Hour 2: Hall of Famer Chris Webber Talks NBA, plus LeBron’s Lakers Future

From 30 for 30 podcasts. Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami, gunned down. The key to this case, it's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing what's about. This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. They're placing the arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas. Hell yeah, I'm going. Clint Kubiak. And what he can bring is the hope that he is the young, up-and-coming coordinator on the offensive side of the ball who they can attach to a quarterback of the future. Earlier on the show, pro football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. Coming up, basketball Hall of Famer Chris Weber. NFL Network insider Tom Palacero. and now it's Rich Eisen. Well, hey, everybody. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air here on ESPN, Disney+, ESPN, the app, ESPN Radio, so much more. We've got a big audience today and for the rest of the week and next week and then after that because we travel with big audiences wherever we go. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial right here on the program. So much to discuss here. Tom Pelissero in hour number three with what's going on in the National Football League now that we've got ourselves a Super Bowl champion from back in the day. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial right here on the program. And I believe, is he ready, Mike Hoskins? Okay, let's do this. Listen, as you know, Kurt Warner was on this program every week of the NFL season giving his terrific opinion of what's going on. and he's one of my favorites. So I thought to myself, who can potentially join us, hook up with us on a weekly basis now that the NFL season is over and we're going to start digging into basketball, both professional and college, and somebody who I love as well, who's also a Hall of Famer and who I love to have on this show whenever he says yes. And he said yes. He's going to join us every week to talk some hoops. He's a pro basketball Hall of Famer, and he's number one in my program and number four in my program, number one in my heart. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Weber. See you. See you. See you. See you. What's going on? I love that background. Look at this. Look at where you are. I love it. That Sugar Hill game back there. Well, I got to find something, you know, better, a little more stable, but, you know, it was kind of quick, so I was like, hey, I got a bunch of records I might as well do in front of some records. Is that the Scarface soundtrack on the top level right there? It is. I have Casino, Scarface, the Heisley Brothers, James Brown, DMC, Death Row, some good ones. This is why I love you, man. You're more than just about hoops. Chris Weber here on the program. It was great to see you. I ran into you at the Super Bowl. That was great to see you there as well. Did you stay for the game? I didn't. You know what? I really have a rule with the Super Bowl is that I like – my tradition is watching it in the living room. I know it's a great experience to be there at the game, but all my memories from growing up to being older to dreaming about the game was eating food in the living room, running back and forth and yelling. So I made sure I came home to catch the game on the tour. Okay. Now I appreciate that. And I appreciate you being a man of tradition and a man of family and a man of many different desires. Okay. But if the Detroit Lions are in the Super Bowl, you're not staying in the Super Bowl. I'm going to the Super Bowl. I'm going to the Super Bowl. okay all right yeah yeah i'm going all week i'm going i'm getting there a week early like i'm part of the media just to hang out so yeah i'm getting there okay okay so uh let's talk about um uh all-star weekend we could see at the bottom you played in five of them including let's talk about your first one 1997 you're in the all-star game and i i see who's who's there in it i mean this is the Jordan Pippen this is this is the real deal who was there from back in the day what was it like for you to stroll into that all-star game in 1997 Chris it was crazy because it was in Cleveland I believe and what was so special was that was the 50 greatest so I actually got to shake you know at the time Bill Russell and I didn't get to shake Wilt Chamberlain's hand but I got to stand next to him and Koozie and some other greats, you know, of course, Jordan and Magic and those guys. So to me, being there at the celebration of the 50th was great. I think Glenn Robinson, who was a childhood hero of mine. I'm sorry, Glenn, not Glenn Robinson, Glenn Rice, who was a childhood hero of mine. He broke, I think, Will Chamberlain's record for most points in a quarter. And I remember Jordan and guys pumping him up saying, shoot, shoot, shoot. And, you know, I remember all the pageantry, all the parties, you know, before and after. So for me, it was so special because it's a time, you know, when you feel like, okay, I made it, but here's a different level to making it and getting to share with your family, friends, and the city of D.C. at that time was special. Yeah. On the Eastern All-Star team, Jordan Pippen, Ewing, Dumars, Tim Hardaway Sr., who's coming in here tomorrow, actually, Christian Leitner, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, So you, Glenn Rice, I mean, my goodness, Penny Hardaway, I think I mentioned. Then on the Western side of things, the glove, John Stockton, Hakeem Olajuwon, Garnett, my gosh, Malone, Shaq. Wow. And then you're saying on top of it, the top 50 were there too? Yeah, it was a big celebration. So we got to watch them get their jackets and hang out and everything like that. So, yeah, I think the arena was somewhat new at that time. And so even going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and all the things that, you know, you get to do while you're in the Cleveland area, it was special. Especially, you know, for me, you grow up and you dream. And after every All-Star game, you know, you go outside and you try to do the dunks that guys were doing, even in Michigan when it was snowing. And for a whole week without social media, we're talking about those moves, you know, what guys did and how special it was. And, you know, the kind of transition to this year's and to kind of the current conversation, Rich, I hope that that's what players understand. I think part of part of getting there is remembering who you were before you got there. And what I mean is honoring that person. So all these guys, they're the best players in the league. They worked hard. I mean, they earned it. They worked hard to get there. And if they remember, you know, who those guys were back when, you know, they didn't have a beard and mustache, when no one knew their name, when it wasn't cool to be, you know, you, then you'll kind of honor the game the most. And I remember, you know, guys letting you shoot and kind of letting you do your thing. But at the end, you know, you wanted to win. So hopefully that part comes back to the game. Chris Weber, Hall of Famer here on The Rich Eisen Show. And two guys from that All-Star experience I want to ask you about any interactions. And you just mentioned one. You mentioned Bill Russell. Was it just a quick handshake? Were you able to pick his brain? Did he say anything to you like, hey, I love you? Or your shorts were too long in college? I mean, what was it like, Chris? Anything? You know, what's funny is that that time was a quick shake my hand, you know, be the kid, I'm here, you know, with my buddies. But later we did develop a relationship, and shout out to your partners at TNT that allowed me to do an interview with him. And so later on, I got to interview him and I brought my father to the interview. And what, you know, he told me, I'll never forget. You know, I think that's one of the few times my father shed tears. And part of that was because of some things he told my father about their upbringing, but also about what he really kind of respected the guys at Michigan and things I never really thought that he would say or acknowledge. or you figure, hey, he's so old school that, you know, I just remember his laugh. He cackled. I mean, he was the loudest laugher in the building, and he loved telling stories. And one of his favorite stories is, you know, recently at the Hall of Fame, before he passed away, I was with Ben Wallace, I think Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and he was talking about showing us pictures on his phone of him high jumping and how he was one of the champion's high jumpers, but he just jumped over the high jump bar regular, if you could believe that. Not backwards or anything like that, but just straight over. So I did become pretty close with him, and it started there in Cleveland. I love that. And look at that man on the screen right there, Chris Brockman. Say what you said to me in my ear, Chris Brockman. Yeah, it's so weird you brought him up, C-Web. Today would have been Mr. Russell's 92nd birthday today. Get out of here. Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy. That's awesome. And when you look at like, let's just talk about like some trends, right? When you look at some of the stuff that he did, like when you think about the golfers from Joe Lewis and many other athletes. But, you know, he's on Sports Illustrated on the cover sitting there on a golf cart. And I asked him, why did he do that? And he was just telling me, you know, just kind of some of his thoughts on life and how he loved playing golf. And if you were going to catch him in the summer, you better take the photo shoot on the golf course and not in any gym because he's not coming there anytime soon. You know, so I just love the way that, again, that he looked at life. And, of course, the winner he is. And, of course, the champions for human rights that he was. But when it comes down to it, he was just a good man with a loud laugh. No doubt. Good man with a loud laugh. Perfectly put, Chris Webber. And then the Michael Jordan of it all. You're a teammate of his on an all-star team. But I imagine you'd met him many times before. Certainly if I not mistaken didn Juwan have like a connection with him like working out with him when he was doing Space Jam and stuff like that Chris am I not mistaken about that Yeah, Juwan, you know, Juwan was privileged. He's from Chicago, you know, the same agent. No, all that good stuff. But yeah, Juwan was close with him. However, you know, I never had that opportunity except, you know, from a far plane and things like that. And so for me, you know, it was it was a special day. One, you know, he understood my game because he kind of told me, you know, suggested some things in the game. Like, you should do this and that. And I'm like, wow, you know, I could do that. And, you know, but he knew our competitiveness and he knew we were going to talk junk to him. Because, you know, even when we were in Washington, you know, we were like, if we're going to go down, we're going to go around swinging. Our parents are here. Our friends are here. So let's talk junk and go at Jordan, you know. And then he would score 55 in the playoff game. But those are the type of things that, you know, that you would happen. So, no, it was cool sitting next to him and watching him encourage all the other guys. Now, I know, Chris, you're known for your brashness and known for speaking things into existence and known for your confidence. But you talk junk to Michael Jordan, Chris Webber, really? Well, well, I mean, yeah. I mean, at Washington, you know, sometimes you're stupid enough to do some things. You know what I mean? But also it was, you know, the day that we grew up, our favorite players, my favorite player was Barkley or Dominique Wilkins or Jordan or Isaiah Thomas. And, you know, we didn't have 24 hour access to these guys, but we did know their messaging. And part of their messaging was, you know, you're going to miss every shot you don't take. You better work your butt off. And fear is nothing. And so whether it was, you know, talking to Jordan then or trying to do it during the Olympic practices. Yeah, we thought that we were honoring them by being part of the game because that's the one one thing. I mean, he's the one of the greatest, the greatest that's ever played. But part of that is, you know, we all put our shoes on the same way. And for him to be the greatest is he has to respect everyone else in that room. Or how can you how can you be the greatest if you don't respect that? So part of his whole thing is he didn't want guys playing against him scared and timid. And we weren't going to do that. Our whole thing was, listen, you are the man, but I'm going to go home and brag that we beat y'all tonight. And for us, you know, it's a championship till, you know, the guys in the suits and the GMs get it right. So, you know, you know, it was fun going up against the greatest players ever and letting them know that you were next. Chris Weber here on the Rich Eisen Show. Who is your favorite player to watch in today's game? Who's that guy? I can't give you one, but I would start with Kevin Durant and Booker, and I'll tell you why, and Gilgis Alexander. I feel that the greatest players in the game have to have a mid-range game, and I'm going to put Curry with that too. Curry is the greatest three-point shooter ever, and I would challenge anyone, and I would say part of that, of course, is because he makes the shot. but part of that is because he's the greatest cutter ever what does he and reggie miller have in common their footwork and their cutting and so let's just say steph his threat is he can make the next three-pointer and you better get up on him as soon as you do he's going to back cut you and he's going to finish with a layup and so to me players that have the nuance players that can score anytime. I do not like specialists. I love guys that can go to work. Of course, Jalen Brown, what he's done this year. So watching guys like that that can go to work and get their shot anywhere, those are the guys I love watching to play. Again, when you played, Chris, obviously you had me at hello from jump, but the thing that I was always marveling watching you play was a man of your size is being able to move the way that you did, the way that you could run the floor, the way that you could finish, certainly with ferocity around the rim. What do you think of when you see Victor Wembenyama play? Chris. Man, my kid's favorite movie. I don't know why he hasn't been called this, so we might have to track it because I haven't heard him call it. But he's an avatar, man. He's like, his skill and his talent is incredible. And his hunger and respect for the game match that. You know, to me, you have to have a respect for your craft that everyone can see, touch, and feel. I think LeBron had it when he first came into the game, the way he would pay homage to the Kobe's. him you know that Kobe had you know the Jordan had who still doesn't say he's the best but you know I just really love his game I love the attention to detail by knowing some people in the in the in the organization of San Antonio you know I know he's a great teammate and so he is someone that I would put in that category you know a loss also with the Yoković you know I love big guys that can pass dribble and do everything and that's what I love would I like to see him in to post a little bit more, of course, but that's going to be every day because he's that great. But to have that skill set at that size, that's what the game is all about. Whether you're 5'5 like a Muggsy Bogues or 7'6 like Wimbenyama, can you dribble twice, hit a jump shot? Does your pump fake work? Can you get to the hole? And are you respected late in the game for your free throws? And so those guys definitely fill that role. Yeah, I mean, it's interesting you say it reminds you of Avatar. And again, Chris Brockman, who you'll get to know on a weekly basis here on the program, where you met when you were physically here in studio. Go ahead and say what you said in my ear, because that is exactly what an avatar is. Go ahead and say it. Just every photo or still shot you see of Wemby, it looks photoshopped. It doesn't look real. It doesn't look real. Like his whole arm is over the basket. His eyes are even with the rim. He's so long. Yeah. When he kicked, when three basketballs got stuck in the net and he just lifted his leg to use the tip of his foot to kick it up in the air to knock the balls loose, standing flat on the ground. He thought it was AI. What the heck was that? It's insane, Chris. It's crazy. Part of, you know, we say you can't stop any one person in the league. And I really believe that if they go to their favorite moves. The most dominant player I've ever seen is Shaquille O'Neal. I don't think people just don't realize how dominant, how athletic, how fast, how quick and how strong he was. And that he had finesse. And at the time, coaches would not allow him to, which they shouldn't have, go out of the paint. But you'll see him in all star game and other clips where he could cross over and do things. When I evaluate a player, I evaluate them from, you know, all the normal metrics and game. but also go into a personal bag and say how would I defend them and so if it's Wimbanyama I would say you got to be physical with him right but I would also say wait he can catch and face up on the post he can catch and cut one dribble jump hook wait a minute he can step back on the free wait he comes and he can set the pick and roll and pick or pop so when I look at the potential of someone like that I mean it is absolutely it's scary and it's and it's really truthfully not fair it it's just it's just it's not fair because we've not seen anything like that before and I'm knocking on wood for his health because man do I want to see him in the playoffs I want to see I want to see the Spurs go on a run and I want to see what's going to happen if they take on you know Oklahoma City and a seven gamer like that's the sort of thing I'm looking forward to right now Chris Rich, we're going to get to that, I'm sure. Sure. But I have San Antonio. Everybody's sleeping on San Antonio. When Fox went there last year, I just laughed and talked to Popovich. And, you know, we love you, Pop. But if you remember their team with the great Tim Duncan and David Robinson, they had hype, but what did they have? They had Tony Parker. Why was he special? In a time with Shaquille O'Neal, this guy was at the top of points in the paint because of pick and roll and that little hook shot he had. So he put defenses in a terrible situation because he got in the paint and could pass out the shooters like Ginobili and others, right? That's all Fox and these guys are going to do. And I just watched them get better and better and better. And I think they're going to surprise some people with the potential that they have coming together earlier than people thought. All right, TJ, you want to hit one for Chris, and we'll let him go on with the rest of his day here and see him next week? What do you got, TJ? What's up, Chris? How you been, man? Hey, man, what's up, man? How you doing? Good to see you. You know, back in the day, in our day, in the early 90s, you were one of the first cats, right, who kind of changed the game into a game of a big man with guard skills. You know what I'm saying? A 6'9", 6'10", 6'14 player who could play down low, handle the rock, shoot. So who in today's game do you see a little bit of Chris Weber in? Are there players that you look at and go, man, that cat reminds me of me? No. These players are so good today. I do believe it's the same skill set, but coaches have given them a freedom that we didn't have, so it's hard to judge with the consistency of that. I love Jokic. I would love to say, you know, I got a chance to play a little power forward and to have the ball as many times as he has in his spots. You know, it's a mastery, you know, at what he does. When I look at Giannis, the fact that before it was take two dribbles and get it to a teammate, the fact that he could take his time, lead the break and take a slower guy and dunk on him, maybe when they had a five on me would be, you know, interesting. but I just love the evolution of coaching. I don't think it's the evolution of players because I saw guys like Magic, Derek Coleman, Steve Smith, and then dribbling. They just weren't allowed to do it in a game. And then it took other coaches, maybe the transition that were younger, to trust guys to go there and then it would incrementally kind of grow. And so, no, but I really don't see that only because you don't even have guys posting up anymore. so it's kind of hard to kind of regulate that but I will say that the great game is in a great place because these guys have freedom and what they're doing with that freedom is is incredible. C you are the man I am so psyched you said yes when we like hey how about every week on the program And you know the season is going to get more and more intense And then of course there comes March Madness with a certain team in Ann Arbor, Michigan that has a two-game lead in the Big Ten regular season that just can beat you in a million different ways right now. But maybe we'll talk about them a little bit too, Chris. I'm sure. I'm sure. It'll be fun. Let's go. Let's do it. I'm excited. Thanks for the invite. Looking forward to it, guys. Let's do it. Enjoy the all-star game wherever you're going to be taking it in, and we'll chat next week. Thanks, Chris. Look forward to it. Sounds good. Ladies and gentlemen, basketball Hall of Famer Chris Webber. So many different ways to go when we talk to the Renaissance man. Put up that picture of Bill Russell one more time, if you don't mind. This is a famous photograph of him. All the rings? Yeah. Well, I mean, the other things that I think of of all the rings. He didn't have enough fingers. That's correct. but the two rings that you see on one finger is the size of a current championship ring right right yeah the two together you know what i mean yeah yeah i don't even know if it's quite like if you sized two of his championship rings from his celtics days from the ring that you know wick gave everybody a couple years ago right would it match or would the current ring be bigger than the footprint of two rings on top of each other. I think the current ones are bigger. That's one of my favorite things at Super Bowl experience or when you go to the Hall of Fame. You see the evolution of the championship rings over the course of NFL history. The Packers' original ones are so small, much like the ones that Bill was wearing right now. Joe Namath is like a pinky ring. And then all of a sudden, I don't know when it started, but they're just enormous now. Right. I mean, now there's a ring inside the ring. Right. Like you can snap it open or twist it. Right. Yeah. You open up one and now you can put the top on a chain. Did the Eagles ring this year have wings on it? Yeah. Could you, if the Celtics do have one of those rings that you could twist open, could you put one of Bill Russell's rings in it? You could put two of them in. 100%. Yo, I say we give a shout out to my man Jason of Beverly Hills. He makes a lot of these rings. Jason, here's an idea. Put an old ring inside of a new ring and that way they can have two rings. Yeah. So you could keep it. One for parties and one to wear all the time. Yeah, because you can't wear it around all the time. You know what I'm saying? It's too crazy out in them streets. So you need like a dummy ring just so you confront them. Dummy ring. But you don't really want to wear the real one. Look at the number of rings, the size of the rings, and of course, the man. Happy 92nd heavenly birthday. Wow, crazy. To Bill Russell. Legend. Let's take a break. We're back with more here on The Rich Eisen Show in a moment. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. Let's take some phone calls, shall we? Let's go to Swamp Dog in Waycross, Georgia. What's up, Swamp Dog? How you been? What's going on, Mr. Rich Eisen? It's a real pleasure to talk to you again. Right back at you, Mr. Swamp Dog. What's going on? Well, listen. Hold on a second. Before you get started, before you get started, before you get started, I want to make sure graphically that this is supported. Is it Swamp D-A-W-G or D-O-G? How would you like to have it spelled on the screen here? It's D-A-W-G. Okay, let's correct this because right now it's just straight up D-O-G. Okay, like Georgia Good Dogs. And the Swamp is called Waycross, Georgia. It's known for the Okefenokee Swamp Park. Very good. I combine the Swamp and the Dog. We have now corrected it. graphically on the screen so you have the floor swamp dog okay well Ernest Jones is from Way Cross Georgia I don't know if you knew that or not but he played high school football right here in Way Cross I know he was dropping a bunch of four-letter words yesterday and everything you know emotions and uh excitement about yes winning the Super Bowl of course he would you know not not uncommon people do that let me tell you this about he that's his second Super Bowl he's won and he won one with the Rams, with Matthew Stafford, note the Georgia dog there. But when he comes, his family still lives here on Waycross. It's a small town, you know. But when he comes back, we have a parade for him here too. Do you really? Do you really? Okay. Yes. And what he does when he comes back here, he goes into the poorer side of town and he showers people with gifts. No kidding. I'd like people to know that he does that kind of thing. You always hear the bad stuff about these millionaire football players and everything. You know, they are so selfish and they don't care about. He cares about where he comes from. Every time you see him introduced on TV, he says, Ernest Jones, Waycross, Georgia. He don't say the Ohio State University or anything like that. He says, Waycross, Georgia. That's all he says. And he's proud of where he's from. Like I said, his family still lives here, and we know who he is. And it's really – we're very proud of what he's been able to accomplish. I didn't think he was going to be yet as good as he is. He's really a good – one of the best linebackers in the NFL, in my opinion. So I just want to give him a shout-out. I didn't like his language that much. By the way, Swamp Dog, he said – and I appreciate – thanks for the call. He also said his grandfather didn't like the language, too. And so hopefully Grandpa had earmuffs on yesterday because, boy. But that's pretty neat. I'm glad that Swamp Dog shared that. That's awesome. I hope next football season we can do a little bit of that, just chase the good stories because, like you said, there's always so much negative around these guys. The positive definitely outweighs the negative. Hopefully we can shine a light on stuff like that a little bit. And that's why I love the, if you will, best picture of the NFL honors is the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. It's not the MVP. And that's, you know, it was funny. A few years ago when we realized, you know, like, wow, that just closed the show. Does that mean this is bigger than the MVP? And it kind of, you know, kind of. Well, there's no patch for the MVP, is there? Maybe there should be. That's kind of a cool idea. What, a patch for the MVP? Yeah, that would be pretty cool. I think that's kind of cool. Mahomes has one that's got like two-time. I know, I know. Rodgers wears a four-time one. Walter Payton is special with its pattern. No, it's an individual award, right? Most valuable player. And every MVP does the right thing and points out it's a team game. And Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is, I guess. Specifically for the individual and their work. But in a community to make more than just a 53-man roster and a franchise front office and all the staff better. I mean. To make a city and a community. I do love the patch. I do. I do too, yeah. And they put the sticker on the helmet of all the nominees as well. I don't even know the set. Yeah, they do that. And it's a great idea. By the way, I'd walk around with that patch all the time. Didn't the year Witt won, it was the year they were in the Super Bowl, right? and they put the patch on for the game? Yes, they started doing that. Yeah. Yeah. I guess if you're fortunate enough to be in the Super Bowl. I think that's the only time. I think someone will break out the needle and thread for you, you know, if that's the case. Bobby Wagner won it this year. So I guess technically a Seahawk won it. I understand he's been with the Washington franchise, the Commanders, for a bit. Yeah, but... He makes his way to that bus room. People are going to think of him as a... Well, I mean, yeah, that's for sure. Let's take another phone call here, shall we? Let's go to Alex in New York City, where we're on ESPN radio there as well. What's going on, Alex? Hey, Rich. Can you hear me? We can. What's up? Awesome. How you doing? How you doing? Where in New York City are you calling in from? Manhattan? Manhattan. I'm originally from the Southern California area, so I'm a big Lakers fan. Okay, okay. You're in the wrong city now, pal. I'll tell you that. I've personally given up on a finals run this season like a lot of us have. It's pretty clear we don't have a championship team. We didn't make those moves at the trade deadline. Going into this offseason, given the Lakers, I believe, are projected to have the most cap space in the league, do you think it's important for us to prioritize re-signing LeBron and paying him that asking price? of what, even if it is that 50 million, or is it time for us to maybe move on and start building this team around that Luka and Austin Reeves backcourt? Because quite frankly, you know, I'm watching our games sometimes. I know the three of them haven't played together that much this year. Right, right. But I just, I feel like we can reconstruct this team so much better around that backcourt. And I don't think re-signing LeBron is the answer, you know. He's my goat. I love him, but maybe it's time to move on. Well, I guess, Alex, we kind of touched on this subject matter a little bit with Brian Windhorst in studio on Wednesday. it really is what does LeBron want? Because if LeBron's like, you know, I am playing and I am ring chasing, I would not blame him for a second. Like he wants to finish with confetti. That's the way every goat and certainly all-time great like LeBron wants to end. and is Los Angeles that spot? And the answer is potentially yes, but at his current financial freight and maybe not. Now, will he say, I'm LeBron James and I deserve to be paid like I am LeBron James with the gate that I provide and all of this stuff? Would he have every right to do that? Absolutely. Would he be, I guess, a better ring chaser if he's more affordable? Yeah, I think so. And, you know, we talked about, again, with Windhorst on Wednesday, he mentioned Dirk Nowitzki at the end of his career taking less to stay with the Mavericks. And I made the analogy of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers made, what, $12 million this year? Something like that, yeah, $14 million. Aaron Rodgers could easily have said to the Steelers you know I not leaving Malibu for anything less than million And they might have been like well then thank you no Right. And the market spoke. How will the market speak for LeBron? I don't know. Nobody knows. Nobody knows at all how much he's going to want and where he's going to want to play. And that's where it starts, Alex. You know, the Lakers, I'm sure, would love to keep him. Why wouldn't they? The Lakers are kind of like in your adopted town, Alex, the Yankees, where they put on a show for an all-time great. They love retirement years. They can really give you every last ounce of it if you're looking for something that feels special. They can really put on a show. End of story. The Lakers do exactly that. The Lakers would love to have, I would think, LeBron walk off into the sunset as a Laker having confetti coming down from, you know, crypto. That's, they'd be all over that. But to make it happen, I don't know what they could fit in salary-wise. And let's see how he finishes the season. You know, we were all assuming he's just going to be at the same level of physical and mental greatness because he's LeBron. You know, I know that's a bit of a nuanced answer, Alex, but that's my answer for you. No, that makes a lot of sense. You got it. And Alex, it's Alex in Manhattan. New York City would be also, you know, I guess, what? Staten Island. According to you, Staten Island. Queens, have you been to Staten Island yet, Alex? Not yet. Okay. I've been here a couple of years, so I haven't made it out. It's okay. There's a ferry. There's a whole world out there, Alex. There's a whole world out there. Alex, you're good at me. No, no, no, no. You're good. There's some great food on Staten Island, pal. There is. They got pizza. There's no food in Manhattan. You're right. You don't know what you're talking about. You think you know what you're talking about. You don't. And by the way, be on your best behavior for Alex. Thanks for the call, bud. That's Alex in Manhattan. That was pretty aggressive, Rich. Why was it aggressive? I don't know. You're the one aggressive with me. You're trying to claim Staten Island is New York City. You claim that Maine is New England. It is. It's not according to Casey Affleck. It's not. He kind of sun-made a little bit. Honestly, for somebody. You think New England is just Boston? That's what the Bostonites think. No, no, no. That's what you're implying now. And you think New York City is just Manhattan? It's the same thing. No, it's not. Brian Wynhorst was here yesterday. He's from Omaha, Nebraska. If someone from Omaha, Nebraska thinks, I'm going to New York City for vacation, and you drop them off in Staten Island, they're going to be like, where the hell am I? but where do they land, Chris? They most likely land in Queens because that's where JFK is. Where the hell am I? That's where LaGuardia is. Where am I? That's New York City, bud. Not to someone from middle America. Yeah, but if you think I'm going to New England, people think I'm going to Boston. They do not. Oh, what are they? Oh, no, no, no. I'm going to Rhode Island. Oh, yeah. I can't wait to see New Hampshire. Casey Affleck essentially outed me. It's the same thing. thing that somebody from Maine says I'm a New Englander has a problem with someone from Staten Island saying I'm from New York City it's the same thing there's five boroughs of New York City Staten Island is one of them and there are how many states in New England tell me there's five there's five there's five oh isn't that interesting can you even name them yes Vermont New Hampshire Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and your hamlet, sir, the Staten Island of New England, Maine. Connecticut, too, technically, they're sick. And Connecticut is half. Half. I'm just saying, the Wu-Tang Clan represents Staten Island. Connecticut's like the New Jersey of New England. Oh, stop. Don't go there. Don't go there. You are part of the metropolitan area. We are our own. Yes, but we are our own. Connecticut is part of the New England area. Connecticut come on now Southern Connecticut claims a little bit of New York Ask anybody in Southwest Connecticut And there's everybody in Bristol Bristol's like right on the Mason Dixon of Connecticut Between New England and the New York metropolitan area Connecticut when you see the New York metropolitan area It's New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Oh but Connecticut's also part of New England That's why it's the Jersey, it's the swing It's the swing area Okay? Now, again, you're from Maine and part of New England, and I respect that. I don't know why it's not mutual. Well, that's all I'm saying. Your New York arrogance doesn't allow you to really see that Staten Island is like whatever. This guy, him and Casey Affleck, we're not insufferable, even though we're totally insufferable. Says the insufferable Yankee fan. Thank you, sir. Holler at your boy. Well, at times. Ask that guy. You told Method Man here that Staten Island's not part of yours. And by the way, deep down, he knows that I'm right. You're lucky it wasn't Ghostface you said that. Take the guest line. Take the guest line. Take the guest line. New England's finest Susie Schuster's. Oh, Susie. I thought Raekwon the chef was called. What's up, Susie? This is the dumbest conversation I've ever heard. No, it's not, Susie. It's totally not. I'll tell you why. If you think about New England, you immediately think of the shoreline of Maine, and you think of the lighthouse and lobsters, if you ask a guy from Nebraska about New England, he's going to say lobsters. He's going to say Mainridge. No, he won't. No, Susie, no. Sure. I'm a great shot. Oh, my God. Are you kidding me? And by the way, Rich, I love having Susie as a teammate. We haven't just sat now in together once. We got off the ferry. We put our foot down. We got back on a ferry. We went home to Manhattan, to New York City. No, I know that, but we didn't leave New York City that entire time, Susie. Not once. It's not like we went to Omaha. We went to Staten Island. The main of New York City. That's where we went. So not the main of New York City. I'm on your side here, Rich. Sorry, happy time in. Happy time in. Sorry. All right, bye-bye. Ladies and gentlemen, Susie Schuster. Hopefully, there's not an actual hit and run. Oh, stop. I gotta go after Susie. Sorry. Take the L here, bro. You're the figurative one right there. Rich, don't listen to him. You ain't taking an L on this one. No. No. I'm not. You want the guy who thinks Altoona is East Coast as a teammate? That's a problem. That's not who you want. That's a problem. That's not who you want. I'd rather have Susie as a teammate in this with all due respect. All right. Well, you know what? Now you're both going on your own. All right? Dang. That's fine. First of all, I've been on my own from Staten Island my entire life. This is fine. Neither one of you want me to get on either one of you. I promise that. Just keep Jersey out of it. Roll your break. All right. I don't know why I'm so angry all the time. I love you, Susie. the rich eisen show the podcast back here on the rich eisen show radio simulcast with our espn disney plus and espn feed 844-204-rich is the number to dial the hyundai hope on wheels campaign talk about it every day and it's been going on for over 27 years 850 dealers nationwide together have raised more than 277 million dollars supporting over 25 000 kids in their fight against cancer because did you know every hyundai sold has helped fund life-saving pediatric cancer research to that amount visit hyundaiusa.com and search hyundai hope on wheels to learn more please at hyundai hope isn't optional it comes standard tom palisaro is about to join us here on the program and one of the first item up for bids to use the phrase of the price is right is going to be what in the world was that coffee like between clint kubiak the new hc of the las vegas raiders and max crosby baby what were they talking about how far of a bridge needs to be mended or none at all well max crosby appeared on the uh let's go podcast oh yeah it's with tb12 and jim gray or is it is the official free name of that let's go let's go this is what max had to say people are gonna have rumors i just looked at my phone i've been working all morning i got another you know everyone's hit me up did you say this did you it's i can't control that you earn that as a player you know if if i wasn't doing the right things and if I wasn't the person and player I was you know people wouldn't be talking about all the nonsense but that's what comes with it if you have drama if you have a losing season they just try to throw gasoline on the fire and make you know things a certain way and for me I don't I know what I'm about I know what I'm what I represent you know what I mean it's I really don't care what everybody has to say I used to a lot as a young guy I really don't give a damn People could have their own opinions. I know what's going on. I know my truth. And I don't need to sit here and keep, you know, rehashing it to people that don't know what's going on. So I don't even I don't even waste time with it. All right. So fittingly, Jim Gray asked the follow up question of like, all right. So what do you want? What do you want? I have a lot of goals, but I do want to win. That's all that matters ultimately. But I want to be in a place where mentally I'm 100% myself. I just want to focus on football. That's truly what I want. People that know me know I'm about the work and football. I just want to play football and be left the f*** alone, period. And if people that don't understand that don't f***ing know me. People can say whatever they want. I truly, and I've said this, like, well, you had to get on a show and talk about it. Yeah, that's my obligation. I have to do that. But truly, I don't give a fuck besides playing football and winning football games. Well, I didn't know this was the LFG podcast. He's like Kevin Durant. He's like Ernest Jones. All he wants to do is play basketball and that's it. I don't think that's in dispute. The question is, does he want to be a Raider while doing that? Does he want to be left the F alone? Unless that's his way of saying, leave me alone. I'm a Raider. So just leave me alone and end the story. I mean, these reports aren't coming out of thin air. I don't know. We'll ask Tom Pellicero. What is the genesis of all this? Wow. Okay. Heck of a coffee. We know it was caffeinated. The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast.