The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Baker Mayfield, Jon Gruden, Cowboys, Aaron Rodgers

Episode Date: August 14, 2019

 Colin disagrees with Baker Mayfield’s comments on changing, gives his prediction for the Cleveland Browns this season, what the Dallas Cowboys need to do, and why he feels Aaron Rodgers is playing... the victim. Guests include Greg Jennings, Clarence Hill, Cris Collinsworth, and Lincoln Kennedy.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,
Starting point is 00:00:16 breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.
Starting point is 00:00:39 Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.
Starting point is 00:01:03 Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played. with and just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast imagine an olympics
Starting point is 00:01:42 where doping is not only legal but encouraged it's the enhanced games some call it grotesque others say it's unleashing human potential either way the podcast's superhuman documented it all embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast.
Starting point is 00:02:13 Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app. by searching herd. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a Wednesday.
Starting point is 00:02:37 This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We are live in beautiful Los Angeles. Iheart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. My dogs woke me at 402 this morning. Did you ever get back to sleep? No. They wanted to party.
Starting point is 00:02:58 My dogs wanted to hang out. Wife gets back today, back to normal. That's the voice of Joy Taylor for those listening on Fox Sports Radio. Joy, how are you? I'm great. Good morning. You know, Joy, you and I have been in this business a long time. And over the course of our careers, our business is very fluid.
Starting point is 00:03:17 It changes constantly. When I got into this business, I was on AM radio. And then they started putting sports on AM and FM radio. And then there was XM serious. and then there were simulcasts, and then I wrote a book, and now there's something called podcasts, and I'm on Facebook, and I have a YouTube channel, and I'm on Twitter, and my survival has largely been about one thing. I just keep changing.
Starting point is 00:03:43 I'm constantly trying to keep up with all the new platforms. I am never loyal to a platform. I am loyal to growth. I am loyal to you listening to me. I'm loyal to honesty. But I'm not loyal to platforms. I got to change. By the way, the NFL is defined.
Starting point is 00:03:59 The great players and coaches in this league, Tom Brady's the Goat. He is really defined more than anything by change. Bill Belichick and Andy Reid, in my opinion, are the two best coaches in the NFL. Andy Reid and Bill Belichick were the first coaches in the National Football League to consider third down and three a passing down. This league is cruel to the coaches, Mike Ditka, who won't change and get stubborn. It rewards those who are always. about change. Silicon Valley is now bigger than Wall Street. Silicon Valley is about evolving,
Starting point is 00:04:35 growing, adapting loyalty by new stuff in. Baker Mayfield talked yesterday or the day before or maybe the day before, but I just got my hands on it. He was interviewed by something called Complex Magazine. So complex I couldn't find it. But the point is he had a lot to say. And here's one of the lights I want to talk about. I probably won't ever change. It's just me. There's growing up and lessons you learn, but you know, I'm always going to be who I am and I enjoy it.
Starting point is 00:05:08 Oh, Baker, you're changing already and you can't even admit it. First of all, Baker, you called out Duke Johnson, that running back, and your teammates confronted you. Remember that? A couple weeks ago? If a player talked about playing time, would you do the same thing? you did with Duke Johnson, I bet you wouldn't. That's called change.
Starting point is 00:05:32 By the way, he was on Barstool Radio this week, was Baker Mayfield. They were goading him to talk about me. He did not. He would have six months ago, but he has slightly matured and changed. He no longer takes big shots at me on Twitter. Browns told him to stop it. That counts as change. By the way, he just got married, Joy.
Starting point is 00:05:54 Here's how it works, guys, when you get married. You got to make some alterations to your lifestyle. Baker Mayfield sounds like a 24-year-old boy. You know how 24-year-old guys are. I am not going to sell out. It's who I am. I do not change. Oh, it's a cute little saying.
Starting point is 00:06:14 But then you realize you're 27 and sort of a loser. You live in Cleveland. You're going to Vegas and you have to share a room with eight other guys. You're flying on the back of Southwest Airlines. Come on, Cleveland, guy. want to be a player for the first time in your life, sit in the front of the plane? 7,000 a night's sweet. You know how you do that?
Starting point is 00:06:33 With change. Change is growing up. It's evolving. Baker Mayfield's going to evolve the rest of his life because he's smart. He isn't Cleveland. He has adapted. Cleveland isn't techie. The smart cities in this country are going tech.
Starting point is 00:06:48 Salt Lake is San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Boston, D.C., Seattle, Los Angeles. The cities that aren't evolving and growing and are tradition, rich, and holding on to the past and haven't embraced tech, are dying. Baker Mayfield's changing now. He's just too young to admit it. He got married. He's changing. Duke Johnson situation. Confronted, he's changing.
Starting point is 00:07:14 No longer does shoutouts. Not as confrontational on Twitter. Barstool Radio goaded him. He didn't buy into it. Those are all. He's an agent of change. exactly what he's doing, and it's why Baker Mayfield, in my opinion, is going to have a nice career.
Starting point is 00:07:30 Don't brag about not changing. Tom Brady defines change. That's why Tom Brady's the goat. That's why Tom Brady aged better than Brett Favre. Because Brett was more rigid and stubborn.
Starting point is 00:07:45 Tom wasn't. What do you want to be? Baker Mayfield, you are changing now. You're going to change your diet. You're going to change your attitude. your workout regimen. That's, in your 20s, change is the enemy. In your 30s, it's a necessity. If you want to be a player, if you want to get better.
Starting point is 00:08:09 By the way, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, they're going to be changing that playbook and changing that style and change in that offense. Andrew Luck a couple years ago. Frank Wright gets hired and says, we're going to change the offense. No more seven-step drops. Start throwing the ball away.
Starting point is 00:08:27 Make changes to your game. Andrew Luck went to Stanford. Andrew Luck's like, yeah, I'm tired of having a lacerated kidney. I'm going to change. Andrew Luck changed his game. Okay, Patrick Mahomes is going to change his game. And Baker, believe it or not, you got that 23, 24-year-old bravado. You are already changing.
Starting point is 00:08:47 You're going to keep making changes. And it's going to be a necessity if you want to be an all-time great. people say, you know, Baker is perfect for Cleveland. Well, look at the demographics, look at the socioeconomics, look at the industries, look at the economy. My guess is Baker will not be just like Cleveland. He'll be a grower. He'll be potentially transformative. He'll be constantly evolving and constantly embracing new stuff.
Starting point is 00:09:15 And I know young men don't want to say that, but do you want to fly in the front of the plane or the back of it? Do you want your own room when you go to Vegas with the boys or you want to sit in a room with four beds and nine dudes? You're not getting there saying things like, Never got to change. I'm not a sellout. I am what I am. It is so adorably 23 and 24 years old.
Starting point is 00:09:43 All right, let's shift to this. You know, I've been saying during the Zeke, Jerry, Stephen, Dak, Amari negotiations, that Jerry and Stephen, dad and son, have been like a pro wrestling tag team partners, right? Like Jerry talks, then Stephen talks, and then Jerry talks, and then Stephen talks, and by and large, I think it's been smart. They're trying to curry favor with their fan base. They're trying to put pressure on Zique. And I think by and large, it has been very, very smart. But I thought Jerry made a mistake yesterday, talking. about comparing negotiations to something that was at best odd.
Starting point is 00:10:29 Picture if you were a driver of a car and you had a wreck and your hand was almost severed off, but you didn't understand your anatomy. You look down, you're spurt and blood, you open the door and run to the woods and either die bleeding to death or shock. the educated man looks down, knows his anatomy, squeezes and knows his best chances to wait for help. That's because he's been there a lot and done that. And so I'm waiting, I'm squeezing and waiting for help. So apparently Jerry's had his hand severed several times and almost bled to death near a forest.
Starting point is 00:11:12 Okay, I thought that was Jerry's first big whiff. He's now comparing signing a football player to having his hands. hand-severed and bleeding to death. I'm not Sigmund Freud, but if those are your dreams at night, something tells me you're kind of freaking out about this hold-out stuff. If I'm Zeke's agent today, I'm saying, the old man is losing it. He's freaking out. You know how I have snake dreams when I drink too much wine?
Starting point is 00:11:37 Jerry's having hold-out. I'm bleeding to death in a forest with a severed hand dreams. Not great for Jerry Jones. He also said in the interview, he doesn't want to do. What happened years ago when he had to let Demarcus wear go because he paid Tony Romo so much. Again, anxiety, clutching. He's telling the players, this is painful. That's the exact opposite of what Jerry Jones should be doing in this negotiation.
Starting point is 00:12:07 Take the emotion out of it. We can win without you. Between talking about how great Tony Pollard and Alfred Morris are and the, I'm bleeding to death with a severed hand in the forest, I thought this was a whiff by Jerry. Listen, I can have opinions all day on this stuff, but I'm just going to tell you what I would do if I own the Cowboys. Three different players, three different positions, three different offers. Dak Prescott, I'd sign him.
Starting point is 00:12:36 Swallow hard, probably have to pay him 32. I'd deal with it. I'd sign Dak Prescott now. I would make calls and try to trade Ezekiel Elliott. I think he's peaked. I think he's high maintenance. I think he's immature. I don't think he's a great teammate.
Starting point is 00:12:53 And I'm not sure, like A-B, I think you'll handle it well with an excess of money. Amari Cooper shares more personality traits with DAC. I would hold for a year and probably franchise tag him, which will pay him in my opinion, probably more than he's actually worth. Signed DAC, move Zeke, wait on Amari. And by the way, it's not about talent.
Starting point is 00:13:18 In the NBA, I will pay my stars. In the NFL, age, traits, maturity, character, position, all matter. I'm signing back. I'm trying to move Zeke. And I'm being patient with Amari. That's what I would do. And I would stop talking publicly about severed hands and dying and bleeding to death in a forest. That was not great.
Starting point is 00:13:45 All right, we're packed today. Aaron Rogers appeared to take, this is very hurtful. Aaron Rogers and I thought we're making a move towards some reconciliation in our relationship, but it took another ugly turn for the worst yesterday, and I'm deeply disappointed in Aaron Rogers. We'll talk about that, and Andrew Luck's got another injury, or maybe the same one, but it sounds new. We've got a GM talking, not an owner or a coach or Andrew Luck or a doctor or a trainer. It's a very confusing day. Bleeding to death, new injuries for Andrew Luck, and Aaron Rogers and I are never going to be tight.
Starting point is 00:14:22 That's coming up. Well, it's been Butcher Box Talk on this show for about two months. This is the company. Uses the best farms to give you the highest density, best protein on the market. Free range, organic chicken, grass-fed beef, heritage breed pork, boy, that's good there. Wild caught Alaska salmon directly to your door. Four curated boxes.
Starting point is 00:14:44 customize your own, all of your favorite cuts. And by the way, free shipping and makes getting high quality meat with no added hormones easier and cheaper than ever. All right. My favorite cut is their salmon. First thing I grab in the box. Right now for new members only, if you go to butcherbox.com slash herd, $20 off your first box plus two pounds of ground beef and two packs of bacon.
Starting point is 00:15:14 But you got to sign up. Butcherbox.com slash h-E-R-D. Best farms, animals raised humanely and ethically. Free shipping makes it about six bucks a meal. Not going to get salmon for six bucks a meal, even if fast food delivered salmon. Butcherbox.com slash herd. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are
Starting point is 00:15:49 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.
Starting point is 00:16:22 SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.
Starting point is 00:16:42 And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the middle 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.
Starting point is 00:17:06 Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.
Starting point is 00:17:23 Join me, Keer 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. but grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Starting point is 00:17:54 Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is CliverTaylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Why being an internet famous referee?
Starting point is 00:18:16 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? Carderback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker.
Starting point is 00:18:40 Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I got into a conversation with my daughter not long ago and she said something to me and I said time out you're not a victim okay your mom and I had much tougher lives and we're not victims not abused mentally not abused physically
Starting point is 00:19:04 had to work hard a lot of jobs in college we're not victims one of the reasons social media to me is such a bad hang such a drag everybody's a victim and there are real victims they're called burn victims and orphans. There are people who are victims. Professional athletes are not victims, especially superstar athletes. Aaron Rogers went victim this week. Aaron Rogers, movie star looks, got great DNA from his mom and dad. He's very handsome, grows a fine mustache. He was given through hard work, effort, and DNA an amazing talent. He's got good size,
Starting point is 00:19:40 great arm. He's in one of the great NFL cities. Green Bay treats their players like family. family. It's just his life has been, he went to Cal Berkeley, by the way, which is one of the great public universities in America. I'm not saying he didn't earn it. But Cal, Wisconsin, Virginia, could be the three best public schools in the country. Michigan's up there.
Starting point is 00:20:02 No victim here for Aaron Rogers. Ooh, he had to sit for three years behind a legend. Actually, I would say that was an opportunity to grow and learn. So anyway, yesterday he's talking about his relationship with a new coach Matt LaFleur, and he went victim. Look, I don't need to go out and prove to anybody how great Matt and I are getting
Starting point is 00:20:22 the wrong or him stand up there and say how great it's been. Look, look, we're having a great time, we're communicating, and the conjecture is for clickbait news stories you guys can put on your websites. Nobody is doubting Aaron's going to have a good year. I'm his number one critic, right? I'm picking the Packers to win the division, and Aaron to have an MVP season. who is condemning him Aaron if you want to talk about clickbait you provided the bait you called out your new young
Starting point is 00:20:56 unproven head coach's audible system we as the messenger had an opinion on it you provided the joint practices are stupid decided on by your coach you provided the bait sorry bruh if it's clickable
Starting point is 00:21:14 but you're a superstar in America. If you question coming off a year in which you appeared to run the coach or had a say in the coach getting fired, you get a new coach, and before the season starts, before the game start, you condemn the audible system and the joint scrimmages. We're not supposed to talk about it.
Starting point is 00:21:39 If Blake Bortles would have done it, I wouldn't have talked about it. If Nick Foles would have done it, I wouldn't have talked about it. You're Aaron Rogers. These are the Packers. You guys win Super Bowls and stuff. Again, stop with the victim. LeBron's done a little bit of this in the last year or two. LeBron's net worth is $700 million.
Starting point is 00:22:00 Adam Silver basically bends to any wish or whim of LeBron. Schedule changed, voila. All-Star break longer, voila. And by the way, I don't have a problem with that. Eastern Conference game times changed. due to LeBron, voila. LeBron will be like, they don't want us to succeed, Rich Paul. They?
Starting point is 00:22:19 They is me. They is us. They is America. Your net worth is $700 million. They is on your side. They like you, LeBron. You are not a victim. Rich Paul's not a victim.
Starting point is 00:22:30 They is us. And they, me, us, TV, fans. We can't get another LeBron. He's one of the six NBA players in my life that moves the needle. Businesses, pizza change, basketball, sportswear, shoes, TV shows, movies. They are in your camp. You got critics on Twitter.
Starting point is 00:22:51 Who cares? Who doesn't? It's almost a badge of honor. If you have critics, you have something to say. It's the same with Aaron Rogers here. You're trying to condemn people. I don't have anything to prove. Who said you did? I don't think any of us think you have anything to prove.
Starting point is 00:23:06 Now, I think all of us believe Matt LaFleur has something to prove. I don't feel Aaron has anything to prove. I do think Aaron could do himself occasionally a favor by biting his tongue and not going public with his every thought. But he is verbal. He's interesting. He's captivating. He says smart stuff. Pop culture.
Starting point is 00:23:31 He's kind of clever. He watches the Game of Thrones. He is interesting. He does good commercials. He's a hell of a talent. And I love watching him on TV. But this is victim talk. Aaron's not, nor has he ever been a victim.
Starting point is 00:23:45 Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Is Click made a thing for everyone? I mean, if you don't have a website. Like you and I don't. I don't get paid off clicks.
Starting point is 00:23:59 I'd love to know how. By the way, you and I make money on multiple platforms. The one thing we don't make money on is the one thing that's clicked. Twitter. I think it's just a fun way to generalize, I guess. getting the media, getting attention on their platform, rather than saying, like, use, clicks. Like, we don't get television, we don't get paid.
Starting point is 00:24:20 Time spent watching. We get paid for T.S.L. It gets a little inside baseball, but just the click thing is not entirely accurate, just to be a nerd for a second. So Antonio Brown's feet were on everyone's mind in anticipation of episode two of Hard Knocks, and we got to see them just a few minutes into the show.
Starting point is 00:24:39 He talked about it right away. You want to see it? I'm sure you want to say that? Hopefully my feet born again and I figured to run faster. And I was trying cold therapy to recover my body. And I got out and I felt my foot burning. So I was like, man, I felt a hot sensation. So the next like 24 hours is swell up.
Starting point is 00:25:03 Got really big, I couldn't really walk, I put pressure. The doctor came over, drained a little out, scoppel the next day, freaking scissors the next day. and scissors to the next day. Just kind of let it leak all out. So as everything leaked all out, I was able to put a lot of pressure. But I feel like it's got a big patcher just open,
Starting point is 00:25:24 whoopee cushion, you know? It's really tough to look at. It's got to be extremely painful. Well, I think it's also a little embarrassing. I just don't understand this injury. And I wish it was explained more thoroughly because it doesn't seem like the smartest situation. to be in, but then if it's this first time in the
Starting point is 00:25:47 cryotherapy machine, then it kind of changes everything for me. Like, if he's done this before, and this is not his first experience in the chirotherapy machine, then it's like, you know how this works. Like, you have to wear the proper footwear. I'm sure they warn you extensively. Oh, no, no, you can't get... Of the dangers of getting in there with moisture on your body and not wearing the footwear and the gloves.
Starting point is 00:26:06 Yeah, the people that have these businesses, they take it very seriously. You can be sued. Right. Like, it's a real thing. And so now they're talking about possibly suing. So was it the first time he's? used it and they didn't put him in the proper footwear and gloves and and this is what happened. It's just kind of, it's just a very bizarre injury and it's unfortunate because everyone
Starting point is 00:26:22 is watching him right now. Steelers fans are just, they're elated that this isn't their problem to deal with this year. And Antonio Brown is the best player on that team. Like everyone, everyone wants him out there. And I'm not saying he doesn't want to be out there. Of course, he wants to be out there playing helmet situation aside. It's just, it's just a very bizarre injury and there's not a lot of explanation for what's going on. So the Patriots are no longer the sole favorite to win the Super Bowl. Vegas now has the Chiefs with the same odds plus 700. And the Saints round out the top three and have the best odds for an NFC team.
Starting point is 00:26:57 Do you find that surprising? Because you are not very high on the Saints this year. I'm not. I thought Drew Breeze at the end of the year looked like he was tired. Because I feel like that's an appropriate place for the Saints to be, despite the whole. So this is. This is the... Overreaction to the bad call.
Starting point is 00:27:15 So these are the best odds to win the championship. Yes. Yeah, I don't agree with these at all. I like Kansas City and New England at the top. Well, Kansas City and New England at the top, to me, are the obvious ones. Everything past that is where we can start to get into the conversation. How is Dallas same odds as Philadelphia? How is Cleveland better odds than Philadelphia?
Starting point is 00:27:32 How is Chicago better odds than Philadelphia? Like, I don't even understand that. To me, the two teams in the NFC, that's not even arguable. Like, everybody I talked to in the league is like, Rams and Eagles should be overwhelming favorites in the NFC. And I don't think they got the coach, the GM, the quarterback. Philadelphia's got the best O-line D-line combo for like the third straight year in the league. I think people just don't know what to expect from Carson once.
Starting point is 00:27:56 Maybe that. Maybe that's it. There's some question marks there. So I don't have a problem with the Cowboys and the Eagles having the same odds in that regard. I think the Browns having better odds is a bit strange. But there's very high expectations for the Browns this year. So maybe it's just based off expectations of what they look like on paper. Who's odds are these?
Starting point is 00:28:12 Vegas? Yeah, in Vegas. Like a guy maybe that have been drinking too much? Well, Caesars. Okay, Caesars. But I mean, obviously Kansas City and New England are consensus. Like, I'm always going to poke holes in that. But I don't know.
Starting point is 00:28:26 I mean, the Saints, all they lost was Mark Ingram. They have Bob and Camara, Latavius Murray, Jared Cook, getting old. Resigned Michael Smith. Still have Drew Brees. I don't know. I don't think that New Orleans, as long as they let go of that whole situation with the bad call, I don't think that New Orleans is going to take a big step back this year.
Starting point is 00:28:42 So finally, no team has more buzz entering the season than the Cleveland Browns, as we just discussed with their odds. And in the interview with Complex, Baker Mayfield said that the buzz is making people want them to lose. He said, I think in the media and everything that comes with the hype around our team right now, people just want to see us lose just because the hype is so real. It went from having excitement over Bud Light Coolers being open to now people wanting to see us lose so they can say, oh, they got too hyped up. That's why you have to have an even-keel mindset when it comes to that stuff. Who's really for them to lose? The Browns haven't won a playoff game since 1994. Look, I feel a sense of authority speaking on this subject because I'm from Pittsburgh.
Starting point is 00:29:23 So my entire life I've wanted the Browns to lose, but I haven't had to put much effort into that because they do a lot of losing on their own without me wanting them to lose. That said, no one wants a dud team in any sport, in any league, on any place in the planet. The team that consistently loses is a problem for everyone. It's for the great teams because then they have to go play them and they're fans are bored because they stomp them out every week. It's bad for leagues. It's bad for advertisers.
Starting point is 00:29:48 Nobody wants a bad team. No one wants the Browns to be bad this year. Outside of their own division, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh fans. Take them out of it. That doesn't count. Everyone else is rooting for the Browns. They're the Cubs. Nobody was rooting for the Lakers to land Kauai.
Starting point is 00:30:03 People were rooting for the clippers to land Kauai because they were the underdog. Everybody in the country is rooting for Cleveland. And by the way, the Browns are not an underdog this year. They're in a very specific space. of fun, young, and exciting. And they have some expectations. Nobody expects them to win the Super Bowl except for Browns fans.
Starting point is 00:30:19 And everyone just wants to see them perform. You know who's really rooting for them TV networks? I think it's the first four weeks. They're on national TV three times. I'm rooting for them. First five weeks. That's just a very bizarre space for me to be in. But this is the same thing with Cleveland every time.
Starting point is 00:30:34 This is a Cleveland mantra. It's like Cleveland versus everyone. Nobody's rooting against Cleveland. You do all the losing when it stars aren't there all on your own. LeBron's polarizing. There was no question, though, that America was rooting for LeBron to win a title in Cleveland. 1,000 percent. Nobody was...
Starting point is 00:30:51 The only people that were rooting against him were in South Florida. Everywhere else wanted him doing it. I remember seeing a map, actually. A sports company had a map. And it was who was rooting for LeBron. It was everybody except Florida. Like, everybody rooted for... Everybody rooted for the Clippers over the Lakers to get Kauai.
Starting point is 00:31:08 Stop at Cleveland. I get it, though. It's very smart. because it's what the Patriots do. They convince themselves that everyone hates them every year and everyone's rooting against them and that they're the underdog and they use that as fuel.
Starting point is 00:31:19 But it's just, it's not accurate. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. Let's bring in Greg Jennings. He's been very busy this week. He's having to co-host a show before us.
Starting point is 00:31:33 He understands now that television's very difficult. Takes a lot of discipline. You can't go out partying at night. You have to go to bed early? Yeah. Just like when you were a Starwax. wide receiver, one of the great dependable
Starting point is 00:31:45 possession receivers of my lifetime. I love saying that. I just love that stings. You want me to stay here or you want me to walk off? Okay, so Baker says, I'm not going to change. And my takeaway is that is such a 23-year-old guy to say. The reality is the NFL has overwhelmingly been defined by
Starting point is 00:32:03 change. Farve was a little rigid Brady's Mr. Revolver. Tom Age is better. You know, nothing against Mike Ditka, but he was kind of, this is what I do. Belichick's like, I literally, I'm going to use tight ends. I think you said this. In the last year, they went to more of a running team over a passing team as Tom aged. When I hear Baker say I'm not going to change, I think, well, if you want to be great in this league, the whole league set up, football more than any sport and baseball never changes.
Starting point is 00:32:31 Football's all about change, isn't it? Life is all about change. And Baker Mayfield is going to experience change. I mean, I heard you earlier talking about him being married. going to change. A lot of things in his life are going to be completely different. Like, you have to change. When others are attached to you, different personalities are around you, you alter what you do and how you do it and tailor it to fit everyone else. And so right now, everything is great. He's the leader. He's young. He has spunk. I think he'll continue to have that. But it's He'll know when to pull it out, when not to pull it out, how to direct it.
Starting point is 00:33:17 He's going to change. I've heard this talk with players, with quarterbacks. I'm not going to be like that guy or I'm not going to change. And it just, look, when you create, when you put status, production, and hype and camera all together in front of a guy, they're going to change. By the way, people also change around you. At some point, Baker Mayfield may make $35 million a year, making him the highest paid person in the state of Ohio as an employee. He'll be like Nick Saban in his state.
Starting point is 00:33:51 People around him will walk on eggshells. He'll be different. The Cleveland Browns will ask more of him. That's a reality of, now, do I think Baker's got a little bit of an attitude and a chip? I'm okay with that. But that stuff never leaves you. Aaron Rogers is going to have that chip, that junior college chip for the rest of his life. Yeah, and Baker Mayfield is right there.
Starting point is 00:34:10 Like he's going to always that walk-on mentality, that chip of, I have to earn it. I have to prove every single thing. That's what makes him great. That's what it's going to continue to feel. Baker also said in this, it was a, is it complex magazine? Okay, do you subscribe to that, Joy? Do you know what that is? Well, it's online, but they're very involved in sports.
Starting point is 00:34:30 So it's an online magazine? It's a website. So you can't grab it? No. It's just online. Well, it's not a magazine if it's online. It's a website. It's a site.
Starting point is 00:34:43 It's an online magazine. There are actually online magazines. Great talk. Okay, so he also said in this, he said, people don't understand they forget how great Odell is. I don't think anybody's ever forgot how great Odell is. I do think people have forgotten. Last 32 games, he's missed 16.
Starting point is 00:35:00 Like, the one thing about Odell that nobody talks about is he gets hurt a lot. Like, not kind of. A lot. That worries me, because if he gets, hurt, then does he start saying, this thing, this is going to be New York, this isn't going to work either. That, I don't worry about his talent. What do you make of his injuries?
Starting point is 00:35:19 Are they coincidental? I mean, injuries are. You didn't get hurt. I didn't, but once you've gotten hurt once, anything that sidelines you, oh, he's injury prone. Oh, he's, he's all, he's never available. And it's so, it's so far from truth. There is so much work that goes into preparing just for a game, let alone playing in the game.
Starting point is 00:35:48 And what I mean by that, offseason, the grind, it's taxing. Like your body goes through a lot. You actually are willing to put your body through a ton just to play these football games. And so for Odell Beckham, he's no different than any other player. injuries occur. It's just by grace that some, like I was blessed. I didn't have any major injuries. What did you play at? How big were you?
Starting point is 00:36:16 I was 198. How big? Six two? No, six foot. Okay, because he's listed at 5-11-198 and he doesn't look that to me. He doesn't look that, but I mean, you know, hey, he may be 198. You played with guys, you know this, Greg. You played with the guys that just got hurt more. I did.
Starting point is 00:36:33 You didn't get hurt. Larry Fitzgerald doesn't get hurt. Leo Jones generally does not get hurt. A lot of it has to do with just kind of how you land and is just playing football and being fortunate, honestly. But for me, one of the things that I pride myself in or I did when I played was being a smart football player, a smart receiver. Getting out of bounds. It wasn't even so much getting out of bounds.
Starting point is 00:37:00 It was just knowing when to take your losses. Like, I'm not a running back. So did I want to score? Did I want to make guys miss? Yes, but I had to pick and choose when to do that. And I think the order you get, the more you understand, like, look, I can't. I'm not going to take every single catch to the house. And that's a mentality of a young guy coming.
Starting point is 00:37:20 Trust me, I had it. And I believed every catch was houseable. Like it was. And then you get popped. And then you get hit. And then it's like you try to stay up. And then another guy comes and he gets a lick on you. And it's just not worth it.
Starting point is 00:37:36 You got to start taking care of your body to create that longevity that guys, as you mentioned, the Larry Fitzgerald's of the world. Okay, I said, let's go to the Dallas Cowboys here. A couple more minutes with Greg Jennings. I said, in the NBA, I pay my stars. In the NFL, what are your traits, what's your position, what's your age, have you peaked? It's a different world, more injuries, more unavoidable violent collisions. I would pay DAC, I would trade Zeke, and I would be patient, and I would hold on Amari Cooper
Starting point is 00:38:04 and franchise tax. him. That's what I would do. What? That's why you're sitting on this radio show talking in a microphone. What would you do, Mr. Banker? What would you do with all your hard cap money? I would take care of I would take care of Zeke. I would take care of my quarterback and then I would take care of my receiver. Oh, just money, just everybody gets paid. What kind of bad that you're, you want to win?
Starting point is 00:38:25 Show me. Do you want to win? I can win. You're Jerry Jones. You want to win. You want to pass up this opportunity of small window that everyone tends to have come and go because I'm unwilling, and I have the money to not pay. Cupcakes for breakfast, dad, right there. Everybody gets paid. Give money to everybody. It's a hard cap.
Starting point is 00:38:49 Hey, look, it is a hard cap, but this is the reality. Two years early. This is the, look, this is the reality that we're in. I'm not saying that Zeke has all the leverage. He, and I was on with Clarence Hill earlier this morning. He was saying Zeek has the leverage. And he has leverage from this perspective. Their offense is built around him.
Starting point is 00:39:09 But they are better when all three of them are on the field, all three of them being Ezekio Elliott, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper. Their record speaks to this. They were 8 in 1, and then they win a playoff game. Like, Amari Cooper makes Dak Prescott better. Ezekiel Elliott makes Dak Prescott. Scott better. And Dak Prescott makes everyone else a little bit better because he's consistently
Starting point is 00:39:38 there and he's able to do more with both of them on the field. So ultimately, what does that provide Jerry Jones? A better team. When you take one of those out of the equation. When you do that, you're not going to pay Tyron Smith again. You're not paying Travis Frederick. You can't pay Byron Jones. You can't pay their 12 best players. Well, this is new. This is the National Football League. This is why the cap was created so that you can't. can't acquire any and everyone that you want and that you will. Because if that was the case, the Dallas Cowboys would be the New York Yankees of football because Jerry Jones has the most money. So you're going to pay your quarterback, wide receiver, and running back.
Starting point is 00:40:16 You're just going to give them massive huge deals. They all are deserving of it. Dak is definitely deserving of it. He's earned his position of where he is, regardless of how we feel about it and what that number looks like and where it ends up. he's earned every penny that he's about to get. Wow. I would love you to be. I would love to be a football player and you're the owner.
Starting point is 00:40:41 Absolutely. You just come in with Brinks truck. Where's boss at? He's in the Brinks truck. He's just bringing cat. Let us. Come and get it, guys. You show me your production.
Starting point is 00:40:51 I show you dollars. Wow. That's some kind of life. Greg Jennings, good stuff. Clarence Hill next hour in L.A. It's The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd. weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.
Starting point is 00:41:03 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
Starting point is 00:41:40 wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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.
Starting point is 00:42:11 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?
Starting point is 00:42:35 Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.
Starting point is 00:42:57 Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
Starting point is 00:43:17 I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.
Starting point is 00:43:35 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 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker.
Starting point is 00:43:59 Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Telling you about MDrive, supplement I take two every day, more than just testosterone support. Don't let age define you. BuyMDrive.com. Code heard. So I watched a little bit of HBO last night.
Starting point is 00:44:19 You know, they're doing this whole Raiders thing. And, you know, HBO does this. A lot of you were hoping for a lot of Antonio Brown. We didn't get a ton of that story. We got some Sean McVeigh stuff that was cool. We got a lot of John Gruden, which is what you should do. John Gruden is very good on TV.
Starting point is 00:44:36 He was the highest paid employee at my former employer. People used to ask me all the time, what do you make a Gruden's contract? And I'm like, they're stealing him. He's worth double. The quarterback camp he did was the number one segment on football at the company. Ask yourself what Monday night football was like when he left, an utter disaster, and that's being kind.
Starting point is 00:44:56 When really good people leave companies and companies hemorrhage, that's a sign of how talented. are. I always laugh for years and years when media critics around the country would, you know, they take shots at Gruden. And I'm like, if you're a media critic, your job is basically an easy one. Watch TV and tell people good, not good. Gruden's good, period. It's not arguable. If he got fired by the Raiders tomorrow, there'd be multiple networks lined up to hire him. He's great on television. Quirky, different, intense, not always easy to work with, but talented. Oh, hell yeah, on TV. Now, the problem with TV is you can leave TV, but it never leaves you.
Starting point is 00:45:34 If you stay in TV for 10 years, it'll make up people and you're performing and it changes your voice. Sometimes my wife will turn to me and she says, we'll get into an argument and she'll say, I'm not a caller. You're not on the air. And I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, I've got to click that thing off. John is performing. Now, he had two objectives when he did this show, Hard Knocks on HBO. Protect A, B, he is, and entertain you. He is. There's a billboard in Las Vegas right now. It's not about the Raiders. It's not about the players. It's got John Gruden on it. He is Cirque Di Soleil with a whistle. I'm coming to town. Buy your tickets. And he gets an A plus for marketing. He has been unbelievable. We have not talked about the Raiders this much in 25 years. He is a television star. He should be on hard knocks every year. I loved him as a co-worker. I think he's funny as hell. I think he's intense. He jumps through a television.
Starting point is 00:46:29 screen. He hit you like a strong drink. He's just, pout. His personnel decisions, I'm not in love with. We don't want stars. Just bluffing. We got A-B. We will not pay for anybody. Kidding, Trent Brown, highest paid right tackle in football. Character matters. Isn't that really? Here's Vontes Burfect and Ritchie Incognito. I think its personnel decisions are all over the map. I don't see his vision. It's confusing to me. I imagine it's confusing. to others, but when I watch Hard Knocks, they're just making it more Gruden, and they should. This is what he is. He left TV.
Starting point is 00:47:08 TV clearly has not left him. I still think he projects a lot. I don't know how it will play with all his players. I think we have a bite from last night. If you did not watch Hard Knocks on HBO, marketing, promotion, television, he gets an A-plus from me. What are you doing? Overlapped Corner. Huh?
Starting point is 00:47:28 Overline corner. I know. It was a midpoint corner. The hell are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? Dyeball. What are you doing?
Starting point is 00:47:40 Where were you going? Single high. I don't care. Where are you going? Just thought I'd take a carrier on the corner. All right. All right. I can't turn a fucking ball over, man.
Starting point is 00:47:51 I ain't going to be a part of that. It's fucking ridiculous. This crap. He looks like that. I got a good cussar. I got a quick cussing. So, and I said this yesterday, I do think the Raiders are in a, they're in a very unique space in the NFL. The NFL is very corporate.
Starting point is 00:48:13 It's very IBM. It's very Amazon. It's very corporate. It's very Goldman Sachs. Whereas the NBA tends to be about the individual player. The NFL's about the shield, the logo, the culture, the coach, the owner, the GM, then the quarterback. And everybody else, not worth a point. the Raiders don't feel corporatized.
Starting point is 00:48:34 They feel like they're kind of rebels with a cause. Last couple of years, we don't know where they're playing. They tarp off the upper deck. They have the poorest owner. They hire TV stars. It's a very different franchise. But what Gruden has done and it's indisputable, he has brought this TV personality, this sort of moxie,
Starting point is 00:48:54 this understanding of the business, this acute, intense self-promotion, over to the Raiders, and right now, frankly, they need a lot of it. I mean, Vegas has a hockey team. It's not a city with a ton of corporations, Fortune 500 companies. They got to sell 30 suites. They got to sell 40,000 tickets, and it works. And I think everybody in the league sort of understands it.
Starting point is 00:49:16 I don't like the football part so far. Raider fans have this weird self-esteem issue. It's always difficult when Joan Collins is a former actress. She said it's hard aging when you were once beautiful. It's very hard aging when you were once. a movie star. It's hard because the Raiders used to be kind of like the coolest
Starting point is 00:49:36 group in the league for like my entire childhood. Like the 70s, it was the Steelers and the Raiders. And then in the 80s, as some San Francisco, as Dallas, and he still cared about the Raiders. And the 90s, Gruden gets, it's kind of still about the Raiders.
Starting point is 00:49:52 And now they're just not cool anymore. They're dysfunctional. They're weird. They don't feel like the rest of the league. And Raider fans get very defensive about it. But I mean, I'm watching this thing. It's just, it is a summer camp with not enough counselors and one really wildly entertaining counselor with cameras following him around.
Starting point is 00:50:13 That's how it falls for me. Hour two coming up. 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. Here we go. Live at L.A. Hour two.
Starting point is 00:50:30 This is the Hurd. wherever you may be and however you may be listening i heart radio fox sports radio and FS1 i bought cantaloupe yesterday at the store almost took a picture and sent it to joy taylor who mocked my devotion i have a giant container of pineapple
Starting point is 00:50:47 in my refrigerator right now it's already been cut cubed for me did you and i almost tweeted a picture to you of my delicious pineapple no i didn't cut my own pineapple i mean i could because it's not that hard he's going to put a glove on or a town hold it.
Starting point is 00:51:03 Like our parents did. It's literally the same process as a cantalope. Cattleope. It melts in your mouth. It's such an obedient fruit. The only difference is cantaloupe doesn't taste good
Starting point is 00:51:12 and pineapple dies. Canaloupe never fights you. It just dissolves. It's just like the child that is coachable. It's so unbrand that you love cantaloupe the most. I know.
Starting point is 00:51:24 I do love cantaloupe. It's great to have you here. So the story is we finally got some clarity on the cult situation. Nothing against Jim Ursay, but I'm going to trust Chris Ballard. Chris Ballard came out and said, okay, Andrew Look's got a high ankle sprain. First of all, they stink, they hurt, and they heal very, very slowly.
Starting point is 00:51:44 Colts GM, Chris Ballard said from the start, we've been dealing with a calf injury. Injury wasn't getting better. He hadn't been practicing. So in the course of dealing with a calf injury, it appears that now we have an ankle issue. Listen, this is a body that got trashed for about five years in this league. And I don't think, as I've said before, I don't think he'll be at 100%. Andrew Luck is big. He's strong.
Starting point is 00:52:08 He has shown incredible pain tolerance. I do think the Colts are now equipped to not be as reliant on him. They have a real defense. Seven of their eight picks in the draft and Chris Ballard drafts well were defense. The previous year, he went offensive line and hit two home runs and Darius Leonard. I think they have a very good offensive line, a coaching staff that has convinced Andrew Luck to go down, not sprint, and throw three-yard. three-step drop passes and not seven-step drop passes.
Starting point is 00:52:34 I think they're equipped to not be nearly as dependent on Andrew Luck. Three years ago, this injury, C-crest out. O-line, coach, luck at 85% can still win this division. And I don't think anything differently of the Colts today. If you asked me who I have is six teams make the playoffs, both conferences, my top eight teams in the AFC, Patriots and Chiefs are one and two. I think there's a little gap from the rest of the AFC. I'd take Colts three, Chargers 4, Texans 5, Steelers, Titans, Browns, all bunched together.
Starting point is 00:53:11 I think Tennessee's my dark horse team. I think Steelers left drama, best offensive line. Tennessee runs the ball. Corey Davis Emerging Star. Now Ryan Tannahill backs up Mario daughter when not if he gets hurt. I haven't changed anything. I don't think the Colts were equipped to deal with an injured less than 100. 100% Andrew Luck two years ago.
Starting point is 00:53:33 I think they are now. I think they're O-lines, the best young O-line in football. I think the coach is the right coach. They've loaded up on defense. They will not be in shootouts. A couple years ago, Colt games, you could turn them on. It was going to be 3028 somebody was going to win. It's not the same team. They have a good, though not special running game.
Starting point is 00:53:52 A lot of good tight ends, shorter route runners, possession guys, one deep threat. I think they're equipped. I think they're fine. I don't think anything less. I think high ankle sprains stink, hurt, and don't heal fast, but they're fine. I want to talk about the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield talked to Complex the website. It has been misidentified as a magazine.
Starting point is 00:54:15 I was unfortunately misled an hour ago. It is not a magazine. It's just a website. Nothing wrong websites are, I mean, they're all going out of business, but beyond that, it's fine. So anyway, he talked to a complex, and he said a bunch of stuff, and most of it was fine. Joy and I did agree that he said that nobody's rooting for us. People want to see us lose because the hype is so real. That's totally false.
Starting point is 00:54:36 Everybody's rooting for Cleveland. Outside of Steeler, Raven and Bengal fans. The country's rooting for Cleveland. The networks are rooting for Cleveland. Vegas is rooting for Cleveland. I've got to be honest with you. Baker Mayfield segments on my show usually do okay. I look at the overnight ratings.
Starting point is 00:54:50 They're not the biggest, but they're do okay. I want to talk about Baker and the Browns. They're fun. So I don't want to see him go 0 and 16. I think if he and Darnold can both be like, you know, in the playoff hunt in week 14, good for the league, good for my show, good for Vegas, good for you, good for fantasy. Nobody's rooting for him to lose. Nobody outside of their division is rooting for Cleveland to lose.
Starting point is 00:55:12 Baker. Everybody wants you guys to win. Cubs, you know, everybody was rooting for Steph, little Steph before KD got there to beat LeBron. After LeBron had won in Cleveland. Yeah, man, that's just the way it is. We kind of tend to root in March for the little guy. Now, I do think with Cleveland, though, if you look at their youth, if you look at the strength of their team defensive line, I do think there's a best case, worst case scenario for Cleveland. Okay, so I want to give you what I think could be their best case scenario.
Starting point is 00:55:47 Now, I'm not saying Super Bowl like this team, but it could be really exciting. My prediction is they're going to go nine and seven. best case scenario, they become the 2015 Carolina Panthers. Now let's go and remember that team. They too had a very confident quarterback Cam Newton. They had a series of stars who almost all stayed healthy. They were a small market underdog, Charlotte, in a division with a Hall of Fame first ballot favored quarterback, Drew Breeze.
Starting point is 00:56:15 They got hot early. Like Cleveland, their best unit was their defensive line and it was dominating. And they ended up, remember that Carolina team. had come off a 7, 8, 1 season, just like the Browns did, and Vegas predicted they'd win 8 and a half. Vegas has Cleveland at 9. Best case scenario. They look a little like Carolina.
Starting point is 00:56:39 Their stars stay healthy. They're led by their defensive line. They have a playmaking, confident at times, cocky quarterback. They get hot early. The small town underdog in their division. everybody else in the division is fine. That year, Atlanta was 8 and 8. New Orleans about 8 and 8.
Starting point is 00:57:00 Tampa, I think won 6, 7 games. Nobody was terrible in their division. But they just robed this emotion. They hadn't won a lot in their history. So the town bought into it, the league bought into it, the media bought into it. And it felt like a little bit of a Carolina avalanche. That is the best case scenario.
Starting point is 00:57:17 A lot of emotion. Star Stay healthy. Cocky bravado at quarterback. Underdog team. gets hot early, win some games, you thought they'd lose, and all of a sudden, you got yourself a home field advantage in the playoffs. Best case scenario. The worst case scenario would be the 2011 Eagles.
Starting point is 00:57:38 Vegas had them as top three or four to win the Super Bowl, like Cleveland, they're in the discussion. They brought in a bunch of big names, a bunch of free agents. They rolled the dice on personalities. They made a lot of noise in camp. Philadelphia Eagles. And then they had a tough early schedule in their first five games. They were trying to figure out chemistry.
Starting point is 00:58:00 The young guys weren't clicking with the veteran guys. There was a lot of noise. And they went one and four out of the gate. They were called a dream team by Vince Young. We've had that dream team, you know, OBJ Baker. Look how great. By the way, they had Michael Vic as sort of an iconic star-driven, confidence-boasting quarterback. and then they went four and eight, bad start, unraveled.
Starting point is 00:58:26 Locker room wasn't great, coach a little overwhelmed, and it just went downhill. That's the worst case scenario. So now I'm predicting they're going to be right in the middle of that. I don't think it's going to be Carolina best case scenario. I don't think it's going to be Philadelphia 2011, worst case scenario. I think Cleveland's going to be somewhere in the middle. I think they're going to struggle a little. little early with their schedule.
Starting point is 00:58:53 You know, it's got Niners on the road. It's got, you know, you got a Baltimore in there. I think you got like a Chargers or a Rams or a Seahawks at New England, at Denver. I think it's a pretty choppy for seven weeks. It's a little choppy. New guys, new coach, got to get OBJ the ball. You know, a lot of talk, a lot of hype, more of a target. What if one or two guys in the O line get dinged up?
Starting point is 00:59:19 It's not a great O line. And then I think Cleveland's going to get rolling and they're going to get really hot and America's going to fall in love with them and everybody's going to be rooting for them and they're going to peel off like six wins in seven weeks. And they're going to be in that week 16, 17 window and they're going to be vying for the division but will land very close to a wild card spot at 9 and 7. I think Pittsburgh by this point will have moved on, less drama, better align, better leadership. Pittsburgh will have a one or two game lead lake. Cleveland makes a run at them, and Pittsburgh finishes, you know, 10 and 6. Cleveland goes 9 and 7. They split the two games they play.
Starting point is 00:59:55 Both teams went at home, and that's where we stand. But I do think there's a best case scenario, and I do think this thing could unravel. But I know you think I'm a hater, but that's, I think 9 and 7, that's where Vegas lands. That's about where I have the Browns landing. Coming up next, I, Clarence Hill stops by with some very interesting information on the Dallas Cowboys. Set me straight, set you straight, that's coming up. All right, you check things all the time, you check your mail, you check your social media. But Discover card asks this.
Starting point is 01:00:27 What about checking something as important as your credit score? Discover makes it quick and easy with your credit scorecard. Free for everybody, everybody, even if you're not a customer. See your FICA credit score and other important credit info. And once you know the score, you should check to see if your current credit card is the best fit for you. Real easy. Learn more. Go to discover.com slash credit scorecard today. Limitations apply. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox
Starting point is 01:01:03 Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. 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 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
Starting point is 01:01:42 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 Slicelife-12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,
Starting point is 01:02:03 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
Starting point is 01:02:19 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
Starting point is 01:02:35 while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person Join me, Keir Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.
Starting point is 01:03:04 It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes. fleets for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet
Starting point is 01:03:37 famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker.
Starting point is 01:04:02 Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Premier Boxing Champions returns to FS1, August 24th with interim interim super ban and weight title, Bout, Undefeated Brandon Figueroa and Javier Chacon go toe to toe to toe. Don't miss all the hard hitting action August 24th on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. Brandon, by the way, is the younger brother of Omar Figueroa, who is a former lightweight champ. So there you go. Fighting family. Clarence Hill senior writer at the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Cowboys Rider since 1997.
Starting point is 01:04:36 By the way, if you've never been to Fort Worth, it is a charming, awesome place. It's a great place. It's a great place. It's where the West begins. Really? We call it funky town. It's a great place. It's where the West began?
Starting point is 01:04:48 Yes. Who said that? Fort Worth. That's good. I like that. I mean, as we say, life is too short to live in Dallas. Living Fort Worth. I like it.
Starting point is 01:04:56 I spent a week there for the Super Bowl. Were you with me, Goula, at the time? Good steakhouses, great people, nice martinis. It was fun. The ice storm I could have done without. Well, things happened. Jerry made a deal with the devil to win the Super Bowl in 1995. You know, he came back to pay where the Cowboys had a chance to host the Super Bowl.
Starting point is 01:05:13 All right. So let's get, first of all, latest on Zeke. Jerry's making revelations about severing hands and dying in the forest. It felt a little bit apocalyptic. Do you think there's a belief now, Zeeke can miss games? Well, I think it's a reality. And Jerry said as much, you know, obviously they hope that's not the case, you know. But he's not here.
Starting point is 01:05:36 He's not coming until he gets a new deal. And again, to me, deadline makes deals. But remember Zeke? Not Zeke, but Emmysmith in 1993. three. He had to miss two games before Jerry came to his census and gave him his money. You know, that's where Zeke's leverage really starts is when the season starts. And that's when the push
Starting point is 01:05:53 are going to be with the Cowboys to get a deal done with Zeke and Dak as to get close to the regular season. Because there's no way Jerry wants to go into the season without Zeke in the fold. Now, you say Zeke and Dak. They're negotiating with Dak, but
Starting point is 01:06:08 is it possible they would play a season and Dak would play on this deal? It's possible, but is that smart for that. I mean, he's making $2 million this year. You know, and you're chancing, risking injury and chancing a contract of at least $30 million. You know, you want to get a deal done as well. You know, you're out there in training camp and it's great. He's doing all the right things. Being a leader, he's out there and being a leader for his team, being at training camp. But every time
Starting point is 01:06:32 it takes the practice field, he's risking $30 million or more dollars with an injury. What did you make of the $40 million rumor that he demanded? Well, from my understanding, it wasn't a straight $40 million. dollar asking price. It was something that could get to $40 million. But I reported in June that that, you know, had asked for $34 million. It was always going to be a big number. Again, DAC did not leave a small town agent in Freeport to go to CIA and Todd France take some team-friendly bargain basement deal. He wants to get all of his. The couples have gotten a great bargain out of DAC the first three years. Now it's time to pay up. A Cowboys this year are going to have a
Starting point is 01:07:09 different looking offense. They brought in a new personnel and the coaching staff. What do you think that offense will look like? Well, Kellyn Moore's an office coordinator. Obviously going to be the same offense, same plays, same terminology, but they will do more personnel grouping, more motion, do things to move Amarra Cooper around, to get him away
Starting point is 01:07:27 from coverages, split out the fullback, split out the tight ends, do different things to be more creative, do more college-like things that we're seeing in Kansas City and in Los Angeles and those type of things. Those are things, hopefully for the Cowboys, will make them less predictable because they're very predictable under Scott Lillenhan and more creative and more explosive in their
Starting point is 01:07:48 mind. Can you give me the Jerry Jones bite so you can actually see your face there? Jerry, by the way, is a great storyteller. Every year at the end of the camp, he goes to No Boo, tell stories. It makes it really a classic cowboy night with Jerry Jones leading the way. So here's his bite yesterday comparing the holdouts to his hand being severed. Picture, if you were a driver of a car and you had a wreck and your hand was almost severed off, but you didn't understand your
Starting point is 01:08:20 anatomy. You look down, you're spurting blood, you open the door and run to the woods and either die bleeding to death or shock. The educated man looks down, knows his anatomy, squeezes and knows his best chances to wait for help. That's because he's been there a lot and done And so I'm waiting. I'm squeezing and waiting for him. What did you make of that? Well, one thing that they cut off, I asked him, Jerry, where's your help coming from? And he said, another part of my anatomy, you know, reaching behind him.
Starting point is 01:08:54 I mean, you know, he has these great quotes. You remember circumcising the mosquito and, you know, crippled crickets behind and obviously gloryhole. That's what Jerry does. He likes to tell stories, and he can go from jokester to a true businessman a matter of a minute. but it's like Smokey Robinson, tears of a clown. You know, he is smiling on the outside, saying not the right thing, but he's dying on the inside right now
Starting point is 01:09:18 because this is a team that's primed to win. Jerry is 76. He wants to win now. You know, Jason Garrets, in the final year of his contract, he has to win, he has to get the least to the NFC championship game, possibly the Super Bowl,
Starting point is 01:09:29 to get another contract. You know, this team is primed to take that next step and win for the first time since 1995. This is not the environment he wanted to go into the season with Zika Cabo, Dak, you know, not signed, Amari not signed, and those things on those guys' minds as they go into the season. It's not a problem for Jerry, but it's a problem for them. He may be, you know, okay with this because he's been through with this before, but it's personal for the players.
Starting point is 01:09:54 And do you really want that on their minds as they go into the season? 1997, the first year you covered the Cowboys, you've been to a lot of camps. How does this one feel all this included? Jason Garrett has done a good job. It feels like camp. I mean, they have, you know, to give Jason credit because he's able to navigate this environment with Jerry from the beginning, which is why he is the perfect coach for Jerry. You know, and Jerry wants him to keep his job because he can handle all the other stuff.
Starting point is 01:10:20 He's been around since the 90s when he was a player. And so it's been a football camp. You know, they haven't missed Zeke. And as Jerry said, you know, no one cares about the precinct. No one cares about the training camp was through regular season. Remember, Zick had no carries in the preseason last year. That's not an issue in DAC. And I've already been professional doing their job.
Starting point is 01:10:36 So camp has not been a. problem. But it's really the season is where it starts and that's when they need to get some done. Jerry and Stephen Jones like to say deadlines make deals where the deadline is drawing near. So you do think there's a possibility Zeeke could start the year. Now they open with
Starting point is 01:10:51 three rebuilding teams. Now Washington and Miami would acknowledge their rebuilding. The Giants are too they don't want to acknowledge it. So they do start the season with a fairly favorable schedule. They could absolutely would their personnel go 3 and 0. Could that extend Zee?
Starting point is 01:11:07 Could that give them some confidence in the building to not sign him? I don't think you take anything for granted. This is not the same team without Zika on the field. But they do need to get off to a good start because in December they got Chicago, they got at Philadelphia, they got New England. So they need to get off to a good start to have a strong season. I mean, they have the Rams in December as well. So this season is set up for them to get off to a fast start.
Starting point is 01:11:27 You get off to a fast start with Zik, Dak, and Amari in the fold. Any worry that Zique would come in out of shape? No, no. You remember he went to Cabo in 2017. have a team when he was submitting for six games. You know, and he came in in great shape and was right back to the normal league. So they trust that he is working out and will be in good shape. Jerry talked about that.
Starting point is 01:11:49 It's that we trust that he's going to do what he's done it before, and he will do it again. They believe when he shows up, he's going to be ready to go. I said last year, we sometimes forget that players improve. I mean, Brady's a different quarterback than he was by his sixth year. Russell Wilson, light goes on third year. Andrew Luck, I think, is better today than he was. in year three. Some of it's coaching, some of it's evolving, some of it's
Starting point is 01:12:11 physically you get stronger. Jared Goff appears to have a better arm today than he did as a rookie. He's just bigger, stronger. And I just had a friend who saw him at camp two days ago and said he really Doug Gottlieb said he looks bigger. Dak was seven and one his last eight games. I have theorized
Starting point is 01:12:27 that Dak may have not reached his ceiling. A lot of us have assumed he's limited. He's a fourth rounder. But I've watched Russell third round. I've watched Brady late rounds. I watched Joe Montana third round. Get better. Is it possible
Starting point is 01:12:43 that DAC is not, you've been at camp, not as reliant on Zique as we assume based on his first two years? It's not about Dak being relied on Zique. I know it's not a Dak or Zick thing. You know, they work in concert. They work together. The Cowboys' offense has been relied on Zee.
Starting point is 01:12:59 But Dak has gotten better and he should get better. And the Cowboys believe this is one reason why the Cowboys want to sign him long term. They believe Dak is the arrow is going up. They believe he's only going to get better. They trust his work ethic. And there's a guy you talked about how he finished the season. And he said the light bulb came on.
Starting point is 01:13:13 He's come into the off season, you know, more comfortable, more knowledgeable, more understanding at the office. He's making quicker reads, getting the ball out quicker, getting to the right place. You know, he's never going to be a thrower like Aaron Rogers. That's not him. But knowledge helps you be better. He helped you see things faster. Jason Whitten talked about him being a different quarterback from the one he left because
Starting point is 01:13:32 of those things that knowledge and be able to anticipate things better than he did then. If I said to you, let's forget contracts, is there an issue with this roster and personnel that would be a worst case scenario? Personnel-wise. O-line is old. The defense, not O-line is not old. Tyrone Smith is like 28, 29. I mean, he came in at 20 or something like that. They're not old, you know, and the defense's line was Marcus Lawrence coming off an injury.
Starting point is 01:14:02 Tyron Crawford also coming off injury. Both are on Pupp and Tyron Crawford possibly. facing a suspension, you know, from a fight, bar fight in Florida. Robert Quinn suspended for the first two games. You know, you really thought they come into the season, they thought that this defense line was going to be deep, especially with Robert Quinn, and they would be deep and talented,
Starting point is 01:14:19 as they've had a defensive line since those 90s Super Bowl teams, but not having Quinn for the first two games. Again, you talk about the easy schedule, but you're not going to be at full strength with those first two games. If you don't have Zee and, sir, you're not going to have Robert Quinn. Yeah. That's the trouble spot. The D line is a trouble spot.
Starting point is 01:14:36 All right, Clarence Hill, senior rider at Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys Rider since 1997. Good to seeing you. Okay, one thing. You bet. The goal is to win the Super Bowl, not to balance the budget. So they shouldn't have to pick between one or the other. They have the money to pay them all.
Starting point is 01:14:52 And Jerry, 76, he says, I don't have time to have a bad time. So they need to get those guys and pay those guys to win now. So you're going to pay all that money for a receiver, a back, and a quarterback. And then you're going to have to pay Travis Frederick, DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, both linebackers. Okay, they've already paid Travis Frederick, Zach Martin, and they've already paid to Marcus Lawrence. They're already under contract.
Starting point is 01:15:13 They're in the fold. Tyrus Smith is in the fold. We'll see on Jayla Smith. He has two years to sign him. Hard cap. They got the money. They got $75 million in a cap room next year, $25 million this year. So give me the number for DAC.
Starting point is 01:15:27 What would you go to? 33? 33. Zeke, what would you go to? 15. 14, 15. Amari, what would you go to? 17.
Starting point is 01:15:37 Oh, boy, that's a lot. I like Amari. That's a lot of money. That's why he's waiting. The funny thing is we talk about Zeke and we're talking about Dak. We haven't talked about Amari because Marry's chilling. He's making $14 million this year on the fifth year of his rookie deal. You know, and any deal he signs is going to be $16, $17, $18 million.
Starting point is 01:15:54 You know, they've already offered more than $16 million. And, you know, the kid in New Orleans got signed. They're waiting on Julio Jones to sign to see how much the market goes up. But he's fine because he knows he's going to get paid. he's already getting paid $14 million this year, and the next deal is going to be at least $17. All right. Clarence Hill, good stuff.
Starting point is 01:16:11 Thank you. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. It's interesting when you put it like that, because they kind of are acting like they don't have the money. I like, I think every penny in this league counts.
Starting point is 01:16:28 What do we always say? You have small windows. You got small windows that win in this league. I don't know. I kind of swayed my opinion on this whole situation. So, a team that would love to have a DAC to pay, that's the Dolphins. They gave up two picks for Josh Rosen, and he has been behind Ryan Fitzpatrick on the depth chart all season.
Starting point is 01:16:47 And it seems like that won't be changing anytime soon, especially after Brian Flores had this to say about Rosen yesterday. I think he's got to do a better job getting guys in and out of a huddle, it was communication, you know, body language. I mean, there was some plays there he didn't like, and we just got to move on to the next play. Players, coaches, that's everybody. At the quarterback position, they're all looking at you. So I think that's something that, you know, they have to be conscious of.
Starting point is 01:17:12 I talk to him about that. I talked to all of the quarterbacks about that. As a leader, I think that's an important piece of this that people don't talk about very much, but I think it's very important. I don't know if I like this. Well, it just doesn't sound great. It doesn't sound great. It's just, that's just kind of one of those comments that you, in conversations you just have with him privately. It's also his reputation, right?
Starting point is 01:17:36 It's, well, it has been his reputation that he is a bit defiant. I don't necessarily consider that to be a bad thing in most areas in life. Obviously, when you're trying to earn a position and you're young and learning, it's not the best quality to have. But I also don't think he's in a great position. I don't get what the dolphins are doing here. I mean, it's what the dolphins always do, right? We have no idea what they are.
Starting point is 01:17:58 We have no idea. Are they rebuilding? There's all kinds of injuries. They don't know who their quarterback is. They're completely their team that lacks. identity in every way, shape, and form. Just have a new coach that gave it some energy and some hope. But you gave up two picks for him.
Starting point is 01:18:15 He's a top 10 pick. You're either going to develop him or you're not. And saying things like this and saying that Ryan Fitzpatrick still has a starting job at this point is not instilling confidence in the situation. It's the same exact situation that was in Arizona. So to be honest with you, I'm still on Rosen's side. I think it's important for young players to not only come into situations where they feel enabled and feel like they're getting the development and the support that they need when they are a top 10 pick,
Starting point is 01:18:41 not some guy just trying to make the team. There's just two different situations. That's not what Josh Rosen is. You gave up two picks for him. This is a situation where you need to empower him and you're cutting him off at the knees. Well, it's funny because go look at the quarterbacks that went in the first round. So Baker landed on a team that has some really good offensive personnel. Sam didn't, but now a year later,
Starting point is 01:19:03 has personnel. Josh Allen landed on a team with a good staff and a good defense. Lamar Jackson ended up on a team, a good culture, a good winning organization. And then there was Josh who got a bad deal in Arizona and now it feels worse in Miami. And I'm not making excuses, but there is a lot to be said about what you inherit. It's very difficult in this league to like the first stop in your quarterback career is messy, to reboot and shine. like Drew Breeze is rare. Right.
Starting point is 01:19:34 Goes to San Diego, injured, sent him to New Orleans, and becomes a legend. You can count those on one hand in the last 50 years. It's such an outlier. It's so hard to do because the first three years...
Starting point is 01:19:44 You get judged. You get judged and those are incredibly important to your development in any sport. But it's crucial. And that's really why it's so impressive what Baker has been able to do because while he did walk into, he walked into a very losing situation
Starting point is 01:19:57 and kind of a coaching chaos. And he was able to over to, was able to overcome that and now is in a good situation. And several of the guys you mentioned there didn't have the best situation starting and now the organization put the right pieces around him. But it's like, I just don't, what is the direction? What is the purpose of all this?
Starting point is 01:20:13 And if your point is that you're going to develop him into a franchise quarterback, then speak that way. You have to speak life into situations. So there's been a lot of extra access series since the inception of hard knocks. All or Nothing is very well done on Amazon. Yeah. But now new reports say that HBO is working on a,
Starting point is 01:20:31 version of hard knocks for college teams. Oh, yes. So Devil's Digest tweeted this. HBO has chosen four college programs to run a hard knocks-like show later in the season. ASU will be featured during the week of the home game versus Washington State, who is also chosen for the show, along with Penn State and's Alabama. Washington State has a guy named Mike Leach, who's a coach. He likes pirates. He's weird. He's funny. He's clever. He's a great quote. I know Washington State isn't a national brand, but in terms of like television. I mean, let's be honest, the Raiders haven't been good forever. They're a good TV show.
Starting point is 01:21:05 Right. No, that doesn't stick out as an outlier for me to be on the show, especially if AFCU's featured. That just kind of makes sense that they're going and they're going to feature that game that you would cover the other team that's in that game. And Penn State and Alabama, obviously, no-brainer. But I'd love to see Clemson or Miami or Texas or Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, if they're going to do the show.
Starting point is 01:21:28 I don't know how much of this show will be overedited because it is college kids, so it's a little bit more of a, I think, a responsibility to shed them in a good light. But it would be interesting to get behind the scenes. Sabin's got some Gruden TV star qualities. Oh, yeah. He's a Herm. Out of the Arizona State is a brand enough yet. Washington State is a brand.
Starting point is 01:21:51 They're like, they don't run. They pass 70 times. They're crazy. But to see the process of the game and leading up to it is, I think, them we're going to follow. So finally, the Seattle Sounders have announced that Russell Wilson and his wife, Sierra, have joined the team's ownership group. They announced
Starting point is 01:22:06 the news, adding Seattle means so much to me and Sierra. We are fired up about being part of the Sounders for a long, long time, having ownership in the Sounders and continuing to build that winning future. I was trying to get in on that. You're trying to get in on that? Yeah. But do you have made a family
Starting point is 01:22:22 announcement with the cute jerseys and everything? I think he's a bigger deal in Seattle than I am, so I think they were looking for a That's actually what I was going to ask you. Do you think that he will go down as the biggest athlete in Seattle history once he retires? Ken Griffey and him, yeah. I think he's bigger. I think he's, you know, Ken Griffey was great, but left.
Starting point is 01:22:43 I think Russell changed. My sister doesn't like sports. My sister, Russell Wilson got my sister into the Seahawks. I just think. Because Seattle has a really rich sports history. Well, the Sonics were great. Washington Huskies have won a national championship. Seahawks have been better than people.
Starting point is 01:22:58 think. Right. I mean, they've, they've gotten to Super Bowls. The sounders are unbelievably, it's a great soccer city. Um, because I thought about it this morning when I saw this story and I was like, let me ask Colin because I don't want to be too millennial and reactionary to it, but he kind of feels that way. Yeah, and I think, yeah, I think Russell's the biggest game changer in the history of the city. I think, I don't think there's any question. I think Ken Griffey. Obviously think of Ken Griffey Jr. He was unbelievable. And he, you know, that was that 95 playoff series. against the Yankees where they won, and that was the biggest moment.
Starting point is 01:23:33 And then Russell won a Super Bowl, and that was the biggest moment. So the Sonics have won a title. They're gone. Huskies have won a title. Don James has passed, the coach. The Seahawks have won one and Russell's in his prime. And the Mariners haven't done squat forever. And that's the team I loved most when I was a kid.
Starting point is 01:23:48 Right. Joy of the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. His name is Chris Collinsworth. You see him Sunday nights. with Al Michael's Sunday night football.
Starting point is 01:24:00 He's going to be joining us next. Few things in life can change your entire outlook for a day. A call from your boss asking you to work on a weekend, early construction right outside your bedroom, or the check engine light comes on when you're driving a car, and you know, oh, my God, it says put coolant in immediately, and you're freaking out thinking, my engine's going to explode. Happened to me recently. It can mean thousands of dollars in repairs.
Starting point is 01:24:28 That's why you should have CarShield. They make the process of protection and fixing your car easy. Once you sign up at CarShield.com, 24-7 roadside assistance, free. Rental car, free. Listen, don't let the check engine light ruin your life. Get covered by the ultimate and extended vehicle protection. call 800 car 6,000, 800 car 6,000, mention the code heard.
Starting point is 01:25:02 Or go to carshield.com. Mention the same code, H-E-R-D. A deductible may apply in both instances, save 10%. Car shield. 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.
Starting point is 01:25:29 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, 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,
Starting point is 01:25:53 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations. with so many incredible guests. I'm talking.
Starting point is 01:26:25 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.
Starting point is 01:26:44 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, Keer Games, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way.
Starting point is 01:27:07 Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th.
Starting point is 01:27:44 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 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her.
Starting point is 01:28:07 What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Played for eight years. in the NFL with a bingles and a multiple three-time pro bowler. But for many of you younger viewers, you know Chris Collinsworth, perhaps only as a broadcaster,
Starting point is 01:28:32 and he's a great one. With Al Michaels on Sunday night football, he is joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network, PFF Majority Shareholder, PFF.com, one of my absolute favorite sites. All right, let's start with this. I watched Hard Knocks last night. Gruden's a TV star, and you can leave TV, but it never leaves you. you had Sam Weish similarly big, big personality. Do the coaches that are big personalities, Chris,
Starting point is 01:29:01 can they wear out players quickly? Anything can wear out players quickly if you're getting beat, right? I mean, it's really easy to be a head coach if you're winning. And everything you say is funny and every criticism is taken the right way and there's no problems. But now all of a sudden, you're starting to lose and you lose on a consistent basis, and the coach isn't funny, and his ideas aren't so clever. So, you know, people talk about Bill Belichick and being so hard on the players,
Starting point is 01:29:38 but he keeps putting rings on their fingers. So it really just comes down to the bottom line. Players are going to buy in as long as you're winning, long as you're successful. We got a couple new relationships in the NFL. Matt Lafleur and Aaron Rogers. Aaron's, you know, been fairly public on the audible system he didn't love, you know, joint practices, what-evs. Do you think it works? What is your gut feeling on the new coach and the iconic star quarterback?
Starting point is 01:30:10 Well, I know Matt. Personally, he was at Notre Dame for a little while, and I think he's a great guy, and I think he'll be able to get along with Aaron Rogers, okay. The issue is that more often than not, Aaron Rogers is the smartest guy in the room. I mean, this guy blew through the Jeopardy, Celebrity Jeopardy, and when we interview him, I don't know how many times you've interviewed them, but you just kind of are blown away. We end up, Al will throw out sort of like Sean McVeigh some situation in the third quarter of a game four years ago,
Starting point is 01:30:43 and he'll start going, oh, yeah, well, we opened with the outside zone. We came back to the inside zone. And then we hit the little dig across the thing. And you're just sitting there going, you've got to be kidding me. And so there's something to be said, no matter how great a play caller is, you're only guessing, right? I mean, if you're right, 25% of the time, that's pretty good for a play caller as far as matching up with whatever the defense was going to do. The quarterback at the line of scrimmage, on the other hand, is going to see the defense and is going to be able to react to it in a way that the play caller can't. So I think ultimately there has to be that trust and that belief between those two people in order for it to work.
Starting point is 01:31:23 Matt's not a huge ego guy, you know, so I don't think that's going to be an issue. But we'll see. I wouldn't mind having Aaron Rogers as my quarterback. And I think people have to keep in mind. It wasn't his best year last year, but we did that opening night game in which he hurt his knee. And it really, I've been studying them because we have Green Bay on opening night. It really was six or seven games later that you really started seeing Aaron Rogers again. I'm sure you'll do a Patriot game or two.
Starting point is 01:31:55 I noticed a couple years ago I did kind of a deep dive on Tom's stats, and it did look like there was some December decline. I felt Drew Breeze at the end of last year. Last six games for the Saints, I didn't think they were as vertical. I didn't think they had to pop offensively, certainly not against the Rams. When you watch Brady, and you played for a long time in the, league, Chris. Do you see little bits and pieces of the decline? Or is it just guys like me reaching and trying to draw a conclusion that's not there? I don't think you get to 40, whatever he is,
Starting point is 01:32:31 one and a half, 42 years old, and you don't decline in some way. I mean, Tom Brady used to be able to throw a ball about as far as anybody in the league. Now, there are some guys, the Michael Vicks of the world, that really were off the chart with how far they could throw. But you go back to 2007, and some of those balls that he threw to Randy Moss would take your breath away. Probably the one I remember most was in the Super Bowl when they were getting beaten. He sort of moved at the end of the game. They're behind. They're behind.
Starting point is 01:33:18 has. I mean, he's not, you know, he's not that age. But if you're declining and winning Super Bowls, that's pretty good, right? And so I think that Howie Long used to say that as your physical elevator starts to go down, your mental elevator starts to go up. And I think that's true for Tom Brady, too. PFF.com, a charity shareholder. I'm a huge fan of that site, pff.com. I want to go to Baker. I've said this before. I'm not in love with, you know, You know, some of the stuff. We don't need to go over it. You know, Baker and I have gone back and forth.
Starting point is 01:33:53 I do think he's talented. I do think there's some Drew Breeze there. I do. I like the chip on the shoulder. I like most of the NFL quarterbacks I like, got rejected, went to junior college, went to non-traditional powers. I'm not in love with chugging beers as a franchise quarterback, but it is what it is. How does it sit with you watching Baker do Baker?
Starting point is 01:34:17 I've got to admit I love Baker, Mayfield. A, first of all, we went way out on a limb, way before anybody else even thought he was going to be the first overall pick in the draft and said he's the guy. So, you know, we've been kind of all in. And I played with Boomer O'Syerson. So believe me, there's nothing that Baker Mayfield's going to throw at me that Boomer Ossison didn't throw at me times 10. There's something about, and I had a college quarterback that was like that, too. guy named John Brantley, who was just so cocky in the huddle and just believed that everything he did was going to work. And there was no way it wasn't going to work.
Starting point is 01:35:00 And there's something about the quarterback position that has that sort of swagger, charisma, whatever it is you want to say, that in the darkest of times during football games, when everything hurts and you're getting whipped and nothing's going right. and if that guy still believes, it gives you a chance. And I think Baker Mayfield has that in him. I think that when he walks into the huddle and he could have thrown four straight interceptions, one of my favorite Brett Fav games of all time, I think it was the playoffs, maybe against the Rams.
Starting point is 01:35:35 He's already thrown six interceptions, is my recollection. Maybe I've got the number wrong. Already thrown six interceptions. And most quarterbacks at this point are just, they're not going to throw another one no matter what. Brett's back there firing away. They're probably down three touchdowns, and he still believes he's going to win a game.
Starting point is 01:35:53 And I think that the Baker-Mayfields of the world, the John Elway's of the world, the boomer Assisans of the world, those guys really do mentally give you a chance in the worst of times. And that's really what you want out of your quarterback. By the way, Browns are on Sunday night football week three at the Rams. We've got a minute left,
Starting point is 01:36:12 and you guys have at PFF, you have a preseason NFL draft guide. I do not have it. I have not been sent one. And as majority shareholder, you have the ability to send me a free one, and I want it. So give me a minute. What is in the magazine? Well, we have about 150 breakdowns on the top college players already at this point in the season before they've ever even started the game.
Starting point is 01:36:38 And if you don't have one, I'm sitting in the guy right outside this door in a car, driver from Cincinnati to L.A. to hand deliver it to you because you are the man, brother. I'm just telling there's no way you shouldn't have one at this point. Well, I'm a dad of guy. I love it. Chris, you're a terrific broadcaster. Have a great reputation in our business. And you're welcome any time here in our herd studio. Chris Collinsworth. Thank you so much. And congrats on PFF. Thanks, Colin. Good talking to you, buddy.
Starting point is 01:37:10 Good talking to you. He's done a really good job. You know, Chris Collinsworth has worked tirelessly. He didn't start on the A game. I mean, they had him bouncing around different networks, and he's become a star. That guy is, you forget, people forget this about Chris Collinsworth. He went to the University of Florida. Chris Collinsworth could flat out run. Collinsworth was a blazer.
Starting point is 01:37:33 He was this long, lanky guy that played for Florida, and he was like a track guy. And then he went to the NFL, and he was the fastest guy, I think, on the Bengals roster. and he would never guess it because he was kind of tall and lanky, Collinsworth could run. You know what I mean? He was just one of those dudes could flat out fly. And he's made himself into a great broadcaster. Car shopping can be confusing.
Starting point is 01:37:58 Dealer price, list price, invoice, what's it all mean? It means new car used car doesn't matter. Go to truecar.com. Check out their new price. Fees, accessories. You drive to the dealership knowing what you're going to pay. True car. Thanks to Chris Collinsworth.
Starting point is 01:38:14 Hour three, around the corner. Live in L.A. 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.
Starting point is 01:38:32 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.
Starting point is 01:38:51 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.
Starting point is 01:39:24 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
Starting point is 01:40:00 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 on 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Starting point is 01:40:30 Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show,
Starting point is 01:40:54 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.
Starting point is 01:41:13 Hey, Brett. My mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Great to have you and get your free credit score card today. Even if you're not a Discover customer, include your FICA credit score. Check your scorecard.
Starting point is 01:41:35 Learn more, Discover.com. Slash credit scorecard limitations apply. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Lincoln Kennedy is one of the great players in the University of Washington's history. He is now the Raider Color Analyst after 11 years, a multiple-time Pro Boulder, a first-round pick back in the 93 draft, and Lincoln Kennedy is all about the Raiders and all-time, and he is joining us now.
Starting point is 01:41:57 You know, I was saying that John Gruden, when I worked at the other place, was as talented as any broadcaster we had, which is remarkable because he's a football coach first, not a broadcaster. he's a television star, he sells tickets. I think he jumps through the TV screen. I think as a Raider marketing promotional guy, he's been absolutely great. But Lincoln, here's what I wonder. Coaches that have big personalities, Sam Weish, Jerry Glanville, Mike Ditka,
Starting point is 01:42:23 they can wear players out. Are you at all concerned that Gruden's kind of high-intensity, high-volume personality won't over 10 years wear well over time? Well, that depends on the result. I mean, you talk about those personalities, and a lot of the coaches that you mentioned weren't very successful as far as win losses. But if Gruden's way turns out to win Super Bowls, you'll have players putting up with them just like they do in Belichick in New England. It doesn't matter, you know, the personality. All comes down to win.
Starting point is 01:42:54 So I don't think it's something that wears on you if you perform well. But on the other hand, if you're losing football games, that'll get old really quick. In the draft, Gruden and Mike Mayock made character a priority. In free agency, they went and got players, some with baggage. They didn't want stars with Khalil Mack, but then went after Antonio Brown. I think to me, I'm not quite sure the direction. Is it character? Is it not? Is it stars? Is it not? Is that a fair criticism? What is the global point of view here with a franchise going forward?
Starting point is 01:43:29 It's character and it's also addressing a need. The fact is that the money they would have to pay for to keep Khalil Mack. They went on and they got Antonio Brown and Trent Brown, just to name two. And it addressed the need. They needed speed at the wide receiver because they didn't have depth. Of course, they had Amari Cooper, but they weren't really prepared to put a big franchise tag on them and had the issue that Doubtzdale has with Amari Cooper. But they went on the address to the right tackle.
Starting point is 01:43:54 You know, last year, Derek Carr took his leg, took his licks because he had two, mainly because he had two rookie tackles on both sides, especially in that division. So when I'm paid Trent Brown to play right tackle, he'll cover up that spot. That Antonio Brown, the wide receiver, without all the distractions going on around him, I think he's going to be productive on the football field once they get him there. When you, you know, John, to a large degree, this is a tough situation. They're moving the franchise to Vegas. It's not a, you know, it's not the Rams in terms of one of the richest owner in the sport.
Starting point is 01:44:30 He had to hire new coaches. He's got a new GM. It has a lot of turbulence. But I always felt like Derek Carr did feel like, to me, a franchise quarterback. Somewhere in the 10th to 13th, 15th, best in the league. But sometimes there have been stories and insinuations. Gruden and Carr is it long term. Can you give us a sense when you're at camp, Derek Carr-Gruden.
Starting point is 01:44:56 What is the relationship? Well, right now they're happy. Last year was a little bit of a turmoil mainly because Grudon. His philosophy, an offensive philosophy, always had a way to go, a place to go with the ball for a quarterback. He didn't really have to ever have to take a hit, whether it was a checkout or you just throw the main priority route to start the play. Derek tried to improvise a little bit, and that rubbed Gruden the wrong way. So there was a little bit of friction, I would say at times throughout the season, because you would see typical Gruden on the sideline looking on the field, like, what are you doing? Where did that come from and try to understand the philosophy of the quarterback?
Starting point is 01:45:29 But right now I think it's harmonious because, look, they want to believe in Derek because they made him a franchise quarterback. And this year, Mayock and Gruden went out and got him, surrounded him with weapons. Tyrell Williams, they drafted Josh Jacobs, and you know Antonio Brown, just to name a few. And they address the offensive line. So now there are no more excuses. If Derrick Carr doesn't stand up to performance, and of course the business side is what the business side is being last year, if Derrick Carr doesn't perform the way they want to, you know, you could probably best bet. they'll probably use one of those two first round picks they have in next year's draft to address the quarterback situation.
Starting point is 01:46:02 Do you think moving to Vegas is a distraction? It's a big thing. This hasn't happened much in the NFL. We watched Hard Knocks when the Rams moved to Los Angeles. That first year was, it was a lot of stuff. How is the whole Vegas move, lame duck, Oakland, like how does it feel around the team? Around the team, they really don't know what's going on because they've never been a part of it. I don't know if there's any guys on the roster right off the top of my head that were on the Rams roster when they moved.
Starting point is 01:46:31 But that was the most recent move. And of course, you could talk about the San Diego of Los Angeles thing, but I don't really think people thought that as a real move because it's only a couple hours up the road. But for the most part, these guys have never experienced it. They don't know what to experience. All they know is they're coming into a situation in a year or so. They're going to be in a brand-new stadium, state-of-the-art stadium in Las Vegas, and they're going to be in front of the Raider Nation and all the TV for the world to see.
Starting point is 01:46:52 So for the most part, guys are just trying to get their money and trying to get their clout. Secondly, they also want to be a part of the Vegas transition, mainly number 84 number Antonio Brown. He really wants to be a part of that transition because he's all about glamour and glitz. How concerned are you, the foot issue, the helmet issue, how is it not a distraction with AB? That's a great question. I think that when he comes back, you come back to familiarity and things, these are the first time. A lot of these guys in this locker room have ever seen anything like this,
Starting point is 01:47:24 even coming from other teams. They've never seen anyone who had so much attention and surrounding him, and he hasn't even played it down in a radar uniform. I think for the most part, the way camp is going, with the travel that we got in place, they've got to go to Canada next week. They're coming down to Phoenix this week. That kind of limits it.
Starting point is 01:47:43 More importantly, I think the fact that they're on TV and on hard knocks, they could go home on Tuesday nights and watch themselves and see if they made the cut, I think that has something to do with it as well as making the team, of course. You know, it is interesting. When your best player, you know, Tom Brady, workaholic, head down, no drama, Tim Duncan, you know, Michael Jordan, your best player can define a locker room. Do you worry at all, Lincoln, that your best player is dramatic?
Starting point is 01:48:12 You know, there is some maintenance because young players look up to stars in the room. Does that concern you? It does concern me. And I've played with some quote-unquote divas in the past. Sometimes they can get a little bit out where you have to reel them in. But more importantly, it's good to have some sort of veteran leadership in that locker room. And I think that's one of the reasons why they went out and got guys like incognito and perfect and perfect. I mean, I'm not saying they're the best examples by character description,
Starting point is 01:48:40 but they are some leaders that have been in the league that have done some things. So you mix that with the fact that Gruden's tutelage of managing all these personalities. you mix that and hopefully 84 does not become too much of a distraction to where guys want to play. More importantly, I think that once we finally get him on the field, he'll be a game changer and all that will be forgotten as long as you can keep him happy. Eight years of the Raiders, three with the Falcons, Lincoln Kennedy. What concerns you personnel-wide? They've clearly upgraded wide receiver.
Starting point is 01:49:09 They've upgraded offensive line. Is there a part of the package, personnel-wise, Lincoln, that you're like, man, we better not have an injury or, man, I'm concerned. Well, we were limited last year in defensive ends, and, you know, they went out and they got furrow with the first pick. I think he'll be a great addition, but they've got to have every down defensive ends, not just rest specialist.
Starting point is 01:49:30 Arden Key to me is a rest specialist. Also, they've got to find a way to get a good rotation with defensive tackle. If you look at what the Eagles did a couple years ago, I mean, they had a strong rotation with their defensive line, and they could keep people fresh and keep pressure on quarterback to make sure quarterbacks are getting rid of the ball. and not really taking big chunks of time back there. So the defensive line is the biggest issue concerned for me, overall concern for me.
Starting point is 01:49:51 And then secondary, it's got to be the linebacker position, because very thin in my opinion, as far as experience, that the linebacker position. Yeah. Raiders Radio Color Analyst, former first round pick, eight years with the Raiders. You can hear Lincoln Kennedy, Saturday mornings, Fox Sports Radio, 6 to 10 a.m. Eastern. Lincoln, great talking to you.
Starting point is 01:50:12 Pleasure, brother. Thank you for having me. You bet. We'll see. You know, it's funny. It's, there are a lot of teams that you can, when I look around the NFL, I don't think it's a terribly difficult year to predict teams. Dallas, to me, is talented.
Starting point is 01:50:27 They're a little bit of a mystery. You know, a lot of the distractions in camp. Are they going to have Zeke? Easy schedule early, gets brutal in October. I look at the New York Jets, and I'm like, they're going to be in shootouts. Massive upgrades offensively, awful at cornerback. they're going to be in tennis matches, who's got the last serve? I don't find this to be a terribly difficult year.
Starting point is 01:50:51 In fact, I would say the teams that will double their wins are obvious. I think San Francisco is going to double their wins. I think that's a gimmy. I think the New York Jets are going to double their wins. I think that's a gimmy. I think the bottom teams of the NFL this year, I mean, we know kind of Buffalo is still rebuilding. Miami's absolutely rebuilding.
Starting point is 01:51:12 Arizona could be fun. they won't be great. And Cincinnati, not special. Oakland is fascinating, but I think Gruden went heavy offense because he knows we're not going to be able to stop a lot of people. And so they draft the running back. They get a receiver.
Starting point is 01:51:32 They pay a ton for a tackle. I think Gruden feels confidence in his offense and knows we are not going to stop. The Chargers in our division or the chiefs in our division, division, and that's four of our 16 games. So I think the Raiders are fairly predictable. They're going to be in shootouts. Can they win seven to eight of those?
Starting point is 01:51:51 We'll see. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So the Cowboys still haven't reached contract extensions with Daxeek or Amari Cooper. Zeke is continuing his holdout, and there are now rumors circulating to the number that DAC wants.
Starting point is 01:52:08 Now, what's the rumor? Well, you know, it's the $40 million and, you know, who knows where that came from, possibly came from the Cowboys trying to win favor with the fans. Who knows? But the regular season is just over four weeks away, and Tony Romo thinks that the Cowboys will get a deal done with all three. You know, I've been asked this about 40 times today, but all three of these guys, their deals are going to get done.
Starting point is 01:52:31 It's just fun for people to talk about while it's going on and, you know, when Zeek's going to come back. But they're all, you know, great players, and I think it's just a matter of time for they get there. I tend to agree with him. I think that the stressful quote we heard from Jerry, the very oddness about the arm bleeding out thing analogy. Kind of, I think that was a window into the panic of actually having to pay them. But they have the money.
Starting point is 01:53:02 They have $24.5 million in cap space at the moment and an estimated $67 million in cap next spring. Now, look, I'm not a doctor and I'm not a salary cap specialist, but that sounds like a lot of money. and it appears that they do have the money available to pay all three of them. I would put Amari Cooper last on the list, obviously, as Clarence said earlier. He's making $14 million this year already. So that's why we're not hearing anything from him because he's already getting paid. I think you pay Dak and Zeeke. Do you have a small window to win in this league as we always talk about?
Starting point is 01:53:33 And I think the Cowboys are in a great position. You have to have Zique there. Do you really want to go through a year without Zique on the field? Well, if Michael Gallup, Goulet, Gallup's the young guy they drafted out of Colorado State. If he popped this year, does Dallas think we can move off Amari? And just say, listen, we could, I mean, if Gallup pops, you got Zeke, Dack. I don't know that he's a number one.
Starting point is 01:53:58 He doesn't feel like it. I feel like he could be a two. He's a good, but I mean, there's a reason why he went in the third. He's not, I don't know that his ceiling is high enough to be a true number one. I just don't think you worry about that right now. I think you put all your chips, chips in the pot. I mean, look, it worked for the Rams. They paid everybody, and they were in the Super Bowl.
Starting point is 01:54:17 Well, Sean McVeigh is a really good coach. I don't think you get that. I don't think Dallas feels special at coaching. They feel capable. Somebody's got to be special. Somebody's got to be special at some point, like you say. It's like Dak or it's like, I'm not saying that they're Sean McVeigh or their Bill Ballochic. I'm a DAC.
Starting point is 01:54:35 But you don't necessarily need that. I pay DAC. I think you got to pay all of them. So the patients are no longer the sole favorite to win the Super Bowl. Vegas now has the Chiefs with the same. odds. No one's really going to poke holes in that. It feels like those two teams should be favored. But you're not very high on the Saints this year. Or the Bears. They have rounded out the top three of the best odds for an NFC team.
Starting point is 01:54:57 I don't agree with Vegas. I'd have New England one, Philadelphia, 2, Rams 3, Kansas City 4. You could have the rest of the league. Well, Chiefs, obviously, you would have with New England, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Rams. You're very high on Philly. I think they're really good. I don't know what to make a Philly yet. I think right now if you made me make a prediction for the Super Bowl, it was very early prediction. I think if I had to, I would say Chief Saints.
Starting point is 01:55:22 If they got the deal done with Zach and Zeke, I think I would say Chiefs Cowboys. I think the nation's ready. I really believe this. I think it was funny. After the Patriots won the Super Bowl, the next day I went on the air, and usually Monday after the Super Bowl is my highest read of the show of the year,
Starting point is 01:55:35 and it wasn't. I think there's a growing fatigue with New England. Oh, no. It is there. I'm with you 100%. Listen, I feel the same way with, Alabama. That we love NFL and we love college,
Starting point is 01:55:47 but I would love to see, like the Texas Longhorns. I'd love to see them, I think, they will this year next pop. And that's nothing, I'm not anti-Alabama, and I'm not anti-New England. I love New England, because I lived in Connecticut for 11 years. I do feel that Kansas City to the Super Bowl would be a better story
Starting point is 01:56:04 for the league, regardless of who they face in the NFL. It's not hate. We've just seen it. And if you're not a Patriots fan, there's nothing new to see. We've seen Tom Brady be great. we've seen him be okay. We've seen him be all time. Like we've seen everything that there is to see with the Patriots and Super Bowls. Like enough already.
Starting point is 01:56:21 We want to see something else. And that's not hate. It's just reality. And the ratings showed it. And it wasn't just the Rams because the Rams were interesting. The Rams and the Chiefs, I don't think we would have had that conversation at all. Oh, no, you had a rematch of the craziest. The craziest highest rated game of the year.
Starting point is 01:56:35 Like that's, I'm 100% with you. It's not that we're rooting against that spot. NFL's never been a league that needs like a world. series. They don't need the Yankees or they don't need LeBron. But they've also never had an outlier like the Patriots to this level. Yes. In the modern time. Man, could you imagine Chiefs Cowboys?
Starting point is 01:56:56 I think Chiefs anybody? Because all the teams in the NFC I like, Carson Wentz, golf, Rogers, yeah, Breeze. I would take anybody in the NFC and I think the Chiefs would make it. You know, Andy Reed for Super Bowl, you'd have so many storyline. Yes, and we would
Starting point is 01:57:13 love those. Finally, An NFL team that has a lot of buzz entering the season is the Cleveland Browns and an interview with Complex, which was a magazine up until a few years ago, which is transition to the internet. Now, I had a feeling. Yes. That's why they go by Complex Magazine. Yes, they did have distribution till 2017, and now they are online.
Starting point is 01:57:31 I love them on Instagram. Great follow, by the way. Are they on Complex has an Instagram? Yes, Complex has an Instagram. So what do they, what do they show? You don't have an Instagram. I have one. I just don't use it much.
Starting point is 01:57:41 Yes, and Complex Sports is a great Instagram follow as well. And they have good guys. with their shirts off? No, it's not guys with their shirts off. Isn't that what Instagram? It's a legitimate site. Okay. Anyway, they interviewed Baker and he said, I think in the media and everything that comes
Starting point is 01:57:54 with the hype around our team right now, people want to see us lose just because the hype is so real. It went from having excitement over Bud Light Coolers being opened to now people waiting to see us lose so they can say, oh, they got too hyped up. That's why you've got to have an even-kill mindset when it comes to that stuff. I really forgot about the Bud Light Coolers. That was something. Remember, they had Bud Light Coolers locked up all around Cleveland.
Starting point is 01:58:15 when they finally won their first game, the Bud Light Coolers would open and there was free beer. I don't remember that. Yeah. I mean, we tried to forget it because it was just such a bad time for... When was that? When was that? The football franchise.
Starting point is 01:58:27 I mean, last year, the year before, when they hadn't won a game in three years, whatever was. Was that in Complex magazine? I'm sure they featured it in there. It was everywhere. I'm sure we talked about it. But look, the point is, Baker's a little off on this one.
Starting point is 01:58:40 I fully support the Browns being great this year, and I think that they're one of the most, if not the most interesting teams in the league next to the Cowboys. They have a lot of expectations this year. I think the issue is we're all trying to forget those moments, the Bud Light locked coolers for the first game one and two years. We're trying to forget the years and years of dredge and awful football and that whole culture and change our minds about what we're watching in Cleveland. And there's plenty of talent there.
Starting point is 01:59:10 On paper, they're supposed to be great. But nobody's rooting against the Browns. I don't want the Browns to be bad. That's not good for us. You don't want the Browns to be bad. Nobody wants any team in the league to be consistently bad. It's not good for anyone. And Cleveland has this mentality that people root against them.
Starting point is 01:59:25 They don't. Even when LeBron was there. LeBron going back to Cleveland, the whole I'm Coming Home production, everyone in the entire country was rooting for LeBron to win a championship. Well, Cleveland's been the butt of jokes. You know, Saturday Night Live did some pretty funny YouTube bits that got millions and tens of millions of views. And their economy has not been. I mean, you can look up certain things with their economy.
Starting point is 01:59:47 It's not been great. It's a Midwest city. St. Louis, Hartford, Cleveland, they're Midwest cities that aren't, you know, sometimes adapting and changing as well as other places. Some of their self-esteem is well earned. I mean, they've taken a beating nationally. But specifically with the sports teams, it's like you're, that's earned. Like, you've not been good. It's not like you're good and people are really.
Starting point is 02:00:12 rooting against you just because we hate Cleveland. That has nothing to do with it. People want, other than Steelers fans, Bengals fans, and Ravens fans. Everyone else wants to see the Browns do good. You have Odell. Everyone loves Odell. Great fun player, biggest star in the league. Baker Mayfield, superstar.
Starting point is 02:00:27 Already. No one's rooting against the Browns. Now, networks have them. Three of the first five weeks are on national TV, so the networks don't want them to start Owen, too. The networks want the hype train to be rolling into mid-October. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news.
Starting point is 02:00:42 And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. So the NBA has smartly released NBA schedule games next year, and the ones where stars, AD, Westbrook, are returning to their former hometowns. How will they be appreciated, booed, cheered, or jeered? We'll play a little game next. And I could be wrong on this, but I'll give you what my gut feeling. on how all of these stars, there's about a dozen of them,
Starting point is 02:01:15 Kauai to Toronto, Westbrook to OKC, they're returning to their former home. Car shopping's confusing, a lot of terms. Here's what's not with Truecar.com. New or use, checkout fees and accessories before you get to the TrueCar certified dealer. 15,000 of those dealerships nationwide. Truecar.com, new or use car. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd,
Starting point is 02:01:41 weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Great to have you in a Wednesday. We got about 10 more days and then it's going to feel like really football season. So I was driving in. We were going to do this yesterday and I was driving in and I put it down. And yesterday we just got too jammed up. We had too many good guests. So, you know, the NBA is releasing your schedule.
Starting point is 02:02:05 The NFL, it's become like a day. Like NFL will release the schedule. We'll spend a day talking about it. the NBA has done it a little different. They're trickling out games. And I think it's very, very smart. And it is out now, but they're doing a good job of, like, promoting games. Yeah, they leak a few early.
Starting point is 02:02:24 So we start talking about it. And I'm a sucker for lists and, you know, inside information. So they leaked a bunch of games where stars are returning to their former team. Now, obviously, when LeBron left Cleveland, they burned his jersey. Yeah. And then when he left Miami, they would have, but they didn't care enough. And then when Cleveland lost LeBron a second time, they didn't burn his jersey because they felt like he had given them something. So, you know, Cleveland burned his jersey and then thanked him for leaving.
Starting point is 02:02:51 Like polar opposite reactions based on what he had done, the timing of it, what Cleveland was when he left the first time, what they are now, which is they got a championship. So we thought we would play cheers or jeers. I'll give you the day, the star returns. And Joy and I, I'll give you my answer and you tell me if I'm not. So let's start with Kauai Leonard. He goes to Toronto, December 11th. And my prediction is, Canada doesn't win NBA championships.
Starting point is 02:03:25 Increasingly, they don't win Stanley Cup championships. My guess is they give them a standing O. Oh, yeah. That's, I, there's not even a thought. Everyone in that building will be cheering. And by the way, great reception. They didn't draft him. He was traded there.
Starting point is 02:03:39 He was very honest early joy about. I'm from Southern California. Yes. I mean, he said, I haven't done much here. I go to practice. I go back home. I think he was pretty forthright,
Starting point is 02:03:50 even though it always gets a little messy the last couple days. Yeah, it felt very temporary always, though. And what more could you ask for from him? All right. Paul George at Oklahoma City, December 22nd. My guess is he demanded a trade, which forced Westbrook. OKC had to move off Westbrook once Paul left. They're in a complete, utter rebuilding mode.
Starting point is 02:04:13 My guess is he gets some booze. I have to agree. And it's, I don't blame them for it. It's not really, he's never really their guy. And it was kind of a weird situation always. Couldn't get him out of the first round. Fans are a little more willing. They're more willing to forgive when you have championships or a lot of success.
Starting point is 02:04:33 Yes. And Paul didn't deliver there. And then essentially, once he demanded a trade, they literally, it was kind of interesting. Like two days later they were like, all right, we're going to trade Westbrook. We're going to start over. All right. How about Westbrook at Oklahoma City, January 9? I think they'll love him.
Starting point is 02:04:49 I think even though he underachieved in the postseason, I think Russell Westbrook gave them every ounce of energy he had. If there's anyone doing Russell Westbrook in OKC, I think they should take the franchise away. I mean, no one should be doing him. He gave his heart and soul to that organization, and it's not his fault the way that everything played out. You cannot blame him solely for any of this situation.
Starting point is 02:05:13 No, no, no, absolutely not. Listen, there is something to be said about effort. Nobody plays harder than him. Absolutely. He can be a little defiant. There is some rigidity. And he was very loyal to them for a long time. Yeah, he was.
Starting point is 02:05:27 Kevin Durant wasn't. Right. All right. How about Chris Paul, who was traded back at Houston? Mostly indifference. That's a good sound for that. Good to see you. Yeah, I don't think people are doing him.
Starting point is 02:05:41 It was never his team. He came in, you know, he had a chance to be a legend. there, but once he got hurt, it never felt the same. Remember, he got hurt against Golden State in the playoffs? Yeah, and it doesn't feel like it's his fault necessarily that he's not there anymore either. Like he was not there long enough to be part of really... Yeah. He feels very transitional. All right, Kevin Durant at Golden State March 12th. I think you have to come on. No one can do him there. And also, San Francisco, listen, it's a city that's got three recent giant titles. Niners' championships. You gave them two championships. Yeah, I mean, it's much easier to cheer while you're
Starting point is 02:06:23 holding your martini anyway. So, no kidding. There's not going to be a lot of... As your venture capital company became a $7 billion instead of a $6 billion, just cheer and be happy for the situation. All right, this is an easy one. Kyreta Boston, November 27th. Listen, he was difficult. That's not going to be a pretty scene. That's going to be not great. I think he's going to go off, but I don't think that that's going to be a pretty scene at all. I think that's the easiest one to predict. First of all, Boston yells at the moon on a clear night. By definition, Boston's cranky.
Starting point is 02:06:56 Yeah, it's not going to be a good reception. You know, and here's the other thing is that so many leaks said it. And I think there are also people like Danny and Brad Stevens, because they've rebuilt without being, you know, most teams rebuild, they're pathetic. Their rebuild's been pretty good. And so they've bought, they've, they've, Danny and Brad Stevens have a lot of equity in the city. during the rebuild. And I think they're going to be
Starting point is 02:07:21 a lot better than people think too. How about Campbell Walker at Charlotte November 7th? He's a franchise leader in points. He's the only thing
Starting point is 02:07:30 you can count on. Good guy, part of the community. Yeah, that'll be all cheers. Right. DeAngelo Russell at Brooklyn, February 5th. Indifference.
Starting point is 02:07:44 I mean, I think it might be a few more claps than that. There'll be a nice little montage played. He did get him to the play. Yeah, I don't, I mean, they can't be mad at him. Like, that's, and look at the situation there and now. I mean, what do they have to be mad about?
Starting point is 02:07:55 Yeah. How about Jimmy Butler returns to Philly November 23rd? It won't be as bad as Kyrie, but yes, it's going to be some real. Listen, he always made it sound like, and his was weird, like, he always made it sound like he wanted to be a sixer. And not only did he leave, there wasn't even rumors. He just went like, what? And by the way, Miami in Philadelphia, you know, there's, there's. it'll be a little bit of a rivalry.
Starting point is 02:08:23 So he's going to be on a team that is jockeying for playoff position. And also, am I wrong on this? Philly offered him Max, didn't they? They did offer him Max. So he left being offered Max. Right. He just did not want to be there anymore. I mean, look, Miami's a great place to me.
Starting point is 02:08:44 That's weird. That's a weird move. He went to an Eastern title contender to a complete rebuilding job. I understand the aqua water and no state tax. I get it. But Philadelphia. I mean, he's also the guy there. Oh, God, I'm so over that.
Starting point is 02:08:58 I mean, everybody gets motivated by different things. When I drive to the arena, I want to know I have a chance to win. Plus, Pat Riley is a great recruiter. Maybe. We'll see. He's now old, handsome. I mean, he got him there. Finally, Anthony Davis, New Orleans, November 27th.
Starting point is 02:09:14 How is he going to be treated? What? He demanded to be traded. What do you mean? No way. How do you boo him? I got nothing for seven years. First of all, he didn't publicly demand to be traded.
Starting point is 02:09:27 He privately went to them and their management is the one that made that public. What are you booing for? It wasn't very private. Not his fault? Boo! You got Zion, Lonzo. You know what saves him on this? Is Zion.
Starting point is 02:09:43 Yes. Because people love Zion so much. They'll forget a little bit. If you're in New Orleans today, you like AD? I mean, I don't know saying you love him, but like you're going to boo him. Play a nice little montage, give him some claps, thanks a time. And now look to your bright future. That wouldn't exist if he had stayed there.
Starting point is 02:10:01 What would you prefer? Anthony Davis stay there or now you have the situation you're in now? It's not even close. It turned out good, but it was a mess. We can only operate in facts. Memory wore that shirt. What did that shirt say? That's all folks?
Starting point is 02:10:13 That's all folks. It was. Bye-bye. Wow. Now I get to play in L.A. with all the pressure in LeBron James and you have the future of the NBA. John, if you were two Bud Lights in, how would you react? I would boo him. He won one playoff series in seven years.
Starting point is 02:10:26 It's not like, I know he was great, but it's not like they accomplished anything. No kidding. Plus, that's a drunk crowd. They're not going to be rational about it. Come on, John, let me hear it again. Let's go. I don't think they're going to boo. You think they're going to give them a standing ovation?
Starting point is 02:10:42 I think there will be a couple boo-birds, but I think for the most part, it's going to be a mostly positive. They might throw things. I could be wrong, but I don't, I just think New Orleans is just a happy place. I don't think of anything to be mad about. On the other hand, there might only be a couple thousand people there. I actually think they're going to be fun to watch. Did you see Alonso Ball's new tats? Yes.
Starting point is 02:11:08 That was historical. No kidding. Really detailed. Like that, where was the artist? Los Angeles or New Orleans? I don't know where exactly got it done. Holy moly. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:11:18 He had like extensive work. iconic global leaders. Yeah. I don't think I could sit still for that long. No. You don't have any tattoos, huh? Yeah, I do. You do?
Starting point is 02:11:27 Yeah. Oh. I lost a race one time. It's regrettable. Oh, okay. It's not the proud of it. Well, they're very painful no matter what anyone tells you. Yeah, it's not the proudest moment of my life.
Starting point is 02:11:36 I lost a foot race to a chain smoking, Mountain Dew, drinking, McDonald's breakfast eating former producer, who literally has never worked out a day in his life, and he beat me in a race because he wore cleats and cheated on a wet grass. field. Did he cheat or he just had a good day? It felt a little deceptive to me.
Starting point is 02:11:55 They watered the infield and he brought cleats and I was in like tennis shoes and I was doing the roadrunner thing. You were running on your heels? Yeah, spinning on my wheels. Greg CoSell stops by tomorrow as does Brian Westbrook, the former Eagle running back. I want to thank Greg Jennings, Clarence Hill, senior
Starting point is 02:12:12 writer at the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Chris Collins were stopped by and a Lincoln Kennedy haven't talked to him in some time. MDrive, you get older, you don't want age to define you. You want to feel good. You want to feel like you got a little zip. Go to MDrive for Men.com today.
Starting point is 02:12:32 Check it out. Don't let age define you. I take two pills every morning with my little kale shake and feel like a million bucks. Speak for yourself coming up next. 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.
Starting point is 02:12:52 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, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves,
Starting point is 02:13:13 their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice, on the iHeart Radio, app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.
Starting point is 02:13:38 This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games.
Starting point is 02:14:02 This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.
Starting point is 02:14:36 Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.