The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/15/2021 - HOUR 2 - NFC, playoffs

Episode Date: July 15, 2021

Colin gives his predictions for the NFCNot every thing is going to go your way in the playoffsGuest: Kevin Clark Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam Jay. 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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It is great to have you in. It is our number two live in Los Angeles, a place with a beach and the sun.

Wherever you may be in, however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS 1. It's cooling down a little bit in Los Angeles. It was sticky and gross yesterday, and I'm not here for it. It was a little warm. I've decided I'm going to do Vegas this weekend. Joy, I did this. This is a regrettable decision.

113 in Las Vegas. It's not the coolest weekend. Are you going there with girlfriends? Yeah. This is my life. This is my life, Colin. Your pictures are amazing, by the way. Thank you.

The beautiful people in Las Vegas. Okay, Joy, so yesterday I did the AFC. And Joy and I love football. Her brother, of course, Jason Taylor, with the great Hall of Famer. How good was Mark Sanchez yesterday on the show talking about... I love that story. Mark Sanchez is a great storyteller. We are so lucky to have him at Fox. I brought him on a podcast a couple weeks ago. He just tells the best stories. And so today is the NFC. Now, I felt

yesterday, I went seven for seven on playoff teams in the AFC. And yesterday I feel very strongly about there's two or three teams I think are just excellent. Kansas City, Buffalo, Indianapolis. And then I think there's teams that maybe just slightly lower, like a Baltimore, but I still have strong convictions with Lamar Jackson. And I think the bottom's very clear. I think the NFC is really hard. Last year, I was about 50, 50 on the playoff teams. I know who's pretty good, but many of the teams that I like a lot are in the toughest division. San Francisco, Seattle, and the Rams are all going to beat each other. So whereas Buffalo clearly has the best roster in the AFC.

East. I mean, as much as I like Washington and the NFC East, you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick's the quarterback. What do I do with that? So I think the NFC is much harder to predict, but this is what we do. Our NFC predictions, let's unveil them first with the NFC East. I think Washington has the best coach and easily the best defense. I'll pick them to win the division. I do worry that Ryan Fitzpatrick, I believe it's his ninth team in 17 years, will play them out of wins. He's just a gun slinger. There's very few left in the NFL that play like him, or for that matter, with a beard, look like him. But I do believe the culture, Ron Rivera, he's creating in the defense 10 and 7. Dallas is going to be a playoff team to me at 9 and 8. If you look at their

schedule, with the exception of a game against Tampa Bay early, I don't believe they play another playoff team until week 11. There's a lot of average defenses on that schedule, and I pick the Cowboys at 9 and 8 to finish second, the Giants 8 and 9 3rd, and it's really a vote for Dak Prescott. I trust Dak Prescott taking care of the football more than I do, turnover prone Daniel Jones, taking care of the football. Now, the Giants have a much better defense than Dallas, but I do believe the Cowboys offense is more grooved.

They've played together now. The defense will be better. So those are go-either-way teams. I trust DAC more than Daniel Jones. The Eagles may have the worst quarterback coaching combo in the league. We don't know, but I don't trust Nick Siriani. It's a rebuilding mess. To the NFC North, Packers at 10 and 7 win it.

I have pulled back for obvious reasons. This is the year of simmering resentment in Green Bay, both from the front office and Aaron. It's going to be a little bit of a reality show, the impending divorce. Minnesota doubles their wins. They fell apart physically last year. I love Mike Zimmer as a coach. They have a lot of big television games against the Packers and the Niners and the Cowboys. And you know how I feel about Kirk Cousins.

He shrinks in those games. So I have him at 9 and 8. The Bears, I believe Justin Fields will look very good in camp. He will pop athletically in the preseason and they'll play him week one or week two. I think it's simply asking too much as much as I like Justin Fields to go in and be a playoff team. Hell, look how good Justin Herbert was. Look at the final record. The Lions, not a fan of anything.

there. I'm rooting for Jared Goff. Don't love the coach, the front office or the owner. Let's move on. NFC South. Tampa Bay is the clear favorite and my number one seat. I do not for a second buy into this nonsense about 17 and no. Bruce Ariens and Tom Brady are smart enough to know. It's not about the regular season. What it's about is being fresh. This is a league of attrition. I think Bruce Ariens will give veteran players weeks off, looser practices, lighter practice, load. They want a Super Bowl. It's not about getting to the playoffs. It's not about perfect records. They're going to lose a game. Give up on that late and rest starters, 13 and 4 Tampa Bay. I'm going to give the Saints 9 and 8 second. Basically, I'm betting on culture, their GM,

and their coach. I don't know who their quarterback is. I'd go with James Winston. I don't think you can have kind of a gimmicky quarterback, be a franchise quarterback. I think they're an interesting team. They were over the cap, and they had to peel back on some talent. So I just, I think the Super Bowl window has closed for them. Carolina is still in a rebuilding mode, at least defensively. Now, I do think Sam Darnold adds an athleticism. And with DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey, they went and got the left tackle out of BYU, he'll start. They really solved a lot of their issues, but they're still rebuilding on the defensive end.

But I love the coach. I love the coordinator. I love the receivers, Christian McCaffrey and Chuba Hubbard out of Oklahoma State. they will be very explosive. Robbie Anderson over the top. They'll be a big playoffence. Donald can make mistakes, but he can make plays. Atlanta, 7 and 10.

Now, I like Arthur Smith. I thought he was a great coordinator. I have no idea if he's a head coach. This is still an egregiously bad defense. Also, Matt Ryan tends to be a guy that flourishes in the second year with a new system. Listen, Kyle Pitts, probably going to win rookie of the year. They're going to score a bunch of points, but they've been scoring a bunch of points.

the last three years. They don't win enough football games. They're last at seven and ten. NFC West, easily the best division in football. Rams 11 and 6, Seahawks 11 and 6. I think Los Angeles with Matt Stafford will be better in division, so I have them winning the division. Seahawks 11 and 6, again, they've got some new pieces here. This is a team that wants to win a Super Bowl as well. I can see they've got some new pieces at tight end, offensive line, kind of trying to figure it out early. I have San Francisco, the mystery team in the NFC at 9 and 8. Now, why would I say that? You know, I think they're capable of winning the Super Bowl. I do. But I've got to hedge my bet here. Jimmy Garapolo's recent history is he's not playing 17 games. That means you'll

hand the starting role over to 20-year-old Trey Lance, who by the time the season starts, has one start in a football game in two years. In this division, that is a huge ask. That is an unbelievable I mean, Justin Fields will struggle. Try being Trey Lance against Pete Carroll and Sean McVeigh and getting into track meets against Arizona. I got the Cardinals at 8 and 9 and I like them. I really do, but I think the division's ridiculous. And, you know, Arizona is going to be the best 8 and 9 team in the NFL. I'll leave it at that. So here's my seating. Bucks are a clear number one. I have the Rams as a number two. Again, they'll be better in division than Seattle. will, so the Rams are my two. Green Bay is a pretty weak three. I don't know if Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rogers are good now. The last play they had together, he pulled him off the field. I don't even know how that relationship is. Washington is a scary four seed because they, you watched them against Brady last year in the playoffs with Taylor Hennikey. That, that defense is no joke and they've gotten better offensively with some of their additions on the perimeter. Seattle will be an

unbelievably good wildcard team capable of winning the Super Bowl. I have. had the Brown yesterday as a five seat in the AFC. So the number one wildcard teams, Cleveland and the AFC, Seattle and the NFC are great. Those are great wildcard teams. I've got Dallas. They've got a big game against Minnesota in week eight. I think they win that game. Dack out plays Kirk Cousins.

There it is a wild card team. And I have San Francisco who also plays the Vikings and will win that defense will give Kirk Cousin nightmares making it as a wild card team. So I believe the AFC is better at the top than the NFC. I think the NFC is better at the bottom of the playoffs with Seattle, Dallas's offense, and the Niners as well. So there you go. It's exhausting. I have no confidence at all.

I want to like Seattle just because of their off season. Well, I love the coach and I love the quarterback. Yeah. And they were good last year. And they have the new coordinator, but they got Gabe, Jackson. I've added some pieces. Yeah, they re-signed Chris Carson. Like, what do you do with that division? I don't, I went

over and over it and I said, I've got San Francisco at 9 and 8, and I'm like, yeah, but history tells me. Yeah. Garoplo's going to play. No, I think the San Francisco one is fair. I'm just hedging my bet. There's too many unknowns. All right. Kevin Clark at the ringer had to regrettably sit through that,

whatever that was just called. He is now joining us live, host of Slow News Day. All right. Let's just give me two or three bullet points on what you just viewed. So, first of all, pray for Cliff Kingsbury, because that's a coach who should be making the leap with a nice quarterback, who I think could be a franchise quarterback at some point,

but he's going to lose a lot of games this year. And so, yeah, prayer is up for Cliff. I would say the two teams that I think you're a little bit underselling Dallas with Dak Prescott, I really think, and I'm going to regret saying this, but we're not talking enough about how good the Cowboys can be with Jack Prescott. I mean, you were seeing in November of last year, Dak Prescott had thrown for so many yards in the beginning of the season, he was still on some top 10 leaderboards as far as total yardage and stuff like that.

So I think if he's healthy, I think there's a pretty high floor there. And what they do with their draft and going defense only, getting some young athletes over on the defensive side of the ball, I think it's going to be really impressive. I would also say if Aaron Rogers is in Green Bay, they're going to win a lot of games. I joke a lot about how last year Jordan Love should have been the rookie of the year, because who had a bigger impact on their franchise than Jordan Love?

Because Aaron Rogers got so angry. Well, this is another year of Aaron Rogers being really angry. He shows up for training camp. And I expect him, he doesn't have a lot of options at this point. I think he will play for the Packers this year. He's going to be doubly angry. And maybe this is his last year in Green Bay. They still have a great coach.

They still have a great roster, great infrastructure. If he plays, he's angry. We know what that can look like. He'll be motivated. Maybe he'll be, you know, disputing with the front office during the season. I think that's a lot of wins when you factored that all together, Colin. Yeah, I don't disagree with you at all.

I really don't. I said, I don't know. Generally speaking, my theory is the NBA stars are always noisy, so you can be a noisy NBA team. Brooklyn was noisy and they were still great. In the NFL, a lot of it's choreography. It's belief in each other. Noisy teams tend to erode.

They've been incredibly noisy. But to your point, they've got the best players, and Aaron plays well when he's disgruntled and unhappy. Now, you had an article yesterday detailing your interview with Russell Wilson, and I actually used it on the air because it was so funny. I juxtaposed Aaron Rogers snippiness and Russell Wilson's optimism. I think he used the word amazing 13 times in two sentences. But it did feel authentic in that he does feel like he complained and they listened. And it does feel like, and he's always been like a little over the top, but that was my takeaway reading it like he complained first time they listened and it really does matter like it does

feel like pete and russell lillson potico here right i totally agree the relationship is on the same page at this point and he was in total optimist mode when we talked on tuesday and it's funny to me now because now any team that gives their quarterback a say is almost taking a shot at erin rogers right like that's the joke around the league that bruce arians is letting everybody know that Tom Brady gets all this input because he wants to maybe needle the Packers a little bit. When the Vikings drafted Kellyn Monde in April, they let everybody in the world know that Kirk Cousins had been informed and was on board because, again, that is the opposite of what happened in Green Bay and what made Aaron Rogers so upset. And so, yeah, I think they're on the same page.

And I think vibes and cohesion and chemistry is always the biggest part of Seattle. That locker room has had a lot of healthy disagreements. I remember going there when they were at their heyday. Remember, this is a franchise where there, I think, where there were two fist fights the week they won the Super Bowl, okay? Percy Harvin was just going around punching everybody, and then on Sunday, they blew out the Broncos. So I think that there's, it's really easy for them to get back on the same page. And I wasn't surprised when I talked to Russ, and he's in full optimist mode. He's talking about how much he loves Gabe Jackson. He's talking about the collaboration with the new officer of Coimder Shade Waldron. I think that there's going to be very little problems

in Seattle with that regard. I think he explored. it. I think you wanted more say. I think that franchise quarterbacks, there's no way to get fair value for them at all. And so they know they're kind of stuck on a year-to-year basis if they're under contract. And so I think this is the model. You complain a little bit. Maybe you leak that you might want to go somewhere else. And you get more say in the organization. I think Russ played exactly right. So yesterday I had the Steelers at eight and nine, and I think the windows closed. And I, you know, I said, snarkly yesterday, I said, you know, I'm sorry, but the fact that now Big Ben's only doing two natty lights after dinner in the summer, not six, like, spare me, it's a little late.

First of all, when I hear he's losing weight. Well, why did he need to lose weight? So I am being cynical on this, the news that Big Ben's in, quote, the greatest shape of his career. What was your initial impression? Well, first of all, that's a pretty low bar to clear. But second of all, any young quarterback watching right now, whether you're in college or high school, Here's my advice. Start the TB12 method in the first year of your career

and not the last year of your career. It's a little too little too late. I think he's just totally past. I think he doesn't have any arm strength. I think that him losing weight isn't going to matter just because it looked like at stretches last year, he just was incapable of throwing the football in any meaningful way.

And so I don't think that this is going to matter. I'm happy for him. He's getting healthy and getting healthier than he has been. But I think this is kind of the epitome of a non-event July NFL story. By the way, I want to go back to Aaron Rogers because I threw this out yesterday. The way to solve this issue is Jordan Love can play. That Jordan Love is a good preseason, and they look at it and go, all right, this is okay. Now, I don't have, I don't think that will happen.

I think Aaron will play this season. Is there any scenario? He's dismissive. He is difficult. any scenario trade deadline week eight or nine Jordans look pretty good and they're just over it. Green Bay, we saw the draft room, Kevin, after they got that, you know, that story came out that, you know,

Aaron was ticked off. And you could palpably sense how fatigued they were. Is there any scenario in which you think Green Bay, before the deadline would just say, this is ruining the temperature in the rooms here. We're moving off him. It's a great question. I think the problem they face in dealing Aaron Rogers at all is,

I don't know what fair value is for a franchise quarterback because we haven't seen it. The NBA, we saw the Anthony Davis trade, and we kind of know what it looks like when a superstar gets dealt. In soccer, you know, you see $300 million price tags on guys, right? But in the NFL, okay, Jamal Adams or Jalen Ramsey go for two first. But I'll tell you what, Aaron Rogers or Russell Wilson are a, heck of a lot more important to their franchises than those two guys, even though they're terrific players. And so I think that that would change the paradigm of the entire NFL if you actually

put a price tag on the reigning MVP. But no, I don't think there is a scenario. Brian Gunkin said, the timeline hasn't changed. And I talked to him last year when Aaron Rogers was having this MVP season. I said, does this change your outlook in your quarterback plan? And he said, no. And Jordan Love is an example of what happens when you actually do best player available. Everybody's, every GM says, we're taking best player available, we're taking the number one guy in our board. The Packers actually did it and everybody hated. it, right? So I think that they like to play the long game. Total Ron Wolf, the sort of system set up there 25 years ago, I think that they would stand pat and say to Aaron Rogers, you're either playing for us

or you're not playing football in 2021. And I do not see a scenario which he's dealt, even in the middle of the season, even if Jordan Love is better than we think. All right, Kevin Clark, the ringer, NFL writer, host of Slow Newsday video cast. Great seeing you as always, Kev. Appreciate it. Anytime, Colin. Thanks for having me. All right. There you go. So he doesn't believe there's a I don't know what fair market value is. It would seem to me for Aaron Rogers, I get a starter, two firsts and a couple of seconds. That seems reasonable. So do you trust your scouting department?

I don't know what fair market value is. I think fair is a fantasy. Yeah, it is. Stop trying to win every trade. Do its best for the situation and for your future. Yeah. It doesn't matter if it's radio, television, NFL, NBA baseball. about 1% of people, 2% are stars,

and you can't get fair market value. Now, what you can do is, if you trust your scouting department, you have somebody that is capable of replacing your star at a functional level, and then you surround him with those draft picks. Don't you have that? They drafted Jordan Love.

Yeah, I know. This is the situation you created, and he's just forcing your hand to probably move him out earlier. than you anticipated. So you trust your scouting department too late or you have to trust them sooner than you want to. Yeah. I mean, you've gotten to back-to-back NFC championships.

They're clearly, I think they're clearly not as good as Kansas City. They're clearly not as good as Buffalo. I don't think they're, I don't know if they're as good as Baltimore. They're not as good as Tampa. So at Green Bay is in the Super Bowl window, but I don't think personnel-wise, they'd have as many star players quite as Seattle, although I, that's, that's a, listen, we saw them against San Francisco two years ago. They just didn't stack up.

Right. They just weren't as good. They haven't as many good players. I mean, that San Francisco team was extremely physical, too. Yeah. I, you know, it's funny, last year's draft, last couple years, they've picked a lot of offensive linemen and developmental players, and I think that's what drives Aaron crazy, which is I don't want developmental players.

I want like Brady, I want players a good, like, that's what Russell Wilson wanted is, I don't want draft picks. Can we get Gabe Jackson starts now? But Green Bay is, they're a conservative organization. They're cool with being good, not great. I mean, they're consistently in the playoffs. They've been in the championship game, the NFC championship game the last few years.

We keep comparing Green Bay like that. We act like they're New England. They're not. They're not. You know, it's Green Bay is the classic. Lives below their means. Never be broke. Yeah, they gamble.

like me in Vegas. This is like one little chip. And then if I win, I'm good. I'll just keep gambling that much. I'm not going all in on anything. But to win big, you have to go all in. You got a bet big. And Green Bay is not comfortable with that approach. By the way, Farrvin Rogers, both ending

you know, ugly, uncomfortably. I also think probably the media and in most part the fans need to let go of the fantasy that everyone is supposed to play their entire career in one place. I don't even know why they think that. It's not. Most players don't play in one place their entire career.

Most. Jeter's the exception. Kobe's the exception. That's just not the way it works. And by the way, those are also Gold Star franchises where it's much easier to play in one place.

Most players don't do that. Most stars don't do that. Right. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search herd to listen live

or on demand whenever you'd like. 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. Clipper 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, personal health, personal.

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. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape 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 connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet 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.

Hey, hey, I'm Jordan Ono. you might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope I'm a Hippocrat.

I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike! I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary.

Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the MyCultura podcast network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tonight on FS1, the U.S. men's national team looks to take control of group stage play, but the second straight win is they battle Martinique and the Gold Cup. It all kicks off tonight at 930 Eastern on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. I will be watching that team USA always gets my eyeballs.

It's the Gold Cup. This is the best group of young talent we have ever had on the United States men's national team. They're young. They play with a lot of energy. They're more aggressive. the foot skills higher, and they've been playing, I think, particularly well. So check them out tonight. If you're a soccer fan, there's something here.

I'm not sure if all the guys are going to be playing tonight. I always say if Pulisic plays, it's our first team. Everybody else, I can not. If he doesn't play, then it's our B team, which, you know, they won't experience. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. Well, the NBA and the Players Association announced the best-selling jersey

on MBA store.com for the second half of the season. LeBron held onto the top spot that he secured in the first half, and Janus jumped from fifth to second. I'm kind of surprised by that. You know, he's not a big market, not a huge personality. I think Janus is on the precipice of becoming a real bona fide superstar. He's likable. If he wins the championship this year,

and play, which if he wins, he will also win, Menals MVP, and it will have been because of him, and certainly in the way that he's been playing this series, I think it will, I think it will solidify him in that, in that space. He is very likable. Up until this point, I think there's been some questions about his game, but the questions have also come from the fact that they haven't won a championship. If he can win a championship, then those things about his game that we bring up will go away. Because no player is perfect. LeBron is about the closest that you're going to get to that. And even LeBron had to develop different areas of his game

and change how he played over his career. So look, I've had huge doubts about the Bucks. I've seen them fizzle in the playoffs for the last few years. And I've always felt like until they win a championship, I really don't want to hear about how much of a contender they are. We've dealt with this as Celtics for the last few years. Like every year, it's like, this is the year, this is the year. Like, go win and then we'll talk about it in that space.

And I think that if they do that this year, it will be, it will solidify him. I was just, I mean, just looking at this video. Just think about how old. The bucks have so many veteran players. So Brooke Lopez, year 13, P.J. Tucker, year 10, Drew Holiday, year 12. Chris Middleton, year nine. Janus, year eight. That's your starting rough.

I mean, it's, they are, you know, it's Milwaukee's instant. We have this instant gratification society. This has been a long work. Like, Janus and Middleton have been together. now, and it's interesting, where Phoenix kind of like, oh my God, Phoenix is good. But Phoenix has kind of been putting this together for a while as well. They're not as old

as Milwaukee is, but I mean, Booker is not a rookie. Aiton is not a rookie. They're young players, sure. They're younger than Milwaukee. Yeah, much younger. But it's not like Phoenix is a super team that just all came together. I mean, they've had their struggles. I think the difference between Milwaukee and Phoenix is, Phoenix has been terrible over the last few years, and it seems like everything

finally just came together last year, whereas Milwaukee has been consistently good. They've been consistently in that conversation, but they haven't been able to take the next step in the postseason, and now here they are in the NBA finals. So the Lakers are limited in how they can upgrade their roster next season due in large part to LeBron and Anthony Davis's big salaries. And once again, Kyle Kuzma seems to be on the trade block. They only have nine, I'm sorry, seven players under contract this off season. So the Lakers are reportedly gauging rival teams.

in Kuzma and could be considering deals for him this off season. He signed a three-year, $40 million contract extension last year. So he has a very tradable contract for the level of player that he is and it would make it easier to work out a deal because it's not a long-term deal that someone will be trading for if they don't. He's not completely in love with Kuzma. He bought into the defensive end last year. He's a long athletic kid. You know, LeBron and his, their games don't work. He's inconsistent. But he can start for most teams in the NBA. He's a nice player.

I think he's kind of a victim of playing next to LeBron. Sometimes when you stand next to a supermodel, you thought your outfit and your hair looks good for a second. I mean, he's a good starting player in the league, and I think that they could make a deal for him, and he's just

a victim of that situation. He also is a part of that championship team. It's not like he wasn't a contributor, and he has a lot of experience now, and experience playing with LeBron, which I think also has value. So with less in two weeks until training camp. We still don't know if Aaron Rogers was going to show up.

So exciting. I think he is. I know, right? Two weeks training camp. You know, we've said this, Joy, in a perfect world, this is how the calendar would work for us, which is the NBA ends, and don't we have the draft right after the NBA season? And then we have

free agency for a couple weeks, and then you go, and then you and I would only have about three weeks a year of Death Valley. It's after the NFL season ends until NFL free agency begins. It's about a three-week. And it's not even really Death Valley because you still have regular season NBA games.

Yeah, no. But nothing's urgent. Nothing's urgent. But then free agency becomes urgent, into the draft which is urgent, into the NBA playoffs, which is urgent, into the NFL, and then all of a sudden in October,

it's a smorgasbord of baseball playoffs, NFL. Then we need a six-hour show. It used to be, when I got into this business, the summers were death. July and August, take your vacation. and February and March, you prayed that March madness was good. Then the NFL moved its free agency, solved that problem. And now with the NBA, now they're going to go back to their schedule, but I would contend

right now they don't compete against anything. I mean, baseball has no urgency in July. This is the ideal schedule for the NBA. Totally ideal. Not all NBA people are going to disagree and so the players. Isn't it about, to me, it's always been about real estate. It's really about us, guys. What's going to make it easier for us to do a show?

That's how we just schedule it. But even for fans. No, it is. There's less competition. There's less things to compete with on air. I don't know. I just, I sit in there watching that last night and I'm like, this is so perfect. There's nothing else.

There's nothing else I want to watch. I mean, there's regular season baseball games, but you can give or take those. Yeah, but I mean, it's the NBA finals. Right. It doesn't get more origin than that. All right. Joy with the News. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. All right. By the way, some more thoughts on the Suns and the Bucks. I do like Phoenix still, but it is really interesting what is happening. In Milwaukee is an easier team to root for, especially if you're not a millennial. And I'll explain, it's not just the age of their players. I'll explain that coming up.

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, I'm John Middlecoff, and I host the Three and Out podcast. Do you like football? Do you like the NFL? Do you like the NFL draft? Quarterbacks, coaches. Well, I talk about it all on the show. I used to work for Andy Reid as a scout.

Now I give you my unfiltered and raw opinions on everything that goes on the NFL. And you know we're talking college football because of how important the draft is year round. Listen at the Three and Out podcast with me, John Middlecough, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple, 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. 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, Cliford 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 and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

Hey, I'm Joe Rodano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently, I've become quite the helper myself.

And on my new podcast, hope from a hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most

legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coutura podcast network available on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape 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 connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet 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.

Driven to be the best. Check out MDrive from N.com. Free shipping 60 day money back guarantee. Don't let age beat you. Energy. Ed you need. M drives boost and burn. So, you know, I'm watching the playoffs last night. And this is where, you know, we all, we all have heard the saying instant gratification society. And, you know, I can see it with my kids sometimes. I want what I want. I don't want to wait for it. And a lot of it's because of the phones we have now. I find myself as somebody in their 50s that I want stuff now. And I'm hungry. I would order DoorDash.

There's a Mediterranean place by my house. Ten minutes. Foods there. I mean, that's just the way that we work now. All these apps and all these devices and phones, you just get information when you want it. You can call wherever you want. I can FaceTime to Beijing. It doesn't matter.

I can get what I want when I want. And because of that, it's made us less patient as a society. Young old people. People are all the young kids. Not just young kids. We're all less patient because we've had these devices created that give us everything we want from information to maps to a flight to an Uber to a meal within minutes. But Milwaukee is not a microwave. They are the oven.

This is a slow roast. It's an old team. And last night's a great example. They've just put their head down and they're just powering through it. Boone Holzer gets ripped. He doesn't make. They struggle early in every series. and then they kind of overcome and adjust.

And Chris Middleton last night was bad early. And then he was sensational late. And then Janus can't hit free throws. He just puts his head down and burrows through it. It's the opposite of Ben Simmons who tried to hide on the floor. The young player. I'm just going to, I don't want to deal with the drum. I'm going to hide.

Janice is like, no. Now I'm going to burrow through it. I'm going to get through these free throws. I'm going to be aggressive, get to the line. And it's up to me, like last night, to hit 50%. of these minimum. Chris Middleton. Luca's unhappy in year three and Zion's family's unhappy in year three and Ben Simmons wants a do-over.

And the reality is playoffs are about will and belief and determination. This crap isn't easy. It is hard. I mean, you're watching that thing last night. Just arbitrary calls can decide world champion and forgettable runner up. Gold and silver. And nobody cares about silver. Can you name the swimmers that finish second to Michael Phel?

nor can I. And the reality is, some of the stuff, players can't even control. So you've got to be strong-willed. That's why veteran teams historically beat the younger teams. It's not just talent. You got to just meet your problems, get over them, fight through it. Middleton couldn't hit a shot last night. He just kept shooting because he's had 150 games like that.

You just deal with it and get through it. And I thought in the last four minutes of the game, that Milwaukee, hockey team with a bunch of veterans. Lopez 13th year, P.J. Tucker Year 10, Drew Holiday Year 12, Middleton, Year 9, Janus, year 8. I thought they just had more composure.

They made more big plays, big blocks, big shots over the younger, you know, athletic sons. And that can be that can be a series. Will, belief, determination, and an understanding

you're not going to get everything you want when you want it in the playoffs. Think about how good those Kareem worthy Byron Scott Laker teams were. Every couple years, they were losing in the finals to the Celtics. That's the reality. And I also think these two teams understand they may not be here next year. There's no guarantees.

This is not a dynasty. They don't feel like dynasties. And the intensity. Like, who can handle the intensity? Last night, Milwaukee, last four minutes, could handle it. Phoenix couldn't. That was it. That was the game last night. Like 98-94 Sun's lead.

Next four or five minutes, Milwaukee was great with the intensity. The old veteran players who didn't play well early in the game, who miss free throws early in the game, they just overcame it. And that is so much of the NBA. So I gave away my NFC predictions at the top of this hour. So let's go through them again.

I think the NFC is much harder to predict than the AFC. The AFC is stronger at the top. and weaker at the bottom, and you have clear definitive teams like the Bills and the Ravens and the Chiefs and the Colts who are clearly better than most everybody else in the conference. The NFC, I mean, I like the Rams, but Matt Stafford now is the quarterback. And I like the Seahawks, but they've got new pieces. And I like the Packers, but Aaron Rogers is going to be resentful all year. And I like the Niners, but will Jimmy Garapolo be healthy? and I like Washington, but Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback makes a lot of mistakes.

So here's my NFC East predictions. Washington at 10 and 7, best coach, best defense. That's a good place to start, wins the division. Dallas will be spectacular offensively, still have major questions on the back end defensively, but I trust Dak Prescott more than Daniel Jones. So I have the Cowboys 9 and 8 a playoff team, the Giants 8 and 8. nine, not a playoff team. And I think the Eagles at head coach and quarterback, offensive line, they're getting too old, are a fourth place team, fairly easy to see there.

NFC North, you know, I hedge my bet on the Packers winning the division. They could be much better. But this is a weird situation, a resentful quarterback, frankly, a resentful front office in Green Bay. We don't know if Jordan Love is ready to play. It's a good defense, not spectacular. And I do feel like, like if Devante Adams, who's had a few injuries got hurt, the receiving cord doesn't feel quite as spectacular. Minnesota is much better, but I look at their schedule over the last couple of weeks. There's a lot of big TV games.

I don't trust them in that spot. But they will vie. They will be in it to the last week to get into the playoffs. Chicago, Justin Fields is going to start. That's a big ask in a division with Aaron Rogers. And Mike Zimmer is a head coach. He's a terrific coach. So they're 7 and 10.

I don't think we need to spend a ton of. of time on the Lions. I'm not a fan of their ownership, their head coach. I wish Jared Goff the best, but that's going to be culture shock for him. NFC South, no reasonable person would deny Tampa Bay is easily the best team. I do think the season will have their brief moments of turbulence. This is the NFL. Players will get hurt. Players won't be happy with time. You know, let's get out of the 17-0 talk. Arians is going to arrest players, older veteran guys to get ready for the more crucial games. I'm going to go Saints because I still think they have the second best roster.

I'm betting on coach and culture here. Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis have really built a really fantastic business. A lot of people would have Atlanta over Carolina, but I really like the offensive pieces for Carolina. I think between DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey, I think they've solved their left tackle issue. They're more athletic at quarterback. I think they're running back and wide receiver.

situations are actually deep. They've got some spectacular young defensive talent, although they've got a long way to go. They've got another free agency and draft to solve their defense. They'll go eight and nine. And I think Atlanta has a new coach. Question mark, bad defense, question mark. Matt Ryan usually takes a year in a new system to pop. So I have Atlanta going seven and ten.

And by the way, I don't trust them because they burn me so many times through the years. NFC West is head and shoulders above the rest of the division. I have the Rams and Seahawks at the top. I'll take the Rams to win the division because they're better against with an indivision record. I do worry about the Rams. I think they're thin on the offensive line and top heavy as a franchise. They cannot afford an injury at center.

They cannot afford an injury at left tackle. They've given away some first round picks. They're very thin on the offensive front, but I love Camakers as an emerging star at running back. Terrific and deep wide receiving core. They always have a pass rush and terrific talent on the back end, and they're very well coached and very well run. Seattle, I don't think quite has the Rams roster. I do think the offensive line will be better. Dwayne Brown left tackles a Pro Bowl level guy.

Gabe Jackson comes in. They're still weak at center, but they get Everett, the tight end from the Rams. that's a nice addition. I've got San Francisco. I know, I know, I know. I think they could win the Super Bowl. But if Garapolo doesn't play 17 games, and recent history tells us we should consider that,

you're giving the team to a 20-year-old with one start in two years. And the Cardinals, again, are going to – Cardinals will beat Seattle to Rams and the 49ers once. They match up great with the division. They're a nightmare to play. Kyler Murray's gotten better first year to San. second. Cliff Kingsbury is on the hot seat. They've been very uneven as a franchise with Kingsbury. Great halves, bad halves, good games, bad games, good quarters, bad quarters. They've made some

defensive adjustments. They're going for it. You could tell from their free agent signings, they are going for it. And I think they're going to be a very competitive team. I think Arizona would battle for second place in almost every division in the NFL. I just think this is, this is the SEC. Auburn could be the fourth best team and still beat everybody in the Pack 12. So I just think you're looking at a really talented Arizona team where I'm not sure. I think you have the worst coach in the division. Nothing against Cliff Kingsbury, but I don't think he's Kyle Shanahan. I don't think he's John McVey.

And I don't think he's Pete Carroll. Same way I feel about the Jets. Robert Salick could be good. He's not Belichick. He's not Flores. He's not Sean McDermott. If you have, in my opinion, the fourth best coach in the division, that's just one or two games that go the other way, just on, you know, situational moments.

my predictions overall for the seeding. Tampa Bay is the one seed, Rams, two, Packers, three, Washington, four. You know, I like Washington more than most. Seattle becomes a very, very competent wild card team. Dallas scores their way to a wild card birth. I just couldn't keep San Francisco out of it. That could be Minnesota.

It could be New Orleans or Minnesota or San Francisco, all in that nine-eight space. San Francisco plays the Vikings. I think they'll beat them head to head. So I'm kind of hedging my bet on San Francisco because I think they could be 13 and 5 or 13 and 4 and I'm going to look like an idiot if I don't have them in the playoffs. So I'll just jam them in there.

But not a great deal of conviction on the bottom of the NFC wild card. I just, there's a lot of questions. Enjoy spa-like comfort with Navian tankless water heaters. 15-year limited. warranty. Never run out of hot water once you turn it on. Tanklessmadesimple.com. Tankless made simple.com. 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. 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. 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, 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 podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast.

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