February 16, 2024 • 35 mins
Chris and Rob debate whether the former New England Patriots players who complained about Bill Belichick’s authoritarian-style of coaching were being crybabies, discuss the narrative that Iowa’s Caitlin Clark could have the same type of transformative impact for women’s basketball that Michael Jordan had for the NBA and tell us if a Team USA vs Team World format would be enough to ‘save’ the NBA All-Star Game.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruso and Rob Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Interesting documentary coming out about the Patriots.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Think Last Dance.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I guess not so much in the content, but that
type of thing, Rob G.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Kinda it's not all out.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It just dropped today, right, the first episode, So bring
us up this?
Speaker 5 (00:45):
So what are they doing? Rob G? Two episodes a week.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
That is the plotcast.
Speaker 6 (00:50):
Now you recall the Last Dance was supposed to be
released in a similar format, but because of COVID, they
decided to bless us and drop everything.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It was like, we wouldn't have had any thing. I mean,
do you remember we were we were we were triggering.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
You would talk about it for like three or four days,
and it may would get you through Thursday, and then
you'd have.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
To, you know, come up with something else because there
was nothing.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Let's circle back to episode two. I think there's meat
there on that we.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
Got to get right.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Michael Jordan couldn't have planned it any better, right, It
was nothing else for people to watch.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
So, in any event, this docs out. The first two
episodes are out now on Apple TV. But part of
the promotion the trailers, the buzz coming into today's debut
was the relationship between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Obviously,
that's all anyone cares about. Because the first two episodes
are about the first Super Bowls. Everyone's very excited, but
no one cares about that. They want to know what
(01:43):
went wrong, right, So as part of the promotion, The
Athletic got quotes from some of the later episodes and
they discussed why Tom Brady ultimately decided to leave New England.
Tom Brady said there was no amount of money basically
they could offer him to get him to stay and
put up with what he was putting up with. To elaborate,
(02:03):
Matthew Slater said quote, it was brutal talking about the
Brady Belichick relationship. Rob Grenkowski described not wanted to get
out of his car to go to work. That's so
much he dreaded going to practice and working under Bill Belichick.
And last, but not least, this is the shocking one.
Wes Welker compared Tom Brady to an abused dog who
(02:24):
was continually going back to its owner. With the Tom
Brady Bill Belichick relationship.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
That's only because Tom Brady's noses. What that's it? Oh,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
That nothing. That wouldn't even I don't even think people
knew if that was a joker about don't dogs have
wet noses? It just wasn't funny. Okay, But that's that
Stockholm syndrome is what Wes Welker was describing. Rob. You know,
when you go back to your abuser or whatever.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
But Rob, this look, we all knew how.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Tough it was to play in New England.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
You remember when Philadelphia beat them in the Super Bowl
and the Eagles players are talking about how they wouldn't
want to play in New England.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
It's no fun and all of that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
But Rob, to hear these quotes is it makes me
feel like and we'll see the documentary eventually when it
comes out, but it makes me feel like it's worse
than we could have imagined. You know, because I would
think Obviously, those guys won championships. I mean tons of
(03:37):
them in that Patriot way under Belichick and usually Rob.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
You know this, when you get away.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
From something for a few years, you look back finally,
you know, especially if you had success, even if it
wasn't fun, you look back and you kinda.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Forget or overlook the bad times and the challenges.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
And you just are like, man, it was so we
we were winning so much.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
It was great.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
And for them to be focused, at least from what
we're hearing and what's been reported so far, just about
how bad it was, that tells me it must have
been incredibly terrible.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
It's funny.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I have the exact opposite opinion. It sounds like they're
big cry babies. Oh my god, they had practice for
a couple of hours. My god, he was whipping them
with whips and chains and he was asking them, dude,
they were succeeding and winning and and doing like putting
in work. And now after it's all over, like it
(04:40):
just sounds like like like like a big baby, like, oh,
it was so tough to win and be to be
held accountable, and Andy.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Saying that are they because we practiced?
Speaker 5 (04:53):
That's true?
Speaker 3 (04:54):
A couple of hours a day, by the way, you like,
everybody practices a couple hours a day. But that's just
say it because we being held account I'm just saying, like,
it doesn't that's my point. Every football player is held
accountable and practice a few hours a day.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
No, but that, But what did he do? Can you
give me signs?
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Down?
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Wondering?
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It just to me sounds like like being a big baby.
I'm just telling you because what was he doing though?
When Tom Brady was an abused dog? Really, when Tom
Brasey Brady and him got together, they embraced and they
threw flowers at each other and all that. If it
was really that bad, Now I got to hear doctrmentry
(05:32):
and say everything that they presented and told each other
how great they admired each other and work together.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Now all that's a lie? Is that what this is?
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Come on, I just don't buy it. Well, that's what
I'm wondering.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Because I look, every football player has hard times practicing hard,
especially back then when you could have two a day's
and you could have padded practices.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
All week and things like that. So that's my point.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I I it can't just be that and every football
player has been yelled at.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
My guest, Rob, is that it was.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, especially when you talk about Welker talking about Brady,
it sounds like he spoke to him in a way
that was like just really degrading, and he did. I'm
just I'm just totally speculating.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I am too.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I mean, I am too, But how bad could it
have been?
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Well, I don't think it was.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, I think the abused dog obviously is a
little bit of hyperbole. But I'm just saying, like, my
guess is that these are grown men, as you know,
and that even as Brady emerged as this great player,
that Belichick continued to talk to him like he was,
(06:59):
you know, a bench play, you know, just yelling at
And we know that that was part of it, right
that people have talked about the fact that Brady would
allow Belichick to get on him so hard put everybody
else in line. We heard the same thing with Tim
Duncan and Greg Popovich, like when your star takes coaching,
(07:20):
that everybody else has no choice but to get in line.
But I don't know, Rob, that's I mean, I'm kind
of with you and that I'm wondering what in the world.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Could it have been?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I just I don't think it, but I don't. I
don't buy.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm not buying it was just hard practices. I mean,
you can go, there's a line, right, Maybe it was.
They were over the line as far as hard, but
that two of days, Man, it happens.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
You know, you yelled at by your coach, that's you.
You learn that as.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
A football exactly. Any more details will help us out.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Here, Yes, So just to add some context now recalls.
I don't know if you remember this, guys, but following
their twenty eighteen Super Bowl lost to the Eagles, Giselle Bonchin,
his ex wife, told Robert Kraft in a closed door meeting,
which was reported by MBC Sports Boston, that it was
quote ridiculous that Belichick still treated Brady like quote effing
(08:15):
Johnny Foxborough, that he wasn't treating him like a guy
who had won multiple suits.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
I remember that she received what she said, if they
could only catch the ball, catch the ball.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
But the other thing that she said was she didn't
like that Bill Belichick was treating Brady's personal trainer and
best friends like outcasts.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
Okay, so it was not getting positive though.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For I mean, uh, that was when he got rid
of him, don't you remember, Yeah, that's when he pushed
him out of the Chris right.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I mean one thing I do think, Rob, And again
this is speculation because we you know, we don't know,
but it just seems like Belichick and I mean glint
from this from the press conferences to this, and I
get it. A lot of people say he's funny away
from the camera and the reporters and all, and that
might very well be true, but from what we see, Rob,
(09:12):
it sounds like he he doesn't have great interpersonal skills.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
He doesn't seem like that kind of guy, right.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, you know, and I think he probably only knows
one way and instead of developing some good relationships with guys,
cause again, these are adults, these aren't high school or
college kids, he just drove them like a drill sergeant,
I guess. And for whatever you know, they must not
have had any fun other than the winning. And the
(09:41):
winning is fun, right, and their legends because of it.
So I'm not crying for him, but I'm just saying
it must have been stuff, Rob that was worse than
we we even thought.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
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Speaker 3 (10:32):
All right, Rob g So USA Today talked about Caitlyn
Clark in about the greatest basketball terms you could talk
about her.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
So Rob g fill us in on this that's right.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
USA Today columnist Nancy Armore wrote a glowing column praising
Kaitlin Clark, but not in the way you would expect.
You know, obviously she broke the record and that's a
big deal. But what she sang, Nancy Armore, is that
Kaitlyn Clark is transformed the sport of basketball in the
same ways that Michael Jordan did. Here's an excerpt Clark
(11:06):
is more than just her game when you factor in
the outside impact she's having off the court. There's really
only been one other player like her, Michael Jordan. He
wasn't just the best player in the history of the game.
He transcended sport, his and all others. He was a
cultural sensation. He elevated the NBA because of it. Clark's
impact might not be as widespread yet, but it's no
(11:28):
less transformative. Interest in women's sports as skyrocket over the
last few years, and viewership during last year's NCAA basketball
tournament obliterated the previous high with the final of Iowa
and LSU watched by almost ten million people. Every game
she plays home and away is in front of a
sold out crowd. In fact, tickets for Thursday night's game,
(11:51):
when she broke the record, were the second highest in
women's basketball history, college or WNBA.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Why wasn't it first? Oh, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
Little boys and girls clamoring for her jersey and fans
line up for hours before games in hopes of putting
themselves in position to catch your eye as she enters
and exits the court for warm ups, or even better,
get an autographed.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Chris I'm just gonna say this, and and Nancy's column,
that's her opinion, and that's fine. I'm gonna push back
when you know a college female basketball player is put
next next to Michael Jordan, that she's Michael Jordan's.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
I just there's a lot more that has to happen.
And I'll tell.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
You Nancy's column if she told me that Caitlyn is
going to go to the w n b A and
turn that league Chris into a rival of the NBA.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
And right, what.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I mean what I mean by is you're selling tickets,
you're making al not where, not where the greatest not
where the greatest women basketball players Chris have to go
to Europe to make any money. Okay, that's where they
make their money. They play hide home, but they have
to go to Europe to make their money.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
And that that's my point. Does that uh?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Does that translate into moving if she was to move
the needle in the WNBA and really make it where
people are watching Chris, people are buying tickets, and people
are like all into it. Now, now I would take
a look and go, my god, she is like Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
But I just I find that hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And I'm not in any way Chris knocking her and
what she's been able.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I'm talking about comparing her to Michael Jordan at this
point of her college career, just because of the rating
from that one, you know, the really big championship, which
was tremendous, and using that as she's Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I just think that that's a stretch.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I agree with a lot of what you said.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
First of all, let me say this, she is having
an incredible impact on women's college basketball. There have been
I was trying to think of. I thought there was
another female player. I gotta be honest, I'm not that
in the women's basketball all right.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
I never missed women's basketball.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
The one player that made me really want to watch
women's games was Britney Grinder, right, because she was she
was like the Wilt Chamberlain of female basket. Jon Right,
She's blocking shots and I was like, man, let me
check this out. I feel that way it actually, And
(15:00):
then some about Caitlyn Clark like, and my point is
what draws me to women's basketball is somebody doing something
like so far and above everybody else that that makes
me want to check it out. She's done that, Like
I I want to watch Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
I'll be honest, women's, men's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
There's not a college player right now that I would
rather watch play than Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
How many of her games have you watched?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
In her career?
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Like, I'm just I'm just asking because because.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Chris, I mean, I watched, I watched the highlights. I've
watched the highlights and I'm not but I'm not. I'm
not gonna sit here on that.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Line probably or I watched the tournament games last year,
but I'm just saying.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Games I watched highlights.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Rob she is. She makes you want to watch.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Like I said it, there's not a male or female
player I'd rather watch than her. So I understand where
Nancy's coming from in that. As far as w n
b A, I'm at best, at best a casual fan,
I ain't even a casual fan.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
How many how many w NBA games have you?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
I don't watch all leady, man, I don't watch it,
all right, no disrespect.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
I'm glad they have it. I'm glad they have hockey.
I don't watch hockey, all right.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
This ain't about a male female thing I just I'm
not really into it.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
But I'm into watching Caitlyn.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Clark because she is so good and so dynamic, and
she has brought me into I want to watch their games,
like Michael Jordan brought a lot of casual fans in
to want to watch the NBA basketball. Now, this is
where I agree with you, Rob. If she goes to
(16:53):
the w n b A and makes that a league
that now people really want to watch, men really want
to watch. You know that we're we're talking about Caitlyn
Clark and now we care about who won the championship,
and they have had some great players.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
But if she does that, Rob, then like you said,
she can be like Jordan.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
But the thing is this, Rob, unlike men where like
college men's college basketball isn't really even on the radar anymore.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Let's keep it real. It's all about the NBA.
Speaker 8 (17:33):
Right, women used to be Chris, Chris, I travel with
Saint John's men and Michael ka when he was a
basketball writer, and Bill Roden.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Chris, these are big people in the business, right, we
all travel with Saint John's.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
It was, I mean, men's basketball was huge, and now
I would I mean, I don't know Rob.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
But I think you can certainly argue.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
That women's college basketball, certainly right now with Angel Reeves
in South Carolina and Caitlyn Clark, is bigger than the WNBA,
And so I kind of feel like Rob, when she
goes into the WNBA, she's gonna kind of, I don't
mean taking a step down in competition, but it'll be
(18:25):
a step down in terms of prominence. Like you're gonna
have dncaa tournament to watch her. Everybody's gonna be checking
her out in March and that yeah, right in the WNBA,
are people gonna really be watching. If so, then you
can talk about her like Jordan.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, and that's what I really want to see. I
think then you could really like put her in that
kind of category with Jordan. I think it's a little premature, Chris,
And that's the only pushback I'm having with Nancy.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
I get where she's.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Coming from as far as some of the stuff that
she has done and moving the needle. But but Michael,
and you said it. When Michael came on the scene,
and you can talk about the NBA and the players
were already there or whatever, he took it to another level.
There's no denying Michael Jordan took it to another level.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
And that's what we would want to see, to me,
to make that a fair comparison, to say that, you know,
you played and you got great ratings in this championship
game and a couple other things, and that was enough.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
I think it's got to be more than that.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
No, that's fair, that's fair. I mean she's doing a
tremendous job on the college level so far. But that league,
rob I mean, let's keep it real, Bird and magic.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
What they did for the NBA, they say so saved
the league.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Obviously, the NBA was still more viable than the w
NBA at this point.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
But that can she make that type of lead?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I mean, that's that's a huge leap because they they
really saved the beyond saving it, Robed they put it,
they made it incredibly.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Nobody would believe Chris, like these young guys who listen
to our show, that the championship game was on tape
delay at eleven thirty after the local news. I can
remember sportscasters.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
In New York saying, Hey, if you're.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Gonna watch the championship game, Finals, Game two, turn your
head and would hold up the score on a piece
of paper, Chris, hold up the score and tell you
to turn your head so that they don't ruin the
game for you. The game was already played.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
And that's with doctor James, I know. And yeah, I
mean there was nobody more exciting than doctors. Hey, he's
on a handful of most exciting players ever. But it
still was on tape delay. And you're right, and so
you know, she's a tremendous and we'll see you know
what kind. But I do think Rob, you probably agree
with me March madness.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
She's gonna be musty TV.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
Oh, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
I mean, considering what she's done, all the others stuff,
and this is it.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
For her, right, So so people want to.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Get that's a that's another thing, Rob, What is she Rob?
She's a junior, right.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
This is her last season. That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Okay, Because I thought I heard people so say they
were mistaken. This is people were saying she could people
in I l No, people.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Were saying that.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
I think the confusion is some people.
Speaker 6 (21:22):
I think it was Cheryl Swoops who suggested that she
had an extra year of eligibility. God of the COVID
season but that did not count towards it. So she's
this is her final season.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Okay, yeah, but Rob, it's it's unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
W n b A isn't that big because you would
want to see a player like this going to you know,
like how she gonna do on the next level.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
But she might wind up Chris doing all of those
stars like Britney grind what happened. She was playing in
Russia right when she got over there, and that's where
they all go to Europe and foreign countries to make
the big money playing women's basketball, and we don't have
it in this country, so she might be just like them.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
No, you're right, that's the litmus test for her.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
If you really want to say she's in that atmosphere
of Jordan, the WNBA will be the litmus test and
how much she makes us tune.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
In be sure to catch live editions of The Odd
Couple with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven
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Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm watching this celebrity game.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Looks like Shannon, they actually are gonna win, gonna take
out Team steven A. They're still playing I wants only
fourteen seconds left.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
A lot of dunks, though, I'm gonna give them some credit.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Micah Parsons and Pooka Nakou of the stars, we'll see
if which one gets the MVP.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
But I tell you, Rob the sad thing, and I
actually mean.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
This, This game is more competitive than the actual All
Star That's terrible, Chris. I mean, and it's true, like
they're trying. They're out there trying, Rob g you got
it on am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (23:05):
No, Yeah, they're really going hard. I mean like Mike
is legitimately sweating out there like.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
They're going at it. He's exhausted, and you know that's
how you play well.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I mean, at least he played hard there or not
the postseason game he tried.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
He just you know, didn't have it that game.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But my point is Rob, that we all know that
something has to change with the All Star Game. And
when I first recognized that, Rob was twenty I think
it was twenty fourteen. The year was in New York
City at Madison Square Garden, and I remember Russell Westbrook
won the MVP, and I remember thinking to myself after
(23:48):
watching that game, like, how could you even choose an MVP.
He had the most points or was up there in points.
I don't know if he had the most. But it
was such a disjointed competitive game, you know what I mean?
That is like how you picking MVP? Like, no, there
was no resistance to anybody.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Do you remember, Chris?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Prior to that, I remember writing columns about where whoever's
hometown it was, they used to feed them the ball
for them to be the MVP. Do you remember that?
That was bad too. I used to be like, I
think it was Glenn is Glenn Rice from Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Chris, No, but he won it that year was in Cleveland,
because I remember writing the game story for that.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Do you remember that?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah, Tarot Brand Terrell Brandon was from Cleveland. There was
start and it wasn't to me at least, Rob. It
wasn't so much we're just gonna it's not even gonna
be a game, and we're just gonna give this guy
the ball and make sure he scores.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
It was like with to me.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Within the course of the game, Yeah, we're gonna try
to you know, feed the guy who's the home from
the hometown team, and you know, if he does this thing,
he can be If we're gonna give him a chance
to be the MVP, a better chance, you know. But
it wasn't like you know what I mean, where the
defense wasn't defend im shooting and things like that.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
I just remember there was maybe two or three years
in a row where a guy from the team or
from the city, you know what I mean, was the MVP.
And I just remember the Glenn Rice one. I was
there for that too.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
I just thought, yeah, yeah, I know he But yeah, Rob,
I think look, they trying to figure out how to
fix it. And I think Eddie made a good point.
And you've been there as I have. I We've been
to dozens of All Star games. I will say, and
I've said it before, but Eddie brought it up.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
It is true that there is so much other stuff
going on. And Byrus Scott's the one that said this
that the last thing on the player's minds is that game.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
And I firmly believe that because.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
You know, it's Wednesday night is when the festivities. Again,
there are tons of parties every night. There's stuff going
on during the day.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Don't forget some service building houses doing.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Nothing cares and all that.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And that's not even to mention, you know, their marketing deals,
so they're you know, there's suitees all over with Nike, Adidas,
every company, and players are at those and it I'm
telling Rob, just as a writer, I imagine you felt
the same way as a writer, worn out by the
time they get to the game at freaking eight or
(26:36):
nine o'clock at night, eight o'clock whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Yeah, it's like, come on, man, we don't even care
about this game. I wonder if so.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I think that there's so much going on it is
hard to get the game to be competitive again.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
But I wondered, I don't think they do it.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
But Rob, you remember it used to be on in
the afternoon, so if you what if you moved the
game up to the afternoon. Obviously that makes guys at
least think about, you know, not going as hard.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Sauray, I'm going to stop you and go ahead.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Television doesn't want it to well, yeah, I know I
know that it.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Won't happen, right, But I'm hear you.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I hear you that a little bit.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
You But you know, it's like like when all the
games are on late and people complain to the leagues, Chris,
you know this television is paying the freight.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
They want the game on when they want the games on.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They they're going to start the NBA Finals at nine o'clock.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
That's what time they're going to start them.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
They don't care that the league doesn't want you think
they never want.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Best for the ratings. But right, yeah, so I think
that might help.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
I think something that would definitely give it a pop
rob at least for a year or two.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
And we've mentioned it the international versus the American.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
The problem is if the Internationals destroyed US in the
first game first year, now maybe the next year it
be like, okay, all right, we're gonna show him this year.
We're gonna find time maybe, and then if we got
blasted again, then it's now it's like okay, it's just
you know what I mean, like it's back to being
what it was.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Then it'll be like Rocky Chris.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
They gotta you know, like like the Rocky Uh movies. Right,
first he fought the black guy, then the Russian. You know,
you gotta go through all the steps, right, and then
they'd have to get somebody from from like Mars has
got to be like an alien in order what was.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Rocky five Tommy Morrison fought. Was that Tommy Morrison? I think, well,
what which he fought at sixty? But you remember what
he thought the guy to beat uh Antonio tarveror that
beat Roy Jones, remember that one when he was sixty.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
But you know what I'm saying. It was always like
a predictable yeah, the.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Black guy, which Carl Weather's right first, and then.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
It was uh, well it was Carl Weathers for the
first two.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Then it was blubber Lang.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Mister T, mister T, and then it was Ivan Drago
fo Yeah, and then five I think was Tommy Morris.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
I can't remember the exact storyline, but do you want to?
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Eddie brought up, you know, a point we were talking
about the international versus the American and I do think
the internationals like did win.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
He brought up an interesting point.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Obviously, Luka jokicch I disagree with this guy great defenders.
But here's what I thought about this, because initially I
was like, that's interesting, But I've thought about it, Rob
And here's the thing.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
When we play these teams internationally.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
They aren't We wouldn't look at them as great defenders either, right,
We weren't looking at Germany as great defenders this year.
It are last year in the FOBA and they still
beat us. And they don't have a Yiannis. Like they
have a few good different embiid, you know, like they
will have some guys who can defend and I think
(30:06):
the the lane, so yeah, it'd be tough for US.
Speaker 8 (30:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I think the international players would be to American players.
I really do, like if they played all their guys,
you know, all the Chris because because only you know, they're.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
Party five, Jay Gilders, Alexander MVP candidates, Luca Luca, they're
not winning enough, but he's one of the best five
players in the world. Mb Jokichen Giannis. Those three are
all MVP candidates. So all the m VP candidates are international.
I mean Jason Tatum maybe, what do you mean?
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Rob says he's protesting mb because he's American. He's dual
to he.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Wants MBID to play Chris. He's got dual citizenship. Get him.
How far are we falling?
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Now?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Some people want Canada to Rob. They want the Canadians
because it's North America.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
No, that's that's a different How car are we falling?
Where We're like Mbid, who also.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Has citizenship in France, who's from Cameroon.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
We want him.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
We want Shae Gilders Alexander, we want Jamal Murray, who's
af Krian.
Speaker 6 (31:12):
How is it gonna look if we have the All
Star the Olympics this summer, Joel Embiid leads us to
the goal for Team USA, and then next year in
the All Star break he's playing with the world team.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
He's not like and I don't mean it's in any
negative way Patrick Ewing, like grew up you know what
was he He grew up in America to some degree
he played Did he play high school ball America?
Speaker 6 (31:36):
Right?
Speaker 4 (31:36):
And obviously Georgetown.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Embiid played a year at Kansas, But you know he's
from Cameroon. I hear what you're saying, but I'm just
saying the bottom line, he's an international player. And so
I Rob and and look once Steph k D and
Lebron are gone, Oh you're really looking at tough sledding.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Yeah, it's gonna be something. And you know what, that's
sooner than later, Chris. It's gonna be interesting to see
how the league pivots and.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Changes, and well, they may never they may be having
these very conversations Rob and saying, you know what, we
don't need to do this.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
We don't need to have international.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Versus America because they probably beat us now, but in
five years they mopped the floor.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
With us, right, if they don't do it this year,
you know.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah, it's a dilemma. I don't know what you can
do for the All Star Game. I just and as
you said, I've covered a million of them, Chris for
a long time, dating back to the eighties when I
was a beat writer, and I don't know what you do.
I really don't to make it worthwhile watching. It's not money.
(32:52):
You can't offer people money. It's the style of play,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Rob, Here's what I'm asking.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
I'm not asking for playoff intensity, right, No, we understand it.
We don't even want that because maybe somebody get hurt.
But here's what I'd ask, Rob, how about the intensity
level that they play with when they play in the
summer at UCLA or at the Drew League, or in
their open runs wherever they're playing them.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
How about that? Right? You know they're competing.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
I mean, they're not lollygagging and throwing up fifty footers
and stuff like they're doing in the Our Star Game.
They're actually playing hard. That's all we're asking for. We're
not asking for the NBA Finals level intensity.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Right, Nobody wants that. It's just can we be entertained?
Can we just be somewhat entertained in a basketball game?
Chris and I think that's what. Not just dunk snowfouls,
three pointers like a million three point It just it
was boring. I think it's the word you used right
last year watching it just boring.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
It was unwatchable. It was unwatchable, Like it was beyond boring.
It was just a bunch of dudes out there just
taking turns, shooting ridiculously long shots or going in and
dunking with no resistance.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
It was just it was unwatchable. And Mike Malone said,
I mean, it was bad, and it doesn't have to
be that bad.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I remember Rob, I don't remember what year it was,
but I remember specifically David Stern was still commissioner, and
the Rookie Sophomore Game was like this. The Rookies Awhomore
Game was a joke and it was it was essentially
what the All Star Game has become. It was a
bunch of dudes throwing up threes uncontested dunks, and Stern
said something. They were there was talk about that like this, Yeah,
(34:50):
that was embarrassing.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
We that's not what our product is.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
And now obviously those players are now the stars, and
they grew up playing more of a three point shooting,
you know game and all that and knowing each other,
having fun in aau so we're not going that hard
at each other, and that's what's the real thing has
become the reel Allstar Game.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
So hopefully there'll be a change tomorrow or Sunday,
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple with
Chris Bruso and Rob Harker.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Interesting documentary coming out about the Patriots.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Think Last Dance.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I guess not so much in the content, but that
type of thing, Rob G.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Kinda it's not all out.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It just dropped today, right, the first episode, So bring
us up this?
Speaker 5 (00:45):
So what are they doing? Rob G? Two episodes a week.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
That is the plotcast.
Speaker 6 (00:50):
Now you recall the Last Dance was supposed to be
released in a similar format, but because of COVID, they
decided to bless us and drop everything.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It was like, we wouldn't have had any thing. I mean,
do you remember we were we were we were triggering.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
You would talk about it for like three or four days,
and it may would get you through Thursday, and then
you'd have.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
To, you know, come up with something else because there
was nothing.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Let's circle back to episode two. I think there's meat
there on that we.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
Got to get right.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Michael Jordan couldn't have planned it any better, right, It
was nothing else for people to watch.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
So, in any event, this docs out. The first two
episodes are out now on Apple TV. But part of
the promotion the trailers, the buzz coming into today's debut
was the relationship between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Obviously,
that's all anyone cares about. Because the first two episodes
are about the first Super Bowls. Everyone's very excited, but
no one cares about that. They want to know what
(01:43):
went wrong, right, So as part of the promotion, The
Athletic got quotes from some of the later episodes and
they discussed why Tom Brady ultimately decided to leave New England.
Tom Brady said there was no amount of money basically
they could offer him to get him to stay and
put up with what he was putting up with. To elaborate,
(02:03):
Matthew Slater said quote, it was brutal talking about the
Brady Belichick relationship. Rob Grenkowski described not wanted to get
out of his car to go to work. That's so
much he dreaded going to practice and working under Bill Belichick.
And last, but not least, this is the shocking one.
Wes Welker compared Tom Brady to an abused dog who
(02:24):
was continually going back to its owner. With the Tom
Brady Bill Belichick relationship.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
That's only because Tom Brady's noses. What that's it? Oh,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
That nothing. That wouldn't even I don't even think people
knew if that was a joker about don't dogs have
wet noses? It just wasn't funny. Okay, But that's that
Stockholm syndrome is what Wes Welker was describing. Rob. You know,
when you go back to your abuser or whatever.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
But Rob, this look, we all knew how.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Tough it was to play in New England.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
You remember when Philadelphia beat them in the Super Bowl
and the Eagles players are talking about how they wouldn't
want to play in New England.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
It's no fun and all of that.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
But Rob, to hear these quotes is it makes me
feel like and we'll see the documentary eventually when it
comes out, but it makes me feel like it's worse
than we could have imagined. You know, because I would
think Obviously, those guys won championships. I mean tons of
(03:37):
them in that Patriot way under Belichick and usually Rob.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
You know this, when you get away.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
From something for a few years, you look back finally,
you know, especially if you had success, even if it
wasn't fun, you look back and you kinda.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Forget or overlook the bad times and the challenges.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
And you just are like, man, it was so we
we were winning so much.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
It was great.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
And for them to be focused, at least from what
we're hearing and what's been reported so far, just about
how bad it was, that tells me it must have
been incredibly terrible.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
It's funny.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I have the exact opposite opinion. It sounds like they're
big cry babies. Oh my god, they had practice for
a couple of hours. My god, he was whipping them
with whips and chains and he was asking them, dude,
they were succeeding and winning and and doing like putting
in work. And now after it's all over, like it
(04:40):
just sounds like like like like a big baby, like, oh,
it was so tough to win and be to be
held accountable, and Andy.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Saying that are they because we practiced?
Speaker 5 (04:53):
That's true?
Speaker 3 (04:54):
A couple of hours a day, by the way, you like,
everybody practices a couple hours a day. But that's just
say it because we being held account I'm just saying, like,
it doesn't that's my point. Every football player is held
accountable and practice a few hours a day.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
No, but that, But what did he do? Can you
give me signs?
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Down?
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Wondering?
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It just to me sounds like like being a big baby.
I'm just telling you because what was he doing though?
When Tom Brady was an abused dog? Really, when Tom
Brasey Brady and him got together, they embraced and they
threw flowers at each other and all that. If it
was really that bad, Now I got to hear doctrmentry
(05:32):
and say everything that they presented and told each other
how great they admired each other and work together.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Now all that's a lie? Is that what this is?
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Come on, I just don't buy it. Well, that's what
I'm wondering.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Because I look, every football player has hard times practicing hard,
especially back then when you could have two a day's
and you could have padded practices.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
All week and things like that. So that's my point.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I I it can't just be that and every football
player has been yelled at.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
My guest, Rob, is that it was.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, especially when you talk about Welker talking about Brady,
it sounds like he spoke to him in a way
that was like just really degrading, and he did. I'm
just I'm just totally speculating.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I am too.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I mean, I am too, But how bad could it
have been?
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Well, I don't think it was.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean, I think the abused dog obviously is a
little bit of hyperbole. But I'm just saying, like, my
guess is that these are grown men, as you know,
and that even as Brady emerged as this great player,
that Belichick continued to talk to him like he was,
(06:59):
you know, a bench play, you know, just yelling at
And we know that that was part of it, right
that people have talked about the fact that Brady would
allow Belichick to get on him so hard put everybody
else in line. We heard the same thing with Tim
Duncan and Greg Popovich, like when your star takes coaching,
(07:20):
that everybody else has no choice but to get in line.
But I don't know, Rob, that's I mean, I'm kind
of with you and that I'm wondering what in the world.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Could it have been?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Right?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I just I don't think it, but I don't. I
don't buy.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm not buying it was just hard practices. I mean,
you can go, there's a line, right, Maybe it was.
They were over the line as far as hard, but
that two of days, Man, it happens.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
You know, you yelled at by your coach, that's you.
You learn that as.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
A football exactly. Any more details will help us out.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Here, Yes, So just to add some context now recalls.
I don't know if you remember this, guys, but following
their twenty eighteen Super Bowl lost to the Eagles, Giselle Bonchin,
his ex wife, told Robert Kraft in a closed door meeting,
which was reported by MBC Sports Boston, that it was
quote ridiculous that Belichick still treated Brady like quote effing
(08:15):
Johnny Foxborough, that he wasn't treating him like a guy
who had won multiple suits.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
I remember that she received what she said, if they
could only catch the ball, catch the ball.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
But the other thing that she said was she didn't
like that Bill Belichick was treating Brady's personal trainer and
best friends like outcasts.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
Okay, so it was not getting positive though.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For I mean, uh, that was when he got rid
of him, don't you remember, Yeah, that's when he pushed
him out of the Chris right.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I mean one thing I do think, Rob, And again
this is speculation because we you know, we don't know,
but it just seems like Belichick and I mean glint
from this from the press conferences to this, and I
get it. A lot of people say he's funny away
from the camera and the reporters and all, and that
might very well be true, but from what we see, Rob,
(09:12):
it sounds like he he doesn't have great interpersonal skills.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
He doesn't seem like that kind of guy, right.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, you know, and I think he probably only knows
one way and instead of developing some good relationships with guys,
cause again, these are adults, these aren't high school or
college kids, he just drove them like a drill sergeant,
I guess. And for whatever you know, they must not
have had any fun other than the winning. And the
(09:41):
winning is fun, right, and their legends because of it.
So I'm not crying for him, but I'm just saying
it must have been stuff, Rob that was worse than
we we even thought.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
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Speaker 7 (10:09):
All happening in only one place. This League Uncut, the
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Speaker 5 (10:15):
Haynes and me Mark Stein.
Speaker 7 (10:18):
Join us as we team up to expound on everything
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Speaker 4 (10:23):
Listen to This League Uncut with Chris Haynes and Mark Stein.
Speaker 7 (10:27):
On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
All right, Rob g So USA Today talked about Caitlyn
Clark in about the greatest basketball terms you could talk
about her.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
So Rob g fill us in on this that's right.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
USA Today columnist Nancy Armore wrote a glowing column praising
Kaitlin Clark, but not in the way you would expect.
You know, obviously she broke the record and that's a
big deal. But what she sang, Nancy Armore, is that
Kaitlyn Clark is transformed the sport of basketball in the
same ways that Michael Jordan did. Here's an excerpt Clark
(11:06):
is more than just her game when you factor in
the outside impact she's having off the court. There's really
only been one other player like her, Michael Jordan. He
wasn't just the best player in the history of the game.
He transcended sport, his and all others. He was a
cultural sensation. He elevated the NBA because of it. Clark's
impact might not be as widespread yet, but it's no
(11:28):
less transformative. Interest in women's sports as skyrocket over the
last few years, and viewership during last year's NCAA basketball
tournament obliterated the previous high with the final of Iowa
and LSU watched by almost ten million people. Every game
she plays home and away is in front of a
sold out crowd. In fact, tickets for Thursday night's game,
(11:51):
when she broke the record, were the second highest in
women's basketball history, college or WNBA.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Why wasn't it first? Oh, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
Little boys and girls clamoring for her jersey and fans
line up for hours before games in hopes of putting
themselves in position to catch your eye as she enters
and exits the court for warm ups, or even better,
get an autographed.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Chris I'm just gonna say this, and and Nancy's column,
that's her opinion, and that's fine. I'm gonna push back
when you know a college female basketball player is put
next next to Michael Jordan, that she's Michael Jordan's.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
I just there's a lot more that has to happen.
And I'll tell.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
You Nancy's column if she told me that Caitlyn is
going to go to the w n b A and
turn that league Chris into a rival of the NBA.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
And right, what.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I mean what I mean by is you're selling tickets,
you're making al not where, not where the greatest not
where the greatest women basketball players Chris have to go
to Europe to make any money. Okay, that's where they
make their money. They play hide home, but they have
to go to Europe to make their money.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
And that that's my point. Does that uh?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Does that translate into moving if she was to move
the needle in the WNBA and really make it where
people are watching Chris, people are buying tickets, and people
are like all into it. Now, now I would take
a look and go, my god, she is like Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
But I just I find that hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And I'm not in any way Chris knocking her and
what she's been able.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I'm talking about comparing her to Michael Jordan at this
point of her college career, just because of the rating
from that one, you know, the really big championship, which
was tremendous, and using that as she's Michael Jordan.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I just think that that's a stretch.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I agree with a lot of what you said.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
First of all, let me say this, she is having
an incredible impact on women's college basketball. There have been
I was trying to think of. I thought there was
another female player. I gotta be honest, I'm not that
in the women's basketball all right.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
I never missed women's basketball.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
The one player that made me really want to watch
women's games was Britney Grinder, right, because she was she
was like the Wilt Chamberlain of female basket. Jon Right,
She's blocking shots and I was like, man, let me
check this out. I feel that way it actually, And
(15:00):
then some about Caitlyn Clark like, and my point is
what draws me to women's basketball is somebody doing something
like so far and above everybody else that that makes
me want to check it out. She's done that, Like
I I want to watch Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
I'll be honest, women's, men's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
There's not a college player right now that I would
rather watch play than Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
How many of her games have you watched?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (15:33):
In her career?
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Like, I'm just I'm just asking because because.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Chris, I mean, I watched, I watched the highlights. I've
watched the highlights and I'm not but I'm not. I'm
not gonna sit here on that.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Line probably or I watched the tournament games last year,
but I'm just saying.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Games I watched highlights.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Rob she is. She makes you want to watch.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Like I said it, there's not a male or female
player I'd rather watch than her. So I understand where
Nancy's coming from in that. As far as w n
b A, I'm at best, at best a casual fan,
I ain't even a casual fan.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
How many how many w NBA games have you?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
I don't watch all leady, man, I don't watch it,
all right, no disrespect.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
I'm glad they have it. I'm glad they have hockey.
I don't watch hockey, all right.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
This ain't about a male female thing I just I'm
not really into it.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
But I'm into watching Caitlyn.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Clark because she is so good and so dynamic, and
she has brought me into I want to watch their games,
like Michael Jordan brought a lot of casual fans in
to want to watch the NBA basketball. Now, this is
where I agree with you, Rob. If she goes to
(16:53):
the w n b A and makes that a league
that now people really want to watch, men really want
to watch. You know that we're we're talking about Caitlyn
Clark and now we care about who won the championship,
and they have had some great players.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
But if she does that, Rob, then like you said,
she can be like Jordan.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
But the thing is this, Rob, unlike men where like
college men's college basketball isn't really even on the radar anymore.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Let's keep it real. It's all about the NBA.
Speaker 8 (17:33):
Right, women used to be Chris, Chris, I travel with
Saint John's men and Michael ka when he was a
basketball writer, and Bill Roden.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Chris, these are big people in the business, right, we
all travel with Saint John's.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
It was, I mean, men's basketball was huge, and now
I would I mean, I don't know Rob.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
But I think you can certainly argue.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
That women's college basketball, certainly right now with Angel Reeves
in South Carolina and Caitlyn Clark, is bigger than the WNBA,
And so I kind of feel like Rob, when she
goes into the WNBA, she's gonna kind of, I don't
mean taking a step down in competition, but it'll be
(18:25):
a step down in terms of prominence. Like you're gonna
have dncaa tournament to watch her. Everybody's gonna be checking
her out in March and that yeah, right in the WNBA,
are people gonna really be watching. If so, then you
can talk about her like Jordan.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, and that's what I really want to see. I
think then you could really like put her in that
kind of category with Jordan. I think it's a little premature, Chris,
And that's the only pushback I'm having with Nancy.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
I get where she's.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Coming from as far as some of the stuff that
she has done and moving the needle. But but Michael,
and you said it. When Michael came on the scene,
and you can talk about the NBA and the players
were already there or whatever, he took it to another level.
There's no denying Michael Jordan took it to another level.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
And that's what we would want to see, to me,
to make that a fair comparison, to say that, you know,
you played and you got great ratings in this championship
game and a couple other things, and that was enough.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
I think it's got to be more than that.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
No, that's fair, that's fair. I mean she's doing a
tremendous job on the college level so far. But that league,
rob I mean, let's keep it real, Bird and magic.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
What they did for the NBA, they say so saved
the league.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Obviously, the NBA was still more viable than the w
NBA at this point.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
But that can she make that type of lead?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I mean, that's that's a huge leap because they they
really saved the beyond saving it, Robed they put it,
they made it incredibly.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Nobody would believe Chris, like these young guys who listen
to our show, that the championship game was on tape
delay at eleven thirty after the local news. I can
remember sportscasters.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
In New York saying, Hey, if you're.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Gonna watch the championship game, Finals, Game two, turn your
head and would hold up the score on a piece
of paper, Chris, hold up the score and tell you
to turn your head so that they don't ruin the
game for you. The game was already played.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
And that's with doctor James, I know. And yeah, I
mean there was nobody more exciting than doctors. Hey, he's
on a handful of most exciting players ever. But it
still was on tape delay. And you're right, and so
you know, she's a tremendous and we'll see you know
what kind. But I do think Rob, you probably agree
with me March madness.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
She's gonna be musty TV.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
Oh, I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
I mean, considering what she's done, all the others stuff,
and this is it.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
For her, right, So so people want to.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Get that's a that's another thing, Rob, What is she Rob?
She's a junior, right.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
This is her last season. That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Okay, Because I thought I heard people so say they
were mistaken. This is people were saying she could people
in I l No, people.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Were saying that.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
I think the confusion is some people.
Speaker 6 (21:22):
I think it was Cheryl Swoops who suggested that she
had an extra year of eligibility. God of the COVID
season but that did not count towards it. So she's
this is her final season.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Okay, yeah, but Rob, it's it's unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
W n b A isn't that big because you would
want to see a player like this going to you know,
like how she gonna do on the next level.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
But she might wind up Chris doing all of those
stars like Britney grind what happened. She was playing in
Russia right when she got over there, and that's where
they all go to Europe and foreign countries to make
the big money playing women's basketball, and we don't have
it in this country, so she might be just like them.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
No, you're right, that's the litmus test for her.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
If you really want to say she's in that atmosphere
of Jordan, the WNBA will be the litmus test and
how much she makes us tune.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
In be sure to catch live editions of The Odd
Couple with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven
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Speaker 4 (22:23):
I'm watching this celebrity game.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Looks like Shannon, they actually are gonna win, gonna take
out Team steven A. They're still playing I wants only
fourteen seconds left.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
A lot of dunks, though, I'm gonna give them some credit.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Micah Parsons and Pooka Nakou of the stars, we'll see
if which one gets the MVP.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
But I tell you, Rob the sad thing, and I
actually mean.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
This, This game is more competitive than the actual All
Star That's terrible, Chris. I mean, and it's true, like
they're trying. They're out there trying, Rob g you got
it on am I wrong?
Speaker 6 (23:05):
No, Yeah, they're really going hard. I mean like Mike
is legitimately sweating out there like.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
They're going at it. He's exhausted, and you know that's
how you play well.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I mean, at least he played hard there or not
the postseason game he tried.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
He just you know, didn't have it that game.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But my point is Rob, that we all know that
something has to change with the All Star Game. And
when I first recognized that, Rob was twenty I think
it was twenty fourteen. The year was in New York
City at Madison Square Garden, and I remember Russell Westbrook
won the MVP, and I remember thinking to myself after
(23:48):
watching that game, like, how could you even choose an MVP.
He had the most points or was up there in points.
I don't know if he had the most. But it
was such a disjointed competitive game, you know what I mean?
That is like how you picking MVP? Like, no, there
was no resistance to anybody.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Do you remember, Chris?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Prior to that, I remember writing columns about where whoever's
hometown it was, they used to feed them the ball
for them to be the MVP. Do you remember that?
That was bad too. I used to be like, I
think it was Glenn is Glenn Rice from Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Chris, No, but he won it that year was in Cleveland,
because I remember writing the game story for that.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Do you remember that?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah, Tarot Brand Terrell Brandon was from Cleveland. There was
start and it wasn't to me at least, Rob. It
wasn't so much we're just gonna it's not even gonna
be a game, and we're just gonna give this guy
the ball and make sure he scores.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
It was like with to me.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Within the course of the game, Yeah, we're gonna try
to you know, feed the guy who's the home from
the hometown team, and you know, if he does this thing,
he can be If we're gonna give him a chance
to be the MVP, a better chance, you know. But
it wasn't like you know what I mean, where the
defense wasn't defend im shooting and things like that.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
I just remember there was maybe two or three years
in a row where a guy from the team or
from the city, you know what I mean, was the MVP.
And I just remember the Glenn Rice one. I was
there for that too.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
I just thought, yeah, yeah, I know he But yeah, Rob,
I think look, they trying to figure out how to
fix it. And I think Eddie made a good point.
And you've been there as I have. I We've been
to dozens of All Star games. I will say, and
I've said it before, but Eddie brought it up.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
It is true that there is so much other stuff
going on. And Byrus Scott's the one that said this
that the last thing on the player's minds is that game.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
And I firmly believe that because.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
You know, it's Wednesday night is when the festivities. Again,
there are tons of parties every night. There's stuff going
on during the day.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Don't forget some service building houses doing.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Nothing cares and all that.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
And that's not even to mention, you know, their marketing deals,
so they're you know, there's suitees all over with Nike, Adidas,
every company, and players are at those and it I'm
telling Rob, just as a writer, I imagine you felt
the same way as a writer, worn out by the
time they get to the game at freaking eight or
(26:36):
nine o'clock at night, eight o'clock whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Yeah, it's like, come on, man, we don't even care
about this game. I wonder if so.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I think that there's so much going on it is
hard to get the game to be competitive again.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
But I wondered, I don't think they do it.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
But Rob, you remember it used to be on in
the afternoon, so if you what if you moved the
game up to the afternoon. Obviously that makes guys at
least think about, you know, not going as hard.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Sauray, I'm going to stop you and go ahead.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Television doesn't want it to well, yeah, I know I
know that it.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Won't happen, right, But I'm hear you.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
I hear you that a little bit.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
You But you know, it's like like when all the
games are on late and people complain to the leagues, Chris,
you know this television is paying the freight.
Speaker 5 (27:27):
They want the game on when they want the games on.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They they're going to start the NBA Finals at nine o'clock.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
That's what time they're going to start them.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
They don't care that the league doesn't want you think
they never want.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Best for the ratings. But right, yeah, so I think
that might help.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
I think something that would definitely give it a pop
rob at least for a year or two.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
And we've mentioned it the international versus the American.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
The problem is if the Internationals destroyed US in the
first game first year, now maybe the next year it
be like, okay, all right, we're gonna show him this year.
We're gonna find time maybe, and then if we got
blasted again, then it's now it's like okay, it's just
you know what I mean, like it's back to being
what it was.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Then it'll be like Rocky Chris.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
They gotta you know, like like the Rocky Uh movies. Right,
first he fought the black guy, then the Russian. You know,
you gotta go through all the steps, right, and then
they'd have to get somebody from from like Mars has
got to be like an alien in order what was.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Rocky five Tommy Morrison fought. Was that Tommy Morrison? I think, well,
what which he fought at sixty? But you remember what
he thought the guy to beat uh Antonio tarveror that
beat Roy Jones, remember that one when he was sixty.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
But you know what I'm saying. It was always like
a predictable yeah, the.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Black guy, which Carl Weather's right first, and then.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
It was uh, well it was Carl Weathers for the
first two.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Then it was blubber Lang.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Mister T, mister T, and then it was Ivan Drago
fo Yeah, and then five I think was Tommy Morris.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
I can't remember the exact storyline, but do you want to?
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Eddie brought up, you know, a point we were talking
about the international versus the American and I do think
the internationals like did win.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
He brought up an interesting point.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Obviously, Luka jokicch I disagree with this guy great defenders.
But here's what I thought about this, because initially I
was like, that's interesting, But I've thought about it, Rob
And here's the thing.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
When we play these teams internationally.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
They aren't We wouldn't look at them as great defenders either, right,
We weren't looking at Germany as great defenders this year.
It are last year in the FOBA and they still
beat us. And they don't have a Yiannis. Like they
have a few good different embiid, you know, like they
will have some guys who can defend and I think
(30:06):
the the lane, so yeah, it'd be tough for US.
Speaker 8 (30:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I think the international players would be to American players.
I really do, like if they played all their guys,
you know, all the Chris because because only you know, they're.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
Party five, Jay Gilders, Alexander MVP candidates, Luca Luca, they're
not winning enough, but he's one of the best five
players in the world. Mb Jokichen Giannis. Those three are
all MVP candidates. So all the m VP candidates are international.
I mean Jason Tatum maybe, what do you mean?
Speaker 5 (30:38):
Rob says he's protesting mb because he's American. He's dual
to he.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Wants MBID to play Chris. He's got dual citizenship. Get him.
How far are we falling?
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Now?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Some people want Canada to Rob. They want the Canadians
because it's North America.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
No, that's that's a different How car are we falling?
Where We're like Mbid, who also.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Has citizenship in France, who's from Cameroon.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
We want him.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
We want Shae Gilders Alexander, we want Jamal Murray, who's
af Krian.
Speaker 6 (31:12):
How is it gonna look if we have the All
Star the Olympics this summer, Joel Embiid leads us to
the goal for Team USA, and then next year in
the All Star break he's playing with the world team.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
He's not like and I don't mean it's in any
negative way Patrick Ewing, like grew up you know what
was he He grew up in America to some degree
he played Did he play high school ball America?
Speaker 6 (31:36):
Right?
Speaker 4 (31:36):
And obviously Georgetown.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Embiid played a year at Kansas, But you know he's
from Cameroon. I hear what you're saying, but I'm just
saying the bottom line, he's an international player. And so
I Rob and and look once Steph k D and
Lebron are gone, Oh you're really looking at tough sledding.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Yeah, it's gonna be something. And you know what, that's
sooner than later, Chris. It's gonna be interesting to see
how the league pivots and.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Changes, and well, they may never they may be having
these very conversations Rob and saying, you know what, we
don't need to do this.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
We don't need to have international.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Versus America because they probably beat us now, but in
five years they mopped the floor.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
With us, right, if they don't do it this year,
you know.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah, it's a dilemma. I don't know what you can
do for the All Star Game. I just and as
you said, I've covered a million of them, Chris for
a long time, dating back to the eighties when I
was a beat writer, and I don't know what you do.
I really don't to make it worthwhile watching. It's not money.
(32:52):
You can't offer people money. It's the style of play,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
Rob, Here's what I'm asking.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
I'm not asking for playoff intensity, right, No, we understand it.
We don't even want that because maybe somebody get hurt.
But here's what I'd ask, Rob, how about the intensity
level that they play with when they play in the
summer at UCLA or at the Drew League, or in
their open runs wherever they're playing them.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
How about that? Right? You know they're competing.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
I mean, they're not lollygagging and throwing up fifty footers
and stuff like they're doing in the Our Star Game.
They're actually playing hard. That's all we're asking for. We're
not asking for the NBA Finals level intensity.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Right, Nobody wants that. It's just can we be entertained?
Can we just be somewhat entertained in a basketball game?
Chris and I think that's what. Not just dunk snowfouls,
three pointers like a million three point It just it
was boring. I think it's the word you used right
last year watching it just boring.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
It was unwatchable. It was unwatchable, Like it was beyond boring.
It was just a bunch of dudes out there just
taking turns, shooting ridiculously long shots or going in and
dunking with no resistance.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
It was just it was unwatchable. And Mike Malone said,
I mean, it was bad, and it doesn't have to
be that bad.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
I remember Rob, I don't remember what year it was,
but I remember specifically David Stern was still commissioner, and
the Rookie Sophomore Game was like this. The Rookies Awhomore
Game was a joke and it was it was essentially
what the All Star Game has become. It was a
bunch of dudes throwing up threes uncontested dunks, and Stern
said something. They were there was talk about that like this, Yeah,
(34:50):
that was embarrassing.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
We that's not what our product is.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
And now obviously those players are now the stars, and
they grew up playing more of a three point shooting,
you know game and all that and knowing each other,
having fun in aau so we're not going that hard
at each other, and that's what's the real thing has
become the reel Allstar Game.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
So hopefully there'll be a change tomorrow or Sunday,
Hosts And Creators
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