0:08

Just the Iron Wrap Coors Stereo podcast coming

0:10

live and direct from the Room

0:12

Tomb. You

0:15

never listen to the Iron Wrap Coors Stereo podcast of

0:17

Room Tomb is my car um.

0:21

So one of the one of

0:23

my favorite things about about doing this

0:25

podcast is somehow

0:29

or another, people

0:31

that I have loved. I don't

0:33

want to say idolized, because I don't think I've ever actually

0:36

had one of my true true idols, but

0:38

people that I've admired, looked up to followed

0:43

wind up on the podcast. I've put

0:45

it out there. I've mentioned some names that we have

0:47

plenty more people that we need to get

0:50

um. But today I'm

0:52

getting ready to interview one of my basketball one

0:55

of my favorite basketball players ever, certainly

0:57

somebody who's overlooked, uh

1:00

um, Rod Strickland, the great,

1:04

unique, one of a kind of influential

1:06

Rod Strickland, who

1:09

was a New York City legend. The

1:11

first time I started hearing about him when I was

1:13

about thirteen or fourteen years old. This

1:16

is like four and then

1:18

I'm pretty sure, uh it was

1:20

eighty five, eighty five,

1:22

the the spring of eighty five. The first time I saw

1:24

him play was in a game that

1:27

used to be like the quintessential New

1:30

York City All Star game. It's called the Wheelchair

1:32

Classic. Now it still goes on, but

1:34

if you know, there's so many different games in high

1:36

school basketball's on ESPN

1:39

and it's covered nationally and on

1:42

television, and you know it's different.

1:44

But this Wheelchair Classic basketball game

1:46

in New York was sort of the the

1:48

the best basketball players from

1:50

the Five Boroughs and probably I don't know the details,

1:53

but probably the Five Boroughs and maybe Long

1:55

Island. And it was definitely New

1:57

York City based. Um

2:00

game. It was an All Star games, the Wheelchair Classics.

2:02

So to make it in that game, to get invited to that game

2:05

and then playing the game was a big fucking deal. I can

2:07

imagine for for all the high school

2:09

basketball, there's anybody who's anybody who came

2:11

out of New York City played in that game. So

2:13

I got to see Rod Strickland in

2:15

that game. I believe it was at Columbia University,

2:18

and um, you know, he was probably eighteen.

2:21

I must have been about fourteen or fifteen,

2:24

and you know, all those players, it

2:26

was like it was like a bunch of New York City players.

2:28

They felt like grown men. Because when

2:30

you're fourteen, like eighteen year old looked like

2:33

grown men. They they just physically seen

2:36

so much older than you. Now, four year

2:38

difference as you get older and broken

2:40

down. Uh,

2:42

it doesn't mean as much. But anyway, So I

2:44

saw him playing that game, and I remember distinctly

2:47

he was at the free throw line and and there were

2:49

girls on the side and there, and I remember

2:52

this clearly, and I don't have a great memory, but

2:54

these girls said, we love you Rod, And before

2:56

he shot a free throw, he blew them a kiss. Shot

2:58

the free throw, and of course made

3:01

the free throw, because you can't blow some chicks

3:03

a kiss, and then missed the free throw. And

3:05

then Rod went on to have a great career Depol

3:08

in Chicago, got drafted

3:10

by the Knicks, and Knicks already had a point guard,

3:12

Mark Jackson. He played, there was controversy

3:16

between who should start, should they play together? YadA,

3:18

YadA, YadA, got traded, went on to have a very

3:20

very very very good um

3:23

NBA career, um got jerked

3:26

out of a couple of All Star games. But the thing

3:28

about his his game, it

3:30

was just like he was like a player's player,

3:33

just so unique, the angles, the

3:35

levels of difficulty at which he would make

3:37

shots. His style, the effortlessness.

3:40

He's one of them dudes who who I know. He

3:42

played hard, but he just never looked like he was sweating

3:44

or trying hard. It just came easy. And

3:47

uh, he's you know, been name

3:50

dropped and you know a handful

3:52

of hip hop songs. Ray Kwan

3:54

said his name make him jump like Rod Strickland.

3:57

He's so New York, so quintessentially New

3:59

York from a time and place that doesn't exist in New York

4:02

City basketball anymore. So, Um,

4:05

I'm gonna call him up. Um. He

4:07

coached John Calipari at

4:09

Memphis and at Kentucky and now he's

4:11

coaching at UM head Coaching,

4:13

So we're gonna talk to him about all that. And I'm just such

4:16

a fan and and and and

4:18

I've loved him as a player for so many years.

4:20

And I remember seeing him around here. He's so low key,

4:22

So i'mna interested interested to see

4:24

how he deals with me and my my excitement

4:28

and and and bugging out and fanning out and

4:30

all that flash it. So coming

4:32

up next on the I M Rapports Stereo podcast,

4:35

We're getting a phone call from the great

4:38

influential Uh never

4:40

been duplicated but often

4:43

times imitated. Rod Strickland

4:46

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5:49

Rod Strickland, It's Michael Rappaport.

5:53

Ha ha, how you doing man, man,

5:56

I'm good, I'm good, Man, I'm good.

5:58

I'm good man. I I yo. I.

6:00

I used to run into you in the city

6:03

and I was always excited to see you. So I I can't

6:05

even tell you how much I appreciate you. You're

6:07

coming on the podcast. Man, I've been such

6:10

a shame here, man, shame. They always

6:12

had much love and respect for you. Man. I

6:14

appreciate that. Route. I appreciate that.

6:17

Man. How are you doing? Man? What's going on? Man?

6:20

I'm out here in South Florida coaching

6:22

at the University of South Florida. How

6:25

you enjoying your head coaching now? No?

6:27

No, no, I'm assistant coach. I'm trying

6:29

to become a head coach. I'm

6:33

hoping that happened sooner than later. But you

6:35

know, I've been doing this for pride ten

6:37

years now. I was in Memphis and Kentucky with caw

6:40

yep uh and then I came

6:42

over here with one of the assistance kind

6:44

of want of the you know, a change of scenery,

6:47

right. So you know we're in the program

6:49

now, trying to turn it around. Struggle

6:51

the last two years. Uh, you

6:54

know, hopefully this ship be be be somewhat.

6:56

Uh Yo, how did you wind

6:59

up? You know, for of all I was always when

7:01

I first found out that you were coaching, because you're

7:03

such a low key dude. I mean you were like

7:06

like your personality off

7:08

the court and then like your style

7:10

of play on the court. To me, we're two contradictions

7:12

because whenever I've met you and seeing you speaking

7:15

like soft spoken, low key,

7:17

but then when you when I see you play,

7:19

you had so much style and flair and

7:21

you know, that New York ship. And then

7:23

when I found out you were coking coach, and I was

7:25

like, Rod is so low key, Not that you couldn't

7:28

coach, but I was just like, this is a like a low key

7:30

dude. How did you wind up connecting with Cal and

7:32

what made you want to start coaching in

7:34

the first place. Well, first

7:36

of all, it says I've been, you know, in the league. I've

7:38

always been a basketball guy.

7:40

I don't think people really understand that, Like

7:43

I'm I'm a bastball guy. You know the

7:45

history of the players, you know,

7:47

I'm I've always been about

7:49

basketball, always kind of studied it and

7:52

uh, you know from from from

7:54

young. But I know at some point in time

7:56

basketball was over and I know I'm a

7:58

basketball guy, so I wanted to in basketball.

8:01

It didn't happen. It didn't have to the coach.

8:03

It could have been uh, you know, in

8:05

the front office or scouting or whatever.

8:07

But I knew I wanted to be involved in basketball.

8:11

I got I got an opportunity from Cal.

8:13

You know, I knew County the league. He actually

8:15

tried to trade for me when he was in the nets

8:18

and I actually, uh yeah,

8:20

when he was at U Mask he had a player on his

8:22

team. He had a point guard that

8:25

you know, it was going through some things and Cal

8:27

was trying to calm them down and everything, and he wanted

8:29

me to have a conversation with him. So I had

8:31

a conversation with him, kind of following up with

8:33

that, and so we kind of knew

8:35

each other through that. And then once id

8:38

you know, once I retired, I was

8:40

looking for for the next phase in my life.

8:42

And uh actually one of the Cow's

8:45

players at the time. As old

8:47

players at Memphis, I used to go up to Memphis

8:50

and watch game, So I kind of the

8:52

war Wagner and his friend Off

8:54

the buck Let followed the war Wagner

8:56

through high school. You know, we all know the water

8:58

Wagner was a great high schoo player. Uh,

9:01

played with the Cleveland Cavaliers, got hurt

9:03

and was out of basketball. But I

9:05

kind of got attached to offer because he was

9:08

an underdog, so we kind

9:10

of formed the relationship. Uh. And

9:12

then after he left Memphis, he actually stayed

9:14

at my house because he had an internship

9:16

in d C. So he stayed at my house

9:18

and you know, uh with the family and

9:21

everything. And so we pretated a report

9:23

and Cal was checking up on him and knew

9:25

he was with me. And then he had a Milt

9:27

Wagner left from Memphis to go to uh

9:31

you Chap, and so I got the call and

9:33

and and carved into the opportunity to go down

9:36

there and work for Memphous

9:38

And you know, that's that's the end of the story. And

9:41

as far as personality wise, you're

9:43

right, you know, I'm I've always been kind

9:45

of low key guy. The only people who really

9:47

really got to note the other side of me is probably

9:50

close friends. Uh. And

9:53

actually, and you know, I've been coaching

9:55

football with ten years now, and

9:58

that was kind of transformations because

10:00

you're exactly right, you know, I was kind

10:02

of I've always been it to myself, kind

10:04

of low key, kind of quiet. So I had

10:07

to learn to kind of open up and kind

10:09

of give myself more to these kids and

10:12

come outside of myself. And uh

10:14

and and so it has been a process. And

10:17

you know, I'm probably like a lot more outgoing

10:19

than I've been at this point in

10:21

my life. But it's been a great

10:24

experience. Uh, it's been a great transition,

10:27

and I feel good about it. Well, I'm

10:29

glad you're doing it, and and and I'm glad you're

10:31

happy doing it. And I mean, you know, one

10:33

of the things you said was underdog. And I gotta

10:36

tell you, I had the pleasure of uh

10:39

directing this tripical quest documentary

10:42

and five Dog, the late great five

10:44

Dog. I I he would

10:46

always talk about you. He mentioned

10:48

you, I think specifically in the movie, because I

10:51

mean when whenever I would talk to him somehow

10:53

or another week, we would get on sports. But he always

10:56

when I asked him. I asked him one time what

10:58

athletes would he would he say, you know, his

11:01

his rap person is, and he said

11:03

Rod Strickland for sure, because he said he

11:06

was he sort of like the underdog. Not

11:08

that you weren't known, but like when you people

11:10

talk about the greats, sometimes

11:12

you've forgotten. And then when your name comes

11:14

up, it rings bells. So you should

11:17

just know that. I mean, you have fans, I mean

11:19

you you you mean so much to so many fans.

11:21

And and and I don't know what it is. I think it might be

11:23

because of your your low key personality,

11:26

that that that maybe sometimes you get forgotten about.

11:28

But I mean, I I told this to

11:31

you once. I don't know if you remember, but I saw you play

11:33

in the Wheelchair Classic. I had heard about you. Of

11:35

course, this is in the eighties when there's no there's

11:37

no Internet, there's no uh you

11:40

know, it's just it's just word of mouth. And I heard

11:42

about this dude Strickland, Rod Strickland,

11:44

and I saw you play in the Wheelchair Classic. And I

11:46

don't know if you remember this moment, but you were at the free

11:48

throw line and these girls said we love

11:50

you, Rod, and you blew him a kiss and then

11:53

made the free throw, and I was like this, I love this

11:55

guy. So I

11:57

just thought that was one of it. It was like, I

12:00

don't remember that, but it could have happened. Yeah, I'm

12:02

sure, I'm sure it happened a few times. You know, I

12:04

didn't know this. I heard Mark Jackson

12:07

mentioned this and I was a little bit behind

12:09

on this because he's been in the league and it bugged

12:11

me out, but it made perfect sense. Kyrie

12:14

Irving is your is your godson?

12:17

Talk about Kyrie and that relationship

12:19

and how you know his father and who his father is

12:21

and just seeing this kid emerge

12:24

to to to be uh, you know, something so special.

12:27

And when when when I heard him say that you were his godfather,

12:29

I was like, this ship makes perfect

12:31

sense because when you look at some of the style

12:33

and the angles that Kyrie goes at, he

12:36

has Rod Strickland in his game.

12:38

So so how did that wind up happen? Who is his father?

12:41

Well? The funny thing about it, and I keep telling

12:44

people this because you know, they do relate

12:46

to kind of you know, getting to the basket and the layups

12:48

and all that. They can't relate to jump because

12:51

it jumped on and I wasn't issuely close to

12:53

that. But his father

12:55

Actually we grew up, but since

12:57

second grade we've been those

13:00

friends. Uh. He grew up playing

13:02

with the Cout Shows, a

13:04

youth program back in the day from Mitchell

13:07

Houses where we grew up at. And

13:09

uh, you know a lot of a lot of styles

13:11

that Kanye has that you can see

13:14

the resemblance of of how I played.

13:16

But that's his father as well. And that's what people

13:18

don't know. Father had those layups.

13:21

You know, Tarther was more of a score than I was,

13:24

but his father had end of the game. So if you watch

13:26

his mannerism and everything, and you know his father,

13:29

you can see some of that in him. What's his father's

13:32

name, because Detrick,

13:34

well, his greeneric Irving, but we called

13:37

him Dedrick and

13:39

he he could play growing up. He was official, Yeah,

13:42

yeah, he could play. He actually he went to Boston

13:45

University. The thing about Desrick that was

13:47

different from all of us. You know, we all were

13:49

basketball guys. You know, we slept

13:51

eight basketball. But he was a book guy.

13:54

Book He was about school and

13:56

he was about his books. So he actually

13:59

wanted to go in the Boston University. And

14:01

it's so funny because you gonna tell you this story. I

14:03

was going to the Paul University and I went to the

14:05

park because I wanted to bel TV so

14:08

TV all the time, and I just wanted

14:10

to be seen. And so he was going

14:12

he was talking about Boston University, but it also

14:14

had offer from Connecticut, which was

14:16

in the Big East. Now at that time, Connecticut

14:18

was just coming in. You know, they wasn't really known

14:21

like that. I think, uh, you

14:23

know, they they they they were kind of at the bottom

14:25

of the Big East. But I wanted them to go to the Big

14:27

East because I knew it was recognition and up on

14:29

TV, you know. And I tried

14:32

to coax him to go to Connecticut, but

14:34

he wanted to boy to Boston University. You

14:36

know, made a great decision. Uh, you

14:39

know, he had a great career there. I think he was

14:42

leading spoil for for a long time.

14:44

I think somebody's bokay maybe you know, five

14:46

or ten years ago or something like that. I don't know, but

14:48

someone broke his record. But he's up there as

14:51

one of the top scores in Boston University.

14:53

And if it was this time these day,

14:56

and agent probably would have been a

14:58

pro because back then it do the and

15:00

goes to one of the bigger schools.

15:02

You know, you just weren't gonna be seen, you know what

15:05

was in all this Internet and people just you know

15:07

what I mean. So he he was at that level.

15:09

So so that's so it's it's in the genetics because

15:11

because I mean this this kid, I

15:13

mean his his ability

15:16

and I mean he's so such an exciting

15:18

player and his ability and the flashiness and

15:20

and I've I've ran into him a couple of times.

15:23

I mean, talk about a low key personality.

15:25

This dude doesn't even see Like when you walk past

15:27

you could literally walk past him. You wouldn't think this

15:30

guy's a ballplayer. The way he talks,

15:32

the way he walks off the court, it's

15:34

almost like some bookworm guy. Yeah.

15:37

And he's very smart, very cheligence,

15:39

uh you know, communication major,

15:42

Uh, you know, real bright kids. Man. Su

15:45

at the end of this day, after this basketball

15:47

career, he's gonna have a right. I think he's gonna

15:49

do something special, as I need a

15:51

special type kid. When when did you start

15:54

to see that he was he was like extremely

15:56

talented, Like when did you notice that he was separate

15:58

from the pack. Well, I said

16:01

this one thing, Desitt told me one time when

16:03

we were in the him and he was a little kid and he was

16:05

chiding the ball, and I was like, wow, one

16:07

day he gonna makes you some money. But

16:11

I didn't I know, I was playing basketball,

16:13

so I didn't see Krer whole night. Brother. So

16:17

the first time that I recalled.

16:20

Someone bringing his attention to me was

16:22

my brother. He was in ninth grade and my brother

16:24

said, man, Kyrie is a pro, you

16:27

know, and my brother is a harsh critic. So

16:30

he said that, I'm like wow. Uh.

16:32

And and actually he came up to Memphis

16:35

visit Menphis, you know, and all that. But

16:38

when I really saw him and he really said wow,

16:40

I saw that bar and James kent recruiting,

16:44

and I sat down I watched him and I was like wow.

16:47

And I watched him playing. Uh, he was

16:49

on the team, but he was still kind of like

16:51

you could see ye had his spurts

16:54

and didn't give the ball up and he had his spurts.

16:56

And I remember me and that spoke him Afterwoods

16:58

and it was kind of like, no, you take

17:01

control. We ain't got to share. You know,

17:04

you're the PG. So those guys

17:06

who want to get the ball, you tell him I got you, and

17:08

you kind of make them, you satisfy them,

17:10

but you control it, you know what I mean. But

17:13

that's what I knew we were specially and then I saw

17:15

him. I saw at Duke

17:18

and you know, people used to come and compare and say,

17:20

man, and he played like you, and

17:22

you know, I had my shoulders up feeling good about

17:25

it. But once I really got to see,

17:27

especially once he got to the league, I'm like, I

17:30

was embarrassed with people to say that because

17:32

he's he's extra extra

17:34

specially like I can't like it's the small

17:36

it's not even close, you know, the things

17:39

they can do with that basketball, Like,

17:41

I mean, it's another level. And then he

17:43

has the shot to go with it. You

17:46

know that that makes him a big time

17:48

problem. Yeah, he's a major, major

17:50

problem. All right, Yo, I want to ask

17:52

you about you You brought up the Gauchos.

17:55

Talk about the culture of basketball in New

17:57

York City, particularly the Gauchos river

18:00

side culture of Riverside Church

18:02

and the Gauchos are probably the two of the biggest

18:04

programs. There were some other programs in Madison Square

18:06

Boys Club had had some ballplayers and

18:09

Paco Scurry and and and them dudes, but

18:11

the most famous and prominent.

18:13

And I think, you know, every year, every

18:15

team of every age the Gauchos and Riverside

18:18

And this is before a A you really got

18:21

crazy. And you know, now every Tom

18:23

Dick and Harry has a team. And you know, I

18:25

think there's there's pros and content I have. I

18:27

have my personal opinions about that, But talk to me about,

18:30

like who was on your team with the Gauchos,

18:32

who were the Like the New York City basketball

18:34

at the time was so fucking competitive,

18:37

and and there's guys whose names we know, and

18:39

I'm sure there's a list of guys whose name who

18:41

never made it that that you played

18:44

against that were like that you admired and that

18:46

you respected. That we're on your same cruise, So just just

18:48

talk to me about like what it was like growing

18:50

up in New York City playing in that culture. Well,

18:53

I mean, you know, you know back

18:56

then my youth from the NFC, like

19:00

you was in the Mob or something like. I

19:02

mean, it was just so much respect, you

19:04

know, on on all you know,

19:06

and every city, but you

19:08

know, New York, New York was competitive. And I

19:10

tell people all the time I was able

19:13

to sustain and play in that league because

19:15

of my background, Like I played in New

19:17

York and I tell people all the time,

19:19

like when I played, I couldn't

19:21

lose, and not just a game, but I couldn't use

19:24

the battle, you know what I mean. So so

19:26

every time I stepped on the court, I had the

19:29

battle or compete, you know, Otherwise it was

19:31

going a town at this guy you know,

19:33

outplayed me or whatever whatever. So that's

19:35

that. That kept my competitive Vange Beach

19:38

times to me. As far as the council

19:40

on the other side, back then, those were the two kids.

19:42

You know, like you said, you had other teams. We had the Sun

19:44

Devils as well, who I played for

19:47

a little bit. Uh, but uh,

19:50

it was a councils on the other side. You know, any

19:52

tournament was going through for the most part,

19:55

you know, spokel and another team or two,

19:57

but those will be the two teams going up against

19:59

each other. And back then I got to give credit

20:01

to the Sun Governs as well. They were in

20:03

there too. But you know, I

20:06

first started playing the Mitchell Houses with the Mitchey

20:09

Bullets. Man named Dave mccollins

20:11

one day came over to the gym, uh

20:13

propping into the gym one day and put together

20:16

a team of a

20:18

bunch of guys from from that housing

20:20

project, and uh, you know

20:22

we formed the Mitchell Bullets and from

20:25

then on from there, I'll say

20:27

a year or two later, you know, he was

20:29

telling us that we were going to go play for this team

20:32

called the Galchow uh and

20:35

so we were the first small

20:37

team in Galchow has had an older team. You know, they

20:39

had I don't even know if you can remember

20:42

all these names, but Mikey Edwards who

20:44

was in Pattison, he was a legend

20:47

pr Grand Lives, you know that, Bannon

20:50

Burnett. But they had a lot of guys that we

20:52

looked up to. Sohen we we formed

20:54

the Gaullehows. We played in tending under the

20:57

tournaments. Uh, you know, we we

21:00

got our blets kicked for a while and we played

21:02

for coaching just to get a little different.

21:04

And uh we played for a coaching from

21:07

day one and toward us left hand, right

21:09

hand layoups, how to play basketball,

21:11

pivot work. You know, we we

21:14

we learned the game from the beginning. You

21:16

know. So if you if you was on the

21:18

court and you went to helen

21:20

with your left hand and use why don't they you missed

21:23

it? That was encouraged, you know

21:25

what I mean. It wasn't like what do you do

21:27

and make the layoup? No, that was encouraged because

21:29

that was the right play. Uh.

21:32

So you know, we were we come from a little

21:34

different climes. But uh, you

21:36

know, the god chose were the first team for

21:40

the new opportunity to go out of the

21:42

city for our first tripans in San Diego

21:45

U to play basketball, which I never had that

21:47

opportunity. You never saw outside

21:49

of New York before then. Uh,

21:51

and then it just grew. You know, I wanted

21:54

up playing with Paula Washington and Oi Daniels.

21:57

Brew Harvey from Queens and was my guy.

22:00

But you know it's a flortiaday opportunity

22:02

to showcase myself, uh

22:04

and and prove what I was. You

22:07

know, the college to the Riverside. Riverside drove

22:09

the Colchos. The Colchos drove Riverside,

22:12

and you know, both of us wanted to beat you

22:14

know, each other's but and we bathed

22:16

all the time. But it wasn't just about

22:18

them. And there were other teams who challenged us, have

22:21

us you know, like I said, that was in New

22:23

York. You know, so you were on

22:25

so you were on the same team at some point with with

22:27

Lloyd and Pearl, you guys and

22:30

Boo Harvey, you guys played on the same

22:32

team at some point. Well,

22:34

I played with Boo Harvey and Lord Daniees

22:38

uh in Lars Vegas back

22:40

the year, but we won it all man. We

22:42

had profited, We had property, twelve

22:44

dudes on the team that was like really

22:47

really good and we wind up taking the whole thing in

22:49

La Vega, so I did. Lloyd was

22:51

a young guy, but Lloyd was a bad

22:53

guy. And it was almost funny because

22:56

Lloyd was so good that, you

22:58

know, for us because you know what it is, you know,

23:00

it's our right trying to shot.

23:03

But Lord was shining and we kind

23:05

of had them like hold up water

23:08

moment? Was he was he really everything? Was

23:10

he really everything that you like? Because like the

23:13

folklore around Lloyd Daniels, he

23:15

was everything that he was cracked up? To me, he was

23:18

the real deal. I mean, did you think

23:20

about it? Just look at it like this, Lord

23:23

Daniels wound up playing in the pros

23:26

after always look at

23:28

the background, that's always go and

23:30

he played goods for the moment. This

23:33

was wounded nod right, you

23:35

understanding this is a would Lord if

23:39

you would have got the real the fresherated

23:42

you know, couldn't mind Lord Danniel with his

23:45

skill levels us

23:47

and who who was the most like for

23:50

you going up against riverside or just around

23:52

the city, like who who were there? Like the people that

23:54

like you were Like I really need to dig in deep,

23:56

like who were some of the other players like that were your rivals

23:59

before you were in deepole or even like when

24:01

you were in college, because I know you want you you continue

24:03

playing in the in the parks and life. Who were

24:05

your rivals at point guard position growing up

24:08

and and you know, and before you made it to the pros.

24:11

It's hard to point out because it was so I mean,

24:14

I feel like in New York City, every time you

24:16

step on it throw it was a problem, right.

24:18

You know I can remember names like Chamer's

24:20

broad Nick when you probably wouldn't know from my younger

24:23

days to show Cohen's

24:25

and Spice you know from Brooklyn.

24:28

Uh, you know bul Harvey

24:30

who I played against in high school, but I played

24:33

most of my a youth with. Uh,

24:36

I'm probably John Johnson who

24:39

who polled Uh that's

24:41

still private school. But

24:44

that time I can't don't even want I mean, Rob,

24:46

we don't fact check at the Iron Rapp Reports stereo

24:49

podcast. So that's that's if you if

24:51

you don't know what is it, it's all good. But

24:55

I mean, there was so many guys man, uh,

24:58

you know, even growing up, coming up, getting

25:00

older. I can't even remember

25:03

the names right now, but I mean, you

25:05

know, to me, it's like every time you step to the part

25:08

Welcome to play a new podcast

25:10

network featuring radio and TV personalities

25:13

talking business, sports, tech, entertainment,

25:15

and more. Play it at play dot

25:17

it. When

25:25

you look back at your NBA career and

25:28

all the all the teams and all the players, what

25:30

was your favorite team

25:32

to play on? Like? What was your favorite teams as

25:35

a pro that you like when you look back, like, I

25:37

really you really enjoyed it and the guys and

25:39

the and in just the city, Like, what was your favorite

25:41

experience? Bro? It's

25:43

hard to because I've played, you know, and a lot of

25:45

teams. But I enjoyed Portland because

25:48

we had a really good team with Clive Parsy

25:50

and you know those guys. I enjoyed

25:53

sheet Rab and Gerbard. In Washington

25:55

when we had a pretty good run, I

25:58

enjoyed and and I had struggle

26:00

with pat Riley, you know, I went

26:02

there later on in my career and uh,

26:05

he didn't have a great year for I enjoyed

26:07

it playing for Pat Rowley again and his treasure

26:10

and saying how he read about his business.

26:13

And I always said, I always wish I would have played

26:15

with Pat Rowley. I wish I had to call him

26:17

early in my career. I have shut I

26:19

had such the utmost respect for him

26:22

that you know, he traveled, you know, he would

26:24

have got my full attention, so

26:26

so you you could when you were playing with him, you could

26:29

you could appreciate and like like it's

26:31

not just it's not a coincidence that he's so

26:33

successful as a coach and now as as as

26:35

a GM, it's it's it's real, huh. It's

26:38

a real as real and and and you

26:40

know I always tell people he's a soldier and

26:43

he's cut and drive about what he's about, and

26:45

he's about winning and didn't do anything

26:47

else to put an organization on that team

26:50

to win. But now if you don't win, you

26:52

know, it's almost like, okay, you warned you the best

26:55

ross you know, did it? Like move over,

26:58

Like like he's real, cut

27:00

and drop about it. And I've always expected that because

27:02

you know, it's when when we when I first went to Miami,

27:05

I got pay late. They picked me up late after

27:07

the he shot and all that, But we

27:09

were throwing it up like we started out

27:12

old twelve and and he worked

27:14

us hard, and he put the push on us, and he

27:16

would not let anybody in that locker

27:18

room quit and rods us making

27:21

a real push and almost made the trail.

27:23

But you know we started short again. But I

27:25

never fig his intensity. You

27:27

know, who are the women losing? Uh?

27:30

You know? And I remember the moments where one how

27:32

he was and then I remember when he lost

27:35

how he was people.

27:37

But that's where it is, and I respect that. That's

27:40

dope. And and and when you were in the

27:42

league, I know you played for so many leaves, just so

27:44

many uh seasons. Who

27:46

who were like the two or three people that

27:49

you going against

27:51

defending that you were like, okay,

27:54

I gotta, I gotta, I gotta get some extra rest.

27:56

Like who was who were some of the people that you had the most

27:58

respect for, like fellow point guards guarding

28:00

that you had to go against. Well,

28:02

I can just talk about teams. And I always

28:04

was like, Cary, I want to get embarrassed as they can

28:07

call. And that was Nick Man next, and

28:09

uh oh you

28:12

know, so I always was like, you know,

28:14

I have just think because I wasn't as def

28:16

as it left. So I always felt like I had could

28:18

go at them before they with at me. But

28:21

I always thought about, you know,

28:23

because there's Payton Coten,

28:26

you know, so anytime you're going against those two,

28:29

you know, let me not to get Tim hardaway

28:31

and put in that embarrassing He

28:34

was a problem too. Yeah, he was a problem. So

28:36

you guys to always be aware

28:38

of that. And you know, there's a lot of gods,

28:40

but those Kevin Joyce, he was one of those

28:42

times. We just came straight at you all the time.

28:45

Enohing's fancy, but always a cluster.

28:48

Yeah, man, you're going at you were dealing

28:50

with like like that's a that's

28:52

a hell of all. That's just the names right there, and I'm

28:54

sure there's ten more you can name. And and

28:57

my my final question, uh when

29:00

when the Knicks when when you were there with Mark

29:03

Jackson, do you wish they had something I figured

29:05

it out? Or was it too much? Did

29:07

it have to did it have to go down the way and win? Because

29:09

you guys were both such great point

29:11

guards, you were both young, you were both

29:14

coming into you and you were both New York City

29:16

guys beloved by New York City, Like,

29:18

did do you wish that they had, you know, had kept

29:20

you both there or or did it have to work out that

29:22

way? No? No, I wish they could

29:24

have figured it out. And and really we wroted

29:27

them to like if you can't remember the little

29:29

terms or any time they put me and then on the course

29:31

together to try to really like make

29:33

something happening, you know who trying

29:36

to show that it could happen. But you

29:38

know rich you know wouldn't do that uh

29:40

much. And so w was just hard of

29:43

both young you know, we both you know,

29:45

we EGO were trying to figure out

29:47

who's who in this league and our good we are,

29:50

so it's hard to have us you know, whether he

29:52

had too a part and and and

29:55

having to compete because all we're thinking about is a

29:57

long term I'm like, what, I'm gonna stay here

29:59

and play behind it eachever. And He's like,

30:01

well, I gotta stay here and be challenged by this dude

30:03

forever. You know. So it was really trying

30:05

to hold on both of them. You know, I was on

30:07

the coach to him and uh

30:10

and and you know, but Mark, one thing I always

30:12

tell people, like I have the utmost respect

30:15

amongst actors. Uh, you know, back

30:17

then were battle but we still have respect

30:19

each other. And when we left it separated,

30:22

I think it probably even made it more respect.

30:24

But Mark was a leader. The defension

30:27

between me and Mark at the time because Marker

30:29

is more as a leader. You what I name

30:31

how I was the guy. I was a hooper.

30:34

I just wanted to hoop. I didn't you know on

30:36

the court, you know how can run a team and you

30:38

know, I'm want the hoop. All the other things

30:40

I was starting won't say. You know, I have a great about

30:43

the passport thing in my career. You

30:45

know, like I grew up as just a hooper

30:47

like all this same and you

30:50

know this commercial and that thing. I never wanted

30:53

parts to any of that more than me. So

30:55

it kind of was always a struggle because

30:58

I just wanted to hoop. Now, I I

31:00

wanted people to know after hoop. I loved the attention

31:02

to being a chief and all that, but I didn't

31:04

like all other stuff. You know that they're

31:07

just the attention in general from

31:09

Hawth was more of a leader, and I

31:11

think that that's why the city came. So

31:14

I'm a chief Mark over a well

31:16

that makes sense who you think is gonna come

31:18

out on the top of this NBA Finals. I

31:20

think it's gonna be a war. What's your prediction?

31:23

What what do you think it's gonna be. I

31:25

think, you know, probably Laps

31:28

didn't get his stuff and Thompson

31:30

is gonna get there is I think the other guards

31:32

got a shot. You know jer

31:35

R Smith, you know he has to come throttle. You

31:37

know, he's he's kind of struggled at

31:39

times, latent playoff cherry,

31:42

So he has to make shots, you know, Channing

31:44

Fry to make shots, having loves

31:46

us to make shots. And then they got

31:48

a guard. They gotta guard that what Oklahoma

31:51

City? Then, yeah, that gave them the advantage

31:53

for a minute. Take guarded at three point eight.

31:56

They didn't know even the three they made, they

31:58

made it tough and go this state.

32:00

Really, if you watch it, they don't really want

32:02

to go. Take th right

32:04

like they even struggled with him at times. You're

32:07

gonna have to gard that three make then,

32:11

But I think that's what they're gonna have to do. Be

32:14

on, You're gonna have to carry them. But then

32:17

Love and Jerald Smith and Shannon Friday,

32:19

they're gonna have to make shots all right, Rod, Listen,

32:21

Man, I can't tell you how much I appreciate

32:23

you taking the time. I wish you so much

32:26

luck down in Florida. If

32:29

you ever need somebody to come down there and get in their

32:31

asses and give a pep talk you,

32:33

let me know, because I'll talk ship to

32:35

them. I'll let them know who's who's who's their

32:37

assistant coach. You're one of the most beloved

32:39

players in NBA history, truly

32:42

and definitely out of New York. You know you You're

32:45

You're just we we we always, we always have

32:47

loved you, we always will continue to love you. If you need me to

32:49

come down there smack some of those kids around, just

32:52

let me know. And and hopefully I might

32:54

call you up for that. Let me know, let

32:56

me know they put their fucking phones down, put

32:59

your Twitter out, and pay attention. But

33:01

we're gonna be doing wind sprints all

33:03

afternoon, okay, And I'll take him

33:05

out there. So I I

33:08

appreciate Rod, and and I'll talk to

33:10

you soon, man. And and great luck on it,

33:13

the great luck on everything you're doing it. And

33:15

uh, you know, I'm just happy that that you're happy,

33:17

and I'm happy that You're still part of basketball, and I

33:19

can't wait till you're a head coach anywhere. Man

33:23

appreciated. Man, all right, Rod, I'll talk to you soon.

33:25

My many appreciate all

33:29

right. This is the Iron Wrap Ports Stereo podcast. I

33:31

fucking love doing this ship so much. Um,

33:35

I love doing this ship so much. I love doing this

33:37

show. I love doing the Iron

33:39

Wrap Coors Stereo podcast. That was Rod Strickland,

33:42

uh and and and that was just a real

33:44

pleasure.