May 14, 2021 • 39 mins
Chris and Rob discuss if the Los Angeles Lakers would be better off getting the 6-seed and facing the Los Angeles Clippers in Round 1 or staying in the 7-seed and going to the play-in tournament before playing a team like the Phoenix Suns or Utah Jazz, and tell us why it's hard to believe that Aaron Rodgers would throw his career away just because he has beef with the Green Bay Packers general manager. Plus, Chris unveils the 5 greatest preps-to-pros in NBA history.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
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Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
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(00:21):
s R. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yeah, I'm
(00:44):
trying to go as long as Jonas knocks. Why you
gotta what you got dot? Oh yeah, mvy? I mean
is that what's Oh yeah? And I asked, like eight minutes. Well,
it's always at least the first segment, so we got
less time on the show. We are the Eye a
couple of I'm Chris Bruce. Sorry, that's my man, Rob Park.
(01:05):
We're coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studio. Yes,
indeed we will, as we always do, and we got
a great Friday for you, a tgi F Friday, a
Funky Flashback Friday. DJ Alex Tysher aka Alex the Vegan
on the Ones and the twos, So you definitely want
(01:26):
to keep it locked just for that. But it's actually
his show today because we also Rob, as we do
every Friday, have Tischert's Tower of Trivia. Yes, he's a
big deal now around. Yeah apparently. I mean he keeps
telling me he's like a superstar. Now, well see me.
You know what I just told you, Ryan, Yeah, you
said we're usher and you're justin Bieber. Basically, you guys
(01:48):
found me on YouTube. You made me a star, thus
making your fame more fameful. So you're welcome fame. Okay,
very nice. Yeah? Is that a word? That's a misremembered
type word. Yeah, and we had to look it up
and somehow was a correct words. Remember Roger Clement's first center.
Everybody said, why why I never have you sounded so
(02:09):
ignorant using a word? That really was a word? Right right,
because everybody's like, what the The only one worst was that?
Then that was when Sammy Sosa just suddenly somehow forgot
how to speak English. Right. That was incredible. How, I mean,
what a time to forget how to speak English? Man was?
(02:32):
It was amazing All of a sudden he didn't know
what he was doing. Yeah, it just hit You never
know when it's gonna hit you in that moment, all right,
it's the eye couple of Christ and Rob. We got
a great show for you. Keep it here for the
next three hours on the Fox Sports Radio of the
iHeart Radio app or Serious XM Channel eighty three. All right,
go ahead, Rob G. So what's my beef? We got?
(02:54):
It's made the show? Rob? When you send me a text,
I think it was on Wednesday with the clip them
that you had for I think it's for dead Spin.
Roight mbe bro one of those two stop acting surprise Rob,
you begged them to put it on look and all
honesty and this goes from Chris and Rob. Not all
of their ideas are winners, but in this case, I
(03:15):
was legitimately laughing really hard with Rob's video last week
with the splendor, and I'm like, we need you were
laughing as hard as me. I'm I'll give I'll show
you a laugh or Jonas, Is that that's a laugh? Wow?
(03:37):
Oh my god, I'm embarrassing round Why all right, let's
get into it. You heard DJ Alexion, you heard super
producer Rob G and on the updates are Man Steve
this say, let's get into it, Rob with without all
(03:59):
this wasting time that we've been doing. Uh, the Lakers
still in flux, Lebron James listed as questionable for their
upcoming game is in Indiana. Yeah, they got Indiana. He'll
probably play as my get, but hey, we thought he
played the last two games right and he didn't. Um.
(04:21):
Anthony Davis has said he feels great. So here's the deal, folks.
Right now, the LA Lakers are in seventh place in
the Western Conference, which means, of course they'd be in
the play in tournament right now. That opponent is not
locked in stone, but right now that opponent would be
(04:42):
Golden State with yes Mama, to quote Mark Jackson, Mama,
their goals. That man Steph Curry, who, no matter what
Rod Parker wants to say, is absolutely on fire. Yep,
unless it comes to the last ten seconds of a
(05:03):
big game. He just hit a big shot last in
the playoffs, a big all these qualifiers, I just can't.
I've been as consistent as a brand muffin every morning.
You need you know, what's too consistent? That joke? You
need a new How other things consistent other than brand muffins?
All right? Why does old meal make you consistent or regular?
(05:26):
I don't know, Chris, what are you having a fiber
some something with fiber in it? Okay, try something with
fiber or rough edge, like lettuce and stuff that's good
for That's a nice one, all right. I never heard
that to describe lettuce, but okay, that sounds good. That's
(05:46):
what they call it, all right. So anyway, uh, and
here's the thing we want to discuss. Rob. I'm gonna
just throw this out to you and see what your
opinion is. If the Lakers finished with the sixth seed,
which is possible, they would meet the LA Clippers, most
likely in the first round. If they finish in the
(06:10):
seventh seed, then they have the play in. Let's say
it's Golden State in the first game. Even if you
lose that, then you've got the winner of Memphis San Antonio. Okay,
neither one of them is scaring you or a world beater.
And if you get through those two games, Rob or
you know, if you get through Golden State and the
(06:30):
play and you get through it, you would face either
Phoenix or Utah in the first round. Now, I'm gonna
tell you, if I'm the Lakers, I'd much rather play
Phoenix or Utah in the first round than the Clippers.
But the problem is, you don't just start off with
(06:51):
Phoenix or Utah. You start off with the play in.
So here's the question to you, Rob Parker, would you,
if you're the Lakers, would you rather be in the
play in and potentially have an easier first round opponent
in Utah or Phoenix? Or would you rather finish six
and have a an absolute fight on your hands just
(07:16):
to get out of the first round against the La Clippers.
I'm gonna go with the Clippers that I'd rather play.
And it's not so much just it's that I think
the Lakers can beat the Clippers. That's not it. It's
that the one game scenario or Steph getting hot or
or a d aggravating his groin or something and you're
(07:38):
not at full strength. You know, if you're playing a series,
Chris four out of seven, you can lose a game.
You're not gonna win every game, and you could survive
that later on in the series. But if if one
of those guys tweaks an ankle, lebron or the groin
flares up and Steph catches fire and you lose, I
just think that there's way more there's a bigger chance
(08:01):
of you getting upset when you playing. We talk about
it all the time. And I notice is a single elimination.
But it's like if Michael Jordan played in single elimination Chris,
there's a good chance he's not six and oh that
somebody beats him, or he misses a big shot or
somebody makes a great shot at the buzzer. You can lose.
(08:22):
You can play great and still lose. In a one
game scenario, the best team usually wins four out of seven.
And if you got to play the Clippers, here's my
only thing. You might want to get them if you
have a chance, and if everybody's okay, to get them
now rather than later when maybe somebody's nicked up, or
(08:45):
if you're you know, or they're not completely healthy, or
you lose somebody in the course of the playoffs. I
still would take my chances in a seven game series
compared to a one game and then another one game.
I just I think that too dangerous. And I think
the Lakers would rather play a series even though it's
a tough series. It's a really good question because you
(09:09):
agree with me that the Clippers would be tougher than Phoenix. Right, Okay, um,
but you know, like you said, you gotta go through
the Clippers at some point. And the other thing, Rob,
if you if you finish sixth, you do get a
week off, and obviously you wouldn't be off, but they
would get a week to practice, right and to get
(09:31):
back in the flow as much as you can in practice.
Whereas if you play in the play in, you're right,
I mean the player starts I think Tuesday, so you're
you're right in the thick of it in the play
in no break and then you survive that, and now
you got the Clippers without real time to prepare or
rest or anything like that. So I am with you, Rob,
(09:55):
I'm with you in just that anything can happen in
one game. As you say, we see it all the
time in the NC Double A tournament, and somebody can
beat you in one game. We see it all the
time in the NBA. Rob, Right, the Lakers just beat
Denver without Lebron and a d it happens. And as
(10:15):
you said, we don't have the day dream to think
about Steph Kirry being able to catch fire. Number one
obviously he's played great, but number two. Rob. Earlier this
season when the Warriors beat the Lakers, remember the Warriors
were down fourteen points and they rallied because Steph got
(10:37):
hot and there are a few other players actually got hot. Two,
but they rallied from a double digit fourth quarter deficit
to beat the Lakers. And that was the first time
rob in two hundred ninety two total. Well at that point,
(10:58):
that was the first time Lebron had ever lost a
home game in which his team had a double digitally
enter in the fourth quarter. Wow, So he knows as
well as anybody that stuff can get hot and then
next thing you know, you're you lose, and and then
the same thing. Look that Memphis doesn't have a stuff,
(11:18):
but they got a job. Moran san Antonio's got a
very good coach and Greg Popovich, you know it. Just
and to your point two, what if a D tweaks
the growing which a D is known to you know
what I'm saying, Come on, a D has had all
types of little there's no serious first quarter of game one.
(11:40):
You you might be in trouble, right, or if Lebron
tweaks the ankle, So yeah, I'm with you. Even though
it's a tougher road and you gotta play the Clippers,
I would still rather be in that situation than have
a player. It's just as simple as that. And look,
and I think you even feel this way, Rob, I
(12:03):
do think the Clippers are the one team in the
West that could beat the Lakers, even if the Lakers
are whole. Now I would if the Lakers are fine
and Lebron and a d are playing, I think I'm
going with them, especially if they meet later in the playoffs.
But they could lose. The Clippers could beat them. But
(12:24):
the Clippers aren't world beaters either, right, there's really no
world beater in the West. Phoenix not scary. Tell me
if you disagree. Phoenix not scary, Utah not scary. Not
saying that they're good. Denver, especially without Jamal Murray, not scary.
Portland not scary. The Clippers they're good. You could you.
I mean, they're tough. They could get to the finals,
(12:46):
but they've never done it. They still have their issues
at the end of games. Paul George has his problems
here and there in the playoffs. So it's not like they're,
you know, the Brooklyn Nets with all the fire your
power or Golden State. Oh yeah, you know, I think
I think you. I think you're that. That's a fair conversation.
(13:08):
If the Lakers will hold and have been playing and whatever.
I just think, again, you wouldn't give him a chance
A good I didn't say it would give m a chance,
but I just don't think that they would be I
just I just think the Lakers are you know that
just too many things have to be right, Like you're
just hard to it's hard to have to play that way.
(13:29):
And then some of the new guys from a year ago,
this isn't exactly the same team. I'm just not so sure,
you know what I mean. I'm not Um, Drummonds never
played in any big games in his life, right, never? Yeah,
but he's I mean, if they're counting on drums, no,
I know, I know, I mean, you don't want to
count on him. But I'm just saying, Chris so so
I don't know about that. Um. I will say this,
(13:53):
Rob and you, you and I both like when they're
healthy and people might be saying, well hold up, you're
you're saying the Lakers need you know, they're guys to
get back. Hold what about Brooklyn? James Harden is playing
tonight and um, I'm sorry not tonight he played the Kyrie'
They're playing tomorrow night. The Big Three will be together.
(14:15):
But here's the difference rob the Nets Big three. If
you notice when Harden comes back from extended injury, he
seems fine, when when Kad comes back he seems fine.
It's because of this style of play they are. They
are guys that are great shooters, including Kyrie, and they
can catch and shoot, so it's easier for them to
just fit in. Because they they can catch and shoot,
(14:36):
they don't have to dominate the ball, whereas Lebron and
a D aren't great shooters. They can get hot and
be streaky, but they're not great shooters. And with Lebron
this isn't an insult because it's it's his greatness, but
he everything changes when you drop Lebron in there that
everybody's role is different because he's has the ball in
(14:59):
his hand hands or he's in a certain position on
the floor. So nothing was as it was when he's gone,
so it takes a little longer to adjust and to
be honest, similar with a D two, because he's a
guy that you know, he can't just catch and shoot.
He's gonna put it on the floor. He's gonna have
to have the ball in his hands a good amount
to really be as effective too, so I think that's
(15:22):
why the Lakers do need a little more time to
mesh than the Nets do. But let's throw it out
to the listeners eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox
eight seven seven ninety nine, six sixty three sixty nine,
You'll Turn Away in or the Funky Funky Flashback Friday.
If you're the Lakers or Lakers fan like Rob g
(15:43):
would you rather face the Clippers in the first round
or go to the play in and possibly feet meet
the less the Night as Good, Phoenix Suns or Utah Jazz,
You're Turned away in eight seven seven ninety nine on
Fox I Couple Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch
(16:04):
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 iHeartRadio app. Hey, this
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(16:27):
Every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all
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(16:50):
Couple Chris Bruce Rob Park on a funky Flashback Friday,
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You'll turn the way in if you're the Lakers or
a Lakers fan, you want the Clippers in round one,
or you want the play in with the chance to
(17:31):
play a less formidable first round foe in Phoenix or
u Tak. This is gonna be interesting to hear what
people say. I'm really because some people might just say,
you know, play in and leave it at that because
they don't want to play the Clippers, you know right away.
But let's see, all right, let's kick it off with
the Boat in Florida. You're on the couple of Fox
(17:53):
Sports Radio. What's up, Boat? Yeah, what's up? Guys. I
do a lot of driving. You guys are always on.
Thank you man, We appreciate it. And this is your
first time calling in Bow. I don't remember you calling
in Yeah, no, I've called in the one time we
were talking about a big poppy and all that ship.
I haven't done him down in Cuba. Okay, all right,
(18:15):
go ahead. What's your point? My take on this is
how how good would it be for Lebron to add
to as many achievements to be one of the first
play in players to win the championship as the low seeds,
because it's not like the NFL, where the wild card
teams actually get a chance basketball low seeds get knocked
(18:39):
out real early. Well, I'll say this, I don't well,
let me say a few few ways, because I dealt
with Nick right on this this morning. We're talking about
the first things. First, if Lebron were to go from
the seventh or eighth seed and win the championship, I
think that'd be the low I think there might be
(19:01):
the lowest ever. Rob that someone the lowest seeded team
ever to win the championship. The Rockets won it with
Elijahwan in ninety five is the sixth seed. But I
don't know that any team's ever won it as a
lower seed, And that would be a notch on his
belt to go along with coming from a three one deficit,
(19:24):
beating a seventy three win Golden State team, So it
would be a great achievement as something else that would
just speak to Lebron's greatness. My disagreement with Nick Wright
was he, of course compared it to Michael Jordan, and
I said, well, look, Jordan never let anybody get to
a game seven in the finals. So Michael Lebron's got
(19:46):
all these He Lebron has more you know, games or
obstacles that you would say, well, he overcame. He won
as an eighth seed, he won as a down three one,
but Michael never let it get it to that point.
Michael was never in that kind of trouble, you know.
So that's so if that, if those count, what about
(20:07):
Lebron getting swept that many been swept three times in
the finals. Yeah, what Golden States swept him once or twice,
so once I believe they lost, they lost. So he
got so in three finals, lost in fifteen, he won
in sixteen, he lost I think in five. But I'm
(20:29):
saying it's in three finals in his career. He's one
in twelve in three finals, you know what I mean?
Like that's not no. I'm just saying, like we're looking no.
But if we're looking at no. But if we're looking
at what I'm saying, if we're looking at like like
degree of difficulty and all that, I just think it's
hard to just I just think he's it's like saying
(20:51):
the boxers come back, it's knocked out in the first round.
If he gets knocked out in the first round, how
does that count in the play in? How does that
affect him? If he's he's got Yeah, I mean it's
just a loss. But yeah, I just like I said,
it's like the difference between the boxer rallying from behind
(21:11):
and winning versus a guy like Tyson just knocking everybody out.
I'm not gonna say that that was better than what
Tyson did. So yeah, but but it would be good.
It would be a notch on his belt. Christian and Utah,
you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Christian,
Rob Parker and Chris Jonas Knox Crusarry. You guys are
agreeing too much today. It's killing me. I know, right right,
(21:35):
it's something in the water. Sorry, Christian, sorry about that. Well,
I'm jumping in that water because I got the play
in too. Is more favorable. Yeah, it's just less. There's
too much that could go wrong. Yeah, yeah, the yeah, well,
I think the extra week of rest is critical for
Lebron and Anthony Davis at this point. And to be honest,
(21:56):
so you're oh, so you're disagreeing, Yeah, you're disagreeing with us. No, no,
you're saying you rather you rather be you rather face
the clip? What do you you rather face the Clippers? Right? Right?
You want to see the Clippers as the sixties, right,
because you get the weak rest, you avoid the play in,
and I think you'd rather face the clip later because
(22:17):
they're they've been discontinuous as well. So I think all
thes and the security yeah, no, no doubt, Christian, I
think that's wise. Let's squeeze in Max real quick, Max
in Georgia, you're on the eye a couple of Fox
Sports Radio. What's up, Max? What's up? Guys? Thanks for
giving me some time there? Hey for me? Um. If
(22:38):
I think this is kind of two different ways. If
I'm Lebron, I know he has the more rest, But
to me, he doesn't need the rest. He needs to play.
He needs to get with the guys on the court.
So I think it's more favorable for Lebron to get
into whatever games he's in, going into playoffs because he
doesn't want to face Kauhi. He doesn't want to face
Pat Beab and those Clippers in that first series. The
benefit for the Lakers and seeing that would be when
(23:01):
they lose in that series, they don't have to go home.
They can stay where they're at. They don't have to
They're already at home. So you knew, you knew what
Dig was coming knew what Dig was coming out. How
Max sneak in here anyway? Didn't he didn't he have
his one call? Max? Make sure you call in once
a week. Max? All right, all right, it is the
(23:25):
I couple and uh, Bruce Har's five five is coming up.
At the end of the hour, folks, you will not
want to miss it and uh little Aaron Rodgers. It's
the gift that keeps on giving. There's more Aaron Rodgers
stuff to talk about. We'll get into that next. But first,
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
(23:46):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search
f SR to listen live. It is the I couple.
Chris and Rob coming to you live from the Fox
Sports Radio studio. And you heard him, Rob, Steph Curry,
Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins are all out tonight for
(24:09):
the Warriors games against the Pelicans. They got little knick
knack injury. Steps got the tailbone, you know, they all
got a little Where they are is that? No, it
doesn't matter because obviously they still have to go through
the Lakers at some point. Well maybe no, I mean
because if the Lakers so. So, let's say Memphis right now,
(24:31):
Memphis and Golden State are tied as far as record.
If Memphis moves ahead of Golden State and then the
Lakers play Memphis in the first round or in the
play in and Memphis loses to the Lakers, and Golden
State play San Antonio and beats them. Yeah, then Golden
State would have to play Memphis and beat them to
(24:54):
get to the play in But do you see what
I'm saying, Like, Yeah, it's just wondering. I'm just wondering
if this something we're missing. I don't think so, because
because because if right now, the Warriors, even if they
lost to the Lakers in the first the playing game,
then they just they still are alive, you know what
I mean. Whereas if they finished ninth, and even though
(25:17):
you feel like, okay, we can beat San Antonio, which
is tenth, if you lose that game, you're done. So
by finishing eighth, you at least give your self two
chances to win one game. Whereas if you don't finish eighth,
if you finish ninth or tenth's it's really a one
and done, a sudden death. So I don't think there's
(25:38):
anything too. I'm a little surprised, but they do have
these injuries. STEP's been playing with the butt pad and
all that, so um, yeah, they're sitting them out and
so maybe the Lakers won't even meet the Warriors in
the first game. All right, we'll see right, all right,
Matt la Fleur rob the Aaron Rodgers thing. It just
(26:00):
isn't going away, and I guess that'll be the case
until the set up for the Packers. That's right. So
so Matt Lafloor, the head coach, of course, was asked
about it. Uh does he want to keep Aaron Rodgers
as if he might say no, But here here's his response.
I've got nothing new to update, and we still obviously
(26:22):
feel the same way. It's uh, you know, we want
him back in the worst way. I know he knows that,
and um, you know we'll continue to work at it
each and every day. They want him. Did you see
your voice almost crack there, Chris, a little bit? We
want him back? Did you hear that? Can we play
(26:44):
that we wanted a horse way like if I was
on the verge of losing my MVP quarterback. He didn't
sound like be on the verge of tears too. I mean, look,
the bottom lay rocking, and I have not seen George
Love throw a pass this year, you know in the
pros in practice, Chris, if he was ready, he ain't ready. Yeah,
(27:06):
if he was ready after you drafted him in the
first route and you moved up and all that, and
then if you really believed he was that guy ready
to go. You would tell Aaron Rodgers, thanks, I'm serious,
you would really, but they yeah, they would, But I'm
not going that far. I'm serious if they really believed
that they had something and they could move on. I'm
(27:27):
just saying it from the standpoint Chris, that all these
great quarterbacks wound up playing somewhere else. Yeah, but it's
just not the rule. You're saying that, like it's automatic.
It doesn't have to happen. It just doesn't happen to
Big Ben. They let him come back, you know what
I mean, Like he we'll see if he ends up
going anywhere else. But Terry Bradshaw never played elsewhere, you know, Yeah,
(27:48):
but he he only won four Super Bowls. Look at
his numbers. You sound like a millennial, they're saying. But no,
I mean so, I don't care how good Jordan Love
looked unless he looked like Pat Mahomes. I am trying
to keep Aaron Rodgers for as long as I can.
(28:09):
If I'm Matt Lafloor and Rob think about Matt Lafloor,
because here's the difference between the coach and the front office.
The coach is closer to the players because the coach
is like, look, I want to win now. I don't
have any five year plans, you know what I'm saying, Rob,
I got one year plans. I'm trying to win every
single game period. All Right, y'all can play for the future.
(28:32):
But if I don't win now, I won't have I
won't be a part of that future. And so Matt
Lafloor is twenty six and six, Rob, you think he's
ready to start losing, to start going eight and eight
or worse. No, not, no, definitely not. You're right. He's
(28:54):
viewed as a little wonder wonder boy, superman, you know
what I mean? One or leck No, wonder ling, uh,
wonder twin. I don't know what they call him. Wonder boy, yeah,
wonder boy. I just didn't wonder Oh yeah. But he's
viewed as you know, a young, a young, hot shot
coach who did and it looked whether it was Aaron
(29:18):
Rodgers just getting fully healthy, which obviously had a lot
to do with it. But you know, he has played
better under Matt la Floor. That's undeniable as well. So
they're a good combination, and I do think they should
stick together. I'm sure Aaron has no problem playing for
la Floor other than you know, that horrible call in
(29:39):
the NC the NFC Championship game. But uh yeah, this
isn't This isn't surprising Rock. What surprising is that they
haven't moved Brian gudacoops yet. I'm not saying you have
to fire him, but sending the dude out on the
road is a scout or something. But you just gotta
figure it out because he's been there longer than Aaron Rodger.
(30:00):
You gotta be careful because you gotta remember they have
to somewhat Chris and it's always about the player. But
if they do this right, if they do this, then
they're in jeopardy of someone coming along and doing that
to them. Do you know what I mean? So I
understand you mean a front office verson. Yeah, like front
office people where some other star Jordan loves becomes the
(30:22):
next big star and he doesn't want to coach, or
he doesn't want the general manager or he oh y'all
did it when Aaron Rodgers had a hissy fit. I'm
just sayings are always gonna have some Yeah, I agree,
but you gotta be careful on how it looks. And
that's what I'm talking about. Yeah, all right, well, it
is the Eye Couple Chris and Rob and uh I
(30:44):
got my fabulous five coming up in a moment, and
you will never miss the fabulous miss No, you do listen.
You sit there and you listen and you enjoy. You
have a smile on your face too when you listen
to that. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks? What? All right? It is
the I Couple Chris and Rob right here on Fox
(31:05):
Sports Radio. My five five is next. Keep it locked.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search f
SR to listen live. Alright, it is the I Couple
Chris and Rob on a funky flashback Friday. DJ Alex
(31:26):
Heissert in those crate smokes, it's dusty, It's dusty up
in here. It's also time for Bruce Art's Fabulous five.
Are you ready the heat? Like lepron We're going big.
It's gotwn It's Bruce Ards fab five. All right, you
(31:51):
should all know that tomorrow the great Kobe Bryant, the
Great Tim Duncan, the great Kevin Garnett will be enshrined
into the Basketball Hall of Fame, obviously deserving all of them.
And people are saying, and I can't disagree, it is
(32:15):
the greatest Hall of Fame class in basketball history. All
three champions, all three MVPs, all three to some degree iconic.
So two of those guys, Kobe and Kevin Garnett, of course,
came straight out of high school. So that got a
(32:36):
brother to thinking, who are the five most fabulous players
to play professional basketball NBA and go straight from high
school to either the NBA or the ABA. Here we go,
number five, all right, Dwight how Word. Yes, this one
(33:02):
might shock a few folks, especially you young cats who've
only seen him with the Lakers and the Sixers, and
your Donnis Haslem pointing his finger all up in his
face with no fear. But Dwight Howard Jess edges Tracy
McGrady as the fifth best player to ever go preps
(33:23):
the pros. And here's why, Tracy McGrady, for all his greatness,
never won a playoff series. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard was wrecking
shop earlier in his career. He beat Lebron in the playoffs,
and neither of them had a perennial All star teammate.
Neither of them he got to. He led the Orlando
(33:44):
Magic to the finals by himself. They had good, good
role playing teammates, Richard Lewis he do turger glue skip
to my lou that he had a few some good teammates,
but he was the only star and he led him
to the finals for a five year stint. Dwight Howard
was always in the MVP conversation. In fact, four times
(34:07):
he finished in the top five of MVP voting. I
know he's a shell of himself now he's a role player,
he's a goon kind and all that, But Dwight Howard
was a bad boy in his prime. Number four Kevin Gardnett,
one time MVP, twelve time All Defensive. He did it
(34:28):
on both ends. And people now they think of him
as a Boston Celtic, and I understand that he won
his championship with the Celtics. He was more in the
know in the public eye as a Celtic because they
were a great team. But he was great with Minnesota too.
And Kevin Gardinett was one of the early precursors of
(34:51):
the perimeter oriented big men. He wasn't Dirk Navitski. He
wasn't obviously Kevin Durant. He wasn't a pure perimeter player,
but he wasn't a pure inside player either. He was
that early seven footer who also could step out, hit
the midrange, jumper, had athleticism, could run the floor. We
(35:13):
hadn't seen much of that before KG. He's one of
those early ones, and he obviously is an all time
great player. Number three Moses Malone. And I know you
were wondering who in the world is ahead of Gardnett
House Gardnette. Four. Moses Malone was bad period, y'all don't remember.
(35:33):
He went straight to the ABA. He played his first
pro year and the ABA with the Utah Stars and
average straight out of high school almost nineteen points and
thirteen rebounds. I'm sorry, fourteen rebounds right out of high
school nineteen and fourteen. He's putting on him. And then
(35:53):
he goes to the NBA, immediately becomes one of the
best players in the league, wins three MVP awards, and
then wins this championship with Doctor j nineteen eighty three.
Six is one of the best teams of all time
and Moses Malone one of the greatest rebounders. Particularly on
the offensive end. Of all time two years he averaged
(36:13):
seven offensive rebounds a game. That's ridiculous. Number two the
late great Kobe Bryant, and Kobe is gonna have like
a huge display if you haven't read about it in
the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. Kobe Bryant an
icon period. I mean Kobe, and not because he died
(36:38):
prematurely in that helicopter crash. If he was still alive
and doing great things, you know, in venture capitalism, and
you know he won an Oscar for his film all
that stuff, he still would be an icon because of
what he did on the basketball court, a killer instinct
like very few others have had. One of the greatest
(37:01):
scores we've ever seen, dropped eighty one points in a game.
Are in a competitive game. It wasn't like Will when
they were feeding him, just trying to get him to
score and all that. Kobe Bryant was phenomenal. We all
know of five championships, two times finals MVP, also a
league MVP, and also got after it on the defensive end.
(37:24):
Twelfth time all d Number one, Lebron James all right, Lebron,
the only one, the only of all the great players,
and I mentioned Moses Malone. Yes he stepped in right away,
but he was in the ABA and half of the
other best, half of the best players in the world.
We're in the NBA at that time, So not taking
(37:45):
anything away from Moses, but it was a little different.
Lebron is the only prep to pros guy to step
right into the NBA and begin doing damage from day one.
And you might remember Rob in the Summer League. I
don't even know if he I think he played a
couple games in the Summer League, but preseason he really
(38:09):
wasn't that impressive and you heard overhyped. Is he really
gonna be that good? And his first NBA game, The
New York Times sends me all the way out to Sacramento,
California to see Lebron James his first game, and what
is he doing against a Sacramento team that at that
(38:31):
time was great. And Lebron gives them twenty five points,
nine rebounds and six assists in his first I'm sorry,
nine assists and six rebounds, plus four steals and only
two turnovers in his first NBA game. I called Larry
(38:52):
Bird the next day interviewed him for a story for
The New York Times, and Larry Bird said, if this
guy isn't a definite Hall of Famer within the next
five years, something has gone drastically wrong. He said Lebron
James was the only player he ever saw who could
(39:12):
have gone straight to the NBA after his junior year
of high school. Junior year and Lebron average twenty one points,
six assists and five and a half rebounds his rookie
year straight out of high school. Four championships, four finals, Finals, MVPs,
(39:32):
four MVPs, and in the debate, George's the goal, but
Lebron's made it a conversation with many. He is the
greatest prep surprose player of all time and I'm not
leaving Rob Parker anytime to disagree. Keep it locked. We
got two hours left. The odd couple
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcast. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from seven pm
to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific, or on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yeah, I'm
(00:44):
trying to go as long as Jonas knocks. Why you
gotta what you got dot? Oh yeah, mvy? I mean
is that what's Oh yeah? And I asked, like eight minutes. Well,
it's always at least the first segment, so we got
less time on the show. We are the Eye a
couple of I'm Chris Bruce. Sorry, that's my man, Rob Park.
(01:05):
We're coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studio. Yes,
indeed we will, as we always do, and we got
a great Friday for you, a tgi F Friday, a
Funky Flashback Friday. DJ Alex Tysher aka Alex the Vegan
on the Ones and the twos, So you definitely want
(01:26):
to keep it locked just for that. But it's actually
his show today because we also Rob, as we do
every Friday, have Tischert's Tower of Trivia. Yes, he's a
big deal now around. Yeah apparently. I mean he keeps
telling me he's like a superstar. Now, well see me.
You know what I just told you, Ryan, Yeah, you
said we're usher and you're justin Bieber. Basically, you guys
(01:48):
found me on YouTube. You made me a star, thus
making your fame more fameful. So you're welcome fame. Okay,
very nice. Yeah? Is that a word? That's a misremembered
type word. Yeah, and we had to look it up
and somehow was a correct words. Remember Roger Clement's first center.
Everybody said, why why I never have you sounded so
(02:09):
ignorant using a word? That really was a word? Right right,
because everybody's like, what the The only one worst was that?
Then that was when Sammy Sosa just suddenly somehow forgot
how to speak English. Right. That was incredible. How, I mean,
what a time to forget how to speak English? Man was?
(02:32):
It was amazing All of a sudden he didn't know
what he was doing. Yeah, it just hit You never
know when it's gonna hit you in that moment, all right,
it's the eye couple of Christ and Rob. We got
a great show for you. Keep it here for the
next three hours on the Fox Sports Radio of the
iHeart Radio app or Serious XM Channel eighty three. All right,
go ahead, Rob G. So what's my beef? We got?
(02:54):
It's made the show? Rob? When you send me a text,
I think it was on Wednesday with the clip them
that you had for I think it's for dead Spin.
Roight mbe bro one of those two stop acting surprise Rob,
you begged them to put it on look and all
honesty and this goes from Chris and Rob. Not all
of their ideas are winners, but in this case, I
(03:15):
was legitimately laughing really hard with Rob's video last week
with the splendor, and I'm like, we need you were
laughing as hard as me. I'm I'll give I'll show
you a laugh or Jonas, Is that that's a laugh? Wow?
(03:37):
Oh my god, I'm embarrassing round Why all right, let's
get into it. You heard DJ Alexion, you heard super
producer Rob G and on the updates are Man Steve
this say, let's get into it, Rob with without all
(03:59):
this wasting time that we've been doing. Uh, the Lakers
still in flux, Lebron James listed as questionable for their
upcoming game is in Indiana. Yeah, they got Indiana. He'll
probably play as my get, but hey, we thought he
played the last two games right and he didn't. Um.
(04:21):
Anthony Davis has said he feels great. So here's the deal, folks.
Right now, the LA Lakers are in seventh place in
the Western Conference, which means, of course they'd be in
the play in tournament right now. That opponent is not
locked in stone, but right now that opponent would be
(04:42):
Golden State with yes Mama, to quote Mark Jackson, Mama,
their goals. That man Steph Curry, who, no matter what
Rod Parker wants to say, is absolutely on fire. Yep,
unless it comes to the last ten seconds of a
(05:03):
big game. He just hit a big shot last in
the playoffs, a big all these qualifiers, I just can't.
I've been as consistent as a brand muffin every morning.
You need you know, what's too consistent? That joke? You
need a new How other things consistent other than brand muffins?
All right? Why does old meal make you consistent or regular?
(05:26):
I don't know, Chris, what are you having a fiber
some something with fiber in it? Okay, try something with
fiber or rough edge, like lettuce and stuff that's good
for That's a nice one, all right. I never heard
that to describe lettuce, but okay, that sounds good. That's
(05:46):
what they call it, all right. So anyway, uh, and
here's the thing we want to discuss. Rob. I'm gonna
just throw this out to you and see what your
opinion is. If the Lakers finished with the sixth seed,
which is possible, they would meet the LA Clippers, most
likely in the first round. If they finish in the
(06:10):
seventh seed, then they have the play in. Let's say
it's Golden State in the first game. Even if you
lose that, then you've got the winner of Memphis San Antonio. Okay,
neither one of them is scaring you or a world beater.
And if you get through those two games, Rob or
you know, if you get through Golden State and the
(06:30):
play and you get through it, you would face either
Phoenix or Utah in the first round. Now, I'm gonna
tell you, if I'm the Lakers, I'd much rather play
Phoenix or Utah in the first round than the Clippers.
But the problem is, you don't just start off with
(06:51):
Phoenix or Utah. You start off with the play in.
So here's the question to you, Rob Parker, would you,
if you're the Lakers, would you rather be in the
play in and potentially have an easier first round opponent
in Utah or Phoenix? Or would you rather finish six
and have a an absolute fight on your hands just
(07:16):
to get out of the first round against the La Clippers.
I'm gonna go with the Clippers that I'd rather play.
And it's not so much just it's that I think
the Lakers can beat the Clippers. That's not it. It's
that the one game scenario or Steph getting hot or
or a d aggravating his groin or something and you're
(07:38):
not at full strength. You know, if you're playing a series,
Chris four out of seven, you can lose a game.
You're not gonna win every game, and you could survive
that later on in the series. But if if one
of those guys tweaks an ankle, lebron or the groin
flares up and Steph catches fire and you lose, I
just think that there's way more there's a bigger chance
(08:01):
of you getting upset when you playing. We talk about
it all the time. And I notice is a single elimination.
But it's like if Michael Jordan played in single elimination Chris,
there's a good chance he's not six and oh that
somebody beats him, or he misses a big shot or
somebody makes a great shot at the buzzer. You can lose.
(08:22):
You can play great and still lose. In a one
game scenario, the best team usually wins four out of seven.
And if you got to play the Clippers, here's my
only thing. You might want to get them if you
have a chance, and if everybody's okay, to get them
now rather than later when maybe somebody's nicked up, or
(08:45):
if you're you know, or they're not completely healthy, or
you lose somebody in the course of the playoffs. I
still would take my chances in a seven game series
compared to a one game and then another one game.
I just I think that too dangerous. And I think
the Lakers would rather play a series even though it's
a tough series. It's a really good question because you
(09:09):
agree with me that the Clippers would be tougher than Phoenix. Right, Okay, um,
but you know, like you said, you gotta go through
the Clippers at some point. And the other thing, Rob,
if you if you finish sixth, you do get a
week off, and obviously you wouldn't be off, but they
would get a week to practice, right and to get
(09:31):
back in the flow as much as you can in practice.
Whereas if you play in the play in, you're right,
I mean the player starts I think Tuesday, so you're
you're right in the thick of it in the play
in no break and then you survive that, and now
you got the Clippers without real time to prepare or
rest or anything like that. So I am with you, Rob,
(09:55):
I'm with you in just that anything can happen in
one game. As you say, we see it all the
time in the NC Double A tournament, and somebody can
beat you in one game. We see it all the
time in the NBA. Rob, Right, the Lakers just beat
Denver without Lebron and a d it happens. And as
(10:15):
you said, we don't have the day dream to think
about Steph Kirry being able to catch fire. Number one
obviously he's played great, but number two. Rob. Earlier this
season when the Warriors beat the Lakers, remember the Warriors
were down fourteen points and they rallied because Steph got
(10:37):
hot and there are a few other players actually got hot. Two,
but they rallied from a double digit fourth quarter deficit
to beat the Lakers. And that was the first time
rob in two hundred ninety two total. Well at that point,
(10:58):
that was the first time Lebron had ever lost a
home game in which his team had a double digitally
enter in the fourth quarter. Wow, So he knows as
well as anybody that stuff can get hot and then
next thing you know, you're you lose, and and then
the same thing. Look that Memphis doesn't have a stuff,
(11:18):
but they got a job. Moran san Antonio's got a
very good coach and Greg Popovich, you know it. Just
and to your point two, what if a D tweaks
the growing which a D is known to you know
what I'm saying, Come on, a D has had all
types of little there's no serious first quarter of game one.
(11:40):
You you might be in trouble, right, or if Lebron
tweaks the ankle, So yeah, I'm with you. Even though
it's a tougher road and you gotta play the Clippers,
I would still rather be in that situation than have
a player. It's just as simple as that. And look,
and I think you even feel this way, Rob, I
(12:03):
do think the Clippers are the one team in the
West that could beat the Lakers, even if the Lakers
are whole. Now I would if the Lakers are fine
and Lebron and a d are playing, I think I'm
going with them, especially if they meet later in the playoffs.
But they could lose. The Clippers could beat them. But
(12:24):
the Clippers aren't world beaters either, right, there's really no
world beater in the West. Phoenix not scary. Tell me
if you disagree. Phoenix not scary, Utah not scary. Not
saying that they're good. Denver, especially without Jamal Murray, not scary.
Portland not scary. The Clippers they're good. You could you.
I mean, they're tough. They could get to the finals,
(12:46):
but they've never done it. They still have their issues
at the end of games. Paul George has his problems
here and there in the playoffs. So it's not like they're,
you know, the Brooklyn Nets with all the fire your
power or Golden State. Oh yeah, you know, I think
I think you. I think you're that. That's a fair conversation.
(13:08):
If the Lakers will hold and have been playing and whatever.
I just think, again, you wouldn't give him a chance
A good I didn't say it would give m a chance,
but I just don't think that they would be I
just I just think the Lakers are you know that
just too many things have to be right, Like you're
just hard to it's hard to have to play that way.
(13:29):
And then some of the new guys from a year ago,
this isn't exactly the same team. I'm just not so sure,
you know what I mean. I'm not Um, Drummonds never
played in any big games in his life, right, never? Yeah,
but he's I mean, if they're counting on drums, no,
I know, I know, I mean, you don't want to
count on him. But I'm just saying, Chris so so
I don't know about that. Um. I will say this,
(13:53):
Rob and you, you and I both like when they're
healthy and people might be saying, well hold up, you're
you're saying the Lakers need you know, they're guys to
get back. Hold what about Brooklyn? James Harden is playing
tonight and um, I'm sorry not tonight he played the Kyrie'
They're playing tomorrow night. The Big Three will be together.
(14:15):
But here's the difference rob the Nets Big three. If
you notice when Harden comes back from extended injury, he
seems fine, when when Kad comes back he seems fine.
It's because of this style of play they are. They
are guys that are great shooters, including Kyrie, and they
can catch and shoot, so it's easier for them to
just fit in. Because they they can catch and shoot,
(14:36):
they don't have to dominate the ball, whereas Lebron and
a D aren't great shooters. They can get hot and
be streaky, but they're not great shooters. And with Lebron
this isn't an insult because it's it's his greatness, but
he everything changes when you drop Lebron in there that
everybody's role is different because he's has the ball in
(14:59):
his hand hands or he's in a certain position on
the floor. So nothing was as it was when he's gone,
so it takes a little longer to adjust and to
be honest, similar with a D two, because he's a
guy that you know, he can't just catch and shoot.
He's gonna put it on the floor. He's gonna have
to have the ball in his hands a good amount
to really be as effective too, so I think that's
(15:22):
why the Lakers do need a little more time to
mesh than the Nets do. But let's throw it out
to the listeners eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox
eight seven seven ninety nine, six sixty three sixty nine,
You'll Turn Away in or the Funky Funky Flashback Friday.
If you're the Lakers or Lakers fan like Rob g
(15:43):
would you rather face the Clippers in the first round
or go to the play in and possibly feet meet
the less the Night as Good, Phoenix Suns or Utah Jazz,
You're Turned away in eight seven seven ninety nine on
Fox I Couple Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch
(16:04):
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 iHeartRadio app. Hey, this
is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my
podcast Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical
sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat.
(16:27):
Every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all
the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win
big at the sports book and all the best guests.
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts. All right, it is the I
(16:50):
Couple Chris Bruce Rob Park on a funky Flashback Friday,
coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios.
And Discover card bring us to you, and they also
match all the cash back that you earn on your
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(17:10):
States that take credit cards virtually everywhere. Folks learn more
at Discover dot com slash Yes twenty twenty one Nielsen
Report limitations do apply eight seven seven ninety nine. On Fox,
You'll turn the way in if you're the Lakers or
a Lakers fan, you want the Clippers in round one,
or you want the play in with the chance to
(17:31):
play a less formidable first round foe in Phoenix or
u Tak. This is gonna be interesting to hear what
people say. I'm really because some people might just say,
you know, play in and leave it at that because
they don't want to play the Clippers, you know right away.
But let's see, all right, let's kick it off with
the Boat in Florida. You're on the couple of Fox
(17:53):
Sports Radio. What's up, Boat? Yeah, what's up? Guys. I
do a lot of driving. You guys are always on.
Thank you man, We appreciate it. And this is your
first time calling in Bow. I don't remember you calling
in Yeah, no, I've called in the one time we
were talking about a big poppy and all that ship.
I haven't done him down in Cuba. Okay, all right,
(18:15):
go ahead. What's your point? My take on this is
how how good would it be for Lebron to add
to as many achievements to be one of the first
play in players to win the championship as the low seeds,
because it's not like the NFL, where the wild card
teams actually get a chance basketball low seeds get knocked
(18:39):
out real early. Well, I'll say this, I don't well,
let me say a few few ways, because I dealt
with Nick right on this this morning. We're talking about
the first things. First, if Lebron were to go from
the seventh or eighth seed and win the championship, I
think that'd be the low I think there might be
(19:01):
the lowest ever. Rob that someone the lowest seeded team
ever to win the championship. The Rockets won it with
Elijahwan in ninety five is the sixth seed. But I
don't know that any team's ever won it as a
lower seed, And that would be a notch on his
belt to go along with coming from a three one deficit,
(19:24):
beating a seventy three win Golden State team, So it
would be a great achievement as something else that would
just speak to Lebron's greatness. My disagreement with Nick Wright
was he, of course compared it to Michael Jordan, and
I said, well, look, Jordan never let anybody get to
a game seven in the finals. So Michael Lebron's got
(19:46):
all these He Lebron has more you know, games or
obstacles that you would say, well, he overcame. He won
as an eighth seed, he won as a down three one,
but Michael never let it get it to that point.
Michael was never in that kind of trouble, you know.
So that's so if that, if those count, what about
(20:07):
Lebron getting swept that many been swept three times in
the finals. Yeah, what Golden States swept him once or twice,
so once I believe they lost, they lost. So he
got so in three finals, lost in fifteen, he won
in sixteen, he lost I think in five. But I'm
(20:29):
saying it's in three finals in his career. He's one
in twelve in three finals, you know what I mean?
Like that's not no. I'm just saying, like we're looking no.
But if we're looking at no. But if we're looking
at what I'm saying, if we're looking at like like
degree of difficulty and all that, I just think it's
hard to just I just think he's it's like saying
(20:51):
the boxers come back, it's knocked out in the first round.
If he gets knocked out in the first round, how
does that count in the play in? How does that
affect him? If he's he's got Yeah, I mean it's
just a loss. But yeah, I just like I said,
it's like the difference between the boxer rallying from behind
(21:11):
and winning versus a guy like Tyson just knocking everybody out.
I'm not gonna say that that was better than what
Tyson did. So yeah, but but it would be good.
It would be a notch on his belt. Christian and Utah,
you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Christian,
Rob Parker and Chris Jonas Knox Crusarry. You guys are
agreeing too much today. It's killing me. I know, right right,
(21:35):
it's something in the water. Sorry, Christian, sorry about that. Well,
I'm jumping in that water because I got the play
in too. Is more favorable. Yeah, it's just less. There's
too much that could go wrong. Yeah, yeah, the yeah, well,
I think the extra week of rest is critical for
Lebron and Anthony Davis at this point. And to be honest,
(21:56):
so you're oh, so you're disagreeing, Yeah, you're disagreeing with us. No, no,
you're saying you rather you rather be you rather face
the clip? What do you you rather face the Clippers? Right? Right?
You want to see the Clippers as the sixties, right,
because you get the weak rest, you avoid the play in,
and I think you'd rather face the clip later because
(22:17):
they're they've been discontinuous as well. So I think all
thes and the security yeah, no, no doubt, Christian, I
think that's wise. Let's squeeze in Max real quick, Max
in Georgia, you're on the eye a couple of Fox
Sports Radio. What's up, Max? What's up? Guys? Thanks for
giving me some time there? Hey for me? Um. If
(22:38):
I think this is kind of two different ways. If
I'm Lebron, I know he has the more rest, But
to me, he doesn't need the rest. He needs to play.
He needs to get with the guys on the court.
So I think it's more favorable for Lebron to get
into whatever games he's in, going into playoffs because he
doesn't want to face Kauhi. He doesn't want to face
Pat Beab and those Clippers in that first series. The
benefit for the Lakers and seeing that would be when
(23:01):
they lose in that series, they don't have to go home.
They can stay where they're at. They don't have to
They're already at home. So you knew, you knew what
Dig was coming knew what Dig was coming out. How
Max sneak in here anyway? Didn't he didn't he have
his one call? Max? Make sure you call in once
a week. Max? All right, all right, it is the
(23:25):
I couple and uh, Bruce Har's five five is coming up.
At the end of the hour, folks, you will not
want to miss it and uh little Aaron Rodgers. It's
the gift that keeps on giving. There's more Aaron Rodgers
stuff to talk about. We'll get into that next. But first,
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
(23:46):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search
f SR to listen live. It is the I couple.
Chris and Rob coming to you live from the Fox
Sports Radio studio. And you heard him, Rob, Steph Curry,
Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins are all out tonight for
(24:09):
the Warriors games against the Pelicans. They got little knick
knack injury. Steps got the tailbone, you know, they all
got a little Where they are is that? No, it
doesn't matter because obviously they still have to go through
the Lakers at some point. Well maybe no, I mean
because if the Lakers so. So, let's say Memphis right now,
(24:31):
Memphis and Golden State are tied as far as record.
If Memphis moves ahead of Golden State and then the
Lakers play Memphis in the first round or in the
play in and Memphis loses to the Lakers, and Golden
State play San Antonio and beats them. Yeah, then Golden
State would have to play Memphis and beat them to
(24:54):
get to the play in But do you see what
I'm saying, Like, Yeah, it's just wondering. I'm just wondering
if this something we're missing. I don't think so, because
because because if right now, the Warriors, even if they
lost to the Lakers in the first the playing game,
then they just they still are alive, you know what
I mean. Whereas if they finished ninth, and even though
(25:17):
you feel like, okay, we can beat San Antonio, which
is tenth, if you lose that game, you're done. So
by finishing eighth, you at least give your self two
chances to win one game. Whereas if you don't finish eighth,
if you finish ninth or tenth's it's really a one
and done, a sudden death. So I don't think there's
(25:38):
anything too. I'm a little surprised, but they do have
these injuries. STEP's been playing with the butt pad and
all that, so um, yeah, they're sitting them out and
so maybe the Lakers won't even meet the Warriors in
the first game. All right, we'll see right, all right,
Matt la Fleur rob the Aaron Rodgers thing. It just
(26:00):
isn't going away, and I guess that'll be the case
until the set up for the Packers. That's right. So
so Matt Lafloor, the head coach, of course, was asked
about it. Uh does he want to keep Aaron Rodgers
as if he might say no, But here here's his response.
I've got nothing new to update, and we still obviously
(26:22):
feel the same way. It's uh, you know, we want
him back in the worst way. I know he knows that,
and um, you know we'll continue to work at it
each and every day. They want him. Did you see
your voice almost crack there, Chris, a little bit? We
want him back? Did you hear that? Can we play
(26:44):
that we wanted a horse way like if I was
on the verge of losing my MVP quarterback. He didn't
sound like be on the verge of tears too. I mean, look,
the bottom lay rocking, and I have not seen George
Love throw a pass this year, you know in the
pros in practice, Chris, if he was ready, he ain't ready. Yeah,
(27:06):
if he was ready after you drafted him in the
first route and you moved up and all that, and
then if you really believed he was that guy ready
to go. You would tell Aaron Rodgers, thanks, I'm serious,
you would really, but they yeah, they would, But I'm
not going that far. I'm serious if they really believed
that they had something and they could move on. I'm
(27:27):
just saying it from the standpoint Chris, that all these
great quarterbacks wound up playing somewhere else. Yeah, but it's
just not the rule. You're saying that, like it's automatic.
It doesn't have to happen. It just doesn't happen to
Big Ben. They let him come back, you know what
I mean, Like he we'll see if he ends up
going anywhere else. But Terry Bradshaw never played elsewhere, you know, Yeah,
(27:48):
but he he only won four Super Bowls. Look at
his numbers. You sound like a millennial, they're saying. But no,
I mean so, I don't care how good Jordan Love
looked unless he looked like Pat Mahomes. I am trying
to keep Aaron Rodgers for as long as I can.
(28:09):
If I'm Matt Lafloor and Rob think about Matt Lafloor,
because here's the difference between the coach and the front office.
The coach is closer to the players because the coach
is like, look, I want to win now. I don't
have any five year plans, you know what I'm saying, Rob,
I got one year plans. I'm trying to win every
single game period. All Right, y'all can play for the future.
(28:32):
But if I don't win now, I won't have I
won't be a part of that future. And so Matt
Lafloor is twenty six and six, Rob, you think he's
ready to start losing, to start going eight and eight
or worse. No, not, no, definitely not. You're right. He's
(28:54):
viewed as a little wonder wonder boy, superman, you know
what I mean? One or leck No, wonder ling, uh,
wonder twin. I don't know what they call him. Wonder boy, yeah,
wonder boy. I just didn't wonder Oh yeah. But he's
viewed as you know, a young, a young, hot shot
coach who did and it looked whether it was Aaron
(29:18):
Rodgers just getting fully healthy, which obviously had a lot
to do with it. But you know, he has played
better under Matt la Floor. That's undeniable as well. So
they're a good combination, and I do think they should
stick together. I'm sure Aaron has no problem playing for
la Floor other than you know, that horrible call in
(29:39):
the NC the NFC Championship game. But uh yeah, this
isn't This isn't surprising Rock. What surprising is that they
haven't moved Brian gudacoops yet. I'm not saying you have
to fire him, but sending the dude out on the
road is a scout or something. But you just gotta
figure it out because he's been there longer than Aaron Rodger.
(30:00):
You gotta be careful because you gotta remember they have
to somewhat Chris and it's always about the player. But
if they do this right, if they do this, then
they're in jeopardy of someone coming along and doing that
to them. Do you know what I mean? So I
understand you mean a front office verson. Yeah, like front
office people where some other star Jordan loves becomes the
(30:22):
next big star and he doesn't want to coach, or
he doesn't want the general manager or he oh y'all
did it when Aaron Rodgers had a hissy fit. I'm
just sayings are always gonna have some Yeah, I agree,
but you gotta be careful on how it looks. And
that's what I'm talking about. Yeah, all right, well, it
is the Eye Couple Chris and Rob and uh I
(30:44):
got my fabulous five coming up in a moment, and
you will never miss the fabulous miss No, you do listen.
You sit there and you listen and you enjoy. You
have a smile on your face too when you listen
to that. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks? What? All right? It is
the I Couple Chris and Rob right here on Fox
(31:05):
Sports Radio. My five five is next. Keep it locked.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search f
SR to listen live. Alright, it is the I Couple
Chris and Rob on a funky flashback Friday. DJ Alex
(31:26):
Heissert in those crate smokes, it's dusty, It's dusty up
in here. It's also time for Bruce Art's Fabulous five.
Are you ready the heat? Like lepron We're going big.
It's gotwn It's Bruce Ards fab five. All right, you
(31:51):
should all know that tomorrow the great Kobe Bryant, the
Great Tim Duncan, the great Kevin Garnett will be enshrined
into the Basketball Hall of Fame, obviously deserving all of them.
And people are saying, and I can't disagree, it is
(32:15):
the greatest Hall of Fame class in basketball history. All
three champions, all three MVPs, all three to some degree iconic.
So two of those guys, Kobe and Kevin Garnett, of course,
came straight out of high school. So that got a
(32:36):
brother to thinking, who are the five most fabulous players
to play professional basketball NBA and go straight from high
school to either the NBA or the ABA. Here we go,
number five, all right, Dwight how Word. Yes, this one
(33:02):
might shock a few folks, especially you young cats who've
only seen him with the Lakers and the Sixers, and
your Donnis Haslem pointing his finger all up in his
face with no fear. But Dwight Howard Jess edges Tracy
McGrady as the fifth best player to ever go preps
(33:23):
the pros. And here's why, Tracy McGrady, for all his greatness,
never won a playoff series. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard was wrecking
shop earlier in his career. He beat Lebron in the playoffs,
and neither of them had a perennial All star teammate.
Neither of them he got to. He led the Orlando
(33:44):
Magic to the finals by himself. They had good, good
role playing teammates, Richard Lewis he do turger glue skip
to my lou that he had a few some good teammates,
but he was the only star and he led him
to the finals for a five year stint. Dwight Howard
was always in the MVP conversation. In fact, four times
(34:07):
he finished in the top five of MVP voting. I
know he's a shell of himself now he's a role player,
he's a goon kind and all that, But Dwight Howard
was a bad boy in his prime. Number four Kevin Gardnett,
one time MVP, twelve time All Defensive. He did it
(34:28):
on both ends. And people now they think of him
as a Boston Celtic, and I understand that he won
his championship with the Celtics. He was more in the
know in the public eye as a Celtic because they
were a great team. But he was great with Minnesota too.
And Kevin Gardinett was one of the early precursors of
(34:51):
the perimeter oriented big men. He wasn't Dirk Navitski. He
wasn't obviously Kevin Durant. He wasn't a pure perimeter player,
but he wasn't a pure inside player either. He was
that early seven footer who also could step out, hit
the midrange, jumper, had athleticism, could run the floor. We
(35:13):
hadn't seen much of that before KG. He's one of
those early ones, and he obviously is an all time
great player. Number three Moses Malone. And I know you
were wondering who in the world is ahead of Gardnett
House Gardnette. Four. Moses Malone was bad period, y'all don't remember.
(35:33):
He went straight to the ABA. He played his first
pro year and the ABA with the Utah Stars and
average straight out of high school almost nineteen points and
thirteen rebounds. I'm sorry, fourteen rebounds right out of high
school nineteen and fourteen. He's putting on him. And then
(35:53):
he goes to the NBA, immediately becomes one of the
best players in the league, wins three MVP awards, and
then wins this championship with Doctor j nineteen eighty three.
Six is one of the best teams of all time
and Moses Malone one of the greatest rebounders. Particularly on
the offensive end. Of all time two years he averaged
(36:13):
seven offensive rebounds a game. That's ridiculous. Number two the
late great Kobe Bryant, and Kobe is gonna have like
a huge display if you haven't read about it in
the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. Kobe Bryant an
icon period. I mean Kobe, and not because he died
(36:38):
prematurely in that helicopter crash. If he was still alive
and doing great things, you know, in venture capitalism, and
you know he won an Oscar for his film all
that stuff, he still would be an icon because of
what he did on the basketball court, a killer instinct
like very few others have had. One of the greatest
(37:01):
scores we've ever seen, dropped eighty one points in a game.
Are in a competitive game. It wasn't like Will when
they were feeding him, just trying to get him to
score and all that. Kobe Bryant was phenomenal. We all
know of five championships, two times finals MVP, also a
league MVP, and also got after it on the defensive end.
(37:24):
Twelfth time all d Number one, Lebron James all right, Lebron,
the only one, the only of all the great players,
and I mentioned Moses Malone. Yes he stepped in right away,
but he was in the ABA and half of the
other best, half of the best players in the world.
We're in the NBA at that time, So not taking
(37:45):
anything away from Moses, but it was a little different.
Lebron is the only prep to pros guy to step
right into the NBA and begin doing damage from day one.
And you might remember Rob in the Summer League. I
don't even know if he I think he played a
couple games in the Summer League, but preseason he really
(38:09):
wasn't that impressive and you heard overhyped. Is he really
gonna be that good? And his first NBA game, The
New York Times sends me all the way out to Sacramento,
California to see Lebron James his first game, and what
is he doing against a Sacramento team that at that
(38:31):
time was great. And Lebron gives them twenty five points,
nine rebounds and six assists in his first I'm sorry,
nine assists and six rebounds, plus four steals and only
two turnovers in his first NBA game. I called Larry
(38:52):
Bird the next day interviewed him for a story for
The New York Times, and Larry Bird said, if this
guy isn't a definite Hall of Famer within the next
five years, something has gone drastically wrong. He said Lebron
James was the only player he ever saw who could
(39:12):
have gone straight to the NBA after his junior year
of high school. Junior year and Lebron average twenty one points,
six assists and five and a half rebounds his rookie
year straight out of high school. Four championships, four finals, Finals, MVPs,
(39:32):
four MVPs, and in the debate, George's the goal, but
Lebron's made it a conversation with many. He is the
greatest prep surprose player of all time and I'm not
leaving Rob Parker anytime to disagree. Keep it locked. We
got two hours left. The odd couple
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