The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Lamar Jackson is amazing

Episode Date: November 8, 2024

Colin marvels at Lamar Jackson's performance in a comeback win against the Bengals and how he continues to prove his doubters wrong Thoughts on the Bengals going for the 2 point conversation to try to win the game People need to stop blaming the officials See 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the 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. 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 put on 10. 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a hear, 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.

Before 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. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Fox SportsRourts. or FSR.

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a Friday. What a show we have. Jack Flaherty of the World Series champion. Dodgers stops by. Joel Clatt stops by Blazing Five. We've been pretty decent on our picks in the last few weeks. Blazing Five, I love my Blazing Five picks.

A few underdogs this week. The herd is ready to roll on a Friday. I was thinking about this, J-Mack. Remember three or four years ago, and the media was getting into this. Thursdays are bad for football. The players aren't ready. It's actually, if you talk to players, they love Thursday football because they get a second buy. They can go on vacation for five.

Every player I've talked to is like, yeah, you don't hit in practice. It's a light practice. You usually face a rival. Then you get a second buy. So sometimes the media overreacts to stuff. And I also think sometimes the media is late on stuff. all the time. I want to talk about something today about Lamar Jackson. So all of us, when you mention the top 10 quarterbacks of all time, everybody put Stan Marino in there.

Everybody put Stan Marino in. Never won a Super Bowl. Why does Lamar Jackson have to win a Super Bowl? That's one of the best players in the history of the league. I mean, last night, his defense is terrible. Derek Henry didn't do much. He couldn't trust his kicker. Joe Burrow was on fire. He trailed 21 to 7. and he won the game. I mean, the Ravens were down 21-7, third quarter. You never thought it was over. You didn't think, oh, Lamar can't play from behind. That team needed four touchdowns in the last four drives.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, delivered. Oh, that wasn't enough. Now they needed two-point conversion. When they went for two, did you ever for a second thing Cincinnati would stop them? I didn't. And even though when the Bengals went for two, I kind of thought they wouldn't make it despite the Ravens. defense being bad.

Why? Because as great as Joe Burrow is, and he's great. Lamar's got more tools in his bag. A two-point conversion with a bad defense against Lamar Jackson is like a thousand percent going to happen. But I didn't trust Cincinnati, and I love Burrow. Lamar Jackson, remember when the big knock on him was, hey, he can't play from behind this year trailing.

11 touchdowns, no picks. and a passer rating over 120. Trailing. Three times this year. He's come back and won games trailing by 10. That was a huge knock. All he does is prove people wrong. If Dan Marino's a top 10 quarterback all time and every list he makes it, wear his trophies. But Dan Marino was different.

Probably the most seamless, effortless thrower we've ever seen. This is the greatest playmaker in the history of football at that position. I mean, he makes Michael Vick look, you know, talented, I guess. Almost pedestrian. I mean, the kid's incredible. Lamar Jackson has become the show MythBusters. Remember that show MythBusters? That's what Lamar Jackson is.

The only difference is none of the myths are ever true. Okay, okay, you still got that one where he doesn't win enough in the playoffs. Keep doubting this kid. Go ahead, keep doubting him. I mean, I watch him. This tiptoe thing down the defensive sideline. Like, what is that? I mean, if that was in high school against the high school defense, it would be insane.

He's doing stuff jump shot into the end. He's doing stuff nobody can do. And if you're going to say Marino is a top 10 player ever because he just threw the ball more effortlessly, then what is Lamar Jackson? I've never seen a player like that. And what really defines him beyond his great athletic ability, it would have been easy for him because in high school, In college, he didn't have to be amazing in the pocket.

But in the NFL, every athlete's great, even the average ones. The margins are thinner. He could have easily just said, I'm going to run around, make pro bowls, get rich. And now, they didn't want to do that. He wanted to be an all-time player. So he comes back with traps. He's bigger. He's thicker.

And then he loses weight because he thought he got slow. And then he improves in passing. He is an excellent pocket quarterback right now. I mean, to me, I'm watching Burrow and I'm watching Lamar. They're both great from the pocket. The difference is he has so many tools in his bag that he made Burrow just look really talented. And Joe's an all-timer. So there's just, I don't even know what defense beats him.

You can figure out the answer to beat most quarterbacks, even the good ones, like Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers, get pressure on him. That doesn't work. It doesn't work. I mean, Cincinnati had pressure on him. Cincinnati's got one of the best rush ends. It didn't work. They needed four touchdowns. He delivered at the end.

And oh, by the way, that wasn't enough. They needed a conversion. And I don't think I even, outside of maybe the tush push. I've never seen a conversion. I was so absolutely sure that was going to be converted with Lamar Jackson. And I don't even feel like that. I kind of feel like that with Andy Reed and Mahomes, but not to that level. Here's John Harbaugh on the amazing Lamar Jackson.

It starts with Lamar, and oftentimes it ends with Lamar. But in between Lamar and Lamar, there's a lot of great players out there that are surrounded him, and I think that's kind of where our offense is at right now. Our offense still knows that they can get a lot better. And all the things in the first half, those are things that we definitely can do better. Yes, there are a lot of great players in Baltimore around. around Lamar Jackson, but they didn't do anything. The defense was terrible.

Derek Henry, not much. They missed a P.A.T. They had 11 penalties. Some on offense, but 11 penalties. Just nothing like it. In the world, ever. And if you're going to put Marino in that top 10, without a trophy room, you've got to start considering Lamar Jackson.

Never seen anything like this. Now, I want to talk about the Cincinnati Bengals going for two. I don't care what Annalinic say. I'm usually a believer, usually a believer, especially for a road team, playing a superior team. That was Tampa Bay on Monday. You're a road team. You're facing a superior team. My rule, once again, you go for it.

Your defense, Cincinnati defense was exhausted. Lamar Jackson was literally silly, ridiculous, unstoppable. and I just don't think in life you want to leave in footballer life your fate to others. You're going to leave the fate to a coin flip? Remember Baker-Mayfield's reaction Monday when they lost the coin flip?

He's like, yeah, game over. And the longer this game went on, the clearer it was, Baltimore was the better team. And I'm always amazed by how many people in life allow others to control their fate. In life and in football, go for it. Take a swing. Don't leave it to others.

Here's the other thing. When you get into these high leverage situations in any sport, it could be the end of an NBA game. Who's your best player? Joe Burrow, Jumar Chase. Give your best players the ball. I remember years ago, USC played Texas for a national championship. Lendale White was a nice player. Matt Leinert, Reggie Bush, make sure they've been.

control that fourth down. They didn't get it. Texas got it. Came back one. In these high leveraged situation, Russell Wilson throwing in the Super Bowl, give it to Marshawn Lynch. You had Joe Burrow, you had Jamar Chase, Baltimore couldn't stop either. Go with your strengths. The other thing is, if you have a huge flaw as a football team or a basketball team, hide it. What was the flaw last night? Cincinnati's defense. You don't want to go to overtime, losing a coin flip, or Joe Burroughs going to be doing a Baker-Mayfield. All right, lost the coin flip. And I think fans should want their coaches to be aggressive.

Because remember, you can't be tied just to the result. The last time these two teams played, Cincinnati got hyper-conservative in overtime and tried a long-field goal and they end up losing. And yes, they lost this way, too. Don't get married to the result. The truth about this play was, were, um, it was a pass interference. Now, it wasn't called, right?

And Burrow got hit in the head. It wasn't called. But being aggressive allowed that to potentially be called. Now, I wouldn't have called the Burrow hit. The play was over. And I wouldn't have called to holding pass interference because it was away from the ball. But if it was called, I wouldn't have been outraged by it. But by being aggressive, you put your team in the opportunity to potentially get those calls.

You don't with a coin flip. So I am going to support going for it on the road, inferior team facing a superstar quarterback. It's just like Monday. Baker played great. Burrell played great. Mahomes is better. Lamar's better.

On the road. Defense can't make stops. Same exact situation. It really is. It comes down to in both cases. I'm not giving Mahomes the ball again. I'm not leaving my life up to a coin. I'm going for it.

Here's Zach Taylor, the coach after. Zach, what was the thought of us? It came here to win. Here to win. And it's sickening that this has happened twice to us. That's what it is. We've got to find a way to close out these games. You know, we had our opportunity.

We got down there, went for two, and just didn't work out for us. We just got to figure out a way to make that last play to win the game. Well, I mean, they could have won both those games against Baltimore. Spend a little more money on defense. I mean, that Trey Hendrickson guy, by the way, is playing now. remember he he was holding out offseason he leads the NFL in sacks he was holding out all offseason and they still don't want to pay jimar chase or t higgins i mean that's not good for the locker room that and that's not good for the culture and the vibe i'm just saying baltimore pays it stars

cincinnati makes him go through the ringer that that would help winning games too improve the culture in the locker room and the vibe in Cincinnati j mac blazing five 50 minutes from now you know there are certain ones weeks. I had a winning week last week. Certain weeks, I feel really good about my picks. Aren't you one and oh already? We gave out bangles yesterday. We gave out Bengals yesterday. We're both on a heater in our college picks. But there's weeks. The pick that I, so I always have six picks. I give the staff six picks. I come in, they lay it all out, and then I ditch one. Which one did you ditch? I'll tell you the one I ditched. I bet it was Rams Dolphins.

No, it wasn't. I ditched betting against Mahomes. smart move. I waited for the number this morning if it moved up, because you and I talk about this, we bet the number, not the team. You bet the number. So the number, had it gone up half a point to a point, I would have bet it,

but I am not betting against, I'm willing to bet against Mahomes, especially as a big favorite. He's never been a great big favorite bet. But I'm going to just watch the Bo Nicks-Patrick Mahomes battle and not bet it. The Broncos, the Bo Nicks Mahomes battle.

Broncos did get him last year. they beat them pretty soundly, I believe, at mile high. No, no, no, I mean, the Chiefs, the Chiefs have lost to the Raiders. The Chiefs have an unforced error every year. Every year, even the Brady teams, it's a long season. All games are not equal. Can you tease the Blazin Five? You could tease the Chiefs under a field goal to like one and a half?

No, we don't do that. We keep it simple. We don't want to get too complex here. I'm a simple man. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd, weekdays, 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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 conversation. 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, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away,

such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survive. including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was 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, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important. 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, Keer 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 or 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, Keir Gaines is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Well, the Chicago Bears, a team with great optimism and hope coming into the season, host New England this weekend. If they lose to New England, Matt Eberfluse should be in trouble. Story yesterday is Ryan Poles has told sources, including NFL insider Adam Rank, he is hearing that Matt Iber Fluse is not only not getting fired this year, he's coming back. Yeah.

All right, there's two things I look at to make a judgment on a coach. Number one, do you squeeze the most out of the talent? And number two is, week after week, do you consistently take leads to start a game? Can I see your preparations paying off? Well, here's some numbers. The Bears' offense, despite spending all that money, in the offseason, it's the exact same offense. 21 points a game last year, 21 points a game this year.

All that money, you're not getting the most, you're not squeezing the most juice out of this offense. And oh yeah, the Bears are the only team in the league to trail to start every game. That's not good coaching. And I think part of it is, what are they with Matt Eberfluse, beyond terrible on the road. Lost again last Sunday. What are they? Owen 19, Sunday on the road.

So let's play the three-word game. The three-word game is something I believe that for really good to great performers, companies, people, politicians, you can describe people succinctly in three words. I'll give you an example. Steph Curry. Steph Curry can be described

greatest shooter ever. That sums it up. Let's go quarterbacks. I think Tom Brady very easily obsessed precise clutch he's probably the most of all those how about patrick mahomes three word game never seen before you could go to companies you could go to uh apple revolutionary tech giant that sums it up how about netflix greatest industry disruptor of my life uber and netflix

Taxes and TV. Let's go to the NFL. How about Green Bay Packers? Gets the quarterback right. Nobody's ever done it like them. How about Kansas City? Current League Dynasty. And then I ask you, what are the Chicago Bears?

Seriously. Living in 85? I mean, every weekend there, or consistent quarterback nightmare? They've never had a quarterback throw for 30 touchdown. or 4,000 yards, ever. I'm not joking. Ever. There's got to be a high school team in Illinois that a quarterback throws for 30 touchdown.

It's insane. What are you? Well, if you dig deeper on Matt Eberfluse's wins, do a little deep dive. What they are is incapable of beating good quarterbacks under Matt Eberflutes. The staff found this this morning. Here are the opposing quarterbacks and the Bears wins. Three years ago,

Tray Lance, Davis, Mills, Mack Jones, and Bailey's Happy. The following year, they only beat Goff and Murray, and that Goff wins nice, but it is a divisional game, and very rarely, you know, those are the games, Cincinnati's not a good team. They almost beat a great team last night. Division games, you're going to win some of those. And this year, Matt Stafford missing three offensive line starters, Cooper Cup, and Pooka Nakua. Otherwise, they beat Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, Will Levis, and we're not sure what to make a Trevor Lawrence. They don't beat good quarterbacks.

And there's about 12 to 15 really good quarterbacks. Yeah, they beat Stafford, injury-plagged. Trevor Lawrence, last year, Arizona was a mess. Like, they just don't win road games under Matt Eberflutes. And they don't beat good quarterbacks. And yet, yet, according to a lot of... a source. Iber Fluse is here this year and next year.

They never lead to start a game. They're not squeezing the most juice out of their talent. I don't like calling for people's jobs. But we worried from day one, can this staff elevate a young quarterback? They're doing it in Washington. They're doing it in Denver. They're going to do it with J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota. They're doing it in Houston.

They're just getting in Caleb Williams way. And they'll probably win this weekend, probably. but if they don't he's still got a free pass rest of the year, rest of next year? Wow. Maybe that's the three-word game. The three-letter game,

W-O-W if they lose to New England and it's not discussed. Wow. Okay. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. All right, let's start with the Houston Texans, Colin. Head coach Jemiko Ryan said the team, has to finish better. These are some interesting stats here. Quarterback, CJ Stroud, talked about the potential reason the team hasn't been scoring at the same clip

in the second half as they are in the first. One thing I've learned is the other team makes plays too, and we have to be able to just not only respond, but just rest and the surge, especially when an away game, in a way game, I feel like we're a little dead in the second half because we don't have the other, we don't have the crowd with us

and whatever. So I believe, you know, that we just honestly got to keep the swag, keep the juice in the sideline. We got to be more pumped up. Everybody got to be standing up, ruin each other on, and, you know, celebrate.

Yeah, it's weird. They're a great first half team column. We got some stats here. They are plus 41 point differential first half. Second half, minus 40. Okay. I mean, we saw collapses against the jets, the Buffalo Bills.

So what does that tell you? They're well coached. On the script. Yeah, they come out. We got the game plan. But they're a beat-up thin rod. probably still more in a rebuild than any of us want to admit. They don't look like Baltimore or Detroit or San Francisco or Philadelphia.

Because they were so good last year and surprised us, we're like they've arrived. But they sneak into the playoffs. They're still a little bit in a rebuild. I think we've all sort of jumped to the conclusion that they should be in the class of Kansas City, Baltimore, Buffalo, San Francisco, Detroit. And you know what they're in? They're more in the class of Green Bay. They're probably a year away, hitting on six more draft picks, two more free agent acquisitions. They're not there yet.

On script, they're well coached. Right? They take to leads. They're good early. But over time, they don't have the depths of talent and a couple of key injuries to a receiver or a rush end, and they're just not that good of a team. Yeah, and I was set to back them this week against the Lions. Nico Collins practice today.

Well, that's the thing. Okay, so the practice window opened. He wasn't there the last two days. No Will Anderson, who's a really good fast-rischer-office. He's really good for them. Like, they had the offensive line in the guard who has been a turnstile this season. He's now done for the year. So I've just got...

This is a stayaway game from me. I think the Texans is the side. But if Will Anderson doesn't play and Nico plays limited snaps, on a team like this that doesn't have the depth of a Raven, San Francisco, Detroit, Philadelphia, those key players are the difference between winning and losing. Well, I would say, you know, there's a gamble. at is lay it and walk away. You know, I'm confident doing that with the Lions here now because of the Houston injury situation. I mean, again, I think the Lions, their last 55 gains, 40 and 15 against

a spread. They're a machine now. We just got to, we have to understand that's how good they are. They should be being talked about in the same breath as the Chiefs and the Ravens. No question. Like offensively, man, this is team. So I don't know, I feel bad for Houston. This is going to be a tough one. Next up, Colin, this is interesting. Bill Belichick, you know, he's now a, commentator like us. He's all over TV, the internet talking about games, teams, players, coaches, and now GMs. There's speculation attaching Belichick to several jobs, but after he preys on a particular GM this week, you let me know your thoughts. Jason did a great job for me. He's really a great evaluator, really smart guys. He's done a great job putting the butts together.

He's done a tremendous job and really enjoyed Jason. Great guy to be around. And, you know, has really, really done a great job with that franchise. Not a lot of great there from Belich. Well, Jason Light is one of the all-time great scouts. He was an amazing talent evaluator as a scout, and that's what happens when you're like the best scout in the league. You get the GM job. And I've said this multiple times before.

Tampa's always got dudes. They don't miss on much. I mean, they reached on Kyle Tras to quote about a couple years ago because they just needed somebody behind Brady. But they don't, he's a great talent. I've had two different GMs tell me in the all-time great scout in the league. He's a top 10, he was a top 10 talent evaluator. Really good at it.

So I don't think there's any chance at all. Belichick goes to Tampa, right? That's where Tom Brady went. Belichick's not going to Tampa. He's going to forge his own path. But I don't know if some, if Tampa Crater's here, misses the playoffs, maybe they're runoff bowls because they have a feeling they can get Belichick.

I'm going to tell you something. If I'm a coach, obviously, like Harbaugh, I would rather inherit a Herbert. You can do worse than a great general manager, the owner's never get in the way, and Baker Mayfield. In a weak division, you can do a lot worse than that. Now, Philadelphia is probably the job I'd want if it came open or a Buffalo. Better job. All things being equal. Aaron Rogers stays, Jets or Tampa?

Oh, Tampa. No, because I get, I get an all, first of all, I think Tampa's got good players. Okay, Iber Fluse gets run. Caleb Williams. Tampa. Mild's a prior. I'm a little caught off guard by that one. No, I think Tampa's got, go back to that James Winston team.

The dude had 30 turnovers and they were like 500. It's a weak division. Baker is more than capable of getting you to the playoffs and winning games. You have a great GM, and the glazer. don't get in the way. I know the glazers. They don't get in the way. Final one. Brian Daibald gets fired. Let's say they lose to the Panthers. Tampa.

Tampa? Baker Mayfield can win a playoff game. Guy up North Carolina. Daniel Jones won a playoff game. Yeah. In both conferences. You can do worse than a great GM, solid ownership, nice roster, and Baker Mayfield. You can do way

worse than that. I personally don't think Bowles is going anywhere. This is kind of silly. But also, I don't know if you saw it on the screen. Niners up to minus seven against Tampa. I think we moved the line yesterday. I've already bet that at a different number. Yeah, we got it at six, obviously. Final story, Colin, it's to the NBA.

So he appeared in four games this season. Brony James. He's now headed to the South Bay Lakers, which is the G-League affiliate for the Lakers. G-League season's now getting underway. Brony's going to go down there, get some reps. I had a fun conversation with some dads. We were trying to guess how many points Brony would score with the Lakers this season.

Ask yourself to this. Not many. How many will he score in G League? No, he's going to score in the G League. He's got the green light. Take your... Well, okay, 12 a game. I would hope he could get 12 a game in the G. Well, the G. League's got good players.

Of course, but I would hope, you know, they're going to cater to his skill. Like, he needs to work on this. So, Brony, we want you shooting off the dribble. We want you catch and shoot. He's got to develop his game. You don't think he's going to score 12 a game? I don't know the answer.

I don't watch enough G League to. know, but I'm, I, that is interesting to me. Can he go? Because I don't see him as a great G League player. I see him as kind of a guy in the G League. Not, not a bad player, not a great player, kind of a guy. In 11 a game, 12 games. They're also announcing that the game, usually G League tickets go for like $17. What's $150? $200. How about that? How about that? Where are they, where do they play in L.A.? Somewhere in the South Bay. I'm sorry, I don't know the answer. I should be going to games, but, uh. They can't have a very big arena. No, no, no, small. I know

some parents who take their kids to like birthday parties. Hey, let's go see the South Bay Lakers. Like, that's the kind of vibe it is. A small crowd. Yeah. But if you could go see Brani, why not? Check it out. Who know? Maybe LeBron shows up. Maybe your guy Mavre Carter shows up. It's a big party there. Okay.

The South Bay Lakers. Jay Mack with a news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. So speaking of the Niners, that's in my blazing five. We told you yesterday, that's the bed of the week. we thought. It was at minus six. That's the bet of the week. Nineers off a buy, bucks all beat up. So yesterday we had Greg Olson on the show, used to playing Carolina. A good, good friend

to Christian McCaffrey. I saw those guys this summer in Rhode Island at a wedding. They're all really close friends. Jonathan Stewart. Greg Olson. Luke Keekely, if I recall, was there, McCaffrey. And so McCaffrey is, as Greg Olson pointed out, you know, he's more than a player. He's a foundational piece. And Greg Olson talked about the first time and this is really crazy. The first time he met Christian McCaffrey.

Rod Rivera, our head coach, he's throwing a charity event. It's like a bowling charity event. For the next two hours, he didn't bowl a ball. He didn't talk to anyone. He sat next to me in the lane that I was assigned to and he asked me to describe

our cash protection rules. How does Cam make the mic declaration? what does Ryan Khalil do? All he wanted to talk about was pass protection, our calls. And I remember going home that day, and I was like, I know this dude's talented. I watched all of his games. I think he should have won the Heisman. But I was like, this dude's mindset, his work ethic, he was just unlike any rookie that I

had ever been around as far as his approach and his maturity. You know, I asked Tony Gonzalez one time here, I said, how many pro athletes live it? I mean, Tony Gonzalez lived it. I mean, how he ate, how he worked, he said two to three percent. And I would say 97 percent of pro athletes, let's just talk NFL, brief career, make some money, forgettable. That's enough for them. But the greats, the MJs, the LeBron's, the Peyton Mannings, the Mahalms, the Christian McCaffreys, they're built different. Much more serious, much more grown up.

Somebody once told me, in a fun business, take it seriously. sports. And in a serious business, say politics or tech, have a sense of humor. This dude is serious in a really fun business football. San Francisco, there are maybe, maybe 12 players in this league. You saw one last night, Lamar Jackson, that change outcomes. And I'm talking 12. Dak Prescott's out, Cooper rushes in. The line moved half a point.

I mean change outcomes. Think about how many great players the Niners have. Think about how great the coach is with the Niners. You love Brock Purdy. San Francisco with that lineup, with that coach, with that roster, since Christian McCaffrey's been there, 7 and 8 without him, 22 and 5 with him, and he's a running back. And the backup running back's really good.

And the coach is great. I mean, there are 1,700 NFL players, maybe 10 to 12 change outcomes. This guy changes more outcomes. than 20 of the 32 quarterbacks, a running back, then touch it every snap. That's amazing. With all their gifts and all their talent and all their players and that coach, and Brock Purdy, by the way, pretty good. Seven and eight without McCaffrey.

And they become a really bad red zone team, like really struggle to get touchdowns in the red zone without him. The guy is just completely different. Blazing five, 30 minutes from now, little heater. going to go on here for the next month. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 conversation.

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 I Heart Radio, app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business. sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we see. survived it, including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all 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, so. Then you're finishing that sentence. And yes, I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. All right. Blazing Five, top of the hour.

Also, Joel Clatt, top of the hour, Jack Flaherty, Dodger pitcher, where they went and got him from Detroit, that paid dividends. I still, it's funny when you live in Los Angeles. You see Dodger hats everywhere. Now they've won the World Series. They are everywhere in the city. They outdraw the best team in baseball. The second best team in baseball, Dodgers outdraw them, I think, by like $7,000 to $8,000 per game.

And it's a beautiful stadium, beautiful views, perfect weather. But, I mean, this is a Dodger city. I always knew it was a Laker Dodgers city, but the Dodgers have separated from the Lakers in recent years. So a really interesting game this weekend. Pittsburgh Steelers. I was wrong on this team. I just didn't think they'd be any good. And Washington, I was right on that team.

I thought they'd make the playoffs. But this weekend is the ultimate truth. Which one of these teams is just a good story and which one of them is truly a good team. So let's say the Steelers win and Washington loses. Washington's wins will be over the Panthers and the Giants and the Bengals and the Bears. And if Washington loses, they will have lost to a good Steeler team and a good Raven team and the Bucks when they were healthy.

They will officially be a really great story, but not a great team. But if the Steelers lose, you know what we're going to say? Well, the Russell Wilson story is pretty cool, but it was wins over the Giants and the Jets. So there's going to be an uncomfortable truth in either Pittsburgh or D.C. One of these teams is a really good team. one of them is a really good story. Mike Tomlin says, we know how good Jaden Daniels and Washington are.

It doesn't matter what tape you put on, third down, red zone operation. His mobility is a major factor, whether it's by design or by ad lib, play extension, escape. It is something to be reckoned with. It's one of the core components or why they're a dangerous group.

So I've got to talk about something that happened last night. And before we show it, I don't like watching games with fans. It's not that I don't like fans. But fans are like election deniers. They always blame the refs. It's never the team. By the way, I've been watching this post-election coverage on MSNBC. It's point fingers, point fingers, point fingers.

Nobody looks inward and goes, yeah, maybe we didn't do a good job. I got no time for it. I got no time. I don't like watching games with fans. Fans, unless it's a blowout, can never just go, yeah, that was us. So I don't have a lot of sympathy for, like, NBA fan blaming the refs when your team had 17 turnovers and missed 11 free throws, and you lose by one. You put yourself in a position to give the officials power.

They're not perfect. They're human beings. That's the first thing I say when you blame fans. How many turnovers did you have as an NBA team? and how many free throws you missed. If it's double digits with both, go pound sand, not interested. And it's why I don't like hanging out with fans during games. I like watching games with a J-MAC or somebody in my professional.

I don't want to hear about the refs. And so last night, I'd be much more sympathetic to Cincinnati if they didn't make so many mistakes during the game. Their tackling was horrible. Horrible. So you allowed yourself on this play to let the officials get in the way. First of all, Burrow got hit after the pass. It wasn't that serious.

And the holding is away from the ball they weren't throwing to him. You could call pass interference on virtually every play in this league. I had this discussion yesterday after lunch or at lunch with one of my guys on my staff, producers. I said, one of the crazy things about the NFL over the last decade, and I think it's the Belichick influence, how much contact is allowed with receivers and. tight ends. You can grab and push and pull all the way down the field. Can't put your arm around him. You can't let grab them with two hands. There is contact on every single tight end wide receiver route. And sometimes it's substantial. You're going to let you, cops are not going to

give everybody a ticket who's going 66 miles an hour. You're going 75 miles in a 65. You still may not get a ticket. They want the flow of traffic, especially in rush hour, and morning drive, they don't want to give out 8,000 tickets. These are TV shows, right? So it's the same premise is you could call pass interference on every stink and play. And they're not going to do it. And in a two-point conversion, when your defense stinks, they throw it to the other side of the field, they're not going to call it on the tight end that wasn't the intended target.

They're not going to call it. And also, Joe Burrow, you know, he got hit on the head. I don't love that. But again, it didn't affect the past. and referees, I've seen this in the NBA my entire life. You get to the playoffs, you get to a game seven in the conference finals, NBA finals. Referees will swallow their whistle. They're going to let contact happen.

And you could call a foul every game seven, every possession. They don't. You could give a speeding ticket for everybody on the freeway. They don't. You're not going to call this. Thank God Joe Burroughs a grown-up. He talked about it after. You know, I just sailed it a little bit.

We knew what situation we were in. You're not getting those calls in that situation for the most part. I feel like I've never really gotten those calls, so I don't really expect that. I felt like there were a couple that were close, but, again, I don't expect those. Yeah, you just, I mean, how in the world is a Bengal fan your tackling was so bad last night. It was, I mean, when I noticed how bad tackling is, I'll say that sometimes in college. I've criticized USC before, like, bad tackling. Very rarely in the NFL am I like, wow, this is noticeably, egregiously bad tackling.

And you want me on an off-ball tight end to get worked up that pass interference wasn't called. In fact, I will challenge you this weekend. When you're watching NFL games with your favorite team or not, watch how much contact is allowed on receivers. It's incredible. And I believe it's a Belichick. he really melted into the system. I don't remember this 20 years ago,

but Belichick's Patriots were famous for wearing the same color gloves of the team they were facing. If they faced a team of the white jersey, they wore white gloves. Grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab. I talked to Akib to leave once about this. It's like, that's how you coach. He is, Belichick demanded you have contact

on every receiver. At the line, down the field, grab, pull, tuck. That's the way they coach it. Because they also know that most Most refs don't want to give a speeding ticket out every time somebody's eight miles an hour over. They just don't want to do it in the NFL. They don't want to call it. So, you know, and Joe Burrow's credit is, we know the situation.

You're not getting it. Joe Burrell said perfectly, we know what the situation was. That is not the play. In fact, what you'll see sometimes in the NFL in the preseason when the NFL is trying to send a message, we've seen this before in the preseason, where they were over-call something in the preseason, a roughing the passer a few years ago, they want to create some inertia and momentum and discussion in the locker room,

hey guys, we're going to call this. So they will over-call something in the pre-season and in the early September schedule to let you know this is a point of emphasis. Here's what's not a point of emphasis. Going for two off-ball tight end. That's not a point of emphasis. They don't care.

They're just not going to call that. Sorry. That's just the way it is. If you're looking for every call, then I'm looking for you to make, I'm looking for you to make every tackle. Forgive me, Colin. We're buddies. I don't want to get into it here. Look at that highlight. Humphrey, I think Humphrey's 44, right? Humphrey knows he committed pass interference and holding, and he turns around to look on Giseki. Look, Humphrey turns around to look. He's like, oh, damn it, I held him. I think he turns around. He turns around to look to make sure. No, no, no, he would have put his hands out. Like, come on, no way. But he's He turned around expecting a flag. Asked for the face masks on Burrough. There were two of them in the final drive. I thought this league and the referees like to protect quarterbacks.

Hitting quarterbacks in the head in the face, we saw Sam Dardle not get one against the Rams. Remember in the end zone, which was bad. The ref was right on top of it. Now that was different. Because you like Sam Darnold. No. That was the kind of face mask where Sam's head, you could have a spinal injury on that. That's a slap to the face gear.

That's not. That's not, you're not going to get that call. How about don't touch a face mask? How about it's a game? How about the Ravens? By the way. How about when you drive to work Monday? Don't speed at all.

I don't speed. Ever. I got a red light ticket, which I was going to go fight in court, but apparently I would have to take a day off and all this stuff so I didn't. But back to this, uh, Bengal situation. So you didn't talk about this, but the Ravens were so undisciplined on that final drive. How many penalties do they have like five? And then the two non calls?

Yeah. They did not look like they're ready. for the Kansas City Chiefs, not with that display. And, oh, by the way, Joe Burrow has, what, like, 600 yards, 10 touchdowns against these guys this season? I have a major question about the Ravens' discipline and talent on defense. Kyle Hamilton went out and it was like, oh, they got no clue what they're doing back there. I have a much greater problem with Baltimore's offensive penalties. When you have a veteran quarterback, you can't have motions and you're not set up.

That bothers me. Okay. Hitting a little late, I would advocate. for it. I'd play to the whistle. Cheap shots. If you told me I get six penalties a game and all six are on my defense for hitting a tad late, I can live with that. If you tell me I

have four penalties, only four and they're all in the offense for illegal formation, get your act together, your pros. Hitting to the whistle, getting a call, little out of bounds. I have no problem with that at all. My only issue with the burrow throw to Tanner Hudson, if you

look closely, I don't even think Hudson was in the end zone. I think he would have been down at the one yard line on the two-point conversion. He came out of the end zone to catch a pass. Sound like a guy. It's a tough ending for the Bengals. But they covered, right? That's all the matters. Well, yeah, I had the Bengals. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand-new podcast. The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode,

We pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 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.

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