The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 08/26/2019

Episode Date: August 26, 2019

Colin says some of the blame for Andrew Luck's retirement has to be on the Colts and their mismanagement of the roster over Luck's career.  He talks about where he was right and where he was wrong in the last week.  Plus, the always entertaining former Colts Punter Pat McAfee talks with Colin about Luck and how he should have spent more time calling people out in order to get what he needed to succeed  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

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

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, 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 SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on I Heart Radio app by searching Herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, it's a Monday. This is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in Los Angeles on

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio and FS1. One hour from now where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, plenty of both this weekend. Joy Taylor is joining me. Joy, kind of a shocking week. weekend for all of us. There was a lot that happened this weekend, even after the huge announcement. So let's start. First of all, you know I'm a huge fan of Andrew Luck. I think anybody who watches this show knows. I watched them in college as a freshman and sophomore at Stanford. I went out, and I told you that that year. I said after his freshman sophomore year, I said, folks, this is the

next great one. I don't do that with college quarterbacks. I'm doing it with a kid at Clemson. Andrew Luck was the first time I ever went on the air and said, okay, this is a Hall of Famer. This is what a Hall of Fame quarterback look like. So it was very shocking for me. Chris Boutard's my favorite GM in the NFL. I try to talk to him regularly. Last couple of weeks, I couldn't get straight answers. I even called a trainer I knew in the NFL. Nobody could figure out the calf strain. So I know exactly where I was when I heard it Saturday. And my first reaction was, oh, this is why I couldn't get a straight answer for two weeks for my friends. Shocked, surprised. Let me start with this. media is not paid to be fans.

We're paid to have emotional discipline. I consider myself a judge, not the jury, not the prosecutor. I want to be beyond emotion and deliver in chaotic times, even keel, stable messaging. So media, stop ripping indie fans for booing. The fans in the moment, they name their pets and their kids after players. They wear another man's jersey on their back. Then you put three beers in them and you expect them to be perfectly,

contextually nuanced with their reaction. Fans pay to be crazy. I'm paid not to be. I don't hold the fans to the same standard. I hold media. Fans go to games, drink before it, drink during it, are rowdy. It's a badge of honor to be loud and a little out of control. Yes, their initial reaction was unjust, in my opinion.

fan is short for fanatic. Then they got in their cars, listened to Andrew Lux Press conference, heard him start to get emotional, read the two local columnists of note, Greg Doyle, Bob Kravitz, and that later that night or this morning, they wake up and they realize,

oh, I get it. Folks, if you called off a wedding a week out, even if you did it for the right reasons, even if you knew mentally and emotionally, It was good for not only you, the groom, but the bride as well. Her father-in-law would still be ticked off, and she'd probably cry. It's jarring. It's surprising.

It comes out of nowhere. You think Chris Ballard and Jim Herce say high-fived? They were ticked off. They were shocked. These things make us very human. It's okay as a fan to react. I'm paid not to be emotional. Fans pay to be emotional.

Media lighten up. Here's the second thing. Quarterbacks are becoming like the Baskin-Robbins, 32 different flavors mantra. We got the big quarterback. We got Big Ben. We got the small quarterback. We got Kyler Murray. We got the flashy quarterback who's got style Cam Newton.

We got the guy who wore Wranglers, Brett Farve. We have pocket quarterbacks, Eli Manning. We have guys who run around. around Lamar Jackson. We have outspoken quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield. We have stoic quarterback, Sam Darnold. And then we have this new thing. Quarterbacks playing into their 40s, Tom Brady.

So it was almost expected we'd have the opposite of that. Star quarterback retiring too early for what we were hoping for. That's Andrew Luck. Listen, promising career ends early is not a new headline in any business. Even in football, Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, Jim Brown at 29. But it had never happened to quarterbacks. But if you take a step back, quarterbacks used to all sort of look and play the same. Oh, they do not.

Big, small, stoic, outspoken, cocky, not cocky, playing forever. and now leaving early. By the way, Tom Brady mentioned something yesterday on W-E-E-I about Andrew Lucks early retirement, and I thought he really noted something that he understands how valuable it is. I think there's definitely a physical element. I think there's definitely an emotional element. I think there's a mental element. There's everything, in my view, has to really.

come together for you to be, you know, the best version of yourself as a player. And, you know, it takes a lot of support. It takes a lot of people. And Andrew Luck never had those people. I've said this many times in my life. I am much more impressed with a child or a kid that comes from chaos and ends up with a really good, solid life. I'm much more impressed with that than the trust fund kid. who ends up becoming governor or CEO.

What do you come from? What do you inherit? Andrew Luck inherited a mess. The worst roster in the league. The organization's owner, Jim Ursay, always impulsive, then hired a general manager, Ryan Grickson, who my half-dozen NFL scouting sources could not believe got the job. over the course of the next three years,

Grigsin only drafted three offensive linemen before the seventh round, and all of them whiffed. He had a defensive head coach. Bruce Ariens was there for about 40 minutes, then left. Bad offensive line, awful running game, actually non-existent. It wasn't until year four some of the players started developing. But Tom Brady, and this is. is not a shot at Tom, walked into a league with the best offensive line coach, one of the best

owners, a winnable dysfunctional division, maybe the best coach in NFL history, and initially great defenses for the first five or six years of his career, even had a mentor, Drew Bledso, a very likable, decent guy to help him along. Andrew Luck walked into a tire fire, and to this day going 11 and 5 in year 3 and getting to the AFC championship with the offensive personnel line and running game lack thereof he was surrounded by is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Grigson has yet to get a GM job. Chuck Pagano has yet to get another head coaching job. Tom Brady is the

exception. One fluky injury in 20 years. Andrew Luck, once you heard, the press conference, even those fans who booed, had to hear this and understand, ah, I get it. I've been stuck in this process. I haven't been able to live the life I want to live, taking the joy out of this game. And after 2016, where I played in pain and was unable to regularly practice, I made a vow to myself that I would not go down that path again. I find myself in a similar situation and the only way forward for me is remove myself from football in this cycle that I've been in, come to the proverbial fork in the road. And I made a vow to myself that if I ever

did again, I would choose, choose me in a sense. Quarterbacks used to all look and play sort of the same. Times have changed. Let me shift to this. Andrew Lowe. luck, once we all took a deep breath, was mostly lauded by people in and around football, owners, GMs, players, coaches. Almost everybody said, we get it. Are we ready to say it again? Because I do not think this will be the last quarterback. Let me ask you, money changes everything.

And I am in no way insinuating money made a decision. But if you're Cam Newton in week seven, somebody cheap shot you in the knee, do you want to go through another year of rehab? He has $100 million in the bank and other interests. Aaron Rogers, Carson Wentz. All it takes, Khalil Mack comes off the edge. Somebody comes off the edge, DeMarcus Lawrence for the Cowboys. Does Cam, Aaron, Carson Wentz?

Do they want to go through another year and a half of rehab? We're paying players now, big boy money. Their net worse are 75 to 100 million. Andrew Luck made 100 million in only six years. You can't blame players. I've said this before. I played high school football. Football practice is hard.

Connor McGregor, after the big payday, doesn't want to get a hit in the face anymore. Listen, yesterday, Sean McVeigh, coach of the Rams, called off practice. It was a surprise. He told the entire staff, take the day off, go be with your families. He told players,

take the day off. Why? Because the L.A. Rams and Sean McVeigh sensed this two years ago. Football's changing. Players make more money. Practice is hard. Lighten up.

It's very repetitive. I'm not saying the NFL will ever be the NBA. It won't be. But we're entering a new era. Richer people over time, the general rule is, they don't want to do a lot of really hard stuff. Basketball practice when I was a kid was fun. I love being in the batting cage in baseball.

I hated football practice, and it's by far and away my favorite sport. Joey's brother, a Hall of Famer. Ask him, Southern Florida, August, camp. It's awful. It's awful for people like quarterbacks who don't get hit. Aaron Rogers said last week, I don't think I have to play in games. I know the offense.

We supported him. If you're okay with luck and I am, then understand the new paradigm in football, especially for star quarterbacks. Rehab's hard, practice is hard. There's more options. People get rich and don't want to do hard stuff. And again, that is in no way insinuating. money made a decision for Andrew Luck.

But I think it over time could make the decision for others. This is the new football. The good news, it's not going away and half the NFL is undrafted. So there are players everywhere. More good news. Looks like these college guys now come into the NFL and they can play really, really early. So these quarterbacks will be replaced,

mostly by very, very competent guys. but money's going to change everything in football. For a long time, our entire lives, players played hurt, players played to a fourth contract, players played until they're hobbled, players were willing to gut it out and be quiet. Those days are over. Those days are over. 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 athletes 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, 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 SportsCise 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth?

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Cliver 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, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? This Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ. Toledano and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reeves. he has to guard Julius Randall and then he has to give us everything he gives us

on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass, get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He run up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah,

you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It's a sad day for me because I love football. I love quarterback play. And Andrew Luck, I think was my favorite college to pro transition quarterback,

probably of my life. I love John Elway, too. But Andrew Luck was different than other quarterbacks from me. But I thought about this this morning, and a member of the staff brought this up. I want you to think about this for a second. There's not a single quarterback in the AFC this morning. between the ages of 25 and 35 that you absolutely know as a franchise quarterback. You got Ben, Rivers, and Brady, the old guys.

You got Baker, Deshawn, Sam, and Mahomes, the young guys. There's a decade gap in the AFC, 25 to 35. Now, it's not like that in the NFC. You got Dak and Goff and Wentz, the young guns. You got Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, middle group. You've got Drew Breeze, Aaron Rogers, both First Ballot Hall of Famers, the old guys. There is no easy pass on this Disney ride, okay, in the NFC. In the AFC, translation to me, Tom, Philip Ben, two years from now call it quits.

Patrick Mahomes is not going to have a barrier. He'll be slightly older and significantly more talented than almost everybody in the AFC. I did this last week. I put up what I believe, because I don't believe we've ever had a dynasty all-time great quarterback without a great coach. Even the guys that didn't win Super Bowls, Dan Marino had Don Shula, Dan Fouts, had the brilliant Air Coriel, Don Correel. And I put down the five next five, most probable, dynasty. relationships, quarterback to coach. Well, for our TV viewers,

Luck and Reich were four. Put an X through that. It's Mahomes and Reed, and then three NFC pairings. Gough McBay, Wence Peterson, Wilson, Carroll. So, you know, there's a big gap now in the AFC where it's young guys, unfulfilled, a lot of promise,

a lot of hope, some of that injuries, and the old guys that we know we're not going to be around forever, and do generally, Brady kind of the exception, or maybe he's not, have some physical limitations. Ben doesn't run like he used to. Rivers is getting a little up there. Translation to me is Patrick Mahomes could have a very long, fruitful relationship with the Super Bowl.

By the way, he may knock a couple down before the old guys retire. But this quarterback coaching relationship, you're as successful as the barriers you have to overcome. Even Peyton Manning. You know, Phil Mickelson had to overcome Tiger Woods in his prime. Arnie had to overcome Jack. You're as successful as the barriers in front of you. Andrew Luck was one of those barriers potentially to Patrick O'Holmes going to six Super Bowls.

So, you know, I don't think there's any good news out of Andrew Luck leaving. But if you're Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes, a barrier has been. it's disappeared. A massive, not a small barrier, potentially a barrier you would not overcome consistently. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. All right, Colin Wright, Joey, Colin wrong.

Plenty of both. Here we go. Where Colin was right? I said when Antonio Brown left. Listen, the Steelers do the receiver development thing really, really well. Sure, he's a great player. But this is the one thing Pittsburgh does better than maybe any other quality. Get receivers, draft them, develop them, and make them good.

James Washington has looked unbelievable. James Washington is going to be unbelievable. Juju Smith-Schuster is a better pro than he was a college player. This is what they do. Linebackers and wide receivers, nobody in this league does a better job of finding them, drafting them. Sometimes they don't, you know, you don't even watch them play on college Sundays. Let's not worry about Pittsburgh.

I think they'd look better than any team, any team in the NFL, and James Washington looks better than any young receiver in the NFL. Nobody's disputing. Production from AB is hard to replace. But this organization does developmental receivers, that's what they do. I mean, this is what they do really well. Where Colin was wrong. RG3 and Andrew Luck came into the NFL together at the same time,

and I said, RG3 is not going to last very long. Actually, as of this weekend, RG3's career. career is officially longer than Andrew Luck's career. Now, some of it is RG3 doesn't take the hits anymore. He doesn't start anymore. He doesn't play anymore. But, you know, I was shocked by Andrew Luck. I've got to be honest. I thought

RG3 came into the league. I thought he ran too much. I thought he had almost a wide receiver body. I said, this can't last. He got hurt early. But it was Andrew Luck, the big strong kid that had to retire early because of

pain, injuries, and constant rehab. where Colin was right. So Cam Newton got hurt. Lamar Miller, the running back at Houston's out for the year. And what in God's name was that disaster in Canada where they played a football game on 80 yards? Been banging this drum for years. Can we shorten the preseason?

Can we reduce the preseason? Does Cam Newton really need snaps in the preseason? I mean, really, Cam Newton, all the joint practices, All the OTAs, all the camp. Cam Newton really needs live bullets. Not really. It's the NFL. They're 16 games.

So what if they go 0 and 1? He didn't have practice games in college. They won a national title at Auburn. By the way, Sean McVeigh of the Rams, he won't play any of his starters. He's got it right. To say that there's not an appreciation for what the preseason entails and playing real football,

I think there is a lot of merit to that. But when you look at some of the continuity now that we have on both sides of the ball coming back and you say, okay, if something were to happen, is it really worth that risk in our mind? And we just felt like that answer is no. And that's the approach that we're taking. I totally understand, you know, if people don't agree with that. But, you know, we always make decisions that we feel like are in the best interest of our team. And I said this last year, that's the way to do preseason. Figure out who your third best running back is and your six best linebacker.

It's not for Jared Goff and Robert Woods. Cooper Cup. I don't want to see him near a field. Where Colin was wrong. I have reduced my college football talk in the last couple of years because I said it's become too regional and too predictable. Alabama Clemson once again, one and two. And I think it's her TV ratings, and I think I've been right on this. But Miami and Florida, in the summer,

a totally regional rivalry got a 4-1 rating. That's a monster. Folks, that's better than any Eastern Conference NBA playoff game. All right. A 4-1, and that wasn't even a well-played game. It was kind of a tire-fire. It was just a hot mess of penalties and too much of everything.

You know, those teams both needed under six practices. But listen, it's, the reality is gambling's legal in America. People like gambling on football. And that number is, that was people's first big bet of football of the season. Where Colin was right. Dwayne Haskins is not going to start the season for Washington. I like him. I like him a lot.

But remember, not only did he just start one year of college, but at Ohio State last year, they had great wide receivers and a great offensive line. He was rarely flushed out of the pocket. He needs reps. There used to be a rule that you had to start for at least three years in college football, or most guys like Bill Parcells were not interested. Now, I think the game has changed. Kids are in these seven-on-seven camps at 12 years old.

So I think you can play one year of college and come into the NFL. I think Andrew Luck was ready to do that out of Stanford. But Duane is different. Now, Daniel Jones and Kyler Murray to me, and I've watched all three of these guys, Daniel started more, Kyler started a little bit more. I think those guys feel like, to me, they are more NFL ready. I like Duane, but I've never thought he is a starter week. Life was too comfortable at Ohio State, and the NFL is discomfort.

That's what quarterback is. Where Colin was wrong. Well, the pro football focus ratings, the PFF.com ratings, have Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield both ahead of Sam Darnold. Really? Am I the only person that remembers that most NFL teams had Sam Darnold ahead of Baker Mayfield on their draft boards? It's going to make it, of course, sweeter to me when Sam Darnold makes the

playoffs as a wild card representative behind the New England Patriots. Folks, he inherited a mess, a defensive coach, bottom 50 line, no running game, no receivers, even this year, his top tight end who's really talented out for a month. Guess I'm wrong, though, the data guys like Baker and like Kyler. Where Colin was right. Jimmy Garoppel's fine. Yes, I know he had a 0.0 quarterback rating. He hadn't played in the year.

Denver brought the house against Kansas City. It looked terrific. 14 and 20, 188 yards, no picks, had a touchdown, 116.2 quarterback rating. He played the entire first half. Listen, remember, San Francisco's receiving core, babies. Two rookies may start, and Dante Pettis has already only been in the league one year. So it's not that he's walking in as a quarterback who hasn't played much. this wide receiving core is a bunch of kids and is tied-in George Kittle, who's unbelievable.

He's not playing in the preseason either. So he's going to be sporadic. Listen, Baker Mayfield's playing with a bunch of nobody's at wide receiver. Baker struggled this weekend. Jimmy G. can play. Eight and two is a starter in San Francisco. He'll be fine. Where Colin was right.

Always felt Steph Curry has more influence than LeBron James. LeBron's the better player, but Steph Curry's got more influence. He's changed the way we play the game. He's changed the way the college game has played. He's changed analytics in the sport. This weekend, he did it again. I've never seen a pro athlete do this. He granted a million dollars to Howard University

to create a men's and women's division one golf team. I've never seen a pro athlete literally create a division one athletic program. I think Steph Curry is a get it guy. I'm not saying he's LeBron James the player. But we're going to look back. LeBron didn't change the game. changed the game. He's just great. LeBron didn't change the college game. LeBron didn't eliminate back to back to the basket centers. LeBron doesn't change how kids play basketball in a gym by

themselves. Steph Curry once again, most impactful guy in the NBA last several years. Where Colin was wrong. NBA rookie poll came out last week. Who's going to be the best rookie? Zion finished tied for fourth to rookies watch basketball in college. I don't don't get it. I mean, I understand a little jealousy. He already got a shoe deal. But Zion's hard to be jealous of. He's like the most joyful player, the best teammate ever. Have you ever heard anybody badmouthed Zion Williamson? Everybody loves Zion Williamson. It's like no ego, a lot of fun. I mean, only 5%. Two Atlanta Hawks got more love from rookies than Zion Williamson. I don't get it. I mean, I find the kid incredibly relatable and incredibly likable.

I mean, that shoe deal happened at Duke, it would have been very easy for him to say, Seacrest out. He's like, I want to play another year. I just, I don't get the questions on Zion Williamson. You can't, I watch that kid and I think, give him one year, he's an all-star. Where Colin was right? I like Mike Tomlin. Sometimes he drives me crazy as a head coach.

His teams are too loose. He's too much of an ice cream for breakfast. parent and Rod Woodson, former Steeler and Hall of Famer, agreed with me this weekend. The one thing I can say about Mike, he's a good coach. The only thing I would like to see him do more is just he has a little bit more thumbs down on his players because it's just like having 53 teenagers. You have 53 teenagers where you're not going to let your teenagers just run the roost in your house. You know, if they do something wrong, you have to discipline them in some type of manner to catch

your attention. And I think that's the same thing has to happen in the locker room. Thank you. I like Tomlin too. I call him the Pete Carroll of the East Coast. I like them both. A lot of noise, a lot of drama. Sometimes Mike, I think, is his own worst enemy. Where Colin was right? I always said about Andrew Luck, and I believe this to be true. When somebody leaves a company, all we pay attention do is the next place they go. Your true influence is what happens to the place you leave. Do you see what Vegas did to the Colts from nine and a half wins to six and a half? Per Fox bet, they've got him at seven and a half. They went from 16 to one to the Super Bowl to 40 to one to win the Super Bowl. That's what I say by Jim Harbaugh.

You don't have to love the job he's done at Michigan. What happened to the 49ers when Jim Harbaal left? They were in the toilet two hours later. Literally, according to all the people like Fox Sportsbet and Vegas, they are now a team that will go from a Super Bowl contender. And this is with a good O-line, with a good tight-end core, with a running game, with a good coach, with a great GM, with an improved defense to a team that'll win about six or seven games and try to stay out of the seller. Your ultimate impact is what happens to the place you leave, not a lot. What happens to the place you enter?

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the I-Hard 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 reaction, 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 Slicleaf 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, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever 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 walks up to me, he goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office, Blue, 42.

A rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night bases on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball, like, After you go through a training camp with that, I said, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Search her to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. You know, I always in the summer I kind of lay out my predictions, but we haven't watched camp. There haven't been injuries.

You know, you don't know how what players develop. I mean, Pittsburgh, James Washington, and Devin Bush looked like he. huge, huge different makers for the Steelers. You know, Cleveland, everybody's got them in the Super Bowl, but their offensive line looks overwhelmed at times. Is Denver better than we think? So I'm just going to give you with Andrew Luck's retirement, my sort of sense.

I think there's more clarity for me in the AFC. We lost what I believe is the second, third, maybe the best team in the AFC will not be the same team. So AFC East, I'm going to remain mostly the same on what I predicted this summer. Patriots 11 and 5. jets are massively improved on the offensive side go nine and seven they won't be as good on special teams but i think they eke out of nine and seven they're viable for the playoffs not saying they're in you know buffalo sort of in the uh kind of eight and eight Miami six and ten these are now this was

by the way guys was this what I did in the summer right this was what I did okay let's get the summer ones out let's not worry about the summer let's just go up to what I'm predicting now so what I predicted in the summer I got the Buffalo bills at seven and nine not eight and eight and I got from what I've seen, four and 12. So the Jets and the Patriots are most of the same. I'm going to take a win away from the bills. Haven't been in love with them in the preseason. Dolphins have been a mess.

Let's go to the AFC West. Listen, I got Kansas City winning the division. I'm going to pull back a win on the Chargers because of the Melvin Gordon holdout and Derwin James is hurt. Broncos, I think, kind of battled for 500, go 7 and 9. I'm going to take away a win from the Raiders because they've been noisy. I still think Kansas City wins the division going away. AFC North, I said it from the very beginning.

I do not think it's going to be an issue in Pittsburgh with the drama, and that's proven to be the case. So I have Pittsburgh still at 11 and 5 winning the division. I'd probably take a win off Cleveland, a win off Baltimore, a win off Cincinnati. Cleveland's offensive line at times has been worse than I thought. And I, you know, we'll see with them. They've been noisier than I would prefer. but I still think Cleveland at 9 and 7, like the Jets at 9 and 7,

is a viable sort of playoff team to the very end of the season. Now here's the big game changer for me, and that would be my summer prediction until now on the AFC South. I had the Colts winning at 12 and 4. I don't. I am going to go right now, my new revised version is the Texans win it at 11 and 5. I'll give them another win. they'll beat Indianapolis another time.

Tennessee from 8 and 8, 10 and 6, because I think they'll now control that rivalry with the Colts. They could not beat Andrew Luck. I think Indy's going to be an 8-and-8 team to me. They're just going to be, you know, they're going to be banging around kind of 500 all year, not man overboard, but can't beat the good teams,

especially away from the dome. And I think Jacksonville's kind of what I thought they were going to be all summer. So I still think largely, It's a New England wins their division. Kansas City does. Pittsburgh does. And now Houston does. And I think your Tennessee's, your Cleveland's, your jets, and your chargers are the four teams

battling for two playoff spots. But Indy now goes from winning a division to out of the playoffs to me. Now, via the Coward Global Satellite Network, Pat McAfee joins us. Eight years in the NFL, multiple pro bowler. West Virginia guy who's got a new show on DeZone, September 9th that debuts. Pat's a very smart, funny guy, and I'm very, very happy for you in your new show. So let's start with this, Pat. You were friends with Andrew.

I know he had to love your sense of humor and your intellect. Were you shocked by this? Yeah, I was mind-blown, just like everybody, Colin. I think not only people in Indianapolis, not only Colts fans, but football fans in general, whenever Schaefter sent that tweet out, I think it sent shockwaves to everybody. And I know people still inside the Colts organization that were mind-blown as much. as well. I think this came out of left field for everybody, Colin, and I was along the same lines as everybody else. The only criticism, Pat, I ever had of Andrew Luck, and this was it. I loved him,

was that I wish he had a little more Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman, where he was a little more demanding of the organization, even if so privately. Peyton Manning could be competitive. Now, not in the public, Pat, but behind the scenes, he was very demanding of his coach as his owner. Is that a fair criticism that Andrew often blamed himself? I wish he would have held his GM and coach to higher standards at times. I am 100% on board with you. I've actually been thinking about that today. I mean, if you look at the situation with Aaron Rogers and Brett Farf,

if you got to sit behind Brett Farv, there was obviously tensions at the end, whenever you have two alphas on a team that's going to happen. But I assume through osmosis that Aaron Rogers learned a lot through Brett Farfark. Not on the football field. I assume he did there as well if you look at the chinstress. but the way you handle yourself off the field. And now, granted, we had to cut Peyton Manning with the salary cap thing, and it was coming out of a lockout in his neck,

and Andrew Luck was sitting there. But I think if he was able to sit behind Peyton Manning for a year or two and kind of know that it's okay as an NFL quarterback to be more demanding, like you said, to be able to hold your offensive line a little bit, a little bit higher standards, go into the GM, go to the owner, know that it's okay, like, hey, this isn't college, this is in high school. As a quarterback,

you are the boss. You are the CEO. Your opinion is allowed to be one where you demand a little bit better from everybody. And I think early in Lux's career, he didn't have that. He was such a nice guy.

He's the smartest guy I've ever been around. He's friendly. You see it in the videos where he compliments people that just speared him and potentially lacerated his kidney. He thanked the guy. But I do wish he had that ability

to sit behind a Peyton Manning, another quarterback up there, and learn that off the field, you're allowed to be a little bit of a little bit of a demanding human because the entire team gets better whenever you do that. I think he learned that later, but early he suffered some lumps because he wasn't able to do that. Almost a decade in the NFL multiple pro bowl or very, very funny guy, new show debuting September 9th, Pat McAfee, nice enough to join us today. I have never been a pro athlete, but one thing I know about pro athletes, regardless of sport or position, you guys are competitive. You like to win at poker, ping pong, football.

I do think, Pat, that Andrew Luck will miss the intellectual tug of war with his peers. I don't think you can get that with business. Do you think there's a chance or what chance he comes out of retirement? I think it's such an interesting thing because if you look at him now, his body is much smaller. And to play the way that Andrew Luck plays, he has to be an avatar. He has to be a physical specimen. So not only does he have to get mentally to the right place where he seems exhausted, he's tired of battling through rehab, which can be a very lonely thing, especially if you're battling year in and year out. I think physically he's going to have to go through quite a transformation to get back in the game as well.

I don't think he'll play again. I think he'll be able to get his competitive juices or his competitive it scratch somewhere else. He's an incredible ping pong player. I think in the business world, he'll actually get that done as well. But I don't think he'll play again. I think he'll definitely have a voice in something. I think he'll be doing incredible things. He is the smartest human I've ever been around,

but I'm not sure he's ready to go through the entire physical toll is to get back into shape for game ready, the mental toughness he has to get back into as well. I think he's going to enjoy his life. And Jacoby Brissette just said a couple minutes ago on his press conference that it seemed as if Andrew was at peace with the whole thing. He was smiling. And that's all you can really hope for.

I mean, two weeks away from the season is a very difficult decision to be made, and I'm sure that Andrew Luck did not like that he had to do it. If you watch the press conference, it was obviously heartbreaking. But it seems like he's at peace, and I'm excited to see what he does next, honestly. Finally, Pat, listen, I don't believe this decision was made due to money. Andrew's grown up with a very successful dad. But when money comes in for anybody, you want to do less hard stuff. And football practice is hard.

Do you think this becomes an epidemic with increased salaries? that we see more and more guys step away early, especially at those prize quarterback, wide receiver, pass rush positions that pay so much money now. I mean, there's still a lot of guys that absolutely love the game of football, and they will literally go to their grave playing. I mean, Vinoteri might kick until he's 65 years old. He might be on a football field until he has the pens.

That guy's made all the money you need to make. I think there's a chance that there's still people that will play until the wheels fall off. But just like in my case, I was very fortunate to be in the NFL. I made nowhere near the amount of money that Andrew Luck or any of these other guys make, but I made enough money to take care of my family, take care of my friends, get everybody free from financial debt and kind of just live and just keep the lights on.

So I do believe with that and the science of injuries in the future and your body hurting and the potential concussion situation, I think you will see a lot more guys maybe bowing out early, but all that does is extend more opportunity to younger guys. and I'm excited for Jacoby percent in this particular case, but I do believe as we go forward, you will see guys thinking about their future. Because to be honest, there's a lot of money to get out there nowadays,

especially with the way the social media world is. I just think we should enjoy the hell out of our great players because we really don't know when their last game could be their last. Well, it doesn't shock me, Pat. You're going to get your own show. Funny, funny guy, super smart. I really enjoy you. We talked about six months to a year ago,

and I said, this is going to be your future. And what do you know? Faster than I thought. you got a show September night, DeZone. Good luck to you. Thank you so much, Colin. That conversation with you in the Chow line, I think you got a couple pieces of lettuce.

We're eating very healthy. I think that's the only thing I have to change. My show starts on DeZone September 9th, and you're a guy that I've looked up to for a long time. I think your brain is an incredible one. Is there any advice you would give to me so I don't get canceled in a week? Let me think.

Let me think. Let's see advice. Can I tell you something? Yeah. when you tweet, you don't have to number the tweets. You can just thread them. You can just thread, Colin, everything you were tweeting. I was like, this guy is spot on.

This is right, but you numbered them instead of just putting them in one thread. Would have been easier for all of us. That's my advice for you. Everything else you crush. Do you have anything for me for live radio to a daily show? Hire somebody as good as Joy Taylor alongside to you. How's that for advice? That's pretty good right there, Joy.

Hey, surround yourself with greatness. That's what makes you the best you can be. And I think you've done that. but also you're incredible and I can't wait to hopefully one day get on this show again. This show is awesome. 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 SportsSlic. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slic 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 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 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, 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, Brett, my mama want you to weigh better. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford 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.