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Now, on with the show. Oh my god, you guys are my favorites. This is The Rich Eisen Show. The one and only. Rich Eisen.
I know what I'm talking about. That's the headline. The Rich Eisen Show. With guest host, Brian Weber. I mean, honestly, he's brilliant.
Brian Weber. I've got a long resume. Google me. It saves time. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
And now, sitting in for Rich. It's Ryan Weber. It's another hour of the program, and it's great to have you with us on a holiday. If you are working, you have my permission, my authorization as a philanthropist, to mail it in, stick it to the bed, and enjoy independence on the day before Independence Day. 844-204-Rich is the phone number.
That's 844-204-7424. Appreciate the interaction so far. On the X platform, let's keep that going. My handle is BW Weber. Weber with your Bees coming up.
20 minutes will incorporate our first of two guests today, Talking Hoops with Kurt Helen, lead NBA rider for NBCSports.com.
Next hour, the final hour of the show, we'll talk some baseball game lacks of USA Today. What has happened to the Yankees? In addition to missing Aaron Judge with the rib injury, Bronx Bombers are free fall, having lost seven in a row. Let's jump right in. Talking more MBA.
If you missed the first hour, I will give you a little bit of latitude because it's a holiday, but in general, Where're you been? I'm only asking for three hours a day.
Now, yes, I am needy. As I self-report. But that's not a huge request, just three of the 24 hours, but If you have been busy. Easing into the long holiday weekend, you miss conversation of. The red card that will live an infamy.
What's going to happen with Balogan? 99% chance FIFA will not do the right thing. He is going to have to sit out after getting the red card. In the impressive 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. As we get set now for the next biggest game in the history of American soccer on Monday in Seattle against Belgium.
And I'm back with you on Monday, so we're going to go in depth on that match coming up in the next program. We also spent a large portion of the first hour talking to Jalen Brown. A reminder: if you miss any part of any program, you can listen anytime on demand. The Outstanding Podcast will be dropped shortly after the conclusion of the program. And because I'm working with a new team in Bristol, Connecticut, always great to have professionals down the line.
They may want to grab a hold of something or sit down. Because I say this. Just to reintroduce myself to the audience as a fill-in guy, I'm Brian Weber, Info Rich Eyes. And if you know me at all, and that's real presumptuous, as a fill-in guy on a holiday, it would be because of my time at NFL Network when I worked with Rich. That's how I wound up here.
In addition to believing the philosophy: your best ability is availability, but. The goal on radio, because it's the most personal of the media. Mediums, media, is to be transparent. Maybe I should whisper this. I love basketball more than football.
Basketball is a better sport aesthetically, even with all the three-point sports. Nonsense. Changing the game. It's a quicker watch. I'll extrapolate and connect it to soccer.
Why do you think so many people are connecting with soccer now for the first time beyond the nationalism of Team USA and the games being hosted across North America? It moves, even with the nonsense of the hydration breaks, just to give the broadcasters more of an opportunity to squeeze in commercials, although. I'm watching the Spanish language broadcast because they're purist and they keep the coverage where it is. But my whole point of. My basketball dissertation is.
I'm the type of guy, when we get to the summer, who loves to go through extravagant trade scenarios. And this year, I didn't have to. Because think about the sequence over the last Two weeks or so. Giannis gets dealt finally going to Miami. Jean Morant, people overlook that deal going to Portland, once the face of the franchise in Memphis, now because of injuries and his legal issues, deemed expendable.
Ball in Minnesota gonna run with the Ant-Man. It's combustible, but it's interesting. And the Jalen Brown deal that we broke down probably in too granular detail. But I just love going through. Different permutations and the fallout and the implications.
Which gets us to the man who knows how to. Conjure up Different ways. Of captivating our attention. Not only is monetarily LeBron James a billionaire. If attention were a currency, he'd be Elon Musk.
He'd be a trillionaire in the sports world because he understands how to put himself front and center in every conversation. That's why I don't anticipate his quote-unquote decision this time. To come anytime soon for a couple of reasons. He's going to enjoy the process, and secondarily, he likes the fact that guys like me are talking about him.
So With that as the overview. I mentioned in passing, but I understand the audience is always changing. Conventional wisdom has said once LeBron made it official, he would not be returning to LA, even though the Lakers had to go through the motions of being interested in having him finish his career here in Southern California. The short list of teams that emerged as potential destinations were the Warriors, the Cavaliers. The heat.
And now the Seventy Sixers have emerged in the wake of their blockbuster deal, picking up Jalen Brown.
So. Let's get perspective from ESPN senior NBA insider Shamp Serrania on where the Sixers fit in among the teams vying for LeBron. The Sixers are pitching LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul at Clutch Sports in the wake of getting Jalen Brown aboard. We know the face of this team, Tyrese Maxie. He has a relationship with LeBron James.
But listen, the Sixers are a late. Inclusion in this process. Over the last twenty-four, forty-eight hours, teams around the league that I speak to, this has been Cleveland, Golden State, Miami, as far as the teams that make the most logical sense for LeBron James. There's always going to be one or two others, right? A team like the Sixers.
And that's Sham's Odd Sports Center, and we talk about sourcing and we talk about being plugged in. Who better than Mr. Shirania to give you the information you need?
Now I don't have That kind of network, but I do have. A lot of years of barking behind a microphone. In fact, if you care at all about the particulars of my background in broadcasting, I got very lucky to get a job at a very young age in the San Francisco Bay Area, a Doogie Hauser-esque run. Another contemporary reference.
Sometimes you've got to. have a search engine as I'm moving along. On the program. And one of my Giggs was to be the sideline reporter of the Golden State Warriors. Why is that relevant to this conversation?
Well, I've kept in touch with people who remained employed in the San Francisco Bay Area. Maybe I was exiled to Los Angeles, or no, I wanted to go to a bigger market so I could fill in for rich. Point being. The people I have kept in touch with who are connected to the Warriors in the general sense say they're ready to do whatever it takes, and this is not a new vantage point, but I'm amplifying what's out there, to get LeBron. And does that mean to placate Rich Paul, and to make sure LeBron is happy to go all in, quote unquote, to get Anthony Davis.
The answer I'm hearing is yes.
Now, That is going to be cumbersome because And talking salary cap is dreadfully boring audio, so I never try to get too deep in the weeds, but. You've presumably, if you're listening to this on the holiday, heard enough about how it works in the NBA. You've got to match contracts for contracts and salary slots.
So. Conventional wisdom says The easiest path to get A. D. from Washington. Where he's never played a game.
He goes to Dallas, gets hurt. Then he gets flipped to Washington, but LeBron respects him. Feels like they have continuity on the court. To get Davis. To the San Francisco Bay Area means.
Jimmy Butler's got ahead to the Wizards, or at least his contract, and then they could come to some buyout settlement, and Jimmy can figure out where he's going to go. And remember, he's still rehabbing the torn ACL, and all signs point to the veteran not being available for opening night in October.
So you have the Warriors. And from a LeBron standpoint, and one other thing to think about this time for LeBron, it is certainly not about the money, but money is an issue. You don't get to become a billionaire without looking for other ways to keep score in addition to what you already have in the banking account. Remember, last year, LeBron made 52 million with the Lakers. Does that mean he's going to try to squeeze out a few more bucks from his preferred destination?
Not necessarily, but just be mindful. That the bottom line is the bottom line, and he's going to want to get at least the mid-level exception. Depending on where he goes and depending on his priorities, because Rich Paul, who understands how to play the political game better than most, has said. That LeBron's motivation in this Chapter of his career. is to pursue happiness.
Now, that's a great goal. In fact, if I was happier, I'd probably be less interesting on the radio. I'm Brian Weber, bearing my soul in for rich, coming up in less than 15 minutes. We will continue the NBA conversation when we're joined by Kurt Heelen, lead NBA rider for NBC Sports.com. But How do you put that nebulous on the big word Friday?
How do you put that vague concept? Chasing happiness. into practical terms. For Lebrun, I think some of it is a result of how he sees himself on the court. And you can't tell me that one of his motivations to leave the Lakers wasn't the fact that he knew.
He's the third option. As he was this year, when the Lakers had that nice run before Luca and Austin Reeves went down. And when the Lakers not only internally communicated to LeBron that Austin Reeves was their priority in terms of the offseason maneuvering, when they gave him the max as an undrafted player, that told LeBron If you're going to hang with us, there's not a lot left for you. And incidentally, I think the Lakers did well. In their attempt to get younger.
also to change the culture because While LeBron was the marquee name the Lakers needed prior to getting Luca handed to them by Nico Harrison. He's got a large personality, and he's got. Desires that need to be fulfilled.
So The dynamic, the vibe within the organization will change and. To appease Luca, because he's now the face that runs the place. They went out and got the premier big man he was looking for, and seventh-footer Walker Kessler.
Now, the issue with Walker is coming off a big injury last year. 24, unrefined, but If the goal was to get A Rim Protector, mission accomplished there. You throw in Grimes as the three and D guy. The Lakers got younger, they got more roster flexibility, and they closed the door on the LeBron era.
Now Where is LeBron going to walk through the next threshold? Golden State makes sense from the personality standpoint. Teaming with Steph Curry, Olympic teammates, they have a good friendship. And if LeBron didn't want to be the third option for the Lakers, he could be the running mate. With Steph.
Yes, Steph is number one, but They could see themselves as equals, especially peers in terms of Hall of Fame careers. All right. Shift that to Philadelphia. I just don't see it. Let's presume for once and beat as healthy.
You have a former MVP.
Now you have Jalen Brown coming off the best season of his career, and Maxie, you can fill it up, and Edgecombe, who had a solid rookie year. They're all going to defer to LeBron. In some way, because he's the king. But is he option three, two and a half? It just does not make a lot of sense to me from a cohesion standpoint.
You could say the same thing about Cleveland. But James Harden is a facilitator.
Now, he also completely disappears in the postseason. But if you had LeBron coming home again, maybe Harden wouldn't feel the need to jack up. 10 to 15 threes, he's only going to make one or two of them.
So, from that chemistry standpoint, the X Factor, LeBron in Cleveland, makes more sense to me. Miami, I don't get it unless he wants to hang out in South Beach or. They have so many needs, they would have room for Bronny. Because what happens to the kid who's gravy-trained his old man now that Pops is taking his talents elsewhere? When will this be resolved?
I think it goes through at least the first week of summer league because LeBron will be seeing courtside kicking in Vegas. Those of us with a microphone, and everybody has a show now because we all have phones, will be running our gums about the future of LeBron, and that's exactly how he likes it. And I'll pose this question to Kurt Elen. I think it's fair to. About when I'm on the sample cast on Disney Plus, to get out the Sharpie and cross off the Knicks.
He is not going to the Knicks. It just does not work at all from a financial standpoint, nor would they mess with their chemistry even more than they have by allowing Robinson to go to Boston. You finally win the championship for the first time in 53 years. You do not need the LeBron effect. in New York City.
I'm Brian Weber, Infor Rich. I will check the interaction on the X platform coming up. Hit me up there, BW Weber, Weber with two B's. 35 minutes from now. Because tomorrow is all about scarfing down hot dogs with the Competition coming up in Coney Island.
You can see on ESPN2 Ensemble Cats for the first time at ABC. I'm going to take you inside the world of competitive eating. Could be a little bit grotesque, but I'll try my best not to get to the most gory of the foods. But straight ahead, we'll maintain our basketball momentum. How did the Clippers get more in return for Kawhi Leonard than the Celtics got in their trade for Jalen Brown with the Sixers?
We'll find out when we bring in Kurt Healen, lead NBA rider for NBCSports.com. As we continue on this Friday edition of the program, I'm Brian Weber in for Rich. This is the Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. While the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup this summer, Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent, future stars who are already turning heads at age 14.
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Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an Audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an Audible on your debt today at sofi.com slash debt play.
Loans originated by SoFi Bank NA, member FDIC. Terms and Conditions Apply, NMLS 696891. FastFunds Terms Apply at SoFi.com slash DebtPlay. The Rich Eisen Show on this Friday heading into the long holiday weekend. I'm Brian Weber.
I appreciate you spending time with us, 844-204-RICH. Is the phone number 844-204-7424? Or hit me up on the X platform, BW Weber. Weber with two B's in 30 minutes. We take you inside the world of competitive eating in advance.
Of a tradition unlike any other. Joey Chestnut doing his thing tomorrow in Coney Island for Full coverage on ESPN2 and simulcast on ABC. But. It's always a pleasure to talk basketball with an old friend. Let's say hello to Kurt Healand, lead NBA rider for NBC Sports dot com.
Kurt, I appreciate you taking the time on a holiday. How are you? I'm doing well. If I were in the Nathan's hot dog eating contest, I think I could get two to three down easily.
So, and how much of a time duration? We're talking 30 seconds, 10 minutes. What's the length? I don't know how much time do they have. Like, I'm not like I get to about three and I'm gonna be done.
Okay, remember, you have to eat the buns as well. Can you tell I've been on the air around July 4th many years, and I know all of the particulars of what Joey Chestnut does and you You and I have been having conversations like this for many years.
So, since we're both based in Southern California, let me connect the Clippers to. all of the consternation on the East Coast about how little the Celtics got in return for Jalen Brown. Kurt, how did the Clippers get a better package of assets sending Kawhi Leonard to Toronto in return than the Celtics got for Jalen Brown? I think that that's a failure on the Celtics front office's part, right? And it's a That return is stunning.
And I think when you talk to people around the league. there's people who can start to try to make the argument, hey, maybe you move off of Jalen Brown and you change how you're going to play a little bit and you do some other things. And if they look, if they'd gotten Giannis, that there was some real logic to that. But It's the return everybody keeps coming back to. Like, that's that's not near enough where.
Kawhi, that was a considering he's thirty-five and has a we'll politely just call it an injury history, that was a pretty good return for the Clippers. Fascinating, and a lot of it comes down to the fact that we know Jalen Brown at this point was a distressed asset because he'd been publicly shopped. most recently in connection with Giannis. Hey, Kurt, I wasn't going to ask you about this, but since I'm discussing the Clippers, are we ever going to get a resolution to the no show job Kawhi Gate scandal that the league's been investigating now for months? Oh, I think so, but they're going to wait till I'm on vacation and make me come back.
No, I. Yeah, yeah. Everybody's anticipating this to come down. And by the way, come down pretty hard on the Clippers, is kind of the buzz around the league. But Even Adam Silver at the finals at his press conference was basically saying, I'd like this thing to wrap up.
And this is being done by an outside firm. It's not. Within his direct control that way. But if the guy paying the bill says, let's wrap this up, I get a feeling they're going to wrap this up at some point pretty soon.
Okay, I was just thinking about the news dump, although that would be so obvious to drop it today, right? I can't see that kind of choreography. Don't look here. It's July 4th, and Joey Chesnut, forget about this scandal. Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, that the Friday night news dump kind of thing is uh it w it's it would be very NBA, but I that's only if they're gonna cover things up. My like I said, my impression is you're going to see possible owner suspension, massive fines, picks taken away. A lot of punishment to the Clippers and probably not much, if any, to Kawhi. Funny how that works. And as you know, and we'll pivot to a different topic in a moment, the owner of the Raptors runs the board of governors.
A coincidence, perhaps? Dot, dot, dot. We'll lay that out as I go conspiracy with my friend Kurt Healen, lead NBA rider for NBCSports.com. I'm Brian Weber in for Rich. This is a Rich Island show.
So back to the Jalen Brown deal. How do you view both the Celtics and the Sixers now? The Seventy Sixers are legit contenders. To me, they are now. I mean.
Let's be honest, you're banking on Joelle and Bede's knees to make it through the playoffs. But That is a legitimately very good team now with an elite backcourt.
Now you've got Jalen Brown on the wing and. And bead in the paint and some depth around them. Like I that is a team that's going to be knocking on the door with the Knicks and should be near the top of the East. Boston takes a step back right now. I don't know what other moves they've got, although they say they are not just flipping Paul George.
Um and Paul George When he's healthy, um is still a a good player. Not a great player, but like a good player. and he and overpaid for for where he is. But That's a look, that's going to be a good team in Boston, but I don't. I don't know.
I've kind of knocked them back. I was just putting together a list this morning, and I've knocked them back to a second tier in the East. Like, I don't think they're threatening Philadelphia or Boston and maybe Indiana if everything comes together for them again at the top of the East. And Detroit, I guess, is in there too. Yeah.
Yeah, they have the best record in the East last year. Young Nucleus with Kay Cunningham. It looks like they're going to keep Jalen Duran, although he disappeared in the postseason. I'm Brian Weber taking across the NBA with Kurt Healen of NBCSports.com. Kurt, allow me to go through this exercise.
Involving LeBron's decision-making and his future. I will name a team, and you say how likely or unlikely it is you think. LBJ could wind up there.
So let's start with the Golden State Warriors. Likely, unlikely, in between, what do you think? I I still think likely that I still think they are one of the couple of favorites or maybe three like at the top of my list. He just they check a lot of boxes. They are close to home where his family's not moving out of Los Angeles.
It is a nostalgic trip and a lot of fun to play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. There's a real attraction there.
So it checks a lot of boxes. It does not check the we're going to contend for a title box, and it really depends on how much LeBron wants that. And then what do you make of the Anthony Davis connection to all of this? I don't think Washington's trading him at all to anyone. At least not now.
That might change around the trade deadline. But I think they're looking at the market right now and they want people are going to want to see him play. He hasn't played a ton in a while.
So I don't think that's happening with Golden State. I think if he go if LeBron goes, it's without AD. We open this hour of the program getting the insights from ESPN's lead NBA insider, Sham Sharania, on the Seventy Sixers. What do you make of that situation? That's the hot sexy name.
It's not impossible. He doesn't have the direct connections to. Philadelphia the same way he does some of the other teams in here. And it comes back to the question I just asked earlier about them contending, which is If LeBron is going to Philly to contend, is he willing to bank on Joelle and Bead's knees? being there because again LeBron at this point is a Top thirty player in the league, probably an all-star.
But they need Mb to be that guy and and he'd be I I just don't see the fit as well in Philly, but that is a hot name right now just because That's a hot name right now for everybody. That's a very good team. Talk hoops of Kurt Healen. Check out his great work covering the NBA on NBCSports.com. How about another homecoming for LeBron going back to Cleveland?
That's another team at the top of the list for me. That's a team that. Has won a lot of games the last two years, made it deeper into the playoffs this year, but seems to be missing that something. Um And that's something is having LeBron there can help With the James Harden and the playoff issues, sometimes, because LeBron does raise his game there. Maybe he is the.
the glue and the kind of veteran leader in the locker room voice that they need to put them over the top and a little more again, more talent. I think that's that's one of the teams at the top of the list. And then finally, taking his talents back to South Beach to run with Giannis and Bam. Distinctly possible, but I think they're less likely. Not just because of the bad blood that used to be there.
Supposedly, everybody's kind of matured past that, but. How good is that team? Even with LeBron, with Giannis and Bam. just not a ton of depth there. I I'm not sure that they are at the top of of the East right now.
They're more in the middle again, I don't think they're competing in the top with those top very top teams. They're still kind of half a step behind. And maybe I'm underestimating Giannis, but I just don't see it yet. And I'm not sure LeBron goes back to that. I think it would be kind of funny and ironic, though.
That Giannis and Tim Tumbu, Giannis pushes so hard to get traded to Miami. And if LeBron goes there, he's like the third most popular player on the team. Welcome to the NBA. And now that we've established breaking news only happens when you go on vacation, when do you expect LeBron to make his decision? Any rough timetable?
How long could this play out? Um By the way, the other team I keep an eye on is Denver. I think Denver could legitimately be that team. He's close to the Cronkies. That team can win.
They could really use him. Uh just something to watch.
Okay, I can add that to my list right now. I I think that falls in the next week. Um but or so like he's dragging it out, but this isn't And this isn't the free agency moves fast now. Teams are filling up their roster spots. They're going to need to know from LeBron because if he's not coming there, they've got to make other moves.
They can't wait around.
So after the fourth of July, but Maybe probably during Summer League at some point in the next week or so. Thank you for throwing Denver in, so I don't have to go with the mystery team. We always have to have a mystery team when we're talking LeBron James. I'm Brian Weber, in for Rich. This is the July 3rd edition of the Rich Hisen Show, and we are focusing on the NBA with Kurt Heelen of NBCSports.com.
Kurt, obviously, the Lakers were looking to get younger, and they were looking for more. Of a cap-friendly situation with more roster flexibility, led by picking up the seven-footer Walker Kessler. What do you think this means in the short term? Where do you slot the Lakers right now, knowing that San Antonio and Oklahoma City still run the West? Yeah, that ultimately, that's the the problem for everybody in the West and frankly the NBA looking at a title is that that those two teams are so good.
And I know the Knicks beat them in the playoffs last year, but That that was a Spurs team that kind of was ahead of the curve getting to the finals, and they're going to be. harder to beat next year. Um I think though the Lakers with this move are like Third best team in the West right now. Like, I trust them more than Minnesota and what they're doing there. I just like the way they've come together.
They were good last year. I trust them more than Denver, which is trying to kind of reshape its roster a little bit. Um I Kessler, if he can stay healthy, remember, we played five games after shoulder surgery last year and 50-something the year before. Like, he's got to stay on the floor. But if he does, he is exactly what they need as a rim protector with reeves and Donchich out there.
They're going to generate plenty of offense with those two guys. And Doncich has made some with all due respect to Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively and a whole bunch of other guys before them, he's made some nice centers look really good. Kessler's going to look really good finishing for them because he's a little more talented than those guys. Kurt, always a pleasure. As we say goodbye, I do have the particulars of when you compete next year in the hot dog eating contest.
So, you got all these buns and you got all these dogs. You have 10 minutes to achieve the goal.
So, what's the underover? You said three hot dogs in 10 minutes? I think you're selling yourself short, my man. I could probably get down, my God, I don't know, five, six, maybe. My problem is I'm going to stop and put mustard on them and maybe some relish.
Well, you have to have a strategy, you have to have a game plan there. Yeah, exactly. So I'm not sure that's gonna help. Yeah. Kurt.
Always a pleasure. And now you have a year to get ready, get on the cholesterol meds, get that number under control, and then go wild like our guy Joey Chestnut does every July 4th. Yeah, I've also watched them dip the hot dog buns in water, and I can't, dude. It's a thing. It's a thing.
Kurt, I appreciate you making the time heading into a holiday weekend. Thanks for the information again on ESBM Radio. Take care. That's my friend Kurt Heelen throwing out the Denver Nuggets. Da da da!
I do my best to be comprehensive. One of these days, because I continue to have no shame and just outright beg to get on the simulcast. Maybe there's a reason I'm radio only.
Well, I don't live under a drawbridge, but you are where you're supposed to be as I get metaphysical with you heading into a holiday weekend. I am an old school person. I write things out. If I only had a trapper keeper to organize all of this material, and I have a long list of Potential destinations for LeBron. And I wrote in the Knicks 45 minutes ago.
Nuggets are interesting, although. When's the last time? Denver did anything that aggressive. In fact, after winning the title, They have scaled down. Thinking about Clearly, there was a disconnect internally with Michael Malone.
It's going to be very interesting to see what he does now. On campus in North Carolina. Think about the dynamics of that university with Michael, who did a great job on ESPN with their NBA coverage before he got that job, and the hoodie mumbling his way to further losses after last year was a disaster. But since winning that title, Even though Stan Crocky has unlimited resources, always good to marry into the Walmart family. They've been financially conservative.
They have not taken big swings. We'll throw it out there. In fact, I know we have coverage across the Rocky Mountains. You're a nugget fan. Do you buy in that?
844204 rich. They could certainly use LeBron. As somebody who Kurt said accurately is still a top 30 player in the NBA when healthy, and he was finally mortal this year, although he's been a cyborg throughout his career. with all the wear and tear, plus how many more seasons Did he play when you had up all the playoff games, finally had some... physical issues this year, but still played at a high level.
He'd be the third option there. And you have an interesting superstar in The Joker who... Seems like a chill dude. In many ways he loves his horses much more than The ups and downs of a long 82-game season. Interesting also.
To hear Kurt say that all the talk about Anthony Davis going to Golden State may amount to nothing. And if you're the Wizards, Now, this gets back to the what if. I keep saying about Joelle and Bede, what if Anthony Davis could finally stay healthy? But. Here's your cliche on the holiday edition of the program.
You are what you consistently do. And Anthony Davis is never healthy. I covered him in the 2012 Final Four at the Superdome. When he looked like not only someone who was going to be a franchise player in the league, he looked destined to win multiple MVP awards. Because if you know about his history, He developed physically late in high school, was a guard until he shot up with the extra inches, and then had the handle of somebody who grew up in the back court who could also obviously take it to the rim.
But unfortunately, he's been made of glass. Never able to consistently Stay on the floor. That's how you get the moniker of street clothes, but I don't know why the Wizards. Took a pile of cash and lit it on fire to keep Trey Young. I don't have a problem with retaining him, but who were they bidding against to give him something close to 200 million bucks?
You throw in A.J. DeBonsa, who's going to be the man who. Finally, it makes at least Washington relevant as they have been in the death spiral of tanking for years. Bye. That's all down the road.
In our immediate future, as Kurt laid out, and I will defer to his expert opinion, he feels like. Within the next seven days, once we get to the real Summer League, quote unquote, in Vegas. And you'll have the California version in Sacramento and Salt Lake, but. The Vegas Situation because it's Vegas and because all the NBA execs show up. Feels like a basketball.
convention, uh a basketball gathering. I think within a week, and I'll just steal from Kurt. And coincidentally, I'll be in for rich next week.
So perhaps the content gods will shine upon me once more, hand me the gift of three hours of all LeBron talk on. all the time. I'm Brian Weber, Infor Rich. We'll call this last call for phone calls. And I'm a realist on a holiday.
It's going to be a lot of me and little of you, unless you want to keep the chatter going on the X platform. That is BW Webber, Weber with Two B's. Jot down the phone number for next week, 844-204-RICH. Coming up. In the next hour of the program.
I am a traditionalist. I believe in America. I believe in baseball. We have to talk some baseball, and by some I mean about 10 to 15 minutes of entertaining and hopefully compelling analysis coming up. In the next hour, Yeah.
Have the baseball round the bases segment with Gabe Blacks of USA Today. At the top of the hour, more thoughts on Our takeaways of what has happened so far in the NBA. With the blockbuster moves of Giannis going to Miami and Jalen Brown going to Philadelphia, and now ball running with the Ant-Man in Minnesota, and LeBron still making up his mind. Does any of that or any one of those moves impact the top of the standings, the balance of power among the teams that have a legitimate chance of winning it all as Knicks try to defend their title? And you got San Antonio versus Oklahoma City, presumably for years to come.
But straight ahead. It's one of the things I look forward to as a veteran of working in and around. July 4th. The countdown to the Nathan's famous hot dog eating contest is underway. Full coverage tomorrow on ESPN2 and simulcast for the first time on ABC.
You know about the greatness of Joey Chestnut. But did you know there are competitions involving baloney? Bagels and bananas, and yeah, I just stopped at the bees. I couldn't keep going with this cornucopia. Of outrageous caloric details.
I'm Brian Weber, InforRich. We take you inside the world of competitive eating straight ahead. on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. A bandwagon fan, the biggest insult in sports.
But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup, it's an invitation, America. Never watched soccer before? Perfect. Think a corner kick is a karate move? Sure, why not?
Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks?
Now we're talking.
So grab a bag of Lays and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lays, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back.
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Appreciate you kicking it with us on the day before the Fourth of July. Long holiday weekend underway. Although we never take a break from interaction on social media, Hit me up. On the X platform, I can say Twitter. I don't work for Elon.
It's BW Weber, Weber with two B's. We are. Closing in. On the final hour of the program, so less than 15 minutes back to the NBA. We have more.
Of an analytics drive-by connected to jail in Brown. I realized that the program, especially on a holiday, Has folks drifting in and drifting out. You're in the car, you're out of the car, you're on your way to the beach. We mentioned earlier. Ryan Windhorse, who does it all for ESPN.
And is, in my mind, I don't want to go through favorites. I'm just a fill-in guy, but the leading voice of reason when it comes to basketball analysis. Had the observation that he heard from sources within the Celtics that they viewed Derek White as their team MVP during last year's improbable successful season that had the Celtics as the two seed based on what they did. Prior to the playoffs, you know, everything changed when they imploded, losing to the Sixers and Seven. The Trailblazers, and we'll get into this coming up in the final hour of the program, had an analytics department.
assessment of Jalen Brown as quote unquote a negative player. A plus minus a negative player overall. given what their supercomputer spat out in their direction. A reminder When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors are the experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and the experts to install them.
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That's Pella.com slash EisenforDetails. Make life brighter with Pella. Windows and doors. Having been with you across a variety of platforms, Felling Infer Rich, and it's always an honor on the 4th of July. There are certain things I do as a tribute to those of you who have been with this show every step of the way.
Another current reference. It's like Jerry Lewis singing You'll Never Walk Alone on Labor Day when the telethon was a thing. As I close my eyes and have memories of watching that with my departed mom back in the day on Channel 9 in the suburbs of New York City.
So With the hot dog eating contest looming tomorrow, full coverage as always on ESPN too. And for the first time, simulcast on ESPN. It all starts noon Eastern, and then if you want to watch it on broadcast T V on the network ABC, 12:30 Eastern. All eyes on Joey Chestnut. He's going after his 18th title.
Defending his championship is the goal, winning the coveted yellow mustard belt. His record for this competition stands at 76 hot dogs. And now I have to follow up, having done this gimmick many times over the years, and remind you, it's 76 hot dogs. And Buns gotta have the buns. In ten minutes.
He accomplished that monumental feat in 2021.
So. If you've taken the time to follow me on the X platform, that is BW Webber, Weber with two B's, you can see my current avatar is yours truly doing television play by play of college bowling for the CSTV network, which is now defunct.
Some of that is, I don't want a current photo because I'm getting older.
Some of that is an attempt at poking fun at. My tendency to say yes to any job that has come down the road.
So, Having done college bowling. and Walter Polo And wrestling. And mixed martial arts and gymnastics. And field hockey. At Arm Wrestling.
You're catching a trend, dear. Clearly, I need new representation because there is a world out there. Of competitions that are being streamed now because everything's possible in the streaming world. That could use someone with my level of enthusiasm or just morbid curiosity. Are you aware that the sanctioning body for tomorrow's prestigious event is something called Major League Eating?
He wore now. And because I have no life and wanted to make sure I had the precise particulars in front of me. It's much more than just hot dogs. This is a year-round circuit, including, and since I'm not going to be able to do it Got you all the B's as we stepped aside. Not Weber with two B's, but burritos and bagels and the rest.
Partial list. of competitions In major leak eating. Kamales Barbecue, both chicken and ribs. Pizza? Sweet corn?
Donuts Chicken wings? Pancakes. Chicken Nuggets. I don't know if tenders fall under that classification as well. Blueberries.
Which, if you have any knowledge of how things work with your system, if you have too many blueberries, you might not be competing for a while. Fudge. Strawberry shortcake, burritos, pistachios, and shrimp cocktail. I'll save this for the end of the program. But if I had you compete in any of those aforementioned foods.
I think I could be the Joey Chestnut of shrimp cocktail. That is a tradition in my family, unlike any other. And I think we put a local restaurant out of business back in the day that had the misfortune of having all-you-can-eat shrimp cocktail. Did I mention we eat the tails in my family? Yes, I know what's involved with the tail.
My grandfather used to say, No, the crunchy part, that's where the protein is at.
So If you find The latest attempt By Joey Chestnut to be captivating as always on ESPN 2 at ABC. And you're interested in finding out more about the world of competitive eating, it's all there for you. On the major league eating circuit and no. I have No connections to the organization. I can't get you comp tickets.
And I'm not begging too hard to get that job. I think that'd be plug-oh or something. Not cool with the FCC, but just when you thought we had reached maximum capacity in the sports world. There's always room for more. If you're interested in watching or participating in a pancake eating competition, Final hour of the program's on the way.
I'm Brian Weber, Infor Rich. 844-204-Rich, the number to call, or have that on the X platform, B.W. Weber, Weber with two B's. Back to the NBA. Up next, more Jalen Brown talk here on The Rich Eisen Show.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
