The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Baker and the Browns Are Perfect for Each Other, Dak needs Amari more than Zeke and David Griffin Chimes in on LeBron...Again

Episode Date: August 5, 2019

Colin explains why Baker Mayfield is perfect for the Cleveland Browns, why Dak Prescott is better with Amari Cooper, and his thoughts on David Griffin’s comments about LeBron James. Also, where Colin was right and wrong over the weekend. Guests include Peter Schrager, Clarence Hill, Eric Dickerson, and Bucky Brooks.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Absolutely packed. Collins right. Collins wrong. We have a ton of both. And Joy Taylor is joining me on a Monday. We are officially now in the middle of the first. week of August. There's football games being played. We're rolling now, right? We are. It's here. It's back. It's here. It's back. And, well, you know what I got a lead with today? Let me guess.

So Baker Mayfield yesterday or this weekend at a Cleveland Indians game. And the camera goes on him. And Baker's a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He's there with his lovely wife and his new mustache. And they take a picture up with a beer and he takes a beer. Then he realizes the camera's on. He goes, throw me a beer. And he bites into it and he rips it open. and it's very funny and you know he points to his jersey and of course Cleveland loves him because it's Cleveland this is a franchise that hasn't had any fun at quarterback for 30 years and Baker Mayfield's a lot of fun and he's a showman and he was waiting for that moment because he knew they'd put him on camera just like the underwear ads before the season started and the Cleveland Indians had fun with it and

they went to Twitter and social media because they haven't won a World Series since like ever and they're making fun of me and they knew I would overreact to it. But I'm not going to overreact to it because, Colin, what's your reaction to this? Baker Mayfield is perfect for Cleveland. This is an organization where Peyton Hillis, a fullback, was a really big deal. They don't celebrate championships. They don't celebrate division titles. Right now they just want to celebrate.

We got a new quarterback, and he wants to be one of us. And we would shotgun beers because it's Cleveland. And he's perfect for Cleveland. Because everybody that's famous in Cleveland, he gets really good leaves. LeBron twice. The Rockefellers, Drew Carey, Joe Walsh of the Eagles. Hell, the Browns left. Mani Ramirez, C.C. Samathia.

Of course Cleveland's putting their arms around him. Yes. Now, if I was Baker Mayfield, one in five against winning teams with a rookie head coach. who's never even been hired as a coordinator. If you take two games out of Baker last year against the atrocious Bengals, where he had seven touchdowns and no picks, his numbers were really, really average.

Even for a rookie quarterback, they were pretty average. But be that as it may. This morning, Cleveland and Baker feel like the NFL's best frat house. Best parties, best beer chuggers, a lot of alpha, the funniest guys. Of course, like the Browns, the plumbing hasn't worked at that frat house in 20, eight years. And I'd never ever

want to live in a frat house. But the best time for a frat house, you guys know what it is. Now, I'm not going to speak for women and sororities, but the best time for a frat house is rush week. September! No big midterms yet. No big finals net. The front door is still on its hinges.

They're throwing the best parties. The weather is perfect. Everybody still qualified for school. Nobody's been thrown out yet. it's rush week at the NFL's best frat house. Of course, the frat house is not where you want to be during finals week, otherwise known as January in the NFL. That's when the Steelers flourish and the Patriots flourish and the Eagles flourish.

And guys like Belichick and Andy Reid and Sean McVe flourish. No, no, no, no, no. You don't want to be the best frat house during finals week. And that's what matters in the NFL, not September. But I will say, O Delta Baker is a hell of a frat house here in Rush Week. But if you ever watch those movies with frat houses, think about all the great frat house movies you've watched. You ever notice what they're always about? The frat guys, due to bad behavior, trying to keep the house.

The school wants to take it back. The local municipalities want to take it back. So congratulations. I thought Baker looked like he was a little too good at that beer chugging, a little too good for my franchise quarterback, one in five against winning teams. But it's Cleveland. Stars leave.

He's showing he loves you. He's part of you. I'm one of you. I'm wearing your jersey. I drink beer like you. I chug like you. You're mine. I'm yours.

And of course it's Cleveland. Of course that has massive impact and feels. so wonderful, and right now they are the coolest frat on campus, which is the best place to be during rush week, September. Nobody's flunked out yet. I'll take the Steelers, Patriots, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, and Rams during finals week. Let me shift to this. So Dallas Cowboys, Zeke is still holding out. Zeeke is running back O'Equila. He's a very, very good player. And I will say this about

Zeke. He's been a headache off the field, a circus since he arrived, day one. But Jerry Jones has a high level of tolerance for dysfunction. And there are certain jobs where that's really important. If you were managing a rock band

in the 70s and 80s and 90s specifically, a high level of tolerance. for dysfunction would be a very valuable asset. Ever watch those shows, VH1 behind the music? And you'd watch that and think, oh, my God, somebody had to manage this train wreck? But there's a guy out there or a woman out there that managed rock bands. And they had a high level of tolerance for dysfunction. I would say camp counselors, people who run daycare centers, no explanation needed,

high level of tolerance for dysfunction. Jerry Jones, an owner of a football team, has a high level of tolerance. He talked about the holdouts. He's been through dozens of them and listened to his calm demeanor. You just know that like so many things, it'll happen. It'll happen. There literally is no concern on my part at all about any time frame. That'll happen.

The results are too good for them and too good for the cowboys. Think about it a minute. The results are too good for them and too good for the cowboy. That always happens when it's good, that good for both of them. Take a deep breath. We're going to be okay. He's good. I've got tolerance.

I've been through a lot. It's good for our business. Good for his business. We'll get it done. But I want to add some context here. It is of my opinion, and perhaps my opinion only, that Dak Prescott, like a lot of young people, men and women in life, was a bit of a late bloomer and improved a lot at the end of last year,

seven and one in his last eight games. It is also of my opinion that his numbers improved more with Amari Cooper than Zeke. It is of my opinion that there is a belief in America that Dak needs Zeke. And my opinion is, DAC actually matches better with Amari Cooper. In fact, I've been putting up this graph, sorry radio audience, for about two weeks. This is DAC before and after the Amari Cooper trade. So before they landed Amari Cooper, DAC was 3 and 4, after 7 and 2.

He completed 62 before Amari Cooper, 71 after. Eight touchdowns, four interceptions, before Amari Cooper. 14 touchdowns, four interceptions after Amari Cooper. But you know what's funny about that graph, Joy? You know what's really, really funny about that graph? The before column, Zeke was with DAC, and he was just okay. You believe you keep lecturing me on DAC needs Zeke.

Well, I've got the numbers last year when he had Zeke and didn't have Amari. and they were at below 500 team. So why would that be? Why do we believe this? There's an old saying, and I've used it a couple of times, you're looking through the wrong end of the telescope here. Because really horrible things leave an imprint.

You can remember the fight you got in with your sister, dad, mom as a kid. Eight years old, you're 35, you still remember it. I'm 55. I can remember crying, getting off a school bus, kids making fun of me. I was like seven. I'm now mid-50s. The bad moments in your life, breaking an arm, falling off a stool, a fight, getting cut from a high school team, getting an F in high school. Those bad memories resonate last forever.

They never go away. I was just hiking this weekend with a buddy. We're talking about, isn't it random the things that stick in your mind as a child? It's like, yeah, it's always like the scariest moment, the saddest moment, the most hurtful moment, the most terrifying moment. The good stuff, you don't remember all that. But the bad stuff, you remember. So a couple of years ago, Zeke was suspended. And Dak, the first three games without Zeke, oh my Lord, they were terrible.

Dak was terrible. But you're not remembering it quite right. Like those baseball players who looked at Congress and said, you're misremembering it. You're misremembering those games. DAC then stabilized and went 3-0 in the next three without Zeke. They scored 38, 30, 20. Yes, they averaged 30 points a game for three straight games without Zeke, and just Dak, and no Amari either.

By the way, Zik came back. They lost. And for the record, Dak is way better today than two years ago. Amari is. who he needs. I've got the numbers. You've got them. I love that Jerry Jones has tolerance. I love it for all this dysfunction. But this idea that DAC can't flourish, DAC can't win, it should be noted that when Zeke was gone for his suspension, they were also missing a left tackle, Tyron Smith, who at the time was perceived, and probably rightly so was the best left

tackle in football. I'll say it again. It is of my opinion. Dak is getting better. Amory more than Zeke. It is of my opinion you could get a haul for Zeke. It is of my opinion. He's crazy now without money. Like Antonio Brown, there are certain guys that get money and kind of change, and it does worry me with Zeke and not Dak and not Amari. Again, start looking at the personality, start looking at the data, start looking through the right end of the telescope. I'll say it again. Congrats on having an owner in Dallas who is tolerant of dysfunction. but I think Dax better and Dac needs Amari more than the narrative that he is completely beholden to Ezekiel Elliott.

All right, great stuff today. We are absolutely packed. You know, I take in August, occasionally I take a Friday off, hang out with a fam, you know, had a great time, did some hiking, did some jet skiing, did that kind of stuff. You know, fun nonsense in the summer. I was gone Friday when a friend of LeBron James, my perception was they were. We're friends. Unloaded, David Griffin, unloaded on LeBron James.

That coming up. All right. It's summer and, I mean, Labor Day is a month away. So we got four weeks. By the way, Joy, have you been to an airport recently? They are packed. Yes, very busy. The economy's got to be pretty good because the airports in this country are jammed.

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Radio FS1 and the iHeard radio app. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions,

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and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast,

The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of the game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Look. Quarterback on office blue 42.

Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on to Ernie Stewart the chip. I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried

about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. National. team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Great to have you in. You know, generally if somebody says they're your friend, they wouldn't bad mouth you publicly. That's the way it works. So LeBron James for years

has been very supportive of David Griffin, who is now the Pelican. New Orleans Pelicans general manager. Very smart guy. We've had him on the show. All my sources in the league trust him and respect him. He's a good guy. He engineered that Anthony Davis trade and did about as well as I've ever seen a general manager do. Losing a star and gaining draft picks and players and building a roster.

They got a little break when Zion fell into their lap, but be that as it may. They've done a very good job. He's a very smart guy. And for years, we just thought he and LeBron were tight. LeBron had gone on social media multiple times and said he's my. guy, I can't believe we let him go, blah, blah, blah. Well, David Griffin came out like on Friday, and a story came out where he just dropped an anvil on LeBron James.

He said, everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable in Cleveland and, frankly, not fun. I was miserable. Literally the amount we won the championship, the moment we did, I knew I was going to leave. There's just no way I was going to pay for any amount of money. He also talked about LeBron James after he won a title as the Akron kid. There wasn't a lot else for him.

I don't think he's the same animal anymore about winning, which, by the way, is, we don't know that to be true. That was just an opinion. I will say this. And none of what he said, if you have any sources in the league, is a big shock. LeBron's become heavy. But it's not a LeBron issue. It was a Barry Bond's issue in baseball. It was a Brett Farve issue in Green Bay.

It was a Michael Jordan issue in Washington. It was a Kobe Bryant issue his last two or three years with the Lakers. Kevin Durant, to me, has become needier with titles, money, and fame. The reality is, people get heavier in sports. The more money they have, the more fame they accumulate, and the more rings or trophies they have at home. LeBron's become a heavy hang. He's heavy.

Farvin Green Bay at the end was heavy. Barry Bonds at the end and the bay was heavy. Peyton Manning wasn't heavy in Denver, but John Elway had complained to some close allies. It's a lot of work. Of course it is. So was John Elway. John Elway was a lot of work.

And then after he won a Super Bowl, John had less tolerance for anything because he had the rings, the money, the fame, and he owned Denver. And so Pat Riley told the Lakers, because he knows a lot of people in the building, it's not easy. You're not getting the LeBron we got.

We had to deal with two LeBron's. Pre-title, post-title. He's heavy. You know, there's an old saying with friends that when you build a company, you go in a road trip. You go to Vegas for a weekend. I've gone on rafting trips with guys or golf trips.

You're not just selecting your best friends. Do yourself a favor and select the guys that are the best hang. Are they fun to hang with? Can you hang out with this guy for three days? Some guys are a riot, but they wear you out after about an hour and a half. LeBron used to be a much better hang. He was aspirational. He was seeking.

He didn't have the money. He didn't have the fame. He didn't have the titles. He was seeking, seeking. But then you give Kobe, MJ, Farr, Bonds, Peyton. Then you give them all the stuff. And they get heavy. and it's mogul stage, and it's different, and there's pressure, and there's burdens,

and they're less tolerant of the nonsense. And David Griffin clarified his comments after he made them, but generally we say what we believe initially. Then social media piles on. There's blowback. You come and create clarity, but I think David Griffin said what everybody I know has heard. LeBron's different now. I'm not saying he's a bad dad, a bad parent, a bad guy, but it's different.

Far, bonds. It is. It's always different. When you move to L.A., you know, it can change people. Okay, here's David Griffin clarifying his comments a day later. The fact that there was so much scrutiny in everything that we did, when I was speaking about being uncomfortable and, quote, being miserable, it was my inability to deal with that media scrutiny.

It wasn't the man himself. It was everything that came with a team led by LeBron James. had nothing to do with being miserable with LeBron. We had and have a very positive relationships. So that's the clarity part of comments like this. But these are not surprising quotes. People would say the same thing about MJ and Washington. All the kids that grew up idolizing him, hated him.

Kobe at the end was a lot of work. I mean, Farvin Green Bay. I'm retiring. I'm not. Offense, not changing. Bonds in San Francisco. This is just sports used to pay wide receivers. When I was growing up, $80,000 was a salary for Steve Largent.

That's what he made. Now it's $80,000 a day. And then when you add titles and fame and legacy and piles of money and it gets heavy, being around him is heavy, expectations, the urgency with LeBron. You got to win now. I mean, the Clippers added two stars and they still feel light. LeBron added AD as a heavy, as a heavy expectations. That's the reality of five.

Larve at the end and LeBron now. Here's Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So the Patriots have paid Tom Brady a total of $212 million in salary over his 19 seasons. That's probably the best $212 million ever spent in the history of football. You know, when you think about the NBA contracts, it doesn't sound like I would have guessed $100 million more.

Right, easily. Yeah. Of course, and because it's Tom Brady. Yeah. So the patrons and Brady agreed to a two-year extension yesterday that keeps him, under contract through the 2021 season and we'll pay him $23 million next year. That came one day after he turned 42 years old, which is crazy because only six quarterbacks have completed a touchdown pass after their 42nd birthday.

This is the list. George Blanda, Vinnie Testa Verdi, Steve DeBerg, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, and Earl Morrell. Now, obviously, Brady gets a ton of credit for this. So does Belichick. Could I say this, too, Joy? So does nutrition? Yeah. I mean, I think we have to adjust our idea of what 42 means now.

Yes, what old in, and not just in football, because old in basketball is different than old in football also. I mean, the wear and tear on your body, and it's different for hockey and baseball. Each sport is different. But I think that nutrition, recovery, the attention that you pay to your body overall, the structure of the season. Also, there's less hitting in practice. Right. Practice is much. Yes.

because of the safety concerns. Football practice, they don't do two days in college like they do. I was talking to a college coach about a week ago. He's like, our practices are so much easier than seven years ago. And probably for college, it's a little more frustrating. But in the pros, I mean, we're talking about guys sitting out preseason. Julio Jones not playing the preseason. Why would you play the preseason if you're Julio Jones?

The adjustments that have been made to the sport and nutrition and recovery are huge and beneficial in this way. It is interesting, though, two more years. because we're, I mean, for the past five years, we've been talking about when Tom Brady is going to retire. But when are the Patriots actually going to think about... Well, I think they're going to draft quarterbacks. Replacing him next year? No, I mean, I think from this point forward,

they drafted one last year. The kid Stidham from Auburn. I think even Tom gets it now. I think Tom understands, we're drafting a quarterback every year, Tom. Not with our first pick. Right. Second or third pick. And I think Tom would have to be realistic and go,

oh, I get it. When I'm 74 doing this show, if you bring a new guy in, to fill in for me. I'm going to get it. You're not going to give him a hard time. I get the evolution of the chair. But it does seem less dramatic that he had

Jimmy Garapolo sent out of there. Now considering it, he just signed another two-year extension. That was way premature. So Andrew Luck has been dealing with a lingering calf injury in training camp, which has kept him out of practice. And he apparently won't be back anytime soon. Frank Wright confirmed that luck will be out leading up to Thursday's preseason opener at Buffalo.

not a big deal if you're Andrew Luck but luck hopes he'll be good to go once the regular season starts next month and he is a bit worried. He told Peter King that's certainly the goal at times I do worry about it. It can be frustrating the arc of an injury whether it's a big surgical one or something you're rehabbing

through but no because I've improved maybe I'm not improving as fast as I want and missing things is no fun it eats at you but I do know at the end of the day if I'm getting the most out of myself if I'm being the best that I can that I can that day then that's what I need to do. He did win comeback player of the year last year after

mission the entire 2017 season with a shoulder injury and then of course he had the lacerated kidney in 2016. Joy, for our TV audience, he does look bigger. I mean, there's been some inactivity, but I will say what he's built around his injuries, like he is a bigger

quarterback. Well, I mean, yeah, he's a bigger guy to begin with. It's not so much him being in shape that I'm concerned about. It's, there's a saying, if you go into the season injured, you're going to leave the season injured. And that's is kind of what has become a norm for Andrew Luck. It feels like he's never 100%.

Right. Which is unfortunate because we want to see the full potential of what, especially this team highly performed last year, taking another step up is largely on Andrew Luck's shoulders. And if he isn't 100%, I don't know. This situation concerns me. Yeah. I don't know what to make of it.

Again, part of me, there used to be some urgency with the preseason. There is so little urgency now that whenever a veteran quarterback doesn't play, I'm like, I wonder if there's like 15% of this is we just don't want him in those games. And he shouldn't be. I mean, maybe to get a little loose, get some connection with the receivers. But if he's, the problem is he's not practicing. That's what concerns me. Playing in the preseason game is one thing and it's fully understandable.

But not practicing is a bit more concerning. And finally, the Warriors have locked up Jiamon Green with a max four-year extension worth $100 million. He was set to be a free agent next summer. And according to Sham Sharania, Jiamon can opt out. after three seasons. If he stays all four years, he will be a free agent through 2024. Clay Thompson's new deal also takes him through 2024. And Draymond spoke to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press and says the Warriors aren't going anywhere. He said,

I think everybody thinks it's kind of the end of us, but that's just not smart. We're not done yet. But yeah, I hear a lot of that noise. It's the end of a run and all that jazz. I don't see it happening, though. We'll be back. Steph, Clay, Drayman, Kavon, Loney, Bob Myers, Steve Kerr, and a trade asset potentially in DeAngelo Russell. I'm not bailing on them. I'm sorry. I don't think that they're a championship team,

but they are going to make trouble for someone in the playoffs. I just think that they needed Kevin Durant. Like, it obviously showed. I mean, Kauai Leonard basically carried that team to a championship last year. I can call it emotional fatigue. They obviously lost Clay Thompson as well, but I'm not fully prepared to be all in on the Warriors, although they're not going to be, everyone thinks it's a disaster,

and they're going to be terrible, and that's just not the case. The Warriors now owes Steph, Clay, and Draymond $436 million. That's a lot of money. It is, but it's worth it. I mean, think of the, like, part of it is what you're being paid for what you already did, and, you know, it's not that it's not earned. That Tom Brady contract feels like he's a backup tight end. The contract, that was his entire career, $212 million.

Different sports. It is. There's no comparison, but it is crazy when you look at the numbers. Yeah, Joy, with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurdline News. So last year at this time, Peter Schrager, Fox Sports, NFL Insider,

had said Patrick Mahomes is the next great star in this league. And we all knew he was talented. But he had gone to Chief's camp and he's like, trust me on this, Patrick Mahomes is going to blow up the league. And we were all like Peter. Peter's been drinking a little bit in the summer. Well, Peter was right, and he joins us now via the Coward Global Satellite Network. Okay, Shreggs, last year, you're 1 and O, and you're feeling good.

You got that summer tan, so let's make it 2 and O. Who is the young breakout star this year in the NFL? I love it, Colin. Thank you for those props. Let me now ruin all that with a prediction that I will be held accountable to all season. Same thing. Been around, been talking to everybody, and my phone does not stop. lighting up about Kyler Murray. I think Kyler Murray is going to be a sensation in this league

from day one. And it's not just me. It's everyone out of Arizona, whether it be the general manager, the head coach, or the skill position players who have seen quite a few of quarterbacks come through that building. Kyler apparently is light years ahead of where they thought he was going to be. And right now, the NFL is talking about Baker and talking about my homes. And obviously Sam Darnold has a great bright future. And everyone likes Josh Allen. But I think we come right of the gates, Kingsbury's offense, five wide, you know, the spread offense, and Kyler is already a master and a maestro with what it is. And we haven't gotten hurt yet. We haven't been through the full season. Everything that I'm hearing is that from September to at least mid-October,

Kyler Murray's going to like this league on fire. And I just, I feel like he was drafted. And because they're in the 30th market or 31st media market, we haven't really talked much about Kyler, he is the rare rookie starting from day one with no competition and a head coach building an entire offense from scratch around him. I think we're about to enjoy quite a rocket here. And I just want you to get on early here in August that Kyler Murray lightning rod is about to start. Well, they need it.

I mean, Arizona's in the NFC. Fox has the NFC. We've said they're one of the few teams that hasn't even been interesting to watch in the NFC last couple of years. So I'm excited for it. Now, is there a team to you? And I was thinking about this. I was literally flying back home last night.

And I was thinking, the NFC is so good that I picked Atlanta to get. to the Super Bowl last year. And nobody's talking about Atlanta. And I'm thinking, Lord, the NFC is so loaded. We have just literally the Falcons are like on nobody's radar. And this team has got a stacked roster and a very good coach and quarterback. Is there a team to you, Shragues, that you're like, you're not paying attention to these guys. Who's going to shock us?

Okay. So I don't know if it's a Super Bowl prediction or anything. At the very least, intrigue-wise, I'm fascinated by what the Baltimore Ravens did this offseason. They put all their eggs in this Lamar Jackson basket. And Colin, I know you like people who think outside the box. You would love to see a good TED talk or whatever's going on in Silicon Valley. How about John Harbaugh, winding the clock back 50 years in bringing out a wingtie or a wishbone formation? They're all in on the run in a league that is all about passing right now. The entire league is going one way. They're

zinging, the Ravens decided to completely zag another. I don't know if it works. I do know that they have four tight ends on their roster that are going to play. I do know that they got rid of Crabtree and John Brown, who were their top two wide receivers last year. And I do know that they added Mark Ingram to a backfield that was already really good.

This is a team that is going in a direction that no other team in the league is going on offense, and I'm just interested. I'm not saying they are going to work. I'm not going to say they're going to be better than the Steelers or the Browns. I'm just fascinated, because in 2019, in the year of everyone throwing for 5,000 yards and airing it out and big, tall, wide receivers winning the day for you, they're going with a running quarterback who really

struggled in the playoffs against the Chargers once a team saw him for the second time that time around. I'm fascinated. John Harbaugh is all in. He's got the extension, and they're putting all their eggs in a running offense with very little passing danger to it. It's very, very, very Silicon Valley, but it's almost like they're going backwards in time. I just want to see if it works.

Well, New England, Bill Belichick told a friend of mine who's close to the Patriots. I used to live out there and made enough contacts. He said Belichick has told people, we're going to be better than last year. We're going to be deeper. We're going to be younger. He goes, there's some individual players in pieces we lost. But Belichick has told people, this will be my perhaps most athletic team I have had in a long time. What do you make of the Brady deal?

How it's constructed. I guess they did save some cash. cap space I was just reading in the contract. What did you make of the whole deal? Yeah, Colin, he's going to be the sixth highest paid quarterback this year. And what I think is so interesting is, you know, we could talk about Belichick's mastery of defense and offense and managing personnel. And that's fine. We could talk about Brady. The real advantage that New England has is the relationship between Brady and Kraft, where that Brady will not break the bank every time around. I was at the Combine in February. And his contract's looming. And I had

opposing official from a different team tell me, just wait till Brady comes and says, hey, I finally deserve mine because they won't be able to say no. And guess what? He didn't do that. This is a long-term relationship that's going to go well beyond football. When Kraft bought the Patriots, he bought them for $175 million. They were recently valued by Forbes at $4.3 billion.

And Tom Brady is one of the main reasons why. They live in a very similar neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts. They talk all the time. the Kraft family is as tight with Brady as any owner is to a player, maybe in the history of the sport. So I say all that because if Brady doesn't take it all up front, you could say, well, Giselle makes all this money, it's fine. Just know that when Brady eventually does want to call it a career, that relationship is going to exist long beyond football. Brady will be a part of the craft circuit, and that's what they know. And it's almost an understanding.

I don't think anything happened here that's nefarious. I think that exactly what he's making is what he's making. I am just saying Tom Brady may be with the craft family and business in some way for the next 40 years of his life. Yep. So if he makes $25 million this year as opposed to $35 million, there's nothing lost. It is the greatest advantage that they have as a team to anybody. They don't have to pay Brady what Rogers has to get paid by Green Bay or what the Seahawks have to pay Russell Wilson. Now they can pay that $10 million elsewhere.

What an advantage to have as a team building a roster. By the way, Shreg's a couple of minutes left. Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, there's been a lot of news. Karim Hunt, Tyreek Hill. It's been a little rocky. I think their Super Bowl window, though, is open for 10 to 12 years. You called it last year. Some are suggesting a little step back.

And by the way, the AFC, you can make an argument. The Colts will be better. The Steelers more focused. Cleveland's a real team. New England's younger. What do you predict for the Chiefs this year? Here's the thing with the Chiefs, Colin. Everyone's predicting regression for Mahomes.

Well, he threw 50 touchdowns at 5,000 yards last year. but now there's a book on them. Here's the issue. If you look at the plays that Mahomes made, there's no way a book could have stopped a no-look pass or a throw that goes 80 yards off one leg. That doesn't get solved by watching film. Furthermore, usually when these teams are good,

let's take the Eagles two years ago. The offensive coordinator, Frank Wright, gets plucked by the Colts. The quarterbacks coach, John D. Filippo, gets plucked by the Vikings. They have what they call a brain drain, meaning all of the coaches go and take bigger jobs. Guess what?

Andy Reid's still there. Eric B. N. Me. The offensive coordinator is still there. Mike Kafka, the former Northwestern quarterback, he's the quarterback's coach in Kansas City. He's still there. If anything, they added talent on offense and they bring back all the same coaches. And he can't really solve Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid by watching a lot of film. This isn't some fluke offense.

This isn't Chip Kelly with the spread. This is a freak of nature who's got a bunch of stallions at wide receiver and a really good coach calling the plays. I don't think it's crazy to say Mahomes throws 50 touchdowns and 5,000 yards again. and I don't think it's crazy to say that they're even better than the one seed they were last year that they go a step further. So I'm all in on the Chiefs. I'm pushing all my chips in. That was with Tyree Kill or without Tyree Kill. And oh, yeah, he's on the field.

Chiefs are going to be awesome this year. There's no way you can tell me that with bringing everybody back, all the coaches and players and having Mahomes at quarterback, they're suddenly going to regress because, well, that's just what's supposed to happen. Yeah, Shregger's, I actually agree. I think that division, by the way, is all sorts of crazy at the top with the Chargers and the Chiefs. Peter Schreger also does a show called Good Morning Football in the NFL Network, co-author of the New York Times bestseller out of the blue. Good talking to you, buddy.

You're the best. Can't wait to get back on Fox NFL kickoff with you, Colin. All right, bud. Peter Schreger, who's got that nice summer tan. That looks like a guy that's been hanging out like at Nantucket or something, doesn't it? But on the phone, by the way, while he's doing it. On the phone with NFL executives. Coming up next, there's a team in the NFL. I know we love Baker, and I get it, and you can love Baker, and I get it.

But his rival for the next 12 years has got to be the happiest guy in the world, Sam Darnold, and the Jets. That plus Colin right, calling wrong, top of hour number two. Listen, did you know on average? It takes police 45 minutes. This is on average to respond to a home security alarm, almost an hour. A lot of time police assume it's a false alarm. Call goes to the bottom of the list.

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Great to have you in on a Monday, top of next hour, Colin Wright, Colin wrong, and there's plenty of both. Joy Taylor is joining me. You know, you've heard the term for years and years. oh, this kid's a late bloomer, she's a late bloomer, he's a late bloomer. Sometimes that's a real thing. Other times it's just because young people don't have the support system. I talk about this all the time on the show as a dad. You put any kid in chaos, he's going to be a late bloomer

because he's not going to be able to flourish at 15, 16, 17, 17, 18, 19, if he goes home every day and there's chaos at home. Sometimes this works with NFL quarterbacks, but generally they don't get a second chance. What do you inherit out of college? who's your coach, who's your GM. I feel very bad for Josh Rosen. I know his mom, he's a good kid.

He inherited a horrible offensive line in Arizona defensive coach. Now he went to Miami. Horrible line defensive coach again. He's going to be a late bloomer at best. He's going to struggle early. Sam Darnold is not getting the love of Baker Mayfield and he can't chug a beer or bite into a beer can like Baker Mayfield.

But over the weekend, the Jets made a very big move to solve the primary weakness on their football roster. They were really bad at center. They had a backup starting. Ryan Khalil from Carolina, USC kid, came out of one year retirement, not even really one year, a former pro bowler and said, I want to play with Sam Darnold. Now, with the addition of the left guard they got from Oakland, the pro bowler, they now have a legitimate interior offensive line. For the record, that's what the Colts did last year to elevate Andrew Luck in the offense. They got really good at guard, not a sexy position.

Center, guard, left tackles get all the help. This is a really good spot for Sam Donald. Last year, as a rookie, he had a defensive coach. He had no running backs. He had a shaky offensive line on the interior. They didn't really have a top slot receiver, which is a growing, important position in the league. In the last six months, he now has an offensive coach in Adam Gase,

what appears to be a legitimate GM and Joe Douglas, a star running back, a star slot receiver, two elite interior offensive linemen, they got the best player in the draft by most observers, Quinn and Williams, and a Pro Bowl middle linebacker, C.J. Mosley. That is a massive upgrade from year one. Defensive coach, incompetent GM,

bad interior O-line, no dependable slot receiver. This is a real team now. This is the safest, bet in the league doubling the wins. Are they a playoff team? I'll take New England in that division. Good luck in the wildcard. Wild card in the AFC. Chargers or Chiefs, one of those two is getting

it. So you're fighting for the second wildcard. Houston's going to be in that mix. The culture are going to be in that mix as well. Maybe it's Cleveland. Maybe it's Pittsburgh. Maybe it's Baltimore. But what you inherit in this league as a quarterback can absolutely define you. Josh Rosen is now on his second battle line,

his second defensive coach, his second rebuild. You can't overcome that. Unless you're John Elway, you just can't overcome that. Darnold now, there's no excuses. Give them about six games with this offensive line. That's a real football team now. That's a real offensive line because the tackles, they're fine.

Cleveland, by the way, their tackles aren't great. The tackles for the Jets are fine. The interior of the O line was a mess. They solved it. Adam Gase beat Belichick twice. Winning record with Tannahill solved it offensively. By the way, that coach Greg Williams, who everybody in Cleveland loved last year at the end of the year when Cleveland played well,

Jets hired him to run their defense. So Ryan Khalil is now a jetty talked about why he chose New York. He's a big reason for me being here. I've been a fan of Sam since watching them at SC. And Sam and I know each other a little bit. We know we've talked in passing in California here. And so, yeah, I just got excited at the opportunity. to come and work with him.

Very exciting. Put your money down. Uncle Colin. It's not a blazing five pick. Four wins last year. Eight minimum this year. It's a real team. You know, it's funny about the NFL is that we know as a matter of data, metrics, and facts that a team that was great last year will go into the tank. It happens every year, often twice. We also know a four or five win team will double their wins.

That happens every year, too. Actually, the double your win teams are really easy this year. San Francisco NFC, Jets, AFC. They've just added better players. I mean, you can't get over it. San Francisco added D Ford and Joey Bosa. Okay, they got a better pass rush. That was a problem last year.

Then they added a back. Then they drafted a great receiver. Jeremy Garapolo's healthy. The 49ers are going to double their win total. It's not a difficult one. You know, in life, the easy stuff, you don't get layups very often. Niners are going to double their wins. that's a layup. Jets, you don't think it's a layup. Just look again at their additions.

Competency at the top. GM, coach, running back, slot, interior O line, D-lines better, star captain defensively, C.J. Mosley. Like, that's a better team. And now Sam Darnold, in his second year, this is a better football team. Double their wins. Very exciting. You know, I was gone Friday, but I, the whole weekend, I was waiting for calling right, calling wrong. So I got a lot of both. That's coming up. Also next hour, Clarence Hill longtime reporter for the Fort Worth

Star Telegram, Cowboys Reporter on the Zeke Holdout and the DAC and Amari upgrades on their contracts as well. Eric Dickerson, the Hall of Famer. It was Hall of Fame weekend. We'll be joining us too. Bucky Brooks NFL Network packed on a Monday. Hour two coming up in Los Angeles.

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Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, wherever you get your podcast. Ah, here we go, our two and a lot. Monday. This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio. We're on Fox Sports Radio. We're on FS1. Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Cowboy Reporter will be sitting here in the chair today. Eric Dickerson, too, Hall of Fame weekend. Congrats to all the new Hall of Famers. Of course, Tony Gonzalez is a great Hall of Fame teammate as well. Letter to his kids

was great. And Hall of Fame weekend is amazing. Joy Taylor is joining me. You don't get, you know, it's amazing how many of those stars talk about their Hall of Fame careers and what makes it really emotional joy is the obstacles they had to overcome. I got a bunch of young kids in my life. Many of them are just getting out of college or out of high school. And I'm like, you do get, it's not linear. Like you're going to have a bad boss right out of college and you're going to hate your job right out of college. Your ability to overcome that duress is what makes a Hall of Fame employee. Tony Gonzalez thought he was going to be a couldn't catch the ball his first year in the league. And that's what makes all these stories so amazing.

these Hall of Famers were overlooked, cast to the side. It's really a remarkable process. Yeah, I mean, when Jason gave his speech, Jason Taylor's my brother, when he gave his speech at the Hall of Fame, he was talking about how he went to training camp and he couldn't handle it.

It was just overwhelming. And he called my mom and was like, I want to come home. And she was like, cool, yeah, you can come home and join the military or you can stay there. And he's in the Hall of Fame. You know, she always gave us a choice about what we want to do.

But, like, it's not easy to do this. It's, there's a lot of physically talented people out there in the world. It's mental what takes you to the next level. Aaron Donald's the best football player, arguably in the league, was not recruited, went to Pitt. Khalil Mack could be second, played football at Buffalo, and I'm not talking about the bills, the University of Buffalo. Tom Brady struggled to start in college. Drew Breeze, wasn't offered by a Texas school, had to play at Purdue. Big Ben, the Buckeye said no thanks, went to Miami of Ohio, Philip Rivers. I mean, it's a, you start looking at.

at the start. JJ Watt. The big schools didn't want JJ Watt. But it's also how you look at everything. Some people would look at those things as defeat and other people look at them as opportunity or a change

and direction. And that's all of your perspective can change your future. Yeah. In basketball, we are generally able to identify greatness pretty early. Kobe, LeBron, and Garnett's just the way basketball works. You can identify it by about 15 years old.

Nike and Adidas and Puma, Under Armour, they're all lined up and the guys who are going to be great, and they're usually right. Football, football stars develop way later. A lot of them just, you know, they grow. They get bigger. It's a league full of big men. Jason didn't play football until his junior year of high school.

Okay, there you go. I almost give up broadcasting. First year out of college, somebody told me it was a dead-end career. Can you imagine America without me choosing broadcasting? No, I actually cannot. I can't. That person was wrong. All right, here we go. Colin Wright, Colin wrong on a Monday. Fire away.

Where Colin was right. Tom Brady signs a new deal. Six highest paid quarterback. This is what Drew Breeze does. When you stop seeking validation, having to be, once you have $200 million in the bank, the highest paid blank, you help your team. It's a league with a hard cap. I've said this about Brady. The two things that need to be written about Brady that have always been underreported. Number one is he's incredibly coached.

He's willing to be coached. Number two is he is willing to not be the highest paid second, third, fourth, fifth. But his wife is rich. Yes. Guess what? Every star in every major league in this country has a net worth of over $100 some million. It's not about that. Once you stop worrying about the ego, if I've got to be, Tom's well compensated.

But Tom knows it's a hard cap. Tom knows I want another defensive end. linebacker, kicker, corner. That's his greatness, and it's always been underreported. Willingness to be coach, willingness to get over himself. Where Colin was wrong. Warriors wrapped up Draymond Green over the weekend. That was a while for me.

I thought it was going to be a disruption. I thought they were going to have a tough decision to make. I mean, the guy averaged 7 and 7 last year in the regular season. But now you wake up this morning and they've got Steph Clay, Drayman, Kvon, Loonie, and a very good player slash asset in the end. Russell, Steve Kerr and Bob Myers. That's good. I'm good with that. I'm good with that. I do think they'll eventually move off DeAngelo Russell.

But to lock down Draymond Green, let's be honest, this is nothing against KD. But Draymond, Steph and Claire are the soul of the organization. They have been, they're the guys. This is their organization. I still think they have to be a strong favorite to get to the Western Conference final. I don't know where they go from beyond there, but I have him third best in the West, second, depending on how fast the Lakers can get their act together.

Where Colin was right? First college football coaches poll came out. Clemson 1, Bama 2, they got all 65 coaching votes. What a shock. Whenever I hear people, a lot of times in the South go, the NBA's too predictable. Really, college football's not? What do you bet Bama wins the SEC?

And Clemson wins the ACC. See, by the way, Clemson and Bama are the only teams in their respective conferences in the last three years that have a winning record against top 25 teams. College football is more interesting when it's not completely regional. There's nothing against Abbeau-Sweeney. It's nothing against Nick Saban. But I would love to see a Michigan, a Washington, a Texas. Somebody, somebody out of that, maybe a Penn State, maybe a Notre Dame. College football, last year ratings were down.

It's not because the quality of the play is diminished. It's become incredibly regional. Where Colin was wrong. I've never been a big believer in paying wide receivers, but I am a big believer in watching cultural changes and rule changes. And Michael Thomas signed a $100 million deal. My takeaway is, yeah, he's worth it. $20 million a year in that system, that quarterback, that coach, that O line,

he's worth it. The reality is the game has changed. Analytics have made life worse for centers in the NBA and worse for running backs. But analytics have been great for wide receivers. The rule changes have been great for wide receivers. And Michael Thomas is a hundred plus catch guy. And you're guaranteed, this is why I would pay him. You're guaranteed production because of the quarterback Drew Brees,

the offensive line, which is top three in the league. And also because you have one of the great play designers in the NFL and Sean Payton. So this is one of these receivers now are often worth the big money. I didn't feel that two years ago. I would have paid Michael Thomas. where Colin was right. Antonio Brown is really talented, but man, he is a lot of noise. The hot air balloon.

Now he's not showing up to camp. He took a couple of shots at teammates, ex-teammates a couple of months ago. Listen, if you look at the history of the NFL, superstar-wide receivers almost never work with their second team. The team that drafts him knows the odometer. There's a relationship, a paternal family relationship. If that erodes and they go elsewhere for big money, it generally doesn't work. The expectations are unrealistic, and the player often goes to unfamiliar territory, gets a lot of money,

and doesn't maybe have as good a quarterback. So John Gruden, over the weekend, A.B.'s not in camp. He's got a foot issue. Here we go again. I think we're all disappointed. I think he's disappointed. We like to get the party started. We like to get him out here.

a big part of this team. Here's another thing. Sometimes you pay a guy, and they change. I think A-Bs changed. He's had teammates say that. Where Colin was wrong. Man, the praise is constant and effusive for Kyler Murray.

I said, I hope it works. I don't know if I would have done it. Larry Fitzgerald, the staff, the team, the media. People say Kyler Murray has been a seamless transition. at quarterback. You know, it'd be easy for me to say, you know, I'll believe it when I see it. But generally, when you start hearing stories in camp about, remember Dak Prescott, people were like, oh, he's pretty good.

Patrick Mahomes, he's pretty good. Aaron Rogers. We've seen him at practice. He's pretty good. Generally, people aren't making it up. Here was Larry Fitzgerald talking about the rookie, Tyner Murray. Well, I've never seen a quarterback coming in so quickly and be able to command an offense. I mean, from day one, he's out there checking the different plays, sliding the line, different

protections, getting us in the screens where blitzers come in. I mean, so his understanding of the offense is crazy, I mean, from day one. And I think that's going to give us a great advantage. You know, it'll play fast from the first preseason game all the way to the start of the regular season and giving him the keys to the car and letting them go is great for us. By the way, the underreported part of this is Lincoln Riley, the coach of Oklahoma. I had a scout tell me that when Baker Mefield sat down for the first time went on the whiteboard, was like he could teach a master's class.

And they said, Sam Darnold could not. He said, look at USC's coaching. They fired their coordinator. Look at Oklahoma's coaching. Let's be honest. Lincoln Riley, if you're a high school quarterback and you want to learn an offense, Baker and Kiner now walk into this league and can go to a whiteboard and teach class. That college coach in Oklahoma deserves some credit.

Where Colin was right. I've always said ownership in the NFL or NBA, pay attention to it. Todd Haley, the former Browns coach, admitted that Jimmy Haslam, the owner for the Browns, didn't see anything wrong doing hard knocks as they brought in Hugh Jackson and Haley drafted a quarterback to turn around the organization. The quote from Todd Haley was,

I went to the owner Jimmy Haslam. When John Dorsey told me they were doing the show, I was like, you've got to be kidding me. We're trying to make a drastic change, turn it around. This is a wrong thing to happen. I told the Brown's owner, Jimmy, this is a mistake. Don't do it. This has been my concern with Cleveland.

It's not the roster. Did they hire Freddie Kitchens because he won't push back on John Dorsey? The owner's a billionaire. He couldn't figure out this was an awful idea. The Raiders, I know why they're doing hard knocks. We all know why. They're trying to sell tickets in Vegas. It's not about football.

But what Todd Haley told you is my concern about Cleveland. The guys that own the team in Iraq, run the team can't figure out basic stuff, which is hard knocks, rookie quarterback, new coaches, Owen 16, this is how you want to turn things around. Where Colin was wrong. David Griffin unloaded on LeBron Friday, got to be honest. I was always told they were boys, tight, friends, guys. Now, David Griffin has come out and said, hey, I'm sorry about that.

Let me clarify it. But, I mean, I was actually shocked. I'm not shocked a lot in my business, but when David Griffin came out and kind of dropped the anvil on LeBron saying he was miserable in Cleveland, LeBron didn't feel the same way about winning, my takeaway is, oh, I missed on that one. I never saw that coming. That's a total surprise. Now, he's clarified his comments since, but not that this story was a surprise, that it was miserable in Cleveland, but that David Griffin would deliver it totally shocked me.

Where Colin was right? Baker Mayfield chugging beers. It's not the end of the world. But I've always said the thing I worry about Baker Mayfield, he's got to win the moment. So here was another, you're on television. Ah, let me grab the beer can and win the moment. It's not the end of the world.

Cleveland loves it. Of course they love it. What I worry about Baker Mayfield is this. The funny quote, respond on Twitter, chug the beer. I got to win the moment. I just don't see Russell Wilson doing that. I don't see Andrew Luck doing that.

I don't think Sam Darnold does it, but I wasn't shocked at all that Baker Mayfield did it, because I think he's a win-the-moment guy. Where Colin was right? Finally, Zion Williamson, as predicted, is already a star. So the NBA schedule is leaking out bit by bit. The Christmas Day game, which is the biggest game to start the season, Zion's on national TV. Oh, by the way, the opening game, Zions. On takes on the defending champs, the Toronto Raptors.

I said from day one, the magnetism, this kid's Magic Johnson with power around the basket. He's different. He's handsome. He's fun. He's optimistic. He's likable. And for a kid that's all that athletic, he's kind of relatable. He said, I want to stay at Duke for another year.

I would, except it's time to go pro. The magnetism he brings in, give the NBA credit. They're not waiting around on this thing. Opening night, boom. He faces the defending. champs. Christmas Day, let's put him on against Who Eves? He's a star. The NBA is always doing a great job to embrace their stars. I mean, can you imagine baseball? You know, a 17, 18 year old comes into baseball and the sport says, hey, he's our newest rock star. Let's put him on the opening game. Are you kidding me?

Lord, this is what baseball could learn from basketball. When you get something new and fresh, don't fight it, don't push back, celebrate it, embrace it, put your arms around it, and the you know what out of it, forcing guys like me to talk about your newest stars. Colin right, calling wrong. Personality in Dallas is going to matter. Clarence Hill is a personality and a reporter. He's going to join us to talk about the personality clash I see coming with Zeke and Dak. Listen, summertime is here.

It is such. I love summer. I just love summer. Hanging out with my son tonight. Going to do a little grilling, going to a little grilled chicken tonight. summertime is great. And by the way, you're breaking out the baseball cap for a day. Part of it is because your hair is thinning. Don't sweat, hair loss. Sixty-six percent of men lose their hair by 35 years old. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories. behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show,

I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42.

A rep, mom. I want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying 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 run up the court, licking his finger. is 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. Why don't you go to forehems.com? It's a one-stop shop for hair loss. Thanks to science, baldness is now much more optional. Four-hams connects you with real doctors, medical-grade solutions, help you keep your hair. Okay, couple of quick.

questions, a doctor reviews it and prescribes you. Okay, don't worry about sunblock on that thinning hair. Products are shipped directly to your door. These are discrete and confidential conversations. This is not an awkward in-person doctor visit. Save hours, save money, go to for Hems.com. Get in right now to their website for five bucks in you're a member. Go to the website. They have safety information and all the details. Cost hundreds if you went to a pharmacy or a doctor, 4Hems.com slash Colin F-O-R-H-I-M-S 4-H-I-M-S-C-Col.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the I-Hard Radio app. Clarence Hill's a senior writer at the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He has been covering the Cowboys late

in the 90s, Clarence. So you've seen a lot from this organization. And I said about 45 minutes ago, I said Jerry has a high tolerance for a little chaos dysfunction. He's almost like a band manager of a rock and roll band in the 80s. You know, somebody was overdosing. You just had to, you know, you had to run the band.

The Cowboys in your time have rarely been stoic. There's always been noise. So you're probably not surprised by his handling of the Zeeq situation. No, I've seen a lot. I haven't seen in the Super Bowls. Good point. Three playoff wins. I started covering the Cowboys in 1997, so I got the retirements.

Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith, Michael Irvin. I got the Quincy Carter years, the T.O. years, the Romo Coaster years, and now the DAC and Zique years, three playoff wins. But it doesn't, I would say, if what you just told me are the teams you've covered this field, because DAC's kind of a low-key personality. Oh, yeah, but you forget the T-O years? You forget the Quincy Carter years?

You forget all the others to the Alonzo Spelman. Jerry has managed issues from the beginning. You know, again, I got the end of the dynasty. That's what Michael Irvin was going through, his court cases. Yeah. Okay. Barry Switzer, my first year on the beat,

Barry Switzer got popped for carrying a gun at the airport. Okay? You know, you got the Jerry Brown getting killed by his own teammate. That's been all a part of this whole time that I've been on the Cowboys. So Jerry's always been able to manage issues and situations and distractions. And this thing here is no different. But to me, this is sport for Jerry. Negotiations, the art of the deal.

This dude here got a, the state. built in a recession, okay? He got his practice facility paid for by a school district with free land and free money. The art of the deal is to why it's personal for these players for Jerry's sport. That's fascinating. Got the Cowboy Stadium built in a recession. And paid off. Paid off beforehand.

And I think it was even over budget. It was over budget. It was built and paid off. You know, I was thinking about this. If you look at the history of great decisions. and great, like Kobe and Phil Jackson actually were perfect. Kobe was trying, he was chasing Michael and Phil was chasing Red Arbock. They were both aspirational, and it worked for a long time.

Manny Machado and the Dodgers didn't. Mani was chasing money and the Dodgers don't like to pay it and they're about their farm system. Relationships matter a lot. Dax personality to me works with Amari. SEC, hard workers, head down. Dak and Zeke. Come on, man. Stop. Just stop. Just stop.

You're trying to pit them against each other. They're all together. You remember the triplets? You forget the triplets? You're talking to the Dolph? Who were the triplets? The triplets, really? Michael Irvin, Troy Aymond, Emmett Smith.

It all goes hand in hand. It's not Dak and Mari and Zika over here. It's all three of them that make this offense go. Jason Garrett has built this offense. He was on those 90s teams. He's built this offense. similar to that triplet offense, that 90s offense, and they want whether you go back to Tony Romo,

there's Brian, DeMarie, it's the same variation of the same philosophy. They need all three. And they'll get it done. They will get it done. That's the plan. You know, the thing about the Zeke hold down, we're going to, I know you're going there, but at the beginning of the off season, Stephen Jones said,

we want to pay DAC. We want to extend DAC. He deserves it. We need to extend Amari. Both of them are in the last year of their contract. contract. Zeke was going to be the one left hanging, okay, because he has two years left. So I say, we can kick Zeke down the road and we can do him next year.

Well, Zeke wants to be done now. He's a running back. He's in the prime of his career. He wants to get the maximizes earning this year. He held out, and now the Cowboys are addressing his contract. So that's the goal. That was what he was trying to do. That's what's getting done.

They're addressing Zeke now along with DAC and Amar. Now, Dak's not going to take a pay cut, nor should he. I mean, what do you think it ends up being? I mean, it has to be 30-32. I mean, just based on what everybody else is getting, based on what Carson Wentz is getting and has gotten. Who represents him? CAA, you know, Todd France.

You know, that Prescott, and he does the right thing, says the right things, perfect leader for the Cowboys, sets the right tone, but he's not a dumb man. He had a small-time, small-town agent when he came out of the draft. Out of fourth round pick got us at Freeport. He changed agents last year before last season to Todd France and CA. He didn't do that to take less money. CA doesn't take less money.

Yeah, I'm represented by them. I love hearing that. You know. Well, maybe, maybe not. You don't go to CIA and take less money. Yeah. You know, we've talked about this. I think it was Thursday.

Joy and I were laughing. Everybody always tells me they're cool on Jason Garrett. and everybody said, you know, Dax's overrated. And I said, well, you guys, Dax got the second most wins to Tom Brady in the last three years. One of these guys has to be competent. Because if you look at who made the playoffs last year, we either love the coach, the quarterback, or both, New England, New Orleans.

But I'm always hearing Jason Garrett's meh, and then Dax overrated. And I'm like, folks, you can't be second in the league last three years and wins when you got a C-minus quarterback and a C-plus coach. When you're around the Cowboys, like you are, Clarence, with Jason Garrett, The national perception is, hey, he's weak. Okay, I'm not in the belly. You tell me how he plays in that room. They love it.

They love him. They play for him. Now, you can say what you want about him clapping and appearing to look weak and certainly appearing to be a puppet of Jerry Jones. You know, Jason can handle Jared because he's been around Jerry since the 90s. But those players, they play for him. Understand, they don't quit on Jason. They may not have always finished the season's great and done what you want.

wanted to do in the playoffs, but they don't quit. They were three and five last year, okay? They didn't quit on Jason. You go back to a few years ago, even when they were the eight-and-eight, eight-and-eight-eight-eight- cowboys, when a teammate shot another teammate, Jerry Brown died during that season, they still played hard to the end and were in it to the last game. They don't quit on Jason. They never quit on Jason.

These players don't quit on Jason. So that's what he has going from. Now, he needs to manage the game better, you know, certainly do something to get these guys to win in the playoffs. But the players love Jason, and you listen to them, you talk to them, they speak what he speaks, they says what he say. You know, whatever it comes out of his mouth comes out of their mouths in a locker room. Yeah, that's usually a pretty good sign that he's got a narrative and the players follow. Yeah, and Jerry wants to keep Jason.

Again, Jerry is the, Jason is the only coach to let Jerry be Jerry. But when you talk about choosing one or the other, Jerry's made it clear that we want deck for long term. Jason is at the final year of his contract. He needs to win this year. He needs to at least go to the NFC championship game, if not the Super Bowl, to get extended. So Jerry's making a decision already about I believe in that long term. I don't know if I believe in Jason long term.

He has to do more. By the way, there's a lot of mouse to feed. I've been on this thing for the last couple of years that, you know, you can tell me the Cowboys are dysfunctional, but I follow the draft and I love college football. They do a really good job on draft weekend. That's all I know. I can make an argument if you took the best eight young players in every roster in the league,

you know, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, they probably have as many. That's been done. Somebody did that earlier this offseason players under 25, the Cowboys may have the most and best players under days of 25 under. So this veneer that they can be dysfunctional, I think, is highly overstated. That said, there's going to be disfunctional. decisions that need to be rendered, Clarence. They can't pay all these guys.

You've got to have one lockdown corner, don't you? They got their edge rusher. You're telling me they're Dak, Zeke, Amari. I got two linebackers. You've got to pay Jalen Smith. He's been unbelievable. Who's not getting paid here? Well, so you've got to understand.

Right now, they need to address the big three, and the big three on offense. And that's what they're trying to do. Jaila Smith can be a restrictive region after this season. So they really got him for two more years. They can kick that can down the road. Hopefully, of course, they thought they could kick Zeke down.

the road. But, you know, they got two years to address Jalen. Three or four years should address Layton Van der Leyen. The issue is what do you do with Byron Jones? He's coming off a pro bowl season. He is your quote unquote lockdown quarterback. But he had hip surgery in off season. So they need to see what he does coming off hip surgery.

Keep in mind that, Chris Fashart, the brilliant architect of that defense who knows how to develop corners. He drafted Mike Jackson out of Miami. This team is loaded in the cornerbacks. They may decide move on from Byron. Jones or franchise Byron Jones and see what they have with those young guys developing. They also can draft the quarterback in the next couple of years. But right now the focus is on these big three.

Get those three done. The Cowboys have room under this year's cap and have $75 million in room on the next year's cap, but it's still going to go up another $10 million. So they can get these guys done. And in this day and age, Stephen Jones says the philosophy, you're going to pay a small part of your roster, the biggest part of your sour cap. And then you have to fill in with the draft. You talked about their ability to draft.

Draft young players. Keep filling in with draft picks and stuff like that. And also assign guys to one of your deals like Run the Cobb, like Robert Quinn. Good seeing you. Great stuff today. Thank you, man. Continued success. Watch on Twitter, your family.

Things are going well for you. Love it, man. Now you just got to show up in January when playoff games. They have a free trip to Miami. Clarence Hill, Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Well, let's stick with the Cowboys. Jerry Jones was discussing Dak Prescott's contract with the media yesterday. And when he heard the news of Tom Brady's contract extension, he had quite the comparison between the two quarterbacks. It is the best example of what you can do with a quarterback that has leadership and skills and work ethic. And Brady is all of that. And without catching the... saying something. He did, Dack doesn't want me to say. Dac enjoys many of those same kinds of skills.

And they came from about the same place, and the race from the back of the pack. And so, uh, uh, that's what's interest me about here he is. Two years later, if only. Oh. If only. That could happen. That's very interesting. So Dack is Brady. Hmm. That's very interesting.

Brady like. Well, I would say there are some similarities. That fourth round thing, that late round thing, that chip doesn't go anywhere. Look, I mean, the one thing that's going to be different about Dak and Brady, though, is I don't think that Dak is going to take a discount that Tom Brady has. And look, there's no reason why Doc should take a discount. There's no comparison to the situations, especially at this point in their career. Dak has not been paid at all. At all.

He was drafted in the fourth round. He's been on a fourth round rookie contract for the past four years. Tom Brady is in quite a different position in his life. DAC should of course be paid. But we go over the numbers again and again, and Jerry alluded to it there. I'm sure Jerry loves having Dak. How can you not love having Dak?

Look at all the stuff we were just talking about with the Cowboys over the years, all of the chaos. And Dak is just this steady stream of wins. Yep. And no drama and does the right thing. I really feel like he is undervalued in every single way. I know he's not the flashy guy. that everybody wants him to be.

But for me, in a leader, what I want the most, aside from winning, of course, which Doc does, I don't want the emotional up and downs. Oh, God. If you're the leader of anything. You mean beer chugging? Beer chugging doesn't bother me. You're at a baseball game.

That's Baker. Everybody can't be the same. Right. But for me, like Patrick Mahomes is an exciting, exhilarating magnetic player, right? But he's never too emotional one way or the other. He rides the wave a little bit more than that than that's, I would say. But you never see him up and down like this.

You can't do that. You have to be this. Let everybody else do that. It's like Michael Vick was talking about the other day. You've got to be the steady hand in the situation. Yes, and he is. I don't know what more you can ask for. So speaking of, oh, let's just head over to the other team in this division.

See how they're doing a quarterback? Washington. How's it going? Well, Colt McCoy is listed as the number one quarterback. And first round pick, Dwayne Haskins, is number three. and Jay Gruden had this to say about the situation. Yeah, it's early, and I was forced to make it. I wouldn't have made a depth charge right now.

There's no reason to. It's silly. But that's for the media and for me to come up and answer these questions. But really, that's all it is. It's words on a piece of paper, names on a piece of paper, and an order that means nothing at this point. He's so brutally honest. I wonder if Jay Gruden would enjoy having a Doc Prescott on his team.

There you go. That's a problem he would want to have. pay someone like Doc Prescott. Well, he's got Colmoy, who's been with Gruden since the beginning of his era there, 2014. Yeah. They got to get that quarter. Colmoy is 7 and 20 as a starter.

Yeah, they got to get the quarterback figured out. They have Case Keenom listed as a backup, it's 26 and 28 as a starter. And they also have, they've made weird moves, their general manager. I mean, they've had, they've lost really good coaches. It's just kind of, I mean, if you look at the last four years, they've won some games. Well, the Alex Smith's situation is obvious. obviously devastating. But I, like, we don't even know if he's going to play again. But so you can't put the blame of that on anyone. But their situation is pretty much a disaster

right now. And he's right. The depth chart doesn't really matter except for everyone wants to know who your quarterback is. And when this is your quarterback situation, you're a mess. You're a mess. I mean, it's, we're talking about the dolphins last week. Is it Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen? There's a reason why these debt charts exist. Not just the media. Fans want to know who's going to be the quarterback of this team. I'm rooting for this year. I'll say this, though. It's not looking good.

In terms of size, DeWain Haskins fills out the uni. I like my quarterbacks to be six-four. Like, Dwayne Haskins looks like a... No, he has all the tools. Yeah. And look, you know how I feel about starting rookie quarterbacks. If you take them behind the first round, just start it.

You don't... Sharks are born swimming, okay? You just got to get out there. But the problem is J. Gruden's situation is not the same as Ryan Flores in Miami. He's on his first year there. They're not going to fire him after. one year of Brian Flores.

Jake Jordan is in a very different situation. So I understand him wanting to put the person who's going to win the motions for him. You have to win games for him. Right. So it's different there and that's unfortunate for Dwayne Haskins. Finally, sticking with quarterbacks. Rookie quarterbacks usually have to stick to the script because the offensive play caller probably has a better game plan than they did in college. But Kyler Murray apparently is bucking that trends and has the freedom to audible,

according to Cliff Kingsbury, who added he has a lot of control of the line of scrimmage. to see what he sees and attack. We want him to play aggressively and take advantage of matchups, leverage, and different things he sees. Hype train for Kyle Murray is full steam ahead right now. I mean, everything is like Peter Schroger was talking about it earlier, that Barry Fitzgerald talking about it last week.

I'm still very skeptical of this situation. I just want to wait and see what I see from them this year. It's going to look so different. Just the way he plays, his size. it's going to look so different. But this is the current evolution of the position. The size doesn't bother me. It's, it's, I just want to see.

I just want to wait and see. I don't want to predict either way. The situation doesn't, I don't know. I don't know what to expect from the situation. I'm way more skeptical of the Raven situation and that game plan than I am of this situation. But I just have to see it on the field. I don't know what to make of it.

I like what I hear. Joy with the News. Well, that's the news. stopping by. The Herd line news. Hall of Fame weekend, a Hall of Famer, six-time Pro Bowl or Eric Dickerson coming up next. Cardinals take on the Dodgers and our Discover card key matchup. Go further than ever.

Discover at Miles' card. 35,000 miles first year could become 70. Limitations apply. Discover match for new card members only. Learn more at Discover.com slash travel. Eric Dickerson next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClace on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth?

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. American soccer is about to explode.

The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on to Ernie Stewart, the chip. Score! I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boke. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balligan.

I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. routine. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a

great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, inside American soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart radio app, Apple podcast, wherever you get your podcast. Sunday, an MLS doubleheader kicks off on FS1. First legends collide as Wayne Rooney and D.C. United. Battles lots on Ibrahimovich in the L.A. Galaxy.

then LAFC clashes with the New York Red Bulls. It all starts at 730 Eastern on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. One of the most amazing people I know, 11 years in the NFL, half of those are Pro Bowl or a Hall of Famer back in 1999, led the NFL in rushing four times, does not eat. You tried eggs on a vacation recently. First time you'd had eggs, you said, in 20 years. At least 15 years.

You don't eat. I do eat. You haven't eaten today. I haven't eaten today. I eat when I'm hungry, Colin. I just don't feel like I had to get up and I don't like breakfast. I mean, but I had breakfast in Turks and Caicos. That was three weeks ago.

Maybe four weeks ago. It just looks so good. So I'm like, I'm going to try this. And it was good, but I can't. Joy, he doesn't eat. I eat eggs every single day. Joy, really? Yes.

He doesn't. Do you eat breakfast every day? Mm-hmm. Oh, no. I have to eat breakfast. One day, he told me occasionally he'll just have candy. Yeah, I know that's a bad thing. The kids, don't listen to this.

That's not a good thing. That's not a good thing. I can go all day without eating if I eat breakfast. I can't go 15 minutes. I put an apple. I've never. I've never seen anyone eat more than you. Like as often as you do.

I eat 18 times a day. I just had a bite of a power bar, half an apple, and a handful of peanuts in the last hour. I don't even know how you do it. I'd pass out. Okay. So Zeeke is holding out for the Cowboys. Well, my friend, you enjoyed an occasional holdout. I never held out.

What are you talking about? Twice. That's not my thing. But I put out by twice. Look, you know, running backs have a wind. have a window, a small window. And that window is five to seven, sometimes

eight years, sometimes. Max. Maybe. But you've got to get the money when you can. And I don't blame Jerry Jones. I don't blame the Cowboy Organization. I don't blame Ezekielid. I don't blame his agent of Rocky Arsenal. I blame DeMarz Smith and the NFLPA. I blame

them. They set this rule in place, this whatever they set in place for, you have to, it's four years on a rookie contract, four years. Really, it's seven years because then they got the option, then they've got two times they can franchise tag you. I mean, you'd have no shot. To me, they should have maybe two years and then you can arbitrate if you out of playing your contract, arbitrate it. I let the team say, you know what? He's out playing his contract. So I don't blame Zeke. I don't blame him. Man, he's got to get his

money. He's not a quarterback. He can't wait like Dak can. Dak can play 15, 16 years. Well, he may play nine to ten. Analytics are saying that running backs don't pay them a second contract. That's what analytics are saying. Most of the time, and like I say, but the problem with this, what the analytics thing is is that people said, and all of a sudden people start believing it. Oh, man, we don't need to run it back.

We need to run it back. First of all, Kyle, you've got to understand, in the NFL, it's only going to be, even going back to when I played, four or five top backs, top running back. At any one time, the league's got about four studs. Exactly. See, four or five. That's about it.

And now it was about five. you know, quarterbacks, you may have the same. Top quarterback, not just quarterbacks, but no offense, but they'll pay those bum quarterbacks that don't deserve the money just because they're a quarterback. Well, he's a starting quarterback for the so-and-so, so he should get paid because he's starting.

So-and-so if he makes $20 million, so he shouldn't be making $3 million because he's a quarterback. If you're the best player on your football team and you're running back, you should get paid like a quarterback. That was my argument with the Rams. I was making $150. I wanted a million dollars. John Shaw told me

we'll never pay a running back a million dollars. Never. And so I said, well, this ain't going to work. So you held out. So I held out. And what happened? And eventually, I ended up getting traded. But I did get my million dollars in Indianapolis. Did I want to go to Indy? No, I wanted to stay in L.A.

And I know for a fact, Zeke wants to stay with the Cowboys. I think it's going to work out for him. They should pay him. He's the best, he's the best play on that team. He's the star. Without Zee, as Zeeke goes the Cowboys go. Let's talk about Levi and Bell. Joy often references

this. When somebody doesn't play, we forget about them. And then they come back and you're like, we'll do this with Kevin Durant. We'll just stop talking about him. So Lavian Bell was a 285 touch guy. That's an unbelievable number. That's like a pitcher pitching 300 innings. So Lavian Bell takes the year off.

My concern was, is that any good for his body? Of course. It's great for his body. I cared about 404 times in my second year. But it's great for his But the thing is, is where Lavian is going to. You worry about that? I worry about ways going. It's almost like when I left the Rams, did I want to go to, I didn't know this offense.

I didn't know that offensive line. You get comfortable in your situation. Pittsburgh was tailor-made for him because the offensive line, they know him. They know that's how he stops and starts. You have to get used to that. You have to get used to the guys up front. Like you say, okay, this guy can pull fast. This guy's a straight-a-head blocker.

You know, this guy's kind of weak. I mean, he may get knocked in the back field, so I've got to make adjustments on him. and with the Jets, they don't know him. They got to get to know him. And that's stopping in the back field. Every back don't do that. You're taught us a running back. Hit the holes.

Go. Hit the hole. Hit the holes quick. And he does. Levyon doesn't. He does not his style. No. You know, it is, when you look at all these personalities in the NFL, so Levinian just says, I'm going to take a year off.

Some guys hold out. Some guys don't hold out. Baker Mayfield's chugging beers. Again, it's not the end of the world. But I've always said this. If you look historically at the quarterbacks that work in this league for 15 years, they're not frat boys, they're not party boys, they're not hat-on-backward boys. Sometimes they're boring Russell Wilson.

They're boring Joe Montana. Tom Brady, almost corporate. Some Baker for me is a lot of frat boy. Now, it's not the end of the world. I get it. What do you make of him biting into canned and doing his thing? First of all, you love Russell Wilson. You always use Russell.

You don't love Russell Wilson? I like Russell. I do like it. I like. I like, I like, I like a chocolate bar and ice cream cone. Love. I love. You don't, like doesn't mean anything to me. I'm not paying people 30 million because I like them. I got a lot. You pay them because you're still good. Not because you like them when they're bad. Look, how I feel about Baker Mayfield is this. Baker is Baker. Baker has his own personality. He's at a baseball game, having a good time. When Baker came on the draft, I thought he would probably be the first picked. I was with, I was with a couple of guys.

They thought I was crazy. I said, I like the way he plays. I like his enthusiasm. And I like the way his teammates rally around him. That shows a lot. If your teammates are there, they're dancing with you. And this is our guy. He's at a baseball game, having a good time.

I know he's not sitting back, sitting back with his hat on. It's like, that's boring. Who were your quarterbacks? What you mean when I played with? Vince Farragamo is my quarterback. Okay, Vince Farragamo is now a very successful real estate guy. He's not a goofball. But, you know, everybody does.

something's kind of dumb when you're in your 20s. He's not 50 years of business. 50, like 60 years old. You know, you got to think about it. Everybody was 20. I was 20. I get crazy stuff. But when you went to Indianapolis, was your quarterback mature or not? I had Gary Huckleboom.

Gary was older, too. I mean, I had a older quarterback. Didn't you have Jeff George? Now, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff was a guy that had a good time. Yeah, how to work out. But you know what? It's not even Jeff's fault. Jeff, we had no offensive coordinator.

Nobody around him to help him. Not his fault. It's not. I mean, you know what, the thing is, Colin, when you play with a guy, when you play with someone, you know, you know that team. I know what was there. It wasn't much to work with there. Trust me.

Now, if he had something to work with, and I said, oh, no, he had everything to work with. That was on him. It was not on Jeff. You didn't like the maturity of Vince Farragama? Of course, I liked the maturity. He was a grown-up. I liked the way Vince threw it, but I loved it. I mean, but.

Very reliable personality. Very reliable, but I'll say this much here. I guarantee, if you asked Vince Farragamo, Vince, did you ever do anything dumb when you were 22? He said, man, who did you? You didn't. You probably didn't. No, I? Joy.

I was very, I came out of nine years old wearing a suit. I can't chuck a beer, though. All of us did. I mean, you're an athlete. You're an athlete. First of all, you know, he's a top pick. His team is doing better. Baker's team, I mean, they're excited, they're excited about football in Cleveland.

They're not talking about, okay, we might win two games or we might win three games. They're thinking about playoffs. You know who I like? Who? Jared Goff. I like Jared. But we need all personality types of things. Jared Goff wouldn't do that.

Do you like Jared Goff? I like Jared God. I like Jared. What do you like about him? You know, I think Jared is a good quarterback. I still think he's still learning. Sure. And I think that, you know, I think him and Sean McVey go hand in hand.

They really do. I think one thing is, is people want to call you, oh, he's great. He's this, he's that. It takes time to develop that. He had a bad rookie year. We weren't even a rookie year. It wasn't even fair. I mean, it was unfair.

He even to call that his rookie year. I think his rookie year was two years ago. Yeah. But Jared Gough is a player. I think he's developing as a player. I think Jerry can be a great quarterback. Ten seconds. And I think as time goes on, time tells all stories.

That's what it is. I always say wait till time will tell his story. Not a beer, chugger. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Saturday is a double header on FS1.

First Bryce Harper powers the Phillies. against the Giants, then Nolan Aeronado and the Rockies take on Manny Machado and the Padres. Coverage begins at 3 Eastern noon Pacific on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. Go to awaytravel.com slash Colin. 20 bucks off. Awaytravel. com slash Colin. Stuff is great. Carry on

fits right in the overhead. All right, Bucky Brooks, NFL defensive back scout, NFL Network now. Apparently I'm a bad guy because I hold my franchise quarterbacks to a certain level of decorum. I don't love my quarterback chugging beer. I do get it's Cleveland. Their standards, you know,

Their standards are lower. I don't, I don't, Russell Wilson wouldn't do this. I don't think Andrew Luck would do it. I know it's not the end of the world, but what was your takeaway? It's tough because ideally you wouldn't like your franchise quarterback kind of chugging beers. But I come from when I played in the mid-90s, I played for the Green Bay Packers, Brett Farve, regularly was out and kind of doing his thing. And I think part of the reason in Cleveland why they may be comfortable with Baker being okay with this

is because everyone in the front office was in Cleveland when I was in Green Bay at the same time. So when Brett Farr was winning three MVP's, he regularly would go out. He and his crew would kind of hang out, but he performed on Sundays. And so as long as Baker Mayfield performs on the field, it won't be an issue. But the more stuff that he does off to field to attract attention, more pressure goes to his on-field performance. Because if for whatever reason he slumps or he takes a step back from what he displayed during his rookie season, everyone's going to point to the little things off to field being a contributing factor to him not necessarily playing at the highest level. So Bob Wiley was not retained as the offensive line coach, Freddie Kitchens, you know, moved on and hired different people.

Wiley ripped Freddie Kitchens, the new coach of the Brown saying, you know, Greg Williams coached it, everybody else coached that he didn't do anything. Now, it could very well, in my opinion, be sour grapes because he wasn't retained as a coach. By the way, Freddie Kitchens has come out today and said, I like him. I just didn't retain him and kind of fired back at him. I do believe this is a team with a lot of young players and some highly dramatic players and an outspoken quarterback. Freddie Kitchens was a running backs coach not long ago for the Arizona Cardinals, and they were 30th and rushing when he was the running back coach.

I don't know anything about him. I know he quarterbacked Alabama. I remember that. What am I supposed to take about Freddie Kitchens? What do you know? What do you hear? What do you see? Well, I was very impressed by the job that he did when he took over as the offense coordinator.

Now, there's no direct correlation between being a great offensive coordinator and a head coach. But based on what he did as an offensive coordinator, look, I think from a tactical standpoint, he's terrific. When I talked to coaches that were there, when he took over his offensive coordinator, they said that he did a great job of soliciting input, that it wasn't just his show, that he allowed coaches to be coaches. He took it all in, and he did a good job of kind of putting the pieces of the puzzle together as an offensive coordinator. As a head coach, I will say they have a very talented coaching staff. I believe his defensive coordinator, Steve Wilkes, is an upgrade over what they had in Greg Williams.

Steve Wilkes, whatever happened in Arizona as a head coach happened, but as a de-coordinator, he is terrific. He has some great young teachers on his staff. And I think what we have to do is because he's allowed his team to have a little personality, doesn't mean that he is kind of running a loose ship. It just means that he is very comfortable with his guys being their own, being themselves in public. Now, the litmus test will be what happens when they hit a tough stretch in the season because every team has that. Is he able to kind of bring them together and get everybody back on the same page? That's the test for every new head coach.

How are you able to lead in crisis? I think that would be the test on whether Freddie Kitchens is a good head coach or not. But what I've seen and what I've heard, all things said that he's going to be a solid head coach. By the way, I was saying this earlier. Some teams talk a lot, Cleveland. some teams don't recently, the Jets. If you look at the upgrades in coaching GM personnel over the last six months, I can stack it up with almost everybody.

Ryan Khalil coming out of retirement to solve their big offensive issue, which is we don't have a center. I thought was noteworthy. Kalecchi, Ossemi from a pro bowling guard from the Raiders. Quinn and Williams has been reportedly, from the video I've seen, dominant at camp. Lavian Bell's in great shape. Jameson Crowder, people forget this in Washington, pre-injury,

was a tremendous slot receiver. He's an 80-catch slot guy. I kind of think the Jets are the under-the-radar team in the AFC. Yeah, they are under the radar. I don't know if they'll be ready to compete this year, but what I can say is Joe Douglas and the Jets are following the form that's been very, very successful in the league for a long time. All championship teams, and I learned this from Dick Jaron

when I played for the Jackman of Jaguars. All championship teams are built strong down the middle. So whether it's baseball, it used to be in basketball, point guard and center, baseball, when you think about pitcher-catcher, the two infielders in the center field. And football is center quarterback, defensive tackle, Mike linebacker, free safety. When you check off the boxes for the Jets in those areas, they have Pro Bowl players. Ryan Khalil, Pro Bowl Center. Sam Donald looked like he has the potential to eventually be a Pro Bowl quarterback on defense.

Quentin Williams, Leonard Williams, those guys have the talent to be Pro Bowler. C.J. Mosley, inside of the linebacker. Jamal Adams is the energy player as safety, all pro-calibur player. So right there, they look like they should be a championship contender. Then with Levy and Bill, it's all about how does Adam Gates elect to play with this team. Does he put it on Levy and Bill early, which I think he should to take some of the pressure off and allow Sam Donald to grow and to be in a franchise quarterback? If they can get some contributions from someone on the outside, one of their playmakers at wide receiver,

the Jets could be a viable team, not necessarily a contestant. for titles, but they certainly could be a team that's in the mix to go 8 and 8, 9, and 7 and compete for a playoff spot. By the way, Tom Brady signed a contract. He's the sixth highest paid quarterback in the league. It's a little understated. Nobody talks about it. People mostly don't talk to, talking about rich guys getting more money.

Did people in the league, when you talk to people in the league, is it noted as a real thing, an asset for New England? They don't have to pay him 34 million. Well, it's always been noted. He's given them the flexibility to be able to pay other players, even though they necessarily don't use the money. But when the best player doesn't get top of the market money, then everyone behind him, they can't get top of the market money

because everyone would recognize 12 as the best player on the team. So what the Patriots have been able to do is they're fiscally responsible. They kind of keep everything in order. And really, this has been since the beginning, when Tom Brady took over back in 2001 or whatever, it's always been about the team. It has never been about like Tom Brady is a guy. We built everything around him.

Bill Belichick has done a great job of building a great team. And so the team has been what has sustained him. And I think what is really interesting is watching it come full circle. Tom Brady, to me, is still kind of on the downside of his career. I think we saw him regress a little bit in his play. And we saw the Patriots lean really heavily on the run game. They did late in here. Physicality.

late in the year and doing the playoff run. Well, when Tom Brady stepped in as a quarterback, that's how they played 2001, 2003, 2004. They leaned on running game and defense. Their defense is now the level where they should be a top 10, top five defense. Tom Brady now has a running game behind him

with the three running backs and Burkhead, Sony Michelle, James White. They have a great secondary. Secondary. They have an offensive line. They have everything in place where the beauty in having a franchise quarterback is not that you lean on him every game.

It's just when we need him. He can get it done. The Patriots in a situation where if they need Tom Brady to make it happen, he can get it done, but they may not need him each and every week to do it. Yeah. By the way, contract holdouts, were you ever on a team with a long contract holdout? We had Walter Jones in Seattle. Walter Jones, we tagged him three straight years.

He showed up week one, and he played at a dominant level. So it was never really an issue. You just kind of knew that's what it was. He's an all-pro player. He's going to come. He's going to dominate when he shows up. Well, by the way, Trent Dilford told me once, and he played with Jonathan Ogden,

the Walter Jones was maybe the best football player I ever played with. Oh, he's dominant. He was awesome. That's why he's the Hall of Fame. He was unbelievable. But he played in Seattle, and nobody cares, and it's up in the Northwest, right? Nobody talked about it.

And we weren't great then. We were kind of getting it back when Coach Holmgren had taken over. But look, Walter Jones was outstanding. By the way, when the guy's holding out, nobody's freaking out in camp, right? No, and it really just kind of depends. Like players know, like typically from a player's perspective, you never necessarily get into the business side of it when it's your own player. From management standpoint, sometimes they just kind of know this is the song and dance that you have to do.

And eventually, maybe a week before camp, the player is going to show up. I think in Dallas's case with Ezekiel Elliott, I think what you heard from Jerry, Jerry knows this is part of the game. It's not a contentious adversarial deal. He knows, look, Zeke wants to get paid. He said, look, we'll get there. they'll get there when it's time to get it done. Melvin Gordon with the Chargers does not sound like they'll get that. No, that's different.

Okay, why is it different? It's different because if you look at the history of the charges, the charges typically don't budge off the spot. Also, I think there's a difference in Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon in terms of how they're viewed. I believe that Ezekiel Elliott is a Tier 1 player. You can argue that he's the best running back in football. Melvin Gordon is a really, really good football player.

I just don't know if he's in the same conversation as Zicier Elliott, Todd Gurley, David Johnson. And I think that's where the rub and money comes in. He's valuable, but I don't know if he's the most valuable player on that team on the offense. Well, and that's the thing with them. To me, when I look at the Chargers, I just don't think, even as much as I like Bosa, outside of Philip Rivers, I just don't think they're beholden to anybody. I think they have two good corners.

I think they have two good pass rushers. I mean, very few teams in the league, I think they have two good receivers. Yeah, they have a very, very solid team. And the thing about the charges is it always runs through number 17. It always run through Philip Rivers. And so unlike the situation in Dallas where USA, Zeeke is the engine to the Cowboys offense, Philip Rivers is the engine.

Philip Rivers is what makes the charges go. And I think everyone around the organization knows that. So when Melvin Gordon wants to hold out and look, rightly so, he wants to get paid, he deserves to get paid. But he is not the guy that kind of makes it go. He's not distraud. There's got to be a team in this league, though, that needs a really strong running back.

Oh, I can tell you. Everyone can tell you. I mean, you talked about Deshaun Watson being undervalued. You put Melvin Gordon in Houston. Oh, that's a different offense. Melvin Gordon has value. He's a high-end player. He's just not viewed as that with the charges.

With the chargers, yes. But in Houston, he's an upgrade over Lamar Miller. He would give them something that they haven't had a consistent threat as a runner while also being a viable option as a receiver. The thing is, I don't know if the charges will reward him and move off of him because he's not there. They have the right. Now, maybe Houston will make an offer that they can't refuse,

but Houston would be a good spot. I just don't know if the charges feel the need to make the move because they know they still have all the leverage in this situation. Good seeing you, Bucky. Thanks for having. Joy, Chandler with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. All right, one of the members of your bore four is not practicing this week. Andrew Luck has been dealing with a lingering calf injury and training camp. Yeah. And he apparently won't be back any. time soon. He is going to be out for Thursday night's preseason opener at Buffalo, which I don't think anyone is too overly concerned about. But he does hope to be ready for the regular season when it begins next month. He's a little worried. Here he is with Peter King.

Opening day five weeks from today, any doubt in your mind you'll play? No, no doubt. I certainly believe I will, and that's certainly a goal. And I know that's also a consequence of me doing what I need to do today and then having another good day tomorrow. He also said he does worry about it and it can be frustrating. He did miss the entire 2017 season with his shoulder injury and then he had the lacerated kidney the year before. Last year, he was a comeback player of the year. But him not playing during the regular season game or the preseason games

doesn't concern me. I don't lose any sleep over that. But him not practicing during training camp is a little bit concerned. The saying goes, if you can't, I'm into the season injured, you're going to leave the season injured. It's kind of true. I mean, once the season starts, you don't have time to rehab and rest. So them resting him in training camp is very important if they want him to be healthy all season.

But is he going to get healthy in this training camp? I don't know. If he doesn't start the regular season, I don't know what my hopes are for Andrew Luck and Colts is here. It seems amazing to me just talking about Phillip Rivers. Man, there's almost, if Kyler Murray hits in Arizona, there's almost no teams left that don't have their guy at quarterback. What if Marcus Mariotta plays well for Tennessee?

So that's one off, because that's one of those kind of like, where do you go with Marioo this year? The Buccaneers, Washington, Bruce Ariens. I guess dolphins. You know, you just, it's amazing to me, the depth of quarterback talent in the league right now. It is probably the best that it's ever been, because in general, you feel there are way

more teams that are questionable at quarterback. And if you go down each team, not every team is strong. I don't necessarily have their franchise quarterback for the future, but there's a lot more consistency than usual. The bottom is very small. Yes. I'm really like, okay, man overboard. I mean, if Duane Haskins hits in Washington,

you're going to have, in that division, you got three of the team, you got Carson Wentz, you got a DAC. Unfortunately for Duane Haskins, it doesn't, I don't know what we're going to see from him this year because this is kind of a make-or-break year for Jay Gruden. Oh, he wants to win now. Yeah, he's going to play the guy that's going to win him games. I think the win for Dwayne Haskins is not playing. This year?

Yeah. Probably, even though I usually disagree with that. So the Patriots have paid Tom Brady a total of $212 million in salary over his 19 seasons. He agreed to a two-year extension yesterday that keeps him under contract through the 2021 season. We'll pay him $23 million this year. That came one day after he turned 42, which is pretty crazy, considering only six quarterbacks have completed a touchdown pass after their 42nd birthday. Day. I have the list there. George Blanda, Vinie says to Bertie, Steve DeBerg, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, and Earl Moral. It's kind of a tough list, though, when you compare to what today's

40 plus means in sports. I mean, Brady's obviously taking incredible care of his body and isn't Bree's 40? I mean, he's 40 and he's still great. Yeah, I mean, we just have to, it's, it's still an outlier situation. I don't think we need to get crazy with it, but if you do have a guy who is still playing at a high level. The age thing is not so much of a factor. Your body is eventually going to tell you you can't play anymore, but the game is different. You're not taking hits the way you used to. No, three-step drop. I mean, Brady, whenever he faces a great pass rush, like a Khalil Mack or JJ Watt, they never touch him because everything's out. Get it out. Hand it off. Get it off. Get it out. And rehab and nutrition. It's just a different game now.

But two more years. And then eventually we can start having a real conversation about who's going to replace Tom Brady. But we've been having this conversation for like five years now it's not going to happen in the next two years. Finally, the Warriors have locked Jaman Green up with a max four-year extension worth $100 million. He was set to be a free agent next summer. And according to Shams Sharania, Jaman can opt out after three seasons. So he will be a free agent in 2024 if he stays all four years. Clay Thompson's new deal also takes him through 2024.

And Jemond spoke to Tim Reynolds with the Associated Press and says the Warriors aren't going anywhere. He said, I think everybody thinks it's kind of the end of us, but that's just not smart. We're not done yet. But yeah, I hear a lot of that noise. It's the end of a run. All that jazz. I don't see it happening, no. We will be back.

I do think that the drop-off with the Warriors is not going to be as dramatic as everyone thinks. I just don't think that they're winning a championship this year, though. Well, the West is loaded. Whoever wins the West will have earned it. Yes. You will have earned it. You will have to win a grueling first round and a brutal second, then the Western Conference, then the finals. There'll be no short.

Eastern Conference for. First round is a shortcut. It's going to be one of the more interesting years in the regular season, been in the NBA than we've seen in a long time. And it needs it. Because we must assume that the Warriors were going to be in the finals every single year for what the past four or five years. And the East was pretty clear, obviously, every year with LeBron. And now everything is wide open and, you know, in both conferences.

So we'll see. I was in Utah for the weekend. Those jazz fans? They're excited. I mean, I mean, it's really, it's offseason. but they are all in. They just, they want to talk to me all weekend. What do you think about this acquisition?

What do you think about that? It's like your team's good. It's a good team. A lot of teams in the West. A joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news.

By the way, do we have that Brady thing? So Brady signs a contract, right? And it's funny. Brady two years ago was the MVP. Last year he had a drop off. He really had a good year, but he had a lousy two games stretch against Pittsburgh and against Buffalo. He had a knee issue. He was very good.

Now, at the end of the year, he was, he followed those two. games up, great against the Jets, great against the Chargers, and then good enough to win. Here's the way I look at Brady. Two minutes left in a game. Your team leads. You lead. Homer away doesn't matter. You lead by three points, and there's two minutes left.

Who's the quarterback you do not want to face? And I say in the league, it's Brady. If you think I'm wrong, you think he's an old guy. This is in Kansas City, overtime. Ford on one end. Justin Houston, Chris Jones. Great, great defensive line. Overtime, three straight third and tens on the road at Arrowhead. Here's what transpired. Third and nine, Tony. Rod, they've got to block the front. If Brock's not outside, you've got to chip with him, chip with him, and throw to Edelman over the middle of the field.

Passed down the middle. Caught. Edelman holds on. Once again, Edelman in the middle of the field. Pocket sealed. On the middle, Edelman again with a third down catch. Twice on this drive. Gronk is out wide. Watch the top of your screen. Watch this safety. If he comes down, there's a good chance he's thrown out there.

It's Gronk for the first down. Toughest place to play in the NFL, some would say is Arrowhead. Three straight, third and ten, great D-line. Boom, boom, boom, on the road. You heard the sound. You can't hear yourself think. Bart Scott was talking about Brady this morning. Now look at the success of the older quarterbacks, they don't have to pay the price because they just pretty much out thinking these young guys with schemes.

I've watched Tom Brady motion from empty back to, you know, back to the back field, count the box and run to play ops and direct snap. And it's like it's old to me because I've seen it over and over again, but it's new to these guys and they don't do their studying. Now with this social media guys are just living in their own life, man. They don't pay attention. I watch how dumb they are. They don't pay attention to the nuances of the game. old quarterbacks can survive because they're just pretty much outthinking them. It has nothing to do with their physical ability.

Yeah, I think he's right there. I think like Drew Breeze and Tom Brady go to the line. They're audible. I mean, just watch the games. Backs are in, backs are out. Guys are shifting. I mean, it's just, it's a discussion. They're having a discussion with their teammates on the road.

Three straight, third, and ten against a great D-line at Arrowhead, Super Bowl. So frustrating to watch. Two minutes left. You lead. Who wouldn't you want to face? Who's the Freddie Crew? Who's the nightmare for you? It's Tom Brady.

Coming up next, our three-word game explaining every team in the AFC in three words. Next and best for last. Middle of the night, tossing and turning because it's hot. And you got the fan on the fritz. The AC's not working. Well, maybe that's your scenario. Mine is I sleep in a Casper mattress.

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Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped. up in the chase, that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about our

How healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? quarterback on office blue 42 Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the I-Heart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on the Army Stewart of the Chip. I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boat. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic.

I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Ah, great to have you in on a Monday. We call it the three-word game in Best for Last, that I believe you can describe sports teams in three words. It forces you to narrow in on what really matters for every team.

I don't think most teams are that complex. They have strengths. They have liabilities. And so we do the three-word game. You guys ready for it for the AFC. We'll do NFC tomorrow. But we'll start with AFC. Every team, every division.

Here we go. AFC East. Patriots somehow getting younger. Yes, Brady turns 42. But Gronk retired. Not only were their first five draft picks this year play. They drafted not only talent but neat, but three of their top four draft picks.

last year, very good players got hurt. They will have an infusion of eight young players joining what was a Super Bowl winning team. I really think, and Belichick has told friends this, this will be his youngest, most talented, and athletic team in the last several years. Yeah, Brady's old, but he'll be surrounded by some really talented youth. Dolphins. Fits of delusion. as in Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is leading in the quarterback battle over Josh Rosen. Listen, Ryan Fitzpatrick has started for seven other franchises.

He is hot and cold. He's the definition of the backup quarterback. He's not consistently great, but if your starter goes down for two weeks, he'll give you one great performance. The question begs, though, what's the point? This is a rebuilding franchise that needs to figure out if Josh Rosen, like all the other quarterbacks drafted a year ago is ready. I say throw Rosen in. How about Jets?

Double their wins. Adam Gase, Levian Bell, C.J. Maudley, Jameson Crowder. I don't think any team in the NFL from general manager, coach, offensive line, star running back star linebacker, has improved themselves more than the Jets. Now, the giants are so loud in New York, they're stealing all the thunder. and Baker Mayfield is such a showman that Baker is getting a lot more press than Sam Darnold. But this is a real football team now that has solved their primary weakness. O-line, offensive ingenuity, and running back.

Also, added C.J. Mosley, one of the most dependable tacklers in the NFL, along with Jamal Adams, Leonard Williams, and their top draft pick. I think it's a team that goes to eight wins, doubling last year's total. Bills! all on Allen. It's about Josh Allen. He wasn't very good last year. He's the wild pony we predicted.

He's got a little big Ben. He can run around, throw it down field, but last year completed less than 53% of his throws. I actually like the coaching staff in Buffalo, and I think their defense has some talent, but you've got to be all on Allen. How about AFC South? Texans.

Deshawn, D'Andre, defense. Listen, they lost their first three games, and then went and finished 11 and 5. Okay, that's fairly remarkable. They've got a great young quarterback and a great ride receiver, and I like their defensive personnel. They need help after that. Titans, Mariotta or DiVorciota.

Okay, it's cheesy, but the guy can't stay healthy. And Tennessee now has been nine and seven, three straight years, and they do a lot of things well. O-line, running game, pass rush. They've got talent. Marcus Marioita. had seven different injuries last year. It's time to clean it up, keep him healthy, or they're moving on.

Colts, best of luck. One nine of their last 10, hottest team in the league until they went to Arrowhead and got silenced. But Andrew Luck has a calf injury, and maybe it's just a matter of luck. Love their own line. Love, love, love some of their young defensive players like Darius Leonard. But that calf is a problem?

The Colts are in trouble. Jaguars. Don't be Foolsed. Outside of Philly, Nick Foles is 5 and 7 as a starter. Stop telling me he's better than Carson Wentz. He's not close. He's a nice backup. Backups can be great, occasionally and briefly.

How about the AFC West? Chiefs. Window wide open. Listen, Patrick Mahomes just turned 24. Third year, he's an MVP. Andy Reid is the highest winning percentage in Chief's history and is one of the great play designers. offensively, talent everywhere.

They are going to have some questions at pass rusher. D4, Justin Houston, gone. GM owner, coach, quarterback, skill people, Patrick Mahomes. Their Super Bowl window is wide open for the next decade. I would be shocked if they don't win at least one. Chargers! Good without Gordon. Listen, he missed four games last year.

They were four and oh, including wins over playoff teams. and they have depth at running back. Austin Eccler. Here's the thing about the Chargers. I joke to the Noah's arc of the NFL, two good backs, two good receivers, two pass rushers, two good linebackers, two good corners. They're really good, and they're not beholden to a running back.

They offered him 9, 10. That's about what I'd pay him. But this is a loaded roster. Again, there are teams out there like Houston that could die for Melvin Gordon. I just don't think the Chargers are a roster that is desperate. How about Broncos? Your average Joe, as in Flacco. He got benchful Lamar.

He completed 61% of his throws. You know, Flacco's always been that guy. There are moments. He's actually kind of an interesting player on the road in big games. A couple times he outduled Tom Brady. But in the end, the league is changing. He's not mobile. He's not as precise as I like.

He's your average Joe. Raiders. Silver and Yap. Could they stop talking? Hard knock starts tomorrow. The GM was a TV star. The coach is a TV star. Antonio Brown.

Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. I want less talk, more Ws. Hard knock starts tomorrow. I guarantee you it's going to be absolutely fascinating, but I'm done with the talking. AFC North, Ravens. Passing on passing. All right.

They're going to go old school. They're going to do everything that nobody else wants to do in 2019. I'm not sure it's going to work, but I'm not sure it won't. They're very contrary and they'll be hard to prepare for. Last year, Lamar Jackson completed 58% of his throws. But I will say they have upgraded at tight end. They've upgraded it running back. I think they drafted a wide receiver.

So my guess is if he can get into the low 60% they're okay. Bingles. Disaster Taylor made. As in first year head coach, Zach Taylor. Listen, the minute this organization paid Andy Dalton, They had to make decisions on personnel, and Andy's not good enough to carry him. So this is what happens when you get a young quarterback, and you have to pay him. They did, and they've never been the same team.

Steelers. Edition by attraction. James Connor, 12 touchdowns. Juju Smith had 1,400-plus yards receiving. Big Ben led the NFL in passing yards, and it's the best offensive line, in my opinion, in the AFC. Antonio Brown's great, but this organization is that a remarkable. remarkable job in my lifetime to recruit and draft wide receivers. I think they're fine.

It's less noisy. A week ago, Big Ben came out and said, you know what? I'm having a lot of fun this year. I think they'll be fine. They won't be as explosive on the perimeter, but they'll be fine. And finally, Brown's potential Kitchens nightmare. That's a Gordon Ramsey show. Freddie Kitchens is the coach.

A couple years ago, 18 months ago, he was a running back coach in Arizona. He was hired by Cleveland to be a running back coach. I don't know anything about him. He quarterbacked at Alabama. He's a nice guy. He's pretty good in front of a microphone. Baker, OBJ, meddling GM, owner issues. Got no idea what I get with the Browns.

We'll see you tomorrow. It's the herd. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves,

their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy,

Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game 7, Marquis keep coming to him. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the I Heart Radio. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.