February 28, 2025 • 31 mins
Rob and Kelvin explain why Jayson Tatum has never seriously been considered as the next Face of the NBA, take LeBron James to task for suggesting once again that NBA media members are too critical of today’s players and tell us why the Philadelphia 76ers should try to get out of the Joel Embiid business as soon as possible.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Rob G set us up here about Jason Tatum, who
of course is a star in the NBA, won and
won the NBA Championship a year ago, finally got some
of the got the monkey off his back because you know,
they were really good, won a lot of games and
all that, but people still just said that they didn't
trust him particularly, and that they didn't believe in the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
But Rob G framed this for us. Sure, so of.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Course they're like that frame this frame. I'll try to
frame it a picture suitable for framing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
There you go. That was my all time favorite.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Do you remember the old days when I used to
have those things and they would be like, yes, and
you will get.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Your picture suitable for framing. Okay, I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Yeah, So tonight's game, of course, the heavyweight matchup Calves
against the Celtics, top teams in the East, two most
likely teams to represent the eatern Conference in the NBA Finals.
And it's kind of fitting that Lebron James when viral
last night. We'll get to him later in the show
for suggesting that nobody wants to be the face of
the NBA because of all the ridicule that comes along
(01:32):
with it.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, one guy who has made it abundantly clear.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I would love to be the face of the NBA,
but nobody kinda wants me to be. That's Jason Tatum.
Spoke to Michael leea jo us here in about twenty
five minutes in the Washington Post and Lee asked him
if he feels like he is appreciated in NBA circles.
Here's what Tatum said, quote, honestly, no, If you took
the name and face away from all my accomplishments and
(01:58):
you're just like, hey, this is what layer A accomplished
at age twenty six, people will talk about me a
lot differently. And to put in context, here's some of
the accomplishments that Jason Tatum has in his NBA career.
It's been in the Eastern Conference Finals five times, been
in the NBA Finals twice, been in an NBA champion
last year, became just the sixth player in NBA history
(02:19):
to win a title and lead his team in points, rebounds,
and assists. He's also once the season is over, we'll
have four first Team All NBA nods. That is just
as many as all time greats like Derk Novitsky, Chris Paul,
Kevin Garnett, David Robinson, Moses Malone, Steph Curry, and one
(02:42):
more than guys like Allen Iverson, Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash,
Isaiah Thomas, Bill Russell. Why is Jason Tatum not in
the conversation to be the face of the league.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
And it's not.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Because he's like skinned, let's take that off the tape.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
We were thinking that, yes, let's take that off the tape,
was saying jousting for it, you know, for a couple
of years.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I don't know, But it ain't that because people always say,
you know, well he's light skinned. You know, light skin
guys are played out. But that's just another story.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
But in this case, like you're taking a shot at
whoever self stole your girl, Like five years No, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Ain't nobody still he's saying, send somewhere right now. You're
getting shot at right now. But yeah, he's probably listening
it in prison. That's okay.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Yeah, I don't know, but I'm just going to tell
you the dude drugs, that light skin apartment, that light yeah,
I'll be sure looking on.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, that guy with the ice hair, Yeah that's him,
he did it. Uh No.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The point is, the point is real simple. I don't
think he has like a personality to go with it.
And that's that's what it comes down to. It's not
always just numbers. It's not I know, I know people
want to say that it's the same thing. Can I
say this to you seriously, and I'm dead serious. There
(04:00):
are a ton of good looking people who could be
on the news reading the news right that look better
than you, that look better than the females that we
see on the news, But they don't have that moxie.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
They don't have.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And that's not saying that you're not good looking or anything,
you know what I'm saying. But I'm saying it's more
than just a look. It's it's the whole package, and
a personality comes with it.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Do you have a little edge to you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You know what I mean? Or can the dialogue you
have with writers do you? Can you explain the game
to me?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Can you?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
When I remember seriously being in a scrum and listening
to Michael Jordan or Charles Balking, some of these guys,
I'm not I wasn't surprised that these are the guys
who moved the needle because they when I was talking
to them as a reporter, they were interesting to me.
I'm not gonna say a name, but I'll tell you
this for real, I'm not gonna say a name, but
(04:56):
there was an NFL Hall of Fame who was a
Hall of Famer, first ball, all that, and that I
would try to talk to nothing zero zero position. I'm
not gonna say that. Zero I'm not gonna say that. Okay,
you know I worked in New York, Cinnati, Detroit. Okay,
I've doing that a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
But my point is why you do that's my favorite
stop that. That's not who I'm talking about stopping.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
But my point is it ain't just about the Okay,
and that's that's all I'm gonna say.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
We've been doing this show now for five six months.
Or something.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Something like that since September something. Yeah, so about six
months almost. And I've never agreed with you more. And
you know what's funny, deep down, guess who else agrees
with us? Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum knows it. Jason Tatum.
Hobby has an agent, probably has a homeboy cousin or
his mom who's kind of putting them up to this.
Jason Tatum doesn't even strike me as somebody who overly
(05:56):
wants it. Now, let's break a few things down, if
I may. Everyone isn't supposed to be a superstar. The
first thing you said unintentionally was rob g Lets set
it up, Jason Tatum, you know star in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
You didn't say superstar.
Speaker 5 (06:12):
It's everybody isn't supposed to be a superstar. He's also,
you know what else, he's not original. He's not original
in that there's the whole meme of when they won
the championship, and he quoted every quotable somebody has had
at a successful moment. He quoted Kevin Garnett, he quoted
Steph Curry, he quoted Kanye West. And there's a little
(06:36):
bit of robot to him. He's kind of robotic, and
that's okay because he's a dang good player who's gonna
go down as one of the best that you know,
one of the greats, and they'll have a heck of
a career. Everybody doesn't have to be a superstar. What
I'm starting to see is a Tim Duncan like career
where you're surrounded by other good guys and some years
(06:56):
you're the best player. Some years, or at least some
seasons or times of the sason, it might be Jaylen Brown,
just like Tim Duncan was surrounded by Tony Parker, the
Genobli sometimes were the best. Then all three of them
were surpassed by Kawhi towards the end. But Duncan had
an amazing career. Duncan had all the accolades, and that's
where he may be going. But Duncan, as you know,
(07:18):
was never necessarily a face of the league or superstar.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He never said anything, never said anything, you never really
got any nothing controversial.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
And he wore sandals, so it just didn't work.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
He wore the ross outfits that you didn't find because
you find some good ones, I give you that. He
wore the other stuff and ross, and he just didn't
have that. He wasn't a magnet. He wasn't magnetizing, nor
is Jason Tatum. And that's okay.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
And what's crazy is when you think about Tim Duncan.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
He's at missed free throw away from by Kawhi Leonard,
who if he made that three a free throw, they
would have been up by four and Ray Allen wouldn't
have been able to beat him. Remember he missed a
free throw right before, right he's he's a free throw
away from being six and ozer like Michael Jordan. Just
think of that, and nobody even remotely equates to two.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Which is what one free throw. Think about that. That's
incredible some people. That's why some people have him ahead
of a lot of the greats. They say he's top
five or six.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
They have him had a Kobe because they're like, dude,
what he did over that span, even winning at the
end of his career was remarkable. So I said them
out to say, Jason Tatum is a very very good player.
In my last and final point, you've never been the
best player in the league. There were moments where Steph Curry,
you could argue, I think we all knew Lebron was
the best player, but some could say it with Steph,
(08:40):
there's Lebron. We know Luca, you can say we know
he's been the best a couple of years ago. Kobe,
not one point in time have you ever said Jason
Tatum was the best player in the league, because you
know what we did. I ran through this with Rob
G yesterday and I named about eight or nine players
would you take over Tatum?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
And he said eight of the nine or not eight
or nine? For nine? Am I lion robb G? He
named all of them.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
I said, would you take Luca yes, Jokic yes, Giannis yes?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Uh, who else? Sca yes?
Speaker 5 (09:08):
I named seven play players that you would take over Tatum.
And you can't be the face when you're that far down.
So his career has been great thus far, amazing accolades,
probably one of the best six to seven years start
to a career period, as robb G laid out, But
everybody in a superstar and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
So Lebron James. Right, that's where we're going. And last night.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
He kind of blamed the media right for the guys wanting,
uh who wants to be the face and this whole thing.
He's kind of blaming the guy, especially on TNT.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Right.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Yes, they specifically asked him about Ant and Ant's replied,
I don't want it, he said, I don't blame him.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And this this, this is what he said right here.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
I mean, it's unfortunate, but like, I don't know, when
why do you want to be the face of the
league when all the all the put all the people
that you know that cover our game and talk about
our game or the day to day based on everybody
I had that responsibility. That's it's just weird. It's weird
energy from the people that.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
You know.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
I don't know, But changing he said it, he said
it perfectly, couldn't say it no better, but and said
he don't want it. I didn't. I mean, obviously I
didn't ask for it, but un there's a responsibility for
me not only to my family, my friends, my community,
and and and whoever that was gonna follow my my
my journey throughout my career, not only know how when
(10:47):
I started there, but all all over America and all
over the world, when I traveled all over the world.
So I've always taken that seriously and understand and understood
from the beginning what what being a professional was all
about and being a role model is all about. So
try to hold that with the utmost respect and honor.
And but I feel I understand, not completely understanding. This
(11:14):
is weird energy when it comes to that.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I gotta say this because I think Lebron a lot
of these guys are just they're so phony and fake.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And I'm gonna tell you why.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
First it was you guys, us writers report you guys.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Didn't play in the league, blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You right, it was a pushback that we didn't play
in the league. Now you got all the guys sitting
up on the deck, are all former players, all their
own right, and it's still ain't right, Still weird? Still,
what what one is it? It's not it has nothing
to do with that. It's just that you don't want
to be criticized. And that's what I can't get over
(11:54):
with today's athletes. I'm dead serious, because which one is it?
Is it that we didn't playing in the league. Or
is it that Chuck and Kenny and Shaq all haters
and they didn't do anything in the league. They didn't
win anything, they didn't win any awards. Their opinion doesn't matter.
(12:14):
I don't get it. I'm dead serious. I think Lebron
is mixing up a couple of things. Are there with
the advent of social media? More trolls? Absolutely, that happens
for me and you. People just troll you, right, Rob Jiggiz.
Trolls are there more? He deserves it because some of
the stuff I'm just saying, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Are there more blogs and vlogs and podcasts? Yes? Do
you listen to them too much Lebron and others? Yes?
Do you allow that to consume you? Yes?
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Are you going to the point where you have to
go zero dark thirty because you're it's so involved in it?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Are you interacting with burner accounts Kevin Durant? Yes, So,
I absolutely do agree that there's a lot of negative
conversations because there's so many more things out there. However,
when I actually really watch real basketball publications and shows,
for the most part, they're just talking about the game
last night. They're talking about how this player is really
(13:14):
good and this team should do this, and while the
Luca Tray was great for the Lakers and maybe this
is good in the short term for the Mavericks, Kenny
Smith's been doing this for twenty five thirty years. Kenny's
I would there's nothing about Kenny Smith or whatever equate
to a hater. Does Chuck have a personality where yes,
he goes seber he has to say something, Nie, I
don't think it's fine. He's terrible. Yes, he's gonna do
(13:34):
that from time to time, and a shot gonna be
a old hater at times, Yes, because everybody ain't like
me putting up shock like numbers but like to just
lump all of basketball media when to me, it's not
like that at all. That I think is there's something
to it, and that eliminates the idea that we actually,
to your point, can't see and dislike something. I'm watching
(13:55):
this Celtic game right now. They look good. They're up
thirty to twenty thirty, two to twenty. Rob g do
me a favor. They were on fire. But what did
I say about the style of play? What did I say?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You don't like it? I said I'm just not a
fan of all the threes. That's just an opinion.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
They look good, they're winning, they're up twelve, but that's
just the way, and so people can watch the game
and not necessarily have to enjoy every single thing they
love about it. I love the NBA favorite sport, not
going anywhere. I'm beating here to the end. But the
idea that people can't critique it, that it can't be
in a funk a little low baseball, that's your favorite sport?
Was baseball not in the low for a little bit. Yeah,
(14:31):
people beat up baseball and then it comes back. So
to me, things are cyclical. There's evthing flows, and guess
there's more blogs and social media and trolls.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I will give you that. I will concede that point.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And just like that, Cleveland's cut it to nine and
Boston have what fourteen threes already.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
But that is a great example.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
So let's say this game keeps going at this tick
and they go to halftime and Boston's only up two.
Is it not fair that I don't know who's on
the countdo? I saw Steven A. Smith, but I think
Cheney of Goomakay, like they can't say, man, I just
don't like the way Boston's playing are shooting too many three?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Is that not a fair point? Right?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But but that's the issue, is that nothing. You can't
say anything negative. They expect you to be raw raw.
This is not the Lakers local broadcast. I'm dead serious,
and James Worthy the only reason, the only reason, the
only reason I listen. I'm dead serious. I tune in
(15:26):
because I want to hear what James Worthy says. I
never feel like he's like a company man, I really don't.
When they play well, James is all about the Lakers.
When they don't play well, he'll sell you his.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Head look bad like that. Yeah. So Steven A.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
Smith had a couple of shots to Lebron during the
broadcast the countdown prior to the game.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
He talked about Lebron.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
You know, he said, you didn't do the dunk contest,
and he said you took you didn't even do the
All Star Game this year.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So he took a few shots.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Lebron said this on Twitter right after literally like a
half hour ago, like he was watching this, you know,
they got a game tonight, But here we go, he's
watching the shows and he's comedy.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
What did he say, right, Oh, he said a lot.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Let me read it to you, he said, y'all exactly
made my point. But anyways, happy this conversation has started.
It's not about face of the game, and it ain't
about one person to one show. It's about the culture
of basketball. The most beautiful game in the world. Our
game has never been better. Incredible young stars from all
over the world and some older ones.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
First of all, there's another point right there that many
of proven people, writers but and all players will say
the game has been better. The aesthetics people will absolutely
like right there, you know, fe Labron Brons, My guy,
I disagree the gameplay has been better before. Are you
asking me that to say it's never been better? It's
just not true. Are there are there the eight, nine, ten, eleven,
(16:47):
twelve men on the team more skilled than maybe in
the eighties. I'll give you that, but I don't necessarily
think the team basketball is better.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I don't necessarily agree with that.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
But content, he says, Steph Curry should beat all we
are talking about today, or let's discuss how great Okasee
and the Cavs have been this season with two completely
different styles and break down why and how they got here.
Of course, if players don't perform, we need to discuss
that too and break it down. But even that can
be discussed in a way that's not to bring finality
(17:16):
to the player's game, but to leave room to see
how that player responds, and let's watch the journey of
that player. This ain't about me either at this point,
I don't really care what's said about me, because it's
always something. This is about the impact that negativity is
having an our beautiful game and our fans. I know
I speak for a lot of players and more importantly,
a lot of great fans around the world.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
I don't I think he's intertwining and mixing up. And
this is the part I will again, I will conceide
the point. There's barstools, there's this, There's ESPN, there's Fox
Sports Radio, there's a and I do think there's more
of that than ever where that if you are consumed
with it, it could feel unavoidable right you open your
(17:57):
There's many, I mean, how many basketball blogs right on?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Let's see, let's see here, here's where.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
But I don't think that's the broader media like the
real mets is what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
But that's I hear that, but that's not it.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Lebron doesn't want to be criticized, and that that's where
we are. You they want they want athletes to cover athletes, okay,
and then when the athletes don't go along with it
and and on't doing thats okay, Now they're haters. So
how do you which one is it? He's played out there,
he's been in the NBA. He knows what it takes.
(18:30):
And he's telling you that's a bad play or you're
not playing well, or you're not hustling or whatever. Now
there's a problem when Skip Bayless or me or Chris
Bussard or whatever, we didn't play at that level.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
This is what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
The biggest thing is, yeah, they want athletes to cover
each other, but they want them to cover for each other.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
That's that's what he's saying.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Oh, well, if somebody doesn't play, you can discuss that,
but then it should be a how you can.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
What that was? Did you see him find? No he
got a point though, No he doesn't. Yes he does.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
No, he doesn't, because because I've been.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I've lived it.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It was used to be that we didn't know, and
now why because a player says and I'm not saying
that everything a player says it's right. I got issues
with players being covering each other because I think that
there is some jealousy and and some other things that
that writers. Because I brought this up to you a
million times, and I think it's a mistake when players
(19:34):
cover each other. When one hundred and fifty or one
hundred and thirty players don't vote for Lebron James to
be an All Star Game, that.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
There's something there. Okay, that's telling you all you need
to know. Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Ain't no way that writers would have not one hundred
and thirty writers would have not voted for Lebron. I'm
dead serious. I don't care what interaction. So I think
that there's a there's a rub now because some athletes
push back and and he's playing about uh inside the NBA.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
But it's the most popular show, rob Gee, I want
to hear what you you were saying. The point, Yeah,
rings culture a role. Now that's ruined the discussion. You
heard me say. That is my number one thing we
became when I was coming up loving hoop. My favorite
player could have been one of them was Regi Miller.
(20:23):
Regie Miller ain't got ring the first and you buy
the all reds. I like Clyde Drexler, Bravey or Jordan,
but like it didn't come down to the rings per se.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
That was not that case.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
That's a much later conversation that I always say is
the biggest compliment to Kobe Bryant, but it's his fault
in that. But he was the first person we actually
went could he be better than Jordan? Like you actually
thought that, like, oh shoot, could.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
He be better than Dark?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
And you had to started well, no, because Jordan got six, well,
he got five, well, he he never lost, and he
started to do that, and then it turned to.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Could Lebron be better than Kobe? Could he be doing well?
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Now to Kobe's got fight with the bro I didn't
even have one, okay, didn't got one well, and he
had to go to a different team. And then you
got Kevin Durant. They're never gonna let me find a
go so I got to go to another team. I
gotta go to the Warriors, and I can get that
has ruled. That is a massive part to me, the
ring chasing and that being the end all be all
is that part If he would have said that, I
would have been all in on that to me.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
And I think one thing that Lebron unfortunately does not
understand in this situation, and maybe it's because he's only
ever been an athlete. He's never you know, gone to
school or study this kind of thing or worked in
this business before, is as much as people want to
be reporters and they want to be objective things of
that nature, what is going on on ESPN Countdown and
(21:36):
Undisputed or you know, rest in Peace first take, it's
entertainment and they're not here to break down the game
the way that he is, right like, that's not what people,
the casual sports fan wants to see.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
They're not as interested in.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
There are hundreds of podcasts that I enjoy listening to,
and I follow these guys on social media that will
break down the x's and nose of a play, why
this happen, and why it didn't happen. There's guys who
are our former NFL quarterbacks who will draw up and
diagram a play exactly as to why it worked the
did not work, And those guys are not gonna get
the same amount of traction as I'm gonna give you
(22:12):
a great example, some kind of a conversation about a
big picture thing when.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
He talks to somebody who calls who calls games and
also is one of the bigger faces that he is being.
Tim Legler great, great analysis, breaks it down. But the
reason why he hasn't pop pap pop pop pop is
because he just breaks it down.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
He says you great.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Inside, He's awesome. It is awesome. I am a big
fan of Tim Legler. He is great at that. But
to your point, people want animation, people want controversy, or
people want a little bit or they want a little
sauce to it. You know, Tim's just gonna give it
to you as is a good game, break it down,
and that's not necessarily his bag. And so therefore that's
why we like Chuck. Chuck gon say something crazy. He's
(22:50):
gonna be hilarious. He's gonna have some fun with it
and not take it too seriously. Yeah, so that I
don't I get the idea that there are so many
more outlets and trolls and blogs and me along with
the actual real media and actual real shows. And I
can understand how that could grow on you as a player. Right,
every time I turn on my TV, I lift my
phone up, someone has something negative the same me. I
will never act like I'm blind to that because I
(23:11):
can only imagine what that would feel like.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
I just when you watch these pregame shows, I mean,
they're so glowing and all they do is pray.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
That's what I mean.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
No, but I'm talking about on the game NBA games,
nobody's talking about anybody in a bad light or a
negative way on an interview. There's the balance is that
it's all positive. I have to turn the sound down
on pregame show because it's so overwhelming, glowing. Oh, he's
so greaty, he's the greatest, Like it's ridiculous, Like nothing negative.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
On the pregame NFL two it is, it's ridiculous, Like
it's just the exact opposite. And then you have one
where you have which was based on reporters having a
different skewed than former players who work for the league
and all that kind of stuff, and they were kind
of you know, it's the same thing. You know this
(24:07):
local broadcasters doing games or whatever. You're doing the Dodgers game.
You're not ripping the Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
No, you're not. No, I don't care what you say.
You're not.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
You can say you know. They gotta figure it out.
They got to hit better. But you're not ripping them. No,
without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Rob G News of the day, Let's get there, joelmb
oh boy, the Sixers have made an announcement about his future.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, unfortunately, it's what we all expect. The guys talked
about earlier in the week that he was not looking good.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Joe l embiid medical professionals were considering radical procedure. We
talked about one of them, including breaking a bone to
alleviate the pressure on his ligament in his knee. Well,
the Sixers made it official today. They are shutting him
down for the rest of the regular season as the
team continues to search for a long term solution to
help that left me and it's given them all kinds
(25:09):
of problems this year the Philadelphia seventy six Ers, Though
it should be noted it actually benefits them. They keep
losing because they owe a pick to Okay, see it's
top six protected and right now I think stand in
the middle of their nine game loten streak, have exactly
this sixth worst record in the NBA. So and beat
out Sixers continue to free fall. The rest is history,
(25:31):
all right, Kelvin, here we go.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah, here's my plan.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
If I'm the soon to be fired GM of the
seventy six ers.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, could you heard the rumors? Right?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Who is it?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Bob Myers is now being rumored to go there and
place Darryl Mory.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yes, that's what this talk is a scuttle but I
don't know whose process didn't work, all right, But anyway,
my point is, get this guy healthy, healthy, get this
guy back out there on the court, let him play well,
and by this time next year you've traded him. Because
(26:04):
you can't trade him now, beat up and whatever, because
you're gonna get ten cents on the dollar. I need
to get it up to about eighty five cents on
the dollar. I don't think you're gonna get that rock
six seventy five percent on the dollar. I can get
it up there. My point is get him healthy, get
him back. Hey, he's fully healthy. Now I had the surgery.
He's just played fifty five games in a row or whatever,
(26:27):
you know, played a lot. He's got to play, show
people that maybe he finally turned the corner he's healthy,
and then boom, what do you want and make a trade.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
That's what I would do.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
The problem with Joelle Joel Embiide is that he came
into the league hurt. Rob, he didn't play the first
year and a half. Two years he has played, he
has won.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
An MVP though.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Well, no, no, he healthy, ninety whatever percent he can
be healthy him is amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
He has played four hundred and.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Fifty two games, I believe in his career. You know what,
He's missed four hundred and thirty one So for pretty
much every game he plays, he's set to miss the
next game. And that is just I can't go on
with that. As as the organization, just haventy six ers
and I'm not so sure I want that either. Rob
as the team that you're trying to get, you know,
(27:18):
seventy five cents on a dollar before.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
But there are plenty of teams that need a more
key player. But I need a market player to play. No,
I'm saying you gotta get him fully healthy back out
on the court.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
I'm talking about optimistic. I am being optimist. I am
shocked that you're optimisting right now.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
But I'm saying you gotta get them well because now
that they've shut him down, they're gonna take the surgery,
do what they have to do and.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Get her tonight.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And look look at look at Kawhi Leonard and how
long he's been dealing with this and he's still he's
playing tonight.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Is what. I'm not going to play a game for
two weeks. This is my thing.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
I keep telling you, what's one of the things you
always go to average professional sports? I said, one of
the things, not the thing that is the thing you
go to. We always talk about the average sports careers.
You know, NFL, NBA at a round three three and
a half years is the NFL YEP three and a
half years. And a lot of that isn't because you
(28:12):
suck as a player or you're just bad. A lot
of it also it's just injuries and you just it
just doesn't work out, and it's just you're you're too
injured and you gotta move on with life. And my
thing is Joel Embiid is not guaranteed. He's gonna play
twelve fifteen years. Kawhi Leonard is not guaranteed. At some point,
I get the math is like it looks the opposite
that they're not gonna play anymore, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Like I can't depend on Kawhi. I haven't been able
to for six years.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
But my point is, when you have a talent and
someone who's won an MVP, there's always gonna be a
market for somebody who's going to take a chance. So
you really think that's because there's so many bad teams
to need somebody who has a name and maybe hey,
we'll give them a fresh start.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Maybe this is all behind them, Maybe we'll do this. Man.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You know, like they're always you know, like they always say,
you can't trade Bradley Beal. Ain't nobody gonna take Nobody's
gonna take that contract?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Who's gonna take that?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Right?
Speaker 1 (29:09):
There are the players who are like that where you
go what nobody nobody will ever take that contract? I'll
ever trade for that purchase. I'm just saying, because there
are twelve or fifteen teams that that don't have anything.
Your charlotte or you're I'll give up somebody young. Maybe
we could get uh you know somebody, yeah for some
sell some tickets and maybe we catch lightning in a.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Bottle of that.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Lower the number, Rod Parker, I'm just saying it is
now forty five cents on the dollar.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I am Bob Barker. Black Barker.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Okay, Black Bob Barker, I got the skinny mic and
all mind your business.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
And that's what I'm giving you. Forty five cents of
a dollar. That's what if you're giving me a junior
high school black Bob Barker.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
No, Bob Barker, Okay, yeah, I can see that, Rod Parker,
Bob Robert Bibbe, Okay, I see that. But I'm not
giving you more than that because I have to wait
another year, a year and a half till he's back.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And no, he'll be thirty thirty one. What are you
talking about. I'm talking about next year, right.
Speaker 5 (30:06):
But he might not be back for quite some times
with him, like, it's not like he's coming back, right, No,
he's coming.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Back, Rob g Right, he'll be back. They still don't
know what they're gonna do. That's the problem.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
That's what I'm saying. Remember they said, there's still that
surgery where they might break his leg and redo tendons
and stuff. I'm saying to you, if he if you
can get him back on the court. Right just showing
the most optimists I've ever seen you in my life.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
I'm an optimistic guy. Get him back on the court.
I'm not a doom sayer as everybody thinks.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Not right now at this moment. You are.
Speaker 5 (30:36):
You must have had your baked chicken today. I got
you feeling all types of friendly on this Friday. I'm
feeling good Joe Ellenbiid has We have seen the not
even like all the best of him, but he's you know,
still really good. We have seen it's a rap. And
I've been saying the same thing to you about Kawhi
and you get mad when I said, Kawhi's playing to
night and he might not play again until April.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
That's just where we are.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
He might play and they might when he What did
I tell you today, Rob G when he was absolutely healthy,
he was top three player period, Kawhi Leonard might have
been the one, you know how they said the phrase
he might have been top three, not to three or
the two that was him.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
But now I can't depend on that just keeps happening,
So I don't. I can't.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
I can't run a business or a franchise or organization.
Hoping and wishing maybe that the guys who have perennially
perennially been injured aren't injured
Thanks for listening to the best of the Odd Couple podcasts.
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 FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're listening to the Best of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Rob G set us up here about Jason Tatum, who
of course is a star in the NBA, won and
won the NBA Championship a year ago, finally got some
of the got the monkey off his back because you know,
they were really good, won a lot of games and
all that, but people still just said that they didn't
trust him particularly, and that they didn't believe in the Celtics.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
But Rob G framed this for us. Sure, so of.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Course they're like that frame this frame. I'll try to
frame it a picture suitable for framing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
There you go. That was my all time favorite.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Do you remember the old days when I used to
have those things and they would be like, yes, and
you will get.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Your picture suitable for framing. Okay, I'm sorry.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Yeah, So tonight's game, of course, the heavyweight matchup Calves
against the Celtics, top teams in the East, two most
likely teams to represent the eatern Conference in the NBA Finals.
And it's kind of fitting that Lebron James when viral
last night. We'll get to him later in the show
for suggesting that nobody wants to be the face of
the NBA because of all the ridicule that comes along
(01:32):
with it.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, one guy who has made it abundantly clear.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I would love to be the face of the NBA,
but nobody kinda wants me to be. That's Jason Tatum.
Spoke to Michael leea jo us here in about twenty
five minutes in the Washington Post and Lee asked him
if he feels like he is appreciated in NBA circles.
Here's what Tatum said, quote, honestly, no, If you took
the name and face away from all my accomplishments and
(01:58):
you're just like, hey, this is what layer A accomplished
at age twenty six, people will talk about me a
lot differently. And to put in context, here's some of
the accomplishments that Jason Tatum has in his NBA career.
It's been in the Eastern Conference Finals five times, been
in the NBA Finals twice, been in an NBA champion
last year, became just the sixth player in NBA history
(02:19):
to win a title and lead his team in points, rebounds,
and assists. He's also once the season is over, we'll
have four first Team All NBA nods. That is just
as many as all time greats like Derk Novitsky, Chris Paul,
Kevin Garnett, David Robinson, Moses Malone, Steph Curry, and one
(02:42):
more than guys like Allen Iverson, Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash,
Isaiah Thomas, Bill Russell. Why is Jason Tatum not in
the conversation to be the face of the league.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
And it's not.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Because he's like skinned, let's take that off the tape.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
We were thinking that, yes, let's take that off the tape,
was saying jousting for it, you know, for a couple
of years.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I don't know, But it ain't that because people always say,
you know, well he's light skinned. You know, light skin
guys are played out. But that's just another story.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
But in this case, like you're taking a shot at
whoever self stole your girl, Like five years No, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Ain't nobody still he's saying, send somewhere right now. You're
getting shot at right now. But yeah, he's probably listening
it in prison. That's okay.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Yeah, I don't know, but I'm just going to tell
you the dude drugs, that light skin apartment, that light yeah,
I'll be sure looking on.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, that guy with the ice hair, Yeah that's him,
he did it. Uh No.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The point is, the point is real simple. I don't
think he has like a personality to go with it.
And that's that's what it comes down to. It's not
always just numbers. It's not I know, I know people
want to say that it's the same thing. Can I
say this to you seriously, and I'm dead serious. There
(04:00):
are a ton of good looking people who could be
on the news reading the news right that look better
than you, that look better than the females that we
see on the news, But they don't have that moxie.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
They don't have.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And that's not saying that you're not good looking or anything,
you know what I'm saying. But I'm saying it's more
than just a look. It's it's the whole package, and
a personality comes with it.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Do you have a little edge to you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
You know what I mean? Or can the dialogue you
have with writers do you? Can you explain the game
to me?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Can you?
Speaker 1 (04:34):
When I remember seriously being in a scrum and listening
to Michael Jordan or Charles Balking, some of these guys,
I'm not I wasn't surprised that these are the guys
who moved the needle because they when I was talking
to them as a reporter, they were interesting to me.
I'm not gonna say a name, but I'll tell you
this for real, I'm not gonna say a name, but
(04:56):
there was an NFL Hall of Fame who was a
Hall of Famer, first ball, all that, and that I
would try to talk to nothing zero zero position. I'm
not gonna say that. Zero I'm not gonna say that. Okay,
you know I worked in New York, Cinnati, Detroit. Okay,
I've doing that a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
But my point is why you do that's my favorite
stop that. That's not who I'm talking about stopping.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
But my point is it ain't just about the Okay,
and that's that's all I'm gonna say.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
We've been doing this show now for five six months.
Or something.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Something like that since September something. Yeah, so about six
months almost. And I've never agreed with you more. And
you know what's funny, deep down, guess who else agrees
with us? Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum knows it. Jason Tatum.
Hobby has an agent, probably has a homeboy cousin or
his mom who's kind of putting them up to this.
Jason Tatum doesn't even strike me as somebody who overly
(05:56):
wants it. Now, let's break a few things down, if
I may. Everyone isn't supposed to be a superstar. The
first thing you said unintentionally was rob g Lets set
it up, Jason Tatum, you know star in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
You didn't say superstar.
Speaker 5 (06:12):
It's everybody isn't supposed to be a superstar. He's also,
you know what else, he's not original. He's not original
in that there's the whole meme of when they won
the championship, and he quoted every quotable somebody has had
at a successful moment. He quoted Kevin Garnett, he quoted
Steph Curry, he quoted Kanye West. And there's a little
(06:36):
bit of robot to him. He's kind of robotic, and
that's okay because he's a dang good player who's gonna
go down as one of the best that you know,
one of the greats, and they'll have a heck of
a career. Everybody doesn't have to be a superstar. What
I'm starting to see is a Tim Duncan like career
where you're surrounded by other good guys and some years
(06:56):
you're the best player. Some years, or at least some
seasons or times of the sason, it might be Jaylen Brown,
just like Tim Duncan was surrounded by Tony Parker, the
Genobli sometimes were the best. Then all three of them
were surpassed by Kawhi towards the end. But Duncan had
an amazing career. Duncan had all the accolades, and that's
where he may be going. But Duncan, as you know,
(07:18):
was never necessarily a face of the league or superstar.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
He never said anything, never said anything, you never really
got any nothing controversial.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
And he wore sandals, so it just didn't work.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
He wore the ross outfits that you didn't find because
you find some good ones, I give you that. He
wore the other stuff and ross, and he just didn't
have that. He wasn't a magnet. He wasn't magnetizing, nor
is Jason Tatum. And that's okay.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
And what's crazy is when you think about Tim Duncan.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
He's at missed free throw away from by Kawhi Leonard,
who if he made that three a free throw, they
would have been up by four and Ray Allen wouldn't
have been able to beat him. Remember he missed a
free throw right before, right he's he's a free throw
away from being six and ozer like Michael Jordan. Just
think of that, and nobody even remotely equates to two.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Which is what one free throw. Think about that. That's
incredible some people. That's why some people have him ahead
of a lot of the greats. They say he's top
five or six.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
They have him had a Kobe because they're like, dude,
what he did over that span, even winning at the
end of his career was remarkable. So I said them
out to say, Jason Tatum is a very very good player.
In my last and final point, you've never been the
best player in the league. There were moments where Steph Curry,
you could argue, I think we all knew Lebron was
the best player, but some could say it with Steph,
(08:40):
there's Lebron. We know Luca, you can say we know
he's been the best a couple of years ago. Kobe,
not one point in time have you ever said Jason
Tatum was the best player in the league, because you
know what we did. I ran through this with Rob
G yesterday and I named about eight or nine players
would you take over Tatum?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
And he said eight of the nine or not eight
or nine? For nine? Am I lion robb G? He
named all of them.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
I said, would you take Luca yes, Jokic yes, Giannis yes?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Uh, who else? Sca yes?
Speaker 5 (09:08):
I named seven play players that you would take over Tatum.
And you can't be the face when you're that far down.
So his career has been great thus far, amazing accolades,
probably one of the best six to seven years start
to a career period, as robb G laid out, But
everybody in a superstar and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Rob Parker and kelvin Washington weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
So Lebron James. Right, that's where we're going. And last night.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
He kind of blamed the media right for the guys wanting,
uh who wants to be the face and this whole thing.
He's kind of blaming the guy, especially on TNT.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Right.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Yes, they specifically asked him about Ant and Ant's replied,
I don't want it, he said, I don't blame him.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And this this, this is what he said right here.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
I mean, it's unfortunate, but like, I don't know, when
why do you want to be the face of the
league when all the all the put all the people
that you know that cover our game and talk about
our game or the day to day based on everybody
I had that responsibility. That's it's just weird. It's weird
energy from the people that.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
You know.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
I don't know, But changing he said it, he said
it perfectly, couldn't say it no better, but and said
he don't want it. I didn't. I mean, obviously I
didn't ask for it, but un there's a responsibility for
me not only to my family, my friends, my community,
and and and whoever that was gonna follow my my
my journey throughout my career, not only know how when
(10:47):
I started there, but all all over America and all
over the world, when I traveled all over the world.
So I've always taken that seriously and understand and understood
from the beginning what what being a professional was all
about and being a role model is all about. So
try to hold that with the utmost respect and honor.
And but I feel I understand, not completely understanding. This
(11:14):
is weird energy when it comes to that.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I gotta say this because I think Lebron a lot
of these guys are just they're so phony and fake.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And I'm gonna tell you why.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
First it was you guys, us writers report you guys.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Didn't play in the league, blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You right, it was a pushback that we didn't play
in the league. Now you got all the guys sitting
up on the deck, are all former players, all their
own right, and it's still ain't right, Still weird? Still,
what what one is it? It's not it has nothing
to do with that. It's just that you don't want
to be criticized. And that's what I can't get over
(11:54):
with today's athletes. I'm dead serious, because which one is it?
Is it that we didn't playing in the league. Or
is it that Chuck and Kenny and Shaq all haters
and they didn't do anything in the league. They didn't
win anything, they didn't win any awards. Their opinion doesn't matter.
(12:14):
I don't get it. I'm dead serious. I think Lebron
is mixing up a couple of things. Are there with
the advent of social media? More trolls? Absolutely, that happens
for me and you. People just troll you, right, Rob Jiggiz.
Trolls are there more? He deserves it because some of
the stuff I'm just saying, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Are there more blogs and vlogs and podcasts? Yes? Do
you listen to them too much Lebron and others? Yes?
Do you allow that to consume you? Yes?
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Are you going to the point where you have to
go zero dark thirty because you're it's so involved in it?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Are you interacting with burner accounts Kevin Durant? Yes, So,
I absolutely do agree that there's a lot of negative
conversations because there's so many more things out there. However,
when I actually really watch real basketball publications and shows,
for the most part, they're just talking about the game
last night. They're talking about how this player is really
(13:14):
good and this team should do this, and while the
Luca Tray was great for the Lakers and maybe this
is good in the short term for the Mavericks, Kenny
Smith's been doing this for twenty five thirty years. Kenny's
I would there's nothing about Kenny Smith or whatever equate
to a hater. Does Chuck have a personality where yes,
he goes seber he has to say something, Nie, I
don't think it's fine. He's terrible. Yes, he's gonna do
(13:34):
that from time to time, and a shot gonna be
a old hater at times, Yes, because everybody ain't like
me putting up shock like numbers but like to just
lump all of basketball media when to me, it's not
like that at all. That I think is there's something
to it, and that eliminates the idea that we actually,
to your point, can't see and dislike something. I'm watching
(13:55):
this Celtic game right now. They look good. They're up
thirty to twenty thirty, two to twenty. Rob g do
me a favor. They were on fire. But what did
I say about the style of play? What did I say?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You don't like it? I said I'm just not a
fan of all the threes. That's just an opinion.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
They look good, they're winning, they're up twelve, but that's
just the way, and so people can watch the game
and not necessarily have to enjoy every single thing they
love about it. I love the NBA favorite sport, not
going anywhere. I'm beating here to the end. But the
idea that people can't critique it, that it can't be
in a funk a little low baseball, that's your favorite sport?
Was baseball not in the low for a little bit. Yeah,
(14:31):
people beat up baseball and then it comes back. So
to me, things are cyclical. There's evthing flows, and guess
there's more blogs and social media and trolls.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I will give you that. I will concede that point.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
And just like that, Cleveland's cut it to nine and
Boston have what fourteen threes already.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
But that is a great example.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
So let's say this game keeps going at this tick
and they go to halftime and Boston's only up two.
Is it not fair that I don't know who's on
the countdo? I saw Steven A. Smith, but I think
Cheney of Goomakay, like they can't say, man, I just
don't like the way Boston's playing are shooting too many three?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Is that not a fair point? Right?
Speaker 1 (15:05):
But but that's the issue, is that nothing. You can't
say anything negative. They expect you to be raw raw.
This is not the Lakers local broadcast. I'm dead serious,
and James Worthy the only reason, the only reason, the
only reason I listen. I'm dead serious. I tune in
(15:26):
because I want to hear what James Worthy says. I
never feel like he's like a company man, I really don't.
When they play well, James is all about the Lakers.
When they don't play well, he'll sell you his.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Head look bad like that. Yeah. So Steven A.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
Smith had a couple of shots to Lebron during the
broadcast the countdown prior to the game.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
He talked about Lebron.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
You know, he said, you didn't do the dunk contest,
and he said you took you didn't even do the
All Star Game this year.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So he took a few shots.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
Lebron said this on Twitter right after literally like a
half hour ago, like he was watching this, you know,
they got a game tonight, But here we go, he's
watching the shows and he's comedy.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
What did he say, right, Oh, he said a lot.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Let me read it to you, he said, y'all exactly
made my point. But anyways, happy this conversation has started.
It's not about face of the game, and it ain't
about one person to one show. It's about the culture
of basketball. The most beautiful game in the world. Our
game has never been better. Incredible young stars from all
over the world and some older ones.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
First of all, there's another point right there that many
of proven people, writers but and all players will say
the game has been better. The aesthetics people will absolutely
like right there, you know, fe Labron Brons, My guy,
I disagree the gameplay has been better before. Are you
asking me that to say it's never been better? It's
just not true. Are there are there the eight, nine, ten, eleven,
(16:47):
twelve men on the team more skilled than maybe in
the eighties. I'll give you that, but I don't necessarily
think the team basketball is better.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
I don't necessarily agree with that.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
But content, he says, Steph Curry should beat all we
are talking about today, or let's discuss how great Okasee
and the Cavs have been this season with two completely
different styles and break down why and how they got here.
Of course, if players don't perform, we need to discuss
that too and break it down. But even that can
be discussed in a way that's not to bring finality
(17:16):
to the player's game, but to leave room to see
how that player responds, and let's watch the journey of
that player. This ain't about me either at this point,
I don't really care what's said about me, because it's
always something. This is about the impact that negativity is
having an our beautiful game and our fans. I know
I speak for a lot of players and more importantly,
a lot of great fans around the world.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
I don't I think he's intertwining and mixing up. And
this is the part I will again, I will conceide
the point. There's barstools, there's this, There's ESPN, there's Fox
Sports Radio, there's a and I do think there's more
of that than ever where that if you are consumed
with it, it could feel unavoidable right you open your
(17:57):
There's many, I mean, how many basketball blogs right on?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Let's see, let's see here, here's where.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
But I don't think that's the broader media like the
real mets is what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
But that's I hear that, but that's not it.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Lebron doesn't want to be criticized, and that that's where
we are. You they want they want athletes to cover athletes, okay,
and then when the athletes don't go along with it
and and on't doing thats okay, Now they're haters. So
how do you which one is it? He's played out there,
he's been in the NBA. He knows what it takes.
(18:30):
And he's telling you that's a bad play or you're
not playing well, or you're not hustling or whatever. Now
there's a problem when Skip Bayless or me or Chris
Bussard or whatever, we didn't play at that level.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
This is what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
The biggest thing is, yeah, they want athletes to cover
each other, but they want them to cover for each other.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
That's that's what he's saying.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Oh, well, if somebody doesn't play, you can discuss that,
but then it should be a how you can.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
What that was? Did you see him find? No he
got a point though, No he doesn't. Yes he does.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
No, he doesn't, because because I've been.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I've lived it.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It was used to be that we didn't know, and
now why because a player says and I'm not saying
that everything a player says it's right. I got issues
with players being covering each other because I think that
there is some jealousy and and some other things that
that writers. Because I brought this up to you a
million times, and I think it's a mistake when players
(19:34):
cover each other. When one hundred and fifty or one
hundred and thirty players don't vote for Lebron James to
be an All Star Game, that.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
There's something there. Okay, that's telling you all you need
to know. Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Ain't no way that writers would have not one hundred
and thirty writers would have not voted for Lebron. I'm
dead serious. I don't care what interaction. So I think
that there's a there's a rub now because some athletes
push back and and he's playing about uh inside the NBA.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
But it's the most popular show, rob Gee, I want
to hear what you you were saying. The point, Yeah,
rings culture a role. Now that's ruined the discussion. You
heard me say. That is my number one thing we
became when I was coming up loving hoop. My favorite
player could have been one of them was Regi Miller.
(20:23):
Regie Miller ain't got ring the first and you buy
the all reds. I like Clyde Drexler, Bravey or Jordan,
but like it didn't come down to the rings per se.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
That was not that case.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
That's a much later conversation that I always say is
the biggest compliment to Kobe Bryant, but it's his fault
in that. But he was the first person we actually
went could he be better than Jordan? Like you actually
thought that, like, oh shoot, could.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
He be better than Dark?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
And you had to started well, no, because Jordan got six, well,
he got five, well, he he never lost, and he
started to do that, and then it turned to.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Could Lebron be better than Kobe? Could he be doing well?
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Now to Kobe's got fight with the bro I didn't
even have one, okay, didn't got one well, and he
had to go to a different team. And then you
got Kevin Durant. They're never gonna let me find a
go so I got to go to another team. I
gotta go to the Warriors, and I can get that
has ruled. That is a massive part to me, the
ring chasing and that being the end all be all
is that part If he would have said that, I
would have been all in on that to me.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
And I think one thing that Lebron unfortunately does not
understand in this situation, and maybe it's because he's only
ever been an athlete. He's never you know, gone to
school or study this kind of thing or worked in
this business before, is as much as people want to
be reporters and they want to be objective things of
that nature, what is going on on ESPN Countdown and
(21:36):
Undisputed or you know, rest in Peace first take, it's
entertainment and they're not here to break down the game
the way that he is, right like, that's not what people,
the casual sports fan wants to see.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
They're not as interested in.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
There are hundreds of podcasts that I enjoy listening to,
and I follow these guys on social media that will
break down the x's and nose of a play, why
this happen, and why it didn't happen. There's guys who
are our former NFL quarterbacks who will draw up and
diagram a play exactly as to why it worked the
did not work, And those guys are not gonna get
the same amount of traction as I'm gonna give you
(22:12):
a great example, some kind of a conversation about a
big picture thing when.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
He talks to somebody who calls who calls games and
also is one of the bigger faces that he is being.
Tim Legler great, great analysis, breaks it down. But the
reason why he hasn't pop pap pop pop pop is
because he just breaks it down.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
He says you great.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Inside, He's awesome. It is awesome. I am a big
fan of Tim Legler. He is great at that. But
to your point, people want animation, people want controversy, or
people want a little bit or they want a little
sauce to it. You know, Tim's just gonna give it
to you as is a good game, break it down,
and that's not necessarily his bag. And so therefore that's
why we like Chuck. Chuck gon say something crazy. He's
(22:50):
gonna be hilarious. He's gonna have some fun with it
and not take it too seriously. Yeah, so that I
don't I get the idea that there are so many
more outlets and trolls and blogs and me along with
the actual real media and actual real shows. And I
can understand how that could grow on you as a player. Right,
every time I turn on my TV, I lift my
phone up, someone has something negative the same me. I
will never act like I'm blind to that because I
(23:11):
can only imagine what that would feel like.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
I just when you watch these pregame shows, I mean,
they're so glowing and all they do is pray.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
That's what I mean.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
No, but I'm talking about on the game NBA games,
nobody's talking about anybody in a bad light or a
negative way on an interview. There's the balance is that
it's all positive. I have to turn the sound down
on pregame show because it's so overwhelming, glowing. Oh, he's
so greaty, he's the greatest, Like it's ridiculous, Like nothing negative.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
On the pregame NFL two it is, it's ridiculous, Like
it's just the exact opposite. And then you have one
where you have which was based on reporters having a
different skewed than former players who work for the league
and all that kind of stuff, and they were kind
of you know, it's the same thing. You know this
(24:07):
local broadcasters doing games or whatever. You're doing the Dodgers game.
You're not ripping the Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
No, you're not. No, I don't care what you say.
You're not.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
You can say you know. They gotta figure it out.
They got to hit better. But you're not ripping them. No,
without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Rob G News of the day, Let's get there, joelmb
oh boy, the Sixers have made an announcement about his future.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
Yeah, unfortunately, it's what we all expect. The guys talked
about earlier in the week that he was not looking good.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Joe l embiid medical professionals were considering radical procedure. We
talked about one of them, including breaking a bone to
alleviate the pressure on his ligament in his knee. Well,
the Sixers made it official today. They are shutting him
down for the rest of the regular season as the
team continues to search for a long term solution to
help that left me and it's given them all kinds
(25:09):
of problems this year the Philadelphia seventy six Ers, Though
it should be noted it actually benefits them. They keep
losing because they owe a pick to Okay, see it's
top six protected and right now I think stand in
the middle of their nine game loten streak, have exactly
this sixth worst record in the NBA. So and beat
out Sixers continue to free fall. The rest is history,
(25:31):
all right, Kelvin, here we go.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah, here's my plan.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
If I'm the soon to be fired GM of the
seventy six ers.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Well, could you heard the rumors? Right?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Who is it?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Bob Myers is now being rumored to go there and
place Darryl Mory.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yes, that's what this talk is a scuttle but I
don't know whose process didn't work, all right, But anyway,
my point is, get this guy healthy, healthy, get this
guy back out there on the court, let him play well,
and by this time next year you've traded him. Because
(26:04):
you can't trade him now, beat up and whatever, because
you're gonna get ten cents on the dollar. I need
to get it up to about eighty five cents on
the dollar. I don't think you're gonna get that rock
six seventy five percent on the dollar. I can get
it up there. My point is get him healthy, get
him back. Hey, he's fully healthy. Now I had the surgery.
He's just played fifty five games in a row or whatever,
(26:27):
you know, played a lot. He's got to play, show
people that maybe he finally turned the corner he's healthy,
and then boom, what do you want and make a trade.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
That's what I would do.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
The problem with Joelle Joel Embiide is that he came
into the league hurt. Rob, he didn't play the first
year and a half. Two years he has played, he
has won.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
An MVP though.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Well, no, no, he healthy, ninety whatever percent he can
be healthy him is amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
He has played four hundred and.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
Fifty two games, I believe in his career. You know what,
He's missed four hundred and thirty one So for pretty
much every game he plays, he's set to miss the
next game. And that is just I can't go on
with that. As as the organization, just haventy six ers
and I'm not so sure I want that either. Rob
as the team that you're trying to get, you know,
(27:18):
seventy five cents on a dollar before.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
But there are plenty of teams that need a more
key player. But I need a market player to play. No,
I'm saying you gotta get him fully healthy back out
on the court.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
I'm talking about optimistic. I am being optimist. I am
shocked that you're optimisting right now.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
But I'm saying you gotta get them well because now
that they've shut him down, they're gonna take the surgery,
do what they have to do and.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Get her tonight.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And look look at look at Kawhi Leonard and how
long he's been dealing with this and he's still he's
playing tonight.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Is what. I'm not going to play a game for
two weeks. This is my thing.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
I keep telling you, what's one of the things you
always go to average professional sports? I said, one of
the things, not the thing that is the thing you
go to. We always talk about the average sports careers.
You know, NFL, NBA at a round three three and
a half years is the NFL YEP three and a
half years. And a lot of that isn't because you
(28:12):
suck as a player or you're just bad. A lot
of it also it's just injuries and you just it
just doesn't work out, and it's just you're you're too
injured and you gotta move on with life. And my
thing is Joel Embiid is not guaranteed. He's gonna play
twelve fifteen years. Kawhi Leonard is not guaranteed. At some point,
I get the math is like it looks the opposite
that they're not gonna play anymore, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (28:33):
Like I can't depend on Kawhi. I haven't been able
to for six years.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
But my point is, when you have a talent and
someone who's won an MVP, there's always gonna be a
market for somebody who's going to take a chance. So
you really think that's because there's so many bad teams
to need somebody who has a name and maybe hey,
we'll give them a fresh start.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Maybe this is all behind them, Maybe we'll do this. Man.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You know, like they're always you know, like they always say,
you can't trade Bradley Beal. Ain't nobody gonna take Nobody's
gonna take that contract?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Who's gonna take that?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Right?
Speaker 1 (29:09):
There are the players who are like that where you
go what nobody nobody will ever take that contract? I'll
ever trade for that purchase. I'm just saying, because there
are twelve or fifteen teams that that don't have anything.
Your charlotte or you're I'll give up somebody young. Maybe
we could get uh you know somebody, yeah for some
sell some tickets and maybe we catch lightning in a.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Bottle of that.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Lower the number, Rod Parker, I'm just saying it is
now forty five cents on the dollar.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I am Bob Barker. Black Barker.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Okay, Black Bob Barker, I got the skinny mic and
all mind your business.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
And that's what I'm giving you. Forty five cents of
a dollar. That's what if you're giving me a junior
high school black Bob Barker.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
No, Bob Barker, Okay, yeah, I can see that, Rod Parker,
Bob Robert Bibbe, Okay, I see that. But I'm not
giving you more than that because I have to wait
another year, a year and a half till he's back.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And no, he'll be thirty thirty one. What are you
talking about. I'm talking about next year, right.
Speaker 5 (30:06):
But he might not be back for quite some times
with him, like, it's not like he's coming back, right, No,
he's coming.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Back, Rob g Right, he'll be back. They still don't
know what they're gonna do. That's the problem.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
That's what I'm saying. Remember they said, there's still that
surgery where they might break his leg and redo tendons
and stuff. I'm saying to you, if he if you
can get him back on the court. Right just showing
the most optimists I've ever seen you in my life.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
I'm an optimistic guy. Get him back on the court.
I'm not a doom sayer as everybody thinks.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Not right now at this moment. You are.
Speaker 5 (30:36):
You must have had your baked chicken today. I got
you feeling all types of friendly on this Friday. I'm
feeling good Joe Ellenbiid has We have seen the not
even like all the best of him, but he's you know,
still really good. We have seen it's a rap. And
I've been saying the same thing to you about Kawhi
and you get mad when I said, Kawhi's playing to
night and he might not play again until April.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
That's just where we are.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
He might play and they might when he What did
I tell you today, Rob G when he was absolutely healthy,
he was top three player period, Kawhi Leonard might have
been the one, you know how they said the phrase
he might have been top three, not to three or
the two that was him.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
But now I can't depend on that just keeps happening,
So I don't. I can't.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
I can't run a business or a franchise or organization.
Hoping and wishing maybe that the guys who have perennially
perennially been injured aren't injured
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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