March 3, 2021 • 35 mins
Chris and Rob debate whether or not the Houston Rockets should ever retire James Harden's jersey given the way he disrespected the franchise on his way out the door, explain why the influx of top prep prospects choosing to go to the G-League is the nail in the coffin for college basketball, and tell us why Shaquille O'Neal is dead wrong when he says Steph Curry is the most influential player of the past 30 years.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the best of the Odd
Cup Off with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. Let me
paint the set, the stage, Can you set it up?
You're so worked up over this, Christie a bunch. Yes
they are, they are, uh, and it's quite uncomfortable, all right. Anyway,
(00:43):
James Harden, as you all know, is going back to
Houston tonight to play his first game in Houston, and
actually I believe against the Rockets period since he forced
the trade and uh, we know how it went down.
He said in the summer he you know, after in
the offseason he asked him to move him. He wanted
(01:06):
to move on. They you know, didn't do it, and
he went out bawling. I mean, first game forty four,
next game thirty four, thirty three, something like that was
killing it. And you know the Rockets are thinking, oh
he want to trade all he wants. If he's gonna
play like this, we aren't moving him right, right, He's
(01:27):
gonna be mister nice guy. He's cool, he's you know,
getting along with his teammates, all right. And then he said, okay,
I gotta turn it up a notch and he dogged it. Now,
Rob dogging it for him was seventeen points and ten assists.
I think again, let's just be honest. At the very
end two he looked like he was wearing a fat suit.
(01:50):
He might have had on a fat suit on it.
He might have had one because it was like my rise.
He got traded to Brooklyn. He lost twenty pounds, right,
he did himself some extra small uniforms. But didn't he
look fat? I mean I remember watching he looks fat.
He don't look the slimmest. Now he's no, no, no,
(02:10):
but what do you night? And I was like, man,
you would never look at this dude and think he's
as good as he is. No, you know what he
looks like. If he was in a barbershop, he could
be a barber cut in your hair, like seriously, not
an athlete. You know who he looks like to me?
Did you he always reminds me of, did you see
Uptown Saturday Night? Of course it's class right, what did
(02:31):
I see it? I'm just was this Uptown Saturday lifted?
You know what I mean? I mean I think it was. Yeah,
it was Uptown Saturday Night when Bill Cosby played the
character just for one scene. What was his name, Mondo
Slade or somethingwhere yeah, yeah, orange, you know, zoot suit
(02:51):
on or whatever and had the huge beer. But that's
who hardly reminds me of. But anyway, so he so
that's the situation. So now he's come, he's you know,
he dogged it for about five games. They trade and
then he says, you know at the press conference, we
just don't have enough to win. I'm ready to go.
And then they trade in Pronto to Brooklyn and Brooklyn's
(03:11):
playing like the best team in the league. The Rockets, meanwhile,
are on a twelve game losing streak. And that's the
stage rout and the owner of the Rockets, Tilman for Tita,
came out yesterday, you know, obviously with Harden on his
way back to Houston, and he says, yeah, I don't
know if he was asked the question or what, but
(03:33):
he said we're going to retire James Harden's number one day.
So that's the stage. Take it away. Ask me again, Chris,
what do you ask me if I was the owner
of the Houston Rockets. What if you were the owner?
Do you have a problem with Tilman for Tita the
owner of Houston Run No, no, no, no. I want
(03:53):
you to ask me the other way. If you were
the owner of the Houston Rockets, would you retire James
Harden's jersey? No way, no how with my teeth clean
ro The question was not when you retire his jersey
(04:13):
to night. No, I'm talking about ever ever, ever? Stop it?
All right? Is this on this Houston Rockets? What have
you turned into? You've turned to gool? Do you've allowed
this guy to trample all over you? It's not like
James Harden's legacy in Houston is like he put up
(04:36):
two banners. You know what he did. He put up
a lot of points and he disappointed you year after
year after year after year in the postseason. James Harden's
existence It's in Houston was empty, was hollow, all right.
He put up numbers, it didn't amount to anything. There's
(05:00):
no reason that franchise has already won championships. It's not
like you're some man be tam dye organization where you
never want anything, and he's the only guy who was
halfway decent. No, you've got champions who played for that organization.
And then on top of it, he wanted out. He
(05:22):
told you, screw you, Suston, I don't want to be here.
You smell a lot. That's you, not me. You guys
think I'm not putting that guy's jersey up in my building.
Thank you for your time. We've paid you forty million dollars.
Go to Brooklyn, have a nice NBA career. But there's
(05:44):
no way I'm hanging your jersey from the raptors. Raptors?
Are you are? I'm gonna? I want to know this
because get it all out, get it all out. And
you know how you you you feel it. You had
a rough night and you ate something and you know
you find yourself kneeling down in front of the toiling.
(06:07):
You want to get it all out. Go ahead, get
it all out, Rob Parker, Is that it? Because I'm
about as our friends Kip Bayless would say, unleash, are
you done? I'm done? I made my case. I'm not
doing Parker, you are out of your mind. You are
out of your mind. I get it. If Till mean
(06:30):
for Tita has just said, you know what, We're gonna
welcome James back and we're gonna retires jersey tonight, then
I would be fully with you. That would be absolutely ridiculous.
But to sit here and say that the Houston Rocket
should never retire James Harden's jersey? Are you kidding me?
(06:55):
Let me just how many ways should I just denounce
this number? Let me go this route. First of all,
James Harden is not alone in demanding the trade. Kareem
abdul Jabbar forced his way out of Milwaukee. He demanded
(07:15):
a trade to the Lakers. And guess whose jersey is
hanging in the rafters of the Milwaukee Bucks Fizzerve Arena
or whatever it's called. Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Charles Barkley forced
his way out of Philadelphia with the seventy sixers, and
he played fewer years there than Harden played with the Rockets.
(07:40):
And guess whose jersey is hanging up in Philadelphia in
the well you I was gonna say the spectrum No,
Charles Barkley's so though, that's number one. Demanding the trade
should not mean you you're disqualified from your jersey being retired.
(08:01):
It ain't just a met Charles Barkley was long enough
two trying to win a championship and he knew yet
Chrismemby with the Phoenix rode he with the Phoenix before.
My point is he wasn't when he went to Houston.
He wasn't unprofessional and and and forced his way out
by coming back. Uh and and basically saying at a
(08:22):
press conference, because you could play me the tape where
Charles Barkley sat there and said, my teammates think we
got nothing going here and I don't want to be here.
And that's a guy you cannot hang up. No, there
is a different fit on a fan. No, but that
had nothing to do with it. He just had extra
saliva in his mouth that day. That's all that was.
That had nothing to do with uh no way, nothing.
(08:48):
He essentially said that he said he didn't do that, Chris.
Is a big difference on how closed door on how
you exit. It's a big difference tension. It's all about
into So that's my number one thing. Secondly to beltle.
James Harden's career is Houston to say, it was not
(09:12):
what you what word did? What phrase did you use?
It amounted to nothing or it's hollow. He just put up.
They never want anything. He had a great He was
a great player. They couldn't even get was an all
time great players. When did they get to but in
the conference finals? What one time? In nine years? Finals?
(09:33):
All right, so let me tell you this, I think twice.
Check that out because they got there when they came
back down three one to the Clippers, and then they
got routed by Golden State. But check that out, robs
you think. But here's the thing, right, James Harden wasn't
just you know, he was good. He's pretty all star
in Houston. No, James Harden had people saying he's the
(09:58):
greatest offensive player of all time, really and not just
Darryl Moorey. I don't agree with that sentiment, but that's
how good he was. James Harden became like an all
time great player. Brooklyn Nets retire his number when he
helps him? Will they will? That's not just champion Calvin
(10:19):
Murphy's number is retired. Does he have any ring team
made one All Star Team. All all respect to Calvin
Murphy because he's a Hall of Famer, not that are
you women on him? All Star Team, Rob, Rudy thim
Janovic's number is retired, Y'allman's number is retired. I'm sorry
those dudes. Cam hold the candle to James Harden. Rob,
(10:41):
and look you notice he took the Golden State Warriors,
who were phenomenal, who routed Lebron in the Calves in
the finals. He took him the seven. He had him
down three two, And I get it. He didn't close
the deal. He lost his second best player, Chris Paul,
but he didn't the deal. I get it. But to
(11:02):
act like I mean, that team was great. They just
ran into an all time juggernaut. And then the next year, Yeah,
when Durant went down, they didn't close it. But that team,
even without Durant had won a championship and seventy three games,
So it's not like he was. You're losing series they
were supposed to win. Man, James Harden was so good
(11:24):
in Houston. I think, Rob, and this is tough because
I love Moses Malone. I don't think Moses Malone gets
enough love historically. Now you know those that no, no right,
top ten center of all time, no question, but Rob,
I think James Harden was the second best player in
(11:49):
Rockets history behind a Ki Malijauan. How in the world
do you not retire his number because of the way
he exited, the way he threw a torch on the
franchise on his way out. He could have been professional.
He could have done it in a different way, which
would make you feel better about Chris. The way you
(12:10):
leave places, it's just like that. You notice when the
business we're in, if they don't renew your contract or
something happens. How you handle yourself on the way out
is how people will perceive you and whether or not
you could ever come back or whether they would welcome
you back. And the way he did it, I'm not
saying that that he's the worst person in the world.
(12:31):
I'm just not retiring his number. Let the Brooklyn Nets
do it. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rod Parker weekdays at
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app. Hey what's up, everybody, It's me.
Three time pro bowler Levarrington and I couldn't be more
(12:52):
excited to announce a new podcast called up on Game.
What is up on Game? You asked, along with my
fellow Pro Bowl t J. Hushman, Zatta and Super Bowl champion. Yep,
that's right, Plexico Birds. You can only name a show
with that type of talent on it. Up on Game.
We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded
(13:13):
with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me
lebar Arrington, TJ. Hushman, Zotta, and Plexico Birds on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Interesting development with the G League, which we know is
(13:34):
that league the NBA created now is their like minor league,
and they're they're getting high school players to go get
it away money. Yes, but they got away guys this
year Jalen Green and Jonathan Cominga, both making about fifty
thousand or making fifty five I'm sorry, five hundred thousand
dollars this year to play in the G League and
(13:56):
they are both expected to be high lottery picks. Now
here's what I'm gonna throw out at you. Emani Bates,
all right, he's the top rated recruit in the class
of twenty twenty two. Rob, They've been comparing this kid
to Kevin Durant since he was in the eighth grade.
There are some people that say he would have been
(14:19):
the number one pick last year. That's how good this
kid is. And he is he's been committed. I've not
seen him, not seen him. Yeah, he's been committed to
Michigan State and your boy timezzoh. Right, but now he's
you know, it's open now that he might take a
(14:41):
deal from the G League. It's not definite, but he
might take a deal from the G League. And the
talk is that it could be the biggest offer yet
from the G League. So could it be a million?
Could it be seven hundred fifty thousand, whatever? But anyway,
is anybody making a million yet? Rob G checked that out?
I think so, Rob Okay, so that would be a million? Okay, Um,
(15:04):
here's what I want to throw out to you, rob Um.
Look at LaMelo Ball, early leader for Rookie of the Year.
Looks like a superstar. Didn't play, didn't it didn't spend
a minute on a college campus. Ben Ben Simmons, great player,
perennial All Star at this point, played half a season
fell as, you didn't even make the tournament. Remember that, Um,
(15:26):
And it's been several other players that didn't play in
the you know that that had become good in NBA.
Players didn't play in the NC Double A tournament. Kyrie
played eleven games at Duke. UM. I think Rob, college college?
Is this a death knew? We talked about the death
knell for college. Do you remember I said I told
(15:48):
you college? What was that again? What was it? I
can't remember exactly what that was. When Jade Johnson left, Yeah,
Duke to go early. Yeah. I think this is just
further evidence. And I give you my quick taking in
I want to hear from you, Rob, I, college basketball
is not it's just not even close. We all know.
It's not what it used to be. It's not even
(16:10):
a fraction of what it used to be. I don't
think that many are people are paying attention. Okay, I
just don't huge down. You know, like college used to
be able to rival the NBA. We're talking about when
you and I were kids, But it's even once the Jordan.
We gotta remember we saw a Magic and Bird playing
(16:32):
the NCAA Championship against each other. Chris I mean, I
remember the magnitude of that game. Right, you're a little
younger than I am, you know, I remember you remember
that at the time, it was as big as you
could get. For two guys to be on two you know,
playing in the NCAA Championship and and both big time
(16:53):
stars going to the NBA. It was tremendous. You don't
have that. And even before that, college basketball was huge
on satur Days, right, and then even through the eighties
and nineties and early nineties and stuff, college basketball was huge.
And now, Rob, I look, I follow it somewhat. Obviously
it's our job, but it's it's not even on the radar,
(17:15):
I don't think. And and the argument has been, well,
these kids, you know, at the very least we know
they're not getting an education, so nobody even argues that anymore.
But at the very least they get this free publicity
and they become you know, I don't need the thing, Lamel.
He was a superstar, and he didn't play a second
(17:37):
of college basketball, and he didn't even have to play
any big time competition. He didn't like you know, like
you know, with social media and everybody's got a camera
in their hands, Chris. They could videotape them a play
a dunk, everybody can see it. It ain't the same.
You don't have to go to Duke or North Carolina
(17:58):
to be recognized or identified by a scout. They could
be looking at video that that somebody could be taking
a friend or a father, or somebody Chris or a coach.
I mean, the top high school kids put out their
videos on YouTube, their highlights, and people knew about Zion
before Duke. Now, granted, Duke lifted his profile, but people
(18:21):
knew about him before. They have to go to Duke.
And I'll say this route. If he had gone to
the G League and he was dunking on people and
doing all the things he did at Duke, it would
have become a story, you know what I'm saying, Like
I honestly, maybe they would have put a game or
two on ESPN or something like. It would have become
(18:43):
a huge story. And I do think. Look, and you
know what, as much as I've loved college basketball in
the past, this is a come upance for college basketball
because they have been getting away with these kids not
getting paid and the free labor. And I get it
there and I'm not going to belittle in an education
(19:04):
because the college education is great, all right, that that help,
but not for the money that they're making, Chris, right,
and they're not getting that. Let's let's keep it real.
Most of them are leaving after the real good ones
are leaving after a year maybe two, and that if
if they don't make it in the NBA, they'll have
enough money from that one contract to go back to
(19:25):
school if they want, you know. And so it's just
not they've been these kids. They've been getting away with
making millions and billions off these kids, and now it
looks like it's about to stop. And part of it too, right,
like the Luke i ts Gas go on about Luke
guards at in Iowa and he's playing great. I mean
he's he's putting up huge numbers. But the best kids
(19:47):
aren't in college anymore. It's just as simple as that, right,
And it's hard it's harder to want to pay attention when,
just like you said, the best players aren't playing. But
but I think I blame the NCAA for not bending,
for not understanding Chris. You know, like you have to.
If you don't evolve, you become the dinosaur, right, you
(20:08):
do you have to evolve. You have to understand these
things have been out for out here for a long time.
People talking about the money part and how they're making
six billion dollars for the NCAA tournament and the kids
can't get a pizza or they're gonna get thrown out
of school seriously, like lunacy Chris. So, So, I'm not mad.
(20:30):
I blame that the that the NCAA didn't see this
coming and weren't able to adjust. They just were so arrogant, yes,
that they just thought, you know, nothing can touch us.
Do you remember here's the other one. Do you remember
when they threatened the state of California about the whole
likeness thing. You remember, Oh, yeah, what are you gonna
do that? Then maybe none of the games will be
(20:51):
played in Calia? Oh yeah, really, you're gonna tell me
that the USC UCLA and all the schools colleges in
Cali for and you're not participate in the nca Yeah. Right.
And then what did they do as soon as it
passed in California? They bent over because they knew they
lost the NCAA. Yep, now you're right. And here's the
other thing, Rob, we just mentioned it. Even if the
(21:13):
kid only gets five hundred grand or seven hundred and
fifty thousand or whatever. Maybe it's a million man. And
I don't know what his family life is like. He
might be middle class, upper class fall I know, but whatever,
if you're middle class or lower class, you know, socio economically,
that is a lot of money. I get it. In
the year he'll be in the NBA and it's really
(21:35):
gonna get huge. But I can't be mad at a family.
You know, they're gonna give you five hundred thousand dollars
to play a minor dollars put you in the top
one percent of salary. Yes, yes, hello, And I don't
have to do the charade of oh, I'm a student,
I'm going to class, no, no, whatever, none of that.
(21:57):
I can't come on, man, it's just a new a
rob it's a new day. It is a new day.
And and and the NCAA uh just refused to reopen
it and take a look at it and try to
figure out what's gonna be fair and what would make
kids want to be involved. That's all coaches are making. Chris,
(22:18):
we talked about it before. Millions of dollars they had
the shoe deals with Nike and all that, and the
kids are wearing the coach got on a pair of
shoes and he has a Nike deal. He ain't even
wearing a sneaker right, and they want they're looking at
like what the kids are had because they get free
sneakers right right right, But he's getting the two million dollars.
(22:39):
Come on, It's just look, it is a new day.
And I really, like I said, LaMelo ball, no college,
Ben Simmons, barely any college, Kyrie Irving, barely any college.
James Weisman three games right, played three games, looks like
he could be a future star man and it didn't
stop him from from getting up where he wanted to go. No,
(23:00):
it is I think this is huge if this kid
and I guess what all really, what really could put
the final nail in the coffin is if Jalen Green
and Jonathan Cominga are indeed high lottery picks. Those are
the two of the top kids that didn't go to
college and play in the G League this year, and
(23:21):
then that'll be it. And if this kid, Emani Bates
goes G League and becomes a star, I think what
you'll start seeing rob is maybe even some of these
G League games on television somewhere. Everybody's looking for programming.
Chris and sporting events because of all the commercial breaks
and whatever are the most sought after spots because everything
(23:45):
else will television TV, right, everything else because you could
watch later, right, you know, it's not like the old
days when I used to watch sein Fell on Thursday
nights at nine o'clock, but was appointment television. Nobody watches
TV like that. Sports watching the appointment TV next. And
I'm gonna tell you, like my wife and I think
(24:05):
I told you, we were watching this show called Your Honor,
and we're watching it like it's new, you know, so
it's coming out every week, and we don't like it
as much as when we could watch like Breaking Bad
or something that came out a few years ago, where
you can binge watch. Right, you watch one episode, you
still want to watch another one. You watch that, you
watch three, four, five in a row. Whereas when you
(24:26):
watch it live, like we're doing what Your Honor, it's
your disappoints. Like, man, we we really want to watch
the next episode. We got to wait a whole another week. Right.
We're not built like that anymore, right, exactly. Be sure
to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris
Broussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
(24:48):
I think Steph Curry is the most influential basketball player
of the last thirty years because he's given everybody hope
that they could play in the NBA. Kids Now, yeah,
And I'm like, bro, I'm never seeing a little kidd yes,
(25:08):
because I can't be like you and I can't be
like Mike. But there's a chance I might be able
to shoot like Steph. Yes, they give us hope. They
give us hope. Steph is still six three, all right.
People act like he's five eight. You know he's you don't.
It ain't a lot of people that are even six three, Rob,
you know that. So but anyway, six people look at
me like a monster, right right when they see you
(25:31):
on the s and they think you played an NBA
right exactly, I'm six foot four. I don't know if
people are acting like like he's five eight, it's not
five eight, right. So I'm gonna let you have at
it first, but and then I'll go after you. I
just think it's as usual, like you get caught up
and you and you want to make this big statement.
(25:52):
I'm not buying one Dan Patrick's selling. I don't know
how Shock could co sawn that. That was basically Shock
saying to put cottage cheese on pizza or something. I
don't even get what that was. Can you eat cottage
cheese on pizza? You can eat anything on pizza nowadays. Well,
Rob g ranch dressing on pizza? Is that what I
(26:13):
should have said? Is that? Is that a question? Rob? Or?
Is that they have ranch dressing pizza? Do they have
buffalo chicken pizza that already has ramp? No, that's got
blue cheese. You know it's got ratch drizzled on top
of it. Really? Yeah, right, Stick, You've never eating No, Look,
I eat buffalo chicken pizza. I barbecue chicken pizza with
(26:36):
b Like. That's because you're because you're from That's because
you're from Iowa and you didn't grow up in New
York with them eat We don't do. I'm in Jersey,
which is basically suburban New York. So hold on, all
(26:57):
you eat is what cheese and pepperoni or sauce. Yes,
that's it That's what pizza is, not all this other stuff.
They gotta put veggis on it, and they gotta put pineapple.
That's just because they're trying to cover up the taste
in New York. All I need is one big cheese
slice and a diet coke with extra cheese and I'm
(27:17):
a little garlic guy, leak on the top and I'm
good to go. That's all you need. You guys are
living up. You know what you pizza is the best?
Come on, Chris, you're not. You should live a little man.
You are here? Did you have pizza when you and
(27:38):
is it not the best pizza? It's pretty good. I'm
not the best pizza in the cont And it's understated
how much grease comes off. And I know people don't
like that kind of stuff, but to me, that's what
only ads of the pizza when you pick You know
what have you? Guys? I imagine what have you been
to Italy? When you go to Italy? Person on this show? No,
(28:01):
just the pizza. I can't. I'm in Italy looking for
real pizza and I can't get any. Why is it
that the dark skinned black dude you and the Mexican
meet Oh, you had never been to Italy because Chris
and light skin and he got some money. I know,
me and Alex had been in Italy before. I don't
know about you get trying to play the color pop
(28:24):
like you don't know that about lights dark stop? All right,
you just assume he r Italy. Yeah, we can't be
world travelers because the was nothing like that. It was
nothing like Chris anyway. I remember Italy like it was yesterday.
That's when I decided to get divorced. We're on our
vacation to Italy. So are you you might be serious?
(28:46):
Are you seriously? Yeah? That really? Yeah? It was then
on vacation. Yea, what you wanted to watch a soccer
game or so that she wanted to go see the
sights Woods, wasn't it you wanted to watch Tiger Woods?
Oh no, no, all right, let's get back to this,
all right. So so I'm not buying it. I'm not
(29:07):
buy influential and the idea like oh because a little
kid thinks he can play in the NBA. I just
don't think when you talk about influential players the last
thirty years, how is Michael Jordan not that right? Yes?
And what did it changed the NBA, Chris. And I'm
not saying the NBA wasn't cool with Magic and Bird
(29:30):
and all that other stuff and all these other players
and Doctor j. But Michael took it to another level.
And you remember the commercials. Everybody a lot of kids
wanted to be Michael Jordan's So this is not new, right.
Michael Jordan is the most influential basketball player absolutely the
NAST thirty years each And here's the other thing, Chris,
(29:51):
real quick, he hasn't played in what fifteen years, eighteen years,
whatever has been. He still has a number one selling sneaker. Rob.
There are kids that never saw him play in Washington,
let alone Chicago that are standing in line to get
his sneakers. That's what I'm saying. They destroy everybody's sneaker
(30:12):
Lebron steps, KD, Kyrie. They can't hold a candle to
what did Jordan's cell and so that there's that. But
let's get even on the court. Rob. You know this,
when Jordan Jordan's era birthed a for about two decades,
everybody was just focused on hyper athleticism because of Michael Jordan.
(30:35):
Now Jordan have fundamentals and the athleticism which is one
reason he became the goat. But I mean, if you noticed, right,
they were drafting dudes that didn't have great skills, but
they were athletic. They could jump through the gym, they
were fast and quick. Or it also remember a lot
of the game became ISO that was because of Jordan's
(30:57):
So it's Stephy has changed the game, you know, I
believe that, but Jordan changed it too when it became
heavily ISO ball, A focus over focused on athleticism because
before Jordan's magic, wasn't the most athletic bird, wasn't the
most athletic, you know, it wasn't all about that before Mike.
(31:17):
And then I'm after Mike, rob I'm going Lebron, And
obviously we want to get off the court. I mean,
beyond all the stuff he's done off the court. But
he very well may have influenced our last presidential election.
It's very possible he played a huge role in Joe
(31:42):
Biden getting elected. I don't know, but I know it's
more than a vote was huge. It was obviously who
he was voting for. That is influence. And then the
whole player empowerment that is even starting to spread. They
at least they're gonna try in the NFL. We talked
about Brooklyn with Harden going, you know, getting traded there
(32:04):
before sing his way there, and Kyrie and Durant going
to Gold State. All of that is coming out of Lebron,
even Kawai getting Paul George to go to the Clippers,
and then even on the court, I'm gonna say this, Lebron,
I believe instituted an era of the high scoring point
(32:25):
forward where you had a six to eight ish type
guy who handled the ball and created the offense not
only for himself before everybody else. Now you ask Scottie Pippen,
Paul Pressey before Jordan or before Lebron, but they weren't
like huge scores. But now look at it, Paul Pierce,
I mean, Paul George plays that way, Kawhi Leonard kind
(32:48):
of plays that way. James Harden, who's more of a
point guard, but he plays that way. Yannie to some
degree plays that way, Luca don plays that way. Like
all of that came out of Lebrenn. So I got
those two ahead of Steph. But I got Steph third
rob because I don't want to belittle what he's done.
He hadn't done as much as those guys, but he
(33:09):
did change the conventional wisdom which said jump shooting teams
can't win championships and the other. And now that's all
we got. His jump shooting teams those uh you know,
Steph loses credit with me because of those nurse shoes
that he put out for under armor. Do you remember those,
Chris Man? Some of his shoes ain't bad, though, rob G,
(33:30):
the nurse white, I've seen fifty. I've seen Jordans that
arenest freshest, so I've seen people's uncles wearing those that cookouts.
You know what I'm like. The Nike monarchs don't even
Rob G cannot get involved in our Steph conversation because
he's a bigger hater than Rob P. I don't hate y'all,
both hating surprised semantics. Rob disliked strongly. Chris. I think
(33:55):
your list was okay. But what do you guys think
about Allen Iverson being up there as well? For the
most influential he was, imflamented, he was. I won't put
him right. He he brought, remember, I believe. Now some
people try to say it was Spreewell, but I think
it was Iverson was the first player to wear corn
Rolls in the NBA, and I think it was at
(34:16):
the ninety seven All Star Game in Cleveland in Cleveland,
which I remember that ye and now in the rookie right,
everybody thought that was like, oh my gosh, what is
he doing, Like he's gangs rob you know corn rolls.
That's a hairstyle that's been in the black community forever,
(34:38):
literally like going back to Africa, Like, that's a black hairstyle.
I remember kids when I was coming up getting their hair. No,
it's not gangster or none of that. It's just a
black hairstyle. My hair was the first year. He was
the first that ward like that in an NBA game,
which was at that time viewed his revolutionary and obviously
(35:00):
the whole hip hop culture. I do think he was
very influential. He didn't really change the game or have
as much of an influence on the game, but yeah, culturally,
no question about it, no question about it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the best of the Odd
Cup Off with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. Let me
paint the set, the stage, Can you set it up?
You're so worked up over this, Christie a bunch. Yes
they are, they are, uh, and it's quite uncomfortable, all right. Anyway,
(00:43):
James Harden, as you all know, is going back to
Houston tonight to play his first game in Houston, and
actually I believe against the Rockets period since he forced
the trade and uh, we know how it went down.
He said in the summer he you know, after in
the offseason he asked him to move him. He wanted
(01:06):
to move on. They you know, didn't do it, and
he went out bawling. I mean, first game forty four,
next game thirty four, thirty three, something like that was
killing it. And you know the Rockets are thinking, oh
he want to trade all he wants. If he's gonna
play like this, we aren't moving him right, right, He's
(01:27):
gonna be mister nice guy. He's cool, he's you know,
getting along with his teammates, all right. And then he said, okay,
I gotta turn it up a notch and he dogged it. Now,
Rob dogging it for him was seventeen points and ten assists.
I think again, let's just be honest. At the very
end two he looked like he was wearing a fat suit.
(01:50):
He might have had on a fat suit on it.
He might have had one because it was like my rise.
He got traded to Brooklyn. He lost twenty pounds, right,
he did himself some extra small uniforms. But didn't he
look fat? I mean I remember watching he looks fat.
He don't look the slimmest. Now he's no, no, no,
(02:10):
but what do you night? And I was like, man,
you would never look at this dude and think he's
as good as he is. No, you know what he
looks like. If he was in a barbershop, he could
be a barber cut in your hair, like seriously, not
an athlete. You know who he looks like to me?
Did you he always reminds me of, did you see
Uptown Saturday Night? Of course it's class right, what did
(02:31):
I see it? I'm just was this Uptown Saturday lifted?
You know what I mean? I mean I think it was. Yeah,
it was Uptown Saturday Night when Bill Cosby played the
character just for one scene. What was his name, Mondo
Slade or somethingwhere yeah, yeah, orange, you know, zoot suit
(02:51):
on or whatever and had the huge beer. But that's
who hardly reminds me of. But anyway, so he so
that's the situation. So now he's come, he's you know,
he dogged it for about five games. They trade and
then he says, you know at the press conference, we
just don't have enough to win. I'm ready to go.
And then they trade in Pronto to Brooklyn and Brooklyn's
(03:11):
playing like the best team in the league. The Rockets, meanwhile,
are on a twelve game losing streak. And that's the
stage rout and the owner of the Rockets, Tilman for Tita,
came out yesterday, you know, obviously with Harden on his
way back to Houston, and he says, yeah, I don't
know if he was asked the question or what, but
(03:33):
he said we're going to retire James Harden's number one day.
So that's the stage. Take it away. Ask me again, Chris,
what do you ask me if I was the owner
of the Houston Rockets. What if you were the owner?
Do you have a problem with Tilman for Tita the
owner of Houston Run No, no, no, no. I want
(03:53):
you to ask me the other way. If you were
the owner of the Houston Rockets, would you retire James
Harden's jersey? No way, no how with my teeth clean
ro The question was not when you retire his jersey
(04:13):
to night. No, I'm talking about ever ever, ever? Stop it?
All right? Is this on this Houston Rockets? What have
you turned into? You've turned to gool? Do you've allowed
this guy to trample all over you? It's not like
James Harden's legacy in Houston is like he put up
(04:36):
two banners. You know what he did. He put up
a lot of points and he disappointed you year after
year after year after year in the postseason. James Harden's
existence It's in Houston was empty, was hollow, all right.
He put up numbers, it didn't amount to anything. There's
(05:00):
no reason that franchise has already won championships. It's not
like you're some man be tam dye organization where you
never want anything, and he's the only guy who was
halfway decent. No, you've got champions who played for that organization.
And then on top of it, he wanted out. He
(05:22):
told you, screw you, Suston, I don't want to be here.
You smell a lot. That's you, not me. You guys
think I'm not putting that guy's jersey up in my building.
Thank you for your time. We've paid you forty million dollars.
Go to Brooklyn, have a nice NBA career. But there's
(05:44):
no way I'm hanging your jersey from the raptors. Raptors?
Are you are? I'm gonna? I want to know this
because get it all out, get it all out. And
you know how you you you feel it. You had
a rough night and you ate something and you know
you find yourself kneeling down in front of the toiling.
(06:07):
You want to get it all out. Go ahead, get
it all out, Rob Parker, Is that it? Because I'm
about as our friends Kip Bayless would say, unleash, are
you done? I'm done? I made my case. I'm not
doing Parker, you are out of your mind. You are
out of your mind. I get it. If Till mean
(06:30):
for Tita has just said, you know what, We're gonna
welcome James back and we're gonna retires jersey tonight, then
I would be fully with you. That would be absolutely ridiculous.
But to sit here and say that the Houston Rocket
should never retire James Harden's jersey? Are you kidding me?
(06:55):
Let me just how many ways should I just denounce
this number? Let me go this route. First of all,
James Harden is not alone in demanding the trade. Kareem
abdul Jabbar forced his way out of Milwaukee. He demanded
(07:15):
a trade to the Lakers. And guess whose jersey is
hanging in the rafters of the Milwaukee Bucks Fizzerve Arena
or whatever it's called. Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Charles Barkley forced
his way out of Philadelphia with the seventy sixers, and
he played fewer years there than Harden played with the Rockets.
(07:40):
And guess whose jersey is hanging up in Philadelphia in
the well you I was gonna say the spectrum No,
Charles Barkley's so though, that's number one. Demanding the trade
should not mean you you're disqualified from your jersey being retired.
(08:01):
It ain't just a met Charles Barkley was long enough
two trying to win a championship and he knew yet
Chrismemby with the Phoenix rode he with the Phoenix before.
My point is he wasn't when he went to Houston.
He wasn't unprofessional and and and forced his way out
by coming back. Uh and and basically saying at a
(08:22):
press conference, because you could play me the tape where
Charles Barkley sat there and said, my teammates think we
got nothing going here and I don't want to be here.
And that's a guy you cannot hang up. No, there
is a different fit on a fan. No, but that
had nothing to do with it. He just had extra
saliva in his mouth that day. That's all that was.
That had nothing to do with uh no way, nothing.
(08:48):
He essentially said that he said he didn't do that, Chris.
Is a big difference on how closed door on how
you exit. It's a big difference tension. It's all about
into So that's my number one thing. Secondly to beltle.
James Harden's career is Houston to say, it was not
(09:12):
what you what word did? What phrase did you use?
It amounted to nothing or it's hollow. He just put up.
They never want anything. He had a great He was
a great player. They couldn't even get was an all
time great players. When did they get to but in
the conference finals? What one time? In nine years? Finals?
(09:33):
All right, so let me tell you this, I think twice.
Check that out because they got there when they came
back down three one to the Clippers, and then they
got routed by Golden State. But check that out, robs
you think. But here's the thing, right, James Harden wasn't
just you know, he was good. He's pretty all star
in Houston. No, James Harden had people saying he's the
(09:58):
greatest offensive player of all time, really and not just
Darryl Moorey. I don't agree with that sentiment, but that's
how good he was. James Harden became like an all
time great player. Brooklyn Nets retire his number when he
helps him? Will they will? That's not just champion Calvin
(10:19):
Murphy's number is retired. Does he have any ring team
made one All Star Team. All all respect to Calvin
Murphy because he's a Hall of Famer, not that are
you women on him? All Star Team, Rob, Rudy thim
Janovic's number is retired, Y'allman's number is retired. I'm sorry
those dudes. Cam hold the candle to James Harden. Rob,
(10:41):
and look you notice he took the Golden State Warriors,
who were phenomenal, who routed Lebron in the Calves in
the finals. He took him the seven. He had him
down three two, And I get it. He didn't close
the deal. He lost his second best player, Chris Paul,
but he didn't the deal. I get it. But to
(11:02):
act like I mean, that team was great. They just
ran into an all time juggernaut. And then the next year, Yeah,
when Durant went down, they didn't close it. But that team,
even without Durant had won a championship and seventy three games,
So it's not like he was. You're losing series they
were supposed to win. Man, James Harden was so good
(11:24):
in Houston. I think, Rob, and this is tough because
I love Moses Malone. I don't think Moses Malone gets
enough love historically. Now you know those that no, no right,
top ten center of all time, no question, but Rob,
I think James Harden was the second best player in
(11:49):
Rockets history behind a Ki Malijauan. How in the world
do you not retire his number because of the way
he exited, the way he threw a torch on the
franchise on his way out. He could have been professional.
He could have done it in a different way, which
would make you feel better about Chris. The way you
(12:10):
leave places, it's just like that. You notice when the
business we're in, if they don't renew your contract or
something happens. How you handle yourself on the way out
is how people will perceive you and whether or not
you could ever come back or whether they would welcome
you back. And the way he did it, I'm not
saying that that he's the worst person in the world.
(12:31):
I'm just not retiring his number. Let the Brooklyn Nets
do it. Be sure to catch live editions of The
Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rod Parker weekdays at
seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app. Hey what's up, everybody, It's me.
Three time pro bowler Levarrington and I couldn't be more
(12:52):
excited to announce a new podcast called up on Game.
What is up on Game? You asked, along with my
fellow Pro Bowl t J. Hushman, Zatta and Super Bowl champion. Yep,
that's right, Plexico Birds. You can only name a show
with that type of talent on it. Up on Game.
We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded
(13:13):
with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me
lebar Arrington, TJ. Hushman, Zotta, and Plexico Birds on the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Interesting development with the G League, which we know is
(13:34):
that league the NBA created now is their like minor league,
and they're they're getting high school players to go get
it away money. Yes, but they got away guys this
year Jalen Green and Jonathan Cominga, both making about fifty
thousand or making fifty five I'm sorry, five hundred thousand
dollars this year to play in the G League and
(13:56):
they are both expected to be high lottery picks. Now
here's what I'm gonna throw out at you. Emani Bates,
all right, he's the top rated recruit in the class
of twenty twenty two. Rob, They've been comparing this kid
to Kevin Durant since he was in the eighth grade.
There are some people that say he would have been
(14:19):
the number one pick last year. That's how good this
kid is. And he is he's been committed. I've not
seen him, not seen him. Yeah, he's been committed to
Michigan State and your boy timezzoh. Right, but now he's
you know, it's open now that he might take a
(14:41):
deal from the G League. It's not definite, but he
might take a deal from the G League. And the
talk is that it could be the biggest offer yet
from the G League. So could it be a million?
Could it be seven hundred fifty thousand, whatever? But anyway,
is anybody making a million yet? Rob G checked that out?
I think so, Rob Okay, so that would be a million? Okay, Um,
(15:04):
here's what I want to throw out to you, rob Um.
Look at LaMelo Ball, early leader for Rookie of the Year.
Looks like a superstar. Didn't play, didn't it didn't spend
a minute on a college campus. Ben Ben Simmons, great player,
perennial All Star at this point, played half a season
fell as, you didn't even make the tournament. Remember that, Um,
(15:26):
And it's been several other players that didn't play in
the you know that that had become good in NBA.
Players didn't play in the NC Double A tournament. Kyrie
played eleven games at Duke. UM. I think Rob, college college?
Is this a death knew? We talked about the death
knell for college. Do you remember I said I told
(15:48):
you college? What was that again? What was it? I
can't remember exactly what that was. When Jade Johnson left, Yeah,
Duke to go early. Yeah. I think this is just
further evidence. And I give you my quick taking in
I want to hear from you, Rob, I, college basketball
is not it's just not even close. We all know.
It's not what it used to be. It's not even
(16:10):
a fraction of what it used to be. I don't
think that many are people are paying attention. Okay, I
just don't huge down. You know, like college used to
be able to rival the NBA. We're talking about when
you and I were kids, But it's even once the Jordan.
We gotta remember we saw a Magic and Bird playing
(16:32):
the NCAA Championship against each other. Chris I mean, I
remember the magnitude of that game. Right, you're a little
younger than I am, you know, I remember you remember
that at the time, it was as big as you
could get. For two guys to be on two you know,
playing in the NCAA Championship and and both big time
(16:53):
stars going to the NBA. It was tremendous. You don't
have that. And even before that, college basketball was huge
on satur Days, right, and then even through the eighties
and nineties and early nineties and stuff, college basketball was huge.
And now, Rob, I look, I follow it somewhat. Obviously
it's our job, but it's it's not even on the radar,
(17:15):
I don't think. And and the argument has been, well,
these kids, you know, at the very least we know
they're not getting an education, so nobody even argues that anymore.
But at the very least they get this free publicity
and they become you know, I don't need the thing, Lamel.
He was a superstar, and he didn't play a second
(17:37):
of college basketball, and he didn't even have to play
any big time competition. He didn't like you know, like
you know, with social media and everybody's got a camera
in their hands, Chris. They could videotape them a play
a dunk, everybody can see it. It ain't the same.
You don't have to go to Duke or North Carolina
(17:58):
to be recognized or identified by a scout. They could
be looking at video that that somebody could be taking
a friend or a father, or somebody Chris or a coach.
I mean, the top high school kids put out their
videos on YouTube, their highlights, and people knew about Zion
before Duke. Now, granted, Duke lifted his profile, but people
(18:21):
knew about him before. They have to go to Duke.
And I'll say this route. If he had gone to
the G League and he was dunking on people and
doing all the things he did at Duke, it would
have become a story, you know what I'm saying, Like
I honestly, maybe they would have put a game or
two on ESPN or something like. It would have become
(18:43):
a huge story. And I do think. Look, and you
know what, as much as I've loved college basketball in
the past, this is a come upance for college basketball
because they have been getting away with these kids not
getting paid and the free labor. And I get it
there and I'm not going to belittle in an education
(19:04):
because the college education is great, all right, that that help,
but not for the money that they're making, Chris, right,
and they're not getting that. Let's let's keep it real.
Most of them are leaving after the real good ones
are leaving after a year maybe two, and that if
if they don't make it in the NBA, they'll have
enough money from that one contract to go back to
(19:25):
school if they want, you know. And so it's just
not they've been these kids. They've been getting away with
making millions and billions off these kids, and now it
looks like it's about to stop. And part of it too, right,
like the Luke i ts Gas go on about Luke
guards at in Iowa and he's playing great. I mean
he's he's putting up huge numbers. But the best kids
(19:47):
aren't in college anymore. It's just as simple as that, right,
And it's hard it's harder to want to pay attention when,
just like you said, the best players aren't playing. But
but I think I blame the NCAA for not bending,
for not understanding Chris. You know, like you have to.
If you don't evolve, you become the dinosaur, right, you
(20:08):
do you have to evolve. You have to understand these
things have been out for out here for a long time.
People talking about the money part and how they're making
six billion dollars for the NCAA tournament and the kids
can't get a pizza or they're gonna get thrown out
of school seriously, like lunacy Chris. So, So, I'm not mad.
(20:30):
I blame that the that the NCAA didn't see this
coming and weren't able to adjust. They just were so arrogant, yes,
that they just thought, you know, nothing can touch us.
Do you remember here's the other one. Do you remember
when they threatened the state of California about the whole
likeness thing. You remember, Oh, yeah, what are you gonna
do that? Then maybe none of the games will be
(20:51):
played in Calia? Oh yeah, really, you're gonna tell me
that the USC UCLA and all the schools colleges in
Cali for and you're not participate in the nca Yeah. Right.
And then what did they do as soon as it
passed in California? They bent over because they knew they
lost the NCAA. Yep, now you're right. And here's the
other thing, Rob, we just mentioned it. Even if the
(21:13):
kid only gets five hundred grand or seven hundred and
fifty thousand or whatever. Maybe it's a million man. And
I don't know what his family life is like. He
might be middle class, upper class fall I know, but whatever,
if you're middle class or lower class, you know, socio economically,
that is a lot of money. I get it. In
the year he'll be in the NBA and it's really
(21:35):
gonna get huge. But I can't be mad at a family.
You know, they're gonna give you five hundred thousand dollars
to play a minor dollars put you in the top
one percent of salary. Yes, yes, hello, And I don't
have to do the charade of oh, I'm a student,
I'm going to class, no, no, whatever, none of that.
(21:57):
I can't come on, man, it's just a new a
rob it's a new day. It is a new day.
And and and the NCAA uh just refused to reopen
it and take a look at it and try to
figure out what's gonna be fair and what would make
kids want to be involved. That's all coaches are making. Chris,
(22:18):
we talked about it before. Millions of dollars they had
the shoe deals with Nike and all that, and the
kids are wearing the coach got on a pair of
shoes and he has a Nike deal. He ain't even
wearing a sneaker right, and they want they're looking at
like what the kids are had because they get free
sneakers right right right, But he's getting the two million dollars.
(22:39):
Come on, It's just look, it is a new day.
And I really, like I said, LaMelo ball, no college,
Ben Simmons, barely any college, Kyrie Irving, barely any college.
James Weisman three games right, played three games, looks like
he could be a future star man and it didn't
stop him from from getting up where he wanted to go. No,
(23:00):
it is I think this is huge if this kid
and I guess what all really, what really could put
the final nail in the coffin is if Jalen Green
and Jonathan Cominga are indeed high lottery picks. Those are
the two of the top kids that didn't go to
college and play in the G League this year, and
(23:21):
then that'll be it. And if this kid, Emani Bates
goes G League and becomes a star, I think what
you'll start seeing rob is maybe even some of these
G League games on television somewhere. Everybody's looking for programming.
Chris and sporting events because of all the commercial breaks
and whatever are the most sought after spots because everything
(23:45):
else will television TV, right, everything else because you could
watch later, right, you know, it's not like the old
days when I used to watch sein Fell on Thursday
nights at nine o'clock, but was appointment television. Nobody watches
TV like that. Sports watching the appointment TV next. And
I'm gonna tell you, like my wife and I think
(24:05):
I told you, we were watching this show called Your Honor,
and we're watching it like it's new, you know, so
it's coming out every week, and we don't like it
as much as when we could watch like Breaking Bad
or something that came out a few years ago, where
you can binge watch. Right, you watch one episode, you
still want to watch another one. You watch that, you
watch three, four, five in a row. Whereas when you
(24:26):
watch it live, like we're doing what Your Honor, it's
your disappoints. Like, man, we we really want to watch
the next episode. We got to wait a whole another week. Right.
We're not built like that anymore, right, exactly. Be sure
to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris
Broussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app.
(24:48):
I think Steph Curry is the most influential basketball player
of the last thirty years because he's given everybody hope
that they could play in the NBA. Kids Now, yeah,
And I'm like, bro, I'm never seeing a little kidd yes,
(25:08):
because I can't be like you and I can't be
like Mike. But there's a chance I might be able
to shoot like Steph. Yes, they give us hope. They
give us hope. Steph is still six three, all right.
People act like he's five eight. You know he's you don't.
It ain't a lot of people that are even six three, Rob,
you know that. So but anyway, six people look at
me like a monster, right right when they see you
(25:31):
on the s and they think you played an NBA
right exactly, I'm six foot four. I don't know if
people are acting like like he's five eight, it's not
five eight, right. So I'm gonna let you have at
it first, but and then I'll go after you. I
just think it's as usual, like you get caught up
and you and you want to make this big statement.
(25:52):
I'm not buying one Dan Patrick's selling. I don't know
how Shock could co sawn that. That was basically Shock
saying to put cottage cheese on pizza or something. I
don't even get what that was. Can you eat cottage
cheese on pizza? You can eat anything on pizza nowadays. Well,
Rob g ranch dressing on pizza? Is that what I
(26:13):
should have said? Is that? Is that a question? Rob? Or?
Is that they have ranch dressing pizza? Do they have
buffalo chicken pizza that already has ramp? No, that's got
blue cheese. You know it's got ratch drizzled on top
of it. Really? Yeah, right, Stick, You've never eating No, Look,
I eat buffalo chicken pizza. I barbecue chicken pizza with
(26:36):
b Like. That's because you're because you're from That's because
you're from Iowa and you didn't grow up in New
York with them eat We don't do. I'm in Jersey,
which is basically suburban New York. So hold on, all
(26:57):
you eat is what cheese and pepperoni or sauce. Yes,
that's it That's what pizza is, not all this other stuff.
They gotta put veggis on it, and they gotta put pineapple.
That's just because they're trying to cover up the taste
in New York. All I need is one big cheese
slice and a diet coke with extra cheese and I'm
(27:17):
a little garlic guy, leak on the top and I'm
good to go. That's all you need. You guys are
living up. You know what you pizza is the best?
Come on, Chris, you're not. You should live a little man.
You are here? Did you have pizza when you and
(27:38):
is it not the best pizza? It's pretty good. I'm
not the best pizza in the cont And it's understated
how much grease comes off. And I know people don't
like that kind of stuff, but to me, that's what
only ads of the pizza when you pick You know
what have you? Guys? I imagine what have you been
to Italy? When you go to Italy? Person on this show? No,
(28:01):
just the pizza. I can't. I'm in Italy looking for
real pizza and I can't get any. Why is it
that the dark skinned black dude you and the Mexican
meet Oh, you had never been to Italy because Chris
and light skin and he got some money. I know,
me and Alex had been in Italy before. I don't
know about you get trying to play the color pop
(28:24):
like you don't know that about lights dark stop? All right,
you just assume he r Italy. Yeah, we can't be
world travelers because the was nothing like that. It was
nothing like Chris anyway. I remember Italy like it was yesterday.
That's when I decided to get divorced. We're on our
vacation to Italy. So are you you might be serious?
(28:46):
Are you seriously? Yeah? That really? Yeah? It was then
on vacation. Yea, what you wanted to watch a soccer
game or so that she wanted to go see the
sights Woods, wasn't it you wanted to watch Tiger Woods?
Oh no, no, all right, let's get back to this,
all right. So so I'm not buying it. I'm not
(29:07):
buy influential and the idea like oh because a little
kid thinks he can play in the NBA. I just
don't think when you talk about influential players the last
thirty years, how is Michael Jordan not that right? Yes?
And what did it changed the NBA, Chris. And I'm
not saying the NBA wasn't cool with Magic and Bird
(29:30):
and all that other stuff and all these other players
and Doctor j. But Michael took it to another level.
And you remember the commercials. Everybody a lot of kids
wanted to be Michael Jordan's So this is not new, right.
Michael Jordan is the most influential basketball player absolutely the
NAST thirty years each And here's the other thing, Chris,
(29:51):
real quick, he hasn't played in what fifteen years, eighteen years,
whatever has been. He still has a number one selling sneaker. Rob.
There are kids that never saw him play in Washington,
let alone Chicago that are standing in line to get
his sneakers. That's what I'm saying. They destroy everybody's sneaker
(30:12):
Lebron steps, KD, Kyrie. They can't hold a candle to
what did Jordan's cell and so that there's that. But
let's get even on the court. Rob. You know this,
when Jordan Jordan's era birthed a for about two decades,
everybody was just focused on hyper athleticism because of Michael Jordan.
(30:35):
Now Jordan have fundamentals and the athleticism which is one
reason he became the goat. But I mean, if you noticed, right,
they were drafting dudes that didn't have great skills, but
they were athletic. They could jump through the gym, they
were fast and quick. Or it also remember a lot
of the game became ISO that was because of Jordan's
(30:57):
So it's Stephy has changed the game, you know, I
believe that, but Jordan changed it too when it became
heavily ISO ball, A focus over focused on athleticism because
before Jordan's magic, wasn't the most athletic bird, wasn't the
most athletic, you know, it wasn't all about that before Mike.
(31:17):
And then I'm after Mike, rob I'm going Lebron, And
obviously we want to get off the court. I mean,
beyond all the stuff he's done off the court. But
he very well may have influenced our last presidential election.
It's very possible he played a huge role in Joe
(31:42):
Biden getting elected. I don't know, but I know it's
more than a vote was huge. It was obviously who
he was voting for. That is influence. And then the
whole player empowerment that is even starting to spread. They
at least they're gonna try in the NFL. We talked
about Brooklyn with Harden going, you know, getting traded there
(32:04):
before sing his way there, and Kyrie and Durant going
to Gold State. All of that is coming out of Lebron,
even Kawai getting Paul George to go to the Clippers,
and then even on the court, I'm gonna say this, Lebron,
I believe instituted an era of the high scoring point
(32:25):
forward where you had a six to eight ish type
guy who handled the ball and created the offense not
only for himself before everybody else. Now you ask Scottie Pippen,
Paul Pressey before Jordan or before Lebron, but they weren't
like huge scores. But now look at it, Paul Pierce,
I mean, Paul George plays that way, Kawhi Leonard kind
(32:48):
of plays that way. James Harden, who's more of a
point guard, but he plays that way. Yannie to some
degree plays that way, Luca don plays that way. Like
all of that came out of Lebrenn. So I got
those two ahead of Steph. But I got Steph third
rob because I don't want to belittle what he's done.
He hadn't done as much as those guys, but he
(33:09):
did change the conventional wisdom which said jump shooting teams
can't win championships and the other. And now that's all
we got. His jump shooting teams those uh you know,
Steph loses credit with me because of those nurse shoes
that he put out for under armor. Do you remember those,
Chris Man? Some of his shoes ain't bad, though, rob G,
(33:30):
the nurse white, I've seen fifty. I've seen Jordans that
arenest freshest, so I've seen people's uncles wearing those that cookouts.
You know what I'm like. The Nike monarchs don't even
Rob G cannot get involved in our Steph conversation because
he's a bigger hater than Rob P. I don't hate y'all,
both hating surprised semantics. Rob disliked strongly. Chris. I think
(33:55):
your list was okay. But what do you guys think
about Allen Iverson being up there as well? For the
most influential he was, imflamented, he was. I won't put
him right. He he brought, remember, I believe. Now some
people try to say it was Spreewell, but I think
it was Iverson was the first player to wear corn
Rolls in the NBA, and I think it was at
(34:16):
the ninety seven All Star Game in Cleveland in Cleveland,
which I remember that ye and now in the rookie right,
everybody thought that was like, oh my gosh, what is
he doing, Like he's gangs rob you know corn rolls.
That's a hairstyle that's been in the black community forever,
(34:38):
literally like going back to Africa, Like, that's a black hairstyle.
I remember kids when I was coming up getting their hair. No,
it's not gangster or none of that. It's just a
black hairstyle. My hair was the first year. He was
the first that ward like that in an NBA game,
which was at that time viewed his revolutionary and obviously
(35:00):
the whole hip hop culture. I do think he was
very influential. He didn't really change the game or have
as much of an influence on the game, but yeah, culturally,
no question about it, no question about it.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.