Welcome into a special edition of Clips and Dip. I'm Adam Oslin. We
got Charles Mochler, Will Up Dick is here and your iconic voice for your
Los Angeles Clippers. He's got pipes in his throat more golden than the Larry
O. B It is Brian Seaman joining us. Brian, what's good.
How's your off season been? It's been good. It's good to see everybody
here. I've tried to keep up from Afar with Clips and Dips, so
I appreciate what you guys do here during the off season, and I'm happy
to be joining you. I think this is my first time on here.
If I'm not mistaken. We waited in Adam's never asked me. I kept
asking him like can I come on? And He's just like, we got
you know, we got some other people from this week. We never never
Please come on next week too, Brian. So let's catch up on lost
time here. Speaking to that, you know, there's been a lot of
negativity about last season with Clippers Nation. It was a tough one to watch
because of the expectations going into it. A lot of said maybe it's the
most disappointing season in Clipper's history relative to those expectations, you could say,
but just kind of summarize the season and your thoughts on it, as we've
been doing this autopsy now for a few months here. I mean, I
went into the season thinking that this was going to be a team that could
possibly win sixty games, even with the big boys taking nights off the roster
top to bottom. I loved it. I thought they were going to be
ready to go. I thought that the injury year give guys like Terrence Man
a little bit of more ownership coming into this year. And just I was
so hyped up, and I was telling people privately, you know, I'd
be like, this is it. If we don't win at all, something
terrible has happened. I'll tell you that right now. It's what I kept
saying. And my wife's side of the family, they're not into sports all
that much, but I kept telling Mike, well, we're going to win
it all, There's no question about it. And so I think at one
point in time, we're barely five hundreds, Like, how's it looking,
I'm like, yeah, you know it is. It's going there. We'll
see how it all goes. But I was disappointed too, and I've mentioned
this before. I just thought the competitive integrity was not there every night,
and it needs to be there. I love the regular season. I'm a
believer that it creates habits. I'm a believer that it creates a mentality.
And when you look at teams that have won it all those starts, I
mean, I bet you could go back and look at the last ten to
fifteen champions and their starts are like fifteen and two, twenty and three.
I mean, the Warriors did it a couple of years ago, Denver had
a good start, The Bucks a few years ago were terrific. It's important
and it's important that you take that mentality. For eighty two games. We
know Kawai and PG are gonna miss time, but everybody I just kind of
felt like eased their way into the season and I just had a hard time
feeling like this team was going to ever get over the hump. And if
you compare last year's team to the one two years ago that maxed out their
talent, the competitive integrity was never questioned, and when they lost by twenty,
you're like, yeah, man, they these guys are laying it on
the line very night, Like Reggie Jackson should have been in traction much of
the season two years ago, right, and this dude, I remember there
was a game in Portland where he winds up on his back. I think
he's I thought he had a broken back, and he comes out and he
plays the second half of that. I remember thinking, Okay, well tomorrow
when he wakes up, I think we were in Utah and he's he's gonna
be hurting, and I see him and he's like, I'm playing to night,
buddy, And it was just like nothing to him. And that's the
spirit that I love and I want to see more of. And I'm hoping
that last year was humbling. Now that said, we get to the playoffs
should give me a healthy PG. We're beating Phoenix in five. No one's
telling me any different than that. And I respect what the Sun's did.
The let's go and so I mean, like, I don't want to say
like it was a disastrous season and they didn't know what they were doing,
but they have a healthy team, a healthy Kawai and PG. They're winning
that series and who knows what's going on after that as they start to gain
some confidence with russ In in that starting role. But it was. It
was a disappointing season with all the expectations that they had, and I'm hoping
that that few rules them in this offseason and it fuels them when training camp
opens on October three. What's that like for you, Like, you know,
you're close to the team, you're a broadcaster that you're there night in,
night out. You know, like there are certain expectations that aren't really
being met. Like is your goal to just like try to keep bringing the
energy for the fans and hope that things turn around, or what's it like
when you're sitting in the chair there. It's a good question, you know.
I definitely feel the frustration because I love the team too, and I'm
rooting for the team. I'm rooting for a good game, and there's a
third team that I'm mooving for, and that's the fans. I want them
to have a great night. I want them to have something to cheer for.
You know, they have been starved for success. We've had so much
hype around the team over the last decade and they just haven't been able to
get over the hump. So when I start seeing that, I'm like,
I feel down. I get upset. But at the end of the day,
I still love what I do, and I'm that's the only place I
want to be is in front of a table with a microphone and watching a
basketball game. So it's not all doom and gloomy, even though it isn't
going the way that I wanted to go. And you know, it's funny
because in my normal life, I'm probably not the most optimistic person, but
I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to the Clippers. I'm like, this
is the game. Okay, that one play is the game. It's going
to turn the whole thing around. We're going ten and oh the next two
weeks. Well that clearly that never happened last year. But that's how I
was like that when in the Chris Cayman years, like when we had Barrett
Davis, I'm like, oh, here we go. We might have lost
seven at all, but we just beat the worst team in the league,
and now it's going to be giving us confidence. I stayed there all the
time, and so I don't know if that's just a genetic deficiency that I
have or just an eternal love for the Clippers probably calling me call him be
there. Well, it's funny because your spot. For those of you don't
know, Brian when he's broadcasting is right in that kind of like the perfect
seating, basically halfway up that first bowl. It's wonderful if you sit in
that section. Sometimes in media you're joined by Lawrence Frank, who is a
very enthusiastic watcher of the game and that so that's got to be I don't
know. For me, it would be hard if he was like if like
your boss's boss's boss's boss was right in front of you during that. But
he's so focused that seems like it's not that big of a deal. But
he's a great guy. Yeah, And I don't know, And I think
I feel that he understands the job that I have to do, and he
knows that if I have a question about, hey, how are we going
to handle this, he gives me an honest answer, like he's Those guys
are great to all of them. I love the organization. I get that
we haven't achieved what we're trying to achieve, but there are so many mountains
that this organization had to climb and concker and part of that is winning a
title. But in order to win a title, they had to make this
a place, a destination they had to give not only players, but front
office staff. Business side is great, Like, the whole organization is run
so well. It's a matter of time before it all comes together and we
get to where we're going. But guys like Lawrence, we had, Michael
Winger, Mark Hugh's trend reading. Lee Jenkins sits in those seats every once
in a while. I mean, I just look over at Lee and I'm
like, I can't believe that guy's in our organization. It's so awesome that
the brain power that we have and the wisdom that we have. So I
actually love that Lawrence sits there. Sometimes I'll go down there and ask him
a question and I can tell within two words he's pissed or he's willing to
talk. So that's gonna see. I hope everything's good. I just walk
away and act like I had a phone call or something. You know,
I'll get out of the way. I was one sitting in his seat in
meteor row, which was very embarrassing. I felt a tap on my shoulder
because there was no name tag, and I was kind of like and I
was like, oh, it's Lawrence Frank, I will move, sir,
all right, Brian, So you mentioned it a little bit earlier, but
talking about Paul George not being able to go in that first round series unfortunately
against the Phoenix Suns. But let's play things forward as we go back to
what he said on Monday on his podcast, he said he's gonna be on
his bully s this season. Normally I'd say shit like I just did now,
but we got Brian Semana, So I'm gonna try to be more buttoned
up here in my undershirt. So Paul George said online that he is going
to be on his bullys this season. How does that manifest itself? Because,
to his credit, after what happened in the bubble in twenty twenty,
he came into the twenty twenty one season said he's gonna be on guys all
year long, and he was very good and helped lead them to the Western
Conference finals. So we're are we hoping to see from Paul George? Well,
I feel they have to know that this is this is gonna be a
possible last head, Like they have to know that if this doesn't happen,
that we're going to start getting kind of shopped around. That's just my opinion,
I think he has to know that as well, so I would say
it's going to go well in that regard. But in my opinion, why
would you ever get off of it like that? When I heard that,
why would you not just be this guy all the time? And I feel
that, you know, PG is so talented and has everything you could ever
want. If he had Russell Westbrook's determination, we'd be talking about a top
five player of all time. And and to me, if you have this
whatever you want to call this mentality coming into this season, great. I
mean, I thought he was just okay last year and he was an All
Star, Like, I thought he was good, Like I didn't think he
was the dominant player that he had kind of talked about it, yet he
still was an All Star. So I'm excited to see it. And I
really hope that they feel some urgency, like, hey man, the window
is closing, like it isn't staying open forever. And he had mentioned that
last year. So let's hope that he lays it all out on the floor
this year because they need it. And if he does, you're you're looking
at an All NBA selection at the very least. That's how talented he is.
Are we worried that he's going to just become a literal bully and maybe
start panting people or shoving people in lockers? And how would the team spawn
to that? You know, I'm just trying to see how that would go
over with Russ, like like, hey, what are you doing? I
mean top of you know, I'm trying to think of who else he secret
channel would be occupied? A people getting away from PG put Suran rap on
the damn toilet, just ruining everything. Brian, have you ordered your James
Hardingersey yet? Or are you gonna wait for that whole trade to go through?
Yeah, I don't know what number he's gonna wear, so I'll just
I'm waiting for that note. You know, we're all waiting to see if
it even happens. And I watched your show last week, and I mean,
I don't know. I just don't know how Philadelphia has an ounce of
leverage like anything on so many levels. The player is on an expiring deal
in his mid thirties and can still contribute at a high level, but not
the level that we are used to seeing. He's called his shot about the
team. He wants to go play for But the thing to me that's the
biggest driver for this if you're Philadelphia is, Dude, you've got Joel Embiid
in the middle of his prime. You cannot waste a game playing cat and
mouse with it. With a team that knows that you're up against it.
The Sixers are going to have to figure something out immediately, and and it's
it's I don't see a world in which they're going to get that Godfather offer.
I don't see how that's going to happen. But listen, I don't
like to speculate about this stuff, especially because I'm a team employee. But
all I know, I just all I know is what you guys read,
what I read. I actually never ask the front office about what's going on.
But you could just see what the cards are. I mean, it's
like you're playing poker and you know the other guy's hand. I know you
don't have two aces. So I'm not going to be afraid of this pot.
I'm gonna do what I need to do to get what I need.
Darryl Moray is a smart guy. Maybe he brings in a third or fourth
team to help kind of create some riches in that deal for Philadelphia. But
to me, the time is ticking for them. They cannot waste Joel embiad
he's already kind of hinted he's willing to go somewhere else, you know.
I mean, you've got to be careful. You've got a generational talent like
Joel embiid, he can't let it go. So not to speculate too much,
but what would a player like James Harden bring to this Clippers team.
Well, I think he would fit well. I think he'd fit pretty well
here. His skill set. I think he would fit well given that he
would be the third maybe fourth guy. You know, it depends on where
you rank Russ and how many touches he's going to get, you know,
as Norman Powell on the floor at the same time, because in that sect,
I mean, I think I think James could fit in well. It
seems like he's you know, as Doc Rivers would say, he's over himself.
I think he's ready to just to come in and play all role.
If he's a fifteen and eight guy, that's success to me, Hey,
you know what I mean, Like, you know, and a guy that
can kind of you know, you would have two interesting players and Harden possibly,
and again this is speculative, but you have a guy that can really
organize the offense and create shots for himself and his teammates. But then you
have the other guy in Russ, who's the leadership quality that this team I
feel has been missing really since the start of this two one three campaign in
twenty nineteen. And I think Russ being there for a training camp and and
I talked to that him, you know, I mean I was I was
concerned is a good word. When Russ was brought on for so many reasons,
and I was always want to be clear, like the guy showed out
and taking the contract that he did with the Clippers shows you that he just
wants to be loved and he just wants to play in a place where he
thinks he can find success in the role that he's given. So you,
if you were like me and you kind of like kept Russ out here,
give him a hug. No. I think he's I think his leadership through
a training camp and his mentality through a preseason will be infectious. And I
think that's that that missing piece. I think Pat Beverley did a great job,
but Russ can do so much more. On the floor, and I
think it's going to be great. Now, I want to be very clear,
Pat Beverley might be my favorite all time Clippers, So that's O shade,
and I love, love, love Pat. Also, he was always
good to me, but just what he did in that twenty eighteen nineteen year
was so much fun. Anyway, hard that's right, I heard that one
before. So I think Harden's a good could be a good addition. You
know. I've always been a fan of his skill set, so it'll be
curious to see. And you've got a guy in Tylu that I think and
we'll talk about this later about attacking the regular season and having more urgency,
but I think Tyler is going to be able to put him in a spot
to be very successful and very tricky to deal with, especially when Paul George
and Kawhi letter on the floor at the same time. Yeah, you bring
up Tylu. We recently got some word that it seems like Kwai should be
ready for training camp. If that's the case, like, how do you
think this team do we see a different approach to that first, you know,
twenty or thirty games. If we have a healthy Quai in training camp
and do you think that that could have any sort of impact on on these
sort of contract negotiations that are not necessarily under the clock. They're both on
their contract for another season, but from from what we've heard at least,
there hasn't been a whole lot of movement there. Yeah, I don't know
anything about I don't even know how I feel about a contract extent to be
honest, like I mean, I just I know the work that Lawrence in
that front office have done the predates Kawai's arrival, and I'll just be honest.
For me, I have eternal trust in what they're doing. So if
they say we're going to sign these guys to three or four year deals,
then that's the right move. I just I believe that I believe in them.
Others can say they don't, that's fine, but I do. So.
I don't know really where I said. It was kind of like what
Chris Paul was like in twenty seventeen. I didn't know if I wanted in
the comeback, if I wanted in to go. It's not because I didn't
think he would help the Clippers win, but at a price tag at that
age when we've been missing games, I was like, you know, I'm
good either way. I know if we see if he stays, we'll have
a chance to win games. If he goes, we'll have a chance to
actually rebuild hit the reset button, which we did beautifully, like you couldn't
have asked for it any better. So, you know, I don't know
how the beginning of the season goes. I I just want to feel like
they are crazed and desperate to win. We know Kawhi is gonna miss twenty
games, probably more. Pg's gonna miss fifteen to twenty probably, but there's
still enough talent on this team to win a lot of games. And I
just I want the desperate urgency. I want them to feel like this is
indeed the last dance for these guys if they can't get it done. I'm
not saying that it is, but I need that urgency every single night because
it just wasn't their life. There was so many games I walked away staking
my head, like what I mean the Denver game in early I want to
say it was early January where the players got benched. There was a game
in Cleveland. I mean, it was it was just rough. I was
just there were so many times I just felt like they weren't out there trying
to win and trying to play as hard as they could. That has to
be that happens to every team, including the Denver Nuggets who want it all.
I just felt it happened. I felt like it happened like two or
three times a month, and that was too many times. Yeah. I
like what you said about kind of playing like crazed, like we need like
an an incredibly determined version of those guys. There was a cool story to
kind of talk about some of the younger guys and like focus and you know,
bringing the energy. I don't know if you saw it. Law Murray
tweeted out a really cool anecdote from the Drew League when Musa Diabat was playing
in it, where a coach posted that he was like, I had an
NBA guy on my Drew League team. Well, I had to sub out
because he wasn't you know, he was making some defensive lapses. And he
said when he was talking with Musa, Musa was just locked in on his
eyes. He was saying yes, coach, yes, coach. He internalized
that he went to the bench, he was still cheering and bringing guys up
that same coach had college guys on the team who we did the same thing
with who were not as enthused and didn't reciprocate those same streeling Musa did.
How can some of these young guys maybe help with the energy, And I
mean Kobe Brown's been talked up, I mean a fair amount by this by
this team so far. Like what are you looking forward to from some of
the young guys and what they can bring because playing time it might not be
as as some people want, but given these Clippers goals, having that energy
around should help too. Yeah, you know, and Mussa could be a
guy that gets in there a few more times than he did last year.
Remember he won that Portland game in Portland early in the season. Came in
the whole fourth quarter and it's funny if you go back and watch. And
I only know this because Ty was talking about it on the plane. He
says, go watch the tape. I'm out there telling Mussa literally every board
that it needs to be on it be two feet outs. He had to
direct him, like literally, like an orchestra conductor, because Mussa wasn't like
totally aware. And that's not because he's not a smart guy because he hasn't
been playing with some of these guys, but he's he's kind of all over
the place defensively, but his energy was so infectious and he deserved the game
ball and then some he was awesome. But the guy that I feel like
needs to really make a show is Brandon Boston. I'm curious about him.
This is his third year. I've talked with Lawrence in the past about developing
younger players, and he's always said, I need to see something by the
third year. There's not a skill set piece that Brandon Boston doesn't have.
Offensively, I've seen him in practice. He's got all the tools. Can
he put it together in a game? Can he play a team game?
Let's find that out. But there's a lot of talent on the back end
of that bench, you know. I'm curious about Jason Preston. I thought
he was okay. I thought he had some good moments in Summer League,
you know. And Kobe Brown. I mean, there was a couple of
games there You're just like, well, what's the deal with this dude?
Can this guy actually cracked the rotation? That's how good he looked in Summer
League. But then you look at the depth chart ahead of him. You
know it's going to be an uphill battle. But you know they've got some
young talent going forward. I just I agree. I don't know if they're
going to see it. Put it this way, if they do start seeing
a lot of time, something probably happened to get that time. That's not
great, you know what I mean, unless there's some crazy surprise in training
camp that some of these guys get into the rotation. Yeah, we'll see
a video of Kobe Brown dunking on Kauai practice and I was like, well,
I guess he asked to start. Now, coming up, we have
some fantastic Clippers fans question that we did have to curate because shockingly, Clippers
Twitter isn't as positive as real life Clippers fans. But before that, we
have some ads coming up. We've got to keep the lights on. They've
been a little loud, so if that's been your case, go ahead and
turn them down a scoche. But after that, we are asking Brian Seman
your fans submitted questions. Ads coming up in three two one. All right,
we are back. This is a season two episode seven of Clips and
Dip. We're joined by Brian Seman, Brian, thank you so much for
being on here. Number seven with Brian. Now there we go. Will
What is this question we got from Clippers Twitter power user Justin w at La
Clippers film who Brian I believe you've met before I met he is? He
is a basketball savant. Yes, I really respect his opinion absolutely, Justin
asked members of the franchise. We've we've heard about it from Tyler, Lawrence
Frank. We've talked about respecting the regular season again given the health concer you
know, with some of these guys, to what end, like, can
we really achieve that? Can they achieve that goal? Well, if the
goal is to win sixty games, that's gonna be tough to do. To
me, it's a mentality. It's a it's a crazed urgency. It doesn't
matter if Kawai and PG are having those load management moments. I get it,
it's it's going to happen. It's it's unavoidable with these guys, but
uh, you still need to have this mentality. That is just Gopher broke
every single night for who is available to play, and it just was so
hit or miss. I just didn't know what was our identity. Last year,
I did not know, and so that can't be the case. Now
they have got to be able to come out and and just give you everything
they have. It's impossible to quantify. And I can see that my video
is frozen. I don't look like I've been hanging out with Cheech and Chong
the whole time. But you know, I lost by train of thought there
but went up and smoke it did. But I just I need to see
a mentality every single day. I was gonna say, it's like, I
don't know how how you can quantify it, but I'm telling you from my
front row seat, seventy five percent of the time, the team that plays
harder wins. I just believe that, no matter who they're up against,
I believe that that is the case. And I just want to see them
play hard every single night. That's a good call. We talked a little
bit about Russ Jesse season, who I believe was Jesse. Beer kind of
asked, you know, what was your perspective of seeing Russ welcome to the
team. How have you seen kind of the team change? And we all,
I mean, I shared your thing when when we brought Russ on trepidation.
I would say, from my perspective to put it politely, given what
we've seen so far, but he does bring something that evidently Paul, George
and QUI need to kind of lift them up. You mentioned the training camp
thing. Having a full training cam is going to be good. But could
the Russ experiment really have gone, I guess, any better than it did
when them that last season. I mean, outside of the first five games.
I don't think so, because I think he brought exactly what the Clippers
needed. He is the physical embodiment of what I'm talking about for the Clippers.
Russell Westbrook has never taken a playoff in his life. He has never
had a game where he's just kind of gone through the motions. Yes,
he's had games where he hasn't been efficient. I can promise you it wasn't
because he didn't prepare mentally or physically. It just wasn't there that night.
And even though I had my reservations about Russ when he came here, I
always respected the way that he played. In fact, if you want to
go back to the twenty fourteen playoffs, Kevin Durant is the MVP, and
I remember talking with Doc Rivers before like the playoff series had began, and
he said, I said, how do you slow down Durant? What's your
biggest keys? Like Durant is and we got to pay attention to him,
but the head of the snake is Russell Westbrook. You take him out,
you can start derailing everybody else. And I think that's probably his impact has
probably changed than it did, you know, maybe say nine years ago.
But this is a guy that I love to see play as hard as he
does. And I don't think he's going to let anybody else off the hook,
you know, and I love it. I think it's easier for him
to look leaders or leaders they're going to lead. And I don't think he
felt uncomfortable when it came in there, but it's a different vibe what he's
coming in to, a whole new blank canvas to be able to say,
this is how we're playing, this is what I expect from you and everybody
that's played with him. Again, whether you're a fan or you like Russ
or don't like Russ, I have yet to see a teammate say I didn't
like playing with Russell Westbrook. In fact, it's the best teammate I've ever
had that is almost unanimous throughout his time in the NBA. So I sense
that he's going to have much bigger imprint leadership wise, because it's going to
be more comfortable for him. So I thought he was received very well by
the players. Tylow loved him. I mentioned this story a couple of times
at the end of the year, but I'll say it again here. I
remember it was maybe the last game of the season. We're playing the Blazers,
and somebody asked Chauncey Billups about Russell Westbrook and he says, you know
what, I don't know if it was a great fit a couple of months
ago, but the Clippers needed a point guard and a leader, and Russ
needs some Russ needed somebody to give him a hug. And that's what he
did. And the results speak for themselves. And like I said, I
was really concerned about it, and I am not concerned. I thought I
ate my words. In fact, Adam, Adam and I. Noah Eagle
was the adult in the room with Adam and I when we were commiserating about
about Russ, and Noah's like, well, listen, man, whether you
like him or don't like him, you need to understand that he's gonna be
on this team, and you need to do it. You need to you
know he's going to be here and to do your job. Well, you
need to let it go. And I go, you know what, you're
right, You're absolutely right. And then it was like that moment. I
think that was maybe like before the Memphis game where he scored like forty one
points or whatever it was. It was a crazy outing and I kept looking
back at Noah shaking my head, like you you're supposed to be twenty four
years old. How are you the adults in the room. My god.
Anyway, he put Adam and Eye in our place pretty quickly, guys beyond
his ears, Noah Eagle, We got your Voice of the Clippers, Brian
Semen on CND taking your questions right now. Clip check. Nick asks this,
Brian, what was your favorite moment or moments or game in your time
on a Clippers broadcast so far? Oh geez, I truly do love them
all. Any any of the comebacks are fun, Like the twenty point comebacks
are always a blast. And it's not because you know you're gonna win when
you're down nineteen. I mean, like it's there's so much like, there's
so much hope, I guess, and hope is always I think the driving
emotion in sports, like you just are so hopeful, whether whether it's the
twenty eighteen nineteen season for the Clippers and you're hoping that they can get a
run into the playoffs, you're hoping that they can get a big free agent
in this the hope is so much fun. And in a microcosm, let's
say you're down thirty five in Washington, you cut it to twenty five,
you cut it to fifteen. Now you're hoping that they can pull it out.
And then once that hope is like now a fact that it happened,
there's so much joy after the fact. It's such a buzz after the game
is over in the bus, you know, with the with the players,
especially when you do it on the road, and I feel like we've done
a lot of them on the road, so you know, sometimes we go
back to the hotel and the Clippers will rent out the bar and you'll sit
there with the players and the coaches and just it's like a little mini celebration.
They're not celebrating a title, but it was a job well done that
night. So those are my favorite moments. But I'll be honest, I've
got just the best job in the league. I sincerely believe that I just
love every day that I go to work, and I love the days where
we're not working and I'm prepping. I love days like today when I just
get the talk hoops in the middle of the offseason. I have either made
a deal with the devil or I was born under a lucky star. It's
one of the two things that I'm afraid to find out what it's all said
and done. I got lucky getting to work with Brian, and I'm partial
to his thirty one point comeback call against the Golden State Warriors on the radio
back in twenty nineteen. That is an all timer. I usually reposted that
follow out of May on the Anniverse for every year because I just love it.
Plus the last of the Mohicans music I put her an it wasn't thick
enough. Will so Andrew in the eight one eight wants to know, of
all the players on the team currently, who do you think would make a
good color commentator? Wow, you know, I don't know him well enough,
but he's got the gift of gab and that is Bones Highland. Oh
so Bones can really he can really chat and it's I mean, in all
the good ways. He's a he's got a real gift of gab. I'll
tell you any story, though, who would you say would be the most
challenging in your estimation? Who would be the word the tough? Everyone would
say Kauai. So here's the story. So to be clear, I don't
bother Kauai. I just it's a lot of art work. It's not all
it's a lot of work to get not a lot of answers, and I
don't want to. I don't want any bad vibes from him to me.
And then if he didn't like answer the question like they from me to him.
So I just kind of I get it like I get it with Kawai.
So we're in Utah middle of the season last two years ago, so
he's out all year, and like I said, I kind of just keep
my distance with Kauai. Every once in a while, I'll give him a
what up when he's on the bus, but that's it. So we're in
we're in the team dining area. It's just me and Kauai and Kawhi is
clear across the room and I'm just minding my own business, and all of
a sudden, I feel this tap on my shoulder and he puts out his
big giant fish. You can't see me because I'm frozen here in time,
and I'm like, look, I'm like, oh, hey, what's up
guy? And I kind of pounded his fist back, and I'm like,
I look at the chef. I'm like, what was that? What happened
there? And I'm looking around and see if I come on some kind of
camera show or whatever. So I get on the bus for a shoot around,
and Frittella was with us, and he goes, and by the way,
Mike Fritella was one of my favorite all time human beings ever. I
just I love him with all my heart for so many reasons. And he
sits down. He goes, well, mister Seman, I had a very
interesting conversation with one Kawhi Leonard And I'm like, you did, I said,
I had a really long conversation with him too. He gave me a
fist bump and he, you know, the bizarre didn't understand the dry humor
there, That's fine, he goes. Kawai was really interested in where we're
sitting, and I'm like, oh, that's okay, great, Well did
you tell him were because we're in Utah. We're very high up in Utah.
He's like, I told him where we're sitting, and he said that's
good to know. So a couple of days later, I go up to
one of our PR people, Dennis Rodgers, and I said, Kawhi's asking
a few times now where for Tello sits. And Dennis goes, oh,
yeah, I think he wants to do a game with you guys, and
I'm like yes. So initially I'm like, how awesome. And then I
start thinking, I'm like, does he know he has to talk? Like
does he know He's like I can't say, hey, Kawhi, what are
your thoughts on the team where they're going to play eighty two games, forty
one at home and forty one on the road, Like that's kind of my
fear, and I think that people would tune in and be like, hey,
I want to hear what Kawai says. So now I'm starting to feel
pressure, like I don't know, I'm not going to make him the butt
of a joke. I'm not gonna like be I want him to look good.
So I'm really panicking about this, and so we're coming up with her.
He wanted to do it on the road where we were a courtside so
that he could just slide over and then go right back to the bench without
fans bothering him. And we're about four days out and we're going to Denver.
This would have been in twenty twenty two. And we're going to Denver
and they're like, yeah, I think this is gonna be the game.
So I'm stressing, like I'm like, what am I gotta come up with
fifty questions for a five minute interview? And I think. We get on
the plane and I'm like, I don't get like nervous, nervous, but
I get anxious for games. But I'm nervous. And then I finally go
up to Dennis and I'm like, hey, man, it's to borrow that
d He's like, oh, yeah, quite a side. He's not gonna
do it. He's not coming to the game. So it got I was
like building this whole thing up. I'm like, oh my god. And
I was partially relieved, although I think it would have been fun. And
I've talked to the players to a man. I'm like, is he really
funny? They all say, hilarious, He's the funniest dude in that locker
room. I think you've probably heard the Tyler story about air balls this week.
I mean, it's I'm gonna airball again. He's like, I'm not
running, I'm not doing that garbage. But so anyway, that would have
been a test for sure, but it would have been a good one.
I think that's awesome. Man. Hopefully something like that could happen. That
would be a trip. I also love Mike for Tello too. Mike for
Tello is the only commentator who draws up ball play, which I love.
I'm being since I love like, that's the stuff you don't usually see.
Ethan Chan wants to know. So we kind of talked about the good moments,
right like when you're, you know, doing a comeback. How do
you keep your composure when things and this is this is Ethan Chan's words,
how do you keep composure during the calls in the clutch when things go horribly
wrong for the team. I still believe that they can get it done,
unless it's obviously the last possession of a game or you know whatever. I'm
just I'm only focusing on I think they can get this done. I'll be
honest. Like the first couple of times I was at the Timberwolves back in
six oh seven, so it's the last year Garnett is with the Wolves before
it goes to Boston. And there were three games, and they were my
first three NBA games that all came down to the final possession, and I
literally felt like I was having a stroke, Like my right hand was tingly
and I'm like, how am I gonna what am I gonna say? Oh?
My gosh, you know, And I had I had some people that
I worked with that weren't not necessarily great human beings, so they were always
nitpick what you do. So I had that nervousness going on. Yeah yeah,
yeah, Adam was, well, thank you for bringing that up.
Thank you. That's another segment. Yeah. But now when we get in
those clutch moments, like I just I feel alive, Like I just love
being there. I don't always nail it for sure that that's that's going to
be the kay, but I feel great. So when they are not playing
well, I'm still a believer. Alright, we Hey, it's only a
one possession game or Hey, you know, we came back from thirty five
points guys in a half. This is nothing. We can figure this out.
So I'm just happy to be honestly, it just comes back to the
joy of the job and the luckiness that I know I have. So I'm
not going to get so pissed off that you sons of bitchiness make a regular
pass for crying out loud. You know, I'm never going to be that
way. But I sometimes I'll just look over at my partner. I'll be
like, man, that was not a good play. That was just not
a good shot. But like I said, I'm so thrilled to be there.
I don't ever get too mad. Tony Lou wants to know how you
work through having different floating commentators and color analysts next to you, and just
how do you adjust. Mike Forrotelo is very different than Jim Jackson. You've
worked with Don McClain. It times like it's been a revolving door, but
you make it seem like it's all family either way. Well it is,
And so I mentioned Mike Fritello, let's sew Don McClain, Corey mcgetty,
Jim Jackson, Chauncey Billups. So let's go back to nineteen ninety the NBA
on NBC. It's the first year. Now it's Marv and it's a guy
named Mike Fortello, who I knew from the Atlanta Hawks. I grew up
in the Midwest, so they had TBS, which was the Hawks superstation.
Yeah, and so they syndicated that throughout the entire country. So I was
very aware of who Mike for Tello was. I did not know he had
such a great dry personality. So I'm I'm in my early teens and I'm
watching Mike for Tello, and I'm actually, by the way, I was
dating my wife at the time, so if my wife and I've been together
forever, so we would be watching NBA on NBC and Mike for Tello would
be on, and I would just hang on every word because I'm trying to
learn about the game. You know, it's nineteen ninety. There's no Internet.
I don't know anything about anything else other than what I'm watching. For
Tello would diagram the place. He'd tell you where you're supposed to be.
Why this was working, and I was enamored with it. So fast forward
a couple of years nineteen ninety two. I'm in Iowa Big ten Country.
Who's the best player in the country as two people, Don McLean and Jim
Jackson, And I'm watching these guys, and I'm telling you, I was
such a basketball and m a basketball junkie. But I loved college as much
as I loved the pros. Back in the nineties, that's when it was
at its peak. So I knew litter a good college basketball school or kid.
I don't know if you know this. I went to the Harvard of
Lawrence and it's a University of Kansas. It's state education, but don't let
it fully. I was there for five years. I was so great.
But I would watch Jim Jackson on Big Monday, and then I'd stay up
late. I'd watch Don McLean and Tracy Murray and Jerald Madkins at UCLA.
So all these people have been and I mean, like I'm hand on a
bible. I'm telling you, man, like I watched these guys when I
was a kid. And I remember the first time Don McLean was in the
media room and I've been in with the team for maybe a year, and
he shows up what he needs to show up, and I think he showed
up early on this day, and Don has a what they call the resting
bitch face, where he doesn't look like he's a very warm person. Sure,
I need to be very clear, he's an awesome dude. So he's
got this like look on his face, and he comes up he goes,
are you Brian Seman, and I'm like, oh shit, yeah yeah,
but he goes, was listen to you on the radio. You do a
good job, keep it up, and then he just walks away and I'm
like, yes, yes, that was a good interaction. That's awesome.
So, uh, Don is just awesome. So watching him at UCLA.
I actually was a UCLA fan growing up in Iowa and would go to their
NCAA tournament games when we were on spring break because I loved watching Don and
and and Tracy Murray was one of my favorite players bombing from deep. So
I'm going around the block to go next door. The answer is I love
all these people that I get to work with. I watched Chauncey win UH
Finals MVP in two thousand and four, and I just appreciated that grinding Detroit
Pistons squad. So to be able to work with all these people and have
like be on a tech thread with some of these guys. It's crazy to
to Mike for Tello. I've been at his house, he's he's been in
my car, he's he tells, you know, he talks to my boys.
I mean, it's I leave the house and I'll tell my wife.
I'm like, oh, by the way, I'm only going to work with
Mike for Tello. I've worked with the czar for two hundred games and it's
still a pinch me moment. So if it sounds like it's family, because
in my heart they really all are. I love them all and I just
there are there's different personalities and I like that, I really do. And
I like to have fun with Jim. I know, bizarre doesn't understand anything
that's not basketball, So there'll be no pop culture references. Yeah, with
Mia Frizello, and I think that's great. You know. I just have
I just I sincerely me and I keep saying it. I just have the
best job in the world, and I'm so blessed, and I just love
all these people. Anybody they throw at me, I'm gonna know where their
background is and I'm just gonna have a good time with them. It's just
been. It's been a really fun ride here these last four years. And
there is a saying about Don McLean and this comes from the Petruss of Money
show. The next ass he kisses will be the first. And we love
Don getting his staff of approval. That's the best feeling of the war.
It was pretty good man. And plus he knows he knows the game as
well as literally anyone that's walked the face of this earth. So if he
gives you a blessing, you've earned it and it's it's a good feeling.
Well, Brian, you said, the last four years on the broadcast have
been a blessing for you Clippers fans everywhere. We're so lucky to have you
and everything you bring to the game. That you make the comebacks better,
you make the losses better too, which I think is probably the best mark
of a commentator. Are you going to be back for the preseason games?
Are you going to be doing the game up in Seattle? Or are you
not getting paid for the offseason, which I believe we are doing. I
gotta change that picture. Hold on, I keep trying to make the camera
work so I don't look like I'm Now you're looking good on our that's the
worst one, and I'm going to keep it there. I think we are.
I think we are doing games in Hawaii, that's where training camp is,
which we've done a couple we did that in pre COVID, and then
we are doing a game in Seattle, and then after that. I don't
know. Last year if we don't have the schedule yet, like we don't
have any idea what it is either. But last year KATLA did all of
the preseason games, which it's basically a Bally's production that they put on the
air for KTLA, So it's all kind of the same pieces from a production
standpoint. So I'm looking forward to it. I don't know. I want
to say maybe October ninth is our first preseason game, but I don't know
if that's been released yet. I'm just grasping at straws there, but I'm
looking forward to it. We're going to build out as breaking news from Brian
Seman, thank you for that. Before we get out of here, can
we just get let's just get a couple positivity thoughts for Clipper Nation right now.
I will Adam correct me if I'm wrong. Things feel a little down
in the offseason dumps a bit for some some Clippers fans. Brian, what
can you say to lift these people up? I just feel good. I
mean, I'm glad to hear Paul George is angry, if that's the word
you want to use, if he's going to be back on his bs as
he said. I think Kauhi will be just fine coming into training camp.
But I mean I really believe it. Like to me, one of you
know what, if you ask me, the biggest missing ingredient to me has
been a rock solid truth telling leader in the locker room. I'm not sure
they've had that with Kauai and PG. Those are That's not their role.
That's not who they are, you know what I mean. And you can't
do that and have it be sincere if that's not who you are. So
they have a guy like Russell Westbrook in the locker room from day one,
not allowing slippage. You know. I remember Scotty Brooks when he was in
Oklahoma City said we never had a bad practice, and he touted it because
of Russ and his just no nonsense attitude. And I think everybody bought in.
Kad obviously did too, and they had a great team there, but
I think Russ is that backbone of leadership. And if you'd have told me
in February that I'd be singing Russ's praises as the biggest reason why I think
the Clippers are going to have a different year this year, I'd called you
crazy. But I think leadership has been the missing ingredient and I think they
found it. And who knows what happens with the James Harden situation. It's
all speculative, but I think this team has enough talent to really make some
noise in the Western Conference. If they play with a competitive edge, I
think that they're going to be just fine. And I look forward to kind
of a clash of the Titans between Denver. Obviously, what Phoenix did is
fantastic. Dallas really picked it up later in this offseason. I thought they
would miss the playoffs for sure. Now there are to me, they're They're
in the top four spot. It's gonna be interesting to see Lakers got Lakers
maintained and maybe got a little bit better as well. The West is tough
this just in but I feel great about where the Clippers are. I really
do. I'm excited to see where they go with this. Will you here,
I gets out? Yeah, will send us out where I'm hyped up.
I want the I want game one tomorrow. Now after this interview we've
managed to get through the audio is well, you're one left. Will He's
too conscious of his background noise. I got, I got one. I
got one lingering question, Brian. Yeah. I heard you on a podcast
on a broadcast one time say that you don't like soup, any soup,
and Chauncey has never fixed movies like to eat. I'll tell you a podcast
about what I will not eat, and soup is on that I don't.
It's no soup. No, it's chili soup. Chili's not chili's. It's
just saying his favorite episode of Seinfeld. I think you know it. Yeah,
I have. I've I eat chili. I'm telling you my diet is
brutal. It's it's awful in terms of what I won't eat and how limiting
it is. But I've never had chicken, noodle, soup, vegetable soup,
nothing, nothing, I won't. I just it's weird to me to
eat. To eat liquid with a spoon is just bizarre to me. I
just don't understand it man, so soup with a straw yea or name.
Maybe it's I'll put that one in there. I'll put that one in there
for a minute for min milkshake for the middle ground. Yeah, we love
Brian Stephen and despite the audio issues, this is, without a doubt,
my favorite episode of C and D so far. We thanks, We want
to thank everyone for listening. You can follow us on YouTube at clippers Podcast,
follow us on Twitter at clippers pod. Will you typically take us out
with the right mantra? Yeah? Ant where listen wherever you get your podcasts,
and you can review us over on iTunes or Spotify. And it's completely
off my rhythm. I can't have them. I can't have a rotating cast
ever. But thank you so much for listening, and I'll kick it to
you Chuck to send us out and as always, we'll be back next week
and let's go clips