The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Aaron Rodgers is on another list

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

Colin discusses a survey from NFL fans selecting Aaron Rodgers as the "Most Annoying QB in the NFL" and why this should not be a surprise to anyone at this point He talks to USC head coach Lincoln Riley about their hot start to the season and Caleb Williams struggling so far in the NFLSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor it? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that doesn't. does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun,

thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense. of the Sith Rule of 2. Listen to Stuff to Bo Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. here we go on a Wednesday ready to roll live in Los Angeles it's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening thanks for making us part of your day Lincoln Riley of suddenly

incredibly relevant USC playing Michigan this weekend in the biggest game big 10 opener Joel Klaught Mark Sanchez You know, I, Jay Mack, you know this about me. I'm actually very happy that Baker Mayfield is now flourishing because I don't like picking on people. I got kids. I don't like bullies. And I thought I was hard on Baker. I thought I was right.

And I was right early. But I do like to see redemption stories. I think they're great. And mostly, I'm an older guy that talks about younger athletes, so I don't want to be a bully up here. Right? Like, I don't, it's okay. That's why I bring guests on to take shots at me. and I like to see guys that I was tough on like flourishing.

And I've always had this thing with Aaron Rogers, and fans were like Colin, it's just you and an Aaron Rogers thing, and officially today it's not. So the Action Network, I work with the Action Network, my company, The Volume, Top of the Line people. They polled more than 3,000 football fans in America. And of their many questions, one was, who's the most annoying football player?

Aaron Rogers won by a landslide, 24 of 32 teams, fan bases, named it Aaron. It's never been in me an Aaron thing. It's exhausting to everybody. But it's easy for me to say that. I have an explanation, and I think it's right, and I've thought this, and I've shared this with people in the NFL. So my theory is that Aaron Rogers, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning, but around 2010 to 2014, there was a period of time they were all in the goat discussion.

At that time, it was like Joe Montana was, but it was Brady Manning and Aaron Rogers in the goat discussion. And of those three, Aaron was the coolest. And Aaron threw the prettiest ball. By far. Like Manning and Brady were almost governed by their teams to some degree.

But Aaron was, you know, the way that ball flies out. He was the cool guy. But then Brady started stacking trophies. He beats Atlanta in that amazing Super Bowl. the Rams, then he goes to Tampa and wins. So Brady separates from Aaron. And about the same time, so does Manning.

He gets to a second Super Bowl. He wins a Super Bowl. Then he goes to a third. And he separates from, he separates now from Aaron Rogers. And Aaron keeps score on everything. I'll get to that in a second. He keeps score on everything. So in the goat discussion, the cool guy, Brady and Manning, separate from him.

suddenly Aaron about 2018 to 2021 starts playing really if you pay attention safe football he starts leading the NFL in throwaways instead of throwing the ball down the field he gets very stats protective and many of you have picked up on this the last six seven years with Aaron he starts leading the NFL in touchdown interception ratio but it appears to be like a thing like it really matters to him. He's obsessed. And if he ever throws like a pick or two in a game, he shuts down. It's not his day.

He shuts down. I remember a Tampa game that was like that. He just shuts. And he becomes stat obsessed. And he leads to the league in throwing it away by a mile. Instead of throwing the ball down the field, he throws it away. No interceptions. So Brady and Manning have separated from him.

And he becomes like safe lead the league in touchdown interception ratio. And if you don't think Aaron Rogers keeps score on everything and keeps track, and everything. Listen to this bite this week after they beat Tennessee. What does first one is a jet mean? Technically my second. We all know that. Somehow that first one counts. It's a poor important place. Well, I don't know if they count on that. Nobody thought that was Aaron's win. That was the best win in Zach Wilson's career.

That's like taking a lot of credit for being the backup quarterback at a Super Bowl and saying, I want a Super Bowl. Aaron keeps track of everything. So as Brady and Manning separated, because Aaron did not used to be like this, Aaron was not annoying when he came into the league. That was not who Aaron was. He was cool.

He was fun. He was kind of cocky, but he replaced Farr. It was kind of cool. And then Brady and Manning pull away. He becomes stats obsessed, leads the NFL in throwaways, gets obsessed, plays safe, TD the interception ratio. And then COVID hits four years ago. This is the second part of this theory.

And as Brady and Manning start moving into broadcasting in corporate America and dealing in the media and working for the media, once again, Aaron has to be different. And he becomes anti-media and anti-corporate America. And I don't care if I lose my biggest sponsors. Aaron keeps track of everything. And so if Brady, Manning, and Aaron were compared traditionally, he finishes third in the goat discussion. So he creates a new measuring stick. I'm not a shill. I'm not corporate.

I'm anti-media. I believe in conspiracy theories. I absolutely believe this is true. I think he keeps track of everything. That quote after Tennessee is a classic example. He's been like this forever. Is that there was, if you go back, 2010, 2014, it was Manning, Brady, Air,

they were all in the goat discussion. When Brady and Manning pulled away, he started getting safe, TD the interception ratio, obsessed, leading the NFL by a long shot in throwaways, and then as COVID hit, and Brady and Manning become more corporate, more media, he goes the opposite. Again, traditional measuring sticks, he'd be third.

Aaron don't want to be third at anything. He wants to be unique. It matters to him. So it's never meant a me and Aaron thing. He was just voted on Most Annoying player in the league. And he did not use to be that way. When he was in that goat discussion, Aaron was fun. He was cocky, but so what?

Well, like a little cocky. Michael Jordan was cocky. We like Michael. Barkley was cocky. We like my... We like our cocky guys. But he has changed. And he is more annoying.

All right. So I'm reading a story today about Sam Darnold. Chris Sim said this, NFL analyst NBC, that Sam Darnold gives the Vikings offense more potential is the word he used than Kirk Cousins. And it's interesting about that. So I always feel if you... compared Sam Darnold to Kirk Cousins, it would be like comparing a bake-off to the iron chef. Baking is more formulaic, following directions, precise, more science.

Chefs, it's more about improvisation, adapting, freestyling. It's more art, right? Both are fine. Kirk Cousins is a baker. Darnold's more the chef. A little reckless, little more juice and flare in art. Cousins is about intense preparation, getting to his spot. Again, steady results.

That's not what you get with Donald. Donald's got a little Andrew Luck, though not as talented, and a little Carson Wenz, though not as reckless. He's an athlete. He improvs. He ad-libs, more dramatic, upscale touchdowns, but more ugly games. By the way, he's not obviously Brett Favre, but Brett Farrv when he was in Minnesota

was sort of like that. Brett was a chef. The two plays I remember from Brett Favre as a Minnesota Viking, just as a Viking, are that rollout throw against the San Francisco 49ers in the back of the end zone. It is one of the best throws I've ever seen in the history of football.

It's just on the money. Only Fav could do that. You're not getting that with Kirk Cousins. But I also remember that dreadful interception he threw against the saints that kept the Vikings out of the Super Bowl. And that's the chef. Either a fantastic meal adapting ad-libbing artistry or you butcher it.

Send it back to the kitchen. And that, to a lesser degree than far, that is what the Vikings have with Darnold. There's no question. This offense has more juice. There's no question. Kirk Cousins was steadier, and I prefer quarterbacks with more juice. Lamar, Mahomes, Allen, Jalen Hertz, Sam Darnold.

Now, you say, well, well, I thought you liked Kirk Cousins going to Atlanta. Listen, Atlanta's been starving for three years offensively. They'll deal with chocolate chip cookies. They'll take baking. They just want to be competent. They need a formula. They can deal with a little formulaic. They can't even cross the 50-yard line last.

year in games with Desmond Ritter. But I would say, now, again, I would always rather have the chef over the baker, but Darnold does give Minnesota a higher ceiling. I don't think they're going to win their division, but we said this before the season. As people were picking them for fourth place, if they're fourth place, it's going to be the most talented offense in the history of the NFL in fourth place.

Here's the coach, Kevin O'Connell on Darnold. I think we got two weeks of some pretty tangible examples of some quarterback play from Zamb Darnold. The amount of work that goes into that position on your quarterback journey, when everybody decides that you cannot play, we always believed in them, and felt awesome to watch him go do that thing. So I'm really proud of Sam Darnham. I'm not going to be cut. You know, on the day Lincoln Riley's coming,

I just wanted to bring up Sam Darnel, the little Wednesday USC love, as they're opening the Big Ten play against Michigan, who's using their backup quarterback. quarterback, as Lincoln Riley has two weeks to prepare for it. So Big Ben has already weighed in on Russell Wilson, Justin Fields. Jerry Jones is talking, but I think he's not making a ton of sense. Jay Mack, we have Lincoln Riley, Joel, Clat, Mark Sanchez stopped by today. I sat home last white and just while, you know, I get those occasional games Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday,

and I just turn on Netflix and watch a bunch of stuff. Shohei Otani remains unbelievable. You text me last night on Showe O'Tani. It's a staggering. Think about this. When McGuire and Sosa, when McGuire and Sosa were in their home run chase, it captivated the world. Otani's doing a one better and baseball struggling to get attention because of conference realignment in college football.

The NFL over that 10, 15 year period, whenever it was, has exponentially grown. We're a much more distracted audience on our phones more than ever on YouTube, more than TVs. So it is interesting that Shohei Otani is better than Babe Ruth. and it's not drawing. And from a high, I would say, big brand in baseball, Dodgers aren't the Yankees, but they're in line for second, third, most popular team, and it's not getting the love you'd think it would.

Even when Aaron Judge was hitting, what, he was close, 60 homers or whatever he was closing on recently, like he was getting a lot of pub. This Otani stuff needs to be everywhere. He's going to be a 50 home run, 50 stolen base guy. That's unbelievable. It's incredible. That would be like somebody throwing like, what,

60 touchdown passes in the NFL? I don't know, 70? And by the way, and playing nickel back and leaving the NFL and picks. I mean, it really is unbelievable. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

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

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got? to do a little kill. Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but yeah, yeah, literally. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.

So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS. on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people

in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, 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. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're a good person because you're a free. 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, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars

fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun. thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to Stuff to Boar Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, welcome back.

So it was the most predictable, messy quarterback situation in the league, and the Pittsburgh Steelers already have it. Mike Tomlin, the head coach, tentatively named Justin Fields the starter. A big band, a legend, obviously. Bradshaw, Big Ben, your all-time quarterback legends in Pittsburgh. Big Ben said he'd prefer to just let Justin Field started. He beat Denver. Let's just keep him there.

If Russ is healthy, I'm sticking with Justin. I like what I've seen. I like that he's getting into it. I like he's getting the feel of it. You know, if you told me they're one-on-one or, going to and two and these are going on. I say, yeah, we got to do something. But again, he's not turning the ball over. They're 2 and 0. I think it's got to stay with him. I really do. So this is a franchise to me. They get O line, run game, offensive coordinator. It always feels

like they can't get it right. And I know people think I bag on the Steelers, but it's like they've gone the opposite direction of the league. I mean, everybody else is spending money on offense. It's all about quarterback. Steelers are the only franchise. Even when Big Ben got old that the quarterback's not the star of the team. It was like their pass rusher, T.J. Watt or Mike Tomlin. And so we kept saying in the offseason, Jay Mack and I both felt like Justin Fields would be more popular in the locker room.

He's younger. He's more relatable. He's more cooler. Russell Wilson, as far as I can tell, has never been wildly popular in locker rooms. I mean, you know, I've never heard a star quarterback get whacked by former teammates and coaches more than Russell Wilson. He had a couple players only, only a couple that went to his wedding. Really, like two athletes or two football players.

So from what I can tell, he's not wildly popular in locker rooms, and Justin Fields was really liked, even though he didn't win games. Usually if you don't win games, nobody likes you. In Chicago, everybody liked Justin Fields. Coaches liked him, players liked him, so we felt he'd be the more popular. But what I love about this franchise more than anything, and I've said this before, Steelers don't fire coaches. Tomlin will probably be there as long as he wants to.

Mike Tomlin would be a rock star as a person. as a broadcaster. I can remember covering Charles Barkley. And Charles Barkley was funny when you would go into a locker room after a game. Like, that guy is going to be a star. Like, you could see Charles Barkley was going to be a star. It's the same way with Mike Tomlin.

He is laugh out loud funny. So apparently they gave Russell Wilson a petty award. I don't know what exactly that means. I can figure it out. But Tomlin's answer is so good. So there was a game ball given to Russ, even though he didn't play. And Russ remember a couple of weeks,

it was two weeks ago, that he wore shoulder pads in a game that he was inactive on the sidelines. He wore shoulder pads. I've never seen that in my entire life. So whatever, I don't want to take shots in anybody, and he got a petty game ball, whatever that means.

But here's Mike Tomlin explaining it brilliantly. There's certain things that go on among teams that I don't talk about, whether it gets out or how it gets out, is unimportant to me, and I'm not overly guarded against it. But it's just certain things as a leader that I talk to the collective about, that I have zero intentions of sharing with the larger public because it's about our collective and how we come together

and how we appreciate and support one another. And, you know, I can't give you all the ingredients to the hot dog. You might not like it. I do analogies and metaphors. That tops all of them right there. You know, the petty thing, are they making fun or Ross for wearing shoulder pads as an inactive player. I don't know what it means, but it is a very predictable quarterback dilemma because Justin

Fields is taller, younger, relatable, more athletic, and athletes like that. I mean, good God, it wasn't that long ago that they pulled NBA players and they preferred Westbrook over Steph Curry. And Westbrook's more dynamic. And Westbrook was like seen as cooler and he was more, he was more athletic. It plays in locker rooms. I mean, to the very end, Justin Fields in Chicago. everybody had his back and he had become the worst fourth quarter quarterback in the NFL by a long shot.

They weren't winning games. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Let's quickly revisit that Eagles loss to the Falcons on Monday night. Sequin dropped the pass in the red zone, didn't love Siriani's play calling. Bottom line is Falcons win the game with an awesome two-minute drive.

Well, after the loss, Eagle Safety Reed Blankenship pointed to Jalen Hertz's leadership in the locker room saying, Jalen led everything. No coach said a word. It's a player-led team, and at the end of the day, we know what we did was on us. We made mistakes, offense and defense. It's going to take everybody. I would actually argue this isn't on the players. The coaching decisions were awful from Siriani.

Everybody who has a whiff of analytics knows. You kick field goals early in game. and you go for it late. You don't kick to go up six with two minutes. That's just dumb football. Right. So this is not a good sign for Siriani. Well, coming off the story in the offseason that Hertz and Siriani were not close.

Now, Brady and Belichick weren't either, but generally, as a rule, offensive coaches are super close to their quarterbacks. I can't think of another example of it. It's not working. I mean, it's always that way. unless you're getting rid of him and he knows it and you have a rough year at the end of a quarterback's career and the coach has to make a move. But even Andy Reed and Alex Smith at the end, Alex Smith is like, yeah, I'll mentor Mahomes. So, yeah, it's strange.

This is also strange. And again, I'm a Jalen Hertz guy. I believe in him. He's a fantastic guy. He's definitely a top ten quarterback. He was, by the way, in that game, he got cooking in that game. He was playing really well. And he didn't have his big, deep weapon, AJ Brown.

But, you know, my old. neighbor is a big Eagles fan and he's sending me all these stories like, look, we're out on Jalen Hertz. A lot of the Philadelphia Eagles fan base has seen enough of Hertz and they're starting to sour. And I don't get it. And then you read the articles and the local media is starting to turn on Jalen Hertz in Philly. Yeah, I don't think he's the problem. I don't either, but I guess people are just starting to doubt him a little bit. He was great. An MVP level guy when he had a great coordinator, so was Matt Ryan. Okay, like everybody benefits from a great coordinator.

Look at Sam Darnold's benefit. Look at Jared Goff's career with McVeigh. Everybody benefits from coordinators. You don't think CJ Stroud isn't benefiting from that hot shot young OC in Houston. Everybody does. So my take is, yes, Jalen proved when he has an OC, he can be MVP of the league. Then they hired an OC that did not work whatsoever and didn't get any more job offers. like OC offers. He wasn't as good. Now it appears he's got a competent OC. Maybe not Shane

Steichen, but a competent OC. Well, what's he done to two games? He's been very good. So when he had a great OC, he was great. When he has a competent OC, he's very good. And what he had a stinkeroo, he struggled. It just goes to show how like six plays in that game completely changed the narrative. If the Eagles run two times and win this game, boom, Eagles 2 and O looking good in the NFC. And it's like, oh, sky is calling for the fact. Falcons, they got the Chiefs. That's what I said yesterday. There's a lot of positives.

I would rather have the Chiefs roster. I would rather have the Eagles roster than the Falcons roster. 100%. 100%. So everything's good. And I also think now that New Orleans and Tampa look good, I'd rather play in the NFC East than the NFC South because New Orleans looks absolutely for real. And we know Tampa's got too many good players to stink.

And that thing's humming. So you say New Orleans. Look who Eagles play this week at New Orleans. That is a great game. A week ago, okay, before the Saints dismembered Dallas and the Eagles choked against the Falcons, the Eagles were favored on the road by three. It's now Saints by two and a half. Colin, I guess people are saying the Saints are real.

They're going home. And short week for the Eagles, maybe no AJ Brown again. Well, I think the Saints should be favored. Now, I will say. Let's just toss the Panthers game out. Who cares? Yeah, they destroy Dallas. But we came into the season.

You said Dallas wasn't a playoff team. So why should we care? I said Dallas I thought it was like a 9-10 win team. I thought they'd get edged out. I thought they'd be a good team. And they are a good team. Solid. I don't know.

If I was an odds maker, I would have made the Saints a slight favor. Well, every time that that line hits for Saints by 3, money comes in on the Eagles. Because you're giving me a fuel on the road? Yeah, it's going to be a close football. I think it's going to be a very close football. There's a lot of hard games this weekend. I don't know what to do with that. I know some people are saying, oh, Saints, Saints, Saints.

Well, if it's two and a half, I think the Saints is the play. It is a short week for the Eagles, and you don't have a coaching edge either way. I just go back to this. Before week one, before the first game of the season, you looked at this and this was a win on the road for the Eagles, correct? And now based on eight quarters of football, no, no, no, no, no, Saints got to be favored. So you like the Eagles. Isn't that an overall reaction? You like the Eagles.

I don't know if I'm not, I don't know if I'm willing to bet it, but I do. kind of lean eels. Let's go to the next one. The 49ers coming off that loss of the Vikings, trying to bounce back against the depleted Rams. They are big favorites at SoFi this weekend. Well, Debo Samuel, he's going to miss the game with a calf stream, but he went on a podcast this week and was talking about the team's Super Bowl window. Now, never, like, that's how I kind of look at it. Like, with the guys that we have, like, I've been a part of, you know, the best team in the NFL for the past going on six years. Yeah.

And so, like, we always there. Like, we got to get it done. No, they had the best roster for six years. They have the best team. That's different. Roster and team are do different things. I think they went to five NFC, four NFC championship games in the last five years. Yeah, well, what's the trophy room look like?

A lot of NFC championships, too. You can't tell me that the Chiefs were a better team than the Niners last year. Yes, I can. I actually have. have, it's in print. It's in the NFL record book. They won the game. But talent-wise, you put the Niners roster next to. No, I think the Chief's roster is underrated because they had so many good young defensive players that you just don't understand how good. I mean, the corners, none of the Niner corners could have started for Kansas City.

You ranked the top 10 players in that game, and I thought it was six four Niners. Yeah, but there's a difference. Mahomes against Purdy kind of weights it in Kansas City. I don't even think you had Purdy in the top ten. And also Andy Reid against Shanahan in big games. Andy Reid's been a better coach than Shanahan in big games. That's not disputable. Recently.

Well, Andy Reid went through a Shanahan-type deal with the Eagles. In his prime, go ask Bill Belichick who he couldn't beat consistently. Andy Reid. Nanny was doing it with B quarterbacks and he had Brady. Andy Reid gave Belichick troubles when Belichick owned the NFL. Go back to that Super Bowl. Wasn't Andy Reid the coach that Super Bowl with T.O. playing with a broken leg?

Remember that Super Bowl? I think so. That's way back, man. Yeah, I mean, you go, they always play. Andy and Belichick were in battles for years, but the NFL was more favorable toward defense back then because the grabbing, once the NFL pivoted to an offensive league, Reed controls Belichick.

There are last dance vibes around the Niners, right? Because you're going to have to pay Purdy. Well, I think that's... 36 going on 37. No, I think this is the best they ever were was last year. I think they've plateaued. I think this year, and then I think, next year because Trent Williams has a

like a two or three year deal. But I think it's the thing that's worrisome, the last time Christian McCaffrey had this many touches like last year, he was hurt for two years. So last year he put up one of those Carolina years where he was like literally the entire offense and he's hurt again. So I mean

it's so funny. I've told the story about Christian McCaffrey. I went to a UFC fight. I go to three or four UFC fights in the summer when I have time. And I go there and I take Ann. Right? My wife. And we go to And a bunch of people are coming up to me and Kyler Marine, a bunch of people. And Christian McCaffrey comes up.

It's a dark room. It's a VIP, but it's dark. And he has a hat on. And he comes up to me and I'm a high, hi, hi. And my wife, we go back to our seats. And about 10 minutes later, they show a picture of Christian McCaffrey on the big screen. My wife goes, you blew that guy off. And I was like, oh my God, I got to find him.

I did blow him. I didn't know he was. So I went back and found him. We laughed about it. My point being, Christian McCaffrey is not your class. NFL athlete who carries the ball 30 times. He's a smaller athlete, so he can take the beating, but history shows when he does one of these heavy volume years, and he's had two back-to-back for San Francisco, he comes out of it

banged up. And by the way, I get Kyle Shanahan. Every time you give him the ball, he's six yards. You fall in love with a guy. So I think my take is, this is a Christian this year to me, is like a 9-10 game player. which is fine, as long as it's November 1st on. That's what I would do. Do you remember how the Detroit Pistons at the end?

They had dominated Jordan for like two or three years, and they went to the finals three years in a row, and then they ran out of gas, and the Bulls swept them off the court. Yeah. I'm not saying the Niners are feeling like those pistons, just at the end of a run, exhausted from all these playoff games, long seasons,

but, man, the injuries are really mounting on this team. And I'm curious how Brandon Ayuk, who chirped and complained all year, got his contract. I mean, he's done nothing. Nothing through two games. Final story is the Baltimore Ravens, one of nine teams to start O and 2,

and it only gets tougher. They're in Dallas this weekend on Fox. John Harbaugh was the head coach for the last time Baltimore started O and 2 and wants to keep his team grinding instead of shaking things up. I've heard it said the NFL season is a race to improve,

to become the best team that you can over the course of the long haul. We had a disappointing game yesterday. We're not happy about it. We want to play better. We want to play winning football. We didn't do the things we need to do to win. So we've got to keep pounding the rock, and the rock is going to crack.

But that's our job to keep pounding and not get discouraged, not think all is for nothing, and continue to work, and our reward will be out there in our future. You know, think about this. A great record in the NFL. You'll have a chance to be a number one seat if you're 12 and 5. I mean, how many teams win 13 a year? It's really hard. So if you're 12 and 5, you'll be potentially a number one seat.

If you win 10 games, you're absolutely last weekend vying for a playoff spot. The Ravens are a toe from one-on-one. They're okay. You're sure about that. They are too well-coached. Lamar's too gifted. They're going to be fine. They controlled most of that game against.

the Raiders. Who's the pressure on this week? Dallas at home after the embarrassing loss? I'm taking Baltimore. I'm taking Baltimore. I get a coach quarterback advantage. I'm taking Baltimore. I'm just, I mean, and then, and by the way, there's urgency,

because after that, you play Buffalo. And after that, you play the Bengals. Yeah, now, you, for Baltimore, this is, you can't go O in five. You can go in two. Cincinnati and Baltimore are both fine as of this morning. Well, one of us sat here. here all summer and said, hey, losing the defensive coordinator, losing all these

offensive linemen, losing all these players, it's clowny. Like, they're going to pull back big time. I'm kind of rooting against the Ravens here. Oh, so you're rooting for you to be right. To be right, yeah, yeah, yeah. I never do that. Is that allowed? You never do that yet.

Except I'm Blazing 5. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. Yeah, we've got good stuff today. Lincoln Riley, USC opens up Big Ten play against Michigan game of the week coming up.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, we're Kavino and Rich. Fox Sports Radio every day, 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Overpromised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two-hour show. We never get to everything.

Honestly, because this guy is over-promising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubber lips. Blame and me. Well, you know what? It's called Overpromise. You should be good at it because you've been over-promising women for years. Well, it's a Kavino and Rich After Show, and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course.

But we're also going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over-Promised. Well, if you don't get enough, Kavino and Rich, make sure you check out Over-Promise, and also uncensored, by the way. So maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's going to be the best after-show podcast of all time. There you go.

Over-promising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to Overpromised with Kavino & Rich on the IHeartRadio 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. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement

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

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

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, 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, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away,

such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to Stuff to Bo Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, it's going to be the biggest college football game of the weekend. I expect a low-scoring, very, very physical football game. That's the only way Michigan can win. There's two teams in college football that have averaged over 40 points a game over the last two years, Georgia and USC. Points are going to be harder to come by.

Michigan's got two of the best defensive linemen in college football, maybe the two best. Lincoln Riley, USC coach is now joining us live. Okay. It's Big Ten football. I hope you bought a hoodie. Well, you got one on this offseason. It's going to be chilly. So it is different.

Big Ten, the big house. It's a whole, it's different. Have you talked to your team about it? beyond the football game the Big Ten the Big House this at Michigan's a top five program ever have you talked about significance of entering the new conference we have I think it would be a mistake to totally just discount that to say it's another game right it's a historic game I think not surprising that the Big Ten from a scheduling standpoint would put you know these two iconic teams and

brands against each other on the field here early on in the season so yeah I think understanding was significant about it, embracing that, and understanding what a great opportunity it is for us to go get off to a great start. You know, I had so many USC fans in the offseason say, what do you make him, Miller-Moss? And I'm like, well, he was a great high school player. So I went and looked at YouTube stuff. I thought I saw him play Louisville. I said, but bowl games these days, were they missing starters?

You never quite know, I can't make any big determination. My takeaway is he always throws to the right place inaccurately. That's just my consumer radio guide, TV guy watching TV. What as a coach, has there been anything about Miller that he has exceeded even your expectations because he has been nearly perfect? Yeah, I think the toughness and the leadership, which I think are incredibly important at that position, and sometimes they're tough to assess. You know, you go watch a running back in practice or a linebacker.

You get to see the physicality and how they hit and how they compete. quarterbacks are a little bit different. Most people don't hit their quarterbacks in practice, and you start getting in those live situations when they're taking shots and they've got to get up or they've got to stand in there and make big throws. I think that's always, you know, you learn a lot about guys in those scenarios.

And then we've been able to see Miller from a leadership standpoint with last year's group at the end of the year. And then certainly this team, I think he's done a really nice job leading our guys and being somebody that our guys want to play for. So it's almost, I mean, you got some guys in the transfer poorly. You got a really good safety, a really good Mike linebacker. You got some upgrades. But it's a lot of the same dudes.

And guys are just better. It's not even, I mean, like Anthony Lucas looks like a different player. So take me inside if you can, layman's terms here, but it's mostly the same personnel with completely different results. What is DeAnton Lynn, your D.C. from UCLA? What is he doing? What's the secret sauce here? I think Coach Lynn and really our entire defensive staff have done.

a great job in terms of getting the system installed with our guys, getting them acclimated, and getting us to a point where we can go out and be confident on the field. And then there's been a big physical transformation within our program in the way that we've developed these guys from a strength and conditioning and nutrition perspective. And that was to fit, you know, not just the new style of defense, but certainly obviously the new league that we're going into as well. So, you know, it's been a team effort, a group effort. Dan's done a great job. Our players have done a great job here up to this point, but we know obviously a lot of big challenges left ahead. You know, it's interesting. You got a whole new defensive staff. The transfer portals

rampant in the sport. You brought in some freshmen, a new class. Unlike the NFL, where you can come back and kind of know I got these eight guys, they're going to be there, they fit under the cap. College is a turnstile. And I've been impressed by the chemistry. I said this after you beat LSU. I watched your sideline. It was amazing. You have all these new coaches and all these new kids and some guys are seniors from South Carolina and then you got a freshman from Las Vegas or whatever. And I thought the body language was good. I'm like, God, they like each other. How do you develop that in a fall camp? Some of those guys are just shown up on campus. Well, you got to have the right guys first. You got to have guys that are team first, that they have individual goals, but the team comes before it.

And I think we've got a group of people in this program, players, staff that are really excited about this team, the chance to go prove ourselves, and that appreciate what it means to be a USC Trojan. I mean, this is a historic, significant place to be able to go to school, to be able to play football out. And people that appreciate it, I think, are going to bring that attitude to your locker room.

So it's something that's important to us. We work hard at it, but I give our players a lot of credit because they're very bought in, and it's a very together team right now. You know, I watch these SEC coaches barking, those guys screaming you. And I watch you, I don't even think I've seen you raise your voice outside of an occasional official. Do you ever, I mean, you know, you're more teacher-mentor than authoritarian, but it's, you have a demeanor on the sideline. You don't get worked up over stuff. Is that always been the thing with you, or it just seems to me, college coaches sometimes unravel.

I'm like, wow. Does he know he's on television? That's not your thing. Where did you, like, where does that come from? I'm just trying to be what the team needs me to be. And I think a lot of times, you know, for me, you know, losing my mind or getting too, you know, emotional in a moment, takes clarity away from the decisions you got to make as a head coach and also as a play caller to try to put the team in best position we can.

Now, you know, I'm guilty of losing it every now and again. but I try to, you know, we talk about poise and all of these things in our program, and I think I have to be an example of that, and I don't want, you know, me getting emotional, not, you know, making a wrong decision of putting us in a bad position. I never want that to hurt our program. So, yeah, I try to be what they need me to be. And I've tried, I said, I lose it sometimes, and I try to hang in there. Hey, if you could give Caleb Williams all these young guys are struggling.

Tom Brady came on the show and he said, I'd put Drake man a bench. we were talking this morning. Drake May and Michael Penix, maybe the winners here, they can sit and watch pros do it. They don't have to play. If you could give Caleb one piece of advice, he's not a kid, he's going to do his own thing,

but it's so hard in the NFL. There's so many, everybody's faster. What do you do when a quarterback's struggling, what's the advice at any level you give them? I think you go back to the basics. And I think a lot of times, the answers that you're looking for, you know, as a player, right there.

and sometimes when you get into it and get in the competitive situations, especially a new league, a new offense, new coaches around, a new supporting cast, there's going to be some growing pains, right? You're going to go through some tough moments, but you've got to continue to go back to the basics, continue to improve, continue to lead. And most importantly, you can't let it affect your attitude, your mentality, the way you play, the way you practice.

You just got to keep growing. And Caleb will. He's a fighter. He's going to continue to learn and grow. and as painful as some of these, you know, tough moments have been, you know, early in the season, that those are all opportunities to learn and grow. And if he's, you know, going to become the player that we all know we can be in that league, he's going to have to learn and progress from them.

And I believe he will. Yeah, by the way, Kaelin Bullock's off to a great start. Houston Texans, he's playing his butt off. Lincoln, Riley, USC in Michigan this weekend, can't wait in the big house in Ann Arbor. Good seeing you, Lincoln. You too. You too. Fight on.

All right. Yeah, it's Drake May and Michael Pennix. And even J.J. McCarthy, though, it's through an injury, which is obviously a bad news. But, I mean, just sitting and watching stuff is okay. It's fine. By the way, USC, the toughest part of USC schedule was LSU and at Michigan. Then they come home for Wisconsin and Minnesota. Excuse me. They come home for Wisconsin at Minnesota home Penn State, Maryland.

Now, Penn State, that falls at home. That's a break because Penn State's good. That defense is good. But we thought when you looked on paper, LSU and Michigan. LSU was a favorite at Michigan, post-nattie, great defensive line at Michigan.

I think it's a total under. I think it's very low scoring. I think it's honestly it's a 10-7 game at half. And then I think you're going to have, I think USC can slightly pull away. I think it's very, very low scoring. But you know what? College football's more fun when Texas

wins and USC wins and Miami wins. We've always said those are the three glamour programs in college football. Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns, USC. Bama's great, Georgia great, Clemson great. They're not glamour. They're just big brands and they're, you know, it's grinded out football and a lot of great personnel. But right now, Miami, Texas, USC are players. Ratings.

Ratings are going up. Did you see the line for USC is ticked up? I'm stunned by this. Five and a half starting to be some sixes in the desert. I guess a lot of people like USC here. It's hard for me because I think it's very low scoring. I think it's a very... Listen, Michigan has two of the top ten players, arguably, on the defensive line.

And so you're not going to run on Michigan much. You're not going to have much success running on Michigan. But you get the high-sman quarterback, Mr. Moss or whatever. You do, but the USC is really young. Red shirt, freshman, left tackle. Didn't look it against LSU, Cowherd. Very veteran. Well, that's also, you got a month and a half to work on one game plan.

Now, I do think an advantage here for USC is Lincoln Riley's had two weeks to prepare. I think offensive coaches who are elite, college or pro, there is no question that in the first couple of drives for USC, they're going to bring out, this is the Andy Reed advantage and the Shanahan against the Jets advantage. I don't think defensive coaches have a big advantage in the first couple of weeks of the season, but I think offensive coaches, coaches on buys or in first games. It feels like at least a field goal advantage. So I think that if USC to play the game last week, win or lose, I wouldn't feel that way. But I like USC because of the extra time.

And I think that gives them an opportunity to jump out to a lead on the road. Quietes the crowd down, especially the way Michigan got hammered like this. Get quiet real fast in college football. You start watching some of these college games, even some of these NFL games. You fall behind, the temperature and the stadium changes. I think I might have to ride with you on USC I bet the what's the over under bet the over, I'll say 46 and a half

Oh I bet the under I'm betting the under I can't believe it's that high I figured it'd be like 42 I mean like the game if you if US I think it feels like to me like seriously 2420 and maybe I don't know if Michigan can score 20

hour two next another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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. on the Look Back at it podcast For 1979 That was a big moment for me 84 was big to me I'm Sam Jay And I'm Alex English

Each episode We pick a year unpack what went down And try to make sense of how we survived it With our friends Fellow comedians And favorite authors

Like Mark Lamont Hill On the 80s 84 was a wild It was a wild year I don't think There's a more important year for black people Listen to look back at it

On the Iheart radio app Apple Podcasts Or wherever you can Get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability

that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun,

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

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.