Rick Barry Knows More About Basketball Than You

Rick Barry Knows More About Basketball Than You

This was the most difficult interview I’ve ever had to transcribe ’cause frankly, NBA legend, Rick Barry, and radio host, Stugotz, just yell at each other for a solid four minutes.  Stugotz obviously isn’t a fan of Kobe, getting on him for not winning a championship without Shaq (which will change this year), and Barry can’t stand that line of thinking.  Barry feels that Kobe is a ridiculously good player that needs better teammates to win.  Barry also brings up a good point which comes up in sports broadcasting all the time, he says his opinion in regards to basketball matters more than that of someone who never played the game.  I definitely agree that an athlete who played the game has a little more insight in terms of the game on the floor.  He or she may comment and see things incorrectly, but they do have that underlying base of knowledge we as pure spectators can’t really contend with.  Rick Barry joined 790 The Ticket to yell about Kobe’s legacy, his basketball expertise in comparison to the ordinary sports radio host, and if Kobe isn’t good enough to win one on his own.

On why his opinion matters more:

“Listen, he’s entitled to his uninformed opinion, that’s ok.  (Host: What makes yours informed, Rick?)  Because I played the game and you didn’t and I’ll bring that up as the trump card.  You know what, all you guys who do radio sports talk say, ‘Don’t play that card on me,’ well, that’s bullsh**.  (Host: You do it Rick, and you shoot foul shots underhanded so that makes you an expert?)  There is no way that you can possibly study the game and possibly know as much as I know about the game… You can argue about any other sport and I’ll take your word, it’s just as good as mine, but don’t argue with me about as basketball.”

On Kobe winning the first title ‘on his own:’

“You don’t like Kobe and there’s a lot of people who don’t like Kobe, but hey, you’re entitled to your opinion, and that’s great, good for you, but the thing about it is is don’t sit here and try to tell me about it, about Kobe is this, because I don’t agree with you.  (Host: Rick, what I am telling you is, is he has never been the main reason he’s won a championship.  Everyone knows that except for Rick Barry!)  Wait a second, that’s the most asinine statement that I’ve heard come out of anybody’s mouth about me, okay, that I don’t understand it, of course I understand it, I’ve said it before, go listen to the tape of the last segment.  I said, he has not had a chance to do it, but a few times he hasn’t had the right people around him, now he has a chance to do it.”

On why this year is different than last for Kobe:

“Start naming players that you think are great players, who were the only guy, who were the main reason for a team winning a championship, start naming ‘em.  (Host: Rick, he had great players around him last year).  Oh, come on, he didn’t have great players around him last year.  (Host: Rick, it’s the same team he has today!)  They got some more experience, they got to the Finals, and they didn’t get it done because they weren’t as good a defensive team as the Boston Celtics were… So, he had great players around, he didn’t get it done, so the guy’s a bum?  What are you, crazy?”