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Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com or stream us live every day or the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All Yeah, it is The I Couple, and I'm Chris Bruce Sart alongside my partner Rob Parker. We're coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studio. Good Live fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote. Have we got a show for you? All types of stuff going on in the NBA, Players questioning whether or not they want to play, Some saying yeah, we want to play. We want to win a ring, we want to get that money that bag. Others wondering is this the right thing to do. We will get to that and much much more. We also, it's Friday, so we got six minutes, six minutes, we got Bruce Hard's five five, and we got some great guests coming your way. So keep it locked right here on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app or Serious XM Channel eighty three. However you may be listening, We don't think you'll be sorry. Let me welcome in my partner, my esteemed partner, mister Ry Parker. What's up man? What's happening to? Mister Chris Boussard. I'm great? So I just text you something. Did you see it on your phone or know you too? Something? Just now? Yes? Where's my phone? A plot? My phone downstairs? The plot? Rob? You did you get it? The plot? Really? The plot? This is about college football, Chris. I'll let you read it once we get started. Yeah, once we start. You want to lead off? No, no no, I just want to give you a little right now, right now, real quick. The University of Houston that suspended workouts football student athletes have tested positive souls. So here we go. This is what we're talking about, Chris, that you could, you know, figure out that you're just gonna be around each other. There were six players already pest deposit what's gonna happen? So yeah, I heard that when the sager said that. And you know, look, they're predicting a surge, right, They're predicting big surges in the fall. We've already seen it in some of the states, Arizona, Texas, right, and so this could throw a monkey wrench and all of this talk about playing again, right, although maybe some people are gonna be like, Yo, let's just play. I guess yeah, at some point we gotta they gotta figure out which way they're gonna do. But yeah, this is all interesting. So yeah, let's talk about this NBA stuff and kick the show off. But first, go ahead, introduced to our couple crew. We got DJ Alex ty Shirt, a k a. Alex the Vegan digging in the crates tonight because it is a funky flashback Friday. Let's see if he got new jams in those crates. That's a little I'm just saying. I'm just saying, that's a little hit. Some new jams in those crates, some new throwbacks. How about got he got four throwback jams? That's what I got. I'm glad that other people listening. Alex quickly that that commercial. Have you seen a commercial where it's a family and they said they just bought a new house or whatever, but they got a rap problem. Yeah, that's a Chris have you see I've not seen that though. It's a classic commercial. And when they say at the house, they love it, but they have a rap problem. They have the group the old what kind of hoop was at alex It's like a rock n right. They're called Rat one of them. Yeah. They're like, yeah, yeah, Rat. Yeah. They had to hit what was the rounding round? Yeah? That's one of my favorite songs. Yeah, round and round? It was remember Parker's best joke? You know, Yeah, I have to come up with that. All right. We got, of course running things super producer Rob Ge, and I'm recruiting him though, I'm recruiting him to the Big Three. Steve Been he's been fighting it, but I'm recruiting him. Yeah, I might have to replace Dave and bring in uh, mister Steve de Sager who is on the He's a pro. He's not gonna go with some novice. Some guy just got radio show fifteen minutes ago. Hey, I've been doing radio a long time. Guest spots now got forty years as a whole. All right, it just speaks to your age, that's all I mean. Let's keep it real, all right, Rob, here we go, big stories, just it's been developing too. It's like new new things have been coming out kind of every hour, it seems about this. But essentially players there's a group. It's a conference called a Night with one hundred and fifty reportedly to two hundred players, led by Kyrie Irving, and it is about the players questioning whether or not they really want to play, and not saying they're not they don't, but just they want their voices heard. They were they were upset that it seemed like only the superstars Chris Paul Lebrin were being heard and their voices weren't being heard when all these decisions were made to come back and play, and so they want to, you know, get a hearing. And I've heard rob and as the report said, some of the players are feeling like, look, is this the time for us to be playing ball. We're looking at a massive movement that could change racism, eliminate racism, or you know, it's certainly lessen it in this country. We don't want to distract from that, or we don't want to just be feeling like we're a distraction and we're entertaining people because this is a serious moment and they're wondering is that the right thing to do. Others are concerned about the bubble. Is it safe? You know, do I want to be constrained in there for two months, two and a half, three months, whatever it may be. You know, how do the optics of that look? When you know we're going through this racial unrest and you're locking up, not locking up, but you know, essentially seventy five percent of the league is African American and they're being sequestered on in this bubble. You know, how does that look? And then there's obviously the money considerations. And I do think rob I mean from talking to people, I'm getting every indication they're playing because and you've seen some reports about this too, the players are talking to one another about Look, you have to understand what's on the line. If we don't play this year in the league loses a billion dollars. That's going to affect the salary cap and obviously going to affect our salaries going forward. It takes away a lot of our leverage and the collective bargaining agreements that are coming up. Things like that, and maybe some players are like, you know what, so be it. You know, Chris Paul was talking about that. He didn't say that was his attitude, but he said some players might feel that way. This is more important than the money. So a lot to digest there, But Rob, what are your thoughts on this? Well? And you remember because we talked about it and I was always skeptical Chris of the bubble. Remember I just said, you're not gonna make love to your wife or hug good children. You can't uh tell them that they're gonna be safe and that they won't get it if they're in that environment. You're talking about keeping them away from fans, But what about the people who are serving them food and taking care of all the other stuff and coming into the rooms Chris, and cleaning their rooms, you know, and and all the other stuff, and when the players aren't there because they're saying they won't clean the rooms or being the rooms, and players like you can still get it. And it looks like the people who are going to be serving you know that working that Disney World during this, they're not gonna be sequestered. They're in and they're not gonna be tested every day like you know, like you could say, oh yeah, just test everybody. Test costs money, like it's it's not like it's uh, it's a shrimp bar, Chris, and it's endless shrimp you know where you could just camp as many. You are right, it costs money, so you just can't test everybody who walks into the room. So my point is when you're talking about the health concerns and not doing it, I totally get it. Anybody doesn't feel comfortable. I don't have an issue with Chris. The distraction part and being an entertainer. Uh, you know, that's something that's that's a little deeper. That is what you do for a living. Most people have to go to work, say black people. I'm just gonna give you an example. You're a black cop. You live this life, Chris. Right, it doesn't mean you can't go to work because of it. That that's your job, am I Right? Like there's a there's a there's a certain degree you you could be all with the cause, but as a as a cop, black cop, you still need to go to work. You still need to do what you have to do. So that part, if you're really strong about it, and they were in agreement as a group that they don't want to do it, because I can respect that Chris, But I'm more about the bubble and what they're trying to put them in in such an unusual situation which takes them away from And we had m Eddie House on Chris who said the same thing at first when they were talking about they couldn't see anybody and couldn't move around or do anything, and he said, you could forget that. I guarantee you they'll they'll they'll sneak girls in or whatever it is, you know what I mean. They're into that. There's no way that they're gonna go dry for three months. That's just not happening. Well, and you can you can have after the first round of the playoffs, you can have three family members or I guess friends you know come and stay with you, so they'll be able to have a girlfriend or a wife, you know, and kids come stay with them. What sidep or whatever it is. Whatever it is. But you know, and you know, if if any of the workers at Disney World are attractive to these players, then don't think they won't be you know what I mean, like getting on them and hanging with them and and all that stuff. Let's just keep it real. And Jay had a baby with a sports writer Chris Oh, yeah, yeah, from the New York Times. What's what's you from the Times? She was from New York Times. And remember her daughter was a great tennis player. That's right, because Amanda Stevenson absolutely right. Yeah. So now it's uh, it's something to think about. But this is why to one or the other reasons why the people I've talked to are confident that they're gonna play, at least as of now, is that they're going to the seventeam players per team. So if there are few guys on the team that don't want to play, then they're you know, you know it, Rob, There's guys from the G League, two way players that you know, go back and forth from the NBA to the G League, Guys that may have never gotten an opportunity yet in the NBA that will gladly take those spots. So that's another thing. And the other thing is this, some of the guys are only gonna be there maybe a month, you know, because you're gonna be there for your eight regular season games. Some of the teams will leave after that. Some of the teams will play around maybe or two, you know, and then they'll be done. So It's different for different guys. But the only thing I'm gonna say is about the Well, They'll be seventeen and if guys don't want to play, if you're not getting the Stars playing Chris, then it's gonna be a bogus championship. If if Kawhi, Leonard and Paul George don't want to play for the Clippers, I'm sorry, there's no way I could look at that championship the same way. What what ye I bet you if Lebron got sick, you look at it the same way. No, I wouldn't. I know, I know what I'm saying. Yeah, I hear the Stars weren't playing, is what I'm talking about. Well, from everything I'm hearing, the Stars want to play like the teams that the stars on, the teams that have a legit shot. From what I'm being told, the Lakers are all in and obviously they're following their lead leader Lebron. The Clippers are all in from what I'm hearing, the Rockets with Harden in Westbrook, they're all in now. George Hill, he did say that he's he had a very emotional and powerful video call with some reporters and he was saying that because he's been he's seeing people victimized by police brutality and things like that, And he was saying, right now, it's hard for him to think about He couldn't care less about basketball. He said, like you said, I'm a professional. I'm gonna do my job. I'm gonna play. But this is what's really on my mind. And I think this is the thing, Rob. I understand why the superstars may feel differently than the role players, or let's say the teams that don't have a shot. But even on the teams that do have a shot, for Lebron James, a championship is legacy changing, right? For Kawhi Leonard A, Yannis, James Harden, all these guys, you win, your legacy has changed, right, even if you're on a contender but you're a role player. It is it changing Alex Caruso's legacy if he wins his ring? Is it changing George Hill's legacy? No? No, you know it's nice. I'm sure he wants a ring, But nobody's gonna think any differently of George Hill if he wins this championship. So I think there's all of that to consider for these guys too. It's it's interesting because you got four hundred players, all of different levels, right, and this means different things for different players. The implications are different, all right, Age seven seven ninety nine on Fox A seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Here's the question we want to hear from you listeners, or we want to answered from your listeners. What do you think think differently of the players if they don't play? Would you think differently of the players or maybe some of the individuals maybe they do play, but some individuals sit out. Would you think differently of guys that decide not to play, or even if the league decides not to play. You'll turn away in with Chris and Rob the Eye Couple Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search f SR to listen live. It is the Eye Couple Chris and Rob. Oh if you could hear are during the break conversations. Wow, Chris and Robb And although we're apart these days, we are sharing more and Geico sharing more as well with the Geico Giveback. It's a fifteen percent credit on car and motorcycle policies for both current and new customers that last your full policy term. Visit Geico dot com slat back give back for information and eligibility. That's Gygo dot com slash get back. All right, Rather, let's get to these calls eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Will you feel differently about players that choose not to play? Or even heck, if it may if it's the whole league that chooses not to play in the NBA this year? All right, let's start with Phil in New York. You're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Phil, Howdy? My um, my opinion absolutely would change, but it be for the better. He's showing them. These guys are showing that they're human, right, that the world outside of their little jobs and this case is playing a game. It's bigger, it's more important, and they're making the same decisions that I am, Do I care about my wife, my house, are livelihood or you know, in the context of it's a game or what's going on in the real world, And in some part maybe they are part of the problem. Making money for these huge corporations in the choosing to say, hey, there's bigger things in my bank account, and I want to take care of my family, be with them first and foremost. And that's to me. That makes them human, and that makes them more relatable to me in my life making the same decisions, and I have fallen for it. I can't argue. I just especially when you talk about family and whatnot and making a decision. I mean, we all have to make tough decisions every day, Chris, Right, you have a family, you have two daughters, and what you're doing and we all do. I mean, so I can't argue with Phil Well, players get a raw deal because everybody thinks, you know, they don't focus on the owners being about money. We tend to focus on the players being about money. They would be sacrificing money in this instance if they decide not to play. And it's human nature. We as as people, Chris, we more relate to the people who even though they make millions of dollars, people who you know, right, we see them, you know, if we see them, we all play basketball, right, so we feel like that. But we haven't owned a multi billion dollar company, so it's hard to relate. And even thinking it's olf in that vein. I think that's why Ben and Milwaukee you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up Ben? Because even guys I love the show, love the banter, thank you taking You guys are good and I know I've got twenty years as a radio guy, so I know good radio. And you guys are at you. There is nothing about this season. There won't be odd as the championship is given to Milwaukee, La, La or anybody else. It's attainted season already. So even as they come back and play, and the expectation is if you go back to the season when it was comming along, it was going to be the Clippers of the Lakers and the Bucks most likely in the finals. Now, but now if that happens, still didn't. They got a long break and it won't be as many games, and it won't be played in the normal way. And let's say somebody who isn't the top four teams wins the championship, You'll never buy it as a real championship. Now. I'm an so I'm a student of Jordan. I grew up in Chicago, love seeing the championships and none of those retaining none of what Lebron has done so far, what Kobe did retaining this season, unfortunately with a stoppage, it's so the manufact they've stopped no matter how it comes back. That's a that's a fair call. Yeah, I mean you you're gonna look at it that way, you know, Chris, I've been joking around. I dubbed the Mickey Mouse Championship because it's gonna be one in Orlando. But there'll be some people go, I'm not with it now. It's I mean, look, you and I we don't'ta put the asteris on championships, and I think that's fair, But there is no way any of us initially, like when it's all said and done, for the next few years, it's it's going to feel weird. We're going to say, yeah, it was that that that strange season, the COVID Championship whatever. Now, I think years down the line, it'll be recognized as legitimate, you know, and we if if Ron wins it five six years from now, nobody will say Lebron's got three and a half titles. We'll say four. But initially there's no doubt, right, Like, how can you not think this is a strange season. No, I totally agree. What about Anthony and Maryland. You're in the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Anthony? How you doing? Rob and Christ's good? First of all, quick shout out to to Rob g finally got me on the show. Two months but he finally did it. Oh wow, you've been striving for mary to get on then. Oh yeah, yeah, you've been calling in it hadn't been able to get through. Okay, okay, well good to have you man. Yeah. So, um, first of all, when when I was listening to to all the reports and all that, I initially thought the players, the role players would actually want to come back for the paycheck. I actually thought since they were making less, they would actually want to come back. But I guess now things are shifting, and now that they're seeing, um, how the bubble and the impacts of being in the bubble now and how they're shooting from their families, I guess now that's having an effect on them. And I remember a few weeks ago Patrick Beverley too, he was on that Scott damp Pelt show. I think what he was talking about at the time. Now we're receiving that coming into fruition with um all these players now having more to say about about the season and with and with having reluctant about playing and stuff like that. Yeah, I mean, look, and I also think Rob beyond the Black Lives Matter movement and all that, I think some guys just you know, nobody's really gone back to work yet, you know what I mean. We're working, but we're doing it from home for the mon No, no, and then yeah, and even if if it wasn't a movement, you know what I'm saying, it's still while we we the ones have to be the guinea pigs and and and be you know, not social distance and play. But I did. I did. That was funny. I was talking to somebody to Chris and they were talking about that. With the numbers, because people are not back to work, you know, you know, that enhanced the movement, do you know what I mean? Normally you have to be at work, and it allowed people to finally maybe express themselves and not have to go to work. Let's squeeze one more and if we can. Marty in Kentucky, you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Marty Fellas Chris, I hope you got your life jacket on. You're not swimming, You're not drowning in a pool of hypocrisy from Rob over there. I cannot believe you. If you said it of Kauai and Paul George didn't play, that you wouldn't feel the same about the championship. And that's three hundred and sixty five days. After three hundred and sixty five days, because last year it was June fourteenth that you sit up there and you sang the Canadian National an. That's right to Marty, because after Golden State lost with two of their best players injury. That the problem with that because that was June fourteenth, and this was a leap yeer, so we had an extra extra What are you talking about? What may one day off of a year. All we need is River to tell him, Hey, Marty, if you keep Marty, if you keep it up, I'm gonna come down to Kentucky and take down one of those Confederate General's statues down there. All right, So don't investment. You gotta get down here quick because it looks like they're going down anywhere. I'm gonna say, Marty, they're going down, aren't they? Yeah? Now, as far as these players that um don't want to play, if they played for a contender, I will thank less of him as a as a competitor, because I'm one of those guys that's all about competitors. I love Michael Jordan. I feel like, even if, if, even if it's on what's going on in society, you don't want to draw attention away from that. If you're right there in the title hunt, you can be on the platform to draw attention to it. Yeah, that's what Alebron will do. You know right now, that's not the point. That's good the point and rots to change the subject. But all I can say is the men post strikes again, the most inconsistent brother of all time. Thank you carling him out, Marty. We're gonna rap that, Marty, you have some nerve men rock God. You know your son Rivers probably looking at the phone saying, dad, how could you? What's wrong with your dad? Thanks? River, have my back? Rob Parker, what was that? Rivers on my side? Rivers joining the Big Three? It sounds like Michael Jordan is finally error of his ways. Rodman. Let me hear that again, Rob Parker, Rob Parker unbelievable. We'll get into that next, but first be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker week days at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. All right, here we go back to the Eye Couple, Chris and Robber. Coming from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. It is easy to say fifteen percent more on your corn insurers with Geico. Go to Geico dot com or call eight hundred and nine four seven auto. The only hard part is figuring out which way is easier. Rob interesting story, We of course all watched the Last Dance and that was great. It captivated America for what five straight weeks, And today interesting story came out. Michael Jordan spoke with his players, the Charlotte Hornets. Of course he's an owner of the team, and he talked about them needing to challenge each other in practice and don't be afraid to, you know, hold your teammates accountable, like like he did obviously with the Bulls. And Jordan did admit though that and he talked about this with them when he went to the Wizards and he was older, some of the guys weren't really receptive to his style of leadership. And you know Terry Rogier, who who plays on the team, he had brought out that I don't know if guys nowadays really could accept that aggressive approach from Jordan. Here's what Jordan said about the Wizards. Well, this is a quote from Tyler Zeller about what Jordan said. He said, he wishes that he would have done that a little bit differently in Washington. The next generation of players that had come in didn't really want to hear the same feedback and the harshness that he used during his days in Chicago. He wishes that he would have taken Jerry Stackhouse under his wing and taught him how to be a better leader, as opposed to trying to do it all himself. Thoughts. I think some of the biggest problems happened because people think everybody's the same. Everybody's not built the same, everybody doesn't respond the same way, and you have to be able to adjust. And Mike was used to something thinking he was back in the nineties when you know what I mean, when he was running everything, and it's just not that way. We talk about all the time, Bill Belichick gets away with his the way he does his business because he wins. When you win, Chris, people have almost no choice but to follow your lead when you're not winning, as they weren't winning in Washington. They even make the playoffs is two years when half the league makes more than half the league makes the playoffs. So it's harder to listen to even Michael Jordan that time when things aren't working out. So I think Mike, Mike learned that that wasn't that approach wasn't going to work this time around. I still believe you have a chance to go after people Chris and be hard on him when you're winning. It's a lot harder when you're not. Yeah, And he didn't learn that. He didn't learn it till, you know, long after he was retired. Remember Rob, we covered that team, and that team in Washington was really uh. I mean, you know, you guys that grew up with his poster on their wall, right, guys that grew up idolizing him, couldn't stand him. You know at the fact. I remember a story about his birthday coming up and they voted not to get him againt like like that, Like just think about that, Chris would you know, like like the like, should we get him a gift or whatever? And they were like, I ain't putting the money before you know what. They decided not to give him a guilt right, right. But I think you said it, it all comes down to winning. And because as we saw, Jordan did handle guys differently. I think he handled Scotty differently. I think he certainly handled Rodman differently. Wasn't afraid of him, of course, but he knew where he could go and where he didn't want to go. And you know, he handled some of his other teammates, you know, a different way than those guys, so I think he understood that. But his general tone with the entire team for the most part was one of hardness and if you're winning, like you said, guys have no choice but to get on the bandwagon. They said in the documentary and interviews, we thought he was an a hole, We thought he was a jerk. You know, Scotty was the guy everybody liked, but they went along with it because, hey, we're winning championships. He's the best player in the world. I'm getting a little of that collateral praise too, you know, I'm part of the circus too. I'm not the ring leader, but I'm part of it. I'm enjoying it too. And if you're the one pushing back and the team is winning, they'll be like, he ain't a winner or ride, you know what I mean. And you don't want to feel like, wait a minute, how come I'm not buying them? We're winning, we're doing whatever, and it's working, do you know what I mean? You don't want to feel like it's harder to push back or say anything when things are working. We say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right right? Nah, Look, if he had been the same Michael Jordan in Washington, guys would have bought in and they were winning and they had a chance to win the championship, There is no question. I don't believe guys would have bought it. And I think today I think, honestly, I think it'd be the same way. I think. I remember Rob when I was in college and when I was a senior and we had these freshmen come in. That's only three four years difference, but we thought we looked at them like, man, these dudes. We had dudes coming in with their numbers cut in the back of their head and talking telling everybody about to start and take my position and this other dude's position, and you know, and we looked at them like, man, this this new generation of cats. You know, you know, difference. So that's just a natural thing. I think at the end of the day, I think if you had a player who was gonna lead you to the championships, like Michael Jordan, any generation would buy into that. Yeah, there's an individual here there that might not like it, and they just get moved out if they have to write ye, But I like it, and I like the way you handled it when those new Bucks came on your team and they told you had that women, they told you that that you were they were gonna take your position, and you said, all right, son, come sit right next to me, because this is where I'll be during Please. Please. Here's how I handle little point guard from New York, Brooklyn Brooklyn in the house number cutting his head talking about he gonna be the starting point guard this year. What was his name? I won't say his name. He actually is fairly fairly well known. Yeah, very smart dude. But anyway, one practice I had to lock him up and he had a nice little handle, nice vision. Was a good passer, typical New York dude couldn't shoot, though, but I had to lock him up and I stopped him from making entry passes. That's how smothering and oppressive my d fence was. Oh God, dude cannot start the offense. Okay, So you talk trash to me, as you found out time and time again. You find it out every day, Rob Parker, that's what happens to you. Okay. Whatever Chris sounds like Al Bundy were living hitch up. It's childhood. Bruce Art's five five Coming up. Keeping locked on a couple of Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app. Search f SR to listen live. It's the Eye Couple Chris and Rob on a funky flashback Friday. DJ Alex Tischer in the Crates. I like this too. It's Lows We brought to you by Los. Los is working harder than ever to help pros get the job done. With a dedicated team of associates who only served pros. They stock the top rated brands you need offer curbside loading and can even deliver right to the job site. Service like that is why Lowe's is the new home for pros Alright, it's time for Bruce Arts five five. Are you ready? We're going big. It's gown. It's Bruce Sardes fab five. I am excited. I love that these athletes, these African American athletes, are really being thoughtful about going back to play, particularly from the racial perspectives. You know, do we take attention away from what's going on in the country or how can we contribute. I'm gonna give them five ways they could have a positive impact on this Black Lives Matter movement because this is not just about emotion. It's not just about some symbolic name changes and things like that. That's all good. It's not even just about least brutality. We hear person after persons say, this is about systemic racism that has been going on in our country for more than four hundred years, or you know, in this area. It's not been a country that long. But here's five ways athletes can do something, do something to contribute to this moment. Number One, form an organization of African American athletes. That would bring together black athletes across all sports to use their collective influence, affluence, connections to corporate America and wealth to impact the greater Black community. For example, Lebron has this deal with University of Akron where they give graduates of his Eye Promise academy scholarships to the college. It should be fifty black athletes at least doing that. Cam Newton could be doing it in his hometown, you know, Mookie Betts could be doing it in his town. Larry Fitzgerald in his town with the local college. That's something this organization could do. We got them for everything. Black journalists, black lawyers, black doctors, black engineers, black accountants, everything except the athletes and the entertainers who are the richest and in many cases most powerful. So form that organization Number two. Begin donating money. I'm talking about millions of dollars to historically black colleges and universities. Earmark the money for sports programs. If that's what you want it for. You can have the schools audited as well. Because many of these schools the money is so sparse they often have to rob Peter to pay Paul, and money gets used for things is not intended, so you can audit it, but start donating the millions to them because they can use it. Build up their facilities, of their athletic programs, hold camps and clinics there in the summer with superstar players there, and begin encouraging these top high school basketball players to attend HBCUs and play there. Number three NBA players, you're questioning whether or not you want to play. How about this? How about you attached demands to finishing out this season. So you demand, for instance, that every NBA sponsor starts a management trainee program for black college graduates and set timetables for percentages of corporations management to begin reflecting the US population. For instance, Blacks are thirteen percent of the United States population. So you set for this particular sponsor within ten years, within fifteen years, whatever it is, we want thirteen percent of your management management to be African American. Set that as a demand for you to play. Every NBA sponsor. Right now, nationally, Blacks hold six percent of management positions in the United States. That's half of where it should be. Number four NFL players, you can refuse to play until Alan Kaepernick is signed to a team he started this. The NFL apologized the players for something he started, but they didn't name him. I was listening to my colleague Nick right to damn. First things. First, he knows Kaepernick well, he said Kipper. Nick is torn up. He thought he was gonna cry last time he talked to him because he wasn't gonna get the chance to play football. It's terrible that this young man's dream has been taken from him because he stood up against the mistreatment and murder of American citizens. So don't play till he gets a job. Number five, I think the players can consult Native American leaders and see if they want these names change. The Redskins, the Indians, the Braves, all these names, if they should be their decision as Native Americans. See if they want them change, and if they do, you make sure they get changed by withholding your services until they do get changed. Those are five things that these African American athletes can do. That's just five of many to have a real impact, a real systemic impact in this movement, because it's gotta be systemic change. Folks can't just be symbolic and emotional and individual. It's gotta be systemic. I couple two hours left, Keep it locked. Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. It is the I Couple. I'm Chris. He's Robber coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate quote. You can also follow robbing me on social media. Rob is at Roy Parker FS one on both Twitter and Instagram. I'm at Chris Underscore Brucear on Twitter, Chris Bruce A sixty eight on the grand We've got Rick Bucher from Bleacher Report and also FS one NBA analysts joining us at the bottom of the hour to tell us what's going on with these players. So stick, stick, keep it locked for that. He say it, rock and stay, stick and stay. No, I wasn't thinking about that, but yeah, stick and stay stay. And then we got six minutes coming up in about seventeen eighteen minutes. Are ready? I'm ready? Are you ready? All right? Rob? Here we go. Let's go to the NFL. Pete Carroll, running off at the mouth, says that, uh man, it just eats him up that he didn't sign cap Colin Kaepernick back in twenty seventeen. Here he is, I regret that that didn't happen in some fashion. I wish we would have contributed to it, because again I deserved to play. I thought the time, I just in our situation as a backup. Man, I didn't. I didn't feel it was right then at that time. You want to take this now you can go for I mean, I just don't, Pete, like, Okay, we get it. You said that we old Colin of an apology. You should probably leave it there because all this other stuff, the more he talks, the more I'm like turned off by Pete Carroll is supposed to be this uh you know, uh, easy thinking, real dude, you know what I mean? Or who who gets it? He's hip and all that, and and the more he talks, it just doesn't make sense to me. So I head me let me say it for you. Stop it. Thank you, Pete. I regret not signing him, man, I just you know what, didn't sign him now because the one reason Rob the one reason you just heard it that he gave for not signing Colin Kaepernick in twenty seventeen was what he's not a back. He's a starter in this league. He's too good to be a backup. I don't want to put him in that position. Well, guess what, right now, after three years away from the game, there's no way he's a starter. Nobody thinks of him as a starter. So now it's perfect now that one excuse, that one reason for you not signing him is gone, and you can bring him in now as a backup. And unlike many places, you gotta fully you know, believed then and an excellent starter and All Pro starter, a Hall of Fame starter. So there's no controversy. Oh, it'll be a big story, be a big buzz, of course, But once you start playing and Russell's doing this thing, you'll be fine. It'll fade away. And even if Russell struggles, nobody's gonna be like, hey, get Kaepernick in there, maybe Kaepernick can play better. No, he's Russell Wilson. He's not going anywhere. And Kaepernick later on in his discussion, Rob Pete Carroll said, I've always said over the years, he's a little bit of a paraphrase, but very close to what he said. I've always said over the years that if Russell got tangled up and somehow couldn't play, that Colin would be an extraordinary candidate to come in and replace him. Well, that sounds like the perfect backup to me. I know you got Geno Smith and the rookie, right, Geno Smith, you signed to a one year, one point two million dollar deal. Geno Smith himself has only thrown like fifty four passes the last three years. Geno Smith has shown he's just not that good at this level. So you can wipe your hands a Geno Smith. There's a couple of cheese steaks in Philadelphia that are better than Gino. Right, so you know what I'm saying. Right, Look, I'm not saying you gotta sign him, But why are you talking like this? Like you said, just make a regular comment. YEA, nobody'd say anything but now and then you're talking about how much you regret it. Sign him now, then you still got some game left at the airport, step away from the luggage rock. Just make your your comment. We owe him an apology. He was right, we were wrong, and leave it at that. Okay, stop it. I just don't get it, and it doesn't make sense. You think Colin did, I mean Kaepernick. Chris didn't know that Russell Wilson was a starting quarterback when he was talking to Seattle, Right, you're going good, what are you talking about? I don't want to put him in that position. It wasn't like I'm gonna compete, right, I'm only way I'm gonna sign it if you're gonna open up the job for starting quarterback. No, Colin knew he would be the backup. What what? I don't even understand. I don't want to put him in that position. The other guy in front of you. What a super Bowl? Chris, Right, you'll go to belly ache about being behind Russell Wilson. I don't think so. I'm with you. And now you know Colin, I mean, I'm sure he obviously wants to play, but he knows he's the backup. If you really you could bring him in there. He doesn't play all season, but you know what, whether he kneels or not, he's a good soldier. You know, teammates like him. There's no problems. Next he does well in practice, He gets his arm back, gets his movement back, starting to read defenses again, then he could maybe get signed somewhere else, simple as that. And god forbid. If Russell Wilson does get hurt, well you got Kaepernick. Got Kaepernick, and if he's not any good anymore, you can go to the young rookie. I'm sorry. I mean, I just just don't talk out of both sides of your mouth, That's all right, And it's just it's a little too much. And also, Chris, I did not hear the interview. I just read the quotes. Did you hear the interview? I just read him as well. I heard a little did you hear? I just got one question if you if you heard, I've heard piece of it because it was a pretty long length. It was like an hour. Yeah, okay. Did they ask him what he says? Did he ask him why? Well? Did the reporters say, well, why didn't you sign him? If he said, you regret it? To me, sounds like somebody talked you out of it, or somebody told you not to do it. Well. He had been reported a few years ago by ESPN that the reason why the whole thing fell apart was because Colin would not guarantee whether or not he was gonna kneel or not kneel. But wasn't that a second time in twenty eighteen because I thought there was. The report was that that was just they considered it again in the eighteens, and right right, that's possible. I thought that it was the falling up to the same meeting. I thought that they were talking about it. That's what I had interpreted as. But it could be two offers. Here's the other thing, Pete Carroll said another team called him about Caepernick. First of all, do you believe it? And what do you think about that? I do believe it because there's no reason to lie. I just I just think, Chris, if you're doing that, what are you doing putting yourself out there? You know what I mean? And I and I and I I believe him too. I'm not gonna sit here and accuse him of mine. I just but I could say, but here's the thing you could rationalize. First of all, nobody's gonna be able to prove nobody called you, right, I get it, because it's thirty two teams. You can always say something like that, and you may be able to rationalize it to say I'm doing cap a favor because now you know somebody teams think, Okay, somebody's interested in him. You know, maybe we'll look take a look at him. You know, I could see that happening. I don't know. I'm not gonna accuse Pete Carroll of Lyon, but I'm not saying maybe, you know, maybe that's a rationalization that somebody could use, especially when I wonder about the quote. I'm wondering, you know you regret it, Okay, but you really. But but I don't see Pete Carroll doesn't get credit if he knows you just may feel like you're helping out Colin right interested. But I'm saying with that when they called him, if he was calling teams, that would be I wouldn't look at that as like, you know, he's trying to help Colin. Do you see what I'm saying? If he would know I he said, I called three teams. I thought he was a good fit for and and and I and I sang this guy's praises about Do you see what I'm saying compared to somebody just calling you. Yeah, I'm not saying he's he's saying it to get credit. Okay, Okay, I'm just saying you could rationalize in your own mind to think I'm helping Colin out. No nobody called, But if I put his name out there, maybe teams start thinking, you know what, somebody's interested in him. Why don't we take a look at him. That's all I'm saying. And again I'm not saying he did that, because I'm not gonna accuse him of lying without knowing it. But you just wonder about that. But I look, do you think Kaepernick? I gotta be honest, and I felt this way before, So maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like he might. I think he might get a shot. How come you know Dan Patrick has jumped on the limb Chris and what he said? It's Kansas City. I'm gonna quote Dan Patrick exactly. I think if Colin Kaepernick is going anywhere, he's going to the Kansas City Chiefs end quote that's Dan Patrick. Who's there, Rob g you know for the Chiefs. Yeah, it was a chat Henny to look at him. Matt More. No, it wasn't Matt More. Maybe when Henny got hurt, when Kaepernick was hurt, somebody whatever to care. I think it was Matt More, I really do. But anyway. But that's you know what though, that actually makes sense because cha cha was the back Okay, it makes sense because you you I do understand that, and Colin Colin col Hurts talked about this. You don't want a it was Matt Moore. Matt Moore. Looking at the game depth chart right now, Matt Moore started two games and then he got hurt and then chat Hanny became the backup. Is that what? Okay? Yeah, so yeah, I thought it was Matt more right, Um. But my point is I it is legit. As much as I want to see Kaepernick in the league, as much as I feel like he definitely could be a backup in the league, it's the same thing with Cam. I get it. You bring in Kaepernick, it's gonna be a ton of attention on him, and if your starter's not really that good, even if caps are not really ready and he's rusty and he's not looking ready in practice, there's would become a ground swell for you to put him in and all of a sudden you got a quarterback controversy. So I understand that. That's why Kansas City could make sense because there is no way we think Russell Wilson's not a controversy. I mean, there is no never and you know there's no controversy with my homes, right and then yeah and so and if he gets hurt, you gotta guy me. You know, he's different from Kaepernick, and you know you got a capable backup. Here's the other part, Chris, Because they just won the Super Bowl and where the focus is, it'd be easy to say, we're concentrating on trying to win another super Bowl and we're not going to get into that. You know, like if you're a fooing team yep, or you're not doing well then and all these other storylines start to play. And do you see what I'm saying, Like, because there's nothing else going on? Wow, why don't you play cap what's going on? Do you know what I mean? City's coming off a super Bowl, they're trying to repeat that the focus on that team will be about Patrick Mahomes and about trying to repeat Dan Patrick might be onto something. I mean, look, is it possible it wouldn't be a controversy as far as him playing, But is it possible it could become a distraction to the team. I guess. So, you know, because you're you're trying to repeat for a super Bowl, which is tough enough. I mean, I guess it could be a distraction in something. You know, we'd have to see how it would go, and maybe they just don't want that extra, you know what I mean. Even though it's not a question of him playing, but it's still Colin's getting asked all these questions. Do you are we kneeling as a team? You know, who didn't kneel with Colin? You know, there's some some issues there, I guess, so it's uh, you know, it could go one of two ways. I guess there if they were to do it. I haven't heard anything. There haven't been any reports that I've seen about that. But you know, it's not the worst idea in the world. All Right, we got our new segments. Six minutes. That's sweeping the nation. If you want to be a judge, all right, you want to judge Rob and I with six minutes, call in now eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine eight seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. We will debate this topic. You we'll debate the topic. Robs. You'll give it later and you decide the winner. Six minutes, six minutes, six minutes. Odd couple is on, Thanks minutes, I couple, and it's time for six minutes. It's time for six minutes, six minutes, thanks minutes, minutes, second friend beyond couple debates, and you decide the winner. But there's a catch. They only have six minutes. That's right, it's the new segments sweeping the nation. Six minutes. Chris, we saw it versus Rob Parker, the odd couple, they debate, You decide it to the only segment I believe in the country where we let the listeners dictate who's the better debater between Chris and Rob. Today's topic is it too soon to say that Patrick Mahomes has goat potential? Chris says no. Rob says yes, Chris, you're the defending champion. You get the first two minutes of six minutes. Let's go all right. Every generation or so, a player comes along in every sport that we immediately know and identify as having goat putschell doesn't mean he'll reach it. It just means that we see how talented he is and skilled he is, and unique is that he could be the best to ever do it. You don't have to wait to see what he does. You see the greatness. It's obvious. In basketball was Wilt Chamberlain. We knew in Kansas he could be the best ever. Kareem Abdul Jabbar. We knew in UCLA, maybe even Power Memorial he could one day be the goal Michael Jordan In nineteen eighty four, Bobby Knight said he's the best player I've ever seen before he ever put on an NBA uniform Lebron James. In two thousand and five, his second year in the league, Swartz Illustrated had him on the cover with best ever question Mark Baseball, Mike Trau, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. They all had gold potential. We identified it early Pat Mahomes as what everything those guys has and more. He's got championships, He's got team and individual accomplishments. In just two years as a starter, he's already become the youngest player ever to win regular season MVP and a Super Bowl, youngest player ever to throw for five thousand yards, youngest player ever to throw for fifty touchdowns, one of three total to ever do it, already proving his clutch down ten in the Super Bowl eight minutes left, he leaves Kansas City to three straight scoring drives five and old last season when they were down by ten points. That's a record for double digit comes back in the season, three of them in the playoffs. That's a record. It'd be criminal, it'd be as nine. It'd be down right up third. Not to say that Patrick Mahomes has gold potential. This dude is unlike anything we've seen. All we need to know is Chris is the prisoner of the moment king. This is what he does. He sounds like Ron Jaworski, who, at the beginning of Colin Kaepernick's coop, were stood up on ESPN and told anybody who would listen he could be the greatest quarterback we've ever seen because of what he was doing his first and second year in the league. And he wind up never winning his Super Bowl and never reaching that potential. No one is pooh poohing how well he's played his first two years as a starter, But there's so many other things that go into it. It's just too soon to do it. We already know. Look at all the young quarterbacks that are also in the AFC. Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson. There's nothing but young to lua in Miami. He's another guy. There's nothing but young quarterbacks all over the place that have starred potential. Then when you look at the NFL in the salary cap era, only two teams I've ever repeated that's how hard it is to win. The Broncos and the and the Pats did the only two to do it. Then, when you talk about football, is injuries that happen not only to him but to some of his players, and that can change the course of everything. And once he gets cashed out and makes a lot of money, that's gonna alter the team. And when other guys decide it's time for them to get paid, they won't be around. You gotta win. And then when you talk about gold, you're talking about winning at least six championships to maybe seven. It's just too early. Tom Brady win ten years between super Bowl wins ten years, And if it wasn't because of some of the luck that he's had to win those at the end, he wouldn't even be in that conversation. It's impossible, bro, And you know what, it's too soon. Let me hear it. Too soon? Soon. That was weak. You actually compare Colin Kaepernick to Pat Mahomes. Where's Kaepernick's MVP? Where's this super Bowl? Where's this five thousand yard season? Where's his fifty touchdowns? Stop it? Their team is set, They got the Hall of Fame coach, Andy Reid, Travis Kelsey, Tyree Hill, McCall, Harman all set up for the long term. His offensive line was banged up last year. They're gonna be better this year. This dude's got all the intangibles. He's got mobility. He doesn't even have to win six you see. And I have said with Aaron Rodgers individual accomplishments, if he went three in or even three and one, he'd be in the gold conversation. Patrick Mahoon's numbers are gonna demolish Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers never threw for fifty tds or five thousand yards. I'm telling you he's got a chance. I repeat. It'd be criminal, asinine, absurd not to say he got gold potential. It's ridiculous. It's just too early. It's too soon. That's it. We need to see more. If he wins another super Bowl, then maybe we could take a look at it. Everybody was so high on Dan Marid or another one. Go look at his number, what he was able to do. In his second year in the NFL. He was considered, oh my god, he's gonna be the greatest quarterback ever. He got to the super Bowl the second year, never got back. If football takes so many different elements, it ain't a knock on Patrick Mahomes. It's that so many things have to go into workout in order for you to be able to do it. You mentioned Andy Reid. Andy Reid was a choke artist until this year they were losing the tool. The forty nine is choked down the Super Bowl. With ten minutes to go in the game, they could have easily lost that Super Bowl. Chris and you wouldn't be having this conversation. This is what what I'm talking about. It's too soon. Patrick Mahomes is not in that conversation. When you win two or three super Bowls, call me and then I'm on board. I'm not right now. See that's why Chris and Rob get paid in the big bucks. That kind of energy, that kind of passion. Great debate there on six minutes, but it's not up to me. It's not up to DJ Alex Tiger. It's not even up to Steve de Seger to decide who wins. That belongs to the judges, our callers all across America. Let's get started. Judge number one Chat in Memphis, who do you think want that? Debate? And why? Hey, guys, I expect both three of the show. I love listening to you. I was on the topic, yeah, absolutely, I was with the topics when I heard it. But I've got to say, Chris, you're knocking me right off on to your side with this one. We're talking about potential here. We're not talking about is he a goat? Right now? When is it too soon to talk about potential? I hear people all the time talk about Joe Burrow already had potential to be a goat. I've never heard of you. I'm not buying that. Good job chat all right, Chris, we started up one another and move on. Judge number two. I think this might be a little bit of home cooking Alan in Detroit. Come on, man, who do you think want at the tough car? Tough carum shot around. I gotta go to Chris Man. He he got to go patentcier Man. I feel when he did my Detroit Lions. Man to have my homes is the real deal? What did he do to the Detroit Lions? You threw no touchdowns in your loss? Great car, don't don't let him shout you. Chris didn't want his voice, got love for Motown? No no, no, that's what he said right away. Yes you say, all right, okay, we could have a second consecutive sweep Charles in Florida. Who do you think want that debate? And why? Hey, guys of the show, bad to be here? Thank you brother, um no cab. I'm just wanted to say, I hate and I just because you don't like Tom Brady, but I have to give us another man. Not because I think Patrick for homes will do you go, but because he definitely has the potential. And yes, do so. As hurt you. But you're making my point. Does sense? Hey? It doesn't make any sense. You're making the debate. H hit it. I tell you you gotta let this breath drop, Let it breathe, let it breathe. I'm sweeping, folks. I ain't happy with just to win. I don't want technical knockout. I want to knock your block off I'm Detay Walter, I'm George Foreman, I'm Mike Tyson. I'm going bolos baby left hook right hooked to the gun. I percut ever, that's how I drop cats. Yes, Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search f s R to listen live. If it is the Eye Couple and we've got FS one NBA analysts Muker coming up right now on the Discover Card Celebrity Highline. Get your free credit scorecard today, even if you're not a Discovered customer. It includes your Fico credit score, and checking your scorecard will not hurt your credit. Learn more discover dot COM's last credit scorecard limitations apply. Rick, Welcome to the Eye Couple. Brother, Good to be with you, gentlemen. How are we doing on this fine Friday. We are great. We are great. Now, look, let's let's just get it. Get cut to the chase. Is the NBA season in Jeopardy? No, no, no, this is this is a you know how we call the last Dance of Michael Jordan production. I would call this story a Kyrie Irving production. Wow. I don't want to say that he is, that this is in the realm of him trying to convince guys that the Earth is flat, but it's in the same zip code. In terms from what I've heard, there was already a call and like and this is where I don't know where the numbers are in terms of I'm sure there are some guys that agree with Kyrie, but there are from what I understand, there are more who have tried to tell Kyrie, Look, if we don't play, then the owners are going to blow this thing up and they are going to basically pull the plug on this CBA and we are going to have to negotiate a new CBA. And I assure you that not only are guys going to lose the money money that they have coming this season, but that the money moving forward is going to be drastically different. And I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but I guarantee you that the owners on some level are champing at the bit. As much as they want to come back and play, they don't want to give back the TV money or their advertising money or any of that. I assure you that there are owners that are not happy with the fact that players are the top players are now making so much money that they unilaterally can decide I'll take less, or I'll do this, or it's the money's gotten so absorbitant that the top players have an authority and a control that they've never had before. And the owners, at least some owners are uncomfortable with that idea because they now have to share the power, and I guarantee they'd love to get that power back. But Rick, I got a push back on your response only from this standpoint, and you could, you know, laugh at Kyrie and the world's flat or whatever, But some of the concerns are real with the COVID what they have to do in order to play, to be away from their wives and their children. I mean, let's let's I get it. It's easy to make fun of Kyrie, but I think some of those concerns and it's not just him, Chris, who was the other one you said who had the emotional well, George will, but there's some other issues there, and I just I think your response is a little flip for what you're asking people to do during what's going on with the pandemic and the protest. Well, but let's be clear, I'm not saying that the hardship of doing this is not on the players. For sure it is and if this is a simply a negotiating cloy to loosen the restrictions on the bubble, because I think that's the most uncomfortable thing that guys are looking at is we all have to go in this bubble. We have to spend a month getting ready to play what for some of us it may be a total of eight games. So we're going to spend a month and a half to play eight games that are somewhat meaningless in the big picture. And even those guys that are going to the end, you mean, so we're going to be in this bubble. We're gonna be in this bubble essentially for three months to win a championship. Once you get close to that and you begin to realize what that means, I understand the reluctance to do that. What Adam Silver are trying to do, though, is he's trying to balance the financial realities of the league while protecting the health of the players. So you can't have it both ways. You can't argue that we're concerned about the health like as players, We're concerned that you're putting our health at risk. But you know what, what you don't want to be in this bubble. We want the freedom to come and go. Well, which is it? What is it? Are you uncomfortable with the fact that you're going to be playing or are you uncomfortable with the fact that you're going to be in a bubble? And the truth of the matter is that if they don't resume play, then things are going like, there's no guarantee that you're going to have next season start on time because you're gonna have to be negotiating everything and who's to say we're gonna have a vaccine in place, and anything's going to be different next December, appreciably different than it is right now. I'm not saying it's not a hardship on the players, but if you if you take a step back and you look at the realities of the situations, they need to find a way to be able to resume play in order for the league to function, not just now but next season. And that's just the harsh reality of it. And players always take they always get the short stick, but in this case, the alternative is the unknown. In terms of what when you are going to play again, because it's not like, you know, you shut it down now and you're guaranteed to be starting next December. Rick. One thing they're also saying is that if you test positive for COVID, you're out right, you're out for the rest of them I thought they were going to quarantine you. You're out in terms of being able to play, right, But I mean, but it is it only for ten days or is it for the rest of the quote unquote season. No, My understanding was it was a limited time that they would be Okay, that makes sense because I thought the same thing that it would be ten days. But then I saw people saying if you get if you test positive, you're done for the rest of the year, which didn't make sense to me because it was like, what if Lebron gets it in the fourth game of the season, but he's you know, he'll be back in the second round, but he's not gonna be able to play. Okay, So that's what I figured. But what let me ask you this, um, I feel like with Kyrie leading this thing, and we got about two minutes with Kyrie, if he's leading this kind of charge, if you will if he's leading it on the grounds of, hey, we need to stand up, you know, as black men, this is a time of change in our country. We don't want to be entertaining. That's one thing. But if he's standing up on the basis of the bubble, the ill, you know, COVID nineteen or something like that, I don't think he'd be the one to say, you know, he's really should be the one leading that charge because he's not playing in anyway. Yes, well, that that is the part, The s serious part is that, um, he's not he's not playing. So uh where he is on this? And when it isn't what? Isn't he a part of the executive Uh? Uh? He is? Which is interested in that he's taking this approach? And what do you make of that? Rich because he's an executive VP or VP, He's a part of that, isn't he? But why didn't he voice this? It's almost like it seems like he's waging a mutiny. Potentially, he without question, because they've already had this conversation with the I mean, the players union had already come to of an understanding that they were going to go forward with this. Now that was prior to the death of George Floyd. So but I guess from from for me, you're the platform and the ability to speak is far greater if you are playing than if you're not playing. I understand the issue with the idea that um that the league is predominantly black and these and players are going back to work and they're suffering the hardship. I mean, I guess I can see that argument. I just look, this is the truth of the matter for me, and it goes to whether the four guys standing up at the SBS or whether all the protests that we have. And the bottom line is is that if something is going to change, this is the very tip of the iceberg. Whether whether the guys come back and play or don't play. It's a matter of we need to vote the right people in the office. We need to clean up our law enforcement. We have to have a complete social reset in ours spective in race relations in this country and our history in this country, and face facts about where we've been and where we are, and and that's what's going to be most important. All of this other stuff are their great statements, but they're nothing more than that. There there. The action has not happened yet stuff. That's Rick Report Senior NBA rid FS one NBA analyst. Thanks a lot man, We'll see yep. More couple coming your way with Doc Ellis. That's right, Doc ell Is the third. We'll join us. It's gonna be fine. Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search f SR to listen live. All right, it is the couple of Fox Sports Radio, Rob Parker Chris Boussard on a Funky Fresh Friday, and let's welcome in our next guests. He is Doc Ellis, the third. That name sounds familiar. Yes, his dad was the famous pitcher Doc Ellis, who passed in two thousand and eight. But when he was a major league pitcher, he was some stud on the mouth, Doc Ellis the third. Welcome to the odd couple. What's going on, fellas, Thanks for having me and Chris. This is an incredible story. Fifty years ago today exactly. Doc Ellis pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates in San Diego, pitches a no hitter, but the caveat was he had taken a hit of Ells Dean and somehow was able to pitch a no hitter. Doc ellis the third. Help us out with this story? Is this a true story? This legend? Did your dad ever tell you about this? Help us out? We spent some time, i'd say in the late eighties. There was a gentleman that did the article on it back in the Pittsburgh area, and my dad had mentioned it for the first time, and we talked about it once or twice, but never really much in depth. It wasn't something that he was proud of the entire time, so he really wanted to be remembered more so for the other seats, more so after his career ended than really of the no hitter under the influence of LSD. Do you know how much different he was? I mean, obviously you were really young when he was playing. Could you see the difference in him when he was a player versus once he got sober and you know, was really doing a lot of great stuff helping other people who had been addicted. Yeah, Chris, I was born in seventy nine and he retired in eighty, so I didn't really see any of his playing teas at all. Uh. I reside here in a group, I should say in Arlington when he's with the Rangers. That's where my parents divorced. But I wasn't able to see any uh those those early days. But I will say he was. He was very active for you know, stuff that's going on today as far as civil rights and all that kind of stuff. Oh, no, no doubt about it. And your dad, people, you're right about just being known for that one thing. I mean, your dad started the nineteen seventy one All Star Game for the National League and he was a part of that Pirates team that won a championship. I mean, he was a really good player. I mean, and and you're right, people do pick out one moment, uh sometimes and think about it. What do you think about your dad the most or what do you know that was most he was most out of? You gotta do it quick, too. I'm not sure what he was most proud of most likely you Vider and starting nine. That would definitely be my two and I'm most proud to know, always fairly reminded of on those certain dates because I just really don't see that ever happening again between the two Starting All Star Game pictures all black lineup, No doubt. Hey, doc ellis the third. We appreciate you. Thank you on the anniversary of that game. Forget the LSD. But man, he pitched a no hitter, which is so hard to do. Man, we appreciate you join us here on the Odd Couple. Thank you most definitely, thank you. All right, yeah later, More Couple coming your way. Keep it locked. Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. It is the I Couple. I'm Chris, He's Robe. We're coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote. Rob, I think we got a great guest at the bottom of the hour. He's a friend of ours, friend of the show. He's does shows here Fox Sports Radio. Former tenure NBA veteran Ryan Hollands. Yep. I've done, you know locally here in LA with him, yep. And what I like about Ryan and some people jump on him for it but he speaks his mind, you know, and we always say that that's what you want from an ex athlete, just say, don't be afraid to say something. And that's Ryan. So I really want to talk to him about, you know, what's going on with these players, and I think he'll give us an honest rendering. I agree. I just think people should be just a little careful about and dismissive about their concerns because I think they're real. I don't. I don't think that it's like, oh, what are you doing? What do you mean you're not gonna play? We just saw at the University of Houston. Didn't we just see didn't the sayer just announced Iowa State ten. Yeah, it's legit and legit. I mean, like I said, I have no problems with the players having second thoughts, questions, whatever. I think that's I don't think Kyrie should be the leader. But for if he's talking about from the black perspective, that's fine. But I think the fact that he's not playing, and that's the only reason, only, the fact that he doesn't have skin in the game. I think as far as the illness and illness and the bubble, that should be the other players call, see I disagree, and I gonna deal with that. But I agree. But he's a part of the board, like to look out for the players, and he's just doing that. But Chris either ring leader or is he just relaying their concerns? We don't. That's what I'm saying. If if twenty guys called him and said, kyree, okay, I agree. You see what I'm saying, right, and he's the mouthpiece the other guys might not be big enough. Do you know what I'm saying, right, That's That's the only thing I'm saying. It's like I agree with you, I don't. I don't think there's some ulterior motive. I don't want Lebron to win, so let's not I don't believe that, you know, I believe that some players have come to him. And if he wasn't on that board, Chris, I would agree with you. But he's he's a representative on the board, so he's supposed to be the guy that represents players and says stuff. That's the only reason I'm and I and I agree with you on that. If if now, if he's I mean to be honest as the as the VP, even if he has talked to guys and said, you guys really cool with this, and then he hears their views. He could still represent it because he is the VP. That's that's his job. That's all I'm saying. I feel you on that. All right, Let's let's look at Bill O'Brien for a moment, because I'm gonna be honest. He's had his issues with I mean, people question his coaching for sure, but he obviously had his issues with DeAndre Hopkins, who they just traded, and a lot of people killed him for that. But I got it. I'm with you, Rob, Like this quote from him was strong and well, we'll tell you why. But basically, Bill O'Brien has been encouraging his players to speak out, and he encouraged many of them to go to the funeral obviously in Houston for George Floyd. He went himself with J. J. Watton, some other players and coaches. But here's this quote, Rob that he said to the Houston Chronicle, Yeah, I will take a knee. He's gonna take a knee beside his players, says I'll take a knee. I'm all for it. The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard and a right to be who they are. They're not taking a knee because they're against our flag. They're taking a knee because they haven't been treated equally in this country for over four hundred years. Hello, wait a minute, wait a minute to even throw in the four hundred years, Chris, Dad, that's the most powerful thing to me. My Absolutely, you could say because they have been treated well, or this unfortunate incident that happened, you know, this tragedy that just happened, it was awful. You could you did a lot of routes to say because they haven't been treated fairly for four hundred years. Is talking about slavery and everything else in this country. Bill O'Brien went to the top rope Chris and jumped off in wrestling. Am I right? He's off the top for me, super flies, That's right. And if you don't know who that is, google him. He was the man. He was the man. Now I'm with you, Rob, and I gotta give him credit. And one thing that is encouraging to me, and this whole thing, obviously we've seen people of different races marching and things like that, but the fact that I hear so many white leaders, whether it's a governor, whether it is another type of politician, whether it's a coach in this instance, but people standing up and pointing out that this is not just about as tragic as it was. This is not just about George Floyd. It's not just about police brutality. It is about systemic racism. It is about, as Bill O'Brien said, something that dates back to slavery, and a lot of people like to say, well, that was one hundred and fifty years ago, and so on and so forth. Then there was Jim Crow, which in a lot of cases, as you know, Rob, was de facto slavery for a lot of you share croppers and all that. And then there were other forms of discrimination, you know, even up to this day. I mean, let's face it, all of these and more keep coming out, Rob, you know, I got CNN on. They more keep coming out. And it's interesting because a lot of these situations, the victim is saying I can't breathe. I can't breathe in a lot of these situations. But here's the fact. But but but the other thing to just piggyback real quick on what you were talking about about talking about you know how long ago it was, and there was one hundred and fifty year and all that. The Civil Rights Act, Chris was sign in nineteen sixty four. That's when I was born, and like what like two hundred years ago. That's why I'm saying nineteen sixty four, Avery was another hundred years No, no question, You're absolutely right, that was your lifetime, my parents mar you know the civil rights marches, sou but that that like today, let's face it, all of these the George Floyd and Flandocasti, all these that we've seen on body cameras or on iPhones. They you saw the police reports. The police reports were totally different. Right, they would have gotten away with it. And how many times have people gotten away with that? Plenty of the guys that killed him out Arberry, we're going to get away with it, even though the even though the Attorney General they had the video and they still were gonna look the other way. Absolutely, no policemen, right, they were just regular citizens. Right. And we've seen this and the other thing too, is is normally Christian. Right, there is a video and this is the thing that we all know as black man driving into streets and being stopped and pulled over. I told you, I've been stopped so many times and the whole nine yards, and you really don't know what's gonna happen or what's gonna go wrong, or how you talk to and and and and whatnot, like you know, just just arbitrary, Chris, like nasty, like where you going, where you're coming from at this hour? You know, like and I've responded sometimes none of your business? Well, none of your business what you pulled me over? What what? What's the infraction? What does it matter where I'm coming from? You know what I mean? As if I'm gonna say, yeah, I just pulled over and rob the liquor store, I just right, what answer am I gonna give you? But but it's just yea, where are you coming from? I hear you. I hear you, man, And uh so kudos to Bill Bill O'Brien man, I'll give him props. And um, that's a strong statement. So hopefully you know, these systemic issues will be dealt with and it won't just be emotional and you know, feel good and symbolic, although those things are important, but those things are I agree with you, this got more of them to do. But but you gotta admit, Chris, a lot of stuff is moving. I mean, am I right? And not like NASCAR? That was huge because of what it signals, the symbolism of that. Yes, even Republican uh exact. You know people in the Republican Party who were saying, we can change these Confederate names on these military bases. I mean, they're going against the president who said that they weren't gonna do it. They put it in the bill. Chris, Now he has to decide whether to sign it or veto it, and if it does, it would hamper the military stuff that he's trying to push through. Do you see what I'm saying. So now they put him in the spot if he vetos it, then the stuff that he wants doesn't go through. Yep, yep. So you're right, it's stuff happening. For sure. This is definitely different. So let's see how it continues and hopefully they'll continue going in the right direction. Let's move on to the NBA players, and we talked a little bit about that already with Kyrie. Let's go back there. It's interesting, Rob because a lot of the players who seem to be questioning whether or not they want to come back. Obviously, Kyrie Damian Lillard has spoke. You know, it looks like he's gonna play, but he's spoken a little bit. Carmelo Anthony, another Portland Trailblazer, they're not the contenders. And from everybody I've talked to, like I said, the Lakers, the Clippers, at least the two stars on the Rockets, like these guys are all in Denver, even though you know, none of us think Denver will win, but they think they got a shot. Like the teams that are contenders. Joel Embid has talked about it. They want a ball rob and I understand it if I if I'm one of the few teams that not even in the playoffs yet, I mean, really, do I really want to go there and play eight games? You know what I mean? Like I guess, like you hung the carrot out in front of me right that if we, if we play well, we might get into the playoffs. So I guess there's that. But Chris, that's why some people were saying that the NBA should have just looked at the season for what it was, picked the top sixteen teams and not have people who don't have who aren't in the mix to have to do this and just through the playoffs. I think that I think that's really I know they want Zion in and they went back and they got twenty two teams, uh, you know, and whatnot. If you would have done that and then the team's really all sixteen teams had quote unquote a shot, I don't think you'd have. I don't think you'd have as much of this as you have now. Yeah, MY main concern was just the health and you know, with the guys be in shape, I don't know that you want, you know, playoff teams and you know, they know they're gonna face each other even if they're not playing the team they're gonna face in the playoffs. But you know, I just don't know how hard those teams would go in those eight games. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think they you know, they kind of be coasting, which wouldn't get them in shape. Now, maybe they'll still do that, I know, I think you and I put a bet on it. I believe. I do believe, and I've talked to some people. I think they'll be low management for probably a couple of teams, but I think the Clippers and I get it. It's not that the guys will need a break, but you know you're gonna want to get them in shape, get a little chemistry, and then be ready for the games. It really matters. But I don't know's I'm gonna be interested to see what happens, what comes to this call, but I don't expect there's gonna be any real like pushback to the degree that the season would be in jeopardy. I think I think, if indeed the season is in jeopardy, Rob, it's going to be because of COVID, which already seems to be surging again. And I think it'll be that if there, if anything that that slows down this season or stops it. Yeah. Um, I just this is so um uncharted waters, Chris. We just don't know what we're gonna get. We really don't. And and you just don't know who's gonna get sick. We just mentioned it with the football players, right, did you just mention it? I mean, how in the world is nobody gonna get sick, Chris. Somebody's gonna get sick, and they gotten it quick? Haven't they just gotten back? They just started they got what was it? What was the last school that had to ten. I know, I think Iowa State, because Iowa State had ten players. Yeah, yeah, you're in close quarters. What do you want to tell you what if one of these players, and obviously you prayed this doesn't happen, if one of them get seriously ill, like it's serious that I think a lot of this stuff's gonna shut down, I really do. No, they probably will have, probably rightly. So I mean, let's just keep your real you know, so we will see definitely some different times, all right. With a handful of players from nine contending teams voicing concern about resuming the season, would the NBA have been better off? We're asking you. Would they have been better off inviting fewer teams to play in the bubble? As Rob said, should they have just gone straight to the playoffs sixteen teams? We start with the playoffs eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven, seven, nine, nine, six sixty three sixty nine. You're turned away in with Chris and Robb, the i couple of Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot com and within the Ihearts Radio app. Search f SR to listen live. All right, it's the I Couple Chris and Robb on the Funky Flashback Friday in the Crates. Ay, here is in the Crates, you and I. This was the James Rick James. You're Rick James fans see that look James. Everybody, that's right, that's right. We brought to you by all those own. All those zones got more ways for you to get what you need when you need it. With their free same day pick up, you can place your order online and grab what you need today at more than fifty seven hundred autos on locations, in store or curbside. Visit all those on the day to start your job fast. Get in the zone, all those own and Chris, let me throw out the number again if you want to jump in eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Let's let's kick it off with Mark and Sacramento. You're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio. What's up? Mark? What's going on? Gentlemen? Do you good? Hey? Chris, I don't I don't think that they should be uh jumping straight to the playoffs. And Rob I don't I really don't think they should do that. These guys been off for a long time. I think soft soft muscle tissues will snap. But I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that they shouldn't play. I'm not saying that they shouldn't play any preseason games or you know what I mean, or warm up games to it. I'm just saying, like to bring back teams that are like, not really have a stake in it. Those are the guys who are going to be less enthusiastic about playing and being there. That's what I meant, you know what. I agree with that, Rob, That's a different I hurt it a little different. Hey guys, real quick, can I give you guys a little bit of history of what just happened in the NBA is something we have never seen and it might be the hardest thing to win a championship. They start off, They start off with two of the top stars not playing, Clay Thompson and Kevin Durant. Then their top rookie coming in, Zion gets hurted. He doesn't play though January. Then the Daryl More China thing erupts, which they're now hurting them financially. Then David Stern dies. Then two weeks later, Kobe Bryant dies, Then the clothes virus hits. Then we have a civil unrest happened, and now they're going to try to play. That's a lot for one league, man, you know, one mark. It has been a hell of a twenty twenty. I know, twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, but my goodness, you're you're right, Yeah, it's been a heck of a thing. We got a it's a little bit of a little bit of interesting news. Rosing got Rob g There's a tweet from Row Woes about the call that's going on with the players. Just came in in the in the middle of that commercial break, Woes apparently has someone plugged in on the call. Oh what a shock. Here's the here's what he says that amid reservations on restarting the season, Kyrie Irving has lent a strong voice to the ongoing call with NBA players tonight. One player says in the text quote he's trying to give players a platform to be able to have a discussion on the bubble racial equality and unity. It's a good call, ain't quote. So that's the part that's good that Chris, you're good with that. Yeah, yeah, it ain't. It ain't Kyrie trying to hijack the season, right And because he's not playing like let's just do it, I think it's I think he's trying to be honest. Uh, And some players maybe felt like the big dogs got all to say and they really didn't get to Just have your say doesn't mean that you won't go along with it if everybody agrees to do it, you know what I mean, Chris bro Like we weren't heard, nobody wanted to hear what I had to say right right now. I think that's good. I think that's good. And as long as you know, I don't think Kyrie should be directing them or on his soapbox, you know, Like I said, if it's the racial thing, he can share on that. But as far as the other stuff. But if if they're just giving a platform to share their views, that's good. And maybe look, maybe a lot of these dudes don't want to play. I mean, like maybe most of them. You know what I'm saying relevant you talk about like, look, let's let's be honest. If dudes don't really want to play and they're going out there and they're not into it. Number one, it could lead to more Injreese and number two, if we clearly see that the level of play is horrible. You talk about it a mental asterisk, you know what I'm saying, Like, you don't want that either. You don't want guys out there just not going hard at it, not and halfheartedly playing. So I think this is good. And even if the lag is good, they get to share, they'll feel better about playing, you know what I mean, if they you know, at least they were heard, no doubt at Jamal in New York. You're on the odd couple of fox sportuated what you got Hi night man, right. I actually was really on Rob side all the way in the generally, so I just heard the rest of what you had to say, and I'm kind of on both of your side. I do believe that they only should have went the sixteen games. However, Chris, you were right about that. If your heart is really not into it, man, you can course itself real bad injuries trying to go out there and forcing itself to do something that's really not interested in doing. So it's kind of interesting to see how that they're going to play it. Out. But I also agree with only the teams that really want to you know, that really have a legitimate shot of winning the championship, with the ones that are thirsty to really go out back out there and play and put their bodies through that. The ones that you know, are because in the NBN game though, So the ones that know that they really might not make it in that age spot, they really don't want to go out there and put their body through that. So abeall have a good night, and thanks for the call, Thank you. And I do think rob a lot of I remember talking to one coach. His team is actually one of the ones that is not in the playoffs, but they're you know, one of the teams that now they they're invited, so they might make the playoffs. But he was like, we're kind of like our season's over, you know what I mean, because that was kind of their approach because they didn't think they would get, you know, a chance to get into the playoffs, right. And I think a lot of teams, you know, a lot of guys ride they've probably just been they're out of that mindset, you know what I mean. No, there's whole there's a whole thing, right, and you just feel like, oh, all seasons over, so right, I can let I can let myself go a little bit. I'm not saying they got fat, but you know what I mean, like mentally right what you need to play, you kind of let your guard down and you're I'm in vacation mode, even though I'm stuck at home, do you know what I mean? Like, I'm there's a mode of the season's over and I can wind down and veg out and then there's all right time for the season. I gotta get myself prepared. It's gonna be grueling eighty two games, you know what I mean? No question, no question? All right. We will get the player's perspective on all this from our man Ryan Hollins. He joins the next but first, be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. It's The I Couple Chris and Rob Company you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. It is easy to say fifteen percent of more on your car Stoomers with Geico. Go to Geico dot com or call eight hundred and nine four seven auto. The only hard part is figuring out which way is easier. We got a few more calls, Rob, you want to get to those, Yeah, let's do that. How about Kevin and Hawaii. You're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, keV? Hey guys, long time listener, first time caller, my man, Thank you, keV, you brother. We appreciate that all the time. Thank you. You know what I think we're giving the big boys, it's too much pressure. If they want to play, they play. If they don't want to, they no need right, So well they're divided. It's okay, yea, So keV, you wouldn't have a problem if they decided they don't want to play. You're cool with that. Why one night then? Because there's gonna be another season and I'm sorry, everything gets up brought up with Lebron and it's just come on, sorry, buddy, it's I'll tell you what it's been for the call on the support. My man from Hawaii and Mark brought this up, Rob. If it's been such a disjointed season, you know what I mean. Nobody's fault, obviously, but it's been a crazy season. Yeah, and we've been at WoT without it for a while. I want them to play like everybody else. But if if they, you know, look we'll see. I don't know, man, Maybe I think they'll have the season, but I think this stuff needs to be taken seriously. He's agree. And then again, the virus is surgeon. You know. That's why I pushed back on Rick Bucker when he was on a little bit. You know, it was kind of like, well, you know, kywee, and I'm like, I don't know if it's just kywe do you know what I mean, Like, it's a little deeper than that. Well, let's let's go to a former player, our man, friend of the show, Ryan Hollins. What's up, brother, Hey, what's going on? Guys? You we're good, We're good. Not give us what's going on? I know obviously you got friend league. So what is going on? Man? Like? Do you think the season could be in jeopardy? How big is this group that may not want to play? It's it's a decent number. And you know, obviously guys are gonna be worried about the injuries, are worried about COVID nineteen and even bigger at matter. It looks like, how would I put this lightly? We're to the point where we feel like we're gonna have major change in society, and you don't want to lose any of that momentum with an NBA season going on. Now, here's the reality of the matter. As a ten year NBA athlete and a guy who's retired right now, your voice is not going to be any bigger than it is while playing. For those who want to push the Black Lives Matter agenda, my current NBA players, you're not going to have any bigger of a platform than while you play. Look at Colin Kaepernick. Now, you can put whatever notion you want or whatever feelings, but Colin Kaepernick is only it's still to this day, said that he plans to play in the NFL. He wants to play. He had been blackballed. Okay, that's not a question now, it's pretty much in fact, he was black balled for kneeling, and that was his stance. So for these guys who who want to push the matter and understand there are bigger issues at hand, put out your initiative. Maybe if it's you know, every basket that you score, you know a certain amount of people donate funds to Black Lives Matter. You know, there's t shirts you can wear. You know, the NBA is really good as far as calls and awareness. That's good. That's that's a that's a really a great point. And uh, did you think originally like the bubble? I understand the protests in that, but there's some players who are concerned about the whole bubble life. I remember when we had um who do we have on Eddie uh Eddie house house, and he was saying that he didn't think players were gonna be feel comfortable. And you you notice, being an ex player about being away from your family and your kids, and you know, with not being able and and and and being basically uh imprisoned, you know for whatever it is three weeks a month or before you can see anybody. Do you think that weighs on players to the idea that that you you were going to be isolated? Rob It's a sad reality. But as a former NBA player, we are incredibly spoiled. We don't live in the real world. We get essentially, we get what we want. You know, you go to work for for for for four to six hours and then you go home and at the end of the day, you're playing basketball. You're a millionaire with nothing but money and time and in different cities, traveling the world. We don't live in the real world right now. COVID nineteen basketball. This championship is going to be incredibly uncomfortable. When I spent a year overseas, I realized what uncomfortable was. I realized what social distancing actually was. That was the truth of the matter. So when I'm looking at these NBA players, they've got to understand you are sacrificing for the well being of the league, and if you do not want you play, you're gonna put yourself in a very grave situation if you don't show up. Guys, we just saw the league go from fifteen players to seventeen players on the roster. What's that safe for the guys who aren't the Lebron James's, the Kyries, the Kevin Durant. To the world, you are replaceable guys. So that's the reality what's going on. And you haven't been working out with it being your driveway, your front yard, your front yard of the jet workout where you're doing you know, push ups and set ups back to back to back to back. You know, you've got to figure some things out. Now, we know that from a couple of guys I've talked through. The practice facilities are open, they're ending, they're working out, they're scheduling runs where guys can come in and play. And yeah, there is a worry about guys getting hurt and getting up to speed, not just speed, but playoff speed. It is a reality, but this is a time where you just gotta go play. It's no it seems like and from people I've talked to that the stars and the championship contenders really want to play, but it's kind of the guys who may not be stars or their teams are not really legitimate contenders that are having the questions about it. Absolutely. I mean, we saw LaMarcus Algers just went out and have shoulder surgery. Now I'm not speaking for LaMarcus Algers, but if they were the championship contention, if you having soldiers shoulder surgery, that's the sub to it's right there. At this time of the year, you know, probably not so I understand that that's that's a that's a reality, but guys have to understand when it comes to getting paid and everybody wants that megamax or you know, the mid level exception and your agent is going to bat for you to talk about how valuable you are. Uh, these are the moments that can be held against you. And yeah, you know what the reality is that what guys have to understand that me be scared of I'm showing up to the playoffs out of shape. What happens if I look bad? This could mess my money up. Heck, I've had a really good year. Now I'm gonna have to set out Well, guys understand the entire well being of the league isn't isn't is in jeopardy right now. So you've got to you've got to get on the court and you've got to play. Because there's a there's a it's called revenue shy. There hasn't been a revenue So all that extra money that we make that gets added on and that that nice little check that you get every single year as an NBA player, that thing may be non existent because all of the sponsorship money, all of the TV rights, all this revenue is getting missed out every single day that the NBA doesn't play. I guess, uh, I mean you make the argument when it comes to not just this year but next year. Um, who wins? I called it the Mickey Mouse Championship, because of course it's gonna be at didn't I am. I'm just telling you who's gonna win? Who are gonna win? Oh my god, you're something else. I gotta dress something else with you right before we get off here, do you use? You? Out of control? You out of control? Um step guys, No, no, no, I'm gonna bring it up. I bring it up my favorite all year long, you guys spending Los Angeles Clippers. They have to what twelve guys? Lou Williams is the only guy who can't guard Lebron James. So they had a school guys on top of Kawhi Leonard who could score the basketball, and Paul George, who's a you know, I call him a yeah. I give him an eight minus all star, maybe B plus a minus top of superstar in our league. The Clippers have been favorites all year long. But I'm looking over I'm looking at COVID nineteen. I'm looking at this shake up and the one thing that I know Lebron James has been the ninth NBA Finals he's got more experience than than than a number of these teams combined. If you come by the Milwaukee Bucks, UH, Boston and Philadelphia, they wouldn't have the experience in minutes that Lebron James has played in the playoffs. I think experience wins out. I know I'm changing my pick. I think I'm leaving forwards about days. I've always been a I think experience wins out. I'm concerned with the Kawai's leg to start to stop with his injury, it's really gonna affect him. I gotta see that more than just I think if his leg is it right, if his leg isn't right now after three mon moy. It's not about he's not like he's old where it's like, oh he's got to start up. He's still a relatively young guy. Hey, Chris, you ever had a hoopie? Yeah? First car had to been a hoopie? Right, we all had a hope? What are you cars? Current car? Listen? Listen, Kawhi Leonard his quad as a hoopie. Let's call that a hoopie. So when when the cookie is just sitting things just start going wrong. You are you just talking off the dome or you know something. I'm not listen, I'm not saying for a fact, Okay, I'm not a medical expert, and obviously even the San Antonio medical expert heither got in run or couldn't figure things out when it came to Kawai's leg. So I'm saying, listen, the starting stop is very likely and I'm assuming here, I'm assuming. Okay, thanks for clarifying that Chris is gonna slow down Kawhi Leonard and in his leg at the start. I think Lebron starting up an old JELOPI after sitting for three months, could wind up where Lebron had more to me have a chance of pulling something or getting hurt after stopping what he was playing really well, and he was a well oiled machine. I think it's gonna be harder for Lebron to be honest. Don't let Lebron fool you. Don't let this smooth taste fool you. Lebron James is quite possibly the most aware NBA athlete that we've ever seen. When he saw COVID nineteen, after soaking and after you know, taking and digesting everything, Lebron said, hold the heck up, This is my window to win a championship. I likely wasn't gonna win the championship this year. I know I turned it all, but I was going against the grain. But if I work out, not get in shape, this is in the advantage. If I ain't know anything about Lebron James quite plops is the most unware mega star that we have ever seen play in the league. He sees an opportunity. That's the thing about greatness. You know. We were having talked to myself, Brittan Haywood with Mike Conley and Quinn Cook the other day, and he's played with Steph and Kde and Lebron and those guys. He said, they don't miss a beat. That's the difference. They don't miss a beat. They see, they here and they're aware of everything. So Lebron James is competitive as he is. He has he's never stopped working out, and he got the kid the keys to the gym. Guy. All right, the what else you gonna say with me? You have upset? Hey? Hold on? Did you hey? Did you you call Steph Curry a hard glove chatter earlier in the week. I've already chastised for that, But go ahead please yo. I said he was a Globe charter. What they say, man, you know they were They were like, this dude is spot on. Man, keep it hunting all right, Ryan, great stuff, brother, have a good weekend, man, guys man, thanks for the keep it up. Yeah, I couple of Fox Sports Radio. Keep it like. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search f S to listen live. All right, well we got uh we're wrapping up another great week. The Eye Couple, the Pointer Sisters. I gotta give credit to Djai Alex Tysher. He has been in the crates. He got dust all over his hair, all over his face. He is in the crates. Boy. Yeah you like this right? Rob? Oh? Yeah? Well this wasn't was this? This was this the Pointer Sisters? No, Ahnita Ward? Isn't it right? Is this? Uh? No? Who is Stewart Rednita Ward was ringing my bell ring? I used to love that song. Yeah. Uh but yeah, so interesting tweet. Let's bring in Rob g Chris Haynes. I guess the call up from the NBA players has ended and here's Chris. What Chris Haynes has reported about it. Well, yeah, Chris Haynes didn't report it was an hour, were in forty minutes. But here I actually found a money quote right here, courtesy of our manage. Sham Sharania from The Athletic says, a source on the call sells him quote from Kyrie Irving, I don't support going into Orlando. I'm not with the systematic racism and the BS. Something smells a little bit fishy. But Chris Haynes did add to that report himself, saying, even though he disagrees with going to Orlando, he will stand with whatever the players decide to do, which is the way you gotta do it. I mean, oh, of course you could be against it or whatever and Voice, sure he's got his rights of Voice's opinion exactly. But but it's a it's a democracy, right Chris. And once everybody votes or decides what they want to do, then you gotta go with the group, otherwise you're in trouble. An additional quote actually just just came down from Shams. Kyrie Irving on the call says, quote, I'm willing to give up everything I have for social reform. Wow, well we know I re Is is a pensive young man. There's nothing else. Uh, look like I said, I'm if he if he feels as strongly about the racial situation as we he should be at the Voice's opinion and um, but just be smart about it, like get something out of this. The players have some leverage, make some demands, you know, that's what they should be looking at doing. As you heard on Bruce Hart's five five, I never missed, I left gee, I left it, and I never missed. I never watched you hearing. Never get some new jokes speaking of what what? What? You got a week left? All right, I'm excited, Pace,
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com or stream us live every day or the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All Yeah, it is The I Couple, and I'm Chris Bruce Sart alongside my partner Rob Parker. We're coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studio. Good Live fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote. Have we got a show for you? All types of stuff going on in the NBA, Players questioning whether or not they want to play, Some saying yeah, we want to play. We want to win a ring, we want to get that money that bag. Others wondering is this the right thing to do. We will get to that and much much more. We also, it's Friday, so we got six minutes, six minutes, we got Bruce Hard's five five, and we got some great guests coming your way. So keep it locked right here on Fox Sports Radio, the iHeartRadio app or Serious XM Channel eighty three. However you may be listening, We don't think you'll be sorry. Let me welcome in my partner, my esteemed partner, mister Ry Parker. What's up man? What's happening to? Mister Chris Boussard. I'm great? So I just text you something. Did you see it on your phone or know you too? Something? Just now? Yes? Where's my phone? A plot? My phone downstairs? The plot? Rob? You did you get it? The plot? Really? The plot? This is about college football, Chris. I'll let you read it once we get started. Yeah, once we start. You want to lead off? No, no no, I just want to give you a little right now, right now, real quick. The University of Houston that suspended workouts football student athletes have tested positive souls. So here we go. This is what we're talking about, Chris, that you could, you know, figure out that you're just gonna be around each other. There were six players already pest deposit what's gonna happen? So yeah, I heard that when the sager said that. And you know, look, they're predicting a surge, right, They're predicting big surges in the fall. We've already seen it in some of the states, Arizona, Texas, right, and so this could throw a monkey wrench and all of this talk about playing again, right, although maybe some people are gonna be like, Yo, let's just play. I guess yeah, at some point we gotta they gotta figure out which way they're gonna do. But yeah, this is all interesting. So yeah, let's talk about this NBA stuff and kick the show off. But first, go ahead, introduced to our couple crew. We got DJ Alex ty Shirt, a k a. Alex the Vegan digging in the crates tonight because it is a funky flashback Friday. Let's see if he got new jams in those crates. That's a little I'm just saying. I'm just saying, that's a little hit. Some new jams in those crates, some new throwbacks. How about got he got four throwback jams? That's what I got. I'm glad that other people listening. Alex quickly that that commercial. Have you seen a commercial where it's a family and they said they just bought a new house or whatever, but they got a rap problem. Yeah, that's a Chris have you see I've not seen that though. It's a classic commercial. And when they say at the house, they love it, but they have a rap problem. They have the group the old what kind of hoop was at alex It's like a rock n right. They're called Rat one of them. Yeah. They're like, yeah, yeah, Rat. Yeah. They had to hit what was the rounding round? Yeah? That's one of my favorite songs. Yeah, round and round? It was remember Parker's best joke? You know, Yeah, I have to come up with that. All right. We got, of course running things super producer Rob Ge, and I'm recruiting him though, I'm recruiting him to the Big Three. Steve Been he's been fighting it, but I'm recruiting him. Yeah, I might have to replace Dave and bring in uh, mister Steve de Sager who is on the He's a pro. He's not gonna go with some novice. Some guy just got radio show fifteen minutes ago. Hey, I've been doing radio a long time. Guest spots now got forty years as a whole. All right, it just speaks to your age, that's all I mean. Let's keep it real, all right, Rob, here we go, big stories, just it's been developing too. It's like new new things have been coming out kind of every hour, it seems about this. But essentially players there's a group. It's a conference called a Night with one hundred and fifty reportedly to two hundred players, led by Kyrie Irving, and it is about the players questioning whether or not they really want to play, and not saying they're not they don't, but just they want their voices heard. They were they were upset that it seemed like only the superstars Chris Paul Lebrin were being heard and their voices weren't being heard when all these decisions were made to come back and play, and so they want to, you know, get a hearing. And I've heard rob and as the report said, some of the players are feeling like, look, is this the time for us to be playing ball. We're looking at a massive movement that could change racism, eliminate racism, or you know, it's certainly lessen it in this country. We don't want to distract from that, or we don't want to just be feeling like we're a distraction and we're entertaining people because this is a serious moment and they're wondering is that the right thing to do. Others are concerned about the bubble. Is it safe? You know, do I want to be constrained in there for two months, two and a half, three months, whatever it may be. You know, how do the optics of that look? When you know we're going through this racial unrest and you're locking up, not locking up, but you know, essentially seventy five percent of the league is African American and they're being sequestered on in this bubble. You know, how does that look? And then there's obviously the money considerations. And I do think rob I mean from talking to people, I'm getting every indication they're playing because and you've seen some reports about this too, the players are talking to one another about Look, you have to understand what's on the line. If we don't play this year in the league loses a billion dollars. That's going to affect the salary cap and obviously going to affect our salaries going forward. It takes away a lot of our leverage and the collective bargaining agreements that are coming up. Things like that, and maybe some players are like, you know what, so be it. You know, Chris Paul was talking about that. He didn't say that was his attitude, but he said some players might feel that way. This is more important than the money. So a lot to digest there, But Rob, what are your thoughts on this? Well? And you remember because we talked about it and I was always skeptical Chris of the bubble. Remember I just said, you're not gonna make love to your wife or hug good children. You can't uh tell them that they're gonna be safe and that they won't get it if they're in that environment. You're talking about keeping them away from fans, But what about the people who are serving them food and taking care of all the other stuff and coming into the rooms Chris, and cleaning their rooms, you know, and and all the other stuff, and when the players aren't there because they're saying they won't clean the rooms or being the rooms, and players like you can still get it. And it looks like the people who are going to be serving you know that working that Disney World during this, they're not gonna be sequestered. They're in and they're not gonna be tested every day like you know, like you could say, oh yeah, just test everybody. Test costs money, like it's it's not like it's uh, it's a shrimp bar, Chris, and it's endless shrimp you know where you could just camp as many. You are right, it costs money, so you just can't test everybody who walks into the room. So my point is when you're talking about the health concerns and not doing it, I totally get it. Anybody doesn't feel comfortable. I don't have an issue with Chris. The distraction part and being an entertainer. Uh, you know, that's something that's that's a little deeper. That is what you do for a living. Most people have to go to work, say black people. I'm just gonna give you an example. You're a black cop. You live this life, Chris. Right, it doesn't mean you can't go to work because of it. That that's your job, am I Right? Like there's a there's a there's a certain degree you you could be all with the cause, but as a as a cop, black cop, you still need to go to work. You still need to do what you have to do. So that part, if you're really strong about it, and they were in agreement as a group that they don't want to do it, because I can respect that Chris, But I'm more about the bubble and what they're trying to put them in in such an unusual situation which takes them away from And we had m Eddie House on Chris who said the same thing at first when they were talking about they couldn't see anybody and couldn't move around or do anything, and he said, you could forget that. I guarantee you they'll they'll they'll sneak girls in or whatever it is, you know what I mean. They're into that. There's no way that they're gonna go dry for three months. That's just not happening. Well, and you can you can have after the first round of the playoffs, you can have three family members or I guess friends you know come and stay with you, so they'll be able to have a girlfriend or a wife, you know, and kids come stay with them. What sidep or whatever it is. Whatever it is. But you know, and you know, if if any of the workers at Disney World are attractive to these players, then don't think they won't be you know what I mean, like getting on them and hanging with them and and all that stuff. Let's just keep it real. And Jay had a baby with a sports writer Chris Oh, yeah, yeah, from the New York Times. What's what's you from the Times? She was from New York Times. And remember her daughter was a great tennis player. That's right, because Amanda Stevenson absolutely right. Yeah. So now it's uh, it's something to think about. But this is why to one or the other reasons why the people I've talked to are confident that they're gonna play, at least as of now, is that they're going to the seventeam players per team. So if there are few guys on the team that don't want to play, then they're you know, you know it, Rob, There's guys from the G League, two way players that you know, go back and forth from the NBA to the G League, Guys that may have never gotten an opportunity yet in the NBA that will gladly take those spots. So that's another thing. And the other thing is this, some of the guys are only gonna be there maybe a month, you know, because you're gonna be there for your eight regular season games. Some of the teams will leave after that. Some of the teams will play around maybe or two, you know, and then they'll be done. So It's different for different guys. But the only thing I'm gonna say is about the Well, They'll be seventeen and if guys don't want to play, if you're not getting the Stars playing Chris, then it's gonna be a bogus championship. If if Kawhi, Leonard and Paul George don't want to play for the Clippers, I'm sorry, there's no way I could look at that championship the same way. What what ye I bet you if Lebron got sick, you look at it the same way. No, I wouldn't. I know, I know what I'm saying. Yeah, I hear the Stars weren't playing, is what I'm talking about. Well, from everything I'm hearing, the Stars want to play like the teams that the stars on, the teams that have a legit shot. From what I'm being told, the Lakers are all in and obviously they're following their lead leader Lebron. The Clippers are all in from what I'm hearing, the Rockets with Harden in Westbrook, they're all in now. George Hill, he did say that he's he had a very emotional and powerful video call with some reporters and he was saying that because he's been he's seeing people victimized by police brutality and things like that, And he was saying, right now, it's hard for him to think about He couldn't care less about basketball. He said, like you said, I'm a professional. I'm gonna do my job. I'm gonna play. But this is what's really on my mind. And I think this is the thing, Rob. I understand why the superstars may feel differently than the role players, or let's say the teams that don't have a shot. But even on the teams that do have a shot, for Lebron James, a championship is legacy changing, right? For Kawhi Leonard A, Yannis, James Harden, all these guys, you win, your legacy has changed, right, even if you're on a contender but you're a role player. It is it changing Alex Caruso's legacy if he wins his ring? Is it changing George Hill's legacy? No? No, you know it's nice. I'm sure he wants a ring, But nobody's gonna think any differently of George Hill if he wins this championship. So I think there's all of that to consider for these guys too. It's it's interesting because you got four hundred players, all of different levels, right, and this means different things for different players. The implications are different, all right, Age seven seven ninety nine on Fox A seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Here's the question we want to hear from you listeners, or we want to answered from your listeners. What do you think think differently of the players if they don't play? Would you think differently of the players or maybe some of the individuals maybe they do play, but some individuals sit out. Would you think differently of guys that decide not to play, or even if the league decides not to play. You'll turn away in with Chris and Rob the Eye Couple Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search f SR to listen live. It is the Eye Couple Chris and Rob. Oh if you could hear are during the break conversations. Wow, Chris and Robb And although we're apart these days, we are sharing more and Geico sharing more as well with the Geico Giveback. It's a fifteen percent credit on car and motorcycle policies for both current and new customers that last your full policy term. Visit Geico dot com slat back give back for information and eligibility. That's Gygo dot com slash get back. All right, Rather, let's get to these calls eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Will you feel differently about players that choose not to play? Or even heck, if it may if it's the whole league that chooses not to play in the NBA this year? All right, let's start with Phil in New York. You're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Phil, Howdy? My um, my opinion absolutely would change, but it be for the better. He's showing them. These guys are showing that they're human, right, that the world outside of their little jobs and this case is playing a game. It's bigger, it's more important, and they're making the same decisions that I am, Do I care about my wife, my house, are livelihood or you know, in the context of it's a game or what's going on in the real world, And in some part maybe they are part of the problem. Making money for these huge corporations in the choosing to say, hey, there's bigger things in my bank account, and I want to take care of my family, be with them first and foremost. And that's to me. That makes them human, and that makes them more relatable to me in my life making the same decisions, and I have fallen for it. I can't argue. I just especially when you talk about family and whatnot and making a decision. I mean, we all have to make tough decisions every day, Chris, Right, you have a family, you have two daughters, and what you're doing and we all do. I mean, so I can't argue with Phil Well, players get a raw deal because everybody thinks, you know, they don't focus on the owners being about money. We tend to focus on the players being about money. They would be sacrificing money in this instance if they decide not to play. And it's human nature. We as as people, Chris, we more relate to the people who even though they make millions of dollars, people who you know, right, we see them, you know, if we see them, we all play basketball, right, so we feel like that. But we haven't owned a multi billion dollar company, so it's hard to relate. And even thinking it's olf in that vein. I think that's why Ben and Milwaukee you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up Ben? Because even guys I love the show, love the banter, thank you taking You guys are good and I know I've got twenty years as a radio guy, so I know good radio. And you guys are at you. There is nothing about this season. There won't be odd as the championship is given to Milwaukee, La, La or anybody else. It's attainted season already. So even as they come back and play, and the expectation is if you go back to the season when it was comming along, it was going to be the Clippers of the Lakers and the Bucks most likely in the finals. Now, but now if that happens, still didn't. They got a long break and it won't be as many games, and it won't be played in the normal way. And let's say somebody who isn't the top four teams wins the championship, You'll never buy it as a real championship. Now. I'm an so I'm a student of Jordan. I grew up in Chicago, love seeing the championships and none of those retaining none of what Lebron has done so far, what Kobe did retaining this season, unfortunately with a stoppage, it's so the manufact they've stopped no matter how it comes back. That's a that's a fair call. Yeah, I mean you you're gonna look at it that way, you know, Chris, I've been joking around. I dubbed the Mickey Mouse Championship because it's gonna be one in Orlando. But there'll be some people go, I'm not with it now. It's I mean, look, you and I we don't'ta put the asteris on championships, and I think that's fair, But there is no way any of us initially, like when it's all said and done, for the next few years, it's it's going to feel weird. We're going to say, yeah, it was that that that strange season, the COVID Championship whatever. Now, I think years down the line, it'll be recognized as legitimate, you know, and we if if Ron wins it five six years from now, nobody will say Lebron's got three and a half titles. We'll say four. But initially there's no doubt, right, Like, how can you not think this is a strange season. No, I totally agree. What about Anthony and Maryland. You're in the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Anthony? How you doing? Rob and Christ's good? First of all, quick shout out to to Rob g finally got me on the show. Two months but he finally did it. Oh wow, you've been striving for mary to get on then. Oh yeah, yeah, you've been calling in it hadn't been able to get through. Okay, okay, well good to have you man. Yeah. So, um, first of all, when when I was listening to to all the reports and all that, I initially thought the players, the role players would actually want to come back for the paycheck. I actually thought since they were making less, they would actually want to come back. But I guess now things are shifting, and now that they're seeing, um, how the bubble and the impacts of being in the bubble now and how they're shooting from their families, I guess now that's having an effect on them. And I remember a few weeks ago Patrick Beverley too, he was on that Scott damp Pelt show. I think what he was talking about at the time. Now we're receiving that coming into fruition with um all these players now having more to say about about the season and with and with having reluctant about playing and stuff like that. Yeah, I mean, look, and I also think Rob beyond the Black Lives Matter movement and all that, I think some guys just you know, nobody's really gone back to work yet, you know what I mean. We're working, but we're doing it from home for the mon No, no, and then yeah, and even if if it wasn't a movement, you know what I'm saying, it's still while we we the ones have to be the guinea pigs and and and be you know, not social distance and play. But I did. I did. That was funny. I was talking to somebody to Chris and they were talking about that. With the numbers, because people are not back to work, you know, you know, that enhanced the movement, do you know what I mean? Normally you have to be at work, and it allowed people to finally maybe express themselves and not have to go to work. Let's squeeze one more and if we can. Marty in Kentucky, you're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, Marty Fellas Chris, I hope you got your life jacket on. You're not swimming, You're not drowning in a pool of hypocrisy from Rob over there. I cannot believe you. If you said it of Kauai and Paul George didn't play, that you wouldn't feel the same about the championship. And that's three hundred and sixty five days. After three hundred and sixty five days, because last year it was June fourteenth that you sit up there and you sang the Canadian National an. That's right to Marty, because after Golden State lost with two of their best players injury. That the problem with that because that was June fourteenth, and this was a leap yeer, so we had an extra extra What are you talking about? What may one day off of a year. All we need is River to tell him, Hey, Marty, if you keep Marty, if you keep it up, I'm gonna come down to Kentucky and take down one of those Confederate General's statues down there. All right, So don't investment. You gotta get down here quick because it looks like they're going down anywhere. I'm gonna say, Marty, they're going down, aren't they? Yeah? Now, as far as these players that um don't want to play, if they played for a contender, I will thank less of him as a as a competitor, because I'm one of those guys that's all about competitors. I love Michael Jordan. I feel like, even if, if, even if it's on what's going on in society, you don't want to draw attention away from that. If you're right there in the title hunt, you can be on the platform to draw attention to it. Yeah, that's what Alebron will do. You know right now, that's not the point. That's good the point and rots to change the subject. But all I can say is the men post strikes again, the most inconsistent brother of all time. Thank you carling him out, Marty. We're gonna rap that, Marty, you have some nerve men rock God. You know your son Rivers probably looking at the phone saying, dad, how could you? What's wrong with your dad? Thanks? River, have my back? Rob Parker, what was that? Rivers on my side? Rivers joining the Big Three? It sounds like Michael Jordan is finally error of his ways. Rodman. Let me hear that again, Rob Parker, Rob Parker unbelievable. We'll get into that next, but first be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker week days at seven pm Eastern, four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. All right, here we go back to the Eye Couple, Chris and Robber. Coming from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. It is easy to say fifteen percent more on your corn insurers with Geico. Go to Geico dot com or call eight hundred and nine four seven auto. The only hard part is figuring out which way is easier. Rob interesting story, We of course all watched the Last Dance and that was great. It captivated America for what five straight weeks, And today interesting story came out. Michael Jordan spoke with his players, the Charlotte Hornets. Of course he's an owner of the team, and he talked about them needing to challenge each other in practice and don't be afraid to, you know, hold your teammates accountable, like like he did obviously with the Bulls. And Jordan did admit though that and he talked about this with them when he went to the Wizards and he was older, some of the guys weren't really receptive to his style of leadership. And you know Terry Rogier, who who plays on the team, he had brought out that I don't know if guys nowadays really could accept that aggressive approach from Jordan. Here's what Jordan said about the Wizards. Well, this is a quote from Tyler Zeller about what Jordan said. He said, he wishes that he would have done that a little bit differently in Washington. The next generation of players that had come in didn't really want to hear the same feedback and the harshness that he used during his days in Chicago. He wishes that he would have taken Jerry Stackhouse under his wing and taught him how to be a better leader, as opposed to trying to do it all himself. Thoughts. I think some of the biggest problems happened because people think everybody's the same. Everybody's not built the same, everybody doesn't respond the same way, and you have to be able to adjust. And Mike was used to something thinking he was back in the nineties when you know what I mean, when he was running everything, and it's just not that way. We talk about all the time, Bill Belichick gets away with his the way he does his business because he wins. When you win, Chris, people have almost no choice but to follow your lead when you're not winning, as they weren't winning in Washington. They even make the playoffs is two years when half the league makes more than half the league makes the playoffs. So it's harder to listen to even Michael Jordan that time when things aren't working out. So I think Mike, Mike learned that that wasn't that approach wasn't going to work this time around. I still believe you have a chance to go after people Chris and be hard on him when you're winning. It's a lot harder when you're not. Yeah, And he didn't learn that. He didn't learn it till, you know, long after he was retired. Remember Rob, we covered that team, and that team in Washington was really uh. I mean, you know, you guys that grew up with his poster on their wall, right, guys that grew up idolizing him, couldn't stand him. You know at the fact. I remember a story about his birthday coming up and they voted not to get him againt like like that, Like just think about that, Chris would you know, like like the like, should we get him a gift or whatever? And they were like, I ain't putting the money before you know what. They decided not to give him a guilt right, right. But I think you said it, it all comes down to winning. And because as we saw, Jordan did handle guys differently. I think he handled Scotty differently. I think he certainly handled Rodman differently. Wasn't afraid of him, of course, but he knew where he could go and where he didn't want to go. And you know, he handled some of his other teammates, you know, a different way than those guys, so I think he understood that. But his general tone with the entire team for the most part was one of hardness and if you're winning, like you said, guys have no choice but to get on the bandwagon. They said in the documentary and interviews, we thought he was an a hole, We thought he was a jerk. You know, Scotty was the guy everybody liked, but they went along with it because, hey, we're winning championships. He's the best player in the world. I'm getting a little of that collateral praise too, you know, I'm part of the circus too. I'm not the ring leader, but I'm part of it. I'm enjoying it too. And if you're the one pushing back and the team is winning, they'll be like, he ain't a winner or ride, you know what I mean. And you don't want to feel like, wait a minute, how come I'm not buying them? We're winning, we're doing whatever, and it's working, do you know what I mean? You don't want to feel like it's harder to push back or say anything when things are working. We say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right right? Nah, Look, if he had been the same Michael Jordan in Washington, guys would have bought in and they were winning and they had a chance to win the championship, There is no question. I don't believe guys would have bought it. And I think today I think, honestly, I think it'd be the same way. I think. I remember Rob when I was in college and when I was a senior and we had these freshmen come in. That's only three four years difference, but we thought we looked at them like, man, these dudes. We had dudes coming in with their numbers cut in the back of their head and talking telling everybody about to start and take my position and this other dude's position, and you know, and we looked at them like, man, this this new generation of cats. You know, you know, difference. So that's just a natural thing. I think at the end of the day, I think if you had a player who was gonna lead you to the championships, like Michael Jordan, any generation would buy into that. Yeah, there's an individual here there that might not like it, and they just get moved out if they have to write ye, But I like it, and I like the way you handled it when those new Bucks came on your team and they told you had that women, they told you that that you were they were gonna take your position, and you said, all right, son, come sit right next to me, because this is where I'll be during Please. Please. Here's how I handle little point guard from New York, Brooklyn Brooklyn in the house number cutting his head talking about he gonna be the starting point guard this year. What was his name? I won't say his name. He actually is fairly fairly well known. Yeah, very smart dude. But anyway, one practice I had to lock him up and he had a nice little handle, nice vision. Was a good passer, typical New York dude couldn't shoot, though, but I had to lock him up and I stopped him from making entry passes. That's how smothering and oppressive my d fence was. Oh God, dude cannot start the offense. Okay, So you talk trash to me, as you found out time and time again. You find it out every day, Rob Parker, that's what happens to you. Okay. Whatever Chris sounds like Al Bundy were living hitch up. It's childhood. Bruce Art's five five Coming up. Keeping locked on a couple of Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app. Search f SR to listen live. It's the Eye Couple Chris and Rob on a funky flashback Friday. DJ Alex Tischer in the Crates. I like this too. It's Lows We brought to you by Los. Los is working harder than ever to help pros get the job done. With a dedicated team of associates who only served pros. They stock the top rated brands you need offer curbside loading and can even deliver right to the job site. Service like that is why Lowe's is the new home for pros Alright, it's time for Bruce Arts five five. Are you ready? We're going big. It's gown. It's Bruce Sardes fab five. I am excited. I love that these athletes, these African American athletes, are really being thoughtful about going back to play, particularly from the racial perspectives. You know, do we take attention away from what's going on in the country or how can we contribute. I'm gonna give them five ways they could have a positive impact on this Black Lives Matter movement because this is not just about emotion. It's not just about some symbolic name changes and things like that. That's all good. It's not even just about least brutality. We hear person after persons say, this is about systemic racism that has been going on in our country for more than four hundred years, or you know, in this area. It's not been a country that long. But here's five ways athletes can do something, do something to contribute to this moment. Number One, form an organization of African American athletes. That would bring together black athletes across all sports to use their collective influence, affluence, connections to corporate America and wealth to impact the greater Black community. For example, Lebron has this deal with University of Akron where they give graduates of his Eye Promise academy scholarships to the college. It should be fifty black athletes at least doing that. Cam Newton could be doing it in his hometown, you know, Mookie Betts could be doing it in his town. Larry Fitzgerald in his town with the local college. That's something this organization could do. We got them for everything. Black journalists, black lawyers, black doctors, black engineers, black accountants, everything except the athletes and the entertainers who are the richest and in many cases most powerful. So form that organization Number two. Begin donating money. I'm talking about millions of dollars to historically black colleges and universities. Earmark the money for sports programs. If that's what you want it for. You can have the schools audited as well. Because many of these schools the money is so sparse they often have to rob Peter to pay Paul, and money gets used for things is not intended, so you can audit it, but start donating the millions to them because they can use it. Build up their facilities, of their athletic programs, hold camps and clinics there in the summer with superstar players there, and begin encouraging these top high school basketball players to attend HBCUs and play there. Number three NBA players, you're questioning whether or not you want to play. How about this? How about you attached demands to finishing out this season. So you demand, for instance, that every NBA sponsor starts a management trainee program for black college graduates and set timetables for percentages of corporations management to begin reflecting the US population. For instance, Blacks are thirteen percent of the United States population. So you set for this particular sponsor within ten years, within fifteen years, whatever it is, we want thirteen percent of your management management to be African American. Set that as a demand for you to play. Every NBA sponsor. Right now, nationally, Blacks hold six percent of management positions in the United States. That's half of where it should be. Number four NFL players, you can refuse to play until Alan Kaepernick is signed to a team he started this. The NFL apologized the players for something he started, but they didn't name him. I was listening to my colleague Nick right to damn. First things. First, he knows Kaepernick well, he said Kipper. Nick is torn up. He thought he was gonna cry last time he talked to him because he wasn't gonna get the chance to play football. It's terrible that this young man's dream has been taken from him because he stood up against the mistreatment and murder of American citizens. So don't play till he gets a job. Number five, I think the players can consult Native American leaders and see if they want these names change. The Redskins, the Indians, the Braves, all these names, if they should be their decision as Native Americans. See if they want them change, and if they do, you make sure they get changed by withholding your services until they do get changed. Those are five things that these African American athletes can do. That's just five of many to have a real impact, a real systemic impact in this movement, because it's gotta be systemic change. Folks can't just be symbolic and emotional and individual. It's gotta be systemic. I couple two hours left, Keep it locked. Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. It is the I Couple. I'm Chris. He's Robber coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate quote. You can also follow robbing me on social media. Rob is at Roy Parker FS one on both Twitter and Instagram. I'm at Chris Underscore Brucear on Twitter, Chris Bruce A sixty eight on the grand We've got Rick Bucher from Bleacher Report and also FS one NBA analysts joining us at the bottom of the hour to tell us what's going on with these players. So stick, stick, keep it locked for that. He say it, rock and stay, stick and stay. No, I wasn't thinking about that, but yeah, stick and stay stay. And then we got six minutes coming up in about seventeen eighteen minutes. Are ready? I'm ready? Are you ready? All right? Rob? Here we go. Let's go to the NFL. Pete Carroll, running off at the mouth, says that, uh man, it just eats him up that he didn't sign cap Colin Kaepernick back in twenty seventeen. Here he is, I regret that that didn't happen in some fashion. I wish we would have contributed to it, because again I deserved to play. I thought the time, I just in our situation as a backup. Man, I didn't. I didn't feel it was right then at that time. You want to take this now you can go for I mean, I just don't, Pete, like, Okay, we get it. You said that we old Colin of an apology. You should probably leave it there because all this other stuff, the more he talks, the more I'm like turned off by Pete Carroll is supposed to be this uh you know, uh, easy thinking, real dude, you know what I mean? Or who who gets it? He's hip and all that, and and the more he talks, it just doesn't make sense to me. So I head me let me say it for you. Stop it. Thank you, Pete. I regret not signing him, man, I just you know what, didn't sign him now because the one reason Rob the one reason you just heard it that he gave for not signing Colin Kaepernick in twenty seventeen was what he's not a back. He's a starter in this league. He's too good to be a backup. I don't want to put him in that position. Well, guess what, right now, after three years away from the game, there's no way he's a starter. Nobody thinks of him as a starter. So now it's perfect now that one excuse, that one reason for you not signing him is gone, and you can bring him in now as a backup. And unlike many places, you gotta fully you know, believed then and an excellent starter and All Pro starter, a Hall of Fame starter. So there's no controversy. Oh, it'll be a big story, be a big buzz, of course, But once you start playing and Russell's doing this thing, you'll be fine. It'll fade away. And even if Russell struggles, nobody's gonna be like, hey, get Kaepernick in there, maybe Kaepernick can play better. No, he's Russell Wilson. He's not going anywhere. And Kaepernick later on in his discussion, Rob Pete Carroll said, I've always said over the years, he's a little bit of a paraphrase, but very close to what he said. I've always said over the years that if Russell got tangled up and somehow couldn't play, that Colin would be an extraordinary candidate to come in and replace him. Well, that sounds like the perfect backup to me. I know you got Geno Smith and the rookie, right, Geno Smith, you signed to a one year, one point two million dollar deal. Geno Smith himself has only thrown like fifty four passes the last three years. Geno Smith has shown he's just not that good at this level. So you can wipe your hands a Geno Smith. There's a couple of cheese steaks in Philadelphia that are better than Gino. Right, so you know what I'm saying. Right, Look, I'm not saying you gotta sign him, But why are you talking like this? Like you said, just make a regular comment. YEA, nobody'd say anything but now and then you're talking about how much you regret it. Sign him now, then you still got some game left at the airport, step away from the luggage rock. Just make your your comment. We owe him an apology. He was right, we were wrong, and leave it at that. Okay, stop it. I just don't get it, and it doesn't make sense. You think Colin did, I mean Kaepernick. Chris didn't know that Russell Wilson was a starting quarterback when he was talking to Seattle, Right, you're going good, what are you talking about? I don't want to put him in that position. It wasn't like I'm gonna compete, right, I'm only way I'm gonna sign it if you're gonna open up the job for starting quarterback. No, Colin knew he would be the backup. What what? I don't even understand. I don't want to put him in that position. The other guy in front of you. What a super Bowl? Chris, Right, you'll go to belly ache about being behind Russell Wilson. I don't think so. I'm with you. And now you know Colin, I mean, I'm sure he obviously wants to play, but he knows he's the backup. If you really you could bring him in there. He doesn't play all season, but you know what, whether he kneels or not, he's a good soldier. You know, teammates like him. There's no problems. Next he does well in practice, He gets his arm back, gets his movement back, starting to read defenses again, then he could maybe get signed somewhere else, simple as that. And god forbid. If Russell Wilson does get hurt, well you got Kaepernick. Got Kaepernick, and if he's not any good anymore, you can go to the young rookie. I'm sorry. I mean, I just just don't talk out of both sides of your mouth, That's all right, And it's just it's a little too much. And also, Chris, I did not hear the interview. I just read the quotes. Did you hear the interview? I just read him as well. I heard a little did you hear? I just got one question if you if you heard, I've heard piece of it because it was a pretty long length. It was like an hour. Yeah, okay. Did they ask him what he says? Did he ask him why? Well? Did the reporters say, well, why didn't you sign him? If he said, you regret it? To me, sounds like somebody talked you out of it, or somebody told you not to do it. Well. He had been reported a few years ago by ESPN that the reason why the whole thing fell apart was because Colin would not guarantee whether or not he was gonna kneel or not kneel. But wasn't that a second time in twenty eighteen because I thought there was. The report was that that was just they considered it again in the eighteens, and right right, that's possible. I thought that it was the falling up to the same meeting. I thought that they were talking about it. That's what I had interpreted as. But it could be two offers. Here's the other thing, Pete Carroll said another team called him about Caepernick. First of all, do you believe it? And what do you think about that? I do believe it because there's no reason to lie. I just I just think, Chris, if you're doing that, what are you doing putting yourself out there? You know what I mean? And I and I and I I believe him too. I'm not gonna sit here and accuse him of mine. I just but I could say, but here's the thing you could rationalize. First of all, nobody's gonna be able to prove nobody called you, right, I get it, because it's thirty two teams. You can always say something like that, and you may be able to rationalize it to say I'm doing cap a favor because now you know somebody teams think, Okay, somebody's interested in him. You know, maybe we'll look take a look at him. You know, I could see that happening. I don't know. I'm not gonna accuse Pete Carroll of Lyon, but I'm not saying maybe, you know, maybe that's a rationalization that somebody could use, especially when I wonder about the quote. I'm wondering, you know you regret it, Okay, but you really. But but I don't see Pete Carroll doesn't get credit if he knows you just may feel like you're helping out Colin right interested. But I'm saying with that when they called him, if he was calling teams, that would be I wouldn't look at that as like, you know, he's trying to help Colin. Do you see what I'm saying? If he would know I he said, I called three teams. I thought he was a good fit for and and and I and I sang this guy's praises about Do you see what I'm saying compared to somebody just calling you. Yeah, I'm not saying he's he's saying it to get credit. Okay, Okay, I'm just saying you could rationalize in your own mind to think I'm helping Colin out. No nobody called, But if I put his name out there, maybe teams start thinking, you know what, somebody's interested in him. Why don't we take a look at him. That's all I'm saying. And again I'm not saying he did that, because I'm not gonna accuse him of lying without knowing it. But you just wonder about that. But I look, do you think Kaepernick? I gotta be honest, and I felt this way before, So maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like he might. I think he might get a shot. How come you know Dan Patrick has jumped on the limb Chris and what he said? It's Kansas City. I'm gonna quote Dan Patrick exactly. I think if Colin Kaepernick is going anywhere, he's going to the Kansas City Chiefs end quote that's Dan Patrick. Who's there, Rob g you know for the Chiefs. Yeah, it was a chat Henny to look at him. Matt More. No, it wasn't Matt More. Maybe when Henny got hurt, when Kaepernick was hurt, somebody whatever to care. I think it was Matt More, I really do. But anyway. But that's you know what though, that actually makes sense because cha cha was the back Okay, it makes sense because you you I do understand that, and Colin Colin col Hurts talked about this. You don't want a it was Matt Moore. Matt Moore. Looking at the game depth chart right now, Matt Moore started two games and then he got hurt and then chat Hanny became the backup. Is that what? Okay? Yeah, so yeah, I thought it was Matt more right, Um. But my point is I it is legit. As much as I want to see Kaepernick in the league, as much as I feel like he definitely could be a backup in the league, it's the same thing with Cam. I get it. You bring in Kaepernick, it's gonna be a ton of attention on him, and if your starter's not really that good, even if caps are not really ready and he's rusty and he's not looking ready in practice, there's would become a ground swell for you to put him in and all of a sudden you got a quarterback controversy. So I understand that. That's why Kansas City could make sense because there is no way we think Russell Wilson's not a controversy. I mean, there is no never and you know there's no controversy with my homes, right and then yeah and so and if he gets hurt, you gotta guy me. You know, he's different from Kaepernick, and you know you got a capable backup. Here's the other part, Chris, Because they just won the Super Bowl and where the focus is, it'd be easy to say, we're concentrating on trying to win another super Bowl and we're not going to get into that. You know, like if you're a fooing team yep, or you're not doing well then and all these other storylines start to play. And do you see what I'm saying, Like, because there's nothing else going on? Wow, why don't you play cap what's going on? Do you know what I mean? City's coming off a super Bowl, they're trying to repeat that the focus on that team will be about Patrick Mahomes and about trying to repeat Dan Patrick might be onto something. I mean, look, is it possible it wouldn't be a controversy as far as him playing, But is it possible it could become a distraction to the team. I guess. So, you know, because you're you're trying to repeat for a super Bowl, which is tough enough. I mean, I guess it could be a distraction in something. You know, we'd have to see how it would go, and maybe they just don't want that extra, you know what I mean. Even though it's not a question of him playing, but it's still Colin's getting asked all these questions. Do you are we kneeling as a team? You know, who didn't kneel with Colin? You know, there's some some issues there, I guess, so it's uh, you know, it could go one of two ways. I guess there if they were to do it. I haven't heard anything. There haven't been any reports that I've seen about that. But you know, it's not the worst idea in the world. All Right, we got our new segments. Six minutes. That's sweeping the nation. If you want to be a judge, all right, you want to judge Rob and I with six minutes, call in now eight seven seven nine ninety six sixty three sixty nine eight seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. We will debate this topic. You we'll debate the topic. Robs. You'll give it later and you decide the winner. Six minutes, six minutes, six minutes. Odd couple is on, Thanks minutes, I couple, and it's time for six minutes. It's time for six minutes, six minutes, thanks minutes, minutes, second friend beyond couple debates, and you decide the winner. But there's a catch. They only have six minutes. That's right, it's the new segments sweeping the nation. Six minutes. Chris, we saw it versus Rob Parker, the odd couple, they debate, You decide it to the only segment I believe in the country where we let the listeners dictate who's the better debater between Chris and Rob. Today's topic is it too soon to say that Patrick Mahomes has goat potential? Chris says no. Rob says yes, Chris, you're the defending champion. You get the first two minutes of six minutes. Let's go all right. Every generation or so, a player comes along in every sport that we immediately know and identify as having goat putschell doesn't mean he'll reach it. It just means that we see how talented he is and skilled he is, and unique is that he could be the best to ever do it. You don't have to wait to see what he does. You see the greatness. It's obvious. In basketball was Wilt Chamberlain. We knew in Kansas he could be the best ever. Kareem Abdul Jabbar. We knew in UCLA, maybe even Power Memorial he could one day be the goal Michael Jordan In nineteen eighty four, Bobby Knight said he's the best player I've ever seen before he ever put on an NBA uniform Lebron James. In two thousand and five, his second year in the league, Swartz Illustrated had him on the cover with best ever question Mark Baseball, Mike Trau, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. They all had gold potential. We identified it early Pat Mahomes as what everything those guys has and more. He's got championships, He's got team and individual accomplishments. In just two years as a starter, he's already become the youngest player ever to win regular season MVP and a Super Bowl, youngest player ever to throw for five thousand yards, youngest player ever to throw for fifty touchdowns, one of three total to ever do it, already proving his clutch down ten in the Super Bowl eight minutes left, he leaves Kansas City to three straight scoring drives five and old last season when they were down by ten points. That's a record for double digit comes back in the season, three of them in the playoffs. That's a record. It'd be criminal, it'd be as nine. It'd be down right up third. Not to say that Patrick Mahomes has gold potential. This dude is unlike anything we've seen. All we need to know is Chris is the prisoner of the moment king. This is what he does. He sounds like Ron Jaworski, who, at the beginning of Colin Kaepernick's coop, were stood up on ESPN and told anybody who would listen he could be the greatest quarterback we've ever seen because of what he was doing his first and second year in the league. And he wind up never winning his Super Bowl and never reaching that potential. No one is pooh poohing how well he's played his first two years as a starter, But there's so many other things that go into it. It's just too soon to do it. We already know. Look at all the young quarterbacks that are also in the AFC. Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson. There's nothing but young to lua in Miami. He's another guy. There's nothing but young quarterbacks all over the place that have starred potential. Then when you look at the NFL in the salary cap era, only two teams I've ever repeated that's how hard it is to win. The Broncos and the and the Pats did the only two to do it. Then, when you talk about football, is injuries that happen not only to him but to some of his players, and that can change the course of everything. And once he gets cashed out and makes a lot of money, that's gonna alter the team. And when other guys decide it's time for them to get paid, they won't be around. You gotta win. And then when you talk about gold, you're talking about winning at least six championships to maybe seven. It's just too early. Tom Brady win ten years between super Bowl wins ten years, And if it wasn't because of some of the luck that he's had to win those at the end, he wouldn't even be in that conversation. It's impossible, bro, And you know what, it's too soon. Let me hear it. Too soon? Soon. That was weak. You actually compare Colin Kaepernick to Pat Mahomes. Where's Kaepernick's MVP? Where's this super Bowl? Where's this five thousand yard season? Where's his fifty touchdowns? Stop it? Their team is set, They got the Hall of Fame coach, Andy Reid, Travis Kelsey, Tyree Hill, McCall, Harman all set up for the long term. His offensive line was banged up last year. They're gonna be better this year. This dude's got all the intangibles. He's got mobility. He doesn't even have to win six you see. And I have said with Aaron Rodgers individual accomplishments, if he went three in or even three and one, he'd be in the gold conversation. Patrick Mahoon's numbers are gonna demolish Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers never threw for fifty tds or five thousand yards. I'm telling you he's got a chance. I repeat. It'd be criminal, asinine, absurd not to say he got gold potential. It's ridiculous. It's just too early. It's too soon. That's it. We need to see more. If he wins another super Bowl, then maybe we could take a look at it. Everybody was so high on Dan Marid or another one. Go look at his number, what he was able to do. In his second year in the NFL. He was considered, oh my god, he's gonna be the greatest quarterback ever. He got to the super Bowl the second year, never got back. If football takes so many different elements, it ain't a knock on Patrick Mahomes. It's that so many things have to go into workout in order for you to be able to do it. You mentioned Andy Reid. Andy Reid was a choke artist until this year they were losing the tool. The forty nine is choked down the Super Bowl. With ten minutes to go in the game, they could have easily lost that Super Bowl. Chris and you wouldn't be having this conversation. This is what what I'm talking about. It's too soon. Patrick Mahomes is not in that conversation. When you win two or three super Bowls, call me and then I'm on board. I'm not right now. See that's why Chris and Rob get paid in the big bucks. That kind of energy, that kind of passion. Great debate there on six minutes, but it's not up to me. It's not up to DJ Alex Tiger. It's not even up to Steve de Seger to decide who wins. That belongs to the judges, our callers all across America. Let's get started. Judge number one Chat in Memphis, who do you think want that? Debate? And why? Hey, guys, I expect both three of the show. I love listening to you. I was on the topic, yeah, absolutely, I was with the topics when I heard it. But I've got to say, Chris, you're knocking me right off on to your side with this one. We're talking about potential here. We're not talking about is he a goat? Right now? When is it too soon to talk about potential? I hear people all the time talk about Joe Burrow already had potential to be a goat. I've never heard of you. I'm not buying that. Good job chat all right, Chris, we started up one another and move on. Judge number two. I think this might be a little bit of home cooking Alan in Detroit. Come on, man, who do you think want at the tough car? Tough carum shot around. I gotta go to Chris Man. He he got to go patentcier Man. I feel when he did my Detroit Lions. Man to have my homes is the real deal? What did he do to the Detroit Lions? You threw no touchdowns in your loss? Great car, don't don't let him shout you. Chris didn't want his voice, got love for Motown? No no, no, that's what he said right away. Yes you say, all right, okay, we could have a second consecutive sweep Charles in Florida. Who do you think want that debate? And why? Hey, guys of the show, bad to be here? Thank you brother, um no cab. I'm just wanted to say, I hate and I just because you don't like Tom Brady, but I have to give us another man. Not because I think Patrick for homes will do you go, but because he definitely has the potential. And yes, do so. As hurt you. But you're making my point. Does sense? Hey? It doesn't make any sense. You're making the debate. H hit it. I tell you you gotta let this breath drop, Let it breathe, let it breathe. I'm sweeping, folks. I ain't happy with just to win. I don't want technical knockout. I want to knock your block off I'm Detay Walter, I'm George Foreman, I'm Mike Tyson. I'm going bolos baby left hook right hooked to the gun. I percut ever, that's how I drop cats. Yes, Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search f s R to listen live. If it is the Eye Couple and we've got FS one NBA analysts Muker coming up right now on the Discover Card Celebrity Highline. Get your free credit scorecard today, even if you're not a Discovered customer. It includes your Fico credit score, and checking your scorecard will not hurt your credit. Learn more discover dot COM's last credit scorecard limitations apply. Rick, Welcome to the Eye Couple. Brother, Good to be with you, gentlemen. How are we doing on this fine Friday. We are great. We are great. Now, look, let's let's just get it. Get cut to the chase. Is the NBA season in Jeopardy? No, no, no, this is this is a you know how we call the last Dance of Michael Jordan production. I would call this story a Kyrie Irving production. Wow. I don't want to say that he is, that this is in the realm of him trying to convince guys that the Earth is flat, but it's in the same zip code. In terms from what I've heard, there was already a call and like and this is where I don't know where the numbers are in terms of I'm sure there are some guys that agree with Kyrie, but there are from what I understand, there are more who have tried to tell Kyrie, Look, if we don't play, then the owners are going to blow this thing up and they are going to basically pull the plug on this CBA and we are going to have to negotiate a new CBA. And I assure you that not only are guys going to lose the money money that they have coming this season, but that the money moving forward is going to be drastically different. And I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but I guarantee you that the owners on some level are champing at the bit. As much as they want to come back and play, they don't want to give back the TV money or their advertising money or any of that. I assure you that there are owners that are not happy with the fact that players are the top players are now making so much money that they unilaterally can decide I'll take less, or I'll do this, or it's the money's gotten so absorbitant that the top players have an authority and a control that they've never had before. And the owners, at least some owners are uncomfortable with that idea because they now have to share the power, and I guarantee they'd love to get that power back. But Rick, I got a push back on your response only from this standpoint, and you could, you know, laugh at Kyrie and the world's flat or whatever, But some of the concerns are real with the COVID what they have to do in order to play, to be away from their wives and their children. I mean, let's let's I get it. It's easy to make fun of Kyrie, but I think some of those concerns and it's not just him, Chris, who was the other one you said who had the emotional well, George will, but there's some other issues there, and I just I think your response is a little flip for what you're asking people to do during what's going on with the pandemic and the protest. Well, but let's be clear, I'm not saying that the hardship of doing this is not on the players. For sure it is and if this is a simply a negotiating cloy to loosen the restrictions on the bubble, because I think that's the most uncomfortable thing that guys are looking at is we all have to go in this bubble. We have to spend a month getting ready to play what for some of us it may be a total of eight games. So we're going to spend a month and a half to play eight games that are somewhat meaningless in the big picture. And even those guys that are going to the end, you mean, so we're going to be in this bubble. We're gonna be in this bubble essentially for three months to win a championship. Once you get close to that and you begin to realize what that means, I understand the reluctance to do that. What Adam Silver are trying to do, though, is he's trying to balance the financial realities of the league while protecting the health of the players. So you can't have it both ways. You can't argue that we're concerned about the health like as players, We're concerned that you're putting our health at risk. But you know what, what you don't want to be in this bubble. We want the freedom to come and go. Well, which is it? What is it? Are you uncomfortable with the fact that you're going to be playing or are you uncomfortable with the fact that you're going to be in a bubble? And the truth of the matter is that if they don't resume play, then things are going like, there's no guarantee that you're going to have next season start on time because you're gonna have to be negotiating everything and who's to say we're gonna have a vaccine in place, and anything's going to be different next December, appreciably different than it is right now. I'm not saying it's not a hardship on the players, but if you if you take a step back and you look at the realities of the situations, they need to find a way to be able to resume play in order for the league to function, not just now but next season. And that's just the harsh reality of it. And players always take they always get the short stick, but in this case, the alternative is the unknown. In terms of what when you are going to play again, because it's not like, you know, you shut it down now and you're guaranteed to be starting next December. Rick. One thing they're also saying is that if you test positive for COVID, you're out right, you're out for the rest of them I thought they were going to quarantine you. You're out in terms of being able to play, right, But I mean, but it is it only for ten days or is it for the rest of the quote unquote season. No, My understanding was it was a limited time that they would be Okay, that makes sense because I thought the same thing that it would be ten days. But then I saw people saying if you get if you test positive, you're done for the rest of the year, which didn't make sense to me because it was like, what if Lebron gets it in the fourth game of the season, but he's you know, he'll be back in the second round, but he's not gonna be able to play. Okay, So that's what I figured. But what let me ask you this, um, I feel like with Kyrie leading this thing, and we got about two minutes with Kyrie, if he's leading this kind of charge, if you will if he's leading it on the grounds of, hey, we need to stand up, you know, as black men, this is a time of change in our country. We don't want to be entertaining. That's one thing. But if he's standing up on the basis of the bubble, the ill, you know, COVID nineteen or something like that, I don't think he'd be the one to say, you know, he's really should be the one leading that charge because he's not playing in anyway. Yes, well, that that is the part, The s serious part is that, um, he's not he's not playing. So uh where he is on this? And when it isn't what? Isn't he a part of the executive Uh? Uh? He is? Which is interested in that he's taking this approach? And what do you make of that? Rich because he's an executive VP or VP, He's a part of that, isn't he? But why didn't he voice this? It's almost like it seems like he's waging a mutiny. Potentially, he without question, because they've already had this conversation with the I mean, the players union had already come to of an understanding that they were going to go forward with this. Now that was prior to the death of George Floyd. So but I guess from from for me, you're the platform and the ability to speak is far greater if you are playing than if you're not playing. I understand the issue with the idea that um that the league is predominantly black and these and players are going back to work and they're suffering the hardship. I mean, I guess I can see that argument. I just look, this is the truth of the matter for me, and it goes to whether the four guys standing up at the SBS or whether all the protests that we have. And the bottom line is is that if something is going to change, this is the very tip of the iceberg. Whether whether the guys come back and play or don't play. It's a matter of we need to vote the right people in the office. We need to clean up our law enforcement. We have to have a complete social reset in ours spective in race relations in this country and our history in this country, and face facts about where we've been and where we are, and and that's what's going to be most important. All of this other stuff are their great statements, but they're nothing more than that. There there. The action has not happened yet stuff. That's Rick Report Senior NBA rid FS one NBA analyst. Thanks a lot man, We'll see yep. More couple coming your way with Doc Ellis. That's right, Doc ell Is the third. We'll join us. It's gonna be fine. Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search f SR to listen live. All right, it is the couple of Fox Sports Radio, Rob Parker Chris Boussard on a Funky Fresh Friday, and let's welcome in our next guests. He is Doc Ellis, the third. That name sounds familiar. Yes, his dad was the famous pitcher Doc Ellis, who passed in two thousand and eight. But when he was a major league pitcher, he was some stud on the mouth, Doc Ellis the third. Welcome to the odd couple. What's going on, fellas, Thanks for having me and Chris. This is an incredible story. Fifty years ago today exactly. Doc Ellis pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates in San Diego, pitches a no hitter, but the caveat was he had taken a hit of Ells Dean and somehow was able to pitch a no hitter. Doc ellis the third. Help us out with this story? Is this a true story? This legend? Did your dad ever tell you about this? Help us out? We spent some time, i'd say in the late eighties. There was a gentleman that did the article on it back in the Pittsburgh area, and my dad had mentioned it for the first time, and we talked about it once or twice, but never really much in depth. It wasn't something that he was proud of the entire time, so he really wanted to be remembered more so for the other seats, more so after his career ended than really of the no hitter under the influence of LSD. Do you know how much different he was? I mean, obviously you were really young when he was playing. Could you see the difference in him when he was a player versus once he got sober and you know, was really doing a lot of great stuff helping other people who had been addicted. Yeah, Chris, I was born in seventy nine and he retired in eighty, so I didn't really see any of his playing teas at all. Uh. I reside here in a group, I should say in Arlington when he's with the Rangers. That's where my parents divorced. But I wasn't able to see any uh those those early days. But I will say he was. He was very active for you know, stuff that's going on today as far as civil rights and all that kind of stuff. Oh, no, no doubt about it. And your dad, people, you're right about just being known for that one thing. I mean, your dad started the nineteen seventy one All Star Game for the National League and he was a part of that Pirates team that won a championship. I mean, he was a really good player. I mean, and and you're right, people do pick out one moment, uh sometimes and think about it. What do you think about your dad the most or what do you know that was most he was most out of? You gotta do it quick, too. I'm not sure what he was most proud of most likely you Vider and starting nine. That would definitely be my two and I'm most proud to know, always fairly reminded of on those certain dates because I just really don't see that ever happening again between the two Starting All Star Game pictures all black lineup, No doubt. Hey, doc ellis the third. We appreciate you. Thank you on the anniversary of that game. Forget the LSD. But man, he pitched a no hitter, which is so hard to do. Man, we appreciate you join us here on the Odd Couple. Thank you most definitely, thank you. All right, yeah later, More Couple coming your way. Keep it locked. Fox Sports Radio. Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. It is the I Couple. I'm Chris, He's Robe. We're coming to you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio studios. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on your car insurance. Visit Geico dot com for a free rate. Quote. Rob, I think we got a great guest at the bottom of the hour. He's a friend of ours, friend of the show. He's does shows here Fox Sports Radio. Former tenure NBA veteran Ryan Hollands. Yep. I've done, you know locally here in LA with him, yep. And what I like about Ryan and some people jump on him for it but he speaks his mind, you know, and we always say that that's what you want from an ex athlete, just say, don't be afraid to say something. And that's Ryan. So I really want to talk to him about, you know, what's going on with these players, and I think he'll give us an honest rendering. I agree. I just think people should be just a little careful about and dismissive about their concerns because I think they're real. I don't. I don't think that it's like, oh, what are you doing? What do you mean you're not gonna play? We just saw at the University of Houston. Didn't we just see didn't the sayer just announced Iowa State ten. Yeah, it's legit and legit. I mean, like I said, I have no problems with the players having second thoughts, questions, whatever. I think that's I don't think Kyrie should be the leader. But for if he's talking about from the black perspective, that's fine. But I think the fact that he's not playing, and that's the only reason, only, the fact that he doesn't have skin in the game. I think as far as the illness and illness and the bubble, that should be the other players call, see I disagree, and I gonna deal with that. But I agree. But he's a part of the board, like to look out for the players, and he's just doing that. But Chris either ring leader or is he just relaying their concerns? We don't. That's what I'm saying. If if twenty guys called him and said, kyree, okay, I agree. You see what I'm saying, right, and he's the mouthpiece the other guys might not be big enough. Do you know what I'm saying, right, That's That's the only thing I'm saying. It's like I agree with you, I don't. I don't think there's some ulterior motive. I don't want Lebron to win, so let's not I don't believe that, you know, I believe that some players have come to him. And if he wasn't on that board, Chris, I would agree with you. But he's he's a representative on the board, so he's supposed to be the guy that represents players and says stuff. That's the only reason I'm and I and I agree with you on that. If if now, if he's I mean to be honest as the as the VP, even if he has talked to guys and said, you guys really cool with this, and then he hears their views. He could still represent it because he is the VP. That's that's his job. That's all I'm saying. I feel you on that. All right, Let's let's look at Bill O'Brien for a moment, because I'm gonna be honest. He's had his issues with I mean, people question his coaching for sure, but he obviously had his issues with DeAndre Hopkins, who they just traded, and a lot of people killed him for that. But I got it. I'm with you, Rob, Like this quote from him was strong and well, we'll tell you why. But basically, Bill O'Brien has been encouraging his players to speak out, and he encouraged many of them to go to the funeral obviously in Houston for George Floyd. He went himself with J. J. Watton, some other players and coaches. But here's this quote, Rob that he said to the Houston Chronicle, Yeah, I will take a knee. He's gonna take a knee beside his players, says I'll take a knee. I'm all for it. The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard and a right to be who they are. They're not taking a knee because they're against our flag. They're taking a knee because they haven't been treated equally in this country for over four hundred years. Hello, wait a minute, wait a minute to even throw in the four hundred years, Chris, Dad, that's the most powerful thing to me. My Absolutely, you could say because they have been treated well, or this unfortunate incident that happened, you know, this tragedy that just happened, it was awful. You could you did a lot of routes to say because they haven't been treated fairly for four hundred years. Is talking about slavery and everything else in this country. Bill O'Brien went to the top rope Chris and jumped off in wrestling. Am I right? He's off the top for me, super flies, That's right. And if you don't know who that is, google him. He was the man. He was the man. Now I'm with you, Rob, and I gotta give him credit. And one thing that is encouraging to me, and this whole thing, obviously we've seen people of different races marching and things like that, but the fact that I hear so many white leaders, whether it's a governor, whether it is another type of politician, whether it's a coach in this instance, but people standing up and pointing out that this is not just about as tragic as it was. This is not just about George Floyd. It's not just about police brutality. It is about systemic racism. It is about, as Bill O'Brien said, something that dates back to slavery, and a lot of people like to say, well, that was one hundred and fifty years ago, and so on and so forth. Then there was Jim Crow, which in a lot of cases, as you know, Rob, was de facto slavery for a lot of you share croppers and all that. And then there were other forms of discrimination, you know, even up to this day. I mean, let's face it, all of these and more keep coming out, Rob, you know, I got CNN on. They more keep coming out. And it's interesting because a lot of these situations, the victim is saying I can't breathe. I can't breathe in a lot of these situations. But here's the fact. But but but the other thing to just piggyback real quick on what you were talking about about talking about you know how long ago it was, and there was one hundred and fifty year and all that. The Civil Rights Act, Chris was sign in nineteen sixty four. That's when I was born, and like what like two hundred years ago. That's why I'm saying nineteen sixty four, Avery was another hundred years No, no question, You're absolutely right, that was your lifetime, my parents mar you know the civil rights marches, sou but that that like today, let's face it, all of these the George Floyd and Flandocasti, all these that we've seen on body cameras or on iPhones. They you saw the police reports. The police reports were totally different. Right, they would have gotten away with it. And how many times have people gotten away with that? Plenty of the guys that killed him out Arberry, we're going to get away with it, even though the even though the Attorney General they had the video and they still were gonna look the other way. Absolutely, no policemen, right, they were just regular citizens. Right. And we've seen this and the other thing too, is is normally Christian. Right, there is a video and this is the thing that we all know as black man driving into streets and being stopped and pulled over. I told you, I've been stopped so many times and the whole nine yards, and you really don't know what's gonna happen or what's gonna go wrong, or how you talk to and and and and whatnot, like you know, just just arbitrary, Chris, like nasty, like where you going, where you're coming from at this hour? You know, like and I've responded sometimes none of your business? Well, none of your business what you pulled me over? What what? What's the infraction? What does it matter where I'm coming from? You know what I mean? As if I'm gonna say, yeah, I just pulled over and rob the liquor store, I just right, what answer am I gonna give you? But but it's just yea, where are you coming from? I hear you. I hear you, man, And uh so kudos to Bill Bill O'Brien man, I'll give him props. And um, that's a strong statement. So hopefully you know, these systemic issues will be dealt with and it won't just be emotional and you know, feel good and symbolic, although those things are important, but those things are I agree with you, this got more of them to do. But but you gotta admit, Chris, a lot of stuff is moving. I mean, am I right? And not like NASCAR? That was huge because of what it signals, the symbolism of that. Yes, even Republican uh exact. You know people in the Republican Party who were saying, we can change these Confederate names on these military bases. I mean, they're going against the president who said that they weren't gonna do it. They put it in the bill. Chris, Now he has to decide whether to sign it or veto it, and if it does, it would hamper the military stuff that he's trying to push through. Do you see what I'm saying. So now they put him in the spot if he vetos it, then the stuff that he wants doesn't go through. Yep, yep. So you're right, it's stuff happening. For sure. This is definitely different. So let's see how it continues and hopefully they'll continue going in the right direction. Let's move on to the NBA players, and we talked a little bit about that already with Kyrie. Let's go back there. It's interesting, Rob because a lot of the players who seem to be questioning whether or not they want to come back. Obviously, Kyrie Damian Lillard has spoke. You know, it looks like he's gonna play, but he's spoken a little bit. Carmelo Anthony, another Portland Trailblazer, they're not the contenders. And from everybody I've talked to, like I said, the Lakers, the Clippers, at least the two stars on the Rockets, like these guys are all in Denver, even though you know, none of us think Denver will win, but they think they got a shot. Like the teams that are contenders. Joel Embid has talked about it. They want a ball rob and I understand it if I if I'm one of the few teams that not even in the playoffs yet, I mean, really, do I really want to go there and play eight games? You know what I mean? Like I guess, like you hung the carrot out in front of me right that if we, if we play well, we might get into the playoffs. So I guess there's that. But Chris, that's why some people were saying that the NBA should have just looked at the season for what it was, picked the top sixteen teams and not have people who don't have who aren't in the mix to have to do this and just through the playoffs. I think that I think that's really I know they want Zion in and they went back and they got twenty two teams, uh, you know, and whatnot. If you would have done that and then the team's really all sixteen teams had quote unquote a shot, I don't think you'd have. I don't think you'd have as much of this as you have now. Yeah, MY main concern was just the health and you know, with the guys be in shape, I don't know that you want, you know, playoff teams and you know, they know they're gonna face each other even if they're not playing the team they're gonna face in the playoffs. But you know, I just don't know how hard those teams would go in those eight games. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think they you know, they kind of be coasting, which wouldn't get them in shape. Now, maybe they'll still do that, I know, I think you and I put a bet on it. I believe. I do believe, and I've talked to some people. I think they'll be low management for probably a couple of teams, but I think the Clippers and I get it. It's not that the guys will need a break, but you know you're gonna want to get them in shape, get a little chemistry, and then be ready for the games. It really matters. But I don't know's I'm gonna be interested to see what happens, what comes to this call, but I don't expect there's gonna be any real like pushback to the degree that the season would be in jeopardy. I think I think, if indeed the season is in jeopardy, Rob, it's going to be because of COVID, which already seems to be surging again. And I think it'll be that if there, if anything that that slows down this season or stops it. Yeah. Um, I just this is so um uncharted waters, Chris. We just don't know what we're gonna get. We really don't. And and you just don't know who's gonna get sick. We just mentioned it with the football players, right, did you just mention it? I mean, how in the world is nobody gonna get sick, Chris. Somebody's gonna get sick, and they gotten it quick? Haven't they just gotten back? They just started they got what was it? What was the last school that had to ten. I know, I think Iowa State, because Iowa State had ten players. Yeah, yeah, you're in close quarters. What do you want to tell you what if one of these players, and obviously you prayed this doesn't happen, if one of them get seriously ill, like it's serious that I think a lot of this stuff's gonna shut down, I really do. No, they probably will have, probably rightly. So I mean, let's just keep your real you know, so we will see definitely some different times, all right. With a handful of players from nine contending teams voicing concern about resuming the season, would the NBA have been better off? We're asking you. Would they have been better off inviting fewer teams to play in the bubble? As Rob said, should they have just gone straight to the playoffs sixteen teams? We start with the playoffs eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven, seven, nine, nine, six sixty three sixty nine. You're turned away in with Chris and Robb, the i couple of Fox Sports Radio. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot com and within the Ihearts Radio app. Search f SR to listen live. All right, it's the I Couple Chris and Robb on the Funky Flashback Friday in the Crates. Ay, here is in the Crates, you and I. This was the James Rick James. You're Rick James fans see that look James. Everybody, that's right, that's right. We brought to you by all those own. All those zones got more ways for you to get what you need when you need it. With their free same day pick up, you can place your order online and grab what you need today at more than fifty seven hundred autos on locations, in store or curbside. Visit all those on the day to start your job fast. Get in the zone, all those own and Chris, let me throw out the number again if you want to jump in eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox eight seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine. Let's let's kick it off with Mark and Sacramento. You're on the odd couple Fox Sports Radio. What's up? Mark? What's going on? Gentlemen? Do you good? Hey? Chris, I don't I don't think that they should be uh jumping straight to the playoffs. And Rob I don't I really don't think they should do that. These guys been off for a long time. I think soft soft muscle tissues will snap. But I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that they shouldn't play. I'm not saying that they shouldn't play any preseason games or you know what I mean, or warm up games to it. I'm just saying, like to bring back teams that are like, not really have a stake in it. Those are the guys who are going to be less enthusiastic about playing and being there. That's what I meant, you know what. I agree with that, Rob, That's a different I hurt it a little different. Hey guys, real quick, can I give you guys a little bit of history of what just happened in the NBA is something we have never seen and it might be the hardest thing to win a championship. They start off, They start off with two of the top stars not playing, Clay Thompson and Kevin Durant. Then their top rookie coming in, Zion gets hurted. He doesn't play though January. Then the Daryl More China thing erupts, which they're now hurting them financially. Then David Stern dies. Then two weeks later, Kobe Bryant dies, Then the clothes virus hits. Then we have a civil unrest happened, and now they're going to try to play. That's a lot for one league, man, you know, one mark. It has been a hell of a twenty twenty. I know, twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, but my goodness, you're you're right, Yeah, it's been a heck of a thing. We got a it's a little bit of a little bit of interesting news. Rosing got Rob g There's a tweet from Row Woes about the call that's going on with the players. Just came in in the in the middle of that commercial break, Woes apparently has someone plugged in on the call. Oh what a shock. Here's the here's what he says that amid reservations on restarting the season, Kyrie Irving has lent a strong voice to the ongoing call with NBA players tonight. One player says in the text quote he's trying to give players a platform to be able to have a discussion on the bubble racial equality and unity. It's a good call, ain't quote. So that's the part that's good that Chris, you're good with that. Yeah, yeah, it ain't. It ain't Kyrie trying to hijack the season, right And because he's not playing like let's just do it, I think it's I think he's trying to be honest. Uh, And some players maybe felt like the big dogs got all to say and they really didn't get to Just have your say doesn't mean that you won't go along with it if everybody agrees to do it, you know what I mean, Chris bro Like we weren't heard, nobody wanted to hear what I had to say right right now. I think that's good. I think that's good. And as long as you know, I don't think Kyrie should be directing them or on his soapbox, you know, Like I said, if it's the racial thing, he can share on that. But as far as the other stuff. But if if they're just giving a platform to share their views, that's good. And maybe look, maybe a lot of these dudes don't want to play. I mean, like maybe most of them. You know what I'm saying relevant you talk about like, look, let's let's be honest. If dudes don't really want to play and they're going out there and they're not into it. Number one, it could lead to more Injreese and number two, if we clearly see that the level of play is horrible. You talk about it a mental asterisk, you know what I'm saying, Like, you don't want that either. You don't want guys out there just not going hard at it, not and halfheartedly playing. So I think this is good. And even if the lag is good, they get to share, they'll feel better about playing, you know what I mean, if they you know, at least they were heard, no doubt at Jamal in New York. You're on the odd couple of fox sportuated what you got Hi night man, right. I actually was really on Rob side all the way in the generally, so I just heard the rest of what you had to say, and I'm kind of on both of your side. I do believe that they only should have went the sixteen games. However, Chris, you were right about that. If your heart is really not into it, man, you can course itself real bad injuries trying to go out there and forcing itself to do something that's really not interested in doing. So it's kind of interesting to see how that they're going to play it. Out. But I also agree with only the teams that really want to you know, that really have a legitimate shot of winning the championship, with the ones that are thirsty to really go out back out there and play and put their bodies through that. The ones that you know, are because in the NBN game though, So the ones that know that they really might not make it in that age spot, they really don't want to go out there and put their body through that. So abeall have a good night, and thanks for the call, Thank you. And I do think rob a lot of I remember talking to one coach. His team is actually one of the ones that is not in the playoffs, but they're you know, one of the teams that now they they're invited, so they might make the playoffs. But he was like, we're kind of like our season's over, you know what I mean, because that was kind of their approach because they didn't think they would get, you know, a chance to get into the playoffs, right. And I think a lot of teams, you know, a lot of guys ride they've probably just been they're out of that mindset, you know what I mean. No, there's whole there's a whole thing, right, and you just feel like, oh, all seasons over, so right, I can let I can let myself go a little bit. I'm not saying they got fat, but you know what I mean, like mentally right what you need to play, you kind of let your guard down and you're I'm in vacation mode, even though I'm stuck at home, do you know what I mean? Like, I'm there's a mode of the season's over and I can wind down and veg out and then there's all right time for the season. I gotta get myself prepared. It's gonna be grueling eighty two games, you know what I mean? No question, no question? All right. We will get the player's perspective on all this from our man Ryan Hollins. He joins the next but first, be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. It's The I Couple Chris and Rob Company you live from the Geico Fox Sports Radio Studios. It is easy to say fifteen percent of more on your car Stoomers with Geico. Go to Geico dot com or call eight hundred and nine four seven auto. The only hard part is figuring out which way is easier. We got a few more calls, Rob, you want to get to those, Yeah, let's do that. How about Kevin and Hawaii. You're on the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio. What's up, keV? Hey guys, long time listener, first time caller, my man, Thank you, keV, you brother. We appreciate that all the time. Thank you. You know what I think we're giving the big boys, it's too much pressure. If they want to play, they play. If they don't want to, they no need right, So well they're divided. It's okay, yea, So keV, you wouldn't have a problem if they decided they don't want to play. You're cool with that. Why one night then? Because there's gonna be another season and I'm sorry, everything gets up brought up with Lebron and it's just come on, sorry, buddy, it's I'll tell you what it's been for the call on the support. My man from Hawaii and Mark brought this up, Rob. If it's been such a disjointed season, you know what I mean. Nobody's fault, obviously, but it's been a crazy season. Yeah, and we've been at WoT without it for a while. I want them to play like everybody else. But if if they, you know, look we'll see. I don't know, man, Maybe I think they'll have the season, but I think this stuff needs to be taken seriously. He's agree. And then again, the virus is surgeon. You know. That's why I pushed back on Rick Bucker when he was on a little bit. You know, it was kind of like, well, you know, kywee, and I'm like, I don't know if it's just kywe do you know what I mean, Like, it's a little deeper than that. Well, let's let's go to a former player, our man, friend of the show, Ryan Hollins. What's up, brother, Hey, what's going on? Guys? You we're good, We're good. Not give us what's going on? I know obviously you got friend league. So what is going on? Man? Like? Do you think the season could be in jeopardy? How big is this group that may not want to play? It's it's a decent number. And you know, obviously guys are gonna be worried about the injuries, are worried about COVID nineteen and even bigger at matter. It looks like, how would I put this lightly? We're to the point where we feel like we're gonna have major change in society, and you don't want to lose any of that momentum with an NBA season going on. Now, here's the reality of the matter. As a ten year NBA athlete and a guy who's retired right now, your voice is not going to be any bigger than it is while playing. For those who want to push the Black Lives Matter agenda, my current NBA players, you're not going to have any bigger of a platform than while you play. Look at Colin Kaepernick. Now, you can put whatever notion you want or whatever feelings, but Colin Kaepernick is only it's still to this day, said that he plans to play in the NFL. He wants to play. He had been blackballed. Okay, that's not a question now, it's pretty much in fact, he was black balled for kneeling, and that was his stance. So for these guys who who want to push the matter and understand there are bigger issues at hand, put out your initiative. Maybe if it's you know, every basket that you score, you know a certain amount of people donate funds to Black Lives Matter. You know, there's t shirts you can wear. You know, the NBA is really good as far as calls and awareness. That's good. That's that's a that's a really a great point. And uh, did you think originally like the bubble? I understand the protests in that, but there's some players who are concerned about the whole bubble life. I remember when we had um who do we have on Eddie uh Eddie house house, and he was saying that he didn't think players were gonna be feel comfortable. And you you notice, being an ex player about being away from your family and your kids, and you know, with not being able and and and and being basically uh imprisoned, you know for whatever it is three weeks a month or before you can see anybody. Do you think that weighs on players to the idea that that you you were going to be isolated? Rob It's a sad reality. But as a former NBA player, we are incredibly spoiled. We don't live in the real world. We get essentially, we get what we want. You know, you go to work for for for for four to six hours and then you go home and at the end of the day, you're playing basketball. You're a millionaire with nothing but money and time and in different cities, traveling the world. We don't live in the real world right now. COVID nineteen basketball. This championship is going to be incredibly uncomfortable. When I spent a year overseas, I realized what uncomfortable was. I realized what social distancing actually was. That was the truth of the matter. So when I'm looking at these NBA players, they've got to understand you are sacrificing for the well being of the league, and if you do not want you play, you're gonna put yourself in a very grave situation if you don't show up. Guys, we just saw the league go from fifteen players to seventeen players on the roster. What's that safe for the guys who aren't the Lebron James's, the Kyries, the Kevin Durant. To the world, you are replaceable guys. So that's the reality what's going on. And you haven't been working out with it being your driveway, your front yard, your front yard of the jet workout where you're doing you know, push ups and set ups back to back to back to back. You know, you've got to figure some things out. Now, we know that from a couple of guys I've talked through. The practice facilities are open, they're ending, they're working out, they're scheduling runs where guys can come in and play. And yeah, there is a worry about guys getting hurt and getting up to speed, not just speed, but playoff speed. It is a reality, but this is a time where you just gotta go play. It's no it seems like and from people I've talked to that the stars and the championship contenders really want to play, but it's kind of the guys who may not be stars or their teams are not really legitimate contenders that are having the questions about it. Absolutely. I mean, we saw LaMarcus Algers just went out and have shoulder surgery. Now I'm not speaking for LaMarcus Algers, but if they were the championship contention, if you having soldiers shoulder surgery, that's the sub to it's right there. At this time of the year, you know, probably not so I understand that that's that's a that's a reality, but guys have to understand when it comes to getting paid and everybody wants that megamax or you know, the mid level exception and your agent is going to bat for you to talk about how valuable you are. Uh, these are the moments that can be held against you. And yeah, you know what the reality is that what guys have to understand that me be scared of I'm showing up to the playoffs out of shape. What happens if I look bad? This could mess my money up. Heck, I've had a really good year. Now I'm gonna have to set out Well, guys understand the entire well being of the league isn't isn't is in jeopardy right now. So you've got to you've got to get on the court and you've got to play. Because there's a there's a it's called revenue shy. There hasn't been a revenue So all that extra money that we make that gets added on and that that nice little check that you get every single year as an NBA player, that thing may be non existent because all of the sponsorship money, all of the TV rights, all this revenue is getting missed out every single day that the NBA doesn't play. I guess, uh, I mean you make the argument when it comes to not just this year but next year. Um, who wins? I called it the Mickey Mouse Championship, because of course it's gonna be at didn't I am. I'm just telling you who's gonna win? Who are gonna win? Oh my god, you're something else. I gotta dress something else with you right before we get off here, do you use? You? Out of control? You out of control? Um step guys, No, no, no, I'm gonna bring it up. I bring it up my favorite all year long, you guys spending Los Angeles Clippers. They have to what twelve guys? Lou Williams is the only guy who can't guard Lebron James. So they had a school guys on top of Kawhi Leonard who could score the basketball, and Paul George, who's a you know, I call him a yeah. I give him an eight minus all star, maybe B plus a minus top of superstar in our league. The Clippers have been favorites all year long. But I'm looking over I'm looking at COVID nineteen. I'm looking at this shake up and the one thing that I know Lebron James has been the ninth NBA Finals he's got more experience than than than a number of these teams combined. If you come by the Milwaukee Bucks, UH, Boston and Philadelphia, they wouldn't have the experience in minutes that Lebron James has played in the playoffs. I think experience wins out. I know I'm changing my pick. I think I'm leaving forwards about days. I've always been a I think experience wins out. I'm concerned with the Kawai's leg to start to stop with his injury, it's really gonna affect him. I gotta see that more than just I think if his leg is it right, if his leg isn't right now after three mon moy. It's not about he's not like he's old where it's like, oh he's got to start up. He's still a relatively young guy. Hey, Chris, you ever had a hoopie? Yeah? First car had to been a hoopie? Right, we all had a hope? What are you cars? Current car? Listen? Listen, Kawhi Leonard his quad as a hoopie. Let's call that a hoopie. So when when the cookie is just sitting things just start going wrong. You are you just talking off the dome or you know something. I'm not listen, I'm not saying for a fact, Okay, I'm not a medical expert, and obviously even the San Antonio medical expert heither got in run or couldn't figure things out when it came to Kawai's leg. So I'm saying, listen, the starting stop is very likely and I'm assuming here, I'm assuming. Okay, thanks for clarifying that Chris is gonna slow down Kawhi Leonard and in his leg at the start. I think Lebron starting up an old JELOPI after sitting for three months, could wind up where Lebron had more to me have a chance of pulling something or getting hurt after stopping what he was playing really well, and he was a well oiled machine. I think it's gonna be harder for Lebron to be honest. Don't let Lebron fool you. Don't let this smooth taste fool you. Lebron James is quite possibly the most aware NBA athlete that we've ever seen. When he saw COVID nineteen, after soaking and after you know, taking and digesting everything, Lebron said, hold the heck up, This is my window to win a championship. I likely wasn't gonna win the championship this year. I know I turned it all, but I was going against the grain. But if I work out, not get in shape, this is in the advantage. If I ain't know anything about Lebron James quite plops is the most unware mega star that we have ever seen play in the league. He sees an opportunity. That's the thing about greatness. You know. We were having talked to myself, Brittan Haywood with Mike Conley and Quinn Cook the other day, and he's played with Steph and Kde and Lebron and those guys. He said, they don't miss a beat. That's the difference. They don't miss a beat. They see, they here and they're aware of everything. So Lebron James is competitive as he is. He has he's never stopped working out, and he got the kid the keys to the gym. Guy. All right, the what else you gonna say with me? You have upset? Hey? Hold on? Did you hey? Did you you call Steph Curry a hard glove chatter earlier in the week. I've already chastised for that, But go ahead please yo. I said he was a Globe charter. What they say, man, you know they were They were like, this dude is spot on. Man, keep it hunting all right, Ryan, great stuff, brother, have a good weekend, man, guys man, thanks for the keep it up. Yeah, I couple of Fox Sports Radio. Keep it like. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeart Radio app search f S to listen live. All right, well we got uh we're wrapping up another great week. The Eye Couple, the Pointer Sisters. I gotta give credit to Djai Alex Tysher. He has been in the crates. He got dust all over his hair, all over his face. He is in the crates. Boy. Yeah you like this right? Rob? Oh? Yeah? Well this wasn't was this? This was this the Pointer Sisters? No, Ahnita Ward? Isn't it right? Is this? Uh? No? Who is Stewart Rednita Ward was ringing my bell ring? I used to love that song. Yeah. Uh but yeah, so interesting tweet. Let's bring in Rob g Chris Haynes. I guess the call up from the NBA players has ended and here's Chris. What Chris Haynes has reported about it. Well, yeah, Chris Haynes didn't report it was an hour, were in forty minutes. But here I actually found a money quote right here, courtesy of our manage. Sham Sharania from The Athletic says, a source on the call sells him quote from Kyrie Irving, I don't support going into Orlando. I'm not with the systematic racism and the BS. Something smells a little bit fishy. But Chris Haynes did add to that report himself, saying, even though he disagrees with going to Orlando, he will stand with whatever the players decide to do, which is the way you gotta do it. I mean, oh, of course you could be against it or whatever and Voice, sure he's got his rights of Voice's opinion exactly. But but it's a it's a democracy, right Chris. And once everybody votes or decides what they want to do, then you gotta go with the group, otherwise you're in trouble. An additional quote actually just just came down from Shams. Kyrie Irving on the call says, quote, I'm willing to give up everything I have for social reform. Wow, well we know I re Is is a pensive young man. There's nothing else. Uh, look like I said, I'm if he if he feels as strongly about the racial situation as we he should be at the Voice's opinion and um, but just be smart about it, like get something out of this. The players have some leverage, make some demands, you know, that's what they should be looking at doing. As you heard on Bruce Hart's five five, I never missed, I left gee, I left it, and I never missed. I never watched you hearing. Never get some new jokes speaking of what what? What? You got a week left? All right, I'm excited, Pace,
