The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Packers, Aaron Judge, NFL

Episode Date: October 5, 2022

The Packers should help Aaron Rodgers by signing Odell Beckham Jr. Aaron Judge is great for MLB and he is the true homerun king Thoughts on week 4 of the NFL   Guest: Nick WrightSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok.

Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHartRadio app by search heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a Wednesday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, one hour from now, Joel Klatte stops by. We have a huge college football

weekend, a gigantic Saturday. A lot of potential upsets. Topsy, Turvy, can't wait. Jay Mack is joining us. I was watching a little envy. I was watching G-League basketball last night. You too, huh? Wow. Wow. Not bad. A good night in sports. Aaron Judge. You got G-League basketball. And now he got Thursday, Friday, Saturday football. Colin, it's good to do what we do, isn't it? It is. It's a good gig. We're very fortunate. Yeah, so do I. Um, you know, I've been critical over the years of Aaron Rogers, but, uh, there are some things that, um, he is also tolerated. I mean, let's be honest about Aaron Rogers. They don't have an owner, so he has nobody he can really go to and say, hey, can you get

me this? Could we do this? He doesn't have an owner. It's a Midwestern conservative team. It's got a very much a Colts feel to it. The Packers, it's very conservative, not a lot of big swings. You build those offensive lines. You draft linebackers.

Here's an opportunity for Green Bay to get unconsored. comfortable. And that's where growth comes from. Odell Beckham and Aaron Rogers communicate regularly. Yesterday, OBJ on Twitter praising Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers talking about their relationship. Go get him. Number one, it's a position of need. You're not a Super Bowl team if Romeo Dobbs is your go-to number one because he's not a number one. Right now he's a talented three, maybe a two. O'Dell Beckham's a veteran receiver. Aaron doesn't have to teach him how to run routes. He didn't have to teach him how to be big and big games.

Number three, it's not a long-term deal. You don't get in bed here for like four years to one or a two-year deal. It makes Aaron happy. Number four, that matters. Keep your quarterback happy. That's why Tom left New England. They didn't make Tom happy. It's why Russell left Seattle.

And finally, the NFC is wide open. I mean, the only con here, the only thing that doesn't work is you look and you think to yourself, OBJ and Green Bay doesn't matter. This is not a long-term acquisition. One, two years, tops. Growth and greatness comes from getting uncomfortable. Same old, same old. Farr of one Super Bowl.

That's it. Aaron Rogers, one Super Bowl, that's it. I mean, New England had Brady. They got a pickup truck. full of rings. Right? Like, like, when you have an Lway, when you have a, when you have a Brady, when you have one of these all-time great quarterbacks, you don't have them forever.

I mean, the fact that it went from Favre to Aaron Rogers is like going from Peyton Manning to luck. It just doesn't happen. And so make it happen. Get uncomfortable. Green Bay is always conservative, careful when it comes to trades and acquisitions. They've hit a lot of singles and doubles. A.J. Dillon's second round.

That's a good double. Take a big swing. Listen, Wisconsin, there's an old saying Minnesota Nice. And Wisconsin is right next door. They're nice out there. Paul Chris was nice. Wisconsin football coach. He got fired because Nice doesn't beat Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh.

Janice and the Bucks, they're nice. You're going to win more than one ring? Warriors have like an eight-year dynasty. Let's hope it's more than one ring. Green Bay's front office. Nice. Packers, nice. Built for the future. Draft Jordan Love.

How about taking a big swing and a wide receiver? You do realize you're not going to go from far to Aaron Rogers to another legend. Miami's still trying to find Marino. Denver had to go get Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning because they can't draft an L. You're not going to go from far to Rogers to, you know, a Trevor Lawrence out of college that's almost guaranteed to succeed. It's not going to happen. So over the next two to three years, appease Aaron. go get a big swing.

He made an immediate impact. Again, I wouldn't sign OBJ to a four-year deal or a three-year deal. But I'd bite on a second year if I could get him this year. And all of a sudden, you add OBJ to Romeo Dobbs, to Christian Watson, to Randall Cobb, to that tied end, to Aaron Jones. Okay, now you move up a tier. Just go back to the Rams. By his second game with the Rams, he made an impact.

He was on his way to be an MVP at the Super Bowl. He was. He had a great first half and got hurt. So like, you know, there's certain things that are sustainable for a long period of time. But when you have an old quarterback that has hinted multiple times about retirement, it's very, very possible Aaron plays two more years. Could you take one big swing for him? One?

Speaking of big swings, Aaron Judge set the new American League single season home run record. last night, surpassing Roger Maris, and here it is. Here's the 1-1. Swung on. There it goes. Deep left, it is high. It is far. It has gone.

Number 62 to set the new American League record. Aaron Judge hits his 62nd. All the Yankees out of the dugout to greet him. This is judgment.

case close. Good call by John Sterling, who by the way is 83 years old and still doing play by play at a pretty high level. Tom Verducci, to me, Peter Gammon's Tom Verducci are probably the best baseball writers that I've, over the last 20 years, maybe Roger Angel before that. Verduci had a great line last night. He said, but here again, Judge stands alone. Barnes is the official home run champ. Judge is the authentic champion. one has the official designation.

Judge, the other, is unofficial, but has the prestige of authenticity. Which would you rather have? Disappointingly, over half the people generally choose bonds. I'm not going to preach here. I'm a pretty optimistic guy about America. I don't really live in fear. See that all the time. I'm not in the get clicks for business in the political era, you know, business.

I'm not in that business. of scaring people and getting clicks for my business. But my concern about America is actually the growing acceptance of lies and lack of integrity. Like from like important people, like politicians and CEOs and sometimes like major newspapers, like hurtful lies. And lies of always in my entire life, there are people that have lied and made a lot of money, or gotten acceptance, but when we discovered they were lying, it was over. We, the people, labeled them as disgraced, infamous out of the club.

But now you, the public, accept them. You do. I hear it all the time. Everybody was doing it. I see it from our politicians. They lie. People still vote for them. I see it from our CEOs.

People lie, and you still support the company. I got nothing against Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa, taking cattle steroids. But if you're giving me a choice between Aaron, Judge, who's clean, and those three, yeah, it's not even close, right? Like, integrity matters, truth matters, values matter. I know I'm square. I'm a dad. I'm corny. But sometimes it's on the people, too, not just the sketchy politicians and the sketchy baseball players and the sketchy C.E.

I mean, people with real influence, changing lives, lie. I saw some political commentator yesterday. Hey, I just want to win the Senate. I don't care if this politician's lying. I just won't win. Wow. Is that where we're at? Like white lies.

There's a term for like stuff, you know, if your wife asks you a question and you just don't want to get in trouble or, you know, you want to get out of an appointment at work or something. I'm talking big stuff. And, you know, home run king in sports, it's like big stuff in our little tiny world. It does matter that Aaron Judge is clean. It does, absolutely. And it will forever or at least should.

Here's Aaron after. Getting a chance to do this, you know, with the team we got, the guys surrounding me, you know, the constant support, you know, from my family who's been with me there, you know, through this whole thing is, it's been a great honor, you know, getting a chance to, you know, have my name next to, you know, someone as great as Roger Marius, Babe Ruth, those guys is incredible.

All right, we got a lot of stuff today. Way to go, Aaron Judge. All-time American League, Home Run King, 6-7-260, and that's what a home run hitter should look like. That's what they should look like. I don't know if the Yankees can win it. Do they have the pitching? the Mets are circling the drain baseball playoffs.

We've got them all set now, but I would love to see Aaron Judge on Fox in the World Series. I think he's great for the sport. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast 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, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball. 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 a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed cracks. 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. 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, is 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. Nick Wright later this hour, Joel Clatt, top of next hour.

great to have you back in. So, listen, Dack Prescott is not going to lose his job, regardless of how well Cooper Rush plays. You're not going to bench a $40 million quarterback, and I think you think, most of us think, Dax better than Cooper Rush. But Jerry Jones is poking and stoking things, talking about how well unbeaten Cooper Rush has played lately.

I just can't say enough about how his play, what it possibly has done for this team. this season and to give us a chance to sit here after these last three ball games and maybe have the opportunity we've got for the rest of the year. It's amazing and it's far more than I could have ever expected. Yeah, we know, Jerry, you can't say enough. You keep saying it over and over. But announced yesterday was the fact that Rams lost another offensive lineman for the game against the Cowboys. If you take last year's offensive line in the Super Bowl, one guy remains the right tackle. He's really good.

else's musical chairs, Andrew Whitworth retired, they're a mess up front, and frankly, the Cowboys are pretty darn good up front. And here comes Cooper Rush as an underdog, and I think a real chance to win. The Rams are last in the NFL and big plays. Dead last

with McVeigh and Stafford and Cooper Cup. They're last. Below the Bears. And I don't think for about four more weeks it's solvable until their very good center comes back, Brian Allen, and Van Jefferson, a wide receiver, and Alan Robinson gets, you know, used to the offense.

Right now it's not solvable. So Dallas has a real chance. Another offensive lineman for the Rams are out. But what this does do, because Dak's not going to lose his job to Cooper Rush. If you look at the schedule, if Dallas hangs with the Rams and beats them, Dak comes back at Philadelphia, Detroit's high-powered offense, at Green Bay and Aaron Rogers, at the Vikings. the most brutal stretch of the year.

Dak got a bad scheduling break. He opened against Brady and lost, gets hurt, and comes back in the toughest stretch of the season. So he got, this is bad. And Dak's not going to lose his job. But what it will do for sort of the diehard, delusional, overly optimistic DAC fans for the Cowboys, It will prove that DAC has largely been a product of his environment. Early in his career when they had the best O-line and Zique in the first two years, the team did not rely on him.

It went through Zeeke and that O-line, and they won a bunch of games. Not a bunch of playoff games, one of won games. Is the O-line deteriorated and Zique deteriorated. Pre-Amarie Cooper, they weren't as good. So it's nothing against Dak. But there is not a gigantic gap between Dack and Cooper Rush. There's a gap, but the gap between Lamar and Burrow and Herbert and Brady and Mahomes and Allen and their backup, it's the kind of back, it's the kind of gap where you literally

would have to eliminate 25% of the plays in the playbook. The backup to Mahomes or Allen just can't do what they can do. You can do everything Dak does here with Cooper Rush. 95% of the playbook is in. I'm not anti-Dak, but there's been this delusion that somehow he carries the Cowboys. When your backup is unbeaten and I think they have a real shot to beat the Rams, you are officially a product of your environment. You're better than the backup, but do you think now they're running a completely different offense?

It's going to look pretty much the same when Dak gets back with a slightly more capable and certainly more mobile quarterback. And that's fine, and that's a franchise quarterback. But it's a product of the environment. Dak cannot carry this roster to a Super Bowl. Either can Cooper Rush. Josh Allen can carry no run game to a Super Bowl and a conference championship. His backup, Case Keenham, probably can't get them to win the division.

That's the way it should work when you have a star franchise quarterback. J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, let's get started with Pittsburgh, and Mitch Trubiskey's officially been benched. Kenny Pickett will start against the Buffalo Bills this weekend. But Ben Rathesburg, Colin, says he was caught off guard when Tomlin made the move.

Here's what he said. I was surprised because I didn't think that Mitch was, to me, the whole offense was stagnant. Yeah. It wasn't like it was Mitch's thing. I get what you're trying to do. You're trying to create a spark, which I think it happened. And we talked about that, I talked about it with other people. You will get a spark.

When you put someone new in there at a position like that, it's going to create some sort of a spark. It's going to create energy. It's going to do that. So you're going to naturally, a lot of times, get that like, let's go. And you got that. Yep. But in my opinion, I didn't know that it needed to happen. I mean, they couldn't move the ball against the Jets, Colin.

Yeah, I mean, what are we talking about here? So is this him taking a subtle jab at Tomlin or something? That's what I felt. Very awkward. By the way, did you see the Steelers? They're 14-point underdogs in Buffalo. Largest spread as an underdog in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise. Yeah, I mean, well, they should have moved off in two years ago.

They made a mistake, and they invested in the defense a lot, not the offensive line. Green Bay and Pittsburgh, you don't get a lot of chaos. You don't get a lot of change. They do very well drafting. They tend to play it safe. But Green Bay should look at the Big Ben model. And it's like when a quarterback gets older, you have to do certain things. Like for Aaron Rogers, you got to go get him OBJ.

Because, you know, when Aaron's talked about retirement multiple times, if Aaron got dinged up again, like really hurt, he's had two collarbone surgeries. So, I mean, that feels like it's a shot at Tomlin. That's what it feels like to be. Real quick, on your Aaron Rogers OBJ thing, isn't there a big difference, though, OBJ on the turf at SoFi, indoors, nice climate, as opposed to going to Green Bay in the winter? Is Odell going to be a factor outdoors in Green Bay in December game? Minnesota is in a dome. Detroit's in a dome.

There's a lot of turf. It's not just your home games. I mean, the bottom line is this Green Bay team is probably not hosting a playoff game. They're probably, well, I don't think they are. Okay. So my takeaway is, yes, OBJ is probably better on a speed surface, but I don't think Lambo's host on a playoff game. Let's get to the Packers.

Second story, Packers rookie receiver, Christian Watson. Who needs OBJ? They got Christian Watson, the legend from North Dakota State. Now, he only has six catches for 51 yards so far in the three games. Did have, I think, a nice touchdown run over the weekend. Aaron Rogers, though, despite the six. catches. He's seeing shades of Devante Adams in his young receiver. When you watch some of the film back, it's similar to watching Devante as rookie year. There were games where I didn't give

Devante a ton of looks, but you go back and you're thinking, man, this guy is open, Austin. It's like that from time to time with Christian. I think Devante was a little more polished route runner as a rookie, but there are a few times, or I might need to give him a second look, even when things don't look great from the start because he does have that different type of speed. Yeah, but he's not the route runner. So Aaron, told her to the truth is for Aaron to trust you, that's why he's got 51 yards. Here's the other thing. And I guess if I lived in Green Bay and I listened to their talk radio, they probably have an answer to this question. They drafted in the third round of Mari Rogers, a wide receiver from

Clemson. Is he a bust? He literally is never on the, I don't understand it. Like, they just, they have gone from Devante Adams to the new two rookies. Like what, it was a third round slot receiver Clemson. Do they not see a bust? I've got to use some more research. He looks like a warm weather guy to me. I don't know if he really is working in the cold weather climate in Green Bay. He was very good at Clemson. He was fantastic.

We'll see. A quick word on Christian Watson. I looked this up. So his dad was an NFL player. This kid Watson was a late bloomery. And one offer out of high school goes to North Dakota State had 57 plays of 20 or more yards in his career. He's explosive. He's like a track guy. So you've got to get him the ball. And I think Aaron Rogers, I know you're selling Green Bay. You want nothing to do with this team. I'm just saying they got young, young guys on the outside, Colin. Once you get to like November,

you know how the Bucks, Tom Brady, Belichick also in New England, they're kind of slow starters working their way up. This team's going to pop. I think if you put OBJ with these two guys, I think in eight weeks, you are fundamentally more dangerous. Okay. What are you doing to the locker room when you pair O.BJ is fine in the locker room. Odell Beckham? Yes. You forget what happened in Cleveland with Baker Mayfield? Time out.

That's not Baker's issue. Why is it all on OBJ? I think it's kind of both of them. OBJ went to the Rams. He was great. OBJ in New York was mostly great. That's a Baker Cleveland cultural issue. I don't know.

Baker would be fine with Aaron Rogers. Totally fine. Totally fine. Or O'Dell, I'm sorry. Odell would be fine with Aaron Rogers in that culture. Absolutely. It's a winning culture. Cleveland's a losing culture.

yet a young quarterback. The Giants, he was fine early. By the way, he was fine at LSU, winning culture. He was fine early with Coughlin, more of a winning culture. Where he is a problem, when you put him in a losing culture, there's no leadership. He feels like he has to fill the void, and that's probably not perfect for him. So I would argue when he made that catch against the Cowboys with the one hand going backwards, he became a global star and started to act like it in the locker room, off the field,

give me commercials. I want the Nike money. And he's just a different dude. He needs an alpha quarterback. When he had Stafford, he was great. When he had Eli could still play a little bit, he was fine. He was fine in college. You give him Baker, you give him Aaron Rogers, he'd be great.

Again, I'm not signing him for four years. I'm not signing him for three. But if you're talking about a check for two years to make Aaron happy, absolutely I'm doing. All right. Final story, Colin, what do we got here? We got the Rams. They haven't gotten the numbers out of Alan Robinson they're hoping for.

Boy, he has been a disaster. Only targeted 18 times this season. McVeigh wants to get him the ball more going forward. It's just kind of been a struggle overall. There's been a lot of different things. You know, being able to get receivers, the ball is such a product of the offense as a whole. And we're at our best when everybody's getting involved.

And you look at, you know, the two games that we've been able to kind of stay on schedule. It's been getting different guys involved, and obviously Cooper is a huge part of it, but whether it be Allen or any of the other eligibles, those are things that we're continuing to work towards. And we've got a lot of work to do. We still have a lot of time, but we've got to be better for sure. You know, this Dallas game for them becomes big. Right. They have a very good center out.

They're on their third string center, right? Yes. They have, again, Van Jefferson, really nice three. And they have a four. So they got a star one, a great three and a four. They don't have a two. So if Alan Robinson, over the next five or six weeks, could emerge as at least a, not a great two, a solid two,

and they get Brian Allen back, they're fine. They're better than Arizona and Seattle, maybe not San Francisco. So their stuff isn't solvable for three weeks. It gets very solvable in the center in Van Jefferson come back. I'm not saying they're Kansas City or Buffalo, but this win, this game against Dallas is a really big deal. Like they need to win this game. Where do you put the Dallas defense?

Are they in the class of Buffalo? No. And San Francisco. Are they up there? No. But they're in the next class of Philadelphia, Dallas, Tampa. I mean, they're in the top ten. So that would be a sign.

We've seen the Rams. They move the ball easily against the Falcons and the Cardinals early, of course, and they faded. They could not do anything against Buffalo or San Francisco. No, this is not going to be a high-scoring affair. There are limitations. they basically have a one wide receiver receiving core right now. That's what they have. And I assume Dallas will have Trayvon Diggs, who's played well this season.

Last year he was burnt toast. No, I mean, he's played well this year. The betting side here is Dallas, getting four and a half points. To me, that's a betting side. You don't think so? It's probably a stay away. It's a good week for gambling. It's a low-scoring game.

Don't you agree there, though? I would agree, but low-coring game, you take the dog. Cooper Rush and a low-wattage wide-receiving court. Isn't four and a half points a lot in a low-scoring game? Yeah. That's what it feels like to me. That's what they want you to do, right? Everybody just saw the Rams on Monday night, just get their doors kicked in.

Nobody's going to take the Rams. Everybody, Dallas, come on, Cooper Rush. Quarterback controversy. That's a good point. That's a good point. It's a good weekend for NFL. It is. And college.

J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly news. You know, a lot of great NBA players, I would say many of the stars were late bloomers. We didn't know at 16, they'd be amazing. Janus, Ambide. Steph, Dame, Hardin, Jomaran, Kauai Leonard, Trey Young, Yokic.

Yokich was a deep second round pick. They were what you call like late bloomers. They didn't dominate. We didn't look at them and go, oh, they're going to be. All of a sudden you look up and they're really good. They didn't look like it's 16, 17 years old. Oh, oh. Oh, that could take over the league.

But next year, there is a player and he was playing last night. His name is Victor one Banyama. He is 7-4. Dribbles, shoot. He's not Chet Holmgren. He's a sturdier body. I think he's a better shooter. He's got better handles.

And he put on a clinic last night. 37 points, five blocks. Shoots, handles, athletic, moves well. This is a once-in-a-decade player. Now, again, John Morant and Anthony Edwards are highly athletic and very skilled. But I don't think they'll ever take over the end. NBA. Here's why. Go back to the 60s. Bill Russell. At the time, the best big man ever dominated the NBA. Then in the 70s, it was centers and forwards who each won a ring.

Walton, Dr. J. Rick, Barry, Elvin Hayes. In the 80s, two other bigger players, Magic a 6-9 guard, Magic and Bird. 90s, Akeem and MJ. 2000s, Duncan, LeBron, Kobe, Shaq. the league has overwhelmingly been about size. I said this yesterday. The UFC is a tough guy sport. Football is a big man sport. Basketball is a tall guy sport. That is not to say that Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas didn't have huge impact in the league.

But they are outliers. And for the record, when KD. 611.5 joined Steph, he became the finals MVP. So there's a player that is also in this class, a guard that was on display last night. He's sensational. But this player is, this is a unique one where you look at him at like 1718 and go, oh yeah. Yeah, that could be something really special. By the way, Utah historically well run and a playoff team is tanking. San Antonio Popovich tanking.

Oklahoma City, Sam Presti, highly respected GM, tanking. That Holmgren injury could be the greatest break in OKC Thunder history, because if they're bad enough, they get him and this young man. But it was last night, it was a buzz. Do you remember Ralph Samson from the 80s? Of course, I remember. Virginia was the class of college basketball for three years. I watched that starting lineup, that Jeff Lampp, Ralph Samson, he was unbelievable.

So this guy, this kid, Big Viscan. looks like Ralph Samson meets Kevin Durant. Because you're seeing off the dribble threes from a seven foot four guy? You know who he reminds me of a little bit? Now this is too early for you, Sam Bowie at Kentucky. Go YouTube Sam Bowie. Sam Bowie was 7-4 and would dribble the ball, left side of the court, pull up and shoot a jumper.

They took him over Jordan, right? By the way, Sam Bowie was, again, I'm old enough. I remember Sam Bowie at Kentucky. He was unbelievable. He was Ralph Samson but could handle the ball in spots. Not as good as this kid, but I mean, you see, like, LeBron is really an exception where we saw LeBron as a sophomore in high school and nobody disputed then two years early. That guy will change the league. That's very rare.

Steph, no, Janus, no. And beat. Those guys were good players, but they developed into something. They were prospects. Kauai wasn't even recruited by the Pac-12. Anthony Davis grew like seven inches junior to senior year. So this is... And the kid going against him, Scoot Henderson,

he looks like a Derek Rose clone. Well, I think he's a stronger body. But what's interesting about that kid, and he'll be a star two, he'll be the number two pick. Here's how good he was. In the state of Georgia, which has, I believe, about 10 to 10.5 million people, athletes everywhere.

I mean, the entire SEC recruits Florida and mostly Georgia. Georgia is a great high school sports state. That kid was the high school basketball player of the year in his state as a sophomore. Do you know how good you have to be as a sophomore in Georgia to be the state 5A player of the year? By the way, Deshawn Watson, obviously great, was like, I think he set some like high jump record in Georgia

when he was like 15 years old. So this draft is good with two. Two unicorns. Yeah, I mean, but I think the big kid, big guys, Duncan, Akeem, Shaq, Russell, Corrine. That's kind of what runs the league. I mean, LeBron's a big body. KD. Michael Jordan.

Kobe, you're 6, 6, 6.6.5. All right, good stuff. Nick Wright is right around the corner. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hi, this is Jay Glazer, and you may know me for the world of football or fighting or even shows like HBO's ballers. What you don't know is for my entire life, I have lived in something I refer to as the gray. Depression, anxiety. So now I'm coming out with a new podcast.

Unbreakable, a mental health podcast with Jay Glazer where each week, while we talk about mental health, I hope to describe it. Give it words. Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper 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 a little kill? 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 just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness, this month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the middle 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 Hardway and listen now. Well, he's the co-host of First Things First, and he's my friend. and we mostly disagree on stuff. So I want to hear his takes this week, my buddy, Nick Wright, joining us on.

So, listen, I might live in Los Angeles and have excellent sourcing within certain organizations, but the Rams have some unsolvable issues. I think eventually people return. They're okay. Do you think the Super Bowl champs' issues are solvable? Oh, not realistically. No. Listen, I think the banners hanged forever and there'll be champions forever, but they weren't the best team in football last year. They weren't some overwhelming juggernaut. They got hot at the right time. They had the good fortune of getting to play Jimmy Garoppolo,

your guy in the playoffs. And listen, and when NFL history's done, Aaron, Donald, and Jalen Ramsey deserve rings. And they carried, you know, they carried them to that. And Stappard was quite good in the big spots last year. Like he did last year, this year is leading the league in interceptions. Stafford, like happened last year, when he is pressured, is a totally different guy. But unlike last year, he is now pressured quite often. You add to the fact that they have only one guy on offense that scares you. And credit to Cooper Cup, everyone knows he's their only option and he is still getting his numbers.

Even if they were to bring back Odell, I don't think that solves things. I think that we look at the Cowboys, and I don't think you or I think the Cowboys are a juggernaut. They are a limited offense with an outstanding defense, and I don't think you or I would be shocked if the Cowboys with Cooper Rush beat them on Sunday. I'm not saying I'd pick them, but I heard you say you'd take the Cowboys plus the point. I think that's probably the smart side. So, yeah, I think the Rams are a team that won a Super Bowl and deserves credit, but it was not the beginning of, some Rams era, and they put all their chips in for that Super Bowl, and they cashed them in. But I think it might be hard sledding for them, not just the rest of this year, but the next

few years, because they don't have many assets to replenish that roster. Yeah, I think that's fair. Listen, you know, I like Buffalo a lot, but eventually, eventually you see flaws. And I've been on this now for a couple of years. We've talked about this on the phone, on the show. Defensive coaches don't have the feel for offense. I mean, Andy Reed rebuilt an O-line in an hour. Andy Reid loses Tyreek.

He rebuilds it in an hour. Sean McDermott hasn't built a running game in six years. I do see it now as a problem where they get a lead late. And if Josh Allen throws an incompletion punt, it's the other team. They can't kill the clock like Kansas City can do like last year. Tampa could do like last year. So I am starting to see a team I don't trust in close games. Is that reasonable?

Yeah, I think it's totally reasonable. And listen, I know that I caught a lot of flack this early this week because I made the point that Buffalo hadn't won a close game in two years and then they finally won one. But finally, winning one does not answer the question as to what the issues in those spots had been. I think you key on it, but I actually think it's a bigger problem than that. Because Josh Allen is, without a doubt, one of the five best quarterbacks in football. They also, despite all the injuries, have an awesome defense. Yes. But on offense, they do have a running game.

But the running game is Josh Allen. And I think that is incredibly risky. And I think that Ken Dorsey and Sean McDermott need to talk to each other and say, guys, we can't, I don't care that he is the most physically imposing quarterback in league history other than Cam Newton. We cannot use him as our primary running back. It's just too risky. there is a reason that Patrick Mahomes doesn't do quarterback sneaks even anymore. Their backup tight end does. The best assets in the, it's different for Lamar because if you take the running away,

Lamar is a totally different player. For a guy like Allen or Mahomes who if they never run the football have the talent to be one of the very, very best quarterbacks in the league, you can't be putting him in jeopardy like this. Like injuries happen and some of them are unpredictable. But if I were to tell you that, Josh Allen's going to get dinged, especially now that the NFL is going to have a much stricter hand with you are out for the game if you look like you might possibly have a concussion.

They've got to be careful with them using him as their running back when he's not their running back. I totally agree with that. Yeah, by the way, Big Ben and Cam Newton both had defensive head coaches. Didn't go, I mean, literally just leaned on that. And McDermott's leaning on it. You're going to see the same thing at 31, 32. He's going to go off a cliff where Mahomes is going to be handing off, sitting back, better protection, better all lines in a run game. So I said earlier, the Packers aren't going to go Farr to Rogers to another legend. It's not going to happen.

It's unbelievable that the Colts got luck after Peyton Manning. It doesn't happen. Denver and Miami are still trying to find a Marino Elway. So you know, Aaron, realistically, two years for sure he's playing. take a big swing, one, go get OBJ. That's my take. How's it land for you? You know, the only time I heard someone say that better was Nick Wright six months ago.

I mean, my God, Colin. I mean, give a guy some credit. Yeah, listen, this is where O'Dell should go. Now, I don't know. I heard J. Mack talking about if O'Dell's going to be able to perform in the cold. I think he's going to be able to perform in the cold. I don't know if he wants to go to the cold. I don't know if that's where he will choose to go.

But Aaron should be recruiting him. Yes. Because right now the Packers flatly do not have enough. That's right. The Packers, they have a good defense. They have a good running game. But the idea that the Green Bay Packers with Aaron Rogers at quarterback are going to get to a Super Bowl, which is the standard for them this year, the after back-to-back conference championship games,

without the reason they got there being Aaron Rogers in the passing game, it's nonsense. They don't have a dominant, overwhelming defense. and they don't have a dominant, overwhelming running game. Those two things need to complement what has to be their best feature, which is what Aaron Rogers can do. And right now, it's a whole hell of a lot of Alan Lazard and Randall Cobb. And that's not good. And that's nothing against Alan Lazard or Randall Cobb.

So yes, I think that that is the perfect spot for O'Dell, and I've said it for quite some time. And one other thing about O'Dell, I heard on the broadcast, Buck and Aikman do an excellent job, even though now they're at the other network still do a great job. They were talking about how the Rams, oh, the Rams kept Odell's locker and the Rams won Odell back. If I'm Odell, there is one team in the league that I would have expected to sign me even

though I'm not going to be available until week 10. The team I helped win Super Bowl for, if there was any team in the league that should have given them one year $8 million and said, like Shaq talked about, you got hurt on company time, rehab on company time, it would be the Rams. So if I were O'Dell, I would feel some type of way about the fact, well, I get why Green Bay or Baltimore or whomever wants to wait until I'm healthy. But if you guys want me so badly, then sign me. Start paying me now. So for that reason, I'm not so certain O'Dell is as interested in going back to the Rams as I think the Rams hope he is.

But two minutes left. I'm interested on your take. What is Cooper Rush's success said to you about Dak, the Cowboys, and Cooper Rush? Well, so I heard you talking about how a lot of DAC's success has kind of been system-dependent, and I agree with that to a degree. Obviously, DAC is a far better player than Cooper Rush. I think that a lot of his success has been based on who they've played, the fact that they have not been. You say this all the time, Colin, and this I'll give you credit for it.

The best quarterbacks in the league are the ones who, when the other team knows you have to throw, can still make the throw. What has really benefited Cooper Rush is that he hasn't been in any situations late in the game where the other team knows he has to throw. He's doing so much of his damage early in game or on first downs, which are the most beneficial situations. But what I will tell you is this, and this is going to sound unpopular and it's going to sound hot, takey, but I know I'm right. The single best thing for Dak Prescott is for Cooper Rush to have a three-interception game against the Rams.

Jerry Jones does too much media and we talk about the Cowboys on this network and every network far too often for Cooper Rush by some miracle to go undefeated and then have Dak come back in because Dak's not going to go undefeated

And so do you remember Mike White for a moment with the Jets he had that 400-yard game? And it was like, oh my goodness, what about Zach Wilson? You know the best thing to happen to Zach Wilson? Two weeks later, Mike White, through four interceptions.

And everyone's like, okay, we can all calm down. It wouldn't have been great for Zach Wilson if Mike White had come back out, had a 300-yard game, and then Zach gets the job. So I know the Cowboys are trying to get playoff positioning all of this. Dak needs Cooper to have a terrible game to silence all of what I think is nonsense, the idea that Cooper and Dak Prescott should be in some quarterback controversy. Yeah, I, Dack's better. He's more expensive.

He's more experienced. he's more athletic. Good stuff, buddy. Nick Wright, first things first after our show. Give it a watch. A lot of fun. Guys get along, chemistry's great. Good seeing you.

See you, Colin. And that really is the difference in this league. Everybody in the stadium knows you're throwing. Mahomes, Alan, Herbert, Brady, Burrough, it doesn't matter. Baker Mayfield could throw on second and four. The whole league can throw on second and four. It's when it's third and 13. It doesn't affect Burrow and Allen and Hurray.

Herbert and Mahalms and Braille. And that is the difference. That really is the difference between the greats and the solid. Kirk Cousins, he's got to throw. It's not the same player. Delvin Cook gives him second and four, third and one. Kurt Cousins on play action is excellent. Kirk Cousins on third and 12.

Everybody, the Eagles are pinning their ears back. Not the same quarterback. That is the difference. All right. Joel Clatt is around the corner. I did not talk about Jimmy Garoppolo with Nick. It infuriates him. But did you see that stat on Jimmy Garoppolo that made the inner web yesterday?

Quite interesting hour to 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey,

or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. 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.

Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.