The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - LeBron and Luka

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

Colin couldn't be happier to see LeBron and Luka come together to create a new excitement level in Los Angeles. The Rams could look to Aaron Rodgers if Matthew Stafford leaves The Four Nations game did exactly what it was meant to do, enjoying the moment rather than the purposeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 Smygel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The story I told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effectual. Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021.

And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast 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 IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we are. Vacation is officially over.

Live in Los Angeles. A little new studio for a while. It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. J. Mack, we went to different places. You were on the beach. I had a hammer and nails and was making things happen. But it's interesting what happened.

It was a pretty good week to take off. There wasn't a lot going on. But over the course of the weekend, we saw some very interesting things happen. And with the Lakers, with the Warriors, with the NICs, with the Celtics, I don't want to talk about that. So, you know, sometimes people get blamed for stuff, and sometimes they're at fault. But Jimmy Butler is one of those guys that throughout his NBA career, a lot of finger pointing. Jimmy's a problem. But I had said about a month ago, the Warriors need to create some.

inertia. They're boring. Steph looks bored. They just look bored. And Jimmy Butler gets people worked up. He's like he works hard at practice. He'll get after a coach. Well, the Warriors are now five and one since Jimmy Butler arrived. By the way, how are his old team the Sixers doing with Joel Embed? They've lost seventh straight and Embedde got bench yesterday. And remember, Embeddead was the franchise. Jimmy Butler in Philadelphia was viewed as a problem. He was also viewed as a problem in Chicago, where he led him to the second round of the playoffs, and they've been unwatchable since. He goes to Minnesota, great numbers, playoffs.

They blamed him there. He goes to Miami. They didn't blame him. Last four years, finals twice. Miami, a very strong organization, figured out, hey, Jimmy's not for everybody, but what Jimmy creates is intensity. And in the NBA, all these guys are talented. I mean, you don't make the NBA.

how great you have to be to be in the NBA. But I would argue there's not that many winning players. LeBron's not just talented. He's a winning player. Steph Curry's a winning player. Draymond Green is a classic, not as talented as a lot of guys, but a winning player. Well, that's Jimmy Butler. Bulls, playoffs. T-Wolves, playoffs. Miami Heat finals.

And here he goes to the Warriors. So the Warriors were kind of a lifeless offense. When Steph was off the floor, Pods was like sometimes a one or a two, you can never count on Wiggins. Well, now they have a number two. And what he's doing, he's getting to the free throw line. So the Warriors just didn't get to the free throw line.

And that is part of being a winning player. And that's what Jimmy Butler is. I just looked this morning. Free throws made, they were near the bottom of the NBA. Since he arrived, their first. A free throw percentage, bottom of the NBA. Since he's arrived, they're second. That is what a winning player does.

And this organization needed fight, needed feisty, needed to get to the line, needed contact. And Jimmy is not, by the way, Miami Heat 1 in 5 since he left, Warriors 5 and 1 since he arrived. And again, I get that Butler's not for everybody. But this is what I said a month ago. This is a boring team. They don't have any offensive energy. If Steph's done on the floor, they're unwatchable. Jimmy Butler will just create things.

He'll get on his coaches, his teammates, practice will be harder, and he's a really nice offensive player. And the thing with Butler, he's not a naturally gifted offensive player. He is a grinder. So he gets banged up. He plays hard. But when you watch the Warriors today, now Pods is their third or their fourth guy. Steff's there one. Butler's there too.

Kaminga, now everybody, it's like a pitching staff that gets a true number two starter behind their ace, and it sets up everybody else to go against a pitch. that's of the same talent. So they were asking guys like pods and to do things he's not capable of. They wanted more consistency from Cominga. At this point, you don't always get that. You know exactly what you get with Jimmy Butler. He has created a lot of things. Free throws, free throws made. They'll be better defensively, better in the half court offense. And Steve Kerr, five and one since he arrived, talked about Jimmy Butler. It feels easier right now for us. You can make a mistake and keep playing and not feel like, you know, oh my God, we've got to flip things right now.

The trade itself, I think I mentioned this after the Sacramento game. We just, we needed it. And, you know, we felt it. We were kind of treading water. Sometimes you just, you've got to shake things up and we shook things up. For the record, Joel Embed has become mostly a big truck that half the time you can't even get out of the garage. He's getting benched. He won't play back-to-backs. And this is an organization where people are going to lose their jobs because Embeded is not delivered. He may have the worst contract now in professional sports. He's getting hurt more often. I've never seen him as a leader, but it was Embed. Sometimes talent. Remember Durant and Westbrook? Nobody can deny Westbrook's energy, production, and talent. And Sam Presti's a brilliant GM, but Katie's like, I'm the better

by far. Can I get a little love? And I think I think Daryl Morey's a smart guy, but in the end, the R-Bee's struggles. Forget getting along with teammates. M-Beed struggles to play well with others. Hell, he struggled at the Olympics. Remember the Olympics? It was the one guy that didn't work at the Olympics. Butler can work with any team. There is no team. I don't care if he went to the Knicks or the Celtics tomorrow. Butler works with every team. He makes every team better. He into the playoffs. Yes, he can wear you out. Some relationships don't last forever. Steph Curry doesn't wear people out. Jimmy can wear people out, but he'll make your basketball team better. All right, something else that happened over the weekend. So this has been a long time coming,

and this is not a shot at LeBron James. But LeBron now is in what, year 22? LeBron, at his best, is going to give you amazing four and five minute flashes of brilliance. But he cannot be the initiator of the offense anymore. If Luca sits down, he can be. If Lucas playing and LeBron sits down, Austin Reeves also capable of being a playmaker. J.J. Reddick finally said the quiet part out loud as the Lakers beat Denver, is that Luca had his highest usage rate as a Laker, and it was his best game. This is how the Lakers should play.

Because remember, as great as Kyrie Irving was in Cleveland, he was relegated to a shooting guard with LeBron and probably should have been. As great as D. Wade was in Miami, he was relegated to off ball, and he's not a great pure shooter. LeBron has been such a force of nature and so great for so long that everybody wants him to play off ball, and AD's great, but AD can't be the playmaker. So LeBron's entire career, it's not that LeBron's selfish. I always use a statistic with LeBron James. He averaged like 2080 a game his junior year in high school. He could have averaged 60 his senior year. You know what he averaged?

One more point of senior year. LeBron wants to pass. He likes to be a playmaker. I've always felt he's more Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan. He wants others to score, but he likes to control the offense. Finally, finally, he has a lot of. teammate. This is due to two things. Luca's a really good playmaker,

and LeBron's now 40. So the combination of the two, a transformational young talent in Luca, and the fact that LeBron is older and is great in spurts, but in the Denver game, when LeBron didn't have to be the initial, the initiator of offense,

his usage rate was only 29%. That's well below his average. Did you also notice since Luca arrived what's happened to LeBron's efficiency? It's gone through the roof. So he's fresh for those flurries late in the round, late in the quarter, late in the sequence, late in the half, late in the game. So this is finally, and now, now, it's working now. Somebody said this to me years ago, and it was really smart about LeBron. Whenever you play with

LeBron, you are playing in LeBron's offense. You just have to figure out, now, Kyrie got really frustrated with it. But I think LeBron, because of his age and because I think Lucas even, I mean, listen, Kyrie's an all-time talent, but I think he looks at Luca and goes, okay, finally. As much as I loved AD, he's not a playmaker. Luca is, Austin Reeves is, LeBron is, but this is what JJ Reddick said after this win in Denver, and this is the quiet part, finally, finally being said out loud. Luca needs to be the guy that controls the offense and Bron and they are because we're going to stagger everybody. They're going to have their times to be

on the ball. But all three of those guys are very intelligent basketball players, and we can create mismatches, and we can get teams in the blender. Nobody's ever said that. Like, that has been thought about privately. It's been whispered. It's been, you know, it'd probably be better. The whole AD time, we kept waiting for the baton pass. That against Denver, that was the baton pass. That was a moment. That's what I said. I think the Lakers can play for the Western conference finals. If they play like that, you got Rui in the corner, Austin Reeves is your third best playmaker, Luke is your primary initiator, and LeBron offball unless Lucas sits. For the record, LeBron sees it and said this after. I'm a natural-born wide receiver, and he's a natural-born

quarterback, so it fits perfectly. You know, I'm, I've been running the floor and running lanes, like, you know, pretty much my whole life, and he's been throwing great passes pretty much his whole life. it's not it's not hard to get a rhythm when it comes to that you know it's just all about you know eye contact and you know him being a great quarterback like he is and he being a recipient of it this is not a small thing this is like been the discussion for years this is what kairie complained about d way didn't complain about it d wade and spolstra figured it out after about two practices this is going to be lebron's team kairie pushed back but lebron was better at it A.D. I'm not a playmaker.

This is what it can look like. This is what it can look like. At its best, Luca's the playmaker. He initiates it. LeBron will have more efficiency and more energy late in the quarter, half game, and they blow out Denver. And Denver's a team, I don't know,

in the last 15, is Denver 14 and 1? Denver always beats the Lakers. And this wasn't even close. So I don't want to get too crazy, but this is what it should look like. J. Mack, listen. hockey blew up when I was gone. Aaron Rogers may be a ram.

Colin right, Colin wrong. NFL may screw around with their kickoffs even more. I hope you had a great time with the fam. I did. Wife and I went to Grand Cayman. So a nice little getaway down to the Caribbean. It's good to be back and hear you saying nice things about LeBron.

Oh my gosh, Colin. That's awesome. Am I wrong? No, you're right. It does feel like we're a little far away. I feel like I have to wave or maybe shout a little louder for those watching. That may have been intentional. Oh, shot.

It's fired on a Monday. So I will say this. We are, I'm not going to tell you why we're in a makeshift studio. It's amazing how good of a makeshift studio it was. They told me, Colin we're going to have a makeshift studio, and I thought we were going to be in a broom closet. So I came up here this morning with very low hopes. My optimism wasn't a low. Nothing against management.

But I went up to a broom closet, and I'm like, all right, it's going to be a rough four months. I can't believe how nice it is. In fact, you may want to cancel those plans and use that budget for something else because I am really comfortable up here. I'm feeling great. Rachel Nichols, Matt Hasselbeck is joining us today. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong. Don't forget the combine starts Thursday. Very interesting week in the NFL.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, huge news? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a...

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. We were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was...

This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing. a bit for the podcast for people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman helped make you funny. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and headwriter, 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. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of, connection. This mental health awareness month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace,

and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually need people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. I'm a and recently I've become quite the helper myself.

And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hippocrat, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice! Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is two,

scary. Cream of chicken suit. Hey, cream and chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know.

Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the MyCultura podcast network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So Aaron Rogers is back in California. In fact, Southern California, working out over the weekend. TMZ caught up with him. He says he wants to play for a good team and one

that wants him. And I do believe I'd put this out. out there a couple of weeks ago. I think if Matt Stafford leaves the Rams, Aaron Rogers is their choice. And I don't think the Rams want to get rid of Matt Stafford, but he has made $350, $360 million.

I would stay in Los Angeles, Stan Cronky, Les Snead, Sean McVeigh, Indoor Weather, he's got a place by the beach. He played for a loser for 12 years in Detroit. He got beat up. Rams have a good offensive line, a run game, Pooka Nakua, and a great offensive coach. I would not leave the Rams.

You can't just chase money. There's got to be more to it than that. And if he goes to the Steelers or the Giants and those are the rumored teams, those are bad offensive lines. And those are offensively inept teams. But my take is if he leaves, Aaron Rogers will be the choice over a Sam Darnold. Here's why. The Jets had one of the worst coaching staffs in the league after Robert Sala left.

And yet Aaron Rogers last 10 games, and I've been a critic of him, they're pretty good. 18 touchdowns, four picks. He's pretty good. Now, he doesn't want to get hit anymore. and he doesn't move like he used to when he's passed his pond prime. But when he finally found his rhythm after that ACL surgery, Aaron wasn't terrible. Secondly, Sean McVeigh-L likes a good project. Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff.

Third is Aaron doesn't want to play forever. He doesn't want a four-year contract. He's probably got a year or two left, wants to hang out in the weekends, you know that he's not playing at his Malibu Mansion. So I think it works. And I think, again, there's an old saying on Wall Street, buy the dips, right? Saquan Barkley,

better than his value on the market. Derek Henry, Raven, smart team, better than his value. Right now the pendulum has swung so far with Aaron Rogers, he is undervalued. And you know I love Sam Darnold, but I think he's overvalued. I think everything worked for Sam Darnold,

the left tackle, the coach, the wide receivers, the run game, the division. I thought, I think, and I love Sam, but he's a little overvalued. now. Aaron now, by the dip, he's undervalued. He may not be a $50 stock, but he's certainly not a $12 stock. And if you can give me those numbers with a second, third-tier Jets coaching staff, go get him. And by the way, people say, well, has Aaron been humbled? Aaron is what Aaron is. He's complex. The vaccine stuff turned off a lot of media people. I don't think the public cared,

but the media did. And they've just decided Aaron's not worth anything. Yes, he is. is. And one of the things that's very attractive, Stafford right now is a bad contract relative to the top quarterbacks in the league. I mean, I think right now he's paid less than Tua. That shouldn't be the case, okay? But the Rams are going to play hardball, and the Rams have leverage here. And their leverage is, we're well run, and the teams that want you, the Raiders, the Giants, and the Steelers offensively aren't. So the Rams have leverage here. And I do think there's a chance that Stafford's going to have a market and the Steelers of the Giants or the Raiders are going to make a bit on him because I think he has two really good years left and

maybe three. And if that happens, I said it two weeks ago and I believe it. I think McVeigh could get a really, really good year out of Aaron Rogers. And because they have a great defense, I mean, it gave Jalen Hertz all sorts of problems in the snow. What did he throw for? 64 yards in that divisional playoff game. you saw Jalen Hertz against the commanders and the chiefs up and down the field.

He didn't do that. Didn't do it against that Rams defense, young and getting better. It's not a team that'll be carried by the quarterback. You're not going to ask Aaron Rogers to be a savior. It's got much more of a Tom Brady to Tampa feel. We got good players. We got an offensive coach. Can you keep this thing humming and make six to seven big throws a game?

That's it. It is much more Brady to Tampa than it is. Russell Wilson to Denver or Aaron Rogers to the Jets. So keep your eye. If Stafford leaves, I think Aaron's the answer. And I don't think it's Donald. I think Donald right now, it's getting a little rich, in my opinion. Jay Mack with the news.

No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Hey, let's start with the Super Bowl champion. Philadelphia Eagles smash the Chiefs in a blowout, but they're going to look a little different next season, and O.C. Kellan Moore took the job in New Orleans, and Philly recently promoted their past game coordinator,

Kevin Petulow to replace Kellyn Moore, and A.J. Brown is very fired up about this new promotion. I truly feel like it's a great hire. He already has been involved in almost everything. Him, Kellyn, and Nick basically called the players already. It's a great hire, and he's already familiar with us. We have a great relationship. And he knows what we need to work on because he's been there.

And he's been there for a while. And like I said, he's already been a part of all the situations and the conversations and everything. So I think it's a great hire. I was thinking about this this morning when I saw this story. In just a couple of years, this is what's happened to the NFL. Bill Belichick is now coaching the 23rd best college football program in the country. And Nick Sariani is routing Andy Reid in the Super Bowl. I don't think this is a – I don't think this is a coaching – Ross –

team. I think it's a roster that is built by a GM. I think there's a lot of different ways to win in the NFL. This team is winning with their GM and their quarterback and their roster. Yeah. I mean, listen, Jalen Hertz is about to have his fourth offensive coordinator in four years. I mean, they had Shane Steichen, Brian Johnson, Kellynne Moore, and now Petulow. I just wonder, last time they promoted Johnson, remember within after Stuyken left, it was a mess. There were a lot of problems. It was like, that's Jalen Hertz's guy. I mean, Petulow is promoted from within. I don't know how this is going to go. I'm not ready to go. Eagles will repeat. They're certainly

in the mix. They're one of the five best teams in the league. No, they'll be, you know, it's a loud city. It'll be a loud offseason. That's what Philadelphia does. That division, Jay and Daniels is here and Matt Stafford, you know, we started that Super Bowl week. You did. You started it two weeks before the Super Bowl. You said Stafford of the Giants, and you were right. And now, we'll see. Well, it's not done.

But that division all of a sudden gets much tougher. We'll get to Dallas shortly. They're not going to be tough. but the NFC North is stacked. I don't think the Eagles are a gimmie to repeat. It's going to be a great, great NFC next season, Colin. Let's move on to the Dallas Cowboys who lost DAC to that torn hamstring member in week nine ending their season.

Dallas will have a healthy DAC next season, but according to EVP Stephen Jones, they want to draft a quarterback. Listen, we know the messaging from Dallas is always crazy. They're now saying ahead of the combat, we want to draft a quarterback. Really? That's like one of your needs?

Colin, they say Cooper Rush is probably going to be priced out by Dallas as the backup. He will. Trey Lance has been the third stringer back-to-back years. He's probably not going to do that again. Once a crack somewhere. I don't know if he's going to get it. And now a quarterback is neat. We saw Zach Martin retired last week.

I'll make an argument. This is a great year. Could be a great year to draft a backup quarterback. Like I think there's a lot of guys that aren't ready to start in the NFL. Kyle McCord, Riley Leonard, Jackson, Dart. Those guys are not ready to start in the NFL right now. They all could be with a year or two behind somebody.

Like last year was a year that Jaden Daniels was ready to play. Bo Nix had 61 college starts. He was ready to play. Caleb Williams. This year's class outside of Cam Ward and Shadour. I like Jalen Milro. He's not ready to start in the NFL. So this year is, if you're looking for a backup,

for two years, this is not a terrible quarterback class. It is lacking, start right away talent. So I would agree, good time to find a backup. But Dallas has needs all over the place. You can't be taking a quarterback in the second round when you're the Cowboys. Listen, there's a world where they're like a five-win

team next year. And then you even have a better draft pick. That world you're talking about is a reality. You're not being over the top. Zach Martin retired. I looked at the Zach Martin retirement. The best offensive linemen just. retired. Yeah, but the rookie Guyton, I looked his PFF numbers up, terrible year last year. Now, maybe it's just a bad rookie year, but they got needs all over the place. Running back is a need.

For the record. So we know 12 first rounders will be overdrafted. 10 to 12. That's the rule. This whole thing about Dallas taking a running back in the first round. It's timeout. This is the richest running back class. I can remember. I mean, I saw the other day, people have Woody Marks at USC, the best back since Reggie Bush, as a 12th best running back. Woody Marks is 85 to 90% of the Boise State guy. You can get him in the third round. I know everybody, Austin, Jenny, he's a really good running back. This year is the classic.

Wait until the third and fourth round to get a running back. There's only a handful of great offensive tackles and rush ends. Those guys are done by the late third round. round. So it's interesting. When I hear the Cowboys, every mock draft has them taking a running back. It's like, bro, this is not the year to draft a running back in the first round. Cowboys defense has a lot of needs as well. There's the Micah Parsons stuff looming. I know people are sick of us talking about the Cowboys, particularly you, but they're interesting because right now it looks like a bit of a tire fire, doesn't it? No, it is. Yeah. I don't think

there's anything looks like it at all. Final story, Colin, is to the NBA where my Knicks, it was not a great weekend. They do not match up with Cleveland or Boston. They cannot stop. They can't stop. And by the way, Cleveland offensively. Annihling. I mean, they are, their top four players. Look at their efficiency rating. Yeah, the Cavs beat the Knicks by

37 on Friday. And then yesterday they were down, I think, by 20 in the first quarter and they got smoked by Dallas. I'm sorry, by Boston. They're 0-2 against Boston this season. After the game, Jalen Brunson spoke up and is like, I got to be ready to step up and lead. He's sitting on a grenade, he does not have to. This is about Carl Anthony Towns and his lack of defense.

Colin, he cannot guard anyone. The last two times, the Celtics have played the Knicks. The first eight minutes, you can tell Boston comes out and they attack Carl Anthony Towns. Like, there's no doubt about those games are over eight minutes in. So, and, you know, it's funny because the Tibbs is a defensive coach. They got McAil Bridges, OG, they've got defensive players. Josh Hart. Yeah, like, there's no reason.

they're this bad defensively. This is one of the things that, and I've watched Carl Anthony Towns play in person four or five times. He's a remarkably gifted offensive player. He really is. But he is a whole defensively. And the good teams and the teams with depth like Cleveland, who's got real bigs, and Boston, they just attack him.

It's not great. I don't know that there's an easy fix. Last year they had Hartnstein, remember? Well, you knew what you were getting. Defense and rebounding for them. Aren't they getting the big, they're getting a big back? Mitchell Robinson. He's going to have to show up, but you need towns on the court. I'm at the concern level with the Knicks right now.

Because, Colin, as it slated, they're going to face the Celtics in the second round. They're not beating Boston. I think there's an argument, though, the two best teams in the league are Boston and Cleveland. No. I mean, if you take those two teams out. Did you already forget your opening segment? The Lakers are one of the two best teams in the league. And I'm not surprised you didn't say Oklahoma City, who's also given the next fits this year.

I just think we'll over, historically, every sportscaster overlooks Cleveland just as a rule. But if you watch Cleveland and look at their efficiency numbers, it's unbelievable. How good they are. They match up actually with Boston OK.

So I'll just say this. We have been fooled many times by an NBA regular season and everybody's like, hey, look at this team. They're amazing. Let's just pump the brakes. The Knicks, because they can't beat the great teams, people are freaking out.

OKC steam rolling everybody. Cleveland steam rolling everybody. The playoffs, we know this. A different story. I think the Knicks are going to be fine. I would take the Knicks over Cleveland in the second round series. I would not. But I also think, I would not.

But first of all, they don't match out with Boston. That one's done. That's not a great match. Right. But I think we have to be fair about this. If the Cleveland team played in New York and the New York team played in Cleveland, we'd all be high on Cleveland. I think they're really good.

Listen, man, they're a regular season team. They look awesome. And so is OKC. And the Lakers, we know the Lakers are taking down OKC. That's a given. We don't know that. You spent too much time in the Caymans. You got too much sun.

J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, top of next hour. One more Herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHard Radio app.

Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hey, it's Steve Kavino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and, of course, the IHeart Radio app. Why should you listen to Kavino and Rich? We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world? We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture.

Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. take your phone calls, chop it up as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio. Maybe the most interactive show on Planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino & Rich live on Fox Sports Radio

and the IHeart Radio app from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich, wherever you get your podcast and, of course, on social media. That's Cabino and Rich. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news.

We created our own podcast called Hage, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember.

I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas.

And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odin Kirk 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. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming.

The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help!

Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike! I'm a comedian!

I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream of chicken suit. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the I-Fart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Fox, the NASCAR Cup series is in Texas, where the best drivers are the best drivers. in the world take on the twists and turns at the circuit of the Americas. Pre-race coverage begins at 2.30 Eastern with the green flag at 3.30 only on Fox. So mostly when I take a vacation, I stay off social media, I get out of here. I've been doing this long enough. There are about six to eight weekends or six to eight weeks during the year that you should take off. They're slow. So you do the NFL, the Super Bowl, long season. We ask a lot of our staff. Our staff doesn't take any days off. We're working Friday, Saturday, Sundays. That's the way it is.

So after the Super Bowl, you talk about it for four or five days. Hopefully it didn't get stomach flu in New Orleans. I think everybody did, ourselves included. And then you take a week off, and it's quiet. There was a little bit of noise, and part of it is based on All-Star Games. Let me say this. All-Star games used to feel really special. I'm old enough to remember when, you know, you've got one baseball game of the week on Saturday

and one on Monday, and there was an Interleague play, and I couldn't wait to watch the baseball all-star game, which remains the jewel of All-Star games, but it doesn't feel as special. Okay? The Pro Bowl, I've said this for, since I've been a broadcaster, unwatchable, and I love football. Hockey All-Star game, so bad they gave up on it. Get to that in a second. NBA All-Star game, the players make so much money now.

They just don't care. And that's natural. Stuff you care about when you're not worth $150 million may matter. more than stuff once you are worth north of 250, 300 million. A lot of these stars, and I don't want to hear that NBA guys are bad guys, because they love the Olympics. I'm currently watching something, a streaming service, watching something on USA basketball in Paris, and it's wonderful.

And the players are like kids, and they still care. But All-Star Games are done. These guys want time off. You know, the NBA just signed a $76 billion deal for 11,000. years. The owners are happy. The players are rich. Adam Silver's happy. The All-Star game's a shot weekend. Nobody cares. The stars would rather have it off. The fact that they even show up is laudable, but it's bad. And they're trying to tweak it and just leave it alone and let it be and let the young guys shine. It's just a different time in the NBA. But hockey, to its credit, and that's the sport that, frankly, it's big in Canada. We don't watch it here a lot. Even the Stanley Cup final. We just don't watch it. So hockey's like our All-Star game, it's brutal. So they went and did something called Four Nations. Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA were going to face each other in a tournament. It was fantastic.

You couldn't turn it off. It was unbelievable. And it was a convergence of many things. It got 10 million viewers for USA Canada. It was Trump poking Canada. It was Trudeau poking back. It's USA versus Canada. I've never thought of us as rivals in the Olympics.

I always root for Canada. I go to Canada every other summer. I love Canada. Okay. Most Americans, I know, love Canada. If not, we love their Molson. Like, they're nice people. But, you know, we got a little rivalry, tariff talk, so that's part of it. The fights are part of it. Canada booing us at our anthem is part of it. And it just made for an unbelievable week of hockey that you could not turn off. I thought it was fantastic. And you can nitpick some stuff about it. Let's not. Let's enjoy it. But not everything becomes something greater. Tim Tebow and Denver.

You can't recreate it. Linsanity. St. Peter's and March Madness, the Wildcat offense. You know, we spend so much time instead of just loving the moment and going, damn, this is good. Just love the moment. Years ago, I used to cover boxing. You'd get about one fight every two or three years that was magic. And they'd always have a rematch.

And the rematch was never as good. And generally, the sequel in movie making is never as good. and I just thought this was wonderful. It was a convergence of format and timing, and we were underdogs, and we were booed, and you couldn't turn it off. You make Americans underdogs, and you get into fights with them, and you challenge us. We've got a healthy enough ego and pride. We're going to fight back.

So I thought it was wonderful. I give the NHL a ton of credit for saying, listen, our All-Star game is different. We're not going to tweak it. We're going to blow it up. We're just going to do something. completely different and I think that's great and Gary Betman gets a lot of crap it is hard to sell hockey in America Canada does not have our labyrinth a labyrinth of um college and university sports they don't have a March Madness like us I mean high school sports are big

in America college sports you know Division two sports we are just wildly distracted it is hard to sandwich in Canada's favorite sport and say everybody watch it we don't. This we watched. It's just for a moment, due to several factors, remarkable television, and I loved every bit of it.

But it's not going to mean anything. We're not going to now, a lot of hockey games play this weekend, and Americans didn't watch. Just enjoy it. Not everything needs a sequel. Now, you may do this on an, you know, listen, Italy's got the Olympics in 2026. It'll get feisty again.

We may in this country love hockey very situationally. Olympics, this tournament, this may be when we love it, and that's okay. What we don't love about the NBA is All-Star Weekend. And it's very clear the players don't like it. Dremont Green was complaining about it. Here's a clip of that. I had to work so hard

to play on Sunday night of All-Star Weekend. And because ratings are down, because the game's bad we're bringing in rising stars, that's not a fix. I never played in the Rise and Stars game. My first two years, I didn't touch that game. And these guys get to touch the All-Star Floor? Yeah.

If I was the NBA, I'd leave it alone. I'm serious. Just like it's not going to be a big deal. I'd let the young guys take over. There's tons of young guys. I think the NBA is listening to their critics and they're trying to tweak it and fix it. Just let it be. Nobody really cares.

The football season's over. it's a boring week or two of sports. We're all waiting for the combine in NFL free agency in March Madness. Okay, here's another thing. Now, some things, speaking of, you don't need to fix it. So you have to be careful. I tell young broadcasters this whenever I speak to a college class. One of the first things I say is just don't listen to the noise.

Trust your instincts, work hard, keep your head down. Don't stay off your phone. Just that stuff. I'm old enough now. don't care, but when you're in your 20s and 30s, sometimes I watch these leagues, and they're listening to critics. Don't worry about critics. I mean, the NBA just signed a mega deal.

Who cares what critics say? Owners happy, players happy, Adam Silver happy. Now, NBC may have reached an overbid. That's my feeling. They won't be happy. But everybody else will be. But here's something that the NBA, which is the great tweak league, and I've always had respect for the NFL.

NFL is the great tweak league. They are constantly tweaking stuff. I've seen them change the catch rule in a Super Bowl. So this year, they tweaked the kickoff, and they had two concerns. Too many concussions during the kickoff. This had been like a decade concern, and there weren't enough returns, too many touchbacks. So they tweaked it, and people didn't like it. And I said at the time, take a deep breath.

You know, nobody likes change. Just take a deep breath. I think it'll be okay when the season's over. Well, the numbers are in, and there's a story this morning. They want to tweak it again. And my take is, don't. So the number one concern was concussions, right? Concussions this past year were down 17%.

Historic NFL low. So it worked. Okay, let's talk about kickoff returns. Oh, let's look. Oh, kickoff returns rose 53%. In fact, there were more 40%. plus yard kickoff returns than in any year since 2016. So there were two objectives with this kickoff rule.

I know it looked weird. A lot of stuff looks weird until you get used to it. They wanted fewer concussions. Check. They wanted more kick returns, especially big ones. Check. Do a Vegas dealer move. You're done.

It worked. It's over. And I said day one. we all struggle. I've used this stat before. 40% of Americans never move away from their zip code. People don't like change. Like right now in the White House, people are freaking out. There's a lot of change. A lot of it good, maybe some not, but people just don't like change. They don't like it. People don't like to move. They don't like to move out of their comfort zone. So the NFL kickoff room, aesthetically, it was weird looking. It was like, okay, they can't move until they grab it. It's weird. They did that for concussions. So the numbers are out. They both worked, and we had more big returns. We had more returns by almost over 50%, and concussions were down. And that's exactly, and I'll give the NFL credit. It's easy to make changes when you're bad.

I always said Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods changed clubs when he was the number one golfer in the world. That takes courage. Okay? Oprah Winfrey changed formats when she was the number one daytime talk show host. That's courage. The NFL is number one by a mile, and they're constantly tweaking. Total respect for that.

But the kickoff thing, it worked, you got it right. Okay. I want to go back to the Matt Stafford talk with the Giants, because Albert Breer, not on the show today, but somebody we respect a lot, talked about this. So this Stafford has a bad contract right now, and he's made a lot of money. But he's not happy with it, and they've kind of put a Band-Aid on it in the last year. But Stafford now, this stuff gets out because Stafford and his people want it out. They're unhappy. And so Albert Breyer says the Giants, the Browns, and the Steelers and the Raiders have all shown interest.

Well, my take is you could put a caution tape around those four franchises offensively. Those are bad. Danger. Stay away. The Rams have two big advantages with Stafford here. Number one, they're really well run. How many NFL franchises? If I ask you today are really well-run.

Baltimore, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Rams, Niners, it's not that many. And how many of the well-run franchises are also well-coached? Then it gets down to about six, and the Rams are one of them. So sometimes your greatest leverage as a company is, we've got our act together. Steelers offensively don't. Giants don't. Raiders don't. They're running through people.

The Browns don't. So in this, you think to yourself, oh, Stafford's got leverage. No, Stafford's talented, and he's great, and he'd be crazy to leave. But he spent 12 years in Detroit, okay? That stuff doesn't leave you. Like the therapists always tell you, what happened to you at 9? We'll stick with you for life, even if you go to therapy. If you're in a bad 12-year relationship in the NFL with your organization, that stuff doesn't leave.

I mean, Aaron Rogers right now had a great relationship. why Stafford was with the Lions, he was with the Packers. Aaron goes to the Jets for two years and he's like, oh, you don't think he'd be interested in the Rams? Like, I've been with a bad franchise. This is no fun. So to me, Stafford would be nuts to leave. I think if the Rams went, listen, we're going to give you $40 million, two-year deal, $80 million total, $40 million, two years, called a day, you'll be $40, it's over.

I would take that in a second. Stafford had won a third year. Probably not going to give it to him. It's a much better college quarterback draft class and also Aaron Rogers out there for a year or two. But when I look at the teams that are out there, my take is, Matt, you've made a lot of money. You've made $360 million.

If you sign $40 million for two years, you end up making close to $450 million, and you get a Super Bowl. And I'm serious here. Rams for the next two years with Stafford are in the Super Bowl bubble. And I'm not sure how far they are off. You go to that game against Philadelphia. More yards, more first downs,

They held Jalen Hertz to about 65 yards passing. Remember that big completion, J-Mack down the right side line to Puka? We were sitting there going, wait a minute. Are they going to steal this game? They haven't even played well. I mean, they hadn't even played well, and they were driving down the field. A dome team, essentially so far as a, you know, semi-dome, they were driving for the win. And that D-line, which destroyed the commanders and the Chiefs Front, that after that,

right there. You're like, holy crap. They're down to the 15-yard line. So for Stafford to leave that, I think it would be a huge, huge mistake. And I know J-Mack. J-Mack's theory is always strike when the iron is hot. But what if the iron is the Steelers-Giants, Raiders Brown? That's not a hot iron. Well, let's look at the, have you looked at the Rams-free agency situation? It sounds like both tackles may need to be replaced for the Rans. That's not ideal. They don't have a second round pick, I believe, because they had to move up for the kid from FSU.

Havenstein is getting old, but is still a top five right tackle. It sounds like Jackson's going to command a lot of money on the market. Rams may lose him. So now all of a sudden Stafford's looking around like, damn, my tackle situation's uncertain. After Puka, Cooper's going to be gone. I think Tutu Outwell's a free agent. I think Robinson's going to be looking elsewhere as a free agent.

And now you're like, oh, gee, we got a lot of holes. on this team. You're going to need to pay me, so we're better. Their first pick is going to be a left tackle, which will free up money they would have to spend on their left tackle for Matt. Tyler Higby, Pooka and Akua. They're going to draft a receiver, I think, with one of their third round picks, wide receiver. It's not a terribly deep wide receiver class like previous years, but it's good enough. I'm going to say McVan the Rams will score points with or without saver next year. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong next. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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. I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, Hope From a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant,

recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite Wednesdays on the Iheart radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown.

If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.