The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - 49ers and the injury report, Latest with Watson, Wednesday's on Campus

Episode Date: September 11, 2024

John dives into the controversy surrounding the 49ers, Jordan Mason, and how the team handled the injury report regarding Christian McCaffrey. Next, John talks about the NFL investigating the latest lawsuit with Deshaun Watson. He also talks about a potential sleeper team that could look to hire Bill Belichick, and the introduction of a new segment called "Wednesday's on Campus". Later, John answers your questions in this episode's mailbag segment. 6:52 - 49ers and the injury report 11:36 - Deshaun Watson is being investigated  19:40 - Sleeper for Belichick 22:26 - Wednesday's on Campus 40:28 - Mailbag 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.

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FT Ball. NFL Plus premium offer available only to new and former NFL Plus subscribers. Additional NFL plus premium terms at NFL.com slash terms. What is going on, everybody? How are we doing? I'm John, this three and out podcast. I got some thoughts today because we recorded right after the game last night, and then I saw the controversial statement by Jordan Mason saying he was told he was the starter,

and then everyone's freaking out about McCaffrey's injury. I don't quite understand what we're talking about when you, add up the timeline of everything, but I do want to hit on that situation. Deshawn Watson, I do think his trade at his age, at his position, I want to dive into what an outlier situation that is in modern day football. So obviously it's been a disaster, but looking back, there should have been some pretty big question marks at the time. I mean, there were, but they should have been even bigger. Is there a team? Because we've talked so much about specific spots for Belichick that were

overlooking. I just see Belichick all over my feeds, so I'm thinking about them a lot. I do think there's a team to kind of keep an eye on that could be a potential fit, even if when you say it out loud, it's a little weird, but I do think it's in play. And we're going to start something new moving forward. And we're going to call it. Wednesdays on campus. And every week, I'm going to ask five questions regarding college football. Then I'll answer them.

So basically just things I want to talk about. But from USC to Texas to prime time. And we'll do a little mailback. At John Middlecophis, the Instagram, fire in those DMs. We have content out. We have reactions to a Sunday night game, the 49er game.

We went on with Colin. We will have Marty Smith, who covers the SEC. and does stuff with Augusta, NASCAR guy on the show tomorrow and Stucky on Friday. So let's keep rocking and rolling. Subscribe to the podcast.

If you listen to Collin's feed, make sure you subscribe to three and out and the YouTube channel. Hammer that subscribe, maybe even throw a like in there. But first, do you want to go to a game? Do you want to go to a football game?

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guaranteed. I just want to hit on this really quick because I think a lot of people chime in when it comes to gambling. And if you don't

gamble, I don't really care what your opinion is. Because listen, I've gambled for a long time and I've been screwed. And as someone that gambles a lot on golf

when it comes to injuries, like they do a terrible job. You never know when guys are injured. And then all of a sudden they withdraw on Friday and you have a lot of money on them and it's like

to top 10. It's like, yeah, I've been dealing with the bad wrist, I'm out. It's like, what? You know, Ludwig who's one of the best golfers has had a knee issue all season long and then over the last two weeks it was like, hey, he's going to need knee surgery after the year. Well, it's like, the public

should know this. There should be an injury report. So if we're all in bed together, I'm pro gambling, I'm pro the league's being, I'm pro us all involved, but only one league takes that seriously, the NBA. doesn't. I don't follow baseball so can't comment. I know for a fact golf doesn't. The NFL has consistent injury reports. And Christian McCaffrey has been on that thing,

all of training camp, when there wasn't even official training camp, injury report, because you legally don't have to. But every single day, reporters didn't practice, didn't practice, didn't practice. Everyone in the world knows he's injured. And then the actual season starts and he's on the injury report, not just with a calf, but also with an Achilles. So, we're not just with a calf. it's not a hidden thing. Everyone knows it. He is questionable throughout the week to not practice. So when Jordan Mason is asked, when did you know you were going to start? And he says, Friday, everyone freaks out. I think to myself, I didn't have any money on that game. But who could be mad? Right? Because if I told you Christian McCaffrey, if you thought he was going to

play, and then he doesn't, and listen, when he was inactive, it was surprising, but not out of left field because he's been dealing with his calf slash Achilles. But who would have benefited from that? Because if I told you Christian McCaffrey on Monday, so you had all week long, like last Monday, Chris McAfree's out. What are you probably going to do? Put some money on the Jets.

Well, if you would have done that, you would have lost. So who's actually mad? Fantasy drafts have already happened, literally when the guy was injured. So I don't know what crew is mad. Jordan Mason said he was starting. Jordan Mason's never been the backup. So he's officially the backup this offseason,

and then he's in a position week one when the guy might not play. What do you think a position coach tells a guy where the starter is questionable in dealing with something who's never been a backup, probably all training camp? Better get ready to play, you better get ready to play. You might be the starter, you might be the starter, you might have to play, we might need to get 25 carries. It's probably being told that every single game.

So a controversy to me when it comes to injury report is a guy not on the injury report at all, who is a key person, who is someone that seriously impacts the line. Christian McCaffrey is one of those people. Obviously, he doesn't actually change it that many points, if anything is like a half a point or a point. But when Christian McCaffrey is not playing,

it's a huge concern. So a player of that level, not injured, not injured, not injured, and then the game comes and he's inactive. Like, to me, that's a controversy. Not someone who's literally been consistently on the injury, report and not just with like a flu like symptoms the word Achilles which popped up two weeks ago the moment that did I went red flag now I was actually underselling it when he just had a calf

because he kept saying he could play but when the Achilles popped up I'm I think that's a big concern but what's shocking about a guy who's been dealing with an injury who's not good enough to go on a Sunday it literally happens all the time it's happened my entire life so the 49er like what are they hiding. You don't have to announce starters in the NFL. There are guys on the injury report that end up starting and guys that end up being inactive. You don't

say on Thursday of a game week or Friday of a game week, hey, just so everyone knows these three guys are going to start, they've never started before. That never happens. You're not legally mandated to do it. But I think this fake controversy because the only person it would have helped,

in theory, would have been someone that would have hammered the jets. Well, if you hammered the Jets, you lost money. I could have made the Jets a, I don't know, 12-point underdog. You still would have lost. I don't even know what the final score was because there was a garbage time touchdown. But what are we talking about here? Obviously, Sean Watson is a conversation that just will not die.

And it's, you know, he plays the Jags this week. So sneaky pressure on Doug and we'll get into that in a second. But I looked around at all the biggest contracts. in the NFL, which are all quarterbacks. If you look at guaranteed money, if you look at practical guarantees, if you just look at the total of a contract. Like Patrick Mahomes doesn't have the quote-unquote

the most guaranteed money, but his contract is $450 million. I think it's fair to say he's going to see every penny of that. And most of the guys, Burrow, Lawrence, Tua, DAC, you know, all these guys, Jalen Hertz, like they're going to see the overwhelming majority of their cash, guaranteed and non-gillard.

guaranteed, right? So unless you have a Russell Wilson fall off a cliff, you see most of it. Like Derek Carr has never had huge guarantees. He's made like $200 million in his career. Why? Because he just, he starts every single year. As long as you continue to start on that contract, like you get paid. And when I looked at all the names, Deshaun Watson was the one that stuck out because he was the only player to change teams in their mid-20s. Although, those guys, DAC, Hertz, Mahomes, Allen, Lamar, Herbert, Burrow, drafted by a team, invested in a team, and the team starting quarterback, ideally for 15 plus years. Now, we have seen quarterbacks move teams. Peyton Manning, Colts thought his neck might never be the same,

and they got the number one pick and they went with Andrew Luck. Kirk Cousins last year, 36 years old off of torn Achilles. Tom Brady went to Tampa Bay. He was 42 years old. But when you look at all the sweet quarterbacks, over really the history of the last 20 years, guys in the prime of their career, 25, 26 years old, never changed teams.

Even Russell Wilson, who felt younger than like Brady and Manning, was traded when he was 33 years old. He had been on Seattle for a decade. He had been a 10-year starter for them. Do you think in a million years they ever would have pulled the trigger when he was 25, 26 years old?

So Deshawn Watson contract is a great example. Who are the two teams at the end of the day the most interested in them? Carolina and Cleveland. What do those teams have in common? Not sure the owners have any clue what they're doing and are very desperate to be relevant. and let things marinate and figure each other out.

They ran Baker Mayfield out of town, which at the time felt like 100% the right move. But sometimes when you rush into things, you look back and you go, well, I'd much rather have Baker Mayfield than Deshawn Watson. And then you look at Baker Mayfield now, it's like, God, he feels like a really mature guy. Had a kid. It feels like he's kind of coming to his own as a man.

Deshawn Watson's being sued again for like what feels like the 50th time. and this didn't have to happen. And looking back, I don't think this ever happens again. Because when does a player, and I know he was really good, but it was for like two and a half seasons. It's not like he had some long resume.

So the decision for the Denver Broncos to trade for Russell Wilson is all-time bad. But I don't really blame them. I also left out Aaron Rogers, who was traded, at 39 years old, who had been starting for the Packers for 15 plus years.

And it had been on the team for basically 19. This never happens that these guys are available. And I think it's a great lesson. If a 25, 26-year-old quarterback who is viewed as a sweet player is available, something is way off. And I mean way off. I'm hearing a lot of people talk about this.

Is this the worst trade in the history of sports? we have talked about Bryce Young before, but I will say this, if Bryce is just a disaster. We've seen disasters before. When you get the character stuff, how could if I was a Browns fan? I'm just a guy living in Ohio that loves the Browns,

it's one thing to have a player struggle. It's pro sports, it happens. Guys go through downs. Some guys, it's like, yeah, it was maybe a flash in the pant. That sucks. But then when you get the toxicity of the baggage he brings

and just the way he carries himself, he kind of has this negative aura to him, that would be really, really hard. And this is why when you invest in your own guy, like let's say Joe Burrow has a down year. You know what every Cleveland or Cincinnati Bengal fan will say? That's my fucking guy. That guy got us in Super Bowl.

I'll ride or die with Joe Burrow. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert. Listen, even Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hertz and some of these guys. like Trevor Lawrence, a bad example. I don't know how many Jacksonville fans, but let's use Jaylen as an example. Let's say he's up and down this year.

Throws a bunch of picks. I'll throw some touchdowns. This guy two years ago led us to a Super Bowl. This guy was in the MVP mix. I'm giving this guy the benefit of the doubt. Now, none of these guys. You know the only guy that had even a semblance of a character question mark

looking through the top contracts and like the top 12 was Kyler Murray. And what was that? he played too many video games. Every other guy is pretty spotless. And let's face it, when you're a starting quarterback, everyone's looking at you. So no matter what you do would be a big story. I actually think it's pretty impressive.

Most of these guys avoid every issue possible. Except this guy. Like, he feels like the ultimate turd right now in the NFL. I'm not some moral high horse guy. Like, I'm not. I would never be like, I refuse to watch Deshaun Watson because of that. I just don't want to watch him because he's terrible at football. And he's unwatchable.

So I feel for all the Browns fans who it's one of the most passionate fan bases, that place on big downs when everyone's hitting the side of the wall, that sound, have to watch this guy. That sucks. I mean, this really sucks. And it could get really bad, really fast. Obviously, it's already bad. but it's September 10th.

If this sustains and it's, it just, he doesn't get any better, how do you bench a player that you owe this much money to? Think how bad, like there is, it's unfathomable to think any other guys that I've listed in the top 10, 12 salaries, beside cousins, who again is a mercenary, new team, any of the guys, even, you know, Trevor Lorne, so Justin Herbert. I'm not even talking about the top three or four guys.

I'm talking about the next eight. They would never be benched if they're healthy. It just would not happen. And no one expects it to happen, right? In terms of like what they would have to do on the field, you're living through three, four straight games of five picks a game. It's like we're going to figure this out. It feels like you're just stuck.

He has an anchor to you. No matter how poor he plays. The only way he doesn't play is an injury. Other than that, you're just financially obligated. In a day and age when no one's financially obligated to really anyone, because there's so much money in the league, you can get off contracts. Like, this is the one where you are kind of stuck. Everyone's probably heard the numbers of cutting him and what that would mean.

Someone said $175 million next year because it would all accelerate. You're just stuck with this player. And like I said, it's one thing if you're just a bad player. But you know what? He's trying. He's just not good. It's another thing when you're like, I can't stand looking at this guy.

I feel for you guys. We've tried to put Bill Belichick in a lot of places, right? Eagles, the Cowboys, main those two. I think the Cowboys is going to be off limits. I would expect Mike McCarthy to be their coach moving forward. And the Eagles, like time will tell. I do think if we're sleeping on a team.

because the Jacksonville Jags, who have gone nine and eight these last two years, and look headed toward that at best, I do think that Doug, who is a great guy, is in trouble because their owner said, is the best team we've ever had. This is the best team we've ever had. And I think there is tangible pressure on this operation. Doug and Trampalky, anything less than making the playoffs is a disaster. And think about this week.

If you lose to the Browns, like losing last week, it was an atrocious loss. It was. Props to the Dolphins for finding a way and creating a fumble and getting a stop when the guy's pinned on his own 30-yard line and going for it. But you lose the Browns, like you could argue, like, is that a fireable offense? I do wonder when you think about Belichick that, like, the Giants make sense, in theory. Coach there back in the eight.

pretty legendary coordinator. His game plan is in the Hall of Fame because of the beaten Montana's and the K-gun offense with Buffalo, like legendary game planner working for Purcells. And Northeast guy would fit right in. The New York media would eat him up.

But why would he go there? They have nothing going for themselves. Even if they have the number one overall pick, we just saw Caleb Williams. There's not a quarterback in this draft that will have as much hype as Caleb Williams, and it shows you how difficult it is. You have to wonder if Trevor Lawrence just looks solid this year

and salvageable Bill and his guy Josh go, let's go to Jacksonville. No state income tax. The AFC, not as good as the NFC. Now that division is difficult. Houston's not going away. Obviously, Indies really good. But I think that's a team that we should be keeping an eye on.

Belichick and the Jags. Just a couple years ago, Khan tried to make a huge splash, Hiring Urban Meyer, obviously blew up in his face, but he's tried. And then he goes with a little less sexy pick. I know Doug's won a Super Bowl, but if this doesn't work out,

you have to imagine he'd pivot hard and be very, very interested in Bill Belichick, and you'd have to wonder if there'd be some mutual interest back. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fans. so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two.

Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then share. my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming.

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They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the team everybody's talking about.

As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I want to do this every Wednesday moving forward. I'm going to ask myself five questions. We're going to call this Wednesdays on campus.

I can't imagine being a student. Any students listening to this, props to you. I don't know how much money you would have to pay me to sit into a class and listen to a professor, but somehow we all kind of attempt to get through it in our use. So those of you that are doing it, keep doing it. Because that piece of paper wall is kind of worthless, also not kind of worthless. I'm pro school because it keeps your options open, even though I thought it was pretty stupid and still kind of do, so I'm torn. But I love college football.

And so every Wednesday, I'll just ask myself five questions. It might even expand. I got a couple ideas with this that we'll see how this goes. And I'll just answer them. So I'll answer myself. We might get a guy to ask me questions. I got an idea up my sleeve. But this is the first iteration of Wednesdays on campus.

We'll start with one. Is USC the second best team in the Big Ten? Can you imagine someone like myself who thought that Lincoln Riley and USC was destined to break up. Not because I thought Lincoln sucked. I just thought it was a weird mix. I didn't see the fit. I was like, I don't know if he knows

that a higher defensive coordinators. And two weeks later, I go, I don't know if they're the second best team because I think if they played on a neutral field right now against Penn State, I'd be interested to see how Miller Moss would look against that defense. Now, Drew Aller is still a bit of a question mark.

They were just bowling green was giving them all they could handle. I was watching that game at the gym on Saturday morning. but it's clearly not Oregon right now. Michigan has a ton of issues. I think USC looks like a playoff team. I said this to Colin the other day. Obviously that LSU win was one of the biggest of Lincoln's career,

but I thought the next week against Utah State, and I get it, Utah State, who knows? I mean, are they even a 6-6 team? USC dismantled them like a top team does playing a Mountain West team. They eviscerated them. They look like we're back. Not like Pete Carroll and his heyday back, but like we're a real team.

And I went from the LSU game thinking when I thought USC was going to lose, I'm like, I still think they'd get eight and four. Then to a week later, looking at their schedule going, could they get to 10? And if they get a 10, they're a playoff team. So when the dust settles,

are they the second best team? I would still hesitate. Like Miller Moss has blown me away. He's been excellent. He's like almost 75% completion percentage. but I think as of right now they're a playoff team. They're better. Let's ask the next question.

What the hell is wrong with Oregon? I've thought about this a lot. I think sometimes, like Georgia's won national championships, right? Ohio State has been a national champion contender, like legit, for, I don't know, 12, 15 straight years. Oregon has not beat Washington in two years. Kaelin Dubour beat them three straight times So they have been in some big games

And they've lost them all Like we saw them against Washington As a nine point favorite In the Pact 12 championship game Against Kailin Dubour And Ryan Grubb who's now Seattle's offensive coordinator And they got fucking worked I don't know

Remember the final score A game was not close Now everyone thought this team was better than that version last year and I bought into the hype too. Yet you're watching this team. Obviously their offensive line play has been not good.

But all I've heard forever is like how well they've recruited, how well they've recruited. When you play, I'll never forget Leonard Fournett like his last year at LSU and going into the Alabama game, it was like he's going to go off against Alabama.

It was obviously LSU Alabama most years a massive game. And I'll never forget watching that game and thinking, I don't think Leonard Farnett can gain five yards. And Alabama treated him like he was me. And that's what good teams do against a team that is very dependent on one great player. Well, Boise State has clearly one of the best running backs in college football. I've kind of compared him to Darren Sproles because he's short and probably end up being a second, you know, top 50 pick.

depending on what he runs or whatever. But he's an NFL player. That's a type game if you're a national championship contender, even if your offensive line has issues. And let's face it, Dylan Gabriel's not as good as Bo Nix. So you downgrade a quarterback, even if Dylan Gabriel is a good player, like Bo NIC's top 15 pick starting in the NFL.

Dylan Gabriel's not going to be a top 15 pick. He's not going to be starting in the NFL. So that's what you call a downgrade. You do not let the guy, listen, he's going to get his. You don't let him go for almost. 200 yards at home if you're a national championship team. Now, maybe it can change, maybe you can get better. Dan Lennie is a defensive guy, but right now, it ain't even close.

It ain't even close. To let him go for 192 against you is embarrassing. Even if he's an excellent player. One thing to get 80 on you over the course of the game. But 192, three touchdowns, 70 yard run. I can't take you that seriously right now. Relative to the way we talked about you coming into the year, which was like final four or bust.

If it all goes well, national championship. They don't even look remotely close to that right now. Who would have thought two weeks in USC would be way better? If they played right now, how would you not bet on USC to win that game, the way Oregon's planned? Are we tired of Colorado yet? It's hard for me to say yes

because I was glued week one against North Dakota State and I was glued Saturday night against Nebraska. So, like, I enjoy watching these games. And I'm not necessarily rooting for or against them. I just kind of want to see what happens. Now, here's what I will say, because I saw this clip of Rusillo talking on his podcast, listen off the stats.

I mean, he's two and nine in his last 11 games. It's ugly. And they got worked Saturday night in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dion clearly loves, like, NFL guys on a staff. which I have no problem like hiring Warren Sapp to coach my defensive line. I mean, that's not one about it. Pat Shermer, that's a fucking embarrassing hire. In that game against Nebraska,

and it's been like this since Deion has been there, they can't block anybody. Yet every single time that they broke the huddle, they're going four and five wide. It's like, hey guys. Dion, one thing I admire, like my parents were huge supporters of me. But there were levels, and there was a cutoff point.

Like, the way Dion is with Shador, like, I don't think you could pay my dad $10 million to get to that level. You know, there would be, there had to be some humility in there. I think Dion looks at Shador like Shador is better than Dion, which, again, he's pretty talented. But they're going four and five wide. Like, Dion's been around football long enough. I know he's not the guy calling the plays.

But like, hey, Pat. You want to throw in an extra offensive lineman or a tight end and maybe not spread this thing out when we can't block a soul? It was terrible football. It was just like, listen, it's one thing to lose. Nebraska's better than you. Okay.

But to just like, we're going to do this over and over, can you imagine what some of the Nebraska coaching staff? What was Matt Rule thinking? Like, are they really just going to make it this easy? They can't block our guys. Four and five, it advantage us. what would you do, would you keep just spreading it out? It wasn't 50 to 10.

At one point in time it was like 21, nothing. Like you're not, it's college football. Things could change pretty quick. To me, they're just poorly coached on offense. There are a few, and maybe it's Dion, because he wants to get Chador all these points. Like, the point of this whole thing is to win. Shador's going to the NFL, whether he throws for 100 touchdowns or two touchdowns.

He can move, he's got a big arm, like Josh Allen, didn't do shit in college and went seventh. Are you trying to win the game? Or are we trying to do something else? It doesn't quite add up to me. It just, that was bad. Like, to me, out of the two years, that was one of the most glaring.

And if they lose this week to Colorado State, I will say I'm out. Like, I'm not paying attention to them anymore. Because it just, none of it matters. Because if they lose this week, which, remember, they almost lost last year to Colorado State at home, they're headed for three or four wins.

They win this week. Maybe they can get some stuff together and compete to be six and six. This week, zero chance at 500. Is Texas back? There are several teams that I just kind of root against. I would say Ohio State.

Notre Dame, I would say pretty consistently. And Texas would be won also. Again, no militia. It's not like I hate these programs. When they're good, I do enjoy watching them. I kind of, I like it when they lose. And Texas has always been a program like, I enjoyed when they were really down.

They don't determine my happiness or whatever. And even against Michigan, I was kind of hoping that, hey, you know, maybe Michigan mucks up this game. By about four series in, my takeaway was one, separate from my Texas agenda. I just kind of thought Quinn Ewers was a lot of hype last year.

I remember watching games going, Wait, people are talking about this guy like a top 10 pick. The guy I'm watching this year looks fantastic. That game he just played against Michigan. Through three touchdowns, but avoiding the rush, stepping up in the pocket, keeping plays alive, his arm strength, how quick he is to make a decision, how fast he is to kind of keep a play alive but keep his eyes up. He was, I guess I'm sold because I watched that.

Obviously their team has one of the best squads money can buy. I think Texas is a legitimate national championship contender, and I think they're back. And in this modern day, when you pay to play and you have the most money, you're going to have a shot. When you can pay to play, Google, Apple, Texas, right? I mean, you're going to win. When you have the most money in a market like this where the most money counts for a lot, it's impossible to suck. and I've been very critical of Sark

and I do wonder like when it really gets tough in a game against Georgia in a game against even Alabama, I know they look shady, but a game like that in the second or third round of the playoffs. Are they tough enough? I don't know. Time will tell. We're going to see it this year

because they're in the SEC. But that was a win like, yeah, we can win the Natty. Last year that win against Alabama was impressive but their defense sucked. Their defense doesn't look like it sucks this year. Here's the question. Question. Notre Dame. Question mark. In what world? This is the stupid part about the top 25. Because Notre Dame was a highly touted program coming in this year. They can only fall so far after I don't know losing at home is a 30 point favorite. In what world if we're going to rank the top 25? I play you. We're both one and oh. It's a second game of the season, I play you at your place, and I beat you, and you're ranked ahead of me.

How does that make any sense? Just because I'm a program that no one talks about, and not a program that anyone thinks about when they say the words top 25. But we played it on the field. I played you, and I beat you. That's the whole point of this sport. we played four quarters worth of football in front of 70,000 people, and when the score ended, or when the clock went to double zeros,

we had more points than you. How is Northern Illinois not ranked ahead of Notre Dame? In what world can you lose to Northern Illinois, I'd argue, and still be a top 25 team? I got no problem putting Northern Illinois in there. Notre Dame can't be there. And they definitely can't be ahead of Notre Dame on the rankings. and Riley Leonard, I read a long athletic article on him how it was hard, you know, it was weird because in spring he was injured and he couldn't practice.

He was trying to take this leadership role and he brought the boys home and he seems like a great kid. Seems like a dude that you'd want to be in your life as a friend, as a neighbor, as a business partner, he can't throw. So when you pay all this money, Sabin said this a couple weeks ago on college game day. You can have all the money in the world. You better not pay the wrong guys. And they paid a guy, high character guy, big guy can run. He can't throw. And Notre Dame in 2024 is not going to have, you know, Jerry Judy and Jameson Williams at wide receiver.

Their receivers are always, maybe they hit on one, but it's going to be rare. they have some of the best wide receivers in the country. Maybe get a tied-in and a solid running back, but their offensive personnel is always going to be relative to the Ohio states, the Bamas, the LSUs, the Georgia's, Ole Misses, Texas is not going to be on their level. Because even with NIL,

there are academic requirements. It's just a fact of life. So you better have a quarterback who can complete passes and be pretty accurate. And this guy is not. So I get falling in love with the, them once you meet him he's probably just like god we love you got to make plays on the field and he can't pass i mean he can't pass and i wanted to root for him but as a buddy two weeks ago said when they were

playing texed san em we were texting about the game and he's a high-ranking official for a big-time NFL team he said these are the two most overhyped quarterbacks in the country and it ain't close because the hype on those two guys but specifically Riley Leonard because of going to Notre Dame is the old, even the Jets, no one. And I mean, no one gets more hype than Notre Dame. Nobody. And nobody consistently doesn't live up to it.

Like after a while, I'm just like, yeah, USC's not that good. Like, they didn't even get hype. Hell, this year they had no hype. Top 25. How are they still in the top? How could you walk into the office if you're Thomas Hammock,

the Northern Illinois coach, and go, wait, our number, we're ranked below Notre Dame. How's that possible? We literally just played them. Now, I understand going into week three, it doesn't determine anything. But still, like, how can I take a top 25 list seriously? And they all have it, if that's the case.

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

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

Cliver Taylor the fourth. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,

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

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two.

Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise.

the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole,

this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get to. your podcast. Okay, it's that time for the Middlecough mailbag. You guys know the drill. DMs wide open at John Middlecough, two Fs, fire in those DMs and get your question answered on the show.

Let's start with Nicholas, 23-year-old, Santa Monica, freshly graduated from college. Congrats, Nicholas. Welcome to real world. College, a lot easier. on your mental health, that's for sure. I know it's early, but as a Charger Rams fan, yes, we exist.

I have already seen the culture change Harbaas brought. I get that it's early to talk about coaching changes for some teams, but for teams that have been dysfunctional for years, bears, giants, Carolina, such as the Chargers who were cycling through head coaches embarrassing themselves week in, week out, true dad homie why don't those teams go and chase fable this offseason i know reports came out that teams didn't want to hire him because he's big and seems intimidating but come on do owners

really care about that when they don't win are they scared to take the big swing wouldn't he provide a floor of competitive plus watchable physical football every week as long as he has a competent quarterback it's clear to me that dable iberflus sala or are on the way out. And I'm 99% sure. Canales ain't it. Secondly, how long,

well, here's the thing with Brable. I think he's got Chicago written all over. I don't think it necessarily was owners were intimidated. I'd have to go Google that report again. I think general managers

and speaking of Harbaugh, Harbaugh intimidated a lot of people in the building. And Trent Balke, who a lot of people talk shit about, my personal interactions. He's always been cool to me, except the first time I met him back in like 08, 2009 when I was at Fresno State.

But then ever since, once I worked in the league and was doing media stuff in the bay, he was cool to me. So people don't like him. My interactions with him, but one, like him and Harbaugh's relationship started fracturing because Jim was the alpha.

And it got weird. And Jim, to me, is a much different guy right now. Like I heard him on with Coward yesterday. You watch these videos, he's loosened up dramatically. And age does that. Like, you just don't have the same fire in terms of getting angry over everything

that you did 15 years ago. As you age, it doesn't mean your competitive fire diminishes. It just means, like, I don't need to be so angry about this. I don't need to approach this this way. He seems like he's, this is going to sound weird but matured a lot. And I think you're seeing a new version of Jim Harbaugh. Vrable, you know, if you watch Hard Knocks,

Ryan Poles, I didn't realize this. College roommates with Matt Ryan. He was guard or tackle in college. I'm not sure. He played one of those. He's a, I mean, he was a fringe, like, NFL practice squad. He's a big dude. He's not going to be intimidated by Vrable.

Two football guys, in the trenches. No, Vrable is technically a lot. a stand-up linebacker, but he looks like a defensive lineman, which he kind of was a hybrid version of that, which he would be in this modern-day football because he wouldn't be able to stand up. But you know what I mean? So I think Vrable and the Bears are a match made in heaven. I just think that the culture, the toughness, getting a guy that can just corral Caleb,

if he bruce, I mean, if they don't win nine games, even if they went nine and eight and they don't get the seven seed, I think he would be in trouble. Secondly, how long do you think it will take for the Rams and the Chargers to establish themselves in L.A. and have a real home field advantage? Every time I watch either of them at home, it's always 50% road fans. It's out of my control, but I wish it were different. I understand the Lakers and Dodgers are light years ahead of them, but the Rams won it all a few years ago and the Chargers have Harbaugh. I have been saying this about our fan situation that I've So you're a hybrid

I didn't quite realize I guess I read it You root for them both Pretty genius It's like more than likely You're gonna have a good weekend And then when they both win You're gonna be on fire

I don't know you could really do that Maybe you're just an L.A guy So you just root for the LACS squad Like do you root for the Lakers and the clippers You root for the Angels and the Dodgers That seems a little weird to me Where I come from northern California There's a direct line

You root for the Giants of the A's and you're rooted for the Niners of the Raiders. Now it just happened that the Pyechart, the Giants and the 49ers, had the heavy majority of fans. But I think when you look at, and the Raiders are a good example, why did the Niners,

their fan base, in terms of numbers, outdraw the Raiders at pretty high proportions in Northern California? Well, the Raiders left. So the Raiders left, I don't have the year off top of my head. But when they were gone in the 80s,

and they came back in the mid-90s. You know what happened? Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, and Steve Young showed up. And they built a dynasty. So when they came back, it's like you've got generations of new fans. People are born, young kids are becoming. It's an easy team to root for.

Well, the Rams were gone for a long period of time. And what happened during that period of time? Niners are cool. So I think the Niners have such a big presence in Southern California. like the Raiders literally played down there as well. So their fan base, I think it's very, very difficult.

And I think Southern California is nicer than Northern California. Like there's no Newport Beach in Northern California. There's no Manhattan Beach. San Diego is fucking beautiful. But the Chargers like had, where I went to school at Cal Poly, we were Northern California and Southern California.

Like that's where the majority of people came. And then the ad kids all came from, the Central Valley. But I knew people, I spent a lot of time with, I had dudes in my fraternity that were from San Diego and loved the Chargers. Like watching those games like people would in Philadelphia, like people would in the Bay Area with the Niners,

like people would in Dallas with the Cowboys. So anytime you do constant movement, you know why the Eagles, the Bears, the Cowboys, the Niners, like all these teams, they don't move around. So when you're constantly moving, I saw it with the Raiders, it creates, it's weird. It's hard for people to get behind. I've seen it with the A's. Just get absolutely lapped by the Giants.

It's like you're always threatening to leave. Like, that gets old. And I know the Rams and the Chargers are there for the long haul now, but the Chargers were San Diego's team. Like, that was a pretty big distinction. And then the Rams, when they had success, I don't know, and won a Super Bowl, they were in St. Louis. So, like, I know you guys recently won, but I went to the game week 17, three weeks before the NFC championship game, where the Rams beat the Niners. It felt like 70 to 30, maybe 80 to 20. And I just think it's difficult to overcome that.

The Lakers have been in Los Angeles for a long, long time now. The Brooklyn Dodgers moved, I don't know, 75, 80 years ago. So time, fan bases, generations of people, it takes a lot. It does not happen overnight. It just, it's to become entrenched in the culture, like what's entrenched in the culture in L.A. from a sports standpoint. I would say, obviously the Dodgers and the Lakers. And USC football and UCLA basketball have always been a really big deal.

Why is that? Well, they've fucking been there for everyone. I mean, they have a lot of history. You have generations of people. They didn't have to worry. Well, actually, for the next 20 years, they're going to, USC is going to play in the SEC, but they're not just going to play in the SEC.

They're going to move to Mississippi. I mean, that wouldn't work. So I think it's part of that. Jim Harbaugh is a force of nature. He will do everything humanly possible to make you guys really relevant. Obviously, Sean McVeigh is a superstar. And I just, I think it's hard to overcome the, I don't know, transient nature of the franchises.

I just think it turns a lot of people off. Teams I've rooted for my entire life, like San Francisco Giants. I don't know, they've moved stadiums, but they've never moved within a 10-mile radius. The 49ers move stadiums, but my entire life, from the day I was born to the day I'm sitting here,

play in the Bay Area. My entire life, the Sacramento Kings, I guess the Kings might have moved in like 86, but have been in Sacramento. So it's like teams, that matters. That has a huge impact. on people. So I think that's an element that's an element that's kind of hard to, to overcome. For the mailbag, do you think the signing of Antonio Pierce was the right

move for the Raiders? Not going for it on fourth and one was a head scratcher. I think Mark was in a really tough spot because, I've said this and I'll reiterate it again, him and Dean Spanos up until Harbaugh, even though, you know, Mark was looked at like this, this disqualification. dysfunctional. Let's face it, most people like call him a loser because he looks weird and he's never had a job. He said that, not me. But I will say this, twice, Mark Davis really, really tried to hit a huge home run. He fired Jack Del Rio on the field and immediately, because he was hiring John Gruden. He gave him 10 years, $100 million. Like, that was a pretty big deal. Obviously, that unraveled on him. And then he has a situation with Basatia.

it, listen, you probably could have done that. But then he had the opportunity to hire Josh McDaniels, which was a catastrophic disaster, only coach in NFL history to not make it through year two, twice, two separate spots. But the 49ers wanted Josh McDaniels the year they hired Kyle Shanahan. The Indianapolis Colts wanted Josh McDaniels.

So now we know no one will ever hire him to be their head coach again, but he had been in high demand for the last six, seven years. and Mark threw, I mean, rumors are he gave him like six-year contract worth $10 million a year. He's paying him $60 million. So two coaches in like a four-year, five-year span, he divvied out over $160 million he was willing to pay guys. And then I think he finds himself in this position. His best player, Max Crosby, loves the guy. And Devante, his second best player, loves the guy as well.

I think it was an easy one. He just needed to take a deep breath. Who else, what were his other options? Mike Brayball, a guy like that, would that guy even take the job? I'll defend Mark on this one. I think he was in a tough spot. Though I would bet against this working,

unless they get the number one overall pick and the next quarterback they draft is a high-end player. What do you think about this proposed rule change? Like many others, my least favorite play in football, is the tic-y-tack defensive holding wipe out a third and long automatic first down I added that part

I was thinking about how to fix this so that's not extremely punitive but also doesn't allow the defense to take advantage in mug receivers on obvious passing downs here's my solution get rid of the auto first down and instead make it a spot foul

with a minimum of five yards and with a redo of the down example, third and 17. So this offense has had a rough little stretch here on this series. Holding flag thrown eight yards past the line of scrimmage. It now becomes third and nine instead of first and ten. I've always believed, and I'm glad you bring this up, defensive holding should be a spot foul.

I've even gone as far as like pass interference. I like the college rule. I don't like you getting 50 yards. I really don't. Like to me, it should just be an automatic 15 yards. Like, if a ball is not caught and I get it, some guys get tackled, and I would have no problem. I mean, zero.

I'm behind you. I've been saying for a decade, spot foul defensive holding, and 15 yards for pass interference. I just, I hate these penalties, and I get, some are egregious, right? And like you said, not all defensive holdings are the same. I honestly think most of them lean on the same. the side of tickey tack. Clearly there are some pass interference that are no-brainers. But is there anything worse than a quarterback making a throw on like third and 12?

It has no chance. I mean, Calvin Johnson meets Michael Jordan in his prime, couldn't have touched the ball, and the defender's not looking, runs into him, and you get 60 yards, or even 38 yards? It's like, I don't know if that should be rewarded. I'm all for if you take a guy out, a penalty, but 15 yards to me, just universally 24-7, 365 college and pro. I get the two-foot rule in the pros. It should be more difficult in college. I'm not holding Alabama star player right now on offense is a 17-year-old guy. If he can't get two feet down all the time, he's 17 years old. But I watch Cooper Cup, 30 years old, made however much money in the NFL, Super Bowl champ, like, hold.

him to a higher regard. So he gets two feet down, which was an incredible catch on Sunday night. Early, I would say early potential catch of the year. I'm a sucker for a ball thrown into the sideline and the Chris Carter, for those of you that are too young to get that reference, he's not even on TV anymore, but in the 90s, nobody. And I mean, this includes Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Randy Moss, nobody could work a sideline better than Chris Carter.

He could have those two feet in. It was a thing of beauty, and that's what Cooper Cup did. But I hear you. John, this is from Justin. I thought it was Justin Tuck. It was Justin Tack. It was like, oh, man, big Tuck listens.

Why do nearly all analysts talk about offense today in quarterbacks in general like they're better than 10 years ago? In my opinion, the average quarterback now is much worse than the 2010s. Scoring is actually down the past couple years, and other than Allen and Mahomes,

no one really compares to an era where we had Manning, Brady, Breeze, Rogers, Ben, Philip, Eli, Matt Ryan. Those guys threw 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in 16 games, and most of them reached 5,040 touchdowns at some point in their career. Just judging by the eye test, Mahomes and Allen seem light years beyond everyone else right. now. Totally agree. I mean, do you think Lamar Jackson would have had the same success 25 years ago? You have to be accurate. Your quarterback's getting killed. And when you are running as a huge part of your game, what do you think these players would have done to him? Now, he's hard to hit. But when they were allowed to break you in half, it would have been much harder

to be that confident as a runner. You had to kind of pick your spots. Michael Vick got his leg shattered in a preseason game. I was there in Philadelphia with Michael Vick. He broke ribs and punctured spleen, all that. He was getting crushed. I mean, and he's one of the greatest athletes in the history of the league.

So that's my issue with Gardner Minchu. Is last year, who were they playing? The Steelers. This is a bad Steeler loss. I think they were rolling out. Tribisky. And Minchu threw a ball, and I forget the DB's name, but he got, you know, helmet to helmet and he got kicked out of the game or whatever. And it's like, that is such a shitty pass. In the history of the sport up until five years ago, that is called a hospital ball.

Hospital balls don't exist anymore because no one through hitting, for the most part, ever goes to the hospital. The only guys we've seen go to the hospital in a recent memory were like, Alex, when his leg got twisted Damar Hamlin when his heart stopped but people used to I remember being at Eagles game

where Austin Colley got I thought he was dead on the field I wasn't at the game but when I was with the Eagles I think we were playing Atlanta Deshawn Jackson might have been killed on the field

and if you put those balls into harm or people would get injured it's why when Tom Brady talks about it He's like, people think he's being a hater. No, he's just saying, like, this is not really allowed. It's like when Anthony Edwards, the other day, within the last couple weeks, said that, like, none of the guys in the 90s could play today, and everyone that plays today would be the best player back then.

It's like, what are you talking about? The NBA's never been less skilled. There's never been better athletes, but they've never been less skilled. and back then you weren't just allowed to drive to the basket every play because you know what? You would get a forearm to the teeth

and it sounds like old guy acting tough but like that was legitimately sports just YouTube some of the brawls in baseball you throw inside a couple times like we're throwing fists at each other's face now there's so much money the world's changed and it's obviously not the same but playing quarterback now, one has never been easier,

and the totality of it, I think you could argue, has never... We just assume, for example, and I'm guilty of this, that Caleb, Bo Nix, and Jaden Daniels would be able to play in the league, there's a decent chance that two out of the three of them will not have their fifth-year option picked up. And it's never been easier to play quarterback. So what would they have looked like 20 years ago? Now, to me, a huge part of the game is obviously in the shotgun.

Guys are really comfortable. But when you're under center, there are some pretty easy plays because play action is such a big part of it. That if teams that can run the ball and good teams have always been able to run the ball, play action under center gives you a lot of layups. Well, now everyone's just, for the most part, out of shotgun. Someone hit me up the other day is like, why is Kirk Cousins out of the shotgun nonstop? Well, could be partly because he, the Achilles, he can't move nearly as good as he once could,

and he never moved that great. Rogers loved the shotgun, always. It's why when the floor got there and wanted him to play kind of more of the Shanahan offense, and he kind of pushed back, then eventually they kind of met in the middle and he won a couple MVPs. But I completely agree.

Like Gardner Minchu could not start if this was 1999. And if he could, he'd last three games. It doesn't mean that every quarter of, was good, but it was way harder to play. Way harder to play. Because you couldn't throw balls all over the map. Guys would get killed and you'd get yanked. Now, I do think the top guys could all play.

Like, I'm not saying Lamar couldn't play. He would play. But like when you look at Vic, who had a stronger arm than him, he got hurt a lot. A lot. You know? And I just think it's hard to play. It's easier to play a running style.

If you told me Jaden Daniels was doing what he just did week one in 1996. I'd be like, I don't know if he's going to make it a month. They weren't throwing flags. There was no sliding in these off limits. So I think we have to acknowledge the game is dramatically changed. Like, I don't want to see quarterbacks get hurt, so I don't really push back against it, but I think you're right.

Lifelong Steelers fan. Nice win. Sunday, the defense looked pretty good. I'd say excellent. But even with the new offensive coordinator and quarterback Justin Fields, the offense looked the same it has dating back to when Ben's arm gave out. I like Tomlin, but is this defensive coaching mentality holding us back or what change do you need to happen to give a shot to contend in the AFC? I like this player. I've been following him since high school, but I think he's closer to just a guy than a high-end player. and it's not all his fault

I think your offensive line has been a little hit or miss but if you had a do-over you would not have taken Najee Harris in the first round and every I watched the game today I was on the stairmaster

no big deal just trying to shed a few pounds and he gets a lot of carries you know and he has his entire career when he's healthy for you guys and to me he's just kind of he's fine like I watched Jordan Mason

I go like he's better player I wouldn't trade Jordan Mason an undrafted free agent for Nagy Harris So that to me, if you had a high-in player there, I do think your offense would just look a lot better. Like to me, he's, as the kids say, mid. I thought Fields actually played pretty well. Pickens is obviously really good.

Fryermuth is a really good player. I just think when I think back to some of the better Pittsburgh teams, I think you guys had good running backs. I mean, the best offenses were when Ben was in his latter year, of his prime with AB. You had Levion Bell, who was a stud. I remember Rashad Mendenhall was a really good player for a couple years.

You guys have always had really good running backs. I watch Naji, I just go, eh? Again, I like him. Antioch, California, played Pittsburgh High, followed his career since Alabama. But that was a big time overdraft, and they've just kind of stuck it out. I have a potential fix to the new.

kickoff that I think you should consider. Well, I mean, I don't get to consider it. It's not my call. To keep kickers from booting it through the back of the end zone, they should treat the boundary in the back of the end zone the same as they treat the sidelines on kickoffs. If the kick lands between 20 and the goal, it should still have to be returned, and there should be no penalty. If it hits the white out of the back of the end zone after rolling, but if the ball lands

in the end zone and does not stop before the back. boundary. They should place the ball at the 40. Don't hate that. It doesn't seem, just based on reporting, that they plan on doing anything drastic to this rule. But I think it's pretty clear. I watched a little bit of Andy's press conference the other day. It would have been Monday. They're like, why did you just kick it through the end zone? He's like, ah, yeah, we just felt that was the percentages, not worth the risk. He's like, then, at home and at the office watching games on Sunday, saw a conference, couple big returns.

So yeah, I think we feel pretty good about that decision. And I think more and more and more you're going to see. I mean, the 49ers are putting Debo Samuel back there. You would have to be on cocaine to kick him the ball. That was the most aggressive, and I don't agree with that. It's like, guys, Christian McCaffrey's injured right now, and who knows his status? I don't think it's worth Debo getting in some weird collision on this. Just throw a rookie back there.

And I'm pro doing that in like a playoff game or, you know, to win the division or even a divisional game, the last kick of the game. But I also think one thing's clear. If you do throw a Tyreek, a Debo back there in general, to me, that's an auto kick it out of bounds. But like you said, if you weren't allowed to kick it out of bounds, then it would change. But I don't think that's necessarily going to change anytime soon. Love the pod. This is from Adam. Congrats on the recent engagement.

Appreciate it. was listen to your take on the overtime rules, and I feel like there's an easy solution to both teams to get a chance. If the first team that gets the ball scores a touchdown, they have the choice to either kick the extra point

or go for two. If they kick the extra point, the second team must go for two. If they also score a touchdown on their possession, as they would either win or lose on the two-point try.

If the first team scores and chooses to go for two and fails, the second team has to score a touchdown and kick an extra point to win the game. If both teams score a touchdown and a two point on their first overtime possession, the next team to score wins. At some point, a defense has to make a stop. Would make for legendary decisions and moments. Listen, I think the overtime rule, which I don't know on average,

on a 16 game season, how many overtime games you see, it's probably not as many as I think you would guess. If I have no clue, I haven't looked it up. If I was taking an educated guess over the last 10 years, on average how many overtime games a year, I'd pick well under 10. I'd probably go six or seven. Maybe I'm crazy.

That's what it feels like to me. There just aren't that many. But I'm not against what you just said. It's from Marco. What's the deal with Zach Taylor? Despite leading the bangers or Super Bowl, no one seems to talk about him ever. The team's uninspiring performance in week one

raises concerns about whether he had the team prepared to compete. I don't think it raises concerns. I mean, we witnessed it. He did not. They scored 10 points at home against the New England Patriots while their quarterback threw for 121 yards. Red flag if your coach that can't get the team fired up for the season.

I don't know much about him. I don't know him personally. I've just followed his career in Sinci. I think any time that kind of out of the blue, you make a Super Bowl, and they weren't winning late in that Super Bowl, it buys you a lot of equity with the owner, especially you're an offensive coach.

Burroughs has one of the biggest contracts in the league. But I don't know. I would say, what if he won like seven games this year? I don't quite know what his defining characteristic is because I wouldn't call him some genius offensive coordinator. Maybe this is fair, maybe it's not. I felt like when I watched them play really well, it's just like burrow and go routes and post routes to their sweet receivers.

I mean, I could call those. He has nothing to do with the defense. I give him credit for the Lou Amaruno hire, because that was this guy. They knew each other from Miami. But yeah, I mean, I would say there are some legitimate. been questions out there with this guy. And if Burrow is a shell of himself this year,

it could be a long freaking season for them. But say this. If Zach Taylor's fired, let's say they go well under 500, fired, black Monday. Is he getting hired? I would say no.

Question for the pod. If the Patriots keep winning, but Jacoby keeps playing mediocre bare minimum, them. What does that mean for Drake May? I think ideally they don't want to play them. Now, are the Patriots going to keep winning? Let's just fire up. I don't even know. I haven't even looked at the schedule this week really, besides a couple games. Who do the old New England Patriots play? Week one, week two, the Patriots play Seattle. I think that will be a little more difficult. I don't know if you can throw for 121 yards and beat Seattle because Kenneth Walker,

Lockett, D.K., Jackson Smith, I would expect Seattle to win. I haven't even looked at the line. My guess would be Seattle's favored by four or five on the road. Maybe it's three and a half four, but kind of like Seattle in that spot, actually. I have to look at the line. Let's, it's pretty up my old friends at uh at draft kings here seattle's a three and a half point favorite i think that's an auto hammer for me do you believe doug peterson is on the hot seat he threw ryan nielsen under the bus after the loss of their dolphins only threw the ball seven times in the second half despite with success in the first half he went for it on fourth down on their own thirty which i think is fair to say is the most egregious call his team looked completely clueless on

offense and special teams as well. What happened to him? He looked like a bad head coach for roughly 10 weeks in a row now. I was listening to, I think, like a Bill Simmons podcast before the season. Do you know that he's only had one winning season? I'm saying that out loud and doesn't even sound true. Maybe it was one 10-win season. I'm bringing up his coaching resume.

Obviously the year he won the Super Bowl, they were really good. But he has your stats. Doug Peterson, 2016, 7 and 9, next year, Super Bowl year, 13 and 3 win Super Bowl. 9 and 7, 9 and 7, 4 and 11, obviously fired, takes the year off, comes back in 22. 9 and 8, that was the year that they beat the Chargers on that crazy game with Brandon Staley. Last year, 9 and 8, and this year, obviously, awful loss. So I think it's fair to assume 4 and 11 outlier year

2020 COVID not holding that against him 13 and 3 Super Bowl clearly an outlier year but if you're going to have an outlier year beating Belichick and the Super Bowl is an all-timer for Super Bowl in the history of the Eagles I think it's fair to assume that Doug Peterson is exactly who you think he is

9 and 7 9 and 8 9 and 8 like that's him he is the ultimate 9th and eight coach. Who's like more likable, I know him, but like, than like Jason Garrett, who I think fell under the same thing, but never won a Super Bowl. So are you just cool with always being nine wins? But I think the day and age, like, when you look at the coaches that can win like 12, 13,

like Andy, Kyle, McVeigh, John Harbaugh, I would say Dan Campbell this year, I would not put Doug in that. So would he get fired for going 9 and 8? I don't know. We talked about it on the podcast like earlier. I do think that's one to keep an eye on for old William Belichick, assuming that Trevor Lawrence shows something this year because there are going to be,

Cowboys don't come open. Would he rather have Trevor Lawrence? Would he rather have, you know, if Siriani. To me, McCarthy, if he makes them, the playoffs, probably is getting a contract extension, where Siriani better do some serious stuff or he could get fired? You know, who would Bill like more, Jalen Hertz or Trevor Lawrence? What division would he like to play in more?

That's why the Giants don't make that much sense, but keep the questions coming, baby. We'll keep answering them. Thanks for doing it. Peace. The volume. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob O'Don Kirk to David Letterman help make you

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Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast,

Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skin. my basketball and college football journey or my career in sports media.

Well now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the Iheart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. On the Look Back at a podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay.

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.

Hey, what's good, y'all? and 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 Hardway on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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