July 9, 2019 • 45 mins
Doug thinks the NBA should be concerned about big market teams taking all the star players from small market teams in free agency and trades. He also talks to Hall of Famer and MLB on FOX analyst John Smoltz to get his thoughts on baseballs being "juiced". Plus, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks joins the show to discuss John Wall recovering from surgery and the state of his former team, the Thunder losing another All Star player.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
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monip America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back
to me, man, Do we got a lot to talk about?
The Doug Gotlip Show is brought to you by Farmers.
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(00:43):
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a play. At Farmers dot com, we are Farmers. Well,
since we last talk Boys and Girls, there's been a
little bit of a change in the association. Get a
Dear Little little Bit Kauai Leonard has recruited Paul George
(01:03):
and in one fail Swoop has loaded up the clippers,
pulled out the chair legs from under the thunder and
dramatically changed how we look, how we think, how we
feel about the n B A wow, I mean wow, um,
but it's interesting. My kids are now fully in summer.
(01:24):
Just dropped my little dude off at his sleepaway summer camp.
Couldn't be happier. And you know, the one thing that
that I encourage my children to do, like, I push
him too to get good grades during the school year,
and we want them to read. Now when they're in
the summer, they're at a right now, they're at the
(01:46):
type of summer camp where there's no devices, right, they're
just sitting there on the ice and Annie or Netflix
ng instead. You want them to go experienced life. Like, hey, man,
you play a lot of sports. I charted it. He
played seventy two baseball games this year. Seventy two is
a lot. Ten year old, he played like forty nine
(02:07):
basketball games. That's a lot. So even though there are sports,
I want him to experience life. And the same goes
with school. Same goes with school. But when it is
time to lock in on school, there there are things
that we need to um, we need to study. And
(02:29):
it's interesting because school has been has has really changed
since we were kids. You know, Yeah, they keep changing
math and I don't know why. I feel like it's
just a salesman new textbooks. Two plus two still is four,
three plus three is six, But now of a sudden,
the way in which we find those numbers is different.
(02:50):
But if it's become all about math and reading, and
on some level I understand that because math is about,
you know, putting a process together. Here it's not just
understanding formulas, but understanding how formulas work, putting across together,
showing your work, and then kind of the answer becomes
sort of obvious. And even if you don't get the answer,
(03:12):
as long as the process was right, and that's a
that's a great life. Lesson reading is important because well,
what job can you have where you don't have to read?
You know what? What really good job do you not
have to have math or reading? But I I'm a
history guy. I'm a history guy. But you ramos was
(03:35):
your favorite favorite subject in school? It was history? Was it? Yes?
It was um? And is there that's interesting music? What
about you? Your favorite you know, kind of basic school subject.
It sounds weird and I hate that word all piggybacking
off each other. But it was history. Huh. And my Now,
(03:56):
my wife does not like history. It's her least. She
loves the sciences, loves it. And my big thing is like, look,
we study history so we're not doomed or deemed to
uh to repeat it. And there are little lessons which
are parallels to today's life. Right. It's like if if
Hitler studied Napoleon, would he have attacked Russia in the
(04:19):
dead of winter or fought a war on two fronts?
And maybe he did and thought he was better than Napoleon,
but they both fell to the same fate. I don't
like when people use um slavery has parallels to today's
professional athletes, because I don't think that's in any way appropriate.
So when I say the Civil War and some of
(04:44):
the aspects of what created the Civil War and how
it parallels that of the n b A, you you
may say to yourself, what are you talking about? Why
are you bringing slavery? No? Look, I would love to
think that the good people of the Union wanted to
take down the bad people of the Confederacy because they
(05:09):
believed all of them believed that slavery was in fact wrong,
because slavery is of course wrong. Looking at somebody and
judging them and selling them. But forget about selling them.
And we all know, but even judging somebody by the
color of the skin is one of the dumbest things
humanity has ever done. Right, But I don't actually believe.
(05:30):
And if you study history, and John you and Ryan
you guys both studied it, you know it. That's not
actually really why the Civil War began, right. The Civil
War began because they were too completely different economic countries
the North and the South. And the South did in
fact depend upon slavery cheap and you know, in many
(05:53):
ways free labor, and they had to buy and then feed,
clothed and house their slaves. But relatively in relative comparisons,
it's not even close. You had the industrial North with
the agricultural South, and therein lies the rift. Right. I
bring up history in the fascination with it because we're
(06:15):
seeing a different sort but similar. If you stick with
me rift between teams in the NBA, look at what's
happened now, you can tell me it's not about the
big markets. It's about getting to the coast. Okay, fine,
But the fact is that um big and international markets.
(06:39):
Houston and Miami are more international Houston's the fourth largest
market the United States. And granted Chicago right now is
down in the dumps, but between the coastal cities and
the boom of Metropolis. What has happened in the NBA.
Oklahoma City first lost Kevin Durant to silic On Valley. Now,
(07:01):
do I believe that's because he was in Silicon Valley? No,
But he did, I think, really enjoy the people, he met,
the businesses he was interested in, and it challenged him emotionally,
it challenged him intellectually. And then Oakland lost Kevin Durant
to New York City, and Kahi Leonard did, in fact
(07:24):
go home, and he brought Paul George with him. Why
else would Oklahoma City relent and say, you know what,
we know you. He signed you, Paul George to a
four year deal which changed our franchise forever. Last year,
we recruit you, We'll let you. They wouldn't have let
him go anywhere other than Los Angeles. Some of it
is that it's home, but some of it has to
be that it's Los Angeles. And if you've lived in
(07:45):
any of these big markets, and I've lived in both
New York and in Los Angeles. I can tell you
that I've always left with the feeling this is an
unbelievable place to live if you're filthy, stinking rich. And
I'm not sure if you're aware, but NBA players are
in filthy stinking rich. And when I feel like is
brewing in the NBA, is this dichotomy right this? Uh,
(08:12):
it's it's their polar opposites. Oklahoma City, New Orleans, the
smallest market in the league. And right now, obviously Utah
is able to hang on the Donovan Mitchell and build
a team around him. But remember he's only in three
year three of a rookie deal. So what are you
forced to do. You're gonna be forced to give Dono
Mitchell the max contract and hope he doesn't walk into
(08:34):
the office like Paul George did that you're after signing
that contract and say, hey, you know what, I don't
like it here anymore. He's from Connecticut. I want to
go be in New York, Nick. And we've created this
atmosphere from the AU generation to college transfers now to
the NBA, which contracts apparently don't matter as long as
(08:56):
it as long as it's the player who's arguing about
the player, the contract, no matter. And if you own
a team, you paid all this money for a franchise
in the Midwest, in Indy, in Oklahoma City, in the Southeast,
(09:17):
in Charlotte, in New Orleans, in San Antonio, which San
Antonio is. It's quickly becoming like a suburb of Austin,
but it is not Austin. And you're trying to challenge
the powers that be. It doesn't mean that there's going
to be a full fledged war, but there will be
(09:40):
when the when the next collective Barden agreement comes out,
you watch there will be half the owners split saying
we can't put up with this nonsense. We can't make
money on simply being a farm system for the bigger
name teams. Like if if that happens, then what will
(10:02):
happen is what you have in baseball where the New
York Yankees fund the rest of the league when they
go into the luxury tax, and you'll have The thing
about baseball is there's no salary cap, but there's also
no salary floor. Everybody wants the mirror baseball, and forget that.
Baseball players, many of them are not paid very much money.
(10:23):
What's Alonso's name? Last Nightea, what's the first name that
won the the Pete Alonso? He makes five dollars, right,
Aaron Judge. Until he signs this next day he makes
six hundred thousand dollars. Everybody wants baseball system to you
realize most baseball players make nothing compared to their professional contemporaries.
They play a hundred sixt games until year four or
(10:44):
five at best, then you're six. If they're really good,
they start rolling it. But but as a guy who
enjoys history, and I'm watching and thinking, where does Russell
Westbrook go? Because that's that's the next shoot a drop? Right,
Russell Westbrook gets moved. You couldn't wake up Saturday morning
(11:05):
and read the pieces from woadj or Ramona Shelburne or
Sean sham Sharania and not think, Okay, if Oklahoma City
was willing to trade Russell Westbrook to the Toronto Raptors
really mentioned him in a trade, he was suddenly not untouchable.
Then once that gets back to Russell Westbrook, divorce proceedings
(11:26):
will ensue. That's calling the divorce attorney and saying, Hey,
if I get out of this thing, how much is
it gonna cost? Me right, that's what that's what it's
that's what it's doing. And if your wife finds out
that you called the divorce attorney and said, hey, how
much is this gonna cost to get me out of this?
(11:46):
Your marriage is in fact over, even if it's not over,
which is where we are with Oklahoma City, they had
James Harden. They had James Harden and look at the time,
I'm James Harden was a six man and Rob Polinka
was his agent, and you want a big money and
(12:06):
they didn't want to go into luxury tax, luxury tax,
so they moved lost him to Houston, number four market.
Then they have Kevin Durant. They get to the Western
Conference Finals. After one NBA Finals, they're up three games
to one, and they lose him to the fastest growing
(12:26):
market in the world in Silicon Valley. Now they have
Russell Westbrook, who after they lost Paul George to the
number to market in the United States his hometown. Now
lose Russell Westbrook, who's also from l A And frankly,
the Lakers would love to have them, they just don't
have the assets to trade for him. So I would
guess New York will be a player, and so will Miami,
(12:49):
the coasts, bigger markets, places sell shoes and his clothing
and frankly, get me out of Dodge. And what's left
massive draft picks of teenagers, as we've now pushed with
our you know, social media mob mentality. Oh these poor kids,
(13:10):
they shouldn't have to go to college. What will happen?
You're gonna have more bust than you do. Success stories
eighteen year olds being drafted by Oaklahoma City in New
Orleans in their first three or four years, and if
they're good enough and make it, they sign a big deal.
But they can also force their way out whenever they want,
because that's what players have done. And what will be
left is the haves and the have nots, the big
(13:34):
markets and the small. It doesn't mean the small markets
can compete, but it makes it prohibitively more difficult. It
doesn't mean the big markets are always going to be great,
but it does give them a leg up, and it
does create a lack of unity for a better union.
We've got to be very careful about history and two economies.
(13:57):
You study history so you're not doomed or damed to
repeat it. Be sure to catch live editions of the
Doug Dot Leaps Show weekdays at noon eastern three pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app.
The Voice, the color voice of the World Series, Major
League Baseball, and Foxes. John Smalty, the Hall of Famer,
He's kind of spent some time this year on Fox
(14:17):
Sports Radio. Smolty, how are you. I'm doing great? Um,
another All Star game. Anytime you get to another All
Star game, it's it's pretty cool. It is really cool.
And there is a you know, we saw CuNi last night,
we see Peter Alonso. Obviously, Cody Blinger's having having an
amazing third year in the Big The health of this
(14:38):
league is most obvious with all of the young talent
that's coming up. But I've often wondered going back from
your time as an All Star to now. You know, look,
inter league play obviously changed it, and and cable TV
and our ability to and Major League Baseball has done
a great job where you can watch any game anywhere.
And now because there's fifteen in American and fifteen National League,
(14:59):
there's alway he's an inter league series going on. Is
that you think what takes away some of the buzz
from the All Star game from when we were kids,
when it was really the first time we'd see all
of these players on one field. Yeah, no doubt. I
mean there's some definite evidence in that. Look when I
when I broke in, I was nervous to walk in
that locker room first time on the All Star Game,
(15:20):
meeting those guys that I was trying to compete against.
Fish out of water. There was back then, more fourteen
and twelve and thirteen time All Stars. If you don't
gonna see that anymore for the most part, other than
trout um. But I agree with you that that the
luster a little bit has been taken away. That's why
they tried to do different things with the All Star Game. Look,
(15:40):
I may step outside the box a little bit. I've
been pushing for this forever and I don't know that
it's ever going to happen, but I wish it would.
I would love to see a USA versus World All
Star Game within our own sport. I can only think about,
as a player, if they asked me to represent the
USA team, to put on a USA jersey, what that
would mean in middle of the season, to compete with
(16:01):
my peers and against my teammates, to represent the country
that I that I live, and I think because of
World Baseball Classic is the reason we don't have that.
The future game actually is the version that I always
claimed we should do because the game is represented by
so many countries that when you play the game, go
(16:22):
pick a team for the World team and play pick
a team for the USA team. It's fantastic. It will
blow you away in the positions that every every position
is deep. Now every position has a representative that you
could go, wow. I don't know who would win that game,
and I would love to see it. That's my personal
desire to see that game. John Small, join us and
the Dougala. Your first All Star game was in Anaheim,
(16:45):
Um and of course that's known for the bo Jackson
home run. He was the MVP of it. He hit
a ball where I grew up an Angel fan. I've
never seen anybody hit a baseball there. Where were you
during that home run? You in the bullpen. So here's
the quick version of the story. I was supposed to
hit second and the veteran pictures on that staff. I
asked him please take me to the bullpens because I
gotta get ready to pitch in the third inning. They said, well,
(17:07):
let's to watch the first and we'll take you down
during the second. Well, you saw that Rick Russell was struggling.
It didn't go well in the second, didn't look like
he was going to get out of it. And Tom
and the sort of went to the phone and said,
get Smulty up. I'm in the dugout. And he looked
and turned around, looked at me and says, kid, what
are you doing? And I'm like, I don't know how
to get down there. I've never been in an American
(17:27):
League park. So I finally got down there, ran through
the tunnel seven pitches later. By the time I got
to the bullpen, I was in my first game. Now
Bo Jackson hit that home run you're talking about. Now
he comes up, I've wiggled myself into a little bit
of a jam. First and third, one out, he's at
the plate, one and to count. I believe my memory
serves me right. I threw what I thought was a
(17:48):
great slider, and it was. He hit a groundball to Azz.
He threw it to Sandberg on the first he beat
it out. I got the loss. So I was the
youngest guy to ever get the loss. I still think
I Am and the oldest guy to ever get the
win was noh and Ryan and I just you know,
when you mentioned Bo Jackson and getting that home run,
I'm a rookie and I'm facing him with runners on
(18:10):
first and third. If you don't think my skin I
was crawling outside my skin, it was. It was. It
was a unique feeling at that point in my career.
Who do you get the home runoff Rick Russell? Rick
Russell was opening starter at weight box and and and
Bo Jackson went back to back hit Homer's and the
score was two enough, and then we tied it to
(18:31):
two to two, and then and Rick was getting in
trouble again, and you know, I was supposed to come
in and I just wasn't. I wasn't in the bullpend yet.
And uh, it was more of h You would pitch
two innings back then, you know, conditionally, And so that
was my first. I've pitched in enough of them, and
I've given up two runs and I have two losses.
(18:53):
So certain timings in the All Star Game wasn't great
for me. Who was the guy who you mentioned how
you're in a lot for him? Was it Mike Schmid?
Had you met Mike Schmid before Cawd con Jr. I
know was the bed who is who is knowling right?
Who is the guy who you are most in awe
of your first time you're an All Star game. I
think the biggest thing when you know, as a National
League guy for the Atlanta Braves, I I was trying
(19:15):
to get reacclimated. I was an American League guy growing
up with a Tiger fan, and I knew everybody on
that that side of the you know, no Inner League.
So I all of a sudden, you're in the locker
room with the likes of Tony Gwynn and and and
it's just the fact that you know, you're trying to
get the greatest hitter of our generation out and get
to meet him, and he's so genuine and nice. And
(19:37):
you know, whether it's Barry Bonds or whether it was
the elite that we had, you know, my first All
Star game again, it was Lee Smith who came to
me in the outfield. I was an energetic wanted to shag,
but didn't want to know my you know, I want
to know my place. He said, kid, come here, I
got one request for you. I'm like, oh boy, here
we go. He goes. You stand here and protect me
(19:58):
and make sure I don't get hit by any five
the bad. So that was my first job with Lee Smith,
making sure that's kg bedroom was not gonna get hurt
by not paying attention or or any balls that were
coming his way. Smalt, John Small Join Us, Dog Gotlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. MLBI on Fox presents the Major League
Baseball Star Game coverage gets in away seven o'clock Eastern
(20:19):
time on Fox Sports one, seven thirties from time on
Big Fox, Small See and Joe Buck on the call. Okay,
so we're seeing once again home runs go out of
the park at a historic rate. And Rob Manfred, to
his credit, hasn't hid from uh from from changing the baseball.
But today he said baseball has done nothing, given no
(20:41):
direction for an alteration in the baseball. He told reporters
the flaw and logic is at baseball wants more home runs.
If you sat in owners meetings and listen to people
on how the game is played, that's not a sentiment
among the owners whom I work. He went on to say,
there's no evidence from scientists that the ball is harder.
The drag of the ball of a baseball. He acknowledge
(21:03):
that the drag of a baseball is list. It does
feel like he's backpedaling a little bit because, you know,
going back earlier this month or last month, he said,
you know is possibility the drag is different because the
inside of the ball is different. What's the deal. Did
they change the baseball or not? I think indirectly the
baseball has changed. I don't know, you know it definitely
would never say it was intentional. I think the ball
(21:25):
and the distance that it's traveling, there's a combination that
if you put everything in a hat and you had
to equate what the percentage of the reason would be.
Guys are bigger, stronger, faster. They're hitting the ball with
a launch angle that is a reward system in the
game today that is to hit the ball in the air.
So they're gonna get more home runs. Even if everything
was the same, and even if you know the air
(21:47):
and the ozone was the same, you're gonna get more
home runs. It's the distance and the way the ball
is traveling that makes people scratch their head and go,
wait a minute, now. I'm always going to trust the
guy who's had two million pitches is thrown and has
the ball in his hands more than any person in
the field. I'm gonna I'm gonna air on that side.
I know what a ball felt like, and I knew
(22:08):
if it was right, wrong, hard, different, oblong, and I
would throw those balls back. Having said that, no different
than the basketball philosophy, one would say, wow, there's the
greatest shooters we've ever seen in the NBA. Not exactly,
there's just more three pointers shot and some not really
good shots. But the the the analytics tell you in
the philosophy has shoot three pointers, so there's more three
(22:30):
pointers than ever same philosophy with baseball, Guys are going
up with no approach other than to hit the ball
in the air. So that alone is going to create
a bulk of home runs that we've seen and a
style of baseball that to each their own either like
or dislike based on how you what your age is.
I guess, and so from a pitcher standpoint, when they
(22:51):
tell me or they say the ball is different, I
believe it. But I don't believe that anything was done
maliciously or intently to try to all to the way
the game scoring system, run production, and and it's certainly
um distance. That's the one. And when you think about
statistically trying to prove or disprove this theory, it's hard
(23:14):
to be on the side of nothing has changed when
major league baseballs now are being used in triple A.
I mean, the stats are the stats. It's the highest
increase they've ever had in Homer's because most people would
think that they always used major league baseball. They didn't
until this year. They had their own baseball, and so
that has changed the dynamics as well. But the but
(23:34):
the whole industry is geared towards getting the ball in
the air, and that is a major percentage of the
bulk of home runs that I believe has been record
breaking just about every every month and every year. Yeah,
and and look as as much. And they they even
taking steroids out of the game weight training, and I
think that's a that's a big part of it. You
look at those like the Reds when they wore the
(23:54):
sleeveless uniforms, like those dudes are Jack. I think you're
having an influx of legit athletes as well, and not
as much kind of base you know, the old base
can't herback baseball bodies, right, I mean, look at Aaron Judge,
look at Mike Trout, look at these guys who were
there were great athletes across the board. They just happen
to choose, happen to choose baseball as as their sport.
(24:15):
I guess here's the big question, right, Justin Brylander obviously
went off, and he's a starting pitcher night American League team.
The fan would say, like, who cares? If you're still
the best, even if the stats are skewed, what's the difference?
Is it because of historical significance of their e r
A s off? The home runs given up? Is it?
Does it change your pitching style? What? Why are pitchers
(24:36):
pushing back? If it's you still have to be the
best even if giving up more runs a game. You know,
if if everybody's given up more in a game, what's
a big deal. Right? It is a stylistic approach. It
changes the way you go about your craft, right, and
everyone and the greats will always adapt. And let's just
say that the ball keeps getting it flies more skill adapt.
But it's I guess it's it's getting used to what
(24:58):
you always used to and then all of a sudden,
all of a sudden, you're going, WHOA, that basketball I
threw down in a way never got hit out of
the ballpark like that, And you change your pitching philosophy
and you have to evolve and continuously, um, you know,
challenge yourself to figure out a way in any era.
So it's the same. And the reverse would be if
all of a sudden, you know, it would be easier
(25:18):
to make more baskets and NBA if they went to
a smaller basketball, that would be the opposite of making
a harder baseball. The ball is going to travel more
in baseball, but it's easier to obviously make more more
buckets if there's more room in the rim with a
smaller basketball. And and I'm sure even the greatest shooters
in the world would learn how to adjust to a
smaller basketball, even though it would be different. So when
(25:39):
you get scenarios that you're used to in your mind
and you spin a baseball and it always has this
tendency to do what you know it can do, and
then that changes and you really haven't changed. You start going, well,
what's going on? So it is it's a stylistic and
and and and it message with your brain a little
bit on how you go about your craft. But your
point in general is well and fair. Take it fair,
(26:00):
because the elite guys will figure out, Okay, I'll have
to adjust. Now. The problem is where the guys that
can adjust are a victim of the system they're in.
And now those are the guys that don't last as long, unfortunately,
because they don't have the weaponry to be able to combat.
You know, I'll never forget I'm a fly ball pitcher today.
(26:21):
If I pitched today, I'd have much more strikeouts, but
I'd give up a lot more home runs. And I
understood it as long as they were solos. So a
fly ball pitcher in today's ballparks, and with the way
the ball is traveling and all the things we talked about,
I would give up a lot more home runs and
it would be something I would have to, you know,
deal with. But I am on the flip side. I'd
get a lot more strikeouts too. Would This is a
(26:43):
kind of outside of the box. I'm sure you weren't
prepared for answering this question. You talked. You spoke about
Tony Gwynn, who I think you consider the greatest hitter
of of of your our generation. Whatever, um, would he
still be viewed as such considering his approach. And maybe
he changed his approach and hit more home runs, but
his approach wasn't to hit home runs. It was to
put the ball in play, was to to make contact.
(27:07):
Is he because I've I've often think like in basketball sense,
I wonder what Tim Duncan would be like now if
he came out now, because he was such a great
low post player, and he's he's a He's a very
good defensive player and and rebounder, but not an elite
shop blocker and not great at covering out in the floor.
I wonder how great he would be. How great would
Tony gwynbe now? He would dominate. And the reason he
(27:28):
would dominated you can't shift on him pitchers who don't
know how to command the baseball. There's a few of
them obviously in the game, would not be able to
make the same kind of pitch to get even he
has small room for error, he would dominate just so
much that if he wanted to. This is what I've
always said about Tony. If the club kimp came to
him as a Tony gotta hit thirty home runs done,
(27:50):
he sacrifices forty points on his batting average. He goes
three fifty three ten and he hits his thirty home runs.
We need you to hit forty home runs. Okay, he's
from three ten to to ninety and hit forty. That's
how good he was. That's the craft he mastered. And
I also would add that the Nies Cardinals would dominate
today because you can't shift on him. The speed would
(28:13):
be unbelievable, and that's the game you would love to
be able to see if there was some way you
could go in today's era with velocity and power, would
be Herzog Cardinals be successful? You bet. I believe they would.
And I think at some point, when the pendulum swung
so far, I think teams will kind of have a
mixture and get back more in the middle and balance
(28:36):
things out because everybody in the game today has the
same information, same technology, same advantages, and at some point
you have to find out what the next move is
to gain yourself that advantage over the other team. Um,
are you willing to put Trout in the greatest of
all time argument? Yes? I am. It's the most underappreciated
(28:57):
greatness because of his personality and the reason I say
that is He's very reserved, does all the things the
right way, and it basically plays on a team that
doesn't get a chance even though it's in a big
market to play at the peak of the season in
the postseason. So he just basically produces numbers every single year.
He has no huge weaknesses, and he's a complete player.
(29:19):
So absolutely he I would say this in going back
to the Albert pool Holes first ten years of his career,
you could put Albert Pools against any generational player in
any era, and he will rank right there with that
greatest player of that era. I think we're starting to
see the same was going to be from Mike Trout.
Albert pooh Holes was the greatest power hitter combined average
(29:43):
I've ever seen. And you know, we're seeing Albert obviously
at the tail end of his career, and we're getting
a chance to see Mike Trout in the peak of
his career, crazy and they're on the same team. And
then you have Shohio Tani who last year before he
got hurt, was doing things we've never seen at the
major league, dominating as a picture and as a hitter. Uh,
let me ask you about your own golf game. You
got the American Century Championship coming up in Lake Tahoe.
(30:07):
You're the third favorite to win it, right Tony Romo
and Mark Boulder are slight favorites ahead of you. And
I've heard you talk about your difficulties on Sunday. It's
interesting because I would guess like you're somebody who you
are a great starter and you're a great closer, like
you're the rarity, and that you were able to do
both incredibly well and ridiculous and those are high leverage situations.
(30:30):
What what is it that makes it difficult for you
to perform at your peak level on a Sunday um
in a champions event in comparison to what you did
in the baseball field. Yeah, I'm getting closer and closer
to mimicking some of those feelings on the baseball field.
Had such confidence in what I could do, and obviously
my whole life was dedicated to, you know, perfecting my craft.
(30:54):
Golf is a hobby that became an obsession, that became
let me see how far it could take it. And
in no way, no shape or form, have I have
the reps even close to what the greatest golfers in
the world. So experiencing that has been awesome. Learning from
it has been great. Winning that tournament in January. The
diamond resourts really helped me do the things in golf
(31:15):
that you don't know what you don't know, and until
you get in a moment you can pull on. I'd
never I'd not one time in my big lead career
in the postseason got nervous, not one time. There wasn't
a moment, there wasn't a pitch, there was no point
that I felt uncomfortable that I couldn't perform the task.
I can't say that's true for golf, because golf is
all about you and your tension and you and your emotions,
(31:37):
because no one's gonna bail you out. Takes one bad
swing and everyone talks about what you did or didn't do.
So I love the fact that that is the competition
void that I've been missing since I retired. And I
love to compete, and I'm too hard on myself and
don't know how to slow that game down like I
could slow baseball down. And I'm getting way closer to
(31:59):
doing that. As far as Tahoe, it's always simple for me.
I just don't put well enough there and I have
to find a way to do that, and if I do,
I got a chance to win it. And that's what
I feel like when I get there. My mice travel
is unbelievably complicated, so I really do have to pull
from that question you asked all my past to try
(32:20):
to figure out, like sometimes fake it. Hey, my golf
game is great. Hey, I'm playing the way I want to. Hey,
I'm the best putter in the world until it happens.
It's interesting. My little guy he sees a picture and
he was struggling with some control, and uh, and we
had we had him. He's watching some different guys and
I was just, hey, listen, you guys, just tell yourself this.
(32:41):
This next one's a strike. You know, when you take
a deep breath. This next one is a strike. Take
a deep breath. This next one is a strike. And
it's it's amazing how much the mind controls with and
the body will in fact follow up so well. I
know you've got a busy night tonight, and of course
wish your best to luck up in Lake Tyle. Thanks
so much for joining us. Really appreciate it my pleasure.
Thanks for having be sure to catch live editions so
the Doug Dot Leap Show weekdays in noon eastern three
(33:02):
pm Pacific. Scott Brooks is a friend of the program
and also the head coach of the Washington Wizards. He
joins us in the Doug got Leap Show on Fox
Sports Radio. Being a head coach in the league, you
guys got your own issues. How much have this have you?
Kind of in all honesty, paid attention to all this
free agency movement, like the way you say that we're
(33:24):
gonna shoose. Yeah, you know what, It's been a wild summer.
Free agencies has been, you know, great for a lot
of teams, not so good for other teams. But it's
part of it. That's what makes the league so peeling.
Everybody seems their love the NBA right now hopefully just
trying to continue. But summer league in Las Vegas, it's
(33:46):
bigger than ever. It's like the place to be. But
free agency you never know what you're gonna wake up
till next morning. Yeah. Look, there was some talk of
the league wanting your best healthy player in Brad Beale.
What's it like to be on the other side of that.
He's like, Hey, I don't want to get rid of
Brad be I'm trying to win games here. What what's it?
What's it like to have your players sent around rumors
(34:07):
and you know, obviously none of them have come to fruition. No.
I mean that's a that's a good thing that people
want want Brad. That means he's a really good player.
But I really want Brad and he's not going anywhere.
We love Brad and he's been a great leader. You know,
John missed a couple of years ago, missed half the season,
and last season he missed fifty games, and the next
season he's probably gonna miss most of the season. But
(34:29):
Brad during that time, Brad has really stepped up his game.
His game on the court is the way he scores,
the way he leads, the way he distributes. He's really
improved that. That's been the silver lining. I wish it
didn't happen this way, but you know, John will come
back eventually, but Brad is there really terrific And there's
no no reason for us to not continue with Brad
(34:50):
because he's been a leader on and off our flour
What what about John? What's the what's the likely that
he ever returns? Like this is the type of thing
you know, and Achilles tendant's all the other stuff going
on in his leg. His game was built on speed
and explosive. You go back to when he grew up
in Raleigh and people are like, man, this kid has
(35:12):
he has a gear no one else has. What's your
level of confidence that he can come back and be
the same level that that he was previously. Well. I
spent time with him in Miami last month, and he
came out here the last three or four days in
Vegas worked with him. He looks great, his body looks great,
and he's been really getting after. He's diligent every day.
(35:34):
Every day is improving a little bit. Uh No, the
challenges ahead of him, there's no question. He knows it.
We know that. But we're gonna do it together. We're
gonna continue to build him the thing that you know,
he had speed that not too many people had. Does
he does he get back to that speed? Who knows?
But he does have this and he's always gonna have this.
(35:54):
He's six four and he's strong as than off, and
he's no one thing about. When you have an injury
like this, all you can do is shoot, and he's
gonna come back. I I believe is a better shooter.
But I like what he's doing right now. I mean,
it's it's a tough it's it's a lonely world when
you're gonna be hurt and you're gonna be out for
a long time. But he's engaged. He's been working with
our coaches, he's been helping with our summer league team.
(36:17):
I like the I like the leadership he has shown.
It's it's a great point you bring up Scotty Brooks,
our guest head coach the Washington Wizards that actually it's
really interesting about John Wall right. The one thing that's
that's always limited him is the consistency of his jump shot.
And when your legs are hurt, all you can do
is work on your jumps. Now, obviously game shots and
and having rhythm and balanced you can't do that. But
(36:38):
I wonder your thoughts on Kevin, because like, Kevin's older,
he's in his thirties and and the reality is, no
one's really returned the same from the Achilles. But if
there was a guy in a body type in the
style that could couldn't be Kevin, because yeah, he's got
a great first step and he's a very good athlete.
But that's his game is he's seven he tell and
(37:00):
he can shoot over you, and he's just incredibly skilled
at whatever he does. Like, how would you forecast the
possibility knowing his body type, you know his work ethic,
You've told me about it back when you coached him.
They're likely that Kevin returns to the guy that he
was dominating the league this year. I wouldn't even be
even concerned with Kevin. The only thing that I would
(37:20):
be worried about Kevin, He's going to be bored out
of his mind. He is a hooper. He wants to
play ball, he wants to be around basketball, and that's
the only thing. You know, it's it's between I don't
have to really focus on that because he's gonna go
stir crazy. He loves to play, loves to be in
the jim, he loves his sweat, he loves the bang.
He's as tough as Nils. But his skill set, I mean,
(37:41):
if you and I, you know, if we had that injury,
it was it was done. We're not coming back because
we're not athletic. We're not you know, some tall. He's
seven ft tall. He can shoot the lights out and
he's always going to be able to do that. He's
just like I said, he's just gonna mentally just locked
in because he loves the game that much. Um, you've
been dealing with changes and uh, maybe not being completely
(38:06):
sure of who your boss is, right, I mean, like
you know ultimately who your boss is. But what's what's
that like to go to work when you have this
injury plague season? You had all the change in your
roster before last season, you guys got off to a
slow start, and then there's a change in leadership with
the general manager. What's that like for you this offseason? Well,
I I have a lot of faith and trust and
(38:27):
Ted and our ownership group. They've given me a great opportunity.
And Tommy Shepard has been phenomenal. He's been running the
show for the last three months, and uh and in
my in my mind, it's been flawless. He's been. He's
been terrific in the in the putting this all, settling
us down and getting the draft together and executing what
we wanted to do during that draft, in the summer
(38:47):
league and then the free agency, he really nailed it.
And you know, hopefully things work out. I believe that
it's everything is moving in the right direction. I like
the way our team's going. You know, we got a
lot of guys that are gonna be hungry, a lot
of guys that are to have a lot of growth
that if you do put in the work and they
are going to be coachable. And I like our I
(39:08):
like our draft pick. Ruy. He is he's just like
I'm not saying he's uh Kauai, but he has the
same type of on court demeanor. If he has a
dunk or an incredible play, you never know that he
just had or he had a bad play. You'll never know.
He just plays next play, next play, next play. I
love that about him. I love the new guys that
we brought in. I love some of the old guys
(39:30):
that um that we've signed. And so hopefully those things
Uh Joe together and we have a season that we
can all be proud of. You you mentioned Ruey, but
he is more of a kind of classic that power forward,
isn't he like I That's the only concern is does
he fit in the new NBA, Because in the new NBA,
can he be a small ball five? Can you will
(39:50):
you eventually shoot the ball that well? Is that. How
do you forecast what he eventually will grow into in
the league. Well, A couple of things that he really knows.
He has this great like I said, this position is fantastic.
Is work ethic is like from like from the day
one we got him. I told told, I told myself, man,
this guy's like a pros pro already. We don't even
(40:11):
have to worry about that. He's always time, He's always
put him work in. He wants to get better. He's
pretty athletic. So you know, is he if is the
A three? Is the four? Is the A five? I
think he's a player, and the way the league is
going with I think he's gonna he's gonna blend in
and guys are gonna want to play with him and
around him because of the way he plays. He's a
(40:32):
he's a team guy and Brad, you know, Brad likes
those type of players that play along with I see
he's gonna have a solid rookie year and he's gonna
have I think he's gonna have very long, great, great
last thing, Scotty, I appreciate your time. I know you're
super busy. UM, don't worries. I feel like we're seeing
this this change in the NBA. You look at Oklahoma
(40:53):
City having to having to move Paul George, he wanted
to go home to l A and they got It's
like a herschel Walker trade. Right. We look at Anthony
Davis want to go to l A. That was an
unbelievable trade and what they both get returned. Yeah, look,
New Orleans got players, but it feels like those small
market clubs in the Midwest or in the South, this
(41:13):
is how they're gonna They're gonna have to go draft
pick heavy young players and hope to hope to hit
it like you guys hit it in Seattle and then
in Oklahoma City, as opposed to you know, the big cities,
the big markets like you're in. You guys are able
to land free agents because you become destinations, you know,
people running to the coast. Is that I and I
(41:35):
honestly think while that's it may make viewership better, I
don't know how ownership of those clubs views that and
likes that. Is that? Is that a fair perspective that
people in the league share, that this is a trend
that's gonna continue under this under this current CB A
that guys are gonna push for bigger markets and it's
gonna left the leave those smaller markets for the most
(41:55):
part to be hoping for a bunch of draft picks. Yeah,
I mean that seems to be it's in the last
couple of a couple of seasons. But I I look
at as being a former player, as I look at
all the great former players that gave these current players
these opportunities to make a large amount of money and
be able to move from team the team and be
able to be where you want to be. I think
everybody has that right, uh And that's what your your
(42:18):
job as an organization to make it, to make that
to make your players want to say and want to
play and want to and want to continue to uh
be and grow with your program. And I think that's
the challenge with every team, let alone big are small.
But the league has been terrific. It's in great shape.
I mean you just watch the summer league games or
sellout games and two arenas right next to each other.
(42:41):
But that's part of it. You've got to deal with
it and and and learn from your you know what
you're what you want to do as an organization. You've
got to grow together. Um, do do you did if
if if the Lakers would have gotten Kauai? Would that
I've I've heard other former players say that they and
like it, Like, did you have an opinion that you
(43:01):
would be negative about had they all loaded up on
one team? Uh? You went in out right there A
second for Doug, I said, I said, look, I chose
the Clippers, which is I mean, look, you and I
I know you grew up in Sacramento, but you spend
enough time in southern California and living southern California. That's
that's an INCREDI I mean, that's an incredible decision considering
(43:22):
how the Clippers used to always be viewed. But did
you share the opinion of many former players in that
even though the Lakers, he had the right to choose
the Lakers, it wouldn't have been right for the league.
That's better for the league that he chose the Clippers.
You know what, I I believe every player has their
right if they if they're in the free agency and
they they've earned that right and they can do whatever
(43:44):
they want to do what's best for themselves in their family.
I know there's so many dynamic, so many variables that
go in. That's just part of it. I mean, there's
always been great teams in big markets. Uh, you know
the eighties the Celtics. Uh, it seems to be it
was the Celtics and the Lakers and the Pots. Who
I that was my childhood team, A nine three sixer
(44:04):
team is my favorite team of all time. But it's
always part of it. And they're, like I said, every
player has the right and I'm never gonna be down
on the player, even you know, even if they I've
coached them and they feel like they have to move
on to another team. Part of it. Bobby Jones your
favorite player? Who's your who's your favorite players? I love
Bobby Jones motif name Dr J. I thought I was
(44:25):
gonna be Dr J growing up because I grew seven
inches and one from four eleven as a freshman in
high school five six the next year. I thought, next year,
I'm gonna be six one and I'm gonna get the
six six. I love him. Terboy twenty second, nineteen fifty
is his birthday. The Doctor. I don't know if the
University of Mass remember you gotta introduced the University of
(44:46):
Mass choose chose it The Doctor. So those are the
great days of the game. I love those games. I
love I mean I love love it still did and
of course your former six of yourself. Hey, Scotti, thanks
so much for joining us. Enjoy Vegas and we'll see
you at yoga very soon. Okay, appreciate it. Alright, that's
(45:08):
Scotty Brooks joining us on The Doug Gottlip Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time that's twelve to
three Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
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(00:21):
of the Doug Gotlive Show on Fox Sports Radio. Boom
monip America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back
to me, man, Do we got a lot to talk about?
The Doug Gotlip Show is brought to you by Farmers.
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(00:43):
help you stay at the game, put their experience in
a play. At Farmers dot com, we are Farmers. Well,
since we last talk Boys and Girls, there's been a
little bit of a change in the association. Get a
Dear Little little Bit Kauai Leonard has recruited Paul George
(01:03):
and in one fail Swoop has loaded up the clippers,
pulled out the chair legs from under the thunder and
dramatically changed how we look, how we think, how we
feel about the n B A wow, I mean wow, um,
but it's interesting. My kids are now fully in summer.
(01:24):
Just dropped my little dude off at his sleepaway summer camp.
Couldn't be happier. And you know, the one thing that
that I encourage my children to do, like, I push
him too to get good grades during the school year,
and we want them to read. Now when they're in
the summer, they're at a right now, they're at the
(01:46):
type of summer camp where there's no devices, right, they're
just sitting there on the ice and Annie or Netflix
ng instead. You want them to go experienced life. Like, hey, man,
you play a lot of sports. I charted it. He
played seventy two baseball games this year. Seventy two is
a lot. Ten year old, he played like forty nine
(02:07):
basketball games. That's a lot. So even though there are sports,
I want him to experience life. And the same goes
with school. Same goes with school. But when it is
time to lock in on school, there there are things
that we need to um, we need to study. And
(02:29):
it's interesting because school has been has has really changed
since we were kids. You know, Yeah, they keep changing
math and I don't know why. I feel like it's
just a salesman new textbooks. Two plus two still is four,
three plus three is six, But now of a sudden,
the way in which we find those numbers is different.
(02:50):
But if it's become all about math and reading, and
on some level I understand that because math is about,
you know, putting a process together. Here it's not just
understanding formulas, but understanding how formulas work, putting across together,
showing your work, and then kind of the answer becomes
sort of obvious. And even if you don't get the answer,
(03:12):
as long as the process was right, and that's a
that's a great life. Lesson reading is important because well,
what job can you have where you don't have to read?
You know what? What really good job do you not
have to have math or reading? But I I'm a
history guy. I'm a history guy. But you ramos was
(03:35):
your favorite favorite subject in school? It was history? Was it? Yes?
It was um? And is there that's interesting music? What
about you? Your favorite you know, kind of basic school subject.
It sounds weird and I hate that word all piggybacking
off each other. But it was history. Huh. And my Now,
(03:56):
my wife does not like history. It's her least. She
loves the sciences, loves it. And my big thing is like, look,
we study history so we're not doomed or deemed to
uh to repeat it. And there are little lessons which
are parallels to today's life. Right. It's like if if
Hitler studied Napoleon, would he have attacked Russia in the
(04:19):
dead of winter or fought a war on two fronts?
And maybe he did and thought he was better than Napoleon,
but they both fell to the same fate. I don't
like when people use um slavery has parallels to today's
professional athletes, because I don't think that's in any way appropriate.
So when I say the Civil War and some of
(04:44):
the aspects of what created the Civil War and how
it parallels that of the n b A, you you
may say to yourself, what are you talking about? Why
are you bringing slavery? No? Look, I would love to
think that the good people of the Union wanted to
take down the bad people of the Confederacy because they
(05:09):
believed all of them believed that slavery was in fact wrong,
because slavery is of course wrong. Looking at somebody and
judging them and selling them. But forget about selling them.
And we all know, but even judging somebody by the
color of the skin is one of the dumbest things
humanity has ever done. Right, But I don't actually believe.
(05:30):
And if you study history, and John you and Ryan
you guys both studied it, you know it. That's not
actually really why the Civil War began, right. The Civil
War began because they were too completely different economic countries
the North and the South. And the South did in
fact depend upon slavery cheap and you know, in many
(05:53):
ways free labor, and they had to buy and then feed,
clothed and house their slaves. But relatively in relative comparisons,
it's not even close. You had the industrial North with
the agricultural South, and therein lies the rift. Right. I
bring up history in the fascination with it because we're
(06:15):
seeing a different sort but similar. If you stick with
me rift between teams in the NBA, look at what's
happened now, you can tell me it's not about the
big markets. It's about getting to the coast. Okay, fine,
But the fact is that um big and international markets.
(06:39):
Houston and Miami are more international Houston's the fourth largest
market the United States. And granted Chicago right now is
down in the dumps, but between the coastal cities and
the boom of Metropolis. What has happened in the NBA.
Oklahoma City first lost Kevin Durant to silic On Valley. Now,
(07:01):
do I believe that's because he was in Silicon Valley? No,
But he did, I think, really enjoy the people, he met,
the businesses he was interested in, and it challenged him emotionally,
it challenged him intellectually. And then Oakland lost Kevin Durant
to New York City, and Kahi Leonard did, in fact
(07:24):
go home, and he brought Paul George with him. Why
else would Oklahoma City relent and say, you know what,
we know you. He signed you, Paul George to a
four year deal which changed our franchise forever. Last year,
we recruit you, We'll let you. They wouldn't have let
him go anywhere other than Los Angeles. Some of it
is that it's home, but some of it has to
be that it's Los Angeles. And if you've lived in
(07:45):
any of these big markets, and I've lived in both
New York and in Los Angeles. I can tell you
that I've always left with the feeling this is an
unbelievable place to live if you're filthy, stinking rich. And
I'm not sure if you're aware, but NBA players are
in filthy stinking rich. And when I feel like is
brewing in the NBA, is this dichotomy right this? Uh,
(08:12):
it's it's their polar opposites. Oklahoma City, New Orleans, the
smallest market in the league. And right now, obviously Utah
is able to hang on the Donovan Mitchell and build
a team around him. But remember he's only in three
year three of a rookie deal. So what are you
forced to do. You're gonna be forced to give Dono
Mitchell the max contract and hope he doesn't walk into
(08:34):
the office like Paul George did that you're after signing
that contract and say, hey, you know what, I don't
like it here anymore. He's from Connecticut. I want to
go be in New York, Nick. And we've created this
atmosphere from the AU generation to college transfers now to
the NBA, which contracts apparently don't matter as long as
(08:56):
it as long as it's the player who's arguing about
the player, the contract, no matter. And if you own
a team, you paid all this money for a franchise
in the Midwest, in Indy, in Oklahoma City, in the Southeast,
(09:17):
in Charlotte, in New Orleans, in San Antonio, which San
Antonio is. It's quickly becoming like a suburb of Austin,
but it is not Austin. And you're trying to challenge
the powers that be. It doesn't mean that there's going
to be a full fledged war, but there will be
(09:40):
when the when the next collective Barden agreement comes out,
you watch there will be half the owners split saying
we can't put up with this nonsense. We can't make
money on simply being a farm system for the bigger
name teams. Like if if that happens, then what will
(10:02):
happen is what you have in baseball where the New
York Yankees fund the rest of the league when they
go into the luxury tax, and you'll have The thing
about baseball is there's no salary cap, but there's also
no salary floor. Everybody wants the mirror baseball, and forget that.
Baseball players, many of them are not paid very much money.
(10:23):
What's Alonso's name? Last Nightea, what's the first name that
won the the Pete Alonso? He makes five dollars, right,
Aaron Judge. Until he signs this next day he makes
six hundred thousand dollars. Everybody wants baseball system to you
realize most baseball players make nothing compared to their professional contemporaries.
They play a hundred sixt games until year four or
(10:44):
five at best, then you're six. If they're really good,
they start rolling it. But but as a guy who
enjoys history, and I'm watching and thinking, where does Russell
Westbrook go? Because that's that's the next shoot a drop? Right,
Russell Westbrook gets moved. You couldn't wake up Saturday morning
(11:05):
and read the pieces from woadj or Ramona Shelburne or
Sean sham Sharania and not think, Okay, if Oklahoma City
was willing to trade Russell Westbrook to the Toronto Raptors
really mentioned him in a trade, he was suddenly not untouchable.
Then once that gets back to Russell Westbrook, divorce proceedings
(11:26):
will ensue. That's calling the divorce attorney and saying, Hey,
if I get out of this thing, how much is
it gonna cost? Me right, that's what that's what it's
that's what it's doing. And if your wife finds out
that you called the divorce attorney and said, hey, how
much is this gonna cost to get me out of this?
(11:46):
Your marriage is in fact over, even if it's not over,
which is where we are with Oklahoma City, they had
James Harden. They had James Harden and look at the time,
I'm James Harden was a six man and Rob Polinka
was his agent, and you want a big money and
(12:06):
they didn't want to go into luxury tax, luxury tax,
so they moved lost him to Houston, number four market.
Then they have Kevin Durant. They get to the Western
Conference Finals. After one NBA Finals, they're up three games
to one, and they lose him to the fastest growing
(12:26):
market in the world in Silicon Valley. Now they have
Russell Westbrook, who after they lost Paul George to the
number to market in the United States his hometown. Now
lose Russell Westbrook, who's also from l A And frankly,
the Lakers would love to have them, they just don't
have the assets to trade for him. So I would
guess New York will be a player, and so will Miami,
(12:49):
the coasts, bigger markets, places sell shoes and his clothing
and frankly, get me out of Dodge. And what's left
massive draft picks of teenagers, as we've now pushed with
our you know, social media mob mentality. Oh these poor kids,
(13:10):
they shouldn't have to go to college. What will happen?
You're gonna have more bust than you do. Success stories
eighteen year olds being drafted by Oaklahoma City in New
Orleans in their first three or four years, and if
they're good enough and make it, they sign a big deal.
But they can also force their way out whenever they want,
because that's what players have done. And what will be
left is the haves and the have nots, the big
(13:34):
markets and the small. It doesn't mean the small markets
can compete, but it makes it prohibitively more difficult. It
doesn't mean the big markets are always going to be great,
but it does give them a leg up, and it
does create a lack of unity for a better union.
We've got to be very careful about history and two economies.
(13:57):
You study history so you're not doomed or damed to
repeat it. Be sure to catch live editions of the
Doug Dot Leaps Show weekdays at noon eastern three pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app.
The Voice, the color voice of the World Series, Major
League Baseball, and Foxes. John Smalty, the Hall of Famer,
He's kind of spent some time this year on Fox
(14:17):
Sports Radio. Smolty, how are you. I'm doing great? Um,
another All Star game. Anytime you get to another All
Star game, it's it's pretty cool. It is really cool.
And there is a you know, we saw CuNi last night,
we see Peter Alonso. Obviously, Cody Blinger's having having an
amazing third year in the Big The health of this
(14:38):
league is most obvious with all of the young talent
that's coming up. But I've often wondered going back from
your time as an All Star to now. You know, look,
inter league play obviously changed it, and and cable TV
and our ability to and Major League Baseball has done
a great job where you can watch any game anywhere.
And now because there's fifteen in American and fifteen National League,
(14:59):
there's alway he's an inter league series going on. Is
that you think what takes away some of the buzz
from the All Star game from when we were kids,
when it was really the first time we'd see all
of these players on one field. Yeah, no doubt. I
mean there's some definite evidence in that. Look when I
when I broke in, I was nervous to walk in
that locker room first time on the All Star Game,
(15:20):
meeting those guys that I was trying to compete against.
Fish out of water. There was back then, more fourteen
and twelve and thirteen time All Stars. If you don't
gonna see that anymore for the most part, other than
trout um. But I agree with you that that the
luster a little bit has been taken away. That's why
they tried to do different things with the All Star Game. Look,
(15:40):
I may step outside the box a little bit. I've
been pushing for this forever and I don't know that
it's ever going to happen, but I wish it would.
I would love to see a USA versus World All
Star Game within our own sport. I can only think about,
as a player, if they asked me to represent the
USA team, to put on a USA jersey, what that
would mean in middle of the season, to compete with
(16:01):
my peers and against my teammates, to represent the country
that I that I live, and I think because of
World Baseball Classic is the reason we don't have that.
The future game actually is the version that I always
claimed we should do because the game is represented by
so many countries that when you play the game, go
(16:22):
pick a team for the World team and play pick
a team for the USA team. It's fantastic. It will
blow you away in the positions that every every position
is deep. Now every position has a representative that you
could go, wow. I don't know who would win that game,
and I would love to see it. That's my personal
desire to see that game. John Small, join us and
the Dougala. Your first All Star game was in Anaheim,
(16:45):
Um and of course that's known for the bo Jackson
home run. He was the MVP of it. He hit
a ball where I grew up an Angel fan. I've
never seen anybody hit a baseball there. Where were you
during that home run? You in the bullpen. So here's
the quick version of the story. I was supposed to
hit second and the veteran pictures on that staff. I
asked him please take me to the bullpens because I
gotta get ready to pitch in the third inning. They said, well,
(17:07):
let's to watch the first and we'll take you down
during the second. Well, you saw that Rick Russell was struggling.
It didn't go well in the second, didn't look like
he was going to get out of it. And Tom
and the sort of went to the phone and said,
get Smulty up. I'm in the dugout. And he looked
and turned around, looked at me and says, kid, what
are you doing? And I'm like, I don't know how
to get down there. I've never been in an American
(17:27):
League park. So I finally got down there, ran through
the tunnel seven pitches later. By the time I got
to the bullpen, I was in my first game. Now
Bo Jackson hit that home run you're talking about. Now
he comes up, I've wiggled myself into a little bit
of a jam. First and third, one out, he's at
the plate, one and to count. I believe my memory
serves me right. I threw what I thought was a
(17:48):
great slider, and it was. He hit a groundball to Azz.
He threw it to Sandberg on the first he beat
it out. I got the loss. So I was the
youngest guy to ever get the loss. I still think
I Am and the oldest guy to ever get the
win was noh and Ryan and I just you know,
when you mentioned Bo Jackson and getting that home run,
I'm a rookie and I'm facing him with runners on
(18:10):
first and third. If you don't think my skin I
was crawling outside my skin, it was. It was. It
was a unique feeling at that point in my career.
Who do you get the home runoff Rick Russell? Rick
Russell was opening starter at weight box and and and
Bo Jackson went back to back hit Homer's and the
score was two enough, and then we tied it to
(18:31):
two to two, and then and Rick was getting in
trouble again, and you know, I was supposed to come
in and I just wasn't. I wasn't in the bullpend yet.
And uh, it was more of h You would pitch
two innings back then, you know, conditionally, And so that
was my first. I've pitched in enough of them, and
I've given up two runs and I have two losses.
(18:53):
So certain timings in the All Star Game wasn't great
for me. Who was the guy who you mentioned how
you're in a lot for him? Was it Mike Schmid?
Had you met Mike Schmid before Cawd con Jr. I
know was the bed who is who is knowling right?
Who is the guy who you are most in awe
of your first time you're an All Star game. I
think the biggest thing when you know, as a National
League guy for the Atlanta Braves, I I was trying
(19:15):
to get reacclimated. I was an American League guy growing
up with a Tiger fan, and I knew everybody on
that that side of the you know, no Inner League.
So I all of a sudden, you're in the locker
room with the likes of Tony Gwynn and and and
it's just the fact that you know, you're trying to
get the greatest hitter of our generation out and get
to meet him, and he's so genuine and nice. And
(19:37):
you know, whether it's Barry Bonds or whether it was
the elite that we had, you know, my first All
Star game again, it was Lee Smith who came to
me in the outfield. I was an energetic wanted to shag,
but didn't want to know my you know, I want
to know my place. He said, kid, come here, I
got one request for you. I'm like, oh boy, here
we go. He goes. You stand here and protect me
(19:58):
and make sure I don't get hit by any five
the bad. So that was my first job with Lee Smith,
making sure that's kg bedroom was not gonna get hurt
by not paying attention or or any balls that were
coming his way. Smalt, John Small Join Us, Dog Gotlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. MLBI on Fox presents the Major League
Baseball Star Game coverage gets in away seven o'clock Eastern
(20:19):
time on Fox Sports one, seven thirties from time on
Big Fox, Small See and Joe Buck on the call. Okay,
so we're seeing once again home runs go out of
the park at a historic rate. And Rob Manfred, to
his credit, hasn't hid from uh from from changing the baseball.
But today he said baseball has done nothing, given no
(20:41):
direction for an alteration in the baseball. He told reporters
the flaw and logic is at baseball wants more home runs.
If you sat in owners meetings and listen to people
on how the game is played, that's not a sentiment
among the owners whom I work. He went on to say,
there's no evidence from scientists that the ball is harder.
The drag of the ball of a baseball. He acknowledge
(21:03):
that the drag of a baseball is list. It does
feel like he's backpedaling a little bit because, you know,
going back earlier this month or last month, he said,
you know is possibility the drag is different because the
inside of the ball is different. What's the deal. Did
they change the baseball or not? I think indirectly the
baseball has changed. I don't know, you know it definitely
would never say it was intentional. I think the ball
(21:25):
and the distance that it's traveling, there's a combination that
if you put everything in a hat and you had
to equate what the percentage of the reason would be.
Guys are bigger, stronger, faster. They're hitting the ball with
a launch angle that is a reward system in the
game today that is to hit the ball in the air.
So they're gonna get more home runs. Even if everything
was the same, and even if you know the air
(21:47):
and the ozone was the same, you're gonna get more
home runs. It's the distance and the way the ball
is traveling that makes people scratch their head and go,
wait a minute, now. I'm always going to trust the
guy who's had two million pitches is thrown and has
the ball in his hands more than any person in
the field. I'm gonna I'm gonna air on that side.
I know what a ball felt like, and I knew
(22:08):
if it was right, wrong, hard, different, oblong, and I
would throw those balls back. Having said that, no different
than the basketball philosophy, one would say, wow, there's the
greatest shooters we've ever seen in the NBA. Not exactly,
there's just more three pointers shot and some not really
good shots. But the the the analytics tell you in
the philosophy has shoot three pointers, so there's more three
(22:30):
pointers than ever same philosophy with baseball, Guys are going
up with no approach other than to hit the ball
in the air. So that alone is going to create
a bulk of home runs that we've seen and a
style of baseball that to each their own either like
or dislike based on how you what your age is.
I guess, and so from a pitcher standpoint, when they
(22:51):
tell me or they say the ball is different, I
believe it. But I don't believe that anything was done
maliciously or intently to try to all to the way
the game scoring system, run production, and and it's certainly
um distance. That's the one. And when you think about
statistically trying to prove or disprove this theory, it's hard
(23:14):
to be on the side of nothing has changed when
major league baseballs now are being used in triple A.
I mean, the stats are the stats. It's the highest
increase they've ever had in Homer's because most people would
think that they always used major league baseball. They didn't
until this year. They had their own baseball, and so
that has changed the dynamics as well. But the but
(23:34):
the whole industry is geared towards getting the ball in
the air, and that is a major percentage of the
bulk of home runs that I believe has been record
breaking just about every every month and every year. Yeah,
and and look as as much. And they they even
taking steroids out of the game weight training, and I
think that's a that's a big part of it. You
look at those like the Reds when they wore the
(23:54):
sleeveless uniforms, like those dudes are Jack. I think you're
having an influx of legit athletes as well, and not
as much kind of base you know, the old base
can't herback baseball bodies, right, I mean, look at Aaron Judge,
look at Mike Trout, look at these guys who were
there were great athletes across the board. They just happen
to choose, happen to choose baseball as as their sport.
(24:15):
I guess here's the big question, right, Justin Brylander obviously
went off, and he's a starting pitcher night American League team.
The fan would say, like, who cares? If you're still
the best, even if the stats are skewed, what's the difference?
Is it because of historical significance of their e r
A s off? The home runs given up? Is it?
Does it change your pitching style? What? Why are pitchers
(24:36):
pushing back? If it's you still have to be the
best even if giving up more runs a game. You know,
if if everybody's given up more in a game, what's
a big deal. Right? It is a stylistic approach. It
changes the way you go about your craft, right, and
everyone and the greats will always adapt. And let's just
say that the ball keeps getting it flies more skill adapt.
But it's I guess it's it's getting used to what
(24:58):
you always used to and then all of a sudden,
all of a sudden, you're going, WHOA, that basketball I
threw down in a way never got hit out of
the ballpark like that, And you change your pitching philosophy
and you have to evolve and continuously, um, you know,
challenge yourself to figure out a way in any era.
So it's the same. And the reverse would be if
all of a sudden, you know, it would be easier
(25:18):
to make more baskets and NBA if they went to
a smaller basketball, that would be the opposite of making
a harder baseball. The ball is going to travel more
in baseball, but it's easier to obviously make more more
buckets if there's more room in the rim with a
smaller basketball. And and I'm sure even the greatest shooters
in the world would learn how to adjust to a
smaller basketball, even though it would be different. So when
(25:39):
you get scenarios that you're used to in your mind
and you spin a baseball and it always has this
tendency to do what you know it can do, and
then that changes and you really haven't changed. You start going, well,
what's going on? So it is it's a stylistic and
and and and it message with your brain a little
bit on how you go about your craft. But your
point in general is well and fair. Take it fair,
(26:00):
because the elite guys will figure out, Okay, I'll have
to adjust. Now. The problem is where the guys that
can adjust are a victim of the system they're in.
And now those are the guys that don't last as long, unfortunately,
because they don't have the weaponry to be able to combat.
You know, I'll never forget I'm a fly ball pitcher today.
(26:21):
If I pitched today, I'd have much more strikeouts, but
I'd give up a lot more home runs. And I
understood it as long as they were solos. So a
fly ball pitcher in today's ballparks, and with the way
the ball is traveling and all the things we talked about,
I would give up a lot more home runs and
it would be something I would have to, you know,
deal with. But I am on the flip side. I'd
get a lot more strikeouts too. Would This is a
(26:43):
kind of outside of the box. I'm sure you weren't
prepared for answering this question. You talked. You spoke about
Tony Gwynn, who I think you consider the greatest hitter
of of of your our generation. Whatever, um, would he
still be viewed as such considering his approach. And maybe
he changed his approach and hit more home runs, but
his approach wasn't to hit home runs. It was to
put the ball in play, was to to make contact.
(27:07):
Is he because I've I've often think like in basketball sense,
I wonder what Tim Duncan would be like now if
he came out now, because he was such a great
low post player, and he's he's a He's a very
good defensive player and and rebounder, but not an elite
shop blocker and not great at covering out in the floor.
I wonder how great he would be. How great would
Tony gwynbe now? He would dominate. And the reason he
(27:28):
would dominated you can't shift on him pitchers who don't
know how to command the baseball. There's a few of
them obviously in the game, would not be able to
make the same kind of pitch to get even he
has small room for error, he would dominate just so
much that if he wanted to. This is what I've
always said about Tony. If the club kimp came to
him as a Tony gotta hit thirty home runs done,
(27:50):
he sacrifices forty points on his batting average. He goes
three fifty three ten and he hits his thirty home runs.
We need you to hit forty home runs. Okay, he's
from three ten to to ninety and hit forty. That's
how good he was. That's the craft he mastered. And
I also would add that the Nies Cardinals would dominate
today because you can't shift on him. The speed would
(28:13):
be unbelievable, and that's the game you would love to
be able to see if there was some way you
could go in today's era with velocity and power, would
be Herzog Cardinals be successful? You bet. I believe they would.
And I think at some point, when the pendulum swung
so far, I think teams will kind of have a
mixture and get back more in the middle and balance
(28:36):
things out because everybody in the game today has the
same information, same technology, same advantages, and at some point
you have to find out what the next move is
to gain yourself that advantage over the other team. Um,
are you willing to put Trout in the greatest of
all time argument? Yes? I am. It's the most underappreciated
(28:57):
greatness because of his personality and the reason I say
that is He's very reserved, does all the things the
right way, and it basically plays on a team that
doesn't get a chance even though it's in a big
market to play at the peak of the season in
the postseason. So he just basically produces numbers every single year.
He has no huge weaknesses, and he's a complete player.
(29:19):
So absolutely he I would say this in going back
to the Albert pool Holes first ten years of his career,
you could put Albert Pools against any generational player in
any era, and he will rank right there with that
greatest player of that era. I think we're starting to
see the same was going to be from Mike Trout.
Albert pooh Holes was the greatest power hitter combined average
(29:43):
I've ever seen. And you know, we're seeing Albert obviously
at the tail end of his career, and we're getting
a chance to see Mike Trout in the peak of
his career, crazy and they're on the same team. And
then you have Shohio Tani who last year before he
got hurt, was doing things we've never seen at the
major league, dominating as a picture and as a hitter. Uh,
let me ask you about your own golf game. You
got the American Century Championship coming up in Lake Tahoe.
(30:07):
You're the third favorite to win it, right Tony Romo
and Mark Boulder are slight favorites ahead of you. And
I've heard you talk about your difficulties on Sunday. It's
interesting because I would guess like you're somebody who you
are a great starter and you're a great closer, like
you're the rarity, and that you were able to do
both incredibly well and ridiculous and those are high leverage situations.
(30:30):
What what is it that makes it difficult for you
to perform at your peak level on a Sunday um
in a champions event in comparison to what you did
in the baseball field. Yeah, I'm getting closer and closer
to mimicking some of those feelings on the baseball field.
Had such confidence in what I could do, and obviously
my whole life was dedicated to, you know, perfecting my craft.
(30:54):
Golf is a hobby that became an obsession, that became
let me see how far it could take it. And
in no way, no shape or form, have I have
the reps even close to what the greatest golfers in
the world. So experiencing that has been awesome. Learning from
it has been great. Winning that tournament in January. The
diamond resourts really helped me do the things in golf
(31:15):
that you don't know what you don't know, and until
you get in a moment you can pull on. I'd
never I'd not one time in my big lead career
in the postseason got nervous, not one time. There wasn't
a moment, there wasn't a pitch, there was no point
that I felt uncomfortable that I couldn't perform the task.
I can't say that's true for golf, because golf is
all about you and your tension and you and your emotions,
(31:37):
because no one's gonna bail you out. Takes one bad
swing and everyone talks about what you did or didn't do.
So I love the fact that that is the competition
void that I've been missing since I retired. And I
love to compete, and I'm too hard on myself and
don't know how to slow that game down like I
could slow baseball down. And I'm getting way closer to
(31:59):
doing that. As far as Tahoe, it's always simple for me.
I just don't put well enough there and I have
to find a way to do that, and if I do,
I got a chance to win it. And that's what
I feel like when I get there. My mice travel
is unbelievably complicated, so I really do have to pull
from that question you asked all my past to try
(32:20):
to figure out, like sometimes fake it. Hey, my golf
game is great. Hey, I'm playing the way I want to. Hey,
I'm the best putter in the world until it happens.
It's interesting. My little guy he sees a picture and
he was struggling with some control, and uh, and we
had we had him. He's watching some different guys and
I was just, hey, listen, you guys, just tell yourself this.
(32:41):
This next one's a strike. You know, when you take
a deep breath. This next one is a strike. Take
a deep breath. This next one is a strike. And
it's it's amazing how much the mind controls with and
the body will in fact follow up so well. I
know you've got a busy night tonight, and of course
wish your best to luck up in Lake Tyle. Thanks
so much for joining us. Really appreciate it my pleasure.
Thanks for having be sure to catch live editions so
the Doug Dot Leap Show weekdays in noon eastern three
(33:02):
pm Pacific. Scott Brooks is a friend of the program
and also the head coach of the Washington Wizards. He
joins us in the Doug got Leap Show on Fox
Sports Radio. Being a head coach in the league, you
guys got your own issues. How much have this have you?
Kind of in all honesty, paid attention to all this
free agency movement, like the way you say that we're
(33:24):
gonna shoose. Yeah, you know what, It's been a wild summer.
Free agencies has been, you know, great for a lot
of teams, not so good for other teams. But it's
part of it. That's what makes the league so peeling.
Everybody seems their love the NBA right now hopefully just
trying to continue. But summer league in Las Vegas, it's
(33:46):
bigger than ever. It's like the place to be. But
free agency you never know what you're gonna wake up
till next morning. Yeah. Look, there was some talk of
the league wanting your best healthy player in Brad Beale.
What's it like to be on the other side of that.
He's like, Hey, I don't want to get rid of
Brad be I'm trying to win games here. What what's it?
What's it like to have your players sent around rumors
(34:07):
and you know, obviously none of them have come to fruition. No.
I mean that's a that's a good thing that people
want want Brad. That means he's a really good player.
But I really want Brad and he's not going anywhere.
We love Brad and he's been a great leader. You know,
John missed a couple of years ago, missed half the season,
and last season he missed fifty games, and the next
season he's probably gonna miss most of the season. But
(34:29):
Brad during that time, Brad has really stepped up his game.
His game on the court is the way he scores,
the way he leads, the way he distributes. He's really
improved that. That's been the silver lining. I wish it
didn't happen this way, but you know, John will come
back eventually, but Brad is there really terrific And there's
no no reason for us to not continue with Brad
(34:50):
because he's been a leader on and off our flour
What what about John? What's the what's the likely that
he ever returns? Like this is the type of thing
you know, and Achilles tendant's all the other stuff going
on in his leg. His game was built on speed
and explosive. You go back to when he grew up
in Raleigh and people are like, man, this kid has
(35:12):
he has a gear no one else has. What's your
level of confidence that he can come back and be
the same level that that he was previously. Well. I
spent time with him in Miami last month, and he
came out here the last three or four days in
Vegas worked with him. He looks great, his body looks great,
and he's been really getting after. He's diligent every day.
(35:34):
Every day is improving a little bit. Uh No, the
challenges ahead of him, there's no question. He knows it.
We know that. But we're gonna do it together. We're
gonna continue to build him the thing that you know,
he had speed that not too many people had. Does
he does he get back to that speed? Who knows?
But he does have this and he's always gonna have this.
(35:54):
He's six four and he's strong as than off, and
he's no one thing about. When you have an injury
like this, all you can do is shoot, and he's
gonna come back. I I believe is a better shooter.
But I like what he's doing right now. I mean,
it's it's a tough it's it's a lonely world when
you're gonna be hurt and you're gonna be out for
a long time. But he's engaged. He's been working with
our coaches, he's been helping with our summer league team.
(36:17):
I like the I like the leadership he has shown.
It's it's a great point you bring up Scotty Brooks,
our guest head coach the Washington Wizards that actually it's
really interesting about John Wall right. The one thing that's
that's always limited him is the consistency of his jump shot.
And when your legs are hurt, all you can do
is work on your jumps. Now, obviously game shots and
and having rhythm and balanced you can't do that. But
(36:38):
I wonder your thoughts on Kevin, because like, Kevin's older,
he's in his thirties and and the reality is, no
one's really returned the same from the Achilles. But if
there was a guy in a body type in the
style that could couldn't be Kevin, because yeah, he's got
a great first step and he's a very good athlete.
But that's his game is he's seven he tell and
(37:00):
he can shoot over you, and he's just incredibly skilled
at whatever he does. Like, how would you forecast the
possibility knowing his body type, you know his work ethic,
You've told me about it back when you coached him.
They're likely that Kevin returns to the guy that he
was dominating the league this year. I wouldn't even be
even concerned with Kevin. The only thing that I would
(37:20):
be worried about Kevin, He's going to be bored out
of his mind. He is a hooper. He wants to
play ball, he wants to be around basketball, and that's
the only thing. You know, it's it's between I don't
have to really focus on that because he's gonna go
stir crazy. He loves to play, loves to be in
the jim, he loves his sweat, he loves the bang.
He's as tough as Nils. But his skill set, I mean,
(37:41):
if you and I, you know, if we had that injury,
it was it was done. We're not coming back because
we're not athletic. We're not you know, some tall. He's
seven ft tall. He can shoot the lights out and
he's always going to be able to do that. He's
just like I said, he's just gonna mentally just locked
in because he loves the game that much. Um, you've
been dealing with changes and uh, maybe not being completely
(38:06):
sure of who your boss is, right, I mean, like
you know ultimately who your boss is. But what's what's
that like to go to work when you have this
injury plague season? You had all the change in your
roster before last season, you guys got off to a
slow start, and then there's a change in leadership with
the general manager. What's that like for you this offseason? Well,
I I have a lot of faith and trust and
(38:27):
Ted and our ownership group. They've given me a great opportunity.
And Tommy Shepard has been phenomenal. He's been running the
show for the last three months, and uh and in
my in my mind, it's been flawless. He's been. He's
been terrific in the in the putting this all, settling
us down and getting the draft together and executing what
we wanted to do during that draft, in the summer
(38:47):
league and then the free agency, he really nailed it.
And you know, hopefully things work out. I believe that
it's everything is moving in the right direction. I like
the way our team's going. You know, we got a
lot of guys that are gonna be hungry, a lot
of guys that are to have a lot of growth
that if you do put in the work and they
are going to be coachable. And I like our I
(39:08):
like our draft pick. Ruy. He is he's just like
I'm not saying he's uh Kauai, but he has the
same type of on court demeanor. If he has a
dunk or an incredible play, you never know that he
just had or he had a bad play. You'll never know.
He just plays next play, next play, next play. I
love that about him. I love the new guys that
we brought in. I love some of the old guys
(39:30):
that um that we've signed. And so hopefully those things
Uh Joe together and we have a season that we
can all be proud of. You you mentioned Ruey, but
he is more of a kind of classic that power forward,
isn't he like I That's the only concern is does
he fit in the new NBA, Because in the new NBA,
can he be a small ball five? Can you will
(39:50):
you eventually shoot the ball that well? Is that. How
do you forecast what he eventually will grow into in
the league. Well, A couple of things that he really knows.
He has this great like I said, this position is fantastic.
Is work ethic is like from like from the day
one we got him. I told told, I told myself, man,
this guy's like a pros pro already. We don't even
(40:11):
have to worry about that. He's always time, He's always
put him work in. He wants to get better. He's
pretty athletic. So you know, is he if is the
A three? Is the four? Is the A five? I
think he's a player, and the way the league is
going with I think he's gonna he's gonna blend in
and guys are gonna want to play with him and
around him because of the way he plays. He's a
(40:32):
he's a team guy and Brad, you know, Brad likes
those type of players that play along with I see
he's gonna have a solid rookie year and he's gonna
have I think he's gonna have very long, great, great
last thing, Scotty, I appreciate your time. I know you're
super busy. UM, don't worries. I feel like we're seeing
this this change in the NBA. You look at Oklahoma
(40:53):
City having to having to move Paul George, he wanted
to go home to l A and they got It's
like a herschel Walker trade. Right. We look at Anthony
Davis want to go to l A. That was an
unbelievable trade and what they both get returned. Yeah, look,
New Orleans got players, but it feels like those small
market clubs in the Midwest or in the South, this
(41:13):
is how they're gonna They're gonna have to go draft
pick heavy young players and hope to hope to hit
it like you guys hit it in Seattle and then
in Oklahoma City, as opposed to you know, the big cities,
the big markets like you're in. You guys are able
to land free agents because you become destinations, you know,
people running to the coast. Is that I and I
(41:35):
honestly think while that's it may make viewership better, I
don't know how ownership of those clubs views that and
likes that. Is that? Is that a fair perspective that
people in the league share, that this is a trend
that's gonna continue under this under this current CB A
that guys are gonna push for bigger markets and it's
gonna left the leave those smaller markets for the most
(41:55):
part to be hoping for a bunch of draft picks. Yeah,
I mean that seems to be it's in the last
couple of a couple of seasons. But I I look
at as being a former player, as I look at
all the great former players that gave these current players
these opportunities to make a large amount of money and
be able to move from team the team and be
able to be where you want to be. I think
everybody has that right, uh And that's what your your
(42:18):
job as an organization to make it, to make that
to make your players want to say and want to
play and want to and want to continue to uh
be and grow with your program. And I think that's
the challenge with every team, let alone big are small.
But the league has been terrific. It's in great shape.
I mean you just watch the summer league games or
sellout games and two arenas right next to each other.
(42:41):
But that's part of it. You've got to deal with
it and and and learn from your you know what
you're what you want to do as an organization. You've
got to grow together. Um, do do you did if
if if the Lakers would have gotten Kauai? Would that
I've I've heard other former players say that they and
like it, Like, did you have an opinion that you
(43:01):
would be negative about had they all loaded up on
one team? Uh? You went in out right there A
second for Doug, I said, I said, look, I chose
the Clippers, which is I mean, look, you and I
I know you grew up in Sacramento, but you spend
enough time in southern California and living southern California. That's
that's an INCREDI I mean, that's an incredible decision considering
(43:22):
how the Clippers used to always be viewed. But did
you share the opinion of many former players in that
even though the Lakers, he had the right to choose
the Lakers, it wouldn't have been right for the league.
That's better for the league that he chose the Clippers.
You know what, I I believe every player has their
right if they if they're in the free agency and
they they've earned that right and they can do whatever
(43:44):
they want to do what's best for themselves in their family.
I know there's so many dynamic, so many variables that
go in. That's just part of it. I mean, there's
always been great teams in big markets. Uh, you know
the eighties the Celtics. Uh, it seems to be it
was the Celtics and the Lakers and the Pots. Who
I that was my childhood team, A nine three sixer
(44:04):
team is my favorite team of all time. But it's
always part of it. And they're, like I said, every
player has the right and I'm never gonna be down
on the player, even you know, even if they I've
coached them and they feel like they have to move
on to another team. Part of it. Bobby Jones your
favorite player? Who's your who's your favorite players? I love
Bobby Jones motif name Dr J. I thought I was
(44:25):
gonna be Dr J growing up because I grew seven
inches and one from four eleven as a freshman in
high school five six the next year. I thought, next year,
I'm gonna be six one and I'm gonna get the
six six. I love him. Terboy twenty second, nineteen fifty
is his birthday. The Doctor. I don't know if the
University of Mass remember you gotta introduced the University of
(44:46):
Mass choose chose it The Doctor. So those are the
great days of the game. I love those games. I
love I mean I love love it still did and
of course your former six of yourself. Hey, Scotti, thanks
so much for joining us. Enjoy Vegas and we'll see
you at yoga very soon. Okay, appreciate it. Alright, that's
(45:08):
Scotty Brooks joining us on The Doug Gottlip Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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