The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - NFL conspiracy theory

Episode Date: May 14, 2024

Colin shares his NFL conspiracy theory after seeing the announcement about the Jets starting their season against the 49ers Thoughts on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks this season He explains why Jared Goff is clearly a better quarterback than Dak PrescottSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, what a Tuesday show, brimming with everything from rants to conspiracy theories to Nick Wright. Oh, what a day it is today, live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening. New haircut boy here. Jay Mackam in a good mood. Watch little Dallas Mavericks erode last night

How could that make you good? Also, screaming show Sugar with Colin Farrell. Zaney watched the entire thing in the afternoon because Greg, the producer said it was great. Went home and watched the whole thing. Wow, I had that on the list of shows to watch. It's episode six gets Dainey. But I want to talk football.

Now, we both love football. And the NFL, more than any league, would you agree with this? They know how to play television. Schedules, free agency. They even look at shows like this. Where can we get the most free TV? So the NFL schedule release tonight or tomorrow. But a few games are leaking out.

And I know how much Aaron Rogers loves conspiracy theories. He doesn't view them as such, but many people do. So I thought, well, let me throw one of my favorites out. The 49ers on Monday night football, the first Monday night football game, that's always a crazy crowd, host Aaron and the New York Jets. You think it's a coincidence? The NFL looked at the Jets schedule and said, what would be the toughest game? Hmm. Travel 3,000 miles and face it.

Kyle Shanahan, a brilliant offensive coach in the opener. Monday night football, the first Monday night football game? Think about this. Offensive coaches, Andy Reed in September, best coach in the league. McVeigh, 6 and 1 in openers. Shanahan. Offensive coaches

are much tougher to face off buys, extra time to prepare, and in openers. Go ask Pete Carroll what it was like to face McVeigh last year in the opener when the heavily underdog road Rams went to Seattle and unveiled an entirely different run scheme. Pete and the Seahawks were lost for three and a half hours. Robert Sala, defensive coach, nobody knows him better than Shanahan. Well, Colin, nobody knows Shanahan better than, yeah, but he's a defensive coach. Shanahan's going to unveil all sorts with his

veteran team that's got winning inertia, winning momentum, At-home Monday night football. What part of the Jets did they rebuild this offseason? The O-line, three veteran O-Linmen. Oh, wait. Offensive lines are never synced up in September, especially with three new players, and especially now that no veteran offensive linemen really play in the preseason. Those days are past.

There's only three pre-season games anymore. The league is reducing it. And the coaches are reducing playing starters, old starters especially. So think of all the games on their schedule. You face Shanahan on the road, rebuilt offensive line. Oh, by the way, the player that knocked Aaron Rogers out, Leonard Floyd, he now plays for the Niners.

You think it's a coincidence? I've watched the NFL my entire life. Manipulate television networks. The free agent schedule. Christmas Day to take away some oxygen from the NBA. This network has, and other networks constantly have to tell baseball and hockey how to create more big events. The NFL teaches us lessons.

And they chose Aaron in San Francisco as the opener. And why would they do that? Because Aaron's gotten increasingly controversial. And the NFL owns the world. The last time they were controversial was Colin Kaepernick. It hurt ratings. They don't want controversy. They don't need controversy.

They don't need clicks. You go look at it. that jet schedule with three new offensive linemen plus J. Mack a rookie offensive lineman. You think they're going to be humming week one against that pass rush? No chance. That is the

toughest game on their schedule. And the NFL, look at this too. Because I don't believe Aaron's driving business anymore. Mahalms is, Lamar is, Alan is, Cowboys are, Packers are,

what did they due to the brand-friendly Patrick Mahomes in the first two weeks. Two Division Row home games. They got Patrick Mahomes. Gets to fate, my bad. Patrick Mahomes gets two home games to start. He gets little Joe Burrow to start. Lamar Jackson.

So brand-friendly Kansas City, Mahomes, the biggest rock star, Taylor Swift. get them at home and it's friendly. Aaron Rogers, 3,000 mile flight, rebuilt O-line, offensive coach. Think it's a coincidence?

Think it's a zany coincidence. Kansas City brand friendly. Put them at home. Everybody wants to start the season off. Right. Arrowhead. They win like 75, 80% of their games. Think I'm crazy? Shanahan knows Salah's defense back and forth.

I know what you're saying. Colin, that is way out there. I've watched this league manipulate. Networks, free agency, Christmas Day, the draft. They are constantly aware of who is helping the league and who's potentially a pain in the butt. Jets O-1-1, off the front page, back to another losing season. I know it stings, Jay Mack,

but it seems to me the NFL put them in San Francisco to start. By the way, Monday night football, not the early window, not the late afternoon, no. The two toughest places to win in this league are sunny night football on the road and Monday night football on the road. Not a coincidence. You could have buried that thing in late October. given Aaron a couple of nice

A couple of nice games, a couple of home games A winning streak. No, you could have had the Niners You know, coming off the road, send him out road, send him road, road, Now the Jets road. No, rested offensive coach At home With by the way, another clever receiving weapon In Ricky Pearson

All sorts of tricks for Shanahan to play with. Okay, congrats to OKC. they, unlike Dallas, hit their free throws. They, unlike Dallas, did not make mistakes. The young team, the young OKC did all the things right late in the game. Congrats to them, SGA's remarkable player. But I was thinking about this, is that at any one time, the NBA's got about a dozen what you would call stars.

Like right now they've got about a dozen stars. Luke is a star and Janus and Embed and, yeah, you know the group. Ant is becoming a statem's a star. SGA is a star. In any one time, there's 10 to 12 stars. And usually I'm all in on almost all of them. But there's always one, maybe two tops, that I'm a little reluctant to embrace. Blake Griffin was one I didn't embrace.

I said, take away the dunks. What do I get? Can't shoot a jumper. Carmelo Anthony, I didn't embrace. won't defend. Low efficiency jump shooter. I'm not sure he's in great shape. Not easy to play with.

Derek Rose, I wouldn't embrace. Hyperathletic can't shoot, not sustainable if you have to score at the rim. Westbrook, same thing. Hyperathletic, not a great shooter. And when the ball's not in his hands, he's not very effective. By the way, those guys, no titles, I think one finals appearance.

Blake Griffin, Mello, Rose, Westbrook, I just wasn't in for it. Luca is not quite there yet, but I'm getting really close to saying that about Luca. I mean, I compared him to Mello when he came into the league. I think he's better than Mello, better three-point shooter, although he's having a terrible three-point shooting run. But watch Luca when he doesn't have the ball.

Sometimes you can't find him on the TV screen. he disengages. He doesn't move like a Steph Curry. Whereas a Steph Curry and a Yokic, who have combined for five titles, five MVPs and counting, constantly create value when they don't have the ball.

When Luca doesn't have it, eh, whatever, you guys do your thing. That's the difference between Yokic and Curry and Luca. They add tremendous value to a, team even when they don't have the ball. He just screamed selfish to me. I want him to be part of the offense. He wants to be the offense.

Almost like when you get that report card, at least I did when I was like fifth, sixth grade, doesn't play well with others. Mom sought, I had to shape up. Like, what are you going to tell him? How are you going to teach him? I mean, again, since he was like 16 years old, he's the team, he's the offense, he's the score.

He is almost in. indifferent to the team when he doesn't have the ball. He could go to the corner, the closest three, doesn't work for it. I think I saw this morning, like 92 of 96 threes are non-corner threes. Why isn't he working to get those threes? Those are the easiest threes. Because when he doesn't have the ball, he doesn't play well with others. And that really defines beyond their great talent, Curry and Yokic.

Again, five titles, five MVP. VPs. So I'm not saying stars can't have off nights. That happens all the time. Yokic didn't play well in the first couple games in Minnesota got pushed around, rebounded, and I'm sure Luca will have great other games. But between the, I mean, one of the reasons, they're kind of, they're kind of in a tough spot in Dallas. So they don't want Luca to have the ball as much, because they're like 9 and 0 when his usage rate is under 30%. But when he doesn't have the ball, he's a fairly useless player who doesn't play well with others.

Here's Luca on he and Kyrie struggling offensively in the loss. What's been so difficult for you guys to get in a group specifically tonight, but really all series long? I think they're so focused on us.

They collapse the pain very well. You know, when we both drive it, they collects the pain, collapse the pain or almost five guys. So I think that's been difficult for us. We just got to find open teammates. Got to find open teammates.

Just a thought. Now, I know, J. Mack, I'm watching you over there. Roll your eyes on that. And again, it's just a conspiracy theory by me. There's nothing concrete. There's no email from Roger Goodell to the schedule maker. There's no proof I'm right. But I mean, who knows.

Sala better than Shanahan. What you don't want to face in the opener is Monday night football, cross-country on the road with a rebuilt O line that won't play much in the preseason, and an offensive coach known for creativity, McVeigh, Reed, Sean Payton, Shanahan, those are the guys I don't want to open the season with. I'll open it with other coaches. But offensive coaches, you want to face Andy Reed in the opener or off a buy? No, thank you. So I know your summer calendar is filling up quickly with vacations.

I think you might need to bake in a darkness retreat because the stuff you're saying right now about the Jets, like this is silly, Colin. First of all, their offensive line is going to be healthy in week one. The old guys that you say are never healthy. Just like how the Lakers should face the nuggets in the first round because the Lakers are fresh and healthy, the Jets, Moses and Tyron Smith are going to be healthy. I mean, they're not going to play in the preseason. They can be fine. I just looked at the line.

I saw an opener of five in the desert. and then other places are saying 49ers 6 and a half. Do you think the Jets will be a 6.5 point dog at any point in this season? And I'm going to answer for you, no. Yeah, great. Get the toughest game out of the way right out the gate. I don't mind we start 0-1-1, not the end of the world. It's fine.

But what's interesting is what if week two is in Buffalo? Well, we'll get the schedule. No, no, Buffalo is Miami Week 2. So we don't have to worry about. Maybe we'll get the Patriots in Week 2, a cupcake. How about that one? An easy, I'll lay up a rookie quarter. against Robert Tala's defense.

Boy, this schedule stuff is exciting. You know, you can start to pencil in games that you've got to watch and put stuff in the calendar. Do you do a shared calendar with your wife by any chance? A shared calendar. Yeah, where I'll put like Jets game I cannot miss. Like, don't

schedule me for anything. Can't do dinner. Like, I put in September and October, unavailable. Just two months. Blocked off. I love. I love. The schedule is coming. Now, it's going to leak out.

So by tomorrow's show, we'll have all the big games because the networks, you know, they get, the Fox will come out with their stuff and a Sunday night football will come out with their stuff. But I'm just saying, this league is strategic. They put games on Christmas Day for a reason. They saw weakness with the very rapidly international NBA having a little weakness with Star Power, LeBron, Steph, KD, aging. they went right after the NBA. Did you see they put games up, I believe,

two games up against the college football playoff? Did you see that? The NFL, nothing is random. Nothing's a coincidence. Except Friday night lights. They don't do Friday night football for high school. You know, they play... No, no, and I think that's very appropriate. And I also

think they understand America. The NFL understands that, hey, we're not going to screw with high school kids. Those dads and those sons, they watch us on Sunday. We're not going to screw with those people. college football will go after NBA absolutely hockey's not a threat so we don't care fortunately we have remote controls

that are I'm going to get batteries and I'm going to change the channel it's not the end of the world you know what I bought the other day sling I do it monthly oh okay I bought another app because I like you know they had some NBA stuff all right interesting wording

now on this show we often say stuff only gets out when somebody wants it out and that's not a knock on woge a j glazer peter shreger great reporters but stuff gets out when people want it out if they don't want it out you're not getting it

interesting what got out yesterday anybody else notice that somebody wanted it out and it got out And we'll talk about that next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform and became bigger than I ever imagined.

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Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table. right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field. and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

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as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app, search, learn the hard way, and listen now. So stuff gets out

when people or organizations or leagues want it out. Woj, very, very connected NBA reporter, talked about Rob Polinka in the Lakers in conversations with officials across the league said the Lakers were looking for, quote, a grinder as their next head coach. I mean, that's not even subtle.

They're just saying Darvindham didn't put in the hours. Here's what's interesting. I made a couple calls. So Darvin Ham work with Budenholzer in Atlanta and Milwaukee. That was the knock. Remember the knock on Budenholzer staff in Milwaukee? Is that in playoff basketball, they would get worked. Poor execution.

Now remember, the regular season, you don't play the same team for two weeks. It's about attrition, staying healthy, managing your roster. kind of figuring out what you are, especially first third to two thirds of the season, right? Down the stretch, you start putting your rotations in to feel like playoff basketball. That's different coaching. Playoff basketball coaching, Spolstra, Steve Kerr, the difference makers. That's about adjustments. That's about sleeping about four hours a night, late April, May, and early June.

That's different basketball. Go Google the criticisms. of Boodenholzer and Darvinham in Atlanta, and the criticisms of Boodenholzer and Ham, and it was mostly Boodenholzer in Milwaukee. Remember that series? Ham was gone by that time. Remember that series against the heat when Jimmy Butler was averaging almost 40?

And they didn't make adjustments? That got Boodenholzer run out of town. But if you look at the criticism of Darden Ham with the Lakers, and I defended him, I thought he was good enough. It's a rookie head coach, a rookie anything, you're learning on the job. I thought he was good enough. But the knock was he stuck to things, he didn't make adjustments. They outplayed Denver for 70% of the series, and it was a gentleman's suite.

They couldn't beat Denver. By the way, Denver well-coached, better a roster, but excellent at adjustments. How do I know that? Have you watched the Minnesota series? Look at the adjustments Malone and the Denver staff have made in that series. The last two games don't even look like the first two. It's like a different sport.

That's adjustment. Steve Kerr beating Boston in the finals. They flew out to Boston. The series, by game four on, didn't even look like the first three games. Spolstra's legendary at this. Popovich was where you can be outplayed for several games and then tweak, adjust, rotation changes, offensive changes, and you take the series over.

It's never been Booneholtin's thing. So it is interesting. The Lakers wanted that out. We're looking for a grinder. If I got replaced and Fox said, you know, we're looking for somebody that really is committed to the craft. Probably mean I mailed it in. Didn't do prep.

Showed up just on time for the show. So this is, go back. and look, Google it yourself, all the stories on the Ham-Budenholzer relationship, Atlanta, Milwaukee. That was a little bit, and I know it's sort of in, you know, in the beltway, you know, inside baseball talk. But the knock was, it wasn't a great adjusting staff. They were just getting worked in big spots. I don't know. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but when you get replaced and something gets out about

your old employer's looking for sort of a new type of employee i mean if if if if if you get fired and your former employer says you know we're looking for somebody that gets along well with others you probably didn't we're looking for somebody who's willing to uh adjust on the fly you probably were rigid so that's just when i saw that term that got out that is something the Lakers want it out. For the record, JJ Reddick, Sam Cassell,

Shams has it out, three names up for the Laker job, the first one listed. J.J. Reddick. Have to have a conversation with J.J. When he gets that job, that first press conference, hopefully he's got that hat in the right direction. J. Mack with a do.

No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, we'll talk about LeBron in a moment. But let's start with the Atlanta Falcons. They went from having no quarterback four months ago to being loaded at the position now with Kirk Cousins and free agency and then drafting Michael Pennix Jr.

Cousins was confused and frustrated at the time of the pick and was recently asked whether there was any beef with Atlanta for the move. He said, I don't think it's helpful. We're trying to win a Super Bowl and it's hard enough. This isn't a foreign concept. there's an awareness that this is the NFL. Anything can happen. Kirk being very, very diplomatic, Colin.

This continues to be a big water cooler topic, I think, around any NFL. If you've made more than Tom Brady in your career and have never sniffed a Super Bowl, I don't want to hear about your discomfort about a talented backup. When you're an old guy off Achilles surgery, get over it. I like Kirk. Get over it. You have monetized the position as well as anybody, and you deserve respect for that. I like Kirk.

He's a, I've said before. He gets all the worship and love DAC gets, and they're the same quarterback. Kirk's a better thrower, Dak's a better mover. Same quarterback. One is a star in the helmet. Kirk said does a really good job. But you don't as an older quarterback

off an Achilles surgery who can't win multiple playoff games when you've had great talent around you at times. You don't get this complaint. I'm going to have a backup who if you go down again or in camp, it feels like two, three games in. I mean, what if Aaron doesn't feel like

three games in, you're like, Aaron is not leaving the pocket? You know, the Jets are going to have to say, trade deadline, do we want to go get a young guy in case Aaron goes down? So it's like, I'm sorry, being a little quarterback heavy in the quarterback room, I'm okay with it. Yeah, by the way, who's the highest paid guy on the Falcons roster? You want to take a crazy

guess? Kirk Cousin. Oh, yeah, interesting. So it came time to draft another quarterback, and they didn't check in with their highest paid employee on the roster. I mean, we're talking about front office. Hold on. A front office who has accomplished Jack Squat in the NFL. Find somebody in that front office who's done anything, Colin. They could have had Bill Belichick, this guy who, I don't know, he's been in the brains

behind, what, half a dozen Super Bowls in New Orleans? He's won a lot. You think Bill Belichick would have done this nonsense? Rahim Morris' age doesn't start with a seven. I'm sorry. We're a defensive coach. Your favorite. You love a good defensive coach. Listen, I get it. Hey, listen, I've said, I'm dying on this hill. is going to win the division. And by Thanksgiving, you're going to be like... They were probably going to win the division without penics.

Right? If they got Kirk Cousins, their win total was going to go up anyway. And then they'll go to the playoffs, lose the first game. Cousins will be flummoxed. Then you'll be like, hey, it was worth it. Now, Kirk, you back up and let's go with Michael. Oh, after one year you're dusting him. So you're going to pay him $100 million for one year of service. You got to be somewhat emotionally remote if you're a GM in the NFL. You can't be buddies with your players. It's not the job. It's not the NBA. We're not Kyle.

and yet it's like, hey, we cut people here. Yeah, just like Belichick and Brady. Never had dinner, by the way, in 20 years. Didn't have dinner one time. And I'm worried about Kirk Cousin's feelings. I mean, Brady literally did a documentary after 20 years where teammates like Wes Welker

said he was treated like a dog. It was embarrassing. I think Kirk can be okay. Being a little uncomfortable in camp for an hour. All right, let's move on to the Boston Celtics, who go up 3-1 last night with a winner. Over the hobbled calves, Donovan Mitchell did not play, which was extremely disappointing for me. Tatum had 33, 11, and 5. I guess you can't pick him apart today.

Well, he's good against the backups. Really good performance. Jalen Brown had 27. Celtics go up 3-1. They should ice the series in Boston on Monday. I'm sorry, on Wednesday. It's weird. Their path is going to be like a cakewalk to the finals.

Yeah, because the East is awful and it's beat up. No Jimmy Butler, no Donovan Mitchell at the end, maybe no OG healthy, Brunson, Hobbled, Julius Randall, Mitchell Robinson. Yeah, they're going to, there's no, but they would, I think they would have done this mostly anyway. But my question is, when it's this easy, what happens when you face Denver, Minnesota, OKC that have been in these battles and these physical bad-ib series? and you're out there cakewalking past the Cavs without Donovan. Well, it's weird.

They got Chris Taps of Porzingis coming back for the finals. I mean, I know we're penciling them in, but... No, I mean, Boston is good. He's going to be healthy. I'm not... I think Boston probably should win the title, right? I mean, Denver's going to be spent from the series, and then they're going to struggle with the Mavs next round.

Yeah. You like how I got the Mavs in there? Yeah. Okay, C's just... I'll be honest. I don't... I root for stories. You and I root for stories.

I don't care about teams. I root for stories. I didn't break in my... heart when the Lakers didn't make the finals. I think the Knicks are a much better story were than the Lakers. The Knicks beating Indiana is better for us. So I'm rooting for stories. I don't care about cities and teams. Like Boston, New York and the Eastern Conference Finals, that's good for us. Indy Boston is not? Not really. So I mean, but I will tell you this. I think Oklahoma City is much easier to root for for me than Dallas. Young,

considering how young they were. They're so one-dimensional. It was SGA and that's it. It seemed to work okay last night. One team can hit free throws. They're free. Just let me know when you want me to unload on Luca. Because you know that's my guy.

But I got to keep it real. You like a lot of guys that don't pan out. I mean, I murdered him on my podcast this morning. I had to. I'm sorry. And I'll kill him here on the air. He was terrible last night. But don't get me started.

How about this interesting third story, Colin? So LeBron was spotted last night in Cleveland. Yes, he took in the Cavs Boston game with his wife, and he brought his own bottle of wine. I don't know if you saw that kind of funny. Obviously, anything LeBron does is going to drive speculation. The crowd went wild. Well, maybe he just wants to go to the game, and there's nothing to read into it.

He flew to Cleveland to go to a basketball game? He's got a home there. Yes, also accurate. By the way, I love his wife's hat. She doesn't look that happy to be there. Maybe it was a business trip. Oh, recruiting Donnavin and Missile. Well, I mean, she doesn't look that happy.

Maybe she'd rather be doing something else. I don't know. I mean, it's tough to tell. I mean, he could have sat in a suite, but it... Yeah, he went courtside. He made... Very high profile spot. Made sure everybody knew he was there, moving, traveling out east.

And it was the same day his son, Brani, was at the combine yesterday. Remember we talked about his measure. Hey, how about that? Do you hear the story about that? Well, his vertical, 40 and a half. That's great. That's really good. During a three-point drill, we got video here. Shot 19 of 25, a very McIntyre-ish.

By the way, that is why people like him. He's a willing defender. Smart kid can shoot threes. You know what the Lakers need? Somebody that can shoot threes. Let's settle down on whether or not he's going to help the Lakers immediately. More interestingly. Spot up three-shooter.

This team, they're moving off the low. They need three shooters. I really don't have a problem with Brony being on this team. Well, wait, wait, I think you're jumping the gun here. What if the Cav said, you know what? Hometown Story, Brony and LeBron, could we get them here? Hey, LeBron, we will draft Brony. What if the Cavs said that?

We will take him? Will you come here? Is there a world where LeBron ends up in Cleveland next year? And we're just speculating. I just looked at his wife. She didn't look happy in Cleveland. She can stay in L.A. and, you know, like, hang out with LeBron on weekends. Like, you know, you go to Chicago all the time.

I'm not going to totally rule out Cleveland. This is a very high profile. Hey, everybody, I'm drinking wine courtside. But that would be, listen, I'm pro LeBron and I'm pro mobility. Cleveland, Miami, Cleveland, L.A., back to Cleveland. That's Durantish. Like, he's in L.A. It's great for the brand.

They get into the playoffs. He's living in a mansion in Beverly Hills. Life's pretty good. I'm not bouncing around the country for another title. You might not. What if he wants to? Well, I don't know that. He wins everywhere he goes.

I think he wins as a coach. Just give me everything I want, please. Thank you. I'm LeBron. That's nothing wrong with that. Well, you can ask for everything. It doesn't mean you're going to get everything. I ask for everything all the time.

I'm very demanding. LeBron's opt-out date is June 29th, NBA draft a couple days earlier. Yeah. I guarantee you, if the Lakers can get Brony, let's put it down. They're drafting Brony. I don't know. I need to go on the calendar. I think I might be hosting the show that day.

June 29 is Saturday. But June 28th. You're certainly welcome to host the show Saturday. June 28th, that will be on, but you can make believe. I will be. Oh, I can't wait. The LeBron speculation and the Olympics? Oh, J-Mac with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herdline News. A weird headline, and I want to discuss it. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays, and news. Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben, host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor, would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.

You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mallor show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mallor on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Cliverts Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went

down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode, with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Learn the Hardway and listen now. The big announcement yesterday,

the Cowboys, will visit the Browns in America's Game of the Week on Fox on September 8th. It'll also be Tom Brady's debut in the broadcast booth alongside Kevin Burkart. The entire NFL schedule will be released Wednesday night on NFL. Hmm. Hmm. A lot of pressure on those two teams.

That's the pressure game of the weekend. Dallas with Mike McCarthy, there's some real pressure to win and win early because we know Philadelphia's improved. Washington will be better. And Cleveland, Deshawn Watson, Joe Burrell is back, Baltimore is rolling, Russell Wilson and Pittsburgh. That is the pressure game in the league. The only person that's really safe, we know that Kevin Stefansky, the coach of Cleveland, is excellent. So is the GM. a lot of pressure in that game.

So I saw this headline, this interesting headline. We talked about this last week. One of the things I hear all the time is, well, next man up to get the bag. No, that's not the way it works. The next quarterback contract up does not automatically get the bag.

You should overwhelmingly strongly consider drafting another quarterback before giving a good quarterback the bag. And so Jared Goff got a $212 million extension by the Lions appropriate and the right call to a very, very sharp young front office. The headline says, well, where does that leave Dak Prescott and the Cowboys? I don't know.

Those are two different conversations. Because Jared Goff's a much better quarterback than Dak Prescott. Jared Goff's been to a Super Bowl. and two NFC championships. Same conference. Rams in the same conference as Dallas. Lions in the same conference. Can't argue about, well, that guy did it there.

No, NFC, two NFC championships. Goff's done it with two head coaches, multiple coordinators, two rosters, two different divisions. Goffs has much better throw over the football. Goff's contract extension should not look like that. because they're not the same player. In fact, I would argue as Goff has become a steady veteran, better than steady, he's progressed in his career, gotten older, he's actually gotten better in the playoffs.

His last five playoff games, six touchdowns, no picks, and a pass rating at 103. So as Goff is learning the position, he's become more dependable, more reliable, a better playoff quarterback. The opposite's been true for Dak. He is plateaued, and I'd argue he's getting worse in the play. If you look at Dax's last four playoff games, three of the four, he's had a passer rating under 90, two of the four, under 70. Horrible. So those are different conversations.

This idea, well, he's next step. What about Kurt Cousins? Kirk Cousins contract. Go look at Kurt Cousins deal. Atlanta in a horrible division, Kirk Cousins can be an absolute difference maker. as Jared Goff has been a difference maker in Detroit, winning playoff games. So this idea that is, well, I mean,

Goff got his, then Dak should cross his fingers that it gets an extension. Now, I'm not saying DACA won't have a market. I mean, the Raiders didn't get a quarterback. They're going to need one. They'd absolutely, he would create stability, like Kirk Cousins will create stability for Atlanta, not greatness but stability Dak could create stability

for an unstable franchise the Raiders but you know Detroit hadn't won a playoff game in 32 years and Goff goes into town and between him and Dan Campbell have created a culture of toughness and stability

that the city and the franchise are feeding off of what's interesting is don't even consider Goff and Dak the same start considering Gough and Matt Stafford much closer. Yes, I said it. Now, I think Stafford is a greater overall talent.

Both are number one picks. But Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, since the trade, where Stafford went to a franchise with Momentum and McVeigh, and Goff went to a tire fire with a young Dan Campbell, who we all thought the opening press conference, was a little amateurish. Both Stafford and Goff have 24 wins. Goff is more accurate with completion percentage.

Goff has more touchdown passes, the same number of giveaways. So Goff and Stafford are a much closer comp than Goff and DAC. The numbers I'll tell you, DAC's comp is Kirk Cousins. Goff's comp, statistically, is Matt Stafford. And I would argue Stafford's got the better coach now. Okay. Now, Detroit's got the better O-line, although last year the Rams rebuilt the O-L-line, and this year looks really good.

But, you know, this idea, in pro sports, pay great money very infrequently. And if you do that and pay it like in Detroit to Amuron St. Brown, Penae Seul, Jared Goff, may be a great pass right. That will ensure that a franchise has flexibility going forward. When you're Dallas and you overpay DAC, they have no cap space. They got no cap space. Or if you're like New Orleans, you kept kicking it down the road. They got no cap space.

They can't make any moves for Derek Carr. So you have to pay the right select people. Very few. In Detroit, you pay Gough, you pay Penae Soule, you pay a star roll. you pay a star weapon and you pay a pass rusher. Maybe a center, if you love him, but there's about five guys in this league you pay. What you don't do is overpay a money for a B quarterback.

I don't consider Goff to be a B quarterback. I consider him to be an A quarterback. And I've been going back and forth on this for years. I think Goff is a top 10 quarterback. Now, he may be closer to 10 than five, but I don't buy for a second. Both he and Stafford are number one picks for a reason. a fourth round pick for a reason. Kirk Cousins was a fourth round pick for a reason.

So don't you think it's interesting that Dack and Kirk Cousins both fourth round picks, their stats are dead even after all these years? And that Stafford and Gough both number one picks all these years later. Their stats are even, because their talents closer. Goff and Stafford are different than Cousins and Dack. They're different. They're better. They throw a better football. Jay Mack, you look at me inquisitively today. Nick Wright next hour. Goff is better than Dak. That's not even close. You say that, okay. Yeah. I mean, go look at... So, Goff got basically 53 million a year. And I think that's in the marketplace, relative to the stars. He shouldn't get Mahomes or Alan or Lamar. But I think 53, low 50s is where Goff should be.

Okay. So, based on what Goff got, where do you put Dak and Tua, relative to what Goff? Dack, I would do closer to 43. Tua would be in the threes. With 43? So, Goff is a $10 million a year better quarterback than Dack? Yeah. Well, isn't this... You just said he was closer to 10 and Dack is like 12.

How could that be a $10 million? No, no, no, no. You put Dac at 12. I think Goff's top 10. I don't think Dack is top... I don't think Dack is a top 10 quarterback. Okay, fine. But let's think you have Gough 9.

Dack can't be much further than 11, 12, 13, 14, right? Is the gap? Between 9, 8, 9, or 14, 15. That's big size. One guy's average. One guy's elite. 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 Acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for bansel. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. In 1979, that was a big moment for me. Eighty-four was big to me.

I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I mean, it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.