The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 03/31/2021 - HOUR 1 - Pro Day, 17 games, Gonzaga, Rodgers

Episode Date: March 31, 2021

People are overreacting about Justin Field's Pro Day because it's the most recentThe NFL going to a 17 game season will be a good thing for the owners and playersGonzaga vs USC wasn't even closeThe tension between Aaron Rodgers and the PackersGuest: Nick Wright 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, 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, 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 Iheart 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 Heard. Now let's get this party started You're listening to Fox Sports Radio

Ah, here we go on a Wednesday Live in Los Angeles It's the herd wherever you may be And however you may be listening IHeart Radio Fox Sports Radio FS1 Herb brought to you by Jersey Mike subs be a sub above I'm off tomorrow and Friday

So nothing but energy today I am bringing the A game today Joy Taylor is joining me Joy, Jersey Mike's update, feel good about that. A lot of stuff. I mean, there's actually a ton of stuff. Some college basketball, more tension in Green Bay, 17-game schedule. We've got a lot today, actually.

Congrats to UCLA. Some of Los Angeles these days. It really is. It feels like they're just being pulled in by the L.A. sports success. Everybody's winning in Los Angeles. I want to start with this, though. I'm not against new. Okay.

I consider myself somebody. I'm curious. I like to adapt and evolve on stuff, but not everything new is better. In fact, most new stuff is junk. It really is. Most new stuff is junk. I mean, all the apps they're bringing out now, they're not making our life better. They're just goofy. They're time wasters, which most of social media, we all live without TikTok. We can live without it. It's fun. It's cute. But, you know, let's be honest about it. Google, the search engine's really what we all need. And I was seeing here yesterday, Justin Fields had a pro day. And according to one scout who texted Matt Miller, that was the best quarterback pro day I've seen in a long time. I'm thinking, Zach Wilson's like old news now, 48 hours later. Yeah, Zach Wilson's is a typewriter today. He's a rotary phone. Two days ago, Zach Wilson was amazing. But the new hottest latest is Justin Fields.

Apparently, he's very fast. Like, I wouldn't know that. This is the addiction to new. We love new. Anybody notice the least talked about Pro Day so far? It's Trevor Lawrence, easily the best prospect. Anybody remember anything about Andrew Luxe Pro Day? I loved him.

I don't. These are five headlines I dug up this morning. These are real headlines. This is not The Onion. Jamarcus Russell puts on impressive show for scouts. Johnny Mansells at Pro Day. Paxton Lynch flashes arm strength at a windy Pro Day. Experts heat praise on Duane Haskins.

Blake Bortle shines at Pro Day. Three are a bust. One looks like a bust, and the other one's not a bust, but not very good. I understand. New and unproven. more interesting. Easier to root for the underdog not the favorite. The unknown is more intriguing.

But Phil Jackson won one coach of the year. Same as Sam Mitchell. LeBron's got four MVPs. That's it. I mean, come on. I understand new and shiny and lit. Zach Wilson's ProDade two days ago was the, I mean, swear to God, it was TikTok. And now it's like, oh, Justin Fields.

It's like Hollywood red carpet. You see the red carpet for shows, and the cameras just go to all the new, beautiful young people. And then Meryl Streep, who's been the best actor in Hollywood, for about 40 years, walks by behind them. Nobody asks a question. Like, Meryl Streep is really the greatest actor of our time. But, hey, there's a 17-year-old who is tearing it up on Instagram. Nobody cares. I understand wealth and success is boring.

We don't write articles anymore about Walmart and Microsoft, two of the four biggest countries in the world. And I understand that Trevor Lawrence for three years has been so good that it's all we talk about. But never forget that he is closer to a prodigy. It doesn't matter where he lands. It didn't matter where Andrew Luck landed. He landed in the worst possible place and still got to an AFC championship. Andrew Luck got to an AFC championship. GM incompetent, coach got fired, O-line worst in the league, awful roster.

That's Trevor Lawrence. The other four quarterbacks are just prospects. Where they land will overwhelmingly determine if they succeed or fail. They're going to need the right O line, the right system, a smart young coach, a non-meddling owner who's supportive, and an organization that has a plan and rarely steps into chaos. The other four are just prospects. and where they land is going to determine how successful they are. They're not good enough.

Justin Fields is not good enough. Zach Wilson's not good enough to overcome a lousy offensive line and a horrible coach. Andrew Luck was, Trevor Lawrence was. And he's the least talked about Pro Day. Okay? I wish all these guys success. And I understand that Walmart and Microsoft are boring. I get it.

And I understand new is easier to root for. But it's just absurd. The pro date, like every other day, it's the greatest thing you've ever seen. It's absurd. All right. Get to college basketball in a second. NFL owners approved a 17 game schedule. And listen, the players, it's an extra game for a running back to hit a yards bonus or a wide receiver to hit a catch touchdown bonus.

Players share of revenues going up. You know, more is the name of the game in sports. But here's the one thing about the NFL. that, and Roger Goodell for years, took criticism, because again, they're harder to root for from the media, because the NFL doesn't need the media very much, and the media likes to be important and likes to be loved and likes to be necessary, and the NFL doesn't really need you. And so there's always these shots at Goodell, and he's a great commissioner. He's a great commissioner.

And a couple missteps, of course. You don't think CEOs have bad weeks if you run a company for 15 years? But the NFL has been stealing real estate from all these other leagues for years. They move free agency. They move the draft into prime time. They started Thursday night games. They move some more London games for early Sunday windows. And now they've added an extra game.

The NBA is obsessed with making sure all their players are happy. Baseball, obsessed with tradition. The NFL is like, what's a better television? show, what creates more revenue, and how can we give our fans more of what they love, us? It's that simple. The NFL sees openings and attacks them. It's all real estate. And now they own 11 months of it.

College football can't even figure out how to own Labor Day. Think about this. Labor Day is wide open. Three days before the NFL season starts. It is your last weekend to own. And college football has that puppy for a decade. And they butcher it every year. I would have 20 football games on Labor Day.

I would try to steal a little 5% of the NFL's thunder. You want to know the Labor Day college football games this year? On Sunday, one, Notre Dame at Florida State, on Monday, one, Mississippi, Oleville. You've got to be kidding me. If the NFL guys Goodell ran college football, they would have their biggest programs, their biggest stars, their biggest brands on Labor Day. You're wide open. But by the next weekend, guys like me have to make decisions on college and pro football.

I can't tell my wife, I get Saturday and Sunday in front of the television. I have to make decisions. Okay, I'll watch one college game and NFL. That's the decision married guys have to make. And so the NFL is just smart and they're tactical. You know, they slowly allow Amazon. You get Thursdays now, but we'll still give our big games to the broadcast networks. Cable will give you a couple.

The NBA, basically, and everybody loves Adam Silver, sold all their games to cable. All of them. Codd cutting, cable losing audience. The NFL is smart and tactical. They're not burdened by the past. They're not burdened by our players. They've got to make their players make a lot of money. Players love the NFL.

They work with them. their players. They don't bend over backwards for every player or every issue. It's how you run a business. It's grown-ups. Listen, if I was a running back, I probably wouldn't want to play a 17th game, but I'm going to go to my agent, build an incentives. So if I do play that 17th game, I'm going to hit my bonuses and make more money. In the end, players' revenue share goes up, hit more incentives and bonuses. You know, people freak out about, oh, there's just two much of it. You've got to have let. Listen, we live in a time of more. More games, more franchises, more sports networks, more shows. That's the reality of what we live in right now. Okay. College

basketball, two strong opinions after what I saw last night. Plus, we've got to come to terms with, if you're a star quarterback for a decade with your team, there's going to be tension. Some of it's your fault, some of it's not. But Aaron Rogers and Green Bay, I read a story this morning, more tension. We just got to come to terms with it. This is what happens if you're great for a franchise at quarterback for 10 years. 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. What's up, everyone? It's me, three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Mariner. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean

This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the IHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast, 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 I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits. 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-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George 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 Jay. 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 right. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

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 Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite things. Careers, 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. All right. Two stories in college basketball last night. Here we go. The two stories are, number one, how in the world that I think Gonzaga would be threatened by USC?

And number two, how the hell did UCLA get here? Let's start with the Zags. Their offense doesn't even look like any other offense in the tournament. Their offense has no identifiable weaknesses. They can score with two bigs, both will play in the pros. One this year will be a lottery pick. They really have two clever point guards so you can't press. them. They're a brilliant passing team, almost never take a bad shot, rarely pick up the dribble. They're well-coached with a solid bench. They can score quickly, but they're also

patient. They play fast, but are never seemingly out of control. I've never seen a college basketball team, and they're not the most talented. Akeem and Drexler and Larry Mushu for five slamma-jamma were more vertical. But I've never seen a college offense. But I've never seen a college offense that looked like it was scrimmaging. It's like a pickup game. It just moves so effortlessly. And they didn't even play great last night. They missed over 10 layups.

And Corey Kispert, their number two player, was kind of off. USC multiple times, well coached, changed defenses. Zone, man, zone, man, trap had no effect. Had absolutely no effect. It's not the most talented offense I've seen. But it's the smoothest. It's the most well-balanced. It may be the best passing college team.

I covered Jerry Tarkhanian's Larry Johnson, Stacey Ogman teams. Those teams were talented. But if Greg Anthony got in foul trouble, the offense stalled. This offense is deep, smooth, well-coached, fast, plays with tempo, can slow it down, big score, guard score, bench scores. there's nothing else like it. USC had handcuffed everybody. They handcuffed Kansas, Oregon, good teams. This thing was over in six minutes.

Now let's talk about UCLA. I don't understand UCLA. They were bad at the end of the year. They lost their last four regular season games. This is the only team in the history of the tournament that's been outshot in four straight games and they're in the final four. They don't shoot particularly well. They have one player, Johnny Juzang, one player scores a majority of their points.

Their best two players this year, this was going to be a disastrous year. Their best two players aren't here. They had a freshman guard. He went to the G League. And then their best big and their best scoring big got hurt. This is a rebuilding year. This is a retooling year. Their last four games to get into the tournament, like people didn't think they would get into the tournament.

They were a playing team, and I picked Michigan State to beat him because I live in Los Angeles and watch them. And maybe it's just a Los Angeles thing. Like everybody now is magically winning the Clippers and the Lakers and the Dodgers. Everybody's winning here. But they are, it is hard to figure out. You know what's funny is that it's interesting, Mick Cronin was not the first choice for UCLA. And nobody liked the hire. and Pete Carroll got hired at USC, and nobody loved that hire.

Go back and read the LA Times on the archives. It's interesting how often the coach that's not as appealing, doesn't have the sex appeal. Remember, John Calipari was up for this gig. Where's John Calipari? Couldn't make the tournament. And Mick Cronin, in a better conference, not only made the tournament, this team, the best asset I can say about UCLA, they play really hard. They play really, really hard.

But it's interesting, this was not the coach that people wanted. And he may just be perfect. UCLA has something that often a flashy program doesn't have. They have grit. They're tough. They play hard. They play like an underdog. They play like a mid-major.

And it is just absolutely fascinating to watch. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. UCLA stories just doesn't make any sense. It makes no sense. We have a one seed, a one seed, a two seed, and 11 seed at UCLA.

I think you said it perfectly, though. They don't play. Not that UCLA was ever a, you know, a finesse program. But it's glamorous. They've always had a little ledge, but they are definitely glamorous. But they feel just scrappy and tough. They play like New Mexico State. They just don't let up.

Like you can't let up with them. So it's Jersey Mike State. It's our Friday, and it's more Pro Day talk. Oh, boy. Got to do it, though. Oh, Kyle Pitts. Okay, so you like Pro Day Talk when it's not quarterback pro days. I like tight-end pro-day talk.

Well, Kyle Pitts is working out for scouts at Florida's Pro Day today. He posted an unofficial 4-44 in the 40-yard dash. We're showing video of it right now. Sorry for our radio listeners, but it's a blur. It is impressive. It's a blur. You blink and it's over. He also measured with a wingspan of 83 and 380.

inches, which is longer than any wide receiver or tight end in the last 20 years. It does make it difficult for bench presses, though, when your arms are that long. Well, I would say this. He, the only tight end that he compares to at a pro day is Vernon Davis, who's on our show today. Vernon Davis was a bigger, what was actually bigger, broader across the chest. When you watch Kyle Pitts, and I'm sorry for the radio audience, he looks like a receiver. So he's not a great blocking tight end, but what he is is the modern tight end. You can take him off the line of scrimmage. You can put him in the slot.

He's not a guy. He's not George Kittler, Gronk, where he's just going to line you up and thrash you. Well, he can develop into that also. I mean, he's going to be a rookie. He's going to put more weight on. I don't know that you, I mean, are you excited about drafting a blocking tight end in the first round? Like, the reason that he is being, you know, presented this way and is up high in the draft is because of his ability to be possibly the best receiver.

He's going to be an incredible. vertical player at tight end. Right. So wherever he needs, he's going, you need to have a blocking tight end already or pick one up because that's not, that's not why he's going to probably go in the top 10. He had 43 receptions, 770 yards, and 12 touchdowns and eight games this year. And that was an impressive pro day. So you don't mind talking about pro days, but it's not quarterback. Well, I do think when you look at his speed and it really is for a tight end, it's jaw dropping. I mean, if an offensive tackle came out and ran a really fast forward, you'd be like, okay, that is, but for a quarterback to be able to throw left when he's rolling right, I'm like, okay,

I've seen that a thousand times. I will say, I think pro days have, I think they have some value even for quarterbacks, but they are extremely valuable for every other position. You're not, some guys don't get to, some of the guys didn't even have the ability to put on any tape out there this year. So that pro day is extremely valuable. But there's a lot of guys who have great pro days who pop onto Scouts radar who otherwise wouldn't be there.

So it is important. So the Bucks restructured Tom Brady's contract to keep him with the team through the 2022 season when he will be 45 years old. Eventually, Tampa will have to find his replacement. And Bruce Ariens isn't ruling out getting a head start by drafting a quarterback this year. If the guy is there at the right time that we really think has a great future and no better time than to have one sit for a couple years and learn from those two guys. Each round, there's going to be one of those guys in that picture to try and see who's the best available right then. Well, Tampa's in a great situation because they don't have any immediate holes to fill. They're drafting for depth.

They're drafting for depth. And we show the list all the time of guys who go in the top 10 and who's made it and who hasn't. There's a lot of guys. I mean, look at Lamar Jackson. You can get a very high-quality quarterback. And if it's somebody that needs a little time to develop, is to sit behind Tom Brady, which we know he's, you know, well, he might play forever.

I don't know. I don't know. I didn't want to say that anymore. But Kyle Trask could possibly be there. Davis Mills from Stanford and Kellynne Mon from Texas A&M or some guys that might be available around that time. And Tampa Bay is in that situation where they don't really need to drafts for any, any, any, keeping position.

I think I would look at running back and defensive tackle because Indomikon's who's out in the year. I mean, that 32ndt-second pay. pick, I'd go, I'd do this all day in my head. I would go for them. First pick, I'd go defensive tackle. Second pick, I would go running back. Third pick, I would go quarterback if one of those guys is there. Well, they're talking about at 32, so much higher than you're projecting. Well, no, I mean, I think 30-second pick, there'll be a good defensive interior alignment available, one from the University of Washington, and then 32nd pick in the second round. It's not a great running back draft, so you're going to take a B running back. North

Carolina's got a guy that may be available. But, But again, it's not a position of need for them. No, no, not really. Get there and develop. So, Marcus Aldridge is the latest addition to the Nets stacked roster. He said he's not looking for any individual accolades anymore at this point in his career. Instead, he joined this team because he thinks he can fill a void. I'm not here to be an all-star.

That's not, you know, what I'm trying to do. I'm just trying to bring the value, trying to bring the things I'm good at. And, you know, try to help this team win. So I'm not worried about being an all-star anymore. I feel like I bring enough things to the team that should help and that's, you know, that's how that matter. Boom. That's, that's exactly what you want.

It's kind of like where Al Horford is in his career. Can you bring in, you know, now Andre Drummond's still young. He's emerging. He's ascending 27, but that's exactly what you want. That's what Shane Badiere was. Hey man, how do I make the team win four more games? That's it. And come up in a big moment in the playoffs.

He's a seven-time all-star. He's in his 15th year in the league. Great career. averaging, of course, incredible career, 13.7 points per game, 4.5 rebounds. But what he brings is that right there. He has the ability to stretch the floor because he can hit the three. So he's going to be valuable right now while KD is still injured and they're going to work him in the rotation. He doesn't have to be an all-star. He's going to play a role. But he is going to add extreme depth to their front court and that's vital. If he took reasonable salaries, this dude could play in the NBA for six, seven more years. He is exactly what he was. what people are looking for. A big, a smart big, spread the floor, hit shots, and just be a good teammate. I mean, it's really, there's a shot, Shane Badiere quality, smart guy, play a role, good in the locker room. I mean, what he just said is the essence of what you want to hear

if you're in a situation like the Brooklyn Nets. He's over himself. He wants to win games. Yeah. It's all about winning games. But he's, he's accomplished what he needs to accomplish. Like, he wants to win a championship and he's in the right place to do that. Good stuff. Joy with the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. Heard Lye News. First things first is the show. The host is Nick Wright. He always joins us on Wednesday.

Me on Wednesday. Brought to you by Mercedes Benz, the best or nothing. So NFL adds a 17th game. And you and I, you know, I grew up a baseball fan. You love the NBA. But I've always looked at the NFL. They really have, it's like part real estate company, part television show. They just keep stealing months and weeks from everybody and moving free agency

and adding a Thursday game, and then here Amazon, we'll just give you a little taste. And I look at the 17th game and I'm like, well, I'll talk about football for another seven days. That's probably good. How do you view it? Oh, listen, I think for the fans, it's a great addition. And you mentioned the NFL Keep Stealing Days. I debuted this idea five years ago on your show when I was filling in for you once. But now that they officially added the 17th game, I want to bring it back because I think

there's a way for them to steal even more real estate. The 17th game should be for all teams, an international game, and there should be an international week. So you have eight home, eight road, one neutral site game, and those games are played Monday through Sunday, two or three games a day, and depending on the time zone, because if you have a game in Beijing, you would start around, I don't know what time it would start here, maybe 11 a.m. on the West Coast, whatever it is. You would have football all day, Monday through Sunday. You could have, you would add an extra buy week either before the game or after the game, depending on where it fell in the week. You could have a game in Cape Town. You could have a game in New Delhi. You could have a game in

London. And the NFL would have games in prime time on in America for seven straight days. And it would fix the little problem of, wait, I have nine home games or nine road games because of the uneven schedule. That's the next move. That's free advice to commission. Commissioner Goodell and the folks on Park Avenue. Please pass it along to them, Colin, the next time you have coffee with them. Yeah. So pro days, I think they're largely nonsense. I said a pro day is all about comfort.

The NFL is all about discomfort. If you can't roll right and throw left at a pro day, it's over. That's the baseline. It's like hitting a curve for a major league pitcher. What do you make of our obsession with pro days? Well, listen, I get it. We love football and we like to watch these guys. And I do think there are people that are diehard NFL fans that don't super closely follow college football.

So this is their chance to be introduced to these guys. What I don't love, and this is kind of part of the pro days and just part of the draft process, is the drastic changes in some of these draft boards or draft, you know, top 50s after the games are done being played. All year long, I thought everyone agreed Justin Fields at worst is the third best quarterback in his draft class. And all year long, I didn't hear anyone say Mac Jones was even a guaranteed first rounder, much less a top five pick. And now since the games have stopped being played, it feels like Justin Fields has done terribly and Mac Jones has done wonderfully. I read a draft profile of Mac Jones that was written in November that said he might go back to school. If he

doesn't, he's a likely second round pick. Now I'm supposed to believe he could go three to the Niners. I think pro days have something to do with that. I'm not a huge fan of how much things change after the season's actually over, but pro days are fine. It's something to watch during the day, so I got no big issue with it. All right, weird story yesterday, or maybe I'm not surprised. Michael Rappaport's a Hollywood guy actor-producer, Kevin Durant's a basketball star. And some direct messages, some DMs from Kevin Durant to Michael Rappaport were cruel and angry and just bad, like a terribly bad look. And, you know, years ago, when people were saying Kevin Durant's better than LeBron and the Warrior series, I kept saying physically they're not close and emotionally they're not close. So when I saw this, I wasn't really surprised.

I mean, your takeaway on Kevin Durant's shots fired at Michael Rappaport. Listen, I am not one to defend Michael Rappaport in nearly any instance. However, KD uses the Internet the way an immature teenage boy does. Like, the way KD uses Twitter or Instagram or whatever is social media, you know, a flavor of the month is, is the way if you had a junior high or a young high school son and you checked their phone, you would say, what the hell are you doing, man? Like you'd sit down and talk to them.

You're arguing with strangers. You're using that type of language. You're saying, meet me on this street corner. That is what adolescent, and I shouldn't say just boys, but typically, in my experience, adolescent boys do. It is remarkable to me that a 32-year-old one-day, soon to be billionaire, Kevin Durant, that this is how he spends his time. And it is, I'm not a psychologist. I can't get into the, you know, the psychology of it. But it seems embarrassing for

all involved. This and that, and I don't know if you watched the Netflix documentary, the so, I think was called the social dilemma. Yeah. But it talked about how a lot of people are more reliant on these apps than any of us want to admit. The fact that KD couldn't permanently, log off after the burner fiasco a few years ago. And now is, you know, almost tripling down on this stuff during his time away from the nets due to injury is baffling to me. It is utterly and totally baffling to me. And it is the type of behavior, it's not a criminal offense, but it's just so weird

for someone of his echelon in the sports world. If Aaron Rogers was all of a sudden going back and forth online with D.L. Hugley, we'd be like, what the hell are you doing, man? And that's how Katie's spending his time. It doesn't make sense. So I said this yesterday. They're mad at me in New Orleans. I said this, though.

I said, generally the way the CBA works in the NBA, no matter how good you are, you sign that second contract with a crappy team that drafted you in the top two or three. You just make more money. I said, but Zion's different. Zion has an injury history and he's aware of it. He may view himself as a 10-year player, not a LeBron, not a 20-year player. Secondly, he made so much money in his shoe deal that he doesn't necessarily need the Pelicans money. And that if you ask LeBron privately, he would tell you those first seven years in Cleveland after about year three and four,

I couldn't get help. I may have wanted to leave then. And I look at Zion and I think to myself, got the money, got the fame, to football town. Am I nuts to think he wouldn't sign that second CBA contract and would move quickly into championship level teams? Listen, somebody's going to do what you are describing. We have never had, so the audience understands after your rookie contract, you're in restricted free agency. we have never had a player at the end of their rookie deal, turn down the extension if the team offers them the full max,

the most they possibly can. Because to turn it down, you then get a one-year qualifying offer. You cost yourself literally over $100 million as far as guaranteed money if something happens to you. I do think at some point someone will do that. There was some thought Ben Simmons might do that with Philadelphia if things weren't working out there.

Where I'm going to push back a bit is I'm not sure New Orleans is going to be poorly run. I like their GM David Griffin a lot. I also like the fact that they don't appear to be making the mistake they made with Anthony Davis, which is, oh my God, he's so good, so young, let's try to mortgage some of the future to get mediocre. I like, they traded Drew Holiday, they got draft assets. They obviously got assets in the Anthony Davis trade in Brandon Ingram. we'll see what they do with ball. So I'm going to hold out hope that New Orleans is going to be well enough run

that this does not come to pass. What New Orleans needs to worry about in the short term is Stan Van Gundy and ownership and management and Brandon Ingram all need to get in a room together and understand, Brandon, you are going to be an excellent second option. You are not the best player on this team. And at the end of games, you need to recognize it. And Stan Van Gundy needs to recognize it and coach accordingly. and they need to give the keys totally to Zion.

He's already a top 15 player in the league. He's edging into that top 12, which is really hollowed error or what's the word? Whatever, it's really high air for a player in his second year. Thank you, hallowed. And it's going to be hard to screw it up. But I agree. If they end up making terrible moves, he's not going to need the financial security to other guys would to where he's going to make a bad decision for his career for the money.

By the way, Andre Drummond's a multiple-time all-star. He's 27 years old. When he signed, all I heard was, oh, Kyle Lowry's available. And I thought to myself, actually, Andre Drummond's a great fit for the Lakers, short-term. There's a Tristan Thompson feel where I wouldn't want to give him a huge contract because he can't hit jumpers. But your thought on what he does to the Lakers, LeBron, A.D., and the team going forward? Yeah, listen. He does one thing at an exceptional level, that's rebound, and that's relevant to the Lakers in this regard.

They are the best defensive team in basketball. They were the best defensive team in basketball even without Anthony Davis. And I know it's cliche, but possession doesn't end until you secure the rebound. So he will help their defense in that regard. Mark Gassall wasn't giving them what they had hoped to get out of him, and he'll be useful for them in the Western Conference playoffs. Now, when they make the finals and when they're playing the Sixers and not the Nets, everyone's so scared of the Nets. When they're playing the Sixers in the finals, Drummond can't play in that series because Joe L. Embed has eaten him for lunch in about 18 consecutive meetings between the two. But that's a tomorrow problem, not a today problem.

You get a player like that for no money whatsoever at a position of need. That's useful. I'd certainly rather get Andre Drummond in the buyout market than trade an asset for Ray Jean Rondo like the other team in L.A. did. as they are still searching for a point guard. And I think last night just lost the G League Orlando Magic team. But we don't have to talk about the clippers because they're not that relevant. You're right, by the way. They did.

They blew a lead. All right, Nick Wright, great seeing you, buddy. Well, it's my weekend starts in about two hours. So have a nice Thursday Friday show. Fancy. Yeah, fancy. Very, very good. You enjoy your time off.

Talk to you later, Colin. See you, Joy. All right. We're going to have another mock draft today, by the way, Joy, because the betting markets have shifted to San Francisco is taking Justin Fields. Yeah, I think they are taking Justin Fields. So that's what the betting market, when the betting market... You're doing your own or are you doing somebody else?

Well, my one I did Friday is now completely useless because the betting markets have changed. So I'm going to do another one based on that. Well, it lasted like an hour. Yeah, hour. Strong. Strong mock draft. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. What's up, everyone?

It's me three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Marion. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Murrayman. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the IHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraging.

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, 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 J. 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, Mark, 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 for 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 Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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, Tript 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, or 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. Eat Jersey Mike, subs, help a great local cause. Wednesday, today, Jersey Mike's Day of Giving 100% today of all sales at their stores go to charity today. All sales at Jersey mics today go to charity.

Over 200 charity supported. Jersey mics be a sub above and we'll get those subs in about two hours. It's very good day for it. I thought about it last night. I was very excited. So, like, we have to come to terms with something. This is a reality that if you're a great quarterback for 10 years plus in a franchise, there is going to be tension in the organization.

So yesterday, Mark Murphy, smart guy, think he went to Harvard, runs the Green Bay Packers, was asked multiple questions about Aaron Rogers' contract, no comment, no comment, can't talk about it. And you can just sense the tension with the Packers and Aaron Rogers contract. Aaron wants a contract. The Packers paid Aaron $7 million in a bonus rather than converting it into a signing bonus. A full restructuring would have given Aaron the security he covers. They don't want to do it. He covets, excuse me.

So we have a history here. Niners in Montana, Brady and Belichick, Farve in Green Bay, Aaron in Green Bay, Ben in Pittsburgh, Eli and the Giants, Russell and Seattle. 10 years plus of great, you get tension. And there's two really obvious reasons for it. Number one, you get very expensive. It's the highest paid position, and you start eating up the salary cap. And that puts massive pressure on the general manager and the scouts to hit on their draft picks,

to constantly manipulate and massage the salary cap, and to build around your salary. It is really hard to build around Russell Wilson and Aaron Rogers' salaries. You have to find cheap labor. You've got to start hitting on fourth and fifth and sixth round draft picks. Your third round picks have to be starters. You really need your fourth round picks to be starters because he's eating up 15% of your salary cap. So that's the first reason. It puts enormous pressure on everybody else in the building to figure out a way to work the cap.

Number two is, this is how men operate the quarterback. gets a majority of the credit when they win. The general manager doesn't. The scouts don't. The coach doesn't. The coordinators don't. The average NFL careers, three and a half years. These are coveted jobs and resentment builds.

Aaron, Russell, Dak, get all the love. So, A, you become harder. You put enormous pressure on organizations once you get paid a lot. And number two, you get all the credit. Right now, Aaron Rogers is the highest pay. employee in the state. He gets all the credit when they win. It's a salary cap sport, and they're constantly, they couldn't keep their Pro Bowl

center. They couldn't even get JJ Watt, who's from Wisconsin. So we just have to understand. Tension is unavoidable. It's just the reality of it. Russell's got it. At the end, Montana had it, Farrve had it, Aaron's got it, Ben had it, and Eli had it. It's not a shot. It's just the reality of it. Listen, there are certain relationships where you and the IRS is always tense.

If you own a business, your relationship with the IRS is always a little tense. You're trying to push the envelope and not get audited. And it's just never a great relationship. The agent in the NBA or NFL, the agent and the general manager, I was talking to Bill Polly in the other day. I said, do you miss being a GM? He goes, 90% of it. How about the agent part?

Not that part. Like it's just there are my agent working with networks. It's tense. They're not best friends. They can't be. They won't be. They never have been. So you just got to own it.

You got an expensive quarterback. He's been great for 10 years. There's eggshells. And by the way, then you get guys errands a little, I don't know, thin skin, but I mean, all these guys are. I mean, Tom Brady won a Garoppolo out of a building. Russell, Wilson, they're all like howie long has the greatest line on quarterbacks. He goes, you can't have two great quarterbacks in the room at the same time.

One sucks all the oxygen out of it. You could have two great receivers, two great linemen, two great corners. Can't have two great quarterbacks in the same room. They're just fighting for attention. And so there you go. And that's not a criticism of Aaron Rogers. It's a reality of it. You know, how do we make it work with Aaron's salary?

When you can't keep a Pro Bowl center who calls all the protections, that tells you Green Bay, and they got a guy from, Harvard running the operation. When you can't, when you can't, when you're crossing your fingers that Aaron Jones takes a pay cut compared to what he could get on the market, when you can't afford Wisconsin's own JJ Watt, it tells you that Harvard guy, Mark Murphy, Smart, tells you how hard it is to massage the cap when you have a quarterback making 35 large. It's hard.

A lot of pressure on everybody around the building. All right. I'm going to get to my new mock draft. I'm not doing this to be a smart aleck, but the betting market's changed. So the betting markets now have Justin Fields going to the 49ers. So it changes everything in the draft. It actually changes the way I think about the number four pick in Atlanta. So we will have a mock draft at the start of next hour.

Plus Vernon Davis is the last tied end I can think of that enter the NFL that even resembles Kyle Pitts as a prospect. A can't miss 10-year Pro Bowl level. Vernon Davis was a can't miss. Took his shirt off and it was like, all right, we got to draft him. And Kyle Pitts yesterday ran a 40 or today, and it just, it was a blur. It was like comic book fast. So we'll have that jersey Mike stay all excited for it. And mock draft, it'll be fun.

I'll rationalize all my goofy picks next. Hour two, it's the hurt. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 Side Up. 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 I-Heart 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 here, 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 you're 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. Now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of 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 podcast network on TikTok.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.