The True Value of an MVP

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Doug got Leap Show podcast.
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(00:29):
you've made it through the week. Congratulations, you've made it
to Friday. The weekend is almost here, and I have
to say I have to say this to uh to
one Dante Jones, who is sitting to my right, there
is this is special day today. It's March. Yes, the
madness can officially begin. Even though Selection Sundays good to

(00:50):
it half weeks away. March is finally here, so the
madness can commence. We get into the NBA and college hoops.
It's that Tommy year. It has a great feeling, absolutely correct.
March madness is my favorite time of the year because
number one, because it's the Double A tournament. Number two
because of the playoff pushes and everybody's playing serious basketball
in NBA. So this is my favorite time in a year.

(01:11):
It's like Christmas in basketball. World, there's battling for playoffs spots,
battling for playoff positions, and battling for m VP awards.
And that's where we start today here on the Doug
Gottlieb Show is Dante Jones and myself, Dan Buyer are
in for Doug. Today show is brought to you by Farmers.
At Farmers, we've seen almost everything, so we know how
to cover almost anything. When it's game time, have an

(01:31):
experienced player to help you stay ahead of the game,
but their experience into play at Farmers dot Com are Farmers.
If you missed that last night in Houston, this is
what James Harden did to the Miami Heats. Start on
the move through the lane, lefty left out. Fourteen straight
Rockets points. What a quarter, What a second half? What

(01:53):
a night for James Harden? Fifty eight fifty eight points
on the Rockets Radio network, propelling Houston to another victory.
I mean James Harden in the process strengthening his m
v P case and what has been a three horse race,
Donte And and now as you see it last night,
I'm wondering this question that James Harden strengthened his case

(02:16):
by scoring fifty eight and win against the heat over
was Paul George's case maybe strengthened by not playing at
all as Oklahoma City ends up losing to the Philadelphia
seventies sis. Because these these are the topics of conversation
that we have now in March, James Harden kept himself
in the race. You understand him sad because it was
looking like Janice and Paul James is having an unbelievable season.

(02:36):
He's doing his best to keep his team in the
in the pursuit of that third seed. But but the
Oklahoma City Thunder didn't look the same without Paul George.
And that's as showing that that is a strong team,
but they are not at the same capacity without their
leading score Paul George and the guy who brings it
on a nightly basis. Um, this is as you said
at three horse race, and you gotta go to I

(02:58):
think Janice wins this race. I think he's because of
the winning of his teachers. Team has the best record
and if you if you based that on the seasons before,
you gotta go with winning. And I think Janice gets it.
But it's but it's it's a great race going to
the end. Of distressing. You never know what guys can
do come in and down to And this is this
is all part of the conversation because last night, the
city of Houston is saying, all right, you could talk

(03:19):
about your Paul George's and you could talk about your
Janice being the top seed in the East. None of
those guys are dropping fifty eight. There was even absolutely yeah,
there was a graphic that shocked me on on on
the Rockets TV after the game where it was highest
scoring games by a Houston Rocket and it was James Harden,
James harton James Hart and James harton James like like

(03:40):
that to me is absurd. So the numbers that he's
putting up are crazy. So if they take over the
third seed, does it? Does he win it? In your mind?
Does he beat bump Paul George down the slot? How
does this work? And that's what's funny is I actually
thought last night to your point that for as great
as James Harden was, Paul George's value was shown in
a lost to the Philadelphia seventy sixers. Because of what

(04:03):
you're missing and you get that, and you can even
go back to just a week ago, last Saturday when
the Rockets beat Golden State without James Harden. That probably
was the worst case that you could make for James
Harden of being an m v P because when the
race is this close, you get to value and and

(04:23):
that's what we go down to. But it's most value,
but it's not the best. That's not the finding the terms,
that's like what that's what we're looking at. And when
you look at Janice and Paul, they do it on
both sides defensively. Okay, see, wasn't the same team without
Paul George, And if Janice jumps out the line up
from Milwaukee, they won't be the same team without Johannis.
On the defensive side of the floor. They bring it
night on a nightly basis on the offense and defensive
side of the floor. James is playing one side of

(04:45):
the floor, but he's doing it the best, so that's
what keeps him in the race. So that's but but
Janice and and Paul are at the top of my
list because just because my personal values, I value defense,
I value how that comes into winning championships and putting
your safe self in conversation to win a championship, and
they do it on both sides, two way players, and
there's been there's been an argument that Lebron could have

(05:06):
been the m v P of the league for the
last ten years. Of course, if you wanted to do
players dive into this debate, dode they care? Do they do?
They sit there and say, you know, Harden is great
and all, and he had fifty eight, but he's not
playing the half of the court that I play and
is that is that an issue? It would be an issue,
but it wouldn't be something like he's still in my

(05:26):
mind at that three slot m v P because but
he's playing one side of the floor. That's how dominant
he is on that side of the floor. He's not
he's not like he's not giving an effort, but he's
not dominating on that side of the floor or giving
that type of effort. You understand, like I got paid
to play defense one side of the floor. That was
my job, and you got a guy out there doing
the leading score and doing my job. He like he's

(05:48):
he's he has two two he's a part time job
that he's doing on the defensive side of the floor,
and he's doing an efficient level. Like those two guys
are are amazing, man, And that's and nobody. Nobody's saying
Dante Jones for m VP because he had a great
defensive night, right it So, so I guess if you're
a player and you're saying, well, that's what Harden is
doing in the offense, maybe there's guys in the association
that are also doing it on the defense. Just a
couple of numbers because of the ins and outs of

(06:11):
how the m v P is is broken down. When
I mentioned that James Harden and the Rockets win when
he has fifty eight, but they also beat Golden State.
Rockets are two and two without Harden this year, Paul
George missing just the second game of the season. It
was the first time that they lost. But they beat
Phoenix earlier. And you and I could beat Phoenix, I
think right now, and we can, Yeah, we could at
least get, you know, be competitive in the fourth quarter.

(06:32):
Bucks are three or two without Janice. So there's no
way that anybody is going to compare to what James
Harden did number wise, like, you can't. You can't compare
to thirty six and a half points per game. But
what you can do is what you mentioned off at
the start, and that's look at the standings, and I
think when you look at Janice, tonight has an opportunity,

(06:54):
and it's kind of where in this vortex of real
m v P opportunities because Janice is on a big stage.
They're in l A, They're taking on the Lakers. It's
a national TV broadcast, and it's another opportunity to show
everybody who Janice is. And realistically, Janice probably has had
the least amount of opportunities to do so on a
national scale for the exposure that the Rockets can get. Listen,

(07:15):
the Bucks haven't been playing Saturday night ABC games, you know,
so this is so this is really an opportunity for
Joannice to to make his case for an m v
P when there's also so much going on with the Lakers,
which is a separate conversation, but we could have a
lot more clarity with the m v P with what's
happened in this last If je goes out and dominates tonight,
playing against the Laker team that needs an amazing performance

(07:38):
from Lebron James, Joannice goes out there and dominates, and
let's say he dominates Lebron James, do you do you
put him at the top at that point time. Yes, yes,
I still like thee I still like Janice number one
for the simple fact of and and I know recent
history shouldn't play a point part in this, but I
think it did with Russell Westbrook last year when he
won the m v P. We looked at the triple

(07:59):
doubls and said, oh, he's just doing that again, like
that's just the same old, sampled thing. I think we
look at James Harden and while he isn't doing the
same thing again, because he's doing it at a better level,
we're not seeing anything different that we haven't seen before,
just maybe seeing it on a greater scale. I think
Janice's domination and what Paul George's is done to Oklahoma
City and elevating them. I mean the Rockets remember last

(08:21):
year with the top seed in the West, and now
they're sitting there in the five spots. So you could
say that Houston, you know, took a bit of a dip,
which may be no fault to James Harden. But the
point is Janice is different and Paul George is different,
and that's why I think that those two right now
are kind of separated. Separated themselves from what James Harden
think on playoff performances, is going to playoff in this
in this in this race as well, how they do
in the playoffs and how they stack up against the powerhouses,

(08:45):
and if they can translate this into wins in the playoffs.
I think that's gonna play into Paul George's case and
Janice cases as a number one seed going in because
if they don't do it, they're they're they're supposed to
in the first, first and second rounds. Then voting will
be done by then. But yeah, yeah, so regular sheet,
it's regular she's and only they just only do it.
They just I can't believe that. I can't. I really

(09:05):
can't believe that because it comes out it comes out
way later. It does. But remember what they used to do.
Remember when they would be like a Western or an
Eastern Conference semifinal game that have to hand out an
award before the game because they would do it like
now they do it at the right. So I'm a
I'm a conspiracy theorist person. I'm thinking because if a
guy gets knocked down the first round, you said you

(09:25):
still think he gets MVP. Yeah, let's say get knocked
in the first round. Yeah, I think you thinking to
be a very watered down ceremony. I think that the
the NBA honor show would be very different. I don't think.
I don't think you could rig the voting, Dante, I
don't know. You just don't think it would be a

(09:46):
good look for the NBA to have your mvpb ousted
in the first round. Yeah, it's it's the danger of it.
It's the danger of it. But they were ousted in
the year that he had the triple double season, so
that that could be the possibility. I will say this though,
the the Bucks are three and two without Yannestly had
a tough They were destroyed by Orlando, and they played

(10:08):
a couple of weeks ago in a game by twenty
and lost by twenty points at the Bradley Center. But
for the record, wise, Milwaukee is actually best without their Stark.
You still I mention to do it to Paul George
one and one, But as you're sitting there trying to
figure out the real value of an m v P,
these are the things that you have to dive into
for the simple fact of Harden has been so great scoring,
Janice has lifted his team to a whole new level.

(10:30):
And now we've seen that Paul George has carved himself
out of a whole new niche. You can't compare the three.
So this is how you gotta What we have here
is you have a set of players that that can
that can can be formed to what your personal perspective
of the game basketball is. So we all can have
a different opinion of who the m v P is,
but you we all won't be wrong. So if you

(10:52):
if you said Janice and I said Paul, like I
can create it. I can create a story for Paul,
and you create a story for your honest and then
someone else is James, you can create that as well.
We net we all wouldn't be wrong because because I
think we have three stars right now will put on
amazing performances. And it's just your perspective, how you view
the game of basketball, what you value in basketball, And
I think that tells you what your vote is gonna be.
And whoever wins it wins. I think Paul, I think

(11:13):
his his prize will be this year getting that first
team All NBA slot. The Lebron James usually is sitting
at Lebron James won't be first Team All NBA this
year because of injury number one and because his team
is not doing what they're supposed to um in the
in the sense of all basketball periods. But Paul George
will be First Team on NBA at the small forward slot,
and and rightfully so. He's Dante Jones. I'm Dan Buyer.

(11:37):
He's an NBA champion. I am not, but we both are.
On Twitter, I'm at Dan Buyer. On Fox you can
get Dante at Dante one, and you can also tweet
the network at Fox Sports Radio. We'll have more on
Lebron status and where he stands in the NBA coming
up in a bit plus sin about fifteen minutes or so,
we'll tell you why you shouldn't be mad at one.
Bryce Harper Again, this is the Doug Gottlieb Show here

(11:59):
on Fox Sports Deo. But coming up next, who doesn't
mean more for tonight, Janice or Lebron? The answer may
not be as simple as you think that Coming up
next year on Fox, be sure to catch live editions
of The Doug got Leap Show weekdays at noon eastern
three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
heart radio app that Farmers insurance. We know every windshield

(12:20):
collision has a unique sound. Beetle bird boop, drone seen
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My farmers took fire insurance exchanges and affiliates proucts unavailable
in every state. He's Dante Jones on Dan Buyer, sitting
in for Doug Gotleap today here on Fox Sports Radio.
You can always reach us on Twitter. I'm at Dan

(12:40):
Buyer on Fox. How did you get Dante one? It was?
It was first of all, was Dante already taken? Or
and you just said like all right, I'll be second.
Or was it just somebody took Dante and I was
stuck with and one was my number at the time.
It wor the pacers that just have it. I mean
for like negotiating and trying to get it back. So

(13:01):
I just took, Yeah, Dante one is good. It's kind
of guy's name. Who has Dante? He doesn't even suppose
name the same way. I don't know yet yet. You
have to be the one who's penalized because of that.
We've talked about it on the network. Whoever has Dan
Buyer is some musician that is sitting with a guitar
on his lap. And so I added the end and

(13:23):
on Fox to the end of my Twitter handle. So
maybe maybe the the the best Twitter handle of them
all could be at Mr Michael Lee as he joins
us here on Fox Sports Radio, senior NBA writer for
The Athletic I'll be honest, Michael, was Michael Lee taken?
And You're like, I'm just gonna add the Mr? Or
was it always going to be Mr Michael Lee? Um?

(13:43):
I added the Mr. Because my name is pretty common
and um, there are a lot of Michaelieves in the world. Um,
if you's go on the phone book, you see at
least fifty in a major city. Like once I, once
I got into Twitter, I was like, I don't want
to take the chance to see if my name was
already gone. I was like, I just want to nobody know,
you know, put the mry in front. I might, I
might take I might take a page out of his

(14:04):
book and a Mr. To mind, because that sounds way
more distinguished than this. At uh, well, Mike, let's fill
you out of the conversation Dante and I were having
about the m v P race that took an interesting
twist last night, just because the thunder lose without Paul George,
yet James Harden comes out and has fifty eight in

(14:25):
a win for the Rockets against the Miami Heat. How
do you value who's the m v P of the
n b A and and and does it change at all?
Do big games play into it? How do you assess
who's the most valuable player in the NBA? I always
look at the results and look at the wins. I mean,
and if you do something that's never been done before,
some historic I mean, that's something like they're tak considerations.

(14:47):
But you always look at what have you done to
help impact wins for your team? What have you done
to elevate your your teammates? What have you done um
to you know, take your franchise in place where it
hasn't been. And that's why he's doing what I've seen
this year this year UM through the first for the
six covering the game, I lean towards they honest Um,
just because of what the pressure is on him, he's

(15:09):
nice to deliver and just what he's done inspired teammates
and to elevate that franchise. UM. I think that he's
m v p Um. You know, I would go hard
and second because of what he was. He's the historic
pace that he's been on in terms of you know,
chasing Wilt, you know, putting you know, putting his name
in the conversation, which what something you rarely do. Uh.

(15:30):
The scoring numbers that he's been putting up for just insane.
I mean, the average thirty five points a game. I
don't I think there's what five guys in the history
of the league that have done that, and he could
be the sixth though. Um, I would put him second,
but I would give you, honest the edge because I
don't want or at least think we've gotta overthink it.
This year, you know, he got the best record in
the league and he's the best player, and he's been

(15:51):
that way from the jump of the season. So UM,
that's where I lean. Well, if you follow that train
of thought, I'm just gonna play Devil's advocate the Joe
her into this conversation. Um jokes out there in Denver
like he's taking his team to a place where they
haven't been, and after long, Thompson's basically I think I
was around Um. If they get the number one seed
going into the playoffs and steal this from from Golden State.

(16:13):
Then then then he has to be jumped into the
conversation like he's their best player. He statistically he's amazing,
and they're going to the playoffs in great fashion. So
according to how you feel it, you have him third
beating out who, So you have one him third, whose first?
You said his first? Oh, you gotta take Paul off

(16:35):
this And it's and it's not anything that necessarily disrespects
Paul Georgia. I just feel like the way that that
franchise still rest on Russell Westbrook, And I think that,
you know, Paul has the freedom of being able to
go out there and just play basketball. If they lose
the game, he's not ever going to get the blame.
And I think that Russell has to carry it on
all that weight, you know, for if they win or lose,

(16:57):
he's gonna have to take the heat. He's gonna take
the blame. And I don't think that. I think the
reason why Paul's having a station of seasons because that
pressure isn't on them to deliver every night like that.
Well last year, last year, when he didn't play as
well as people thought he would, they blamed it on Paul.
It wasn't on Russ. They blame it on Paul not
shooting the ball. Well, I mean, he didn't kind of
play in free agency and he wanted to be in

(17:18):
l A and all these things that come into play.
But last year when they didn't, they weren't the power
house they're supposed to be in the playoffs. People jumped
on Paul George, Am I right, they did, but to
not nothing the excise as they would if Russ wasn't there.
And I feel like the engine, the engine, the driving
force behind that team, it's still Russ. And it's not
like I said, I don't think that Paul. I think
Paul's having an NBC NVP calibery year. But I also

(17:41):
feel like Russ is the light force so that that
team and uh and then I'm not it's not to
diminished Paul in any way, but in comparison to what
the other guys have to do on that league basis
and what they're up to, what they have to do,
they doesn't compare. I mean the Bucks, if if if
Joan isn't playing at at a great le they're not
going to be the best record, has the best record

(18:02):
in the league. If James Harden doesn't go preserved for
you know, two months and just start just getting fifty,
you know, triple double type amazing games, they're not in
the hunt, you know. And I think again, with your kids,
I just think that they're winning. So I reward that
more so than anything. And obviously the Thunder has been
winning and Paul's been playing sestation on. Mean, you look
at the numbers, just like mom blowing the type of

(18:24):
reduction that he's putting forward. But I also feel like
he benefits from the fact that he has a teammate
who if things fall apart, the blame will fall on him.
And that's that's I mean, that's that's just how I'm that.
That's that's my uh, that's my equation. But you know,
everybody has their own. But I just in terms of
ranking my top three, that's how I haven't set up

(18:46):
for right now, and it could change next week. We're
talking right now in March first, that's a change. That's
where I lean could change tonight. You know, you're honest
in the in the Bucks taking on Lebron and the Lakers.
Michael Lee joining us here on Fox Sports Radio Senior
NBA writer for the Athletic I'm Dan Buyer, He's Dante Jones.
We are in for Doug Gottlieb today here on Fox.
So if we're if we're going to take uh and

(19:08):
and and put an equation, if you will on on
if you take a Jannie out of the lineup, or
who's to blame for this and that Let's look at
it from the Lakers angle angle. If they don't make
the playoffs, is it one ten percent on the shoulders
of Lebron James and maybe the ways to them in
the media, but now it would be a total organizational failure. Um.
I think that Lebron being in the face of the league,

(19:31):
to the whole league, I mean the whole team, I
mean from Magic to Robb to Luke's to you know,
to Lebron, I think they all would carry equal blame
for what's happened this season. I mean, Lebron obviously missed
time with the injury, and that's affected the team the
second twelve without him, and you can flip that record
and see what it is if he was there, if

(19:52):
I wouldn't be this predicament. But I think that if
you look at their flaws defensively. Um, from a you know, uh,
just the roster perspective, he was not responsible. Now, he
may have approved the players coming, but he didn't. He
didn't pick those players if they signed. He's not the
reason why their defense is as terrible as it's been
the last month and a half. Um. I mean, he's

(20:13):
obviously has his flaws on the defensive end, but mainly
because he's thirty four, the ass to show some level
of uh, you know, decline in some area. Um. But
I think that's and that's where it's kind of been revealed.
But I think if you look at the trade situation,
that's not on him. Now, he did ask for Anthony
Davis and made that kind of public, but he's not
the one releasing the names of the players involved. You're

(20:34):
not the one that's, you know, making these kind of
comments that Magic has made, you know, to sort of
put these players in an offer position. So I think
if they do fail to make the playoffs, Lebron's gonna
take the heat because he is the guy that is
getting paid the Moses and he's the face of the league.
But I think it's more of an organizational failure because
they really don't have any excuse for this, because um,
it's not like the Sacramento Kings are like this dominant

(20:56):
force they can't catch It's not like the Louthandles Clippers
are some is just so overloaded with chalent they can't
catch them. They're still in that. They're still in the
u in range of making the making a challenge for
that a seed or sevent seed. But um, I just
think that at all has to come together and if
it's if it fails, Lebron definitely is gonna take the
heat because he often get the credit when things go well.

(21:18):
But but I think overall it is an organization. Organization
will failure for the Lakers if they don't make it.
I only disagree with you at one point you made
there like he publicly asked for a D. Everybody everybody
asked for a D. They asked him a question and
he answered it. It wasn't like he went out and said,
you know what, everybody, I want a D. When the

(21:40):
media asked you a question, you have to answer it
either because if you don't answer it correctly, then you're
not you're not fulfilling your obligation to the media. And
then if you answer it honestly. Then then then there's
a problem and you're asking for things like I think
the player does not win when you have media representatives
out there asking random question that had nothing to do

(22:01):
with the game or the season, just asking about a D.
And then if I answer honestly, then I'm then I'm
stuck and and looking for adding him to my roster.
But everybody wanted a D on their team. You can't
find no NBA started and said, you know what, I
wouldn't have liked to play with a D. It's an
honest it's an honest answer for everyone. If you asked
Steph and KD do they want to play play with

(22:22):
a D? They say, of course we want him on
our roster. Yes, Kyrie and Boston. Of course, you asked, um,
who who anybody in Philly? Of course we want a D.
It's the It's the same answer for every everybody wants Okay,
so that's the only thing you got it. But I
think I think that also in that situation, if you
look at how he answered that question subsequent toims he

(22:42):
was asked it, he would always be like, um, you know,
we gotta do what we got here. You know, I'm
focused on what we have here. I mean, there's always
the way you can say it, um, but the way
when he said absolutely, I love to you know, be amazing.
How else do you answer? But but but what I'm
saying in terms of what that did and what happened
immediately after that, where that became a big storyline, and

(23:05):
then the fact that Anthony Davis asked for a trade
a few months two weeks later, and then he the
Lakers became the team that everybody you know was speaking about.
It all goes back to that comment that seemed to
trigger it, at least in just in the public perceptions,
so and then probably within that locker room, you know.
And it's not like Lebron is just any player who
just says you want to play I would love to
play with him. You know, he's a guy. He's a

(23:27):
guy who actually had the leverage and the power to
get They they're one of only a couple of teams
that had assets to do it. Like everybody didn't have
the assets to do it. That's what that kills me.
Everybody didn't have the assets. Boston didn't have the assets.
They were in the conversation, don't have the assets to
get it done, but New York had a couple of assets,
and like it was, it was nobody else like Milwaukee
got thrown into the conversation with as yeah they couldn't

(23:50):
do it, but yeah, like that was that was like
the Anthony Davis. They were the only team with youth
and draft picks, honestly, And you had to be in
a conversation when when Lebron made the comment, you know,
it carried so much more weight and especially for those
young guys, it's like, well, oh man, so what does
that mean about me? You know, and that's the wrong

(24:10):
approach to have where you're in the NBA, like the
what about me? Like I just I totally disagree with
that's youth in this agent and that we live in
because it's a it's a business fundamentally, it's a business.
You have to be prepared for anything. And when a
top five basketball player comes up, you cannot take it personal.
You can't take it personal like is he better? It
is adi better than anybody on the roster of course

(24:32):
of course, Like so you can't be upsetting in your
feelings or they want to get rid of me. No,
it just happened like this guy came up and somebody
values me enough to look at me like I could
help and be a replacement for him. That's how I
gotta take it. Yeah, I mean that's I think that's
how some of the guys in Boston did. They They
were like, Okay, cool, whatever, that's what they want to do.
But I think for these guys, for the considering, you know,

(24:54):
the whole fact that Lebron and a d sharing an agent,
the fact that it seemed like there was behind this
scenes moves to make it possible for him to come
to l A two players, it's hard to separate Boogle
Lebron and whose management, you know, And I think that
I think I think we do that too much. We
do it. Who Magic Johnson is management? Okay, he I know.

(25:17):
And but you even even than Gilbert from your time
in Cleveland. I mean I remember I remember interviewing him
once and like one of the things that offended him
and offended Lebron during the time there. But there was
this perception that Jim Lebron that looked that Lebron is
the one was calling the shots, and he's the one
that makes the trades, and he's the one that's going
and saying I want this guy fired and I want
this got to be my coach, and you know, so
that's that was unfair to him, and that was unfair

(25:40):
to thank Gilbert, I think back uh uh, not than Gilbert,
but David Griffin. David Griffin was made that clear to
me a lot, and we did I did a story
on it, and um and I think that one of
the things that you know, he wanted to say that
Lebron doesn't you know, I do my job, you know,
and when we do things obviously to fit what fits
Lebron because he is the you know, the center of

(26:01):
our team. But I think for there is a perception
out there amongst the fans against any of them, amongst
the media, and I'm sure that that steeps into some
of the players in that locker room, where it's like,
does this guy want to play with me? You know?
And I think that's one of the things that has
disrupted that chemistry. And when Magic went, you know and
spoke to the team in Philadelphia week school, happened to

(26:23):
be there when he when he spoke to them, he
sold well talked about what he said to them that
you know, you gotta be professional and that you know,
guys get traded every year, and you gotta suck it
up and deal with it. And I think that's that's
easy to say when, um, when you're not going through it,
you know. And I think for these young guys, it
was their first time really kind of dealing with it,
to having their name thrown out there every day. And

(26:44):
these guys are on their phones, you know you every
time I want to locker room right after the game,
guys to see up their phone. They look they're reading everything,
they're looking at, you know, whatever somebody said about them
on Twitter or Instagram, and they're they're consuming all this stuff.
So I can't imagine being years old and and I'm
looking at this and I'm my name is being floated
in the trade ruin for this, and then it's and

(27:05):
it's being presented, how risk being presented, And unless it's
clarity being presented from the organization or from Lebron or
anybody else, that I don't know what to think. And
that's going to disrupt what's going on. And I think
that affected them. You saw in the Indiana game when
they lost our forty two points, that was a direct
result of these players not really being strong enough to
handle it at that time, and maybe they'll be better

(27:26):
next time it comes around. Maybe they'll be better this
summer if they are moved on. But that it's going
through the season right now, it's difficult to just say
he has sucked it up. You're this is a business.
You gotta go through it to to have it happened
to you before you actually understand it. And I think
that's what these guys are going through, where it's like, oh, man,
like what's happening? Like? Am I gonna be traded? Tom Prlor?

(27:49):
Does this organization want me? Does this guy want to
play with me? And until you can get past that
or have like an actual conversational argument, debate, fight, whatever
it's as to kind of get it, get it all
hashed out. Um, it's just don't create some level of
discomforting guys until some type of way at least. Kyle
Kuzman answered the right way when he was asked that

(28:10):
Michael Lee of the Athletic joining us here on Fox
Sports Radio, Donte Jones has one last question for you,
Michael before we let you go here on Fox Sports right,
you know, you know what I'm tired of, Michael, the
whole narrative of Lebron James being involved in trade conversations
are additions to a team, because let's let's frame it
like this. If you have a top ten player on
your team, name the top ten guys, and you're gonna

(28:33):
add something to your right. Okay, Steph Curry, you think
they consulted Steph Curry before they added DeMarcus Cousins. Do
you think they say, step step would you like to
play with the Marcus? That's the same conversation you have
with Lebron James. Lebron James is not up on the
on the big white board, like you know what, we
gotta put this this here, that that there. James Harden,
you are you cool with CP? You think we have
if we traded to CP, you think it works? Yeah? Okay,

(28:56):
do you do you Austin Rivers came to UM to Houston,
James and CP. Do you got guys cool with and Austin? Yeah?
I think it wor the Bucks did it with that's
with him. That's what happens when you have a great
player on your roster, you consult with him. And that's
what a great GM would do. Have the conversation, have
communication with guys that that that are the head of

(29:18):
your team and that have a control over your team,
because if they're during their job in the correct capacity
and they feel like they're comfortable and they're included, they'll
do their job better. That communication is necessary. So the
fact that Lebron James has control over decisions or any
other basketball player, like, yes, it happens. Gms have conversations.
Owners have conversations with their best player to find out

(29:42):
their perspective and if they think it's going to where
it's only right. But only Lebron James only gets the
tag of running an NBA team and and and and
pulling strings. But I think step has that same power.
James has that same power. Janis had that same power,
and it just happens in the NBA. But we only
give that perception to Lebron James. So I had to
vent real fed you got it. Hey, if you don't

(30:05):
have a rebuttal, that's cool, Michael. We can we can
let agree with I gave him, but I agree with you.
But I also still that with that responsibility comes to
the opening the opens of a scrutiny. So um, you know,
and that's that nobody nobody has to. Here's the one
difference though in Cleveland he could always leave, like there

(30:26):
was always that hanging like is he going? Is he
going to be back? Because if you don't play by
Lebron's rules, you know you can move. A tattered relationship
is what made that because because then like any relationship, somebody,
somebody messes up on you and you come back. You
always keep that door open because you know what, I
still have that in my rear view window, and I

(30:46):
just want to make sure that you know that I
could leave at any point in time unless you treat
me in the right way. But it was still there.
But I'm still there. But it's like a girlfriend you
treat wrong. But I also think there probably has never
been a para dynamic for a player. Um, you know,
he's leveraged, you know, his power, probably more than any
player athlete. You think they didn't ask MJ if if

(31:06):
Rodman would be cool coming on our roster. I'm sure
they did. But but I mean, but but you also
when you when you think about going back to the letter,
when he went back to Cleveland, and Andrew Wiggins name
was left out of the letter, and all of a sudden,
he's traded for Kevin Love. I mean, at that point,
you get a whoa who's calling the shots here? Because
I think it would It wouldn't have worked because you're

(31:28):
taking a small for a number one. Pick a small
for like, we have to make common sense out of
this Andrew Wiggins and I'm coming back. Where's Andrew going
to play it? He's gonna be a two guard? Yeah?
Come on, man, he's a small he's a small for
Am I gonna am? I gonna move to the It
didn't work, No, it didn't. It didn't work. He's not

(31:49):
a two, he's a three. You're gonna have to just
I'm gonna stunt this kid's growth if we sit on
the same roster together, like, honestly and truthfully, let's let's
let's let's really look at this. I'm just speaking just
from the perception that that he has the power to
get things done and to get the roster day he
typically wants. That's that's what's happened in the past, and
every star, that's all I'm saying. Every star has that ability. Well,

(32:13):
we'll leave it at that. Michael Lee, excuse me, Mr
Michael Lee. That's where you can find him on Twitter
senior NBA writer for The Athletic. We appreciate it, Michael,
have a great weekend. We'll do it. Hey, he's d Jones.
I've d vire in for Doug gottliep here on the
Doug Gottlieb Show. Let's get an update from our good
friend Steve A. Seger on what is happening in the

(32:34):
world of sports. Hello Steve, Hello, We'll get to the
NBA and just one moment. Royals all star catcher Salvador
Perez is out with an elbow injury. You see l
ligament damage. You'll get a second opinion next week. Seven
NBA games tonight, including New Orleans at Phoenix. Anthony Davis
will play this evening and sit tomorrow. The Sons are
the worst team in the league at twelve and fifty.
Devin Booker of the Sons will play tonight at a

(32:56):
sprain to Bookers averaging twenty five points per game again
this year, the Lasers have won five straight. They're tied
for third in the West with Oklahoma City. Portland plays
at Toronto at eight pm Eastern. Guard Evan Turner still
out with a knee injury. John Collins of Atlanta questionable
for tonight due to illness. He's averaging for the Hawks
twenty points ten rebounds a game. Atlanta will be hosting

(33:16):
Chicago to start things off at seven thirty Eastern. Rookies
of the Month have been named for February. They include
Atlanta guard Trey Young. Also the MAVs Luca donsa who
average this past month twenty four points, nine rebounds, seven assists.
Eight NHL games this evening, including Nashville at Winnipeg eight
pm Eastern time. That's our Discover Card key matchup. Become
a new card member and Discover will match all the

(33:38):
cash back you've earned dollar for dollar at the end
of your first year. Learn more at Discover dot com.
Slash match limitations apply. Ottawa fired coach Key Bouche, replaced
by Mark Crawford. The Senators are dead last in the
league standings, lost sixth straight. Bouche is the seventh NHL
coach fired this season, and the Philadelphia Eagles gave defensive
end Brandon Graham a three year extension. We'll be back

(33:59):
to the show in ten seconds, but first, still worried
from Farmers that Farmers Insurance. We know every windshield collision
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Guys back to you, thank you very much, Steve. He's

(34:20):
Dante Jones. I'm dan By. You really don't think Lebron
could have gotten around the question of Anthony Davis without
saying Anthony Davis, not at all? Especially I answer it
honestly if you asked me, yes, can we get it
done as a possible I just I just think of
the guy who knows so much about every move that

(34:42):
he makes. But then how it can be And listen,
I never as a media member want to be critical
of a of a player, honestly speaking, because that's all
you really ask for. But when we lie, you speak
about that, you know he really wanted it. You know
he like his statement was going to be Let's take
to say, his name is not Lebron James. Sure you
asked him about a d That statement is going to

(35:03):
be broken up regardless of you tell the truth or
if you lie. Oh you know, Kyrie, Kyrie gave statements
you break every time you break it up. He said,
I'm staying he's really not gonna stay. Who knows? Like
it was always gonna be both sides of when he
declared he's gonna stay. Now he's not saying he's gonna
have to end of the season. Then you break that
apart two like it's always going to be room to
break apart. It's it's and Kevin Durant has been vocal

(35:26):
about it. It's a world that that as in Kevin
Durant's world, it's a world that he's not living in.
Do you know what I mean? Like we're asking questions
of stuff that he doesn't necessarily consider. And I bring
Duranton because there's news on him that we'll get to
later in the show. But remember a couple of weeks
ago when he when he kind of went off when
he was asked about the Knicks or New York and

(35:48):
he's like, you know, like, what are we doing here? Right?
You know it's if I don't answer that one, then
I'm being Kevin Durant is being what confrontation he's being solved?
He being sensitive, he doesn't answer it. So lebron an
answer to eight question, he's being confrontational. What are we like?
Where does that? What is that lie? He's being he's
being receptive, and he's answering questions from from the media

(36:10):
when that question had no bearing toward him in the season.
And what the Lakers are doing. Really, that's a question
from Magic Johnson and Rob Lincoln. But you still ask it.
You still ask these questions that you can get click
make from and that's not fair on the athletes side
of it. That's all I'm speaking on. He's Dante Jones,
I'm Dan Buyer. This is the Doug got Leap Show
here on Fox. You won't believe what's going to happen
this weekend. I'll tell you next year on Fox. Be

(36:30):
sure to catch live editions of The Doug got Leap
Show week days at noon Eastern three pm Pacific. That
Farmer's insurance, we know a roof can withstand a lot,
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Dr Farmers, we are farmers underwritten my Farmers truck Fire
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(36:51):
He's Dante Jones, I'm Dan Buyer, sitting in for Doug
today as Today's show is brought to you by Little Caesar's,
where you could get a large Pretzel cross pizza for
only six dollars, Creamy chitter cheese, sauce, mozzarella and monster
cheeses and Pepperoni pretzels back and all the six bucks
at Little Caesar's available at participating locations, plus tax where applicable.
Having some fun here, getting set for a weekend as

(37:13):
marches here on, the madness begins, in the madness continues
in game time. This is game time on the Doug
Gottlieb Show. Steve the Sager joins Dante and myself to
play a game. Hello Steve, Good afternoon, gentlemen. John game
today psychic psychic. I'm will give you an item from

(37:34):
the world of sports, and you too, give me your
psychic predictions. What we can see, what will happen? Thank you.
And now this this first itement won't necessarily be dealt
with this weekend, but your item is Johnny Manziel to
the New Alliance of American Football. The new league's in
a holding pattern, says the Cold co founder regarding Manziel.

(37:56):
We don't know was his exact quote. Today, We're trying
to get to the the bottom of what happened in Canada.
Remember he had his contract cut. He was released by
the CFL this week he said, we do want to
be a league of opportunity in the Alliance. We want
a player if he can play at our level, if
he's contractually available, clean bill of health, clean criminal record.
So really it's a two part question. Does he play

(38:17):
for the Alliance because their seasons over this year in
late April? Does he play for any of the new
American League XFL is coming next year? Jeez, do you
you see Johnny man I don't see Johnny Manzel playing
this season. I don't I see it. You really it?
It would be like breaking news as long as as
you said, has a clean bill of health, as long

(38:39):
as he has no criminal implications coming as far as
from that side of the league. Um, yeah, I see
him playing because it's gonna be it's gonna be a
big store for both of them. Can we get a
look at his crystal ball because I think it's broken.
There's that, I see. Here's the here's the reason why.
Because it it behooves everyone, especially Johnny man zelta not

(39:00):
play this year. So when you have the two leagues
available next year, they could get into a bidding war,
if you will, from where he's going to play. And
listen the the alliance we had Charlie Charlie Ebersolid studio
last week. They're already in week four, so to put
him in to get him incorporated just wouldn't be enough
time to That's so that's a yes this spring, and

(39:21):
yes eventually in one of these non NFL Well, what
about competition committee. You know they have seven rules change
proposals from various teams about expanding instant replay. But earlier
this week there was a recommendation from a coaches subcommittee
about adding a video official, an eighth guy to each

(39:41):
crew in the NFL, with the position of sky judge
to look at video, not stop the game and look
at video, but just correct something that's egregious, like you know,
say a hit in the NFC Championship game that help
on the field makes sense, or Alvin Kamara took a
hit from a Cowboys linebacker late November that put on
the field. So do you see this coming season an

(40:04):
eighth official, a video official being added to NFL cruise.
I see an eighth official coming this season because it
only makes the sport better. It helps with calls and
like what we just had to deal with, and it
it ultimately tries to add to the to the product
going forth. So yes, I see it coming. Fourth, I'm
glad we got Dante's crystal ball fixed because I see
the same thing. That's yes, that's what I sky judge

(40:26):
will be a thing. It also will just improve the
efficiency and if if as long as you don't have
to go to these let's put on a headset, let's
talk this, buzz down, give the answer and move. It
will make the NFL go a lot quicker. It already
moves at a decent pace, but this will help even
more and quickly. Todd Gurley's knee still a subject for
the Rams. Reportedly, the team might consider stem cell treatment

(40:48):
in the offseason if what they're currently working on doesn't work.
Do you see Gurley returning to be the regular star?
He was all right, yes or no? Uh no, I
don't Yeah, we start when you start talking, uh, knee
surgery and stem cell. I don't think it's gonna end
in in in in the best way possible. I hope
he does, and I pray for him, but I don't

(41:10):
think it's gonna be the same talk earlier. He's dot Jones,
I'm Dad Buyer. Bryce Harper was right. Fox Sports Radio
has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch
all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com
and within the I Heart Radio app search f s
R to listen live t G I F t G
I M think goodness, it's March. Yes, the madness is here.

(41:31):
It's really gets gets the the the blood pumping. I
mean north central Wisconsin native. I know that they're under snow.
Is is a bunch of places still are. But the
good news is it's March, and at some point it's
going to melt, and where it's wet and soggy, it's
gonna dry up. Spring is in the air, marches here,

(41:52):
college basketball heats up, the NBA hitting their stretch run.
So much to be excited for. And as you've seen
on TVs through while at our Fox Sports Radio studios,
you can't see them, so you'll just have to trust me. Baseball, Yes,
Spring trading baseball on the screens. We also have the
hind of Classic to my left ear watching a little golf,

(42:12):
but baseball is here. In the big news of the week,
Bryce Harper now a member of the Philadelphia Phillies thirteen years,
three hundred and thirty million dollars. What do you what
do you think of when you hear three hundred and
thirty million dollars, Dante, I can't spend it all three thirty?
What am I doing? Three thirty um to the government.

(42:35):
You know you've got three thirty coming by a small island,
hang out there in summer, get away from people. That's
what I think when when you say three thirty, it
would be a Turks and Dante. You know you could
have your own you can have yeah, yes, a small island.

(42:55):
I love those island shows by the way on like
Destination America or like you know, your own private island
only at the cost of crat that no small island
because resort. No. No, I'm just gonna hang out in
in in l A. Well, Bryce Harper is gonna be
hanging out in Philadelphia and in the short offseason, likely
in Las Vegas or l A or Yeah, he's he

(43:16):
can have his pick of the literally, he's gonna be
a Philadelphia Philly And whenever you've got signings of this magnitude,
it could be in the NBA could be in the NFL,
you're gonna have a lot of conversation on was at
the right move of the wrong move. But in Major
League Baseball, because the numbers are so astronomical three and
thirty million dollars, every single dollar of that contract guaranteed

(43:39):
for Bryce Harper, you react a bit differently. And because
he went to a team within the division that he
previously played, so he stays in the NL East. To
go from the Nationals to the Philadelphia Phillies, there's some saying,
oh Jesus him, maybe it's not the right move, or hey,
you could have lived in southern California. Hey you could
compete for a World Series if you played for the Dodgers.

(44:02):
There's a lot that goes into the decision, and then
you start pinpointing whether Bryce Harper made the right decision
and the or the wrong decision. And I'm just here
to say number one, anytime you can get decision, yeah,
and let's let's let's answer that three thirties the right decision.
If you're not over me three, then we like, I'm

(44:23):
not taking Three'm taking three thirty. And there was an
offer out there for three ten. And if someone says
take three thirty. Then you're gonna take three thirty. And
this is I'm gonna lay out a couple of reasons
dot and I'm curious to hear your thoughts because I
don't think that there's any reason that people should be
mad at Bryce Harper. He's an easy, easy target. And

(44:46):
and and if if there are reasons why people should
be mad, maybe some of these things can help can
help ease their frustration or or maybe turn you to
the light if you will. So, I want you to
back me up. But if you don't like these, it's okay,
but tell me one way or the other. I've got
six reasons why I think no one should be mad
at Brice Harper. Number one, he went to the place

(45:07):
where he got the most money, right, Isn't that? Isn't
that all? You want? Facts? Facts? So much so, even
consider the state tax in some places, which is not uncommon.
There are players who are saying, Okay, if I play here,
if I play in California, state taxes are gonna be higher.
Maybe I want to go in Florida. Maybe we want
to go. Answer that, you can. You can have your

(45:28):
off season house somewhere else. You can make that all work.
What about playing in a ballpark that is favorable to him?
Do you have any do you have any any issues
with that ballpark that is going to Yeah, shot park
is gonna give me three thirty. Next one of the
one of the issues if that team has a ballpark
that is going to pay you a three D or
that ballpark has a team that's gonna pay a three

(45:52):
has a ballpark, I'm going there. Yeah, I think that's
fair enough. Playing in the MLB and I'm getting three thirty. Okay, Well,
there was some talk that the San Francisco Giants who
are in on Bryce Harper, the way that their feel,
the way that that now it's T Mobile Park. It's
for years it was a T and T park, but
it's now changed that. It's just it's not favorable to

(46:13):
a left handed hitter, which is pretty amazing considering Barry
Bonds did what he did in San Francisco. But if
you're looking at that, I would want to go to
a place where I would be better utilized. So you
can't hate on Bryce Harper for that. So there's two
for two for two number three. I'm curious in your
thoughts on this. Made the commitment of no opt out.

(46:35):
So he says, listen, I'm in for thirteen years, and
if you guys want to trade me, I do have
a no trade clause. But you're not gonna see me
opting out in four or five years. I'm with you
for the long haul. I think loyalty and a commitment
to that organization is something that should be commended and
not criticized facts. I think, um, the loyalty and and

(46:59):
staying in for third teen years, committing to a city
for thirteen years that has an amazing fan base, I
think that's something that should be commended. UM, and I
think that was something that on their parts. So we
don't give you just three thirty like we need we
need you here. It always goes back to the three thirty,
the youth of your children, and there's a part to

(47:19):
that number four. This is so far, we're three for three.
He took an average salary that was actually less of
what he could got could have gotten on a short
term deal. There was a report that he could have
made on a shorter term deal could have made forty
three million dollars, but he actually took more of the
guaranteed money, which allows the team to have flexibility and
signing other players. I don't think that that's a bad thing.

(47:41):
We criticize NFL quarterbacks all the time. You make so
much money, yet then you want people around you or
players around you where the team can't afford it. Bryce
Harper now has an average salary that could still allow
the Phillies to maybe be in on the Mike Trout
Sweets stakes if he becomes a free agent a couple
of years. Right, he took he took the took the bag,
and then he allowed for the team to have flexibility. Yes,

(48:03):
so he's trying to make a winning situation out of
his PHILIDP Phillies team. It works. Yeah, a fan base
for himself, for his family, Like, it's making sense to me.
You will chamber the number. Listen and there were two
for one and that one. Those are five reasons. The
final one if you're another player, And this is what
I think is key because it is big in baseball.
The three d and thirty million that he set is

(48:24):
the overall value is still a number that is going
to allow salaries to increase. You don't want a guy
taking less money because then everybody else in the league
is saying why did you drop the bar lower? His
total value of three d and thirty million now allows
the next player, whether it be Mike Trout, to have
a contract that will be worth more than three d
and thirty million dollars. And the reason I bring this

(48:47):
up is because this offseason, we didn't think that Bryce
Harper was getting to get the three hundred million dollars
that we had heard that he wanted because money wasn't
out there for free agency that no one was gonna
pass Giancarlo Stanton three and five million dollar deal that
he signed with the Marlins. But this for the other players,
Bryce Harper kept the bar even higher by taking a

(49:10):
deal that is still the highest than anybody has seen
in professional sports. Right, you're amazing. Yeah, six for six,
there we go, and Bryce, you know what your star
wize enjoyed at three thirty You can share someone over
here with me. But I think the Philadelphia Philly Is
in the city of Philadelphia are going to have an
amazing tenure over his thirteen years because this team is

(49:31):
gonna do nothing but get better and allow for flexibility
and for winning. I think that fan base deserves expressing
with the Sixers over there like that city is is
going to be an amazing place for sports any Eagles
and different, like yeah, yeah, for for real, for what
they've got now with Tobias Harrison, the Sixers making a push,
you got you got stars upon Yeah, you got a
lot going on in Philly, And I just find it

(49:53):
interesting with I know when these signings happen, and we
just spent thirty minutes talking about Lebron James a bit earlier,
and what is going on with the Lakers is Bryce
Harper is gonna be criticized for no matter what he does.
And now it looks at to the simple fact of
people say Phillies, good luck, you know, good luck with
a guy who bats to forty. Good luck in that

(50:15):
contract in thirteen years from now. But that's that's all
stuff on the surface. If you look at these things,
there's no reason to this like Bryce Harper, or think
that Bryce Harper did wrong. In fact, when Bryce Harper's
free agency began, all we had heard about was Bryce
Harper wanted more one of the most money that you
could get, and you know what, he stuck to his guns.
Every everybody wants the most money. Yeah right, I want

(50:37):
I want my full value on the market. I want
my full value as much money as I can get,
and I want to play the sport that I love.
There's nothing wrong with that. I think everybody would do that. Yeah,
I agree, And I can't understand why people would you
want to pick, you know, things apart Hey, maybe the
Dodgers have more of a window right now of of
winning a World Series than the Phillies do. Or the

(50:58):
Phillies were crazy throwing sto money. If you've got the
money and models will spend it, how much do I
be a players get another pockets of their do they do?
They care? Yeah, bas no, No of the of of
other players in the league they care. No, we can't
do that. It's it's all about the market. So and
that's it's not about It's about when you come up
in free agency and what's available to you and what

(51:21):
you're going to take advantage of who your representation is
to go and take advantage of the market. So if
you go get an astronomical number, because if more kudos
to you, does that makes me think that I can
take advantage of the market when it's my turn And
as long as the opportunity is there. Guys don't really care,
and that's exactly what Bryce Harper did. So now that
three and thirty is a number that will be passed

(51:41):
by someone else, and if Bryce Harper didn't set that number,
then that person, that player can't get that certain contract.
It's all about growth. It's all about growth. Kyler Murray
maybe done growing five ten and a little more than that.
The Oklahoma quarterback and the Heisman Trophy winner taking part
in the NFL Combine. He had his measurables yesterday speaking

(52:02):
with the media today. We'll have more on Kyler Murray
coming up as we check in from the NFL Combine.
I want I'll let you know that the Doug gott
Leap Show is brought to you by Farmers. At Farmers,
we've seen almost everything, so we know how to cover
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experience into play at Farmers dot Com. Are Farmers five

(52:23):
ten and an eighth. How well will Kyler Murray measure
up against those in the top of the NFL draft,
will ask Joel Klatt to Fox Sports. Coming up next,
He's Dante Jones. I'm Dan Buyer in for Doug here
on Fox. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Doug dot Leap Show weekdays at noon Eastern three pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app.

(52:45):
That Farmers Insurance, we know every windshield collision has a
unique sound. Beetle bird, poop, drone, seen it covered it?
Dr Farmers are farmers under written? My farmers took fire
insurance Exchanges that affiliates products an available every He's Dante Jones,
NBA Champion. I'm Dan Buyer, fresh off vacation, so we

(53:05):
both have something going for us. Sending in for Doug
today and guess what the weekend then starts for me tomorrow.
That's the key. You have a weeklong vacation, come back
to work on Friday, and head right into the weekend.
So a lot to a lot to get to his
marches here. We talked about a college hoops really heating up,
conference tournaments getting going in a week stretch round of
the NBA, got a little golf going on spring training
and yes, and the NFL Combine taking place in Indianapolis.

(53:30):
Kyler Murray just got done speaking with the media. He'll
speak with teams and that's about it. We will speak
with our good friend Joel Klatt, Fox Sports, college football
and NFL Draft analysts joining us here on the Doug
Gottliep Show. Hey Joel, thanks so much. You're taking the time,
of course, what's going on, guys. Let's let's get into too.
Mr Kyler Murray, who I think is really the only
storyline that we're gonna follow between now and the NFL Draft.

(53:52):
But his measurables come out yesterday, five ten and an eight,
two hundred and seven pounds. Anything from that shock you
or should you be surprised if you're an NFL team
seeing those measurables from Kyler Murray. I don't think so.
I mean, if anything, I think that the measurables were
actually a huge plus because I think most teams were

(54:12):
preparing to see a five and a nine, and so
when they saw ten, I think you can directly compare that,
even though it's about an insta half inch different, that
you can directly compare it to Russell Wilson, and and
so a lot of the teams I think now are
going to have not as much pause with Kyler Murray
and his size. Now, his his hand is significantly smaller

(54:36):
than Russell Wilson, but it was never an issue. He
didn't have a fumble problem in college. And in fact,
you can even point at his size and you say
he didn't even have a bad that passes problem at
the line of scrimmage in college. In fact, he only
had five of those passes bad at the line of scrimmage.
So I think everything that's happened with Kyler so far
has been a plus in the decision maker's mind moving forward.

(54:59):
And I gotta tell you, I don't think that there's
any way possible he gets outside of the top five
in this draft, and it's becoming increasingly um likely that
I think he might be the number one overall pick.
So what do you think his most unique asset is
on the game of football? Like, like, what do you
think that his number one thing that he brings to
a to an organization. It's actually a combination, Dante. I

(55:23):
think that the combination of his ability to beat you
as a passer and anticipatory thrower, throw accurately in the
intermediate zones down the field and the seams on the
sideline have the strength to do that, coupled with the
fact that he is as dynamic a runner as we've
seen enter the NFL game out of college, maybe ever

(55:43):
even you know, certainly since Michael Vick. He's he is
dynamic as a runner. I don't know if I've ever
seen even running back with the um tight space proximity
quickness that Kyler has. When you couple that together, We've
never seen anything like this. You know, I was more
of a fluid mover than a tight space quickness. Guy

(56:04):
vic had a stronger arm, less accurate. I think that
Kyler Murray is is significantly better in every category than
even Lamar Jackson. So this is a totally new evaluation
and a lot of this um. At least leading up
to this point, Dante has been a lot about his
height and now that people are starting to get over that,
his dynamic play is taking over. And like I said,

(56:25):
the combination of his ability to run football as well
as be a dynamic passer is why a lot of
people have him projected, possibly as the number one pick.
Joe Clad joining us here on the Doug Gotlip Show
on Fox Sports Radio. He's Dante Jones. I'm Dan Buy
You're sitting in for Doug today. Who does it say
or what does it say? More? About if Kyler Murray
goes number one? Is it about Kyler Murray, Is it
about Josh Rosen or is it about the Arizona Cardinals

(56:48):
Because my personal opinion, Joe, it's a bad look on
the Cardinals. I know you changed head coaches, but the
GM is still there and to take a quarterback in
the first round in two straight years is just an
awful look. Who does it affect more or or or
who is this on? If that decision is made, well,
I would look at it totally differently than that, And

(57:11):
at this point I would view it as more of
a fifty four man roster rather than a fifty free man.
And why because basically they have their choice. So right now,
let's say they love Kyler Murray, Well, they can behave
as if they've got two quarterbacks, both Kyler and Josh
on their roster. And what they can do then is

(57:31):
not make decisions based on only having one of them,
but both based on having both, and then you can
decide like, Okay, can we move one of them, one
of them being the pick, the other one being you know,
let's say we moved Josh Roden. And in that sense,
I think it starts to look very smart because then
you start gaining value outside of that position for the

(57:51):
rest of your roster. And and because of that, I
think very astutely Arizona has shown and I think it's
very real interest and learn Murray, And even if it
is him moving forward, I think you can bolster your
roster very seriously by moving Josh Rose, and even if
it is the same GM, because you're likely going to
get that team's first round pick and maybe a couple

(58:12):
of others in the back of the draft, and then
you start to stockpile a really solid roster of young
players that you're not paying an armenal leg because they're
not in their second deal. And and that's how a
lot of teams, let's face it, have built rosters that
can compete for a Super Bowl. But is there is
there any tarnish on Rosen if it plays out like that.

(58:32):
I don't think that there's any tarnish on Rosen as
much as he can tarnish himself. I don't know if
I've seen you guys have seen the reports that apparently
on his Instagram all the Arizona Cardinals pictures weren't deleted.
Then he came out with a statement that said his
account were was hacked, then the pictures were put back
on the account. Clearly his account was not hacked. That's

(58:52):
just hacked. You're gonna get hacked for your credit card,
not the Arizona Cardinal pictures on your account. I mean,
that's just a ludicrous proposition. But I think he could
hurt his his value in the trade market based on
showing I hate to say, like his true colors. But
if you're if you're basically solidifying what everyone thinks about you.

(59:15):
If the rest of the league thinks like, well, we
don't know about his attitude of personality and he started
to do things like this with your Instagram account, all
you're doing is fortifying that image. So I think Josh
could hurt his own draft value, but only only in
that sense. Outside of that, I think everybody else in
the league views the Cardinals decision is what I was

(59:36):
talking about. View it as if you have the two
quarterbacks and you're just moving forward, because there's gonna be
a really robust trade market for Josh. He's a highly
talented and quality quarterback, and he might just be a
better fit for somebody other than Cliff Kingsbury and I'll
leave you with this one because we talked Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray, and I do think he's really the main,
the only story we're gonna be talking about this draft

(59:57):
quarterback wise after that. Do you like Haskins, do you
like Lock? Do you like Jones? How do the other
quarterbacks fall? And how many do you think could be
first rounders come draft time in April. I think Dwayne
Hapkins is for sure a first rounder. Um. I think
he's very talented. I think he's a top ten pick.
I think that he's more developmental than Murray is because

(01:00:19):
he's got what I would call sloppy footwork, and because
of that, his his feet can lag behind and he
throws with just his arm, which he got away with
the times in college, but he won't be able to
get away with that at the NFL level. Um. But
he's he's a really good player that needs to mature,
get more reps and more time and develop. Outside of that,
I'm not sure if I'm jumping on the sword to

(01:00:41):
take another one of these guys in the first round.
If I had to take another one, and you know
you held a gun to my head, it would be
Daniel Jones from Duke. I like him a little bit
more than I like Lock from from Missouri. And then
to round out my top five, I would put Will
Career in there from West Virginia. A lot of that
is the fact I think Will has matured a lot
in his career. He has played a lot of football,

(01:01:02):
and what he was doing for Dana Holgerson was preparing
him for the NFL. They did a lot of isolation
stuff with David Sills and then they would play concepts
on the other side of the field, so a lot
of full field reads. And that's how I would kind
of map him out. After those top two, the combine
well underway. Joel, We appreciate the time, have a great weekend,
and yeah joined the next seven weeks or so as

(01:01:24):
we ramp up to the NFL Draft in Nashville. Appreciate it.
Appreciate you. You gotta guys, have a good one. Joe
clad Fox Sports college football and NFL draft analysts find
him on Twitter at Joel Clatt. He could have just
been Joel one, but it wasn't that taken by like
Chris Long or so. It had been way better at
Joel one. That's that's the one that you have one
on the Twitter accounts of one. Dante Jones is at

(01:01:47):
Dante one. I met Dan Buyer on Fox. You can
always listen to the Doug gott Leap Show on the
I Heart Radio app, but of course check it out
at Fox Sports Radio dot Com. Coming up next. So
you think no, dont Jones pretty well, I will see
how well you know? Are my take team partner here
today on Fox. But before we do that, we bring

(01:02:08):
in oh, it's a three main tag. We tagging Steve
to Seger to give us the latest. Hello Steve, audios
in two minutes, give me a moment and then you
can come back in the ring. Here. Royals all star
catcher Salvador Perez is out with an elbow injury. Unfortunately,
people are starting to think it's audios for the season
for Perez, who's won the Gold Globe five in the

(01:02:29):
last six years. He'll get a second opinion in l
a first with the doctor next week. But we'll find
out maybe then that well, it's a U C L
ligament damage. So if it's torn, that's Tommy John surgery.
We're not going to see him. This is the guy
who's hit over twenty Homers in four straight seasons and
All Stars six straight years. Salvador Perez was World Series
MVP with Kansas City, and the Mets are close to

(01:02:49):
signing outfielder Carlos Gomez to a minor league deal. The
Philadelphia Eagles gave defensive end Brandon Graham a three year extension.
Raven's running back Alex Collins has been cut. He was
arrested the morning after a car crash in Maryland. Workouts
at the NFL Combine started today. A qub's are scheduled
to work out tomorrow. Kyler Murray will not be throwing.
They're not working out at all. He says he'll have

(01:03:10):
his pro day in a couple of weeks at Oklahoma.
Jonathan Vegas led the Honda Classic after a first round
sixty four. Today, he's down to a tie for eighteen,
still four holds to go in his second round. American
Keith Mitchell is tied for the one stroke lead. Eight
NHL games Tonight, Ottawa fired coach Gy Bouche, replaced by
Mark Crawford. Bouche the seventh NHL coach fired this season.

(01:03:31):
Seven NBA games Tonight, New Orleans at Phoenix Anthony Davis
will play this evening and then sit tomorrow the late
game Milwaukee at the Lakers. L A guard Lonzo Ball
out at least another week with his bad ankle. It's
already been about six weeks. The Bucks have won six
in a row, their first in the Eastern Conference, two
and a half games over the Raptors. Will be back
to the show in ten seconds. But first, a word
from Farmers at Farmers Insurance. We know every windshield collision

(01:03:53):
has a unique sound. Beetle bird boop, drone seen it,
covered it, Dr Armers. Farmers underwritten my Farmers truck Fire
Insurance exchanges and affiliates products unavlable. Every state guys back.
Do you? Thank you very much? Steve, this is the
Doug Gottlieb Show. He's Dante Jones, I'm Dan Buyer and
Dante you know that's John Ramos is our technical producer

(01:04:16):
and hello Dante. Uh. The John is a is a
big part of the network, big part of the Doug
Gottlieb Show, and and leaves our Dilap is our executive producer,
and Steve hangs out as well. Kind of got a
five man tag team here. Ben the intern is like
our manager. He's he's our our million dollar man. He
handles this cell. This is this is what I like

(01:04:37):
to do. Sometimes I have to have fun, put a
little something together for John to to see how well
John knows you Dante. Okay, Dante and NBA champion playing
what career spanned fourteen seasons in the NBA? Yeah, yeah,
something like that, long enough to say, yeah, it was
a long time, a long career, John. I want to

(01:04:59):
know how well you know Dante Jones in a game
we like to call keeping up what the Jones is?
All right, this is this is how it's played. Dante.
I'm gonna give John certain scenarios. They may have happened
in your life, they may have happened in Quincy jones
Is life, or they may have happened in Catherine Zada
Jones's life. So John Ramos has to figure out what

(01:05:23):
Jones this is? Okay, it's as simple as that. Let's
see how John Ramos does. John, was it Dante? Was
it Quincy Jones or was it Catherine Zada Jones? I
was born in Chicago. I'm gonna say Quincy Jones. You
want to tell them where you were born? Dante? I

(01:05:45):
was born in Trenton, New Jersey. You are all right,
it's Quincy Jones. All right? There it is with that one.
Dante interesting, all right, let's stay with the let's stay
with the geography theme. Spent a part of their life
in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Is that Dante Jones? Is that

(01:06:06):
Quincy Jones? Or is that Katherine Zada Jones. I'm gonna say,
Dante Jones, why would you say? Ask my time? Before Wayne, Indiana?
You played some hoops in Fort Wayne, Indian. I know this.
I'm asking what made him? He's right? I was a
mad aunt for about what I wasn't a mades twice
A made just say forty days of my life. Wow, Stevie,

(01:06:28):
you keep a track of this. John Robins is two
for two. That's right. He just waves to kiss the crowd.
That's one in the positive. It's a little keeping up
with the Jones. Is John Ramos two for two? All right?
This Jones said in an interview they like to drink,
swear and have sex. Is that Dante Jones, Quincy Jones

(01:06:50):
or Katherine Zada Jones. I hope it's Catherine Zanda Jones.
I've never said that publicly. Yeah, there you go. It's
Catherine then taking I don't drink. Yeah. There, so there
was two of the three meat low sidfs. You out
of three, ain't bad. John Ramos is three out of three. Yeah,

(01:07:11):
she said that once in an interview. Um, whose parents
once when a jackpot over one hundred thousand dollars playing bingo?
Is that Dante Jones, Quincy Jones or Katherine Zada Jones.
I'm not sure Dante would want that out there, so
I would say Quincy Jones says, bingo running the family
at all, Dante, It runs in my family. But my
family did not hit the Bengo. My aunts still played

(01:07:33):
beingo to this day. Um, yeah, but we haven't hit
for a hunter. No, no, because it was Catherine Zada
Jones is yes, and in fact it was over one
hundred thousand pounds that they want and so three for
four and keeping up what the Jones is, You're you're
not doing too bad. Hen me to have to carry home? Okay?
What Jones recently became a VP of a company that

(01:07:54):
developed smart home communities. Is that Dante Jones, Quincy Jones
or Catherine Zada Jones. I'm gonna say, Dante Jones, I
hate you guys. Yes, that is me. Look at the hats.
Look at the hat right there. And that was the
dead giveaway because I had this pearl homes had on. Yes,
I did not even see the hat. He's blind as

(01:08:17):
I have glasses on it to only see in front
of it. Okay, whatever, A congratulations on that, by the way,
thank you. May I'm just trying to change your world
and provide people with an affordable resource that they can
be proud of and that can help our our atmosphere
in our in the world we live in today. Well,
there you go, four for five for John Ramos. We
have seven questions, so your score can be up six

(01:08:40):
for seven. Is is your goal four or five? Right now?
What Jones attended the role memorial service because many thought
that person was going to die? Is that Dante Jones,
Quincy Jones or Katherine Zada Jones. I'm gonna say Catherine
Zanda Jones. No, it's not Dante and it's not Katherine
Zanda was Quincy Jones? Got no laughing matter? Yeah, ur

(01:09:04):
head of brain aneurysm. But he attended the memorial service
of his own. But yeah, forty five years later that
his documentary. That was one on Netflix. I gotta, I gotta,
I gotta check down. Yeah here uh here sits Quincy Jones.
In fact, he's in the first role right there. That's
forty five years ago he attended. Sorry, that was a

(01:09:27):
Wikipedia all right, final one? What Jones never learned to
drive a car? On the song ended, I gotta bring
it back up. I mean, you know, that's a great question,
Dante Quincy or Katherine said to Jones, that might be
the hardest question. Actually, I think of all of them, Okay,

(01:09:47):
can you eliminate one of them or maybe like process
of elimination or I would well, they all probably have
like Chauffrige, at some time in their life. When you're
NBA player, you're driven around places. What was what was
your show? First name? Uber? Yeah, that's where I'm driven
around Jeeves. Count me out of this one. Okay, Catherine's

(01:10:11):
Ada Jones. It was Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones was in
a car accident when he was young, and then never
decided to wait a minute, so he got chauffeurd to
his own funeral then apparently, so I don't know if
they took a hearse or not. That is. I'm not sure.
I'm not sure. Um. I also had attended Rutgers University

(01:10:34):
for do you know what Jones? That was Dante? That
was Dante the first part of his college tup's career.
That was an easy one. You just do that lab
to him because I can't see Quincy or Katherinett and
rolling at Rutgers ver semester um. By the way, I
was going to throw a curveball and keeping up with
the Joneses and saying played in Europe when he was

(01:10:55):
nineteen years old, because you would have thought playing basketball, right,
it is Quincy Jones playing music in Europe and Katherine
still one. You should have gave him now, but had
have stumped him. Well, he was stumped me on now
because I had to go back to my own person
like he was. He was stumped by bingo. There it
is again, alright, keeping up with the jones Is. I

(01:11:16):
did playing Europe though for a month. Oh you did,
really too. When I was at Rutgers, we took we
did a tournament over there for a month in France.
Oh wow, holder were you were you nineteen? I think
it's probably a good thing I didn't use that I
was a good thing. The executive producers here at keeping
up with the Jones. So when the segments over the
background us it's gonna end right, um, just asking for

(01:11:39):
our friend there. It is keeping up with I think
what would go four or seven? Five or seven? What
five or seven? Ben? The intern? What do you have? Five?
Is at five? Benby five and a half for good behavior,
not keeping up with the show. So that's what we're
doing here on Fox Sports Radio is knowledge of Dante
was pretty good though, amazing job. Thank you Dante. Give

(01:12:01):
me give me some some clap sound effects. I was
also I was also going to say, if Dante couldn't drive,
his driver would be sitting in studio with us. I
would hope that you wouldn't make him sit in the
car for three hours until the show is done. Get
on Twitter at Dante wan I he could go to
in and Out for lunch and that's about a three
hour weight in line. I think you can just come back.
You have me gone to pizza delivery run as well.

(01:12:24):
You could do that all right, back for pizza. Would
get John on Twitter by the way at j S. Ramo.
Zero six is Lebron James his time as a top
ten player in the NBA over We'll tell you next
year on Fox. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Doug dot Leap Show weekdays at noon Eastern three
pm Pacific. That Farmers Insurance, we know a roof can

(01:12:47):
with stand a lot, one exception being an airborne car.
Seen it covered it. Dr Farmers, we are Farmers underwritten
my Farmers truck Fire Insurance Exchanges. That affiliates products available
in every state. He's Dante Jones, I'm Dan Buyer, edred
Ward Janowski of ESPN, saying that Paul Gasol reaching a

(01:13:09):
buyout with the Spurs planning to join the Milwaukee Bucks. Yes, yes,
that's breaking news. That's an amazing pick up. As a
Bucks fan, it is a new era one that that
what that that Bucks fans really have never encountered of
people wanting to go to Milwaukee, so it is. It
is a great time to be a Bucks fan. The

(01:13:30):
team with the best record in the NBA, best record,
amazing arena. You got a young star like Milwaukee's on
a rise. Milwaukee is here. Do you think we're gonna
hear that coming? Milwaukee's on a rise? No? Uh, the
the cream rises to the top in cream city of Milwaukee.
How about that he is? He is Dante Jones. I'm

(01:13:51):
Dan Buyer. We are in for Duck today, But the
reason that we're in for Doug is because Doug was
busy earlier today filling in on the herd for Colin Cowher.
So let's hear a little bit from Doug in a
segment we like to call now all right, Dante. Doug
had this to say about Lebron james current standing among

(01:14:12):
other NBA players. Let's hear from Doug earlier today. Sometimes
we get lost in the is he an all time
great historically? And is he one of the best players now?
And I would offer up that Lebron James so far,
based upon his play at both ends of the floor,
is not playing like a top ten player in the NBA.

(01:14:35):
He's just not like his He had a better and
more impactful year at both ends of the floor than
Janison Tennacoopo. No, you can give me the raw stats
about how well, you know, he's averaging slightly fewer points
and you know, and less assists, less rebounds or whatever.
But if you watch the other end of the floor,

(01:14:56):
you're trying to hide Lebron James trying to hide him
doesn't move the same. We're looking at raw stats. He
had a better year than Paul George, more impact at
both ends of the floor. Has he had more impact
than James Harden, than Kevin Durant, than Kawhi Leonard, then
Joel Embiide, then Nicola Yogi, than Anthony Davis, then Steph Curry. Okay,

(01:15:19):
there it is. I only had nine from Doug. I
don't know if he missed one, but those were the
players that he says, You've had a better season than
Lebron James so far. You buy into that, well, I
mean like Janice obviously better season, Paul George better season.
They haven't missed a month because of a groin injury. Absolutely,
But it is Lebron James the top ten player in

(01:15:41):
the NBA right now. Yes, eighteen games of injury. Is
that what we're like, is he were we basing it
that on because he was out for injury or what
is he facing his statement on because he's still a
top ten playing in our game. He still affects that
team in the capacity that helps him win win games.
When he's on the floor, you see their winning percentage
when he's not on the floor, when he was awaiting

(01:16:03):
with those games and when he has been playing, so
it's it's a big difference. So yes, he is a
top ten player in our game. Doug mentioned that you
don't see Lebron on the defensive side of the floor
is maybe you would see some of these other players.
Don't see James Harder on the defense side of floor,
you don't see Steph Curry on the defensive side of
the floor because they have people to do that for them. Now,

(01:16:24):
there are two people who are affecting the defensive end
offices out of the floor, and we discussed that early
with Paul George and Janice. So those are the real
two guys that are like doing and I'm sorry and
Kauai guys who are doing it on both sides of
the floor. But um, that team is just not a
good defensive team, period, And I don't think you should
hold Lebron responsible for the same rotations as some of

(01:16:48):
the other people on his teams. I know we've taken
these these clips out of his defensive effort and and
it's looking like more of I've been trying to break
those down. It's looking like more of communication issues with
those guys, and and also the ability for him. He's
not supposed to be doing the same thing as their
role players on the team on the defensive. So those
isolations that we see on social media that make the

(01:17:10):
rounds like and spread like wildfire when we see Lebron
not playing help side defense, there's much more to that,
I do. I think it's not just plain and simple
like for your normal player and on that roster, yes,
they have responsibilities of help side defense and the normal
set of help side defense on rotations, But for Lebron James,

(01:17:30):
who's carrying the weight on the offensive side so heavily
with assisting, scoring and rebounding, you can't expect him to
do the same thing that you would have a Reggie
buck Due or um even Region Rondo because he's doing
so much already you those guys. If I were Luke,
I wouldn't have him doing every rotation the same as

(01:17:50):
the other players because they don't have the same type
of offensive load as he does. Now, is that where
you could see some friction between Luke Walton and Lebron
James because Lebron is getting all the heat on Twitter
because of what we would isolate as lackadaisical efforts on
the defensive end. But if it's not as false as
then that could that be a cause of friction because

(01:18:13):
the head coach isn't making the adjustments. Um, that could be.
But you couldn't expect an aging superstar guy who's at
the top of the food chain in basketball to to
perform on every aspect of the game because we don't
hold other guys responsible in that manner as well. Who
are who are greats in our game right now, So
you should use your roster in a consistent manner to

(01:18:34):
to to benefit towards him, to help him do what
he does on the offensive side of the ball. Yes,
he does a good job offensive because he's not he's
not a guy that's getting blown by. He's not a
guy that's just posting up and scoring on There was
a segment even in that Memphis game where you could
create a film session of some positive plays on his end,
But we showed the two plays where he didn't rotate,

(01:18:54):
And I just think that's just that's just picking him
apart and not holding him as responsible as you hold
other superstars in sports, a trade can make or break
your team. It's no different when it comes to selling
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(01:19:15):
all areas. So let's break this down. Better player this
season than the NBA Janice or Lebron Paul George or
Lebron James Harden or Lebron James har I'm sorry, that's
all right. Kevin Durant or Lebron Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard
or Lebron Kauai has been on injury. They have a

(01:19:38):
very good team. I'm going to say Lebron okay, all right,
there's there's one Joel and beat on me a wash
Joel and beat or Lebron beads out. Yeah right now.
He's not responsible playmaking like he is, like he's a
big he's Lebron is responsible a whole lot of things
I don't think we understand. And his team is not
as good as Joel and Beast team. And there's a

(01:20:00):
the point that I'm gonna make it after we get
through this. Uh Yoki or Lebron would rather have who's
having a better who's having a better season. Uh, let's say, okay, yeah,
that's that's fine. A d or Lebron Lebron. Yeah, yeah,
I agree with that. Steph Currier Lebron Lebron. Yeah, okay,

(01:20:21):
And and and Steph has had his his moments. But
let's put step on the Lakers and see and see
and see what he does, how he affects winning on that.
You know what I'm saying. You can only play one position,
so you can't, like you take these guys and you
throw them on the Lakers. Would they affect that winning
culture in that Copacit. It's only a few of them
that could actually, like you could take quiet and be different.

(01:20:42):
I don't think Paul George returning to wins like like
Lebron James is doing. I don't think Kevin Durant would
like it would be a different effort, and it takes
a different skill set to lead this young group of players.
The Lebron situation as well as if you were bringing
in Lebron and saying he's thirty four years old and
none of that we knew, none of what has happened
so far in these sixty or so games this season, Dante,

(01:21:03):
I think it's pretty obvious that you say you want
to take some of the load off of him, especially
if you're the Lakers and you have him now for
the next four years. I think that that is that's
pretty self explanatory. But now we're into this point, we're saying,
oh boy, he's not playing defense. That's probably what you
would want anyway, right if you're entering, if you're looking
to lighten the load, you're not looking for him to
play defense. Well, I don't want it to be a

(01:21:27):
labor him laboring on defense, him expending all his energy
on on defense because you wanted to play a lot
of minutes he's been. He's been having an amazing season
so far on the offensive side. So if you can
just limit his rotations, not saying he doesn't play defense,
just limit his rotations and his his his movement on
the defensive side, that's what I would have you do.
He's Dante Jones. I'm Dan Buyer. One city in the

(01:21:49):
US is having it really good in sports. We'll tell
you next. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk
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Radio app search f s R to listen live, and
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(01:22:09):
at the NFL Combine, we've got that. We've got some
baseball talk coming up in a second. A big night
in the NBA Bucks in l A to take on
the Lakers. You may have heard Steve di Segar at
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m VPS are at stake as well, and the Lakers

(01:22:30):
trying to find a spot in the postseason. All that
and so much more on this Friday of the Doug
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(01:22:52):
Dante Houston has had the title for a while, Cleveland
has as well, but the capital of the sports world
of the United States may as well be Philadelphia. Of course,
I gotta put Boston in there as well, because they
seem to win everything. We head to the city of
Brotherly Love to talk Bryce Harper, sixers and so much
more with their good friend from ninety seven point five
of The Fanatic and co host of The Fellas. Here

(01:23:14):
on Fox Sports Radio Saturday mornings, Anthony Gargana Jones says, Hey, Aunt,
how you doing. What's up Danny Dante doing today? All right,
what's up man? How you doing? So that the town's
freaking out? Guys like you guys are right the idea
of the sports capital of the world. It's amazing. They
sold the Phillies at the news that Bryce Harper signed.

(01:23:37):
They sold a hundred thousand tickets in like six hours.
You know, I'm from Trenton, New Jersey, right, and I
know the type of city that Philadelphia is, the type
of sports city it is when that city is rocking,
when they have winners that are competing for for for championships,
like there's no there's no better city in sports than Philadelphia. Yeah,

(01:23:58):
even though you know the vibe and it's it's really
kind of cool because see when I was a little
boy and Dante, I'm rolder than you, but Philly the
the UH pilip was at four teams in the finals,
the Sixers, the Phillies, the Eagles and the Flyers, and

(01:24:19):
Alton wondered, what would that be like again? Now we
are during the Twitter age and sports talk radio, and
it's kind of coming to that that fruition right now,
the Eagles when the Super Bowl Phillies now get Harper,
that lineup is just nasty and the Sixers and no
joke Flies will be back. I mean, it's it's kind

(01:24:39):
of fun. It's it's the whole town's freaking out. Anthony
Gargano Jennis here on the Doug Gottlieb Show. He's Dante Jones,
I'm Dan buyer in for Doug today. Was there any
sense of paranoia or worry when he wasn't getting done?
They had if right to Opper Signs and the Dodgers Giants,

(01:25:03):
they would have legions of people flying out to UH
to San Francisco in l A to boo his head. Hey,
you'd have to do something with the money that you
didn't spend. If they didn't do it right exactly they
were they were. It was it was so funny because
when it appeared like that Harper was chicky to hear

(01:25:24):
the Phillies owner John Middleton had gone to Vegas to
meet with his wife and him and people are like,
all right, what's gonna happened? Finally and then the Dodgers
and the Giants. He eleventh hour coming in and people
started to freaking out and they started to blame the
Stillies and it was like what it ain't cheap again,
and they're done. And right away it was to have

(01:25:47):
her was coming out, and then it was funny and
I was part of that, so to be honest with it,
and then and then it when the news broke, it
was like pivot and with a great job, middle team
in the Philly landa the prize free agent three hundred
and thirty three million dollars, thirty million dollars. I mean,

(01:26:10):
it's unbelievable, Kyler, Mary, what are you doing? Anthony Gargana
joining us here on Fox Sports Radio, Let's pivot for
Bryce Harper to the Sixers. Okay, Joel Embiid out right now.
But what is the city? How do they feel about
this Sixers team? Do they feel that this is an
opportunity with with Boston now? I don't want to say

(01:26:32):
comfortably in that five spot. But they do have a
little bit of a breathing room in Boston right now.
How do they feel about the Sixers heading into the
stretch run? Well, I do you know what? And b
will be back tomorrow for the Warriors, so that should
be a big game, the rematch of Golden State. The
town's in love with them there. They're so fascinating because
they just need to play together. When you when you

(01:26:54):
have a five, and you know, think about a guy Dante.
When you look at their five other than Golden State,
you gotta put it up with everybody else. I mean,
you got Dan at the one, you got JJ your
shooting guard, JJ Reddick, so then you got Jimmy Butler
and Tobias Harris has been just exactly what they need

(01:27:15):
stretched for story. The three can do a lot of
different things, and of course the big man, and that's
a team that's a five that's really formidable. Their problem
is bench and maybe even the coach and learning how
to kind of put the pieces together. See, then the
bench thing doesn't really um doesn't doesn't really bother me

(01:27:38):
because Mike Scott and then you got the big fellow
down there. But like I don't. I don't see their
bench as being a weak spot. I think they have
some use in athleticism to be able to compete in
this Eastern Conference. Yeah. The only think they lack off
the bench when I brought it up, is they lack
three point shooting off the bench and they lack a
really a backup one. T J. Mcconne's okay, but they

(01:28:02):
could be exploited. Now you know he playoff time you
for a short in your bench right point of the
bench show. You know, I will say this. Anthony Gargana
joining us here on Fox Sports Radio The Doug Gottlip Show.
He's Dante Jones, I'm Dan Buyer. One of the things
that bothers me, guys when it comes to the seventies
sixers is I'm not a Ben Simmons fan, And I

(01:28:23):
just think the gap between and Bead and Simmons is
so much wider than people want to make it. Believe.
Who does that city love between those two guys, and
is it in I just think gets I just think
Simmons gets hyped and so much more of just of
oh what he could be then what he is right now? Yeah.

(01:28:47):
I mean I think the first part of that, but
I gotta tell you, overall last ten games, he's starting
to flex a little bit. So I love Ben Danny,
I do I love Simmons. I look, I know he's
got to develop a shot, and I you know, I
know you're gonna tell me that, and you're gonna be
right about it. You know, well, you know about rookie
point guards. He's basically playing his second year and so

(01:29:09):
there is a little bit of curve when it comes
to that. I just see him just create for his teammates.
It's just amazing. I'm gonna thinks he does now again
their individual athletic plays at that side. And a kid
that's six eleven that's thundering down the floor, that has
got his court vision. So I mean, I'm probably guilty

(01:29:32):
of looking at the future too with him, but I
do I love you have choice about to look at
the future with him. Like I'm on the total opposite
side of him shaking his head when I'm about to
jump on. But listen, you got a kid that size
that can really play the point guard position, Like I
don't think we could pat that. Like he's his court vision.

(01:29:54):
The size mismatches that he puts on on smaller point guards,
but he's ultra competitive as well. He plays with effort,
and that effort translates into his personal game and him
wanting to be better. He says over and over again
that he's trying to be the best in the game.
But he's not sitting on this rookie year situation he
had last year. So the jump shot is only in

(01:30:15):
the cards, like just it's just the next level. If
he gets a jump shot. Let's say he gets the
midrange jump shot. What are you really gonna do with
with him at that point time, because then he get
to shoot over all point guards if some butts, you know,
and and I get it. I get the point is
I look at the Sixers now and and and maybe
it's because I don't think ebad gets enough credit because
you want to make it a two headed monster. And

(01:30:37):
maybe it's because I don't think JJ Reddick gets enough credit.
But we shot to buyas Harris last night with what
thirty two against the thunder Like that's I think Ben
Simmons takes some of the glow off of the other
pieces that make the Sixers go. And that's not meant
to rhyme, but that's part of why I'm like, I
get the whole Simmons package and the size and what
he does, but realistically, if I'm a coach, I'm worried

(01:30:59):
about him Beat, I'm worried about Reddick shooting, and I'm
worried about you know, Jimmy Butler and Tobias. You have
to be worried about j J shooting because Ben draws
a lot of attention, so he creates space for JJ.
Like like Ben posting up, you have to look at
him and you have to put bodies near him because
he will dominate. So that opens up for JJ and Tobias.

(01:31:19):
So these shooters are only able to have space because
of Ben. It's not there, it's not their great shooting ability.
He him barreling down the lane and him posting up
give space to these guys. Am I right, That's exactly right.
She Tobias. I love Tobias. But the reason why he
works so well on this team is that he stretched
four and that he takes advantage of space can knock

(01:31:42):
down at three. J J. Reddick, I mean, let let
me mother to be his defension live dot he I
mean only does wanting and look he does it well.
But but here's the deal. Without Ben, you're getting him
the ball. You know, he's a love a guy that
that's gonna get shut down. I just think he provides spacing,

(01:32:03):
de provide. He's such a great pass anywhere else. He
doesn't get hurt. He's a guy, came on, He's gonna
play forty minutes for any and he's a great defender.
He could he could guard anywhere from one to five
really switching. So a switching defense is the most efficient defense. Right.
Teams that can switch, they dominate because they make you

(01:32:24):
play one on one inefficient basketball. You got what six
nine six six six seven six nine seven ft? You
can hide JJ you anybody wants to, you can. So
he makes them goold like. I don't know how to
stand how you can have that opinion. But well the reason,
the reason too is if you look on it. You
look on on the screen after any highlight package, whether
it be NBA TV or ESPN, it's mb and and

(01:32:47):
then it's Simmons and it maybe sixteen ten and eight
or whatever, but it's always it's always Simmons and then
maybe a Reddick, then maybe a Butler after But I
just as I said, I gave my point. I still
think that there's room to grow. Listen, yeah, it's there
are four seed. It's if they get Boston in the
first round, then we'll really see and and and could

(01:33:10):
pass in three seed, So don't pass Indiana. Their biggest problem, guys,
I'm telling you, is Brett Brown. They don't have the
personnelity play system. His system damage your three and his
defensive half matchup zone is a bad one. So I

(01:33:30):
think their biggest words the coach interesting. Interesting, Anthony Gargana.
You could hear them Saturday mornings, six o'clock Eastern time.
Him and Lincoln Kennedy are the fellas. Else you're here,
I'm at nine point five, the fanatic in Philly, and
great to talk to you, great to catch up and
uh and uh yeah we'll do it again soon. How

(01:33:51):
about that? Or we'll do it when Ben Simmons gets
a jump shot which could be a long time. That
was a cheap shot by me, Dante. I had to
slide it in because I had the last words. Hey, Ben,
just keep doing your things. Get Dante on Twitter at
Dante one. I'm at Dan Buyer on Fox. Yes, Philly
is head over heels over the sixers. And of course

(01:34:11):
Bryce Harper. But who are the losers? And the Bryce
Harper Sweepstakes. We'll tell you about it next year on Fox.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Doug dot
Leap Show weekdays at noon eastern three pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. At
Farmers Insurance, we know every windshield collision has a unique sound.
Beetle bird, poop drone, seen it, covered it? Talk to farmers.

(01:34:34):
Are farmers under written? My farmers took fire insurance exchanges
and affiliates proucts un avlable every state. He's Dante Jones,
I'm Dan Buyer. This is the Doug Gottlieb Show here
on Fox Sports Radio. Little pizza and soda. Yeah on
a Friday. Yeah, thumbs up to Dante Jones. Yeah, there
you go. Yes, I went over the crowd. I appreciate

(01:34:54):
you guys. You guys are awesome. It's uh, it's it's great.
Too great to start the weekend like and it's great
to start the weekend like Bryce Harper did signing his
three thirty million dollar contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Joining
us now to talk about that deal and kind of
how it affects the rest of Major League Baseball or
good friend from the MLB On Fox and the Athletic,
Ken Rosenthal Jones this here on the Dug gott Leap Show. Hey, Ken,

(01:35:17):
got to talk to you again. How are you how
doing doing doing well? It's great to talk to you again,
and we've got a lot to talk about. So it
seemed from the beginning it was all about money for
Bryce Harper. Now that we know that he got the
three thirty million dollar deal, was that really what this
all was about for Bryce? In my opinion, Yes, Now

(01:35:38):
you're going to hear different things. You're gonna hear him
say he wanted the long commitment to stability to stay
in one place. He wanted to give the Phillies financial
flexibility by taking a lower average salary, and all of
these things to some degree might be true. But if
you look at what happened here, he wanted to beat
Jean Carlos Stanton's record of community and five million overall value.

(01:36:02):
Guess what he got to three thirty. And by getting
to three thirty, he structured a deal that's a little
bit unusual for players of his caliber, lower A A V.
He's getting seven million less per year than No One
Ronado who wasn't a free agent, and no opt outs
in this deal. Now you're gonna hear conflicting things about
whether he actually wanted opt out, whether they were discussed.

(01:36:25):
My understanding is they were discussed. But when a team
is committing three at thirty million, it has the leverage
to say we'll do what we want with the rest
of the contract. So in my view, that's what happened,
and that's why he's a philly and listen, not to
knock the contract, my goodness, is a third of a
billion dollars. But at the same time, it didn't have

(01:36:47):
some of the little bells and whistles that you see
with other deals of this nature. But if if that
was the case, right, isn't there an ability for somebody
to make more than him on the roster with the
way his contract of structure is their ability yet? So
if it was all about the three thirty, there's somebody
that can probably maybe break that. So if it was

(01:37:08):
all about the number, then I don't see that as
I see that as him coming trying to get paid. Ultimately,
that's what we all want to do, is maximize our value.
But also have the ability for the franchise to be
able to add on to the roster and to be
able to be better as a team in the future.
I'll tell you what, Dante, it's the number. I'd feel

(01:37:29):
a lot more comfortable saying that. But he had to
get to three thirty in my opinion, because the previous record.
It's no secret that his agents got force likes to
set records. And while that record might that last very long,
that to me was the driving force behind all this.
Now after the fact, you can say, yeah, I took
a letter average salary in that way we can sign

(01:37:51):
other players, but he still gets to three thirty. He
does it without the farrals, and the farrals are often
parts of these deals. That makes the deal from that
perspect did even stronger in present day value. But again
my feeling is the goal here was the largest total
guarantee ever and they got to that goal. Ken Rosetal
joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. He's Dot d Jones.

(01:38:13):
I'm Dan Buyer in for Doug Gottliep here on the
Doug Gottlieb Show. I thought Ken earlier on the show,
I'd give you six reasons why no one should be
mad at Bryce Harper. And that three thirty number was
another reason, especially if you're another player in Major League Baseball.
What does this mean for the Mike Trouts and and
and and for him? I know it's multiple folds, but

(01:38:33):
what does it mean for a guy like Mike Trout
that now three thirty is the number? Well, first of all,
no one should be mad at Bryce Harper. A person
in Bryce Harper's position would do exactly the same thing,
exact as much money as they can. I never understand
why fans get upset. It's what each one of us
again would do. Now ask for Trout and Looking Beds

(01:38:55):
and Francisco Indoor and all the future free agents. Yeah,
obviously helps them. And in Trout's case, he's almost in
a separate category as good as Harper and Machado and
even Arnado are. Is that much better? A significant gap better?
So he's going to get a monster deal at some point,

(01:39:15):
whether it's through the Angels and an extension or in
free agency. Was there anything to read into his comments
at at Spring Trending Today of saying that it seems
to be only talking extension in the off season. Is
there anything to read into that. On Trout's case with
the Angels, I don't see it because they could be
talking right now and if they had to deal tomorrow,

(01:39:38):
he would have just said, well, I wanted to deflect
the attention. I didn't want to talk about it now.
So obviously the Angels are going to try to sign him,
whether it's now after the season. At some point, they
want to get him under long term control so they
can keep him in Anaheim. Now, he might prefer to
become a free agent. He might look at the landscape
and say, you know what, I want to test them all.

(01:40:00):
This team has not won. I have not won a
playoff game with this franchise. But at the same time,
every indication is that might try to enjoy the Anaheim
and likes it there. So he got the best of
both worlds. You could do it. However, he wants Ken
roseen Thal joining us here on Fox Sports Radio. Find
Kenn on Twitter at can underscore Rosenthal. So who's the
loser in all of this Dodgers Giants? Who who's the

(01:40:23):
loser in the Bryce Harper going to Philly sweepstakes? Actually
Dana hadn't thought about it that way, but it's certainly
a very valid question. I guess you could argue that
the Giants or the loser because they made a strong
bid and they clearly wanted the player and wanted his
box office, perhaps the bubble all given the state of

(01:40:45):
their franchise right now and the desire to fill Oracle
Park as they now call it. But I don't know
that any team really loses when you lose out of
the three million dollar bid. These contracts don't always work
out the way you want them to. So for the
Giant perspective, yeah, they would have liked to have having
The Dodgers would kind of just sitting there in case

(01:41:05):
Bryce Harper ultimately decided he would do a short term deal,
which he was never really going to do, right, So
I don't see them as losers. In fact, they would
probably feel emboldened that this deal will hurt the Giants
long term and that helps them. I bet that's how
they feel, because short term, the Giants are not going
to be very good. They wouldn't have been very good
with Harper, so if the Dodgers had lost into the Giants,

(01:41:29):
they would have been fine with that. Losing into the
Phillies they probably fine with that too. Can you can
you make a case on why he should have taken
a short term deal. Not that. You can make a case,
and the case would be you keep your flexibility, take
the right or have the right for him not not
not a not a team case, a personal case. Personally, sure, well,

(01:41:51):
let me do both. The personal case would be l
A and the Dodgers two time to ending the National
League champions six straight playoff A parented you're close to
your home in Las Vegas, it's the city of stars.
It certainly would have been a personal case you could
have made. The professional case was a little bit more
difficult in terms of the contract. Yes, it would have

(01:42:13):
given him more flexibility. He would have had an opt out,
he could have gotten out if for three years, back
into the market at age twenty nine. It could have
been all good and no one could have fall to
them for that decision. But if you make that decision,
you're essentially walking away from about two dred million dollars guarantees.
That's all hard thing to do. I don't know many

(01:42:35):
could do that. And imagine imagine him sitting there the
next couple of years in l A knowing he could
have had two dred million more guaranteed, and the professor
that he would have felt that's a lot to ask
man and and Kyla Murray needs to get that message
because today at the NFL Draft combine he was talking
about he was asked about Harper's contract and said, well,
there are quarterbacks who make more than million dollars a year.

(01:42:58):
It's all about the guarantees. It's about the guarantees. Hey, finally,
can can we finally talk about on field baseball now
that we got Are we at to that point, Keen?
Or do we still have to find a home for
Dallas Kaiko and go from there? Well, yeah, is still
out there, Kimball is still out there, some other players
still out there as well. The focus now will turn

(01:43:21):
more to what's going on in the field. I mean,
you are not insignificant players, Kiko and Kimbell, but the
Harper thinking kind of obsessed everyone involved with the sport
and the chata as well. And yes, I think the
attention will shift more towards beyond field. All right, Another
reason why today is great March madness is here and
we can focus on the game. Can we appreciate it?
Happy spring training? Great to talk to you again and

(01:43:42):
we'll do it again soon. Thanks game. Thanks Ken Rosenthal
MLB on Fox in the Athletic find him on Twitter
at can underscore Rosenthal. As simple as that, Kyler Murray,
of it's guaranteed, like the quarterback can get cut, and
I know that Tom Brady is not gonna get cut,
Aaron Rodgers is not gonna get cut. But you started

(01:44:02):
off from the show. Three thirty is the number, but
it's the easier path to get it in football, don't.
Oh sure, it's a lot of variables that come with
the baseball three thirty number, like a lot of stars
have the aline and yes, your individual yes, but but
to try to to try to justify your decision by saying,
there are quarterbacks that make more than five million dollars

(01:44:24):
a year. Sure, but those quarterbacks aren't guaranteed three d
and thirty million dollars. So he's taking Bryce Harper's contract
and comparing it to quarterbacks. So I'm going to do
the same with the overall value from a quarterback. And
that's that's where Kyler and I know Kyler Murray is
happy with this decision and made the right decision. But
when you're asked questions about it, and you're trying to

(01:44:46):
use data, you also have to look at it the
other end, So like, all right, hold on a second here,
I'm sure Tom Brady would love a three hundred and
thirty million dollar contract, something that he does not have,
or any of the other top quarterbacks in the National
Football League. He's dcted, Joe, I'm Dan Buyer. Find us
on Twitter. I'm at Dan Buyer on Fox. Get Dante
at Dante one coming up next. We may find out

(01:45:09):
where Kevin Durant is going to play next, and it
may not be in the Bay Area. Will do that
after Steve gives us the latest of what's happening in
the NBA and elsewhere. Hello Steve, Hello, And Dante is
dipping into the pizza before the segment ends. I would
say that's a cardinal sin, but of course you're filling
in for Doug Gutlieb, so let's just move on. Royals

(01:45:30):
all star catcher Salvador Perez is out with an elbow injury.
You seel ligament damage, You'll get a second in medical
opinion next week. Perez has won the Gold Glovy and
five of the last six years, the Mets are close
to signing out fielder Carlos Gomez to a minor league deal,
and San Francisco Giant CEO Larry Beer was involved in
an altercation with his wife at a public plaza this morning,
and the incident was captured on video and sold to TMZ.

(01:45:52):
Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins has been cut this afternoon.
He was arrested this morning after a car crash in Maryland.
The Eagles gave d pensive end Brandon Graham a three
year extension worth a reported thirteen million dollars per year.
Workouts at the NFL Combine started today. Quarterbacks are scheduled
to work out tomorrow. Kyler Murray will not be throwing
or working out there this weekend. He's got his pro

(01:46:13):
day at Oklahoma. In a couple of weeks. The San
Antonio Spurs bought out the contract of veteran Pau Gasol.
He is planning to sign with Milwaukee. According to ESPN,
the Bucks have the late game at the Lakers tonight.
Milwaukee has won six in a row, their first in
the Eastern Conference, two and a half games over the Raptors.
Toronto is home to Portland tonight. The NBA coaches of
the Months for February Portland's Terry Stotts and Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer.

(01:46:36):
The Blazers, by the way, that opponent in Toronto. They've
won five in a row. Portland has tied for third
in the West. Guard Evan Turner is still out with
a bad knee. Rookies of the Month for February included
Atlanta guard Trey Young. Atlanta starts the night in the
NBA at about seven thirty Eastern, hosting Chicago. John Collins
for Atlanta, averaging twenty points a game questionable due to illness.

(01:46:57):
Eight NHL contest tonight Ottawa Fire coach Guy Bouchet. Ottawa
lost six in a row. They are dead last in
the league standings. Will be back to the show in
ten seconds. But first a word from Farmers that Farmers Insurance.
We know a roof can withstand a lot, one exception
being an airborne car. I've seen it covered it. Dr Farmers,
we are Farmers underwritten my Farmers Truck Fire Insurance Exchange

(01:47:21):
and Affiliates products unavailable every state. Dana Dante back to you.
Thank you very much, Steve. This is the Doug Gottlieb's
show here on Fox Sports Radio. He is Dante Jones.
I'm Dan Buyer, and thank goodness that we have Ken
Rosenthal here because I'm mad an error earlier in the show,
and I apologize to any Mariners fans out there, and
I apologize to any San Francisco Giants fans out there.
It's safeg Field that is now T Mobile Park, and

(01:47:44):
as Ken said, Oracle Park is now in San Francisco
and not a T and T Park. I like to
correct when I make mistakes, Dante, because that's the sort
of stuff that annoys me and bothers me for days.
So when I'm wrong, I like to admit I'm wrong
and glad that Can Rosenthal is there to correct me. Well,
can I call it that first? But I didn't want
to correct the money. I don't want to secure about

(01:48:05):
his facts. So I think you and him have a
better relationship than I do, so you were able to correct.
I got a question for you. Do you think that
Pagosol is in l A right now getting prepared for
this game tonight? Do you think he's gonna be with
his team for moral support? Skip a chance to come
to l A. Siti was nine with Milwaukee and you
gotta go to Milwaukee for the resident. Yeah, you know

(01:48:27):
it's it's I would I would say this. I don't
think we're gonna see poll assault tonight. Mary guarantee his
agents gonna be like, I gotta get with the team.
Give me the yeah, give me to l A, let
me get incorporated, let me do this team chemistry. I
want to. I want to get around my guysarily. Yeah, exactly. Night.
I'm just checking. Oh, great addition for the Bucks with

(01:48:48):
Pool there's still Bucks. Still have a couple of games
in the road trip Insult Lake and then Phoenix and
then back to the Bruce City. Golden State lost last
night without Kevin Durant in a game against the Orlando Magic.
Kevin Durant making comments to NBC Sports Bay Area saying
things such as the NBA will never fulfill me. I

(01:49:09):
think those days of me wanting to prove something to
anybody or walk around with a huge ship on my
shoulder is not my thing, also saying his legacy will
not be a factor into where he wants to play next.
And Dante, I know that there are comments that you
can take and frame them in other ways, but to
me that sounds like a guy who's on his way

(01:49:29):
out of town and it's just gonna do what he
wants to do. From one Kevin Durant, it sounds like
a guy's gonna do whatever he wants to do. But
I think you, I think the average fan has to
understand that basketball players come in with a set of
goals and maybe that's it. I don't I don't know
if Kevin Durant had the set of goals like I
want to be the best of all time, the greatest

(01:49:51):
of all time. I want to have ten championship rings.
I want to break every record. I want to be
a leader in scoring. You never know what his his
idea his career was, and if he's totally satisfied at
this point in time and as and if he's fine
found another passion in life right now like basketbaek. We
grow up with basketball is our passion, and then over
time and experiences and being in the world and being

(01:50:12):
in different places, we develop other passions. And you never
know where his heart is going. You never know if
he's fulfilled this these set of requirements. He's won, he
probably wouldn't win a championship, but he's on the road
to winning a third so he could be fulfilled, he
could be not He could not judge the rest of
his life and and and and his basketball career on

(01:50:34):
anything but pure passion and just pure love of the
game and just enjoying time or playing with somebody he
really likes. I am all for goals, and I think
goals are a great thing when you're twenty years old.
But as you get older, and I've learned that my
goals when I was twenty changed when I was thirty,
and changed when I was forty. And so as as
if if I have any business advice to people in

(01:50:57):
the media industry or that that are looking to do
different things. If if I get a question of what
are your goals, I said, well, I had goals, and
once I moved up on the ladder in my career,
I had looked for different opportunities because that way I
looked at everything. If I was just focused on the goal,
I'm not seeing everything around me. And that's where I

(01:51:17):
think Kevin Durant isn't in a way, you know, when
Lebron came to l A, I felt that if you
liked Lebron and you felt he was the best nothing,
he was gonna do in l A was gonna change
your mind if he didn't like Lebron, anything that he
did in l A wasn't going to change your mind either.
I think Kevin Durant is realized, you know what, There's
not much I can do to change how other people

(01:51:40):
think of me. So I'm just gonna do what I
want to do. And I think that that is playing
a part into what he is going to do next.
And it may not be money, it may not be location,
it may not be teammates, it just maybe whatever he
wants it may be. And this is why the way
I'm thinking just playing with who I want to play with,
and that is a big thing you you transfer on

(01:52:01):
the latter end of your career, just having fun and
being with a group of guys that you trust. So
you never know what that dynamic is over there, whether
they he joined that team to win, he didn't join
because he had a lot in common with those guys.
And now he has the unique opportunity that that rarely
comes around for him to get paid the way he

(01:52:21):
wants to, to be competitive, and to play exactly with
who he wants to play with, and to to have
some some type of some leadership on an organization. Allah
what Lebron James has right now? Ala some other James
Harden has on the Houston Rockets. Because Steph has been
ingrained in that organization over there, they probably talked to
Steph more than they talk to Katie when you talk

(01:52:41):
about it, because they have a bigger relationship. So now
he would have an opportunity on a franchise to be
that guy the head. No debating about it. No, um, well,
a group conversation. We have to talk to you and
have a conversation with you and your leadership or or
or your management to be able to to old this
team out and to make you comfortable. And that may

(01:53:02):
be a big thing for him. How difficult do you think,
like does that stuff go away? Like if there was
I know they've won titles, but it couldn't have been easy.
And Steph was the one who even said when you
look at the stats, when Durant came in, Steph was
the one that sacrificed the the shot attempts. Now you're
in there in three or four years and if Steph

(01:53:23):
is still the guy, and maybe Durant is feeling some
of his shot attempts are like, do you think it
fits in? And you think he's always going to be
that outsiders as he said, I think everybody's competitive, right
even on their roster, they're competitive. And you can't tell
me hasn't come up in a conversation like we were
doing this way before you even got don't even't get
it twisted. Don't act like like this is your show,

(01:53:44):
like we've been winning, and we've been we were were
on this trail before you, so and it will exist
without you. One thing I tell my wife too, write
because because that Draymond Green interaction that he had that
that fallout is that you cannot take words back. So
watch what you say in a heated argument, because you
cannot rewind some of this and be like, oh, because

(01:54:06):
if it hits me too hard, I may not never
forget about it. I may hold onto it forever. And
unfortunately you get put in situations like that to where
a word or a set of words could could put
you in a position where you could lose them at
the end of the time. I just find it so
interesting when David West made the comments last year after
the the The Finals win and saying, you guys had

(01:54:26):
no idea what went on here. It's a credit to
Golden State because you look at all the all the
junk that's come out of the Lakers, the Celtics, the
season of of in fighting or of of this. To
keep all of that under wraps is not an easy
thing to do, especially in this day and age, when
your team, your organization is in the spotlight, like very

(01:54:47):
few are in the NBA. I mean it's Lakers, Celtics, Warriors,
and and I mean to be in that spot and
to have that stuff not get out. The wise old
owl David west Um like he he does a great
job of leadership, and I think that's what they don't have.
And I think that's what enough rosters don't have and
don't take Um into consideration. Is the fact having leadership

(01:55:08):
at the back end of your bench to be able
to catch some of these problems early and to to
deal with them, and people who are respected to be
able to keep that keep everything in the house. Keeping
everything in the house is the like the biggest thing
you can do, because they're going to be trials and
tribulations on the course of the season. It's going to
be miscommunications, it's going to be fights, it's gonna be spats.

(01:55:29):
But the more you can keep them in house, and
the more you can keep the relationships going and and
and and and kind of like disengage these arguments and
these disagreements, the better your team will be and the
more success you will have. I know this is unfair
to only give you like sixty seconds to do this,
but you were on the Cavs team that won the title,
and then you were on the Calves team that lost
the next year in the finals with Durant on Golden State.

(01:55:50):
So if Kevin Durant leaves, what would Golden State be
losing that they gained when Durant came in. How would
this team be different? If he does leave their closer,
then they don't have they don't have a closer like him.
Step is an amazing talent. Clay is an amazing talent
that doesn't get enough credit in my opinion, But he
is the guy that makes the big shot. He is.

(01:56:10):
He is what Kyrie Irving was to us. He was
the guy who who has the ability to take over
in key times and not have all the force of
the weight on Steph Curry. Like Steph Curry hasn't shown
up in those crucial moments to win games in the finals,
he he hasn't been able to take over a game
in that capacity. Yes, he dominates games, but when it

(01:56:32):
gets tight and you need one shot, you can count
on Kevin Durant for that. You can count on him
to make that shot and to be able to take
that shot because of his length, his ability to get
a shot off on anyone steph gets put in in
a couple of positions to where if you play him
in a certain way, you can stop him from getting
any shot he wants to. You can force him into
the shot that you want to take if you if

(01:56:54):
you pay attention to Scott and report he's Jones. I'm
Dan Buyer. This is the Dog Gottlieb Show on Fox
Sports Radio, on U on Twitter, I'm at Dan Buyer
on Fox. Get Dante at Dante one. What's the most
dangerous play in the National Football League. We'll tell you
coming up next. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Doug dot Leap Show week days at noon eastern
three pm Pacific. That Farmers Insurance, we know a roof

(01:57:17):
can withstand a lot, one exception being an airborne car.
I've seen it covered it dr Farmers. We are farmers
underwritten my Farmers Truck Fire Insurance Exchange and Affiliates products
unavailable in every state. He's Dante Jones. I'm Dan Buyer,
sitting in for Doug today, who is in for Colin
Cowherd on the Herd. Happy to have you on this Friday,

(01:57:39):
March first. The madness is here, Yes, in no time,
two and a half weeks, so you can start filling
out your brackets. We've got that and so much more.
And we've got so much more with Steve to say
the press. Steve will be here to fill us in
on what's been going on in the world of sports.
I wanted to let you know that today's show is
brought to you by True Car and sports of trade

(01:58:00):
can make or break your team. It's no different when
it comes to selling or trading in your car. You
need to make good choices and with True Car you've
got to start your roster. So when you're ready to
sell or trade in your car, check out True Car.
True Cash offer not available in all areas. Steve di
Seger now available to us. Hello Steve, all right, you've
had a couple of minutes to think what in the
NFL is the most dangerous play in terms of both

(01:58:23):
concussion rates and overall injury rates. This according to the
NFL's own chief medical officer in the Washington Post today.
Gotta be the kickoff, right, you have to think that
they they already made changes to it. It's gotta be
the kickoff. Actually, the punt now has that because of
the rules changes on the kickoffs. Eighteen was safer in

(01:58:45):
that regard. The year before twenty kickoffs, Uh saw concussions.
Now it's down to thirteen this past season, so an
improvement in that record. I don't think the NFL is
going to have the concussion chart like they do the
hustle charted NBA. Arenas's right up on the board. Yeah,
you're not gonna have imagine if they did, that would

(01:59:05):
be amazing. Well, this could be good news that if
the rules changes make the kickoffs safer than maybe less
talk of actually getting rid of the kickoff. Also, I
will say this, in watching The Alliance, I didn't miss
the kickoff as Churches. I thought, yeah, uh, and they're
going for to all the time after touchdowns. We'll get
to college football rules in a moment. There is a

(01:59:26):
golf story from the Oman Open in the Middle East.
That's a European Tour event this weekend the fifth Major.
Sure it has yeah sand problem. They're not the sand trap.
Sand storms are the problem blowing in off the coast.
So play has been suspended. They'll try again in the morning.
But in one incident, the first round leader played a
shot onto the green just saw his golf ball get

(01:59:47):
blown into the bunker. Meanwhile, and the golf ratings here
in North America, Tiger Woods did finish top ten in
Mexico last weekend. Still, NBC's ratings were down about three
point four million viewers. For the final round, Fox Sunday
for NASCAR from Atlanta got over five million viewers, and
that was down ten percent. As far as college football,
thank you. The n c A football rules Committee wrapped

(02:00:10):
up meetings today and the targeting rule is getting harsher.
David Shaw, the Stanford football coach, is chair of this committee,
and what they're wanting for players is if there's a
second targeting foul not in the game, just in the
same season, then you're kicked not only out of that game,
but also in your team's next contest. It's they would

(02:00:33):
change the overtime rules. You know how after a couple
of rounds of overtime you have to go for two
in college Well, we had a seven overtime game with
L s U this past season. Now the proposal is,
after four overtimes you just alternate two point tries. You
don't have a formal possession at all. And another proposed
rule changes on targeting in college football. If the replay

(02:00:54):
upstairs can't explicitly confirm the targeting call, then it gets overturned.
No more the cole stands on targeting. Quick question for
Dante combined. How many Rutgers in duke games did you
go to during your college games? Football games combined? Yes,
it doesn't the life of a college athlete. We don't
have that much time in our hands because we have

(02:01:15):
two jobs. Sounds I had about say over seven. Wow,
I thought it was gonna be like one like I
didn't go to Rutgers games and I did really Oh
but and he still made it to the game, because
sometimes students don't. That's happened Dateline Newfane, New York State

(02:01:36):
police say a Western New York man faked his own
abduction and robbery because he was short of cash owed
to the Super Bowl pool. Troopers found the sixty year
old tied up in his pickup truck Monday, thirty miles
north of Buffalo. He told the troopers that two men
involved in his Super Bowl squares robbed him of sixteen

(02:01:57):
thousand dollars, drove him around for two days, left him
tied up in his pickup, and the investigators determined the
man had entered some fake names in his squares pool,
a fifty thou dollar pool, and he was hoping to
take most of the winnings since Teddy ended up short
on the payouts. So he's charged with fraud and falsely
reporting an incident. Jeez, I think the way the numbers

(02:02:18):
played out, most people like one a couple of quarters
because it was like three zero all the time, backing
out there and pressed. That was the press, all right,
Tomte College hoops, NBA this weekend, where you're leaning towards anything,
anything on the on the docket, a little bit of both,
I'm leaving towards NBA hoops. Yeah, I'm I'm, I'm I

(02:02:38):
love watching this. See if the Lakers can get in
the playoffs. Things like this is this is amazing for me.
They got the Bucks. Tonight, Lebron against Janice should be
a dandy. This is about the Duck Gottlieb Show here
on Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
shows at Fox sports radio dot com and within the

(02:02:58):
I Heart Radio apps sir F s R to listen live.

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