The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 08/31/2021 - HOUR 3 - Cam's future

Episode Date: August 31, 2021

Reasons why Cam Newton will have a hard time finding a new teamGuest: Torrey Smith 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to.

Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversation.

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 Podcasts, 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 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 Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching heard.

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Limited time, 15% off select mattresses, 10% off pillows and sheets. It's Casper's Labor Day online sale. Go to casper.com or a store near you. Casper.com is what I sleep on. Tori Smith played eight years in the NFL. He won a couple of different Super Bowls. He had John Harbaugh, Frank Reich, Ron Rivera, Doug Peterson, had a lot of excellent

And coach is also played with Cam Newton. He is now joining us live, Tori Smith. So, you know, it's interesting. Cam Newton gets released. They go with Mack Jones. And if you look at the AFC now, it's just kids. I mean, Joe Flacco a few years in Baltimore. They just moved on.

It's Lamar Jackson's team. And, you know, everyone in the division is so young. Yeah. I mean, the entire division is 25 and under. Looking at that, it's definitely a change in the guard going on right now in that division. What worries you about, I mean, I said this, Torrey, nobody plays starters in preseason. New England's one of the few that did. I don't even know what to make a Mac Jones.

I don't know how much is real and how much is beaten fourth stringers. Like, what did you take from Mac Jones in the preseason? I think Mac Jones looked excellent. You know, coming into the draft, I think he was drafted where he should have been. I did like all the other quarterbacks that went before him. But I think he fell into the best situation. And a team and a system that matches his skill set. This preseason, he did a great job getting rid of the ball.

And offense is all about timing and spacing. And he did a great job getting the ball out, putting it where it's supposed to be. His stats would have been even better if guys would have held on to a few plays. And he looked great. And so I understand a decision. I don't like it as much, especially being a caller Cam Newton, a brother. But you understand the business side of this. You know, this is a young guy that is ready to go.

And there's only one way to know if your young quarterback is ready to play, and that's to put him in there. I heard when he was up in New York, he did a great job in those joint practices in terms of him going out and executing that offense with Cam was sick. So that really stands out to me because joint practices are better than pre-season the game. You had the opportunity to compete. You're not getting brought to the ground, but you get different looks. And those defenses show things in practice that they don't even show in the real game. So I believe that the coaches were comfortable rolling with him going forward. it would be hard for him having Cam Newton, especially the figure that he had literally figuratively

with this size, but also his talent standing behind him. It allowed them to move forward as an organization and roll with their young guy. Whether people or players or anybody agrees with it, the NFL has very strict protocols on COVID. If Cam is not going to get vaccinated, my question becomes, does he have a place in this league? It's one thing if you have Kirk Cousins and he isn't and you're stuck with his contract. It's another. if a guy's just on the market and you're like, I'm not bringing that in. Does Cam have a market if he remains unvaccinated? You know, that's a tough spot to be in right now. You know, if it was the all season, maybe that could be the case. But I think where we are right now, teams want to go to

safe route when it comes to being vaccinated. Yes, we know it's falling off a little bit in terms of the way it works. But oh, it's overwhelmingly supportive and science shows that teams are going to be better off with their guys being vaccinated. It comes down to wins and losses. These teams in the business of winning, and we've seen over time with a bunch of players, if you're more of a liability, in this case, more of a health liability and the organization that should be at risk, it's going to be hard on if he's not vaccinated, but talent-wise, Cam Newton deserves to be in this league. He looked better than he has been the past few seasons.

He's healthy. He's ready to roll, and I know that fire is under him. I definitely believe in his talent. I've seen him. I've been in the huddle with him. And to see where he's come and the way he's worked this all season to overcome that injury, he's ready to go. So I hope that he ends up getting vaccinated,

and not just simply so he can play, but because it's the right thing to do for where we stand in this climate. But, you know, it's going to be tough. And that's a decision that, you know, five years ago, we'd be laughing like, what do you mean? It comes down to making a roster if you're vaccinated or not. At this point, and where the league is, if you're not a starter, it makes a lot of sense.

So you know John Harbaugh well. John's a veteran coach and, you know, Belichick and Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, They played some starters. They played guys. A lot of the young coaches won't. They won't even travel guys. But Harbaugh did and J.K. Dobbins now out for the year. Do you think they regret playing him?

Or, you know, I could make the argument. You know, Baltimore. They don't, I mean, they're just going to play dudes. Like every, every practice matters, every game matters. How do you think John Harbaugh thinks about the Dobbins injury this morning? I mean, it's tough. I'm thinking, in hindsight, you always like to say, man, I wish I didn't play him. But the reality of it is you can get hurt in football any day, any play in practice and walk through.

It doesn't matter. So you just have to go out there and just live with it. Harbaugh has always made his starters play, and whether it's a series, which it literally was a series, and it was on the back end of the series when he got tied up. So it's tough for him and definitely praying for him and his injury. But the reality of it is, you can't look back at that now. I knew the Patriots are going to play there guys. He's also going to go just believe in guys simply being out there and going to perform.

So it's going to happen. You have to be comfortable with. And the injuries are part of the game. Yes, you would like to avoid it when you can. But I understand both sides of the aisle when it comes to making sure your team is ready come week one. Okay. So, Tori, you know well. Young quarterback.

So in the last decade, 32 quarterbacks have gone in the first round. Seven are stars. Double that. 13 are busts. And then there's a lot of guys in the middle that could still go busts. So on average, less than one a year stars. If I said to you, give me, of the five quarterbacks, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence, Mack Jones,

who did I miss here? I probably miss, Zach Wilson. Of the five, if I said to you, this guy's going to be a star, and this guy could have some issues, maybe not all of them his fault, give me your kind of summation of the five guys that came in, the one you think's got a good space, and one that doesn't perhaps? Well, the one who I love the most in their situation is Trey Lance.

I think his talent matches perfectly with Kyle Shanahan in his mind as an offensive coordinator. He's going to put him in position to succeed. He's a dual threat similar to Justin Fields, but the difference between Justin Fields and Chicago, who I love as a player as well, is the organization. Right now, the San Francisco 49ers are a stable organization. They have a coach in the GM that you can't see this going separate ways for a while, hopefully for Tray Lance as well as the 49ers.

But I believe it's just a perfect match there. The offense fits him, his skill set, and they're going to continue to build around him for the long term. But in terms of a guy who I will be more concerned about, that's tough. You know, you want to say Zach Wilson being in New York, and you would typically say that, but I believe in Joe Douglas and what he's building there. So I wouldn't even say that's the case.

I think for the first round quarterbacks this year, they all fell into pretty good situations. And Justin Fields is the only one. that could potentially be a little questionable because there could be a coaching change if they don't get it together this season. Yeah. No, you know how valuable the coaching stuff is. When you were part of the Ravens, you had no chaos.

You have the same coach. You have the same practice schedule. So if I said to you, Mac Jones debuts in about 10 days against Tua, that's in Foxborough. And I've said, I think Brian Flores is a home run young coach. I think he's great. Their defense last year gave McVeigh trouble, golf trouble. It gave a lot of people trouble. What will be a successful, let's say Mac Jones loses, you know, you lose, that's okay.

What will be a successful opening game against Brian Flores? Let's contextualize it because you're not going to go out and go 28 to 30 against Brian Flores' defense. That's just not going to happen. What will be successful for Mack Jones against the Dolphins and Flores? I think when you're evaluating young quarterbacks, it comes down to just executing his confidence. and getting rid of the ball, which were his strengths at Alabama. You know, he got his timing and his spacing. I'm expecting him to go out and do pretty well.

One thing you know, he may not be the most mobile, but he knows where he wants to go with that ball. And that's his strength. And that's similar to a guy who they had in the past there and Tom Brady. So I'm expecting those coaches to get him right. With them having almost 10 days, like you mentioned, to get prepared, they're going to put him in position to run the things that he does very well. And New England, even though I feel like they're still the third best team in the division,

this is the team that never need superstars to go out there and to perform. The thing that's made them great over the years is that they get the most side of players and put them in position to succeed. I've never once looked at the New England Patriots roster and felt like this roster is loaded. We need to be concerned about them. That's never been the case. I never felt that way as a player and I don't feel this way now, but you know that they're going to be disciplined, they're going to be well-coached,

and they're going to have enough veteran leaders and stars in the mix to balance out that team and to help put them in position. So I think right now, if you're to New England, Patriots or their fans, you know, you have everyone right where you want them because you're not expecting the most out of them, but that's when they're the most dangerous. The president and founder of Level 82, leveraging the power of community collaboration to enable all Baltimore families that reach their full potential. Tori Smith, the two-time champ, great to have you on the show.

Again, I think last time we had you on the show, you rushed into a room, you had a, you were flying down the interstate, and we rushed into our side room at a school and you pulled it off, so we finally wanted to get you back home in a safe space and congrats on your success and your family and everything. Thank you. Appreciate you having me. You bet. Tori Smith knows his stuff. Smart guy. Done really well for himself.

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 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. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skis. hits, 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Game. 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. 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 count? 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 right. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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. Joy with the News.

No. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Baker Mayfield saw his first action in the preseason this past weekend against the Falcons. Brown's quarterback said that getting out there just pumped him up even more for the regular season. I know our guys are ready. They've been itching to go.

And, you know, we can feel that and how close it is. And just all that preparation you put in throughout the off season ever since we lost to the Chiefs in January. that, you know, we've been working for this point right now, and I think our guys are ready to go. Football! Okay, I'm going to guess his numbers this year. What's so funny? What are his numbers this year?

Okay. He's going to complete 64% of his throws. Okay. Let me go 64.5. Because their offensive line's good. Yes. His passer rating is going to be, what's his career passer rating? I'm going to say 92.

89.1's his career. I'm going to say 92.8 this year again. His passer rating was 96 last year? All right. I'll all up it. All up it to 95 this year. 64. I don't know how many touchdown passes. It's such a run. He's going to get Adele back. What's that? It's going to get Odell back. All right, 31 touchdown, seven picks. I mean, the numbers are good. Now I do think it's an offensive league. I don't even think that's a Pro Bowl. I mean, seriously, some of these quarterbacks are putting up ridiculous.

Yeah, I mean, so you look at that and you would say, oh, that's a, you starts in the Pro Bowl, but it's like 31-7, what's my home's going to be? 44-8. Well, their offense will be interesting with O'Dowd back this year. Ball control offense. I do think they're still going to rely on the run game as most teams that are successful in that division tend to do. They have the second best odds to win the AFC North behind the Ravens, according to Fox Bet. The Ravens are favored by a plus 120. I got to tell you, I do not know what to do with Pittsburgh.

I don't know because they look good in the preseason. Well, also, they're healthy. We know their front seven's excellent, and we know they have Minka Fitzpatrick in the back. So we're not worried about the defense. Coach wins. Ben comes in the best shape of his life. They found a running back. The receivers are excellent.

Generally, well-run teams that end this season poorly, turn it around, come back. very inspired. Like New England. Kansas City embarrassed in the Super Bowl. Kansas City is going to be so ready to go in that opener against Cleveland. Their hair is going to be on fire. So in Pittsburgh, I don't, they're rebuilding their O line. That's why I put them third. I just, when you go into a season with questions on the O line, it never ends. It always feels like you can't solve them. That's a hard unit.

It's a hard unit to fix during the season. You can solve your second year. You go out and pay for a corner at the trade deadline. You can solve your second. There's a couple of teams. Kansas City is rebuilding their own line. But I don't think they come into the season with questions. I think we like their talent. That's why they played some starters. I don't know what I'm getting from Pittsburgh. I don't know.

They brought in all new kids. And Joe Burroughs back. It's going to be an interesting season for the AFC North. So despite going winless in the preseason, Jared Goff is still optimistic about his new team and feels that they could be the team to be in the NFC North. We feel really good. I've talked about this at length. internally our expectations are win games and first of all win the division.

That's always the expectations win the division and then go from there. Externally, couldn't care less and honestly don't really know what it would be. Every year there's new teams in the playoffs. Every year there's teams that were in the playoff last year that aren't. And, you know, why not us? Why can't we be that one that wasn't in last year that is this year? There's four new playoff teams every year. They haven't made the playoffs since 2016.

But at least one NFL team has gone. gone worse to first in its division in 17 of the 19 years since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002. Detroit finished last in points and yards allowed last season. And according to Fox Bet, they have the worst odds to win the division and plus 2000. Yeah, that's, that feels right. They're over under is five and a half. This is the order I had him in for my predictions.

I had Green Bay going 10 and 7, Minnesota 9 and 8. I had Chicago going seven and ten and I forget how many wins I gave Detroit four or five I would probably go five so I would take the under on the five and a half but I think the Detroit they're obviously in a rebuild

like they are in a rebuild I don't think they are they are so it's not as bad as Jacksonville like Jacksonville I expect absolutely nothing from I'd like to see some progress with Detroit this year some culture building with Detroit this year but I don't have high expectations for them. And look, that's a tough division.

It's not like you're winning to some teams that don't have, you're losing two teams that don't have any talent. But if you're looking at what team could go from last in their division to winning the division, the only team realistically in the NFL that I can see doing that is the 49ers. Oh, yeah, that's, that's, yeah. Like the Eagles are not going to go from, they're not going to win the division. No.

Falcons are not going to win that division. Although I will say, I'm not going to bet. Atlanta. You know my rule. Oh my God. No, no, I won't bet them. I refuse to bet them. I'll never bet at the Atlanta Falcons again. They're terrible. I literally am going to have to work to 88 years old because of the Falcons. I've lost so much money. But I will say this. They're going to score a lot of points. Yeah, but they're not going to win that division. It's so hard for you to say this. What is this deal? What is the deal with you? I don't get it. Redley. I like they're all. Atlanta's going to score a lot of points. They're going to win that division. No, but if they finished 10 and 7, I would not be shocked. They looked, listen, Kyle Pitt's going to give you 80 catches and seven touchdowns, and Ridley's becoming a star. And the old line, remember last year, Atlanta lost shootouts. Atlanta was competitive last year.

I do remember last year. Every time you bet the Falcons, it ends badly for you. I honestly think if you do it again, I'm going to have an intervention. They're my man. We're going to sit you down. What about the 12 and 5 Panthers? So how are they going to get past them? I've reduced that to 9 and 8.

I had a day last year. Well, last week I was a little crazy. I have a right to do that. I get emotional. You just lose it a little bit. A little bit and I had them at 12 and 5. I don't like their own line. I watched the Panthers online.

I don't like it at all. So we all love the last dance documentary. And soon we'll get to dive a little deeper into one of the infamous stories from the documentary that season. According to Deadlines.com, Lionsgate has won the rights to produce a new movie about Dennis Rodman's legendary two-day trip to Vegas in the middle of the 98 NBA final series against Utah. The working title for the film is 48 hours in Vegas, and it will focus solely on that two-day vendor. Now, Rodman's not in the movie. Well, it's a documentary about it. Okay, so he is.

Yeah, so I'm assuming he's going to be. It's, you know, he asked Phil Jackson for some time off in the middle of the series against you. Utah, and he went to Vegas for two days. He will serve as an executive producer on the project, so. Lionsgate president said about the release. You think you know anything about the worm? Jesse Wait. Well, look, I've spent many of a series of 48 hours in Vegas,

which is why I don't spend 48 hours in Vegas anymore if I can avoid it. I don't have any Hollywood. I don't know a lot of people in Hollywood, but I have a friend who is a big shot at Lionsgate, so I got to call them today. Get the scoop. I'll get the scoop on this tomorrow. This, I mean, watching the last dance last year was fascinating for a lot of reasons, but this particular storyline was wild.

Because when you're watching everything that happened with that season and everything that each of those players went through, and you put it in perspective of what the media is now and what social media is now and how we react to stories. A player being allowed to leave, the NBA finals and go to Vegas. Yes.

For two days to party. I mean, people would have meltdowns. Can you imagine in the NBA playoffs next year, in a big series, Paul George is like, I need a couple days off to relax at the MGM in Vegas. And the clippers are playing Dallas. Not relax.

Go on a bender. Not go like meditate or something. Just go party. for two days in Vegas. How did the media handle it back then? I mean, I don't think it was received well, but I'm saying now, imagine everyone has cameras. Everyone is posting videos of you partying or like it's, I mean, people would just, they would not be able to speak. They would be so out of their mind.

I think you're right. I think the phones kill it because now. Yeah, everyone's a reporter now. Yeah, now Rodman just disappeared. Yeah. You can't disappear anymore. So now I'd be getting minute-by-minute updates on Rodman. Oh, what a certain.

Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. Yeah, the days of anonymous stuff, they're over. That's over. Well, I don't know. As long as you're not microchips,

because then you can't be tracked. But other than that, the rest of us are, we're on the grid now forever. Do you think the people, you know, it's funny, the people that complain about they don't want to get vaccinated because I got my freedoms. Does everybody understand that in your car in America today, you have to wear a seatbelt, you have to have insurance, you have to have, there's a speed limit, and you get tickets all the time,

and they're arbitrary. You can go 20 over and not get one. You can go eight over and get one. The least free place in America is in your own car. And you have to have a driver's license. And by the way, there's all these random and, ambiguous test. Smog check or you get fine. Well, there's no smog in Omaha.

Smog check. By the way, the least free place in America is your car. You're not even free to drive your car unless you have a license that says you can drive a car. So when people say, I want my freedom. You don't even have freedom in your own car. Forget work. Like people are saying, well, Cam, Cam got COVID last year. And statistically, Champ, it doesn't matter.

The NFL is the boss and they have rules, just like Fox. Fox has rules when COVID hit for Fox. It didn't matter what CDC said. The Murdox had rules. Walk this way down a hallway and this way down that, had to wear a mask, had to be tested daily. It didn't matter what anybody else said. It didn't matter if I had an antibody. Billionaires get to make rules on non-billionaires.

And the NFL is a billion dollar organization and they're telling players, we don't care about your COVID situation. Here's the protocols if you don't vaccinate. Here's the rules, follow them. We're not interested in your opinion. So you can go to your Reddit board or your Twitter. They don't care. The NFL makes all the rules because they're the employer

and the players are the employee. And at Fox for a year, I didn't know us love it. We're in a mask everywhere, but they make the rules and I wanted to work. So I follow the rules. That's what it is. It's not extremely complicated, but what it comes down to is people want to be in control of everything or the idea that they are in control of everything. And that's my argument. Yet we aren't.

Yet, explain that to someone because I've been trying to do that for over a year now. Your car and your driveway. You have literally no freedom in it. You have to drive on this road, go this fast, buckle your seatbelt, have insurance, arbitrary smog checks. We'll give you a ticket whenever we want to. But I feel free in this pickup truck. There's no freedom in your truck. I don't know. I don't know. I don't have the answers. I don't have the answers. I just, you know. You just work here. I listen to my doctor.

You know, the same guy I would ask about anything else that I had when it comes to medical issues. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straightfire gives you. honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

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

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

to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life,

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

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

but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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.

Simply Safe's been making people fail safe at home for 15 years. Go to Simply Safe. Colin.com, 20% off your simply safe security system and get your first month free. So about 45 minutes or an hour before our show, the story came out that Cam Newton has been released by New England. I don't think he has a terribly large market. Cam didn't have much of a market when he was assigned procured by New England a year ago. He had no market. Injuries, mechanics had eroded. you know, I mean, Ron Rivera went to Washington and chose his backup, Kyle Allen. That sums it up.

So I thought the New England Cam Fit was odd, but I kind of supported him last year. It wasn't nearly as bad as all the Boston media made it out to be. This is an organization that can't get skill people right. They had a bunch of opt-outs last year. Cam didn't have any preseason. I didn't think he was terrible. He had COVID, and then he was bad for a couple of weeks. but at the end of the year, he won terrible.

Early, he almost beat Seattle and Seattle. Late, he almost beat Buffalo. And I supported Cam last year. I thought it kind of works. And I thought he would start this year. But the COVID situation, don't listen to anybody. It did him no favors. It did him no favors.

The Patriots leaked that story last week to let you know they were not happy. Okay? They didn't want everybody to think it was just happenstance. They were telling you. We're pissed and we're letting it out. And if we make a move, that's part of it. Christian Fourier, Boston Radio host, former NFL player, two rings with the Patriots.

You know, kind of talked about if Mack Jones flat out won the starting job. Mack Jones won the quarterback battle. Now, I mean, and I'm looking at this unbiased. I don't have a dog in the fight. I don't care. I just want to look at who I think's the best. Like, I'm just judging him purely on that. And Mac won.

And I don't think it was close. He's in the right system. Like if this was last year, I'd say, uh-oh, it's going to be rough. Not this year. Good defense, lots of studs, weapons on the off-fight, great offensive line and a deep running back core. Now, here's where all pushed back. Cam started for the Patriots this year. So he faced either starting defensive players or second teamers.

Mack did not start. He was playing second halves. That's four-string guys. So as I said, I think both Mac and Cam can win 10 games. I have the Patriots of 10 and 7. I'm not changing it at all. I thought Cam starting, 10-7, Mac starting. They're different quarterbacks.

They have different skill sets. I do think Max's probably the better distributor. I think Cam's the playmaker, of which, in my opinion, they could use. So I don't think this changes the season. The difference is if you had Cam starting, I'd have a solid backup. Now I've got Max starting. I don't have a solid backup. So I don't love, I'm not saying it's a bad decision.

I would rather have Cam starting in Mac right there. Now I got Mack starting in Brian Hoyer. I don't feel that great. And I think the opener will illustrate my concern, which is Mac doesn't have any real starts against real players and real schemes. This stuff's all backups on backups. So I would have gone with Cam. So I don't believe Cam went from starter to released just because Mac tore it up.

against four stringers. I think the COVID did it. COVID thing did, I've been told this. The COVID situation, it did cam no favors. No favors at all. All right, speak for yourselves around the corner. Defy Your Age. It's M Drive. Check out MDrive for men.com. Free shipping. 20% off if you use the code, H-E-R-D. All right. I love these breaking news. Give me more breaking news. Join our journalists ready to solve the dilemmas of the world. It's the herd. 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. Hey, what's good y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you can. get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football

journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, 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 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.