The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Nikola Jokic is that guy

Episode Date: May 15, 2024

After another impressive playoff performance Colin is ready to officially put Nikola Jokic on a short list of greatest players in the history of the sport Thoughts on Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut Let's relax a little bit on the Jalen Brunson hypeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Oh, here we go on a Wednesday. A lot to discuss. Let's bring the energy. Uncle Colin the pilot at the end of yesterday's show, ready to land this plane, wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. All right. So, last night, after landing the plane at the end of yesterday's show,

got off the plane, went home. and was going to commit myself to about six hours of NBA basketball. That's a commitment. Six hours? Nick's Pacers. I watch Indiana Fever. I watched Nuggets T. Wolves. Three blowouts.

It was. To me, there's a moment I'm watching late in the third quarter, and it wasn't an epiphany. It's a reality I want to talk about it. So, Yokic was unbelievable. If you had to the list, and let's let's let's talk when I'm talking greatest players in my life that I've seen in basketball I saw wilt but he was old wilt he wasn't great the greatest players I've seen I'm not talking just really really special like Dr. J KD Barkley you know these are special players I'm talking about

people the greatest of all time that have controlled this league for at least two three minimum often five six seven controlled the league just not stat guy or all-star guy controlled the league. There's only 10 since I've been watching basketball. Kareem Bird, Magic, Kobe, Steph, Duncan, LeBron, Michael Jordan, Shack, and Akeem Olajuwon. Akeem would have won more, but, you know, Jordan dominated the league. Again, D.

Barkley, KD. Yonis is close. But they all lack something, right? Like Barkley wasn't as committed. Maybe it's a leadership thing with KD. Yonis from the perimeter. There's limitations. I think Yokic, if they win the title, has to be put.

His second title, has to be put in that elite all-time top-10 class. First of all, if you watched that game last night, the difference between the Western Conference teams and the Eastern, I mean, it's kids' table. Indy, Cleveland, the Knicks, that's the JV table. I know New York will love them, but give me a break. The size, the skill, the depth, the talent. I mean, Yokic is a notch above them.

That's how I felt watching MJ or LeBron in his prime. Magic. It's just different. Even among Minnesota, Denver, it's Gordon and Murray and Aunt and Nas Reed and Gobert and Karl Anthony Towns and Michael Porter. These are great, great talented players. He's like next level. That's how I felt watching Michael Jordan even against Barclay. Or Magic, even against his other great contemporaries.

I mean, the guy, forget the 30 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and the insane efficiency over 50%. He's shooting like Steph Curry from threes, 41%. Minnesota was the best defensive team in the league. And at one point third to fourth quarter, Denver made 13 of 14 shots. That's like going up against Lawrence, Taylor, and the Giants, and saying, yeah, bring it on. And you can't get pressure. the quarterback has six seconds to throw.

I mean, it's insane. That's the Mahomes, Kelsey, Tyreek Hill, Andy Reed offense, not being able to pick up first downs. 13 of 14 against this defense, Yokic was seeking out the defensive player of the year multiple times Rudy Gobert, looking for him on the floor. That is so Jordan. That is so Shaq.

Who's the best guy? Bring him on. and dominate him. I mean, you're watching the Eastern Conference, Indiana and the Knicks. Knicks are a great story. Come on. They're 500 against Western teams. That counts the bad Western teams.

Minnesota and Denver are stacked rosters. Smartly coach. Well-constructed. You got Hall of Fame-level talent on the floor in some of these instances. The next great player in Ant, Gobert, a dominant defensive player. I mean, look up and down those rosters. It is, it's the grown-up table. And Yokic is a notch better than all of them.

That's watching great shooters and then Bird and Steph. Like Bird is going to the All-Star three-point contest and mocking the league's other great shooters. You guys are playing for second place. That's all-time stuff. That's not Dirk. That's Bird and Magic stuff. That's like Magic Johnson against great Celtic teams. showing off, going against the Sixers, playing center and scoring 42.

What you're watching is just different. 41% on threes? Come on. Against the best defensive team in the league, give me their best player. Even Aunt said this is all-time stuff. I just laugh. That's all I can do. I mean, I can't be mad because he's just, he good, man.

I think I said that after game one when we won and game two. Like he's the MVP, he's best player in NBA. And he showed it the last three games, three games in a row. Yeah, tonight, he was special tonight. I got to give him this five. I mean, I don't know. I don't know what we were supposed to be. Yeah, he was that guy at night.

Best defensive team in the league, best defensive player. Yoki just like, bring it on. I'm going to dominate you. You don't get that. when Mike Tyson was scaring other good heavyweights, like they didn't want a piece of Mike Tyson. Like Tiger Woods would take Phil Mickelson, other great players,

and they would shrink on a late Sunday afternoon. Like, that's different. That's what Joker's doing. These Denver and Minnesota, those are well-coached, well-constructed. Dudes, length, size, skill everywhere.

This isn't junior varsity Eastern Conference stuff. And that is next level. So I watched Caitlin Clark. It's being dubbed a very shaky debut. She was playing against college kids, you know, a month ago. She's 22. I watched. She looked a little tight, a little nervous.

Bad first half, better second finished with 20 points. The betting line over under, she'd score 20 and a half. She scored 20. If that's her stinker against the Connecticut Sun team that's supposed to be, I wouldn't know, but supposed to be, I'm told, one of the top two or three defensive teams in the sport, WNBA. Yeah, she had too many turnovers. She's going to be fine.

The greatest prospect ever, Wemby's first game, five turnovers, 15 points, and he has a little genetic advantage. He's 7'4. Listen, she has carried the weight of women's basketball for a month. I keep hearing about, oh, women's basketball growth. It's been fine. But 700,000 people watch the WNBA final.

Okay, that's significantly less than UFL football games, regular season games, and that sports a month old. So I thought she looked tight, little nervous, you know, teammates, giving her hard coaching, it's okay. I watched LeBron's first basketball game. Wembe's first basketball game, Caitlin Clark. Listen, the NBA media was trying to sell me his jaw, trying to sell me John Morant as the face of the league for two years. he couldn't get his personal life in order. I was sold that Zion was going to be something special. He can't figure out his diet.

Like Caitlin Clark having a tough first half shooting, I'm okay with it. She's got to get her sea legs. I mean, the WNBA, the length, the size, the speed. You know, you watch these quarterbacks their first couple of years in the NFL. It takes a while for the light to go on, so she's going to be fine. She would just a little sloppy, a little tight. but I think to myself, 22 years old,

the weight of women's basketball on her shoulders, let her get her sea legs. Not to mention, again, Connecticut's supposed to be a good team, and they were traps and double teams all night long. Indiana is a bad basketball team. That's why they've had the number one picked last couple of years. This may have been a little bit of Andrew Luck getting sacked and throwing interceptions. Remember when Andrew Luck came into the NFL?

Everybody's like, oh, he throws a lot of interceptions. He had the worst roster, the worst offensive line in the worst, well, one of the worst front offices. Yeah, and he would win 11 games. It's like, no, you're complaining about Andrew Luck's interceptions? Did you see the roster he took over? He won 11 games, and then 11 games, and then 11 games with no protection. She's going to be just fine.

Here's Caitlin. I'm disappointed, and nobody likes to lose. Like, that's how it is, but I don't think you can beat yourself. up too much about, you know, one game. I don't think that's going to help this team. I don't think if, you know, no matter who it is on this team, nobody can do that with how they played and just learn from it and move on. debut 22, horrible team.

She's going to be just fine. She got me to turn to a television. ESPN 2 to watch the Indiana fever. I didn't know they were a team three days ago before the draft or whatever it was. So I'm fired up, Jay, Jack. So, you know, everybody is loved, you know, as a guy from the East Coast, and when you were, you know, trolling all those Midtown Manhattan bars, doing your things with dual earrings when you were out there hitting it.

And New York sports, there were some cool things going on. And then about the time you left the East Coast, eight, nine years ago, it's been lean. It has been bad. In fact, you could argue now the Jets and Giants, I mean, thank God for her in Rome. But the Jets and Giants run about a 10-year heater, both of them, which is like really embarrassing. Thank God for Carolina.

Even the Texans now look like they're really good. But I'm watching the Knicks and Pacers last night. I don't mean to be a buzz kill on this. But New York's standards now are so low in sports. I'm watching that game and I'm like, the Knicks aren't any good. They're just a good story. A great story. They're not good.

because after I watched them immediately, I watched the Nuggets and the T-Wools. I just sat there and I'm like, come on, man. These teams would sweep New York. Forget about Indiana. The worst defensive team may be in the league. I know it sounds harsh,

but I think the Knicks are a great story. I love all the celebrities and all the fun and the Villanova guys. Can we be honest about that team? There's one dude. Well, they try really hard. Martinstein 12 offensive rebounds, which is like double with the Pacers at. They try hard, and you got to love that.

This is the best Knicks team. They've got a great personality. That's what they are. You know, when you were out there trolling, they got a great personality over anything Carmelo Anthony put forth with the Knicks, right? Brunson's great. That's the most likable team they've had in a quarter century. Well, it's the most, it's hard to be New York, likable, and an underdog, and they pull off all

three. So I have some thoughts on that coming up. And Tom Brady, thank you for saying what you said yesterday. I'll get to that too. 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. 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 document. recommended 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, 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 became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories, that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple 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? little Kim. Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. 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 on day, but yeah, yeah, literally. But just so you y'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, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

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

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So Jalen Brunson dropped 44, and it is a remarkable, remarkable accomplishment. but he's not facing like Michael Jordan, who also did it, the Pistons or the Celtics dynasties. Brunson's doing it. We have to be honest here.

All the fanboys in New York. This is amazing. It's not an amazing team. When Miles McBride becomes a player, I mean, what will we doing here? I mean, folks, come on. The Eastern Conference is awful. Indiana is the worst defensive team in the playoffs. They're one of the worst defensive teams I've ever seen.

If it wasn't for Miles Turner that could occasionally block a shot, I mean, they border on pathetic. The bottom of five defenses in the NBA were all Eastern teams. The Pacers allowed opponents to shoot 50% of the floor. 50%. And that's against bad Eastern teams. I love Jalen Brunson. But, I mean, he'll make one little quick move and have a wide open 13-footer.

It's like practice. You watch OKC in Dallas. That's trench warfare. You watch Denver and Minnesota. It's Redwoods moving fast and blocking shots. Brunson can make marginal quick moves and is wide open. I don't remember the East being this bad. The Knicks are missing half of their top eight players. And their top eight players aren't Janus and Dame. They're missing half of them. And they're going to get into the Eastern

Conference finals. I mean, this is like the SECs, the West and the East. I thought it was the Pack 12, it's more like the Mountain West. It's terrible. I mean, in the West, before the game, you heard that Mike Conley was out, and you're like, uh-oh, like you need all hands on deck to beat Denver.

One injury out west. Jamal Murray, will he get suspended? It changes this. I mean, these teams are loaded. Out east. The Knicks are starting four guards. The lineup, let me get these down.

The Knicks started four guards. Not big guards. No magic's here. 6-1, 6-2, 6-4-6-4. That's like a high school team. And they still dominated the glass with four guards, tiny guards. And some of those guys, those guards that started were bench guys during the regular season. I know Brunson's great, but he's scoring 44 against a pathetic defense.

Don't blame Rick Carlisle. Guys bit around. He could coach. I mean, even he last night was embarrassed about his team's defense. Ennihilated on loose balls and rebounds, gave up 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots. So we all own it, but very embarrassing. Very embarrassing and a hard lesson. When you're starting four guards, none of them big guards.

many of them bench guys at the regular season, and you're dominating the glass, you don't even have Julius Randler Mitchell Robinson, you're big tough guys. I mean, I know everybody always wants credit. I'm not Visa. That's what they do.

I don't do credit. Brunson's doing nice things, but who he's doing them against has to be noted. Janice Dame out, Embedie Hobble, Jimmy Butler out. The East is the kids table. The difference between watching that game and watching the West, Stark, it's the Grand Canyon.

It's not even the same sport. How many open shots do the Knicks get? Like, wide open. If the Pacers were a defensive team, they would have a blown assignment on two out of three plays. Wide open. You can make quick little stutter step move. You got a wide open 14 footer. That ain't happening in the West.

I mean, you watch the West, if Jamal Gurret Murray gets a wide open. open second half look. You're like, wow, blown assignment. It stands out. Indiana Pacer's defense is just one big blown assignment. They're just all blur into the next one. J. Mack with the news. Turn on the news. This is the herd line. I'm just sitting on my couch going, God, Indiana is awful. I know you like Carlisle, but he got put in a body bag by Tibbs last night. Tibbs decided to go small. And Carlisle didn't really adjust. So they're like, oh, let's just double team Brunson. disaster. It was basically a four on three

fast break in the half court every single time. And it was I don't think it's over. I think Pacers probably win game six back at home, right? No? You don't care. Can this series just end? It's such bad. Friday night, you might want to clear the docket just so you could get this game.

I'm not wrong, right? You watch that. Yeah, it was bad. It was bad. I checked out. We have to be honest. And I've been the same thing. Oh, the Nick's story is great. Put a lid on it for a day. It's fun, though. It's The story's fun, but 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4,

dominate the glass. Josh Hart was their powerful. I'm next. All right, let's start with the Mavs Thunder tonight. Series is tied to two after Dallas pooped their pants in game 4, blew the game. Games in O KC, it's going to be quite a scene there. I've been high on Luca and Kyrie and Colin, I am straight up nervous about this one. Yeah, you should be. Your buddy, Draymond Green, though, he's with me on the Mavericks.

Lou Dart. I think Dallas. Dallas to me is the team that looks most ready to go. They got Luca and Kyrie. When Luca can't get it going, Kyrie seems to always be able to get it going. They know what it takes to win, especially Kyrie winning a championship.

And they got all the pieces around to do it. He was good. Dreemann was good last night. He was very, very good, very accurate. That's generic stuff. Says the hard stuff that needs to be said. So what he needs to say is something like, oh, they have Kyrie Irving.

before this postseason he had one single-digit scoring playoff game in his career. One, he has two in this series. Are they locking him up? What's he doing? What happened to the Kyrie from the Clipper series? Where is he gone? You're not going to win when he's scoring nine points, Colin. OKC, these two teams tonight, the physicality, the athleticism, and the defensive intensity jumps off the television.

I mean, say what you want. Sometimes defense deserves credit. I mean, like, this series is intense. OKC. Both these teams look, I think, well-coached. But, I mean, when you're watching these games, dude, the physicality. Yeah, no, I think either of these teams can hang with Denver. I really do.

I think they can. The Mavs for sure, OKC, they're young. I don't know. I don't know. Well, maybe not OKC. But Dallas certainly can. I think they're a formidable team. My big concern is, you know, what if PJ Washington doesn't show up?

He's been carrying Dallas the last three games. If he doesn't show up and Kyrie's like, you know, under lock and key from Kaysan Wallace, like Dallas could get blown out here. I don't think they'll get, they play too good a defense to get blown out. They'll hang with them. What Luke are we going to see tonight? MVP, Luca? Well, Luke will give you 27.

So the last time the Mavs were two-two with the clippers. We went to watch the game. Yeah. Right at a bar. and the clippers were at home and they got destroyed by the Mavericks. Remember, they won by like 30? Yeah. Is this a Dallas spot tonight?

Hey, man, we screwed up the last game. We're going to bounce back. Do you think Dallas gets them here? The line I saw was four and a half. You know, it's interesting about this series. Home court doesn't mean much. You don't have to travel much. It's close.

And it's just like... Is that a close flight? I've never done Dallas to O KC. Well, I mean, I think probably a 40-minute flight. Oh, geez. Well, you're flying. Yeah. No, but it doesn't feel like it's much of a flight.

So it's these teams, I don't know. I just when I watch them play, the home fans are great. I mean, they jumps through the television, but I don't feel like it's a big factor. Like when I watch Denver and Minnesota, I don't think home court's a big factor. Nick's Pacers, home court's a big factor. Home court's a bigger factor when the teams aren't very good. Once the teams are great, I never thought Shaq and Kobe couldn't win on the road. I never thought Jordan couldn't win on the road or Bird Celtics.

The worse the team, the more home court matters. I mean, Boston's good enough to go on the road and win. They get blown out at home all the time. I think for New York, the reason they need New York, they're not a very good team. The crowd brings them to another level. Yeah, I mean, it's just their, Denver is irrelevant where Denver plays. Denver could go to Indiana and beat the Pacers by 20, four straight nights.

It doesn't matter. If they wanted to and if they were engaged. What's a pick? I'm rooting for OKC. I like their story a little bit better, but I have a feeling Dallas will come back and win. Really? And Kyrie will rebound.

I'm going to need 30 from Luca tonight, because I don't want to have to come on here and kill him tomorrow. You've been on Dallas, because they have gunners. You've been on Dallas for two years. Too much. This would be a disappointment. Your two plays, the last couple years, have been Luca and Tatum. Those are your big plays.

Well, Tatum, didn't he get to the, no, he didn't. Yeah. You've invested a lot of credibility in Luca and Tatum. All right. Both of them play tonight. We'll see. Next up, the Dallas Cowboys voluntary workouts are winding down with OTAs to kick off May 21st. CD Lamb yet to show up at the team facility this offseason.

Looks for that long-term deal. Despite his absence, Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer, not concerned at all. It doesn't matter right now. Again, CD's a pro. He's going to know what to do. Again, I know Dak and the guys have some communication with him, but we know he's taking care of business, and when he gets back here, we'll certainly be able to find ways to get on the ball.

They'll be fine. Not in my Super Bowl bubble. So, for the record, America, thank you for turning the end. Tonight is the NFL schedule release. So I will watch Mavericks OK. I won't want Celtics will blow him out. I'm going to watch Mavs OKC and then do the schedule release. Well, are you going to have to adjust the Super Bowl bubble?

because I did look this up. Remember last year when we looked at the Eagles schedule, we identified after the buy they had Chiefs, Bills. They got lucky in both those games. But then it was Niners, Cowboys, Seahawks. And we identified like, oh my, that's a grueling fight. They're in trouble.

And you saw the wheels fall off late in the season. So the schedule, the order will matter a lot. I do not understand how people push back on the schedule. Well, I know where they play. That's like saying, well, Well, I know what your business meetings are for the next month.

I know what they are. I just don't know when they are. And what if I said, yeah, back-to-back trips to New York, red-eye flight, both of them, then you get three days off. Then you have to go back to New York. And it was a front-loaded month for you, schedule-wise. Would it add stress? Would it be harder?

Well, you knew who you were meeting. Schedules matter. It's why my calendar every week I space stuff out. I don't want to be, you know, freaked out and birded. by everything's on a Monday. So it's like this idea that schedules don't matter. You do not want to play Miami in September and Miami. It is a swamp.

You do not want to play Denver and Denver. You don't want to face Andy Reed McVeigh to start the season. Aaron Rogers with a new offensive line having to go and face the pass rush of San Francisco, that's not ideal. For teams that have young or new offensive lines like the Jets, you'd rather not face the toughest pass rushes early in the season. and it's going to take until October. I mean, that's understood in the NFL.

If you have a veteran offensive line like Detroit or Atlanta that's really good, it doesn't matter who you play. That unit has created a cohesive nature. They're fine. Jets all line may not be right until Thanksgiving. You don't want to go face the Niners on the road. Can you hear? Aaron's getting hit.

Aaron's getting pissy. I mean, it's a reality of it. There's also the who you play and when. Remember yesterday, Breer had the good note. Jets play Monday night football against the Niners. Who's their quick turnaround game in week two? Like, you don't want a tough opponent. And remember, there's that stat where I think it was the Niners a couple years ago,

where teams that played the Niners, the Steelers, the next week were like 0 and 12, because Steelers would beat you up physically bad. You do a really good job on your picks about sandwich games. You're really good at this. And like the time to face the Niners would be right after the week they faced the Rams. because Shanahan goes all in to beat McVey. Like, McVey and Shanahan is a real coaching rivalry. It had a Belichick Andy Reid feel to it.

Like, those guys gave you their best game. It was Brady Manning. You know, Tom would say, like, I didn't sleep for a week. Manning would be like, I slept on the couch. Like, there are these matchups. McVeigh, Shanahan, they like each other, kind of. If you're the Jets, you want to go in the next week after they just met. And you get a Lichan's like, all right, I emptied the bag on McVay.

you get some things on tape, you other, you don't want to open with Shanahan. You don't want to open with Andy Reed. Do you think you could put someone on the Super Bowl bubble based on the schedule who wasn't on it before? No, what I think happens is, yeah, like I'm going to like Kansas City regardless. What I think happens is when I take those teams, the over under is like eight, nine isish. Yes. And you're like, oh, this schedule, they have two Eastern trips, both in good weather. Like if Miami plays Buffalo in September, and they'll beat New England both times regardless.

But if they face like Buffalo and the Jets and they get them in good weather, it matters for Tua. Yeah. If I see December 18th and then 25th, it's like at Buffalo, at the Jets, all it takes is a storm and wind, and Tua is not the same quarterback, and Tyreek Hill is not as effective. So it doesn't necessarily matter for the worst team in the league is going to be bad. The bottom three in the top three. But most of the league, somewhere close to the middle. And I think schedules matter.

There will be winners tonight and losers. Final story is the schedule when it comes out tonight. Super Bowl odds could be changing. The 49ers and chiefs are the favorites for Super Bowl 59, which is going to be here on Fox, followed by the Ravens, Bills, your lions, and the Cincinnati Bungles. Other notable teams here include the Cowboys at plus 1,500. Eagles, 1,500, Packers, plus 2,200, which is, given how much you love them. I do not get the disrespect.

Now, Green Bay faces a pretty tough schedule because their division's better. But Vegas is telling you, are they not? They don't buy Jordan Love yet. You know who else Vegas doesn't buy? The Rams are plus 3,500. Plus 3,500. You think they could win the division. And, I mean, the Bears are plus 4,000.

The Rams have a rookie quarterback. I got Matt Stafford and McVeigh. The Bears have a defensive coach and a rookie quarterback. I don't get the Rams thing. And I really don't get the Packer thing. It just doesn't. I watched them last year at the end of the year. Like young, getting better, hard to defend, great coach.

And they went and got that offensive. Historically, they develop offensive lines. This year, Green Bay went first round and got a left tackle. Really good player from the Pack 12, Arizona. And I'm like, okay. Eagles are a team to watch tonight. I want to see how that schedule breaks. I know we don't love the coach, but they're offseason between the draft and free agency.

Pretty damn solid. I guarantee you there will be two or three teams tonight that I had as bubble teams to the playoffs that I won't. Like a really interesting schedule, because I know who they play is Pittsburgh. I know the division's tough. Yeah. Burrow, Lamar Deshaun. Boy, you could really screw Pittsburgh. Russell's brand new.

They had a very good draft. They're going to move some chairs in the offensive line. you could do Pittsburgh a solid by lightening up the schedule in September because I think by Thanksgiving, October, Pittsburgh could be a handful. But you got Justin Fields and Russell in the quarterback room.

That comes sideways quickly. Hey, there's some teams that play like five and six first time starting quarterbacks. Okay? If you load up with like four of your first six games against rookie quarterbacks or first time, there's a chance you get out of the gate five and one, you're hot. Like, take out the football season.

So take out the six months we do football. The best weekend is the draft weekend where you get NBA playoffs draft. That's the best non-football season weekend. This may be tonight is a top three night for me, non-football season. Is this better than opening weekend in the NCAA tournament? No. Come on. No.

It's two or straight days of it. Just crazy amount. I'm not saying. March Madness opening weekend is great. Yeah. Draft weekend is great. For me, schedule release. I love it.

Honestly. DoorDash. Might as well call it in right now. Have it sitting there when I get home. Okay. There you go. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. I want to thank Tom Brady for actually acknowledging something that we've been preaching for years, and that is next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben.

Host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world when we chat with captains of industry,

in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we 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 on day, but just so y'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 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

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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? 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, 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.

Saturday, it's baseball night in America on Fox. Mani Machado and the Padres battle Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Braves. The Angels take on the Rangers. And all goes down Saturday at 7 Eastern on Fox. Check for the game in your area. Maybe you've heard Tom Brady will be doing games for Fox this year. He's got the Cowboys opener in Cleveland. And so Tom knows more than me about quarterback.

play. Tom knows more than you, believe it or not, with quarterback play. But Tom and I have one agreement on quarterback play. I've been doing this for 30 years, and I have always held quarterbacks to a different standard. I don't care if you're goofy as a corner, a Mike linebacker. I need my quarterback to be an adult, a grown-up, and humble. I see Will Levis Gun Show hard pass. I don't think I've ever been wrong in terms of the ultimate result on quarterbacks I've strongly bailed on due to silliness, immaturity. I don't think I've missed.

They're either reaches or it's a bust. And Tom Brady on the Pivot podcast, those guys do a good job, was talking about a quarterback and why he was impressed with him. When you look at some of these young quarterbacks, the way C.J. Strah was speaking to, he's like, I have a question for you. What are some of the guys you actually enjoy watching play because of the way they approach the game? I mean, C.J. is a good example. Like, I really appreciated where he came from and all the expectations that he had and then what he's gone and put together last year with a lot of humility. Humility mattered. So when I see Drew Locke's need to be cool or Cam's ego or Mansell's immaturity,

and I think Johnny's probably a great guy in person. Baker trying too hard at the podium, being combative. Yeah, hard pass. Will Levis Gunshow? Hard pass. All those guys disappointed. Some busts. Even Cam never had back-to-back winning seasons.

It matters. It's unfair. Pro sports, especially quarterback, is sort of unfair. You've got to be a grown-up at 22 years old. You're the face of the franchise. It's a $7 billion franchise. You don't at wide receiver. You don't at corner.

Maybe you don't at right guard. You can be kind of beer chugging, goofy guy life of the party. That's okay. Even my backwards hat theory, I've never cared who else wears it. Just the quarterback, Wednesday podium. And it drives people nuts. You know who it drives nuts? frat boys, who at 22 were never asked to be an adult.

So I get it. But Tom also talked about the keys to longevity. He's sort of an expert at that in the NFL at quarterback. When I watch quarterbacks, the first thing I watch is, does he endear himself to his teammates? What are the things that he's saying? What are the things that he's doing to endear himself to his teammates? So that he does feel like one of the guys if he wants to separate himself from the rest of the team

It's not gonna go you're not gonna play 20 years just not but the only way that I could Get to where I wanted to get to was to have the best teammates and the only way I could get the best teammates was if I was the best teammate Yeah, so you have to Talk the right way hang the right way Celebrate the right way lose the right way if someone said man you were an unbelievable teammate you'd be like Thank you because they know you so intimately. You can't fool people in a locker room. You can't bull your way through a football season.

Maybe you can't for one year if you're a good actor. Did you notice what he kept saying over and over? There's a way to do things. He's right. You're wrong. Tom's right. There's a way. That's why optics matter for a pilot, a surgeon, a high school principal, a dean of a college, a quarterback.

there's a way to play the position. We don't ask that of corners, wide receivers, tight ends. I kind of like my tight end to be squirly, to be grong, to be Kelsey. I kind of like it. I kind of like my linebacker to be reckless. I'm not sure if he's all there. I like that. The quarterback's different.

Surgeon is different. Chief of staff is different. I've said it before. I want my presidents to be presidential. It sends a message, and my quarterbacks to be quarterback. I would take two players. Baker, Mayfield, and Gino Smith came into this league kind of immature. One was a bust and one didn't work as well as he should have. Yet the same guys, Gino and Baker, when they kind of step back grew up a little bit, highly effective. Gino got paid.

Gino grew up. Wasn't that he could throw the ball further or he was so much more mobile. Wasn't that Baker suddenly grew and had a cannon for an arm? It was the adult part. It was the grow-up part that changed Baker and Gino. I went on this show and said, absolutely I would sign Baker to a franchise quarterback. Because he's grown up. He owned his crap.

He's out of the frat boy stage. Nick Sabin said, Mansell's going to work in the NFL. I'm like, no shot. Undraftable. Some guys now bring the adult thing, Tim, Tebow, but they're not talented enough. That's a different argument. But I do appreciate Brady acknowledging there is a way to celebrate, a way to act, a way to lose, a way to be a teammate, humility. I've been on this for 30 years. That's why I say, I say when I watch guys,

it's not just the arm. It's like, are you ready for me to build around? And in most cases, the answer is yes. Some of these guys don't work. They're not good enough. But a lot of these guys are good enough, and they don't work because they don't work at the stuff like the way, the optics, the press conference, what to say. I'll tell you, one of the best ever was Eli Manning. Eli Manning is talented. Not Mahomes talented, maybe not this, that, or the other. But Eli Manning wouldn't talk as much after wins. But he was always available to the tough New York media, always after law.

was after losses. Eli was 23 going on 43. Peyton had more talent, but both understood there's a way to play the position. Thank you, Tom, for saying that. Tom and I now are teammates at Fox. We didn't get it to be. I used to just cover him, but now we are equals. and so it's nice that I can praise my equal, kind of equal.

Not exactly equal, but you know. Tom is a Michigan man, by the way, the maturity to give praise to a Buckeye. All the quarterbacks you want to talk about C.J. Stroud. See, there's a way to be an analyst. Can't be a homer. So can I criticize Brady now that he's a... You do every time we talk about him. I like Brady, yeah.

I'm surprised he didn't praise Aaron Rogers. who's doing very leadershipy things now going on political talk shows and is popping off. Well, I'm surprised there's no praise for that guy. Now, I will say this. In defense, in fairness of Aaron Rogers. Oh, boy. In the locker room, players love Aaron. The media has a problem.

But in the locker room where Russell Wilson struggles, Aaron doesn't. Well, maybe on Sundays they love him in the locker room. You think they love him in the off-season? Find all the guys taking shots at Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers has his guys. Russell Wilson doesn't have his guys. He didn't have many guys in Green Bay. Well, you don't have to have the whole room, but Aaron's always had guys.

It's a locker room of 55 guys. Sure, a couple of them are going to like Aaron Rogers. Listen, Aaron has become like most rich, old, good-looking guys who never get married. No kids. Don't sacrifice a lot. Your world is, I'm going to go talk to Tucker Carlson. I'm going to go do. There are no sacrifices.

There's no wife to call you out and say, stop talking about that crap. Focus on the kids. So the older and richer you get sometimes, you know, and single, you get a little kooky, a little out there, a little weird. I wouldn't know. But they're not sacrificing for anything. You're the sun in your galaxy, right? Everything moves around you, the star. But I would say, Aaron, to his defense, is supported by teammates.

Not always the GM or the coach. He's supported by teammates. Russell Wilson had 100 people at his wedding, two players, one I'd never heard of. If Aaron got married tomorrow, there'd be 25 players at that thing. I guarantee you. Aaron's got a lot of guys on his side. I take the under on that. It doesn't matter what I think.

I mean, his vaccine take wasn't mine, but a lot of people in America push back on it. I mean, there's 500 million. I don't, I'm sorry for getting us on Aaron Rogers. You know, I don't be sorry for it. I think it's a, I will defend Aaron on that. Oh, go for it. You defend him. You're just dying on hills left and right this month.

Hour number two. Next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith ruling. of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year.

It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black. people listen to look back at it on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts this is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human