The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Thoughts On Protests; Ruggs' Mystery Injury; Kittle's Value; JT Daniels' Georgia Future; Mailbag

Episode Date: June 2, 2020

In this episode, Middlekauff gives his thoughts on the nationwide protests of the murder of George Floyd, and differentiating between sincere protesters and looters. He also dives into some football headlines, including news of Henry Ruggs sustaining an unspecified injury, George Kittle fighting for more than tight end money, and if former star USC recruit JT Daniels can finally live up to his potential at Georgia, 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 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. 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 a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a hear, 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. I mean, 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's with 1800flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate-covered berries, gourmet treats, and more. Surprise your Valentine with 1,800flowers.com. Right now, get the 18-stem enchanted rose medley for $3999 or upgrade to 24 red roses for $10 more.

Go to 1-800flowers.com slash tune-in. That's 1-800flowers.com slash tune-in. What is going on, everybody, John Middellcock, three-and-out podcast. Back at it again, recording this podcast Monday afternoon, almost dinner time. and, you know, there's really no way avoiding this. It won't be necessarily a normal podcast. I can't just talk about football. In about 30 minutes from now, the city in which I live in will be mandatory curfew.

Because of the looting that has gone on, it happened last night where I live. It's gone on just in the greater Bay Area in California for the last, I think, 48 hours, Saturday night and then Sunday night. and it's just, you know, these were unprecedented times. This isn't necessarily with the George Floyd situation, which I'll get into in a second, but the corona pandemic is, you know, something I don't think any of us have ever experienced. We've never been locked down for 70 plus days,

which I think was the number in the middle of last week. And it's a subject I've attempted to avoid in the sense of like, giving my own thoughts on the, where the corona stands with myself, because it changed on a daily basis like anyone. I'd have good days where it's like, you know, no big deal. We'll just do what we're told in other days like anyone when you're locked inside to get frustrated. And one thing was clear when George Floyd was, I think, listen, everyone that I associate with, or hopefully do, I think would 100% agree was an innocent.

man was murdered that had no business losing his life and hopefully justice is served with the police officer that's now in jail as well the powder keg of just the racial undertone that's been really my entire life and i'm 35 years old anyone older listening it's been like that in america since well before i was born uh that the corona aspect of it people locked in there is a class warfare situation. I know I can only speak for the state of California where I've spent the majority of my life. There isn't really a middle class anymore.

And the poverty levels are growing at historic rates in California and the rich live in these areas and don't allow poor people in. It's really that simple. And there was just a bubbling in general. I wouldn't even say racial. I would just say financial and economical in the state in which I live in. And the George Floyd situation, which I don't see how as a human being you could watch that in your heart not hurt. And the situation that then followed, which was really powerful.

You know, it turns out Stephen Jackson, the former NBA player, really good friend of him. You know, peaceful protests or just protests. And I always understand people push back with protests. I don't tell, like I, it's not my job or anyone's. job to tell someone how to feel or how to think. And one thing is, I've gotten older, I've attempted to do, it's just like, I think as anyone who tries to mature, put yourself in other shoes, in someone else's other shoes to help you better understand them. Now, there are things that I will never be able to understand about standing in the shoes of someone that's black, right? When I get pulled over,

I am not worried about anything bad happened to me. I've said this before. I said it on my other podcast with Haberman today. I've been pulled over before definitely in my 20s and been aggressive with the police officer. It didn't cross my mind that there was a situation that could get out of control. I didn't even think that way.

And that's an element that I think all of us that are white people can't relate to. I cannot relate to, though I completely understand it. And by this point in time with videos and everything we've seen over the last several decades, but definitely the last decade with camera phones, everything we've seen, you realize, Jesus,

It's a different world. You know, and I think we all understand the frustration. And I'm not a politician. I have no clue. I really, for the most part, despise politics because as we see with everything, from Corona to now where we're at with the looting and everything, everything is so divisive. And this is, I've really been thinking about this over the last 48 hours.

One of the last things in this country that everyone kind of agrees with and agrees on. Now, you might have, we might choose to root for different teams, but sports does bring us together. And because of the coronavirus, and literally everything is shut down in America in terms of the games,

and there are no games. Obviously, football would not be being played, but OTAs would be going on. We would have media members going to practice interviewing these players. And sports, and definitely football, but I'd say sports in general, is one of the greatest areas in this country

where people from all over, poor people, rich people, middle class people, people of all ethnic backgrounds, people from all over the place, religious views, everything under the sun. In a football locker room, especially now in the opposite is you've got 90 guys in a football locker room. And I think we'd all agree,

you put 90 people together in any walk of life, they're all going to have different thoughts and views, you know, a percentage of the people, of every of the 90 people. And we're not getting that. And we are getting a lot of athletes that are tweeting and are doing everything they possibly can. But because we don't have sports,

there is a, you feel it, a missing void right now in this country. And I'm not saying that it would solve these problems. And I'm not saying that if Corona hadn't existed, everything we saw over the last 48 hours would not have happened. I think it's safe to say it 100% would have. it, you know, probably everything would have been the exact same as of recording this now. And I get uncomfortable sometimes and I was like this during Corona.

And it's why I stayed away. I, sometimes, and I, just for my job, Twitter is just, it's a distribution channel for me. I spend time on it because I tweet out links. I like to interact with people. It's something that kind of, when I first got involved with the media, it was a great, boom. I could just talk to people. And as, you know, I went to different shows. And it was incredible.

And it's clearly morphed the last several years to be an area of just hatred. And listen, I, you know, I try to keep a positive mindset. And if you just, Corona was definitely like this. If you just spend all day on social media, which I've never had more time on my hands than during Corona. You literally can't even go anywhere. It's easy to get angry. It's easy to get frustrated. And it's easy to kind of get into a bad mindset.

Now, there is no disputing that when you see what happened to George Floyd, how, you know, if you have compassionate bone in your body, how you're going to feel. Now, there is a level of, and I've seen so many people tweet about this, so many different athletes, you know, Carl Banks, the former New York Giants linebacker who, you know, play with Belichick for Imparcells and Next LT, was just tweeting the one thing, the peaceful protesters, they were like, two entities right now, the people that want to peaceful protest for what is right. And then you have this smaller percentage of these looters, which in my mind are criminals,

that don't care about George Floyd at all. And because of the way videos explode and violence and destruction, they garner way more just views. I mean, that's what the television puts on. It's what goes

viral on the internet and it just it's it's a crazy place i don't even know what else to say and i feel terrible and basically what carl banks is this is how you get a race war because these people start being you know almost pigeonholed the looters and the criminals that they are part of the protests that are taking place and in my opinion and again this is just my opinion they are not they have nothing to do with it. They are going to target to steal things. They don't care about George Floyd at all. Yet they take away from the message of everyone that Stephen Jackson was ahead of this last week when it turns out, he was tight with George Floyd and he went right to Minnesota and everyone all around the country who has been doing this for years every time these tragic incidents take

place that stand up and try to draw a line in the stand for change and then you get the crazies. And at least from my viewing, I've had to turn off the TV just because it's hard to watch some dude take a hammer to a 90-year-old lady's window and take out some business. It's not productive. It's really doing nothing. It's just making the situation worse. It's making a place like the city I live and have to shut down because none of these businesses want to get lit on fire. What are you lighting them on fire for? Not for George Floyd.

And it's just I don't necessarily have the answers. I always try to treat everyone as well as possible. Hell, the older I get, I try to even be more cognizant of being just nicer to everybody, you know, being more patient with people. And I'm a sports guy. I got my career started in this business working at Fresno State, a program that definitely was, I mean, a large majority of our team, weren't just African Americans.

They were coming from low-income situations. and Coach Hill was, and I've always thought this with football in general, the coaches you're around, it never comes up. I've never heard a racial statement, we shouldn't do this because this guy is this color, or we shouldn't take this guy because of this. If you can play, you're in. It's a great meritocracy,

and the NFL is definitely like that because there's way more money on the line. And coming to the media, when I did, you know, seven, eight years ago, it became, and just in general, it's a big talking point. And some people in the media use race as a huge part of their platform with a lot of their angles of what they talk about, which sometimes are justified, like right now, and George Floyd and the situation. In past instance, I completely get it.

And then they're consistently always interwoven when draft stuff happens, and I just scratched my head, having been on the other side in these draft rooms where I go, I don't see that. And Ben in the lunchroom, room with all these players and go, you know, sometimes you look back. Some of the most compassionate people I was around were just when you're in the lunchroom,

whether it's at Fresno State or with the Philadelphia Eagles with the entire team. And this gets back to my original point about sports not being around, whether it's basketball, whether it's baseball, definitely football, just the power and the platform every time quarterbacks talk, every time guys like Richard Sherman talk, every time guys like Russell, whoever it is in the league that's powerful, they would be at practice right now, and they would be up on the podium and talking and together with their teammates,

and we miss that right now. And clearly, if you look at the timelines, baseball, basketball, I mean, football, the OTAs are off, are just not coming back. And it's just, I don't know what else to say. It's just a sad time in American history. I hope everyone can stay safe. I hope everyone can treat people the right way.

And, you know, at faith, we always find a way to get through this, but get through this in a way that, you know, people feel justified, that we make changes. And also that, you know, we don't ruin innocent people's lives. You know, and I mean, when I see a video of George Floyd's brother getting on a megaphone saying, what is everyone doing? My brother was a peaceful individual. you know, it just makes you scratch your head and it goes, you know, it's just a time in history in 2020

where just there's so many messages from coming from so many places and you just, you know, you just, you get, you feel uneasy just about, you know, the future and definitely the immediate future. Like, how's this going to end? There's not really a light at the end of the tunnel, even with Corona. You know, it's like, are we just in the clear? Is it kind of over? Is it, you know, there's still that elephant in the room. Like, what if it comes back in the fall?

Hell, I don't know. I'm not just an ag business kid from Cal Paul. 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 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, 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, our heart radio app, Search Learn the Hard Way and listen now. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 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, 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, rec, my mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I got no clue. To read the articles like you do, I mean, it doesn't feel like anyone knows. And then this situation is just, you know, a powder keg that feels a little out of control because a small percentage of people get all the pub for the rioting and the looting

when the large majority of people want to do the right thing and just want to have to have their message heard that we're just, you know, kind of on this slippery slope of madness, which hopefully we can come out of sooner than later. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1800flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1,800 flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1,800 flowers.

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Brought to you by the ad council. Okay, let's dive into some NFL stories. Let's just see if we can talk a little football. One story that broke earlier today was Henry Ruggs. The Raiders' top pick in this draft from Alabama, there was kind of a vague tweet from the, Raiders actually Vic Tafer tweeted out a

statement that they were monitoring Are the rumors of Henry Ruggs being involved in an accident? The Raiders are aware of the report regarding an off-the-field injury to Rugs respecting Henry's right to medical privacy. The team will not be commenting on the report.

And Rapsheet, see if I can pull up the Rapsheet tweet, basically said he had some sort of gash on his thigh and I'm told he's okay. While he was apparently cut or received a puncture, the wound is not serious. During these corona times and these teams haven't been able to see their players, you know, there's the month of when the OTAs end in the middle of June, really depending on the

team, this might have been the last week of OTAs, and then you usually kind of reconvene, it's the great part about the NFL, you get a summer break. It's usually like six or seven weeks. The irony is like they've been on break now really since the draft, not being able to do anything, at least like scouts and GMs. Even coaches are just working a couple hours a week, or I mean a couple hours a day with their players. That's all they can do. Is you just kind of keep your fingers crossed.

Nothing bad happens, right? No one gets arrested. No one gets hurt working out. No one does anything. So when I saw this headline, I said, oh my God. Because you just think that something serious happened. Well, if he just has a puncture wound and everything's going to be, okay but as a raider if you're a raider fan uh now this is different but last week last year i'll never

forget when they traded for antonio brown and ota started the raiders would i i wasn't allowed at practice but i would see it uh i was banned for those of you knew this podcast they they banned me long ago not not a friend of the raiders management though i like mike mayock and uh don't know Gruden, but he entertains me. That when OTA started and Antonio was there, and it turns out he was going through all the helmet issues, but he was dominating practice. He looked like, you know, if you go to Henry Ruggs or Josh Jacobs or anyone that goes to Alabama, just type in any Alabama player of the last like 10 years, especially an

offensive skill guy, a running back or a wide receiver, type in their high school highlights to YouTube, they look like a video game compared to the other high school kids. That's what Antonio Brown looked like against the Raiders in practice. They couldn't touch him. I was like, oh my God, this guy is going to go nuts this year. And then he shows back up at training camp with the bad feet in an air balloon, and it was obviously a couple weeks later he was cut. So that was a disaster.

Now, I'm not saying this by any means is that, but I just think if it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, If you're a Raider fan, you're like, oh, my, not this again. Well, it feels for the time being that it's okay. George Kittle and the 49ers are far apart. I've talked about this at Nauseum on the other podcast, did some YouTube videos on it. It's a complicated situation. Tight ends are the most underpaid position in the league, the good ones.

They've never made big money. Amari Cooper got $60 million guaranteed. The highest paid tight end in NFL history was $22 million guaranteed, Dustin Hooper. So if you're George Kittle, you can't sign, you have nothing in common with Austin Hooper. You are a better player than Amari Cooper. But the way football works, I think just the way business works, it's on comps. And in football, it's on your position comps, right? It's no different real estate.

What's this square footage relative to that house that's sold for this? Well, in football, not every house is the same because the D-Line houses are a lot better different than the tight-in houses that are different than the safety houses, and the tight-end houses are by far the cheapest houses on the street. And George Kittle is a sweet house on a cheap street, and he's ready to sell for a lot of money. And I think it's just going to be a complicated situation, but the Niners do not let sweet players walk.

So I don't think it's going to get too contentious and ugly, but it is a very, very complicated negotiation. He's a star. I mean, he's the best player on the team. He's a star in the NFL, like he's a poster boy of the NFL. He is probably one of the seven or eight star players, non-quarterbacks in the league,

poster child of the league, and a personality. He's kind of, you know, in a weird way, he's like the NFL's version of the rock right now because he's so into wrestling. And I just, as a football fan, love watching them play. There's not much traction on the Chris Jones contract.

I read a headline. I wonder, and I don't know any, I've never asked Vech or ask Andy about this. I wonder if I don't know enough about how this guy is in the locker room because he's a dominant player. When he's on the field and he's right, he can take over the game. And he did that in the Super Bowl. He took over down the stretch.

Now, is it a difficult contract negotiation? Does he want Aaron Donald type money? Do they view him like an Aaron Donald type player? Unlike Kittl where I know for a fact how the Niners view him, and they view him as a star. And Kittl is a star. I don't know if the chiefs, like, I think they understand how talented he is. They were there when they drafted him, but relative to how much he's worth,

I mean, if DeForest Buckner just got $21 million a year. Now, he didn't get that much guaranteed. I think it was like $50 million. It might have been a shade over $50. But I would imagine Chris Jones wants $70, $80 million guaranteed. And when you got the elephant in the room of Patrick Mahomes, it's going to be a complicated situation. Also the elephant in the room of the chiefs notoriously a little cheaper.

And are they not going to have fans an Arrowhead this year? Are they not going to have the same revenue streams? Are they a little hesitant if they're going to give Patrick Mahomes historic money? Maybe it makes it a little more complicated. Again, no inside information. Matt Judon, the past rusher for the Baltimore Ravens, signed his franchise tag. I've been saying it for a while.

The Ravens team on paper is excellent. And they should, the OTAs for them, should actually probably be a benefit because teams in their division, in the off-season, like when I was in Philly, and I'm sure Coach Reed still does this with the Chiefs, you do periods in the off-season of just like,

let's run some Denver Bronco offense against our defense. Let's have some scout team run Raiders offense versus our defense, and vice versa. So you're just kind of repping it in your division because you play those teams twice. Well, if you're the Browns, you're the Steelers, and you are the Bengals, whether they matter or not, you start kind of locking in on how you're going to defend this offense.

Well, you don't have any of that. And the Ravens clearly know how to run this offense like the back of their hand. They got all their best players back, including this guy, that, you know, they're going to be really good in the regular season. Now, I'm strictly judging them on the playoffs. And Lamar's talked about it. It's why, listen, Lamar, I did not love him coming out. I've said this over and over.

He was dominant last year And I love his attitude Because unlike society That always wants to make excuses for things He doesn't You know, shut up work harder Nobody cares work harder That he, I think

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 Slice Life 12 and 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,

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 that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Kear gains 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack 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, so... Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes, I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years. for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Cliver 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? Time out. Quarterback on office blue. to two. Hey, my mama want you to weigh better. What?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. He even said this off season. Like, I need to win. I need to play better in the playoffs. And if he, they'll go as far as he'll take him. Because if he's on and he plays like the regular season,

they can win the Super Bowl. If he plays like he's played in the last two playoff games, they won't. But their team on paper is loaded. J.T. Daniels, who was one of the biggest recruits in the country two years ago to went to USC, started as a true freshman. I remember watching him as a true freshman.

I'm like, I don't know if I see it. He was kind of robotic. I just, I don't know. I didn't see it. Well, then the first game this year, I think it was Fresno State. I forget who they were playing. He looked good.

I was like, God, he looks a little more fluid. He looks a little more natural. And then he shattered his leg. Then the guy that ended up replacing him looked fantastic. and now he's transferring to Georgia. College football in the transfer portal is really kind of like free agency right now. Now the difference is he's got to sit out of year.

If you go to the transfer portal, unless you're able to get some crazy waiver, you're not able to play. So he was not even eligible to play this year. But Georgia doesn't, I mean, if this guy can get back to what he looked like the first game of 2019 before he hurt his leg, Georgia might have their best quarterback.

I don't know who their starting quarterback is this year, but I mean, Jake Fromm, I'm not a Jake Fromm guy, but J.T. Daniels is a more talented player than Jake Fromm. And when you're a highly, you know, big-time heralded recruit, when you go to the transfer portal, even if it didn't go as well or you're injured, you're going to have so many teams. It's not just quarterbacks. I mean, it's linemen, it's receivers.

These big boys are all going to be interested because he was just, when you're a four or five-star guy and every team in the country want you, well, they're going to watch you again two years later, even if you've been underachieved on tape because these coaches believe they'll get the most out of you. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. But that's an interesting guy to follow as he goes to Georgia. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's

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red roses for $10 more. Go to 1,800flowers.com slash tune-in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune-in. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder,

and our family bonds grow too, because when we disconnect from this, and connect with this. We reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest.

It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide is this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at discovertheforest.org.

Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. Okay, let's get to the Middle Coff mail bag and see if we can talk a little more football. Easiest way to get a hold of me at John Middlecoff, my Instagram. DM's wide open. You can slide up in there. and yeah, ask any question you want. What's up, my bald brethren? Love the show, and I've been listening since your first one,

but you said Mahomes didn't actually have the top and best arm in the league. I said he didn't maybe throw the fastest. He might have the best overall arm. He makes it look so easy, but, yeah. Also, in the draft coverage, they had this thing when he was 17 at a county fair. I believe he had a radar on his pitch, and it was 97 miles an hour. and then in college he threw 196. He throws absolute lasers,

and that's a lot of tweets for a guy talking about in practice, being ready for, blah, blah, blah. I was born and raised, still live in KC, but if you look into it, I think you'll find he's a thoroughbred in one of the best arms out there. I am not disputing that Mahomes has an elite arm. That is not my argument at all. I'm just saying that if you put,

if we did the pitcher thing, and I know a lot of people have DM me about the pitcher analogy and thought it was cool. Again, I'm eyeballing it. I don't have tangible information. I've just been watching these guys throw footballs and had a front row seat now for over a decade, and just I can gauge arm strength.

Mahomes can throw it as far as anybody, and I think when he just steps into a ball, can throw it equivalent on a baseball pitch, like 96-97. I would say Josh Allen, and maybe even Wentz, may hit like 99. Now, I'm not saying those guys are better Mahomes. Mahomes the best quarterback in the league. league. He would be the one guy I would take over every single player. I would imagine everyone listening probably agrees with me, unless you're like a Seattle Seahawk fan. But I wouldn't

say like Josh Allen just standing there, I think throws it slightly harder. Again, I'm nitpicking. I was terrible at baseball. I couldn't keep my front foot. I never stepped forward. I always stepped away. Scared of the baseball? I don't know. It was just a bad instinct. I was not any good at it. Bad pitcher two didn't throw hard now. But I've been told, met some baseball players over my day, you know, just when I worked in radio used to be able to have a lot of access to the A's and the Giants. There was an interview a bunch of them on television, or I mean on

radio. We had, our guests were players on the team, and they all tell you that, and I'm sure some of you guys listening, played college baseball, it's really hard to tell the difference between 97 and 99. It's basically just fast AF. It's hauling ass. Now there's a big difference between 97 and 92, but I think once you get like

98, 99, it's like the heat waves coming where I live. And I was talking to a lot of people this weekend. I don't know if there's that big a difference between like 102 and 110. I'll tell you what 102 is. Hot as hell. I'll tell you what 110 is. Hot as hell, a little hotter than 102. Anything over 100, you know, on the West Coast where it's dry heat is really, really hot. Now there's a big difference between 88 and 100, but I don't know if there's that big a difference between 103 and 108. Just like I don't know if there's that big a difference between Mahomes and Josh Allen standing there throwing football. I would just give the slight edge

to Josh Allen. Love the pod list to every episode. Appreciate it. If you had the power to pick any player in the league and void their contract so they could hit the open market, who would it be and why? I personally am a Cowboys fan, but I'd love to have it be Stafford. Set him free from that dumpster fire

that is the Lions. I didn't quite see where you were going there. I don't hate that one at all. If I could retroactively go back, I would go Matt Stafford like four or five years ago when he was, I think when he was drafted, he was like 20, 21 years old. It's been in the league now. What year was he drafted? 08, you know, so 12 years, he's probably 32, 33 years old. If you could have got him, you know, at 26, 27, because I think sometimes when you hit his age now, you develop some bad habits.

Now he's still highly skilled and I'm still a big believer in Matt Stafford. your sirens in the background. It's never a great thing at, you know, six o'clock. And, God, this is weird times. But, yeah, I would say Matt Stafford for, like, five or six ago. If I had to go right now, you just have to pick, I would say, like, Chandler Jones. I think the Cardinals are not going to be very good.

Their defense is atrocious. If you put Chandler Jones on a team that was, like, on the Seattle Seahawks or on the New England Patriots, I know he was on the New England Patriots, but, like, the version of him now, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers, just a team that was competing to go to the playoffs, playing on national television a lot, I think we talk about them like Khalil Mack, because just watching a lot of

NFC West, Taylor Jones is easily one of the best players in the league. But when you play for the Cardinals and your team's been really crappy the last handful of years, no one's really paying attention besides, like, diehard NFL nuts to defensive pass rushers. Because they're not in the fantasy mix, right? You're not drafting a defensive end in fantasy. You draft defenses and you're never drafting the Cardinals defense. So I think he'd be a guy for sure. Huge fan, love listening to POD.

I just wanted to know how you feel about the NFL going to two preseason games and adding the 17th game and the extra playoff team if that would work better than what we have now. Also, what do you think of the Carolina Panthers and the team? Thanks, keep it up. Well, Matt Ruhl's clearly a really impressive guy. I don't think their roster is very good. They do have some offensive weapons.

You know, Christian McCaffrey, what's the other kid's name? Moore, DJ Moore, he can fly. obviously, you know, you sign Teddy Bridgewater. They might actually be, you know, they sign Robbie Anderson from the Jets who played for Rule at Temple who can really run. They got some elite speed. Is their defense going to be good enough? Keeckley's gone. You know, obviously Thomas Davis has long gone.

You'd say no. I think they could be one of the worst teams in the league. But if you believe in Matt Rule big picture, kind of churn the roster, get his guys in there. they could be good in a couple years, especially Tampa Bay's all in right now. The Saints are kind of all in right now. Maybe in a couple years as those rosters turn over, you can take advantage.

I would say the preseason games, who knows, I don't think it's a lot that we're going to play three or four preseason games this year. Wouldn't shock me if we just end up playing two preseason games. I'm not opposed to two preseason games. If I was going to do the two preseason games, I would make it mandatory that you do a joint practice. And maybe you can't make it,

but if I was a GM, I would be pushing for two preseason games, and I would do a joint practice. Because every good coach I know does joint practice. You want to do joint practices. It's just a great way to hone your team against another team, get live reps, and really it's a more teachable moment, I think, sometimes than preseason games, where I just think coaches now and GMs,

in fairness, the money's so big, it's not worth risking guys. I just, it's really, risky enough in a regular season game to lose a starter. I can't afford to lose a starter to a broken leg, to a torn Achilles, to a torn ACL, to a torn shoulder in a game in August. I can't do it. And as we've seen in the last several years, less and less teams are even putting their players out there.

So the games are just kind of a joke. 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 SportsSlice on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and 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, Keir Gaines, is we have really. Real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys?

This is Clever 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, Brett. My mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Big fan of yours and was wondering if you could check out my NBA blog that I started a couple years ago. Got two posts up right now. Love to hear your thoughts.

I'll check it out. after this podcast. Actually, I'm going to eat dinner first, but... Keep blogging away. When anyone asks me, hey, I'm starting a podcast, I'm starting to blog, just do it. You know, just start it, push it out as much as possible on social media, and just you live and you learn, you know? The NFC North might be the most unpredictable division in the NFL.

Many people think the Packers are pretenders. The Vikings are young and talented, but have a lot to prove. Agree. They lost Diggs. They lost, you know, Everston Griffin. Cousins is just kind of a guy. They lost their offensive coordinator. The Lions are talented but a peer handicapped by the coach.

Agreed. The Bears are a wild card if Nick Foles catches fire under center. Ranked the Division 1 through 4, what you think will happen this season. I put the Lions at 4. Then I think the next three teams can win. The Bears went 8 and 8 last year with Ms. Trebisky, playing atrocious football. The Packers went 13 and 3 last year and pulled just games out of their ass.

The Vikings were just really solid, but I vividly remember two big games against the Packers and against Seattle Kirk crumbled and they become very run heavy and when he has to make plays especially outside of the offense he can't now their defense isn't going to be as good this year their pass rush isn't going to be as good this year they drafted a corner early but they cut Xavier Oates who was bad last year they have some unknowns on defense where they've kind of helped

you know the Vikings have been one of the more consistent teams in the league the last five years well now you get really rid of Diggs who, you know, caught like 165 balls the last two years, like 15 touchdowns. That's a big loss. They're expecting, if you tell me Justin Jefferson's competing to be the rookie of the year, then I go, the Vikings offense is probably dynamic. Jefferson, Thielen, Cooks, or Dalvin Cook, not cooks. But what if I tell you, you know what, Justin Jefferson is kind of like Treadwell a couple

years ago, doesn't work out. Then all of a sudden you go, well, Thelan's been banged up. what if their offense comes back to Earth and their defense isn't as good? Maybe they go 8 and 8. The Packers, as long as they got Rogers, I would say they're still the team to beat. I'd put them at one. I would probably, again,

you call me biased. I just think Nick Foll is a much better player than Mitcherviskin. I'm not even the biggest Nick Foles guy. That defense is so good. They have so much kind of cohesion with the roster. Probably be a coin flip between them and the Bears. I'd go Packers, Bears. You know, I'd go Packers 1.

go Bears 2A, Vikings 2B, and listen, if you're a Vikings fan, you go, how are you putting the Vikings above the Bears? That's a lot of turnover. That's a lot of coaching turnover. The offensive coordinator, who was really good last year, you have, you lose digs, you trade them away, and you're going to be depending on two rookies now, the corner and the wide receiver.

You lost, you're one of the best pass rushers, you know, if you've franchised the last 20 years. It's just a lot to ask, and the lion just stink. Again, Matt Nagy's my guy. I'm not hiding from that fact. But if you could convince me, and I'm with you, any of the three teams wins the NFC North. If Foles is good, the Bears are going to be good.

Excuse me. If Foles is solid, the bears are going to be good. If the Packers' offense sputters again, like maybe they struggled, you know, get 9-10 wins instead of 13. Their offense was just not good last year. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure.

Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination? our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too, because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council.

Adoption of teens from foster care is a topic not enough people know about, and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinwiddie host of the new podcast. Navigating Adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Each episode brings you compelling real-life adoption stories told by the families that live them with commentary from experts. Visit Adoptuskids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Ad Council. And we're live here outside the Perez family home just waiting for the...

And there they go. Almost on time this morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong with a double-armed kid carry. Looks like Dad has the bag's daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't closed. Diapers and toys are everywhere. Ooh, but Mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter, who looks to be about nine or ten,

has secured herself in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag closed and they're off. Ah, but looks like Mom doesn't realize her coffee cup is, on the roof of the car, and there it goes! Oh, that's a shame. That mug was a fam favorite. Don't sweat the small stuff. Just nail the big stuff. Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at nhtsa.gov slash the right seat.

Visit nhtsa.gov. Slash the right seat. Brought to you by Nitsa and the Ad Council. Question for the pot. Why do people constantly claim the NFC is the better conference than has been to the AFC, which consistently dominated in the Super Bowl for the past 10 years. I understand a good portion of those wins are Brady, but the fact of the matter is the NFC has four Super Bowl since 2010.

The AFC has six. Again, Brady has three of them. Doesn't that quite literally make them the better conference? At the end of the day, all that matters is the big game, and the AFC has won 60% of the games in the NFC. I think when I say the AFC is not as good as the NFC, the Chiefs were the best team in the league, and they beat what was clearly the best team in the league in the Niners.

They had beat the Saints, they had run through the NFC, the Chiefs beat them. And the Chiefs will be a heavy favorite again this year. And the Ravens are really, really good. But when you look at the depth of the conference, I just don't see it as the same as the depth of the NFC. The Niners, Seattle, the Saints, now with Tom Brady with the Bucks, the Eagles, if not everyone gets injured. The Cowboys roster, like what I just talked about, the Packers, Bears, and Vikings are all really solid. When you look at the AFC, I go, well, I got the Chiefs in the AFC West. It was the second best team in the EFC West.

Drew Locke and the Broncos? Justin Herbert and the Chargers? The AFC South. I watched Rivers last year. He looked terrible. Now, I like Ballard. I like Frank, but what if Rivers is not good? The Titans, you know, got really hot, and I like Brable, and, you know, they should be solid.

The Texans, like, I'm not counting on them to do anything in the playoffs. Rothersburg is, like, 40 years old. And he got hurt last year. missed the entire season. The Browns, they're the Browns. I like the bills, but, I mean, they blew a 19-point lead, or 17, what was scored in the game against Texans? You know, the Patriots could come back to Earth.

The dolphins are just not going to be that good. Neither are the Jets. You're right. Like, winning the Super Bowl matters. Winning the Super Bowl 100% matters. And the Chiefs and the Patriots, the top-end teams in the AFC are excellent, are elite. And the Patriots are one of the greatest down.

he's ever. The rest of the conference, though, just hasn't been to me as competitive as the NFC over that time. That might change. Maybe I'm wrong. I was wondering what do you think of Deontay Johnson. I think that he could have a breakout season this year, thanks. I would agree. I didn't know that much about him. Was he from Tulane, third round pick from the Steelers, and then you just watched him a couple games last year playing with just scrub quarterbacks. He can fly. and if Juju, who is just kind of feels like he's in weird standing right now against in the Pittsburgh Steeler organization, if he can kind of get the train back on the tracks,

maybe that offense is really explosive with him, Juju, you had Eric Ebron, you still got Vance, you know, James Connor, if Rotherzberger has, you know, one last two raw on them. But, yeah, I like elite speed guys that can make things happen with the bulls. on their hands. And he is one of those guys.

And if you just caught him on the right game last year, again, not all his fault playing with scrubs, you're just like, geez, Louise, this guy can fly. He had 59 catches last year and five touchdowns. He's, I definitely like his town. I appreciate everyone listening. Keep this one a little shorter today. Just weird time.

Stay safe out there. Attempt to stay positive. And I'll talk to you a little later this week. Appreciate everyone listening, sharing the podcast. and again, stay safe. See you. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800 Flowers.com

is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1-800 Flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1-800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values. To order today, visit 1-800-flowers'clock. 1 800 flowers.com slash tune in.

That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. 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 SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast

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 Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform. We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel

and friends on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try

to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit are armored. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.