The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 10/17/2018

Episode Date: October 17, 2018

Colin talks about Kevin Durant winning the divorce with Russell Westbrook and how the NBA making him watch KD get his ring last night was unintentionally cruel. He thinks one NFL team being considered a Super Bowl contender isn’t even a playoff team. Plus, FS1's Nick Wright tells Colin why the Giants ownership is secretly glad that OBJ criticized Eli Manning. Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the Best of the Hurd. with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, this is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening live in Los Angeles,

Iheart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. Everybody from Nick Wright, Joel Clatt, Stephen Jackson, Tom Verducci, Jason Whitlock. Today we are absolutely packed. Today it's great to have you in Dodgers, Brewers, after us. Clayton Kershaw thrown for the Dodgers. Crucial, crucial game in that series.

Joy, how are you? I'm great. Good morning. Good morning. Now, there's a lot of different things today I could talk about. I've got a million things in front of me today I want to talk about. But I just want to start talking about something that I thought this happened late last night. And the NBA was trolling, and I don't think they meant to. They were unintentionally almost mean-spirited to one of their stars,

almost cruel to one of their stars. So we know when Westbrook and KD got a divorce. We know that KD won. KD chose, he chose royalty over loyalty. Kevin Durant now is better than Westbrook. He's got a better coach than Westbrook. He's in a cooler city than Westbrook. He is still growing as a player.

Westbrook is plateaued. Nine months from now, Kevin Durant's a free agent, going to have all sorts of options, whereas Westbrook is tied to one team. KD won the divorce. Okay, he won the divorce. But there's no reason to rub it in. A lot of times in divorce, she does better than you.

You do better than her. But last night, we know that Kevin Durantz won the divorce. He's got options in nine months. He got the better coach. He got the better teammates. He got the rings. He got the finals MVP. He can get out of the first round.

But last night was rubbing it in. They had a ring ceremony. And I'm sitting there watching the ring ceremony. And they gave Kevin Durant his ring last. So Russell Westbrook in street clothes, not playing. It's one thing to get dumped. Kevin Durant dumped Westbrook. It's one thing to get dumped by your girlfriend.

It's another thing that she upgrades to a stud muffin. It's another thing if you're forced to go to the wedding and watch the ring ceremony as you hand out champagne spritzer. that was brutal. Westbrook had to sit and watch that. Bad news. I mean, he might as well be outside parking cars in the reception. That was brutal. That was brutal.

And here's the thing. The NBA didn't mean to do it, but I'm sitting there watching that thing. And I'm thinking to myself, God, that was like rubbing it in your face. And by the way, everybody tells me these guys get along, it's fine, it's no big deal. But third play of the game, after this ring ceremony,

here's what happened. And we all heard about KD and Russ. Well, after KD just blocked a shock of Stephen Adams on that end, he looked at Russ Westbrook and those two have some words, always competitive rate to go at each other. I was like, why hasn't he running down to court? And look who's there standing on the bench. Tight jeans and a coat, that man, Westbrook,

one of the toughest workers in the business. In the history of the NBA, there have been a lot of players who played together and then went their separate ways. Like Kobe and Shaq. Shaq won it early, then later Kobe kind of won it late. But they've both gone on to good lives. I think in the history of NBA star divorces, celebrity divorces, Hollywood has a lot, sports has a few,

this is the most one-sided ever. Kevin Durant is getting fit for MVP of the finals rings right in front of a physically wearing down Russell Westbrook. and in nine months Kevin Durant could go to the Lakers he can go anywhere everybody was going to want him Minnesota's going to want him Lakers going to want him Phoenix going to want him

Golden State's going to still want him Portland's going to want him Nick's going to want him Miami's going to want him Celtics would take him I mean this is the most lobsided divorce in league history and that Westbrook NBA didn't try to intentionally

be trolls he had to sit through that thing watch that thing deal with that that thing? That's brutal. That is, you got dumped. She married a stud. Go to the wedding and watch the ring ceremony. In fact, park cars outside of the reception. I'm telling you right now, Westbrook hated last night. He'll never admit he hated last night. And Durant loved last night. Absolutely loved it. The most lobsided divorce in NBA history. Many of you didn't see it was late last night. A lot of good sports on TV tonight. Later today, later today, Dodgers Brewers.

Okay, New York, the Giants are a mess. We got Odell calling out Eli and Eli defending Eli and Odell defending O'Dell. And now the owner John Marrow, the Giants, has stepped in and is essentially defending Eli here. They find O'Dell Beckham for comments. And now here's John Mara, the owner, talking about O'Dell's comments and O'Dell basically being O'Dell recently. I wish he would create the headlines by his play on the field

as opposed to what he says and does off the field. I think he needs to do a little more playing, a little less talking. Wow. Wow. He's a new franchise guy. You know what this is, don't you? This is chasing your mistake in April. That's all this is.

The owner didn't have the guts on that April night, the owner John Mara is upset, but this could all be alleviated if Sam Darnold was a New York giant. By the way, the New York Jets are three and three. They don't have a star receiver like Odell. They don't have a star back like Saquan Barkley. They don't have a left tackle as good as Nate Solder. They haven't spent that kind of money on free agents on defense.

but the Jets are going to own this city for a decade. And now the owner is upset with the star receiver because the owner didn't have the guts on a April night. You remember the moment. We all watched the moment. This was the moment. Sam Darnold is now there for the drafting by the Giants or somebody to come up and get him.

It could be the Jets. It could be the Broncos. The Giants might give pause and go ahead. who's that young man out of USC. The New York Giants have not traded this pick. They have made it. Could it be Sam Darnold? Could it be Sequan Barkley?

This is a lynchpin pick of the 2018 draft. With the second pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the New York Giants select Sequin Barkley, running back Penn State. Well, what it tells you right off the bat is that Dave Gettelman did not believe that any of the first. of the quarterbacks left on the board were a franchise quarterback. Now, that's not necessarily all it told me. It told me the owner didn't want to draft a

quarterback. And Sam Darnold, ironically now, shares the same facility. Could be wearing blue. He's wearing green and will be for 15 years. The owner now is upset with the star player who was kind of a disruptor, kind of talkative, kind of a showboat, a little bit of a diva, super talented before the contract. And now the owner's mad after the contract, and Odell Beckham hasn't changed one bit. This is chasing your mistake in April. By the way, with very, very, very, very, very few exceptions. Only one position in the NFL quarterback changes outcomes.

If you look at the teams right now who are struggling in the locker room and with, quote, Titans, Dallas, Giants, Jacksonville Raiders, they got outcome problems because they got quarterback problems. They got quarterbacks underachieving. Sequin Barclay changes stats. He does not change outcomes. Saquan Barkley against Philadelphia had nine catches for 99 yards, had 133 yards rushing, and the Giants scored 13 points. When the Jets running backs have a big night, the Jets have twice scored over 40 and three times over 30 and six games. Sequin Barclay is a great player

and he'll give you great stats but stats don't change locker rooms outcomes do and Sam Darnold and the three and three jets without a star receiver without a star back without a star left tackle with a below average offensive line without spending a fortune on defensive free agents without a new

offensive shiny coach. Our three and three and the quotes coming from the jets are optimistic and positive and one direction and the owner likes the quarterback and the owner likes the receivers and the receivers like the quarterback and everybody's getting along. Come on, John Mara. Odell Beckham hasn't changed one iota. You didn't have the guts in April to make the move. You knew Eli was getting bad four years.

ago. But you bench him and everybody freaks out and oh my God, it's the Manning family and the press doesn't like me in radio's ripping me and let's take a running back. Quarterbacks change outcomes. You got an outcome problem because you have a quarterback

problem. Odell Beckham is exactly who he's always been. He's not the issue. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search heard to listen live or on

demand whenever you'd like. I support agitators. I think Dennis Rodman is good for sports. And Richard Sherman was good for sports. And Josh Norman is good for sports. And Tiger Woods could troll. And Muhammad Ali trolled. And Connor McGregor trolled. And they were agitators and they were annoyers.

And Mani Machado last night for the Dodgers did something. And everybody in baseball is freaking out. Nobody got hurt. But Mani Machado is a guy that plays every game. 162, 159, 158, plays every game, and they don't like it in baseball because he's not, quote, Johnny Hustle. Sometimes he doesn't run down to first hard. Who gives a rip?

He's the only Dodger hitting in the entire damn series, and he plays every game. Would you rather he play 140? But he runs out hard to first during every play. It's baseball. It's hot. June, July, August, September, outdoors. Sometimes you're exhausted. You get a bad night's sleep.

go out with your girl, have a couple cocktails, get to the batting cage. You hit a hard ground ball to short. Hell, I'm out. I'm not running it. It's the bigs, not Little League. They don't overthrow first. So Mani Machado did this last night, and everybody's freaking out in baseball. Watch it for yourself. Now the 3-1 pitch. Left side, hit hard right at Arcia. Two out. Aguilar and Machado got tangled up at the bag. I think Aguilar has good reason to be upset. The more I look at that replay. play of Machado. It really doesn't come off looking like an accident.

Irregardless of whether it was an accident or it wasn't. It's never a good look. And you never want to be talking about that after the game. Actually, I think it's great. He's a troll. On the internet, that's called trolling. And it's effective. It gets into your head. He's in the brewer's head. By the way, Tiger Woods did that. When Tiger Woods would hit a pot, he wouldn't sit around and wait for you. Tiger Woods would leave to the next hole and the gallery would follow Tiger Woods, therefore affecting, it was not protocol in the gentleman's game, but therefore the gallery is moving. You're getting ready to put and you can see everybody moving and Tiger Woods was an agitator. He was a troll, Muhammad Ali, Connor McGregor.

This whole thing about, yes, he did it on purpose. He's trying to get in Milwaukee's head and Draymond Green and Rondo and Roddow. and Lambere and Josh Norman and Richard Sherman agitators are effective in sports. They poke you in the ribs. They troll you on the internet. They get in your head. Ooh, it's a dirty play. Anybody get hurt?

That first baseman's 260. He's fine. His calf muscle's fine. Machado's the only guy hitting in this series for the Dodgers. By the way, hits, runs, extra base hits RBI. He leaves the Dodgers in all of them. And he plays every stinking game. My favorite baseball player of all time was George Brett.

Google him. missed 30 games a year. Machado's there every day. Only guy hitting. And he's an agitator. I love it. By the way, Jim Palmer, an all-time great pitcher. He goes, once again, man, he doesn't run hard. Down 0-1, 0 in the 4th, too tired to run. Pathetic. He wants big money. He deserves big money. He's a superstar in baseball. They got about four of them. By the way, New York Post, the Yankees won him, the Cubs want him. Dodgers don't need him because Seeger's coming back. Dodgers are one of the few teams that don't need him. I'm not sure.

I think I'd like him. But there's a story in the New York Post today. Mani Machado not worth the trouble for the Yankees. What? Exquise me? I beg your jargon? Not worth the trouble? Because sometimes there was a game in Toronto.

He didn't run down hard to first. Michael Jordan took quarters off. LeBron's taken months off. It's called January. Muhammad Ali, Ropa Dope. Hit me. I'll sit back and wear you out. This is part of sports, man.

Getting under your skin, poking you in the ribs, ticking you off. And I love what Machado's doing. I pay for him. It's about production. And for the record, baseball has historically suppressed personality. They didn't used to. They didn't used to do this in baseball. Ricky Henderson could be crazy.

Al Roboski, Mark Fidrich, Mickey Rivers, Pete Rose. You used to be able to be a goofball. Reggie Jackson was a diva stared at home runs. Baseball suppresses individuality. I'm on Team Manny. troll more. Pay him. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd

weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. I got so many things to talk about today. So I'm just going to bring my guest on Nick Wright via the Coward Global Satellite Network. So before I get to something, I'm going to throw a theory out to you,

which was another amazing theory, which should be documented by acts of Congress. Let's start out with this. I have been critical of OBJ, but I said to start my show today. This is all about John Mara not having the guts in April to get a quarterback. Because Sequin Barclay changes stats. He doesn't change outcomes. Sam Darnold's changing outcomes.

This is an ownership group in New York that now wants to blame O'Dell. O'Dell's the exact same guy, pre-contract, post-contract. So for one of the few times, I'm in O'Dell-Bekham, Junior's corner. I know you know him. What's your takeaway? You're in New York in the mess which has developed. I wish I had you on the show today, Colin, when I was parroting Jenna Wolf and Chris Carter and Eric Mangini, because I'm on man on an island on this one, but I agree with you entirely. I will actually take it a step further. This was not Odell's intention when he did the interview, but John Mara yesterday at those owners meetings, deep down, was glad.

Odell did that interview. Here's why. Because if Odell hadn't said a mumbling word, then guess what? They're still one in five, and those questions are about his quarterback. Those questions are about his new GM's offseason plan, and those questions are about why the Giants, a team who did everything this offseason like they could win right now, is the worst team in the NFL outside of maybe Gruden's Raiders.

If I am ranking issues with the New York Giants, Number one's the offensive line despite paying over market value for Nate Soulder. Number two is Eli Manning. Number three is a defense that costs a lot of money. That's bottom five in sacks and turnovers forced. Roughly number 14 is Odell doing an interview with a high out of his mind, Lil Wayne and Josina Anderson. So it's a lot easier, though, to blame the kid with the yellow hair.

And as the great Bill James once said, bad teams have. a terrible history of blaming their best player for their problems. The Giants got a lot of major problems. Odell, headbutton, a fan ain't one of them, assuming the fan has the cover on it. If not, that could have been a major disaster. So I'm going to throw this at you. Al Davis for a long time was a great owner. He was a league voice. He was a challenger. He was an agitator. People listen to Al Davis. He also played. He was also, he was a hands-on guy. Everything I just said to you is Jerry Jones.

But as Al Davis aged, the Raiders went through a decade of irrelevance. They were on an island playing a different sport. Is it possible Jerry played a voice of the league, challenged the league, very much a meddler, very much thinks he knows more football than he does? Is it possible old Jerry is becoming old Al that, He doesn't want to be challenged by a coach. He doesn't want to change Jason Garrett. He's overly loyal.

Al was to former Raiders. Jerry is to now Jason Garrett. There's a rumor yesterday that Jason Garrett's going to get a contract extension. Is it possible here, Nick, that the Raiders and the Cowboys owner are becoming the same guy? What I think is definitely true, I think the Al Davis comparison is a very good one, but one I hadn't considered before you just said it to me, so it hasn't fully kind of metastasized for me. But what I will tell you is this,

the Dallas Cowboys head coach should be one of the top 10 jobs in sports. Not jobs in the NFL, jobs in sports. You have unlimited resources. The owner will always spend up to the cap. You're a bonus free agent destination because you're on TV more than anybody else. You're talked about more than anybody else. Top of the line facilities. The only reason it would,

be where David Shaw leaves Stanford for, or it wouldn't be where Lincoln Riley leaves Oklahoma for, or it wouldn't be where Eric B. Enemy leaves Kansas City for, is because any coach that takes that job knows there's one staircase to my office and there's a back stairwell to the owner's office and that's the one people are taking. Like if Jerry Jones wants his fourth Super Bowl ring, I would imagine he would have to go about it the way he got his first three. which was empowering Jimmy Johnson. I know he wasn't there for the third, but it was his team. Because ever since he got rid of Jimmy,

he's never fully empowered a coach. And so now you have a guy in Jason Garrett, who has only two coaches in NFL history, have coached his mini games with as little success as Jason Garrett, and he might get a contract extension. That seems insane to me. When the owner says he'd pay the net worth of Guam, in order to win one.

I don't get it. Okay, so last, I don't think the NBA was trying to do this. We all know that KD won the divorce over Westbrook. He's got a better team. He's got the rings. He has a better, I mean, he's not eating dinner at Applebee's at Silicon Valley, new arena, better teammates. He won the divorce.

He dumped his, he dumped. Yeah, Russ only gets, yeah, Russ only gets the kids on every fourth Saturday. He lost his job. He's, I get it. I understand. He's hand handling it on the side of the road. Last night. He won an MVP, I think.

Yeah, last night, the league didn't intend to be mean-spirited, but Westbrook had to watch the ring fitting for his ex who dumped him and upgraded. And by the way, they were chatting two minutes into the game. I think the Westbrook, KD, resentment's real. I think Westbrook will always hate him. Of course it's real. Because KD represented himself as one thing. You're a real MVP and Russ. I'm only crying because you're going to get one too.

while he was flirting with the girl across the street, Draymond Green plotting his exit. Of course that's resentment. Are you kidding me? And by the way, Colin, you know, I love you. I have a great father, but if I didn't, you would be like the father I never had. I love you.

But I'm a hold your feet of the fire on this one. Yeah. Because in nine months, when Katie does to Steph, what he did to Russ, you're going to hold it against Steph? Or are you going to say it's different? When he leaves all this accoutrema of Golden State to go to New York, if that happens, you're going to hold it against step or is it going to be different? Well, it's not.

My guess is you're going to say it's different. No, he's not leaving. It's NBA writers having eight months to create stories, and there's no way he's going to elevate LeBron James Legacy, because in the next seven years, he's going to win four more titles, and he's going to be closer to LeBron than he's ever been, and he's not leaving that city, that state, that region, that arena, and those teammates. Well, then do me a favor.

Joy Taylor, show Colin during the break. Then you need to reach out to Kevin's brother, because Kevin's brother on Instagram last night, on Kevin's page after the post about the game, said 81 more games till we're gone out here. So, I mean, 80 or he said 81 more games to fill it up before we leave. His brother, who he's close with and used to live with. I mean, we can follow these breadcrumbs about whether or not,

Kevin Durant is permanent in Golden State, I'm following him. And by the way, I wouldn't hold it against him. In fact, if Kevin Durant left Golden State, that'd be the first great thing for the NBA he's done in the last two years. He's done a lot of great things for Kevin Durant. Not too many great things for the league. It'd be great if he goes to New York. By the way, Kyrie could maybe join him, but that's another story.

I'm just curious. Like, you can say Russ lost the divorce. Yes. Russ was loyal. Russ won an MVP. Russ got a hot new wife named Paul George, so he's fine. Like, I'm not going to jump in on you with this one, man. I'm just not.

You're not going to get me. Okay, so I'm watching the – I picked the Celtics to win the title. They're younger. I think they're deeper. They're healthier. The title? Oh, yeah. God, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. I've already ordered my banner. The Warriors going to win 75 games, man. They don't win 75 games. Okay. So anyway, the Sixers last night, I'm watching them. And for the next three years, Embed and Simmons are going to get clobbered by Boston. They're never going to win the East, and they're both superstars.

And I'm going to make a prediction that M. Beed, who's much more playful, fun, personality-driven, some would say the best player, is going to get fed up with Markell Fultz and Simmons, because he'll pass out and neither can shoot. And Simmons will start resenting Embedde, who is more likable. Instagram, the media loves. Simmons is more reticent and quiet. and I don't think M. Bid and Simmons is going to last. I think they're going to get their butt handed to them for three years by the Celtics.

And I watch them last night and I'm like, they're not built to beat Boston. And they're not going to, they're going to do a Shaq and Kobe without the titles. I don't think Embed and Simmons last. Your takeaway has Boston clobbered them last night. Liz, Boston did clobber him last night despite Kyrie going two for 14. Markell Fultz being unplayable in the second half is a big problem. how thin Philadelphia is is a big problem. You've got Boston winning the title.

I don't even have Boston winning the East this year. So I can't foresee a future where Boston clobbers them for the next three years because by the end of the year, when Philly plays Boston, while Boston will have the much deeper roster, Philly will have the best two players in the series, Embed and Simmons. Both those guys will be better than Kyrie, Tatum or Hayward. In fact, both of those guys might already be better than Kyrie Tatum or

Hayward. However, Boston's got the better coach. They got the deeper team. Your overall point that in Beed and Simmons, there could be some friction, I think there is something there. You said Shaq and Kobe. I think the better example might be Shaq and Penny, two guys that we think it was just injury that derailed it, but that relationship was frayed before Penny's career was derailed due to injury. I think both Embedden Simmons have best player in the league caliber potential. Yeah. How are they going to mesh? That I think is a real question. I think Phillies right now, their biggest issue is they don't have enough shooting and they don't have enough depth, even though they have two of the best players in the league in Embedon Simmons.

First things first, Nick, right? Good talking to you. We disagree on virtually everything, but that was fun, Nick. We now are on the same Odell Beckham side, which we can rejoice in that. buddy. Did I have to come over to your side for that or did you join the correct side? I think I have briefly joined your side. Briefly joined your side. Talk to the letter, man. Nick Wright. What's up everybody? John Middlecock, three and out podcast on Colin Coward's podcast network. If you like Colin's show, you will like mine. I talk a ton of football. This week, listen, it's time. The Packers need to change. Mike McCarthy has run its course. dive in to Mahomes and Brady, the showdown, why the L.A. Chargers are on the come in the college football playoffs.

Again, John Middilcoff, three-and-out podcast. Listen wherever you find your podcast. There's dynasties all over sport. Alabama's a football dynasty. UConn Women Basketball. Serena's a dynasty. Federer's been a dynasty. There's New England Patriots are a dynasty. You don't have to win every year to be a dynasty. We've got a lot of dynasties in sports right now. The Golden State Warriors are a dynasty. If I said to you, what's the next dynasty? Nobody really know. except me. The next dynasty is the Boston Celtics.

They are going to win four of the next six, four of the next seven NBA championships. Golden State is going to be favored this year and next, but last night Boston rolled the second best team, certainly the team with two stars, the Philadelphia 76ers, and this was indicative of the night for the Celtics and Sixers. There are people the disrespect by Jaylon Brown on Joel M.B.

By the way, Boston sports fans get the current dynasty, the next dynasty, and the Red Sox are pretty good too. What a time to be a Boston sports fan. It's absolutely amazing. This Boston roster, I picked them to win the championship. I think they're going to fly through the east. I think their number one rival is going to be Toronto for a year with Kauai Leonard. Then he'll bolt.

Then it's Philadelphia. And it's not much of a rivalry. In fact, when it was over, Joe, M. B. said last night, this is not a rivalry. I don't know how. It's pretty bad. They always kick our ass. It's not a rivalry. That's what Joel Ambide said.

The best player arguably on the other team. They got the best coach, does Boston. They have a great roster. They have a roster of high IQ smart guys. Tatum, Kyrie, World is Flatty, was just joking. Al Horford, Gordon Haywood, Jason Tatum. They have the best GM. They've got the best coach

where every player plays his best. Phil Jackson, I used to say this about Phil Jackson. Whether you liked them or not, every player played their best under Phil. Every single player plays their best under Brad Stevens. Avery Bradley's amazing leaves not so good. This team is going to rule this league for most of the next decade, barring an injury. And Kyrie's had a few, and Gordon Hayward's had one. They'll eventually replace Al Horford.

But this is almost a perfect basketball team. I mean, they can shoot. They play defense. They got defensive guys like Marcus Smart. They've got coachable guys. they've got role players, they've got veterans, they've got a star, they've got a championship winning guy in Kyrie, they've got the next star in Jason Tatum, and I'm going to tell you something when I watch Philadelphia.

I love Ben Simmons. I have him as a top 10 player in the league. Absolutely love him. But I don't think Ben Simmons and Embed are going to work long term. I don't. Keep your eye on that relationship. This team is totally flawed. It's got two stars and nothing else.

First of all, Markell Fultz is a bust. He's a shooter who can't shoot, a score who can't score on the floor for 25 minutes. you can't play him late, he's a bust. He's a bust. And by the way, the Sixers moved up to get him. So there's animosity within that locker room that they could have Tatum. Instead, they have Mark L. Fultz. Jason Tatum could be a Sixer.

Now he goes against their rival and he's going to whack him for the next three or four years. Here's the other problem is that M.B., Joel N.B. is incredibly likable and the media loves him because he's always playful with the media. He's going to be the media's favorite player. And Embed's ego is going to grow, and I love him, but he's going to get tired of Simmons and Fultz because he'll either dunk it or if he passes outside, neither one of them can shoot. He'll get frustrated with them. Ben Simmons is too darn good to sit in Philadelphia for the rest of his career and lose to Boston

and watch a dynasty. He needs to be part of one. So Simmons is going to get frustrated because Embedd is going to get all the good press, and he's going to get frustrated because he's going to make great passes to Markell Fult and he can never hit a shot. And Simmons is going to grow tired of Ambide getting all the love from the media. And this puppy ain't going to work. And the process, they just whiffed on too many guys. And Fultz is a bust.

And they butcher the Tatum thing. And I'm watching Philadelphia, and they have two great players, but they don't have enough shooters. And you keep your eye on Simmons, who I love, and Embed, who I really like. I don't think it's going to work long term. And they'll win a lot of games. They're going to beat a lot of teams. They're going to beat Milwaukee and Washington.

They're going to win 50 games this year. That Boston thing's a nightmare for them. And it's going to eventually unravel Simmons and Embedd who are going to grow to hate each other. there's just that thing is begging for animosity. Embedd's got the ball. He passes to Simmons and Fultz. They can't shoot.

Simmons passes to Markell. Can't shoot. And every time he passes to Embed, he scores and the media loves him more. And he's a more reticent personality. He's a little condescending. He's a little too cool. So the media is not going to embrace Simmons. He'll never be as big.

He's more private than Ambid who's more social. Man, Boston's going to be good. Oh, that is the next dynasty in sports. All right. So, for a long time, people may forget this. You millennials. By the way, Goulet, are you a millennial? I think technically age-wise I am, but I am definitely not.

So here's what a lot of millennials don't know. For a long time, the Raiders were the Dallas Cowboys. They were the talk of the league. And they were led by an owner named Al Davis. Al Davis was outspoken. He played the game. He actually knew football. He went to practice.

He sat in on film. And Al Davis was the challenger to NFL protocol forever. And then Al Davis got really old and crotchety. And synapses didn't quite fire. And in the end, there was about 10 years where the Raiders were the worst run team in American sports. There was a story yesterday that Jerry Jones denied a report. there's an extension in the offing for Jason Garrett. Jerry Jones said, I don't know where that information's coming from.

I've never spoken to another soul about that as far as I'm concerned. But here's, if you're a cowboy fan, what you may worry about. Jerry's 76. He's not interested in starting over. And Al Davis and Jerry Jones are very similar people. They are very similar people. They both played. They're both hands-on.

They're fiercely independent. They had Super Bowl success early as owners. They are movers and shakers among billionaires. They both challenged the NFL power structure. Their voices carried tremendous weight. They were league agitators and they were grooming a son to take over. And then all of a sudden the Raiders, Al got older, became overly loyal to certain people, former Raiders, and they were a mess for 12 years. And they've never really, they've never truly recovered.

and in that 12 years they were a shadow of themselves, they underachieved, they were an eroding brand. You just forget how big the Raiders were. The Raiders were the rebel of the NFL. They were the most talked about team. Steelers won more titles. Raiders were cooler, tougher, more bad, blank. They were a huge brand.

12 years later, they weren't. Laughingstock. And when I look at the Cowboys, I look at Jerry, and Jerry's starting to get loyal. Man, be careful about that loyalty thing. Be careful. Be careful about thinking you have the number one brand forever. Al Davis and Jerry are very, very similar guys. Personality played, hands-on.

Actually are some of the fewest owners that know the game a little bit. Mavericks, challengers, agitators, fiercely independent. Jason Garrett, nice guy, look around the league. I don't know. I do not know. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. So Vegas gets most stuff right. They release their Super Bowl odds, and I overwhelmingly agree with their list of teams. Rams number one, Patriots, Chief, Saints, Vikings, Chargers.

They got the Eagles, Pittsburgh up there. Two teams I don't buy, the Jaguars and the Packers. Odd Shark released these folks. I'm not sure Green Bay is a playoff team, and I don't think they're winning their division. I think Vegas made a mistake here. Green Bay has a buy. Starting October 28th, which is, you know, 10 days from now, 11 days from now, the Green Bay Packers go to the L.A. Rams, to the New England Patriots,

home for Miami, to Seattle, that's playing well, to Minnesota. they could go one in four, and five in those games. By the way, Green Bay has gotten a tremendous break this year. They're three, two, and one. But their schedule has been one of the most fortunate in the league. So they open up with Mitch Trubisky in his first game with Matt Nagy, the offensive coordinator at home. And Khalil Mack, for the record, was on a snap count.

Then they get Minnesota Kirk Cousins at home. Then they get a rookie quarterback Buffalo at home. And then they just got San Francisco without Jimmy Garoppolo at home. So defensively, they're seventh in the NFL. Those stats are wildly, wildly skewed rookie quarterback. No Jimmy Garapolo. Tribisky's first game. Folks, Minnesota's defensive stats aren't as good,

but they had to face the L.A. Rams on a short week. Philadelphia. They faced really, really good offenses. If you look at the playoff picture right now in the NFC, there are, let's see, one, two, three, four. There's 16 NFC teams. And there's six playoff spots. I think there's about 10 teams, and the Packers are in the running. There's 10 teams in the NFC that, to me, still have a shot at the playoffs.

Now, all of them mathematically do, but the Giants, the Lions, the Bucks, San Francisco and Arizona. are not playoff teams. It's Rams, Saints, Redskins, Bears, Panthers, Packers, Vikings, Eagles, Seahawks, Cowboys. You start looking around, you look at personnel and you look at schedule, Green Bay does not stack up. Green Bay's schedule starting October 28th is the league's hardest for a month and a half. They've been given an absolute break. Rookie quarterback, C.J. Beatherd, Trebisky with Matt Nagy. Their schedule is brutal. And they haven't won a home game, a road game at all this year anyway. So good teams travel well.

Kansas City went on the road. They still look good. Baltimore, home and away looks like a good team. Green Bay didn't look very good away from Lambeau Field. And they don't look great at Lambeau Field. So I think Vegas made the rare mistake there. Also, I want to throw this out at you. There is a rumor regarding LeBron James.

Here is, according to the ringer, Kevin O'Connor, who's excellent. or according to Kevin O'Connor at the ringer, that's Bill Simmons Project. There are, quote, whispers around the NBA that Jimmy Butler and Kauai Leonard don't want a team with LeBron. Okay. Jimmy Butler is a little bit of a headcase. Paul George has never hit a big shot in his career. And Kauai Leonard, talented but weird. Let me make two points here.

Number one, Anthony Davis, better than all those players, has signed. with clutch sports. That's LeBron's number one target. Number two, if Brandon Ingram, the best current Laker before LeBron, pops again this year, and I think he will, he came into the NBA as a skinny kid

with one year of college, and he averages 23 a game. Guess what, folks. They don't need Jimmy Butler, Paul, George, and Kauai Leonard. Give this time. Give it time. You just, if Brandon Ingram, LeBron's the best player in the world,

if Brandon Ingram is what my sources and what I saw in preseason will become, which is a 23-point-of-game guy, LeBron's got his running, made it forward. You're not going to need another one. They're fine at forward. LeBron's a forward. Ingram's a forward.

Kuzma's a forward. They're good at forward. They don't need Paul. They don't need Butler. They don't need Kauai L. Leonard. They don't need that laugh in the locker room. It's very unsettling. Anthony Davis is their number one target. What are the wise guys wear? I get asked that from time to time. The answer is the new gear from theherdnow.com merchandise store. We are now officially open for

business. We have all the apparel, diehard herd fans need to represent the show. Go to theherdnow.com. If you don't, that's a you problem. And that's a you problem is one of our shirts. Check it out. Theherdnow.com. Theherdnow.com store is open for business today. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical 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?

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