July 18, 2024 • 41 mins
Chris and Rob tell us if Caleb Williams should have been willing to hold out of Chicago Bears training camp in order to ensure that the club can’t franchise tag him after his rookie deal expires and tell us if Paul Finebaum handled his viral exchange with Lane Kiffin correctly. Plus, The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant swings by to discuss Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA as a whole, whether Clark should be viewed as a lock to win the Rookie of the Year award, why the WNBA is unhappy with the NBA’s media rights monetary distribution and much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's get this pun. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
It is The Odd Couple. I'm Chrissy's Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot com studios.
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Speaker 3 (00:48):
Tire rag dot com the way tire buying should be. Rob.
We were talking.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
About the WNBA earlier, about their deal, their TV deal
that the NBA has decided to give them, and Sabrina Merchant,
who covers the w NBA for The Athletic, will join
us at the bottom of the hour, so it'll be
good to talk to her about that and plenty of
other stuff going on around the league. Caitlyn Clark Angel
(01:15):
rees both playing really well and of course the All
Star Game coming up. Soon, so keep it locked for that.
That's in about twenty five to thirty minutes.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Missed the WNBA All Star Game.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I might watch this one. This would be the first
one that I will watch. It'll be something if they
beat the Olympic team, you know, which is made up
of course of WNBA players, But it's the All Stars
rights you might not even know since you're not really
paying attention to it. It's the it's the Olympic team
rob playing against the remaining All Stars in the league
(01:52):
who aren't on the Olympics.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
But it doesn't make sense though, because because some of
the All Stars, the best players are on the Olympic team.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
No, right, well all the Olympics, Olympics. But I like
the you know, I like the little intrigue that presents
to me, you know, and I think that that'll give
a little Now quickly, Martin Weiss, if you're listening this
game between is he is he listening?
Speaker 4 (02:17):
He's listening to the tapes of Jim Rome. I think he's
not listening to us.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
The Wizards and the King's game is over.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So I wanted to know what was the line for
Alex sar if he has it? But Wizards won seventy
three sixty nine. Get on that, Martin and let us know.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, I would love to. I would. He said he
was one for.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Five, right, yeah, I got it right here, Chris. It's
one for six, nine rebounds, one steal, one block, five
personal fouls, and two points three assists. Also, so uh
Browannie James style numbers.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Right, I mean he's not.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I mean that's the number two pick and he's having
his strug. But you know, look again, just Rob, we
talked about it. Even if he was averaging twenty five
you could, we wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Buy into it. We wouldn't even buy into that.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Remember last year Brandon Miller with the Charlotte. He looked
bad and you obviously had a nice rookie year.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Yeah, yeah, he did look bad. I remember that.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Remember that.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So you can't jump to too many conclusions, positively or negatively.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So it is what it is.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
But Rob, Another rookie in the NFL, Caleb Williams just
signed his contract with the Bears, and it took a while,
even though they're on a rookie scale, so there are
only so many things to negotiate this and the salary
obviously isn't one of them.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
But the big big.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
News that Caleb Williams asked and he's represented by his
family like his father, but he asked Rob the Bears
to not friends chie tagging or I'm I'm assuming it
was dropped your right to franchise tag right, that's what
he has after after my rookie scale contract is up.
(04:12):
And the Bear said no, And I mean, that's that's interesting.
I will say this, I'm surprised that that's even like.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
An option.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
That you can anything, chrisy, You could do you know,
almost anything and have somebody take something out or add something,
you know, like it's just negotiating. Most of the team's
not going to give that up because it's the over
it's the ultimate hammer.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
It's the worst.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
It's the worst deal that any organized labor could put
on there their workers.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Chris is the It's just it's.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
So one side, That's what I mean. It's so one sided.
It's ridiculous, like like really, it's so bad. And I'm
gonna give Caleb credit. I'm gonna give them Charlie Hayes credit.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Thank you for.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
At least Chris putting it out there and asking for
something that doesn't work in your favor. I'm not saying
that I thought the Bears would would would would do it,
but at least to even bring it up and say, man, like,
what what is this? Who agreed to this ridiculous rule,
(05:28):
a collective bargaining agreement that basically handcuffs us for.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Years to come?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
I mean, it is such a half the guy for
seven years without him getting like a real contract, you know,
I mean, you know, relatively, it's just.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
It's it's a bad deal. And and and.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
I give him credit, Chris for even approaching that or
even having that. We haven't heard too many players who
have even they just say I'm happy to be in
the Like I.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Kind of assume that it's you know, it's not even negotiable.
But here's the thing, Rob, he was not, and I
don't it doesn't seem like.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
From the reports that he really pushed it, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
It's kind of been reported like he asked, they said no,
and he let it go and they moved on. I
don't know if that actually is how it happened, but
that's what it seems.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Well, here's what I want to ask you. Well, that's
what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
That's why I'm like I said, I'm shocked that it
is even something you could negotiate. And obviously you make
sense when you say, well, you could negotiate anything, but
you couldn't go and say, well, look how I want
a real deal. Forget this rookie scale thing, give me
a real contract. I'm like, you know, the biggest prospect
(06:50):
in the last five years.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I mean, I don't even think you could do that.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So that's why I'm even surprised that this is something
you could that could be considered.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
I gotta I gotta assume even in the cb A right,
that's like the minimum you could ask for stuff, and
if somebody really wants you, could they work around circumvent
you know, like like like I've said, I don't circumvent it.
I'm not saying that they're going to give you more
(07:20):
money than it's allowed, but there might be some other
thing that they allow where they say, you.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Know what, we can't give the money.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
There There are some other things, but that's where I'm
surprised the franchise tag is one of them. And and
maybe look, I'm not saying I'm right it must I
haven't seen it written that it's not one of them.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
But my point is, here's the thing that that you're
not thinking about.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
It's not automatic, like people don't automatically give you the franchise.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
So a team has an option on whether or not
to use it.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
The team no, no, no, But that's what I'm saying,
getting that option.
Speaker 7 (08:00):
No.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
But that's what I think makes it negotiable is that
a team can say we're not using the franchise tag
on this guy or that you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Like they have an option. It's not like written in
that you have to use it.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
If if a player becomes to a certain point, you
could say, no, I'm good, we'll let you bounce, or
you know what I mean, or whatever, we're not going
to offer you a franchise tag. So since it's an
option for a team, I'm saying that's why he could
ask for.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
But I don't know if that's I mean. Again, I'm
not saying I'm right. I'm just saying, like his dad, Rob,
who represents him as I said, reportedly was talking about
wanting like a percentage of the team he's drafted by,
and you know.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
That's against FRIDE laws. You can't own the team and plays.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
But I'm just saying they're all collectively bargained, right.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
But but but you because you don't have to use
the tag, which is the difference, is.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
What I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I don't know. I mean, I don't do you know
for a fact, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
I'm I'm just saying I'm surprised this is even negotiable,
and I don't know why. So I'm not saying it's not.
I guess it is. But the thing is this, Rob,
he was not in asking for that. You know this,
you're not just potentially going against the Bears.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Every owner in the.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
League would have been like if it was if they
were considering doing this all the owner you know, none
of the owners, Rob wanted the Bears to do that
because then it sets a precedent. But and every number
one pick coming after that and other guys would be wanting, like, hey,
you can't franchise.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
But the Vikings did that when they gave Kirk Cousins
a fully guaranteed contract and they flipped out, or when
or when or when the Browns gave h Deshauan Watson
that deal, Chris people like like like they did do that,
Like like there were teams that went rogue. That's why
they used to hate al Davis. You remember that in
the league they al Davis was always in trouble with
(10:02):
the league because he was doing what he wanted to do.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
And then they out and then they none of them
followed suit with the fully guaranteed deals. So I mean,
but but I think I think they value this, and
they value the non you know, not fully guaranteed deals
too obviously, but I think they value this so much because,
as you said, that is such a hammer that because
(10:27):
I wonder Rob, like, if indeed it's negotiable, what was
the stop Caleb Williams from being like, well, look, if
you want me to play, you gotta you gotta take
this clause out about the franchise that I mean, if
you're gonna ask for it, why not go all the way?
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, don't he got the leverage.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
I don't know if that's how he wanted to start
his career or whatever, you know, like he.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
That's a tough way.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I mean, I am saying that. I'm not saying I
would do that or you should. I'm just saying if
you ask about it, and maybe, like I said, maybe
it wasn't a long drawn out issue. Maybe he just said, hey,
anyway we can get this off, right, you just asked, we're.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
Sitting there whatever, and then you never know, I mean,
who knows if somebody might say, hey, you know what
if this means a lot to you and we want
to start off on them, you know what I mean.
Like sometimes one of my old radio partners, Mike Stone,
had in his contract, Chris, every every time you do
the contract that if Bruce.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Springsteen is within fifty or sixty.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Miles of wherever he is, he gets the day off
to go to a Bruce Springsteen con that's concert that
was in his contract. So Bruce is playing somewhere, you
know with it I said, right, it was like two
hundred miles. So if he's in Cleveland, you know what
I mean, he get the day off. He could because
he was a big Bruce Springsteen fan. So my point
is most people aren't getting that in their deal, right,
(11:58):
Like most people just on getting that. So you ask,
you never know what they might give.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
You, all right. Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine, Caleb
Williams asked reportedly if they could take the franchise tag
Claws out of his contract, so they wouldn't have the
right to do that. He didn't get it, But what
are your thoughts on him even asking for it? And I,
(12:29):
for one, I'm surprised that you know that's negotiable?
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
And do you think more players will follow suit?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Maybe some players will actually go to the wall for
the right not to be franchised.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Your thoughts next. Chris and Rob theaka Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 9 (12:56):
Hey Gang List is Jay Glazer, host of Unbreakable, a mental.
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Wealth podcast, and every week we will have on leaders
from sports entertainment like Sean McVay, Lindsey Vaughn, Michael Phelps,
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Fiemi, and also those who can help us in between
the ears, anyone from a therapist to someone like Ed
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Speaker 4 (13:20):
We've all used different tools.
Speaker 9 (13:22):
Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer and Mental Wealth podcast
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
All right, it's the Eye Couple Chris Brus Rob Parker
live from the tire rag dot com studios. Fox Horse
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way Tirebine should be. Rob Bronnie James hit his first
(14:39):
two shots, now has four, so he has four points.
Have four of the Lakers first eight. They're up fifteen
to ten midway through the first quarter. But he's so
far it looks pretty good tonight on a back to back?
All right, eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven,
seven nine six sixty three sixty nine. Your turn the
(15:03):
way in on Caleb Williams trying to shake things up
in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
All right, let's kick it off with Brady from Windsor.
Is this Windsor Canada? You're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (15:16):
And Christen How are you guys right tonight?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Good? How are you? Cowboy?
Speaker 11 (15:21):
Oh?
Speaker 10 (15:21):
I'm all right. You know, I was surprised that rookie
like Caleb Williams would ast to get the franchise tag
excise miss contract. But I congratulate the young man for
ascumption because I always thought the franchise tag was just
another way for the owners to screw players, like I
always have. But it's gonna take probably a bunch of
(15:43):
the highest salary and most popular stars in the league
to refuse to sign their franchise tag and and maybe
even maybe even set a bunch of them set out
the season because they have to get rid of it.
I mean, it is it's odious to me.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Well, Rob and I.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Have talked about I mean, if the players were willing
to go that far, they could get a lot of things.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Chris, we talk about it all the time. It wouldn't
it wouldn't take long, Chris, stop the money train. Stop
stop the games. Hello, I don't understand, like stop it,
just stop the games.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
The owners will will cave, Chris, they will yep.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (16:22):
I only wish they would have done that back in
eighty two and eighty seven when they had those strikes.
Maybe in eighty seven, if they could have held on
a few weeks longer and the networks would the force
to televise most of those execrable scab games, that maybe
the league would have caved in their demands.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Right. But they weren't. They weren't ready for it, Thanks Brady.
They weren't, Chris.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
They weren't ready. They didn't have a war chest, Chris.
They didn't have money. When when the baseball players didn't
have the World Series, the players still got paid from
the union, Chris.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
That's that's how you get people to sit out. They
were still getting their money.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Ryan in Indiana, you're in the couple of Fox Sports
reading what's up Ryan?
Speaker 12 (17:07):
Hey guys, how are you doing?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Great?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Good good?
Speaker 13 (17:10):
I love love the show by the way.
Speaker 11 (17:13):
Okay, So.
Speaker 13 (17:15):
If the question is, after his rookie deal he doesn't
want the franchise tag, why wouldn't at that point in
time he'd be able to just go somewhere else if
the cookie deals.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Up, they would have to.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Now you saying if he got that clause removed from
his contract where they could tag him, yeah, they'd have
to either risk losing him for nothing in free agency,
or they'd have to give him a contract extension, you know,
after his third or fourth year.
Speaker 13 (17:48):
But I do think and in that case, he still
would have money. He'd still have the opportunity to go
make the money somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Right, So I don't know what you're asking.
Speaker 13 (17:59):
What I'm say saying is if the rookie deal expires and.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
They didn't have the right to franchise, yeah, he just
become a free agent, right, he just become a free agent.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
This is what I was saying, is if they can
say we're not gonna franchise tag you and you can.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Bounce right right, that's it.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
But no, but if he had gotten that removed from
the contract. Then after five years he'd become a free agent.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
No right, right, But I'm saying they still can decide
not to sign him.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Of course, that's what I'm saying. But the team has
the power, right, It's.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
All on the team.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Scott in North Calilaka, you're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
What's up? Scott?
Speaker 12 (18:39):
What's that done?
Speaker 4 (18:42):
How are you?
Speaker 11 (18:43):
Dog?
Speaker 12 (18:44):
Good Man? I gotta say first, Cayler William has all
the leveries. Like you said, they didn't have a good quarterback,
said Sid love me. I don't even know who that is.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I learned that I know.
Speaker 12 (18:58):
Up, so he has all the leverage to actually asks
him for I commit him for accident. Like you said,
it's negotiations, so you can ask for anything. And also
it's optional for them, so he should be able to
ask on his part if he if he don't want it.
And another thing, I like you guys said before, I
(19:18):
don't know why these guys just don't take a season
to set up.
Speaker 11 (19:21):
I mean, make sense.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
It wouldn't even take it.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
When when I've talked to players or ex players about it,
and you've heard other people say it too, It's not
like it's one thing that if you're Patrick Mahomes or
whoever a star. But they're saying, there's somebody a lot
of these guys, right, most of these guys are only
gonna play a maximum of three years, and they're like, man,
(19:50):
I want to get my million, my my three four
million dollars now, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
If I'm not a lot of those guys aren't.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Willing to give it up because they know they only
have a year or two or three to make that money.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
They still need one of the challenges.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
But they said, know, the problem is the majority of
the league are made up of those guys, sixty of
the league.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
They're not willing because they're like, I only got a
few years to make this money.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
But but what you have to do from the other guys, Chris,
is you have to sweeten the pot for them that
that there's something for them if they're willing to put
in a fight.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Do you know what I mean? You do, But how
much are you going to sweeten it?
Speaker 4 (20:34):
No?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
But I'm talking about and negotiations that that if the average,
if the average length of contract is three and a
half years, then then that's when you when you're fully
vested in the NFL and the NFL pension. Not not
after eight years when nobody reaches that, do you do
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Like the yeah, that's something. That's a good, that's a good.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Do you know what I'm saying? Chris? Like that?
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Like that to me with sweeten the pot, say, if
you've played three years, then you're fully vested, right, Like that's.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
What you have to do.
Speaker 12 (21:03):
Also, like with the Darvin ham Hamblin, the guy from Buffalo,
I'm not sure why. Like players will fight for guarantee,
context whatever, risting their life out there, you know.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
So we've been, Chris and I have been beating that drum.
All the other league got guaranteed. It's a shame. It's
just a shame.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Chris, thank you. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Scott, Chris in Texas. You're in the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Chris?
Speaker 11 (21:33):
Yeah, I have a question and then I have a fact.
Uh sure with the uh Chicago quarterback? How would it work?
He hadn't yet signed his uh his contract, so if
he was adamant about the no franchise tag because he
essentially had missed all the training camp to miss games,
because yeah, yeah, done under contract, right, No.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
But you just wouldn't make it to that point. You
wouldn't make any money until you signed a contract.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
But you're right, that's the leverage he had. Yeah, n
I l money right and duty.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Was on every commercial in southern California, Chris like Wendy everything.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
No, that's the leverage he had, There's no doubt.
Speaker 11 (22:17):
Second point, is this the contract that Dak Prescott's on
right now. The reason why it took him so long
to get it back in the day because he was
Adamy with Jerry Jones. He wanted that in this clock
you cannot franchise tag me. And that's why it took
him so long to get his contract this when he's
on right now.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
That yeah, because he had been that right right, he had.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
Been franchise tag got Prescott when this season's over.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, and that's what they is, a rookie scale deal
versus you know, a guy that was a regular free agent,
a veteran.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
But yeah, that that that is true and that they
can't franchise him.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
All right.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
We've got Sabrina Merchant around the corner to talk w NBA.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
But first Martin Weiss with the date.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Martin from Alexander Sars one for six, nine rebound, three assists,
two point outing in the Summer League. We move on
to Brianni James. He's making back to back starts in
Summer League.
Speaker 11 (23:13):
Right now.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
He's two for three with four points as the Lakers
lead the Cavaliers eighteen to fifteen late in the first quarter.
The Clippers trading rouge Russell Westbrook in the second round,
picking cash to the Utah Jazz and a siding train
for Chris Dunn. Westbrook expected to agree to a contract
buy out in Utah and eventually sign with the Nuggets.
(23:34):
University Alabama plans to honor former coach Nick Saban by
naming its playing field for him at Bryant Denny Stadium.
The Jacksonville Zaguars suit at Mit Patel, who's a staffer
who stole twenty two million dollars from the team in
a three and a half year period to playoff gambling
debts and fun day life of luxury. He's being sued
out for sixty six point six million dollars in damages
in a Florida state court.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Be fucking that money.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I mean that is amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
He could get that much money without them knowing at
least for a while.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
I guess you steal a penny a day. Peter's still
a long.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Time it is.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Saint Petersburg City Council proved plans for the raised new
one point three billion dollar stadium. It'll have thirty thousand
seats and Rob Parker, how many of those thirty thousand
seats will be filled?
Speaker 4 (24:20):
One hundred and fifty thousand?
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Know, the same thirteen thousand has been showing up the
last twenty five years. Just the idea that you were
building a brand new stadium that seats thirty thousand. Does
that not tell you don't you don't deserve a baseball team?
The Rays have been good, They've been to the World Series,
They've had competitive teams. Chris, Well, how are you building
a stadium with thirteenth thirty thousand seats?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
I mean their high school football stadium has been Texas
that's seat more than thirty thousand.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Like they feel like they're building us. It's small but
not small enough. Well, they look right, but I'm just
saying that, like that should tell your year they have
no Yeah, it just isn't it.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Thirty thousand players, they've had great teams. Bye fans just
don't show.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
It'll be ready.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
Opening Day twenty twenty eight, Daniel Brown at six underd
leads the first round at the Open Championship. Shane Lowry,
Janders Flay, Brooks Kopka and Scottie Scheffler all in the mixed.
Still Tiger Woods finished eight over Roy McElroy, seven over
Bryson Deschambeau five over, so they've got a little bit
of work to do. And the Dolphins place Bradley Chudd
and Jalen Phillips on the pup list.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
Chris and Rob back to you guys.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
All right, thank you, Martin, have a good evening. We're
live from the tire rack dot Com studios. Our next
guest covers the WNBA for the Athletic Sabrina Merchant.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Welcome to the odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
How are you?
Speaker 14 (25:43):
Thanks so much for having me today.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
No great to have you. And there's so many places
to start. Let's start with Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
She has been obviously last night, that's a league record
with nineteen assists to go along with twenty four points
and over the I think think in July she's averaging.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Thirteen or fourteen assists the game.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
She really and now she's already number one in the
league and assists.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
So what what are people around the league saying?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
She's she started out playing fairly well, but now I mean,
I think she's like making it like she's arguably already
a top ten player in the league.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Is that going too far? What are people saying about
her around the league?
Speaker 14 (26:26):
I mean, we've watched the Indiana Fever play defense. Yes,
top ten might be a stretch at this point, but
I do think offensively, you couldn't ask much more from
Caitlin right now. You know, to think that she was
the number one score in college basketball history and to
come in and set assists records in the WNBA just
speaks to the versatility of her skill set. You know,
you saw it from day one against Connecticut that she
(26:49):
is at the top of opposing team scouting reports, even
though there are two other all starts on the Indiana Fever.
So there's a very healthy respect for what she's been
able to accomplish authentively, She's starting to figure out how
to deal with those traps, how to deal with those blitzes.
Speaker 10 (27:02):
You know, lee A.
Speaker 14 (27:02):
Boston's gotten better on the short world, so the offense
just looks really pretty. And you know, if it's conversation
around the league, it's like, how are we supposed to
stop Caitlin Clark and Lee a Boston now? And then
how are we gonna do it in five years from
now when they actually like developed together. So yeah, I
mean we had the highest of expectations for her, right
considering the pedigree that she came with out of Iowa.
And I think it's fair to say that, you know,
(27:23):
after that initial stretch where the schedule really did her
in the favors, she's she's really delivered and it's it's
been really fun to see.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
So so the analysis that we heard from the other
w NBA players who dogged her said that she wouldn't
be able to have an impact and wait until she
gets into the w NB. I can't remember who was
it from Connecticut who said that.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
Diana, Yeah, you remember they were ripping on her.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
We thought it was a little rough, you know, considered
she hadn't played yet, but anyway, they were wrong.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
Yeah, I mean, in fairness is sarrase The full quote
after she said reality is coming for a Caitlin Clark
is that when you're great, great is going to translate.
It's just going to take some time. And I do
think that even accounting for that, she's probably succeeded faster
than most people expected. And it helps that you know,
Indiana has rejiggered its entire offense to be a Kitlin
Clark system, that she has the way of Boston, that
(28:19):
she has Kelsey Mitchell on her team, you know, in
terms of other scoring threats to help shoulder that offensive burden.
But yeah, I mean I kind of agree with that
second part of Tarazi's statement. When you're great, you're going
to be great at every level, right, And Caitlin Clark
was absolutely incredible at the collegiate level. And yeah, maybe
there were some bumps in the road in the first
eleven games in the WMBA, but this is what I expected.
(28:40):
I mean, you know, Indiana has a lot of work
to do in terms of still winning games because you know,
as I alluded to earlier, that defense is a piece
of work. But they looked apart on offense, and you
know that the turnovers are still still of an issue.
You know, with all the records Caitlin is setting, she
also is the WNBA sing those seasons leader in terms
over across the league's history, and so is.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
She gonna get the Betty Crocker Award for turnovers the
most turnovers in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I'm just saying, don't feel obligab you know you here
even I didn't even budge I've heard that is the
two hundred and thirty time I've heard that joke on
this show.
Speaker 14 (29:23):
Differently on the first time, you.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
Know, thank you, thank you, yes, hey, Chris, let me
ask this question about the w n b A union
chief was belly aching about the cut Terry Jackson, Terry
Jackson about the TV money and I'm not trying to
be mean, but the league has lost money since Moby
Dick was a guppy. It's been a long they haven't
made any money, and and the NBA is giving him
(29:45):
a slice and a nice bump up. I just don't know,
like how she could be disappointed in the amount of
money that the w n b A is getting. Caitlin
Clark's games are doing well and right, and the attendance,
but there's still averaging and seven thousand people in most
of the other games that don't include Kaitlin Claw.
Speaker 14 (30:05):
You know, I think it's not so much Delia King
it's just asking for a bit of transparency the relationship
between the NBA and WNBA. It's really hard to figure
out on paper how much the NBA is supporting WNBA
and where that revenue is going. You know, the WNBA
was included in the media rights discussions, and you look
at the way that viewership has written in the WNBA
(30:27):
and probably will continue to when more of these stars
from the instead A like Pagebackers and Juju Watkins make
it into the pros. It is an exciting property in
terms of like the growth potential of people watching women's
sports games. And I think the WNBA Players Association just
wants to know, like, how will we factored into this?
Speaker 11 (30:42):
Did you just get an.
Speaker 14 (30:43):
NBA pie and decide this is how much we're going
to give the WNBA, because we feel like it's a
good number, what sports populations went into it. You know,
it's not so much like we don't think this is
what we deserve, it's just how did we arrive at
this calculation? And we would just like to be a
part of this process.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Yeah, because they I mean again and this these are reports,
but you remember Adam Silver said a few years ago
that the league was had lost like about ten million
dollars every year.
Speaker 14 (31:08):
Year eighteen, Adam's got to update his public Well, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
And the Washington Post, now again it's a report, but
they said the league was gonna lose about fifty million
this year, so and that some people have attributed that
to charter flights and stuff. So I just think it's hard,
and you're right, I think I think a parent in
her quote Terry Jackson is a call for transparency. But
(31:33):
if they're not making if they're not yet making money,
and the NBA has been carrying them for thirty years,
it's gonna be hard for them to really argue against
the NBA giving them about three percent of their deal,
which is about what they're they've given them.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
If the numbers are right.
Speaker 14 (31:51):
Yeah, I mean this new deal, if we, you know,
accept that reporting that it's two hundred annually over an
eleven year stretch, that average annual value about six times
what they're currently getting on their TV deal. And that's
before you include what the WNBA could gain if it
adds the CDX to that rights package, if it adds
Eye on to that right package, both of which has
been really good TV partners for the WNBA in the
(32:11):
last three years, so it's possible we get to a
point where it's you know, two hundred and fifty two
hundred and sixty million dollars annually and then we're talking
like eight x what the WNBA has right now. So
I think it's a very fair deal. It's just, you know,
it all goes back to what the financials half we are.
It's so shrouded in secrecy. I mean, there are reports
with the WNBA had two hundred million dollars in revenue
(32:33):
last year. How much of that goes into operating expenses?
I'm not sure, Like what is the expansion feed that
Toronto had to pay. Golden State basically got to pay
their expansion beyond credit, so it's not like the WNBA
got the fifty million dollars from that fee in one month.
Speaker 15 (32:47):
Dumb.
Speaker 14 (32:49):
I think more than anything, what the league need to
do is just sort out its books and figure out
where old money is going, because I think there's a
sizeal amount of revenue coming in. It's just what's the
mismanaging happening that's not allowing these teams to profit.
Speaker 11 (33:02):
At this point.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Last thing before you go, Angel Reeves is having a
phenomenal year, and I think in many years she.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Would be the clear rookie of the year.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
But now odds are the heavy favorite is Caitlin. But
there's a lot of chatter about, you know, is it
Angel is it Caitlin? Do you think it's actually up
for grabs or do you think it's clearly gonna be Caitlyn.
Speaker 14 (33:27):
You know, how it depends on how the second half
of the season plays out. If the Chicago makes the
playoff in Indiana, doesen. I think that's obviously a feather
in the cap of Angel Reefs, even though you know
it's not a team a Warren. I do you think
that contributing to a team that makes the flatoffs makes
a pretty compelling case for one rookie or another. There
was a you know, an Associated Press powerful at the
mid season marked ahead Caitlin at nine compared to five
(33:50):
for Angel Reefs, and I think, you know, that's probably
where the margin sits right now. I do believe that
you're on something where Caitlyn is probably the Betty favorite
just because of the the highlight she produces. You know,
just for better or worse, the passes, the threes are
just easier to put on the ESPN than getting a
lot of reconds in the game. So I think what
(34:10):
Angels gonna have to do is just continue to prove
that what she is doing is fasting more into team success.
I mean, you look at the on off numbers, like
Angel Reefe is a positive plus minus it's about plus
forty five or the first twenty five games, and Caitlin
Clark's like minus one fifteen, and even the differential like
the Chicago Sky are massively better with Angel Reefs on
the court of plus twenty four point five and Caitlyn
is about even. So you can say, yeah, Caitlin's doing
(34:33):
all of this, but is it actually making a difference
on the feather winning games? And I think right now, yeah,
I voted for Angel Reefs and that made season powerful.
Speaker 11 (34:47):
That was about a week ago.
Speaker 14 (34:49):
But honestly, either one who win, and I wouldn't feel
badly about it. I think they both put up really
incredible campaigns and honestly, I'm just so excited to see
them on the same team in this All Star Game
coming up on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Do they have a chance to beat the Olympic team?
Speaker 11 (35:04):
I think so.
Speaker 14 (35:05):
You know, in twenty twenty one, when the WNBA had
this same form out of the All Stars visit the
t USA the All Stars one. We're looking at an
Olympic team that is a little bit injured. You know,
Brandon Stewart hasn't played in the last week, if he's
a Collier, hasn't played in two weeks. Chelsea Gray's been
dealing with this nagging foot injury all year. So there's
you know a little bit of a bubble rap situation
with Team USA, and they obviously have to take care
(35:25):
of themselves because they have games coming up right after
this altar game. Whereas if you're on t WNBA, this
is the only game you're playing for a month, So
go balls out and have a great time and show,
you know, the USA Olympic Committee that you should have
been on the team. So I think the motivation factor
just is so heavily in favorite te WNBA that I
would not be surprised if they.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Want, all right that Sabrina Merchant covers the WNBA for
the athletic great stuff.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Sabrina, thank you, yeah, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
Us appreciate it, and thanks for the chuckles. I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
The next time, just be yourself.
Speaker 14 (35:55):
I will need more disciplined next time. I promise.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
This is just Chris is just a hater. Because I'm
telling these funny jokes.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
I would guess they double over letting laughter and Chris,
It's all.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Good, all right, More a couple coming your way. Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Everything's not funny.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
All right, it's the Odd Couple wrapping up a TV
theme song Thursday live from the tire rack dot Com studios.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Shortly after our show, the podcast goes up.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
So uh, if you miss any of tonight's show, just
check out the pod. Search I Couple wherever you get
your podcasts. Also rate review and follow us again. Search
Our Couple wherever you get your podcasts, and you will
see today's show.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Post it right after we get off the air.
Speaker 15 (36:57):
Rob.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Of course, you know, Paul fine Bomb has show on
ESPN College Football Reporter, and he had laying Kiffin on
the head coach and Kiffin went at fine Bomb. Now
he he did do it. He wasn't like loud and
aggressive with it. But he did, you know, criticize him
(37:20):
on his own show. This was live on the air.
Here here's the exchange.
Speaker 7 (37:25):
I was going through a deep depression over this incorrect
guilt that you tried to lay off me, which preceded
that move had something to do with Southern California.
Speaker 15 (37:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, when you have fired at UC,
I got myself fired at U.
Speaker 7 (37:39):
See, but you didn't have a better story if I
got you fired.
Speaker 15 (37:42):
You really didn't, because it is a true story that
the athletic director and the president were on that trip.
We were playing that night, and you were on college
game day and you had to make your big splash
and they were watching it because I know the other
person in the room that was watching it with him,
and you said what a joke I was, and I'm
the Mile League iris of college football coaching and I
(38:02):
should be fired, And they looked at each other, and
later that night I was fired. So but hey, look
what happened. I would never got to work for coach Saban,
all these other things wouldn't happen. So I appreciate you
for helping getting me fired.
Speaker 7 (38:14):
Mean, look at look at what you're doing today. You're
predicted to go to the player and look at Miley Cyrus.
She's had a nice comeback, So I mean you putting
me down with that.
Speaker 15 (38:23):
So really I don't really know what you're good at.
Like you predicted that coach Saban was done. That didn't happen.
You basically said Miley Cyrus stinks and she's still she's
still going.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Yeah, what are your thoughts on?
Speaker 4 (38:37):
I thought that was lame.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
I thought it was just I didn't even think it
was I would have said, if I think he went
at him too hard, No, Chris, are you kidding?
Speaker 4 (38:44):
That was nothing.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
He wasn't even like like really going at him. He
was just kind of under his breath. And and if
and and I would and if I was fine Balum,
I would have said, really not not that I got
you fired.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Really not the addctions of your team exactly. Come on,
And he even admitted it. Yeah, And again it wasn't
really contentious, you know what I mean. It was just
they're going back and forth. I don't feel like I mean.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
In person, you know you all have.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
Yeah, that wasn't wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
And you know, look, if Fairy, I mean fine, Bomb obviously,
Rob he can be critical of kiffing, and if he
was critical of him that night and the A D
and them were watching, I mean, if the dude did
a bad job or the team's not good, you can
be critical. If you want to say he went a
little overboard with the Miley Cyrus comment, Well, okay, Kiffin,
(39:44):
all's fair and loving war Kiffin goes out and I
don't know what you're good at. But you know I
didn't take that as an in your face. I think
you know what I mean, like, what are you good?
What are you good at?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
So I just I think fine. Bomb was fine.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
You know, he could have said he like when he
said you said Nick Saban was getting fired.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
He didn't.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
You know, you just say, hey, sometimes I'm right, sometimes
you're wrong.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
And everybody I can give you if you got right
about you because you got fired exactly, you know.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
What, You're right.
Speaker 5 (40:15):
I was wrong about saving but I nailed it on
you because you didn't do a good job there and
you got can How's that okay?
Speaker 4 (40:21):
Right?
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Right?
Speaker 9 (40:22):
Right?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I mean, you know it is what it is. If
you we know this ride. We've been in this game
for more than three decades. Yeah, you know, nearly four.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
For you, like if you say something, or when we
were writers, write something, you do have to be willing to.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Face the music, whether it's an athlete or a coach
or somebody being upset with what you wrote.
Speaker 5 (40:48):
Chris, you know what I teach my kids at USC
if you if you write something and feel you can't
go into the locker room or the clubhouse, you better
not write it.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Don't write it.
Speaker 5 (40:57):
Don't write it right right, don't could you shouldn't heal
that way?
Speaker 3 (41:02):
Yep? Yep?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Now you you and we say it all the time
where you gotta have thick skin, you know. So that's
how it is, all right. It's the odd couple Christmas. Sorry,
Rod Parker signing off, Keeping Locked. Jason Smith and Mike
Harmon the Next Alex They Bring Fire
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven pm 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 (00:24):
Let's get this pun. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
It is The Odd Couple. I'm Chrissy's Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot com studios.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Tyre rag dot com will help you get there. They've
got an.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Unmatched selection, fast, free shipping, free road hazard protection, and
more than ten thousand recommend it installers.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Tire rag dot com the way tire buying should be. Rob.
We were talking.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
About the WNBA earlier, about their deal, their TV deal
that the NBA has decided to give them, and Sabrina Merchant,
who covers the w NBA for The Athletic, will join
us at the bottom of the hour, so it'll be
good to talk to her about that and plenty of
other stuff going on around the league. Caitlyn Clark Angel
(01:15):
rees both playing really well and of course the All
Star Game coming up. Soon, so keep it locked for that.
That's in about twenty five to thirty minutes.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Missed the WNBA All Star Game.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I might watch this one. This would be the first
one that I will watch. It'll be something if they
beat the Olympic team, you know, which is made up
of course of WNBA players, But it's the All Stars
rights you might not even know since you're not really
paying attention to it. It's the it's the Olympic team
rob playing against the remaining All Stars in the league
(01:52):
who aren't on the Olympics.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
But it doesn't make sense though, because because some of
the All Stars, the best players are on the Olympic team.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
No, right, well all the Olympics, Olympics. But I like
the you know, I like the little intrigue that presents
to me, you know, and I think that that'll give
a little Now quickly, Martin Weiss, if you're listening this
game between is he is he listening?
Speaker 4 (02:17):
He's listening to the tapes of Jim Rome. I think he's
not listening to us.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
The Wizards and the King's game is over.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So I wanted to know what was the line for
Alex sar if he has it? But Wizards won seventy
three sixty nine. Get on that, Martin and let us know.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, I would love to. I would. He said he
was one for.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Five, right, yeah, I got it right here, Chris. It's
one for six, nine rebounds, one steal, one block, five
personal fouls, and two points three assists. Also, so uh
Browannie James style numbers.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Right, I mean he's not.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I mean that's the number two pick and he's having
his strug. But you know, look again, just Rob, we
talked about it. Even if he was averaging twenty five
you could, we wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Buy into it. We wouldn't even buy into that.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Remember last year Brandon Miller with the Charlotte. He looked
bad and you obviously had a nice rookie year.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Yeah, yeah, he did look bad. I remember that.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Remember that.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So you can't jump to too many conclusions, positively or negatively.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So it is what it is.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
But Rob, Another rookie in the NFL, Caleb Williams just
signed his contract with the Bears, and it took a while,
even though they're on a rookie scale, so there are
only so many things to negotiate this and the salary
obviously isn't one of them.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
But the big big.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
News that Caleb Williams asked and he's represented by his
family like his father, but he asked Rob the Bears
to not friends chie tagging or I'm I'm assuming it
was dropped your right to franchise tag right, that's what
he has after after my rookie scale contract is up.
(04:12):
And the Bear said no, And I mean, that's that's interesting.
I will say this, I'm surprised that that's even like.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
An option.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
That you can anything, chrisy, You could do you know,
almost anything and have somebody take something out or add something,
you know, like it's just negotiating. Most of the team's
not going to give that up because it's the over
it's the ultimate hammer.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
It's the worst.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
It's the worst deal that any organized labor could put
on there their workers.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Chris is the It's just it's.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
So one side, That's what I mean. It's so one sided.
It's ridiculous, like like really, it's so bad. And I'm
gonna give Caleb credit. I'm gonna give them Charlie Hayes credit.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Thank you for.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
At least Chris putting it out there and asking for
something that doesn't work in your favor. I'm not saying
that I thought the Bears would would would would do it,
but at least to even bring it up and say, man, like,
what what is this? Who agreed to this ridiculous rule,
(05:28):
a collective bargaining agreement that basically handcuffs us for.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Years to come?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
I mean, it is such a half the guy for
seven years without him getting like a real contract, you know,
I mean, you know, relatively, it's just.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
It's it's a bad deal. And and and.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
I give him credit, Chris for even approaching that or
even having that. We haven't heard too many players who
have even they just say I'm happy to be in
the Like I.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Kind of assume that it's you know, it's not even negotiable.
But here's the thing, Rob, he was not, and I
don't it doesn't seem like.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
From the reports that he really pushed it, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
It's kind of been reported like he asked, they said no,
and he let it go and they moved on. I
don't know if that actually is how it happened, but
that's what it seems.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Well, here's what I want to ask you. Well, that's
what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
That's why I'm like I said, I'm shocked that it
is even something you could negotiate. And obviously you make
sense when you say, well, you could negotiate anything, but
you couldn't go and say, well, look how I want
a real deal. Forget this rookie scale thing, give me
a real contract. I'm like, you know, the biggest prospect
(06:50):
in the last five years.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
I mean, I don't even think you could do that.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So that's why I'm even surprised that this is something
you could that could be considered.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
I gotta I gotta assume even in the cb A right,
that's like the minimum you could ask for stuff, and
if somebody really wants you, could they work around circumvent
you know, like like like I've said, I don't circumvent it.
I'm not saying that they're going to give you more
(07:20):
money than it's allowed, but there might be some other
thing that they allow where they say, you.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Know what, we can't give the money.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
There There are some other things, but that's where I'm
surprised the franchise tag is one of them. And and
maybe look, I'm not saying I'm right it must I
haven't seen it written that it's not one of them.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
But my point is, here's the thing that that you're
not thinking about.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
It's not automatic, like people don't automatically give you the franchise.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
So a team has an option on whether or not
to use it.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
The team no, no, no, But that's what I'm saying,
getting that option.
Speaker 7 (08:00):
No.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
But that's what I think makes it negotiable is that
a team can say we're not using the franchise tag
on this guy or that you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Like they have an option. It's not like written in
that you have to use it.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
If if a player becomes to a certain point, you
could say, no, I'm good, we'll let you bounce, or
you know what I mean, or whatever, we're not going
to offer you a franchise tag. So since it's an
option for a team, I'm saying that's why he could
ask for.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
But I don't know if that's I mean. Again, I'm
not saying I'm right. I'm just saying, like his dad, Rob,
who represents him as I said, reportedly was talking about
wanting like a percentage of the team he's drafted by,
and you know.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
That's against FRIDE laws. You can't own the team and plays.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
But I'm just saying they're all collectively bargained, right.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
But but but you because you don't have to use
the tag, which is the difference, is.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
What I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I don't know. I mean, I don't do you know
for a fact, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
I'm I'm just saying I'm surprised this is even negotiable,
and I don't know why. So I'm not saying it's not.
I guess it is. But the thing is this, Rob,
he was not in asking for that. You know this,
you're not just potentially going against the Bears.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Every owner in the.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
League would have been like if it was if they
were considering doing this all the owner you know, none
of the owners, Rob wanted the Bears to do that
because then it sets a precedent. But and every number
one pick coming after that and other guys would be wanting, like, hey,
you can't franchise.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
But the Vikings did that when they gave Kirk Cousins
a fully guaranteed contract and they flipped out, or when
or when or when the Browns gave h Deshauan Watson
that deal, Chris people like like like they did do that,
Like like there were teams that went rogue. That's why
they used to hate al Davis. You remember that in
the league they al Davis was always in trouble with
(10:02):
the league because he was doing what he wanted to do.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
And then they out and then they none of them
followed suit with the fully guaranteed deals. So I mean,
but but I think I think they value this, and
they value the non you know, not fully guaranteed deals
too obviously, but I think they value this so much because,
as you said, that is such a hammer that because
(10:27):
I wonder Rob, like, if indeed it's negotiable, what was
the stop Caleb Williams from being like, well, look, if
you want me to play, you gotta you gotta take
this clause out about the franchise that I mean, if
you're gonna ask for it, why not go all the way?
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, don't he got the leverage.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
I don't know if that's how he wanted to start
his career or whatever, you know, like he.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
That's a tough way.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I mean, I am saying that. I'm not saying I
would do that or you should. I'm just saying if
you ask about it, and maybe, like I said, maybe
it wasn't a long drawn out issue. Maybe he just said, hey,
anyway we can get this off, right, you just asked, we're.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
Sitting there whatever, and then you never know, I mean,
who knows if somebody might say, hey, you know what
if this means a lot to you and we want
to start off on them, you know what I mean.
Like sometimes one of my old radio partners, Mike Stone,
had in his contract, Chris, every every time you do
the contract that if Bruce.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Springsteen is within fifty or sixty.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Miles of wherever he is, he gets the day off
to go to a Bruce Springsteen con that's concert that
was in his contract. So Bruce is playing somewhere, you
know with it I said, right, it was like two
hundred miles. So if he's in Cleveland, you know what
I mean, he get the day off. He could because
he was a big Bruce Springsteen fan. So my point
is most people aren't getting that in their deal, right,
(11:58):
Like most people just on getting that. So you ask,
you never know what they might give.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
You, all right. Eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine, Caleb
Williams asked reportedly if they could take the franchise tag
Claws out of his contract, so they wouldn't have the
right to do that. He didn't get it, But what
are your thoughts on him even asking for it? And I,
(12:29):
for one, I'm surprised that you know that's negotiable?
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
And do you think more players will follow suit?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Maybe some players will actually go to the wall for
the right not to be franchised.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Your thoughts next. Chris and Rob theaka Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 9 (12:56):
Hey Gang List is Jay Glazer, host of Unbreakable, a mental.
Speaker 8 (13:01):
Wealth podcast, and every week we will have on leaders
from sports entertainment like Sean McVay, Lindsey Vaughn, Michael Phelps,
David Spade, got.
Speaker 9 (13:11):
Fiemi, and also those who can help us in between
the ears, anyone from a therapist to someone like Ed
Milett for John Gordon. We've all been through some sort
of adversity to get to the top.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
We've all used different tools.
Speaker 9 (13:22):
Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer and Mental Wealth podcast
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
All right, it's the Eye Couple Chris Brus Rob Parker
live from the tire rag dot com studios. Fox Horse
Radio has teamed up with tirerag dot Com to give
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to fifteen hundred dollars.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Yes, you heard that correctly.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
We'll be given out away every two weeks, so three
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(14:15):
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To enter and get the rules, visit Fox sports Radio
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way Tirebine should be. Rob Bronnie James hit his first
(14:39):
two shots, now has four, so he has four points.
Have four of the Lakers first eight. They're up fifteen
to ten midway through the first quarter. But he's so
far it looks pretty good tonight on a back to back?
All right, eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven,
seven nine six sixty three sixty nine. Your turn the
(15:03):
way in on Caleb Williams trying to shake things up
in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
All right, let's kick it off with Brady from Windsor.
Is this Windsor Canada? You're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (15:16):
And Christen How are you guys right tonight?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Good? How are you? Cowboy?
Speaker 11 (15:21):
Oh?
Speaker 10 (15:21):
I'm all right. You know, I was surprised that rookie
like Caleb Williams would ast to get the franchise tag
excise miss contract. But I congratulate the young man for
ascumption because I always thought the franchise tag was just
another way for the owners to screw players, like I
always have. But it's gonna take probably a bunch of
(15:43):
the highest salary and most popular stars in the league
to refuse to sign their franchise tag and and maybe
even maybe even set a bunch of them set out
the season because they have to get rid of it.
I mean, it is it's odious to me.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Well, Rob and I.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Have talked about I mean, if the players were willing
to go that far, they could get a lot of things.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Chris, we talk about it all the time. It wouldn't
it wouldn't take long, Chris, stop the money train. Stop
stop the games. Hello, I don't understand, like stop it,
just stop the games.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
The owners will will cave, Chris, they will yep.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (16:22):
I only wish they would have done that back in
eighty two and eighty seven when they had those strikes.
Maybe in eighty seven, if they could have held on
a few weeks longer and the networks would the force
to televise most of those execrable scab games, that maybe
the league would have caved in their demands.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Right. But they weren't. They weren't ready for it, Thanks Brady.
They weren't, Chris.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
They weren't ready. They didn't have a war chest, Chris.
They didn't have money. When when the baseball players didn't
have the World Series, the players still got paid from
the union, Chris.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
That's that's how you get people to sit out. They
were still getting their money.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Ryan in Indiana, you're in the couple of Fox Sports
reading what's up Ryan?
Speaker 12 (17:07):
Hey guys, how are you doing?
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Great?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Good good?
Speaker 13 (17:10):
I love love the show by the way.
Speaker 11 (17:13):
Okay, So.
Speaker 13 (17:15):
If the question is, after his rookie deal he doesn't
want the franchise tag, why wouldn't at that point in
time he'd be able to just go somewhere else if
the cookie deals.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Up, they would have to.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Now you saying if he got that clause removed from
his contract where they could tag him, yeah, they'd have
to either risk losing him for nothing in free agency,
or they'd have to give him a contract extension, you know,
after his third or fourth year.
Speaker 13 (17:48):
But I do think and in that case, he still
would have money. He'd still have the opportunity to go
make the money somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Right, So I don't know what you're asking.
Speaker 13 (17:59):
What I'm say saying is if the rookie deal expires and.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
They didn't have the right to franchise, yeah, he just
become a free agent, right, he just become a free agent.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
This is what I was saying, is if they can
say we're not gonna franchise tag you and you can.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Bounce right right, that's it.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
But no, but if he had gotten that removed from
the contract. Then after five years he'd become a free agent.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
No right, right, But I'm saying they still can decide
not to sign him.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Of course, that's what I'm saying. But the team has
the power, right, It's.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
All on the team.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Scott in North Calilaka, you're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
What's up? Scott?
Speaker 12 (18:39):
What's that done?
Speaker 4 (18:42):
How are you?
Speaker 11 (18:43):
Dog?
Speaker 12 (18:44):
Good Man? I gotta say first, Cayler William has all
the leveries. Like you said, they didn't have a good quarterback,
said Sid love me. I don't even know who that is.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I learned that I know.
Speaker 12 (18:58):
Up, so he has all the leverage to actually asks
him for I commit him for accident. Like you said,
it's negotiations, so you can ask for anything. And also
it's optional for them, so he should be able to
ask on his part if he if he don't want it.
And another thing, I like you guys said before, I
(19:18):
don't know why these guys just don't take a season
to set up.
Speaker 11 (19:21):
I mean, make sense.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
It wouldn't even take it.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
When when I've talked to players or ex players about it,
and you've heard other people say it too, It's not
like it's one thing that if you're Patrick Mahomes or
whoever a star. But they're saying, there's somebody a lot
of these guys, right, most of these guys are only
gonna play a maximum of three years, and they're like, man,
(19:50):
I want to get my million, my my three four
million dollars now, you know, and.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
If I'm not a lot of those guys aren't.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Willing to give it up because they know they only
have a year or two or three to make that money.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
They still need one of the challenges.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
But they said, know, the problem is the majority of
the league are made up of those guys, sixty of
the league.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
They're not willing because they're like, I only got a
few years to make this money.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
But but what you have to do from the other guys, Chris,
is you have to sweeten the pot for them that
that there's something for them if they're willing to put
in a fight.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Do you know what I mean? You do, But how
much are you going to sweeten it?
Speaker 4 (20:34):
No?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
But I'm talking about and negotiations that that if the average,
if the average length of contract is three and a
half years, then then that's when you when you're fully
vested in the NFL and the NFL pension. Not not
after eight years when nobody reaches that, do you do
you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Like the yeah, that's something. That's a good, that's a good.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Do you know what I'm saying? Chris? Like that?
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Like that to me with sweeten the pot, say, if
you've played three years, then you're fully vested, right, Like that's.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
What you have to do.
Speaker 12 (21:03):
Also, like with the Darvin ham Hamblin, the guy from Buffalo,
I'm not sure why. Like players will fight for guarantee,
context whatever, risting their life out there, you know.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
So we've been, Chris and I have been beating that drum.
All the other league got guaranteed. It's a shame. It's
just a shame.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Chris, thank you. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Scott, Chris in Texas. You're in the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Chris?
Speaker 11 (21:33):
Yeah, I have a question and then I have a fact.
Uh sure with the uh Chicago quarterback? How would it work?
He hadn't yet signed his uh his contract, so if
he was adamant about the no franchise tag because he
essentially had missed all the training camp to miss games,
because yeah, yeah, done under contract, right, No.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
But you just wouldn't make it to that point. You
wouldn't make any money until you signed a contract.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
But you're right, that's the leverage he had. Yeah, n
I l money right and duty.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Was on every commercial in southern California, Chris like Wendy everything.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
No, that's the leverage he had, There's no doubt.
Speaker 11 (22:17):
Second point, is this the contract that Dak Prescott's on
right now. The reason why it took him so long
to get it back in the day because he was
Adamy with Jerry Jones. He wanted that in this clock
you cannot franchise tag me. And that's why it took
him so long to get his contract this when he's
on right now.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
That yeah, because he had been that right right, he had.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
Been franchise tag got Prescott when this season's over.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, and that's what they is, a rookie scale deal
versus you know, a guy that was a regular free agent,
a veteran.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
But yeah, that that that is true and that they
can't franchise him.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
All right.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
We've got Sabrina Merchant around the corner to talk w NBA.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
But first Martin Weiss with the date.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Martin from Alexander Sars one for six, nine rebound, three assists,
two point outing in the Summer League. We move on
to Brianni James. He's making back to back starts in
Summer League.
Speaker 11 (23:13):
Right now.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
He's two for three with four points as the Lakers
lead the Cavaliers eighteen to fifteen late in the first quarter.
The Clippers trading rouge Russell Westbrook in the second round,
picking cash to the Utah Jazz and a siding train
for Chris Dunn. Westbrook expected to agree to a contract
buy out in Utah and eventually sign with the Nuggets.
(23:34):
University Alabama plans to honor former coach Nick Saban by
naming its playing field for him at Bryant Denny Stadium.
The Jacksonville Zaguars suit at Mit Patel, who's a staffer
who stole twenty two million dollars from the team in
a three and a half year period to playoff gambling
debts and fun day life of luxury. He's being sued
out for sixty six point six million dollars in damages
in a Florida state court.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Be fucking that money.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
I mean that is amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
He could get that much money without them knowing at
least for a while.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
I guess you steal a penny a day. Peter's still
a long.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Time it is.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Saint Petersburg City Council proved plans for the raised new
one point three billion dollar stadium. It'll have thirty thousand
seats and Rob Parker, how many of those thirty thousand
seats will be filled?
Speaker 4 (24:20):
One hundred and fifty thousand?
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Know, the same thirteen thousand has been showing up the
last twenty five years. Just the idea that you were
building a brand new stadium that seats thirty thousand. Does
that not tell you don't you don't deserve a baseball team?
The Rays have been good, They've been to the World Series,
They've had competitive teams. Chris, Well, how are you building
a stadium with thirteenth thirty thousand seats?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
I mean their high school football stadium has been Texas
that's seat more than thirty thousand.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Like they feel like they're building us. It's small but
not small enough. Well, they look right, but I'm just
saying that, like that should tell your year they have
no Yeah, it just isn't it.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Thirty thousand players, they've had great teams. Bye fans just
don't show.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
It'll be ready.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
Opening Day twenty twenty eight, Daniel Brown at six underd
leads the first round at the Open Championship. Shane Lowry,
Janders Flay, Brooks Kopka and Scottie Scheffler all in the mixed.
Still Tiger Woods finished eight over Roy McElroy, seven over
Bryson Deschambeau five over, so they've got a little bit
of work to do. And the Dolphins place Bradley Chudd
and Jalen Phillips on the pup list.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
Chris and Rob back to you guys.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
All right, thank you, Martin, have a good evening. We're
live from the tire rack dot Com studios. Our next
guest covers the WNBA for the Athletic Sabrina Merchant.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Welcome to the odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
How are you?
Speaker 14 (25:43):
Thanks so much for having me today.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
No great to have you. And there's so many places
to start. Let's start with Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
She has been obviously last night, that's a league record
with nineteen assists to go along with twenty four points
and over the I think think in July she's averaging.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Thirteen or fourteen assists the game.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
She really and now she's already number one in the
league and assists.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
So what what are people around the league saying?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
She's she started out playing fairly well, but now I mean,
I think she's like making it like she's arguably already
a top ten player in the league.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Is that going too far? What are people saying about
her around the league?
Speaker 14 (26:26):
I mean, we've watched the Indiana Fever play defense. Yes,
top ten might be a stretch at this point, but
I do think offensively, you couldn't ask much more from
Caitlin right now. You know, to think that she was
the number one score in college basketball history and to
come in and set assists records in the WNBA just
speaks to the versatility of her skill set. You know,
you saw it from day one against Connecticut that she
(26:49):
is at the top of opposing team scouting reports, even
though there are two other all starts on the Indiana Fever.
So there's a very healthy respect for what she's been
able to accomplish authentively, She's starting to figure out how
to deal with those traps, how to deal with those blitzes.
Speaker 10 (27:02):
You know, lee A.
Speaker 14 (27:02):
Boston's gotten better on the short world, so the offense
just looks really pretty. And you know, if it's conversation
around the league, it's like, how are we supposed to
stop Caitlin Clark and Lee a Boston now? And then
how are we gonna do it in five years from
now when they actually like developed together. So yeah, I
mean we had the highest of expectations for her, right
considering the pedigree that she came with out of Iowa.
And I think it's fair to say that, you know,
(27:23):
after that initial stretch where the schedule really did her
in the favors, she's she's really delivered and it's it's
been really fun to see.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
So so the analysis that we heard from the other
w NBA players who dogged her said that she wouldn't
be able to have an impact and wait until she
gets into the w NB. I can't remember who was
it from Connecticut who said that.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
Diana, Yeah, you remember they were ripping on her.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
We thought it was a little rough, you know, considered
she hadn't played yet, but anyway, they were wrong.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
Yeah, I mean, in fairness is sarrase The full quote
after she said reality is coming for a Caitlin Clark
is that when you're great, great is going to translate.
It's just going to take some time. And I do
think that even accounting for that, she's probably succeeded faster
than most people expected. And it helps that you know,
Indiana has rejiggered its entire offense to be a Kitlin
Clark system, that she has the way of Boston, that
(28:19):
she has Kelsey Mitchell on her team, you know, in
terms of other scoring threats to help shoulder that offensive burden.
But yeah, I mean I kind of agree with that
second part of Tarazi's statement. When you're great, you're going
to be great at every level, right, And Caitlin Clark
was absolutely incredible at the collegiate level. And yeah, maybe
there were some bumps in the road in the first
eleven games in the WMBA, but this is what I expected.
(28:40):
I mean, you know, Indiana has a lot of work
to do in terms of still winning games because you know,
as I alluded to earlier, that defense is a piece
of work. But they looked apart on offense, and you
know that the turnovers are still still of an issue.
You know, with all the records Caitlin is setting, she
also is the WNBA sing those seasons leader in terms
over across the league's history, and so is.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
She gonna get the Betty Crocker Award for turnovers the
most turnovers in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I'm just saying, don't feel obligab you know you here
even I didn't even budge I've heard that is the
two hundred and thirty time I've heard that joke on
this show.
Speaker 14 (29:23):
Differently on the first time, you.
Speaker 5 (29:24):
Know, thank you, thank you, yes, hey, Chris, let me
ask this question about the w n b A union
chief was belly aching about the cut Terry Jackson, Terry
Jackson about the TV money and I'm not trying to
be mean, but the league has lost money since Moby
Dick was a guppy. It's been a long they haven't
made any money, and and the NBA is giving him
(29:45):
a slice and a nice bump up. I just don't know,
like how she could be disappointed in the amount of
money that the w n b A is getting. Caitlin
Clark's games are doing well and right, and the attendance,
but there's still averaging and seven thousand people in most
of the other games that don't include Kaitlin Claw.
Speaker 14 (30:05):
You know, I think it's not so much Delia King
it's just asking for a bit of transparency the relationship
between the NBA and WNBA. It's really hard to figure
out on paper how much the NBA is supporting WNBA
and where that revenue is going. You know, the WNBA
was included in the media rights discussions, and you look
at the way that viewership has written in the WNBA
(30:27):
and probably will continue to when more of these stars
from the instead A like Pagebackers and Juju Watkins make
it into the pros. It is an exciting property in
terms of like the growth potential of people watching women's
sports games. And I think the WNBA Players Association just
wants to know, like, how will we factored into this?
Speaker 11 (30:42):
Did you just get an.
Speaker 14 (30:43):
NBA pie and decide this is how much we're going
to give the WNBA, because we feel like it's a
good number, what sports populations went into it. You know,
it's not so much like we don't think this is
what we deserve, it's just how did we arrive at
this calculation? And we would just like to be a
part of this process.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Yeah, because they I mean again and this these are reports,
but you remember Adam Silver said a few years ago
that the league was had lost like about ten million
dollars every year.
Speaker 14 (31:08):
Year eighteen, Adam's got to update his public Well, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
And the Washington Post, now again it's a report, but
they said the league was gonna lose about fifty million
this year, so and that some people have attributed that
to charter flights and stuff. So I just think it's hard,
and you're right, I think I think a parent in
her quote Terry Jackson is a call for transparency. But
(31:33):
if they're not making if they're not yet making money,
and the NBA has been carrying them for thirty years,
it's gonna be hard for them to really argue against
the NBA giving them about three percent of their deal,
which is about what they're they've given them.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
If the numbers are right.
Speaker 14 (31:51):
Yeah, I mean this new deal, if we, you know,
accept that reporting that it's two hundred annually over an
eleven year stretch, that average annual value about six times
what they're currently getting on their TV deal. And that's
before you include what the WNBA could gain if it
adds the CDX to that rights package, if it adds
Eye on to that right package, both of which has
been really good TV partners for the WNBA in the
(32:11):
last three years, so it's possible we get to a
point where it's you know, two hundred and fifty two
hundred and sixty million dollars annually and then we're talking
like eight x what the WNBA has right now. So
I think it's a very fair deal. It's just, you know,
it all goes back to what the financials half we are.
It's so shrouded in secrecy. I mean, there are reports
with the WNBA had two hundred million dollars in revenue
(32:33):
last year. How much of that goes into operating expenses?
I'm not sure, Like what is the expansion feed that
Toronto had to pay. Golden State basically got to pay
their expansion beyond credit, so it's not like the WNBA
got the fifty million dollars from that fee in one month.
Speaker 15 (32:47):
Dumb.
Speaker 14 (32:49):
I think more than anything, what the league need to
do is just sort out its books and figure out
where old money is going, because I think there's a
sizeal amount of revenue coming in. It's just what's the
mismanaging happening that's not allowing these teams to profit.
Speaker 11 (33:02):
At this point.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Last thing before you go, Angel Reeves is having a
phenomenal year, and I think in many years she.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Would be the clear rookie of the year.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
But now odds are the heavy favorite is Caitlin. But
there's a lot of chatter about, you know, is it
Angel is it Caitlin? Do you think it's actually up
for grabs or do you think it's clearly gonna be Caitlyn.
Speaker 14 (33:27):
You know, how it depends on how the second half
of the season plays out. If the Chicago makes the
playoff in Indiana, doesen. I think that's obviously a feather
in the cap of Angel Reefs, even though you know
it's not a team a Warren. I do you think
that contributing to a team that makes the flatoffs makes
a pretty compelling case for one rookie or another. There
was a you know, an Associated Press powerful at the
mid season marked ahead Caitlin at nine compared to five
(33:50):
for Angel Reefs, and I think, you know, that's probably
where the margin sits right now. I do believe that
you're on something where Caitlyn is probably the Betty favorite
just because of the the highlight she produces. You know,
just for better or worse, the passes, the threes are
just easier to put on the ESPN than getting a
lot of reconds in the game. So I think what
(34:10):
Angels gonna have to do is just continue to prove
that what she is doing is fasting more into team success.
I mean, you look at the on off numbers, like
Angel Reefe is a positive plus minus it's about plus
forty five or the first twenty five games, and Caitlin
Clark's like minus one fifteen, and even the differential like
the Chicago Sky are massively better with Angel Reefs on
the court of plus twenty four point five and Caitlyn
is about even. So you can say, yeah, Caitlin's doing
(34:33):
all of this, but is it actually making a difference
on the feather winning games? And I think right now, yeah,
I voted for Angel Reefs and that made season powerful.
Speaker 11 (34:47):
That was about a week ago.
Speaker 14 (34:49):
But honestly, either one who win, and I wouldn't feel
badly about it. I think they both put up really
incredible campaigns and honestly, I'm just so excited to see
them on the same team in this All Star Game
coming up on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Do they have a chance to beat the Olympic team?
Speaker 11 (35:04):
I think so.
Speaker 14 (35:05):
You know, in twenty twenty one, when the WNBA had
this same form out of the All Stars visit the
t USA the All Stars one. We're looking at an
Olympic team that is a little bit injured. You know,
Brandon Stewart hasn't played in the last week, if he's
a Collier, hasn't played in two weeks. Chelsea Gray's been
dealing with this nagging foot injury all year. So there's
you know a little bit of a bubble rap situation
with Team USA, and they obviously have to take care
(35:25):
of themselves because they have games coming up right after
this altar game. Whereas if you're on t WNBA, this
is the only game you're playing for a month, So
go balls out and have a great time and show,
you know, the USA Olympic Committee that you should have
been on the team. So I think the motivation factor
just is so heavily in favorite te WNBA that I
would not be surprised if they.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Want, all right that Sabrina Merchant covers the WNBA for
the athletic great stuff.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Sabrina, thank you, yeah, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
Us appreciate it, and thanks for the chuckles. I enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
The next time, just be yourself.
Speaker 14 (35:55):
I will need more disciplined next time. I promise.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
This is just Chris is just a hater. Because I'm
telling these funny jokes.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
I would guess they double over letting laughter and Chris,
It's all.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Good, all right, More a couple coming your way. Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Everything's not funny.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
All right, it's the Odd Couple wrapping up a TV
theme song Thursday live from the tire rack dot Com studios.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Shortly after our show, the podcast goes up.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
So uh, if you miss any of tonight's show, just
check out the pod. Search I Couple wherever you get
your podcasts. Also rate review and follow us again. Search
Our Couple wherever you get your podcasts, and you will
see today's show.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Post it right after we get off the air.
Speaker 15 (36:57):
Rob.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Of course, you know, Paul fine Bomb has show on
ESPN College Football Reporter, and he had laying Kiffin on
the head coach and Kiffin went at fine Bomb. Now
he he did do it. He wasn't like loud and
aggressive with it. But he did, you know, criticize him
(37:20):
on his own show. This was live on the air.
Here here's the exchange.
Speaker 7 (37:25):
I was going through a deep depression over this incorrect
guilt that you tried to lay off me, which preceded
that move had something to do with Southern California.
Speaker 15 (37:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, when you have fired at UC,
I got myself fired at U.
Speaker 7 (37:39):
See, but you didn't have a better story if I
got you fired.
Speaker 15 (37:42):
You really didn't, because it is a true story that
the athletic director and the president were on that trip.
We were playing that night, and you were on college
game day and you had to make your big splash
and they were watching it because I know the other
person in the room that was watching it with him,
and you said what a joke I was, and I'm
the Mile League iris of college football coaching and I
(38:02):
should be fired, And they looked at each other, and
later that night I was fired. So but hey, look
what happened. I would never got to work for coach Saban,
all these other things wouldn't happen. So I appreciate you
for helping getting me fired.
Speaker 7 (38:14):
Mean, look at look at what you're doing today. You're
predicted to go to the player and look at Miley Cyrus.
She's had a nice comeback, So I mean you putting
me down with that.
Speaker 15 (38:23):
So really I don't really know what you're good at.
Like you predicted that coach Saban was done. That didn't happen.
You basically said Miley Cyrus stinks and she's still she's
still going.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Yeah, what are your thoughts on?
Speaker 4 (38:37):
I thought that was lame.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
I thought it was just I didn't even think it
was I would have said, if I think he went
at him too hard, No, Chris, are you kidding?
Speaker 4 (38:44):
That was nothing.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
He wasn't even like like really going at him. He
was just kind of under his breath. And and if
and and I would and if I was fine Balum,
I would have said, really not not that I got
you fired.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Really not the addctions of your team exactly. Come on,
And he even admitted it. Yeah, And again it wasn't
really contentious, you know what I mean. It was just
they're going back and forth. I don't feel like I mean.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
In person, you know you all have.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
Yeah, that wasn't wasn't it.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
And you know, look, if Fairy, I mean fine, Bomb obviously,
Rob he can be critical of kiffing, and if he
was critical of him that night and the A D
and them were watching, I mean, if the dude did
a bad job or the team's not good, you can
be critical. If you want to say he went a
little overboard with the Miley Cyrus comment, Well, okay, Kiffin,
(39:44):
all's fair and loving war Kiffin goes out and I
don't know what you're good at. But you know I
didn't take that as an in your face. I think
you know what I mean, like, what are you good?
What are you good at?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
So I just I think fine. Bomb was fine.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
You know, he could have said he like when he
said you said Nick Saban was getting fired.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
He didn't.
Speaker 3 (40:04):
You know, you just say, hey, sometimes I'm right, sometimes
you're wrong.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
And everybody I can give you if you got right
about you because you got fired exactly, you know.
Speaker 4 (40:14):
What, You're right.
Speaker 5 (40:15):
I was wrong about saving but I nailed it on
you because you didn't do a good job there and
you got can How's that okay?
Speaker 4 (40:21):
Right?
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Right?
Speaker 9 (40:22):
Right?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I mean, you know it is what it is. If
you we know this ride. We've been in this game
for more than three decades. Yeah, you know, nearly four.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
For you, like if you say something, or when we
were writers, write something, you do have to be willing to.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Face the music, whether it's an athlete or a coach
or somebody being upset with what you wrote.
Speaker 5 (40:48):
Chris, you know what I teach my kids at USC
if you if you write something and feel you can't
go into the locker room or the clubhouse, you better
not write it.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Don't write it.
Speaker 5 (40:57):
Don't write it right right, don't could you shouldn't heal
that way?
Speaker 3 (41:02):
Yep? Yep?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Now you you and we say it all the time
where you gotta have thick skin, you know. So that's
how it is, all right. It's the odd couple Christmas. Sorry,
Rod Parker signing off, Keeping Locked. Jason Smith and Mike
Harmon the Next Alex They Bring Fire
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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