The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Typical Jets, What's going on in Dallas, AP Top 25

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

John dives into the latest dispute between the Jets and Haason Reddick after Reddick requested a trade. Reddick who got traded from the Eagles a few months ago hasn't participated in any on or off the field activities with the Jets because he hasn't gotten a new contract and John discusses if he thinks he could be one of the first players to be traded twice without ever doing anything for their new team. Next, John reacts to Trey Lance's rough pre-season game for the Cowboys and how he's going to be one of the highest ever paid 3rd string QB, and finally he gives his thoughts on the AP Top 25 ranking. Later, John answers your questions in this episode's mailbag segment. 7:56 - Reddick requests a trade 16:49 - Trey Lance is done 21:20 - Sean McVay and timeouts 29:18 - AP Top 25 37:30 - Quick take Tuesday 45:55 - 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.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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168 hours after issuance. Deposit and eligibility restrictions apply. See Terms and Responsible Gaming Resources at DKNG.co slash MMA. What is going on, everybody? It's me. John, three and out podcast, rocking and rolling here on a Tuesday. While I'm recording this on Monday,

we did a podcast, Colin and I did a podcast Sunday afternoon. I, on just everything pre-season, rookie quarterbacks, Iuke. I did a separate podcast that, I watched all the throws from the rookie top quarterbacks and just kind of dove into my thoughts. So we got probably me and Colin went on for an hour, that podcast, 45 minutes.

So we got a lot of content from Monday. And then today I had to hit on the Jets because a story came out about a guy who's holding out, wants a trade that they've already traded for, and then Joe Douglas said, I'm not trading him. His name is Zan Reddick. He wants a new contract and bizarre, crazy. weird classic jet situation. Trey Lance and Jerry Jones.

Sean McVeigh hired a man to handle his timeouts, and I think that was well needed. I think there's another coach who could benefit from this as well. A couple quick thoughts on the top 25 as we head into college football, which is right around the corner. Of course, Middilkoff Mailbag at John Middlecoff. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram. So fire in those DMs.

questions answered here on the podcast. It's a take Tuesday, so quick thought on Steph Curry and the Olympic men's team that squeaked by, partly because he scored 60 points the last two games at 17-3s. But I saw a lot of people reacting to Steph and look the same to me. I mean, what Steph Curry does. So fire in the mailbag, subscribe to the three-out podcast if you listen on Colin's feed. All of this is up on YouTube. So if you watch, go check that out as well.

All of our content is up there. And we'll keep rocking and rolling all week. But before we dive into the Jets, I got to tell you about my friends, my partners, and the official ticketing app of this podcast. And listen, like I said, football season is coming. I mean, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It felt a couple months ago a long, long way away. It does not feel long at all.

Some of these teams have been in camp for three and a half, four weeks. We've already got a preseason game. We've got more preseason games this Thursday. It'll be here before you know it. And if you want to go to one of these games, I said on a recent podcast, I think I'm going to go to Texas, Oklahoma, because of my friends at game time.

Someone hit me up in the DMs like, that's not a real SEC game. Well, partly because I got to fly into a real airport because I got to be back Sunday morning to work. And Dallas just makes a lot of sense. Actually, it is a real SEC game because Texas and Oklahoma are now in it. It's one of the great rivalries in college football.

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Last minute tickets, lowest prices. guaranteed. It is really hard to be successful in any walk of life, in any industry as just a human being when chaos is all around you. I had no business to not somehow wind up successful. I had two parents. They both had jobs. My dad was on my ass 24-7, 365 with school, not just attending school. If I ever got caught skipping class, I got in a lot of trouble, but having good grades pushed me to go to college. I never had a dinner unless I got kicked out because I was in trouble that there wasn't food on the table. I had no business not to quote unquote make it in life. And we've all known people, especially the older you get, that grew up in chaotic situations,

whether it was parent situations, whether it was financial situations. When I went to work at Fresno State, saw some of the guys on our team what they had to overcome to put them, themselves in college, the first guy in the history of their family to get a college degree. I remember Coach Hill taking such great pride in that because of what a big deal it was. Most guys were not going to go on to the NFL. But this isn't necessarily about sports. Like some people's path in life is much more difficult. And when they make it, they deserve more credit.

It is much harder to make it out of chaos than it is when everything's laid out. Now, that doesn't mean you're guaranteed anything. We've known a lot of people with easy access to stuff who have failed, but I give you a lot more credit when you overcome dysfunction to be successful. That's for business, that's for life, that's for any personal situation. I have a lot of admiration for that. And obviously, working in football in college in the NFL, you saw a lot of that. Guys overcoming just crazy odds.

Now, obviously they had God-given athletic ability, but some of their circumstances when they were young, it's crazy how they were able to make it. And usually you need some stability in your life, whether it be a coach, whether it be a parent, whether it be a grandparent, whether it be some other mentor to kind of help you out and lead you that way.

Because most humans get distracted easily. I thought Belichick, for 20 years in the peak of the Patriots Powers, did a really good job of, the moment they had a question mark, like we're going to Tom Brady, Drewbrey, trade him immediately. The moment a guy gets in trouble, no matter how good he is,

Chandler Jones, he's gone, he's on another team. The moment there's a contract situation, we're not going to pay you, he's traded. Not because he didn't value those players. Not because he didn't think he needed those guys to win, but you can't overcome distractions in a sport and an industry that demands so much focus and attention

on what's going on. And the different media markets obviously bring in more craziness. And there's no bigger media market in America than New York. So everything's under the microscope with the Giants, with the Jets, with the Knicks, with the Mets.

It's crazy. It really is. And it's just different depending on where you are in the country. That being said, when you have chaotic situations as a team, even if things are normal in your position room, with your coordinator on the practice field,

you get asked about it constantly. And the Jets, who last year, no fault of their own, they trade for Aaron Rogers, spirits are high, they're on hard knocks, people like me are like, they're going to win the division, Teres is Achilles. And then it just came off the rails and was a complete embarrassment the rest of the season.

The Zach Wilson experiment that they tried to kind of have their cake and eat it too instead of getting rid of them. him on the team. Then by the mid-season, he got benched and he didn't want to come back, and he was complaining that Rogers was supposed to be his friend and his mentor, disappeared. And it was a joke. It was typical jets. Crazy, dysfunctional, chaotic. That is kind of what they're used to. And usually, I don't care how much talent you have on their team or on your team and who's coaching you, you're going to lose in that situation. And they lost pretty consistently. And they weren't any good.

And then this season, it's like, okay, Rogers, 40 years old, healed. We had some pretty normal veteran good guys, Tyron Smith, Mike Williams. We got some young ascending stars. Let's just take care of business. Let's give ourselves a shot to not be that chaotic. Then they trade for us on Reddick from the Eagles. And the reason the Eagles traded him, we've talked about this a million times, because he wanted more money.

And the Eagle said, we're not going to give you more money. It was public knowledge. Then the Jets trade for him. And as of August 12th, he didn't show up to OTAs. He hasn't been there in training camp. And he officially asked for another trade. And if they were to trade him, I think it would be the first time in NFL history. A guy got traded to a team, never conducted one moment with that franchise on the field in a meeting room, did nothing,

and then got traded again. which obviously when you see it gets requested trade, everyone laughs and mocks the Jets because you realize they're not going to trade them. The Antonio Brown situation, let's go back five, six years with the Raiders. He practiced during OTAs. And I remember knowing some guys on that staff,

they're like, he's our best player by a mile. He's incredible. And they were really hopeful. Then obviously after the summer, things get weird. He burns off his feet. And then it just turns into a mess. And he, like, demands to get traded. They cut them.

it was an embarrassment for the organization. But in that situation, at least he had practiced and they thought they had something. They're like, God, this guy's incredible. This guy's going to help us out. I do not understand trading for a player who wants more money and then assume everything will just be worked out

without being willing to give him more money. So Joe Douglas puts out a statement immediately, like, we're not trading him. He has to follow the rules. He's getting fine. The CBA, blah, blah, blah, blah. blah, blah, blah. None of that means anything.

And Asan Reddick is losing money by the day. I think his fines are already over a million dollars. But like, how is this thing going to be solved? If you are the Jets and you are Joe Douglas and you're not willing to give him a pay raise. And I think at this point in time, we have to assume that they don't plan on paying him. So eventually, Redick, if you take that tactic, we'll just show up because he's not going to miss game checks. You wouldn't think. So you're going to bring a disgruntled player that you do not know,

that you've never coached, that does not know your scheme. There is no cohesion there into your locker room. When the only thing you tried to avoid after last year in the previous couple years with the quarterback of disasters, the offensive coordinator, just being completely over his head and everyone making fun of you, is to bring in a player with pretty high name recognition who is pissed off, who clearly isn't happy with you,

I just do not understand how they didn't see this coming. I can't even fathom imagining a different outcome when you knew you were trading for this player in this situation and with these circumstances. And this is why, and I said this at the Combine, when you're there in Indy, and you actually see the teams,

and you start talking to people, and you just realize the overwhelming majority of the league. There are 32 teams. You could argue 10, maybe 12 are well run and have a shot every year. And for the most part, it's the same freaking 12, 10 teams all the time. That's why the majority of the playoffs over the last, even just half decade, have been run by the same teams. It's why for a long time in the peak of the Brady Belichick,

it were the same three or four teams. It was the Ravens. It was obviously the Patriots. It was Peyton Manning Squad. It was the Steelers. A couple other teams rotated in and out. But there were consistent teams. Now in the NFC.

The diners, the Rams, the Eagles and the Cowboys, doesn't mean they don't have weird situations. But they are so much more well-run consistently. The Lions now have thrown their hat in the ring with their operation, at least based on a small sample size. And then you have the Jets who have the record. currently for team sports playoff drought. And I just don't think it's a coincidence.

I had no issue last year, right around this time. I guess it was a couple weeks from now. So a year in a couple weeks. When Jerry Jones traded a fourth round pick for Trey Lance, Jerry Jones, oil man, deal maker, Maverick, take some risks. And I, listen, personally, I admire humans in business that are willing to take risks.

It is easy in life to stay in the slow lane. Usually the successful people are laughing you in the fast lane. Doesn't mean they don't get an occasional crashes, but you can't play it safe. And Jerry Jones traded a fourth round pick for a guy who surely they had graded as a top five player in the draft a couple years. And they said, we got two things. One, there might just be something here.

And two, best case scenario, this kind of elephant in the room of our starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, and his contract situation, maybe we just find an heir apparent. And a fourth round pick for a team that, you know, for three straight years, won 12 games, what are we talking about?

Pick 120, pick 125. Who cares? I do not put that much emphasis on taking a risk at that position for a guy. Now, he makes some money over the couple of year period. I think it was like this year he's making 5.3. Last year he was making $6 or $7 million. So you had to pay him $12 million to be a backup quarterback. But as we sit here today, here's what it turns out.

He's a third string quarterback. He couldn't win the backup job in San Francisco last year. I watched all the snaps this morning. He's not going to win the backup quarterback job in Dallas. So part of taking risk is you're not always going to win them. sometimes you're going to lose them. It was not Trey Lance's fault that he was drafted third overall and the 49ers traded all those first round picks for him.

That's on the 49ers. It's on John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan, Adam Peters, and that crew. They missed. And they got very, very lucky. Usually when you make a move like that, you are royally screwed. And Purdy fell into their laps

and just kind of saved the franchise. I mean, period, point blank, end of story. So Jerry Jones saw a guy that he could get for really cheap, And best case scenario, he would strike oil. It turns out there wasn't any oil. There's nothing. And you watch this guy play. To me, he averages the day as long, misses a lot of easy throws.

Does flash a little bit, but he threw 41 times and passed for 188 yards. He averaged 4.6 yards a completion. But to me, it's the touch. He just doesn't have any touch. When you watch him, you just see a guy who doesn't have much feel. It's why I'm so much more bullish on this class than his class because of the resumes of the players because of how many snaps of high level football

the whole crew has played in all the biggest conferences. And when you take guys from these smaller schools and his was kind of an outlier situation because the season was canceled in 2020 so he only started one season. And obviously in the NFL he has not played very much. But part of it is because he can't play. he's just not very good

and he's the gap between him and Dak Prescott is it couldn't be any wider and Cooper Rush is significantly better so I think I don't expect the Cowboys to cut this player but he's going to be the most expensive third string quarterback in the history league

he makes $5.3 million and I think when you look around when all these rosters are set most of these third string quarterbacks one are going to be on the practice squad because of the rule that you can elevate the guy on game day from the practice squad. But I'll promise you this, they won't be making that much money. And that's not his fault.

That's what the third overall pick gets. He signed a $34-35 million contract. And this was a move in Jerry was worth taking. All the other quarterbacks, Mack Jones, Justin Fields, and Zach Wilson either went for a six- or seventh round pick. The difference is Jerry got him for two years. All those guys are on one-year contracts with all their teams. Jerry's had now all of last season

and then all this off-season up until now and through this season for his contract runs out. So it was, did he quote-unquote overpay? I don't know who else was offering a fourth rounder, but I have no issue with it. But let's just call a spade of spade. Didn't work. Sean McVeigh, calling timeouts,

I have this, it's not even a theory. I think it's just a reality. When you're the offensive play caller, and I think this would go for defensive play callers as well, but let's just stick with offensive play callers. It is very, very difficult to also manage the game. It's why for a long period of time, when Andy Reid was in Philadelphia, he took a lot of crap as being just awful game manager.

And I think if you look at it, it's not like if you just ask Andy Reid sitting on his couch or in his office or when he's watching a game, he wouldn't know when to call a timeout and when not to call a timeout. And I think that would go the same for all these offensive play callers that are currently in the NFL. It's obviously very easy for us when we're watching our squad on our couch on Sunday, gambling on a game,

fantasy play, screaming at the TV, like, call time out, what are you doing? Everyone does it. It's a great part about being a fan, is you get really emotional sitting there because the game's not moving that fast. You get to watch it in real time

doing nothing else besides, you know, drinking whatever you're drinking and eating some snacks. Well, as the play is, caller, you aren't just worried about the current play, but what play you're going to call next. And obviously dealing with your other coaches for half the game. In Sean McVey, this guy named John Stryker, who was Vrabel's kind of right-hand man. And over the last four or five years in Tennessee, a team that took great advantage,

not just timeouts, but situational football with rules, he utilized this guy. and when Vrable got fired, Sean McVeigh hired him. And McVeigh told the pardon my take guys, which is 100% true, I kind of sucked last year with timeouts. And an underrated, like, sneaky problem with McVeigh

over the course of his career, no one can argue his resume, and no one would argue he's not a top two or three coach currently in the NFL. Dude's a star. Been a rocket ship since he arrived in L.A. He blows a lot of timeouts.

And I found this stat, I was YouTube in some different stuff. In 2003, the Rams called more timeouts in the third quarter than any other team by three. They had nine timeouts. The next team with the most timeouts

was the 49ers, with six. Those two teams blew more timeouts in the third quarter and obviously you get to the fourth quarter you either got one or two and you're at a disadvantage when you're calling procedural timeouts

you're going to run out of the play clock whatever you'd be better off taking the five-yard penalty with seven minutes left to go in the third quarter and I don't think it's a coincidence that Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh are awful in these situations why? Because their head and their eyes are buried in their play sheet which is a huge advantage for their team

but it's also a disadvantage when it comes to just running the operation. How can you be laser-focused on something as serious and as complex and as difficult is calling the offensive plays and also try to manage situations? Clearly, you're at a disadvantage, and I think this goes back to Andy Reed in Philadelphia for a long period of time. It's hard. It is not easy to do.

And Sean McIntyre they acknowledged it. Too many times last year I was blowing timeouts and it screwed us. Not just the playoff game, but in the race. regular season game. It hurt us. And he fixed it. Or he attempted to fix it in hiring this. Now, I can't speak to the 49ers, but if Kyle Shanahan doesn't have someone similar on his staff, he's at a disadvantage. Because Kyle Shanahan, like Sean McVeigh, is bad at timeouts, which, like we figured out, is understandable. But the best part about a coaching staff, there is no salary cap. And when your owner has money, Sean's has a ton, so does Kyle's. You can hire

whoever the hell you want. So having one of these guys, to me, when you're a play calling head coach, if you're John Harbaugh, if you're Jim Harbaugh, if you're Dan Campbell, if you're Siriani, if you can't figure it out,

we really don't know what you're doing during the game. But when your head is in that sheet and you're worried about plays, schemes, players, injuries, position coaches, you've got a lot going on.

This guy seems like a pretty vital individual. Now, it seems like Sean McVeigh, might have plucked the top guy in the NFL because obviously he was a free agent when Vrable got canned. But to me, this individual or grooming this individual seems like a must have. And if these offensive play callers are not going to listen to this guy, they're at a disadvantage every single week.

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 super. 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 which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper 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 what 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, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors,

and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season, from the final attempts at gameplay, to the desperate pleas of finalists, to a bunch of who, ha, ha, ooh, ha, ooh, again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into PodMeets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes.

Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you eat if you had to start over? Real simple, poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. That's poor people's food, man. But being Nigeria, and that's, come on, a go-to. On the podcast Eating While Broke, I sit down with celebrities,

entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on and the moments that shaped their journey. Named Best Food Podcasts at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards, this show is all about real conversations on money, growth, and what it really takes to make it. It was times where me and Lex were, like, definitely getting into it. Because we're not making any money. Like, I need to start making.

money like why are we doing this but i don't know i think we just always knew that we had something really good and eventually people were going to catch on and so we just thugged it out the full season is available to binge right now listen to eating while broke from the black effect podcast network on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast when you listen to podcasts about a ii and tech and the future of humanity the hosts always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here, the Nick Dick and Poll show, we're not afraid to make mistakes.

What Coogler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is? I don't know. You mean the, like, the president? You think Canada has a president. You think China has a president. Those law crusade.

God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night. It's like the old Polish saying, Not my monkeys, not my circus. Yep. It was a good one. I like that snake.

It is an actual Polish saying. Yeah. It is an actual Polish name. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win stupid prizes. Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift,

who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, the top 25 in the AP came out today. And, you know,

typical cast of characters, Georgia. Bama, Texas, Oregon, no particular order, Ohio State. And I had a couple big takeaways from it. Not because I put that much emphasis until we see these teams play four or five games. Georgia might be the best team, they might be the third team. Ohio State could be the sixth team, they could be the second team.

You know, you get Oregon, they're all within the top six or seven. We'll see how they look after a month of games. I do think there is some tangible pressure, though, on certain teams to do certain things. and I think at the highest level there's a lot of pressure on Ohio State. They have the highest, same with Oregon. Now the difference is Ohio State and Ryan Day,

they've been in the playoffs recently. He's had success. Hell, he's been in a national championship game. He's had a lot of success. But anytime you're at that school and you've been getting your ass kicked by Jim Harbaugh, then you double down on the NIL, you land all these sweet dudes in the transfer portal,

you hire your boy Chip Kelly to run the offense, I'm not saying they have to win the national championship. That's clearly very, very difficult to do. But you could argue the final four might not even be good enough for the fan base. Obviously, if you get to the national championship and lose it, that stings, that hurts, that sucks. But you get contract extensions doing that. And I think there is a ton of pressure on Ohio State to kick ass and take names. Now, when Dan Lannning, kind of similar, roster stacked, spending a ton on

NIL. To me, his margin for errors a little smaller than Ohio State, or I guess larger, that like, if he didn't make the national championship game, I don't think it's the end of the world. I kind of think Oregon's got to make the funnel four. You know, all the hype, they've been really close. We talk about them like this championship level squad. Last time I checked, haven't even won the conference the last couple of years because they couldn't beat Washington. Now, obviously, DeBoer's gone. It's kind of owned landing. Pennix is gone, so you should own that game. You play Ohio State this year, but most of the big 10 teams you should be able to handle.

I think Ohio State, if they ain't in the championship game, it's going to feel like a disaster. And to me, Oregon's got to be in the Final Four. Now, that's the best of the best. I think there are two teams when it comes to making the playoffs. I don't want to say it's make the playoffs are fired because this guy's won national championships. He's one of the most famous coaches. has changed this program to a higher level for forever. But Davosweeney makes more money than every coach in college football except Kirby Smart.

And he's earned it. Like he's made that program a ton. The NFL is littered with his players. He's had a boatload of success. But these last couple years haven't gone that well. And one thing with Davosweeney is, I don't mess with the transfer portal, which kind of feels like Coach Kay in the early 2000. I don't do one and dunce.

Feels if you want to be successful in this sport currently, you've got to change your tune because it's not sustainable. You don't need to take 10 guys in the transfer portal, but because of your program and because of how many guys you put in the NFL, you should be debt if Ohio State, if Bama, if LSU, if Georgia, if they dabble a player here, a player there, Florida State, a team in your own conference, who if it wasn't for devastating quarterback injuries would have been in the

the playoffs last year when it was only four teams. Why? Transfer Portal. Jared Verse, first round pick, transfer portal. Keon Coleman, first round pick? Yeah, first round pick, transfer portal. Or maybe he was the first pick of the second round. But like, the second round, defensive tackle, who is, uh, the Rams also took, transfer portal. Like, it kind of matters. It kind of matters. So there's going to be a lot of pressure on him. Listen, you make the playoffs, even if you lose in the first round, it'll have everyone take a deep breath. You start getting paid $11, $12 million. The expectations for your program, like last year just wasn't good enough.

And I don't know. It's hard for me to feel great about them. Now, they've always recruited well. They clearly just depend only on high school kids and developing. Well, they have no problem on doing that. And I think the quarterback who got a lot of hype, and it was easy a couple years to go to see, like, bench DJ for Clint And then you watched him last year It's very hit or miss

So I think there's just a lot of pressure on Clemson To just be a top 12 team when the dust settles And same thing for Penn State You could argue There's a very short list of coaches Who recruit better than James Franklin The roster he currently has Probably has three or four guys

They're going to get drafted in the first round Last year all we heard is like They got Josh Allen 2.0 And then you watched him play You're like Yeah this is like Josh Allen at Wyoming, not Josh Allen on the bills. So they fire their offensive coordinator, they hire the dude from Kansas.

Defensively, they are always loaded. And he's just a polarizing individual because he gets United Wins, can't beat Ohio State, can't beat Michigan, doesn't feel like they're really close in terms of the top dogs. They take care of basically everyone else they play. But I think there's tangible pressure on them to make the playoffs this year. And unlike Dabo, it's not like he has anything. on his resume. I've won Natty's.

I've won Natty's. This guy hasn't won Natty's. Hasn't even won the Big Ten. I'm not saying he's got to win the Big Ten. He shouldn't. Ohio State's better. But if they can't get to ten and two and being the top twelve, I think that's a failure for a program who there can't be ten teams with better rosters in the NFL. I saw Hugh Freeze was interviewing with Marty Smith

and McGee, Smith and McGee. And he's like, listen, it sucked losing that game. to Alabama last year when Jalen Milrow on third, I think it was third and 29 or third and 31, hit that bomb in the back of the end zone. He's like, it was awful. It doesn't get any worse.

On the bright side, though, we had a team who didn't even come close to having their talent, and we went toe to toe with them. And that's the thing with Penn State. Like, you're out talenting basically everyone, probably on your schedule this year,

except Ohio State. Like, you should be better than Michigan. They just lost 18 dudes in the NFL and Jim Harbaugh. So I'm fascinated to watch Penn State. I enjoy watching their defense play, who doesn't. But their offense has been putrid for a while now. And it's on James Franklin, who is an offensive guy kind of at his core, at his heart.

He was a former coach wide receiver coach. And clearly he can't fix that because recruiting is what he does and what he does best, and you've got to question everything else. So listen, my national. championship pick right now, as we sit here, would probably be some combination of Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon. But things could get chaotic in the playoffs, right? You get 12 teams. I'm sure, if not this, we're going to have a crazy upset, I would say in the next two years. Does it happen this year? Who knows?

Like, Ole Miss is a good example. Everyone's picking them to make the playoffs. Let's say they don't. Let's say they go nine and three and don't. He's won double-digy games the last two years. for the first time in program history, it is difficult to win there. He should not be winning more than LSU, more than, I don't care that Sabin's gone, Dubour in Alabama, more than Georgia. He shouldn't.

So if somehow he doesn't make it and some other SEC team sneaks in, like, I don't think it's the end of the world. But when you're paying Dabo, $11.5 million, when all we ever hear is how great Penn State's roster is, you can't not make the playoffs and not have it and play in the

you know the three and out sandal bowl and think anyone's going to care okay last but not least quick take Tuesday here the reaction to Steph Curry and it's like oh I can't believe it it's like guys he's been doing this

since Davidson this has been going on now these moments since 2008 and 2007 in 2009, whatever the year that he took the Davidson on the run, that was his sophomore year. Remember, he came back for his junior year, and the team wasn't as good.

But we first really learned about him in the NCAA tournament. I mean, you're talking 16, 17 plus years ago. We saw that. And then for a decade straight, this guy's winning MVP's, lead teams of titles. Kevin Durant literally had to join him, or he would have zero championships. They've taken a lot of shit.

But let's face it, as Bob Myers once told Kevin Durant, you need us, we don't need you. We will win more without you. Can't say you will win without us. Turned out to be true. But John, they needed Kevin Durant too. Obviously he helped. But we saw two years ago, you know,

when Steph Curry led the Warriors to another title, he just had one of the greatest athletic careers because let's face, I don't know if the Warriors are going to be good again in the rest of his career. I don't know if it matters. Because I think that was the cherry on top of one of the greatest careers I've ever seen.

And I think with him, the best part about kind of his generation before, college played a part in your career. Because what he did in college kind of put him on the map. Goes back to like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, playing in the national championship in college. Michael Jordan hitting the game-winning shot in college.

And Steph's college career, to me, is part of his resume. He took this little fucking team that, let's face it, most people would know nothing about, and let him to the lead eight knocking off Kansas. So, Steph Curry, that moment, he hit 17 three-pointers in the semifinal game and the final game. He scored 60 points in the last two games. If he's a little off, they not only don't win gold,

they might not even make it to the championship game. They needed all of his 36 points to beat Serbia, Yokech's team, which is one of the best games I've ever seen. I assumed they were going to kill France. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to go play golf with a couple buddies. And we put on, you know, YouTube TV on our phone. I'm like, hole four.

It's like, oh, they're up 10. I'm like, oh, they're going to end up blowing them out. And then the game kind of kept close, kept close. And by the time we got to the turn, it was really backed up. So we went to the bar at the turn and watched like the last six minutes. And I think that's like, that's what Steph Curry has done for the Warriors. It's what he did for Davidson. That is Steph Curry, who in this generation, there are really two guys in the sport.

Obviously, the NBA just got a ton of money from the television networks. but they don't really rate relative to what they used to do. There are two guys when you put them on TV get huge ratings. And when they play each other, it does the highest rate of game in the NBA, besides like the finals, which is down by half from like six, seven years ago when LeBron and Curry used to play. And it's those two guys. And LeBron, obviously everyone's like, oh, he's great, he's great, we get it.

He's one of the greatest athletes we've ever seen. He's still awesome. But like he's played like that in the whole tournament. Curry was down early and if he did not play like he did we don't win. We needed all of his 60 points. And the way he did it, the fashion which he did it,

making fun of the French crowd, it was just, it was vintage. And whether they ever make the playoffs again with the Warriors, because who knows? To me, that's a cherry on top of his career. And 20 million people watched the game on Saturday. I can imagine a ton of people

watch the game on Thursday. It was fantastic to watch all those guys play And it's pretty crazy that In a league and a sport full of young star players All I ever hear NBA's never been better There's more talent The two best players

By a pretty wide margin Really the three of them We're all 35 years and older And the two guys leading them down the stretch In the gold medal game Was a 40-year-old and a 36-37-year-old In LeBron and stuff so it just

it didn't get any better that was and the best part about Seth Tiger was always like this when he was playing well is like this is just so entertaining I can't move off I don't want to watch anything

I can't imagine watching anything else and a lot like Tiger little different circumstances the Masters in 2019 cherry on the top of his career and that's what it felt like with Steph Curry when he hit those shots

he hit four three pointers in the last couple minutes and just executed the French national team. 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 you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Clivert 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong and Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars,

traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion at the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha-hoo.

Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you eat if you had to start over?

Real simple, poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. Yeah. That's all, that's poor people's food, man. But being Nigeria, and that's, come on, a go-to. On the podcast eating while broke, I sit down with celebrities, entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on

in the moments that shaped their journey, named Best Food Podcast at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards. This show is all about real conversations on money, growth, and what it really takes to make it. It was times where me and Lex were, like, definitely getting into it.

Because we're not making any money. Like, I need to start making money. Like, why are we doing this? But I don't know. I think we just always knew that we had something really good and eventually people were going to catch on. And so we just thugged it out.

The full season is available to binge. Right now. Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. When you listen to podcasts about AI and tech and the future of humanity, the hosts always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here at the Nick Dick and Poll show, we're not afraid to make mistakes. What Coogler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is?

I don't know. You meet the president? You think Canada has a president. You think China has a president. The law frouzette. God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night.

It's like the old Polish saying, not my monkeys, not my circus. It was a good one. I like that snake. It is an actual Polish saying. It is an actual Polish saying. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win stupid prizes.

Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift, who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Okay, mailbag time. Ad John Middlecoff, Instagram. Ad John Middlecock, Instagram. Fire in those DMs. Get your question. Answer here on the show. Mailbag question. Love the pod.

As a lifelong birds fan, me and the Eagles. Two part question. Relating to the ESPN article on Jalen and Nick's relationship and knowing to say it nice you don't love Nick. Nothing personal. This is just business.

I'm just judging him as a football coach, and everyone questions his football acumen. So I have to question his football acumen. He doesn't call the offense, can't call the offense. I think it's fair to we just ask questions. That's all I'm doing. Seems like a nice guy.

I'd have some beers with him. Do you think Jalen has earned the right to question Nick's X's nose? He got benched at Bama and had a great season under Shane, but it's not like he's Tom Brady. I love Jalen, but that line surprised me given his background. Two, I hate the Cowboys so much.

I like watching the Cowboys lose, more than I like watching the Eagles win. Can you feel that Cowboy hate working in the building? When I was with the Eagles, the Giants were better. When I got there in 2010, you know, the Giants had won a Super Bowl a couple years before than they won it a year later. So the Cowboys teams, I think Wade Phillips, was a coach when I first got there, then maybe Garrett took over year two.

They just weren't as good. So it was, it's probably different than it would feel right now that the Cowboys and the Eagles have been kind of fighting out for the division. I would say the Giants felt more like the big, bad wolf in the division. And the hatred,

that rivalry was stronger than. The Cowboys, obviously it's a huge game because the team, the brand, the rivalry, but I felt that Giants were a bigger deal. And it has to do, with how the teams were playing. I do think when you look at Jaylon was benched for a guy that went fifth in the draft.

Now, we can argue about Tua, but Tua was a better college player. And they benched him. Jalen had a transfer. One guy goes in the second round, the other guy went five. So that's just pretty basic football. You just play guys who were better at the time. Two, Jalen played, and Colin and I talked about this for Nick Sabin. I'm pretty sure Dayball was there one of the years

Maybe he missed him, but Lane, Sark, Lincoln Riley. So, like, he's been around pretty awesome offensive coordinators in offensive minds. And then Shane. So I think there's one thing of questioning, if you want to push back on Jalen,

like, Jalen, we don't want you to be a peer pocket quarterback. You're not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. That's completely fair. but I think he kind of knows what it looks like in terms of being coached from a schematic standpoint of guys who are pretty brilliant. So I think questioning,

I think whenever you question someone, if you're right, like even if your resume might not be as long as them, I mean, there are people probably all over America who have been working middle management jobs or management jobs who aren't very good.

And people under them think that guy is a, complete slap, complete, unknowing, unknowledgible fraud. Like, that happens all over corporate America. It happens in football too. And obviously Nick has qualities, the leadership that people like, I guess, players like them. But I don't think it's crazy that Jalen questions his football knowledge. Even if on some of it, he might be right, assuming he's arguing like, we need you to scrambling.

more than playing the pocket. Love the podcast. I came across it two years ago, and since then I've listened to every show. I even went back last summer and listened to all your old shows. God, I like this guy. Even the one where you had

Howie Roseman on. The Rosenberg show was probably my favorite episode you've ever done. I'm a huge Howie Roseman guy, an Eagles fan. My question is, if you were an NFL owner and you could start a franchise with any NFL GM, who would you choose?

It's a good question. What I would do is I have a specific individual Probably for the chiefs who I would hire Obviously it's not Vich because I can't But there's a guy on that staff that I would hire Now what I would do is I would hire a guy Like I mean if I was an NFL GM And you had any juice in the hiring

You would go here is the budget I need for these two positions Because these are really really important I guess if you could start an NFL franchise. So, okay, so let's just assume I'm the owner. I know exactly who I had hired to be my GM, but I would pay a premium for a guy like Jake to run my cap in the business aspect. And he would obviously work hand in hand with my GM in the sense

because the money aspect of the team is such a big deal. But I would lean like on a brilliant, brilliant scout buddy that I know. I think there's a couple. I'd feel pretty comfortable hiring. And I understand what Jake's saying, and I value that position a lot. So I would try to bridge the two. I am obviously biased because I know people

that have been on Super Bowl teams, and I would just, everything they've ever steered me when it comes to picking players is just right. Obviously, he's right about, you know, you are not taught how to, have managed a $250 million budget. But I mean, some of these guys have been pretty high-level guys for a long time. Listen, I've heard great things about Joe Douglas, and you look, it looks like he's over

his head. I mean, he went all in on Zach Wilson, this Redick situation, and I know a bunch of guys that worked for him in Philly and love the guy. But it's kind of embarrassing what's happened to him in New York. No way around it. I mean, he is a very well-respected guy in the league. bald guy chubby guy

I root for him just because us bald guys we kind of stick together even when we don't know each other but it's kind of embarrassing what's going down as a cheese fan I think our division will be tougher this year

looking at the other teams I still think they are a year or two out of being playoff contenders both Colin and you have been on record saying you see the Chargers and Broncos making the playoffs or Broncos making the playoffs I don't see three AFC West teams making it. I would agree.

Three AFC West teams are not going to make it. I'm not going to throw away my Chargers take, but their margin for error with a couple of players is really small. I mean, they got three guys that they need to be elite. The quarterback, who's injured, Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. Joey Bosa is currently injured and Khalil gets banged up. So it could be tough sledding.

Now, even if it's tough sledding, it will not look like Brandon Staley. And they will be as competitive as any eight-win team you'll see in the league. But it could be challenging. I wonder if the Broncos are a little better than we think. What if their quarterbacks is plug and play ready? Obviously, he's a rookie, you'd have some bad games, but is it inconceivable to think, like, they got some big-ass wide receivers? You don't need Walter Payton on your team at running back in 2024.

You can piecemeal that thing together with three or four. They got offensive linemen. I'm not the biggest McGlinchie guy for $50 million guaranteed, but he sure started on a lot of winning teams in San Francisco. Defense is a little bit of a question mark, but what if offensively the Broncos actually are pretty good? I don't know if I pick it to make the playoffs. Both those teams could be pretty similar.

Eight, nine wins, but problems. For the mailbag. Love the podcast. Congrats to you and Maria. I've been thinking about a crazy hypothetical. What if there was a pre-playoff draft where ringless veteran players on non-playoff teams could declare and each team could draft one player

from the other conference? The players could join for the playoff run before returning to their original teams the next season. Similar to loans in international soccer. For playoff teams, it might help them out if in an event of a late season injury, players could benefit too. We might get less guys like Calvin Johnson or Joe Thomas retiring without a ring.

Thoughts. I like this idea. And if the owners would ever allow it, my vote would be cool. But the reason they would never allow it is because if I own the Lions and I got Calvin Johnson and he's been retired now for a while and the money's changed, but let's just say the equivalent of 2024, I'm on an awful team. But I have this sweet player. I am paying him

Calvin Johnson be a $30 million wide receiver. I'm paying him almost $2 million a week for 17 weeks. And I've given him $100 million guaranteed. What if he shatters his leg in the second round of the playoffs for the Chiefs? Or for the Ravens? Or for the Bengals? What happens to me? Then he just comes back to me and it's not my problem?

so there would be no risk on the playoff side, right, if you're one of the good teams drafting these players, and all the financial risk for the other team. So that guy plays more games, gets injured. Does that still go in my books? What if he shatters his leg? Can never play again? And I just sign him to a huge contract.

Essentially saying that's why it would never happen. Though, like your idea, like you thinking outside the box. Jacks fan here, and I'm wondering what the hell Doug's fascination is with Press Taylor. If you recall, Doug wanting to promote Press to OC in Philly is part of the reason he was fired. I don't think he was wanting to promote him. I think he kind of did, and he didn't want to fire him, if I remember correctly. It's been a while now. Once Doug got the job in Jacksonville, he hired Press as the OC, but he didn't call plays.

And then they had success. and one of the best offenses football while having a fairly average per snow group. The next season, roughly two hours before the Jags played their week one game against the Colts, Jags PR announced that press would now be calling plays for the offense. The switch didn't really work, as the offense went from top 10 in most categories to middle of the pack

in passing at the very bottom in rushing. Shod Khan, the owner, has publicly stated multiple times that he wants Doug Doug. to call the offense. Reports are that Trevor has said the same thing. Why is Doug willing to gamble his head coaching career on this guy? At any point in time in your life, you need someone who is above you to believe in you.

Even like Jeff Bezos or Sergey and his partner at Google needed someone with money to buy into what they were doing. Right? As a player, you need a coach early on to believe in you. you. As an assistant coach, you need a head coach to believe in you. And for whatever reason, Doug loves this guy. I mean, Doug views this guy like Mike Holmgren in the mid-90s at the Packers viewed Mariucci, Gruden, and Andy. He thinks this guy is a star. And let's face it, when you believe in a human, and I would say a lot of us at different points in time in our life,

will either be in a position or have been in a position where you just believe in a guy I believe in this guy I think this guy is going to be really good at whatever he's doing and in public jobs like he's going to be a quote unquote star

coaching star you know some great artist if you're in the music business could just be in sales like you got this young intern like we need this guy can make us a lot of money

we need to double down on this guy sometimes you're wrong for whatever it doesn't mean like you just miss something sometimes you just like the individual. That's a hard part about business, right? You can really like someone.

Your values can align. Maybe you see politically the world the same. Maybe your morals are the same. Maybe the way you view family is the same. So you're like, I have so, like I really, we connect. But that person is not good enough. And I think sometimes the personal connection can cloud what you believe or know.

of that guy's tangible talent at whatever he's doing. And I'm with you. I also think this is an easy fix. If I'm Shod Khan, I go, listen, Doug, I'm not going to meddle here in general. Like, I let you and Trent, do whatever you need to do. Sign whoever, you want to sign this guy, I'll give you the money, you want to trade this guy, you want to hire this coach.

But I hired you because years ago, I watched you out dual Belichick in the fucking Super Bowl. with Nick Foles. I want you to call the plays. I don't think that's a crazy ask. You became the most famous coach in Eagles history because you led them to a Super Bowl. You won a Super Bowl before even Andy Reid won a Super Bowl.

I need to call a play. And I don't think that's too crazy if you're Shad Khan to demand that. I don't even think it's demanding. I think you just do it. I like Doug, and I don't know Press Taylor at all. Clearly, I think he's, people think he's a nice guy, good guy. I think it's fair to question him as a coach.

How many games of Deshawn Watson struggling until Cleveland, Brooke Park, I guess that's where their new stadium's going to be, have to consider sitting him down. This roster is complete and ready to compete. Honestly, the only question, mark is on him. I believe he will struggle, but the money he's being paid, can they actually bench him? Have you heard any rumors about Washington name change? Obviously not going back to the old name, but commanders just doesn't feel right. I personally liked Washington football team. Totally

agree. I never understood why they changed Washington football team. It just worked. I think the Watson thing's hard. And this, like the previous question with Doug, is this an owner decision? But hey guys, I did this, I want this, and I want to make it work. The thing if you're the coach and ultimately want to go with a change, if he's really terrible, like you have a lot of body of work now. You've had a lot, I guess he's only started 12 games, but he's been on your team for a while. And I read today, he's fully cleared, he's completely healthy, there is a lot of pressure on this guy to play well. if I told you right now

Josh Allen was the Browns quarterback Is it safe to say they would be the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl? I mean, if they had a top five quarterback on their team, I think they would be the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl.

But they have a guy who's been objectively awful. John, that you're being too? No, he's had one good half. I think it was against the Ravens. Other than that, he was really bad. And then this off-season, what did they decide to do?

They found some of the Flacco. worked with the scheme, worked with their players. Fantastic backup. Costs less than $5 million. They didn't re-sign them. Why? Because they're not dumb. What's the first thing the fan base would do?

If he throws three picks against the Cowboys week one, you lose 24 to 17. Put in Flacco. We want to make the playoffs. Can't do that with James Winston. Because we've seen James. I mean, he's not as good as Joe Flacco. So I think the team, the front office, slash the owner, made a conscious effort to basically clear out the decks for Deshaun. But that means all the pressure's on him to play well.

He's got a longer leash, but how ugly can it get? I don't have the answer to that. But I don't expect it to go great. I don't think he's any good. I don't know if he just lost his confidence. He doesn't even remotely look like the same guy. The guy hasn't played that much football Since sitting out the year

All the masseuses, the injuries It's been a disaster It's been legal robbery That's what Mugeta and Deshawn did to DeHaslin Legal robbery Because they've robbed the Browns Which listen, if it's legal, do it What do you think is the floor ceiling for the Rams this season?

I would say the ceiling would be win the division and compete for the NFC. They have a huge, huge hole in Aaron Donald, who was the heartbeat of the defense, and really the heartbeat of the team. He's one of the best players in the history of the league. So I give the Rams credit for doubling down on the two Florida State guys.

Derek Ray, who's been on this podcast, who's the GM at Florida State. Obviously, Jared Verst is a really good player. McVeigh, during the preseason game, was calling him a stud, loves him. He's a good player. He'd play for every player. everybody in the league. The detackle they took, that viral video of verse calling him, I don't know if

Derek said this on the podcast, but he told me off it, and he's, Derek's a big Raider fan. He's like, his motor and his energy for football is like Max Crosby. I mean, he's one of the super trihardt guy. And listen, I started watching the Pete Rose documentary on HBO. I don't think we talk enough about, you know, Max Crosby, Pete Rose. Those guys are not the most talented guys. Like Pete Rose became one of the greatest baseball players ever. And he'd be the first tell you. Like I wasn't even remotely the most talented guy on my own team.

There were three or four guys who had more God-given ability than me. Effort. And I think this kind of works for any walk of life. Working hard, getting there early, doing everything humanly possible. In athletics, you can feel it more because you're like running around, moving around. And basketball is like, keep cutting. You know, in baseball, it's like run to first. in football, it's just like 100% effort till the whistle.

In life, it's different for us, because if you have a desk job, you're not like sweating while you're doing it, but you can go above and beyond. And even if you're not the most talented, even if you're not the smartest or the brightest individual in the operation, it's pretty hard to fail if you max out effort. And that's the way he described this player to me. Now, there's a difference of like max effort guy.

and Aaron Donald, who had elite talent and was max effort. So I would say their floor would be, I mean, if Stafford misses any time, they're done. Stafford misses any time, they got no shot. Stetson Bennett is terrible. I don't even think he's an NFL player. Honestly, I would not have a mom. If I ran an NFL team, he would not be on my NFL roster.

In Jimmy Garoppolo, who I think has suspended the first two games for some PED use, the guy we saw with the Raiders look like a lot. lost puppy. And he was like that, you know, he just feels like he's lost it. Feels like he's just lost. And I think sometimes when it goes, it goes hard. And I don't expect much different now. He does know LaFleur, Mike LaFleur, who's now, you know, working for McFay. So maybe he can kind of get him on the straight and and arrow because Josh McDaniels, who he also knew, I've never seen Jimmy play that bad in his life. I mean, you look like a U.S.FL player. So if that's your backup quarterback, that version,

I don't think you can win games. And clearly they're just, Stafford stays healthy, Puka and Cooper are healthy, but they're going to be good. McVeigh's stud, the defense you would think would be pretty solid. They got a lot of young talent. We know they can score points. I would be pretty high on them.

But Stafford goes down, Like the 49ers, I think they could win some games with their backup quarterback. I don't even think it's possible with the Rams. Pete Rose documentary is funny, man. Pete, until they showed it on the screen because he wears like this flat bill hat, he wears like the Robert Kraft,

you know, white collar, blue shirt, but he untucks it and it's really big. Those shirts, if you're going to rock that shirt, the white collar, which feels like a little out of style, more like 10, 15, 20 years ago, you have to tuck it in. Because those shirts, especially if you're buying it off the rack, are never, you know, I own some untucked shirts that, you know, are perfect, right? You can wear them untucked.

Those are not made to wear untucked. So he walks around, he just looks like your classic. I thought Pete was like, I don't know, 70. And then you realize, well, he broke into the big leagues in the 60s. He shows he's 81 years old. He's dye in his hair. he got caught gambling and just refused to tell the truth. Refused to tell the truth.

Just, I don't know in the history of sports we've ever seen higher highs and lower lows. I mean, the guy became a legend, a champion, own some of the most heralded stats in the history of a game based on stats, and then get banned for life. I mean, ban for life is not allowed in the hall of fame. Because he lied. It shows you. You know, your parents are.

tell you when you're young, just tell the truth. And you're like, I don't want to tell the truth. I'm going to get in a lot of trouble. Then the older you get you realize, you didn't kill anybody. Just tell the truth. Take your medicine and it'll be over faster when you lie. It always is worse. And Pete, you know, as he said in that documentary,

he's like, my lawyers told me they're never going to be able to prove it. Ever. And then the Major League Baseball, the attorney they got to look into the situation and basically do all the due diligence for them to figure out what was going on. I forget who it was. Like Paul Giamati's dad, who was the commissioner at the time,

was like, we hired a lawyer who literally was taking down the mob. This wasn't going to be that difficult for him. And they figured out everything that Pete Rose actually did, and then they told him in the sit down, Pete Rose, like, realized I'm caught red-handed. And they showed Pete's buddies who got arrested, who were involved in the gambling.

It's crazy when you look back. It's like gambling and weed things like that I grew up on that were so taboo. It's like what are we talking about? But all the gambling guys from like the 80s or 70s all look the same. All look like lower level mob guys. They all have on the jumpsuits. They all have on the aviators. They look straight out of central casting in a movie.

And they were all Pete's boys. I honestly, my takeaway, if you're betting on your team to win, Betting your team to lose, clearly, banned for life, you should go to jail. Betting your team to win? I understand why you can't do it. But it's not that crazy. You're literally betting on your team to win. I don't know, it's your job.

Your life is depending on a team winning, if that's the business you're in. So putting some cash on the side, I think Phil Mickelson once did that on the Ryder Cup, and he lost because they lost. It doesn't bother me as much. I get it. It's never going to be, you know, normalized. Now, I think a lot of people go, are we sure he never been on his team to lose?

When he knew some shitty-ass pitcher was rolling out and they had no shot playing a team that's rolling with their ace and they're rolling their dude from double A-out? And you go, no, he's too competitive. But any time, you know, you start gambling. I don't know. I wouldn't put it past him. So I kind of get both sides.

Just sad story, though. Al Michaels and him used to be buddies. He's in it. It's just an easy watch. It's an easy watch. Different time, too. And I was watching it with Maria. And she's like, God, it's just simpler times.

I'm like, I don't think you realize how famous all these guys were. Like baseball players in Pete Rose's era were the equivalent of like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, the Watts, the Bosa's, like how big of a deal these players were. like Johnny Bench, Pete Rose. When he first got to the big leagues, Mickey Mantle was making fun of them in a preseason game. Like how famous these guys were in the 60s and 70s. When I moved to the bay, Vida Blue used to work out in my GMRIP.

Like that guy was a rock star in the 70s. He's the equivalent of like an NFL quarterback. Different times. Baseball just, the brawls they used to get in, just look like, just look fun. sometimes I miss. Only thing I miss, whenever you look back at like times before you were born,

it's like, God, if I would have known what I would know now, it would have been a real estate, maven tycoon! You're like, no, you wouldn't have, because you wouldn't have actually known. But it would have been cool to watch sports in the 70s, like the Steelers and Raiders games in the mid-70s, or, you know, the Reds playing the A's in the World Series.

It would have been fun. Or Wilton Bill Russell goes. going at it. Hey John, big fan. I'm on the road a lot for my job, so I appreciate the work. My question is more of a hot take, and I wanted to get your thoughts. Shanahan is the most overrated head coach in the NFL. He is brilliant.

He's a brilliant offensive mind, but absolutely terrible when it comes to game management and crucial moments. I've heard you mention in a lot of your pods that all he wants to do is run the ball, yet in the biggest games of his career, he's elected to go pass happy at the absolute wrong time. Both Super Bowls. I think he used the Atlanta Super Bowl and then I think this last Super Bowl. He's using

Roman numerals. I'm not up to date on my Roman numerals, so I have no clue, but I think he's choosing Atlanta because he used L.I. And then Live, which I think was last year. Then in this year Super Bowl, so maybe he was using the first two and then this year, okay, I'm trying to keep up here. Then this year

he made the big mistake of giving the homes four downs and overtime. It's little things like that that make me one if he'll ever win the big one. As Super Bowls are often decided by a crucial play or a coaching decision down the stretch. P.S. This is coming from a Falcons fan. I talked about this on the podcast

when Sean McVeigh hired the dude. I think it's hard to be a master at everything. And when you're calling plays on that given week, you are trying to master your own team on offense and the opponent. You are simply doing more than the CEO head coach. And Andy Reid was talked about

in a very similar vein as the way you just described Kyle. Can't manage. And maybe it's through experience. He's obviously gotten a lot better at it. It is still difficult. I do think you need someone to help you out with that stuff.

Now, part of having that someone, like Sean McVeigh's got John Stryker, is he going to listen to him? Because I think the 49ers would say, we have a guy. He chimes into Kyle's, Here, and Kyle doesn't always listen. So, Sean McVeigh, the ego, the belief in yourself,

sometimes you just got to relinquish a little juice. And you can't micromanage everything. And I give McVe credit for making that hire. Like, why didn't Kyle hire this guy? That'd be my question. Why weren't the 49ers all over this guy? What are the Rams offering them? 500 grand?

Why don't you offer them $750? that's just a line item for your operation. Rams are offering them 800 grand, offer him 1.5. Because his value, if that's the difference of winning an extra playoff game or winning the Super Bowl,

what's that work to you? Honestly, what's that worth to you? So credit to the Rams for hiring that cat, especially if Sean's going to listen to him. I'm a big Lions fan, but also still a Stafford fan, even though he doesn't play for my squad. Although I like golf

and think he's done a great job, I do believe Stafford is more talented. You are correct. Stafford is more talented. Do you think that if Stafford was never traded with this roster and coaching staff, the Lions would have won the Super Bowl in 23, or even 22?

Or do you think that the trade was needed to get the picks and players required to be in the building blocks for the team? And if Stafford was still here, the team wouldn't be where it is now. Well, when you traded Stafford, For golf, that first year you went 3 and 13, if memory serves me correct. You probably win a couple more games with him.

And that led you to do Aidan Hutchinson, who I think is going to be one of the better pastures in the league for the next 7, 8 years. Then the following year, that trade, because Stafford got hurt, gave you the 6th pick. And that led to a running back that looks like Alvin Kamara meets Christian McCaffrey and Sam Leporta. So that trade in a weird way, it's hard to do this because there are so many variables, but I think it's safe to say

that there's a decent chance that you would not have Hutchinson or either the running back or Leporta. And I know there are other aspects of it, but if you just look at it in a vacuum like that, and part of the reason why everyone's so high on you right now is because you're offensive weaponry. And Jared Goff, here's the difference.

Stafford's better in Goff, if they're both healthy. No one would argue that. If the teams are the same, you would take Matt Stafford over Jared Goff. But if you can load your team up like the Lions did and insert Jared Goff, who's like what, ninth the best quarterback? What's Stafford?

Fifth, sixth? The gap ain't that wide, and you're in position. Now, if you just put Matt Stafford in that game in the second half against the 49ers, do you have a better chance to win? Yeah, I think that's fair to say. But like you said, that's not really how it works. So I think part of trading him was what you had to do. You know, forever the Oakland A's because the owner's so cheap and just they don't make any money,

would always trade sweet players. Like Hudson Molder Zito or Yueness, whoever the group was. They would trade them all. And then a couple years later, they would have the new version of those guys. And I think that's ultimately what Stafford did for you. You traded him.

His value was still really high because the Niners and Rams both really wanted them. And I think you guys deserve a lot of credit because you essentially chose the deals were the same. You want two first round picks and Jimmy Garoppolo or two first round picks and Jared Goff. And I think at the time of the trade, a lot of people are like,

you want Jared Goff? And it was 100% the right move. Honestly, it's a pretty legendary trade. Now, looking back, it really is. Doesn't top Ryan Poles and everything you got for the Bears, but saved your franchise. Appreciate you all listening.

Hopefully you had a great day. If you're having a good day, depending on when you're listening. Love another podcast tomorrow. See you. 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 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. 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Keer 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're 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.

the way on the IHare 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.

The story I've told myself 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 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.