It is! The JR Sport Brief Show here on the Infinity Sports Network. I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you to everybody tuned in all over North America. I hope you have had A tremendous Monday.
I'll be hanging out with you for one more hour. This show gets started every weekday at 6 p.m. Eastern. Three Pacific. It has been a day.
It's been an evening. It's been a lot. The NBA legal tampering period is open for free agents. We've had some moves. I'm going to tell you about a few.
and then also earlier today. Man, we had the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers got some help for Aaron Rodgers, they got some help for the defense. Uh meanwhile, TJ Watt. still without a deal. With the Pittsburgh Steelers.
So we got a lot to get into. We've discussed a lot. Hey, thank you so much to Joe Rudder. for joining us from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
So much going on. Anyway, you can always listen to the show on the free Odyssey app. You can hit Rewind, you can hit pause, you can do all the great things. Thank you to people listening live on the Infinity Sports Network on your local affiliate. If you got SiriusXM, it's channel 375.
And if you have a smart speaker, ask the speaker to play. The Infinity Sports Network. I'm in Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you to our producer in New York City, holding things down, Ryan Botcher. If you want to be a part of the show, you can.
888-710-4ISN is the number. That's 888. seven ten. four I S N Imagine our sport brief on the Internet. Man, we've done a lot.
Hey, Bopsa, should we go through some of these deals? Oh, yeah, for sure. They're still coming through. Not as much as they were when it first dropped, but there's still a few more.
Alright, if you not that you've been living under a rock, maybe you're making money, maybe you got better things to do. is a couple of things that have gone down. First of all, This free agency period Is not the most exciting thing. This is not Kevin Durant waking up and joining the Golden State Warriors. This is not LeBron James and the decision.
We have a lot of role players who have and are moving around. And so we know a few of these. LeBron James picked up his player option and is already worried about LeBron James trying to put the screws to the Lakers. to improve the roster. One spot where the Lakers will not improve their roster is at the center position as it stands right now because Brooke Lopez, a target for the Los Angeles Lakers, is joining the other Los Angeles team.
Brooke Lopez is signing a two-year contract, $18 million, with the Los Angeles Clippers. Wow. I mean, I'm still getting used to anybody signing with the Clippers. I don't care if Kawhi is there, James Harden agreed to a two-year, $81 million deal. The Clippers are always going to be the Clippers to me.
I don't care if Steve Ballmer owns them. And now they have Brooke Lopez and the Los Angeles Lakers. They lose out on a big man.
Now, it's been reported. That DeAndre Ayton has been bought out from the Portland Trailblazers. We have Miles Turner. I would think he's going to return to the Indiana Pacers. Maybe not.
Miles Turner I think would be a great fit with the Los Angeles Lakers. Blocks shots, knocks down threes, can get to the basket. Not supremely athletic. Uh but but he would certainly be uh an improvement. Uh the Lakers also lose Dorian Finney Smith.
He is now a member of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets keep on adding, folks. They've also picked up Clint Capella. And so they've uh that they're certainly doing better on the defensive side of the ball and rounding out uh that roster. Nikhil Alexander Walker is now a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
Nice move. Nothing earth shattering there. A Sacramento Kings pick up Dennis Schroeder. Ty Jerome. mister Microwave uh for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He is now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Okay, Jaron Jackson Junior uh gets a contract extension for the from the Memphis Grizzlies. Uh what else d happened? Oh my God. Tyus Jones. is now a member of the Orlando Magic.
one year seven million dollar deal. Karis Laverte goes from Atlanta to Detroit. Bobby Portis, he stays in Milwaukee. Botcha, I need to take a breath. Did I miss anybody?
I probably did. Who did I miss? Uh I don't know if you saw lu you saw a Kenard, right? Oh, Kennard? Wait, wa where's Kennard going?
He's going to the Hawks. Oh, okay, to shoot threes, great. Yeah. I see Cornette. Luke Cornette is gone from the Celtics as well.
He's now a member of the San Antonio Spurs. D'Angelo Russell, he's going to be holding down the Point guard duties, probably poorly, for the Dallas Mavericks while Kyrie Irving is gone. And so we got players who are moving, we got players who are shaking. Bruce Brown. is going to be returning to the Denver Nuggets, which probably means that uh Russell Westbrook is done in Denver, I would think.
Kevon Looney is done in Golden State. He now joins the New Orleans Pelicans. And then going back to Russell Westbrook, He declined his player option. To return to the nuggets. Russell Westbrook.
We talked about Dennis Schroeder. already now have playing this is his tenth team. Being on the Sacramento Kings is Dennis Schroeder's tenth team. He's thirty, thirty one years old.
Now Russell Westbrook has been reported that both he and the New York Knicks they got the hots for each other. And why not? I I see it as a match made in heaven. Russell Westbrook in New York City seems like a move. It certainly seems like he would embrace the city.
I don't know if he would embrace the media. It also gives the New York Knicks somebody else Who can handle the basketball?
Now, some of Russell Westbrook's decisions when it comes to shot making. will will make you want to pull your hair out. But there was so much about the Knicks not moving the ball enough and needing somebody else and not having anybody dynamic. Of course, Russell Westbrook. even in his older age now, He's still he's still a damn good athlete.
Okay? Russell Wo Russell Westbrook can still get up and down the court, and I think he'd be good for the Knicks. Just last season with the Nuggets he averaged thirteen points. five rebounds and six assists. I think he's kind of accepted his lot in life as an NBA player.
I don't think he's looking to rock the boat and be the man. And after you bounced around a hell of a lot, Why not? Oklahoma. HUSTON ROCKETS Wizards Lakers. Clippers Nuggets.
That's six teams already. for Russell Westbrook. And if you go ahead and throw him on to the Knicks or wherever the hell he plays next year. That's seven teams. I mean, that's a lot for a guy who's going to be he's going to be thirty-seven, which is crazy.
But Russell Westbrook will be thirty-seven years old uh later on this year. He's one of the NBA's top 75 players of all time. He has an MVP. We are now reaching the point of Is he gonna win a ring anywhere? I don't think it'll be with the the the New York Knicks.
Uh not at all. If that happens, Botcher. Good fit for the Knicks. Good move if they get Russell Westbrook. It's hard to say Russell Westbrook's a fit.
Anywhere. I I guess you could say it works. with cat being able to shoot But I I I don't know. He he he just. Doesn't Since he doesn't space the floor He's really only there to be a big guard that can Maybe move the ball.
It's just he doesn't provide much offensively anymore. It's not offensively, it's shooting. He can still get buckets, but do you want him getting buckets? With the Knicks? No, because you have Brunson, like I You don't Especially with Brunson being kind of a like a brute.
He's physical in the paint. I don't think Westbrook being out there to be a perimeter shooter would just work unless unless it's only Westbrook operating the offense off the bench. Yeah, well, he he'd operate the offense off the bench. He'd spell Jalen Brunson. I think if he was on a basketball court with Brunson, I think you want to limit that time, but he'd probably be out there cutting to the basket.
he'd be an athletic wing to try to move the ball.
Now the thing is, I think the New York Knicks have made their bed, now they have to sleep in it with the type of roster that they have. Like how much flexibility do you have? You have Mikael Bridges, Josh Hart, OGN and Obi. These are all guards and wings, different heights and different sizes, but pretty much almost the same type of player. I don't say there's a huge variation in any of the three.
And now you bring on a Russell Westbrook. I I you kinda know what you get. Like Jalen Brunson is the offense for the team. And unless the ball is gonna move, I I I I don't know. I think the New York Knicks, I I hate to say that they've peaked.
with what we saw last year I think that might be the case. We already saw one major issue is depth. And we knew this from last year when they brought on Mikhail Bridges. And now they got Carl Anthony Towns, and now we hear rumors that they might trade Mitchell Robinson. I think the Knicks got a little bit of a miracle in the fact that he was even healthy enough.
during their playoff run. To think that lightning is going to strike twice next year, I I wouldn't go ahead and uh and bet on that.
So The New York Knicks, there's a lot of people moving around here in free agency. Uh the Knicks have been relatively quiet because, hey, they made their big moves and their big trades. Last season, okay? 888-710-4ISN is the number. That's 888-710-4ISN.
We did talk about LeBron James. You want to talk about a team looking to make some moves. LeBron James opting into his contract for one more season, fifty two million dollars. His agent, Rich Paul, making it very clear Hey, LeBron is opting in, but we're going to be continuing to watch how the Lakers improve in free agency, which is, I don't want to say, a veiled threat. But it's pretty much hey, if things don't go well With the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James is going to be looking to potentially leave.
And so go ahead and get on your you-know-what. There was also a video that went viral over the weekend of LeBron James. You hear his voice in the background. I don't think this is AI, but we hear LeBron James in the background. Dinner with Kevin Love.
And he pretty much says that His wife Savannah is hoping that he hangs it up. and retires in about one To two years, and you know, we haven't got a response on that. Uh, but Brian Winhorst was on ESBN. And he had some thoughts on LeBron and And how long he plays, and picking up the free agent, or excuse me, picking up his contract option. Listen to what Windhorse had to say.
There's something going on here, and I can be honest with you, I don't completely know what it is. I talked to Rich Paul yesterday. He reiterated essentially what he's told Shams. What I can tell you is I do not think LeBron James is going to be traded either today or tomorrow or in a month or in three months because number one, he makes $53 million and doing a trade like that to a competitive team that has a high payroll is going to be very difficult. And secondly, he has a no trade clause, which would mean he would control all sides of a trade.
Not only where he would want to go, but what he would want to get traded for. And those parameters just make it unlikely a deal like that would ever happen.
So while it is fascinating to think about, I don't think that's an avenue here. Yeah. He ain't goin' anywhere. Botch, do you see LeBron going anywhere? I think he'll finish out the season.
He ain't moving. He's playing one more year in LA. And then he goes somewhere else next year. I think so. He'll he'll play one more year in Cleveland probably.
Yeah, I think so. Oh, wow. You think you'll end he'll end it out there, huh? Yeah. If they're if they're competitive and they don't fall apart, I think he'll play one more there.
Okay. Why not I mean, why not end where there there's no point in him going back someplace that he's he's unfamiliar. Mike, what's the what's the point? And at the same time.
So, wait, after we've been through all of this, I guess. After you play with your kid one year, you've checked that box, who cares? And may I I guess playing with Bryce is too much. Uh maybe he waits to see where Bryce gets drafted and maybe he tries to dictate where Bryce goes so he can play with Bryce as well. I don't know.
It's LeBron. He he's already done it. Why not do it again, right? But now you have the does he does he forget about Bronny now? No, he played with Bronny.
He did that already.
So when Bryce gets into the league, Bronny is forgotten about. No, he he's like I played with you already, now I get to go play with the other kid. They can't well, what if they what if both brothers are on the same team and LeBron?
Well, damn it, then we got triplets. Yeah, I I there's there's way too many factors for all this, but knowing LeBron, it's gonna happen. Wouldn't you say That he wants to play with Bryce. But we both agree. This is not LeBron's last year.
And if it was, we would have gotten the massive speech. We would have gotten the I'm hanging him up. I highly doubt we get to September and he makes an announcement. I I think this is going to be well laid out. I think it's going to be well executed.
that we're going to get the longest runway in the world of Just preparation for LeBron. I don't think it's going to be, hey, I'm here at training camp, and by the way, guys, I'm quitting. I I think we're gonna get a We're going to get some runway.
So he's playing this season. After this year, he may announce that this is my final run. He may wait until Bryce knows where he plays. But LeBron is going to give us, I think, two more seasons. And at that point, I wouldn't be surprised if he hung him up.
And let's be real. If if you're LeBron Like, why the hell else are you playing besides trying to win another title? And there's no guarantee in it. And so it makes no sense to, you know, opt into this deal one more season with the Lakers and just, you know, disappear. You want to you want to pick your spots.
You want to pick and choose where you want to go. Eight eight eight seven ten four I S N It's 888-710-488. 4ISN. It's just, it's really crazy to think about how the league is changing. LeBron James about to be done.
Steph Curry is about to be done. When Steph Curry and LeBron are out of the league. At that point in time I'm just like, Okay. We have now moved on from from one generation. LeBron James literally by himself has been the past twenty years of the NBA.
As a basketball player, If you got a tack on his time in college, Lebron James has been around for a quarter century. just balling out from Saint Vincent's, Saint Mary's to the Cavs and and and going to Miami and the Cavs again and the Lakers. It's just the NBA's gonna be very different. when he hangs em up. Yeah, we got a bunch of other stars and players who are, you know, at or around thirty and Giannis and and Jokic.
We got Russell Westbrook on his way out and uh the league is in good hands. I just I want to see I would love to see Victor Wembanyama. take over. Is Wimben Yama playing 20 years? Hell no.
I I I highly, highly doubt that. But however long he plays, ten, fifteen years, I I want to see him. and take the league by storm. 7475 Freak blocking shots, shooting threes. Sign me up for a Victor, Wimbinyama.
888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4. 4ISN. We're going to take a break when we come back. I did tell you that the WNBA.
And they've they've kind of picked up on a few things. They're adding Three more teams to the league. Of course, at the end of the show, we'll talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history. We have free agents who are moving and shaking. We got a lot to do.
You're locked into the JR Sport Re Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinity Sports Network. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief.
Well, I thank you for listening. Thank you. I appreciate that. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you, coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. If you want to call me, you can.
888-710-4ISN is the number. That's 888-710-4ISN. If you want to give me a holler before we roll on out, of course, at the end of the show, we'll talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history. We've had a busy day in sports history taking a look at.
Well, just a busy day, period. Taking a look at everything that took place in NBA Free Agency. We do have a bunch of callers here who have some thoughts, who have some opinions on what the hell is going on.
So let's go ahead and talk to Mike. He's calling up from Canton. You're on the JR Support Brief Show, Mike. What's going on with you? I'm calling to ask What is going on with that Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift deal?
Am I missing something? What do you mean what's what's going on? Why doesn't he marry that girl? She's nice. Yeah.
Well, are you married, Mike? You married. No, not at the present time. But I just thought that she was really a. a wonderful person and he couldn't do any better than her.
And let me close by saying Thanks for the memories, Dave Parker. I was born the same year as him. I really have a. Memories about Yeah. And to the fellow who just called going through hard times, please hang in there, buddy.
You're not alone. All right.
Well, thank you. Mike with the positivity. Thank you for calling from Canton, Mike. Absolutely. And Mike, okay, it's nice to get some positivity on the radio.
Yeah, we learn of the passing of Steelers' legend, Dave Parker. uh yesterday passing at at seventy four years old, former MVP in in Hall of Famer. eight eight eight seven ten four I SN. That's eight eight eight seven ten four I SN. Bradley is calling from Louisiana.
You on the JR Sport Reshow, Bradley, what's up with you? Yes, sir. Thank you for taking my call. You got it. What's going on?
Well, I watched the NBA playoffs this year and it's just sickening to watch. It's a bunch of primadars out there. And just so happened I watched Uh Thirty thirty for thirty on the SPN with Patrick Ewing and all. And it just, I can't hardly watch the NBA anymore. It just.
stickening to watch all this. whining and looks and every time you take a shot you wanna get a foul. I just really challenged some of the this direction and Adam Silver, he's got it going the right direction. I just Period. about why Every time you take a shot, you want to look at the foul.
Be a man. If you're going to paint, Well, guess what? You're going to get fouled. Yeah, or something. I think we have I I agree with you, I think we have some players who are worse than others when it comes to being a crybaby.
I in all honesty, forget anything that you saw this year. Did you see Luka Doncich in the finals last year? I sure did. And there's no doubt and I have watched the NBA games in person, and it's still tough sledding. At the same time, I'm tired of these.
You know, if you're a point guard, stay where you belong. Yeah. Well, Bradley, I think, as you know, things change over time. The NBA has certainly changed over time. I'll tell you this, and thank you so much for calling from Louisiana, Bradley.
I'd take a look at the NBA. And I'm just glad, and there's still too many threes for my liking. I would like to see some diversity in the offense. I'm not a statistician. I would like to see some more paint scoring.
I'd like to see some inside-out basketball. I'd like to see some more movement. They just jack up too many threes. That's just me. but even still to this day, It's not what we got a few years ago, where everybody seemingly just woke up.
and thought that they were Steph Curry. Like that drove me nuts. I mean outside of Steph Curry and Damian Lillard there's there's like no logical way. that we should have seen some of these guys just launching threes uh at the rate that they did. Even here in Atlanta, Trey Young isn't out there just pulling up from the logo as much as he used to be or as much as he used to.
So things change. Look, Baseball has changed over time. I hate the idea of the pitch clock. I hate the idea of throwing a guy at second base when we get to extra innings. I hate.
All of it. The NFL is so offensively driven. I miss a little bit of defense and some resistance. But, man, if we go back almost. at this point in twenty-five to thirty years I remember that commercial.
With with uh Tom Glavin and in Greg Maddox. These two dudes were sitting there and the whole commercial was chick's dig. The long ball.
Okay, it's not strikeouts, that is sexy, it's not defense, everything is offensively driven. People are offensively modded. People want offense, offense, offense. And in the world that we live in, just think about this. Everybody's looking for entertainment.
Everybody's looking for the quick fix. Who wants to sit down and watch a game with no points? I may want to do that on occasion. But if I'm thinking about somebody consuming the game on their phone or on social media. It's action.
Action cells, highlight cells, threes and home runs and touchdowns. That's where it is. Defenders are pretty much out there as roadblocks. You know, who takes over a game on defense anymore in any type of place? It's rare.
It sucks. And the NBA, yeah, i it's going through its uh its adjustments over the years. as well. And it'll continue to do so. What do you want to talk about cry, baby?
ALUCADANCHAS CRYBABY NUMBER ONE. Jason Kidd basically had to tell this guy, man, shut up. Luka Doncic was over here complaining at his own team to go out there and and pay review the call. He's complaining on the ground. while the game is going on.
It's like, come on, man. Let's just please go out here and do better. 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4ISN. Uh speaking of things changing, The WNBA is changing.
It's moving to eighteen teams Every two years we're going to get a new team. we have Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. are all going to get WNBA franchises.
Now I hope they can all start making some money. Listen to WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert tell you about these teams getting these cities. These are proud cities with powerful sports legacies, each one rich in basketball tradition and fueled by passionate fan bases, what we know they're going to show up for the W.
Okay, Cleveland gets a franchise in 2028. Dan Gilbert, who owns the Cavaliers, also has them. In 2029, the Pistons, well, not the Pistons. What the heck? Wasn't there a team the Detroit shock?
They're sending them back.
Now Tom Gores, he owns the Pistons, he's gonna go ahead and have the Detroit team. Grant Hill, Chris Weber are are going to be some of the minority owners in that facility. or that team. And in twenty thirty Philadelphia will be the next team to get a WNBA franchise. Josh Harris is going to be the owner of that team.
He also already owns the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers.
So the WNBA uh continuing to just uh grow and and and be on the the up and up here. Wow. Uh make some money. Bacha, we were talking about stars. We see Golden State, the Valkyries, they have a team now.
And now that they got these cities, well they they will have more players. And they're doing it over the next five years.
So I would hope that the talent pool continues to grow. I mean, at that point, Caitlin Clark will probably be firmly. In places that the top star, which she already is in the WNBA, maybe she has a foil by then. This is aggressive for a league that's not making money. They got to be optimistic about what's coming in the future.
Let's listen to Kathy Engelbert. She says right now. Viewership in the WNBA Is that a high? Our viewership is at an all-time high, our arenas are buzzing, and our league continues to make an impact on sports and culture.
Okay. Botcha, this is a good idea what they're doing right now. Three teams over the next five years? I'm okay with it. As long as it's funded.
by other owners and not by the league itself. We're good because If you can get the outside spending from other owners who actually care about it, and want to see it develop. I can see them maybe expanding and having other locations and areas pick up the WNBA, and then rate viewership will go up because if it's spotty where it's like, The the the Northwest couldn't see any games unless it's Seattle. If maybe if you put another two teams there, get more viewership, bring it in because it's not really a national sport. It it's it could be good.
Like, what are you saying? Put another team in a Pacific Northwest? I'm just saying, like, if you put teams. Where there aren't now.
So I guess Detroit. Portland? No, I'm just saying there is a Seattle team. I'm saying if you put a team like Oklahoma City, Hypothetically. It should introduce the WNBA to more fans.
And. if they keep doing this, And they're going to expect probably a a slow losing start you start lose money but as long as it's funded It should grow the game.
Well, I mean, the guys who own these teams already own the NBA franchises, so. I think this is just a slight boost to whatever valuation that they ultimately sell the teams for. I don't know. I'm kind of on the fence about this one. Like, I don't think the league has enough teams.
With these three additions, they're now going to be moving to 18. I believe Cleveland at one point in time had a team. I most certainly know Detroit had the shock. They were pretty good winning championships. I don't think Philadelphia ever had a WNBA franchise.
And I so be honest, what other cities could Could support. I know Toronto is a new team. Golden State is a new team. I think Tulsa, I think Tulsa, Oklahoma City, one of them two already had a WNBA franchise.
So I don't know. As long as they can start making money in the future. And growing, I'm cool with that. Marco, what are your thoughts? They're adding three teams: Cleveland, Detroit, and Philly, over the next five years.
Too aggressive? What do you think? Probably. I hope it succeeds. And maybe it's not because as Botch was talking about with the funding, but it does feel like where you're trying to capitalize on a little momentum that you're gaining with the whole Caitlin Clark stuff and people starting to pay attention.
But one of the worst things you can do as a league is expand too much too fast. And I do feel like it's easier to grow when you are what you are, and then eventually you move forward. Not, hey, people are starting to watch this week. Why don't we add six more teams? I don't know.
It just feels. Like it's something that we've seen before and I'm afraid that they're going to go down the run the same path. Yeah, they've expanded over the years and they've moved franchises around. They've shut franchises, like the Detroit shock. I remember them.
clearly. And so now Detroit is getting another team? Are they going to be the shock again? Did they move to another city? There came a point in time in the WNBA where it was real difficult even keeping up.
Um for instance The Houston Comets, they were They were one of the best WNBA teams when they got started. They were selling out. And the Compact Center, like, they were a big deal with Cheryl Swoops and Tina Thompson. They were kicking ass. Like, where are the comments?
They don't exist anymore. And so. It's something to really look out for. I hope nothing but the best for the WNBA. I'm just kind of concerned here about this.
It sounds nice, but does this mean they got to start shuttering and moving teams around? Tom will tell on that one. And it's also, too, sometimes when you don't mess with a product for a little while to gain the momentum, it gets people a chance to be accustomed with the teams, the players. And when there's more movement, when there's more addition, when there's more things that are added in when you're just starting to watch. It makes it harder for people to latch on.
I know that sounds crazy, but it's the truth. We like routine, we like the same things.
So once we're adding in something new to our watch list and to something that we care about, Don't mess with it too much because then it gets people. A little out of whack with what they're seeing. What happened to that team before? Oh, wait, where did this play? Like the more movement around as you're just becoming a viewer.
could become distracting from what you wanted to see in the first place. Yeah, too much of a good thing.
Now, I will say this: I mentioned the Detroit shock, I talked about Houston, even franchises that had success. Ultimately move the shock played in Detroit from ninety eight to two thousand nine. They then went to Tulsa and became the Tulsa Shock from 2010 to 2015. The year after that they moved to Dallas and became the Wings. I had no idea the Detroit shock.
Became the Dallas Wings, and they've been in Dallas for the better part. of a decade now.
So, all the best to the WNBA. It's the JR Sport Ree Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. We're going to take a break. When we come back, of course, we'll talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history. But you just heard his voice.
There's a lot going on in the world of sports. It's time for a news flash with Marco Belletti. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief.
It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. Hey, a big shout outs to everybody, you know, helping people out. I don't care what your job is. I don't care what your career is. If you're out there helping people, looking out for people, protecting people, serving people, thank you so much for everything that you do.
It is the end of the show. We've talked about a lot as it relates to NBA Free Agency. We talked about the Steelers and what they did with Jonu Smith and also bringing in Jalen Ramsey. But right now, It's time to talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history. Back, back, back, back.
Back in the days when I was young, I'm not a kid anymore. But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again. It's time for this day in sports history. Gee, back in those days. We had radio and you couldn't see anything and it was primitive and lousy and we liked it.
On the JR Sport Brief Show. I wish I was 50 years younger and I'd kick your ass. Today is June 30th, 2025. It's been that way all day long. If we go back in time to June 30th, 1978, Willie McCovey.
He became the 12th player. To hit 500 home runs. He did it, of course, with the Giants against Atlanta. They ended up losing 10 to 9 here in Atlanta, Georgia. He did it with a two-run home run in the second.
Inning. Take a listen. Willie McCovey on his 500 home run, courtesy of MLB. My 500th home run was hitting Atlanta Stadium. I hit it off Jamie Easterly and it was hit the left field.
I was really happy for my teammates because they had really been looking forward to it and looking forward to celebrating everything that I had went to and they had made t-shirts saying $500 for $44 and things of that sort.
So I was just as happy for my teammates as I were for myself. Yeah, man, he finished with 521 home runs, so he had 21 more bombs after that. June 30th, 1995, you want to talk about another great accomplishment. Eddie Murray got his 3,000th hit versus the Twins in the Metro Dome. Of course, he was playing for Cleveland at the time.
He was the 20th player to do so. Cleveland ended up winning 4-1. He's also the second switch hitter to do it besides Pete Rose. Listen to Eddie Murray get his 3,000th hit. Listen to Tom Hamilton hold it down.
on Cleveland Radio. Eddie Murray sitting on 2,999. Another look, now the pitch. Murray hits the ground ball through the right side in the right field, a base set. Anybody has done it.
The 20th player in baseball history. To reach 3,000. And look at the NPS out of the dugout. And Eddie Murray. has assured himself a spot at Cooperstown.
June thirtieth. Let's keep this moving. What year is it? June 30th, 2002. Let's go from hitting baseballs to uh You know, going ahead and kicking balls, Ronaldo.
He scored both goals as Brazil beat Germany. for their fifth World Cup title. Yes, Ronaldo is a legend. Listen to the final. Listen to the second goal.
Courtesy of FIFA. This is Harman. Ronaldo wins it back.
Now can he find Rivaldo? Yes, he can! Rivaldo! Oh, it's come up, gone. Ronaldo!
Pushing him in front! It's Ronaldo! Yeah, legend. Man, you won a World Cup. Legend.
Okay, speaking of legends, this guy won one. He got the monkey off of his back. In 2020, June 30th. Messy. Messi went out there.
and scored his seventh hundredth career goal. As he still was playing with Barcelona at the time, he did it in a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid. Take a listen to the little flea, Messi. We're 700 Messi, the panica, and he does it with class. But Football's poet laureate comes out with an absolute sonnet for the ages.
His 700th goal in its typical Messi. The madness is messy. Wait. The unpredictable becomes the expected. It's so dramatic.
I love it. You gotta love it. And make sure you watch the FIFA Club World Cup. Hey, how about this? Another feat, June 30th.
If we go back to 2021, not that long ago. Trey Turner was still in Washington at the time. This guy hit for the cycle. Again. This is the third time that he did it.
This is a Major League Baseball record. His team, the Nationals, won over the race 15 to 6. There's something about Trey Turner and just getting every hit imaginable. Listen to this courtesy of Masson. It's gonna need a little carom too, but all it takes is one air and bounce.
Turner, right field line, and it's beyond the reach. of Marco. He's going the second. He's going the third. Here's the throw.
Secal for Trey Turner on his birthday. Come on. Come on. Who does this three times? Like, what are we doing out here?
I don't know. Anyway, those are a few things that took place. This day. in sports history. Man, there's so many feats that I don't think we get a lot.
Guys get close to the cycle, but I don't think guys are turning to three the way that they used to. I don't know if it's a If it's a stats game, if we can't have this guy running, I don't know. But as I said, baseball has changed a whole hell of a lot. You know, over the past several years with all these new rules and what have you. I can't wait for baseball to change again when we get the uh the robot umps, robo umps, even though they'll probably only be assisting here at the start.
So yeah, those are a few things that took place this day in sports history. Like I said, it has been June 30th. All damn day long. Uh, Botcher, nobody else signed, nobody else is being traded, nobody else moving, huh? Jordan Clarkson to the Knicks once he gets uh bought out.
Wat Jordan well, there's some scoring. We talked about Westbrook, right? Yeah, Westbrook, that's that's No passing and scoring off the bench, that's good. And then Turndan Watford to the Sixers. Ah, no okay, nobody cares about that.
Um Oh, Jordan Clark, so that's not bad.
So he's going to the Knicks. Yep, once he gets bought out. And all he has to do is show up and shoot the ball. That's all they want from him. That's basically all.
He's basically their new. Ben Schues McBride just Twins. True. It just wake up and Wake up and shoot. That's true.
Not the worst thing. I wow, I didn't expect that. The New York Knicks, I think that's, um I think that's actually better. Hard to believe. Wow, Jordan Clarkson is already thirty three years old.
Damn. I I don't Time time flies. I don't know how the hell he got there. Wow Wow wow wow wow What a busy day I'm sure we're going to have time to break it all down tomorrow. As I mentioned, Danielle Lerner is going to join us from the Houston Chronicle.
I think the Rockets have just overall won the NBA. uh outside of OKC winning the championship, the Rockets and And bringing in Clint Capella and drafting, or not drafting, but trading for Kevin Durant. The Rockets have certainly turned things. Around looking real good.
Okay, listen, folks. Thank you to Joe Rutter for joining us on the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Talk about that trade with John U. Smith and also Jalen Ramsey. When we come back tomorrow, we're going to talk more about these NBA moves.
I'm sure we're going to have more as we get through.
Well, by the time we're back tomorrow, if you missed a minute or a second of the show, Make sure you go ahead and hit rewind on the free Odyssey app. You can find me online, I exist everywhere at JR Sport Brief. I can tell you this. I'm not getting traded. I'll be right here with you tomorrow.
So, wherever you're at, whatever you're doing, please be safe. Be well. Be smooth, be cool. And don't leave here on the Infinity Sports Network. The JR Sport Re Show might be done.
But Bart Winkler is coming up next. Thank you, Bacha.
