The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Texans dominate, Chiefs ice the Dolphins, Bills-Steelers postponed

Episode Date: January 14, 2024

John reacts to KC taking down Miami in a game that the Dolphins never stood a chance because of the weather. He dives into Mahomes and Reid showing why they are considered one of the best in the league, how Miami will likely never have a chance in the AFC because they have a hard time playing in the cold, and should Tua look to leave Miami. He also discusses the tremendous performance that CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans had in their dominating win over the Browns. Lastly, John touches on Kalen Deboer as the new head coach at Alabama. 5:29 - Chiefs-Dolphins Reaction 22:27 - Houston-Cleveland Reaction 30:06 - Buffalo-Pittsburgh postponed 32:34 - Raiders front-runner for their HC 35:54 - Kalen Deboer in Alabama Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Volume Draft King Sportsbook, an official betting partner of the NFL playoffs, is bringing you an offer to help make the playoffs electrifying. New customers can bet five bucks on any game

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It's a little Saturday edition. We got the Chiefs. Just worked the Dolphins in conditions that I don't think there's any amount of money you could pay me to be in, but you can Patrick Mahomes. And he looked good. Chiefs win. And now, I mean, there's a chance. I guess if the Bills lose, they could host a playoff game.

But I would guess as we're sitting here today, they will go to the Bills, which would be a great second round game. And the Dolphins are calling it quits. and we'll discuss why they got a major problem because they got to pay the quarterback in theory. You saw it tonight, like, how's he beating any of these cold weather quarterbacks? The first game, the Houston Texans, Damico Ryans and C.J. Stroud Destroy the Browns.

Oh my God. The Joe Flacco Disney movie came to a crashing halt tonight, and then we will hit on a couple other things. The Bill's game was moved. Antonio Pierce, now the favorite, to get the Raider job. Calan Dubour. I watched some of his introductory press conference

with the Alabama Crimson Tide. So a lot going on football-wise. If you listen on Collins' feed, make sure you subscribe to Three and Out. And all this stuff's on YouTube as well. So subscribe to Three and Out on John Middle Coffee YouTube channel. Thevolume.com, we got merch. And the game plan is going to be just podcasts all week.

So we got games tomorrow, multiple games Monday, and then obviously getting ready for the next round. So it's football season. and during football season, we talk football. So let's just keep rocking and rolling, baby. But first, game time, download the number one ticketing app in America. My homies, the official ticketing app of this podcast, go to your app store, go to your iPad, download the GameTime app.

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And listen, it's part of sports, especially when it comes to football. You have six, seven days between games. You got a lot of time to think. And sometimes, you know, the old saying is paralysis by analysis. I think that can happen sometimes. And tonight, I think most of us, if you're not a dolphin fan, all came to the same conclusion. Yes, it was difficult for this Chiefs team to score this year. Yes, it does not look like the teams of yesteryear, definitely of not of the early Mahomes Andy run.

But under no circumstances could I see once the weather report came out. When I first got hired in the NFL in 2010, one of my jobs during the game week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and even Friday they get out a little early, I would print out, I mean, this is a little old school, weather.com, the projected weather for Sunday or Monday or Thursday, depending on the day we were playing, and drop them off to obviously the coordinator and coach, but every coach, the projected weather.

So obviously the weather, and we played in a cold weather city. I mean, the weather is a huge part of the sport of football, right? Let's use, you know, the NBA, for example. Zero impact, right? None. Even in baseball, for the most part, depending on where you are, it can impact you a little in October, depending on the team. But in football, it's freezing cold where I am. It's 50 degrees.

I watched that tonight, eating dinner with my girlfriend thinking, we talked about this. How much would I have to pay you? We joked about, was it the Panther Falcon game? Yeah, it was. How much I would have to pay someone to attend that game? Remember, driving rainstorm, two of the most boring teams in the league.

You know, everyone had their different number. Like, I don't know. Now, listen, I hate the cold. I don't know the amount of money you could pay me to attend that. But I do know the amount of money the Chiefs paid Patrick Mahomes. And they gave him $450 million. And with a guy like that, regardless how much quote-unquote is guaranteed, he's going to see every penny.

And you saw tonight, he's worth every penny. Because I thought tonight, he looked pretty normal. Like, even some of the drops on some of the deeper balls, when the wide receivers clearly got a little confused by the wind, the ball landed at their fucking feet. I mean, the balls were right there. You watched him the night and you went, that's a superstar.

And you watch the other guy, which we'll get into in a little bit and be like, you have no chance to win this game. But in that conference, right, you have to be able to play outside. Obviously, Patrick is the quarterback for a team that plays in frigid conditions. The AFC North, which is going to be good for a while,

Steelers, the Ravens, the Bengals, and the Browns, all outdoor, all core. Cold. The Bills have a superstar quarterback, which the Chiefs are probably going to go to next year. Literally, the game just got delayed because of weather. Freezing cold. They ain't going away.

If Gerard Mayo knows what he's doing and the Patriots can you figure out a quarterback, that place is cold. Obviously, the Jets, if they ever win enough games to make in the playoffs, I would never bet on that. Cold place. The AFC is a cold place to play. You have to be able to play outside in the elements. and Mahomes, like before him, Brady forever, has proven over and over and over again that he can't.

Like tonight, scheme, none of it mattered. It was going to be ugly even when it was 16 to 7 at half. I had a buddy text me like, ah, they had to settle for some Butker field goals. It's going to hurt them. No, it's not. This is not a game in the middle of October. This is middle of January. No one can feel any fucking part of their body.

None of these field goals are going to hurt them. Miami, I would have bet $50,000 that Miami wasn't going to sniff 17 points at halftime. So no, big up 16 and 7. I'd argue the game was over at halftime. I felt really good. The Chiefs, if they just got like one more field goal, the Dolphins don't have a snowball chance in hell to win this game. Because in these conditions, this isn't normal football.

I interned for Kansas City before I went to work at Fresno State my senior year in college. And I ended up driving home back to Davis, California. with my dad around Christmas time. He came to pick me up. I did like a quarter internship. And right the day before we left, it was Sunday, we went to like one of the last games of the season. And I got field passes.

My brother came out as well. I think he ended up flying back. And I remember taking them down to the sidelines. And in the corner of the end zone, and they mentioned this tonight on the broadcast, I know everyone hates listening to Jason Garrett. And listen, I'm not a huge fan either, but I refuse to bitch and moan about Peacock

and Jason Garrett. It is what it is. They hired Drew Breeze for this role. He was terrible. They fired him. And now we're here. Like, I'm not going to get up in arms about the NBC executives who are bad at their job. We have to watch Jason Garrett. It is what it is. For some reason, Mike Tariko can do a doubleheader.

Collinsworth cannot. This is obviously contractual obligations. NBC is losing money by the day. Literally, they are. They're about to cut a bunch of staff in the NBC news. But that's a conversation. I'm not going to waste my time here. But I remember taking them down and they were like,

is the field frozen? And I forget the exact date. It might have been like December 20th, somewhere around there. It was so cold. And you have the ability to function in that? Like listen, the Chiefs have been built this season to play ugly. They can run the ball with Pajako. Their defense is feisty.

And never forget, they have one of the greatest quarterbacks we've ever seen. Oh yeah, they also have one of the greatest head coaches we've ever seen. So tonight, watch. them strangled Miami out in the first half in a cold, frigid game was the least shocking thing I think we're going to see all week. Honestly, if you told me the Packers beat the Cowboys, that is less shocking than what we witnessed tonight. If you told me the Steelers, like Warren, Naji Harris run for a buck 80

and their defense creates some shit and Josh is off, like, it'd be shocking, but not more than what we just, like, what we just witnessed was always going to happen. And listen, the Chiefs are going to be a tough out. Now, I don't think this changes that much from what we've seen. Like, they're playing an opponent that was obviously inferior. We've talked about Miami being a giant Fugazi. They beat no one except the Cowboys.

And they definitely can't function outside. But, like, the Chiefs are used to playing in this game. If they can play Buffalo or they can play Baltimore and the game's ugly, they're going to have a chance. if you get into a shootout, they're obviously going to be in some trouble if their defense isn't playing well. But this team, whenever you are playing

all-time greats, and that's what Mahomes, and that's what Andy are, it's not going to be easy in a playoff scenario. Now, they're going to have to go on the road next week, you know, for the... Potentially, I guess, you know, if Buffalo were to lose,

they mentioned this, they could host the Houston Texans, which would be, I mean, I mean, talk about a gift. I have a hard time seeing that. I expect them to go to Buffalo. And I think a lot of people, depending on how it looks with the Buffalo and the Steelers, are going to pick the Buffalo bills.

I probably will too. But not, I will not look at the game like this. And I by no means will feel confident in picking the bills. But this Chief's team, man, it's called Championship Blood. When I lived in the Bay Area and the Giants were rattling off World Series, they weren't always the best team. They weren't always the hottest team entering. the playoffs, but they knew how to win when it mattered the most. They knew how to win when

their starting pitcher was off, just like the Chiefs. They know how to win when it's fucking negative 10. They know how to win when regardless who they're playing. Why? They've played them all at this point in time. So fantastic win by the Chiefs. And I think the big picture question you have with you're the Miami Dolphins. You have one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL and Vic Fangio. You had a million injuries. Listen, it can't get any worse than this. Mike McDaniel is proven to be an excellent offensive head coach. But you have a quarterback that if you have to play, Mahomes at Arrowhead, Burrow in Cincinnati, Lamar in Baltimore, and Josh Allen in Buffalo,

you're not going to win. He can't play in those conditions. And I was thinking watching tonight, how is anyone shocked? Born and raised in Hawaii, I don't know about you, I've been to Hawaii 10 plus times in my life. It's beautiful. It's hot all the time. Even when it rains, it's still warm. It's, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the world.

It ain't cold. He went to Alabama, also not cold, and now he lives in Miami. So you're telling me, a guy that has spent his entire life in warm weather conditions, who has an average arm, can't play well in inclement conditions, stunned, shocked. Here's the problem for the dolphins, though. He's going into his fifth year. Like all those guys got paid after their third.

They didn't pay Tua yet. Now Tua did well enough this year where it's like, how are you going to upgrade? You can't really. But when his reps call you this offseason and want 180, 170, 190 million dollars guaranteed, you'd have to think to yourself, how can our guy outplay those guys

who are all paid a shitload of money and can all excel in cold weather? How can we ever go in those inclement conditions and win a game? Because more than likely, even if we have a good year, okay, one year we have the number one seed and we host the games. But clearly you're going to be three seed, the four seed, the five seed. You're going to have to go on the road and beat these teams in really cold weather. And you watch that guy tonight, and he did not have a chance.

His one touchdown pass was an absolute prayer that Tyreek had to turn around, get past interference on, catch it like Willie Mays, do a 360, go around another guy and score. That was their only touchdown. Like, listen, I'm not some two-a-hater. He's a high-character guy. He's a solid player.

He'd be awesome if you played for the Arizona Cardinals or even the 49ers of the Rams. When you play in the ASC, the road to the Super Bowl, and the road just to win a playoff game, more than likely, is going to be frigid temperatures against Josh Allen, Mahomes, huge arms,

Burrow, proven to play well outside. Lamar, who is infinitely more talented than Tua. How's he ever beaten those guys? So these conversations are going to happen. In literally the next month, I mean, we're not that far away from the Super Bowl being over and the combine's right here and free agencies right around the corner. I'll promise you who wants to get paid.

Tua and his representation. How can I pay you? Now, I could pay you, you know, $25, $30 million a year, but that's not what they're going to be asking for. You're talking about a guy that's going to be asking for $45, $50 million a year. The moment I pay you that, well, can you go toe to toe with the other $45, $50 million of your quarterbacks? I watch you tonight.

Now, I know he's one of the greatest players of all time. He was in a different universe than you, in a different world. So how can I do that? No, it's not like I'm going to cut you or get rid of you because how do I upgrade. But they got a problem on their hands. Really good coaches. Some really good players. But their quarterback kind of puts them in no man's land.

Because throughout the season, he's good. He's fine. Now, he gets out played in different spots against the best teams for the most part. But he does well enough in those games to keep your head high. It really got exposed tonight. And when you play in the AFC, unlike the NFC, like think about the NFC. It's like where you got to go? Dallas, Dome, Detroit, Dome.

San Jose, California, 60 degrees, no rain, sun. AFC is like Kansas City, frostbite, buffalo, everyone dies of an avalanche. I mean, think about these, Baltimore, frigid, rain, sleet. This is, it's like two different worlds. So I think Miami man has, I'm not trying to shit on the guy. Like, I'm not some hater. He's better than I thought he would be. never been the biggest fan.

He's better and I thought he would be. But I can't play with the weak arm quarterback in this conference. I can't do it. And you could argue even next year, not buying into the Jets, but let's just say they improve a little. Rogers comes back. Patriots just kind of get their shit together a little bit on offense. Obviously, the bills are going nowhere.

This might have been your best season to win the division. I mean, at one point in time, four or five weeks ago, the bill's building was on fire. Now they ended up winning it. It's like, I don't know, man. I'm not offering a solution here because I don't have They find themselves in the worst spot to be in the NFL. It's really easy when you're the Texans last year.

Need a quarterback. Panthers last year. Need a quarterback. Right. This year. Washington, New England. You need a quarterback. It's a no-brainer.

It's hard when you're Miami. It's hard to do sometimes that kind of crazy cutthroat move. I think you've got to think long and hard about just all my options because I could not give to hundreds of millions of dollars. Could not do it. And if you do it, just be ready for what's coming. And it's not going to be pretty,

not in that conference. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

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

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. We pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.

So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Then you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's go to the first game. And I think stand up, just give them a standing O. Because the Houston text, I was thinking about this between the games before we had to switch over to the old peacock. and the Houston Texans, who two years ago, drafted Stingley with the third pick. Last year they had the second and the third pick. Now, the second pick was theirs, and then obviously they traded up third pick. So back-to-back years, they drafted in the top three.

They were a laughing stock. David Cully, Lovie Smith, just the whole DeShon Watson and the masseuses. Just a fucking disaster. I mean, a complete embarrassment. No way around it. And now they win 10 games. They win their division. and they just curbsomp the Cleveland Browns who,

I know they look bad today, they had an awesome season. I mean, they were really good. I mean, they beat the 49ers. They've beat a ton of good teams throughout the season, and they've looked awesome down the stretch for Joe Flacko. And the Texans destroyed them. And I think it shows you.

Listen, you know what they remind me of? It's a little different, but do you remember when the Colts, Manning got hurt, sucked. They cut him and they get luck and they get a new coach and everything and they're immediately good. And it was like, God, what's the upside for this franchise? Now, I don't, well, you know, C.J. Stroud, Andrew Luck, both of them, incredible rookie years and you would buy all the stock. You know the differences in those situations though? Chuck Pagano wasn't any good.

D'Amico is. Ryan Grigson wasn't any good. Nick Casario is. You know today when they beat the Cleveland Browns, that they own the Cleveland Brown's first round draft pick this season. So when they beat them, they made their own pick better. Now, they don't own their pick because they traded to the Arizona Cardinals. But when you win a playoff game, who even cares? So to go to a position where you were one of the laughing stocks of the NFL, it looked like you had no future, you had no hope, you were going nowhere. To then a year later go, we might have, if not the greatest. I mean, listen, I think statistically, I know he's had one of the great rookie playoff performances of all time. Obviously, he had one of the great rookie seasons of all time.

The NFL is a little easier to play in than maybe Marino in some of these years. He clearly is a fantastic player. So you get a guy that the Carolina Panthers regret not taking. There's nowhere. They can tell me whatever they want about the guy that's $5.9 and a buck 60. they would rather take CJ Stroud but you also have a star coach Now the one risky thing is their offensive coordinator, Bobby Sloics interviewing everywhere

you lose him that would clearly hurt a little bit but what a freaking season what an incredible accomplishment by Domeco by CJ by Nick Casario by all their players I mean Nico Collins

how good is that guy how good I mean that was part of what I respect a lot about the Cleveland Browns was like their physicality and their toughness. Not that they look soft today, they definitely look slow. They definitely look slow. I mean, the Texans looked like a step faster than them all day long.

I mean, early on in that game, you're like, is this thing going to really be like 40 to 37? And then it was like, no, the Browns are done scoring. And Joe Flacco is going to start throwing it to the other team. So, listen, if the Texans go to Baltimore and lose by 20, tip your hat. Just an incredible season, an organization that has taken, next year they potentially, we'll see, you know, the cap space is pretty fluid,

might have more cap space than every other team in the NFL. So you're telling me I got a star head coach, star quarterback, a ton of cap space, a ton of other good young offensive and defensive pieces. Now, and Bobby Sloick feels like he's a lock to get a job, but you never know. He is pretty young, but you do this again. Like, honestly, even if you lose to Baltimore and he throw up, 25 points, he'll probably end up getting a job.

But props to the Texans. And on the Browns. I'm not going to just act like this season didn't happen. What they accomplished this year with the amount of injuries they had was remarkable. Kevin Stefansky is a good coach. They lose tackles. They lose quarterbacks. They lose defensive pieces constantly.

They go through random quarterback after random quarterback to ultimately to ultimately settle on Joe Flack. who was taking his kids to school and throwing footballs with his dad and his brother to stay loose? I mean, this is not normal. But I also, and I said this last week, and I'll reiterate it right now, like this is not a Disney movie. He wasn't going to take this team to the Super Bowl. He was 38 years old.

Historically, he's thrown a lot of picks. He hasn't even played good football in more than half a decade. this was actually pretty understandable that the guy just, I don't even want to say he melted down. He just played like he's been playing the last five or six years. Not good. And the biggest issue with the Browns,

and I said this early in the season, is they had to make hay this season. Why? Because Deshawn Watson's cap number was $19 million. $19 million. Next year's cap number is $16.000. $63 million.

I'm not a math major, but you're talking about a $40-plus million swing in cap space. So you talk about the team that part of the reason they were so deep is they have a lot of good players and a lot of positions. Their team is never going to be this good ever again. The only way their team's going to be this good is this is Deshaun Watson and a $63 million cap hit, which I ought to do the math after this podcast, might be the biggest in the NFL for a quarterback, is a top 10 quarterback. If he's not a top 10 quarterback, they're a disaster.

Like if he just plays like the 17th best quarterback, kind of like he did at moments this year, they're fucked. Like part of the reason where he could just play okay and they could win some games, their roster was stacked. That's not going to be the case moving forward. They're going to have to get rid of some of these talented starters.

So it's not Joe Flacco's fault. Joe Flacco just played like, Joe Flacko, right? I mean, a couple pick sixes. Like, I've seen that before. It happened from Joe Flacco. And I know, and listen, it was a fun story. It was fun to watch.

It was easy to root for. It was cool to watch and be like, yeah, I'm just playing loose, just having fun. Until you throw the ball to the other team twice in about five minutes and at least a 14 points, and the game's over. So I don't know, man. Browns have two good coaches, right?

Stefanski's a good head coach slash offensive coordinator. and Jim Schwartz is a good defensive coordinator. But if I take away $43 billion cap space and now Deshaun Watson, who hasn't played that much the last three years, it's coming back off an injury, and now all the pressure to not just function, but play really well.

Can you be the ninth-best quarterback in the NFL? And not the 18th best quarterback in the NFL or the 20th best quarterback in the NFL? Because if you're the 19th best quarterback in the NFL next year, we'll win seven games. That's a fact. and I think that was on full display today that they big picture have a massive, massive question at quarterback.

Okay, a couple other things I want to hit on. Obviously, the weather in Buffalo, they showed a clip during the broadcast tonight. You couldn't see, you couldn't function, and they moved the game back. I think big picture, the one question I have is Martin Luther King Day always was a day up until a couple years ago when the NFL added that Monday night game. was, and I guess, and when they added an extra game, their playoffs fall on that weekend, was the NBA's day.

And if you wake up, NBA is playing games like 9 a.m. All through the night, and they just have games going constantly. Well, that used to happen with Christmas, too. They owned Christmas. Then the NFL came in and wiped them out and no one watched Christmas Day NBA games. Now, I don't necessarily think there was some sinister, strategic move here.

I legitimately think they wanted to play on Sunday morning. Snow was insane. Remember, this happened last year where the bills had to fly to Detroit and play the game in Detroit against the Lions. But I do wonder if this game goes well because it is a holiday. A lot of people are going to be home

if they think about that big picture. Now, the problem with this is, if the bills win, they're playing the Chiefs, which would clearly be on Sunday. just like if the Eagles were to win, you know, assuming, let's say, assume the Lions and the Cowboys win, lions and Cowboys will play on Saturday,

Niners Eagles will play on Sunday. It's all based. The Monday teams, they're not going to put them on Saturday. You know they're going to play on Sunday. I do wonder if the NFL thinks about some stuff, though, if they do pretty big numbers on Monday, you know, afternoon. I guess it's 2.30 my time, Mountain West, right? What is it, 430?

Eastern Standard time. I could see this be something that they talk long and hard about if their playoff are always going to fall on Martin Luther King weekend because that is an opening for them. And one thing we've seen when they have an opening, and they don't view the NBA as a competitor, but they do view the NBA as just people with eyeballs. And they want to strangle them out.

So if this goes well, it would not stun me if they do a 2-2-2-2 thing moving forward. At least it would be a discussion point at like the March owner's meetings. Listen, I got no issue with it. I'm cool with 2-2-2-2, but we'll see how it goes. Another story this morning, Schefter, I think, reported that Antonio Pierce is now the leading front-runner if something big doesn't happen for Mark Davis, which is essentially saying, and I've been hearing this from some of my buddies who are assistant coaches, a lot of people

think that Jim Harbaugh is going to end up with the Chargers. So if Jim Harbaugh ends up with the Chargers, Mark Davis is not hiring anyone else. He would be very, I think he is interested in Jim Harbaugh. But if he can't get him, one thing he's learned before, and he did this with the rich, he's going to hire Antonio Pierce. His players like him. He likes them.

Antonio Pierce takes a lot of pride in kind of the Raider thing. And I understand it. Like, I get it. Now, I also think it's a lot harder on a year-to-year basis when you get a guy with limited experience. When you get a guy season, and listen, I'm pro-Antonio Pierce,

liked him, I had a lot of respect for him as a player, but their offense was a joke. And clearly former linebacker, like, that's not his cup of tea. So how do they get a quarterback, and who's his offensive coordinator? And I would imagine when he's selling Mark Davis on him getting self the job,

he's talking about the ability to either land a guy in free agency or trade up in the draft, and clearly he has an offensive coordinator that comes to mind that he's going to use because those are the biggest question marks. But in terms of leadership, he was a team captain in the NFL.

He was a guy that helped take down and lead a defense that beat the shit out of the undefeated Tom Brady. Leadership's not going to be his issue. That's a huge question with a lot of these offensive coordinators. Bobby Sloick, Ben Johnson, go around the NFL. Are they good leaders? I know they can ski, but can they lead?

I know Antonio Pierce can lead. the guys are going to respect him. That's going to be the least of his worries. He can lead the entire team. Comes naturally to him. And coordination and especially offensive side of the ball to me is a question that honestly he won't even be able to answer until the season starts. Now, I guess he could make a sexy offensive coordinator higher,

but the free agency and the draft is going to be, they're going to have to get a good quarterback. Because if they do not have a functional quarterback, they have no chance to compete for the playoffs. Not in this conference. But I totally understand it. From a leadership standpoint, he just feels like a get it guy. Like I said, my only question marks would be on the office side of the ball.

And as of right now, not that I have like inside information on Jim Harbaugh, it does kind of feel that Jim Harbaugh is going to go to the Chargers because I have been told that by a lot of people. Still seems a little crazy to me. I mean, that'd be cool. I'm not anti that. But like him and the Spanos family be quite the marriage. but I'm here for it.

I watch all these AFC and NFC West games just because I live out here on the West Coast very closely. So sign me up. But, and that'd be another thing for Mark Davis, though. If you hire Antonio Pierce,

you have a first-time head coach, let's assume Jim Harbaugh goes to the Chargers against Jim Harbaugh, Andy Reed, and Sean Payton. It's not an easy job. That wouldn't be easy job for a good coach for like Chanahan or McVeigh, that'd be tough. So, buckle up, Raider Nation.

And last but not least, I followed Cailin Du Boer's career now pretty closely since he was at Fresno State, and I've said this over and over. That's why I bet on them against Sark. He is an elite coach. He is a badass. As an offensive schemer,

as a leader, as a program runner, he's a stud. But one thing I've stood by for a long, long time is cultural fit matters in college football. In the NFL, it doesn't matter at all. Kyle Shanahan, where's he from? Andy Reid, where's he from? Bill Belichick, none of it matter.

Pete Carroll. It doesn't matter where you're from to coach an NFL team. In college, it matters. Most guys who have thrived on the West Coast in college, let's use Jeff Tedford, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh from the West Coast. Think about the South. Kirby Smart.

Nick Sabin, born to raise in West Virginia. Jimbo Fisher, won a natty of Florida State. Like, southern guys thrive in the South. Urban Meyer is the one outlier

who has gone to different places in the country in the last 20 years and thrived. I do think going to the South is a completely different animal. And when you're an outsider, which Kalin-Dubour is, if things don't go right

immediately, it can be a problem fast. Let's use Brian Kelly, for example. Brian Kelly is an awesome coach. If he goes 9 and 3 again at LSU, he might not last till year 4. He went 9 and 3 this year with the Heisman trophy winner. That will not be tolerated again. He could not go 9 and 3.

But look at the conference. It's not easy to get to 10, 11 wins. So you replace a guy like Nick Saban. And I understand from Kaelan-Dubour's standpoint, you're coming from Washington, it's going to be hard to sustain success at that level. USC has more money than you. Oregon has more money than you.

Obviously, Ohio State and Michigan have more money than you. It's challenging. You get this opportunity. You walk into a ready-made program, ready to compete for a national championship next year. But he's not a southern guy. You replace Nick Saban. The standard, it couldn't be any higher.

Even if you replaced Belichick like Gerard Mayo, they've sucked for a couple of years. So if Gerard Mayo were to go 8, 9, or 9 and 8 next year, I'd be like, oh, shit, we might have something with this guy. If Kalin Dubor goes 10 and 2 and does not play Georgia in the SEC championship game, it's a complete failure next year. That's the standard of taking over for Nick Saban. Right?

So, now, ultimately with the 12th team playoff, you get into the playoff, it's just challenging. So if Kalin Dubor was a stock, I would bet on the individual. He's proven 104 and 12. All he does is win. I do think it can be difficult to go into the South, though. I saw it with Jim McAwin. He went to Florida. They were having success going to the SEC championship game and got running it down.

Now, he didn't win as many games as, like, he wasn't consistently winning 10 games, but still, he was not some loser. And there's a pressure there. It's treated like the NFL. The money is no issue to get rid of guys. I mean, we've seen Jimbo Fisher and Ed Ogeron. These guys are paid countless millions to pack up their stuff and leave. So I'm rooting for him.

I do not think this is easy, though, as some of the people are making it out to be. I think there's an intensity to it. He's not a great recruiter. That's another thing. Like, Google Washington, where they rank in the Big Ten recruiting rankings, not super high. Like, say what you want about Nick Sabin. He took recruiting very seriously.

I think last year he had one of the best recruiting classes in Alabama history. This year they literally finished second. Like he was, Nick Saban was an elite coach and elite recruiter. I think Caitlin Dubor has a chance to be an elite coach. Is he an average recruiter? Like Kirby Smart, elite recruiter. Urban Meyer, elite recruiter. Jim Harbaugh, very high effort, big time recruiter.

It takes a lot of effort. And I think the pressure on this one, I'm a little weary. I'll say that. I don't think he could ever fail in terms of like ruin the program. I just think the expectations, the amount of first-round picks they expect you to have, the amount of games they expect you to win, the intensity behind it, it's very, very difficult. And honestly, it might be a job that no one could have filled. Why? Because no one can fill Michael Jordan's shoes.

Like when Tiger Woods left the PGA tour, there's nobody else. You get rid of Nick Sabin, even if I bring in a guy that knows what he's doing, it's not the same. And when it's not the same and you have a fan base, people get pissed off. So I do think it's going to be, I do think it's going to be hard. Though I think this season, given how much talents on the roster, I think Alabama's going to be very good. The volume. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

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