The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 08/27/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: August 27, 2021

In this Best of The Herd with Doug Gottlieb filling in for Colin:-How Jameis Winston is breaking a narrative-Why the Cowboys are lying-What Aaron Rodgers should learn from Kevin Durant-Guest: CBS Sports college and pro football analyst Danny Kanell Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes,

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

and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the 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 herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. What up?

Welcome in. This is The Herd, wherever you may be. And however you may be listening to the show, thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin Cowherd on a football Friday. How's that sound? Oh, it sounds kind of good, doesn't he? Like, yes. there will be young men

bashing their heads against one another, scoring touchdowns, celebrating with fans in the stands as early as tomorrow. I know high school football has begun, college football week zero starts tomorrow on Fox. Doug Gottliebun, for Colin, this is the herd.

All right, we got lots of news, lots of news. Pack 12, not expanding, Big 12, looking to expand. There's your expansion moment. Maybe we'll circle, back to it. The Baltimore Orioles go from Can't Beat anybody to. We only mention this because Ryan Music producing the show, producer of Colin Cowherd's show and myself, like only two reputable living angel fans to ever speak into a national microphone. Of course, the angels are

the, they are the good Lord. They were giveth and they will takeeth away. They have giveth two wins to the Baltimore Orioles. We got that baseball moment for you. But I guess the big news is that James Winston is the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Now, I've seen lots of discussions about comeback stories and guys that washed out. If you followed Tampa Bay football, you know, the likelihood of success is actually pretty good for James Winston, considering he had some limited success during his time in Tampa. You're like, why would that be a prerequisite for a comeback in his career? I'm not sure if you're aware that Doug Williams, yes, he's a black quarterback, won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins.

Early on his career, they did make the playoffs, was with the Tampa Buccaneers. All right, so it wasn't a complete, do you remember Vinnie Testa Verdi? Like, yeah, Vinny Testaverty. Yeah, I remember. I love Vinny Testifery, do you? Do you remember Vinny Testaverty with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the number one overall pick with the Tampa

Buccaneers. His first year, he started the last four games. They went 0 and 4. His second year, he threw 35 interceptions and led the league. His third year, he threw 22 interceptions and led the league. He was Tampa's quarterback for the first six years of his career. They weren't good years. He was never finished above 500. And with the exception of one good year in Cleveland, he kind of had toiled around in the NFL, and then he went to the Jets, and he got to start, and he was 35 years old, and he had an unbelievable season, and he ended up playing until he's 44 years old.

Remember Vinny? Yeah, Vinny at 35, 12, and 1, at 37, 9, and 7, at 38, 10, and 6 with the Jets. He actually led the league in attempts when he was 37 years old. Vinny Testiferty resurrected his career after leaving. the Tampa Buccaneers. But there's another name of quarterbacks that you forget sucked with the Tampa Buccaneers. His name is Steve Young. He's in the Hall of Fame. He was drafted at a BYU. You're like, wait, Steve Young played for Tampa Bay? Yeah. Before he went to the USFL, he played for Tampa Bay and he and the team were awful.

they were awful. He was the number 11 pick of the first round of the NFL draft. That actually happened with Steve Young. Like this is kind of par for the course. Look, Trent Dofer had some limited success. It wasn't like he shook up the world when he left, but he did win a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens. So the idea that you can't, you know,

you can't resurrect your career after flaming out as a high draft pick, you don't even have to search for another team. You simply go at Tampa and I give you, Steve Young and Vinny Testaverti back to back. And you're like, wow, I had no idea that Tampa was a vortex of succotude for quarterbacks in the NFL. But that's what it's been. So James Winston, who I do think we can be honest and say,

like he had some decent years, some solid years. His last year with the Buccaneers, though he led the league with 30 interceptions, he also led the league with yards per game, yards threw for 5,100 yards, right? It was a little bit of putting out fires that he started. And he's a guy who, of the five years he started in Tampa, three of those years, he threw for over 4,000 yards. It's not bad.

They just weren't particularly good, finished above 500 only in his second year. And of course, the moment he walks out the door, Tom Brady leads them to a Super Bowl. We're like, ye. But I want to point this out, and it's really, really important. Tony Romo, when he retired from the Dallas Cowboys,

said that football is a meritocracy. He was passing the torch to Dak Prescott. Now, it should be pointed out that it doesn't actually matter that Dak Prescott is, in fact, black quarterback, but the fact is, he's black quarterback. And it shouldn't matter that James Winston is a black quarterback, but can we just point out that what sports is about? Why sports, not only is a microcosm from so many stories in real life, but in many ways,

it's better than real life. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that racism doesn't exist. I'm not going to sit here and, you know, and try and tell you. But the narrative of the NFL or the narrative of the NFL or the nether. narrative you will hear from many people in my position, especially at the quarterback position, is stuck in a foregone era. Stuck in a foregone era. You were told that Lamar Jackson was questioned about his ability to play in the NFL as a starting

quarterback. And people would add on to it, well, you know, because he's black. No, it's because he was wildly inaccurate. He had some of those wild misses when he was. he was at Louisville. He's not a guy who's super verbal in terms of in front of the media, which is what most of these quarterbacks have always been. When teams tried to get him in for workouts, they had to work through his mom because he didn't have a traditional agent, and she didn't return phone calls. It's a very frustrating existence. And even the Baltimore Ravens, who have built an entire

offense around him and seen great success, remember, he was their second pick of the first round. They didn't take him and went there. It wasn't like, oh, he can't wait for Lamar Jackson. Soon as he's available, we're going to take him. No, they took a tight end who they've already traded away. But you're told by people in my position that sports is somehow determined by your race. No, what's not? It's determined by your talent, your ability to lead, your sports aptitude, but most more

than anything, can you help me win games? And are you not going to be in jail? Those two things. And at quarterback, can you lead a room of men? Now, I think if we're actually fair to James Winston, we're actually fair to him, the fact that he was accused of sexual assault while in college, and whether it was Title IX or the actual criminal justice system, like being accused of something and it never going to trial, it shouldn't actually necessarily be mentioned or be part of some sort of negative

look at who you are. Sorry, that's the way, that's the way we're supposed to view the judicial system. He wasn't, he is innocent. He has never been tried, let alone to be proven guilty. But it's impossible, and this was kind of his argument a long time ago, or his lawyer's argument a long time ago. It's impossible for that, not to cloud your judgment of who he is. He had the crab legs thing.

He had the inappropriate comment when he was at Florida State. He had the off-the-field deal in Arizona, which in and of itself feels creepy and handsy. But if you do factor it in with what he was accused of, though never tried for, let alone proven guilty for, when you factor it in, it's reasonable to go like, wow, this guy mess off the field, bad decision maker. Okay? he goes to New Orleans, sits for a year, and not only beats out a quarterback, beats out a guy with sweat equity, beats out a guy that makes more money than he does, and beats out a guy who, oh yeah, by the way, Tason Mills White. So before you come at sports with your thoughts that Deshaun Watson was passed on by the Chicago Bears,

because the bears inherently, they had some underlying racism. Just know that that's not actually the way that football works. They mis-evaluated Deshaun versus Mitchell Tribeschi. It happens. Happens more than you'd like to believe. That really smart people that love football, watch guys work out, talk to doctors, talk to coaches, do their own evaluations, and they miss.

And they miss. And look, Tampa knew of James's off the field kind of nuisance issues. But because of his talent, his football acumen, he was the number one overall pick. And he's a winner and guys followed him. He was the number one overall pick. And after they part with him,

he's going through the Steve Young, Vinnie Testiverty Reclamation Project sort of year off, if you will. And he comes back and because, of his work and because of his skill and because of his refinement as far as there hasn't been a whisper of anything off the football field. He won the starting job over Taysam Hill. That's an unbelievable thing. That's a remarkable thing.

Taysam Hill makes a lot of money. A lot of money. And he's made a lot of money for years because New Orleans has believed in him. I think Taysam's still going to play. I think he'll still play that role of slash. But I ain't got nothing to do with the color of your skin, man. Can you help me win football games? Can you do your job? Can you lead men?

Are we better with you on the field as opposed to anybody else in the football field? That narrative that you've been told still exists in the NFL? The question about the black quarterback and like, that's not how anybody actually thinks in sports. It's just not. It's not. And it's actually a good thing. It should be celebrated that we're way past that.

And I'm intrigued to see what James can do. Can you think of a guy that's got the lucky horseshoe any better? Right? Like, look, Tampa was a bit of a mess. But they did, they gave him Dirk Cutter because they felt like he was their best possible having for success. And by the end of the run, they clearly had talent there. Not just Cameron Brayt, but obviously the talented wide receivers. And you brought in a Bruce Ariens who lets his quarterbacks, asks his quarterbacks to throw the ball downfield to take

some chances. Then he goes to New Orleans and, Graden, he had to sit and learn for a year, but you're sitting behind a Hall of Famer. And your play caller is in the conversation, the best play callers in the history of the sport. James got a great chance. Personally, anybody who who's gone through the failures of their own career, roots for somebody to have a great comeback year. This opportunity was earned because in the judgment of his head coach, gives him a better chance to win,

which is what it's been about for a long, long time. And when guys mis-evaluate or evaluate properly, that's all that it's about. James Winston dramatically changing the narrative and reminding you that Tampa has had plenty of quarterbacks that have flamed out and had success elsewhere. 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.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all. Embedded. in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

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

So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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 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 on day, but just so you 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 age. on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or

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on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. All right, so James is the starting quarterback in Tampa. Tom is the starting quarterback in Tampa.

Teddy Bridgewater. is the starting quarterback in Denver. And Dak Prescott, there's no restrictions now. He's back throwing it at Cowboys Camp. Danny Cannell joins us. He's an NFL and college football analyst on CBS Sports. You can hear him on Sirius XM as well every morning talking college football. Danny, let me start with Dak.

I don't know, like perks up my ears when I hear. He's fine, but we've shut him down for a while. He's going to go through a second MRI. No, no, no, he's fine. You've lived it. You understand it. I've never heard anybody get an MRI for camp arm. So what do you think is going on with Dak?

I share your trepidation on Dak. Like I look at that and that raises some eyebrows for me as well. And you're talking about a quarterback who they now have banked their future on, which I love Dak. Like before his injury. to have an MVP type season last year and look like he was going to be just off to the races and then gets completely derailed. But now it's an injury that is, you know, required surgery, an entire offseason to get back

for, that you already are kind of worried about that leg. And now you've got shoulder issues on top of it. This isn't camp arm. Like this, to me, is something. And you haven't had live reps, you know, in a year. And you're just going to throw them out. out there and say, go get him. Like, let's go. I'm with you.

I'm a little bit nervous for him, too. He's one of the most likable guys out there. You know, made sense for the Cowboys to actually back up the truck and pay him. But I'm with you. I think it's something to keep an eye on because I don't know if you've checked their depth chart recently. They're all in on DAC. Like, they've got no fallback plan.

So, like, good luck if he's not 100 percent. Or if he misses a game or two, it's probably going to be a couple of losses. So they don't really have that luxury, which to me, that's whatsoever, if you didn't even have the shoulder issue, just coming off the leg injury, if you didn't have the shoulder issue, I'd still think their depth charge is a little suspect. So I'm with you. I think it's a little bit shaky ground there for the Cowboys, but clearly Mike McCarthy and Jerry Jones and the squad, they're like all in with that,

and I hope it works out, but I'm with you. I think it's something to keep an eye on. All right, Danny Cannell, of course, started at Florida State. I'm going to ask you about James. I pointed out that, like, the idea of him resurrecting his career, especially coming out of Tampa, wouldn't be the first we've seen, right? Steve Young, Vinnie Testiverty, just to name a couple.

You know, Dilfer was up and down when he was there. But Young and Vinny Testifery were bad. And then they became great quarterbacks elsewhere. He takes a year, kind of, you know, almost a gap year, sort of, right? And now he beats out Tassim Hill. And, I mean, part of it you'd say, all right, he's having to replace a, he's having to replace a Hall of Famer. But on the other end of it, and maybe the more important

of it, that Hall of Famer wasn't able to throw to all parts of the football field. How do you think James Fares as the Saints starting quarterback this year? I think you're going to see a real resurgent year for James Winston. I said this morning, I was like, you know, if you want to take a flyer on an MVP, take a shot of James Winston. We know the talent that is there. you know, he's one of eight quarterbacks that's thrown for 5,000 yards,

right? I mean, the list of eight, you know, of quarterbacks who have done that, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Dan Marino, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Matt Stafford, who I also, that's who my pick would be for MVP, a very bad for Stafford.

But with James, like, I think that surprises some people, and all you think about is the turnovers, which clearly, he also has a record for the most interceptions of the season. It's not great. But you also, So let me give you an analogy here, because I think if you ask any offensive coordinator or play caller in the NFL, would you rather have a quarterback who is very safe with the ball and he gets you? You know, he's going to get like, kind of like Drew Brees has been the past couple years, not going to turn the ball over.

He's just going to get you safe plays and he's going to check it down when he's supposed to. But the big play potential isn't necessarily there. Would you rather work with that quarterback or would you rather have a quarterback who has tremendous upside? who makes all the throws, but you have to rein them in somewhat. It's a little bit of a gunslinger. I think every coordinator, every play caller would say, give me the gunslinger. I'll try to fix them,

which is why I think Sean Payton and the Saints found him attractive. Now, the million dollar question, or in James Winston's example for maybe a $100 million example of what he's playing for, that's the $100 million question. Can he eliminate some of those bone-handed mistakes that really have plagued him his entire year, even when he was at Florida State? he had the one phenomenal freshman year where he won the Heism, but then he kind of had the turnover bug there,

and he's always just tried to do too much and make the superhero throw. And if he eliminates it, the sky is the limit for him. And I think he gets a bad rap reputation-wise, not from the serious stuff that played out in Tallahassee. Like that is in its own. But for like when people talk about him, licking the Ws and some of the stuff that is stupid,

like it's really, he's kind of an odd ball. But I will say this, players that he plays with, they follow him. They like him. He's up and he's a great energy. He gets the stadium early. He works out. He puts in the effort. The players will follow him. So like that's not an issue. It's really about can he just eliminate the interception. Danny Cannell joining us here. Doug Gottliebind for Colin, this is the herd. I tried to describe to people in the West Coast like college football. college football kicks off tomorrow.

I don't understand the whole week zero thing. I can only relate it to pre-boarding, right? How do you get on a plane before you get on a plane? How do we week zero? Wait, they're playing. It's week one, whatever. And to say it's a religion in football's religion in the South, especially college football's religion in the South.

And obviously you're all moders gone through a tough couple years here after win a national championship and losing Jimbo. But for somebody who hasn't experienced it, how would you describe what college football means and a place like Tallahassee, a place like Clemson, South Carolina, a place like Tuscaloosa, Alabama? So I can feel you know this too.

I mean, you lived in around Bristol. You were in Westar. You were in Connecticut area. I was Cantonese. I lived in Canton. I lived in Canton. I love Canton. A great little town there. We would have been very close to each other.

So if you remember, it's kind of the same vibe in New England. Like it's all about pro teams. They're like college football. What is that? Like, you know, it's kind of like, oh, that's cute. Like, oh, it's kind of cute their tradition down there. But if you come to the South, specifically, you know, in the footprint, where you mentioned

Clemson, Tallahassee, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Starkville, go all around there. It is everything. And the only way you can truly experience as you have to go. Now that's prohibitive for some, right? You don't feel like flying there.

It's kind of a pain. to get to a lot of these college now, but they don't have NFL, they don't have NBA, they don't have Major League Baseball, they don't have NHL, this is their thing. And every single weekend is a Super Bowl for them. Even if you're Alabama and you're a 40-point favorite, they still show up, they still go through the tailgating, they still want to be in the stands when it's when it's kickoff, and they're going to be there probably standing for at least the first half. And if it's a good game, you're not sitting down.

Like, just get ready. You're back. I have a bad back. Like, you're going to be sore the next day because you're going to have to stand to see the game. It is just, it is everything. I think religion is a good way to describe it because it is. And in the South where it's kind of they follow that rhythm, it's, you know, Friday night lights. You're going to have high school football on Friday.

You're going to have your college game on Saturday. And then Sunday, you're going to go church. Like, it is a part of the religion of the South. And they eat it, they drink it, they sleep it. It is everything. They win. They are on cloud nine for the week. And if they lose,

they are just drowning their sorrows all week. So you've got to experience it, though, to see it in person to truly appreciate what it's all about. Okay. With that in mind, though, it's like I understand what the SEC is doing. I understand what ESPN is doing. It's like, hey, we got a winner here with the SEC. We got a winner with the college fall playoff.

let's lean into that. Yep. But you got to figure out a way to get the rest of the country involved because as you point out, nobody cares in New England or New York. It's hard to get people to care in California, no matter how much they love football and produce football players, if SC, you know, isn't involved in the conversation.

Again, it's not their fault, but it does feel like it's, there's a little NASCAR sort of feel to it, where right now it's a little bit of Midwest with Ohio State, and the rest is all southeast, and that's not great for the long-term health of the sport. No, I would agree with you. It's a concern for me is this risk that is developing

between the SEC and between the Alliance, which, you know, the Big 10 ACC and Pact 12, I don't think it's healthy for the sport. And I'm a little bit concerned that this rift is only going to grow deeper and with new TV deals coming and with, you know, Greg Sanky says he's done, but do we believe them? I definitely don't with adding Oklahoma and Texas. I think he's listening to all offers because I'm sure schools are calling them. But I'm fascinated because I do think the overwhelming response has been, this is good for the SEC, it's good for Oklahoma and good for Texas.

But I think it's interesting. Do you remember when the Super League in soccer was brought forth. And everybody freaked out and everybody hated it. They were like, this is awful for the sport of soccer, international soccer. And I'm not a huge soccer guy, but I remember they had a deal in place and it went away pretty quickly because the backlash was so swift. The only thing that's really different in this one

is because they are creating this monopoly is they didn't just go ahead and say, all right, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Mississippi State, you know, some of these South Carolina, they didn't say, all right, we're going to do away with you, but we're just going to know, if they would have created a Super League, I think it would have been the same reaction, but because they didn't ruffle too many feathers, it's like, okay, we'll take Oklahoma and Texas. That's a big

conference. That's a good thing. But I'm worried about the Rift that's creating. And I do think there is some short side in this there. So I do think you bring up some good points about, and that's been a massive problem with the college football playoff as we know it. I've been pounding the table for expansion, which we were going to get. We were going to get it in maybe a year or two, and that would have brought in the Pac-12 with a bid, and it would have brought in a group of five teams, which I think would have been great for the sport.

It would have gotten way more national attention where now, if you're getting, and if you, you know, two teams out of four into the four-team playoff, and if you go to 12, you're going to pound the table and want six, it's just, to me, I wonder if at some point, if the risk goes so bad, if the SEC

says, we don't need you guys. We're just kind of our own national champion. alliance says, well, all right, we're going to have our national championship. And guess where we're right back to where we are? We're actually back to the 90s. We have dual national champions. And then somebody will go like, well, let's have a Super Bowl. Like, oh, you mean like a BCS game?

Like, oh, yeah, we'll have that. That's really what the threat is. That's what the alliance is like, hey, you want to break off? Like, we're going to do our thing. And I'm sure it's Fox and maybe CBS going like, like, we're not just going to let ESPN control the entire sport. Like, it's not how we're rolling here. So there's a lot still up in the air.

Can Scott Frost? Can I ask you something? Yeah. Can I ask you something? Yeah. So I know you and I are on the same page with paying players, right? We've always been traditional, the amateur model, like there is a great return on that. Brett Kavanaugh's statement to Supreme Court justice, I think that's a big reason why this happened.

It happened shortly after that 9-0-Alston case. Brett Kavanaugh essentially said, you guys can't feel. I mean, he sounded like Jay Billis, who's been the biggest proponent of paying the players that we've probably ever seen in the sport. And he sounded like he was parroting, Jay was saying, like, oh, you're exploiting the best, making money, making billions and billions of dollars off the back to these athletes.

I think that's a philosophical difference. I think Greg Sankey is saying, we see that coming. We're basically going to have minor league NFL. You know, he's getting the 16 teams. Maybe he gets to 20. And he says, all right, where are those TV deals? And we're going to start playing our players

because we're going to have to. Are you worried about that? Because I am. And I worry about it. I think what they're going to, I think, Here's the, and I talked to two athletic directors in the, in the alliance, you know, and one of their concerns is like, so there's the, I think it's Alston, the Alston case, right? Where they're allowed to pay whatever they want for educational needs, right?

So one of the concerns, like the Big Ten has is like, look, we're good with that, you know, fine. But, I mean, what's to say the SEC doesn't interpret that as? hey, kids got to get to campus, kids got to get to the practice facility. They're going to need a car. Where does it end? And the other issue with it, and nobody wants to admit this is we're getting to the point of playing high school players. The overtime thing in basketball, that's not a college.

That's not college age kids. That's just a paid prep school where you put stuff on, where they use their digital footprint. That's just paying high school kids. And if you pay high school kids, why can't you pay junior college? But junior high school kids. Like, where does it actually end? Previously it ended, you know, it ended, you know, after, after college. Now there is no real end in sight.

So yeah, I don't think. And the other part to it is like all these people like, all these, the players that are, like, name me a college football player right now. Ask anybody. Like, and make it of not of your school. You may know a couple guys at your school. Name me a, you can't. Because what happens over the next five months is, we find players, we find their stories, and you as a broadcaster, me when I'm a broadcaster or a radio

host, we tell those stories and we promote them and we market them and we help build up their brand. So yeah, we're at interesting crossroads. I do want to talk about actual game stuff. Like you're all modern, historically great, obviously. We haven't spoken. I'm sorry for the passing of Bobby Bowden, but he lived an incredible life. And for 14 straight years, but finished in the top four, like it's just, 15 straight years.

Crazy. Nebraska during the same time span was similarly dominant. They have fallen on hard times. They thought they'd go get Scott Frost and let's get the band back together and it hasn't worked. Adrian Martinez was his first big get

as quarterback. He hasn't worked. Now he has another shot. Can Scott Frost fix this thing? I think he can, but I think it's going to take some time. It's kind of the thing I've been creation of four percent of the United States. Let's be patient. If my proxelles three building, the only problem with it, is Scott

Bronles has already had time, right? This is a crucial year for him. And now he's got an NTA investigation looming where they're coming, you know, sniffing around and what happened during COVID, do you have analysts that weren't there? You know, you mentioned Adrian Martinez, who I don't, like, that's all they've got. We were talking about the Cowboys, the Dak Prescott. They don't have depth of the position. feel like they wanted to go in a different direction last year when they gave Luke McCaffrey a shot.

He didn't capitalize on it. Then you had Luke McCaffey transfer out. They don't have a lot of depth. They're kind of all in. Now, he started for three years. He showed a lot of flashes his freshman year and then had regression both years. Like he really regressed the last two seasons. And I hate to simplify it, but it does come down to his play.

If he can play better, and if they can run the football around him as opposed to asking him to carry the load in the run. game. I do think they could get to seven or eight wins this season, but it's not going to be easy. Nebraska is a place, too, where I think people are discovering it is way more challenging to recruit to Nebraska in 2021 than it was in 1990. Like Nebraska was playing on national TV. You could sell that back then. You know, you only like no one played on me. You know, we had a couple of marquee games on national television, so it was a big deal. Everyone plays on. Every game is televised at every power five school in the country. So that's a couple. not a sell anymore. You know, kids want to go where they can win the championship or they can go

to the NFL. What does it? Nebraska been lacking. There isn't a lot of NFL talents that coming through there, and it is a talent acquisition business. So for me, it's not even about Scott Frost being the right guy, X's and O's developing players. Can he attract the talent to Lincoln, Nebraska? And I think it's more challenging than ever. Now that they're in the Big Ten, they're competing with Wisconsin, Iowa, you know, all these other teams that have been recruiting there already, and they're struggling to keep up with even those teams, which is why they're struggling under Scott Fraud. Okay.

Your alma mater of Florida State. How far away? Definitely not this year. Like, the win total is five and a half. I think it's Mike Norville gets seven and five. It's a big of the year. It's talent. I watched them scrimmage a couple weeks ago, and I was talking to Peter Wark.

He was actually the same weekend that Coach Bowden's service was. So I saw him there. We went to the scrimmage. and we looked at each other and we're like, where are all the guys? What happened? What happened? So there was a recruiting gap. I do think when Jimbo Fisher left, he knew he was going to go to Texas A&M,

so he kind of let off the gas on the recruiting trail. Then Willie Taggart took over. There's a disaster that unfolds there. So you have either a recruiting of the wrong type of player or they transfer out because Willie Taggart's no longer there. Then Norvel comes in. First year, he gets the job way late in the game. game with the early signing period or behind the eight ball so the talent isn't there now norvel's

been crushing it early he's going to know as of 2022 he's already doing really well but they're not going to be on campus for another year so it's just it's been a lull and they're suffering because of it i do like mike norvel though i love his plan i love his energy i love its vision but it's going to be a and the schedule's brutal this year i mean they open up a noterdane they play north Carolina's better. They play Clemson, who's way better. They play Miami who's better. So, like, there's four losses off the bat.

So, you know, and the ACC has gotten a little bit better. It's crazy that you even have to think about this. But against Notre Dame, like a win is kind of a moral victory. Like, keep it close. And that's a good thing, which you never would have thought in a million years would have said of this program. The good news, though, unlike Nebraska, talent-rich state, like, you don't, you can, with NIL open it up.

You can pay guys to come. and, you know, you do have the tradition, which you've seen a little bit more recently in Nebraska with a championship in 2013, but it's going to be an uphill battle for Mike Norville. I just believe it's going to take another year. All right, last thing. I'm going to switch back to a team he used to play for the Denver Broncos.

Teddy Bridgewater, the selection. But look, he won in New Orleans, but it was, I mean, fewest yards per pass of anybody in the NFL that year. I think they got frustrated with him with Carolina. I mean, he's a good, safe quarterback. They have talent in Denver. does he fit how they need to play to win?

I worry about my guy, Teddy, because I love him, but I do think, you know, we were talking about earlier, but checkdown Charlie versus the gunslinger, and that's essentially what they have on their roster, because Drew Locke is the gunslinger, Teddy Bridgewater, is the more safe for, you know, checkdown type of guy. I think this is basically the Broncos saying, let's see if we can, we have an incredibly talented roster. They got talent, Cortland Sutton, Jerry, Judy,

the defense still has, you know, some playmakers on it. So they're saying, let's see if we can get safer play and win that way, which I do think their roster is talented enough where maybe Teddy can, you know, make the right decisions, get guys open, get them on the run, they can make some yards after the catch. And they're going to go with that philosophy first. I do, like, I don't think that fits in today's NFL where they're looking for big plays and chunk plays. But to me, this is Warren's excitement on Drew Locke. who I was really high on coming out.

I think it's a setback for him. But I wouldn't be surprised they give him an opportunity if going to stay for out doesn't work. Because, I mean, they're not going to have a lot of margin for air playing that way in today's NFL. Especially in that division. That division is stack. DK., great stuff, dude.

Can't wait to see you calling games this year for CBS. Tell everybody I said hi and we'll talk soon. You're best, man. Have a great weekend. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays and noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast Inside the Parker for 22 minutes of pipe and hot baseball talk

featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the I-Test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob Parker on the IHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. 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 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 Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

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 all 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 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 Podcast. 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, or are you a good person because you're afraid?

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

Open your free. iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now. Kellan Moore said this about Dak's shoulder. We're just playing ball at this point. We're not looking at anything from a limitation standpoint. From his standpoint, we're getting ready for the regular season and Tampa Bay. That's interesting, right? Because if you go back and look, I understand if you don't play your star starting quarterback in the preseason.

Saquan Barclay's not going to play in the preseason. He's coming off an ACL injury. You know, the Rams, they don't play their dudes. The Chargers, they have not playing their guys. Like, we've seen this. This is a philosophy of many of the younger coaches in the NFL. Like, it's just a waste to throw a guy out there when he can get hurt when we have these scrimmages when there's just the same live reps. But remember, Mike McCarthy told the entire world that Dak was supposed to play in the preseason at the beginning of camp.

and he just returned to practice a day ago. Wasn't he? He was a Caged Lion two days ago. Now he's back at practice a day ago. And they're like, no limitations. Is he going to play? No. Look, I understand.

Like Joe Burroughs coming off an ACL. You don't want to throw him out there with a chance, not just a re-injury, but you've got to gain some confidence somehow. And when the last time you were on a football field, at Jerry's World, broke your leg in half. you might want to see a little bit of success before,

but it's, it just feels like they're hiding something with that shoulder. It's not, what is it, the old actions speak louder than words. You can tell me he's fine. He's great, caged animal, so ready. But limiting him in terms of practice, two MRIs,

I just, I feel like it's not what you're saying, it's what you're doing. Don't, you can tell me, one thing. But then when you do the opposite, you can't expect me to not be suspicious, 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. This was Aaron Rogers when he was asked if this is championship or bus type of season. I think we all know what's at

stake. And I talked about that a little bit today about perspective and how important that perspective is to focus on this season and enjoy the most of this season because there are a lot of unknowns. So we're just going to enjoy this season. It's title town. It's championship or disappointment is spent every year. So what people take that as, and it's real because of what Aaron Rogers said,

I mean, because of what he put out there on Instagram with the last dance, is this idea that if they don't win it, like, if you don't win a championship, are you really going to leave? First thing is if you win a championship, I find it really hard to think he would leave. Like, you do it. Unless you're going to retire, which doesn't feel like he wants to retire.

Maybe he does. And he just wants one big paycheck before he does. But not going to retire. So you win a championship, you're not leaving. Right. It's not like you're Kauai Leonard and you just parachute it in for six months and then you leave. Now, he's been a Green Bay Packer's entire life. He's still under contract after this year.

he's not leaving it, they win a championship. But if they don't win a championship, and I'm like the only sane person. And I do think that Aaron contextualized it very smartly, right? Which is like, it's not championship or bust, but championship or disappointment. We'd be disappointed.

Like, should they have, could they have won last year? Yes, there's really hard without David Bactiari. It's really, really, without your best offensive linemen, the line wasn't great anyway, really, really hard. Really hard. So I think it's smart to contextualize it. What is where do they play? What is the weather like?

Who is as Devante Adams healthy? Is he not healthy? Is Aaron Jones healthy? Aaron Rogers healthy. Remember when they lost to Seattle on that miracle comeback years ago, he was playing with a torn calf muscle. So that's why it's really easy right now before we have 17, 18 weeks, actually, but 17 weeks of games,

plus the playoffs to say it's a championship or bust type of year. But has anybody thought of, like if you leave, aren't you doing a Kevin Durant a little bit? If you can't win a championship, right? They've been to two straight NFC championships. They get to the NSC championship game again or they get in the playoffs again, they lose.

Are you pulling a Kevin Durant? And look, I've been a defender of Kevin Durant. I'll tell you that I believe the Warriors don't sniff a championship. if they don't get KD. That team changed. They lost Harrison Barnes and the bench had gotten older.

Some had gotten overpaid. That team was not the same. Became a top heavy team. They needed to rant just as much as he needed to win. But like everybody talks these statements about the warriors as if the calves weren't loaded. Like, Kyrie Irving's a first ballot Hall of Famer.

So if you do Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry. I think the world likes Steph Curry better than like Kyrie Irving, but you'd have a tough time convincing me that Kyrie Irving isn't,

again, different style of game, but the equal of Steph Curry. He's a different player, but they're both great. And LeBron had Kevin Love.

Whatever you think of Kevin Love now, Kevin Love then was still seen is a star slash superstar level all-star player. Is he Clay Thompson? I don't know. Like there was a time there when he was considered the best power forward in the sport. Granted on bad teams. And then if Tristan Thompson, he's not the passer of Draymond Green,

but defensively and is a rebounder, better rebounder. It's not like like LeBron was on a bad team. But the point is that Kevin Durant was the better player on the better team and the better man, and probably for his career, made the better decision. But all anybody says today is, well, look how weak that was. Lost in the conference finals. Then he went and joined that team.

Now, again, we're not going to, Aaron Rogers is not going to join the Tampa Buccaneers that they lose to him. I don't think he joins the Niners if they lose to the Niners. There's lots of teams they could lose to. I don't think if they lost to the Cowboys, he's not going to be the Cowboys next quarterback. He loses to Washington. He's not going to Washington's next quarter.

but the idea of leaving when you're this close and it's the only place you've ever played that's a little bit of the Durant thing you know it's it's like when you're in high school you know you're in high school and in your district you're good and you get to the playoffs and maybe you get to the semifinals but there's another high school that's able to that recruits players or their private high school and guys can be from out of the district or from wherever And now you're getting ready to your senior year, like I could go and win or I could compete with my guys on my team. And even if it doesn't succeed, at least I've done it with the guys, the same guys, the same organization the entire time. I don't know.

Like, look, Aaron is going to clearly do his own thing. I am not convinced this is last year, but I am also not convinced that that's simply because of money. or whatever. I think they got a chance to be special. That they're still in the middle of a great run. They have a young and athletic defense. They've revamped their offensive line. Aaron Jones is just tapping the surface of how good he could be.

Plus, AJ Dylan appears to be another stud running back who they drafted. Devante Adams is in his prime. So if they don't win it this year, will he leave? He might. But there's a little of buyer beware. Look at how it affected Kevin Durant's life. He has had an incredible amount of respect. He has, he's widely considered the best player in the sport now.

But his time in Golden State, no matter how successful, three NBA finals, two titles, they would have won a third had he not gotten hurt. That is, he's forever known as a guy who joined a team that beat him. And people will say that's the easy way out. And I don't think Aaron Rogers wants that. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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. 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 Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to The Clivert Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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. I mean, it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. to look back at it on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.

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