March 13, 2025 • 32 mins
Colin casts doubt on the Thunder as title contenders despite getting a big win over the Celtics and having the best record in the West. He defends Aaron Rodgers taking time to decide where he wants to play in 2025 with reports saying he is holding teams "hostage". Plus, Hall of Famer Paul Pierce joins the show in studio to talk about the Lakers as they deal with several injuries including LeBron James
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Here we go. It is a Thursday.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
More NFL stuff, trickling in Celtics, Lose, what to Make
of the World, live in Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
It's the Herd.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Wherever you may be, however.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
You may be listening. Thanks for making us part of
your day. Jmac, Paul Pierstopspier Show today. Uh, you know,
that's a good time we've had. We've had a very
very fun week. There's still the Aaron Rodgers situation. We'll
get into Russell Wilson, Kirk cousin. So they're now what
I'm really excited about for the first time this year,
(01:00):
here's what I do. I am dropping my NFC predictions.
You got to have four new teams between the AFC
and the NFC. Today I'll do the Fox Conference I'll
do NFC. I've got three new playoff teams. I will
do the AFC tomorrow at the top of the second hour.
You know, I take a lot of time on that.
I came in with my notes in my pocket this morning.
(01:22):
So I've looked at schedules. I've looked at free agency.
I've looked at coaching moves. Most of the free agency
has done except old quarterbacks.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Did you look at the Bears schedule closely? I'm hearing
top five, toughest schedule in the league.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Sure, yes, I think you'll like it.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
One hour from now, let's start with this Celtics loss
to Oka. See what do I make of it? A
lot of people, myself included, think that's very likely. That
is the NBA Championship preview.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
What do I make of it?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Boston is a team that can often be weird at home.
They're just a weird home team. They're better on the
road this year. And number two is really good. Really
deep teams without a title yet, OKC. Remember the old
Bulls teams with Derrick Rose. They play their butt off
in the regular season. So the regular season is about
(02:17):
depth and intensity. If you have a lot of bodies
and you play hard every night, home and away, and
you have one great player, and SGA is certainly that
you're gonna win a lot of games. Plus Boston couldn't
shoot last night. So but we all know this. I
never overreact to this. I said it about Cleveland last year.
I'll say it about Okay. See this year, I said
(02:38):
it about the Derek Rose Bulls forever. Playoff basketball and
regular season basketball are two different things. Think about it
this way. Regular season basketball is babysitting. Playoff basketball is
parenting same kids every night, couple of weeks, no days off,
(02:59):
always just come. That's playoff basketball. You're not just waltzing
into town. You're more rested. You throw a bunch of
bodies at them. You play your arse off. The Celtics
have a trophy. The Celtics have the better team. And
I mean, you can't fool the players.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I saw this.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Brian Windhorst, who does a great job, says NBA players
don't respect the Thunder as contenders this year. That's what
players think because they understand it. You can't fool them.
The Celtics don't really have a weakness. Okase has several
The average age is twenty four and a half. Those
teams don't win the title, they're arguably second best player.
(03:37):
Chet Holmgren gets hurt a lot. And number three is
they play like ten guys. You play like seven to
eight in the playoffs. So one of their real strengths,
which is depth, you're not gonna have that in the playoffs.
And the other thing I throw out there is young
teams tend to be great at home and not very
(04:00):
good on the road in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
And that is okay.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
See, so you know, in the regular season, I would
suspect last night, you know, okay, s wanted to make
an imprint. They're also trying to win their star in MVP.
Celtics don't care about that crap. Take the NFL the
Kansas City Chiefs experiment in the regular season. You know
who doesn't. The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. They're
(04:26):
great in the regular season. But who's usually great in
the AFC in the postseason? We know who The answer
is Kansas City. So Jalen Brown, you got to give
them credit, But this doesn't mean much to me.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
That boy good, you know what I mean? That boy
is good. You know, big fan of his game, you
know shifty, I'm crafty around the basket, knows how to
use his body well, draws fouls. He's been hitting the
three ball well too. You know, tough. Definitely a guy
that you know, you watch and you study to be
better if we ended up playing him down the line.
(05:03):
But now he's a tough cover. He's been playing some
good basketball, and you gotta tip your cat.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Absolutely, that's what you do. That's what you did with
the Derreck Rose Bulls. You tip their cap. They had
a bunch of dudes, they could play. They had a
rock star. They're trying to win him MVP. They're playing
their butt off. Everybody freaks out, But I didn't trust him.
In the postseason, Lebron came in, squashed their dreams. Okase,
Luca Lebron, Austin Reeves, Ruey Jackson, Hayes, more experience, be
(05:31):
a better road team than Oklahoma City is in the playoffs.
Take a deep breath. I still have Boston winning it all. Okay,
So this is interesting. So former NFL GM Doug Whaley
was talking on a Pittsburgh podcast that he says, basically,
Aaron Rodgers is holding the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New
York Giants hostage. There was a picture of Aaron Rodgers
(05:56):
that made the internet in Malibu and he's got phones
in in a blanket over his shoulder. It says it
is unclear if he was listening to music, a podcast,
or perhaps taking a call from his agents concerning his
next team. Sources tell me he was listening to The
Herd A damn right, he was, absolutely and his takeaway
as that show is fresh and who knew Colin took magnesium.
(06:20):
So let me defend Aaron Rodgers here. The Steelers and
the Giants have backed themselves into a corner because the
Giants had been reaching on quarterbacks and the Steelers have
been ignoring the position until it's you know, late free
agency for a long time. These two teams, the Giants
and the Steelers are being willingly detained, is way i'd
(06:42):
put it. And you know, Giants have made too many
bad choices upstairs, and the Steelers don't take quarterbacks seriously enough.
So and as for Aaron Rodgers, I would be walking
on a beach looking very sad if at forty one
years old, the Giants and the Steelers were my last
two options. There's a report out there. It could be minute,
but I'm just going to defend Aaron here. It's March thirteenth,
(07:04):
and he was just officially released by the Jets yesterday. Okay,
so he's gone from a darkness retreat to Egypt in
the summer to walking on the beach in Malibu. I
see that as personal growth. I think he's actually getting somewhere.
And I just I'll tell you, and I don't feel
bad for teams who can't get their act together. The
(07:27):
Giants front office is bad, and the Steelers lack of
urgency at quarterback and tone deaf sensibility to offense is
their problem. So I mean to me, Aaron Rodgers has
earned a walk on the beach to contemplate he got
officially released yesterday. He's a hard guy to figure out.
There's a story out there about the Minnesota Vikings. I
(07:48):
said this yesterday, and I am totally in the minority.
I would take the New York Giants over the Steelers.
I get an offensive coach, I get a great left tackle,
I've got an ex receiving weapon who doesn't appear to
be as needy as Pittsburgh's too, and the things they
and that got some actually some pretty decent defensive personnel. Also,
(08:10):
the Steelers spend too much money on defense, where it
does feel like the Giants would rather spend money on offense.
So I like the Giants. By the way, both divisions
are tough.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
So, yeah, you're.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Gonna have to face the Eagles, and yeah, you're gonna
have to face the Ravens. Yeah you're gonna have to
face Jayden and Daniels. Yeah you're gonna have to face
Joe Burrow. It's in the NFL. Not everything can be
the NFC South. Okay, So my take is I'll take
the offensive coach who's worked with Josh Allen. I'll take
the left tackle, all take, neighbors, all take. You know,
the Giants need a running back in a tight end.
(08:42):
By the way, it's a very good draft for running
back in the tight end. I like the Giants situation.
Here was Albert Breer yesterday on Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 7 (08:51):
Pittsburgh's saying, like, we just need somebody to put us
over the top of the position. So I do wonder
if that's gonna be a factor in his decision making. Again,
only he knows, and he's very private about these things.
And I don't know what the timeline is. It could
happen in ten minutes, it could happen in ten days.
But you know, I do think you know, we're all
a product of our own experiences, and I look at
(09:11):
this like Pittsburgh offers him as something that's a little
bit different than what he went through with the Jets,
where I think the Giants would be asking him to
do something similar to what the Jets were asking him
to do a couple of years ago.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And to that, I would say, he's right, the Giants
would need him a little bit as a savior. But
I'm gonna make the argument Mike Tomlin and the Steelers
need saving. Two two receivers who are demanding the ball
on offense, can't get the on line right, just lost
their left tackle, just lost their number one running back. Okay,
(09:47):
so you've had a drama wide receiver, less talented at
left tackle, less talented at the backfield. Pittsburgh shown no
ability to get the offensive line right. We look at
the Giants, We look at the New York Giants as a.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Mess who they need saving.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
I'm here to argue offensively, the Pittsburgh Steelers need saving.
That's the difference here we view the Steeler, isn't it.
The last three or four playoff games the Steelers of
it in They've been behind by at least twenty one
points in each of them. They're not a viable AFC
championship team at all, and the Giants aren't a viable
(10:26):
team in the NFC for a championship.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
All.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The difference is I get an offensive coach, a great
left tackle, a good weapon, and a team willing to
spend money on the right side of the ball. So
I would take the Giants. I don't think that's where
he's gonna end up. I think he's going to go
to the Steelers. But I would go with the Giants.
And I know it doesn't mean anything, but I got
my house, I got my left tackle, I got.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
My coach, I got my weapon.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
And I do think the Giants at least understand they
got to spend some money on offense because they're defensive
personnel actually is pretty good. Steelers defensive personnel is better.
Giants isn't terrible.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
So there you go.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
J Mac.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
I'm feeling it with ar that walk on the beach
in Malibu, that pensive look.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
I like usage offensive did you do magnesium last night or.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
No, I did, and I slept so well the night before.
It didn't have the same effectiveness, but it still worked.
It made me groggy enough to fall asleep.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Okay, all right, I don't know. I'm just glad two
folks right now are going to be irrelevant next year.
The Dallas Cowboys and Aaron Rodgers. Neither of them are
going to matter in the NFL. Well, I think it's
it's gonna be an awesome season and we don't even
need those two guys.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Well, that's true.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
That's the power now that this is not baseball or
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
You need certain brands that is curries out for the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's like I thought the Steelers have been. I think
the Steelers have been irrelevant frankly the last several years.
I think the Cowboys were irrelevant last.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Year when you make the playoffs irrelevant, But like in
terms of title contending Steelers, by the way, offensive line issues.
I don't love the I don't love the right.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
People think the Giants are a wraq offensively, so are
the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
So are the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
At least the Giants have a offensive coach and a
great left tackle at least.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
But I mean, if you look at the Steelers and
the Giants offensive ratings, it's you know, they're both bad.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
They're in Jets territory.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
That's That's what that is right there on the screen.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, they're both awful.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So here we go. I'm gonna start today, NFC, tomorrow, AFC. Now,
you gotta have four minimum total down to the end.
A lot of free agent losses for the Eagles, they
still have the deepest roster. I'll pick them over the Commanders.
But I think the Commanders Laomie ton Soel, Deebo Samuel
(12:47):
is a win now acquisition. They kept guys like zach Ertz,
So I think that's a very close competition. I'll take
the better roster to win. Dallas third not active in
free agency. Still got to pay Micah up against the cap.
Dak Prescott off a second lower body injury. Giants, it
doesn't matter, it really matter. If Aaron goes there, Russell
(13:09):
Wilson goes there. I think there's gonna be so much
pressure on the organization to win. Now, I'll pick the
Giants for fourth and have seen North. This is the
toughest division for me in football. The Lions have the
best roster, I'll pick them one. The Vikings have the
worst roster. I'll pick them four. And yes, Chicago's got
a tough road schedule, no question, but they literally went
(13:33):
and got Pro bowlers on their interior O line and again,
if they can get a running back with their first pick.
The coaching upgrade at Chicago from what they were to
what they are is gonna be like the quarterback upgrade
from Will Levis to cam Ward Like it's gonna change outcomes.
I have Chicago's second. Here's the Green Bay's tough for
(13:56):
me because I've got to be totally honest about this.
I really fell for Jordan Love, but last year against
playoff teams, dude completed sixty percent of his throws with
a passer rating at eighty one and was two and
six in the building at the end of the year.
(14:16):
I watched the way they coached him. I think they
lost some confidence in him.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
So I think.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Bears Packers is down to the final week of the
year to figure out who gets into the playoffs. NFC South,
I believe in Michael Pennix. I don't like him not
having Grady jarreted, but and I don't like him losing
Drew Dolm in the center. The Bucks are getting old.
They're bringing back the entire offense. Sometimes that's good, sometimes
(14:41):
it's not. I like the trajectory of Atlanta, and I'm
a big Michael PENNOCKX fan. Carolina will be better, but
an average roster Saints up against the cap kind of
rigid there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I just don't like their direction.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
NFC West, so I have the Rams winning it, I
have no problem without it. DeVante Adams one of the
smartest acts was pis that will work. Their defense could
be the best in the league this year if they
can get a corner in the draft somewhere. Great coaching. Okay,
Seahawks Niners. I would love to watch the draft. Niners
have twelve picks. Seattle's got an upgrade on the offensive line,
(15:17):
But if you look at Seattle's schedule NFCSUTH AFCSUTH, that
Seahawks schedule is screaming ten to eleven wins. Niners meanwhile,
twelve draft picks with a very complicated offensive system. Means
I think they could be kind of trying to figure
out what the heck they are till Thanksgiving. That is
(15:39):
a lot of new players on the roster, and they
lost really good players. Seahawks, Niners, like Bears, Packers. I
think play down to the final weekend to see who
gets into the playoffs. Arizona, No massive upgrades are what
they are. So my division winners Eagles, Lions, Falcons. Falcons
(16:00):
are a new playoff team, wild Card Commanders, Bears, Seahawks
both squeak in.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
So I have three new.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Playoff teams, the Falcons, the Bears, and the Seahawks. You
got to have four new ones every year, minimum closer
to six.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
So I don't think you know.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Listen Atlanta before Kirk Cousins fell apart, they beat Tampa twice.
I don't think I'm taking a big swing here. I
like Panics a lot.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
There you go, be sure to catch live editions of
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Speaker 8 (16:37):
Hey Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch
us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to
four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 8 (16:52):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
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Speaker 3 (17:08):
I mean that says something, right. So check us out.
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Chop it up.
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Speaker 3 (17:18):
Most interactive show on planetar.
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Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on
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Speaker 8 (17:26):
And if you miss any of the live show, just
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Speaker 3 (17:31):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Let's bring on Paul Paris Basketball Hall Love fame co
host on the show.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
What's up? What's up? What's up?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
My man?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Great Ciano?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
What up?
Speaker 9 (17:43):
I'm checking in the game, coach, let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
So I'm watching a little Celtics sgayah and SGA.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Is just gonna score on everybody.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
You can't stop Hill at all.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
So he's not as vertical as my or that dynamic.
Did you have a guy in the NBA? Maybe it
was you, a guy that just got his you know who,
I'll throw a guy.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Do you remember Bernard King?
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I do, Okay, I remember Dominique Wilkins telling me I
love Garden MJ.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
It was fun.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
He goes, I didn't sleep with Bernard King.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Were there guys in the NBA and you were a
great defensive player, Were there guys that you did.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Not like to play?
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Because I think Boston looks up and goes, he's getting
thirty six. There's nothing we can do about it.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
I mean, was that I didn't You didn't love.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
To guard that just stylistically, he just got twenty eight
every time you played.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Every time.
Speaker 9 (18:37):
I mean, I think my air had better athletes at
the perimeter. When I started looking back at like Vince Carter, Ray, Allen,
Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. You know, even had Glenn Robinson,
mas Man, maybe Jamal Mashburn, but mass Burn playing off
the post a lot a lot of guys who scored
thirty in our league Like that was very athletic.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And not to say he's not athletic.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
He just knows how to get to this And like
the league that we hear in today, how they talking
about three and layups. No, he like I'm playing an
old school stuff. I'm still mid range. He might be
the best mid range shooter in the league.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
If you gave Kawhi Leonard his touch, it feels a
little bit that Kawi is a stronger player defensively, but
Sja is a good defender. It just it's he's one
of those guys. If I said to you ke Key
Vandaway on steroids, okay, okay.
Speaker 9 (19:25):
Footwork, I learned a lot of my footwork from Keky
Vandaway coming up.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Twenty six at night.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Yes, that's a good one.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Key Key Vandaway.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
But on steroids, I mean I'm give him more like
Kobe without the athleticism. Yeah, I mean he just gets
to the line. Pivots one way, people's the other way.
Then shoots over you gets to the now.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Now I have said this before, I'm gonna take Boston
to win again. I think the biggest obstacle is Cleveland.
But they don't really have a weakness.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Here's they do have a weakness though, Huh they have
a week.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
What's their weakness?
Speaker 9 (19:56):
I mean, we saw it last night. And this is
the one thing that concerns me. So when the shots
aren't falling, they gotta find other ways to score it.
Because like when you look at the best scorers in
the league that don't have a great shoot night, but
you look up they still got thirty, it's because they
got to the line.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
They got to the line like fifteen times. We saw that.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Now we're doing that.
Speaker 9 (20:17):
Yeah, you look up like James hard to have to
be five for twenty, but thirty points because he made
eighteen free throw So you gotta do something that just
like the gates, you having a bad shooting good night.
And that's what I see from Boston. So when you
look up and they only have nine free throws because
they're not being aggressive. Now, the threes they take are
are good threes, and that's who they are. That's not
(20:39):
their identity, but.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
They don't manufacture enough free throws in scoring beyond the three.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
Yeah, because it's gonna be nice like that where the
shots ain't falling. We saw that a night ago, So
I just hope they keep in mind just to find
a better a better balance, because I knew a night's one,
I didn't have my shot going. If I miss my
first two threes, I might not take another three to
rest in the game. Like, That's just was my mentality.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Because I'm driving the you know, Lebron's like that.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
Yeah, Like unless I'm just like wide open, I'm not
like forcing number threes, you know what, because I got
to my mid range. I got to my mid post,
and I'm attack the paint, and I knew where I
could be effective.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
So you know, it's just a fine line. And you
gotta stay.
Speaker 9 (21:19):
True to who you are because Boston's a three point
shooting team, right, you gotta stay true to who you are.
But you got to saw some nights that listens, we
got to change a game plan. Let's start attacking. We
got advantages everywhere we can attack.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, I would give Sga the MVP over Jokic. Why
because I think Sga is arguably the second best player
in the year in the league. Yokic is the best player,
but a SGA's team is much better b his number
two player, check Holmgan gets hurt a lot. See it's
the third youngest team in the league. He's babysitting these guys.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
I do. They were the number one team last year
in the West. They were.
Speaker 9 (21:52):
Yeah, so coming in they were the favorite to be
number one. But you give it to him, not because
of he's averaging leading the league, and yeah, I mean
he he playing with two All Stars. Joker is not
doesn't have another All Star, so you can't just eliminate him.
But the reason you give Sga the MVP is because
he has the signature moments like last night was a
signature moment. The other night versus Denver signature moment forty
(22:17):
forty prime time, forty points on prime time.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
You look at those deals, right, right, you know what
I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Sunday, I was at home, I went to the game. Yeah,
I'm like, okay, this, I'm gonna make my MVP decision
on the game.
Speaker 9 (22:28):
National televised game. Oh he got forty up, he sealed it.
That's right, you know what I'm saying. But then Joker
comes back and the next one he has a big game.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Soay like, oh not so fast.
Speaker 9 (22:37):
But then you come back versus the Celtics on the
road without your second leading score plan and you deliver.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
So right now he got the advantage.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
So the next team, uh is not as good as
your Celtics team, but they have one thing in common,
is that one I wish? So basically, Michale Bridges went
to TIBs and said, you got play us less.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I had heard because kgU Ray Allen and Rondo.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
I had heard Doc Rivers and you tell me if
I'm wrong saying a road trip. If we win the opener,
no practice, you can just play the next game. Yeah
that Doc would basically guys, give me everything you got
in the opener, and if we keep winning, I won't
give you practice.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Is that true?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (23:24):
I mean we would do more walkthroughs once we got
on the road. Once the season started. Uh, you know
you win the game because we are we gonna stay
true to who we were a defensive unit. We're gonna
play the same way versus everybody. The league is a
lot different now. You know, we don't play the same
defensive principles where the defensive principles are different, and so
win the game on the road, all right, we'll get
(23:44):
the next night off. But then in game day the
next day, we're gonna have to shoot around to walk through.
So we'll still get to get get to the game plan.
But it's no need to practice and run up and
down and bang with each other when when you're seasons
towards the end of the season and you need healthy bodies.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
I mean, I watched the Knicks and the Blazers. I do.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Here's the advantage for the Knicks being zero to ten
against the best teams. The advantage is everybody in the
building knows we need another dude. Like in the NBA,
you get in trouble when the GM thinks one thing,
the owner thinks another, the coach thinks another. Everybody knows
we probably got to upgrade off Cat or some piece.
(24:24):
Do you think there is a piece in the league
right now? Who would you part with to get another piece?
Speaker 3 (24:30):
In New York? Oh, so they move Randal to get Cat.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Cat's the easier, more effortless offensive player. Randall's better defense.
Is there a guy you like like, I'll give you
the one I.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Got one KD.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
I mean, KD can help anybody who's right on the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, don't they kind of need a catch and shoot.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
They can use KD. But I was thinking more like
Zion Wilson.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
That's interesting.
Speaker 9 (24:55):
That would be because you know, Kat can still stretch
the floor the way he shoots the ball like you
have those imposing big guys, and he brings some star
power to New York and I think he needs some
fresh air anyway out of New Orleans.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
The other thing is because of his injuries, you wouldn't
have to give up the farm, right.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Yeah, he might be you know, somebody you can kind
of steal.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
From you what's he as? A forty five fifty five
games a year?
Speaker 9 (25:18):
So you think, Zion b I'll take a chance, a
high risk, high reward for New York and then brings
some excitement.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
That's really good.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
So tonight the Warriors get kaminga back and it's a
TNT game. So you know, because Paul, the NBA.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Is so young.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Now, you know, in the NFL, you're drafting guys that
have played three to four years. We're married, they're twenty
three college basketball. You're getting Cooper Flag for a year. Dude,
he's eighteen nineteen come to the league. So it's a
developmental league, and so we've all kind of been waiting
on Kaminga. Now, for the record, he's twenty a game
this year, but I feel like I've been waiting forever
(26:00):
to get to twenty four. Sga was a guy the
Clippers veiled on and he literally became a star. Did
you get a sense, even with young guys, could you
sense by the second year of a young guy, this
guy's ceiling is sixteen, like should be able to Does
(26:22):
Kaminga have another level?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
What year is he?
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Is he four?
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Wow?
Speaker 9 (26:30):
That's a good question because usually you know who somebody
is by like if they're going to be a star
star by the second third year.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Kevin Garnett, Yeah, by the All Star Game. Second year,
I'm like, oh this is gonna work.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Yeah, yeah, you see it early with the guys who
are up there. Now, can Kaminga be like an All
Star one day in a good situation? Maybe he has
that type of potential. He has athleticism, and it seems
like his game is starting to come around. You know,
he's shooting shooting the ball better. We already know his
athleticism high level after so he has the tools to
(27:04):
be really, really good.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Are you surprised Jimmy Butler has been this important?
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Yeah, I didn't know he was gonna have this type
of impact. It's like it gave Steph a jolt in
the arm. It's like he took a shot and was like, oh,
I'm re energized.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
But dude, know what Jimmy brings.
Speaker 9 (27:19):
He brings a level of toughness to the physicality that
I noticed to the Yeah, for sure. I would say
like Jimmy is one of my comparables actually because of
his attitude, the way he plays, he's under control, and
his demeanor.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
You know.
Speaker 9 (27:33):
So he brings a physicality to the team on the
offensive end, and then you got Draymond on the other
on the other end, get giving you that defensive physicality.
And that's what the Warriors needed because I looked at
them before Jimmy got there as like a finesse team.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
You know, they didn't get to the line.
Speaker 9 (27:48):
No, they are a forints team. They they're hit or missed,
you know, and then it's gonna be nice. Stephan beyond
and most nice he'll be on. But then those nice
they're off. There's no physicality brought to the game. And
he's bringing that and that's gonna be danger and then
you're gonna have step close you out. He keep it close,
keep it like Jimmy is like the guy in the box, Amren,
I just give you body blows.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 9 (28:09):
It just starts wearing on you. You know what I'm
saying about about the tenth round. You just can't take
it no more.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
So I said this ok C will be a good
home team in the playoffs. I don't trust young guys
on the road. Go to your Celtics teams. Tell me
the okay, Remember the Bulls with Derrick Rose. Everybody kept
telling me, oh, and I was like, they play so
hard in the regular season because they got no trophy.
(28:35):
Was there a team when you played that you knew
you'd beat him in a playoff series?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
But man, they brought brought an intensity on a Tuesday night.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And they were you know, they were a really good
team in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
But it never quite translated.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
Man.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Uh, Remember that Cleveland team Jordan used to face all
the time.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Not remember that? Remember that team?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Mark Price and those guys.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Oh dude, they chew people up. They could never get
past Chicago.
Speaker 9 (29:06):
I mean the young Cleveland team when Lebron was like
that were they? Yeah, they were really good, Like even
in the last year we went to the finals, they
were still young and fast, and they were the number
one team in the East, and we were like, we
actually lost some games. We could have been like saw
them in the conference finals or second round. We chose
to lose a couple of games to see them in
(29:27):
the second round because.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
We knew we could get them in a playoff set.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Right, So you know that's they remind me of that
team right there, because Cleveland was This was twenty ten, right,
and this is when Cleveland was number one seed in
the East.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
They want like sixty.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
So I'm gonna throw a crazy theory at you, Okay,
I want you to have an open mind in my theory.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
So Lebron at forty years old, was carrying the Lakers.
They make the move to get Luca. He's not in shape,
he's playing in shape. Then Jackson, Hayes and Ruey get
banged up and Austin Eves and Lebron goes to play.
The Celtics has a great first half, Boston pulls away.
(30:07):
He feels a little tweak and is groin, and Lebron says,
Daddy's gonna take some time off.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
You young guys get healthy. I'm looking at the schedule.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
It's outrageous and that Lebron could play. And I am
defending Lebron on this. It's like a baseball team in August.
The starter's like, yeah, my elbows a little sore. I'll
wait to the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
That look. And I'm not saying Lebron's dog at it,
but I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Saying he's like, you know, it's a little tweak. I've
been carrying you guys for three and a half months.
Speaker 9 (30:40):
Yeah, I look at it like, I mean, it's pretty
brilliant actually, because he said, all right, you know they
were in the fourth or fifth, see Luca Combs. They
make a push. They pushed all the way to the
second seed. They're like, all right, we got some cushion.
All right, we have a month, three weeks left, you
know what.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I can see.
Speaker 9 (31:00):
That is great, But the most important thing is we
need to be healthy. So we don't even care we
made our push. We're gonna be in the playoffs as
long as we're not in the play in. So now,
if we slide all the way to five.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
We don't.
Speaker 9 (31:12):
We don't mind, because if we going to the playoffs
as a healthy team, the Lakers are still gonna be dangerous. Yes,
you know, because look who's ahead of them? Who do
you trust ahead of them? Even at five? Who do
you trust?
Speaker 4 (31:24):
Houston? No?
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I trust Golden State?
Speaker 9 (31:26):
Okay, but they won't play Golden State, right, you know,
Golden State toll probably come in at that six.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
But Memphis you trust them versus the Lakers?
Speaker 9 (31:36):
Me the only one, yeah, the only team that you're like,
I mean, okay, see that young, Like, come on, you
gotta understand listen, as a young team, when when the
production start and what I call the production, it's the playoffs,
it's the production. Now you go, okay, see, y'all gonna
go from like two or three reporters in your locker
room to see all these reporters now they're going, wh
(31:56):
y'all play the Lakers. It's gonna be one hundred of
them now. And I just remember this when I was
in the playoffs, just like whoa, so many cameras, so
many lights, and that can overwhelm a young team, just
the bright lights.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Also, you get ripped all night on TV radio.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Oh my god.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And that that type of pressure, you know, as a
young team can get to them, you know, and the
aura that the Lakers bring.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
So I'm looking at okay, see Lakers.
Speaker 9 (32:18):
Only team that can cause the Lakers, I think trouble
is the Denver Nuggets.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Yeah, size, because.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Of what they've done in the pack can stop. Yeah.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
So it's gonna get interested Ron, Lebron rest up. You know,
I would even rest up Luca on the rest of
this trip. Let's just let's gets healthy. Let's get healthy
and come back home and get these gumme gangs that
we suposed to get after this road.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Trip, get back to a three seed.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Yeah, I mean it'll matter. They can drop the five,
go ahead. They just want to be helped.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Lebron and Luca can win on the road. Yes, Okay, see,
I got my questions with Houston. I got my questions
with right.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Paul Pierce is always great speak after us live in LA.
It's the hurt
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Here we go. It is a Thursday.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
More NFL stuff, trickling in Celtics, Lose, what to Make
of the World, live in Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
It's the Herd.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Wherever you may be, however.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
You may be listening. Thanks for making us part of
your day. Jmac, Paul Pierstopspier Show today. Uh, you know,
that's a good time we've had. We've had a very
very fun week. There's still the Aaron Rodgers situation. We'll
get into Russell Wilson, Kirk cousin. So they're now what
I'm really excited about for the first time this year,
(01:00):
here's what I do. I am dropping my NFC predictions.
You got to have four new teams between the AFC
and the NFC. Today I'll do the Fox Conference I'll
do NFC. I've got three new playoff teams. I will
do the AFC tomorrow at the top of the second hour.
You know, I take a lot of time on that.
I came in with my notes in my pocket this morning.
(01:22):
So I've looked at schedules. I've looked at free agency.
I've looked at coaching moves. Most of the free agency
has done except old quarterbacks.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Did you look at the Bears schedule closely? I'm hearing
top five, toughest schedule in the league.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Sure, yes, I think you'll like it.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
One hour from now, let's start with this Celtics loss
to Oka. See what do I make of it? A
lot of people, myself included, think that's very likely. That
is the NBA Championship preview.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
What do I make of it?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Boston is a team that can often be weird at home.
They're just a weird home team. They're better on the
road this year. And number two is really good. Really
deep teams without a title yet, OKC. Remember the old
Bulls teams with Derrick Rose. They play their butt off
in the regular season. So the regular season is about
(02:17):
depth and intensity. If you have a lot of bodies
and you play hard every night, home and away, and
you have one great player, and SGA is certainly that
you're gonna win a lot of games. Plus Boston couldn't
shoot last night. So but we all know this. I
never overreact to this. I said it about Cleveland last year.
I'll say it about Okay. See this year, I said
(02:38):
it about the Derek Rose Bulls forever. Playoff basketball and
regular season basketball are two different things. Think about it
this way. Regular season basketball is babysitting. Playoff basketball is
parenting same kids every night, couple of weeks, no days off,
(02:59):
always just come. That's playoff basketball. You're not just waltzing
into town. You're more rested. You throw a bunch of
bodies at them. You play your arse off. The Celtics
have a trophy. The Celtics have the better team. And
I mean, you can't fool the players.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I saw this.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Brian Windhorst, who does a great job, says NBA players
don't respect the Thunder as contenders this year. That's what
players think because they understand it. You can't fool them.
The Celtics don't really have a weakness. Okase has several
The average age is twenty four and a half. Those
teams don't win the title, they're arguably second best player.
(03:37):
Chet Holmgren gets hurt a lot. And number three is
they play like ten guys. You play like seven to
eight in the playoffs. So one of their real strengths,
which is depth, you're not gonna have that in the playoffs.
And the other thing I throw out there is young
teams tend to be great at home and not very
(04:00):
good on the road in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
And that is okay.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
See, so you know, in the regular season, I would
suspect last night, you know, okay, s wanted to make
an imprint. They're also trying to win their star in MVP.
Celtics don't care about that crap. Take the NFL the
Kansas City Chiefs experiment in the regular season. You know
who doesn't. The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. They're
(04:26):
great in the regular season. But who's usually great in
the AFC in the postseason? We know who The answer
is Kansas City. So Jalen Brown, you got to give
them credit, But this doesn't mean much to me.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
That boy good, you know what I mean? That boy
is good. You know, big fan of his game, you
know shifty, I'm crafty around the basket, knows how to
use his body well, draws fouls. He's been hitting the
three ball well too. You know, tough. Definitely a guy
that you know, you watch and you study to be
better if we ended up playing him down the line.
(05:03):
But now he's a tough cover. He's been playing some
good basketball, and you gotta tip your cat.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Absolutely, that's what you do. That's what you did with
the Derreck Rose Bulls. You tip their cap. They had
a bunch of dudes, they could play. They had a
rock star. They're trying to win him MVP. They're playing
their butt off. Everybody freaks out, But I didn't trust him.
In the postseason, Lebron came in, squashed their dreams. Okase,
Luca Lebron, Austin Reeves, Ruey Jackson, Hayes, more experience, be
(05:31):
a better road team than Oklahoma City is in the playoffs.
Take a deep breath. I still have Boston winning it all. Okay,
So this is interesting. So former NFL GM Doug Whaley
was talking on a Pittsburgh podcast that he says, basically,
Aaron Rodgers is holding the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New
York Giants hostage. There was a picture of Aaron Rodgers
(05:56):
that made the internet in Malibu and he's got phones
in in a blanket over his shoulder. It says it
is unclear if he was listening to music, a podcast,
or perhaps taking a call from his agents concerning his
next team. Sources tell me he was listening to The
Herd A damn right, he was, absolutely and his takeaway
as that show is fresh and who knew Colin took magnesium.
(06:20):
So let me defend Aaron Rodgers here. The Steelers and
the Giants have backed themselves into a corner because the
Giants had been reaching on quarterbacks and the Steelers have
been ignoring the position until it's you know, late free
agency for a long time. These two teams, the Giants
and the Steelers are being willingly detained, is way i'd
(06:42):
put it. And you know, Giants have made too many
bad choices upstairs, and the Steelers don't take quarterbacks seriously enough.
So and as for Aaron Rodgers, I would be walking
on a beach looking very sad if at forty one
years old, the Giants and the Steelers were my last
two options. There's a report out there. It could be minute,
but I'm just going to defend Aaron here. It's March thirteenth,
(07:04):
and he was just officially released by the Jets yesterday. Okay,
so he's gone from a darkness retreat to Egypt in
the summer to walking on the beach in Malibu. I
see that as personal growth. I think he's actually getting somewhere.
And I just I'll tell you, and I don't feel
bad for teams who can't get their act together. The
(07:27):
Giants front office is bad, and the Steelers lack of
urgency at quarterback and tone deaf sensibility to offense is
their problem. So I mean to me, Aaron Rodgers has
earned a walk on the beach to contemplate he got
officially released yesterday. He's a hard guy to figure out.
There's a story out there about the Minnesota Vikings. I
(07:48):
said this yesterday, and I am totally in the minority.
I would take the New York Giants over the Steelers.
I get an offensive coach, I get a great left tackle,
I've got an ex receiving weapon who doesn't appear to
be as needy as Pittsburgh's too, and the things they
and that got some actually some pretty decent defensive personnel. Also,
(08:10):
the Steelers spend too much money on defense, where it
does feel like the Giants would rather spend money on offense.
So I like the Giants. By the way, both divisions
are tough.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
So, yeah, you're.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Gonna have to face the Eagles, and yeah, you're gonna
have to face the Ravens. Yeah you're gonna have to
face Jayden and Daniels. Yeah you're gonna have to face
Joe Burrow. It's in the NFL. Not everything can be
the NFC South. Okay, So my take is I'll take
the offensive coach who's worked with Josh Allen. I'll take
the left tackle, all take, neighbors, all take. You know,
the Giants need a running back in a tight end.
(08:42):
By the way, it's a very good draft for running
back in the tight end. I like the Giants situation.
Here was Albert Breer yesterday on Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 7 (08:51):
Pittsburgh's saying, like, we just need somebody to put us
over the top of the position. So I do wonder
if that's gonna be a factor in his decision making. Again,
only he knows, and he's very private about these things.
And I don't know what the timeline is. It could
happen in ten minutes, it could happen in ten days.
But you know, I do think you know, we're all
a product of our own experiences, and I look at
(09:11):
this like Pittsburgh offers him as something that's a little
bit different than what he went through with the Jets,
where I think the Giants would be asking him to
do something similar to what the Jets were asking him
to do a couple of years ago.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And to that, I would say, he's right, the Giants
would need him a little bit as a savior. But
I'm gonna make the argument Mike Tomlin and the Steelers
need saving. Two two receivers who are demanding the ball
on offense, can't get the on line right, just lost
their left tackle, just lost their number one running back. Okay,
(09:47):
so you've had a drama wide receiver, less talented at
left tackle, less talented at the backfield. Pittsburgh shown no
ability to get the offensive line right. We look at
the Giants, We look at the New York Giants as a.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Mess who they need saving.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
I'm here to argue offensively, the Pittsburgh Steelers need saving.
That's the difference here we view the Steeler, isn't it.
The last three or four playoff games the Steelers of
it in They've been behind by at least twenty one
points in each of them. They're not a viable AFC
championship team at all, and the Giants aren't a viable
(10:26):
team in the NFC for a championship.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
All.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The difference is I get an offensive coach, a great
left tackle, a good weapon, and a team willing to
spend money on the right side of the ball. So
I would take the Giants. I don't think that's where
he's gonna end up. I think he's going to go
to the Steelers. But I would go with the Giants.
And I know it doesn't mean anything, but I got
my house, I got my left tackle, I got.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
My coach, I got my weapon.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
And I do think the Giants at least understand they
got to spend some money on offense because they're defensive
personnel actually is pretty good. Steelers defensive personnel is better.
Giants isn't terrible.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
So there you go.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
J Mac.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
I'm feeling it with ar that walk on the beach
in Malibu, that pensive look.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
I like usage offensive did you do magnesium last night or.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
No, I did, and I slept so well the night before.
It didn't have the same effectiveness, but it still worked.
It made me groggy enough to fall asleep.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Okay, all right, I don't know. I'm just glad two
folks right now are going to be irrelevant next year.
The Dallas Cowboys and Aaron Rodgers. Neither of them are
going to matter in the NFL. Well, I think it's
it's gonna be an awesome season and we don't even
need those two guys.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Well, that's true.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
That's the power now that this is not baseball or
the NBA.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
You need certain brands that is curries out for the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's like I thought the Steelers have been. I think
the Steelers have been irrelevant frankly the last several years.
I think the Cowboys were irrelevant last.
Speaker 5 (11:45):
Year when you make the playoffs irrelevant, But like in
terms of title contending Steelers, by the way, offensive line issues.
I don't love the I don't love the right.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
People think the Giants are a wraq offensively, so are
the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
So are the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
At least the Giants have a offensive coach and a
great left tackle at least.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
But I mean, if you look at the Steelers and
the Giants offensive ratings, it's you know, they're both bad.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
They're in Jets territory.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
That's That's what that is right there on the screen.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, they're both awful.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So here we go. I'm gonna start today, NFC, tomorrow, AFC. Now,
you gotta have four minimum total down to the end.
A lot of free agent losses for the Eagles, they
still have the deepest roster. I'll pick them over the Commanders.
But I think the Commanders Laomie ton Soel, Deebo Samuel
(12:47):
is a win now acquisition. They kept guys like zach Ertz,
So I think that's a very close competition. I'll take
the better roster to win. Dallas third not active in
free agency. Still got to pay Micah up against the cap.
Dak Prescott off a second lower body injury. Giants, it
doesn't matter, it really matter. If Aaron goes there, Russell
(13:09):
Wilson goes there. I think there's gonna be so much
pressure on the organization to win. Now, I'll pick the
Giants for fourth and have seen North. This is the
toughest division for me in football. The Lions have the
best roster, I'll pick them one. The Vikings have the
worst roster. I'll pick them four. And yes, Chicago's got
a tough road schedule, no question, but they literally went
(13:33):
and got Pro bowlers on their interior O line and again,
if they can get a running back with their first pick.
The coaching upgrade at Chicago from what they were to
what they are is gonna be like the quarterback upgrade
from Will Levis to cam Ward Like it's gonna change outcomes.
I have Chicago's second. Here's the Green Bay's tough for
(13:56):
me because I've got to be totally honest about this.
I really fell for Jordan Love, but last year against
playoff teams, dude completed sixty percent of his throws with
a passer rating at eighty one and was two and
six in the building at the end of the year.
(14:16):
I watched the way they coached him. I think they
lost some confidence in him.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
So I think.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Bears Packers is down to the final week of the
year to figure out who gets into the playoffs. NFC South,
I believe in Michael Pennix. I don't like him not
having Grady jarreted, but and I don't like him losing
Drew Dolm in the center. The Bucks are getting old.
They're bringing back the entire offense. Sometimes that's good, sometimes
(14:41):
it's not. I like the trajectory of Atlanta, and I'm
a big Michael PENNOCKX fan. Carolina will be better, but
an average roster Saints up against the cap kind of
rigid there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I just don't like their direction.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
NFC West, so I have the Rams winning it, I
have no problem without it. DeVante Adams one of the
smartest acts was pis that will work. Their defense could
be the best in the league this year if they
can get a corner in the draft somewhere. Great coaching. Okay,
Seahawks Niners. I would love to watch the draft. Niners
have twelve picks. Seattle's got an upgrade on the offensive line,
(15:17):
But if you look at Seattle's schedule NFCSUTH AFCSUTH, that
Seahawks schedule is screaming ten to eleven wins. Niners meanwhile,
twelve draft picks with a very complicated offensive system. Means
I think they could be kind of trying to figure
out what the heck they are till Thanksgiving. That is
(15:39):
a lot of new players on the roster, and they
lost really good players. Seahawks, Niners, like Bears, Packers. I
think play down to the final weekend to see who
gets into the playoffs. Arizona, No massive upgrades are what
they are. So my division winners Eagles, Lions, Falcons. Falcons
(16:00):
are a new playoff team, wild Card Commanders, Bears, Seahawks
both squeak in.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
So I have three new.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Playoff teams, the Falcons, the Bears, and the Seahawks. You
got to have four new ones every year, minimum closer
to six.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
So I don't think you know.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Listen Atlanta before Kirk Cousins fell apart, they beat Tampa twice.
I don't think I'm taking a big swing here. I
like Panics a lot.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
There you go, be sure to catch live editions of
The Herd weekdays and neon Eastern, nn AM Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (16:37):
Hey Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch
us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to
four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 8 (16:52):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world. We have a lot of fun talking
about the stories behind the stories in the world of
sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't
seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact
that we've been friends for the last twenty years and
still work together.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
I mean that says something, right. So check us out.
Speaker 8 (17:10):
We like to get you involved, to take your phone calls.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Chop it up.
Speaker 8 (17:14):
As they say, I'd say the most interactive show on
Fox Sports Radio, maybe the.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Most interactive show on planetar.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific.
Speaker 8 (17:26):
And if you miss any of the live show, just
search Covin on Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and
of course on social media.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Let's bring on Paul Paris Basketball Hall Love fame co
host on the show.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
What's up? What's up? What's up?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
My man?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Great Ciano?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
What up?
Speaker 9 (17:43):
I'm checking in the game, coach, let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
So I'm watching a little Celtics sgayah and SGA.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Is just gonna score on everybody.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
You can't stop Hill at all.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
So he's not as vertical as my or that dynamic.
Did you have a guy in the NBA? Maybe it
was you, a guy that just got his you know who,
I'll throw a guy.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Do you remember Bernard King?
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I do, Okay, I remember Dominique Wilkins telling me I
love Garden MJ.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
It was fun.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
He goes, I didn't sleep with Bernard King.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Were there guys in the NBA and you were a
great defensive player, Were there guys that you did.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Not like to play?
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Because I think Boston looks up and goes, he's getting
thirty six. There's nothing we can do about it.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
I mean, was that I didn't You didn't love.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
To guard that just stylistically, he just got twenty eight
every time you played.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Every time.
Speaker 9 (18:37):
I mean, I think my air had better athletes at
the perimeter. When I started looking back at like Vince Carter, Ray, Allen,
Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant. You know, even had Glenn Robinson,
mas Man, maybe Jamal Mashburn, but mass Burn playing off
the post a lot a lot of guys who scored
thirty in our league Like that was very athletic.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And not to say he's not athletic.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
He just knows how to get to this And like
the league that we hear in today, how they talking
about three and layups. No, he like I'm playing an
old school stuff. I'm still mid range. He might be
the best mid range shooter in the league.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
If you gave Kawhi Leonard his touch, it feels a
little bit that Kawi is a stronger player defensively, but
Sja is a good defender. It just it's he's one
of those guys. If I said to you ke Key
Vandaway on steroids, okay, okay.
Speaker 9 (19:25):
Footwork, I learned a lot of my footwork from Keky
Vandaway coming up.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Twenty six at night.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Yes, that's a good one.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Key Key Vandaway.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
But on steroids, I mean I'm give him more like
Kobe without the athleticism. Yeah, I mean he just gets
to the line. Pivots one way, people's the other way.
Then shoots over you gets to the now.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Now I have said this before, I'm gonna take Boston
to win again. I think the biggest obstacle is Cleveland.
But they don't really have a weakness.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Here's they do have a weakness though, Huh they have
a week.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
What's their weakness?
Speaker 9 (19:56):
I mean, we saw it last night. And this is
the one thing that concerns me. So when the shots
aren't falling, they gotta find other ways to score it.
Because like when you look at the best scorers in
the league that don't have a great shoot night, but
you look up they still got thirty, it's because they
got to the line.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
They got to the line like fifteen times. We saw that.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Now we're doing that.
Speaker 9 (20:17):
Yeah, you look up like James hard to have to
be five for twenty, but thirty points because he made
eighteen free throw So you gotta do something that just
like the gates, you having a bad shooting good night.
And that's what I see from Boston. So when you
look up and they only have nine free throws because
they're not being aggressive. Now, the threes they take are
are good threes, and that's who they are. That's not
(20:39):
their identity, but.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
They don't manufacture enough free throws in scoring beyond the three.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
Yeah, because it's gonna be nice like that where the
shots ain't falling. We saw that a night ago, So
I just hope they keep in mind just to find
a better a better balance, because I knew a night's one,
I didn't have my shot going. If I miss my
first two threes, I might not take another three to
rest in the game. Like, That's just was my mentality.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Because I'm driving the you know, Lebron's like that.
Speaker 9 (21:05):
Yeah, Like unless I'm just like wide open, I'm not
like forcing number threes, you know what, because I got
to my mid range. I got to my mid post,
and I'm attack the paint, and I knew where I
could be effective.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
So you know, it's just a fine line. And you
gotta stay.
Speaker 9 (21:19):
True to who you are because Boston's a three point
shooting team, right, you gotta stay true to who you are.
But you got to saw some nights that listens, we
got to change a game plan. Let's start attacking. We
got advantages everywhere we can attack.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Yeah, I would give Sga the MVP over Jokic. Why
because I think Sga is arguably the second best player
in the year in the league. Yokic is the best player,
but a SGA's team is much better b his number
two player, check Holmgan gets hurt a lot. See it's
the third youngest team in the league. He's babysitting these guys.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
I do. They were the number one team last year
in the West. They were.
Speaker 9 (21:52):
Yeah, so coming in they were the favorite to be
number one. But you give it to him, not because
of he's averaging leading the league, and yeah, I mean
he he playing with two All Stars. Joker is not
doesn't have another All Star, so you can't just eliminate him.
But the reason you give Sga the MVP is because
he has the signature moments like last night was a
signature moment. The other night versus Denver signature moment forty
(22:17):
forty prime time, forty points on prime time.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
You look at those deals, right, right, you know what
I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Sunday, I was at home, I went to the game. Yeah,
I'm like, okay, this, I'm gonna make my MVP decision
on the game.
Speaker 9 (22:28):
National televised game. Oh he got forty up, he sealed it.
That's right, you know what I'm saying. But then Joker
comes back and the next one he has a big game.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Soay like, oh not so fast.
Speaker 9 (22:37):
But then you come back versus the Celtics on the
road without your second leading score plan and you deliver.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
So right now he got the advantage.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
So the next team, uh is not as good as
your Celtics team, but they have one thing in common,
is that one I wish? So basically, Michale Bridges went
to TIBs and said, you got play us less.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I had heard because kgU Ray Allen and Rondo.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
I had heard Doc Rivers and you tell me if
I'm wrong saying a road trip. If we win the opener,
no practice, you can just play the next game. Yeah
that Doc would basically guys, give me everything you got
in the opener, and if we keep winning, I won't
give you practice.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Is that true?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (23:24):
I mean we would do more walkthroughs once we got
on the road. Once the season started. Uh, you know
you win the game because we are we gonna stay
true to who we were a defensive unit. We're gonna
play the same way versus everybody. The league is a
lot different now. You know, we don't play the same
defensive principles where the defensive principles are different, and so
win the game on the road, all right, we'll get
(23:44):
the next night off. But then in game day the
next day, we're gonna have to shoot around to walk through.
So we'll still get to get get to the game plan.
But it's no need to practice and run up and
down and bang with each other when when you're seasons
towards the end of the season and you need healthy bodies.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
I mean, I watched the Knicks and the Blazers. I do.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Here's the advantage for the Knicks being zero to ten
against the best teams. The advantage is everybody in the
building knows we need another dude. Like in the NBA,
you get in trouble when the GM thinks one thing,
the owner thinks another, the coach thinks another. Everybody knows
we probably got to upgrade off Cat or some piece.
(24:24):
Do you think there is a piece in the league
right now? Who would you part with to get another piece?
Speaker 3 (24:30):
In New York? Oh, so they move Randal to get Cat.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Cat's the easier, more effortless offensive player. Randall's better defense.
Is there a guy you like like, I'll give you
the one I.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Got one KD.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
I mean, KD can help anybody who's right on the ball.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
I mean, don't they kind of need a catch and shoot.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
They can use KD. But I was thinking more like
Zion Wilson.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
That's interesting.
Speaker 9 (24:55):
That would be because you know, Kat can still stretch
the floor the way he shoots the ball like you
have those imposing big guys, and he brings some star
power to New York and I think he needs some
fresh air anyway out of New Orleans.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
The other thing is because of his injuries, you wouldn't
have to give up the farm, right.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Yeah, he might be you know, somebody you can kind
of steal.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
From you what's he as? A forty five fifty five
games a year?
Speaker 9 (25:18):
So you think, Zion b I'll take a chance, a
high risk, high reward for New York and then brings
some excitement.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
That's really good.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
So tonight the Warriors get kaminga back and it's a
TNT game. So you know, because Paul, the NBA.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Is so young.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Now, you know, in the NFL, you're drafting guys that
have played three to four years. We're married, they're twenty
three college basketball. You're getting Cooper Flag for a year. Dude,
he's eighteen nineteen come to the league. So it's a
developmental league, and so we've all kind of been waiting
on Kaminga. Now, for the record, he's twenty a game
this year, but I feel like I've been waiting forever
(26:00):
to get to twenty four. Sga was a guy the
Clippers veiled on and he literally became a star. Did
you get a sense, even with young guys, could you
sense by the second year of a young guy, this
guy's ceiling is sixteen, like should be able to Does
(26:22):
Kaminga have another level?
Speaker 4 (26:25):
What year is he?
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Is he four?
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Wow?
Speaker 9 (26:30):
That's a good question because usually you know who somebody
is by like if they're going to be a star
star by the second third year.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Kevin Garnett, Yeah, by the All Star Game. Second year,
I'm like, oh this is gonna work.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Yeah, yeah, you see it early with the guys who
are up there. Now, can Kaminga be like an All
Star one day in a good situation? Maybe he has
that type of potential. He has athleticism, and it seems
like his game is starting to come around. You know,
he's shooting shooting the ball better. We already know his
athleticism high level after so he has the tools to
(27:04):
be really, really good.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Are you surprised Jimmy Butler has been this important?
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Yeah, I didn't know he was gonna have this type
of impact. It's like it gave Steph a jolt in
the arm. It's like he took a shot and was like, oh,
I'm re energized.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
But dude, know what Jimmy brings.
Speaker 9 (27:19):
He brings a level of toughness to the physicality that
I noticed to the Yeah, for sure. I would say
like Jimmy is one of my comparables actually because of
his attitude, the way he plays, he's under control, and
his demeanor.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
You know.
Speaker 9 (27:33):
So he brings a physicality to the team on the
offensive end, and then you got Draymond on the other
on the other end, get giving you that defensive physicality.
And that's what the Warriors needed because I looked at
them before Jimmy got there as like a finesse team.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
You know, they didn't get to the line.
Speaker 9 (27:48):
No, they are a forints team. They they're hit or missed,
you know, and then it's gonna be nice. Stephan beyond
and most nice he'll be on. But then those nice
they're off. There's no physicality brought to the game. And
he's bringing that and that's gonna be danger and then
you're gonna have step close you out. He keep it close,
keep it like Jimmy is like the guy in the box, Amren,
I just give you body blows.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 9 (28:09):
It just starts wearing on you. You know what I'm
saying about about the tenth round. You just can't take
it no more.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
So I said this ok C will be a good
home team in the playoffs. I don't trust young guys
on the road. Go to your Celtics teams. Tell me
the okay, Remember the Bulls with Derrick Rose. Everybody kept
telling me, oh, and I was like, they play so
hard in the regular season because they got no trophy.
(28:35):
Was there a team when you played that you knew
you'd beat him in a playoff series?
Speaker 3 (28:40):
But man, they brought brought an intensity on a Tuesday night.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
And they were you know, they were a really good
team in the regular season.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
But it never quite translated.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
Man.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Uh, Remember that Cleveland team Jordan used to face all
the time.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Not remember that? Remember that team?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Mark Price and those guys.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Oh dude, they chew people up. They could never get
past Chicago.
Speaker 9 (29:06):
I mean the young Cleveland team when Lebron was like
that were they? Yeah, they were really good, Like even
in the last year we went to the finals, they
were still young and fast, and they were the number
one team in the East, and we were like, we
actually lost some games. We could have been like saw
them in the conference finals or second round. We chose
to lose a couple of games to see them in
(29:27):
the second round because.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
We knew we could get them in a playoff set.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Right, So you know that's they remind me of that
team right there, because Cleveland was This was twenty ten, right,
and this is when Cleveland was number one seed in
the East.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
They want like sixty.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
So I'm gonna throw a crazy theory at you, Okay,
I want you to have an open mind in my theory.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
So Lebron at forty years old, was carrying the Lakers.
They make the move to get Luca. He's not in shape,
he's playing in shape. Then Jackson, Hayes and Ruey get
banged up and Austin Eves and Lebron goes to play.
The Celtics has a great first half, Boston pulls away.
(30:07):
He feels a little tweak and is groin, and Lebron says,
Daddy's gonna take some time off.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
You young guys get healthy. I'm looking at the schedule.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
It's outrageous and that Lebron could play. And I am
defending Lebron on this. It's like a baseball team in August.
The starter's like, yeah, my elbows a little sore. I'll
wait to the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
That look. And I'm not saying Lebron's dog at it,
but I'm.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Saying he's like, you know, it's a little tweak. I've
been carrying you guys for three and a half months.
Speaker 9 (30:40):
Yeah, I look at it like, I mean, it's pretty
brilliant actually, because he said, all right, you know they
were in the fourth or fifth, see Luca Combs. They
make a push. They pushed all the way to the
second seed. They're like, all right, we got some cushion.
All right, we have a month, three weeks left, you
know what.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I can see.
Speaker 9 (31:00):
That is great, But the most important thing is we
need to be healthy. So we don't even care we
made our push. We're gonna be in the playoffs as
long as we're not in the play in. So now,
if we slide all the way to five.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
We don't.
Speaker 9 (31:12):
We don't mind, because if we going to the playoffs
as a healthy team, the Lakers are still gonna be dangerous. Yes,
you know, because look who's ahead of them? Who do
you trust ahead of them? Even at five? Who do
you trust?
Speaker 4 (31:24):
Houston? No?
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I trust Golden State?
Speaker 9 (31:26):
Okay, but they won't play Golden State, right, you know,
Golden State toll probably come in at that six.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
But Memphis you trust them versus the Lakers?
Speaker 9 (31:36):
Me the only one, yeah, the only team that you're like,
I mean, okay, see that young, Like, come on, you
gotta understand listen, as a young team, when when the
production start and what I call the production, it's the playoffs,
it's the production. Now you go, okay, see, y'all gonna
go from like two or three reporters in your locker
room to see all these reporters now they're going, wh
(31:56):
y'all play the Lakers. It's gonna be one hundred of
them now. And I just remember this when I was
in the playoffs, just like whoa, so many cameras, so
many lights, and that can overwhelm a young team, just
the bright lights.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Also, you get ripped all night on TV radio.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Oh my god.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And that that type of pressure, you know, as a
young team can get to them, you know, and the
aura that the Lakers bring.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
So I'm looking at okay, see Lakers.
Speaker 9 (32:18):
Only team that can cause the Lakers, I think trouble
is the Denver Nuggets.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Yeah, size, because.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Of what they've done in the pack can stop. Yeah.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
So it's gonna get interested Ron, Lebron rest up. You know,
I would even rest up Luca on the rest of
this trip. Let's just let's gets healthy. Let's get healthy
and come back home and get these gumme gangs that
we suposed to get after this road.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Trip, get back to a three seed.
Speaker 4 (32:42):
Yeah, I mean it'll matter. They can drop the five,
go ahead. They just want to be helped.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Lebron and Luca can win on the road. Yes, Okay, see,
I got my questions with Houston. I got my questions
with right.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Paul Pierce is always great speak after us live in LA.
It's the hurt
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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