The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Jim Harbaugh is the Chargers new HC

Episode Date: January 25, 2024

Colin reacts to Jim Harbaugh officially becoming the head coach of the Chargers and why he's immediately a top 5 coach in the NFL Michigan will have a hard time replacing Jim Harbaugh There's an interesting Russell Wilson rumor going aroundSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. One hour from now. Our NFL meat sandwich. Greg Kosell, 45 years, NFL films, bet football, fantasy football. Last week, I thought the numbers, the lines were all right. I said, I'll pick the games. This week, Vegas has made mistakes in both games.

Strong feelings, Jay Mack. But let's get past all that. Los Angeles has been, since you moved here and I moved here, an accumulation of stars from global paradises all over. Baseball, Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers now have four stars. The Chargers have been the one team. You've got a Bosa. Justin Herbert, but we're waiting for the star.

Yeah. It just happens to be the coach. It used to be New York and Boston had the concentration of stars and coaches and championships. It's L.A. It's gravitated toward L.A. Yeah, so let's start with this. Just like when a player enters the NFL, and he's a great rookie, a Soss Gardner, a Jamar Chase, and we consider them top four or five in the NFL at their position,

Jim Harbaugh enters the NFL again as a top four or five head coach. Andy Reed, McVeigh, Shanahan, Sean Payton, not many better. I mean, Andy Reid's the only one today, I would say, and probably McVeigh, absolutely better. At this point, and by inches not feet. And when you combine a top five or six coach with a top five or six quarterback talent, you win and you win quickly. The best example is the Houston Texans. One year ago, they were a laughing stock in the league. they hit on a coach and a quarterback

and ended up in the final eight of 32 teams. In my opinion, you are a high-end playoff team if you end up in the final eight. That means you're either getting in by a by, Niners, Ravens, or you win a playoff game. Green Bay ended up being a high-end playoff team. High-end, eight of 32. Don't have to win that second game.

So to me, the Chargers, year two, get there absolutely in year one, probably. And this is very important. There were two things that made his job in San Francisco where he got to a Super Bowl a little difficult. He won, turned it around in one year. But the quarterback was Alex Smith, who's not as talented as Justin Herbert,

and Trent Balke was the GM with the Niners. An intense guy like Harbaugh. They got along initially, but not eventually. And Balke won the battle the owner chose Balky, a disastrous decision. Jim went on to fame and success. Bulky hired Jim Tom Sula, arguably the biggest miss in the history of head coaching hires.

Harbaugh was not having it. There's no GM for the Chargers this morning. By design, Jim will have say in personnel. The general manager will work with Jim. Jim will get final say and that's the way it should be there's weirdos out there frankly everywhere in America

they're anti this and anti-that and anti-government anti-vax and there's an anti-harbaugh crowd out there weirdos what more can we show you the greatest most impressive thing he did is not Michigan nor is it the Niners

nor will it be the Chargers Jim Harbaugh took over Stanford and they were 1 and 11. I had watched them play multiple times that year. They were an FCS team. My alma mater Eastern Washington probably would have beaten them. They were the worst Division

1 program. This was Harbaugh's only slow build. Four years later, 12 and 1. Maybe you've heard of Stanford, academically rigorous. To give you a sense of how hard it is to win at Stanford, the greatest coach in many eyes

in league history is Bill Walsh. He coached at Stanford. He went 34 and 24. Harbaugh took over Stanford at the lowest point in program history, and four years later was 12 and 1, and they were pushing USC all over the field. If you take out the COVID year, which was a wonky year for everybody,

but especially college football, take it out. Jim Harbaugh has not had a sub-500, team in 15 years. He will win. He wins everywhere. He wins period. If Jim Harbaugh is hired as your coach, you will win a bunch of games immediately. And let's be honest about the league. There's a lot of average coaches. Every year eight get fired. And there's a lot of average quarterbacks, mostly 16 to 17. And there's a lot of average GMs. Harbaugh's average at nothing. This morning, I could, with some certainty, eliminate half the league from the Super Bowl. The Chargers will not be in that group.

To give you a sense of how close they are, they were five and twelve last year with a disastrous head coach. But if you dig even deeper, here's what's fascinating. Seven of their 12 losses were by a field goal or less, easily the most in the NFL. with a disaster at head coach. Five and 12 to 11 and 6 is not only realistic. He can't be worth a field goal a game. It almost feels probable. Denver went from 5 and 12 to 8 and 9,

with a thousand times more drama at quarterback, limitations because of what you pay the quarterback, a personnel guy that Sean Payton didn't hire in the same division, 5 and 12 to 8 and 9. The Chargers are going to be very good, very quickly. Dean Spano said, after the hire, Jim Harbaugh is football personified. I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers, the son of a coach, brother of a coach, father of a coach, who himself was coached by like Schembeckler and Ditka for the past two decades.

Today, Jim Harbaugh returns to the Chargers, this time as our coach. Who has it better than us? Actually, outside of Kansas City, maybe the Rams? Nobody. Where to go, Chargers. Now, now, let's talk about Michigan, a great college football program as good as they've ever been. What Michigan is going to do is very predictable. This is what happens in college sports.

And I totally understand it, though I would try to push back on it. When a legend leaves, and Harbaugh is certainly a legend, a Michigan man and an all-time coach. Universities do two things. They either upgrade somebody on the staff or they find somebody who had a connection to the legend. And that will work using the inertia the legend Sabin Harbaugh created. It will work for about a year and a half. And then you will see cracks. Because proximity to genius and proximity to greatness does not equal genius or greatness.

How many Belichick assistants have hit? The answer is none. I could give you 25 examples of this. My childhood, John James to Jim Lambright. Lambright was considered the best defensive coordinator in college football. Steve Spurrier to Ron Zuck, Tom Osborne, to Frank Solich, Barry Switzer to Gary Gibbs, great programs, a familiar face, and it looks like it works, and then it doesn't. And it doesn't because there's one Nick Sabin, and as good as Kalen DeBoer is,

and I thought that coaching hire was brilliant, rare, and took courage. Kalen DeBore has no connection to Bama. That's the way to do it, and that dude can coach. But he won't be Sabin. There are no more Knicks, and there are no more gyms. but I get why colleges do this. It's a no-win proposition. You lose a legend, and the market rarely has another one waiting to be hired.

Then it feels good. You can keep the staff. The fans have their natty. They feel pretty good. Everybody likes the assistant. The players like him. The recruits stay. I get it.

But UCLA has been chasing John Wooden my entire life. And for 10 years, USC was chasing. pete carroll finally they went and got lincoln riley no connection to pete whether it works or not i appreciated the courage to do that what would i do i would do the unpopular thing i would hire somebody that makes people uncomfortable like jim did i'd hire brian kelly

oh i know you don't like him and many don't like jim harbaw but yet brian kelly wins and wins everywhere, and wins instantly. And he rubs people the wrong way. Even today after all his success, so does Harbaugh. Because we now live in a world with social media where people are just anti-things.

Science, climate change, government, corporations, me, you, celebrity, everything. And despite the data, you could hand them on Harbaugh, people to the very end called him overrated. People that cover the sport that have sources that have written bestselling books that are reputable. Jim Harbaugh is an all-time coach. Brian Kelly's not there. He never got to a Super Bowl. He doesn't have NFL offers and doesn't have a natty. But he's the closest thing to Jim.

But he's not going to get hired. And I get it. And a young man who deserves a chance at Michigan will, and I wish him the very best. but in my lifetime, the easy, the comfortable is almost never the perfect choice. But let's be honest. Who needs perfect at Michigan? Jim just delivered it. J-Mack, what a day!

What a day to be a Bolts fan. A great day indeed. However, after that great day excitement wears off, you've got to look at the roster and make some tough decisions, Colin. because they've got to, you know, that Herbert contract is fresh. Well, it's still a year away. They are, but you've got to plan for the future. Okay, you can't. Yeah, so they're going to move off either a Bosa or a Khalil Mack.

The good news is they'll keep one. And last year in the draft, they hit on a defensive end, so they'll still have two elite pass rushers. What do you do with Austin Echler? Jim has a running back at Michigan. He's very interested in. And you can get running backs, as you well know, all over the draft, mid-rounds and beyond.

Jim's going to have an eye for talent. They're going to go get a tackle, a center, a pass-rusher. They're going to get a tight end. They're going to get a safety. They're going to get another corner. Geez, where are they shopping? Goodness, great. Two-for-one.

They've got all their picks, and they've got a top pick where they can take Brock Bowers. They need a tight-end or move down two or three spots, maybe still get him and accumulate another second or third-round pick. They're in a very good spot. Just think of this. they lost seven of their 12 losses were by a field goal or less

that easily led the league. Remember you and I a few years ago you just started on the show? I said Minnesota is going to shock the league because they'd lost so many close games and they got a new coach and it was like, wow. And then you and I both said they're going to pull back because nobody can continue

to win that many close games and they did. It's pretty predictable that Denver was going to get better. They did. And it's very predictable. Many of those close losses with a disastrous head coach will become wins. I'm not saying 13 and 4, 12 and 5.

The AFC's toughed. Mahomes twice in the division. Denver should be good from week one, not by week 8. But I think when you look at 11 and 5, 11 and 6 does not feel unrealistic. And the last play schedule, you know, should be

advantageous. San Francisco, they didn't have this as a quarterback, and there was Fissures by year two and three upstairs. And that was a total rebuild, and I think they went five wins to like 11. But just remember, you've got like Joe Burrow returning,

I don't think Trevor Lawrence is going to stay down forever. You've got to assume Aaron Rogers is healthy. That's three teams that should. Some teams will go back, some will go up. We know this. I don't know who's coming. AFCs just stack, Colin. I mean, Deshawn Watson should return to four, right? It's been long enough.

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. We got it coming up. Some news in the NFL. More news in the NFL after this. I have a great parlay for you this weekend, thanks to Draft King's Sportsbook. New users just use the code heard, H-E-R-D when you download the app. All right, here's my parlay picks of the week via Draft King's Sportsbook. I like the Ravens at home minus three and a half to win in cover.

It feels like 2720 to me. they've blown out 7, 8, 9 teams. Chiefs look better than they are due to Buffalo's defensive injuries. I think the over 44 and a half in that game feels right. And I'm going to take Jared Goff over one and a half passing touchdowns in San Francisco. You got to score to beat San Francisco. They're not getting a great pass rush. And I love Detroit's weapons.

I think it's a good game. You want to take the Hurt Parlay. Check out Draft King's Sportsbook. New users. The code is heard. H-E-R-D when you download the app, which doesn't take more. than 90 seconds. 21 plus in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction.

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A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clever 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.

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No Bull Zone, sponsored by credible great rates, none of the Bulls. So Jeremy Fowler, NFL reporter, came out with some predictions talking to NFL executives. He anonymously talked to executives all over the league, and one of the predictions was Russell Wilson will end up with the Raiders. Says an executive, the Raiders need a veteran. They're one of Wilson's original teams that he wanted to go to. He'd stay in the division on the West Coast, and Russell's wife Sierra can do a Vegas residency as a live

performer. It sounds good, and here's why I don't think Tom Telesco the new GM would do it. Three reasons. Number one, you can argue the reason he lost his job was due to overspending on bad contracts. A center from Green Bay has to retire Erzley. Jackson was a complete miss at corner, and I like Mike Williams, but that's a lot of money for a guy that can't stay healthy. Number two, you'd be doing a team in your division a huge favor. You know it and I know it. They want to wiggle out of this Russell Wilson thing, but they're not quite sure how to do it. And number three, the Raiders finally have a United locker room, owner, head coach, players. Russell, as much as I like him, I think he's a good guy, but in Seattle, he wore out Pete,

and last year, Sean Payton publicly criticized him. That's just what we heard two or three times. It doesn't work, it doesn't fit, it sounds good on paper, but I don't see it happening. J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, has been a trend on the show.

We've got some breaking news. The Panthers are on the verge of hiring a new head coach. And according to Ian Rappaport NFL Network, Bucks OC Dave Canales is expected to be the hire. This will be his first head coaching job. A couple notes, this is interesting. Canales was in Seattle with Gino Smith. Yeah.

helped kind of his resurgence, Gino got paid. Canales goes to Tampa, works with Baker Mayfield. Baker has the best season of his career. So he's rehabbed two quarterbacks. Now he gets to, quote, unquote, fix Bryce Young in Carolina. Bryce Young coming off the horrendous season. So they're also paying for coaches still, or they've had to write big check. So Canales is on the low end of the pay scale for a coach. So it's an offensive coach to save Bryce Young on the low end of the scale. In a weaker division, we are not lining up against legendary coaches every day. Yeah, this is probably a team you've got to watch this off season to make some moves. They got money.

They got a move at receiver. And Canales, he was pretty damn good this year with Tampa Bay. Another note is the new GM in Carolina's Dan Morgan, the linebacker who played there. Very, very bright guy. Yes. He was in the Seattle front office for seven years with Canales, who was on the coaching staff. So there's some familiarity between these two. One would assume Morgan probably said, hey, I know people are worried about this owner. I played here. They love me. Let's get back together. Morgan's a really sharp guy. Former player like a John Lynch. Excellent linebacker. Yeah, he didn't do the broadcasting. Great linebacker. Very heady guy.

A couple of my people I asked about him because I saw that last week. People think he's got a great future. Let's be real. I know Young had an awful year. You just got to flush it. You've got to go get him players. They have offensively, they have the worst skill players in the league. They have no place. I mean, it's nothing to get Chuba Hubbard, but I mean, they need, they need to go spend money. Two receivers, a tight end, draft another back, and the O-line's okay, but it's not great. They don't have that first-round pick, which really hurts. I don't know if you move a defender to maybe try to get a first.

The cornerback who's good, but always injured. So, listen, things are looking up for Carolina. They're not going to be as bad as they were this year. They'll be better. We'll see if Bryce Young. Spend some money. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right.

is Rock Purdy. We love talking about on this show. He was pretty putrid for three quarters last week, but he's the only quarterback so far in these playoffs with a game-winning drive. He said that he isn't dwelling on his struggles in the rain game and is looking forward to a clean slate this Sunday against Detroit. It doesn't matter if you play good or bad. You can't, I don't think, take really any of that with you the next week.

It's a new game. It's a new scheme. It's a new environment. Everything about it is new. So it's almost like you've got to clean the slate, learn from the mistakes, build off of the good things that you've done, but it's going to be a new game. So that's the mental battle that I feel like all the NFL quarterbacks go through. And I think that's where the great ones really, you know, separate themselves from the others.

Second time I've seen him in a row wearing his hat forward. He is making progress in the maturity stage. Gross and maturity, yes. I feel like everybody betting the Lions or Lions Money Line, here. It's like Rock Purdy stinks. That's like basically they're announced. Now, now, I will say, at the top of next hour, I am going to list, as I do before

giant games, the 10 best players in the Niners' Lines. Tomorrow, tomorrow 10 best players, Ravens Chiefs. So today, and I think you'll be surprised at the... Golf one, Purdy left out? Yeah, I would not, no, no, no. I just think you'll be surprised when you're really honest how good Detroit's personnel is. Now, it's younger, but it's also not as creakier.

Debo's hurt. Kittle gets banged up. Trent Williams had injuries. It's young talent. Let me guess Jemir Gibbs is the head of Brock Bertie. I can't wait. Can we just fast forward to that now? Can we just make that happen now?

35 minutes away, I will rank. It's a great idea. Why do it for every big game? I think based on just you teasing that segment, I'm going to go ahead and lay the lumber with the 49ers minus 7. Just give me the Brock Purdy 300 yards passing, just slaying the lion's secondary. All right.

Final story is, this was a bit of a surprise. Vic Fangio and the Dolphins agreed to part ways yesterday, and he's already got a new gig. Fongio is expected to become the Eagles defensive coordinator next season. Now, he's reportedly headed to Philly to sign his contract. Now, there is some scuttle butt that he wants to be closer to. his family, but an agent came out today and said, listen, some of the guys on the Dolphins' defense, they didn't like him.

He runs a very, very complicated system. It's very old school. So Brandon Staley runs a Vic Fangio system claiming it's not as complicated, but I've been told by a player and people by the Chargers, it is complicated. That's why they had so many big misses on third down. A lot of checks, a lot of alerts, a lot of move. So Vic runs a complicated defense. It is best served, though, with older defensive players.

It's complicated. There's a lot of checks. There's a lot of things you have to figure out. So I think Vic's really good. I'm surprised this happened. But it's not for everybody. You know, Pete Carroll's theory was keep it simple. It keeps the players fast defensively.

Vic doesn't do that. We saw Wink Martindale, old school guy, have some beef with Day Bowl. Now we've got old school guy, Fongio. I don't know how much the beef is with McDaniel. But these old school defensive coordinator. By the way, look at some of the crust. Ask yourself, that's a really good point. Look at some of the crusty guys who in the last several years,

Mike Zimmer, Brian Flores, Bill Bealecheck, Vic Fangio, guys with dustups, all defensive guys. They're seeing what's happening in the league, that it's an offensive league. They are frustrated with younger generationally, younger. football coaches on offensive sides, not interested in their old school, too many checks, too complicated defenses. It's very interesting. If you talk, and by the way, Mike Zimmer can coach, Pete Carroll can coach. These are good coaches. Foncio's a really good defense. These are good coaches. But you are seeing a disconnect between what's happening to the league,

Belichick, allergic to offense, tone deaf to it. And these guys, memo to everybody as they age, stay current. Stop defending your turf. The world changes. The three-point shot, Greg Popovich, is here to stay. Yeah. So stop defending your turf. If you're not changing with the world, then it's passing you by.

I'm not a fan of TikTok, but I did join at the behest of your social guy here. So I mean, whatever. But quick off, quick thing. So Vic Fongio is, you don't want to see him in the NFC East, okay? Dallas Cowboys, you don't want to see Vic Fongio. if the Eagles Cliff Kingsbury and Vic Fongio that is a great

duo of coordinators right That's really good That's a massive upgrade for them And then you mentioned Brandon Staley to the Dolphins? No I don't know that was lobbied yesterday That's been discussed No no but I'm saying that would be an incredible hire

Like he's not a good head coach we agree But dude just coach defense Remember what he did with the game? Well he's also again generationally He and Mike The coach of the Dolphins generationally it's the same sort of wavelength and I think that stuff does matter. By the way, Rahim Morris and McVey, again, young coaches.

Like that's McVeigh's best buddy on the staff. He had Wade Phillips. He like Wade. He respects Wade. But generationally, Wade comes from a different time. And so Rahim Morris, after a few moves, by the way, McVeigh loves Staley, loves Rahim Morris. It's the same world, same interests. Yeah, Staley with all the talent on that Miami defense, Colin?

I know you don't like the spray-tanned dolphins, but that team is a... Let's see what they do. First of all, I picked them to be a wild card team. Right, no. I think we both had them in the playoffs. I feel the same way about Brock Purdy as I do the Dolphins. This is another upgrade for an AFC team, man. I'm telling you, AFC is next year.

It's going to be tough for the Jets to get to the playoffs. What time out? It's going to be tough for the Jets? Difficult. Let's just put them in the half of the league not winning the Super Bowl. Should I drop a Mission Impossible? since it's your favorite series franchise ever yes uh j mac with the news well that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd line news so you know it's interesting throughout this process and

i've got more thoughts on jim harbaud of the chargers coming up but it is interesting through this process it was pretty obvious the chargers um was the best job available because of your quarterback they have a left tackle a quarterback a web and an edge rush or a bosa so that's a pretty good gig. It's not a rebuild. They've got to clean up some cap space. They can use a tight end, another corner. But it's a pretty good roster. They'll have to figure out Austin Echler.

The second best job to me is the Washington commanders. And there's a lot of things about this job that nobody's talking about. And let's contextualize it. We talk about this all the time on the show. So Ben Johnson is the leader

in the clubhouse. A boomer Ossiason, former NFL player, a radio guy, says Ben Johnson's going to get the job. So it's the second best opening, and I think he would be a good pick. So first of all, here's the obvious stuff that you'll hear everywhere. The commanders have the most cap space.

They do. They have a new wealthy owner. They do. They have several nice, young, and very productive offensive pieces they do, and it's a weaker conference. That's the easy stuff. They also have the number two pick,

and they need a quarterback, and it's a rich quarterback college class. So that's the easy stuff. But I think here's a couple of things that nobody discusses that are also making Washington a very good job. Two of the teams in this division, the Cowboys and the Giants, have very expensive quarterbacks that eat up cap space, and neither DAC or Daniel Jones has proven an ability to beat good teams. That makes Washington a better job. You also have, and this is essential, what is the thing you don't want in the NFL?

Chaos. It's okay to miss the playoffs. You don't want chaos. Dallas, the Giants, and the Eagles in one year could all replace their coach. Nick Seriani and Mike McCarthy, and to a lesser degree, Brian Daible are on the hot seat. They've got to win. Absolutely. So the commanders could go from the most chaotic franchise for the last decade in this division to the least movement, the least chaotic 12 months from now. Overpaid quarterbacks, coaches on the hot seat all through the division. Here's something else to consider. Whereas Washington's talent is mostly young or mid, right? Philadelphia and Dallas have expensive veteran stars near the end. Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelsey, Brandon Graham, Darius Slay, Zach Martin, Tyron Smith, DeMarcus Lawrence.

This is a really good job. And as you know, very well you know this. The NFL in a year massively changes. The Jaguars now are reeling. How? The Texans are surging. What? Baker Mayfield, going to get a long.

term deal Pete Carroll unemployed that's the league there's a lot of reasons the commanders are a very very good job you've got expensive quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Dack who have not proven to be able to consistently beat winning teams especially on the road and you are tied into those deals Dax could be for another five three coaches on the hot seat week one NFL we all know the rich owner we all know Terry McLaurin. We all know the NFC's weaker.

We all know the new owner's wealthy, and you got the number two pick in a quarterback class out of college that's considered loaded. But this is not only a good job, I thought after the Chargers, it was, that's a job you can win, just got to get the quarterback right. And by the way, here's the other thing that helps

in terms of the quarterback. Let's say Caleb Williams. Now you have the second pick, but let's say Caleb Williams. A lot of college starts. Let's say you go with Jaden Daniels, Arizona State, LSU. A lot of college starts. Now, you're not going to draft J.J. McCarthy there, but you could move down six or seven spots.

Bow Nicks. A lot of college starts, Auburn, Oregon. J.J. McCarthy. If you go down to 10 or 12, you move down and get more picks. A lot of college starts. So it's a – it's not a Kyler-Murie situation. It is a situation where the quarterback – Michael Pennix, a lot. Indiana, Washington, a lot of college starts.

starts. So like a C.J. Stroud, you got somebody ready to come in and play. These are guys that have a lot of college starts, a lot of big games, a lot of big rivalries, a lot of big stadiums. So Washington's going to get somebody with that pick that should be pretty seasoned with a lot of collegiate snaps, and that matters. 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. Hey, it's Ben, host of Fifth Hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour?

I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports, and more every week. Explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, 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, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard,

but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at Tickford. Talk 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 tontons 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 podcasts. Sunday on Fox. Jared Gough aims to lead the Lions to their first ever Super Bowl, while Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and the top-seeded Niners await. The NST championship game Sunday at 6 Eastern on Fox. All right. Top of the hour, Greg Kossel.

But also top of the hour, and I do this for the big games, I'll give you the 10 best players, in my opinion, in order for the Niners and the Lions. I've told you, I think the Lions keep it close. I would take them to potentially win if Debo Samuel doesn't play. If Debo does, I like the Niners, but I think it's a very, very competitive football game. And I think Baltimore is going to win by over a field goal, probably by seven points against Kansas City for a lot of reasons. Again, Greg Kosel top of next hour. So Jim Harbaugh officially, the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, it's a big deal.

The Chargers moved up from San Diego, sharing. a stadium with the more popular Rams. USC is a big brand in town. The Lakers, the Clippers, the Dodgers have become an all-star team. So there's a lot of competition here. And, you know, listen, we've got a beach. We got perfect weather. Shopping, Mountains, and Vegas is a 40-minute flight away.

A lot of things to do here. If you're bad or average, people check out. They just check out. So here's what's interesting to me on a bigger scale with Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan. two of the four coaches that made the college football playoff, both their programs on fire, great momentum, said, yeah, I'm out. Harbaugh to the NFL, Sabin to retirement, semi-retirement. Nick could still coach, and so could Jim.

Chip Kelly, by the way, story yesterday, he's looking. You can be two things. You can be pro player empowerment, Harbaugh is. and still think college football right now is no fun and poorly run and a mess. I've said this multiple times. The business in college football makes somewhere between $6 and $8 billion a year. There's no president, no CEO, everybody makes their own schedule. The college football playoff was utterly amazing.

The best college football playoff yet. But that doesn't hide the fact the sports really messy. During COVID, it was a complete utter sense. circus and a precursor for what we have now with a portal in NIL. During COVID, it was business as usual for the NFL with a commissioner. Now, it was a little messy. There wasn't fans. Nobody quite knew what to do, but the NFL did about as good a job as you could do.

College football was a circus. Some teams, no fans allowed, which was ridiculous. Sitting in the sun is the one place you wanted to be. That was ridiculous. Some conferences canceled. games, that was ridiculous, seeing that young professional athletes were statistically very early in the process, the safest Americans. It was a circus, everybody for themselves, and that's my knock on a sport I absolutely

love. Three things have happened over the last six to seven years in college football, and I understand all of them, but they've made life a lot less fun. a second recruiting period, the NIL, and the transfer portal, where you're literally spending all your day, no time off recruiting your own players, other players, putting up a fence around your program. So what's happened is,

it would be like adding, honestly, two more hours to my show, from three hours to five. I'm sure the profits would go up, the quality of life would go down, and talented people would eventually exit. Jay Wright had another 10 years to coach at, Villanova. He's like, I'm out. Saving another five. I'm out.

Harbaugh, by the way, said after interviewing and missing the job on the Vikings, he was done. He was staying in college. He's like, no, I'm going to take it. So again, the quality of life, I can like what NIL and the transfer portal represent. But right now, coaching in college, there is no offseason. So the NFL pays better. You get an actual life. the pensions make it easier to maintain some semblance of a consistent staff.

And Jimmy Johnson on our show not that long ago talked about this. I think at one time college coaching, man, that was the easiest thing going. The atmosphere has changed. Now, I think the college coaches are working as hard, if not harder, than the pro coaches. Yeah, I don't think it's a think they are. So we have, now, some of this is age. We have seen Roy Williams, Shishafsky, J. Wright, Sabin, Harbaugh. Beheim have just said, now, now, some of these guys were older, but they would have stuck around.

Just like, it's enough. So it's a young man's game. Now, that doesn't mean there's not a bunch of good young coaches I like. Kalin de Board, Alabama, I think he's going to chop it up. Kirby Smart is outstanding. I think Lincoln Riley, Ryan Day. There's a bunch of good coaches out there. But college, $8 billion business.

why boxing died in America. This is why it died. I grew up love boxing, but it was all Bob Aram, Don King. Promoters taking care of themselves. There was no CEO. And so it was everybody for themselves, and in the end, UFC was strong ownership, the Fratita family, strong leadership.

Dana White took it over. I couldn't say the last time I talked boxing. Five times last year, four times I went to a UFC match. Three other times I bought one. It's not just the fight. It's not just the octagon. it's the organization, the structure of it,

dependability, Saturday nights, I'm getting my money's worth. So I love college football. It's growing like crazy. But I think Harbaugh had basically said, hey, I'm going to stay here in college. And, you know, it's a lot. You can boo Roger Goodell all you want it to draft. But NFL's ratings at this network and other networks is through the roof.

That's called leadership. booing the commissioner. It's called leadership. He's for the player, but not soft on the player, Adam Silver, very much for the player, gets along with players, has to make tough decisions. It's not a perfect league in the NFL. I do think everybody overreacts to officiating.

We've got the four best teams. And I think we absolutely have the three of the best rosters in Kansas City as the best coach and the best quarterback. So the right teams are here. think officiating gets in. That's not why Buffalo's not winning. They lost their defensive heart and soul. They had too many injuries. That's not why Miami's losing. They lost all their pass rushers. It's not why Houston lost. They're just too young. They don't have enough good players. So it's not why Green Bay lost. Jordan loved through a

pick, and they've got a bunch of kids, and they'll be better next year. So I think the officiating is concerning. I thought this was a really bad year for officiating. Now, fans will tell you every year's a bad year. I thought this was a particularly bad year. There was games like, you know, grabbing receivers, Kansas City game, no call. There's some really bad stuff this year. Other than that, though, I think the National Football League is well run. I think it's very, very well run. Got a few crazy owners.

The Carolina situation's a little choppy for my taste, but there you go. So I do think Harbaugh at some point, and I think all these guys are talking about it, it's just there's a lot of movement, the transfer portal. I can want players to get paid, but absolutely be disgusted by people paying high schoolers. I think you should have to be in for two semesters of college football to be paid in college football. You have to be essentially an employee of a company before you get the benefits. I don't think any of that's going to get worked out anytime soon. And you've got to wonder, Colin, you mentioned this.

I thought this was your sneaky best take of 2024 so far. Look to next year and how many good NFL openings there could be. We're talking about Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence, Star quarterbacks. Dallas and Dak, Philly and Hertz. Buffalo, Josh Allen. Listen, those are jobs like, honestly, if you're Dabo Sweeney, you have to seriously consider, shucks, can I coach Trevor Lawrence and Jackson? Would they take me? Like, you've got to worry, some of the top college football coaches, will they consider a jump to the NFL? Sabin leaves, Harbaugh leaves.

I think you really got to look at next year. Dionne Sanders in Dallas, we've already done that linking. Everybody's going to follow us on that one, but there's still some good openings. Listen, I don't know how you feel about the New York market, but the Jets and Giants jobs could be open. next January. Like, I would think, I would think it's probable in New York. Yeah. And listen.

I mean, with a jet, with a jet. So I think Daebol's considered the right side of the ball. You can't go playoffs and then crap, crap back to back. They're running out of town. Not in New York. And his wink, Mortondale stuff's not great. Look at Chicago. I don't know if Iber flutes.

No, no. That's one. Okay. And now you've got Caleb Williams. So great market, great city for the Midwest. What coach in the Big Ten wouldn't be like, can I coach Caleb Williams in Chicago? Hell yeah. No, I mean, let's be honest.

year there was one job with an elite quarterback there are potentially six next year and I and I do consider DAC a top 12 13 quarterback he is you mean the guy was gonna finish like third and MVP okay yeah he's top 13 quarterback sure okay okay oh geez this is almost always right the team with the most good players wins lion's Niners we rank the top 10 players. I think you're going to be surprised. Let's be clear. Not we. You rank the top 10 players.

I don't think I'm to agree with all of it. We'll see. Plus Greg Koso. 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 their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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.

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.