Alex Curry & Carmen Vitali Discuss SGA Winning MVP, Conference Finals Chaos & More!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Don't listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to Fox Sports Saturday. Alex Curry here with Carbon Vitally.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us. Happy
Memorial weekend feels like the official like kickoff of summer.
It's also my birthday weekend, so I'm a little biased
and a little.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Might be my favorite. It's a full vibe.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
And I'm also seeing Is Martin playing guitar in the
room right now.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
He literally just pulled out a guitar.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
He got his wedding coming up and he's trying to
learn guitar or the wedding.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Has it happened? Are we going to?

Speaker 4 (00:34):
I mean, here's the thing. I knows she's not listening
right now. Okay, but I only have so much time
to practice, not in front of her, right So if
I'm going through surprised, there's only so much sneaking around
I can do so.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh shit snitching r Yeah, oh I didn't.

Speaker 5 (00:47):
Well, I mean that way, there's no pressure if it
doesn't happen right like.

Speaker 6 (00:52):
This is like the one show she's listening to.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Remember what I said, record it so you have a
backup so you can play the recording tour like a video.

Speaker 4 (01:00):
I got you, but I've said if I don't, if
I say nothing now, I leave all my options.

Speaker 6 (01:04):
All your options.

Speaker 5 (01:05):
You see. I had a couple of months I like.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
This though, habit stacking your house.

Speaker 5 (01:10):
I'm locked in. Don't work.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
You're working, but you're also like you're working on top
of the work.

Speaker 7 (01:14):
Exactly.

Speaker 6 (01:15):
It's hard for I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Oh yeah, It's a great weekend though. NB playoffs have
been giving one sided both teams up two O pacers
taking both games on the road at MSG in the East.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Okay, see winning the first two.

Speaker 6 (01:28):
In the West.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
We'll dive into that in just a minute. We also
got some big NFL.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Updates this week.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
You guys, to push is here to stay. NFL players
can play like football at the Olympics.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
A new that's.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Really exciting, much deserved award is announced that I thought
about you, Carmen the moment this came out. Protector of
the Year given to the top O lineman. Your big boys,
Your big boys getting what they deserve. We're going to
dive into that a little later, along with some other
player updates.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
A lot to get to today.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Do you'm really excited about We are broadcasting live from
the Fox Sports Radio studios in LA, and I'll be
sure to check out Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. There's
a ton of great videos from so many of our Fox
Sports Radio shows. Just search Fox Sports Radio and YouTube
and you'll see a whole bunch of video highlights from
our shows. And be sure to subscribe so you always
have an instant access to our Fox Sports Radio videos
on YouTube.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
Now we've got a great show for you guys today.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
We're gonna have Vanessa Richardson, who's covering the Western Conference
Finals for ESPN tonight, joining us an hour two. Then
we have NBA insider Grant Mona from The Sporting Tribune
the bottom of this hour, Executive producer Ian with US
Today Technical producer Chris and as you heard from Martin
Wise already just rocking out guitar at the news desk.
We all kind of have like big events coming up

(02:42):
here really soon. Martin's getting married right around baby Girl
do date time, and then you're getting ready. We got
showers coming up too. We were talking about that coming in.
It's a really weird thing to not be involved of
a party that's being thrown for you.

Speaker 6 (03:00):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
I don't at my control freak is like, I am
not okay with this. I need to plan absolutely everything
that's going on.

Speaker 6 (03:07):
I'm planning a wedding. I don't need to be planning.
Like please, somebody takes something off my plate.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
No, oh my gosh, I have like full blown like oh,
like my OCD anxiety comes out and I'm like, I
need to know everything thought you're using. I need to
know the color scheme you're doing. I need to know
the taco guy that we're using. I need to know
the music in the playlist that's going to be playing.

Speaker 6 (03:27):
I like surprises. I love surprise. No, I love surprises.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
I love that we're like totally opposite on this.

Speaker 6 (03:34):
Yeah, I mean like I like planning stuff and that's
why I like. I like like the wedding process, like
planning it's really fun. But like I I love having
like I don't know like people's idea of what my
only request was A was a mimosa bar. Yeah that's
all I wanted. Yeah, I'm like, I have requests, but
like I don't care it mine was.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
I want I want a taco truck. Like how my tacos?

Speaker 2 (03:54):
That's great, okay, tacos and Margarita's because I can't have
Margarita's right now, so everyone else will be drinking them
for me. All right, to dive into the NBA playoffs,
you guys, Eastern Conference Finals last night, Pacers steal two
games at Madison Square Garden. India has now won six
straight road playoff games, and teams that have led the

(04:15):
conference finals two oh have a seventy six and six
record all time, So odds are kind of on their
side right now. But the Pacers have been so fun
to watch, like they believe in themselves and they've kind
of become like the villain of the playoffs and they
feel like they're a team of destiny this year, like

(04:36):
that bucket bounce in Game one was so iconic, but
also like there's a little bit of luck there, and
every championship team has the talent, but they also have
a little bit of luck on their side.

Speaker 6 (04:50):
I was somebody asked me, like, up before the game yesterday,
they were like, oh, you know who you got, nick Pacers,
And I was like, you know, I want to say
NIX because I want this to be a series, but
I am based on the embarrassing way that they lost
the first game and then the Pacers just having you know,
some of these I don't know if you want to

(05:11):
call it locker if you want to call it they
like they've just been underrated. I feel like for most
of the season into the playoffs, no one really giving
them a chance. They handled the first couple rounds well, yeah,
so I was like, I could really see I could
see the next kind of crumbling here. As much as
I like I have bought into the divine intervention for
the New York Knicks, which it could.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
Still happen, I jumped on bandwagon too.

Speaker 6 (05:32):
But I mean last night's game for the Pacers, that
first half was the Pacers worst half of the entire playoffs.
Tires Haliburton said it after the game, he was like,
this was that was a horrible half. But going into
the locker room only being down three after having the
worst half that they had all playoffs, post season long,
that that gives you so much confidence. It showed in

(05:55):
the second half they came out. They didn't really leave
much of a doubt. I mean, the game got close
again towards the end. But the Pacers, I I they
they have the leadership, they have a lot of the experience,
and I don't know. I mean the Knicks, this has
been their crutch or their achilles heel the entire season
where they haven't been able to show up against big teams.

(06:16):
They couldn't do it in the regular season. They finally
did it last round. But yeah, now it feels like
they're coming back down to earth to the Knicks that
we saw in the regular season.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
It's just hard because it almost feels like the Knicks
winning that Boston series was their NBA final. Yeah, Like,
if any team should know that a late comeback is possible,
it's the Knicks. They did it twice to Boston, two
twenty point comebacks against the Celtics. But I that game won,
like it really kind of I feel like set the

(06:47):
tone for this series. I mean, that was an insane,
iconic comeback, the bounce that was seen around the world,
like the moment by Haliburton to tie the game. Obviously,
he thought he won it with the set factory was
called back and the game was sent to ot. That's
why he did the choke, like doing the iconic Reggie
Miller choking game.

Speaker 6 (07:08):
The only way it would have been better is if
that had actually been like he thought.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
It was yeah, but like you understand the moment, like
if they end up winning the series and winning the
NBA title, that is like the opening scene of the
documentary that's going to be made.

Speaker 6 (07:22):
And like this whole I think you have to be
encouraged as a Pacers fan too because you have different
guys stepping up at different times, because like Game one,
Passcalciakam did not have a good game, he wasn't a
huge fanssaker.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Six threes most by any players, like in the fourth
quarter that was insane.

Speaker 6 (07:36):
And then Game two, yeah, it was the Pascal Siakam game. Yeah,
And so you have different guys stepping up at different
times and that makes them again really hard to defend
as a team if you don't know who's catching fire
and that multiple guys are capable of it. So I
it's just I love that we are finally getting mystery
and intrigue in the East because we did not have that.

(07:57):
I kept talking about it.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Of us saw this coming. Nobody start of the playoffs,
nobody did.

Speaker 6 (08:01):
Everybody thought it was like the Calves and the Celtics
on a crash course for the Eastern Conference finals because
there had been no like leading up to the playoffs.
There was no mystery as to what the seating was.
It was the best team at all. The order was
set almost a month in advance. And now you like,
I was like even the first the first round of

(08:21):
the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, I think the longest
series was six games, so and that was only one
series went to six games, so there was multiple sweeps.
It was one of those things where all, right, when
are we gonna get the mystery? When are we going
to get the intrigue? And sure enough, ude And.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
The crazy thing is, like the Pacers have done this
in every series they've been in, like these crazy comebacks.
Game five against the Bucks down seven with forty points
left in OT, Game two against the Calves down by
seven with fifty seven seconds, and then Game one against
the Knicks at MSG down fourteen with two fifty left
and then obviously hit the buzzer beater, descended to OT

(08:58):
and ended up winning in OT. Like when you can
do this against kind of every caliber of team and
you believe in yourself and you see a group like
as we just mentioned, that any guy can step up
at any moment, and you have that never quit resilient
like please doubt me attitude. It's hard to bet against him.

(09:20):
And I feel like Pacer fans like all season have
been like we told you, we told you, and everyone
else is like, I see it. I'm sorry it took
me so long.

Speaker 6 (09:28):
Right, see it. I mean, it's what you get when
it's a small market. But I also, I mean between
the Eastern Conference finals and even the Western Conference despite
the fact that I mean the Yokohom Sidney Thunder had
the best record in the West and they made it
to the finals, but like nobody expect the Timberwolves to
be there. So there's parody in the NBA now, yes,
And I think that's been the case for the last
two years, where I mean, outside of growing up a

(09:49):
Chicago Bulls fan, but like I understand that if you
were a Bulls fan during that time, that was a
frustrating time because there was so little parody in the NBA.
Even after that, though, I that wasn't huge into the
NBA for a very long time because it was like,
all right, the same five teams are going to win, yeah,
just kind of in a rotating order, and you know,
you don't see any of these crazy kind of Cinderella

(10:10):
stories happen.

Speaker 2 (10:11):
But now you're getting it. You're getting it, and I
love that. It's I mean, it's great. I mean, this
is a must win for the Knicks in Game three
if they want to keep this series alive back in Indiana.

Speaker 3 (10:22):
But I don't see how it's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
I was like, it's I don't see it. They don't
can go down momentum.

Speaker 6 (10:26):
You can go down oh and two and then come home. Yes,
going down oh two and then having to go on
the road, that is horrendous. It's tough, it's and there's
there's not many teams. I don't think anybody has come
back from something like that.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
We'll have to look up those stats producers. If you
find that, let us know what those are.

Speaker 6 (10:46):
You know, it's very it's not common, it's not common.
And it's you've made it a lot harder on yourself
here than New York.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
They need they needed to win that game last night,
that that was a that was a must win to
keep the series alive.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
And then this is do or die tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
But let's move to tonight's game in the Western Conference Finals,
Game three tonight in Minnesota.

Speaker 6 (11:04):
This one might go fast.

Speaker 2 (11:06):
Both games kind of had a similar feel where it
was close in the first half and the Thunder just
start to pull away in.

Speaker 3 (11:13):
The second half.

Speaker 2 (11:14):
And I think I think the t Wolves like might
take game like might take this one at home in
game three.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
But this is feeling like a gentleman's.

Speaker 2 (11:24):
Sweep vibe, which is what the t Wolves did in
their first two rounds. And honestly, I think the fact
that they cruise through the first two series might have
hurt them. Like they played a Lakers team that was
still trying to gel with Luca. They got exposed, and
they played a Warrior team that was eventually without Steph Curry,
and now they're playing the best team in the West
and OKAC had the best record. They have so much chemistry,

(11:49):
they're having so much fun. There are so many young stars,
they have SGA the MVP, and I just don't think
the t Wolves have enough to overtake Okay see right
now and we're seeing it.

Speaker 8 (12:03):
No.

Speaker 6 (12:03):
I mean, the only chance that you really had for
the Cum City Thunder to not be the ones to
make it out of the West were if you know,
their young kind of quote unquote inexperience came back to
bite them. But like that was the story of last year.
Yeah they last year, Yes exactly, they had all of
that experience from last year and they came into this

(12:23):
year and I mean they've just stomped on everyone. They've
been completely dominant this entire postseason. They look exactly like
the team they were in the regular season. And you
have SGA getting his MVP award, and we'll get into
that in a little bit, but like the pace that
he was on and doing it on a good team matters.

(12:44):
It does, and that's but it's also like it's not
just SGA either. You have so many you have such
a good supporting.

Speaker 3 (12:50):
Cast and they're having fun together.

Speaker 2 (12:52):
Oh you've seen all their postgame interviews, like they they
all they do this thing where they like put towels on,
like the guy getting interviewed, and like all also their
team reporter, and they try to do as much as
possible and it's become this like fun, interactive thing and
you can tell they are they are young, but they
are tight, they are talented, and they're enjoying what they're doing,

(13:13):
which is so important if you want to be a
championship team. And it's just it's hard, Like Game one
like Anthony Edwards didn't show up. Julius Randall carried the
team of twenty eight points, but Prudy co berrel hand.

Speaker 6 (13:25):
Two points and three rebounds.

Speaker 3 (13:26):
He was bad.

Speaker 6 (13:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
Game two, Aunt played like better thirty two points but
was one of nine from three like that. He cannot
be the only person on that team showing up.

Speaker 6 (13:38):
Yes, So it's honestly like a shout out to the
Thunders defense too, because that's been and that was the
story of to why they were such a good team anyway,
They're a complete team.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
They're a complete team all around.

Speaker 6 (13:50):
Nobody plays defense in the regular season, but the Thunder
had the capability to do so. And on top of that,
with Shay Gildas Alexander leading the way, you score a
ton of points. Yeah, I mean this has been. They've
been a high scoring team, even again in the playoffs
and being being able to keep your opponent like limit
their scoring chances because your defense is so good. Like, yeah,

(14:12):
it's hard to beat a team like that. It's hard.
At the end of the day, I'm excited.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
We're going to talk to Vanessa Richardson next hour, who's
in Minnesota covering the game tonight. So hopefully get like
a vibe check inside Info. Do you think that they're
gonna be able to take one at home?

Speaker 6 (14:27):
I think maybe. I mean they have like I.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
Think, gentlemen sweep. I'm calling gentlemen.

Speaker 6 (14:31):
Sweep for this series. Yeah, I think if it's not,
if it's not a straight up sweep, I think that
maybe the Timberwolves can get one. And if they get one,
it's gonna be at home. But I mean, six of
twenty shooting, that's hard. Five turnovers the August Olma City
forced and they converted that into twelve points in the
last game. Like, you can't give me. You can't give
Oklahoma City more chances than they already create for themselves.

(14:51):
And that's what Minnesota has been doing. Now, you can't
keep up the shoot, Like, if you can't really get
better at the shooting percentage, can't go up at home.
I don't know where it's going to And this is
going to be a pretty ugly series.

Speaker 2 (15:04):
It is, all right, We're gonna take a quick break
here when we come back. Our NBA MVP was announced
this week. Was it deserved or did you feel it
was voter fatigue? That's next on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 7 (15:16):
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 FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (15:28):
Welcome back to Fox Sports Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Carmen Vitali. We are broadcasting live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios in Los Angeles.

Speaker 3 (15:35):
This is what my playlist sounds like, So thank you, Like,
are we.

Speaker 6 (15:38):
Doing like epic guitar reps?

Speaker 9 (15:40):
You know, me and Martin were talking before and he
was saying, like, you know, not to keep revealing the secret.
But he even listening to a lot of Eric Clapton
coming here, So no, I.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
Like, my husband's a professional guitar player, so it's like
this is like all that like I hear in the
background like all day every day in my house.

Speaker 3 (15:59):
And then my playlist for Baby Girl.

Speaker 9 (16:01):
That she's been has a certain reputation. But the same time,
you cannot deny the skill. Now, this is one of
the most skilled guitar is head.

Speaker 3 (16:07):
It's so good.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
I just want to say my jams honestly, it's yeah,
good vibes. Keep these vibes going to say, Okay, this
is what.

Speaker 6 (16:14):
Plastic guitar riffs.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
This is what we want today all for you, martin In,
Martin wed Trust. All right, thank you for spending your
Saturday afternoon with us.

Speaker 6 (16:25):
You can stream this show too on in all of
our Fox Sports Radio shows live twenty four to seven
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(16:47):
at the top of your screen.

Speaker 3 (16:48):
Love that, Okay, guys.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
Obviously we kicked out the show talking about the NBA Finals,
but our NBA MVP was also announced this week. Sga
wins his first MVP over Nickoley, and there's a lot
of Again, I just want to put this out there.
I never want to put down a player for winning
an incredible award, for having an amazing season, but there
is the question was this deserved over the joker or

(17:14):
was it voter fatigue?

Speaker 3 (17:16):
Because when you put both.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
These players stats side by side, SJA only led in
points per game and the Joker led in everything else.
And statistically, this was Jokiic's best season and he already
has three MVPs. But then you have SGA, who was
on what the first team in the like number one

(17:39):
in the West. You have the Joker who was on fourth,
and obviously he's he's won three MVPs before.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
I just.

Speaker 2 (17:51):
It feels like it could be a little voter fatigue.
But then also this leads into the conversation, what do
you consider your MVP, like your most valuable player to
the team and they are where they are and they
wouldn't be there without him, or this is the best
statistical player in the league.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
I really go either way.

Speaker 6 (18:15):
I know Jokicic led in a couple more categories than
SGA did, but at the same time, their stats were
very close to each other. And you look at what
the thunder date all season long, and who was leading
that SGA young player really productive and listen if you
if you if you value more like what a what

(18:38):
a certain player means to their team. I do think
that Jokic could have deserved it this year too, because
of like look at all the turmoil that happened in Denver.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
He's the reason that they got to the postseason still
and had success in the first.

Speaker 6 (18:50):
And yeah, he put the team on his back multiple times.
Also didn't show up a couple of times. Yeah, so
it does. It depends on what your definition of v is.
But SGA, I mean, he was dominant all season, the
thunderword dominant all season. He is the only other, you know,
the only other player in NBA history to average at
least thirty points on fifty percent shooting, five rebounds, five assists,

(19:14):
one and a half steals, and one block per game
and a season. Is you know who the only other
players do that? Jordan, Michael Jordan.

Speaker 3 (19:20):
That was like the way you're looking at me right now,
it's got to be Jordan.

Speaker 6 (19:23):
Yes, he did it in nineteen eighty seven, the eighty
seven eighty eight season, Yeah, and the ninety ninety one seasons,
which are the seasons that he won the first of
his first two of his five MVPs.

Speaker 7 (19:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (19:32):
So you have a young player leading a dominant team, yes,
who did historic things. Yeah, I'm not going to tell
you that that was the wrong choice. And I mean,
what seventy one of the one hundred votes. First place
votes went to SGA.

Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yeah, like that's it's it's so close. So if we're
we're talking about the stats side by side here, let's
do you got Joker SGA okay points per game Joker
twenty nine point six, SGA thirty two point seven, he
led the league, right, and then you go rebounds per
game the Joker twelve point seven, SGA five assists per game,

(20:16):
Joker ten point two, SGA six point four, field goal
percentage the Joker fifty seven point six, SGA fifty one
point nine, and then three point percentage Joker forty one
point seven, SGA thirty seven point five. So statistically, Jokic
had better numbers. The only thing that SGA led in

(20:38):
was points per game, So I had a better team.
They were better all season. This is kind of where
it can go a lot of different directions. I again,
I never want to put a player down for winning
an award, and he had SGA had an MVP caliber
season any other year.

Speaker 3 (20:57):
I don't know, it's me, We've seen it before. It's hard.

Speaker 6 (21:02):
Also, SGA has probably been robbed of some awards and
everything else because Jokic has won so many times. Like, yeah,
this is the third straight season that SGA has averaged
at least thirty points while shooting better than fifty percent.
So he he's been a good player. And like as
much as MVPs are like you know, season by season,
I get it, but like, there are other factors that

(21:23):
come into this context matters. Yeah, and SGA has been
good for a while now.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
He has waiting for his moment. He's been waiting for
his moment, and this has been.

Speaker 6 (21:33):
The thundering moment there. I think that does. Yeah, that's
the biggest thing here is that the Nuggets had their
moment a few years ago. The thunder or the thunder
now burn pretty hard since and again it means so
much for Oklahoma City. Yeah, and the historicness of this
season and how dominant they've been and how they've ate

(21:53):
and left no crumbs, as the kids.

Speaker 2 (21:55):
Say, Dude, that fan base I'm slowly starting to learn
about is insane.

Speaker 6 (21:59):
Oh and right very organized. I want to shout out, actually,
thunder fans because every game you watch in these playoffs, Yeah,
they are so organized. As far as their color scheme
in the crowd.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
Well, they put on the shirts, they leave them. Yes,
everyone puts on the shirt one puts on the shirt
on the.

Speaker 6 (22:14):
Chair and they have like strength. Sometimes they have a
different like if anybody could be as organized as like
European soccer fans, I feel like it would be under fans.
And that's like the highest compliment I can get these guys.
So shout out to the most City Thunder fans because
y'all are very organized and very passionate, and I really
appreciate it. I hope this team goes and wins it
for you.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
That's cute, that's fun.

Speaker 6 (22:34):
All right.

Speaker 3 (22:34):
Now, let's check out Martin Wise and see what's trending.

Speaker 5 (22:42):
A whole lot of baseball going on right now. Top
for the tenth inning, five to five.

Speaker 4 (22:46):
The Orioles had to lead in this game, which has
been the story for them a lot of this year.
But they're like the worst team in baseball sixteen and
thirty three and look like they might blow this one.
Top of the tenth inning, game one of a doubleheader.
The Red Sox.

Speaker 2 (23:00):
Some Red Sox in their like City Connects Green, which
I know is the Green Monster, like being tribute to
It's just weird.

Speaker 3 (23:06):
It's a little weird.

Speaker 5 (23:08):
I would say this. I don't mind the City connect
in color.

Speaker 3 (23:13):
It's a really pretty color, but not.

Speaker 5 (23:14):
For they just wear them too much. This is weird.

Speaker 6 (23:17):
It was weird. Yeah, it should be like it should
be one series. I mean, as someone who like the
White Sox are wearing like essentially bowl jerseys. But they
did the invert of what I would want them to
do because they did red jerseys with the black pin stripe.
I'm like, do the black jerseys with the red pinstripe.
It was my favorite. It was right there. It was
right there.

Speaker 3 (23:35):
But they have one of the coolest city connects.

Speaker 6 (23:37):
I will give them that. It's really cool. I just
wish the colors were inverted because that's like, that would
be the way that that would be in my closet already.

Speaker 5 (23:46):
I just thought about it. It would be there, right,
it would be there.

Speaker 6 (23:49):
That's the way it would be there. It would be
in my closet in the front. Yeah, that's all I want.
I still don't have one. I need to find my
My goal is to get a vintage Michael Jordan twenty
three pinstripe.

Speaker 5 (24:01):
Jersey and the little black Yeah, the black jersey.

Speaker 6 (24:04):
With the red pinstripes and the red like kind of
out you know.

Speaker 2 (24:07):
Where I feel like you could find if you don't
mind it not being like authentic, but like kind of
close at sea, does real good.

Speaker 6 (24:13):
That's the thing I'm waiting for is I'm waiting for
it to be authentic.

Speaker 3 (24:16):
It was like, does really good Jersey?

Speaker 6 (24:17):
It's like my bucket like that off of it. It's no,
it's my bucket list clothing item. I want a real one,
vintage one.

Speaker 3 (24:25):
Okay, that's fair.

Speaker 6 (24:26):
Top of it anyway.

Speaker 5 (24:27):
Top of the ninth inning, the Royals and the Twins
for a piece.

Speaker 4 (24:30):
Bottom of the eighth inning, the diamond Cardinals lead the
Diamondbacks six to five. They came back to this when
Diamondbacks had a five four lead. The middle of the second,
Pirates and the Brewers tied one apiece to Nationals. With
a two nothing lead over the Giants in the bottom
of the second inning. Bottom of the first, Cincinnati leads
Chicago Cubs two to nothing.

Speaker 5 (24:48):
Bottom of the.

Speaker 4 (24:49):
Second, Padres and Brave scoreless. Astros and marin Or Shuston
with a two nothing lead. In the top of the
second inning, the Rangers lead the White Sox won nothing
top of the second, and going towards the bottom of
the second, the Yankees have a one nothing lead over
the Rockies, who are actually the worst.

Speaker 5 (25:03):
Team in baseball nine and two.

Speaker 4 (25:06):
Goodness gracious, that's a bad batting average nine to forty two.
But Aaron Judge with his eighteenth homer of the year.
That's the Yankees one run thus far. In the w NBA, Atlanta.

Speaker 5 (25:18):
Leads Dallas sixty eight to fifty.

Speaker 4 (25:21):
Earlier today, we saw the New York Liberty beat the
Indiana Paver ninety to eighty eight unquil Jones at twenty
six Sabrina I Sq twenty three cap when Clark finished
with eighteen points, waiting.

Speaker 5 (25:32):
On two game threes. Tonight, the NHL Game.

Speaker 4 (25:35):
Three the Eastern Conference Finals sus Stanley Cup defending champion
Panthers leave the Carolina Hurricanes two to nothing. Panthers benching
their starting goaltender, Frederick Anderson Tonight will start back up
Peter Kotchakov Instead. The Panthers ruled out sam O'ryanhart because
on lower body injury. He was their leading goal scorer
during the regular season, and Tonight eight thirty Eastern from Minnesota,

(25:58):
the Timberwolves hosts Oklahom, the city trying to get back
into that series. Game three, Oklahoma City leads two games
to none.

Speaker 3 (26:05):
Back to you guys, thank you Martin.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
You're listening to Fox Sports Saturday and Alex Coreer Heer
with Carmen Vitali.

Speaker 3 (26:09):
We were broadcasting lack in Fox Sports Studios.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
And Los Angeles.

Speaker 3 (26:12):
And a aside for our first.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
Guest, NBA Insider for the Sparting tribute, Grant Mona, we
did it.

Speaker 3 (26:17):
Thanks for joining the show.

Speaker 10 (26:20):
How you doing. Yeah, good to hear from you guys. Wow,
we finally got we did it this year.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
I know great was supposed to be on last week
and like moment of didn't come through. But let's get
right to it, and let's start with last night's game
in the East. The Pacers have gone up two to
oh on the next winning both games at MSG, and
they've looked great all postseason, like some incredible comebacks. Has
Indiana been a surprise team of the postseason this year

(26:48):
or is this something you expected to see?

Speaker 10 (26:50):
You know, I didn't really expect this because I really
thought that the Bucks with a healthy honest could really
do some damage to Indiana. But I think there will
be but I think they're run right now. I'm kind
of going back to the regular season, and I'm looking
at what they did and in their body of work in
the second half of the season, guys, and you know,
I think that this Indiana Pacers team was kind of

(27:13):
they flew under the radar. We were talking about the
Knicks and the Cavaliers and the Celtics in the second
half of the season, and this Pacers team they were
steadily just getting better and better at post All Star Break,
and they carried that into the postseason. Look, this is
a team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals right
last year. They played very well against the Boston Celtics.
I know that they got swept, but they played very,
very tough in all four of those games. So they

(27:35):
had a chip on their shoulder. They have a superstar
in Tyres Halliburton. They have a guy that's won a
championship in Pascal Siakam, who was fantastic in Game two.
They have the recipe for a championship team. It's just
we were kind of paying attention to other teams. So
surprising in that aspect, but if you look at their
body of work, it's really not that surprising.

Speaker 6 (27:53):
Yeah, why do you think they went so under the radar?
Win again, they were in the playoffs last year. They've
got a couple of big name guys, guys the experience,
They've got a pretty complete team. So what well, we're
just kind of start like all the lights were on
Boston and the Calves with their record and that was it,
because I mean I fell into that trap too. I
was that was the crash course that we were on,
was in Eastern Conference finals. That had that was the

(28:15):
Celtics and the Caves. But I like it better this way.

Speaker 10 (28:18):
Yeah. I think it's just because it's Indiana, and I
hate to be like this big market person. I live
in Los Angeles, so maybe it's the bias I have there,
But Indiana doesn't really scream big market to you. And
you think about the teams like the Cavaliers, who are
the top seed. I know that's not a huge market,
but they're the top seed and they had Donovan Mitchell
and Evan Mowgley and all those guys. And you think
of the Boston Celtics, obviously one of the better franchises

(28:40):
in NBA history, probably the best. Sorry Laker fans, I
had to say it, but you know, you look at
all these teams in the big markets, and we pay
attention to them. We talk about them a lot, and
you know, people that really study the game of basketball
and watch the game of basketball. I mean this, this
Pacers team, they had the offense to keep up with
those teams, they just really didn't have the defense. I
feel like that we saw they elevated that now in

(29:02):
the postseason, and you know, we're kind of seeing why
they're so good.

Speaker 2 (29:06):
So Nick's are in a deep pull down. Oh two,
who do you think Win's East?

Speaker 11 (29:11):
Oh?

Speaker 10 (29:11):
I'm going to stay with the Pacers now. But before
the series, I thought it was the Nicks because I
just felt like, you know, they wanted a big market
from in there. I felt like Jalen Brunson was playing
so phenomenal og and Obi was playing so great. Karl
Anthony Towns is an awesome number two to Brunson. But
outside of that starting five, they really don't have a
lot of depth. That's why the Pacers do have that

(29:33):
depth and depths guys wins championships. I keep telling people
super teams are no more. It's about depth, and the
Pacers have a lot of depth. So I have them
going to the finals to play the Oklahoma City thunder,
which is not what a lot of people want to hear,
but I think that's.

Speaker 3 (29:47):
The trending that way. Yeah, it's definitely well.

Speaker 6 (29:50):
It's interesting now too, because the East started out not
having a whole lot of mystery. We talked a lot
about that, and the West was the one where you
were like, I don't know how the seating is going
to work out going into the po season. I don't
know who's gonna come out of the West, even with
Oklahoma City having the record they did. But now it's
looking increasingly like I mean, Oklahoma City has not taken
a step back at all in the postseason. They've if anything,

(30:11):
gotten more dominant as the postseason has gone on. So
is there any hope that the t Wolves can steal
one to make a series of this or is this
going to be just kind of the thunder rolling now?

Speaker 10 (30:24):
I do want to say that there is hope because
Minnesota plays fantastic at home. I mean, Laker fans know this,
you know, Warriors fans know this, But they play very
well at home. They have an awesome home crowd, one
of the best in the league. And I just can't
count out in Anthony Edwards team. I can't count out
Julius Randall, who had a great Game one, but had

(30:44):
a very bad game too and was surprisingly benched in
Game two for whatever reason in the fourth quarter. I
know he had a bad game, but that's a guy
that's really gotten you to this point. So they have
the pieces, much like I was talking about Indiana with
the depth, Like they have guys that can come off
the bench and lay some great defense. But you look
at the Thunder and they're like eight nine deep. They
can bring Isaiah Joe off the bench and Wiggins and

(31:06):
you know, they have all these different guys that they
can throw at you. Their defense has just been phenomenal
in the series. I mean, it's just kind of crazy,
like for both of you. The Nuggets probably put up
a better fight than the Wolves are putting up right now.
The Nuggets were literally played six players, and that just
goes to show how good the Nuggets were with Nikola
jokicch and Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon that they could

(31:26):
push this Thunder team. It looks very dominant the seven
games in the last series.

Speaker 3 (31:31):
So let's talk about that.

Speaker 2 (31:32):
MVPSGA one NBA MVP over Nikola Jokic despite the Joker
having probably the best statistical season of his career. Do
you think this was the right choice for the award?

Speaker 10 (31:42):
I do, I do, And you know my pay I mean,
I didn't have a vote this year, but my pick
was shag Gilgess Alexander. I just feel like he was
the better defensive players than Nikole Jokic, leading the number
one defensive team in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder,
throughout the regular season. He was the leader scorer in
the regular season. He had the most points per game.

(32:04):
You just look at like how that team played throughout
the course of the season. He was at the forefront
of it, right, and you know, he was the head
of the snake for our number one seeds here a
number one seed last year, and I just felt like
the media had their mind made up.

Speaker 7 (32:18):
Now.

Speaker 10 (32:18):
This is not to take away from what Nikola Jokic
did or what Jannison Tetokumpo did in Milwaukee. Both of
those guys had fantastic seasons, probably historically good offensive seasons.
My point throughout all this MVP conversation to the both
of you was, let's just appreciate all of these candidates.
I know that one is going to win, But that
does not mean that Nikola Jokic didn't deserve it. I

(32:40):
just felt like, in this season, the way the Thunder
played a historically good season in general defensively and offensively
record wise, sixty plus wins, Shay just had to win it.
I felt like the media had their mind made up there.

Speaker 6 (32:53):
Yeah, and then you look at I mean, outside of
the MVP Award, like the NBA First Team that was
also released, and like, no real surprises there whatsoever. Because
you have SGA, you have Nikola jokicch but you have Giannis,
Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell. So did they do kind of
the rest of it right? I suppose?

Speaker 10 (33:12):
I do think they got the first and second teams
right now the third team. Listen, I cover the Clippers,
so I obviously have a little bit of a bias there.
James Harden made third team All NBA. He was that
was very well deserved. I felt like if Vita Zubats
should have gotten one of three things most improved, maybe
just the Defensive Player of the Year nomination, like a finalist.

(33:33):
Now I understand the All NBA thing, because he had
Kay Cunningham Halliburton, you had a really good group of
guys in that third team All NBA. And my point
here is that there's so much talent in the NBA,
so many awesome players, that it's very hard to pick nowadays.
Because Sheng Goon could have got it from Houston, like
there's other guys that he can go to and say
that they should have deserved a spot. But I think

(33:54):
that with this pool of talent that we're seeing in
the NBA, it's going to be more and more difficulty
they do, you know, extend the groups of teams to
more players. I don't know about that, but right now,
I think they got it right. I think that Lebron
James getting All NBA and his year forty, I mean
forty year old self getting an All NBA, now that's

(34:16):
really really impressive. I think it's like twenty one in
a row for him. So yeah, I think they got
it right. But again, fans of different teams are always
going to complain about everything else.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
Oh that's the point, Grant, before we let you go
real quick. NBA champion the season will.

Speaker 10 (34:31):
Be the Oklahoma City thunder.

Speaker 1 (34:35):
Clich there you go.

Speaker 2 (34:37):
Thank you so much for coming on. We really appreciate
you making this work.

Speaker 10 (34:41):
Thanks so much, appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
All right, guys, when we come back the dues and
the don'ts in sports. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (34:50):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
Welcome back to Fox Sports Saturday, Am. Alex Curry here
at Carmen Vitale. We are broadcasting live from the Fox
Sports Radio viudios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending
your Saturday afternoon with us. Who Tunes keep going, Good job,
ten out of ten. Now it's time for the dues
and don't in sports highlight.

Speaker 7 (35:12):
Oh I love that putting a spotlight on the don't.

Speaker 2 (35:15):
The subject brings me no joy.

Speaker 6 (35:18):
That's insane.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
It's time for the dues and the don'ts in sports.

Speaker 2 (35:23):
All right. I'm gonna start with the dew and it's
kind of a two partner. Do troll your opponents. All right,
Let's start with the Halliburn iconic game tying shot that
he thought was the game winner, then doing the legendary
Regi Miller choking motion at MSG. Why this was so
amazing is because Reggie Miller was calling the game for TNT.

(35:44):
He had a moment together they pointed at each other
and then just the crazy bounce of the ball off
the bucket and then perfectly back in for the swish
was like a ten at a ten moment.

Speaker 6 (35:55):
I couldn't believe it. Watching I was like, because you
think that if he missed it that.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
Yeah, you're like, oh, bounce about higher than the back
back way higher?

Speaker 6 (36:04):
And then just like what what it was? That was
insane iconic?

Speaker 2 (36:11):
And then the second part is the Eagles social media team.
What to work you guys once the band of the
Chush Push didn't pass. Their first was a photo playing
the packers that just said push on since the pack.

Speaker 6 (36:27):
They also made it a T shirt that is now
for sale on Fanatics. They took that tweet at that
graphic and they put it on a T shirt, One
of a kind, dealing with in my whole life love it.

Speaker 3 (36:38):
I love them, so.

Speaker 6 (36:40):
I do too. It's wild. I'll be there. I'll be
there this summer. So my family am gonna get a
healthy dose of Eagles fans. It'd be great. Oh yeah,
all right, I have a don't. I'm sorry with the don't. Okay,
let's go in this theme of like really good music,
actually don't forget about me? Okay around the Horn ended
their twenty three year run. It's truly the end of
an era, and I think that everyone in the sports

(37:02):
media world makes such a big deal about it, because
like Around the Horn, it's not iperbally to say, at
least for me, is the reason I wanted to ever
be on TV, And like I didn't actually want to.
I wanted to be a writer and I wanted to
be on Around the Horn. It was like the easiest
answer to what I wanted to be when I grew up.
It was like, I want to be someone that ends
up on on the Horn Around the Horn, and I
had so many wonderful friends that got to be a

(37:22):
part of that. And you know, seeing all of the
stats come out the all time panelists who had the
highest winning percentage, I mean, it really was. It was
around for twenty three years, almost five thousand episodes. Wow,
just an insane run for shows that don't have that
kind of run anymore. And it's just it was such
an institution in sports media and I think allowed for

(37:44):
some really good conversation and some facts and really good banter, yeah,
which I.

Speaker 3 (37:50):
Loved so absolute.

Speaker 6 (37:52):
It was so fun, fun, and it was so many
different perspectives from all over the country, all different people
covering all different sports coming on and having really really
good discussions and raising some good questions. And Tony really,
you know, he handled He was such a perfect so
he really was. Yeah, shout around the horn.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
I love that, which kind of bleeds into my do
show love to the people in your life who helped
you get there. You're showing love to a show that
inspired you to want to do what you want to do.
But mine goes for SGA had a very beautiful emotional
moment after winning MVP where he thanked his wife, Hayley
Summer and her impact on his life in his presser, saying,

(38:33):
I wouldn't be the man that I am, I wouldn't
be the player that I am, I wouldn't be the
father that I am without you. And no great human
does anything along the way by themselves, Like it takes.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
A village to support you and your people.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
And when you get your flowers, I love and so
appreciate with people who shine a light on their circle,
who help support them and help get them there.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
It just really reflects the kind of person that they are.
And I just thought, I thought that would.

Speaker 6 (39:00):
So beautiful it was, and I'm a sucker for when
you know, grown men choke up and get emotional, it's
it's fantastic. Then I get emotional, but you know.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
It's fine, all right.

Speaker 6 (39:09):
I have actually another one. It's not along the same lines,
but it's still a little bit more serious one. It's
do think of the future. So Jim Irsay, the Colts owner,
Indianapolis Colts owner passed away this this week in his sleep, peacefully,
and the entire NFL world, you know, kind of reacted
to it. He was a polarizing figure. He was an
incredibly outspoken figure. I think somebody said it best on

(39:32):
I saw him, whether I think it was Easier Adam
Schefter or somebody else that said, you know, he was
his own man, and he did so many things where
he went against the grain and said what he really thought.
And that was one of them. But he's thinking, he
was thinking of the future. He has three daughters. He
has quietly been preparing them to take over the team
this entire time, so they work within the team, they
hold different roles. His daughter, Carly, I believe it is.

(39:54):
She has a lot, she's she's very hands on. She
was in the war room when they were drafting, and
she has been for the last few years right next
to the head coach and general manager. So he has
now prepared his three daughters to take over the Colts organization,
so it stays in the family.

Speaker 1 (40:10):
I thought there was cool.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Hell yeah, I love that. Good one to end on.
We're going to take a quick break here, but when
we come back, NFL check in Tush Push Olympics Awards.
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (40:22):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
Welcome to our two of Fox Sports Saturday. I'm Alex
Curry here with Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your
Saturday afternoon with us. Happy Memorial Weekend, the kickoff to
summer NBA playoffs. We kind of broke all that down
in the first hour. It's giving one sided both teams
up two nothing Pacers and okase in the East in

(40:47):
the West.

Speaker 3 (40:48):
Have you missed any of our first hour.

Speaker 2 (40:49):
You can catch it on the podcast that will be
posted once we are off the air today.

Speaker 3 (40:56):
I was going to give a.

Speaker 2 (40:57):
Shout out to like indie fans this week because like
it's a pretty it's a pretty big weekend for them
with got the Indy five hundred fever like looked like
maybe they were gonna beat Liberty today and then lost
it at the end of the game, but like.

Speaker 6 (41:13):
Still an exciting time to be an Indiana Fever fan
and an Indiana fan in general. Indiana fan like now
and like users are coming out for great season, like
it's just it's all and I mean.

Speaker 2 (41:24):
Small markets are having a moment.

Speaker 6 (41:26):
Although I will say, we just talk about the Colts owner,
so but the Colts still, I mean, they did some
good things in the draft and all of that, so
I don't know, We'll see. We'll see how they end
up being this year. They don't play in a very
tough division, so.

Speaker 3 (41:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll see what happens.

Speaker 6 (41:42):
Well, guys.

Speaker 2 (41:43):
For the best pregame show every weekend, be sure to
tune into Fox Sports Radios Countdown, presented by bet MGYM
every Saturday and Sunday morning from non amternoon eastern six
and nine Pacific. We will count you down to all
the biggest games to count Down presented by bet MGM
every Saturday and Sunday morning right here at Fox Sports
Radio and iHeart Radio app. Let's start this hour, you

(42:03):
guys in the NFL with a little NFL check in.
We got some.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Big updates this week. Tush push here to stay.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
NFL players will be allowed to participate in flag football
at the Olympics.

Speaker 3 (42:16):
We got a new award, and we got some big
player updates.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
So yeah, let's start with the tushbush lives.

Speaker 3 (42:24):
On and I love this.

Speaker 2 (42:26):
You guys, for all the little teams complaining about it,
get over it, like either learn how to defend it
or learn how to do it. But everyone else is
just butt hurt that they can't stop it punintended.

Speaker 3 (42:40):
I don't have a.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
Problem with it at all. Jason Kelce was the face
of keeping the tush push going. No one is really
getting hurt from it. They have the top o line
in the league. They all want to keep it. Sorry,
your quarterback isn't Jalen hurt to can squat six hundred pounds.
I just stop complaining, like just because the Eagles are
at something than you like.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
Get over it.

Speaker 6 (43:02):
Here's the funny thing.

Speaker 2 (43:03):
Get over it.

Speaker 6 (43:04):
Here's the funny thing. So the chess push is used
in obviously short yardage situations. It's used to two when
you need a yard maybe, yes, when you need a
push either just across the goal line to get you know,
fourth and one. Whatever. The Eagles are not even the
best team in short yardage, not even close. Let's go
who so short yardage success third and fourth and one, third,
third down and one and fourth on one conversions last

(43:26):
season is the Commanders. Well for Jayden Daniels, this is
done by quarterback Okay, Jay and Daniels twelve for twelve,
one hundred percent conversion rate.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
Josh Allen ats insane Josh.

Speaker 6 (43:38):
Allen seventeen of eighteen, ninety four percent conversion rate. Bo
Nicks in Denver, twelve of fourteen for an eighty six
percent conversion rate. Then you get Jalen Hurts who is
twenty two of twenty seven for an eighty one percent
conversion in short yardage. So it's not like this is
the only play that works on shortage. It's not like

(44:01):
this is only something that Jalen Hurts can do. Yeah,
you can do. You can address short yardage in multiple ways.
This is just one way that the Eagles figured out
uh to do so and more of it. This is
It's it's interesting too because you look at these stats
and it's honestly not surprising to me because we keep
losing the plot. When it comes to the toush push

(44:23):
in general, it does not have as much to do
with the quarterback as it does with the center. The
center is the one that has to move everyone out.

Speaker 3 (44:29):
Of the orchestrating the entire play, no and physically.

Speaker 6 (44:33):
Doing it that I'm talking physical, like, the center is
the one that has to push someone out of the
way so that the quarterback has room to move. So
it's not about the quarterback. It's about and yeah, it
helps in your quarterback that's bigger, like Josh Allen, but
like Jane Daniels, I kept having a heart attack, my
little LSU loving heart because I thought he was gonna

(44:54):
get snapped in half in his rookie season and he
was fine. But he's not a big dude, no, And
so like it has more to do when you're talking
tush push in particular, it has way more to do
with the center and the interior of the offensive line
than it does even with the quarterback. It helps that
the quarterback is big, yes, and can handle taking a hit,
but it's the line. There's so many things that are

(45:17):
like and that's what goes overlooked at all. This like
good offensive lines, Elite offensive lines are so hard to
come by, but if you have one, yeah, you can
go the distance. As you saw with the Eagles, as
you saw with the Lions, who finished with the best
record in the NFL in the regular season last year.
The best offensive lines are the teams and the offenses

(45:37):
that score more points, that do better in these situations.
So I yeah, it's a long winded way of saying, like,
grow up.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
Get over it, grow up, get over it.

Speaker 6 (45:47):
And now it is an interesting call to when you
talk about the toush push in general, because banning the
tush push play I think is silly. I think there
is more of an argument to ban any sort of
play where you can push another player from behind. Okay,
that is what is so difficult when it comes to
like from a defensive perspective, I totally understand wanting to

(46:08):
ban pushing another player from behind because that gives an
unfair advantage. However, the toush push because you already can't
do it with alignment. Yeah, the toush push has skill
players so like tight ends, running backs, receivers as the pushers. Yeah,
and like I'm like, why are we getting so up
in arms about this. These are guys. I mean, tight

(46:29):
ends can be big, full backs can be big. I
get it, but like they're not alignment, So like, figure
out a way to stop it. Every like there are
always there are plays that you know happen in NFL
history over and over again where it works for a
period of time and then you have to figure out
how to counter it. And it takes a while to
do that. But just that's that's the beauty of the game.

(46:50):
That's innovating, that's whatever. So I'm like, you need to
just you just need to grow get over it.

Speaker 5 (46:54):
Get over it.

Speaker 2 (46:55):
Well that leads us into a new much deserved award.
That was an noun this week, the protector of the year,
going to the top, I.

Speaker 6 (47:03):
Mean, might feel good story of the week. So I'm
gonna have to come up with something different.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
But we'll save it. We'll save it.

Speaker 2 (47:07):
Well we have enough. Okay, we have enough. We can
save it.

Speaker 6 (47:11):
We don't have to. But all right, yeah, make me
give me all them.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
I know, I literally is a car and your boys,
that's reddit they deserve.

Speaker 6 (47:17):
This is literally my satory.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
We have plenty more. So let's get to the NFL
players will be allowed to participate in flag football at
the Olympics.

Speaker 6 (47:26):
And this is it's also feel good stories to be honest,
so good.

Speaker 2 (47:30):
This is the first year that they've ever had flag
football at the Olympics, so it will be the first
time football players will have an opportunity to represent their
countries in the Olympics. And the timing of the LA
Olympics twenty twenty eight July fourteenth through the thirtieth. Training
camps usually start mid to late July, so in theory,
this should be fine. You're gonna have guys come in

(47:51):
hopefully in shape, probably a little tired, and hopefully no
big injuries. But this was voted on unanimously by every
team in the NFL. But there are are two big
notes for me here because they they establish some rules
in basic structure for the NFL. And one is a
limit of one player per NFL team on each national

(48:13):
team participating. So you can't have two players from the
same NFL team on the same national team, which is
tough because you have a lot of good like one
two punches, quarterback, receivers or.

Speaker 6 (48:23):
More than more than it's tough just in general, like
you will start training people start training for the Olympics
much sooner, like teams are announced sooner than with the
way that with the way that people move teams in
the NFL, I feel like this is gonna be kind
of hard to enforce.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
It is going to be hard to enforce.

Speaker 6 (48:42):
Because you could you could put a guy on a
national team, have them start training, and then them get
traded or free agency hits, like you you'd have to
assemble the teams after free agency. I'm very interested to
know about the timeline of all of this. It's because interesting,
it's going to be really hard with the way that
these guys change teams.

Speaker 2 (49:00):
It's also like, and this is I think also very
important they have a purchase of league wide insurance policies
because like, you're gonna be playing before the season.

Speaker 3 (49:10):
So if you get injured.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
A lot of football players don't have a lot of
guaranteed contracts. We're seeing it now obviously in the new
big quarterback a lot of money guaranteed. But football isn't
necessarily known for having good guaranteed money contracts. So it's
also like you're taking a risk on your livelihood and
your career, so you are.

Speaker 6 (49:31):
However, flag football is not as taxing as regular.

Speaker 3 (49:35):
Football, so you're still cutting.

Speaker 6 (49:37):
Honestly, I love it because I think it'll keep some
guys in shape too. But at the same time, it can't.
Like there's a really fine line I think here when
you're talking about because guys need the entire offseason to recover.
They do to recover from a brutal season, rude, So
there are some guys that allow themselves to get out
of shape, and then I think this will help that.
But however, like you need to then once the flag

(49:59):
football season is over, once the Olympics are over, though,
you need to make sure. Yeah, like you need to
make sure that you're doing enough to recover and then
you're not ramping yourself up too much too soon. Olympics
in training camp for the NFL, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (50:13):
The Olympics are July fourteenth through the thirtieth.

Speaker 6 (50:16):
Right, and then that's camp. Training camp open right then,
So you're going straight If you're going straight into training camp,
there needs there's going to have to be. It'll be
interesting if this ends up influencing how the NFL preseason
is structured, because there's been.

Speaker 2 (50:31):
A lot of like why do you have so many
preseason games? Yes, there's been a lot adding like more
regular season games.

Speaker 6 (50:37):
There's been a lot of talking conversation about should they
eliminate another preseason in favor of a regular season game?
Will this also push it? Should that? But I mean
is that even well.

Speaker 2 (50:48):
Unders don't want to lose money because it's still make
money by fans coming to the games.

Speaker 6 (50:51):
I mean, you would want you would make more money
by having another regular season game because more people come
to regular season games than you do, which I think
is what would end up happier tickets. But that also
stends the NFL season, so then you have let even
less time to recover. It's going to be very interesting
to see like the domino effect of this. But I
am really excited for these guys because like you think
about NBA players who have had the opportunity to get

(51:11):
gold medals, you think about MLS players who have the
opportunity to get gold medal. I mean I know that
the USA national team, that's a sore subject, but that's okay.

Speaker 2 (51:19):
The women women, yes, the women so Cup jams, yeah,
hockey medal, hockey, same thing.

Speaker 6 (51:26):
So it's like I would I love this for the NFL.
I love this for NFL players to have an opportunity
to add and then also play for you know, the
NFL has done a lot to celebrate the heritage of
a lot of its players, and with like the flags
on their helmets and everything like that, this is another
way for them to show, you know, show off their
heritage and join national teams that you know with their

(51:47):
Italian ancestry for instance, or Filipino for like cam By them. Like,
it's really cool to be able to think that some
of these guys are going to get to play for
the countries where like Aramen Rossain Brown who's German, Like
that's gonna be really cool. And they're also going to
be like lining up against lining up with players that
are complete amateurs.

Speaker 3 (52:09):
That's the wild part.

Speaker 2 (52:09):
But I will say, like I've I've been very fortunate
to cover world events, World Cups and Olympic style games.

Speaker 3 (52:17):
Uh, it's there's.

Speaker 2 (52:19):
Nothing more magical than representing your country. And even like
players will say that like this is the best moment
of my career. Like when you're on the field, or
you're on the pitch, or you're you're just on the
diamond and you just hear like your country chance there is.

Speaker 6 (52:37):
That's why the Olympics are so cool.

Speaker 2 (52:40):
Like there's nothing that compares. So I'm so excited for
these guys to have an opportunity to experience that.

Speaker 6 (52:46):
Yeah, I'm just I'm very interested to see, like the
quote unquote load management then of how these guys recover.
And it's yeah, if there's gonna be an uptake in
injuries the year the season after they play in the Olympics,
that's gonna be, yeah, a problem. So I'm very interested
to see how this all goes and how NFL teams
address it.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
And it was voted on unanimously, so it's like absolutely,
and I'm glad it's happening. So complaining right now, Okay,
everyone said, okay.

Speaker 6 (53:14):
No, let me let me be clear. I'm happy. Yes,
it's happening. I just there's going to be some adjustments
needed to the NFL schedule. Yeah because of it.

Speaker 2 (53:23):
Yeah, there will. Okay, let's move to some player updates here.
Lions edge rusher and best defender Aiden Hutchinson will be back.

Speaker 6 (53:31):
He got fully.

Speaker 2 (53:31):
Cleared for football activities this week. He spoke to the
media on Thursday. The Lions lost their top coordinators. They
had another disappointing end in their season. He obviously got
injured last year and wasn't there. They have a really
tough start to the season. They might have one of
the hardest schedules. According to like our best d of
the show, Cynthia Freelin, the Lion's schedule happens to be

(53:53):
the hardest in her model, like they're playing.

Speaker 6 (53:55):
A first place schedule and they're having to play the AFS,
Like they're already having to play the AFS North and
the NFC East this year, and then on top of that,
they have to play the first place team of every
other team. It is hard.

Speaker 2 (54:06):
So like even like this is big getting Aiden back
before training camps to come in healthy, train at one
hundred percent. Can the Lions repeat? Can they have a
similar season or will there be a drop off? Because
there are so many changes to this coaching staff, I.

Speaker 6 (54:23):
Think it's naive to think there won't be some sort
of drop off. But this roster can absolutely absorb a
learning curve while And the thing is too the coordinators
that they got to replace Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson
are like, in the case of Aaron Glenn, Calvin Shepherd
is the one that stepped up. He's been the linebackers coach,
so he was elevated. He goes the team, has the
locker room. And then you've got John Morton, who is

(54:44):
a guy that was with the Lions I believe in
twenty twenty two was his last season with them.

Speaker 3 (54:48):
Yeah, so there's continuity, familiar with everything.

Speaker 6 (54:51):
The roster can absorb so much of this because it
is so talented, I think, and the Blions have done
really good things to kind of help Aiden Hutchinson back.
Not directly because you don't necessarily have a guy on
the other side of eight Hutchinson that you feel good
about taking attention away, but they added to the interior
of their defensive line, which will help with the run

(55:14):
stuffing in particular where you're getting into more of those
third and long situations where you can allow Aiden Hutchinson
to then pin his ears back and go for it
and that's where he thrives too. So like even in
the ways that if they haven't directly helped Aiden Hutchinson,
they have indirectly helped that entire unit. And then they've
also made the fortified the back level again, which should

(55:35):
mean less stress for the front of the defense. I
think that with all of the offensive talent that they
have and the way that they can score points. I
still think that they can finish atop the NFC North,
but it's I don't think it's going to take fifteen
wins either.

Speaker 2 (55:51):
No GM has there over under at ten and a
half wins.

Speaker 6 (55:55):
I have them, I had them. I preticted them winning
the NFC North with eleven wins because the rest of
the NFC North has to also play the a f
C North, the NFC East, and then whatever, like whatever
place they finished in UH in the division, they have
to play those other teams, and like, even if you're
the Bears playing a fourth place schedule, you're still you're
playing You're You're playing the Niners like like that that's

(56:17):
your fourth place team. You're playing like it's it's a
really tough year for the NFC North, and I do
think that you're you're just not gonna need as many
wins to win that division because you're gonna cannibalize yourselves
and then you're also gonna have to play some of
the best teams in the league.

Speaker 2 (56:30):
Regardless, I also think they can win the division again,
but I'm gonna take I'm gonna take the under here.
I know you love and hate this topic. Steelers are
gonna wait a little longer for Aaron Rodgers. What are
you waiting for at this point? You did this to yourself, Steelers.
You needed a quarterback and you didn't.

Speaker 6 (56:48):
I can't remember. I can't remember you were they didn't
do it. I can't remember if it was you I
was talking to on the show, But I said this
on the show where I was like, he's he's probably
not gonna come back until O tas are over because
he doesn't want to do OTA. So if he doesn't
have to do OTAs, like he doesn't have to deal
with the back and forth that we did last year
of him like skipping Mini mandatory Mini camp, he's just

(57:09):
he's gonna be like, well, I'm not going to join
a team that team then until after that. So like
I totally think he's gonna wait until the summer. And
you didn't even wait into training camp to see if
anybody gets hurt he can't and there's somebody, like another
team that ends up hitting his.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
Services desperate, Like Steelers, you had options and then you
didn't do anything about it.

Speaker 6 (57:27):
I mean, the Steelers haven't, like they haven't had a
quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger anything, and they still had winning records.
So like, I don't know if you had.

Speaker 2 (57:36):
Mike Tomlin's first losing season, but MGM has are over
undered eight and a half wins.

Speaker 6 (57:41):
Honestly, Like, okay, all right, eight and a half. So
so you finished nine and eight though, like, and that's
a winning season that counts.

Speaker 2 (57:47):
I I don't know.

Speaker 6 (57:49):
I like, I think they could get to not I
think the Steelers would get to Neeng.

Speaker 3 (57:55):
I don't know, Yes, I don't think so.

Speaker 6 (57:58):
This is their defense forward anyway, They're a defensive team,
and the reason that they've gotten as far as they
haven't been as successful as they have is because of
their defense.

Speaker 2 (58:06):
Okay, all right, we're gonna take a quick break here
when we come back. Seems like a little drama in Chicago.
Can't break up this new team. You're listening to Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 3 (58:17):
Welcome back to Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali Company live from
the Fox Sports Radio studios.

Speaker 6 (58:23):
Thank you for.

Speaker 2 (58:23):
Spending your Saturday afternoon with us.

Speaker 3 (58:27):
Carmie. About a week ago, Dad Rock, Dad.

Speaker 9 (58:30):
Rock yacht Rock, No Dad, This is extremely my meat
Loaf is extremely very much rock. I remember watching specials
on TV of Bat Out of Hell and meat Loaf
with him all the time.

Speaker 6 (58:44):
My dad had the CD. I remember looking at it.
He had the like a whole CD collection. I would
just like go through and look at all though the Jackets.

Speaker 2 (58:51):
I have my parents' old vinyl collection.

Speaker 6 (58:55):
Yeah, which is great.

Speaker 2 (58:56):
I'm like, thank you very much. Like you you listen
to these now, I'm like, oh yeah, he's a rat again.

Speaker 3 (59:01):
Thank you.

Speaker 9 (59:01):
This is also one of my favorite songs too, So
I'm inheriting the Dad Rock DNA to be sure.

Speaker 5 (59:06):
I love that Out of Hell.

Speaker 2 (59:07):
There you go, all right, carmeie, Let's get to your bears.
Because about a week ago, passages from Seth Wickersham's new
book made headlines talking about Kayleb Williams and his dad
trying to find ways for him not to end up
in Chicago, and one of the quotes from his dad
with Chicago is a place where quarterbacks go to die.

Speaker 3 (59:30):
I don't think anyone is wrong there.

Speaker 2 (59:32):
In the beginning, Chicago has not historically been a good
spot for quarterbacks. They still haven't had a quarterback through
over four thousand yards in a season, which is crazy.
It might be harsh to hear, but you can't blame
the guy. But now it's a fresh start, right You
got a new head coach. Caleb Williams was thrilled when
Ben Johnson was hired. New beginnings for everybody, and Bear's

(59:56):
new head coach Ben Johnson had to address it at
OTAs this week.

Speaker 8 (01:00:01):
It's coming to my attention that the quarterbacks have been
out in the media over the last week, and just
a gall out in front of that a little bit.
I just wanted to say, I wasn't here last year,
and so I can't speak too much in terms of
what it was like before he got here and when
he got here last year. But for my four months
on the job, he's been outstanding to work with and

(01:00:22):
we just are focusing on getting a little better.

Speaker 2 (01:00:24):
Every day mood in the building after all this went down,
I think it's a non factor, especially in the building now,
because there's the reason that you fired a head coach
for the first time ever in season as a franchise
was because you needed a complete overhaul, and so like
that's what's being built now in Chicago. Everybody was on

(01:00:46):
board with Ben Johnson's hire. This was completely against anything
we've seen from the Chicago Bears previously, which is they
tried to go after like the diamond in the rough
or they tried to go on the cheap route and
what the No, they went out spent what they had
to spend for Ben Jonson, which is reportedly well into
eight figures.

Speaker 3 (01:01:04):
And we don't have exact numbers, no, no, no.

Speaker 6 (01:01:06):
NFL coaching salaries are like the biggest like mystery, huss
hush whatever. It's the last number I saw reported like
rumored again this rumored it was like thirteen and a
half million a year, which is a lot, and especially
for our first time head coach. But I mean the
Bears have gone out and done everything right and done
everything completely opposite of the way that they've done things.

(01:01:26):
As someone who has watched this team her entire life,
uh huh. So there's a lot of optimism because of that,
because if you want different results, you got to do
different things, and that's what they're doing. So the overall
sentiment to these things that Caleb Williams was concerned about
when this article came out from Seth Wickersham was well, yeah,
he's completely justified and if you saw how last season

(01:01:46):
went where he took sixty eight sacks, he was left
on his own at times to watch and prepare for games. Yeah,
and he is his head coach. His coordinator and then
head coach were fired in the middle of the season.
All of the concerns that him and Karl Williams, his
dad had worked justified. They were completely they were completely validated.
So there's a tremendous amount of self awareness on Bears

(01:02:09):
fan's part being like, yeah, this doesn't Honestly, after reading
the stuff that came out from the Wickershams. From Wickersham's report,
I'm more impressed with Kayla Williams because the way that
he refused to go to every length to avoid coming
to Chicago, and then that pre draft visit with Ryan Poles.
I would love to know exactly what happened at that
pre draft visit because he came out of that and said,

(01:02:30):
I can do it for this team I want. I'm
going to Chicago, and that's all you need to know
at this point. And now they've done things that have
backed up what they said they were going to do.
They went out and they got the coach. They also
got a bunch of guys on his staff that are
now experienced, and they went and they overhauled the interior
of the offensive line. They didn't even wait for free
agency to do that. They traded for two guys before

(01:02:51):
free agency even opened, one of which is a four
time Super Bowl champion. And you get a good, experience,
really intelligent center to try and take things off of
Caleb's plate. And you have a coach now that is
super intense. Ben Johnson. That clip we just played him
getting out in front of this is a complete contrast

(01:03:12):
to what they had in Maddieberflus, who did not know
how to play the media game. That's a good leader
like that is Ben Johnson protecting his quarterback. That is
Ben Johnson getting out there in front of him and
saying I have your back and showing everyone that he
has their back. I wish, I wish the Bears would
have put Caleb Williams out there because.

Speaker 2 (01:03:29):
At this point he can he can handle it. He
can handle himself.

Speaker 6 (01:03:31):
He handled himself all last season. He handles himself all
last season. Was put in some really awful situations as
far as like having to go to the podium and
answer for things that he shouldn't have had to answer
for ye, and he's past all of these tests with
flying colors. So the fact that you didn't put him
out there, I think was like, why not, especially if
you have your head coach going first saying he's amazing,
he's fine, this is great, everything's going well, and getting

(01:03:54):
out in front of it and being so direct about it.
It's it's a new it's a new age. And that's
why I'm I'm.

Speaker 2 (01:04:02):
Yeah, well, I'm proud of you.

Speaker 10 (01:04:04):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:04:04):
I was checking with Martin Wise.

Speaker 5 (01:04:05):
And got a ton of Major League baseball going on
right now.

Speaker 4 (01:04:11):
Top of the sixth aning, the Brewers and the Pirates
tied one apiece. The Nationals have had a two to
nothing lead on the Giants for most of this game.
Bottom of the seventh inning, now the Reds adding on
against their leads, adding on to their lead against the
Cubs three to one. Bottom of the fifth inning, same
with the Braves. They've tacked on another one three to
one on the Padres. Bottom of the fifth inning, the
Astros with a two to one lead over the Mariners

(01:04:33):
and the bottom of the fourth. Going towards the top
of the fifth, the White Sox making back some ground
three to two. The Rangers lead right now going to
the top of the fifth inning, and in the top
of the fifth inning this escalated quickly eight to one
now to score Rocky I mean Yankees over the Rockies.
Aaron Judge hit a home run in this one. Let's
see who was Aaron Judge with a home run? But

(01:04:54):
RBIs were Judge, Bellinger fall p Wells. It's going to
be a long day. It's only the top of the
fifth inning for the Rockies, who have won nine games
nine nine times thus far in Major FAY.

Speaker 6 (01:05:07):
There's the team that's worse than thank you, you know,
thank you. Nobody remembers the team that was second worst.

Speaker 2 (01:05:15):
No, no, only the worst.

Speaker 4 (01:05:16):
I'm gonna come in there and make a joke off
the air that we saw the time when I was
kids about where I grew up.

Speaker 6 (01:05:21):
No, it was Detroit, by the way. No oh no,
look about Louisiana.

Speaker 5 (01:05:27):
Louisiana. So me, me and Hansupatico on this one.

Speaker 4 (01:05:29):
The Atlanta Dream beat the Dallas Wings eighty three to
seventy five. Arika Gumbuale only had five points to thirty
three minutes.

Speaker 5 (01:05:38):
It's a tough game for her. Page Backers with eleven.

Speaker 4 (01:05:41):
The Atlanta Dream led in scoring by Alicia Gray with
twenty seven. Earlier today in the w NBA, the New
York Liberty beat the Indiana Fever ninety to eighty eight.
John Cleel Jones with twenty six, so Brina I and
Su twenty three. Kaitlyn Clark finished with eighteen two for
twelve from three. Tonight, we were waiting for two different
game threes and conference finals. The hockey side of things,

(01:06:01):
it'll be Game three the Eastern Conference Finals, the Stanley
Cup champion Panthers leading the Carolina Hurricanes two games to none.
The Panthers benching starting goaltender Frederick Anderson to night, will
start the backup Peter Kukobov instead. Earlier tonight, the Panthers
ruled out Sam Earlier today, rather, the Panthers ruled out
Sam Reinhart because of a lower body injury. Ryan Hart

(01:06:22):
was Florida's leading goalscorer during the regular season. And tonight
eight thirty Eastern from Minnesota, the Timberwolves host Oklahoma City
Game three of the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder lead
that series two games to none. As Minnesota tries to
you know, they say the series as a start. So
the road team win to game, but I'm feared the
series may never start. It just mighte siem to end

(01:06:43):
for the Western Western Conference Finals.

Speaker 5 (01:06:46):
Back to you guys, Thank you Martin.

Speaker 3 (01:06:47):
We're going to get it out right now.

Speaker 2 (01:06:48):
You're listening to Fox Sports Saturday and Alex Curry here
with Carmen Vitally. We were broadcasting live from the Fox
Sports Radio stuitters in Los Angeles, and it is time
for our next guest. You see her on the Houston
sidelines during the NBA season, but now you can watch
to cover the Western Conference Finals for ESPN. Joining us
live from Minnesota before Game three, please welcome Vanessa Richardson.

Speaker 11 (01:07:07):
Hey, oh my gosh. First of all, I love women
in sports radio and I have a big advocate that
there need to be more and so when I saw
y'all were doing this show, I was ecstatic and no shocker,
y'all have been crushing it.

Speaker 3 (01:07:21):
We love that, We love Bobby, love you.

Speaker 2 (01:07:23):
Let's get to the game tonight, Thunder. They've been running
away with this series so far, but you're there in
Minnesota Game three tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:07:31):
What's the vibe like? What are your expectations for this game.

Speaker 11 (01:07:35):
I mean, you know, I don't expect the Oklahoma City
Thunder to completely sweep this thing. Like you'd like to
think that the Timberwolves can you know, put together a
fight and put up a fight. And let's be honest,
we want the next we want competitive series that's just
good for the game. But look, this is an Oklahoma
City team that won sixteen more games than anyone else

(01:07:57):
in the entire Western Conference. This regular season Western Conference,
which is was and a blood bath and will be
for the next coming years, I think. And you're just
seeing the Oklahoma City like they've got the MVP, they've
got the super deep roster, and they've got just a
suffocating defense. So I think it is going to be
very difficult for the Timberwolves to come back and win

(01:08:19):
the series. Not impossible, but very difficult. But it would
be you know, fun to see them put up a fight.
And I love watching Anthony Edwards play, like I think
he's exciting. I think he's got just this like boyish
charm that's really fun to watch. And you know, so
I wanted to be an entertaining series and hopefully they
can make it that tonight.

Speaker 6 (01:08:38):
I'm so interested to see how it goes now in Minnesota,
which again I know that the Timberwolves play really well
at home, that crowd is so so good. But Oklahoma
City is just not only do they have the most
complete team that we've seen I think in this in
in this postseason, but they're having fun yeah, like yeah,

(01:09:00):
vibes are just so good even off the court. You've
been around them obviously more than we have, So are
there any fun stories you can tell us, because I
would love that.

Speaker 11 (01:09:08):
I Mean, the funny thing is, it's just like when
you see them on like the postgame interviews during the
regular season and they have their.

Speaker 3 (01:09:15):
Team reporter Nydallum, it's so good.

Speaker 11 (01:09:18):
They're like they're putting the talents on him, or they
put one of one of Jadab's like funny hats on
him when the chain and Nick is just like total
dead Pean, like total you know, they seem to really
like each other and they seem to have team chemistry,
and I don't think that that can be overstated. I
think it is really important. And look, yes, there are

(01:09:38):
teams throughout history where you're like, oh, maybe like Michael
Jordan and Scottie Pippen didn't get along as well as
we thought. But I think there are teams where it's like,
no what you see. And I'll even bring my Houston
Rockets into it, Like, I think one of the reasons
that the Rockets were able to have the two seat
all year and put together for a really good season
for a group of young guys partially is because of
that team chemistry. So I love that you brought it up.

(01:10:00):
I think it's a major storyline. And with all of
that fun like it comes trust, like they trust each other,
and so I think that that's also propelled them to
a lot of a lot of the winning as well.

Speaker 2 (01:10:11):
And on top of it, the Thunder have been impressive,
especially in the second half. But the Tea Wolves, I
almost think the two gentlemen sweeps in the first two
series might have hurt them. It was a little too
easy for them. What has been their biggest downfall though
against the Thunder.

Speaker 11 (01:10:30):
The Thunder are just so good and like you said,
such a complete team. And even in Game two, like
the bench actually like played well for the Timberwolves. Anthony
Edwards played well, but Julius Randall kind of he didn't
show up. He scored six points. So the thing is
is it feels like things need to click on all
cylinders for the Timberwolves to even have a shot to
where Oklahoma City is so deep and they've got so

(01:10:52):
many different guys that can produce that things don't have
to click on all cylinders, Like one of their superstars
can have an off night and fine, they're still going
to win. So I just think that the Wolves have
to have more things clicking, fun, fun team to watch,
and I think they've got a great coach. I think
Chris Finch is an underrated coach and that you know,

(01:11:12):
could be a storyline for this coming game as well.
But it'll be it'll be really fascinating to see what
approach they take and how they adjust.

Speaker 6 (01:11:18):
What do the t Wolves have to do in this
game specifically to take at least one to make this
a series.

Speaker 11 (01:11:26):
Yeah, I mean, I think you're going to have to
look at the fact that Julius Randall didn't show up
and he was brought in, you know, to be kind
of an enforcer, and he's done that and we've seen that.
And when I talked to, you know, when we interviewed
Mike Conley Junior before the previous game, he talked about
how much Julius Randall has brought to this team. So
I think you're going to have to see, you know,
a bigger game from from Randall, and like I said,

(01:11:48):
things are going to have to click on all cylinders.
But but Anthony Edwards is so fun to watch play,
and I think it's going to be a fascinating game
for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:11:55):
I want to talk about SGA winning MVP for Nicola
jokicch despite Joker having the best statistical season of his career.

Speaker 3 (01:12:04):
Do you think this was the right choice for the award?

Speaker 11 (01:12:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (01:12:08):
I do.

Speaker 11 (01:12:09):
I mean, and and it was. It was totally like
neck and neck, and I definitely could have seen justifications
you know where yok, sorry, I'm in like the team
hallway you're doing.

Speaker 3 (01:12:18):
It's like everything.

Speaker 11 (01:12:20):
You're in the like, but one of those like can
I can I get a Chris Jenner? You're doing amazing, sweetie,
you're doing But you know, they both just had such
a lecture.

Speaker 3 (01:12:33):
Yep, do we lose her? All right?

Speaker 2 (01:12:39):
She kind of gave us like a little like four
shotow four shadows. I was like full four shot. I
mean she is literally in the building.

Speaker 6 (01:12:47):
Yeah, she's in the building on the hallway. There's things
going on around her.

Speaker 2 (01:12:50):
You never know, but wild it really is it to
must win tonight for the t Wolves.

Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
Oh we got her back. Okay, we got her back.

Speaker 11 (01:13:00):
I am very reporting live.

Speaker 6 (01:13:02):
I love it. We didn't need proof, but we got it.

Speaker 11 (01:13:07):
So, you know, it's like an underrated part of all
of our jobs, and it's like, can I get a signal?
Can I get a signal?

Speaker 3 (01:13:13):
Can you hear?

Speaker 11 (01:13:14):
Are we there yet?

Speaker 6 (01:13:14):
Are the commercial?

Speaker 2 (01:13:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 11 (01:13:15):
No, I think Look, it's a good The other thing
is like it's a good problem for the league to have,
Like you want multiple people that that can that you're saying,
you know, are the face of the league. Yokich the
best player in the world. It definitely added spice during
the Olympics, you know, with SGA playing for Team Canada.
So I think it. Look, I didn't have a really
strong opinion on either one of them, but when you

(01:13:38):
take inventory and you look at the playoffs and SGA's impact,
I think it's safe to say they got it right.

Speaker 3 (01:13:43):
Yeah they did. Okay, So switching gears.

Speaker 2 (01:13:45):
Before we let you go here, you posted about Jim
Orsay's passing this week, honor his legacy and his life.
What was your relationship like with him and what will
his legacy be in the NFL.

Speaker 11 (01:13:57):
Yeah, it's a great question. I'm originally from India, so
I actually met him when I was in college and
just you know, knew him throughout my time covering the
NFL in Houston because the Texans and Colts are in
the same division. Just a really really good person and
very generous, genuinely wanted the best for Indiana And look,
I mean he drafted Tate Manning over Ryan Leaf. He's

(01:14:20):
the reason that Indianapolis has the Super Bowl, the reason
they have Lucas Oil Stadium and they were able to
host the Super Bowl. The impact that he had on
the city of Indianapolis. I mean, Carmen, you're you're at
the Combine every year like that, Like Jim made sure
the Combine stayed in Indy and he was Yes, he
was just a really good person. And you know his

(01:14:40):
daughters are are more than ready to take over and
just somebody that the world needs more spirits like the
one that he had.

Speaker 6 (01:14:47):
For sure.

Speaker 3 (01:14:48):
I love that so much.

Speaker 2 (01:14:49):
Vanessa, Thank you so much for joining us on you
moday hours before tip off.

Speaker 3 (01:14:54):
Have the best time tonight. Crush it. We love this.

Speaker 11 (01:14:57):
Thank you so much, love both of you, and love
seeing y'all crush it talk.

Speaker 3 (01:15:01):
To I'm a great one.

Speaker 2 (01:15:02):
All right, we're gonna take one more break here you
guys when we come back our field good stories of
the week.

Speaker 3 (01:15:06):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 6 (01:15:10):
Welcome back to.

Speaker 3 (01:15:10):
Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
I Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting
live from the Fox Sports Radio studios in Los Angeles.

Speaker 6 (01:15:17):
And if you missed any of today's show, guess what.
Thanks to our wonderful producers, our podcast will be going
up with the full episode right after we are off
the air. So just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you
get your podcasts, and you'll see all of our shows
in the channel. It's great. It's really easy. It's great,
and plus we'll probably post it. You know.

Speaker 2 (01:15:36):
Well, I'm playing air drums right now. It's just it's
been a good music day here on the show. Good job, good.

Speaker 6 (01:15:41):
Job, my dad, my dad is a drummer.

Speaker 2 (01:15:43):
Oh wait, please please tell me what you told me
during commercial break about your dad, my.

Speaker 6 (01:15:48):
Dad and my dad. Dad. My dad's listening to the
show and just troll me on the last segment, He's like, no,
I didn't troll you. I'm like my own father. He's
like that, Jalen hurts, he matters in the touch pusch.
My dad's an ego or like grew up an Eagles
fan group of Philadelphia. He's like Jaylor. I'm like, I know,
Jalen Hurts matters. I'm just trying. My life's work is
to make people understand what the offensive line does and
how important they are.

Speaker 2 (01:16:09):
These big boys are my favorite players on everything flor
players on every team, and I just need them to
get a little bit more recognition.

Speaker 6 (01:16:16):
Which is a really great segue into our next My
my coach, I was saying, my my feel good story
of the week is that we are getting a new
award in the NFL Honors and it is called Protector
of the Year. And it is a one small step
for the NFL, one giant leap for linemankind. Yes, I
it's a it's a it's a good start. Also because

(01:16:38):
I think there needs to be a differentiator between centers
or interior linemen versus tackles because they do so such
different things and they're responsible for such different things. And
also like tackles like, I feel like this award is
going to probably end up going to like left tackles
more often than not.

Speaker 2 (01:16:53):
The protectors. Protectors are pretty bud but.

Speaker 6 (01:16:55):
Like got there are other guys on the line, you
know that, Like, but tackles are off on the island
most often, and they they are the ones that kind
of are if there is a flashy player on the
offensive line, it's the left tackle, yes, going up against
you know, some of these edge rushers and all that.
So I do think that that's probably, you know, the
early iterations of this award, I will be shocked if

(01:17:17):
it goes to an interior alignment, though those are becoming
more and more. Like, I think the value of guards
is going up because of how many of these defensive
tackles are so incredibly good at rushing the passer from
the interior. It's the shortest path to the quarterback. Yes,
it is, so these guards the center, they're going more
unsung even than the tackles. But again, it was Dion

(01:17:40):
Dawkins of the Bills and Andrew Whitworth who were the
ones that were kind of pushing this agenda forward. They
were so congrats, guys, well done, Proud of you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:49):
Like the VP of Football Operations with the NFL literally said,
it's because of these two men that this award came fruition.

Speaker 6 (01:17:56):
Both incredibly like both incredible leaders. Wit is so he's
every interaction I've had with Wit is just incredible. He's
so great, so kind, so good at his job. And
Deane Dakon, like, shout out both of you guys fight
in the good fight. Who do you guys think would
have won it if it was around last year? Really
hard your boys, I know, I mean it would probably

(01:18:18):
like with the Eagles as dominant.

Speaker 3 (01:18:20):
As they were, they had to be someone there.

Speaker 6 (01:18:22):
I would say, Like, it's interesting because I don't know
if it would have been Jordan Malatta or Lane Johnson.

Speaker 9 (01:18:29):
I mean, Sewell did get that first team.

Speaker 6 (01:18:31):
Nod, Panay Suell got the first team nod, and I
was actually campaign for him to be Offensive Player of
the Year. But now that we have an award, Yeah,
I think it would be either the Eagles or it
would have been Panay Sewell because he also just does
a bunch of other stuff besides being a tackle, being
a right tackle, but he like goes out for a pass,
he tries to throw a pass, He lines up as
a full back. He does so many and he switches

(01:18:51):
sides on the line. He does like Ben Johnson had
him doing crazy things last year. Yeah, that's actually that's
a better I'm gonna go.

Speaker 3 (01:18:58):
Okay, I like that, all right. My feel good story
of the week.

Speaker 2 (01:19:02):
It's been a pretty incredible week for pacer Star Tyrese Halliburton.
Not only did he have that iconic Game one they
obviously sold to at MSG, but an Indian, a Pacers
fan who was harassed and with bags of garbage while
wearing a Halliburton jersey in New York City, received a
special invitation from the Pacer Star to attend Game four
of the Eastern Conference Finals in Indy. He's a firefighter,

(01:19:26):
a lifelong Pacers supporter, shared his story Monday on the
Pat McAfee Show, and during the appearance, Perez showed off
a PACER's tattoo on his wrist and was surprised by
a video call from Halliburton, who delivered the invitation personally
and said, I want to personally bring you and a
plus one out to Indiana for Game four. Everybody in

(01:19:46):
our organization wants to make sure that you're taken care of.
All the teams, the entire team is excited to meet you,
and it's all we've been talking about, Like that's cool,
that's what you do, given back to the fans, which
I love. Another quick feel good story. I had the
opportunity to interview and meet Jim Harbaugh for the first
time this week at the Chargers Golf tournament, and I

(01:20:07):
found out this week Ted Lasso's character was inspired by
Jim Harbaugh, and after meeting him, I'm like.

Speaker 3 (01:20:16):
How did I not see it?

Speaker 2 (01:20:17):
This makes so much sense. It was so awesome. He
is as advertised. Thank you so much for spending your
Saturday afternoon with us. We'll see you guys next week,
same time, same place. Have a fun save holiday weekend.

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