The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Caleb Williams

Episode Date: July 30, 2024

Out of all the rookie quarterbacks, Colin thinks Caleb Williams will have the most productive season He shares his thoughts on one former NFL general manager who regrets not drafting Buffalo's Josh Allen Colin asks if Bill Belichick's inability to find a job is a result of him being too aloof to tolerateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Caleb Williams says he wants to play. He'll play a little, maybe a couple snaps, couple series. Got to put him out there. Okay. If you say so, Coach. I don't know about that. I mean, I think for a rookie, you want some snaps. Even a series, 6, 7, 8, 9 snaps, maybe.

So Caleb Williams says he wants to play on Thursday. Game on. So, listen, Caleb Williams is going to be interesting, because he was the first NIL star quarterback in college, making four or five million bucks a year. Now, year two later, there's a lot of people making a million. Defensive linemen are making a million. High school kids are getting a couple hundred, three or four hundred thousand dollars. Sometimes not as seniors, but his juniors in high school.

So that things change. But he was the first NISL superstar. And he's confident, and he straddles the line between cocky and confident. and that stuff can get you in real trouble, real fast. There was a little, you saw a little bit of it the other day when they asked Caleb Williams about pressure, which is real and it exists in life and sports and politics, but Caleb says, I don't believe in it.

Sure isn't a word that I use and my vocabulary, really, only when other people talk about it. And every time that you'll hear me speak about pressure is that I don't think that pressure is a thing. As long as you prepare for the moment, mentally and physically. Getting here work, get after, whether it's wave room, film room, and then get on the field and work, and then obviously game days, get out there and go be special.

Okay, so maybe he's one of two or three athletes all time that doesn't feel pressure. Maybe, but it does exist. So there are six quarterbacks drafted in the first round. And if you look at history, one will be a star, maybe one or two will be solid starters. and three will be misses, maybe four. So let's go to the last decade where quarterback play has been much better at the high school and college level. The coaching of quarterback play, the cottage industry, the quarterback camps, better than ever.

And despite that in the last decade, we've had 32 first round quarterbacks, 32, seven stars, less than a quarter. And over half, 17, I would call misses. And about six solid starters. Some years, three drafted, all misses, ugly misses. Over half. So Caleb Williams, to me, is the only quarterback in this draft. Because I said this yesterday, being a quarterback in the NFL is very situational, unless maybe you're John Elway or Andrew Luck.

Outside of that, who do you get as coach, who's the owner, what's the roster, what's the O line like, what's the division. but I do think Caleb Williams is the only quarterback in this draft that regardless of situation will be productive. Now, he may not win a lot. He may never get the right coach. I mean, Justin Herbert, super productive, yet to have the right coach until we think Jim Harbaugh. So I think the floor for Caleb Williams, the floor is like Kyler Murray, where he's obviously talented, he throws a beautiful ball, will win, probably shows up in a place. or two, gets paid, but doesn't win enough, right? Like, like may have some Mahomes tendencies, they just doesn't win enough.

That's Herbert so far. That's Trevor Lawrence so far. And I think he's a better prospect than both. But the rest of the quarterbacks, I'll just say it right now. Let's start with Drake May. I think there's a real chance. It doesn't work. Bad footwork, not refined, defensive coach, bad roster.

So he's not going to get off to a good start, regardless. regardless if he succeeds. I think there's a real possibility he could really, really struggle. If I had to guess one guy who doesn't make it, this would probably be my best guess. Michael Pennix, like him, but he's a pocket quarterback, and there's not a lot of those in the league. He's had major injuries. He's a lefty. Atlanta doesn't have a history of winning. In fact, they just saw this morning, they've sold out for the first time in 20 years. They've sold out their season tickets. He also has to get through the Kirk Cousins Roadblock for a couple years. How does that play psychologically with him, with his confidence?

There's Bo Knicks, who I like, but size, kind of small, arm, kind of average. Now, we got Sean Payton, O-line pretty darn good, nice weapons, Mims, Franklin, Cortland Sutton, but he's a small quarterback, doesn't push the ball down the field a lot, and what if after three or four years, they're just like, he's kind of average, it's possible. J.J. McCarthy, I didn't really buy into him, has a lot of confidence. but J.J. McCarthy, the quarterback from Michigan, what if he is just a product of Michigan system? And Jim Harbaugh. I mean, they won a national championship. In one game, he didn't throw a pass in the second half. Again, they tell me he's a certain height, but he always looks a tad small and a tad slight to me.

I didn't see all these NFL GMs. Even Minnesota only gave up a couple of mid-to-late-round picks to get him. What if he's just more of a product of Michigan? We've seen that before, a guy who's great in college with a great coach and great personnel. And then there's Jaden Daniels. I think he's going to hit. But he is slight. Washington has new everything. Owner, GM, coach, coordinator. What if they can't protect him with the

offensive line? That's certainly possible. So my gut is Caleb Williams is the one that will be productive and you will go, wow, a lot and doesn't win. Bad owners? Really bad owners. Kind of a political organization, defensive head coach, on the hot seat in the first month.

The division, it's a lot of shootouts. Minnesota's offense, Green Bay's offense, Detroit offense, you've got to win by scoring. He may not win much. He may be on his second coach by next year. And again, it's not the greatest weather. So that's kind of how I look at all of it. it's very situational. My guess is that Caleb Williams is talented enough, talented enough to at least be productive and jaw-dropping as we head into Thursday, hope to see him play. And to go on with that, general manager, former GM and quarterback legend John Elway,

no longer running the Broncos, but by the way, he won five straight AFC West titles and culminated it with a Super Bowl so he was successful. But John Elway was saying yesterday that his biggest regret was not drafting

Josh Allen out of Wyoming. Instead, they drafted Bradley Chubb an edge rusher. But I think it's interesting talking about Caleb Williams because Josh Allen is really a reminder of how difficult it is.

So you watch Josh Allen now. The most gifted quarterback in the league. Mahomes wins more, but Josh is bigger, stronger, and moves better. And I watched him twice in college. He was awful against Oregon. No touchdowns a pick. Went nine of 24. I watched them against Iowa too. No touchdowns, two picks. Got, got blown out in both between the two teams and they weren't great teams necessarily. Iowa wasn't. He scored a field goal, a field goal, a field goal, one touchdown. Now, I know it's Wyoming. But Patrick Mahomes, who got, you know, some naysayers out of college, was wildly productive.

Didn't win a ton, but he was in a much better conference. So Josh Allen got overlooked in high school, had to go to a junior college, only had one small college offer. GM's whiffed on him. And he is now the most talented quarterback in the NFL. And don't tell me you knew he was going to be great. Nobody did. In fact, his first year, he was a mess. And then he got Brian Dayball slowly, but surely as he was running over linebackers and jumping over safeties, he got more refined.

But look at right now in the NFL. Jordan Love went from awful to great in about a three-week stretch last year. Brock Purdy, last guy drafted. Kurt Warner, Hall of Famer, undrafted. Aaron Rogers, Josh Allen, overlooked, had to go to junior colleges. Look at the four best quarterbacks. in fact today in the NFL. Mahomes couldn't win in college.

Josh Allen completely overlooked. Lamar Jackson, that guy should be a wide receiver and Joe Burrow had to transfer. Those are the four best quarterbacks in the league. And even though Herbert

with Harbaugh is going to win most general managers and two that I know like Tua more than Justin Herbert. And Tua was almost a bust with his first coach. So this stuff is so situational. I mean, Jordan loved last year,

didn't see him for three years, awful for five weeks, three weeks later, oh my God, we've got a star. Not even the Packers saw that coming. So I think 75 to 80% of this stuff for quarterbacks is just situational. Who's your OC? I mean, Aaron Rogers may not

succeed this year, and it won't be all his fault. Is Robert Sala a good coach? Nat Hackett is an OC, impulsive owner, rebuilt offensive line. So for the veterans, Tom Brady literally had to choose where to go. Matt Stafford chooses where to go. Russell Wilson could choose kind of where to go.

And Brady's like, okay, I'll go to Tampa, but I need a right tackle, give me gronk, A.B., Lenny Fernette, and, okay, then I'll do it. And even he chose the weakest division in full. football. So Brady, one of the smartest guys ever, when he could choose kind of the league and target the league. He wanted to go to Tampa because situationally, they needed a right tackle and a couple of his guys. So good luck to Caleb, but there's nothing in sports that's more of an inexact science than trying to figure out the quarterback, and I can't

wait until Thursday and I hope he plays. I think if you've got a rookie quarterback, a Michael panics, a bone Knicks, got to give him a couple series. Roll the dice. Roll the diet. Not many quarterbacks ever have been hurt in their rookie year in the exhibition season and their careers were over. Roll the dice for the young guys. J-Mack, Coach K is joining us in 50 minutes from now. I'm fired up. I think, would you play Caleb 2 series? I'm going to see him out there.

You wouldn't? Answer me how the offensive line is health-wise, heading into this. I don't know the answer to that. It's a young O line, so they'll probably play some of their offensive linemen. generally older offensive linemen, they're not going to play a lot. I want my five best starting offensive linemen in any game in the preseason.

Now, Aaron Rogers, I would not play in the preseason. Right. I would not play Stafford in the preseason. I'm not going to play Burrow, Lamar, Josh, Mahomes. Those guys I won't play. But I got nothing to prove. We know what those guys are. Yeah, but I even think with a Trevor Lawrence and a Herbert

who need to kind of pop this year, Kyler Murray, I'd play him a series of two. Well, Herbert has all new receivers. So he definitely needs to play a little bit. Yeah. All right, coming up next, Aaron Rogers had a terrible day at practice, but instead of focusing on him,

why don't we talk about the real issue? And I'm not even talking the offensive line either. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard 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 what you're saying.

Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the fourth. 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. 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 Blow Your Mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your problem.

podcast. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped 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 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 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 finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back. I tend to think if you know you're on the hot seat and your job, whatever you do for a living, you're on the hot seat. You'll go to work and do things differently. Coaches on the hot seat will coach differently. Brandon Staley was supposed to be Mr. Risk taker. And then in his last eight or nine games for the Chargers stopped being a risk taker. He went against everything he believed in. Why? Because his job was on the line. And they got very passive and non-aggressive because his job was on the line.

Robert Sala's job is on the line. So we talk a lot about the Jets, but just think about this. How many coaches that made the playoffs last year went into the season on the hot seat? Nick Seriani didn't. He was coming off a Super Bowl. He's on the hot seat now. How many coaches that made the playoffs last year were on the hot seat? So let's go AFC.

John Harbaugh, no. McDermott, no. They're giving him extensions. Andy Reid no. D'emico Ryan's. Stefansky'd been coach of the year, I think, twice now. McDaniels, no. Tomlin, they're never, I think he just got an extension too. Tomlin's underachieved, in my opinion, hot seat and Steelers coach, don't go in the same sentence. Shanahan, no. Mike McCarthy's been on a perpetual hot seat his entire career. This is the first year. I think he's in trouble with a bad September and early October. I don't think last year it was the hot seat it is today. Dan Campbell, no.

Siriani had been to the Super Bowl. McVeigh, McFlewer, no. Lou Fleur, no. Todd Bowles, I guess, although it was the first year for Tampa Post Brady. So was it a hot seat? Luke warm, maybe. But, you know, so there's one of 14. So we can talk about Aaron Rogers and the rebuilt offensive line is,

Robert Sala has got a lot of things working again. him. First of all, the Jets have averaged the fewest points in the league since he's been ahead coach. He now has an offensive line that's a little old and a little young, very few elite O linemen in their prime, and it's in the middle of a rebuild. Oh, he's got an offensive coordinator, like this won't add stress, that he was going to hire Arthur Smith to babysit him with play calling in a division with Josh Allen and one of the smartest offensive coaches in Mike McDaniel. I'll give you the two Patriot wins.

But we're talking a lot about Aaron Rogers and the rebuilt offensive line. Go look at the 14 playoff teams last year. One coach, and it was a lukewarm seat at best, Todd Bowles. And I think when you go to work and you know you're in trouble, Brandon Staley is a great example.

You coach differently. You coach thinking of, about the owner watching you. So yesterday, Aaron had a terrible practice. The offense stunk. And by the way, if Aaron struggles, he's not taking the blame from the ownership. And Aaron leads the NFL. He's all first team passive aggressive point to others.

So I think the heat on Saul is a real thing. And I think it changes the way coach is coach. Here's Alan Lazzard. They're already talking up Aaron on yesterday's bad. day. You're talking about one of the best, if not the best quarterback of all time. And his standard and level of play is something that a lot of guys haven't even seen yet, even this organization, you know, they haven't really been with him on a game day. He obviously is, expects the same standard that he holds himself to out of everyone else. I don't know if he's maybe the best of all

time, but needless to say, we're going into a season where we're told Aaron's great, meaning if they struggle, Aaron's not going to get the heat. And I think there's no question. The number one hot seat in the league is not Brian Daibel, because everybody in the room knows it's Daniel Jones. You watch Hard Knocks, HBO Max, Joe Shane, the Maras. I'm not really blaming Brian table. He's the North Star, the shining star in a big mess. The pressure is on Robert Sala. He is on the league's hottest hot seat. J-MAC with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. Lamar Jackson, Colin, has earned plenty of milestones during his NFL career. Already got two MVP awards. He's not in 30 years old yet. But can't get to a Super Bowl still. Illusive. So he's entering his seventh season and says winning in February is his one and only goal. That's been the first check box for me since 2018. You know, I said that April 26th, whenever we were drafted, whenever I was drafted,

I said that, you know, and I admit that. But, you know, just the highest level of this game, you know, we play. So you've got to go out of the champion. That's what I want to be labeled as a champion, you know, not just MVP here and there. Like, I wouldn't be a tap. I hope so. That's the standard with Baltimore.

With the Jets, it's just getting to the playoffs. The standard for Baltimore is championships. It's a proud tradition, a well-run, non-disfunctional organization. So we're going to continue to just give Lamar a pass for his poor postseason performances. No, he's been criticized. Nobody's giving him a pass. People are criticizing him. He doesn't get a pass.

Trevor Lawrence isn't getting a pass. Trevor Lawrence gets a pass for sure. I don't, what's a pass? Well, he hasn't done anything in a big spot in his career yet. Trevor Lawrence, not one. He had a great half against the Chargers in that playoff comeback. And yet he still get, I mean, 55 million a year when you talk about him as like a top 10-ish quarterback. Top five.

Trevor Lawrence? No, Trevor Lawrence is 10 to 11. Lamar's top four. You know, 78 to 80% of the season is the regular season. This is not the NBA where nobody watches it or baseball where nobody cares. I mean, the trading deadline is players I've never heard of going to teams I don't care about. This is the NFL where every game counts. It's professional college football where every Saturday counts.

I'm well aware. I play a lot of fantasy football, a lot of gambling. So I just know in the postseason. Okay, yeah, that's true. Brock Purdy's been better in his postseason career than Lamar Jackson, and it's not particularly close. The NFC is much weaker. That helps. He's also got an offensive genius.

and offensive here. I thought Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the league. He is. He's four or five. He's up there. Interesting. I just can't get over the hump. Okay. I see it. All right. Let's get to Brock Purdy. Second story here. He is eligible for his big extension next offseason column. This is going to be fascinating. Listen, man, he's put up good numbers in his year and a half. He had the one injury against the Eagles and the playoffs. But he has seen plenty of quarterbacks get monster contracts this year and says he's not focusing on what may come to his bank account in the future. That's great.

I'm happy for those guys. But for me and this team right now, man, we've got to focus on 2024, and this season's so long, man, and there's so much stuff that you go through. So to get caught up in what the years can look like down the road or anything like that, to me, that's pretty nonsense. So, you know, focus on one day at a time.

I have to get better for this team, and we all do here. So that's where my focus is at and all of our focus is at. You know, I really should like him because he always is humble, I don't know why I got to be nicer. He's a great spot on the podium. That's the guy's money. No, I mean, I think what happens is you're so over the top with him

that I have to, like, pump the brakes and be the cooler in Vegas at the poker table. But he is from at the podium, decision making, intelligence, humility. He's just not real big, didn't have a big arm. I think what happens is you're so over the top. You have him, like, as one of the top quarterbacks in the league, that I have to constantly pump the brakes. But it is, there are a lot of things he does. You know, he's got a little bit of DAC where I don't have to love the talent, but I love the intangibles.

His intangibles are off the board. They're great. They're out to the moon. Intangibles. Intangibles matter. I mean, again, Colin, I know you love the, oh, he's big strapping dude with a massive arm. He throws a beautiful ball. Those are, that's what you value.

Yeah. I value the numbers, because the numbers don't lie. And the numbers say Brock Purdy in the last year and a half. has been an elite top five quarterback in the league. End of story. There's no like courseback. Numbers do lie. Oh, do they?

What are the numbers lying on Brock Purdy? The Dow Jones is at 40,000. There's basically five stocks carrying it for four years. And Navidia, yeah, we've got a couple. So the numbers lie. If it wasn't for Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Tesla, Navidia, you know, they're carrying them. So the stock, everybody looks at Dow Jones and goes, oh, my God, it's about six companies that are all trillion-dollar companies, meta. So like numbers do lie.

have to contextualize all numbers. Even our Dow Jones, you have to contextualize. Okay. So where are the numbers lying on Brock Purdy? Like he doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He had a terrible game against the Ravens and a high profile spot cost him the MVP probably. Okay. One regular season game. Whoopty damn do. Yeah, I think you have. I mean, does it hurt? Be honest. Are you still pain that he came back and beat your guy, Jordan Love, and then came back and beat your guy Jared Gough in the playoffs? You know I don't care about that kind of stuff. No, it's just, I think. I think. You'll see over time this league is situational and he got the perfect situation.

A plus coach, A plus left tackle, best back since Walter Payton, great tight end, A plus Dibo, A plus A plus. So he got like nine A pluses. He was basically given the keys to a Mercedes and told don't run it in. So was Trey Lance and he couldn't do anything with it. No, no, Trey Lance was a bust. I'm not saying he's a bust, but I'm saying don't take that as the example. A lot of guys could have worked here. If you put Trevor Lawrence in this thing a few years ago?

So disrescent. They got a trophy. A lot of guys could have worked. Just plug and chug with Kyle Schenahan there. I guess I'll wrap up with this. My Brock Purdy Love Fest will end when the contract discussions begin. Because again, Brock Purdy, and you can see his contract on the screen, $934,000 is what he's averaging on that rookie deal. He's a bar.

There it is. I would take his contract over any of those guys right there, any in the 40s and 50s. 50s. It's just a numbers game, Colin. Yeah, but I would take the players over him. Not with the salary factored in, and the salary is factored in. Now, if you say Brock is going to play for 45, I don't think that's the worst thing in the world. We know the cap's going to continue to go up. You start talking 55 million a year for Brock Brady and you've lost me.

But then again, you lost me with Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence. Kind of out on those guys. Final story is the Atlanta Falcons, you referenced this earlier. Kind of a surprise. They sold out all their season tickets for 10. 2004. First time this happened in nearly two decades. Atlanta also has had a regular season ticket renewal rate with over 95% of fans renewing in the first quarter. They have a wait list now for 2025. It's just about Rahim Morris, Kirk Cousins. It ain't about pennies. Well,

let me defend it. What's going on? It's hard for the Falcons. First of all, the Braves are wildly popular. Okay, so a lot of people in sports in a town will choose one season ticket. And also, it's the SEC home. So all Atlanta is is SEC grad. So if you're married, Saturday is your day. You're staying home to watch the Falcons, but you're married. You're an SEC grad. Auburn, Bama, Old Miss. The only way to make money is to get out of those small towns and go to Atlanta. So go to the airport in Atlanta. It's all SEC hats. That's all. It's all it is. So those guys are Saturday stadium guys.

They're all flying or driving or they're going to a bar. So you can't generally if you're in a relationship, you can't tell your wife. Yeah, I work all week and in the weekend I'll be with my buddies. So I think it's hard in Atlanta to sell out because it's the home of SEC football. Whereas the Indianapolis Colts, you know, there's a lot of Big Ten fans there. But it's not a quick little jaunt to get to Indianapolis. And so I've always kind of defended the Falcons on it's hard to sell out their games. The Braves, God, they've been huge since the 70s, 80s, and it's hard.

Most people can't afford dual season tickets. It's hard to sell out eight games? Well, what do you talk? How was that hard? The Braves have 81 home games. Again, goes back to my Saturday in the South is bigger than Sunday in the South. Only place in the country you can say that. Saturday in the South is bigger than Sunday.

That's not true in the Northeast. So like when Matt Ryan took them within seconds of the Super Bowl against Brady. The next season they didn't sell out? That's sad. Well, that was a surprise. And you got the Atlanta Hawks and Trey Young. Don't forget about those guys. Well, they sell it.

It's a good NBA city. They may not love the Hawks. The Highlight Factory. But it's a good NBA city. It is. It's just they're the Laker fans. Yeah. Well, it's a lot of northerners that move down south that want the

weather and the jobs, but it's a good NBA city. So, by the way, have you, you have the Falcons in the playoffs as one of the potential... Oh, I think people are... I think they're going to win 12, 13 games in that division. I think that's the easiest schedule in the league. It's the toughest part is

weeks two and three. But again, you're talking about Kansas City had a Rishie Rice issue. They're hosting Kansas. That's a very winnable game for them. I think I'm going to take Pittsburgh. It's two and a half or three. Remember, it started at three, the line. Falcons are favored by three, and then I think it went down or two and a half.

I think you've got to go Tomlin on the road in week one against the Falcons. He's probably the better bet. Does Atlanta even have a home field advantage? Well, not against the Steelers in that game. I don't think so. Pittsburgh travels real. I don't care if it's Fields, Russell Wilson, Colin Cowherty quarterback. I don't think it matters.

But, I mean, look at week four on for Atlanta. It is a lot of Saints, Tampa, Carolina, Seattle, Tampa, Saints, Denver, by, Raiders, Giants. There's giants. That schedule is a name. And it gets really weak toward the end. I mean, toward the end, you're facing Sam Darnold, Gardner Minchew, Daniel Jones, rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, last five games. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Aiden O'Connell is the leader in the clubhouse for the Raiders. Oh, Jesus. Is that true? Yeah. They love him there. You talk about a pocket quarterback. AOC, baby. That's his nickname.

That's what they're calling. AOC. Good. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. So no sport in America over the last decade, 10 to 12 years, has improved like women's basketball. I'll be completely honest, a decade ago, even when I lived in Connecticut with Yukon Women's Basketball, outside of Yukon,

a lot of women's basketball collegiately to me was unwatchable. not enough finishers just okay that's not what it is anymore I'm watching Team USA dismantle Japan it used to be 12 years ago

Yukon would have six of the top eight college players six of eight it was a completely lobsided sport now you have South Carolina in the south is a powerhouse Yukon in the Northeast is a powerhouse Stanford in the West is a powerhouse

I think Baylor and the plain states and Texas is a powerhouse. It is much more spread out. And I was watching Team USA dismantle Japan yesterday, and women's basketball is good. Yukon's good, but Yukon had a stretch, and it wasn't that long ago. 2014 to 2017, they won 111 straight games,

and many of them by over 45 points. So what you're watching is the most improved sport over the last decade in America. But I still think Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese should be on this team. Of the six Olympic women's game so far, this team and this game against Japan had the lowest attendance. And it would have had the highest attendance with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Now, I know Caitlin drives the numbers more than Angel Reese, but I've remarked before that it's a bird magic situation where I think both succeeding, succeeding elevates both. This Olympics was never about winning the gold. For God's sakes, Japan's biggest player yesterday was 6'1. The games won't be close. This was never about the women winning their eighth straight title. It was about eyeballs and attention and people watching the game and the team in record numbers.

Again, this game was the lowest of the game. attended of all the Olympic women's game so far with a 10 to 15 year dynasty playing. Right? Women's basketball's gotten better. The WNBA is growing. I'll still argue they shot an airball not putting the two rookie stars on this team. This was an opportunity, and the NBA has been doing this for years, We're in the summer.

They send their stars overseas. They sell the game internationally. It could be China. It could be anywhere. They sell some gear, some endorsements. They make stars of their players. When they go overseas, it's not about winning. It's about the salesmanship.

That's why the late David Stern was such a great commissioner. He made the names on the back of the basketball jerseys, as big as the names on the front. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese wasn't a selfish move or undeserving. It was the right move and the right time to do it. And they missed. Mike Shoshchewski at the top of the hour and Tua with a record contract that J.Mack and I just got hammered. J. Mack yesterday sent me a tweet.

I was watching the Olympics all day. I got a couple of tweets. He sent me a very funny tweet where we're getting savaged on the Internet. and I'll address some of it next. It's The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlie. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players,

we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Ghalib on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 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 where 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. 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 Ton Ton Ton,

and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to bowl your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped 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 Jay. 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. Saturday, it's baseball night in America on Fox. Rising Star Gunner Henderson. Leaves the Orioles against Jose Ramirez and the Guardians. Or the rays take on the Astros or giant threads. and all begins Saturday at 7 Eastern on Fonz.

Check for the game in your area. So Dolphin fans, according to the inner web, I didn't see it. JMAX sent it to me. We're all worked up because, you know, we said something that was completely true, which is Tua has an injury history. He can't really play in cold weather, and all the good teams in the AFC play in cold weather, and the playoffs are always in January.

Outdoors in the AFC. Shame on us for honesty. Sorry our facts got in the way of your feeling. But Tua is owning the fact that he's making big boy money now, and this changes everything. I'm the highest paid employee in this office. Like, I mean, I got to get my, you know, whatever together. I got to get that right and get our guys moving in the direction that we need to go, you know, to be able to do those things. Actually, Tua's always had his, you know what, together.

He's smart. He's professional. He's committed. He's a good guy. He says the right stuff. That's not the issue. The issue is he doesn't have a very good arm. He would be much better served if he played in the NFC,

where the best teams are Detroit, a dome. The Rams, SoFi, San Francisco, temperate weather. Atlanta will win their division. Dome, Dallas. He doesn't play in the NFC. He plays in the AFC, where the best teams will probably be Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and quite possibly the New York Jets. All outdoors, all cold.

The average temperature in the last five AFC championships is 33 degrees with wind. You saw the game even with Tyreek Hill against Kansas City. He can't throw the ball down the field in that kind of weather. So what Miami and Tua have to root for, and it's a real thing, is the Chargers and the Houston Texans both potentially very good teams to win or hope that they're a number one seat because at home, at SoFi Stadium,

in Houston, Miami can match the wits with anybody. I like their team, average offensive line, have to stay healthy, pass rush is hit and miss, but the idea that anybody's, he is the only elite quarterback, highly compensated quarterback in the NFL now. that you have to put an asterisk by his name. He's really good if the weather conditions are right.

That's not an opinion. We went and looked this morning, including the playoffs. Tua is 27 and 12 in temperatures over 50. He's awful. One in seven, 50 degrees in other under. And by the way, not only is he awful, he's not an NFL quarterback. He's not even a backup. his passer rating under 50 degrees is 71.

That's lower than Tim Tebow's. Nine touchdown, 12 picks, 57% completion, 1 in 7. High school in Hawaii, college in the south, Miami. So when it's cold, he's not even a backup. Those are non-NFL numbers. Those are significantly below a Gardner Minshue. So it's not, nobody's taking shots at Tua. These are facts and numbers that he needs to be a number one seed or get the Texans or the

chargers two teams with the kind of rosters in coaching that could excel and potentially win a division. By the way, if you go look at Miami schedule, one of the other things that works against them. That's why I don't have them right now making the playoffs. If you look at the end of their season, go look week 12 on at Green Bay. San Francisco at Cleveland, at New York. You got three or four games at the end of the season that are cold weather games. And by the way, you do get a break. You don't have to face Buffalo until week nine, which is like the beginning, I think,

isn't that the beginning of November about week nine? But that'll be a cold game. So you start looking week nine on, you know, about four or five cold weather games, and he just doesn't play well in those. That's just, it's not even an opinion. It's just the truth. So I want to talk about Bill Belichick for a second. He no longer coaches the Patriots.

He's going to be a broadcaster and do some broadcasting stuff. But, you know, there was this level of outrage from a lot of Belichick sycophants and Belichick former co-workers. How could he not get the Atlanta Falcons job? But he couldn't get along with his owner, Robert Kraft, the last decade he was there. Almost everybody gets along with Robert Kraft. Brady and Robert Kraft, despite generational differences, are like best friends. He can't get along with his mentor, Bill Parcells. He didn't have dinner with Brady, who everybody gets along with Brady.

He couldn't have dinner with him in 20 years. And reportedly, he didn't call to congratulate one of his favorite players, Gerard Mayo, for getting the job. Probably, I'm guessing, didn't love the fact that Gerard took the job. Probably Bill thought he should be loyal to Bill. I'm guessing he can be petty. But Gerard Mayo, a classy guy, tried to sidestep the conversation about Belichick calling to congratulate him on his first job.

We haven't had a lot of communication since I've been here. I learned a lot from Bill. I honestly did. Exeter knows and also, you know, structure and practice and things like that. But like I said, it's a different time. It's a different error. And hopefully we could have that same success. Memo to Belichick allies, friends, and sycophants.

This is why he doesn't get the job. Can't get along with his owner who's well-liked, his former star quarterback who's beloved, his mentor, and doesn't call to congratulate Gerard Mayo. There's no real communication. Old grumpy guys drain the juice and energy out of a building. And oh yeah, Bill also wants power, at least to some degree with personnel. And New England has the lowest projected win total in the league because they're the least talented team in the league. And Bill overwhelmingly controlled that the last six to seven drafts in New England.

He has become the opposite of Sean McVeigh, who went on a vacation to Cabo, bumped into Matt Stafford. They hit it off so famously within three days they're offering him a contract. That's the league. collaboration, good energy, getting along. Have you noticed that Belichick's assistants die, whiff, fail, and McVease all, and Andy Reid's mostly crush, collaboration, helping others, lubricate, don't agitate. But when Gerard Mayle's his guy, and he just tried to sidestep that whole question, that's why Bill can't get a job.

leagues change and people that are slow to embrace cultural changes struggle no matter what you did but if you look at belichick post brady he hasn't struggled he crashed 19 and 38 and it got significantly worse every year so he used the brady momentum but the longer tom was gone the more inept and embarrassing it got. Personnel, coaching hires, coordinator assignments, overall roster. So when people point to Belichick and say, how can you not give him a job,

the league pivoted and he didn't. And that's fine. He's arguably the greatest coach of all time. But at some point, if you can't get along with your mentor, whatever you do, you have a mentor, can't get along with him. your great boss, you can't get along with them. Your favorite employee, you don't wish to congratulate him.

Maybe it's not everybody else's fault. Maybe. You know, the league now is more Sean McVeigh than Bill. The league is more offense, it's more collaborative, it's more community, it's more elevating others. That's the league. Didn't used to me, perhaps, it is now. Mike Shishowski, 42 years at Duke. Most final four appearances of any coach.

J.J. Reddick's a Laker coach. What should we expect? What to make a Jason Tatum. All this Olympic stuff is so much fun. Love watching it last night. Congratulations to the women. Men playing soon. Our 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, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with a They're 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. 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, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense. of how we survived it with our friends,

fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.