The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 08/23/2019

Episode Date: August 23, 2019

Doug Gottlieb fills in for Colin and talks about Jerry Jones feeling that Ezekiel Elliott is being ungrateful in his holdout.  He thinks the NFL preseason may have died on Thursday night in Canada.  Plus, the new FOX Big Noon Kickoff crew of Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Brady Quinn and Rob Stone join Doug in studio to discuss Trevor Lawrence, the pressure of repeating as champions and is Texas is back again in 2019  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

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

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

The story I told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown, If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

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 IHeart Radio app by searching Herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio.

What up? Welcome in. This is the herd wherever you may be, and however you may be listening to the show. Thanks so much for making this part of your day, live from Los Angeles. I'm Doug Gottlieg, filling in for Colin Coward, alongside lovely and talented and always prepared Joy Taylor. We are hours away, essentially,

from college football kicking off. We are finally putting to bed preseason football. I know there's another game. There's some more games this weekend. Feels like the NFL and frankly, one CFL field made a mockery of preseason football. Well, you know, every once in a while,

we need a legendary sports story to kind of trigger a conversation of change, right? Right, right. Remember that time the Packers played the Raiders in Winnipeg on an 80-odd field. You're like, what, that really happened? What a hoot. Huh? What a hoot. That was something else. That is something like in this, you learn something new every day. I knew the goalposts were in the middle or front of the end zone of the CFL. I just would have thought it would have been discussed

like, you know, sometime before the game to figure that thing out. You would think, yes. That is absolutely, absolutely bizarre. All right, more on that. Plus, this is special treat. Obviously, Fox College Football kickoff starts this Saturday, starts tomorrow. Fox noon kickoff starts tomorrow. And we're going to have Urban Meyer, Reggie Bush, Matt Linerd, Brady Quinn, and Rob Stone, all joining us upcoming in 15 minutes. I got to ask Irvin Meyer about the most recent comments from Jim Harbaugh in a new book about Michigan football, which he said the SEC is a bunch of cheaters.

And, of course, Irv Meyer won two national championships. while coaching in the SEC. We'll get to that upcoming in 15 minutes. James Harrison is going to join us. Jeff Schwartz is going to join us. We will talk about some of the Daniel Jones thing with the New York Giants. We've got a lot to get to. Let's start, though, with the Dallas Cowboys, shall we?

As the contract negotiations continue in the media. Yesterday, Ed Werder, who of course has covered the Cowboys for years, tweeted this out. Sources the most recent offer negotiations between holdout Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys came from the team. Elliot has been offered a contract making him

one of the NFL's two highest paid running backs that would suggest the team offering more than Levyon Bell and less than Todd Gurley. Now obviously this comes from the team, right? Ed has covered the Cowboys for a long, long time and the team putting

out the details, and the devil is the details in terms of what is the real money. But I listened to the commentary and I'm struck by this joy. I think at some point Jerry Jones has been pushed to the limit and he's at the point now where he feels like Ezekieliot is ungrateful. And I'll explain why in a moment. Here was Jerry Jones. Remember there was that subtle joke last Saturday.

They got a rookie running back. Tony Pollard. He had five carries, 42 yards, playing against really the third stringers from the L.A. Rams. Had a really good day. And so, yeah, the reporters were joking, you know, hey, what a great negotiating tool you have with Zieg. Now you got this Tony Pollard kid. And so Jerry Jones, you know, joked Zick, who? And then he circled back to talking about how great Zeeq was.

And so after it came out, Zeeks camp, again, through the media and his age, agent said that no, he was his agent, but also Zeke Elliott felt disrespected, felt dissed, right, by Jerry Jones for saying that. Take a listen to Jerry Jones earlier this week, justifying his subtle jab at Zeke. Look, I've earned the right with Zake to joke, period. I've earned it. Have you guys had any conversations with that at all? No, no. Let me be real clear about it.

I've earned that right to Joe. Let me be real clear about that. I have earned that right. Now, could he be discussing the fact that they're willing to give Ezekieliot a contract extension, even though he has no-showed, even though he's played this out through the media, even though he's under contract for two more years, and potentially two more after that, actually is a franchise taggy?

They're negotiating against themselves if they change the details of this deal. Sure. But I think what's really at play here is, is one, Jerry Jones has always, always, always had the back of his players, even when his players have been led astray off the football field. Michael Irvin, Pac-Man Jones. You just kind of go through, I mean, even the disasters of the Greg Hardy signing. He has believed in players.

Is it for the benefit of his franchise? Sure. Sure. There's a little, you know, selfishly, I think he obviously benefits from standing by guys that are super talented that can't always get their life in order. But I think that Jerry is seen as a guy who takes care of Quincy Carter, former cowboy quarterback, right? How much did he stand by him?

You go back since Jerry Jones has taken over this franchise, a historic name, but it was a dilapidated franchise, the money he's invested, the time he's invested, and the emotional energy he's invested. And then you look at Ezekielion. Like, let's not forget, Jerry Jones organized a coup d'etat on Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the national football.

Now, the coup was struck down, but he went right at the head of Jerry Jones, tried to have him removed. And it wasn't just to defend Ezekielion. Look, we're in 2019. The last three or four years, America has finally gotten a backbone against domestic violence. We finally stood up and said,

hey, let's support the women. Let's punish the men. And even during that time, however frivolous, some may have believed the claims against Ezekieliot were, this was over a six-game suspension that Jerry Jones went to the mattresses. Went to the mattresses, Godfather. You go to the mattresses, right? Went to the mattresses to try and get Roger Goodell removed.

Now, it didn't work, and Goodell got a contract extension, and the Cowboys season went down the tubes because they didn't have Zeke. But on the football field, he's built a team around the talents of Zeke. He spent a ton of money on that offensive line. He's tried to get all the right pieces in place to get the best out of Ezekielion. Now, he's built a tremendous, they've built a tremendous defense. They've done a great job in player acquisition, player development. That's a young athletic defense, case in point, the chance they took on Jalen Smith

and how it's been rewarded, and then they rewarded Jalen Smith. And you get to the point where you look, look, I've done a lot of stuff for this kid. Right. I drafted him high. I believed in him. But the offense around him, I made sure the offense coordinators knew he needed to have the ball. When he stepped astray outside the football field, I protected him. I battled for him.

I've always been there for him. Not only is he asking for top dollar, which will take money from the pie. Remember, he also said there's less pie to go around now when they signed Jalen Smith. not only what, but every other guy who's under contract for two years is going to come into my door asking for a new contract. And here's a guy who's back I had on and off the football field. And he has the, there's a Yiddish term, chutzpah. It means nerve or a lower intestinal fortitude.

He has the chutzpah through his agent to say he felt disrespected because I joked Zik who, even though he has a standing offer to be the second highest paid running back in the history of the national. to football league. I think Jerry Jones feels like Ezekieli Elliott is ungrateful. It feels like he's ungrateful. And sure, there's a little bit of unhealthy,

I'm the father, you're the son, kind of relationship between Jerry and players. I'm okay if you point that out. But as a father, with a son and with daughters, I can tell you all you can ever ask of your kids is to be grateful. Because the greatest thing you can give to anyone in the world is an opportunity.

I actually, I talk about this when I go and do public speaking, Joe. I say, I do this whole thing about how I made it when I was at the other place because when there were snowstorms, when there were nor'easters, I would go knock on the doors

of producers like, hey, you know, Jay Billis can't get in here tonight. I can do a sports center. All I wanted was an opportunity. You don't have to pay me? I'll just do it. Stick me on, give me a mic, red light, I go, tell me when to wrap,

and I'm good. I filled in for Colin there, filled in for Colin in Sports Station, just give me opportunities. It's the greatest thing. We think and pray for all these other things, but if you get an opportunity, you prepare yourself for it and kick butt,

you're going to get more opportunities. Jerry Jones is sitting there going like, hey, man, I gave you all these opportunities, I protected you, I battled for you, when you messed up, I was there for you, I support you in the face of the strongest headwind, the movement against domestic violators has been probably the strongest headwind

we've ever seen against current professional athletes. And by the way, rightfully so. He stood up and stood by the guy. And now you're going to get mad because he told a little joke that was funny and everyone knew it was sarcastic. No one thought it was really in the heart offensive. While you have a standing offer

to be the second highest paid player at your position in the history of sport, stop it. Stop it. Now you're acting spoiled, ungrateful. And now you're kind of, now I'm at my limit. Now, look, Ezekieliot does have some support from some current and former players. Here's Marcellus Wiley on Speak for Yourself, going back to yesterday. It's impossible if I'm Ezekiel Elliott to sign this deal.

One, immediately, I see this deal as less than, less than someone who already got paid. And guess what's going to happen as soon as I sign on the dotted line? I'm going to get leapfrog and we'll be right back in this situation. So now I'm going to be sitting there at top five before I blink. And then we'll be right back here, Jerry. Your ego needs the headline of, I did this. I'm the highest paid running back, even if it's for five seconds, just because I am the best running back.

I need that to be sold to me. Yeah, the problem is that's not the reality of the market. The running back market's going through a market correction. Todd Gurley signed that deal a year ago. Levion Bell signed one this year. It's for less money. And the reality is Todd Gurley's deal is a bad deal, and Levyon Bell's deal so bad, the GM who signed it,

got fired shortly there afterwards. Like I understand. There's not going to be bigger payday. Sequin Barclay might be the best back in the league, but he's not going to get more money. That's not the reality of the position, the reality of the sport, unless they change the rules. So I get the old school.

I need to be the highest paid, but the reality of the sport, the correction of the market, and oh yeah, by the way, you're under contract for two more years. I guarantee had he played at his current contract for a year or at least showed up in camp, he would have had a stronger case. but he needs to get paid, but not as much as DAC,

not as much as Amari Cooper, Byron Jones, and there will be others. And if you want to truly win games, sometimes you've got to take a little bit less. 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. Fox.

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. 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, 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 here on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta,

you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back. from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows,

including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say, this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet.

Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new, podcast, hope from a hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man.

If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream of chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coultera podcast network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Noon Kickoff.

And of course, one of our new analysts, Fox Noon Kickoff is the legendary coach at Ohio State, one national championship there, one national championships at Florida. Urban Meyer joins us in the herd. Coach, how are you? I'm good. Great to see you. Okay, let's start with your best friend from the school from the North. who there's a new book out and in the new book he says it's it's it's hard to beat cheaters right he's talking about the SEC the head coach of Michigan Jim Harbaugh says it's hard to beat cheaters when you heard that when you read that what was your immediate reaction my immediate reaction is the season starting in one week and the focus has got to be on your team I'm not sure you know I probably shook my head like most people like why is that being this why I have a conversation about this now and and all focus needs to be on to be on your team and I imagine it created interest like we're talking about it now, but that's not important. You got to go get ready to go play game.

Okay. And in fairness, it is in a book, and I know he can't, I don't know how much he can control over when John Bacon's book comes out. But you have coached at both places. You've won both places. You've won in the Big Ten. You've won in the SEC. How different is the recruiting? Like, is the perception is that the SEC cheats. That's the perception. What's the reality? Tough question. I hear the same story. I was there for six years. I heard many, many stories over and over again.

Obviously, if it was true, then there would be guys getting in trouble all the time. So I hear it. Here's what I'm going to tell you is that the South is so intense recruiting. Anytime you put the majority, not the majority, but just a huge quantity of elite players in a certain area. And right now, because of the population shift, because of the quality of spring football, it is so intense.

It's completely different than the Big Ten recruiting. At least when I first got to the Big Ten, the Big Ten didn't recruit like the SEC. I think you see more and more of it now, and I'm not talking about cheating. I'm talking about intensity, 24-7 non-stop recruiting,

and that's what you see in the SEC. Do you think it would be fair to say you take more chances in terms of, I don't necessarily character issues, but backgrounds is like, look, it is a kind of win or else league, and maybe you take more chances than you would at some other places.

Is that a fair characterization? I think so. Once I was there, you would take chances when, like I said, when I was there. And what would happen is you'd look and evaluate this player and say, no, wait a minute. If we don't recruit this guy, we're going to have to play against them. And I don't want to see this guy on the opposite sidelines. So do you have a tendency to take more chances maybe on a lower character guy than elite player? I can say that I did.

We're going to see Florida school. You won two national championships there. You had that incredible run where you won 24 consecutive games. and as you told me, after losing in the Sugar Bowl, people questioned you about the direction of the program, right? By the intensity of the SEC. But remind me, like, you were at Notre Dame. I was at Notre Dame for a year.

You came in the next year. And when you were at Bowling Green and then at Utah, the perception nationally was Notre Dame was your dream job. Like, I know you went to Cincinnati and played there and you got your MBA from Ohio State. But Notre Dame was, seemed to be your dream job. And when you took the Florida job, you actually either interviewed or talked with Notre Dame before you took the Florida job. Why turned down such a prestigious job to take the Florida job?

It was, we just finished undefeated season at Utah. And Florida came to see us. January fully came to see us right after our last game against Brigham Young. And, you know, my wife would always want to live in the South. Florida, I kind of watched from afar. I was always a huge fan of Steve Spurrier. But I'm Irish Catholic. I grew up a Notre Dame fan.

I spent six years there. son was baptized in Notre Dame. We loved it there. And I just, you know, the bottom line in the coaching profession is you don't have time to build programs anymore. You better get it going right now. Ron Zook was a previous head coach of Florida. I evaluated the roster as the best I could, and I felt Florida had the better roster. You know, Ron Zook, like I said, tremendous recruiter.

They had Chris Lee coming back. They had Chad Jackson, Bubba called well. I did my homework and I thought, you know what, did you get one swing? And I think the best chance to win is going to be at the University of Florida. I think it was probably the right choice in anyone's hindsight. You mentioned the great year you had at Utah. Of course, you beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl that year, right? No, we beat the Pitt and the Fiesta Bowl.

That was a couple years later. Okay, a couple years later to beat. But you finished undefeated. Alex Smith is your quarterback. You had a great second. You turned it at Bowling Green. The two national championships at Florida. The unbelievable run, maybe the first year at Ohio State was as impressive as the national

championship at Ohio State when you turned it late in the season. Is there one year which when you look back was more enjoyable? Like it was actually more fun to be undefeated at Utah than it was to win national championships at Florida. Or was the Florida? Was there one that was more enjoyable than the others? You know, I was just back at Utah and I saw Kyle Wieningham. I saw a bunch of my old players.

And I actually told them that when I look back and I see what we did at a non-BCS school, and this is in the BCS era. Right. And he took a bunch of players. And we followed Ron McBride. who was also an excellent coach, had good players there. I'd have to say that 2004 season

was as enjoyable as I've ever had. We didn't win a national title. I still believe to this day, that team on any given day could beat anybody. Our closest game was 21 points. And so I'm not sure it's fair to say, well, this was a better year, better year. But as far as pure enjoyment,

with minimal expectations to do what we did with those players, and Alex Smith is our quarterback, going defeated and go to the BCS game, that's as good a year as we've ever had. All right, well, let's bring in your crew, crew here from from from from fox college football supposed to clap thanks for the class i mean yeah well listen listen it's a smattering of applause is that how it goes johnny

appreciate it very much the live studio audience it is a live studio audience it is a live studio audience brady quinn matt liner reggie bush and of course uh you know you have kind of the incomparable the the fox noon uh kickoff of course you have your incomparable leader um reggie let me just ask you okay all Alex Smith was your high school, high school teammate. Yeah. When you watched them play in college, did you think they could beat anybody?

I thought they were special, yes. And I was also very surprised that he was using Alex Smith in the RPO system because when Alex was in high school with this, he was the slowest person on our team. Wing team. Wait, wait, you guys ran the wing tee? We ran a wing tee. And Alex was the slowest person on our team.

And so when I saw him at Utah outrunning people, I couldn't believe it was the same guy. But when coach was there, I was 100% thought that they were really, really good. You just didn't realize how fast you were in the rest of the time. I mean, Brady, can you believe that he turned down Notre Dame because they didn't have good enough players? I told him. I gave him a call. I tried to recruit him. I found a way of getting his number. I think I called him once, maybe twice. I gave him my best. Did he say, who dis, new phone? No, no. I'm not a good recruiter. I'm not going to get into coaching. But no, he just said, look, this is a bigger decision for me and my family.

And I kind of left it at that, but he appreciated the call. Stoner, you've done a lot of things, obviously, for this company. Today, by the way, is Founders Day. I don't know how people nationally know that's the anniversary of the day that Fox Sports was launched. I think 26 years ago. I'm going to go with 26 years ago. It sounds a lot better. You've done World Cup.

But this is a massive show with massive ego. These guys. No egos. There's no egos. Huge. No, no. I mean, Winerd especially. Let's see Notre Dame.

You got Notre Dame. You got Notre Dame and USC and one and a half Heismans here, right? I mean, that's what you got. Coaching royalty. You got coaching royalty. Urban knows this game better than me. Like, if you got talent, right, and you had talent in Gainesville. Use your talent.

So I got talent. So I am, we're scripting some plays and then just here's the ball. Go get them, boys. Liner, a percentage of time that you guys are recruiting Urban to go back and coach at USC during the show. Zero, man. I just want to make sure. This is our new team, man. This is right here, huh?

Huh, coach? Let me ask, because you and Reggie obviously are, and coach can answer this. The challenge is to Clemson, right? They lose seven defensive starters, but they still, they have Trevor Lawrence, but especially for Trevor, to come back a second time and have to have to prove himself. You know, last year he didn't start to start the year, kind of with, I didn't sneak up on folks, but they didn't get to sneak up on folks. How much more difficult is the second time, right?

Yeah, I mean, when you have a year like he did, true freshman, win a national championship in the way he did it, you're always, you're a little bit worried about, all right, now the accolades, now everybody knows who you are, they're gunning for you, but something tells me this kid, he just gets it, he understands it. You know, he's so composed, he's so poised. I mean, I've never seen a freshman quarterback play like that, especially against Alabama and a national championship game, and do it against Notre Dame the week before. So he's got a great head on his shoulders. Every interview he does, this kid just understands. And honestly, he's a rare talent. We haven't seen a kid like him in a long time. It's crazy, Brady, because we sit here

just talking about Trevor Lawrence when for probably nine-tenths of the season, it was Tua, Tua, Tua, Tua, Tua. And then all of a sudden, he has, you know, he's got a bad wheel, doesn't play that well. And it's like we've completely forgotten, forgotten Tua. What are your expectations from the Bama quarterback? I'm expecting them to be competing for a national championship. I think there's a lot of people who watch the national championship game. They watched the way it worked out where Tua clearly didn't play his best game, but the team didn't either. And in particular, their offensive line. I think they're going to respond.

I think they're going to rebound. I think the biggest issue for them is it's not talent. They've recruited well. They've got all that. It's the transition on the coaching staff. Nick Saban lost a lot of assistance, but it's something he's dealt with before. And so I think because of that experience dealing with it,

they should be fine. I expect them to be back in the college football play out. Coach, I want to ask you, Oklahoma has lost two consecutive number one overall picks, two consecutive highspin trophy winners. And the ad Jalen Hertz, who, of course, has competed for a national championship. He won the SEC championship game last

year, but he's entering a system where, you know, he's not the greatest throw in the world. What's that like as a challenge for a coach in such short order? He hasn't had him in the system. He hasn't played in the style. He got him in the spring. He's got him in the summer. He's got him in the fall. And now the sudden he's supposed to be the next guy at Oklahoma. Well, Ryan Day is dealing with the same thing with Justin Fields. This is more of a norm now than it was many years ago. I mean, this is a norm. You have Brandon Winbush. He's going to be starting for someone. I think the Lincoln Rally is such a good offensive. coach, the staff consistency, the offense consistency.

It's very adaptable to different players. My issue at Oklahoma is on defense is the obvious. I think offense will pick up right where they're going. He'll change a little bit because obviously, Kyler Murray is a different player than hurts. However, it's all about defense at Oklahoma. I mean, you can't advance and be 100th and past defense.

You can't. And so they have to get better. And they did. You know, you have to give him credit. He identified a weakness, made wholesale changes, brought a new defense coordinator. And that's going to be Oklahoma's issue. Reggie West Coast football.

You're West Coast guy, Larned's West Coast guy, I'm West Coast guy, Stoner's the king of Manhattan Beach. Like this next weekend, not this one, next weekend is a Oregon, Auburn, huge, huge. You got arguably the best quarterback

but one of the best quarterbacks in the country against an Auburn team coming off a disappointing. They only three and five in the SEC last year, and they got a starting a true freshman Bo Nix at quarterback. Does the PAC 12 come back into relevancy, in your opinion, year? I think they can with Oregon playing against Auburn and I think Oregon can beat Auburn.

Mario Cristobal is doing a great job at recruiting SEC type players right in the SEC's backyard. They also have had their highest rated recruiting class this year ever in history of Oregon, which says a lot because they've had a lot of talent come through there. They also have experience and they have great young players like Justin Herbert who, you know, you got a guy like that you can build around and they got an office line that can protect them. All right, Brady, let's circle back around to Notre Day. They have a stud quarterback, right?

But how many years do we have to be told? No, really, Notre Dame is among the elite, and then we see him against the elite. Come on, Doug, they were in the college football playoff last year. I know we want them to go and win. We want them to be competitive. We want them to be competitive. Now, look, they will tell you, like, look,

it was actually competitive at the half, but it was. Hold on. Was the national championship game competitive? No. Okay. Go ask those Clemson players. They've set it on record,

who the better team was, who they played last year. They said there was Notre Dame between the two games. I know the scoreboard was kind of similar. I think they're in a good spot. And I think they feel as good about this year's team as ever before because of the camaraderie. And really getting to that point last year and playing against Clemson who ended up winning it. Now they see what the standard is.

And until you do it for the first time, you really don't know. And so I think Ian Book, the rest of the leaders on that team, they've got a good idea now of what they need to do moving forward in order to get there. I think the toughest thing they have to battle this year is their schedule. I mean, Road Games versus Michigan, Georgia, Stanford. seven teams coming off by that's the most in college football this year. I think those are the roadblocks they've got to get there because so many teams are going to have two weeks to prepare for them. Stoner, how many times are you going to ask is Texas back, right?

We got LSU Texas are coming, right? We have a preview show that airs tomorrow on Fox. That'll be top of the number one when we talk about the Big 12. Oh, but we have to talk to the Big 12. Okay, that's 4 o'clock Eastern time, 1 o'clock Pacific, big noon kickoff preview show tomorrow. Let me ask you, Matt Liner, is Texas back? We'll see. I think when you look at Texas, you kind of got to just stop talking.

You got to go out and do it. And last year, I think the way they ended against Georgia in their bowl game, dominating that team who was supposed to be in the playoff, I think Texas has a shot. I still think Oklahoma is the best team in the Big 12. But I love, we joke, we talk about Sam Ellinger a lot. I love this kid. I think he reminds me a lot of coach's former guy and Tim Tebow in the way he plays,

the running style. I think he's probably a better thrower, you know, a natural thrower. but this team is close and Tom Herman's done a great job I'm excited to see what they can do All right coach I'm now I'm going to have to Now you have to be an analyst Okay you have to you have to cut away

Any of the Ohio State bias Michigan is going to try and Change who they are right They can try and open it up for Shea Patterson And part of the as you pointed out Part of the problem with the quote in the book Is it takes away from Shea Patterson The talent that Michigan has

The schedule that seems to To suit them as opposed to last year Having to go to Notre Dame Early in the year How difficult is that Now he look he's changed when he had Kaepernick he changed in the NFL but how difficult do you think that'll be for jim harbaugh to run an offense that is not really the offense that he traditionally you'd think would

want to run whenever you change systems see we've we changed it we change coordinators at oh house state really because guys go want to be head coaches but the system stayed the same and we i would always call it enhance a system when you change a system i'm anxious to see if they actually do if they do it takes time however uh they have three of the best they have three high draft picks at receiver led like People Jones that people don't know about because they're underutilized. I mean, Donovan People Jones is a legit top 10 talent picking the NFL draft.

And I think, you know, you have a young coordinator, 35 years old, never won Gattis, never called a play. And he's, you know, Jim Harbaugh is a very strong personality. If they truly let this spread offense go, it's gonna take a minute. The one thing they have though, that personnel is ideal. Shea Patterson's a spread quarterback. Those receivers deserve to be able to play in space.

I'm anxious to see if they really do. it. Reggie, Georgia came so close, right? So close. But Alabama has that thing that you guys had, right, where they just believe they're going to win, right? How hard is that to overcome? Because like, look, personnel-wise, coaching-wise, helmet, logo, nickname, everything. Georgia has everything it takes to be the best team in the SEC. But Alabama has that kind of mental control over them. How hard is that to overcome? I don't think it's that hard to overcome. I think it's just a matter of finishing games, right?

Learning how to finish in the fourth quarter. We still have a saying at USC, you can't win games in the first, second, or third quarter. You've got to win them in the fourth quarter, right? And that doesn't matter what the situation is. You always have to know and feel that you can come out on top, right? And it's a mentality. It's not about going out there working harder than the next person or everybody works hard. Everybody has talent.

This is about finishing. This is a mindset. And so everything you do, whether it's in the team meetings, whether it's in reps in the wait room, is finishing those, finishing through the line. We used to always, I remember when we were training as a team, we would always make sure we finish through the line because we knew that if we implement this mentality now, it's going to serve us down the road. Yeah, Bush push, of course, help beat. That's one way of finishing. That's one way to finish. That's one way to finish the line.

By the way, liner's going to be signing autographs at the centennial modern day game tonight. Liner's giving away free autographs tonight. Just want to know. Will you be there with me, man? I thought we're going to dinner. Sure. Sure. Rob Stone, Reggie Bush, Urban Meyer,

Matt Linerd, Brady Quinn. That's 4 o'clock Eastern, 1 o'clock Pacific, big noon kickoff. Huge show every college football Saturday of the season. Men, thanks so much. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed the game.

This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you. 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. 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. 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 here 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. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man.

They holding Kay Michelle back. from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the boozy style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about.

As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say, this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie.

Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to be become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the

Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I think there's some interesting things that happened in sports. Those where were you moments, right? And generally we think of where were you moments as, you know, challenger explosion. You know, I remember where I was in fourth grade, Mrs. Sally's class. We think of tragic events. Sometimes we think of unbelievable comebacks and performances in sports. I remember when the Patriots came back to beat the Atlanta Falcons that my kids wanted to stay up and I said, go to sleep, this game's over. And then I promised my son, if it gets close, will you wake me up? Yes. And then it was like he was asleep for an hour and a half. And all of a sudden it was close. Couldn't wake him up.

So you remember those moments. But there are also moments. moments that are the beginning of the end, right? The beginning of the end. And sometimes the moments are like when Marshawn Lynch didn't get the football, right? That felt like the beginning of the end of the Seahawks dynasty because you lost the team, you lost the defense. There was a mess last night, Winnipeg, Canada. Now, why are they playing a game in Winnipeg, Canada? I guess the answer would be it's fairly close. It's closer to Green Bay. And at the the time when it was booked by a promoter, the Raiders didn't have a home, and they didn't know where they were going to play. And so in kind of the ultimate money grab, which is what the

preseason actually is, you know, like, I don't know how many people know this, but NFL players aren't compensated for preseason football. It's per diem, right? It's per diem. And then they pay for travel. And if you've looked at most of these games, you know, you actually get to pick a group of teams you want to play. So that's why the Chargers play. You know, a couple games at home and then they play the Arizona Cardinals, for example, close in proximity as possible. The jets play the giants and the dolphins play the jaguars to cut down on travel costs. It's a money grab.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the cash register. They forgot or the promoter forgot or whoever sets up the field forgot that when you take out goalposts, like there's a hole there. There's a hole there. Like it's a big, a goalpost is a thing. It's not like that old volleyball net in high school where like take out the volleyball net and you put the little cap on it and you don't even know it's there. Even though it's artificial surface, you take it out.

There's a mechanism that you also have to remove with it and you have to cover it up. It was not properly covered. And so you had these massive divvits right in the middle of the front of each end zone. which led to the grounds group coming out and doing the, I don't know there, eh? I don't know about the hole there, eh? I don't know how we can fill it in such short period of time. So they didn't.

So they didn't. And they ended up playing a game on an 80-yard field. Now, it's not just the game was played in an 80-yard field, which looks like a bad scrimmage. It looks, and if you've ever been around, and Joy, you've worked NFL games. I got to work one last year. NFL games are the best run professional event I have ever been a part of.

There's a lot of moving parts to it. There are a lot of moving part. Remember, you have the TV. You have TV. You have both local radios, national radio, media. You have, and there's very limited number of people on the sideline. Like, sideline credential. I saw, I did Dolphins Bears last year.

Peyton Manning escorted off the sideline before the game began. Like, he was like, I'm Peyton Man. Like, yeah, I know. Guy got the sideline. Like, only. authorized personnel only. There's a line that goes around each NFL field. Okay, do not step on and definitely do not step inside that line.

Why? Because that's the line. If you see it on this video, there's that yellow dotted line. That's the line for the TV cameras. They do not want anyone outside of the football players or the officials or the coaches inside that line. Period. Stop. End of story.

I was doing that Dolphins Bears and I was I was into the sideline. I'm watching. and I'm stepping on the O-L line, and I have an NFL security guy come up and says, hey, if you step on that line again, we are escorting you out of the stadium. I was like, I'm sorry, sir, I'm doing the game for Fox. Like, no, no, we know.

This is from New York. Like, this is really important. So for this to happen is embarrassing to the league because their product is, and these are two historic franchises, and it's in Canada who wants to get a football team. Like, all of these things are important. So you play on 80s.

field. The Raiders don't bring 24 guys. Packers don't play their starters. And I, Joy, I feel like this is the beginning of the, this is, this is the moment. Like, as you pointed out earlier, Sean McVeigh from the moment he got the job, said, if you show me you can play football, I don't need to see you play football to know why you can play football, right? That's kind of his case of running. Right. But this is the tie at the Major League Baseball All-Star game. this, you know, this, this is the fail, Mary. Remember the fail, Mary? Yeah.

Packers, Seahawks. You're like, well, hold on. We got to get rid of these replacement officials and figure out a way to get it done. Like, that's it. That was a seminal moment. The, the Jesse James catch. I know that Des caught it. Okay.

I know that Calvin Johnson caught it. But Jesse James's catch is ruled a touchdown. The Pittsburgh Steelers have home field advantage in the playoffs. and it's a completely different postseason. Think of how big the play was last year in the playoffs, the Roby Coleman play with the Saints and the Rams. Such a big play that for the first time ever, we've had a judgment call able to be reviewed.

There was the, remember the Saints Vikings game? This was Brett Farms' last game where he threw the ball across his body. And the hometown. You can't do that. that game was lost because the Saints got the ball in overtime, marched down and kicked a field goal and won it, and after that we changed the overtime rules. I still don't like the overtime rules because it's both teams get the ball

unless you score a touchdown. It feels like they've gone halfway, but that was a seminal moment. Here's what, 2003, the lowest rated NBA finals ever. Spurs versus Nets. You have the spurs that everybody deemed to be boring against the Nets, Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, right, that NBA finals. Lowest rated NBA finals ever.

What happened afterwards? The NBA said, hey, we got to change this hand-checking stuff. We got to open up the game. They changed the rules. The malice at the palace led to the dress code. The dress code? So I think last night, I don't think it goes away. I don't think the preseason football immediately goes away.

We're not going to cut off these two games. Daniel Jeremiah from the NFL network and Henry Henry of the Chargers came up with a plan that I would promote, which is two regular preseason games for the young guys, and then two of these joint practices in the stadium. And then you can also bring the fans down. You can do seven on seven. You can do all the stuff they do in the joint practices. You just don't have to do a traditional game.

And that way you can protect the quarterbacks. Nobody touches the quarterbacks. something has to give and between the Rams not playing their guys for a third straight year, the Colts not playing their guys, the Packers not playing their guys, the Raiders not even bringing their guys,

they don't even get on the plane, felt like last night was the tipping point. Well, yeah, I mean, it's just like you said, you're running down the teams that aren't participating. Teams are just taking it into their own hands. Like, okay, we realize this is not really necessary. Sometimes you just do things

out of conditioning or tradition. And then someone like Shaw McVeigh or whoever says, this doesn't really make sense that we're still doing this. So I'm just going to not do it. Is there, will we be punished for not doing it? No, so let's just not do it and see what happens. And it actually turns out to be successful. It's 100% injury rate in the NFL for careers, right?

We know that. There's no benefit. And we have this conversation every year. It's like once training camp starts, the time from the moment training camp starts until week one, everyone's just crossing their fingers, no injuries. Now, training camp, you can't avoid those, right? Like, it's going to happen.

And it feels like even though it's dramatic and it sucks, it's like that's kind of part of the game. Like, it's an unfortunate place, but... No question. That's a necessary evil. Preseason games are just... They're just not. For guys who are trying to make the team, yes.

For rookies, yes. For, you know, the fringe guys are figuring out who you're going to keep on the practice squad and all that stuff, yes. Starters and close to starters, it just doesn't, what are you gaining there? Well, just live reps, I think, is the thing. Like, real live reps. Did you forget how to play football?

You don't play that much. You don't play that much. I mean, I think what Sean McVeigh is doing is just flying in the face of all of those things. There's no question. There's no question it's been successful, okay? But I guess the question becomes this, right? The question becomes, is there a control group? Like, look, has Sean McVeigh's been successful?

yeah he's been successful for two years part of it is he's a really good coach and he's a really good offense and Jeff Fisher wasn't a very good offensive coach and they've added a lot of pieces like had they played their guys in the preseason would they have not had two really good years the answer is they probably would have been just the same

we don't know because there's no control group right right and not every team that's not playing their players in the preseason is going to have a good regular season so maybe that's what we see but I do think that one of the things you hit on which is brilliant point, is this idea that we cannot, if you say you're doing something simply because

that's how you've always done it, that's not really a great answer. Now, if you're saying you're doing it because you still think guys need live reps, that we don't practice as much, we don't have two a days, there's not as much contact. And it is a violent physical sport that you are going to, you will, you have to learn how to play through contact. You have to learn to play, like as a quarterback, look at Jimmy Garapolo, I'd have to think a good portion of the reason he struggled in his first preseason appearance was because he hadn't seen live reps, because he didn't have anybody at his feet or in that case the Broncos batting down passes, right? You can't really replicate that even in scrimmages because quarterbacks aren't touched. So there is a value

there, but is the value worth the risk, is the value worth putting together a product that looks like a clown show like we saw in Winnipe? Right. And I don't think that I'm not, I'm not, advocating for completely eliminating the preseason because I do think rookies needed. And I think that, for example, Jimmy Garoppolo coming off a devastating injury, that's useful, fringe guys. You need it for those purposes. But do you need this much? Do you need four preseason games? No, but that's, again, part of the how the money works because you get two home games. So you charge your fans. And look, there is a, where are you going to replace that revenue? And we always think of the revenue only for the owners. The owners, obviously, they don't want to make less money.

But it's also the revenue for the stadiums. It's also revenue for all the surrounding bars or parking. The people who work in these stadiums, like there is a windfall of cash that's made, even if the places are half of them. Sure, and everything in our entire world, if you really get down to it, comes down to money. If we're having real conversations,

that's really boring to just discuss the numbers because that's not fun. Right. But of course it comes down to the money. But I think you can find alternatives, like you said, make it a fan fest, or make it something that's more interactive. Like elevate the training camp experience to the stadium or whatever you need to do to find a way to balance the lack of competitiveness that you have for four games and get the guys that do need reps out there.

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 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel 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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker... You know these kids. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Look. Quarterback on office blue with 42.

Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior. and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month,

tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.