May 18, 2022 • 38 mins
Chris and Rob discuss the suddenly surging NBA Playoff ratings, share their thoughts on why LeBron James historically hasn't been the ratings draw we thought he was, and tell us why the Los Angeles Lakers are wise to prepare for the possibility that Russell Westbrook is still on the roster next season. Plus, MLBBro.com managing editor JR Gamble helps address the biggest headlines around the diamond in this week's edition of Foul or Fair.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:26):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It is The Odd Couple.
I am Chris. Here is Rob. We're live as always
from the Fox Sports Radio studios, and we are just
moments away, folks, from game one of an intriguing Western
Conference series. I got the three time champion Golden State
(00:51):
Warriors just gonna be a good one. Big names legend
Steph Curry getting to make a case that he's the
best in the world. Luca dot chits just twenty three
years old. Look we're batched. Limitations do apply. We got
filed or fair with JR. Gamble of mlbbro dot com.
He's the managing editor there. He'll be joining us at
(01:13):
the bottom of the hour for that. But in the meantime,
we're gonna go to the NBA ratings and Rob g
I want you to kind of get on here and
explain some things once I asked you to take the mic.
But Rob, the ratings and I've talked about it, you know,
we talked about how many players are injured, how many
(01:34):
stars are injured, and I was saying, even so, the
playoffs have been tremendous. Memphis was a great series, even
after John Moran got hurt. Philadelphia Miami was intriguing, even
with Joe lmb missing a few of the games. Boston
(01:55):
had a couple of injuries here and there. Chris Middleton
was out for Milwaukee. But that was a voting series.
And we could go on and on and on and
guys that aren't even in the playoffs, Kawhi, Lebron Damian Lillard,
some of the big names of this generation. But the
new players have picked up the mantel and people are
excited about it. Because Rob, the ratings for the playoffs
(02:17):
in the NBA this year are at an eight year
high and eight year high. And if you had said
before the season that Lebron James is not going to
make the playoffs, that Kevin Durant is going to be
bounced in the first round, and Kyrie Irving one of
(02:37):
the most exciting players in the league. Kawhi Leonard wouldn't
be in him because he didn't playoff season, and yet
the ratings will be through the room, or at least
relatively speaking. I don't know that people would have believed you, Rob,
Would you have thought that was gonna happen? Yeah, I
don't know. I mean, I get that it's different with
(02:59):
different teams and whatnot and different players. But I'll push
back and say that the games were all like, there
were a lot of bad games to thirty point blowouts.
I'm not I'm surprised that the numbers have been that good.
We had two terrible games sevens in the last, you know,
to get to the conference. I mean the Boston Milwaukee game.
(03:21):
Milwaukee shoots four for thirty three from three point. I
didn't think that was a great game, and obviously the
Suns didn't show up. I was surprised by that. Guys
missing games. I mean, I think they were intriguing from
the matchups. I don't know how great the basketball was
or the games, and that's what that's fine, But I mean,
(03:41):
we're talking about the ratings. No, I know, I'm just asking.
I'm just saying leading into that I'm surprised that the
ratings have been as good as they have been because
of you know, some of the lopsided games that we
have seen in the postseason. But it's interesting that they
could be on the rebound. Obviously the last couple of
(04:02):
years with COVID and there was some stuff that just
didn't make sense in that people were at home, not
going anywhere and not doing anything, and it delivered some
of the worst ratings ever. You know. Yeah, and we
I'm sure we obviously talked about that at the end
the moment, but I think, Rob, we do have to
admit some of that was the political climate, right, I
(04:25):
mean Trump, Everything was about Trump on all the networks.
I think that was eating up a lot of you know,
viewers and remember the election of course the twenty twenty.
So I just think the news channels were probably I
don't know what their ratings were. I assumed they were
great because I think they were eating up a lot
of the viewers. But there's look, the bottom line is
(04:46):
it is what it is. The ratings were historically low,
and Rainal's bubble was the lowest ever for the final
Do you think do you think? I mean, because obviously
the face of this generation of players and we both
believe the second best player ever to do it, M
Lebron James. He's out of the playoffs. Do you think
(05:08):
this says anything? That the playoffs are, you know, at
an eight year high and he's not in them. Do
you think that says anything? Lebron is a weird character
as polar he's a polarizing figure. But usually that's good
because there's as many people that want to see him
do well and people want to watch to see him lose,
(05:29):
you know, so usually that helps you, that doesn't hurt you.
But I don't know, Lebron is very weird. I was
shocked that when he was going forwards fourth championship and
third in three different franchises, which nobody had ever done,
people didn't didn't tune in to watch that, like you
people normally want to see history. Yeah, that was in
(05:51):
the bubble, but for whatever reason, people weren't caught up
on it and didn't really watch it. Uh. And for
this to be an eight year high during Lebron's tenure
as being in obviously his career has been twenty years
longer than that. Nineteen years right, eight years would have
been one back to twenty fourteen, probably finals something like that.
(06:13):
So it's kind of weird that Lebron doesn't get that
juice that you would think, because of course, Michael Jordan
holds the record for the highest rated finals ever. Right,
that's the last Rob, when you look at the ratings,
like you know, year over year, I mean, the numbers
with Jordans were just astronomical, Like it's not then. And
(06:40):
here's the thing too, and we got to clear this up.
Obviously there weren't as many options as there are now. Right,
But it wasn't the Dark Ages either. It wasn't Magic
and Bird in nineteen seventy nine, Rob in college, right
when there were only three channels and very few people
had cable at that time, right this, I mean Jordan played,
(07:01):
there was cable TV, you had plenty of other things
you could watch, and yet he still he just drew.
And I think the interesting thing, Rob, you said Jordan.
I wouldn't call Jordan polarizing, would you. No, everybody knew
everybody didn't, I mean everybody, Like for a lot of fans.
(07:22):
I can remember when I worked in New York, Nick
fans would have loved to have seen Michael Jordan's score
fifty points at the Garden and loose to the Knicks. Right,
that's what that's what they wanted, like a show from him,
but their team to win. They didn't want him to win,
but they didn't mind if he put on the show, right.
So it was that kind of thing, and people all
(07:44):
around they were for Jordan fans everywhere, probably accept Detroit,
where maybe that might be the only player. You don't
think they liked seeing him put on the show. No,
that I mean would have been perfect for them, you know,
because he was scoring a lot. But what they really
hated there was an anti Jordan's sentiment. There are people
I know in Detroit who still won't wear Jordan sneakers. Really, yes,
(08:07):
because that's a sacrifice. That's what I'm doing. I ain't
going that, Robber. I know, I'm Isaiah, right, but I've
been Yeah, that's people taking on like Isaiah was their star,
and and you know that Isaiah's always pushed back on Michael.
Jordan has never given them any love like zero, And
(08:27):
I think there are Isaiah fans who follow that suit. Yeah, yeah,
Rob g Lebron and Rob said he's interesting because we
mentioned the bubble where you would have thought the ratings
would have been high because Lebron became the first player
ever the league three franchises to a championship. I'm I'm baffled,
(08:49):
and I've been there. It's been this way ever since
it happened. But you remember Lebron's first finals in two
thousand and seven. Very similar and we'll see if Luca
can carry it out, but very similar to what Luca's
doing now. Rob right, like young fourth year for both
of them, a guy that's clearly on his way to
be in an all time great as long as he
(09:10):
didn't get injured or anything. Lebron beat a champion in
the Pistons en route to get into the finals, right,
Lucas trying to do that against these Warriors. And yet
when Lebron got to those finals against Tim Duncan, Rob,
the ratings were low, and I would have thought, I
(09:31):
still don't understand that. I get that the Spurs weren't
a big draw, but it was Lebron. I mean, Jordan
was playing Utah and the ratings were high. Nobody was
like that interested in the Jazz and so I just
I don't know Lebron. He drew well in Miami and
the Cleveland finals drew well against Golden State. But Rob
g give us some numbers on Lebron's finals and you
(09:55):
know what you think that might mean? Sure, Well, to
start things off, you guys talked about how these ratings
are the highest they've been in eight years. Again, it's
just through the first two rounds, so we got to
wait to see how the rest of it plays out.
But just for context, Okay, in the of the top
ten highest rating early round playoff games, Lebron James only
(10:17):
been a part of one. That's shocking. Okay, he's only
part that historic, like in history eighty eight since since
they started, Um, this is nineteen eighty eight, right this study. Yeah,
so so he's at Wow. Which one was that that
would have been in uh twoy fifteen against the Bulls?
Really wow, against the Derrick Rose Bulls. Okay, two fifteen, Yes,
(10:42):
he was Cleveland, the Cleveland bull I'm sorry, Yeah, so
that was when they faced Um, it wasn't that the
year that he kind of ran through everybody in that
fifteen he Yeah, I'm surprised it was that late. I
would have expected when Rose was at his height, you know,
and Lebron was in Cleveland or in Miami. But okay,
and so that that's just for context in this this
(11:04):
early conversation, but going historically through the finals ratings you
guys touched on it quickly is the Spurs series and
then also the Bubble Championship. Lebron James is responsible for
two of the three lowest rated NBA finals in NBA history,
for exactly, and for even more context, the Bubble, which
(11:27):
robs to your point, four different four championship, four different franchises.
Everybody's at home. I can't think of a reason why
you wouldn't be watching why those numbers were incredibly the
difference between those ratings the worst ever and the second
worst ever are the same as the difference between the
(11:48):
third worst ever and the seventh worst ever. Wow, that's
how big of a gap it was with Lebron. And
even going through Chris you mentioned, you know, his ratings
with the heat and the Warriors, they weren't bad, But
however Raptors Warriors did better than heat Maps. That's crazy,
you know, for I know as much as of it have. Look, Lebron,
(12:10):
as awesome as he is, his game isn't the most exciting, right, Like,
it's not. I mean, Jordan was so graceful, right, like
his game was just pretty right. It just let's just
call it what it was. Right, the moves, the way
he moved, and Lebron's not Lebron's more like a freight train.
I think there's one other thing, Rob g And you
(12:31):
could speak on this better, being a Los Angeles native
and whatnot. This is your hometown. The other one was
the Dodgers and the Lakers. Now, anybody knows anything about
Los Angeles, it's a Dodger Laker town, period. Those are
the two teams that people care about. Right. The Dodgers
show four million tickets every year for baseball games. People
(12:54):
love the Dodgers, people love the Lakers period. Those two.
The year they both won the championship and twenty twenty,
the Dodgers had better World Series TV ratings than the
Lakers in Los Angeles, which was surprising. Correct, Oh, you
whose they were going? Were they going up again? We're
going head to head? Yes, a couple of games, because
(13:14):
it wasn't you remember they had the finals in the fall. No,
it's look and that shocking. Yeah, that was surprising because look,
when when Jordan retired, obviously there was a huge hole
in the NBA. Rob, you remember that everybody was like,
the ratings are down, who's gonna be the next guy
to carry the torch? Um? And lebron obviously is I
(13:37):
mean a few years from retirement. Um. But it's gonna
be interesting if there's that, it won't be that same
sense of loss. But you know, you wonder where the
ratings take a hit. It doesn't look like it doesn't
look like right, like not this year. If you're looking
at what's happened lest Madam Silver, I feel encouraged to
(13:57):
be honest, no question, no question. Let's start out to
the listeners eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight
seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Look,
the radis for the NBA playoffs, guys are at an
eight year high despite no lebron kd out in the
first round, no Kauai Chris Paul out in the second round.
(14:18):
Why do you guys think that is? And is lebron
a draw on television? As great as he is? You'll
turned away in with the eye couple, Christ and Rob.
Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
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(14:39):
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(14:59):
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seven ninety nine. On Fox, You're turned the way in.
Why are the NBA ratings for these playoffs at an
eight year high? And is Lebron a draw or not?
On TV? All right, let's kick it off with the
(15:20):
Obie and Los Angeles showing the odd Couple Fox Sports Radio,
What up Obie? Good afternoon, gentlemen. How are you guys
doing so? We're good man? How are you great show?
As always? Thank you Brasting, Thank you for taking my call.
A couple of things. I think you have a nice
combination of big and small markets involved this year. I
think Lebron is a negative draw in terms of his
(15:41):
stance on social issues. I think that does look away
from I think his social issues because it does take away.
Here's here's the one thing though, even because the back
in oh seven he was not known, you know what
I mean as a guy that spoke out about a
lot of issues. Yet and yet he's still his first finals.
The ratings were low. But right, right, that what you're saying.
(16:03):
But that's interesting. But that was Cleveland too, so it's
not a that was not a big market. And now
you got really good markets involved. You got Boston, you
got in New York, you got uh, you know, Shiva, Chicago,
so these are larger markets are involved. Let me say
this help, But let me say this. The one thing
I wonder when you talk about Lebron and I get
(16:24):
the political I know that that's a narrative that people push.
But the ratings were down in hockey and baseball too,
I mean during that time, even though the only point
to the NBA as the political stuff, and even in
LA where Lebron was, which is more liberal and more
a key you know, a keen to be that exactly
(16:48):
a line is what I was looking for. Uh, But
you know, the Dodgers did better than the TV ratings
do you know what I mean? So, I hear you.
I don't know how much of that is really true.
Do we lose him? May do? I agree with you.
If there is some of it in his game, is
not as pretty to watch as well. Okay again, thank
you guys for taking my call. You have a great face.
(17:08):
Appreciate it. Yeah. I just you know, if he was
playing in a different town, Chris, I would buy it.
La and California is as liberal as it gets. Yeah,
I mean, look that year in the bubble when they
have Black Lives Matter on the court and everything. I
don't know, maybe not. Maybe it probably did turn some
people off, but I don't know. Was that a factor?
(17:29):
Maybe maybe not? Yeah, all right, Marcus in Phoenix, you're
on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Thanks for taking my call, Yes, sir, Yeah, So, I
mean I'm gonna I'm gonna jump on the on the
last guys comments. I think he was. I think he's
spot on them. I mean, you gotta look at this
(17:51):
country was absolutely completely polarized during the bubble because of
the Black Lives Matter, because of the George Floyd, because
and Lebron was I don't know too many other athletes
at his levels that spoke out like he did. So
you had and you had to remember you had the
(18:11):
bucks give up the game or you know that one
game was But what about the other low low ratings
for Lebron though, I okay, if if you want to
put that on that one, what about the other ones?
Helped me with those? Marcus Well, I mean when you
say lo you mean back early in his career two
thousand and seven. Yeah, Um, wasn't that what year? Today?
(18:35):
Who played that year? San Antonio? Okay, the Spurs aren't
a huge draw, but they drew. They drew better when
they played Detroit, which Rob, you know they weren't the
most exciting team in the world either, not at all.
That wasn't superstar, right, that was weird that the Pistons
were no superstar with out draw Lebron. Right, that's weird.
(18:58):
Be sure to catch live and editions of The Odd
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the iHeart Radio app ches. If you want exclusive insight
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This is national champion and former pro bowler Chris Johnson
(19:20):
and let me tell you a little bit about my
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(19:41):
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live from the Fox Sports Radio studios, Rob Parker Chris Broussard.
(20:03):
Are we ready for Foul or Fair? With JR Gamble
that ball is It was a big week in the
big leagues. Who's Who's Is it foul or is it fair?
And now from MLB bro dot Com here's JR. Gamble
(20:26):
That's right, it is foul or fair Here on the
Our Couple of Fox Sports Radio segment when we go
around the baseball diamond to discuss all the biggest headlines
in the majors in order to do so properly. We
had to bring in a real baseball expert. Wow, the
face of mlbbro dot com, the star of the Inside
the Parker podcast, which drops tomorrow. That's right, make sure
(20:48):
you check it out. Well, it's a lively one with
Nick Swisher. That's right. It is. A few people get
you more hyped up than our and JR. Gamble, Yes, sir,
back again with the odd couple. I feel like Mike
Trouts the third that that to be. I guess his grandson.
(21:12):
The first time anybody in that family plays in the playoffs. Wow,
it I hate, I hate to break it to you,
but he has played in the playoffs one riot foul. Okay,
let's stop making like he's never been in the playoffs
one time. No, he hasn't. But he's played in the
(21:33):
playoffs one time. Okay, Yeah, Yeah, we're gonna have to
Rob one day. We're gonna have to do a sec
We're gonna have to get JR on for a segment
about that Rob because I don't think it that don't
that don't say nothing negative about him to me. Well, hey,
well I'm breaking news, but JR. Is gonna fill in
for you one day on your vacas. Oh you know
(21:56):
what that means. I haven't even given my vacation days,
and rods Off didn't got my replacement. My goodness, there
is going to be some serious Mike Trout slander that day.
Rob g Remember that right when JAYRS book. I mean,
when you're hitting a career a zero eighty three in
the postseason, you know you kind of deserve what's coming
(22:16):
to you, right Trout? Well, I'm gonna come on and
Chris is gonna gain a million followers. Oh wow, let's
get right to it, guys. I got three baseball stories.
It's up to you guys to tell me if my
story is foul or fair. Jayrs the start of the segments,
so he gets the first crack at every question. Question
number one here Jr. Earlier this week, Red Sox pitcher
(22:38):
Nathan Vivaldi became the third pitcher in MLB history to
allow five home runs in one inning. He didn't just
one to two thirds inning of work, and after he
went three up, three down in the first tells you
all bad. His second inning was all Red Sox manager
Alex Corre could say after the game was that it
was quote surprising. Here's the question foul or fair to
(22:59):
say that not of Valdi deserves the lion's share of
the blame for this bit of history. Foul, that is all.
You certainly can't blame Cora for a total collapse by
a Valdi. I mean, what manager expects his picture to
give up five bombs at won any It's only happened
(23:21):
twice in MLB history, So nobody really gets to blame
there except the guys throwing the pitches, the assholes. They're
formidable lineup. They hadn't even been hitting that well despite
needing the divisions, so you know that gang of bangers
they're going to break out eventually. M of all these,
I Heater was flat. He was just what the doctor orders.
(23:42):
And he's had success in his career, but not that day.
And that's what makes baseball so specialist. Fellas an unpredictable.
I'm going with foul as well. Now, look, I get
where you're going, Rob g and I do think Core
should have got him out of there. I means, do
you have to see you realize it's not his day?
(24:02):
All right? His junk ain't moving the way it usually does.
But um, but still at the end of the day,
it's always on the player. Um, he didn't have his stuff,
and um that's him, he's the blame. Core didn't throw
those pitches, he didn't throw those meatballs up there, and
so I gotta put it on Nvaldi over anybody else.
(24:23):
I say it's fair. The manager's job is to manage
the players. If somebody doesn't have it, you take him out.
If a guy's overmatched and his last at bat and
you need to hit something, then you say, I'm gonna
pinch hit for you because you're overmatched. I'm not gonna
sit there. Okay, maybe one, maybe two, I'll give you
(24:46):
a third home run, but there's no way you gotta
leave him in there for a fourth and fifth. He
didn't have it. They knew it, and Cora looked the
other way. I don't know why job process could have been,
you know, after three home runs, like, what what are
you thinking after three in a row? Yeah, yeah, my goodness.
(25:09):
It's like when Rob Parker tells an off color joke
and Alex gets in trouble. It's great, exact same thing,
the same thing as they jump on Alex, but not
you know, you up downright, Rob Salent. He can do
what he wants why didn't you dump in? He said?
You know what, Alex says, He goes, I got corple
tunnel dumping all around. All right, here we go Question
(25:32):
number two. Red rookie phenom Hunter Green has been all
over the map. Through his first seven starts in the
Big leagues. He had one game where he pitched seven
and the third of no hit ball in another where
he gave up five home runs himself in less than
three innings. The work now. Green is currently one in
six with the six point two one r A answering Wednesday,
and the Revs might be the worst team of all times.
(25:53):
So jai, here's the question, foul or fair to say?
When the season is over, Hunter Green's win to will
be at least double what his ear is. Foul, But look,
the numbers are little misleading. By seasons, and this is
what I can guarantee. By seasons and not those numbers, rob,
(26:15):
but by seasons in and well before that, Green will
be recognized as one of the best pitchers in the
games and one of the rising stars of MLBO. He's
already shown us that he has that stuff, that electricity,
the old man no hitter. It's about the stuff he
(26:36):
plays on a god awful team, So I really don't care.
I really don't what his numbers are because he's the
only thing on the Red Rocks the worst watching right now,
and I don't even expect him to really be with
the franchise that long because they don't deserve him. He's
box office. His numbers will be horrible this year, but
if you dig deeper into the metrics, you'll see that
(27:00):
he was a very successful pitcher and he's definitely on
the ride because he's unhittable at times. Rob. Yeah, I'm
gonna agree with JR. Foul ball. I think that he'll
get better as time as he as he figures it out,
and then even though with um not maybe winning games,
(27:21):
his r A will come down. He does have electric stuff, Chris,
and he'll have better outings even though they might not win.
So I just don't think his ear A will be double.
I think his r The question is with the run
run to which I agree, guys, total right with the
win total be there, I'm gonna say foul I'm in
(27:42):
agreeable with my only all I'm saying is this, and
I agree with you guys. His stuff is nice and
I think he's got a bright future if he stays healthy.
But where I'll push because the wins. You're right, he
could be great and not right, no hitter and lost
it absolutely right. My point though, I can't put the
(28:03):
rat and I know it'll go down, but at this point,
I can't put the ra on his bad team. That's
on him, the RA. No, No, that is it right,
that's him. Yeah, he's also only earned runs those on
anything exactly, So that's all I'm saying. All right, here
we go. Last one Fouler Fair in the rd couple,
JR gamble in the mix, last question, world renowned E
(28:27):
D M d J Steve A. Okay, I don't even
know if you guys know who that is. I didn't know.
He launched a ceremonial first pitch into the stand the
other day. Now he joins a pretty exclusive list of
celebrity pitchers who were terrible at this, including the likes
of fifty cent Mariah Carry, Doctor Fauci, Connor McGregor, UH,
(28:48):
Carl Lewis, Michael Jordan, A lot of bad opening is
on a lot of bad high life singing. But he
that run, it wasn't He never felt the pole in
his hand, so many dropped from this segment. Alright, alright,
given the way alright was trending after that first pitch.
(29:14):
If you're a celebrity JR. Foul or fair to say,
you're actually better off just botching the first pitch altogether.
Oh fair, Yes, And I believe ALKI did it on
purpose because nowadays fellas the art of the cloud chase
is no longer about you excelling at the highest level.
(29:35):
It's about looking as goofy or shocking as possible. The
games don't change. Awards are one for being the worst
at things, and careers are building on one's inleptitude, you know,
being great fighters the last thing ridicule. So of course
he's trending. And of course it was intentional. It's how
business has done these days. It's a genius move actually,
(29:56):
and they throw it's probably worth a couple hundreds that
And you could see he had an arm, so I
don't doubt that that might have been on purpose, because
he threw it up, you know, up into the stands.
If not for the net um, I'm going this. Yeah,
I'm gonna say fair though well I think I'm not
sure which but here's my point. If you're a celebrity
(30:18):
and you go up there and you throw some heat
and now you're not gonna throw it that hard, but
you throw a nice pitch. With all the celebrities that
have been terrible at this, I think that might get
you some love too. You know, you go up there,
you got a nice wind up, you really get it
over the plate with a little bit of velocity on it.
I think that would make you look good too. So
(30:39):
I'm gonna I think I'm going the opposite of JR.
I don't know which it was, Filer, Forever track, but yeah, ball.
I'm with Chris on this. I disagree that looking like
a dude who's never thrown a ball in his life
is a badge of honor. I think that looks terrible.
And I'll always say this, he never got my boat
(31:00):
when he was president. But to this day, when George W.
Bush through the first pitch out at Yankee Stadium at
the World Series after nine to eleven, that was one
of the great throws I ever saw. And I had
much more respect for George because because he could throw
a path robs so easy to please. I amazing, except
(31:22):
when it comes to maraze, all right, that is our
man bro managing editor. And apparently you'll be able to
catch him here for three hours pretty soon. I don't know,
he's locked in. It's time. He's done a good job
(31:46):
for that's good. I'm excited to be going to get
a chance. He's gonna get a chance during your big
head I look, Rob, I never missed Jr. You know
I played level already. Great stuff, man, Thank you brother.
More our couple coming your way. Fox Sports Radio. Did
(32:07):
I knew that Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app
search f SR to listen live. Alright, it's the couple,
Chris and Rob wrapping up a worship Wednesday, and with
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(32:30):
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Slash rewards limitations do apply. This job ain't moving the
(32:54):
way it usually does. Wow. Wow, what else do? That's
the hack of a drip? Wow? I hope that's all
you got, Alex to Russ gotta raised, I think so. Um,
But anyway, uh, it was like he never felt up
all in his hand? Oh god, is that's all? Um?
(33:19):
Let me get back to the to the sports. Um.
The Lakers ride there, of course doing their coaching search,
and you can't say it ain't thorough. It's been a
long time now. How long has this been? Uh? Well
over a month, I think right? And um. The big
news ribe is that they are asking candidates that interview
(33:42):
with them what they would do with Russell Westbrook, like
how they would work him into the lineup, how they
would use him. And this has led some people to
speculate that, hey, we thought they were getting rid of Westbrook,
but they actually may want to keep him. What are
your thoughts on this? Right? Does this alarm you or what?
(34:03):
I don't think so. I think this is what you do.
You gotta be prepared for every scenario and maybe you
might be surprised by some coach if he could figure
out how Westbrook can be effective with the Lakers, considering
you might be stuck with him if you can't get
a deal, so to act like, oh, yeah, we're training
them no matter what, we're talking to the new coach
(34:24):
and we're not mentioned in Westbrook when you still have
him on the roster. I need to know what you
would do if we get stuck with them. So I
think the Lakers are doing the right thing. I'm totally
on board with you. I mean, and for people to
be alarmed is alarming to me. Like what like like
you say, he's on the roster, and I mean, I
(34:47):
want to know what you would do with my current
roster now if we change that, fine, But if we
can't trade him, if we have to give up too
many assets, or you know, we just can't get a
good deal and we don't want to move him, we
don't want to buy him out and waste that money,
and we keep him, what will you do with him? Right?
(35:07):
And I get it. Remember the Phil Jackson comments that
were reported by by Bill Plashky that he wants to
keep Westbrooks. So maybe people are trying to, you know,
piggyback off that and say, oh, here we go. They're
keeping Westbrook because of Phil Jackson, And maybe who knows,
maybe that is the case. But Rob, I also think
(35:27):
this even if my intention is to trade Westbrook like
you said, and we might not be able to. But
also I just want to know you're gonna be my coach.
I want to know what your basketball acumen is in
every situation that I can, right, So if we have him,
I want to know, like do I agree with your
(35:50):
philosophy and how you would use him if he's on
the roster, just to see. I don't plan on him
being on the roster, but if he is, I still
want to know. Are you a guy that I like
your thinking in different situations? Right? Because the whether it's
Westbrook or not, the personnel is going to change, and
(36:10):
so I can't I just gotta see what you're thinking
in various situations. I think any anything less than that
doing your due diligence is bad for an organization, and
you're not thinking about everything that could possibly happen. I
just think you have to take every scenario, and who knows,
maybe a coach blows you away when he gives you
(36:33):
the idea that Westbrook can work. You know, like he can.
This is what wasn't done last year and what you
need to do to make this guy be viable again
and make him the player, or at least that's a
great point. That's a great point. So you know they
do after playing for every scenario, and we'll see if
(36:56):
that includes having Russell Westbrook rob there's been there has
been a little bit of scuttle but about maybe a
Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul trade. If Phoenix is like, look,
we want to get off Chris's contract. Obviously Westbrooks got
one more year on the deal. We don't think we're
gonna win it next year with Chris, so we could
(37:18):
kind of start all over after that. That would be
in the Lakers mites. They would probably take that trade. Right.
The only thing is, if you're Lebron and you know
what Chris Paul has done, I'm not saying you want
to stick with Westbrook because I don't think they could
bring them back. I really don't. I think they need
to do whatever they can, but Chris Paul. Can you
imagine Lebron playing another year or two and they don't
(37:39):
win anything with Chris Paul, They'll be like, why did
you bring him over? Look at what's I mean? They
already got mellow there that that's what one short of
the Banana Crew. It was it d Wade was the fourth, right,
obviously that's not happening, but all right, it is the
I Couple. We're signing off. Go to iTunes, Apple podcast, SoundCloud,
Subscribe to the podcast as downloaded, give us five stars
(38:02):
and a comment in, and keep it locked right here
on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio Apper Serious XM eighty
three because Mike Harman and Jason Smith are about to
bring absolute fire
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. It is The Odd Couple.
I am Chris. Here is Rob. We're live as always
from the Fox Sports Radio studios, and we are just
moments away, folks, from game one of an intriguing Western
Conference series. I got the three time champion Golden State
(00:51):
Warriors just gonna be a good one. Big names legend
Steph Curry getting to make a case that he's the
best in the world. Luca dot chits just twenty three
years old. Look we're batched. Limitations do apply. We got
filed or fair with JR. Gamble of mlbbro dot com.
He's the managing editor there. He'll be joining us at
(01:13):
the bottom of the hour for that. But in the meantime,
we're gonna go to the NBA ratings and Rob g
I want you to kind of get on here and
explain some things once I asked you to take the mic.
But Rob, the ratings and I've talked about it, you know,
we talked about how many players are injured, how many
(01:34):
stars are injured, and I was saying, even so, the
playoffs have been tremendous. Memphis was a great series, even
after John Moran got hurt. Philadelphia Miami was intriguing, even
with Joe lmb missing a few of the games. Boston
(01:55):
had a couple of injuries here and there. Chris Middleton
was out for Milwaukee. But that was a voting series.
And we could go on and on and on and
guys that aren't even in the playoffs, Kawhi, Lebron Damian Lillard,
some of the big names of this generation. But the
new players have picked up the mantel and people are
excited about it. Because Rob, the ratings for the playoffs
(02:17):
in the NBA this year are at an eight year
high and eight year high. And if you had said
before the season that Lebron James is not going to
make the playoffs, that Kevin Durant is going to be
bounced in the first round, and Kyrie Irving one of
(02:37):
the most exciting players in the league. Kawhi Leonard wouldn't
be in him because he didn't playoff season, and yet
the ratings will be through the room, or at least
relatively speaking. I don't know that people would have believed you, Rob,
Would you have thought that was gonna happen? Yeah, I
don't know. I mean, I get that it's different with
(02:59):
different teams and whatnot and different players. But I'll push
back and say that the games were all like, there
were a lot of bad games to thirty point blowouts.
I'm not I'm surprised that the numbers have been that good.
We had two terrible games sevens in the last, you know,
to get to the conference. I mean the Boston Milwaukee game.
(03:21):
Milwaukee shoots four for thirty three from three point. I
didn't think that was a great game, and obviously the
Suns didn't show up. I was surprised by that. Guys
missing games. I mean, I think they were intriguing from
the matchups. I don't know how great the basketball was
or the games, and that's what that's fine, But I mean,
(03:41):
we're talking about the ratings. No, I know, I'm just asking.
I'm just saying leading into that I'm surprised that the
ratings have been as good as they have been because
of you know, some of the lopsided games that we
have seen in the postseason. But it's interesting that they
could be on the rebound. Obviously the last couple of
(04:02):
years with COVID and there was some stuff that just
didn't make sense in that people were at home, not
going anywhere and not doing anything, and it delivered some
of the worst ratings ever. You know. Yeah, and we
I'm sure we obviously talked about that at the end
the moment, but I think, Rob, we do have to
admit some of that was the political climate, right, I
(04:25):
mean Trump, Everything was about Trump on all the networks.
I think that was eating up a lot of you know,
viewers and remember the election of course the twenty twenty.
So I just think the news channels were probably I
don't know what their ratings were. I assumed they were
great because I think they were eating up a lot
of the viewers. But there's look, the bottom line is
(04:46):
it is what it is. The ratings were historically low,
and Rainal's bubble was the lowest ever for the final
Do you think do you think? I mean, because obviously
the face of this generation of players and we both
believe the second best player ever to do it, M
Lebron James. He's out of the playoffs. Do you think
(05:08):
this says anything? That the playoffs are, you know, at
an eight year high and he's not in them. Do
you think that says anything? Lebron is a weird character
as polar he's a polarizing figure. But usually that's good
because there's as many people that want to see him
do well and people want to watch to see him lose,
(05:29):
you know, so usually that helps you, that doesn't hurt you.
But I don't know, Lebron is very weird. I was
shocked that when he was going forwards fourth championship and
third in three different franchises, which nobody had ever done,
people didn't didn't tune in to watch that, like you
people normally want to see history. Yeah, that was in
(05:51):
the bubble, but for whatever reason, people weren't caught up
on it and didn't really watch it. Uh. And for
this to be an eight year high during Lebron's tenure
as being in obviously his career has been twenty years
longer than that. Nineteen years right, eight years would have
been one back to twenty fourteen, probably finals something like that.
(06:13):
So it's kind of weird that Lebron doesn't get that
juice that you would think, because of course, Michael Jordan
holds the record for the highest rated finals ever. Right,
that's the last Rob, when you look at the ratings,
like you know, year over year, I mean, the numbers
with Jordans were just astronomical, Like it's not then. And
(06:40):
here's the thing too, and we got to clear this up.
Obviously there weren't as many options as there are now. Right,
But it wasn't the Dark Ages either. It wasn't Magic
and Bird in nineteen seventy nine, Rob in college, right
when there were only three channels and very few people
had cable at that time, right this, I mean Jordan played,
(07:01):
there was cable TV, you had plenty of other things
you could watch, and yet he still he just drew.
And I think the interesting thing, Rob, you said Jordan.
I wouldn't call Jordan polarizing, would you. No, everybody knew
everybody didn't, I mean everybody, Like for a lot of fans.
(07:22):
I can remember when I worked in New York, Nick
fans would have loved to have seen Michael Jordan's score
fifty points at the Garden and loose to the Knicks. Right,
that's what that's what they wanted, like a show from him,
but their team to win. They didn't want him to win,
but they didn't mind if he put on the show, right.
So it was that kind of thing, and people all
(07:44):
around they were for Jordan fans everywhere, probably accept Detroit,
where maybe that might be the only player. You don't
think they liked seeing him put on the show. No,
that I mean would have been perfect for them, you know,
because he was scoring a lot. But what they really
hated there was an anti Jordan's sentiment. There are people
I know in Detroit who still won't wear Jordan sneakers. Really, yes,
(08:07):
because that's a sacrifice. That's what I'm doing. I ain't
going that, Robber. I know, I'm Isaiah, right, but I've
been Yeah, that's people taking on like Isaiah was their star,
and and you know that Isaiah's always pushed back on Michael.
Jordan has never given them any love like zero, And
(08:27):
I think there are Isaiah fans who follow that suit. Yeah, yeah,
Rob g Lebron and Rob said he's interesting because we
mentioned the bubble where you would have thought the ratings
would have been high because Lebron became the first player
ever the league three franchises to a championship. I'm I'm baffled,
(08:49):
and I've been there. It's been this way ever since
it happened. But you remember Lebron's first finals in two
thousand and seven. Very similar and we'll see if Luca
can carry it out, but very similar to what Luca's
doing now. Rob right, like young fourth year for both
of them, a guy that's clearly on his way to
be in an all time great as long as he
(09:10):
didn't get injured or anything. Lebron beat a champion in
the Pistons en route to get into the finals, right,
Lucas trying to do that against these Warriors. And yet
when Lebron got to those finals against Tim Duncan, Rob,
the ratings were low, and I would have thought, I
(09:31):
still don't understand that. I get that the Spurs weren't
a big draw, but it was Lebron. I mean, Jordan
was playing Utah and the ratings were high. Nobody was
like that interested in the Jazz and so I just
I don't know Lebron. He drew well in Miami and
the Cleveland finals drew well against Golden State. But Rob
g give us some numbers on Lebron's finals and you
(09:55):
know what you think that might mean? Sure, Well, to
start things off, you guys talked about how these ratings
are the highest they've been in eight years. Again, it's
just through the first two rounds, so we got to
wait to see how the rest of it plays out.
But just for context, Okay, in the of the top
ten highest rating early round playoff games, Lebron James only
(10:17):
been a part of one. That's shocking. Okay, he's only
part that historic, like in history eighty eight since since
they started, Um, this is nineteen eighty eight, right this study. Yeah,
so so he's at Wow. Which one was that that
would have been in uh twoy fifteen against the Bulls?
Really wow, against the Derrick Rose Bulls. Okay, two fifteen, Yes,
(10:42):
he was Cleveland, the Cleveland bull I'm sorry, Yeah, so
that was when they faced Um, it wasn't that the
year that he kind of ran through everybody in that
fifteen he Yeah, I'm surprised it was that late. I
would have expected when Rose was at his height, you know,
and Lebron was in Cleveland or in Miami. But okay,
and so that that's just for context in this this
(11:04):
early conversation, but going historically through the finals ratings you
guys touched on it quickly is the Spurs series and
then also the Bubble Championship. Lebron James is responsible for
two of the three lowest rated NBA finals in NBA history,
for exactly, and for even more context, the Bubble, which
(11:27):
robs to your point, four different four championship, four different franchises.
Everybody's at home. I can't think of a reason why
you wouldn't be watching why those numbers were incredibly the
difference between those ratings the worst ever and the second
worst ever are the same as the difference between the
(11:48):
third worst ever and the seventh worst ever. Wow, that's
how big of a gap it was with Lebron. And
even going through Chris you mentioned, you know, his ratings
with the heat and the Warriors, they weren't bad, But
however Raptors Warriors did better than heat Maps. That's crazy,
you know, for I know as much as of it have. Look, Lebron,
(12:10):
as awesome as he is, his game isn't the most exciting, right, Like,
it's not. I mean, Jordan was so graceful, right, like
his game was just pretty right. It just let's just
call it what it was. Right, the moves, the way
he moved, and Lebron's not Lebron's more like a freight train.
I think there's one other thing, Rob g And you
(12:31):
could speak on this better, being a Los Angeles native
and whatnot. This is your hometown. The other one was
the Dodgers and the Lakers. Now, anybody knows anything about
Los Angeles, it's a Dodger Laker town, period. Those are
the two teams that people care about. Right. The Dodgers
show four million tickets every year for baseball games. People
(12:54):
love the Dodgers, people love the Lakers period. Those two.
The year they both won the championship and twenty twenty,
the Dodgers had better World Series TV ratings than the
Lakers in Los Angeles, which was surprising. Correct, Oh, you
whose they were going? Were they going up again? We're
going head to head? Yes, a couple of games, because
(13:14):
it wasn't you remember they had the finals in the fall. No,
it's look and that shocking. Yeah, that was surprising because look,
when when Jordan retired, obviously there was a huge hole
in the NBA. Rob, you remember that everybody was like,
the ratings are down, who's gonna be the next guy
to carry the torch? Um? And lebron obviously is I
(13:37):
mean a few years from retirement. Um. But it's gonna
be interesting if there's that, it won't be that same
sense of loss. But you know, you wonder where the
ratings take a hit. It doesn't look like it doesn't
look like right, like not this year. If you're looking
at what's happened lest Madam Silver, I feel encouraged to
(13:57):
be honest, no question, no question. Let's start out to
the listeners eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight
seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Look,
the radis for the NBA playoffs, guys are at an
eight year high despite no lebron kd out in the
first round, no Kauai Chris Paul out in the second round.
(14:18):
Why do you guys think that is? And is lebron
a draw on television? As great as he is? You'll
turned away in with the eye couple, Christ and Rob.
Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox sports radio dot com. And within the iHeart
(14:39):
Radio app search FSR to listen live. All right, it's
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(14:59):
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seven ninety nine. On Fox, You're turned the way in.
Why are the NBA ratings for these playoffs at an
eight year high? And is Lebron a draw or not?
On TV? All right, let's kick it off with the
(15:20):
Obie and Los Angeles showing the odd Couple Fox Sports Radio,
What up Obie? Good afternoon, gentlemen. How are you guys
doing so? We're good man? How are you great show?
As always? Thank you Brasting, Thank you for taking my call.
A couple of things. I think you have a nice
combination of big and small markets involved this year. I
think Lebron is a negative draw in terms of his
(15:41):
stance on social issues. I think that does look away
from I think his social issues because it does take away.
Here's here's the one thing though, even because the back
in oh seven he was not known, you know what
I mean as a guy that spoke out about a
lot of issues. Yet and yet he's still his first finals.
The ratings were low. But right, right, that what you're saying.
(16:03):
But that's interesting. But that was Cleveland too, so it's
not a that was not a big market. And now
you got really good markets involved. You got Boston, you
got in New York, you got uh, you know, Shiva, Chicago,
so these are larger markets are involved. Let me say
this help, But let me say this. The one thing
I wonder when you talk about Lebron and I get
(16:24):
the political I know that that's a narrative that people push.
But the ratings were down in hockey and baseball too,
I mean during that time, even though the only point
to the NBA as the political stuff, and even in
LA where Lebron was, which is more liberal and more
a key you know, a keen to be that exactly
(16:48):
a line is what I was looking for. Uh, But
you know, the Dodgers did better than the TV ratings
do you know what I mean? So, I hear you.
I don't know how much of that is really true.
Do we lose him? May do? I agree with you.
If there is some of it in his game, is
not as pretty to watch as well. Okay again, thank
you guys for taking my call. You have a great face.
(17:08):
Appreciate it. Yeah. I just you know, if he was
playing in a different town, Chris, I would buy it.
La and California is as liberal as it gets. Yeah,
I mean, look that year in the bubble when they
have Black Lives Matter on the court and everything. I
don't know, maybe not. Maybe it probably did turn some
people off, but I don't know. Was that a factor?
(17:29):
Maybe maybe not? Yeah, all right, Marcus in Phoenix, you're
on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Thanks for taking my call, Yes, sir, Yeah, So, I
mean I'm gonna I'm gonna jump on the on the
last guys comments. I think he was. I think he's
spot on them. I mean, you gotta look at this
(17:51):
country was absolutely completely polarized during the bubble because of
the Black Lives Matter, because of the George Floyd, because
and Lebron was I don't know too many other athletes
at his levels that spoke out like he did. So
you had and you had to remember you had the
(18:11):
bucks give up the game or you know that one
game was But what about the other low low ratings
for Lebron though, I okay, if if you want to
put that on that one, what about the other ones?
Helped me with those? Marcus Well, I mean when you
say lo you mean back early in his career two
thousand and seven. Yeah, Um, wasn't that what year? Today?
(18:35):
Who played that year? San Antonio? Okay, the Spurs aren't
a huge draw, but they drew. They drew better when
they played Detroit, which Rob, you know they weren't the
most exciting team in the world either, not at all.
That wasn't superstar, right, that was weird that the Pistons
were no superstar with out draw Lebron. Right, that's weird.
(18:58):
Be sure to catch live and 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 iHeart Radio app ches. If you want exclusive insight
from the biggest names in the sports game. What's good
This is national champion and former pro bowler Chris Johnson
(19:20):
and let me tell you a little bit about my
new series. kJ kJ Live is the only show featuring
me going one on one with the brightest basketball minds
on the planet to get the real And when I
say real, I mean that real. I got legendary Hall
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bringing you a unique perspective on all things hoops culture
(19:41):
that you will not find anywhere. Helps to make your
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is the odd Couple Fox Sports Radio coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios, Rob Parker Chris Broussard.
(20:03):
Are we ready for Foul or Fair? With JR Gamble
that ball is It was a big week in the
big leagues. Who's Who's Is it foul or is it fair?
And now from MLB bro dot Com here's JR. Gamble
(20:26):
That's right, it is foul or fair Here on the
Our Couple of Fox Sports Radio segment when we go
around the baseball diamond to discuss all the biggest headlines
in the majors in order to do so properly. We
had to bring in a real baseball expert. Wow, the
face of mlbbro dot com, the star of the Inside
the Parker podcast, which drops tomorrow. That's right, make sure
(20:48):
you check it out. Well, it's a lively one with
Nick Swisher. That's right. It is. A few people get
you more hyped up than our and JR. Gamble, Yes, sir,
back again with the odd couple. I feel like Mike
Trouts the third that that to be. I guess his grandson.
(21:12):
The first time anybody in that family plays in the playoffs. Wow,
it I hate, I hate to break it to you,
but he has played in the playoffs one riot foul. Okay,
let's stop making like he's never been in the playoffs
one time. No, he hasn't. But he's played in the
(21:33):
playoffs one time. Okay, Yeah, Yeah, we're gonna have to
Rob one day. We're gonna have to do a sec
We're gonna have to get JR on for a segment
about that Rob because I don't think it that don't
that don't say nothing negative about him to me. Well, hey,
well I'm breaking news, but JR. Is gonna fill in
for you one day on your vacas. Oh you know
(21:56):
what that means. I haven't even given my vacation days,
and rods Off didn't got my replacement. My goodness, there
is going to be some serious Mike Trout slander that day.
Rob g Remember that right when JAYRS book. I mean,
when you're hitting a career a zero eighty three in
the postseason, you know you kind of deserve what's coming
(22:16):
to you, right Trout? Well, I'm gonna come on and
Chris is gonna gain a million followers. Oh wow, let's
get right to it, guys. I got three baseball stories.
It's up to you guys to tell me if my
story is foul or fair. Jayrs the start of the segments,
so he gets the first crack at every question. Question
number one here Jr. Earlier this week, Red Sox pitcher
(22:38):
Nathan Vivaldi became the third pitcher in MLB history to
allow five home runs in one inning. He didn't just
one to two thirds inning of work, and after he
went three up, three down in the first tells you
all bad. His second inning was all Red Sox manager
Alex Corre could say after the game was that it
was quote surprising. Here's the question foul or fair to
(22:59):
say that not of Valdi deserves the lion's share of
the blame for this bit of history. Foul, that is all.
You certainly can't blame Cora for a total collapse by
a Valdi. I mean, what manager expects his picture to
give up five bombs at won any It's only happened
(23:21):
twice in MLB history, So nobody really gets to blame
there except the guys throwing the pitches, the assholes. They're
formidable lineup. They hadn't even been hitting that well despite
needing the divisions, so you know that gang of bangers
they're going to break out eventually. M of all these,
I Heater was flat. He was just what the doctor orders.
(23:42):
And he's had success in his career, but not that day.
And that's what makes baseball so specialist. Fellas an unpredictable.
I'm going with foul as well. Now, look, I get
where you're going, Rob g and I do think Core
should have got him out of there. I means, do
you have to see you realize it's not his day?
(24:02):
All right? His junk ain't moving the way it usually does.
But um, but still at the end of the day,
it's always on the player. Um, he didn't have his stuff,
and um that's him, he's the blame. Core didn't throw
those pitches, he didn't throw those meatballs up there, and
so I gotta put it on Nvaldi over anybody else.
(24:23):
I say it's fair. The manager's job is to manage
the players. If somebody doesn't have it, you take him out.
If a guy's overmatched and his last at bat and
you need to hit something, then you say, I'm gonna
pinch hit for you because you're overmatched. I'm not gonna
sit there. Okay, maybe one, maybe two, I'll give you
(24:46):
a third home run, but there's no way you gotta
leave him in there for a fourth and fifth. He
didn't have it. They knew it, and Cora looked the
other way. I don't know why job process could have been,
you know, after three home runs, like, what what are
you thinking after three in a row? Yeah, yeah, my goodness.
(25:09):
It's like when Rob Parker tells an off color joke
and Alex gets in trouble. It's great, exact same thing,
the same thing as they jump on Alex, but not
you know, you up downright, Rob Salent. He can do
what he wants why didn't you dump in? He said?
You know what, Alex says, He goes, I got corple
tunnel dumping all around. All right, here we go Question
(25:32):
number two. Red rookie phenom Hunter Green has been all
over the map. Through his first seven starts in the
Big leagues. He had one game where he pitched seven
and the third of no hit ball in another where
he gave up five home runs himself in less than
three innings. The work now. Green is currently one in
six with the six point two one r A answering Wednesday,
and the Revs might be the worst team of all times.
(25:53):
So jai, here's the question, foul or fair to say?
When the season is over, Hunter Green's win to will
be at least double what his ear is. Foul, But look,
the numbers are little misleading. By seasons, and this is
what I can guarantee. By seasons and not those numbers, rob,
(26:15):
but by seasons in and well before that, Green will
be recognized as one of the best pitchers in the
games and one of the rising stars of MLBO. He's
already shown us that he has that stuff, that electricity,
the old man no hitter. It's about the stuff he
(26:36):
plays on a god awful team, So I really don't care.
I really don't what his numbers are because he's the
only thing on the Red Rocks the worst watching right now,
and I don't even expect him to really be with
the franchise that long because they don't deserve him. He's
box office. His numbers will be horrible this year, but
if you dig deeper into the metrics, you'll see that
(27:00):
he was a very successful pitcher and he's definitely on
the ride because he's unhittable at times. Rob. Yeah, I'm
gonna agree with JR. Foul ball. I think that he'll
get better as time as he as he figures it out,
and then even though with um not maybe winning games,
(27:21):
his r A will come down. He does have electric stuff, Chris,
and he'll have better outings even though they might not win.
So I just don't think his ear A will be double.
I think his r The question is with the run
run to which I agree, guys, total right with the
win total be there, I'm gonna say foul I'm in
(27:42):
agreeable with my only all I'm saying is this, and
I agree with you guys. His stuff is nice and
I think he's got a bright future if he stays healthy.
But where I'll push because the wins. You're right, he
could be great and not right, no hitter and lost
it absolutely right. My point though, I can't put the
(28:03):
rat and I know it'll go down, but at this point,
I can't put the ra on his bad team. That's
on him, the RA. No, No, that is it right,
that's him. Yeah, he's also only earned runs those on
anything exactly, So that's all I'm saying. All right, here
we go. Last one Fouler Fair in the rd couple,
JR gamble in the mix, last question, world renowned E
(28:27):
D M d J Steve A. Okay, I don't even
know if you guys know who that is. I didn't know.
He launched a ceremonial first pitch into the stand the
other day. Now he joins a pretty exclusive list of
celebrity pitchers who were terrible at this, including the likes
of fifty cent Mariah Carry, Doctor Fauci, Connor McGregor, UH,
(28:48):
Carl Lewis, Michael Jordan, A lot of bad opening is
on a lot of bad high life singing. But he
that run, it wasn't He never felt the pole in
his hand, so many dropped from this segment. Alright, alright,
given the way alright was trending after that first pitch.
(29:14):
If you're a celebrity JR. Foul or fair to say,
you're actually better off just botching the first pitch altogether.
Oh fair, Yes, And I believe ALKI did it on
purpose because nowadays fellas the art of the cloud chase
is no longer about you excelling at the highest level.
(29:35):
It's about looking as goofy or shocking as possible. The
games don't change. Awards are one for being the worst
at things, and careers are building on one's inleptitude, you know,
being great fighters the last thing ridicule. So of course
he's trending. And of course it was intentional. It's how
business has done these days. It's a genius move actually,
(29:56):
and they throw it's probably worth a couple hundreds that
And you could see he had an arm, so I
don't doubt that that might have been on purpose, because
he threw it up, you know, up into the stands.
If not for the net um, I'm going this. Yeah,
I'm gonna say fair though well I think I'm not
sure which but here's my point. If you're a celebrity
(30:18):
and you go up there and you throw some heat
and now you're not gonna throw it that hard, but
you throw a nice pitch. With all the celebrities that
have been terrible at this, I think that might get
you some love too. You know, you go up there,
you got a nice wind up, you really get it
over the plate with a little bit of velocity on it.
I think that would make you look good too. So
(30:39):
I'm gonna I think I'm going the opposite of JR.
I don't know which it was, Filer, Forever track, but yeah, ball.
I'm with Chris on this. I disagree that looking like
a dude who's never thrown a ball in his life
is a badge of honor. I think that looks terrible.
And I'll always say this, he never got my boat
(31:00):
when he was president. But to this day, when George W.
Bush through the first pitch out at Yankee Stadium at
the World Series after nine to eleven, that was one
of the great throws I ever saw. And I had
much more respect for George because because he could throw
a path robs so easy to please. I amazing, except
(31:22):
when it comes to maraze, all right, that is our
man bro managing editor. And apparently you'll be able to
catch him here for three hours pretty soon. I don't know,
he's locked in. It's time. He's done a good job
(31:46):
for that's good. I'm excited to be going to get
a chance. He's gonna get a chance during your big
head I look, Rob, I never missed Jr. You know
I played level already. Great stuff, man, Thank you brother.
More our couple coming your way. Fox Sports Radio. Did
(32:07):
I knew that Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app
search f SR to listen live. Alright, it's the couple,
Chris and Rob wrapping up a worship Wednesday, and with
prices soaring, and they are soaring indeed at the pump,
(32:30):
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Slash rewards limitations do apply. This job ain't moving the
(32:54):
way it usually does. Wow. Wow, what else do? That's
the hack of a drip? Wow? I hope that's all
you got, Alex to Russ gotta raised, I think so. Um,
But anyway, uh, it was like he never felt up
all in his hand? Oh god, is that's all? Um?
(33:19):
Let me get back to the to the sports. Um.
The Lakers ride there, of course doing their coaching search,
and you can't say it ain't thorough. It's been a
long time now. How long has this been? Uh? Well
over a month, I think right? And um. The big
news ribe is that they are asking candidates that interview
(33:42):
with them what they would do with Russell Westbrook, like
how they would work him into the lineup, how they
would use him. And this has led some people to
speculate that, hey, we thought they were getting rid of Westbrook,
but they actually may want to keep him. What are
your thoughts on this? Right? Does this alarm you or what?
(34:03):
I don't think so. I think this is what you do.
You gotta be prepared for every scenario and maybe you
might be surprised by some coach if he could figure
out how Westbrook can be effective with the Lakers, considering
you might be stuck with him if you can't get
a deal, so to act like, oh, yeah, we're training
them no matter what, we're talking to the new coach
(34:24):
and we're not mentioned in Westbrook when you still have
him on the roster. I need to know what you
would do if we get stuck with them. So I
think the Lakers are doing the right thing. I'm totally
on board with you. I mean, and for people to
be alarmed is alarming to me. Like what like like
you say, he's on the roster, and I mean, I
(34:47):
want to know what you would do with my current
roster now if we change that, fine, But if we
can't trade him, if we have to give up too
many assets, or you know, we just can't get a
good deal and we don't want to move him, we
don't want to buy him out and waste that money,
and we keep him, what will you do with him? Right?
(35:07):
And I get it. Remember the Phil Jackson comments that
were reported by by Bill Plashky that he wants to
keep Westbrooks. So maybe people are trying to, you know,
piggyback off that and say, oh, here we go. They're
keeping Westbrook because of Phil Jackson, And maybe who knows,
maybe that is the case. But Rob, I also think
(35:27):
this even if my intention is to trade Westbrook like
you said, and we might not be able to. But
also I just want to know you're gonna be my coach.
I want to know what your basketball acumen is in
every situation that I can, right, So if we have him,
I want to know, like do I agree with your
(35:50):
philosophy and how you would use him if he's on
the roster, just to see. I don't plan on him
being on the roster, but if he is, I still
want to know. Are you a guy that I like
your thinking in different situations? Right? Because the whether it's
Westbrook or not, the personnel is going to change, and
(36:10):
so I can't I just gotta see what you're thinking
in various situations. I think any anything less than that
doing your due diligence is bad for an organization, and
you're not thinking about everything that could possibly happen. I
just think you have to take every scenario, and who knows,
maybe a coach blows you away when he gives you
(36:33):
the idea that Westbrook can work. You know, like he can.
This is what wasn't done last year and what you
need to do to make this guy be viable again
and make him the player, or at least that's a
great point. That's a great point. So you know they
do after playing for every scenario, and we'll see if
(36:56):
that includes having Russell Westbrook rob there's been there has
been a little bit of scuttle but about maybe a
Russell Westbrook for Chris Paul trade. If Phoenix is like, look,
we want to get off Chris's contract. Obviously Westbrooks got
one more year on the deal. We don't think we're
gonna win it next year with Chris, so we could
(37:18):
kind of start all over after that. That would be
in the Lakers mites. They would probably take that trade. Right.
The only thing is, if you're Lebron and you know
what Chris Paul has done, I'm not saying you want
to stick with Westbrook because I don't think they could
bring them back. I really don't. I think they need
to do whatever they can, but Chris Paul. Can you
imagine Lebron playing another year or two and they don't
(37:39):
win anything with Chris Paul, They'll be like, why did
you bring him over? Look at what's I mean? They
already got mellow there that that's what one short of
the Banana Crew. It was it d Wade was the fourth, right,
obviously that's not happening, but all right, it is the
I Couple. We're signing off. Go to iTunes, Apple podcast, SoundCloud,
Subscribe to the podcast as downloaded, give us five stars
(38:02):
and a comment in, and keep it locked right here
on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio Apper Serious XM eighty
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