Tag: Chris Russo

Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo explains why he refuses to watch Giants on Hard Knocks

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo went off on a wild rant, explaining why he refuses to watch “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.”

It’s not yet known how many people tuned in for the premiere episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” on Tuesday night but ESPN’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was not among them.

On Wednesday’s edition of First Take, Russo lashed out at the Giants and NFL Films over editing rights, claiming the team having final say on the cutting room floor defeats the purpose of the docuseries.

“I wouldn’t watch that if I had insomnia,” Russo said. “The idea that this Hard Knocks with the offseason that the Giants have editorial control when they put it together — that’s ridiculous. You can’t do a five-part series on a football team with the machinations in the offseason and then tell me it’s legitimate television when the team that you’re doing it on has final editorial control.”

The reveal that the Giants had final editorial control came during the “Giants 100: A Night with Legends” event earlier this month when Giants general manager Joe Schoen discussed appearing on the show.

“You cannot allow the Giants to have editorial control,” Russo said. “They want to see it, they want to raise grief, they want to talk to Roger Goodell about it. If you allow cameras in your locker room or in your front offices to show and chronicle the offseason, you gotta let it go. This is television, if you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But it’s good TV! It’s good for football! And the fact that the Giants will tell you what they want you to see, makes it not worthwhile. I wouldn’t watch that if it was in my backyard! I’d close the blinds!”

The problem with Russo’s stance is that he missed a key component of that editorial control. The Giants do have final say on cuts but only if they feel something caught on camera leaves them at a competitive disadvantage. It does not apply to the show as a whole.

Given that this isn’t a traditional season of Hard Knocks, it’s only fair that the Giants be allowed to protect themselves going into the season. It’s no different than beat writers being barred from recording practices and then sharing that video online for New York’s opponents to see.

There has to be some limit so as to not disrupt the competitive balance, which Russo apparently takes issue with. As if the floundering Giants need additional hurdles in front of them.

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Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo doesn’t pull punches with Bronny James

Bronny James simply has to prove the critics wrong.

Sirius XM and First Take’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo joined the Dan Patrick Show to discuss where the 2023-24 NBA champion Boston Celtics rank among some of the greatest teams of all time. He also discussed Bronny James before the NBA draft. Russo is not the biggest Bronny James fan and is questioning his NBA draft status.

“James ‘wouldn’t even play at UConn for Dan Hurley,” Russo said.

Skepticism of Bronny James as an NBA prospect is not hard to arrive at. It really isn’t even a negative commentary on James himself. He just hasn’t had enough time or health to fully develop. He suffered an episode of cardiac arrest in July of 2023. That prevented him from having a full offseason of prep work at USC under Andy Enfield. He wasn’t able to play with his USC teammates on their summer European tour. He began playing in the middle of the college basketball season and was playing catch-up in terms of adjusting to the speed of the college game. It’s not that Bronny lacks skills; it’s that he hasn’t had the time one generally needs to develop a skill set. Bronny should be playing a second year of college basketball. Why is he not doing that? Because the ability to play alongside LeBron James is (most likely) an overpowering factor in going to the pros earlier than one otherwise might.

It’s up to Bronny James to prove Chris Russo wrong, but it might take some time. Bronny needs more of that.

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What Dominique Wilkins and others are missing in the pointless debate over Stephen Curry and Larry Bird

Wilkins blasted JJ Redick’s comments on the physicality of different eras.

Welcome to Layup Lines, our basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

See what happens when the NBA goes on break? We get never-ending debates about people from different eras of basketball that can never be settled.

This time it was the Human Highlight Reel, Dominique Wilkins, weighing in on a debate originally birthed by JJ Redick and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo over whether Stephen Curry deals with more physicality than Larry Bird did — which on its face sounds absurd.

Last week, on an episode of First Take, the recently retired Redick said Curry does. However, listening closely rather than emotionally, his words can be interpreted as very specific to the attention Curry receives as a 3-point threat. The 63-year-old Russo wasn’t trying to hear it though, knowing as a first-hand witness how much more physical basketball of the 80s was.

Of course, there was a middle ground in their argument if they wanted to find it, because while Bird, Wilkins and other players of their era absolutely had to deal with more overall physicality, Curry may very well receive more attention beyond the arc in an era with more emphasis on the long ball — and as a very literal threat from half-court. But Russo and Redick were both already seeing red and, well, now ‘Nique is too.

The Hall of Famer unsurprisingly sided with Russo Tuesday on SiriusXM NBA Radio, saying Redick “doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.” And man, we don’t have to go this hard.

The debate between Redick and Russo started around a conversation about the best 3-point shooters of all-time. That context matters, because Redick was simply trying to say Curry has been able to put up his eye-popping 3-point numbers even while teams are geared to stop it.

I wouldn’t pretend to know more about 80s basketball than Russo or Wilkins — I wasn’t born until 1987 — but when I’ve watched classic games, the 3-pointer usually appeared to be a last resort. Most players didn’t even look to attempt it, and the ones who did often waited until it was open. Even then, players like Bird would pass on it at times. That obviously effected how it was defended. Players on both teams packed the paint. Bird’s first touches of a possession were often inside the arc. That’s where the bumping commenced.

If Bird shot more threes, this wouldn’t even be a debate. But he didn’t, so we never got to see how teams of that time would’ve responded, which is why this comparison is pointless.

But nuance only gets in the way of a good debate. So carry on with the bickering, gentlemen.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Since you can’t talk about Larry Bird without bringing up Magic Johnson, FTW’s Bryan Kalbrosky had a chance to catch up with the legend.

Among so much more, the two chatted about the Lakers’ reunion with D’Angelo Russell, and Johnson thinks LA is a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs.

“I think D’Angelo has really grown and matured. He can score the basketball. He can pass the basketball. He doesn’t turn it over a lot. That’s what I like about him, too. That pick-and-roll with Anthony Davis is going to be special. You have to pick your poison for what you try to do whether it’s Russell coming off the PnR or Anthony Davis rolling to the basket and they’ll have some more time playing with LeBron. If the Lakers can get in, and I think they will, nobody is going to want to play them. That’s for sure.”

Shootaround

— Sykes: Nate McMillan wasn’t the problem in Atlanta

— 2023 NBA All-Star Game ratings reportedly hit a new low

— Bronny James is a top-10 pick in ESPN’s 2024 mock draft

— Q&A: Julius Randle on the 3-point contest and his son’s funny reaction

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Mad Dog would take Kirk Cousins over Lamar Jackson

The Mad Dog Chris Russo loves him some Kirk Cousins

The most polarizing two players in the NFL are arguably Kirk Cousins and Lamar Jackson. They are polarizing for different reasons and they spark a lot of talk across social media considering their talent.

Jackson is a former NFL MVP who is a truly dynamic dual-threat that has been unfairly polarizing. Each season, his passing has improved while his weapons on the outside have been relatively stagnant. The narrative that has surrounded Jackson is quite frankly unfair.

On the other side, Cousins has been a king in regard to the negotiating table. He has made so much money considering his success in the league is not expansive. Sitting at just one game over .500, Cousins’ critics largely point to his lack of success in big spots despite having a great supporting cast.

This all came to a head on First Take this morning when Stephen A. Smith and Mad Dog Chris Russo discussed who they would take in a must-win scenario with Russo preferring Cousins.

Who would you take with the season on the line: Jackson or Cousins?

ESPN host calls out Sixers star Joel Embiid for his MVP campaign

An ESPN host calls out Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid for campaigning to win the MVP award.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has put together one helluva season as he has the Sixers in contention to win a title in the 2022 postseason. He is leading the league in scoring at 30.4 points and he is averaging 11.6 rebounds all while facing constant double and triple teams in games.

Recently, Embiid was asked about winning the award and he said he feels as if he has done enough in order to win the award. When looking at Embiid’s 2021-22 season, he has put the Sixers on his back despite the earlier Ben Simmons saga, the injuries, and the COVID issues this team has faced, and he has still been dominant out on the floor.

However, ESPN’s Chris “Mad Dog” Russo doesn’t like Embiid campaigning for his own MVP award:

What do they got the best record in the NBA? What are they the number one seed? Done enough? I never heard Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) say that all those years when he won MVP. I never heard (Bill) Russell say that. Even (Wilt) Chamberlain didn’t say that, but Embiid says you know what? I have all these 30-point games. Look at me with my just my discombobulated roster. I don’t know if the media doesn’t like me. What else do I have to do? Pipe down. Pipe down. Let the media vote who didn’t want to be the MVP and it’s not like you’re a runaway winner. I can make a case for that. I can make a case for (Devin) Booker. I can make a case for the Denver center. This is not a no brainer. So the idea that somehow I don’t know how you can’t vote for me. Look at the year I’ve had. Take it is easy, will ya? And he’s great! Nobody’s arguing that! He’s great! We get it, but I mean, the other kid in Denver, right now you start a team right now. You taking (Nikola) Jokic or Embiid?

Embiid does have three games left before the playoffs to make his final statements to win the MVP award. The Sixers will take on the Toronto Raptors on Thursday on the road which is probably his final real game to make a statement. They end the season with a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons at home.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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