he knows that's out there too,
and that the way to solidify that is to or
shut that up, I should.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Say, is to get a Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
I disagree.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I think it's about if you're the all time winner
and wins and you're that guy, you solidified like I
was the greatest NFL coach, I won the most games,
I have the most Super Bowls, Like you can go
tip for Tad and say Brady did this and he
only has that. And if you want to and be
honest with the way that the team was constructed early
(23:57):
on the defense, Adam Beni, Terry, all those kind of things.
You can he can make an argument that he was
he was important to was definitely important. No, I'm not
saying he wasn't important. I'm just saying, but it's aboup
to me. He's the only thing that's left for him
is to be the winningest coach in NFL history. I
don't think it's.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
The super Bowl. Would be gravy, would be for sprinkles
on top Chris.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
I'm not saying he doesn't want to win, but for
him to finish, to completely continue at seventy two years old,
after twenty four year run, somewhere is about can I
get that record? It would mean the world to him
when you're when it's your record, that's a that's and
and it would be is the super Bowls he got.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
I mean, even if he doesn't have that record, he's
got the six super Bowls, more than any franchise except Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Like I hear you, I think he wants it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Not that's fine, I'm just saying I also think he
wants that super Bowl and a Rod. There's a consequence,
like if he goes to a team that's ready made
a Philly a Dallas a Buffalo and they fall on
their face. Maybe they're not quite as good as they
were before he got there. And I'm not saying that
(25:10):
would be the case. I don't think that would be
the case. That's why I'm advocating that if these teams
fall flat, they should all look at Belichick.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
But I'm saying if he did fall flat with that team.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Then you think there's a drum beat now or he
just did it with Brady, Well, it would be much louder.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Than Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup
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Speaker 3 (25:45):
That's right, NBA Champion, Fox Sports Radio, NBA Analysts, NBA Sharpshooter,
the one, the only, mister Eddie House.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
What's up man, what's up?
Speaker 8 (25:56):
Gentlemen? How are you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (25:58):
We are great, brother, right to have you on.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
And obviously the team that you cover and that you
played for and win the championship with in two thousand
and eight is playing the Milwaukee Bucks right now. It's
early air, in the second quarter, but Milwaukee right now
getting the best of the Celtics up forty one twenty three.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
But the Celtics have the best record in the league.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
They've been playing great basketball, so I'm not gonna just
focus on this game.
Speaker 8 (26:26):
Overall.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
What are you seeing from them that you like and
that tells you that they could be poised to win
the championship.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
There's one word that comes to mind. It's resiliency. I
think in the previous years, you know, these guys were young,
but now they've been they're older. They've been in the
league seven eight years. Even though they're age wise they're young,
but league wise, they're real vets. They've been in conference championships,
they've been to the finals and they fell short. And
(26:56):
I told I said this on air last night after
the game against Minnesota, I said, I believe it was
their best win of the season. They were down in
the fourth quarter. Going into the fourth quarter, they were losing.
They weren't playing great basketball on either side of the ball.
But in that fourth quarter, their defense came to play.
They started playing defense. Jason Tatum was on Edwards at times,
(27:17):
Jalen Brown dug in and took the challenge on Anthony Edwards,
and then they just were moving the basketball. I thought
that they moved the ball and then they found the
matchups that they liked, where before I thought that they
might have fell in love with the three and try
to shoot their way back in the game. Now they're
playing their way back in the games as opposed to
trying to shoot their way from the three back into games.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Well, to your point, they're second in the league in
defensive rating. We all knew they could play offense, and
last year, you know, they were a little bit more offense.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
They still had a good defense last year.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
But tell me about do you see better defense this
season or commitment to that and why is it better?
Speaker 5 (27:57):
And also the.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Growth of Joe Missoula, who really, you know, got questioned
a lot last season.
Speaker 8 (28:03):
Well, I'll start with Joe. Let's let's talk about being
thrown into the fire. That was literally exactly what happened
to him. Three days before training camp opens up. They're saying, hey,
you got to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Now you're not prepared. You don't know how to prepare.
And he had to go through last year to understand
what it takes to be a coach. You don't know
unless you're in that seat. And then I thought he
(28:24):
did a fantastic job with hiring Sam Cassell and Charles
Lee and getting the staff around him, and that do
things great that he doesn't do well to acknowledge the
fact that, hey, I have some deficiencies and I need
to cover that up by finding some guys that can
help me that's better at doing these things that I'm
not so great at. So I think that humility number one,
(28:45):
and then number two is I think the guys understand
exactly where he's coming from, and it is a mindset
of he always speaks on mindset and I think they
have that and you look at the players that they
have where now Jalen says he wanted to be all
NBA the beginning of season, and he's playing hard defense.
He's doing it by example, not just lift service. Jason
(29:05):
the same way. I think that game against Gilgis Alexander,
they gave up forty points in the third quarter. They
lost that quarter forty to fifteen, but in that fourth quarter,
Jason Tatum cut Stay Gillis SGA's water off. It was
tough to leading for him in that fourth quarter, but
the damage had already been done. But the fact that
you see that. So when your leaders are leading by
(29:25):
example and they're going out there playing hard, it's hard
for the role players not to go out there and
give it. They're all in. Let's not forget that Derek
White is who Derek White is. Defensively, we all know
what Drew Holliday brings defensive and portzengis on the flip
side of everything is much People talk about his rebounding.
He's not that physical. He's been a great rim protector
and a rim and a basket deterror at the rim
(29:48):
for this team. So I think it's just a combination
of everybody believing it's mixing at the right time, being
a young team, becoming a veteran team, and understanding exactly
what you have to do to win. Because you went
the Riggers that haven't quite got there yet.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Let me ask you about the Clippers. I was at
the game last night. Kawhi Leonard got the new contract,
got cashed out. I think it's an easy business decision. Obviously,
they're opening up a new building. Kawhi has been healthy
this year. I know he's missed a few games, but
played what twenty seven in the row. Chris was that
the number it was something like that.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
In thirty two, thirty two or.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Thirty six, which is incredible for him considering what's happened
in the last three or four years. But just the
Clippers in general, a lot of people, I know you
were one of them, didn't know how it was gonna fit.
But they look like they're going to be in the
mix and the West right, I mean when you consider them, definitely,
if everything kind of goes right, they'd have a great
shot to come out of the West.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
If Denver falters.
Speaker 8 (30:47):
Yeah, if you look at them, I think that they'll
be right there for for a number of reasons. That
for once. The number one reason is they probably have
top two, top three wing defenders. When you talk about
their length, their physicality, what they're able to do defensively,
that could switch a bunch of They could switch if
they need to. And then you got Paul George who
(31:09):
could score without throughout the game and be a closer
if he needs to. But we know that Kawhi is
the main closure. But we know what James Harder brings
to the table. But I think what gets lost in
the wash and what they're doing is the greatness of
Tilou number one, but also the selflessness of Russell Westbrook
recognize it. I think that was big time to recognize, like,
(31:29):
hey man, I don't need to be a starter. Let
me come off the bench. It will prove better for
this team if I come off the bench, Let James
do a thing, and you could play us together in
spert minutes and not at not long periods of time.
So you got to give credit to professionals. And that's
one thing that when great players come together, if they
do have high basketball IQs and not just talent, they
(31:51):
figure ways out to make it work and make it happen.
And that's what we're seeing right now.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
No, I totally agree.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
I think the Westbrook decision to go to the bench,
some people wonder if it were really was his decision,
even if it wasn't Eddie his, you know, him accepting
it and not having bad body language and not complaining
like that was huge.
Speaker 4 (32:12):
I think that was the key because we all knew.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
I think we all knew that the other three could
play well together because Harden can be a great point
guard when he wants to, and so I thought that
was huge. I agree with you on that you got
a good look at Minnesota the other night, Like you said,
great game against the Celtic Celtics edgdom in a really
close one. The question I think people are wondering, and
(32:38):
it's the same with Okac. But I want to focus
on Minnesota is are they for real? Like they got
a great record, best in the West right now? But
are they a team that you look at and say,
you know what they they gonna be tough in like
they could they could push Denver in the West.
Speaker 8 (32:58):
Believe what I see. A lot of times we don't
want to believe what we're looking at. And this is
a young, emergent team, Anthony Edwards's special talent, Jaden McDaniels,
e defense, they're the number one team defensive ratings, right,
It's not by accident. So the one thing that got
to catch up to that defense is their offense. And
Anthony Edwards is a hell of a player. I know
(33:21):
Gobert wasn't there last night, but when I was watching
that game, and besides in the fourth quartern overtime, when
we were able to the Celtiants were able to take
specific matchups and get the specific matchup they wanted the
course of that game, it was tough, fled. It was
hard for them to get anything easy. Now they made shots,
it was hard for them to penetrate the paint. They
weren't really getting rebounds. They got beat up in points
(33:42):
in the paint in the first half. But this is
a real team. It's like, okay, So everybody wants to
doubt and say, hey, is Minnesota real? But then not
look at the Lakers and say, you know what, the
Lakers might not have a shot because of Lebron and Ad.
You say they do, but I don't tell you that
with your eyes. Watched the Minnesota Timberwolves, and I've seen
(34:02):
him a couple of times. Actually i've seen him. I've
watched him play about eight nine games, okay, and that's
the truth. Twice against the Celtics and the rest of
the time just going through the NBA League Pass and
checking them out. Because I'm a fan of Edwards. I
like what he does, a supporter of what he does.
How they who they're real?
Speaker 5 (34:18):
Did he did? Anthony Edwards? Good job?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Chris and I thought he should have been the Rookie
of the Year. Chris and I didn't think Mellow played
enough games. Chris, you remember that, Yeah, and he had
more excuse splashy and all that, and he had a
really good year when he was playing. But now I
think when you look now at Anthony Edwards, I think
people missed a boat on him.
Speaker 8 (34:39):
Yeah, and that happens because of people getting nambored by
certain things. And Melo splashed the hell out of the league.
I mean box office, and I mean you talk about
a walking star, he's a star. He moves like a star,
He walks like a star, he acts like a star,
he plays like a star.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Don't win like a star, right, you know?
Speaker 8 (34:57):
Well, and tell me what star by theyself one? You
know it takes a while, and what star came right
into the league winning That didn't have help. So at
the end of the day, that's really where it lies.
But Anthony Edwards is a straight killer. I had an
opportunity watching this summer against Puerto Rico in Vegas, and
most of the times when those guys come back from
(35:18):
playing for the country, they go to another level because
they're surrounded by stars the whole time, and they're forced
to battle against stars. And sometimes guys come out and
they're regular, but then every one of them seem a
little better than some guys come out and they take
a huge jump, and Anthy Edwards has taken a giant
(35:38):
league in this game. I really enjoy watching him play basketball.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Nah, there's no doubt about it. Do you think Indiana?
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I mean, they played some tough teams, tough and I
know they're with dou Tyre's Halliburton right now, But how
good do you think they are? I know they don't
have the greatest record, but they look like they could
be a dangerous team.
Speaker 8 (35:57):
They just don't play a defense the rem protections out there.
I think though, the Lakers exposed how to beat the
Indiana Pacers, and that was count of paint. Think about
that game in the tournament was eighty six points in
the paint and twenty seven free throws and they only
scored one hundred and thirteen total points, but all of it.
So they showed the recipe. And then the game after
(36:19):
that Milwaukee played them and Yanni's I think that was
the Yeah, that's the game where Yanni's had was chasing
the balls, you know what I mean, he was. He
dominated the paint and that to me is the one
thing that they have to get right. And I don't
see how they get that right. They don't have.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Most almost look like they don't even like they've conceded.
We're not really defending. We're just gonna try to outscore you.
That's how it really looks.
Speaker 8 (36:43):
Well, that's not gonna work. I played on a team
like that with the Suns, and that's never gonna work
in the league. It's gonna be splashy, it's gonna look good.
It's gonna win you some regular season a bunch of
regular season games actually, and it's gonna sell a lot
of tickets and jerseys. For what it's not gonna do
is put you in a position to hoyst the championship
because you're gonna have to get stops. You can't outscore everybody.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
How about the Golden State Warriors. What they lose by
thirty eight points last night? Was it thirty six or
thirty eight? Yeah, they got holly, What is happening there?
That's what's happening it really, you know, we always talk
about falling off the cliff, the wheels coming off, but
my goodness, just give me your synopsis of what's happening there.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
And even Steve Kerr seems so frustrated and.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Irritated I mean, I watch him now in the press conferences,
seemed like a different guy.
Speaker 8 (37:33):
Well, it's when losing it is. And pat Riley told
me this is winning and misery. So when you're winning,
you're happy and if you're winning, but when you're losing,
it's misery. And if you're not winning, you're miserable. And
that's what's happening over there and also on time as
far as Steve Kerr. But you know, Clay is just
I don't think Clay has that confidence, you know, and
Clay has first.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I think you played that many years and have that
much success and lose your confidence.
Speaker 8 (37:58):
Well, when you blow out a team and you blow
out your knee and then you try to come back
and play the same way, and then you have glimpses
a couple of games here and a couple of games
there where you are yourself and you feel like that
you continue to chase that. I think Clays have to
change his game and how he played. He's not that
same player right now now, you know. And he's getting older,
(38:19):
So that hurts. Wiggins is not showing up. That hurts
Chris Woom just got hurt. That hurts the only one
that I felt like had been constant a bit consistent.
Is Steph Curry. He's the only game. You only could
ride him so much, Okay, and so that is the problem.
They mortgage their future. You know, they got rid. They
(38:40):
made some draft picks not didn't pay out for him.
They mortgaged their future for the right now, and they
got a championship out of it, you know what I mean.
He did get a championship in twenty twenty two. But
this is the repercussions of those actions. And also I
think not not having Dramond out there as much says
he had all of the antics and stuff like that
(39:02):
he could cost the team. He also helps them get
a lot of wins because their offense predicated with the dribble,
hand off, the back door cut, his basketball IQ, his
ability to switch and things like that. Just not being there,
it's tough, and we've seen it, like he needs to
be out there, but he needs to be in his
right mind, and it sounds like he is. And I'm
hopeful to see him coming back and for this team
(39:23):
to get back because we need Steph Curry in the playoffs.
That's fun. I'm sorry, that's our.
Speaker 4 (39:31):
As always, brother, We appreciate you.
Speaker 8 (39:34):
Right on man, take care of guys.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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