The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Top 10 Quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels Sophomore Slump? Trade TJ Watt? Best College Football Programs

Episode Date: July 15, 2025

Colin Cowherd is joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out”! They start with Colin recapping his vacation and the contents of his golf bag (3:30) and discuss why they LOVE traveling to Lake Tahoe and why the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament is amazing to attend (9:00). They share stories about meeting professional athletes out in the real world and why there’s a relatable quality to NFL players (15:00).  They pivot to a recently released Top 10 quarterbacks list and Colin laud it for being one of most accurate top 10 lists they’ve seen (24:00), and debate whether defensive coordinators will catch up to Jayden Daniels in year 2 (28:15). They also tip their cap to Lions HC Dan Campbell for creating a winning culture after years of futility in Detroit (33:00) and give their takes on Bears GM Ryan Poles after he received a three year extension (37:30).  They entertain the idea of the Steelers trading TJ Watt and argue that trading for DK Metcalf makes far less sense (47:00). They discuss the lack of parity in the NFL between top and bottom teams and point to the increased importance of a quarterback paired with a great offensive coach in the past decade (56:00) . They break down the 5-6 premium positions that are must-haves for teams wanting to compete for a Super Bowl and why players at traditionally undervalued positions are making big money (1:02:00). They rank their top college football programs based on staff, NIL, recruiting and their five year outlook, and discuss why the huge injection of money is creating a system of haves and have nots (1:08:00). Finally, they preview the Open Championship and debate whether John Rahm can carry over his momentum from the LIV Tour and what to make of Rory McIlroy’s chances playing on his home turf (1:28:00).  (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #VolumeSee 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.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

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 ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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if it's sunny out, then your flight will not be delayed. But in the East Coast, the entire state, Rhode Island, can be perfect. But because of a lightning storm in Columbus, Ohio, or Dayton, it sets northeast travel on its ass. And so yesterday, after about five hours, I finally left the airport and rebook my flight. I rebooked three flights for today, Monday, so I could get back for Tuesday's show. One already got delayed two hours. I was on the one that didn't. So I'm here in Chicago.

I'm good. But I golfed. I had cocktails. I did four mile walks in the beach and lifted weights. What did you do, Middle Cough? Did you shoot 76? Six? I saw on Twitter. That was the goal. No. But I will say it's the best round of golf I've played in 10 years.

So I have a new driver, and I hit seven out of my last eight drives, Fairway, 250 plus. I felt great. Played the best golf I have in a long time. And what time clubs are in Collins back? Like, what brands are you? It's funny. Everybody makes fun. I got some tailor maids. but I only have a driver, a three wood, a five wood, a putter, 54 and 48 wedges, pitching wedge, 9, 8, 7, 6, that's it. That's all the clubs I have. I don't have any, that's it.

I don't have, you know, your two, your three, your four, five irons. I can't hit them. And so I probably need, like, what do they call those? Yeah, you need to do what Freddie Couples is doing and go with the high. hybrids and the rescues. He basically has hybrids and rescues to like seven iron. He's like, I'm old,

bad back, hit these great. They're the easiest club ever invented. I mean, the equipment in golf, when I was a kid and I learned how to play golf in the 90s, like football's always kind of been the same. Baseball,

they're using the same bats as Barry Bonds used, right? Maybe the weight's a little different. The equipment in golf, I would say unlike any sport that's on television, is the most dramatically different than it was. I mean, when Tiger came out,

But if you watch highlights in the mid to late 90s, him and Phil, they are playing clubs that just simply not only not exist. There's not enough money to pay Rory McElroy a guy like that to even entertain playing that. Which, in fairness, golf was really hard up until the last 15 years. You know, you had to be, to get decent, you had to be really good and took a lot of time. The equipment now has made the game much more enjoyable and much more playable because most people don't, aren't playing three, four times a week. So if you're playing once a week or in the summers, it's much easier to play because of the equipment. Yeah, I'm going to get a rescue seven and a rescue five. That's what everybody keeps saying.

You got to get a rescue seven club. But I played two of my favorite clubs in the country in Rhode Island. Rhode Island's an amazing state for people who haven't gone there. It's got two or three of my favorite towns in the country, beach towns, Newport, Watch Hill, Narragansett. It's just for a tiny state. Providence is a just got the best airport in the country, number one airport according to travel and leisure magazine. So it's just where I hang out in the summer.

Rhode Island is so much fun. I got to get you and your wife out there. You will, I'm telling you, you'll go there and you won't believe it. I tell West Coast people, you just got to go there for about a six-day stretch. I'm inviting a bunch of buddies out in August. And I said, just bring cigars. I'll take care of the rest. Have you ever been to Lake Tah?

many times love it yeah we we spent the last probably 10 days an incline which is the nevada side you know essentially it's the opposite end of where they just had the golf tournament which is also edgewood which is nevada yeah it's it's hard to beat i mean you just you can just sit on a lake have cocktails you know the the thing that it kind of brings you back to it's it's a small lake town now it's grown but it is the pace of life is a lot different than what i get when I was living in the Bay Area or now in Scottsdale. There are not many restaurants. Yeah, they just relax.

You sit on the water. Everyone is moving a little slower. The door dash, things like that do not exist. People get very, very uncomfortable about Airbnbs. I mean, that was something that really kind of took over and there's been a lot of pushback, which I do think there's a balance that I kind of agree with that kind of takes over the novelty of everything. But one thing you've seen with these quarterbacks and essentially, that golf tournament. I remember growing up, and it was like Wayne Gretzky, John L. Way. It has become so popular

that I saw Josh Allen and Charles both said that I know so many people that were denied, because it essentially has become an NFL event with Steph Curry being the headliner. And these guys, think about a lot of them. You know, Baker Mayfields from Texas went to Oklahoma, plays in Tampa. You had Mahomes, Texas guy plays. They come here for the Kelsey brothers, and they're like, this place is heaven on earth. I can bring my family. Oh, there's also gambling and boozing and hanging out. It's chill. And they go back every single year.

Charles has been back every single year for 35 years. Think about that. No, listen, I told my wife, you know, my wife's a designer. She's really clever. And we have a backyard. And I told her, I said, and I told my kids this one time we were skiing in Deer Valley. And I told my son Jackson, this is when people fly to Switzerland or Austria, it can't be much more beautiful than Deer Valley.

Utah on a sunny day where I can see the state where I'm 9,000 to 11,000 feet. And I feel that way. My wife, she has this pool in the back and I took a picture of it. And I said, if you set this to a friend, I showed it to her, what you did back here and said, we're in Tuscany right now. And, you know, like in a vineyard, you would have no idea the way the coloring it looks so Italian. And I said this before when I used to go to Lake Tahoe, maybe it's not Lake Como in Italy. maybe it doesn't have that many high-end hotels. But there are places when you're, there are times I have been in parts of Lake Tahoe.

It is as beautiful as North America gets. Canada's got some lakes too that are just stunning. We, the day before we left, we just rented some paddle boards, which is actually an underrated, difficult activity. If there are some wakes to stand up. So we basically just on our knees and going, and you go pretty far out and you just look at this lake. And we just sat there for hours and went,

It doesn't get. Now, I've been going there most of my life, but I got lucky I was born two hours away, right? If I had been born in Seattle or Texas, I wouldn't have known. I've been going there for so long because where I was in Davis, it's hour, 45-minute drive. And I grew up when I learned to ski, my first time ever skiing was at Squaw Valley, hosted the Olympics. Like you said, they're just, you know, veil. There might be some places in the world that are better.

Not that many. I mean, it's on the short list of Heavenly and Squaw Valley are about as good as it gets when it comes of skiing. And the dollar right now is so weak that European travels about 30% more expensive than you want it to be. And the flights are brutal. So I think sometimes, you know, people, I got the travel bug about 10 years ago, the European travel bug. And you do feel like, you know, if you're not doing it, you feel like, oh, am I missing out. And I love going and I went again this year with my son. But there are so, you know, I say this all the time to my wife is there are so many in this country that are just absolutely stunning.

And, I mean, I tell people, Newport, Rhode Island, man, there's some hotels there that are just on the water at Arondack chairs. It is, it's as good as anything in Europe. Do you, at this point in your career, because I really struggle with this, and obviously I'm at a way different time, but I can go, especially this time of year, there's nothing going on. But I go about four or five days, I feel like kind of obligated to record, you know, it's like I, I, I have to do, like I, are you pretty comfortable now going a couple weeks? I mean, this time of years unique, but this is my longest break. I do a 12 to 13 day break every year this time. I just finished it.

And then I'll take two more weeks off dead of summer. Fox is really cool about that. They understand. Nobody, you know, once Sean McVeigh stopped playing starters in the preseason, he killed the preseason. Yeah. It used to be August. I look forward to starters played week three.

Now you got three games. Nobody plays. It's a joke. I mean, I'm hoping Shadur Sanders has a good camp, so that can be a story. There's just nothing to talk about. And, by the way, because the NFL season's being extended, mid-February to mid-March used to be awful. Now it's not. Free agency in the NFL's exploded.

The seasons longer now. So there used to be a dead period after football that was like three weeks long to a month. Now it's maybe 10 days, take a vacation, go in the sun, come back. And it's great. The dead time for us is July and early August. There's about a five-week stretch. And by the way, you'll notice this for your local radio shows or other hosts. I mean, I don't follow them, but I saw where one of the hosts, I forget who, it was Dan Patrick took his show to Tahoe.

And I thought, oh, that's smart. Like, that's content. It's hard to get content. I think it kind of hit me this year. And that might be a plan next year. I mean, they're all there. One thing I saw Dan say, this is, the combine is a lot like this. everyone's in a good mood.

There's no pressure. And he said, unlike the Super Bowl, which I like, you know, one thing that's cool about what we do here is you understand the Super Bowl can be, it's not a great environment for content because everyone's selling something. They're in and out.

It's not great interviews despite the big names. But the Combine, everyone's in a good mood. And in that event, unlike the Combine, it's not just coaches, it's the athletes, but they're not, Baker Mayfield's not there because of state form, right? You know, Josh Allen is just there with his buddies hanging out. He'll give you 20 minutes to just talk some shop.

So I, it's a really, I'm telling you, that thing has become an NFL event. One theory I have, obviously the NFL is separated from a lot of different people. But when I was on your show, Patino had this comment. He's like 20, 30 years ago, college basketball, college football, the NFL and the NBA were close to being equals. When I was a kid, Michael Jordan was, I grew up in 49er territory. Michael Jordan was every bit as big as the 49ers dynasty. He was huge.

And this is Northern California. And even Petinos, like the separation's been huge. I do think there's a relatability to these players. Like you just, you turn on that event and it's chasing Kelsey, George Kittle, slamming beers with 25-year-old frat guys. And that, the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, they win the championship. Half of them had never drank a beer before. It's like, you know, it's hard for the consumer to quite relate.

I grew up on Michael Jordan. He drinks. Charles Barkley, been drinking for 40. There's just a relatable quality that I think football still really has. And I think it's on full display when some of their biggest stars. You know, the one guy kind of getting made fun of it. I'm sure you saw some of the clips was Rogers the way he was acting.

But everyone else is just hanging out with the people. It's a very accessible event. And basketball has almost become the NBA specifically like Hollywood actors or something. Like they're untouchable. You know, where football, George Kittle could just, you could just be playing poker with them at the Harris in Nevada. When I go to UFC fights in the summer, I will see George Kittle, Max Crosby, Christian McCaffrey, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrell.

And they come up to me because I never want to bother. When I see athletes, I never want to bother him. Max Crosby I'd go up to because Max and I are friends. And so, and I really love Max. and it's just his story's a totally redeemable human being. But most of these guys, I stay, you know, I don't want to bother him. They'll come up to you. They're in T-shirts.

McCaffrey is arguably after Walter Payton, the greatest running back in league history. He's got a T-shirt. Did I ever tell you my Christian McCaffrey story where he came up to me? It was a dark media room. UFC, he came up. I didn't recognize him. He had a cap on a T-shirt. And I'm like, hey, hey.

And was with me. They put his face on the screen, and the crowd goes nuts. She goes, you totally diss that guy. You have to go find him and apologize. I mean, she was on me. So I go back in and I see him. And I'm like, dude, I, there's a thousand people in here. You had your hat over.

He just, he thought it was, he was such a good sport. He just laughed. He thought, and I know his dad and pretty well. So, so, I mean, it was just, but to your point, I do think there's a relatability with football players. Also, NBA players, frankly, are physically, I mean, Aaron Donald doesn't look like any of your friends. Yeah. But you could take Teddy Bruske.

So great football player. Rodney Harrison. If you have a buddy that works out, they don't look that different than those guys. Football players do not look as big as half the guys in Gold's gym. They're athletes. They don't want to be so yoked up. They can't move. So an NBA guy, I remember years ago going to the SB, he's like 50.

years ago. And I'm sitting there at the time with Michelle Beatles on the stage. And Amari Stottamire walked in. I'm like, how did that guy get a tucks? I mean, you know, he's just physically, NBA players are just different. They're 7-1. I've never met anybody in my life that was over 6-8. You know, like in college, NBA guys are 7-1. They're long. They, I mean, they literally, there's like five stores in the country where they can shop for shoes. And so I do think, football players, kind of like if you went to Gold's Gym, and I've had guys come up to me at the gym over the course of my life. And he's like, yeah, I played four years for the Atlanta Falcons, bad knee. It's like, it was a corner. And I'm like, oh, where'd you go to school? Oh, Coastal Carolina.

It just, he's a dude at Gold's Gym, like nobody cares. So to your point, I do think there's a, there's a, there's a beer and brats quality to NFL guys. Big time. All right, folks, something special is about. to happen in the big easy UFC 318. I'll be watching. Coming in New Orleans, it is absolutely stacked. I'll tell you the UFC cards in the summer are good. Draft King's sports books, the official sports betting partner of the UFC, and they got all the action you want. We're talking Holloway versus Porriere 3, the trilogy. The BMF titles on the line. More than that, this is Dustin Porrier's last fight. That's it, final walk, one of the all-time greats. So you're taking

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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, 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, 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, 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. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

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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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, so I saw something. and I wanted to talk about this.

So ESB ended a survey of executives, coaches, scouts, and it came out their top 10 quarterbacks. And I was on the plane reading this today, and I thought, that's about as close is any top 10 quarterback list I've ever seen. It goes Mahomes, Allen Burrough, Lamar, Jaden, Stafford, Herbert, Gough. I've always thought Gough, because he's not dynamic, he's not fun to root for. The guy was a number one pick out of Cal. He got to a Super Bowl. I've seen him out dual Mojomes and big games. He's good.

Then they go Hertz 9 and Baker 10. And I thought people, when I say this, that's about as good a list as I've seen. People would say, oh, what about Baker? Well, I got Baker, if I did a list closer to 10 than 15 now. I think after last year, I think I kind of scratched down a list on the plane that I had had about like 12, but I'm not bothered at all that Baker. I think Baker and Donald are both in that. at 10-11-12 space.

I'm totally comfortable with both. I'd say Baker now is two straight years, and he has that second year in Cleveland, and just looking at him on the golf course, and it's been talked about he's definitely lost weight. He looks fantastic, and there is an element. There's a far-eat element,

if you remember when Dorsey took him number one overall, the intangible kind of the... I would say this, though, for what makes Jalen kind of unique, and the arguments over Jalen are such a waste of time, like he won, literally won the Super Bowl, Super Bowl MVP, and I looked at his contract. By the end of like 2007, he will have accumulated $200 million playing football on the field.

I'm sure he's making money. He won. We can argue till we're blue in the face. Once he won the Super Bowl, like he's got an element that golf, I mean, hell, Lamar, Josh Allen, some of these guys are still chasing. I think the top four, you know, Mahomes hasn't played as well in the regular season as those other three guys the last couple of years. But we have full faith in him and the biggest moments to get it done. The top four is just set.

If you want to argue Burroughs second, Josh Allen second, I don't care. But like Mahomes is one. Then you can argue the ranking of the next three. I think what makes Stafford unique, if all the teams were equal, like everyone have the same team. In a one game situation, in a month situation, he could outdole anyone and go to toe to toe with anybody. Or Jerry Goff, if I told you your offensive line had a lot of question marks, you would like a Jalen Hertz, even Baker more than golf. I mean, he can't move. Well, he's on the team with the best offensive line in the league. So it's, you know, he benefits from that. And that's where I think, you know,

J. and Daniels, I would have had C.J. Stroud as like the fifth or six best quarterback last year. And if you look, he's an honorable mention in that thing. Yeah. So I thought I may have C.J. Stroud 10 and Baker 11-ish that felt about right. I like Kyler. I still like Kyler Murray. So I'm in the minority here. I think he's elusive and I think he throws a great ball. but I think CJ's story kind of speaks to Jaden Daniels. I would say Jaden as a rookie, it's not apples to apples, but was better than C.J., just the eye test. You know, numbers, we could argue,

but just Jaden is about as good as it gets. But they did get to kind of fly under the radar most of the season until the playoffs. It's, you know, what makes Brady, Peyton, Tiger Woods, Aaron Judge, whoever, great players, is every single year, every single game, Aaron Donald for decade, everyone circled him all week long, and he still dominated. Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor. It's like, you know, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen have been keep a defensive coordinators up at night for a long time, and they still kick ass.

Same with Joe Burrell last year. Right. You know, Jaden Daniels, this is going to, everyone's going to take them seriously. It's why I got a lot of respect for Dan Campbell and the Lions. Like early on, it's like, okay, the last couple years, like everyone has been approaching them, like one of the best teams of the league, and they've answered the bell. Same with Jared. You know, we'll see Jaden Daniels like, no one is sleeping on you this year.

That's from the shittiest team to when you're playing the Packers, the Vikings. That's hard, you know? Well, even baseball figured it out with analytics is that they don't want a starter facing a batter for the third time, right? So you go through the order twice, and then by the time you're going to face. So what they're telling you, even starting pitchers, even ACEs, they want you out of there by the third time. Because a guy after a third groove on you gets a vibe. because a lot of pictures get better, Verlanderite and Wainwright, in their prime,

I thought Nolan Ryan was better fifth inning on. Can you imagine pulling Nolan out with a one-hitter in the sixth? You do a Robin Ventura on you. But the reality is, there is truth to what you're saying is, it is very hard in the middle of the marathon when you're on the treadmill to break down Jane Daniels

over the course of two days on a couch in an office sleeping. This is the solution. This is the kryptonite. When you give guys an offseeds and these defensive coordinators, they go through all the analytics and find out he doesn't see to his right as well as his left. He's more accurate. So I do think he was miraculous. But I'll also make this argument. If I told you, you combine Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, that's what I thought Jaden Daniels was.

I thought he was, I mean, Burrow to me is even better than Mahomes. If you told me a two-minute drill. a minute 50 left. No timeouts left. And protection is okay. I think Burroughs is good as anybody I've ever seen in the last 10 years. Now, Mahomes gets all the credit because Mahomes moves better. You give him Chase and Higgins.

Mahomes numbers look a lot different, right? You're right. That's fair. But I think Burroughs' ability on third down, third and seven, sitting upon little tiny weird windows, you're like, what in the hell? And I thought Jaden had that mixed with about 85% to 80% of Lamar Jackson. So I think, I thought Andrew Luck was the best rookie quarterback I've ever seen with bad teammates.

I thought Jaden surpassed him. He didn't make the mistakes of luck. So my take is even if he pulls back 15%, John, if you start looking at his third and fourth down numbers last year, fourth quarter numbers, they are Brady in his prime. I've been a lot of people, especially the Lamar defenders. if you just look at the number, you're like, how the hell do you have him fourth? But if you read the quotes, the executives and the coaches are very complimentary of Lamar. And I agree, his passing, the progress he's made from when he first won that MVP to the version, he's been in these last couple years in the rate.

He's an elite player now. And he's a fantastic passer, at least in the regular season. And he wasn't that second half of that Bill's game. It just, Mark Andrews had a couple drops. Jaden is already that immediately. Like he's a dominant passer immediately. Now, if you tell me he, this year he throws 38 touchdowns and 10 picks, I'd be like, he's just on the crash course to be one of the great players of all time.

I mean, if he just, because I thought that about CJ last year, it's like, God, he just games easy to him. And it gets hard. You know, offensive line wasn't quite as good. The offensive coordinator, that's the thing with Cliff. Seems like a great guy. And I know everyone in the league loves him, but I've seen his offense over the course of time get figured out a little bit. Now, I like Jaden more than I do, Kyler. and it feels like, you know, that version of Kyler that he dealt with,

the maturity was a major question mark, not a question mark with Jaden. But I do think it's difficult when everyone's gunning for you, like, you're an all pro immediately, you know, and it's just, that's not how they were treated last year on a weekly basis. And they are going to get the treatment. I think when you play the Washington commanders this year, you're not approaching the game that much different than when you're playing the Eagles. Like this is a 12-13 win team.

They plan on, they can win the Super Bowl, like fucking we are all in. You know, Belichick used to go on these long, like, diatribes when you play like a one and 11 Miami team. It's like Bill. Remember Julian got mad at me for the, it's like Julian. Not most people can't take these awful teams seriously, but Bill could. But everyone can. And this is what Bill, and Sabin was great at this too, is that they really can kind of convince you. You don't need to convince when you're playing the 10 and one Baltimore Ravens or when you're playing the peak Alabama team in your Georgia, right?

It's the team. You don't need a new Rockney speech. You're not going to need that when you're playing a one. Washington. And for the last decade, if you're a seventh-year player on the Cowboys or the Eagles, like, you kind of cruise through the Washington game. That's no longer the case now. Same thing with the Lions. And that's where I think Dan Campbell deserves a lot of credit with the way he's kind of, you know, he's a Harbaugh brother. I consider him the third Harbaugh brother, the way his intensity is his focus. I don't know you were hard on him, but I do think he's proven to be

pretty damn good, right? Yeah, no, I was wrong on Dan Campbell. I thought he was a bit of a beathead. My take was, and I was just like, I don't know if he's smart enough. The league's getting really smart, really clever offensively, and he's a little bit of a rah-rah guy. But you know what? It's so authentic. He is so passionate and it's so authentic. And I think the players can feel that authenticity and they buy into him. And I also think he has a great front office. And I mean, it's just, that's a front office that doesn't go for flash. I mean, prime example, a couple years ago, they get, you know, an inside lineback or a running back. They're getting the best. players available. This year, they went heavy on

interior offensive linemen. You know, it's got a Rams feel to it, and that's where he came from. Brad Holmes came from Los Angeles. That they just draft really good players. I mean, this year, you're like, do the Rams need another outside linebacker? They get a Michigan kid, and they're like,

he's great on tape. He's passionate. He plays hard. The Rams have, you know, no head cases. Detroit, similarly. Like, good guys. Like, all the Lions guys like Amaran St. Brown and Aiden Hutchison and Jared Gough and Penae Sewell. No A-holes. Like all really, really good guys. So there are people in this league. And I think Dan Campbell has benefited from that, a really good

GM, but he deserves credit. You know, I think in the NFL, you ask so much of players physically. This is why Mike Tomlin, his strength, Pete Carroll's strength. But Tomlin, Vrable, and Dan Campbell have a physicality. They look like they could play right today. is that you ask so much of, I mean, if you have a bad thumb, you take a series off in baseball. It's understood. If you have a bad calf, you take a road trip off in the NBA. It's understood. In the NFL, you play hurt.

And the coach is going to ask you to play hurt. And so when you ask athletes or men, I don't care if you're a fire chief or a police chief, you're putting people in harm's way. there is a certain personality, an alpha personality that works. You know, you can't ask, the fire chief can't ask all those guys to run into buildings. They got to believe, those firemen have to believe that guy deeply cares about them as human beings beyond just coworkers. And I think Dan Campbell sells that. I think it's authentic.

I think he loves his players. I think they feel it. I think McVeigh's got that quality too. And I think all the Harbaas do. They love their players. And listen, I'm not selling Washington because I think Dan Quinn has characteristics of that as well. Yeah. Of being a tough guy who's defensive linemen in college, defensive coordinator, tough guy.

But he's like a lovable tough guy. And that's very important. And I think he is, they're pretty lucky because I think it's going to be intense for them. But they have a coach who's been through the ringer, right? He's a guy that's been fired. He had to reinvent his career. Obviously, I mean, what he did last year spoke for it. You know, Dayball is a good example of like a couple years ago.

I'm like, this is the best coaching job I've ever seen. He won nine games. I think they got like three total good players. But he'd never been a head coach. And as time went on, it just kind of, you know, unraveled a little bit. And you don't have as much to lean on. Dan Quinn, once you've been a head coach and you've been fired, you've kind of seen it all, especially when you've had success and you've worked for the best in the business.

You know, you talk to anyone with the chiefs. There's no taking practices off. I mean, they're not winning these games late in the season. and all these playoff games close, because they have a bunch of guys that just chill Monday through, or Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in October, November, and then start practice. You are obligated to practice. I mean, it's a tough environment. No different with the Ravens, no different now with the chargers with the hardball.

Like you said, it is hard. I mean, you practice way more than you play. And these coaches, they will push you to the limit of what they are allowed to use with the pads. You know, the CBA doesn't allow them to have that many physical practice like they used to. The Harbaugh brothers, obviously Andy, Mike Tomlin, Pete Carroll Shirley, will push it to the limit when it comes to that. So I just think the same teams are winning. We talk about this all the time or winning over and over. I mean, look at the top quarterbacks there on the list.

They also benefit from playing. I mean, Burroughs somewhat of an outlier. Yeah. They all play with really well-run. I mean, Baker resurrected his career. You know, if you would have put Baker in like Arizona the last couple years, probably doesn't look. But he goes to Tampa, best GM in the league or one of them. a bunch of good players, high-level guys, and boom, resurrects his career.

He's matured, and same with Jared Gough. Jared Gough just talked about, you know, when he was traded, it really rattled him a couple years later. It's another big extension. And now he's, you know, I would say he's going to make five or six pro bowls in his time in the NFC or the Lions. Yeah, no, I think, were you surprised that Ryan Poles got a contract extension? I'm kind of mixed on Ryan Poles.

I think Ben Johnson now, and you and I've talked about this, the, coach makes twice to three times as much as the GM does. So the coach has a lot of say. And Ben Johnson, you know, you could tell with that interior lineman, Drew Dalman, Joe Tunney, Jonah Jackson, that's got Ben Johnson's fingerprints all over it. Because what you're also saying with those moves is, you didn't do a good enough job to last several years building this offensive line. I'm going to go on the market and pay for guys, especially interior offensive line. I'm going to go pay big money. I was a little surprised. I'm not anti-Rine Poles. I think He's been fine.

The Veles Jones, wide receiver pick. He could have called me. I could have told him that wasn't going to work a couple years ago. They only had four picks. He drafted a punter. I'm like, come on. You do that when you have 13 picks. Where are you on polls?

You know, Mike Lombardi used to talk a lot about this. In the front offices, unlike coaching, where you're truly judged wins and losses, or if you're a coordinator, you get along with the star linebacker or the star quarterback does your unit produce. As a GM, we see a lot of average guys survive for a long time because when the game is being played, the bears are unique. You're not necessarily, I know she just passed away, but the most important guy there is Kevin Warren, and he's close to Kevin Warren, and Kevin Warren likes him. That's an important relationship.

You know, we've seen a lot of GMs, I would say in all sports, but specifically football lasts longer than they should because the decision maker, whether that's the president, a lot of times it's the owner really likes the guy. and I think with coaches it's easier to get rid of them and get a new guy. Where with the GM, I think this is simply like he did a pretty good job of cultivating and extending a relationship with Kevin Warren that could have gone sour. He didn't get caught in that wake that was Iber Flus. Because let's face it, he blamed it all on him, which I'm not saying Iber Flus was a good head coach.

He was objectively awful, but it wasn't all his fault. I mean, the team was not built to play in Chicago from an offensive line standpoint. They built around wide receivers. I love Rome, but you should not have taken them at 9. You play in Chicago. You play in a tough division. You should have taken a lineman there. There were other options.

Look at the Jets. They took an offensive lineman there in that position, and the guy didn't even start. Right. So it's like you sometimes, in Ryan Poles, he was, I'm pretty sure, the left tackle for Matt Ryan at Boston College. It's not like he played wide receiver. So I think you got, you got to be a politician to survive.

It's no different than corporate America sometimes. because it's easy to see less need or Howie or, you know, Ozzie Newsom over the years. Brian Poles, like, what's his record? How many? He did orchestrate a trade with David Tepper that he benefited from, but I would also say that. We'll see how that ages because his job isn't just,

well, everyone just said, take Caleb Williams. I have people in the NFL that said, you know what? Because they go, Adam Peters last year, got crushed for bringing all five quarterbacks, not named Caleb Williams, into the facility at the same time. And he took him to play top goals. And they're like, don't you know?

He's like, no, I want to see all these guys in the same environment, get to know them, kind of really judge them. Ryan Poles only dealt with Caleb. Didn't even give Jayden Daniels, who had one of the great rookie seasons we've ever seen the time, but they didn't even bring them in on a 30 visit. So I just think it's part of relationships. People I know in Kansas City that work with him, love them. I thought when he got hired, if you remember, he made a comment like, I'm going to screw it up.

that verbated, this wasn't exactly what it was, but something like the Packers have been running this division, it's our time now, or it's, you know, their time is, it's like, what are you? You come from Andy Reed. They do not talk like that over in Kansas City, and they've been winning, and then obviously, he's been embarrassed since,

but listen, he's going to go as, they don't sign this contract if Ben Johnson doesn't sign off on this. Because if you remember, Tram bulky survived until he didn't, and then Liam Cohen wanted him out. So clearly he's done a good job of creating a relationship with Ben Johnson, which is important. But yeah, I mean, I think getting buddy-buddy with Kevin Warren over the last 12 plus months as Iber Fluse was on the hot seat was good foresight by Ryan and got a lot more money for the next four or five years.

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 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 did 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. Oh, 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, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose

on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed the 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 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 Slicelife 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

You know, another story that kind of developed. So I said this a year ago. I said Pittsburgh, you lead the NFL again in defensive spending and you're not paying T.J. Watt the big money yet. And that's why when they went and got Jalen Ramsey and let go of Minka Fitzpatrick, I'm like, how about just let go of Minka Fitzpatrick and not bring in a more expensive guy in the secondary who's past his prime, who bites on a lot of stuff, doesn't quite have the makeup speed, the makeup ability he did like four years ago. He's a bounce around the lead guy with a little bit of an attitude, a little bit of an independent contractor at times in the secondary. Jalen's doing his own thing. So now,

Now's stories are surfacing, and people said, how can you trade T.J. Watt? I'm like, it would be different if their money was all in offense. Like the Rams will pay Jaredverse in two years. They're going to pay them whatever they have to pay them. But they're going to keep drafting defense and keeping it cheap and paying the quarterback and the left tackle and Pooka and Naku and maybe Kairn Williams. I think a lot of the smart teams in the league, the chiefs have done this. They'll pay Chris Jones, but they're going to let corners go and safety's go and linebackers.

This is an offensive league. and you want your defense to be, you know, outside of a great pass rusher. So when I suggested it a year ago, I would consider, you know, he's now crossed that Rubicon, 30 years old plus for, you know, an edge rusher. I'd consider moving him. I got huge pushback. Now the stories are out there. And I don't think it's crazy if you could get two twos if by the trade deadline or

in the offseason. If you don't make the playoffs, Burrow, Lamar, you know, your thoughts on trading him, I don't think it's going to happen. But I don't think it's, I mean, like, things in this league, Belichick and Andy Reid were fired. Anybody can be fired in this league. Joe Montana ended up with the Chiefs, Brady and Tampa. You can move off anybody. What would you, what do you make a TJW? I agree with you big picture. I think the problem is, once they, make the move to trade for D.K. Meckaff with Aaron Rogers. They're kind of all in on this season. This year. Yeah. That's where

T.J. Watt kind of has them by the you know what. Because what are they going to do? He's not only their best player. As a couple people in the league pointed out, the problem with trading him, especially at this point in time right before training camp, is his leadership and what he brings the table in terms of that team.

Like he's the heartbeat. He's there, Max Crosby. He's just, I mean, he stands for everything that that franchise is. And I think think about this. They traded Mika Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey. So the Rams put it on Jalen Ramsey a couple years ago. And they also signed Darius Slay, who the Eagles just were like, yeah, it's ended here. So they got two guys who the two of the top organizations were like, yeah, these guys are old and trending in the wrong way.

And you take for Minka Fitzpatrick, who like T.J. Watt checks all the boxes, you know, from a intangible standpoint. The problem is safety is kind of the new running back. People don't value it as much. so they're going more in the corners. I don't think they have a choice with T.J. Watt. They almost, if I'm T.J., I do not show up until they capitulate to my demands, which is Miles Garrett, right, Max Croy. I want 100 million new dollars coming my way.

That's the going rate for people like me. But that's pretty questionable bit. I've supported the Bengals. It's like, you've got the 30, 31-year-old guy who wants to. Miles Garrett's an outlier. He's like a LeBron James physically. I would give an extension to an older player that's built like that. To me, T.J. Watt, T.

Trey Hendrickson, it's like, we have a long history of guys with their third contract. They've already been in the league, close to a decade. You get beat up. It's just you're not quite the same as you once were. Well, when you go from being a 10 out of 10 to like, well, he's like a 9.2 and then he's an 8.8, you can get to like that six or five mark pretty quick. It's a precipitous drop in football, unlike some of these other sports. It's almost like a baseball pitcher.

Like, you used to throw 95. Now he's throwing 92 and all of a sudden he's throwing 85. you're like, he's shot. Well, I remember Kurt, Kurt Schilling telling me, he would, at the end of his career, he goes, I got 12 fastballs. I got 12 mid-90s, and I'm going to use them, you know, against the three-hitter or a man on. And I think it's the same thing as for the older pass rushers. They know when the red light, it's go time.

But they're not giving you, I mean, it's just a different, but they're not giving you in week four against Carolina first quarter. It doesn't feel the same as it does against the three. Ravens in the fourth quarter overtime. To me, if you are going to entertain moving a guy like T.J. Watt, or if the Cowboys with Michael Parsons, you have to do it before the draft. Because I remember when Gruden

did it, he got off to such a shitty start because he traded Khalil Mack a week before the season. Those two first round picks that the Bears don't give you any help, those 16, 17 games. So it feels like what are we doing? So they are in a position where I don't think they have a choice. I think he's, you almost have to pay him.

And that's risky business, but I'd argue trading for D.K. Metcats. when your quarterback's about to be Aaron Rogers, who's going to play one more season, is not good. That to be is the craziest thing they've done this season. In what world are the Pittsburgh Steelers in the D.K. Metcalf market and giving him a third contract.

I thought that was, I get Aaron Rogers, they don't have any other choice. But the D.K. Metcalf, that's who you're going to give an enormous contract to. Think about this. Who had been battling injuries and had some personal foul issues with Pete Carroll. So they move off a high-maintenance sideline receiver with a big personality, and they acquire one. So it's like Omar Khan was kind of, I don't get a pattern. If you move off one, that's good. You can go get another receiver.

It wouldn't have been DK Metcalf. Then they move off a guy who's a little past his prime, good player, Minka Fitzpatrick, getting expensive. And then they bring another defensive back who's more expensive past his prime. So I don't see a plan. I feel like they're just making moves to make moves. He got an extension. He's fine. But I do feel like there's a lot of people in the Pittsburgh building.

They remind me a little bit of a better roster, but they feel a little bit like the Dallas Cowboys, where I think they need new eyes in the building. The Lakers just sold. All sorts of new eyes and opinions in the building. The Cowboys, to me and the Steelers, it's very insular. you know, they're, you know, I can respect the brand. I can respect Tomlin.

But when you lead the NFL as it's pivoted clearly to offense, if you lead the NFL for four straight years in defensive spending, that means Tomlin's not getting enough pushback in that building. You know, he's not getting enough nose in that building because you can't spend money like that and win Super Bowls in 2025. I do think there's actually some parallels the last couple years with the Lakers. to the Steelers, where when LeBron still had some juice, he was just living year to year, do whatever it takes,

and that can really bite you. For the first time, it felt like over the last 12 months, the Lakers like, LeBron, we're not doing crazy things with these late first round picks at the end of the decade. Like, I'm sorry. The Steelers, think about last year, it's like, well, we got to try to win. Russell, Wilson, Justin Fields,

we'll just do this little quarterback cocktail and see what works out. This year, it's like, Aaron Rogers, 41. It's like, this is not going to work out, guys. I mean, you know, the same thing. over and over. The problem we're doing it this way, at least with Kenny Pickett, you swing for the fences, it doesn't work out. People like, oh, we understand. If this gets ugly, it could get really ugly. I mean, what would you put the percentage chance that how many 41-year-olds don't get

hurt in NFL history? I would say it's a pretty small list. You know, Brady, if you're comparing Brady doubt, think about some of his contemporaries. Now, they had physical ailments, Breeze's shoulder, Rod, Rothsburger's shoulder, Peyton Manning that last year. Elway had to say, like, we're going to give you a month off. Remember it was like November. They're like, you just sit for a month. And Osweiler came in the year they won the Super Bowl. The difference with Rogers, his arm still works, but like he can't get away as fast.

All of a sudden you turn the corner and some dude on the Ravens breaks a bone and you're just out. Roll an ankle. Well, you used to, I wasn't going to miss a game because I was 30 years old. Now it's a little harder at 40. It's harder for older players in other positions, let alone the quarterback. It's the only time of the year in those 17 games when they can actually hit you. And one thing we noticed last year is he'd have to hit the ground because I'm not comfortable enough running away from these guys because I'm not as fast. And especially off this Achilles injury.

Well, you think he's going to be faster this year? No, he's a diminishing athlete. I just, if I was a betting man, are they more likely to have Rogers play 17 games and win 10 or 11? Or like by mid-season, it's like, I don't think Roger's going to make it through this season. It feels like that. if you just base on the history of sports, older guys usually get banged up. Yeah, I don't,

I just think what I, I kind of look at the league, especially the AFC, and the last two years, I've been pretty successful predicting the AFC. Just who are the best coaches? I mean, you give me Bow Nicks and you give me Sean Payton. Now the rookie season's done.

It's going to be a good football team. Led the NFL in Sacks last year, upgraded their defense. Denver's going to be a good team. I think he had a chance to be really, I think they got a chance to be really good. If Bo Nex takes a big step, I mean,

they have the top defense in the league. Why couldn't they win 12, 13 games? I feel, I think I talked about this too, John. Last year was the first time in my life that the NFL felt a little like the NBA where there were about eight teams at the bottom that could not compete. The bottom last year was big. And I think this is the result of 10 years of the ascension of importance for quarter.

and offensive players, is that there's one way to win in this league now. Mostly a really high-end coach, preferably on offense, and a really good quarterback with at least B-to-B plus protection, good solid protection. Those teams are winning their division. That's why the AFC is so easy to predict every year, because if Joe Burrell had prediction, they're one of the harder teams to predict because they have such cheap ownership, mediocre front office, and battle lines with Burroughs. So Cincinnati's always like, yeah, I know Burroughs great, but, you know, Hendrickson's a circus, the ownership.

But I think if you start looking around this league, the NBA's always had like eight teams that are unwatchable, like just can't compete. And I think Washington was getting to that. Like, I can't watch Washington play. Jaden Daniels, one player, forget Dan Quinn and Cliff Kingsbury. Jaden Daniels made them must watch television. It's like, wow. CJ Stroud Houston, nothing against Dimeco Ryan's. C.J. Stroud's like, oh, Houston's on.

All right, Tank Dell. Okay, now we got offensive guys. Laramie Tunzel at the time was there. Okay, let's go. And so I think the NFL, in my opinion, is getting easier to predict. Like, Dallas don't have a good enough coaching staff, don't have a good enough roster, two star quarterbacks in the division. Dallas is not a playoff team.

That's an easy one. I think one of the hardest teams in the league, you're convincing me is Green Bay, because I used to make fun of the Packers. I'm like, three years, I have more footage of the Loch Ness Monster than Jordan Love. They're hiding him. And then he comes out for about eight games. I'm like, holy shit, Jordan Love's got a whip. This kid's good.

And then last year he struggled, but I think a lot of it was injuries. Green Bay is one of the only teams in the league that if you told me they finished third or first, and there's, in Denver, I'm with you. I think Denver's, if they do finish third, they're a playoff team, but they could finish, they could win the division. I absolutely. Green Bay is one of the only teams I'm like, I like them, but I think the NFC over kind of a three-year when the quarterbacks were getting older, there's about a three-year window where Dallas

is winning more games that they would not have won in the AFC. I don't, I think the NFC has taken a couple leaps here in this past year. I don't know what to do of Green Bay, but everybody else. else I kind of have a vibe on. Yeah, I think their teams from like one to eight are better. Their quarterback situation, I mean, the stars play in the other conference. Now, if Jalen Hertz can back up that season, if golf can say healthy, if Purdy can have a good year, obviously Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, it's not like there's not star power

there. Can Sam Donald throw 35 touchdowns in Seattle? Matt Stafford still plays. So it's not like they actually lack, they just don't have, you know, what looks like to be four Hall of Famers in Stafford probably will end up getting in. he plays a couple more years. One thing that's changed dramatically, though, and this is an advantage to Green Bay,

and depending on the cycle of your team, it's like, I had a guy in the league tell me this probably a year ago. He's like, the players and the agents have a little more juice now because there's so much more money. It's not quite the NBA, but there's some middle ground.

It's not like what the, there used to be like one holdout every couple years, definitely in the 90s and maybe the early 2000s, and it would be a prominent Emmett Smith, you know, somewhat just a superstar. Now, like, half the league is like, three guys. They're like, I'm not showing up training camp. I'm like, Jowan Jennings. It's like, I'm making

seven and a half. I need like $25 million. And then obviously the Minka or the T.J. Watt, the Micah Parsons, like, there are guys, Trey Hendricks. The guys all over the league. The second round, I've even fallen the story on the second round picks. It's like they're all two guys.

There have been two of the, whatever, 32 have signed contracts. Those two got their contract fully guaranteed. No one else to sign. Because forever, it was like the first round picks, You know, the fifth year option is, we don't know if that's going to get picked up or not, but your first four years are guaranteed. Well, second rounders, like, you notice if a guy sucked within a couple years,

they were cut or traded or like, whatever, get rid of them. We're usually a first round pick, even if I don't pick up his fifth year option, more than likely he's going to play out those first four years on my team because I'm paying him. Where these agents now are like, well, you drafted me 40th overall. I want my entire contract guaranteed. And there's just so much, I mean, everyone's kind of anointing the NFL, how much money they're making, how much money. Well, the more you get that, like in any industry,

people got their hands in the cookie jar and want their money. So it's one thing. The stars want their money. The mid-tier guys want their money. The agents are all involved. It's going to be fascinating to watch. In basketball, they just kind of capitulated to like, if you're just an average star, here's $250 million.

Chad Homer, an average is like 15 and 8. He weighs like 130 pounds. They gave him $250 million. It's like, he couldn't have gotten 140? It's crazy. The NFL's always battle. back against that, right? They've always, even when you're Aaron Donald or Patrick Mahomes, like, you typically

have to, Lamar Jackson took about five years arguing for his money. It's kind of going the other way where it's like, T.J. Watson, what are you going to do? Play without me? I doubt you will. And he knows that, like, these teams have the money now. So it's, it's shifting a little bit. And I do think the next five years, as this money continues to flow, it's going to get uglier.

The Packers are a good example. They don't really have anyone that's arguing because they got no one to pay. The Niners got Juan Jennings who's two years ago he's like the fourth wide receiver He's like I'm not showing up until you either trade me or pay me It's like oh shit But he's not alone

I mean this happens all over the league now So I think sometimes when you have a situation Remember Chris Jones was it two years ago First game of the season he's sitting with those two agents That look like they were in Goodfellas He's just watching the game from the stands So it's like these players now There's so much money on the line

Well also John because there is one way to win now, mostly offensive coaches and a star quarterback. Well, that also has put a premium on, I mean, we always knew left tackles mattered, centers who call all the protections matter, and wide receivers mattered. But now because of the value of the quarterback, centers, left tackles, weapons, I mean, Sequin Barkley, I mean, everybody was. crying that running backs won't get paid. Well, if you have a young,

if you have a young quarterback, you need to have a running back. Like, you need a running back. So I think, I think what's, I think what's happened in football, it's been,

there's more winners and losers. Like, you're seeing a little bit of a reemergence of safetys and some of these young coaches like safeties. Linebackers is still, you know, I mean, but like Sean Payton's out off a serious injury,

give me Dre Greenlaw. So I think what's happening is, as, football doesn't have the analytics of basketball or baseball, nor is soccer. But I do think there are premium positions now. I think you have to be really good at about six spots. Coach, quarterback, left tackle, defensive interior or pass rusher, two weapons, not just one, and preferably somebody in that secondary that is a playmaker, somebody that you can lock on.

And as the money pours in, it feels like the previous CBA and the NBA were guys like LeBron made more. And then the bottom didn't make nearly as much as you thought they'd. I think what's happening with CBAs, I'm seeing this with networks. I'm seeing this with a lot of industries in tech. There's a wide gap in the NFL. And if you're in that have position that you help the quarterback or pursue the other team's quarterback, there's some NBA money now. coming forward. Well, if Juan Jennings asked me for advice, I'd go,

John, you are 80 catches away. So back-to-back years of being really productive, do hitting free agency. Because the Niners, it's not like they're going to, you know, look at guys when they hit free agency. They get 50% over what they should get. You might get $60, 70 million guaranteed because Jamar Chase and Ced Lam

and none of those type guys ever sniff free agency. You might be the apple of everyone's eye. You might be the best wide receiver. So you just got to make it to there. Look at Kirk Cousins. You know, so the other thing is offensive linemen, you know, guards, I used to think they were the most, when I worked in the NFL, like you can find a guard or center anywhere. Half the guards make like $20 million now because in fairness, most teams have a pretty good interior pass rusher. And like you said, it's right.

It went forever. It's like, well, we need a left tackle because we had to protect Joe Montana from Lawrence Taylor. Well, now it's like, well, who's going to block Jalen Carter? Because if you just throw some average guard or center, you're going to get the quarterback killed. look at Caleb Williams last year. Their interior offensive line, he had no shot, right? So it's like you have to have a good, it's why, you know, the haves and the have nuts.

Even Patrick Bohombs, they got lucky he can kind of, he has great instincts and can scramble away from trouble. But like, if you cannot block the inside at offensive line now, you are getting destroyed before it. Guards and centers were like, they were viewed to me as the most replaceable guy in the league and they are not anymore. Yeah.

So, I mean, it's, listen, we, camp start here. What's the date today? So we're doing this on the, what is it 13th? What is the date today? 14th. So Camp start next, is it officially? I think every team's a little, you know, a lot of teams have

rookies show up sometime this week and a lot of the veterans, typically early 20s. I always look at it by the end of July. Everyone will be on a field with pads on by probably the latest July 31st or August 1st. So we're still probably you know, two weeks away from actual football being played,

but we'll be an OTA version here in probably 10 days. But to me, that first day, every team is in pads. That's when you get real stuff going on and, you know, find out who can play. Because right now, half the league is pretty excited about fourth rounders, six rounders, third rounders, and then those pads come on. And that guy, you know, within a couple days,

like, ooh, we might need to trade for a backup tight end because this guy is a little overwhelmed. Yeah, it's, I am, it was funny when I was on vacation. I was, I did, I'd stay off my phone mostly, but I'd get the iPad and I'd, I'd do a lot of reading on vacation books, anything. I don't want to post. I don't want to, you know, I have no, I was on the phone one day for about 10 minutes and I'm like, I don't care about Bitcoin or the Epstein files. This is no place for me over the next 10 days. So I'm out.

But it's interesting that, you know, as I'm, you know, reading all this stuff on the NFL is that I used to feel I really did. I think there was a part in my career about six years ago. I felt like NFL season and waiting for NFL season. But I think there's two or three things in sports that have happened that I sat and watched. I mean, dude, did you ever think you would. care about the WNBA. Caitlin Clark was on last week, and I'm like, oh, the television, I want to watch her.

I'll be honest with you, I was just about done with college basketball, and it pulled me back in this year. But as I was reading all this stuff about, you know, the upcoming football season, I want to ask you a question about college football. We'll end it with this. So if I said using last five years as momentum, what is your high school recruiting base and your NIL commitment and what is your coaching staff like? So the four things.

What's your current productivity and momentum for five years? I'm going to give you five years. Your high school recruiting still has to be elite and your NIL commitment has to be big boy. Like that's what separates Oregon and Washington. Oregon's all in on it. Washington's reluctant. USC's all in. UCLA is limited and reluctant.

And the coaching staff. So I came up with my take on over the last five years. Now, Michigan's the hardest because I'm so much of it's Harbaugh. But I thought the top five programs in college football right now for the last five years and the direction they're going. Because Alabama is having NIL problems. And this Kalin DeBoer is a great coach, but they haven't felt the same. I'd say Ohio State 1, Georgia 2.

Texas 3, Oregon 4, Notre Dame 5, and then Michigan, Penn State. I don't quite know what to do with Michigan because it's all Jim Harbaugh. That was kind of my six or seven. So again, Ohio State, Georgia. I had Alabama, let's see, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, Bama. Then I had Michigan, Penn State. My first take is, oh, shit, I got more Big Ten teams than SEC teams, or three and three. So if I said to you, give me your top six or seven based on staff, NIL, high school recruiting, five-year momentum.

Where are you? Yeah, I think Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas have kind of separated. Like, if you just had to bet on those three programs over the next five years, you would feel really, really confident. I think Notre Dame, and maybe they've loosened up the academic requirements, can be very dependent. Like, is it a good couple years of high-level smart guys who are great players coming out? Because if it is, whoever's on top, Stanford, Notre Dame, Northwestern can take advantage of that little stretch. And Notre Dame, it feels like recruiting really well. So I think there's a chance they would be in that mix, too.

I think Texas has the greatest opportunity to, like, they could have, like, especially if Arch lives up to the hype, which I saw, I don't know if you saw, like, Roger's brother. said today that the hype train's out of control. And I would almost agree a little bit. It's, it's, it, we've, he's almost treated like LeBron was at St. Vincent's or Bryce Harper was in high school on the front of sports. This is really, really hard. Usually when you get the hype behind you, it's after you play, like Andrew Locke or Trevor Lawrence or Caleb, like you, you know, Baker Mayfield, like you've played

a season. Everyone's like this guy's incredible. And he's already treated like he's going to be the greatest, better than his uncle. And it's going to be hard, especially. that conference. But if he does live up to the height, they're going to be an unstoppable force because of the money behind them. I do think the one, you know, Oregon as well, right? They have a financial ability, I would say a recruiting advantage on the West Coast with some of

these, the Pac-12 splintering, you know, DeBoer leaving, you know, Jed's good, but DeBoer had proven to be pretty elite, a lot of pressure on Jed this year. USC's just had a weird couple years that Oregon's benefited from, obviously. You know, Baladi used to have to recruit against UCLA as well. And it's like, it wouldn't even be, if you went into a kid's home in LA, you're going to go to Oregon or UCLA. I mean,

the kid wouldn't even hesitate to be up playing at Oregon because it's just way better football program. I do think the SEC's fascinating how it's going to play out the LSUs, the Alabama's like financially, can they keep up at the level? I was watching something recently where he thought the firing of coaches,

which got really popular over the last decade because people would just, I buy this guy out for $30 million. Is that dead because of how much you're paying the players? Because I thought, like, hey, if Kailen DuBor just has a weird year and won like eight games, would he, his buyout $75 million. Well, Lincoln Riley. People ask me about Lincoln Riley. And I'm like, like, I've told people, I think they're going to win eight games this year.

They have one elite player. He's probably a top of the second round, mid-second round player, Kamari Ramsey, the safety from UCLA, really good player. He'll be probably a second round pick. Who's their quarterback? It's the only time in Lincoln Riley's career. I don't like their quarterback situation at all. The most talented kids are true freshman. He's not going to go in the Big Ten and spin it and be dominant.

And the kid that's starting, Lincoln likes him more than I do, the UNLV kid. I think he's a gamer, but his judgment, he just makes too many mistakes for me. And Lincoln doesn't like that. So, you know, I tell people, USC is doing a lot of things right, but you can't fire him. And you can't fire, like LSU, basically, Brian Kelly had to basically, say, I'll give you a salary. We have to start paying these. And for the record, Alabama's been public with it. They're asking fans to give 1,500. So where the NIL has changed college basketball is our system, our capitalistic system, trumps Europe. So we're, our universities are

buying Europe's best 16 and 17 and 18 year olds, right? Or 17 and 18 year olds. It's really hurt like the Spanish leagues. And in football, it's hurt the South. The Big Ten has massive universities, 40,000 students, 50,000, they become graduates. They run companies. They give money back to the school. It's much easier to tap into Ohio State's fan base or Michigan's fan base or Notre Dame's fan base and ask for $10,000, $30,000 from graduates. Now, Notre Dame's private. But a lot of these Big Ten schools are massive. SEC doesn't have as many of those. And so I think, what you're seeing the reality is, if everybody's allowed to pay, USC, Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State's got big time money. I think there's a reality as the SEC is looking

up at some of these numbers outside of Georgia and Texas, and they don't have the funds. Well, have you followed the Texas Tech Story, the former player that's the billionaire that's funding their program? They had the number two transfer portal class in this upcoming season. and everyone at the Big 12 media days, Kenny Dillingham, Diann was like, guys, this team is on paper the best team in the conference. I mean, I believe the word recruiting. I remember like when I was in college, Ed was huge with Pete at SC,

Tosh Lupoi, remember Tedford was, there were some big-time recruiter, Sabin had a couple. When he took over, Urban had a couple. And it was a big deal. You'd sit out of someone's home. You'd get to know the player. school coach, their parents, that doesn't exist anymore. Kids, there's no recruiters who pays you, right? I mean, Lane Kippen's been saying this for like three years. This is a black and white

business now. There's no, he likes me more than this next guy. If that guy's offering 400 grand and we're offering 150, I don't care that his mom likes me. He always goes. It's, it's very rare that we've seen like Ashen Gentie State of Boise State when even the coach was like, he turned down a lot of money to stay here. Those days are done. So when I see Texas Tech, And they have this billionaire. You know, if you told me Oklahoma State and T. Boone Pickens, who's passed away, it was 30 years ago. I'd be like that's a huge advantage to having T. Boone Pickens, Oklahoma State. But it changed.

He passed away. The Nike Dynasty and that operation is still operating, Phil's still around. If he passed away, I would just say you never know. Well, all you could do in the Phil Knight era was build the best facilities. Yeah. And those were impressive. But let me tell you something. Having a nice locker and having $25,000 in your pocket, what are you going to choose?

But here's the thing. And even, I mean, we're brown bagging kids. I mean, we're talking 20 grand, right? 30 grand. Now we're talking hundreds. I'm not even talking to the quarterbacks, which is clearly in the millions. Just a solid recruit might cost you several hundreds of thousands of dollars. I know someone who has a rental property in a college town that rented their house to a rotational defensive lineman for that division one football team.

And obviously, you see. their income. And he was like, this guy is making hundreds of thousands of dollars. This guy is not some lock draft pick. This is a rotational transfer portal guy that got paid several hundred thousand dollars. And a program that I would say is not giving away money. So when you're talking to Georgia's, the Ohio states, sometimes I think people think like they're not really 20, 30 million dollar payrolls.

No, guys, this is, I'm telling you, my scouting buddies say they go to these schools and their player parking lots are as nice, if not nicer, because some of these guys are, you don't even realize, and some of these Mercedes dealerships, then they're NFL teams. And they drive nicer cars and the coaches. You know, there's only a couple coaches on staff now that make more than if you have a star quarterback. So how do you handle that dynamic? The other thing is, and I think about this a lot, too, like the college football I grew up on, let's use Matt Leiner as an example, played at USC for five years.

Yeah. His relationships with his teammates, he lived in a small apartment, I'm sure, for several years. Even as they kind of grew in popularity, his lifestyle wasn't anything near like Caleb Williams. But his relationships with that team by their last couple years playing together, these guys have practiced together. They know each other. They know each other's family. They have a strong build or built relationship, right? Like Travis Kelsey, Chris Jones, Mahomes, these guys know each other really, really well.

Those days are done. Guys are moving left and right. You barely know. This is still football. in that game, when it's a tight game, and you're playing, you know, in a cold environment, if you're USC and you're playing at Penn State and it's November 1st, you're like, do you even know the guy next to you? That's part of football. And I think basketball is really shown this. Like basketball is a lot like football that way, where chemistry, cohesion matters.

And these guys jump around teams. It's like, it's hard to build that chemistry and that cohesion and that, you know, in a weird way, like love of the other guy. I'm fighting for this guy as much as the coach. So you just kind of never know. Now, like you said, Georgia, they have the best rosters, but I don't think you can just chalk one of those up. Like Ohio State got hot at the right time and they won it. But they folded against Michigan and they actually had a lot of guys coming back. So some of these teams, these transfer portal, like LSU, top transfer portal team. You convinced me if it all comes together, they win 12 games. It wouldn't be shocked if they won eight. I don't know. Yeah, I think the transfer portal, LSU, Colorado, and USC have used

it a lot, and all of them have lacked a certain chemistry in big spots. I think you have to have discretion. I still think you should be a 75 percent. I wouldn't go as dire as Clemson, which is like anti-portal, but I'd be like 75 percent recruiting. I think if you can bring in, again, you need a left guard. You need two, you know, you need the interior defensive tackle. I would look, I would try to find like five to six starters a year, but I don't want 10. I think that's easy to say though, but what if you don't have the best recruits and all of a sudden you look like we can get these three guys that are immediately better? And there's so much money on the line.

It's hard to say no at the transfer portal when you just see the ability to approve. I think for certain positions like quarterback or elite corner or like just elite interior defensive linemen. But I think, again, I think there's running backs and why. I mean, like USC should never pay wide receivers. I'm sorry. It's Southern California. I don't want you paying wide receivers.

Dude, you got there's 30 a year in Southern California. I don't want USC paying big money for safeties, linebackers, corners. There's just too much talent here. Quarterback, you're going to have to pay. But it's funny because I had a discussion with somebody at USC. And I said, you know, you're paying positions that you should never pay at USC. You should not pay for, now, if you need a sixth wide receiver from Boise State, you can't be paying wide receivers at USC. It would be, you know, to me, it's like paying for

running backs at Georgia. The state of Florida and Georgia, I mean, again, maybe you pay a little bit to if you need like a starter, but there are certain regions of the country that just produce certain players. And it's, so I don't know, I'm, I think you create this weird ecosystem. when you got nine guys driving bends. I don't know. I don't love, I'm not against players making a lot of money, but I think I've watched LSU and USC and Colorado really divide. Like the room is like, rich guy, not rich guy.

And to me it feels weird over the course of a season. Do you alienate players? Well, the other thing is what I've heard stories, you know, from my scouting buddies is like the star quarterback, think about it. there's a lot of star quarterbacks, but only a small percentage of them, we would consider really good players, live in this really expensive house a lot of times by themselves. So historically, everyone had roommates on the team.

Those days are kind of done because all these guys are so rich. It's like, why wouldn't I just rent a huge house by myself? I don't need to have any roommates. So that creates a divide of just the human element of these guys are 18, 19, 20 years old. There's resentment in the NFL. You don't think there's going to become resentment. It's like, wait, we're paying this guy this much. I've been on the program for three years.

He's making quadruple what I'm making, and I watch him in these games. He folds like a tent. So I think it is a really, really big challenge at college football to that dynamic of the wealth gap. When we talk about the wealth gap a lot in society, you talk about college football. I mean, all these guys, because the other thing is, if you're young, you're going to open your mouth and say what you're making, kind of show off. Sure. Everyone in that locker room knows who's making what. Yeah, and then like you can say, well, it exists in pro sports, but there's a hierarchy to it.

I think it's weird to just all of a sudden you have a receiver and you go buy a wide receiver from Louisville. And now he makes more than like your junior who had 82 catches last year. It's like, that's weird. That's a weird vibe in a locker room. That's why I think in the NFL, John, free agency, discretion is maybe the most, Chris Ballard said this before. Don't go shop in the first two days. That's expensive.

Wait to the third, the fourth day, seek value. I think you create weird dynamics on a college campus. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. 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 us. 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? of 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, 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source.

The athlete. themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come Cross. When Jacob met Levan this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from

entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, finally, John Rom finished second Spain, the live golf tour. Now we go to the British Open. What's your vibe going into it? Well, it's Rory's hometown.

So it's, you know, I'm so fired up. Yeah, it's, you know, he played well last week at the Scottish Open. To me, though, I think Roy or John Rom is winning this tournament. John Rom, you know, last year, obviously he made the transition to live. You know, I think it was a tough transition for him. I think this year he's really gained his footing. he easily could have won the PGA. He was essentially tied for the lead with Scotty,

and he kind of fell apart the last couple holes. But it was like, this is the John Rom who has won the U.S. Open and won the Masters. He's got a lot of momentum. Obviously, Spain's a home game for him. But I think John Ron – I mean, this tournament is always unique, right? It's on early in the morning. The weather, it's 50-mile-hour wins. It's rain.

It's just, you know, in the history of golf, the best players have won this tournament. And it's one on John Rom's resume. Like I think when it's all said and done, if you tell me, Scotty Schaffler and John Rom are the two guys of this era after Rory that win the Grand Slam, mean win every major. Like, I can see that. And, you know, Scotty has not played well across the pond.

A lot more variables, right? Wind. It's not a Bryson event either. You know, scientific, you got wind. He can't, he can't. The greens are a little slower. You got rain. The ball's a little weird.

You know, Rom is one of those guys that would have succeeded in the 60s. in the 90s right now. He could play in any era. I think Rom, you could argue, I think Rory is, right? He's not technically the betting favorite, Scott, he is. But if I had to handicap this, I would have John Rom right there with Rory.

I'm going to bet on John Rom this week for sure. Well, and as money has increased over the last, you know, since Tiger Woods, you know, people are kind of mystified what's going on with Rory McElroy, but he was on a hunting mission for Augusta for 15 years. He got it. And I think there was a wake.

I think there was just this wake of emotion. And he kind of acknowledged it. It's hard to get up and spend three hours in the sun in the late spring in the summer, grinding at golf. You win Augusta, you want time off. I think this from the Augusta win until this week playing on his home course overseas, I think everything else in between that is a blur. I think at this point in his career, it's big game hunting. He is going for the biggest, and I think you're allowed to do that.

I mean, and then you add that when guys took the money for Liv, which I always respected, I was like, hey, you know, I got no problem with guys doing that. The PGA doesn't run the Masters, it doesn't run the U.S. Open, it doesn't run the British. I'm not loyal to the PGA. I'm loyal to golfers. I'm loyal to Brooks Kepka or Phil Mickelson or Rory McElroy. And my take is the finances of golf from Thai. to the Lived Tour of changed.

And guys are making choices. It's like stars don't want to play in the Pro Bowl in the NFL. Stars make choices. You don't find Christian Pulisic doesn't want to play in the Gold Cup. LeBron doesn't want to play in the Fiebo World Cup. That's the reality of sports now in the last 10 to 15 years. And I think, you know, Rom is a good example. Over the last couple of years, Scotty had this tiger-like season.

Rory now wins the masters. He's anointed as like, you know, one of the great players of all time. and it was like Rom got lost in the shuffle a couple years ago. It was like, this guy's the chubby Sevi-Balesteros. This guy's going to win a bunch of majors. He's going to be, and then he kind of didn't have a great major season two years ago. This year already back-to-back top tens in the U.S. open in the PGA.

And to me, he, you know, international players, a Rider Cup guy, used to play and, I mean, grew up, did not grow up in the States. I think those, sometimes those guys have an advantage of, we get spoiled over here. I mean, all golf courses, you were just playing at a golf course. I'm sure it was well kept. You know, Scotty, Scotty's over there at the Scottish Open complaining about the green speeds. Like, yeah, Scotty, their grass isn't perfect over here. It's 50 degrees, 10 months a year.

This isn't Dallas, Texas, perfectly manicured Bermuda. You know, so those guys typically, to me, are a little more. It's what made Tiger pretty special. You could put them anywhere. You can put him in the greatest course, greatest manicured course, Augusta. You could throw him in Asia, and he'd be ready to kick ass and take names. A lot of people thought that Rom had that kind of edge to him. And listen, go to live, threw them off a little bit.

I think he's coming. I think it's him and Rory this week. I like those two guys a lot. I can't wait. It's going to be. I thought that Sunday at Augusta with Rory was a top 10. I mean, that's how strongly I felt. That was a top 10 TV moment for me.

If you could, if you could, you know, and by the way, Tiger, Rocco Mediate, US Open also qualifies. Hard to be. But there have been two or three iconic. I'd say the Faldo melt or the Norman meltdown. Norman Meltdown. Vanderveld late 90s meltdown British Open, but he wasn't a famous guy, which is such a historic.

I would say Tigers 2019, you know, that long stretch he had winning that was pretty cool. But I would say the Rory moment, the buildup, I would say the golf splintering, right? So he and he became such a famous guy

versus this kind of crew. But I think that these majors now feel, they feel amped up, right? They feel on a different... They've always been big. More iconic. But I think this thing is going to be really, really big this week.

Especially, for the most part, we have had huge names win recently, right? Rourys, the Bryson's, right, Scotty's, Rom. Like, this isn't the little engine that could ain't coming around anymore. So it's, I would expect the big boys. And, like, I think, I think,

Rom 12 to 1, when you're talking Scotty and Roy are both 6, 7 to 1. I mean, it's a pretty good value. All right, John Middlkoff, former NFL scout, three-and-outs his podcast. We chopped it up for an hour. Good stuff, buddy. Thanks, Colin. 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. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. You know, tired and sick, tired and sick. 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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was crying. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis keep coming to you. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Turn someday into right now with Buddy by Jake Radio. Nonstop workout music and expert tips 24-7. Hey, head over to iHeart.com. Search Body by Jake Radio and stream it for free right now. Awesome health and wellness tips 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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