September 25, 2020 • 28 mins
It's The Best Of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob discuss if LeBron James' performance in Game 4 - and in the playoffs overall - proved that he's still the best player in the world, debate if it's appropriate to compare Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes to the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady, and discuss how many more Super Bowls Aaron Rodgers would have to win in order to really enter the GOAT conversation.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Russo and Rock Harker. Big story last night,
I gotta admit, even though I like to see the
Lakers win the championship, I think they will win the championship.
I was hoping for Spice, I was hoping for Denver
(00:43):
to not the series at two two, and then I
thought this thing would really be interested even though I
expected the Lakers to win the next two games, but
I said one TV and on our show with my head.
My head was telling me the Lakers would take command,
win and go up three one. And that is exactly
what happened and a big part of the reason it
(01:05):
was a real team effort. Anthony Davis scoring big all
night finishes with thirty four points, didn't rebound els inexplicably.
He has no rebounds again in the first half, but
he did come up with some big rebounds in the
fourth quarter, so I'll give him that. Dwight Howard rob
(01:28):
a turn back the clock performance at least in the
first half, gives him eleven and ten in the first half.
And Cantavia's car Wellpope and playoff Rondo Rajon Rondo. They
both stepped up big, some big moments for them. But
Lebron James, this line is you talk about nice. Twenty
(01:50):
six points, nine rebounds and eight assist for Lebron James
with zero turno Verse gets to the file line fourteen times,
hits eleven of him. We know he's not a great
file shooter, and he hits five of six in the
(02:11):
last few minutes of the fourth quarter, so he was.
He played a great game. But the most impressive thing
to me, Rob was his defense late on Jamal Murray.
Jamal Murray had been lighting it up, and he had
a great game himself thirty two points, and Lebron said,
(02:33):
I want him, guarded him down the stretch, told Vogel
he wanted him and shut him down, kept Murray without
scoring field goals, contested him at the rim, and really
was an inspiring performance. For a guy in his seventeenth year,
(02:53):
thirty five years old, really impressive on that part. Here's
Lebron talking about that late game defense. For me, it's
just uh, you know, trusting my my, you know, my
study of film, you know, trusting the personnel, you know,
and uh and living with the results. So you know,
I'll tell my teammates that I had him and everyone
else can kind of stay at bad and stay home.
(03:14):
And I was able to get a couple of stops,
and he was able to rebound the basketball, which is
the most important thing now, Rob As I said, Anthony
Davis was huge. They're not in this position without him.
He's a huge part of this team playing lights out ball.
At least score the MVP right now. If they went
with the series, ye, who's the MVP? I would go
(03:36):
with a d of the series serious, that's all. Yeah, No,
I would go with a d UM but the best
I think Lebron James, And I'm gonna say this, he's
not to me. These aren't typical Lebron performances where his
fingerprints and imprint are all over this series, even a
(03:58):
series he's lost out of that his times that has
been the case. What I see Rob is Lebron. I
actually see him fitting into the system more rather than
being the system. And I maybe a lot of that's
because for the first time in his career, he's not
the team's leading score so he's looking to get ad
(04:19):
to get his thirty and Lebron is the second leading scorer.
But I like it. But don't you also think that
had to do a lot with Lebron, like making a
concerted effort about the assists kind of thing. He kind
of went for it, knew he had a guy who
could score, you know what I mean, And so I
think that that is a byproduct of Lebron focusing on
(04:40):
the assists, knowing he has Anthony Davis. Now, well, I
don't think he did that as much in the regular season.
I actually think I'm seeing it more so this series
than I have during the season. You could be right,
but for me, it just seems like playing point guard
for the first time. Like officially we know it's always
(05:02):
brought the ball up and essentially played point, but he's
always had the ball butt and he's got you know,
way more than sixty sixty five percent of the time,
So that that may have something to do with it.
I'm just saying, yeah, it felt like that this year,
that that was a focus, you know what I mean
when you and you said it him him having the
the the the position of point guard, you know what
(05:24):
I mean, rather than the guy who just has the
ball all the time and what the point guards you
don't know half to is he bringing is not right?
Right exactly? So so I think that that's part of it.
But I think, no, no, I hear you, and I
think I feel like Lebron is reminding folks. And you know,
I've said this from day one that let's see how
(05:47):
the playoffs play out and then we'll that'll tell us
who's the best player in the world. And I don't
think a D was in that discussion, and I still don't.
I think the discussion is even as he might be
the MVP of the series, or maybe he'll be the
MVP of the finals, the discussion was Lebron, and I
think that's legit. Lebron, Why And I mean, did you
(06:11):
want to throw Harden in there? A D coming up
with the rear um. I don't think a D is great.
He's not the best player in the world. He might
be the finals MVP, might be the leading scoring the finals.
He's not the best player in the world yet, at
least I think the best player in the world. I
think he's showing it is still Lebron James. And that's
(06:35):
my takeaway so far. Yeah, where are your thoughts on it?
I think it's you know, a couple of nights ago,
if he didn't play as well, didn't have the impact.
Maybe he's not as consistent. Maybe that's why. Or it's
more up and down. You know, Chris, we talk about
a fingure, not what he used to be, do you
know what I'm saying. Yeah, sometimes when you see those nights,
(06:58):
then you say it was just a couple to go.
On this show, we talked about him showing his age
right and not looking the same and and and then
so it's not an every night thing like maybe when
he was younger. Maybe it's an every other night or
you know what I mean, something like that. And this
flashes when you look and go, okay, still can do it.
(07:19):
And then there's other nights you go, what was he
doing last night? Like like he just wasn't in the
he wasn't in the mix, like man, you would admit.
I think that the standard for him is ultra high.
But that's when when when people talk about you being
the greatest, that's what it is, right. But see you
just think that that goes with the territory, well, especially
(07:40):
with him, But I see, I would say you're right.
I mean, he hasn't their series, I mean postseasons where
he never has a bad game. Now, he may not win,
you know what I'm saying, But he doesn't have a
great but everybody that I mean, I can say there's
no other player in the world. I can say he's
delivered every night. So I'm all I'm saying he's he's
(08:03):
the best right now. I'm not saying he's better than Jordan.
I'm not saying he's what he was two years ago,
three years ago. I'm saying, though, he's still the best
player in the world. But that's why I think like
the narrative, like like the problem is people look at
Lebron and they attached at year seventeen and used that
(08:26):
as he's even better than he really is. That's why
he really believed he was gonna be the MVP and
got narrative might help him, do you know what I'm saying? Yeah,
And then you know like I've always and you said it.
You said it from day one because you have a
vote and you knew and we you looked at some
(08:48):
of the other writers and where they're thinking was, and
you didn't think for a minute he had a chance
to win the MVP. Not my right, not for him,
right right? I mean, and you know Skip was convinced
he was gonna win MVP because of the narrative. But
I don't, Rob, I don't think narrative plays nearly the
(09:09):
role in the voting that people I don't. I agree
with you, I agree. I think this is where and
you know, people won't understand like writers and people cover
the game, dude, that that just doesn't factor in, you
know what I mean. You could talk about all you
want on the morning debate shows and all that. Yep,
(09:29):
I don't think the people who covered the game, Chris,
who are there every night, it's a totally different animal.
Just absolutely absolutely, Because Rob, I mean, they release the votes.
If you your name is attached to this stuff, yes,
and so you better be able to back up or
(09:49):
whether you're interviewed on the radio show, if you're on
TV or whatever, why you made your choice. And I'm
not saying there's no justification. No, no, we're not saying that.
I'm not saying you, but to me it was clear
it was. It's much easier for me to say why
Yannis was the MVP than why Lebrons. You didn't. You
didn't headge at all. You were like, dude. And here's
(10:12):
the other thing you just talked about it about as
a reporter, your credibility. It's the same reason why I
always bring up the Barry Bonds one seven MVPs. You
could dislike him, Chris, but as a baseball writer covering
the sport, tell me how you if you went on
a show and you didn't vote for Barry Bonds, how
(10:33):
would you explain that? Absolutely? Right, Absolutely, you couldn't explain
the show Barry Bonds with MVP. Why we got you
on the show. That's what I'm That's what I'm talking about.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker week days at seven
pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
the iHeartRadio app. Speaking of Christmas, Rob, It's gonna feel
(10:57):
like a Christmas gift On Monday when the Baltimore Ravens
played the Kansas City Chiefs, and of course Lamar Jackson
meets Pat Mahomes. Now, Rob, somebody I can't remember who
it was, somebody tossed out the notion last year I
think when they played that this could be the new
(11:21):
Peyton Manning verse Tom Brady rivalry, and I kind of
scoffed at it. I honestly thought it was very premature.
But I gotta be honest, Rob, like, I think, at
least for the next few years, that this, right, this
could be a rivalry like Manning and Brady, I really
(11:43):
do there arguably the two best quarterbacks in the world.
I mean, you obviously got Russell Wilson in the mix too,
but and and maybe you know, if he keeps this up,
Aaron Rodgers, even though he's a little bit older, but
also my homes it's kind of like I mean, I
guess you can say he's kind of like Brady in
(12:05):
that he's already won. It seems like he may be
in a you know, with a coach with a system.
He's obviously great that he can win more championships. And
Lamar Jackson, at least to this point, you could compare
to a Peyton Manning. Clearly different playing styles, but like Manning,
(12:30):
Jackson lights up the regular season. I mean unstoppable. I
think I think that's a stretch and and and your
way putting. Lamar has only been a starter for one
year and he came in at the end of his
first year for the last six games, and to hang
that tag on him, I think that's not I don't
think that that he's not a winner or he's just
(12:53):
a First of all, I'm not saying that about Peyton Manning.
I just don't know what I'm saying. Is this all
I'm saying to hear me out before you touch me.
I'm not saying he's not a winner. That word never
came out of my mouth or phrase. What I'm saying
is to this point, and I used that phrase. I said,
at this point, at least he has lit up the
(13:13):
regular season, as did Peyton Manning. He did it, but
in two in two tries, in two tries, well he
lit it up that those six games he played, he
didn't light it up. They won the game, but he
was pretty good. They went six and ol. He didn't
light it up. I mean he was good. I'll give
you that. He hasn't been able. Now again it's early.
(13:35):
I'm not tagging him as a little Again, I'm not
tagging Peyton Manning is that and his career is done.
He got two super Bowls, the all time great quarterback,
but his performances and his winning, especially in the playoffs
did not match what he did in the regular season
to this point. And it's a small sample size, admittedly,
(13:58):
but Jackson hasn't done it either, great in the regular season,
owing two in the playoffs. No matter how small you
want to say the sample size is, it's the fact.
And so regardless of whether you agree with those analogies
these this is the quarterback rivalry, the biggest one to
(14:20):
this point. Yeah, but I but I know one I'll
agree with that, But painting him as Peyton Manning after
one full year as as a starter and coming in
for relief for the last six games of his of
his rookie year, I just this guy was the unanimous
(14:40):
MVP and his team has won fourteen games in a row.
And Chris, yes, he's owing two in the playoffs. I'll
give you that, But I just I think it's unfair
to say that my homes is Brady and and and
and the other way around, and that uh, Lamar, I
I think painting Lamar as Peyton Manning. To me, it's
(15:04):
just not Peyton Manning Peyton Manning. Basically, you're saying, one guy,
Peyton Manning is the only quarterback who won two Super
Bowls with two different teams. So and I know he
was terrible. I'm not saying but that's not but but
but yeah, but it is more like, well, yeah, he's
a he's a great regular season quarterback, but he doesn't
(15:25):
win big and and and Mahomes won one super Bowl,
So now he's Tom Brady because he wons one super
Bowl and Lamar didn't win one. I just I'm saying,
I hear your point about these two in the rivalry.
They're both in the AFC, and they'll both be vuying
to get there. But but I don't. I can't attach
(15:47):
Lamar Jackson to Peyton Manning, not after one year as
a starter in the NFL. Well, that's just me. You
can't because that's an insult to Peyton Manning to say
that he Peyton Manning. At this point, I'm not saying that.
All I said was there some similarities. I didn't say
just because Mahomes won a super Bowl. I said, he
(16:09):
won a super Bowl, but he also has a great coach,
a great system, great teammates in place where it looks
like they could win several super Bowls. That's what I said,
Lamar Jackson. If he's Peyton Manning, God bless him. If
he has that type of career, I all be in
(16:30):
a different way. Yeah, but I don't think that that that,
Lamar jack when you took it that way, I think that.
I think that people when you can speak for yourself,
you can when most people think of Peyton Manning and
Tom Brady, one is a postseason's success with six super Bowls.
(16:50):
The other guy is basically was a five hundred quarterback
in the postseason, had more failures than success, and even
the last Super Bowl through for ninety seven yards and
was the ten man and had very little to do
with that. That defense won it. So all I'm saying
is that's that's why the way you've presented it or
(17:10):
feels like to me, because because I don't see how
in any way we can just look at Lamar's team
has won fourteen in a row. He's the best quarterback,
his numbers haven't gone down. No one's figured him out yet.
I'm just saying, Chris, you could do it that way
if you want to look at those two and paint
him and use that as the barometer or whatever. But
(17:31):
I'm telling you, to me, it feels like you're a
big upping my Homes over Lamar Jackson, who's only getting
his second chance better. Okay, yeah, but I'm just saying
I think Lamar, I think it's wrong to do that
from this standpoint that a Lamar played in the playoffs
(17:51):
his first year, Mahomes didn't, and his second year, uh,
Mahomes lost to Brady in the playoffs, and then his
third year in the NFL he finally broke through. The
same thing can happen for Lamar Jackson. Only difference would
be that he actually played in his rookie year in
a playoff game. He lost his first year, his first
(18:13):
year as a starter like Mahomes did. And if they
win the super Bowl this year, he will be on
par He will have an MV peel. Let him say
he went the first super Bowl. Word of that sence if? No,
I know, but but you're saying if. But but you
use if when you talk about well, Mahome. They got
the team and they got the coach, and if they
win four more Super Bowls, you use if they can no.
(18:35):
But but it's there for two different it's the same.
No day, you're still projecting. Yeah, that's all. You're going
off on this tangent because you look down apparently on
Peyton Manning. Don't put that on me, because that's most
that's you. That's not a favorable comparison. We'll see what
(18:57):
fans think when they call in. But when I think
of Peyton Manning, the first thing I think of is not, Wow,
great regular season quarterback who was lousy in the playoffs.
I don't think that. I think great all time great quarterback,
changed the game. That's what I think all. I think
all of that before I think of you, because a
(19:23):
lot of people think when they see quarterbacks nowadays going
to the line of scrimge, scrimmage, reading the defenses, changing
all types of plays. I'm not saying he invented the audible,
because we know he didn't do that, but calling the
game at the line of scrimmage regularly, routinely I think
of and that's that's fair, that's that's and that's why
(19:47):
that's why you're saying. But that's why you're saying Lamar's
because he's owing two. And you even brought up that
he's owing two because you're trying to acquate him as say,
a regular season quarterback who puts up number and loses
in the playoffs. But I was reading is there were
there are similarities to this point, And yes, that is
a similarity that that like Peyton, they both lit it
(20:11):
up in the regular season, but to this point have
not had success in the postseason or you know, the
Manning didn't have the success people would think, and Jackson
hasn't had any success yet. I don't even remember. But no,
he wasn't. He was throwing interceptions all over the place.
But you can poopoo he's equated to the Lamar even
(20:35):
though the playoffs you can poopoo Lamar not winning yet.
And I'm not saying is obviously his story isn't written.
He's got a long way to go. But don't act
like last year as the top seed in the AFC
losing to the wild card wasn't a bad look. Don't
(20:58):
act like that. You've said it's off before and now
you want to shift up like you never said that. Please,
he's got to get it done this postseason and maybe
he will. He might he very well, mate, But I'm
just saying to this point he has been there's compared
similarities with Mannings in terms of what they've done and
(21:19):
with Mahomes. You could I brought up the system to
coach and all that with Brady. But let's see what
they think, right, Maybe they'll agree with you that they
think of Peyton Manning is a playoff loser. I don't.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeart Radio app. Search FSR
(21:41):
to listen live and interesting story in ESPN dot com
today talking about Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, and we'll
focus on Rogers. But it was basically just wondering why
in the world haven't they not only one more than
one Super Bowl, but gotten to more than one, I
mean not in it. That's that's perplexing that the great
(22:05):
Aaron Rodgers. I'm not saying this facetiously. I'm that he's
only gotten the one. He hadn't been in the Super
Bowl in a decade, and is there an't even longer.
I mean one year longer for Drew Brees. But so
let's focus on Rogers, who is younger and obviously has
way more left than Drew Brees. What do you have
(22:27):
a feeling on that? Do you think like Rogers is
still writing? I mean Brees, even he might win it
this year. I mean I don't think they will. But
let's say he wins it this year, his book is
pretty much written. You know, he's not gonna get in
the goat conversation even if they win it. I don't
believe um. And so you know he's pretty much where
he's at. Where. What's your thoughts on Rogers? I don't
(22:49):
think his book is finalized yet, only because of guys
who are able to play longer and depending on the
scenario and circumstance. Tom Brady I think went nine or
ten years without them winning a Super Bowl, and then
he had no But I'm but I'm just making the
case that after was a late flurry after not bad case. No,
(23:10):
it ain't after not winning Rogers. Can you ask me,
just go ahead, You're answer it, you man, go ahead,
it doesn't make sense, go ahead, go ahead. Don't come on, man,
don't get your panties. We all know sense. Can I talk.
I'm trying to make you ask me what do I think?
Because but when you ask me what do I think,
(23:32):
and I'm trying to tell you, oh well, I mean
you line is he didn't win a Super Bowl. You
can say whatever you want, whether you win or not.
I could sit here and go Aaron Rodgers if if
if the tight end would have uh not fumbled the
onside kicking Seattle, they would have gone to a Super Bowl.
I could have made a couple other cases. But what
if the defense didn't give up four to five points.
(23:52):
The point is he has more years to play, and
if he could win one or two more Super Bowls
in another end VP and continue to pile up his stats.
And I'm talking about the best quarterback rating in the
history of the NFL and the best interception touchdowns interception ratio.
I don't think the book's closed on him quite yet.
(24:13):
I still think that he could have a late Florida.
He didn't have to win go four and oh or
five and old. But if he would have win two
more Super Bowls and MVP and put up some more numbers,
I think that would change his legacy. Yeah, of course,
I mean two more super Bowls and an MVP. I
mean that's a heck of a lot, you know what
(24:34):
I'm saying. Yeah, that would change things, my goodness. But
I think he would have to Rob when at least
two more and to your point, and MVP, because really,
to me, Rob, the only level, like the only jump
for Aaron Rodgers is being in the gold conversation. It's
(24:57):
not like one more super Bowl. Yeah, it'd be nice.
You got two now, that's great, but doesn't put him
in the goat conversation. But if he wins two more
and let's say he's undefeated, he's three and Old gets
another MVP, like continues the way he's played so far
this season for say two three more years, then I
(25:21):
think I think two more super Bowls and great individual
play Rob gets him in the goat conversation. And I
think that's the only jump, that's the only like jump
he can take. There's no other obstacles for him to jump.
He's already in the conversation with every other quarterback outside
of Brady and Montana. And so that's what I think
(25:43):
it would take to kind of change the narrative on here.
What do you think about that? I think that he could.
It's just the way that you go out and you finish.
If Brady would have never won another super Bowl, say
he won those first three, three out of four early
on in his career, and we know it was mostly
(26:04):
defense and and field goal kicking. But if if it
would have left at that, Chris, and he went the
next uh fifteen years and never won another Super Bowl,
I don't think you have the same feel for him.
Do you see what I'm saying? You wouldn't You would
be like, he won three super Bowls, Tom Brady was good,
but he didn't win for fifteen years, do you know
what I mean? Like? So, that's why I think winning
(26:26):
at the back end, or putting together another MVP type
season or something like that with a win or two
could just make you feel better about the overall. And
it could be that they decided to move on and
he goes somewhere else and is the missing formula with
a team Chris, and then they went to supers that
could help him too. No, I'm telling like, do you
(26:50):
agree that it would take at least two super Bowls
for him to be a good that put him in
the go discussion. And you know, assuming he plays great individually,
if he's three and old and has all the numbers
that he already has, like I just said, like the
greatest quarterback rating and the greatest touchdown the interception ratio,
(27:12):
and throw in a couple other you know, like like
where he owns all these records, I think people would
have to look at him and go, well, Montana was fouring, Oh,
but boy, Aaron Rodgers was three and old. He never
lost in the Super Bowl, and look at all the
records he had, like he's blown away. Well, that would
be big for him because I mean Montana and his
day obviously put up big numbers. He used to lead
(27:32):
the league in completion percentage all the time and sometimes yards.
I think, but m Brady. What put Brady in the
goat conversation in my mind, rob was when he had
Randy Moss. And that's when you really start to see
him put up the individual numbers, you know what I mean,
Like even though they didn't win it, because before that,
(27:53):
like you said, it was okay, he wins, but you know,
he's not lightening it up new statistically, He's not necessarily
the reason that they're winning all these super Bowls. But
then when those super Bowls because remember Day and when
he had when he had Moss, he had that's had
what it had been. He had had those three super Bowls,
(28:14):
but you know, he hadn't done He hadn't like lit
place people on fire statistically. And when I saw him
with Moss and then I looked at what he was
winning super Bowls with as far as receivers, that's when
I was like, oh yo, this dude is like an
all time great like and then of course he won more.
So yeah, I mean, it'd be great if Aaron Rodgers
(28:34):
can do that. And I wouldn't mind. I mean the
way Green Bay did him all those years, I think
not putting as much talent around him, taking him for granted,
and then drafting his successor. Right now, I wouldn't mind
seeing him in a different uniform in a year or two, um,
especially if he's playing well.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
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(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Russo and Rock Harker. Big story last night,
I gotta admit, even though I like to see the
Lakers win the championship, I think they will win the championship.
I was hoping for Spice, I was hoping for Denver
(00:43):
to not the series at two two, and then I
thought this thing would really be interested even though I
expected the Lakers to win the next two games, but
I said one TV and on our show with my head.
My head was telling me the Lakers would take command,
win and go up three one. And that is exactly
what happened and a big part of the reason it
(01:05):
was a real team effort. Anthony Davis scoring big all
night finishes with thirty four points, didn't rebound els inexplicably.
He has no rebounds again in the first half, but
he did come up with some big rebounds in the
fourth quarter, so I'll give him that. Dwight Howard rob
(01:28):
a turn back the clock performance at least in the
first half, gives him eleven and ten in the first half.
And Cantavia's car Wellpope and playoff Rondo Rajon Rondo. They
both stepped up big, some big moments for them. But
Lebron James, this line is you talk about nice. Twenty
(01:50):
six points, nine rebounds and eight assist for Lebron James
with zero turno Verse gets to the file line fourteen times,
hits eleven of him. We know he's not a great
file shooter, and he hits five of six in the
(02:11):
last few minutes of the fourth quarter, so he was.
He played a great game. But the most impressive thing
to me, Rob was his defense late on Jamal Murray.
Jamal Murray had been lighting it up, and he had
a great game himself thirty two points, and Lebron said,
(02:33):
I want him, guarded him down the stretch, told Vogel
he wanted him and shut him down, kept Murray without
scoring field goals, contested him at the rim, and really
was an inspiring performance. For a guy in his seventeenth year,
(02:53):
thirty five years old, really impressive on that part. Here's
Lebron talking about that late game defense. For me, it's
just uh, you know, trusting my my, you know, my
study of film, you know, trusting the personnel, you know,
and uh and living with the results. So you know,
I'll tell my teammates that I had him and everyone
else can kind of stay at bad and stay home.
(03:14):
And I was able to get a couple of stops,
and he was able to rebound the basketball, which is
the most important thing now, Rob As I said, Anthony
Davis was huge. They're not in this position without him.
He's a huge part of this team playing lights out ball.
At least score the MVP right now. If they went
with the series, ye, who's the MVP? I would go
(03:36):
with a d of the series serious, that's all. Yeah, No,
I would go with a d UM but the best
I think Lebron James, And I'm gonna say this, he's
not to me. These aren't typical Lebron performances where his
fingerprints and imprint are all over this series, even a
(03:58):
series he's lost out of that his times that has
been the case. What I see Rob is Lebron. I
actually see him fitting into the system more rather than
being the system. And I maybe a lot of that's
because for the first time in his career, he's not
the team's leading score so he's looking to get ad
(04:19):
to get his thirty and Lebron is the second leading scorer.
But I like it. But don't you also think that
had to do a lot with Lebron, like making a
concerted effort about the assists kind of thing. He kind
of went for it, knew he had a guy who
could score, you know what I mean, And so I
think that that is a byproduct of Lebron focusing on
(04:40):
the assists, knowing he has Anthony Davis. Now, well, I
don't think he did that as much in the regular season.
I actually think I'm seeing it more so this series
than I have during the season. You could be right,
but for me, it just seems like playing point guard
for the first time. Like officially we know it's always
(05:02):
brought the ball up and essentially played point, but he's
always had the ball butt and he's got you know,
way more than sixty sixty five percent of the time,
So that that may have something to do with it.
I'm just saying, yeah, it felt like that this year,
that that was a focus, you know what I mean
when you and you said it him him having the
the the the position of point guard, you know what
(05:24):
I mean, rather than the guy who just has the
ball all the time and what the point guards you
don't know half to is he bringing is not right?
Right exactly? So so I think that that's part of it.
But I think, no, no, I hear you, and I
think I feel like Lebron is reminding folks. And you know,
I've said this from day one that let's see how
(05:47):
the playoffs play out and then we'll that'll tell us
who's the best player in the world. And I don't
think a D was in that discussion, and I still don't.
I think the discussion is even as he might be
the MVP of the series, or maybe he'll be the
MVP of the finals, the discussion was Lebron, and I
think that's legit. Lebron, Why And I mean, did you
(06:11):
want to throw Harden in there? A D coming up
with the rear um. I don't think a D is great.
He's not the best player in the world. He might
be the finals MVP, might be the leading scoring the finals.
He's not the best player in the world yet, at
least I think the best player in the world. I
think he's showing it is still Lebron James. And that's
(06:35):
my takeaway so far. Yeah, where are your thoughts on it?
I think it's you know, a couple of nights ago,
if he didn't play as well, didn't have the impact.
Maybe he's not as consistent. Maybe that's why. Or it's
more up and down. You know, Chris, we talk about
a fingure, not what he used to be, do you
know what I'm saying. Yeah, sometimes when you see those nights,
(06:58):
then you say it was just a couple to go.
On this show, we talked about him showing his age
right and not looking the same and and and then
so it's not an every night thing like maybe when
he was younger. Maybe it's an every other night or
you know what I mean, something like that. And this
flashes when you look and go, okay, still can do it.
(07:19):
And then there's other nights you go, what was he
doing last night? Like like he just wasn't in the
he wasn't in the mix, like man, you would admit.
I think that the standard for him is ultra high.
But that's when when when people talk about you being
the greatest, that's what it is, right. But see you
just think that that goes with the territory, well, especially
(07:40):
with him, But I see, I would say you're right.
I mean, he hasn't their series, I mean postseasons where
he never has a bad game. Now, he may not win,
you know what I'm saying, But he doesn't have a
great but everybody that I mean, I can say there's
no other player in the world. I can say he's
delivered every night. So I'm all I'm saying he's he's
(08:03):
the best right now. I'm not saying he's better than Jordan.
I'm not saying he's what he was two years ago,
three years ago. I'm saying, though, he's still the best
player in the world. But that's why I think like
the narrative, like like the problem is people look at
Lebron and they attached at year seventeen and used that
(08:26):
as he's even better than he really is. That's why
he really believed he was gonna be the MVP and
got narrative might help him, do you know what I'm saying? Yeah,
And then you know like I've always and you said it.
You said it from day one because you have a
vote and you knew and we you looked at some
(08:48):
of the other writers and where they're thinking was, and
you didn't think for a minute he had a chance
to win the MVP. Not my right, not for him,
right right? I mean, and you know Skip was convinced
he was gonna win MVP because of the narrative. But
I don't, Rob, I don't think narrative plays nearly the
(09:09):
role in the voting that people I don't. I agree
with you, I agree. I think this is where and
you know, people won't understand like writers and people cover
the game, dude, that that just doesn't factor in, you
know what I mean. You could talk about all you
want on the morning debate shows and all that. Yep,
(09:29):
I don't think the people who covered the game, Chris,
who are there every night, it's a totally different animal.
Just absolutely absolutely, Because Rob, I mean, they release the votes.
If you your name is attached to this stuff, yes,
and so you better be able to back up or
(09:49):
whether you're interviewed on the radio show, if you're on
TV or whatever, why you made your choice. And I'm
not saying there's no justification. No, no, we're not saying that.
I'm not saying you, but to me it was clear
it was. It's much easier for me to say why
Yannis was the MVP than why Lebrons. You didn't. You
didn't headge at all. You were like, dude. And here's
(10:12):
the other thing you just talked about it about as
a reporter, your credibility. It's the same reason why I
always bring up the Barry Bonds one seven MVPs. You
could dislike him, Chris, but as a baseball writer covering
the sport, tell me how you if you went on
a show and you didn't vote for Barry Bonds, how
(10:33):
would you explain that? Absolutely? Right, Absolutely, you couldn't explain
the show Barry Bonds with MVP. Why we got you
on the show. That's what I'm That's what I'm talking about.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker week days at seven
pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
the iHeartRadio app. Speaking of Christmas, Rob, It's gonna feel
(10:57):
like a Christmas gift On Monday when the Baltimore Ravens
played the Kansas City Chiefs, and of course Lamar Jackson
meets Pat Mahomes. Now, Rob, somebody I can't remember who
it was, somebody tossed out the notion last year I
think when they played that this could be the new
(11:21):
Peyton Manning verse Tom Brady rivalry, and I kind of
scoffed at it. I honestly thought it was very premature.
But I gotta be honest, Rob, like, I think, at
least for the next few years, that this, right, this
could be a rivalry like Manning and Brady, I really
(11:43):
do there arguably the two best quarterbacks in the world.
I mean, you obviously got Russell Wilson in the mix too,
but and and maybe you know, if he keeps this up,
Aaron Rodgers, even though he's a little bit older, but
also my homes it's kind of like I mean, I
guess you can say he's kind of like Brady in
(12:05):
that he's already won. It seems like he may be
in a you know, with a coach with a system.
He's obviously great that he can win more championships. And
Lamar Jackson, at least to this point, you could compare
to a Peyton Manning. Clearly different playing styles, but like Manning,
(12:30):
Jackson lights up the regular season. I mean unstoppable. I
think I think that's a stretch and and and your
way putting. Lamar has only been a starter for one
year and he came in at the end of his
first year for the last six games, and to hang
that tag on him, I think that's not I don't
think that that he's not a winner or he's just
(12:53):
a First of all, I'm not saying that about Peyton Manning.
I just don't know what I'm saying. Is this all
I'm saying to hear me out before you touch me.
I'm not saying he's not a winner. That word never
came out of my mouth or phrase. What I'm saying
is to this point, and I used that phrase. I said,
at this point, at least he has lit up the
(13:13):
regular season, as did Peyton Manning. He did it, but
in two in two tries, in two tries, well he
lit it up that those six games he played, he
didn't light it up. They won the game, but he
was pretty good. They went six and ol. He didn't
light it up. I mean he was good. I'll give
you that. He hasn't been able. Now again it's early.
(13:35):
I'm not tagging him as a little Again, I'm not
tagging Peyton Manning is that and his career is done.
He got two super Bowls, the all time great quarterback,
but his performances and his winning, especially in the playoffs
did not match what he did in the regular season
to this point. And it's a small sample size, admittedly,
(13:58):
but Jackson hasn't done it either, great in the regular season,
owing two in the playoffs. No matter how small you
want to say the sample size is, it's the fact.
And so regardless of whether you agree with those analogies
these this is the quarterback rivalry, the biggest one to
(14:20):
this point. Yeah, but I but I know one I'll
agree with that, But painting him as Peyton Manning after
one full year as as a starter and coming in
for relief for the last six games of his of
his rookie year, I just this guy was the unanimous
(14:40):
MVP and his team has won fourteen games in a row.
And Chris, yes, he's owing two in the playoffs. I'll
give you that, But I just I think it's unfair
to say that my homes is Brady and and and
and the other way around, and that uh, Lamar, I
I think painting Lamar as Peyton Manning. To me, it's
(15:04):
just not Peyton Manning Peyton Manning. Basically, you're saying, one guy,
Peyton Manning is the only quarterback who won two Super
Bowls with two different teams. So and I know he
was terrible. I'm not saying but that's not but but
but yeah, but it is more like, well, yeah, he's
a he's a great regular season quarterback, but he doesn't
(15:25):
win big and and and Mahomes won one super Bowl,
So now he's Tom Brady because he wons one super
Bowl and Lamar didn't win one. I just I'm saying,
I hear your point about these two in the rivalry.
They're both in the AFC, and they'll both be vuying
to get there. But but I don't. I can't attach
(15:47):
Lamar Jackson to Peyton Manning, not after one year as
a starter in the NFL. Well, that's just me. You
can't because that's an insult to Peyton Manning to say
that he Peyton Manning. At this point, I'm not saying that.
All I said was there some similarities. I didn't say
just because Mahomes won a super Bowl. I said, he
(16:09):
won a super Bowl, but he also has a great coach,
a great system, great teammates in place where it looks
like they could win several super Bowls. That's what I said,
Lamar Jackson. If he's Peyton Manning, God bless him. If
he has that type of career, I all be in
(16:30):
a different way. Yeah, but I don't think that that that,
Lamar jack when you took it that way, I think that.
I think that people when you can speak for yourself,
you can when most people think of Peyton Manning and
Tom Brady, one is a postseason's success with six super Bowls.
(16:50):
The other guy is basically was a five hundred quarterback
in the postseason, had more failures than success, and even
the last Super Bowl through for ninety seven yards and
was the ten man and had very little to do
with that. That defense won it. So all I'm saying
is that's that's why the way you've presented it or
(17:10):
feels like to me, because because I don't see how
in any way we can just look at Lamar's team
has won fourteen in a row. He's the best quarterback,
his numbers haven't gone down. No one's figured him out yet.
I'm just saying, Chris, you could do it that way
if you want to look at those two and paint
him and use that as the barometer or whatever. But
(17:31):
I'm telling you, to me, it feels like you're a
big upping my Homes over Lamar Jackson, who's only getting
his second chance better. Okay, yeah, but I'm just saying
I think Lamar, I think it's wrong to do that
from this standpoint that a Lamar played in the playoffs
(17:51):
his first year, Mahomes didn't, and his second year, uh,
Mahomes lost to Brady in the playoffs, and then his
third year in the NFL he finally broke through. The
same thing can happen for Lamar Jackson. Only difference would
be that he actually played in his rookie year in
a playoff game. He lost his first year, his first
(18:13):
year as a starter like Mahomes did. And if they
win the super Bowl this year, he will be on
par He will have an MV peel. Let him say
he went the first super Bowl. Word of that sence if? No,
I know, but but you're saying if. But but you
use if when you talk about well, Mahome. They got
the team and they got the coach, and if they
win four more Super Bowls, you use if they can no.
(18:35):
But but it's there for two different it's the same.
No day, you're still projecting. Yeah, that's all. You're going
off on this tangent because you look down apparently on
Peyton Manning. Don't put that on me, because that's most
that's you. That's not a favorable comparison. We'll see what
(18:57):
fans think when they call in. But when I think
of Peyton Manning, the first thing I think of is not, Wow,
great regular season quarterback who was lousy in the playoffs.
I don't think that. I think great all time great quarterback,
changed the game. That's what I think all. I think
all of that before I think of you, because a
(19:23):
lot of people think when they see quarterbacks nowadays going
to the line of scrimge, scrimmage, reading the defenses, changing
all types of plays. I'm not saying he invented the audible,
because we know he didn't do that, but calling the
game at the line of scrimmage regularly, routinely I think
of and that's that's fair, that's that's and that's why
(19:47):
that's why you're saying. But that's why you're saying Lamar's
because he's owing two. And you even brought up that
he's owing two because you're trying to acquate him as say,
a regular season quarterback who puts up number and loses
in the playoffs. But I was reading is there were
there are similarities to this point, And yes, that is
a similarity that that like Peyton, they both lit it
(20:11):
up in the regular season, but to this point have
not had success in the postseason or you know, the
Manning didn't have the success people would think, and Jackson
hasn't had any success yet. I don't even remember. But no,
he wasn't. He was throwing interceptions all over the place.
But you can poopoo he's equated to the Lamar even
(20:35):
though the playoffs you can poopoo Lamar not winning yet.
And I'm not saying is obviously his story isn't written.
He's got a long way to go. But don't act
like last year as the top seed in the AFC
losing to the wild card wasn't a bad look. Don't
(20:58):
act like that. You've said it's off before and now
you want to shift up like you never said that. Please,
he's got to get it done this postseason and maybe
he will. He might he very well, mate, But I'm
just saying to this point he has been there's compared
similarities with Mannings in terms of what they've done and
(21:19):
with Mahomes. You could I brought up the system to
coach and all that with Brady. But let's see what
they think, right, Maybe they'll agree with you that they
think of Peyton Manning is a playoff loser. I don't.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeart Radio app. Search FSR
(21:41):
to listen live and interesting story in ESPN dot com
today talking about Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, and we'll
focus on Rogers. But it was basically just wondering why
in the world haven't they not only one more than
one Super Bowl, but gotten to more than one, I
mean not in it. That's that's perplexing that the great
(22:05):
Aaron Rodgers. I'm not saying this facetiously. I'm that he's
only gotten the one. He hadn't been in the Super
Bowl in a decade, and is there an't even longer.
I mean one year longer for Drew Brees. But so
let's focus on Rogers, who is younger and obviously has
way more left than Drew Brees. What do you have
(22:27):
a feeling on that? Do you think like Rogers is
still writing? I mean Brees, even he might win it
this year. I mean I don't think they will. But
let's say he wins it this year, his book is
pretty much written. You know, he's not gonna get in
the goat conversation even if they win it. I don't
believe um. And so you know he's pretty much where
he's at. Where. What's your thoughts on Rogers? I don't
(22:49):
think his book is finalized yet, only because of guys
who are able to play longer and depending on the
scenario and circumstance. Tom Brady I think went nine or
ten years without them winning a Super Bowl, and then
he had no But I'm but I'm just making the
case that after was a late flurry after not bad case. No,
(23:10):
it ain't after not winning Rogers. Can you ask me,
just go ahead, You're answer it, you man, go ahead,
it doesn't make sense, go ahead, go ahead. Don't come on, man,
don't get your panties. We all know sense. Can I talk.
I'm trying to make you ask me what do I think?
Because but when you ask me what do I think,
(23:32):
and I'm trying to tell you, oh well, I mean
you line is he didn't win a Super Bowl. You
can say whatever you want, whether you win or not.
I could sit here and go Aaron Rodgers if if
if the tight end would have uh not fumbled the
onside kicking Seattle, they would have gone to a Super Bowl.
I could have made a couple other cases. But what
if the defense didn't give up four to five points.
(23:52):
The point is he has more years to play, and
if he could win one or two more Super Bowls
in another end VP and continue to pile up his stats.
And I'm talking about the best quarterback rating in the
history of the NFL and the best interception touchdowns interception ratio.
I don't think the book's closed on him quite yet.
(24:13):
I still think that he could have a late Florida.
He didn't have to win go four and oh or
five and old. But if he would have win two
more Super Bowls and MVP and put up some more numbers,
I think that would change his legacy. Yeah, of course,
I mean two more super Bowls and an MVP. I
mean that's a heck of a lot, you know what
(24:34):
I'm saying. Yeah, that would change things, my goodness. But
I think he would have to Rob when at least
two more and to your point, and MVP, because really,
to me, Rob, the only level, like the only jump
for Aaron Rodgers is being in the gold conversation. It's
(24:57):
not like one more super Bowl. Yeah, it'd be nice.
You got two now, that's great, but doesn't put him
in the goat conversation. But if he wins two more
and let's say he's undefeated, he's three and Old gets
another MVP, like continues the way he's played so far
this season for say two three more years, then I
(25:21):
think I think two more super Bowls and great individual
play Rob gets him in the goat conversation. And I
think that's the only jump, that's the only like jump
he can take. There's no other obstacles for him to jump.
He's already in the conversation with every other quarterback outside
of Brady and Montana. And so that's what I think
(25:43):
it would take to kind of change the narrative on here.
What do you think about that? I think that he could.
It's just the way that you go out and you finish.
If Brady would have never won another super Bowl, say
he won those first three, three out of four early
on in his career, and we know it was mostly
(26:04):
defense and and field goal kicking. But if if it
would have left at that, Chris, and he went the
next uh fifteen years and never won another Super Bowl,
I don't think you have the same feel for him.
Do you see what I'm saying? You wouldn't You would
be like, he won three super Bowls, Tom Brady was good,
but he didn't win for fifteen years, do you know
what I mean? Like? So, that's why I think winning
(26:26):
at the back end, or putting together another MVP type
season or something like that with a win or two
could just make you feel better about the overall. And
it could be that they decided to move on and
he goes somewhere else and is the missing formula with
a team Chris, and then they went to supers that
could help him too. No, I'm telling like, do you
(26:50):
agree that it would take at least two super Bowls
for him to be a good that put him in
the go discussion. And you know, assuming he plays great individually,
if he's three and old and has all the numbers
that he already has, like I just said, like the
greatest quarterback rating and the greatest touchdown the interception ratio,
(27:12):
and throw in a couple other you know, like like
where he owns all these records, I think people would
have to look at him and go, well, Montana was fouring, Oh,
but boy, Aaron Rodgers was three and old. He never
lost in the Super Bowl, and look at all the
records he had, like he's blown away. Well, that would
be big for him because I mean Montana and his
day obviously put up big numbers. He used to lead
(27:32):
the league in completion percentage all the time and sometimes yards.
I think, but m Brady. What put Brady in the
goat conversation in my mind, rob was when he had
Randy Moss. And that's when you really start to see
him put up the individual numbers, you know what I mean,
Like even though they didn't win it, because before that,
(27:53):
like you said, it was okay, he wins, but you know,
he's not lightening it up new statistically, He's not necessarily
the reason that they're winning all these super Bowls. But
then when those super Bowls because remember Day and when
he had when he had Moss, he had that's had
what it had been. He had had those three super Bowls,
(28:14):
but you know, he hadn't done He hadn't like lit
place people on fire statistically. And when I saw him
with Moss and then I looked at what he was
winning super Bowls with as far as receivers, that's when
I was like, oh yo, this dude is like an
all time great like and then of course he won more.
So yeah, I mean, it'd be great if Aaron Rodgers
(28:34):
can do that. And I wouldn't mind. I mean the
way Green Bay did him all those years, I think
not putting as much talent around him, taking him for granted,
and then drafting his successor. Right now, I wouldn't mind
seeing him in a different uniform in a year or two, um,
especially if he's playing well.
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Rob Parker
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