The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Wild Card Predictions, NFL Coaching Openings, Sean Payton Was RIGHT, Notre Dame’s Advantage, College Football Playoff Semifinals

Episode Date: January 7, 2025

Colin’s joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the final week of the NFL season! They start with the firing of several NFL head coaches and debate which opening would be most attractive (4:00), break down why the Chicago Bears opening is NOT a good job (7:15) and explain why ownership is one of the most important factors for creating a successful franchise (15:30).  They look ahead and preview the wild card matchups between the Chargers/Texans (25:15) and the Ravens/Steelers (27:00) and they offer up a huge potential move the Steelers could make to shake things up (29:30). They predict a tough trip to Buffalo for the Broncos but Colin explains why even a first round exit is a HUGE success for the Broncos and Sean Payton (31:15). Colin explains why the Eagles are his favorite bet of the week over the Packers but John offers one big reason for caution (35:45). They dissect the upcoming matchup between the Rams and Vikings and Colin points to a big matchup problem the Vikings present for the Rams (41:00). They pivot to college football and preview the upcoming game between Notre Dame and Penn State and they identify a couple huge advantages for Notre Dame that could lead to years of sustained success (49:00). Finally, they break down Texas vs. Ohio State and debate whether Steve Sarkisian or Ryan Day faces more pressure to win (59:00).  (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume #Herd  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Our Week 18 reaction is presented by Uber Eats. Get Game Day deals all season long on Uber Eats. All right. We're doing a Monday afternoon, Monday night version. This past weekend was pretty choppy, and I went to Chicago to hang out with Anne and family. so I let John Middlkew, former NFL scout, take over the control.

So instead we'll do a late Monday afternoon podcast. We got a lot of stuff to talk about. There's coaches getting fired left and right, Gerard Mayo out in New England, Doug Peterson. You know, it's weird about these coaching ejections. Like Doug Peterson in Philadelphia, with a strong foundational owner and general manager, had some real success. And then you put him with Trent Bolkey and the content. family and in a shakier franchise and he takes the fall. You know, it doesn't matter if it's, I mean, Tom Coughlin, I guess, is the last coach

that consistently won there. You know, of all these openings right now, I mean, we know we've got, you know, we've got the Jets and the Saints and the Bears, we've got the Jags in New England. Is there one that's attractive to you? If you, if you were in the market to be a coach, is there one John that's attractive to you? Is there one John that's attractive to you? Well, I've got to start by saying happy birthday. Happy 50th.

Thanks. Yeah, there you go, buddy. I would say the Jags would be last on that list. I mean, that is the place where, let's face it, careers for coaches go to die. Yeah. And the Trampalkey situation, you know, for a guy that started at Bemidji State in the Dakotis, he's a pretty good politician. I mean, he's run through a lot of coaches in his career.

And that connection, you know, part of me, in a front office, you get an unfair advantage during the game when the coach is on the sideline with the players, you're usually sitting next to the owner and a Diet Coke talking crap about what their decisions. I think easily New England when you factor in the quarterback and the longevity of the history they've proven with Bill of, you know, just letting a guy run it. Now, they said Elliot Wolfe, who I don't know personally, I've met him a couple times over the years. I mean, at one point in time, he looked like the future Packer GM.

But they said he's going to stay. So if Vrable or whoever is interested in that job, do I have to work with this guy? Is he technically not the GM? He's just the head of personnel. It's a little clunky. All these jobs are pretty clunky, Colin. And I think one consistent theme we saw, these owners don't want to, you know, ideally they don't want to go on a search. Because on these searches with coaches and GMs, they're speaking Chinese while the owner speaking Spanish.

it's easy for them to hire business people. Why they speak the same language? The coach is coming in talking offensive and defensive scheme. It'd be hard for me to follow, let alone these guys. So I think when you saw John Mara, Jim Ursay, Stephen Ross, they just wanted no part of it. I really think New England just so desperate for Mike Vrable, which I totally understand, is why Gerard Mayo. They put out a statement of, I would guess, easily over 1,000 words, like five minutes after the game.

I don't write that. I mean, that thing was written on Saturday, Colin. Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I agree with you. I think the Patriots is the best gig. You know, Chicago's so political. All the Chicago teams right now are struggling. The White Sox are historically bad. The Wiltz family with Blackhawks, they've got a billion-dollar business beyond the hockey team. But, you know, Reinsdorf, the Bulls situation, the Bears, the McCaskies. It's not a city, despite being, you know, third largest American city. It's not a city with rich owners. It's got sort of older owners where the team is the primary business. How do you grade, how do you grade the bears as a job? I mean, there's obviously some upside, but I consider this. And maybe this is something coaches don't think about, but Jesus, the Packers win, the Lions have everything in place. The Vikings have always been a pretty solid, well-run organization with what is

the hot young coach in the NFL. Do you consider that? Do you consider or do you just go get the coach, the coach doesn't think about it? I mean, Harbaugh saying, I want to take on Andy Reid, but the truth is Denver and the Raiders are kind of been wobbly franchises for most of the last, seven, eight years. Is, are the bears a good, is that a good job? I think it's a terrible job. And I think it all gets back to ownership. You know, I think it's different, but Mike Shanahan once upon a time took over the Redskins and you just don't overcome an owner. And I think that's a consistent theme. Listen, whatever shot con seems like a nice guy, whatever's going on there with leadership's bad. The bears have now a pretty consistent history of, you know, it's a mom. I've had friends that have

worked there. They discussed it being a mom and pop shop. And that was a knock on the charges for a long time. What did they do? They built a $300 million. practice facility. They break the bank for Jim Harbaugh. Obviously, they kind of luck into Herbert, and it changes their franchise. But they had to start spending serious money. And I fully expect a random guy to be the head coach of the Bears. If I had to guess right now, it'd be like the Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator. Because that's typically when you just look at the history. And up until Jim Harbaugh was hired with the Chargers, that was kind of there. You know, Brandon Staley, Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn. I just think anytime you get Kevin Warren and you

get Ryan Poles and you get a lot of people, who do I answer to? That's tough to overcome. I mean, the same teams, Colin, basically win all the time, all the time. Let me tell them to Pittsburgh Steelers, but they went, I mean, if I was Ben Johnson, do you know what I'd be hoping? Pittsburgh Steelers get blown out. Maybe Mike Tomlin, we trade them. I'd want to go there. You know, I would not, Chicago's a place where guys go to get fire really quickly. I mean, so we've seen the same thing over and over. let me list the top of the NFL draft. Tell me if you've heard this before.

Titans, Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Jets, Panthers, Saints, Bears. I mean, it's just like, and increasingly the Giants, it's the same teams every year. And I've argued this forever, that it's the ownership. That's what it is. You can blame the players, the coach, and the GM, but it's overwhelmingly upstairs. You know, a prime example is there's only one great quarter. that didn't make the playoffs Joe Burrell. That's it.

All the other great quarterbacks made it. The Brown family is arguably the most frugal in the league. Their front office is considered dysfunctional. Nothing against the GM, but they don't make any moves. They're the opposite of the Philadelphia Eagles. They make no moves. They do nothing clever. Yeah, they just, they don't do anything.

They have their seven picks. They take their picks. And it's just, it's one of those things where, you know, generally, John, there's seven new playoff teams a year, this year, four. And three of those four got new quarterbacks. I think as the season is extended and quarterbacks are more valuable, it's easier to pick the NFL. I pick six of the eight divisions right. And the two I missed on came down to the last couple weeks. Like, I've said this multiple times, raising kids, the days are long, the years fly by. In the NFL, picking the winners each week is hard, but predicting the season is getting easier.

And I just, I start looking around at these teams, the only way out from this abyss for Tennessee and Cleveland, New England, Jacksonville is the quarterback. I mean, to me, that feels like the only way out. Totally. Look at Cincinnati is a good example. Today, Zach Taylor fired the defensive coordinator. Who, like, a couple years ago, everyone's like, he's one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.

Well, what happened? They started letting guys walk. What has Joe Burrow been hammering home in his press conferences? You can't make a living letting good players walk out of the building. Who would not have let them walk? The Eagles, the Niners. When you get really good impact players, you let them walk. Jesse Bates walks right out.

Their secondary was atrocious these last couple of years. And I think it's really hard to overcome that. And they got, they've even, Joe Burroughs forced the ownership to get a little more aggressive than they're typically used to. And it feels like he's pressing their hand. Like, I want T. Higgins and Jamar Chase. and he's probably still going to lose out on that argument. But I hear you. I think that that number is going to,

the day and age of like this constant huge turnover is dead. Because we also see like these young quarterbacks, it's easier now to play quarterback than ever. It's definitely less physical. Like you can be a lot smaller than you could 20 years ago because you don't get hit as hard. But it is still very, very challenging. And I think when you add the extra pressures from the outside,

mentally can really break you, and we see that happen a lot. But I think we see consistent teams, like, maybe the Steelers, if they ever make a big change, a quarterback or coach, could take a step back for a year or two. But like what other teams, when you look at the playoff picture, do you see having big swings moving forward? Look at Tampa. Tampa's just a well-run organization now.

Jason Light just knows what he's doing. And Todd Bowles is solid, not easy replacing Bruce Ariens, but he's a solid coach. And they got the quarterback right, Baker Mayfield. Baker's a really good player right now, Colin. Yeah, yeah. No, I covered the Buccaneers when I worked down there. The Glazer family was non-meddling.

Jason Light was one of the best scouts in pro football for years. Now he's the GM. They've always had good players. Brady hands it off to Baker Mayfield, good quarterback play. And Todd Bowles is not, you know, he's not popular. You know, he's on that sideline. He's very quiet. Doesn't have much to say.

But you always know you get an excellent effort from him. I mean, that team went into L.A. and destroyed the chargers. I mean, moved the ball up and down the field on the number one defense in the league. So, again, what I think you and I are getting at is I don't think you're going to, I don't think you're going to see these annual changes in the NFL. I think what we have here is if you have a good young quarterback, I think Mahomes and Allen and Lamar and Herbert, I think Jared Doff still is in his prime. I don't think these teams are going anywhere.

I think they're just going to consistently win year after year. that's why the Colts are a good example. Jim Mersey, sticking with the guys. I love that. But what are they going to do with that quarterback, they drafted him fourth overall? He's just not going to be good enough. One, he's not accurate. Two, he can't stay healthy. Like, I mean, he has legitimate health concerns. You're just screwed. And you actually get the benefit in for the doubt if you're indie because they're division stinks. But they're still, how could anyone pick that? I kind of liked him this year because I bet maybe Anthony Richon becomes a good player. Shane Steichen. It turns out I was wrong. And now you definitely

can't bet on it from a health standpoint. And I don't know if you saw the visual of Jim Mersey getting carted out. He looked like weakened to Bernie's. You know, he could barely, I mean, he's in bad shape. So, and he's, you know, looks like he's 90, 65 years old. So that organization, that's one that was good for a long time. Like, I'm just betting against moving forward until they figure out their quarterback situation that they have it in almost a decade now. Yeah, I've talked about this. I think the one advantage to, there's a couple of things going on in the NFL. If you don't have a great quarterback,

and there's about six great quarterbacks at any one time in the league. There's a lot of really, Liam Cohen's a great example. Kevin O'Connell's another great example. There are more smart offensive coaches than the league's ever had, which can take a C quarterback

and make him a B quarterback. There's a lot of that. So that's the upside. Secondly, there's more good quarterbacks. John, if you go back to the 2018 class, where now Darnold, Baker, Josh, and Lamar all had career years. That is, from 2018 until this past draft class, we've had three different classes that give you four-star quarterbacks.

So, I mean, it used to be the Elway Marino class we talked about for 30 years. And now it's like about every other draft, every third draft, you get four or five guys that can play. I mean, this draft isn't considered a strong one, Cam Ward and Shadour Sanders, but Riley Leonard, McCord out of Syracuse, I think, will end up being, I think he'll end up being like a third round quarterback that sticks in the league for a long time. Kyle McCord is, and I just think we're getting to a point. The good news is there's better quarterback coaching.

You're getting a more consistent three or four first round quarterbacks that can play. But it is pretty clear. There is a certain group of owners that are either Erse kind of debilitating. you know, they're in a bad state of affairs physically. McCaskies, they're old a little bit out of touch, or they're Jerry Jones where they have some sense of football knowledge they probably don't possess. So I tell people this all the time. If I'm ever, you know, going out with friends and they ask me about my business, everybody

likes the NFL. And I always say, there's seven great owners, seven great coaches, seven great coordinators, seven great quarterbacks. I mean, it's, you know, like Spags is unbelievable. I think Aaron, Glenn, and Ben John. are unbelievable. Kingsbury as a coordinator is unbelievable. There is a finite number of great. Jesse Mentor, I think right now is great. Harbaugh is. Just look at the teams right now, John, how many of them have all three? I mean, the Chargers now have great coach, great coordinator, great

quarterback. Chiefs have that. Lions have that. You know, there's not many. There's about five franchises that have everything dialed up. The coach, the quarterback, and one great coordinator. And I think what it's doing, it's dividing the league. It's becoming more NBA, where you have a very strong top, a small middle, and a really soft weak bottom. Yeah, I mean, totally. I mean, if you had to pick the NFC championship and AFC championship right now, you would go Chiefs, Bills are the Ravens. And last year was Chiefs first the Ravens. And if you had to pick the NFC, obviously the 49ers missed, but you would pick the Lions,

they have the number one seed, and they just have to win one game to get there. and you'd probably pick the Eagles, who last year imploded, but the previous year were in the Super Bowl. So it's like the same teams. When I went to the Combine last year for the first time in a couple years, and listen, I'm lucky.

I got hired by Andy Reed, so I just knew, you know, the Chiefs guys, the Eagles guys, know the Niners guys. You just kind of start seeing the emblems and the way people carry themselves and the way they operate.

And it was so evident at the Combine. And that was before free agency and the draft. It's a 10-team league. Look at what the, what the Ravens got going right now. I mean, they've been good for what, this entire century? Yeah. The best, the most competitive foe they have, even though they miss the playoffs,

is the Bengals because of the quarterback, but it's really hard to overcome that organizational frugal mindset at the end of the day. The Steelers in theory should be, but they're a, I bet it's a 10-point, you know, spread by the time that game kicks off. They have no quarterback help insight. And the offense, for whatever reason, feels like it's getting worse. by the year. And then the Browns, like, I think everyone thinks highly as Defansky and Andrew Perry, but you can't overcome that owner. He gave the guy $230 million.

And they're just complete. And today, I don't know if you saw the news, he, now, I don't know, this is no one's fault, but he re-hurt his Achilles. Like that thing is just the Russell Wilson, we've seen some, Carson Went, some of these big contracts, those don't hold a candle to the financial disasters that the Browns have. And what do you do? Right? They're drafting second. So it's like, okay, let's say you take Cam Ward or Shador Sanders. You cannot have Deshaun Watson there around that. So you just cut them and take a, you know, a historic hit. You probably have to.

And that's what the Ravens have to deal with. Meanwhile, they'll just, at worst, they'll be in the second round in a tight game against the bills. And at best, maybe this is their year. They're in the Super Bowl. But they don't even have to worry about that for instance. Meanwhile, the AFC West is a good example. Obviously, the Raiders have a lot of question marks. But Andy's really got to try.

He's got Harbaugh and Sean Peyton, you know, coming after him. two guys that know what they're doing that have been around the block and obviously now have have quarterbacks. I think Sean Payton, I saw a headline from our guy Mike Silver that said like, you can't do this to the quarterback and thank God we got one and figured it out. And they're just going to be a problem moving forward. NFL playoffs? We're talking about NFL playoffs. You bet we are. Get in on the action at Draft King's Sportsbook. An official sports betting partner of the NFL scoring touchdowns is a key to winning in the NFL playoffs and the key to you scoring big is betting on him at Draft Kings, the number one place to bet touchdowns. If you're ready,

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and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over, age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction, Void in Ontario. Bonus, bets expire, 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkng.com slash audio. Hey, it's us, the 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 it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there.

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

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podcasts. So let's look at, um, The Chargers are two and a half point favorites at the Texans. My lean is the Chargers pass rush will give what's been a really shaky Texans O-line trouble. I would probably lean Chargers there. I think the Texans have been a hard team to figure out, have not been consistent in big games. I don't think this year, I think the regression of C.J. Stroud is mostly a protection issue. The Chargers come in with a much better defense. I'd lean L.A.

What would you lean? I would too, but, you know, their issue have been up the middle. You know, obviously the Chargers' dominant pass rush is on the edges. Last year, everyone picked the Browns. Now, the Texans were playing better football. And remember, the Texans kicked their ass. Now, Jim Harbaugh is a different animal than Flacco and Herbert. But that's one.

I think everyone's going to pick the Chargers. I could, listen, the Chargers is playing a lot of ugly games. I could see that thing being weird. That'd be a game that I, you know, looking at the early slate, I'm probably going to stay away because I think every, I think all the money is going to come into the Chargers and then all of a sudden it's a tie game in the third quarter. Plus just road playoff games are difficult to win.

So it's just, we saw last year they won a road play or they won a home playoff game. It's a huge advantage even for the shitty team that's the fourth seed to host that game. I mean, that's to me and the Texans are clearly comfortable playing Saturday afternoon. That's, I think they played like eight. eat the last 10 years in that spot. It's time to look at this weekend's tastiest matchup in this week's Monday night food ball brought to you by Uber Eats.

There's two games I feel strongly about. One of them is Ravens minus 10 at home against the Steelers. I think the Steelers, their organizational superiority, they beat some Raiders and jets earlier in the season, but down the stretches, they just can't score.

They can't move the ball consistently. I like the Ravens to just, I think if they played 10 times, the Ravens, this current makeup of both teams, I would take the Ravens to win eight of them. You have any different feeling about that? Totally agree. I mean, how could anyone pick the Steelers right now? They have, what an awful month.

I mean, they got boat racing that 11-day stretch, and then even on was the Saturday night. They were down 19 to 7 going in the fourth quarter. Yep. Against the historically bad defense. As this weather's gotten bad, he's looked a little different. Now, it's not all his fault. George Pickens, you know, they've hit on Antonio Browns and the Plaxcos and the you know, Emmanuel Sanders.

They've hit on a lot of wide receivers over the years. It feels like they were hoping this guy would be that. And it feels like he's melting a little bit under that pressure of being the number one guy. How do they keep going with what they're doing? I mean, just another one and done. I mean, Colin, they're a double-digit underdog against their bitter division rival. It's not even close. Every Steeler team looks the same to me.

They're just a slight variation on the previous team. Last year they won 10 games. This year they won 10 games. So again, I think structurally, foundationally, they're so well run. They always have good defense. There's no chaos. It's a consistent organization. And since, let's be honest, since 12 teams in the league aren't, they just win those games. But when you get to the upper crust, I mean, they're a 10-win team. Nobody in their right mind thinks they have even, they could get several. breaks and they wouldn't even get to the conference championship. So it's, to me, Mike Tomlin, who would be a superstar on TV, I think he would knock it

out of the park. I'm, you know, I always say this, the Steelers and the Packers, two small market teams, one 30 years ago said, we're going to be about offense. Coaches, quarterbacks, we're going to draft defense in the first round, but we're going to be about drafting and developing offense, and we're never going to have battle lines. The Steelers, since Chuck Noel have decided, were mostly going to be about defense. Even when they had Big Ben, they were a physical tough team. Like, he was a physical tough quarterback.

And they both have, like, you know, a lot of Super Bowls. But doesn't it feel over like, doesn't it feel since Big Ben got out of his prime about like eight years ago, 10 years ago? They don't beat good teams. When is the last Steeler playoff win over a star quarterback? I mean, I can't think of one in a decade. Well, they haven't won a playoff game since it's 2016. It's 2025. To me, the fix is pretty easy.

Mike Tomlin, I've been, I said this last year. It looked kind of foolish halfway through the year, but it's come back to prove right. That it's just time. Like Mike Tomlin, he'd be awesome on TV. All these openings would die to have Mike Tomlin. Why not go to the Bears? Trade him to the Bears. Unlike some of these other situations that got weird, you don't need to give a first round pick.

It's not like the Bears would have to get there. maybe a two and a three or somehow staggered over the course of a couple years. Mike Tomlin gets a fresh start. He gets a young quarterback. And the Steelers can use their infrastructure of their organization. Go hire Ben Johnson and be equipped to handle him, get his idea with a quarterback, change the offense. Because this league, you said it forever about Belichick, the league changed.

And it's no longer about super tough. Obviously, you've got to have good defense. But like if that's your number one goal, like you're probably not going to win many Super Bowls. Hell, they can't win a playoff game. They can't win a playoff game. And now, at one point in time, they were 10 and 3. And now Wildcard weekend, they're a 10-point underdog. Against the Ravens that they know better than anybody.

That was this week's Monday Night Foodball brought to you by Uber Eats. As the official on-demand delivery partner of the NFL, I use it very often. Every weekend, Uber Eats' best game day deals all season long. Order now for game day. I do think it's a tough spot for the Broncos. I think their defense keeps them in it against the bill. bills. Usually if it's harsh weather, it helps the underdog because it muddies the game for everybody. But I do think the bills win by about 10 points. I could see 28, 20, 30, 20. Do you see it

differently? Yeah, it's hard to see a rookie quarterback, long trip at Buffalo. I kind of, I like Buffalo handling them pretty well. This is a tough spot. This is raging success, right? How about this? I want to throw something at you. So I, Sean Payton's a friend. And, you know, one of the reasons in corporate America, it's hard to get a lot of stuff done because you have, you know, the HR person here and there's certain things you can't say. But in pro football, you know, you can call out another employee and be caustic and abrasive. And, you know, that's why in the NFL, it's just a different ballgame. And so Sean Payton comes in. He never once says Russell Wilson and I are the future. Very early, it's like, this office is embarrassing. You can't have a personal. office. He can't figure out the plays. He can't read a defense. I mean, he goes after him. There's never a moment. The whole experience is uncomfortable. It's all discomfort. You couldn't do that in corporate America. You'd have to let somebody go, buy him out. You couldn't say the things he said. You get sued. You get sued. One of the things that's great

about the NFL, and the reason you can turn around companies like the Chargers and the Broncos overnight is because you can be harsh and punitive and intense and caustic, and people were giving, Sean Pate, Aaron Rogers was pushing back on the Nat Hackett comment, Sean Payton was right on effing everything. He was right on everything. Is that Bo Nix is better than Russell Wilson, and Nat Hackett did not know what he was doing. And it's why the NFL works. It's, the tech's got a little bit of a feel like this. You can just rip another, you know, it's competitive. You just go after people. And the NFL allows you to be incredibly harsh, blunt, and hurtful.

But you can't turn around a corporation being precious and completely thoughtful. You've got to get certain people out of the building. And as I go into this game, if the Chargers, if the Broncos don't win, my takeaway is this has been any team losing in the first round, Washington and Denver, you'd have to tip your cat and say, say, guys, well done. Fantastic year. While Dan and Sean have definitely different personalities, don't those two organizations parallel themselves? They got, I mean, Denver had a famous historic Hall of Fame level owner, but was obviously really sick. His daughters were running. It was in shambles. They were in a bad spot. And Washington has one of the worst owners we've ever seen in pro sports.

They both get fresh ownership with lots of money. And they went out, what is the first thing that Washington does. They hire Adam Peters, who'd been the best GM prospect in five years and says, here, you run it. What did the Walton family do? After attempting the Rogers thing, it fails, wasn't all their fault, like they kind of came in. Sean Payton here is $90, 100 million. You do it. And what else do you need? Open checkbook. Look at the two franchises. And obviously both draft young quarterbacks that are equipped to handle that. Why? Because Adam Peters has worked for Belichick, Elway and John Lynch and Dan Quinn has a lot of experience. Sean Payton's been doing this for 25, 30 years. And both of them are the by far the best two spots for the guy to go into.

Look at Pennix. I like Pennix more than most of my scouting buddies. He goes to Atlanta, kind of a shit show. It's like you got cousins. Even though Cousins a great guy, it's just a weird spot for a young quarterback. A ton of pressure. It's like everyone, Atlanta's going to win. Then Cousin starts falling apart. Then they insert him in late on a prayer, which is unfilful. he gets none of the reps, and then they end up missing the playoffs. Now they win eight games. And hell, the last game of the season, Bryce Young looks better than Pennix. It's like, that's just not a way to operate.

And some of these people have no clue what they're doing. And then you watch Washington and you watch Denver. It's like, these people just know what they're doing. This league's hard enough. It's got to be one of the most competitive industries in America. I mean, it's a short list. So it's hard enough, even if you know what you're doing, but to put yourself in a situation when you know what you're doing

has such an advantage over all these teams that just feel like they're kind of peeing in the wind. Okay. My favorite bet of the weekend is the Eagles minus four and a half against Green Bay. Jordan loves hurt. Christian Watson's out. I think, and I like Jordan Love a lot. I think his inconsistency is why Matt Lefleur in this offseason went and got Josh Jacobs. I think they were signaling, you know, it was a little bit of a bat signal.

It was, we're going to be a power run team that I don't think Jordan Love should be throwing it 36 times a game. I think it should be closer to 28 times a game. And I think they're very effective. But I think teams tell you what they think of their quarterbacks. And Matt LaFleur was telling you that Jordan can be erratic and a bit reckless. He's always been more far than Aaron Rogers. I think this is a tough spot for him. I think Watson takes the lid off the defense.

I think losing him makes it easier for this team to be defended. and I like Philadelphia kind of rolling Green Bay. Did you see the headline that Jalen Hertz is still on Concussion Protocol? I mean, we're 15, 20 days removed from that concussion. That to me is a little concerning. Now, could the Eagles at home if they had to, and we still got six, seven days from recording this to when they play. But you've got to start Kenny Pickett or Tanner McKee.

Like, I'm sorry, you can lose a playoff game. But like you said, the Packers have not looked that good down the stretch at all. and Christian Watson, I think they became very dependent on him last year because he looked like this budding superstar injuries and then it looks like he's got a torn ACL. It sucks to lose him, but maybe big picture this offseason,

they can kind of pivot, find another guy to fill that role. If Jalen Hertz, though, like this, we talk about this in the NFL, it's very coach and quarterback dependent. If your quarterback can't play in a game and you got to go to a backup, you could lose the Packers at home.

So that is something if he clears tomorrow or the next day, feel fine. But that's something, remember a couple years ago? Was it Carson Wentz, got a concussion in a playoff game? You just, these playoffs, somehow Mahomes has like ankles,

like he's LeBron James. It can go the other way. You know, 10 minutes later, he's back on the field. But sometimes in these playoff games, your heart drops when the quarterback gets injured in hell. I would imagine Philadelphia, because the concussion protocol,

unlike some other injuries, is a little out of your control. It's something that just, You know, that's just, I don't know. Now, their roster's so good. I mean, they could just run the ball and just overwhelm you. I thought Jalen Hertz about three weeks ago played the best game I've seen him play as a pro. I don't know where statistically it was.

When Jalen Hertz is running and he's rolling and he's got the pass run option, I think they're so hard to defend because the offensive line in Barclay, they could just play football in between the tackles and never run outside. And then when they add that component and then it's A.J. Brown over the top, I, I know. everybody likes Kansas City to win another Super Bowl, but when Philadelphia is healthy and when the lions are healthy, those rosters just look better than everybody. And that Philadelphia offense, again, they could just be a between the tackle, power offense, and be very effective. When everything's working, I think the drop off from Jalen Hertz to backups is substantial. Now, again, it depends on who you're playing, but we'll keep our eye on that. I would say this. I would say health. There's five teams that can win the Super Bowl.

Lions, Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens, Bills. Yes. I have a hard time seeing the ramps have just kind of looked. I don't even count the last game, but have not played well down the stretch. The bucks, I just don't think have enough on the personnel standpoint. And our guy, Sam, Arnold, came back to Earth a little bit the other night. And now for our next segment, Whiskey Business, brought to you by Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Colin Cowherd podcast. If you want to enjoy life's simple pleasures,

reach for Green River Whiskey. Whether it's rye whiskey, single barrel bourbon, you're getting over a century of craftsmanship packed into every bottle. Hop on over to Greenriverwiskey.com and discover legend in a bottle today. Buck's commanders I don't have a strong feel for. I want to go to Rams hosting Minnesota.

So I like the Minnesota matchup because I think people now are selling because it was such a standalone game and had so many viewers that people saw Darnold and everybody is selling Darnold stock. When I thought it was like it felt like a playoff game, it was a precursor. It was like the reason that restaurants have soft openings is you're not quite ready for the speed of the big opening. And I don't think Sam was quite ready for at Detroit, biggest game in five decades, a better

roster, a big pass rush. I think Minnesota, the Rams have really struggled. to put consistent hams of football together offensively, they're very Puka, Nakuwa dependent. Cooper Cup now is more of a blocker. We've talked about this. If they can't engineer a running game to start, they just become, it's Stafford and Puka.

That's pretty much it. I think the Vikings bounce back. I think their receiving core is a real problem for the Rams secondary. Rams will draft a quarterback second or third pick. They'll take a corner number one. You have a strong feeling about that game? Yeah, I mean, I would lean, you know, I think the Rams, Donald started seeing ghosts a little bit the other night.

Now, granted, they were blitzed them every single play, but it really got to them. And the Rams have better personnel than what the Lions were just rolling out, still pretty injured, at least up front. And if you can get pressure on Sam, here's a thing, their left tackle towards ACL a while back. So they still have some question marks up front. Now, Sam, why we were so high on him,

he was moving around and making plays. If he can shake that and be a goldfish and forget about that game and get back to what he's been most of the season, I'm with you. I like Minnesota. But if any of that lingers, is there a player right now in the NFL which is more on the line? It felt like in this game and last game? I mean, we're talking $150 million. And you play another game like that. All of a sudden, it's like, yeah, maybe we'll franchise you.

I think that's the best part about the NFL, how fluid it is, how fast it moves. Yeah. They do have, at the end of the day, they do have this other quarterback sitting there. whether we think it's crazy or not. Like, he does exist on their roster. And I would imagine most people would say J.J. McCarthy might be the number one pick in this draft. We've said it about Drake May, but he definitely would be a top five pick of this draft.

We'll see how it plays out. So if you have another game where you're just looking atrocious and overthrowing guys, like that's how fast things change, especially when I don't have any equity with you. We saw it with cousins. He had no equity. He just showed up. Not saying they really like Sam, clearly.

But you lose a game that gets me the number one seed, then you lose a playoff game in the first round. We all know these guys. I mean, we saw how fast Sean McVeigh turned on Jared Gough, and they had been working together for years. So this league, this league, when you're talking, especially about the amount of money you're talking at the quarterback position, it can be pretty cutthroat if you don't produce.

So I feel like everyone's going to kind of over lean Minnesota. That was a one-off. I don't know. I think Sean McVeigh, what usually plays in the playoffs? coaching. I would take Sean over Kevin O'Connell, even though I like Kevin O'Connell. And I just think that they've been there, done that. You know, there's a lot of pressure on Sam going home, Monday night football.

That's a pretty intense environment, Colin. Yeah, I mean, I thought last night Sam was overwhelmed. I thought he missed on two potential touchdowns. He was high, a lot of energy, a lot of juice. And it kind of overwhelmed him. You know, I defended him today. I said, you know, listen, last year, week 18, he was starting for the Niners.

Like he went from bust to starting for the Niners to the biggest game in the history of Detroit Lions football in my adult life. So I like Minnesota, but you're not the first person. Jason McIntyre really likes the Rams this week. 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 us. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty wide. range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special.

So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. 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 Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Dave. 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. 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 athletes 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 Slical Life 12 in 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 present.

of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin, this went 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I want to talk about Notre Dame versus Penn State

and Ohio State versus Texas. So Ohio State, Texas will probably get the bigger rating because of Buckeyes, Longhorns. But I was thinking about this the other day, is that Notre Dame, I think Marcus Freeman was on my show, and I'm not sure if he said it then or in the preamble before he was on my show, they haven't lost anybody to the transfer portal.

And I was thinking about this, John. The advantage Notre Dame has on the rest of the country in this transfer portal. So they have a young A-plus-plus recruiter and Marcus Freeman. In these days, that really helps. A lot of these Brian Kelly's, I was talking to a coach about Brian Kelly. I said, what's wrong with LSU? And the coach said, Brian Kelly was about ready to retire in Notre Dame.

He took that job for the money. He doesn't want to put the time in. Their recruiting's gone down. Brian is on the back nine. He's probably on the 17th hole. He thought he could go down there and make it work and win a natty. But the truth is, he was worn out at Notre Dame. And then somebody threw him a pile of money that he never thought he would make.

But one of the things about this time, the transfer portal of the NIL, old guys like Sabin, or in basketball, even easier in basketball, Jay Wright, older guy, it's just, it's too much. Jim Laranaga, the coach, the Miami Hurricanes basketball coach, like, it's overwhelming. So if you have a young coach, a Ryan Day, a Marcus Freeman, you have a young coach with a ton of energy, huge advantage. Secondly, Notre Dame doesn't lose guys to the portal because the players that go to Notre Dame are going there for the academic experience and the football experience. So it is the one football power in the country beyond Stanford and Northwestern that consistently has bigger revenue, has a better TV package, and historically has paid more for coaches.

And I look at Notre Dame in Penn State, and I think this could be a really interesting 10-year run for Notre Dame. If you watch the SEC this year, John, it was very clear. They just didn't look as dominant. I mean, it's Notre Dame matched up with Georgia. And I mean, to me, Ohio State looks like. the most talented team in the country. And Michigan was the best team last year. And if Ohio State wins this year or Notre Dame, it's back-to-back northern teams winning. And the advantage Notre Dame has is they may be the one team in the Transfer Portal era. Because what is the transfer portal creating,

John? Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly know this. Chemistry issues. These guys don't grow up together. It's just got old miss. We'll go by eight great players, 12 great players. If Notre Dame beats Penn State, I've been thinking about this, they may have a cultural edge on the rest of college football, that they do recruit elite players, but they don't. You'll be able to have a more formidable cohesion and chemistry with your roster on an annual basis. Well, one thing Notre Dame, a huge advantage they have, and we had a good family friend growing up who was a very successful businessman who had played at Notre Dame in the 60s. and they get these golf tournaments together all over the country because they're not all their people, you know,

like a Stanford or a USC go work, New York, LA, Florida. They have a lot of money behind that program. You know, when Greg Byrne at Alabama comes out with a tweet, begging fans for money, you know who's not going to have to do that?

Notre Dame. So at the end of the day, I think NIL is kind of a stupid, like that term feels a little outdated. You're just, you're just buying the player. I'm paying them a salary to play for me. And if Notre Dame,

True, and Marcus Freeman, you win a couple of playoffs games, all of a sudden people are going to like that, they will not have a problem cutting huge checks. I mean, I see it here with Kenny Dillingham on the local news begging for money.

It's hard. I can't even imagine being in that situation. Marcus Freeman will never have to beg for checks as long as he's winning. And I think that is a huge advantage. I think we see it with some of these southern teams. That is a disadvantage for Alabama. That is a disadvantage for L. you. It's not, you know, Texas, Texas A&M, not a disadvantage because they have huge,

huge Arkansas, sneaky, not a disadvantage. They don't have the great coach. I think Notre Dame, if they can figure out how to balance the academic requirements, but Northwestern's down, Stanford's down, who are they really competing against for that top, you know, Andrew Luck, David DeCastro, there are only so many of them. Well, they got the market cornered. And to me, financially, they have an unlimited. Part of the reason I think Stanford hired Andrew Luck, obviously he kind of missed it and wanted the juice. But when Andrew Luck calls a guy worth $100 million as the Stanford alum, that guy will call him back.

You know, if Troy Taylor, the football coach had called him, he might not. And I think Marcus Freeman now with the momentum going and people start getting the taste, I think they've already had the success where their budget is going to be as high as anyone, because they have the funds. I mean, it's impossible to not work in business or be around. You're in Los Angeles. How many Notre Dame people do you hear of that just have unlimited? amount of money and want to be part of the program.

That university, if you went there, means a lot to these people. And I think the one thing that they will always fight against is it is hard to get certain positions in there. Like, they never really have great wide receivers, right? Or top 10 corners. Sometimes academically you've got to push, and that's something the more success Marcus Freeman has, he can push back. But I think they have looked defensively where Brian Kelly had good teams.

this team looks much more like an SEC Ohio State, Texas speedwatch. Like, holy shit. When I watched Notre Dame Georgia and I watched Notre Dame's corners, they were not getting beat down the field. I felt like Notre Dame, you could switch jerseys. I couldn't tell. I thought Notre Dame looked great. And I do think, you know, they're called collectives. I think kind of the issue you're finding with this stuff is that there's a chemistry problem.

So you bring in players, they get paid, and then guys that are already there. don't get paid as much. And I think Notre Dame's edge is, you don't go to Notre Dame to get a paycheck. You go for a legacy. I mean, that's one of the reasons Duke basketball and Mike Shishowski beat John Calipari in Kentucky. And Kalapari, so predictably,

through a hissy fit, is that, you know, it was this one-and-done culture. And then Shishvsky started selling, we're not about one-and-done. You're a blue devil for life. This is more than basketball. And they started taking some of those top players from Calipari.

And Calipari is like, hey, you know, this thing about selling for life. And it's like, John, you're a salesman. And when John Paul Calipari started saying, hey, I'm not here to win in March. It's like, bro, it's over. Like, yes, you're hired. But the point is, Duke, like Notre Dame, sold. You're a duke for life. Our business connections for life will set you up.

Kentucky's not going to sell that. LSU probably doesn't have that, but Notre Dame and Duke do. Well, think about this. I saw someone tweet, I don't know the exact number is like the amount of former NFL players kids that are at Notre Dame. Now, some of them like Bryant Young played at Notre Dame,

his son Bryce, who I would bet on number 30, the 6'7 pass rusher who's a backup right now, who's a true freshman, being a future top 10 pick in a couple years. But if you're a former player and these guys now, guys that are 50, 55 years old, a lot of their children are blue chip recruits.

If you play in the NFL long enough, you see how cutthroat it can be, how fast everything can end. You actually have a different perspective of just funnel them to the best college. You know, for football. Well, I want to go the best. It was a huge point of difference for Stanford for a long time. We can take you to the NFL, but we can also send you to Wall Street or Silicon Valley, where you can probably end up making more money.

So I think Notre Dame has that double edge. You know, I think Ohio State and Michigan have always kind of had that. because they've had, you know, it's a really, really good school. And obviously they take football really seriously. But I think Marcus Freeman, the recruiting standpoint, they feel just much faster than they did under the Brian Kelly. And now you watch Brian Kelly. Totally agree.

At LSU, you're like, maybe he doesn't have a great feel. Like one thing Sabin was the lead at, he could just identify a guy, future top 10 pick. I mean, he was the best at it. And I think Kirby clearly followed Sabin from that, and they're great at that. But mostly, like Ohio State at this point in time, kind of recruits itself, and they can get anyone they want in this school. Whatever Marcus Freeman's figuring out, that speed they had on defense against Georgia is like, these are mere images of each other.

Yes. And that's where Brian Kelly used to get overwhelmed. Remember the speed and the physicality? It's like, yeah, just a different level of pace. I also think the SEC has had the best and the most NFL bodies for 20 years. I think more than any conference in college football, they're getting rated. And as you pointed out earlier, SEC teams do not have many times the level. of boosters. I mean, I think the biggest Alabama booster, I could be wrong, is like Bear Bryant's son.

I mean, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, they just have certain Penn State have certain advantages. So I think when I watched SEC football this year, it just did not look as dominant. And I thought Notre Dame's defense and Ohio State's offense and Michigan's O line and D line last year looked better. My eye test. Is it shocking that Sark? I mean, what an advantage he has. Because forever was like, how is Texas? going to be able to go into the SEC. Well, they will because they have a huge bank account that's bigger than everyone else. And they came right in SEC championship. Who's going to pick next year? Sark's got to be a top one or two, you know, in terms of the preseason ranking in the SEC.

For the foreseeable future, he has a massive advantage, even just over Alabama and LSU. He's going to lap them. Yep. So Ohio State faces Texas. This game to me is fascinating. So I like Ohio State. Texas, I could never wrap my arms around them. I struggle sometimes for them to get three straight good offensive series.

I think they're hit and miss. They're very much a splash offense. They need big plays. And they hit on them. I mean, against Arizona State backed into a corner, they hit on a couple of big plays late. Who's facing more pressure? Ryan Day or Sark. So think about this.

Ohio State backed up the Brink truck, $20 million for this team. They look aesthetically like the best team. And they have rebounded from that Michigan loss with two dominating wins. But again, again, if they lose to Texas, people are going to say, when's the last time you beat Michigan? That's probably the worst loss in our program in 20 years. If Sark doesn't win a Natty, it'll probably be because we feel like his roster underachieved. Because I think going into the season, many felt that was the best roster. To you, who's the pressure on that?

This game is fascinating. Ryan Day or Sark? Who's going to get more shit when they lose this game? Yeah, I don't even think it's close. I think it's Ryan Day. I mean, Sark, Texas was dead, and they're going back-to-back years in the semifinals. And just he has the thing on an upward trajectory. He just had him in the SEC championship year one.

Ryan Day took over, you know, just a program that was rolling, right, full of NFL guys. And he just hasn't quite got there now. the way they've looked the last two weeks, I don't see how they would not win the national championship if they can play like that two more times. But I think there's still a ton of pressure on Ryan Day. Now, if you're betting on this, you'd have to pick Ohio State to win it all. But listen, Texas's roster isn't that much different than Ohio State. And unless Will Howard can just keep playing, is he just going to keep playing like Peyton Manning in his prime? Because if he does, then they're going to beat everybody. But if he has a bad game,

Texas is really good on defense. You know, it took Scataboo, have his. one of the crazier halves you've ever seen. Like, eventually Ohio State is just going to play in a tighter game. I mean, they have two just back-to-back absolute blowouts. What do they look like when they get in a little tighter game? Because we just saw them in a tight game against Michigan. They kind of folded. And whatever Ryan Day has done, and it was kind of easy, right?

They had really gotten embarrassed. All those guys have returned. They got an extra week off. And they came out and they showed out. But I do think one of these games, one of these last two games. I like Penn State against Notre Dame. I think Penn State is just a little. little more talented or at least equal to Notre Dame, but I like their quarterback more, at least

the way, you know, from a throwing standpoint. And I think Penn State could beat him. And I think Texas, you know, in theory could beat him. I'm picking Ohio State. But if Ohio State wins a national championship, if you beat Texas, then you beat Penn State or Notre Dame. Like, that's, that'd be really impressive. And then haters like me wouldn't be able to say anything about right. I always, I already think Sark, like, Sark's already kind of proven, like he's really good, back-to-back semi-finals, got Archmanning, got a team just loaded with guys that aren't even draft eligible. I can't even imagine what their transfer portal class going to look like whenever the season ends. They're not going anywhere.

I think this year was all about Ryan Day. The cash they had spent on the team. Chip Kelly makes $2.5, $3 million a year. I think there was a lot of pressure on this individual team. Yeah, I think, and I also think Sark, if he got heat, I think he's viewed in NFL circles as capable of coaching at that league. You know, for years, Brian Kelly sniffed around at Notre Dame for the NFL, and I was told by an NFL GM that people thought he was a college coach, a really good college coach. Sark is viewed by NFL guys as, like if Sark said tomorrow, he loses to Ohio State and

says, I want the Chicago Bears job. He'd be a top three candidate immediately. I think the NFL, I mean, he was a coordinator in the NFL and a very good one. So I think, I think Sark, I think the fit just works, doesn't it? It just, Stark, Austin, it just feels like a pretty seamless fit right now. Yeah, I mean, he's got a big presence. And I think Sark is one of those guys. People have criticisms for him. But in any industry, if you keep getting hired by really smart people, I mean, Washington's

a good program, USC's a good program, Texas is a good program, he's been the head coaching job. Nick Saban knows what he's doing, you know, like really smart people and good programs keep hiring him. You know, it's like when Andy Reid got let go by Philadelphia, 45 minutes later, he was on the phone with the Hunt family. Smart be Jim Harbaugh is always going to get work. John Harbaugh, if he was available, would get work. I think Sark's one of those guys that's imminently hireable.

I think his teams can be a little loose and lack a little bit of an identity. You know, the old thing the Patriots used to say, we're not a collection of players, we're a team. Sometimes Sark teams can feel a little bit like a collection of a handful of really good players, not a team. and it's not a, I know he's a good coach, I know he's a great recruiter, but his teams can be a little loose for my taste sometimes. Like, I think they throw too many jump balls up the sidelines. Quinn Ewers too often just throws it up for grabs, it drives me nuts. I hate that. Low percentage fades or corners.

But I think I like Ohio State and Notre Dame, but I will say about Penn State, Abdul Carter, that rush end, if he's healthy, John, if he got drafted number, Number one, I don't think it's crazy. I think he's so good. Don't they have a big advantage with the game getting delayed? They played, you know, basically two days before Notre Dame. Notre Dame then had to travel home. I think Penn State looks really good.

I like Penn State in that game for sure. I don't think it's crazy. They've got four or five elite players. You know, James Franklin gets some shit because he can't beat the good teams. But, you know, I would point out to, you know, if you look at his record against top 10 teams. Yeah, that was Georgia and LSU when they ruled college football. He was in Vandy, and it was LSU, Alabama, Georgia. So he was struggling at Vandy. And now he's struggling with Ohio State and Michigan with Harbaugh. It's like, guys, you have to contextualize James Franklin

struggles against top 10 teams. It's been Jim Harbaugh, Ryan Day. And when he was down at Vandy, he was facing, you know, LSU teams and Nick Sabin teams and the beginning of Georgia's teams. If he beats Notre Dame and Ohio State takes advantage and, you know, beats Texas, it is a pretty good opportunity given how well he knows Ohio State. He plays him every year. Played him, I mean, the best they've ever played him this year, had a very good chance, obviously to tie the game at the goal line and they ran it right up the middle. Their team physically, given their quarterback, like to me, the best NFL quarterback prospect playing right now is Drew Aller. and one advantage they have is they, you know, these bowl games are not outside in frigid temperatures.

And Tyler Warren has been dominant. The running back's been dominant. The question is Abdul Carter and the arm injury, you know, in college, they don't really have to talk about what the status is. But if he's healthy, how good does their front seven look? I mean, they are so physical. They got DBs. They are very, very, both these two teams, you could argue all four. Someone's going to get injured in these games.

it's just like the NFL playoffs. And if you're the winning team and it's one of your impact players, that could be a huge problem. Chip Kelly mentioned this at the start of the playoffs. He's like, no one's really talking about this. The attrition of guys aren't used to playing this many games. And these are better teams. These are just more, it's usually just one bowl game. Maybe the final four was two.

Now you're playing Ohio State would play four. Penn State would play four. Texas would play four. That's a lot of games on the bodies of 20-year-olds, even if they are future top 10, top 20 picks. John Middilkoff, former NFL scout. That was a good hour. We put together almost an hour of good stuff.

We head to the playoffs. John is always, buddy, I appreciate it. Can't wait. Happy birthday. Thanks, man. 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. 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. 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 Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's. Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement

homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you

exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise. breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source the athletes themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife 12

in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon Polic. And an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house,

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

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.