The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Rodgers, Cowboys, Mayfield

Episode Date: March 1, 2022

Colin feels Aaron Rodgers knows exactly what he's doingThe Cowboys have a problem at head coach and the refuse to evolveThe Browns should upgrade at QB like the Rams.Guest: Antonio Daniels Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fans, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of, of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the Iheart 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, 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 IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard 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 Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Ah, it is a Tuesday. Things are happening. People could be moving. Live in Los Angeles, it's the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Now, depending on when you tune into the show today, I'm either going to be glass half full guy or,

grumpy old guy barking at the kids. I'm going to be a little bit of both today. I'm going to support the cowboys on something where they're going to get a lot of heat. And I'm going to push back on John Morant where everybody's freaking out this morning. No! So just get ready. Getting the full menu today with me, not just apps. You're getting entree, dessert, a couple cocktails.

You're getting a lot today. Joy, how are you? I am doing great. Beautiful day in Los Angeles. It is beautiful. Next couple days are warm again. Yeah. I don't know. Well, what's going on out here, but we'll take it. Sunshine. I know it's easy to say, don't trust the media. But I'm media and you're watching, so you must trust us a little. But I would say this, just like in every business, there are doctors, I trust. There are pilots I've been with, I trust. You know, there's not a lot of great anything, but there are reporters in my business who I think are accurate a lot and some I don't trust.

Ian Rappaport is one I trust. He does not work at Fox. He works at a rival place. Diana Rusini is another reporter who I trust. They're both now, as of this morning, both are now saying, yeah, Aaron wants to be the highest paid player in the league. Of course, Aaron said a couple days ago, that's categorically false. but he also told us he was vaccinated. He's also said he doesn't have anything to do with the fact that three reporters at virtually the same time,

the day of the draft, buried the Packers. Yeah. Yeah, Aaron's moved into a new trend, a new habit. He just makes stuff up. Now, maybe it's to protect himself, protect his brand, but I no longer trust what Aaron says. I've got legitimate reporters, the vaccine stuff he made up, the draft story, the bomb that went off the day of the draft of the Packers to disrupt the Packers. That was Aaron planting it.

You don't have three reporters simultaneously coming out with a story. And now Aaron does want to be the highest paid guy in the league. That's fine. Own it. I don't care. It's your money. It's your career. Do what you want to do with it.

I don't care. But he's gotten into a very, I would say, calculated and often not truthful area of his career. He's making crap up a lot. It is not categorically false. But what the story tells you is this. Packers have no idea what he's doing. Because these stories are telling you the Packers are offering a two-year deal. They'll make him the highest paid player in the league.

They don't know what he's doing. And what they're doing is protecting themselves. So if he leaves, the Packers can say, look, look, look, look, we're going to make him the highest paid guy in the league. That's the only reason this story gets out. because Aaron reportedly doesn't want it out because he said it was categorically false. The Packers don't generally want it out because they're very private organization. So why is this story out?

When you turn to the show, I'm not going to react. I'm going to tell you why stuff happens. This is why this story is out. Aaron has said it's false, so he didn't want it out. Green Bay's way of doing business is to not let stuff leak publicly. They hate doing that. But now they're forced to put it out there to protect themselves. So if Aaron leaves, hey, we're going to make them the high.

paid guy in the league. And by the way, Mahomes makes $45 million a year. The $50 million dollar Diana Rusini report, yeah, it's over that. It would be, as Ian Rappaport says, highest paid player would be in the $50 million a year category. Doesn't bother me. You're not going to win Super Bowls, but it doesn't bother me at all. But just be straight with it. Diana and Ian don't make stuff up. So, and here's the other thing. Aaron knows what he's going to do. He hasn't played a football game since January 22nd. He's at five weeks of downtime. and getting body cleanse and vomiting. He knows what he's going to do.

The Packers, though, clearly have no idea, and they're protecting themselves, which they'd rather not do. It's not on their brand. They hate it. I will tell you this, for the first time in the last 24 hours, everybody, Joy, T.J. Hushman's on, everybody's been on this errands leaving. I have been. He's coming back.

NFC's not very good. It's a winnable division. He's comfortable there. The press doesn't bother him. He can kind of hide there. his Malibu House. It's like a perfect life for him, right? But this came out yesterday. Mercedes-Lewis, friend of the show, Packer is not like a guy that hangs out on social media. He came out yesterday with a very vague tweet. Don't get caught staring at your pass for too long. You'll end up

staying there. There's so much more out there to be conquered. Trust it and carry on. I don't know. I don't know. And then T.J. Hushman Zada. said this on our show yesterday. Do we have it? He thinks Aaron's when he did what he did, that was his way of saying, thank you. I enjoyed our professional relationship. I enjoyed our friendship. All good things must come to an end. And I want to put this out there to show you guys how much I appreciated that brotherhood that we had. I believe he's played his last snap with the Green Bay Packers. Where does he go? I truly, truly think Denver, I just don't see them hire and hack it without it being a great chance of Aaron Rogers being a Denver Bronco.

But Aaron Rogers, I believe, is done as a quarterback at a Green Bay Packers. All right. Between TJ who's tied in, the Mercedes-Benz kind of vague tweet and this story today, Green Bay is putting it out there. It's not on brand. They don't like doing it. It's not how they do business for 20 years. they're doing it to protect themselves. So if Aaron leaves, hey, we were going to make him the highest paid player in the league. And he can say it's categorically false.

But between dropping that thing on draft day and his Vax, you know, Vax lie. I don't believe him. I believe the Packers. And I believe they don't have any idea what he's doing. And Aaron knows what he's doing. All right. So here's something else. Shift to the Cowboys here.

you got to know what you are and what you're not. Years ago, the Warriors really started a trend. You know, this is about seven, eight, nine years ago, right? Like almost a decade ago. They started shooting a lot of threes. And they were winning. And everybody's like, hey, we got to shoot a bunch of threes too. Yeah, but they had Steph and Clay and then they had Kevin Durant.

And it's like, no, they're great at doing that. So they can do that. Like, right, you don't duplicate somebody. if you can't do what they can do. Play to your strengths. Now, you have to always be aware of cultures and how leagues are changing and divisions are changing. But you've got to know your strengths

and know what you can do and what you can't do based on your coaching, based on your culture, based on your personnel. So Stephen Jones are the Cowboys. The Rams right now have created this new trend. Give away your first round picks. And you know the NFL's a copycat league. So if you do something, it's different.

And you win a Super Bowl, everybody's like, hey, well, those guys. you know, guys are doing? As I've always said on this show, the wildcat offense was copied in this league for a year. Hiking the ball to a fullback or a running back. The Patriots did some of it with Brady. There's a copycat lead. College football people do a lot of their own things. That offense doesn't look like that conference or that offense. NFL, if somebody does something, it's different and it wins a Super Bowl. These are really good jobs and you don't want to get fired. So everybody kind of copies. And so the Rams now give up first round picks.

They win a Super Bowl. Everybody's like, wow, that's a new kid in town. Stephen Jones says, yeah, we're not going to do that. Here's Stephen Jones. Certainly, hats off to them. I mean, they had a hell of a year and win a Super Bowl. And certainly, you know, they went about it in a way that's pushing a lot of chips out there. It felt like we've got a lot of good young players on this football team.

You don't want to just be starting over, if you will, if we did too much, because obviously, you know, we could do some things that would allow us to keep most of our guys if we wanted to push it all out, but then we'll have a much bigger problem, you know, next year and the year after that. I'm going to support the Cowboys on this. They know what they are and they know what they're not. The Rams coach Sean McVeigh allows you to take bigger swings. he may be the best motivator in the league.

He may be the best, he's certainly the best young culture creator in the league. His game management is outstanding. He's great in front of a room, elevates his quarterbacks. Cowboys don't have that. Cowboys are saying, yeah, that works for them. Like the Warriors' three-point shooting worked for them. It didn't work for half the teams in this league who didn't have Steph, Clay, KD. Nobody had that, and most teams didn't have anything close to it.

And you were shooting 303s. What are you doing? They can shoot 40. You should shoot 12. And so what the Cowboys are saying here is we know what we are. Sean McVay is an A plus head coach. Mike McCarthy to me is B, B minus C plus. And here's what's interesting when you have a great quarterback or a great coach.

You're allowed to take bigger swings. You're allowed to be hyper-aggressive. I just finished a book on Coach K at Duke. He's got five national titles. Great book. called Coach K, Ian O'Connor wrote it. A lot of mistakes. Duke had a lot of controversies and players leaving early.

And it was, oh, there was, believe it or not, even with Mike Cheshefsky, there were down years. They didn't really connect until they got Johnny Dawkins and then, but with Coach K, every time they were like teetering on the precipice of going, they go back up. And as the culture changed and the one and done culture changed and Bobby Knight couldn't figure it out and Coach K did quickly. figured out. Coach K, you can take big swings. We all watched the Michael Jordan documentary. How much dysfunction did that franchise have for 10 years? It was insane. But you got Michael Jordan, you got Phil Jackson, and you win six titles. You can have dysfunction.

The Rams paid Jared Gough way too early and way too much. And they went to Super Bowl. And they're still paying him. New England could not draft a wide receiver. They haven't for 20 years. and the best dynasty in the sport. The point is, I think you would be shocked how many mistakes dynasties make. Forget the average teams. Forget the great teams. The dynasties. Duke basketball, the Patriots, the Rams have had, the Rams at the most important position,

overpaid golf paid him early. A couple years later, they won a Super Bowl. Michael Jordan, massive dysfunction. So Dallas knows. We've got a B coach. We can't even manage the clock. We've got a B plus quarterback. So Dallas this year, literally it was perfect.

Played a home game against a wild card team and a wild card team that didn't even like their quarterback. And they still got beat. In a bad division. So, you know, the Eagles probably get better and the Giants could get better in Washington. Hey, we read stories this morning. They may get better. They may sign a better quarterback. Yeah. So like, I'll give Dallas credit here, just like the rest of us.

The more money you make in life, the more mistakes you can make investing. If you're a school teacher, you can't take as many big risks. Hit doubles, put your money away, you'll be fine. You know, if you're a top salesperson, you can whiff on an investment or two. You're making real money, right? So the Cowboys are saying, we don't have McVeigh, we don't have Stafford. I don't believe they should. look at the Rams and go, let's do it.

It is absolutely not right now in their wheelhouse. Big mistakes with Mike McCarthy is out of the playoffs. All right, good stuff today. Antonio Daniels, one of my favorite guest stops by. Once again, you know, we love to do this. We love to rip the media until we agree with them. So, you know, you guys play the fence on this. here's another reporter who I've brought on the show, who I've got respect for.

I don't bring reporters on the show that I don't respect or I don't trust. Okay, I don't. Here's another reporter saying something, and Cleveland fans are going to get upset. You should absolutely see this is really cool news because it's saying something about you, Cleveland Brown fans, which you couldn't say about you as an organization for the last 25, years. That's coming up. March Madness is right around the corner. By the way, I think it's going to be a great March Madness. You talk about parity.

There is, it is going to be a really, I watch some college hoops this weekend. It's about six, seven teams. 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. call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way,

the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little camp? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket 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 right. Just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct.

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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan,

so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense

of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So when people come up to you and say, You want good news or bad news? I tend to be like, give me the bad news first. I got a lot of good news in my life.

If there's bad news, let me confront it. And Joy, are you a good news or bad news person? Bad news. Ryan, good news or bad news? Definitely bad news. Yeah. Because most of our lives are good. So if you got bad news, let's confront it.

Let's not hide from it. Let's be grownups here. So I tend to be like, hey, give me the crap. I'll figure it out, right? And that's how I don't want fluff. I don't want yes people around me. You know, you got an issue. Let's confront it. Let's get it done.

So the Cleveland Browns are being honest with their fans, and their fans can't take it. A lot of their fans, this one good news. Tell me good stuff. Give me balloons and cotton candy. Yeah, Brown fans, that hasn't worked for 30 years. So go ahead, kill the messenger again when you don't agree with it. But Mary Kay Cabot is reporting again for the second time. Somebody I've brought in a show for 25 years, I've put her on my shows, because she's been and stuff. And this is

the bad news first, which grownups can handle and kids can't. The Cleveland Browns are going to explore all options including drafting a quarterback. I'm sorry, it hurts your feelings, but this is actually not bad news, Cleveland. It's actually good news because

nothing personal against Baker, but what they're telling you, like the Rams told you when they moved off Jared Goff, we can win with Baker. But we think we can get better than Baker. You can win with Baker. I've said I'd bring him back. But this is not bad news. This is what Sean McVeigh did. This is what Andy Reid did with Mahomes over Alex Smith. It's what McVeigh did with Goff who got to a Super Bowl over Stafford. Oh, no, no, Baker's fine. But we have already high

standards here. And the standard is the Super Bowl. Yeah, I know she'll get attacked by all the fan boys. You do get, this is a great day for Cleveland, that there's saying, you know, we think we can get to the playoffs for this roster. We want to win Super Bowls here. And they look around and they look at same draft produced Lamar Jackson. He's been an MVP. Same draft produced Josh Allen. He looks like the most hounder kid in the league.

Joe Burrow took a worse roster to the Super Bowl. Also didn't help that OBJ left and crushed very quickly. But let's stay on quarterbacks. They're looking around the league. And they're like, Burrow took less of a roster. the Super Bowl. That's twice a year we played them. Lamar has been an MVP. They won't be as banged out. We play them twice a year. Mahomes, Herbert, Josh Allen. So let's look at the options available currently on the market. This is what it looks like. If you look at their draft position,

this is what I would say would be available. Carson Wentz, Derek Carr, Aaron Rogers, Russell Wilson, Deshawn Watson, and Jimmy Garoppolo, and one of the two college quarterbacks. In each case, Those quarterbacks are either bigger or more athletic, possibly both, more productive, sometimes more coachable, I won't get into that, more accomplished Garoppolo Super Bowl. This is not an anti-Baker rant. If you want to be great, you got to seek great. You got to move off okay. It's been established.

Baker's fine. but Burrow and Lamar and Josh and Herbert and it's a good day. This is what you want your franchise to be, not settling. And right now it does feel in that division. You know, I've been honest. What if Aaron Rogers chose Pittsburgh? And it was Lamar and Aaron Rogers and Joe Burrow. And would you want them to just stay pat?

You're either a good news or bad news person. Some of you just want rainbows. You just want cotton candy and ice cream for breakfast. Go ahead. And then there are those of us who are grownups who can handle it, want the bad news, want higher standards, can move off okay, can move off good. Actually, this is a great story. Stefanski and Andrew Barry are saying, hey man, we're looking around. We're going to go for it.

We're going to go after Russell. We're going to go after Aaron. We're going to go after these guys. We're not going to settle because I've watched it the last 30 years. A lot of settling. You settled for Hugh Jackson. You settled for Freddie Kitchens. A lot of settling.

Don't settle. Rams don't settle. New England didn't settle. Annie Reid didn't settle. Joy with the news. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Well, speaking of settling, Vikings have a new GM and head coach this season, but Kirk Cousins is still their quarterback. And according to Chad Graff, of the athletic, former head coach Mike Zimmer complained openly in meetings about Kirk Cousins last season. He also added that some of Zimmer's top lieutenants echoed the sentiment. He said the problem was that Zimmer didn't believe that Cousins made enough winning plays. He didn't elevate teammates and he didn't take the chances that were necessary to secure victories. I agree with him totally.

I think that's exactly how I feel. Yeah. I mean, that's what Kirk Cousins is, though. I know, but it's, so Mike Zimmer was not delusional. Yeah. Kirk Cousins is better than 15 starting quarterbacks in the league, but he doesn't make enough extended winning plays in a world now where Mahomes and Alan and Lamar and Russell and Aaron do. So this is, again, you and I both said, we liked Zimmer. He's not an incompetent coach.

You cannot maintain a job for 10 years in this league if that's your quarterback, and he's not terrible. He's better than half the league. No, he's not terrible. Look at Washington since he's left. Bad. Not good. They're the most quarterbacks in the league since he's left. I mean, this is my question with the Vikings, is that, like, you fired Zimmer and you brought in a new coach, but can that coach make Kirk Cousins better than he is?

Is there another level to Kirk Cousins? Yeah, I think Minnesota wants to start over. So they got rid of a GM that I like and a coach that I like. I like Mike Zimmer. I like Rick Spielman. That's a good roster. I mean, go look at their tight end. Their old lines way better.

Their running backs are excellent. Their receivers are great. I mean, this is a, if you go look in an offensive league at Minnesota's offensive pieces, excellent. So I like the GM and I like the coach. But this is the league, Joy. If you don't get the quarterback right, those people get fired. And they had a disappointing season last year based off of their roster.

They were eight and nine. They finished second in the NFC North. But I agree. You're really only as good as your quarterback these days. Yeah. And if you can say, if you say after you say your quarterback's name, we can win with him. I think that's the most dangerous place to be in as an NFL franchise right now. Because you can win with him.

It means, okay, maybe you'll win your division. If you get lucky, and there's some injuries. Maybe you'll make a wild card run and you'll get to the postseason. Maybe you'll win a playoff game. But you are not in contention. You're not in real contention with a guy you can win with. Now, every organization is not at the same place. some people are in win now mode, in which case they need to be more aggressive.

Some have a lot of young players and they're still putting the whole roster together. So it's okay to have a bridge guy. What you can't be is paying a bridge guy or a guy you can win with $45 million a year, which is what his cap hit is this year. So he's under contract through this season. They're kind of in the Atlanta space with Matt Ryan and Kirk Cousins. Clearly good enough to win playoffs games. Clearly capable.

They've won divisions. We're not banging on them. But when you start paying that money to these guys who have been around, it limits the ability to get a second great corner and a second good tackle. Yeah, you can't pay you can win with him guy, superstar money. That's exactly right. And you can win with both. Like I'm a Derek Carr fan.

I would take Derek over Matt Ryan and Kirk Cousins. I would too. I think we would, but the nations. Well, I think the difference between those, there's, the talent difference might not be a huge disparity. but Derek Carr has the unique ability, and we saw it this year, to elevate a team. Absolutely. And in a chaotic mess. Correct.

So that separates them. That separates them. If you can do that, if I can see it, you can elevate a team, that's a different category. So I would argue that in both, like Kirk Cousins and Atlanta, I don't think it's chaotic. I thought the Raiders was chaotic, and Derek Carr got his team into a better conference AFC playoffs. No, I think the Vikings are very well run. They're very functional franchise. But he's only led the Vikings to one postseason run in four seasons and only has one career playoff win. So that is exactly what Kirk Cousins is. And that was my question with firing Mike Zimmer.

Is, okay, maybe somebody, something has to change. But is this new guy going to elevate Kirk Cousins to another level we haven't seen from Kirk Cousins yet? Good luck, I guess. I don't know. Mitchell Chubisky was a backup quarterback for the bills this season. Boy, this is interesting. He's drawing a lot of buzz this off season. According to Jordan Schultz, Trubisky is being viewed as a potential starting quarterback in 2022. Several teams, including the commanders,

Steelers, and Saints are all interested in him. NFL draft scout Matt Miller said he has talked to more teams about Trubisky than the 2022 quarterback class. So he was the number two overall picked by the Bears in 2017. He has a 29 and 21 record. He has a winning record. No, this is what's funny. So you don't like Matt Nagy and you don't like Trubisky.

and in a division with Green Bay, they got to the playoffs twice and went 29-21. So you've got to like one of them because you can't make the playoffs in a division with Aaron Rogers if the coach of the quarterback don't know what they're doing. Now, I'm a bigger naggy fan than everybody else is.

I'm not a huge Strabisky guy. I think his ball dies. I think he's limited. I feel like the question is, is he a bridge or a backup? I think he's a good, I don't see him as a franchise guy. I see him as a two-year bridge.

I can win games. I'm not building my franchise around him because I've seen this story before, but I do think if you're Pittsburgh. I'd think Scherbertsky in Pittsburgh. I think there's three categories, well, four. But he is a bridge guy. He's not a backup. He's too talented and has too much experience and a good record.

He's a very good athlete. And this year was fine. It was a perfect situation. Be a backup in Buffalo. Rehabilitate your image a little bit. The Buffalo bills are riding high. everyone has a lot of respect for their personnel and everything that they've done. Now you have another opportunity to start.

I don't think he's a franchise guy. I don't think he's somebody that you build around. But if you're in a situation like the Steelers or the commanders or the Saints, and this is a quarterback class where no one really has any certainty about what any of these quarterbacks are going to become, it's not a quarterback heavy draft. Why wouldn't you take a bridge guy? Again, don't pay a bridge guy, franchise guy money. Don't give him that kind of contract.

And I don't think that's part. probably what Chibisky is searching for at this point. Mostly just wants an opportunity. But I think any of those teams would, it would be a major upgrade for what they have if they brought Chibisky in. Okay. Brice yourself, everyone.

Tom Morantz. Oh, boy. Had a huge game last night. Oh, boy, just a game. Grizzlies 118, 105, win over the Spurs. He beat his own franchise record, 52 points. Had an incredible, incredible poster there over Jacob Patel. And had a buzzer beating shot at half time.

so had some highlights all over the internet's last night. He had scored a career best 46 points on Saturday nights against the Bulls before beating it last night. So he's on quite the tear. He scored 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter, and this was the first 50-point game in Grizzlies franchise history. That was funny. It's an amazing highlight. It's really fun to watch.

If you haven't seen it, we're showing it now. If you're on radio, I'm sorry, look it up on Twitter. But he had it quite the night. Now, they're 43 and 20. And third in the Western Conference. He has the fourth best odds to win the league MVP, according to Fox Bet, plus $1,300. They are fun.

But I also think that what John Morant has shown outside of being athletic and fun and a highlight reel and a good leader is that he is elevating this franchise. Oh, my God. They were ninth in the West in 2019, 8 in the West in 2020, and third in the West right now. It's really impressive what John Moran's doing. Yeah. I mean, you know, like the core. quarterback. You know, they remind me a little of the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, is, you know, you don't take him as the first big star, you have some questions, and all of a sudden you look up, and it's like, wow, he's really different, and they don't play like anybody else, and I'm not sure they'll win a championship, but man, that's different and fast and springy and unique and winning games. And they're winning a lot of games. They're getting, the merchandising has to be going through the roof. And I'm going to be very positive here on Jock. because I have a question at the top of the hour on him,

and I'll be, I'm going to be very glass, half empty on job, but I'm going to wait. Let's celebrate these great highlights. Well, it is highlights, but also we were talking in the makeup room earlier where we hash out some of our takes. And I think that this year is kind of unique to the NFL season this year,

where there's a lot of parity. And especially in the NBA, there's a lot of seasons we've gone into over the last decade where it's like, the Warriors are going to be in the finals in the West. Whatever team the bronze on is going to be in the finals. We already know this. So we can enjoy the regular season, but there is this feeling like we know who's going to be there in the end.

We don't know that this year. It really feels like there's six or seven teams that if I told you we're going to win the championship, you would not be surprised. I watched Milwaukee for an hour and a half last night. Again, this is like the 10th. I've watched a lot of Milwaukee. They're just not the same. They're good. They're not as good defensively.

They're not as good defensively. They're going to win a couple of playoffs series. But I'm watching Philadelphia now because I don't think Chicago. Bulls or a finals team. But I'm watching Philly a lot, and I'm going to watch Milwaukee a lot. And I'm like, coin flip. Milwaukee's got a better bench. Milwaukee's been there before.

Both have a great big. Philly's got the better two. They both have a legitimate coach. That's one playoff series. So I'm a coin flip with both. It may just be attrition who's healthier in a month and a half. Yes, health is going to play a big role in this particular postseason. I think because everybody is so close,

it may come down to that. But there are a lot of teams that could make a run, and it's going to be a fun postseason. Good stuff. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. Also, I'm going to be very optimistic on the Lakers.

I've been very negative, but I am not a finger pointer. Let's solve the problem. There is some positivity on the horizon with the Lakers. So I'm telling you, this next hour, I'm going to be very critical of John Morant. Not good. Not going to play well.

in America. I'm going to be a little positive on the Lakers because I've been Mr. Snarky negative guy. That's not who I am. I'm America's honesty broker. I can't just be out there being snarky all the time. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlie. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it.

Listen to All Ball with Doug Alib on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say it. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions,

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

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what 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-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

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

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

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a break. new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Boy, we disagree in a lot, but I love bringing him on. Antonio Daniels as an analyst for the Pelicans who could certainly use Zion. used to do the Oklahoma City Thunder Games.

He defended Westbrook to the core. And now that Westbrook has gone off the rails in Los Angeles, it's a perfect time to bring on Antonio. Daniel's one of my favorite guests. Okay. So here's the thing. I've always said, I've always said, I'd put him in a Hall of Fame,

I'd buy a ticket to watch him. I get it. I don't think he's a winning player. I don't think he's efficient. He drives me nuts, and he's absolutely hurting the Lakers. So defend Westbrook in Los Angeles because I'm watching him and he's hurting chemistry. The thing is, I can't. I can't defend his resume.

I can defend what he's accomplished. I can defend the player that he is. But I can't defend the fit in L.A. Because I'll say this, Colin. I have come on this show numerous times and defend a Russell Westbrook. But I wasn't on board with this fit. Anytime you talk about trades or free agent acquisition, for me, it's not a about the name. It's not about the number on the jersey. It's about the skill set and the fit.

And if you look at Russell Westbrook, what he does, how does his skill set complement what the Lakers need? Which is basically how, right, how does his skill set complement what LeBron James and Anthony Davis need? That's what the NBA is all about, plain and simple. And as much as I love Russell, I wasn't on board with this fit. I'll defend him. I'll defend his Hall of Fame resume, top 75, all of that stuff. But just because, I can defend them on one other area doesn't mean I can't be critical in another area and say, you know what, it just doesn't fit with him, LeBron James, Anthony Davis. All right.

So fans these days are getting kind of tired of that Ben Simmons won't play and James Hardin's going to force his way out. Now, I will say that. I think Philadelphia is going to be a handful. I like Hardin. I just think when he's not engaged, which is about 10% of his career, he's a pain in the butt. But when he is engaged, he's literally a savant offensively. He's a brilliant player.

I think Philadelphia could win the East. I'm totally on board with this. I think he's become a better distributor over the last three years, which tells me he's an adaptable player. I don't think Westbrook quite is. So I'm totally in on the Philadelphia moves. I'm not on Brooklyn. I don't trust Simmons.

I think Philadelphia won the trade. Your thoughts? I'm in on both. I'm in on both. This is one of those trades for me. I felt like it was even. I felt like it was even. I felt like Brooklyn made out.

I also felt like Philly made out. And again, for me, it's about the fit. So even prior to James Hardin going and joining Joelle and B., I was on board for that. Because you can't think of two players who are a Batman and a Robin, and their skill sets don't complement each other like Joelle and B. and B. and B. and B. didn't. What Joelle and B. needed, Ben Simmons couldn't do.

What Ben Simmons needed, Joelle and B. couldn't do. what James Hardin does and brings to the table is exactly what Joelle and Bee needs. He needs space and he also needs someone that's not going to play too fast that understands when to slow it down, when to get him the basketball, and he can score, give him some space, and he can distribute the basketball. So this is a fit. Like Ben Simmons and Joelle and B was like oil and water. These two, meaning James Hardin and Joelle and B, this is a perfect fit for me.

But I'll say this again. I'm on board with Ben Simmons as well and how he would fit with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. All right, let's go to the Zion thing. You know I love him. He's joyful. But JJ Reddick, who played with him, said he's detached. He didn't text C.J. McCollum right out of that.

That's fair. I'm not, I'm very pro Zion. It does worry. I just read Coach Kay's book. And they say they love Zion, but he's very private. The Williams family, Zion Williams family is very private. Duke didn't know they had him until he put the hands. hat on, and that's not the way Duke recruits.

So he's a very private kid. The family's private, I guess. I just learned that in the last couple of weeks, finishing up that book. Aren't you a little concerned? He's rehabbing in Portland. What does that tell? I'm not. It's telling you nothing.

In my 13-year career, you know how often I played with guys that rehabbed away from the team? You know, it's weird because what Zion's doing right now isn't different. You see it quite often. But now there's more attention being paid to it because it's Zion. This is the thing that when I talk about Zion on the different platforms, this is the thing I don't think that people understand. First, this started a while back with the fact of him being in a small market and people not wanting a star player to flourish in a small market. Think about how crazy people went with Janice Antauccoe signed the extension in Milwaukee. What's he doing? He needs to go to L.A. He needs to go to New York. No, no, no. Allow this young man to flourish here in New Orleans. People don't want to see that. Okay. So that's first. Here's the second. Here's the second. can think for me, Colleen. People forget. People forget that he's 21 years old. People forget this. You just said, this is a young man from a small town in South Carolina that was thrust into stardom like that. Right. So now, think about how you would feel. Every time you open social media,

you saw a meme about you or someone making fun at you or whatever it may be. I would go dark too. I'm going to turn 47 in March. None of us respond well to, to critical. criticism like that, especially when we've been praised throughout the course of our lives. So I think what people aren't taken into consideration here is when Zion became the face of New Orleans, he was a year removed from prom. Think about that from a small time of South Carolina and now you're being thrust in the stardom. I'm not worried. I'll be the first one to tell you. I am not worried one bit. I think this whole thing will play itself out over the summer. I tell you this, though.

Come on, Colin. Get my pal some love. Give them some love, Colin. Well, you do match out well with the Lakers, and you may play them. You actually match out with them okay. That's a good matchup for you guys. And you're two and a half games behind the Lakers. As far as being from 10th to 9, the Lakers have the toughest remaining schedule. Yes.

And the thing is, Anthony Davis isn't scheduled to come back for the next four to six weeks or whatever may be. With the addition of C.J. McCollum telling you, the narrative is changing down here in New Orleans, Colin. there was a while where the whole thing was people don't want to play in New Orleans. CJ McCollum, the first words out of his mouth is this is where I want it to be. The narrative is changing down here in New Orleans, and I am blessed to be a part of it. All right, let's see. You're very good at what you do. I will say this.

Give me two minutes on this. Here's what I worry about John Morant. Second in the league in paint scoring, behind a center. I've seen Derek Rose. I've seen John Wall. I've seen Westbrook finish at the rim and I all got hurt I know it's fun and twitchy and springy and Tony I've seen this I've seen it since 2008 he got to shoot he's got to stop driving to the rack I know it's great highlights you can't you can't like think of what you're asking him to do

you know the Lord blessed him with an incredible amount of athletic ability I'm sitting there watching the game last night and I saw him take off right here on Yakopurgo so what are you going to ask him to do right there. No, no, no, no, no. Don't attack the rim. Shoot a floater. No. If you can do things like that that no one else can do, you can't, it's very, very difficult to change your game like that, especially being this age. As you get older and your athleticism starts to decline and maybe your creativity starts to decline, all of that kind of stuff. How many do's how many do you can do this right here, Colleen? Well, how many guys in the league can do this? Not many. No. So what we're asking him to do, listen, change who you are. You know,

There was a while when I cover OKC, I thought Russell Westbrook was the most athletic point guard in the history of the league. I tell you what, John Moran is on his heel. He does some incredible things. So think about how this game is won. It's the three point line, it's the free throw line, and it's the paint. So you're asking him, basically, don't attack the paint as much as you do when there's no one in the league that can stop you from getting to where you want to get to. I think that's easier said and done. All right.

good seeing you i hope the pelicans know what they have hope you're enjoying it's marty grot by the way it's fat tuesday it's a lot i don't know if you've gone he go he go he go call it yes it is fat tuesday and it is crazy down here one cocktail day i know that's hard in new orleans just one then get back get rest for the game tomorrow no no cocktails for me but i will be resting and ready to rock tomorrow all right antonio daniels great seeing you you too brother it is it is it's very interesting because little guys go to the lane, they get hurt. John Wall got hurt. Westbrook got hurt.

It's just the reality. And Westbrook's thick. I mean, Westbrook is like a running back in the NFL. And you say, well, you got to be able to, no, you got to let a guy do what a guy does. Okay. But I watch Cam and Big Ben do that. And their careers, you get a great career in about 33 years old. Cam's washed and Ben's not the same.

Like so it's always been kind of like the, do I change the play? Do I tell the player, listen, I remember watching Michael Jordan with my high school basketball coach. I mean, this is a long time ago. And he said he'll never last. You can't. And it's like, yeah, Michael did last. But Michael also, it should be noted, doesn't have nearly as many years as LeBron does on the floor. Why?

LeBron moved his game outside. LeBron, very smart. LeBron shot way more jumpers starting about seven years ago. LeBron could score the basket every night. Every basket he could score. He could go right to the rim. LeBron pulls up a lot. That's a strategy.

Hour 2 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 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 I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun,

thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business. sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a hear,

unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.