The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 02/19/2019

Episode Date: February 19, 2019

Colin thinks Kevin Durant is going to stay with the Warriors because pretty soon he can make a real claim that he is better than LeBron James.  He thinks the Patriots having serious interest in Odell Beckham Jr. makes a lot of sense and explains why.  Plus, former Rams RB CJ Anderson talks about joining the Rams on their way to the Super Bowl and why they just couldn't figure out a way to beat the Patriots.  Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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,

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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.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sacks, Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turn, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with the Anna Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. 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 look. local station for the herd at foxports radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart radio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Tuesday. This is the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. We're in Los Angeles on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio on FS1. Joy Taylor is joining

me on a Tuesday. We have, I know it's a slow week. I was, Listening to radio driving in this morning, the topics were bizarre to not really topics. We are packed today. We're going to have a great show today. There's actually a lot going on. There's a lot going on today. And I want to start with something. I can like Whole Foods.

It's organic. And I can like my local grocery store that's not organic. I like choices. I like choices in life. I like the NFL, but it's mostly like the TV show Meet the Press. It's been around forever, regardless who's the whole. It gets a rating. It's important in D.C.

It's important to the country. It's not real flashy. The NBA is more of a reality show. It'll be around two. They're not going anywhere, but it's as popular as the stars and celebrities in the reality show. It fluctuates. And the NBA is a soap opera.

And it's a fun soap opera. And I like the way the NFL runs its business. They're not nearly as beholden to one or two players and stars that drive their business. But I also like the NBA for its soap opera quality. I think the playoffs and the free agency is way better than the regular season. I really do. I don't even think it's close.

I like the soap opera. So let's discuss the soap opera. There are eight free agents. I'm not going to count Anthony Davis because he's not a free agent. So there's eight free agents, you know, big name guys who are going to be available on the market. And I believe six of the eight are going nowhere. It's fun to speculate, but I think Kevin Durant stays.

Kauai Leonard leaning to staying in Toronto. I don't believe all the rumors. Kiree stays in Boston. I think Clay Thompson stays. Jimmy Butler stays in Philadelphia. Chris Middleton stays in Milwaukee. I do think Boogie Cousins, sort of a consolation prize, ends up somewhere for about $10 million.

And I think Campbell Walker ends up with the Knicks. He's from New York. He played at Yukon. That's who I think the Knicks get. And he'll be fun, not transformative, but a good player. So I think six of the eight aren't going anywhere. and the two guys that are leaving Kimball Walker and Boogie Cousins aren't changing anything other than their own zip codes. But let's talk about Kevin Durant.

Because he's really the only guy in the market that changes everything. If he leaves Golden State, oh, it is not the same team. And if he goes to another place, he brings somebody with him and they contend for a title. Just this weekend, he was hanging out, they caught on camera him talking to Kyrie Irving. and people freaked out and are now suggesting it's a done deal. Well, if I bump into my neighbor's wife at the grocery store, are we having an affair? It was an all-star game. They were both there.

It was a hallway. They were walking in it. It means nothing. But it shows you the intrigue around Kevin Durant. Because he really is the only guy in the market, including Jimmy Butler and Clay Thompson and Kyrie Irving and they're very good players. But I watched Kyrie Irving before LeBron arrived in Cleveland and he didn't do squat. He's not going to do anything by himself.

Durant's the story. And Kevin Durant, according to multiple sources, people I trust that cover the NBA, it matters to him to be viewed as an equal or better than LeBron. So if you start with that premise, which I believe to be true, and there's nothing wrong with that. Tom Brady wanted to be better than Montana. There is nothing wrong with that. That's what I like about Kevin Durant. He's competitive.

He wants to be an all-timer. I want you to think about this. In three months, Kevin Durant's going to win his third straight title. In three months, Kevin Durant will be the finals MVP. Now, let's take a step back and remember that he wants to be seen as superior to LeBron. The first title for Kevin Durant beating LeBron, about 10% of you were like, Durant's better. About 10, 15% of you.

But you were very quickly watching. washed away. That's silly. And then last year he won his second and was MVP over LeBron. About 25% of you, maybe 30, were like, Durant's better than LeBron. And that's had a little more staying power, but a couple weeks later, it washed away. This year, when Kevin Durant wins a title and his MVP and LeBron either gets washed out early in the playoffs or doesn't make them, that number's going to rise to 50%. Half the people, are going to say, come on, LeBron can't make the playoffs. And this guy just won his third straight championship. Finals MVP and he will be third straight time. The number will rise to about half of you. And you will not go away. But that's not where the story ends.

If Kevin Durant stays and wins a fourth straight title, and I believe the Warriors would, oh, then the number, is no longer 10% or 25 or 50. The number leans toward Durant. And we have ourselves a second conversation beyond MJ and LeBron. And it becomes LeBron and Durant. And that argument will last forever. Because as Chris Broussard said on our show recently,

that would be territory not even MJ got to. assuming they win the championship this year, I think he should stay for the fourth year and see if they can win four straight because Magic, Michael, Bird, Karim, Duncan, Kobe, Shack, nobody other than Bill Russell has won four straight championships. Why in the world would Kevin Durant

when he wins this year, when he's got the golden egg of affirmation within his sights. Steph, Clay, Kerr, Draymond. Probably don't have boogie, probably won't need it. LeBron's struggling in Los Angeles,

and he will be, unless he gets AD, and maybe struggling some, even if he does in his 17th year. You don't go away from that. And how do I know he wouldn't go away from that? Because Kevin Durant will have seen what happens to star

i.e. LeBron, when you go to the big city and try to do it by yourself, the man he's chasing is doing that now, and it's not working. The soap opera of the NBA is a different strategy and business deal than the NFL. I like both. But let's be honest about the soap opera. There's one guy that matters, Kevin Durant, and he's not going anywhere. Let me shift to this. Charles Barkley took a shot at me. Well, not directly, but it was kind of a shot. He had two strong comments yesterday.

I'm going to read both. The first one I totally agree with. He said this end Tony Anthony Davis situation is a bad deal. Bad look for the league. Kid can't go out there, give it 100% because he's worried about getting hurt. The pelicans aren't trying to win. And you see already, he's had less than three points in the last few weeks. It's just ridiculous.

on that opinion, Charles is right. This is bad for the league. This is not great. I mean, it was always destined to be a little ugly, but it's not good, and I totally agree with it. Let's go to Sir Charles' second comment. I hear all these clowns on TV saying it's great for players getting all this power. What in the world?

That appears to be a shot at me. Anyway, let me tell you guys something. Workers are never going to have power over the ownership, ever. It might work for a couple of guys, but in the history of the world, workers don't overtake people who own a business. Charles is also right on that one. I defend players' mobility because I've been mobile, and I would be an utter hypocrite to come on the air and not defend players' mobility

when all I've done is zigzag around the country for commerce. So I support players. But LeBron is a little like Steve Jobs. Remember Steve Jobs, the late Steve Jobs. He was handsome, dynamic, had a personality. witty, funny, kind of an artist? He made tech cool. Don't think he is what Silicon Valley is. Silicon Valley is mostly tech nerds. Kids who grow up face buried in a screen. Don't ask the pretty girl out. Not cool or remotely hip. That's what Silicon Valley is. And now they're very rich.

Steve Jobs was cool. Steve Jobs was good looking. Women love Steve Jobs. He was dashing in funny and artistic and creative and clever and everything Silicon Valley really truly isn't. Similarly with LeBron James, LeBron's created a mythology that the players bigger than the team and the coach and the league and the logo and it's just not. Remember, LeBron James is political. Kauai's not. Hardin's not. Paul George is not.

Westbrook is not. Carl Anthony Towns is not. Ben Simmons is not. LeBron is a TV mogul. Russell Westbrook hates the media. James Hardin broke up with a Kardashian, didn't want to be part of the circus. LeBron has one-year deals.

Most stars want security. LeBron gets coaches fired. Most players don't want anything, including stars, to do with that. Don't kid yourself on this. LeBron changes ratings. James Hardin doesn't. Chris Paul doesn't.

Blake Griffin didn't. Camel Walker doesn't. Yonnes doesn't. Much like Steve Jobs in Silicon Valley, don't confuse an outlier, a dashing creative figure for what Silicon Valley is. Charles Barkley's right here. Kevin Durant has said, his quote, not mine. I just want to play basketball.

Kauai Leonard doesn't talk. Westbrook avoids the media. Paul George had a choice to be a star. and he chose Applebee's in Oklahoma City. Janice loves Milwaukee and never wants to leave. Charles Berkeley's right about this. Ownership, general managers, the logo, the commissioner, they run the league.

But about every decade we get a player, Michael Jordan comes to mind, who is so great and so gifted, he alters the power balance briefly. But if LeBron retired tomorrow, who would be the next LeBron? Not just physically, emotionally, politically, there is none. Most NBA stars are much closer to Kauai Leonard and Kevin Durant. They want to hoop it, have fun with their friends, girlfriend, family, or wife, rinse and repeat.

Steve Jobs is an outlier. LeBron's an outlier. And Charles Barkley, even though he blasted me, is right. 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. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't really really 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, 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, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30. You shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm.

from navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food.

Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't just ideas, their practices. And this mental health awareness month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Chris Sims came out, was a brief Patriot employee.

He made friends, very affable guy. Any building he's in? For any extended time, he'll make friends, connections. He said last year, the New England Patriots were very interested in O'Dell Beckham Jr. And it was that interest which scared the New York Giants into retaining him. I don't think that pursuit is done because I think OBJ is on the market for anybody who would make an aggressive offer and the Patriots have 12 draft picks. Let me tell you why this is a real thing.

And we all know Randy Moss worked for about two and a half, three years in New England. A little bit of dysfunction proposing to a kicking neck can work in New England. is that Bill Belichick, like all great coaches, has a hole. He can't draft wide receivers. I'll give you the list of guys they have drafted in the last 9, 10 years. There are a lot more P.K. Sam's, Bethel Johnson's, Taylor Prices, Brandon Tates, and Jeremy Gallons. They've had one home run, Julian Edelman.

And I believe there's a reason that Julian Edelman worked. Because Bill Belichick loves versatility from his players. Julian Edelman is versatile. In fact, he was a college quarterback. That's why he and Belichick work. Belichick is great when players have versatility. College-wide receivers are generally college-wide receivers. Most don't even block.

They're not versatile. And versatility is Belichick's specialty. Belichick also lives on the technical minutia and details of players. And that's hard in college because if you're big, strong, and fast, you just get open in You don't have to be great on technical details, which really Belichick spots and lives on. Belichick knows this is a weakness. That's why he's not drafted a receiver in the first three rounds in half a decade. And frankly, at 41 years old, Tom Brady is probably lacking the patience a three, four year

growth relationship would take with a college-wide receiver. So there are three things working here. which lead me to believe the Beckham story is real and the pursuit has not stopped. Number one, Belichick is much better finding his receivers already in the pros. Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Dante Stallworth, Danny Amandola, Chris Hogan, Rishay Caldwell. It's much better at that. Number two is, as Tom Brady is aged, the clock is ticking. He does not want to be in the developmental stage.

with his wide receivers. And number three, the Patriots have 12 draft picks. There are not 12 starters that could make this team. Remember, they had three great draft picks last year, all flourished in camp, and they all got hurt. They don't have 12 draft picks to use. They've got about 6 to 8 that could play regularly. My guess is they'd shop a few or push them to us.

other years if they could. I think this is real. I think Belichick has a hole. Wide receivers aren't generally versatile. He thrives on versatility. It's why the only receiver he's hit on is Julian Edelman, because he noticed Edelman's versatility, and that's what Bill's specialty has always been.

And a lot of positions, you know, he's great finding a running back who can catch in block two and a linebacker who can play coverage or rush the passer. So I think O'Dell Beckham's a real thing. I don't think the pursuit is over and I don't think grabbing a dynamic playmaker for Tom in his final two years with Gronk retiring soon is a crazy thought.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. By the way, Mani Machado signed with a pod race. 300 million bucks 10 years. That's the last we'll talk about the podrays for a decade because they won't be able to afford even bat boys. He always bang on NBA guys when they change teams to win.

Baseball guys go to get rich and everybody's like, yeah, don't get it. I'd rather win. So certain franchises, there's probably a dozen of these if you took all the leagues. If you took NHL, NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball, there's probably a dozen in total of like what I would call low self-esteem sport franchises. They don't have any titles, Detroit Lions, you know, but. Buffalo Bills, you know, Cleveland Browns were big 70 years ago. And so these franchises, if you give them a glimpse of hope, you tell them you like them,

they fall in love. They have low self-esteem. And they're also just willing to give you the franchise if you're great. The Cleveland Cavaliers before LeBron James arrived were, you know, a blip. They just, they don't matter, right? Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, been a lot of franchises, heat that matter. they didn't. And so LeBron chose up and they were really the perfect

organization for LeBron. The Cavs had no history. He was the biggest star in the state. You had a new NBA owner. They gave him the franchise. You're not going to do better than LeBron. And so LeBron, if you go look at LeBron's childhood, it's psychology 101. LeBron is always pushed back a little bit

on authority figures because LeBron had a pretty disrupted, chaotic young childhood and when you do, you tend to seek control because you didn't have as a kid. And that's just psychology 101. That's why people go to therapy based on childhood experiences. So LeBron wants control. And LeBron has pushed back on authority figures. David Blatt, Pat Riley, Mickey Erison, Eric Spolstra, the Lakers now. So LeBron is a control seeker. And that's okay. That's very human considering his life. And that was a perfect relationship to be in with Cleveland.

He would have never left Cleveland the first time if they could get him any players. He would have never left Cleveland the second time if they made a deal to get him more players and Kyrie didn't leave. What's interesting though is Miami and the Lakers are not ideal fits for him. The Miami Heat have Pat Riley. They're the one Eastern seaboard Eastern team that gets free agents. They've had success. They've won titles. They feel good about themselves. They're never desperate. So as LeBron, the Alpha is seeking control and power, Miami wasn't willing to give him all of it. didn't like it. They won two titles in four years, and he didn't like it. He wanted more power. That's who LeBron is. Similarly, the Lakers are not an ideal fit. They're not giving him the franchise.

This is not a low self-esteem franchise. They've got titles. There's lots of stars in Los Angeles, just like there are lots of big stars in Miami. Dee Wade's a star. Dan Marino's a star, real estate SARS, celebrity stars. Every weekend there's a party with stars. It's the same in Los Angeles. What's interesting about LeBron, it's very hard for two alphas to coexist. The perfect place for LeBron has always been Cleveland, but they butcher it both times. The first time they couldn't get him one of their All-Star, the second time he had an All-Star and Kyrie left, and Kevin Love was aging.

He wouldn't have left Cleveland. Cleveland's perfect for him. What LeBron has always been seeking, the Cavaliers were willing to furnish. Miami was briefly, but then pulled back and said, Hey, we're not giving you everything. LeBron didn't like it. And then the Lakers now, why do you keep hearing stories from reputable sources like Jackie McMullen-Worge?

There's tension in the building. There's tension because you have an alpha seeking power in control and an alpha called the Lakers not willing to give it all up. So what's interesting about this situation to meet with LeBron, Who knows how it turns out. I've always felt he'd win a title in Los Angeles. If he could cobble together one more star, possibly a third. And so far it's been okay.

If LeBron didn't get hurt, they'd probably be in fifth place in the West, not three games out of the final playoff spot in the West. But it is interesting, is that I don't think Miami was ever the perfect spot. I thought initially it was, but the more I look at it, it's not. and I don't think, frankly, Los Angeles is the perfect spot. The perfect relationship was the girl he fell in love with in high school. But at some point, twice, Cleveland, they grew apart.

Once because Cleveland couldn't get it done for him and once because LeBron and Kyrie didn't get along. By the way, as far as the Western Conference standings go today, the Lakers are three games out of the final playoff spot. That means if they made the playoffs, which Las Vegas today says they won't, 25 games left, 17 against playoff teams. Of the eight games with non-playoff teams, six are on the road. If they got in, if they'd face the Warriors, possibly the Nuggets or the Thunder. If they got in and moved up to a six or a five seed, I absolutely think they could beat a Blazers. they could beat a jazz or a spurs, certainly a clippers.

I don't think they're getting there. I think they get in final spot and face the Warriors, and it's just quick work. It's interesting, though, to me. Good stuff today. CJ Anderson of the Rams, who's an interesting dude, met him in the hallway before our show today is joining us. Ketino Mobley stops by and Crazy Rob Parker.

Also, Luke Walton was trapped by TMZ and talked about his relationship with LeBron James. There's also a rumor here. The Lakers, quote, privately concerned with LeBron James mobility. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Let me shift gears to Antonio Brown. There was a tweet today. He is with the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they have both decided it's time to move on. I think it's fine. I think the Steelers will be fine. The Steelers have always moved off great receivers, Heinz Ward, Plaxico Burris, Santoneo Holmes. Mike Wallace, they're always fine.

They draft the position very well, just like Denver drafts running backs very well, and the Patriots draft offensive linemen very well. There are certain organizations. Chicago Bears draft linebackers very well. Certain organizations, maybe it's a scout, maybe it's a, you know, their analytics. Who knows? Certain organizations draft positions, well, Steelers will be fine, drafted them in the six round, got 11,000 yards, 74 touchdowns.

And by the way, Antonio Brown hopefully is fine. Here's the tweet. Had a great meeting with Mr. Rooney. We'd assessed a lot of issues. Time to move on. We agreed. I agree. Here's the thing, though.

Once you let business get personal, you make really bad decisions. This is why pro athletes have agents and why actors have agents and why media people have agents to take the emotion out of it. I don't want to sit in front of my boss telling me I'm not worth this and I'm not worth that. Who would want that? In our business, everybody's got an agent. We have to pay the agents.

It's often paying the agent a lot of money, but it takes the emotion out of business. Once you allow emotion to get into business, like Antonio Brown, Mr. Big Chess, Del Demp's Pelican's general manager, took the Anthony Davis News personally. He got fired. Clutch sports. When the Lakers released an update on LeBron's health, took it personally, created a fracture within LeBron and the Lakers. A.B., Mr. Big Chest, don't let it be personal.

It's business. That's why you have an agent. You can't take it personally. You can't let it get into your feelings. You can't let it do it. You make mistakes. You lose judgment. I mean, Rich Paul, when the Lakers release,

a press release saying LeBron will be back here. Rich Paul came out taking big swings, taking big cuts at the organization. We don't give a blank what nobody thinks. We're going to do what's best for him. We're not on nobody else's timeline. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. It was just a random pedestrian press release. And from that, ego, Rich Paul, Anthony Davis, got a little aggressive.

Just got to take a deep breath. what happens now with Antonio Brown because he's let it get personal is that he's now gone off the rails, little crazy town, gone to Twitter. And the problem with that is really well coached teams and smartly quarterback teams and really good organizations, a lot of them have been scared off. And if you're Antonio Brown, I get wanting the money.

Go for it, dude. I get it. But you also want to play for a team that's fun and good and a quarterback who can get you the ball, not Jacksonville. So there's a reason people in entertainment hire agents. And so this doesn't happen. So you're not ticked off. So you're not mad.

So it doesn't get into your feelings. And even if you're in a relationship that's going to be severed, you take the emotion out of it. Antonio Brown. If Antonio Brown never goes to Twitter, why wouldn't the Patriots make a run? Why wouldn't every good team in this league make a run? I mean, there's a reason Amari Cooper was a,

and Mari Cooper is not nearly as good as Antonio Brown, but there were teams interested in Amari Cooper. Why? He doesn't let the business get in his feelings. I think it's a big mistake by AB, also known as Mr. Big Chest. I think he'll land on a team, but my gut feeling is it won't be a great team

with a great coach, a great organization, a great scouting department, and a great quarterback. He is scared off a lot of those. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Hurd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. CJ Anderson's a Super Bowl champ Broncos a few years ago in a pro bowler. He walked into the L.A. Rams and literally changed the offense.

I met you for the first time earlier today. You've been in the NFL a half dozen years. You know, I want to start with this. The running back positions, the only position, in American football, okay, that you can be hit from any angle and it's completely legal. You know, they've always said it's a little bit like a car wreck over and over. You take a month off when the season ends and all you do is swim and cycle? That's it?

After about in that time and then swimming cycle all the way up to off-season workouts when we can start, you know, that's when I start lifting and getting my body back where it needs to be. But you eat pizza like the rest of us. Oh yeah, pizza, ice cream, hamburgers, I do it all. And you gain how many pounds? At least 20. At least? Yeah.

That's a bad year. That's a bad year. So you basically, it's over. You take a big break and you're like, I'm going to be a citizen. I'll do a little spin cycle. I'll do a little swim. I'm going to put on weight, feel good, and let my body heal. Yeah, pretty much.

Yeah. You know, it's funny because you came to the Rams. You got a call from the Rams and you were with the Panthers. And I remember seeing that and I'm like, oh, yeah, CJ can play. Did you, were you surprised at all by the effect you had immediately on the team. It was remarkable. No, not really. It's kind of up and down.

When I got the call, you know, it was another opportunity. I was excited for that. And then when I got in a building, it reminded me so much of 2015 when we won it all the acceptance and the accountability from the locker room. And then there's me being a veteran

in my room alone, you know, trying to help TG and John Kelly and J.D. and a bunch of those. guys. I just took that veteran presence of my experience, because I played a lot of games early in my career with playoff runs and been to two Super Bowls at the time. And I just tried to help out any way I can. And it felt like a winning locker room. Yeah.

As soon as you walked in, you can feel the vibe of what their mission was and what their goal is. And you don't really get that. You know, I was obviously, I didn't get a chance to spend this time in Denver locker room. I was released. And then Carolina locker room, it started that way. But things start to vary, and there were some up and downs. and in Oakland they were already completely out of the playoffs when I got there. And then when I got to L.A., it was like, oh, okay, this is, you know, it changes everything.

When you, it's interesting because you're a veteran presence. I could see a team like New England liking you, teams that want a grown-up in the room. And I don't say that because all players aren't grown-ups, but largely the NFL's 24-year-old kids. And you've been around, you went to Cal Berkeley, you've had a lot of coaches. What about McVe? Is it for a running back? Was it an advantage going from defensive Ron Rivera to offensive coach McVeigh? I think there's a good, you know, I've had, I started off with John Fox.

Defense. And then we moved on to Gary Kubiak. Offense. And then I went back to, you know, I went to VJ, Vance Joseph. And then you went to Ron defense. And then I went to Ron. So you've had mostly defensive. So I've had, I had the mixture of both.

I think like what I saw with McVeyer. Vey, it's kind of like with Kubiak and then with John Gruton, like the head coach's officer minded, but they're in the offensive meetings. They are. You know, John Fox was never in our offensive meetings, you know. Foxy knew the offense, though. Vijay was in our office and meetings in and out, but he spent more time on the defensive end.

So, you know, and Ron wasn't really in our offensive meetings a lot either. So I think that helps, you know, because obviously he's also the play caller. You know, Coach McVeigh is seeing the things, but he's giving us, you know, instead of bringing it down or telling his coach is one thing and then playing telephone, you know, he's telling us what he wants and how it needs to be seeing. And then all of us as an officer unit is on the same pace. So I think it helps out a lot. The game, let's talk two games.

The Cowboy game was interesting because Daleks appeared flummoxed. Dallas, the story came out that, like, you guys were chirping. They were chirping, you heard signs. Take us to why the Rams offense had so much success running the ball. There were signs that you were able to. learn or garner during the game? I think the accountability of our all-in-lawmen took the challenge. I think that was great.

I think there was, you know, during a football game, there's so many plays or so many plays and so many times where you can hear a call or see a call. And if you hear it and you see it, the first time, it's like, okay, but then if you hear it and see it over and over, you know, that's the tell. And I think, you know, what makes Coach McVeigh special is the receptiveness that he takes from players,

you know, myself, Whitworth, John Sullivan, players who's been in this league and have success. And go to the sideline and talk to him. Because we're out there playing the game. Obviously, he sees the game from one angle. We're playing it. So we see it from another angle. So when we kind of told him what we was hearing and what was going on,

you know, and helping Jared in that situation of changes in plays, helped us with some explosive for us. Then in the Super Bowl, it was if the Patriots knew your plays. At what point in the Super Bowl offensively did you feel like this is a struggle. Like we're not moving the chains at all. Well, early, I mean, I think we opened up three and out after the turnover

or just five play drive and then a couple three and outs, you know, which is tough. You know, I said that early in the week, like we got to win on third down. But I think what the Patriots do is what they've done well for the last eight games I've ever played them.

You know, they're fundamentally sound. They don't give up. Too many explosive big plays, which us as an offense, that's what we thrive on. And then they find a way to take some things away and they slowed the run game around, which took away kind of our play action pass. So, you know, you got to give credit to them.

Sucks losing to them. But I've had my share success against them and I've had my losses against them and I just count this in the loss. By the way, you've played them eight times? Eight times. What are you? Right now, I'm four and four.

I'm actually even. Wow. Broke even. So I want to thank you should just thank you. Drop the mic and get the hell of. out of there. Nah, I got to go get him.

Gotta go get them again. Let's talk about Todd Gurley. I had said during the season, I don't believe any running back in this league should touch it more than 18 times. I don't. 16 carries two catches. Saquan Barkley Gurley, Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott. This is a 16 game season.

18's my number. I thought the Rams, not blaming them, but they did not have a legitimate backup overused Gurley. Can we at least acknowledge that physically he didn't appear to be the same late? It's like a pitcher that threw too many innings. That's what it looked like. like to me, am I wrong? I don't know.

He wasn't hurt. When I got there, I think the injury was more serious than what we all thought in the building. You know, and I got there was like, okay, CJ, you know, you're going to play. And then when 30s back and ready to go, it's 30s, which I was like, that's perfectly fine. I get an opportunity to start. Yeah.

Like I've had before, I get an opportunity to put some games on tape. And then I can earn my opportunity and working away in a row because, you know, He didn't play a lot of snaps before I got there because Malcolm Brown was coming in and spelling him too. So, you know, he was on the outside, you know, and watching him at practice and stuff. He looked perfectly fine, but who knows how he really felt. You know, he wouldn't tell nobody that. That's just the type of the guy and the player he is. And, you know, thank God football is the ultimate team sport.

Yeah. By the end, though, you did think he was healthy against New England. I do. I think he was healthy against New England, healthy against Dallas, healthy against New Orleans. You just couldn't run the ball. I just think we couldn't get going the way we wanted to get going. And maybe some things have changed when I got there as far as blocking schemes, maybe. I wouldn't want to say blocking schemes, but rhythm-wise, you know, maybe.

And I wouldn't know this because I didn't watch, you know, obviously I was a panther and I didn't get a chance to, unless they was on prime time. You know, maybe the way he gets into a rhythm was different. Like with me, you know, I can get going right away. Maybe it takes a while to get going. I wouldn't know that, you know, but. you know 30's best back in the game that's my opinion he's been the best back in the game for a very long time and you know a guy who can put up 15 16 plus touchdowns a year is very dangerous with the football by the way the play I've said this before is that I think we forget sometimes the NFL has a playbook now the NBA has got plays and baseball and soccer have plays the NFL's got a playbook you were able to walk into the Rams and pick it up fast listen you You got to be a smart guy to get into Cal.

You're obviously quick, quick, quick guy. Is the Rams playbook? Is it complex? Is it simple? I've heard both because you picked it up fast. I think it's super complex. I think what helped I had the familiarity with Gary Kubiak offense. I think the roots of the Shanahan, Gruton, Kubiak, the roots of the West Coast.

Two is I'm the type of player. I'm a football junkie. So, you know, I knew a lot about Coach McVeigh. And some of the coaches on that coaching staff before I jumped in, like, oh, this is where they came from, this is who they learned from. That kind of helps me, you know, on the deepest side of the football, you know, when you're playing D-Coronators, you know, like Bill Belichick and who he learned from and why he's a defensive-minded coach and, you know, who he takes in from. Or like Dennis Allen when we played in New Orleans and who, you know, the Greg Williams background that he has. And they put their own wrinkles and twists into it. I think that.

And then another, I mean, I played with one of the greatest preparers on the planet. Your whole playbook's open when you're playing with Peyton. And I think that was an advantage in the helping my career, pushing me to that cerebral point. And I also think, you know, if you get a chance to play with Peyton, you know, it might be February, you know, but he might call Audible something way back in April. So everything's open.

And if you can learn from Peyton and if you can learn his playbook, then I think you can pick up anybody's in the league. How far is Jared Goff? Forget Peyton Manning. That's like comparing everything to the sun. But Jared's still an infant. He's a newbie. He's a kid.

Do you think three more years, four more? Because I feel like Brady in the last five years is just intellectually has taken it to another level. He's seen everything. I don't feel like Tom first eight years was that. How far is golf got to go? I mean, he's obviously a nice armed talent. He was a great deep ball, but he's a baby. He can throw everything.

He's close. I mean, obviously, you know, it's crazy. We was talking, you know, right after the Super Bowl in the shower. Me and him was, which this sounds weird, but don't take it that way. But me and him was in the shower. the last two in the shower together, and he was just saying that, you know, there's things that he wish he could have done

when he was reflecting back, like changing the plays. And the good thing is he's starting to see it. You know, now it's the conversation, whether if he can do it all the way. And I think Coach McVeigh will let him do it because he is that type of player. He is very smart and he can't make all the throws. But I think, you know, he's taking that to the next level.

And I think that's, you know, the above the neck is what's going to, you know, push to be the Brady's. and the breeze and Philip Rivers, and, you know, the elite quarterbacks that you see in his league, you know, he has that ability, and I think he's seeing it, and going into year four to be able to do more, and then going to year five,

and then going to year six. So who knows when it will completely break out, but the good thing is he's seeing and he notices it now. And, you know, hopefully if I'm from around again, hopefully we can do that together next year. So you stood next to me. I'm 6'2 and about a buck 93. It's good, man.

I know. Okay, now you are, how tall? 5-8. And how much you weigh? Right now, about 2.30. Okay, so I'm going to do a little role play. Okay. If I was a free safety, and you break through and here I come as a safety, do you get more joy out of rolling over me, putting a move on me?

Like, do you, when you break free, you look so much bigger than your weight. By the way, there's a lot of backs your weight, but you, what do you like? When that box opens up, we have a picture. against the Rams. Would you rather roll a guy or juke a guy? Depend on the game, the part of the game. In the beginning, I want to set the tone. So I want to let you know that

I'm going to come here. I'm going to own you today. Like, I'm going to hit you in the mouth. Move. And then when you come on bliss, is I get a chance to hit you in the mouth again. And then when I get you on that second half, the third quarter and you on your heels, then I can try to get by you. But

I'm not world-class speed. So, you know, my game is getting on edges and breaking tackles and making it hard for you. So I got to hit you in the mouth first, and then it makes the break tackle place a little easier later. No, I think once you hit me in the mouth, I just wave a flag and get hell off the field. I don't think you'd have to fake me out later. CJ, I just quit. You think you could take one hit? Oh, hell no.

In the NFL? Yeah, you can. Oh, God. Oh, God, no. You can't tackle like Emmanuel Sanders or Brandon Cooks? No disrespect to them. Them good players. I mean, you got to catch them first.

Deshawn Jackson, Odell. I'll say this. Okay, this is going to sound ridiculous. Don't think I'm an egomaniac. But I do believe if Brady was rolling to a sideline, I could come and cut his legs. That's fair. Not, I didn't say Cam.

That's fair. I didn't say Sam Darnold. I didn't say Aaron Rogers. But if Tom is 41. I'm 55. If he was going to the sidelines, I could go a forearm shimmy to his leg and kind of roll him out. Would you be mad if Tom face, face, you know what I mean not face, but stiff arm you

into the ground? Would you be like, oh, I didn't expect that? I'd get up and ask for an autograph. He's still 6'4, 225 pounds. Yeah, that sounded stupid. Did I sound like an idiot there? I sounded like an idiot there. I mean, it's like, it's harder than it looks.

They're all really good out there, so they make it. You should go, you know what? By the way, what do you make of Antonio Brown? Like, my whole thing is, dude. this is why you have agents. Don't get your feelings all caught up in this stuff. It's not personal. You made money.

You're going to make more money. I worry that Antonio Brown is scaring off good organizations that are like, dude, he's off the rails because he's a great player. And that he won't end up with a great quarterback. He'll end up with a second-tier organization. Have you ever been so mad? What do you make of what he's doing? Because he's clearly great and he's going to get paid. Should he just stayed off Twitter?

No, I think he's taking control of his career. I mean, I look at it. Obviously, like you guys, I'm talking about it from the outside end, but from the outside in and just when things flurred up, we didn't really hear nothing until after the season. Now he had blow up on the sidelines. I don't worry too much about that. We've seen all receivers do that.

Yeah, I don't care about that. But as far as from the outside end, you know, it was about the team. He never, you know, disrespected any of his teammates, you know, during the season. he kept it about the team of, you know, obviously the last game of the season was that's when things start to take a turn. But, you know, he played for Pittsburgh. You know, he gave his heart and everything to him. And, you know, after the season, that's when he started to, you know, make the Twitter and the Instagrams and the things like that. So, you know, I don't agree with you about running good teams, good organizations off because during the 16 games season, it was about Pittsburgh.

You know, just this last month or so, you know, when they didn't make the playoffs. And then free agency is coming around. That's when he started to, you know, open up about how he really felt. But he kept it, you know, he kept in and house compared to what was going on over there with other players that I would not say. I hope the Rams keep you just so you can come on our show more. Selfishly. I love the Rams keep me because it's fun. And I like what they're doing.

And we got unfinished business, of course. It's great meeting you. Thank you. It really is. C.J. Anderson. This was an absolute pleasure. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

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