The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 12/02/2020 - HOUR 1 - LeBron, Packers, Brady

Episode Date: December 2, 2020

LeBron James is still primetimeThe Packers missed on Jordan LoveAll things considered, Tom Brady's numbers are impressiveGuest: Nick Wright Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast.

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

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what 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, 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 herd 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. Ah, here we go on a Wednesday. It is an absolute pleasure to have you in. We are live in Los Angeles, and this is The Hurd. Says it right there on the wall. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening,

Fox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio on FS1. It is great to have you in today. I watched the UFO special last night, phenomenon. The first time I've watched one in my life, that was incredible. I don't believe in aliens. So you had an alien. experience. I did and I've talked about it before

and I'm not going to get into it, but it was real and I have no reason to make it up. It makes me sound stupid. Raylan Washington. But you don't believe in aliens. I don't know what I saw, but I watched Phenomenon last night. I bought it. I was scrolling down the television. I just wanted to watch something, so I bought it and it's a documentary and it's really credible. You have like successful people putting their reputations on the line, not

goobers, and you have like real video, not like frisbys. It was the first time I've ever watched a UFO special in my life. I've watched 30 of them like the rest of you. First time I watched one and thought, that's credible. Something out there. I'm not an egomaniac, so I believe there's got to be some other intelligent life in the whole universe other than just us. But that's just, that's why I believe in aliens. Yeah.

Plus, you know, you spend enough time around other people and you start to think like, man. Maybe they're aliens. Not so sure about this. So I want to start with this this morning. A company I used to work for strategically leaked the NBA schedule. for Christmas Day. It's the biggest regular season day in the NBA. Schedule is very good.

I'll be watching a lot of NBA on Christmas Day. It's very, very good. I like it a lot. But I think it's interesting. I hear this a lot. Colin, you talk LeBron way too much. Let's look at this schedule. The NBA is going to run on Christmas.

So where do they put Zion and the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Miami Heat? On a game that's going to be at 9 a.m. Pacific, it'll be the smallest audience. where do they put yonis oh 1130 eastern up against an NFL game where do they put kawai leonard oh that's the late game 1030 eastern that's just a west coast game and where do they put lebron prime time the biggest rating game will be that eight eastern so the east coast will

watch it, and it starts at 5 Pacific, meaning on Christmas, after you've done your Christmas festivities and had lunch, the fans out West will watch it, and the Midwest will watch it. So Janus, they put up against an NFL game, Hardin Westbrookker nowhere on the schedule, Miami Heat and Zion, the early game, Kauai, they dump him late game. The league, the commissioner, and the NBA, once again puts LeBron since 20, 2000, three, 17 straight years. LeBron gets the primetime game on Christmas wearing a Santa outfit. Colin, please talk more.

Nicola Yokic. No, I'd like to keep my job. Colin, talk more Devin Booker. Why don't you do that with your friends? And they'll still never listen to you. I'm going to talk LeBron. And it's interesting who they put up with LeBron. Luca.

Luca Donchich. Why? Because the NBA realizes right now, they've got a little bit of a dilemma. They would like to annoy it Zion Williamson is a star, but they don't trust his health. They put him on the early game. They don't trust his health.

I don't trust his health, and I love him. They would love for Kauai Leonard to be the next star, but he's a little unique and nonverbal. They would love for Janus to be the star, but we're eight years in, in the bubble they put him on at noon in playoff games. his game doesn't transfix you. NBA's got an issue.

They got to find the next star. John Morant, he's in Memphis. They got to, AD doesn't really talk. They have to find the next star. And they're banking on a kid in the middle of the country in Dallas, Mark Cuban, fun game, 30 a game, overseas player, terrific, Luca Dantage. So it's interesting on this, is that we hear this all the time. I have a couple rules in sports.

One of them is, you can criticize my sports takes all the time. But we think a lot about what we lead shows with. There's a reason I lead probably 75 shows a year, maybe 50, with LeBron James. The League told you. They put Janus up against the NFL. They're burying Kauai. They got hardened nowhere on Christmas Day. Zion, we can't trust his health.

John Morant, he's not there. LeBron and Luca. And by the way, they gave Kevin Durant. They gave him a nice little spot too. He won't get the number. LeBron will. But they gave Kevin Durant a real spot too. They're crossing their fingers.

They wouldn't give Kevin Durant the primetime game. Why? They worry about injuries. But there's a reason LeBron gets it for the 17th year in a row. So I thought this was funny. It's Aaron Rogers' birthday today. And unfairly, people say I am, you know, you don't like Aaron Rogers. I would vote him MVP this year.

He's been terrific. He's been absolutely sensational. And although I defended the Green Bay Packers for drafting a quarterback back in the first round, I said, I get it. Aaron's been hurt. I get it. This morning, they look stupid because Jordan Love is third string and Aaron is lighting it up. I know, I know, I know.

Colin, it's Jordan Love being drafted that has inspired Aaron Rogers to be this good. Okay, we stop. what Aaron was lazy last year. Jordan Love showed up and he worked hard at practice. Give me a break. Let's not give Jordan Love credit because Aaron Rogers is having a great year. He's had a bunch of them. That's like whenever I hear people praise the college basketball coach

because his kids get a good GPA. How about credit the kid who goes to class? I don't want to hear how Bobby Knight made his kids. The kids went to class. They get the credit. They took the tests. I don't care about the coach. Aaron Rogers yesterday went in the Pat McAfee.

You know. Pat's losing weight, by the way. Pat, it's holidays, have some candy. And flexed a little. Here's Aaron Rogers on the show. When it comes to records, I love them in milestones. Like, I do take pride in them. I think there are more things you look back on when you're done playing. I don't think I'm done by any stretch of imagination, even though some people may have thought so in the off season. You know, it's interesting. Aaron has a right to flex. He's having a great year. And by the way, That's why they drafted a quarterback. They drafted a quarterback and I defended it. But in the end, this morning, what does Green Bay need? The last thing they need is a backup quarterback. They need two linebackers.

They could use another pass rusher. They didn't take a single wide receiver in that draft. And Devante Adams, cross your fingers, is amazing top two or three receiver, but he does get dinged up a lot. But Aaron gets a flex here. And it's interesting about Aaron. Aaron is, I can make an argument. Aaron is

and I've said this for years about valuable I think the media doesn't get valuable Aaron Rogers is the most valuable player in the national football and probably has been for most of the last 10 years that doesn't mean he's better than Patrick Mahomes it's called the most valuable player

Green Bay turns off 95% of free agents. They don't want to play there. They don't have an owner. So Aaron can't walk down the hall to a Jerry Jones. He can't walk down the hall to a Jeffrey Lorry or one of the Roonies and say, hey, man, I need help here. I mean, Andy Reid was asking Patrick Mahomes, who do you want us to draft? Like, Aaron is in a market. that needs him significantly more than he needs the Green Bay Packers.

I can't say that about almost any, and I'm not saying Mahomes isn't great, but Kansas City won a Super Bowl with Len Dawson, got to the playoffs with lots of guys. Joe Montana, Alex Smith, and Mahomes is great. But there's a balance there that Mahomes is benefiting greatly from Andy Reed, that offensive line, and that front office. He is, I mean, do you think Mahomes would be this good in Jacksonville? I'm going to go, no, he'd still be great, but he wouldn't be this. There is an imbalance in Green Bay.

Aaron doesn't need the Packers at all. What would they be without him? They'd be awful. They'd be the Jags. They can't stop anybody. So I'm going to give Aaron on his birthday. He gets a flex today. He's in a very unique situation.

And I said this for years and years. LeBron's been the NBA's MVP every year he's been in the league. Michael Jordan was the MVP of the year. NBA every year in his prime. The league literally needed Michael Jordan. He left 50% of the ratings disappeared into the ether. And we have to be honest about Aaron Rogers here. There's no franchise in the National Football League that has more of an imbalance between star player and organization and who needs more, each other more. I mean, Big Ben is great. They won games without Big Ben. And oh, by the way, you don't think if the Rooney's called up and offered Jimmy Garoppolo a contract or Carson Wentzica.

You know, they've always drafted receivers, offensive line. Well, and Big Ben's great. But even when they didn't have Bradshaw and Big Ben, they're still a really good franchise. But Aaron got the flex. And this morning, Green Bay looks like they wasted a pick. It looks like they wasted a pick. And I'm not going to give Jordan Love and the Packers credit because they drafted a kid out of Utah State and Aaron now is having a great year. You want me to believe that Aaron kind of mailed it in the last couple years before Jordan Love or that he's watching Jordan Love at practice and that is a threat. I have got to get my act together.

No, Aaron's great. Knows he's great sometimes. That's okay. Get a flex. He gets a flex. Because this morning that Jordan Love pick, it looks dumb. You're watching Green Bay that can't stop the run. Looks dumb.

Coming up next. The, it really is interesting. I think when you become iconic like Brady or LeBron, people choose a side and they refuse to move off their opinion or their side. Can we be honest that Brady right now is actually way better than almost everybody thought? And I'll talk about that. You may not think it's true. We'll prove it's true coming up next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Weekdays,

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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert 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 Cliverts 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 with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at a podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here. unpack what went down and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all 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 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way 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, Keer Gaines. 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.

It's the winner. Mishlin Endurance XT. Silicon Wiper Blades last two times longer than other blades. They're available only at Walmart. You should check them out. Winter weather's lousy, Michelin Endurance XT Silicon Wiper Blades. So, you know, the Brady Ariens thing, and this is not a small thing to remember. Tom Brady, Joy and I were on the air. I believe we broke the story. Anywho, they had no OTAs, they had no camp, they had no preseason. Now people are saying, okay, okay, we get the excuses. What about now? All right, what about now? Nobody had them beating Kansas City. Almost nobody had them winning the division. We didn't. As I said yesterday, give yourself some credit. You thought they'd be about 9 and 7, 10, and 6, and you thought Brady would be better statistically.

And, oh, by the way, he is. 28 TDs, 11 picks, 65% completion percentage, passer rating at 95 yards per game, 275. That's with all new stuff. So I just want to remind you of something. The only three quarterbacks with more touchdowns this year are Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rogers. That's it.

Okay. The only quarterback with more completions, oh, there isn't one. Tom leads the league. The only quarterback with more passing first downs is Patrick Mahomes. That's interesting. The only quarterback with more 20-plus yard completions, Mahomes, Aaron Rogers, and Deshawn Watson. The only quarterback with more attempts, there is none. Tom leads the NFL.

And by the way, with Aaron Rogers, with Mahomes, Russell Wilson. They knew the system. Big advantage. Do you think it's a shock that Russell Wilson's leading his division? Patrick Malmes is leading his division and Aaron Rogers is leading his division. Why? Because in a year of COVID and no preseason, they got a jumpstart in everybody. Tom, September and October, he's learning it, figuring it out.

Mike Evans was hurt. Chris Godwin hurt. O.J. Howard left. They picked up Fournette right before the season. Let's do a little blind resume. Because I know we have this feeling that, you know, Tom is really struggling, although he's not obviously. Again, he leads the NFL in several categories. So blind resume, we put up Tom Brady's years.

For our radio audience, I put Tom on the left and the question mark on the right. So Tom has 28 touchdowns, 11 picks. The mystery quarterback on the right has only 19 touchdowns and nine picks. The mystery quarterback has a higher completion percentage, but throws for less yards per game. and about the same passer rating. Who is that? Who is the mystery quote? Oh, we all love Carter Murray.

We all love Kyler Murray. All right. Okay. And by the way, Kyler Murray came back with the same coach, and they added DeAndre Hawkins. All right, let's go Tom, Brady, and mystery quarterback again. Okay, the mystery quarterback, fewer touchdowns, much lower completion percentage, fewer yards per game,

and the passer rating much lower. What would that be? who's a mystery quarterback. Oh, that's Tom in New England. Ask Cam Newton how that New England thing works out when you're throwing to stiffs. If you don't believe Tom Brady, if you think he's washed, go look at his numbers last year in New England. Cam Newton, have you seen his numbers this year?

And Cam Newton's got talent. Cam Newton is not untalented. Cam Newton's an MVP. Tom Brady's numbers last year in New England are shockingly good. They're like, you know, Matt Stafford this year, except Stafford's got Kenny Gulladay and has like guys who can run in catch. So for everybody that's freaking out,

Tom is fine, Tom is good, you know, Mahomes, Rogers, Wilson. Nobody thought Tom Brady is as good as those guys. Nobody thought that. But he lines up with everybody else pretty well, considering all the other top quarterbacks had the system, had the coordinator, had the preseason, had the camp, had the, you know, they had that experience at least one year last year.

By the way, Cam has four touchdowns and nine picks this year. So you go look at Brady's numbers last year. It's like, wow. If you thought he was washed, go look at his numbers last year and look what Cam's doing. With same coach, same offensive coordinator. Offensive line's actually better. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no.

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. There have been some calls for Jalen Hertz to take over the Eagles with Carson Wentz struggling so much this season, but Hertz's presence may be a contributing factor to Wentz's bad performance. He reportedly was very upset when Philly drafted Hertz in the second round this year. The belief is that Wentz already had to prove he was worthy of the starting job after Nick Foles and is once again uncertain if the team is committed to him long term. Can I throw this out?

Yes. So he already had the deal with the Nick Foll statue thing. Sure. So if you watch Philadelphia, I don't think backup quarterback was the thing they needed most. But I want to remind everybody that last year, Carson Wentz, dealing with historically bizarre injuries. Absolutely. 27 TDs, seven picks, 93 passer rating, won his division, 4,000 yards, 64% completion percentage, and played all 16 games. His reward for that, and he's not Aaron Rogers 37.

he's 27. His reward for that was a quarterback in the second round. And when you watch them play and you watch their offensive line and you watch their wide receivers and you watch their linebacking court because I do think their secondary is talented, all I'm saying is I get it. I'm not saying like Jalen Hurst to me, I thought second round was a little high, but I get the fact that I just, I have a statue outside of my stadium when Nick Bowles. Could you be a little sensitive to a guy that feels like the city's not really behind them. Just a little sensitive. I'm torn on this because, one, I am a very competitive person.

Yes. And I live with the lingering anxiety that at any moment, things could change. So I just believe in working hard and doing a good job all the time. This is a competitive industry that you're in, the NFL. And while I hated the Jordan Love pick, and I didn't particularly love the Jalen Hertz pick. You have to go out there and compete and Nick Foles won the Super Bowl. You didn't. I know. Why? Because you were injured. So that's no one's fault, right?

But that's what happens. So had he won the Super Bowl and then there was a statue of Nick Foles because he came in and did some trick play or something, then okay, maybe you'd be a little sensitive. I'm sympathetic to Aaron Rogers having an attitude about Jordan Love. Carson Wentz is a like, man, come on, you got to go out there and compete. Okay, so let me say this. In the NBA, it's understood. You would

go to your star player and ask, hey, do James Harden fit with you? That's kind of the understanding. Yeah. And that guy's not even replacing you. The NBA will ask their star, do you want to play alongside him? In the NFL, the guy you draft can replace you. And so Wentz is like, bro,

I saw last year, we had no receivers and no offensive linemen. Look at my numbers. Could you give me, could you, the stat- I don't think it was the right pick. Right. Like I don't, I, I, I agree with that. But the, the, the idea that, like, someone can always replace you, of course someone can always replace you. I just, I, I, what have you accomplished? I think you have to be sensitive to people's history. And I think Philadelphia wasn't sensitive enough about this full statue thing, which has been- Very millennial. He is a millennial. I mean, I'm a millennial, but I'm just saying, like, this is, I,

I try to be very, not even try to. I'm naturally aware to personalities and the emotional side of sports and the personal side of sports. But I do think that there is something to, when you're Aaron Rogers, you can be pissed that they took Jordan Love. Yeah. You're 13 and 3 in an NFC championship game the year before. It's a little ridiculous. Carson Wentz, like, I don't think it's just this. I think Frank Reich is a huge factor that's being overlooked in the situation.

It's a multifaceted issue. It's a multifaceted issue. The injuries are something. I think he has a little bit of a confidence hit. There's multiple factors playing into why he's playing this way this year. Yeah. But you got to go out and compete at the end of the day. So the Giants control their destiny in the NFC East right now.

They do. They are four and seven, but they hold a tiebreaker over Washington for first place. And according to Fox Betts, Fox Bet, they are the favorites to win their first division title since 2011 at plus 210. Washington is close second at plus 220. Then the Eagles and Cowboys follow them up. The Giants' remaining schedule is at the Seahawks. Then it gets easy. Then the Cardinals, Browns, at the Ravens, and the Cowboys.

So they get the Cardinals, the Browns, and the Cowboys at home. Yes. I think they win those games. I actually, Dave Gettleman, who I thought initially was kind of a goober at the microphone. I thought he was the opposite of Mike Tomlin and Gruden. He was brutal. Wasn't my favorite either. He was bad in front of the microphone.

I got to be honest. honest, that OBJ trade has really been valuable. Dexter Lawrence and a starting guard and Jabryl Peppers have played well. And he had a very interesting draft and this January Jones can play a little bit when he cuts down. We have to be reasonable in our business. Just because we have an initial strong take doesn't mean I can't move off it. I was so anti-Gettleman. The Joe Judge Hire looks good.

That OBJ trade this morning looks pretty darn good. I like their draft last year. And I got to be honest. This is not a terrible football team. They are a Sequin Barclay and a receiver away from being really, really interesting. It's always good for our business when the Cowboys are playing well, right? But this is a down year for the Cowboys. I love what the Giants are doing.

And I feel like the NFL is better when the Giants are competitive. Yeah, so what. One of those, like Blue Blood Cornerstone organizations in the NFL. Like the Bears. So I'm always rooting for them to do well. And they're in New York. Like, it's just there's a lot of factors. But I'm excited about everything they're doing.

And I actually am rooting for them to win this division because I think it's the most, it has the most value for the New York Giants in that division, trending upwards and growing with the head coach that you want and the quarterback. You're going to get Sequin basketball next year. So they are the only ones that control their own destiny. Everyone else is going to need things to happen in order to win the division at this point. So Kevin Durand is a few weeks away from making his Brooklyn Nets debut. I'm very excited about the Nets story this year. I'm very excited about him. Lots of content.

I think they'll blow up, but I do think he'll be great. Well, he hasn't played since rupturing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA finals, but he is confident he is ready to return. I definitely used to have crazy anxiety wondering how I was going to play the next day or the next series, you know, and it used to drive me crazy, you know what I'm saying? And from my mental health, I guess, is easier for me to have this approach to just, you know, waiting to see what happens. And then falling back on the work that.

I put in, you know what I'm saying? And if I fall back on that work, then, you know, I have to worry too much about what happened. I already know to come naturally. I think the league misses him. I really do. Absolutely. I think the league missed Steph Curry and Kevin Durant last year. They're really genuine. This is an offensive league. He's one of the five, seven, eight, great offensive players of my life. And I think the league missed him. It's an out of sight, out of mind society that we're in right now. And Kevin Durant is great. I can't wait to see how this all works out. Kyrie is going to be back as well.

He hasn't played a game since February 1st. I know people are very skeptical about this. I don't know what to expect, but it's just going to be one of those situations that I can't wait to watch. They also have 12 other players returning from last season. And if you pay attention to the Nets last year, they were building something. They did well in the bubble. They have a lot of good veterans on that team.

So I'm very excited to have Kevin Durant back. And Kyrie, I can't wait to watch this team. Yeah, they'll be one of the best watches. Yes. That goes without, they'll be one of the best watch. Watches. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. Co-hosts, first things first, my buddy. Nick Wright, we disagree a lot on stuff. Last week was a rare agreement almost across the board, and he is now joining me live, brought to you by Mercedes. Ben's the best or nothing. So, everybody, you know, Colin, you talk too much LeBron,

and I thought it was interesting. They put Janus and the Christmas schedule up against the NFL, and they buried Kauai on the West Coast game. And they even kind of bailed on Zion. a little bit. Maybe they don't know if you can build around a kid who gets hurt. What did you make at the Christmas schedule, which once again, 17 straight years had LeBron right in prime time? Well, you knew the Lakers would be exactly where they were, and they should be, the defending champs. They're the overwhelming favorites. They have the best player in the league.

What I found most interesting was who they're playing because they're playing Luca. That's who they're playing is Luca, not the Mavs, it's Luca. And I think it's incredibly smart by the league. You have the face of the league of the last 15 years in LeBron up against the guy who I believe is going to be the face of the league the next decade. And I'll make my first NBA season prediction right here on this show. Luca's going to win the league MVP this year, Colin. I mean, he last, he's played six career playoff games and he already has as many career playoff triple doubles as Steph or Jordan. He already has more career 40-point playoff games than Janus. I think he's going to be league MVP, and I think the NBA knows you can rely on it.

Yes. So I think it's partially, you knew LeBron was going to be there, but it was curious who were they going to be playing? And to me, this is the league coronating Luca as the next big thing. And I think that is exactly right. I've often said, Nick, that don't just judge people by what they do when they arrive, but what happens when they leave? Like when Jim Harbaugh left the Niners, they struggled for five years. Harbaugh absolutely knows how to coach, although he struggled at Michigan this year.

Brady has left New England. Cam is not untalented. It is a disaster offensively. And if you look at Brady's numbers, take out Mahomes, take out Russell, take out Aaron. Those guys are, it's different. He's 43. That we're kind of overstating Brady's struggles a bit. Is that fair?

No, it's not fair at all. And I saw your blind resumes. I thought they were almost as unfair as anything you've done. There's a lot of things I want to discuss here, so I'm glad you asked me about it. You put up Brady's stats and you were like, hey, he's first in attempts, as if attempts is, attempts, first in, I'm first in shot attempts. Well, how many are you making? What's your percentage?

Because he's 23rd in yards per attempt, which I think is a little more relevant. You also, I was surprising, you left out a very important stat he's second in the league in. Interceptions. That didn't make your old list right there. Then you were like, hey, here's a blind resume. Brady and a quarterback we love. And the quarterback we love was Kyler Murray. But you didn't include what it is 40% of Kyler's game,

which is what he does with his legs. What Brady does with his legs is uses them to cushion his fall when he's avoiding a sack. And then you're like, hey, here's another blind resume. Brady versus a quarterback we all loved. And it was Tom Brady last year. And I'm like, well, there are some of us, most notably me, who told you last year he stunk too.

So no, I give you no quarter on this whatsoever. He was on the decline last season. I told you about it. Now, clearly, Cam has been awful. I love Cam. Either his shoulder's not right or something's wrong with him. Post-COVID, I don't know. But he hasn't been good.

But the Brady defense, you know how I knew the Brady defense was coming? I'm going to reveal something to the audience right here. Yeah. Colin called me midway through Brady's third quarter meltdown to distract me from watching my beloved chiefs annihilate his beloved Don Brady. He called me, he's like, so, what do you think about these, the Georgia elections coming up? I'm like, calling him, I'm watching football.

He's like, no, no, no, let's talk. And I actually ended up having to hang up on him because he was trying to distract me from watching Brady throw the game away, so I'm not going to allow that to happen here. All right. All right. Fair enough. So we know, it almost goes without saying, is that in baseball, you can't win a world series with a bad bullpen.

You just can't. Oh, Dodgers almost did, by the way. And then in the NFL, as good as Patrick Mahomes is, he wouldn't be as good running for his life, is that the Chief's offensive line is pretty darn good. You have to have a decent offensive line. So Carson Wentz is missing a Pro Bowl left tackle, a Pro Bowl guard, and the kid they drafted last year, Andre Diller doesn't play. And he's running for his life, and he made the Seahawks look like the 75 Steelers.

He's running for his life. Jalen Rager can't separate. Zach Hurt isn't playing. Alshon Jeffrey's shot. Can't we at least acknowledge that he had a very solid year last year? And some of this is they're out of players again. They don't have any difference makers. And he's running for his life on every play.

So here's my issue with Carson. And I've been very high on Carson. Yes. And I no longer am. At some point, he turns 28 this month. He's in year five. He's on a massive contract. some of this has to be on him

and he has an uncanny ability to turn a bad play into a horrendous play. In 2017, what made him great was he was under duress, he was under pressure, and somehow he made magic happen. This year, he's under duress, he's under pressure, and he's turning a sack into a fumble.

He's turning a throwaway into an interception. And that's a huge problem. So I will adjust for talent and injury accordingly, but he is, statistically speaking, the worst quarterback in football. So if he were having a down year, and it's like the offensive line, the wide receivers, if he was like the 18th ranked quarterback in football, then maybe. But when he is right now the 36th ranked quarterback in football and there's only 32 teams, it's got to somewhat be on him and this whole idea that he got his feelings hurt

by them drafting Jalen Hertz, I'm not here for that. I like, like, it's professional football. Like, and they gave you a big contract. You're getting paid. You need to play better. So I'm, I'm as down on whence right now as I, as I ever have been. So I, I've said this for years. Valuable isn't best, greatest, or statistically superior. Valuable means What are they without you? Mahomes is better than Rogers. One of the reasons I like him isn't talent. It's that Mahomes plays much better from behind.

There's a coolness to him, a connectivity with his teammates. His body language is great. It just comes out of every pore. You'd never feel out of a game. And when Aaron plays from behind, I don't even like his body language. I just don't even like the way he looks. So Mahomes is better. But most valuable player,

Mahomes has a better coach. He's got better weapons. I think Rogers is the MVP, most valuable player in the league. Fair this year? I mean, it's not unfair. It's also not right. Mahomes is the best and the most valuable player. Two points on this one.

And Rogers, I think, should come in second. In 2011, Drew Brees, set the all-time record for completion percentage, set the all-time record for passing yards. His team went 13 and 3, and he didn't win league MVP. Because Aaron Rogers that year, his team went 15 and 1. He had 45 touchdowns to 6 picks, and it was just impossible to vote for someone else. That's where I think we're headed with Mahomes,

where Rogers is going to play the breeze role and Mahomes is going to play the role Rogers did. But there's one other point on this I want you to make, and I'm going to ask you, as my close personal friend in Miner, tour to join this with me. There is a burgeoning media narrative that the Packers drafted Jordan Love not as a player, but as an emotional cudgel, as a motivational tool for Aaron Rogers, and that therefore makes it a savvy pick.

It is a ridiculous assertion, and it must be debunked. If I came to dinner tonight and told my 15-year-old daughter, honey, I blew the college fund on gambling this weekend. And then she goes on to get a scholarship. That doesn't make it a great parenting move that I blew the money. It means I got bailed out by someone else's brilliance. Right. And this idea that Brian Guttencunst, who passed on D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown three times, Terry McClorin four times, and then drafted a guy who right now can't beat out Tim Boyle to be their second string quarterback that he's going to get credit for motivating Rogers. It's driving me crazy. Yeah. So I need you to drive you to drive you to drive.

Join with me on this and not be a part of that narrative, please. Yeah, actually, I talked about this earlier today. I'm supposed to believe that Aaron Rogers was lazy and apathetic and didn't work hard. And Jordan Love at practice, he's like, oh, my God, I've got to really go to practice. I've got to show up on time now. Yes. Makes no sense. It's an awful.

And a lot of people, a lot of people believe it. And they're like Guttenkuntz playing four dimensional chess. He's playing Connect 4 at best. And Rogers is bailing him out. And it bothers me where this is going. So thank you for that, Colin. Good seeing you, buddy. First things first, Nick Wright.

Have a good day, buddy. You too. All right. Coming up next, the college football playoff rankings, I don't even care who finished in the top four. Because we know they're really good. I have another complaint. And it's about Nick was just ripping the media.

I'm going to rip the media because they do this every year. And it's absurd. And I'll talk about it next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays and noon Eastern, am pacific 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 superhuman documented it all embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year within probably

ten days i'd put on 10 pounds i was having trouble stopping the muscle growth listen to superhuman on the ihard radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits,

the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, Follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. 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 crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Then you're 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 IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way 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. Trip 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 Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Nothing says holiday cheer like Rectech.

These are great grills. Wood pellet, stainless steel, six-year warranty, built by grillers, four grillers. RecTech with a Q.com, R-C-T-E-Q-C-E-Q-com. So they had the college football playoff rankings. I mean, folks, they're the same every year.

I'm not going to argue about this. They had Bama 1, Notre Dame 2, Clemson, Ohio State 4. Fines. Wouldn't be mine, but I don't care. Here's what I want to talk about. And this is where I'm going to have to. I'm not going to lecture the media, but I'm over it. Get over fairness, folks. There's dynasties in women's tennis. There's been dynasty in men's tennis. There's been dynasties in golf. We have a dynasty in college football. Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City are going to win their division for 10 of the next 11 years. Stop trying to play nice and tell me that BYU at number 13, 9 and 0,

Your outrage that Georgia at 6 and 2 is way ahead of them. They should be. Here is officially the dumbest argument in sports by the media. Here we go. How can this two law, and this is every year, how can this two or three loss SEC team be ahead of my one loss or no loss blank team? I don't know because they're better in stuff. Yeah, Georgia's lost to Bama and Florida, arguably two of the top three teams in the country.

The fifth place SEC team last year was Auburn. They beat Bama, and they beat Oregon with Justin Herbert. Oregon won its conference, and they lost four games to LSU, to Georgia, to Florida, all top 10 teams. Stop the argument. Okay. how can a two-loss SEC team be ahead of a one-loss blank team? I'll go to three or four losses. Auburn last year was better than almost every one-loss team in the country.

I'd have taken Auburn head-to-head. I always do. How? Oh, I don't know. Because Georgia, the last four years in recruiting has been first, second, first, and third. BYU has been 66 or worse. You can't count that. Hell, I can't.

It's a subjective vote. it's not the NFL we don't have playoffs. Don't you as an NFL fan. You watch free agency. You watch your coaching hires. You watch the draft. And then you make your NFL predictions based on no games played on who you acquired, who you drafted.

And you make your NFL predictions. You argue with me. You feel strongly. Well, college football doesn't have a playoff. So that's the only way I can judge based on speculation. And I'm not supposed to look at recruiting. The SEC last year had 15 of the 32 first round pay. It may be worse this year.

They had three of the top five picks. The ACC is now a one-team conference. The Big 12 is a one-team conference. The Big Ten's a one-team conference. I like Northwestern. They're not Ohio State. Whatever the Big Ten has to do, get Ohio State into the playoff. I don't care what it is.

Get them in. Now, the Pac-10 is not a one-team conference. It may be a no-team conference. No team looks like they can play with the SEC. So this idea, BYU did not have anybody drafted in the NFL draft last year. Nobody. Georgia's going to have eight, nine, ten, twelve players. If you look at just the eye test, college football demands that I judge based on subjective criteria.

Because all teams don't play the same schedule. An SEC schedule is significantly harder than a PACT 12 schedule. I mean, if you don't face Ohio State in the United States, Big Ten, I mean, that is a huge break. If you don't play BAM in the SEC, you still got to go to Auburn. You got to go to Gainesville. I mean, you're still got to go to LSU. You've got to go to Georgia.

So, like, I'm sorry. Georgia, everybody for Georgia's football team would start over every single BYU player except the quarterback. And quarterbacks matter. They don't matter that much. But I will always, always, always give the SEC the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because I have eyes.

Because I can watch football. They're faster. They're bigger. They're stronger. And that's not my opinion. That is the opinion of every single NFL general manager. Because they're drafting more SEC guys. And this idea that I can't consider recruiting.

George is better than BYU. Why? Because I follow recruiting. Well, you can't. Yes, I can. You demand that I give a preseason college football ranking. And these teams lose like 35 guys to graduation every year. So you make me make a preseason vote based on a bunch of new players I've never seen.

Don't you at Kentucky basketball? Don't you think they're going to win the SEC next year? And yet, you're depending on high school players. So you fight for your right to back Kentucky, but I can't fight for my right for Georgia because they had five straight number one, two or three or four classes. So I don't want to hear it anymore. I don't want to hear that. Georgia's got two losses.

and this team's undefeated. Your conference stinks. You got no NFL players. I got eyes. I'm sorry. I'm always going to give the Auburn 9 and 4. Beat Bama and Oregon. And they were considered down last year.

Hour to next. 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 headwriter 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 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 which 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve

to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. On the Look Back at a 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. It was a wild year. It was a wild year.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.