The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 02/25/2021 - HOUR 2 - Wilson, Watt

Episode Date: February 25, 2021

More on Russell Wilson being upset with the SeahawksWhere could J. J. Watt land?Guest: Mark Schlereth, Sarah Kustok Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show

on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go. It is hour, too. It is great to have you here.

It's live in Los Angeles. The show's called The Herd, Wherever You May Be, however you may be listening. Fox Sports Radio, I Heart Radio, and FS1. Mark Schlerth in a couple of minutes. Last hour, I'm going to go through the first, well, the half of the NFL draft. We're going to do all the way to the 16th pick with Daniel Jeremiah and I.

So the draft is very fun. because we're not going to predict trades. Then it gets squirley, right? So we're just going to go top 16 teams, what I would take. And it's very interesting. There's a lot of pressure in drafts, right? There's a lot of pressure. Like, Belichick doesn't give a rip.

But if you ask people who the best players are in the draft, Trevor Lawrence is the only one that'll get drafted probably in the top four. Because there's this sense, well, you can't draft an interior offensive linemen in the top five picks. where the Colts got Quentin Nelson. People are like, whoa, he's a guard. No, he's the best guard prospect in 25 years. And that's what they need. Yes.

So I'll give an example. Kyle Pitts, the tied end from Florida. I believe he's the best tied end prospect since Kellynne Winslow. I think he's that good. I think he is a 10-year all pro. I think he's the third best tied-in in the league as a rookie, who won't be Travis Kelsey or Kittle next. He is literally physically doesn't look like anybody in college football.

why couldn't I take him two or three? I remember years ago, that just the way that there's a lot of pressure. You can't take a safety too high or an interior lineman too high. But to me, if you get a generational talent, Quentin Nelson, he's going to be the best guard in football for 10 years. I'd take him number one. What do I care? But there's a lot of pressure in drafting. There's a lot of this like cultural, well, you can't do that and you can't do that.

and I absolutely think it affects people. There used to be this thing in the draft where they'd say, I always used this example. I wrote about this in my first book. You heard me. You should buy it. The people say, well, Bill Belichick always scoffs at this. When people say, well, what do you need?

And he's always like, we just draft the best player available, which he's lying. It's nonsense. They've taken running backs in the first round and left tackles because they needed it. Nate Solder wasn't the best player available when they took it. They needed a tackle. But I always used the example. that if I went to the grocery store and my wife say, hey, can you get some milk and bread?

And I came back with a rake. And she's like, we already have a rake. And I went, well, the value, it was on sale. It was the best value in the store. She said, you're an idiot. We needed milk, bread, and eggs. So when you go into the draft, I don't buy this best player available. My thing is, what do I need?

If I'm the New York Jets, I don't believe I need a quarterback. I believe I need a receiver, a tight end, a right tackle, a running back. So I think drafts are funny. I think there's a psychology here. Like Atlanta doesn't have very many good players defensively in their front seven. Go draft one. Matt Ryan's not going to miss a snap for two years. You don't need a quarterback.

You don't need to. Matt Ryan's 35 years old. And with Arthur Smith, the new offensive coordinator, a new coach who's an offensive. guy. My guess is Matt Ryan's going to have two really, really good years with finally getting an offensive coach instead of all these defensive coaches. So the draft to me is I'm going to a draft today. Like if I was a GM, what do I need and who's a stud? Nothing else matters. I'm not going to the store and getting a rake if I have one. I'm getting what my wife tells me to get because we need it. That's what I'm doing. Mark Slarrett now is joining me. Is I

I ramble on multiple Super Bowls, multiple Pro Bowls. By the way, did you ever play with a team, Washington or Denver, and there was a first or a second round draft pick, and you knew instantly dude can't play. Our team screwed up. All the time. Really? Yeah.

Oh, yeah, a bunch of times. But players, players, no. I mean, I'll tell you a quick story. I was with Washington. I think it was a 94 draft, and we drafted two quarterbacks, one fourth or fifth overall and one in the seventh round. And the very first day of minicamp, we went through all the number ones, went through their reps, and then we repeated the script. And I was standing there with Bostic and with, you know, with the offensive line, Raleigh McKenzie and Ed Simmons and Jimmy Lachey. and said,

God, you know, just on the first glance, the guy we drafted in the seventh round is way better than the guy we drafted in the first round. Way better. And first rounder was, Heath Shuler,

seventh rounder was Gus Ferrat who went on to play 15 years in the league. So, yeah, I mean, you see it all the time. The problem being, and not to disparage Heath or anything like that,

but it's one of those situations where in the draft, oftentimes, teams draft athleticism, because it's the easiest thing in the world to see, right? It's easy to see athleticism. It's easy to see athletic talent. It's easy to see guys who run fast and jump high and can do burpees.

I always say this. Football is really hard for athletes. It's easy for football players. And you got to get a great football player that happens to be an exceptional athlete. That's, you know, that to me is the real trick. And I'm with you, you know, you draft need, but you got to draft, you got to have good players up and down your roster. And that's really what it amounts to.

People look at Tampa Bay and say, well, Tampa Bay, it was just the quarterback. Are you kidding me? I mean, James Winston threw 30 picks and had nine fumbles. Like 39, you can't overcome 39 turnovers. That roster is loaded, especially on the defensive side. That's really, they just puts a stabilizing force of the quarterback position in there. And they went on to win a world championship. But that roster, what Jason Light has done in Tampa Bay, that roster is freaking awesome.

It's just awesome. Yeah, they can really draft. So Russell Wilson's story in The Athletic today, he watched the Super Bowl with Brady. He sat in a box with his wife next to Roger Goodell and seethed. And when he went back to Seattle, he went to Pete Carroll and said, can you guys give me a heads up on the offensive line? What are we doing? Where are we going?

He's been sacked 400 times in nine years. In Seattle, largely dismissed him during the season. A game against Arizona on Thursday. He went in with some ideas. the coaches largely dismissed him. How much say should a quarterback have? How much did Elway have? How much say should a quarterback have, Mark?

Well, I think you definitely, I mean, Russell Wilson's one of the hardest working guys in football. I think one thing that you have to be, I think one thing that you have to be really aware of is, yeah, he's been hit a lot. Yeah, he brings a lot of those on himself. Yeah, he makes a lot of plays when he pulls the ball down and starts scrambling around and plays a little school yard,

but he also puts himself in harm's way. So I would ask, of those sacks, how many are you directly responsible for? Because you didn't take the first option. You decided to hold on the ball, and you decided to make a play. Now, that's a double-edged sword for Russell Wilson because he does that quite often.

So I understand the frustration. You know, part of being able to protect your quarterback is not, it's not, you know, better offensive linemen. It's a better scheme and it's play calling. And how does that affect you? Like, how do you run the ball? How do you mitigate? One of the things that was really impressed upon me, and this was from Sean Payton,

how do you mitigate, if you're going to drop back 35 times, which is an average Sunday for any quarterback, you're under mental to rest 35 times. How, as a coaching staff, do I mitigate those 35 dropbacks? and give you 10 or 12 easy answers right off the bat. How many times do I set up play action? How many times do I have a difference between play action and run action? How many times can I take those 35 reps and at the end of the day, only have my offensive line really responsible to block without some type of deception 12 times?

Because then I can last forever. Then I eliminate those sex. But everybody just looks at the O line and says, well, the O line is crappy. They give up a bunch of sex. I normally look at, like, for instance, go back to the Super Bowl. Like, was that a really bad offensive line or was that a really bad game plan? When you go 92% of the time, you go in five out. So you're in 5-0 protection with three backups.

That's coaching. Yeah. That's not a crappy offensive line. Like, what do you expect backup players to do? And if you don't protect them, if you don't call a play, and if you don't call an offense, to mitigate some of the potential disasters, well, that's on you as a coaching staff. So that, to me, is what you have to parse out. How much is on Russell?

How much is on the coaching staff? How much is on the system? And how can we mitigate those hits on Russell Wilson? And that's what they have to do to, I guess, to solve the issue and to, you know, for those guys to come together, that's what needs to be talked about. So finally, JJ Watt. So JJ is one of the only defensive players in the United States. NFL that I think has a brand and he's obviously leaking stuff and you know he's stoking this thing

and god love him for it we're here to be used slide into my DMs and all support you as well it is interesting though when you when you got the money and you got the Hall of Fame stuff I think I'd want to win games like I think Green Bay works for him or Kansas City Mark you tell me and you were an offensive lineman and a lower pick so you didn't get a lot of money. But in the end, how much of a driving force is money early and late in your career? What do you think goes through J.J. Watts' mind now? Because the stories I'm seeing are 15, 16 million. Cleveland's the one team that has cap space, and I don't think it's the best place to go, but if it's money, they maybe can afford it. Yeah, I think it comes down to, you know, I think it really

comes down to early in your career. You know, you're trying to win. Obviously, everybody's competing. This game is too hard to lose. It just stinks when you lose. But when you've done, all the things that JJ Watt has done. He built his career and his brand followed. I think that's a very important distinction. He became the best player in football on the defensive side of the ball. And then the brand came with him. Then he started the philanthropic stuff that he does.

The guy's a phenomenal human being and a phenomenal athlete. There's no question about that. Now it comes down to, man, I want to ring. I've got the money. I've got the celebrity. I've got the Hall of Fame status. I want a championship. and then you've got to decide who gives you the ultimately the best chance to win a championship.

And then you follow the quarterback, right? You follow Tom Brady. You follow Aaron Rogers. You follow Patrick Mahomes. You go somewhere even if it's at a hometown discount or a, you know, away discount. But whatever the best fit is for you to win a world championship, that's where you go even if you cost yourself a couple hundred thousand bucks. Yeah. Mark Schlarath, he redid the room in his house.

It looks great. to just sell my house and buy a new one. Schlerath. I bet you've been in that house for 25 years, am I right? Uh, 20, 21. 21 years. See, that's who you are, though. That's the offensive line mentality I love. You don't bail on your house. You give love to your house. I just bail on my house. Right. That's it. I don't commit adultery on my house. I just say, I love you. I love you, and I'm going to repaint you, baby. I love that. Yeah. That guy's committed, folks. Good seeing, Slareth. You too, buddy. I knew he owned that house forever. That's Mark Slarith. Me, I'm just flirting with a new house. You like moving, I think. You claim you don't like moving,

but you move a lot. Yeah. My actions are louder than my words. I like a balance. I like transition. I like challenges. You're very comfortable with change. That's it. I'm very comfortable with the pivot. Do the positive switch on that? Thank you. Instead of weirdo, I come across as Elon in one sentence. All right, what do we got today? Sarah Kustach, she's great. She'll be joining us this hour. I will draft the first round last hour.

So you're going to see how I operate. My saviness, my craziness. I'm going to make first round. First 16 picks. We're going to do half of the first round. We were going to do the first round, but I'm so weird. I couldn't stop talking. I'd go for like two and a half hours.

So we're going to do 16 picks with Daniel Jeremiah, who's terrific. One more herd? The herd streams 24. hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LeVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right, Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game. We're going to

to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments listen to up on game with me lavar arington t j hushmanzada and plexico burrs on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast from imagine an olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged it's the enhanced games some call it grotesque others say it's unleashing human potential either way the Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross

double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed Correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Then you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it,

and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Sunday, the best season ever continues as the NASCAR Cup series heads to Homestead

Miami Speedway for the Dixie Baca 400. See who will rise up and take the crown at the season's first mile and a half track. All the actions start Sunday at 3.30 Eastern on Fox and anywhere on the Fox Sports app. Good. So it's interesting the JJ Watts story. So there's four teams today they're saying are in the running form. JJ Watch 32 great defensive linemen, three-time defensive player of the year. And the teams are the Steelers, the Titans, the Bills, and Cleveland.

but only one of those, Green Bay gets mentioned too, only one of them has actual cap space, and that is Cleveland. So, you know, it leads you to believe that Cleveland is the one offering the $15 or $16 million because they can afford it. Now, Cleveland's in a weird spot where they just signed Miles Garrett to a five-year extension for $125 million, and they also pay Sheldon Richards in a defensive tackle $14 million a year. So if they went and got J.J. Watt for $15 to $16 million, they'd be $55,000. million dollars in on their defensive line. That's a lot of money. Their linebackers are atrocious and their secondary is a problem. Denzel Ward is talented but hurt a lot. Grady Williams was hurt last year. He's not a physical player. It's not a terribly intimidating

secondary. The linebacking core is bad and so maybe their feeling is we're just going to overwhelm everybody up front. I think Olivier Vernon's a free agent so he may not be there, plus he's coming off an injury. So it would be interesting. If you had JJ Watt, Sheldon Richardson, and Miles Garrett on the defensive line, there's not a lot outside of the 49ers that could really compare to it. There's just, there's, I mean, it would be Tampa 49ers in Cleveland would have overwhelming defensive fronts.

Now, some of you may be asking, how can Cleveland keep affording all these guys? But remember, when you, Baker Mayfield, they're not paying anything. Nick Chubb was drafted early. They're not paying. anything. So offensive line, Conklin, the right tackle they're paying, but they've drafted pretty well in the offensive line. So they're not paying a ton for some of their top offensive linemen. They're not paying anything for their running backs.

They're definitely not paying anything in the back end of their defense. It's terrible. But so where do you put your money? Cleveland may be just saying, hey, we can't solve our secondary and linebacker issues in one draft. We can't. So we're going to have the best defensive front in the NFL with Sheldon Richardson, Miles Garrett, who's a monster, and J.J. Watt. And there's no question. It makes your secondary better. So it leads me to believe when you got these four or five teams,

Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Buffalo, and Green Bay would have to move some deck chairs to make it work. Cleveland could offer $15 million and wouldn't have to make too many sacrifices. What they would do, my guess is they would trade Odell Beckham Jr., who I don't think is a good fit anyway. I would trade O'Dell Beckham Jr. tomorrow to get a corner, to get somebody's second best corner or getting their draft pick. I would trade O'Dell Beckham tomorrow to get a second round pick. Absolutely.

That would get Cleveland a first round pick. They could use that on a linebacker, which they need desperately, and then a couple of picks in the second round, go to the secondary. This is a very good draft for offensive linemen. Cleveland doesn't need any. Quarterbacks, they're not going to draft it, and I think it's a great draft for corners. I think there's like seven or eight, nine, ten, really good corners.

Cleveland needs that badly. So it's interesting. They're not telling you who leads on J.J. Watt. But multiple sources have said the most lucrative Watt offer on the table is $15 to $16 million. That feels like Cleveland to me. It does. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. He said his three priorities were quarterback, personnel, and then money. I know. I mean, listen, I don't think that's the best place for him. I don't buy the, the best place for him to me, emotionally, physically winning is Green Bay. And then, because I don't buy into Big Ben in Pittsburgh. Right. I think the second place where he makes a lot of sense is Buffalo.

Because I didn't. I mean, he feels like a. like a Buffalo bill. He feels like a Packer. He feels like a bill. Like Tennessee sounds good. But if I get Josh Allen and Sean McDermott, really good offense. And it's not, Buffalo Secondary is talented.

But the problem is they have no pass rush. So they're very talented. Secondary gets burned. Tennessee's secondary is bad and they have no pass rush. Yeah, Tennessee needs him the most. Yeah, Tennessee needs him the most. But I'm saying to me, Green Bay One, Buffalo 2 feels like really perfect. and he is in both instances, the icing.

I mean, if I told you J.J. Wat goes to Buffalo, that feels like a 13-win team. Like, he solves their primary issue. Yeah, and we already know what Buffalo is capable of. Yeah. I just want to see him go to a place where I genuinely feel like he has an opportunity to win. So if he goes to Buffalo, it feels like he solves their primary issue, no pass. If he goes to Green Bay, it's like, oh, my gosh. They're finally being aggressive.

If he goes to Cleveland, it's like, your linebackers are still bad. You don't know about Baker at quarterback. and the secondary gets banged out. It doesn't feel like he solves the final piece to the Super Bowl puzzle. If JJ Watt is it probably worth half a game in Buffalo and they won 11 last year, 12? I mean, Josh Allen's just getting better and better. So Buffalo is hard to argue your way out of. Yeah, you want him to be the piece that makes them a Super Bowl team.

And that's what it feels like, especially in Buffalo. Buffalo's got everything. Buffalo's secondary is fine. You just can't guard guys for four seconds. Well, his former teammate, Deshaun Watson, has been very unhappy with the Texans for months and has made it clear he once out, but the team plans to keep him and try and, just going to try and repair the relationship. DeShawn's posted plenty of tweets, hinting at his feelings of the situation in the past, and since we are in the middle of this Deshawn Watson watch, everything he tweets and says matters,

and he just tweeted this morning. Loyalty is everything. Don't you ever forget it. Well, now, what does that mean? Does that mean he should be loyal to Houston? I don't know what it means. Here's what I love about free agency and this is what I love about the NBA free agency and is now happening in the NFL free agency. It's like we follow all these breadcrumbs. Like, JJ Watts tweeted something the other day and everyone was trying to break down like what it meant.

It was very, you know, the rules. Like what means the bills? Like it might just be a lyric or it might just be something he's feeling and it applies to his personal life. we don't know, but because we're watching everything these guys do to find out where they go, it matters. You know what? If I had not forgotten my phone at my hotel today, you know it will be fun today? If you and I both put out a cryptic tweet just today in honor of the Sean Watson, and it means something to us, but we're not going to tell the audience what it means. Oh, I've got a good one. Well, we have social media people. I think they have access to your Twitter, don't they?

No, they don't actually. Nobody has access to them. No. Well, listen, if I lose a key, I don't have access to my hotel room at bed tonight. I don't know. I don't know what it means, but we're going to follow every breadcrumb we can with this. So the Celtics have had a disappointing start, 15 and 17 record as they approach halfway through the season. And both Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge are not in danger of losing their jobs. Team owners said there are guys and we're sticking with them. And that's not even a question in my mind.

Who is suggesting that? Well, I mean, there's a lot of conversations about why the Celtics are struggling and who's to blame for it. Danny Aange came out last week and said, you know, he's responsible for the roster. So if there's anyone to blame, it's on him. There's been a lot of questions about Brad Stevens. I mean, we talked to Chris Broussard earlier today, and I very much agree with him, but I've been on this since Kyrie. I understand Kyrie is not necessarily the easiest, most flowing individual to work with. But as Chris said, he's not a Ferrari guy.

He's a get the most out of your Honda Accord guy. And the NBA is a Ferrari Lamborghini league. Like, it's a Rolls-Royce league. No, Doc Rivers. You got to make it happen. Yeah, Doc Rivers is really good dealing with Rolls-Royces. He probably wouldn't be as good with a young team that doesn't have. You know, it is interesting.

I think about that. It's really fascinating to think about that. Like, it doesn't really work that way in football and baseball. Like, but in basketball, the culture. basketball. It's so star-driven, where, like, Bobby Knight would have been a disaster in disaster in the NBA. John Beeline, a great basketball coach at Michigan, was a disaster in Cleveland. There's been a lot of college football coaches that have gone to the NFL and have succeeded. It's very rare when a college coach can go to the NBA and succeed because college

basketball is about the coach, the NBA is about the player, and it is, you know, like I'll give you a guy who deals with Stars well, Frank Vogel. Yep. He doesn't have any problem. Like Frank, Frank lost in Indiana and Orlando. He didn't have to go good enough players. The minute you give him good players, LeBron loves Frank Vogel.

Tyloo is also great with Stars. They love it. So basketball is very unique. There's an argument to be made that Brad Stevens from Butler, never dealt with a star, goes to Boston. He's not great with that personality. I'm not saying he's a bad coach. Anytime that we're critical of coaches, like, he's a bad coach, he's a good coach.

Everything doesn't have to be that clear. He may just not be great with stars, and this is a league where you're required to work with stars, or if you're going to win at a high level, you're not to work with stars. And I'm not saying that the Celtics roster is a bunch of Honda Accords. It's certainly not. It's actually the opposite of that and has been the opposite of that, in my opinion. You should be getting much more out of your stars in Boston. And every single year is the same thing.

You can't get over the hump. So what is it? Is it that you need another superstar there? Or is it that this system isn't necessarily working? I thought what happened with Kyrie was a mixture of Kyrie not fitting in that culture, but also I really believe when you have someone of that level, you've got to bend a little bit. You have to make sure everyone knows what their roles are.

And it didn't appear that anyone knew what was going on there. Well, it's the client. Buck Showalter as a manager was great with young teams. He would get every win out of. Joe Tori was great with stars because Joe could suppress it. his ego. I always felt Buck Showalter was a little rigid and could struggle with star-studded teams.

Right now, the Dodgers guy. Dave Roberts, a classic example. Everybody likes Dave. Dodgers have stars everywhere. Dave Roberts can suppress his ego. He's very well-liked. You know, Buck Showalter is a great manager. Dave Johnson

used to manage the Orioles years ago. Really could squeeze every win out of a roster, but you put him with stars and it didn't know his work. And I think Joe Torrey was legendary for he was a decent manager, but he was great handling the A-Rod Jeter dynamic because there was almost an evuncular sort of like the tough uncle feel to Joe.

Right. And he was a big personality and a star as well. But Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, like, you can still be a big name and be able to make it work with stars. I just, I think that there's always one thing missing with the Celtics. And in this league, you've got to take it up a notch. Like, you have to do it. Look at the Raptors every year.

Like, oh, the Raptors are good. The Raptors are good. The top of the east. They can't do it until they get Kauai Leonard. Like, you got to have the talent. You got to make it work with that kind of talent. Finally, Lamello Ball continues to add to his rookie of the year campaign. He scored 20 points with 16 coming in the second half and had a team high eight assists.

It's the Hornets, 1-24-211 win over the suns last night. This was his ninth game with at least 20 points this season, which is the most among all rookies. He's averaging 14.8 points, six rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. He ranks 14th among all rookies in 3 point percentage this season at 35 percent, a minimum of 50 attempts. I'm just loving what I'm seeing from Lamello. I'm really proud about this. I feel like I was extremely early on the Mello ball. He's an offensive player and the league is benefiting offensive players. I think it's great. But he also plays with a great. confidence. Like he is a very young guy and he looks like he belongs out there. There's no timidness

to his game. He's talked a little trash here and there. I love it. He's a huge favorite to run rookie of the year according to Foxbet at minus 2000. But he was huge for them last night. And that's like he just is a great, he's a great shooter. And I love it. Yeah. I mean, it's like people knock Zion for his defense. It's like, listen, man, when you're getting 27 out of a young guy, just be able. I don't even know why we talk. talk about defense when it comes to rookies. You know, Nick Wright said this one, it was real, because I used to criticize guys that didn't play any defense. And Nick Wright put this best. He said, listen, defense matters. But in

the NBA, it's a 75, 25, 25 difference. If you're, you could be the, you have the best defensive team ever. You'd win 40 games. If you had the best offensive team ever, you'd win 62 and win the championship. You can win the NBA championship, not being a great defensive team. You cannot win an NBA championship with a, you cannot win an NBA championship with The rules constituted today being the Detroit Pistons of the 80s. Well, that's why the nets are so interesting. Because as long as they're middle of the road defensively, I don't know what anyone's going to do with them. Yeah, especially in the East.

Lakers, if they're healthy, could match up. Not a lot of other people match up. Good stuff. Joy Taylor with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. It is funny, though. Chris Broussard said this.

He said, some people are better with a Maserati than I'm. a Honda accord or whatever. And I think about that. I would be uncomfortable with a Maserati. I would not. Okay, so your personality is you would like the sports car. I would

get in it and feel like leather pants. I could never wear leather pants. I'm wearing like pleather pants right now. But you wear very, not flashy, but very accentuating. Yeah, I wear animal print probably three or four days a week. Days a week, yeah. And so

you look very comfortable in it. You wearing dockers would be like, that just doesn't work for you. Not to look. Okay. For me, dockers are me. Literally, I don't even put them on. They put me on. But I can't wear leather prints or leather

pants. It just doesn't work for me. It's true. It doesn't work for my body language. I could never drive a Maserati. I would be humiliated to drive a Maserati. It's not in me. I'm telling you right. now. If I won power ball, I could not drive one. That's true. I couldn't see you pulling up here in like a green Ferrari. Oh, I'd be humiliated. You know what color car I bought? Gray. Why? Because in

our parking garage, it disappears. I don't want to have the car that I can't do that. I can't wear leather pants. I can't drive a fancy car. It's not in me. It's not. I can't do it. But you are Tiger Print Joy. I'm a little more loud. Yeah, but it works totally with your personality. And so Brad Stevens, it just doesn't work with his personality to deal with superstar guy who has to be a little coddled. It just doesn't work for him. Tyloo? Tyloo used to, I know this for fact.

Tai Lu used to yell at LeBron. And they were all good. Like I've had bosses who were very, I'm confrontational. I would yell at a boss. I'd yell at all my bosses tomorrow. I wouldn't care less. I have a boss upstairs, non-confrontational. So we just can't, we can't, I can't go there with him.

That's not who he is. So I've had, I've had, my wife's very confrontational. My ex-wife's not. So like that's just what there. So you have to realize what, what people can do. That's why you and I work. Because I bring my dockers into the crib and you go animal print and the dockers look at the animal print and go, whoa, but respect it.

And the animal people print people go, oh, well, we're not jealous. Yeah. That's how, that's why the show works. But can you win in the NBA? being a docker guy is the question. I'm not sure you can. It works for the herd. It works for America's honesty brokers.

But it doesn't work in the league. That was the strangest five minutes I've ever done on radio. I think it worked. In my entire life. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you'll say. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where

you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because,

of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free, our heart radio app, Search Learn the Hard Way and listen now. By the way, breaking news, Adam Schaefter reports. Russell Wilson has not demanded a trade, and he has no trade clause, so he has all the cards in this. All right? His agent Mark Rogers, I'm a friend of Mark, I know Mark, I like him, I trust him. Wilson has told the Seahawks he would like to play in Seattle. He is not demanding a trade, but there are four teams he would play for, only four.

Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears. By the way, it's not a coincidence with his wife. Those are big towns, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Vegas. Those are entertainment mechas. New Orleans, there's a lounge near you, and they are paying people to sing in Vegas and Dallas and Chicago. So Russell doesn't want to be traded, but there's four teams he'd go to. The Cowboys, the Saints, the Raiders, and the Bears.

We'll have more on this. But first, I want to bring in Sarah Kustok. She does Fox Sports. She's fantastic. By the way, she was shooting threes about the time Steph Curry was because she led the country and three-point field goal. 17 years ago! Sarah was ahead of the world, and she's joining us now live covering the Brooklyn Nets.

Girl was shooting threes when coaches were yelling at players who shot. Colin, every time I appreciate the kind words, but it always makes me feel a little old because that's like a couple of years ago. It felt like I was in college. Okay, let's start with this. You're covering Brooklyn. They're on a seven-game winning streak. They swept the West.

Are you guys even a little surprised that it's all worked and gelled this quickly? I am surprised in the ways in which they've been able to gel and how they look on the floor, the type of wins that they were getting on the West Coast, considering the fact that Kevin Durant has missed the last five games. He's missed eight of the last nine games. So the West Coast strip you're talking about, he played in one of those games, the first game against Golden State. This group is playing harder. Make no mistake about that. They are playing smarter. And I think it's not just about the talents, especially recently of James Hardin and Kyrie Irving, but the rest of this roster, the complimentary players, Joe Harris, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green. We can go down the list, DeAndre Jordan. Because of that, everyone understands their roles. And I don't think. anything is more important than guys understanding exactly what's asked of them.

Anybody concerned that Kevin Durant's already missing time coming off an injury? How does that land for people in Brooklyn? It's a great question. I think anytime a player of that caliber, there's always a small level of concern, but from the side of Brooklyn, from the side of anyone you speak with, their plan is to be overly cautious. For him, there is no need to rush back. He saw the way that it came back into the season after not playing for 18 months,

and he's been spectacular when he's been on the floor. A lot of the games he has missed has been simply due to health and safety protocols. And that's contact tracing, not he himself having COVID. So I think there's a variety of factors you look at, and the Nets are looking at the long view in the big picture of this before they have him back on the floor. Steve Nash got a lot of heat earlier in the year for a couple of inbound situations, late game situations, and the guy never comes. coach. So it's like, give me a break. There's a big difference between coach and player, player,

and coach. And he get a little heat for it. Now, over the last winning streak, I don't hear anything about Steve Nash. You hear him, you talk to him, you see him. What do you think is his strength so far as a head coach? His basketball mind, to put it simply, he has a extraordinary way not only to resonate with players, but to communicate with players. He understands how to deal with everyone up and down the roster. And I think that's in terms of accountability with the stars and with others. And more than anything, I'm glad you bring up that point

because we haven't been talking about much in the coaching staff he has along with him. But I think by nature, when you look at this team gelling and how they seem to be getting more comfortable with one another, a lot of that comes to just Steve Nash getting more comfortable and familiar in his role. And he has been very honest about what he knows, what he doesn't know,

what he's still working on. And I think the systems and the philosophies principles and schematic things are seeing on both sides of the floor now the guys are understanding what's being asked of them. The implementation of that, I think, to this point, has been impressive. You know, we were just watching Lamello Ball who Joy thought would be great. I didn't. We've watched Zion, who I loved, I think both Joy and I did. And it's funny, they're both very offensive-minded players. Zion's not much of a defensive player. And there was always this since covering the NBA and watching it for years, that you had to really be able to rebound and defend to win a championship. But, you know, the rules, Sarah, they've all changed.

We got a scrunched up schedule where nobody, everybody's fatigued, so nobody's playing defense. And I wonder, it does feel like part of the benefit of Brooklyn is, this schedule this year, is, listen, they're just too gifted offensively. There's less film study. There's less coaching. There's fewer days off. Everybody's fatigue because of the schedule is, it kind of, when I watch this team, I'm like, they're just a headache. You don't get the extra day arrest to guard these guys. Does it play out?

Are you concerned at all? It's a little bit of a Tinderbox emotionally because these are one ball, three stars. How do you dance on that knowing everybody gets their compliment of shots over the next four months? That, I think, is the last thing on any of their minds. Some of the biggest reasons, Kevin Durant is one of the most versatile players. The prowess he has on the offensive end, we can. go on forever about, but he can fit in with anyone. I think James Hardin's approach, his brilliance with the basketball, how he is taken over

orchestrating the offense in regards to getting everyone involved, the balance of scoring and facilitation, how good Kyrie has been in terms of his numbers and accuracy from the field. I think all three of those players have continued conversations every day on the floor, practice floor looking at film. So none of that concerns me, especially given the examples that we've seen on the floor offensively. Defensively, to your point,

I think we've seen improvement. A lot of it has come from positionally how they're playing, the scheme they have in which they're switching one through four, one through five. But so much of the defense has improved because they're taking care of the ball better, less turnovers, less second chance points, less extra opportunities for other teams

and putting pressure on that Brooklyn Nets defense. And that's the thing that I think has to continue. All right, Sarah Kustuck, who by the way, covering the NBA for a long time, first woman named a solo full-time color analyst for an NBA team. The Nets broadcasting team, by the way, is one best NBA broadcasting team like a thousand times. Say hi to your broadcasting partners who are amazing. And she led the country in threes in 2003.

That's amazing. 17 years ago, if you shot a three, you better have made it. You were not allowed to miss it. A three in 2003. So you must have been really good at it, Sarah. And we appreciate you stopping by today. You guys are the best. Thank you.

You bet. Yeah, the Nets broadcast team wins the award every year for best local NBA broadcast team. It has for years. Tired of cooking at home. Change it up without getting up. Order Jersey mics through their app for no contact delivery or no contact to the door. Pick up.

Jersey mics be a sub above. So Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, according to Adam Schaefter. rather play for Seattle, not demanding a trade, but he's given him the four teams he would play for, and he holds all the cards because he's got a no trade clause. Cowboys, Saints, Raiders, Bears. Well, we know two of those teams need a quarterback. The Bears need a quarterback and the Saints do.

I can't see the Cowboys moving off deck. I don't see that. And I don't think the Raiders are going to want to pay $35 million for Russ because they got some defensive holes. the Saints and the Bears look really viable to me. And I'll be honest with you. Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, and Las Vegas are entertainment towns. So I think he's telling you, I'm not going to Jacksonville.

I'm not going to Green Bay. He goes to the Saints, though. Oh, boy. But they would have to get rid of so many players. This is the best story. This is so great. It really is. I'm just going to sit back and think.

about this during our commercial break. So good. It's very interesting. Hour three next. Another podcast from some SNL, late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel.

Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me. with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On The Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast.

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