The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 08/16/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: August 16, 2021

Colin analyzes all of the rookie quarterbacks who made their debuts in the NFL preseason and why they all look to be exactly as advertised. He points out that one of the rookies that looks to have the best physical traits still needs time to grow before being named the starter. He explains why he was right about Tom Brady and wrong about Team USA winning the gold medal at the Olympics. Plus, 5-time Pro Bowler Tony Boselli joins the show to tell Colin if Urban Meyer can rebuild the Jaguars after having so much success in college. 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. On the Look Back at it podcast.

For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what 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. 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 IHeard 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. Thanks for listening to the best of 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. This is the best of the Heard. with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

Let's start with this. We all know, or at least we all should be smart enough to know, that life isn't even. If I grew up with a lot of money, I didn't. But let's say I grew up with a lot of money, and Joy grew up with none. And my brothers and sisters went to Ivy League schools, and my parents were always there for me,

and let's say Joyce weren't. It's all hypothetical. I would have a huge advantage. And that doesn't mean by 40. 50 years old, she couldn't be a much happier person. But in your early 20s, I would probably have a lot more stability in my life, right? For somebody that didn't have some of the things I had. Again, it's a hypothetical, not saying I did.

But quarterbacks are different. We give up on them after like 16 starts, right? It's not like life where you can get a divorce and start over. Or you can have bad parents and turn out to have a good life. Stuff takes time, but in pro sports, especially quarterbacks, and we don't give you a lot of that. So context is really important. Fans, you are great at passion. You often get in fights in games.

You care so much. That's not good, obviously, but passion's what you're good at. What you're really bad at, and you've got to own this, is context. You're absolutely sure when your young quarterback wins, he's great. And if another guy doesn't, he's bad. context. What do they have as a coach, a GM, an old line? So I looked at the passing grades this weekend for all the young quarterbacks. Mac Jones was the best.

Zach Wilson was second, Justin Fields third, Trevor Lawrence, fourth, and Trey Lance was last. Now, let me start with this. All the young quarterbacks, all the rookies showed glimpses of what they truly are. Mac Jones on Thursday gets rid of the ball fast, comfortable at the line of scrimmage, very accurate. Well, that's what he was in college. Trey Lance, who!

Talent, but very uneven and sloppy. Why? Hasn't played much in two years. Justin Fields, super athlete, rolls out, make plays happen with his feet and his arm. We saw that in Chicago. Trevor Lawrence, not surrounded by much, but boy, he can make all the throws. He's big. That ball just snaps up.

Oh, that's what we saw. And then, by the way, Zach Wilson, who I've been critical. of love. We all told you had a good arm, moves well, a little bit of an Aaron Rogers comp. We saw some of that. Everybody gave you glimpses of what was advertised. But think of this. Two of them, Trey Lance, Mack Jones, have big time coaches. Two of them, Zach Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, have rookie coaches. One of them, Justin Fields, has a coach who if he doesn't win early could be gone by Thanksgiving. Total hot seat. Fans are going to yell, my guy is the guy. My guy is better. Haven't we learned with very, very few exceptions?

It depends on where you land. Mahomes got Andy Reed, Tyree Kill, great GM, smart owners. Josh Rosen didn't. Now, we think Mahomes is better than Josh Rosen, but do you think Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson would be this successful. They ended up in Jacksonville or Houston. I mean, take Baker Mayfield. He was a dumpster fire for the first two years. But they hired Kevin Stefansky in a really good GM, Andrew Barry. And he's got a great offensive line.

Last seven, eight games last year. Baker, Mayfield was good. We all know that in our real lives, like your life, my life, Joy's life, Ryan's life, we all understand. it's understood. Some kids get breaks. Some kids don't. And we put that in context. Like, you know what? You deserve something. You didn't get the breaks. Or he's a trust fund kid. He'll be fine. But with quarterbacks, we never do that. I mean, Mack Jones, to me, has no playmaking ability and is the lowest ceiling. But when I watch New England, I think they remind me of Miami last year. Now, Miami this year has playmakers on the outside. They didn't last year. Am I going to be surprised? surprised if Mac Jones wins 10 games, defense specialty. I mean, they're going to beat the Jets twice.

There's 2 and 0. No, I would not be surprised if Mac Jones won 10 games. I have them winning about 9. What if they go 11 and 6 and they win with defense and they don't turn it over and they have no penalties? Oh, wait, that's what they've always done. I mean, good God, they won 11 games with Matt Castle one year. Jimmy Garoppolo, every game he ever started in New England, he won. Kobe Berset played two games.

He won one of them. The reality is context. Justin Fields. Everybody loves Justin Fields. I like Justin Fields. But does everybody understand what's going on in Chicago? He's got one elite wide receiver, Alan Robinson. What if he twists an ankle? What's he got to work with?

He's got one running back I like. David Montgomery, he's hurt now. Offensive line, they are making it up as they go. The coach has to play Justin Fields, right? The fans want it, the media want it, the people want it, the players want it, all sorts of pressure. Yet I have the Bears at 7 and 10, and I think Justin Field is going to be terrific. Context, what are all these players dealing with?

And you know what they are dealing with? Different circumstances. Mack Jones, to me, is the least talented and could very well play the most snaps and win the most games this year. Okay, I want to talk about one quarterback specifically. Trey Lance. So what fans want to see in San Francisco and what fans will see in San Francisco, to me, are two different things. My strongest opinion of all the quarterbacks this weekend is Trey Lance needs a lot more days in the batting cage. He was really uneven, really sloppy and occasionally brilliant.

But let me throw this at you. in the last 583 days. Now, just let that bake. It's almost two years, right? In the last 583 days, Trey Lance, after this weekend, has completed 20 passes in 583 days. And it shows. I know you want Jimmy Garoppolo to watch Trey Lans play.

Tray Lance, it can be argued, needs to take every snap for the entire preseason. Folks, there's a big difference between you, cracking a few jokes in front of friends. You're funny. And headlining at Caesar's Palace for an hour and a half. No notes. That's the NFL. Trey Lance is not ready. He will be.

He could be. The coach is good. But it would literally be remarkable. if Trey Lance with 20 completed passes in two years walked into the NFL in the NFC West and tore it up. I mean, that would be, there's no precedent for that. That kid just needs reps. You can see the talent. He's big.

He's athletic. He can move. He's got a big arm. But when you start adding in how little he's played, how complex that offense is, the expectations, the division is the NBA. NFC West, Tray Lance needs to play in the preseason every snap and probably should not play in September. And if he's playing in September, it's probably because Garoppolo got hurt. This is not an indictment. Again, context.

But when I watched him, he was the most uneven. High, low. It should have had a couple of balls intercepted. It's not his fault. I mean, if I take a week off from doing this show, first day back, I'm rusty. 583 days. Trey Lance has completed 20 passes. His college program was a power team.

It's like Alabama where the quarterback's important but not crucial. You know, you go watch Oklahoma football. The quarterback's everything. Baker Mayfield, Kyler, Spencer Rattler. You watch North Dakota State football. It's like Alabama. They're going to win pretty much whoever's playing quarterback. Kyle Shanahan talked about Trey's opening performance.

There was some good and some bad. I mean, by no means was it perfect? Definitely missed a couple of spots that you'd like him to go to different places. Sometimes a couple of balls that he would have sailed on him. I think he'd like to have back. Good first day. I mean, I didn't want it to go perfect for him.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care where you're saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple 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 a little kill?

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

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you're all right. 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 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 podcasts. 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, 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, 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. If you ever walked into a company and you can tell it's well run, you can just tell it's well run. I remember this is probably 30 years ago. And it's still an impression in my head. I walked into a Costco for the first time. It's a giant warehouse with vats of mayonnaise and mustard. And I remember walking through Costco for the, I'd heard about, you got to go to Costco.

Everything's discount. And I thought, oh, this is going to be a clown show. In fact, clown show wasn't even a term back then. So I go to Costco and I was in there for two hours. I was fascinated by it. I'm like, it's so organized. I can get pork chops, a winter coat, motor oil, a stereo. And it was orderly in the checkout system.

And I was like, God, this is well run. I felt the exact same way about 25 years later walking into IKEA, the Norwegian furniture store. It wasn't that I love the furniture. But I was so in awe of the structure of it and how they just moved everybody along like there was a tram on the floor. And you're like, I don't know if I like anything here, but God, this is a good business.

When I watch the Miami Dolphins play, you guys are all caught up on Tua, and sometimes so am I. That's not what my eyes go to. They are so well-coached. If you don't watch the Miami Dolphins and get how well-coached, even with backups playing,

you do not get football. Think about this. They're in the middle of a rebuilding process. Last year, They're a rebuilding team. They force the most turnovers in the NFL. Not the Steelers, not the Ravens, not the Rams. The dolphins?

They also were the best third down defense in the NFL. How the hell is that possible? They're just rebuilding. They're so smart, so crisp, so buttoned down. I watched them against Chicago this weekend. Bears had nine penalties. Shocker, they had four. In fact, since Brian Flores has taken over for the dolphins,

they are the second least penalized team in the National Football League. Number one is New England. Shocker. Of all of Belichick's disciples, we finally have Belichick South. Belichick with aqua water. Every time I watch Miami, I'm spending so much time talking about Tua, they're going to win 10 games just because they're a better run company

between their GM and I am just amazed. They literally looked like New England. I lived in Connecticut for 10 years. I watched every Patriot, preseason game, regular season game. And I was always taken back by fundamentally, even though Brady was the goat, they didn't rely on him to always win games, the defense, the special teams. I mean, they're playing backups against Chicago. Even their backup corners, press coverage.

They don't make mistakes. You don't get anything cheap over the top. They never fumble. There's no penalties. Everything looks like it's precise. Listen, Tua is going to win five games just because they play the Jags, Houston, the Jets twice, and Carolina. I know I love my Carolina Panthers. Those are teams not going to beat Miami.

They got five wins before the season starts. They're just better teams. And we spend all this time on Tua. What we're looking at here, if you know football, and I think 40 years of watching, it. I got a pretty good sense for it. That is as well coached a football team as the National Football League has. It's just amazing what they're doing right now. How in the heck do they have the best that are down defense and force the most turnovers in the middle of a rebuild? That's not, what's the precedent for who's done that? Belichick, with his great defenses,

did that. But, you know, we've hired all these Bill Belichick guys have all gotten opportunities. When I watch Miami, you know, we all stare at Tua. He's winning 10 games. Folks, last year, he, Tua admitted, yeah, I didn't know the playbook. He went six and three. And they're way better this year than last year because their GM knows what he's doing. So they just added players in free agency. They, you know, they went out and got a Will Fuller. They draft Jalen Wall. So the wide receivers were one of their weak spots last year. Now it could be a strength. I just, I'm, I, I, I, I, I, I, know we all want to talk about Tua, that is a well-coached football team. When your backups don't get penalized, when your backups are precise, the guys upstairs,

the guys in the sideline really know what they're doing. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? along with my fellow pro-bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it.

Up on Game. We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arrington, T.J. Hushman Zada and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the 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, 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 celebrate. 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 a 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 Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, 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 podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person

while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Here's what I would say about Zach Wilson of the Jets. And you know I think there's stuff I don't like, but what you saw, people say,

why did the Jets fall in love with him so early? I mean, they made their mind up. Remember when the draft came, it was like, they decided like two months out, we're taking him. There wasn't even rumors. It's like everybody knew it. Why? Well, you can see why, as we predicted.

He moves well. He's got a lively arm. he's got a great release. The comp is Aaron Rogers. Now, to me, you know, the upsides Aaron and the downside's Johnny Mansell where he looks a little small, ad-libs a little too much. I'm worried a little bit about, like, his ability to do beyond the spectacular. Does he have the patience and the emotional discipline?

Because all of his highlights in college, he's winging it and he's ad-liming it and he's ad-liming it. Can he just sit in the pocket? Because when you have a great arm, you tend to like to run around and make plays and extend plays because you just think, well, I've always been able to make plays at BYU. My arm just saves me. In the NFL, your arm's not going to save you. Okay, the defenses are too good. The coaching's too good.

But, in Zach, don't get me wrong, I think he looks small. But his arm is excellent. He's got a quick, bad ball. It's like Marino. Some guys, Marino Rogers, the ball just flies out. It looks different. His ball just flies out. I mean, Sam Darnold's got that clunky release.

And every quarterback, Brady's got the statue. This kid just like, boom, it's like a C. like you're, it flies out. His best asset, right, though, in September, October is the Jets defensive line. It's excellent. It was excellent last year. It looks better this year. Go ask the New York Giants offensive line about the Jets defensive line.

They totally took the Giants out of their offense. If you go look at the Jets schedule, they get a little bit of a break here. He doesn't have to be spectacular. Week 1, Carolina. Weakness of their team, offensive line. You could absolutely see the Jets defense. line, walking down into Charlotte and completely discombobulating Carolina's offense. That's a battle line and a great D line.

Go ask Patrick Mahomes what happens when a great defensive front faces an average offensive front. Mahomes was overwhelmed in the Super Bowl. He doesn't have to be spectacular. Just don't make mistakes. Do the Aaron Rogers. One or two big throws and let Aaron Jones carry the day. Week two, Patriots, they don't have a lot of weapons.

It's not going to be a shootout. Be smart, make one or two plays, because I do think the Jets have a few playmakers. Week three, Captain Checkdown Teddy Bridgewater or mistake prone Drew Locke, both could struggle with that Jets' defensive line. Week four, that defensive line is going to slow down Derek Henry. It's not going to be a shootout. You start looking at the Jets early schedule, that defensive line, you're not going to have to win by shootout. That defensive line could completely unravel Carolina's offense, Denver's offense, probably Tennessee's. It won't discombobulate to Patriots.

But you can see the glimpses of what he can do. But Aaron Rogers goes 13 and 3. He has occasional spectacular plays. But balance is what Matt Lefleur was always seeking. When he came to Green Bay, he's like, we're not balanced enough. They've gone 26 and 6 on balance with an occasional spectacular play. That Jets D-line is going to be a huge ally for Zach Wilson. He will not have to win by shootouts.

It's going to be tough to move the ball on those guys. 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. Here we go. Where Colin was right. Well, we predicted Jordan Love would look very good because the Packers would groove his start to look good

because they've taken so much pushback on drafting him. You know, safe throws, screen passes, his only touchdowns on a screen pass, 12 for 17. You know, he got dinged up a little. First series, looked a little anxious. But in the end, that's a nice throw. That was a very nice throw. This is a good team. It's well run.

And I thought they made it easy for him as easy as you can. Now, Houston's awful. So it was a great first team to play. that may be the worst roster outside of Jacksonville in the NFL. But we thought he would look good and he did look good. Where Colin was wrong. Mac Jones looked better than we thought. He came across as the highest graded passer of the weekend.

And as we've said, like he's not a playmaker, but New England felt he would be a good fit. And he does look like a good fit for them. He's got nice feet, gets rid of the ball quickly. We always said he's an accurate thrower. New England is not asking him to save him. the franchise like Justin Fields is in Chicago or Trevor Lawrence is in Jacksonville. What they're asking him to do are a series of things that Mack Jones can do really well. I thought he looked very comfortable, so I'll take the wrong there.

Where Colin was right? I watched hard knocks on HBO. I never bought into this Mike McCarthy. I'm Mr. Analytics guru. I'm progressive. I've changed the way I think. I think he comes off as a coaching cliche. He swears too much.

The raw-rah speeches feel like high school, quoting Austin Powers to 22-year-old kids who never saw the movie. I just never, I'll say it again with Mike McCarthy. He's probably a great guy. But they've won a lot of football games since he left Green Bay. And I thought last year was a bit of a miss because he hired the wrong defensive coordinator. And watching hard knocks does not give me the feeling. And you could say you're just watching hard knocks. What does it mean?

The last six coaches on hard knocks, one has come across as super. bright. Sean McVeigh, that's the winningest one. If they got cameras around you or me for weeks, they're going to tell you the truth about somebody. Sean McVeigh looked really smart when the cameras were around him for a month. The other five coaches have not looked as smart. There's a reason. The camera don't lie. Where Colin was raw. USA basketball did eventually win gold. Now, I thought they would get to the championship game and lose an overtime to France. Instead, they beat France narrowly, but they beat him. They won five straight after the opening loss.

We all probably overreacted to those losses, the exhibition losses in Vegas. Listen, by and large, I try to, if I make a mistake, make it on the mistake of open-mindedness. And I keep saying, listen, the world is catching up. They are, but let's be honest. Some of the really good centers are European, but when it comes to point guards and wings and scores, we got way better players and there's nothing really close. In fact, Luca is one of the few in my lifetime where you're like, oh, there's a guard that can hang with our guards and score on them.

So, I mean, Kevin Durant's too good for most. You know, our guys, our talent is still a clear. I mean, we're throwing guys together who are worn out from the season, who haven't played together. We give them two weeks in Vegas and they go win gold. Let's be honest about American basketball. most of the world's talent is here. Where Colin was right.

Tom Brady started in preseason game number one and Bruce Ariens played lots of starters. Why? This is what we've predicted the last couple of weeks. When winners enter a losing environment and win, they want to make sure guys don't get content and go back to their losing ways. And all you've heard in the preseason is Brady throwing helmets and screaming and yelling. And all you've heard is Bruce Ariens, dog cousin players. why? Because they won the Super Bowl. And when you've never had success and you experience a lot of

success quickly, the natural progression is take your foot off the gas. And so it's not a surprise that Ariens is barking, critical, and Brady at least played a series in week one of preseason. Where Colin was wrong. I thought when the NFL was playing musical chairs with cities, with Oakland and San Diego and St. Louis, I said it's too much. It's too much chaos. Keep these teams mostly where they're at. But you know what? Vegas is a home run. Oakland wasn't good enough. St. Louis felt small. The L.A. Rams feel huge. And the Chargers have now reportedly blown past, blown past their season ticket sales in San Diego. In the end, the NFL was right. This league is not going to wait for hacky local politicians to get over their little tiny arguments. And San Diego,

politicians and Oakland politicians and St. Louis politicians, the NFL said, 24 hours, make a call, new stadium, nope, see ya. And three for three, they were right. Where Colin was right? Tim Tebow as a tight end got off to an embarrassing start. I'm not here to pick on him, but there was more than one piece of video that he was completely over his skis. I've always said this about Tebow. He's strong, but he's not quick, he's not fast, he's not twitchy. He's not that athletic. He's a AA baseball player. He's not really an NFL quarterback.

And he's certainly not. If you look at the advancement of the tight end position, he's not an NFL tight end. It's nothing against Tim Tebow. He's a great kid and a great story. Those of us who just say the truth, which is it didn't work at quarterback, it didn't work in baseball, and it doesn't look good here. We're not haters.

If we're accurate, it's not hating. What it is is fan boy. if you keep believing he's a pro athlete. He's not. He'll get cut soon. Where Colin was right. Major League Baseball. There's nothing wrong with the sport.

It just needs to get out of its own way and to tweak some things. NFL tweaks all the time. Soccer and baseball and hockey tweet all the time. I watch baseball. There's nothing wrong with it. But what they didn't feel the dreams was what they should have been doing for 10 years. Make it feel big. Make it feel fun.

Make it feel lively. Make it feel like an event. It was a wonderful showcase on what baseball can be, which is what it was in the 70s and 80s. Characters and crazy players and showboating. Reggie Jackson yelling at his manager. Mayhem is fun. New stuff is fun.

And Joe Buck's home run call was fun. Anderson. Hits it in the Adults. win it. Well, you can throw the party, but you never know how it's going to turn out. That's unreal. And how about six runs on the board in the ninth inning alone? And the White Sox with a walk-off 9-8 win. This was some kind of night for baseball. Just lighten out, try some new stuff. Nobody gets hurt. Big win for Major League Baseball. Great job by Fox that produced a really special event. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays and noon Eastern.

9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Don't demand absolute answers in life when you're staring at questions. Let stuff develop and breathe. A lot of us, I need an answer. Well, we just got a lot of questions. We got to ask you before we give you an answer. Everybody, it's all about me. I need answers for me.

Well, we got questions about you. saw a guy in a cruise this weekend. He was screaming at the people because they wouldn't let him off the boat because he wasn't vaccinated. He wanted an answer. And they said, well, let's see the forms you filled out that all told you this was going to happen. He wanted an answer, but they had a lot of questions.

Be careful about that. Chicago now wants demands an end. I want Justin Fields to start. That offense is a bunch of questions. Offensive line. I've said before. This town had. Cranky J. Cutler, swell Mitch Trubisky, and bizarrely paid Mike Glennon.

And they are demanding Justin Fields play. It's a 7 and 10 football team. Fans want Justin Fields. I do. But the coaches are leaning Andy Dalton because he's played before. Do you really want Justin Fields on the road in the opener against the number one defense in the NFL, Aaron Darmill and the Rams? You want Justin Fields in that game?

I don't. Let Andy have that one. I like Matt Nagy. but the fans in the media are demanding some absolutes, and there's a million questions with this offense. Just think about this. This team finished 8 and 8 last year, and they were bleeding at the end of the year.

Last 10 games, they went 3 and 7. Well, Colin, they got better in the draft. Actually, they had two picks in the first four rounds. They didn't really get better in the draft. They got Justin Fields. Well, free agency. No, they didn't do anything there either. So an 8-and-8 team,

with a front office, I don't like. Not a big fan of their GM. Didn't get better in the draft. They got Justin Fields, but they didn't get better on the offensive line. They drafted a couple of guys who, you know, again, you're asking offensive line to come in out of college and dominate. No, that's not the way it works.

Unless you're Quentin Nelson, guys need time. So, you know, everybody, you know, there was a quote. Matt Nagy had a quote after the game to Peter King. He said, if we play Justin early to satisfy our needs, that's not what's best for Justin. We're not going to ruin him and hurt the Bears. He goes, listen, right now, we've got to do something that's going to be the best for the organization for 15 years. This is not about Matt Nagy winning games. He goes, I got to make sure Justin Fields is right.

And that's probably why Matt Nagy's going to get a second job if he gets runs out of Chicago. He's respected. He's smart. He says the right stuff. But be very careful about demanding things, answers, when all you got is questions. Do we have a naggy bite after the game, by the way? I thought that Justin did a great job of worrying about today, and he played smart football.

He made plays. And again, like what you just said, you know, it is preseason, and we all understand that there's variables involved in all that. But at the same point in time, if you said, hey, you go back and you look, is he doing what you want him to do? Absolutely. No question he's talented. Now, does he roll out to the right,

the minute the first or second receiver's covered. Of course he does. Because that offensive line's not very good, and he knows it. By the way, that offensive line for the Bears has been facing the Bears number one's in practice, and the Bears' defensive front's good, and the Bears O line isn't. So he knows what he's facing there. So he rolled out a little bit too, I mean, he's very, like a lot of young quarterbacks who have succeeded in high school and college just taking off.

That's what they do. Michael Vick said that. You can see Trey Lance do that. You could see Zach Wilson do that. When you're high school in college, every time you took off good things happened, you get to the NFL, you're like, well, I'm going to take off. Good things happen. Maybe if you run like Lamar Jackson, but mostly it's a hit and miss proposition once you're asking everybody to peel off their route and go to the sidelines and you're on your own against the linebacker that can bench press Delaware. I thought Justin Fields looked really good and really exciting. And Miami doesn't give you anything over the top, so you got to take what they give you.

He looked good. But just be careful what you demand here. This is a work in progress. be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Life balance is overrated. In my life experience as somebody in their mid-50s, the happiest people I've ever met love one or two things deeply, football and family, their job and their kids, that, you know, the ski bum slash poet slash barista slash part-time artist is lost. And, you know, Kobe Bryant was all in on family and all-in-on.

in on winning basketball games. And most of the products we consume, Steve Jobs at Apple, literally wore the same thing every day because he didn't want to clutter his mind with anything other than building the great iPhone or the great new project. But the media wants you to be a bon vivant. The media wants you to have multiple interests in my life. The greatest agent I've ever had, the greatest boss I've ever had,

the greatest quarterback, Tom Brady, the best basketball players are really focused because it's very hard to have 3,000 interests and be good at all of them. Michael Jordan couldn't be good at two. He's not really good at golf despite what he tells you, and he wasn't any good at baseball. And that's Michael Jordan. But it's interesting that I think the media loves the part of Aaron Rogers, which football coaches kind of roll their eyes at in the Peter King column today.

You know, I was 50-50. I was going to retire. What would I do if I had time to retire? I'd go to Europe probably traveling parts of Europe. I haven't been to historical stuff. And I think press eats that up. Oh, Tom Brady doesn't spend any time talking about that. Either did Peyton Manning.

Either did Kobe Bryant. It's not a criticism. It's a reality. When Andrew Luck got drafted, I had a general manager say to me, I worry that he's too smart for football. He doesn't need football. He can go run a company. And I was like, that's bad.

He said, it's not bad. but he'll leave before you think he'll leave. He doesn't need it. It doesn't satisfy him at all levels. Even though that may make you a better person per se, right? It doesn't necessarily make you a better quarterback, and that's what fans want, and that's what GMs want, and that's what everybody wants.

So this is not a criticism of Aaron, but it is an interesting thing about Aaron is that he has multiple interests. I absolutely believe he could host Jeopardy and be totally satisfied. I think he could be an actor. I think he could travel. I think if he was in a band and had taken up music, he'd be a big star and he'd be totally happy. It's just, I always think work-life balance.

I'm just telling you the best, happiest people I've worked with usually have one or two things they're totally into. Starts with family. Then it's their profession. And they don't really have time for, you know, a big social life or a third hobby. I mean, two of the smartest people, happiest people have ever met very successful. people, they don't even have hobbies. They laugh at hobbies. Hobbies. I'm not time for hobbies. Like my family, my business. I don't have time for

I got to sleep. I sleep six and a half, seven hours. I don't have time for hobbies. So when I read that, I think to myself, I think that plays well to media people. Oh, he wants to do this and he's got that. He's got a life. Most of our great athletes don't. At least when they're playing, they just think about their sports and their family. That's what they think about. And most of those devices you have in your hand, Those are not well-balanced people creating. Those engineers have their head in a computer screen for 19 hours a day. They're not balanced.

They're not poets and baristas. Artists doing crossword puzzles all day. Hanging out, resting, sleeping, napping. That's not what they're doing. Sorry, sorry if that lands poorly for you, but that's not what they're doing. 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.

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 I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast For 1979 That was a big moment for me 84 was 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 It was a wild year I don't think There's a more important year for black people Listen to look back at it

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

Listen to the Clifford show on the 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.