The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - No longer America's Team

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

Colin wants to remove the "America's Team" label from the Cowboys as we prepare for the full release of the NFL schedule and why it's time to stop putting Dallas in the premier time slots He credits the Pacers for closing out their series against the Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight seasonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Wednesday, NFL schedule release Wednesday. We are live. It's the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. J-Mack, I'm going to let you throughout Heardline News today announce a lot of the schedules. are coming out. So tonight's going to be great.

I know you're enamored with the Bears schedule. I understand it. I'm really interested in a 49er schedule. But I, you know, it's funny, and we'll get to the NBA here in a second, but it's funny that you know how the NBA, they're struggling to move off LeBron at Christmas, right? It's like, I'm watching these playoffs. You know who's not involved, LeBron?

And I'm glued to the TV set. Like the NBA needs to next Christmas. I don't need LeBron anymore. And I thought I'd start the show with that. I think the NFL, and because it's so powerful, the media hates power being concentrated in one business or a few hands. So the media's always been tougher on the NFL and more congratulatory and softer on the NBA or baseball.

They're tough on the NFL. Roger Goodell is really smart. It's a really well-run league. I thought they made a rare scheduling mistake. Cowboys are in the opener at Philly, a game they never win. In fact, if you go look at those games, the Cowboys are one in five in their last six against Philadelphia, and this is the best Eagles roster in a long time, and it's the worst Cowboys roster in a long time. I don't need to see that game.

That feels like November. I do not need to open the NFL. Now, there are games you could open with. Then they have the Cowboys against Kansas City on Thanksgiving. I don't need to see that either. Andy Reed and Mahomes against Dak off a second surgery and Brian Schottenheimer doesn't scream fascinating. Listen, there are traditions like Thanksgiving, I'm not going to bail on. And then there are traditions the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

We can bail on. No more LeBron on Christmas. Frankly, I'd rather watch Tyree. Halliburton, OKC, and I'm sorry I would. The Knicks. Boston of Tatum comes back. I'd rather watch those teams. I really would. So it's a quarterback league. We all know. Buffalo, Cincinnati, Kansas City, you know, the bills are just more interesting to watch. And not only do the Cowboys have a second-tier head coach, maybe third-tier, dacks off a second-s-surgary. And so DAC has become much less dynamic as an athlete.

He's a little bit like Aaron Rogers now. You know, the name, the paycheck is more fascinating than the player. That's kind of boring. Great guy, great leader, Dax's kind of boring. The Cowboys are kind of boring. And I was looking at the numbers last year. And I've been saying this now for two years. Kansas City is America's team.

Everywhere I go, I see Chief Stuff. So last year, the most watched team in the NFL was Kansas City. The second most watched team in the NFL was, Detroit. And then the Cowboys are now tied for third with San Francisco, Buffalo, and Baltimore. Those teams this year will surpass the Cowboys because they'll be in more big games. And so the Cowboys will be the fifth most watched NFL team by the end of this year, maybe sixth. And the only thing keeping the Cowboys TV numbers up is networks putting them on and the NFL putting them on more. It's really the NFL.

Well, what's the network going to do? You jam them on Thanksgiving. You jam them in the opener. There's nothing NBC can do. So this is one of these things. The Cowboys were not a top 20 team last year offensively, and they were 30th defensively. And I think the NFL is usually incredibly proactive,

but the opener should have been maybe Detroit and Philadelphia, the two best rosters in the NFC. Get Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, somewhere on that. The idea that Dallas has earned that spot, it's Lakers on Christmas. Who cares? At some point, you've got to introduce people. Because I understand those one o'clock games, there's a lot of games on simultaneously in the NFL. You've got to start introducing people.

And not only that, but marketing, pushing, and promoting Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen every opportunity. By the way, I'm not even mentioning Jaden Daniels, who I'm, fascinated to watch, much more than DAC. And you know what this felt like by the NFL? Remember when Apple inserted the U-2 album on your iPod, and you didn't want it, and you couldn't get rid of it? And there was a backlash. That's what I feel about the Cowboys.

They're going to get beat by Philadelphia. They're going to get beat on Thanksgiving. I went and looked at their Thanksgiving numbers. of the last 12 games that Dallas Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving, five of them have been double-digit losses. Okay, that does not scream, get this team on television.

Same with the Lakers. There's just better products out there. Speaking of better products, Oklahoma City, in a very competitive series. I mean, last night was a very competitive game. I never bought into this. Denver's just going to, you know, You have the best player in the world with Yokic.

It's going to be a competitive series. The odds lead you to believe it was going to be a sweep or a gentleman sweep. And it wasn't. OKC won last night. Could have lost. Game was tied late. So congrats to OKC. Beautiful roster construction.

And that's really what the league is about now. It's about roster construction. Remember a few years ago, five years ago, it was like, hey, man, you just got to get three great players put together. new CBA doesn't allow that. All these aprons can't do that anymore. It's about roster construction, Boston, OKC, what Houston and San Antonio are doing. It's not about getting Luca and LeBron,

and let's see if we can get Janus. Doesn't allow you to do that anymore. So the story's not just OKC. Congrats to them. They're going to be great for a long time. The story is Denver. They're becoming, if they don't make a move, Milwaukee. And you don't want to be Milwaukee.

Look at the teams right now that think they're better than they are. Milwaukee the last three years, the clippers and the Lakers. Denver's not there yet because of Yokic, they're getting close. He is 285 pounds of duct tape. They don't have a general manager, interim coach. It's time outside of Aaron Gordon, who is hyper athletic. It's time to move off everybody, but Yokic. Yolkich Aaron Gordon.

I would move or consider moving everybody. Because the Murray contract, Michael Porter, you're locked into that stuff, and they have value, and they have moments, especially Jamal Murray. But, I mean, Yolkitch in this series is putting up games that haven't been duplicated since Wilt. You know, like multiple 40, 15 and 5 games. That's Wilt. And meanwhile, Oklahoma City has a 1, SGA, has an ascending 2, Chet Hongren, has a Swiss Army knife in Jalen Williams, and then has like multiple,

four or five high-end rotational players. If Yokic isn't feeling it, this team's not. I mean, they have no offense. You saw them in one of the earlier games in this series when Yokic, it's just got guys bouncing off him, didn't have much. They don't have much. And I think what happens in this league is if you go look at the NBA, and this is what I love about sports, not just the games.

I love the cultural changes. I love analytics. I would prefer analytics. I think people have gone too far into analytics. And the NBA now, the New York Knicks for a great example, are going to beat the analytics team everybody loves Boston. Because analytics hitting an occasional three, but really about physicality, leadership, resilient, toughness.

Manaletics to meet are analytics, 30, 40%, and then 60% dudes. In May, or in the NFL dudes in December and January, or in baseball in October. And I think what happens is we're seeing something in the NBA happen, where it used to be kind of an easy solve, if you were in beautiful Miami or Los Angeles. Hey, let's just go get three guys. Wade, LeBron, Bosch.

Let's go get Anthony Davis and LeBron. You could just couple up guys. Phoenix tried this. And then Phoenix found out, oh, the culture, the sand is moving beneath our feet. All these multiple aprons, all the new CBA, it is all about roster construction, flexibility, lots of picks. you want to be Houston, OKC, Utah, and San Antonio. Boston's been great, but they now, because of the Tatum injury, they now have to make big moves. And it's not, I'll just give you an example of this, is that since the 2021 Aaron Gordon acquisition, Denver hasn't made any moves.

They haven't making any, they're losing guys. They keep losing guys, no big swings. They need a massive swing. Yokish Gordon, move the furniture, get new furniture. And I was thinking about this this morning, is that Denver didn't have a GM. About four years ago, three years ago, we were looking at Denver like we look at OKC. We're like, oh, could they win four titles? They lost Tim Connolly, was their GM.

Since he's left, he went to Minnesota. What team is now surging, surprisingly, in the NBA West? His team, Minnesota, and their roster construction. So it is now become, NBA is becoming the NFL. start learning who the GMs are. Guy built Denver, leaves, go to Minnesota. Minnesota now is Denver.

It was Yokic, they've got Ant, they've got their ascending star, and I just think right now if Denver does not take a big swing, there are three teams in the West, and I think they think they're better than they are. The old warriors, the old clippers, and the old Lakers.

They have no chance to win a title. Denver doesn't either, but they're not yet Milwaukee. Because Yokic is wilt. He's literally unstoppable. But I think what's happening is we're seeing a sea change in the NBA with a new CBA. They're not going to be any dynasties. Even O.K.C.

They're not going to be any dynasties. The big three landing in your city don't matter. Advantage, best front offices win. And that's what you see in the NFL. Look who's winning in the NFL? Little market Kansas City. Little market Green Bay. Little market Buffalo.

Little market, did I say, Baltimore? New York team stink. Front offices run the NFL. That never happened in my life. It was always about getting the star. The new aprons, the new CBA, it's all about roster construction. Denver needs its next superstar GM. Or they're the bucks by the middle of next year.

That's what they are. And congratulations to OKC. Their future is unbelievable. They just keep rolling guys out, six or seven high-end rotational players. Here's Yokish, by the way, after the loss. Only this game, the second game was kind of blowout and every other game was kind of interesting game. We were there so I think we have a chance and we will play our best. Nicole, hopefully.

You know, it's a playoff, it's a series, every game is different. So I think even today we had chances we were up 12 in one moment so we just couldn't finish, going to make shot. But one of the reasons they don't finish as well? is because Oklahoma City has so much energy at the end of these games. Yes, Denver has the best player. Oklahoma City's got the roster, and they just have fresher players at the end of games. This is not to say that Denver couldn't have taken it seven,

but when you watch these games, you could see the energy of Oak Casey Layton games. It was obvious, and they deserved to win this thing. man all those NBA players that said Halliburton was the most overrated player in the league J-Mack this has been your team you so J-Mack was on Halliburton was it two or three years ago and then he had a hamstring pull and that slowed his pace and he's a guy that needs pace and he was not quite the same player for half the year but boy you talk about you talk about a difference maker that kid is I mean they just took Cleveland out you had to be surprised by how

they took him out. Well, nobody expected it to be done in five games, but that being said, you know, you could just see the Cavs were not the same team in the playoffs that they were in the regular season. And you've alluded to this. That regular season in the NBA, just forget it. Next year when we're handicapping the playoffs, just

ignore 64 win teams because it just doesn't really matter. All right. Coming up next, by the way, PFF, who I often disagree with, is aligned with us top to bottom. on the off seasons that will turn losers into winners and winners into losers in the NFL.

Same three teams I'm paying attention to, they are as well. 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. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

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Tonight's NFL schedule release. A lot of implications for the Chicago Bears. Can't wait for it. Some of the games are trickling out. Jay Mack will have more on that. So there was this NBA, and I really like this poll. Every year they come out with the NBA player points. anonymous poll. And I think they mostly, it's GMs, it's players, all this stuff, and they

vote on a bunch of stuff, and they usually get a lot of it right. One of the things they got wrong this year, most overrated player. NBA players are petty, very like provincial. They protect their space and their guys. They had Tyrese Halliburton of the Pacers who just mowed through Cleveland in five games. They had him as the most overrated player. I mean, you're a clown. I mean, listen, he is exactly what an NBA star should be. The Pacers had six guys in the series average double figures and he's not bothered by it. He encourages it. I could name five NBA stars that wouldn't like that, like Embed, Hardin, they need the ball. Halliburton doesn't end up with that many assists,

but he's always sharing the ball. He only had, I think, six assists last night. It doesn't matter. He controls pace. He's mature. High IQ, high EQ. I said this two weeks ago. Indiana, is fun to watch. I don't know how great they are. They're fun to watch. And the NBA fanboys have been selling me on Hardin and John Morant and Lamello Ball. They're fun. Not building my franchise around those guys.

I mean, Embed and Hardin melt in May. They just melt. This kid's been in the playoffs twice. He'll now be in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time. Because, again, ascending, productive, mature, doesn't get insecure if, you know, a player goes off and he doesn't. Like he wants to win the game. I always defended LeBron James on this.

Is that for years and years, people would bang on LeBron because he wouldn't take the final shot. And my take is, no, he would get the best basketball shot. And when you're being double-teamed, and if Shane Badiye's open or Ray Allen's open or J.R. Smith is open on the wing with a wide open 19-footer, pass the ball. It's not that difficult of a concept to grasp. but the NBA media sells flash and fluff. I'm looking for Jalen Brunson. I'm looking for Halliburton. I'm looking for maturity, selflessness.

And I don't know if there's a clutch gene, but there is something about Brunson, having played in so many big tournament games at Villanova, now in New York. He's just built for the moment. And Halliburton, you take out that hamstring injury when he had like a bad, I think it was the second half of the season when he came down.

The guy's just better every time I watch him. He cares about the right stuff. He's great in the big moments and it's it's I just don't understand you keep selling me in this league La Mello ball that's not a winning player Halliburton's a winning player Brunson is a winning player and here's the guy who won the series last night Yeah, I mean I know I am we know we are not worried about outside noise, but it's a big win a special win We're not done yet you know we got another series here coming up And we got to be prepared.

Our goal wasn't to give back to the Eastern Conference finals. Our goal was to win the championship. And nobody has to believe that as long as we do in the locker room and all the people chairing for us. So we just stay with it, man. Keep playing Pacer basketball and live with the results. For the record, some of this is just our culture. Halliburton's got 1.2 million followers on IG.

Lamello Ball has 10 and a half. He's got cool cars. I don't have a problem with that. You can have nice stuff. I don't mind players being flashy. When I was a kid, there was a player named World Be Free. Go look him up. I loved him.

He wasn't a winning player. I loved him. Dr. Jay was a winning player. And Flashy. I don't mind Flash. I loved Michael Jordan. I loved Magic Over Bird. I like Flash.

But you've got to be a winning player. Remember a white chocolate, Jason Williams? Remember him? Oh, my God. The talk of the league. It's not a winning player. Fun. But you've been selling me a lot of this fly.

You've been selling me guys. Derek Rose was another guy. I like Derek Rose. I'm not building my franchise around a 6-2 guy who has a small frame that can't really shoot jumpers. He could later in his career after multiple injuries when he was forced to. So I've said this before. When you're 6-4-under, if you can't shoot, I'm not interested. You have a role.

I'm not building around you. Kyrie can shoot. Steph can shoot. Jalen Brunson can shoot. If you're a smaller player, I'll take you. You've got to be able to hit jumpers. otherwise you're going to have to drive the basket, you're going to get hurt. Halliburton is not that flashy.

But when you watch him play, you always feel like with Indiana there's no wasted possessions. We talk about this all the time. You watch college basketball, the national champions, Florida Gators will have seven straight wasted possessions. And they have an NBA guard. When you watch Indiana, you always feel like they've got a plan, they execute it. They're not the most talented roster. They're top six or seven, maybe top five. But it's like this to me is the players I want to build around.

They're not consumed with points. They're consumed with execution and winning. And, you know, now he has one-eighth, the Instagram followers of guys with cooler stuff, which I'm not opposed to. If I had a lot of money when I was 23, well, I wouldn't have cool stuff because I have no style. But I'm okay with a little flash. but let's remember that all sports, that's like second, third, fourth punch. Winning efficiency, elevating others are the first three.

J. Mack with a news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. I wish we could start with a better story, Colin, but unfortunately it's official. Jason Tatum had Achilles surgery. It's over. There's no timetable for his return. obviously next season will be a challenge Colin I mean

it's like a 10 to 12 month injury so there's a there's a small chance I would say 10 to 20% we don't see Tatum at all next year Jaylon Brunson of the Knicks spoke about what Tatum means to the league I feel for him it's a unfortunate situation for a player like him the league needs

Jason Tatum what he's being able to do in his career has been remarkable and so he still has a long way to go in his career I mean he still has a lot to do in his career meaning he has a lot of time

left to make an impact and make a name for his legacy and he's just what he's done is special so when you see a play like that go down it's just it's not good for the game

it's not and we don't lose a lot of great basketball players for a year but it also, I think, signals to Boston. It is a perfect time with new ownership, and they are up against it. They're going to be a very active team in the postseason. They tend to be proactive, not reactive. So, you know, Tatum is obviously the backbone of the franchise and should be.

It doesn't happen much when a really great team makes moves, but Boston's the opposite of Milwaukee. They are really proactive. So I think it's a perfect time to say, listen, Jason's not coming back. We're good without Jason. We're a playoff team without Jason. Our net rating is fine. But we're getting Porzingis and Al Horford.

I think it's a perfect time. Step back, reboot the franchise with new owners, and that's what Boston has done. They could have kept with Marcus Smart, J-Mack, and they didn't. They just tried to keep adding pieces. So it'll probably be a step back here. They'll still be a playoff team.

They're just too deep and too many good players. Yeah, so I think the connection with Tatum here would be Kevin Durant. Remember when he popped his Achilles in the NBA finals against the Raptors? Now, that was early June. So about a month later than now. But he missed the entire next season. Remember?

And that kind of changed the course of his career, Colin. He did leave the Raptor. The Warriors, went to the net, sat out. It wasn't 100% Kevin Durant, but he was a little older, 29, I believe, when he popped it. He still got back to being an all NBA player and MVP candidate and all that. So I think Tatum, who just turned 27, can get there, right? I mean, he's been all NBA first team four years in a row.

Yeah, he's fine. I think he'll be okay, right? Yeah, I think he's got, he's in an impeccable shape. He's in just beginning the prime of his career for the next seven years. When KD got hurt, KD has a different body type. KD is longer and thinner. KD had multiple small, annoying injuries. Like Jason Tatum is more strongly built.

He's going into his prime. He's probably now in the second. in the third he's probably in the second year of his prime i would say so that means about six more years of prime i think tatum i think tatum the decision they'll have to make next year is boston's going to be a playoff team they're too well run too many good players even if they move on of furniture but the question will be do you bring him back next year it depending on the moves but i i think i just think guys like tatum that body it is he is finely tuned in he's what he's one of the one of the of the better like work ethics. I told you, I've been to multiple Celtic games. First guy out.

He's an incredible, impeccable shape. I think he will return. They'll have to make a decision. Do we just take away next year's title? He's got that Kobe mentality. But Colin, the other interesting thing is look big picture at the east. Okay. Janus, let's say he goes west, spurs, rockets, whomever. Who's set up to take the crown in the east? My next, maybe? I mean, Pacers? The cabs, you know, kind of got extinguished. I don't know. But listen, you said Boston's a playoff team without Tatum, I'd agree. I don't think they're the number one team in the East without him, right? It could be. Time for the New York Knicks. They've been fine without him in short bursts. Right. But when you can prepare, over the course of 82 games, everybody's a

better team with Jason Tatum. But if he misses four games, you can win three because of their math formula. So, you know, and I've said this before, when Yokic leaves, Denver's not built to compete. That's because Boston has a better front office. Let's go to the next story, Colin, that Dallas Mavericks won the draft lottery. There was a lot of initial talk. Hey, man, they could trade the number one picking it, Janus and pair Yonis with A.D. and Kyrie. Uh-uh. The latest out of Dallas is that the Mavs will not be trading Cooper Flag. The report adds that Mavs governor Patrick Dumont, believes the opportunity to draft Cooper Flag is a gift.

I would agree. I don't think they're going to trade Cooper Flag. I don't see that happening. This guy could become a next big-time star. Obviously, you know, we don't want to talk too much about what they could do. But I think an Anthony Davis trade is more likely than a Cooper Flag trade. But maybe they stand pat. Look at this starting lineup, Colin.

Next year, probably post-all-Star break when Kyrie's back. What about this? Flag, AD, and lively. That's formidable. Think about this. This is very unique for Dallas. So their three big stars have been international, International Novitsky,

international Luca. Now, Steve Nash, Canadian, wasn't as big a star when they moved him, but it's like this is a domestic, not only a domestic star, it's Duke. So to me, that is, Dallas has sort of been

internationally led, it feels like, for like 15 to 20 years. They've been more of an international team because they've had an international star, and they deserve Mark Cuban and they deserve credit. They've never been led, maybe it was Rolando Blackman years ago, 30 years ago, whenever it was. They don't really have, this is their first, like, star, domestic star they're going to be led by. To me, it feels like it. Now, Dirk got older, they had different players.

But, like, I think for the next 10 years, having a Duke, star in Dallas. I'm not moving that. No. I'm not moving that at all. Yeah, 100% with you. Final story, Colin, is to the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know, they recently moved off George Pickens, sending him to Dallas. Well, Cam Hayward discussed the trade, and although he was surprised by the move, he brought up Pittsburgh's track record of moving off their wide receivers. We got a look at track record with trading wide receivers. There's been some good history behind this and when to do it, what to expect. I was looking at a stat.

It was like there's only been like three receiver, three or four receivers that made it past a rookie contracts with the Steelers. They know when to resign and win to trade. And, you know, we'll see what happens. We could be a better team because of it. But you know what? Kansas City's done this too. They've taken receivers that are red flags.

There's some concerns, and they've had problems. I think it's so distracting. I think Andy Reid and Mahomes can overcome it. But all the receivers that the Steelers draft with drama, I think AB was a bit of a surprise, but a lot of times you kind of knew what you were getting. And to me, it's like teams like the Packers, they just take those players off their draft board.

The Rams take those players off the draft board. the problem with inheriting drafting or trading for dramatic players it's the same thing at work we could have a we have a great staff at the herd if we had one diva now i know what you're saying Colin it's you but if you had somebody on the staff that was it's amazing it can take one person to ruin a room yeah and so in the end when you have one or two players and it feels like the Steelers always do that you're spending time babysitting them and they add attention and an anxiety. The Packers don't put players like this on their board. The Rams are very much character first. And I just think it creates a better environment, less needy, less maintenance. It's hard enough to win in the NFL.

When you're distracted, it makes it even harder. These issues are Steelers issues and they've known some of these were coming when they drafted them. You know who else has some of these issues, not to the level of pickings, but the quarterback that they're chasing, who still has not locked in. Now the schedule is coming out today. We're waiting for a certain quarterback to lock into the Steelers. May not happen, Kyle. We don't know. Maybe he's going to wait so he can travel more.

Maybe an Egypt trip is on the horizon. I don't know. But Pittsburgh just continues to me to be just a mess. JMAQ with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. So PFF came out.

They graded all 32 teams on their offseason. Coaching, hires, free agency, and draft picks. And those are all substantial. We know football's the coaching sport. Most teams overspending free agency. But, you know, when the Rams got Stafford, it did make a difference. When, you know, trades or free agency, when the bucks got Brady, sort of made a difference. And the draft I do think is worth, a good draft is worth a winner to, especially if you shore up your pass rush, your offensive line.

So PFF and I, and I may struggle like everybody else in America, picking against the spread. Okay. But I do take pride in the fact that over the last four years, I've been pretty good at taking bad teams and predicting they'll be much better. The Vikings, the Rams you thought were going to rebuild, Denver and Washington last year. and I also, I think, have done a pretty good job saying this team has peaked. Dallas two years ago, San Francisco last year. So I agree with PFF across the board. They like what Arizona's done, which I said, this is a really good defensive coach,

and they went all in on defense, this draft and free agency. I think Arizona is going to be a tough out. They like what the bears have done. Again, quarterback's young, shore up the interior o. line and the coaching staff leans offensive. They love what New England's done. Frable, staff, money, they'll be a much better defense. And they don't like the team that I have said for the last year, I love John Lynch. I know him. I love Kyle Shanahan. I think the Niners are a huge, magnificent brand. They gave the Niners a D. They lost Debo, Hufunga, Greenlaw, and instead

they went heavy on the defensive line. They still don't have a good offensive line. and they're going to overpay for Brock Purdy. So I've said this. My knock on the Niners is I am seeing something. I saw the last three to four or five years with Seattle and Pete Carroll and with Belichick in his last five years. Belichick got too much power and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And Belichick was drafting like coaches.

Draft. Not like a GM. And Pete Carroll, who I think is doing a great job of the Raiders. But when Paul Allen died, there was a void, he seized it. John Snyder almost left. I didn't like the Seahawks drafts for several years and set it on draft day. The last two to three drafts that have been John Snyder drafts, I love the Seahawks roster. Coaches tend to draft to solve tomorrow.

GM's draft with a vision down the road. That's why Green Bay to me drafts as well as anybody in the last 30 years in this league. They're drafting first round players. They're not going to play in three years. That's why they're always good. Belichick would grab a guard because he needed a guard, but he would reach around, as the Rams pointed out one time, to get a guard. That's not who you draft.

Yeah, maybe he can solve an issue. You kept reaching on players. So this is what I see with the Niners. When I watch the Niners' last two drafts, I see a coach trying to solve issues for the season opener. I don't see a vision. Drafted too many wide receivers. You've got enough already. Stop with the wide receivers and the big contracts. So I think when I when I like a prime example this year, I think Seattle John Snyder is one of the best GMs. He drafted a quarterback after just

signing a quarterback. Why would you do that? Because he wants Jalen Milrow in two years if Darnold hasn't reached the level he thinks he can. He wants Jalen Milrow hyper-athletic to be ready to play. That's how you draft. That's how Jordan Love, as Aaron gets older and prickly, that's how you draft. Aaron, as Brett Farr was nearing, you know, the twilight of his career. What you don't do is go grab a running back in the first round because you need a running back, but actually he, Rashad Penny should probably be a late second round draft, not a late first round draft, or go grab a guard in New England because it solves a problem for the season opener, but that's not really the best for the team long term. That's why Belichick leaves

and the roster's got no juice. It's one of the worst rosters. He kept drafting for the game, not the future. And so I, Arizona, New England, Chicago, they're going to be really good teams next year. And I think San Francisco, you guys think I'm nuts on this, they peaked, don't love the roster, don't love the offensive line, and they're going to overpay for Purdy.

coming up next the Belichick thing is getting wilder but the day. Every day I come in, there's a Jordan Hudson-Belichick story, and I'm here for it. Live in Chicago, it's The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio and of course the I Heart Radio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world? We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right?

So check us out. We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio. Maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino & Rich live on Fox Sports Radio on the IHeart Radio app from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich,

wherever you get your podcast and, of course, on social media. That's Cabino and Rich. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

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

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

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

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman, Help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the René. a Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchian won.

I mean, she went down to three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface, because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

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-Hart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Saturday, it's baseball night in America. That's Matt Olson and the Braves. Take on Alex Bregman and the Red Sox or the Twins Battle the Brewers. Check local listings for the game in your area. Saturday, 70s turn on Fox. Listen, transitions are... hard for people. And I'm not a real

political talker, but Doge is a transition. It's messy, it's turbulent, it alienates people, but to argue our government is efficient and lean is laughable. I'm going to wait and see how it plays out. College football similarly is going through a massive transition. The NIL, the transfer

portal. It's wild. But it is also a great opportunity. The only way little guys can ever catch the big guys. Uber to taxi is be a disruptor. It's to do it differently.

And so North Carolina, to catch Clemson has said, well, Clemson is digging their feet in. To the old model, no NIL, no transfers. Carolina's a basketball school. And Carolina's thinking, well, this is our moment.

Big old dog with traditional advantages digging their feet in the stand, we're going to go 100% pro model. We're going to do the opposite of Clemson. And that's why I'm supporting Carolina, Jordan Hudson, and Bill Belichick. There's a story out. Yesterday, Bill's talking, he's promoting a book, and Bill said, he doesn't have anything to do with North Carolina football,

which is kind of true, kind of not. But the truth is, what Carolina is, what Carolina is, did and I respect it. They said, Bill, take us to the pro model, Bill. Take us to the pro model. And Bill's doing it. It is an absolutely a pro model right now. And I respect that. And Oregon did this years ago when I covered Oregon. Oregon trailed USC and Washington and maybe at the time UCLA. And Oregon said, we're going to have a thousand uniforms, a different one every Saturday. And we're going to hire a coach from New Hampshire, and we're going to have a play every 13 seconds with no huddles. And Oregon now is looking down at USC, Washington, and UCLA.

The only way for the little guys to catch up to the big guys is to do things differently. Here's Belichick on the stories about Jordan Hudson getting in the way of North Carolina football. Really off to the side, it's a personal relationship, and she doesn't have anything to do with at UNC football. I'm excited to be back in the coaches' meetings and getting ready for June and then August when we get the training camp. What Jordan Hudson is, is a catalyst for change. And what Bill Belichick is, is that change? And when he hired Mike Lombardi, Mike Lombardy is 100%. I know Mike.

He's 100% an NFL guy. So I look at Carolina, like I look at Colorado with Dion. like I look at Oregon with Chip Kelly. How does Colorado catch a BYU? How do they catch? And I'm not saying Colorado is going to catch Alabama. But baby steps. Carolina is a basketball school.

That's all they are. They're a basketball school. And the only way for them to catch a Clemson is this. Now, J. Mack, on a daily basis, you have gone back and forth on Belichick and Jordan Hudson and Carolina. it. But do you buy my argument is this is how the little guy catches a big guy. They look at Clemson, who's dug their feet in, and they said, we're going the opposite of Clemson. Yeah, when I had the website, the big lead, you remember that, I couldn't just cover sports the way the mainstream media covered sports. I had to find certain angles that would get me to get

attraction and people would notice the website. So just like UNC going a different route, I had to, that's the way the underdog always operates. I will say, though, Colin, this whole beauty pageant stuff. And it is getting a little weird in the timing of all of it coming out just as he's promoting a book. And now she's getting offered dancing with the stars. Colin, man, I know you like this story. I'm just troubled by it. I don't know, man.

Well, we talked about this yesterday. When I heard the story about family concerns about Belichick, this is not a guy in the basement. You have to feed soft foods to. He's making $10 million. He's got control of the program. And they brought him in, let's be honest, they brought Bill Belichick in for a pro model. This is what, by the way, Alabama was Sabin.

Sabin saw the change. He didn't want to wait around until it was an entirely pro model. I mean, one of the reasons Sabin liked college over the NFL is he liked the college model where he had more control. And once the players can transfer and need to be paid, it's more of a pro model. And Sabin's like, no, I dominated the old model. You know, Mike Schochevsky, Jay Wright saw this.

Jay Wright and Mike Schochevsky. Now, Mike was getting to the age you retire. But Jay Williams could have, Jay Wright could have coach for another five years. But Jay is like, I don't want to be an NBA coach. This is a little dabblew sweeney. I want to be a college coach. I built a college power. The sports changing.

It's like, I'm good with it. I'll broadcast it, but I don't want to be in it. I respect that. But Carolina is just saying we want to beat Clemson. To beat Clemson, and we can't be Clemson. We got to go Oregon. Oregon used to look up at USC my entire life.

They looked up at Washington. And Washington and USC had these traditional helmets and these traditional uniforms. And Washington got all upset years ago when they decided to change the husky pants to white for a game. People freaked out. Oregon's like, we're going to have a million uniforms.

And I just, I look at this whole thing. And by the way, transition is messy. We're seeing it in government now. Some will work, some won't. The cuts will be too deep, will be problems. But when you're trying to make a radical change like Carolina, this stuff, there's turbulence. It's going to be a bumpy flight.

So I kind of look at Jordan Hudson, and I'm like, this is part of she's a catalyst, Bill's a catalyst, the NFL model's a catalyst, and Carolina's a basketball school. So I'm going to support all the mess. That's a good point. You know, an idea for Ms. Hudson, perhaps she could gift, I don't know,

a private jet to North Carolina for the basketball coach. and everyone else to use, and then she wins them over. You know, I hear that's a good move to make to kind of appease people who are coming after you. I don't know. It's an option for Jordan Hudson. Listen, that felt a little snarky to me, but I do appreciate it here on a Wednesday. Really? No way. Come on.

NFL schedule release. We'll go to Boston next. Check in on Tatum to Celtics their future. Chandler Parson later as well. One down, two to go. We are live. It's the hurt. Hey, guys, it's us.

The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments

in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo's Slice of Life 12. and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless,

and at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris.

She's an outsider to win the French name. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennar Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbush. It's tennis podcasts on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.