The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Louis Riddick on Seahawks Rebuild, Tua Turnaround, NFL Future

Episode Date: December 2, 2021

Colin rants on why Dak isn't living up to his monster contract (3:00), and what the outrage over Brian Kelly leaving Notre Dame says about college football fans (6:00). Then, Monday Night Football analyst and former NFL exec Louis Riddick and Colin discuss who's to blame for the Giants' debacle (10:00), if the Seahawks are headed for a total tear down or just a quick reboot (14:00), why Louis thinks Tua deserves much more credit than he's getting (18:00), the uncertain future of the NFL QB market and why it's going to keep changing (25:00), and if he sees himself leaving the MNF broadcast booth to get back into an NFL front office (30:00).Make sure to Subscribe and follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates and check out FanDuel for the best wagering and daily fantasy action! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kier Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the ice planet, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Progressive presents forced metaphors about bundling your home in auto. In sports, three goals is a hat trick. And when you bundle your home and auto with Progressive, you get a hat trick of great savings at round the clock protection. So you might be thinking, wait, that's two things. A hat trick is three. But in this metaphor, great savings counts as two goals and so does round the clock protection. So it's like four goals, and that's more than three. It's basic math.

Forced Metaphors, presented by Progressive. Bundle and Protect Today. Progressive Kenshalty Insurance Company and Affiliates, discount not available in all states or situations. Thall and Coward Podcasts presented by Fandual Sportsbook. No better place to bet the action than on Fan Dual Sportsbook during the football season. There's a lot of reasons. It's America's number one sportsbook. Incredibly easy to use. Super safe, totally secure, super fast payouts in as quick as two hours. You're not going to get that anywhere. Also, same game parlay bets, live betting. It's the best. Hey, if you're new, just download the Fandul Sportsbook app. I did it in 15 seconds. Get started now. Sign up. Please use the promo code Colin so they know we sent you.

Please use the promo code Colin, C-O-L-L-N. FanDul Sportsbook app, sign up. Hi, everybody. Ten minutes from now, Louis Riddick, ESBNner, former NFL exec and player. He's going to be joining us. Can't wait. I was thinking about this on this Thursday morning with the Cowboys and the Saints playing tonight. Saints are not a very good team. I never begrudge anybody. I don't have envy when it comes to people making a lot of money. But if you're going to get paid $40 million, you've got to be able to win without Amari Cooper. And Baker, Mayfield can win when everybody's healthy. Aaron Rogers is now 10 and 1 in his career without Devante Adams. To me, as good a receiver as the NFL has, maybe only behind DeAndre Hopkins and slightly ahead of Stefan Dix. 10 and 1. Aaron Jones is out.

He lost his Pro Bowl center from last year. He lost his Pro Bowl level tight end. These are key offensive pieces. Aaron Rogers just keeps winning. Patrick Mahomes had a rebuilt offensive line. Lost top running back. Sammy Watkins in the offseason, tougherly schedule. Yet they've beaten every average team they've played.

They've beaten Washington and they've beaten the Giants and they beat Green Bay without Aaron Rogers. Like, Dak Prescott needs to beat the Saints. Amari Cooper is a good receiver. Dak Prescott's passer rating goes from 103 to 93 without Amari Cooper. He goes from 305 yards a game passing to 220 yards a game, from 69% completion percentage to 64.5 completion percentage. Amari Cooper is not that special. It's also a team that's got other weapons beyond Amari Cooper. I never ever resent people making money.

My concern with DAC is always, all right, what happens when you lose your left tackle, your star receiver? Okay, Mahomes and Aaron Rogers, I think we should have two tiers for paying quarterbacks in this league. the big bag and the small bag. I'm still going to argue Dax probably closer to the $29 million than the $45 million. I don't begrudge it.

But watching him not quite be the same without Amari Cooper? Come on. That's the difference between the big bag to me, regardless if you get it or not. Kirk Cousins can win when everybody's upright.

Derek Carr beating the Cowboys and Dak without Henry Ruggs and Darren Waller the tight end, like that feels like a big bag performance to me. You know, one of the advantages to being older, I'm in my 50s now, you know that, is that just life experience. You can go to a prep school, you can go to Princeton,

but if you're 24s, there's limitations on what you've actually done in your life. And I've really come to terms where there are two types of people, people that seek and like change and people that are totally uncomfortable with change. And I told you a couple of months ago about a story from a University of Chicago economist named Stephen Levitt, who co-wrote Freakonomics. And he has 20,000 people to make a decision on a dilemma based on the results of a coin toss. Like, should I start my own business?

Or should I propose? Should I grow a beard? If a coin landed on heads, they had to make a change, even if they didn't want to. Tails and they didn't have to make a change. And six months later, they did follow-up research. And what they found was for important decisions like quitting a job or ending a relationship, people who were told they had to make a change were more satisfied and happier than those that maintain the status quo. Meaning, some people have to be forced to make changes.

They're just not naturally, innately comfortable with it. There's a reason I support Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley. And maybe this is my progressive side. I embrace change. I like change. As I've gotten older, I've noticed this. There's just people. They're often, I would call traditionalists.

They're often conservatives. They don't like change. They like the way the world is now and it used to be. They don't like change. But as the study proved, when they're forced to change, they're generally six months later happy with the change. It can be any kind of change of a business. move, a relationship, a growing a beard. I've come to realize whenever these coaches or these star players leave a city, half the

fan base immediately gets it and the other half stubbornly resents it. And I don't try to fight them on it. I just think, I think people fall into two groups. Some are very resistant to anything changing and have to sometimes be forced the change and then eventually they get over it. And some people are just naturally more willing to change. Well, you know him as an analyst for Monday Night Football, what you probably know, but I'll remind you, he played in the NFL for the Falcons, Browns, and Raiders.

He was an NFL safety and a thumper. He was a pro personnel director for Philly and the Washington football team. And I can remember years and years and years ago when he stepped foot on ESPN's campus. And my career was kind of starting as a syndicated radio host. and I had heard him on one of the sports centers, and I told my staff, I said, who is that guy? And Google, so I went to Google, and I'm like, get that guy. That guy's good.

He's confident. He's got a point of view. Well, now, Lewis Riddick, so I'm taking all the credit for Lewis Riddick's stardom. I'd like to take all the credit for putting him in the herd. First of all, it's great to see you. You flourish. That's not a big shock. You're very good at what you do and you have a point of view, and I've always loved that.

So I'm going to ask your point of view on something. Yeah. So my takeaway on the Giants is, you can get everything right in this league. Yeah. You screw up the quarterback. It doesn't matter. And I, me, I like the Giants roster mostly.

I just never bought into Daniel Jones. You tell me, you've done this twice with teams. Is the roster, I'm not saying it's Tampa. I'm not saying it's Buffalo. Yeah. But is it a Daniel Jones issue or is it a Gettelman roster issue? Colin, I know people want to, like, bowl it down to one or the other. It depends what the situation is, right?

I mean, there's been moments. There's been moments where he doesn't have a shot because the offensive line protection is just, I mean, it's horrific. Okay. He can't get back to, he can't run a three-step drop without getting hit in the face. He can't run a screen without getting pressure to the point where he can't even deliver the ball accurately on a screenplay on a second and long type of situation. Then there's times where the pocket is. secure. Maybe the receivers are covered.

It gets late in the down. He starts to scramble. He gets outside the pocket. Then he commits some kind of fatal error. You know, late in the down. Those interceptions where he throws it in the tight coverage. Maybe someone's hanging on him.

He makes it play like that. Then there's times where it's just perfect and he misses them. Then there's a time where, you know what? He throws one of the best deep balls, especially in 2020, that you'll ever see. I mean, him and Darius Layton in 2020 were deadly. This year, not so much. then you see what happened with Jason Garrett.

So there's a bunch of different things. There's a bunch of different things that are going on here. And in the end, what John Merritt has to figure out is, what is it more of? Is it more of Daniel? Is it more of the offensive line? Is it more of the play calling? He's tried to look.

Look, they've already started to like kind of chip away at, okay, well, we don't like how the play calling is going, so we're going to get Jason Garrett out of here. Now it's Freddie Kitchens' turn. Now it's going to be, look, the offensive line's a little bit beat up. they lost a bunch of people, especially on the interior. Now it's going to be, well, let's just see how it goes with a new play caller, whether or not Daniel Jones plays with more confidence.

The weaponry on the outside, people need to stay healthy. They need to stay on the football field because guys are in and out. Saquan Barkley, in and out. There's so much, man, that I wouldn't want to be in this position to try and figure out exactly what it is. Is it him or is it everything around them? Is it him or is it the structure? Is it him or is it the weapon?

I mean, because it's been so damn inconsistent in terms of all of those things. I don't know if you can make a clear cut. It's this or it's that. And that's the worst place to be in because you know where that leaves you? That leaves you consistently, like maybe holding on the false hope when someone has a good game here and there instead of starting over. Maybe sometimes you cut the court too soon. Then the guy goes somewhere else where the structure is more solid and in place. And then he flourishes and people go, you idiot.

Why did you send him down the road? because you can't ever kind of get things stabilized. And for me personally, I think that's where they are. They can't get anything stabilized there. So I don't know if they're going to know, even coming out of this year, regardless of how he plays for the rest of this season. Yeah, it's hard to get clarity with the Giants because there are elements I like, but they're not consistently great.

Like they're delined. There's elements to the team I really, really like. So let's go to another situation. So I'm from the Pacific Northwest, and I've known Pete. I covered him when he was at USC. Every division in the NFC is led by an offensive head coach. In the AFC, West, it is as well. My coach of the year would be Cliff Kingsbury or Zach Taylor, offensive coaches.

The team that's not really a playoff team now, but that's emerging is San Francisco and offensive coach. Now we know Sean McDermott, Belichick, that division, there's some real good coaches. I like Flores. Sure. But Pete Carroll's 70. I've had two executives tell me they're weird in the draft. They don't like their draft picks especially early. Their schemes appear to be offensively a struggle.

Often great defensive coaches don't have great offensive relationships and vice versa. I mean, I would bet Lincoln Riley has great offensive relationships, you know, maybe more than great defensive relationships, right? Like that's how coaches often operate. So Pete's 70. It feels Jurassic. The schemes. The O-line's bad.

The running backs are weak. And then Russell Wilson and his team leak. There's four places they want out. That's disruptive. If you or John Snyder tomorrow, there's some things we know are good. There's some things we know are bad. Is it a total rebuild outside of Russell?

Philosophically, they have to figure out going forward. and even for the rest of this year, exactly who are they? Who do they want to be? Go back to the Pittsburgh game. Sunday night game. First half of the game, now I know Gino Smith is starting a game in Russell's not. First half the game, that's throwing the ball over to place. You know, 11 personnel, three wides, a tight in the back, going empty,

and it's Gino Smith throwing like he's back at West Virginia, all over the place. But they can't get the ball in the end zone. And you can tell Pete's getting frustrated. Second half, what do they come out and do? They drive the ball right down the field by running the ball. eight times in a row, it looked like Seattle, 2011, 12, 13, which is who I think, I think ultimately, that's who he wants to be. But, and that's fine, because you know what? There's some teams right now that kind of look like 2011, 12, and 13 Seattle that right now are going to be in the hunt in the end.

Yeah, in New England. New England looks like that. Exactly. San Francisco, if they can stay healthy, they look like that. And that kind of stuff, it does matter in November and December. But, philosophically, they're so all over the place and their offensive line isn't good enough to where it's hit and miss now. It's hit and miss all over. And if Russell's not there to be the difference maker, which he wasn't for a while, they can fall apart. Defensively, you're right. Look, since the Legion of Boom got split up, they haven't been able to recapture that magic. They can't rush the passers the same way.

And you're right. They have missed on some draft picks, especially in the front seven. there is no more, there are no, you know, Chris Clemens on that football team that can rush the passer the way those guys could. There are no Cliff Averill's that can rush the passer like that. There is no Michael Bennett. You know, Bobby Wagner is really the only last holdover from those glory years. And so I think personally that whole organization is headed for a rebuild. It's headed for a reboot.

That's what I think is going to happen sooner rather than later. Although both John and Pete are locked up for a while. So it's going to be interesting to see what happens there. I think it's going to need that, though, sooner rather than later, a reboot. Yeah, well, it's Paul Allen money. He passed. His sister now owns it. So writing big checks is not a problem for them.

I think what you touched on is Pete has really struggled with an identity. I don't feel like, you know, it's interesting about this. I think the Miami Dolphins all pivot to them. they've found their identity is play good defense special teams. I'm a huge Brian Flores fan. Yeah. Limit what we ask of Tua.

And Lewis, you can win three out of four games in this league playing that way. No doubt. Just don't ask Tua to be what he's not. They're not asking Matt Jones. To me, Miami feels like a poor man's New England. Yeah. I don't know if you can win the Super Bowl with Mack or Tua.

I don't know. But, you know, if I'm Miami's GM today, Chris Greer, it's not a great college class. I don't want to reach. I still have to rebuild my offensive line. I'm not a big two of fan. I don't see the it. I wonder if he ends the year strongly. I just don't go to my owner and like, listen, will you be patient one more year with me?

Right. I'm not going to reach on a college quarterback when I can get a starting right tackle or a start, you know, a start. a starting whiteout or a starting corner. I mean, where do you go, in your opinion, with Tua? Yeah, I'm always, I've always been a fan, Colin. And I believe this. I think we become, in many ways, enamored with the aesthetics of the position instead of the fundamentals of the position, meaning. That's interesting.

I want to see the dynamic place. I want to see the off schedule. See, Patrick, you know what? And I think, you know, God bless him because I love him. And we all know, I mean, he's the future. He's going to, you'll see as we go on the rest of this year and on forward, Patrick will get back to being what he is. I think some of the spectacular plays will calm down because teams won't let him do it anymore. But we become so like, like that's the standard, right?

That's what a quarterback has to be. Deshaun Watson, those guys who can just do things that just make you go, oh my God, the guys who can rack up fantasy points, the guys who just make you want to come out and say, look, entertain me, show me something I don't get to see every day at a quarterback. But coaches and GMs don't really think that way. They think, show me a quarterback who's going to put the ball where it needs to be and put it accurately, who has a huge mental horsepower, a huge mental engine that can figure out things in the blink of an eye, which is what Matt Jones is,

and who can get the ball where it needs to. And as we develop him and make everything around him stronger, we'll turn him loose a little more, a little more, a little more, a little more, to where eventually maybe you have a guy and look, Tom is the best of all time in terms of how he has been able to get other body, everybody else around him to play better and win championships. But that's really, that's the arc that his career took. That's the arc that Drew Breeze's career took. That's the arc that Patens took.

And that's what I think, if you can survive without the aesthetically pleasing quarterback who has the rocket arm like Josh Allen or the running ability of Lamar, if you have the guy who's smart and efficient and you don't have to win in spite of. And that's what I think Tua can be. And I think, you know what you've seen recently over the past month? That's why Miami's been winning because their defense has been playing good. He's been efficient with the football. Next thing you know, they're winning games.

And you're kind of like, see, now all of a sudden people don't talk about Tua because he's not doing dumb stuff. Now it's just like, oh, yeah, Miami's winning. Oh, that's cool. You know, Brian Flores, that's great and all. But it's like, oh, wait a minute. Let's rewind as to why they're winning. He's a big part of that. And so I get the desire and the want to as far as having that quarterback that can make you go,

I don't want to just sit at home and watch him. I'm going to go to the stadium and watch this guy. Don't think for a minute, Colin, you know this as well as anybody, that owners don't think that way too. Right. I want somebody coming to my stadium and buying gear and buying seats and buying suites and buying suites because they're like, man, I'll tell you what, you see that quarterback, we got to go to the stadium and see that guy.

Right. People sitting at home watching them. So I think sometimes all that stuff comes into quarterback decision-making that can get teams kind of a little bit sideways as far as how it's really trending. And I think with two of you just have to be careful with that. We'll see, though. We'll see. Hey, the NFL regular season heading into its final month of the year.

Big Week 13 matchup, Cowboy Saints, Fandle Sportsbooks trying to make it even bigger. They're giving new customers 30 to 1 odds on either team to win. That means you get $150 and a $5 bet. It's Cowboys at the Saints, Saints plus four and a half. Saints just got beat up. I'd probably take the Saints to cover. Amari Cooper is back, but still dealing with some of the symptoms. He has passed COVID protocol, but he's not 100%.

CD Lam's only been back at practice for two days. It's a same game parlay. You could add a score, an over and under. Dak Prescott overpassing yards, Zeke Elliott, anytime touchdown, etc. Do a same game parlay. When you win, can get paid in two hours. How's that? Already a Fandall sportsbook user, they're hooking up all customers,

$50 when you refer a friend, plus your friend will also get $50 too. Exclusively on the Fandul Sportsbook app. Check it out. 21 plus and present in Arizona. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

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

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

One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and 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 Jett. 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. 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 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 Hardway 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, Tript Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses steve burns dustin ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels of trust i want you to just

really be a good person join me kear gains is we have real conversations about healing growth fatherhood pressure and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free I Heart Radio app, search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. California, Indiana, Michigan, Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia, or West Virginia refund issued as a non-witruable site credit that expires in seven days. Max refund $10 bucks. Restrictions to

place. See terms at Sportsbook, fandul.com. Same game, parley available for multiple sports in all states on mobile slash web. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gampler. Visit fandul.com slash RG in Colorado, Jersey, and Virginia. Or call 1000-9 with it in Indiana. 1-800-270, 71-17 for confidential help in Michigan. Tennessee redline is 1-800-889-9 or go to 1-800-gambler.net in West Virginia or call 1-800-ne next step or text next step to 533-4-2 in Arizona. It's the sound of another sale on Shopify, the all-in-one commerce platform I love to start run and grow your business.

Shopify gives entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business. So upstarts, startups, and established businesses alike can sell everywhere. Synchronize online and in-person sales. effortlessly stay informed. I love Shopify. Have for years the tools and resources that make it easy for any business to succeed from down the street to around the globe. Shopify is more than a store. Connect with your customers. Drive sales. Manage your day-to-day. Reach customers online with an ever-growing suite of channel integrations and apps, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest and more. More than a store, Shopify grows with you. Go to Shopify.com.

slash Colin. All lowercase. Shopify.com slash Colin for a free 14-day trial, full access at Shopify's entire suite of features. Shopify.com slash C-O-L-I-N. If I could be you. And you could be me for just one hour. If you could find a way to get inside. Each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. We've all felt left out. And for some, That feeling lasts more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how at belonging begins with us.org, brought to you by the ad council.

Walk a mile in my shoes. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles.

They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. and they see you. Their fearless guide is this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. You know, it's interesting, Lewis, as a guy with two teams that did the personnel stuff and ran it, that it's, I was talking to an NFL general manager on Thanksgiving, actually. I got up in the morning, went for a drive and called a buddy of mine.

And he said, he said, you know, I looked at all these quarterbacks. He goes, God, I'm glad we don't need one. He said, he said, the kid at Pittsburgh's interesting. He goes, I looked at him a picket. He goes, I looked at him a couple years ago as a sophomore. But he's no better. I think, I think you saw what he is. And he's, he's not a tractor.

He's not going to pull you. Yeah. But you could win games if he gets the right, he's functional. And if he gets the right landing spot. And so it's interesting. 10 teams, 9 teams, 10 if you think Atlanta needs the draft one and sit behind Matt for a year. Yeah. 10 teams need a quarterback, Lewis.

And you've been in those rooms on draft day. Yeah. And the guys of B talent. But you know, Jay Glazer says this. The most miserable place on earth is driving to the stadium knowing I don't have a guy. That's right. That's right. So what do you do in your war room?

And let's take, let's take the kid from Pittsburgh. Yeah. Steelers, they got a good defense. Yep. You see him as a deep second round pick. But you need a quarterback, Lewis. What do you do? Look, I mean, we know that evaluating someone doesn't always mean that you wind up getting fair value for someone.

Okay. Well, that's interesting. And the valuation don't always match up. I'm a big Kenny Pickett fan, quite honestly, because I think the way he has worked at his game, mental horsepower, movement in the pocket, enough arm strength, leadership qualities, football character qualities, he's been healthy.

And quite honestly, he has carried their team, although they're not playing in the SEC at Pittsburgh. Right. He's carried their team. This year in particular. Now, he's had some good weapons around him. He's got a wide receiver that's up. Jordan Addison, that's up for the Blitnikoff Award.

But I value him a little bit higher than some. Okay. Nevertheless, your question being this, what do you do? Depending upon where you're at and your program build and how much patience your owner is willing to have, some teams may sit pat and say, you know what, we're not going to reach like that.

We're not going to, if you don't believe he is a first round pick. some teams will if they don't believe he's a first round pick anyway because you're right. If you feel like you have no shot with someone, then you're better off taking a shot on somebody, especially if you know, hey, you know what, I'm in this for the long haul. I have some time. Let's just see how this works out. Quite often, I think Kenny's in a situation where him in particular, I'd love to see him go somewhere where they have a veteran who's almost on his way out.

Atlanta. Exactly. Who could be a bridge type of guy. and I think someone's going to get a guy who can be a very, very, very good pro in Kenny Pick. I really, I've gotten to know him. I've been able, obviously, it's my school. I've been watching him very clearly closely. I know Mark Whipple.

I'm going to really pick his brain about him too here in the future heading up into the draft. The unisee teams wind up valuing people higher than maybe they ultimately would like because of how crucial the position is. And we know by supply and demand. And that's why, look, it's funny. when we go around and talk to these different coaching staffs for Monday night football, and you listen to them talk about the dynamics of the quarterback market last year as far as what people were asking for for a guy like Deshaun Watson

and what they were asking for Russell Wilson and what the Rams ultimately paid for Matthew Stafford, it's going to get more like that. It's going to be more like that where teams are going to wind up mortgaging the future because of that phenomenon that Jake Laser is talking about. I want to know that I can count on something at that position rather than feel like I have no hope. Right. And that's what teams are going to, you know, and for every, every team that does that, maybe a team will luck up on a guy like a Taylor Hineke who this year right now,

he may lead Washington right to the damn playoffs and win that division. And maybe have them sitting in a spot where they go, okay, we don't need to go ahead and reach for anybody in this draft. If we can find one, great. But maybe we found something here via an avenue that isn't the sexiest, isn't one that's going to have the fans rushing to the, you know, to the ticket sales department and buying up suites, but we're winning games. Yeah. Finally, you've had opportunities to go to the front office.

Years ago, I had this discussion with Trent Dilford. And he said, coaching's a miserable life, man. He goes, I'd rather broadcast. And then he decided he wanted to go into coaching and changed lives. And he went to Nashville and he's in the state championship. And you've made a lot of money. You're making a lot of money. And you're experiencing broadcasting.

But man, I've been in a war room before. It's freaking cool. It's really cool, Lewis. And you could potentially run one. Is that itch? I mean, how do you not think of that? Oh, I do. I mean, I'd be lying if I told you I didn't.

And ESPN knows that. I mean, they know it. And I've talked to him about. And that's why, you know, those avenues have been explored like they were last year. And then we'll see what happens here in the next month or two this year. But it's not, I will say this, it's not the same, it doesn't rip me apart the same as it did when I was in it because of how fortunate I feel with the opportunities that I've been lucky enough to have here at ESPN, Colin, quite honestly. Broadcasting. at the highest level doing money like football is different. I mean, that's not just broadcasting. That's different. I mean,

things that, you know, some of the greats of all time have ever done. So it's, and what it's done for my family and all, I mean, it's, I'm so fortunate,

I can't, I can't begin to tell you. But I'll tell you this. The being measured by wins and losses, the competing head to head with other front office executives and other teams, being around the players, being involved in the strategizing, in the developing, and living and dying with the players and the coaches and the support staff,

that's something that never leaves you. That's something you can't replace. I don't care what you do. That's why quite honestly, the NFL football is it'll always win, man. No matter how much people complain about this and that about the NFL, it'll always win. I know. It'll always win.

And for me, it'll always win. So yeah, right opportunity, right place, and it just matches up. Of course, it's going to be one of those situations where you go. You know, you have to sit down and you have to talk it over with your, you know, with your decision-making circle, talk it over with ESPN, and you go from there. But I will say that my mindset has changed about it since I have left front office work, but the fire still burns that. You know what?

Look, I know for a fact I could do it. I know for a fact. I did it for 12 years. I know what it takes. I've learned so much more being on the outside now, being able to talk to all the different coaches in a different way where I'm really able to pick their brains and talk about team building, staff building,

culture building, diving deep into the exes and O's and comparing what teams do to one another, what teams are doing themselves, how they're taking the game forward and, you know, advancing it. I am 10 times. more smart about the game of football and where it's headed now than I was than I was in

2012 when I last was in the front office, 10 times more. And I was taught by the very best. Look, I played for the very best at the same time in Bill and Nick. I was around Andy, the very best, around Joe Gibbs, the very best, but I'm infinitely more prepared now than I would have been had I gotten a GM job

coming out of scouting in 2012. So we'll see what happens. But I'm good either way. Well, you were good with us. Louis Riddick. I'm happy for your success. I really am genuinely happy. I appreciate you, man.

I appreciate you always way back in the very beginning, always bringing me on your show. We had great conversations, man. I hate it. Great conversations. I hate it when you left because, look, every conversation that we had, it was always deep, man.

It wasn't just surface talk. It was always good stuff, just like this is right here. And I've watched you, man. I follow you. You know, I still see everything that you tweet and you say on your shows and stuff. I'm happy as hell for you.

I've always considered you a friend, and I appreciate you having me on. We're busy. You got a lot of variables and moving parts, and the fact that you gave us time today, my man, I'll always root for you. Hey, say hi to Brian Greasy and Steve Levy. Levy is so boss and it hurts. He's such a... Hey, I told him this. I saw him in an elevator two years ago before he got Monday Night Football, and I'm a USC honk.

Uh-huh. And he was doing USC games, and I told him, I said, I'm a... critical of guys who do USC games. Steve Levy, he knew his shit. Lewis, he was buttoned up. He knew backup tight ends. I'm like, for a Boston guy who loves hockey, I'm like, you're doing great. So I'm really happy

for him. I know you guys are happy out there then with this new hiring, man. Look, I'm a college football buff. I mean, I think USC, I can still remember seeing Charles White playing the Rose Bowl and see that number 12 single bar face mask. I remember it like it's yesterday.

So I'm happy for you guys. I can't wait to see them get back on the map in a real way. All right, man, thanks. You got it. Thanks, Colin. All right, that's Lewis Riddick. Follow us on the Volume Sports YouTube channel. Click to subscribe. You get all this stuff, man.

You get me and Jenkins and Jones and the Jayboy Show and Middle Cough and Draymond Green. Enjoy it. Watch it. Rate, review, subscribe. Thanks. Volume. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's with 1-800flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate-covered berries, gourmet treats, and more.

Surprise your Valentine with 1-800flowers.com. Right now, get the 18-stem enchanted rose medley for $39.99, or upgrade to 24 red roses for $10 more. Go to 1-800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1-800flowers.com slash tune in. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. on Humor 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

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

How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun,

thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an I-Heart podcast, guaranteed human.