The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for May 27, 2020

Episode Date: May 27, 2020

Colin likes the proposed 'World Cup" style of NBA playoff systemBaker Mayfield is Case Keenum and we have stats to prove itMLB will get a deal doneThe Packers and Aaron Rodgers aren't risk takers and that's why they aren't contendersGuests: Nick Wright, FS1's First Things FirstJohn Smoltz, MLB on FOX & Baseball Hall of Fame Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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 is big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down,

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Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRodd 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. Ah, here we go on a Wednesday. We are live in Los Angeles. This is the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be consuming us today. Iheart radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and Joy Taylor is joining me.

Yes, I have a tan. It was jogging yesterday. It's tennis today. My little world is opening up a little bit now. You can play tennis in my area. You can hang out in our area. Still a lot of older people walking around with masks. But it does feel, I feel a loosening, a loosening a little bit.

Life is getting closer and closer to the new normal. Not normal, but the new normal. It's not like I'm a new normal for a while. But yeah, I agree. It's starting to feel like we're reaching the finish line. There was traffic today driving to work. There was real traffic. You know, someone was saying to me the other day that,

like the best part of this because Los Angeles traffic is brutal. If you've never been in it, you can't explain it. It's like nothing else in the world. But they're like, oh, I don't miss L.A. traffic. I was like, I miss L.A. traffic so much. I can't wait till there's traffic again. I pray for the day I can just sit in traffic because that means everything's back to normal. Yeah, it will.

So, you know, all these leagues are kind of making it up as they go, right? Like, this is what's happening. We're all kind of making it up. We just had a golf tournament with two old quarterbacks. There's six million people watch. and the organizations like NASCAR and the UFC and the NFL, which have shown an ability to kind of roll with the punches, do the best you can.

Don't be paralyzed by perfect. Nobody's going to be perfect. Rid guy, stuck in his ways, guy. This is a bad time for you. You got to roll with the punches. So the NBA came out with something yesterday that was really wild and really unique, and I'm not sure who likes it, but it's fascinating. Kevin O'Connor came out reported.

A survey sent the general managers. We know Adam Silver likes soccer, the commissioner of the NBA. And they're suggesting teams would break into 20 best records into tiers like the World Cup. So instead of the first round, Lakers, Memphis, best of seven, it would be group stage in the first round. And if you lose twice, the Lakers could lose twice, boom, you're out. total urgency. So group one, bucks, jazz, sixers, gris, blazers, group two, Lakers, heat, rockets, magic, pelicans, group three, raptors, Celtics, thunder, Maverick Spurs, Group four, Clippers, Nuggets, Pacer, nets, kings, five teams each, four groups, you play everybody twice, and then the top two in

each group advance. And then you go back to brackets. I love it. Does it feel sticky? We just watched two old quarterbacks play golf. Charles Barkley commented. It got six million viewers. Double what Tiger Woods got last time on a Friday at the Masters. Sticky in 2020 works. Sticky is an event. This would be an event. It would be a World Cup style event. It's basically the World Cup of basketball. There's two reasons I like it. First of all, the draw itself, just like soccer, you'd have to see the draw like, oh my God, we got into a brutal. You got the Lakers are in with Denver and Milwaukee. You'd make it tough. You'd make it difficult. And that alone would get lots of press. And secondly, it would create something that all

these leagues outside of the NFL need is urgency. Rockets, Westbrook goes crazy for a game, one loss, one more, you're out. I love it. And everybody's saying, you know, Colin, asterisk. Folks, 2020 is the year of the asterisk. risk. They're going to make documentaries about this year. The tragic Kobe death, David's Dern death, a pandemic shuts down the league, the China mess to start, a World Cup stage. It's just you got to roll with the punches on this stuff. You just got to roll with it. The bottom line, a win, a win for the NBA now, getting back to play and having a champion. The rest of it floats. Don't care. Can we start the season, not shut it down, and get a champ.

I'm all in for it. If you're sitting there parallel, now Mark Cuban said, well, it'll make the regular season irrelevant. Folks, let's be honest. 2020, the regular season is irrelevant. We've had the Kobe, the David Stern deaths,

the pandemic. Nobody cares about the 2020 regular season. It wasn't getting great TV ratings anyway. It's a completely forgettable regular season. This can be viewed two ways. is that it's too sticky. Or 20 years from now,

the NBA in a global pandemic that got him right in the middle of the eyes, they finished the season. And LeBron won another title. Like everything the NBA is doing, it's a life preserver year. You're just trying to save the season. I think it's smart.

I think it's interesting and ask yourself this. Would you rather see LeBron and the Lakers play Memphis in the first round? Or would you rather them see them play the rockets twice, the heat twice, Zion and the Pelicans twice? I'll take that one. I'll go with that one. New stuff, cool stuff, sticky stuff.

All you're trying to do now, start the season, not finish it, crown a champ. Everything else, I don't care. If the NBA does that, Adam Silver, give him a race. So let me shift to this, a football topic. So this is interesting. Fox bet, and Vegas does this, Fox bet. They have the starting quarterbacks and then their backups. And they tell you how many more points?

How much is your starting quarterback worth? For instance, Russell Wilson is worth eight more points than if Gino Smith started. Average NFL games decided by four. So Russell Wilson's worth double that. Lamar Jackson's worth eight points over our G3, Deshawn Watson to touch. down. Sam Darnald's worth six more than David fails. Kirk Cousins, who we criticize, is worth five and a half points more than Sean Mannion. Teddy Bridgewater's worth six more points than Will Greer. Ryan Tannahills were six and a half more points than Logan Woodside.

You know, Kyler Murray's worth five and a half points more than Brett Hundley. Aaron Rogers is worth five points more than Jordan Love. Feels like more than that, but that's still substantial. And then there's, oh, oh, wait. Baker Mayfield is worth one and a half points more than Case Keenham. Joy, do you remember the quarterback, the comp I gave for Baker Mayfield when he came out? Do you remember? I think it was... It was Case Keenum. It was Case Keenum.

I said from day one, Baker Mayfield is Case Keenum with a slightly stronger arm. That is unfair! Since Baker got to the NFL two years, here is numbers, 29 starts. wanted to get close to 30 starts. 61% completion percentage, 12 and 17, 85 passer rating, 49 touchdowns, 35 picks. Case Keenham will go three years, 38 starts because he didn't play much last year. Oh, he's better in every category. And I would argue Baker Mayfield's had better talent around him.

No OBJ for Case Keenum. The bad news, if you're a Baker fan, is we were right, and this is what he is. he is Case Keenham with a stronger arm. Here's the good news, because I believe I wake up in the morning optimistic. The good news is Case Keenum went 11 and 3 a few years ago with the Minnesota Vikings. And I believe the Cleveland Brown's roster right now offensively is much like the Minnesota Vikings roster for Case Keenum. Two legit receivers, legit tight end, legit running backs. good, not great O-line, but certainly improved.

Baker Mayfield has never been ever a number one pick. Number one picks are the kind of players you see in Carson Wence. Some guys are number one pick talents, Deshawn Watson, Carson Wence, Russell Wilson, where they are able to overcome a lot of average. Average O'Line, Deshawn Watson, Russell Wilson, average wide receivers, average coach. Baker Mayfield is Case Keenham. It's all got to be perfect.

But if it is, and Cleveland's offensive unit is really good, you can get to the playoffs, which is what I'm predicting this year for Baker Mayfield. He will get to the playoffs. Carson Wentz took a bunch of deck chairs and lawn furniture to the playoffs. Baker can't do that. Deshawn Watson and Russell Wilson run for their lives and get to the playoffs. with below average O' lines. Baker can't do that.

There are quarterbacks in this league to get to the playoffs with what I think, Aaron Rogers, an average coach, Matt LaFleur. At this point, he's average. Baker needs everything lined up. That's the bad news. The good news, it is this year. Like Case Keenham's 11 and 3 Viking year,

it is all lined up for Baker, and he will be a playoff quarterback this year. year. See, positive, Mr. Positive. You know what? From now on, I am no longer Uncle Colin. I am Mr. Positive. So you, Professor Colin sometimes. Sometimes Professor Colin. Uncle Colin.

But from now on, just call me Mr. Optimistic. That did take a positive turn. That wasn't really expecting. It looked like it was going right into the sewer, and it ended up being a bouquet of roses. Just very optimistic. Baker's going to make the playoffs. but he needs all the ingredients. Want 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. 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 Slic 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, Kier Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, 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 hard way and listen now.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. 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 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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clivert 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. Artitude. Hey, Brett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this because I think people are bored by revenue sharing.

But of all the sports, the one sport that's airing its dirty laundry financially in public is baseball. And why are they doing it? because baseball's getting rich for the last decade. Now, we don't talk about baseball like we talk about other sports. Major League Baseball is like the wealthy guy in your community that nobody knows is wealthy. Everybody knows the rich car dealer because you bought a car from him. Everybody knows the rich surgeon because somebody in your family's gone to him. But the guy that owns the waste management company is worth six times more than both combined.

But he's not cool at parties. It's not really a cool industry. And baseball isn't stylish like the NBA. We don't bet it like we do the NFL. It doesn't have like cheerleaders and bands and the student body, the goose bump feel of college football. And frankly, it doesn't give us the urgency of a big fight or a big golf tournament on a Sunday.

But baseball last year made $10.7 billion. Several billion more than the NBA. The Yankees alone made $700. million dollars, a single team. Baseball's players have never been richer, the owners have never been richer, and the executives have never been richer. And the reason they're airing this public laundry is because one percent on either side is hundreds of millions of dollars.

Yesterday, more stuff was leaked, and the players are furious. According to Jesse Rogers, a full year, $5 million salary, the owners are saying, we'll pay a 1.65 million. 10 million a year player guy will give you 2.95 million. 20 million you'll make 5. That's not where it's going to end up. A 20 million guy will probably get close to 9 or 10, which is good considering we're not going to have many fans and it could be less than half a season. But when companies air dirty laundry publicly, it's called leverage. It's called negotiations. Make the other side look bad. Get a little break.

Take a deep breath, baseball fans. You're going to get a sport. It's going to work out. Players will probably make 50, 55% of what they were scheduled to make. I'm pro players on this because they're the ones taking the physical risk. You can't have baseball right now in a pandemic without actual players. And since they're the ones, not in cushy press boxes, not up in suites, actually playing with other people touching and could get.

at COVID-19. I think this is the year the owners have to cave a little. But yesterday's freak out, we're talking a sport that makes $11 billion a year significantly more than the more stylish NBA, probably more than hockey and the MLS combined, I would guess. It's going to be okay. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio.

You know, I only get Nick Wright once a week. So there's a lot of stuff that I want to talk to him about like Thursday or Friday, but I don't get him in Monday. So there's a couple of things I got to touch on. And he is joining us, Nick Wright, brought to you by Mercedes-Benz the Best or Nothing via the Coward Global Satellite Network. He's the co-host of First things first. So I didn't talk to you about the MJ Isaiah stuff. So let me restate it. My takeaway is if Michael Jordan said, I'm not playing with Isaiah Thomas, my takeaway is LeBron James.

said, I'm not playing with half my roster, and the Lakers in a salary cap league moved players. I mean, what do I care? If the star doesn't want somebody around, I got no, it was a three week sojourn to Europe, buses, dinners, lunches together. So let's start with that. Let me guess. You think Michael Jordan's a bad guy for not wanting to play with grumpy Isaiah Thomas? No, no, no, no, no, not a bad guy at all. Just a liar. Like, you give me a fine. guy, but he lied about it. This was the weird thing, and this is what is so concerning

for me as we further venture into this post-fact universe that we all have to live in now. We all knew what he had said. We all knew he said he wouldn't play if Isaiah would play. And the fact that he stared into that camera with his

tumbler of tequila and bloodshot eyes and cigar and said, I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Senator. Like, I could believe it. We all knew it. And then, because again, we live in this post-fact world, we had a lot of people who should know better whose response was, see, Jordan never said it. You know how I know it? Because he just told me he never said it. A lot of people didn't like Isaiah, probably because Isaiah beat them a hell of a lot more than they beat him. Isaiah regularly

beat Jordan had a winning record against Jordan. Jordan loved being the bully. Didn't so much love when someone could bully him. We all know people like that. But just own it. Don't 30 years later try to recreate history. So listen, Isaiah's not perfect and some people had good reason not to like him. But I don't know why he ran from the truth, especially when he was on tape admitting that truth less than a decade ago to Jack McMullen. Now, new playoff format is different. But it's got a World Cup feel to it in the first round.

First round of the NBA playoffs is ratings aren't good. It's kind of boring. It's total mismatches. mismatches. I like the new format because my takeaway is this is the year of the asterisk. And if the NBA can start a season and not stop it and crown a champ, it is a massive win for Adam Silver and he should be celebrated and elevated for the rest of his term. I'm okay with it. It's more fun. It creates urgency. It's different. The NBA's never been rigid. That's just not what they are. Do you like the new kind of soccer-esque World Cup feel in the first round?

No. You know what would also be fun? We could have in the first round, you could have Alex Caruso go on Anthony Davis's shoulders and they could play a two-on-two match like that. Probably get good ratings. We could do a three-legged race. Maybe one of those, the spoon in your mouth with an egg on the end of it to determine who gets a buy. There's a lot of fancy cool things we could do might even pull a rating. But they'd be unnecessary and they would undercut whatever. integrity we have left of this regular season. Listen, I understand nothing can be perfect. We are in a pandemic world right now, and changes have to be made. But any of these NBA changes would be superfluous. We know who the 16 playoff teams would be under 1 through 16 or east, west, each getting 8. It's the same 8, is the same 16 teams.

Adding this would just be using the pandemic as an excuse. to experiment with something. Like I saw hockey. They're doing a 24-team playoff essentially. They basically have to, as noted hockey expert, Nick Wright can explain to. You have, in the Eastern Conference, you have the gap between the five-seat

and the 10-seat is one game. So I understand why they said we have to be more inclusive, to be fair. The NBA doesn't. We know who the 16-playoff teams would be to use this calamity as a reason to just try to shake the snow globe seems unreasonable to me,

and there's nothing we can do about the fact that what the Bucks and Lakers earned was the number one overall seeds and home court advantage, and they won't get the home court advantage. Listen, sorry, guys, that happens. But to further minimize what they earned in the regular season seems punitive and unfair

to the two teams that took this regular season seriously. So, no, I just think it's, I don't think you're forced into it, so I don't think you need to do it. Give us our four rounds of the playoffs, seven-game series, and let's go. Let's shift to something. As America's media icon, Joy calls me that, and she's right.

I have become the foremost expert on predicting how college quarterbacks were due in the NFL. Some with, mostly I'm right. Baker Mayfield, Fox Bet came out, and they listed your starting quarterback, and then your backup, and how many points worth are you more? Now, Lamar and Malm's and Russell and Aaron and Deshaun and Carson, and wents. They're very, very valuable. And then Baker Mayfield is worth, Mike comp when he came into the league,

a point and a half more than Case Keenham. That's it. And as I said, he's Case Keenham with a slightly better arm. Can we now acknowledge that a first round number one pick for Baker was silly? He is capable of winning if you surround him like Case Keenham got a few years ago with a bunch of good players. But you were a little on the Baker thing.

I've never been on the Baker thing. Can you acknowledge this may have been a rare opportunity? I nailed it, maybe. Yeah. All right. So I was more than a little on the Baker thing. In one of the major regrets of my career, I came on this television show one year ago right around this time

and had him ranked ahead of Deshawn Watson as far as players I would want for the future. I would like that one back. And right now, you appear. to have nailed this. I am not yet, however. I listen, I don't know as much about stocks as you do, but I'm trying to learn. I don't think you're supposed to sell your stock at its low point. So I'm going to hold on to my remaining Baker Mayfield shares. I understand right now, some believe they might be going to zero and that I should get out while I can. I'm going to hold on to them. I'm going to say Freddie Kitchens is gone. I saw the Browns are doing a cool thing.

They're going to let a fan call 15 preseason plays, which is a good departure from last year we let a fan coach the whole team. So it should be good for Baker that he's got a real head coach. Odell should be healthier. Jarvis should be healthier. The most talented player on the team shouldn't bonk anyone on the head with their helmet and we'll see how they do. But yes, right?

If football stop today, you would be right about Baker Mayfield. I'm looking on a longer time horizon, however, and to see if at some point we can come back around. But yeah. So my long way is saying this might end up being one where. Colin, unfortunately, was right. I want to go to Russell Wilson because I even made the Seattle Times and Seattle Radio. I talked about this last week is that the fact that the Cam Newton rumor came out for Russell,

the minute it came out for the Steelers, the general manager rushed to the media and said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, we're not taking camp in support of a sensitive Big Ben. He's shown a history of being sensitive. When the Cam Newton Russell Wilson thing came out, crickets, even though, frankly, it should be noted, and I think this matters a little. Sierra dated Cam and married Russ. It matters. I'm sorry. It does. You have to know that as a GM. It's not good. So my point being, Russell Wilson continues, I believe, in his front office. They don't quite get him. That and the fact he was drafted out of the first second round.

We've always had this thing where he's got to prove it to us. Do you think my stance on he's the least respected great player I can remember in the league is reasonable and that even suggesting Cam could be a backup was a lousy fit. Well, I had totally forgotten or was just flatly unaware about Sierra and Cam dating. So that's a great pop culture pull by you, Colin. But in general, yeah, I totally agree. I think he's the second best quarterback in football. I think what we have on the screen right now is Seattle offensive coordinator, that's Brian Schottenheimer. Russell Wilson is the wrong guy to doubt. You know who Brian Schottenheimer should tell that to?

Brian Schottenheimer. So maybe he'll stop running these horrible run plays on first and second down and then being like, ah, worst case scenario, I guess we'll have Russell throw it. The Seahawks team has been top three in the NFL each of the last two years in rushing attempts. They run an offense like Blake Bortles is their quarterback, not like Russell Wilson is their quarterback. So yeah, I agree.

He's underappreciated. He's disrespected by the general public. and by his own organization that seems to have, I can't remember the old football coach, but the old coach from the 50s, like three things happen when you pass, two of them are bad. That seems to be the Seahawks mindset

when they go into these football games instead of being like, hey, nobody throws it more than ever than the era we're in right now. We've got the second best quarterback in football. He's never hurt. He's never had a losing record. He rarely turns the ball over.

He's a great leader. Why don't we build around him instead of, Hey, he needs more help. Carlos Hyde, come on down. So we have another running back to take the ball away from Russell Wilson. By the way, it should be noted. You and I are different on Cam. I do appreciate.

I think Cam's been very smart. He is putting out videos regularly of him practicing. I think that matters today. It is something I criticize Kaepernick for for about a 12-month period where let me see how much you love football. You can tell me you do. I want to see it. is all over social media, and I think it matters. But why is the market virtually zip bagel for

Cam? Nothing. No interest. I think there's a lot of factors. I think one is it's an unfortunate time as far as given the pandemic. He can't go into work out with teams and they can see that he's healthy. I think another is you've got, I don't know what the number is, but maybe a quarter to a third of teams in the league that just aren't Cam Newton friendly, so to speak. They think he's too much of a star or polarizing or flamboyant to be the

quote face of the franchise. I think that works against him. I think the fact that none of the older quarterbacks are retiring. I think that works against him. And I think the fact that for some reason or another, there are certain guys who you just say, well, they get

to be backup quarterbacks and nobody will bat in eyes. I mean, Joe Flacco has stunk since Obama's first term. He just had neck surgery. He's not going to be healthy. He just said, like, guys, guys, I'm not going to be able to play at the beginning of next year. Don't get that wrong. Jets are like, come on down.

Philip Rivers already taking his job after football. Cults are like $25 million. Come on down. Nick Foles gets traded for. So I don't get it. I don't think it's just football with Cam. I don't think it's ever been just football with Cam. And I would encourage people to watch the playoff game from January of 2018

where Cam Newton with Brinton, Burson, Caelin Clay, and Devin Funchess has a game-winning drive to beat the Saints in the Superdome, and Devin Funches can't catch the touchdown pass with 25 seconds left. And then the first 11 games of the next season before his shoulder got wrecked, when he had a 104 rating and a 70% completion percentage, he broke his foot and he missed last season. I still think he's a top, at the very least, top 18 starter. in the NFL, Colin.

Good stuff today. Nick Wright. Is that your house, by the way? May I say one thing? Yeah, sure, yeah. Oh, that's my house, but I have to interrupt you real quick, if I may. Listen, once upon a time, Colin, you changed your hair. America responded.

You changed it back. I'm changing my hair. America's responding poorly. I might shave it again. There has never been a hair change more universally loved and respected than what Joy Taylor has done. Joy Taylor came back from quarantine. Joy, you look tremendous. Yeah.

Congratulations to you. Your hair change going over far better than Colin or mine ever could have imagined. So congrats to you, my friend. Thanks for having me on you. You bet. And he's about the fourth person that has mentioned that. It is universally understood that Joy Taylor in quarantine upgraded her hair with no hairdressers. So that in itself deserves high praise.

Thank you guys. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. So ESPN's Football Power Index. This is an analytic, analytic, maybe antelitic too, analytic predicting mode. Teams at the top you'd expect, Chiefs and Ravens and Niners and Saints and Eagles, Seahawks. And the teams at the bottom, Washington, Jacksonville. You know who's right in the middle? The Green Bay Packers, that's it.

They're an inch above the Chicago Bears, and the Bears don't know this morning who their quarterback's going to be in a quarterback league. Now think about that. What does it tell you? Analytics, not sportscasters, not debate show hosts. Analytics think Matt LaFleur, B, Aaron Rogers,

declining. Because this is a quarterback coach league and everybody knows it. And everybody at the top, Kansas City, Baltimore, San Francisco, the Saints, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tampa Bay. Getting a lot of quarterback coach combos there.

very interesting. You know what it makes me think about? So Matt Lafleur comes to Green Bay, and the feeling is, oh, he'll be the magic elixir. He'll solve all Aaron's stuff. Aaron's numbers went down, actually. Aaron's no longer, he's protecting his legacy. He's not elevating it. Is that Aaron, the last two years, has led the NFL in throwaways.

Brett Farv was a gunslinger to the end. Aaron is not. He doesn't want to throw picks. And if you look at the NFC and you look at football right now, the risk takers are winning. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, big risk. Lamar, John Harbaugh, big risk. Philadelphia, their front office, big swings. Los Angeles got to a Super Bowl, big swings.

San Francisco paid a ton of money to Jimmy Garoppolo. They didn't know how good he'd be. If Houston, say what you want, they keep winning their division. They've paid huge swings on draft picks. Seattle, John Snyder, Pete Carroll, draft, big swings, big trades, make moves. Green Bay has never been comfortable with discomfort. They don't have an owner. It's a small town.

They've always been sort of a, you know, let's put our money away. Let's pay the house off. Let's not have an expensive, flashy car. That's Green Bay. I would argue that's become Aaron Rogers. Last year, 24 touchdowns, 4,000 yards. He's got a superstar wide receiver. He's got a great running back.

It's not like they don't have people. He's got an offensive-minded head. coach, 95-passer rating. The NFC especially has become a big swing, big risk. GMs are younger, they're taking shots, even Green Bay's draft. First two picks are backups, the third's a blocking tight end. They didn't add one dynamic player in free agency and they didn't add one dynamic player in the draft.

That's not to say they won't make the team, but they didn't take any big risks. It was a great wide receiver draft, but there were all. a lot of guys that had some off-field risks, they had no interest. Maybe there was a time when Aaron was in his prime, didn't have multiple surgeries that you could be less risky and Aaron would carry you. But I do think he's declined. Still a top five quarterback, still excellent, first ballot Hall of Famer. But I've noticed over the last two years, he, Farv was a gunslinger to his last throw. Aaron takes fewer risks, leads the NFL in throwaways, doesn't want to have picks. He's, doesn't want to throw it up for grabs.

And I don't know in the NFC, analytically, the proof in the pudding. That's not going to win it. They were a bad 13 and 3 team last year. They would have been a great 9 and 17, but a bad 13 and 3 team. 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. 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. you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice 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. 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 Slic 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. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. 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's big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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. 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 wants you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And my next guest is a golfer. I told you before you, watch Peyton Manning and Brayton. Brady play. You don't want any part of John Smoltz, who's got a nice little spread in Atlanta, and he can play golf on his property, and that's one of the reasons he's really good. And he's one of the smartest guys that is on television today as an analyst. He's just unbelievable. He and Joe Buck, Fox Sports Baseball analyst. He's joining us from Atlanta via the Coward Global Satellite Network, John Smoltz. Hall of Famer. All right, so I see, John, I see the dirty laundry and baseball being aired publicly. And, you know,

You know, it's all leverage and, you know, you're trying to make the players look bad and the players will release stuff. But I did think to myself, okay, they're asking players, star players to play for 20 cents on the dollars. And I'm thinking, oh, there's a difference between asking for a pay cut and being insulting. And I wonder as a former star player who talks to star players, you start insulting people, John, and you may, create a wall you can't break through. When you talk to players, what did they make of the stuff that aired yesterday asking stars to forget pay cuts, just 20 cents on the dollar? Yeah, I think the interesting thing is that there is all of this negotiation and posturing going on. You know, I can remember back in 94, no matter what the reality of what we talked about and what we

were ready to agree upon, you never win that PR battle. players. It's just, especially today, I mean, times a thousand percent what people are wanting and going through in no way can you compare in relative terms to the world. So the players and the owners are going to figure this out. I'm positive, but it is going to get ugly before it gets better. Or maybe we're at that point now because, you know, we can only speculate in what we're hearing. And certainly we understand, and I understand being in the industry now removed 10 years plus that what you hear is not always the reality of what's going on. And both sides, I'm confident of,

we'll try to figure out what is the fairest opportunity to get this game played again, because that's what players want to do. Of course, the owners want to do that as well. But we've never had times like this before. So the rules are going to be so far removed from what you typically are negotiating in a kind of a union way. This is times 10.

This is going to be a battle. that no one's going to win unless they're able to get on the field and play. And I really believe that's what they're trying to do. And to your point, when you hear some things like that, it's easier to react and try to talk about that and maybe not be as it may not be the reality. Everyone is going to suffer. Proportionally, it's going to be different for a lot of people. And I think that if you can get to that common ground to where everyone understands we've got

to give something, then hopefully this thing gets ironed out quicker than later. I can see a football player or a soccer player. Let's take soccer. MLS. Give me a ball. Give me a net. I can do a lot of stuff myself. I can stay in shape.

I can get on the treadmill. I can run. I can get soccer shape pretty quickly and stay in it. For a baseball pitcher. I mean, it's a skill-driven sport. Even a golfer. I can play by myself up and down. How in God's name is a pitcher stay in shape?

Who do you throw to? Like, seems to me baseball would need a month minimum of spring training style baseball to get ready, or am I wrong? No, I think that everybody understands they were going to be given a notice to when to have two weeks. And then that would ramp up and allow you to stay. Look, pitchers are going to play catch every other day. They'll take three days off. A lot of pitchers, arm strength will come back because they're utilizing more long toss. But I would think, now I can speak for myself.

If I or a veteran pitcher like today, I was dealing with this, this would be okay for me to really get connected on mechanics. You can do a lot of dry drills without throwing a baseball that help your mechanics when you get back. The arm strength and the ability to throw a baseball, you can do that in various ways. But you're right in the finite detail of command. It'll take a while for that all to come back. But I'm telling you that once they know that there's going to be a spring training and there's two weeks to get ready, they'll have 10 days before then to get ramped up. The veteran guys are going to have a huge advantage.

It's the younger guys who are more used to being able to get the ball, fire and be at their best velocity-wise, maybe not control-wise. So I think you'll be surprised that players will figure this thing out. The timing of everything will be a little interesting because that would take a little while, but I don't think they're going to expect everybody in the beginning to go seven, eight innings. I think you're going to see a more expanded roster and more use of it. of players in the beginning stage of this sprint, which looks like would be around 82 games. Baseball made almost $11 billion last year.

It's not as stylish as the NBA. It's not as urgent as football. We don't bet it like we do NFL. It doesn't have the pugilistic regulated violence like a boxing or a UFC. Sometimes it's not as sexy, but the sport's making a ton of money. Everybody's making money. The owners, the players. Local TV ratings are great.

Regional ratings are great. I do think the sport, I don't care about length of games. Get me around three hours, I'm good. I never complain when I'm watching a great baseball game. I go to a park. Three hours is fine. I don't want four, but three is fine. I do think the tweaking should be an urgency.

I think with our phones now, John, we're sitting on these things. You have to wake us up. We get everything. We get our news in a minute. Baseball's got 162 game season. I think the urgency of this year, 82 games, is going to make me want to watch more. You've got to watch a weekend

series Yankees Red Sox. You're not going to get five of them. Do you think it's possible that if this goes well, 82 games, really intense, terrific playoffs, rested players, fewer injuries, that baseball may go, you know, we may have found something here.

We may want to tweak fewer games. Do you think that's potentially? It could happen. I think there's some real potential out of this that could create some unique changes. Look, I've been a big advocate. I kind of in the past have been crushed for this, but I love a split season.

The sprint of each half to get to a postseason play would be much more enticing and exciting for every market than the necessarily grind of 162 that historically we've been able to play. So I think you're going to see if they get going on an 82 game, it'll seem like a sprint. Yeah. Because the can't share of baseball and for the world,

they're used to seeing a game every day that makes things feel normal again. That's why baseball is so important to the country because it is the longest sport. It is the calendar of every single summer and month and goes into the fall and spring that you're waiting for your team to get to the postseason. I have always been an advocate for shortening the season by a little bit and expanding the playoffs because then you have two races. You have two sprints from the first half to the second half to get to a place where you could win both halves and have an advantage by getting a buy. But I think you're going to see some tweaks out of this, especially in the playoffs scenario, that will forever change the game in the future. And I think make more excitement for what we typically are seeing today, right?

You and I both know that if a club's either in it or out of it, when they're out of it, they just seem to, it takes longer. It takes seven years to rebuild a club. Because let's face it, for a lot of those clubs, they have computed both through analytics and from their roster that they can't compete in 162 games. they're trying to rebuild their roster and their fan base telling them seven years from now, we're going to be like XYZ club, and this is how we're going to win. But the sustainability of that is up for question. But I really maintain that any club can compete in a 78 to 80 or 70 to 80 season split that allows them to at least get a chance for one of those halves to compete for season.

I think that's what you're going to see in this 82 game sprint. I really do. with the opportunity of two extra playoff teams, from what I understand, if they go that route, that would make for what you just said, must CTV down the, you're not going to have this huge gap. The great teams are still going to be great. The mediocre teams are going to be able to compete. And this is what people don't understand about baseball. If all of a sudden you put everybody in the hopper and they all had to play a best of three to get to move on,

a lot of those teams could win a two out of three. And in the season, they wouldn't even look like they could compete. in a best of three. That's what's unique about baseball. And I think we're going to see some changes, to your point. Finally, I've got to ask you a golf question. You're a legendary goal. What's your handicap, by the way? Well, during this time, it's actually gotten a little bit better. So it's at plus three now. Okay, okay. And I'm trending that way. Okay. It's very, very good. So, I watched Brady and Manning, and I said, I was surprised, even Brady. I'm like, the guy's playing. football you don't get breaks by the way a baseball pitcher after john smolt's pitches next two days

you didn't have to come to the park you can go grab the clubs when you watch brady and manning i'm surprised you have a golf with peyton manning have you golf with pain before i have and i've met them once but i have not been a fortunate to play around a golf what did you make because i think Peyton manning looked nervous he said that's the most nervous i've ever been in my life what did you make of the event your thoughts is a great golfer yeah i thought it was great but i don't think at home to understand how much pressure that is when you're not been in that environment before. Everything and everybody's going to watch every shot. There's something to be said for competing casually. If they would have went out those four and no cameras, I guarantee you they would

have played a little bit better. Now, understand the circumstances were pretty severe too. I thought, and I look at swings and I look at the opportunity that each guy had in their nerves, once they got past the ninth hole, and I know for even, you know, Brady, it seemed like he was a little bit more relaxed. But that is a tough environment until people can experience that. They'll never know what that's like to have a camera. And there's no redos. Like you don't get to say, hey, let's take another take on that.

So I thought it was great. I thought that the camaraderie and everything that could go about, obviously the weather, we wish the weather would have been a little bit better. But very envious. Would have loved to see, you know, a few more of these kind of matches, especially when people think it's easier sitting at home. I kind of liken it to this. You know, you watch a game show,

and at home you have more time, it seems like, to answer the questions right, and you see some of the most in crazy answers under the gun. When you're under the gun, things change big time. Yeah. I used to do a game. I'd go play. Whenever I play golf, and if it's a good buddy,

if he has a 10-foot put, I'll just put a 20 by the cup. They never, ever putt as well. A $20 bill, even for somebody that's got a lot of them, It's just that $20 bill. You're not the same. There's no about that. You're right.

John, great seeing you. Thanks so much for coming on. 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 headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlicse 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 I-Heart 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 here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite offers. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

It 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 hard way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. how many men carry a suit or armor.

It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.