The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Nick Wright: Russ Signs With The Giants, Diggs Gets Payday From Pats, Who Drafts Shedeur? Chalk Dominates March Madness

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

Colin’s joined by Nick Wright, host of “First Thing’s First” on FS1 They start with the breaking news of Stefon Diggs getting a massive contract with the Patriots.  Colin offers his theory that Pats coach Mike Vrabel was willing to overpay Diggs after he struggled coaching the Titans after A.J. Brown was traded, but Nick offers some pushback (3:30). They move to Russell Wilson signing with the Giants and whether that means the Giants are signaling their intention to pass on drafting Shedeur Sanders, whether they think he’ll be gone by pick #3 (9:30).  They talk about the mediocrity of the Steelers as a franchise for the past several years and why they need a fresh start without Mike Tomlin (25:00). They also break down why the Dallas Cowboys overpaying Dak Prescott should offer a cautionary tale to the 49ers about paying Brock Purdy top dollar (32:15).  They discuss Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua announcing his intentions to retire by age 30 and discuss why going public with that information does NOTHING to help him (43:45), and why locking in a particular mindset can make the difference between success or failure (53:30) .   Finally, they compare and contrast the big brands vs mid-majors in college basketball and Colin explains why he isn’t enough of a “nerd” to watch smaller schools and why only a few college basketball teams are even watchable (1:14:00). They wrap up with some banter over professional gamblers vs. the amateurs (1:23:45).  (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Visit fubotv.com/colin to get $50 off 2 months off Fubo Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

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Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless. And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. She can win.

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It's just in my life, I can't always be in front of a TV. But I want to stay up to date on what's happening in sports. FubotTV.com slash Colin. 50 bucks off two months. Fubo. All right. We haven't had Nick Ride on in a while. You see him Tuesday on the herd, but this is a looser, kind of a looser engagement, which I always appreciate. And there's a couple pieces of NFL news.

Russell Wilson signed with the New York Giants, $10 million guaranteed. Stefan Diggs signed with a Patriots. Oh, my God. Did you see how much money Diggs got? 69 million, 26 million guaranteed. feed. Here's, you know, my take on this is they made two big overpays. Stefan Diggs and Williams, the defensive tackle from Philadelphia. Yeah, both are paid double what they're worth. They had the most cap space. So in both instances,

you know, that's what the market bears. I wouldn't have paid for Stefan Diggs, although I do think now he's probably a very capable too. I think what Mike Frable, I have a thing. I have a theory on Vrable. So Vrable knows what cost him his job in Tennessee. He lost A.J. Brown. And he walked into New England. However you lose your job at a previous employer, that will be your first solve at your next job. And his take is, okay, I can figure out the line play, the culture, the intelligence. I can't have a team that can't throw the ball down the field. So they're going to draft Travis Hunter and they got Stefan Diggs. And then they've got guys that can be the three, four, and five.

So I think Vrable looks at it and thinks, listen, this is a pretty easy. I got Drake May. I got a good owner. I got a tough guy roster. I'm not going to end up in Tennessee because what would happen if for two years they couldn't score, people would label Vrable. You know, his teams are tough, but they can't do anything offensively. A poor man's Tom one. Right.

That's right. So he's going to solve this. So I get this overpay. Okay. So I understand the logic of everything you're saying. It assumes Stefan Diggs can still play and wants to play. I don't know that that's true. Diggs last year was fine.

He was not great. He was fine. Fine. And now he is going to, at the start of next season, be 10 months, not even a full year removed from the first major injury of his career. It's an ACL. It is, I, he, I would not,

like, the bills didn't want him back. He's free agent. It's not like they're stacked at receiver now. The bills could have done the ultimate thing the Patriots used to do, which is build up a player's value, let him leave, you know, trade him for

value, and then bring him back. They didn't want him. 20, this is, If you would have asked me before this show, Diggs is going to sign, what is his deal going to be? I would be like, I don't know, man. Like, um, 10% less than Devante Adams deal? What did Devante get? One for 15?

Three for 69, even if it's funny money, 26 million guaranteed is a shitload of money for Stefan Diggs, who wears out his welcome. And I don't know if he is good for Drake May. And also the other piece of it is, I agree with a lot of, of what you were saying, why aren't the Patriots the team that traded for Joe Tuny? That one I don't get. Like, he used to be there. He won Super Bowl's there.

He, you know what I mean? There is a real relationship. They had a better third round, well, it's next year's third round pick. But the Chiefs, I would imagine, would prefer to have a Patriots third rounder than a Bears third rounder for next season. Why? They're them not addressing the offensive line. missing out on receivers

and then having to pay double what I thought Diggs would cost is a wild turn of events. Listen, if he's good, I get it because the money's, who cares about the money and you have all the money to spend. I just don't know that Diggs. Also, Diggs is,

I could see Stefan Digg, like, if Diggs went to a real contender, I could see him locking in for another year. Could I see Stefan Diggs being like, retirement job, boys. I'm not getting another deal after this one anyway, like I could. And so he's also a pretty wild guy off the field.

Like, is he? He had, so there was, so there's two things. There is a, one of those team videos that just, I can't get out of my head. It's when he was with, I think, the Vikings, where, like the team social media, went around to guys.

And they were like, hey, who in the locker room would you want your sister to date? And they give a bunch of her answers. And then they're like, who would you not want her to date? And every single fucking guy said digs. Every single one of his teammates was like, not Stefan, not digs. It was unanimous. Like, stay away from him. Then there's also some weird, again, I don't traffic and rumors.

There's some weird digs and Cardi B stuff out there that just feels like, listen, the guy, again, you can do whatever you want. My point is, seems to really enjoy his celebrity and nightlife and all of that and how well do players like that age at post-injury, not well. Not well. getting paid typically, it's not the Larry Fitzgerald path of, I am locked. And so that concerns me a bit, if I'm being honest. The Russell Wilson thing that's very interesting to me is Justin Fields got double the guarantee, triple the, what, Justin Fields got two for 40 with 30 guaranteed, right?

Yeah. Russ just got one for 20 with 10 guaranteed. Yeah. That's interesting. Well, I still think. Go ahead. I don't think either is necessarily better than the other. I think you are paying for Justin Fields on a little bit of hope is that there's more to squeeze.

There's more juice to potentially squeeze out of this young, hardworking player. I think the feeling is, listen, man, this is the last stop for Russ. And by the way, Justin Fields is an example of somebody that will never be a franchise quarter of, back, but he's a good kid. He is big. He's got a whip. He makes love him. Yeah.

And being a nice guy adds value. Like, there are guys that it's like, you know what? If it doesn't work, he's a good dude in the room, guys like him. Nice guy, low maintenance isn't going to, no, 100%. It's always. So here's my question, though, for you on the Giants, because this is happening, like, as we're recording. So they gave James a deal.

Yeah. This is $4 million. They just signed Ross. Do you think this means if he's there, they're not drafting Shador? I think my guess is I don't hold Joe Shane in high regard. I also hold my own opinions on quarterbacks in pretty high regard, and I hold my sourcing on quarterbacks in very high regard. So I trust my own judgment.

I didn't like Daniel Jones. I didn't like Zach Wilson. I probably like Sam Darnold too much, but Sam proved what last year, which I believe, which is, if you put him in the right spot, he can be incredibly productive, dynamic. I would draft Shadoor Sanders for a lot of reasons, and I talked about one on the show today. He had the worst O-line and the worst run game, the last two years, Power 5 college football, and he completed an astounding 74% of his throws. That is insane. Matt Ryan completed 60% for bad teams in college.

I mean, Matt Stafford with good Georgia teams completed 61.5%. 74% running for your life, trailing. Everybody knows you're throwing with a battle line and no run game. It's an astounding number. So I think you can talk yourself in and out. I still think you draft Shadoor Sanders. I still think you do. So I don't know if this is a sign.

This is a sign to me of one of because you don't sign Russ. and James, if you're like, we're definitely drafting a quarterback. Like, you don't need two veteran backups. Right. To me, this is a sign that either they don't like him or they think Cleveland might take it. You know what I mean? That they think there is a real chance that they don't have the opportunity to get him. Now, New England is praying it is not that they don't like him.

Because the only thing that wrecks the Patriots plans is if the draft goes like this, Cam Ward 1, Abdul Carter 2, Travis Hunter 3. And where the giants are like, you know what? Malik neighbors, Travis Hunter, with Hunter, you know, moonlighting as a, defensive back. And then the Patriots are sitting there at four and are like, Jesus, are we taking the, you know, the short-armed offensive linemen? Are we taking the kid from Missouri that should go nine at four?

Like, the Patriots really, really want two of the first three picks to be quarterbacks. That way they guarantee to get, in my opinion, tell me if you disagree. I think there are, take the quarterbacks out of it. I think there are two super blue chip players. in this class, Carter and Hunter. And then everyone else, you know, I'm not saying, I'm sure other guys will be great players, but

there's two guys that are like, oh, wow, that could be a non-quarterback that's the talent of a number one pick. The Patriots, I think, would be thrilled with either of those two. What they don't want is both of those guys to be gone and them to be stuck drafting off into

linemen that could be there at 12 at 4. And so I'm really curious if this is because, the Giants don't like Shador or the Giants have Intel that the Browns love Shador. Yeah, and I think Shadur is built for Kevin Stafansky who likes pocket quarterbacks over movers. So I think eventually, and the only way to get out of the Deshaun Watson disaster is how did the Broncos get out of the Russell Wilson disaster, hit on a rookie quarterback that you don't have to pay big money for four years. That's the only way to get out of it. Then you just, then you just figure out ways around it.

The good thing about this is what, this is the advantage. NFL has over baseball and basketball. A weaker players union, first of all, you win negotiations. The team controls the player, not vice versa. You're not getting 10-year guaranteed deals. You're not getting guaranteed money, much. And the second thing is, even if you make the worst deal in league history, Deshaun Watson guaranteed, in one year or two years, if you just hit on a player at the same position

in the draft, you can do it. If you have like one or two good drafts and have like, nine starters, you're okay, you're fine. It really comes down to if Andrew Berry drafts well the next last year, this year, or next year, they're fine. It doesn't matter. If Sador can play, you're out of it. Which is why I think the Browns, maybe this is the logic.

Because according to what you just said, it would be the Browns almost have to draft a quarterback, even if they don't love him. Because it's their only path. The only path for them is a competent quarterback that makes no money. That's right. Because every other, like in the midst of this mess, they didn't make the playoffs because they had a competent quarterback who made no money, except instead of being a rookie, he was my age, his name Joe Flacco.

You know what I mean? Like there was, and so that is interesting. I just, I assumed this draft was going to go. Cam Ward 1, Abdul Carter 2, because the Browns would be like, man, Miles Garrett, Abdul Carter on the edge.

At least that's set. And then the Giants being the pivot point where are they taking Shador or not? Because the other thing for Shador is this. I don't know how much you've looked at it. If he doesn't go three, he might not go in the top 15. Like the Aaron Rogers year.

Yes. Like when you look at, I'm going to pull it up real quick. There's just not many teams. I mean, you could say, you could say Raiders. No, the Raiders just traded for Gino. They did, but you could draft somebody and sit them for a year and a half. No, that's true. But certainly the Raiders' chances of drafting a quarterback went way down when they traded for Gino.

And so it's just the, I was doing this the other day. Tennessee won Cleveland, two, Giants, three, all need quarterbacks. Then it goes Patriots, Drake, Jacksonville, Trevor, Raiders, Gino with an asterisk. Jets, the Jets could, but they also, I think the Jets really like the idea of, let's for the first time and forever, have a season where everyone's not like, how good's the quarterback? What's the quarterback doing? How are we developing the quarterback? Let Aaron Glenn set things and then go get the quarterback.

Panthers 8, no. Saints are a maybe at 9, but the Saints just, they're tied to Carr. But then Bears, no, Caleb. Niners, no, Brock, Cowboys, Dolphins, Colts, I guess at 14, but it is a lot of teams. And then after the Colts, Falcons, no, Cardinals, Bengals, Seahawks, Bucks, Broncos, then the Steelers at 21.

And that might be why Rogers might, like, you asked me how Rogers on the show. The one thing I didn't mention that I do wonder if it's a possibility is if Rogers is trying to pressure, not pressure,

but trying to ensure the Steelers don't draft a quarterback. Like what, like, I don't want to sign with you and then risk getting benched for the first round quarterback. I want to see what you do with your first round pick before I commit to come there. Yeah. Because there is a scenario where these guys where Shador slips. I don't necessarily think it's going to happen.

But if he gets out of the top three, there's only a few spots for him. Yeah, I mean, I think I actually said today, I think Aaron Rogers is smart to wait. If Kirk Cousins waits, he doesn't go to Atlanta. He lands somewhere where he's the guy. When it comes to college basketball and March mania, one thing's for sure. Nothing is for sure. Doesn't matter. Buzzer beaters, Cinderella's advancing upsets.

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What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there.

But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with it? the name Hey Jonas, guys. I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, for people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down

everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jen Chinchin win. I mean, she went down in three. to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now.

And I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where

Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. You know, it's, I said this the other day, most of the good big brands in America, and I'll name them. Yankees, Dodgers, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Duke, North Carolina, Arizona basketball, Boston Celtics, Lakers. If you look, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco, 49ers, if you look at the biggest brands right now in sports, this is very rare. Yukon basketball men's and women's, almost all of them are achieving at a high traditional level. The one that not only isn't, but seems to be incredibly delusional, is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who gave Tomlin an extension. They can't figure out offense.

It's a seven-year run on bad quarterback and O-line play, and it's one of the biggest brands in the league. If you go look, Notre Dame football is crushing virtually all the big brands right now. Braves, Atlanta Braves, a big brand in baseball. Cubs have a very good team. The Pittsburgh Steelers situation to me, I cannot believe Steeler fan, if you pulled them, they get angry if you question where they are in the ecosystem of the NFL. I don't even think if you took out the NFC, I don't think they're close to a Super Bowl team, not even close.

All right. So I have two things. One is one of the saddest things in the last decade that's happened to the Dallas Cowboys is their fall from grace to where you forgot them in the brands, the big brands, didn't even mention them, but they would be the other team that is not holding up their end. But their fans,

when polled, acknowledge. I would say, yes, 100%. We're not close. I'm going to, I'm going to pitch you a name of the next time, I don't, the next time you want to talk Steelers on the show if you want a Steelers guest. I, you know, I,

the, I introduced you and the great Danny Parkins. I'm going to pitch you another name, which is Andrew Philpony. I've heard the name. So he does afternoons on the fan in Pittsburgh and has been

four years. It was for years the only Mike Tomlin skeptic where he was the guy, the unpopular local radio host who was like, hey, where the playoff wins? Why are we, why is everyone

okay with nine wins or 10 wins when we all know we can't win a playoff game? And now, maybe partially to his doing or partially because it has been proven out so much, I think that side of the coin is gaining some momentum, but it was highly unpopular.

Like, and you know local radio, there is nothing harder than being like, hey, the local team that everyone loves me to talk about the most, they're not that good when people think they're good. If they're a terrible team, then it's easy to be like, fire everyone, they suck. But when everyone loves them and they're always good-ish, it's hard to be like, why is this okay? And he has been banging this drum for four years that Tomlin might be a good coach, but what's best for the Steelers is to turn the page and define someone who understands modern offense. And what's good for Tomlin is to try to get the setup Jim Harbaugh got,

which is good young quarterback. that can take care of the offense, and I can focus on the defense. And so, yeah, you and him would agree on the Steelers. I'm telling you that right now. Yeah, it is interesting that you're right. Cowboys and Steelers are the two brands that you look at and go, but Cowboy fans have been polled in recent years and asked about the organization. And summarily, it is a complete agreement within the Cowboys.

Yes. Yeah, they're like, Jerry's becoming old. Sal Davis, our drafts are bad. We overpay for average players. We don't know what we're doing. By the way, you were one of the first people, and it took some courage because four years ago, this was not popular. You were one of the first people to just bail on Dak Crescott.

I remember it well. And I think you liked him less than I did. I loved his intangibles. I loved his EQ, his IQ, good guy. I always gave him credit for the dysfunction of the team and kind of holding it together during some cultural changes. And he deserves credit for that. Yeah.

But you were one of the first people that just said, I'm watching the games. He's not very good. And it's been tough for me because I, it's been a bit of a roller coaster with me because I also, our, the first year we had the TV show was coming off his rookie season. and I was adamant during his rookie season that I thought he if he wasn't a rookie, I said he would have gotten real MVP consideration.

Yeah. Team was 13 and 3, had like 23 touchdowns, four picks or something. And then he also played great in that playoff game against the Packers. Aaron Rogers, that was kind of Aaron Rogers.

Last great playoff moment was the pass down the sideline to the tight end. I don't remember in that great win against the Cowboys. So I was high on him initially. My problem for Dak and the Cowboys is not, it's not really even an indictment on deck because I do think he is good. I just think that, and you've heard me say this a hundred times,

the worst thing you can do in the NFL is pay a good quarterback like he is. great money. Great quarterback. And it is also, by the way, why I think the Niners would be out of their mind to pay party right now. And it also this idea that the Niners are obligated to, guy in across industries, but certainly in pro sports, guys typically don't get paid early off their worst year. You can get paid.

off your worst year. If you're a true free agent, like, ah, he has a body of work, he's had a down year, and we want to keep him. Or you can get paid early off an awesome year. It's very rare that you can have, you and the team can have the worst year

that you or the team has had since you've been there. And that's when they're like, yep, we're going to 10x your salary. That's not how teams typically do it. And so I don't, no one is properly, explained to me. And it seems like they're going to. I just think it's a mistake.

Listen, why the Niners wouldn't wait. Go ahead. There is a certain guilt factor. Let's say, here at the volume, we hired an intern. He ended up being really effective. And then, after his two-year internship was over, we'd never paid him or, you know, just giving him swag. He wanted his own show. And he said, but I want 250,000. And I'd say, I'll give you $80,000, but I'm not going to give it. I, as a business guy, would say, well, see you. Somebody else can pay for that. But I do think there's a lot of people that would be like, well, he was two years, he was free.

I'm going to pay him. I look at it and go, no relative to your position and other people at the volume, I'm not going to pay. I'm not going to pay you more than like. So my take is sometimes sports is cruel. It is cruel that brought pretty, but he's also benefited from Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Shanahan, George Kittal, Joanne Jennings, and a division which has been in flux the last several years. So a couple things. A, under that scenario, I would probably tell you, Colin Cowherd, pay the fucking kid and just do it out of your pocket. There's no salary cap. But it was like, hey, there's a podcast salary cap. And if we pay you, we're going to have to get rid of someone else or not keep them, that's different story. That's the first thing.

Second thing is this, I would not, it's not that I wouldn't offer Brock anything. Right, right, right. I would say, hey, man, if you are really worried about security and you haven't made real money, I will right now sign you to the deal Daniel Jones signed. I'll sign it. I'll offer you that. Totally agree. I will offer you that deal right now.

And even if you don't play great, you know what, call it back pay. Because you played, you earned that already with the Super Bowl appearance. But if you want something close to the deal, Dak Prescott signed. I'm drafting a quarterback. And by the way, I'm going to let you, well, what I was going to say is, I'll let you play this year and go show it to me. Prove it to me because I'm not paying you off this bad year. I'm just not like, so I wouldn't, it's not that I would play a hard ball to a degree of like,

you're under contract, you have no contract offer from me. I wouldn't do that. But I would not pay in all business, but sports in particular. The way it almost always works is this. it is the earlier you get paid, the less money you receive, because you are trading high, high end financial upside for the safety of shit, there's injuries and bad things happen, whatever it is. The way to make the most money is to let contracts expire. you know what I mean

and then see what the market has to offer but that's also the way to sometimes make no money because shit goes bad so if I am a team and I am paying you early what I am getting back is a deal a bargain and what you are getting is the security the only guys

who get paid they get to double dip where it's like I want to to be paid early and make the most money are the elite of the elite. Yeah. And Purdy's not that. So like Justin Jefferson gets to three years into his deal, be like, I want to be paid the first day possible and the most money at the position ever.

And Mahomes, and Mahomes didn't take the most money ever, but he took such a huge, a long deal as early as possible. Josh Allen, Tua, on the other hand. The team was like, we're going to wait another year. And then he went out and had his best year and they paid him. And I think that was a mistake. But they didn't pay him as early as they could have. They made him wait that fourth year.

And so I just don't know why what the argument against telling Purdy, play out your fourth year. Let's see how it goes. And worst case scenario for you, kid, we either hit you with a one, year 45 million franchise tag or you hit the open market. The only way you are not going to be crazy rich

is if you know, you have a horrendous year this year. You don't think you will so or take some security but this notion that he's going to get the Joe Burrow deal, I just think

would be franchise mismanagement. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. we created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a...

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers.

This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests. in tennis. And I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchen went. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface.

If she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

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

give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. And now for our next segment, whiskey business brought to you by Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Colin Cowherd podcast. If you want to enjoy life's simple pleasures, reach for Green River Whiskey. Whether it's rye whiskey, single barrel bourbon, you're getting over a century of craftsmanship

packed into every bottle. Hop on over to greenriverwiskey.com and discover a legend in a bottle today. So it was funny today. About once a month, I get J-Mac worked out. Because when you work with somebody for three hours, you're bound to sometimes get people worked out. And it's usually on stuff that's just generational. Like I'm older and I, you know, and I see the world one way and he's a former blogger that sees at another. So he got worked up today.

About what? I didn't see this. Yeah. So this is the one that I was going to ask you on the show. And I thought, no, I'm going to save this for the podcast. Okay. So I said, you know, some things you got to keep to yourself. You just don't say out loud.

Or if you do say them out loud, honey, how do I look in this dress? The answer can only be one thing. So Pooka Naku is 23, had some injuries. And he said yesterday, you know, I'm going to retire at 30. And I said, don't say that. because I have more contacts in the NFL than any league by far. They do not care about your work-life balance, and by next year, the Rams will be drafting a number one receiver.

They don't care. They don't want to hear it. It also introduces questions that you don't need. Let's say he has a bad year. Well, he's not really committed. Well, he's going to retire anyway. I mean, he's already talking retirement. it's like Brett Favre in 2023 said it out loud.

I'm 90% retired. He's never been the same player. Aaron Rogers. Yeah. By the way, if he said it out loud in 2023, in 2021, he was thinking it or telling people privately. Yeah. And J-Mack didn't like this.

And I said, J-Mack. What was his take? There was no harm in it? Why not just- He's like, well, I mean, by the way, are you begrudging a guy for putting his money away? And I said, do you think Fox tells me everything in negotiations and I tell them everything? Well, that doesn't mean I'm sinister. I don't think you would begrudge anyone for retiring at 30.

I think you're saying, just don't let them know that's your plan. Okay, I'll give you one. I'll give you one. Trevor Lawrence said, I'm not defined by a football. And that comment defined him is. It has certainly followed him. You're not going to be Tom. You're not going to be Peyton.

You're not going to be Malhams. We need it to kind of define you and be obsessed. Well, listen, it's maybe a sad statement of the media. Maybe it shouldn't be this way. But sometimes those throwaway comments, I, Cam Newton, Peter King said that he was like, I want to be what, an entertainer and an icon. And it's still, like, I still remember it. It's still kind of hung around.

him even as great as he was at his peak. You mentioned the Andrew Luck thing. It certainly has not gone away. I think that he's young enough. Puka is 30 is far enough away that I don't think it is a huge deal. But do I agree with you that there is very little benefit to him for saying that? I don't see the benefit. I don't see what he gains from saying that.

No, that's certainly. true. I don't, I, does it change how, I don't know how much it impacts what the Rams think of him because he's the, that still is the window of his full second contract. But yeah, I, in general, I do think that we are in an oversharing era. And I'm certain, listen, I'm part of that too. I, I, uh, took a screenshot of a text message. My wife sent me, make it. in fun of me and tweeted it. That didn't go over great. I did that yesterday.

And now I'm talking about it. It didn't go over great. That probably also won't go over great. So like sometimes I can be an overshare, but I am in the sharing business. Like my, my, I guess, defense is I talk for a living. I create content for a living. Sometimes you're going to get out over your skis a bit. But that's really interesting that you think it's a big deal for the Rams.

I think it's a, I don't think it's ideal. ideal, but I don't know. I think it's a huge deal. Well, I think your point is also true is that if you're trading for them in four years or three years, it's like, guys, yeah. That's a different story. Yeah. And I also do agree, I've heard from enough NFL players that once you start thinking about retirement, it is, some would say, well, then Nick, are you concerned about Kelsey this season? I would argue that for guys who are at an age where you expect them to retire, I think you get, because his brother did it too in this regard.

It was like, oh, is Jason going to come back? Jason came back for one more year and then was done. And so I think when you're talking about Aaron, I think the trouble for Aaron is, Aaron is, you said 23, but yes, so in the summer of 23, or he says I'm 90% retired, then he pops his Achilles, then he plays a season, and now we're going for a third year post potential retirement. And by the way, I think one of the, you accidentally said Favre, and I thought you said the right name, but the wrong year, because Fav did the same fucking thing.

Farv was like, am I coming back and I not and did that three years in Green Bay? and then played three more years. He played one with the Jets and two with the Vikings. I mean, think about this. Think about early comments. Have any worked in your favor? Trevor Lawrence, Big Ben talked about retirement early. Aaron Rogers.

I mean, just Cam Newton. Think about the retirement talk or the not all-in talk that has ever benefited an athlete. Like, you ever watch the show Survivor? Who unravels first? I miss my family. I miss my bed.

I miss my friends. They always unrout. It's like, okay, we know it's not easy, pro football. Stay focused. Off season, go to Turks and Kekos. In season, you're going to be in pain and you have to play through it. Hold on. Can I tell you a totally unrelated thing?

Not totally unrelated. It's related, but it's different. So I had no, this is so funny. I'm so excited to tell you this. Because I had no recollection that this happened. But in the lead-up to the 2017 draft, okay? So this is four months before first things first launches. I'm still out in L.A.

Chris Carter and I filled in for you one day. And one of the guests we had was potential first-round pick Patrick Mahomes. Again, I had no memory that this took place. It was sent to me a week ago by someone close to Patrick and was like, yo, he kind of nailed this. And I asked Patrick, if everything goes perfectly, where are you in 10 years? He has not been drafted yet. He's not a chief. You know what I mean?

And he's like, okay, he's like, if everything goes perfectly. He's like, I'm married. I have a couple of kids. I have a couple of Super Bowl championships. And I'm one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He said that. Yeah. And by the way, he undershot the amount of kids and Super Bowls by one each.

And he, like, he set the sights as high as they possibly could, but he had a plan. And I didn't know at the time he was dating his high school sweetheart. So he also knew. who he wanted to marry. He's like, I want to marry this girl. I want to have a family with her. And while I'm doing it, I want to win these championships. And so he was not, you know, famous enough of a prospect to where that, you know, got any traction or whatever. But I sent it, I sent it to him after it was sent to me like, hey, man, sold yourself short, but this is pretty fucking unbelievable. You, you said your goal, perfect world 10 years in. He saw it. He was like,

married family guy championships. And eight years in, he's 50% higher in all categories than his perfect world. But he, he has, his vision was right on. His vision was exactly on. And I do think that I think sometimes it can be crippling for guys, but I'll take, you know, sorry to turn this into Mahomes and then LeBron, but I think the guys who walk into the league and, you know, what was LeBron's goal? anything short of being the greatest player ever,

he was going to feel like he came up short. And you know what I mean? And everything he did was on that route. I don't think Patrick thought initially, oh, I'm going to be in the goat conversation. But after two years of playing when he has one league MVP and one Super Bowl, he immediately said, basically, man, Tom's got seven.

Like I have a, I now know where I'm going. I know what I'm chasing. Think about this. you can talk yourself into being sick. We know that. We know psychologically people can talk themselves into being sick. And it seems like they can talk themselves out of it. Have you ever had a thing?

I don't, again, I don't know the science on this. I apologize. But I have had multiple times in my life where something is going on either work-wise or whatever where I like literally can't get sick right now. Like I had, but the moment that ends where it's like, okay, whether it's the NFL playoffs or, you know, when I was planning for me and my wife's wedding slash vow renewal, whatever, once that ends, I immediately get really sick. And it's like, oh, I was sick two weeks ago. But my body held it off almost like not now, but then allowed for that. Yeah.

How about when people are on their deathbed and, you know, you see these couples married for six. 62 years, one dies and one follows suit three days later. Like, there is a spiritual component to this where you can talk your, you can manifest stuff. You, you, I mean, there's a reason there's that saying is you can talk yourself in and out of stuff very quickly. And I think a lot of it's like even body language. How do you sell yourself?

If you, I remember, I remember, I'll give you a story, a personalize it for a second. So when I went to interview for the job at ESPN, I interviewed in Houston at the Super Bowl with John Walsh, who's one of the gurus, Savangolli's old. gentleman. And he was, and I was, I kind of knew he was a New Yorker, very well read, very learned guy. So I bought a New Yorker magazine flying from Portland, and I read it front to back. And so when we sat down, I pulled out my bag and he saw the New Yorker. He goes, oh, you read the New Yorker. I said, oh, absolutely, big subscriber. And I had a couple of articles. It was a good, I still subscribed to it, by the way, but it was, there was a couple of good articles in

there. But I knew that he, I had heard that ESPN would interview you and they would test your sports knowledge. So I memorized the Chicago White Sox bullpen. And so why the white socks? Well, because they, they weren't, they weren't great. Okay. And so I said during the interview, I said, listen, John, you guys don't do radio particularly well. And I said, listen, don't get me wrong. I can tell you who the White Sox bullpen is. Boom, boom, boom, boom. You'll never hear me say it on the air.

And it totally, it kind of dearmed him. He was like, Jesus, I don't even know the White Sox Bullpen. He was a baseball guy. And so I said, yeah, I mean, I can tell you the White Sox Bullpen's, boom, boom, boom, lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, righty. I would never say that on the air. It's terrible radio, and I described it. And so I basically talked myself in to winning this interview, and I almost planned it.

And the point was, after I said that, I knew I had the job. I was so confident. It was like, I was literally like, oh, this, or eight minutes in, I've already won the job. And the point, the point being is, I psychologically, I knew if I could do the New York and the White Sox bullpen, I would get the job. Where I wouldn't get it if he didn't think I was well read or I didn't really know, you know, front and back page of the sports section. So my point is, you can plan a lot in your life.

Yes, you can kind, yes. And so can I tell my version of that story? Sure. This is stuff like, because I've never heard. I've heard, you know, sometimes you and I talk and we kind of, I don't want to say get into reruns, but we tell each other things that we know. about each other. I've never heard that.

But I have a... Okay, so... I am doing radio in Kansas City and find out there is the morning show open in Houston. Ooh. And at the time, I have one career goal, and it is to one day replace you. It's the only...

It was truly my goal, was one day, I'm going to host noon to three Eastern on ESPN radio. It was the slot it was the slot I'd listen to you in forever. And I knew I couldn't I didn't really want to go to Houston

but I knew I couldn't get there from Kansas City. Like you know what I mean? I needed to go to a bigger market. You got there from Portland, but that's tricky. And so, but I know two things.

I know one. The guy is going to be worried that I'm a little young. The PD, you know what I mean? Because I was, this is 2012. So I'm 27. And the guy whose job I would be replaced. The guy who was doing it is Mark Vandermear, who did this day, is the voice of the Texans. So, you know, in his 40s at the time, grown man, he's leaving just because the voice of the Houston Texans is now, they're starting their own radio network and it's a full time gig.

And so I'm like, he's going to be worried I'm too young, and he's going to be worried like any local radio guy is. It's a call-in show that I'm going to get jumped with, well, you remember the love you blue oilers, and I'm going to be like, who are they? And they're going to be like, oh, this fraud is not from here, it doesn't know stuff. And so I was like, okay, on the initial phone call, I mentioned out of nowhere, seemingly, but it was strategic. I was like, and I also want to tell you something about me. I was like, it's a little weird because, you know, I'm only 27. I was like, but I have a 13-year-old son and, you know, first-grade daughter. And, you know, I've been married for some years.

And so, you know, my family would be coming with me to Houston. And he was like, you have an older son and daughter. And I'm like, yeah, you know, it told him the story of my family. But I knew that immediately would trump the, is there. some young kid that's going to get whatever. So that was taking care. And so then he calls me the next day. He's like, I want to fly you in to meet our market manager and to do a test and meet

everyone. Like, okay, cool. That's going to be in three days. So I, in those three days, made a Houston sports by hand color-coded 20-page in encyclopedia that I have to this day as a PDF, which was five pages on the Rockets, every first round pick in their history, every playoff series in their history, their current roster, salary cap, how the player was acquired, handwritten, green was money, red was injuries, blue was age, rockets, Astros, Texans, U of H, because I thought in University

of Texas, all handwritten, then took it to kinkos had it turned into a bind of and basically a binder yeah and i go to the interview the dinner and we're about halfway through it and i'm like hey i want to show you something and he's like okay and i take it out and i'm like listen you haven't said this but i know talk radio your concern is that i'm not from here and that the caller someone is going to call me and they're going to say something every Houstonian knows about. I'm not going to know about it. And I'm going to be, you know, they're going to be like, we can't listen to this guy.

He doesn't, you know, what I mean, know what Mario Ellie's kiss of death is. Like, he's not one of us. I was like, I guarantee you that won't happen. And if I, A, because I'll know, I'll know what I need to know and be, if I don't, I'll tap dance just long enough to find it in this and show it in my thing. and he looked at it and he was like, you made this? He's like, yeah. He's like, when, when?

Like, you found out you're coming here three days ago. I was like, I don't know, it's taken me about 30 hours in the last three days, but I made it. And in that moment, I got the job. Yeah. And I, and I, in that moment, I got the job. And I knew, like, I can't, I'm not going to have another opportunity, maybe in the next year or two or three years to go from Kansas City to a top. five market drive time. If I ever want to do what I really want to do professionally, I have to get this job. So I have to figure out the things the guy wants to hear and get him there before I

even get there. And so when you're talking about the White Sox Bullpen and the New Yorker, I'm like, that's just me talking about my kids and making this encyclopedia. Like you, you walked into that interview with John Walsh, you were doing local radio in Portland. You were the best local radio guy in the northwest, but the jump from that to, you know what I mean? I'm not saying you wouldn't have gotten to where you are now, but if you don't get that job then, it's maybe a five-year detour. Like, that's the most important 60 minutes of your professional life up to that. No question. So yeah, I don't. And I was going to control it. Yes, exactly. Don't leave that shit to chance. So that goes back.

Yes. Go ahead. And then we go back to speak things into existence. So you, before you made that chart, you said to yourself, okay, here's what I'm going to do. You not only spoke it into existence, you created it, and then you delivered on it. So I think the bigger, you know, as we kind of come full circle on this, is you have much more control of your destination and of your destiny that anybody wants to admit. fate. I always said this. Luck is a word used by average people to validate their mediocrity. Well, my sister's lucky. And I'm like, I bet if you inspected your sister, she's got her shit together.

Like, you know, it's like when people use luck or fate, it's everybody in life controls their destiny. Like it's one thing if you have a bad up bringing in at 28, you're still trying to kind of get above sea level. But by 44 years old, if you think we all make. That's a whole other discussion, but I, so I think that there's, I think that there are 10% on each end. I think there's 10% might be strong, but there are 10% of the population that no matter how badly they tried to fuck up their situation, they just couldn't. They just, everything comes up them or they are, have such a giant safety net of everything that they're going to be fine. And I do think there's 10% or whatever that it just things have, no matter how hard they work or all the right decisions they make, things go against them. I do, I do, again, I'm making up the numbers.

My point is that I think there are extremes on both ends. I think most everyone else, it's a lot of what you make it out to be. And I, the thing you said there that I think is a really valuable sentiment. That barring, true, and again, I was very blessed. You and I are both children of divorce, but I had no real childhood trauma. Like, so I don't, again, same. Remove, I'm not talking about people who dealt with real, real childhood trauma. If you had what I would call a typical childhood, by the time, certainly by the time you're old enough to rent a car without having to pay an extra.

you got that can't be what's holding you back yeah you know what i mean like what it's at some point like when you are the i am not very and i'm i try to be a very empathetic person but i think sometimes we people hold themselves back by acting as if well it's a you know things just aren't going to go the way they should for me because of, you know, my parents, and again, barring the extremes, it's like, hey, like you said, you're in your mid-30s, like that, that is part of your story, but no longer is your story. You know, and so that is, I, I do agree with that. And I think that people that are cool with, hey, shit wasn't perfect, but I made the most of it, are typically some of the happiest

or most well adjusted, as opposed to people who are very stuck in the shit that wasn't perfect before. Yeah, no, I tell, I've told my kids this before. Life's about reaction, not action. Like, everybody makes mistakes with action. How do you react to your fuck-ups? That's going to go a long way, because you're all going to step in it. Some people go hide. Some people are, it literally haunts them. And other people are like, own it. Wow, got to start over. Like how you react to others and your own mistakes, that'll pretty much define you. So don't be, don't, don't be rigid, don't be precious. Don't get down in yourself.

Stay optimistic. Be a good coworker. Lubricate, don't agitate. Your life will be fine. You know, I always told my daughter when she was young. I said, there's only one mistake that statistically can kill you, getting into the wrong car. So I always bought my kids cars early, used. But my take is, I trust your judgment.

trust you get into a car with someone else. Yeah. You get into a car. Yeah. A girl gets into a car with a guy showing off. That's how you end up in the obituary section. That's so the, again, and then we can get back to whatever you had planned. It's, but you and I, that's another so similarity for us.

I, we, we live in New York. So, you know, my kids didn't have cars as the, my daughter didn't have a car in high school or when she's back from college, we live in New York City. But some of her friends obviously do where they drive. And I, I'm, I'm big on, I probably spend a irrational amount on Ubers because I'm like, eh, I'd rather just trust it. And so the, and the only, the only thing that is, that I have added to that is, and I'm not, I'm drinking wine during this interview, I'm not a teetotaler at all. And maybe this. is part of my age showing or whatever it is.

When I was growing up, pill-based drugs were not a thing. You know what I mean? It was like kids smoked weed. Some of the like really like aggressive kids like might have occasionally tripped on acid. And I'm like, y'all are crazy. But like nobody like and then maybe the like wildest kids like, oh my God, I heard that guy did cocaine at a party. Like that was like really out of the in high school. That was really out of the mainstream.

But 20 years later, a ton of kids just like the party drug stuff, the like ecstasy, Molly became very, there's a very small barrier for entry where kids don't look at that as scandalous as I would have. And that shit scared the hell out of me because I'm like, nah, man, like those, that's the other way that you can basically anything short of, like you said, get in a terrible car accident or taking a bad drug. We can recover from. If you, like, we can recover from a lot of stuff.

You get suspended from school. We can recover from it. You get, you know, you get in a fight and you get picked up by the cops. They make you spend the night in jail. We can recover from the, like normal adolescent bullshit. We can as a family recover from almost anything. Terrible car wreck or didn't know what was in that pill. You can't always recover from.

So those are really the only things as a parent I really like. You keep you up at night. Like, they're worried about it. Because everything else, you feel like, okay. You know what I mean? It's an expensive lesson. Or, you know what I mean? Like, you take a learn from it or whatever.

And so, yeah, I'm with you on that 1,000%. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, for people could call in and say, hey Jonas, and then I wrote down in my little notepad,

Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, 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. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything, happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay.

Jen she went. I mean, she went down at three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 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 Keer games is we have real conversations about healing growth fathers pressure and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. So I saw something the other day. We'll end it on this topic because this will get us to an hour or a little more. Bill Moore said something the other day that your personality lead you into your politics. And this is something I've thought about for a long time is that if you were bullied, you were small. You're a smaller person.

You were bullied. You're more likely to be empathetic to people who have been bullied and people who have been under siege or oppressed. And if you're a six four great-looking quarterback in high school and college that's kind of arrogant and always got the pretty girl, you're not going to be as empathetic over the course of your early life for the guy that didn't have things go his way. So your personality and your life experience kind of leads you into your politics, not vice versa. And, you know, I was thinking this. And I don't obsess over stuff like this. But one of the things that, and I look at it as suffering from, I've never done this. So when I was in Vegas, like when I was a kid, we were all sports diehards.

I collected baseball cards and NBA cards. I would memorize sports, back of baseball cards. We all did that in our profession at 8, 12, 13. but I do remember I do remember moments in my life around 17, 18, 19 first getting to college that I would see guys on the college campus and here's who I viewed as cool.

The guy with the best-looking girlfriend, not the sports nerd. And so in my life, I never thought that it was that much redeemable value or cool factor in being like the most knowledgeable sports guy. Like, can you ask the cute girl for a date? Can you socialize? Are you fun at a party? Are you a good hang?

And so I was thinking about this the other day. Why have I never been a fan of mid-majors in college? Why have I always been a fan of the big brands? I mean, since I started doing syndicated radio. And there's probably two or three reasons. One, it's smarter business. But part of me thinks is, because I just didn't want to watch mid-major basketball. I wanted to have a social life.

I wanted to have a girlfriend. And I'd watch Duke and Carolina and Gonzaga and UCLA and Syracuse and Yukon. I'll let you nerds watch Murray State. And that my whole theory on college basketball has been based on, I don't want to put in the work. The reason my bracket is so good this. year because there's no upsets. Yeah, exactly right.

Exactly right. First of all. So it's my apathy that led to my great bracket. So I agree with, I love everything you're saying. I'll tell you right now, you better make a handwritten note and send an edible arrangement to your dear friend Ryan Rosillo after that. Because my God, there is no one that's going to feel more attacked for watching meaningless basketball.

And that guy. That was, his entire, his entire identity is based around, did you see magic calves? And the answer is, no, I fucking did. Let's tell you right now.

And again, I don't know, Ryan, he's a, no, he's a friend of yours and a friend, a lot of my friends.

I'm not taking a shot. I just, but it's also, that's also, you know, but it is very, very, good. There are people that are watching everything.

Yeah. Because it allows for you to, you know, have a wife and kids and a social life. So I think what you were saying in the beginning is really interesting, which is you, you wanted to follow what you had to follow and wanted to follow what you loved. because here's the other thing, what you left out. You, I'm certain of it, you watched a lot of, you watched a lot of college football. Oh, tons. You didn't have to for work because you loved it. Right. And so, but the, there are for me, like, so there is this, I, anything I've always been a big believer of,

If you told me this was the Chinese checkers world championship and those are the two best in the world, I'm captivated. If you, like, I don't care what the competition is. If you tell me there are high stakes and it's the best in the world, I'm in. I don't even really need to know the rules of the sport. I'll pick it up. Like, I'm into big events with real stakes and I'm into the store. sports that I love. So I can watch almost anything.

But the, so, so you and I have a similar, I think, affinity for current college basketball, which is, I don't love it day to day during the regular season. I mean, good God, team shoot 26% regularly. It's, it, you can literally, there's four teams in the tournament that can shoot. It's not a great product. It's great drama. Yes. It's, it's not a great.

product. And so I have never, I've never, and so I, so I was playing in a poker tournament over the weekend and somebody, oh yeah, somebody was trying to handicap. I was in it, there were some professional sports betters there. And two professional sports betters were arguing about which side of the game was sharper, one of the second round tournament games. And they're like, go ask Nick, you know, have him be the tiebreaker. And I just told him, I'm like, I'm the wrong fucking guy for this one. Like, what do you mean? Do you do this for a living?

I was like, I've not talked about either of these teams once all year. And they're like, you don't have to watch everything. I'm like, oh, no, I have to watch everything that I talk about. So I watch every NFL game that there is to watch. And I watch a ton of the NBA because I love it. And in the tournament, I watch the tournament. man, I watched the tournament. But if you're asking me, am I hanging out at home watching college basketball

regular season? I don't pretend to. I don't claim to the audience I do. The thing I have a problem with is folks who are not okay admitting that and pretend they did. Like nobody looks at me and they're like, oh, Nick is dialed into the NHL this year. No, I'm not. And I don't pretend to be. And so it is really funny that you, that you think this.

My take originated because I looked at guys who what in Vegas, professional sports gamblers. I'm like, overweight, no girlfriends, kind of a mess, not cool, and I don't want to do that. So this is a first cousin, and then I know we have to go. So I last week was on, this day before I came on your show, because I flew overnight. I was on a live poker stream for a high six poker game in Vegas. And I walked into Wild's office that next day.

He was like, here's what's great for you about those poker streams. I'm like, what's that? And he's like, against the world, He's like, you're not that cool. But at that table, you're the coolest fucking guy around. I've seen these.

I've seen you. He's like, he's like against, he goes, at that specific table, he's like, one guy looks like he didn't even look in the mirror. Another guy can't even talk to the table. He's like, you're just hanging out drinking your diamond chains are showing. He's like, you look really cool. He's like, but I see you every day. He's like, you're not really cool.

But in that environment, against those people, he's like, you're pretty cool. And I'm like, yeah, it's exactly right. Like, against the typical professional, people think the professional gambler life is glamorous. And it is for Phil Ivy, you know what I mean, and Nick Schollman and Billy Walters. But for everybody else, it's just grinding out 56%. Yeah, I always said, I knew a guy. Dave Koken passed away. He was a very sharp better and a big baseball better.

And in Vegas, I didn't know him well, but I knew Dave. And Dave, it was really really good at what he did. And he was a total grinder. Like, I mean, he just, but I always theorized if I was going to be a sports gambler, I would be a professional NFL gambler because you can bet the most and watch the least. And I never understood guys who say, I'm going to be a professional sports gambler. I'm going to do baseball. And I'm like, so you're giving up 150 days a year to your wife and good times.

Like to me, I would, in the NFL, they give you higher stakes. I mean, you can bet what's whatever. Yeah, right. Higher limits. Yes. You can bet more. I think it's harder to, I think, I think the reason for that is I think it's harder to beat. I think any market.

And also, they have a, they have a bigger well of money. so if they do get taken, eight million people bet it, and you can get taken for $100,000 bucks. And like, when I was in Vegas, they wouldn't allow you. They stopped letting you bet Ivy League football

because the eight guys that did all won. So they just said no more betting it. Yeah, no, there's the, it is, so I, there is a whole world. And this is something that I think is a really fascinating world

that people don't totally understand of how sharp in today's day and age, because gambling now is very different than previously, because it's legal basically everywhere, and you don't have to, so the life of the sharp, the true sharp better today is so fascinating because so much of it is using their reputation as the sharp better with Vegas to move the line.

So let me just give up, try to explain to the onto I'm talking about. So much of the life that the true professional gambler today is, there is a basketball game that I love if I could get five points. The underdog is, I love the underdog. I love the underdog at plus five, but they are currently at plus four and a half. So I, as a known sharp better, am going to, as me, walk in to a big Vegas sports book

and bet $100,000, if I can get it, on the favorite at minus four and a half, because they will look at me as a sharp better that likes the four and a half and say, oh, lines too low. We have to move it to five. I, the sharp better, only ever wanted it at five. And now I'm going to use all the people I have betting for me, who are square betters, to hammer it at five.

Like so much of the actual today's professional gambling is manipulated line movement, is like people moving the line for themselves. It's really for, again, I'm not talking about the people, for the people who just bet the way you and I do as, you know, as an entertainment thing or fun or whatever, it has no impact whatsoever. But for the folks who are betting the highest of stakes and a half point means the world,

they are moving lines, betting other sides. It is a fascinating. and, to your point, it is a time-consuming job. You know what I mean? It's like, oh, it moved here in this place. It's a really fascinating thing that I don't think it has been, there hasn't been the right, the exact right book or movie or whatever, long magazine article written to where people understand what all goes into it now that gambling has changed the way it's

changed. I'm not the guy to write the book, but I am the guy to watch it. happen. I'm fascinated by that stuff. Yeah, Chad Milman could write the book. And Lemb banker was a friend of mine, rest in peace. He was a sports gambler in Las Vegas. And I became pretty close with him. And one day, I went over to his house for about, I mean, literally like four hours. And he laid out, he laid out his bets that day and the numbers and the places he was calling. But he was a really charitable, really neat guy. But, you know, he, there's no question that he loved any information he could get. You know, he just listened to, he goes, I'd been broke, and then I kind of figured out the game.

And he had no problem going seven and six every weekend, you know, bet, you know, whatever it is, $5,000 a bet, and going $7 and six. And he just played the numbers, and that's $5,000, and boom. I mean, he just did not suffer losses badly. He just understood, I just need to be 57%. He was the one that sort of showed me that it's a volume play. If you bet consistently the same amount of money and you can hit 57%. 57% is unbelievable. You're going to make a bunch of money. And he had bad months and good months.

He went on a bad streak with me once. And then he went on a streak where he was 13 and 1 on the air, like literally 13 of 14 games in a row. So, yeah, no, you know, I always said one of the reasons I do Sharper Square is because I always felt I never wanted to try to pretend, even though I had a lot of people I knew in odds making. I knew Roxy Roxburgh at one point. Didn't know him well, but I knew him in Vegas, is that I always thought I was better as the mark. And then the audience, like, I do sharp and square. I'm the square, totally.

And this year, I was really square on Blazing Five. But I think I have kind of a beat on how to do it. But this year, by the way, Nick was the worst year I've ever had. and I think some of it was moving the kickoff that offenses, I took underdogs because I've always taken B quarterbacks and points. You were, you had a bad year because this was the year of the favorite. And you, like any, right, any, any long time NFL better knows, the sharp side usually is the underdog, like not always, but usually. And this was the absolute year of the favorite, which was why our judge. to your friend, the square is

Rube, I know, Danny Parkins, it's 65%. You're the favorite. Anybody is the guy who's picking favorites every week. The guy can't lose. I can't, he can't live He was red hot. Red hot. He's unbelievable. A guy could not lose. Makes me so much.

Has he always been that good at betting pro football? God, no. The best year of his life by a mile. They gave me a break. First year on TV, everyone thinks now he's got, he's the dude from he's Al Pacino from Show Me the Money

or whatever that movie is. Give me a break. This guy, I, so annoying. So annoying. Listen, I love him.

He's my best friend. I'm happy. I had no idea. I thought he was just a great NFL better. Listen, he'll tell you that's the truth and that I'm being unfair and that I'm just jealous. I'll let the audience, you know what,

the audience check back in in five years and see if he ever duplicate. what he just did. He had a great year. By the way, he didn't even create this this mythical championship competition until like week six. I know.

That's the other thing. That's what such bullshit. It's not like he was like, you know what? I'm new to the network. I'm challenging Nick and Colin. He gets a huge lead on you and me. And then all of a sudden he's wearing gold chains

and a throne and calling himself FS1's best handicapper. It's infuriate. Utterly infuriate it. He makes one good prediction and prediction. And the next week, he's opened up a palm reader business on the corner. It's unbelievable. Third and Maine. I mean, Parkins, get out of here.

All right, buddy. Good to see you. See you. The volume. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

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