The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Stafford-Rodgers, Nets, Westbrook

Episode Date: February 7, 2022

What if Aaron Rodgers played in Detroit and Matt Stafford played in Green Bay?The Nets are falling apart and it's not a surpriseRussell Westbrook was benched againGuest: Nick Wright 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 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 Tontons 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 Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year.

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. 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 herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a Monday. it is Super Bowl week live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio,

Fox Sports Radio, FS1, 1,1 hour from now, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong. Welcome to the American sports media from inferior cities. Welcome to ours. Enjoy the weather. Pack your bags in a week, go home. This is how we roll. It's Monday and beautiful.

Joy Taylor, thank you for filling in Friday and having a great weekend at UCLA. She had your... Oh, no, it was at St. Francis X. Cabrini. Yes. And it was an amazing event. Yes, we had a great time.

Girls, ages 8 to 18, came down to St. Francis X. Cabrini. Mark Sanchez came down. Marcellus Wiley came down. Steve Breston, San Diego Rebellion, had a great time with Jen Welter. Lots of girls learning football. It was a beautiful day. And then yesterday, at the track at the Coliseum, which was awesome. It was a great weekend.

Lots of NASCAR fans watched the show. Well, that's great. hear Jimmy Johnson in one hour. I want to start with this. What I'm about to say we all know is true. And I have a soft spot. I think most of you have a soft spot too for people that grow up in rough environments. We all know that little kids who grow up in chaos and mayhem and don't have continuity in their life, it is hard to break out of that. We all know that better parents, safer environments, it's an easier way, a better way. And a better way. And a, a more grooved way to enhance a young person's life.

And we see this in sports all the time. Even by the time you're 19, 20, 21 years old, brilliantly talented. If you land with a lousy NBA franchise or a lousy NFL franchise, it has a disproportionate effect on how you're viewed. So I have a soft spot, a soft spot for Matt Stafford. And I'm also over Aaron Rogers whining about how Bad Green Bay is. And I thought about this driving in this morning. In high school, Matt Stafford was

much better than Aaron Rogers. Aaron had to go to a junior college. Matt was the number one high school football quarterback in America. In college, Matt Stafford was better. Matt Stafford was on the NFL draft viewed as a better player. Even in their early NFL careers, Matt Stafford in year three, took one of the worst rosters in the league to the playoffs in Detroit. Aaron couldn't get off the bench until year four. When he did, he inherited a great Packer team in year four. And he went six and ten. High school, college, draft, early career, Stafford by a mile.

Eventually, Detroit's embarrassing ownership, horrible executives, crappy coaches, and ridiculous drafting is something even Matt Stafford could not over come. Meanwhile, Aaron had a coach, had skill people, had no chaos, had continuity, had a great fan base, he was flourishing and deserves love. What if low-maintenance Matt Stafford, though, had inherited Green Bay? Think his playoff record would be 11 and 10? And one of prickly high maintenance, Aaron Rogers, inherited the constant 24-7 fire hose of dysfunction in Detroit. Think these two would have similar playoff records? Oh, they do, actually.

One year, Matt Stafford has been granted one year of non-cause in the NFL. Aaron's had 17 years of a Packer organization. Look at their numbers. their playoff numbers. Stafford has a higher completion percentage, passing yards, passer rating, and with a win Sunday, we'll have a better winning percentage.

I cannot be the only person that finds that remarkable. What if Stafford, low-maintenance Matt, went to Green Bay with that continuity, those offensive lines? And what if Aaron got Detroit, running for his life, no ground game, a ridiculous front office? Where you land has a disproportionate effect in life, sports and otherwise, on how you're viewed. It's why I'm over those who play victim when they have a great life, and why I defend those who overcome nonsense.

If Matt Stafford simply wins a game Sunday, I want you to think about this. 17 years in Green Bay, Aaron Rogers has won multiple playoff games in a year, twice. Matt's already done it once, one year, with a legitimate franchise. Green Bay's Aaron Rogers could never beat Kyle Shanahan in the playoffs, 0 and 3. Matt did it a couple of weeks ago. Aaron Rogers beaten it home out dueled by Brady and Lambeau. Stafford went to Tampa, put a fork in baseball. Brady and the Bucks, Tom walked off into the sunset.

Aaron Rogers, I think, will stay in Green Bay and be a Hall of Famer, and I love watching him play. But whenever I hear the victim radar surface, I got no interest. Because what Matt Stafford has done, if you look at his playoff numbers, they're absolutely remarkable with one fair shot in his football life. and I can't wait for Sunday. Years ago, I was told, I've said this multiple times on the show years ago, I was told by somebody who's very smart in the NBA,

he said, you media guys always think it's all about getting a superstar. And he said it's not about getting a superstar in the NBA. It's about getting the right superstar. He said, if you get the wrong superstar, he'll get coaches fired. You have to give up so many draft picks and players to get him. He'll ruin your franchise. He'll crush chemistry and limit your bench. So it is of no surprise to me that the Brooklyn Nets have lost eight in a row and they're absolutely imploding. The right superstar is LeBron and Janice and Chris Paul and Steph Curry.

Kyrie is the worst kind of superstar. Injury prone, delusional, and self-reuxial. Now, I'd choose Harden over Kyrie every day of the week and twice on Sunday, but he's a quitter. When things don't go well, he bails. Houston, now he wants out of Brooklyn. Kevin Durant's about as good as you're going to get in this league in terms of a superstar, but he does have two things working against him. He is a little bit injury prone. He's a great player.

He loves hoop. I'd love to have him on my team, and he's a top 20 player I've seen. I'm a huge fan of KD. But he's got the injury thing, and he also sort of has a passive-aggressive thing where he could blow up a perfect situation. Oh, wait, he already did. It was called the Warriors. The media often treats all superstars equally. NBA fanboys do this all the time. Great is great. No, it's not. Carmelo Anthony did not have the self-awareness of LeBron James or D. Wade or Yonis or Steph Curry. James Hardin doesn't have the fight of a Chris Paul,

the fight of a Yonis. It's not about getting super. The NBA is about getting the right superstar. When KD. Kai re-arrived, remember what we said about the Nets a couple years ago? We talked about their chemistry and their coach and their bench and how everybody loved everybody. It was actually a heartwarming wrap your arms around it, NBA story. Well, the coach got fired, the bench got depleted. And it's too bad because when they play together, they've played 16 games together of the possible

124 and they almost always win them. But of course, Kyrie's often hurt. Katie is hurt too, which is a bummer because he's so great and Hardin now wants to quit again. This is a cautionary tale of it's not about getting a superstar. It's getting the right one. LeBron, Chris Paul, Janice, Steph Curry. This is the least shocking news that now Hardin is on the trip. trade block. Although as a rookie head coach, hands in the air, I'm not sure what he could have done, he discussed the trade rumors surrounding James Harden. I've talked to James. He wants to be here. He wants to be here long term as well. So I don't think anything's changed other than noise from the outside. James wants to be here.

We're building with James and we think we have the best chance to win with James. So, you know, I don't think anything's changed on the inside, in our life. locker room in our communication. It's just all the noise from the outside. Well, it is great to have you in. So Saturday, I took Friday off, Joyfield did a great job. Saturday, I come out skiing this weekend. And so Saturday night, I sat down and I thought, you know what, before I go to bed, I want to watch some NBA, and the Lakers and Knicks were on. It was a fantastic game. Maybe my favorite NBA regular season game, I watched every second of it. And Russell Westbrook got benched, And I know you think I'm very anti-Russel Westbrook.

I said I put my arms around the trade. I said it's not the trade I would have made, but he's productive, he's passionate, he'll play hard. And he doesn't get hurt a ton, and AD and LeBron do now. So I would take him in. But last Saturday was sort of the bottom of the experience in Los Angeles for Westbrook. I want to talk about that plus Nick Wright this hour coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific

on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I Heart Radio. 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, Clivert 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 Clivert 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-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at a podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm

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

Thank you 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 Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

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

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

Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. When a part of your offense isn't firing, it shows sometimes the only solution to replace that part with something new. That's why you should shop at eBay Motors. All the right parts, right price, $122 million of them, eBay Motors.com.

So if you told somebody over and over, especially a young person, you told a young person over and over, they were great and they were amazing, well, they would believe it. And so they, psychologists, child psychologists tell you as a parent, don't tell your kid how great they are all the time. I mean, you don't want to beat down on them all the time, right, right? But don't just tell them for doing regular kid stuff how amazing they are because it gives them a warped sense of reality, right? You know, doing the dishes does not make them a great kid. It makes them a kid, right? when they're like 12, 13, because we all had to do it. So I have found myself in a very strange place for the last six months,

defending Russell Westbrook. Russell Westbrook is a hyper-athletic, turnover-prone guard who is fun to watch, wildly inefficient at times, and regressing badly as I predicted he would. His game will not age well, Steph Curry will. But the media and many fans built Westbrook up beyond what he was, Even at UCLA, the Bruins could never figure out what the hell to do with him. He's just a great athlete.

But the year he won the MVP, I thought it was a complete and utter sham. Oklahoma City that year was a sixth seed. MVP for the triple double, he shot 42% from the field. He goose his rebounding stats, even teammates admitted it. And because of his ball usage rate, he gets lots of assists, but nobody's ever considered him an elite. passer. But the media elevated him to a Steph KD level, and it's just outrageous. He's never been that. Literally nobody gets better playing with him. And so fans now are booing him and mocking him and you are somewhat to blame because you have put him in a stratosphere that he's never

deserved to be in. I grew up with a guy named World Be Free. That's how old I am. I just dated myself and he was wildly entertaining and he had a lot of Russell Westbrook qualities. You had paid to watch him. He was fantastic. He never made anybody better. I think Russell's better than World Be Free. But he was never considered an MVP-level candidate. And for some reason, today's media has a soft spot for stories more so than any time in my life. And because KD ditched Russ, Russ, who had never worked in the playoffs. And that's how we judge all these great players. Is it not? That's why Michael Jordan, despite having an avalanche of evidence that, LeBron is better, we cling to Michael Jordan as the greatest because of six for six.

Westbrook's never worked in the playoffs. He's out of control, inefficient when his matter, can't shoot, turns it over too much, but I've acknowledged that since day one. And the media and many fans think he is this and that. And in the end, he's now just aging poorly and more of what he's always been. Fun, a little messy, wild, out of control. and for spurt's amazing. But it really bottomed out Saturday when he got the ball in his hands and the L.A. crowd was yelling for him not to shoot. Burks,

trying to contain Malik Monk, Westbrook, thought about it. Crowd kind of telling him no, and he missed it. I know it's all funny now, but I'll say it again. When Westbrook came aboard, my takeaway was, he'll give you what the Lakers desperately need. passion, production, and minutes when AD and LeBron don't play. Yes, Buddy Heald was a better fit, but Westbrook is more inclined to have a 28 to 30-point night, which L.A. can wrap their arms around.

Now the game is totally in his head. I mean, it's bad. Saturday night was a disaster, and I kind of felt bad for him. I know, I did. I kind of felt bad for him because I've never held him to an elevated level. he's just wildly athletic. UCLA couldn't figure it out. He shouldn't have been given an MVP.

He's never been in the class as a leader like Chris Paul, as a playmaker like Steph Curry or a Magic Johnson or even an Isaiah Thomas. But you put him there and now you're on him because he's not delivering to that level. Come on. You could see it coming years ago. I was five, six years down the road. I said he's going to age poorly. He's all about athleticism.

And now on certain nights, he's being a good. good sport. He's saying the right thing after games, but they benched him in overtime. It's in his head, and Anthony Davis talked about that after. He got to stay out of his own head. You know, he just got to continue to play and do the little things. That's what you have to do. You know, he has to, you know, got two days to kind of just get away and just, you know, try to lock back in, come to Woffey. But, you know, as a leader of team, me, Brian, that we try to, you know, just continue to talk to him and just make

sure that, you know, he's not in his own head and putting a lot of pressure on himself. I will say this. When Malik Monk, Anthony Davis, LeBron James are healthy on the floor, the Lakers are a fun watch. But this was an ill-advised trade. The only thing that made sense was Westbrook's production, passion, and minutes. And now that being benched is in jeopardy. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. If anyone is interested, I am not. But the Dolphins have. have found their new head coach. I'm very, I'm so angry at the Dolphins.

I can't even pretend to be excited about it. I'm wishing him well. Mike McDaniel, the 49ers offensive coordinator, has the job. He reportedly beat out Kellyn Moore for the job, which I do think this was the better hire of her Kellyn Moore, who I think he's done a nice job in Dallas, but, you know, the way that they finished compared to the Niners, I would say that Mike McDaniel did a better job. also having dealing with probably less talents with the Niners. So according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, McDaniel's contract is for four years,

but the salary isn't known at this time. The Niners will get two third round compensatory draft picks for McDaniels being hired. As the head coach, he also worked alongside Kyle Shanahan for most of his career, also McVeigh and LaFleur. So there are two jobs left open. Which are those? and the Texans. The Texans are...

I can't even... I feel bad for Houston. Honestly, there are fans... Like, when Al Davis, at the end, the last 10 years on the Raiders, I felt bad for Raiders fans. Like, you think it's dysfunctional now. I mean, it was...

Texans fans, like, there's no hope. Yeah, it's bad. It shouldn't take this long to figure out what you're going to do. The Saints, I'll get past two. I mean, we just found out that Sean Payton wasn't... It'll be there. They don't have a quarterback.

I'm sure they're in a little bit of a scramble. to find someone. The Saints have the best roster in that division. See, that to me is the Brian Flores place. If you look at what New Orleans has right now, it doesn't matter who the coach is, these quarterbacks are not the future. Can you give me structured defense with this?

Because I think this is going to be a division where if Brian Flores went in, I think he would, if they can figure the quarterback out, and by the way, this organization drafts really well, this to me feels like the Flores place. Plus, the NFL and the Saints have a really rocky relationship. And if they could stick it to the NFL and say, no, we're going to hire the guy that's suing you. I don't think it's off brand for the Saints.

That's the one where Flores makes sense. See, to me, Flores makes sense with the Texans and Byron Leff, which makes sense with the Saints. He knows the division. Do you not like Brian Flores? You want to take the Texans job? Well, it's also, it's Patriots South. Like, the whole front office is Patriots guys where he spent. most of his career. No, I don't necessarily wish that on Brian Flores, but I do think that he has the

ability to come in and establish some culture. We saw that with the dolphins, despite how things ended there. They did have some momentum with not a great roster. And I think Baron Leffut should be a good option for the Saints. So those are the two jobs that are still open. Obviously, Kevin O'Connell hasn't been officially hired yet, but we are assuming that he is getting that job. Offensive guy. And Mike McDaniel is now with the dolphins, and he has a big task ahead of him. So good luck there. So there has been some chatter that the Titans could be a possible landing spot for Aaron Rogers.

There was a report that he was building a house there. So maybe that's an option for him. But GM John Robinson wants everyone to know that they're sticking with Ryan Tannahill. He said Ryan's a pro. He knows how much he means to us. Traded for that guy, gave him an opportunity to start, new contract. And I think it's pretty apparent where he stands with us. He's our quarterback.

I don't know how many more times I got to say it. He won the division. He's won a lot of games. If you look at his numbers, they're better than about 70% of the league. I know we can react because he had a bad playoff game. And I understand that. Like, go ahead and yell and scream. But he's not a top 10 quarterback.

But he's somewhere between 10 and 15 to 10 and 16. And I'll say this. Aaron now is going to be, I think, Joy, 38 or 39. He's a massive cap hit. Aaron can be prickly and Mike Vrable has got no BS in him. I think Tannahill works for Vrable's personality really well. By the way, there's nothing wrong with Tennessee drafting a quarterback in the next two rounds. But this idea that I saw Tannahill going to New England and beat Brady, let's not make this out to be Tannehill can't play.

No, I don't think it's a city that he can't play, but he's not winning in big moments. And they have a great roster and lots of great pieces and had high expectations and they were the number one seed. this year in the AFC. So you can't fizzle out and throw three interceptions to the Bengals. Bad game. Who are now in the Super Bowl. So obviously not just like saying like it's the Bengals, but you can't do that.

You can't be the number one seed, throw three interceptions and fizzle out that way. And that's kind of, I think where Tennessee fans are a little bit frustrated that he's, he's not a bad quarterback, but he's not close enough to great to get over the hump. And so that's, why this is even a conversation. Now, he has a $29 million salary fully guaranteed for 2022,

so it's probably also why there's not been a question about moving him. And if they traded him before June 1st, it would trigger a cap hit of $28.4 million, which is massive. So they're going to stick with Ryan Tann Hill, as they probably should for this year. But I understand the frustrations when that's his way your season ends and you're the number one seat. So Doug Peterson said on Saturday that Trevor Lawrence's presence was a big reason why he agreed to go to Jacksonville. and Trevor Lawrence weighed in on how happy he was with the Peterson hiring. Obviously, he's had a lot of success. You know, his resume kind of speaks for itself.

And, you know, he's an offensive guy. You know, he played quarterback in the NFL. All those things, you know, make me really excited and something that I'm just excited to get to work with him and see what he brings to the table. So I think everybody's excited. Everybody's really relieved. You know, we got our guy.

And to be able to move forward and just go to work now is a good feeling. I'm really, remember this team beat Buffalo. There's players there. Peterson's played the game under Andy Reed, coached. This was one of those hires. I was happy for Trevor Lawrence. I wish Justin Fields and Zach Wilson, who got defensive coaches, could have this feeling because I think Peters can, what I think you're going to see is Doug is going to make Trevor the best Trevor can be at the NFL level.

I'm not making any promises on wins. But Trevor Lawrence now has a shot. He's got an offensive guy who played in the league. He understands the sensibility of offense and playing in this league is, think Trevor now will become the best version of Trevor, and that's all you can hope for. You can't make guarantees on Super Bowls. It's a lot to overcome, but we have seen when you get the right guy in place. I mean, this is, this is what I know Cincinnati fans would disagree that they're not as

dysfunctional as Jacksonville or Cleveland, but like Cincinnati's been really cheap and not had a lot of success. It's 33 years. That's quite a good amount of time. When you get the right guy, you can overcome all of that. Yeah. So I don't mind defense. offensive hires of the head coaching position, but I think when you have a young quarterback,

it's a little scary because you have a short amount of a small window to not only develop them and build around them, but see what you have in them and see if you can make a run with them while they're still affordable if they do end up being that guy. So I feel, out of everyone, I feel the worst for Trevor Lawrence last year. Like Trevor Lawrence came in, like most celebrated prospects in the league in years, maybe since Andrew Luck. And had no shot. A terrible situation had no shot, no chance to develop, complete dysfunction the entire time with an interim coach. And so I like this hiring a lot.

I know Jacksonville fans are a little torn on the trend. Bulky thing. I think Byron Lefich would have done a great job there. But honestly, if I'm Byron Lefich and I can't get aligned with the GM, I'm not going there. Why would you put yourself in that situation? He's going to get another opportunity. You don't want to go to a situation that's traditionally dysfunctional firing coaches and you aren't aligned with the GM. In one year, Byron Lefrich,

maybe the coach of Tampa. Let's be honest about it. Not getting the job in that space is not a terrible thing. Because I don't think Bruce Ariens going to be coached in four years, three years, maybe not too. And Jacksonville has the number one pick in this year's draft as well. So I think it's a good hire. It's a good situation for Trevor Lawrence. And I think Doug Peterson will do a good job there.

Good stuff. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Well, Nick Wright, we bring him on Wednesdays usually, but Super Bowl Week. I would give you Nick on Monday. That felt so redeemable. You get Nick early in the week to set the agenda for our show.

So I think you and I have the same opinion on this game. And I really do because I saw a note this morning. So talk about what you expect Sunday. And I think we're aligned on this. Okay, we are aligned, I believe. I think the Rams are the worst possible matchup for the Bengals. Now, with that said, let me say this on the front end. You know, once upon a time, America tuned in with bated breath to Collins Blazing Five.

That is, of course, since been overtaken by Nick's picks weekly on First things first, as I think I had the best record against the spread of anyone in the media. In these playoffs, Colin, I'm eight and one against the spread in non-Bengals games, and I'm 0 in the Bengals games. I've picked against them each time, and I've been wrong each time. so maybe Bengals fans can hold on to that bit of hope. But the way I look at it is this. Bengals have to beat you with their offense.

Jalen Ramsey's the best corner in football, so you can either single him on T. Higgins and double Jamar Chase and take both of your top two options away, or you can just put him on Jamar Chase. That's not good. The Bengals' offensive line, we know. We saw what Jeffrey Simmons and others did do it against in the Titans game. Well, now it's Aaron Donald.

and then Von Miller on one corner and Leonard Floyd on the other edge. I just feel like this is, of all the teams that could have won the NFC, the Rams are the worst possible matchup for Cincinnati. So I'm super excited for the game. And listen, Joe Burrow has been proving me wrong all year. You and I both were not as high on him the moment he graduated as everyone else. And then we both were sold on him within a month of his NFL career getting going. So it's not an anti-Burrow take.

I just think the Rams have so many advantages when Cincinnati has the ball that I think the Rams are, you know, in a really good position to beat them in a not particularly close game. If Burrow wins, and I know you are a fan of Patrick Mahomes, but he's 2 and O against Mahomes. And if he does win, what do we call Burrell? Where is he on the poll? No, if he wins, he gets to say he's the best quarterback in. football. Whether I would believe it or not, like, if Joe Burroughs football life of the last few years is undefeated college football champion Heisman Trophy, best statistical season ever, then injury, then Super Bowl champion, and en route to winning the Super Bowl, you go two and

oh against the best quarterback in football, Patrick Mahomes, then you get to be the best quarterback in football. Yeah. Like, I, that would be fair. Like these times. titles, Colin, I've told you many a time. I am dripping in what? Objectivity. So you say I'm a fan. I'm just a truth teller. And, you know, I know, I don't really know all your Mahomes opinions because I literally took my earpiece out during the break when we were playing some compilation of you crushing Mahomes. I said, they might have video of it. I said, I can't listen to this. I took it out and then I realized we were going to be on the air. But Burrow will have earned it if they win the Super Bowl. One last thing about this game before we move.

move on. I want the audience to know something. In vintage Colin Cowherd fashion. Yeah. Colin was off Friday, as you guys mentioned. Joy did a great job filling in. Colin, I want the audience to know this. I hope I'm not betraying the confidence. When Colin is off on a weekday, the takes still keep percolating and he needs someone to receive them. So I get a random right around the time your show would be ending phone call on Friday. I'm like, isn't Colin on vacation? Doesn't even say hello? America just launches into a Super Bowl take. Like it was like the valve, like a pressure valve was about to burst and he had to release

it. That's how you become Colin Coward. He was like, this take has to be given. I'm not on the air. I'm calling Nick. So I actually got a preview to the open of the show. It's 72 hours ago. It was great.

It's great. I got that Stafford Rogers take a few days ago. You actually did. All right. So we know how I stand on Westbrook. But what is your, what is your, what is your, what, you? have a problem with the Westbrook criticism or the meltdown here? How's it land for you? Listen, Russ has obviously been terrible, but about a week before, Cal Ripkin Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's

record. Brady, I looked it up this morning. Brady Anderson went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts. And I think it would have been pretty ridiculous when that's about to happen, Cal. To focus on, oh, Orioles, not as good as we thought, and Brady Anderson's a problem. LeBron James, this week, and I don't know. if anyone in the media knows, seemingly no one cares other than me, LeBron James this week is going to eclipse Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points ever scored in the history of basketball. Now, he won't break Kareem's regular season record until next season. But regular season plus playoffs, he's 75 behind Kareem. So if you throw in the play in, he's only 53 behind

but just take that out. That's going to happen this week. The guy on, on, Saturday night had damn near another 30 point triple double. He's averaging the most points he's averaged in 12 years. He's going to win the scoring title. It's the best year 19 or age 37 season by any player ever by a mile, by an absolute mile. And the fact that all of the Lakers discussion, oxygen is being sucked up by the fact that in a win, Russell Westbrook was bad and LeBron led them on a 21-point comeback and then sealed the game in overtime. It's just, I feel like we're missing the forest for the trees. I feel like in 15 years, when people talk about this Lakers team, the discussion point is going to be that LeBron, maybe the greatest athlete ever

lived, had the greatest late in the career season of any athlete we've ever seen. Not that Russell Westbrook was bad, but Russell Westbrook being bad has been the entire discussion point of the season, it seems. Yeah, no, I think it's a good point. Finally, you know, I was, I wouldn't say cynical. I would say I didn't think Kyrie Harden K.D. was going to work. I think K.I. I mean, when you bail on Brad Stevens and LeBron, to me, that's not somebody I would fasten my career to. I thought KD made a big mistake leaving Steph, one of the most selfless stars of my life. So I'm not shocked. But here we are. Writer wrong, here we are, how do you salvage this thing? What do you do if you're the Nets?

I think they get better if they trade Hardin for Ben Simmons and one other player, the Sixers, would have to put in there. I think Ben Simmons fits perfectly in Brooklyn. I don't think this would be, you know, some Hail Mary move. I think it's the right move. Here's where we're at with James Hardin. We always knew he was a different player in the Playoffs than in the regular season. Yes. But what you got was an absolute iron man, never got hurt, always played huge minutes on all the games, and a guy who could score at an incredibly high volume and when you include

the free throws and the threes really good true efficiency. Okay, what is he now? He's now a guy who was hurt last year at the end of the year. This year, the scoring is down, the efficiency is down, and what has happened? right now? Well, he is either hurt again or he's not actually hurt and he's just dogging it to force a trade. Either way, it's not a great option. So I don't think he wants to be there. I think that the experience in Brooklyn has not been what he thought it would be. And I actually think the Nets, but you can get the best version of Ben Simmons on the Nets with KD out there, Kyrie,

when he's available to play, spread the floor. He would look like Ben Simmons a few years ago, Colin, in the playoff games, Embed missed, when the court is spread and he can run the show in that regard. I think you have to do that. What I think is undeniable is this, Colin. If the Nets could get a do-over on the James Harden trade, they would.

You don't think they'd rather have Karis Levert, Jared Allen, who's basically an All-Star, and the seven first-round picks that they gave up either be a swap or outright. Plus, you had to let Dinwiddie walk. That trade is turning out to be a total disaster for them. If only there was someone that at the time was saying that when everyone was picking them to win,

I wonder who that person could have been who's never believed in the NFT nets. Oh, they're 13 and 3 when they play together. Colin, LeBron, AD, and Russ have played more games together than Katie, Kyrie and Hardin. Katie, Kyrie, and Hardin got a year head start. Yeah. And LeBron and AD have been hurt, and they've already eclipsed them in games. great seeing you buddy have a wonderful week on the show show is funny laugh out loud funny today first things first good seeing you man man

yeah it is it is interesting about that it goes back to the get the right superstar not the star and you know what's the old saying people will tell you who they are believe them kairie's told you who he is katie's told you who he is hardin's told you who he is when the going gets tough he's out all right but there is value to James Hardin's game. But, you know, don't put James Hardin's superstar and Kyrie in the Steph Curry class. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That is an affront to leadership and continuity and self-awareness and desire. Just don't all hoist him in the same class.

Although I do think Harden, I would take him over Kyrie. But now, you know, he, as Nick said, feels like he's kind of mailing it in. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd Weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LeVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada and Super Bowl champion.

Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game. We're going to be sharing our real-life experience. loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up On Game with me, LaVar Arington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexico Burris

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform 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-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 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness, in this 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 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, Keer 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. For some reason, fans struggle to admit they like glamour. They always tell you, oh, I love the underdog. You don't love the underdog. That's why you play the powerball. You don't want to be middle class.

You want to be rich. That's why people play. Go to Vegas. They play the lottery. They want more. And that's why when you put the Yankees in the World Series, the ratings go up. And when you put star quarterbacks in the Super Bowl, the ratings go up. I don't know why fans have such a hard time acknowledging we like favorites.

We like glamour with our sports. The Heedles, the numbers aren't as good since they weren't good. We like the Warriors. We like Shaq and Kobe. We like Magic's Lakers. We like glamour. It's okay to admit it. The NFL, it's almost hard to wrap your brain around.

The number one sports product in North America by a mile did not have a franchise in L.A. for 20 years. It's inconceivable. We didn't need. Oh, yeah. We got Jacksonville. I mean, do they have a Panera bread? We've got Buffalo. We had Oakland.

The new NFL is going to look a lot like Los Angeles because the league wants that to be the case. The reason L.A. got a team and they built it in Englewood, this gorgeous palace, is because of Jerry Jones, who understands marketing. Jerry stood up in front of every owner a profanity-laced eight-minute tirade, which was outrageously funny and outrageously Jerry, said, if you go to L.A., you got to go big. and SOFI is big. The new NFL going forward is going to have a lot of McVeigh and L.A. and gambling and offense and quarterbacks. And it is just scratching the surface. Years ago, I had lunch with an NBA general manager who said the NFL was in big trouble.

And I said, we like the gamble. It's going to explode. The NBA has since shrunk in terms of ratings and the NFL has exploded. the NFL wants its new league to have a lot of L.A. and a lot of glamour. And by the way, when you tell me that you're not into glamour, the two most popular teams, in my opinion, in the last 40 years in the NFL, were the 80s 49ers with Joe Coolant quarterback and Bill Walsh and Jerry Rice, and they were a progressive offense, and then Troy Aikman, Jimmy Johnson,

Emmett Smith, Dallas Cowboys. The Patriots were better in terms of a long dynasty, but they weren't as popular. You couldn't go anywhere on the West Coast without seeing Niners' jackets. It didn't matter. You could be in Missoula, Montana. You could have been in Yuma, Arizona. The Niners were massive for a decade or more nationally, but on the West Coast. They literally changed ratings.

And then the Cowboys in that kind of time also became massive. Well, those were glamour franchises. with superstar head coaches and superstar quarterbacks and Jerry Rice and Michael Lurvin. The Buffalo teams have never done that to ratings. I'm sorry, they haven't. So the NFL, what you're seeing in SOFi is what the NFL wants the league to be. That's nothing against Buffalo and Jacksonville and Green Bay. But Jerry Jones is the one that stood up with those owners and said,

if you go to Los Angeles, you got to go big. We can't have a league that has St. Louis and not Los Angeles. that has Jacksonville and not Los Angeles. St. Louis is a great city. It's a great baseball city. Joe Bucks from there. I may even still live there. It's a fine city. And everybody gets upset. But the NFL today is better because it's in Vegas. There's gambling. It's more offense. The rules are for offense. It's in Los Angeles. It's simply a better league. It is an entertainment product. And this is the entertainment capital of the U.S. And you can tell me that glamour doesn't matter. But the Dallas Cowboys don't even win big.

And they are the number one rated football game on five different networks virtually every year. So don't tell me it's about winning. And don't tell me you like underdogs. You like glamour. You always have. You like Brady. You like Mahomes. You like Farr.

And yeah, Farr was a country boy, but he had some glamour to him. I mean, he was John Madden's all-time favorite player without question. Colin right, calling wrong as we move into hour two on a Monday. I'm just in a mood today. I get you taking Friday off. I'm going at thousand miles an hour. Jimmy Johnson's around the corner, too. Live in L.A.

On a Monday, it's The Hurt. 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 Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to bowl 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 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 Clifers 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 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.