The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Jul 14, 2020

Episode Date: July 15, 2020

Dak Prescott has no leverage if you look at the factsThe Rockets are a fascinating disasterThe 76ers clearly have no planGuests:Peter Schrager, FOX NFL ReporterUrban Meyer, 3x National Champion Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a loaded Tuesday, 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, FS1, NFL Insider, Peter Schrager this hour. Next hour, Urban Meyer, head football coach at Ohio State.

formerly now, broadcaster for us on Fox. Tenuous times in college football. Really tenuous times. It's a fingers-cross situation. And Joy Taylor was joining me on a Tuesday. We got to another week last week. We're ready to go. We're all booked up. How are things? I think it's great. I feel like it's we're reaching. You know, like when you're going through something along and you're like finally reaching

the end, you kind of start to get sad about it? It's like one more day of Doc Prescott. And then it's over. We've been doing this. We've been going through this for so long. Okay, so let's start there. According to Clarence Hill, I know him of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. No more renewed talks.

Haven't talked since March. No long-term deal. That's what he says. In the very beginning, I'm not into being right. I'm into getting it right. I kept saying they're paying everybody else. Why wouldn't they pay him? And now it should be noted.

the cap, because we're not going to have many fans at games this year, the revenue is going to be way down in the NFL. The cap's going to come down $40 to $50 million. It's coming way down. I talked to a former GM this morning. It's coming way down. And it's not going to come down just next year. It may come down the year after.

So with that press, God, I've never understood this. He's got all the leverage. A couple days ago, the athletic had this story. and they interviewed 30 agents. And the agents were all like, oh, Dax got a lot of leverage. Oh, my God, it's about you got nothing but leverage. And I thought, you know, the agents they're talking to? They've got to be Dax agents.

So let's just talk facts. No opinions here. Let's just talk facts. Because I don't buy that Dax got all the leverage. Number one, Dallas has not won a Super Bowl in 25 years. And frankly, they haven't really been close. This is not Tom Brady leaving New England. If Dak left, you're not losing excellence.

You're not losing history. You're not losing momentum. Hell, they're 8 and 8 last year. Again, when Brady left, when Peyton Manning left, you're losing momentum. You're losing tradition. You're losing excellence. You're losing records. You're not losing any of that.

That's just factual. There's no momentum right now. They've underachieved, not overachieved. That's the first fact. Second fact. First four years in the NFL, DAC's numbers are closer to Andy Dalton, his current backup, his first four years, than Patrick Mahomes. This is not a transformative quarterback town.

This is not Lamar Jackson. This is not Russell Wilson. This is not Aaron Rogers. This is not Patrick Mahomes. Dak and Andy Dalton, first four years in the league. Records, passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage. Hell of a lot closer to Dalton four years into the league. Now, Andy got hurt at the end of his career, so let's just go first four. Looks more like Andy Dalton to me. And that's with DAC having, I believe, better personnel than Andy had. Number three. Another fact, Dallas has excellent offensive personnel.

The defense I got issues with, especially the secondary. This is a top five offensive line. Zeke's a top one, two or three running back. The receiving core now, even pro football focus has a top two or three in the league. I got C.D. Lamb on top of Michael Gallic, Annamari, Michael Gallup, and Marari Cooper. That's a and Zeke and a top 5-0 line. Now, come on now. This is not an offense

that couldn't find some quarterback and say, oh, hey, Derek Carr, Raiders tired of you. Those pretty good numbers. Pretty good weapons. And let's go to the fourth fact. There's going to be a lot of quarterbacks

available next year. Here are the college quarterbacks and the free agents potentially available. And I just took the good ones. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Tray Lance, Cam Newton, Philip Rivers, Tyrod Taylor, James, Winston, Derek Carr with these weapons. Yes, Derek Carr, Las Vegas slash Oakland could save 20 million if they got rid of him.

And I watch Hard Knocks twice. I don't think Gruden and Carr, it doesn't feel like symbiotic to me. Gruden doesn't like any of his quarterbacks, and I think Derek Carr's top 12 in the league. You're going to have people next year. And remember, about five teams need a quarterback. And there's eight available. There's about five now. If Dwayne Haskins works in Washington, and I have no idea, coin flip, no idea,

looked like it was going to work big tall, big strong arm, Ohio State won a lot of games, looked a little choppy last year, got better at the end of the year. If he works, we got three teams in the NFL that need a quarterback. Fact number, what are we on, four or five, where's the market? Where's the market for DAC? Not a lot of teams need a quarterback. Not a lot of them are going to pay $35 million for DAC. There's not, I mean, listen, leverage is having multiple people fight over you.

I mean, you can make the argument the Colts in New England if they get tired of Cam and Philip Rivers after a year, which I think is very, very possible. Philip Rivers and Cam don't feel like long-term fits to me. Both move off. All right, that goes to the AFC. So what? New England said, by Garoppolo, go over to the NFC. I guess my point is, I keep hearing. about all this leverage that DAC has.

Dallas doesn't have any. Let's go through the top five again. We're not losing like records and history. This is not Troy Aikman. Okay. Secondly, this looks more like Andy Dalton early than it does Patrick Mahomes. This is not a transformative talent that's going to burn you for years. You let him go and you're just going to watch him beat you for years and years.

Let's be honest about this. There's going to be a bunch of quarterbacks on them. market. Let's be honest about this. Where's the market for him? I mean, you start going down the list and that tells me, Dallas has easily as much leverage, easily as much leverage as Dak Prescott has. Here's the other thing to remember. I thought it was really, really strange when Mike McCarthy got the job. And remember, he didn't call back for days. Do you think when Tom Brady showed interest in Tampa Bay, they didn't have those phones in their hands, iPhones?

Am I the only person that thought it was strange that when Mike McCarthy got to Dallas? People asked him a week later. You talked to Dak? No, not yet. If Annie Re-retires tomorrow, Mike McCarthy goes to Kansas City. How long is it going to be before he calls Patrick Mahomes? John Harbaugh, I'm done with coaching. Somebody takes the job.

Three minutes later. Hey, Lamar, I'm your new coach. Let's talk. Let's have lunch. Do we know that McCarthy likes Dak? Now, remember this. Mike McCarthy has dated supermodels. Okay, he's been far into Aaron Rogers.

He looks at Dak. It'd be one thing if Mike McCarthy had had Andy Dalton for years. He had far than Aaron Rogers, who most of you fans kept telling me are like, you know, better than Brady for years. I mean, this agent survey, oh, there's leverage for DAC. Well, I'm reading a story

from a respected journalist today. Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star Telegram, haven't talked since March. No scheduled talks. Now, maybe something happens in the middle of the night. Jerry likes late nights. I mean, who knows what happens. Deadlines make deals.

That's a classic Jerry Jones line. But I don't, I'm missing something here. Caps coming way down. where's the momentum? Big market next year of quarterbacks. Tons of offensive weapons for anybody who sits in. A head coach, I don't think loves him. Where's the market?

Teams aren't, I don't see teams lined up for him. I do think he'd have a bigger market than like a Cam Newton. He didn't have any injuries. He's won some games. Appears to be incredibly coachable. Total gamer often plays bigger in big games than small ones, although last year was the exception. but I'll go back on this.

I said from day one, sign him. I mean, Kansas City is working out a deal from a homes early. Carson Wentz and Philly, early. Seattle, the minute. Russell Wilson showed he was unhappy and those rumors came out about New York. Boom, got him, done. Teams don't wait a long time if they think they have the guy. I mean, the rule in the NFL is you sign a quarterback early

and it really hurts for about 24, months and then you feel like you get like three good years on it. That's what Kansas City is hoping. That's what Philadelphia is hoping. But this morning, no talks, no deal, nothing scheduled. Doesn't feel like Dax got the leverage to me. If he did, it'd be done months ago. Maybe a year ago. 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,

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap 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 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 on day, but yeah, yeah. But just so you know. I mean, at this point, 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, so.

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. guest. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. 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 walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Yesterday it was announced during our show, first hour, beginning of the second hour, one of them, that Russell Westbrook had COVID-19. He has a coronavirus. So that means he's got to wait a while, then go to Orlando, and then he's got to get quarantined and do a couple negative tests. And, you know, Mike Dan Tony's like, yeah, we'll be fine. We'll be ready to go. There's stories today. There's a lot of assumptions that James Hardin has it. According to Sham Sharana, Hardin has just said, I feel fine. I may travel with Westbrook. There's been a lot. James Harden around town in Houston. Houston's been hit heavily by the COVID. You know, who knows?

We know Westbrook has it. But this is the most fascinating team in the playoffs. Because fascinating is anxiety and tension. There's a lot of tension around this franchise. Let's start with this. The owner is not real happy now. He's a restaurateur. What are the two industries in America that have gotten punched in the forehead?

airlines and restaurants. He's a massive restaurateur. He's dealing with a lot of stress right now. The general manager, Daryl Morey, is under a lot of pressure because the owner right now is under a lot of financial pressure. The head coach is Mike Dan Tony. We know he's under pressure

because they made him replace his staff in the off-season. Wasn't his choice. And the biggest star, frankly, is under a little bit of pressure because he's not done as well as we think in the playoffs, and he also doesn't work terribly well with Westbrook because, you know, it's Westbrook, who doesn't work necessarily well with anybody,

though he's a transformative talent. You've got a lot of tension in the building here. You've got an owner who's getting crushed. I mean, let's be honest. Mark Cuban's a tech guy. He's not getting crushed in the pandemic, like Fratita's getting with the restaurants. Also, the general manager, Daryl Morey,

is the guy that sent out a text that China, a communist regime, was offended by and pulled out of some NBA financial stuff. And that didn't make for Tita happy. It didn't make the league happy. That's a lot of pressure for Daryl Morey. You got a coach who's really good and smart, but not very good in the postseason when it matters. They made him replace his staff. And he's been kind of marginalized by James Hardin, who runs the show, let's be honest, completely runs the show. The plane takes off when he's ready. the team practices when he's ready.

This is a Tinderbox. The other thing is, if you look at the standings, we have eight regular season games until we get to the playoffs. Houston could very likely, they're a half game up on this team, a half game below this team. They could face the clippers in the first round and just get destroyed. And that would mean Dan Tony, boom, Westbrook, trouble. Darry, uh-oh.

The owner, still pissed. No team in the, I mean, the Lakers don't have pressure. LeBron's not going anywhere. Frank Vogel's not going to get fired. Anthony Davis didn't go in anywhere. I mean, they may move Kyle Kuzma. Danny Green's not going anywhere. I mean, your four big pieces, there's no pressure.

There's no real pressure. I mean, the Lakers ownership groups made their money owning the Lakers. They're still worth a lot of money. So when I look at Houston, I think they're the most interesting team in this. They could face Denver, a young team with great chemistry. they could face the clippers on a young and old team with great talent, and in both cases, they could be in real trouble. No team's got more lack of cohesion, more of a tinderbox feel,

more explosive, more a dynamic. And remember this, Westbrook now has to, he's going to go to the bubble. Now, Dan Tony's saying all the right stuff, but, you know, hopefully Westbrook doesn't have to take seven, eight, nine days in a hotel room. can stay in shape. I never doubt that Westbrook's in shape. Here's Mike Dan Tony, the coach who has to win, has to win now. Everybody else can use the virus as an excuse, except Mike Dan Tony. He's got to win at least one and probably two playoff series. You know, I don't know when it's going to happen. And nobody here as soon as protocols get out of the way and they all

are anxious to get here. And they're doing what they need to do to stay in shape. And again, it's This is not going to set us back. We're not going to let us set us back. And we'll be ready to roll here in the next two or three weeks. He's saying the right things. But, I mean, Westbrook Harden, rumor of another player, potentially late to the bubble, doesn't feel great.

One more, Hurd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the I-Hard Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on-demand, whenever you'd like. Peter Schrager's an insider. Lots of stuff, actually. I saw a story yesterday about,

I'd heard about it about a month ago and yesterday about some masks or something on the helmets. And Shreggs join us. Brought to you my Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. Via the Coward Global Satellite Network. All right, Shreggs.

Update us. Let's start with the easy one. Well, maybe not easy. Where do we stand with football coming back? What's the story today? Where are we at, Colin? It changes every day. honestly. So we're supposed to all be back July 28th. Technically speaking, because they play on a Thursday night to open the season, the Chiefs quarterbacks and rookies and injured players and the Texans quarterbacks, rookies, injured players could as early as Thursday report to some camp wherever it is in their facility and get their COVID testing started so that they could start training camp on time. But there are so many questions. There are calls every day between the NFLPA and the NFL's management.

council. I'll give you the latest, Colin. You hit on it during Joy's update. There is going to be a huge financial loss in the NFL this year, especially if there are no fans, as is expected. I have been told from sources way up high that the estimate is $70 million per team if they play without fans. What's out in the preseason here? Let's add in the preseason because all the players are saying, we want no preseason games. Don't rush us out there. These teams make a ton of money in the preseason. But here's where the communication is being lost, I think, between the players and the owners in the league. Every dollar that the league loses, the players lose also. That is the spirit of collectively bargaining an agreement. So the salary cap isn't going to magically stay the same

because of the COVID and everyone feels bad for the players. No, they share in revenue. So every dollar that is lost is split amongst the pie. The players are a part of that. What the players need to work on and what they're trying to hammer out with the NFL right now is whether they want to take their lumps in one year and just next year the salary cap goes down, you know, 50 million a team and sorry if you're a free agent and it's just how it goes. Or do you want to spread it out over the next 10 years or the next five years? They're trying to figure it out. But the latest I've heard, Colin, the players don't want preseason.

They want zero preseason games. The teams and the owners in the league, they want at least two, meaning that each team would at least have one home preseason game where they can try out these measures of getting people into the stadium, getting the field ops working, seeing how it would work before we go to the regular season. But regardless, if there's two or zero, the teams and the league are losing a ton of money at that.

And now the players are trying to figure out how they can work with the league to get their safety secured, obviously, their football safety secure, because if you just walk onto a field without having training camp or preseason and try to play a full speed, good luck with your Achilles or your ACL, and finally the money part of it.

So July 28th, And, you know, we're doing raw, raw football is going to be back. It'll get there, we hope, and the plan is there. We'll get there. But there are so many things that have to be decided before then. One last note, I know I'm doing a monologue here. One last note. Los Angeles, where you are, California takes a major step back yesterday as far as progress goes.

Well, a month ago, we were told by the NFL that every team has to have training camp on their facilities. Well, this is on the assumption that things are going to get better and better and better. States are taking backward steps now. So is that loose? Is that flexible? Can there be a backup site now? There's so many questions to still be answered. And I'm sitting here talking to you. One of my favorite people in the world and Joy, who I love coming on the show. And I can tell you, I don't know what's in store before July 28th because both the player side and the team side don't seem to know that much either. So Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star Telegram reports. Dak Cowboys haven't talked since March. No plan on talking. Deadline is tomorrow. I saw a story the other. day that agents were queried, were questioned about the big stories of the offseason. And many agents said, oh, DAC has got all this leverage. And I'm like, I don't see it.

I still think it's bizarre that Mike McCarthy, you know, a week after taking the cowboy job, was asked about DAC and he said, I hadn't talked to him yet. You would talk to Mahomes within 40 seconds of getting the Kansas City Chief's job if Andy Reid retired. I don't see DAC having massive leverage. Am I wrong? Tell me I'm wrong. Leverages he's got $31 million for this year already in his back pocket. He didn't have that last year.

So he bet on himself last year with a $2 million contract. He went eight and eight missed the playoffs and still got franchised. So he's still got $31 million. But again, I guess I'm the outlier in this because agents are saying that has the leverage. I talk to people in the media saying, oh, well, Dak, I mean, he's going to break the bank. Look at my homes. In what economic world are you living in? Like, what world are you living in that suddenly Jerry Jones before the pandemic wasn't going to

break the bank? And now post-pandemic is going to say, you know what, let's give that Press cop $40 million. I just lost $70 million, but let's give DAC $40 million for the next five years because, well, you know what? Because that's just what I'm going to do. Like, I think DAC has the leverage in the fact that he knows he's already making a guaranteed salary for this year. If the franchise tag him next year, it's more. But I don't think it's the same economic world for negotiating than it was before the pandemic. And Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey, you said it. Those might be the last huge deals.

And what Mahomes gave up was 12 years of negotiating power. So he gave his life and career to the Kansas City Chiefs. Dak wants to sign a four-year deal, not a 12-year deal. By the way, Mahomes' agent may have been sharper than everybody thinks. Everybody said, oh, Mahomes took a haircut. If you start talking about you, if you start to mess around with a cap for the next eight to 10 years that Mahal like Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey you can make an argument for the next 12 months have signed the last big deals that that's very and by the way God love both of them

they both deserve it. Hey Colin, ask any American right now and I'm talking in our industry. I'm talking the guy who works in sanitation. Would you like a 10 year contract right now for your job? I think a lot of people would. There's something to being stable and having stability in Mahomes. Where's he going? He loves what he's got. Everyone was, you know, a lot of agents were sniping on text to me. Like, what a terrible deal. Terrible deal.

He made half a billion dollars. And he's in Kansas City with Andy Reeve the next 10 years. Sounds good to me. Yeah. Hey, so the camp thing's fascinating. I think they're real. I thought New England would, I said, I was going to watch one half of Stidham. And then I was done with the Patriots for the year.

I'm not, I mean, I'll watch Joe Burrow over that. But now, I think after Brady and Tampa, I think Tampa is going to be, I think New England's going to be fascinating. I think there'll be 8 and 8, but it'll be the most fascinating 8 and 8 in the league. What do you make of Josh McDaniels, Cam, Cam going on Instagram or a TV show saying, listen, I can run. Brady couldn't. It feels like setting himself up for us to take shots. What do you make of the whole thing?

Well, I think what he says is, I think there's an elephant in the room filling in for Brady, but there's an elephant in Cam right now also. Like, this is a guy who, if you're watching the Instagram and you're seeing what he did with the Players Tribune, talking to Victor Cruz and O'Dell Beckham, like, really inspired. But I would look at Josh McDaniels too. I always talk about, you know, with Stidham. McDaniels was excited then or that Patriots were that the story was because he could be a little mobile. Now you put Cam Newton in this thing.

And here's what people are forgetting. The Cam Newton contract, this was like a no-brainer of all no-brainers. If Cam comes out and is injured, they still have Stidim. But for one year, potentially $7 million and Cam as what it seems like, as dedicated and as furious and as chip on a shoulder. boulder on his shoulder. You add that to Belichick and McDaniels. Like they're going to do things that they could not do with Brady. Like Cam can run. Cam is six foot six. Cam can do that. He can jump over the line of scrimmage. Cam can do things that Brady couldn't. Of course, he's not the all around

quarterback that Brady is. Their careers can't be compared. But for one year, would you rather a 43-year-old Tom Brady or would you rather a hungry, healthy from what we hear, 32-year-old Cam Newton has something to prove in that new offense that no one has seen him in? Yeah, that's fascinating. All right, Shrake, where are you at, for the record? Are you still, like, in a basement in Baltimore or something where you're at? I've been a rental house in Long Island, New York. We are working things back towards Brooklyn, Colin. It has been a very interesting few months.

Let's just say I've gotten to know my family very well. Haven't we all? All right, Shrague, good talking to you, buddy. You're the best, Colin. Thank you. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the... I hard radio app.

The 76ers coach Brett Brown is now going to, he said he's thrilled with Ben Simmons at power forward in early practices. And, I mean, they went and got Al Horford last year to be a forward. Ben Simmons moving to forward. I love Simmons. He doesn't shoot. I think he's an unbelievable, unique talent. Six, ten and a half, way above average defender for his age. Incredible vision, great handles, scores at the rim, can't shoot.

but this is the thing that gets me, and I like Simmons a lot. I wish he would work on his shot, but I've never seen a player quite like him. Magic Johnson couldn't shoot when he got into the league either, but it wasn't this bad. But this is what I've always been a cynic on the Sixers. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I can usually see your plan. Like I can see, oh, I get what you're trying to do. I've always said this with football. I can watch two series of a football game and go, oh, I see what they're trying to do.

Now, I'm not saying I'm smart enough to fix it, solve it, or create the plan, but I can spot a plan. I may not be funny, but I can spot funny. I may not be smart, but I can spot smart. I've never understood their plan. The first plan was called The Process. It got a jazzy nickname, and all of the NBA people loved it. Oh, it's got a nickname. You know, if you give something a nickname, it's amazing.

It's called The Process, and it was, we're going to tank and then draft the tallest a player available in the draft for the next several years. as the league was increasingly becoming a shooter's league, they fired that guy. And the next group comes in, and it's still a shooters league, and so they go and they accumulate some shooters. I like that part. But they did draft Ben Simmons, who doesn't shoot. But at least they were getting shooters, and I'm a big fan of that. And then that guy had a phone issue, Twitter or something, they fired that guy.

And next guy comes in, and he's like, I'm going to get rid of the shooters. and I'm going to get rid of Jimmy Butler. Okay. And so I look at all the guys they've given up in the last several years in a shooter's league. And they've given up Landry Shammett, Drew Holiday, Jimmy Butler, Robert Covington, J.J. Reddick, Dario, Marco Bellanelli, Ersan, Eliasova. They can all shoot to Shooters League. They're all gone now.

So what remains is Ben Simmons and Joe Ashkenes. Ambed wildly talented, often a little distracted and immature, good at home when things are comfortable, atrocious on the road, don't necessarily play well together. Simmons needs an open lane to score at the rim and Embed is dominant in the lane. To me, this is, I can't see the plan. It was draft tall guys. Let's go get shooters. Let's bail on the shooters. To me, the plan has always been easy. You can get a lot for Embed. Big guys who get hurt early, get hurt middle and late of their career. I'd get Ben Simmons and a bunch of shooters. Play fast. Ben is a all-time unique talent. Now, so is Embed, but he's been hurt, missed a couple years, guys don't get

healthy, 300-pound guys banging on those feet. Simmons is going to be a healthier player long-term. He didn't have to be a great shooter. I don't buy into that. Magic. wasn't a great shooter. Magic had Kareem and Magic had shooters. And it wasn't even a shooters league back then. It was a center's league and Magic got the ball to the center. I'm not saying I could

devise a better plan. The plan to me, it's got to be visible. And this also comes down to, I hear a lot of this. You know, Embed and Simmons, it's not ideal, but it'll eventually

work. Here's something you you figure out really quickly in the NBA. LeBron and D. Wade weren't really built to play together. They really weren't. It was almost like if you added four inches to Dwayne, he kind of played a lot like LeBron. LeBron's always worked well with shooters. He drives, clear the lane, get the big out of the lane, let LeBron handle the ball, and just give a Danny Green on this side, Badiye on that side, Ray Allen on that side,

Bosch in the corner. That's real, and D. Wade's not a natural shooter. but it worked immediately. It did not take long at all. Joy was down there. Within about 10 games, D. Wade realized LeBron's ridiculous. This is going to be LeBron's team, and they figured it out.

They were just going to be hyper-athletic, run the floor. Bosch was a big that could run. Very rarely, you can see Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce really quickly work together. You could tell very early Westbrook Hardin don't really work well together. It's very difficult.

You know, your game is your game. If it doesn't work well together initially, it's hard to say, you know, time will make it better. Sometimes time is not a lubricant. It's an agitator. You get more frustrated. I just don't see Simmons and Embedd working. Simmons can't shoot has no affinity for trying to get better, and Embedd is dominant down low, and I want it right next to the basket.

I don't want to turn Embed in anything other. than what he is, a monster with an eight feet of the rim. I'm not going to turn him in anything other than that. And I'm not going to try to make Ben Simmons a shooter. He's got great handles, great vision, and all-time talent. I'm telling you, the kid, I've never seen a six, ten and a half guy handle the ball like that. Pass like that. Magic's the only thing close.

So I don't, I've never been a believer that we'll figure it out. The stuff that works, the Batman's and the Robbins that work in this league. Man, they make it work. I mean, Bosch came from Toronto, D. Wade. There, LeBron, about 10 games. Remember they were about 500 for about 15 games? And all of a sudden was like, boom, couldn't beat him. Following year, set records.

Steph Curry, Clay, Drayman. Kevin Durant. Durant goes to the Warriors. That thing clicked fast. Durant and Westbrook never worked. Durant with even more shooters. Clay can shoot. Steph can shoot.

Durant's all time. That thing, how many games? before it worked? Twelve? And it was like, boom, off and running. Simmons, Embed, I'm not sure time is the answer. But, you know, maybe I'm too impatient. 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 there. them listen to Sports Slice on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast and for more follow timbo slice of life 12 and the ticot podcast network on ticot do you remember when diana ross double-tap little kim's boobs at the vmase or when conier 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 kim

well you can find out on the look back at it podcast i'm sam jay 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 was 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, so... 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 Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

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Me, Keir Gaines is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is 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 of 42. Hey, Brett.

My mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Urban Meyer joining us now via the Coward Global Satellite Network, three-time national champ. All right, let's start. I got a bunch of questions today. Let's start with this.

The guy just got done and finished playing golf with the Gretzky's. And by the way, tell the audience. what the Gretzky's think of me. Let's be honest. Well, the Gretzky's love you. And Wayne Gretzky, the great one, but his wife, we're playing a little Skins game. And I felt more pressure playing Alabama or playing against her than I did Alabama. They're great. He's a killer.

Yeah, they're great people. So let's start with this. The Big Ten says, listen, we're going to do conference only. What am I to take with that? Do you agree with that move? Conference only. 100%. control, control the environment, control when you start your off-season, control when you start

the season, and more than anything, they control the protocols for the safety of the student athletes, because you can do that within a conference. You can't do that multiple conferences. Like, you know, I saw your take the other day about your your, you're a politicking to become the president of the NCAA, which I'd vote for you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, that's very kind.

Let me ask you this. could I make an argument that it's all about because college football is so valuable to athletic departments, even if you got seven to eight games in, the bottom line this year, you want fewer practices, fewer meetings with 75 people, fewer games, and that if you just got, everybody got seven, eight games in, that's enough to pay some bills, and you may have to throw in two or three buys during the season. Is that being discussed now? I don't know that. I think it changes every week.

I am on conference calls. I talk to Coach Day, Gene Smith regularly. I talk to a lot of colleagues. Last week was different than this week. But I think the thing that, you know, every once I hear that spring football, and I just don't see how that works. I'd much rather see a shortened conference season,

try to get some games in, see how it goes. I mean, it's going to be different in two weeks than it is in another two months. So it just changes every day. week, Colin. I got to ask you about a situation. So I talked about, I want to run for President of College football with Joel Clatt. He beat me on the internet, but I had five different plans. And I don't like neutral site games. I like games in Columbus. I like him in Athens. I'm not interested in Nick Sabin refusing to go on the road. You were willing to. I love Nick, but he likes these neutral site games so he doesn't have to go to Camp Randall. I'm not into it. Go on the

road. I don't like cupcakes. I'll give you one. I think everybody should play 10 games. I don't care how tough the SEC is. Everybody's conference in the middle and bottom is pretty weak. I don't think we need more than four teams. I've never seen the fifth team in the country and thought, oh, wow, they deserve to be number one. And I think we got too many bowl games. I think you should have 12. I named them off. I don't buy into this. We need to have 40 so the little guy can can have a shot. The little guy's not beaten Ohio State in Clemson in my lifetime, so I'm not interested. Which one of these bothers you? Which one of these is nonsense? Which one of these don't you buy into? I do believe that there needs to be uniform scheduling.

I do not. I think you should be allowed to play two non-power fives. I know you have only one. When I was at Bowling Green, we were a 3-0 against the BCS conference schools, the Big 12 and the, I think it was a big East at the time. When I went to Utah, we're undefeated against the Pact 12. So, and that was one of the greatest moments of our team. And the only thing I'd say about bowl games is,

if this is all about money, yes, I think a lot of that's very legitimate. I just, 33 years ago, I got into this not because of money. I got into it, and I coached the little guys. And I think, you know, you're into moments. You're into things that will transform people. You're talking about a kid. You go to Ohio Stadium and find a way to win that game. We went to Northwestern one.

We went to Arizona, Oregon, Cal, Texas A&M. I've had players that are, to this day, they're still talking about. But I think that's more important money. I really do. I know that money drives the train right now. It certainly did it back years ago. So I just think the purity of the game of football still needs to have a conversation about that. So why would a University of Utah go to Liberty Bowl and play Southern Miss in the first championship in 60 years?

Because that transformed people's lives. And you can say it doesn't. I disagree with you. It certainly does. All right, good stuff. So here's an interesting topic. You have always been a fan of multi- sport athletes.

By the way, I'm a big believer in that myself. So Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, they could have gone to baseball. But my argument's always been, football's got a cleaner path. You get to be the big man on campus. You get a free scholarship. Baseball doesn't give you free scholarships.

Very rarely does a guy get all the money paid for in baseball. Is that the reason? It seems to me that football is winning the battle of the young Patrick Mahomes. Johnny Mansell, I heard, played baseball, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray. Did you ever recruit against the baseball program to get a quarterback or get a player? I have, but football usually wins over baseball,

you know, just football, especially college football. Now, if this kid has a chance to go, you know, get drafted right away out of high school, sometimes and we've lost a player or two to that, but normally we'll win. And I've had players try to play both. But I'll tell you that my son, by the way, is just he had a scholarship. ship for baseball and he went on to walk on at Cincinnati to play football just because of his love of the game, his love of the locker room and training and training like a football player. And so it is different.

A lot of times football wins. I'm going to say this about the multi-sport athlete. It's ironic, Wayne Gretzky and I just had a long conversation about this on the course. And I just, my experience, right now, 85% I had Fox, Arfollocks, Adam, our Follocks analyst guy, researcher, 85% of the players drafted last year were multi-sport athletes. Wow. I'm a multi-sport athlete fan. There's nothing better than a football player that wrestles or plays basketball.

For me to go watch that and watch a kid compete, I couldn't get enough of that. So I'm a huge fan of multi-sport athletes. Did you ever see Patrick Mahomes? Did you ever see him in high school play? I didn't. I should have. He's one of my favorite players I've ever watched. No, I didn't see him.

I talked to his high school football coach. coach last week. And he said, he goes, listen, he was so good at everything. He's like he was great at basketball. He was great at football. He was great at baseball. And he goes, I think some people just thought, you know, he's just an athlete. He's not all in on football. But I mean, who, in all the years of recruiting quarterbacks at a high school? You've had a lot of great ones. Who is the single most talented high school quarterback you ever saw? And you literally drove home and said, Oh, Lord, that is going to be all-time stuff. It was Dwayne Haskins.

If you talk about pure ability to throw the football, when I went to his junior workout, right after his junior season, I sat there for two hours and watched his kid throw, and he was better than most college quarterbacks that I've ever had in my systems or coached. And he was the one that I remember I got my car and I called whoever and said, this one's done. This one, he'll be an NFL quarterback because he was so well developed in high school. Yeah. All right. So how did you golf today? Good. I shot a 79, which is for me at this course, double eagle here in Columbus, Ohio, a great place. It was good.

How did? Because I can turn that into a 90 tomorrow. Okay. Well, enjoy yourself. It's the summer. It can be very humid there. Pour yourself a draft. I'll pick it up the check, coach. I know you never get a free beer in Columbus. 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 SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo.

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

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

We do some retirement home. 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all?

You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kier 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. just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast.

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