The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Oct 20, 2020

Episode Date: October 20, 2020

-The Cowboys are trapped because of ego and need to start over-Kansas City is terrifying when they can beat teams without Mahomes being special-The Cowboys are chasing Dak's rookie season and it was a mirage-The Herd Hierarchy: Colin's top ten teams in the NFLGuests: Peter King, NBC SportsAlex Rodriguez, World Series Champion & FOX MLB Analyst Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. What a Tuesday we have. We are live in Los Angeles. This is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. This is Fox Sports Radio and FS1. One hour from now, our herd hierarchy, the Tennessee Titans finally getting loved. What do we do with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and Aaron Rogers and the Packers?

One hour from now, the herd hierarchy. and Joy Taylor is joining me. The Pittsburgh Miami girl's going to get her two a time. It's official. It'll be fun. Let's do this. Let's. Pittsburgh is an amazing man.

He's done a fantastic job. No sarcasm whatsoever. He's done a fantastic job. Completely bought into the role, but it's time. I know you're excited. Oh, I think it's great. I think it's great. Can't wait.

You're doing to a documentary. So let's start with the Cowboys. What makes a great friend makes a lousy NFL owner. What makes a great friend, I want my friends to be fun and I want him to be loyal. But what makes a good owner? I'm not really into fun in New England. I like him bottom line and I don't want him too loyal. Got to cut that guy.

Can't pay that guy. Jerry Jones is a great friend. He's a bad owner and he's gotten worse. Dallas is the only huge iconic brand in American sports. I don't see them turning this around anytime soon. And iconic brands have two things going for them. Because they all take a downturn, right? They all take a downturn outside of Duke basketball.

They all take a downturn. Is that they can either buy their way out of trouble because big brands have huge revenue. Or they can attract people to get them out of trouble. Take the Lakers. They were bad for years and years and years and years. the last five with Kobe. But they were attractive. The brand was attractive to LeBron, who attracted A.D.

They won a title. Tink the Yankees in 2007, they were just meh, but they had a lot of money, huge revenue. They bought C.C. Sabathia and Mark Tashara World Series. Ohio State football, Alabama football, Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, backed up the Brinks truck. Little Rocky, things not going well. Iconic brands are fast healers. The Cowboys, though, were trapped.

because they have a great friend in Jerry Jones. He's emotional and he's fun and he's loyal, but he's not a good owner. In the last two days, you've watched Zeke play football and Derek Henry. They're not close. The Titans paid Derek Henry $51 million. The Cowboys pay Zeke 90, and they're locked into him for years because Jerry wanted to take care of him because Jerry's loyal. And Jerry paid Jalen Smith early.

paid him too much. Why? Because he was supposed to be a top 10 pick, but Jerry felt loyalty and he loved the story and he got emotional and he's a good friend and he paid him early and Jalen Smith now is kind of expensive. And he found Dak in the fourth round and he loves Dak and he's going to pay Dak a fortune and Dak is good. But he's not $40 million good or $35 million good. And he hired Mike McCarthy, outdated, Jurassic old because he wouldn't challenge Jerry. Jones. Ego. Dallas is all about ego and pride, about emotion.

Jerry's a great friend. He is fun. He is loyal. He is emotional. He's not a good owner. You got good players getting huge money all over the place. And Jerry feels that loyalty. And he pays Zeke and he pays Jalen Smith.

Just like C.D. Lamb. That was fun, Jerry. First round. Oklahoma kid. Ah, Big 12 country. Jerry's from Big 12. 12 country. I'm a buy him like cowboy fans in Oklahoma. I'm going to get C.D. Lamb. Good player. That was fun, Jerry. That was fun, Jerry. They don't need a wide receiver. Good God, they can't

get the ball to the ones they have. They needed a cornerback or a good safety or an offensive tackle because Tyron Smith coming into this year was no longer a 16 game player. New England's bottom line, emotion is weakness, fun is viewed as silly. That's what I want from my owner. From my friend, I want fun and loyal. I've always said there's four positions in the NFL that matter. Owner, GM, coach, and quarterback. If you're an A to an A minus to a B plus, you're a Super Bowl team every year. Dallas isn't a B plus at best in any of them. The truth of this operation in Dallas, they should rip it down to the studs and start over. Outside a wide receiver, where are they great? Nowhere. They're old on the offensive

line and now untalented. The defensive lines hit and miss. The secondary is bad. The coaching is bad. This is a rip it down to the studs operation. They haven't gotten to a conference championship in what, 14, 15 years. There's like seven teams in the league that haven't. The others are the Browns, Cincinnati, 25 years, my bad. My bad, 25 years. Haven't gotten to a conference championship. If you look at the other teams that haven't gotten to a conference championship in 25 years, it's the teams we make fun of. We roll our eyes at Cleveland and Cincinnati and Washington, Detroit, and Buffalo, and Miami. That's what Dallas is. This is not a new thing. We make fun of those teams. It's time to rip it down to the studs and start over, but there's too much pride, there's too much fun, there's too much

loyal, there's too much emotion. Jerry would be a great friend. Every year he holds camp in Los Angeles up in like Oxnard, and he hosts these parties. And they're legendary. Everybody gathers around Jerry and he's smart and he's funny. He's the great American storyteller. He's like Garrison Keeler with a cocktail. He just got all sorts of stuff to talk about. It's not what I want my owner to be. I want him to be bottom line. I don't want him to be emotional. I want him to be a really rich accountant. Sometimes I don't want them to pay guys I like. Say no, Zeke, we're not paying you two years early. Jalen Smith, I like you a lot, but I'm not paying you yet. Dak, here's a franchise tag. Bottom line, here's what it is. It's too bad. It's a great American brand.

And they always heal faster than all other teams. They go get an Urban Meyer, they go get a LeBron James, they go get a great coach, they get a Nick Sabin. I think this franchise is trapped. Jerry Jones this morning on those who question the investment he has put into his star players. Well, I feel bad that we didn't play better than we played last night, and that we're sitting here at two and four. We can compete at a higher level than we've been competing because we're shooting our own self in the foot. We've got a fresh staff, and we've got football players out there that were recognized two, three, four weeks ago as some of the best you can get.

Don't let Pride get in the way if you win the NFC East. It is an abysmal conference. This is a rebuild. Well, there was another game yesterday. It was on Fox. It was the good game. It was the game that was really fun to watch. First bad weather game in the NFL, Kansas City beat Buffalo.

Here's what I love about the Chiefs. And we all love Patrick Mahomes. He's the greatest raw quarterback talent in the game. Awesome. Next 15 years. I can't wait to watch. But what I love about it is they didn't rely on him yesterday to win. A good quarterback should be used a little like salt. It makes everything better, but you can put too much salt on stuff. Josh Allen, the bills now, their defense stinks. They're way,

way reliant on Josh Allen and Buffalo. He was bad. They were bad. For years and years, Green Bay has been too reliant on Favre and too reliant on Aaron Rogers. And when Aaron plays bad Sunday, Packers get housed. When he played bad last year, two or three times, they got housed. Patrick Mahomes yesterday was perfect. Andy Reid said eight, nine times, go be special. 21 and 26 ran around, but the team ran over 45 times. I know fans want the Patrick Mahomes who faced Jared Goff,

that Monday night football game and six touchdown passes. It's unbelievable. But they lost that game. That game yesterday, good luck beating Kansas City. And Andy Reed, who by the way, lesson learned in Philadelphia often struggled to run the football. You know what? I'm going to add Levian Bell to this. Last year, Kansas City, 23rd in rushing, this year sixth, and they just added the still talented Lavian Bell.

Quarterback should be a little like salt. makes everything in the world better. Make a steak better. Make your eggs better. It makes everything better. You can put it... But you can douse your stuff in salt and it takes away the taste. This team last night yesterday, that is going to be tough to beat.

That team can match out with Tennessee. That team can run at Baltimore. That team can match out with Cam and New England. That team matches up with Tom Brady and that defense. The other team is really fun to watch in Kansas City. but I don't think they'll be as good is what I saw yesterday and what we'll see with Labian Bell

going forward. Ask Mahomes to be special eight, nine times, but don't solely rely on him to carry you from deficit. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes

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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. 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.

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pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. Listen, we know that DAC's better than Andy Dalton. And DAC is a franchise quarterback. was a franchise quarterback. He's 32. I don't think anybody can win right now with Dallas. I think the coaching's bad. The defense is terrible. The offensive line. After Zach Martin got hurt last night, Dallas now has five backups. It's a mess. They have a great wide receiving court. But even

Zeeke now is not trustable. Nobody can win with this team. Well, Carson Wentz can win with this team in Mahomes and Russell Wilson. But I feel like Dallas has been chasing this Dak Marage since his rookie year. So he's a fourth rounder. He goes 13 and 3. Every year since then, it's gotten worse. And every year they've relied on him more, it's gotten worse. But that year was a mirage. It really was. They had the best offensive line easily in the NFL. We were calling it one of the best offensive lines ever. Zeke wasn't beat up. Zeke was led the NFL in rushing. They played a last play schedule. They played the AFC North, which had that year one winning team. And they played the NFC North where Detroit was actually viable that year.

It was a mirage. The more the Cowboys take away his rookie year have leaned on DAC, he's 29 and 25 with 40% of those wins coming against the Giants in Washington. That's not to say he's not a franchise quarterback. That's not. He's better than Dalton, but he's going to cost you $35 to $40 million a year, and Andy cost to $3. Now, Dak is better, but he's going to be very expensive, and he's going to get a

contract. But I find too many people worried about what DAC's going to make. You know who we worry about quarterbacks in their contracts? Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo, and DAC. They're good. We never talk about Russell Wilson's contract. We never talk about Aaron Rogers contract. I don't even know what Tom Brady makes now. And after about two days, who gives a rip what Patrick Mahomes make? We talk about how great they are. The reality is the more Dallas has relied on DAC, which is not fair, the worse the team gets. They're a 500 team since that first year with 40% of their wins coming against the Giants and the Washington football team. That is not to say DAC isn't, isn't good. Dick is good. I like Dak. I like the leadership stuff more than the accuracy

and the arm stuff, but he is somebody I could build around. But I feel like Dallas is just chasing Dak's rookie year. They're just chasing it. He is a complimentary piece. He is not Mahomes. He's not close to Russell Wilson. I mean, just to show you, and a lot of people for the last couple of years, I'm not the only one to say this. We've all said this, that a lot of DAC stats are a little deceiving. They trail in every game. You know, they give you an example of what stats mean very little. Andy Dalton last night had more first downs than Arizona, dominated time of possession, three for three on fourth down, 34 of 54 for 270 yards, and was never really competitive against a quarterback

Kyler Murray that completed nine passes. I don't want to hear about stats. I don't want to have Mahomes yesterday. It was terrific. He didn't have a big stat game. He did against the Rams on Monday Night Football years ago and lost. Again, if you gave Dak Matt Nagy, Dat Shaima Bay, Dak Kyle Shanahan, maybe Dak is great.

But Jerry's not going to get that kind of coach Because that kind of coach is going to demand power and control of the offense. And they're not going to take Kellyn Clemens, Jerry's friend. The bottom line, DAC with this staff and this defense, Andy Dalton with this staff and this defense, neither is going to win big games against good teams. And yes, DAC is better. We know that. 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. Herd Hierarchy The top 10 NFL teams According to College Number 10 Chicago Bears They've held all their opponents under 30

Best in the NFL I cannot unsee What they did to Tampa Bay They pushed Tampa Bay around the field Induced 11 penalties by the Buccaneers Tampa Bay was absolutely rattled physically rattled against Chicago. I don't think they have a ton of juice offensively,

but I think they're well-coached. They've held opponents under 20 points in each of the last three weeks. I have Chicago at number 10. Number nine. Rams, why? Because they're favored by five and a half over Chicago. That's what the analytic mavens and the odds makers think. They did not play well this week.

And I know four-and-o against the NFC East, but I think the defense is better than people give it credit for. The Niners were playing with absolute urgency Sunday, and I think this is a very good football team in a tough division. And they've had a lot of travel. This is a good football team. They're favored over the Bears. They can be explosive when Jared Goff has time to throw. I'll put the Rams at 9.

Number 8. I'm sorry, I put the Packers here. I think they're a September, early October team. I can't unsee them getting pushed around again by Tampa. Pushed around twice last year by San Francisco. Pushed around by the Chargers. pushed around by Philadelphia. This is a football team that does not like to get into a fist fight.

And now the weather changes. Now it gets cold. Now come to physical teams. Yes, Green Bay is fun in September and early October. But I think we have a football team that clearly doesn't have a ton of fight if they play physical football teams. That's what the NFL is starting Sunday and going forward. I got him at eight. Number seven.

I can't have them. above San Francisco. One of the most physical teams and now their wide receivers are getting healthy. Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan are now 4-0 against the Rams. This is a team. Now, their top back is out for the next three weeks and their schedule is not easy. But I look at Kittle, healthy receivers, Garoppolo better, best young coach in football, Kyle Shanahan.

I don't want any piece of San Francisco going forward. Now, they're not going to have Bosa. rush is not quite as good, but I like their physicality that was on display Sunday. Number six. I still like the Ravens a lot. I am concerned that Lamar's last three games, his completion percentage under 60%. I think they're a very good football team. He is getting very casual in his delivery, a lot of sidearm stuff.

They are not as explosive as last year, and what troubles me is their pass rush is wildly inconsistent and they're not as good defensively. I don't know how Philadelphia got back into that game with Carson Wentz, Travis Fulgum, and that was it. It's a good football team, but Lamar feels like he's hit a bit of a ceiling, and I want him to get back on his throwing's getting sloppy, his drops, his escapeability, he's moving too far out, too far right. They got to reboot a little in the next couple of weeks. Number five. Seattle. I like them. I like to see him with Jamal Adams, and they really like some of their young, defensive players, they'll get better as the season progresses. Their defense right now gives up

470 yards a game. But they, you talk about a king, Russell Wilson makes everything work. I trust Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf now is one of the hardest guys in the league to stop. I think Seattle's a team that has great leadership at key positions. They've got playmakers, Jamal Adams getting healthy, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf. And I think they're young players. they're very encouraged by what they see with their young players, they'll only get better. Number four. Pittsburgh, they have playmakers everywhere. How good was that move to get Minka Fitzpatrick?

God, has he been a fine? And I'll tell you, Chase Claypool is the closest thing to Calvin Johnson I've seen. He has changed that offense. He is a – I mean, that guy, you throw him a seven-yard hitch and you cross your fingers, you have a cornerback that can bring him down. Their defense is fantastic. Big Ben's making no mistake. They are significantly more buttoned up than I thought they would be.

I was completely wrong. Pittsburgh at 4. Number 3. By an inch Kansas City, I loved what I saw last night. I loved the running game. 245 yards. That is the most in the Mahomes era. There are sometimes defensively, they worry me, and they can be a very first half average team.

They have a plus 25 point differential in the first. half this year and when you consider some of their teams they've played and their talent they are a slow starting team that worries me. Number two. Tennessee Titans. I think Vrables, the next great coach. They're 16 and 0

when Derek Henry runs for over 100 yards and we got to get over this thing on Ryan Taneyhill. I don't care about the Adam Gase Ryan Tannihill. This Ryan Tannio can play. He's a borderline pro-Bolder. He may not be borderline. He's a real quarterback. I think they're well

coached, they're physical, they have an absolute feel for what they are and what they're not. Sometimes wide receiver can be sketchy. I think they're an excellent football team. Number one. Tampa Bay, because I think they're a more gifted offensive team with a better defense than Tennessee. That team Sunday, what I saw Sunday, I think they have the best defensive coach in the league, Todd Bowles.

I think their defensive front seven, now with McClendon, is going to be a nightmare. I think their secondary is underrated. I think now they're getting healthy on the perimeter. Gronk now is valuable. I think when Fournette comes back, it's Fournett, Ronald Jones, and his Shady McCoy. I think they're deep at multiple positions. I think this on their best day is the best football team in the National Football League. And I know most do you think I'm nuts.

They can play physical. They can play finesse. They can play home. They can play road. And they're getting better. Tampa Bay number one. What's up, everybody? buddy, John Middlcoff, three and out podcast.

Go subscribe right now. If you like Colin's show, you'll like mine. I talk football, football, and more football. Coming up on this week's show, Bill's Chiefs, we dive deep into that game. The Cowboys, Darren Chamble's, Adam Gates. Is he going to tank the Jets right toward Trevor Lawrence and much more on last weekend's action? John Middilcock, three and out podcast, go subscribe. All right.

Peter King probably thinks I'm nuts, but that's what I see right now. I got to tell you Tennessee right now watch out Peter King is now joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network NBCSports.com So my top 10

I threw it out there I'll just ask you this who is your best team in the league this morning your number one team they can play multiple ways beach of multiple ways I would say my number one team this morning right now today

is exactly the number one team that you have Tampa Bay. And Colin, when I picked them to go to the Super Bowl in early September, the reaction was, oh, you're in bed with Brady. You're doing this all because of Brady. I said, did you see the way they ended? Tampa Bay ended the year last year? They won four in a row, and in their last two games, James Winston handed both of them away through six interceptions in the last two, and they lost two games they should have won. They should have, ended last year, 9 and 7, and ended the year on a six-game winning streak.

They didn't. And Brady comes in, the one thing you know is he's not going to be as explosive downfield as James Winston, but he's going to take care of the football. And for the most part, he's done that. He's had a couple of pick-sixes, but for the most part, he's done that. Colin, I love your number two team. You talked about Ryan Tannihill. I wrote a column this week.

and everybody, you know, sometimes you have to change your opinion about players. If you're being honest. Yeah. If you're not being honest, you can say, Ryan Tannale, he's the 18th best quarterback in football. Eventually, he'll get you beat. Hey, look, since opening day 2019, there's a stat in the NFL that offensive coaches love, okay? And that is yards per attempt. And that tells coaches he's willing to throw the ball down the field.

He is not just willing to dink and dunk. He's okay throwing it downfield, and you've got to complete it downfield. Yards per attempt. Today, Ryan Tannahill is 9.0, and he is 7 tenths of a yard better than any quarterback in football since opening day 2019. And, Colin, this is a great anniversary. Today, today is the one-year anniversary of Ryan Tannahill taking the starting job and starting his first game in Tennessee against the Chargers,

and they are 12 and 3 in the regular season since, and 2 and 1 went on that great playoff run. And they still feel like an underdog, which is what I love about it. We are all ignoring them because sometimes they're not, you know, they're not flashy offensively, but I got to tell you, that's a team Kansas City doesn't want to play in the playoffs. So I want to talk about Green Bay.

There are sometimes, and I love your point about Tanna Hill, sometimes you just have to admit you're wrong. I have on Tana Hill. There's also times when I can't unsee something. And I've seen Green Bay's last five losses. They have been crushed against physical teams. Tampa's defense, San Francisco, Chargers, Philadelphia and Lambo. I can't unsee that, Peter.

They are a great frontrunner team. They lead. They're comfortable. But when you get in the octagon with these guys and it gets into an ugly push, pull, Aaron's getting hit, Peter, they're not the same team. I mean, I watched them Sunday and I'm like, it's getting cold out here. This is real power football. I don't, that was not just a loss for me with Green Bay.

It was a loss coupled on four last year. There's something up about this team against physical teams. Is there not? I can see you saying that, Colin. But I watch that game and, you know, I see it slightly different. Okay. And I watch that game and I think, you know, great quarter. quarterbacks, you know, are usually able to get past an interception or to have a short memory

about that. I think Aaron Rogers was really affected by the Jamel Dean pick six. Because remember where we were in the game. It was early in the second quarter. The Packers were dominating them. The Bucks failed on their first two series. And now Green Bay's got the ball again. And you think in five minutes, it's going to be 17. Nothing, and this game is over. That Jamel Dean interception is the play of the first six weeks of the season. It turned the tide, and it showed that the Packers are mortal. Now, as far as the physical part of it, you know, I think there is something to that. But I also think that when Green Bay has a healthy offensive line and they're playing all their

guys, I think they can be pretty physical. I think Aaron Jones, the back, can be a physical running back. But, hey, look, it is what it is. I mean, they got really knocked around by the books. The last two times they played the 49ers, they've gotten embarrassed in both games. So that is something that they've got to prove they can do if you think this team is going to win a Super Bowl. You know, I was saying what makes a great friend, I could argue makes a bad owner. A great friend is fun and he's loyal. A great owner is serious and sometimes has to get of players he loves because he just can't pay him. Jerry is a great friend, but I watch this organization.

You know, drafting CD Lamb was fun. It wasn't the right move. Paying Jalen Smith early was emotional. That's what a good friend does because they got him in the second round. They felt good about it. It was a good pick by Jerry. But right now, he's not worth that money. And DeMarcus Lawrence, Jerry is loyal.

He is fun. He is a good friend. But boy, Bob Kraft, he'll look. let Belichick, they let go a year early, never a year late. And I look at the Cowboys right now and generally iconic brands can heal faster than other bad teams. They either attract stars or they can pay them with revenue. But I don't see a way out for Dallas. I just don't see it here. I think they're up against the cap. They're going to have to pay DAC. I mean, what's the pot of gold end of the rainbow? How do you solve this mess? The way you solve it, I think, is going back

to the same kind of meat and potatoes that made them pick Zach Martin over Johnny Mansell in the draft. That's what they have to do. They can't be emotional about their team right now. And they are playing right now without three of the five building blocks on your offensive line that made it the best line in football. And that's why if I were analyzing the Cowboys right now, I wouldn't go too crazy. They're in capable. right now with the offensive line they put on the field. They're incapable of being a dominant team. But what happened in this game against Arizona is they came up against a speed quarterback

who is really the most unique single player in football today. They couldn't stop them. But more importantly, they couldn't get anything going consistently on offense. And when they did, Ezekiel Elliott totally screwed it up. There is absolutely no excuse for what Ezekiel Elliott did last night. That was a shameful performance by him. At a time when he has to lift his team, and good for him, at least he admitted it after the game. But you cannot fumble twice early in the game when you know your team desperately is relying on you.

So Tua is going to start for the dolphins. Are you surprised that it happened this week? Fitzpatrick really. playing well for them. How surprised are you? Why do you think they went with it? In the last three days in sports, there have been two calls that to me have been exactly the same. One is Kevin Cash pulling Charlie Morton in the sixth inning when he's pitching a masterful game. And Kevin Cash went by the book. The book said Charlie Morton is lousy the third time through a team's lineup. So Kevin Cash just,

didn't let him go there. He said, we've got pitchers who can get the last 10 outs of this game, and I trust them right now more than I trust Charlie Morton. Me, everybody else on Twitter, saying, what a lame-brain decision. It worked. And I think similarly, right now Brian Flores, even though he's beaten a good team, San Francisco, by 26, and then beaten a lousy team, the Jets by 24 the last two weeks. He makes a quarterback change now because he sees that there is this finite ceiling with Ryan Fitzpatrick. They are three and three right now and have a chance to really turn around their season. He thinks that this right here is to Otanga Voloa. That's why I haven't talked to him, but that's why I think he made this call right now. You know, I want to go back

in, and I'm not a big romanticizer of sports, but I want to talk about Kyler Murmans. But I want to talk about Kyler Murray is that I believe this to be true. It's probably true in your career. It's certainly true in mind that we all need a kingmaker, somebody that believes in us. Doug Flutie was a dominant high school and college player. He went to the Canadian football league. He's one of their greatest players ever ever. He was 21 and 9 in Buffalo, but nobody ever believed in it. They were trying to run him out when he was winning. You can go to YouTube today. He was a spectacular talent. He won everywhere, but he never had a kingmaker. Even when he won in the NFL in Buffalo, they wanted Rob Johnson, the big chiseled USC.

Kyler Murray has a kingmaker. I could look at Kyler Murray's stats. I'd say he's got 10 touchdowns and six picks. He's an 89-90 quarterback rate. He was bad in the first quarter. But Cliff Kingsbury is like, no, no, no, no, no. This is my guy. And he's good.

Sometimes it's inartistic. And I'm not saying that Doug Flutie is as good as Kyler Murray. But Doug Flutie was an 11th round pick and nobody ever gave him a chance. And if you came out today with a success of Kyler and Russell, somebody would put their arms around Doug Flutie and go, this guy is a winner. What do you make a Kyler Murray? He reminds me of Flutie.

The difference is this operation has said, we love him. We're going to be there when he grows and makes mistakes and he makes plenty of him. And I just think it works. I think it's a fantastic experiment and it works. Your thoughts. There's a major difference between Flutie and Kyler Murray, and that is Kyler Murray.

probably right now would be a photo finish in a 40-yard dash with Tyreek Hill. And, you know, Doug Flutie, Doug Flutie was mobile and he was quick and he could make people miss. He's not running a 4-2-8-40. And again, maybe he's running a 4-4-5-40, which is good. And I have no idea what he'd run in a 40. But what I'm saying is that last night, Colin, I was exhausted. You know, I was up very late doing my column Sunday night, and I did not really want to stay up for the end of that game. And I didn't, but I stayed up until there was about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Normally, I would have been lucky to make it till halftime. Do you know why I stayed up? Not because I wanted to rain on the Cowboys Parade or dance at their funeral, anything like that. It was because Kyler Murray is just damn exciting. Yeah. And he's so fun to watch. And he is the best runner as a quarterback I have ever seen. You know, he can't, he's almost in any particular situation.

He can leave the backfield and get eight yards because he's just so hard to predict where he's going to go and to catch him. I just, I am fascinated by Kyler Murray. But you don't want to make a living running all the time. Right. But to me, I think he is tremendously fun. And I'm buying Kyler Murray's stock right now. Yeah, there is some value in the fact that he brings a juice to an operation in Arizona that hasn't had a ton.

And he brings an energy in a juice and he's marketable. And that matters. I mean, for a team like that, that absolutely matters. Peter King, NBCSports.com. Great seeing a great column this week, Peter. Thank you, Colin. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

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

Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or we're you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when 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 all day, but just so you 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.

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, Keer 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, Keer Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio app,

search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. Alex Rodriguez is going to be on the pregame broadcast tonight for us. Obviously, 22 Major League Baseball seasons. World Series champion is now joining us live, Fox Sports Baseball analyst. I don't know what changed,

but about three years ago, we were all complaining that you couldn't have fun and stare at a home run. And now everybody's on the party, what changed? Why is it okay now? Well, it is exactly that. It's a party and it's a good party, and it was a necessary move.

I think we look at the three major sports. We were the only ones left behind that weren't having fun. And I just think it's become younger and more exciting. Hitting's hard, and these pitchers are throwing mid-90s to 100. And what Bellinger did the other night, hitting basically close to a walkoff in the seventh inning with a game-winning home run, another game winning on the previous series and another game seven. And I think guys are enjoying it. They're showing more personality.

It's great for baseball. You know, Mookie Betz is a fascinating player. His instincts, his speed. You know all sports. I don't know what to compare him to, but he's such a catalyst for the team. Give me a little on Mookie Betts because I didn't watch a lot of Red Sox stuff. I watch him now. and it's like, oh, he is the juice to this baseball team.

He really is. And Joel Sherman, the writer for the New York Post called him the modern-day Willie Mays. You know, for Laker fans, I think he is when Magic Johnson brought to the very stoic Kareem of Dujibar, right? I mean, look at this smile. It is the Magic Johnson smile. It's a billion-dollar smile. But it's the athleticism.

He's got Roberto Clemente defensive skills. He was a former second baseman coming up in the minor league. but he can hit for power, he can hit for contact. He's a game changer. And I believe that if Corey Seeger wasn't the MVP, I called Mookie Bez the silver medal because he wouldn't have won the MVP strictly with his glove. Yeah.

Then they have a player like Justin Turner, and he's scrappy. You know what I mean? And if you watch a lot of Dodger games, he is just a professional hitter. That's what he is. He is a tough out. How does he fit in all this? The value of Justin Turner for the Dodgers? I grew up watching the New York Mets.

The New York Mets changed when Keith Hernandez arrived because he became the leader, the glue, the voice of reason. And I cannot think about this great Dodger run without having Justin Turner at the three spot and playing gold glove caliber defense. He is the glue. He is the guy that makes this thing go. He is almost like a player coach.

And if the game was on the line, I believe that myself and Dodger Nation would want Justin Turner in the box. He is a black belt baseball player. So Clayton Kershaw has had some postseason struggles. He goes in game one. And it's interesting. I always think in postseason baseball, you know, sometimes the writers and the analytic people miss on this. You got to let Stars be Stars.

You have to show Clayton Kershaw. You have confidence in him. I don't care if he gives up an infield single and a double. He gets another batter. I paid a lot of money for him. I have to live in the clubhouse with him on the road at home. So he goes into game one tonight. So how do you manage Clayton Kershaw showing him support, Alex, but also knowing

sixth inning, Tampa's got a lot of home run power. Do you manage him a little more cautiously? Yeah, I think you need him to be good, not great like he's been his entire career. And I think Clayton Kershaw is set up perfectly to be. bury his October demons. And the reason why is, you know, the Tampa Bay, they're top in pitching, their top in fielding, their pedestrian when it comes to hitting. And one huge advantage that Clayton Kerrshel has is they don't have a lot of experience. They haven't seen him. I think tonight he's going to be great. I think he's going to pitch a gem. And I think he has an opportunity

to have a big series and bring this 32-year drought to L.A. to match the Lakers. with a championship in 2020. You know, I was just looking at some numbers this morning on the percentage of Tampa runs that are home runs. Our baseball's changed a little bit analytically. Are teams too reliant on home runs or like in the NBA, you got to hit threes? Like that's just the new world. Where do you fall on the home run, the graded swing, the don't worry about strikeouts?

Are these teams a little too reliant on the home run? Yes, they are 100% if they want to win championships. You know, five of the last six teams have been top five in contact, and there's a reason for that. It's because if you don't move the ball forward, you don't have an opportunity to score runs. In October, things are different. Anxiety rises.

The heartbeat speeds up. There's a reason why a guy like Jose El Tuvae makes three throwing errors in two games is because you've got to put the pressure on them and give them an opportunity to screw up and have hiccups. I like offenses in October, like your portfolio. You have a great financial portfolio, Colin. I like a mutual fund. You have some tech.

You have some bonds. You have some, you know, Berkshire Hathaway. And I think the way you win in October with offense is with a diversified approach, not a one-trick pony with just home runs. Because sometimes home runs go dry, just like in the NBA, threes go dry, and you can't win. I like to have Shaq and Kobe. I think both win.

The same goes in baseball. Yeah, Joey and I talk about this all the time. LeBron and Anthony Davis and Kauai Leonard have brought kind of the layup, the dunk, the mid-range back, and that's what's winning championships last couple of years. So when I look at the Dodgers, my takeaway is when the TV's on all summer, it is just one through seven, one through eight professional hitters. It is a great hitting team. I worry about their bullpen.

And then with Tampa, everybody throws 97. Like it is, hey guy, guys. So it feels like to me, this series is stacked roster, stack pitching. Is it that simple? Well, I tell you what, the A's have three number one pitchers to your point. And they have a big time game with Charlie Morton. He's a guy that knows how to get it done in October and has won the championship. I think for the Dodgers, you have to stop a Rosarena, who's been the hottest hit

He looked like Barry Bonds is October. He's a Cuban kid. He has seven home runs and is on fire. If you neutralize him, great. But let me give you one stat. If Tampa Bay scores five runs, they're going to win. They're basically 25 and 1 if they score five runs. So that's the number the Dodgers have to watch.

This is, I think the Dodgers are a great closer way from being like an ideal team. There's a lot of different things they can do. but they don't have a great bullpen and, you know, ask a Dodger fan, they go to the bullpen late, people get nervous. Do you manage differently? Do you manage more aggressively knowing a one-run lead in the ninth is maybe not enough? Does Dave Roberts manage more aggressively in this series due to skepticism about the bullpen? Yes.

And I think Dave Roberts, he's in his fifth year with the Dodgers. he has done a terrific job this year managing this club. I love what he did in Game 7, Colin. He managed with his gut, not with the spreadsheet. He let Euryas out there go out and pitch three innings. He brought in Kike Hernandez to pinch hit, bam, home runoff mentor. You have to do that. Let's put these spreadsheets away.

Let's put the iPads away. Let's start managing with our eyes. I think Roberts has done a fantastic job. and if he keeps managing this way, more like Dusty Baker did and less the hedge fund manager, I think the Dodgers will be world champions. But yes, everyone counts. And I think Kenley Janssen found something. And if he did, that's a huge advantage for the Dodgers bullpen.

Yeah. It's been such a fun postseason. I don't know when it happened because I grew up Arod. I grew up with Charlie Hustle, Mark Fidrich, Al Roboski, Mickey Rivers, all these crazy personalities. And then baseball got a little more rigid. And I will say this for Rob Manfred. I saw the messaging before the season this year, the commercials. Let the kids play. Let the kids play. I always felt if I was an athlete that I liked a little swag. That it almost gives me more, I want a confident athlete. And if that means I have to flip a bat, but were you bothered when guys got a little

Reggie Jackson I grew up with? He was showy. Did it? you weren't a showy player, but you had a personality. Did it bother you in your prime if guys showed personality? No, I loved it. And look, how can I hate personality? I grew up watching the hurricanes and Hurricane Football won five championships under Jimmy Johnson's tutelage. And no one had more fun.

Some people say they had too much fun. But I think, Colin, here's where it comes down. There is a difference between hitting a home run like this and having fun versus, you know, looking at someone, grabbing your crotch and showing somebody up.

You can enjoy the game. You can celebrate your home run. You can even take a selfie looking at your dugout, but you're not sitting there trying to embarrass a pitcher. You're enthused and you're celebrating the game.

I think there's a big difference. And the way they're doing it today, I love it. It's not personal. They're looking in their dugout. They're trying to get fired up. And I tell you one other thing, Colin,

this has been so much fun. You talk about March Madness. This is October Madness. And I love the seven games spread. If you play seven days in a row, you just can't get enough of it. It becomes a little bit like Summerball where, you know, the last team standing wins. And you have to manage differently when you're playing seven in a row versus playing seven games in 10 or 11 days.

Great stuff. Alex Rodriguez, Fox Sports Baseball analyst FS1 at 7 Eastern. The pregame starts. Move over to Fox. Love having you. Can't wait. Great World Series. big arms, big bats, it'll be great dodger.

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, S&L'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. Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard 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, Keer Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor?

It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

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

This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.