The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - The Bears had a good draft

Episode Date: April 29, 2024

Colin explains why the Bears had a surprisingly great draft and the clear message the Cowboys were sending with theirs The Bills and the 49ers are sending a message to their WRsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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one of the best non-football season weekends of the year. A lot of the big names in the NBA, if the Nuggets beat the Lakers tonight, Steph's out, KD's out, LeBron's going to be out, and Bede's about to get vanquished. and shoved out. All the big stars in the NBA, the old guys, the superstars, are getting bounced and hear all the young kids taking over.

It's Jaylon Brunson's time, baby. Anthony Edwards' time. Yeah, it's a good time. Let's start with the NFL draft. So I'm not a big believer that you can forecast who had the best NFL draft. I don't know how fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh rounder is going to do. But I have felt through the years I can be more accurate assessing who won the first. the draft if I combine your free agent moves with your top two or maybe three picks,

then my accuracy on grading what you did, looking how you improved much easier. And using that, the Chicago Bears more than any NFL team will simply look different. They upgraded personnel more than any NFL franchise, almost all of it on offense. one team, the Chicago Bears, between Keenan Allen, DeAndre Swift, Gerald Everett, Caleb Williams, Roma Dunzee, that's a grown-up group. And because the division is now so stacked offensively,

go look at Minnesota's offensive personnel, Green Bayes in Detroit, there's only one way to win in that division and it's not defense. You're going to have to outscore people. Three offensive coaches and the Bears have a defensive coach. So last season, the Chicago Bears were 27th in passing. They're not going to look anything like that this season.

They were a terrible fourth quarter team. They could not play from behind. You have to be able to play from behind, especially in a division, with three offensive coaches and stacked offensive rosters. The Bears couldn't last year. But now they have two legit receivers and now a rookie who could be a third. Two legit tight ends. NFL productive.

A good running back. Two legitimate tackles. And yes, a much better quarterback. It's not close. Caleb Williams is significantly more talented, more accurate than Justin Fields. So the first time I can ever remember, the Bears having a top 7, 8, 9, 10 offensive personnel group. This is a real team, a real offense. and if you count free agency and your top couple of picks, no NFL team,

and it's the right side of the ball will look more different than the Chicago Bears. And the man, the architecture, Ryan Poles, GM of Chicago, talked about it. I think we made huge strides forward. There's work to be done. But, you know, this is an impact draft for this organization, for sure. Everything fell in the place. I would have never guessed that it would have lined up the way that it did. So we're all excited.

A lot of hard work went into it and it paid off for sure. Now it's time to start a new chapter for this organization. One of the best receiver groups in the league, one of the most talented quarterbacks, better than average tight end, a running back that can catch. Poles is a former offensive lineman. I like both their tackles. This is the way. This is the side of the ball.

and no team upgraded more than the Chicago Bears if you count free agency and their top couple of picks. That I can guarantee. The other takeaway from the offseason free agency and draft is the opposite end of the spectrum, the Dallas Cowboys, who did not get any better in free agency. They had no money because they're overpaying DAC and did not draft a running back, although they need two desperately. and they need another receiver or three,

and they only got one in the sixth round. They will be more dependent on Dak Prescott than ever before. And there are basic lines that we know are true. If Dak doesn't get 100 yards run support, he's got a losing record. Dak has feasted on losing teams in the NFL. And with Philadelphia, signing A.J. Brown, Devante Smith,

and acquiring Saquan Barkley, and upgrading coordinators, you better be ready and you better have ammo. And Dallas signed Zeke, who is washed. We saw it in New England. So don't confuse tanking with strategy. Billionaires would rather have an average season, but maintain leverage. I mean, Jerry's not going to Super Bowls in the last 25 years anyway. What he doesn't want to do and the reality of how Jerry Jones has lived the last

several years is paying a B quarterback A plus money. And he does not want to do that again. He would rather sacrifice this season. They'll be good. They won't be terrible. They've got too many good players. It's the NFC. It's weak.

Washington, New York still kind of rebuilding teams, right? But Jerry does not want to lose leverage again like he did last time on DAC and massively overpay for him. And the rumors and the numbers that DAC wants is $55 to $60 million a year. That's Mahomes territory. And he's not close. So what did the Cowboys do? Didn't draft a young running back, didn't really attack receiver.

They rebuilt their offensive line for deck, perhaps, or the next quarterback. I thought it was strategy. I'm not in a contract year going to let your number soar. Hey, Mahomes won a Super Bowl without a number one receiver. You've got a number one receiver. You have a more than capable head coach. You want a Super Bowl. You've got a good solid B, B minus B plus tied in.

but we're going to build the offensive line. That's how we got you to be 13 and 3 when you entered this league. I thought it was a strategy draft, and I don't disagree with it. But billionaires do not like losing leverage. They'll lose football games. They're okay losing football games. They don't like losing leverage. And Jerry wants leverage in negotiations.

And my guess is when you take Dax run game away, his numbers drop. And that's what Jerry. Now, you can win games. and they can win games with that new old line and that defense, but it won't be a DAC-led team because we know the truth is when DAC has to be the centerpiece of the offense without a great run game. And Zeke's not the answer.

Here is Jerry afterwards on their draft. Relatively, we have given ourselves a chance to be better at the end of next year than we were at the end of this year. because I'm figuring in now some young guys that last year didn't play as much as they're going to be playing this year and some of the positives there. We're in a situation where these young players, where their first, second, third year guys, they've got to start carrying the mail for the Cowboys. Yeah, you're not the Lions. You got whacked by the Packers in a playoff game. You're not the Rams anymore.

You're not the Niners. Forget the Chiefs, Bill's Ravens. Jerry knows the truth here. This is going to be a completely DAC led offense, and there'll be limitations in a contract year. All right, lots to talk about in the NBA. Joel M.B., Joe L.M.B. not happy that a lot of Nick fans bought tickets and were at the Philadelphia game.

I'd worry more about you than the fans, just me. But I've been told for years that Joe L.M.B. is a superstar. I've been assured he is MVP over Yokic, even though Yokic analytically is a much better player. But once again, I watch a series, and Ambid is not even the best player in the series. Jalen Brunson is. Last year, second round against Boston. He shot 28% in the deciding game. How about yesterday?

How about this series? Do you know what he's shooting in the fourth quarter in this series? Against the Knicks? 17%. You keep telling me he's one thing, and I keep seeing he's another. And somebody said it on the internet. Apologies for not noticing who, but he plays small. He's out there on their perimeter defensively.

He's out there handling the ball and shooting. Zero factor in the fourth quarter. Not only is he shooting poorly in the fourth quarter, do you realize that he has only two rebounds in the series in the fourth quarter? He shrinks. That's why you pay a superstar. That's why you paid MJ or magic. or LeBron or Steph.

It's not for the first eight minutes. It's for the last five. He's not scoring. He's not rebounding. And the Knicks are cleaning up on the offensive glass. Now, the Knicks are a very diligent, hardworking, aggressive team that rebounds offensively very well. But they're rebounding offensively even better against Embed.

That can't be the case. When you got a guy that's the MVP and year after year. And by the way, it's okay if you're kind of a big. man's kawai where you're a good basketball player but you're not foundational you're not a cornerstone guy you're not going to you're not going to carry me through the playoffs you're your injuries that's okay but i've been sold that you are and this series has created absolute inarguable clarity he's a really good basketball player but he's way closer to kawai than he is to lebron and that's okay and afterwards what did he say he was bummed out about

Nick fans outnumbering Sixer fans. Here's Joe. I love our fans. I think it's unfortunate. I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans, and they're down the road, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. So, you know, they've always shown up, and I don't think that should happen.

Yeah. It's not okay. By the way, maybe Nick fans only an hour and a half down the road went to the game because they've been hopeless for a decade and now they're hopeful. Whereas Philadelphia with Embed has always been hopeful, but this morning feels hopeless. So if you're selling me on one thing, okay, I'll listen to the sales job. But when I'm seeing something different than you're selling me, that's clarity. And we can just say, and it's fine, there's LeBron up here, there's quirky Kauai down here. and then beads in the latter.

That's the category he's in, which is fine. It's still a very good player in the NBA. I will say this about the Knicks. Jalen Brunson, there was arguments. Is he an A? Is he a one? Very few times in NBA history has the small guy led a team to a championship. Isaiah Thomas, Steph Curry.

Now, we don't know if Jalen's going to get you there, but there's no question watching the series who the soul of the series is, who the best player in the series is, who is the last player. who's the leader of the series? Who's the heartbeat of the series? It's Jalen Brunson, not Ambid. Not just on the outcomes, but when you watch the game, the relentlessness of Brunson fits New York style.

And Ambide plays small and Brunson plays big. That's how it comes across to me. Jemak, what a weekend. Yeah, I mean, listen, Jalen Brunson. Remember he's everything Carmelo Anthony was supposed to be. Remember how Anthony he was supposed to be the Nick Xavier and the superstar? It's Jalen Brunson, Colin. And by the way, you know, we saw Kevin Durant get bounced last night.

Kevin Durant would look like a real good number two to Jalen Brunson's number one in New York next year. I don't think that's crazy. I thought about that this morning. No, Kevin Durant likely will get traded this offseason. Get a bucket from Durant. I don't need him to be cornerstone Durant. Yeah. He ain't going to be the leader in the huddle.

We know that. Well, he wasn't in Golden State and that's the most success he's had. It's crazy how the NBA works like Durant isn't a one. He couldn't win anywhere as a one. Okay, C, Brooklyn. Phoenix, but it's a two amazing, right? That's for years, I said, Anthony Davis is the greatest two in league history. I'm not going to build around him, but he's remarkable player.

Anthony Davis is a remarkable player. Some guys don't have the personality, like Kauai, Kevin Durant, M. B'd. Nobody's disputing. They're great. Brunson's got the game and the personality and the emotional character. Wherewithal? That's a one. Curry's a one.

LeBron's a one. I think Luke has got a lot of one. He can drive me crazy, but I think he's a one. People are too fixated on height. Oh, you can't be a small guard. It's about what's in here, the heart. And Brunson has that like we've never seen. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

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

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball. basketball to college football or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us every. he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah. You figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Buffalo said Stefan Diggs, like you, we're moving on. And the San Francisco 49ers also sent a message this weekend.

They drafted two receivers. I watched them both play this year. Both are NFL players. Ricky Piersall in the first round, Jacob Cowing, later rounds from Arizona, one of the Pac-12's better players. San Francisco sent a message to Debo Samuel and Brandon Ayyuk. You guys are really good and we really like you, but you're not the reason we're winning. it's Kyle Shanahan, it's Christian McCaffrey, it's Trent Williams, it's the defense,

it's the physicality of the franchise, play design and play calling. No Kyle Shanahan offense is going to be led and dependent on a moody wide receiver. So especially in 2020, to give you some sense of how much over the last half decade, wide receivers has grown in talent and abundance, 10 of the first 37 picks in this draft, 10 of 37 were wide receivers. The well-run Eagles backed up the Brinks Trump to not just Devante Smith, but A.J. Brown. Teams are signing two receivers to huge deals. So teams are not going to be trapped or beholden to receivers that go on Instagram.

This is not the NBA. They're not going to do that. There are positions that are really valuable and there's a scarcity of talent. There are those positions in the NFL. You still need running backs and generally there's not a ton of them. But if you go to last year's draft, fifth round Puka Nakua for the Rams, third round tank Dell for Houston, both became stars. The top 10 wide receivers last year in the NFL in terms of yards,

half of them, five of 10, were still on their rookie contract. So racing to your Instagram, going out and publicly shaming a team, or being difficult, they will move off you. Now, this was a great left tackle draft. Generally, there are a premium on left tackles because there's about one to two great ones a draft. This year there may have been seven to eight. Quarterbacks, on average, we get one to two great ones a year. This was a big quarterback year. But I thought the San Francisco 49ers just sent a message.

We're not going to be beholden to wide receivers. This is a Shanahan team. It's a Trent William team. It's a Christian McCaffrey team, a George Kittle team. That does not mean IUC isn't talented. It's not that Debo Samuel is not valuable. That's not what they're saying. But what they're saying is there's an abundance at this position.

Our DNA at our core is Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey. And they went and got two wide receivers. Here's J. Mack with the news. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, let's start with the Lakers. Big game five tonight in Denver. How about that game four wins Saturday night?

I know you were locked in. Impressive stuff for Darwin Ham. LeBron James, everybody. And game five in Denver tonight, LeBron is making sure his team takes it one game at a time. The only opportunity for us is just to play the next game. We've given ourselves another life. We give ourselves another lifeline.

And it's a one game series for us. You know, so Monday's game, I believe it's Monday. Yeah, Monday's game is the most important game of the season for us. And we understand that and we know that. So, you know, what's that stake? You know, if you lose, you're done. If you win, you keep going. Yeah.

Well, Jamal Murray, is he a game time decision tonight? Yep, he is questionable with a calf strain. It looked like it was giving him problems at the end of game three. He's not had a great series. I mean, obviously, he had a game winning shot at the buzzer, so you can't rip the guy. But, Colin, I think the craziest stat of the playoffs so far, through four games in the series,

the Lakers have led for 136 of 190. 92 minutes. If this were boxing, it's not, and we're grading rounds, quarters, the Lakers are winning this series. They have been the better team. I know people don't want to hear that, but they have been. We've said this going into the series, that they match up with them very well. They don't

have the closers. Porter can hit a shot. Murray can hit a shot. Yokic can hit a shot. LeBron at the end of these games and AD sometimes look gassed because Delo doesn't show up or Rui doesn't show up. Playoff series, when you have two evenly matched teams, come down to the final six minutes.

Denver's the much better final six minutes team. But they do match up. I mean, Lakers are one of the few teams. Minnesota is another that can go toe to toe at Denver in terms of size and length. There's only a few teams in the league that can do it. Boston, I think, probably can. Milwaukee could. Lakers could.

Minnesota could. But they're a big team that's a hard matchup. But L.A. matches up very well for most of the game. In a season where we've seen more 20 and 30-point comebacks than ever before in NBA history, Why can't we see a comeback from down 3-0? Listen, this Denver team does not have a bench. They don't have a bench at all. Their bench is giving them nothing in this series.

You think the Lakers have a great bench? I don't think it's over. Well, Tori and Prince played basically the entire fourth quarter over Rui Hachimura. Hachimura was based benched in the game four. Probably. That's what the gambling line says. I think nuggets are four. It feels light.

You take the nuggets? I would take the nuggets to win in cover. I haven't really touched this series. I'm just sorry. My eyes are telling me that the Lakers are not done. Again, you can't say they're going to win four in a row. By the way, a lot of teams lead the Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowls. They keep winning them.

Yeah, no, no, certainly. Lakers have a massive uphill climb. Yeah. Niners, it's funny how this works with Kansas City. They trail all the time. They get outplayed all the time. When it's over, they always win. For the sake of the show, what do you want to happen?

Let me reframe it. What do I want to happen? Yeah. Well, I think it's fascinating. If LeBron gets knocked out, Curry's out, KD's out, this is officially the changing of the guard. You watch OKC in Minnesota and you watch Indiana. This is the season.

You're watching an NBA pivot. Dame's going to be out. Older guys. Steff's out. LeBron's out. I said for the sake of the show, you want LeBron in the playoffs as long as possible. You know that. You're not leading the show with OKC, Colin.

You're not doing that. You're not leading the show with the Cleveland Cavs. You're just not doing it. OKC. I'm going to lead my show with OKC plenty of times over the next decade. Next decade? I think their runway is long. Those guys are better than I thought quick.

We knew they were good. We all knew OKC was talented. They're better faster than we thought. I'll give you Anthony Edwards because he's got some Jordan vibes going on. But I will not give you OKC. You're not leading the show with F. SGA and Shed Hold on. I'm sorry, not happening.

Next up, Dallas Mavericks, Colin. They killed me yesterday. man. Down 31. Basically, Kauai, oh, he's not going to play. Matt thought it was a rattle. They didn't show up. They were down 31 points, yet they came back to take a lead with three minutes left. That was one of the craziest fourth quarters ever. I mean, that game... It was wild.

Unbelievable. Now, an underplayed angle is Luca Donchich is injured. He is dealing with a right knee injury. He got cooked on the perimeter. Remember, he was so good defensively in game two. And then something happened in game three. Isn't it interesting that Luca, who's not... number one in the NBA in usage rate is breaking down in the playoffs. Well, I don't know. Well, I mean, if you go to the history of usage rate for years and years, Hardin would get to the second round of the playoffs late first round. He ran out of gas.

Luca number one in the NBA, usage rate is breaking down. Like, it's a real thing here. This is what the late Kobe Bryant used to tell them when they ask. Like, you can't win titles dominating the ball. You're a human being. You'll run out of gas. So Luca's breaking down. Can a 25-year-old break down? Yes. Yes. I mean, do you understand how long and hard the NBA is? You can play 100 games against the world's best athletes.

I don't care how old you are. I mean, LeBron figured this out early. If you have teammates, let them eat. Badiye, Ray Allen. Now Tim Hardaway's out, injured, easy. He's one of their top six, seven players. Anyways, Luca is not having a great series. 38% shooting, 26% for three.

He talked about how he's letting down Kyrie Irving. I just got to help him more. I feel like I'm letting him down, so I got to be there. I've got to help him more. He's given everything that he has. He's been amazing for us, the whole series. I got to take advantage of that and it just makes my life easier that he's on the court. Well, you also, Kyrie, you know who guards Kyrie, be it a Westbrook or a Hardener, poor defenders.

Who's guarding Luca? The Clippers have excellent wing defenders. They're not great in the back court defending. So, I mean, there's a reason Kyrie's having the series he's having, and Lucas didn't forget how to shoot a basketball. The clippers have wing defenders in length, and they're a hard matchup for Luca. I mean, Kyrie Irving, let's be real. I know you and I aren't huge fans. I'm not a huge fan.

I think he's an amazing player. He's an amazing player in the series. Hart has been great. By the way, we've said this before. For whatever reason, there was this narrative, playoff Paul. Playoff P, Paul George. Like, he wasn't a good playoff. But if you go look at Paul George, regular season.

season numbers and playoff numbers, they're very similar. So he was great yesterday. He had a big three. Yeah, I mean, people for years banged on him because he couldn't beat the heedles. He had Roy Hibbert. It was he, George Hill, and Roy Hibbert, and you're like, why can't he beat the heedles? And it's like, yeah, I mean, when you ask a player in the NBA to carry a series, they're

not going to do it. So it's like, Paul George is, oh, I was one of my favorite players in the league, and it's like, now he's got help, he's fresh in the fourth quarter, and he hit big shots yesterday. It's just tough for me to watch a guy like Jalen Brunson absolutely dominate a Sixers team by himself largely. I mean, Josh Hart was 0 for 7. And we can't see other guys

do the same thing. I think the system has a lot to do with it. And for whatever reason, like Lucas struggling in this playoff system, this series, he's been great against Clippers. It's a tough matchup because of the personnel by the Clippers. It's a very deep roster with a lot of good athletes that have length. I still have Mavs in the series who you got?

I would say the Clippers. I always I feel the Mabs are all obsided because they have two great scores, and then there's a major drop-off to like PJ Washington. Whereas I feel the clippers on any night, Hardin could go big, Kauai could go get Paul George, Westbrook off the bench could give you 20. Norman Powell is. Norman, he's been good for years. Norman's good player.

Final story is the Vikings. They got their quarterback and J.J. McCarthy introduced him to the team and the media, and he's getting ready to know his teammates now. McCarthy said Justin Jefferson reached out to give him some advice on coming into the league and said he's really excited to get a connection going with JJ. Interesting talk from McCarthy and the chatter. Like, Justin Jefferson reaching out to him if he's going to be the backup? I'm telling you, I think he's starting week one.

You got Sam Donald as your guy, huh? Yeah, I mean, one of the things that was obvious about this draft is that it was Michael Pennix, not J.J. McCarthy, that four teams wanted to move up from. Minnesota needed a quarterback, and yet they moved out one spot. Three teams, four if you count Atlanta, would have drafted Michael Panics in the top ten. So all that chatter, it's a learning moment. All the chatter about panics falling to the second was all subterfuge. That was all a smokescreen so that people, right?

Because the media just, you give them a little bone and they just chew that thing forever. what we found is, as Jim Harbaugh tried to build up all this momentum and urgency for J.J. McCarthy, the league didn't listen. Everybody looked at tape and went, he's a game manager who could develop into something, whereas the league looked at Pennix and went, bro, that's a starting quarterback in the NFL very quickly. So what did we learn about the draft? All that JJ McCarthy is the third best quarterback, maybe second, nonsense. That's not what the draft showed you. It showed you that multiple teams love Pennix, but they sent messages out. he wasn't ready for the NFL.

Four teams wanted him in the top ten. I need to call a 22nd timeout. Do we remember who those four teams were? Because not all teams are created equal, Colin. You know this. I'm going to go ahead and say, if Kevin O'Connell, who you call what, the Tall McVeigh, if he identifies McCarthy as the guy I want,

and I'm willing to wait for him. I'm not moving up for any of these other guys. I trust his word more than, sorry Raiders fans. Who were the other team? Falcons, what are those guys know? What are they ever done? Saints. Seahawks.

The coach is terrible. What are you talking about? You bag on Dennis Allen all the time. Well, Minnesota's not exactly dominated this division. Yeah, but Kevin O'Connell, though, is the guy who trusts. Even Kevin O'Connell. If he truly loved J.J. McCarthy would have moved up more than a spot and given up a mid-rounder. McCarthy knew. Kevin O'Connell knew the truth.

They're all watching the same film. If he, his whole thing was, McCarthy can work. If you look at the way the Vikings are built, they're built for the kids. quarterback to come in and sit. That's what they're built for. And McCarthy's a guy that I think Kevin O'Connell looks at and thinks, he needs to sit. He needs to sit for a year. Everybody I trust in this business says, Drake May and J.J. McCarthy are not ready week one to play. Bo Nix, panics, all their college starts. Jaden Daniels, Caleb, are ready to play. Bo Nix may have a lower ceiling. He's ready to play. J.J. and Drake May need a year of refinement.

That's what I hear from all my guys. It's possible. Now, if JJ starts and gets Justin Jefferson, that's like Burrow getting Chase. And if Drake May ends up getting Brandon Ayuk in New England, that's a superstar. I mean, he was an all-pro receiver. Like, that changes the equation pretty dramatically. I think J.J. McCarthy is going to succeed because of where he landed more than he's just an Uber town. Now, McCarthy goes to the Raiders.

It's not going to work. Right. Yeah. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. Thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. All right, New England Patriots post Belichick.

I loved what they did. And it's the opposite of what Bill's been doing in recent years. Plus, Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, good one, long one, top of the hour. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. What do you get when you combine a three-time manager of the year at a three-time national sports writer of the year? It's the Book of Joe podcast. Hey, this is Tom Verducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network and Sports Illustrated. And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games, and what may have occurred in the dugout, maybe in the 1980s. I can't wait for this, Joe. We're going to dive into what goes on in the dugout and behind the scenes in Major League Baseball.

Cars, whined, whatever else we want to talk about. Listen to the Booker Joe podcast on the IHeart Radio app, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

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

Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement

to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the same,

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. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't Don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tonight on FS1, it's an AL Central showdown in Chicago as the twins take on the White Sox. It all begins at 70s turn on FS1. So again, very difficult to judge the draft because I, you know, I watched, most of the guys drafted around one, two, three. I got a sense of who they are.

Free agents, we know who they are. But I did like what New England did, just sort of theoretically. So Bill Belichick, I know everybody loves him, was allergic to offense. He's got great stories. That's awesome. He's the best defensive coach ever. That's also great. He doesn't know what he's doing offensively with personnel.

The last eight draft will tell you this. So Gerard Mayo, one of his better players comes in. He's the new coach. Seven of eight picks, offense. The first five picks, offense. I've watched most of these guys play. It's the anti-Belichick draft. So last year, Bill Belichick, even with the slowest, least dynamic, receiving core, tight-end core in the league, that's not disputable.

Started the draft with a corner, a defensive tackle, and a linebacker, later drafted multiple guards and a kicker. They did nothing to help Mack Jones. Gerard Mayo comes in, offense, offense, offense, offense, with Elliott Wolfe. So the Houston Texans, for the record, their general manager, worked under Belichick for years. How is it that the Houston Texans over the last two years have been so good in personnel, drafting in free agency, with the same guy in New England, and they butchered it?

Because Belichick had his thumb on Nick Casario. The young man goes to Houston. Houston now is one of the models of personnel of the last two drafts and last two free agency periods. So I don't know how good Drake May is going to be, but they're setting him up to succeed. And, you know, the other thing is, if you look at Mac Jones, and I think we all admit now, he was a Pro Bowl is his first year,

but there was a ceiling with Mac Jones. And Drake May is a bigger, stronger guy with better mobility. He's a better athlete, he is. But they didn't do anything to help Mac Jones. They overpaid for possession receivers and overpaid for mediocre tight ends. I mean, they brought in Zeke, who was washed running back. They did nothing to help him. They made the offensive coordinator, Matt Patricia.

So I don't think Mack Jones was ever going to be Patrick Mahomes, but you've got to help these young guys out. And whether or not Drake May makes it, I don't know. But this draft was built to help the young guy. Speed, receivers, linemen, built to help the young guy. I mean, Belichick let Jacoby Myers go, who was universally thought of as their most talented receiver and their hardest working. They let him go. They let Joe Tuny go. The best interior offensive linemen New England's had in a decade.

So I don't know if Gerard Mayo's going to make it. I don't know if Drake May is going to make it. But they're giving the kid a shot. Belichick did nothing to help Mack Jones. Probably the only thing he did I liked, he moved off Cam Newton. Remember the second year in camp? He's like, we're going to go with Mac Jones. That's what you do.

But after that, it was almost like Mac Jones was working against the franchise. And here's the new Patriots coach. We go into the draft with the needs. Obviously, we had a lot of needs on the offensive side of the ball. And I think Elliott and Groh and Alonzo and all those guys did a great job. Our scouting department collaborating with our coaches did a good job, really targeting people, really on both sides of the ball. But we know that to win games in this league, you have to have a productive offense.

So that was the focus going on. So we know in the last 20 years. We know this. We have all the data on it. Last 20 years. round quarterbacks are a 50-50 proposition. But if you go back and look at the ones that have succeeded, almost without exception, though there are some exceptions, they've gone to the better organizations.

Baltimore, Kansas City, you know, the Rams, that's the guys that have succeeded. Then there are the players like Trevor Lawrence who doesn't go to an elite organization or Justin Herbert and they're so good they can get into the playoffs. But there's almost no chance for a B prospect to flourish when you don't give them help. I mean, J.J. McCarthy, in my opinion, and in the opinion of the NFL GMs, Drake May is more talented than J.J. McCarthy. Right? But J.J. McCarthy has a much greater opportunity to flourish in Minnesota than Drake May does in New

England. I did like this draft, though. It's the anti-Belichick draft. It was receivers, skill people, offense. I mean, last year they go corner linebacker and defensive tackle, kicker and two guards. When all they had is possession receivers. You're not giving Mack Jones a fighting chance. Speaking of a fight and chance, the sons didn't have one.

Now, this is very typical of the NBA. The players are leaking stuff for Phoenix today, blaming Frank Vogel for the loss. It's so NBA. It hurts. But I was thinking about this this morning is Phoenix got swept by the T-Wolves. And it's weird because Phoenix faced the T-Wolves in the regular season, I think, three times, beat them all three times by double digits.

But we know the regular season and the post-season, NBA is a different sport. But, you know, take LeBron James out of it. When's the last time a super team worked? It is really difficult to microwave success in the NBA. The top three seeds in the West. Denver, OKC in Minnesota, they put them in the oven. They baked for years. They didn't microwave them.

In the east, the Celtics, Tatum and Jalen Brown, that's their core. They've added pieces. They've subtracted pieces. That's their core. The sons are a great message to other owners and GMs. Baking in the oven beats the microwave. The basketball culture in America, as we've noted several times, AAU basketball has gone south.

That's why the best players are now Europeans. Everybody wants to get their bag. This guy gets a bucket. The sun's losing is great for all of us that think AAU basketball is hurting the sport. The sun's losing is a win for roster construction, patience, chemistry, the oven over the microwave. For the record, that was the old NBA, which so many people loved. first round of these playoffs down 11% from last year. And the numbers have been going down for several years.

Trying to microwave stuff, stars on top of stars, I didn't think Phoenix was going to win the West. I didn't think Phoenix was going to win the title. But I thought they'd be super viable and fun and exciting. And this team looked like Katie and Brooklyn. It was a lot of talent, but they didn't play together that much. They were streaky good for a week to 10 days. Then they wouldn't be available.

So I think it's a great example. it's a referendum on KD to a large degree as well, but I think it's a bigger referendum, and it's a message. It's a cautionary tale that just microwaving in this league, take LeBron out. LeBron's an all-timer. LeBron's different.

Take him out. You'd have to go back to like the Celtics with KG and Ray Allen, where you can kind of microwave it and win. And they got one title. They were great, but they got one. By and large, slow, patient, draft, develop, up, stick with your coach.

You bring these stars in. Look at what they're doing to Vogel. They already want Vogel out. That's not the answer. That's not the answer with the sons. Here's a booker after. Roster-wise, you know, everybody talks about the firepower, but, you know, you look around the league. It comes down to the details.

I don't want to keep saying that, but it's a super important thing. You can't just go out there and think you're going to win off talent. you know, the game is more complicated than that. Yeah, it really is. But you start looking at the NBA now. And I'm not knocking it, but it is the reality. I think this is why the NBA is going to Amazon for their new package. They want to go get streaming money because they know they've got issues right now with their product,

which is leaning heavily toward European players, which I love, I love their game. I love seven-footers that can shoot threes. I love the passing of Yokic. I love the international players. GA, Canada, Luca, whatever it is. I love the players. But NBA is saying, we're going to take the Amazon money. Basically, we're going to take the money.

Because right now, if you start looking at it, Steph, LeBron, KD, and Bede's going to be toast, dame's going to be out of it. It's a lot of O.KC in Minnesota. Now, Aunt Edwards is fun, but it's Minnesota. It's not a basketball hotbed. If you walked up to the average person in America on the street and said, hey, you want to talk about Aunt Edwards and SGA? and Chet Hongren. They don't know who they are. We're sports people.

Janus Lillard are probably out as well. So it's, and I'm, listen, I like the way Denver plays. I think I predicted Denver, Boston in the finals. I will say this, though. I will say this. I think Denver and Boston are getting to the championship. Minnesota matches up with Denver. They really do. They match up with Denver.

So that series, I don't know, I don't think O KC does. I think Minnesota, though, matches up with the nuggets. And they could chip away at them as Boston flies through, comes out well-rested in the East. So to your point on microwaving a title, I went back and looked at the Sun's roster. Remember the Suns went to the finals against Janice and the Bucks. Yeah. Okay. Devin Booker, homegrown talent.

They drafted him. McHale Bridges, homegrown talent, drafted. DeAndre Aten, Home-Gone, drafted. Cameron Johnson, also drafted by the Suns. they just added Chris Paul and he took them to the next level. You do need homegrown, but it's just like with the stocks, Colin. Nobody wants to buy and hold stocks. They want a day trade.

They want the stuff that's going to go to the moon. They want Bitcoin. Boston's done it right. They've kept their core guys. And they had Marcus Smart as a core guy. And then they basically went and got a better version of Marcus Smart, Drew Holiday. But he was the same kind of player, defense first, offense second. Less of a chucker.

A little bit, yeah. But basically the core of, and then, you know, they've kept Horford, but they, poor Zingas they bring in. But the core, the essence of what the Celtics are. They have draft picks. They have two great all-star players. That's Denver, Oklahoma, Minnesota. Now, Minnesota's, they brought in Mike Conley, right? What's funny about Minnesota is the league was talking about small ball.

They went twin towers. They went huge size. You look at it now and you're like, Phoenix did not match up. I mean, Dallas and the Clippers, they're, moments you like both teams. There wasn't five minutes in the Sun's T-Wolv series, and I watched three of the four games completely. There wasn't five minutes of the series.

I thought Phoenix matched up with them at all from the very beginning. The problem is that regular season, Sons beat them three times, three and O. By 10 points or more. Each time, so it just shows the regular season, file this away, because I bricked. I had the Sons winning the series. I don't know, man. Minnesota, you're right. Is a good matchup for Denver.

They got McDaniels on the wing. they got Rudy Gobert. Huge size. I do think if you look salary cap, some of the capologists have looked at it. The T. Wolves owner, who's notoriously frugal, does not like to go into the tax.

They will be massively into the tax after this season. So there's a chance like this is their chance, and they'll probably try to unload Carl Anthony Towns after this. But I'll tell you, Carl Anthony Towns has done himself favors. I mean, he's a clear number two. He's a hard matchup. Yeah. When he's not in foul trouble, he's a handful.

There's a little Rashid Wallace where you're like, oh, that's good. It's just like, you know, he's going to get his points. He's just a hard guy to match up against. All right, Colin Wright. Colin Wrong. Top of our number two next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 Acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast. The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

Guaranteed Human.