April 2, 2021 • 38 mins
Chris and Rob discuss the media firestorm set off by ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky when he initially reported that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields had a bad work ethic (before backing off a few days later) and perpetuating an ugly stereotype about black QBs in the process, and Chris unveils his 5 greatest Final Four moments of all-time in Broussard's Fab Five. Plus, 'Fans for Fair Play' co-founder James Davis checks in to discuss his initiative pushing for athlete compensation across college sports.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
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(00:26):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yes, indeed, we are
the I Couple. I am Chris. Here is Rob. We're
coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios.
You can follow us on social media. I'm at Chris
Underscore Brusard on Twitter, Chris Brusar sixty eight on Instagram.
(00:46):
Rob is at Ryan Parker FS one on both Twitter
and The Graham. The bottom of the hour James Davis,
who is the co founder of Fans for fair Play.
He will join us to talk about a very you know,
hot button topic uh in college sports, and that is
(01:09):
should the athletes be getting paid names, image, likeness or
just paid in general. Should be a very interesting conversation
with James Davis at the bottom of this hour. Then,
of course Bruce Art's five five as we do it
every Friday, all right, Rob, interesting situation over at our
(01:31):
old network Dan Orlovski, who has become one of their
NFL analysts. Actually I liked Danny. I think he does
a good job Detroit. When I was there, Chris, he
was the Were you there when he ran out of bounds?
You actually at that game? Oh? I know you killed him?
You know that was not that was typical Lions, you know,
(01:54):
like it was like we the columnists in Detroit, we
used to go to Lions games, Chris and I swear
to you, we would just be like, this is like
stealing money. Like we used to write like the same
column like yeah, it was just like this is ridiculous.
We would just going to the press room, shit there
and go stealing money again this Sunday. Because it was bad.
(02:16):
It was always something bad. You know. Did you write
the column about that incident that? Trying to remember what
exactly I wrote back to but I remember very vividly.
But yeah, yeah, that was. That's kind of what he's
known for. And he he pokes funded himself. If you
look at his Twitter, right, you know in his description
it says, I think end zones should be eleven yards deep. Yes,
(02:41):
but anyway, Uh. He was on the Pat McAfee radio
show which become a very popular show. Former player. Of course,
Pat McAfee s right, and he was asked or Lavsky
about why Jalen, I mean, justin Fields seems to be
(03:04):
dropping in the draft. Now, I don't know. I mean,
there's some people that think San Francisco might take him three.
I mean, you know who knows, but there is some speculation,
you know that he will dropping me. Zach Wilson supposedly
is gonna go second, of course after Trevor Lawrence. Now
people are thinking mac Jones could go three. So it
(03:26):
seems like Fields, too, in many people's estimation, is dropping.
And Orlowski was asked why now I will say this
he's called he called a lot of flight. He did say,
this is what people are telling me. I'm not saying this.
These are not my thoughts. This is what people are
telling me. And he proceeded to go ahead and talk
about what a few I think it was just two people,
(03:49):
but a few people in decision making capacities throughout the
NFL are telling him about Fields and why he may
be dropping. Here's what he said. I have heard that
is a last guy in, first guy out type of quarterback,
like not the maniacal work ethic. I've even heard it
compared to Justin Herbert, where it was like, dude, when
(04:09):
Justin Herbert showed up, it was like a psychopath. When
it came to working to get ready for the draft,
or even at school, like give me more, I want
to work NonStop. And I've heard that there are some
questions with Justin Field's work ethic. All right, and then
he caught flack and many accused in white and black
(04:30):
of playing into the racial stereotype that you know, as
you know, Rob, that's been said about not only a
lot of black athletes, but blacks period. You know that
we're lazy, we don't work hard. You don't have a
story for you when even athletes, okay, even athletes that is,
you know, just natural ability, you know, boring the plane,
(04:52):
born the dunk. You know, you don't have to work hard.
Things like that. So then and so after we hear
a second thing, you could share, share your story. But
he came back the next day, or Lavsky talked to
some more people at Ohio State who actually new Fields,
and here's what he said. I have heard those things
from teams and they might feel that way. And this
(05:14):
is also a season where teams are trying to say
things to potentially get a guy to drop to them.
And so I've just wanted to clarify and put it
out there that, like, listen over the last twenty four
hours and more digging that it seems or it sounds
like Justin Fields's work ethic is fantastic. And that's coming
from two people who have worked directly close to him. Okay,
(05:37):
there he is. We'll get into that. You have a
story related to this. Well, yeah, And the only reason
Chris that that I think Dan has to understand. And
I'm not saying Chris he talked to his people who
he feels confident in. But there's always been a undertone
I don't know if it's racist or whatever you want
to call it about blacks being lazy. Okay, I'm just saying,
(06:01):
but racist that black people are lazy and whatnot. And
this has always been like even but it doesn't matter,
it doesn't matter, and especially when you're giving like ball
players a lot of money. Black ball players, Oh you know,
now they don't want to play, they're lazy, this and
that and the other thing. I remember you remember JR. Richards,
who who pitched for the Astros tremendous, tremendous. He kept saying,
(06:26):
I don't feel right. I remember this very very right.
I remember that too. I don't feel right something. We
all see they game the big contract. Now he don't
want to pitch whatever. If I remember correctly, he had
like a stroke, Chris, he like had a stroke, and
he was trying to tell people that he wasn't healthy,
wasn't feeling right or whatever. But because he had signed
(06:46):
his contract, he went out there because they were chaming
him in that he had to play. Okay. But my
story was I was a young reporter at the Daily
News in my twenties and somebody, I think it was
a paper in philadelph Here's somebody called looking for me.
I was doing colleges then, Chris, So people started calling
for me like they knew I was there. I got
(07:08):
called by the Miami Herald to go cover the Dolphins,
and then I was called by this paper in Philadelphia.
So the guy called our assistant sports editor, Chuck, and
I'll never forget it because Chuck shared the story with
me and he said, Rob, I want you to know
that the Philadelphia paper called whatever. I don't remember which
one it was, And he said to me in asking
(07:28):
about you, he said, yeah, but I've heard that he's
a lazy And Chuck was furious at the guy and said,
what where'd you get that from? Nothing could be further
from the truth. In fact, sir, that's what he said.
In fact, not only is he working here full time,
(07:49):
he's going to Columbia Journalism School full time. So whoever
told you this guy is lazy doesn't know Rob Parker
at all. And that's the kind of stuff, Chris, that
gets out there, and that's why Dan got the pushback
because it's it's character assassination. If something like that is very,
(08:11):
very very harmful, and you if you're gonna go with that,
even though it's coming from other people, Chris, and I
get it. You've sourced other people. I've right sorts of
other people, you know what I mean, and say hey,
this is what I'm hearing, and that kind of stuff.
But things like that, I can understand why people because
once that gets tagged to you, it can damage you.
(08:34):
It could cost him millions of dollars as he drops
in the draft, you know what I mean, it could
have an effect. And even if there's no proof of it.
It sticks with people. Oh yeah, I remember that. Yeah
he dropped, he was lazy. And now say he doesn't
start off all right or playing well right, It'll be like, well,
it probably doesn't work hard because that's what they said
about him before they drafted him. Right. It's it's it's
(08:56):
one of those things. It's a slippery slope. It really
really is. You know that. Yeah, yeah, I look, I
think as you said, what Orlaski did, it's not different
from what a lot of people did. Right when I
was a reporter, I'm on TV and people are asking, well,
what are you hearing around the league? Now, you haven't
talked to every GM in the league. You know, you
(09:18):
may have talked to four or five gems or executives
from different teams, and he say, well, yeah, I'm hearing
this or that, you know so, and they the other
reporters are doing that. He's done it before. The difference
is this one was controversial. Um, he should have checked,
you know, when he the next day after he got
pushed back what he do, he called Ohio State and
(09:41):
asked him what's the deal with this? Is this true?
So maybe he should have called He should have exact right, exactly,
like this is what I'm hearing. But I called Ohio
State and I couldn't. I couldn't get anybody to bite
on that. I just could, you know what I mean?
And then that way you've covered yourself to say you've
done your due diligence, Chris, And I just couldn't find
(10:04):
anybody in Ohio State. Now if he called Ohio State
and they told the same thing, Chris, his argument is
even better. Am I right? Absolutely? You're right like there there,
Why wouldn't you do that if you've got contacts there
that obviously he was able to get to so absolutely,
because it could either strengthen what you've heard or it
(10:27):
you know, negates it, and that either way you're in
the clear. What I will say is this too, And
as you said, like stereo, some of these stereotypes are
just straight up racist. I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it.
Blacks are lazy this and not like those are racist,
and they've they've you know from my right, just one
(10:48):
thing you are not is lazy, right, there's no doubt
about that. I can vouch for that. And so those
have been used to discriminate against African Americans since we've
been in this land. I mean, it's just as simple
as that. Um. But I will say, is this, Rob,
if that is true about a black quarter black black coach, whatever.
(11:15):
I don't have a problem with a guy saying it
like you don't have to treat us with kid gloves.
And I'm not saying this is true about you know,
justin fields. I have no idea. You know what I'm saying,
like you trade, yeah, treated with kid gloves. If he's
lazy or if anyone's late, then you can say it.
And that's that's all I'm saying too, because I do. Look,
(11:38):
obviously there's racism in the NFL. We talk about it
with the coaches and even and in the front office.
There's there's no The only explanation, Rob, the only explanation
for them to have so few black head coaches and
in front office executives is racism. You're and simple. You
can couch it as nepotism and the old good old
(12:00):
boy network. Yes, it's racism. But what I will say
is this, I don't think now there's still a lingering
effect of it. You don't see a ton of black
backup quarterbacks. You see a few, but had who broke
that mall with Charlie Batch in Pittsburgh. And this year
(12:23):
you had Jamis Winston although he was viewed as a
future starter Teddy Bridgewater kind of you know, sort of
in New Orleans a couple year before. But so you
have to still be really good. I guess you got
RG three two. But I think that you gotta be
careful in alleging racism with black quarterbacks today because I
(12:48):
think the doors have swung wide open, and obviously these
teams just gotta win, and I think a lot of
them don't care even if they may have some reservations inside.
They gotta take the best back. And when you look
at you know, there have been four African Americans drafted
number one, three of them, you know, in the last
like fifteen years. Um, they're ten starting quarterbacks or African
(13:13):
American Now. I didn't even think when when the Lamar
Jackson stuff Rob and you know, when he was in
the draft and people were questioning can he be a quarterback?
I didn't think that was racist because I had questions
as an African American, Like I was like, can he
throw it well enough to be in the NFL? And
he's he big enough to run that much. Now he's
(13:36):
proven that he is, but I'm just saying he's big
enough to run. I had an issue with um the
general manager Christo former general manager from the Colts, Bill Polian,
Bill Poland, who said he what was it? He should
take snaps as a receiver. Remember that Rock did Rob
I want, I'd rather him go out to compete. This
(13:57):
guy played at a high level in college. You know
what I mean, like compete for the job. But telling
him he should be a white go take snaps at
wide receiver. So did you think that was racist or
or you know, racially. I just don't think that they would.
And I get it it might be racially, but in
in a positive way that he's such an athlete he
(14:18):
could do anything where where white guys they wouldn't say
do that because because they know they can't play receiver,
but they had Well remember Tebow, A lot of people
were like, we should try him at a tight end
or fullback. Eric Crouch who was a great quarterback in Nebraska.
He didn't get a look in the NFL as a quarterback.
So I just to me it was style. And like
(14:40):
I said, I had those questions because he was such
a runner that I was like, can he do that
in the NFL? So that's why I didn't think it
was racial. So look, they're certainly still racism and things,
as we said in the NFL, but I don't think
you I wouldn't just throw it out in general at
a quarterback because he's black, like Trey Lance. It's black.
(15:02):
We're not hearing this about Trey Lance. So my general
point is you don't have to treat us with kid gloves.
We can take it. Obviously, if a black player or
quarterback is lazy, and you know it and it's a fact,
call it out, but you need to be certain when
you say that, and rob and conversely, if a white
(15:22):
quarterback's lazy, say it because you rarely hear that about
white quarterback, right, And that's the other part about it,
that is you're right. That's the other part that you
would like to just it can't be one way or
it can't be all the same narrative. And then the
other guy's smart and he might not have it a
skilled but he's smart, you know what I mean? It
is right and all that those are like, uh, what
(15:46):
you call those words? Chris cold, cold, cold words. Yes,
we I mean, look we saw it recently, I mean
beyond sports. Um, who was the guy he shot some
people recently? And then the costs saying he just had
a bad day. It's like, wait, up, had a bad day,
right right? I mean, come on, that was the guy
(16:06):
who killed all the Asian people Christians last Yes, they
were saying he had to come on, I mean he
had a bad, bad day. Phil Coffee on my on
my leg, thank you, my goodness? All right? Eight seven,
seven ninety nine On Fox, we want to hear from
you guys. Does Dan Orlovski deserve a pass for his
comments about Justin Fields? And do you believe his initial
(16:29):
sourcing had a racial undertone. We'll continue the conversation with
you next I Couple Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
What's Up Everyone, It's me three times NFL all pro
(16:51):
Sean Mringer and I have a new sports podcast called
The Lightstop Podcast with Sean Rainer. This podcast is special
to me as I get a chance to talk to
some of the best ever done it on a field
or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super
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Out Podcast will bring it to you the only way
I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight
(17:11):
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and Rob coming to you live from the Fox Sports
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(17:31):
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solution and the nation's number one battery destination. All right,
eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox, What do you
think of the Dan Rlaski controversy with Justin Fields you'll
turn away in all right, let's kick it off with
(17:55):
Robert in Georgia. You're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio.
What's Robert, what's going on? Chris and Rob had doing
it that doing good, good brother, Yeah, I'm doing great, man.
I just want me cam me on this and say,
first of all, I wanted to I appreciate you guys
for taking a stance that you guys took, man, And
I know it's not easy to take that stance when
(18:16):
a lot of people aren't throwing, but I appreciated it
form not civil coding and calling what it is. Thank you,
no doubt know that what's happened to me, And I'm
sure it's happened to Chris. Maybe he didn't always have
heard it, but it's happened to us in the past
where people put stuff out there that just isn't true. Yeah,
I think it's definitely one hundred percent racism, and and
(18:36):
it's it's unfair. It's unspair that we have that people
always have the stereotype that we have to kind of
this disproof or this on with us in a workplace
or anything were coming and this guy, I think this
guy was this dand guy was he was unprofessional and
he was unblazy. The reason he was lazy because he
didn't do his dog, so he was lazy. Anybody was.
(19:00):
And it's always this this this steretype that we got
this fools, whether it was uh Lamar Jackson, whether it's
even with this Deshaun Watson, that was best racism. And
I don't care what you say. I just know it's
just too inconvenient. Why you think is because it's just
too convenient. It's like, how can this black man wants
to get out? And now he told me this organization?
(19:21):
I don't what if he's guilty and we don't know,
but what if he is? But but well, why does
it always happen? What I'm saying is what why does
it have to always go to the negative? What if
he's not the right? If you don't know, I mean,
we've just said be careful because you don't know, so
(19:41):
you know what I mean, Like, I just none of
you don't even you don't even know how many of
the other women are black who are bringing these charges
against him or these these uh lawsuits. So you gotta
be real careful. You as a lawyer, just be careful.
You just can't go in there, Chris willy nilly without
some evidence or something that collaborates, you know what I mean,
(20:04):
Like you just can't take people's word on it. There's
more than that, more than just be careful with that.
I understand a frustration, but we can't paint a broad brush.
GW and Cincinnati. You're on the eye couple of Fox
Sports Radio. Hey, what's going on? Rob? What's going on?
Christ Man? Good bro um? You know Rob as much
(20:26):
as you get on my last good nerve and uh.
But his days like this with you and Chris that
I truly appreciate you guys, because this is what diversity means,
because without you two guys and your voice out there,
we don't get this dialogue in the last college. He's
absolutely right about one thing. This might have been a
case where Dan was being lazy, because, like you said,
(20:49):
that was a good point. Absolutely you can talk at
three or four the GM and then get us you
know somewhat. Ever consented, he talked to one guy, didn't
put that out there, got the heat that smoke. Now
he got to come back the next day like, oh well,
actually I talked to three or four other guys like
christ and Rob would have done instead of just stating
that one guy. I mean in literally, especially GJW. With
(21:13):
something like that that can be damaging. You gotta do
your due diligence. This isn't like, well his ball, isn't
that Chris Baul You know what I mean? Like this
is a bigger character assassination. And and you can't go
back and call Ohio State the day later when you
put that out there day he was there for three years,
(21:34):
you know, like people know what if this guy put
in the work or not, it would have just been
good for bad. That's the irony of the situation, is
the caller out there In reality, Dan was being lazy
by not calling Ohio State. You know what I'm saying.
That's the irony of it. Rob, the sport did good Man?
(21:55):
You stood up, no doubt, and Rob Louis say that.
You know, I've been fighting this whole idea here in Cincinnati, Ohio.
You talk about diversity, Rob, we haven't had an everyday
sports columnist since you left, and that was forty years ago.
Look at a pro baseball team and a pro football
team and Rob Parker was the last black sports columnist
(22:18):
every day. I mean, how many black how many black
writers are there at the Inquirer? Well, Tyler Dragon, Chris,
you know Tyler Tyler be fat on the show. Tyler
covers the Bengals for the Inquirer and uh, and I'm
missing somebody because they had somebody else. They had two
guys on two big beats, so it was I give
(22:38):
them credit, you know what I mean? In Cincinnati. Uh,
let's go to dre in Michigan. Are we out? We're done?
Sorry about that? All right? We got James Davis, co
founder of Fans for fair Play, coming up next. But first,
be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
(23:01):
iHeart Radio app. We're the Eye Couple of Chris and
robbe coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios,
and we want to welcome in the co founder of
Fans for fair Play, James Davis. James, Welcome to the
Eye Couple. What's up now? Tell us Fans for fair Play?
I mean that could mean all manner of things. Tell
(23:23):
what specifically do you guys stand for? Yeah? So, Fans
for fair Play is a nonprofit advocacy group created to
promote long term success for college athletes. We believe that
we got to reform the NCAA rules that are limiting
athlete compensation and career opportunities. It's not just about the
short term opportunities of making money now, although that is
(23:47):
a portion of it, especially when you have players that
are fighting, you know, going hungry, and there's cases of homelessness.
But it's also setting these these young men and women
up for future success. And we believe the best way
to do that is to allow them to forge relationships
with corporate America where they can build skills and so
(24:09):
they can go pro outside of sports. It's not enough
just to run an ad talking about students going pro
outside of sports. We got to give them the tools
that let them do. So do you who's behind this? Uh?
What made you get involved and think that this was
an important fight to be in? Obviously you're not in college.
(24:32):
Just doesn't affect you. Why do you think this is important?
Because there's sports fans I mean, and look, you know,
the background here is that I assembled a group of
Republicans and Democrats, but above all helps we're sports fans
and we believe that it's important to drive a conversation
on this issue. Congress needs to act and find a
(24:54):
bipartisan solution here, we need to have a real conversation.
We need to get beyond, you know, the top line
talking points of paying or not paying, and start working
on some details here. This without some action at a
congressional level, you know, the situation currently is untenable or
the court, the Supreme Court is actually hearing a case
(25:17):
right now, the Awesome Case, which I know you guys
have talked about before, but that's limited in scope. And
then you've got seven states who've already taken action unilaterally
coming up with their own rules. So we got to
move if we want to if we truly want to
save college sports and eliminate the injustices that are currently
in the system. So what do you think about this?
(25:37):
I mean, obviously there's been a push and even some
laws about paying athletes that they can get paid for
their names, images and likenesses, endorsements, deals and things like that.
What do you think about that? So I think that's
part of a solution, right, But nameiveage and likeness is
ultimately going to help those athletes who are at the
(25:58):
elite levels likely might already have an opportunity to go
play on in professional sports. Although I will note that
ninety eight percent a student athlete never go on to
play professional sports. And that's why you gotta look, you
gotta look beyond that. And so um, you know, I name,
image and likeness I think is an important part, but
(26:18):
it doesn't do enough. We want to see a solution
that comes together, and there have been many of them
that have been floated. Um. Uh you know, you could
have a trust. We wrote about that in our op
ed for USA Today. It was an idea that we
didn't come up with, but this isn't been floated out there.
It could also incentivize graduation rates. Um. There are ideas
about building apprenticeship programs where uh, you know, these students
(26:42):
can trade their name, image and likeness and then working
with corporate America to build skills. Maybe they go into
marketing or some other professionals. I did play sports in college.
Let me tell you that was a long time ago.
I ran across country and I couldn't run you know,
more than a block right now, So I thank god
(27:03):
I built some additional skills. Right. We need to really
invest in our students. Uh. And it's an investment in
our country overall. How How grotesque is it? Or is
that the right word when you see like the six
billion dollars TV deal the NCA has with CBS and TBS,
(27:23):
you know, for the March madness and the tournament and
the idea that for years they've stopped, you know, like
if a kid got a pizza from a booster or
free pizza or something, they were ready to put these
kids out of school. When you see the numbers and
the money that's bought in h you know, how how
unfair is it? I mean, you got nineteen billion dollars
(27:48):
going to the nc doublea. This is a David versus
Goliath situation. Nineteen billion dollars. They're spending millions of dollars
protecting the status quo, right. They're they're they're putting out
Shara gets everywhere. They're doing everything that they can to
protect the status quo to make sure that these young
men and women don't get any piece of the pie. Right,
and they're not even addressing decisions the situation. They were
(28:11):
going to address namage and likeness at the beginning of
the year and still haven't done that yet. And in
the contrast, you got this nineteen billion dollar industry and
all the players can do is tweeked and so we
felt at Fans for fair Play, we felt it was
important to elevate their voices and drive a discussion. I
worked on criminal justice reform with many of the folks
(28:32):
that were working on in this program, and we would
fall the country come together around criminal justice reform. We
believe that with a robust campaign, and we're launching a
multimillion dollar campaign. If folks want to get involved, they
should go to ww dot Fans for Fairplay dot org,
join the petition, help us, help help us elevate this
conversation because we've got to drive against this David and
(28:55):
Goliath fight here. All right, James, it's interesting you said
you ran across country. You mentioned the nineteen billion dollars
that college sports generates, most of that from football and
men's basketball. So how do you think, like if athletes
get paid in college do you think it should just
(29:16):
be the you know, the sports that generate the revenue,
or should it be all Division one athletes Because I'm
sure some of them, in some of the sports, their
existence is more like a regular college students and they
play sports it's like an extra Greek activity. While in
football and basketball and some of the others, it's more
almost a job, you know, So what do you think
(29:38):
about you know, would all the athletes be paid the
same with football and men's basketball, get more or be
the only ones paid? What are your thoughts on all that?
There are a lot of different solutions out there. What
I would say is that first of all, we got
to make an evil a level playing field. If you're
in the band and you're on a scholarship of music scholarship,
(29:59):
or if you're on an academic scholarship and you're doing
things in chemistry, if you want to go and make money,
if you take that music example, if you want to
go make money by playing at a club, if you
want to launch an Instagram page or YouTube page, or
if you want to work with Sony or some major
label record, you can do that. If you're a college athlete,
(30:21):
you can't do that, which a ridiculous. Which is the same,
that's the same. So that is bad, that's terrible. So
first of all, let's just get on an even playing field.
If we can do that, that's a step in the
right direction, right, And so that's what we want to
see the conversation unfold a bit and and how do
we drive that conversation for it. There are also many
(30:41):
boosters right who would love to be able to give
money to a poor um college student right to help
them live out their dreams. I know, as an example,
I came from a poor family. Most of these athletes
that they're making money off of actually come from underprival
his families and they got nothing. They're hungry, they're cold.
(31:03):
You know, they can't even fly home because someone died
in their family. They can't fly across country. And and
see like that's ridiculous, and in the NCAY is quick
to step in and stop any kind of activity of
even just good you know, nice people who want to
step in and help some of these students. All right, James,
great stuff. We appreciate the time, really and lockstep with this.
(31:27):
We absolutely that athletes, student athletes deserve a lot more
than they're getting, no doubt. Well, I hope folks will
go join us Fans for fair Play dot org, come
join us, and I hope you guys will have me
back on again. We need to continue this conversation, all right,
all right, James, thank you. That's James Davis, co founder
of Fans for fair Play. You can check them out
(31:48):
at fans for fair Play dot Org. All right, sticking
with the college sports team, We've got a very special
Final four edition of Bruce Art's five five coming up next.
I Couple, Fox Sports Radio Number one. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussard
and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
(32:10):
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
It is the R Couple, Chris and Rob coming to
you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios on a
funky flashback Friday. As you can tell from the grooves,
DJ Alex tysher deep in them crates, not just knee deep,
but totally deep. It's time for Bruce Art's five five.
(32:36):
Are you ready the heat? Like Lapron, We're going big.
It's go town. It's Brussard's Big six. As we enter
the Final Four for the nc Double A Men's and
women's basketball tournament, these are my five most memorable moments
in Final four history. Number five Duke upsetting you and
(33:03):
l V in nineteen ninety one. Now this is appropriate
because you and l V, like Gonzaga right now, entered
the Final Four undefeated. They were thirty four and old.
They were stacked and won the championship the year before,
Larry Johnson, who was like a precursor to Zion Williamson,
(33:25):
Stacy Augman, Greg Anthony Anderson Hunt. They were stacked and
duke led by Christian Latner, who was a great college player,
forget about his NBA career. Great college player. Grant Hill
was just a freshman, Bobby Hurley a sophomore. They upset
you and l V in the semifinals and then went
(33:48):
on to beat Kansas in the championship game. That was
the first of Shashevski's five championships, so it was historic.
Two number four. Just two years later, nineteen ninety three,
you've heard of them, the five five, that's right, not
Bruce Hart's five five, Michigan's five five. Chris Webber, best
(34:11):
player in the country, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Yes, that
Jalen Rose. They got to the NCAA Finals for the
second straight years. They were just sophomores. They had taken
the country by storm. The bald heads, the long shorts,
the black socks. Everyone was trying to emulate the five five,
(34:34):
and this was it. They were gonna win the championship.
They're down seventy three, seventy one with twenty seconds left
to North Carolina. Chris Webber grabs the rebound, dribbles up
court and calls the timeouts. Forgetting that. A moment earlier,
his coach had told him we got no timeouts left.
(34:56):
He called it. North Carolina goes down, sinks of free throws,
sinks a few more later, It's over. Michigan denied number three.
Nineteen eighty three. North Carolina State shocks the Houston Cougars
of five slam a jamma. I mean, two all time
(35:20):
greats on this Houston team, Achima Elijahwan and Clyde Drexler,
who were going to win an NBA championship together, but
they were denied by the North Carolina State Wolverines. The Wolfpack.
The Wolfpack. The Wolfpack only made the tournament because they
played well in the ACC tournament. They're a sixth seed
(35:43):
and they beat a Chima Elijahan and the Cougars fifty
four fifty two. On the Lorenzo Charles put back dunk.
Jerk Wittenberg throws up an air ball from dark near
half court. Lorenzo crosstches it and dunks it just before
the buzzer. Akima LaJuan, who had a monster game twenty
(36:08):
one points, twenty two rebounds, eight blocks, could do nothing
but stand there and watch Charles put the ball in
the hoop and lose the game for Houston. Number two. Oh,
this is the most famous college basketball game, maybe in history,
certainly in my lifetime. Magic Johnson v. Larry Bird nineteen
(36:33):
seventy nine, Michigan State versus Indiana State. It is still
the most watched college basketball game in history. I was
actually living in Indiana at the time, Indianapolis, but I
was pulling from Magic Johnson. He had become my favorite player. No.
Seven footers. In that game, Magic and Bird were actually
(36:53):
the tallest players on their team. Each of them had
another team make their same size, but they were basically
the tallest players on their team. But they both did
their thing on the perimeter. Magic played better that night
than Bird at Michigan State prevailed Number one. We ran
(37:14):
out of music. Michael Jordan nineteen eighty two. And this
I'm telling y'all, we know what Jordan became. But I
remember I was I had a cold, I had the flu.
I'm in the eighth grade. I'm sitting there laying in
my bed watching the game, and I hear I don't
remember if it was Billy Packer, Alan McGuire, somebody say,
(37:36):
Michael Jordan. He's one of the rare freshmen to start
for Dean Smith. This kid's gonna be a good one.
And I'm telling you, James Worthy was the star of
that team. And James Worthy had a big game, twenty
eight points that night. And Jordan They're down late in
the game, seventeen seconds left. They call a time out,
(37:58):
they run a play, and what do I see This freshman,
Michael Jordan's take the shot, a seventeen footer. And I
say to myself, I'm just an eighth grader, but I
say to myself, Oh, this dude's gonna be nice. Whether
he makes it or misses it, just the gump shouldn't
take it. He takes it, they win, he hits it,
(38:20):
and the rest is history. That's Bruce Ox Flat five
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven pm Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live
every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R.
(00:26):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yes, indeed, we are
the I Couple. I am Chris. Here is Rob. We're
coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios.
You can follow us on social media. I'm at Chris
Underscore Brusard on Twitter, Chris Brusar sixty eight on Instagram.
(00:46):
Rob is at Ryan Parker FS one on both Twitter
and The Graham. The bottom of the hour James Davis,
who is the co founder of Fans for fair Play.
He will join us to talk about a very you know,
hot button topic uh in college sports, and that is
(01:09):
should the athletes be getting paid names, image, likeness or
just paid in general. Should be a very interesting conversation
with James Davis at the bottom of this hour. Then,
of course Bruce Art's five five as we do it
every Friday, all right, Rob, interesting situation over at our
(01:31):
old network Dan Orlovski, who has become one of their
NFL analysts. Actually I liked Danny. I think he does
a good job Detroit. When I was there, Chris, he
was the Were you there when he ran out of bounds?
You actually at that game? Oh? I know you killed him?
You know that was not that was typical Lions, you know,
(01:54):
like it was like we the columnists in Detroit, we
used to go to Lions games, Chris and I swear
to you, we would just be like, this is like
stealing money. Like we used to write like the same
column like yeah, it was just like this is ridiculous.
We would just going to the press room, shit there
and go stealing money again this Sunday. Because it was bad.
(02:16):
It was always something bad. You know. Did you write
the column about that incident that? Trying to remember what
exactly I wrote back to but I remember very vividly.
But yeah, yeah, that was. That's kind of what he's
known for. And he he pokes funded himself. If you
look at his Twitter, right, you know in his description
it says, I think end zones should be eleven yards deep. Yes,
(02:41):
but anyway, Uh. He was on the Pat McAfee radio
show which become a very popular show. Former player. Of course,
Pat McAfee s right, and he was asked or Lavsky
about why Jalen, I mean, justin Fields seems to be
(03:04):
dropping in the draft. Now, I don't know. I mean,
there's some people that think San Francisco might take him three.
I mean, you know who knows, but there is some speculation,
you know that he will dropping me. Zach Wilson supposedly
is gonna go second, of course after Trevor Lawrence. Now
people are thinking mac Jones could go three. So it
(03:26):
seems like Fields, too, in many people's estimation, is dropping.
And Orlowski was asked why now I will say this
he's called he called a lot of flight. He did say,
this is what people are telling me. I'm not saying this.
These are not my thoughts. This is what people are
telling me. And he proceeded to go ahead and talk
about what a few I think it was just two people,
(03:49):
but a few people in decision making capacities throughout the
NFL are telling him about Fields and why he may
be dropping. Here's what he said. I have heard that
is a last guy in, first guy out type of quarterback,
like not the maniacal work ethic. I've even heard it
compared to Justin Herbert, where it was like, dude, when
(04:09):
Justin Herbert showed up, it was like a psychopath. When
it came to working to get ready for the draft,
or even at school, like give me more, I want
to work NonStop. And I've heard that there are some
questions with Justin Field's work ethic. All right, and then
he caught flack and many accused in white and black
(04:30):
of playing into the racial stereotype that you know, as
you know, Rob, that's been said about not only a
lot of black athletes, but blacks period. You know that
we're lazy, we don't work hard. You don't have a
story for you when even athletes, okay, even athletes that is,
you know, just natural ability, you know, boring the plane,
(04:52):
born the dunk. You know, you don't have to work hard.
Things like that. So then and so after we hear
a second thing, you could share, share your story. But
he came back the next day, or Lavsky talked to
some more people at Ohio State who actually new Fields,
and here's what he said. I have heard those things
from teams and they might feel that way. And this
(05:14):
is also a season where teams are trying to say
things to potentially get a guy to drop to them.
And so I've just wanted to clarify and put it
out there that, like, listen over the last twenty four
hours and more digging that it seems or it sounds
like Justin Fields's work ethic is fantastic. And that's coming
from two people who have worked directly close to him. Okay,
(05:37):
there he is. We'll get into that. You have a
story related to this. Well, yeah, And the only reason
Chris that that I think Dan has to understand. And
I'm not saying Chris he talked to his people who
he feels confident in. But there's always been a undertone
I don't know if it's racist or whatever you want
to call it about blacks being lazy. Okay, I'm just saying,
(06:01):
but racist that black people are lazy and whatnot. And
this has always been like even but it doesn't matter,
it doesn't matter, and especially when you're giving like ball
players a lot of money. Black ball players, Oh you know,
now they don't want to play, they're lazy, this and
that and the other thing. I remember you remember JR. Richards,
who who pitched for the Astros tremendous, tremendous. He kept saying,
(06:26):
I don't feel right. I remember this very very right.
I remember that too. I don't feel right something. We
all see they game the big contract. Now he don't
want to pitch whatever. If I remember correctly, he had
like a stroke, Chris, he like had a stroke, and
he was trying to tell people that he wasn't healthy,
wasn't feeling right or whatever. But because he had signed
(06:46):
his contract, he went out there because they were chaming
him in that he had to play. Okay. But my
story was I was a young reporter at the Daily
News in my twenties and somebody, I think it was
a paper in philadelph Here's somebody called looking for me.
I was doing colleges then, Chris, So people started calling
for me like they knew I was there. I got
(07:08):
called by the Miami Herald to go cover the Dolphins,
and then I was called by this paper in Philadelphia.
So the guy called our assistant sports editor, Chuck, and
I'll never forget it because Chuck shared the story with
me and he said, Rob, I want you to know
that the Philadelphia paper called whatever. I don't remember which
one it was, And he said to me in asking
(07:28):
about you, he said, yeah, but I've heard that he's
a lazy And Chuck was furious at the guy and said,
what where'd you get that from? Nothing could be further
from the truth. In fact, sir, that's what he said.
In fact, not only is he working here full time,
(07:49):
he's going to Columbia Journalism School full time. So whoever
told you this guy is lazy doesn't know Rob Parker
at all. And that's the kind of stuff, Chris, that
gets out there, and that's why Dan got the pushback
because it's it's character assassination. If something like that is very,
(08:11):
very very harmful, and you if you're gonna go with that,
even though it's coming from other people, Chris, and I
get it. You've sourced other people. I've right sorts of
other people, you know what I mean, and say hey,
this is what I'm hearing, and that kind of stuff.
But things like that, I can understand why people because
once that gets tagged to you, it can damage you.
(08:34):
It could cost him millions of dollars as he drops
in the draft, you know what I mean, it could
have an effect. And even if there's no proof of it.
It sticks with people. Oh yeah, I remember that. Yeah
he dropped, he was lazy. And now say he doesn't
start off all right or playing well right, It'll be like, well,
it probably doesn't work hard because that's what they said
about him before they drafted him. Right. It's it's it's
(08:56):
one of those things. It's a slippery slope. It really
really is. You know that. Yeah, yeah, I look, I
think as you said, what Orlaski did, it's not different
from what a lot of people did. Right when I
was a reporter, I'm on TV and people are asking, well,
what are you hearing around the league? Now, you haven't
talked to every GM in the league. You know, you
(09:18):
may have talked to four or five gems or executives
from different teams, and he say, well, yeah, I'm hearing
this or that, you know so, and they the other
reporters are doing that. He's done it before. The difference
is this one was controversial. Um, he should have checked,
you know, when he the next day after he got
pushed back what he do, he called Ohio State and
(09:41):
asked him what's the deal with this? Is this true?
So maybe he should have called He should have exact right, exactly,
like this is what I'm hearing. But I called Ohio
State and I couldn't. I couldn't get anybody to bite
on that. I just could, you know what I mean?
And then that way you've covered yourself to say you've
done your due diligence, Chris, And I just couldn't find
(10:04):
anybody in Ohio State. Now if he called Ohio State
and they told the same thing, Chris, his argument is
even better. Am I right? Absolutely? You're right like there there,
Why wouldn't you do that if you've got contacts there
that obviously he was able to get to so absolutely,
because it could either strengthen what you've heard or it
(10:27):
you know, negates it, and that either way you're in
the clear. What I will say is this too, And
as you said, like stereo, some of these stereotypes are
just straight up racist. I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it.
Blacks are lazy this and not like those are racist,
and they've they've you know from my right, just one
(10:48):
thing you are not is lazy, right, there's no doubt
about that. I can vouch for that. And so those
have been used to discriminate against African Americans since we've
been in this land. I mean, it's just as simple
as that. Um. But I will say, is this, Rob,
if that is true about a black quarter black black coach, whatever.
(11:15):
I don't have a problem with a guy saying it
like you don't have to treat us with kid gloves.
And I'm not saying this is true about you know,
justin fields. I have no idea. You know what I'm saying,
like you trade, yeah, treated with kid gloves. If he's
lazy or if anyone's late, then you can say it.
And that's that's all I'm saying too, because I do. Look,
(11:38):
obviously there's racism in the NFL. We talk about it
with the coaches and even and in the front office.
There's there's no The only explanation, Rob, the only explanation
for them to have so few black head coaches and
in front office executives is racism. You're and simple. You
can couch it as nepotism and the old good old
(12:00):
boy network. Yes, it's racism. But what I will say
is this, I don't think now there's still a lingering
effect of it. You don't see a ton of black
backup quarterbacks. You see a few, but had who broke
that mall with Charlie Batch in Pittsburgh. And this year
(12:23):
you had Jamis Winston although he was viewed as a
future starter Teddy Bridgewater kind of you know, sort of
in New Orleans a couple year before. But so you
have to still be really good. I guess you got
RG three two. But I think that you gotta be
careful in alleging racism with black quarterbacks today because I
(12:48):
think the doors have swung wide open, and obviously these
teams just gotta win, and I think a lot of
them don't care even if they may have some reservations inside.
They gotta take the best back. And when you look
at you know, there have been four African Americans drafted
number one, three of them, you know, in the last
like fifteen years. Um, they're ten starting quarterbacks or African
(13:13):
American Now. I didn't even think when when the Lamar
Jackson stuff Rob and you know, when he was in
the draft and people were questioning can he be a quarterback?
I didn't think that was racist because I had questions
as an African American, Like I was like, can he
throw it well enough to be in the NFL? And
he's he big enough to run that much. Now he's
(13:36):
proven that he is, but I'm just saying he's big
enough to run. I had an issue with um the
general manager Christo former general manager from the Colts, Bill Polian,
Bill Poland, who said he what was it? He should
take snaps as a receiver. Remember that Rock did Rob
I want, I'd rather him go out to compete. This
(13:57):
guy played at a high level in college. You know
what I mean, like compete for the job. But telling
him he should be a white go take snaps at
wide receiver. So did you think that was racist or
or you know, racially. I just don't think that they would.
And I get it it might be racially, but in
in a positive way that he's such an athlete he
(14:18):
could do anything where where white guys they wouldn't say
do that because because they know they can't play receiver,
but they had Well remember Tebow, A lot of people
were like, we should try him at a tight end
or fullback. Eric Crouch who was a great quarterback in Nebraska.
He didn't get a look in the NFL as a quarterback.
So I just to me it was style. And like
(14:40):
I said, I had those questions because he was such
a runner that I was like, can he do that
in the NFL? So that's why I didn't think it
was racial. So look, they're certainly still racism and things,
as we said in the NFL, but I don't think
you I wouldn't just throw it out in general at
a quarterback because he's black, like Trey Lance. It's black.
(15:02):
We're not hearing this about Trey Lance. So my general
point is you don't have to treat us with kid gloves.
We can take it. Obviously, if a black player or
quarterback is lazy, and you know it and it's a fact,
call it out, but you need to be certain when
you say that, and rob and conversely, if a white
(15:22):
quarterback's lazy, say it because you rarely hear that about
white quarterback, right, And that's the other part about it,
that is you're right. That's the other part that you
would like to just it can't be one way or
it can't be all the same narrative. And then the
other guy's smart and he might not have it a
skilled but he's smart, you know what I mean? It
is right and all that those are like, uh, what
(15:46):
you call those words? Chris cold, cold, cold words. Yes,
we I mean, look we saw it recently, I mean
beyond sports. Um, who was the guy he shot some
people recently? And then the costs saying he just had
a bad day. It's like, wait, up, had a bad day,
right right? I mean, come on, that was the guy
(16:06):
who killed all the Asian people Christians last Yes, they
were saying he had to come on, I mean he
had a bad, bad day. Phil Coffee on my on
my leg, thank you, my goodness? All right? Eight seven,
seven ninety nine On Fox, we want to hear from
you guys. Does Dan Orlovski deserve a pass for his
comments about Justin Fields? And do you believe his initial
(16:29):
sourcing had a racial undertone. We'll continue the conversation with
you next I Couple Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
What's Up Everyone, It's me three times NFL all pro
(16:51):
Sean Mringer and I have a new sports podcast called
The Lightstop Podcast with Sean Rainer. This podcast is special
to me as I get a chance to talk to
some of the best ever done it on a field
or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super
Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the lights
Out Podcast will bring it to you the only way
I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight
(17:11):
for the best we've ever done it. Listen to Lights
Out with Sean Merriman on the iHeartRadio app or wherever
you get your podcast. It is the I Couple, Chris
and Rob coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios. And if you're dealing with a dead battery,
head on over the Auto Zone, So America's number one
battery destination. They offer free battery services like free battery
(17:31):
testing and free battery charging. So next time you're having
battery trouble, head on over the Auto Zone your battery
solution and the nation's number one battery destination. All right,
eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox, What do you
think of the Dan Rlaski controversy with Justin Fields you'll
turn away in all right, let's kick it off with
(17:55):
Robert in Georgia. You're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio.
What's Robert, what's going on? Chris and Rob had doing
it that doing good, good brother, Yeah, I'm doing great, man.
I just want me cam me on this and say,
first of all, I wanted to I appreciate you guys
for taking a stance that you guys took, man, And
I know it's not easy to take that stance when
(18:16):
a lot of people aren't throwing, but I appreciated it
form not civil coding and calling what it is. Thank you,
no doubt know that what's happened to me, And I'm
sure it's happened to Chris. Maybe he didn't always have
heard it, but it's happened to us in the past
where people put stuff out there that just isn't true. Yeah,
I think it's definitely one hundred percent racism, and and
(18:36):
it's it's unfair. It's unspair that we have that people
always have the stereotype that we have to kind of
this disproof or this on with us in a workplace
or anything were coming and this guy, I think this
guy was this dand guy was he was unprofessional and
he was unblazy. The reason he was lazy because he
didn't do his dog, so he was lazy. Anybody was.
(19:00):
And it's always this this this steretype that we got
this fools, whether it was uh Lamar Jackson, whether it's
even with this Deshaun Watson, that was best racism. And
I don't care what you say. I just know it's
just too inconvenient. Why you think is because it's just
too convenient. It's like, how can this black man wants
to get out? And now he told me this organization?
(19:21):
I don't what if he's guilty and we don't know,
but what if he is? But but well, why does
it always happen? What I'm saying is what why does
it have to always go to the negative? What if
he's not the right? If you don't know, I mean,
we've just said be careful because you don't know, so
(19:41):
you know what I mean, Like, I just none of
you don't even you don't even know how many of
the other women are black who are bringing these charges
against him or these these uh lawsuits. So you gotta
be real careful. You as a lawyer, just be careful.
You just can't go in there, Chris willy nilly without
some evidence or something that collaborates, you know what I mean,
(20:04):
Like you just can't take people's word on it. There's
more than that, more than just be careful with that.
I understand a frustration, but we can't paint a broad brush.
GW and Cincinnati. You're on the eye couple of Fox
Sports Radio. Hey, what's going on? Rob? What's going on?
Christ Man? Good bro um? You know Rob as much
(20:26):
as you get on my last good nerve and uh.
But his days like this with you and Chris that
I truly appreciate you guys, because this is what diversity means,
because without you two guys and your voice out there,
we don't get this dialogue in the last college. He's
absolutely right about one thing. This might have been a
case where Dan was being lazy, because, like you said,
(20:49):
that was a good point. Absolutely you can talk at
three or four the GM and then get us you
know somewhat. Ever consented, he talked to one guy, didn't
put that out there, got the heat that smoke. Now
he got to come back the next day like, oh well,
actually I talked to three or four other guys like
christ and Rob would have done instead of just stating
that one guy. I mean in literally, especially GJW. With
(21:13):
something like that that can be damaging. You gotta do
your due diligence. This isn't like, well his ball, isn't
that Chris Baul You know what I mean? Like this
is a bigger character assassination. And and you can't go
back and call Ohio State the day later when you
put that out there day he was there for three years,
(21:34):
you know, like people know what if this guy put
in the work or not, it would have just been
good for bad. That's the irony of the situation, is
the caller out there In reality, Dan was being lazy
by not calling Ohio State. You know what I'm saying.
That's the irony of it. Rob, the sport did good Man?
(21:55):
You stood up, no doubt, and Rob Louis say that.
You know, I've been fighting this whole idea here in Cincinnati, Ohio.
You talk about diversity, Rob, we haven't had an everyday
sports columnist since you left, and that was forty years ago.
Look at a pro baseball team and a pro football
team and Rob Parker was the last black sports columnist
(22:18):
every day. I mean, how many black how many black
writers are there at the Inquirer? Well, Tyler Dragon, Chris,
you know Tyler Tyler be fat on the show. Tyler
covers the Bengals for the Inquirer and uh, and I'm
missing somebody because they had somebody else. They had two
guys on two big beats, so it was I give
(22:38):
them credit, you know what I mean? In Cincinnati. Uh,
let's go to dre in Michigan. Are we out? We're done?
Sorry about that? All right? We got James Davis, co
founder of Fans for fair Play, coming up next. But first,
be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
(23:01):
iHeart Radio app. We're the Eye Couple of Chris and
robbe coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios,
and we want to welcome in the co founder of
Fans for fair Play, James Davis. James, Welcome to the
Eye Couple. What's up now? Tell us Fans for fair Play?
I mean that could mean all manner of things. Tell
(23:23):
what specifically do you guys stand for? Yeah? So, Fans
for fair Play is a nonprofit advocacy group created to
promote long term success for college athletes. We believe that
we got to reform the NCAA rules that are limiting
athlete compensation and career opportunities. It's not just about the
short term opportunities of making money now, although that is
(23:47):
a portion of it, especially when you have players that
are fighting, you know, going hungry, and there's cases of homelessness.
But it's also setting these these young men and women
up for future success. And we believe the best way
to do that is to allow them to forge relationships
with corporate America where they can build skills and so
(24:09):
they can go pro outside of sports. It's not enough
just to run an ad talking about students going pro
outside of sports. We got to give them the tools
that let them do. So do you who's behind this? Uh?
What made you get involved and think that this was
an important fight to be in? Obviously you're not in college.
(24:32):
Just doesn't affect you. Why do you think this is important?
Because there's sports fans I mean, and look, you know,
the background here is that I assembled a group of
Republicans and Democrats, but above all helps we're sports fans
and we believe that it's important to drive a conversation
on this issue. Congress needs to act and find a
(24:54):
bipartisan solution here, we need to have a real conversation.
We need to get beyond, you know, the top line
talking points of paying or not paying, and start working
on some details here. This without some action at a
congressional level, you know, the situation currently is untenable or
the court, the Supreme Court is actually hearing a case
(25:17):
right now, the Awesome Case, which I know you guys
have talked about before, but that's limited in scope. And
then you've got seven states who've already taken action unilaterally
coming up with their own rules. So we got to
move if we want to if we truly want to
save college sports and eliminate the injustices that are currently
in the system. So what do you think about this?
(25:37):
I mean, obviously there's been a push and even some
laws about paying athletes that they can get paid for
their names, images and likenesses, endorsements, deals and things like that.
What do you think about that? So I think that's
part of a solution, right, But nameiveage and likeness is
ultimately going to help those athletes who are at the
(25:58):
elite levels likely might already have an opportunity to go
play on in professional sports. Although I will note that
ninety eight percent a student athlete never go on to
play professional sports. And that's why you gotta look, you
gotta look beyond that. And so um, you know, I name,
image and likeness I think is an important part, but
(26:18):
it doesn't do enough. We want to see a solution
that comes together, and there have been many of them
that have been floated. Um. Uh you know, you could
have a trust. We wrote about that in our op
ed for USA Today. It was an idea that we
didn't come up with, but this isn't been floated out there.
It could also incentivize graduation rates. Um. There are ideas
about building apprenticeship programs where uh, you know, these students
(26:42):
can trade their name, image and likeness and then working
with corporate America to build skills. Maybe they go into
marketing or some other professionals. I did play sports in college.
Let me tell you that was a long time ago.
I ran across country and I couldn't run you know,
more than a block right now, So I thank god
(27:03):
I built some additional skills. Right. We need to really
invest in our students. Uh. And it's an investment in
our country overall. How How grotesque is it? Or is
that the right word when you see like the six
billion dollars TV deal the NCA has with CBS and TBS,
(27:23):
you know, for the March madness and the tournament and
the idea that for years they've stopped, you know, like
if a kid got a pizza from a booster or
free pizza or something, they were ready to put these
kids out of school. When you see the numbers and
the money that's bought in h you know, how how
unfair is it? I mean, you got nineteen billion dollars
(27:48):
going to the nc doublea. This is a David versus
Goliath situation. Nineteen billion dollars. They're spending millions of dollars
protecting the status quo, right. They're they're they're putting out
Shara gets everywhere. They're doing everything that they can to
protect the status quo to make sure that these young
men and women don't get any piece of the pie. Right,
and they're not even addressing decisions the situation. They were
(28:11):
going to address namage and likeness at the beginning of
the year and still haven't done that yet. And in
the contrast, you got this nineteen billion dollar industry and
all the players can do is tweeked and so we
felt at Fans for fair Play, we felt it was
important to elevate their voices and drive a discussion. I
worked on criminal justice reform with many of the folks
(28:32):
that were working on in this program, and we would
fall the country come together around criminal justice reform. We
believe that with a robust campaign, and we're launching a
multimillion dollar campaign. If folks want to get involved, they
should go to ww dot Fans for Fairplay dot org,
join the petition, help us, help help us elevate this
conversation because we've got to drive against this David and
(28:55):
Goliath fight here. All right, James, it's interesting you said
you ran across country. You mentioned the nineteen billion dollars
that college sports generates, most of that from football and
men's basketball. So how do you think, like if athletes
get paid in college do you think it should just
(29:16):
be the you know, the sports that generate the revenue,
or should it be all Division one athletes Because I'm
sure some of them, in some of the sports, their
existence is more like a regular college students and they
play sports it's like an extra Greek activity. While in
football and basketball and some of the others, it's more
almost a job, you know, So what do you think
(29:38):
about you know, would all the athletes be paid the
same with football and men's basketball, get more or be
the only ones paid? What are your thoughts on all that?
There are a lot of different solutions out there. What
I would say is that first of all, we got
to make an evil a level playing field. If you're
in the band and you're on a scholarship of music scholarship,
(29:59):
or if you're on an academic scholarship and you're doing
things in chemistry, if you want to go and make money,
if you take that music example, if you want to
go make money by playing at a club, if you
want to launch an Instagram page or YouTube page, or
if you want to work with Sony or some major
label record, you can do that. If you're a college athlete,
(30:21):
you can't do that, which a ridiculous. Which is the same,
that's the same. So that is bad, that's terrible. So
first of all, let's just get on an even playing field.
If we can do that, that's a step in the
right direction, right, And so that's what we want to
see the conversation unfold a bit and and how do
we drive that conversation for it. There are also many
(30:41):
boosters right who would love to be able to give
money to a poor um college student right to help
them live out their dreams. I know, as an example,
I came from a poor family. Most of these athletes
that they're making money off of actually come from underprival
his families and they got nothing. They're hungry, they're cold.
(31:03):
You know, they can't even fly home because someone died
in their family. They can't fly across country. And and
see like that's ridiculous, and in the NCAY is quick
to step in and stop any kind of activity of
even just good you know, nice people who want to
step in and help some of these students. All right, James,
great stuff. We appreciate the time, really and lockstep with this.
(31:27):
We absolutely that athletes, student athletes deserve a lot more
than they're getting, no doubt. Well, I hope folks will
go join us Fans for fair Play dot org, come
join us, and I hope you guys will have me
back on again. We need to continue this conversation, all right,
all right, James, thank you. That's James Davis, co founder
of Fans for fair Play. You can check them out
(31:48):
at fans for fair Play dot Org. All right, sticking
with the college sports team, We've got a very special
Final four edition of Bruce Art's five five coming up next.
I Couple, Fox Sports Radio Number one. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussard
and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm
(32:10):
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
It is the R Couple, Chris and Rob coming to
you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios on a
funky flashback Friday. As you can tell from the grooves,
DJ Alex tysher deep in them crates, not just knee deep,
but totally deep. It's time for Bruce Art's five five.
(32:36):
Are you ready the heat? Like Lapron, We're going big.
It's go town. It's Brussard's Big six. As we enter
the Final Four for the nc Double A Men's and
women's basketball tournament, these are my five most memorable moments
in Final four history. Number five Duke upsetting you and
(33:03):
l V in nineteen ninety one. Now this is appropriate
because you and l V, like Gonzaga right now, entered
the Final Four undefeated. They were thirty four and old.
They were stacked and won the championship the year before,
Larry Johnson, who was like a precursor to Zion Williamson,
(33:25):
Stacy Augman, Greg Anthony Anderson Hunt. They were stacked and
duke led by Christian Latner, who was a great college player,
forget about his NBA career. Great college player. Grant Hill
was just a freshman, Bobby Hurley a sophomore. They upset
you and l V in the semifinals and then went
(33:48):
on to beat Kansas in the championship game. That was
the first of Shashevski's five championships, so it was historic.
Two number four. Just two years later, nineteen ninety three,
you've heard of them, the five five, that's right, not
Bruce Hart's five five, Michigan's five five. Chris Webber, best
(34:11):
player in the country, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Yes, that
Jalen Rose. They got to the NCAA Finals for the
second straight years. They were just sophomores. They had taken
the country by storm. The bald heads, the long shorts,
the black socks. Everyone was trying to emulate the five five,
(34:34):
and this was it. They were gonna win the championship.
They're down seventy three, seventy one with twenty seconds left
to North Carolina. Chris Webber grabs the rebound, dribbles up
court and calls the timeouts. Forgetting that. A moment earlier,
his coach had told him we got no timeouts left.
(34:56):
He called it. North Carolina goes down, sinks of free throws,
sinks a few more later, It's over. Michigan denied number three.
Nineteen eighty three. North Carolina State shocks the Houston Cougars
of five slam a jamma. I mean, two all time
(35:20):
greats on this Houston team, Achima Elijahwan and Clyde Drexler,
who were going to win an NBA championship together, but
they were denied by the North Carolina State Wolverines. The Wolfpack.
The Wolfpack. The Wolfpack only made the tournament because they
played well in the ACC tournament. They're a sixth seed
(35:43):
and they beat a Chima Elijahan and the Cougars fifty
four fifty two. On the Lorenzo Charles put back dunk.
Jerk Wittenberg throws up an air ball from dark near
half court. Lorenzo crosstches it and dunks it just before
the buzzer. Akima LaJuan, who had a monster game twenty
(36:08):
one points, twenty two rebounds, eight blocks, could do nothing
but stand there and watch Charles put the ball in
the hoop and lose the game for Houston. Number two. Oh,
this is the most famous college basketball game, maybe in history,
certainly in my lifetime. Magic Johnson v. Larry Bird nineteen
(36:33):
seventy nine, Michigan State versus Indiana State. It is still
the most watched college basketball game in history. I was
actually living in Indiana at the time, Indianapolis, but I
was pulling from Magic Johnson. He had become my favorite player. No.
Seven footers. In that game, Magic and Bird were actually
(36:53):
the tallest players on their team. Each of them had
another team make their same size, but they were basically
the tallest players on their team. But they both did
their thing on the perimeter. Magic played better that night
than Bird at Michigan State prevailed Number one. We ran
(37:14):
out of music. Michael Jordan nineteen eighty two. And this
I'm telling y'all, we know what Jordan became. But I
remember I was I had a cold, I had the flu.
I'm in the eighth grade. I'm sitting there laying in
my bed watching the game, and I hear I don't
remember if it was Billy Packer, Alan McGuire, somebody say,
(37:36):
Michael Jordan. He's one of the rare freshmen to start
for Dean Smith. This kid's gonna be a good one.
And I'm telling you, James Worthy was the star of
that team. And James Worthy had a big game, twenty
eight points that night. And Jordan They're down late in
the game, seventeen seconds left. They call a time out,
(37:58):
they run a play, and what do I see This freshman,
Michael Jordan's take the shot, a seventeen footer. And I
say to myself, I'm just an eighth grader, but I
say to myself, Oh, this dude's gonna be nice. Whether
he makes it or misses it, just the gump shouldn't
take it. He takes it, they win, he hits it,
(38:20):
and the rest is history. That's Bruce Ox Flat five
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