The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Aug 20, 2019

Episode Date: August 20, 2019

Baker Mayfield says the only thing that matters is winning so Colin points out that in the NFL Baker is actually a loser.  He isn't going to overreact to Jimmy Garoppolo struggling in a game he only took 11 snaps.  Plus, Super Bowl Champion Drew Brees talks about trying to rebound from their controversial loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship and how he's been able to maintain such a high level of success so late in his career. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert 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 acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 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, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clifford 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. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments.

If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to her. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1.

Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com Or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Tuesday. 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.

We are jammed today. James Harrison stops by. Will Blackman stops by. Love having those guys on the show. Drew Brees. is stopping by this morning. Joy Taylor, how are you? I'm great. Good morning.

Good morning. Baker, Baker, Newsmaker. Again, article in GQ magazine. We will start there. Third magazine expose on Baker-Mayfield in the last couple of months. He's making news. It's an article, you know, he's a lot of Baker here. Here's the quote that will make the most news. He says, I cannot blow.

leave the Giants took quarterback Daniel Jones. Blows my mind. Some people overthink it. That's where people go wrong. They forget you got to win. Either you have a history of winning and being that guy for your team or you don't. So he's saying Daniel Jones didn't win

in college. He was 17 and 19. And the Giants took a big risk on drafting Daniel Jones according to Baker Mayfield. So let me start with this. Did the Cleveland Browns not take a risk? drafting a guy with a police video in college,

a five, 11 and a half, two-time walk-on? Yes, Baker, Mayfield, won in college. That's because everybody wins at Oklahoma. Jason White, on two bad knees, won the Heisman. Josh Heiple won at Oklahoma.

I think he won a national title. So you can argue that Cleveland took a big risk with Baker Mayfield. I got a police video. He comes from a program where every quarterback wins. Even the, they've had multiple guys in the NFL drafted that have been bussed at quarterback. I would say this about Baker, though. Bakers made it very easy for me to evaluate him because what Baker is saying is there's

no context to winning. Did you win, period? By the way, Tim Tebow was 35 and 6 in college. Colt McCoy was 45 and 8. Kellyn Moore was 50 and 3, and A.J. McCarran was 36 and 4. You know who didn't win in college? Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff and Matt Ryan. They didn't win much in college.

But again, Baker Mayfield said it's all about winning. There's no nuance needed, no context. I've said before, if Baker Mayfield succeeds in Cleveland, it will be more impressive than, let's say, Patrick Mahomes winning in Kansas City, because Patrick Mahomes has Andy Reed. That's a stable team. That's good ownership. Cleveland, not stable, not great ownership.

So winning in Cleveland, because I believe there's nuance and context to winning. But Baker Mayfield does not. It is all about winning. So let's then just do it the Baker way. Let's just talk about wins. Baker Mayfield is 6 and 7 as an NFL quarterback. He's a loser. By the way, he's one in five against playoff teams.

He's a loser because there's no context to anything. Matt Ryan played with Boston college teammates who don't go to the pros. Tim Tebow played with 37 NFL, but there's no context to it. Daniel Jones is a loser. I'm a winner, Baker Mayfield. Not to mention Daniel Jones was throwing to guys who don't get drafted by the CFL. But there's no context. It's just I'm a winner, right, Baker, and everybody else is a loser.

So let's go to Baker Mayfield's big wins last year in the NFL. 28 to 16 over Atlanta, missing three of their four defensive back starters, a 7-9 team. That was a big win for him. He did beat Cincinnati. Oh, they finished in fourth place. Starting quarterback got hurt during the game. He beat Carolina. O'Kam was hurt, and they won one game after Thanksgiving.

Oh, he did beat Denver. They were 6 and 10. And then he beat Cincinnati again, starting Jeff Driscoll at quarterback. those were the wins. No context, no nuance. Those are the wins, right? They won. Baker Mayfield has won one NFL game outside of Ohio.

One. See, because I believe winning has context. I think it's easier to win quarterbacking Oklahoma and Florida than it is like Jared Gough at Cal or Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech or Andrew Luck at Stanford. See, I think there's context to it. I do think winning in Cleveland with a GM and John Dorsey who was fired, Jimmy Haslam, who's been chaotic, Freddie Kitchens a rookie head coach, and the youngest roster in the NFL, and some really dramatic players,

OBJ, Sheldon Richardson. I think that would be very impressive. But that would be if you had nuance and context to winning, instead of just that guy didn't win in college, I won in college. Because you do realize Baker, Patrick Mahomes' NFL record, he's a winner. You're a loser right now. But he has Andy Reid. Doesn't matter.

Patrick's a winner. You're a loser. Because it's all about winning. There's no context to it. I would just like to remind everybody, six and seven is Baker Mayfield's NFL record. One in five. one win outside of Ohio. That's the winner for you.

He is some winner. Let me shift to this. Jimmy Garapolo had a zero-zero-zero quarterback rating last night. He was not great. And so this morning, people are like, whoa, this Jimmy Garoppolo thing is not great for San Francisco. Okay, here's what I don't need with Jimmy Garoppolo. Small sample sizes. because that's all I have with them.

And last night, I got 11 snaps. You ever had topas? He's the topas of NFL quarterbacks. Small, shareable serving sizes that we all consume. I don't know what to make of last night. The average NFL team averages 23 and a half points and about five points in the first quarter. San Francisco didn't have any.

But you have to remember with Jimmy Garoppolo, He's coming off an ACL surgery. Tom Brady wasn't great the year he came off the surgery. He's played 10 games. He's 8 and 2. I think he's good. His offensive line last night looked overwhelmed with Bradley Chubb coming hard for Denver on the end.

He's coming off an injury. The best receiver San Francisco has, George Kittle at Tide end, didn't play. The rest of the receivers are young and still learning the offense. The offensive line look overwhelmed. Vic Fangio's, one of the top defensive guys in the NFL. He's now the head coach of Denver. I don't know what to make of it.

Because with Jimmy Garapolo, the last thing I need is more small sample sizes. And that is, again, what I got last night, 11 snaps. A, he's not going to lose his starting job to a backup, so I don't really care. And B, he's not a rookie. This is not Kyler Murray. Can he play at this level? Tom Brady's had bad first quarters in Super Bowls at the end of seasons with two weeks to prepare. Jimmy G. Off ACL, 11 snaps against a great pass rusher and a tremendous defensive coordinator without his best tight end.

Young wide receivers learning as they go, he looked rusty. Here's Jimmy G. Obviously a little frustrated, but it's the NFL. Unfortunately, we don't get to play the whole game right now. So, you know, I get so many plays. You wish you could be out there for more so you could bounce back and everything. But, you know, it is what is the preseason right now. So just got to take it in stride. It's something that I haven't done in the year, obviously.

So, you know, got knocked the rust off and everything. And, you know, thankfully we have a short week this week so we get bounced back quickly. But, yeah, it's, you know, the first step of getting back into it. Teams are now doing joint practices in the NFL, like that's a real thing. And we had the GM of the Chargers on last week who's doing a joint practice. And he said, you know, I like it. I like the physicality. But it's not a game.

Jimmy Garapolo hasn't played a game in a year. I don't know what I'm supposed to make of 11 snaps. When his offensive line looked overwhelmed, his receivers are kids, his best tight end wasn't there. And I don't think they're showing you everything they have. It was another small sample size. I have 10 with the 49. He's 8 and 2 and looked really, really good. I'm going to go with that over the 11 snaps I saw last night.

I just don't know what to make of it. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 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, is we have real conversations about on healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. 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 of it. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend, Janet. Hey. And we have been joined at the Hipsons High School. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of.

years later. We're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drink. Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh, they had a bogo. Well, then you got it.

Do you want a white color or something here? Just hit it. What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. Could you put? I would buy it. Cut through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake.

That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky. I'm not an alcoholic. You're lucky. I'm not a killer. I love this team, and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on.

Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know how magicians? You ever go to see a magician? One day I went and saw two magicians. I saw David Copperfield early with my son. and then we went and got dinner and watched Chris Angel late with my son. And two magicians in one day.

And the trick, of course, with magicians is look over here as I'm doing stuff over here. It's, you know, optical illusions. They're trying to make you look there as they do something there. And I wonder, Antonio Brown, radar-wide receiver has filed a new grievance over his helmet. And I'm just wondering, is it possible? And this theory isn't any crazier than Antonio Brown. is, is this just all a cover because his feet aren't right from that cryo accident? Because the foot issue is embarrassing.

The foot issue is dumb. The foot issue is self-inflicted. Antonio Brown can't blame anybody for the foot issue. It makes him look like a goofball. So if you create a second issue, the magician's trick, we're all paying attention to the grievance in the helmet. and nobody, if you've noticed in the media, is talking about the foot issue. Well, nobody's talking about it. That's embarrassing.

That's like being a goofy kid. That's what a dope does. And Antonio Brown knows it. He posted it on, like, Instagram or Twitter, and people just crushed him. And so he suddenly has a helmet grievance, and therefore, nobody's talking about the foot. I had his agent Drew Rosenhouse on yesterday, and I asked about the foot issue, and if he's ready to play. I think his feet are doing well. He's definitely getting there.

I think it's a matter of time until he's fully cleared in that capacity. I would expect he'd be healthy by the end of the preseason. Oh. So the foot issues not solved. So his feet aren't 100% is what his agent saying. This feels like, you know, this feels like to me he's embarrassed about the feet until it's a helmet. grievance. And, you know, like when NFL teams generally say, we're gathering more information, we'll get back to you. It always feels like they're lying. I think with the Raiders here,

they're not lying. They are trying to gather more information. They can't figure out the helmet issue. And I'm just wondering if it's the old magician's trick. I think it's tough. The Raiders have a young roster. This is not a great look. He's not practicing with Derek Carr. The division's never been better at the top. I don't know if he's now tradable. Forget about the Hall of Fame stuff, which it will hurt him. They won't vote him in first time. Just the way the Hall of Fame voters are can be very, very petty. But I think it makes John Gruden in the NFL, you never want to get cornered. You never want to get trapped. It's always next man up because people get hurt. So that's why New England always drafts a quarterback, even when Brady was in his prime. That's why the

L.A. Rams drafted another running back this year. You know, You don't want to be nimble. You don't want to be cornered. You don't want to be trapped. The Raiders kind of feel like now they're trapped, and I think they are confused, because I think A, B, is pulling a magic trick on them. He doesn't want you to talk about the feet,

so let's talk about the helmet. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. The nation, the football media, always talks about Tom Brady. How is Tom Brady doing it?

And to that, my takeaway is, is anybody checked out that Drew Breeze is doing it too? Drew Breeze is doing it in New Orleans, putting up these 5,000-yard season. And it's pretty remarkable. And if you look at the Saints and you look at Tom Brady and you look at New England, these are division-winning quarterbacks, now at 40. And all I know about Brady and his physical health and kind of obsessive detail on his health is what I hear about Drew Breeze. You just don't get here without being all in on your body.

And I know Drew is. And he is joining us now via the phone, Drew Breeze, who always comes on the show once or twice a year, and we always appreciate that. So I ask you this every time. When you wake up in the morning, you're entering your 19th NFL season. Drew, how do you feel in camp waking up this morning?

You feel pretty good, man. I feel like a kid again. Do you have you changed your diet over the last 10 years, Drew, because you are doing something that only Brady's done? You changed your diet, or is it pretty much same old for you? You've always been this way? I'm more conscious of it, you know, over the last five years. I've always been fairly with my diet, mainly in regards to food allergies and that kind of thing. That's something that I started, you know, getting the blood test and doing different things to determine

food allergies early in my career and then kind of change my diet maybe year four. And it's stayed pretty true to that. But I think in addition to that now, more so than ever, is just really paying attention to also the inflammation. You know, just help me put me in the best position when it comes to recovery. So I think that's the thing with the aging process that becomes the most challenging is just your ability to give up each and every day and do it again and again at the same level. And so at that point it becomes all about recovery.

Yeah, the training is important, but the recovery is even more important. I think that's the information that we have, and that's something I think we've become a lot better at over the years. Drew, a lot of players on your team are mid-20s. They don't have your life experience. They may not have kids, be married, listen to different music. How do you stay connected to 23-year-olds? About the 80s, you know, and about like 90s alternative music, right? So, you know, so when I get in the weight room, that's the stuff I turn on.

And it's, you know, it's my opportunity to teach them, you know, about Pearl Jam, right, and Nirvana, and talking about the 80s a little bit, you know, kind of like the hair bands and that kind of thing, you know, Metallica. Yeah. So, you know, it's, you know, they teach me. me, they teach me, you know, kind of the, kind of the, you know, the millennial stuff, and then I teach in the old school stuff. So it's a good, it's a good deal we got going. Yeah, Nirvana's my hometown, Aberdeen, Westport, Washington, know them well. Last year, after that, no call lost to the Rams, very quickly after that, you came out and made a point of saying, all right, it's awful,

we got to go back to work. And I theorized at the time, I said, this is what leaders do, folks, because it's very, football makes us crazy. We love it. We get emotional. You don't want to lose games because of a loss of the Rams. Did you make a point and to really address that and say, let's get over it, knowing you live in one of the craziest, wildest, most loyal NFL cities in the country? No, absolutely.

I was with anybody else. You know, that was painful. I think it will always be pain with you, but listen, you've got one or two choices. You know, you can go in the tank or you can find a way to have a motivation and add some fuel to the fire and turn it into a positive somehow some way. So I've chosen to take that road in that mindset. And I see the opportunity we have in front of us as a team. I love our team. I love our locker room.

I feel like we've got a great window of opportunity here. And I want to see us take full of variance of it. If you look at what's happening in the NFL, Drew, it's pretty remarkable. Even five or six years ago, first round quarterbacks were failing half the time. Of the last 14 first round quarterbacks, only one has really struggled Paxton Lynch. The difference between college and pro, it's shrinking. Now, with you, you are so deft at the NFL offenses, but are you, and Sean, are you stealing stuff from college on Saturday night?

Do you see stuff and bring it in? Or are you still more, do you believe, much more about the NFL offense? I think we're stealing stuff for Jason Hill. Maybe not for me. Yeah. No, listen, you know, it's, I think to your point about, you know, these young quarterbacks coming in and being able to adjust to the NFL game so quickly, I think it's a credit to just the amount of reps that these guys are getting with these seven-on-seven passing academies and everything.

I mean, guys are just so much more advanced now coming in. And I think there's also a lot of crossover between NFL and college in regards to coaching. And so you just get these schemes that are hopping. You know, then you have some of these unique players like Kyler Murray, you know, who comes in. And, you know, that system in Arizona is being created for him, right, and utilized. his strengths. And, you know, Cliff Kingsbury, who oddly enough I played against in high school, is bringing in, you know, this system to fit him, to suit him, you know, to build around him. So, you know, that's just, I think that's one of the reasons why these guys, I think, are coming in

and they're so well prepared. And there's a level of maturity that's coming along with that as well. different than, you know, guys when I came in and it was, it was like, hey, you're going to back up for a few years and then, you know, you'll get your opportunity after that once you kind of get the hang of it. But, yeah, the game has almost just been fast-tracked in that way. Is Sean Payton's system offensively complicated? Or does he simplify it? Or because you have the ability to catalog so much stuff because of your history, would you call it a complicated system? Coming in for the first time, yes. Yeah, absolutely.

But if you've been here for a little bit and you've been able to see the evolution, you know, I would equate it to like this. It's like coming in and having to go to calculus 303 and skip algebra and geometry and everything else, right? Like you kind of have to start off at square one and go through the levels in order to get to where we're at. And so, you know, listen, inevitably, you know, you have young, players that you just have to get up to see, you know, and it just takes time, it takes time on task. And, you know, that's why I think this camp has been exciting compared to last year. You know, last year, listen, you go through the season, and we had a ton of young guys playing.

Yeah. A ton of young guys to skill position. Again, it takes time, you know, and so I've seen the light bulb now come on for these guys in year two through this training camp. And then that's been exciting because then you begin to open up the playbook a little bit and see the possibilities. Drew, 11-time Pro Bowler, a first ballot Hall of Famer you will be, 19th year for the Saints. Absolute pleasure talking to you. Get back to practice. Thanks, bud.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. The preseason AP Top 25 came out yesterday, Clemson 1, Bama 2, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Top 5. I don't have any real arguments with any of it. Oregon's 11 and Auburn is 16, yet I think Auburn is favored over Oregon in week one. It's a neutral site, so Auburn's favored in Vegas over Oregon, but Oregon's rated higher than Auburn. I like Auburn to win that game, but have a tougher season than Oregon. So I don't make much of this stuff. I'd probably have Texas is 10.

I'd probably have Texas a little higher. Notre Dame's 9. I'd probably have them a little lower. I think LSU is a little underrated this year. So I don't, I don't, there's nothing that jumps out to me. USC is rated 45th. Tells you how far that program's fallen. That's the one closest to me, 45th in the country.

I mean, they're behind Iowa, Iowa State. Both Iowa schools, that tells you the state of USC football. I will say this. I think Clemson has a chance to be an all-time great team. In the games in which Trevor Lawrence started and finished last year. None were close. 20 was the closest, and he was a freshman. He's now a sophomore. They won the ACC Championship by 32. They beat Notre Dame by 27. They beat Bama by 28. They beat Louisville by 61. They beat Florida, Florida State by 50. He is the best college quarterback I have seen since

Andrew Luck. I didn't watch Carson Wentz and Patrick Mahomes enough to make that judgment. I saw him play at 17 in a high school camp. He is the best high school. quarterback talent I think I've probably ever seen. Andrew Luck was the last college quarterback I saw as a sophomore, and I made the opinion very obvious. I said, this guy is going to be a first ballot hall of famer. I don't say that about college quarterbacks. I didn't say it about golf, Mahomes.

I don't say that. I don't go out on the air and say, this college sophomore is going to be a Hall of Fame quarterback. I just don't do it. I said that with Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck went to Stanford. Now, Stanford doesn't have nearly the players of Clemson. It's got incredibly stringent academic requirements.

Andrew Luck went to Stanford. They don't have Clemson's talent. And remember, Stanford was rebuilding in Andrew Luck's first year. And Andrew Luck was 31 and 7 as a starting quarterback. This kid's never lost. In fact, the only close game he's ever been involved in at the college level is Syracuse, a good program, not stupendous. They went about 55% of their games over the last 30 years.

They have a very good head coach, very good staff. But he didn't finish that game. He got whacked. He got hurt. So I think Clemson has a chance. They have the first or second best running back, first or second best head coach, first or second best wide receiver.

They're rebuilding their defensive front, but Clemson always brings in all sorts of dudes that can play up there. They won't be quite as dominant on the defensive line. They've got a very workable schedule. I think they have a chance to be. the best college team of all time. And now, by the way, Alabama's got the best dynasty I've ever seen. But there's not one team, if I said to you, what's the best Alabama team ever?

They've had a lot of average quarterbacks. They have been sort of a predictable play with the lead, well-coached. The best players are mostly on defense with one great receiver and one great back. But they've been at the quarterback position solid. Manage it. don't make a lot of mistakes. This kid is basically Clemson has Alabama's talent, but were the best college quarterback of my life.

I told you when Andrew Luck came out. John Elway is the only quarterback I saw playing college and thought, oh, that's what a Hall of Famer looks like in the NFL. And it's not like Elway won a ton in college. He was just bigger, stronger, faster arm, brain. And then I said Andrew Luck, I'm like, oh, sophomore year, that's going to be a first bout. This kid's better, I think, than both.

arm, size, delivery, everything. He's really an all-time talent. So Clemson went 15 and 0 last year, had very few close games down the stretch. Once he got better, nobody could compete. Bama couldn't compete. Notre Dame couldn't compete. Florida State couldn't compete.

ACC Championship couldn't compete. Nobody could compete with them. And if you look at their schedule this year, you know, they'll play South Carolina from the SEC. That's a tough one. I think they've got a game some here with Texas A&M. They host them early. I mean, their schedule's got your landmines.

Georgia Tech, Texas, A&M, South Carolina. Those are all loseable games. You know, they have to go to Carolina. You know, these are all loseable games. So their schedule, it's not daunting, but it's not Cupcake. They're going to make it look Cupcake. I think this kid is absolutely incredible. And Baker Mayfield would like him because he's a winner.

Baker Mayfield didn't like Daniel Jones. He's a loser. 17 and 19 at Duke. Baker would love this guy because this guy wins. And I do feel like as great as Alabama's been, I do feel like Clemson now is this morning the better program. They have a better staff, a better quarterback. I think they have more momentum.

I think they have more stability in their program. They're not losing, you know, it's not a revolving door of assistant coaches and coordinators every year. I think Clemson's now the best program. I'm sure Clemson's going to end up in the national championship. championship. I feel very strongly. If Trevor Lawrence is healthy, I think they'll score their way to a national championship. I think Alabama will probably end up there, but they could get knocked off by Georgia. They could get knocked off by LSU. You know, there's always a Mississippi school

gives Alabama trouble. But I think we're looking at potentially, if they stay healthy, the greatest college football team we've seen. I think they're going to be that dominant this year. And me saying that, they'll get all overconfident and, you know, get whacked by George. to tech, but I think they're going to go 15 and own. I think they're going to roll 14 of the teams they play. I think they're going to just roll through it by 20, 30, 40, and 50 points. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon

Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, 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, is we have real conversations about. How all 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 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, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? quarterback on office blue 42

hey rat my mama want you to weigh better what where's she at hey miss parker listen to the clipper show on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast american soccer is about to explode the world cup is coming ramos sending on the earnie store at the chip i'm tab ramos i'm tom boke on our podcast

inside American soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. You're going to look at stats and numbers. He has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, inside American soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. There's two things I keep hearing about Baker Mayfield. One is, well, he's perfect for Cleveland.

Volatile. Is that perfect for Cleveland? He's called out his coach. He's called out a teammate. He's called out now a New York Giant. I would say that's kind of a volatile personality. Now, I do think, I understand why Cleveland puts their arms around him, it's Cleveland.

Their standards are incredibly low. I think Belichick would tell him, shut your mouth. Don't say this. I think Sean McVeigh would say, zip it up. You haven't done anything. I think all the legendary coaches in the NFL would tell Baker if he was their guy, stop talking. You're embarrassing yourself. Patrick Mahalm is the winner. You're a loser.

You were 6-7 and 1 last year. You won one game out of Ohio. So he ripped Daniel Jones. He also comes out, and he keeps saying this in all these articles. He goes, I'm not cookie cutter. I do it my own way. I believe if you're any good, I don't think you're going to have any success unless you think that. If you go out there thinking you're going to fail,

you're going to fail, which is just the truth. You don't have to keep reminding us of this. The guy that tells me how confident he is is generally masking something. He's projecting something. You know, the tough guy, the Dennis Rodman's end up crying a lot. The TOs end up crying a lot when you put a camera in front of them with a little stress.

I think I like my quarterbacks to be. firemen putting out fires, not accelerators, adding to them, because I think the NFL just gives you volatility constantly. Even the L.A. Rams last year, middle of the season. Oh, crap, we lose Cooper Cup. Oh, crap, we lose Todd Gurley. And that was a team that ended up in the Super Bowl. The L.A. Rams had major stress. They lost Jared Goff's favorite target. Cooper Cup, gone for the year. Then all of a sudden, Todd Gurley has got early stages of arthritis. So that's a team. that you think, oh, everything was good for the Rams. Major stress on the offensive side of the ball.

I mean, a year ago, New England, look at the situation they had. By the way, New England last year in the middle of the season, Tom Brady, remember that two-game stretch, Steelers, Dolphins? Tom Brady got hurt. They had injuries through the season. Sony-Michel got hurt. So Cleveland last year is a great example of what happens in the NFL. Their coordinator gets fired.

Their head coach gets fired. They have four ugly blowout losses. That's called the. the NFL. That's not atypical. The NFL is constantly giving you volatility because it's the one sport where you have injuries. I mean, I'm looking at camp reports this morning. Everybody's banged out. San Francisco, the Jets, the Raiders, everybody's banged up. And so I don't think a guy that comes across this sort of brash, confident, and volatile calling out people is necessarily a perfect fit for an organization that has a history of all sorts of volatility. And I do think if Baker

was with the Patriots or the Steelers or the Rams or the Eagles, they tell them to zip it up. But I think in Cleveland, what are they going to say? It's Cleveland. Like he owns the town right now. And they also added OBJ, volatile. Olivier Vernon hasn't had double-digit sacks in like seven years. Sheldon Richardson can be volatile.

You have a GM who's outspoken, a little volatile. Jimmy Haslam, fires, coaches, GMs, he can be volatile. I think Cleveland feels volatile to me. And I, again, I think what you need in the NFL is a fireman at quarterback. Put out the fires. Stability, quiet confidence. I don't think volatility is the answer. So we'll see how it works out.

I'll take Deshawn Watson, Sam Donald, Jared Goff, sustainable 15-year personalities over calling out quarterbacks, teammates, coaches. I don't. And I just want to remind everybody. I just want to remind everybody on Cleveland. This is what's remarkable to me. So Cleveland last year was one in five against winning teams. Was blown out by four teams in the AFC. Not just blown out.

They were blown out by the Chargers. They were blown out by the Texans. They were blown out by the Steelers. They were blown out by Houston. You know, those are teams they're going to have to get through. They were blown out four times in the AFC. And their wins were overwhelmingly narrow. Pittsburgh, by the way, is the opposite.

They had several blowout wins and their losses were all narrow. They narrowly lost to Kansas City, Los Angeles, Denver, New Orleans. So just say that out loud. Cleveland was blown out many times and then narrowly beat mostly bad teams. Atlanta, you know, Cincinnati, bad teams. Pittsburgh blew out several teams and then narrowly lost to some good teams, some bad teams. So just say that out loud. So Pittsburgh goes 9, 6, and 1.

They go to Kansas City, get a starting corner. They draft what appears to be the best linebacker in the draft. They add Mark Barron another linebacker. They get the drama out of the locker room. They beat good teams, blew out some, and lost close, narrow games, 9, 6, and 1. But I'm supposed to like the team with a rookie head coach that couldn't beat winning teams that was blown out four times because they added OBJ who can't stay healthy, and Olivier Vernon, who's never been elite.

Miami, he had one big sack here in Miami. He didn't do anything in New York. Then he added Sheldon Richardson. What did he do? He's been a difficult guy in locker rooms. That's why he keeps bouncing around the league with all his talent. So I just, sometimes I just don't understand it. I don't understand how you can look at Pittsburgh's results, what they added,

the drama that left, and then look at Cleveland's results, couldn't beat good teams. What they added, more volatility, name over substance, OBJ, 32 games, hasn't played the last 16. Olivier Vernon gives you about six and a half sacks a year. I don't get it. Like I just coach Pittsburgh, quarterback Pittsburgh, O-line Pittsburgh, owner Pittsburgh, GM Pittsburgh, results last year, Pittsburgh. I don't get it. I don't understand it. I've just, foo over my head.

Pittsburgh's going to win the division. Pittsburgh's a better team. Pittsburgh has the better coach, quarterback, O-line. I could be wrong on this. Didn't Pittsburgh leave the NFL in Sachs last year? So they got a better D-line. I don't get it. Over my head.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the I-Heart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. By the way, my producer just said in my ear, Baker Mayfield is responding. to Daniel Jones comment on his comment. So Baker Mayfield comes out, as I just said, takes a shot at Daniel Jones.

Daniel Jones comes out and says, I think Baker's a great player. He can throw it. I enjoy watching him play. Handled it with class. So let me, I have not seen. My producer is, I have not seen this yet. So go ahead, producer. Baker is on now, I'm told, responding.

Oh, boy, look at this. Baker Mayfield, quote, this is not what I said. just so were clear. I also said I was surprised I got drafted number one. That then was talking about the flaws and evaluating quarterbacks where I brought up winning being important. Reporters and media, oh, it's our fault. We'll do anything to come up with clickbait stories. Oh, boy.

Oh, boy. I heard nothing but good things and wished nothing but the best for Daniel. So by the way, he said, this is not what I said. Then he says dot, dot, dot, just so we're clear, I also say. I also said, well, how can you say you didn't say it? But then literally four words later said, but I also said I was surprised I got drafted. You can't even get that right. What he meant to say is what he meant to say.

So again, this is the, you know, clickbait. Also, click bait's not a thing. Nobody gets paid on clicks, Baker. We're not getting paid on clicks. That's not the way it works. We're just being nerdy of media people, but clickbush. Yeah. So now Baker is backpedaling. Why? Because he was immature, got caught talking out of his, you know what. He can't cash the checks. His mouth is writing. So now Baker has to yell. This is classic. It's always the media's fault.

It's the, I just, GQ, yeah, because writers at GQ who make six figures want to risk their job just making stuff up. We had the writer a GQ on. He said he liked Baker. He defended Baker. He was all in on Baker. But he's just making stuff up. up to make him look bad. Okay. All right. Just want to. So now Baker has ripped a teammate, Duke Johnson, ripped his former coach,

ripped a quarterback, denied he ripped a quarterback. But I'm sure he'll have his 13th expose article in a national magazine here in a couple of days, you know, because you wouldn't want to, you know, be focused on, you know, as I said before,

Baker comes across as volatile. That's why I like my quarterbacks to be firemen and put out fires. Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes. Quiet, reserve put out. I want a fireman at quarterback. Put the hose on it.

Water down the volatility. Water down the flames. I don't want a can of gas at quarterback, which inflames a little tiny fire. So here we do. We've got another Baker story. He's having to now deny today. The reporter was just doing clickbait. Okay.

Clay Skipper wrote the article. Clay, clickbait, skipper. You're just making stuff up. All right. I mean, look, I'm a big Baker supporter. It's just tough to, it's tough to defend him in the spot. Like we were saying, it's you just, you don't critique other people in your industry,

specifically your position. It's always going to get taken the wrong way. Even if he didn't necessarily mean for it to be critical of him, that's how it's going to get taken. Well, Daniel Jones, I thought, handle it with class. Yeah. Best way is just like, I just think the guy's great. Just super duple.

Oh, kill them with kindness. Kill them with kindness. It's always the way to go. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear.

Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clipper Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was part of it. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis coming to you, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.