The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Flacco is the Colts starter, Rex Ryan to the Jets, Kauff on Campus
Episode Date: October 30, 2024John reacts to the news of the day coming out of Indianapolis with the Colts benching Anthony Richardson and naming Joe Flacco the starter. John talks about if this is the right decision for the Colts... and what it means for the future for Richardson. Next, John talks about a rumor that the Jets might be interested in bringing back Rex Ryan to be New York's head coach, the evolution of Dan Campbell and the Lions, and the train wreck that is the Dallas Cowboys. Later, the latest installment of "Kauff on Campus." Lastly, John answers your questions in this episode's mailbag segment. 6:53 - Flacco starting for the Colts 21:22 - Rex Ryan to the Jets 27:28 - Dan Campbell and the Jets 35:04 - Cowboys are in trouble 42:45 - Kauff on Campus 58:55 - 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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Good afternoon, everybody, or morning or lunchtime or whenever you're listening to this.
I'm John.
It's a three-out podcast.
Hopefully everyone is doing well.
We had some breaking news today.
Anthony Richardson got benched.
We talked about it yesterday on the podcast.
You got to subscribe to Three-N-Out podcast if you listen on Collins' feed.
Because we've got podcasts every week, or every day of the week.
But some of them are not going to show up,
so you've got to make sure you subscribe to the Three Now podcast.
Went over this yesterday.
It was clear he was going to get benched, and then it happened on Tuesday.
So we will dive into that.
Dan Campbell and the Jets.
We got rumors floating about a potential famous head coach taking over the Jets.
He was even asked about it and said he'd be interested in the job.
And I don't think it's the craziest idea.
pressure in the NFC East, now that the Cowboys are gone,
does it lie squarely on the team in Philadelphia?
They have the same record as Washington,
so we'll fire into that.
Little NFC East talk as well as we've got to dive on campus.
Signetti's undefeated, the Indiana Hoosiers,
talk of the town, talk of the country.
Penn State, Ohio State, which is a massive game.
Can Penn State finally win a big game?
is Ohio State in shambles, what's going on there.
And Oregon feels like got their swag back.
So we'll dive into all that as well as the Middlecough mailback.
At John Middlecough.
At John Middlecough is the Instagram.
Fire into those DMs.
We'll bang out a bunch today.
And, yeah, subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Like I said, make sure you subscribe to the Three and Out podcast,
separate from the herd feed.
Appreciate everyone listening.
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I want to start with Flacco and the Colts.
And, you know, there was, there was some visuals going around in 49er land after the cowboy 49er game on Sunday night.
Of all the 49ers, giving Tray Lance a huge hug.
And I think one thing we learned in that experience is when you are trying to win and you have a team,
now the Niners are better than the Colts, but when you have playoffs,
off expectations, it is very, very difficult to develop a project because they need a lot of work
and they can single-handedly lose you games, even when you have a ton of other guys, veteran players,
impact players on long-term contracts who are playoff ready, who are big game ready.
And I was watching that Colts game thinking, God, Gus Bradley, their defense, they were getting
pressure on CJ Stroud. Now, you can say a lot of people are because the
Houston offensive line is not playing that well. But Jonathan Taylor looked like the guy
from a couple years ago. Their weapons, I mean, they're flying around. And
Anthony Richardson's been terrible. Then the moment happens when he taps out,
it goes viral. Every former player chimes in basically
not just making fun of them, but honestly kind of offended because it feels like
an unprecedented moment in football history.
A non-injured quarterback, a guy that's not rotating in and out, taps out because he's exhausted.
And they didn't have a choice.
So Schaefter reported that they met yesterday.
Like, to me, the decision was made after his press conference when he kind of laughed it off.
But when you look at Anthony Richardson, part of drafting a project is the only way you really get better is by playing.
Well, part of playing is working through the problems, working through the issues you have to improve.
And he needs so much work that he became a liability for the Colts.
And then because they had Joe Flacco on their team and he got injured, they saw firsthand like,
actually, we're not bad when Joe Flacco's playing.
And this is two straight years.
Has to be one of the more bizarre careers of all time.
obviously Super Bowl champion,
made a ton of money in Baltimore,
and then it felt like his career was over.
Then he goes to a team with the highest paid
quarterback in the history of the league.
That guy gets injured, he comes and he leads the team to the playoffs.
Then obviously they don't resign him
because they don't want the fans
Channing Flacco week one,
which everyone thinks is crazy,
but is kind of understandable
when the owner's like, we got to make this work.
Then he goes to the Colts and everyone from like,
you know, a 20,000,
Foot View goes, I can see this becoming a problem.
And then Anthony Richardson gets hurt.
He comes in and starts throwing bombs.
And it was clear before Anthony Richardson came back from his injury that the best player at that position for this team is Joe Flacken.
It's not even debatable.
Sitting on your couch.
If you're in the front office.
But most importantly, if you're in that locker room.
So Joe Flacco then takes out a $230 million quarterback.
a guy that was drafting the top five in like eight months.
And he's just better than.
And they had to do this.
They did not have a choice.
Like this choice was made for them on Sunday.
Not just with his performance,
but with the moment and then the press conference.
So the Indianapolis Colts prove again,
if you take a huge project and your team sucks, it doesn't matter.
You can live through the lumps.
you can live through the losses.
You can live through games where they throw well under 50% completion percentage.
Hell, Anthony Richardson threw, I think, 10 for 32.
I'm no math major, but it's under 30% or 33%.
It's not very good.
So when they make this move, I think the question mark is,
and they've already started pushing out through local media,
that we're not giving up on them.
We just, we need a reset, but we're not giving up on this player.
And that is true.
But if Joe Flacco plays and plays like he's been playing this year and last year,
Anthony Richardson is not going to see the field again,
which is a big picture problem because they drafted this guy fourth overall
to develop them and turn them into a high-end top-10 quarterback.
And you have no chance to do that on the bench.
And some similarities to Trey Lance, this guy has not played a lot of football.
football. Talking to a scout yesterday, he was injured in college. He then didn't play that much
in Florida. Only had one full year starter, or as the starter, and the team went six and six.
Then he comes to the Colts, and he immediately gets injured. And then year two, what's supposed
to be his year, gets injured again. And now he gets benched. And I also was thinking about
we put so much hype, and I'm guilty as anybody, into drafting these quarterbacks really high
and taking big swings on these guys, most of them do not work.
Think how often these top 10 picks now over the last five years have been a disaster.
I mean, obviously the class of Field is now a backup again.
Mack Jones is a backup.
Zach Wilson's a backup.
Trey Lance is a third stringer.
You have Anthony Richardson, who has barely played in the NFL and has been benched in year two.
Got benched in year two.
Bryce Young also got benched in year two.
Like, these are disastrous situations.
I think fans, like coaches and like GMs,
can live with struggles if there's just a ton of upside
and you tangibly see it.
But when you watch this guy play, you go,
I don't know, man.
This is, for this to even be functional,
he's going to have to take massive strides.
And then the moment that happened in the game
is just something that's really hard to shake.
Obviously, it was an embarrassing moment for him,
even though at the time I don't even think he realized.
And I've had a couple people in the NFL
that think the reaction about that is maybe a little over the top.
This is a guy that's barely played.
He almost doesn't even know what he doesn't know.
And I do think there's probably some validity to that.
But like I said on Monday,
that I think the difficult part is,
is you're in the AFC
with arguably three of the best and brightest talents
and quarterbacks I've ever seen.
Mahomes, Josh, and Lamar.
And I was thinking about it today on the Stairmaster,
trying to not be so fat,
is that, like, I would say, obviously they all,
you know, Josh is this 6-5, 240-pound,
he can run, huge arm.
Lamar has become this outstanding passer
and he's obviously one of the best athletes we've ever seen.
Mahomes is one of the most dominant big game players we've ever seen
champion three times over.
But what I think about those guys,
the competitive nature of them,
the competitive character,
the will to win,
the will to compete,
the will to battle when things aren't going well,
are things that stand out to me.
you know, for as tangible as all their attributes are,
I think their intangibles have led them to become great players.
So that moment, while I don't think it determines his success or failure the rest of his life,
had to be pretty jarring for Chris Ballard to change Stuyken.
It really did.
And they can say whatever they want, they can try to spin this however they want.
It'll be interesting as the players talk throughout this.
week, their reaction to everything. And I think if they like the guy and by all accounts,
he's a high character good guy, they will attempt to support him. But that is something that's
hard to shake. You know, for as bad as the Tyreek Stevenson moment is, he's been a two-year
starter, he's a high-end player. It was an awful moment, an embarrassing moment, a losing moment,
and something that I would imagine really sucks for him. But all of his teammates know,
like we've been going to war with this guy for two years.
And our defense has become one of the best units in the league.
And he's played a large role in that.
Like, we need this guy, we want this guy,
and we feel comfortable in battle with this guy.
Now, I can't have you poking Terry McLaren's eye
or taunting, you know, the crowd.
But you're not, that moment's embarrassing for all of us.
And like I said yesterday,
I think you could make him inactive this week
to try to set the tone.
this is not okay in our locker room.
But we don't question the player.
And that's, it's like, okay, now we got competitive question marks,
but we've been questioning the player.
So at the end of the day, this was a no-brainer move, the right move.
And I think the question mark is, if Joe Flacco plays well,
we're not going to see Anthony Richardson the rest of the year.
Which is a problem for the Colts,
because they invested a really, really high pick.
which is a very, very valuable asset
because of what it can give you.
Right?
You can trade back and accumulate picks.
Like Howie Roseman says,
every team in the league has the same amount
of money and draft compensation.
But the reason on a yearly basis
some teams' caps are different,
some teams have more picks than others,
is because each individual team,
GM and head coach,
and obviously some teams the owner,
dictates how you want to use that capital.
And they went all in.
And I understood it.
But there's no way around it.
As of October 29th,
this Anthony Richardson draft pick,
when you factor in the injuries,
when you factor in the poor play,
and now when you factor in this moment
forcing you to bench the guy
for a player that's going to be 40 years old
in a couple months,
is a pretty epic disaster.
And like I said,
this is not out of character for these high picks.
This has kind of been a consistent theme now.
and I was talking to someone in the league that scouts college players
he's like this quarterback class is bad
like we got a problem right now
there aren't a bunch of guys in college that you feel good about
going to your draft meetings going yeah this guy can be a starter in the NFL
talking about a lot of these players being like yeah I hope he's a good backup
and you look around the NFL or the college football
like I think there are some question marks right now with that position
So it's not easy for the Colts just to pivot off this.
And you can already see it coming.
Like, is this one of those where at the end of the year you don't bring Flackle back if things go well?
Because you want to make this easy on Anthony Richardson?
There's obviously a different level of investment when it comes to his contract relative to the last year's situation with DeShon Watson because he's on a rookie contract scale.
But being the fourth overall pick, you don't make nothing.
he's not making a million dollars a year.
My guess is he signed for over $30 million guaranteed
being the fourth overall pick.
So this is a problem for the Colts.
And this is a major problem for Shane Stike and Chris Ballard.
And it might just be one of those situations that, you know,
even if it's like, hey, I got to get in better shape,
that will never happen again.
I do think there is potential truth that that might be the case.
But the bottom line is he might just not be good enough.
despite all the great physical attributes,
despite his speed, his size, his arm power,
maybe he's just not very good.
And he's not alone if he falls under that category.
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I saw a rumor today floating around, or a couple days ago,
on the interweb, and Rex Ryan was doing local television hits
or local radio hits in New York.
And obviously he's asked, like, would you consider the job?
And I hadn't heard his name floating around,
and his response on a local radio station in New York was like,
hell yeah, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
and then I talked to someone
that might know a little something
he's like,
don't be surprised
if there's some legs
to this rumor
as the season goes on
because Woody Johnson
didn't want to fire Rex
back when they did.
He had hired John Idick.
Itzik did not like him
and he just let him pull the trigger.
But if you look at the Jets
who, you know,
it's hard to even know
what's going to happen this Thursday,
you'd be,
you'd be insane to bet on them.
But is it possible home game short week that they win a game 100%.
The Texans just lost another receiver digs out for the year, which is not ideal.
Because, I mean, he was productive for them when they're fully healthy.
He just kind of got to act as their third receiver.
So that's a pretty big blow.
But if the Jets were to lose on Thursday night, I think it's very conceivable that Joe Douglas, the GM,
whose contract is over at the end of this season is fired.
So then they would have fired Robert Sala and Joe Douglas in like less than a month,
and they would have no head coach in a GM.
Regardless how this thing's finish is, Jeff Obrick is not going to be their coach.
And obviously there's this elephant in the room.
If Trump's the president, Woody Johnson, everyone universally thinks he's just packing up
and going back overseas.
He loved that.
He loved the way he was treated.
I don't quite know if you were a super rich guy and owned a football team why you would want that role,
but clearly he loves that role.
And everyone agrees that is in the loop when it comes to the Jets, he is going to go.
So then his brother would take back over.
Now, they're in a coaching search essentially kind of right now.
When you fire Robert Salah, you can be making all the calls you want.
So I do think it's fair to say, even if Woody takes back off over to whatever country he's going to go to,
that he's still going to be very involved in this decision.
And can the Jets, Robert Sala, first time head coach, look at the Giants.
Joe Judge, first time head coach, McAdoo first time head coach.
Now Brian Dayball, first time head coach.
Like, are they really going to be in the business of first time head coach?
And everyone, and rightfully so, loves the Detroit.
He's been turning down jobs for two years in a row.
Whether you call it cold feet, whether you call it apprehension of his own skills, of being
the leader.
I don't know all the details.
I've heard a lot of different rumors, but the reality is he just won't accept the head coaching
job.
At least he hasn't so far.
And everyone thinks that obviously he's going to be back in the mix.
Everyone's going to want to talk to him.
That's a pretty big leap from just calling an offense with an elite offensive line.
A quarterback, even before he came to the Lions,
had been a guy that helped lead a team to the Super Bowl
and been a good player.
They have elite offensive weapons at wide receiver tied in at running back.
It's like, well, we don't have that here.
We got a lot of question marks.
And our quarterback, whether he comes back again or retires,
we got a quarterback problem.
On top of offensive line issues,
on top of receiver issues, our defense is now in shambles.
Like, this is a very, very difficult job.
you could argue that the Jets cannot afford to risk hiring a guy that doesn't have any experience.
I watched a little bit of, I don't know why my nosages, of Rex Ryan on the Pivot podcast,
and he talked about how desperately he wants to be a head coach anymore.
And it wasn't because he got out of the league because he didn't want to do it,
just because people stopped calling him.
And even last year, if you remember, when the Cowboys' defensive courts,
Job became open, he called Jerry.
So this is a guy that desperately wants back in the league.
We'll do anything possible to become a head coach again.
To me, if you're the Jets, I don't even think it's that crazy.
One, you could do way worse.
And two, you get a guy who comes in extra motivated,
who would inspire the fan base a little bit of like,
Hey, can't be worse.
We know he knows
schematics.
He is a defensive genius.
He has been long allotted
throughout the course of his career
as one of the best defensive scheme guys
in the league.
We know he's a pretty good leader
and good with players.
His offensive coordinator,
higher, is very, very important, obviously.
But I actually think it makes a lot of sense.
And if I were the Jets,
you'd be hard-pressed to
the Bobby Slowick
Kubiak and that team's falling off a cliff.
But like, you can't hire one of those jobs.
You see the intensity of New York.
It is hard.
Everyone's watching you.
The intensity of it, we talk about it all the time, the hype on these players.
The way Soss Gardner's playing right now, which is not very good,
that would never happen under Rex Ryan.
You know for a fact a good defensive player takes a step up, not a regression.
Their pass rush would not look like.
this. It would not be tolerated. So, listen, is it a no-brainer? Of course not. But when you kind of look at the
options and you look at their situation, I think Rex Ryan makes a lot of sense. Kurt Signetti,
who we'll get into in a little bit, is obviously the toast of the town, not just in Bloomington,
but in the college football world. And when you look at his resume, he really got put on the map
when he started coaching for Nick Saban.
He got there year one.
And he was there for three or four years
when they started, built it up, and won a national championship.
And I was thinking the other day, like,
would you rather be a part of Nick Saban,
of Bill Walsh, of Jeff Bezos,
in the early stages,
or once it's really rolling?
Like, if you met someone from Amazon
Who was like, I was there with Jeff
From 97 through 04
Or you met a guy from Amazon
Like, yeah, I started working from 2010 to 2018
Right, like Lane, Sark, you have so many guys
That showed up when the train was humming down the tracks
Right, if you showed up for Bill Walsh in 1987
Like, they already got three Super Bowls
Or two, I guess.
But if you were there in both, like I showed up with Bill Walsh,
1979, and I left in 1986.
You're like, what was that like?
How did you guys do that?
And I was thinking about Dan Campbell,
who, because my opinion is I would choose to be there at the beginning.
I think those lessons, the experiences,
the ability to start something from scratch is something you can't teach.
and when you're around in those situations,
they will carry with you whenever you go on your journey
and you leave that place the rest of your life.
It doesn't mean that being around those people
once they've made it
and once they have the structure, the infrastructure,
the understanding of exactly what it takes
in the peak of their powers isn't valuable as well.
But I don't think what the Lions have done
these last four years,
everyone associated with that organization,
they've really had the same coaching staff for the most part
for four straight years.
Dan Campbell's been very, very lucky.
Now, he fired Anthony Lynn and elevated Ben Johnson these last couple years,
but Ben was there originally as well.
I don't think it can be overstated
how incredible it is what they're doing
and how difficult it is what they have accomplished.
Are they ever going to win a Subaru?
I don't know.
You know, they might not.
It's very, very difficult.
There's only a select few quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl like the last six, seven years.
But to turn this franchise into what was easily, I would say the most consistent joke, just perpetually laughed at in pro football over my entire life.
I'm 40 years old now.
and turn them into an absolute power.
The other thing I was shocked is looking at Dan Campbell's record.
His first year he was 3.13 and 1.
And there's that famous meme of him kind of crying
when he was interviewed about the effort
and what those players on the team meant to him.
And he gets teary-eyed of just their effort,
even though they were 10 games under 500,
to what he's turned them into
of being what I think most people think
if they can just keep relative health
is going to be 100% of team
that can win the Super Bowl
that could be the number one overall seed.
And this is not the 49ers,
this is not the Philadelphia Eagles,
this is not the McVeigh Rams,
this is the Detroit freaking Lions.
They hadn't been to the NFC championship game
since 1991.
His record now with the Lions is over 500.
And I think they had a clear vision.
And I think you got a guy who, like, that job is not something that could have been turned around by someone who wasn't a crazy ass.
Like, part of what we love about Dan Campbell, this old school football guy, kind of the, just kind of an insane dude.
Like, you sometimes need that when you're taking over a complete dumpster fire.
That's what you have to be.
and him, Brad Holmes, the general manager,
what they have done is honestly
one of the most incredible things we've ever seen in the NFL.
It really is.
And if you're a Lions fan,
I can't even imagine what the feeling is like.
Because for the most part,
the only game that ever mattered for your season
was the Thanksgiving morning game,
and it felt like you typically lost that.
And you drafted high all the time.
And now it feels like, should they just put all their chips in the middle of the table to try to win the Super Bowl?
When did we ever talk like that?
When did that ever happen?
And they didn't draft a quarterback in the top ten.
Some of their high-end players were honestly much maligned on draft day.
People thought they were crazy for trading back from 6 to 12 to get Jemir Gibbs, who, I don't know, I looked up last week.
He was running like 90 miles an hour down the sideline for a touchdown.
and they also got an extra pick, which led them to Sam Leporta.
Or Brian Branch in the second round.
Who looks like, I don't know, Ed Reed Jr. right now?
Who I was texting with a scout, like, how did this guy fall this far in the draft?
And they're like, well, he was a little undersized.
And two, he basically just played nickel corner at Alabama.
So there's some question marks of like, you're going to draft just a nickel corner that high?
and it turns out he's transitioned to safety perfectly,
and obviously he can cover the slot, and he has incredible ball skills.
I mean, he's a fantastic player.
Kind of feels like what Tyrone Matthew was to when Bruce Ariens got the job in Arizona,
the heartbeat of the defense, definitely the back seven.
Now, with Aiden Hutchinson, now it's not even really debatable.
But they did it the right way.
They build up a team.
They didn't do what everyone thought they should do.
Take Jamar Chase.
They took Penae Soule.
and it worked.
I guess Jamar Chase went ahead of Penae Soule, but,
and listen, Jamar Chase has been awesome for the Cincinnati Bengals as well.
But I think it's fair to say it's like they would have taken Penae Soule no matter what.
Because when you watch their team, like, that's kind of what they feel like.
Now, they're more explosive on offense than a lot of these Jim Harbaugh level teams.
But I feel like Dan Campbell's a third Harbaugh, brother.
and I think sometimes
really the only times
you can rebuild a franchise like this
is to get a guy like that
because 95% of people,
even guys that would be successful
would get overwhelmed, would fail.
And Dan Campbell hasn't only, you know, not failed.
He's been one of the biggest success stories
I would say so far through a short career
in my lifetime when you factor in what he's done with the Lions.
Before we get in the coffee on campus, it really is crazy.
The Cowboys look headed for, I don't know, 6-7 win season.
I mean, they're in shambles.
I don't have a huge problem with digs, you know, screaming at some local reporter.
It's like, why are reporters, why are people that talk about this stuff, myself included,
allowed to be critical and someone wants to get back at you, they just not allowed to say anything?
So I have no issue with that, even though when you factor in, it feels like the Cowboys were in shambles.
kind of a rough visual.
I get it, but I don't, I never have a problem with players being mad about what's being said about them.
When these people, like, they get criticized nonstop.
Like, eventually some people just draw a line in the sand.
Especially they think you're wrong.
And that was his whole thing, which I don't really care.
But, you know, the Eagles, if you were told the Eagles at the beginning of the season,
that the Cowboys are not going to be a factor for the playoffs.
I think they would have felt pretty good.
Like, we might cruise this division.
And I'm going to keep hammering this point home.
The power of getting the coach and quarterback right
changes your franchise.
It really does.
Everyone talks nonstop about how the Washington commanders
have gotten rid of the stink of Daniel Snyder.
And I can imagine internally in the building
for coaches, for the front office, for every
the non-football people marketing, the president,
it's probably incredible.
But what really happened
is they just hired the right guy
and they drafted the right player.
Like so many teams fail
because they get one of those two positions wrong or both.
If you have the wrong coach,
you have the wrong quarterback,
one or the other, or both, you have no shot.
None.
Like, the ultimate.
the Jets downfall,
yeah, Rogers a shell of himself,
but their coaching staff stinks.
If they had a good coaching staff,
they would not be two and six.
That doesn't mean they would be six and two,
but they would not be two and six.
You have to have a good coaching staff,
and then obviously you have to have good players.
They go hand in hand.
Bill Walsh doesn't exist without Joe Montana,
and Joe Montana doesn't exist without Bill Walsh.
Say the same thing about Belichick and Brady.
You need each other.
and now you have a team, if you're the Eagles, like,
I think the Eagles roster is better.
I think most people would agree.
Hell, I think the Bears roster is better than the commanders.
That's why the Bears are taking so much shit.
It's like, I think we got better players.
It's like, yeah, we don't have a better coaching staff.
I mean, what was the difference in that game?
Seriously, what was the difference in that game?
100% coaching.
The full-back dive to the offensive linemen,
which was a fumble.
The second to last play of the game,
where they just gave up a free 15, 16 yards,
which put them in Hail Mary territory,
and then a starting quarterback who's just screwing around.
And I didn't realize I watched it again yesterday
how late he turned around.
I mean, they weren't just running off the line.
They were halfway there going full speed,
so he was really discombobulated.
And you have to put that on Iber Fluse.
100%. Also on the player, but like, that moment to me just doesn't happen with the high-end coach.
So I understand where Bears fans go, I'm out on this coaching staff.
Totally agree.
But if you're the Washington Commanders, you're like, I'm in on my coaching staff.
And listen, the Eagles, they have so much talent.
That Sequin Barclay move has been pretty incredible.
I mean, he looks fantastic.
And defensively, still got some question marks.
they've eaten up some bad offensive lines in the last couple games.
Can they get pressure?
You know, the commander's offensive line actually is not playing terribly.
But when they play better teams, can they get the pressure?
We'll have to keep an eye on that.
Darius Slay on an island, how does that look?
But offensively, when AJ and Devante are healthy, and they will get Goddard back,
and if Jordan Milata's okay and they get him back as well,
like their offense is just so loaded.
That Kellyn Moore, you can nitpick them all you want,
but it's pretty hard to screw that up.
And Jalen definitely has played with more confidence these last couple weeks.
I think part of it, he's more willing to run.
I mean, that was a big problem with Jalen last year.
It's like he wouldn't run.
And part of it, he was banged up or whatever.
Jalen's star attribute is the dual threat.
He can run at any moment and he throws a gorgeous deep ball,
which he's very confident throwing,
especially when 11's going down the field.
Even six as well.
Like he's very confident.
pushing the ball down the field to those two guys.
They should win the division.
But you have a moment like that against the Bears,
you just go, I don't know, this thing could get weird.
And I think there's a lot of pressure now on the Eagles.
Like, it's division championship robust.
Because they're going to be a playoff team.
But if you were to somehow not win this division
and let a rookie quarterback,
and Dan Quinn come right in the division,
division and win it. Like if I was a betting man today, I would bet on the Eagles. But when they play,
if they both have the same record, there's going to be all the pressures on Philly. All the
pressures on Philly. And it's going to be fun to watch. Imagine an Olympics where doping is
not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's
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Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
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Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care which I'm saying.
Yep, that's me, 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,
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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.
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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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our
podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without
Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to
win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that
we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the
game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be
exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys
like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives
us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like,
Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.
Steve Nash would get that thing.
That man, hell get the flying.
He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball.
Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.
Oh, yeah.
Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball.
So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shake my behavior.
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
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The world is becoming lonelier.
We're not becoming more social and connected.
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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 your podcast.
Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crime.
I'm jag at a time.
You ladies know what I mean.
I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do.
So let's talk about it.
Join me on my new podcast.
How hard can it be with the Adamani Arriba,
where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS.
All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own.
I was like, what the hell is that?
I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be.
Mood swings, night sweats, fupa.
sex drive, wait, what sex?
Dating at 45. How hard can it be?
Getting naked at 50 with the new guy.
That one's kind of hard, no?
Well, that's lighting.
They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.
So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter,
and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask,
how hard can it be?
I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public.
Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva
as part of my Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Okay, let's go to college football.
As we like to call it, cough on campus.
Once the last time I've been on a campus?
I guess last year I went to the Arizona State,
Fresno State game.
President State killed them.
Which probably wouldn't happen this year
because Arizona State's a lot better.
But I, like many people,
usually get up pretty early on Saturday nights.
The older you get, you just, you don't drink as much,
and you can wake up at, like,
six or seven a.m. on Saturday and Sunday pretty easily.
And I get up and I walk right out to the living room and I turn on college game day.
And it was cool from Bloomington, Indiana, Cignetti.
And obviously Cignetti's been all over social media.
His team's been awesome.
I've watched them play.
I didn't believe in them going into that Nebraska game.
That game having money on Nebraska made me a believer.
Washington with their backup quarterback.
Kick ass and take names.
They are fantastic.
It is.
Regardless of the story, like, they're a really good team.
Like, that's a real college football team in terms of, like, if they make the playoffs, it's not some fluke.
That team has good, they're really good on defense.
But I was texting with someone the other day, like, and I saw a clip where Signetti says, listen, right now I got everything I want here.
My wife likes it.
They have supported the program.
We've had money for NIL.
and obviously we've had success in this, you know,
the second best conference in the country in the Big Ten.
But what if people call them this offseason?
What if other bigger jobs, let's say Florida, they open up,
and they call Kurt Signetti.
And most people go, well, it's like, you just,
you got to take the job?
Because historically, 100%.
Now with NIL in the transfer portal,
it is clearly, I would say, leveled the playing field.
You still have a huge advantage at four or five of the big boys.
You're coaching in Ohio State, you're coaching at Georgia, you're coaching LSU,
you're coaching at Texas or Texas A&M, you're going to get better players,
you're going to have more money behind you.
Your recruiting bases are better, not even debatable.
But I look today, both of his coordinators,
Mike Shanahan is his offensive coordinator, no relation,
who graduated college in 2012, played football at Pitt.
So he's a younger guy.
Their defensive coordinator,
Bryant Haynes, is probably my age.
We graduated college the same year, 2008.
So he's 39, 40 years old.
Are they going to be able to keep their two coordinators?
Because historically, no chance.
And what do most college coaches do when they need an OC or a DC,
they look around to the best teams in the country
that aren't Texas or Ohio State or Alabama
that can afford to keep their guys.
And they poach.
So if you're Kurtzignetti,
like right now you already realize
my two coordinators,
which came with me from James Madison,
who were two young trajectory pointing straight up at the sky type guys,
can we pay them $1.5,2 million?
Because that's what happens sometimes.
Two years ago, Nick Sabin tried to hire Ryan Grubb away from Kalin DeBore,
which was ironic because then DeBore ended up becoming Alabama,
brought Grub, but then he lost him to Seattle Seahawks.
But the point was,
Alabama offered him more money than they could pay him,
but he chose to stay,
partly because he was loyal, he thought they had a good team,
and ultimately he made the right decision.
But typically in these situations, you saw it last year with UCLA.
One of the reason
Chip Kelly just mailed it in on that program
is like
Lincoln Riley and USC
wanted his defensive coordinator
and they could just pay him more money
and they did and he left.
So if you're Signetti,
even if you really like it, you go
two factors here.
Is it sustainable
what we're doing?
Like every year,
they're not going to expect me to win
10, 11 games every year.
But can I,
consistently win eight, nine, am I going to be able to get the recruits here?
And only he truly knows that, being in it every day.
But two, like, am I going to be able to keep my coaches?
Because watching Signetti talk, he's pretty confident.
He believes in his ability.
And his resume, as he said, Google me is impressive.
He wins.
But it is difficult if you just factor in over a five-year period to sustain what he's doing.
Penn State's really good now.
Michigan is not going to be this shitty for long.
You add Oregon to the conference.
Listen, the USC thing has been a debacle.
They're not going to be this bad.
Ohio State's always elite.
And then just playing the random Wisconsin's, Iowa's, Minnesota, like it's hard.
And I just use Florida because that's probably the easiest one to pinpoint of a team that could open that it's just a hard job to turn down.
that if they do call,
how do you not
seriously consider it?
Or just plug in any job opening
with that type cachet.
And I think he's going to have a very, very tough
decision on his hands.
Because if I was an AED
at one of these bigger schools
and we fire our coach,
he has to be one of my first calls.
He really does.
And if you're him,
as it gets louder and louder
of people coming after his
coordinators because just pick the top 10 teams in the country.
LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M, like if they need a coordinator on one
of the sides of the ball, wouldn't you look immediately to Indiana and go, hey, what do you
make it?
I make a million bucks.
Hey, we'll give you two.
That's usually what happens.
You know, Penn State, Ohio State is a massive game this weekend.
And I watched a decent amount of Penn State play Wisconsin on Saturday night on NBC, which is kind of weird.
Some of these, I get the TV contracts change.
It's weird to me that the SEC is no longer on CBS and it's on ABC.
I think if you're CBS, I don't know how you screwed that up.
Obviously, your number one priority 24-7-365 is the NFL.
But that, I mean, the level of television ratings that the SEC is doing this year has to hurt them.
but Penn State, Ohio State is, I mean, going to do 10 million people
are going to watch this game.
And Ohio State right now is in shambles.
They've lost several left tackles.
They can't run the ball, which I would say is not necessarily normal for a Chip Kelly team.
And defensively, they just don't look as powerful as they have, obviously, in the Urban Meyer era.
That has kind of been one of the downfalls of Ryan Day.
is his defense just haven't been as good.
And I've always thought when you have offensive coaches,
especially offensive coaches who are inclined to throw the ball a lot,
it's hard to develop toughness.
And especially most offensive guys, former quarterbacks
or guys that coach the quarterback,
aren't typically innately tough.
Jim Harbaugh, former quarterback, is an outlier.
If you asked a 25-year-old football
fan that had never watched Jim Harbaugh play.
You said, this guy played in the NFL.
What position do you think Jim Harbaugh played in the NFL?
If you didn't know anything about him, you just liked NFL football, you're too young to
remember him playing, you don't remember him as a player.
I think most people would guess like linebacker, like middle linebacker, safety, tight end.
You would not guess quarterback.
John Harbaugh, Dan Campbell, Mike Tomlin, these guys are crazy.
And that's good.
It's why their teams are physical.
Because you can't fake that shit.
Andy Reed played offensive line.
He's a tough guy, even though he likes to throw the ball.
But at his core, like,
offensive line is his baby.
We'll put him on the map as a coach way back in the day.
So when you tell me that, like,
you know, Sark got shoved around by Kirby,
of course he did.
Kirby's a crazy SOB.
Safety, Georgia, tough guy,
Sabin mentor,
on defense, like that's his baby.
Toughness, craziness,
physicality.
You can't fake it.
Some coaches, you know,
it's harder for offensive
quarterback, wide receiver type coaches
to have that.
It just is.
And like you watch Ohio State,
no one disputes,
and people, you know,
I bet there's people listening
that know their roster a lot better than me,
$20 million roster.
They have NFL guys at every position.
but like are you tough enough?
Now the knockwood James Franklin has always been,
like Ohio State, he can recruit as good as anyone in the country.
NFL players all over the place.
Their tight end this year is a monster.
He had 17 catches against USC.
Their front seven is awesome.
For the first time in a long time,
they hire the Kansas OC, their offense is good.
Then their quarterback gets hurt last week,
who was kind of a bizarre player.
Last year was very, very underwhelming.
Then you watch him against that USC game, which was kind of the crowning achievement of a short career.
And then he gets injured in this game against Wisconsin, which was kind of getting weird for Penn State.
And they bring in the backup.
Who's kind of got a tough name to say.
It's Bo Pribula.
I might be screwing that up.
Comes in.
It actually looks kind of good.
It was like 11 to 13, threw a touchdown, was running around better athlete than Aller.
And I don't know.
I mean, I think this game is two similar coaches.
Now, Ohio State and Ryan Day has accomplished more than James Franklin.
He's won bigger games.
Hell, he's owned James Franklin.
So you have to give him the coaching mismatch.
But, like, watching these two teams this year, like, I don't know if I see that big of a difference.
If Riola in the Nebraska offense wasn't just an embarrassment down the stretch, like, that was a very, very winnable game.
it really was.
And Raiola is just kind of underachieved.
Might even be unfair because I don't even know if he's achieved yet.
But for all the hype, hasn't exactly been, you know, I don't know, Tua or Trevor Lawrence in college.
And I think there's a lot of pressure.
If Ohio State loses this game and you already got two losses,
you talk about the pressure mounting up on Ryan Day.
It would get extreme because then you would look around the Lansom.
game and be like, well, that Oregon is a conference loss.
This is a team that's not even going to be playing in the Big Ten championship.
In Penn State's the answer is like, are you ever going to win one of these big games?
Are you ever going to do it?
When you're the underdog, playing Michigan, playing Oregon, playing Ohio State, like,
James, can you do it?
And I don't know.
I mean, I wouldn't bet on it.
I think this game's a tough game to bet.
Probably a stay away for me, but must watch.
morning Saturday.
And last but not least,
you know, it's funny.
You look back at that Oregon Boise game,
which I felt like went until midnight early in the season,
and I watched, I remember like,
why am I staying up so late?
Because I thought Oregon might lose to Boise.
And it took two special teams,
a kickoff return and a power return,
for them ultimately to win the game.
But I think that game is aged pretty well.
Because Boise more than likely is going to be in the playoffs.
They have what most people consider the best player in college football
or right up there with Travis Henry.
Or Travis Hunter.
Travis Henry was Cincinnati Bengal, wide receiver.
So they beat Boise.
They beat Ohio State, which is the best win of the season, I think.
And then they house Illinois last week.
Who's good?
Oregon's kind of got their swag back.
And unlike, I would say Ohio State,
I do believe in their defense.
like because their coach is a tough guy
and he's a defensive coach
so if their offense plays well
which was the knock on them early in the season
the offensive line was not playing well
and Dylan Gabriel was really kind of settled into this offense
they could win the Natty man
and we thought that when the season began
then like three or four weeks through we're like
what is going on with Oregon
they look terrible
and now you kind of get that
monkey off your back against Ohio State
just in the sense of like hey guys
We're good.
We just won a huge game.
We're legit.
And that Boise game looked better and better each week.
And then you play Illinois.
And you just kick their ass.
Props to Dan Lannning because it was getting weird early.
He kept, you know, the tires on the truck.
Kept them, you know, in the lane.
Because they could have easily fallen into a ditch.
Lost a game that they should not have lost.
And now they've won some games.
They definitely had Ohio State game.
could argue they shouldn't even have won.
And the way they looked against Illinois, I mean, that was, they shalacked them.
That was a beatdown.
So if I had to pick right now, I would probably pick Oregon to win the national championship.
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.
It's the enhanced games.
Some call it grotesque.
Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented.
it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care what you're saying.
Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.
You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,
or my career in sports media.
Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.
And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.
This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators,
and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.
One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment.
And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.
The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.
It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't.
always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.
So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right
where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network
on TikTok. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast point
game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin
and finding ways to win no matter what.
He's the smartest player to ever play the game.
His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.
And he knows.
Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.
We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.
I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the
lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid.
He has to guard Julius Randall.
And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.
And when IT's friends stopped by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.
Steve Nash would get that thing.
That man, hell get the flying.
He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball.
Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah.
You figure it out real quick.
Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball.
So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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 your podcast.
Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X,
woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean.
I'll bet you a paramedipausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How
How Hard Can It Be with the Adamania Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we
navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden I'd had hanginess happening on my own.
I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how
empty that nest is going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at
45. How hard can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well,
that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt
with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask,
how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public.
Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Coutura.
network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Okay, let's do a little Middlecough mailbag.
At John Middlecough is the Instagram, fire in those DMs, get your questions answered here on the podcast.
At John Middlecough, Instagram, fire in.
Start with Matthew.
Big Packer fan.
The Jets have now lost five straight games.
Two with both Aaron and Devante.
and a six is looking likely against the Texans in a short week.
After seeing how both situations have gone,
since Rogers and Adams requested to be traded from Green Bay,
it makes me wonder if Aaron and Devante were drafted to a below-average franchise,
like the Jets, if they both were playing together in their prime,
could they change franchises losing culture into a winning one?
You have said in the past,
Green Bay is one of the best teams to be drafted by for a playing career.
And so my question is, do you think that both players were drafted by the Jets,
and unlike now, played together at the peak of their powers for many years,
do you think it could turn the Jets franchise around?
A lot of people's success is where they go when they're young, right?
Because it sets you on a path professionally.
So when you get into business when you're young with the right people,
it can be like a trampoline for your career.
Now, if you get with the wrong people, it doesn't mean your career screwed.
And for most of us not in football, we have decades of time.
But a player's career is very short-lived.
And we have seen a ton of wide receivers, for example,
go to places and suck.
Because if you go to a place if you're Devante Adams,
that doesn't have a quarterback,
you are not viewed the same
as when you're playing with a top player of all time,
an MVP,
and putting up huge numbers in big games.
I mean, if you look at Devante's two years with the Raiders,
he had 100 catches in both seasons,
but he was not viewed the same, right?
Now, Devante, if you remember, struggled early.
He's even said it.
He did not play well.
He was overwhelmed.
He had the drops.
He had some injuries.
Aaron didn't even start for the first, what, three years of his career?
So you could argue both of them were not ready to go.
The difference is the Packers were good.
And they could handle slow playing Devante Adams.
They had other weapons on the team, and they had Aaron.
If Aaron was thrust into action right out of Cal, who knows how it goes?
Because I think the one thing you'd say about the two quarterbacks that went in this draft,
Alex obviously is not as talented as Aaron
but I don't know if Aaron could have overcame
what Alex dealt with in San Francisco
like the one thing we know about Alex Smith
his metal toughness
is as good as anyone over the last 25 years
at that position
and he's not as talented as all these other guys
but from a toughness standpoint
it's elite physically and mentally
like who knows
now Aaron was a way different person back then
but I think a lot of players,
we see it going on all over the league now with quarterbacks.
They'd have to go somewhere else.
Like Baker Mayfield's a really good player.
He's on his what?
Fourth team.
Sam Darnel is going to have a career year with his fourth team.
Jets, Carolina, San Francisco, Minnesota.
We see it with wide receivers all the time.
I mean, shit, Amari's been good.
How many teams he've been on?
I think it's very, very difficult.
regardless who you are
if you are not a plug-in-play ass kicker
to go to a place that's a disaster
and have success.
I think it's very difficult.
Avid listener from Tampa.
So that means like a couple pods a week.
I hear a lot of Florida State stuff,
but my heart lies in the Pack 12.
And now in the Big 12
from my Arizona State Sun Devils.
Florida State is a dumpster fire.
They were essentially one-quarter,
quarterback away last season and now sit at one in seven.
With recruits decommitting.
Damn, you can see that.
DJ transferred and destroyed his draft stock and set the program back several seasons.
I'm sure both sides have buyer's remorse.
How did FSU get this so wrong with DJ?
I think it points back to Conferitary alignment in the NIL exposing these frauds a lot earlier in the process
and should save NFL teams in the long run.
I don't know.
I mean, you guys that have been listening to me for a while,
know I had their general manager on.
He was high on the team.
He was, I mean, they were high on DJ,
which I don't agree with.
But it's pretty crazy that just because your quarterback play is bad,
that your team is this bad.
They lost to Duke for the first time ever.
Think about that.
They've been in the conference with Duke now a while.
And on, was that Friday night or Saturday?
I think it was Saturday.
I mean, that was just, I don't know.
I don't follow it closely enough in terms of player acquisition.
They obviously lost a lot.
Jared Verse is an elite player.
Right, in college and definitely in the pros,
he's defensive rookie at the year level guy.
Keon Coleman starts for one of the best team in the league.
Well, those were their two best players last year.
Gone.
Fisk, the detackle, drafted by the Rams second round.
Renardo Green, corner.
Starts, plays a lot for the Niners.
Doesn't technically start, but depending on injuries, plays a lot.
That's just a lot of talent.
Now, there's no excuse to lose that in be one and seven.
I don't know.
I don't really have, I don't have a good answer.
Beside, they suck.
Like your takes on football.
as a lifetime
Jags fan
been a tough life
I can't accurately
express the frustrations
of going through
each season
as the laughing stock
in the league
aside from the Browns
and Cowboys
if you were running
the organization
what would you do
this off season
based on what you've seen
this far
from Lawrence
and Peterson
love from Florida
well
Doug's going to get fired
and Trent Balke
should get fired
so if I'm going to fire
Doug, Trent got to go.
Trent doesn't get to hire his 10th head coach in his career.
And then I start from scratch.
And then we determine this.
Are we going to try to hire a GM first and then have that guy hire the coach?
Or just hire the best coach we can and then figure it out from there.
Or just go in open-minded and do whatever we feel drawn to, right?
If we interview this guy, we're blown away, like, okay, give him the keys.
to me what makes the most sense if he's interested
would be trying to hire Bill Belichick
that's what I would do
I would just hire Bill Belichick
because one no one could fault you for hiring Bill Belichick
to me this year more than any of you proved
how much this guy loves football
he's got his offensive coordinator available
bad head coach but Josh McDaniels is a good offensive coordinator
I would imagine because he's doing all this stuff,
Patricia would come with him as well.
But, like, Bill had a lot of success when he had Josh McDaniels.
When Josh McDaniels left, everything fell apart.
Like, they made the playoffs with Mack Jones.
So I know we'll be good on defense, because that's Bill's baby,
and then see if Josh can kind of resurrect Trevor.
So that, to me, would make the most sense.
And if Bill was interested, Brable,
who could come compete in the division,
he knows really well,
similar to Bill,
very tough-minded,
would cut out
just kind of the crap
that has flown on here for so long.
The question with Vrable is,
you know, who's his offensive coordinator?
Like, when I hire Vrable,
I feel very good about leadership,
discipline, toughness, defense.
I do, like,
they were good when they had Arthur Smith,
as her offensive coordinator.
And then Arthur Smith became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons,
and it wasn't quite the same.
But you would say, like, Vrable has been on the right guys.
Like, Arthur Smith is a very good offensive coordinator.
He was the one that promoted him in that position.
And before that, he was the guy that hired LaFleur.
Question.
Will you please inform some of my fellow Packer fans
how Jordan Love is miles better than Malik Willis?
I know Willis has been amazing as a backer.
this season, but he hasn't exactly played top-tier teams.
He played the Colts, the Titans, and then a little bit of the Jags.
Packer fans calling for Willis over love is ridiculous.
I think I've been battling the sickness.
It was like coming on, and I fought it off.
It was really kind of coming Sunday.
I felt like, am I getting sick right now?
He was like, am I getting the flu or something coming on?
And then Monday, yesterday, I felt it a little bit.
Today I'm feeling better, but I still feel a little like head congestion, so I'm battling here.
If you hear me drinking water or swallowing.
Is this really a conversation that's happening?
Is this an honest conversation that's happening with a human being?
I haven't seen it.
And I've tried to spend a little less time, like, on Twitter.
So Instagram, it's not as much of the arguing back and forth.
It's just posts, so you don't see as many of, like, people going back and forth.
But I have not seen this.
If I knew this person, I might stop talking to him.
And Malik has been an incredible story.
I mean, it's, it's been a, it's been a moment for LaFlor of the Packers to be, to win games with this guy.
But what are we, what are we talking about?
Are we, Jordan Love?
Are we being serious here?
If your friends are being serious, tell them just, I can't talk to you until you never bring that up again.
we'll see if
you know as of recording this
we'll have to follow Jordan Love status
but the only way
I guess you could argue about it
with your friends all you want
if Jordan Love is ever healthy
he will be the starter
because he is their best quarterback
by a wide margin
Jordan Love's good
if I was a Packer fan
I would be so excited if Jordan Love is my quarterback
after assessing Caleb through seven games
it looks like he's almost
relearning the position
he looks very hesitant to make decisions in fear of making a mistake.
Whenever he bombs it, it looks predetermined.
I feel like he is trying to learn how to sit in the pocket and go through progressions.
It doesn't help to play for my bears.
Shane Waldron is an idiot, but Caleb is flat out missing guys that are wide open.
What do you think?
I was talking to my guy the chiropractor at the gym.
who's a diehard bear's man.
Saw his office door was open,
so I kind of went over there,
and he was hot.
This was Monday after they had just lost.
He was not happy.
And he brought up a good point, he said,
why are they running go routes to Keenan Allen?
Keenan Allen probably runs a 5 flat 40.
In what world would you run a go route
in a big game in the second half to Keenan Allen?
Keenan Allen runs slants, he runs outs, he runs over the middle of the field in zone coverage.
He is a possession-wide receiver.
If you are going to run a go-rout, you would probably do it with Rome or DJ Moore.
So to me, sometimes when I watch the Bears, like part of having DJ Moore, for example,
one thing when purdy's off, what Kyle will do is throw up.
a couple tunnel screens, bubble screens,
or, I mean, depending on how you'd want to describe it
or what the exact play is,
to Debo Samuel, to just settle everyone down.
Because it's twofold.
It's an easy completion for his quarterback.
And Debo, I mean, if you make a couple blocks,
can take it 50 yards,
but worst case scenario, you're going to gain 7, 8 yards.
And he dropped one in the Sunday night game
that probably should have gone 50 to the house.
But it just settles everything down.
You watch the Bears,
it feels like they run so many deep breaking routes.
Why not just run some short intermediate stuff?
Because clearly, like you said, his deep ball isn't bad.
I mean, he misses by a lot, a lot.
I mean, sometimes they just, when he leaves his hand,
you're like, this is going to be cool.
And then it's not even remotely close to the DB or the wide receiver.
I don't understand why they don't run more quick game.
Like, I would eat the shit.
out of defenses with quick game with Keenan Allen.
And I don't have the statistics in front of me, but how many quick screens or just
getting the ball behind the line of scrimmage to DJ Moore if they run?
He is very similar to Debo.
Get the ball in his hands and let him cook.
And it makes it easy on the quarterback.
Like, why are we dropping back, like you said, and making Caleb act like Peyton Manning?
Which is not really how he played in college.
college, and he's clearly not that comfortable doing it right now. He's a rookie. You have these
pieces. I don't know what Komet have against Washington. One target? Why aren't you eating that guy
alive right over the middle of the field? What has been Travis Kelsey's go-to route, would you say,
over the course of his career? Because for me, it would be something from the slot, some sort of
curl or crossing route where he stops in the middle of the field.
And he's a great zone at deciphering the opening in his own coverage.
But it creates a guy 6-3-6-4, I think Komet's like 6-5, standing in the middle of the field.
Which is, even if you're five or six steps back from where the ball is snapped,
it's what?
At most, a 12-yard throw?
It's a high percentage throw to a massive target who's open.
I feel like the bears are like bombs away all the time.
clearly Shane Waldron,
the rhythm as a play caller.
I do think you are taught offense, right?
When you show up to the NFL, if you're a young coach,
depending on who you work for,
that's where you build your offensive knowledge.
So if I work for a Shanahan guy,
or if I worked for Josh McDaniels and Belichick,
or I work for, you know, Andy Reid,
like that's where I've learned,
where I become a master of offense.
But once I become the play caller, I do believe some of that is innate.
You either have a feel for it or you don't.
Because some guys are, it doesn't mean you're not going to, you're going to call bad plays.
You're going to screw up.
But I'm just saying, when you watch certain play callers, you're like, this guy's pretty good.
And then you watch other guys, you're like, what is he doing?
And it feels like when you watch Shane Waldron and the Bears,
because it's like you can't force Caleb
to do something he's not good at right now.
So if you want to have success,
do stuff that you know he can do.
Even if it's just two or three plays
and master those fucking plays.
But it's like they're throwing bombs.
The score's not 28 to nothing.
At one point in time, it was 12 to 7.
I say this all the time.
Some coaches go into this pass-heavy mode
when they're down, like, less than two touchdowns.
Just run the ball.
And how'd they get back in the game?
They bust a big run.
All of a sudden, it's like 12 to 7,
rolling down five points.
Well, yeah, the score's not that far away.
The score was not 26 to nothing.
So I do think it's fair to say
that Shane, his feel as a play caller, is not great.
It's not.
Because you watch the dude down with Baker Mayfield
when his players were healthy,
he's got a pretty good feel for play calling,
Liam Cohen.
And then you watch Shane Waldron,
you're like,
I don't think he's got a great feel for play calling.
So you might just have an offensive coordinator
who I would imagine if you got Waldron in a room
and gave him a pen and a whiteboard,
he'd blow your mind.
He might be good on the field as well,
the practice field.
But when it comes to the games,
there's no rhythm or method to his madness.
Hey, John, wanted to ask you,
When will Jalen Hertz get his respect as a pocket passer?
His stats every year have improved.
He's completing 68% of his passes currently in a 98 quarterback rating
and hasn't had a consistent offensive coordinator every year.
He's played a lot better the last couple games.
He looked, they can be potent, man.
When you get Sequin rolling, when AJ's healthy, Devante,
he's a good player when he runs.
When he is a threat to run the ball,
you have to, you know, it's kind of cliche.
Like, we got to defend every blade of grass.
You literally do with the Eagles.
Because their running back is dominant.
Their quarterback is a great deep ball thrower
and can scramble and throw, and he can run.
So to me, Jalen, like, part of the problem last year
is, like, when all he wants to do is be a pocket passer,
it's not as good.
When the scramble running element is part of his game,
he's pretty dynamic.
Now, the Bengals defense has not been good,
and the Giants are a train wreck.
But you build some momentum.
They're kicking ass and taking names.
They played their best half of football in two years.
I'd be excited.
I know the Bears have not historically fired a coach mid-season,
but losses like this underscore how in
competent this coaching staff has been.
Iberfluse runs a good defense.
Jaden was neutralized for most of the game.
But the Iberflus bears invent ways to lose.
The last two years, critical turnovers in big games plagued our team.
Whether it was fields, pick, or a fumble, or a special team's mishap, the bears always
crumble in big moments.
Now in the biggest game of the year, the defense couldn't execute on the last play of the game.
No pressure on Jaden because he was only rushed by three,
and our starting cornerback was messing around with the crowd.
I've never watched this team and questioned the coaching staff decisions more consistently than I do now.
Will Iberflush finish the season as the Bears' head coach?
When will the Bears coaching staff be held accountable for their terrible decision-making?
Well, you know the Bears' ownership better than me, like you said.
They've never fired a coach in season.
They clearly like the guy.
His job's in major jeopardy right now.
Not to be fired in the middle of the season,
but if they miss the playoffs, he's done.
They have a massive game on Sunday.
They're flying across the country.
I guess they're kind of in the middle of the country,
but flying to Arizona, which is probably a three-hour flight,
there are a lot of Bears fans that live in this area.
My guess is Sunday at, I think, a state farm,
it is going to be 50% Bears fans.
It is going to be a massive Chicago turnout.
So this Arizona team is a tough team to play.
Their team is just, they have had countless upsets this year.
Kyler is a mother.
Defensively, they're not very good, though.
So it's like, are you going to be able to pass on them?
Because most teams can pass pretty easily on them.
and this gets back to Shane Walder.
I think big picture if you're a Bears fan,
which sucks because it's like
we all could die tomorrow.
Like there's no guarantee.
It's always like, well, what about just,
let's just lose outs,
we can get rid of the coach,
get some draft picks,
who knows?
It's like, why can't we be the seventh seed this year?
That's where I understand Bears fans
being so mad right now.
Like, guys, we could have been in the playoffs right now.
Even if we're one and done,
how fucking awesome would a playoff game be?
And now it feels like,
Are we just going to lose of the Packers and the Lions?
In Minnesota?
We're going to lose in the Niners?
Are we going to end up going 7 and 10,
even though we got more talent than last year because of these coaches?
And to me, that's where I think you just got to keep your fingers crossed.
Like, is Belichick interested?
Is Mike Vrable interested?
Because you got to, they historically don't spend a lot of money on coaches, though.
That was bad.
That was bad.
And Waldron is play calling.
you watch the Bears, it's like
the deep bombs worked against the Jags and the Panthers,
but it's like, can we get some other
plays in the mix?
Make some stuff easy. Another question about
Shane Waldron. Am I allowed
to blame Waldron
for Caleb being terrible?
Shane obviously is an awful
play caller, but Caleb is
so inaccurate and
inconsistent.
Yeah, it's, I think
the great part about these conversations
is no one really knows
right? It's like how do you quantify
who's doing shittier?
Like is Caleb just really frenetic right now
and leaving the pocket too early
and scrambling around
and missing deep balls
because he's inaccurate
or because the play calling's bad?
Are they not teaching him stuff during the week?
Does he not understand the defensive looks?
It's why football's so fascinating
because it's like, Aaron Judge can't hit a fastball right now.
It's just, it's black and white.
It's like, ball down the middle,
swing and a miss.
Curve ball, no chance.
With Caleb, it's like, well, is he an inaccurate passer?
And then you watch some of those passes at the end of the game
where he makes some big plays.
I think the reality is the coaching staff has been underwhelming.
And also, you have to say Caleb, I would say,
has been a little underwhelming as well as the hype
and the number one overall pick.
He's not exactly picking him apart from the pocket.
And while they call too many deep balls,
his is not they're not even close
now I think on the bright side
arm strength
he's overthrowing them
so it's not like he's got a pea shooter
he's got a big time arm
his athleticism is evident
he does
just like when you watch him on television
I would say look shorter
than you would like
and we knew height is not
you know he's not 6364
but I do wonder if sometimes he struggles
to see over the pocket
Like, is he ever going to be a great pocket passer?
I, that would concern me, but I would go,
let's just get a better coaching staff before I'm going to come to judgments.
But I do think two things can be true.
Coaching staff, not been great.
Caleb's been a little underwhelming in some of these big moments.
Now, part of it is their O line sucks.
So he's getting pressured, and as my guy told me,
well, they lost their starting left tackle early in that game.
I just think everything's off.
Their offense is just off in games that matter,
which should really concern you because these Packer and Lions games
are going to be really freaking hard.
He's going to go, listen, everyone's like,
well, they figured out Brian Flores' defense.
Well, is Shane Waldron and Caleb going to figure that out?
Because it's one thing if Ben Johnson and Jared Gough figured out.
Like, Shane Waldron and Caleb, they're going to find the weak spots.
they're going to be able to handle him switching up all the coverages?
I don't know.
I'm watching Philly and Cincinnati,
and I can't help but get the feeling
that eventually the tush push needs to go.
Not for specific injury reasons or penalty reasons,
mainly because it's just an awful viewing experience.
I'm torn on this one.
It's like it's football, it's in the rule book,
And a huge reason they're able to do it is because their quarterback's really powerful.
Like, I don't think it would work if you have a quarterback who can't squat 600 pounds or whatever he can.
You know, Kelsey, who's gone now, but Dickerson or, you know, the center and the guards, like, obviously their job's really hard.
But Jalen's power is a separating factor.
But I got to agree with you.
I do think it sucks.
It'd be like, it's a little like this with Victor Wimb and Yama,
but it's still harder.
Like, if you just didn't have to jump to dunk.
You go back to like George Mirosan, he just hand them,
and he just dunks it, you're like, this?
Is this even basketball?
And they get to inside the two-yard line, it's like an automatic touchdown.
It's like, that sucks.
And again, just saying it, like you said, from a viewer,
definitely if you gamble on them or have Sequin rushing props,
It's like, yeah, this is going to be jailing.
It's going to be jailing.
But it's hard for me to blame them for doing it.
Because it freaking works.
But I hear you.
Like, no one's jumping out of their seat if they're not an Eagle fan going,
Honey!
Tush push!
Come watch it!
It sucks.
It's the most boring playing football because it's automatic.
USC, big home game in Boulder,
Texas First Georgia.
I just can't help but think.
The sideshow distraction going on the sideline has hurt these teams.
These are 18 to 22 year olds.
How can it not?
How much of a distraction do you think all these celebs on the sideline are causing?
I don't think they were that, I guess you're talking the Penn State game.
I think these guys kind of get numb to it.
I really do.
I don't think the sidelines in college football, just keep an eye on it.
for a big game, when you factor in how many sideline passes
famous people, alumni, boosters get.
In college football, you dress, I don't know, 80, 90 guys for a home game.
And coaching staffs in college also include recruiting staffs,
so the sidelines are packed.
Watch an NFL game sideline.
There is open space everywhere.
Because the scouts aren't staying on the sideline.
There are no such thing as sidelined.
sideline passes. They don't exist in the NFL.
And it's just way more open. You watch
these colleges, you're like, you can barely move.
Remember being a Texas, Oklahoma, it's like,
there's not even space for the players.
That, to me, is a bigger deal than
McConaughey or
former NFL players or whatever on the sideline.
So,
if you're a true freshman,
it could definitely feel like a lot.
Be like, feel a little overwhelming.
I think once you've been playing for
a while. It's like a golfer. If me or you hit a golf shot in front of 50 people, it's really
intimidating. But if you got a pro golfer in front of thousands of people, they're just kind of numb to it.
Once you do something long enough, you kind of become numb to it. I think you're more feeding
off the crowd than you're worried about who's standing outside the 20s on your sideline. So I guess
my overall reaction is not a big deal.
I don't think it's that big a deal at all.
Question for the mailback.
When it comes to Seattle's quarterback situation,
why not fire up Sam Howell
whenever they move on for Gina?
He was pretty good with Washington,
not great, but certainly capable.
I also wonder why some of these teams
who need a quarterback,
like New Orleans or the Raiders, don't trade for him.
He's still young,
and I see no reason.
why he couldn't get better on like a Gino,
darnal, or Baker situation.
Am I just missing something, or is he that bad?
Uh, well, the reason the, the Saints,
they drafted Spencer Rattler and they drafted Jay Canter,
so they're just hoping one of those guys become Sam Howell.
The Raiders paid Minchu 15 million or 10 million,
and they drafted Aiden O'Connell.
So it's like, we got to figure out if these guys can play.
I'd be lying if I watched much Washington football last year,
which they were clearly really bad.
And offensively, he was getting sacked on stop.
So I know a lot of people that liked him coming out of college,
but I don't know.
I mean, he's not better in Gino Smith.
And I'm a Gino skeptic in these big games,
but Gino Smith is 100% better than Sam Allen.
Better athlete, better arm,
just a better player.
So if you want to have a better chance to win on a daily basis or weekly basis,
Gino gives you that.
With the Panthers trading away, Deonté Johnson, I feel like they've hit rock bottom.
The organization seems to go backward every year.
And it's hard to stay loyal.
I just want to enjoy football, but I'm close to jumping ship.
What would you do if you were in my shoes?
I think we're going to rename these guys the Porta Potty Panthers.
People like when I talked about the outhouse and the penthouse,
and I described the Porta Potty experience on a hot day to the Carolina Panthers.
I don't know, man, it sucks.
I don't really know what to tell you.
You have to tell me what team you want to join.
But I never blame anyone in a situation where it's like,
I've watched this team for years, and this is just, this is not fun.
because ultimately you as a fan
This is all fun
And it's one thing like
Hey you have bad years
You have a down stretch
Like if you're an eagle fan
Like yeah last year sucked
But it's like
These are first world problems
Like if you're a Giants fan right now
And you're 20 years old
You're like for the last 10 years of my life
This has been embarrassing
Like am I gonna always experience this
It's like well we won two Super Bowls
Well yeah
When I was 80s
years old and the other one when I was four, like the majority of my teen years have been
four or five wins. I'm all for going through a rough season or two, but if every single year
looks the same, what am I doing? Sundays are supposed to be enjoyable. Imagine being a Chiefs
fans these last 10 years. Think how great your lifespan. Even with Alex Smith, winning 10, 11 games.
Now with Mahomes, doesn't get any better. Patriot fans were 20.
20 years. And that's the best case.
But even if you're just like a Ravens fan or a Bill's fan, like, I don't know if we're going to
win the Super Bowl, but see you in the playoffs.
And every Sunday, for the most part, it's going to be awesome.
Because if we go 12 and 5, it's like, yeah, we lose five games.
Well, we fucking sure win a lot.
This sucks.
It sucks.
And it's one thing to be, even the Giants, they have these games that are respectable.
Like the level in which you guys are playing.
is unwatchable.
Unwatchable.
I love football.
And I can watch most any game.
The YouTube set up on Sunday afternoon,
they didn't have four boxes.
So I put a game on each TV.
But there was five games going on.
So obviously the Bears Commanders got the big TV.
The second TV, I think, was,
uh, what was the other?
There was another decent game.
going on. Oh, Seattle Buffalo. Then I put on the Chargers
against the Saints and the Raiders and the Chiefs on the
other two. Thinking those, you know, obviously the Chargers and the Chiefs were going to win
those games. I was like, I don't need to, Denver, Carolina, like, I have
not seen one play from, I saw a play because Certaine had a pick. I saw a highlight.
Like, I don't need to watch this game. I do this for a living. It's like
even Sean Payton after the game kind of admitted. Yeah, like,
game didn't really matter. It's hard to even judge. It's like they don't even matter. The game
does not matter. And it turned out like the Saints game to the Chargers didn't matter either. They're so
terrible. But it was like, I gotta pay attention here. Like I did not because you know the outcome.
It's like my favorite bet of the week. You're wait, you're going to put Bryce Young on the road in Denver
against that defense? I feel for you, man. I don't necessarily have a good answer for you besides
I think the easiest thing to say is like hang in there. But
bullshit. Why do they deserve your time? The most valuable thing you have in your life is your time.
And Sunday afternoon or Sunday morning, you can be doing whatever you want. You can be watching
other games. And you're watching that? Okay, last question. Gino Smith. Sam Darnold. Any chance
Zach Wilson is next? He has more wins last year than Rogers has this year. I just don't know how he
gets a chance to start.
You know, part of Sam went to Minnesota and became the starter.
They traded Russell Wilson and Gino became the starter.
How does Zach Wilson get the opportunity to start?
I just, I have a hard time seeing that.
So I think he's still a couple years away.
He would need an injury, then to play some games and look good,
and then in the offseason, someone gives him the opportunity to be a bridge
quarterback and then he takes and runs with it.
But I don't see a scenario in the offseason where someone signs him and even gives him
the opportunity to compete for the job.
So he has a much higher uphill battle.
Remember, Gino Smith for years became a backup quarterback.
Years after, you know, the Jets situation.
So after Gino leaves the Jets, he goes to the Giants, backup quarterback.
famously got to start the game for Eli Manning,
which I actually attended against the Raiders.
The Chargers, 2018, backup quarterback.
Then he goes to Seattle, and Russell's there,
and is the backup for basically three seasons.
So he became the backup with the Giants,
the Chargers, Seattle for three seasons
before he won the job.
So they had spent three years around the guy
before they said, yeah, let's give the guy an opportunity.
And at the time, he had to compete with Drew Locke.
Yeah, because when they traded Russell Wilson, they brought Drew Locke.
One thing they said was, like, they're going to compete.
So I think Zach Wilson is one of those stints.
Like, for a couple years, backup quarterback,
maybe like a veteran player,
either the guy gets hurt and he's thrust into action
or just, like, over time, he wooes them and wins their trust.
But Gino, like, Sam was a third pick in the draft.
Right. And then Kyle Shanahan became a backup and then became a bridge.
So is Zach even technically the second string quarterback right now?
I don't think he is.
It's a good question.
I have to look at who's usually the emergency quarterback for the Broncos.
My guess is Zach Wilson, but could be wrong on that.
Okay, adios. Have a great day.
I'm going to try to feel better.
The volume.
Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite.
Unhumor me with Robert Smygle 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 I-Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get.
your podcasts.
On The Look Back at it podcast.
For 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.
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.
It's the enhanced games.
Some call it grotesque.
Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,
embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Hey, what's good, y'all?
You're listening to Learn the Hardway
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.
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.
This is an IHeart podcast.
Guaranteed Human.
