The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 03/18/2021 - HOUR 2 - Gonzaga, Nets

Episode Date: March 18, 2021

Colin talks about the NCAA tournament, and who is most valuable in the NBA.Guests: Mark Few, Chris Broussard, Derek Wolfe Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It's hour two. The tournament kind of starts tonight with playing games. Michigan State, UCLA, live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. I was talking about 15 minutes ago

that college basketball has changed so dramatically because of the one-and-done culture that programs like Villanova and Gonzaga, which have always been great programs, now feel like top two or three programs in the country because they get the players who are excellent and can play in the NBA, but they may not get the five-star guys

that the Kentuckies and Dukes get. But then it changed this year because Gonzaga lands Jalen Suggs, who's the first or second best pro prospect in it. So you get all the greatness of their program. And then they insert what they really haven't had is a top two or three high school player in America. They've always recruited well. And so you're hearing all this Gonzaga or the field where you get the great program that finally gets with all their other really good players, the great NBA prospect. And Mark Few's my buddy, 22 years at Gonzaga. He's won 83% of his games.

It's the highest among men's basketball coaches all-time NCAA. And he joins me now live from the bubble. They've got their own college bubble. So when you hear, you're a humble guy, when you hear people like me saying, Gonzaga or the field, I'll take Gonzaga. That mess just make you sick to your stomach. Especially coming from you, yes. Yes.

I'd expect slightly better from you. But, I mean, I'd be remiss to not acknowledge. Like, I usually listen very loyally to you on the radio and to see you, you know, like the TV viewers do with this mustache. Oh, my Lord. You are, you're like, I hate to age myself, but Errol Flynn or Clark Cable or something. That's a good look for you. I've never really thought mustaches are. Good these days. That's a good look for you.

Very successful. Yes. Whoa. Maybe up for the next bond. Now we could use a new bond. So it's funny because you've always had good players and that's never been the question. You go to California, you get a top five player. You go to Texas a couple years ago.

You get international players. But this is different because now you have this great program and you bring it to Jalen Suggs. And he's a great play. He's an NBA prospect. Were you worried at all that, wow, this is not really us. We've got to make sure he's the right kind of guy that understands us. Absolutely. Absolutely.

And a really quick, funny story with that is, and I don't know if people will believe this, but it's true. They literally had to convince, or me, to recruit him. You know, they had reached out and said, hey, you know, we're really interested in you. And Jalen's really interested in you and the family and the AEU coach. And I'm like, come on now. This guy's one of the best players in the country. And that's usually not the waters we fish in.

And they're like, no, no, no. We've been watching you forever. We love how you guys play, you know, just and love your player development. And lo and behold, they kind of convinced me. And then obviously, once you meet Jalen, once you meet the family and everybody around him, We knew, yeah, you know what, this is somebody that values everything that we value, and he's a great talent and a great player. But the two things that really set him apart, Colin, are he's really, really coachable

and just yearns to get better. And even down to the deep, deep details. I mean, he really likes to watch film and break down stuff with us all. And then he's a ferocious competitor. I mean, he is, he's a football player. So, you know, I know Joy will like that. And I just tell you, be having a football player, it makes for such an easier adaptation when you come in to college ball because it's so much more physical than high school.

And I mean, from day one, there was no, he was ready for that from the jump. So he already kind of had an edge on everybody. So you've won 25 or 26 games by over 10 points. your kids are smart, they know they're favored. How do you keep them loose? Because we don't doubt. Every time I saw you play this year, you got to 90 points, you're very good offensively. You're athletic, you got bigs, you got experience, you got shooters.

But even though all those things, teams get tight in that first couple of games. Have you tried to loosen your team up in the last two, three weeks knowing you're going to be a 15, 20 point favorite in this first couple games in the ball? level. Yeah, I mean, to be honest, we've played kind of loose all year. And I don't know where there's really been an instance. And even one of the things that I think and hope is really going to serve us well is, you know, BYU was putting it on us in the conference tournament final, you know, a week or so ago. And yet I never sensed our guys got tight or anything. It was more just adjustment about us making plays and kind of amping it up. the BYU's toughness and energy.

And, yeah, I mean, listen, we've talked about it. We're going to go in this tournament as aggressive as we can possibly be. We are not buying the hype of the, you know, the Gonzaga or the field because that just isn't kind of who we are. There's some really, really good teams out there that I've seen a lot of and have been so impressed with. And, you know, especially in this tournament, this is not a NBA. a seven game series or, you know, Major League baseball or any, this is one, and you can either move on or your season's over. So we have to be good on that particular day. In some instances, even great. And the only way we're going to do that is if we're aggressive and we're the hunter

and not the hunted. Mark Fugon, Zaga head coach. So the NBA had a bubble and a weird thing happened for the first time in my adult life. The young teams played very well in the bubble. And I I talked to some NBA people and they said, listen, the old guys are married, they have kids. They were depressed. They don't like a bubble. The young guys, it was like I hoop and I play video games. I'm having the time of my life. You're in a bubble now.

And I think to myself, okay, you tell me, you've been there for a few days. What are the adjustments emotionally, physically, this bubble provides that go into a regular tournament? Didn't. I think that's a great question and a great call by you. That's interesting. I never looked at the NBA one like this. Listen, we talked about it at length, even up to, you know, when we knew we were going to be in the tournament two to three weeks ago about, hey, this is not going to be, you know, our normal daily routine.

You know, we're going to be subject to other guys' schedules when we practice and we only get a certain amount of time to practice. And we only have a certain amount of time when we go down and shoot. But, you know, strangely enough, we've kind of been dealing with all this. stuff all year. We've pretty much been isolated on our on our own campus. And I and I truly believe that, you know, and this is an advantage. I hope for us, I mean, if you really, really like your teammates and, you know, and you like your staff and you have great chemistry, then that's going to be a huge advantage in this thing because we're literally just around each other, you know, 24 hours a day. It's just us. And so you just kind of deal with it.

And I think we're getting kind of the rhythm of it now and getting used to it. We actually had a great afternoon yesterday. We were able to go outside and play on the AAA field. They played football and badminton and some things like that. The guys had a blast. And so that helped break up today. This thing gets ramped up tonight now. And once these games start rolling, it's just going to be, you know, games, rest, preparation,

games, rest, preparation. So the waiting is just about over. Yeah. You've had a lot of, you're a humble guy, but you've had opportunities to go everywhere. When you took this thing over, I mean, by the way, it was a good program when you took it over. But you've made it more international. You've got some support. You got a new arena.

You got a little more money. The recruiting's ramped up. But you would be the first to admit it was a good program. You took it to another level. And you've never left. And it was funny. I was looking over your program a couple days ago. and I was looking at the pictures of all your kids.

And it was not just smiling. I mean, you have created a very joyful program. And it's, Mark, you got international guys. You got NBA guys. You got local guys. Is when you're running, you're running a business now. When you're running a business and the impression and there's international and there's different sensibilities in basketball, you've made it, you keep it a happy place with a lot of expectations.

What's the secret sauce on that? Well, you know me. I mean, I guess it's just, it's my, you know, vision of a program, right? Like, we're going to work really, really hard. And, you know, we're going to, you know, challenge you kind of intellectually with, you know, schemes and everything that we do. And we really like kind of experimenting. And we play differently every year. This team is vastly different than, you know, a lot of my other teams.

And we're very much into player development. But then you know what? When that's done, let's go have some fun. And, you know, it doesn't have to be a job. And I think our players, I hope our players, that's my vision for them, play with that kind of joy. But also outside of basketball, you know, where maybe other people don't get to see them like I do.

You know, we have fun. And we have, you know, great relationships. And I try to treat them like adults. and I really trust them. We don't really have any rules, and they understand that. We have some things that I, you know, talk to them about character-wise

and how I wanted them to represent themselves in our program and our community, and that's about it. And they're unbelievable with how they do that. And we do have fun. I mean, I have a blast. We've had a blast this year. I couldn't have picked a better group, Colin,

to go through all this, you know, COVID protocols and separation and isolation and all this. I mean, they've literally just been a blast to hang out with. And, you know, at this point, you just don't want it to end. You literally, you just don't want it to end. Yeah. No rules. I like that.

You'd have to, you know, if I would have played for you with this mustache, but if I'd have played for you, I'm not very coachable. You would have needed a lot of rules for me, coach. I'd say right now, I was just an NCAA infraction waiting to happen. I would have been nothing but a handful. But maybe that's why we'd get along. I feel like our culture would have embraced your individualism but kind of kept you under wraps. Well, you could see it that way, certainly from your perspective.

Mark Fuganzag, great seeing you. We'll see you soon. Have a beer and appreciate it, coach. Yeah, all right, buddy. Take care. Take care. One of the really good guys. Spokane, Washington.

By the way, we're on, starting tomorrow, my radio show, our radio shows on Fox Sports Radio 103.5 FM, long-time radio home of the Gonzaga Bulldog, so we're on. You have, I got to tell you something. It's really fascinating. And I've said this before. Why did Nebraska dominate college football in the 90s? There's no players around there. Why has Gonzaga crushing?

Like it all comes down to, do you have a leader of the program, Tom Osborne, Mark Few, and how badly do you want it? That's one of the things I love about America. Green Bay should not work. Gonzaga should not be this good. You look at a lot of Clemson football. Like if you look at who, we always worry about the New York teams. They're all awful.

Outside of Brooklyn, the Mets are bad, the jets are bad, the giants are bad, everybody's always so fearful. Oh, they got more money and they got more glamour and they get more prestige. If you look at who is winning in sports now, it's aggressive teams. Like in baseball, Dodgers have a lot of money and they're aggressive. Nobody's disputing that. But you start looking at a lot of stuff that's working in a lot of these sports. How find a leader, how badly do you want it?

In the NFL right now, it's Kansas City and the Indianapolis and Baltimore and Green Bay and Seattle. You're not big, sexy markets. Find the leaders, how badly do you want it? What's the quote, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard? Is that what they say? I don't know. That's what they say. There's something to that.

There's something to consistency and when you have a good, solid foundation and development. and it doesn't work with everything. You know, there are still big markets that definitely dominate. Actually, when he said, we don't have any rules, remind me of Sean McVeigh is the one that doesn't have any rules. When you have a good culture, you don't need rules. Because everyone just does what everyone's supposed to do. And they understand, like, I'm a part of something and there's responsibility

and, you know, you feel responsible for the person next to you to do your job. Yeah. Some NBA stuff, Derek Wolf, too. That was fun. It's good to talk to buddies. 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 this is jason mcintyre join me every weekday morning on my podcast straight fire with jason mackinty this isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day straight fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book and all the best guests do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre 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 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 which I'm 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 IHeard 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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano,

and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.

And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flanks. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Oh, yeah.

Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend, and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scene. on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports.

And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Sunday, the best season ever continues on Fox as NASCAR Cup series rolls into Atlanta, where every turn is its own test.

You can catch all the action for the folds, of Honor, Quick Trip 500 at 3 Eastern on Fox and anywhere on the Fox Sports app. By the way, those Juju, Smith-Schuster, Steeler-Wide receiver to the Jets' rumors are gaining steam. Interesting. Interesting. So if they bring him in, Jets don't need a wide receiver in the draft with a bunch of draft picks. Go solve the offensive line. Trade down. Maybe get Kyle Pitts at tight end. It's funny how Sam Darnold with a new coach and a bunch of targets may be okay.

It's crazy how that works. Former New York Times sports writer, Fox Sports NBA analyst, my buddy Chris Broussard, joining me now. So listen, I've always had this belief. There's about four guys in the NBA are truly valuable. There's a bunch of talented guys. Jimmy Butler, LeBron, Steph Curry, Chris Paul are talented and incredibly valuable. I mean, if you go look at Miami this year, as good as they are, They can't win without Jimmy Butler.

The Lakers are winning without AD. AD is good, but he's not as valuable as LeBron. And KD, we always thought, was valuable. But the Warriors won without him. And now Brooklyn's won 13 to 14 without him. And Hardin gives you 82 games. Hardin's there every night. Hardin plays, he's become a distributor as well.

And it feels like to me, much like Golden State, Katie's the most talented guy, but Steph was the true heart and soul of the Warriors, and Hardin feels like he's become the heart and soul of Brooklyn. Well, yeah, with Katie being out, he's obviously left the door open for Hardin to step in and do that. And, Colin, you're right, everything that's going on in Brooklyn, and they would be great without Hardin.

They had a chance to win it, certainly to win the East, before Hardin even got there. Okay, however, the reason it is, working now is all because of James Hardden. As great as Kyrie Irvin is playing and he's playing great. And it is because Hardin stepped in there, Colin, four of his first six games with the Nets, he took 14 or fewer shots. A couple times, once he took nine, once he took 10, that unselfish is everybody saw it. Everybody was waiting to see, okay, how's this going to work? This dude gets 24 shots a night in Houston. How's he going to fit in here? He goes. He's going to fit in here. He

goes in he's taking 12 shots 13 shots and now the tone of unselfishness is set and he's playing like a true point guard kairi sees that wow you know what you be the point guard i'll just be a two which is really fits my skill set better and now you look at the way they play the ball is not sticking it is moving everybody's touching it joe harris jeff green Bruce brown and now they're excited because they're like hey, we're not just standing around watching the stars. We're touching the ball. We're getting shots. We're playing better than ever offensively.

Now they're more eager to do it on the defensive end. And guess what? During this 14 and one stretch, the Brooklyn Nets are 14th in the league defensively in terms of efficiency. That's all they need. If they're adequate defensively, they are going to be just about unbeatable. I was talking to a scout the other day.

and he said he doesn't see anybody beating Brooklyn. And like I said, Colin, it's all because of James Harden and the unselfish tone that he set. He's the best dual threat point guard in basketball, meaning scoring and passing. He's phenomenal, and I'm actually glad he's able to show off this varied skill set in Brooklyn that he really didn't show off for the most part in Houston.

When Steve Ballmer, the owner of the Clippers, went out and got coal, and Paul George, it was a crazy electric energy-filled press conference. Now we're a couple years removed from that. The Lakers have a title. They're winning even when AD is resting or hurt. And the Clippers have lost five of seven. And we've talked about this is that when they made that deal,

they were asking Kauai to be a culture setter. And there's nothing that proves he ever did that in San Antonio or Toronto. know, he was just a mercenary and he was great at it. And I look at the clippers now and they're on, they're not playing well. And I wonder if they were a little over, they thought Kauai was something he wasn't, which is a great player, but not a verbal, vocal, build it around me guy. And it's becoming a reality for them. Honestly, Colin, I think just about all of us thought Kauai was something that he's not.

Now, like you said, he's an all-time great player. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer and all that. But we all thought he was going to go there, and all of a sudden they were going to be able to win the championship. Look, we'll see how this plays out. But his lack of leadership, Paul George's lack of leadership, they don't have a leader, really. That is a major problem with them.

Here's another problem with the Clippers. And you're seeing it, and I'll compare him to Phoenix. There are guys in the league who are big, 6-6, 6. six, seven, six, five, whatever, who can handle the rock, pass it a little bit. And so teams put the ball in their hands and say, you know what? He can bring it up. He can try to be like a little mini LeBron and run the offense and all that stuff. You saw it in Phoenix with Devin Booker.

He could do it, but it wasn't his forte. And they weren't a very good team with Devin Booker having the ball in his hands. Now you bring in a real point guard, Chris Paul, let Booker do what he does. and they're playing like they might become a Western Conference contender. Same thing with the clippers. They put the ball in Georgia's and Kauai's hands at the end of games. And yeah, they handle it pretty well. They're both decent passers, but it's not what they do.

They're not LeBron James with it. And now you see at the end of games, they have trouble closing. They're not good in the clutch. They go ISO one-on-one. And they know they need a point guard. They're not going to get him, but they need one. Yeah, it's good. I actually thought this was a move.

The NBA has always got these kind of glue guys, and Milwaukee got PJ Tucker, who's been good in big spots in the playoffs. And I actually thought that that feels like get some physical guys who'll push around James Hardin in the playoffs. That's what it felt like to me. I thought that was actually a nice addition for Milwaukee. A guy that's been in the playoffs, he's physical.

He'll go out and guard your best guy. He'll get in your head. little bit. Like, I thought that was a, that could win a, PJ Tucker can win you a series. Maybe you couldn't win before. I think he's that valuable of a player. Your thoughts? He brings toughness. And you're right. And experience. The question is, is he the old PJ Tucker? Now, he's been bad this year, four points a game, not shooting well from three. But he probably is unmotivated in Houston, you know, with hard and leaving and all that. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. If he gets back to old form, he will help me.

You know the problem in Milwaukee, though, Colin. Janice isn't a closer. And so at the end of games, he's setting screens for Chris Middleton and Dante DeVincenzo and Drew Holliday. And he'll get his seven points in the fourth quarter, but he's doing it off putbacks and dump offs and things like that. That's a problem for them. And it's going to be a bigger problem in the playoffs than it is even right now.

And we've seen that happen over the last two years. All right. Chris Brousard, Fox Sports NBA analyst. you, bud. All right, Colin. All right. A lot of stuff happening right now. Really starting to like this NFL free agency thing. This used to be the worst time to be a sportscaster. Second week of February until April 1st was just death. It's good now. Discover matches all the cash back. You earn your credit card into the first year. Learn more. Discover.com slash yes 2020 Neelson report. Discover accepted at 99% to the places that take credit cards.

Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, the bucks have acquired PJ Tucker from the Houston Rockets. Tucker and the Rockets greed earlier this month to part ways. And Milwaukee has been persistent in going after him in the recent weeks. They're looking to add some defensive help and playoff experience as they head into the postseason.

They are currently third in the East, 26 and 14 record. they are sending DJ Augustine and DJ Wilson to Houston. They also redirected previously traded draft picks. I'm not going to get into it. A whole moving around of things. But the big part of this, obviously, is PJ Tucker and his defensive ability. He's a physical player. He is a physical player.

And, I mean, he was playing center for the Rockets when they were doing small ball at 6'5. And he's a veteran, very smart player. I think this is a big move for the box. Now, I still don't personally believe in the bucks, but I do think that this is a vast improvement. Well, you know, it's funny. Chris Broussard says it. Milwaukee's problem is closing and the Clippers problem is closing. And that's a real issue when Brooklyn has three of the game's best closers. And LeBron James and Anthony Davis were also last year great at closing. So what you are seeing is it doesn't answer Milwaukee's primary issue.

It tells you how much Brooklyn is changing everybody's mindset. So Milwaukee makes this move. so PJ Tucker can go and annoy James Harden. Yeah, he's always on your top score. Yeah. Because that's what he does. Bounce, physical push. I mean, this is, and by the way,

Hardin is going to score on PJ Tucker, but this is a reaction to what Brooklyn's doing, which is they have so much offense. We've got to get somebody that can ugly up possession. There's the only chance you have. So Jalen Hertz is expected to be the Eagles starter next season. There were reports that owner Jeffrey Lurieie one of the teams to prioritize getting help for him in the off season so Hurds can be successful.

But GM, Howie Roseman, still is not ruling out adding more to the quarterback competition. We're not going to put a cap on what we're going to do with that position. We're going to look at every option to improve the football team. We have one on the roster. So you know we're adding to the roster. And then when you look at that six pick, we owe it to the organization to do our due diligence on anyone that could be available at that pick that we think has a chance to be a great player. And we will go through everything and an entire process on every position,

including the quarterback position. Well, listen, there's four good quarterbacks and then a bunch of, meh, prospect. So you're not getting one of the four. I still don't. I think it would be not a disaster, but I think it would be so enigmatic and so ridiculous if with their six pick, they took a quarterback.

I mean, let's just do the same thing that we did last. year. But also, it invalidates the Jalen Hertz pick. Why would you use that on the second round pick? And then a year later, when you're giving him four starts, say, we don't really think he's a franchise guy. I'm fine with admitting that you made a mistake, but you don't know if you made a mistake with Jaylen Hertz.

That's right. You have no, because he's shown moments. I don't know. Listen, I would love to see Jalen Hertz get a whole year to see what he is. I don't think that's going to happen. I have no faith in what the Eagles are doing anymore. And, I mean, it stinks. Like the Eagles were looking like they were really building something.

And now it looks like a dysfunctional organization that everyone's fighting for credit for who's putting it together. And everyone's overly involved and stuff they shouldn't be involved in. Very man. Man thing. I don't know. I don't want to get into the male ego. I don't understand it. I'll never understand it.

But there's a lot of this going on. Who cares who gets credit for stuff? Why does that matter? Well, for us, we want the respect we deserve. But you don't get respect if you're losing. Yeah. we don't think about it in those terms in the short term. We won't respect for it.

Well, this division is not going to be the same division it was last year. Dak Prescott's back. I mean, to this morning, I would pick Dallas. I don't know how you, I don't know how you get. So, I mean, at surface value, and obviously this isn't how it always works. But at surface, you're going to look at who has the best quarterback in the division right now. That's Dallas, right? Who has the best defense in the division?

Washington. Who is building something? Who's getting one of their best players back and say one. Giants. Giants. What are you doing? You're talking about possibly moving off of Jalen Hertz and the drive. You know, this year when I unveil my NFL picks, I've thought about this. I'm going to do it fourth place first.

So what I'm going to do, I'm going to say, and I'm going to take about 15 minutes, I'm going to say, here's who I'm picking for fourth. Because I think there's as many easy to pick fourth place teams as first place teams. If Denver doesn't get off Drew Locke, that's a fourth place team. What are you doing with the AFC North? That's the hard one. That's the hardest division to pick, because I got to tell you something. I want to watch the draft with Cincinnati.

Okay. If they get Slater on the offensive line, and then they haven't done much in free agency. Last year in free agency, they went for defense. Well, former Lions receiver, Kevin E. Golid is on the market, and two teams that are emerging as potential destinations are the best. Bengals and the Giants. Very interesting. He will reportedly visit the Giants and there's mutual interest in making a deal, but the Bengals have also made a strong offer, and even Joe Burrow reportedly made

a pitch for him. Both of these reports are from Ian Rappaport. So he only played in five games in 2020 due to injury, but he had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018-2019. The Bengals have T. Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Auden Tate. The Giants added John Ross in Free Agency. Yeah, he's never healthy. See, Gulladay struggles to stay healthy and John Ross is never healthy. So for the Giants, I don't like it. For Cincinnati, I like it.

I mean, I like it for both teams because they do need another wide receiver in New York. And you'd like to see Daniel Jones with someone like Kenny Galdade. But the Bengals obviously no longer have AJ Green, who's had his own injury issues at this point. It's really a great fit for both teams. But if he did go to the Bengals and they do have a nice draft. where does that change things for you Burrow was so impressive to me I agree well I'm not surprised because

that's what I said he was going to be but I'm really out on Pittsburgh and it was Juju Smith Schuster Dupree lost an offensive lineman I'm just But they won the division last year I know I'm not you know shouldn't have but they did

but what you are at the end of the year is what you are and they weren't very good at the end of the year Joy with the news Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straightfire gives you honest opinions on all the big. biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre 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 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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall.

And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.

Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shake my behavior. And that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find

clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and social. connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually need people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Derek Wolf of the Ravens, he bet on himself last year. He was totally a bet in him.

He played for the Broncos forever. And then he signed a one-year deal with Baltimore, a prove-it deal. And he just resigned recently for a couple more years. So free agency is very interesting. The Seahawks just re-signed their Pro Bowl fullback. That's big. So they've re-signed their full-back. They went and got an athletic tight end.

They got a guard from the Raiders. So the Seahawks appealed to Russell Wilson's concerns. You know, you say what you want, but sometimes you just got to make a lot of noise to get what you want. I'm positive that he didn't originally make a lot of noise and it didn't work. Yeah, for nine years, Russell Wilson was go hawks. Couldn't have been more of a company man. This was always my knock on Andrew Luck. And for like seven years, it was always like, go Colts.

And it's like, no, your GM's incompetent. You don't have any players. And at the end, I said about Andrew Luck. It was a criticism. Like, stop that. Like, there's, we should all be humble. right? Humility is a good thing. But there are times you have to be honest. And Tom Brady, when he did that documentary for the first time, with Giselle saying he'd like to be appreciated.

He'd let somebody else speak for him. But Tom was, Tom has now been, for the first time in his career, Tom has been honest. He said, they'll never have me go back to the cold weather. Well, I think there's certain people you should be humble with fans, your family. You know, if you're religious, you should be humble with God. Right. There's just humility in business. You know a lot of really wealthy people who are super humble with other business people? No. You have stuff you have to accomplish.

The stuff we have to get done. And I provide a service that you cannot find anywhere else. That's why they kept him. Derek Wolf, Raven's defense of Nguyen, he won a Super Bowl, played eight years in Denver. And then he bet on himself in free agency. He joined us now live. So it's interesting.

You bet on yourself. You said, you know what? I got a ring. I'm good. I'm going to do a one year. deal. So I want you to go back to that because we've been talking about free agency, Derek. Was there a little fear? You're kind of putting yourself out there. You don't get the safety when you went to Baltimore was part of you thinking on that flight the hell I doing. What am I doing here? Yeah, you know, it was one of those things where I was, you know, because when I signed my first deal

in Denver, I, you know, I took the burden of hand, right? You know, burden of hand is always, you know, the guaranteed money, you've got to take it, especially at that time of my career. So at this point, you know, I was going into my ninth season. You know, I was going to be turning 30 years old. I was like, you know what? Yeah, screw it. I'm just going to bet on myself. And it worked out.

So, you know, I get to stay with the Ravens and everything that I really wanted to happen is happening. So I'm really happy. Yeah, they re-signed you so they knew what they had. And it's one, but it's funny about free agency, Derek. Sometimes it's money. I don't, like Aaron Jones just signed with the Packers, and he could have gotten more money on the market. For you, was it respect? Was it money?

What was it for you? For me, it's about, all right, so I was into Denver for four years on winning football teams. And then I was on a Denver team that went four years without winning football games. So for me, it's a lot more fun to do this and put your body through this when you're winning football games. Because to go through this, you know, to the public, they see us that, you know, we make millions of dollars to play a game, right? But they don't see the pain that you go through. They don't really, they don't see the, you know, the day in, day out stress that you go through. So for me, you know, the reward is the win, right?

So I made enough money to take care of my family the rest of my life. So to me, I have to be on a team that's got a chance to compete for a Super Bowl because that's what makes it worth it. You were the highest graded run defender on that defense last year in a division with Nick Chubb, Joe Mixen. You got running backs in that division. But it's funny, Joe and I've been talking about this. I can't get my arms around that division. I saw Joe Burrell early in the season. Derek and I was like, oh, my, he is good.

And then I watched Big Ben at the end of the season, and I thought, oh, my, he doesn't look as good. in your division let's start with Cleveland what do you make of Cleveland's trajectory what do you make of Cleveland how did you fare against them their stock is going up for sure that's a really good football team they got a great offense line

they got a great running game they got a great quarterback they got great receivers they got a good defense all their players are buying into the program so that program is turning around that's not the old Cleveland Brown rounds. Cleveland has always been a team that you didn't want, you don't like to play anyways, because they're always a tough football team. So, you know, now when they got, they got all these

weapons, you have to bring your A game when you play against them. And, you know, our second game against them this season, they brought it. And, you know, that's the thing, man, in this league, nobody really cares what you had to go through to get to that point, right? So we played them in that second game this year in Cleveland on Monday night in the freezing cold. After all the COVID stuff we had gone through playing games on Wednesdays and Tuesdays. And that was our third game in 12 days. You know, so, you know, I was hurting. My body was hurt.

And I didn't know if I was going to make it to that game. And we did, and we won. You know, that was the poop gate. Now, let's talk Pittsburgh. They could not run the football last year. Why? It could be, you know, usually whenever a team can't run the football, it's put on the offense line.

So, you know, to me, to me, that's probably where it starts. It starts up front. It starts up front. If you got a great offensive line, you're going to be able to run the football. It doesn't matter how good the running back is. If you've got a poor offense line, you know, a subpar offense line, they're not going to be great at running the football. So your offensive line is where it starts.

Derek, you guys have lost your two top edge rushers to free agency. You're still their top run defender in a division now with Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, you know, Big Ben. you a little concerned the pass rush will not be the same in Baltimore? Here's the thing about our defense. We run a lot of blitzes. So we don't rely on those outside linebackers to go get sacks. We rely on our blitzes to come to work for us. And that's the difference between us. That's the difference between this defense and any other defense I've ever been on. Because, you know, I was with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware and Elvis Dumerville,

Bradley Chubb and all these great outside rushers. So I am, I'm used to that, having to rely on these outside rushers to get there. We don't have to rely on that in Baltimore because wink runs a lot of crazy blitzes that keep the offense guessing. So that's where our sacks come. About a minute and a half left, Lamar, I'm a fan of Lamar Jackson. I think he plays the position differently, but I'm okay with different. I'm okay with the independent thinking guy in the way.

My takeaway on Lamar is he cares so. deeply, and he wins. I'm in. I can live with any flaw. Are you in? Are you passionate? Do you care? And he does? Your initial thoughts when you played with him? Man, you know, I already was a big fan of watching him play. He was one of those guys I watched him play, and I was like, I don't want to have to play against this guy. Because you can have the perfect play as a defense and have everything covered, and he'll just take off and beat you with his feet. And he's got an arm to make the throws. He's got everything you could ask for. People got to remember, this is a 23-year-old kid.

He's just a kid. Every year he's just going to get better and better and better because he wants it. He's hungry. He doesn't care about the MVP and all that other stuff. All he cares about is winning a Super Bowl. Yeah. You had your career high last year in tackles, and you're an interior lineman, and that's like dog years. You guys don't last long.

Why are you lasting? You know, I think that I do everything I possibly can to take care of my body. I spend a lot of money taking care of my body. I spent a lot of time, and I train hard. And I just, I don't know, I think I was just born to do this. So that's the other thing. I was just born to play in the position. People have no idea what it's like to be an interior offensive lineman.

I just saw Rodney Hudson's going to be in his 11th year. He's going to Arizona. Dude, it is. I've had friends who have played interior line, hands, shoulders, back. What do you feel like on a Monday? I just crawl to the shower. Crawler the shower Monday morning. Getting a shower. Wake up.

Wake up, crawl the shower. Get to my truck, go to the facility, and do some squats. And then I'm good. Derek Wolf. Great having you. I'd love to have you on again. Continued success and congrats on your contract. Thank you. Appreciate that, brother. You bet. Three years, 12 million, re-signed with the Ravens.

He put himself out there. It was a very gutsy move leaving Denver. I'm going to put it out there for a year. Great. the run and he spends money on his body too. Those interior line positions, all these guys, their fingers are pointed in the wrong direction and bad shoulders and no day at the beach. All right, we're moving.

This show is flying now. I'm a good mood now. Tournament starts tonight. I'm going to take Michigan State over UCLA, even though I can see UCLA from where I'm sitting. They're heard. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. On Humor 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 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, Clivert 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 Cliford 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 IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast. Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex.

Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. to How Heart Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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