Hour 2 - Top 5 players

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2: Top 5 Players

Release Date: June 2, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guests: Jason McIntyre, Rick Bucher, Alex Curry

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1. Introduction

The episode dives deep into the NBA landscape, focusing on ranking the top five players who have yet to secure a championship ring. Hosted by Colin Cowherd and featuring insights from Jason McIntyre and Rick Bucher, the discussion promises a blend of analysis, debate, and expert opinions.

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2. Top 5 NBA Players Without a Championship Ring

5. Jalen Brunson
Timestamp: [04:58]
Jason McIntyre highlights Jalen Brunson's emergence as one of the premier point guards in the league. Despite being a sub-six-foot-three, Brunson's ability to consistently deliver points makes him a formidable player. McIntyre states, "Brunson, all he does is deliver buckets."

4. Jimmy Butler
Timestamp: [05:03]
Butler secures the fourth spot, praised for his leadership and tenacity. Colin remarks, "Jimmy Butler as an alpha, led the Miami Heat to the championship twice. Okay, that's a superstar now." Butler's journey from struggling with housing to NBA stardom exemplifies his resilience and determination.

3. Shaquille "Shaq" Gilgis Alexander (SGA)
Timestamp: [05:03]
SGA takes the third position, recognized for his versatile gameplay and mastery of the mid-range shot. Colin confidently predicts, "Probably gonna get his title this year," emphasizing SGA's potential to dominate and secure a championship.

2. Anthony Edwards
Timestamp: [10:18]
Edwards is ranked second, lauded for his offensive prowess and leadership. Despite concerns about his off-court demeanor, McIntyre asserts, "Anthony Edwards is phenomenal... he's that good." Edwards' ability to lead the league in three-pointers and his youthful energy make him a top contender.

1. Luka Doncic
Timestamp: [05:03]
Taking the top spot is Luka Doncic, celebrated for his all-around game and ability to elevate his team's performance. McIntyre emphasizes, "Luka Doncic, the best player in the NBA without a ring." Doncic's knack for making his teammates better and his prolific scoring ability set him apart as the premier player without a championship.

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3. Debate Between Colin and Rick on Player Rankings

Timestamp: [09:07 - 16:09]
Rick Bucher challenges Colin's rankings, particularly questioning the placement of Anthony Edwards over SGA. Colin defends his choices by emphasizing SGA's mid-range game, stating, "SGA is a three-level scorer." The debate intensifies as Rick advocates for Edwards' continued growth and potential, leading to a spirited exchange about each player's impact and future prospects.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: "Without question. I can say SGA is a three-level score."
• Rick Bucher: "If you want to go head to head... I would go Anthony Edwards over SGA."

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4. Analysis of the NBA Finals: OKC Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers

Timestamp: [22:42 - 24:30]
The discussion shifts to the impending NBA Finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Both teams showcase strong performances, but Colin and Rick delve into the nuances that might influence the series outcome.

Key Points:

• Indiana Pacers' Strengths:

  • Exceptional three-point shooting, averaging 40% in the playoffs.
  • Leadership from experienced coach Rick Carlisle and star player Pascal Siakam.
  • Collective team effort, making the Pacers a formidable opponent.

• Oklahoma City Thunder's Strengths:

  • Dynamic playstyle with strong bench players.
  • Key contributions from Tyrese Halliburton, who led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: "Shot the ball from three-point range, lights out, and they've done it collectively."
• Rick Bucher: "They have shot the ball from three-point range, lights out. That's insane."

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5. Discussion on Team Dynamics and Super Teams

Timestamp: [26:12 - 28:36]
The conversation explores the evolving nature of NBA team compositions, particularly the decline of the "super team" era and the rise of globally diversified rosters. Colin observes that the NBA is focusing more on international stars to broaden its global appeal, rather than relying solely on superstars within domestic markets.

Key Points:

• Global Strategy:
  The NBA is expanding its reach by incorporating international talent, potentially even considering a European division to tap into global markets.

• Domestic Market Saturation:
  With the domestic fan base reaching saturation, the league seeks to attract new fans worldwide through international stars like SGA and Anthony Edwards.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: "They're taking a global view. We have international stars, and that's our sweet spot."
• Rick Bucher: "I need to remind people, Rick, like LeBron..."

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6. Commentary on Current NBA Stars and Future Prospects

Timestamp: [28:36 - 30:55]
The hosts touch upon emerging talents and the expectations placed on them. They discuss prospects like Chet Holmgren and Cooper Flagg, debating their potential impact and superstar status.

Key Points:

• Chet Holmgren & Cooper Flagg:
  Viewed as promising players, they represent the future of the NBA's American-born talent pool.

• Comparison to Legends:
  Colin draws parallels between current prospects and past stars like LeBron James and Zion Williamson, emphasizing the importance of superstar status from early careers.

Notable Quotes:

• Rick Bucher: "Well, wait to find a superstar. Was LeBron a superstar right out of the gate averaging like 23 as a rookie?"
• Colin Cowherd: "Zion's a classic example of somebody that we anointed way too early."

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7. Conclusion and Future Topics

Timestamp: [32:12 - End]
The episode wraps up with a light-hearted exchange between the hosts and guests, acknowledging the engaging and sometimes heated debates. They tease upcoming segments, hinting at discussions around NFL topics and player performances.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: "It was a good session. I enjoyed this. Thank you so much."
• Jason McIntyre: "Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd..."

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Key Takeaways

• Luka Doncic stands out as the top NBA player without a championship, followed closely by rising stars like Anthony Edwards and Shea Gilgis Alexander.
• Team dynamics and leadership are crucial factors influencing players' abilities to secure championships.
• The NBA Finals between OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers promises to be a closely contested series, with strategic gameplay and strong team chemistry on both sides.
• The league's shift towards a global strategy reflects its efforts to expand its fan base and diversify its talent pool, moving away from the traditional super team model.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jason McIntyre: "[05:03] Brunson, all he does is deliver buckets."
• Colin Cowherd: "[10:18] He's a three-level scorer."
• Rick Bucher: "[10:55] Blame analytics. Don't blame Anthony Edwards."
• Colin Cowherd: "[15:04] The Minnesota Timberwolves had the most expensive roster in the league this year."
• Jason McIntyre: "[25:29] Turn 37 in September. Rick."
• Rick Bucher: "[26:42] This wasn't that egregious. Now, let me ask you about the Finals."

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of "Hour 2 - Top 5 Players," providing listeners with valuable insights into the current NBA standings, player evaluations, and future prospects. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, the discussion offers a nuanced perspective on the factors shaping the league's landscape.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Now, let's get this party started.

[Rick Bucher]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we are, our number two here on the herd, Colin Cowherd. Still vacationing. Yes. He is enjoying another sojourn around the globe. So you have to settle for me, Jason McIntyre joined by Alex Curry. Alex. I don't know how. Both colors.

[Alex Curry]

I love it. On Mondays we wear pink.

[Rick Bucher]

I think I look good in pink.

[Alex Curry]

I didn't know until we sat down. I was like a great minds back.

[Rick Bucher]

In my prime, in my 20s. Just kidding. I'm still in my prime. I would rock like a pink shirt to go out. I love girls.

[Alex Curry]

I love pink. On men especially. You're a girl, dad. So it's like, it's even cooler.

[Rick Bucher]

Pink shirts are money.

[Alex Curry]

Guys.

[Rick Bucher]

Coming up in a few minutes. Rick Bucher. Never miss it when Rick joins me because we always spin far over stuff. And I'm sure he's going to love the list that I just came up with. We'll talk about it right now. So obviously SGA and the Thunder going to the finals against Halliburton and the Pacers. And we saw that over the weekend, LeBron did a podcast with Luka Doncic along with Steve Nash, and they were talking about Luca's style. And I said, why don't we do a list the top five players in the NBA without a ring. And it. Here's what LeBron and Luca talked about that got me to that point. Here we go. Obviously, we've seen throughout his career, like there's plays and passes that certain guys that in. In the league history.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Have ever been able to make. I mean, it's always his pace. Yeah, it's always been his pace.

[Rick Bucher]

And he's never, ever been on the floor where he's allowed someone to dictate where they're going to put him on the floor. It's always been the opposite, you know, and for us, we all working off of that. We just got to stay ready. You know what this is leading up to, right, people, I'm a Luca guy and this is not just Johnny come lately. This is not since he got to the Lakers, but I'm a huge Luca fan. So I thought I'd rank going from five to one the five best players in the NBA without a ring. Now, this caused some drama in the morning meeting. And I. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Rick Bucher just like, oh, my gosh. So let's start with number five. Fifth best player right now in the NBA without a ring. And that's got to be my guy. Jalen Brunson, he is a phenomenal talent. He has emerged as one of the best point guards in the league. He's a, you know, sub six three point guard, which some people think you can't win with. And Brunson, all he does is deliver buckets. Now, why they didn't get by the Pacers? I don't think it's fully on Brunson. Obviously, his defense was not up to snuff. But the fifth spot came down to me for Brunson or Halliburton. And I'm sorry, I think Brunson's slightly better than Halliburton. So I go Brunson at number five, the fourth best player in the NBA without a ring. Here we go. A little bit of a curveball. Jimmy Butler. Now, somebody tried to tell me in the morning meeting, oh, my God. J. Mack. Joel Embiid. It's so much better than Jimmy Butler. And I almost, like, vomited in my mouth. Come on, guys. Jimmy Butler as an alpha, led the Miami Heat to the championship 20 twice. Okay, that's a superstar now. I know he's getting up there in age and he's not what he was three years ago, but he is still a phenomenal talent. I love the Jimmy Butler story. Back to my radio days. Like, Jimmy Butler coming out of, like, living on. He was couch surfing. Okay. Had to, like, fax in his resume to get into college at Marquette. Like, this guy was in a rough spot and he has just become a star in the NBA. I love everything about Jimmy Butler. I don't know if he'll get a title, but I have his fourth best player in the league without a ring. Number three. Let's go to the mvp, Shea Gilgis Alexander. I have a feeling Rick's gonna have him at once. I think SGA is a really good player, obviously. Great season. He's on a really good team. SGA does everything well. I'm not gonna say he's a jack of all trades, master of none, because he's the master of the Mid range. Right now he just gets buckets at the mid range. Probably gonna get his title this year, right? Favorite, fifth biggest favorite in like the last 50 years or whatever. SGA. Third best player in the league without a ring. Number two, Anthony Edwards. Yes. I believe Anthony Edwards is better than Shay Gilgis Alexander. Sorry, he's younger, he's got a better offensive bag. He's led the league in threes this season. He just doesn't have as good of a team as okc. I think Anthony Edwards is phenomenal. All this future faith of the league stuff, it's legit, guys. He's that good. Now is he a little goofy off the court and sometimes not locked in? And he loves a good IG baddy. Who doesn't? But once Anthony Edwards grows up just a little bit. Alex, stop laughing. Once he grows up just a little bit, Anthony Edwards is going to be the top player in the NBA. Now for the number one player in the NBA without a ring, it's got to be Luka. Who's better than Luka? I have him right there in the Jokic Giannis class. And my thing that I come back to all the time, Luka makes everyone around him better. He did it in Dallas. They got to the finals last year because he made everyone around him better. That Dallas team, it's not a great team. Look at them this year. What would they do this year? Now I know Kyrie got hurt, but they had AD and largely the same guys that Luca had that he put on his back and got to the finals for me, Luka Doncic, the best player in the NBA without a ring. And without further ado, let's welcome in Rick Bucher, Fox Sports NBA analyst. Now I have great vision and I could see Rick pacing, turning around, throwing his hands in the air. Oh my gosh, J. Mac, you're crazy.

[Colin Cowherd]

So much work.

[Rick Bucher]

I've been.

[Colin Cowherd]

So much work. So little time.

[Alex Curry]

We made eye contact a couple times.

[Rick Bucher]

Rattling on five best players.

[Colin Cowherd]

I had chills over there.

[Rick Bucher]

Now, Rick, you're doing your list as well, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes. And don't pretend like you didn't see my list.

[Rick Bucher]

I haven't seen it. They did tell me and he, he.

[Alex Curry]

Could be telling the truth.

[Rick Bucher]

It's the same list.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm going to start sending out a fugazi list to the producer early so you don't try to.

[Rick Bucher]

I'll guess your guy number one is sga, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes. And by and, and how do you possibly put Anthony Edwards ahead of Shay Gilders Alexander after what we just Witnessed. How is that possible?

[Rick Bucher]

Well, it's not like they were playing one on one, Rick.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean they were both the leaders of their respective teams and one guy got gentlemanly swept.

[Rick Bucher]

It was essentially the reigning MVP against Anthony Edwards. They said Julius Reynolds take all.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, because you know what, because he has no mid range game. If you put Shay Gilgis Alexander there, the defense isn't able to do the same thing. So I mean he could operate in more places.

[Rick Bucher]

If you want to go head to head. Yes. Mid range to sga, three point shooting to Anthony Edwards driving to the rim. Anthony Edwards dunk on anybody and defense, I would go ant over sga.

[Colin Cowherd]

Then why didn't he in that?

[Rick Bucher]

Well, because there was five guys in the lady including Chad.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so if you don't have the mid range then you don't get the dunk as often and he has to finish at the rim. Look, sga, as far as an offensive bag, it's not as dynamic as ants, but it is more complete. Without question. I can say SGA is a three level score. Ant falling in love with the three has changed that dramatically. Half of his shots this year were from three and yet he shot the same number as he did the previous season. Where did those shots come from? His mid range. He abandoned it and that cost him in the playoffs.

[Rick Bucher]

Blame analytics. Don't blame Anthony Edwards. So where do you have Luke on the list?

[Colin Cowherd]

Luke? I believe I had second. He's up there. But, but you're mixing the bag because I also had, I had Aunt 5th and I had Jimmy Butler ahead of me. Now if we're just talking about pure talent, I don't know that we can go there. But I'm looking at a Jimmy Butler, to your point, who led teams to the finals twice. Like there's this, this combination of guys who are just purely talented, who don't have a ring and guys who have demonstrated that they, that they're next in line or they deserve a ring because they've come so close and maybe they just didn't have the requisite team around them. But I'm not going to say that about Ant. I don't, I don't bel. This is my great issue is that when a player like Ant doesn't get to the finals or doesn't win a ring, we immediately go, oh well, he doesn't have enough help. We need to get more pieces around him. It's Julius Randle's fault, it's Chris Finch's fault, It's Mike Conley's fault. Like no, if you're that kind of player and I'm looking at the holes in Anthony Edwards game, first and foremost, I want him to fill those holes and then I'll figure out the pieces that I need around him. Because this Minnesota Timberwolves team was more talented than a team that, that got gentlemanly swept.

[Rick Bucher]

That's fair. I would push back and say ant's 23 and I think SGA is 20.

[Colin Cowherd]

Keep saying that.

[Rick Bucher]

So three years ago, SGA was in the play in. And meanwhile Ant is taking his team the conference finals. Two years in a row.

[Colin Cowherd]

His team has gone. His team has gone to the final, to the conference finals two years in a row.

[Rick Bucher]

You would admit that Julius.

[Colin Cowherd]

I can make a case that Julius Randall had more to do with them getting there this year than. Than Ant did.

[Rick Bucher]

Well, Julius Randle did was unbelievably good until he wasn't.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, understood.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here's the other part is I keep first. Last year it was he's 22 now it's he's 23. And when asked like, did this, did this hurt? Did you struggle? No, I don't struggle. I'm good. I'm gonna work hard this summer, but I'm good like that. You like that?

[Rick Bucher]

I did not love that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Rick Bucher]

Some of the me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Me either. Because you. The clock is ticking. Like, and if you look at guys like Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway, there's any number of guys that were great early on. Penny Hardaway went to the finals his second year. He was all NBA first team two years in a row. Tracy McGrady, same thing was like third or fourth year was, was, was all NBA and getting some, some MVP accolades. Before I take that back, that was with Penny, with Shaq leaving Orlando. But those guys, like, when we looked at them early in their first three, four years, we're like, oh, these guys are playing for championships. These guys are going to be all time greats. And they hit their zenith in those first four or five years. That's more the rule than the exception in terms of guys winning a ring. Like, I think it's a foregone conclusion in a lot of people's minds that Ant, including ants, that Ant is going to win MVP at some point. And he's going to win a ring at some point, probably. Right. The Minnesota Timberwolves had the most expensive roster in the league this year. Right. And if we look at some of the guards and some of the players early on that won, it's because they had guys on their team that Were really good who were underpaid. Like, the Minnesota Timberwolves are not there.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right. So is it going to happen in the next year or two? No. Well, then now we're getting to 27, 28 and having to remake the Timberwolves around him. I'm just. I think there's this foregone conclusion about Ant that I wouldn't necessarily buy into.

[Rick Bucher]

As I hear you explain that. I was just thinking to the guy, LeBron James, who in what, year three or something with Cleveland, goes to the finals, can't get back there, says, guys, I'm out. Kevin Durant and okc.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Rick Bucher]

They get to the Finals, young guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

Had to go someplace else.

[Jason McIntyre]

Right.

[Rick Bucher]

So is Minnesota going to do it? Anthony Edwards going to do it in Minnesota? Yeah. Probably not.

[Colin Cowherd]

And here's the flip side of that. When you look at the guys that are there right now, SGA and Tyrese Halliburton, what do they have in common?

[Rick Bucher]

This isn't their first team.

[Colin Cowherd]

This isn't their first team. And there were. There were doubts about both of them at various points. Like, how good can they be? Can they be the leader of a championship team? We haven't had anybody express that doubt about Ant Edwards. And I believe that you're taking away the motivation of a player, the urgency of a player to say, you know what? I want to prove you wrong. Nobody's saying Ant has to prove them wrong. Everybody's still giving him flowers. In spite of the fact that if you look at the last two Western Conference finals. Yes. Did they get there? Sure. But he was outplayed by another star, Luka Doncic last year and SGA this year. And yet there still seems to be no urgency or a feeling like, hey, Ant, you. You like, you need to pick it up if you're going to get there.

[Rick Bucher]

I don't know what more he could do, but anyways, let's move on to the Knicks. I just. The post mortem, we have Frank. Guys. So long. I'm pledging. Hey, let's take a deep breath. Last year, the Pacers were swept by the Celtics conference finals. They make zero changes to their top eight, and they're in the NBA Finals. I know. I've been like, hey, maybe we dumped Thibodeau. I know. There's this Giannis Chase. I'm actually preaching some patience, Rick. And I think the Knicks can run it back. Are you okay? I know. Irrational New Yorker over here.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, you are. You are being incredibly rational. I've never. I've never heard, wow, J. Mac, be this rational. You're usually we gotta moves, we gotta change like always, right?

[Rick Bucher]

Blow it up, get rid of them.

[Colin Cowherd]

They suck.

[Rick Bucher]

I had a boozy weekend, played some basketball, you know, like you get your mind clear. And I came in this morning, I said, guys, we're going to stay on Pat.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And I think they can get to the NBA Finals. They weren't far off this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, they weren't. I, the issue is like ideally if you're going to play for a championship, they need a true two way big like right now they have like Mitchell Robinson's on the floor. Defensively they're a different team. But now they're a different team offensively as well. Offensively, Kat gave you a lot. Let's not, let's not undersell what he did for the better part of, of the playoffs. But if you're going to be built around a point guard and I'd look at the 2004 Detroit Pistons winning a championship and the 2022 Golden State warriors, you have to have like the perfect pieces and a lot of talent around that guard. If you look at the numbers alone, what Jalen Brunson did this year in the regular season and in the playoffs mirrors what Steph Curry did in 2022, both regular season and playoffs. But what Steph had was he had Andrew Wiggins playing unbelievable. Almost. Yeah, almost better than Draymond Green as a defensive player. And a true, was a two way impact player. You had Draymond Green still playing well. You had Klay Thompson have his moments. You had Jordan Poole like you had all the pieces that allowed to that, that covered the blemishes of Steph and allowed him to maximize what he is. That's what the Knicks need and I don't know that they have it right now. But to your point, like unless there was a clear cut, I can get this thing that makes a difference. I'm standing pat.

[Rick Bucher]

Let's be real. Can they get Giannis? I, I don't see it just doesn't seem feasible given the pick. They don't have that many picks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I've been, I've been asking about that because I mean the, the teams. There's Houston.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's Brooklyn.

[Rick Bucher]

Brooklyn could give up a lot, but he's not going there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Toronto's going to make a run at him, but I, I don't, I don't know that that's going to happen. But those two teams in particular have the assets that Milwaukee would want in terms have assets the Spurs I would add the spurs in the equation, too.

[Rick Bucher]

Those three teams, it's tough. Okay, so let's downshift to Kevin durant.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Turn 37 in September. Rick. Yeah, I'm a huge KD fan, but is he that much of an upgrade for. For Kat? And doesn't he shrink your window from like, maybe the next three years to like, you better win this year because Katie's hurt all the time?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I'd say he's an upgrade. I mean, the tricky part is, are you just getting him as a one year rental or is he going to sign an extension? Do you want to sign him to extension? What does that extension look like? There's a lot of tricky parts to that. To your point, because of KD's age and where he is, the one year, the one year deal for a team that's looking for cap space that may be stuck. I mean, that's where Minnesota's kind of attractive. But the problem is that you'd have to give up multiple pieces. It's not Julius Randall for Kevin Durant. It's Julius Randall and Jade McDaniels or Julius Randall and Rob Dillingham and Mike Conley when. So that's where it becomes difficult. I had somebody this morning suggest Atlanta as a place for KT just because they have the assets. And I was thinking, my first reaction was, oh, KD's got to finish his career in Atlanta.

[Rick Bucher]

That's like Patrick Ewing wearing a Sonics jersey or yeah, it's Elijah 1 for the Raptors or something silly. You don't want to see that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Not very attractive.

[Rick Bucher]

But no, KD is going to be difficult. All right, let. Let's go to the actually Easter conference finals voting. Did you have an issue with the Siakam 5, Halliburton 4. And I will just preface this. The media votes on this stuff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

We know the media, they do some dumb things, obviously, all NBA voting. But anyways, did you have a major issue with it?

[Colin Cowherd]

I really don't. First of all, it was five, four.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it's like there's like one swing vote. Right. And I can make a case for either guy.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Pascal Siakam, if you look at the, if you take in to account the defensive end of the floor, I mean, the Knicks were hunting Tyrese Halliburton at times. Pascal Siakam winning his battle, being the best big on the floor was the difference maker. And then when you look in terms of, of key baskets, he didn't have. He didn't have the Highlight moments that Halliburton had. But the way I described it was Pascal Siakam was the engine and Tyrese Halliburton was the driver. Like, he got everybody involved. You know, he obviously assists were through the roof, but Pascal Siakam was getting to the free throw line. He was getting the Knicks in foul trouble. And you know, in those situations where they absolutely needed a bucket, they could hand him the ball and he would go get it.

[Rick Bucher]

It's weird. It felt like Jaylen Brown over Jayson Tatum last year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Not, not. Not unlike that. I was also thinking like the kind of the Iguodala, Steph Curry.

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, Finals mvp.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finals mvp.

[Rick Bucher]

Setup annoyed me. I was like such a Curry defender. I would go online and battle these morons.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like you said, the media doesn't always get it right, but I don't think that they got it perversely wrong.

[Rick Bucher]

This wasn't that egregious. Now, let me ask you about the Finals. I've been workshopping this take. I was going to save it for midweek when things are slow. I don't know, Rick. This whole Finals battle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, right.

[Rick Bucher]

It's. It's a good matchup of teams. NBA Die Hards will love it. Casuals probably will not. I'm of the belief that Indiana is going to give them a much closer series than the experts think. Everybody's saying, oh, this is OKC is just a juggernaut. Indy. Everything that OKC does really well.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

So does Indiana. They've got the bench, they play with pace and tempo. Halliburton led the league in assist turnover ratio. I mean, at one point in the Knicks series, he had like four turnovers in five games.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, it's one way to. That's one way to look at it. A lot of people are looking at all the things that Indiana does, OKC does, and they just do it better. Right. Except for one thing. And I'd say there's two factors where I'm with you. I'm not going to say it's going to be a great series. I think that the Pacers have a chance to make it an interesting series in terms of pushing it to six, maybe even seven.

[Rick Bucher]

NBA would love that.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't see them winning it, but I see them making it a contest. And for two reasons. Number one, they have shot the ball from three point range, lights out, and they've done it collectively. Like, I think last I checked, they were shooting like 40% in the playoffs as a team.

[Rick Bucher]

That's insane.

[Colin Cowherd]

That is. And that's, that's much, much better than OKC does. And as we know, the three point shot can have a huge influence on flipping. It's the Cavs flipping the odds. Exactly. The other part is Rick Carlisle and Pascal Siakam. I have two guys who know what it, what it takes to win a championship who have been to the finals. And I look at the, I look at the Thunder and you have Alex Caruso, I believe, who won in the bubble. Am I right on that?

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And other than that, brand new Rick Carlisle has been to the final six times. He took a Dallas Mavericks team that was probably as underrated and looked past in the finals versus the Miami Heat as this Pacers team is against the Oklahoma City Thunder. So I believe that the Carlisle is going to have a few things up his sleeve.

[Rick Bucher]

I love that. And by the way, Nem hard.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

You see he's making $2 million this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Starting point guard, who, who's good? I still remember this. Nobody will remember this, but his final college game. Yeah, I think it was with Chet. He shot like 2 of 11. He was a train wreck. And they lost his big favorites. And I'm like, this guy's not a pro. He was terrible against Arkansas. Nemart has been phenomenal. He is a good basketball player. And at $2 million in the finals, that's how you're, that's how you're here.

[Colin Cowherd]

And that's how you get to finals. To, you know, going back to the whole Minnesota point is that you have, you know, when, when the warriors were making their runs, they were paying Steph $11 million.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

He signed the four year, $44 million deal you need, especially in today's NBA, you need a couple of guys who haven't been paid yet. Jordan Pool and Andrew Wiggins in 2022, like guys that are playing for the bag and, and the Minnesota Timberwolves don't have that.

[Rick Bucher]

So let me just did the whole small market, super team stuff. The super team era is over, sadly. But I need to remind people, Rick, like LeBron, the LeBron we know now before he got to the Heat and started that he was like second banana to Kobe and Shaq and the Celtics. He wasn't the polarized, oh my gosh, I can't stand LeBron. He wasn't that until he went to the Heat.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And so I just wonder, some of these young stars, they're not polarizing. And if you don't have that love or hate, it's just like, oh, we've got the Pacers and Thunder in the Finals.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And I know the NBA doesn't want that because the owners want everybody to have a chance. Right. But I feel like if you don't have that, it's not going to be great for the league. I don't know. That's kind of like a big picture thing. I don't know how you solve that. But there isn't really anybody at the NBA right now that you feel strongly about one way or the other, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

No. It has to happen organically and to your point, I don't know who that is that's out there right now that we feel that way.

[Rick Bucher]

Well, Giannis could be the, the linchpin. People are not going to like it if he goes to a good team. Like KD went to the warriors. Instantly, everybody hated him. But Rick, you had to watch.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Or you were rearranging your, your anniversary dinners around Kevin Durant versus LeBron. You know, that kind of.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sure. And if KD goes to a contender, that would stir the pot as well. Yes. Look, the. The league is taking a very different approach to the way it traditionally approach things is. Which is. It's taking a global view. And I think in part it's playing to the fact that its best players are international players and that the domestic market is basically saturated. Like, how much, how much more are you going to get out of. Out of the domestic market? But they look globally and they're thinking, okay, we have international stars. It's why they're talking about starting in a European division as much as. As, as, you know, getting expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. You hear as much about a European division as you hear about those. In fact, those, those moves, which I still think are going to happen, are sort of have been forgotten. So I believe that they're looking at, you know what, we want to attract an audience that's going to buy jerseys and is going to stream games and is going to, you know, be fans and we don't know, need, like, we don't have to cut through the mainstream. Have, have stars that are going to cut through the mainstream in, in the US because, you know, the, the people in Serbia are going to go crazy for the Denver Nuggets. Right. And maybe you capture. Capture a bigger part of the Canadian market with Shea, Gilgis, Alexander. I think that they're looking at globally, we have attractions that other leagues don't. And that's our sweet.

[Rick Bucher]

So we'll wrap up with this Cooper flag. Carmelo Anthony had some quotes, and it's interesting. You just mentioned domestic, international.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And I don't want to say Carmelo was bashing him, but he was basically saying like he's not great at anything. He's a good player, does everything well.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

There's a world.

[Rick Bucher]

Jeff Teague last week was like sga saved the NBA with the mid range. I was like, I honestly think Cooper flag domestically, I know people aren't going to want to hear this. He can be a savior of sorts. And I'm sorry to bring up race, but he's a white guy who can maybe dominate in a league where there hasn't been a dominant white guy in a long time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. You know, it's funny, I look at like a Chet Holmgren and a Cooper flag and I, and I, and it's then they sort of shift my view of where we are as far as our American born players and our ability to compete internationally. Like, I think if Anthony Edwards continues to evolve and you have a Cooper flag and you have a Chet Holmgren, we have a chance to still be all right. France isn't going to take over just quite yet. But I, I, you know, I hear Carmelo because I think one of the dangers is when we have somebody who's, who's taken number one, we immediately expect them to be a superstar.

[Rick Bucher]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I, I don't know. I think Cooper Flagg could be a really good player for a really long, good, good, really long time, but I don't know that he's necessarily okay.

[Rick Bucher]

Well, wait to find superstar. Was LeBron a superstar right out of the gate averaging like 23 as a rookie?

[Colin Cowherd]

He had, he had the earmarks of a superstar.

[Rick Bucher]

Okay, what about Zion? First year, I know he's hurt and.

[Colin Cowherd]

Blah, blah, blah, but no, Zion's a classic example of somebody that we anointed way too early and making the Anthony Edwards comparison. Like Zion was supposed to be the next whatever, like from the gate. And, and even, even LeBron like until he lost and everybody started to say, well, maybe he's not a champion.

[Rick Bucher]

Was that the Dallas series that forced him to.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, no, no. That forced him to go to Miami.

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, oh, in Cleveland.

[Colin Cowherd]

To get out of Cleveland. Right.

[Rick Bucher]

Super team, Celtics.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right, right. Like he finally had to, hey, you got to put up or shut up. Like we kept making excuses for Zion. Oh, he's hurt. If he could just stay healthy. Whatever, I'm done. Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

By the way, is he moving this summer? Is he going anywhere? I don't know what the market is for Zion.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't I don't know that he's going anywhere, but he's got bigger issues.

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, that's right. Yeah. Yeah, he does. All right, Final one. We haven't mentioned John Moran in a couple of years. Yeah, a couple of years that something's going on in Memphis. I keep hearing this Jaren Jackson stuff. And then there's, hey, maybe we just move on from jaw start over reboot. Any thoughts on Jamer? Because he, for like seven minutes was going to be the future of the NBA.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, well, I don't think he gets back there now. I think there's just. There's too much water under the bridge. I, I. Could he be moved? Man, that's. It's as difficult as Minnesota moving in. Anthony Edwards. You don't get stars like that in markets like that unless you draft them.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean, I just think of Luka got moved and nobody thought that was coming.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's the exception rather than the rule.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah. All right. Rick Bucher. I mean, look at that. It's like 20 great minutes with a guy who we actually, there was a.

[Colin Cowherd]

Couple things we had some patico on and you were like, you were rational and sober at one point. This was a good session.

[Rick Bucher]

I have to be sober.

[Colin Cowherd]

It was J. Mac. This was, this was. I enjoyed this. Thank you so much.

[Alex Curry]

Wow.

[Colin Cowherd]

I may even come back.

[Rick Bucher]

I love it. All right, Rick Bucher. Great stuff. Coming up next, Alex Curry will tell us why Matt LaFleur had to defend his star QB Jordan Love over the weekend. That's next.

[Jason McIntyre]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Summer is here, and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now, what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake, that's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines? Yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay. How about some clear skies? Nope. Well, how about some French fries? Yeah. So how about a freshly cut lawn? Can't help you there. But a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. So while you can't get fun in the sun delivered, don't worry because you can get pork buns delivered. Uber Eats can definitely get you that get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details. At the end of the season, there's only one team that can call themselves NBA champs. Only one player that can call themselves the number one pick in the NFL draft. Well, there's only one album electric SUV worthy of the title the ultimate the all electric BMW ix. What I love about the IX is that it delivers legendary BMW performance while its sleek design exudes innovative style from the inside out. Not to mention how much space and utility it provides. Over 75 cubic feet of cargo space, the IX is completely changing the game with an all electric suv. The greatest legends of sports never compromise any part of the game. So why would you settle for anything less from your suv? After all, there's only one ultimate the BMW ix. Everything you love about the ultimate driving machine Electrified the NBA Finals are almost here and every play could be the one that changes everything. This is the NBA playoffs. Legacies are built, heroes rise and the action never lets up. With DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, you don't just watch the madness, you live it back. Your favorite team. Ride with your clutch time killer bet on the buzzer beaters. The breakout performances, the game winning three player props to same game parlays. This is how you take your fandom to the next level. If you're new to the game, no sweat. Just download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Takes 90 seconds. Bet just five bucks. That's it. Five bucks. If your bet wins, you'll score $300 in bonus bets. It's that easy. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. The code is heard H E R D code herd for new customers to get 300 bucks in bonus bets. If your $5 bet wins only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play.

[Rick Bucher]

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[Jason McIntyre]

And resort in Kansas.

[Rick Bucher]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Void in Ontario, bet must bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources.

[Rick Bucher]

See DKNG co Audio.

[Jason McIntyre]

Guys, let's have a serious chat and then it's on you to take action. Over 30% of guys have Gynecomastia this is an actual medical condition and because of your genetics, that extra fat in your lower chest only gets worse as you age. Here's the good news. Sono Bello is the expert at removing the fat in one visit. You can't bench press and carb count your way out of this one. You need to talk to the pioneers of this simple procedure and get that sculpted chest in a single visit. Schedule your free consultation. Save even more with their summer savings event and with the CareCredit credit card, you'll enjoy flexible financing and convenient monthly payments so you can look trim for summer and pay over time. Visit sonobello.com Colin that's Sono B-E-L-L-O.com Colin Subject to credit approval. See website for details.

[Rick Bucher]

Great stuff from Rick Bucher. And now more great stuff. Alex Curry with the news. No, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd line news.

[Alex Curry]

All right, we're going to start in the NFL. Jordan Love and the packers finished third in the NFC north last year and had an up and down year in his second year starting going into year three. His head coach Matt Leflore says he doesn't believe that Love took a step back last year.

[Rick Bucher]

Three games is significant amount of time and you're going to be a little bit, you're not going to produce as.

[Jason McIntyre]

Much from a numbers perspective if but.

[Rick Bucher]

From what I've seen, you know. And then also there was, let's be honest, I mean when we talked about this, we did have a lot of drops last year.

[Alex Curry]

The packers had the third most drops in the NFL last year. But According to Matt LaFleur, not on Jordan Love. Now they did draft a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in 23 years. So they addressed, you know what, what they think might be the issue. But again like NFC north is a tough division. Lions obviously losing a lot of their coordinators. That's going to be difficult. Vikings now going with rookie quarterback J.J. mcCarthy is going to be a little different. So packers and Jordan Love like have a chance to be competitive once again in the NFC North. But do you think he played well last year, Jordan Love?

[Rick Bucher]

Not particularly. So here's the thing. He missed two games. He had some injuries. So, so he wasn't as mobile. The key number here is the interception. So Alex, he threw 150 fewer passes and had the same number of interceptions. Not great like and his touchdowns were significantly down. Again he missed time due to injuries. He wasn't as healthy. Started in the open. Remember he Turned his ankle. Yeah, I think it was on the last play of the game against.

[Alex Curry]

So he was injured to start the season. Good chunk of the season. Also, though, I like the. The fact that your head coach is defending and supporting your quarterback like, that's. That's a good sign.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

For Jordan Levin at LaFleur.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah, listen, he didn't drop significantly, but I think people expect young quarterbacks to make a linear progression. Good one year. Hey, we were great in the playoffs. Let's go. Let's make the next step.

[Alex Curry]

And yeah, you're also following Aaron Rodgers, who won a bunch of MVPs. And, you know, the packers have, for some reason have always figured out their quarterbacks, like, one after the next. So there's a lot of pressure on Jordan Love, but I think he's going to be just fine. I don't know if I agree with you there. All right, well, let's move to another team in the division. New Lions cornerback D.J. reed came over from the jets last season after spending three seasons in New York, and Reed says he noticed a difference immediately.

[Rick Bucher]

Is the energy difference immediately notable here? Yeah, for sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, I needed to go through what I went through in New York, and I'm grateful that I went through it now.

[Alex Curry]

That's the difference between a team with championship aspirations, the Lions, versus a rebuilding team when he was on the jets, and a functioning franchise like the Lions against a dysfunctional situation. When he was there with the jets, because he was there the last three seasons like they had, he was great, but now he's on a team that is completely complete team. He has the talent around him. It's a. It's a completely different scenario for him.

[Rick Bucher]

And he. And I don't have exact numbers on this because I don't know if you can find these, but I know Sauce Gardner was their number one with New York, so he was facing a lot of number two receivers. Yeah, he goes to Detroit. He's the number one cornerback now. You're facing the elite superstars every week. And opposite him is Terion Arnold, the young kid out of Bama who really struggled. Graded out as 109th out of 116 corners. So it's like, hey, why would we even target DJ Reed? We're going to be throwing it, Arnold. Yeah, I think this is going to be a little tough one for Reed, the transition. Yeah. And they're not as great of a pass rush in Detroit as we had in New York. Could be an alarming, but the Lions have a lot going on as I I think we're going to another story.

[Alex Curry]

We're that we're saving that for a bit, but. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they have, the Lions have a lot of going, a lot of changes.

[Rick Bucher]

Not a great, not a lot of great stuff either.

[Alex Curry]

Not a lot of good. They're losing a lot of guys. We'll get to that in a bit. It's not our third story this hour, but let's move to New York and talk about your Knicks again, because it was all good in New York just around a go now after the Pacers bounce them in the conference finals. A report came out after saying teammates were growing frustrated with Karl Anthony Towns and his effort on the defensive side of the ball this season. But, I mean, I, I don't think that's a surprise. We all saw it. We heard the broadcast, talking about it. Katt mentioned he needed to be better in his post game interviews. But at this point, you know, how do you work with what you have? Like, he is who he is. He's 29 years old. He's their highest paid player on the team and will be for a bit. So do you just kind of adjust around him? Do you play through him more and make him more of an offensive weapon? So maybe that kind of balances out the defensive defects that he has. You trade him for someone with better defense. Like, there's a lot of questions. You just, you kind of have to work with them. And as you mentioned, you're not gonna break up the whole system. It's just how do you, how do you kind of adjust it? They don't need a full facelift. They need just kind of touch ups.

[Rick Bucher]

This is a really. There's no easy answer. There's a lot of questions, as you said.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah, no easy answer.

[Rick Bucher]

I use the word, the phrase space cadet. I don't know if that's accurate. But he just, his rotations are curious. It's like, dude, if this happens, you've got to do this. And he never does that. And I just. You some of these fouls. I think you said the post game. Was it Barkley who just said called him out?

[Alex Curry]

You can't be doing this, dude, what's.

[Rick Bucher]

With these dumb fouls?

[Alex Curry]

You can't be doing this. He's like, I know, I know. And he just, he looked at like sparkly, was like, I know I shouldn't of that Alex. I know. Didn't stop.

[Rick Bucher]

I don't know. I mean, it did. He's a defensive guy. If he can't get the guy locked.

[Alex Curry]

In, it's just who he is. If it's.

[Rick Bucher]

It's tough. Listen, I like Towns. Got some relatives in New Jersey.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Towns's father just moved around the corner from them. So they're texting me, hey, Carl, Anthony Towns's dad lives near us. I was like, great. Can you tell a cat to lock in on you?

[Alex Curry]

But when he's good, he's great. You know, it's just. Are you going to get that he consistently.

[Rick Bucher]

He's good. He's the one piece that Knicks fans real. And this article that you bring up. Yeah, I was reading it during the commercial.

[Alex Curry]

It's like, yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, I mean, it's like every finger is pointing at him like, bro, like that would be. You're the weak link here. I don't know. I like. I like.

[Alex Curry]

He's also the most expensive guy on the roster.

[Rick Bucher]

Rough Alex Curry with the news.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, that's the news.

[Rick Bucher]

And thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. All right, coming up next, the good news is Micah Parsons was at OTA's last week. The bad news is he's not there this week. Oh, what is Dallas doing? We'll talk about that next.

[Jason McIntyre]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, Steve Covino.

[Jason McIntyre]

And I'm Rich Davis, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 6, 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app.

[Jason McIntyre]

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich?

[Colin Cowherd]

We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world.

[Jason McIntyre]

We have a lot of fun talking.

[Colin Cowherd]

About the stories behind the stories in.

[Jason McIntyre]

The world of sports and pop culture.

[Colin Cowherd]

Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends.

[Jason McIntyre]

For the last 20 years and still.

[Colin Cowherd]

Work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive.

[Jason McIntyre]

Show on planet Earth.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific.

[Jason McIntyre]

And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Jason McIntyre]

Summer is here and you can now get almost every anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now, what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake? That's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. A box fan. Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines? Yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay, how about some clear skies? Nope. Well, how about some french fries? Yeah. So how about a freshly cut lawn? Can't help you there. But a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. So while you can't get fun in the sun delivered, don't worry because you can get pork buns delivered. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details. At the end of the season, there's only one team that can call themselves NBA champs. Only one player that can call themselves the number one pick in the NFL draft. Well, there's only one electric SUV worthy of the title. The ultimate. The all electric BMW ix. What I love about the IX is that it delivers legendary BMW performance. While its sleek design exudes innovative style from the inside out. Not to mention how much space and utility it provides. Over 75 cubic feet of cargo space. The IX is completely changing the game with an all electric suv. The greatest legends of sports never compromise any part of the game. So why would you settle for anything less from your suv? After all, there's only one ultimate. The BMW ix. Everything you love about the ultimate driving machine. Electrified. Guys, let's have a serious chat and then it's on you to take action. Over 30% of guys have gyna. Comastia. This is an actual medical condition. And because of your genetics, that extra fat in your lower chest only gets worse as you age. Here's the good news. Sono Bello is the expert at removing the fat in one visit. You can't bench press and carb count your way out of this one. You need to talk to the pioneers of this simple procedure and get that sculpted chest in a single visit. Schedule your free consultation. Save even more with their summer savings event and with the CareCredit credit card, you'll enjoy flexible financing and convenient monthly payments. So you can look trim for summer and pay over time. Visit sonobello.com Colin that's Sono B E L L O.com Colin Subject to credit approval. See website for details. If you're an inventory specialist in a warehouse, Grainger knows you've probably faced a situation like this before. Your forklift, your facility's workhorse, is leaking hydraulic fluid. And with a full schedule of shipments on the docket, this has the potential to cause a major delay of game. But you're not worried. You're prepared for this type of situation and you have an ace in the hole. Grainger. Grainger offers professional grade products for every industry from hydraulic oils and hoses. So much more. Plus fast, dependable delivery. So you can be confident that you'll have the product you need on hand to fix that forklift and get it back in the game. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Alex Curry]

Horse racing's greatest test returns as sovereignty and journalism face off in the 157th Belmont Stakes. Two of the season's biggest names, one race to settle it off. Coverage begins Saturday at 4pm Eastern Live on Fox.

[Rick Bucher]

All right. I love when we do, like, peaks behind the curtain of what's going on. You know, there's a quarterback who's unsigned, who's old and ornery and played for my jets last year. I don't like talking about him anymore, but the staff hit me with, hey, this is interesting. I like, no, we're not doing that guy on Monday. We're not. I'm not talking about it. And another, like, kind of no fly zone has been the Cowboys. But this next story I found interesting enough, and it's Micah Parsons, okay? He's not at OTAs this week. It's not the end of the world.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right?

[Rick Bucher]

He was there last week, showing up immediately, sees the new coach Schottenheimer, blah, blah, blah. He still doesn't have a contract. Okay. And when I was a kid, I would, you know, I was one of these procrastinators when it came to school work. Oh, that project's due next week. I'll do it later. And my parents would say, so the project, are you gonna do it? And I'll be like, no, no, I gotta do this, that the other, I gotta work on my shot. You know, playing golf. I would just, I would procrastinate and I'd never want to do it. And my parents would always say the exact saying was don't save for tomorrow, which you can get out of the way today. And I would just be like, you old people don't know what you're talking about. I'm gonna do me. And usually it blew up in my face. I didn't get great grade shocker. Don't tell my kids that. But I was. I was a procrastinator. And for some reason that still is unexplained. Jerry Jones continues to procrastinate when it comes to paying his players. He waited to pay Dak and it blew up in his face. And now Dak is the highest paid quarterback in the league. Dak, who Pro Football Focus last week said was, I think 17th or something. Now he's not 17. He's probably closer to 10 or 12. But basically Jerry Jones screwed it up. So then Jerry also procrastinated with CD Lamb. And how'd that work out? He's not a top three receiver in the league, guys. Sorry, he's not. He's paid like one. And now we have Michael Parsons, and Micah Parsons is a podcast guy. So he's stirring up stuff. He's on social media. Did you see what he did over the weekend? So, you know, there's some random video of Michael Parsons running back highlights from his senior year in high school. Maybe he can help the Cowboys running back room, which is kind of putrid, probably bottom five running back group. And of course, Micah Parsons re pops it. And he's like, yeah, he averaged 10 yards a carry. I mean, he looks like Derrick Henry does in the NFL. Michael Parsons look like that in high school. He got like 27 touchdowns. So Michael Parsons is essentially using every avenue he can his podcast social media to cryptically send messages to Jerry Jones in Dallas. Jerry's going to sign him, but he's going to wait and wait. And for the longest time I thought, oh, this is dress strategy by Jerry because he wants to keep Dallas's name out there in the ether. People are always talking about the Cowboys, even though they're not America's team anymore. People are always talking about Dallas, but once again, it's blowing up in his face. We saw Miles Garrett reset the market recently. Well, if Jerry had just signed Micah last season before our last off season, he wouldn't be dealing with this nonsense. Micah's not going to play for anything less than Myles Garrett. So now you're paying more. So you paid more for Dak, more for Lamb, and now you got to pay more for Parsons. And some of these numbers that the salary cap guys are crunching is basically saying those three guys are chewing up like all of the money for Dallas. And I don't know, guys, I'm at the point where I don't know what else you can say to Jerry Jones. He doesn't get it. He doesn't care. Nobody can get in his ear and stop him from doing, you know, dumb things to the Dallas salary cap. They had a good run under McCarthy. That's over. It really feels like Dallas is going nowhere. And I've said for the longest time, like Micah Parsons, he's had 12 or more sacks in each of his first four years. That's great. That's historic territory. It's like what Reggie White was doing, doing, and now you're going to pay him more money than Miles Garrett. So you're essentially going to have one defensive player, a quarterback and a receiver and nothing else. So Jerry Jones, I don't know what to tell you, my guy, but we have now reached our quota of Dallas Cowboy stories for the week and it's Monday. Nice job, Jerry Jones.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is an I Heart podcast.