The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 04/02/2019

Episode Date: April 2, 2019

Doug Gottlieb fills in for Colin and points out that the Steelers have gotten rid of all their noisy players while the Browns have made as much noise as possible.  He thinks the Raiders are manipulating the media perfectly while the Cardinals are doing a terrible job.  Plus, FS1 NBA Analyst Chris Broussard tells Doug why his dream scenario is Kevin Durant leaving the Warriors for the Knicks.  Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to her. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

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This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Welcome in, wherever you may be and however you be making it as part of your day. Thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlie, filling in for Colin Cowherd. Live from Los Angeles. This is the herd alongside Joy Taylor. No glasses. Got the bun up top.

Like a different person today. I'm a new look today, yes. Don't worry. Everything will be back to normal tomorrow. No, it's not a bad look. I didn't say it was a bad look. It's just a different look. I looked up and we hadn't seen each other since the meeting this morning where you quietly came in.

It's totally okay. Doing about your business, taking notes. I passed our wardrobe stylist, Tracy, in the hallway, and she didn't recognize me either. It was amazing. Joy Taylor here. Good morning to you, Joy. Good morning. Man, if you're listening on IHeart Radio app on Fox Sports One or Fox Sports Radio,

thanks so much for making us part of your day. We think we have a great show for you. Chris Broussard will join us. About half past the hour, we'll talk about the continued buddy-buddy relationship between Kyrie and KD and we're the most likely to play next season. I'll tell you upcoming why I think there's one destination the league wants then to end up in and how it can fix so many problems within the NBA. But there is a major hold up with it.

Chris Broussard upcoming. Reggie Bush will join us still, by my estimation, a Heisman trophy winner, one of the all-time grades in college football, of course, new college football analyst on Fox Sports. He'll join us. We'll discuss John Caliperi's lifetime contract. And maybe the most important discussion of the day, I'm not sure if you're aware, today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. I am a huge proponent of peanut butter and jelly.

I don't know if you're a big peanut butter and jelly person. I mean, I don't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches often, but they are tasty. Right. Would you turn down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Probably. You would. Just the bread thing. Just the carbs of the bread?

Yeah, I mean, I eat carbs often. Yes. But, you know, if I'm trying to eat healthy, then I try to like bread. I understand it. But it is a, it is a, what's it called when you have some, like, you know that it's bad for you or not great for you, but it's still so delicious and it's not that bad for you. Yeah. Like it's not like eating something deep front. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches aren't unhealthy.

But they're not healthy. And they're delicious. They are delicious. They are delicious. They are delicious. Anyway, we have some of the best combo. since that's, I think, in arguably the best combo in the history of meal making.

You're going to get some pushback on that. We can have some pushback on it. It can be an open forum. This is, we can embrace debate, if you will, on peanut butter and jelly. But we have some of the best combos in the world of sports, movie making, music. I think you'll enjoy it.

Joy, that's upcoming in the show. That was when you were getting the complete makeover and taking off the glasses and looking like a different person. That's what you guys were discussing. That's what we were doing. We were breaking down all the world's problems and solving it with peanut butter and jelly. Let's get to what I think is the most interesting kind of experiment in sports, which is, well, maybe two experiments in one. The Cleveland and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yesterday in Cleveland, the Cleveland Browns introduced O'Dell Beckham Jr. as their newest team member. He is, by anyone's accounts, a superstar in media, social media, and the National Football League in terms of talent. He has it. And yet it was kind of an interesting press conference. Like OBJ doesn't seem to have the desire or maybe ability to be up on a stage by himself. And so they brought in Jarvis Landry, of course, this longtime friend, former college teammate. They brought in Baker Mayfield.

But they also brought in Miles Garrett, who might be their best player, who was a defensive player. And they had the four players up there. And it struck me that over the last year, the Cleveland Browns have added three of their four best players, right? Baker Mayfield, Jarvis, Slandry comes over from Miami, and now Odell Beckham Jr. As opposed to their division rival, right? I guess there has to be a rivalry. Although both the games, the games are usually close between these teams. Even when Cleveland didn't win a game two years ago, their games for the Steelers, I believe.

believe one was incredibly close. But their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have done the opposite. I'd make the argument that Pittsburgh Steelers have jettisoned two of their four best players and really have lost their three best players. Ryan Seizier, unfortunately, to injury, Levyon Bell, contract holdout, and now as a free agent, signs with the Jets, and they trade away Antonio Brown. I'm not saying that Ben Rothsberger isn't a great player and historically great player and a Hall of Famer, but he's not in the prime of his career.

I would consider him probably the fourth best player for the Pittsburgh Steelers going back to mid-season, last season, before Shazier got hurt. So think about this for a second. The Steelers, who yesterday we shared with you, Vegas put their over-under at nine, is the exact same as the Cleveland Browns, over-under at nine. The Browns are all talent, all player, all ego, very little about the coach, very little about the culture. The exact opposite in Pittsburgh, where it's about Mike Tomlin regaining control of his locker room,

all about regaining control of the culture of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The standard is the standard, which is the, it is what it is of the NFL, right? That's what the Steelers say. The standard is the standard. It is what it is. It's never what it's not. But the Steelers have decided that they're going to do character and culture above talent. The Browns are going to do talent above character and culture.

That doesn't mean that they have bad guys. It's just combustible. And you have Freddie Kitchens who was a running back coach this time last year. Like this is a fascinating experience. Like watching two teams who play each other twice in the same division have complete opposite views of what's going to succeed in the national football league. And as impressive as the talent is in Cleveland and it's in arguable. Like, do I think Jarvis Landry is a superstar wide receiver? No.

But if he's your second best receiver, that's not bad. You got In Joku's, of course, a super talented in terms of upside potential at tight end. And then you have Odell Beckham Jr. And a litany of quality running backs, including one who led the National Football League in rushing a couple years ago, granted suspended for half the season. And he got Baker Mayfield, who has shown the ability to take over room and to lead a football team. But it does on some level come down to leadership. Take a listen to their coach, Freddie Kitchens, yesterday.

Right now, we're just a bunch of good individual players. All right, yeah, our roster looks great on paper. Whoopty hell. All right. But at the end of the day, we better be a good team. And you start building that during this time of the year. And then training camp's a big portion of that. He couldn't be more right.

Training camp is a big portion. Building a team is important. and can you get all of these incredible pieces to work together? We talked about this yesterday with college basketball, which is it's not always about the individual pieces, it's about the connection, the cohesion. Heck, relationships are about this. Sometimes you have two really, you know,

matched, evenly matched good-looking people. In relationships, you can't have one person be a woman, be a 10, and a dude be a 5, right? Like, it just doesn't, you got to kind of both be good-looking people, both be average-looking people, both, you know, the woman should be slightly above that of the guy. That's generally how it works. But you don't have a dude who's got a nose coming out the side of his face

with acne problems, going out with a 10. We all make judgments about what that, well, it's about, but there is something to a relationship that last. It's about a connection. It's about chemistry. The same is true in sports. We saw a play out in college basketball, right? Michigan State last year, two lottery picks,

but maybe there's some agendas, maybe there's some inexperience, maybe there's a roster imbalance, and you don't end up having the success that this year's team that starts a former walk-on at Power Forward and is missing their second best player, goes to the final four.

Sure, there's luck that factors into it, but there's also the idea that cohesion, the chemistry, that connection, it makes relationships last, it makes teams better, and even an inexperienced coach, Freddie Kitchen, who's only been an interim coach before understands that.

The question is, can he create that? And what happens when they hit adversity? Because adversity really exposes. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization that historically overcomes adversity. They stand by their head coaches. They value character and guys taking slightly less money and doing things kind of the solid way, the long-term play as opposed to the short-term play.

I can think of no more, no more two fascinating teams to compare each to each other throughout the life of the NFL season than the Steelers who have decided to shut off Ben Rathesberger from his radio show, get social media out of their locker room, get rid of their most talented pieces. Don't get it twisted down. Levyon Bell is a superstar. Antonio Brown is a superstar. Those guys can play football, but they're valuing character over town. It doesn't mean that character can be talent if they have no talent. But if there's a continuum, right? And on one side you have character, on one side you have talent.

The Steelers have decided to be on the character's side. And the Browns have decided to be on the talent side and trying to build that cohesion, trying to build that football team. And to do so with the rookie head coach, look, John Dorsey's already done his job. John Dorsey is not a guy that values anything other than can you play the sport. because he had Andy Reid to figure that all out in Kansas City. He had a longtime veteran head coach that everybody respects. And if you don't respect, you're gone.

Andy Reid is a legit first ballot, Hall of Famer, whenever he decides to call it quits. Does that same idea work in Cleveland when you don't have a history of success? You don't have a head coach that's a proven commodity. And oh yeah, by the way, look, you're not going to find another Baker Mayfield. and John Dorsey isn't going anywhere. So if things go bad, the head coach is the first to go and we get back on that turnstile thing

at head coaching with the Cleveland Browns. This one's going to be amazing. Do you want me to call it? If I was to call it, I would say it's less likely to work than it is to work. Because we've seen the Patriots and the Patriots have done the opposite of this. Get rid of the egos, the guys that want the money and the attention

and stand by. the dudes that'll take a little bit less. It doesn't mean that Brady doesn't have an ego or that Gronk didn't as well. But it means that the right times they were willing to sacrifice those egos. Brady running the football more, Gronk becoming a better blocker.

And the guys that weren't were gone. The history of the New England Patriots, when it's properly told, is told about building an entire team valuing character over talent, which is what Pittsburgh's trying to copy. Browns are going the opposite. How does it play out?

Going to be absolutely fascinating to watch over the next 12 months. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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.

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Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person

while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of us. of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive?

The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the Aihar Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them?

On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Laila Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't.

Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs, Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning.

It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Let's welcome in Chris Brousard, who joins us via the Cowherd Global Satellite Network live from New York City. Chris, I want to start with this new report out that KD and Kyrie have been in constant communication. As friends, that's generally what we do. Most people believe it's in regards to what they will do this upcoming off season. Isn't New York kind of the perfect scenario, not just for the two of them, maybe, but more for the league?

Doug, it's my dream scenario. And not because I'm a big Knicks fan, but as you said, it would be great for the league. I'm not killing Kevin Durant for going to Golden State and all that. But the fact of the matter is, they just became head and shoulders better than everybody else in the league. and while the seasons are still exciting, the journey is exciting. The other little storylines, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, the triple double, LeBron in L.A., Boston, and all their problems with Kyrie there. That stuff's exciting, but we know how it is. Golden State is going to win the championship.

Next year, if KD. and Kyrie Irving go to the Knicks, now of a sudden Golden State comes back to the pack with the rest of the elite teams, which would include Houston, you know, maybe O KC, Denver, if the Lakers can get their hands on Anthony Davis, if Kauai Linder comes to the Clippers. I mean, you got those teams in the West. I didn't even mention a few others. And in the east you would have Philadelphia, Boston still would be pretty good, New York, Milwaukee,

I think Toronto still would be good. Like, you would have seven to nine teams that legitimately, feel like they could win a championship, and that fans feel like have a shot of getting to the final. So I think it would be tremendous for basketball. Now, one thing I've been told is that both KD and Kyrie are looking at the media in New York and they're taking that into consideration. I'm not saying it's going to stop them from going there, but it is something that they're at least

wondering about and considering in whether or not they want to play for the Knicks. Yeah, because they both handled the media so well. That thing has gone so great for them this year, right? I mean, I got to be honest, it doesn't look like a match made in heaven from that standpoint. That's why I would definitely not recommend that either one of them went there by himself. But if they go there together, I think they'll be able to, you know, handle it as a team. And so, and I'll say this too. And I was a Nick's beat writer for the New York Times, and I was at the Times for six years in that New York Mark.

market, they will get a honeymoon period. The Knicks have been so bad for so long that they'll get like two years where they won't necessarily expect a championship. So the first year, they get them to the playoffs, maybe win around, you know, they'll be fine. Second year, go deeper, conference finals, NBA finals, whatever, they'll be fine. It won't be, I don't think until that third year that if they haven't delivered a championship that they'll really start catching heat. So I hope it happens, again, not for the Knicks, in my opinion, but just for the league.

Speaking of the league, what's the reaction around the league to shutting down LeBron James? I understand that they're not playing for anything, but they have home games remaining. They have TNT games remaining, and the league's biggest name and the league's biggest star, he's not going to play because of a groin injury that he suffered, you know, three months ago. I understand the narrative of shut them down as soon as they weren't going to make the playoffs but the financial realities of it how is that viewed in the NBA?

From what I people I've talked to is not that big of an issue because it's only six games. I mean we've seen guys on teams that are headed to the playoffs rest for some of the final six games. LeBron's done it, did it in Cleveland in the past. Not the full six, but he'd rest for a few games.

I don't think this is that big of a deal. I mean, look, Kawhi Leonard, as you notice, Doug, he has sat 22 games for load management, or in other words, rest. Now, I know he's not LeBron James. He's not the big draw. But think about that. 22 games for rest.

So we know that the analytics are telling teams and team doctors and coaches that you've got to start resting some of these guys here and there. So I really don't think this is a huge deal. And let's face it, Doug, for the league, they want a healthy LeBron James as well. Luke Walton and the team talked about how this is good, not only for LeBron, but for the Lakers, they forgot to mention it's also good for the league to have him as healthy as possible next season. No, I understand that.

But, you know, all those other guys you're going to have in the playoffs, and none of them are the draw of LeBron James. I just, you know, they play the Warriors upcoming at home. I'd like to load it up and now all of a sudden, you go out there and there's no LeBron James, there's no Lonzo Ball, there's no Brayne. I'm like, I paid how much for good seats at Staples and I don't get to see him in the playoffs either.

I'd be more than a little ticked. I would have a problem with it if once they were eliminated, how many games were like 15 or, you know, it was pretty obvious even if they weren't mathematically eliminated. If he had sat down for like that type of stretch 15, 16 final games, I would have a problem with it. But these last six, half their team's injured. The other guys you want to see play with LeBron are injured,

I don't think it's a big deal. And I haven't really heard anybody in the league talk about it last one. Chris Broussard, joining us here. I'm Doug Gottlieb, Ben for Collinous to Hurt on Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports One, the IHeart Radio app. My general take on the MVP is, look, James Hardin could have won it, not just last year, but two of the previous years, two of the three previous years as well.

He could rightfully win it this year, but I don't actually think it's that hard to vote. I would give it to Janice, and here's the logic. The best defensive team in the league, and he's the reason why. They've won more games than anybody in the league, and he's the biggest reason why. And while he's not the player offensively that James Hardin is, as an all-around player, I don't actually think it's close. Like, what am I missing here in that James Hardin and Janus and Tenacupo

are suddenly neck in terms of who's going to be the MVP? Well, I agree with everything you said, and, you know, I'm an official voter, and I'm definitely leaning toward Janice and pretty much will vote for Janice. I don't know what's going to happen in these next few games to change that. And I'm with you on Hardin. I voted for Hardin in 2015. That was the first year, Steph won it. And Dwight Howard missed like half that season, and Hardin kept them right there near the top of the Western Conference. So I voted for him.

So he's phenomenal. The only thing I really disagree with you on is. how close it is. I do think it's incredibly close. But I'm going with Janice. You mentioned the defense. He could become the defensive player of the year as well. They're the best defense in the league because of him.

But here's another big thing that I don't think people are looking at, Doug. A lot of people are saying, oh, the Rockets were dead in the water. They were 4 and 7. Then they were 11 and 14 and 13 and 14. And then Hardin goes on this great 30

point scoring stretch. And gets them back into the race and now they're the third seed in the waist. Here's the, in the West, here's the thing. Why were they in the hole? Hardin was there when they went four and seven and 13 and 14. Chris Paul was there. Clint Capella was there. So he let his team get in a hole over the first month and a half, two months of the season.

I'm not going to punish Janus because he didn't let his team get in a hole. Janice has led his team not only with great individual play but to team success for the entirety of the season full five months. Hardin has been great individually the whole season but he's only led

the team to success for like three of the five months. So I'm not going to punish Janus for being great. Now Harden though, here's the thing and it sometimes comes into play with the Heisman trophy. Hardin has the wow moments.

It's just as simple as that. I mean, Yanis just steadily kills you with his 30 points, 12 rebounds, six dimes. He's not always the guy to take the last shot if they need one. But Hardin has the wow moments. Six games of 57 points or more. What, three, I think 50 point triple double. So that's where he's drawing a lot of the attention and the call for him to get it. And that's respectful because he's been fantastic in the.

individually, but I'm leaning toward Janus because I think there's been, not that Hardin doesn't have substance, but Hardin's got the style. Janice has a little more substance. No question. I mean, it should be pointed out that, you know, whether it's Tray Young, because they play at such a pace, the volume of three point shots that are taking, like, we have to, I've even told you, we've argued this before about the triple double with Russell Westbrook. Like, it's different because there's so many more rebounds to be had.

There's so many more assists to be had because, well, just because of the pace. Joey and I talk about the elimination of the power forward, you know, crees up rebounding numbers. The, you know, the ball dominance of one guy, whether James Hardin or Russell Westbrook or Tray Young, like those guys, even, you're going to put up better, bigger numbers because they have the ball so much more often making the play as the shot clock runs down, and there's nobody in the pain. Let me get two quick things real quick.

Boston Celtics, are they fixable before the playoffs? Man, that's a great question. They really look bad. I mean, we know they won last night, but it took them. You know, Miami came back and made a game out of it, and I know the heater playing for the playoffs spot. But I think they'll beat Indiana, and I think they'll lose to Milwaukee in the second round.

We were talking about Boston on first things first when we talked about Philadelphia, how far they can go. I think Philadelphia is the third best team in the east, but I wouldn't be shocked if they somehow were able to beat a Toronto or Milwaukee in the playoffs. The one team, Philadelphia, I don't think, can be and doesn't want to see, at least right now, is Boston. And they wouldn't meet Boston until the Eastern Conference Finals. But if Boston somehow gets there, it means they've figured it out for at least the time being.

They've got their chemistry together. Guys are honed in on the playoffs. They would have beaten Milwaukee in the second round. And I think they would take out Philly in the conference finals. Okay, I got 30 seconds for you. Same question. Oklahoma City. a team that we thought had an MVP candidate in Paul George,

they've fallen on hard times. Are they fixable? No, well, there's a formula to fix it, but I don't think it's going to happen. They're going out early. Look, you know I'm a Westbrook fan with the triple doubles, but the fact of the matter is, for some reason in the last few months, month and a half, he started shooting more. When they were playing well, he was averaging 19 shots a game, four threes.

Now he's averaging 22 shots a game. And eight threes a game. He's scoring more, 27 points a game. But he's not having his team. But he's not getting the assist like he was before. So that's when they went 7 and 14. Chris, great stuff. Thanks so much for joining us on the Cowherd Global Satellite Network.

Appreciate it, man. All right, my man. What's going on, everybody? John Middlecock with a three-and-out podcast. You like Colin Show. You'll like mine. I'm talking all football. Coming up on today's show, I'm talking Zion Williamson.

Yeah, of Duke. And how he relates to some NFL prospects. The Cleveland Browns introduce Odell Beckham. They're officially rock stars and what to look for and what matters in these private workouts. Again, John Middlecock and the three and out podcast. People freaked out when they saw John Gruden's contract. Like 10 years, $100 million, that's crazy. Well, and part of the issue is we don't actually know how much most NFL coaches make.

And so when you see $100 million, it sounds crazy. one Gruden has said he doesn't make $100 million in this deal. We don't know. We don't know what the back end of it looks like. But even if it is 10 years, $100 million, let's just be honest about it. They had to overpay to get him. Look, I got a story about John Calipari and an offer that was allegedly made by UCLA to acquire the services of John Calipari. And they did the opposite in Westwood.

Remember, John Cala... Remember, John Gruden had a lifetime appointment. When you're on a Monday night football booth, and you've been there a couple years and you're pretty good at it, and while Gruden didn't necessarily give biting analysis, dude, he knew every player and had film on every workout. The guy was amazing in terms of level of preparedness for the job. How well liked and respected was he at the other place?

They were going to get rid of his play by play host because he didn't like him. They weren't going to change out John Gruden. So when you have kind of a lifetime appointment, you're making $6 or $7 million in order to get you back. You got to overpay. And then you have to give a guy the chance to fix things because it was clearly broken. And that's what the Raiders did. So while you can freak out about the $100 million, understand that you had to overpay, you had to over extend, you had to give him some to steal from the Godfather.

Oh, for he couldn't refuse. And that's what the Raiders did. And every move that has been made from the dollars and length of his contract to the Khalil Mack trade to the Amari Cooper trade has been met with questions from people in our business. And look, it's okay to question what any coach is doing, whatever, any guy who's, you know, running the personnel of the football team, personnel department as well as coaching the team. and there seems to be a narrative out of, in terms of words, is one thing and actions of another.

But this is what Gruden is doing. He is, they were tanking. They were shedding themselves of contracts either they didn't want or that they didn't think they could afford to redo in order to get more draft picks in order to sign more players to get more overall talent. That's what they'd done. and John Gruden has used his time in the media to perfect saying the exact right thing, even if he's doing the complete opposite, which by the way is the opposite of what the Arizona Cardinals have done. The Oakland Raiders continued to insist that Derek Carr is their franchise quarterback. The Raiders, by the way, have held a private workout with Oklahoma quarterback Tyler Murray Monday in Dallas.

and that's from NFL inside NFL network insider Ian Rappaport. The workout was first reported by Albert Breer, who added that the staff would then head to work out Ohio State signal caller Duane Haskins. Now wait a second. Didn't the Raiders say that Derek Carr is their guy? Why are they working out Kyla Murray? Why are they working out Dwayne Haskins?

Huh. Now look, it could be a smokescreen. or it could be them doing their due diligence, or it could be what they want to do, which is draft Kyla Murray and trade away or cut Derek Carr because there's not a ton of dead cap money remaining on his contract. And then as other teams have done around the league, or as even the Browns have done, right?

You have a quarterback on a rookie deal, which even if you take a guy number one overall, you take a guy early in the draft, is a nominal amount of money in comparison to Aaron Rogers money, Matt Stafford money. Pick the top quarterbacks that are 20 million plus. That's not what the rookies are making. Look, what John Gruden's done is he sat out and viewed the league and said,

hey, what works? It works when you have a quarterback on a rookie deal and you get a bunch of draft picks and a bunch of talent. And then you load up. which, by the way, is kind of what they've done in Houston with the Astros, kind of what they've done in Philadelphia with the 76ers. Like, look, there's a trend in sports. And if you're blind to tanking and why it absolutely works, you haven't been paying attention.

The Celtics did it. It worked. It didn't work with Rick Petino when they tried to get Tim Duncan. But it's worked for the most part. Now, look, do you have to nail the draft picks and get a little lucky and have the right health and have the right coach in order to win a championship? sure. But the Astros, the Astros did it in 2013 and they've been in playoffs two of the last three years and they've won a World Series. The Philadelphia 76ers were abysmal for two or three years and they're one of the favorites to get to the NBA finals. And they seem to have a sustainable

team and model as they're building around their young core. This is just the football incarnation of it, which by the way is what the Cleveland Browns have done. They won one game over two years and loaded up on draft picks and then found the right quarterback under a rookie scale, and that allowed them to go out and add Odell Beckham Jr. To add a Jarvis Lantry and to add other pieces. But it's more what Gruden is saying that shows he understands the media. Think about it. He's got Mike Mayock who was in the media for his entire professional life and John Gruden.

And when asked about Derek Carr, absolutely our franchise quarterback. when they trade for Antonio Brown and redo his deal, did you know what he did? He went and visited Derek Carr. You think he did that on his own? Really. You don't think that he said like, listen, go over to Derek Carr's house, hug him,

run routes for him, throw the ball with him, he's your quarterback. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals could not be playing this any worse. Don't you remember Steve Kheim, who's their general manager, when asked at the combine, about Josh Rosen, who they just drafted last year in the first round. He's our quarterback.

For now. Right? He's our quarterback. Imagine saying that about your new bride. You've been married for a year. She's my wife. For now. I would that go over at home.

Instead of heaping praise on Josh Rosen. Listen, Josh Rosen's been amazing. Remember, they changed offensive coordinators and put, Byron left which they're mid-season. How about, man, we had two offense coordinators. He was great with both. Coaching change, he's been unbelievable. As soon as we hired Cliff Kingsbury, he couldn't be more excited.

We couldn't be more excited about the partnership. It doesn't matter if that's the reality. The idea that a general manager who hired and fired a head coach within one year is also essentially telling you he wants nothing to do with the quarterback that he drafted within one year. Just shows he has no idea how this job works and how to control the media. Of course, John Gruden wants to explore the possibility of Kyler Murray. He would be a dynamic quarterback under a rookie contract.

And, oh yeah, by the way, really the heart and toughness of Derek Carr has been called into question several times over by different staffs that have coached him and by different players that have played with him. not sold on Derek Carr? Nobody is. You're not? I'm not. Joy's not. No one's sold on Derek Carr. Great guy. Do I want him be my quarterback? Like, maybe, I don't know. But he's not going to say that publicly. What's the win? Meanwhile, Josh Rosen, they can't give him away. Because imagine if you're the New York Giants who need a franchise quarterback to ultimately

replace Eli Manning. And by the way, the Giants are doing the smart thing. We love Eli. like them to stay this year, we like them to stay next year. Do they, do they want another quarterback? Of course they're not idiots. Dave Gettleman is not blind, deaf or dumb. But what's the win in telling the world like, look, we're just throwing Eli out there until we find somebody who's better. It doesn't make any, you win nothing in that. Instead, you go like, look, Eli's a Hall of Famer. He's won two Super Bowl. He's an all-time great. It's his job until he wants to walk away. That's not the reality of it, but that's not what you do in the media.

because the Giants have two first round picks. And right now, why would they give away either one of them for Josh Rosen? The Redskins have moved on from going into Josh Rosen. The Miami Dolphins who need a quarterback moved on from going on Josh Rosen. Like the only hope is that the Chargers who need a replacement to Philip Rivers go like, all right, here, take a second round pick for him or a third round pick for him. Because ask yourself this. If you're that gentleman, if you're Tom Telesco of the Chargers or Dave Gettleman,

of the Giants and the phone rings and says, hey, do you like Rosen? You say, yeah, I liked him pretty well in the draft. You know, we had some questions or some things that we really like. Got to ask you, you just drafted him last year and you want to trade him now. Why? This is someone selling a house that they just moved into in less than two years. Like, well, why would you take the tax hit even if you're going to make money on it and you're likely going to lose money? Why would you move out of that house just to move to a different house? Makes you think that there's foundation issues, doesn't it? Makes you think there's something about the house that just doesn't.

Is it haunted? And people think there's haunted spirits in the house. Is there a foundation issue? Is there some sort of layout issue that you just can't solve? There's something about the location that you're like, I didn't even realize that there's a gun range in the backyard. That's the Rosen thing. you had some questions

personality is he a leader is he durable is he coachable is he likable there's some things you like but now all of a sudden the cardinals not only want to get rid of him but they're not telling everybody who wants to listen we don't like him

we love them we love them which is what the Raiders are doing look it's totally fair to criticize the actions that the Raiders have taken if you think they they obviously thought Khalil Mack was great, but they got two first round picks for him. Bears thought he was great too.

And earlier this week, John Gruden laid out, hey, look at all the dudes we got because of the money that we saved by not having to pay Khalil Mack. And we have the draft picks. And then listen to the words that they have said about Derkar. Doesn't mean it's the reality. It's controlling the narrative. It's not questioning the leadership of their quarterback and not hurting his trade value. which is all the Cardinals are doing.

And if you're questioned about it, we question him, question him on it. John Gruden can just say, hey, we're doing our due diligence. We got two first round traffics. We're always in the market. Everybody's in the market for a quarterback. They're the most valuable commodity out there. You know, Derek Carr is still under contract with us,

still our franchise quarterback. In a stunning development, a guy who's never really run a franchise, combined with Mike Mayock, who's never really worked in a franchise, have used their media background to understand the words that they say in the media actually matter, as opposed to Steve Kime,

who has butchered this thing 10 times sideways. They both are interested in Kyler Murray. They both aren't in love with their starting quarterbacks. But the Raiders understand what to say. Cardinals do not. 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, 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.

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