April 3, 2020 • 26 mins
It's The Best of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob explain why Chris Paul and Matt Barnes were way off base to suggest that the Lob City Clippers were one of the best teams in NBA history to never win a ring, discuss with Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News why they all had a big problem with Rex Ryan calling Amari Cooper a 'turd' on national television, and tell us why they both want to make sure the suspensions for disgraced former Houston Astros Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch negated on a technicality.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. The All the
Smoke podcast, that's Matt Barnes and Steven Jackson. And you know,
both of those guys are friends of the show. We
work with Stephen up at FS one. Matt's been up
there a few times as well, and obviously Matt's done
(00:43):
a good amount of Fox Sports Radio. He's co hosted
with me and filled in for you at times. Does
a great job. Both of them in this podcast is awesome.
They get you know, they get all the players. They
got Kobe you know, they were one of his last interviews,
if not his very last interview. They Kevin Durant. They've
just gotten all types of great guest and they recently
(01:08):
had Chris Paul here. It is. We were one of
the best teams never to win a championship. Man, we
had so much Calon bro you bled, Darren Collinson, Jamal Crawford,
JJ Reddick, Corime Butler, lamar Odom, Brian Hollins. And it's crazy.
It's seriously one of those things you don't you don't
(01:30):
realize what you have until it's gone, you know what
I mean. I mean, I think about it at times
and men Blake absolutely had our issues here and there, whatnot,
But I actually appreciated Blake probably a lot more after
I left. Look, I get what madd is saying. You
heard him run off the names. They had a legitimate
big three DeAndre Jordan, Blake, Griffin, and Chris Paul. Chris
(01:54):
one of the best point guards ever and Andre or
DeAndre and Blake were All Stars at that time in
their careers. Blake certainly a perennial All Star. And then
they had a nice host of role players and a
championship coaching Doc Rivers. But I can't give I mean, yeah,
if the list way down the list of great teams
(02:15):
that never won the championship, they would eventually be on there.
But I can't give them a you know, a high
ranking among the teams to never win a championship. I
get where Matt's coming from, because they had a lot
of talent, but on paper, but Rob, they never got
past the second round. That Chris, let's just be honest.
(02:39):
That team was never anybody's team to win the championship,
even when they had those players or they entertainment. Let
me just say this before you go. I picked them
to get to the finals the first year Doc went
and Doc Rivers, I thought, you know, championship coach, He's
gonna bring it all together. I didn't pick him to
win it, but I did pick him to get there,
and obviously they didn't even do that. Yeah, I just
(03:01):
they were never on my radar to win a championship.
They were entertaining. I get all that high flying lob city, Chris.
It was. It was great to watch. But to think
that they were on some list, I'm with you. I
just I don't see them on that list. There's there's way, way, way,
way way more teams that were that were much better,
(03:22):
and not in any order. I mean that could just
jump out at you. Those Phoenix Suns team with Steve
Nash and uh, I'm always Startle Meyer marrying I mean
Joe Johnson a squad Quentin Richardson. Yet they used to
win six almost sixty games a year, Chris, and they
never got there. They never even got to the conference finals,
(03:44):
did they. I believe they got Maybe they got to
the conference finals. Yeah, yeah, all right one time. They
never they And and it's interesting because you know, if
you rattle off names, I mean, certainly talent wising on paper,
the Clippers could match up with him. But I'm with you,
I would take that Phoenix team over those clipps about
(04:05):
Chris Webber's Psychobedo King's team. Well, what I was gonna
say is, and I'll get back to them, because both
you and I really liked that team a lot. I
would say a few teams that come to my mind
when you just look on paper at the talent. Remember
Jerry West, the logo, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor had
(04:29):
like three full seasons together when they were healthy and
never won it. That's an iconic I mean, my goodness,
all three of those guys are iconic, and they never
won a championship. So you gotta look at them. And
then the other team robbed that comes to my mind.
How about Oklahoma City? We may never see this again,
(04:53):
and I don't think we've ever seen it before where
a team had three eventual MVPs Kevin Duran, James Harden,
and Russell Westbrook and they never won a championship. Now,
obviously Harden left early and went to Houston and became
this superstar, but Westbrook and Durant were still there. And
(05:14):
even that team, Rob, I think that was one of
the best teams to never win the championship. Injuries hurt them.
One year, Westbrook was hurt and they went out in
the second round of Memphis. Another year, Durant was hurt,
they didn't even make the playoffs. Another year, Serge Ibaka
was hurt for two games out of the six against
San Antonio and they lost to them in the conference finals.
(05:36):
But then when they were healthy, they beat I remember
because I picked them to beat the Spurs the last
year that all those guys were together, or at least
Durant and Westbrook. People thought I was crazy. I was
one of the few guys to pick them nationally to
beat the Spurs, and they beat them in six. And
then of course they get to Golden State and they're
(05:56):
up three one. Rob on the Great seventy three win Warriors,
and they blew it. They blew it. So that's a
team that I think is high on that list of
all time grace. But for one year, I'm with you.
That Sacramento team was a tremendous team. Chris Webber, Pages Stoyakovich,
(06:19):
Vlide Deviatch, Mike Bibby. Uh. They they lost in seven
to the Shot Kobe Lakers, who went on to win
the championship. There's two thousand and two. It was their
lasted at three peat. But remember robbing game six. You
can talk about that. Yeah, I'm just gonna say the
NBA had its uh had its way. I don't think
(06:40):
they wanted the Sacramento Kings. They wanted the Lakers. So
the NBA has always been famous. I always called it
the WM the you know, the ww What is it
called WWE now, But they used to call it the
w W E NBA because there's always like some things.
Even if you remember Chris, when you were just talking
about the Oklahoma City team in that Finals against Lebron
(07:04):
and do you remember Lebron filed Kevin Durant at the
end of the game in Game two they would have
gone up two old it didn't happen. They didn't give
the call to Durant. They lost that game, and then
they lost the next three. I'm just you know what
I mean. I'm just saying push off and yeah, we've
seen it where they don't call it. And there was
another yeah, and then you mentioned it last week or
(07:27):
earlier this week, Greg Anthony, when I was sitting right there,
and if you go watch the video, he literally throws
he shoves him down. So I think it was Anthony
Mason who made the inbounds. The past go straight to
Reggie mill because Greg Anthony was on the floor and
the referee didn't call anything. So Reggie actually shoved Jordan down.
If you remember ninety eight, when the Pacers took the
(07:49):
Bulls to seven in the Eastern Conference Finals Game four,
Reggie hit a three pointer on Jordan to win the game,
and as he was coming around the screen, he shoved
Jordan to get space and caught the past. I gave
him enough space. Jordan recovered to try to contest, but
Reggie sainte. So that happens a lot in the NBA.
(08:10):
But another I'm gonna give you another team, rob and
this if they had stayed healthy they could have the
course of NBA basketball and even how we talk about
it now could have been changed. Remember the Twin Towers
in Houston, Ralph Sampson and Hakim Elijuan. Check this out
when they lost to the Celtics. Remember that great eight
(08:32):
Boston team in nineteen eighty six. People, some people think
it's the greatest team, or certainly one of them. Bill
Fitch was the coach, right, remember that. I think it
was Casey Jones by that time. Fitch was I believe
the earlier uh in that in that but I'm not sure.
But that Houston team led by Eli Juan and Ralph Sampson,
(08:56):
they swept, swept the showtime Lakers in the conference finals,
just demolished them. And if and then Sampson got hurt
and they never you know, that team was never what
it was meant to be because Sampson never was the same.
And if they had stayed healthy, though, maybe the Lakers
(09:19):
don't win those next two championships in eighty seven and
eighty eight, and maybe matches got three instead of five.
So think about that, Think about how that could have
changed the course of basketball history. We're not saying that
about the Clippers be sure to catch live editions of
The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays
(09:40):
at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Interesting story by our former
colleague at the old Place, Buster Oney. He just brought up,
how remember when Jeff Luo, the GM for the Houston
Astros and aj Hinch, We're suspended and then subsequently fired
(10:03):
after the report in the investigation by Major League Baseball
about the Rockets cheating scandal. Well, their suspension ended or
is scheduled to end after the twenty twenty playoffs, and
the story was saying that even if they don't have
a baseball season, that Hinch and Luno will in twenty
(10:29):
twenty one. They'll be able to, you know, be reinstated
and able to manage and be in somebody's front office
if they get a job, get jobs for the twenty
twenty one season. So obviously, if they play, they'll be suspended,
sit out this season, and then they can come back
the following year. But even if they don't play, they
(10:50):
can come back the following year. Does that sit right
with you? It doesn't make sense just off the rip.
If there's no baseball season. Continue would say, well, there
was no season. I know this legal ramifications, Chris, because
they're counting this year as service time for the players,
(11:13):
whether they play or not. Do you know what I mean?
So right there, I'm telling you there is the legal
problem you would have because then they could go to
court and say, well, Mookie Betts was one year away
from free agency, and now you're granting him free agency.
So what are you saying in effect? That he played
last year? So it doesn't make sense. But here's the
(11:35):
other kicker, and probably a bigger thing, Chris. I don't
believe anybody, any ownership would hire them next year anyway.
I think even if they didn't play, they wouldn't hire
them because there would be some backlash. So they might
get hired down the road. I don't know, but I
doubt that they would, you know, but I doubt that
(11:57):
it would be next year though, do you know what
I'm saying? Like there would be pushedback from fans if
Hench got a job after basically sitting out of season
that wasn't what do you think? No, I agree with
you on that, and I agree with I think you
made an excellent point at the beginning when you said that, yeah,
I mean managers and whoever. You know, their representation is
(12:18):
going to fight it on a legal basis. If you're
allowing players to have this as a year of service,
then they will definitely fight it. If you law, probably win,
And I think you're right, nobody would hire them, But
it doesn't I and so it end end up sitting
(12:38):
out anyway. But I would like to see the suspension extended.
If they don't play this season, you've got to sit
out a real baseball season. No one, and I think Rob,
what this does. This just only extends the feeling among
baseball fans that justice has not been served. And I
(13:02):
know we've talked about it before. It at this point,
whenever baseball comes back, you and I are in agreement
that we think that Houston Astros won't get nearly the
venom and vitriol that they would have gotten had this
been normal circumstances, Like people will be so holes to
see baseball right, even that will be on the back burner.
(13:23):
It'll just be a celebration that baseball's back right. And understandably,
you got it, understandably. But that said, I think the
reason people were so upset with the Astros or one
of the reasons, and this is certainly true for me,
is that justice wasn't served. We all want to see
justice served. And that's why I was always banging the
(13:45):
drum for vacate the title, because I think that would
be a punishment for the players. You take the rings
and everything and all the memory or you know, all
the official memory at least of them winning that championship.
So I think this would just in a lot of
people's eyes, this would just be like more of the same, Like, man,
they got away with it. They got away with the
(14:05):
way that things are playing out for the Astros right now,
it looks like they're gonna get not that note, they
won't get booed at all. But I don't think it'll
be as bad as we thought had we started this
season March twenty I mean, you know, March twenty six,
and we had a regular full season, Chris, so ultimately
their punishment will not be as bad. What do you
(14:26):
think about I mean, to be honest, the league, because
obviously the league doesn't They don't want all that bad
publicity about you know, a few of their teams cheating
and stuff. I think it would make sense for them.
I don't know why they haven't done it yet. I
know Rob Manfred said they're busy with other stuff, which
is true, obviously, trying to figure out when they can play.
(14:47):
Oh yeah, I think it's smart to release the Red Sox,
you know, the punishment now because even though nothing's going on,
and yeah, people will talk about it for a couple
of days, you know, like we said with that, so
it's gonna fade away. I do it now rather than
when they got back. I don't think anyway. I think
they'll wind up doing it, Chris, during this during this break,
(15:09):
and you're right, it'll it'll be done. You don't want
to start this season and then put another cloud, all right,
So I agree. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart
Radio app search f SR to listen live. Something is
right in our wheelhouse because it is broadcasting. Rex Ryan,
(15:34):
the former head coach now an analyst, was on ESPN
earlier this morning and he talked about Amari Cooper and
crossed the line. Here's what he said to me, this
is the biggest disappearing act in the National Football League.
He doesn't show up on the road. He doesn't show
up against when the competition's good, when he's against the
(15:55):
top corners, that guy disappears. This is who he is.
And Dan, he love football, Hell with it. He stops
his route, does all this. I wouldn't have paid this turn,
no way in hell. Well there it is. I mean, look,
the criticism about his game is fine. That's what I
was gonna say, Chris. He's fine all the way up
until len And you know what, if he could have
(16:17):
if he could have just given me some numbers two
to say in the fourth quarter when he says he disappears,
he has uh, you know in the fourth quarter in
the last four years, only three touchdowns and you know
what I mean, or something to just back that up.
I'm good with that. And we both of us have
done hours and hours and hours of live television, okay,
(16:39):
haven't we We've done thousands of Yeah, if not thousands
of hours, thousands When you think back, I mean I
start probably we did Cole Pizza in New York back
in two thousand and five, two thousand and six, Chris,
you know what many years ago that was so, so
we both know what it's like to be on live
television to have to your opinion. But to call a
(17:02):
guy a churd, I mean I've heard a lot, Chris,
I've never heard that before. No, you have to keep
name calling out of it, and you really don't want
to get personal. Look, we've talked a lot about Antonio
Brown this year, right, and we obviously haven't agreed with
a lot of the things he's done. But you don't
(17:24):
cross the line and call somebody a name like that.
You just can't. And in fairness direct he did apologize shortly,
you know, like a few hours later of course, after
the firestorm. But you can't do that. You don't want
you don't want guys getting personal with you. And you know, Rob, Look,
(17:45):
we know athletes that we've been critical love, and we
have sometimes good relationships with athletes we've been critical love.
And the thing we can always tell him is, look,
it's not personal. I'm critiquing your what you do. If
you do something personal in your personal life that impacts
your game or the team, and we have to talk
(18:07):
about it, that's one thing. But name calling, going at
a guy, you know, lying on a guy, even if
he's playing well and you're ripping him or whatever because
you don't like him. Stuff like that you have to
stay away from. You know, I'm not gonna hold this
over Rex Ryan's head forever anything like that. But it's
just gotta be letting know he definitely crossed the line today.
(18:29):
You don't need to be calling these guys names, no
doubt about. Now, this is an interesting thing. He apologized
and all that fine. Okay, ESPN, though Chris push that
quote out on social media. Why I'm surprised. You know,
we both worked there. You know, it's like being called
to the principal's office. We always talk about when you
(18:50):
work at ESPN, you work for the mouse, you know.
But yes, you know what I mean, right, Yeah, you
know I was only in there. One didn't go well,
But I was bullying because you believe that my eight
years only got called in one time. But anyway, my
point that really is man and zero at Fox. How's
(19:11):
at So we'll take your right. But but but but
I'm just surprised at ESPN. I wouldn't would you put
that on social media? No? But you know this as
well as anybody robing. We won't get deep into it.
But there are times, and I've had this situation with
myself too, there are times when ESPN actually thought something
(19:34):
was good, but then the public backlash. Oh okay, you
know what I'm saying. You know, I lived it right,
and I've been in that situation too. And day now,
I'll give Mike Greenberg credit. He seemed to all pick
it up immediately because right after Rex said the word turd,
(19:57):
you heard Greenberg say something like oh okay, or you know. Now,
Rex kept going for I don't know, twenty more seconds.
He didn't cut him off, but he did make some
type of comment like he he may have thought that
was over the line. But but yeah, so that's that's
We just wanted to let it be known that we think,
you know, Rex crossed the line, and he, whether he
(20:18):
was sincere or not, he apologized for it. Let's bring
in our next guest. As we said, he's a Cowboys
beat writer for the Dallas Morning News, a busy man
right now, even even with the shutdown, our man Calvin Watkins, Calvin,
what's happening? Brothers, what's going on? And now we got
to settle something first before we think you would the actress,
(20:42):
it's you or somebody else. It's you, right, it's me. Yeah,
that's what I thought. That's what I thought. So what
were you holding her back from being a superstar? Is
that what happened? I must have been holding her back? Yeah,
But at the end of our marriage, she had she
(21:04):
was working at lember this stone company called MCI. Yes,
yes she was. She was like a customer service and
MCI because she was about to quit her job and
then start comedy. And then then our marriage kind of
dissolved maybe two or three years after that. But was
that part of it that you were like, hey, what
what do you you know? What do you You're gonna
(21:25):
become a comedian? What are you talking about? Oh? No, no,
no other issues going on with that, But no, No,
was she funny? Was she always like you know what
I mean? Like could you see it in there? Though? That?
Was she always a funny person? Or so are you
not surprised by that she blew up? Or why are
you surprised? Lily? I never saw this. I never saw this,
(21:47):
But I will say, um, we were we were separated
and we had lunch and so, um, I remember we
were driving somewhere and she told me since she had
a dream, she's gonna have an old TV show. I
was like looked at her, like really, come on and wow.
And then and then obviously she exploded. I do remember
(22:13):
when she won the Golden Globe for Precious She called
me and we're talking and she said, can you believe this?
They gave me an award for this for this thing?
And I said, yeah, I've Can you act like that
in real life? Wow? So it's just like a success
story for her. It's just been like, uh, it's incredible,
(22:36):
it's amazing. Married, uh legally five years. Okay, I got
married when I was twenty one. So y'all did y'all
know each other in high school? And I, yeah, yeah,
I was. I was working at a radio station in Baltimore.
(22:58):
And because I was like to say, she's not from
New York, That's what I was trying to figure out. No,
she was from Baltimore and I was going to school
and walking on this radio station in Baltimore, and that's
when we met. She was in sales and I was
like doing sports on the air. I was in sports updates. Yeah,
she was in sales, and that's how we met. My
(23:19):
last question about this, and then we get into and
be honest as if you've seen her on television and movies,
and as you mentioned the awards, was there every time?
Were you like, Man, we should have stayed together. No,
not really, I've never I've never thought that way. Maybe
(23:41):
because I've known her since for long times. I never
looked at it that way. Uh, God was happy with
I think we were both happy with our decisions. We
have a son together. So I remember I had to
do a story to our Lowes had a birthday party
and when he's playing for the Cowboys, and the birthday
(24:02):
party was in Los Angeles. This was during the season.
They had a game in New York and I told
the office, Hey, I want to cover this birthday party.
I think I could stay. You don't have to worry
about the hotel. And I stayed at Monique's house and
the cut costs because the flight was like at the
last minute, right, So I remember spending the night at
(24:23):
a house in La You know. So we've always been friends,
you know, I mean always Sometimes those things can be
a little dicey, but but we've always been friends. Yeah,
Well that's good. Man. Were joined by Calvin Watkins the
Dallas Cowboys be writer for the Dallas Morning News. All right,
let's get in out now. I know how my ex
wife feels down right, and you all right, Robbie's on
(24:52):
that path. I don't know if you know Calvin, He's
on his path to becoming a superstar comedie. And we'll
see what happens. Rex Ryan shook Dallas today, didn't he?
Oh yeah he was. He was totally outlined. Totally outline. Um,
Amara Cooper. I've only known him for like a year
and a half and he's one of the nicest guys.
(25:16):
You know, you will meet each of you have covered
beats and you know Rob baseball, you basketball, Chris, And
let me tell you something. Amari will talk to you
whether he's hurt, whether he's healthy, whether he's struggling, whether
he's having a good game. He's always the same, Um,
you know, answer all the tough questions. He's just a
(25:36):
good dude. And now you want to say he disappeared
in the Jets game, that's fine. You want to say
that the lines and the Patriots took him out, that's fine.
Um you want to question his toughness, Okay, fine, I
can live that's all legitimate. But to call him a turd.
Is just it's just it's just like it's like a
(25:56):
personal attack. And Calvin, do they have history? What is
this about? Because it was so personal, it was like
he doesn't like football. I wouldn't have paid that dude,
I would there was something there. I couldn't figure it out.
I don't. I really don't know that. His brother, Rob
(26:17):
was a defensive coordinator for the Cowboys for about a
year or two, and but I don't know what's going on.
Maybe um Rex's agent was trying to represent a Maori.
I had no idea. You sometimes, or maybe Rob might
have told him some stuff that was coming out, you
(26:37):
know what I mean, like from coaches. I mean, because
it just seemed like I think it was so confident
in it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. The All the
Smoke podcast, that's Matt Barnes and Steven Jackson. And you know,
both of those guys are friends of the show. We
work with Stephen up at FS one. Matt's been up
there a few times as well, and obviously Matt's done
(00:43):
a good amount of Fox Sports Radio. He's co hosted
with me and filled in for you at times. Does
a great job. Both of them in this podcast is awesome.
They get you know, they get all the players. They
got Kobe you know, they were one of his last interviews,
if not his very last interview. They Kevin Durant. They've
just gotten all types of great guest and they recently
(01:08):
had Chris Paul here. It is. We were one of
the best teams never to win a championship. Man, we
had so much Calon bro you bled, Darren Collinson, Jamal Crawford,
JJ Reddick, Corime Butler, lamar Odom, Brian Hollins. And it's crazy.
It's seriously one of those things you don't you don't
(01:30):
realize what you have until it's gone, you know what
I mean. I mean, I think about it at times
and men Blake absolutely had our issues here and there, whatnot,
But I actually appreciated Blake probably a lot more after
I left. Look, I get what madd is saying. You
heard him run off the names. They had a legitimate
big three DeAndre Jordan, Blake, Griffin, and Chris Paul. Chris
(01:54):
one of the best point guards ever and Andre or
DeAndre and Blake were All Stars at that time in
their careers. Blake certainly a perennial All Star. And then
they had a nice host of role players and a
championship coaching Doc Rivers. But I can't give I mean, yeah,
if the list way down the list of great teams
(02:15):
that never won the championship, they would eventually be on there.
But I can't give them a you know, a high
ranking among the teams to never win a championship. I
get where Matt's coming from, because they had a lot
of talent, but on paper, but Rob, they never got
past the second round. That Chris, let's just be honest.
(02:39):
That team was never anybody's team to win the championship,
even when they had those players or they entertainment. Let
me just say this before you go. I picked them
to get to the finals the first year Doc went
and Doc Rivers, I thought, you know, championship coach, He's
gonna bring it all together. I didn't pick him to
win it, but I did pick him to get there,
and obviously they didn't even do that. Yeah, I just
(03:01):
they were never on my radar to win a championship.
They were entertaining. I get all that high flying lob city, Chris.
It was. It was great to watch. But to think
that they were on some list, I'm with you. I
just I don't see them on that list. There's there's way, way, way,
way way more teams that were that were much better,
(03:22):
and not in any order. I mean that could just
jump out at you. Those Phoenix Suns team with Steve
Nash and uh, I'm always Startle Meyer marrying I mean
Joe Johnson a squad Quentin Richardson. Yet they used to
win six almost sixty games a year, Chris, and they
never got there. They never even got to the conference finals,
(03:44):
did they. I believe they got Maybe they got to
the conference finals. Yeah, yeah, all right one time. They
never they And and it's interesting because you know, if
you rattle off names, I mean, certainly talent wising on paper,
the Clippers could match up with him. But I'm with you,
I would take that Phoenix team over those clipps about
(04:05):
Chris Webber's Psychobedo King's team. Well, what I was gonna
say is, and I'll get back to them, because both
you and I really liked that team a lot. I
would say a few teams that come to my mind
when you just look on paper at the talent. Remember
Jerry West, the logo, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor had
(04:29):
like three full seasons together when they were healthy and
never won it. That's an iconic I mean, my goodness,
all three of those guys are iconic, and they never
won a championship. So you gotta look at them. And
then the other team robbed that comes to my mind.
How about Oklahoma City? We may never see this again,
(04:53):
and I don't think we've ever seen it before where
a team had three eventual MVPs Kevin Duran, James Harden,
and Russell Westbrook and they never won a championship. Now,
obviously Harden left early and went to Houston and became
this superstar, but Westbrook and Durant were still there. And
(05:14):
even that team, Rob, I think that was one of
the best teams to never win the championship. Injuries hurt them.
One year, Westbrook was hurt and they went out in
the second round of Memphis. Another year, Durant was hurt,
they didn't even make the playoffs. Another year, Serge Ibaka
was hurt for two games out of the six against
San Antonio and they lost to them in the conference finals.
(05:36):
But then when they were healthy, they beat I remember
because I picked them to beat the Spurs the last
year that all those guys were together, or at least
Durant and Westbrook. People thought I was crazy. I was
one of the few guys to pick them nationally to
beat the Spurs, and they beat them in six. And
then of course they get to Golden State and they're
(05:56):
up three one. Rob on the Great seventy three win Warriors,
and they blew it. They blew it. So that's a
team that I think is high on that list of
all time grace. But for one year, I'm with you.
That Sacramento team was a tremendous team. Chris Webber, Pages Stoyakovich,
(06:19):
Vlide Deviatch, Mike Bibby. Uh. They they lost in seven
to the Shot Kobe Lakers, who went on to win
the championship. There's two thousand and two. It was their
lasted at three peat. But remember robbing game six. You
can talk about that. Yeah, I'm just gonna say the
NBA had its uh had its way. I don't think
(06:40):
they wanted the Sacramento Kings. They wanted the Lakers. So
the NBA has always been famous. I always called it
the WM the you know, the ww What is it
called WWE now, But they used to call it the
w W E NBA because there's always like some things.
Even if you remember Chris, when you were just talking
about the Oklahoma City team in that Finals against Lebron
(07:04):
and do you remember Lebron filed Kevin Durant at the
end of the game in Game two they would have
gone up two old it didn't happen. They didn't give
the call to Durant. They lost that game, and then
they lost the next three. I'm just you know what
I mean. I'm just saying push off and yeah, we've
seen it where they don't call it. And there was
another yeah, and then you mentioned it last week or
(07:27):
earlier this week, Greg Anthony, when I was sitting right there,
and if you go watch the video, he literally throws
he shoves him down. So I think it was Anthony
Mason who made the inbounds. The past go straight to
Reggie mill because Greg Anthony was on the floor and
the referee didn't call anything. So Reggie actually shoved Jordan down.
If you remember ninety eight, when the Pacers took the
(07:49):
Bulls to seven in the Eastern Conference Finals Game four,
Reggie hit a three pointer on Jordan to win the game,
and as he was coming around the screen, he shoved
Jordan to get space and caught the past. I gave
him enough space. Jordan recovered to try to contest, but
Reggie sainte. So that happens a lot in the NBA.
(08:10):
But another I'm gonna give you another team, rob and
this if they had stayed healthy they could have the
course of NBA basketball and even how we talk about
it now could have been changed. Remember the Twin Towers
in Houston, Ralph Sampson and Hakim Elijuan. Check this out
when they lost to the Celtics. Remember that great eight
(08:32):
Boston team in nineteen eighty six. People, some people think
it's the greatest team, or certainly one of them. Bill
Fitch was the coach, right, remember that. I think it
was Casey Jones by that time. Fitch was I believe
the earlier uh in that in that but I'm not sure.
But that Houston team led by Eli Juan and Ralph Sampson,
(08:56):
they swept, swept the showtime Lakers in the conference finals,
just demolished them. And if and then Sampson got hurt
and they never you know, that team was never what
it was meant to be because Sampson never was the same.
And if they had stayed healthy, though, maybe the Lakers
(09:19):
don't win those next two championships in eighty seven and
eighty eight, and maybe matches got three instead of five.
So think about that, Think about how that could have
changed the course of basketball history. We're not saying that
about the Clippers be sure to catch live editions of
The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays
(09:40):
at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Interesting story by our former
colleague at the old Place, Buster Oney. He just brought up,
how remember when Jeff Luo, the GM for the Houston
Astros and aj Hinch, We're suspended and then subsequently fired
(10:03):
after the report in the investigation by Major League Baseball
about the Rockets cheating scandal. Well, their suspension ended or
is scheduled to end after the twenty twenty playoffs, and
the story was saying that even if they don't have
a baseball season, that Hinch and Luno will in twenty
(10:29):
twenty one. They'll be able to, you know, be reinstated
and able to manage and be in somebody's front office
if they get a job, get jobs for the twenty
twenty one season. So obviously, if they play, they'll be suspended,
sit out this season, and then they can come back
the following year. But even if they don't play, they
(10:50):
can come back the following year. Does that sit right
with you? It doesn't make sense just off the rip.
If there's no baseball season. Continue would say, well, there
was no season. I know this legal ramifications, Chris, because
they're counting this year as service time for the players,
(11:13):
whether they play or not. Do you know what I mean?
So right there, I'm telling you there is the legal
problem you would have because then they could go to
court and say, well, Mookie Betts was one year away
from free agency, and now you're granting him free agency.
So what are you saying in effect? That he played
last year? So it doesn't make sense. But here's the
(11:35):
other kicker, and probably a bigger thing, Chris. I don't
believe anybody, any ownership would hire them next year anyway.
I think even if they didn't play, they wouldn't hire
them because there would be some backlash. So they might
get hired down the road. I don't know, but I
doubt that they would, you know, but I doubt that
(11:57):
it would be next year though, do you know what
I'm saying? Like there would be pushedback from fans if
Hench got a job after basically sitting out of season
that wasn't what do you think? No, I agree with
you on that, and I agree with I think you
made an excellent point at the beginning when you said that, yeah,
I mean managers and whoever. You know, their representation is
(12:18):
going to fight it on a legal basis. If you're
allowing players to have this as a year of service,
then they will definitely fight it. If you law, probably win,
And I think you're right, nobody would hire them, But
it doesn't I and so it end end up sitting
(12:38):
out anyway. But I would like to see the suspension extended.
If they don't play this season, you've got to sit
out a real baseball season. No one, and I think Rob,
what this does. This just only extends the feeling among
baseball fans that justice has not been served. And I
(13:02):
know we've talked about it before. It at this point,
whenever baseball comes back, you and I are in agreement
that we think that Houston Astros won't get nearly the
venom and vitriol that they would have gotten had this
been normal circumstances, Like people will be so holes to
see baseball right, even that will be on the back burner.
(13:23):
It'll just be a celebration that baseball's back right. And understandably,
you got it, understandably. But that said, I think the
reason people were so upset with the Astros or one
of the reasons, and this is certainly true for me,
is that justice wasn't served. We all want to see
justice served. And that's why I was always banging the
(13:45):
drum for vacate the title, because I think that would
be a punishment for the players. You take the rings
and everything and all the memory or you know, all
the official memory at least of them winning that championship.
So I think this would just in a lot of
people's eyes, this would just be like more of the same, Like, man,
they got away with it. They got away with the
(14:05):
way that things are playing out for the Astros right now,
it looks like they're gonna get not that note, they
won't get booed at all. But I don't think it'll
be as bad as we thought had we started this
season March twenty I mean, you know, March twenty six,
and we had a regular full season, Chris, so ultimately
their punishment will not be as bad. What do you
(14:26):
think about I mean, to be honest, the league, because
obviously the league doesn't They don't want all that bad
publicity about you know, a few of their teams cheating
and stuff. I think it would make sense for them.
I don't know why they haven't done it yet. I
know Rob Manfred said they're busy with other stuff, which
is true, obviously, trying to figure out when they can play.
(14:47):
Oh yeah, I think it's smart to release the Red Sox,
you know, the punishment now because even though nothing's going on,
and yeah, people will talk about it for a couple
of days, you know, like we said with that, so
it's gonna fade away. I do it now rather than
when they got back. I don't think anyway. I think
they'll wind up doing it, Chris, during this during this break,
(15:09):
and you're right, it'll it'll be done. You don't want
to start this season and then put another cloud, all right,
So I agree. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart
Radio app search f SR to listen live. Something is
right in our wheelhouse because it is broadcasting. Rex Ryan,
(15:34):
the former head coach now an analyst, was on ESPN
earlier this morning and he talked about Amari Cooper and
crossed the line. Here's what he said to me, this
is the biggest disappearing act in the National Football League.
He doesn't show up on the road. He doesn't show
up against when the competition's good, when he's against the
(15:55):
top corners, that guy disappears. This is who he is.
And Dan, he love football, Hell with it. He stops
his route, does all this. I wouldn't have paid this turn,
no way in hell. Well there it is. I mean, look,
the criticism about his game is fine. That's what I
was gonna say, Chris. He's fine all the way up
until len And you know what, if he could have
(16:17):
if he could have just given me some numbers two
to say in the fourth quarter when he says he disappears,
he has uh, you know in the fourth quarter in
the last four years, only three touchdowns and you know
what I mean, or something to just back that up.
I'm good with that. And we both of us have
done hours and hours and hours of live television, okay,
(16:39):
haven't we We've done thousands of Yeah, if not thousands
of hours, thousands When you think back, I mean I
start probably we did Cole Pizza in New York back
in two thousand and five, two thousand and six, Chris,
you know what many years ago that was so, so
we both know what it's like to be on live
television to have to your opinion. But to call a
(17:02):
guy a churd, I mean I've heard a lot, Chris,
I've never heard that before. No, you have to keep
name calling out of it, and you really don't want
to get personal. Look, we've talked a lot about Antonio
Brown this year, right, and we obviously haven't agreed with
a lot of the things he's done. But you don't
(17:24):
cross the line and call somebody a name like that.
You just can't. And in fairness direct he did apologize shortly,
you know, like a few hours later of course, after
the firestorm. But you can't do that. You don't want
you don't want guys getting personal with you. And you know, Rob, Look,
(17:45):
we know athletes that we've been critical love, and we
have sometimes good relationships with athletes we've been critical love.
And the thing we can always tell him is, look,
it's not personal. I'm critiquing your what you do. If
you do something personal in your personal life that impacts
your game or the team, and we have to talk
(18:07):
about it, that's one thing. But name calling, going at
a guy, you know, lying on a guy, even if
he's playing well and you're ripping him or whatever because
you don't like him. Stuff like that you have to
stay away from. You know, I'm not gonna hold this
over Rex Ryan's head forever anything like that. But it's
just gotta be letting know he definitely crossed the line today.
(18:29):
You don't need to be calling these guys names, no
doubt about. Now, this is an interesting thing. He apologized
and all that fine. Okay, ESPN, though Chris push that
quote out on social media. Why I'm surprised. You know,
we both worked there. You know, it's like being called
to the principal's office. We always talk about when you
(18:50):
work at ESPN, you work for the mouse, you know.
But yes, you know what I mean, right, Yeah, you
know I was only in there. One didn't go well,
But I was bullying because you believe that my eight
years only got called in one time. But anyway, my
point that really is man and zero at Fox. How's
(19:11):
at So we'll take your right. But but but but
I'm just surprised at ESPN. I wouldn't would you put
that on social media? No? But you know this as
well as anybody robing. We won't get deep into it.
But there are times, and I've had this situation with
myself too, there are times when ESPN actually thought something
(19:34):
was good, but then the public backlash. Oh okay, you
know what I'm saying. You know, I lived it right,
and I've been in that situation too. And day now,
I'll give Mike Greenberg credit. He seemed to all pick
it up immediately because right after Rex said the word turd,
(19:57):
you heard Greenberg say something like oh okay, or you know. Now,
Rex kept going for I don't know, twenty more seconds.
He didn't cut him off, but he did make some
type of comment like he he may have thought that
was over the line. But but yeah, so that's that's
We just wanted to let it be known that we think,
you know, Rex crossed the line, and he, whether he
(20:18):
was sincere or not, he apologized for it. Let's bring
in our next guest. As we said, he's a Cowboys
beat writer for the Dallas Morning News, a busy man
right now, even even with the shutdown, our man Calvin Watkins, Calvin,
what's happening? Brothers, what's going on? And now we got
to settle something first before we think you would the actress,
(20:42):
it's you or somebody else. It's you, right, it's me. Yeah,
that's what I thought. That's what I thought. So what
were you holding her back from being a superstar? Is
that what happened? I must have been holding her back? Yeah,
But at the end of our marriage, she had she
(21:04):
was working at lember this stone company called MCI. Yes,
yes she was. She was like a customer service and
MCI because she was about to quit her job and
then start comedy. And then then our marriage kind of
dissolved maybe two or three years after that. But was
that part of it that you were like, hey, what
what do you you know? What do you You're gonna
(21:25):
become a comedian? What are you talking about? Oh? No, no,
no other issues going on with that, But no, No,
was she funny? Was she always like you know what
I mean? Like could you see it in there? Though? That?
Was she always a funny person? Or so are you
not surprised by that she blew up? Or why are
you surprised? Lily? I never saw this. I never saw this,
(21:47):
But I will say, um, we were we were separated
and we had lunch and so, um, I remember we
were driving somewhere and she told me since she had
a dream, she's gonna have an old TV show. I
was like looked at her, like really, come on and wow.
And then and then obviously she exploded. I do remember
(22:13):
when she won the Golden Globe for Precious She called
me and we're talking and she said, can you believe this?
They gave me an award for this for this thing?
And I said, yeah, I've Can you act like that
in real life? Wow? So it's just like a success
story for her. It's just been like, uh, it's incredible,
(22:36):
it's amazing. Married, uh legally five years. Okay, I got
married when I was twenty one. So y'all did y'all
know each other in high school? And I, yeah, yeah,
I was. I was working at a radio station in Baltimore.
(22:58):
And because I was like to say, she's not from
New York, That's what I was trying to figure out. No,
she was from Baltimore and I was going to school
and walking on this radio station in Baltimore, and that's
when we met. She was in sales and I was
like doing sports on the air. I was in sports updates. Yeah,
she was in sales, and that's how we met. My
(23:19):
last question about this, and then we get into and
be honest as if you've seen her on television and movies,
and as you mentioned the awards, was there every time?
Were you like, Man, we should have stayed together. No,
not really, I've never I've never thought that way. Maybe
(23:41):
because I've known her since for long times. I never
looked at it that way. Uh, God was happy with
I think we were both happy with our decisions. We
have a son together. So I remember I had to
do a story to our Lowes had a birthday party
and when he's playing for the Cowboys, and the birthday
(24:02):
party was in Los Angeles. This was during the season.
They had a game in New York and I told
the office, Hey, I want to cover this birthday party.
I think I could stay. You don't have to worry
about the hotel. And I stayed at Monique's house and
the cut costs because the flight was like at the
last minute, right, So I remember spending the night at
(24:23):
a house in La You know. So we've always been friends,
you know, I mean always Sometimes those things can be
a little dicey, but but we've always been friends. Yeah,
Well that's good. Man. Were joined by Calvin Watkins the
Dallas Cowboys be writer for the Dallas Morning News. All right,
let's get in out now. I know how my ex
wife feels down right, and you all right, Robbie's on
(24:52):
that path. I don't know if you know Calvin, He's
on his path to becoming a superstar comedie. And we'll
see what happens. Rex Ryan shook Dallas today, didn't he?
Oh yeah he was. He was totally outlined. Totally outline. Um,
Amara Cooper. I've only known him for like a year
and a half and he's one of the nicest guys.
(25:16):
You know, you will meet each of you have covered
beats and you know Rob baseball, you basketball, Chris, And
let me tell you something. Amari will talk to you
whether he's hurt, whether he's healthy, whether he's struggling, whether
he's having a good game. He's always the same, Um,
you know, answer all the tough questions. He's just a
(25:36):
good dude. And now you want to say he disappeared
in the Jets game, that's fine. You want to say
that the lines and the Patriots took him out, that's fine.
Um you want to question his toughness, Okay, fine, I
can live that's all legitimate. But to call him a turd.
Is just it's just it's just like it's like a
(25:56):
personal attack. And Calvin, do they have history? What is
this about? Because it was so personal, it was like
he doesn't like football. I wouldn't have paid that dude,
I would there was something there. I couldn't figure it out.
I don't. I really don't know that. His brother, Rob
(26:17):
was a defensive coordinator for the Cowboys for about a
year or two, and but I don't know what's going on.
Maybe um Rex's agent was trying to represent a Maori.
I had no idea. You sometimes, or maybe Rob might
have told him some stuff that was coming out, you
(26:37):
know what I mean, like from coaches. I mean, because
it just seemed like I think it was so confident
in it.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.