Nightcap - Hour 1: ASG new format, LeBron misses ASG, McClung 3-peat

Summary

Club Shay Shay - Nightcap Episode Summary: Hour 1

Release Date: February 17, 2025

In this compelling episode of "Club Shay Shay," NFL legend Shannon Sharpe engages in a spirited discussion with former NFL star Chad Ochocinco about the evolving landscape of NBA All-Star events. The conversation delves into the newly implemented All-Star Game (ASG) format, LeBron James' unprecedented decision to skip the ASG, and the remarkable three-peat victory of Mac McClung in the dunk contest. This summary captures the essence of their candid exchange, highlighting key points, insights, and notable quotes with precise timestamps.

---

1. Introduction to the ASG's New Format

Timestamp: 08:19 - 10:10

Shannon Sharpe kicks off the episode by addressing the recent changes to the NBA All-Star Game format. He poses a critical question to Ochocinco:

Sharpe: "Did you like this format?"
[08:21]

Ochocinco expresses his dissatisfaction:

Ochocinco: "I didn't like the format. I don't even like the games. For one, the players aren't even playing for real. This just wasn't it."
[08:22]

He elaborates on how the new format lacks genuine competition, making the game "five or ten times worse than it already was."

Sharpe: Agrees, noting the difficulty in restoring the ASG's former glory once the authentic competitive spirit is lost.
[09:17]

---

2. The Downfall of Competitive Spirit in All-Star Events

Timestamp: 09:20 - 11:26

The conversation shifts to the broader implications of the ASG's format changes. Sharpe draws parallels with the Pro Bowl:

Sharpe: "It's hard to get it back once you lose it. We saw that with the Pro Bowl."
[09:20]

Ochocinco suggests that financial incentives are crucial to motivate players:

Ochocinco: "If money is an incentive, they will play."
[10:23]

Sharpe: Reflects on past rewards, where modest payouts were significant motivators for participation.
[11:01]

They discuss how the current lack of substantial incentives leads to diminished effort, making the games less appealing to both players and fans.

---

3. LeBron James Opting Out of the ASG

Timestamp: 34:01 - 42:18

A major focal point of the episode is LeBron James' decision to sit out the All-Star Game for the first time in his illustrious career. Sharpe criticizes the timing and execution of LeBron's announcement:

Sharpe: "LeBron sits out the All Star Game. It's his first time missing an All Star game in his career."
[34:01]

Ochocinco acknowledges LeBron's right to prioritize his health but questions the impact of his absence on the game's integrity.

Sharpe: "He could have stayed and let someone else take his spot, ensuring the game's competitiveness."
[40:20]

They debate whether high-profile players like LeBron need to set examples by participating or if their absence further erodes the ASG's appeal.

---

4. Mac McClung's Historic Three-Peat in the Dunk Contest

Timestamp: 52:34 - 60:18

Shannon Sharpe celebrates Mac McClung's unprecedented achievement in the dunk contest:

Sharpe: "Matt McClung wins the dunk contest. Three peat."
[52:34]

He highlights McClung's creative and athletic performances, such as dunking over a car and executing complex maneuvers that rekindle excitement in the competition.

Ochocinco: Praises McClung, suggesting that his performances are revitalizing the dunk contest, making it more entertaining than the All-Star Game itself.
[56:00]

They discuss how McClung's success contrasts with the diminishing competitiveness of the ASG, emphasizing the importance of creativity and genuine effort in sports entertainment.

---

5. Implications for the Future of All-Star Events

Timestamp: 60:18 - 72:18

Sharpe and Ochocinco explore potential solutions to restore the All-Star Game's former glory. They propose reintroducing substantial financial incentives and reverting to traditional team formats (East vs. West) to encourage players to compete earnestly.

Sharpe: "Maybe you need to bring back the East vs. West and offer a substantial prize pool to motivate the players."
[11:26]

Ochocinco: Agrees, adding that listening to fan feedback and player sentiments is essential for crafting a format that resonates with both audiences and athletes.
[12:32]

They express hope that with strategic changes, the ASG can regain its status as a beloved showcase of athletic prowess and competitive spirit.

---

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Timestamp: 72:18 - End

In wrapping up the discussion, Sharpe emphasizes the importance of maintaining the integrity of all-star events to ensure their longevity and popularity. He appreciates McClung's contributions as a beacon of creativity and athleticism amidst declining standards.

Sharpe: "Mac McClung really is saving the dunk contest, Ocho. He really is."
[59:48]

Ochocinco: Echoes the sentiment, highlighting that innovative performances can serve as catalysts for rejuvenating sports competitions.
[60:18]

They conclude with a mutual agreement on the necessity of authentic competition and meaningful incentives to preserve the excitement and prestige of all-star events.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Shannon Sharpe: "Did you like this format?"
  [08:21]

• Chad Ochocinco: "I didn't like the format. I don't even like the games. For one, the players aren't even playing for real."
  [08:22]

• Shannon Sharpe: "It's hard to get it back once you lose it. We saw that with the Pro Bowl."
  [09:17]

• Chad Ochocinco: "If money is an incentive, they will play."
  [10:23]

• Shannon Sharpe: "LeBron sits out the All Star Game. It's his first time missing an All Star game in his career."
  [34:01]

• Shannon Sharpe: "Matt McClung wins the dunk contest. Three peat."
  [52:34]

• Shannon Sharpe: "Maybe you need to bring back the East vs. West and offer a substantial prize pool to motivate the players."
  [11:26]

---

Summary

This episode of "Club Shay Shay" provides an insightful critique of the modern NBA All-Star Game, analyzing the detrimental effects of the new format and high-profile players opting out. Sharpe and Ochocinco underscore the necessity of preserving competitive integrity through meaningful incentives and traditional team structures. Simultaneously, they celebrate Mac McClung's extraordinary achievements in the dunk contest, viewing his creativity as a positive force capable of inspiring a return to genuine athletic competition. The discussion serves as a call to action for the NBA to listen to its stars and fans to restore the All-Star Game's legacy as a true testament to basketball excellence.

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Hour 1 of the "Nightcap" episode, providing listeners and non-listeners alike with a clear understanding of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn by Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco.

Transcript

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[Guest Speaker]

I know what you're gonna say. Go ahead.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Did you like this format?

[Guest Speaker]

Listen, I didn't like the format. I don't even like the games. For one, the players aren't even playing for real. Obviously, it is All Star Break. You want to be cautious to make sure you're able to come back and get through the All Star break injury free. The format, it hasn't made it any more interesting than it was before. The point of having this format was to make it more interesting for the viewers, for those that are basket fans. But I think they made it maybe five or ten times worse than it already was. I'm just being honest, Honest with you. And this is from someone who. Who is not a huge basketball fan, but is getting more into the game of basketball. This didn't help any. Not, not one bit. I'm not sure what Mr. Silver is going to do about it. I think maybe the players can come up with a better idea to make it interesting. This. This just wasn't it. It just wasn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's hard to get it back once you lose it. We saw that with the Pro Bowl.

[Guest Speaker]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I kept trying to tell those guys on show, yes, sir. I said, guys, they're going to cancel this. They're not going to keep giving you guys free money like this. You can't play touch football in a tackle football league.

[Guest Speaker]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And y'all say, I'm. Listen, I'm not telling you. Look, I want you guys to go, you can play. We've done it. I went to a number of all star games. You went to a number of all star games. It wasn't like a regular season game.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But it was like a nice padded practice what they were doing. And now, I mean, they're just running down, jumping up, shooting three. It's hard, Ocho. And that's what I tell them. I said, man, it's going to be hard to get it back. And this is not. Look, I get it. I thought the team Shaq, when they played the upper, the rising stars, I thought they played harder then I was like, you know what? If the east and west actually played like this, okay, this might be doable, Ocho. Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

But then you're not going to be. You're not going to get the starters to play like that. You know, them boys, they're going to go out there playing hard like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, it's not. Maybe, maybe you try one on one. Maybe you try horse. You got to try something on your. Because this just ain't cutting it.

[Guest Speaker]

But you know it's not cutting it. You know, horse ain't the horse is not going to. To. To get the viewers. That's not going to grab your attention. You have to have some type of format that's going to grab the viewer's attention and have them locked in the entirety of the time, if anything. I say bring back the east, west and let's say the winner gets home at home, home court advantage or something. Do it by and where 18 puts up a million dollars. You know, if money is an incentive, they will play. Huh? You know, that's what the bout. They already had f you money. So what is the incentive for them to play hard?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, it used to be Ocho, before they started raising the revenue, because when I first went to the Pro bowl, the winners got 10,000, the losers got five.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, you really needed that money because if you invited 10, 11 people, that 10,000 was gone. You damn sure better try to win that.

[Guest Speaker]

That's your overhead.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You better damn sure better try to win that game, Ocho, to, to. To offset some of that cost. But I, I just don't. I just don't really know how the NBA can get it back because the guys have made a decision. They're not going to play hard. They're just not. Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

Right. I just told you. Huh? Listen, get it back to the east versus the West. Yes. Have a pot. Have a pot. Have the play. No, the players. Let the NBA put up the pot. Let's say $5 million. Say 5 million. And the players get to split that 5 million, they get a cut. That's the only way. It has to be in order for them to play hard, it has to be incentivized with money, nothing else. There is no format that's going to get them to play hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Think about what you just said. Ocho, I've got some of these guys got 250 and 300 million and $320 million contract. And I've got to incentivize. Now I got to incentivize you for you to showcase your sport. Let that sink and think about what you just said, Ocho. Yeah, I've got to further incentivize you to showcase your sport. So this is one of the collection of the NBA's best player, 24 of the best NBA players. Now I need to further incentivize you. It used to be an honor to go to the All Star game. It used to be an honor to go to the Pro Bowl. Right, Ocha? What happened?

[Guest Speaker]

You know why you have to incentivize it? We're in a different spot. Why we're in a different era. All Star break. That's pto. That's the players pto. This is my time off. So you telling me I need to work during my break? Okay, you know what? I made the all Star team. I'm an all Star. It's a great achievement. You know what? I am honored at the midway point. You feel I played to a certain level where I'm worthy of being one. But you know what? If you're not paying me right, like I'm being paid during the regular season, where I do go all.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nobody plays the all Stars like that. NFL, you don't get paid like you in the regular season, Ocho. Baseball, hockey, think about this. So if it doesn't mean that much to you, why the hell they complain when they don't make it? Because every year we hear NFL players complaining they didn't make the all the pro. The Pro Bowl. And we see basketball players complain and we. We see all of this, but now when you get there, you don't want to play.

[Guest Speaker]

Can I tell you why they complain when they'll make the all Star? Because they understand when they make the all Star on their resume looking good, when it's time to get paid, they understand that is leverage for their agents. When it's. When it's time to talk contract negotiations. Yes, I'm all Star. I'm all pro. You know, whatever it is, it may be that don't go, Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know how it is once you get tired, once you reach a certain level. What did Tom Brady do? He stopped going. A lot of these quarterbacks, they stopped going.

[Guest Speaker]

Right, right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Let somebody else have that spot that's going to be inspired to play and play and play. That's what I Did with. Hey, man, who the backup who first started. Hey, bro, I'm out. Go ahead and take it.

[Guest Speaker]

Ready?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because I understand, like you said, gonna look good on their resume. I'm not gonna go over there and bull job around. I did one year, but I was in a contract year when I was in a contract. Yay. Hey, contract year. I said, oh, no, y'all not finna I'm not gonna get injured. And we ain't take with two tight ends.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And Tom Coughlin was running double tight end. I said, y'all kiss my butt. I'm out of this thing. I said, I'm out of here. First quarter, I went and got me two. Two ice bags put on both knees.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know if they were hurting or not, but they felt good after the game. But I just. This bug. This bugs me, Ocho. I really hate it because this is an opportunity. I grew up watching the All Star Game and watching Bird and Magic, them go at it. Isaiah and them. And you see the younger cats, Garnett and Kobe, they was trying to beat the east guys.

[Guest Speaker]

They was going at it. Boy, I don't know when this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho, I'mma be honest. I don't know when this happened, where the disconnect was. It's like, hey, let's just dunk and shoot threes. Play no defense. Dunk, shoot threes. I don't know when in the Pro bowl that they decided they were going to play two hand touch. I don't know the exact year, but I knew the exact moment when I said, you know what? They gonna cut this in shop.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, yeah. But you know what? Who comes up with the format, huh? Mr. Silver, you know?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, he just trying. He's trying stuff. You see baseball. See, I get it in baseball, Ocho, you throw the ball, you try to put bat on ball. Hey, you run the base, you try to catch. But it says, okay, whoever wins the all. Whoever wins the All Star Game, that's who has home court, home field throughout the playoffs. Well, maybe you might need to do that for the. For the All Star Game instead of the best record. Win the All Star Game.

[Guest Speaker]

You know, who needs to come up with the format for it, for it to be interesting to get the players to play. Oh, the players, the players.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you know what? You know what killed me? All these players. Oh, Michael Jordan. Oh, Kobe. And not go look at Kobe and Michael Jordan in the All Star Game, Chris. Y'all love them so much.

[Guest Speaker]

They going all out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But that's what I don't get. I love the mamba mentality and Black Jesus. And then y'all get over there and y'all lay it down. See, that's the problem. I got Ocho. I gotta listen. Guys that make it, I think they're more than they've earned that right to be there.

[Guest Speaker]

Yes, absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you can't. You can't applaud and laud someone for how they approach the game. And then you go over there and you lay it down. Cause that's what y'all do, right? That's what y'all do. Maybe. Maybe they need to have Michael Jordan come in and give him a pep talk.

[Guest Speaker]

Nah, Mike. Mike chilling with that cigar, man. Mike ain't coming in to talk none. But I'm telling you. I'm telling you what the format needs to be. Matter of fact, you know what you can do sometimes? You can listen to the people.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That.

[Guest Speaker]

That could always. That could always be one. If you don't listen to the people. And it's not working, the format not working with the NBA officials who create the format. Leave it in the player's hands.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay? They left it in the player's hand. You see, you got 211 to 186. You got shooting threes and dunks. They left it in the player's hand, and that's what you got. Don't let the player. Players eff it up. They left it in the player's hand. Just like the Pro Bowl. And what happened, Ocho?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got no game no more.

[Guest Speaker]

You got a skills competition, flag football.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes. So, no, do not leave it up to the players. That's the problem. They left. The problem is, is that they gave the players too much control.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Somebody decided this is the way we're going to do it. They tried everything. Well, whoever wins this quarter gets 300,000 for their favorite. For the Boys and Girls Club or your favorite, the charity that was adopted. That didn't work. They tried something else that didn't work. This right here was a bul. Look, I love Jim and Mr. Beast, and he come out there and the kid won a hundred thousand dollars. But come on, man. At some point in time, at the end of the day, it's still basketball game.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All these gimmicks and all that other stuff. Ocho, it's still the fundamentals. Look, the mlb, they have the Home Run Derby, right? But you still. It's an all star game. You put bat on ball. That's what it's about. Football is about catching, running and tackling right. Basketball, they play tougher at ucla. They play tougher at the Summit in New York. Now, you mean to tell me you gonna do that in the offseason, but come All Star Game winners, the opportunity for you to showcase for the world.

[Guest Speaker]

To see that skill set.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Don't lay it down.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And then y'all wonder why the ratings. Don't wonder. Don't wonder why the ratings are falling.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know why.

[Guest Speaker]

But also now, you got to be careful now. Now we asking for the players to play a little bit harder than a little bit harder at the All Star Game on break. Now, what happens when somebody get hurt? Then what?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho, think about the 50 years before they did this. So you make it seem like all of a sudden this is a new. Something new. Like they just instituted the All Star Game and asking these guys to, you know what, play basketball. You make it seem like they just instituted the Pro bowl and asked them guys to tackle and catch and run. They've been doing that.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. The only thing that we didn't try. They didn't try to do was kill the quarterback. They didn't try to kill the quarterback. Yeah, but other than that. Yeah, you got tackled, right? Got in, got catch. You come across the middle, he ain't gonna really try to lay into you. He might put a shoulder into you. But, you know, I got. They threw me a seam one year and running. I saw him. I just braced. That's all I could do. You can't go all out. Right? Guys are not gonna go all out, but you gotta do more than what they're doing. That's just not nearly good enough.

[Guest Speaker]

What I enjoyed, obviously, your era. In my era, when it came time to the Pro bowl, we played some football, and now we didn't, like, try to knock somebody head off. But we thud up now. We thud up. You gonna thud up real good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Guest Speaker]

You know, I'm here now. I'm here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

Remember when Sean Taylor caught the punnel?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Brian Mormon. Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

I was like, yeah, yeah, man, stop playing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But. But I get it. But I mean. But I just don't know. I just don't know what else. Something needs to happen. But, I mean. Cause, you know, I don't know how salaries keep increasing if the fan viewership keeps decreasing.

[Guest Speaker]

That's a good one. That's a good one.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, I. Look, they about to lock in starting next year. They're on a new. What? How about the bill? $11 billion, I think they got 11. Was it 10? $11 billion. With Amazon, NBC, ESPN.

[Guest Speaker]

11 billion.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Over the next, over the next. Over the next 10 years or something.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, 11 year deal worth 76 billion. Come on. Salaries are going, Think about it. Salaries are going. Supermax players with one team, you build one team, you make X amount of all, all NBA teams. 350. In five years, that's gonna be 400 million. Somebody gonna be wanting their money. Now y'all get mad when teams trade y'all and keep y'all from getting that supermax contract. Cause you see a lot of people thinking that's what they did with Luka to keep from paying 350. Hey, now we got this thing under control. So don't get. Hey, just like I told you the other night, Ocho, don't get mad about a problem you created, right?

[Guest Speaker]

I got a question. Now I understand that Luka and his greatness, especially on the court, they traded him away because of things that were going on off the court in which they didn't want to be on hand to pay him 350 million for that supermax. Can you tell me another player who's in line to get a supermax?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Shay can get one. But Shay's on will be 290.

[Guest Speaker]

So what's the difference? Why is his 290 and Luka's zone was going to be 350?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because Luka. But that's not Shane's original team. Shay got traded from the Clippers.

[Guest Speaker]

Clippers. Wait a minute. Why are they, why are they punching him for him getting traded?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because they call that, they call that Bird rights team that drafted you, Larry Bird, you could, you could play a guy up team. And it doesn't count as much against the cap or it doesn't count anything against the crack cap.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh hell, they. Oh man. So he now he missing out on money because y'all decided to trade me. And matter of fact, if you look back at it now, you should have kept it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You had a slip and Shooter kept him. Because they traded what they wanted. Kawhi was going to go to the Lakers unless they got him Paul George. And that was one of the things, that was one of the pieces that they wanted. They wanted. They wanted Shade, they wanted Gallinari, they wanted all those first round unprotected picks. They wanted all those pick swaps and they got it right. And Shay has blossomed. Reports said Doc did not want to do him. Say hey Kawhi, just give this guy a little time. He gonna be special. Quite say, I don't got Time. And there it is. Yeah. So it's, it's. I just. Like I said, I mean the dunk contest. I mean, McClung, he's single handedly saving the dunk contest.

[Guest Speaker]

Listen. Well, is he? And what. This is what I like about it. I like the reaction from the players. I like the reaction to the players. I like the reaction from Zach Lavont, Zach Levine. I like the reaction with John Moran, with them boys won. Now that, that will make it exciting again. I'm not sure if they.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We've heard that before.

[Guest Speaker]

Huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

We've heard that before. Guys get excited. Oh, if you do it next year, I'll do it next year if you do. And that never happened.

[Guest Speaker]

Now, now listen, we talk about two dunkers now. We ain't just talking about no anybody. We talk about two people that are creative.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We've seen, we, we've seen and heard that before. We'll see. I hope it happens. I hope they come back and they play. Mac McClung says, Nah, y'all need to give me a million dollar appearance fee. And if I win, I'll take that little measly 110. I ain't just coming back. I ain't just coming back. And if I don't win, I don't get nothing. No, y'all will give me a. I'm a three. I'm the only guy in NBA history to win three consecutive dunk contests.

[Guest Speaker]

I have a question. Huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

How can he continue to elevate and evolve his game outside of Duncan so he can have opportunity to play it at the highest level?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, he, he seemingly can't get out of the G League. He was on the Lakers and had a couple of good, had a couple of good runs. But he and Austin Reeves came in to say, didn't he and Austin Reese come in together? And you see Austin Reed just get better and better and better and better.

[Guest Speaker]

How tall is Austin Reeves, you think?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Probably like six four, six, five.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, how tall is McClung?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Six two.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's why it looks so good when he dunk.

[Guest Speaker]

There's your problem.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He's elevating.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, but there, there's your problem as well though. You understand? If you're 62 and going to play in the NBA at the highest level. Do you understand how special you have to be?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

You have to be how tall in John Moran?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Probably six two.

[Guest Speaker]

You see the difference? Special. It's only one of them. And it's only one of them in the NBA. It's only one job.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah. But. But the thing is, you got to do more than jump high.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got to be exploited, Jock. And Ja has handles. He can get to the rim. He's slithery.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, everything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He's gotten better at shooting. He's gotten better at shooting.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

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[Chad Ochocinco]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, Matt, he has the. The jumping. Now they gotta work on the other aspect. Draymond Green says players on the Rising Stars don't deserve the privilege of to play on Sunday. Do you agree? Ocho, that's not nice.

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, if they're riding stars, look at the name. What are they called again?

[Shannon Sharpe]

On the what Rising Stars. That means, hey, Draymond, had y'all guys done what you're supposed to guess what they wouldn't be. Yeah, the commission is trying anything to drum up interest in this game. Yeah, you creating a problem. And then when other people try to solve and rectify the problems that you guys created, you get mad. How about you guys play a little harder and the Rising Stars wouldn't be playing on Sunday. We wouldn't have had this format, four teams and divided up and this and that, and the game goes to 40. Yeah, I'm confused, but I'm confused why he's upset for a problem they created.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, I mean, I don't agree with Draymond, but obviously he's feeling he might be the voice of reason for other players as well. That feels like the Rising Star shouldn't be playing. Shouldn't be playing. But listen again, they wouldn't be. What Draymond needs to do is get with LeBron, get with some of the other veteran heads in the NBA and figure out a way to get the interest Back. And the only thing I can think of, and I know the NBA might not like it, is they need to incentivize it even more to get them boys to play hard, go back to the east and west and have a pot of money that the winner can split, as a matter of fact. And the loser don't get nothing. The loser don't get nothing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho, you making $70 million a year, you gonna get incentivized. You gonna get excited about a million dollars? Stop it, Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

I stopped. Say a million.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I said five o'show them. Oh, think about it. Every one of every. I guarantee you, every one of those guys today that was on that court pulled up in a private jet after the game. They're gonna get on their private jet and go to wherever they going, right? It ain't money, Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, listen, money might have been the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Motivating factor for them to get to that level, right? But after that, after. See, that's what you have to really, really appreciate about the really, really greats, right? The Brady's, the Jordans, the Kobe. After they had all the money and nothing changed.

[Guest Speaker]

They had all the fame, nothing changed.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They still played as if they were flat ass broke.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, Chase, I mean that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now we got to continue. We got to continuously incentivize it. I've got to ask a guy, hey, bro, for extra 500,000, would you play hard when you're making 50 million. When you're making 50 million on the court and you're making another 25 to 30 off the court. But can you just, just, just what? This. Just do this for us.

[Guest Speaker]

Different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That, that, that, that, that.

[Guest Speaker]

It's different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

At some point in time, they're gonna have to come to the conclusion that the game is not going to be played. It's not.

[Guest Speaker]

How about. I got another one, I got another one. How about. How would you like to see this now? You might not like it. I'm just throwing this out there. We have all these people in the world that play LA Fitness on the parks. What do you think about civilians playing the NBA players on All Star Break?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, remember, they was complaining. They complained about Mac McClung. He was in the G League. They complained about him being in the dunk contest. You think they're gonna be excited about somebody coming off the street?

[Guest Speaker]

Listen, I'm just trying to think of things that keep. That will get the viewers attention. Now that'll get the viewers attention because you got dudes that play hoop that never made it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Getting stars, get stars. Get fans attention. Ocho, why you stars? Why you think teams want to get them.

[Guest Speaker]

Hold on. If stars get fans attention, then the viewership wouldn't be declining.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But they not playing hard. Ocho, when you come down and you see a team shooting 55, 60, 70 threes, what's excited about that? When you miss it, when you missing 50 or 60 of them, you take 65, you take 73s and you miss 55 of them, right? Clank, clank, clank, clank. Nobody run. Nobody runs. Hey, you get a three man break. Everybody run behind the line and try to spot up for a three. Nobody goes to the hole. That's nothing exciting about that.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, you're right. You're right. Listen, I don't have an answer. I don't have an answer. Somebody do, but they got to come up with something. They gotta. No, they don't have to come out with something.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cancel the game. It's okay.

[Guest Speaker]

And there wouldn't be no All Star break.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, it would. You still have the three point competition. You have the skills challenge.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, okay, okay. Just cancel. Okay, I see what you're saying.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, the All Star Game. Hey, you get selected to the All Star, you're not gonna go play. Hey, skills challenge. You want to do the skills challenge? You want to participate in something? Okay, fine. But there will not be a game on Sunday, okay? Cause y'all ruined it.

[Guest Speaker]

That's a good way. That's a good way to look at it. It's not gonna happen. But I like, I like where you. I like where your mind is at.

[Shannon Sharpe]

LeBron sits out the All Star Game. It's his first time missing an All Star game in his career. His year 22, he's a 21 time starter player because of lingering discomfort in his left foot and ankle. Do you agree lebron accepted knowing he probably wouldn't play, right?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, absolutely. But he'd have been there 20 times before that, had nothing. He's earned the raise. Earned the right to be able to sit out an All Star Game where they're not going to be playing serious anyway. It's okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Exactly. Sit out now. Let Norman Powell get an All Star Game selection just like Giannis. Giannis knew he had a little slight injury. He pulled out. Now, Trey Young as a four time All Star selection, that's the problem that I got you right. He earned a right, but he didn't get it until Saturday. You know you're not gonna play. Why you block somebody else from playing. That's just like, just like you. Ocho you know you're not gonna play in the Pro bowl. Something your first alternate, but you go over there.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, hold on now, now, hold on now. What if LeBron, even though he wasn't playing, wanted to be there and be part of the team?

[Shannon Sharpe]

He. Giannis was there. Did you not see Giannis in his uniform?

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, I see what you mean. I see what you mean. He should have pulled out completely in general.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, I see what you mean.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They obviously, they still gonna let him come. He's still the biggest, biggest name in basketball.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They gonna love to, love to have him come, let him walk, get introduced in year 21, in year 22 or 21 time starter, NBA starting LeBron James, give him that. Let the fans see that. But bro, come on, man. Norman Powell deserved to be. I thought Norman, he didn't deserve it. He earned the right to be there with the way he's played in the first half of the season. Now I ain't breaking news to the chat. Y'all know I'm the biggest fan of LeBron's biggest supporter, right? Being that. But I disagree. I wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly and strenuously disagree with his decision to make this announcement the day of the All Star game. He knew he wasn't gonna play. Y'all think LeBron just made this decision today? Really? Nobody thinks that.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, but. And honestly, I can't even be mad at him because we Talk. This is LeBron. I mean, this is LeBron. If there's one person that, you know, what if I'm not going to play? I earn every right to decide Sunday morning or decide Saturday morning.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, LeBron James is not bigger than the game of basketball.

[Guest Speaker]

I didn't say he was bigger than the game.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You thought he's learned it, right? No, he has not. No, he hasn't. What? No, I vehemently disagree, though.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, and I vehemently disagree with you that. If LeBron James, the all time leading scorer in the NBA, decides, you know what, at the All Star game this Sunday, you know, I don't want to play, he should be able to see.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, see, no, no, I'm not saying he doesn't have that right. I'm saying he doesn't have the right to do that Sunday, the day of the game, make that decision on Thursday.

[Guest Speaker]

When you tell him the fact of the matter is Thursday.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now Shaq team only has seven players. They're down a man.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, seven players, five players, four players. They ain't even playing for real. They might as well, play one on one. You just said it yourself. They just shooting three. They might well just play horse.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, so he can't do. He couldn't do that. Okay. Do what Giannis did. Giannis says, I'm not going to play. And guess what? Trey got to come. Norman Powell would have got an opportunity to come.

[Guest Speaker]

I have a question. Huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

What if it was a lingering issue and it didn't flare up until he got there?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man, Stop it, though, Joe.

[Guest Speaker]

I'm just. I'm asking a question. That's impossibility.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So let me ask you. Lingering. So what did he do to cause it to flare up?

[Guest Speaker]

You know? You know, shit be acting up now when you hit your 40s.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now, what did he do to call the deling? Did he play basketball in between Wednesday night and today?

[Guest Speaker]

He just played Wednesday.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wednesday, Wednesday. He played Wednesday. Remember? Right. Yeah. He played Thursday. He was off Friday. He was off Saturday. He was off Sunday. He makes an announcement that he's not going to play an All Star Game. So I'm just trying to figure out what did he do in between Wednesday after the game and today that caused it to flare up?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, that's a good question. That's a good question. I would text him and ask him, but, you know, I kind of. I agree and disagree with you, honestly, because it is LeBron and the fact that he's made the all star for his 2020 first year, if I'm not.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mistaken, 21 straight starts.

[Guest Speaker]

21 straight, you know, and he wanted to actually be there even if he didn't play. And I think that's why he didn't pull out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He could have. Giannis is there. Giannis is there.

[Guest Speaker]

That's Giannis. Did we talk about LeBr. LeBron doesn't want to.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You said he wanted to be there. He could have come and do exactly what he did. Nothing.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, listen, I agree with you to an extent, and there's another side of me that doesn't agree with you. So I get what you're saying. That's what not to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's all Ocho. But I'm saying, yes, sir, you know, I don't want to play, but don't show Ocho, you know, Good. Well, if you've been sick for three days, why you show up on them people job and then go walk you to work? I ain't gonna be able to come to work today. You could have called in to do that. So we could have had somebody come in and fill up your job. Now we. Now you leaving we ain't got nobody to fill the spot, right?

[Guest Speaker]

Why you come.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why did you come tell Ocho. Why did you come tell me you're not gonna be able to work today? I just like. Like I said, look, hey, y'all know how I feel about LeBron, but I'm gonna disagree with him on this one. His own disagrees strenuously and vehemently on this. On this decision.

[Guest Speaker]

I got you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hold on. Hey, let's take a listen to LeBron's explanation of why he didn't play. Kind of more a maintenance type of wear and tear situation.

[LeBron James]

I mean, it's a little bit of both. You know, I was hoping that it would feel a lot better this morning, you know, but it's. It's not as where I want it to be. And, you know, with 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I felt like it's very important for me to kind of take care of myself and understand, you know, what's coming on. So I want to say it's maintenance. Well, it is maintenance, but at the same time, it's like, you know, I have to look out for myself when it comes to this. To this injury that I've been dealing with for years.

[Guest Speaker]

See?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Okay, so let me ask you a question. There's 30. Hold up. Let me ask you what. So I just want to know this hotel. Maybe you can help me out with this.

[Guest Speaker]

Talk to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So when did he realize that they needed to make a playoff push? There was 30 games left, and they're in the wild, wild west. Was it Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or was it Sunday morning, three hours before the game? So I'm just trying to figure out, when did that dawn on him? Man, we in the toughest conference, the Western conference. There's only 30 games left. This is the wild, wild West. We need to make a playoff push. So I'm just asking you humbly, when did he come to that conclusion?

[Guest Speaker]

You know what? Humbly answering? I don't know. I'm not sure when he came to the conclusion. But again, we talk about LeBron James. We talk about the LeBron James who has 30 games left, and he's deciding. He's deciding to take the All Star break off and literally take it all the way off. I understand your point. And saying, you know what? If you're not to play in the game, allow someone else to come in and you can still attend. He chose not to go that route. And him choosing not to go that route. I still agree with him, because it's LeBron James, and that's what he decided and felt was best for him to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But guess what?

[Guest Speaker]

Talk to me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Tell the people at home when you fly, what happens to joints, what they do o.

[Guest Speaker]

They flare up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, so you mean to tell me he got on a plane? Altitude with joints swell, ankle swell, knees swell.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You mean to tell me he could have stayed in LA and nurse those injuries? You don't say. Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

That's a good one. That's a good one. That's a good one.

[Shannon Sharpe]

A lot of times, you know, if you have things like knees and stuff like that, they might wouldn't let you travel because, I mean, you traveling. It doesn't help. It.

[Guest Speaker]

No, it doesn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So that's all I'm saying. LeBron has a right, but I'm just saying nothing changes if he makes this decision on Thursday. He still gets an opportunity to come. He still. The crowd still gets to hear him introduced. Norman Powell gets his. Excuse me. His first All Star Game selection. No harm, no foul. That's all I'm saying. Okay, that's it.

[Guest Speaker]

I got you. I hear you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's just that, like I said, normal. I think Norman Powell has earned the right based on what he. Even before, like when James Harden, not James Harden, earned the right to be there. But early in the season, Powell was cooking folk. Powell was the one. Now, James has gotten it going early, scoring, doing what he did. You know, James always gonna be able to score the ball, but mainly he was facilitating, you know, getting, you know, 10 assists, getting 11 assists, things like that. Norman Powell is a straight. Hey, let them rip. James is coming up, and James. And now they got a quiet back. So they got three scores. They're playing really, really well. But I would love. I would have loved to see Norman Powell get an opportunity for his first All Star Game.

[Guest Speaker]

But you know what he gotta do? He gotta use that as motivation. Goddamn LeBron. You wanna move out of the way. LeBron ain't wanna give up his spot. Boy, you gotta do something else. You gotta come a little harder next year.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho, he's never gonna get voted in with the fans. Trey Young is leading the all is leading the league in assists, and it's not close. He didn't get voted in. He had. Oh, somebody had to get pulled. The player, the players and what you call them in the. What you call them, the fans. Like, okay, Trey, if Yannis doesn't pull out, he doesn't go. Last year, he was 27 and 10 he didn't go.

[Guest Speaker]

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, now. Hold on, now. Wait a minute now. My little nephew, my little cousin. My little cousin ain't play tonight either. So we got that same energy. Band man. Nephew ain't play tonight either.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now, the reports are that he was sick. Now, I don't know if he got sick.

[Guest Speaker]

So when did he get sick? Did he get sick Wednesday? Did he get sick Thursday? Did he get sick Friday?

[Shannon Sharpe]

We won't know. But here's the thing. But here's the thing, though, Ojo. Look, Ant man ain't the draw. LeBron is. It's not going to create. I mean, people. I see people in the chat talking about what about Ant? What about Ant? Really? Y'all comparing Ant de Braun? All I'm saying is, look, LeBron just let. What you call him, Norman Powell go. He's still gonna get introduced, just like they introduced Ant Man. You see Ant man, let's give it up for Bad Man. He walked down. He walked down and they applauded him.

[Guest Speaker]

You heard?

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's all.

[Guest Speaker]

Hey, hold on. You heard what you just said, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

You just said. I know y'all not comparing ant man to LeBron, but you saying.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Guest Speaker]

You saying LeBron should have pulled out for somebody else.

[Shannon Sharpe]

LeBron should have pulled out for Norman Powell. I don't know who the replacement is. Look, my thing is, this is how I am, Ocho. This how I operate. If I'm not going to play, I'm letting somebody else go.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, but see, you talk about what you would have done, we talk about LeBron, and LeBron don't want to move the way you would move and make the decisions. Giannis would.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Why he still. It's 21. Because, Ocho, once I found out that, hey, it's not like they going to take. What if I don't go? They gonna take my. My promo slot away. Cause then I just go ahead. Hey, I build crutches going over there, Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, I need this, but I need this one, hey. Cause and I was first altered three times, Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

Right, right, right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So just think, hey, at 14 seasons, Shannon Sharp goes to 11 Pro Bowls. That looks better than eight, doesn't it?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, it does. Yes, it does.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But I just. Look, like I said, I don't know Ed's situation. They said he was sick. Ed probably got a lot of other stuff on his mind, but like I said, that's the only thing. And I don't have a whole lot of critiques or criticism. Of LeBron, because I think he's got enough of that in this social media. In this social media era. But if ant man knew he was sick on Thursday, get your ass out the way, too. You know? Hey, man, they know I have. I keep it. Hey, I keep it right down the. Oh, right down the middle. Yeah. And if you were sick under the weather, I don't know who. Who. Who's. Who's another. Who's another T guy that probably would have made it if he. Because AD pulled. You know, ad's got an injury. AD made it. He had to come out.

[Guest Speaker]

He's hurt. He ain't got no choice, right? Hey, but that was funny, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But, you know, oh, a lot of times these guys, like, they don't always be in position, right? Because it's just like, a lot of times these guys that go, they go every single year. Yeah, Every single year. Just look at you go look at your offensive lineman for the most part, the offensive lineman, once they go. A couple of times, they go and go and go. Because you look. On average, offensive linemen probably have the most. Have the most. Look at Bruce Matthews, 14, you look at Merlin Olson, 14, you look at the offensive lineman, they go 8, 9, 10, 11 times. Unless they just completely fall apart. Yeah, guys that's up and coming. They don't have. It's harder for. It's hard to break through now. Once you break through, you know that person.

[Guest Speaker]

Hard to get in. But once you get it, it's smooth sailing. All you got to do is just be resisting at what you do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's it. I don't know, do I? Because here's the thing. Tyrese Maxey is in the east, so they needed somebody from the east to pull out and for Maxi, because Maxi is playing out of his mind. So I don't know who the other guy would have been in the. In the west had ant man and LeBron pulled out. But that's just me. That's just the way. That's the way I feel about it.

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[Ashley Kinetti]

This is Ashley Kinetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. It feels like everyone is talking about GLP1s these days. Those are OIC and semiglutide. And with Future Health you can find out if they're right for you too. Maybe you feel like you've been struggling with your weight for years and no matter how much you diet and exercise, you just don't feel healthy. Just go to try fh.com to find out if weight loss meds are right for you. Try fh.com future health is not a healthcare service provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion. Results may vary. Sponsored by Future Health Famous Smoke shop.

[Chad Ochocinco]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho. Matt McClung wins the dunk contest. Three peat.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Job might enter next year. Lavine said he might come back one time. Giannis on the twe. Seen you in the dunk contest. No, no. You too tall.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. Listen, not only is he. Not only is he too tall, Giannis doesn't have the creativity. He doesn't have the creativity to win. Now, you know, first. First round, you might do a little something, but you don't have the creativity to go deeper into the rounds for the dunk contest, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. He said, I got hacked. My kids tweeted that they came next to a nightstand, took my phone out of the charger, went in their room and tweeted. I found out this morning. Yeah, that's. But see, that's the thing. And people get upset about LeBron. LeBron didn't enter. I don't look at LeBron as a creative dunker. I look at LeBron as a power dunker.

[Guest Speaker]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And if he goes against someone that's creative, he's gonna lose.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, he gonna lose. There's only a few of them now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right. But you look at a Zach Levine, creative. You look at. Who's the other. Aaron Gordon. You look at some of those guys like that. You look at a Vince Carter. You look at guys like that, they are creative dunkers. You see when Jordan. See Dominique lost to Jordan, I do think Dominique won. I think Dominique. But you see when Jordan came with the creativity, doing all this in the up and under and doing all this stuff that we hadn't seen before.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you like. Cause before that, it was one hand power dunk. Dunk it for the free throw line.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Jordan, they do it for. Jordan did. For the free throw line and put it out there in front of you like this. Here. Let you see it.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He coming and doing it sideways, rocking the baby with it. You see how that look, that's why Mack McClung. Mike McClung jumped over the. The top of the car.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. And then Grant and reversed it. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mac McClung reversed it and then spent and dunked it over Evan Mobley. He caught it up. The guy off of a hoverboard.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Dunked it and dunked it.

[Guest Speaker]

Hold on. What about the one where he jumped over there? He jumped over, dude. Then touched the rim of the basketball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

Hit the rim of the ball. And then. Creativity. Creativity every time, you know, And I was.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's the one he did with Evan Mobley.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. You got to be able to jump first now. You got to be able to jump first. And I don't think the guys, especially the taller guys, have enough creativity to be able to do some of that stuff or just. No, no, no, it won't look the same. Cause they too damn tall.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They too tall. See, that's why Jordan looks so good doing it, because he's six six. Mike McClung looks even better. Cause he's six two. And you, like, how long is this guy gonna stay in the air?

[Guest Speaker]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho. To take it from the guy, put the ball on the rim. Look, he's looking at the rim as he touches the rim and then dumps it.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Think about the guy with the hoverboard. He takes it out of his hand. Boom, boom.

[Guest Speaker]

McClung got my kind of verd. Now, I say what you think his vertical is probably.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I would say above 45, but maybe even 50. 50.

[Guest Speaker]

Has there ever been anybody that could jump like that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

50? Yeah, but see, the thing is, they measure their jump running. You know, in the NFL, you stand flat for the jump.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And we've had guys that go 45 and a half. 46. I think Gerald Sensipa went 46. Boss Bailey went 46. Oh, yeah, we got a lot. Yeah. I mean, just athleticism. Just raw athleticism.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The NFL players, they got it now.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, but you can tell a guy that can run fast is normally explosive because that's fast. Twitch muscle.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you look at guys that run them, four threes, go check their vert. Those are the guys that's doing 40.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And so. So I would. I would not be surprised if Mac McClung has like a 48, 50 inch vertical. To be able to be that high over the rim. Ocho and six two.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, you got to have bunnies. Now you got that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And he ain't. He don't have. He don't have long arms. Yeah, because so you look at a guy like Giannis or guy like KD, they have, you know, have wingspans of damn near eight feet. Mac McClung really is a normal dude. If you saw Mac McClung walking down the street, you're not an avid basketball fan. You walk right past. He looked like an average dude.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. That's crazy. I know. Me and his vert was exactly the same. Check the numbers now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, but he. But he was. He was all 50s. Castle. Now, Castle, had he not missed that first dunk. Yeah, he Missed it like three or four times. So I'm surprised they gave him as high a score as they did, considering he missed it so many times.

[Guest Speaker]

Difficult.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mac McClung. What? He missed the first dunk. I think he missed it. What? One time, you think he ran up there one time, he's like, okay, I got it now. Yeah, 50, 50, 50. It ain't a whole lot of. If you go back and look, I don't know how many times he's got anything but 50s. I mean, bro, you dunking over Shaq or you dunking over Taco Fall, man, Come on now. Hey. So it's got. It was. It was. And see, I think the thing is, Ocho, people don't want to give a guy credit because normally the old. When I first started. Because the dunk contest started in the aba.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It wasn't the NBA. And when the NBA absorbed the aba, they brought it.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you had stars. Your guys that actually participated in the dunk contest, they were actually in the game. You had the Dr. J's, you had the Clyde Drexlers, you had the Dominiques, you had the Michael Jordans, you had the Vince Carter, the Kobe's, and you know, you had those guys. So those were the stars. Now, Mac McClung got the G League. You got guys that are like role players that like, nobody knows who they are. You're like, who. Who is he?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So that's. That's the problem that they're running into. And then. And this was just. Just when you thought the. The creativity, like, what can they do? Here come. Mac McClung said, I'm gonna jump over a damn car. The body of the car. Not the hood, the body.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I'm gonna reverse it. Okay. I'm gonna take it out your head as you stick it through the sunroof. I'm gonna take it out your head and I'm gonna reverse it.

[Guest Speaker]

I remember I did that. I did that at Bunch Park.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He. He was. Yeah, but he's. He's saving the dunk contest, Ocho. He really is.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, he really is. He did an unbelievable job.

[Guest Speaker]

But here's the thing about it. After. After a three peat, now you got other players chiming in, players that can actually dunk, players that are create. We are creative players that. We have former dunk contest winners saying they gonna come back. That will make the game that much more interesting. It's getting to the point now. Will McClung continue to win the dunk contest Might be a little bit more Interesting than the All Star Game itself because.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, no, but think about it. Ojo the three point competition. I mean, you get. I mean, because think about it. You get Steph, you get Dame, you got Clay, you got some of the best three point shooters, but none of the best dunkers are in the three point is in the dunk contest. So that's what's like when you remember. You go back and look at Clyde going up against Mike and Dominique.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When Shawn Kemp was in it.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean they used to have guys that are Dee.

[Guest Speaker]

Brian. Remember Dee Brown.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep. Dee Brown wanted Larry Nance. Larry Nance, I think beat Dr. J in the first one. I think it was back 83, 84. But it's tough. And I think the thing is, like I said, for me, I never thought Bron was a creative dunker power dunk. Can he dunk on people? Yes. Yeah, absolutely. But I think the most creative dunk was the Rockababy. I think that was maybe like after the Kobe situation, he did the Rockababy. But I would like to see Ant Man. I would like to see Ja. I would like to see go against and Levine and Aaron. Aaron Gordon says he done. He said y'all ain't finna rob me three, four times. I done got robbed. I done got robbed on this block. I ain't coming down here no more. I done got robbed two or three times. I ain't coming out of this block anymore. Damn, y'all.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, and would be nice and creative as hell too.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ocho, check this out. CP3 and Wimby were disqualified after trying to hack the NBA Skills Challenge. CP3 thought he figured out a way to skirt the rules of the NBA All Star Game 2025 skills challenge. But he and Wimby were disqualified for their shenanigans. The final stage of the 3.3 part skills challenge involves shooting. But to get through the relay with the fastest time as possible. When me and Paul didn't actually shoot the ball, they just raked them from the rack.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Instead they flung the balls quickly towards the basket, not engaging in any sort of shooting motion.

[Guest Speaker]

Hey, listen, if you're not, they violating the spirit, Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

See what I tell you. What, what, what? If you create something, somebody is going to try to find a way to be cheated.

[Guest Speaker]

Always. Always. Now you know that. Now if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying. Now don't tell me you don' them you ain't. You ain't cheating on your test back in the day. Now you know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Look at Skills challenge. Ocho.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, man. Here you go. Skill challenge. Sat, fcat. Any kind of test.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, if I cheat on the SAT and then got. And. And got like 500, right? I don't know who the hell paper I was cheating off of.

[Guest Speaker]

What they get three, you need to complain. You need to complain. That's why you. You always got to sit next to somebody smart. Shoot. How you think I passed mine, bro?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Last I checked, when you go into an essay taking SAT on a college campus, you're not gonna know any of them damn people. At least I did. They from all over the state. They coming from Savannah, Reedsville, Glenville, Hinesville, Forest. They're coming from all over. I know not one person in that class. And I had just played a game, got in late, had to get up there early. I was like, I already know.

[Guest Speaker]

You got. You got. You gotta look, you know, the smart, the small folk gotta look to him now. But I see you, and I'm a dog.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Titus want to see you.

[Chad Ochocinco]

Come on.

[Guest Speaker]

What they do, twin? What they do, boy? Huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Made his little appearance.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, I'm gonna see you down the south floor. You want to go down to Florida?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. Come on down here with your boy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Say they got. They got some Labradoodles down there.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, yeah, they got.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm looking for a Labradoodle.

[Guest Speaker]

We got, we got them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You need to be about 95 pounds.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Make sure she got all the shots. She up to date.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, yeah, she up to date. She up to date. I got something for him. I take good care of Titus. I got Farmer's dog. We got farmers dog.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man. CP3. CP3. Know better. How long CP3? Bitterly.

[Guest Speaker]

19 years.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, try.

[Guest Speaker]

Try to find a shortcut.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, no, that was. What you call him? That was CP3. But he know everybody was going like, come on, CP3 women like, I'll take. I'll take. I'll take it.

[Jenny Garth]

It.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'll take the blow for this one. Yeah. It's kind of like when you remember the Pistons didn't shake the bull's hand. Oh, yeah, and Bill Lambert said, that was me. Yeah, with everybody said, man, everybody. You know damn well that was Isaiah.

[Guest Speaker]

Uh huh.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But Bill Lambert don't really care at all. Bill. Okay? He said, I take the. Adam Silver says he's emphatic with angry. Empathetic. Excuse me. Empathetic with Mav fans, but believes Mavs did what was the best interest of the organization in terms of anger at the fan base. I'm empathetic I understand Dallas wasn't the final. Was in the finals last year. I've also said this before. I like Luka very much. It seems truly authentic that he was stunned and you could see it in his body language. I am sympathetic to the Mavericks organization. I've known Nico Harrison for a long time from his prior tenure at Nike. I've also gotten close to Patrick Dumont, our new governor in Dallas. I can say one thing for sure. Whether or not history will ultimately judge as a smart trade, they did what they thought was in the best interest of their organization. I have absolutely no knowledge or belief that there were any ulterior motives. Ocho chime in.

[Guest Speaker]

They thought they did what was best for the team. Can I ask you a question on real quick or chat? Ask your question. The trade was made has been about what, a week? Maybe two weeks to this point.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Two weeks?

[Guest Speaker]

Weeks. How's that trade going right now?

[Shannon Sharpe]

A.D. got hurt.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay. Okay. I'm. I'm just curious. I would like Adam Sandler to come out. Adam Sandler. I would like Adam Silver.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He come out? He come out, too?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. I want Adam. I wish. I would like Adam Silver to come out and speak. And speak the real. How about you tell the truth? How about you be honest?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know what you want? What you want him to tell me what you want him to say?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, I want him to say how he truly feels. I don't. I want to say exactly how he truly feels. You making that goddamn trade was goddamn ridiculous.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you do realize he's the commissioner of the NBA, and that's the problem.

[Guest Speaker]

The fact that he's in a position of power and he can't say how he truly goddamn feels because he's a commissioner.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Have you ever heard Roger Goodell say how he truly feels?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, when the cameras ain't rolling.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, she probably said that. When the cameras ain't rolling. Ultra. You got to understand, people in position like that, you can't say everything that you feel or you won't be in that position long.

[Guest Speaker]

That's the problem with society now. That's the problem with people in positions of power. Everything is fake. Everything is PC. They never give the people some of the things they want to say. The people are saying it at home, but the person that's sitting in the highest seat refuses to say it because they got to be PC.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you had trash quarterbacks, you didn't say that.

[Guest Speaker]

Huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

When you had trash quarterbacks, you didn't say they sucked. Why didn't you say that publicly?

[Guest Speaker]

Time Out. Let's rewind. Let's go back to my career.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

What quarterback did I have that sucked?

[Shannon Sharpe]

All your. All your quarterbacks. So all your quarterbacks were great.

[Guest Speaker]

I had Jon Kitner good, and I had Carson Palmer good, and I had.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There were games they weren't good, and you didn't say they weren't good.

[Guest Speaker]

This is the game of football. Now we. Let me finish. We strive for perfection. We strive for perfection and greatness. If we fall short, that means we're good. They weren't bad. Everybody has a bad game. You had bad games, but you didn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Say when they had a bad game. Why didn't you say that?

[Guest Speaker]

Because 99.9% of the time they're good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When they had a bad game. Why didn't you say my quarterback sucked? See, you said you want people to speak to.

[Guest Speaker]

Don't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's not what you said. Chad, why are you doing that Chat. That's not what he said.

[Guest Speaker]

Why are you doing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He said.

[Guest Speaker]

That's completely different.

[Shannon Sharpe]

How you say. I want you to speak how. You really failed.

[Guest Speaker]

Having a bad game doesn't mean you suck. You know what? My quarterback had a bad game.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He sucked. This game said my quarterback wasn't good. This game.

[Guest Speaker]

For one. I don't even talk like that. For two, I just want Adam Silver. See, that's what we need. You know. You know, you talk about you can't do certain things when you're in certain positions. Look what 45 be doing. I ain't gonna say his name. Look what 45 be doing, Ocho, acting a plum fool. All the things you're not supposed to do when you're at the. When you sit at the highest seat.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But he. But you have to understand what he is. He's their Dr. King. They know you laughing, but that's how they view him because he's emboldened them to say what they feel. Right. So there's no more decorum. Right?

[Guest Speaker]

Right. Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There's no real respect. You throw that out the window, you say whatever. Right?

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't. I don't. I don't want to live in a society where you get to say whatever, do whatever, and it gets like, oh, that's how I really feel. I don't want to live like that.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, I understand what you mean. I understand what you mean.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, it was like that. It used to be like that in the 60s.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They said whatever. They did whatever. You came home in your uniform and you wore your uniform out. They would literally kill You. Because a black man had a uniform on, right? Nah, I'm good.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I think as a society, as we become more advanced, our behavior should also become more advanced. We shouldn't go back now. Some people might think that's okay. Let's go back to where it was. Well, where it was for you might have been great. It wasn't great for all, and it's never going to be great for all, but I think it can be better for most. That's just me. Hey, but no, look, I understand people in position, like a commissioner.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You have to. Like, sometimes you gotta just. You gotta take all that because that's what the owners do. The owners pay you to take all the criticism that they're supposed to get. Right.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay. Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You see how people blaming Adam Silver. He knew about it, so what's he gonna do? You see, David Stern was able to block a trade because the NBA, they owned the Hornets or the Hornets at the time. So they can block that trade because they didn't think it was in the best interest of them.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They got no say so in that. It's just like, what did Roger say? Roger Goodell on commissioner always said, you know, we let team handle team fiends. That was a team decision. You can't force us to keep a player if we want to trade it.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I just. Look, I get that. I get it. Because you're looking at Luka, 25 years of age, five time, first team, all NBA selection, and they made a move that came out of nowhere. You didn't hear anything. You heard no murmurs. You heard nothing about Anthony Davis being traded. You heard nothing about Luka Doncic being traded. And all of a sudden, Sean drops that bombshell.

[Guest Speaker]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So it caught everybody off guard. And because of the players that are involved, and also because you didn't hear anything about it, that is the biggest trade. It's the biggest trade in NBA history.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But like he said, we'll see if only time will tell, Ocho, if this was the right move.

[Guest Speaker]

Hey, listen, the only time will tell, but it's telling right now. It's telling right now, and it's telling real early.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Get out here. Go Flames. Hold on. Go ahead.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, Chad, I'm back. I'm back. Anyway, y'all see my jacket? This is my. I just came for the Andrea Pacelli concert. I bought. I bought me a jacket, a little patelli jacket. I know y'all probably, though y'all ain't hit the opera or nothing like that. But you know, if you go on a nice little date with your girl and y'all in the car, man, put some Andrea Bocelli on. He has a nice album that you might enjoy. It's called Loving Love in Portofino. I think. I think that's. I think that's. It might be loving Portofino. But check him out. Check him out, man. You. You'll like it. Matter of fact, he might be coming to your city soon. Go on Google and check that out. And you know something different, you might enjoy it. Okay, he's back.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, he gets. He's past his bedtime, so around 8:00, he gonna start getting assy. He gonna want to go to bed.

[Guest Speaker]

Be all over the place.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The volume.

[Chad Ochocinco]

Famous smoke has been dominating the cigar game since 1939 with the best prices on the best cigars. Need a smoke for the big game or a big win? Famous has you covered. Head to famous smoke.com with promo code Nightcap to score 20 off your order of 99 or more. Million of cigars are in stock and ready to ship, all stored in the massive humidor and guaranteed fresh. Trust the name that's been in the game for 85 years. Go to famous smoke.com use code nightcap underage sale prohibited website restricted to age 21 plus tobacco consumers.

[Ashley Kinetti]

This is Ashley Kinetic from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. It feels like everyone is talking about GLP1s these days. Those are Ozempic and Semaglutide. And with Future Health, you can find out if they're right for you too. Maybe you feel like you've been struggling with your weight for years and no matter how much you diet and exercise, you just don't feel healthy. Just go to try fh.com to find out if weight loss meds are right for you. Try fh.com future health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at provider's discretion. Results may very Sponsored by Future Health.

[Jenny Garth]

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[DraftKings Representative]

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