The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 05/02/2019

Episode Date: May 2, 2019

Colin thinks Durant should listen to his own comments about all the fun he's having in the playoffs when he considers leaving the Warriors for the Knicks this summer.  He says the Steelers are fine without Antonio Brown because every team that gets rid of a diva receiver does better the next season.  Plus, Colts GM Chris Ballard talks with Colin about the luxury of having Andrew Luck and why he has built his team so differently than his friend John Dorsey has built the Browns.  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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Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 IHart Women's

Sports. 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. Multimillion 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. 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. Ah, here we go. On a Thursday, this is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio.

We're on FS1 in beautiful Los Angeles, where Tom Brady was working out yesterday, about five minutes from here. Joy Taylor is joining me. Would have died to see Tom Brady yesterday. That would have been to my favorite day of all time. You notice that picture, how big. He is. How much bigger Tom Brady is.

He said he's bulking up this year, right? Yeah. He looks younger and bigger than he's ever looked. It's great to have you in today. You have a very spring look today. Yeah, I'm trying to, you know, bring the sunshine. You really are. I'm over this cold.

You're a little in the sunshine. It's not really cold, but it's sunshine. It's good to have you in. You know, what's the old... My Angelou said when people talk, they tell you what they're thinking, listen to them. I think it was her. Somebody said that before listen to people. They'll tell you what they're thinking. So I don't want Kevin Durant to leave the Warriors. I think it's a classic mistake. I think if he wants to be the goat, I don't think he ever will be, but I think he can get close.

And I think the gateway to that is San Francisco and Oakland. I do not think leaving smart by him. You know, if you want to win four for four, you're not going to do that in New York. But I listen to people when they talk. And Kevin Durant likes to talk, and he's got a lot to say. He's very present. He said this quote yesterday. He goes, man, this is where the, this blank is fun. I mean, this is when it's serious. And I'm just embracing it. I'm having so much fun right now. This time of the year is what I'm geared for. You go through such a long season to get to this point, and now it's time to have fun. Oh, you mean the regular season is a grind and a long season? Interesting. Just remember those words. I want to take you back a couple years. When Kevin Durant

wasn't having as much fun. It was called Oklahoma City. Do you remember his stats there when he wasn't having as much fun? In Oklahoma City, it should be noted, these stats are playoff numbers. Hardin was there for some of it. Westbrook was there for some of it. He shot 45% from the floor, 33% on threes. He now shoots almost 52% from the floor and 39% on threes. And they're in the playoffs where he just told me that's where it's fun. I'm having so much fun. Long regular seasons. Does everybody get if he goes back to New York,

even with Kyrie? Because those playoff numbers, I gave you an O.K.C., that included Westbrook and Hardin. They had good players. They had a coach that won coach of the year. He wasn't the same player. He was great. He wasn't having this much fun.

I just want to remind you, I'm watching the Blazers in Denver last night. how much talent there is in the NBA. This idea that he's going to go to New York with a lottery pick and Kyrie Irving and it's just going to be fun. Portland, I don't consider to be a championship team. They have six dudes who scored in double figures last night. C.J. McCullough, Enis Canner, Enas Canner, Damian Lillard, Rodney Hood. They got Zach Collins.

They have six NBA dudes, double figures. The Philadelphia 76ers, I do not believe, are a championship team. They have five guys who are legit NBA players. M. B. Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, J.J. Reddick. I don't think Milwaukee is a championship team. I think they're very good. They've got Janice and Chris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe. And they're getting Malcolm Brogden back. And they got Brooke Lopez and Meritage.

Okay, now let's get to the championship teams. I believe Houston is a championship level team. Harden, Chris Paul, Cleopla, P.J. Tucker, Feree, Gerald Green, Eric Gordon. That's seven dudes and a great coach. Let's go to Boston. Great coach. Tatum, Horford, Kyrie, Gordon Hayward, Jalen Brown, a rose ear, Marcus Morris. That's seven guys.

So you think a lottery pick, you and Kyrie are going to go to New York and change the world? Oh, that's adorable. Where are your other four guys? where are your other four double-digit scores? Because I got your numbers when you played with Hardin and Westbrook, and that wore you out. Now you're at Golden State, and your quote is, I'm having so much fun.

It's not like the long regular season. You think a lottery pick, I don't care if it's Zion, John Morant. You think a lottery pick and Kyrie, who by the way, injury prone and sort of himself tired of the regular season, season. That's a game changer. I believe people when they talk. Ask LeBron James with four talented young guys and people we'd seen in the playoffs. Rondo, Lance, Michael Beasley, Javale McGee, they lost a team that were tanking. This idea, does everybody understand, does Kevin Durant

understand how much talent there is in the NBA? Let me remind you that Utah with a great coach and Rudy Gobert All-Star and Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingalls and Ricky Rubio won a game in the playoffs. Oklahoma City with a veteran head coach and Paul George who was an early MVP and Westbrook and Stephen Adams won a game in the playoffs.

You talk, I listen. You only have to go back a couple of years with Kevin Durant. He was playing with an all-star like Kyrie Irving would be in New York. he was miserable. His efficiency numbers weren't close to today. Yes, of course it's fun now because you win and your second round and your playoff

stretch is longer and you don't go home and get criticized. Life's fun when you work with smarter people and better people. And when I go to work now, I got a much bigger staff than I had at the other place. Now work with joy, it's a lot more fun doing my show today than it was eight years ago. My staff's smarter. My staff's better. My teammates are better. it's a lot of fun.

I just don't think Kevin Durant, look around the league. Portland had six guys last night in double figures. Do you know who the leading score right now in the New York Knicks is? No, I'm not joking. Emmanuel Moodye.

Okay, dokey. Kyrie Irving, a 19-year-old, Kevin Durant and Emmanuel Moodye. Bra. That's not winning a second. playoff series in the east, and I'm not sure it's winning a playoff series in the West. Listen to your own words. There's a reason you're so happy now.

It's the dudes around you. Okay, big game tonight. A series that I'm into, Philadelphia, Toronto, tied at one. I have said before, sports is about making choices. The New England Patriots have a dynasty. They make really good choices. They get rid of guys. even good players, pro-bow-level players, get too expensive.

They do it every year. It's hard. NBA, same thing. Warriors got rid of Monte Ellis an All-Star. Chose Steph Curry, not an all-star. All these dynasties, all this winning is choices. Boston Celtics got rid of Isaiah Thomas, MVP candidate, brought in other guys. It's all about choices. Philadelphia has four players. They're not going to be able to pay all of them what all of them want.

Jimmy Butler's going to want a max, Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, Joel M.B. J.J. A. Reddick wants to... You're not going to be able to pay all these guys. You're not to have to make choices. I want to remind you tonight about Joe L.M.B. I'm going to read this verbatim. This is not an opinion.

His health has been working against him. He's now required to take fluids before the game. He continues to suffer from tendonitis in his left knee that caused him to miss 14 of the Sixers' final 24 regular season games after the All-Star break. He missed playoff games last year in Miami and already has missed one this year. Philadelphia, when the world gives you a medical warning, you know, you've seen cigarette boxes. It says on the side, smoke these and die a painful death.

That's enough for me. It's why I don't have a great deal of sympathy for chain smokers. The box is telling you, scale back, smoky, it's going to hurt when you die. The NBA gives you, on the side of its box, a big warning. Seven-footers get hurt early. It never gets better. Sam Bowie, Greg Oden, Yao Ming, Bill Walton, Brad Dordy, Ralph Samson. Do you see Shaq deteriorate late?

Kwamey Brown, not a great player. Thought he had a great body. Joel Ambide has missed 63% of the games in Philadelphia, and he's an all-star, and you're going to have to make a choice eventually. he needs six treatments to play the day of the game and mbeed's got back knee and foot issues i'd like to repeat back knee and foot issues that is what they call the big man injury bingo that is the kryptonite trifecta that's not a sprained wrist or an ice cream headache back knee foot issues for a seven footer i tell you you're going to lose this series

and you're going to think firing your head coach is solving all your problems. That solves everything in the NBA, right? Let's just fire the coaches. All right. Phoenix does that all the time. How they're rolling? You think firing your coach is your big issue in Philadelphia. It's not.

It's a Shooter's League. You're getting a warning on the side of your box. And that box is, dude, I love Embed. I love his personality. I love his game. he look around medical history. This series is fascinating to me on so many levels. I think Philadelphia has got much better players.

I think the pieces fit better with the Raptors. But Embed's the real story of this series. Six treatments per day. Missing playoffs again. Even the nights he plays, not 100%, IV fluids. This series is not just about these games. because if Philadelphia loses this series, most think they will, they're going to fire the coach. And they think that's the magic elixir for wins.

Go look around professional sports. The teams that can identify obstacles and problems before they surface and move off them, trade them, get other players for them are how dynasties are formed. Go look at the Spurs' early history. go look at the Patriots early history. Go look at the Golden State moving off Montailles. Sometimes you've got to move All-Stars. Oklahoma City did. They got rid of the wrong all-stars.

Oklahoma City could be the Warriors right now. Does everybody get that? That KD and James Hardin could be playing together. They made the wrong choice. Now they're a one and done. And I say one and done. I don't mean first round. They're one win in the playoffs and done.

Philadelphia has a chance to be, they have a chance to be incredible. or they have a chance to be OKC and just pick the wrong guys. I can love MBEed the dude, love MBEed the player, and be petrified about MBE's physical reality. Watch this series tonight, not just the games, but this is the next OKC. Three, four, great players. Look at the choices the Thunder made.

Sixers, don't kid yourself. They're not signing all four of these guys. They're not. You can keep convincing yourself. They're not. They're not going to keep all four or five of these guys, if you count J.J. Reddick. Choices.

It's the difference between the Warriors and the Thunder. Will it be the difference between the Celtics and the Sixers? Game three in the series tonight. 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. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to SportsClice on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. 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. 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. 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 entire.

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 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, 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. and Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. 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, just quickly on the Pittsburgh Steelers, I have them winning the division, and it's amazing how much pushback I get on this because people say they lost Antonio Brown. We've all worked with somebody like this. They're really talented. Maybe they're loud. They're needy, a little bit of a diva, man, woman, gender doesn't really matter. That when they are in the room, you're walking on eggshells. They're productive, but they're a lot of weight.

There's a certain gravitas. there's a certain pressure. They're eggshell employees. Everybody's a little being quiet. They leave the room. I've said this about Westbrook before. When Paul George was leading the thunder this year, they were lighter and more fun.

He got hurt. Westbrook took over. It gets a little tense and rigid. So I just want to remind everybody, Antonio Brown left the Steelers, and suddenly now everybody's bailing on them. You do understand that he would be classified as a talented but high,

maintenance receiver. His own teammates have said that. Ryan Clark on the other network said that. Like he warned teams. He'd go high maintenance once you give him money. Does everybody remember the Philadelphia Eagles 2006? They actually won the division when T.O. left. The 2009 Cowboys, T.O. left won the division.

I'm giving you a list on the screen of teams that left when they had star receivers. Colts, 2009 Marvin Harrison left, go to the Super Bowl. Actually, the Patriots had their best year ever when they traded Randy Moss in week. Second best, Tom Brady year ever, the year they traded Moss. T.O. Chad left the Bengals in 2011. The following year, they began making a playoffs for five straight years. Calvin Johnson wasn't even high maintenance. Left the lions.

They got better. Des Bryant left the Cowboys. They got better last year. Even guys that aren't high maintenance, Andre Johnson left Houston following year they won the division. Receivers values are overrated. These are stars. These are dominating guys. There's no guarantee Odell Beckham Jr.

translates to wins in Cleveland. And there's no absolute guarantee. In fact, I'd argue the opposite that A, B, leaving Pittsburgh means they plummet. We've all worked. with a high maintenance, strong opinion, co-worker. And they leave the room, everybody takes a deep breath, and now everybody gets a voice at the table. I'm giving you a list.

T.O. Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Des Bryant, Andre Johnson, Andre Eisen, by the way. You can go all the way back to Andre Reisen, leaves Atlanta. They made the playoffs the next year. more people get a voice in the room when the biggest voice leaves the room. And metaphorically, a star receiver, you got to feed him constantly. You got to constantly take care of him early. Feed him.

It's not that I don't like OBJ. It's not that I don't think Antonio Brown has, doesn't have great talent. But we have history here. Pittsburgh's not going backwards. They're going forwards. Be sure to catch them. live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. You know, there's a, there's a narrative out there. I think the media,

and let me just talk a little media and some fans, what's best for the league is not best for Kevin Durant. Does everybody realize Kevin Durant staying is the best for Kevin Durant? Because then he wins two more titles. Nobody's ever done that. Nobody's ever been the MVP four straight times, one four straight titles. Nobody's done it. Okay, Shaq and MJ, I think, have done the three thing. They haven't done the fourth thing. So that's the best for him.

If you want to get into the goat conversation, well, Colin, he's got to prove it that he can do it on his own. No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't. Michael Jordan was one and nine without Pippin. We don't hold it against him. Michael Jordan washed out in Washington. We don't hold it against him.

We don't hold it against Kobe that in between Shaq and Gasol, he was on a horrible team. We do not hold it against superstars. We don't hold it against LeBron, his first seven years in the league. didn't have an All-Star. That's nonsense. We don't hold that against them. People are confusing what's best for Kevin Durant,

staying and winning titles and being the MVP, and what's best for the league. There's a lot of winners of Kevin Durant leaves. Let's list them, the Houston Rockets. Yeah, if they don't have to go through Golden State, the Houston Rockets, Darry, Chris Paul, James Hardin, win the championship. It's a big benefit for Houston that KD leaves,

and they know it and they'd admit it. It's great for the New York Knicks. They've been a dead franchise for 2025. years. It's fantastic for the New York Knicks. By the way, it's great for LeBron James. He's now like not flying coach. And that's what he's flying right now in the West. He's flying coach. He's not first class. He's not business class. He can't get into the playoffs. It's great for LeBron if the Warriors break up and Katie goes east. It's great for the NBA. Parity returns to the NBA. We'll have seven really good teams, not one great one and six others playing for

the runner-up trophy. It's good for the viewers. Ratings were down this year. I think there is a fatigue factor because it's not that Golden State is just the best team. It mostly doesn't feel like it's that close. And also the Eastern Conference would win. A lot of people out east. Most of the American population, like 65%, is east of the Mississippi.

It would be nice if the Eastern Conference isn't a speed bag for the Warriors. So there's like six different winners minimum if Kevin Durant leaves. The Rockets, the Knicks, LeBron, the League, the viewers, the Eastern Conference. Don't confuse what's good for all those people for what's good for Kevin Durant. Okay. Because he absolutely cares and he has said it before. Let's believe him. Let's take him at his word.

It does bother him that the world loves LeBron and overlooks him. He's called media people, Nick Wright fanboys. You guys love LeBron. It's there. it bothers him. So you're not getting to the goat, and I don't think he'd ever be called the goat, but you're not in the conversation

if you leave Go to the Knicks and wash out. Never forget. Michael didn't do anything before Pippen, and we've never held it against him. He didn't do it on his own. He didn't do crap on his own. And he didn't do anything in Washington when he only had Rip Hamilton.

He didn't do crap in D.C. in his own. And we've never held it against him. And we've never held it against Kobe that in between Shaq and Gasol, he didn't do anything. They couldn't beat Phoenix in the playoffs. we've never held it against Kobe. We're not going to hold it against Kevin Durant

if he doesn't go to the Knicks. If he stays with the Warriors, MVP of the finals, four straight years, you will not be able to mention the goat conversation and not put him in it. So I think a lot of people are confusing what's good for him,

what's good for business, and don't kid yourself. And the other thing to remember is that the NBA, more than any league in America is a star-driven league. The NFL is kind of a system league. Hockey's got a tight salary cap. It's about goalies in the playoffs. You know, baseball is about pitching staffs and bullpens and analytics. The two sports in the world that are really about stars, soccer, Messi, Ronaldo, NBA. So let's think of the one business that's not an athletic

business that's also star-driven. Hollywood. Do you hold it against Marlon Brando that he was in seven bombs? No. Do you hold it against Robert De Niro that he was in a movie with Zach Efron? No. Do you hold it against Will Smith that he hasn't been in a hit movie? I don't know in years. You don't. We never 20 years later hold it against stars. We don't hold the bombs against Brando or the fact that De Niro is doing stuff with Zach Ephron or Will Smith hasn't had a hit in years. on the tombstone, we don't mention that. We don't mention the Wizards with MJ or the one in nine with Pippin or the between Shaq and Gassal with Kobe.

We don't even mention that Charles Barkley played in Philadelphia. It's all television Charles, funny Charles, and Phoenix Charles. So I just don't buy that. I mean, you go look at Robert Downey's career. Folks, Robert Downey's career was disappointment, discouraging drugs, arrests, Tombstone's going to say Iron Man. That's how we treat stars.

We don't care that Johnny Unitas came out west, or Joe Namath was limping at the end. We don't care. He played for the Rams. Nobody cares. It's not the way it works. And, you know, I just don't think Kevin Durant, having to, quote, prove he can do it on his own.

No. I don't think that's going to be held against him. We don't hold it against Messi, Rinaldo, Durant, we don't hold it against movie stars when they're in bombs. It just gets washed away. And I think that will get washed away. One more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, 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 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, Kier Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations. with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, Our Heart Radio 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 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. athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WMBA 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 on. 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 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, so I had dinner with a, how could I put this, high-powered NFL executive last night. And we were talking about the draft. And we were talking about teams. And it's funny how it sort of works with teams.

So I'm talking to this NFL executive last night at dinner. And I threw some theories at him. And I've said this before. I think the Colts have a chance to be the next Patriots. There are certain traits. Good with personnel, smart, thoughtful, culture building, resourceful, right GM, right quarterback, and also, let's be honest, right division. Andrew Lux, 25 and 7 against his division.

There's been some rebuilding during it. They feel like the steadiest ship in the waters in the AFC South. And I think, you know, this is not a knock on the Patriots, but it does help. They've been the least chaotic team in their division. and you've got to win your division and if you can go five in one or four and two in your division that's a big advantage that the chiefs and the chargers they're going to split a lot of games.

Denver's going to get a quarterback and get it right. And so I was talking to the executive last night and one of the teams he liked that was on his own was he said, listen, the Colts are doing some, they're really good. They're just going to be really good for a decade. And I think it all starts with Andrew Luck and their GM, Chris Ballard, who was named executive of the year, last year, and he is joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network, one of my favorite guys

in the NFL. So now, Chris, now the draft is over. You can take your family on a trip. Does it feel like now that you can kind of go, okay, all right. Do you get a little break now? Well, no. There's no such thing as a break. I figured that out, you know, two years ago when I took this job. We'll take a break in June, you know, after OTAs, over and veteran minicamper over. That's when I'll get about five or six weeks to get away from my family, but it doesn't slow down for us.

You know, it's interesting. I feel bad for general managers who are rebuilding and they don't have their quarterback yet. I think there's a certain freedom with you. You have Andrew, and you can go really attack other parts of your team. Talk about

what Andrew allows you to do going forward. Well, I mean, look, we both know that in this league having a franchise quarterback's everything. And then the ability to be able to, when you have that player, you know, being able to build around him to the style of not only the quarterback, but also the head coach, that allows you more freedom to be able to explore those avenues and do it through the draft, free agency, street pickups.

I mean, there's a lot of different ways to acquire talent. in this league. I always laugh when people act like free agency in the draft are the only ways to acquire talent. There's there's many ways to acquire good players in this league. You just got to be looking for them. And when you have a quarterback, it allows you to use every avenue. You know, Chris, you're good friends with John Dorsey at Cleveland. The way you're building your culture, I know, and I beat up on Dorsey a little bit and I love you, but it's interesting because you're very, very tight. Dorsey has taken a few more personality. risks in his build, you've taken fewer personality risks. And it's interesting because you kind of have

a little different worldview on this. And yet you're very close friends. When you look at Cleveland, what do you see? Well, look, I'll say this about John. John is an elite talent evaluator. I didn't really, I mean, I always knew it when I worked in Chicago and he was in Green Bay. But when I went and worked side by side with him in Kansas City, he is truly amazing with his ability to recognize talent and then not be scared to go acquire it. And, you know, he really doesn't worry about what the outside world thinks. He worries about what internally, what they think and how they're going to handle it. So, you know, look, I look at a very talented team. I know John's got a plan on how to manage it. And they're definitely a force to be.

reckon with because of all the town he's acquired here in the last two years since he's been at the helm. Last year, you were recognized as having the best draft. You had guys that not only came and played, they were pro bowlers, Darius Leonard, Quentin Nelson. It's funny about drafts. You have a bunch of players. You obviously went after speed. Everybody on your board that I saw can run. That was clearly one of the things, you know, even I can figure out. But when you do your drafts, When do you truly know, Chris, all right, this is going to work? Isn't there even this morning a little fear that one guy won't step up? Or when do you know this class works?

Well, I mean, look, you do. We put so much on our scouts. And we have such a collaborative effort here in terms of get, look, the key to the draft is information. That's the key. Whoever gets the best information is usually good at drafting. And that's in every area, from, you know, talent evaluation to medical, to character, to intelligence, all those things, you know, have to measure up. And the closer you can get to the hole, the better chance for success you're going to have.

And, you know, we always feel good, but there's always, I guarantee if you talk to every team, they're going to say, well, we did great. But at the end of the day, every player you draft has to earn it. They have to come in the building and they have to be what we said they were. Are we going to be 100%? No, that's impossible. But we want to be as close to the hole as we can. And every guy's going to earn it. And even back to like one of the big messages I had the last year's draft class was,

okay, this was unbelievable what you just did, but you got to do it again. You can't rest on, not in this league. You got to be pushing forward at all points trying to get better. Somebody's going to catch you. I've had two NFL general managers tell me that you draft. drafted Paris Campbell right before they did. And both of them said, we just got sick to our stomach when Ballard got Paris Campbell. He is a remarkable athlete.

Talk a little about him because now that you have a quarterback, I look at your class and I think, man, Paris Campbell could be the best guy taken after the first round. Give me your thoughts about him, the player, and the process of drafting him. Well, look, we exhausted Parrish because we went A to Z on him through the process, and we liked him. From coaching to scouting, we all liked him, and he checked all the boxes of everything we stand for. And then sometimes on draft day, you just get lucky. I can't sit here and tell you, I thought he was going to be there with the 59th pick of the draft. And I remember looking up around Pick 57 and looking at Frank and saying, we probably need to take Parrish now.

But look, his skill set fits our offense very well. He's still got some refinement to do, you know, as a route runner, but just because of how they used him at Ohio State. But we'll use him in some of the similar ways. He's very dangerous and explosive with the ball in his hands. So I know Frank and them will work to get the ball in his hands quickly and let him use his God-given talent, you know, in terms of his runability and explosiveness with his speed.

You know, it's interesting about wide receivers. I've said this before. I can point to seven or eight all-time great ones that actually Marvin Harrison left the Colts and they went to the Super Bowl and Tio and Dez and Ocho. That receivers are valuable, but they can, sometimes if a receiver is so gifted, a quarterback can feel almost a burden to get them the ball. So I've always said I like receivers, but I'd rather have centers out than sideline in to build my team. give me your i mean like that's my goofy theory about it like or some people believe it's become a wide receiver league where do you fall on receivers in general well look i mean the great ones don't just fall off a tree i think it's the hardest i think it's one of the

hardest positions to evaluate why um every year it's overgraded um you you know you go into our when we go into our draft meetings in february i'll look up and every position has a pretty even number and then all of a sudden we'll have 500 receivers graded. And then you've got to sort through them because in college they're throwing the ball so much. There's a ton of guys that have 80 to 100 catches a year. So I think it's very difficult to evaluate the position and then what they're going to have to do at our level, I think is different. They're not going to get the same free access that they do in college football. Saying that, I've always believed that you build from inside out. build with your fronts. The bigs are the hard ones to find. Over the course of a season,

if you're not good on the O line and D line, it will absolutely show up and it will bite you. And I think that's where you start and then you build from without, you know, on your outsides. And that's kind of how the plan we've taken it here. And it's been successful. You know, other places I've been, and I think you can look through the league. And I think when you've got a really good quarter, does he want Alpha Stars at Whiteout? Absolutely. he would like him. But saying that, he wants to be protected first. Are you ever blown away by Brady? I just saw a picture of Brady at UCLA working out yesterday. I think he's now 29 years old. He looks younger. I mean, what a people that face Brady?

What are you guys saying your building about Brady? Special. I mean, Tom Brady's a, I mean, I think you can take in any sport. He might be one of the best athletes ever. And I don't know how you can, anybody can dispute that. I mean, even looking at Jordan and all the LeBron and all the great things that they've done, Brady's still doing it in his 40s. That is pretty amazing what Tom's been able to do. And, you know, we're like every other team. You want to beat him.

But it's not easier said than done. Yeah. Chris, good luck to you, executive of the year last year. Another great draft. Most believe it's a top five draft again. Continued success. Thanks, man. Thank you. Thanks for having me on. I appreciate it, Colin.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHard Radio app. Jerry Jones said yesterday, there's no reason the Cowboys won't be better next year. And it's interesting. I was telling Joy earlier. The Cowboys won the division and were 10 and 6 last year. Vegas, the over-under, is like nine games. So Vegas does not think some sites have eight and a half. They don't think Dallas is getting better. So every year in the NFL, I've been doing this for years, I pick two teams that double their wins, and I pick two teams that pull back. Last year, I said Minnesota and Jacksonville are going to pull way back. They both pulled way back.

This year, I've said there's three teams that are going to pull back. New Orleans, Chicago, and Baltimore are not going to be as good. And I have a reason for all of them. And so last year, New Orleans won 13. I think they win 9 to 10. And Vegas's prediction, the overrunner in Vegas is 10. a half wins. So Vegas has them winning two and a half fewer games. Chicago, 12 wins last year. I predict nine. Vegas over under, nine. Baltimore, 10 wins. I predict seven to eight. Vegas has them at eight and a half.

Folks, these are not hot takes. There's reasons for all of them. And my reasons are Vegas's reasons. Let's start with Baltimore. Did you see Lamar Jackson when the Chargers got to face him a second time? He wasn't very good. Lamar Jackson, a lot of that offense is power-based. It's about controlling the line of scrimmage. I don't believe Lamar Jackson's ever going to be the kind of quarterback that can play from behind. You can ask to throw 38 to 44 times, get in wild shootouts. When the Chargers saw him a second time, it looked like a college quarterback playing NFL. Vegas saw the same thing.

They think they pull back. So do I. Also, their division's better. Cleveland's going to be better. Let's go to Chicago. Chicago 12 wins to 9. That's what Vegas thinks. Did you watch them at the end of the year?

In the last four games, as people got more and more film on Mitch Trabisky, four touchdowns, three picks and averaged 180 yards passing a game. It's a lot of smoke and mirrors. He, like Lamar Jackson, is a limited arm talent who's a really good athlete. Vegas has them losing three more games. Vegas doesn't have any other team dropping three wins except Chicago. It's not a hot take. I feel the same way. Orleans, 13 wins last year.

I think they're at the 9-10 level. Vegas has 10 and a half. Why? Did you watch Drew Breeze at the end of last year? They started the year 10-1. They finished their last 7, 4-and-3. They did not look good at home against the Rams, and they did not look good at home against Philadelphia.

Vegas saw it. Drew Breeze is aging. He looked tired. His arm looked tired. End of the year. They didn't throw the ball down the field. I picked pullback teams. These are not wild.

I mean, if you look at my pullback teams, they're Vegas's pullback teams. By the way, the teams I think will double the Jets. Vegas thinks their win total will double. And the 49ers. Vegas thinks their win total will double too. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. By the way, in our best for last, I'm not a fan of these baseball contracts. I think they're horrible.

I think they either limit your team, Joey Votto, with the Reds. They were a playoff team until they gave Joey all the money. money. It limits your bullpen. It limits how many good starters. It limits your infield. Joe Mauer. Twins were a very good organization. Joe Mauer signed his contract. They go one and 13 in the playoffs. Again, it limits your roster. So Mike Trout signed a 12-year deal. Harper 13, Machado 10. I don't care about necessarily the number of money. It's the idea that giving anybody a massive contract that many years in any business is asinine. It's terrible. Well, what do you know? We do a segment called Right and Wrong. Let's talk about Bryce Harper.

He is batting 196 in his last 13 games. He's batting 231 in the year, a career low. He's now getting booed at home. He's 25, 30 games into his contract. That's a 2,100 game contract minimum. So I think it's time Colin was right. I'm going to create songs today. I'm so right.

Here's my favorite first Colin is right song. There you go. Very good. All right. How about the second one? This is Colin Wright, the musical. Mani Machado, career low batting average, 236. Career low slugging percentage so far.

Should be noted that Dodgers aren't getting sucked in by these contracts. They're in first and they won six straight division titles. Machado's having a terrible year. Career lows. Colin Wright again. Colin gave his opinion. He is right. He's right.

Mike Trout. Again, Mike's a contact hitter. Contact hitters won't slump with a big deal. Home run hitters do. But it does limit for a team that's got low revenue in their stadium what they can do going forward, giving him $430 million. The Angels, they won last night,

so they're no longer in last, are 14 and 7. Colin Wright again. Oh, say, can you see? Colin Cowherd is right. Yeah. And to recap this with one last graded Colin Wright hit. Right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right. 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. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. 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 SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and headwriters.

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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 IHart Women's Sports. 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. multimillion-dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know.

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