The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - LeBron and Luka are still figuring it out

Episode Date: February 20, 2025

Doug weighs in on the Luka-Lebron tandem as the Lakers played their third game with the duo resulting in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets at home. Doug welcomes former NFL team general manager Mark Dominik to talk about all of the important off-season NFL topics. Plus, Doug reacts to Kevin Durant's comments about the next face of the NBA.   #douggottliebshowSee 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 Smigel 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 ice. 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 and 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 IHard. 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 SportsRedia.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. What up? Welcome in. This is the herd wherever you may be in. However you may be listening to us today, thanks so much for joining us on the show. I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin Cowherd.

And we've got a heck of a show for you. Mark Dominic's going to join us in 25 minutes. Mark, of course, was a general manager with Tampa Buccaneers. He joins me in the Doug Gottlieb show Weekly. Gives us real insight into the NFL, including what's going to happen with the quarterback market now that we're, you know, getting closer and closer, two months away from the NFL

draft, and that free agency market in the NFL is now, now, now, now, now, what happens with Aaron Rogers, what happens with Sam Donald, what happens with some of these retread quarterbacks after the retread quarterbacks had such a good year this year on the market.

We got a herd line news. Kevin Durant with some interesting comments about who should be the next face of the league. And Mark Medina will join us later on on the show. Got a good show for you. Let's start with last night at Crypto, where the Lakers playing a makeup game against the Hornets, and again, it's not the first time we see Luca and LeBron, but now that you had the All-Star break, LeBron got a couple days off with the ankle. They got a chance to show what this version of the Lakers looks like, and what it looked

like. Off to a big lead, and then they give up a 22-1 run in the second half. LeBron got two clean looks out of three at game-tying threes. He misses both of them short, and the Lakers fall to the Charlotte Hornets, as they could not, especially late in the game, Luca could not stay in front of lamello ball. Here's LeBron James when he was asked about those final two shots. JJ talks about just the comfort and the rhythm that you had for yourself there in the fourth. How do you feel about the looks you got?

I feel pretty good. Those last two was pretty good looks. You run this set at the coach's what JJ draws up, And you execute it to, and we executed it. We just didn't make it. Here's JJ Redick talking about wanting LeBron to take that last shot. There's some interchangeable parts in some of the late game stuff. And, you know, as a coach, you're excited that you have two guys that can be the passer

and be the guy who gets the pass. But it felt like, you know, LeBron, particularly in the fourth, just, you know, found a nice rhythm. And felt really comfortable with that. and we got two good looks. Here's Luca when he was asked about LeBron taking the final shot instead of him. Yeah, I mean, both ways. You know, he had it going, so obviously we're going to go to him.

You know, I think he'll go both ways, so one time it's going to be hanging one time meet. So I think it depends how the game's going. And look, that's reasonable. I've never understood this like, well, who's going to take the last shot? I remember that was with the Warriors, the big thing when they got Kevin. Who's going to take the last shot? Well, I mean, it's so different than, have you watched the documentary on the Olympics, on the basketball Olympics?

If you have, you know, I think a lot of people made a huge deal of Kevin Durant when he threw the ball back to Steph Curry for Steph Curry's, you know, final of the four consecutive threes, dagger three. But the reality is like, that's how basketball is played. You know, you don't go like, well, listen, I know for 47 minutes, especially, you know. for the last 10 minutes or so LeBron James had it going to go, but we're going to go back to Luca because he's a better traditionally a better closer than LeBron. Like that's not how it works. You have two guys.

Whoever's hot, that's who gets the ball. But I would tell you that one of the things, one of the reasons that I think Kevin Durant wanted to stay in Phoenix and not go to Golden State is what you saw

at Crypto last night, which is you just kind of have to play a certain number of games and things organically take care of themselves. Now, also pretty obvious that, you know, Charlotte shot 36% from the floor and still won. And late in the game, you know, they were going to Lamello and they were clearly hunting Luca Donchick, who lives down to his reputation as a defensive player. Now, some of that stuff will, again, organically take care of itself in terms of LeBron or Luca having the ball late.

That's something that has to just play out over 20 games where everybody then just like, you know, like LeBron, you've been great, but we're probably going to go to Luca. We're probably going to go to Luca. But, I mean, neither team shot it well. The Lakers shot 51-3s, and they made only 15 of them. Luca looked, he just hasn't found his rhythm yet. He was 5 of 18, 1 of 9 from 3, had 6.

turnovers. He looked like a guy coming back off of injury who's still not sharp, still not ready, and playing with a whole new team, and the rotations are different. Everything they're doing is different. Fine. But I do think that eventually he's going to have to be the closer, or he'll be the closer, with exception of games and where LeBron has it going, like he had it going last night. And in those particular instances, in those particular instances, you know, LeBron gets the ball. But the Lakers aren't a perfect team. They're just not.

They don't have the true ability to shut you down defensively, to turn you over defensively, to make you miss shots, to keep you out of the lane. You know, the reason that they wanted Mark Williams so bad is they needed somebody to defend the rim, and now they're playing Jackson Hayes. You know, that's why they went and got Alex Lange.

who's, you know, he was decent last night offensively, but they have to have somebody who protects him, but you can't guard against five guys driving. Like it just doesn't work that way. But I just think it's interesting, right? Here's a team that they're still figuring out who they are, who gets the ball, had a big lead, Charlotte comes storming back,

and at the end of the day, I think a blind man could tell you that Lamello Ball was the best player on the court late, and the most confident player on the court late, and he made the most plays late, and the Hornets come in and get a win. And while we could easily say, hey, the Hornets are not a playoff team, they're not a good team,

I do give the Lakers a little bit of benefit of the doubt because you're still figuring it out, still figuring out how to play with Luca, still figuring out, you know, what the kind of pecking order is, how they play defensively. They haven't had a lot of time. And the reason that I think KD, who has said,

I didn't want to leave Phoenix because, you know, I didn't want to leave my guys. Mid-season trades are just hard. This is the reason they're hard. This is the reason they're difficult. Yeah, learning the plays is not that hard. Everybody has different calls for most of the same sets. But assimilating to playing with different guys, especially on the fly, really difficult. And then establishing kind of a pecking order coming.

coming into LeBron's team, and you know how it has to work. Early on, you get to LeBron's team. It's the bronze team. He takes the big shots. But then you don't have Austin Reeves late. You don't have any sort of interior play late. And you go with the hot hand, and Luca looks just like he's not quite there in terms of knowing where, what everyone's supposed to be, nor is he completely on his game. By the way, LeBron, apparently, I didn't see the stat, is one of 29 since joining the Lakers on game tying or go-ahead field goals in the 5.

final seconds of the game. That's a real stat. I saw that last night. That seemed... I thought he'd hit a couple shots with the Lakers. All right. Coming up next, I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin. Coming up in the herd, an integral part of the Milwaukee Bucks has been suspended for a banned substance. And his agent has come out with an explanation as to what happened.

Do we buy it? Let's discuss next in the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. 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, 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. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special.

So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what should be. we should call it. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. 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 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 IHeartRadio 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. 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 I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcasts presents Soccer Moms.

So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend, Janet. Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider.

This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks. Sidebar. Did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar or something here?

Just take it. What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. Could you believe? I would buy it.

Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. You are. I'm lucky I'm not a killer.

I love this team, and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Doug Gottliebin for calling this to heard, Fox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio app. Bobby Portis, so you may have heard suspended for 25 games. His agent has released a statement. We'll discuss it in Heard Line News coming up. Then Mark Dominic is going to join us.

You know, I find this time of year really interesting. because obviously the NBA and the NFL work in opposite fashion, right? The NBA, they have the draft, then free agency, the NFL has free agency, then the draft. And, you know, you look at trends in the NFL and what was trendy. Obviously, you still had Mahomes, you still had Josh Allen, you know, Herbert had a good year this year. Lamar Jackson could have been very easily could have been the MVP. I mean, you go through the top top five teams in the AFC

and five of the, six of the top seven teams in the AFC, eight of the top, excuse me, seven of the top eight teams in the FAC and all have a quarterback that they drafted and they developed and all except for the Texans, they're on to their second contract and the Texans and the Broncos on the second contract. So if you want,

want to mimic successful teams, you look in the AFC, you're like, okay, you draft the quarterback. Now, you go to the NFC, and it's a little different, right? The NFC, the Lions traded for their quarterback. The Eagles drafted theirs in the second round. He's on his second contract. Buckingneers is Baker, right? He's on his third team, and on his second or third contract? Third contract, technically. Stafford's on his second team. Donald, of course, became a journeyman after being a high draft choice. Commanders and Packers both drafted their quarterbacks. So as much as we want to sit there and go, hey, you know, it was the year of the Baker Mayfields.

It was the year of the traveling quarterback like Sam Donald who finally found a home. Reality is your best path to success is to draft and build around. a young quarterback who you believe in. But it looks like there's only two that grade out his first round draftics. So what happens in the NFL with James? What happens with Donald? What happens with Donald? What happens with guys that have had different levels of success for a different amount of times, but a different place their career,

versus do you draft guys now who you're betting on the future, you're not paying them a ton, you're trying to build a roster around him? Well, that's Mark Dominic upcoming in about five minutes. In the meantime, let's get to Jason Stewart with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Hello, Doug.

Hello, what's up, bud? The NBA has suspended Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis for 25 games, which will take up pretty much all of the remainder of the regular season. Portis tested positive for the drug Tramadol, a medication used to treat severe pain among adults, It's on the band's substance list. Now, Portis is a six-man. I guess he's come in the top three of the last two years in the six-man of the year.

13.7 points off the bench, 8.3 rebounds. What do you think of this development, Doug? So, okay, so we're supposed to believe that he was taking Toradole, and he mistakenly took Tremadol? Toridol is approved, although we've heard things about Toradoll's pain medication he used previously. This according to his agent Mark Bartolstein, who issued the statement this morning. Yeah, Tramadol, however, is not approved for pain medication. Recently added to the ban substance list this past spring.

The Tramadol pill he took came from an assistant of his with a valid prescription for the painkiller, which he mistakenly told Bobby was Tordal. This again was an honest mistake because of the similarity in names of the drugs and the fact that they both serve a very similar purpose. Bobby was using the anti-inflammatory pain reducing medication to deal with an elbow injury. He has had this past fall and believed he was taking tort all to alleviate some pain in preparation for that night's game. That is the weirdest coincidence ever. Right?

That's as strange. Do I believe it? I actually do because, and what I would love is I'd love for them to present those prescriptions that they have. And why his assistant has a, was able to get Tramidol. But I love when guys, you know, I took something, I didn't know what it was, whatever, at least we're getting actual names of medication,

and it becomes more believable. Now, there's the other side to it, which is anyone who's ever told a fib before knows that the more facts you throw out, the more likely it is you're lying. No, no, no. I wasn't at Stacey's house. I was at Jim's house

and is down the street from Stacey's house, and then in 1120 we stopped by just because I left my car keys in my car and it was outside Stacey's house. And I don't know how it got, right? It does feel a little bit like it's almost very hard to believe. But again, you got to give them credit for at least admitting here's what we took. Here's what we meant to take. Here's how it went down. It sounds believable.

It does. And because it's not necessarily a performance enhancer, you kind of got to believe this. This was just to mask pain or to deal with pain. I don't know what the benefit would be on the court. But yeah, no, I kind of believe Bartolstein on this. Now, tonight, Doug, you and I don't talk a lot of hockey. And there's a reason for that. It's not a very entertaining sport.

But tonight, the U.S. faces off against Canada in the championship game of the fourth. nations face off. Now Saturday night, of course, everyone remembers. The game was in Montreal. The Canadian crowd booed the national anthem. There was three fights in the first nine seconds of the game. It actually, for the first time all year, we talked hockey. So lots of fights equals and you put national pride in.

You put some booing of the national anthem in. And I'm actually interested to see how it goes tonight, Doug. What do you think? I am like, yeah, it makes it interesting. It makes it so that it shows you some, you kind of care. Because that's the problem with so many of these competitions right now, right? That's the whole NBA All-Star game issue is, does anybody care? But again, it's how physical are they going to be in comparison to how physical they normally would be in hockey when they're in the middle of their season.

That's the question mark. I'm intrigued. Will I watch? No, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you. I'm going to watch. You and I have talked about this on our daily show that what I love about hockey and the NHL is that they know their place. They are kind of a niche sport who have very passionate fans and I'll never take that

away from them. I have many friends that are hockey fans and they swear by it. And they'll always say, oh, you got to see it in person. It'll change your life. And I have seen it in person and it didn't. It's just not for me. But when you put national pride on the line, I have to give the NHL. credit here. And in lieu of their All-Star game, they did this Four Nations face-off thing,

and it seems to be a big hit. I wonder if the NBA could take notes on this, or is that just completely gone? I mean, I think the, I mean, like, look, you had the Olympics. You had the World Cup. I just don't know what you can do in middle of the NBA season. Yeah. Yeah. I guess if you, if you had to do like a three or four tiered tournament thing round robin it wouldn't um so you and i speak a lot about this on our show it's the the NFL um the quality of the product has been uh much worse than it ever has been but the interest in the game is higher than it's ever been so there really isn't any motivation to fix the quality of play case and point um via david purdom of uspan dot com. The American sports betting industry had a record 13.71 billion dollars in revenue last year,

Doug. Most of that coming from betting on the NFL. The highest revenue ever by sports gambling. Now, obviously it hasn't been legal for many years, but that's still an astonishing number, Doug, and it's more reason that the NFL has to not fix their product. it really is it's one of those things where you're I mean I was we're watching the Super Bowl and you're like this is not a great football game

and how many times have you said that this year now to the NFL the metrics that they track are how many people are watching how many people are gambling how many people are showing up and then I

truly believe that the how many of the starting quarterbacks were playing for for their team in the playoffs. Like all the player safety stuff is really so they don't get sued again, but also so they have the starting quarterbacks playing as much of the season as possible. And so it's a successful year. Like how you gauge success,

you have to kind of predetermine. And I don't think they predetermined success based upon quality of play. If they did, they'd have more practices, they'd have fewer games, you know, and just a stunningly successful season. despite the fact, and you're right, Chase, too.

Like, I'm not completely to your point where you think all the games are so terrible and so poorly played. I think a lot of it is, and this is very similar to the NBA, is that, and honestly, it's the reason Major League Baseball's All-Star game doesn't have the same bite.

We can watch every game now. So, as much as we think, man, the product isn't as good as it used to be, and it probably isn't as good as it has been at times. The fact is, we watch all these games with much more of a fine-tooth comb because we can.

Without leaving our home, without having multiple satellite dishes, you can simply watch whatever game you want, wherever you want, if you truly desire to do so. And because of it, when you pay more attention to these games, you're like, wow, that's really not thinking of a football game. I contend that

this is not as much a product of the sport being bad as we're watching the sport more closely. Same thing with the NBA. Like, man, these regular season, games, there's not a lot of energy. You know, there's not a lot of energy. Was there a lot of energy back in the 90s when they played regular season games?

We don't know. You know why? We didn't watch them. Because we couldn't. So it's almost the curse of being able to see any game anywhere, anytime. And that's Jason Stewart with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The herd line news. You know, the other part to the Lakers losing last night is I understand there's excitement in you're like Luca and LeBron but when that move was made I don't know of anybody who's like well now the Lakers are challengers now when the Mark Williams deal

looked like he was going through you're like okay that makes sense they could be modestly decent defensively because he's such a phenomenal rim protector but you know look last night can be a bummer Luca didn't look like he was in shape already. Lamello kicked their butt and LeBron missed two shots to tie it late. But the Luca trade is a long-term, not short-term deal for the Lakers. We can sit there and go like, well, how are you going to guard those guys?

Like, when has that ever worked in the NBA playoffs? Never. Never. So even Luca at his best and LeBron at this age, like expectations are not a chance. championship team. But now you have Luca, you have the next superstar for the Lakers for the next however many years.

They'll never let him get away. And they've got to build a team around him. So I'm not saying that they're to the level of the Hornets. But my expectations were never super high once for the previous roster and then this roster like, what do they have in terms of

interior defense? And I don't know how you expect to play in the playoffs and play well. if that's a decided weakness, as well as when you're not great at, you know, guarding inside, rebounding, and defending, then you have Luca and Dallas had to do everything in their power to have multiple rim protectors because he can't guard or won't guard, or a little bit of both.

A little bit of both. Let's get to Mark Dominic who joins us. Of course, former general manager of the Tampa Buccaneers. He joins me weekly on the Doug Gottlieb show on Fox Sports Radio. and Mark, last year's offseason was the offseason of the moving running back who wanted a multi-year extension. What's this year's? Yeah, this year is the veteran quarterback carousel where they're going to end up, right? It's what happens with Matt Stafford, where did Aaron Rogers go?

What about Kirk Cousins? That kind of a carousel, I think, is the more interesting storyline that we're going to see, I think, this offseason than anything else. Okay, so who's the first domino to drop? How does it actually work with the GM? Say you're the GM of the Raiders, right? You take over and you don't have anything you necessarily want to keep. You have a draft pick, but the draft looks like there's two first-round picks. What's the process like of trying to decide what you want to do?

Yeah, I think when you go through, especially with the Raiders and what you're trying to do, you're looking at your full football team and saying, look, I think there's hope on the offensive line. There's certainly the tight ends, I feel like we're in a good spot. Could we add a receiver, sure? You know, that kind of, you know, maybe a running back but defensively, there are ways away right now.

And I think that you're going to focus on the overall team and not just like hone in and saying, I've got to draft your quarterback in the first round. I think that's a mistake because I just don't feel like the option may be there. You're going to do your work in case, you know, for whatever reason, Chador is there or, you know, if you fall in love with somebody else.

But I think you're going to look on the defensive side of the ball, take advantage of one of these defensive players, whether it's Travis Hunter, it's Will Johnson the two corners, certainly Mason Graham's a lot of people are talking about, and then Abdul Carter, but he should be off the board before they ever get near it. I think you've got to just kind of reset the culture. I think that's why they brought Pete Carroll in there to try to set the culture right and try to, you know, kind of bring back the confidence and the energy to the franchise.

We'll see what that does. but I think the Raiders are in a tough spot in 2025 just because the quarterback carousel doesn't seem to be falling in their favor. Aaron Rogers, paint the picture for where he could play football next year. Yeah, I've been saying for almost a month now, all I should be watching what happens to me in L.A. with the Rams, you know, with Matt Stafford and that negotiation, does that come together, does it fall apart? And if it falls apart, like there's been whispers and the numbers there could be,

I think that he would love to play in the West Coast. I think he'd love to play for Sean McVeigh. And I think Sean McVeigh would say, look, not have the quarterback of the future, but at least we've got a quarterback for 2025, and we're good shape and to be less expensive than what Matt's going to ask for and how long would it tie into Matt Stafford.

I think that's a possibility. And I also look at some other teams. That could be that bridge person. And I think of John Schneider as a possibility, obviously the general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. He has a relation with Aaron Rogers. He was in Green Bay back when Aaron was in his rookie deal. And so

John may look at Gino and say, look, it might not be good enough, let's try to take this up a notch until we can get to Seattle right now. And so I think that Seattle's one of those optional teams that could be in the mix for Aaron Rogers as well. As you have to sit there and say the Raiders have to be a conversation piece just because, like I said, I don't know

if the draft's going to fall their way for the rovers. It does feel like though if Pete Carroll is going to try and recreate the Seattle thing, does he take a guy second, third round and try and build around the fact he's not going to be making any money. Yeah, and I don't disagree, and I think that track class is right in that range, right? I mean, I think a lot of people know that basically, like, it's, you know, Jackson, Dart,

Quinn Stewart, or Jalen Millroy are really going to be the guys you're talking about in that second, third round. And I think that those are all good. I think teams are doing a ton of work on that we're going to get to see here next week, start to throw at the combine. And I think those are the names that, you know, I think everybody's familiar with, but certainly those are the guys. you're trying to dissect right now with Jackson Dart having a little more momentum,

and I think Quinn Ewers right now is lower on people's boards than where he'll end up. Okay, there's two AFC teams that are super interesting. Let's start with the Chiefs who won the AFC. Pretty obvious they've got to reshuffle some things on their offensive line. Like that, it doesn't matter what you got. If you can't block, you got no shot. But the rest of the roster needs some tinkering as well. Not a lot of star caliber guys outside of most.

homes on offense, especially with Kelsey aging. So if you're in that front office, knowing what you know, how do you work it? How do you reconfigure and sort of rebuild on the fly? Yeah, I think you've got to do priorities, and I think Tray Smith is the priority, and it's going to be a big number, right? They're big right guard. You know, you said it, and you felt it in this, you know, Super Bowl, the Chiefs have lost two Super Bowls where their offensive lines been overpowered

and just couldn't handle it. And, you know, it's been a tough show for almost both times. So, you know, Trey Smith, albeit was in the game, I think he's still a key component to it. And I think he's probably their number one priority in terms of free agency. I think Nick Bolton comes in second, probably around the $10 to $15 million range. I think Justin reads the third. I think the chief are very fixable in terms of getting them back. I think the draft, clearly they've tried to draft offensive linemen.

They've done it the last two years, taking a second and a third rounder trying to put it out there at the tackle spot. He can't stop. you got to keep so you know even if you feel like you're missing on those guys you got to keep pushing picks in the offensive line because that's your lifeblood like you just talked about dog and it's perfect sense but then they've got to get a running back cream hunts samarrike perine are both free agents i think is more of a situational type of back so i want a back i can turn around hand it to and know that i can take some of the pressure off of patrick mohoms and they don't have that and i think that's a key other piece of the puzzle receiver wise with rshaid wright's coming back

she writes coming back i think they're in pretty good shape they'll get some other guys they're gonna want to play there so i think that's a good one but i think that's a good one but i think on you know the offensive line simon tray smith draft another offensive lineman early first or second round and then you go to the defensive side and i think you put your some money into nick bolton if you can get them around that 10 to 12 per year okay how do you how do you do it with the bengles right they're talking about well we want to hang on to t y hilton uh plus they have chase uh And then, you know, you look at the defensive side of the ball, and your best young, your defense isn't good, but your best defense player needs a rework contract.

How do you do it? How do you work it? Yeah, okay, so, and I agree. Trade's got a big contract coming to him. I mean, here's, as everybody's reporting, people are talking about, there's a lot of reports. Chumar Chase is looking for 40 a year, right? The problem is he still got one more year on his contract. You know, it's fully guaranteed, but they're just under $22 million, which is a ridiculous bargain.

T. Higgins, they have the option to franchise tag him. That's just over $27 million. So, you know, the Bengals could play the Bengals here and just be like, hey, look, we can't find a way to get to $40 million. And that's where I don't think, he can shoot for $40 million, but when you're negotiating against the Bengals, I don't think you're going to get there.

And I think T. Higgins, because he wants to, I think, be there, in my personal opinion, he wants to play with Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase. I think you could find T. Higgins north of 30 instead of the 35 that people are reporting. I think if he goes to free agency, he might get to 35. But I think he'd be willing to take 30, 31 to stay there. Jamar Chase is probably going to have to come off at 40. I just don't see the Bengals being that team that's going to turn around and pay 40 million dollars for Jamar Chase right now.

Not with Joe Burrow where he's at. And like you just said, with Trey Hendrickson, you know, obviously needing the pay rate. So you've got a priority again. I know I can control them with obviously the fifth year option for Jamar, the tag for Higgin. I certainly consider doing those two things as I try to work through Trey Hendrickson. And then I come back to maybe the tag. and then I come back to Jamar at the end if they're not moving off their numbers. And, you know, Jamar's got a side of how he wants to play 20-25.

You want to play for 21 million fully guaranteed and risk-free agency, knowing that there's a bag that's right around the corner for Jamar Chase, too. It's a really good spot for the Bengals to be in because of how hardball they play, Doug. And I think that's the one thing those players all know that they don't have the leverage right now at all, even though they've got their credentials and certainly the statistics. Does the media fans, social media, because the points you point out are the parts that, you know, we've come to realize that as much as it feels like,

well, the players can sit out, it's like there's nowhere you're going, right? We own your rights. No, you're not, we don't have to give in to you at all. And this is a team that traditionally does play hardball. Now, they traditionally also pay their own guys. The guys they draft, that's what they do. They don't go get free agents. Does the pressure of the outside noise matter at all in Cincinnati?

Yeah, you'd think it would. You know, with the Brown family, been so entrenched in the organization for so many years, you know, they're so used to, you know, having tough times of Cincinnati and great times of Cincinnati that the noise doesn't get to, I don't think. I just don't think it does. I think they're affected by, wow, what's going on here.

Instead, they can kind of, the picture is like, we're just trying to keep this team together. They can play the, what was us, we're doing the best we can to try to find ways to get deals done with our guys, but right now we just can't seem to get it done. So I don't think the noise is going to be too much for them.

I think if you're an agent for Jamar Chase, certainly T. Higgins, you're pointing at Joe Burrell said you did him after three years. I don't understand why you wouldn't do my guy now. That's as good leverage as you can use based off those two guys going into, you know, another tag and in its fifth year. But again, they have all the leverage.

The only thing a player can do is, you know, Doug, is suddenly a little bit of a foot sprain. You know, my ankle hurts. I twisted my Achilles a little bit, and I can't make it this week. That's the only downside is the player can slowly kind of pick and choose if and when he's going to play, but he's not going to sit the season out.

Mark, great stuff as always, man. Really appreciate you join us. I look forward to talking to as the draft gets closer and closer. Thanks so much to be our guest on Fox Sports Radio. Yes, sir. Next week, Combine. Looking forward to it. Next week is the Combine.

It's the Combine. This is the Hurt. Radio, I Heart Radio app. And coming up next, wait to hear what Kevin Durant said when he was asked about who he believes the next face of the NBA is. That's next time. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is The Hurt.

Be sure to catch live editions of The HARD weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Kavino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Kavino 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 I Heart Radio app. Why should you listen to Covino 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. be 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 to 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 it. 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. Oh, 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 Smigel 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. 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.

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. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcast presents soccer moms.

So I'm Leanne. This is my best friend, Janet. And we have been joined at the Hipsons High School. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years. later. We're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips. Wider. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my

Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drink. Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar or something here? Just take it. What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. I would buy it. Cutts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake.

That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. You're lucky I'm not a killer. I love this team, and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh.

Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Doug Gaudley, been for Colin. This is The Hurt. Fox Sports Radio, IHart Radio app. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome in. You know, there's a lot of talk about what happens when LeBron and Steph Curry retire. Because, you know, you have, and I do think this, the Olympic team documentary is doing a good job of highlighting. I just how special it is to have Kevin Rant, who's, he's the best score of this generation.

Steph Curry, who has completely changed the way we look at shots and the game and the dynamic of players who don't fit the stereotypical size and positional kind of ideas of the past. And of course, LeBron James, who's just been a physically dominant player since the day he arrived in the NBA. Now we're 20 plus years into it, right? So when those three go, and we admit that LeBron's the most famous, probably polarizing, Steph Curry's incredibly popular. Kevin Grant, a little bit polarizing.

but I do think people are a little bit just resigned to. He's awesome. I don't know if I love him or not. But who's the next face of the NBA, especially when you're considering of the elite players in the NBA, Jason Tatum's like, how many American-born players are there? And there's some thought that, well, you can't have a non, a foreign-born player, a Luca Donchick, a Joker, you know.

Obviously, Janice, he's, I think, in that realm of he's obviously slightly younger, but of LeBron and KD. And though he's beloved, he's not and probably will never be the face of the league. Here's KD on who he thinks should be next. I keep hearing that. What is the face to the league? What does that entail? What do you do when you got on the face of the league?

I'm just saying, what comes with that? Because it seems like it's just more than basketball. So when we talk about, I want to know, you got an answer for me? I think it's a little bit more than that because, I mean, from, because Aunt playing great ball and they said he's not fit to be the face of the league or Lucas playing great. And sometimes people don't, and then they said that international players can't be the face. Like, I don't understand what the face of the league is and what that entails. I think all of these guys have impacted in their culture of basketball. So many players are probably watching Victor and or Luca and trying to emulate what they do.

every day and they're also watching them off the court and see what they do in their personal lives as well you know so with the access I think so many guys got an opportunity to make a huge impact as the face of the league you know because they're inspiring so many people so easily so quick you know the access is is there for everybody to watch to see what they go through so yeah I don't even know what that when people say that term just throw that term out I need to I need an explanation or definition of what that truly means because a lot of these guys regardless of where they come from are impacting people all around the world you know what I'm saying it's not just one guy it's not just two guys it's a this whole generation of era players is going to impact the world in a

different way than the guys before them so I just think that's a term we use just so we can have conversation I actually think kat nails it I kind of thought he nailed it right like those guys people with the access people have We can pay attention to everything and anything about these players. And he talked about some of the guys that kids are watching and emulating what they do and how they do it. I mean, Shea Gildes-Alexander probably, I mean, should be the MVP of this league, right? And because he played in the states in college, because he has, you know, he's, though he doesn't represent our country in the Olympics,

I'm a heck, if the president has his way, maybe he's an American by the end in the next four years anyway. I don't know. I don't think that's likely, but it's possible. It's actually a great question. Like, what is the face of the league? It reminds me a little bit of kind of the discussion we started the show with, which is, it's like, who's going to take the game-winning shot for the Lakers? Like, well, who's hot in that given day and who's open? But I do think that KD nails it in that.

the face of the league is not just about who the best player in the league. And I think what people are wondering and the reason they're saying face to the league is, we've been through this before. We've been through this before.

If you're in your mid to late 30s and really beyond, and into your 40s and 50s, you remember when Jordan retired, there was more talent than there was kind of late in his second run, right?

There was, when the league expanded, and they created the Hornets and the magic, it was a little bit watered down. There's a little bit, a couple too many teams. And then slowly but surely, the international players started performing very well, and those voids were filled. But when he left the league, it was Iverson, Rashid Wallace, Vince Carter, Grant Hill. like Jason Kidd, those are the next guys.

And some of it, some of it is going to be on each one of those guys. Grant Hill couldn't stay healthy. Vince Carter was never on a great team. Alan Iverson off the court was sort of messy. And, you know, he was like the people's champ, but he didn't play a lot of defense, and he was an inefficient player. Kobe Bryant, it took them a while before it was Kobe and Shaq, right? They were all part of that.

all part of that kind of dry area there where the Spurs won titles, and they were seen to be too boring. The game was too physical. The Knicks were boring, whatever. But I think we're preparing for that. What happens when LeBron and Steph go by-bye? Can anyone be as popular, as successful, as talented? And oh, yeah, by the way, neither of those guys, anything negative off the court?

Is that possible? So if you have to take in the off-the-court, that cuts John Morant out of it. And then you start having to go through, like, can Luca be that guy? I don't think, I kind of think we're past the part of it having to be an American player. Jay Stu, maybe you're the best guy to call on on this, not because you're a xenopophobe. Thanks. Thanks, thank you for that. I said not because you are.

Yeah, I know. Thanks for qualifying that. But I do think that you have in your mind, hey, doesn't have to be an American player. and I guess the question is like I mean we've seen this with soccer where these guys come over late in their career and they're crazy crazy popular now maybe it's because the image they established

before they played in the United States I don't know like why can't Luca be the face of the league I just think that there has been like a general backlash among the public and we're talking like diehard NBA fans that just want to see one of their own an American-born player be the face of the league.

I just think that that exists mostly in middle America. Well, it's interesting. I mean, again, I don't think Anthony Davis has the dynamic as a person. He's just not something he's ever loved in terms of the spotlight, but he's amazing. He's American-born. Jason Tatum just won an NBA title for whatever reason. I don't think people love that.

I don't know. Let's get back to that top of the hour. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is the hurt. 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 90. 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. Hey, it's Edwin Castro. also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Kunky, 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 you. 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 I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.