The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - The Lakers miss out again

Episode Date: July 2, 2024

Doug Gottlieb fills in for Colin discussing Klay Thompson's decision to leave the Warriors for the Mavericks  Thoughts on Jayson Tatum's huge deal with the Boston Celtics    Guest: Marc Stein   #douggottliebshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. 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. I mean, 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. What up? Welcome in. This is The Herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be making as part of your day. Thanks so much.

I'm Doug Gottlieb in for Colin Cowherd. And for the next couple of hours, I want to talk sports with you. Wherever you may be listening. From Green Bay to Shaboiegen, All the way to Poway. We got a lot to get to. The NBA off-season drama continues on. Oh, yeah, by the way, our U.S. men's national soccer team lost to Uduai.

I just love saying Uduai. I think it's so great. It's an amazing word. It's an amazing enunciation or alliteration. And it is one country that we actually do pronounce it in the, if you pronounce it that way, you're actually pronouncing it in the proper way. We don't do that for everyone, right? We don't say France.

We say France. Right? We don't say Israel. We say Israel. But for whatever reason, instead of Uruguay, we say Uruguay, because it sounds really cool. Unfortunately, they beat us last night in soccer. We'll get to the age-old thing that always happens literally every time soccer guy loses with the U.S. Ben's national team. The same thing happens.

And again, I know this because soccer has been sport of the future for my entire life. And so for my entire life, every time they lose this one thing happens. We'll get to that later on in the hour. But let's start with the news of the day. It continues to be the reaction of Clay Thompson, Splash Brother, leaving the Splash Brothers, leaving San Francisco, leaving the Golden State Warriors, and moving on to the Dallas Mavericks. The reality of it is, while Golden State put out an incredible post, you know, about how amazing he is, this was something that had to happen, right? You can't have

an all-time great suddenly take a tertiary or lesser role with the same franchise he's been an all-time great. It's human psychology more than anything. And there is the cold, callous world of business with Golden State Warriors. Look, they left Oakland behind in the dust. Why? You can't make money in Oakland like you can in San Francisco as a franchise, just like they now are leaving, you know, are allowing Clay Thompson leave because it keeps them below the second tier. They're not paying a tax this year. It does save them money. But that, I think we're burying all the leads of, or the lead of the day with all these other ancillary stories, right? The breakup of the Splash Brothers, where Golden State is what Clay Thompson's proper expectations.

are, will they be better if he replaces Derek Jones Jr., right, who is a lockdown defender, great athlete, but not a particularly good shooter with the elite shooting, even if he's their, you know, second best shooter, or, you know, PJ Washington one corner and Clay Thompson, the other, good luck guarding Luca and guarding Kyrie Irving. It's a great plan, and he's still a two-way player, not in the conversation, the best two-way players in the league, right? He and Kauai were the best two-way players in the league, along with LeBron James on some level, back years ago, but injuries, age, that's depleted it. That's not the story.

Here's the story. He chose the Mavericks over the Lakers. And it wasn't just they chose the Mavericks of the Lakers. The Lakers, by all reports, were willing to pay him more money. Now, for any other player, it's a big thing to choose

Kyrie and Luca over LeBron and A.D. But for Clay Thompson, who grew up in Orange County, who grew up with his dad is a former Laker, a world champion with the Lakers, a broadcaster for the Lakers, it's always been thought that if Clay ever left, the one place he'd go would be the Lakers. And you can give me the whole, you know, state income tax in California's, stop it.

Stop it. When you got $150 million in the bank, right? You know, there's a reason that some of the brightest and best, if you have money and you want to live anywhere on earth, the answer is Manhattan Beach or Newport Beach, right? I'm just being honest with you. Don't believe me. There's roll down there. Where Kobe lived, there's billionaires. And you know what they don't do? They don't go, you know, the taxes. They just don't. So it's where he's going to end up anyway. It's where he trains anyway. So please stop with the state income tax thing. He chose Kyrie and Luca, and probably Luca, then Kyrie.

over LeBron Anthony Davis. And do I think old rivalries die hard? Sure. Sure. Like Chris Paul being with the Warriors this year, like, that was weird. There's always been this weird thing where the Clippers were close, and then the Warriors surpassed them, and they always hated each other. Now a sudden, you know, the king of the Clippers, the Lob City was Chris Paul,

and now he's a warrior. It was weird. So maybe there's some of that. Like, hey, we've never really liked the Lakers. The Lakers dust this. off last year and now a sudden we don't want to join them. But you get the same thing with a little bit with the Mavericks and with Kyrie. I don't know.

Look, the thing is, it's pretty obvious that Clay believes there's a better chance of winning with Dallas than there is with L.A. And don't you think that at least a portion of it is, if you look historically, that third guy who joins LeBron James, that guy always gets pooped on. Chris Bosch, he said it as much. Kevin Love. Numerous guys with the Lakers. And then you add in the Bronny factor.

And does it affect the team? Not really. But it does show that the Lakers will do anything and everything LeBron wants. Right? I mean, literally, they hired J.J. Reddick. That's LeBron's handpicked choice, because Tyloo wasn't available. They drafted Ronnie James.

They didn't need to draft Ronnie James. You could take him as an unrestricted free agent, undrafted free agent. Nobody was drafting him. And even if we believe the stories of Rich Paul telling other teams not to draft him, to tell other teams not draft him, that's fine. You don't have to draft him either.

And then he's available three picks later. And then you, you know, without any picks. They have acquiesced to everything and anything LeBron wants. I mean, how did Russell Westbrook work out? Kevin Love, he caught all the flack when they didn't win. Chris Boss, same thing. So you're sitting there going like, I don't know if I want to be that guy.

I don't know if I want to be in that circus. I don't want to go down with another aging ship because I was just on an aging ship in Golden State. Dallas over L.A. And not just L.A., not the Clippers, the Lakers. And not just the Lakers, the Lakers who his dad works for, played for, he grew up watching them win championships. If you think that this has nothing to do with the perception, and maybe some of the reality,

but the perception league-wide of the Lakers and playing with LeBron, you're missing it. You're missing it. And look, I think there's also a reasonable, even if you take the LeBron and how you'd be treated as that third-wheel sort of factor out of it, there's also the you probably didn't think they're that close nor should he right yes they got to the western conference finals two years ago but memphis was banged up they met they didn't they matched up well with golden state gold state didn't match up well with them right clippers were never healthy go back to that year they weren't really competitive with with dallas and with the season with Denver they're not really on the same plane as minnesota and clearly dallas as what most people consider to be the best or second best player in the league with Luca Donjic. Both

things go counter to what the Lakers want you to believe. That people want to play with LeBron, they don't. And that they have a chance at winning a championship. Clay clearly doesn't believe that. Because the best thing Clay Thompson can do

when leaving Golden State for his legacy is to go somewhere and win and tell Golden State see, could have won with me. So, yeah. I mean, it's very reasonable to say this is a great story, right? That Clay chooses Dallas and that Dallas takes yet another step. And Golden State handled it perfectly.

Like, hey, it's just not going to work. I don't know if people know this, but I was told that when Clay was initially brought off the bench and he was told this next year he'd be brought off the bench as well. But when he was brought off the bench, I think it was going back earlier this year, when Steve Kerr met with him, told him he was bringing him out the bench, he didn't talk to Steve Kerr for a month. And look, it's a pride thing. It's an ego thing. We all have egos.

We all have pride, especially all-time great players at a franchise when you're Mr. Game 6. But Golden State made a calculated business decision, and Clay Thompson made a decision based upon who he thinks he has a chance to win a chance. championship with and who he wants to play with most. And neither of those decisions led him to the LA Lakers. That's the story. Coming up next in The Hurt, I'm Doug Gottlieb filling in for Colin. Why did Clay choose the Mavs over his hometown Lakers? I'm going to ask Mark Stein.

He's really close to the Mavs. He'll tell us next in The Hurt. Be sure to catch live editions of the HARD weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard 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 iHart 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 Clivert 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot. or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick you 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 all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now, so... Then you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black. 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, 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 things, We get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

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

Join me, Keer Gang. is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. Doug Gottlieb, been for Colin. This is The Herd, Fox Sports Radio, on the IHeartRadio app.

Welcome in, by the way, the Doug Gottlieb show airs daily. Hey, three to five Eastern time, plus we have an hour podcast. And, yes, I'm also at basketball coach at Green Bay, which is in a beautiful Wisconsin, get ready for 4th July weekend, a week, and hope you're having a great week. I'm sure many of you, many of you, like people around here head to Door County,

which is the Cape Cod, the Midwest, or up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, little cabins, a lot of a lot of lakes, some ponds, some on the big lake, okay? I don't know, the more I'm in the Midwest, the more, it's really, it's a fascinating thing, right? Like you saddle up to a bar and guy asked you what you do. I'm like, I'm a radio host and a basketball guy.

What do you do? Like, well, I own such and such. Like, damn, where am I? It's kind of an amazing thing. So yesterday was a big day on a bunch of different levels, right? The Paul George moved to the Sixers, and that's a lot about the clippers and the decision they made to stick with Kauai and not with Paul George.

Some of it comes down to second apron. and the new collective bargaining agreement and all those issues. The Golden State Warriors allowing Clay Thompson to walk out the door in part on some level amicably. And the decision he made to shun the Lakers where his dad works. And like, look, I don't know. I know Clay pretty well. I know he trains in Orange County with Jordan Lawley every offseason. One of my players was training with him.

I mean, like, look, Clay is a guy he actually played for my dad some in AAU basketball. So I don't know for a fact that he always wanted to be a Laker. Like I grew up in Southern California, same area, and it was in the 80s, and I was kind of more of a Celtics guy than a Laker guy. But that was just because everybody loved the Lakers, everybody. And I was a little bit of a contrarian. Duh, so I got this job. But the guess is you watch the Lakers, Kobe and Shaq, and your dad being,

being so beloved that you're probably like, that's, that's a, that'd be a good place to end it. And you're doing with LeBron Anthony Davis. But the fact that he shunned them and they were willing to offer him more money, I'll not tell you all you need to know. Maybe it doesn't. Let's ask Mark Stein. He would know.

Of course, he has, on substack, he has the Stein line. And then he has this league uncut, which is a fantastic, fantastic podcast. Mark joins us here in the herd on Fox Sports Radio. What do you think, Stony, was the deciding factor that put the Mabs over the top of the Lakers? My sense of it is, I just think Clay deemed this the better situation to stay in the title mix. I think, look, I don't want to speak for him because I haven't spoken directly to him, but I heard his father, Michael, who, of course, played for the Lakers, played on Laker. you know, he was part of the Showtime era.

He still does radio for the Lakers. You know, he gave an interview this morning where he acknowledged that he was disappointed that Clay didn't choose the Lakers, and I think you described it well. That was the team he loved growing up in Southern California and obviously a huge Kobe fan. But I think it's important to Clay Thompson after the last couple seasons. You know, he wants to show everyone. that he can still be a key contributor to a good team. And I think the Mabbs sold him on,

there's a huge role for him in Dallas playing off of Luca Donchich and Kyrie Irving. And I just think that's really what swayed him. Now, when you hear the talk of the Lakers, we're offering him more money, you know, we're going to need to learn more and hear more about exactly how that was going to work and how that was going to happen because the Lakers would have to put trades together to make that happen.

And it's not clear, certainly not clear to me, what those trades would have been to be able to put themselves in position to offer play more. I know that's the chatter right now. You know, I'm sure we will hear more about it as time goes on. But, you know, I've been reporting this story since last Friday. That's when I first heard that there was going to be strong mutual interest. between the Mavericks and Clay and the Mavericks got it done

and look, this is a franchise. The MAX have had just a dreadful free agent history. They never get the guy in free agency. So to be able to win a face-off with the Lakers to get a commitment from Clay Thompson, you can imagine how happy people are in Dallas right now, how happy MAPS fans are.

So what now for the Lakers? Their options are so limited. and they've also got a clock ticking because, you know, LeBron James, Team USA camp is starting just in a few days this weekend, and LeBron's going to want to have his deal done by then. He's not going to want to practice with Team USA and start getting ready for the Olympics without a signed contract. You know, there's been all the talk about LeBron's willingness to take a pay cut,

but that was only if they were getting a James Hardin, a Clay Thompson. Now, I think DeMar DeRosen still lands in that group, and Demar DeRosen is still out there. But I think there is a question of how DeMar would fit. Is Demar really willing to take, you know, he would have to take a significant pay cut from where he is, where he's been with the Bulls for the last few seasons. But look, DeMar DeRosen is also a Southern Californian. The options for him appear to be somewhat limited in free agency. you know, would he be willing to join the Lakers for a lot less than he's been making with the Bulls?

I'm not so sure on that. You know, he could still opt to maybe do a short-term deal with the Bulls and then come back to free agency next summer. But if it's not DeRosen, really all the Lakers can do is, you know, try to make trade. You know, the Nets, obviously, the Nets would trade, you know, just about anyone in terms of their veterans. because they're obviously now in full rebuild mode after agreeing to the McHale Bridges trade with the Knicks. So can you get Cam Johnson or Dorian Finney Smith in a trade with the net?

You know, those kind of targets because the Lakers obviously still need shooting. Yeah, but that doesn't, that does not feel like a championship caliber team if that's the addition that you make to that roster. Not after what Oklahoma City has done. I mean, you know, obviously they're happy in Dallas right now getting Clay and the MAVs have had a pretty good start to free agency with getting this commitment from Clay Thompson being able to agree to a deal with Najee Marshall to replace Derek Jones

Jr. and they're also getting Quentin Grimes and the Tim Hardaway Jr. trade that will be finalized this weekend. So the MAX has had a nice little run here. But I mean, Oklahoma City has added Alex Caruso and Hartstein. We're talking about two elite role plays. I mean, we're talking about two elite role players to a team that would not be really good. Yeah, and, and it's reasonable thing that Chet Holmgren, in year two, in season two, of him playing, you know, he'll take another step. You know, Shea has already boardline MVP caliber. Chet Holmgren takes that next step.

Now you've solidified the bench. That's, that's, it's crazy what they've been able to do. I say the only good news for the Lakers right now is that the West is suddenly. in a lot of flux. I mean, this past season, the West, I mean, how many times have we talked about it? Every week I talk to you, and we just talk about what a daunting monster the West is as a conference, but Lakers, clippers, clippers, warriors, even the Nuggets to a degree. Second straight off season, the Nuggets have lost a key perimeter player without compensation. First, Bruce Brown, last summer, now they've lost, Contavius, Allwell Pope.

They might bring in Russell Westbrook, but I mean, I don't think Russell Westbrook at this point, you know, he's not bringing to the table all the stuff that maybe it's called Walt Pope is as a two-way player. So, I mean, that's, I guess, the only consolation, but you can look at it the other way, too. Memphis is going to bounce back. Yes.

Houston is so ambitious. Their young team is going to get better. New Orleans? New Orleans has a lot of optionality. They're probably going to trade Brandon Ingram, and they just made a big trade for Dejante Murray that we're not really talking about because there's so much going on.

And then San Antonio, they're going to be better. You know Wemby's going to take a major step, and we've seen this with Chris Paul before in Oklahoma City. That team will, between Wemby's inevitable improvement and just the steadiness-know-organization they're going to get out of Chris Paul, the Spurs are going to be a much tougher out next season. So I guess there's two ways to look at it,

there are a lot of established, you know, again, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets. You didn't mention Minnesota. You didn't mention Phoenix, right? I would put Phoenix in the influx category. Yeah, they're there with the Warriors and with the Lakers. But again, like that group is a really talented but aging kind of group, you know, and an not incomplete team, whereas you have Minnesota in that young team, Oklahoma City, on the rise group, right?

So while it may not have the name power being on the coast the way it was in previous years, it's still a very daunting uphill battle on a daily basis. Let's get to the Paul George thing. What's the league's reaction been to Paul George moving from West to East? Well, look, for the Sixers, obviously, it's a home run. I mean, from their execution, it couldn't have gone better because they used. year ago at this time, they had to convince Tyrese Macley, listen, we know you deserve a huge contract extension. We're asking you to wait and trust us. And if you give us until next summer,

you'll see, you'll get your deal and we're going to put an incredible team together. And look, they saw several roster spots they're going to have to fill and they're going to have to do it all pretty much with minimum. But they pulled it off. I mean, they got Paul George which, you know, I think is just as surprising to a lot of people around the league as the thought of Clay Thompson's leaving the Warriors. It's a surprise on that level. You never thought the Clippers were going. And again, in both cases, I think now when we have hindsight, the signs have been there. I mean, the reality is Kauai Leonard did his extension in January.

The Clippers have had five months to get a deal done with Paul George, and they couldn't do it. which tells you now how far apart they were. The clippers were simply, and they've now said it publicly, the clippers were not going to go past three years, and they were not going to give Paul George a richer deal than they gave Kauai Leonard, and Paul George had the leverage and the landing spot to say, I'm going to get my max deal. Philly will give it to me.

I am willing to move across the country, which, again, a lot of people didn't think what happened. A lot of people thought there's no way Paul George is willing to leave Southern California and the West Coast and he's he's done it and now the Sixers have you know they maxed out maxi as they as you knew they would once they did all the offseason business and now I mean the top of the east it's I mean it's going to be so interesting with Boston is defending champions Philly now has M.B and Maxie and Paul George as a superstar trio and they're putting a lot of veterans around them to round out the depth and then you have the

Knicks, who made their major trade for McHale Bridges, and they're doing it more with Gep's than, you know, Jalen Brunson is their star player, but that's the top of the east. You know, Boston, Philly, New York, fascinating race, and then what does Milwaukee do? And where is Miami? Miami hasn't been able to muster any kind of answer. So there's so much, most of the free agency is done, but now we're looking at a lot of questions and how are these teams going to resolve them? Well, you mentioned Miami. Where's Jimmy Butler play next year?

I think at this point all indications are that he will stay with the heat. The heat have basically said, you know, the messaging from Butler is that he doesn't want to seek a trade and he just wants to play this thing out. Now, that doesn't stop teams from potentially inquiring if he's available. But I always kind of thought that had Philly missed on Paul George, it would have been more natural for them to turn around and try to reacquire Jimmy Butler in a trade. But now the Sixers don't need to do that.

So Miami with very limited flexibility in the short term, like I will never put anything past them because, as I always say, they found a way to sign and trade for Jimmy Butler with like two or three million in cap space, and they still managed to get Jimmy Butler. And they've had a great run with Jimmy Butler. So they have to find answers. And look, Donovan Mitchell has been the guy that it's been widely believed that that's who Miami was going to target in trade talk. But now the calves, after enduring months and months and months of uncomfortable speculation, Donovan Mitchell has signed that contract extension.

So they have Donovan Mitchell now under contract and they can put all that speculation to bed. and, you know, another presumed Miami target, at least for the short term, is off the table. Doug Outley-Binfer calling. This is The Huron. Foxport Trade you, IHeart Radio app. Mark Stein is our guest. Check out his Stein line on Substack. Of course, this league uncut, which is an outstanding podcast. Okay, so then we go to Boston, the defending champions, and Jason Tatum is the highest paid player in the history of the league. And look, I do understand how this all works, right? There's a calculation that goes in with being all NBA, et cetera, et cetera,

and the timing of it. But we did see him in a second straight NBA finals not be the best player on his team. And I get that they won a championship, and I get that it's his time being up. But they're really going to be the highest paid player making $70 plus million in the last year of this deal. Well, he's only going to have that status. for one year because this is just the state of things with the TV money coming in and the cap raises that are forthcoming next summer Luca Donchich is going to be eligible for a $350 million deal and then after that I think Jay Gildes Alexander will be eligible for a contract that's even richer

and it's just going to continue to go like that so yet the numbers are staggering we've never seen numbers like this but like I said it will there will be a number new, someone new will wear the crown of Rich's contract in the NBA basically every summer going forward for the foreseeable future. Stein, you're the best, man. Can't wait to listen to the next, this league on cut. Of course, the substack is called the Steinline. Check it out.

Mark, thanks for joining us in the herd. You got it. That's Mark Stein. Let's get to Ryan Music with the news. This is the herd line news. Hello, Ryan. Good day, Doug. Great NBA topics there to start the show and with the great Mark Stein.

But here we're going to turn our attention to the National Football League. Aaron Rogers took a lot of heat, most notably from one Colin Cowherd, host of this regular program. When he missed mandatory minicamp last month. But the Jets are letting it be known. They aren't worried about it. Connor Hughes of SNY has a report talking to multiple Jets play. players who say they had no issue at all with Rogers missing mini camp. Uh, yeah, that sounds like a load of them.

Do you know what, right? I was born at night, not last night. We got no issue at all. It's not even about having an issue. It's just about the optics and how it looks. And the juxtaposition of last year when he's all in on everything and I just want to be here. And now he gets to, they extend his contract. He plays four snaps.

And now he's like, yeah, I don't need that. Yeah, I don't need that. The report did add some specifics. Rogers originally planned this trip to Egypt while rehabbing from his torn Achilles. So he, quote, had something to look forward to during one of the lowest points of his career, end quote. And apparently...

All that's fine. He had the calendar. All that's fine. He had the calendar. Sure. I mean, and they... Apparently it had to do with... the dates were floating so he wasn't sure, so he booked the trip, and then it came out, and when specifically the mandatory... Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. I'm just relaying the information. I know. I got it. It's like, look, I'm going in for Colin. Do you think he put in for his vacation like a week before? No, I knew Colin was, I knew that this trip was like three, four months

ago, as you did as well. Sure. I mean, come on, man. I think the general idea to what you're sort of referring to is the NFL in general follows a certain schedule, whether or not you knew exactly mini camp is going to be June 11th, 12th, and 13th. You knew mini camp's going to be somewhere in early to mid June, right? And so there was a window that you knew perhaps later in June or throughout May that could have then allowed you to be a change. Absolutely. And look, and if you book it during the wrong time, it's like, you know, you get a big change fees. Like, okay, the guy's loaded rich. I don't know. He's trying to budget, Doug. He's trying to do it cost. We all live on a budget. Does his budget is different than that? Doug, inflation. Yeah. Inflation. Something about the vaccine. Anyway, what else? All right. Texans were a surprise team to make a big jump into the playoffs last year. Well, according to their head coach, D'Amico Ryan's, that is all in the past now.

The most exciting thing is what I love about the NFL is like it doesn't matter what happened last year. Like you get to hit reset. Yeah. And that's like to start back from ground zero, ground zero. I love that. So Domeko Ryan's not resting on the laurels of last season. And according to Giraff Kings, the Texans are favored to repeat as AFC champs at plus 105. AFC South champs.

Sorry. Yes, AFC South champs. Correct. Well, I mean, look, they, I mean, you had a rookie quarterback who did not play like a rookie quarterback. You had a rookie coach who did not coach like a rookie coach. And if you look at that division, Tennessee's kind of, you know, Tennessee's in trying to figure out mode. They've changed, you know, when you change general managers and you change head coaches as well. Like, who knows what that's going to look like?

You know, Indy's going to throw Richardson back out there. and he's an immense talent, but he's not there. I mean, Jacksonville's your main threat, and what people are saying is, despite the new contract, they are not buying that Trevor Lawrence is as good as he was two years ago, and that's the only year in which he's lived up to anywhere near the hype preceding him. So, yeah, look, I love the mentality of, hey, forget everything last year, everybody telling you how great you are.

It's executing that on a daily basis. That's the hard. In many ways, it's harder to stay on top than it is to get on top. You can sneak up on some people when you play a fourth-place schedule. Right. You can sneak up on some people when you have a rookie head coach, you have a rookie quarterback. They're not sneaking up on anybody. And that's a tough adjustment.

Well, and that's exactly it, right? Is the NFL has been very specific and intentional to try and impart parity into the league. and that benefited the Texans going from the bottom of the division to the top and now that's what's going to be working against them now that they're in the position that they're in. And we will wrap up with this, Doug. One team hoping to get back into the playoffs,

the Vikings. They did lose quarterback Kirk Cousins but landed Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the draft. So far, first impressions are good. At least that is, according to Minnesota's linebacker, Blake Cashman. And I knew he was an outstanding quarterback, winning followed him at Michigan,

but I didn't realize how much heat he can put on the ball. I mean, he's got a great long ball, and even those tight windows, you know, was close fast at the next level. You know, he can zip the ball past, you know, a linebacker, safety's head, and squeeze it in those tight windows. And, you know, that's very promising to see.

Cashman there talking to Jim Rome, giving a lot of hype to his rookie quarterback, J.J. McCarthy. Look, Jay-J. McCarthy, I mean, I think that everyone believes that having played in a pro-style system will benefit him greatly in terms of the verbiage and understanding everything. I will point out I'm one of the last, as you know, Ryan, one of the last remaining shareholders in Sam Darnold, Inc. You and Colin Al-L-C.

You and Colin alike. I still believe, like, there's a Vinny Testaverti, you know, late. Later in his career comes back around. Alex Smith was a guy drafted number one overall, and it took him seven, eight years before he kind of found his footing with the Niners. And then with the Chiefs up until he was sent to Washington. And then they were winning in the division when he, you know, his knee blew up. So I'm still a buyer into that. But, yeah, it shouldn't surprise people.

That was Jim Harbaugh's recruiting pitch, which is, hey, look, you can go somewhere else and probably throw it more. or you could go here and understand what it's like to actually play at the next level where there has to be, you know, you have to be able to run the football, play a pro-style offense. The question with J.J. McCarthy, though, is if he's as good as he was drafted, why did they not give him a chance to win more games, you know, by himself a little bit? When they paid Penn State, for example, I get that they just played to win, but, like, if he's that big of a good of a weapon, why wouldn't you use it more? That's Rhymese with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. All right, U.S. Men's national soccer team flamed out yet again yesterday. And guess what all the Colby's and Sets want to do today? I'll tell you next in The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Hey, it's Ben. Host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our week. auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spin-off of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics

where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced game. 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. Taylor the fourth. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

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

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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 taun tons 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boo who's at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84's big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, Yeah, yeah, literally.

But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct, so I'm starting to see there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, 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 hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Doug Gaudley, been for Colin. This is The Hurt on Fox Sports Radio, the Iheart Radio app. Welcome in. Hope you're having a great Tuesday. So, listen, I'm in my 40s, and I did not invent this quote, but it is an accurate depiction that soccer has been the sport of the future for all the years of my life, right?

So I've heard so many times over soccer is a sport of the future. Soccer to sport of the future. Soccer to sport of the future. And the MLS is pretty healthy. We finally have a sustainable professional men's soccer league. We've had some gigantic stars come over, albeit at the end of their historic careers. But still, like, let's not underplay what Miami's done. Or, you know, you go back to what had been done in L.A. with Beckham.

And he's still kind of a part of pop culture as much as a slight part of sports culture. but again for all of the 48 years of my life when the U.S. men's national team loses one thing happens every single time every time it doesn't matter if if you know like last night you have a chance to tie

the game and instead of making one more pass a player's a little selfish and takes a shot didn't have to take it doesn't matter if on an offside call or a red card or who's healthier or whatever. It doesn't matter. Every single time, the U.S. men's national team loses. And, by the way, Alexei Lala, since being a great player for the national team himself,

I feel like he's as guilty of this as anybody. They all say something like this. This is Alexei last night on FS1 after the game. Talk about U.S. team's culture. I think what we have learned over these cycles is that this team is not able to do anything better than is done in the past. And that, that hurts. That hurts to say.

If this is as good as it gets, it's not good enough. And there's plenty of excuses, but they don't matter. You can talk about opportunities. Well, we have players that are playing all over the world. Talk about playing in Europe. Well, the entire team that you saw out there plays in Europe.

So it's not MLS's fault. You can talk about, you know, the pathways and the resources that they have. No generation has been given more. And yet this generation hasn't lived up to that bargain. Here's Alexei talking about Greg Burrhalter. I know there's a sport in firing coaches in all professional sports. And I know the knives are out and they should be because this is not good enough from Greg Burrhalter.

And you have to ask yourself with 2026 coming barreling down the pike, it's going to come real quick. Less than two years away, all right? We can't afford to waste it. We can't afford to be embarrassed. and we can't afford to arrive in the summer of 26 with a team that has not progressed, that is not evolved, and is not improved. Now, I'm sure if Greg Berthelter was here, he would say, oh, but you don't see what's happening inside.

I don't give a crap what is happening inside. I don't care about the dynamic. I don't care how much your players love you. I don't care how kumbaya it is. All I care about is I see a U.S. men's national team that is better than before. And we haven't seen that, and that's a problem going forward. I think they are better soccer players, but ultimately I don't think. that they're better U.S. men's national team players.

It's interesting. Look, and some of this is what we do as a society. We blame senators. We blame senators. We blame anybody who's in charge. We always blame the coach. We never blame the players. Was it Barhalta's fault that Tim Waite got that red card in the first 10 minutes against Panama

so we had to sit out last night? You know? Or that we got screwed in that awful review last night? Like, no, we don't get caught up. Even Alexi said he doesn't care about the nuance of it. Don't tell me you're pregnant. Show me the baby. Here's the reality to it.

I liken this to, look, all real, I haven't lived in Southern California last seven years, I owned a Tesla. And I've had the same car, it's the longest I've ever owned a car for seven years. And so when I took the job at Green Bay, I've tried a couple different cars. And I tried a couple different cars. and the one I'm currently driving that I love the I love everything about this car is an EV okay that's American mate and if you look at at the American mate like all these EVs and the different money that our government is spent to try and trigger us into the EV world. Unless it's a Tesla it's we're just not there yet there's just not the charging system there's just not the tech there it's just all the different things that you can do with Tesla it's so simple once you kind of to get into the rhythm of it knowing you know how to find it how to find a charging location you just press you literally press your screen it shows you where it shows you how many cars are there

it's so easy you own like i don't i'm driving an american made car which is it's a dope car and there are zero flaws to it except as an and i've been an evi owner for seven years outside tessa we're just not there yet and that's the same thing for u.s soccer we keep doing all this stuff we're like well we changed the academy a movie change this. Like, no. We don't have good enough players. Pulcich is our Tesla. He's there. The rest of them aren't there.

That until we get to the place and Pulisich has not, he's not Tiger, right? Tiger made an entire generation of country cub kids say, I don't want to play tennis. I don't play soccer. I don't play golf. But we haven't had a soccer player that drags the football athletes, the basketball athletes, the volleyball players to be goalkeepers. We haven't had that yet. We're just not there yet.

And 27 keeps creeping up on us, and we get frustrated. We want to fire coaches, fire coaches, fire coaches. Just on the dudes. My late great coach Eddie Sutton always said, can't win the Kentucky Derby with the jackass. Get a thoroughbred. Coming up next in the herd.

After missing out on Clay Thompson, what next for the Lakers? You'll find out next. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is The Herd. I'm Fox Sports Radio. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

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

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On The Look Back at a podcast, For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert 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 Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled 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 Cliford 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. 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, what's good, y'all?

You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not to be played with.

And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.