1 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:19,239 What is going on? Clippers fans, Welcome to season two, episode twenty 2 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,679 nine of Clips and Dip. I am Chuck Buckler. William Updike is here 3 00:00:23,719 --> 00:00:26,839 as well. Adam Oslin, who is usually with us, is sick today. 4 00:00:26,879 --> 00:00:29,760 He cannot make it. He did want us to tell everyone he is 5 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,520 still keeping receipts. So don't think just because he's sick. Say some wild 6 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,560 stuff to Adam on Twitter if you get a chance today, just give the 7 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,399 man a reason to keep on living exactly. We are Clips and Dip. 8 00:00:40,439 --> 00:00:43,479 You can find us anywhere you find podcasts. If you're watching us on YouTube, 9 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,159 welcome. We're at YouTube dot com slash at Clippers podcast. We have 10 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:52,079 a fantastic show. We are joined today by Rod Benson, former Cal Bear, 11 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,679 Korean League Champion, All Star in the Korean League, Import player of 12 00:00:56,679 --> 00:01:00,280 the Year, d League All Star, and seven hell of a goll for 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,000 a fantastic artist and the author of the new book that came out today that 14 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,120 we are going to talk about different. Dude, Rod, thank you so 15 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,719 much for bringing your high level basketball acumen to the show. How the hell 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,359 are you? First of all, you left off like the only thing that 17 00:01:17,359 --> 00:01:23,519 matters to this podcast, which was Summer League Clippers starter. No, I 18 00:01:23,519 --> 00:01:26,400 don't know who. I didn't find me. Why are you not open with 19 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,920 you? I don't know. It was Blake Griffin's like rookie year too. 20 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,519 It was like because he he was hurt, so he did he was coming 21 00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:37,200 back, so he like only trained with us and then didn't play. But 22 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:38,719 yeah, like dj A, I was out there. I was with at 23 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,719 the Jersey on Bro. You could have been you could have been in Love 24 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:47,840 City. What could have been? That's so rad. We are so happy 25 00:01:47,879 --> 00:01:52,480 to have you on the show. Will I won't run down your resume because 26 00:01:52,519 --> 00:01:56,879 I I don't think it's too extensive. Extensive. How are we doing? 27 00:01:57,159 --> 00:02:00,000 The Clippers just beat the Nuggets for the first time in fifty six years, 28 00:02:00,519 --> 00:02:05,920 feeling pretty good about it, I guess so was that an exaggeration? No, 29 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:07,960 they hadn't They had only two. I think it's the last time. 30 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:14,680 Yeah, OK, whoa, I think it's been around. I also don't 31 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,000 like that that actually is something we had to do where it's like, what 32 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:22,280 has it been fifty six? But yeah, I don't know. We're feeling 33 00:02:22,319 --> 00:02:28,560 pretty good, Rod. Yeah, I'm sure you've seen what's the Clippers current 34 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,439 roster, they've made some moves. They they've crawled back to five hundred. 35 00:02:32,479 --> 00:02:37,439 We're gonna talk about how we feel the Clippers being five hundred after twenty games 36 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:42,000 in the grand scheme of things. But as a former Clipper, Great, 37 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,560 what are your impressions right now of the Clippers? Do you see this team 38 00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:50,800 being able to make a run? Are they putting things together? What do 39 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,840 you what are you seeing in Clippers? Miss? Yeah, I'll say that 40 00:02:54,159 --> 00:02:58,560 since twenty ten is when I first came into the Clipper verse, we'll call 41 00:02:58,599 --> 00:03:01,879 it. Since then, they've been like a fourth place team for like twenty 42 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,759 years with a couple like and they still feel like it. And the reason 43 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,919 they feel like it is because you can't even do you understand? I tried 44 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,319 to prep for this by like how do I find Clippers talk? Like, 45 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,319 where do I how do I get some information about what's been happening recently with 46 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,560 the Clips? There's like, actually none, You might be the only people 47 00:03:21,199 --> 00:03:25,479 I get Clippers fans now today? There's three podcasts. Yeah, because it's 48 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:30,080 like, you guys are always just not good enough to be in the zeitgeist. 49 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,840 So it just always feels like, eh, Clippers have some good players. 50 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:38,080 Maybe fourth, You're not wrong, like the Clippers media cycle is a 51 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:46,840 trip because it's usually the media buys in and then the Clippers underperform, and 52 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,280 then the media gets really upset that they bought in and then decides to write 53 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,439 the Clippers off. Well, does that feel accurate? It feels like we're 54 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:53,960 I think it feels accurate. For the two to one three era, everyone 55 00:03:54,039 --> 00:04:00,000 was like really excited in like when that the summer that that trade happened. 56 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,879 We had the earthquake during Summer League in Vegas, right, and then like 57 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:09,000 the Clippers enjoyed like two years of you know, contender sort of I guess 58 00:04:09,039 --> 00:04:14,000 status where it seemed like a possibility despite not you know, like the first 59 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:15,639 year, despite not playing a minute together yet, so they didn't even know 60 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:20,040 what it was gonna look like. And then after the fall apart in the 61 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,319 bubble, people thought they could come back from it. But since then, 62 00:04:24,399 --> 00:04:28,240 I agree with Rod, I think it's been very much like what is this 63 00:04:28,319 --> 00:04:32,839 team like truly? What is like the ceiling of their potential? And is 64 00:04:32,879 --> 00:04:38,439 it of interest because it's not a sexy team, Like there's nothing about this 65 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:45,040 team that's like an interesting team to from a media perspective, you have maybe 66 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,759 four of like the most disliked players in the league. And I mean, 67 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:54,399 like truly like Harden in Westbrook have to be two of the most disliked players 68 00:04:54,439 --> 00:04:57,279 in the league, deserved or undeserved. They are the most two of the 69 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,480 most polarizing players for reasons. I can not comprehend Kawhi. The media hates 70 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:05,120 him, coaches hate him, everyone seems to hate him, and then Paul 71 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:10,759 George sticks his foot in his mouth on a daily basis, So that one 72 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,439 is maybe the most earned of the four. But like the you know, 73 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,560 it's just it's like I said, it's just not a it's not a headlining 74 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:20,040 team. It's not you know's there's not a lot of sizzle there. No, 75 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:25,480 it's a steak, but there's not a lot of it's a well, 76 00:05:25,519 --> 00:05:29,439 there's no And this has been some random person tweeting this out the other day, 77 00:05:29,439 --> 00:05:31,480 but the identity has been the Clippers issue, because like there's not one 78 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,319 thing you can point towards with the Clippers team and say that is what Clippers 79 00:05:34,399 --> 00:05:38,639 basketball is. You know, it's not like gritty rebounding. It's not like 80 00:05:39,399 --> 00:05:42,000 you know, Memphis or something in the grit and grind days where it's like, 81 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,959 oh, you're gonna get out hustled. The Clippers. It's like they're 82 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,360 gonna play fundamental, go for it. Yeah. No team has had more 83 00:05:49,519 --> 00:05:55,360 like definitions of what they are than the Clippers. It's like lob City. 84 00:05:55,759 --> 00:05:58,000 Oh. Then it was like it was like whatever, like the headband, 85 00:05:58,079 --> 00:06:00,759 like the three Knuckleheads knucklehead Yeah, and it's like I don't follow Clippers enough 86 00:06:00,759 --> 00:06:05,720 to remember, like no other team has like literally their offense called like their 87 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:11,839 nickname. And when they got I mean again, it died down so quickly. 88 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,079 There was some like there was a lot of hype when Kawhi and Paul 89 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,079 George got together, and I'm sure if they had done one thing, if 90 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,480 they'd been healthy enough to do one thing, it's like, oh, man, 91 00:06:20,519 --> 00:06:26,879 team helicopter and a helicopter offense the Clippers. You know how it goes 92 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,079 out there. Everyone knows what the Clippers do. They just don't do it 93 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,079 when like people are watching. Like I played basketball a long time and like 94 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:40,560 the best teams, I was on the very best teams. I'm not saying 95 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,920 we tanked the regular season. That's not it at all. We purposely wouldn't 96 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,800 put in strategies. We would practice them every day and we'd wait, like 97 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,000 we know we're going to play this team at the second round of this, 98 00:06:49,319 --> 00:06:53,759 we would save all that stuff. And when I was on teams that would 99 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,160 do well in the regular season, we wouldn't save any of that. We 100 00:06:56,199 --> 00:07:00,240 would just go all out. We gotta show what we are. And it's 101 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:03,720 like the Clippers have never been good enough to save anything. Like it just 102 00:07:03,759 --> 00:07:05,879 comes like you get to the playoffs and it's like, you know, you 103 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:12,000 have to beat nine six seven dudes, cool, like figure it out, 104 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,519 Like I don't know, It's not like there's no secrets, there's no surprises 105 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,600 ever from this. I would agree, like except for that first year when 106 00:07:18,639 --> 00:07:23,160 it was like the small ball was something that they kept in the back pocket 107 00:07:24,399 --> 00:07:27,079 or I guess that was the first tie year they kept the small ball in 108 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,160 the in the back pocket with you know, Mark Morris out there and all 109 00:07:30,199 --> 00:07:33,639 the wings and that they even had to move away from. So yeah, 110 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:38,079 I mean, I agree with you. I that's something that I wonder about, 111 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,199 like with the Clippers being five hundred right now, like is there another 112 00:07:41,319 --> 00:07:45,879 year? Is there another thing from an X's and O's standpoint, I don't 113 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:47,920 really think so, Like I don't think that that is. I'm not seeing 114 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:53,079 any progression towards that, So unless they're really holding it back, I think 115 00:07:53,079 --> 00:07:57,120 like where they can kind of do better than five hundred or win more is 116 00:07:57,399 --> 00:08:01,279 on the margins and like some of these rotations and like the combination of players, 117 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:03,839 which just with the overhaul that happens every year. I mean, you 118 00:08:03,879 --> 00:08:07,040 know, I'm sure you have more expense like experience, right, Like how 119 00:08:07,079 --> 00:08:11,519 long does it take a team to gel when you're going through constant like when 120 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,360 people are getting shuffled around all the time. Man, I'll say this, 121 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,199 like I also think now that you said that, the Clippers have always been 122 00:08:18,199 --> 00:08:22,680 in like weird emotional positions, like guys move in weird ways where it's like 123 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,639 that's way bigger than people think, way bigger than people think, like if 124 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:35,080 you aren't comfortable, like the teams were like like and I guess to plug 125 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:39,559 the book. It's in the book, but there's some tings I played on 126 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,200 where it's like we walked in day one and everyone knew we were gonna win. 127 00:08:43,639 --> 00:08:46,080 Now the season had like crazy ups and downs where like we might not 128 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:50,200 have believed it the whole time. But it's like I would walk into those 129 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,919 training camps like you know, I'm you know, especially we're talking overseas. 130 00:08:54,159 --> 00:08:56,519 As the American you get a lot of leeway, like because we're considered lazier 131 00:08:56,639 --> 00:09:00,679 and all these things. I'll walk in like those championships teams first day, 132 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,080 I'm like, yo, guys, let's go leading it going dumb hard because 133 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:11,279 you know, it's a whole different set of expectations. There are also other 134 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:16,120 teams that just clearly don't have those expectations the same. Sure, and may 135 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,480 you can fake it, like I've gone into shitty teams and tried to figure 136 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,879 it, but like after a couple of days, we suck. It's not 137 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,960 that we suck, it's like you still believe you're gonna win, like you 138 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,080 always believe you're gonna win. But it's like, oh, well, like 139 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,000 you know, like you know, uh, I'm gonna mat Terry. Doesn't 140 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,240 you know he thinks she's talking down to him, cuz I would, you 141 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:35,559 know, I mean, like you gotta you gotta approach a guy like Terry 142 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,879 differently. Yeah, And it's like, oh, we're one of those teams. 143 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:43,279 Okay, let's see, and the Clippers have kind of always been one 144 00:09:43,279 --> 00:09:46,519 of those teams. I I like, what the thread you're kind of pulling 145 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,519 with that. Like we got asked on our last episode if Russell Westbrook was 146 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:54,279 still going to be on this team after the trade deadline, and like the 147 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,919 answer is a resounding yes, because if the Clippers, after all the campaign 148 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,559 that TYLERU and Paul George did, if they traded Russell Westbrook, that is 149 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:09,080 when shit hits the fan. I'm not saying it's like like just on court 150 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,039 stuff aside, if they traded Russell Westbrook away this team, I think it 151 00:10:13,039 --> 00:10:20,000 wouldn't implode, but there would be you have three huge egos. Feels like 152 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,600 such a pejorative term in this sense because like these guys, you know, 153 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:30,759 like Hardened, Russ Kawhi NPG earned their status right Like it's they're very good 154 00:10:30,759 --> 00:10:33,559 at basketball to have been in the league for a very well their particular I 155 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,360 feel like it's very particular. They're very particular, and that's I would love 156 00:10:37,399 --> 00:10:39,720 to jump in right here. I would just love to let's go. I 157 00:10:39,759 --> 00:10:43,600 don't know, man, Like I am fans of all of these players, 158 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:50,440 especially because they're all from La so I have seen them, you know, 159 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,840 some of them growing up. I like used to go to SDSU and play 160 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:58,679 against Kawhi. I'm doing that. I'm doing the uh stephen A. Smith 161 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,320 thing where it's like, you know, I go to Dwayne Wade's house actually 162 00:11:01,399 --> 00:11:07,759 play. I have to caveat this whole thing. Yeah, so hard because 163 00:11:07,799 --> 00:11:13,519 I don't mean this as hatefully it's gonna sound totally but you know, uh, 164 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,320 Paul George didn't win MVP right now, and Kawhi Leonard did not win 165 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,759 MVP. Yeah. The year they traded for Paul George, he finished third 166 00:11:22,759 --> 00:11:26,799 in MVP voting, which people fucking forget anyway, Right, So I guess 167 00:11:26,799 --> 00:11:31,840 if I'm looking at the Clippers, Paul George is the only player who has 168 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:39,399 been like near MVP status that I've respected as having that talent. And I 169 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,559 don't mean that it's like some like these guys don't deserve to be heralded. 170 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:46,039 But totally, when Russell Westbrook first won MVP, I was like, is 171 00:11:46,039 --> 00:11:52,519 anybody watching this if he if he had averaged the same points and assists but 172 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,000 for rebounds, he wouldn't have gotten it. It was all about the triple 173 00:11:54,039 --> 00:12:01,240 double. But then we're giving credit to him for being an elite rebounder when 174 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,039 he couldn't box me out. If we're being really honest, if I was 175 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,039 in a game with Russell Westbrook, he couldn't stop me from getting an offensive 176 00:12:07,039 --> 00:12:09,279 rebound today, I'm not saying I mean even in his prime, right, 177 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,919 Like got the notes, But I was also like, you can look this 178 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,919 up, like per minute, one of the best rebounders to like ever live. 179 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,320 I know that's weird, but my agent used to damn make these big 180 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,039 emails to send off to NBA teams to try to get me signed. And 181 00:12:22,039 --> 00:12:26,919 he's like, per minute, what Rod is doing? He's crazy, Andre 182 00:12:26,039 --> 00:12:31,159 Drummon and it's Rod Benson. I guess it's not like Oscar Sheebway, but 183 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:33,519 I mean this, I mean this in a very sincere way. Right, 184 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:37,200 Like if Oscar Sheebway came into the league tomorrow and played twenty six minutes a 185 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,279 game on a Westbrook team, well we'll call it, no, we'll call 186 00:12:39,279 --> 00:12:46,080 it twenty sixteen and he averaged six rebounds. Is Russell Westbrook better than him 187 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,120 at rebounding? Like, obviously not, But we gave him credit for that, 188 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,759 and that credit was leveraged James Harden won an MVP, but I'm not 189 00:12:54,799 --> 00:12:58,679 gonna say it wasn't because he wasn't good. It was like he kind of 190 00:13:00,639 --> 00:13:03,799 found all the loopholes in the game and turned them into like this magic trick 191 00:13:03,879 --> 00:13:09,320 that was like Floyd. It's like Lloyd boxing. Harden took the rules like 192 00:13:09,399 --> 00:13:11,440 Floyd took the rules in boxing, was like, I'm gonna figure out how 193 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:16,320 to make this shit work for me as well as possible. And I've never 194 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,240 seen anyone maximize that space as hard. But I think on the backside of 195 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,639 that is if you're maximizing a box, anyone who can go outside the box 196 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,679 is gonna find that space, and so on and so forth. Kawhi, 197 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,720 I mean you want to chip, but you know a lot of people were 198 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:33,440 injured that year. All I mean is the hype around the Clippers is always, 199 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,399 like I shouldn't say, is always has been. We have these two 200 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,039 three era you've got some MVPs. I mean, maybe they're aging or whatever, 201 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:45,879 but in all honestly, in their primes, I don't think this team 202 00:13:45,919 --> 00:13:50,200 wins a championship. N they don't work together well. What most of what 203 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:54,559 we think of them as good, like their best attributes are the like the 204 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,039 ones that we give them credit, Like, he's not just a point guard. 205 00:13:58,039 --> 00:14:01,639 He does these things too, those things to run into what other players 206 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:05,639 should be doing. A lot of overlap, A lot of it doesn't like, 207 00:14:05,759 --> 00:14:07,600 it doesn't actually work out the way that people think. When you just 208 00:14:07,639 --> 00:14:11,279 add like oh this guards get rebounding this bigs, We're like, no, 209 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,360 we're gonna run into each other a lot. Now I gotta get out of 210 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,039 his way. We're gonna run it this way now less effective. There's a 211 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,279 lot of reasons why these things happen. But you have four like essentially MVP 212 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,080 level players who are younger than like most of the Lakers have ever been, 213 00:14:24,679 --> 00:14:28,519 and you literally are sitting at five hundred like, it's not to me, 214 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,039 it's it is a little bit of rocket science. But no one analyzes a 215 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:35,320 game like in that way because it's not sure sexy. Say it doesn't ye, 216 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,759 sorry for that long. No that that So the overlap makes total sense 217 00:14:39,799 --> 00:14:43,360 because Will and I were watching the game last night against the Nuggets and the 218 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:48,000 Clippers offense. Right now things are trending up, but right now it's a 219 00:14:48,039 --> 00:14:52,399 lot of one pass. What are you gonna do with it. You know 220 00:14:52,559 --> 00:14:56,879 you're not, they're not making the defense second guess anything, it's all if 221 00:14:56,919 --> 00:15:00,279 the second. If there's three passes, I am in heaven because it probably 222 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,919 means we went to the paint, we kicked it out. But it's usually 223 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,159 right now kind of one pass and we're being carried as we should be, 224 00:15:07,279 --> 00:15:11,559 which is the other part of the conundrum. By the abilities of these the 225 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,200 three the three starters between Harden, PG and Kawhi, it's a lot of 226 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:22,559 asking of individualness and not as much ball movement, teamwork stuff right now, 227 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,399 and we kind of it's a great segue into the five hundred thing, like 228 00:15:26,919 --> 00:15:33,559 Will, We'll start with you five hundred after twenty games, which correct me 229 00:15:33,559 --> 00:15:35,919 if I'm wrong either of you. That is worst case scenario that if you 230 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:41,039 would have asked any Clippers fans after twenty games with and with James Harden, 231 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,279 not for the full twenty but sure, But like if you were to say, 232 00:15:43,279 --> 00:15:46,000 hey, Kawhi and PG, you're gonna play the first twenty games, 233 00:15:46,559 --> 00:15:52,360 what's the worst thing you could possibly think of happening five hundred? I would 234 00:15:52,519 --> 00:15:56,440 be hard pressed to not be the worst case scenario. Will kenn Of, 235 00:15:56,799 --> 00:16:00,840 is this gonna be the first team that's what is it? A top three 236 00:16:00,879 --> 00:16:06,240 seed? I don't see us being a top three seed with this start. 237 00:16:06,519 --> 00:16:10,279 Mathematically it seems very difficult. What does this Clipper seem have to show you 238 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,600 to make you believe that after starting five hundred through twenty games they can win 239 00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:18,159 a chip? Ooh, I don't really even know if they're I really like 240 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,039 at this point, I don't I don't know if they're capable of putting enough 241 00:16:22,039 --> 00:16:26,000 of that together for me to be like, what do you no they're ready? 242 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,559 And for me, it's it's not even just the record. I mean, 243 00:16:29,559 --> 00:16:32,240 it's just you know, the games that we've lost, the way that 244 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:37,279 we've lost them. I feel like we've gotten to this point where the same 245 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,360 things keep happening to the team again and again, regardless of like what the 246 00:16:41,399 --> 00:16:45,360 supporting cast is around Paul George and Kwai Like basically every team has the formula 247 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,399 if even if you're shorthanded, if you want to beat the Clippers, play 248 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,200 with pace and out hustle them, and you will win. Yeah, Like 249 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,360 there there is a better than fifty percent chance that you will win even if 250 00:16:56,360 --> 00:17:00,679 the Clippers aren't a hundred percent healthy it's just it's too easy. And I 251 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,200 think with the offensive struggles right now, which the numbers are good, like 252 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:08,400 the net ratings are good, when the players are when everybody is you know, 253 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,519 efficient, it looks really like it looks good from a stats perspective, 254 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:17,079 I would say, looking at it on the floor, it doesn't to me 255 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:22,440 feel like a cohesive team that could really do something, you know, that 256 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:27,319 could win sixteen games essentially sixteen games at the highest level. And I think 257 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,039 right now, I think there's a lot of positives, and there is a 258 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:36,480 lot of talent. But for me, this year, the team feels more 259 00:17:36,599 --> 00:17:42,000 piece mealed together than ever. It's just like it feels, I mean kind 260 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,440 of like to Ro's point, like it just feels like there's all these pieces 261 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,880 that in a vacuum are good. I just I'm like, they're not really 262 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:56,119 fully fitting together, and I struggle to see how you can I'm struggling a 263 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,240 little bit to see how you can can maximize it to the highest level. 264 00:18:00,039 --> 00:18:02,359 Could they get out of the second round? I mean, I mean I 265 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:06,279 could believe that, right And we're saying all this December seventh, six fifty 266 00:18:06,279 --> 00:18:10,319 eight PM, as they're sitting five hundred. We have seen ty Low split 267 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,160 up Russ and James Harden, which is very much needed if you watched any 268 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,200 of the games, Rod, what does this Clippers team have to do to 269 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,079 make you believe that they could Let's just say, go to the finals, 270 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,079 because at this point, if you're a Clippers fan, we've been in the 271 00:18:26,079 --> 00:18:32,519 Western Conference finals. This is probably the last year that is the best shot 272 00:18:32,519 --> 00:18:37,119 at winning a championship for all four of these players. What would you have 273 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,640 to see from this version of the clips to really believe? Like twenty wins 274 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,079 in a row? I mean, I guess if I say I have to 275 00:18:45,079 --> 00:18:48,720 see them win the correct amount of games? Is that a good issue? 276 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,680 No, that's fair because they lose games they shouldn't lose. They lost to 277 00:18:52,799 --> 00:18:57,000 a to a Nuggets team with DeAndre Jordan and Reggie Jackson killing us. Like 278 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,160 to win the amount of games should win is I think actually a really great 279 00:19:02,279 --> 00:19:07,279 day because they don't do They've never done that. So I'm an artist and 280 00:19:07,319 --> 00:19:11,799 you see my art behind me. I tend to take like the bigger sweeping 281 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,839 answers, which is probably why I'm not on TV because it's nothing shorter like 282 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:21,400 fun about what I say, I alluded to this earlier. I think the 283 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,359 Clippers are built wrong. I think that there is like a six year stretch 284 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:30,640 where the Warriors were doing well where teams tried to copy it a bunch of 285 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,559 Like again, I set a bunch of sixty seven guys on purpose. I 286 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:37,519 don't care if you put one big around them. That's not really gonna win 287 00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:41,240 you a chip. I haven't. I haven't seen a team win like since 288 00:19:41,279 --> 00:19:44,359 the Warriors, or besides the Warriors, because Draymond Green can kind of play 289 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:51,319 outside his size. Having all their guys be essentially wings and then surrounded big 290 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:53,839 that was exclusively to the Warriors. And I even bring that up about the 291 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:59,680 Warriors because you know, and about art because I do think. I think 292 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,200 that there is a tendency in like business, especially tech, to look at 293 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,400 what exists and how do I improve upon it totally. So at a time 294 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:11,039 when basketball was that Warrior style, yeah, like it was like pretty much 295 00:20:11,079 --> 00:20:15,000 science. I think the Lake up and all these guys would say that they, 296 00:20:15,599 --> 00:20:17,559 you know, cancoct to the team like no one had ever seen. 297 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,599 They use like they with the help of a cap jump that was never seen 298 00:20:21,839 --> 00:20:27,200 exactly and moneyball to whatever, but just copying that is part of the reason 299 00:20:27,279 --> 00:20:32,960 the Clippers were expected to do well. No one actually ever said, No 300 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:34,839 one actually ever. I don't think like if the Wars hadn't played, like, 301 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,920 oh, if you put a bunch of like six seven wings, you'll 302 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,079 win because we can switch everything. We could be one like like literally, 303 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,720 no, you have to be the best shooting wings of all time. Yes, 304 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 and have like your for be a guy who can guard seven foot three 305 00:20:49,079 --> 00:20:53,240 dudes. That's just not like, that's not plug and play. Yeah, 306 00:20:53,240 --> 00:21:00,640 And I've just seen it from you know, like most sports teams where they 307 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:04,480 don't have like the forefront thinkers of the sport working. I'm not saying all 308 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,960 these people are really really like in depth they know everything. Like I don't 309 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,599 know any coach I've ever been around with the NBA, he doesn't know one 310 00:21:11,599 --> 00:21:15,960 thousands percent more than me. But some are stuck in what is and some 311 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,279 are looking at what is becoming. And I don't know if you notice in 312 00:21:18,319 --> 00:21:22,119 the last seven years, and this is a big leg point of mind, 313 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:26,440 but the Biggs are back. They are being without one of those guys, 314 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,680 You're just not And the reason why Anthony Davis gets all this shitt he gets 315 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,279 is because everyone knows the Lakers won't win unless he plays like the best player, 316 00:21:33,599 --> 00:21:37,559 because the best player on the other team is gonna be a big I 317 00:21:37,559 --> 00:21:41,039 don't care who you have if you can't stop someone near the basket. That's 318 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:47,559 why every rule in basketball is designed to stop big people from playing. Literally. 319 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,559 But now they've they've been developing in Europe and they're coming back bigger, 320 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,359 taller, with the same skills. You're not gonna beat it. I'm sorry, 321 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,640 you're not gonna beat it with a bunch of The NBA is not have 322 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,119 to relax rules again. Maybe they will because they want to promote more stars. 323 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:07,759 They need like as many stars as possible, and gambling better it goes 324 00:22:07,799 --> 00:22:11,039 and gambling. But there's like four teams with a chance to win, and 325 00:22:11,039 --> 00:22:17,160 they all have the big that's it. Oh so all right, we got 326 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,519 to take a quick break because we have to pay the bill. But because 327 00:22:19,519 --> 00:22:22,359 of you know, lights and whatnot, we're gonna keep talking about this. 328 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,480 We got an ad break coming up, and then we're talking the big issue, 329 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,000 which is fantastic to think about with the Western Conference when you look at 330 00:22:30,039 --> 00:22:32,720 who's in the first place right now, and where the Clippers are in our 331 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,720 big situation. We got ads coming up. They've been a little loud for 332 00:22:34,759 --> 00:22:37,880 some people. If that's been the case for you, go ahead and turn 333 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,319 it down. We got ads coming up and they were continuing this big conversation 334 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,279 in three two one, all right, we're back in on clips and Dip. 335 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,640 We talked a little bit about the problems facing the Clippers and the shift 336 00:22:49,759 --> 00:22:55,880 in the NBA towards big men. We're gonna talk some trade issues and also 337 00:22:56,279 --> 00:23:00,079 the biggest the biggest issue with the Clippers, right Charles, Wait? Uh, 338 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,640 what it was the biggest issue? Oh? The give no quarterer streaky. 339 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,799 Oh, we're absolutely talking about that. So you mentioned the big issue 340 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,599 Rod. A lot of Clippers fans hate Avitza Zubats, hate or love. 341 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:18,799 There's like, there's no middle ground. It's mostly hate. Uh Is it 342 00:23:18,839 --> 00:23:22,000 even like? Cause obviously, I personally it seems like right now with how 343 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:27,200 Nikola Jokic is playing, I'm not seeing a lot of challenges for this number 344 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:33,359 one seed. The Nuggets are a well oiled machine that have five different people 345 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,000 playing five different positions. Kind Of going back to your point and things like 346 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:42,200 that, how can the Clippers mitigate that because they're not gonna They're not gonna 347 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:47,599 trade for Miles Turner, which is a very hot trade name for for Clippers 348 00:23:47,599 --> 00:23:51,480 fans. The Pacers are playing historically, well, they're not going to trade 349 00:23:51,519 --> 00:23:56,680 anything for Myles Turner. Like, what is the Clippers path to getting a 350 00:23:56,839 --> 00:24:00,839 you know, four wins in a seven game series against the team with an 351 00:24:00,839 --> 00:24:03,880 elite big man, because, like you said, they're all kind of six 352 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,039 seven. If you want to know my act, like if I was paid 353 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:11,000 a billion dollars to try, like I have four months figure this out, 354 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,680 I would do what every team used to do and is about to come back. 355 00:24:15,799 --> 00:24:19,160 I would sign like three bigs that have no business trying to score an 356 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:23,160 offensive bucket because you have four guys around him usually at any particular point, 357 00:24:23,559 --> 00:24:26,119 who should be able to get a bucke whenever they want. Your offense is 358 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:32,160 already go one on one, get me for Dwight Howard's and use all those 359 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:36,039 fouls on Nikola Jokic. This is how people used to go at shack. 360 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:38,000 Yes, like the reason why I say the bigs like I'm gonna take you 361 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,000 through a journey here, stay with me for like I don't know get either. 362 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:47,200 Hey, we're on the journey. We're on the journey. Wilt Chamberlain 363 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,839 was the most unstoppable player and in basketball history, and people talk about him 364 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,160 like, oh, he was just dominant, Like why because small people need 365 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,319 to feel like, well, if it's skill is technical skill, no, 366 00:24:59,519 --> 00:25:03,319 the game is get the ball in the hole as skilled as you can do 367 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,480 that is as good as you are. And Kareem, I'm sorry. And 368 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:11,319 Wilt Chamberlain was unstoppable. So thenk leu Al Sinder comes up in high school 369 00:25:11,759 --> 00:25:12,720 and they're like, oh no, oh no, no, no, not 370 00:25:12,759 --> 00:25:17,359 only are you super racist, and this guy believes in things, he is 371 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,799 gonna keep doing what this guy did. And he's dunked, like his high 372 00:25:19,799 --> 00:25:25,400 school videos are crazy, like he's just like boot just dunking on people. 373 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:26,799 And they're like, Okay, we're gonna make sure, we're gonna put in 374 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,039 rules, make sure you have to go to college for like eight years before 375 00:25:30,039 --> 00:25:32,960 you can enter the NBA. Yeah, and then we're gonna say you can't 376 00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:36,799 dunk, hoping that by the time he gets here he won't do it. 377 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:41,519 Yeah, And so Kareem literally has to invent the sky hook. But like 378 00:25:41,559 --> 00:25:45,759 people forget. He was also like the most athletic player in the league, 379 00:25:45,799 --> 00:25:49,079 like his first few like ten years. If he wasn't just a skyhook old 380 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:53,839 guy, he was actually like everything the guards were but seven foot that's it. 381 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:59,880 Yeah. And when he turned like thirty five and joined the Lakers and 382 00:26:00,319 --> 00:26:03,599 one two more MVPs, but was like walking down the floor while Michael Jordan 383 00:26:03,759 --> 00:26:07,160 was like selling shoes. The NBA was like, oh no, no, 384 00:26:07,319 --> 00:26:10,640 no, we can't have this ever again. So the year he retired, 385 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:12,680 the NBA put in, uh, I'm sorry, not the year retired. 386 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,880 Shaq came in the next year, I left this, I got this a 387 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,000 little mixed up. Shack came in the next year and just continue doing what 388 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:23,839 Kareem was doing. And everyone saw this coming, but because Michael Jordan was 389 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,839 at his prime, it didn't matter. It wasn't affecting the profitability of the 390 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:32,880 game. When mj started slowing down and Shaq won his first championship, that's 391 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:37,000 when the NBA put in defensive three seconds. Shack had been playing nine ten 392 00:26:37,079 --> 00:26:38,960 years, you guys, gont a three hundred and twenty pound dude to now 393 00:26:40,039 --> 00:26:42,640 move from just sitting in the paint to covering the whole floor. It was 394 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:48,000 a death sentence. And that death sentence wasn't because Shaq was good. It 395 00:26:48,039 --> 00:26:52,359 was because every team needed four Danny Fortson's. It was making like rosters look 396 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,839 dumb. I remember watching a game where the Warriors played. Shaq wasn't even 397 00:26:56,839 --> 00:27:00,440 on the Lakers. He's like in Cleveland or something, and they had this. 398 00:27:00,559 --> 00:27:03,519 They had this dude from Indiana, the Warriors of this like six ten. 399 00:27:03,839 --> 00:27:07,000 He was actually kind of skinny white dude from me. He's putating all 400 00:27:07,039 --> 00:27:11,359 like brass knuckles like before he goes in. But he just went in to 401 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:15,400 get three fouls in like thirty seconds, just to make Shack work a little 402 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,960 bit, and that was it. And the NBA hated that, so they 403 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:22,640 basically legislated out big men. And then there's like ten year gap where Tracy 404 00:27:22,759 --> 00:27:26,799 mcgrady's like the best player, like and I don't mean that in some shitty 405 00:27:26,839 --> 00:27:29,480 way, I just know you're Yeah, the shoe does a lot of help 406 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,079 for Tracy mcgrady's legacy. I will say that the Temac two does a lot 407 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,440 of help for as it should. Think about two thousand and two to twenty 408 00:27:36,559 --> 00:27:40,880 ten, like the best players if we're like not gonna include Lebron and that 409 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:45,640 necessarily or like Tim Duncan who started like kind before, then uh, it's 410 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,920 like the worst period of like legends we've ever had, Like no one ever 411 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,799 just like, oh, put this team against any team, like yeah, 412 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:56,920 no, because big men are these nets teams against. Yeah. So all 413 00:27:56,039 --> 00:27:59,880 this happened during while I was coming out of college, so I was over 414 00:28:00,319 --> 00:28:03,240 for a lot of this time, and I was playing guys in like France, 415 00:28:03,319 --> 00:28:06,240 like, who the does anybody know who the fuck this guy Pekovic is? 416 00:28:06,279 --> 00:28:07,880 Because why is he not in the NBA? Yeah, And then the 417 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,319 year later he was. And then I did this three on three in Saudi 418 00:28:11,319 --> 00:28:15,319 Arabia like four years ago, five years ago, and all the best teams 419 00:28:15,319 --> 00:28:18,839 in three on three all have an itch at the end of the last name 420 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,839 that I was like. I was like, these guys aren't big because they're 421 00:28:22,839 --> 00:28:26,640 doing the three on three, but they're still like taller than everyone else here, 422 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:30,799 like six five to six nine. This is a little wild who's missing 423 00:28:30,799 --> 00:28:36,319 from here? Yo, Kicic, nurdkicch, Pekovic, Giannis. All these 424 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:40,640 dudes have been just playing over there learning because it's the only place they will 425 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,559 let big gard bellows. Yeah, just let them play at all, because 426 00:28:44,559 --> 00:28:48,319 they're not being legislated out for money. FIBA's international. There isn't a they 427 00:28:48,319 --> 00:28:51,480 don't have the same poor of course they're for profit, but they don't have 428 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:56,680 the same profit motivations as the NBA. Literally, it'll it might be seven 429 00:28:56,759 --> 00:29:00,400 years before the NBA produces the next great big Men's gonna see guys come back 430 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,559 from overseas again, and like literally like when Ralph Sampson's coming and how scared 431 00:29:04,559 --> 00:29:10,359 people were. The Ralph Sampson's are just coming back like no one's gotten like 432 00:29:10,519 --> 00:29:14,480 bigger necessarily just like great, you force us to learn these skills. We're 433 00:29:14,519 --> 00:29:18,400 back. And all that to say, the Clippers will literally never win until 434 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:22,400 they pick one of these guys first. Ooh, like it's gonna be the 435 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,759 first overall pick in like the twenty twenty nine drafts, because there's gonna be 436 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,400 like they're gonna call them wen b two. They've already outlawed six moves Wenby 437 00:29:30,519 --> 00:29:33,200 does because it's making the game unfair, right, because we love it when 438 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:34,359 it makes the best down, it's fine. I don't know why we don't 439 00:29:34,359 --> 00:29:37,920 do this in government. It's okay, but you're gonna you're gonna have to 440 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,640 like you're gonna have the first pick because you're gonna have leverage everything, and 441 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,680 this isn't gonna work. I just hope we keep the twenty twenty nine pick 442 00:29:44,759 --> 00:29:48,759 or twenty thirty picks, keep it totally and draft the tallest motherfucker you can 443 00:29:48,799 --> 00:29:52,000 find because there will be more. Well, don't work there. The funny 444 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:57,359 part about that is the Clippers have a horrendous track record of drafting undersized centers 445 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:02,000 who can't do shit, so right now, they're all the complete opposite end 446 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,279 of that spectrum. The Clippers drafted Daniel o Chuu during the COVID years, 447 00:30:06,759 --> 00:30:11,200 and because they did all their meetings on zoom and stuff with him, this 448 00:30:11,359 --> 00:30:17,480 is printed in the Athletic. We're surprised at how undersized he was. Like, 449 00:30:17,559 --> 00:30:21,799 that's the kind of draft rooms we're dealing with here. So I hope 450 00:30:21,839 --> 00:30:23,920 you get hired to maybe help us scout. Some of these bigs are gonna 451 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,599 help us. I love it's done well. I love Blake Griffin, but 452 00:30:29,119 --> 00:30:33,279 he had a shorter wingspan than his height. At the end of the day, 453 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,079 him and JJ Reddick yeah, which is wild. He's like six nine 454 00:30:37,119 --> 00:30:41,559 and a half, but his wingspan's like six eight, and that's just not 455 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,279 gonna be the big you draft. Like, the thing is, people just 456 00:30:45,359 --> 00:30:48,759 follow what they're told. My agent used to say this all the time I 457 00:30:48,799 --> 00:30:51,920 was talking. I'm not saying it was a bad pick. I just mean 458 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,880 that you know you're you're bound by your year and stuff like that, but 459 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,880 my agent, I'm sorry. I was talking to a scout the other day 460 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,119 when I was in the Bay Area and we are watching cowplay and I'm like, 461 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:03,920 how do you even know? He's like, well, first of all, 462 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,920 size you know, if I don't think they can athletically do it. 463 00:31:08,039 --> 00:31:15,200 But he got to like it started feeling a bit foo gazy, and I'm 464 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,200 like, man, it's like it's hard to follow. He's like, you 465 00:31:18,279 --> 00:31:19,519 understand, Like I'm going to keep ever with you. We don't know what 466 00:31:19,559 --> 00:31:23,359 we're doing, Like this is a crap shoot, right, we are, 467 00:31:23,519 --> 00:31:26,200 Like He's like some of us, like me, I try to do it 468 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,279 my own way, but I don't get it right all the time. In 469 00:31:29,279 --> 00:31:32,119 fact, I get it wrong more than I get it right. So when 470 00:31:32,119 --> 00:31:34,960 I look at a draft that's people operating like that. People see a system 471 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,240 and they're like, great, how do I be the best at the system? 472 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,440 No one tries to think about what the system even is? Is there 473 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:47,160 a different system? Can I like fully ignore draft boards and literally every team 474 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,519 that you're like, damn, they keep hitting, just does that? Like 475 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,359 it's not it's not it's not a lot of if you like, just keep 476 00:31:56,519 --> 00:32:00,079 it's not that hard. But if you are following like this, how you 477 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:04,319 end up this is how you end up drafting Sam Booie, this how you 478 00:32:04,359 --> 00:32:06,319 end up drafting. I mean, I don't know, I don't know who 479 00:32:06,359 --> 00:32:09,640 Canuelot Jerome Robinson. Have you looked at the draft that Jerome Robinson was in 480 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:15,920 and how the Clippers drafted Shay and also drafted Jerome Robinson for no goddamn reason. 481 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:19,319 I mean it's it's again, you're never gonna get it right. But 482 00:32:20,279 --> 00:32:24,799 drafting because everyone especially this is kind of like an American capitalist thing a little 483 00:32:24,799 --> 00:32:28,480 bit. I don't get weird. But they need to go for the highest 484 00:32:28,519 --> 00:32:31,359 hit, not the best need for what they need. Yeah. Absolutely, 485 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:36,880 they talk about that all the time, like you're you're drafting on upside even 486 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,400 if it's not the best fit, which is kind of asinine, but that 487 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:43,599 seems to be what everybody does. Well, there was some quote from some 488 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,480 draft careber who it was, but they were like, can we just draft 489 00:32:45,519 --> 00:32:51,440 like if a guy was good for three years, draft him over the guy 490 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,480 who you think who was bad, who was okay for three years but has 491 00:32:54,480 --> 00:33:00,440 potential. Sometimes it's that simple, and it feels like the Clippers specifically really 492 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:04,559 spin their wheels with like we found this guy, Like they drafted Angel del 493 00:33:04,599 --> 00:33:08,279 Gatto, great rebounder in college, all that, but just a small center. 494 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:13,920 Like to your point, there's a size issue at some point, you're 495 00:33:14,039 --> 00:33:17,559 just not tall of Daniel Tice was brought in because Mason Plumley, an actual 496 00:33:17,559 --> 00:33:22,039 seven footer who we haven't gotten any updates on his his injury recovery, but 497 00:33:22,119 --> 00:33:25,920 he did a light jog, I believe the other week, which was the 498 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:30,039 news we got, which why would you report that? Okay, well, 499 00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:34,519 the Clippers, dude, the Clippers injury reports. That that is a golden 500 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,519 nugget compared to what we usually get for Clippers injury reports. But they brought 501 00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:45,200 in a guy, Daniel Tye, who has been okay, he's six eight, 502 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:50,200 he's he's the replacement for Mason Plummy, who was an actual seven footer. 503 00:33:50,519 --> 00:33:53,000 And I and I felt like like a simpleton on Twitter because I was 504 00:33:53,039 --> 00:33:57,519 like, look, I love Daniel Tyson's connectivity, and you know, is 505 00:33:57,559 --> 00:34:02,079 passing out of the short role, but like he's still like he's still not 506 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:07,279 gonna be a presence on the boards as much as we need when we lose 507 00:34:07,319 --> 00:34:13,360 an actual seven footers. So like, I'm leaning into your take that as 508 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:17,639 much as I love Zubats, he would be a great backup center to someone 509 00:34:17,639 --> 00:34:22,199 who can do a lot more stuff. And I also think that your take 510 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,079 makes sense that right now, it's like the Clippers have to overcome a lot 511 00:34:25,119 --> 00:34:30,000 to beat someone with an elite five, like like throw out Jokic, you 512 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,960 know, like even the Timberwolves have seemingly figured it out. Rudy Gobert. 513 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:38,880 As much as I do not like, the guy is playing fantastic defensive basketball 514 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:44,519 right now, and that two time dpo y, Sure, two TIMEPOY, 515 00:34:45,119 --> 00:34:49,519 But I think like this year or too, it's even more exacerbated because the 516 00:34:49,519 --> 00:34:52,840 Clippers are smaller, like they got rid of all their wings and they prioritize 517 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,760 guards once again, like at the trade deadline, last year and then in 518 00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:00,679 the off season. So yeah, I mean I think that's I think that's 519 00:35:00,679 --> 00:35:04,599 a great point, and it's only going to get worse. Man. I'll 520 00:35:04,599 --> 00:35:07,079 say this because you brought up Daniel Tice, and I don't know how Tally 521 00:35:07,199 --> 00:35:09,199 is really He's like, what is he listed? He's listed at six eight. 522 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,079 Let me let me google it, because I also did this whole thing 523 00:35:13,119 --> 00:35:16,239 where I put out a tweet where like Daniel Tye like he's not a shooter. 524 00:35:16,679 --> 00:35:19,199 Like I said, he's going to be very good, but he's not 525 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,320 a shooter U and everyone called me an idiot, but he's he's just not 526 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:28,440 a shooter. He's listed at six eight per Wikipedia. Okay, so the 527 00:35:28,519 --> 00:35:31,840 reason I ask, and I'm I'm six' ten on the number like on 528 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:36,719 the button. Yeah, Rod is huge. Rob has to get the extra 529 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:44,519 Why didn't you open with this? I wasn't trying. Your dating profile is 530 00:35:44,639 --> 00:35:49,920 just just six ten, there's nothing else. Yeah, oh lord, but 531 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,559 I said that to say. You know, one thing that really like mentally 532 00:35:52,599 --> 00:35:55,599 confused me a lot of times was that, like, I don't know pretty 533 00:35:55,679 --> 00:36:00,280 much every big on it on a roster everywhere I played with six ten, 534 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:02,719 but I get in like I'd stand next to him. I'm like, and 535 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:06,159 a lot of these guys we'd be at bars, we'd be at you know, 536 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:08,519 the club or whatever, friends and they'd be like, nah, bro, 537 00:36:08,679 --> 00:36:13,519 you like you like you like seven? You like seven seven one because 538 00:36:13,559 --> 00:36:16,039 they needed to be six ten. All I mean is this, like it's 539 00:36:16,079 --> 00:36:22,599 a long way to say we're talking about Daniel Tice potentially playing on the court 540 00:36:22,639 --> 00:36:30,679 with Harden, George uh Kawhi and Russ or whoever in cerm point guard here. 541 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:34,360 Sure what if none of those guys are their hype? And I mean 542 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,559 that in a way where it's like, I don't think you even get how 543 00:36:37,679 --> 00:36:42,840 small that team is, And it's like it's an issue if I was on 544 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,519 like so I was known for being a faster player, right me on a 545 00:36:45,559 --> 00:36:50,079 court like that, Like, hey, I might have some trouble trying to 546 00:36:50,079 --> 00:36:52,559 guard a pick and roll, but that wasn't really my deficit. Someone like 547 00:36:52,639 --> 00:36:58,639 me, who isn't even that like talented relative to the NBA could very much 548 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:02,039 contain something like that if I had the right Like, if I'm around a 549 00:37:02,039 --> 00:37:07,239 bunch of all stars, they don't even need like an all star level player 550 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,639 to play my role. I can just be Tristan Thompson like it's because you 551 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:15,559 cause it's because everyone's so small. Yeah, everyone's so small. I mean, 552 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:20,800 obviously the NBA players are huge, but I actually don't think people get 553 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:25,039 like the wide hype disparacy, disparities between like the guys who say what they 554 00:37:25,159 --> 00:37:28,679 like. N Kevin Garnett used to say, like, oh, I'm not 555 00:37:29,599 --> 00:37:31,280 the rumors where he was like actually seven feet It's like, no, the 556 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:37,760 truth was the six tens were six eight. Yeah, Well, I think 557 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:42,880 KD says he's he lists himself shorter because for some reason, KD is like 558 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:45,559 against being a seven footer and he's standing next to someone who's seven feet and 559 00:37:45,559 --> 00:37:49,960 you're like, you are seven feet tall? Were the exact same and KD? 560 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:52,280 That's crazy, That's what I mean. How the rumors like even work, 561 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:55,159 right, someone not six ten looks at KD and you're like, bro, 562 00:37:55,280 --> 00:38:00,280 he long so like he was at the University of Texas when I was 563 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,679 on the Austin Tours as a rookie. Oh shit, and he would come 564 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:07,000 to our games and we didn't have a ton of fans, so it's like 565 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:08,559 we played a convention center, like you know what I mean, Like, 566 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:10,639 he just sat next to us, and I staid next to him. I'm 567 00:38:10,679 --> 00:38:15,920 like, who's this college kid who's like literally like I mean not maybe not 568 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:19,480 in the face, but from behind. People were like, yeah, it's 569 00:38:19,519 --> 00:38:22,920 like not like we're the exact same height. So that that's what I mean. 570 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,199 You get these stories because people who don't have it want to make it. 571 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:30,559 They gotta inflate him to make themselves six ten. Did you this is 572 00:38:30,639 --> 00:38:34,920 reminding me. Did you guys see the clip going around where the guy was 573 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:38,199 asking people at gym's like how tall they were, and they'd say and he'd 574 00:38:38,199 --> 00:38:40,920 pull out a tape measure and be like, let's measure it, man. 575 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:43,960 And there were guys who's like, oh, I'm six two and he's like, 576 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:45,559 all right, cool, I'll measure and they were like, no, 577 00:38:46,519 --> 00:38:50,840 I don't want to do that. I would also say no, very flippantly, 578 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:53,800 but that's an interest, like I would just say my real height, 579 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:58,000 which is six to two, which shit, like that is why people hide, 580 00:38:58,039 --> 00:39:00,079 and also like, why are we attacking our short kings in the first 581 00:39:00,119 --> 00:39:06,039 place. Let the short things live, so the short kings love. Napoleon 582 00:39:06,639 --> 00:39:08,960 conquered the world, like let them conquer like left handed. Yeah, we'll 583 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,639 take them live. So can the Clippers make a mood? Do you think 584 00:39:12,679 --> 00:39:15,880 the Clippers should make a move for a big or has the Clippers bed kind 585 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:20,679 of been made with this wing stop that we used to kind of think about. 586 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:22,760 But like, I don't think they're going to make a move. I 587 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:25,679 mean, I mean a move is signing somebody, or I think people think 588 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:31,320 moves is trading somebody. Literally sign all the bigs that like you think can 589 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:35,440 rebound in are strong, sign oscar she way out of the D League right 590 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,960 now. Dwayne Deadman's on our G League team. Now, I mean I 591 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,960 don't again, I actually think, well, I don't know, he's probably 592 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:43,960 good at this. I haven't seen enough dead Men. I used to train 593 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:45,039 with them years ago, and I was like, am I just hating because 594 00:39:45,039 --> 00:39:46,960 I used to train with him. I was upset that he made it and 595 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,760 I didn't. And I think that's really it's fine, Yeah, he's fine. 596 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:58,000 I just think that signing two or three of these guys to literally have 597 00:39:58,039 --> 00:40:00,880 one job, and that's to wear down the big the other team. Yes, 598 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:04,119 you're gonna get fouls, but you got to like even plan in the 599 00:40:04,199 --> 00:40:08,320 idea that like the bonus will be your friend, Like fuck it, send 600 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:13,280 the other team to the line every time that they get fouled, because it's 601 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,840 probably slower, especially we're talking like a team like the Pacers than letting them 602 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:21,760 play their pace. If you just get it. Also is upsetting, like 603 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:25,440 here's one thing people don't get. What's this is an emotional game? Yeah 604 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:30,280 another like thing that's in my book, but like actually I can tell the 605 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:36,360 whole story in a second and different. Dude. Thank you out today December 606 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,800 seventh, Barns Nooma, go buy it. But there's a guy and I 607 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:42,960 like made him think we were friends for a whole season. We'd go out 608 00:40:43,119 --> 00:40:45,480 to the club and I'd be like, ah, my god, like because 609 00:40:45,519 --> 00:40:47,559 I knew he he just got to Korea. He didn't know he was on 610 00:40:47,679 --> 00:40:52,559 like the rival team, and we play each other because there's only ten teams 611 00:40:52,599 --> 00:40:54,639 in Korea. Six times they went sixty games, so six times during the 612 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:58,599 year, and a bunch of times at the club, I was like, 613 00:40:58,639 --> 00:41:00,000 my god, like, ah, you know, you know, we don't 614 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,400 even take this shiit serious. First game of the playoffs where we played them 615 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:09,800 in the Semis just did this to his side and he was like bro, 616 00:41:10,079 --> 00:41:14,280 like, bro, like, it's not a call foul, I'm just touching 617 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:17,480 you. It's the most annoying motherfucking shit you can do to a guy in 618 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:22,639 that position. And because he thought we were friends, he was so much 619 00:41:22,679 --> 00:41:25,039 more upset, like bro, like what are you doing? What are you 620 00:41:25,079 --> 00:41:29,920 doing? What are you doing? Like this ain't cool? Like right of 621 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:36,159 call fall? Now what? I'm just touching you? And we sweat. 622 00:41:36,199 --> 00:41:38,719 We swept these guys. Hell. Yeah. And I just mean to say 623 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:45,760 that, like it matters. Having the mental edge matters, and it can 624 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:50,639 be got a lot of ways, most of all by just making the other 625 00:41:50,679 --> 00:41:53,199 team play exactly how they don't, even if they're good at it. Here's 626 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:57,360 what usually happens. People forget basketball as a series. It's not like the 627 00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:59,960 super Bowl, like ah, like we made it. We try to make 628 00:42:00,159 --> 00:42:02,760 make short passes and like it didn't work. Yeah, But basketball it's like, 629 00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:05,920 oh, we try to make them shoot mid range and it didn't work 630 00:42:05,920 --> 00:42:08,760 because the whole media the next day is going to be like, see, 631 00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:13,719 that's what you get for, Like everyone knows you don't try it for four 632 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:17,760 games. That isn't like living his day that way. Yeah, look at 633 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:22,360 Luca versus the Clippers. Everyone says, oh, Luca kills the Clippers. 634 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:24,920 It's like, not in series, not in the shit that matters, Like 635 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:30,760 they lose every single one of those series. All of these things are why, 636 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:35,599 Like you just don't understand why certain teams just keep winning or why certain 637 00:42:35,639 --> 00:42:39,880 guys just keep winning, because all it plays in the game is not just 638 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:45,079 the lines, it's everything. You are a human. You guys are doing 639 00:42:45,079 --> 00:42:47,239 a job right now. Anybody who's like someone might be listening to this at 640 00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:52,840 a job. You're a human. You have days that matter. They used 641 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:55,639 to tell us in college, like don't gamble. We had all this because 642 00:42:55,679 --> 00:43:04,360 this guy from Arizona State was caught. Maybe it's any yes, but damn 643 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:08,719 I lost my train of thought when I was trying to remember Edie House drinking. 644 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:14,039 Listen, it doesn't matter. Home saying is that there's there's a lot 645 00:43:14,119 --> 00:43:19,239 that goes into these things that people don't get because they take their human they 646 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:23,119 remove their humanity from the sport when they watch it. They have to otherwise, 647 00:43:23,199 --> 00:43:27,199 like watching someone get Carter off the field, imagine if that happened at 648 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:31,000 work. Cognitive dissonance is important. We do it to protect ourselves from like 649 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:35,679 the nature of it, but we also do it to our detriment because we 650 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:39,960 end up ignoring, like how much humanity plays into who a basketball player is, 651 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:44,800 how they respond to your comments. How like I do a podcast about 652 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:51,360 cal basketball, and I like take so much care before I say something negative 653 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:54,320 because I'm like this player. It could be negative today, it could eve 654 00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:58,679 maybe be negative for a week, but it might not stay that way if 655 00:43:58,719 --> 00:44:01,519 I don't talk about it the same because this is a human totally. So 656 00:44:01,599 --> 00:44:07,079 all these things play in and we disconnect so that we can say they played 657 00:44:07,199 --> 00:44:10,320 millions. Bro, this is part of it. Figure the fuck out. 658 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:17,320 Sure, yeah, right, no pressure, you're getting paid millions of dollars. 659 00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:21,079 Uh. This reminds me one time at a job that Will and I 660 00:44:21,159 --> 00:44:24,920 had a guy got so mad he punched a hole in the wall at work, 661 00:44:25,079 --> 00:44:29,960 which was didn't you get fired? Did not have to replace the hole. 662 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:32,559 It did have to fix the hole. That shit was crazy. So 663 00:44:32,639 --> 00:44:36,320 all right, I'm gonna go to Will and then we're gonna talk to Rod 664 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:39,880 about this. Will, what's your prediction for the rest of the Clippers season? 665 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:44,199 Forty two more games, sixty two more games, I don't know, 666 00:44:44,440 --> 00:44:49,119 sixty two more games on this regular season. We're talking regular season only. 667 00:44:50,519 --> 00:44:53,519 Where are we sitting? Where are we entering the playoffs or play in depending 668 00:44:53,519 --> 00:44:57,800 on what you're saying. I will look up some standings right now, just 669 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,960 for some reference if you need it. The Clippers are sitting at ten and 670 00:45:01,079 --> 00:45:07,000 ten, holding down that ninth spot, two wins behind the Pelicans for eight, 671 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:14,320 tied with the Rockets, tied with the Rockets at five hundred. Things 672 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:16,639 have been trending up up into the right a little bit, but we still 673 00:45:16,719 --> 00:45:22,039 that six game losing streak. Pardon my French, totally fucked us. Where 674 00:45:22,079 --> 00:45:27,639 are you seeing us? Sixty two more games? Adam's out here to be 675 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:30,719 positive, so this might be a bit of a dark segment. I'm gonna 676 00:45:30,719 --> 00:45:38,360 say forty eight forty eight is that's the upside? Like that's oh no, 677 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,920 okay, so forty eight wins last year? I mean you're sitting at three 678 00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:46,480 forty eight wins last year of the three seed. Yeah, I just don't 679 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:50,840 know if that'll be the same this year, because it wasn't. Last year's 680 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:57,320 lower on average than yes, like the normal win percentages. Yes, so 681 00:45:57,480 --> 00:46:00,639 forty eight last year the Timberwolves are hundred right now, which I don't think 682 00:46:00,679 --> 00:46:06,280 they'll maintain. But damn, you're not catching that. Yeah, I don't 683 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:12,400 know for catching eight hundred. Mmm. I think if we're just if. 684 00:46:12,559 --> 00:46:15,320 And I'm again saying that I have time stamp every take because people lose their 685 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:19,400 minds. I got a time stamp at December seventh, seven, twenty seven 686 00:46:19,480 --> 00:46:23,199 pm one Gin and Tonic double Gin and Tonic in. I will say, 687 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:29,480 as long as we're not in the play in I'm I'm a coward's move. 688 00:46:29,639 --> 00:46:31,679 You had me pick a record, and you're gonna say, as long as 689 00:46:31,679 --> 00:46:36,280 we're not in the play coward, I asked, the coward is okay, 690 00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:38,599 here, here's my answer. Whatever the record for the playing it. No, 691 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:45,280 I'm gonna say, damn what So. The funny thing about the Clippers 692 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:49,199 is Vegas. I don't think was giving an over under on wins like bet 693 00:46:49,199 --> 00:46:52,360 online. They weren't for a long time because I think people were waiting on 694 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:54,480 the Herden thing, like we don't know what the fuck's gonna happen. Give 695 00:46:54,639 --> 00:47:01,639 me, give me, I hate to say the forty eight numbers good, 696 00:47:02,039 --> 00:47:07,360 give me the low of there's no way there's sub five hundred. There's no 697 00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:10,199 way they're under five hundred. No, they're not in in the streak this 698 00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:14,519 year. There's no way. It's like the longest running streak of any team 699 00:47:14,519 --> 00:47:16,320 with winning season. What was it ten seasons? Eleven seasons? I think 700 00:47:16,320 --> 00:47:21,639 it's eleven seasons. Yeah, which, Hey, is there a trophy for 701 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:23,679 being over five hundred for a decade? Wow? And the fireworks are out? 702 00:47:24,679 --> 00:47:30,760 Did you click something? Dude? So if you're not watching us, 703 00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:34,639 go watch us on YouTube dot com, sa AS podcast. But the new 704 00:47:34,760 --> 00:47:37,440 update with iOS and re stream, Like if you do a thumbs up or 705 00:47:37,440 --> 00:47:42,960 something, it'll sometimes do fireworks. It'll sometimes it's so random. I think 706 00:47:43,079 --> 00:47:45,320 it'll make a heart if you do one of these. I do if I 707 00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:47,519 do like at this, like I'm a soccer player who just scored, Yeah, 708 00:47:47,599 --> 00:47:53,599 let's go. Uh. The bottom is forty five Willians, the top 709 00:47:53,880 --> 00:47:59,440 is forty nine. So there's not a lot of wiggle room. So Vegas 710 00:47:59,519 --> 00:48:05,679 has it at one sports book. It is at FanDuel it's currently forty four 711 00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:12,239 wins. At bet MGM it is forty seven. Damn. I would not 712 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:15,800 take that bet at the MGM bet Rod. What are you seeing eighty two 713 00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:21,239 games. Where are the Clippers at Give us your stamp, give us some 714 00:48:21,360 --> 00:48:23,440 hope or not. It's your call. Man. It's hard for me to 715 00:48:23,519 --> 00:48:28,119 like because I don't even think that way, like about critens and losses as 716 00:48:28,119 --> 00:48:32,679 a total. I don't know. They feel like a play in team. 717 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:38,079 They feel like a team that will like get in the play in and win 718 00:48:38,159 --> 00:48:43,519 one makes them them lose the series. And you know, I was looking 719 00:48:43,559 --> 00:48:45,360 down, so I was like, let me write this down so I don't 720 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:52,960 forget what I'm like thinking about here. Part of the reason the Clippers don't 721 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:58,000 even there. People don't take the Clippers seriously. I think the seven and 722 00:48:58,079 --> 00:49:05,039 three after like losing six games is in part because people are like, man, 723 00:49:05,079 --> 00:49:07,199 I can take this night off, like even a little bit, take 724 00:49:07,199 --> 00:49:10,320 this night off. I'm coming to LA and it's not the Lakers, it's 725 00:49:10,360 --> 00:49:15,760 not on national TV. It all adds up, and I think that leaves 726 00:49:15,760 --> 00:49:21,239 them like perennially with inflated records, Like the only team to have five like 727 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:23,960 above five hundred in the last ten years is a team no one would guess. 728 00:49:24,239 --> 00:49:31,840 Yeah, why do you think they're extremely They're extenuating factors that don't work 729 00:49:31,880 --> 00:49:36,880 when people take you seriously, when people game for you and scout for you 730 00:49:36,960 --> 00:49:42,679 in a way that's like meaningful and put their best rosters forward night after night. 731 00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:47,159 The number, I guess I would say is like whatever the number to 732 00:49:47,199 --> 00:49:52,800 get the seven seed in the play top play in seed. Yeah, and 733 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:58,519 that's then what's tough, too, is the scheduled debacle of the Clippers being 734 00:49:58,559 --> 00:50:04,000 the third tenant is always absurd. It's the most absurd this year. I 735 00:50:04,079 --> 00:50:06,880 think the schedule makers came out and said it's their last year in Staples, 736 00:50:06,880 --> 00:50:09,840 so we're giving them a big double bird, and you can deal with seventeen 737 00:50:09,880 --> 00:50:14,360 games in March or whatever like that. But I think you might be right. 738 00:50:15,519 --> 00:50:20,719 This is the Clippers have so much about themselves to figure out. It 739 00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:24,960 feels like we've seen Ty pull some good strings with splitting up you know, 740 00:50:25,079 --> 00:50:29,079 Harden in Westbrook. But again, this team goes as far as PG and 741 00:50:29,159 --> 00:50:34,599 Kui take them, and we've gotten twenty straight games of PG and Kawhi and 742 00:50:35,360 --> 00:50:38,920 the six game losing streak. I don't know if this is maybe a rough 743 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:43,079 question, are they gonna have a winning streak as long as that six game 744 00:50:43,119 --> 00:50:51,000 losing streak that's like they need one. But that's tough, man. Their 745 00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:53,599 longest will last year, I think was five sick. I don't know if 746 00:50:53,599 --> 00:50:57,280 they do. I don't know if they make it. I don't know. 747 00:50:57,519 --> 00:51:00,760 They need to. They need to offset that losing streak with with a with 748 00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:04,360 an actual six game winning street, because that is did you say that they 749 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:07,719 have seventeen home games in March? Like what, like what team total games 750 00:51:07,719 --> 00:51:10,719 in March? Is that a? Like? I guess that's yeah, that's 751 00:51:10,840 --> 00:51:15,840 every other day. It's more than every other day, and it's at the 752 00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:19,239 end of the season. I've been preaching that everyone should be preparing for this 753 00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:22,239 with their earthquake preparedness kits. Like since the schedule came out, I'm actually 754 00:51:22,320 --> 00:51:27,920 really glad you're drawing attention of this because people also don't get scheduling like your 755 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:30,440 favorite team, like the teams have win a lot, get really great scheduling. 756 00:51:31,360 --> 00:51:36,000 It really matters. Last year, I really thought that the Warriors were 757 00:51:36,039 --> 00:51:38,639 going to come out of the gate so dead. Yeah, but then their 758 00:51:38,880 --> 00:51:43,320 schedule, like twenty three of their first twenty five games were against like sub 759 00:51:43,320 --> 00:51:45,559 five hundred teams from like the year before, so they were able to get 760 00:51:45,559 --> 00:51:51,480 it rolling like this all matters, Like start talking about the other things because 761 00:51:51,480 --> 00:51:54,199 they all play in bro like it's not even a conspiracy. No, this 762 00:51:54,280 --> 00:52:00,880 is like if black Rock will move investment proper, he's based on like a 763 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:05,679 one percent change in like in like the rate. Do you really think nbaight? 764 00:52:05,840 --> 00:52:08,039 Like the NBA doesn't operate the same. Like if people are watching one 765 00:52:08,079 --> 00:52:12,800 thing, if a team gets credit for something, people move, like it 766 00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:16,519 all ships right away. It really does, it really does. Thank you 767 00:52:16,559 --> 00:52:21,159 for saying that I am not a complete lunatic for focusing on March already in 768 00:52:21,199 --> 00:52:24,639 December. Now getting to the second most important part of this podcast, We're 769 00:52:24,679 --> 00:52:30,639 gonna talk about different dude in a sec. The Clippers slogan, rod, 770 00:52:30,679 --> 00:52:32,599 if you were not aware, is one of the worst in professional sports. 771 00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:38,559 It is give no quarter, which is, as we know, impossible, 772 00:52:38,599 --> 00:52:42,159 And we have a thing on this show where we were going to donate a 773 00:52:42,239 --> 00:52:45,440 quarter into a jar every time they've lost a quarter. So far, they've 774 00:52:45,440 --> 00:52:50,880 played twenty games. These stats are from John Rodriguez. Shout out John Rodriguez. 775 00:52:51,119 --> 00:52:55,360 Twenty games, eighty total possible quarters. They've won forty four, they've 776 00:52:55,480 --> 00:53:00,880 lost thirty three so right now, will we're in for a cool The other 777 00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:06,920 three were tied quarters. I'm assuming yeah, something like that. We won 778 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:10,960 them, thankfully, But I hope, I hope they don't keep losing quarters. 779 00:53:12,079 --> 00:53:15,159 I hope that doesn't happen because eight twenty five, like we'll right, 780 00:53:15,159 --> 00:53:19,239 we're only twenty games in, Like I can't afford this. Man, that 781 00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:22,639 does feel like something Elon Musk would say, like to promote his team, 782 00:53:22,719 --> 00:53:25,719 like we're yes, like it's we've actually won forty four quarters despite being five 783 00:53:25,800 --> 00:53:30,719 hundred. Who gives. I'm not going to say a team will lose a 784 00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:32,880 quarter on purpose, because that's not what I mean. But sure, I 785 00:53:32,920 --> 00:53:37,760 don't know. We know for a fact that if me and the point guard 786 00:53:37,760 --> 00:53:39,320 are resting in the second quarter, we lose that quarter a lot, like 787 00:53:40,760 --> 00:53:49,960 there is no The problem with sports is that the outcome is final, but 788 00:53:50,119 --> 00:53:54,159 nothing about what led to it is, and so people need like hard answers 789 00:53:54,199 --> 00:53:59,440 to figure out why something happened. Give no quarter, Oh we lost three 790 00:53:59,519 --> 00:54:02,280 quarters. As a basketball player, I'm not thinking that at all. Now. 791 00:54:02,320 --> 00:54:07,679 If I'm if I'm on like a ten game losing streak and we realize 792 00:54:07,719 --> 00:54:10,599 it's because we give up twenty point deferences. Is the first quarter, like, 793 00:54:10,960 --> 00:54:15,039 hey, let's let's start figuring out like a lineup that gets us going 794 00:54:15,159 --> 00:54:21,000 or good early, but give no quarter makes no sense unless it's Middle Earth 795 00:54:21,079 --> 00:54:23,880 or like Lord of the I mean, I don't know, Like it's it's 796 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:28,280 insane. It's an act. We will hold the line, Like, what 797 00:54:28,320 --> 00:54:31,920 do you mean? This is basketball? It's the least holding of a line 798 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:37,159 game there is. That's football. Give no. That's why every I don't 799 00:54:37,159 --> 00:54:43,239 care how old. Go to like a Pop Warner football game or a football 800 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:45,320 game, or go to like the Rams. Every time the fourth quarter starts, 801 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:52,519 all the players were like, because we know we guys, we gave 802 00:54:52,599 --> 00:54:58,360 up the third will never give up. That's not basketball. Every single play 803 00:54:58,559 --> 00:55:04,360 is a give and take. There's yeah, all right, Now to the 804 00:55:04,400 --> 00:55:07,199 most important part of the show, Rod, your book is out. Different 805 00:55:07,280 --> 00:55:10,639 Dude, give a little bit of a spiel. What can people expect from 806 00:55:10,679 --> 00:55:14,400 us? You have so much experience that we've talked about just just LifeWise, 807 00:55:14,480 --> 00:55:17,159 basketwise, everything. What can people expect from Different Dude? The book? 808 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:21,599 Uh, well, a lot of this, I mean just being long w 809 00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:24,239 Like it's like it's you write a book so you can have the uninterrupted versions 810 00:55:24,239 --> 00:55:30,480 of your long thoughts. But it's really just a lot of stories I'm about 811 00:55:30,519 --> 00:55:36,800 my career, but they're not the ones you normally get, uh. And 812 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:39,400 I think at the end of it, you kind of get this idea that 813 00:55:42,639 --> 00:55:46,880 basketball as we know it is like something we just all believe in, but 814 00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:51,639 as it actually plays out, it's nothing like most people will most people believe 815 00:55:51,679 --> 00:55:55,119 in. And I really think that the authenticity is going to change how people 816 00:55:55,119 --> 00:56:05,679 even discuss sports, because no one has been this honest, even like Andrea 817 00:56:05,719 --> 00:56:10,599 Agascy. The honesty was very like personal to but not about the sport. 818 00:56:12,119 --> 00:56:15,360 I see everything at once, Like I'm someone who can like layer stuff. 819 00:56:15,360 --> 00:56:19,519 It's like a big part of my art. And so like when the book 820 00:56:19,559 --> 00:56:22,880 was done, I was like, oh damn, Like this is saying a 821 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:27,039 lot of things that if you're not paying attention, hey, maybe you just 822 00:56:27,039 --> 00:56:29,760 hear some cool basketball stories. If you are paying attention, you're like, 823 00:56:30,800 --> 00:56:35,320 why would that story be in here? Why would he include that? And 824 00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:37,519 uh, like a thirty second story I can tell it is from the book. 825 00:56:37,599 --> 00:56:40,920 It's like the third one in the book. When I was thirteen, 826 00:56:42,159 --> 00:56:46,440 my grandmother, I'm sorry. My mom told me and my brother get to 827 00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:49,880 get in the car. We drove from San Diego to LA to meet my 828 00:56:49,880 --> 00:56:52,519 grandmother at work, which is weird. I'm like, why are we always 829 00:56:52,559 --> 00:56:55,360 meeting family at work? Like can we meet it? How? Like? 830 00:56:55,440 --> 00:57:01,000 We drove two hours for this. My grandmother was not like kind to me. 831 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:06,320 We weren't friends, so I also didn't really want to go. But 832 00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:09,960 we get there and she walks us into the office and is like, like 833 00:57:10,039 --> 00:57:13,599 gives me the biggest hug, and it's like, oh my god, Like 834 00:57:13,639 --> 00:57:16,880 you're so handsome now, how tall are you? I'm like six' one, 835 00:57:16,960 --> 00:57:20,880 Like I don't know you, like what's happening. She walks me through 836 00:57:20,920 --> 00:57:24,360 this office and every single person there takes pictures with me as we stretch out 837 00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:30,000 my arms back to back like and I wasn't feeling it, but everybody else 838 00:57:30,079 --> 00:57:37,239 was like this is important, there's a future something here. After that whole 839 00:57:37,360 --> 00:57:40,559 charade, my grandmother walked me outside and she's like, you know, don't 840 00:57:40,559 --> 00:57:45,079 forget about us when you're like in the NBA and famous. When I was 841 00:57:45,119 --> 00:57:49,320 thirteen, I wasn't even on a team, and I was like, I'll 842 00:57:49,360 --> 00:57:52,519 never forget, forget about you, which was a lie, and she literally 843 00:57:52,559 --> 00:58:00,480 goes, don't marry no white girl like Kobe. Damn. It's a short 844 00:58:00,519 --> 00:58:05,960 story that to me encapsulates so much about the basketball experience, the expectations from 845 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:09,119 other people, the even like the white girl like Kobe, Like there's race 846 00:58:09,199 --> 00:58:13,559 that crosses to like what is my grandmother thinking is wrong with white people? 847 00:58:13,880 --> 00:58:15,639 But also like Kobe didn't marry a white one right now, okay? And 848 00:58:15,679 --> 00:58:20,360 so like what is the connection there? Like it's so many things that I 849 00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:23,559 think again, I try to be really deliberate with my work. At the 850 00:58:23,639 --> 00:58:27,800 end of it, if you were paying attention to the details, you get 851 00:58:27,840 --> 00:58:30,880 it. Like whatever everybody else is seeing with basketball, I don't see. 852 00:58:30,880 --> 00:58:34,960 I see the matrix. I see green shit falling, and I go blonde, 853 00:58:34,960 --> 00:58:42,199 brunette, redhead. I cannot wait to read it. Thank you so 854 00:58:42,400 --> 00:58:46,039 much for coming on and giving us high level basketball thoughts. It's been fantastic. 855 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:51,920 We usually add on a positive about the Clippers that Adam does, but 856 00:58:52,039 --> 00:58:54,199 will You're gonna have to do that. But before we get into it, 857 00:58:54,599 --> 00:58:58,679 Rod, where can all these fantastic listeners find you? Plug the socials, 858 00:58:58,719 --> 00:59:00,599 plug everything you want to plug? Yeah, well, first, let me 859 00:59:00,599 --> 00:59:06,039 plug the Clippers positive. They do have players, they are exciting. It 860 00:59:06,119 --> 00:59:08,159 is the team that people want to watch. There's a lot of teams people 861 00:59:08,159 --> 00:59:12,480 don't want to watch, so I understand that it's easier to be negative than 862 00:59:12,480 --> 00:59:15,559 positive. But I'm going to give a positive point before you do, William, 863 00:59:15,559 --> 00:59:19,800 which is just to say that they are still fun. There's controversy. 864 00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:23,280 You care. You're here listening, so it must be doing something. As 865 00:59:23,320 --> 00:59:27,880 for the book, it's called Different Dude. It can be found at different 866 00:59:27,960 --> 00:59:30,880 Dude dot com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, et cetera. And you 867 00:59:30,920 --> 00:59:37,679 can find me on all socials at z s O R R y O N, 868 00:59:37,119 --> 00:59:40,599 which is just my middle name and my art name, but it's pronounced 869 00:59:40,800 --> 00:59:45,239 jerry on. I had black parents. And besides that, I'm just really 870 00:59:45,280 --> 00:59:50,639 thankful that you brought me on. Man. We're happy. Yes, it 871 00:59:50,719 --> 00:59:52,880 was wonderful. We're gonna be back. We're gonna be on the radio at 872 00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:55,559 some point. I think Adam is sick. He's still he's not doing the 873 00:59:55,559 --> 00:59:59,079 pod so he can do his pre and post game job for the Clippers, 874 00:59:59,079 --> 01:00:01,800 which is great. We'll have a tripod on Sunday. I think we got 875 01:00:01,800 --> 01:00:07,760 a three and four coming up reviews. Help us will give us one more 876 01:00:07,760 --> 01:00:12,480 positive thing about the Clippers before we send these very intelligent listeners and watchers about 877 01:00:12,519 --> 01:00:15,000 their weekend. I think the like the brightest light of the tunnel. And 878 01:00:15,079 --> 01:00:19,239 I know Clippers fans are trepidacious because that's the way they are. But I 879 01:00:19,280 --> 01:00:23,519 think the biggest stat to look at so far is Kawhi and Paul George planning 880 01:00:23,599 --> 01:00:27,400 one hundred percent of the games. And I'm not saying that they finished with 881 01:00:27,480 --> 01:00:30,440 eighty two, but that is about I mean, like, you know, 882 01:00:30,480 --> 01:00:35,559 for a team that's dependent on these two guys about as I don't know, 883 01:00:35,599 --> 01:00:37,280 they couldn't do any better. They can't do extra credit, they can't play 884 01:00:37,280 --> 01:00:43,039 an extra game. So that that that to me is a good sign. 885 01:00:43,360 --> 01:00:45,559 Well take it. I hope they don't play any extra play in games. 886 01:00:45,599 --> 01:00:47,639 I think that's a I think that's a great trend to hop on. We 887 01:00:47,719 --> 01:00:51,679 will be back in a couple of days. Thank you to everyone for listening. 888 01:00:52,079 --> 01:00:54,960 Find us on YouTube over at YouTube dot collup slash at Clippers Podcast on 889 01:00:55,000 --> 01:00:59,679 Twitter. We are at Clippers Pod. Remember that Adam Olsen is still keeping 890 01:00:59,719 --> 01:01:01,280 received It's something we don't do, but we need someone out there to be 891 01:01:01,280 --> 01:01:05,280 in the trenches for us. Rod Benson, thank you so much. Everyone 892 01:01:05,320 --> 01:01:07,760 go check out his work. Will be back soon. As always, let's 893 01:01:07,760 --> 01:01:08,320 go clips.