The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 04/22/2019

Episode Date: April 22, 2019

Colin doesn't think he's being harsh on Russell Westbrook because he's been right about him the entire time while the media and fans defended him.  He explains where he was right and wrong over the weekend.  Plus, FOX Draft Analyst Joel Klatt comes in studio to argue with Colin about Kyler Murray going number 1 and who the best player in the draft is.  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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Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me. What you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything.

I can do anything. 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. 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 local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we get a show.

It's a Monday. This is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're live in Los Angeles on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio on FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. It is great to see everybody. Hope you had a happy Easter. Joy, how are you? Good.

Happy Easter Monday. Yes, another great weekend of all sorts of stuff. This is NFL Draft Week. an hour from now, Colin right, Colin wrong, Joel Platt next hour on the draft. It's one of my favorite weeks of the year. NBA playoffs. You only have a couple more days to do mock draft. We have a couple more days for me to consume them or do a mock draft. As Joey knows, I love those. You know, it's funny. When you go on vacation, kids are really not built for vacations.

If I said you're going to go on vacation and you're going to take these four little people, they're emotionally dependent and very needy. You'd be like, oh, I don't want to travel with needy emotionally dependent people, but they're your kids, you love them, so you go. They're not really built for vacations. Kids really aren't built for vacations. You want to go on vacation and relax, and if you have four kids and go on a vacation, you can't relax. But you love them, they're your kids, and you do it, and I've done it, and blah, blah, blah.

Same thing in the NBA. It's the right kind of personality that works in the playoffs. And I've said this for years. Russell Westbrook's a stat pattern in the regular season. He's going to win awards. He's not built for the playoffs. and for the third year in a row, I'm not a hater. One of the advantages I have doing the show over you is your fans, you're emotional.

I try not to be. And the story with Westbrook and Kevin Durant had a lot of emotion. Kevin Durant bailed on him on a small market to go join a growing dynasty. And nobody like KD. We don't like that. And everybody's rooting for Westbrook, the little guy who got dumped in Oklahoma City. And we were rooting for Westbrook. and once you bring emotion into a sports argument, you're dead.

I win and I won here. But my show's not about winning. It's about trying to tell you something that you'd ever thought about before. So let me start with this. Westbrook's never been built for the postseason. There's three reasons why. A, playoff basketball is all about adapting. It's a chess match.

It's the same opponent five times, six times, seven times. He doesn't, Westbrook doesn't. adapt. He's a human tornado. He's got one speed. He's a sprinter. The playoffs are about a marathon. Moving this piece, getting this piece. That's not Westbrook's game. That's the opposite of Westbrook's game. He's not adaptable. One speed, 100 miles an hour, he's not built for the playoffs. Very Derek Rose-like. Second thing is, playoff basketball is about coaching. Greg Popovich, Brad Stevens. This is why I always I pick coaches as much as teams in the playoffs. Well, Westbrook's very, very difficult to coach.

He's inflexible. His personality's inflexible. His game is inflexible. He's a my way or a highway guy. I think even Westbrook fans would acknowledge he's kind of rigid. And number three is he's volatile. You do not want volatility. Playoff basketball is all about crisis.

How do you handle crisis? Westbrook's arguing with fans, children, media, coaches, rivals. The three things that matter in playoff basketball. And this is why I sold my stock on Westbrook three years ago. The playoffs are about adapting. He doesn't. They're about coaching. He's hard to coach.

And they're about handling crisis with calm. He's the opposite. He's completely volatile, which is the last thing you want in playoff. off basketball. He's not built for this time of the year. But you were rooting for him because he's the little guy and he got dumped by KD and KD joined a dynasty and that stinks and you like the little guy and the underdog and so you were emotionally all in on Westbrook and it clouded your judgment. I was never a hater on this. It was right in front of you. Look at the data. Look at the numbers. He's the three things I don't want. Can't adapt, can't coach him in volatile. And by the way,

Charles Barkley pointed something out yesterday after the broadcast, and this is the exact same thing. My two buddies, Dan and Eric, were in my house watching the games. And we were talking about exactly what Barkley points out. Even though he's only two for eight, when they were down six, eight points, he didn't panic. He finally made a shot. You know, a lot of times you can tell he is not trying to compete with Russell. Russell is trying to compete with him. here, here, a hundred percent right.

And folks, giving him the most valuable player trophy just enabled him. Oklahoma City enabled him. UCLA enabled him. The OKC media enabled him. The fans have enabled him. NBA media. But you know who wouldn't enable him? Kevin Durant said, I'm dumb with this.

I want to be any part of this. Kevin Durant left and told people it was in articles. It was documented. It was written about. You're enabling him, and the MVP did the exact same thing. You told him by giving him the most valuable player based on a stat, this is awesome, more of that. And so he pads that, and he thinks that's great. But triple doubles don't win playoff games.

Adaptability, coachability, not being volatile. Russell Westbrook has never been built to succeed in the postseason. Some players just are. Some players just aren't, and he's the latter. It's not about hating. The minute you get emotional, it's my advantage over anybody that watches or listens to the show. Because we all know this. We get emotional about our kids.

We get emotional about our wives. We get emotional about our teams. And then we get blinded by it. It's not been difficult to see. He is now, without a doubt, a liability to the franchise. I can make an argument. He's one of the 10 worst contracts in sports. They're on the hook for four more years, averaging $40 million, and it's getting worse.

And he's been enabled. And there's nowhere to go on it. There's nowhere to go on it. Like I say, you can always go hard to lighten up. Tom Coughlin did that with the New York Giants. He was a hard ass, then he lightened up. And the players bought in. You can't go soft and enabling ice cream for breakfast and then come in and go,

no way, we're all eating. And the kid just roll their eyes at dad. and mom and laugh. Once you enable somebody, you cannot get strict. You can't. You can be rough on people, Belichick, Tom Coughlin, and lighten up. That works. The opposite does not. Oklahoma City is absolutely trapped. You pick the wrong guy and you've enabled him and this is what you're left with. There are four teams in the NBA, I think. Four or five teams in the NBA. that have multiple all-stars. They're all flying through the playoffs except one.

OKC. Let me shift to this. This story is just crazy. Come Thursday, the NFL draft, there's going to be one overriding story who's getting Tyler Murray. It's mostly a defensive draft with a bunch of interior linemen and pass rushers, outside of Nick Bosa. You know, you didn't watch a ton of them play a bunch of games.

So, you know, the reality of that. this Thursday's draft. If you're a diehard draft fanatic like I am, I'm going to love it. But last year was all about quarterbacks and Baker and Donald and Rosen and Lamar and Josh. It was like, oh, I got quarterback. This year it's about interior defensive linemen, except Kyler Murray. And I told you last week, I would not draft Kyler Murray. I would stay with Josh Rosen and go get the best players in the first round, the second round, the third round. He may go play baseball. I think he's too small. I do that. think he's a first-round quarterback talent, but I would stick with Rosen.

There's a story now, the Arizona Cardinals from Pete Priscoe of CBS, a dependable guy, he's well-sourced. Arizona's decided they're not going to draft Kyler Murray. And I'll tell you why I like what they're doing here. If you look at the six or seven teams in this league, that I trust, that I think the front office really knows what they're doing, New England, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Rams, Chargers, Chiefs. The teams I really think know what they're doing. They have a very simple formula. Get your franchise quarterback, protect your franchise quarterback,

and then draft guys that can get their quarterback. It's real simple. So they got Josh Rosen. They've got number one done. What I think they should do with their number one pick is get Nick Bosa, the best pass rusher in college football. That would take care of things. three. So they'd have one finish, get the quarterback, and they'd have three finalize, get guys

who attack the quarterback. And then with the number one pick in the second round, they'll have the first pick in the second round, go get the Mississippi State Center or the kid from North Carolina State, the best two centers. And then you'd solve number two. And then in two years, you would have solved one, two, and three. And by the way, the first pick in the third round, There's a great guard from Oklahoma that's projected to go top of the third. Go get him. And then you will have solved one last year, two and three in this draft. Elite players, one, two, three.

Listen, this is nothing against Kyler Murray. But this league is not complicated. The same teams and the same GMs and the same coaches are winning every year. The formula, like the same formula on Wall Street, the same formula on Main Street. get your quarterback, get guys to protect him, and then get guys to attack their quarterback. You got number one last year, you can fill out two and three this year. It's a great draft for pass rushers, Nick Bosa, you'll get the best one. It's an exceptional draft for offensive linemen.

You're going to have number one pick in the second round, number one pick in the third round. You can go get a starting offensive lineman with both of those picks. but if you start over with Kyler Murray, you're going to have a new offense, a new game plan, your worldview is going to have to change, and I think you're kind of back to step one. Because you're not going to get a world-class pass rusher in the second round. All right? So to me, I like the story I hear today. It's a confusing story.

I've always kind of felt they're probably going to go to Kyler Murray. It's not what I would do. but according to the stories today, Pete Prisco says, no, they're going to keep Josh Rosen. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox 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 Slice comes in.

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

Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped.

up in the chase, that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about 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. 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 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. life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart 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 Lela 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. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. 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. By the way, Damien Lillard had 17 points in the second half. Westbrook had won. So you'd think he'd be, you know, a little humble. Never fails. He's not.

So after the game, there was an incident where Paul George is one of the best guys in the league. He's one of the nicest guys in the league. Everybody likes Paul George. He is now apparently hitched his wagon to Damien, excuse me, to Russell Westbrook. He's going to do the same, you know, kind of nonsense post game. I think it's a big mistake by Paul George. I think people like Paul George. I think Westbrook's become Bitcoin, unstable and a bad investment.

I don't think there's any question that Oklahoma City, the owner is going to have to write a $65 million check salary cap issues. He's being rewarded with a third straight first round playoff exit. I don't know any billionaires, but I'm just going to guess on this one. They don't like writing $60 million checks and not getting anything of substance in return. It's going to go with that right there. I don't know that to be true, but I'm thinking it is. I think Oklahoma City would bail tomorrow on Westbrook. His contract for the next four years average is about $40 million. He can't. shoot it's getting worse he's on the back nine of his career and so there was this uh last game

a couple days ago this last night after the game game three couple days ago paul george westbrook dealing with the oklahoma city by the way this is dealing with the oklahoma city media which is overwhelmingly in westbrook's corner very trammel with the oklahoma and russell the first half both teams struggled offensively as a sort of a slug of a game both teams got going in the second half what happened that sort of reversed reverse the tone of this game. Next question. Steve Kerr came out.

Steve's Kerr, coach of the Warriors, former player and broadcaster and general manager, is overwhelmingly pro-NBA player. He is the ultimate player's coach. And he came out and he said, we've got to be careful as a league. This is dangerous. We're in a good place. Fans love the game. They love the connection they feel to the players.

It's important for the players to understand that it's a key dynamic to this league. I don't think this is a healthy dynamic. Of course it's not a healthy dynamic. If Tom Brady was doing that every single day to the media, or if Peyton Manning and his prime was, or Patrick Mahomes, or Bryce Harper or Mike Trout, this is not what you want. And it's unfortunate that Paul George is buying into the oddness and strangeness of Russell Westbrook. I mean, just to give you an example, we've reached the tipping point with Westbrook,

where you can no longer constantly defend him, even if you cover him, you lose credibility. Royce Young is like Mr. Westbrook fan. He covers the thunder. Even he put this on Twitter. He goes, as a blazer checked in this weekend, the assistant told him, chief, don't help on Russ. Let him shoot. I mean, now that's the Oklahoma City media. They're starting to turn on him.

The fans during the game with Westbrook, they started grumbling and booing him. So Russ has been enabled and he's rigid. What happens now when people start turning on him? I think this is a big mistake for Paul George. You've got a great reputation. You're coachable. You work your tail off. You're likable.

Russell Westbrook right now is not somebody you want to be associated with. Look at his contract next four years. 38, 41, 44, and 47 million. That's an awful contract. And Oklahoma City is trapped and they've enabled him. Paul George, choose wisely in this league. Choose your agent. Choose your team.

Choose your friends. choose your enemies, choose your allies carefully. It's a bad look, and Steve Kerr nailed it. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Every Monday at this time, listen, I have a lot of opinions, and I felt years ago that I would buy more credibility with you, the audience. If I admit every Monday at this time, we make a lot of mistakes. Things don't always go our way. We call it where Colin is right, where Colin is wrong.

Here we go. Where Colin was right? Well, Russell Westbrook. I didn't buy him three years. ago, I wasn't a hater. I just don't think he's built for the playoffs. He's non-adaptable, and I think that's what the playoffs are all about. I think he's got a certain rigidity that it's fine in the regular season. I think he's a bit of a stat patter, but I never bought into the MVP because of the triple double. I don't think that makes you valuable. It just makes you talented.

He's shooting 36% in the series, but still taking 20 shots a game. For a while this regular season, he scaled back on the shots, but he becomes Westbrook. Points, rebounds, assists are all down in the playoffs. I think he's just too fragile to rely on emotionally. I think he's a remarkable talent. I'd vote him into the Hall of Fame. There is an Iverson quality that I enjoy. Iverson got to won finals. But in the end on this, I've been more right than wrong that I don't think you can build around him. I don't think he's a number one. I think he's wildly entertaining. He's worth the price of admission. But right now, I don't think he's worth the price of his contract. Where Colin was wrong. You know, I said throughout the course of the year, I didn't buy Denver

and I didn't buy Toronto. Now, Orlando is a really weak playoff team, but the one thing I like about Toronto, we all knew that after the Derozen trade, Kauai Leonard's better than Derozen, so they upgraded. But my whole thing with them is I could never trust a team where Kyle Lowry was your second best player.

Well, he's not anymore. Pascall Seacum is their number two guy. He's an emerging young star. Fred Banfleet is playing his butt off and gets real minutes and can score. and Kyle Lowry sometimes is irrelevant. I mean, it feels like the fourth best player on the team. They've got size.

And by the way, in the second half of the season, Say Occam average 20 a game, seven rebounds, and shot almost 55%. So Lowry now is not the guy they depend on because I just don't think Kyle's the kind of guy that I trust in the playoffs. And Toronto, not that I... Can they get past Philly?

I don't think they're good enough to get to the finals, but with the emergence of their young players, I think they're tougher than I thought two months ago. Where Colin was right? I never bailed on the Celtics. I kept hearing, oh, they're struggling in the regular season. And I kept saying, listen, they've got ingredients that will prevail in the playoffs. They've got a great head coach who's good situationally.

They've got one of the best closers in the world in Kyrie Irving, and they've got playoff experience. I don't give a rip if in Tuesday night in January, they go to Memphis and get blown out. The playoffs are all about ingredients, and they've got the three key ingredients you need to advance in the playoffs. Great head coach, great closer offensively, and experience in these crisis games. By the way, they hadn't won four straight since January. Now they go to the playoffs and win four straight. I never sold my Celtic stock and seemingly everybody else did. Where Colin was wrong. I can take a right for this, but I'll take a wrong. Russell Wilson did sign a contract last week,

long term, very expensive to stay with the Seahawks. I told you a month ago, I had heard that he was willing to leave His wife, Sierra, and him, like the idea of New York for her career. And then he made up kind of a make-believe deadline and the Seahawks folded because my belief is because they knew he was not bluffing. But since he signed, I'll take a wrong. I think Seattle made the right move. I do worry about Seattle going forward because unlike Green Bay with Aaron Rogers contract, I think there's a lot of really, really good young Packer players going forward. I don't know of Seattle.

They don't have a lot of draft capital. I do not know if they're well positioned going forward, but you have to pay Russell Wilson. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Next to Steve Young, he may be the most undervalued great quarterback of my lifetime. I'll take a wrong on that. Where Colin was right? I said, John Gruden's a TV analyst for the last decade.

I'm not sure he's a head coach, and the dysfunction with the Raiders continues. It's Barnum and Bailey. So a story last Friday, the Raiders and Gruden sent their scouts home pre-draft. Reportedly, he doesn't trust them. My question is, how does a story like this leak? I mean, that shows me the dysfunction. That story should not leak that Gruden's having trust issues.

I talked to an NFL coach over the weekend that told me the Trent Brown left tackle contract is one of the biggest eye rolls in the NFL. They're paying him double what he's worth. I feel the Raiders are making things up kind of as they go. If they draft Kyler Murray, all bets are off. Then it's officially put the tent on this team and play the clown music. But the dysfunction is, listen, you cannot be out of any business like the NFL. Baseball maybe. But football changes like annually.

You can't be out of a business like this or tech for 10 years. The Raiders look like they're kind of a circus. Where Colin was wrong. I kind of bought into the rumors eight weeks ago that Kyler Murray was going to go number one. I mean, he fits Cliff Kingsbury. O-line's bad. He's a run-around quarterback, but stories this weekend by CBS's Pete Priscoe say

the ownership pushed for him initially. They're having trouble selling tickets, and they thought if they put his name out there, they could sell some tickets. But I'm told, said Priscoe, they're going in a different direction. They're not going to draft Kyler Murray. Listen, I bought into it. I mean, listen, if you're asking me what I would do,

I'd stay with Josh Rosen. But you can make an argument, and I kind of bought into it, that the offensive line so bad, In a division where you're going to have to score points, Kyler Murray can add lib his way out of the protection issues. And Kingsbury, you've got to give the franchise to him because if he doesn't work, everybody gets fired.

But Pete Priscoe's saying they're not moving. Where Colin was right? Jay Glazer reporting something we have been banging on. Twitter is not your friend, athletes and media members. According to Jay Glazer in the athletic, I was in a general manager's office a couple years ago and he said, Jay, you got to see this. This kid said the dumbest stuff you could ever imagine on social media. I'm not going to repeat the language he was using, but they were all laughing saying,

well, this blankety blanks off our board. Glazer is noting now that NFL teams are hiring firms to rake over social media and they're moving players off their board and down their board based on social media posts. folks, Twitter's a loaded gun. Be very careful with it. I have twice in my career said no to hiring somebody because I went to their Twitter account. Jay Glaze reporting what we've been warning you about.

It ain't your friend. It's a loaded gun and be very careful using it. It can do far more harm than it can't good to your career. Where Colin was wrong. Yeah, the Utah Jazz haven't even been competitive. I said before the playoffs, I thought, I know they don't have enough great shooters to win the title, but I think maybe they're the fifth best team in the playoffs.

You know, after Golden State, Houston, maybe Philly, Milwaukee, Boston. I mean, they've been blasted twice. They got a huge break the other day. James Hardin went 0 for 15 in Utah, and they still won. They're now struggling to hit free throws. Listen, they've always been a flawed basketball team. Donovan Mitchell's a great kid and a great young player. Joe Engel's going to hit a three for you.

They just don't have enough shooters. Ricky Rubio can't shoot. They just simply do. not have enough shooters. But this series has not really been remotely competitive. And my guess here, Houston wins it in a sweep, and it actually shocks me. Where Colin was right? I've been saying in the last couple weeks, we've got to admit it now that Kevin Durant's

the best basketball player in the world. He had 33 points yesterday. In his last two games, he's had 38 and 33. He's shooting almost 60%. He's hitting 93% on free throws. To me, I don't even know why there's pushback. I think he has now become easily. the player in the world you'd want with a minute left.

And on the defensive end, if it was him or LeBron with a minute left in the game, I think he's the better defensive player. I think he's the great shot maker in the NBA for the last several years. He's an automatic two, and he's a very high three and 90% from the free throw line. Remember what he said last week? I loved it. I'm not going to get in the way of the game because, you know, I want to have a little back and forth with Patrick Bedley.

I'm Kevin Durant. You know who I am. That's funny. And finally... Where Colin was right. The Arizona Cardinals released a 2019 hype video last Thursday. Joy and I noted that they had 16 quarterbacks in the hype video except Josh Rosen. 43 minutes later, the Arizona Cardinals, after listening to our show clearly, edited the video.

and now Josh Rosen was sprinkled in their hype video. Well, they released the second video with their away games, and it conveniently had some splashes of Josh Rosen in there. So we're going to just assume that they updated it before they posted it, yeah. Arizona. Could you put your arms just around Josh Rosen a little? I just don't know why it would hurt to have him in there. It makes no sense to me.

Could you give the kid? How about give them a free spa treatment for the week? weekend. Could you just love Josh Rosen? Give him a hug once in the past three months. A little love? Can't even put him in the eye video. God! 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 the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClyce on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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. Trip 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, Keer 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 our meaning,

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 the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin' this plant 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle 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 Layla 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. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face like.

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 like 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. All right, John. Cole Clat joining us. You were drafted by the Padres back in 2011. 2000.

What am I saying? 2011? 2000. And 11th round, my bad. There you go. There you go. You were also played college football in Colorado. So you and Kyler Murray have a lot in common. You kind of flaky. Can't figure out your sports. Oh, wow. Okay. Great. This is the direction it's going to go. Here we go. Here we go. So you guys are like, I like this. I like this. Pick a lane. It's tough to be gifted at two different things. All you can do is blab. But that's fine. Okay. Go ahead. Hey, blab and journalism, two lanes.

Big J. Journalism. So the point is that Kyler Murray, why am I going to draft Kyler Murray number one? Give away Josh Rosen. He gets banged in the leg a couple times, goes, I'm out baseball. He's not going to do that. He's made it abundantly clear that he's done with baseball. Oh, really? Where?

Several different times. Equally from his own mouth, he said, yeah, I'm done with baseball. He paid back the $1.5 million of the bonus. In fact, he had offers from the A's after his Heisman win. that said, hey, we're going to give you $10 more million to come and give up football and come be in Oakland A. And he said, no, thanks. He said no thanks several different times, including even playing last year to begin with. I don't think he would have played last year unless he not only loved football, but thought there was a future there. And you have to give him this.

He is really smart. He understands the math of the situation. It is way more lucrative, way more lucrative to be an NFL starting quarterback. than it is to be a draft pick playing baseball trying to make it. Now, you can all disagree and point to the, you know, Bryce Harper contracts and Nolan Aronado contracts out there and the Mike Trout contracts, but those are so few and far between. All you have to do is actually look at the data.

And if you went back all the way to 2004, and you said, what is the top position player drafted out of college baseball get during his career versus the top quarterback selected in the NFL draft? And you would see that going back to 2004, There are only two quarterbacks that made less in their career than the top baseball draft pick from a position player standpoint in that draft. Only two, Jamarcus Russell and E.J. Manuel are the only two they got passed by, I believe it was the third basement for the Cubs. Chris Bryant and Matt Wheaters were the only two that made more in their career playing baseball. I'm here to tell you it's way more lucrative.

Kyler knows what he's doing. He's a football player and he's going to Arizona. So the NFL is, you know, you're our lead college football analyst, so let me tell you how I have the NFL works. Oh, okay, please. Big J. journalism on me right here. Let's sit back and learn something. Let's do it. Okay.

It is a comfy couch. So the NFL, here's the rule. Get your quarterback. Yeah. Protect your quarterback. Yep. And draft guys that can get their quarterback. That's kind of what Chris Ballard, Howie Roseman, Bella check.

Yeah. It's kind of a simple league. So you got Josh Rosen. I can take Nick Bosa. That takes care of three. Oh, so you think one is done. You think you've got the. They've got their quarterback.

I can get, why would I take, I can go get the best pass rusher, arguably. Well, a great pass rusher doesn't do anything for you unless you've got the quarterback position set. Okay. But if I feel I do. I mean, what is Vaughn Miller done for Denver now that their quarterback position's in flux? Because their offensive line. Let me answer that.

Nothing. He's done nothing. Okay. So I would argue Arizona's not done with number one. Okay. But you're going down to two and three. We need to stop at one. Denver doesn't have one or two figured out.

They got number three. So they have to get the quarterback. I believe Josh. But you went to three with. Arizona right? Well, time out. They got number one done. You said go get Bosa. You think number one is done? I think Josh Rosen's a guy

in the next 10 years. Okay, this is not a knock on Josh, but don't you think fit has a lot to do with it as well? Unless you're a generational talent like an Aaron Rogers who can probably make it work with just about any coordinator attitude aside. I'm just talking about skill level.

Fit has a lot to do with it now. I mean, the style of quarterback that you have versus the style of coach you are, has a ton to do with whether you and your team are successful. Let me just tell you this right now. I think Josh Rosen will be successful in the NFL. It's not going to be with Cliff Kingsbury. Why? Because I think there are oil and water, not personality-wise, but from a schematic standpoint.

Sit back. Hold on. Let me educate you for a second. Josh Rosen is a black and white type quarterback. He wants to know the why. He's very cerebral. He wants to know why things are happening. the details of the offense. Where's the timing of the mechanism of the concept? Which defender are we

bracketing? How are we attacking that? Where's my base three-man progression? Where do I go for an alert, so on and so forth? That's not technically the offense that Cliff Kingsbury has. See, Cliff cut his teeth under Mike Leach. Now, this is not the pure air raid that Cliff has, but that offense, going back to Howell Mummy and Valdosta State and Mike Leach and Kentucky and all those places, it's a gray area offense. Your quarterback has to be very fluid in the type of reads that he makes. It's very much like basketball. You've got to be a point guard.

It's very fluid. There's not set in stone details. We're going to read the progression to green grass. You hear this a lot from those type of offenses. We're going to attack the space to the defense. What does that mean? How do you do it? Where do you bracket it?

Well, we're going to do it with fluidity, with adjustment of routes. That's why there's so few concepts and so many adjustments off of it. I'm telling you that Kyler's much more suited and a better fit for Cliff than Josh. That's not a knock on Josh. In fact, Josh is going to be very successful if and when he gets to a place where he can run a black and white offense where the detail is the king of the offense. All right. So Nick Bose is out there.

You're just going to give up the best pass rusher in five years. Let him go to somebody else. I just told you why. Because you said, bring up the graphic in. Collins points, one, two and three. Get a quarterback. Protect him. You got to get a quarterback.

I'm just telling you that you've got to do one before you do two and three. You don't have to. You can build your O line until you get your quarterback. You can't put drywall up without framing. Colin? Did my second house. Well, that's why it fell over. It wasn't perfect, but it worked.

That's why it fell over. I'm just telling you, I don't think it's a prerequisite, right? You can't just say, okay, how do we get these three elements in in what order? The order has to be right. You've got to go one, two, and then three, I think. I think. So I think you're wrong. I think Arizona needs to draft Kyler.

I think the reports out there that they're not going to draft him are erroneous and false. I think that they're doing that to increase Rosen's draft stock. He's a baseball player. What do you mean he's a baseball player? I'm not a big, you know, baseball. How many times has he had an opportunity to play baseball for millions of dollars and turned it down? I can count at least three. All right, let's move to something else.

You better. Getting trounced. Right. Real quick here. Speechless over there, Joy. Okay. So I said that too. I'm not going to go out in the weeds.

This draft's built for me. It's not built for the viewing public. I love this draft. You do. Oh, I love it. It's a bunch of... Because it's a meat and potatoes dress. Oh, I love it.

Last year was all flash and nonsense and crotch-grabbit. I'm not into that stuff. I'm into interior linemen. Who's the best player in the draft? And don't give me Kyler Murray. No, I won't. Who's the best player in the draft? Your boy, Nick Bosa.

Who's the second best player? Quinn and Williams, the defensive line from Alabama. I would flip those two, but I think those are the two best players. Yeah, that's fine. I think a lot of teams have them. them one and two in whatever order they want. For me, it's Boza because he's more impactful. Yeah, it's a good argument.

From a get to the quarterback, create turnover standpoint, not that Williams is not impactful. These two are the class, the prize of the draft, no doubt. Every source I have, every scout I've talked to has said Quinn and Williams, Alabama, Nick Bosa are the best players in this draft. No doubt. I think that they are as good of defensive linemen slash power. rushers that we've had maybe in two, three, maybe four years come into the draft? Let me ask you this with my expertise in the NFL.

Let's say Arizona passes on Kyler Murray. Oakland's probably the next team at four that would consider him. Does Gruden's offense work with Kyler Murray? Yes. It does. Yes. Short, quick decisions. Get the ball out.

Fast feet. Timing kept in the feet. Everything is quick. And that's very much what Kyler can do and will do. Do you have any inside sources saying Arizona will take? take Kyler Murray. Yes. Oh, so you're breaking news here. I'm not breaking news. I'm 90%. Again, I would be shocked if they're not going to take him. All right. So you're very, I mean, yeah, very good sources that I've talked to say, yeah, that's the pick. I don't know where to go on this.

I know I would not, I would keep Josh Rosen. By the way, here's your mock draft. Put this up for the world to see. Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, Quinn and Williams. Okay, Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Duane I'll tell you, Andre Dillard, underrated Washington State. Yeah, I like Andre Dillard. If you want to talk meat and potatoes, those offensive linemen type of, Andre Dillard from Washington State. Think about this perspective. He only gave up one sack, I believe, last year, and you could say,

oh, there are other guys that didn't give up any. He had over 300 more pass blocking opportunities than the next closest lineman. 300. Yeah, he's a beast. Joel Clatt, Jay Glazer, Chris Spielman, Rob Stone, Fox Sports Radio, Thursday night throughout the entire first round live from Nashville. to Nashville? I am. I'm headed out there tomorrow. What a city. I know, but I'll work no play this week. That doesn't exist in my life. That's why I don't do the draft. You're the best.

Nashville is unbelievable. Are you okay? I was a little hard on you today. No, let me tell you something. I'm like Captain America. I got a shield right here. Bang, everything bounces off. When you have my level of expertise, nothing bothers me. I was going to say stubbornness, but you call it expertise. That's fine. I'm the Westbrook of hosts. I just do it my way. Like Teflon. My way, baby. 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 asked. After almost three hours, Colin apparently hasn't gotten to the point yet. Quit holding out on us, cowherd. It's the best for last. A couple years ago, Russell Westbrook signed a contract. Five years over 205 million. I said at the time, you're going to get tied down to that. The game is moving in a shooter.

direction and he can't shoot and it's gotten considerably worse. And I thought, instead of just talking about Westbrook, there are some really bad contracts in sports. Most of them you could see coming for miles. How about the 10 worst contracts currently in sports? Number 10. Kirk Cousins. Vikings were 13 and 3 with Case Keenham. 9 and 7 with Kirk Cousins. Three years, 84 million. There's a no trade provision in his contract. If you cut him, you'd still owe him 60 million. you'd have 60 million in dead money. I think Kirk Cousins is a solid quarterback. I do not think he's a top five quarterback.

That's where he's paid or a top 10 quarterback. I'm not sure he's a top 15 quarterback. He has never been a great big, prime time game quarterback. I don't think he's terrible. I think he's a spot starter. I think he's a great backup or a guy that you give a couple year deal to, but this is a bad contract. Number nine. Chris Davis of the Orioles.

seven years, 161 million guaranteed first year of the deal a couple years ago. He's batting 200 since the contract. He just went 0 for 54. You know, it's funny. Chris was a really good player. And when he signed that, I thought that's a long contract. But it's almost like he's been affected negatively by the contract. Sometimes you get these guys that are power hitters and you give them big money and it gets into their head.

But he has signed through 2022. and as of right now it's an albatross. Number eight. Trent Brown, highest paid offensive linemen in NFL history. I'm not sure he's the Raiders best offensive lineman. He is certainly not the best tackle in his own division. 37 million guaranteed, four-year 66 million, seven-round draft pick, heaviest player in the NFL currently.

Last year, they started him, and it worked for New England, but it should be noted, every offensive lineman that leaves New England gets considerably worse. Number seven. Bobby Bonilla. Now, Bobby's only making $1.2 million a year, but he hasn't played baseball since 2001. It's my favorite ever. How is this not number one? Well, he signed a deal with the Mets.

It's almost like an annuity. Just pay me $1.2 million a year forever. So he'll keep making $1.2 million a year for the Mets until 2035, and he hasn't played with him since the 90s. Seriously, I have to know what number one is if this is not number one. All right. Number seven. Russell Westbrook, biggest contract in NBA history, three years guaranteed. They haven't made it past the first round post, Kevin Durant.

You know, I think a lot of this is they lost Hardin, they lost Durant. In Oklahoma City, said, listen, we lost two of the three superstars. whatever, we're not losing this guy. So that part I get. But I think the bigger issue is he is devolved, eroded as a player. It's your third straight one, first round exit. And, you know, again, if they were getting to the second or third round, you can validate that contract because you get five or six or seven or eight more home games,

make a couple million bucks a home game in the NBA. But when you're a first round exit guy with that contract, that is a losing proposition. Number five. Albert Pooleholz. This one made no sense. He was a great player with St. Louis. You know, he batted 300 or better every year in St. Louis, but they signed him when he was old.

And now he's 39. He'll be over 41 at the end of his contract. He's hit over 300 one year with the Angels, and he's hurt all the time. So they're getting to the end of this deal. But this deal didn't make any sense when they signed it. He was past his prime. He had one or two great years left. I think the Angels were trying to grab some market share.

It was just a bad contract. Number four. Miguel Cabrera is his worst. eight years, 248 million. Ooy, yo, yoi. Under contract for five more years, he missed most of last year with an injury, currently 35.

In the past three seasons, Mr. Home Run hitter. It's hit 19 home runs total. Baseball's got some bad contract. And baseball, the contracts are long. This is as bad. Now, don't get me wrong. There was about six years you would have paid this guy anything. they just picked the wrong time to give him the contract.

Number three. John Gruden, who's out of the league for a decade. Raiders went four and 12. They appear to be kind of making it up as they go. Nine years left on the deal. A $100 million deal. Longest biggest coaching contract ever. And by the way, it's one of the poorest NFL teams.

So they have no leverage with him. Now, he has said if he doesn't get it done, he'll get the money back. He did offer that. But I just don't think that somebody that's out of a sport for 10 years should come into any business and set records for the highest compensation. Number two. John Wald. Now, the reason his contract is worse than Russell Westbrook is Westbrook's a better player. And Westbrook at least plays.

John's hurt. Four years, $170 million. The story's now. He's not going to play next year. So, I mean, I can say what I want about Westbrook, but Westbrook's giving you the effort. Westbrook's playing. Now, the sport's moving away from Westbrook, but John Wallis now, he just had an awful injury, another surgery, so he's going to come back and not be the same player, played 32 games this year, 41 games last year. It's as bad an NBA contract as the sport has right now.

Number one. Jacoby Ellsbury. Seven years, over 150 million. He hasn't played since 2017. If he played, he would be overpaid. He doesn't play. The Yankees, by the way, everybody with the Yankees is hurt. And the problem is Ellsbury's always hurt.

Two years left in his contract. Hasn't had a year in it that he's played up to it. Signed before the start of 2014. And you know, it was interesting because he's a smaller player. He's outfielder, good speed, can get on base. you're injured and the strength of your game is your legs, this has been, you know what's funny about this? It was a bad contract when you signed it.

Everybody said when you signed it, yeah, he's heard a lot. I mean, even Yankee bands are like, yeah, it's not a great contract. And it's funny when you look back at these deals, almost all of them, you can argue that was a bad deal. I will tell you, one of the reasons I put Kirk Cousin 10th, and I don't like his contract. But the Vikings didn't want to pay Case Keenham a fortune, and felt that Cousins was a bigger, stronger version of kind of a C-plus B-minus case Keenum.

So I'll give the Vikings credit. In their division with Aaron Rogers and Matt Stafford, you've got to have a quarterback, and Kurt was on the market. There wasn't one of the draft they could get. It's really not Kirk's fault. By the way, if you gave him $4 million more less a year, I'd be okay with it, because then he would be the 12th highest-paid quarterback, and I would be okay with it. But you get what the market dictates at that point, and he's a quarterback.

And Minnesota, frankly, had a bunch of good defense. players. They're like, we can't just wait to draft and develop a college guy. We're good enough to win our division now. So Minnesota, I give a little bit of a pass to. They were trapped. You only get about two college quarterbacks a year that can play, and they had a lot of these good defensive players. They weren't going to sit around and develop a quarterback for three years. So that's why Kirk's contract gets bashed a lot. It's not a good contract by NFL standards. Trent Brown of the Raiders, that is an albatross. You can't pay. He's not a top eight, ten left town.

in the sport, and he's the highest pay left offensive lineman in NFL history. 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, 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.

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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire. world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding

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