The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Aug 04, 2020

Episode Date: August 4, 2020

Zion Williamson is even better than expectedWhy Aaron Rodgers got old fastAnthony Davis still can't be trusted in a big spotThe Seahawks are making reckless big swings The Lakers getting the #1 seed is a big dealThe Buccaneers are going to be much better than people thinkGuest: Nick Nurse, Raptors Head Coach  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. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversation. with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

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 SportsRodio.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. Ah, here we go.

Absolutely jammed on a Tuesday. These shows are now easy, man. It's a layup now. Live in Los Angeles, this is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we're on IHeart Radio. Fox Sports Radio

and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. Nick Nurse, coach of the Raptors, stopping by today, who my sources are telling me, Colin, that's the new best coach in the NBA. Other coaches stay up at night. Look at their game film to copy stuff from Nick Nurse. Apparently Nick got word of my compliments.

My word travels to Canada. So he's on the show today. Joy Taylor is joining me. Well, it was Zion and John Morant. Oh, my. It was a great game. I spent the entire day on the couch yesterday. So, I was wonderful.

Yeah. I almost, I was very close to digging into my second bag of cheese. I always have a backup bag. It's the new normal. I resisted. It's so great. It is so great. Let me start with this.

Zion Williamson is better than I thought. He's more impactful. And I thought he was going to be great. I told you, he's going to be a top 20 player by the end of his first year. I loved him out of college. He didn't look like anybody else. the charisma, the size, the power. He's better than I thought.

He's more impactful. He's more powerful. He scores more easily. He's more efficient. He's a little better in transition. And he shoots better than I thought. It's similar to Andrew Luck. I loved Andrew Luck out of college.

I told you Andrew Luck was going to be a star. He came into the league first year as a rookie. He was better than I thought. He threw for 4,400 yards, had 28 touchdowns running or passing, led the NFL with seven game-winning drives. Andrew Luck was better than I thought. Tom Brady was not athletic enough to go 11 and 5 with that Colts roster.

4,400 yards, 28 touchdowns, seven game winning drives. Ander Look was better than I thought. Tiger Woods was better than I thought. Tiger Woods won three straight amateurs. He was coming up. I was a sportscaster in Portland. I used to go golfing. I was into it, really into it then.

People used to complain to me. All you talk about is Tiger. I'm like, no, no, no. He is going to be the greatest. golfer of the next 50 years. There's going to be nobody like him. Tiger was better than I thought. He joined the tour in August of 96.

He won the Masters in April of 97. And for the next 12 years, he literally was winning majors by like eight strokes, 9, 10. Zion is better than I thought. He's averaging 22 and a half points a game and shooting almost 60% from the field. Anthony Davis, rookie year average 13. James Hardin was on the bench. Russell Westbrook shot 39% average 15.

Kauai averaged 8. Yonis average 7. He's shooting almost 60% from the field. He's averaging 22 and 6.5. And last night against John Morant, who was the better player? Who was the more impactful player? In fact, if you look at LeBron James' rookie year numbers, the chosen one, Zion's numbers are better in 10 less minutes on the floor.

So he is significantly more efficient than LeBron James. And John Morant is going to be a Westbrook-level talent. John Morant's spectacular. He's Westbrook but can shoot. And if you go look at John Morant's numbers with the Grizzlies this year, offensive rating, net rating plus minus, Memphis is pretty much the same team on the floor and off. If you look at Zion's numbers, and they have better players,

they have better players than the Grizzlies. Offensive rating, net rating, and plus minus. Pelicans are a different team. It doesn't happen very often when I fall in love with a player and he exceeds expectations. There is no question. Andrew Luck, if you go back to that rookie year, how bad that football team was.

They were atrocious. They had like a good corner, a kicker, and him. 4,400 yards, 23 passing, five rushing, seven game-winning drives led the entire NFL. It led Aaron Rogers. It led Brady. It let everybody. Zion's better than I thought.

More forceful, more intimidating, more impactful, more charisma, scores more easily, better in transition slightly, and he can shoot. and it doesn't happen very often. Last night's another example. They decided because of all the pressure to go from 15 minutes to 25 minutes last night, and he was fantastic. Yes, he's not a great defender.

Either is James Harden, Westbrook, and Steph. Come on. You can't, when these guys go from guarding high school to college to pros in 16 months, what do you think he's going to be Kauai? He's going to be Paul George. He's going to be Clay Thompson. He's going to be Janus.

No. But I'll tell you what, he's better than I thought. All right. So I have been known to be critical of Aaron Rogers, Green Bay Packer quarterback, but I think he's been sensational. I think Aaron Rogers has been absolutely sensational handling the Jordan Love situation. Jordan loves a kid at Utah State, big talented quarterback.

Packers move up in the first round of draft, you know, the heir apparent to Aaron Rogers. I think Aaron has been unbelievable. And he was talking yesterday about COVID and, you know, there's a Packer player that has opted out. And, you know, Aaron just talked about he's not going to do that. And again, about his career right now. You know, I savor every moment, every season. I don't take any of it for granted.

I don't know, you know, what the future holds. I know I can control this year in my play and in my approach and my attitude. So here's what's interesting. in the story about Aaron Rogers, I saw this little line. I yellowed it. Aaron Rogers, it's going to be 37 in December. He's gotten old fast. And I'm left with a Super Bowl, a handful of division titles,

on some hellaciously impressive throws. Why hasn't Brady aged this fast? I've got a theory. Now, just think about this. Tom Brady's 43. Aaron's 37. Tom Brady feels like he's been around so long. I was watching him in high school.

Tom Brady, not his rookie year, his first Super Bowl winning year. LeBron James was a junior in high school. Now we're asking 17 years later, is LeBron too old win a title? That was Tom Brady's, not his rookie year, his first Super Bowl year. Tom Brady's first Super Bowl year, E.C. Roe was the rookie of the year. Eiji Ro played forever in Seattle. He's been retired two years. Tom Brady now, fresh start, reboot in Tampa, and looks really good.

The NFL offensive rookie of the year, the first year Tom Brady won a Super Bowl, Anthony Thomas Bears, has been retired 13 years. Tom Brady feels like I've been watching him forever. Aaron Rogers? His first division title in Green Bay was within this decade. It wasn't that long ago. Aaron Rogers has become old really fast, and I have a theory on it. Aaron Rogers broke into this league, and it was physical gifts that we paid attention to.

His arm, his mobility, his feet, his release. He was physically special. When Brady, if you look at Brady's gifts, they've been efficient. accuracy, pocket manipulation. They have not been physical. They've mostly been academic. They've been in the grind.

And this is the difference between Tom Hanks and George Clooney. We never watched a movie because Tom Hanks was handsome. He's a good-looking guy. Wouldn't jump out if you were at a bar in Los Angeles. But we watched because of his values and his moral compass and his, and his connectability to average people. Tom Brady is still getting elite roles. We watched George Clooney.

He was good looking, right? He was the heartthrob. When's the last movie he was in? When your gifts are physical, your prime is shorter. When your gifts are viewed as mental and refined and efficiency, and connectivity, you age very gracefully.

Aaron was about the arm and the release and the feet, and he could move. But I watched Lamar Jackson. Hell, he ain't close to that. And I watch Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, and damn, he ain't close to that. And I watched the slightly younger Russell Wilson and his evasiveness. And he's not close to that. I'm not sure he's Kyler Murray in certain. departments.

That Aaron's gifts were physical, the arm, the release, the feet, the mobility, the athletic ability. Tom's were not. Hanks were not. Aaron Rogers is already 37. December. It's like, damn, that caught up to us fast. Think about the first time you saw Aaron Rogers play.

It doesn't feel like it was that long ago. He kind of looks the same, to be honest with you. Tom Brady again, Ichero was rookie of the year. Not even Tom's first year in the league, his first Super Bowl. Ichero was rookie of the year, retired. LeBron was a junior in high school. Not even a senior, not even a calf. It is, I think that's why Brady ages so gracefully and why certain actors do.

If you depend on looks, there's going to be somebody better looking tomorrow. If you depend on speed, there's going to be somebody faster very soon. But if it smarts and efficiency and gracefulness and the grind and and manipulation of the play pre-snap and in the pocket, it's amazing how gracefully you last. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right what you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kai had...

They said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little camp? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapy. Careers, 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So the Lakers beat the jazz last night, watched all of it,

since the number one seed in the West, pretty amazing for LeBron considering all the new pieces around him in his new position. The story of the game was Anthony Davis, who was remarkable. He often is 42 points and 12 rebounds. Here's the thing with AD. I know he's talented. But my question is, what's going to happen in the fourth quarter against the Clippers? Four times this year I saw what happened.

Ten total points. Four separate fourth quarters against the Clippers. They do this thing in the NBA every year. NBA.com. It's the anonymous general manager survey, and I love it. If you were starting a franchise today, who is the player you would pick? This year it's Janus. Last year it's Janice.

The year before that, it was Carl Anthony Towns. The year before that it was Carl Anthony Towns. And then it was Anthony Davis. Three playoff series wins. You keep telling me these bigs are going to dominate and I don't buy it. Number one, two reasons. I don't buy Anthony Davis controlling the league. I think increasingly the league is dominated by guys with the ball,

wing players, perimeter players, guys who shoot threes and have the ball. LeBron and Kauai and Steph, and when he's healthy again, KD. That to me is what dominates the league going forward. But number two, and I don't think there's anything you can do about this. you are what your personality is, and most psychologists will tell you by nine years old, your personality is set. There'll be slight variations,

but by nine years old, if you're intense, you're intense. I don't give you an example. AD is chill. AD is talented. He's got no dog. He's not going to develop that, and that's what wins in the playoffs.

Day one in the NBA, Magic Johnson had leadership DNA. He had it through his career. He has it now in. Los Angeles. He is the mightest touch for every athlete that comes to Los Angeles. He's a business leader. He is a sports leader.

LeBron James, first day in the NBA, rookie. He was a leader. Michael Jordan first day, Kobe first day, relentless. Michael, I watched this documentary, is still competitive and relentless. He's been out of the league for 20 years. Dennis Rodman was quirky and intense. Shaq was funny, joyful, playful, and kind of cocky. That stuff is formed when you're six, seven, eight, nine, ten years old.

You don't make, you can change your jumper. I'll tell you one of the things that bothers me about Ben Simmons. His jumper could get better if he really committed to it. I think what I see, though, that I don't love, he's a little aloof. He's kind of detached. I don't like that for my leader. I don't. Steph Curry engaged, totally engaged with all his teammates.

You know, Chris Paul is a guy I love. loved at Wake Forest. Chris Paul screams leadership. He's a pain in the butt. Players complain about him. But let's be honest, the Clippers were a joke. He got there. They were a playoff team. Oklahoma City's supposed to be in the tank. Did you watch them? Did you watch the last 25 games? This may have been the most impressive leadership of Chris Paul's career. Chris Paul didn't have a big vertical. Chris Paul's had injuries. Chris Paul shoots the mid-range. Chris Paul's a leader. And by the way, leaders piss people off. Like your DNA is your DNA and it had a lot to do more with where you grew up and your parent and you're up bringing.

I don't see radical shifts off that. And AD to me is awesomely talented, really chill, not a lot of dog. And that's the stuff I care about with four minutes left. That's what I care about. Last night he was great. He's great all the time. I mean, you get him low block. First of all, he's very good defensively.

and then you get him low block and he gets that butt on you in his length and his style. It's really hard to stop. I mean, last night, you know, Gobert plays for the jazz. Great defense. Anthony can just, he can humiliate you. He can really just roll up on you and humiliate you. But I don't see that quality that Kobe had. I don't see that quality LeBron has had, the leadership, the closing, the intensity.

I don't see it. What I see is a remarkably gifted basketball player. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHard radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. I've seen this happen actually to people in life. You don't save as much as you should and you get to retirement and you're like 64 and you want to play golf and travel and you don't have enough money. And then to make up for it, you get reckless and take some big swings and get swindled. And your retirement's really sad.

Sometimes sports teams can do this. When they don't pay attention to the details, you see this from bad organizations. They take big swings on players to make up for crappy drafts. Seattle is not a bad organization, but they have deteriorated in recent years. Their offense and defensive line play is not good and not close to indivision rival San Francisco. Story yesterday, the Seahawks are looking at Antonio Brown and Josh Gordon. you just gave away two firsts, a third, and a starting safety for Jamal Adams. A safety.

These feel like big swings, potentially reckless, because you haven't done a good job in the draft in recent years. The Niners in division last two first round picks under John Lynch. Nick Bosa A plus Mike McGlinchie A. Seattle's two first round picks, Rashad Penny appears to be a bust, at least for a first rounder, and A.J. Collier ain't much either. Plus, she gave away two first and a third and a starting safety for Jamal Adams. By the way, in Division, San Francisco's loaded and rolling. The Rams in their off year were 9 and 7, and Arizona's no fun to play.

Should be noted that Seahawks also get both Eastern teams this year out of division, so they got to go to Philly and Washington and Buffalo and Miami and Mixing and at Atlanta. they will travel further by a mile more than any team in the NFL. If you don't invest smartly and you end up close to retirement, you end up taking generally some big swings, and they always tell you in investing, hit doubles after 55,

take your big swings if you're going to take them early. These feel reckless. It's Seattle trying to make up ground. Listen, Josh Gordon, there's talent there, but not dependable, Antonio Brown, really? I mean, D.K. Metcalf, Lockett, Russell Wilson, receivers, not your primary need. Unless, of course, you believe in division,

you're the third most talented roster. Then you do. 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. The idea that pro athletes don't listen to us is always been sort of an eye roll for me. If you literally had people talking about you all day, and it was on Facebook and Twitter and social, you wouldn't go check it out? Your friend sure is hell would. And they say, hey, that guy's killing you. That guy's crushing you. Even Westbrook admits he got

mad at me a couple years ago. He said, I don't watch cowherd, but my friends tell me about it. Of course athletes watch. Some athletes like KD fire back. They fire back at you, which I think it's fun. LeBron yesterday, of course he listens. Of course he does. So there's Michael Jordan. and they all listen. So yesterday, LeBron finished number one seed in the West. It's a real thing. 17th year, it's a real thing. New coach, new system, new everything.

And LeBron's quote was, you said I couldn't do it. I love this quote. He goes, since 2010, right? Said it couldn't do it. I'm going to enjoy this. I couldn't do it. Feel so damn good to be number one in the West for me personally. Why?

Because we all said he couldn't do it. Because for 17 years, here's what he said. Well, Michael Jordan played much more difficult. Well, anybody can do it in the east. The East just isn't that good. Well, I mean, you know, again, folks, the West is so much better than the East. It's like the SEC and everybody else in college football. There's the SEC, that's one sport, and then there's everybody else.

And if you watch the games, they just have more NFL players. They recruit better, they have better first and second round draft picks. Think about the West. The West has, I looked this up this morning. Of the top 25 stars in the NBA, we counted this morning, they have 20. the top three young NBA stars, Luca, Zion, and John Morant. They're all west.

There haven't been two players from the east on a first team all-NBA team in seven years, and even then, that was because you had to put a center on it, and there was a couple of good centers out east. If you look at the all-star teams this year, Kimball Walker, Trey Young, Janus, Pascal Seaccom, and Joe L.M.B. Compared to James Hardin, LeBron, James, Kauai Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Luca Dantage.

LeBron's got a new coach, a new system, a new position, new teammates, often injury, and he won the West. It's beyond redeemable. It's like a real thing. Like, it is like a real thing. No load management, new position, new coach, new system, new staff, I'll be kind. A weird roster. Dwight Howard, J.R. Smith, Javale McGee, KCP, Alex Caruso, and old Danny Green.

The sometimes talented but inconsistent Kyle Kuzma, I'll just say it again. You take Kauai off the Clippers. That's still a damn good team. Folks, the Clippers didn't have Kauai or Paul George last year. They were a pretty good team. You take LeBron off this thing? I'm serious. sure it's a playoff team because the pelicans had anthony davis for years and drew holladay and they

didn't make a lot of playoffs this is not a playoff team without lebron i really feel that i think it's got anthony davis and a bunch of question marks in the west so we got we got a we got a step back and just go it's kind of impressive like we we we said it for years my mj this well the west is way better and by the way the west is deeper than it's ever been it's got more young stars than it's ever had. The clippers in the same building are the best they've ever been. I think this Portland team is sneaky good. Denver is now relevant.

Like, we got to be honest about this. This is a thing. You got to say at the end, this is going to go, this is going to go in the basketball book about LeBron. 17th year. You're going to write this roster down. We're all going to, new coach, new system, new position. It's not considered to be a great.

ownership group. It's not considered to be a great front office. One in the West. In a year of a COVID, Kobe passes. Emotional swings throughout the organization. Number one. Pretty impressive. All right. So I'm mostly, mostly agree with kind of all of you on sports. Like we go into seasons and, you know, we know who the teams that could potentially be good and the ones are a little overrated. you and I agree on most stuff. You know, I've joked for years. You like the home run derby and baseball way more than I do. I don't get it.

It's batting. It's beer league batting practice. I don't get it. You love it. I don't. You love the Pro Bowl. I think it's completely unwatchable. I mean, it's, it's, I'd rather see a skills drill.

I'd rather see Lamar Jackson climb a wall and Russell Wilson run around tackling dummies and see how far Patrick Mahomes can throw a football. But here's what I don't get, the cynicism around Brady and Tampa Bay. They're going to kick the crap out of most of the teams they play. This is only the second time in Tom's career. He's had, like, unbelievable talent. And this offensive roster is better, in my opinion, than the Randy Moss West Welker team. They are stacked at tight-in.

They are stacked at wide receiver. They have upgraded it running back. Todd Bowles has that defense, one of the best young linebackers in football. The last seven games of the year, they were the number one or number two defense in the NFC. I mean, folks, this was a seven-and-seven team down the stretch that had a quarterback with 30 picks and six pick-sixes. And we've all watched. Joy and I have sat here for the last three months. They snuck in practices.

They got caught by a helicopter. From the social media team in Tampa. to what you're hearing from players. They are so dialed in. They were doing practices, which the league condemned them doing. And these weren't just, hey, let's go out and play some Frisbee. This was orchestrated offensive pieces. Brady, when the helicopter caught him,

took his helmet off and played tied in because they were giving away stuff. They are ahead of the league. Bruce Ariens said this. week, Thomas picked it up immediately. Like, for all the cynics out there, don't be. Listen, New Orleans roster is probably more complete. But Drew Breeze no longer throws the ball down the field. This team's got guys you can throw it to in the flat.

They've got better tight ends and better wide receivers. They do the New Orleans. I don't know if they have the pass rushers, but Aryans like Sean. John Payton is a veteran coach who's won a lot of football games. I got to tell you, I don't get the doubters on this. I think they're going to roll a lot of people. And, you know, a lot of us have felt that there's a big advantage to teams like Baltimore that you got the coach, the staff, the quarterback two years, San Francisco, New Orleans,

Philadelphia, where I get a good offensive coach, I get a good quarterback. and we had no OTAs and no camp, no preseason. I don't, that is true. This is the exception. You've got the most obsessed football player joining, and he could have joined a lot of teams, the best tight-end wide receiver grouping in the NFL. The two places they had to get better was right tackle and running back,

and they upgraded for both. Tampa's defense is better than you think. I think this is going to be, you know, I hear a lot of, I hear a lot of cynics on it. And I'm like, nah, are you going to tell me that Tom can't pick up this puppy quick? I mean, if I said to you one guy in the league, oh, there's this quarterback. He's got a new team, but he's totally obsessed. And it works quickly.

You'd be like, listen, I think Bridgewater and Carolina are going to be sneaky good. They don't have this. They don't have this defense. They're in a rebuild. And I like Carolina. Miami's in a rebuild, and I like Miami. This is not a rebuild. This is a Super Bowl roster.

This is not a rebuild. They're going to be really good, really fast. Could September be choppy? John, I don't have the schedule in front of me. I think they got a little bit of a scheduling break. I think they get Green Bay fairly early at home, which Tampa in September is like Libya with football. It's the hottest place on earth.

They do get a little bit. of a break early where I think one or two of their tough games are at home in September. It's hard for a cold weather team or a mild weather team. Packers and charges are at home. Yeah, they get a little bit of a break there where you don't want to play in Tampa or Miami in September. It's gross. If you're not used to it, it is rough. So I just, any cynics on this, don't be.

Generally over unders, I'm a bet the under guy. The more I think about this, Baltimore and Tampa, bet the over. And I generally, I am an under. Fans go crazy. I'm not shocked if they're 13 and 3. And I'm not shocked if Baltimore is 16 and 0. I'm dead serious.

Baltimore and Tampa Super Bowl wouldn't shock me a bit. More I look at this, more I make calls, more I hear about this, this is not going to take long. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your

podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because. of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

Podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way 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. Tript 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, 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. Well, he was a D-League coach.

He is the classic. He worked in the minor league system for years. There was no free lunch for Nick Nurse. My people that I trust around the NBA say that on a game-to-game basis, Toronto does the best job of not only in-game coaching, but preparation of anybody. It is remarkable that you can lose a player like Kauai Leonard. who is, in my opinion, maybe outside of LeBron, the best.

Get a stop, get a bucket player in the league last two years. And they're better with COVID, with the bubble. It's really unbelievable what's happening here. And Nick Nurse is joining us from his room in Orlando. He just told me he's not gone on any of the rides, which is I've taken my kids to Disney more times than I can count. So let's start with this. I was telling Joy this the other day.

NBA travels hard. I mean, especially in Toronto. It's turbulence. It's cold weather. You get out the van at 2 in the morning. You get to the hotel. A lot of guys struggle to sleep. There's none of that.

The intensity, the quality of play. Nick, I'm blown away by it. Are you surprised at the quality overall of the play? Well, I think I had an idea that maybe without the travel and a lot less distractions. I mean, I'll give you an example. I just go to practice. I don't even have to get in traffic in Toronto for 20 minutes and go to practice.

I walk down five minutes and I'm in my, the practice gym's in my hotel here. It's like the amount of wear and tear you're saving on everything you're doing is good. I think I'm a little surprised that's maybe kicked in this early. I was thinking it may be until the playoffs, but man, you're exactly right. The games are great. It's been really fun to watch and be a part of.

So you have the advantage. Your young players, Pascal Seaccom, Van Vliet, are very mature players. You also have a smart veteran roster. And I would make the argument that you got the perfect bubble team. You don't have the anxiety of the young kid. You know, I look at you and I think what explains Kauai leaving and you succeeding is you may have the most mature team in the league. How does that affect the way you coach them?

Well, I think there's some really special guys there, Colin. Really is, you know, like Kyle Lowry doesn't get nearly enough credit for how good he is, like defensively and how smart he is. Fred Van Fleet plays way beyond his years. Gasol is as good as there is at that position, in my opinion. See Occam's an emerging star. Ananobe's an emerging young player. And when Abaca gets blocking shots and making shots too, he becomes a special guy on the floor.

Heck, I haven't even mentioned Norman Powell and our rookie Terrence Davis. You know, there's some special guys there. Yeah. You know, it's interesting. You guys have given LeBron James a total handful. And LeBron says, he goes, you media guys don't get it. Everybody in the league gets Toronto. So he averages like 20 a game against you guys.

Now, there is no such thing as a LeBron stopper. but you make life more difficult for him. Is there any little page that you're like, listen, try to do this against LeBron because whatever you're doing is working? Well, I would say this, he's certainly, as you know, he's as hard to prepare for as anybody. I mean, he has really seen it all. He knows how to read.

And I always say he not only makes the right decision all the time, throws those fastballs at about 110 miles an hour right to the shooting pocket. So it doesn't give you much chance to recover to a lot of that stuff. So I don't know if we've done all that great on coming up with schemes to stop him because he can beat most schemes. Yeah. You guys put a body on him a lot. That's one of the things you do. I watched the other night, you had 10 passes before you scored a basket.

And listen, these are the world's best basketball players. how do you convince guys to not just make the extra pass to make 10 there's a buy-in with your roster that is not common throughout all rosters yeah i think um i remember that possession you're talking about that's a that's a fun one that certainly makes the highlights you know in the edit the next morning i also say this i think the lakers came to play i think it was a fairly intense game and And when there's a little pressure like that in the game, your guys understand they got to make the right play and they got to pass the ball if they want to play well and have a chance to beat a good team like that. So that helps too. But I don't know.

It's just the way we like to play. We like to attack you. And if you draw more than one or two people, you've got to try to make the next right play and then just keep doing that until you find a good shot. So you've won despite a loss of Kauai. What concern you coming into the season? did Kauai do, Nick, that you thought, okay, we can't replace that? Well, he certainly, like you said at the start, he can do it at both ends. He can make a game-winning defensive play just as easily as he can clear out a side and get you that must

have bucket down the stretch too, right? I think that's the big hole to fill. And, you know, it kind of got shifted to Pascal. He's handled it pretty well. And he seems to keep rising to the occasion. I mean, he's going to have to go through it in the playoffs a little bit. But the biggest thing, I think, Colin, is guys like Van Fleet and Powell and Ciacom came back, I always say came back to campus this year, just different guys. They just seemed like going through that whole playoff run. They just matured a lot.

They got two months of high-intensity basketball in which they succeeded. They all had big games, and they just came back with a little bit more sense of who they were. You know, it's really a remarkable story. I was a total, I mean, I was shocked you won the title. I'd be the first to say, Joy was all into the Raptors last year. I'm like, I don't see it. I think who's the second guy? Joy was.

Would it go, Joy. Yes. When you won the title and you're on the flight back, was there a moment that you even said, the Toronto Raptors are NBA champs? We are NBA champs. Was there a moment an epiphany for you that you were like, like I this is a dream sequence. Yeah, I mean, for sure.

You know, I mean, the flight, we actually were, you know, we were in the bay and we actually flew to Vegas. So that was a little short. It was a little short. But the next day we went back to Toronto. Yeah, I mean, you're sitting there and everybody's, you know, the, the trophy's in the plane. And the, the total relief of just going through that whole hundred plus games is over. And you just, yeah, you just kind of revel.

kind of getting the job done. You wake up every day dreaming about getting there and you get there. It's really something. So Milwaukee has not been an easy matchup at times for you. Milwaukee gives Boston trouble. And then yet the other night I watched, I think it was Houston, small ball gave Milwaukee some issues late in the game. They struggled with some matchups.

So when you face somebody like Janus, are you of the theory he's going to get his, let him go? Now, last year, you really made it difficult on him. When you face a player as great, as long, as athletic as Janus, what do you sell your team on? What if he drops 40? What do you sell your team on? Well, really good question. I got a little testy with the media last year in games one and two because I kept saying,

we're going to pack the paint and make him kick it out. and we're going to get out to the other guys. I was getting greedy. I wanted to stop both things. I wanted to stop him and make life hard for him. And I wanted to get out and contest those threes. And I really think that's kind of what we're trying to do. We're trying to do both.

We're not going to say, okay, give him his 60 and hold the other guys down or vice versa. We want to try to guard each possession that presents itself as hard as we can. You know, Pat Riley used to OSA, Nick. Nick Nurse, Raptors head coach. Pat Riley used to always say in the NBA, you wear guys out. You got about 10 years to coach at a place. Then they're tired to listen to you. They just tune you out. You have, how do you keep fresh? Now you live with a guy. You're in a bubble next to him. They're so tired of Nick Nurse. How do you keep fresh day after day with messaging? I try not to say much.

To be honest with you, I really do. I try not to say much. I let my assistants prepare a lot of the game plans and do a lot of the presentations. I only step in when I need to. I mean, when we get a little deeper into the playoffs, et cetera, I think my voice is certainly a finite resource. And I try to work it that way as best I can. Well, mine is too, although nobody's ever convinced me on it, Nick. It is great to have you here.

It served you well. Well, everybody speaks highly of you. Good luck to the Raptors going forward. I think the NBA has done an unbelievable job with this bubble. I'm going to thank you so much for coming on. No problem. Thanks. Always admire you and appreciate you having me on.

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 headwriter, 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host care games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations. that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey or my career in sports media. Well now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human