WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:05.679 Oh yeah, here we go. I don't even know what day it is. 2 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:08.039 What day is it today? Oh it's Thursday. Oh yeah, it 3 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:12.800 is Thursday. It's a throwback Thursday. Rodney Pete Jonas Knocks is in for 4 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.279 pred today, My man, Jonas, how you doing, brother, Rodney 5 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:17.320 p What the hell is going on? Man? It's been too long, 6 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:21.559 It's been way too long. I am. I'm all over the place, 7 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.320 man, I don't know where I am. I've been traveling a little bit. 8 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:27.640 I've been in and out of town. But it's all good man, 9 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:31.920 all good two pros and a cup of Joe. Every single day three am 10 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:36.719 to six am. You can catch Jonahs Knocks with LaVar Arrington and Brady Quinn 11 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:41.479 also on Saturday's eleven to one for the Jonahs Knocks Show. All good man. 12 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:43.880 We got a lot to talk about, Jonas, Oh yeah, to 13 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:48.320 talk about. We're gonna get into some Dodgers also, our man Ippe, 14 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:56.240 Who's aha just never never never ends, the story never ends. My god, 15 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:03.039 my guy. NBA playoffs, I want to get into that as well. 16 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.439 We're gonna talk some college football. You had some thoughts on on the 17 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:10.519 portal and some legacy stuff. Mark Medina is gonna join us this hour. 18 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:14.359 Next hour, Jose Mota is gonna join us from the Dodgers. And then 19 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:18.760 in the final hour, our man Vinnie bon Signor will chop up some NFL 20 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:22.319 stuff. But but real quick, man, before we get into because I 21 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:25.760 want to start with the Dodgers because they're on a roll right now. I 22 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:29.359 had I had the pleasure of hosting the Legends dinner last night at Yama Vau 23 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:34.879 Resort, and uh it was with Heinz Ward last night and it was really 24 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:40.000 cool, nice. So I moderated that and Heines had a lot to say. 25 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:44.560 Man. He was talking about you know, sometimes you you wonder how 26 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.519 deep somebody's gonna go. And it was really kind of an intimate dinner at 27 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.319 their theater at Yamava, which is a great place. If you get a 28 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:53.959 chance to get to Yamava, please go down there and check it out. 29 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:57.760 So it's an intimate dinner with a lot of their their their guests that that 30 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:01.200 are that come there on the record on the basis. But Heinz he didn't 31 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:05.519 hold back. Man. I asked him different questions like rivalries and stuff like 32 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:10.280 that. He talked about man like personally going after Ed Reid and ray Lewis 33 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:15.120 and how much he hated Baltimore and you know, try to try to take 34 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.039 him out of the game, you know what I mean. It was like 35 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:24.280 he had a linebacker's defensive back mentality playing receiver. Man, But I didn't 36 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:29.800 know how intense it was until he was telling the stories about how often he 37 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:31.759 wanted to go into Ed Reid and wanted to take him out of the game. 38 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:35.439 Well, I mean, if you remember, he was one of the 39 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:38.199 guys where when they were talking about, you know, players needing to check 40 00:02:38.240 --> 00:02:42.840 out, you know, with a concussion that whenever he felt like he got 41 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:46.120 dinged, he would start adjusting, like his ankle wrap or his knee brace 42 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:50.120 to make it seem like, oh no, it's just my ankle. I 43 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:52.759 mean, you can worry about that, but you know, if it's my 44 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:55.039 head, I'm staying in this game no matter what. And I think that 45 00:02:55.199 --> 00:03:00.639 was it. I mean, it doesn't seem like that long ago, but 46 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:04.639 it does in the sense that that style of football and the way that he 47 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:08.800 played, because man, that block was it was it Keith Rivers of the 48 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:15.439 Bengals that he cracked back on the linebacker and just annihilated him, and I 49 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:21.439 think he broke his jaw that nowadays you can't even touch it up. People 50 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:24.240 would win jail time. Well it's outlaw. You can't even do that. 51 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:29.400 You can't make that block anymore. We come from outside in as a receiver. 52 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:32.120 And you remember, because we're talking about Steelers and hines Ward, who 53 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:37.319 kind of set that tone of being tough receivers. Juju a few years later, 54 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:40.719 Yea had the same block on perfect Yep and knocked him out of the 55 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:45.000 game. So it was that mentality, and I think it started with hines 56 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.479 Ward. But yeah, you can't even as a receiver. You can't crack 57 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:53.240 back on anybody nowadays. But those were, yeah, like you said, 58 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:58.800 not too long ago, where it was so physical and guys were getting away 59 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:01.039 with stuff that you cannot even he'd probably be in jail right now. That's 60 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:04.000 what I did. That's why you look at not even just the NFL, 61 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:09.080 but even in the NBA playoffs, like some of the stuff that is considered 62 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:12.719 like a hard foul, some of the stuff that's considered a dirty play now, 63 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.400 it's like, man, that was just a common foul back in the 64 00:04:15.479 --> 00:04:18.519 day. That was and he just makes you wonder how many guys like hinz 65 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:25.439 Ward would be allowed to play to the capacity they did in today's NFL, 66 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:30.680 because you know, he was physical as physical, got cared about the run 67 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.160 game just as much as he did the pass game as a receiver, and 68 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:38.519 was a quarterback right coming out of Indiana and just realized, look, if 69 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:41.160 I want to make this team, I've got to make an impact somehow, 70 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:46.920 some way. And Georgia, he came out of Georgia. Georgia had a 71 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:50.199 bunch of those guys that were like, well, you know the original slash 72 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:55.160 and yeah, Gordell that could play multiple positions. But Randall l and him 73 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:58.839 were both quarterbacks in college. In fact, he played quarterbacks first two years 74 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:02.040 at Georgia and then switched over to play wide receiver. But yeah, just 75 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:06.519 a different a different mentality, a different time. I was also with Ronnie 76 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.759 Lott not too long ago. Not the name drop I'm picking them off the 77 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:15.920 floor, but you know we talked about could he play nowadays? And and 78 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:20.959 just that mentality, could guys like that adapt to today's game, Like if 79 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:26.319 the rules were to change within a three to five year period, could guys 80 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:31.600 like Ronnie Lott, you know Lawrence Taylor's of those worlds, those guys that 81 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:35.000 played in the eighties night Hines Ward, we just talked about could those guys 82 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:43.279 adapt their game and still be effective. I don't work. I don't even 83 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:46.199 know if we can imagine what that would look like, because their physicality was 84 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:49.879 just a part of who they were. But that was just that's how they 85 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:54.639 played, that's what they did, that's just who they were. And so 86 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:58.560 to think about them in a different light, it's like, well, yeah, 87 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.879 that just doesn't that just doesn't work. You can't picture that that version 88 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:06.680 of them. All you think about is the violence and the collisions, and 89 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:10.560 you know, like the lowering the like you know, the lowering the helmet, 90 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:13.199 you know, like you can't lower your helmet anymore. It's like, 91 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:16.120 okay, well there goes the Steve Atwater hit on Christian Okoye then, because 92 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:21.199 that was literally lowering the helmet and just lighting somebody up, like it was 93 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:25.680 back in the day. But that was commonplace and now you can't you can't 94 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:29.319 even pretend to go there. And now it's to the point to where, 95 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:34.399 look, I mean, I understand there's a safety element and they want to 96 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:38.920 safe and you know, not just the NFL, but all of these sports. 97 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:41.759 They want to make it safer. They want more people wanting to play 98 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:45.319 and being encouraged to play. But in a weird way, that used to 99 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:47.920 be kind of how you weed it out the people that could do it and 100 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.759 the people that couldn't do it, is that there were some people who just 101 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:56.160 wanted Like man, I was a terrible high school football player, but there 102 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.399 was always a telltale sign of somebody who was trying to get out of tackling 103 00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:03.120 drills, and it was like, all of a sudden, man my helmet 104 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:05.600 just want snap right, trainer, can you take a look at this. 105 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:09.959 I need an equipment manager, or like, man, my shoelace I don't 106 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:12.480 know, like somehow came untied. I can't seem to get it back in 107 00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:15.600 the It's just like there was a but that's how you just determined, Okay, 108 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.839 those guys want to play, those guys are into the physicality of this 109 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:23.519 and and some aren't. And that's just always going to be a part of 110 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:27.240 the game. So when the subject, you know, Austin Rivers brings up 111 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.560 of well, you know, I can find thirty guys that can play in 112 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:33.040 the NFL there's a reason why NFL players would be like, yeah, we 113 00:07:33.079 --> 00:07:38.879 can just start stop at the physicality and and the conversations over there, because 114 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:43.399 it's still even though it's not like it was, there's still an element of 115 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:46.240 that that NBA players just aren't familiar with and they can't get familiar with. 116 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:51.079 Watt took real offense today. Oh my gosh, I was going to track 117 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:57.360 him down, you know, Chris Still, Chris Long took offense to it. 118 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.920 I know, you know, we were doing the show with LeVar Erring 119 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.560 and he took offense to because he was a highly recruited college back or high 120 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.879 school basketball player, Like he was recruited by every d one school and so 121 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:11.879 like that touched a nerve with a lot of footballers. We're like, okay, 122 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:15.560 like you think, so huh, then come give it a whirl. 123 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:18.800 But that's funny, man, No it is. It is crazy, but 124 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:22.519 you're you're right to the point of that's who those guys were. It wasn't 125 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:26.199 like they were taught, Okay, go be physical this way, go go 126 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:30.399 hit somebody hard. Those guys that we just talked about it at Waters and 127 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.320 Ronnie Lotts and even Hines. It was a part of their makeup, their 128 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:39.799 mentality, and you just don't take that out of somebody right who it is, 129 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:41.559 who they are. So to say, Okay, we're going to change 130 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:45.480 the rules and you can't do this anymore, they would be flagged on every 131 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:48.480 single play because that's who they are and you can't do that. You can't 132 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.159 change that. Yeah, it's uh, it is. You just you watch 133 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.240 some of those old school games and you go, my god, were they 134 00:08:56.360 --> 00:09:01.519 violent? Did you know any guys that you mentioned? LeVar? And that 135 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:03.279 was on this and we got a lot to talk about full three hour show 136 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:09.120 today, Jonas Knox and for Fret, because I knew I knew a lot 137 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:13.600 of guys and I don't know about like today's game, but there are a 138 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.519 number of guys that I played with to your point, like LeVar, that 139 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:24.480 were recruited to play basketball, and had they gone on and played through college, 140 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:28.320 probably could have played in the NBA at some capacity. And so for 141 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:33.399 him to say thirty guys could do to play football, but football guys can't 142 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.200 play basketball, Like, wait a minute, I'm thinking in my mind, 143 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:39.679 I knew some guys that could play. First of all, the first guy 144 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:43.799 that comes to mind is Okay, Charlie Ward right, I mean war stunt. 145 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:46.919 Yeah, you could play both and then you don't play both. Yeah, 146 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:50.200 and made the NBA and was fantastic. I mean, you could go 147 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:54.399 to you know, Julius Pepper's. I'm sure if he wanted to and listen, 148 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:58.000 somebody try and tell Julius Peppers, somebody, you know, get down 149 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.559 on the blocks with Julie LEAs Pepper's to try and grab a rebound and see 150 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:05.440 who comes out alive. So watch him play, Yeah, play goes some 151 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:09.120 clips of him playing in North Carolina and see if he could, you know, 152 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.960 spend some time in the NBA. Now obviously great, great football player, 153 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:16.320 and he chose to write the right sport, but could definitely play in 154 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:20.799 the NBA. And there's also if you go back, you can find video 155 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:26.080 of Draymond Green playing with the football team at Michigan State and he was he 156 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:30.399 was trying out for tight end and it just yeah, not not great, 157 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:33.480 not not a great idea and get hit. Yeah, I mean because it 158 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:37.759 just it changes, it changes your willingness to want to go in and make 159 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:41.840 a grab or make a catch or make a block or something like that. 160 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:43.600 Once you get in there, and I know Petros has talked about this before 161 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:48.279 to where he said there's a reason why wide receivers and DB's talk to each 162 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:52.600 other the way that they are and the way that they do, because they're 163 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.279 not held accountable for their words. Like when you're in the when you're in 164 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:01.000 the trenches, you're held accountable, and you're held accountable single play. So 165 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.240 some of you said the play before, you're gonna have to answer for it, 166 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:09.440 no matter what the very next play we're gonna see, We're gonna see 167 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:15.919 about that. I can remember. I can remember guys in the huddle, 168 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:22.279 like wide receivers, you know, John with defensive linemen and linebackers, and 169 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.360 my offensive line would be like, set the hell up, what are you 170 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:31.000 doing? Don't be making that guy man, I gotta face him for sixty 171 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.759 minutes. You'll be a John with them pissing him off, and I gotta 172 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:37.919 face him. You are, you're outside outside the numbers. You don't have 173 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:41.000 to deal with the guy like I did. Oh That's what I'm gonna miss 174 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:45.279 about Aaron Donald is because Aaron Donald, I wish somebody would go with advanced 175 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:48.480 stats and how everybody makes a stat out of everything. I would love for 176 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:56.000 somebody to go through Aaron Donald's decade plus career and see how many altercations he 177 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:01.519 got into during the course of a game, every single game, because I 178 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:03.720 mean, remember what was it? Was it practice or a joint practice where 179 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.600 he flew through somebody's helmet and that was what a year ago, year and 180 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:11.519 a half ago. Like, I just wonder, like what when you know 181 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:15.600 people talk about you know what it's like. No, No, I wonder 182 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:18.519 what it's really like when you get down there and hear some of the things 183 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.120 that are said and just hear some of the stuff that goes on. And 184 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:26.720 Aaron Donald was involved in a skirmish every single game. It's like every game 185 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:28.519 there was some sort of an alter case and you could feel it bruin too. 186 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:31.320 Oh, you know, during the course of a game or even practice. 187 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:33.840 I remember there are a couple of times they practiced against some other teams. 188 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:37.840 Yeah, and Aaron Donald was right in the middle of it. You 189 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:41.919 know, they could be practicing against the Cowboys or the Giants or whomever else 190 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:43.720 they were getting ready to play, and do you know they do those two 191 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:48.080 or three days of practicing and it was always a skirmish. But Aaron Donald 192 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:54.360 was always in the middle. So good, so good, all right, 193 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:56.039 man, So Dodgers Dodgers don't want to get your take on this too, 194 00:12:56.039 --> 00:13:03.120 because the Dodgers are rolling. And you said something early in our notes about 195 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.639 people being concerned about the Dodgers and the Dodgers, and you know, early 196 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:09.960 on they come back from Korea, they're not doing what everybody thinks that he 197 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:13.320 should be doing, like going one hundred and sixty two, and oh, 198 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:18.440 they're not gonna do that, but people felt that they should and they should 199 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:24.120 be dominating people. Well now they are dominating people. You know, They're 200 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:30.440 won fourteen of their last sixteen games. The top four of that lineup is 201 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:35.759 killing it. Otani is on fire as advertised. He keeps going at this 202 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.519 pace. He's gonna break every single record. Mookie is doing his thing. 203 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:45.600 Freddie is starting to come on again, even though Freddie's a quiet two ninety 204 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:48.919 whatever he's hitting right now, but but Freddie is starting to come on again. 205 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:54.600 It's like Freddie's doing this, but he's overshadowed because Otani's on fire, 206 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:58.440 Mookie's on fire, Will Smith is doing his thing. But this team is 207 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:03.480 so good to you, Esscar Hernandez hit his ninth home run. They sweep 208 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:07.200 the Marlins, and it's like ho hum, they get the Padres this weekend. 209 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:13.679 Early on whether there were some concerns and you mentioned our man Vic who 210 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:20.120 had no concerns, and you're seeing people owe him apology because he stood fast 211 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:22.559 with this. Well listen, I mean, I you know it. I 212 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:24.440 was, you know, filling in on Petro some money a couple of weeks 213 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:28.559 ago, and we were everyone was talking about Otani's average with runners in scoring 214 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.879 position, and he was like one for nineteen and yeah, the average was 215 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.080 decent, but it was this and that, And my thought on it was 216 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:43.159 this, like people forget how weird and unusual the start to this season was, 217 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:48.159 because if you think about it, not only were they welcoming in a 218 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:50.519 couple of brand new players, one of them just got to this country in 219 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:56.279 Yamamoto, but also Shohe Otani who had been here. But still, you 220 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:58.639 know, I mean, it's a new environment, it's a new place. 221 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:00.879 Yeah, well he only had to drive a a free way to get here. 222 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:01.960 It's like, okay, Well, in the middle of all that, 223 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.879 he finds out that somebody has stolen millions of dollars from him and his interpreter's 224 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:09.919 a degenerate gambler, I don't know, and he finds out while they're overseas 225 00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:15.120 in South Korea like that that that feels like less than ideal beginnings to a 226 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:20.320 season. And then you start off over the air. Then you come back, 227 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:22.879 you've got to resume spring training, and then the regular season starts. 228 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:26.759 Like I mean, anybody that I've talked to, and you would know this 229 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:30.440 better than any of us, Rodney, being an athlete, you like your 230 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:33.960 routines, your rhythms, your habits, if you will, because it keeps 231 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:37.799 you engaged and you know it's a process. Like there's a lot of fighters 232 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:43.600 who talk about this that they love training camp because it keeps them on schedule, 233 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.919 like they love they love a fight camp. They love getting because the 234 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.279 preparation is what keeps them engaged. Otherwise, if their mind wanders and they've 235 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:52.960 got a bunch of time to kill, they're like, oh, now what 236 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:56.440 do I do? So the routine helps, and the Dodgers' routine to start 237 00:15:56.440 --> 00:16:00.000 out the season was just odd, like you, Oh, you're gonna go 238 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.440 over there, but those games will count, but you'll come back and finish 239 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:07.320 spring training, and in the midst of all that, you have this scandal, 240 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.080 for lack of the better terms, and they're trying to find their way. 241 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.720 There's some injuries, there's some concern about who's gonna and then you've got 242 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.799 all the expectations to go on top of it. I just looked at it 243 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:22.120 and said, yeah, it's gonna take time. But I find it hard 244 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.279 to believe that with the lineup you throw out there every day, where you've 245 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:33.240 got betts Otani and Freeman, Hall of Famer, Hall of Famer, Hall 246 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:37.679 of Famer, every guy probably first ballot, I find it hard to believe 247 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.240 that they're not going to figure this out and find a way to make this 248 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:45.519 go. And they've done it, and now Walker Bueller comes back. I 249 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:52.919 just think they're saving this town because of what happened to the LA basketball teams 250 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:56.639 in the playoffs. And I think they're saving Vic the Bricks reputation. A 251 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:00.919 man who stood by his guys, told everybody to calm down. He was 252 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:06.759 laughed at, he was mocked, he was ridiculed, and VTB Vic the 253 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:08.839 Brick was the guy that was right all along. And they have found their 254 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.559 groove and they're the best team in baseball and playing the best in baseball, 255 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:17.480 and the fourteen of sixteen is only to me a prelude of what the entire 256 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.880 season is going to look like. Yeah, you know what, it's interesting 257 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:23.359 you say that because I feel the same way is fourteen of sixteen. Yes, 258 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:30.559 that's fantastic, And yet it still feels like although they're playing well and 259 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:36.119 they're winning these games, they have not gone to a level in which they 260 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:41.799 can go to me, meaning that, yes, they're winning and they've dominated 261 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:47.000 some teams. But as you mentioned, Walker, Buter comes back, you 262 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.480 know they're gonna get Bobby Miller back here in a second. The pitching staff 263 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:55.319 is starting to find their groove. I mean, this is a team that 264 00:17:55.559 --> 00:18:00.960 hasn't, I guess even really peaked yet. Even though they winning, it 265 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:07.200 doesn't feel like they peaked yet. And it's scary to think of what they 266 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.720 can do. But do you think they've peaked? And are they peaking too 267 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:14.720 soon right now? And are they going to go through a lull in June 268 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:18.119 and July where they're gonna, you know, maybe fall off a cliff. 269 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:22.279 I don't know if I see that ever happening with the lineup it'd be hard 270 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:25.519 to imagine that ever happening with the lineup. But as we've noticed with this 271 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:29.680 team and the way that they have, you know, like sometimes look if 272 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:33.440 they go through a lull and say they lose five of eight in the middle 273 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:37.440 of July or in the middle of August, it still goes back to the 274 00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:40.759 fact that when we start out the year and we look at this team, 275 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:45.759 people are going to lack patience if they struggle in the postseason. I look 276 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:49.000 at it and I say, until we get to the postseason to be determined, 277 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:52.319 because we talked about it last year when we were discussing this team after 278 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:56.519 they were eliminated in the postseason, and the conversation about the Dodgers back then 279 00:18:56.759 --> 00:19:00.799 was, well, you can't blame Dave Roberts. The best were cold. 280 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:03.559 That's not on Dave Roberts. Those guys have got to produce. The playoffs 281 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:07.119 are going to be the playoffs, and we wait for that, but this 282 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:08.880 is going to be a damn fun ride before we get to the playoffs. 283 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:15.599 To be able to see and I hope people recognize that these lineups don't come 284 00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:21.079 along very often, if ever, and to appreciate the number of talented future 285 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:25.240 Hall of Fame players. You've got in one lineup to start out every single 286 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:29.440 game. We've never seen anything like it. This is if you want to 287 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.960 talk about dream team level talent to begin your lineup and to begin your game 288 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:37.519 every single day on offense. It's going to be really, really fun to 289 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:40.119 watch. And I think we're just scratching the surface for what twenty twenty four 290 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.960 is going to look like. Oh good stuff to kick it off. Jonas 291 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.839 not sent for Fred Rogan. Hey, stay tuned. Mark Medena is going 292 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:52.119 to join us Fox Sports Radio NBA Inside as we'll get into the NBA playoffs 293 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:55.839 and what's the future holes for the Clippers and the Lakers. Hang in there, 294 00:19:55.880 --> 00:19:59.920 am five to seventy LA Sports. Oh just one. I'm sorry, 295 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:03.400 I'm trying to overdo it. We are giving away Burke Williams gift card worth 296 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:07.119 two hundred and fifty dollars, So stay tuned. We're going to give away 297 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.119 one of those today on the show again. Jonahs not joins us today, 298 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:15.480 Jonahs switch gears man and Mark Madeen is going to join us here in a 299 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:19.680 second. I want to know, just real quick, your general thoughts on 300 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:23.400 the NBA playoffs right now, it feels like there's a lot of new blood 301 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:26.759 some you know, we've gotten used to the old. You know, it 302 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.279 was either going to be the Warriors or it was going to be Lebron, 303 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:33.079 and it was gonna be and it just seemed like it was the usuals. 304 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:37.680 And you've got some teams that are that are still there and still competing. 305 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.079 And obviously Boston, you know, is up one nothing over Cleveland and all 306 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:45.279 that. But man, Anthony Edwards, he's he is fun to watch. 307 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.799 Man, He's right, Oh my god, he is so much fun to 308 00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:52.440 watch. And the Tea Wolves are fun to watch. And then just to 309 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:56.599 see that atmosphere in that crowd at MSG, and it's just it's kind of 310 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:03.160 nice to have just some different looks at basketball from different places that we haven't 311 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:06.680 seen a lot of before. So for me, just the takeaway is you're 312 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:11.759 seeing new stars take center stage. You're seeing MSG come alive again with the 313 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.920 way the Knicks play basketball, and it's a little old school with the number 314 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:17.759 of minutes they play and the physicality and all that. But no, it's 315 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:18.960 been it's been a lot of fun to watch. What do you what do 316 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:25.359 you make in that the it feels like the refs, and that feels like 317 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:27.200 as they are, the refs are letting them play a little bit. I 318 00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:32.880 mean, I like it, but I'm not Rick Carlisle. And Rick Carlisle 319 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:37.119 he's not he's not happy and he doesn't feel like there's you know, I 320 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.880 was a little look we can you know, we'll get it more into the 321 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:45.440 pap Beverly suspension. I was surprised it wasn't more like I thought it would 322 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:49.039 have been more than the four games that he was popped for. But you 323 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:53.119 know the fact that he threw the ball and then threw it again game and 324 00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:59.039 then doubled down and was was a j off to the reporter afterwards, like 325 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:03.279 that was a little bit surprising. But maybe this is they're trying to let 326 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.400 you know, people, you know, come back to the game and realize, 327 00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:07.400 look, you know, we're not you know, we realize you miss 328 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:11.640 your nineteen nineties basketball. We can't go all the way, but we'll give 329 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:14.920 you a little pieces of it and maybe that'll entice people to come around with 330 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:18.920 But not even just not not Pat Bev, but also Jamal Murray. Yeah, 331 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.799 only gets you know, get to one hundred thousand dollars for throwing not 332 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.519 only a towel, but throwing a heating pad on the court. He threw 333 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:32.079 a heat pack and then made a money gesture to the official as if like 334 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:37.119 like, you're on the take. Yes, I mean it is. Anybody 335 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:41.759 like include Jamal Murray and he first of all, for Jamal Murray, there's 336 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:45.079 a guy named Tim Donnahey, yes, and b there's a guy on your 337 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:49.720 team, Michael Porter Junior, who just brother from the league right because he's 338 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:52.799 you know, he got a gambling problem. So like that that was a 339 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:56.240 little surprising. But I mean, I guess the NBA is like, no, 340 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:59.279 you know, we'll let some of this stuff slide a little bit. 341 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:00.079 We'll let it, you know, well, we'll trying to you know, 342 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:03.799 let people paint outside the lines and then and then see what we got as 343 00:23:03.799 --> 00:23:10.039 far as the crowd goes, are you are you surprised at all that that 344 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:14.640 Minnesota is doing what they're doing through the Nuggets right now? Yes, I 345 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:21.200 was surprised. I mean them getting one game in Denver, that's not that 346 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:23.440 surprising. They haven't lost yet. Minnesota is a good team. Clearly, 347 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:29.240 They've shown their good team the way they dominated them in game two, and 348 00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:33.400 the way that Denver, who you look at and go defending champs, championship 349 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.119 pedigree, has seen it all, been through it all the way that they 350 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:41.319 just melted down at home, lost by the way they lost, but also 351 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:47.400 Mike Malone had a melt down during that game. Jamal Murray as we just 352 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:52.920 discussed how to meltdown, Jokic was sort of keptain control. Yeah, Like 353 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:59.680 it wasn't that that was surprising to see the way that team with championship pedigree 354 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:03.279 and all all of that in their background just sort of melted because of the 355 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:07.680 upstart Anthony Edwards led Minnesota Timberwolves doing it old school. They didn't have both 356 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:11.200 bigs, but they were playing like, yeah, they've got that old school 357 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:15.119 twin you know, kind of like what Houston had back in the day with 358 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:18.759 the you know, the Twin Towers duo. Like it's kind of you know, 359 00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:22.680 David Robinson, Tim Duncan early in Duncan's career. It's kind of interesting 360 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:27.400 to see how Minnesota's played them. I was just surprised that Denver mentally seemed 361 00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:33.240 like they just cracked and caved while Minnesota was putting it on them at home. 362 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:36.119 That was surprising. Absolutely well. Let's bring in our guy, Mark 363 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:41.119 Medina from Fox Sports Radio NBA insider Mark. How you doing, oh, 364 00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:44.480 Yonas, Ronnie, I'm doing well. I think Jonas nail on the head 365 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:48.519 about the Nuggets that all those things that you mentioned definitely took me aback, 366 00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:52.640 and I think it's a troubling sign for things to come. So you think 367 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:56.960 that this is this run is over. They're going back to Minnesota and this 368 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:00.680 could be maybe not a sweet but a gentleman sweet. Yeah, I'm certainly 369 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:04.400 not predicting a sweep. I think that they'll make it a serious but I 370 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:08.640 think Minnesota clearly is in firm control now and I think that they'll be in 371 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:14.559 firm control moving forward. It's not just about the fact that the Termberwolves aren't 372 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:18.400 afraid of the moment or that they're talented. They're being so much more aggressive 373 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:22.119 and effective. And I think, you know the point that Jonas made about 374 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:26.960 the Nuggets, the fact that they're showing a lot of emotions and the lack 375 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:32.359 of control is a troubling sign. It was one thing for them to fall 376 00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:34.759 early in the games against the Lakers. Some of it you're thinking, Okay, 377 00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:38.160 they're just playing with their food. They know they can make adjustments. 378 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:44.119 But they always talked about how they have so much resiliency because of the continuity 379 00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:47.799 and the fact that, you know, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Junior in 380 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:52.000 particular, had you know, presignificant injuries in a recent season, so they're 381 00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:56.359 equipped to deal with stepbacks. But Game two I didn't see any of that. 382 00:25:56.359 --> 00:26:00.880 That Jamal Murray, heat pack, toss Ojokic not playing MVP level, 383 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:06.359 Michael Malone, losing with the officials. I suspect that they will improve relatively 384 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:11.000 speaking in game three compared to Game two, but Minnesota is too talented that 385 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:15.279 I don't think it's gonna matter. Are you, Mark, are you surprised? 386 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:18.160 We just talked about Pat Bev and also Jamal Murray. Are you surprised 387 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:26.039 what the penalties were for those two guys? Yeah. I think our good 388 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:29.799 friend Scott Shapiro, you know, up at the Fox station, he was 389 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:33.240 saying, Hey, if only he did what Jamal Murray would have done, 390 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:37.559 the officials would have seen the fan interaction, they would have gotten away with 391 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:45.400 it. I was surprised that no official saw what Jamal Murray did. I 392 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:51.200 mean, it was clear in daylight what he did. And while at least 393 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:53.960 Mark Davis was contrite enough and saying yeah, if we saw him do that, 394 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:59.519 he would have gotten tossed the fact that no one on the crew saw 395 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:07.480 that pretty inexcusable. I'm not surprised about the Patrick Beverly suspension anytime it's dealing 396 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:11.319 with fans, you know, that just makes the league office twitchy because of 397 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:15.440 the the Mouth of the Palace and you know, obviously much different scenario. 398 00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:18.680 But I thought I didn't think it was going to be in the double digits 399 00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:22.680 with games, but I thought it would have been more than four. You 400 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:26.519 know, what Pat Bev did was an excuse. Well not just because you 401 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:33.119 never throw things at fans, but he couldn't hide behind anything about the fan 402 00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:37.680 was saying something threatening or you know, racially abusive or personal. It was 403 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:45.960 just good old fan trash talk. No reason, there's no excuse, excuse 404 00:27:45.079 --> 00:27:48.759 or reason for Pat Bev to get all, you know, up in his 405 00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:52.559 pants because of what you just said. That someone gave him the cancun Ton 406 00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:57.480 mark. And we were talking about Anthony Edwards and just we're seeing a star 407 00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:02.119 like you know before a very and he just gets better and better as this 408 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:04.799 playoff go along, and we saw it during the regular season, and we've 409 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:08.400 seen this throughout his career, but not to this level on this stage. 410 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:14.880 Do you remember or from people you talk to the first time you heard about 411 00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:18.400 this kid Anthony Edwards and how surprised are you at what he's done at this 412 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:22.960 level? Well, I inevitably heard of him when he was the number one 413 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:27.400 pick with the Wolves, but I think even talking about him at that point, 414 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:33.039 talking to people in the organization and talking about himself, you could tell 415 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:37.160 that he was going to be a special player because of the athleticism, the 416 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:41.319 dunking, the talent. I didn't know what gets to this level this fast, 417 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:47.160 but I remember talking to him his rookie season and second season in particular, 418 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:51.720 it really struck me that he had an old soul to him, where 419 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:56.279 he has this really happy, go lucky, like no filter, playful personality, 420 00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:02.680 but he has the old school mentalities of like knowing really well the past 421 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:07.440 greats before him, and really wanting to study the games that they showed on 422 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:11.680 tape, and also relishing that had to have competition. I remember talking to 423 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:15.119 him his rookie season. He was just whacking so much nostalgia about Hey being 424 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:19.400 able to go up against Lebron James, going up against Kevin Durant, and 425 00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:23.359 part of it it wasn't anything about being starstruck. Part of it was just 426 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:27.799 it's cool to see his idols, but also wanting to have the opportunity to 427 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:32.440 go head to head with him, and not from an arrogant standpoint of thinking, 428 00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:34.279 oh, I'm already better than them, more of thinking, Okay, 429 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:37.000 I'm going to learn from this matchup because I want to get better and I 430 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:41.599 want to compete. And then I remember talking to him second season and he 431 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:44.920 lost, as you guys know, the Rookie of the Year battle, the 432 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:48.799 Will Mellow Ball, and instead of being all you know, you know, 433 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:52.359 moaning about it, he said, Hey, you know, this just means 434 00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:55.599 I got to get better. I got to continue to get better as a 435 00:29:55.640 --> 00:30:00.160 player guy, get more you know, complete and consistent. And I think 436 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:04.720 the other thing I was telling is that at that point the Wolves coaches and 437 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:08.759 teammates were saying, hey, Aunt could be even more of a vocal leader. 438 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:11.599 He was a rookie last year, but he can be one of our 439 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:17.000 stars and our leaders in the locker room. And he was embracing that, 440 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.240 but he also said, you know what, I don't know if I've earned 441 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:23.559 that, Like, I don't feel right speaking up and telling veteran teammates what 442 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:27.680 to do because they know more than me. And I thought that that was 443 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:33.200 the acknowledgment of him being really humble, But it's been also an opportunity for 444 00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:37.960 him to grow into that because you fast forward now he isn't afraid to say 445 00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:41.680 to karl Enentine Towns, I need for you more defensively stay out of out 446 00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:45.799 trouble. He's not afraid to talk up his teammates in public. And so 447 00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:51.880 I think that it's just been this perfect combination of he's been all about the 448 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:56.480 right in tangibles while having a lot of great natural talent to back it up. 449 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:59.799 Yeah, we're seeing a young kid grow right in front of our eyes. 450 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:03.240 Mark. When you see what the Knicks are doing, and Jonas brought 451 00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:08.039 this up earlier about MSG and and what it's like and the energy in that 452 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:12.119 building. This has got to be good for the NBA seeing what the Knicks 453 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:15.920 are doing and how deep this run is going to go. And we'll see 454 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:18.119 how far it goes for them, But right now, the energy in Madison 455 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:22.599 Square Garden has got to be good for the NBA. Yeah, I mean 456 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:26.559 the next I've been waiting for this moment for a while because outside of that 457 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:30.839 short playoff run when Carmelo Anthony was there, they've usually been a franchise of 458 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:36.680 dysfunction and no doubt, like when there's good market teams that thrive, the 459 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:40.799 NBA thrives as well. But I think that in fairness to the NBA, 460 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:44.680 they say it, and I do think that there's validity as much as there's 461 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:48.240 an importance for large market teams to be good, I think the bigger driving 462 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:52.200 forces, the quality of games have you know, have to matter in the 463 00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:57.079 regular season postseason. It's good that there's parody, but there's no doubt there's 464 00:31:57.119 --> 00:32:04.400 a larger fan base or for the next larger fan base in LA for the 465 00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:07.640 Lakers, and when those franchises do more, it's inevitable that they're going to 466 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:12.880 draw more viewership. But I would argue in twenty twenty four, what's going 467 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:16.519 to be the leading indicator as far as ratings going up or ratings going down 468 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:22.599 is the availability of star players night tonight as well as the quality of competition 469 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:28.400 both in playoffs and in the regular season, mark as we transition locally here 470 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:31.319 for the teams here in LA who are now at home and didn't last too 471 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:36.440 long in the postseason, or watching everybody else like Anthony Edwards and Madison square 472 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:42.759 Garden takes center stage. Whose future are you more concerned about the Lakers of 473 00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:46.799 the Clippers. It's a very good question, and I think that you can 474 00:32:46.839 --> 00:32:51.240 make a case for both. But I would say that there's a lot more 475 00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:54.880 question marks about the Lakers and the Clippers. Here's why. First of all, 476 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:59.680 who's the head coach. I think that because of the fact that they 477 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:02.839 find Darvinham it was a second year, they had issues with his adjustments, 478 00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:07.440 rotations. Naturally, even though they're keeping open mind, they're probably going to 479 00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:13.599 lean toward the experienced coaches that know how to do that. But you know, 480 00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:17.440 there's no slam dunk home run candidate because I don't think Tylo's going to 481 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:22.440 be available. And that's part of why I have fewer question marks for the 482 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:25.799 Clippers, because the expectation is Tylo staying, they're going to agree to an 483 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:30.880 extension. I think while it is comforting for the Lakers that Lebron James Andy 484 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:37.240 Davis were relatively healthy this season and played at a pretty high level. You 485 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:40.519 never can quite know if that's going to be duplicated because where Lebron is added 486 00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:45.119 in his career and where Ad is at with his injury history. I think 487 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:49.400 the other thing is the Lakers. Yeah, they have more opportunity to make 488 00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:53.119 a big move this summer because they can use three draft picks starting on the 489 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:58.119 NBA Draft Night. But there's a lot of holes for the roster to fill. 490 00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:02.720 And while the Clippers have a lot of questions about their underachieving performances ever 491 00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:08.360 since the Kawhi Leonard Paul George era started, and question marks and if they're 492 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:15.440 even going to retain Paul George or James Harden, I think that they're probably 493 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:19.360 going to retain those guys with the idea that they can flip them in future 494 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:22.280 deals leading into the trade deadline if this continues down the same path. So 495 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:27.239 I think that it's all relatively speaking, because the Clippers have a lot of 496 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:30.360 issues they have to address, but compared to the Lakers, I have fewer 497 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:36.079 question marks. Yeah. Fox Sports Radio NBA inside of Mark Medina joins us 498 00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:42.599 H Mark, the Laker job is it a job that a lot of people 499 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:46.079 want. Is it a coveted job anymore? Well, the Lakers, it's 500 00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:51.639 only going to be a coveted head coaching a job because there's only thirty head 501 00:34:51.639 --> 00:34:54.320 coaching positions available. The Lakers are the Lakers. But I think it's much 502 00:34:54.400 --> 00:35:01.079 different than a Laker team that is definitely him handmade for. This is definitely 503 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:07.199 a championship roster. It's also different than you know, maybe during the rebuilding 504 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:12.760 years where there were relatively fewer expectations and someone like a Luke Walton could walk 505 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:17.599 in and be comfortable with his security. That's not necessarily about results, it's 506 00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:22.639 about development. And here they're in the ultimate gray area because as long as 507 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:29.079 you have a healthy Lebron James, you technically always have a shot at winning 508 00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:32.400 an NBA title. But they're not the prohibitive favorite, even if they presumably 509 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:36.960 upgrade the roster. So with that, they're going to have to hire a 510 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:40.800 coach that is proven, but also going to have to be willing to take 511 00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:45.000 ownership that there might be holes in his resume or weaknesses. How can they 512 00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:50.519 safeguard against that? So if it isn't a less experienced coach like a JJ 513 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:53.039 Reddick, they got to make sure that he has experience on his staff. 514 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:59.199 They also have to make sure that they have relatively consistent players where you know, 515 00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:02.639 that's not an issue. If they have a proven head coach but has 516 00:36:02.679 --> 00:36:07.440 been fired multiple times, maybe it's good to have, you know, younger 517 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:10.679 players or or younger people on his staff that can relate to the younger players. 518 00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:15.000 So what I'm gaining at here is the Lakers have a lot of challenges 519 00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:19.000 on their hands, but whatever avenue they choose with the head coaching realm, 520 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:23.400 whether it's you know, proven head coach or respected assistant coach that hasn't been 521 00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:28.960 having a lot of head coaching experience, or that wild card and JJ Reddick, 522 00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:31.679 they got to make sure that that coach is in a position to succeed 523 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:36.719 as much as possible, but easier said than done because of their cap constraints. 524 00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:40.440 Mark, you mentioned JJ Redick. Is there a couple other names that 525 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:45.320 Laker fans should be on the lookout for that we could expect or at least 526 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:49.119 going to get interviewed or be of interest that could get the gig. Yeah, 527 00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:52.119 I think Mike Bodenholzer is an inevitable candidate because he is a former head 528 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:57.400 coach, while you know, he got fired from the Milwaukee Bucks ironically enough, 529 00:36:57.400 --> 00:37:00.280 because they had issues with his adjustments. Want a championship with them and 530 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:06.239 he and he's well respected. I think another person keep an eye on as 531 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:09.599 Kenny Atkinson. He's a well respected assisting in Golden State. He's really known 532 00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:16.119 for his expertise in maximizing an offensive playbook as well as player development. But 533 00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:20.599 you know, if you're going to look at a potential weakness, I mean 534 00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:22.559 when he was with the Brooklyn Nets, he got a lot of credit for 535 00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:27.480 developing that team, but as soon as they got star studded players with Kevin 536 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:31.760 Durant, Kyrie Irving, they decided to you know, part ways. You 537 00:37:31.800 --> 00:37:37.559 know. I think another thing that will be interesting Terry Stott and Scott Brooks. 538 00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:43.119 Those are former head coaches, but they could also be proven assistant coaches 539 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:45.719 that could join the bench. But you know, knowing how Terry Stotts obviously 540 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:50.880 left Milwaukee, I don't think that it's either of those two Candida's preferences that 541 00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:54.960 they want to automatically make themselves available for an assistant coaching job. But I 542 00:37:55.000 --> 00:38:00.559 think that they could you know, talk at least hypothetically about both positions and 543 00:38:00.599 --> 00:38:05.639 then see where the chips fall with that search, uh Mark, before we 544 00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:07.440 let you go. I just I think there were there were a lot of 545 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:12.719 concerns with people from the NBA that listen, no kd no Lebron, no 546 00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:16.599 Steph Curry in these playoffs. But as we watched these first couple of rounds, 547 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:22.679 it feels like the NBA is gonna be all right. Yeah, no 548 00:38:22.719 --> 00:38:25.159 doubt. There's always gonna be a transition when there's a changing of the guard. 549 00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:30.239 But because the quality of play is good, because there are you know, 550 00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:34.039 star players in the making that are gravitating to an audience, like in 551 00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:37.119 Anthony Edwards, I think it's the larger point here. I mean if if 552 00:38:37.159 --> 00:38:42.559 the NBA, and you know, they'll never say this because they don't want 553 00:38:42.599 --> 00:38:45.320 to be seen as playing favoritism, but just from a pure marketing standpoint, 554 00:38:45.719 --> 00:38:52.440 ideally Lebron James and Steph Curry led teams would always make deep playoff pushes as 555 00:38:52.440 --> 00:38:55.400 well as Kevin Durant. But you can't script that because it depends on how 556 00:38:55.440 --> 00:39:00.559 the team is, depends how healthy they are, et cetera. But I 557 00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:07.079 think that they are very pleased with how the interest is in the playoffs regardless, 558 00:39:07.119 --> 00:39:10.880 because the games have been mostly good and there have been alternative stars that 559 00:39:12.199 --> 00:39:16.320 have been able to grab the attention span from both the vote NBA fans and 560 00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:21.559 the casual fans. Absolutely, Mark, great stuff as always, Man, 561 00:39:21.719 --> 00:39:24.800 thanks for joining us. Really appreciate it. Appreciate you guys as well. 562 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:29.239 That's right, great stuff for Mark Medina. Hey, stay tuned. Next 563 00:39:29.239 --> 00:39:31.840 hour, we are going to give away that Burke Williams gift card. Hey, 564 00:39:32.119 --> 00:39:36.440 treat your mom. Mother's Day is coming up. Stay tuned, We're 565 00:39:36.440 --> 00:39:39.480 going to give that away. Also, if the kitchen is too hot, 566 00:39:39.559 --> 00:39:47.519 you got to get on out. We talk about that next. Today's Throwback 567 00:39:47.599 --> 00:39:53.920 Thursday edition of Afternoon Delight is Nothing on You by Bob. This was the 568 00:39:53.920 --> 00:40:00.519 debut single for the North Carolina native and appeared on the freshman album entitled Bob 569 00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:07.199 Presents the Adventures of Bobby Ray in twenty ten. The song was co written 570 00:40:07.239 --> 00:40:12.159 by Bruno Mars, who also serves as a featured artist on the track, 571 00:40:12.519 --> 00:40:15.320 and it topped the Billboard Hot one hundred charts for the first two weeks in 572 00:40:15.400 --> 00:40:20.960 May of that year and was certified triple platinum in the United States, in 573 00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:25.599 addition to going platinum in Australia and Canada. The track also received three Grammy 574 00:40:25.639 --> 00:40:32.800 nominations, including for Record of the Year Again. Today's throwback Thursday edition of 575 00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:43.320 Afternoon Delight is Nothing on You by Bob featuring Bruno Mars. Bruno Mars got 576 00:40:43.320 --> 00:40:45.800 a gambling problem. Noney, Well that's what they said. That's what they 577 00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:51.559 say. But MGM came to his defense and said, it's all false rumors, 578 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:53.159 all false rumors. I mean, if you wanted somebody to clear your 579 00:40:53.239 --> 00:40:55.920 name, man, m's the place. That's the place. Oh yeah, 580 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:01.079 yes, they got a speakeasy loude in the NBA with they'll be messing with 581 00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:05.800 our what's our money out there talking about Bruno that way? What's wrong with 582 00:41:05.840 --> 00:41:10.000 you guys? All right? Uh? Jonah? So Brian Kelly, head 583 00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:15.920 coach at LSU, you know the world has changed in college football obviously with 584 00:41:15.920 --> 00:41:22.119 with nil deals and now the transfer portal. He's complaining it was asked about 585 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:27.599 not landing some of the top defensive alignement in the transfer portal this year and 586 00:41:27.639 --> 00:41:30.079 his quote, where is, Hey, we're not in the market of buying 587 00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:32.280 players. You know, that's not what we want to do. That's not 588 00:41:32.320 --> 00:41:37.280 what we're all about. We don't want to buy players now. To me, 589 00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:43.679 this is where college football is, you know, and and maybe you 590 00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:47.760 don't have to put it in those hardh terms, but money is money speaks 591 00:41:47.800 --> 00:41:52.079 nowadays in college football, and if you're not willing to play that game, 592 00:41:52.840 --> 00:41:55.719 then you're gonna be on the outside looking at it. Yeah, what is 593 00:41:55.760 --> 00:41:59.239 it? Adapt or die? You know, like I mean, and that's 594 00:41:59.239 --> 00:42:02.199 that's what it look. If you've seen a lot of these coaches have complaints 595 00:42:02.199 --> 00:42:06.639 about this. Obviously, Nick Saban's the most well known because he just, 596 00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:08.480 you know, he decided he wanted to walk away done. And it was 597 00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:14.360 also you know when he's getting you know, asked, you know by coaches 598 00:42:14.440 --> 00:42:16.280 and recruits and you know, how long are you gonna be there? And 599 00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:19.320 how long is that? Like he just got tired of it and it was 600 00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:22.400 like, yeah, I don't want to be in this climate anymore. Dabo 601 00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:25.559 Swinney's talked about it. But then you've got other coaches who have just been 602 00:42:25.639 --> 00:42:30.239 like, is what it is? You know? Jimbo Fisher was like, 603 00:42:30.079 --> 00:42:34.719 hey man, I mean I'm gonna I'm just gonna play this all the way 604 00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:37.360 and if it works, it works. If it's not, I'll take my 605 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:39.400 seventy eight million dollar buyout and I'll just go away and you won't hear from 606 00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:42.840 me for a couple of years. I mean, whatever the case is. 607 00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:46.599 This is just what the new era of college football is and college athletics is. 608 00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:53.840 And look, I mean I it would be nice if you had commit 609 00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:59.599 to one spot stay there and then that was just that. That would be 610 00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:02.840 nice. But now like the college job, and it's why coaches have left 611 00:43:02.840 --> 00:43:06.960 college football to go to the NFL. Chip Kelly was a head coach and 612 00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:10.159 left to go be in Ocah somewhere like, and coaches have left, you 613 00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:15.119 know, Boston College's coach left to go be the decordinator for the Packers. 614 00:43:15.159 --> 00:43:17.559 Like, there's a reason why because some of these guys are like, look, 615 00:43:17.960 --> 00:43:22.039 not only do I not want to have to recruit players the way that 616 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:25.519 you currently have to do it, or buy players if you will, I 617 00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:30.880 don't want to have to keep re recruiting my own guys every year because they 618 00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:34.440 could just bail. But if you don't like it, like, you got 619 00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:37.199 options, you can you can leave and go somewhere else, Brian Kelly's got 620 00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:42.000 some NFL background, maybe he wants to go there. I just think this 621 00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:44.360 is what it is, man, Like, what are you gonna do about 622 00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:45.760 it? Now? Toothpaste is out of the two. Yeah, it's almost 623 00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:49.920 like the uh, you know, the one and done in college basketball when 624 00:43:49.920 --> 00:43:54.159 it was happening and and Calipari was the guy that really embraced it. The 625 00:43:54.199 --> 00:43:58.760 milk and Kentucky was on the map and that was when you know, Kentucky 626 00:43:58.880 --> 00:44:01.079 was going to every Final four and they were you know, they were competitive 627 00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:05.519 instead of getting knocked out in the first round. But you remember coach k 628 00:44:05.800 --> 00:44:08.079 and Duke was like, all right, I didn't like it at the beginning, 629 00:44:08.119 --> 00:44:12.079 but now I've got to I got to embrace the one and done because 630 00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:15.199 that's where college basketball is. And he started to embrace it, and they 631 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:20.199 became competitive again, and it was like, you know, you watch basketball, 632 00:44:20.360 --> 00:44:22.960 and you know seven, eight, nine, ten years ago, it'd 633 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:25.880 be like, oh my god, the guy's a seven footer. Get inside. 634 00:44:25.920 --> 00:44:30.440 What are you doing shooting threes? Yeah? Like, I mean, 635 00:44:30.760 --> 00:44:34.400 like this, I don't know what to tell you, Like, this is 636 00:44:34.440 --> 00:44:37.400 what it is, like we have been What are you doing? I mean 637 00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:40.639 like, look like we've joked about it before to where like growing up, 638 00:44:40.679 --> 00:44:44.880 when I was playing basketball, if there was a fast break and it was 639 00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:47.199 a two on one and I pulled up from twenty five feet on the bench, 640 00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:54.519 on the bench, kicked out of the league, suspended, indefinitely fined, 641 00:44:55.039 --> 00:44:58.559 like I would have gotten you know, it would have been you know, 642 00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:00.519 I would have come home. My dad would have that, all right, 643 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:04.800 wrench baseball bat or a stick off the tree. You choose, You're 644 00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:08.719 getting tended like like that wasn't acceptable, Like that wasn't nowadays it is, 645 00:45:08.760 --> 00:45:13.840 And it's like you either had to adapt to what the new NBA is and 646 00:45:14.119 --> 00:45:16.039 or else you just weren't going to play and you were gonna get phased out. 647 00:45:16.039 --> 00:45:20.400 And I think this is just where a lot of college football coaches are 648 00:45:20.440 --> 00:45:24.159 getting frustrated because they really had it all figured out and they had the market 649 00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:27.599 corner, and then all of a sudden, players are like, no, 650 00:45:27.719 --> 00:45:30.360 I'm gonna need ten thousand more. Yeah, listens like you're getting squeezed. 651 00:45:31.920 --> 00:45:37.000 And going back to Brian Kelly, yes it is. There's some issues with 652 00:45:37.079 --> 00:45:39.800 it, and it has to I think that more so that the transfer portal 653 00:45:39.880 --> 00:45:45.880 has to be figured out because you can't have guys, you know, going 654 00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:50.920 to school for one year, transferring and then transferring again and with no repercussions, 655 00:45:51.119 --> 00:45:52.679 no penalty. You know, there's got to be a way that that 656 00:45:53.079 --> 00:45:55.960 they I don't want to say force the kids, but there's got to be 657 00:45:57.000 --> 00:46:00.480 some sort of penalty if you try to keep transfer in every single year because 658 00:46:00.880 --> 00:46:06.320 you don't start or you don't get something that you want. There has to 659 00:46:06.400 --> 00:46:08.280 be some adjustments made to them. There will be, But right now, 660 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:14.280 Brian Kelly, you better adapt to get out and go join Nick Saban and 661 00:46:14.360 --> 00:46:16.199 cancuon fishing or doing something like that, you know what I mean,