Austin Rivers on NBA Vet Life, QB Arguments With Steven Ruiz, and Canceling 'Winning Time' With Chris Ryan
Sep 20, 2023
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Austin Rivers, an NBA veteran who offers deep insights from his career, shares his experiences hunting for a new contract and the complexities of modern player movement. He discusses the impact of AAU culture on youth development and plays into the challenges young players face. Steven Ruiz dives into the intricacies of NFL quarterback evaluations, while Chris Ryan critiques HBO's 'Winning Time,' discussing its cancellation and what it reveals about the challenges of sports narratives in media. It's a compelling mix of basketball, football, and pop culture!
Fit and situation play a crucial role in an NBA player's success and career trajectory.
Recognizing the impact of less flashy players is important in basketball history.
'Winning Time' failed to attract a large audience due to its lack of a clear protagonist and expensive production.
The show 'Showtime: Lakers' suffered from conflicting themes and lacked a clear focus.
The show 'Showtime: Lakers' missed opportunities to explore crucial moments in Lakers history and neglected important aspects like the role of cocaine and controversial characters.
Deep dives
Jimmy Butler's Dominant Playoff Performance
Jimmy Butler showcased his dominance in the playoffs, leading the Miami Heat and becoming a force to be reckoned with. He fearlessly went head-to-head with top defenders like Drew Holiday and consistently delivered outstanding performances. Butler's aggressive play, both on and off the court, propelled his team forward and exemplified his ability to take on any challenge.
The Challenges of Being a Journeyman Player
Austin Rivers reflects on his experiences as a journeyman player in the NBA. He highlights the influence of team dynamics and situations on a player's performance, asserting that the right situation is crucial for success in the league. Rivers emphasizes that being a journeyman requires mental resilience, staying in shape, and remaining prepared for potential opportunities that may arise throughout the season.
Underrated Players and NBA History
The conversation delves into the underappreciated players in NBA history, such as Paul Pierce and other all-time greats who may be overlooked by younger generations. Rivers discusses the challenges of drawing recognition for a player's contributions, particularly in today's internet-driven basketball culture that often focuses on highlights and flashy moments. The importance of recognizing the impact of less flashy players and understanding their significance in basketball history is emphasized.
The Value of Fit and Situation in the NBA
Rivers underscores the significance of fit and situation in the NBA and how they can dramatically impact a player's career trajectory. He points out that certain teams and coaches, like the Miami Heat and Erik Spoelstra, prioritize players who contribute to winning rather than individual stats. Rivers highlights the numerous factors that can affect a player's performance, such as team chemistry, playing time, and style of play, offering insight into the complexities of succeeding in professional basketball.
The Demise of 'Winning Time'
Chris Ryan discusses the show 'Winning Time' and its lack of success in finding a large audience despite its potential. The show's failure to establish a clear protagonist and its ambitious and expensive production were among the factors discussed.
The Lack of a Protagonist in 'Winning Time'
Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald analyze how 'Winning Time' failed to settle on a central character, which may have contributed to its inability to attract a significant audience. The show's ensemble cast and their varying storylines were seen as spreading the focus too thin.
The Expensive Production of 'Winning Time'
The lavish and expensive production of 'Winning Time', particularly in its recreation of the 1984 NBA Finals, was highlighted as one of the show's standout features. The high production costs may have added to the disappointment of its lack of success.
The Potential of 'Winning Time'
Despite its shortcomings, 'Winning Time' was seen as having great potential due to its subject matter and the intriguing characters involved, such as Jerry Buss, Pat Riley, and Magic Johnson. The show's failure to find a larger audience was seen as a missed opportunity to fully explore this potential.
Conflicting Themes and lack of focus
The podcast episode discusses how the show 'Showtime: Lakers' lacked a clear focus and suffered from conflicting themes. It mentions that the show looked visually decadent, but its lack of sustainability may have been partly due to its high production costs. There was uncertainty regarding the show's premise, as it struggled to define whether it was a front office, ownership, or strictly basketball-focused show. The use of specific examples such as the portrayal of Pat Riley and the emphasis on basketball in the second season highlight the issues with the show's direction.
Missed Opportunities and Inconsistencies
The podcast episode raises concerns about the missed opportunities and inconsistencies in the show 'Showtime: Lakers.' It suggests that the show could have focused on the making of the team, similar to the approach of the film 'Moneyball.' The podcast highlights the lack of attention given to crucial moments in Lakers history, such as trading for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and significant playoff series. It also points out the omission of important aspects like the role of cocaine and certain controversial characters like Norm Nixon. The episode questions whether the show would have worked better with a more extended format, exploring different eras of Lakers history.
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by NBA veteran Austin Rivers to discuss hunting for a new contract, modern NBA player movement, whether AAU is the best developmental tool for young players, playing with Anthony Edwards, and more (2:11). Then, Bill talks with The Ringer's Steven Ruiz about his weekly NFL QB rankings (1:00:42), before he is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss HBO's 'Winning Time' being canceled after only two seasons, things they liked and didn't like about the show, what it means for modern sports TV shows, and more (1:30:43).
Host: Bill Simmons
Guests: Austin Rivers, Steven Ruiz, and Chris Ryan
Producer: Kyle Crichton
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