The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Carr's Statement; Texans' Giveaway; Kellen Moore's Clinic; Belichick's AB Theft; Browns' Glass Jaw; NFL/CFB Quick Hits

Episode Date: September 10, 2019

In this episode, Middlekauff reacts to the Week 1 MNF doubleheader, including the Texans inexplicable late defensive calls against the Saints and Derek Carr's statement game against the Broncos. He also gives his take on Belichick stealing Antonio Brown, why Kellen Moore is a sure-fire coaching star, why the Browns' implosion was a reflection on Freddie Kitchens being overwhelmed, quick hits from the CFB and NFL weekend, and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to her, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Using your Aspiration Zero credit card helps fight climate change.

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The Aspiration Zero MasterCard is issued by Beneficial State Bank, pursuant to license by MasterC International Incorporated. Beneficial State Bank member FDIC 2021. If you work in IT, you'll want to check out Changemakers, a podcast, profiling IT industry leaders. We dive deep into IT profiles and learn what it takes to drive large-scale IT transformations for successful businesses. visit changemakers.freshworks.com.

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It's GEICO easy. Visit GEICO.com today. That's GEICO.com. What is going on, everybody? It's about 1145 at night, which for me is late. I just got home from the city. Had to do something for ABC after the Raider game here. And I'm pretty fired up.

I recorded a lot of the podcast before the games tonight. But I'm going to hit on my big takeaway from the Saints, Texans. Obviously, the Raider game. I mean, what a performance by the quarter. quarterback. He was, Derek Carr was awesome. We're going to dive in. I mean, what a weekend. Just the Pats, acquiring Antonio Brown, just Belichick being Belichick. Obviously, their performance on Sunday night was, whoa. I'm going to dive into three teams I thought that really jumped out. I mean, I think the Pats are the defending champs and have been one-sixth and, you know, they're the best.

but I think the Chiefs, the Eagles, and the Cowboys could all throw their hat in the ring. I really do. And something on each team, why I think they have a chance. Then I'm going to dive into the Cleveland Browns. And that was an abomination. That was an embarrassment. But we shouldn't be shocked.

And I'm going to tell you why. And then I jump around a little bit, hit a couple college games, a couple things that jumped out to me on Sunday, just kind of some quick hitters. And then as always, Middlecoff mail bag, Instagram, wide open,

at John Middlecoff is my Instagram. Slide up in those DMs and I'll answer your questions right here on the podcast. Same as my Twitter handle. Easiest way to get a hold of me. Again, DM me, ask me any football question you want.

I'm still behind and I'll get to it. But let's start with Monday Night Football. The Monday Night Doubleheader, Listen, I'm a West Coast guy, so I'm a sucker for the night game. But the early game is typically the better matchup, definitely on paper. Tonight's matchup was pretty badass. I mean, you got Drew Breeze, Deshawn Watson, Sean Payton. Say what you want about Bill O'Brien.

Bill O'Brien's not a great GM. He's a pretty good coach. I mean, they should have won the game. And my big issue, just in any game or just in any situation in life, is when you go super, super aggressive, like, they get the ball back, Down, you know, 21, 27. They hit two massive shots because you have no choice. You just have to throw a haymaker, right?

You got, field goal doesn't do shit for you. You got to drive the entire field. Deshawn Watson, boom, Hopkins. Boom, Kenny Stills. Touchdown. Then he misses the extra point, whatever. I was in a situation where I didn't really see the replay. Questionable call.

Twitter freaked out. Whatever. Football's weird. They ended up hitting it the second. second time, under no circumstances when you just had to, and Bill O'Brien get super aggressive, can he let Romeo Crenel go in a prevent situation? How many times have we seen prevent situations against elite quarterbacks turn out poorly? Why? Listen, I'm not claiming to be Belichick here, or George Seifert or Vic Fangio. Vic Fangio might not be a great name to drop

tonight, but you have to be aggressive. Send pressure. Make him make a quick decision. When he gets to sit back there and you're dropping eight and he gets to look and not only the guys you're dropping eight, they're playing 30 yards off and he just gets to go bang, bang, and get in, you know, have the opportunity for under a 60-yard field goal. That's on you. I don't understand how that consistently happens in football. It drives me bananas. At least to Sean Watson. had to just make incredible place. Sometimes, you know, Hopkins, arguably the best receiver in the league. Deshawn Watson, one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

You know, sometimes, like, Mickey Mantles hits a home run, right? Sometimes Steph Curry just hits a three in your face. Sometimes Deshaun Watson, you know, he's done a walk-off against Alabama. Tonight he was working miracles down the stretch. You just tip your hat. You know, not ideal defense, but the guy just made some incredible plays. And then you get the ball back, and you just make them run just like, pretty basic plays with no pressure?

I got multiple texts from people in the NFL, like, what's Romeo doing? How does that happen? If I'm going to lose in that situation, I'm going to be aggressive. I am not going to have my guys because the moment you play pre-vent, the coverage is so soft. Last time I checked, Drew Brees, historically, is the most accurate quarterback in the history of the NFL, depending on the metric, him or Steve Young. but modern day most accurate quarterback in the NFL.

Like he's probably going to beat you and at least give his team a chance. And they lost. Like, I'm sorry, Bill O'Brien, I think's a good coach. Bad GM, good coach. He's not the defensive coordinator. But to me, that is on him where you get on the headset and you go, Romeo, let's bring some heat. So if worst case scenario, you lose that way, you can wear it. Can you imagine wearing the loss?

And I haven't seen post-game press conferences really any quotes because I just sort of walking into the Raider Bronco game right after. But that's unacceptable. And you're either coaching or allowing it to happen. When you're the headman, and even if you're not, you know, he's the offensive coordinator. It has nothing to do with the defense. You still can tell the guy, hey, let's blitz here. Let's be aggressive.

That would, to me, a no-brainer. And he didn't do it in a costume of the game. And the Texans, who are going to be a good team? They have a superstar quarterback. They have a superstar wide receiver. They're a good team. They're going to win a lot of games. But tonight's a game on the road when you're a seven-point underdog

against what on paper looks like one of the better teams in the league. The Saints are good. Are they Eagles, Dallas, Kansas City, obviously not New England? No, I don't think so. To me, they're in that kind of second tier. Again, good playoff-level team. You've got to win that game. And you just blew an opportunity,

all because you were kind of just scared to be aggressive on two major snaps. Can't happen. And then let's go to the Monday night, night, night, night game. I don't know how. I can't even imagine the equivalent on the West Coast.

If a football game started at 10, 15 at night, an NFL game, that would be so hard. When I lived in Philly, it was always so difficult to watch sporting events. I like going to bed early. Tonight is, I mean, this is an outlier night for me. It's way past my bedtime. but the game was sweet.

And from a nostalgic level, I remember I was at the last game of Candlestick ever. And Candlestick where the 49ers played was an absolute dump. But, you know, once you got in there and the team was good, it was just all about football. And I've been to Jerry's Palace. I've been to most, a lot of sweet stadiums. And don't get me wrong, they're cool.

But there's something about just being in a stadium for a football game that's all football. and the Coliseum's even a bigger dump than candlestick, and that place was rocking. There was an edge to it. There were chants. I don't think you'd get this any other place in the NFL of FUAB and them saying it, and it just echoing throughout the broadcast. And the guy who deserves the most credit,

because Gruden, and I'll talk about it later, it was crazy, he never should acquired AB in the first place. But the quarterback's taking a lot of heat. And I've known Derek since I was at Fresno State and he was a senior in high school. I've been watching in play since he was a senior in high school. His talent is immense. His arm strength is elite. Now, he struggled these last couple of years.

Now, he was coming off in 2016, the first time the Raiders had made the playoffs in 15 years. And he was having an MVP-level season until his leg broke. And it hasn't been the same in the last couple years. And whether Antonio Brown in this situation woke him up, I don't know, but he's just too talented to play like he has the last couple years. Now, is he going to go 22 for 26 and just dominate most games? No. But tonight is the guy that I want to continue to see because he was a playmaker and he was awesome. And you got to give credit to the two tackles who you would say on paper,

Bradley Chubb and Von Miller is one of the better pass rushing duos in the NFL. I mean, you got one, Von Miller's head of the Hall fame, and Bradley Chubb looks like a guy that might be the next Khalil Mack. And Trent Brown, who Vaughn Miller a couple years ago in a joint practice against the 49ers, called the best right tackle in football. He's not lying, he might be the best right tackle in football. Him or Mitchell Schwartz.

They're a little bit different of players, but he's a dominant player. And Colton Miller, who, I know this, I took, I dumped on all last year because he was bad. Dominated. I didn't notice Bradley Chub at all. So when Derek Carr is protected, as we saw back on his 2016 playoff season, he can dominate. And he can be a top 10 quarterback. I know this.

I had two highly paid quarterbacks in my backyard. Derek makes $25 million. Jimmy Garapolo makes $27 million. And Derek was on a completely different level than Jimmy. Like Jimmy, I don't think, made one play that quite look like Derek. And this is easily the best game Derek's played in a long time. A big elephant in the room for Derek, too, is he's been terrible on primetime games. Remember a couple years ago that Washington Sunday night football, one of the worst games we've ever seen him play.

Last year, Monday night football against the Rams, three picks, just horrendous. Last year, Thursday night football against the 49ers, Nick Mullins kicks his ass. Tonight he was a different human. It was like he threw it back to Fresno State. That was high-level stuff. Give Gruden credit, like he had a plan. They attacked Fangio, and they kicked their ass. And again, from just a nostalgic football perspective, there's something Jerry's Palace is cool,

the Lincoln Phillies awesome. I mean, some stadiums are great. But there is something special, and there always something special about candlestick, just an old, crappy stadium. And the Coliseum is even worse. If you've never been there, you're not missing much, but on a good football game at night, it's just very pure. It's the best way I can describe it.

It's very pure. There's an edge to the crowd. There's a massive chip on their shoulder. And it's just a special place to watch a football game. You know, people around these parts call me a raider hater, because I'm critical of a lot of things they do. But I'll promise you this. Some of the coolest games I've been to have been good games at the Coliseum.

Because for all the fluff and the Wi-Fi and, you know, you can get, I know at Levi Stadium, you can get every type of wine, you can get chicken curry and sushi. they just got shitty hot dogs, $7 bud lights, a bunch of dudes in shoulder pads, and painted up faces. You will not experience this anywhere else in the NFL,

and I've been to the majority of NFL stadiums. I promise you. It was cool to see the Raiders for all the crap they've taken, and they deserved it. And I'm going to get into it when we talk about AB and the Patriots. They created this, but I always defend Darry, by saying this. Most players, especially good players,

have never experienced anything like the disfunction of the Raiders. And what Derek's overcome in front of this organ, now he's been highly compensated for it, for sure. I'm not trying to paint him as a victim at all. But just in terms of football-wise, he's seen some crazy stuff. I mean, last year, Khalil Max's best friend on his team,

traded week before the season. Antonio Brown, I don't know if they're friends. or not, but clearly probably not. But he was his most important player on the team. That's the guy who's going to throw to. And Derek came out with an edge, and him and Flacco are playing two different sports. And on the flip side,

I mean, Flacco's done. I mean, absolutely shot. He can't move. I think the biggest thing in 2019, more than ever, you have to have some athletic ability at quarterback. Now, luckily, most of the quarterbacks that are coming into the

NFL, think about a lot of the recent guy. just the last five or six years from Deshawn Watson to Mahomes to Derek to Jimmy like a lot of these guys can run to even Trubisky to Sam Darnold Josh Allen

even Baker Mayfield is not just a statute these Eli Mannings these Joe Flackos I think they are a thing of the past they are dinosaurs you know even watching Philip Rivers the other day and I love Philip Rivers I mean I love Philip Rivers I do

I'm a Philip Rivers fan. But just watching the way he moves, you're like, God, you just don't see this that often. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real.

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free, IHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker.

Listen to the Cliffer Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us

on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball, like, after you go through a,

training camp with that I said you figure it out real quick get your ass up and down the court and you you gonna get the ball so listen to point game on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast i mean obviously tom can't move luckily his offensive line coach the greatest offensive line coach ever he never has to move so it's not really fair he just kind of moves within like a little two-yard radius but it's you watch the flakos the e-lis and i just it's over man like these guys i don't even think college is going to produce any of them. Like the closest thing we've seen is Josh Rosen these last couple years, and he moves a lot better than those guys do.

So the Broncos might just stink. And if those two pass rushers don't get any pressure, I don't see how they're going to win many games. I really don't. So from Romeo Cornell, whussing out when the game's on the line to Carr, you know, really kind of flexing his muscles and having one of his, I don't know.

I mean, he's probably had bigger games, just more important games later in the season in 2016. But this has to be one of the better games he's ever played, especially when you factor in that it was Monday night football. And when I say the entire country, I imagine many people on the East Coast went to bed. Us on the West Coast were definitely watching. He showed out pretty well.

And this makes the Chiefs, I don't think they can be the Chiefs next week, but maybe the game will be kind of interesting. Millions of Americans are getting back to work. CareerBuilder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. CareerBuilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts, so your perfect job lands right in your inbox.

Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left. Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. Hey, it's Amara from Exactly Amata podcast. This clip is brought to you by State Farm. State Farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates on car insurance. Yes, for real. If you need to ensure your car or your home or both, it may feel like you're getting special treatment,

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I ended up living in my car. And I was there for three months. It was terrible. I would go in there and watch myself with white bees and stuff. My mom never knew that I was struggling because I didn't want to stress her out because she was already in a bad situation where, thank God. She found a Christian family. Amen.

And she asked them. Hallelujah. And she could, you know, if she could stay there because she didn't have anywhere to go. And a couple of months later, I ended up sleeping in that same bed with her for like a year. Listen to new episodes of Exactly Amara on the My Cultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. Millions of Americans are getting back to work. CareerBuilder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. CareerBuilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts. So your perfect job.

lands right in your inbox. Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left. Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. Okay, let's get into the Patriots and both angles of their weekend. Start with Antonio Brown and then we will go into their performance on Sunday night. With Antonio Brown. I say it all the time and I think anyone listening to this knows this. the powerful prey on the week.

It's the way just society in the world has operated from the beginning of the time. Right? It works that way with animals. Like when a lion in Africa wants to eat, it does not chase the fastest gazelle. It usually goes after the one that's limping. When they're taking down water buffaloes,

they usually go after the young, right? They go after the easy one because they want a meal. They're not looking to get a horn to the face. No different in big business. What is big business often? do. They steal ideas from littleer businesses that they're not afraid that they're going to be able to take them to

court because they don't have the money. Or they just offer a low amount of money in their mind, which to a smaller business sometimes feels like a lot and they just buy people out. And they stay on top. Actually, they grow bigger. The Patriots and Belichick,

it is one million percent, not their fault. The Oakland Raiders, the losing his team, right there with the Browns of the internet era. And I think it's safe to say the Browns are right up there too. And after this weekend, hell, they might be neck and neck. It's been a joke.

Well, last year when they finally did something, it felt like it had a plan, even though I thought it was a stupid plan. They got rid of Cleo Mac and Amari Cooper and it was to rebuild. Well, a rebuilding team doesn't trade for one of the biggest divas we've ever seen. And it's because John Gruden has no patience and it was destined to fail from the jump. No one believed it was going to work in Oakland, except John Grude, was the lone part in Raider fans. Of course it didn't work. Now, did we think it was going to get this crazy?

No. But it got crazy, and like Olympian Gazelle, Belichick sitting there hungry. And he swoops in. Did something shady happen? Probably. But guess what? Shady things happen. Guess what would not have been possible?

Like, Belichick can't just go nab Alshon Jeffrey from the Eagles. He can't just go get Seekwan Barclay from the John. He can't just go land Amari Cooper from the Cowboys. It's just not possible. It's not his fault that this human became available. Only the Raiders were dumb enough to trade and pay the guy. And then Antonio Brown, did he self-sabotage this? Do I think there's some conspiracy theory?

I don't know how far I'd go with the conspiracy theory, but yeah, something shady probably happened. Did he force his way out of Oakland? And did he try to do this? Has he tried to do it the whole time? No. Did the last week get really weird? 100%. Could Belichick behind the scenes have been calling him, say, do this, we want you?

Sure. Do I blame him? No. I blame the Raiders. They acquired this human. They kept making excuses for this human. Vic Tafor, who a colleague of mine at the Athletic, wrote that all, during HBO Hard Knocks, Antonio Brown had been missing practices left and right in the spring.

Just none of us knew about it. I hadn't heard that, and I know some people on the staff. Hadn't heard a peep about it. But it was going on because the helmet issue was happening in the spring. Well, during training camp, after he burns his feet, and after he practices one day and then bounces, and the helmet gate got out of control, he just disappeared. And the guy wasn't even around.

I texted coach the other day, like, how do you think the players think? They're like, God, they barely even know the guy. Well, he had a camera crew following him around everywhere. Yet he dictated their footage. Like, he was in charge. So these teammates were like, this is a joke. Now, is there anyone on the team besides, like, Rodney Hudson and maybe like Trent Brown? They should be offended.

And they probably weren't. But the whole thing was an embarrassment. This never would have happened on most teams. One, because most teams weren't interested in Antonio Brown. He jumped the shark with the Steelers. No one was touching him, except Crazy Man Gruden. So, of course, Belichick's going to come in. And I've seen some people tweet, like, oh, the Raiders are taking all the heat.

No one gives the Patriots any crap for landing him. Of course not. They have six championships. They've been to eight straight AFC championships. They look like currently the best team in the league. And like, hell, it wouldn't even be crazy if they went 16 and 0. They get to do crazy stuff. Why?

Because they've done this before. Hell, they did this to the Raiders. I read a quote today back when Randy Moss got traded. He was on the phone with Scott Pioli and they were kind of haggling over the compensation with the Raiders. All he said was just get it done. Get me out of here. Like, I'm sorry, the Raiders resume is players go there to kind of fail. fail. And the resume of the Patriots is players go there to kick ass and take names.

And if you don't buy in, Belichick just gets rid of you. So is it going to work in New England? I don't know. I would probably know. But maybe Antonio just went crazy to get out of Oakland. So is he going to listen to Belichick? He doesn't have a choice. Because unlike Gruden, that will just kiss his ass and do anything to keep him on the team, despite when he's just threatening to beat up his general manager, if one, even close to something like that happens, Do you know what Belichick will do? He wouldn't even tell him to him. He called Drew.

He said he's cut. Check the waiver wire. He's done. Pack of shit and go home. That's what he'll do. Because the $9 million signing bonus of the Pats, who have an unlimited amount of money means... Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies,

and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the 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? Are you a good person because you're afraid?

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

Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. What's up guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, ref, my mom, I want you.

to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. knows. Without Luca and Austin

Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he

has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.

Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Nothing to them. It means nothing. So I got news for you. If it doesn't work out in New England, as we saw last night, it won't even matter. If it does, watch out. They will be unstoppable.

Because I got a text last night from a buddy. mid-Patriot game, and he's like, our quarterback relative to Brady is like in a different world. And it's more of a compliment to Brady. Like, Brady right now is the perfect player. He is just, he is a walking, talking goat slash legend who just showed up week one at 42 years old and operated at a supreme MVP level. Look like he didn't even break a sweat. After the game, someone of Collins producers, Greg tweeted out, he looks 27.

I mean, he looks, he does not look 43. I'm about 2 and 35. He looks way younger than me. And my mom got me the TB12 book. It's actually crossed my mind a couple times this, like the last couple weeks. She bought me the book like last year for Christmas. I mean, I just put it on my coffee table. I might read it because it works.

I mean, just his help, just how good he looks. I'm not going to be the goat football player, but at least maybe my skin will shine and I'll be skinnier. Because he just put it on a clinic. Belichick put on a clinic. Has there ever been a team in sports history that's owned more teams in the NFL? They own the Jets, they own the bills, they definitely own the Houston Texans, they own the Colts, and Belichick and Brady could be part owners of the Steelers.

It's unlike anything we've ever seen. They own the Chargers. No one even gives them, like, I do think that Andy can give them a game this year just because they can score with them, and Mahomes and that offense is that special, if they're fully healthy. but that would be the only team that you would go and really has a chance. And maybe some of the NFC teams. But the pads are just in a different world.

They're operating on a completely different level. And this notion that he did something shady, maybe he did. But there's a reason that they're held to the same standard as like, think of the most successful person in America. Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos. I'm telling you, when you just have conversations with people, the Patriots are talked about in those veins. like who are the Raiders talked about on that level?

I'm serious. Like the homeless? I mean, literally they haven't had a home and they've been looking for one for years. So the Patriots, who yeah, signed a crazy man, just put on arguably, given how much hype was in that game for the Steelers, one of the more impressive performance of the weekend. So there's a reason Belichick gets the benefit of the doubt.

There's a reason Brady says, tell Robert Crater, tell you come live with me. They're just operating on a completely different level. And yeah, did they take advantage of the Raiders' misfortune? Of course they did. But the only reason the Raiders had misfortune is because they got in bed with this guy that they had no business even associating themselves with.

They got in over their skis. For those of you that ski, have you ever like your first couple times instead of going down like the easy hole, the easy slopes, like the blue, gone down a double black diamond and been like, oh my God? Well, for any skiers out there, it was basically like they just went down a double black diamond and they had never skied before in their life. And John Gruden and Mike Mayock were like, oh my God, we are in trouble.

We are in major trouble. And they tumbled down the hill. And when they landed at the hill, Brady and Belichick were standing there right there to pick them up and take them. And that's just what happened. Hey, everyone, it's Dramos from Life as a Gringo podcast. Iheart Radio's sounds of my culture is brought to you by State Farm. At State Farm, we know how important it is to celebrate Hispanic heritage every day.

That's why we support Mike Othuda and invite you to continue enjoying all its great podcast. We also know what it takes to manage money, no matter the budget. That's why it's a good idea to consider State Farm and their surprisingly great rates. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. All right, Prince Royce, my guy, thank you for hanging out. And I got to say, listen, I'm curious. When you look back on growing up in a Latino community, what comes to mind for you?

I think growing up in New York and being surrounded by so much Latin culture was a blessing for me. I think I was able to listen to so many different genres of music from hip-hop to salsa to marangue to rock, go to Bacchata, go to regettone. And I think that that's what I loved about New York. There was such a big present community of everything.

Support Coutura all year long by listening to the Mike Cotura podcast. Network, available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is brought to you by Royal Caribbean, an award-winning global cruise line. A vacation is what you make it. So are you ready to make the most of it? A Royal Caribbean adventure is the perfect opportunity to not just take a vacation, but to take it for all its worth. We know you're eager to get back out there, and with Royal Caribbean, you can make the most of the moment and rise to the vacation. This is not just a

a cruise. This is the biggest, boldest vacation on land or at sea. This is pushing the limits of what could be done at sea and on land, breaking records and earning honors along the way. With over 270-plus destinations from the Caribbean, Alaska to Europe, and the biggest ships in the world to take you there, each one of our cruises is packed full of onboard features. You won't find anywhere else, like the tallest slide at sea and the tallest water slide in all North America. Plus dining that takes your taste buds on a world tour, jaw-dropping entertainment, an award-winning service delivered by a crew that comes to us from over 140 countries. So just don't take a vacation. Rise to the vacation. Come seek the Royal Caribbean. Visit royal Caribbean.com to learn more. Hey, Singles, do you feel like a

tourist in your own town? Too busy to enjoy all your city has to offer? Events and adventures organizes up to 30 unique get-togethers around town each and every month. We do all the work. We do all the so you have all the fun. On your schedule, visit places you didn't even know were places, and get to know the fellow singles you didn't know you needed in your life. Fall in love with your hometown all over again by joining events and adventures. Get started by visiting Events and Adventures.com today. That's Events and Adventures.com.

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And I say this all the time. The thing that I don't miss about scouting is watching the bad players. And especially when you're a young scout, you spend more time. I'm watching the crappy players, then you do the good ones. Like, I got news for you. Not all NFL players are created equal. I really, and I still do to this day, like I like talking about the stars. And it's why my media career, like I was made for the media.

Like, I'm not really into the nuts and bolts about your backup special teamers. I don't care. If you want to watch overachievers, go to a high school game. I watch the NFL to watch the best of the best. It's why when I watch, like, I like watching LSU Texas. I like watching Alabama play LSU. I like watching Clemson play Ohio State. Those are the games I want to watch.

I like watching Kansas City. I like watching Chicago's defense. Philly, Dallas. And one thing is clear in the NFL is that the game has completely changed because of the rules. It is so much easier to throw now. And aggressive coaches on offense are really thriving. And the guy that set the standard for the last probably 20 years is Coach Reed. He's been ahead of his time.

You know, if you think about it, his story. time in Philly, with his success, Donovan McNabb was a very, very talented player, but he was kind of flawed, you know, and then Alex, who is probably one of the more underrated players in NFL history, you ask anyone that was around him, they swear by him, he's a phenomenal person, and you could win with him as long as your team was good. Hardball won with him, go to read one with him. Now, you're not going to win a Super Bowl with him, but you can win with him. But Patrick Mahomes is basically like the smarter version of Farf. Now, is he going to win a Super Bowl like FAR, yet to be determined, but I think

we'd all go, yeah, I'd bet on it. I'm pretty confident, I'm very confident the next five or six years, the Kansas Chiefs under Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes win a Super Bowl. You can write that thing in stone. That's going to happen. As long as Patrick Mahom's stays healthy.

And that part of it on him is to play smarter. And that's where I think the FAR of comparison comes in a little bit. He's a little bit crazy. He's king of doing stupid things. No quarterback does this more in the NFL right now. he'll like slide head first and take a shot and he's like Patrick what are you doing

and then he gets up and he looks at the sideline at the coaches and he smiles he's like my bad he did it yesterday when he did a no look pass to a wide open Kelsey and then he looks at the sideline and he looks at Kelsey and he smiles it's like Patrick but you like can't hate him he's like a puppy dog like I can't really get mad at him for that and he's so good it doesn't matter

but what Andy is doing now with the most talented quarterback he's had as a head coach. Because Donovan was really talented, but he was never this good. Vic was really talented, but he was really flawed. He couldn't read a defense. Alex was really, really smart, but he was physically limited. This guy's got it all.

I mean, has it all. And they have so many damn weapons, it's just mind-numbing. And Andy, who's had a lot of weapons before, I mean, when I got to Philly, it was Deshawn and LaShawn and Jeremy Macklin. That was a really good young core. with Vic, remember that first year, lighten the world on fire. This crew's better because Tyree kills a dominant player, and luckily he's not seriously injured. Kelsey is probably the most dynamic tight end in the NFL.

Sammy Watkins yesterday looked like Randy Moss meets, I don't know, Antonio Brown. It's just incredible. And if you talk to the guys in Kansas City, they'll be like, and they were talking about this on the broadcast, he's a great guy, he's clearly very talented, he's got to stay healthy. Well, he doesn't need to do that every game. I think he had nine for almost 200 and three touchdowns. They just need him to stay healthy and be. He can be a number one wide receiver when Tyree kills out.

Then they got all these other wide receivers. Damien Williams looks good. Shady's going to be fine. Their offensive line's good. They're good. They're the one team that you take away yesterday in the AFC. You're like, yeah, they're the one team. And again, I'm recording this before the Monday night games.

Maybe the Texans, but probably not because the Patriots own the Texans. Yeah, they could give the Patriots a game. They could beat the Patriots in the NFC championship. championship game. Hell, they were off sides away from beating them. But then there's two other teams that really jumped out to me. And I have experience with both these two. And I'll start with Doug and the Eagles and Carson Wentz. One, I was around Doug every day when I worked in the office for two straight years. He is kind of like an Andy in terms of he's a very, very hard worker. I mean, they're super early, an absolute grinder.

I just was never around him from a scheme standpoint. Like I couldn't tell, he wasn't calling the place. Well, one thing's well established now. now in his two years in a game as, what is it, three years? I guess three years in a game as a head coach. He is an elite play caller. It is something that just innately comes with him. Like, he's got it. He's a long-time backup quarterback.

He's got it. He can do it. He took good notes working for Andy Reed and playing for all the good coaches that he did. Like, he's a special play caller. Then he's associated with, I wrote this down and I don't know if this comp is perfect. Carson Wentz is like the Shaquille O'Neal of quarterbacks.

Like his upside, when he's on, you're like, I've never seen anything quite like this. Mahomes a little bit like that, but Mahomes isn't 6-5-240 and can just toss defensive lineman off. Mahomes a little bit more far of gunslinger. You know, Carson Wentz is physically, looks like no human we've really seen, because he's much faster in Rathesburger. He's a more natural thrower even than a younger Rathesburg. And Rathsburg is a great, you know, was a Hall of Fame player. but Mahomes like, what is his ceiling? It's like Kobe Bryant said a couple weeks ago about Shaq.

If he would have worked hard, he could have won 12 championships. It was unstoppable. When I see Carson Wentz, who at halftime yesterday, right before half, when they scored the touchdown to make it, I think, 17 to 7, they were down 20 to 7 halftime, he flipped a switch. And him and Doug came out just guns blazing. It was like, God, their ceiling, those two guys together, is sky high. I mean, it's as high as Andy and Mahomes.

And it's because Carson Wentz is just such a freak talent. He is so damn good. And they have so much talent. Alshan's a baller. Deshawn, I get Chip Kelly, thought he was in a gang. Well, it turns out Chip Kelly doesn't know what he's doing. And Deshawns still can run really fast and score touchdown. You know, it turns out Shady actually isn't that bad.

Right? It's like Chip Kelly maybe just ruined a roster that it turns out that everyone was right on the other side of Chip Kelly. Not Chip Kelly. But this team with Philly is just really good. And their quarterback has a chance on any time he's, steps on the field to not just be the best player on that field, but to be the clear best player in the league.

And then the third guy. Before I worked in the NFL, I worked at Fresno State. And for two years, Boise was the team in the league, run by Chris Peterson. Their quarterback was a young player. That year was a redshirt freshman and a second year was a sophomore named Kellan Moore. And to this day, the best two players I've ever seen in my life were Reggie Bush live and Kellyn Moore alive. Now, Reggie Bush was an elite NFL prospect.

Kellen Moore was not an elite prospect. But just as a college player, I'm just talking college player. He was the most dominant college player I'd ever seen. He dominated. And I'm born and raised in Davis. My dad was big into UC Davis athletics. So I know a lot of people involved with the program. Chris Peterson is a Davis guy.

A lot of the Boise guys are Davis guys. These guys are elite intellects. Sean McDermott, I remember when I first got to Philly, and he knew I was from Fresno State, He used to ask me. He was our defensive coordinator that first year, who happens to be a head coach now and a pretty good one. Again, I've been around a decent amount of head coaches.

I worked in a league for three years. Nagy, McDermott, Doug, Andy, Todd Bowles. Like, I've seen the way these guys operate. He used to go, what is in the water at Boise? And I mean, I don't know, but they got something. And I'm telling you, everyone at Boise will tell you that Kellyn Moore, one, he was destined to be a coach, his dad's a longtime coach. His brother, who I just got a text from,

I got still friends in Fresno, my family lives there, Kirby Moore, his brother who played wide receiver at Boise State, is now the wide receiver coach at Fresno State. Someone just texts me, he typically works from 6 a.m. to 12 at night. So they're naturally grinders because they come from a coaching family, and I'm telling you, Chris Peterson would tell you, and I used to have, you know, it wasn't off the record because I was a scout. Kellen Moore was the smartest player he's ever been around.

The dude was a genius. And then when you factor in, he has a coaching background because of his family, he was destined for this moment. I don't think it's crazy to say, and I'm not trying to overreact to one Dallas game. I would have told you this 10 years ago, because I never thought he was going to play in the NFL. I thought the guy was going to be the next coach at Boise. He'd be a coach at USC one day. I thought the sky was the limit for this kid.

And this was just as a player because I knew his background. As I think Brian Harsons might have been Justin Wilcox, whoever it was, came back to Chris Peterson when they recruited Kellynmore. And he looked at Chris Peterson because Chris Peterson didn't want him because he's like 5-11. He doesn't have a great arm. And Justin Will – I think it was Justin Wilcox. and Justin Wilcox told him if this kid doesn't work out you can fire me or not let me recruit anymore

I mean made a bold statement and he's probably the best player in the history of Boise not NFL player I'm just saying individual player and the guy's a brilliant mind and you just watch the Dallas Cowboys and they've never looked like Philly with Doug or clearly Andy with Mahomes or you know

Patriots with McDaniels or even in the heyday like Todd Haley and Rothesberger and all those guys. You watch them yesterday, and I rewatched the game late last night on my iPad, condensed version, and it was a clinic. I mean, people motioning left and right, guys wide open, Amari Cooper looking like a star, Randall Cobb looking like a star, Dak looked like a star. Like I knew Mahomes and Andy were good.

I didn't need yesterday to find that out. I knew Carson has MVP talent. I didn't need yesterday to find that out. I've seen Doug go toe to toe with Belichick and beat him. We know he's an elite coach. I knew in my gut, Kellan Moore was a good coach. I hadn't seen it, and I had no proof.

But I would have bet on him. And I would bet the farm right now. I don't have a farm, even though my dad used to be a farmer, that Kellan Moore is a superstar up-and-comer. And this isn't just fluff, recency bias. It's because this guy was bred for this.

Again, these Boise guys, who these Boise guys, Chris Peterson's now at Washington, Justin Wilcox, now at Cal, they're intellects. And they will tell you, this guy's the smartest football, player and just mine they'd ever been around as a player at 19, 20, 21 years old.

He's on a different level. And I wouldn't know that if I hadn't been at Fresno State and we hadn't played them. And I have all these mutual friends and acquaintances that know them. I've been through the Boise program. Got to meet Chris Peterson several times. This isn't a fluke. This guy, like Andy, and I'm sure Doug and even Nagy will tell you, like they worked for

it. You know, I don't think any of them grew up with parents that were coaches. I know Doug coached a little bit in high school. after he got done playing. Like, Kellan Moore's been doing this since he was like five. You know, he's been, football is like his family's work. That's just what they do.

A little bit like Shanahan and McVeigh. It's just who they are. It's just a huge advantage you have. If you've ever read or heard about Belichick, Belichick was watching film when he was like six, just because his dad was into it, was part of it. It was working in the game. And some guys, like most of us,

Like, I, everything I do is going to take a while. I didn't like grow up in a, I mean, I grew up in a sports family, but it's like my dad was a coach or I was around football. Like, I got a crash course in football once I kind of got to Fresl State. And luckily I worked for a high level guy and I learned a lot. But I didn't know much going in. So I was up against people and probably around people that had just been doing a lot longer. It takes time.

And a lot of coaches are like that. You know, you get in the NFL, it should take you 15, 10 years, whatever. but some people just have an advantage because they've been doing it their whole life and are just meant for the moment, meant to do that. And that would be the way I would describe Kellynne Moore.

And I think that it's a game changer for the Dallas Cowboys because obviously you wouldn't take Dak Prescott over Patrick Mahomes or over Carson Wentz. No human would do that just from a talent standpoint. But it's a coaching league

and the Cowboys have really lacked offensive creativity, something the Eagles, the Chiefs, even the Bears have with Nagy. They don't have that. the Rams and the 49ers they have with their, you know, offensive minds. Linnahannan didn't bring that to the table. This kid does.

And I'm not trying to overreact. I like to, if you've listened to the show, you know I like Dallas. But now that I got to see it with my own eyes, when I already believed, I just didn't really say it. I think the sky's the limit. I think Philly and Dallas, I mean, it might take 13 wins to win the NFC East because those two teams, their ceiling is, we already knew the chief ceiling was high, but those two just kind of threw their hat in the ring. Like, you remember us?

Don't forget about us. And especially Dallas. We know that about Carson and Philly. But Dallas, I'm telling you, this little left-hander, I think he's from Washington or Montana or some little-ass town that played at Boise State is the real deal. I think we'd all agree that pressure is a real thing. Whether it's, you know, the pressure that your parents place on you when you're a kid, whether it's the pressure once you have children.

or a wife to provide for your family, whether it's the pressure of hitting the first tee shot in front of people watching you. Like, it's a real thing. And I think we'd also all agree the more you do something, the better equipped you are

to handle pressure. It's why the older I've gotten in life, the more calm I am in situations that I used to freak out about. You used to have a hot temper when I was younger, and I've just matured, about to be 35 years old, I can just handle situations better.

Do I still handle them well? Hopefully when I'm 45 or 55, I'll just keep growing, maturing. The more you experience in life, the better you handle them, right? Like Tiger Woods didn't just show up at the Masters in 97 and win it. He had been experiencing pressure from his father who had been putting him through this just intense daily operation. If you ever read the book, Tiger Woods is incredible. He was bred for it.

He was meant for it. But he had spent his entire life, basically 18 of his 20 years of life, getting ready for that moment. It wasn't like he just showed up in one, right? That's not the way it works. Go read about Jeff Bezos. He's been swinging his pick for Amazon since like the mid-90s. I mean, it's 2000, what are years of right now?

2019? So things don't just typically happen overnight. And usually when you put someone into a pressure situation that has never been in a pressure situation, like in that individual role, it's going to go poorly. because for the most part, people aren't equipped to handle it. And when you look at some recent successes on initial coaches,

go around the league in the NFL. Sean McVeigh took over a team that most people thought was going to be just terrible, thought they were going to be horrendous. Their quarterback couldn't take snaps from under center. The expectations were low. There wasn't that much pressure. Now, clearly there's pressure on being a head coach and leading men for sure. but just the pressure of winning.

Matt Nagy went to the Chicago Bears. John Fox was a joke. I mean, he was working like four hours a day. When Doug Peterson took over Chip Kelly, it couldn't have been any worse. Like, it was as low as it got. The expectations were tiny. There wasn't that much pressure.

They got to kind of ease into the job, first-time head coaches. Freddie Kitchens took over a job that had tangible pressure that was justified probably not, but there was legit pressure. Now, Freddie Kitchens, Kitchens, as a human being, he's been a starting quarterback at Alabama. He's faced pressure

before. So the analogy, it's not like he comes in blind. He's felt it in his life. But he's never been a head coach. And if you check out his resume, he's never called plays. So he goes into a situation where he's never been a head coach. He's never called plays where the expectations are beyond out of whack. And you see it immediately. He plays a team. And most people, most, you know, that fall football thought that Cleveland Browns were going to dominate the Tennessee Titans. Now, I'm not a big believer in the Tennessee Titans in the sense that I didn't expect it to look like that,

but if you take a step back, you go, well, the Tennessee Titans the last three years have averaged nine wins a season. And two years ago, they won a playoff game, and they fired a coach. Mike Vrable last year won nine games, and his quarterback got knocked out of Week 16, he didn't have it for Week 17,

or he probably would have made the playoffs. So you go, Mike Frable, who has been a, team captain for Belichick and one of the smartest players in the last couple decades, then gets hired by Urban Meyer, then becomes the defensive coordinator for Bill O'Brien, then gets a head coaching job after turning down some head coaching opportunities. So Freddie Kitchens was in this situation. No one was offering him head coaching job. There are questions if anyone was even offering him an offensive coordinator job.

So he goes into a situation where the pressure is just extreme. And like any of us, if you put me in a situation that I've never been in before, and the pressure on that is as high as it can possibly get, and you know it when you walk into a situation. If you just, middle coffee, you're going to work tomorrow for Goldman Sachs on Wall Street. I'd be like, I'd be weighing over my head. I'd freak. I'd lose it.

I'm already a nail-biter anyway. I'd chew them all off. Well, Freddie Kitchens, who thinks he's equipped because he's a football guy, former player, coached in the league for a while, has no business coaching this team, being the head coach. And you watch the team. I think that always translates. Any walk of life is toughness. Now obviously if you're a sales guy, you run a small business, you run a restaurant, whatever, you don't need to be physically tough.

You're not, unless you're a bouncer or a professional athlete, physicality doesn't come into most of our lives, right? You're not actually touching anyone. Legally, you're not allowed to. You can't hit anyone. You can't shove anyone. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. opinions are flying and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise.

Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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?

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 Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker.

Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? This Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano and our podcast, point. Point game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Rang.

Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He run up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. you do have to be mentally tough, and this gets back to the pressure.

Like, mental toughness is a legit thing. And that is, I think we'd also all agree there. Mental toughness is built over time. I don't think you're just born being like a Navy SEAL. Now, it's ingrained into you, and it's built maybe at a younger age, but you're not just born with that trait. It's something that's acquired through work at whatever you're doing. And like I said, maturity.

Physical toughness, though, with football is something that is established. And it comes from the head coach. because you either have a tough football team or you don't. And there's only one person to blame. It's your coach. And the team that you've assembled. And when I close my eyes and I think Mike Vrable, I think just badass.

I just, that guy's a badass. Now he's kind of a funny badass. You can tell he grew a mustache as probably a joke, and then he just kept rocking it. Like some guys, especially guys like over 50, 55, did have a mustache. They just, like Bruce Bochie, Andy Reed. Like they just have mustache is their look.

They just wear. I have good family friends whose dads have mustaches. They've had mustaches since I've known them in like the late 80s. They just wear a mustache. Personally, I can't grow a mustache. My facial hair is not thick enough. Mike Vrable is not a mustache guy. He's rocking one.

And it actually pulls it off. But his team is tough. They've been tough. And they not only hit the browns in the teeth. Sometimes what's Mike Tyson's favorite line? Everyone has a game plan until you get hit in the mouth. The difference is like you can hit the Patriots in the mouth. They'll get up.

I watched Patrick Mahones get hit in the mouth by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. He didn't lay on the mat. He got back up. Now, ultimately, he didn't win the fight, but he got back up and kept swinging. I watched the Browns get hit in the teeth in the second half of that game

and have no... They wilted like a flower. I mean, it was just, they tapped out. They were just done. The analogy I'd make of what we witnessed yesterday with the Browns and Vrabble against Freddy Kitchens was just an assessment.

establishment of toughness. We're just tougher than you. We think you're fake tough. We think you are guys that just, I heard Collins rant, you just talk, talk, talk. To me, talking, whatever, some people can back it up. I don't mind talking if you can be, like Randy Moss talked forever. You couldn't stop him.

You know, Michael Jordan talked. He kicked your ass. Tiger Woods shit talk. It didn't matter. Like, if you can back it up, I got no issue with talking. What Mike Rabel did, I'm not a big UFC guy, but you know in a UFC fight when the dude straddles the guy's face, when he gets him on the ground, and he takes his elbow,

and he starts elbowing to the face, and you're just like, he might kill him. And the referee always comes over immediately, grabs the guy on top of him, and blows the whistle, and shoves the guy off the other fighter. The equivalent of what Mike Vrable did to Freddy Kitchens and the Cleveland Browns is that same scenario, straddling his face in the middle of the octagon,

blasting him with elbow shots to the face. The difference in this scenario is there was no referee. He just kept pounding. rounding him over and over and over again. It was a clinic on toughness. We are just tougher than you. And we've been hitting the teeth before they got hit the teeth last year. Mariotta went out and they lost Week 17.

That's a mentally tough team. Because again, Vrable, who'd Vrable learn from? Not just some rando. He was Belichick's team captain. Pretty sure of multiple titles. Counting three. He's the real deal. Look at the people that have hired him.

Urban Meyer, Bill O'Brien. Brian. Now he's hired to be a head coach Tennessee. Like Mike Vrable is on a completely different level than Frady Kitchens. And I'm not trying to just shit on Freddy Kitchens. He never should have been put in this situation. Just like I said earlier in the podcast on Antonio Brown, he never should have been a raider. You

put him in the situation, you got issues. Like I'm not into bashing Baker. I think Baker's a good player. I do think he got humbled a little bit yesterday. Sundays have humbled many a men over the years. Right? So, and you got the Odell with the watch, whatever. I don't even, none of that means anything.

to me. I just know what I watch, because I don't judge you on all the fluff. And the fluff doesn't mean anything to me. Words don't mean anything to me. I just judge humans on their action in any walk of life. Whether it's politics, whether it's the community I live in, whether it's football. I live into an area where everyone just, they claim they're really all into helping people and we're just very socially liberal. And then I see those same people that tweet that and talk about it live in these enormous houses in parts of town where they don't help anyone out. And they refuse to build low-income housing. They talk. They talk a big game. Just like I saw, I remember Pete Carroll last year, called Colin Kaepernick

a starting quarterback. So this guy's a starting quarterback in the NFL. Pete Carroll desperately needed a backup quarterback and didn't sign up. Like Pete, you don't believe that. You're saying one thing and you do another. I despise hypocrites. I just, if I say something, I try to live it. Now, we've all been hypocritical at times in our life. That happens. But if you're going to say something, walk the way you talk. And I just know the Browns, they just, they're a lot of fluff there. And at the end of the day, you can get by with fluff if you're good enough and tough enough. And Michael Jordan, you know, Larry Bird, they say is the greatest, you know, shit talker in the history of sports. He backed it up because he was tough as nails. They are very

talented, but you can see their issue, the toughness. Because in football, and I get in social media, everyone wants to be soft and, you know, be in PC and the culture, everyone's, everyone be nice to everyone. That translates well, I guess, on the internet. But in football, football, like, you've got to be tougher than the guy across from you. And for the most part, you've got to be better than the guy across from you. But if you're not tough enough, mentally and physically, that when you just get hit in the jaw figuratively in football, like you get knocked down and you get blasted, can you just pick yourself up, shake yourself off, and swing again? Like, you know what, the Steelers? I'm not writing the Steelers off.

They got punked, the Patriots zone them. I think they'll be fine. Are they as bad as we, what we just witnessed? Of course not. They've shown over and over, they're not going to go away. So I'm not going to overreact to that loss. Just like the Colts. I thought the Colts lost showed a lot of toughness. I thought Detroit, you know, did not show a lot of toughness. They just kind of, they're just not a tough team.

And their head coach on the sideline looks like a disaster. He's got a torn Achilles. He's, I mean, he looks just so unhealthy. He looks so unhealthy. And that team is just soft. And the softest team of the weekend, though, beside the dolphins, and I don't even count the dolphins. They are not, you know, they are in the NFL, but I don't count them as an NFL team.

The Brown should be ashamed of themselves from a toughness standpoint. And I think that's going to be their downfall. I don't know if, and it starts at the top and their coach is just over his head. Of course he's over his head. He never should have got this job. No other team in the league would have hired him. None. And now he's the head coach of a team with these crazy expectations.

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I want to hit on a couple things that I saw this weekend, just rapid fire, keep it short, that I want to touch on. A couple college football things, too, and then I'll hit on a couple NFL things that I didn't touch on. Then we'll get in the middle-off mailbag. Let's start on Saturday. One, Joe Burroughs is the real deal. I was out having fun downtown where I live, had a few cocktails, and we were just at a sports bar, and it's just every time I looked up, the dude was making elite throws.

The thing LSU has lacked really these last 20 years, really, maybe not that many, since Jamarcus Russell. They have had an Alabama, Clemson, an Ohio State level squad. They have not had a quarterback. If they get quarterback play at that level, they have a chance to win a national title. I don't think that's like some crazy overreaction. They have the dudes. They always have. Their defense is always stacked.

Their wide receivers are always awesome. And their skill guys, they just need a quarterback. And this Joe Burrow cat looks like the real deal. Chip Kelly's a disaster. I don't think he's a lock to make it to year three. He just lost the San Diego State for the first time in program history. They play Oklahoma this week. He's going to get destroyed.

He then plays Washington State. He's going to get destroyed. He's going to be 0.4. He's stealing money. He is absolutely stealing money for UCLA and I just think it's crazy that they hired him coming off the years he's not a good coach. It's just that we have the evidence in, he's not a good coach.

He inherited a good program. He took it to another level. He was a great coach at Oregon because he was on a different level on things that people weren't implementing their offense. Now he does something that everyone does. So everyone does what he does in terms of pace and movement. He's never been able to coach defense.

The UCLA is a train wreck. And there might have been 15,000 people at the Rose Bowl. For those of you that have never been to the Rose Bowl, it's awesome. One, two, I'm pretty sure it holds like 95,000 people. So it's not your typical West Coast venue. It's massive. And again, might have had 12,000 people there. So the program is in absolute shambles.

And on the flip side, Lynn Swan just retired, USC. Clay Hilton, Clay Hilton's probably going to get fired unless they run the table. and make the playoffs, win the Pac-12, which is going to be hard. Though he's done a good job, he just kicked the crap out of Stanford with his backup quarterback. But I do respect and admire, unlike Chip Kelly, he takes recruiting seriously. He works really hard at it. I think he values the job. It's just they're going to bring in a new AD.

USC has never really hired a coach that wants top dollar. I mean, when they got Pete Carroll, he was like fourth in line. So he might have been fifth in line. So they usually, you know, despite it being a quote-unquote great job. They don't really get the top-notch coach. Let's go to Sunday. Lamar Jackson, I've been very hard on Lamar in the sense that I didn't believe in them. I'm not going to overreact that I was completely wrong.

They played Miami, and as I said earlier, Miami's a joke. I mean, that they are an embarrassment of an NFL team. But I'm not going to diminish. You go five touchdowns, and you dominate like that in the first half. Hat tip, nothing but respect. I say it all the time. When I don't like a guy coming out, I didn't like a guy coming out, I didn't like Josh Allen, and I didn't like Lamar Jackson.

If you're a good guy, and Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, their character from what I've known and heard and people that are, is pristine, I root for those guys. I hope Lamar Jackson am wrong. I want him to kick out. Same with Josh Allen. Awesome drive. Another guy who wasn't playing very well, who looked like a bigger version of Trubisky, the first three quarters, made some just clutch plays down the stretch. That's a good win. The bills are going to be, are going to be sneaky tough.

They really are. I don't know what to make of Kyler Murray and the Detroit Lions. I really don't. I don't really have a takeaway from that game. Now, I do have a takeaway. I tweeted this out. There was a couple text threads I was on with some friends. I was on another one with some NFL people.

And there was a lot of mess being talked about Kyler Murray and Cliff Kingsbury. And at the end of the day, they did come back, forced them to overtime and tie the game. So they shut me up a little bit. James Winston is a bust. He's a full-on bust. There is no way around it. He is a walking disaster. He's a walking pick six is what he is.

He literally threw two and easily could have been a third. They went right through the 49ers free safety's hands. He would have walked 100 yards into the end zone. James sucks. I mean, there's just simply put, end of story, period, point blank. I mean, he's a disaster. His days of starting quarterback are now he's on the clock. It's over.

His days are numbered. It might just be this season. It'll never happen again. Now, he may start again, but he's going to be a backup quarterback in the very, very near future. And he will not be the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Giants stink. I mean, they are really, really bad. Personnel is awful.

I feel bad for Sequin Barkley, who by far, Besides, like, all the cowboys was the only other sweet dude on the Giants. Like, he's awesome. He is a really, really fun player to watch. But, man, it sucks being such a great running back on a team that is that crappy. Because they are, they couldn't be any worse. I mean, they really could not be any worse. They're a better version of the Dolphins, so they might win a couple games, but they ain't winning many games.

I'd be shocked if they won. If you told me the over-under was three and a half, I might take the under. To me, they look like a 3-13 team. I mean, the division's hard because the Eagles and Cowboys are stacked. The Redskins are a good, bad team. Like, they're not going to win many games, but their roster's pretty good. And does anyone not give a damn less than Jay Gruden or more?

However, you could possibly give a damn less. Like, it's Jay Gruden. He had a great quote after the game when they asked him, why didn't he have Adrian Peterson active? And he said, well, maybe we'll get him up next game if we plan on running it 55 times and running it out of the game. the I formation. Like he's at the point now where he gives zero, zero Fs.

I mean, zero. Negative. Negative worries about how he's going to be perceived in this building. Like he knows he's done. This is his last year in Washington. And, you know, whether I don't know enough about him. I do know, I do think he's a pretty good coach. You know, could Gruden use him as his offensive coordinator and to get his

offense going if this year struggles? Maybe that's not crazy. But Jay Gruden, could not care less how his owner or his general manager view him right now. He's just, they're probably not a better interview in the NFL because you could ask him anything and he'll do, he might answer it truthfully, which you don't get. And probably the last thing, I want to mention this game.

Dalvin Cook looks like a superstar. The Vikings are going to be good. Actually, a sneaky, pretty good week two game. Vikings at Packers. I'm actually pretty interested in watching that game. Because whoever wins that game is going to be feeling pretty good about themselves too enough. Green Bay wins that, they would have,

beaten, they would have to be 2 and 0 in the division. They'd be off to a pretty good start. It's actually a sneaky, pretty important early season game, but the Atlanta Falcons what a joke. You talk about a soft culture. For Dan Quinn for being a tough guy, they are really, really soft.

And I thought they'd be a playoff team. I liked them in that game. I'm out. I really am. Especially, I mean, they play the Eagles this week. Eagles could kick their ass. Falcons could be in a little trouble. Okay, let's get to the Middlecoff mailbag. It's

where you guys can ask me questions. Go to Instagram. My DMs are wide open. I always say it's much easier to get a hold of me. Either text or DMs. So you DM at John Middlecoff, Twitter handle, Instagram handle,

and I answer your questions here. Hey John, best in the business. I appreciate that. Do you think the Packers? I'm not, but I appreciate like the ego get patted every once in a while. Do you think the Packers should consider trading for Melvin Gordon? I like Aaron Jones, but I think we'd agree sort of a middle of the pack.

I don't want to overreact to one game, especially against an elite defense like the Bears. But the Packers don't really have any elite weapons for Rogers other than Devante. The question goes on and on. But, you know, would I take Melvin Gordon for a fourth round pick? Yeah. But they're not giving them away. And here's the – I'm not paying him. This is – the one thing I've noticed so far, a couple Saturday.

I consume a lot of college football. They're going to be, I tweeted this last weekend. I might even be off. There might be six or seven running backs in this draft class. They get drafted in the top 90 players. So why would you give up a third or fourth round pick from Melvin and then have to pay them when you can just draft a starter in this upcoming draft? Because I'm telling you, it is stacked with dudes.

There are a lot of guys from E.T.N to the kid at Utah, to the kid at Arizona State. They're just dudes. Everywhere. Every game I watch of the good teams, they got running backs. Question for the mailback. What is up with Nagy not running the ball? I talked about in the last podcast. I think he just got away from it when Roger scored early in that game. Because it's not going to be a shootout. You have a great defense. Just run the ball, control the clock, and win ugly. That's how, to me, the Bears are going to have to win. They're going to dominate on defense, have a top three or four scoring defense, and they're going to be just to pound the ball. and you got to be,

Misha's not Mahomes. He's not Carson Wentz. He's, hell, he's not DAC. So you got to, I think Nagy will go back to the drawing board and he's going to start running the ball a little more. Hey John, just started listening to the show about a month ago. Hel's my work day go faster.

Appreciate that. My question, people seem to bunch all air raids together. As a Big 12 fan, I've seen differences between Cliff, Leach, Breils, and Riley, which would transfer best to the NFL and why? I was asking someone today, I realize I don't completely know what defines an air raid.

Because if you've watched Leach, he uses a running back. They just throw to him a lot. They just don't use, they don't hand the ball off. Like Lincoln Riley, who has some air raid in him, right? Because he's been around those guys, to me, really utilizes the run game. I think Lincoln Riley definitely would. I think Leach, with the right system would. Kingsbury, at the end of the day, I just don't think he's a good coach.

You know, he couldn't win at Texas Tech. Like, Mike Leach is just a better version of Cliff Kingsbury. Like, Cook, Kingsbury is not going to be good enough. Now, if you get to play, you know, Matt Patricia every week, could be in good shape. But I got news for you. You get Pete Carroll, you get Sean McVeigh, you get Kyle Shanahan, and the other problem for the air raid offense. And I think you're going to see it this year at Oklahoma,

is for the first time since like Venables, Oklahoma's got a legit defensive coordinator. Washington State underrated these last couple of years. has played defense. Cliff Kingsbury doesn't know anything about defense, and he arguably has the worst defensive coordinator in the league in Van Joseph. You've got to play defense. Just wondering what your thoughts are on the Jets this year.

Also, any best bets for this week, so this was before the Sunday games, but I can answer the first question. I think the Jets, you know, it's going to be, after watching that game, offensively might be a struggle. Now, Levyon should get better as the season goes on. Their offensive lines are a little hit or miss. They don't have too many weapons, but the one talented tight end,

suspended, I think, the first four games. I wouldn't write them off yet, but after watching the Bills, bits and pieces of the Bills' Jets game, I would lean that the Bills are probably a game or two better. At the end of the day, the Bills probably go eight, nine wins. I think best case in error for the Bills 9, worst case 7, were the Jets best case, probably 8 and 8, worst case 6 and 10,

somewhere in that sweet spot, probably a year away. I mean, they haven't had a GM, you know, hell, since after OTAs. So I think the Jets are probably a year away after his taking. Though I do think they got something pretty special in Sam Darnold, but he's got a long way to go too. Question for the mailback. Much like holdouts have become the norm for players wanting a contract extension one year and now sometimes two years early.

Do you think A.B. is released from the Raiders and signing with New England since the bats sets a bad precedent for the league? Any player who gets traded to a team he's unhappy with could just act up and get released if he's crazy enough or good enough to give the guaranteed money and security to a new market. Well, here's the problem

is that Antonio Brown had one thing working for him. He's the best wide receiver in the league. And the Raiders, in this situation, the Raiders are viewed as the joke. Like, whenever the Raiders screw something up, all the teams around the league

just say to themselves, it's the Raiders. Like, if this had happened with the Eagles or the Seahawks, people would go, well, it's the guy, it's the player, not the team. But in this case, people just go, it's the team. Plus, in season, to sign a guy to a decent money contract, you need to have some money available. Like, your cap can't be taken.

So they were uniquely equipped. And again, I think Belichick just views the Raiders as being nuts. I don't think he even cares what Antonio did. Because he also knows if Antonio doesn't shape in for him, he'll shape out because they'll cut them. I always enjoy hearing stories from their scouting days. Can you tell us from the very start of the scouting process about one specific player you scouted that worked out well? Well, I was in-house a couple years, so my first couple years, you just do pro scouting,

which means, you know, guys are kind of already in the league and established. I remember watching Pernel McPhee as I think like a fourth round draft pick and thinking like, God, this guy is pretty incredible. But again, these guys were already in the league. Now, I worked the road for a year. My three favorite players, I did the West Coast. I love Dionne Jordan, who's been a bust, star Lottledi Lately, who, you know,

who just not that good. It was solid. And Ziggy Ansah, that was really good. He's probably my favorite player and was injured, who just can't stay healthy. Robert Woods was a guy I really, really liked, and I just liked his attitude. I liked the way he played.

I loved just watching him in practice at USC, and that year at USC, it was him, and Marquis Lee was a lot of, a sophomore. I just thought he was going to be a star. And, you know, those first couple years in Buffalo is a disaster. Now, sometimes if you see, like, situation in the NFL plays a big part in your success, you know, and ever since he's came to L.A., where he's from, has changed his career. And he's become, you know, I don't know if he's a number one ride receiver, but he's a damn good number two. So I'm a big Robert Woods guy. And, you know, I'll never forget Ziggy Ansah going

through BYU, they tell you that, you know, this dude grew up in Africa. He didn't know what football was. He, I think, walked on to the BYU's track team. And the football players were playing pick up basketball, and he was playing there. And I think one of the players is like, what the hell? And they started talking to him. They're like, bro, you need to come out to, you need to come meet Bronco Mendenhall. And so they invited him to, like, the football offices.

This guy was like a walk-on-track athlete. But he's 6-5. He was like 260. He could run. He had never played football before in his life. And Broncos started working with him, and three years later, he's a fifth pick in the draft. Okay.

My question is not super serious, but I'm curious to hear your all-time starting lineup. Offense, defense, kicker, punter, not necessarily the goats, but if the guys you like most of all time. Well, that would take some time, but let's just go, you know, on the outer limits, because the lines would take some time.

I'd go Brady. My favorite running back ever, in my lifetime, for me, would be Lidane and Tomlinson. Favorite tight end would be gronk. Wide receivers would be Jerry Rice. You know, you got to have a diva on your team, so I'll go Randy Moss. I'm a sucker for T.O. though, growing up in the bay. I'll go slot receiver. You know, if I just had to, my favorite slot receiver, this guy's not the best,

but I mean, Jules is my guy. I freaking love Edelman. Full back. That's a good one. What fullback would I go with? Growing up, I love William Floyd on the 49ers on some of those good early 90s teams. Moose Johnson was a really good player.

You could pick one of those guys. Backup quarterback. If Brady was my starter, who would I want to be my backup? I'd probably go with like Marino. I was always just kind of like Marino. And just go defense. I'd go Reggie White.

Again, these aren't not necessarily the best players ever, but I love John Randall, like him on the inside. I go Aaron Donald, give me L.T. Middle linebacker. I'm going Ray Lewis. Safeties. I'll go Earl Thomas, Ed Reed. Corners. I'm going Dion Sanders. And I'm going, you know, I just like this guy's style. I'm going Richard Sherman.

Or I'll go Revis. I mean, Peek Revis was better than Sherman. Coach, I'm going Belichick. Kicker, I'm going just because you need a drinking buddy. I'll go Sebastian Janikowski. Punter, I'll go Ray Guy, throw it back old school. Not bad off the top of my head.

On the real note, what did I think of the Vikings today? Cousins look really solid, and Dalvin Cook, that boy can run. Yeah, I mean, if the Vikings defense dominates, they're going to be in pretty good shape because they can control the clock. Kirk Cousins had 10 attempts. They played the Atlanta Falcons.

He threw the ball 10 times, and they were up 28 to nothing in the fourth quarter. I mean, in the third quarter, like it was an ass whooping. I think the Vikings, you talk to anyone in the NFL, like their team is really talented. There's no disputing it. Their roster is good. Cousins just, I don't know, be somewhat of a game manager. You know, if you only have to, 10 attempts in a game, like you're in pretty good shape. The podcast, if you were to build an NFL roster, what position is a lot of

would you sacrifice in the salary cap or look to have younger, more inexperienced players at? Running back, corner, outside linebacker. I would invest heavily in defensive line, obviously your quarterback, my tackles. I need sweet wide receivers in 2019, tight end. So I would try to make shifted at running back and fullback. I would like to have a cheaper wide receiver to go along with my expensive wide receiver. I'd try to, you know, piece match it with solid young guards and centers. I wouldn't want high-price guards and centers, so I'd have to nail my draft picks.

I'd spend a lot of my defensive line. I'd want some sweet, but I'd draft this guy in like a third or fourth round, an athletic linebacker that can run, but I don't need Ray Lewis in 2019. In corners. I would just try to kick your ass up front, and just my corners would just, I'd try to get by with. I mean, look at the Eagles. They're going to win 12 or 13 games. their corners aren't they good.

Big Packers guy. Do you believe the NFL would ever allow players to advertise for themselves during games? My theory is the NFL just signed a sponsorship with Oakley. With the popularity of graphic visors, players wear in practice, do you think it could ever move to a player being paid to wear company logos on the visors, ETC? No, I think there's rules for that. That's why the NFL splits revenue with all the jersey stuff.

So like the NFL, you get paid. for the Nike deal that the NFL has. That's how the revenue sharing works. As I'm recording the Middilcoff mailbag, I'm watching the Houston Texans and Sean Watson just had a pretty sweet touchdown. So I don't think that you'll see that.

I think that that's pretty well established. They share money through the revenue sharing just through already the ways that it works. Because then it would get too complicated. I think the players can do it off the field easily right through social media and do Patrick Mahomes, Oakley. Tom Brady Ugs.

There are a million partnerships that the players make so much money that way. It's not even a really a big deal. Appreciate everyone listening. What a fun week one. God, I mean, you got to love football, right? It doesn't get much better than the National Football League. And thanks for listening. I appreciate everyone taking the time to listen to me, talk about it.

Because without you guys, couldn't do this. So we'll just keep it rolling, baby. The NFL's back. We're all back. And it's time to roll. Peace. If you work in IT, you'll want to check out Changemakers, a podcast, profiling IT industry leaders. We dive deep into IT profiles and learn what it takes to drive large-scale IT transformations for successful businesses.

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This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source,

the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. hear listen to sports slice on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast and for more follow timbo slice of life 12 in the tick tock podcast network on tick to another podcast from some s nl late night comedy guy not quite on humor me with robert smigle and friends me and hilarious guests from bob odenkirk to david letterman help make you funnier this week my guess sn l's mikey day and head writer streeter sidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry.

You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to you. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.