The Herd with Colin CowherdList of possible Knicks head coaches to replace Tom Thibodeau
Myles Turner says super teams are done
Guest: Alexi Lalas
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We're back our number two here on The Herd.
Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd joined today by Alex Curry. Alex, you know NBA Finals start tomorrow. I know you're really excited. We haven't talked a lot about the Stanley Cup finals, like here, hockey is happening this week or something like that.
Yeah, I mean we got something.
It's funny though, because obviously I used to work in hockey, so I love it and I follow it, and I was following the Kings playoff run they.
Got yeah put it once again, Yeah by Edmonton Oilers. But yeah, it's similar.
It's kind of having a similar feel to this NBA Finals right now, where everyone's like, oh, yeah the finals are this way, opposed to like, oh my god, I can't wait for this day because a final start so it's.
Yeah, it's a rough one.
We have a really nice guest coming up in thirty minutes. Alexi lallis US national soccer team legend, also a soccer agitator.
Can I call them that?
I'm on a text thread with some soccer dads and they're like, oh, I can't stand that lallss Oh my goodness. But first we got to start here. Obviously, the Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau yesterday bit of a shocker, and we decided to we come up with five potential names to replace Tom Thibodeau. Now, we just had Mitch Lawrence on and he broke it down in an interesting way. He's like, listen, man, MSG is a pit full of vipers you because it's so insular and they don't talk to the media. Really, nobody knows who's really making this decision. Like Leon Rose had hired his guy, Tibbs, Well, did Leon Rose fire his guy or did Dolan step in? Is Jim Dolan back in charge and he's gonna flex and throw his weight around and so there's a bit of a mystery as to will Rose get his guy, Will the players have a say, we know what's the players league?
Or is the owner just gonna steamroll everybody and say this is what I want.
So I came up with five guys and then we'll have like a special mystery guy at the end, which I'll go a little longer. But the first guy that to bring up is Mark Jackson. Nobody's talking about Mark Jackson whatsoever. He's yah him on the right side. But listen, this is a guy who was in Golden State for the early Splash Brothers and he got run off. The worst part for Mark Jackson was right after he got run off, Steve Kerr made a little tweak right he put Draymond Green into the death lineup. They want small ball and they made the jump to light speed and the Warriors never looked back. They became a dynasty. And depending on who you talk to, it's like, oh, oh, Mark Jackson couldn't figure it out. We needed Steve kur to do that.
Now.
Mark Jackson is a legend in New York City, Okay, born in Queens like myself, I thought I was a point guard. He actually was a point guard, went to Saint John's. Legendary player at Saint John's. What with the Knicks, Mister Shimmy I mean, Mark Jackson needs no introduction. The problem is he had some off court stuff that kind of carried over and then the Warriors thing. Never he never was able to rebound from that, and he never got a second chance, which I think is kind of bs. He went to be an announcer, then he got shoved out of that. So Mark Jackson's just out there. And my gut tells me Dolan, wanting to win over the fans, is gonna bring in Mark Jackson for an interview. I don't know if he'll get it, but he's on the list. I think the next guy you got to bring up is Michael Malone. Now, Michael Malone won a title in Denver a couple of years ago, and we talked with Mitch Lawrence a little while ago talking about Thibodeau getting fired.
He raved about Michael Malone.
It's a treacherous place if you're a coach, because you're the guy who's the face of the franchise. They don't let Leon Rose talk. Dolan doesn't talk. So Tom Thibodau was the guy who had a talk. Nobody's held accountable in terms of Leon Rose or Jim Dolan. It's run differently than any other organization, and it's been unsuccessful in a lot of ways. You know, it's the anti Spurs, anti Miami, whatever you want to call it. They do things their own way, and for the most part, before Time came on board, they were irrelevant and a dumpster fire and they I think Nick fans probably fear now that's the road they're headed back on.
So if you listen closely, Mitchell's like, listen, they don't like dealing with the media. Thibodeau did not like dealing with the media. He just wouldn't give much, wouldn't talk a lot. You know who doesn't mind mixing it up with the media. Michael Malone. He'll go right back at you guys. And you know why because he won a title with Denver and he talked trash and backed it up. Now, the interesting thing is I had a Knicks fan. Tell me, listen, who was yo kitch when he came into the league second round pick? Give me a break, Carl Anthony Towns. You don't think Michael Malone could work with him and take his defense from a D plus to a B minus. Could he get him to a C plus? Michael Malone really did help your kitch a lot. Why couldn't you do.
That with Kat and I?
You know, remember I was pushing Michael Malone during the Detroit series. You know we could pull that video if you really want to. I know you don't care, but then I backed off when he beat the Celtics, and I don't Malone really does feel like Thibodeau two point zero. All right, next name on the list again, kind of going off the board here. Steve Nash any won. Steve Nash coached in Brooklyn. It's funny because Steve Nash was great with the Warriors as like a specialty coach. Kevin Durant loved him, and then Kevin Durant pushed him when he got to Brooklyn with Kyrie. But what Kevin Duray didn't know is Kyrie Irving was kind of sort of losing his mind at the time and wanted nothing to do with Steve Nash. He famously went on like an Instagram live or whatever and was like, KD and I with Riq, we don't even need a coach. And I told the story how Steve Nash.
Was in New York.
Kyrie said, oh, yeah, come to my place to meet me. And Steve Nash in the rain went there and Kyrie just left him on the doorstep for like twenty minutes, ringing the doorbell, just wouldn't answer. It as like a hey man, I know you're the coach, but I'm the guy I built this super team, and it was like whoa, they got off on the wrong foot. Nash did not last long in Brooklyn, but he's now partner with Lebron Lebron on a podcast, and we know that worked out well for Lebron's last podcast partner, JJ Reddick.
Let's see who else we got? We got Mike Brown, anyone.
Mike Brown's kind of been around the league, smart guy, I don't want to say, got Railroad in Sacramento, but it just didn't really pan out for him. Obviously a very good coach in Cleveland, He's been around the league. Is considered a defensive guy, which is pretty good, especially when you factor in how bad the Knicks defense was against the Pacers. I believe they gave up one hundred and twenty six points per game in the losses in the series, and it's like that was Tibb's calling card.
He couldn't deliver.
Can Mike Brown get the defense up to stuff, and finally I'm going off the board here.
Sam Cassell. Everybody knows him.
Great celebration guy, Sam Cassell. We won't talk about the celebration. Haliburton mimicked it. But Cassell is known as a players coach. Colin always last when I say this phrase. But Sam Cassell is a cool guy. He's funny, he was a great point guard, and I do believe he could connect with these guys in a way. Tibbs, who's sixty seven and much older than Kassel. Tibbs didn't really connect with Bridges at heart, and now that came out in the media, could Cassell be the guy? So those are the five guys that I think we'll certainly get interviews in Deep Looks.
Michael Malone obviously everybody loves that. Mike Brown.
I haven't heard as much about Nash. I don't know if I was the first to float him yesterday right after it broke. Sam Cassell and Mark Jackson. So now I'm.
Gonna go with the other guy.
And I was not convinced of this, and we had a heated four minute debate in the meeting this morning about whether or not Jason Kidd is a viable candidate for the next job. Jason Kidd was the point guard with Carmelo Anthony when the Next had a really good run ten years ago. The problem, of course, is Jason Kidd is currently under contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
But let's be real, Jason Kidd may not love it in Dallas.
They get to the finals to Luca and then don't consult Jay Kidd and they trade Luca to the Lakers and Jason Kidd. We don't have video of it, but if you look at the post Luca trade press conference, Jason Kidd is staring straight ahead like he saw a ghost. Yeah, we're doing one ghost reference an hour people, And I don't I'm a Knicks fan. I don't know if the Knicks next season is an upgrade from the MAVs.
Let me explain.
Yes, the Knicks are in the East, notatum Celtics pull back. Knicks are gonna be one of the three best in the East. Dallas gets Cooper Flag, they have Anthony, Davis Gafford for now, Derek Lively, PJ Washington, and Kyrie Irving's hurt and will be out. I'm gonna generously say the All Star Break, maybe March first, so there will be some struggles. Here's why I think Dallas is interesting given the number one pick of Cooper Flag. I believe they will be active in free agency and they will be making trades. I think Gafford is gone. I think you could probably trade Gafford to a team looking to off road salary. And hello Drew Holliday and the Boston Celtics. So now, now, if you're just looking at a playoff lineup in Dallas, potentially Drew Holliday, Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Lively, an ad that's maybe a truck in the West, and my main man, Cooper Flag future NBA MVP. Cooper Flag would be your sixth man, super Max Christy seventh man.
I know, super Max. Hahaha, folks. That's a hell of a lineup.
The Knicks have some flexibility this offseason, but when you look at the roster, it's like, are they too top heavy? And I don't know how much movement they'll actually make. So could you convince Jason Kidd, hey man, we're going to trade for you. Then the other problem is that Dix don't have a ton of assets to trade for Jason Kidd, and oh, by the way, they owe thirty million dollars to Tom Thibodeau. So now you're giving up assets, then you've got to pay j Kid, and you still got to pay Thibodeau. It just it doesn't seem like a winning play for the Knicks.
It's weird.
I didn't like the MAVs trade at all, but then they get Cooper Flag and the lottery, and now I've got to get back to being a MAVs fan.
I loved them when they had Luca, just because I like Luca. But the Knicks. Everybody's painting this is this is a great job, is it?
I don't know.
The Phoenix Suns just.
Hired a guy named Jordan not just kidding, Jordan Ot. I have no idea who that guy is. The Phoenix Suns are clearly hitting the detonation button on the franchise. He's probably gonna be Devin Booker and a bunch of dudes because Bradley Beal's gonna wave his no trading clause and be gone. But like that's what the Sons were picking Jordan Ott. So why are we mentioning for the next Michael Malone? Maybe he wants to go into TV. We saw him during uh I think it was a West Yeah, Western Conference Finals. He saw him on TV talking about how SGA was the real MVP. Thought it was a shot of Joker. I digress, but it's like, is the NIXT job that good on the surface?
Hell yeah, just.
Went to the conference final, two games from the NBA Finals. So Jason Kidd's an interesting name. My guess is it doesn't happen, but we know his history with the Knicks. He's a Hall of Fame point guard. If you're making a list of all time great point guards, Kid has to be top six, right. I mean, this is one of the great point guards in NBA history.
So I don't know. It's gonna be fascinating.
Nick's head Coaching Watch can't wait coming up next. Adam Silver gave the guys on Breakfast Ball this morning a big update on potential change coming to the All Star Game. Alex Curry will have that for us next in herdline. That's next year on the herd. For hot water that never runs out, go tankless with Navian right now, say hundreds on a new high efficiency tankless water heater with local redates. Find the name of your navian contractor at tankless maadsimple dot com, Tanklus madsimple dot com.
One more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Within the iHeartRadio app, Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Back here on the Herd. Alexi Lawless coming up in studio to talk soccer. Oh got it the first. Let's go to Alex with the news.
Turn on the news. This is the Herd Line News, So Jmac.
Let's kick things off in the NFL with the number one overall pick camp Ward, who has been flying under the writer I've bit in Tennessee, but his teammates have been entressed with him at Camp. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley has played with a bunch of teams, but he says his rookie QB stands out.
On his calm relax. So I mean you need that at the quarterbacks that yeah can be. It can't just be an overthinker jivery guy.
You just gotta kind of, you know, be okay with.
You know, you know, doing good and you know.
You just gotta have that.
So he has the right mentality. You know, you're hearing all the right things you want to hear about your number one overall pick, but again, like this is not a great roster. I had the number one overall pick for a reason. I had three wins last season. They're over under for wind totals to set a five and a half this year. They don't have a great offensive line, and you just hope that he can stay healthy. And you really never know what you're going to get with the rooky quarterback anyway.
I just hope he has a solid rookie season.
It's just it's not like a sexy topic team.
Have they ever? Well, I guess when they had Derek Henry they had some juice.
Yeah, but even even having like one of the top players in the league at the time, like he was in commercials running through brick walls, like.
Still not. They almost need a Tennessee Tech that's what they were hoping.
Like cam Warton's going to be like the coal the whole city was behind, like similar to Chicago with Caleb Williams. Like you have the number one picks, this is the guy you have to take.
This is going to save our franchise.
So but again, like it wasn't like a super strong quarterback draft. As we talked about, he was definitely the the top candidate, but it also still not the most popular. But I love talked about rookie Quat.
It's funny.
I feel like two years ago he was at Washington State being as a quarterback there and then upgrade it to Miami and now here he is number one pick. Like that's quite a meteoric rise, and he's largely anonymous.
I mean, if you walk into the studio, would you know Kimbell?
Uh No, he's not a He's not a like a face brand, right He's not a face brand right now. But again, if he has an incredible rookie season, which is hard when you're not on a great team where every position on your team is below average, especially the offensive line because that's who protects.
Here, and it's a usual schedule. Denver and Rams defense are top.
Trudal and both it's like put on a.
Like that was I think a big rookie surprise last year that took everybody no expectation. So that's when I think rookies can kind of surprise and rise. But there's not high expectations for Cam, but there are expectations as a number one overall by.
The way you've played sports. Yes, what is the e fitt mentality is? Can we put that for the layman, for the for the folks at home in Cincinnati watching, what.
Is the f it mentality?
Like you just kind of do whatever it takes to get there, Like there were other reports like he's like, you know, first one there, last one to go, Like he's he's in the coaches room, they have to kick him out, Like so he's doing whatever it takes to get there. But there's two different ways, Like there could also be the ethitic mentality, like we don't really care whatever happens. But like, yeah, but this felt like and what we're hearing and reading is like no, like what everyone else is saying, I'm going to do whatever it takes to help turn this franchise around. So that's the way I was taking it largely. Yeah, all right, let's switch to the NBA. Adam Silver was on Breakfast Ball this morning, and he's a change that we've all wanted to see.
J Matt, I can't wait for you.
To hear this.
About the concept of USA versus the world.
Is that something that.
We will see possibly next year? As you continue to try to tinker with the weekend.
I'm not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I mean, obviously paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did with the which was a huge success, which was a huge Frozen four.
Yeah, it was awesome.
But also you know, going back, you know last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success.
Anything would be better at this point than what they were doing at the NBA All Star Game. And as you mentioned, we saw the NHL.
Do this kind of tournament.
Style All Star Game where it was USA, russ Canada and all these other countries and it was a huge success and guys were fired up more. The thing with the NBA All Star Game, it's sounding like it what would be, like you say, versus everybody else, USA versus the world, or would it be tournament style. We don't know exactly yet, but it sounds like they're definitely going.
To do something. Also because the All Star.
Game is going to be in the middle I think you were saying of the Winter Olympics and it's back on NBC, so it's.
Going to be in the middle. Yeah, it's going to be in.
The middle of Olympic coverage, so it kind of makes sense to have it be like a country versus country. And I've covered a lot of tournaments. I've covered a lot of championship, will cover the Olympics, I covered the World Cups. Oh yeah, there's nothing compared to playing forward representing the country.
It's a different level.
And you know, I don't know if Alexi lost in the studio, but given what's going on politically in the world, this is not the worst format.
Could be a good thing.
Yeah, I mean you could get all those.
Canadian guys and they would would really want to win the game against US.
I am curious though, will it just be like a regular.
Basketball game, because like, I don't want to be a negative guy here, but like it's a regular, regular basketball game. I don't want Lebron log in thirty five minutes and.
Well I don't think he will.
But again, like basketball and the Olympics did well, people wanted to watch it.
Like, and you had superstars on other teams.
Yeah, that's like representing their country. And again, people are going to be in the Olympic spirits. I think it's happening during the Winter Olympics, all on NBC, So.
It kind of makes sense to keep it in that theme.
You also have to remember, like it's funny to be like, oh, these guys need more incentive because each player wins one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars when you win the NBA most start most of these guys.
That's pocket chy, it.
Is, but still it's like it's get make it a pride thing. And I think when you represent your country and something like that, it becomes more of a pride, okay, because it's not just about that.
Okay, last story here.
The Ravens had a disappointing finish in the playoffs last year, and it's part because of wide receivers. A Flowers missed a game with a knee, and but Flowers now back in action and he's feeling good.
Take a listen, My need great. I feel one hundred percent. I feel like I'm ready to go. I feel like I'm ready for the season, no limits. When you play seventeen games just to get to the first playoff game and you can't play in it, it's always hard. So that was kind of I think that was my first time, second time missing a game ever and was missing the playoff game is different.
Yeah, It's a big deal when he ranks first on the team at targets, receptions, and receiving yards. But Lamar Jackson has weapons now right, He has say Flowers. They just picked up DeAndre Hopkins, a veteran this offseason. They have Derrick Henry.
We need to see some.
Playoff results from Lamar Jackson and the rape.
Careful.
He is three and five in the playoffs. He's an amazing, incredible MVP regular season quarterback, so we have not seen the.
Results in the in the playoffs. That's what needs to happen.
You got to be careful, lexic. You say stuff about Lamar Jackson, not I love in the playoffs are coming out.
I love Lamar Jackson. He is a one of a kind dual threat quarterback who is an MVP player twice during the regular season. But we need to see that carried over into the playoffs and he has the weapons he should be able to do it. I mean, three and five in the playoffs as a two time MVP, Yeah, we need totally.
I totally forgot Zave Flowers was injured and missed that playoff. Yahame, I totally forgot.
That was huge, especially since he ranked first in.
All the team seven months ago. But all right, Alex with the news.
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the Herd line news.
All right, Alexi Lalas coming up here on the Herd in a moment real quick. You know, obviously, you guys know, I'm a humongous soccer fan. I own a minority share of a soccer team. Just so happens we are playing against Leonel Messi in uh later this summer. Obviously, I'll be there very excited. I've seen Messi live against here the Galaxy out here. It was just a phenomenal experience. But USA soccer is going through a little tumult.
So that's what I was like. Listen, we got to get Alexi Lalas out here.
Christian Poulisik obviously was being compared to Messi Alex by the coach, right, the head coach, and it was just like, what are we doing here? So Alexi Lallas is ready, Come on in. Alexi Lawalas, one of the great soccer players in the history of American side.
Hello, let me let me go to the brains of the organization.
First, Hello, beautiful, how are you all right? Hello, young man, how are you. By goodness, they're scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Oh my goodness.
So so Alexi is just such a big deal.
So behind the curtain.
So my daughter does like a dance thing, and she was in this performance at the end.
Of the year.
And I park and I roll up, and who do I see? Alexei Lawalas and his wife. And you should see when he walks into a building, how many people are like, oh, my go, that's a soccer legend.
That guy owns me money.
Yeah.
And also he's going after a certain US soccer star for sitting out a big upcoming tourim I'll let you take it away because you said it great on your podcast.
Well listen, we are you know, let's for all intentsive purposes. We're a year away from what I think is going to be the biggest soccer summer ever from a United States perspective, the World Cup.
In twenty twenty six.
This summer we have the Gold Cup, which, by the way, you can see on Fox will be bringing that to you. Christian Polisic, who is not arguably I think he is our biggest star and absolutely is a in pen starter for this US Men's national team has decided that he needs to rest. Now, Look, athletes, I get it, at times you need to rest. The problem is that, you know, way back before you guys were born, if I had thought about what the summer of Tiach five would look like relative to the summer of twenty six when we're going to host the World Cup, I don't think that I would have envisioned the negativity and the cynicism. And this is probably the worst part, the apathy relative to this team, given their recent failures and given the worry about what's going to happen next summer. And so, look, Christian Pulisk is going to be fine. He'll get his rest and I think he'll start next summer. But this was an unnecessary own goal in that this was a summer where you had the opportunity, through the Gold Cup to come in, do well and kind of regain some of that momentum and that belief that I think is necessary and is missing right now, not just the soccer public, but the greater public that we need to cultivate over the next year to have the best damn World Cup ever on the field and off the field.
By the way, I'm just curious do you think internally USA Soccer when they heard that, they were like alarm bells going off, like guys, come on, Why is it he like load management?
Yeah?
Oh, load management is such a load of cri look, And I know I try not to grumpy old man things. I recognize that I played in a different time, but I cannot fathom or understand or relate to ever saying no to my country when they call me. And I don't think that this is a generational type of thing because I see plenty of other players that play every single game for their country and would move heaven and earth to get on that plane to go wherever. It is, not for nothing, but MESSI plays a lot of games, so I think it is. It's concerning it. I think it was weak, like I said, And I also think that Pochettino, who is the new coach of the US team, in.
A strange way, I think he kind of played this wrong.
Maybe maybe not, maybe this lights a fire and said, all right, Christian, you're going to get the summer off, but you better bring it for this next year and obviously next summer, or he could.
Have played it or you know what, I'm going to take the heat for this.
I'm going to say, Chris, you wanted to come in, but I'm going to make you go rest and I'm gonna take the heat for it.
But he didn't do that.
So it's going to be very interesting the dynamic that exists this summer. Hey, look, I'm all in on this group that's going to be this summer because they have a great opportunity again a year before the World Cup, to show their wares, to prove to Mucio Pocheccino, who you're seeing on your screen right now, the new coach of the US national team who's been paid six million dollars a year.
But this is a short term type of thing.
He has to make sure that he assesses this group and make sure he has the best collection of players now, the best players, the best collection of players.
So we hit the ground running next summer.
So is there a world where there is a positive here? Hey, you know what, we don't need him for the Gold Cup. Let's see some new young guys, some fresh blood in there.
New coach.
I'm sure some of these young guys who are itching to get on the field are like, hey, this is my opportunity.
Yeah, I mean there's a Dumbo that you can fly without the feather.
Don't worry, You're gonna be good, and you can do this without Christian Polisic And and just augments it when he comes back to the team. But to your point, I think what we're going to see here at maybe the last chance saloon for guys to step up.
Guy like Diego.
Luna who's playing over in Salt Lake. Young guys like Sebastian Berholter. Yes, you might recognize that game name because he's the son of previous coach Greg Burholter who got fired, who Rusho Pocheccino took his position.
But he's playing really.
Well up in Vancouver.
I think this is an opportunity for them to step up and say, you know what, I would never refuse a call with my national team. I'm going to show you what I can do and next summer, come next summer, I'm gonna put on that red, white and blue and do good things.
Now, historically we've dominated the Gold Cup, but.
Is it fair to say we're not a locke this year given some of the guys who are not playing for us.
Well, we have gone to Gold Cups in the past with what would not be considered our a team and still won it.
So yes, this is if.
We were to win the World the Gold Cup this summer, it's and again the Gold Cup is just regular relative to our region, so North America and the Caribbean. So you know, you have your usual suspects in terms of Mexico Canada, which is doing a really good job right now, but usually we are you know, winning it or going to the final, and I would expect nothing less in terms of this group. Now you get a pat on the back, well done and I feel good type of moment, but obviously you have greater aspirations and it gets much much more difficult to win an actual World Cup. But you know what, you play the tournament in front of you, and if we've won it so many times in the past, fine, this group go out there and prove to everybody that you are worthy of our time, because that's what people want to see.
People are forgiving, I.
Think, especially when it comes to the soccer rule. They want to see a team that they can sync their teeth into and believe in that represents what I feel is the greatest country in the world, both on and off the field, in the way that they play in what they give and you can you know, it's like the Supreme Court definition of obscenity, right, I can't tell you what it is, but I know it when I see it.
Well, we know it when we see.
It on the field for the US men's national team, and unfortunately we haven't seen it enough.
Now. You and Stu Holden had a pretty good debate about Polistic and I feel like he should be out there. And I don't want to get you to say something you don't want to, but in a way, he's kind of letting us down, not playing like Fox obviously would love him to play.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. I'm is he.
Letting us down only because of the moment Again, players can take time off, And I don't get it, to be quite honest, I don't get it. I don't know if he's letting us down, but I think he is putting actually more pressure on himself going forward.
Maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing.
And again, I just think it sends the wrong message at the wrong time. I mean, look, World Cups are great, but I am sitting here in this chair not just because of a World Cup, but because of a home World Cup. It is a whole different level. And yes, guess what, Not only is it an opportunity, but it's a responsibility. And for those of us off the field, we have a responsibility to make sure that it is the most kick ass tournament, not tournament event that the world has ever seen. And on the field, Christian Polisic and company, they have a responsibility to make sure that we don't regress, not just in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes of America.
So realistic last one on the US A realistic for twenty twenty six quarterfinals, Sure, semi finals reaching too much.
I mean, look, in two thousand and two we were arguably a handball away from going to a semi finals. So that things can happen, soccer gods have to smile upon you.
Also, keep in mind this is the biggest World Cup.
Ever, forty eight teams, which means there's actually another round, So there's eight games now in order to win win the World Cup. So absolutely, getting out of the group that shouldn't even be a question, regardless of.
Who they draw.
And then you win that round of thirty two, I guess it would be, and then you start facing some real teams that you could look at as equal or better than us. But at some point you got to win a big game.
So we talked a lot about Polisic. A certain guy named Messi is playing.
Way more than anybody thought he would, playing like full game at this stage.
In his career.
Are you surprised because a lot of people thought it was, Oh, he's just going to come.
To the mL as to a victory tour, collect some checks and be done. He's playing a lot. I'm personally shocked.
I mean, what he's doing for soccer, obviously, for Major League Soccer and for Inter Miami and that brand down there is exactly what he's being paid a lot of money, but that he is doing it at that level, that's, you know, that's that's a pretty cool thing to see.
Now.
You know, we're about to do the Nation's League, by the way, coming up on FS one today, Cristiano Ronaldo and company playing with Portugal against Germany. So you know Cristiano Ronaldo, but Christiano's forty, but it has always been kind of about his physique and his physical abilities as opposed to Messi, who you've seen him walking down the streetf you don't know anything about soccer You're like, I don't know, there does not go the greatest, potentially greatest player ever to play the ever to play the game.
But it's wonderful what he's doing for a club and country. Excuse me, but.
It's going to be really interesting to see a year from now, not just Messi with Argentina, but Messi defending his World Cup. Oh, by the way, in his new homeland and backyard of the United States.
That's pretty incredible. You mentioned Ronaldo. It sounds like he's done. He had his little trip to Saudi Arabia.
That's over.
Maybe, I mean you got paid, that's for sure.
Was it.
Is there a world where he lands in the MLS? Yeah, there absolutely is a world where he lands in the US. I mean kind of the final frontier for him. And when I say him, we're also talking about his brand.
I'm here for it. Bring it, you know, I love it.
I know that you know, the whole retirement type of thing gets thrown around. But these are arguably two of the best players ever to play the game, and that we have them, and you just mentioned what Messi is doing is great, but they've also their their brands are relative to what they have done with each other and against each other over the years, and to kind of re rejuvenate that would.
Be kind of cool.
I got to ask about you know, everybody wants to know who's gotten next, right, so we thought Messi would probably have retired.
He sounds like he's gonna play in twenty twenty.
Oh yeah, Ronaldo, I'm gonna go ahead and get But we're waiting on Himbape. And then this young kid comes up at Euro's last year.
I happened to be in Europe during end. It was like, Jamal this.
Guys, does he have next? Is he on that stage? He's only seventeen Durns eighteen next month.
It's incredible And I think we were actually just talking about this in the green room because we're going to be talking about it on our nation zy coverage today. I think that he is he is hurt by the fact that he's a teenager, and it's it's unfair because not only do I believe he's the best player in the world today, but he's the best player in the world today who just happens to be a teach. And that's how quickly this has happened. The other thing is we were just talking about Messi at their height, Messi and Ronaldo.
We talked about how well, we're.
Never going to see this again, nobody's ever going to perform at these types of levels.
And yet, and this is a great thing for the sport.
Whether you're La Liga, whether you're Barcelona, whether you're FIFA, or whether you're just into the sport, that it can happen that another player can burst on the scene, young player, grab our hearts and minds and do things.
That we thought never would be done again.
I think that says a lot for the player, but also says a lot for the sport, the sport of all.
Now, listen, I know you're a hot take guy, but Jamaal over in Bape right now? Oh yeah, oh yeah, like no question.
Oh yeah yeah, Bope is great. And I'm talking about a relative to the Bologne or or if we were just doing a pickup game here, who who you picking?
Right, I'm going I like speed, so I'm going to Bappe.
That's fine. But you know, pickup games are usually never as much small as thing.
Yeah all right, Alexei lallis seem are UEFA Nations League coverage.
Yeah, today we have Portugal against Germany and tomorrow Spain against France.
So you're in Bape.
Back to dance by the way, yama So that's gonna be that's gonna be fun to say.
We get Rinaldo and then we get Jamaal. I mean, it doesn't get much better than that.
And then Gold Cup kicking off here in a couple of weeks. So we got a lot of stuff going on. You're still gonna hang out with him or what?
What's what's going on?
She's got bigger things going on.
I mean, yeah, you got much bigger They have much bigger thing. Oh my goodness.
Yeah, I mean you're gracing him and us with their presence here, all right.
Alexei Lola is great stuff coming up next year. On The Herd, one NBA star currently in the finals think super teams are done for good?
His answer doesn't make sense.
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All right, I uh, I don't know.
I got two kids at home when we're young, and they like to speak in Internet lingo like NGL.
No gonna lie. I'm sure everybody knows that. Obviously I'm not gonna lie.
But the take I had yesterday on give me super teams are gonna be death. It's kind of been a big deal on the internet. It's approaching two million views and people are angry with me.
Obviously.
Oh my god, Jason, you are anyway elitist. You only want to see the best. Yeah, of course you think I'm going to the Mission Impossible series when they replace Tom Cruise.
Good luck.
But Miles Turner, the center of the Indiana Pacers, was asked about super teams, and I don't think he understands super teams because here's what he had to say.
I think the years of the super teams, and you know, stacking is just not It's not as effective as it once was. You know what I mean? This NBA says. I've been in the league. You know, the NBA is very trendy you know, it just shifts. But the new trend now is just kind of what we're doing. Okay, see does the same thing. You know, young guys get out of run, defend and you know, use the power of friendship is how they how they call it.
The power of friendship? Yeah, okay? That they be the trend in the NBA. Is it a winning trend?
I don't know.
Baseball seems to be inching closer back to Hey, give us the super teams NBA?
You don't want them?
Will gladly take Yankees and Dodgers in the World Series every freaking year. I'm sure you guys saw the numbers from the Yankees Dodgers series over the weekend.
Kind of massive. Yeah.
Can I have the best two players in the sport Otani and Judge going at it?
Yeah?
Yeah, I love that.
I mean again, I've said this for a couple of years now. If you ask Adam Silver, Adam, who do you want to see in the NBA finals?
Undeniably?
Well, I want Lebron versus Curry in the Conference finals and in the East gonna be Boston in New York. That's what That's what Adam Silver would want. Now, Super teams seems to have gotten lost in the sauce. A lot of people just don't seem to understand, or they're being willfully ignorant, and they're trying to.
Act like, uh, this is not a super team.
I don't care if OKSE wins this championship and the next one and the next one. They're not a super team, not as they are currently constituted. And NBA superteam is when, as moles Turner said, friends get together and join forces.
They leave their old team.
Either by demanding a trade or through free agency, and they go to join other dudes. Lebron created a super team in Miami. The Celtics created a super team with KG and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce. Those teams, because you've got stars suddenly joining forces, become instantly hated. Nobody hated the Warriors, except maybe Charles Barkley kept calling them a jump shooting, fraudulent team.
Kind of wrong about that, Chuck.
Nobody hated those Warriors until they got Kevin Durant, who left OKC. Are we understanding now, like teams didn't don't like when stars joined forces, and owners hate that, and fans they get upset.
But that's a winning formula. It's polarizing. Hence the interests.
Okay, when Kevin Durant, Kyrie and James Harden joined forces in Brooklyn and was.
Like, oh, what do we have here?
I gotta watch them on TV on Christmas, on Opening Night, on every relevant night.
I gotta see that. That's musty TV. Okasee is never going to be musty TV.
They will be the Spurs two point zero, a boring group that was homegrown.
And wins a lot. But they're not polarizing.
No.
I mean maybe just because I don't love SGA. I think he's a really really good player. But if you ask me j Mack, who you got you're building around? Everybody's healthy, Jason Tatum or Sga. It's Tatum in a heartbeat. It's not even clothes for me. Like I like SGA. He's just in a great, great spot. He's on the best college basketball team in the NBA. They got a bunch of young guys. Alex Caruso is their old dude. There is nothing super or polarized about Okay. See, so Miles Turner, I just don't really think he gets it, and he is right about one thing that the Super Team era is over, so we had our staff put together sadly the Super Team Graveyard where all the great teams lie and there are the Heatles. You got the Celtics. Remember those Rockets? Oh I forgot about those club Ah, Charles Barkley, where.
Are you at?
Buddy Berkley and Clyde Drexler. Get me to a winning team. I can't win in Portland, I can't win in Phoenix. Get me to a winner. Charles Barkley forgets he was on a super team in the nineties.
I forgot.
Thank you to our staff for putting that out there. And again I have nothing against what, Okay he's doing.
It's great.
I just don't think it's that interesting.
And I told you guys, I played men's leagues and I got one guy who he played at Shamanat.
He's a really good player.
He just is obsessed with SGA now and he's setting me out. Look at these stats for SGA.
Oh my gosh, he's so good at this? Is it okay to not like how's this?
How's this?
Derreck Rose to me was infinitely more fascinating than SGA. Do you remember when he hit the league like a comet?
Oh my gosh.
Steve Rose was incredible with the Bulls at first series against the Celtics. I still remember it. He was unstoppable. I don't remember any series of SGA at all. Well, wiping the floor with the Grizzlies, okay, struggling to get by Jokic and his merry band of middling players like I mean, Aaron Gordon had one leg in Game seven, Michael Porter Junior had one shoulder, Like, come on, Timberwolves, I don't know. Anthony Edwards and company, like the thunder are a really good team. They're probably going to destroy Indiana and the finals.
I will make a case for the Pacers tomorrow.
That's what I do.
Make a case for the underdog. But no super team is just it just leaves me wanting a little bit more.
Now, if the Knicks could somehow get Yannis, that's a super team, my friends. I don't know how you pull that off. I don't think it's possible. But coming up next year on the show, let's go to New York. What happened to Tom Thibodeaux, who's behind the firing the players, the GM, the owner.
That's excellent
