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1:00

Bottom of the hour, Joe Varden, who

1:02

covers the NBA for The Athletic,

1:05

does a torment tremendous job. He

1:07

will join us, but until

1:10

then, we're of course gonna stick

1:12

with the NBA. But we're gonna not

1:14

talk about a game, not a game,

1:17

not a game, not a game. We're

1:21

gonna talk about Unfortunately, Rob

1:24

John Tay Porter who

1:27

bet remember a couple

1:30

weeks ago he got suspended, YEP for

1:32

betting on games NBA

1:34

games, not ones he was in, although

1:37

he did prop bets.

1:39

Well that was the ones that got

1:41

everybody suspicious, Chris, because we

1:43

know this. You don't

1:45

think that these casinos in these book he houses,

1:48

Chris don't follow

1:50

the money to see what kind of bets are being

1:52

made.

1:53

They know how much money on a.

1:54

Nightly basis or bet on prop

1:57

bets, and they got an unusual

1:59

amount of money for

2:02

John tay right.

2:05

Yeah, I mean he's a six eleven

2:07

center.

2:07

Or he was wasn't

2:09

drafted. He's

2:12

twenty four years old, six eleven,

2:14

twenty four years old to a brother of

2:16

Michael Porter Junior, which

2:19

probably may have helped him get in the league.

2:21

Maybe, but he did play at Missouri.

2:24

But yeah, two way contracts, so he you know,

2:27

shuttled in between the NBA and the G League

2:30

and wasn't making that much money for him,

2:32

He's making four G eleven thousand stuff

2:34

like that. But Rob, this

2:36

young man has

2:39

a ruined is an understatement.

2:42

He's ended his career. Adam

2:45

Silver has banned him for life

2:48

for his gambling.

2:49

What are your.

2:50

Thoughts, combination?

2:54

You know, we've talked about it before, and

2:58

you know it's talking out of both odds

3:00

of your mouth. You're in bed

3:02

with the gamblers, Chris. I went to a CALVS game

3:04

and they have I don't remember what

3:07

casino or whatever sports book right

3:09

there in the arena.

3:10

Have you been there

3:12

where in Cleveland?

3:15

No?

3:15

Okay, but I mean I've been there, but not since

3:17

the gambling became right.

3:19

No, they have a oh it's all of

3:21

a sports book inside. I

3:24

don't know anybody does. Does they have that Madison

3:26

Square Garden? They must.

3:28

I mean there's no doubt.

3:30

I mean the league is and we who were who's

3:32

it was?

3:32

It?

3:32

Carry Kittle somebody we were talking about. That's

3:35

saying it's gonna be a temptation for

3:37

a lot of players, particularly one

3:39

like John say Murray, Rob making four

3:42

hundred eleven thousand, who.

3:44

Can double his money or right

3:46

or or or or you know, put

3:48

his friends on and Buddy's on giving out inside

3:51

information and you're gonna have

3:53

the threat of that.

3:54

But I'm well to.

3:55

That to that end.

3:56

Rob, here's some of the numbers, all right, So

3:59

he placed thirteen bets on

4:01

NBA games using

4:04

a Friends or Associates online

4:06

betting account.

4:07

The bets ranged from.

4:09

Fifty fifteen dollars to

4:11

twenty two thousand dollars

4:14

total of over fifty four thousand

4:16

dollars bet and he

4:19

he made he had came out with net

4:21

winnings of twenty one thy,

4:23

nine hundred and sixty five dollars. None of

4:25

those bets involved.

4:28

Any of the games in which he played.

4:31

But he also gave

4:33

guys information about

4:36

his health. He

4:39

gave it, They say, he revealed information

4:41

about his own health to a known

4:43

sports better ahead

4:45

of the game on March twentieth against Sacramento,

4:48

and that another

4:51

better who got the information placed

4:54

eighty eighty thousand dollars

4:56

same game parlay on

4:59

you know, like a prop bet on Porter

5:02

statistics, and he

5:04

would have won one point one million

5:06

rob And that's the game where Porter played

5:09

three minutes and then left the game with

5:11

an illness. But the

5:13

bet DraftKings didn't pay it out. They probably

5:15

followed the money.

5:16

Right, And Chris eighty

5:19

thousand, one point one right,

5:22

that's temptation.

5:24

On somebody like John

5:27

Tay Porter, right, I mean that's a

5:29

red flag. That is a red

5:31

flag. So much on this guy.

5:32

You know what I mean?

5:33

Eighty thousand on that guy is

5:35

a red flag. I don't care people

5:37

bet one hundred dollars, fifty dollars, ten dollars,

5:40

Chris, You know all kinds of stuff, but eighty

5:42

thousand is a lot. But here's my thing. And

5:45

I think the NBA, and

5:47

I'm not saying, dude, you know the rules, Chris. We

5:49

talked about it all the time. People always

5:52

want to make excuse for Pete Rose. The

5:54

rules were always there. You work baseball

5:57

clubhouses, there's no sign bigger

5:59

crew in the clubhouse then

6:01

that you would be banned right for gambling. Nothing

6:04

bigger, So you can't say you didn't

6:06

know. And the same thing

6:08

here. The NBA is fortunate that

6:11

is not a big star and they can make an example

6:14

out of a kid like this. I

6:16

don't know what you know what I mean as far as gambling.

6:20

So now I think you

6:22

put this out here. You banned this kid. It wasn't

6:24

a star or anything or any kind of big

6:26

time player. And it's unfortunate.

6:29

Not that he didn't deserve it because he

6:31

knew what the consequences were, but

6:36

I just wonder if people out

6:38

there do they feel somewhat Chris

6:41

bad for the kid from

6:43

the standpoint that

6:46

the league is telling everybody else to gamble

6:48

on their games, you know, and gambling

6:50

is okay, and they're

6:52

all right with that, but

6:55

players can't the same thing with the NFL.

6:57

You could get better.

7:00

It's all of them. I don't know it

7:02

just I see it seems rather harsh.

7:04

But I don't know what you're gonna

7:06

do. No, I know, I'm just saying

7:09

I don't know what what. You can't

7:11

lessen it because you

7:13

can't allow this to happen. Once you mess

7:16

with the integrity of the game. Chris,

7:18

you have the WWE. You

7:20

can't do it.

7:21

No, and Rob and

7:24

I get and and echo

7:27

your feelings about these leagues.

7:29

The hypocrisy you're pushing

7:32

gambling. It's all in the

7:34

arenas and stadiums

7:36

and when the teams are playing and everything.

7:39

But the players can't do it. I get the

7:41

hypocrisy and the way that looks.

7:44

But that also, I

7:46

mean, you can't do it period. But

7:50

now that they are in

7:52

bed like it all has to

7:54

be above board. I

7:56

mean you you're right, it would become the WWE,

8:00

which would be horrible.

8:01

Right that we're basically fake and fixed.

8:04

However, now you've.

8:06

Got tons of money riding

8:09

on it, Like, how are you these gambling.

8:11

You know companies.

8:13

The games cannot be fake, they

8:16

cannot be fixed if you have people

8:18

betting on them, you know

8:20

what I mean, like betting, like like tonight, I'm

8:23

taking Philly and it's fixed,

8:25

right, and how you how you can't run that

8:28

if people are betting money on these games

8:30

and you're not to feel bad for him, but you

8:33

it just has to happen because

8:36

you can't let even a

8:38

whiff of that in your league.

8:40

Let me let me say this, Manty

8:43

if you're listening, and Shay if you're listening,

8:46

jump on because you guys are younger and

8:49

Chris. I don't know if you see this on Twitter,

8:52

but on Sundays after NFL

8:54

games, they they

8:56

believe the NFL's fixed or

8:58

rigged. I cannot get over how

9:00

many yeah?

9:02

Do you see it?

9:02

Right?

9:03

We see that with basketball?

9:04

It is Shaye, am I right

9:06

about this?

9:07

There's a script. Everyone says there's a script.

9:09

There's a script up there. It is. I

9:11

mean, it's unbelievable.

9:12

I think my feeling on

9:14

that and I could be wrong, but I'm just saying that's the money

9:16

part, that's the gambling part. But my feeling

9:19

on that is that

9:21

that's just people

9:24

throwing stuff out.

9:25

They don't I don't think they really believe

9:27

it.

9:28

I mean, no, no, what I'm saying anybody

9:30

the money.

9:32

Or fixed is ridiculous.

9:34

I'm just saying it's the gambling part, because

9:36

Chris, because people have money

9:38

on it and they can't believe and they can't

9:40

believe that you

9:43

know that the team didn't go

9:45

in the score right up two

9:48

touchdowns at the one yard line and they

9:50

kneeled down Patrick Mahomes

9:52

did something in the game, Chris.

9:54

People went nuts.

9:55

Uh, they didn't kick the field goal or something

9:58

right Shae, And they didn't cover to spread

10:00

or something that you remember that game.

10:04

Oh, there's tons of mom and especially now

10:07

when teams are going for stuff

10:09

on fourth down that.

10:10

They didn't used to go for.

10:12

Now, when teams feel like field goal

10:14

is not enough, I gotta score touchdowns, you know, like

10:16

and and obviously everybody now

10:19

has heard J.

10:19

JB.

10:20

Bickerstaff, coach of the Cavs,

10:22

talk about getting death threats. And you've

10:25

heard players talk about you know, people

10:27

yelling at them, you know, during the game

10:30

and about stats and numbers

10:32

and point spreads and stuff like that.

10:34

Rob.

10:35

Honestly, the leagues have

10:37

to really monitor this.

10:40

I would say, Now, maybe again I'm being

10:42

pollyannish.

10:44

If it gets too bad, and if

10:46

players get.

10:48

To a point where they either feel

10:51

legitimately or

10:53

they actually are in

10:56

physical danger. I'm

10:58

not talking about necessarily in the arena. I'm

11:00

talking about away from it, then

11:03

I think the leagues. The leagues just need to watch

11:05

this, Rob, because

11:07

I mean, people are if

11:10

somebody loses enough.

11:12

Money, who knows what they might do.

11:13

No, that's that's the scary part. And

11:16

we hear the venom

11:18

and whatnot. Guys have money

11:20

riding, they bet their mortgage, Chris,

11:23

they bet their school.

11:24

And these guys got all the money in

11:26

the world.

11:26

Anyway, They're like, man, you you making all this

11:28

money and now.

11:29

You can't get and

11:32

you can't get ten rebounds. You know what I mean

11:34

that you can't get

11:36

ten rebounds or you have nine

11:38

and you cost me four thousand

11:40

dollars that I was gonna pay my mortgage with.

11:42

Like, that's where people are, and.

11:45

Rob, that's where the leagues have to be careful,

11:48

man. And I would even say if

11:50

if you start getting wind

11:53

of stuff like that, and

11:55

you'd want to be obviously proactive and

11:57

do it before anything happened. But

12:00

I would even go as far as to say, right, you

12:02

need to cut this off. Then there's

12:04

a reason this didn't used

12:06

to be legal, because you didn't.

12:08

Want people all up on your players like that.

12:10

People still tried it, but it was it

12:13

was like limited to you know,

12:15

the mafia or a few you know what I mean, like the

12:17

Wise guys and people like that.

12:20

But now it could be anybody.

12:21

And you and you remember the

12:23

idea of having teams in Vegas, Chris

12:26

no way, no, how like

12:29

that was the last place leagues were

12:31

talking about it. And now we got

12:34

a hockey team, there's a

12:36

football team there, there's going

12:38

to be an NBA team, and baseball's

12:40

coming.

12:41

Ye.

12:43

I mean, look, I

12:45

don't gamble, I'm not, you know. I

12:48

just think they just gotta be

12:50

careful. And it seems like, right, it's just a money

12:52

graph, it's just a money

12:54

grap there's so.

12:55

Much money value.

12:56

You better be careful that you

12:58

don't put your players in any danger.

13:00

And thankfully we haven't heard much about

13:03

that.

13:03

I mean, death threats, you know, nowadays, Rob,

13:06

people get those on social media. I don't want

13:08

to be little, but at the same time, it

13:10

happens a lot, you know, where people

13:12

don't really mean it and they're just trolling.

13:15

But the league and

13:18

Rob, you know, the leagues they got security

13:20

and stuff, they probably are monitor and stuff

13:22

like this. You know, so all

13:24

right eight seven, seven ninety nine on Fox,

13:27

John tay Porter banned for life

13:29

for gambling.

13:31

Your thoughts too harsh? You

13:33

feel sorry for him.

13:35

Our league's being hypocritical your thoughts

13:37

next, Christian Rob The Odd Couple Fox Sports

13:39

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by Express pros Joe Varden around

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the corner. But first you eight seven

15:47

seven ninety nine on Fox your

15:49

thoughts about John T Porter banned.

15:53

For life from the NBA for gambling.

15:55

All right, Chris, let's kick it off with Tim

15:58

and Queen's you're on the couple

16:00

of Fox Sports Radio.

16:01

What's up, Tim?

16:04

What's up? Guys? How you doing today?

16:06

Man?

16:10

Yeah, I'm good.

16:10

I'm good.

16:11

When y'all coming back to two seven five.

16:16

I don't know, I don't know. We'll try to

16:18

work it out, though.

16:19

Yes, now I'm gonna get on stage the next time

16:21

I'll get on stage.

16:23

Yes, I say

16:25

that, But I just wanted to say I don't think

16:27

the NBA did too much with suspending

16:29

him for life, because you got to make an example

16:32

out of somebody, because it's not like the NFL

16:35

and the Calvin Ridley. He wasn't venting

16:37

on NFL games, but he was. I

16:39

was giving people inside information on the

16:42

NBA and stuff like that, So that's

16:44

already a red flag. So I feel

16:47

like he got what he deserved. In that aspect,

16:49

and then what makes it look worse to me is

16:51

that the Toronto Raptors is already

16:54

a bad team and you got something

16:56

to help him win, and now you throwing

16:58

games. Who knows that, you

17:00

know what I mean? So that's just like,

17:02

come on, man, you already on the bad team. You're

17:04

giving people instat information on your unders.

17:07

I don't like that.

17:08

No, that

17:12

it's hard to overlook that, Chris. That's why he

17:14

ain't gonna be playing for nobody. That's just

17:16

that simple. Thanks for the call,

17:19

Tom, appreciate it. Jennifer

17:23

in Michigan, you're on the couple of Fox

17:25

Sports Radio.

17:25

What's up, Jennifer, Good

17:27

evening, guys.

17:29

I agree. I don't think they

17:34

overstep by banning him,

17:36

because I mean, if

17:38

they didn't get him and someone

17:40

else did it and others did.

17:43

Uh, how

17:46

could people trust the

17:48

team they're playing or watching?

17:50

Right?

17:51

Isn't betting on the

17:53

team and not focusing

17:56

on what they're supposed to focus on. Don't worry

17:58

about Harlay's and worry

18:01

about playing the game.

18:04

Jennifer, and worry about winning.

18:06

It ain't about that.

18:08

Like there was a time when people didn't even

18:10

know Chris They're always been spread,

18:12

you know that. But both players didn't

18:15

even know like what the spread was in the game.

18:17

I've been in press conferences back in

18:19

the eighties and and the coach

18:22

would be like, would ask, like

18:24

somebody would say something about a spread. He goes,

18:26

what was the spread? You know what I mean? Like right

18:28

like he really wouldn't know what the spread was.

18:31

Oh oh, And they'd be like, oh, no, you covered the spread.

18:33

There are a lot of people happy you know that you

18:35

guys covered the spread. And they'll be like, I have

18:37

no idea what.

18:38

You know what it is?

18:39

Absolutely let's go

18:41

to Brian and Phoenix. You're

18:43

in the odd couple of Fox Sports Radio.

18:45

What's up, Brian, Man, I appreciate

18:47

you guys, give me an opportunity.

18:49

Brian by way of quack QB so

18:53

Queensbridge Absolutely

18:55

okay, But when twenty

18:58

first in Queen's Bridge, that's the fop

19:00

right there? Absolutely absolutely

19:03

ten Street the block aroun Our, Tess

19:05

Verne Fleming and Brian Rody, Yes

19:08

sir, but but but anyway,

19:11

I just wanted to say, man, whenever there's

19:13

money involved, there's

19:16

going to be that temptation to compromise

19:18

yourself. So I don't think

19:21

the Porter incident is going to be the

19:24

last incident. I mean, it is

19:26

happened in the past, it will continue to

19:28

happen, and I think

19:31

it's unfortunate. But I also think,

19:33

you know, there there may also

19:35

be of officials who compromise

19:38

themselves. So with with Donahue,

19:41

you know, it definitely presents that

19:43

that opportunity. I'm

19:46

still mad back in the day, if y'all remember

19:48

Rodney Harmon when he was at

19:50

Iowa against U C. L A brother never

19:52

dropped the past all season.

19:54

And dropped four in that game.

19:56

Yep.

19:57

I'm still convinced that Lloyd

20:00

London's dad in his pocket. But

20:02

anyway, that's that's my piece. I definitely

20:05

think that, you know, unfortunately,

20:07

it's going to bring out a dark side of the sport

20:10

and we're gonna see other athletes that to

20:12

come to the temptation.

20:14

I don't thanks for the car. I appreciate it, and Chris,

20:16

I don't disagree that. You

20:18

you look at that and go, oh, he got bamed. Well, you

20:21

know what, people say, he's dumb.

20:23

He got caught. I'm not gonna

20:25

get caught, you know what I mean? Like that, if

20:27

that was the case. You've seen the harsh penalties

20:30

to criminals. That doesn't stop crime,

20:33

Chris.

20:33

They think they won't get caught.

20:36

Yep, you're right, garybody feels

20:38

desperate enough too, Right, they'll

20:40

do it.

20:41

Gary in Houston, you're on the odd couple of Fox

20:43

Sports Radio. What's up, Gary?

20:45

Yeah? Okay, Okay, So I don't feel bad

20:47

for him because if he didn't want to get caught, you see

20:49

you sitcoins but second them all. Okay,

20:52

So, like I don't think it's hippoxy at all,

20:55

because I don't think believe the thing you can't

20:57

gamble. They're saying you can't fix these games

21:00

or give that image to me, like they're different things.

21:02

And also like because the NBA lets players

21:05

gamble on like other sports

21:07

in a legal states.

21:11

I know that, but but there's also

21:13

one that's it's not it's just a temptation

21:16

exactly.

21:17

That's the point in front of people's face.

21:19

Because before before it was you

21:21

couldn't gamble, period, Chris.

21:24

Period.

21:25

So now now you say it.

21:27

And it was like the leagues were saying, we frowned

21:29

on.

21:29

It, exactly.

21:31

Don't make a difference.

21:33

Now they're saying they approve of it.

21:35

But you just can't do in this regard.

21:37

No, but that was because it was against

21:39

the law.

21:42

Yeah, but still it's still against

21:44

the law in certain states where I live in

21:46

California.

21:48

He lets you do it in legal states. They weren't

21:50

frowning upon him. They were thinking it was against the law

21:53

and they can control the law.

21:55

But it's all over.

21:57

Yeah.

21:57

But but Gary, your point.

22:00

But but your point, though.

22:01

Gary, is is they wouldn't have

22:04

stuff in Las Vegas because

22:06

of the gambling. Even though it was legal there,

22:08

they still didn't want to be associated baseball.

22:11

Kick Mickey Mano, Chris,

22:13

you remember this, Mickey Mantle and Willie

22:15

Mays out of baseball from

22:18

doing anything. You know what they were in Las

22:20

Vegas. They were greeters at the door.

22:23

Baseball stopped them from doing baseball

22:25

events because they started getting money

22:27

from the casinos as greeter.

22:30

They didn't even gamble, right, that's

22:33

the thing. No, read it, go look it

22:35

up.

22:35

Google Willie Mays, Mickey Manto

22:38

and Las Vegas casinos and see what

22:40

baseball did to them.

22:42

All right, Joe Varden's around the corner. But first,

22:44

Moncey Belanos with Dfday, Monci.

22:48

Fellas, you guys were talking about how

22:50

online after every game, everyone's

22:52

like, oh, it's scripted this, right. I feel like

22:54

that thought has unraveled

22:57

within the last couple of years.

22:59

We see I see it every single

23:01

well.

23:02

It used to have common play, you know, this

23:04

role in the NBA. Everybody's

23:06

always thought the lottery was fixed.

23:09

Games are fixed. So it's

23:11

been around longer than the last one hundred.

23:13

No, no, no, it's been around for a long time.

23:16

But I think at first people

23:18

said it jokingly, and now

23:20

it's unraveled where people bring

23:22

up examples and like I always see like Vegas

23:25

is always right because it's scripted,

23:27

and so I just think like, at first

23:29

you're right, Chris, that it was like, oh, Joko,

23:32

it's a script. Now it has just

23:34

taken fire, and people, I think,

23:36

do believe that they're well

23:38

people would be.

23:39

Look, let me say this to some of those people that think,

23:43

don't bet Oh yeah, if you think

23:45

it's a script, don't bet on it. You

23:48

think you're still gonna guess, right, well,

23:50

I'm a guess that the script goes this way or the

23:52

script ye. I mean, come on, you don't waste your

23:54

hard earn money it's on something you

23:56

especially something you think is fake facts.

23:59

Come on fact right there, And I think

24:01

John tay Porter is just a big dummy,

24:04

Like what were you thinking.

24:05

You didn't just bet on games?

24:07

You literally disclosed confidential

24:10

information. You took yourself

24:12

out of a game to limit your participation.

24:15

And then I read that he even bet that the Raptors

24:17

would lose. Like it just like so many

24:19

things that you did wrong. You didn't just bet,

24:22

you did so many other things.

24:23

That is just I'm glad the league just you know, for

24:26

like, no buy, no questions asked.

24:28

All right, fellas. It is halftime between

24:30

the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia seventy six ers.

24:32

The plan in the Eastern Conference. The seven and eight

24:34

seed Miami Heat came to life

24:37

in the second quarter, outscoring Philadelphia

24:39

twenty eight to seventeen. They are on top, fifty

24:41

one to thirty nine. Jimmy buckets,

24:43

Butler ten points, He's got four

24:46

steals. He is all over the place. For a

24:48

hot second, it looked like he hurt his knee. He's

24:50

out there, he is hustling. He is

24:52

doing what we expected him to do. Now,

24:54

Joelle embiid, my understanding is

24:56

he's not feeling well. I was just listening

24:59

to your guys's friend Steven

25:02

A. Smith on ESPN, and he was saying

25:04

that not like his knee, like he's just not feeling

25:06

well, like health wise, so he's not one hundred

25:08

percent. But he's got ten points, he used

25:11

two eight yes from the field,

25:13

he's got six rebounds. He's not playing

25:15

well, so apparently he's not feeling

25:17

well.

25:18

We got a whole second time.

25:19

I don't really want to hear it.

25:20

I mean, I'm not saying from you, MOSEI I want you

25:22

to report it, but I don't want to hear

25:24

this from Joe l MBI did I if

25:27

you don't feel well enough, don't play. But

25:29

once you're out there, especially with his history,

25:31

yeah nah yeah, because when he scores,

25:34

when he finishes with sixteen points on thirty

25:36

five percent shooting, I don't

25:38

want the excuse if I didn't.

25:40

Feel well, right, Yeah, that's not what you want to hear.

25:42

I'm with you. I'm with you.

25:43

Following this game, it's gonna be the nine to ten seeds the

25:45

Hawks take on the Bulls.

25:46

We've got three baseball games still going on.

25:48

Cole Kyle Schwarber has homer

25:50

twice for the Phillies, there beating the Rockies seven

25:52

to four, top of the eighth inning.

25:54

The Angels are still on top of the race by

25:56

one.

25:56

It's three to two bottom of the six and the Red

25:59

Sox are blinking the Guardians two zero, top

26:01

of the seventh.

26:02

Back to you guys, all.

26:03

Right, thank you mon.

26:04

Yeah, we are live from the tire rack

26:07

dot Com studios. Our next guest

26:09

covers the NBA for the athletic

26:11

does a terrific job. My

26:13

homeboy from Ohio, Joe

26:16

Varden. What's up, man, what's happening?

26:18

Hey guys, Oh man, it's good to be back.

26:20

Great to have you on always. Let's

26:22

start.

26:23

We were just talking about John t Porter and

26:25

the lifetime ban for gambling.

26:28

What are people around the league saying? Do

26:31

they feel it was too harsh? Are they glad

26:33

did it? Hopefully we'll send a message

26:36

or And do you think the NBA, as well

26:38

as all the leagues that are now in bed with

26:40

gambling, yep, that they could

26:42

have opened up a door that

26:44

might be tough to close.

26:47

Yeah.

26:47

I think there's a lot there. I mean I think that the punishment

26:51

was expected when word

26:54

got out, you know exactly what it

26:56

was that he was accused of. And I mean, I think if you go

26:59

back to when Adam had

27:01

was discussing the investigation and called

27:03

it the Cardinal Sin, you knew that there was there

27:06

was a bet place. So I don't think that's

27:08

a surprise that you Chris hit on

27:10

something. I think that is more to the heart of

27:12

the story, which is you

27:14

have now this very public relationship

27:17

between the NBA and vetting

27:20

companies. And it's not just the NBA, by the way,

27:22

the NFL does this, Major League BASEBALLPGA.

27:26

Yeah, they all do it, and they've all been chasing

27:28

it since twenty eighteen. It took

27:30

about two and a half years to figure it out, but

27:32

in about twenty twenty twenty twenty one,

27:34

they figured out how to make money off of

27:36

the betting companies. And now they're doing it, and

27:39

it's totally saturated

27:41

every game in every sport. And

27:44

so with a relationship like

27:46

that, it does two things.

27:48

Both it both heightens like

27:51

the urgency to make sure that you don't

27:53

have a Johntay Porter situation. But

27:56

then it also, like you said, it

27:59

does money because you

28:02

know, you're asking players to

28:04

maintain the integrity of the game. But

28:08

however, they want to try to refute this.

28:10

This is true.

28:11

The sports or the these leagues

28:13

are now making money off of

28:15

the bets placed on.

28:16

Them, right yep.

28:19

And here's the other thing too, with

28:23

the fan outrage now,

28:26

like, ain't it's not like now

28:28

that fans can bet. You can go to a Cavaliers

28:31

game, make a bet inside

28:33

the building, go watch the game, and

28:36

then when somebody doesn't get the

28:38

ten rebounds that you need for your parlay

28:41

or your bets, you're yelling through

28:43

the high heavens like fans are now enraged

28:46

because they bet on games and players

28:48

don't live up to the expectations.

28:51

Yeah, I mean that I should

28:54

have been smart. I should have seen that one coming.

28:57

I guess I wasn't looking for that. And then when

28:59

those story started the leak about

29:02

you know, like even when JB. Bickerstan

29:04

You mentioned Cleveland, like when he said

29:06

that he was getting text messages from

29:09

the scrontled fans talking about where he lives

29:11

in suburban Cleveland, Like.

29:13

That is crazy, bonkers.

29:15

I mean, this is is who this

29:17

is tough guys, Like it

29:20

is like it's

29:22

it's lucrative, you know. I mean, these these

29:25

partnerships are worth millions there's no

29:27

doubt about that. So I don't

29:29

know how you cut it off, but this

29:31

certainly has opened up a few avenues

29:34

I would say, of caution and concerns

29:37

we saw.

29:38

Oh go ahead, right, I just want to go to here. What you're

29:40

going to talk about the Warrior is christ and

29:44

Clay uh over

29:46

ten? What what did you make of that?

29:48

Uh?

29:49

That that was?

29:50

That had to be humbling And

29:52

you know, obviously your team gets knocked out, but you have

29:54

such a terrible night. You know

29:56

you were holding out hope to get some sort

29:58

of contract.

29:59

I just don't know how to warriors do this? What

30:01

what did you make of last night? And Clay Thompson?

30:04

Yeah, I mean from Clay's

30:06

perspective, I mean, it's been a humbling year.

30:08

You know, he lost his starting job, like he

30:11

was removed

30:14

from the from stretch for you know, the

30:17

like clutch c Yeah,

30:20

you know, so he had been through that and he

30:22

had already kind of like come

30:24

to grips with it.

30:26

So you know, anytime

30:29

you.

30:29

Lay an egg like that in a in a close

30:31

in a win or

30:33

go home situation, it's

30:35

it's tough. But I think that

30:38

Clay knows he's at

30:40

a different place in his career,

30:43

and I don't think that he realistically

30:46

was again his heart of hearts, that he

30:49

suspected that he was going to break the bank again.

30:53

He's got to find if there is a market

30:55

for him outside of outside of San Francisco,

30:58

and then if there isn't, you know, what

31:00

is the appetite there to bring

31:02

him back on a much smaller

31:05

team friendly contrast, because

31:08

it will.

31:08

Be the appetite for anybody. I'm dead

31:10

serious.

31:11

Well, look, I like.

31:12

Him as a veteran off the bitch, you

31:14

know, championship experience. You

31:18

know, obviously he could still shooting and play

31:20

well against second unit guys. So I

31:23

think at the right price he could help some contenders

31:26

Joe.

31:29

He could if he finds

31:32

himself, like I'm thinking about like Kevin Love, who

31:36

when Lebron left, like Kevin got

31:38

hurt and then when he came back, he just was

31:40

not the same player, and

31:42

then he started to have a renaissance

31:45

and he's actually now still going with Miami.

31:48

So Clay would need a renaissance. I don't

31:51

think what we saw from him this season

31:54

is would equate

31:56

to on the floor contributions

31:59

for a But

32:01

I don't think he forgot how to play either. So if

32:04

he had that renaissance, if he found

32:06

that like sort of thing that turned him

32:08

back on, then yeah, it

32:10

would work. But I think in that case, you

32:13

know, that's when.

32:14

Golden State takes a look at him.

32:15

I mean, that's pretty clear that he wants them

32:17

there.

32:19

Before you go.

32:20

The Lakers, you

32:22

know, they won their play in and

32:24

they get to go play Denver in the first round.

32:27

Look, last year, we know it was a sweet we

32:29

know Denver's beating them made straight times.

32:31

But those games last year were close.

32:33

Games, very very.

32:35

Right, So do you give I

32:38

mean, obviously anything could happen, you

32:40

know, but do you give them any

32:42

type of realistic shot of beating

32:44

Denver?

32:46

Yeah, I mean I guess I don't look at

32:48

it that way. I never go into a series

32:51

that's two seven or one

32:53

eight thinking upset. But

32:55

I will tell you guys, and you two

32:58

know this. But for the listeners,

33:00

the Nuggets are still great, but

33:02

they don't have the same bench. I

33:05

think that matters. I

33:07

also am really interested in how

33:09

the Lakers look with Gabe Vincent

33:11

coming off the bench. I think that he makes

33:14

a real difference night

33:17

he did, and I just you know, we've all been watching

33:19

this team all year, you know, and you just kind

33:21

of shrug your shoulders at the bench, And he

33:24

made a noticeable difference last

33:26

night. And I just wonder the

33:29

combination of you know, this lineup with the Ruy

33:32

starting and you know, Orient

33:35

Prince coming off the bench, and now Gabe

33:37

being available against

33:40

an untested Denver second unit,

33:42

Like maybe that does make the difference

33:45

in one or two of these close games they could Yeah,

33:47

I.

33:47

Mean, but it's a big difference between Denver

33:49

doesn't have to sweep them, you know what I mean. Last

33:52

year was a sweep you could

33:54

just win in six games. The Lakers can compete

33:56

in a game or two, right, Yeah.

33:59

That's what I think.

33:59

I I just I can't get myself to a

34:01

place where I'm going to say the Lakers are

34:04

going to do this. I think we're

34:06

past that point in Lebron's career. Well,

34:09

I'd be a heck of a story if we aren't, right,

34:11

But I just I kind of think we are.

34:14

Yeah, last thing before you go,

34:18

who was your MVP?

34:20

I think it'll be Jolkic.

34:21

I voted for Luca, but I think Joka is gonna

34:23

win pretty comfortably.

34:26

Chris.

34:26

I stared at this. At one

34:28

time I had Shay because he's

34:30

the he's the young leader of the youngest

34:33

team to ever finish first.

34:35

Then I looked at Luca and I'm like, oh my god,

34:37

these numbers are outrageous. I

34:41

settled on Jokic.

34:42

I did.

34:43

I just think he is the

34:45

most all around player. I don't think he gets credit

34:47

for what he does defensively, and

34:50

the way he impacts the game as

34:53

a point scoring, passing center

34:55

is just it's too much to overcome. And

34:57

I think I got to look at history

34:59

a little bit to like, you know, how's the story

35:01

going to judge us, and like, right, he's

35:04

the next Larry Bird or better, and

35:07

he needs to have the requisite number

35:09

of MVPs.

35:11

No, that's fair.

35:12

He is like a seven foot bird

35:14

for those young people. They didn't see Bird

35:16

watch Jokic, and that's a right good.

35:20

The only difference is Larry Bird shorts

35:23

were way smaller.

35:25

Everybody's remember

35:29

Joe, They were.

35:29

Wearing hot pants back then. It was crazy.

35:36

Yes, yes, great stuff. As always,

35:39

man enjoyed the playoffs. We'll

35:41

get you on during the postseason.

35:42

At some point, Oh, I can't wait.

35:44

Always going to talk to you guys.

35:45

All right, man, Rob,

35:48

I was playing in hot

35:50

pants in high school and college and yeah,

35:53

I mean that's when they were five

35:55

even twice about it with the baggy

35:57

shorts people had on, those those short

36:00

shorts, like yeah, way above your

36:03

thigh, it's amazing.

36:05

Yeah.

36:05

I look, I saw some pictures the other day

36:07

of me playing high school, and I

36:09

mean they're like like now,

36:11

when I see somebody wearing shorts even

36:13

close to what we wore, and even just outside.

36:16

You know, it wasn't just when you play basketball, but it.

36:18

Looks obscene, like like you feel

36:20

like, dang, you're showing a lot of

36:23

thigh, a lot of diy.

36:25

Go look at some of the video on top

36:28

and look at and look at what guys are wearing,

36:30

like the Pistons had the shorts shorts.

36:33

Yeah,

36:35

all right, The Odd Couple keep it like Fox

36:37

Sports Radio. Thanks for listening to The Odd

36:39

Couple podcasts. Be sure to catch

36:41

us live every weekday from seven

36:43

pm to ten pm Eastern four

36:46

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36:48

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36:55

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the iHeartRadio app. By searchings

37:01

are all right, it's the odd couple

37:04

Live fromthe tire rack dot Com

37:06

Studios.

37:07

Rob you mentioned it earlier.

37:09

The Warriors go down last night

37:12

to the Sacramento Kings and the play

37:15

in So the Warrior season is over. Klay

37:17

Thompson oh for ten overall,

37:20

oh for six, uh

37:22

from three. I believe that

37:25

was the first n f NBA

37:27

game that he's played, Like the entire

37:29

game where he only scores zero

37:31

points.

37:32

That's gotta be

37:35

heartbreaking, Chris.

37:36

That's probably he may have never scored

37:38

zero points in the basketball game, right,

37:42

Like, So, look, obviously

37:45

just a bad night, I mean, beyond a bad night.

37:48

You can't overstate how how poorly

37:51

he performed. But

37:56

my question to you is more, I

37:58

mean that look to me, when especially

38:00

when you're a jump shooting team,

38:02

that's the danger of the one and done. It

38:05

could have went the opposite way where they were on fire

38:08

and they win, you know, And that's

38:10

the thing, and we said it, that's why the NBA

38:12

played seven game series and that's why they

38:14

should so the best team wins.

38:16

But do you think this is the

38:18

end?

38:19

That's what everybody's asking now, like will

38:21

they and should they break up?

38:23

This team, and

38:26

sometimes you just have to

38:30

make a change to let people know that

38:32

this isn't the same.

38:33

We're not going to keep living

38:35

in the past.

38:36

And oh, let's bring the band back

38:39

together, Chris for one more try.

38:41

And man, we did win that other championship.

38:44

Nobody thought we win.

38:45

This is just a couple of years removed now,

38:48

like this is not that team. You

38:50

gotta get over it and you gotta start

38:53

moving forward. They were supposed to have

38:55

this, Chris, with the players that they had when

38:57

they drafted, when they got lucky and got Wihded

39:00

Heisman, and then they had Jordan

39:02

Poole, you know, like they had all these

39:04

younger players who were supposed to keep this thing

39:06

kind of moving forward.

39:08

But they're not there anymore.

39:10

Like they got some but they

39:12

need they yeah, no, they got they

39:14

got a few, but they need to make

39:16

they need to break this up to say that this isn't

39:19

the same band. They need

39:21

a new singer, they need a new

39:23

drummer, whatever, you know, position

39:25

in the band.

39:26

The thing is, what do you so, I

39:28

mean, do you try to break it

39:30

down to the studs or I just

39:32

don't think at this moment is black

39:34

and white yet what they should.

39:36

I just don't think I would not offer

39:38

Claire contract.

39:40

Well, I would offer him

39:42

a huge discount.

39:43

I don't want him at any price really,

39:46

yep.

39:47

Oh, I would definitely bring him back in some part and

39:49

I would talk to him about and he

39:51

did it this year, but can.

39:52

You accept a lesser role happily?

39:56

And he look, he was professional this year and

39:58

he ultimately ended up getting it starting drive back.

40:01

But if he were willing to come back

40:03

for much less money and

40:07

accept the roll off the bench, if that's what

40:09

we need happily,

40:12

then I would be fine with bringing him back.

40:15

But what I would do, Rob, is if i'm them,

40:17

I would I would have it on the table, not

40:19

bringing him back. I would shop Andrew

40:22

Wiggins. Shop not oh

40:25

you know like like kind of be

40:28

willing to trade.

40:28

No, I'm shopping him. He's

40:31

a big reason why they fell off.

40:33

He went from eighteen points a game in

40:35

his previous four years with them the twelve

40:37

this year and shop poorly.

40:39

And he also had a lot of issues family.

40:42

Yeah, and I don't know what they

40:44

are, and I don't want to be little, but I

40:46

will say, Rob, everybody has a

40:48

family. You think you don't think other NBA

40:51

players might be going through things like

40:53

divorces and baby mama drama

40:55

and.

40:56

Even stuff in the locker room and just

40:59

family.

41:00

You know, families go through all types of stuff

41:03

and so you have to play through it. But I'm

41:07

shopping him. I'm listening to Draymond

41:09

trade offer, like I'm talking to teams.

41:11

You interested in Draymond?

41:12

What do you think?

41:13

What would you get?

41:14

You know, not that I'm looking a trading, but I'm open

41:17

to hearing it. All right, we got an hour left.

41:19

Y'all know what to do. Keep it locked.

41:21

Ay.

41:21

A couple