The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Fans, Suns, Patriots

Episode Date: December 1, 2021

Stop saying you're upset about how players and coaches leaveThe Suns are the new power team in the WestMac Jones is a perfect fit for the Patriots systemGuest: Nick Wright Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kier 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're 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 tauntons and wampas on the ice planet, 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 podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. Now let's get this party started. Turning to Fox Sports Radio.

Oh, it is a Wednesday. It just feels nicer in Los Angeles over the last couple of days. I'm not sure what it is. It's the herd, wherever you may be in, however you may be listening. The herd brought to you by Jersey Mike's subs. Be a sub above.

Oh, got so many things to talk about today. Joy Taylor is joining me. I love a little chaos. And whenever a relationship ends, there's always chaos, right? There's anger. I mean, you never have a breakup and you both wanted to break up. That's what they always do in Hollywood.

Hollywood people break up and they're always like, you know what? I respect her so much. He's the greatest guy ever. The publicists have these prepared statements. The publicist, by the way, he's bad-mouthing her to all his friends. She's telling everybody, including her agent, he's a jerk. Well, there's fallout. It's fallout.

So let's start with fallout. Whenever you are dumped, she's left at the altar. He's like, ah, this isn't going to work. Or she dumps you, or your favorite NBA superstar leaves for a team. Or your college football or basketball coach leaves. Here's what you owe is here. It's not that they left. It's how they left.

It's when they left. I mean, it was okay, but could he not given me a couple of extra months? You know, I'd bought the flowers for the wedding. I'd paid for the pictures. It's not that LeBron left Cleveland. It's how he left the press conference. Oh, really, had LeBron left Cleveland for Miami and had no press conference, you wouldn't have burned the jersey, you doof us.

It's that they left. And you're hurt. And it's okay to be hurt. Notre Dame football is going to be fine. They're going to hire Luke Fickle, probably. He's great. Marcus Freeman would be great. Oklahoma football is going to be fine.

It's not, look yourself in the mirror if you're a 35, 40-year-old man ripping young kids on the internet. Look yourself in the mirror. Stop projecting. It's that they left. But why don't I, as a psychologist for America, tell you about the how they left and when they left? you don't like that how Brian Kelly left.

Well, actually, he and Lincoln Riley left the same way immediately. Came back, said hi to the players. I love all of you. I've got to get in a private jet and go to the next job. Don't blame the coaches. Blame the NCAA. When they introduced this ludicrous early signing period, which I despise and so to coaches, it gives coaches no life.

And they have to leave immediately because they got 10, of 14 days for the early signing period. And now 75 to 80% of the good players all sign then. You can't just give up 7 to 8 players if you're LSU. Give them to Bama, give them to Georgia. You've got to immediately build a staff. The second you hang up with LSU, you have to call your top five assistants. You fly back to Notre Dame.

You're on the phone the entire time talking. You say bye to your players. The same day you're out, you land and you go to kids' houses. That's what Lincoln Riley is doing. what Brian Kelly did. Blame the NCAA. Okay. How they left.

The NCAA gives choice. No, no wiggle room. The early signing period is now the signing period. You can't just say, well, we'll give up this class. You're kidding me? Those are five-star LSU kids. Five-star USC kids. You give them up, they come back and beat you in three years.

They come back and beat you in two years. Okay? That's number one. And the other thing is, when he left, he dumped me. I didn't like when he left. You got dumped, it's okay, when he left. Notre Dame, Brian Kelly knows this. He's not leaving a national championship team at Notre Dame.

He knows this. They got pounded at home by Cincinnati. Cincinnati's going to get pounded by Georgia. In fact, last night, the college football playoff rankings came out. I agreed one through six. And I will say again, as I said weeks ago, Oklahoma State is the most underrated team in the country. And if they have to play Georgia, it will be interesting. They may not beat them, but it'll be interesting.

This is not a national championship team. If it was, but it can't be at Notre Dame. Because LSU gets two to three five-star players a class. Notre Dame has landed one in five years. That means at any given time, LSU's got 12 or 12. 13 five-star kids and Notre Dame's got one. That's why every time Brian plays

a Bama or a Georgia or a Clemson they get whacked in these big playoff games. He's not, he's telling you two things. Brian Kelly's telling you two things the way he left. One,

the NCAA has trapped all of us coaches. Unless you're playing for a national championship, go. You've got to build the next place fast. You can't the SEC give up seven, eight recruits. You've got to be on the phone with them immediately and build the staff immediately. Blame the NCAA. Don't blame the coaches. Talented people get jobs. They leave less talented places or less talented people. And the second thing he's telling you is, listen, this was a rebuilding season. I mean, Notre Dame does not have a

big win this year. Wisconsin's average. Purdue, really? You chalking that one up? They played Cincinnati. They got pounded at home, soundly, wasn't even competitive early. So, come on, it's that LeBron left. Stop trying to fool us, that it's how he left and when he left. Like he doesn't would Jim Gray hold that press conference? You're not ticked off? She dumped you. It hurts.

It's okay to be hurt. But look yourself in the mirror if you're blaming coaches and ripping people and ripping kids for decommitting. players have never had more power, coaches have never had more power, and people with power and leverage are going to occasionally use it. It doesn't make them bad people. Okay. So I watched a little Brooklyn Nets and Knicks last night.

I watched the second half of that. And then I watched a lot of the Suns Warriors. You know, Suns Warriors played last night. You know I like big brands. I've always been upfront about this. I've never denied it. I've always been totally honest with you, the viewer, the consumer, the listener.

The Cowboys win, it's good for my business. The Lakers win, it's good for my business. The Yankees win, it's good for Fox in our playoff baseball coverage business. Notre Dame football. You know, Duke basketball. The big brands are good. But there's also a responsibility, I believe, and I think Joy believes this too, there is a responsibility we have to not try to sell.

you nonsense. That when the big brands are great, it's good, and we like it. But when they're not great, I'm not going to try to pretend they're great. And I'm watching the Phoenix Suns last night. They would sweep the Lakers in four games if all four games were played in Los Angeles. The Lakers will not catch the Phoenix Suns for the next half decade. It's over. Forget the Warriors, and the Warriors are better than the Lakers, too.

the Phoenix Suns are better everywhere. First of all, defensively, they're long, they're versatile, they're athletic, they have a rim defender, they play 10 guys deep. They've got some veterans, but mostly seven of their 10 players are in their prime. None of the Lakers' top 10 guys are in their prime. Seven of 10 for Phoenix are, they're a great defensive team, incredibly deep and versatile. Offensively, they have a Hall of Fame smart point guard. They have a lethal number two shooting scoring guard. They have a rim protector.

I swear he can guard anybody on the floor, maybe a point guard. They get easy points down low. They're the best clutch team in the league. They're nine and one in clutch situations, number one in the NBA. They have the highest field goal percentage in the league in clutch situations. So they're smart guys who get the ball to the right team. And unlike the Lakers, the sons love their coach. The Lakers are Jurassic and old and outdated.

and tired. The bench is old. The starters are old. AD's brittle. Westbrookin crisis is a disaster. We have to be honest about this. The Phoenix Suns are the new power in the West. And if you look at the construct of their roster, they're not going away. They're going to get a new owner, hopefully. They've got a great coach. They've got length and athleticism. You in any sport, Ask yourself, is the core in their prime? The Phoenix Sun's core outside of Chris Paul and Jay Crowder. Everybody else's plan is entering their prime. They're only getting better.

What if they want? 17 straight now? I mean, they took the Warriors and Steph Curry apart last night. Now, these two teams will meet multiple times. In fact, I think they meet in the Bay Area here in a few days. Golden State has a chance to win. But LeBron now doesn't have the. power to attract younger players to want to play with him.

That's why he has to call Westbrook and mellow. Generational, those guys still hold him in high esteem. Devin Bookers, I'm not giving my brand of LeBron. Aiton, I'm not, I'm not, Mikhail Bridget. What are we doing here? Now, we got Chris Paul. He's our Robin Hood. He's leading us to the promised land.

But you look at Phoenix right now. We have to be honest in our business. Lakers aren't that interesting. They're not as deep. They're not as athletic. They're not as long. They don't love their coach. There is, you just got to come to terms if you're a Laker fan.

You've got to come to terms with this. You don't have a single player on that roster, elite player in their prime. And you're not going to change that as trading deadline. We have to be honest in our business. There is a new sheriff in town. Okay. It's Phoenix. Like Milwaukee and Brooklyn,

they're going to be battle in the east. Maybe Philadelphia. They're going to battle in the east. Boston, get out of here. You go battle in the east. Washington, it's cute, but it's regular season. And in the West, the power is the Warriors and the Phoenix Suns. It's going to be like that for half a decade.

I'm not saying I won't talk about the Lakers when they get swept by Phoenix. I'll mention it on the show. But we've got to be honest here. That team is incredible. Phoenix is good enough to lose multiple star for stretches and just win games. Like that's how good. You know a team is good.

Lakers now have LeBron back mostly, and they can't beat bad teams. So I'm all in on Phoenix. I found the Phoenix Warriors first quarter last night. It was like 35, 31. If you watch that basketball and you think that Lakers can compete with that, you're lying to yourself. They aren't even close. They're a thousand miles down the road from that.

They got everything. The smart point guard, the devastating score, the athletic rim protector, multiple wing defenders, multiple three shooters, incredible chemistry, athletic and long and feisty in passing lanes. And then offensively, they get cheap, easy points with Aidan. They have a pretty good bench, not great, but a solid bench. They got everything. They have got everything. All right. Good stuff.

Very fired up today. Mac Jones, Brady, media buzz kills, players decommitting. Notre Dame, Oklahoma, you're going to be fine. Really, I swear to God, you're going to be okay. There's incredible candidates out there. Brett Venables go to Oklahoma. It'll be great. Luke Fickle, Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame, they'll be great.

Just get off the internet. There's going to be some flipping and decommitting. It's okay. It's not like the Oklahoma Sooners program flipped and became USC. like 99% of the players are all staying. Handful, empowered, going to leave. It's the way it works. 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 where 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 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 a 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 you 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 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 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, 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. Tommy John's extended Cyber Monday sale, celebrate softness season,

20% off sitewide right now and she free shipping Tommyjohn.com slash heard Tommyjohn.com slash heard. So Brett Farve said something. Everybody is, you know, Mac Jones is Brady. Oh, don't say that. That'll be ridiculous. And the media sometimes is terrified to say anything. You know, because it could come back to haunt them if Mac Jones wasn't very good.

But the comps for Mac Jones and Brady, you can see them. And I'm not talking Brady now. I'm talking Brady when he was 23 years old. So Brett Farv talked about it on Sirius XM. Obviously, Coach Belichick and Josh McDaniels and the organization chose Mack Jones for a reason. The way he plays, being ready to play instantly, and not making mistakes,

really sort of a young carbon copy of Tom Brady. Obviously, way premature to say he is the next Tom Brady. But he plays a lot like him. You know, he's an intellectual player. He's not going to beat you with his feet. but his mind and his arm is what's in his pocket presence. He has all those tools. Nobody is comparing Mac Jones to Tom now.

But let's go to when Tom was that age. So in high school, they were both good recruits. Neither was a five-star recruit. But Brady was drafted by a Major League Baseball team. USC's offensive coordinator wanted him. The coach didn't. He went to Michigan. And back when Brady came out of college, Michigan was a top.

top five program. And then in college, neither had a ton of starts. Both kind of had to sit and wait and battle somebody else. And when they did start, they won and they were very good, but neither was given a ton of credit in college, right? Like it was the program. It was Alabama, not Mack Jones. It was Michigan.

Power football. It wasn't Brady. And then pre-draft, both have body issues. Mac Jones's nickname is Mac and Cheese. and Brady legendarily shirt off at the combine. And then their early NFL starts, the defense clearly led the way for both, and not a lot of heavy lifting. If you look at their first 12 starts, oh, they're virtually identical numbers.

Both have an excellent offensive coordinator. Tom had Charlie Weiss. Mack Jones has Josh McDaniel. Both have Belichick. Both have great defenses. Their paths, their resumes early are virtually identical. Even their bodies. Mac is 6.3216.

Tom was 6.4-2-10. Neither hyperathletic, neither with a cannon but a good arm sufficient, and both lauded for their leadership and pre-snap abilities. Blockbuster and Netflix, it's not a bad comp. They did look a lot like each other years ago. They don't today. Andrew Luck and John Elway out of Stanford. The comp was absolutely true.

One's a Hall of Fame or a legend. One left early. Earlier than we wanted. But the comps were okay. If you go to Bill Belichick, 1991, it's out in the internet. Now, his Bible on what he looks for from a quarterback. This is Belichick's what I look for in a quarterback in 1991. I'm looking at it now.

It's on the internet. It reads Brady and Mac Jones. leadership, accuracy, don't need you to be hyper-athletic. All the things Belichick in 91 wrote down that he wanted in a quarterback, today in 2021 sound exactly like Mack Jones and sounded exactly like Tom Brady. The comp's accurate.

Young Tom and Mac today, I mean, the boxes just check. Old Tom? Joe Montana doesn't even compare him anymore. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, in the first few weeks of the season,

the Niners used some different packages to get Tray Lance on the field, particularly when the offense was close to the goal line, but since he returned from the knee injury on October 10th, Lance has solely been the backup, and Kyle Shanahan said that has to do with play calling. Oh. I tell you the truth in terms of, you know, just...

Well, that makes sense because they are two pretty different styles of quarterback. Listen, this stuff's hard. So in Chicago, you know, it was start the old guy, start the young guy. None of these young guys are ready. I mean, Mac Jones will be better next year than now. He's closer to his ceiling, so it's hard. So in San Francisco, start the young guy, old guy, and they battled with it a lot. And the minute they said, okay, let's just go with the old guy for now.

He's healthy. Let's go, it's a better football team. Doesn't mean Jimmy will be better than Trey. But let's at least be honest. here. The balance between a young star who's not quite ready, Justin Fields, Trey Lance. I mean, for the record,

Trevor Lawrence isn't ready yet, but they don't have an obstacle. An old guy who right now is probably better pre-snap, has seen more defenses. It's a hard, it's hard. It's hard to do. The hardest position in sports, it's becoming harder every single year.

The pressure is going up every single year. I'm on the other side of this. I think you should start the young quarterback right away. because of reps, but I do also think, like, with everything, there are exceptions. And in this situation, it was always an exception. Trey Lance was incredibly raw. I mean, comparing Trey Lance's experience to Mac Jones in college football is silly. Like, it's nonsense.

Of course, Mac Jones is more prepared to start right now. But both of them went to pretty unique situations in that the teams weren't a complete and utter disaster. Like the Jets, like Jacksonville, like Chicago. And Chicago is kind of in the middle of that space. It's not quite Jacksonville and New York, but still has a lot of issues. So generally, if you are a young quarterback going at the top of the draft, you're going to a team that's probably not very good because they're top of the draft.

Or they're struggling for one particular reason or another. Or they've made a massive trade to move up and get you, which is what the situation was with Patrick Mahomes. Obviously, San Francisco had a barrage of injuries. By the way, what did Jacksonville eventually do? They got Gardner Minshu out of town. So they just decided our back upper starter is not going to, enough to play. Right. And that's

that is the situation. That's right. That's what Miami should have done with Tua. That's right. Like you have a guy in there who is fully capable. Ryan Fitzpatrick is capable. Gardner Munchu is capable. Jimmy Garapolo played in a Super Bowl. He's above capable. Yeah, he's the best of all those. Like he's better than Andy Dalton, Minchu. He's absolutely a starting

quarterback. Jimmy's issue is injuries. Yeah. So it's the talent level is not comparable in those two things. But also the offense has been rolling. They've won three in a row and four of their last five. So now they're six and five. And they're going to move forward with Jimmy as they should. We talked about it off air this morning.

This was the plan all along, pending that Jimmy was healthy. And if Jimmy's healthy, he should be starting the whole year. But it is rough. You're in camp. The young guy is good. Yeah. I mean, this stuff is, it's a lot of balancing. I think it says a lot about Jimmy Garoppolo the way that he's handled it.

So do I. It's just smart. Because the moment that they drafted Traylands, it didn't serve him to be a pain. Like he's going to have a future in the league somewhere. There's going to be a lot of desperate teams. teams next year and he can land in a really good spot and is going to be a starter. And they drafted Trayland. So he's not the future there.

They've also been very open and communicated with him, which, you know, communication helps in all these situations. 49ers play the Seahawks on Sunday and are currently three and a half point favorites, according to Fox Bet, which is actually an interesting game because the Seahawks are somehow still a little bit alive. I think they're so bad. Yeah, it's like it's over. It's just such a disaster there.

So the latest college football playoff rankings were released last night. Georgia remained number one predictably, followed by Michigan, Alabama, and Cincinnati in the top four. So now it's going to start to get interesting because Michigan moved up three places to number two after beating Ohio State. And a win in the Big Ten title game over number 13 Iowa would secure their playoff appearance. And by moving Alabama to three, what it's telling you is the committee's telling you they lose, they're out. Alabama is at three. yes, but they play Georgia Saturday for the SEC title game.

I like Georgia. If they lose, they should be knocked out of consideration. They will at three. Now, if they were at two, maybe at three, they'll be gone. And they're also telling you by moving Oklahoma State up, they're telling you is they think Oklahoma State's going to beat Baylor, I do too, and they'll be in. And by the way, when our final four is Georgia, Michigan, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State,

I have no problems at all of it. That's wonderful. It's wonderful. That's wonderful. All we do is complain about how it's the same. teams every single year in the college football playoff. Cincinnati just has to win. Like that's what they have to do. They're at four. They have to beat Houston, which is ranked 21 in the AAC championship game, and they'll be in. And that's a fun, that's a fun college

football playoff. It's, it's new teams, it's new blood, it's fan bases that haven't been there being able to be a part of it. And the game will be January 10th in Indianapolis. So, obviously, Brian Kelly is in Louisiana at L.S. you and there's been some names circulating to replace him at Notre Dame. CBS Sports Dennis Dodd reported yesterday that Luke Fickle is apparently Notre Dame's first choice, and Fickle was asked about the possibility of that job. And I don't know what there is to address. You know, is the job open, I guess it is.

But I wouldn't know if somebody didn't tell me. And, you know, it's the same way I am with rankings. It's the same way I am with, you know, unfortunately a lot of other things, with exception to recruiting. that I don't pay a whole lot of attention to. So I understand that, you know, most importantly, all I care about are the guys that sit in these seats, to be honest with you. By the way, he's a great candidate because he coached Ohio State for a year. He gets the Big Ten.

He gets the big program. He was an assistant there. Then he goes to Cincinnati and crushes it. This is what Brian Kelly was. Brian Kelly crushed it at Cincinnati. Cincinnati's big enough so you play the big boys. Right. But it's not quite Notre Dame.

And I do think Notre Dame is a hard first job. Marcus Freeman's a great talent. That's a hard first job. There's a lot of hurdles. Yeah, there's a lot of political stuff. Yeah. But I don't think Marcus Freeman would be a bad choice. But I think he's a young.

I mean, I'd argue there's a lot of similarities between Brian Kelly and Luke Fickle in that they've taken a non-power five team that's really solid, one big. And it's like the next step is a top eight, 10 program. Yeah, you move up. That's how it goes. I know Cincinnati fans don't want to hear this, but listen, if you're a college football fan after this weekend, we said this yesterday, stop saying your coach isn't going to leave. Oh, God. Stop. It's silliness.

There's no loyalty at this game, and there never was. It's just this pitch that is sold to fans because fans are supposed to be loyal. But this is their careers, and Notre Dame is a bigger opportunity than Cincinnati. Now, he may end up staying there, who knows, because Notre Dame is not the easiest place. to go. It's not as simple as taking a big school job. Like there's recruiting, what do I want to say? Obstacles. Obstacles. Yes. And political obstacles. It's a religious school. Like there's a lot going on at Notre Dame. That's not that simple. But if it's a big challenge and he's completely qualified for it and he probably will get it. Like whatever coaches say in these situations is what they're supposed to say. That's right.

Especially him. So like this whole like, well, he said he wasn't going. Like what's he supposed to say? Yeah, I'm actually probably leaving. Just so you know. Like after this game, I'm. probably leaving. Yeah. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News.

All right, Nick Wright, Mercedes-Benz the best or nothing, my buddy. First things first, co-host. All right. Brian Kelly's going to LSU. I said yesterday, he just wants to play Nick Sabin one time in Davos-Sweeney and say, oh, I've got the same players you do. I think it's the right move. I'm not bothered by it.

I like mobility for my athletes, my students, my coaches. my coach is what do you make of it? Yeah. Yeah, no, it's great for college football. The championship in the playoff doesn't matter, but as long as Brian Kelly and his buddies can make tens of millions of dollars, that's what the sport's about, right?

Like, so a couple things. First of all is this. I hope anyone and everyone, including the great broadcaster I'm talking to right now, now agrees that if today, Aidan Hutchinson says, you know what, I'm top five pick.

I don't need to play any more. college football and he takes a job oh and hill with him the other first round is from michigan and they skip out on the big 10 championship game in the playoff we got no problem with it right it's totally fine the championship in the playoff does not matter it's about what's best for every individual so they can they can skate right now and we're good with it right i want to make sure the other question i would have is well i'm not right with that no i i am not right with that why are you not okay with that because college athletes don't have the leverage i mean let's be honest About this, Bryce Young's making a bunch of money in the NIL.

Almost nobody else is. He's a star quarterback for Alabama. So coaches, my bosses, my executives, they get pensions, I don't, they get outs, I don't. They fly on the jets, I don't. I, as a quote, unquote, on air, let's say I'm an athlete, there are certain things I get, but my mobility isn't the same as my boss's mobility, the Murdoch family's mobility. No, agreed. Right.

And no one's going to give Aidan Hutchinson $100 million. But he doesn't. Nobody's going to give him the $100 million. But no, what I'm saying is... But he can skip out on the championship game. But that's different. Michigan can win the national championship. Notre Dame can't.

Michigan is absolutely capable of winning the national championship this year. In fact, I think they're a best bet on the board is a dark horse because they're going to thump Iowa. And then they're going to thump Cincinnati. And I think Oklahoma State may upset Georgia. Brian Kelly knows this team got crushed at home by Cincinnati. They're not a national championship team. Okay. Well, they might be in the playoff in 96 hours or 120 hours.

However, but so, okay, so then the standard is Harbaugh couldn't have done it. If Harbaugh would have just taken the LSU job, he's not allowed. No, he's allowed. There's no question he's allowed. But Harbaugh knows there are certain things you and I know about us, our show, our family. Harbaugh knows. I can go, I just crushed Ohio State. I can beat Alabama.

I can crush Cincinnati. I can beat Georgia. Brian Kelly's telling you, we couldn't compete with Cincinnati at home. We got thumped. I'm not leaving a natty. I'm not. It's the difference between,

it's the difference between leaving the Liberty Bowl and leaving the Rolls Bowl if it's part of the playoff group. And so I don't, I'm the only media person that I don't think players are equal to to 59-year-old coaches that run entire ecosystems. I don't see them as equal. I don't. Yeah, I don't see them as equal either. I see the players is far more important because they're who we're actually trying to go see play. But I can fix this, by the way, just quickly here. Because we do agree the players matter somewhat. Yes. And we do agree that a lot of college

recruiting is going into the houses of 16-year-olds. Yeah. And coach movement is typically bad for players, for the families, for players for their futures. So here's the fix. You can hire any coach you want, coaching contracts don't matter, all that stuff. But that coach cannot start his new job until the year is up at his previous job. And the reason I think that would fix things is this.

coaches would be fired a hell of a lot less often. If USC or LSU or whomever knew, well, we can fire our coach, but we are going to take it on the chin this recruiting cycle. Maybe certain places would be more patient with coaches. Maybe then players would have to transfer less often. Maybe there wouldn't be this constant turnover for some of these universities and buyouts and all this nonsense. Listen, but I'm just, you know, call me old-fashioned.

I just, you know, I care about the student athletes. I understand it's very important that Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley and everybody gets private jet usage and houses and all that. That's what the sport's about. I'm just, you know, a simple man that enjoys watching the 20-year-old to play football. I disagree completely on everything. Now, I will say is that I don't disagree with your premise. I don't think legally you could pull it off, but I don't disagree with your premise,

but the NCAA screwed everything up. by creating an early signing period, which is ridiculous, because coaches now have no life. I mean, I agree with your premise. If LSU didn't have to battle for 10 players in the next week with Alabama, and it's easy to say, well, don't work. Oh, so they go to Alabama and George and beat you for the next three years, and you get fired because, like, it matters. So we agree.

So I want to take a break and come back because I got stuff to talk about. How about two segments for Nick Wright? Let's do it. I love that. He's got the new hairstyle. I feel now with this hip new hairstyle that I can, he's such an artist. Now I can go after him. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

He's my Carmen. I'm Dan Byrd. We have a brand new fantasy football podcast called I Want Your Flex. Twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday, we come up with new episodes to not only look back at what happened, what you need to do at that minute, and also look ahead of what coming up in the fantasy football world. That's right, Dan. Every week we're going to scour the waiver wire

to find the pickups to turbo boost your fantasy lineup. Sit, starts. Fantasy football players' rankings to get you ready to dominate the competition. Listen to I Want Your Flex with Mike Harmon and me, Dan Byer on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. Yep, that's me. Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skisks. hits, 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. 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 camp? 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 a 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 you're going to be. Literally, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point,

this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct. 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. 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, 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 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. Bruce Feldman, top of next hour. We got so much stuff going on right now.

I'd tell you, they say October's the best sports month. I'm going to go with November. I'm going to go with this week. Between all the great Thanksgiving football, college was better than pro, and now you've got all these coaching moves. Let's go back to Nick Wright. We never argue, but today I'm feisty. All right, I don't know if we'll argue about this because I watch Phoenix play,

and I've watched Phoenix play about three times this year, and I watched them last night. They are deep, and they are young, and they're athletic, and they have a rim defender, and they have a legend at point guard, and they're great in the clutch. Nine and one in clutch situations. I mean, I don't think I'm overstating it here. And they're not going away because Monty Williams,

it feels like a perfect coach for these young people. He's a mentor. He's a teacher. I mean, this is the best team in basketball, right? Like, we can acknowledge that today. And it may be the best team in basketball. You nailed this one. For five, six years, right?

I won't go five years. I won't go that far. You know, as usual, you're so close to a perfect take. And then you add a little Colin Coward pixie dust to it. and now it's a five-year dynasty. But what is true is, it is such a well-constructed roster. You have Chris Paul, the modern-day Isaiah Thomas, making sure everyone gets the touches they need early,

but then he can take over late. You have a great volume scorer in Devin Booker. You have two exceptional, what I would call dirty work guys, Aiton Rim Protection Rebounding. McHale Bridges put Steph Curry in the, torture chamber yesterday. Steph didn't go 4-for-21 by accident. It was because of what Mikhail Bridges,

who is a great perimeter defender, not a good perimeter defender, a great perimeter defender did. So they have built the roster really well. Then you have the other guys you mentioned, Jay Crowder and such, to fill it out. And I do think it warrants mentioning, Colin, that the only reason

they are not the defending champs is because a guy who is going to go down as one of the 15 greatest players ever, had one of the greatest four-game stretches in the history of the sport. And even in the midst of that stretch, those were close games.

It took a transcendent Janus Block to win one of those games, a transcendent Janus Alleyoop to win the next one, and then a 50-point performance in a close-out game to win game six. So they were this close to winning the title last year. This year they're better. At this moment, they are the absolute best team in basketball.

I totally agree. By the way, somebody told me this years ago, somebody in like personnel, it said to win a championship in any sport, you generally need six or seven players in their prime. And like Phoenix has that. Chris Paul's not in his prime. Jay Crowder's not. But they got about five guys either in it or moving into it. And that's what Milwaukee, by the way, Chris Middleton, Yonis, they're in their prime.

Lakers have not a single player on their roster in their prime. They're old. They're the opposite of Phoenix. They're hard to watch. Can we solve this? I don't think it's solvable. They don't shoot a three and they can't defend it. Is it solvable?

Well, you know, it's very interesting what you just said there because it's very revelatory. Because they do have a player who is supposed to be in the absolute apex of his prime. His name's Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis was the second youngest guy on that all 75 list. Only Janice was younger. And so what they are supposed to have is a per se. millennial MVP candidate in his prime to go along with LeBron James, who obviously has aged out of his prime, but is also only 13 months removed from winning a finals MVP. So that's the plan.

The problem is, Anthony, the highlights we're showing right now is not what Anthony Davis has been doing this year. He has been living out on the perimeter. And this year, statistically, this is not an exaggeration. He has been the league's worst jump shooter. You have killed Russ for a decade for being a 30% three-point shooter. Anthony Davis this year is 19%. Over the last two years is 24%. So the Lakers path is very clear and obvious.

Get the Anthony Davis that existed, his first year with the Lakers, that there's no reason that it should have left, should have gone anywhere. Hope and pray, LeBron's got one more great run in him and see what you can harness out of Russ. It's not a clear path, but it exists. But it does not exist if Anthony Davis keeps playing.

And I love A.D. And he's a great defensive player. But he's playing the style he played when he was a 6 foot 2 inch point guard in Chicago instead of a 6 foot 11 inch freak in the NBA. He's got to fix that. I'm not even going to ask you the next question because I don't want to disagree anymore. We disagreed. We have really good NBA takes, and it's, it's, I want you to go along your way and be amazing and have a great day.

Because I don't like when, as your mentor, we argue, but it was good and feisty, and I really enjoyed it. I really did enjoy it. Listen, I don't like it either. No one likes to embarrass their mentor on national television from hundreds of thousands of people. It's not fun for any of us, but sometimes it has to be done. I'll talk to you later, Colin. Nick, right. All right, good stuff.

I'm not anti-player, by the way. I just want to say this. It's just, I think it's laughable to suggest. I'm more important than the president of Fox Sports. He builds the company. He meets with commissioners. He's doing billion-dollar deals for the World Cup in the NFL. I host a cute little boutique show.

Now, like an athlete or a player at the college level, I have value. I think I'm in a time slot that's important. I think Joy and I, I mean, I see our metrics and our data and our revenue. We're doing great. But the guy who's upstairs negotiating with FIFA and the international Olympic committee and Roger Goodell and Rob Manfred, you think I'm that valuable? There are pensions he gets, I can't get, and shouldn't get. There are, there are, I'm in the back of the bus on Southwest Airlines. He's on a private jet. He's got to be in a, well, isn't more of the arguments, why is it

okay for the coach to ask to act in their best interest, but it's not okay for the player to act? Because the governing body, the NCAA, is outrageously ill-equipped to handle it. And they have created an early signing date that is outrageous. First of all, we've talked about this a lot. It's a joke. There needs to be a commissioner of college football. And if once you get, see, I don't think Jim Harbaugh would leave for it. Because Harbaugh's like, leave an A.

It's easier to get players into Michigan and Notre Dame. You don't have the obstacles. Now, it's not maybe as easy as LSU. But I think Harbaugh thinks, I go a national championship. I can, and by the way, I think Michigan can win national championship. This is not a national championship team. Brian Kelly, if he thought he had as many good players or close, because Michigan and Georgia, I mean, those pass rushers for Michigan are going to be top.

One of them is a top three, four pick in the draft. Yeah, I mean, I have no problem with a coach leaving, but I also have no problem with a top prospect that's going to go into the NFL sitting out a game. Oh, no, I've never had a problem with players sitting out of bowl games. but if I was the quarterback of Georgia and a chance to win a national championship. But you're not a national championship game. Of course not, but a bowl game.

Of course you can sit out. Yes, yes. That's a million million, that's multi-million dollar decision. If in three years, Brian Kelly has LSU toward Georgia is, which I think they'll be there in a year, he thinks he's got the best players. What Brian's telling you is the NCAA, by the way, does everybody understand that Lincoln, Riley,

and Brian Kelly have done the exact same thing. The difference is Oklahoma lost Oklahoma State, and therefore they're out of the national championship picture, and he doesn't get as much heat. People at Notre Dame still think they can win a natty. You can't. You're the seventh best team in the game. You're not winning the natty.

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 helped 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 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 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way 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 are armored? It signals to the world that you're 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, Stop 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.