The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - The NCAA is being petty

Episode Date: December 21, 2023

Colin looks at the latest violations given to Michigan by the NCAA and if this will finally push Jim Harbaugh back to the NFL He looks at Justin Fields' career and why he hasn't made the big jump we've seen from other star QBs Colin believes the Bills will make it to the Super BowlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On The Look Back at it podcast. In 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. 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. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcasts. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRedio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. It is a Thursday. Live in Los Angeles, it's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day one hour from now. If you bet football, fantasy football, just want to get smarter at football. Greg CoSell stops by.

Jamek has a lot going on. The NCAA is after Harbaugh. Poor Jim Harbaugh again. You know, I went to dinner last night with a couple of football guys. There's a lot happening with Harbaugh. His name was all over dinner. Yeah, it sounds like the Chargers, you don't want to say lock this early in the process, but they are desperate to get him.

Colin, Harbaugh are bust for the Chargers. Yeah, there's not a big coaching group. It's like he's at the top. So I did confirm last night and yesterday afternoon that the Chargers are very interested in Jim Harbaugh. He's at the top of the wish list. My hunch is he would rather stay at Michigan, but a lot of things will change. And this is one of the things that will change. The NCAA, and they did it on signing day.

Oh, how petty of the NCAA. It's how they roll. The NCAA charging Harbaugh in Michigan with a level one violation for providing false and misleading information during the COVID season. I mean, governments were giving us false and misleading information. Michigan football can't. They also say there was some impermissible contact with recruits for level two violations. Oh, really? You mean the same kind of recruits you can buy out of high school now?

So this is classic NCAA, classic pettiness. Jim Harbaugh, for the record, he's going to be fine. If the NCAA comes down too harshly, too punitively, he'll just leave. And then Michigan's then holding the bag. And you say, so what? But the great college football coaches demand that you surrender some of your power to them. Sabin did it. Davos done it.

Harbaugh does it. If you don't relinquish some power, you can't get him or they leave. And that's the reality of it. Sabin was the first to really flex. Harbaugh's done it as well. He doesn't already have a boss. And that's why Michigan football's good. And by the way, the last two years in college football, the ratings have gone up due to Michigan football's emergence in Dion Sanders.

The SEC, congratulations in the South. They were hurting the sport. The sport was on a six and seven year ratings decline. And then Harbaugh and Dion Sanders changed it. All these allegations just cracked me up. Misleading information during COVID. The COVID football season in the NFL and college was a circus. Universities were taking loans from banks.

They couldn't pay bills. Governments providing misleading information. We were all making stuff up. Nobody knew what was right and wrong, even hospitals. The other one is advanced scouting concerns with Connor Stallions. Yeah, scouting's legal, just not too much of it. The Jim Harbaugh critics, he's going to win. right? He wasn't on the field for six games this year.

They were six and oh, five blowout wins. He's going to be fine. He's going to go to the NFL. He's going to get $20 million a year. To me, the NCAA should spend their time reforming the NIL. It's a bit of a mess now. Reforming as best they can the transfer portal. They've done a pretty good job there, more needed, and reforming the NCAA rulebook.

misinformation during the COVID season. I mean, honestly, sort of the New York Times, hospitals, governments. That's your level one violation? Well, the advanced scouting, yeah, they beat Ohio State three years. In that year, they stopped advanced scouting. They beat them again, pushed them around the field, 200 yards rushing in the second half.

So every sanctioned by the NCAA against Michigan, I think the NCAA, petty as always wants us to think Harbaugh's done it, and it's been sketchy. No, it just enlightens how misguided and petty the NCAA is and how it's completely out of touch. If you're banging on any program for the COVID years, I mean, Belichick told people he just gave up that year. Like, Michigan, Harbaugh, if they had all this great information, why is it the only bad year? year Harbaugh's ever had at Michigan. Teams gave up. They made stuff up. They went to banks. Everybody was just bailing water.

Hospitals were, governments were, the sport was. Media had layoffs. The country was in turmoil. That's your big get. Some misinformation during COVID. Petty, as usual. So it's that time of the year again. No, not to unwrap presents. And drink eggnog. It's the time of the year when everybody in the NFL asks themselves,

do we have the right coach and do we have the right quarterback? Some teams absolutely do. The Rams, Baltimore, the Chiefs. Right coach, right quarterback. Other teams think they do and we're pretty sure they do, but we're not sure with one of them. Dallas, Buffalo, Houston, we like them both, but they're young, right, the coach and the quarterback. in Chicago, they probably don't have either. Justin Fields was asked yesterday about his future with the Bears and what he's proved.

What do you think from a personal level that you have shown the Bears in your third season? You know, improvement. They know, they know, everybody knows who I am in the building. So, you know, like I said, I control what I can control. And I said, okay. Well, he has improved. He tells no lies. In year one, he completed 59% of his throws.

In year two, he completed 60 in year 361. From 2 and 8 to 3 and 12 to 3 and 7. His touchdown to interception ratios better, so is his passer rating. But this year, it's 856. Last year, it was 852. He has slightly improved. But Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen, Jalen Hertz, loaded as they grew.

They were tech stocks. This is like a 401K. We keep getting promised, hey, just wait. Someday you'll be rich. People don't have time to wait. Every quarterback who's special in this league showed us something by year three. Mahomes, Lamar, Burrow, Herbert, Allen,

Dak, Russell Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, every one of them. The returns on the investment to this point aren't there. and the improvement's gradual. And people can say, well, the organization has poor ownership and the wrong coach. Kyler Murray says, hold my beer. First three years, he'd been a pro bowler twice.

Year three led him to the playoffs. Arizona's arguably the worst run team in the league. Matt Stafford was hurt in year two. Year three in the NFL, he led the beleaguered lions to the playoffs. Both Kyler Murray and Matt Stafford are the word I use often, overcomers. Well, Colin, there's been injuries. Mm-hmm. Same with Tua.

Year three, he led the NFL in passer rating. Bad coach, bad owner, bad culture, some injuries, bad O line. Joe Burrell had the lowest rated offensive line and got his team to the Super Bowl. Justin Herbert as a rookie had the low. lowest-rated offensive line 30-second in the NFL and set rookie passing records. The O-line for the Bears just isn't that bad. Their tackles are pretty good. They've got a number one receiver and a number one tight end.

Their defense in the last six weeks is really good, really solid. Backs are okay. Even have a number two running back. Don't have to love the coach, but do you love Cliff Kingsbury? Kyler still took it in a better division of the playoffs. Did you like Detroit, Matt Stafford, year three, that roster, that coach? He took him to the playoffs. He hasn't shown the ability to pop.

Don't think the coach is perfect. Don't think the GM's elite or the team president or the poor ownership. I'm not blaming it all on Justin Fields, but the great ones overcome. They don't have to have everything lined up. I mean, Matt Stafford this year, he'll play tonight, has a chance, right now they're in the playoffs. Cooper Cup's not healthy. His most reliable receiver is a fifth round rookie. Their offensive line is in flux. Their best player of the right tackle, Rob Havenstein's older and missed games. The defense has one star past his prime and kids,

and they're on a heater. But he's got McVeigh. He does. Congrats. He's got that one thing, like a really good coach. I like Justin Fields. I think he's worth a second round pick. I think he'd be great in Atlanta. But when I hear improvement, I got to see a little tech stock. I got to see more than passer rating at 98 to 88.7. It's that time of the season. Everybody that doesn't have a great coach and a great quarterback, Rams, Baltimore, Buffalo, they think. Kansas City, not many. There's about six that are absolute and six we can argue over. but these are the discussions you have to have. And at this point, top to bottom with the bears, I'd blow it up and start over.

Iber Fluse had a good second half, defensive coach, sometimes looks over his skis. I'd probably blow it up and start over. J-Mack, Greg Cosell in 45 minutes. Rams tonight, I have this feeling eventually they can't be a playoff team, right? Like they don't have enough great players in their prime. But what you watch tonight with the Rams is a team that has. two things right. Quarterback coach.

And in this league, unlike Chicago, you win a lot of games, a lot of close, a lot of slim margin games, because you just outperform people on the final two drives of the game. I'm hopeful like you in the desert, a lot of Saints money the last 24 hours down to three and a half.

Not great. Can I ask you, Justin Fields' question real quick? So, you know, you look at top 32 quarterbacks in the league. I'm looking at some advanced stats. Who would you say you feel more confident in going forward. Sam Howell or Justin Fields? Justin Fields. Justin Fields is a better talent. Sam Howell has had a better season according to some advanced stats.

Gardner Minshu or Justin Fields? Gardner Minchew is probably the most under-readed quarterback in the league. I would take Fields, but Minshu, if you look at his career, college and pro, is a more mobile Baker-Mayfield. And just one more. Derek Carr or Justin Fields? Justin Fields is, why do you ask that? Advanced stats say Derek Carr is better than Fields this year in every single category. I mean, listen, it's not a pretty picture.

And we don't like Derek Carr's coach. And this isn't the counting stats of yards and touchdowns. This is like they're digging in deep and looking at a lot of stuff, opponent, all that stuff. Not pretty for field. You and I still am not, we're not ready to bail on it. No, I think he deserves a second chance with an offensive coach and with a fresh start, maybe closer to home. I'm for that. I think Atlanta is the place.

I'm with you. I think Seattle's a tough one. I do think Seattle's a quarterback away from making that leap. I don't know Fields is the guy, but I know Gino Smith's not the guy, right? Yeah, fair. I agree. I have a great parlay for you this weekend, thanks to Draft King Sportsbook. New users use the code heard. That's me, H-E-R-D, when you download the app, and that takes under two minutes.

Here's my parlay pick of the week via Draft King Sportsbook, and we had a very good week last week. I'm going to take the Jaguars plus one, getting points at the bucks. Tampa Bay has been a good story. Jacksonville's a better team. I get a quarterback edge off an unoburned. ugly loss. Cowboys plus one and a half at the Dolphins. Miami struggled with physical teams. Dallas didn't look like it against Buffalo. They'll be ready to be physical. And I'll take the Broncos at home minus six and a half again off an ugly disappointing loss. They'll circle the

wagons and beat a Patriots team that is pretty lifeless. If you want to take the herd, parlay, check out Draft King's sportsbook. Sign up quick, new users. Use the code herd when you download the app, A-G-R-D. 21-plus in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler. In New York.

Call 877-8-8-Hope-N-Y or text Hope-N-Y-4-67-369. See Show Notes for full details. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

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

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

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

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

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You're now entering no Bull Zone sponsored by credible great rates. None of the Bulls. So yesterday, by the way, I was a big day in college football. It was a signing day. And Dion Sanders ended up with the number one transfer class. Now, it matters.

You know, there's a lot of good players out there. It used to be you got high schoolers. Maybe you transfer a year. Now teams will get 12 transfers and 12 high schoolers. So it does matter. Say what you want about last year in Colorado. They were better than they were the previous year when they were the worst program in college football.

And so Dion had a very good day. I spent the night last night hanging out and having a beer with Chip Kelly, UCLA football coach, very unorthodox, out-of-the-box thinker. Like Chip a lot, very smart guy. Like Harbaugh, he's an out-of-the-box thinker. Like Dion, he's an out-of-the-box thinker.

I would love to see all three make the playoff next year the 12-team playoff. Don't know if they will, but I'd love to see it. And there is a group of fans and media and critics and coaches, by the way, that think Dion Sanders is, quote, too showy, everything wrong with college football. He's over the top.

But I've always felt like college football has never been to Vatican. I mean, essentially what it is is 55 to 60-year-old men selling kids on dreams and hype, very few of them are ever realized. That's what it is. Carl Salesman with a whistle and a playbook. It's a lot of it. Selling hype that never materializes. It's also an incredibly mobile sport because the college football doesn't have a pension.

NFL guys would stay a coordinator or a position coach would stay for the same franchise for 20 years. The pensions are great. The player pensions aren't as good as the coaching pensions in the NFL, but college doesn't have that. So grad assistants want to be position coaches. Position coaches want to be coordinators and coordinators want to be head coaches. And it's just a constant mobile freeway. Everybody looking for the next exit and the best exit. And so I don't worry about the transfer portal.

College football's ratings and attendance run a seven-year slide. and then Dion arrived and with the help of Michigan have gone up. And college football has dozens of problems. Here's one of them, the number one problem. It's an $8 billion a year industry and has no CEO. Nonsense. It's just insane. $8 billion industry.

Who's the boss? We don't have one. That's the problem. Secondly, there's no schedule maker. It's every man for themselves. just absurd. Number three, the NIL is totally uneven. Some schools don't have any money.

Some schools are buying high school players. It's completely uneven. I don't have a problem if players getting paid. Be nice if it was reasonable. It's like it's free agency year-round. Even the NFL has free agency limits and a cap. College has neither. And also, the PAC 12 just had its greatest year, and it dissolved.

So college football has got a million problems. I watched college basketball die over the last 25 years. I used to watch as much college basketball as NBA 25 years ago. Duke, Kentucky, UNLV, Syracuse, the Big East. I used to watch as much college as pro. Not even close. 90-10 now. I watched college basketball for two and a half, three weeks.

March. I see the ratings. So do you. Do we want college football to die? It needs out-of-the-box thinking. And, by the way, Dion Sanders is not the problem of college football. he's one of the key elements to propel it. Big personality.

Chip Kelly's, Jim Harbaugh's, Dionne Sanders, out-of-the-box thinking. I don't need natties from any of them. But I like the thinking and their actions from all of them. Jay Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. You'll watch some of that great college hoops action last night, Arizona, Oklahoma.

Good, good game. Arizona's pretty good. Arizona 18 to run, cash for me. I was betting college hoops late last night. By the way, Arizona and Oklahoma play in the college football game. Oh. And I think Arizona's favorite. Keep your eye on Jedfish and the Wildcats to win that game.

It means a lot to Arizona. Oklahoma lost, what's his, Gabriel, right? Yeah, yeah. And Arizona, for them, this is a big, big game. Oklahoma's on the recruiting trail, going into the SEC, trying to get their roster figured out. Yeah, so Chip Kelly and you strategizing commissioner for the sport? But it was great. I mean, I just sat and listened to an hour and a half, two hours, and we had a heck of a night.

Wow. Fun, fun, fun, smart guy. Thanks for the invite. He lives two streets. Listen, no kids. You know, you got to bring your family. It was just me, Chip, hanging. Okay, I got it.

All right, let's get started with the matchup of the weekend in the NFL. Ravens Niners, Christmas Day, both the number one seed. Some are saying Super Bowl preview. Why not? Lamar Jackson says, don't look at it that way. Super Bowl is a February. We're in December right now. We got to focus on Monday night.

I'm not worried about what people are. That's going to be one of the games of the year. I'm sure in the next, you know, what, 72 hours, you're going to hear a lot about Lamar, his record, you know, against the NFC. 19 and 1 straight up. I know. 19 and 1.

Jim Harbaugh hasn't been an underdog a lot last four years. I will say. Harbaugh's a good underdog coach. 19 and 4 against the spread last four years. Yeah, and also, San Francisco is the one NFC team that has the linebackers that can pursue and handle Lamar. If you don't have fast, twitchy linebackers, Lamar's a nightmare, and I do think San Francisco has those. But Harbaugh as an underdog coach and Lamar against the NFC, the numbers jump out to you. Now, once again, Baltimore is all banged up in key spots.

That's what I'm concerned about. Yeah. I think we probably are in agreement. This is one of your picks tomorrow or no? Yes, it is. Okay. I think we both like the same side, but the spread is the great equalizer. Next up, Eagles, how about that offense, man?

It's been a rough go during this three-game losing streak. QB, Jalen Hertz, and the offensive coordinator of Brian Johnson, they've gotten a lot of blame. Nick Siriani says, uh-uh, point the finger at me. We've got to put the players in more positions to create explosive plays. But, you know, make no mistake about it. that like this offense is being run the exact same way the offense was run last, last year, and the year before that.

This offense is my offense, right? This is my offense. And so the criticism on the offense, like, I think unfairly goes to Brian. Brian calls the place. Brian calls the place. It unfairly goes to Brian. The criticism on this offense should come at me. Yeah, I think that's a grown-up.

I think that's, now, in fairness, it would. was also your offense when Shane Stuyken was calling plays and it was unstoppable. So some of that is there are, you know, there are guys that are really, really gifted play callers. Lane Kiffin in college, Sark. You know, they're really clever play callers. Some offensive coordinators are play designers, not as good as play callers. So it's, but I also think some of this we have to be honest. Last year was the perfect storm for Philly.

Jalen Hurt, Shane Stuyken, roster was stacked, defense was much better. They had better field position, played with Leeds, played downhill, healthy. So it was, I think, last year, there are these kind of weird years where everything lines up. And last year for Philly, health-wise, surprises, coordinators, it was a perfect storm. They're still going to finish 13 and 4. Yeah, but it's not an dominant 13-and-4. They're not blowing teams out, right, the way the Niners are this year or the Eagles were last year. George is still great.

but due to losses the last two years at the top of the first round of the draft, they're not quite as great. But nobody thinks, what a down year for Georgia. Georgia's great. But Bama did beat it. Well, they're not. But again, a reason for that is there's only four teams. If we had 14 like...

12 next year, yeah. Yeah, by the way, they'd get in next year. And because they lost to Bama, they'd come back and probably win the thing. So it's like there are years with Georgia or Philly where everything lines up health-wise. your best players are all upper classmen. Your best players are a year away from free agency. They just had too many losses. Linebacker, O-line, coordinators.

They had a corner that led the NFL in Pecks. It's just one of those years. The big play to A.J. Brown was scary last year, right? He just added to the team, and he was just crushing guys over the top. It appears, again, that defenses are taking away that bomb over the top and say, go ahead, Jalen, beat us underneath. We'll give you all that you want. We'll give you the run, we'll concede it all.

And they're not doing it. Now, the scary thing, Colin, that offensive lines getting old. And it hasn't been as dominant. Remember, Kelsey nearly retired. They could go through some tough stuff this offseason. I don't want to say, like, whatever potential dynasty they had. But things seem to be trending not great for the Eagles. And again, they're going to the playoffs.

Any shot of winning the Super Bowl of this team? I think they will end up, my guess is in the NFC championship. Now, the difference between the NFC championship and a trophy are your two toughest games of the year. I don't think they can win those last two tough games. But maybe one, but I don't, I think getting to the AFC championship or the NFC championship, remember, if you're a number one seat and you get a buy, you got to win a couple of games at home. So it's like, it's not like that's what, for years and years, New England, they would get a buy, they'd get a couple home games. The first game they played in the playoffs was a lower seed. They had to win one big game to get to the, you know, it's not as hard as you.

you think if you host a playoff game and win your division. And Detroit's a great home team. Detroit could just win a couple of home games. You'd be like, oh, they're in the NFC championship. Detroit ain't winning in Philly in January. No. And I do love, love, love the Eagles this weekend. Let's get to the final story, Colin.

The Los Angeles Lakers, fresh off the in-season tournament title, they lost again last night to the Chicago Terribles, and it wasn't really close. Fourth loss in five games, AD afterward, teams a little frustrated with what the hell is going on. No break coming. There's no help coming. It's no cavalry.

You know, we got to do within his locker room. We got everyone back. We just got to find a way to get in the win column. Obviously, you know, when you lose a couple, you know, especially in a row, starts and linger. You know, everybody wants to win, and you just got to get that. win you know get that one you some spirit the spirits back up and then you know just go from there you know if you really look at the Lakers they're very first of all number one they're very LeBron dependent offensively very LeBron dependent that's why I'm for a trade even

if it's Zach Levine they great last night yeah yeah I mean they need to get more athletic and they need a second consistent guy that can score on the perimeter the second thing is if you look at them defensively they've got plenty of size they're not very good on the wing. Zach Levine's a twitchy, athletic wing. They miss wings. They went and solved size. They got Jared Vanderbilt. They got AD, obviously. Rui Hachamora. They've got size. But they don't have great wing defenders, so they can't get out to defend. And also, let's get rid of DeAngelo Russell. If he's your starting guard, you don't know what you're getting on the nightly basis. He was terrible last night. He's terrible about every third game. You mentioned Rui Hachimori. He's off to a rough start this year. Yes. You know, I'm a fan of the Japanese Jordan. That's his nickname. There's a lot. There's a lot. lot of chatter that he is in whatever package the Lakers are doing with DeAngelo Russell and maybe the kid gave

Vincent who they got from Miami. He hasn't really shown much but he's been banged up. I don't know man, they're 15 and 13. Yes. And if you look at the West, they're a playing team right now. The Clippers are soaring. Minnesota looks really good. Denver, Phoenix, like... So the Clippers in the same building

made a big move and we laughed at it and it's just money. You laughed at it. They are money. They're on fire. The Lakers could use some of the clippers wing talent. You know, the clippers may not have an Anthony Davis, but what the clippers have now is wings, twitchiness, multiple guys that can, I mean, they're just an athletic team.

The Lakers need an athlete. They're big, but can't defend the wing. So that's why everybody just, this league is running guys off the three-point line. They can't do it. They've got Prince and Reddish on the wing, but those are, you know, those are complimentary role guys. So we're one third of the season is done now. Is this panic time?

Because if this were the NFL would be like week five slash six. It's not panic time. It's upgrade time. They have to upgrade. And by the way, Zach Levine with LeBron A.D. Cam Reddish and Austin Reeves, I don't know what you have to give up. But my takeaway is, that's a pretty good team. I mean, Denver should be the overwhelming favorite. Sons have chemistry issues.

The warriors just aren't in their prime. feels hurt again, by the way. He's out another two or three weeks. Sons can't keep healthy. They're becoming a little bit like Brooklyn West, where we like the players more than Brooklyn, but they're never playing together. So Boston's good, but do we trust Jalen Brown and Tatum in big spots? I'm not sure we do. I still think this is the one year. I like Philadelphia. I think Philadelphia is really interesting. Yeah, I know. And Bede's going off and Sixers fans are like,

oh, we're number one in point differential. They're pretty good. On their good nights, they're not going to bash them. They've been amazing. They put it on Minnesota. last night, not there yet. Fine, but I'm not just not there. J-Mack with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-line news. The funny thing about the Celtics is if I said to you, um, below average coach, don't close consistently well. You'd be like, oh, that's not a championship team.

So when I watch Boston against the Warriors, I'm like, I still don't love the coach, and I still don't love them late in games. Sometimes I do, but they're inconsistent linton games. Philadelphia with Embed and Maxi, I really like their ability to close a game. So, you know, Denver starts sizing those rings again. You think Philly maybe could make the conference finals this year? Never made it with M. Bid.

No, I think they're really, I really like. This is the best Philly I've seen. They've got it, they've had the Hardens, the Simmons, they've been moving around pieces for 10 years. This is the first time I'm like, they've got a superstar, an emerging star. and good pieces. I actually think Philadelphia is going to end up in the Eastern Conference Finals with Boston, and it's going to be...

Milwaukee's not consistently good enough on offense. It's a little bit of... I haven't watched enough Milwaukee to have a strong opinion. I watched them early with Dame three or four times. I haven't watched them in a bit. But it was a little bit of your turn, my turn, your turn, my turn, where I think Philly and Boston

have better chemistry than Milwaukee. Does this feel Detroit Lions-E, five-in-one start? Oh, lions! Here they are! Reality sets in a little later. Sixers? No. I think they're pretty good. all in.

Tobias Harris. No, I'm the most in. I've been with Philadelphia. The most I've been in yet. I think they're interesting. No, they're certainly interesting. Tyrese-N-A-N-A-N-Beed is playing out of his mind. Yeah.

You know, I said I wasn't going to talk about Aaron Rogers. Oh. But it's called The Herd. I'm going to do one more. So there was an interesting article in the athletic yesterday about Aaron Rogers and some of the hypocrisy, blah, blah, blah. But I do think it's interesting.

And, you know, I was pretty hard on Aaron yesterday, but I've also been very complimentary. I did not have the Jets this year as a playoff team. I checked this morning, Greg, producer, Greg, I had him third. And it is amazing. I went back online and I looked

at the preseason predictions from a lot of noteworthy, trustable people that I respect. I can't believe how many people had the Jets winning the division and the Jets a playoff team and I'm like, people forget. Go back to last year in Green Bay.

8 and 9, 91 passer rating, 64% completion percentage, 26 TDs, 12 picks. That's with a stable organization, PFF ranked the O line third in the league, and an offensive coach. 8 and 9 with a 91 passer rating. So then 39-year-old Aaron Rogers then goes to Nat Hackett in his first year with New York, a defensive coach, an egregiously battle line, an unstable organization,

and a significantly tougher division with Josh Allen and Tua and Belichick. And everybody loved the Jets. I couldn't believe it this morning when I went out there. Go on the phone, looked it up, and I said, I want to go look at the Jets' predictions. It was like people that are smart across the board, who I trust their opinion. And, you know, it made me think, have we learned this with Aaron Rogers? He says a lot of things and makes you believe a lot of things. He can sell.

He's a good salesman. But how much is he delivered on in 15 years? He's had one big playoff run. He says a lot. He sells you on a lot. He's a smart guy. He's good for content. He talks.

I like to listen. But he hasn't delivered on a ton. Here was Robert Sala earlier this week on keeping Aaron now on the active roster. We've got the roster flexibility with all the different things that have happened over the course of the last couple weeks. And, you know, like I said, it's all part of his rehab. And, you know, just having them out on the football field is a plus for everybody. It's a plus for him. It's a plus for his teammates.

And so we're going to keep him on the 53. Offensive coach, stability, grade O line, weak division. He was 8 and 9. one pass a rating. Tougher division, defensive coach, horrible O-line, unstable organization. What were people thinking?

Come on. Belichick, Bill's Josh Allen, two of Mike McDaniel. This was going to be bumpy. This was going to be bumpy. Now, it's bumpier than we thought, but I think if Aaron would have played, you would be looking, my guess is, at a 9-and-8 football team where Aaron was

struggling to get consistent protection. The offense was heavily reliant on Garrett Wilson, and Aaron was disappointed with the offensive production. They don't won games. They'd have been in the playoff race. I said that. I thought they'd be nine and eight in the playoff race, but I think Aaron would be struggling with a lack of production. He would privately be struggling with a lack of creativity with Nat Hackett, and also privately mostly, they'll passive aggressively acknowledging they only have one great receiver. But Aaron's good at selling stuff

and he's good at talking, he's good at content, and he's very interesting. And I've never thought he's a bad guy, just a little self-absorred, but it's amazing what people can talk you into. Just go one year ago in a stable organization with the Great O line. A winning culture, lots of inertia and momentum.

To the Jets, what were we thinking? What were you thinking? 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. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time,

but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the IHeartRadio app,

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

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

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

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clivert Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or where you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look

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

Thank you 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. Celebrate the holidays with the gift of football on Fox.

On Sunday, it's an NFL doubleheader featuring a showdown between title contenders as Dak leads to Cowboys against Tua and the Dolphins. Then on Christmas Day, the Giants take on Jalen Hertz and the Eagles all on Fox. You know, you and I, we're off Monday for Christmas and there's a lot of games on, and nobody, watching us anyway. So we're off for Christmas. And you and I don't get a weekend where we just get a watch and bet football and we don't have to have a take on Monday. So are you excited for that? Are you getting all fired? Because it's, I mean, Monday we get Ravens Niners, which is amazing. But you know, I don't know how to get that. We have takes. We take notes all weekend. And this weekend is the only spot in the football season where we're just kind of going to watch the games

and hang out and have a cocktail. So I don't know. Are you going to take notes like usual on Sunday for the Tuesday? Well, no, I'm going to watch Monday because Monday's end. NBA and NFL Christmas, and those are the games. We'll talk about Tuesday. Well, Miami, Dallas, if Dallas loses that, I think that's a significant talking point. And Miami, I think they're closer than you think to being a legit contender. I know you have doubts, but keep an eye on that Miami team. Last night I was thinking about this.

You have premonitions. You're like, I think Buffalo is now becoming better than the fascinating bills we fell in love with two years ago that couldn't deliver. I think this is the better version. I have a feeling Buffalo is going to end up in the Super Bowl. Interesting. I really do. I think I always thought they were. Wait, wait, I'm sorry.

Super Bowl? Yeah. It's perfect. You know how sometimes after a team gets to the Super Bowl, you look back and you say to yourself, oh, God, I should have seen it coming. Right? You've done that before. You're like, how did I not see that?

If you look at Baltimore, a Buffalo season, just think about this on the bills. If they get to the Super Bowl, you'll look back and go. So Mahomes had his worst year because he was breaking in new receivers. Burrow got hurt. Baltimore fell apart physically and Jacksonville. And you'll go, oh, why didn't I see it? I think Buffalo's getting to the Super Bowl. Wow.

And you're going to look back and you're going to go, how? And you're going to go, Sean Peyton Russell Wilson caught fire too late. Chargers Jacksonville disappointed. Burl hurt. Mahomes and Andy were good, but they could never. overcome. They're not as good on the O line and the receivers. And then Baltimore, we like them, but they just lost another piece. Yeah, that Keaton Mitchell loss is big. They're like one more injury away from being in a problem area. So we talked about betting the bills, and I got some

futures last week, but I don't actually think those are going to hit, like AFCEs. I think they're going to be in the Super Bowl. I had a premonition. I honestly last night, I thought every time the Super Bowl happens, you look back, you do, I do, we all do, and we go, oh, how we didn't see that coming? it's the year for them. Mahomes down, Burl hurt, Baltimore's good, but they're falling apart. I need to look at it, but I think Miami Buffalo play one more time.

Yeah, but you know. In Miami, hold on, and it could be Buffalo needs that win to get in the playoffs. Yeah. And Miami will be at home. But you know. Maybe for number one seed. Josh Allen has dominated nobody like Miami.

Well, they cannot stop him in the red zone. They don't have the personnel. Let's see if Fongio's defense keeps getting healthy and the offensive line, but I would say, I would fear Miami more now than Buffalo. Wow. Disagreement. Total. Absolutely.

Do not trust the speedboat, the tanning salon of the NFL. Oh, stop. Did you see the video of McDaniel, by the way? There's a video that's circulating. Yeah, that's great. That guy is awesome. McDaniel or McDermott? Who you got?

Well, they're both more than capable. One's offense, so I lean there. Let's not make McDermott into a bum. He's got Tyrod Taylor pre-Josh Allen to the playoffs. And oh, by the way. He's no McDaniel. Let's just cut it off right. Come on.

Yale guy, 49ers, lineage. Yale guy? He was a Yale. This is not the Ivy League. It's football. Come on. Colin, don't say stuff like that. Listen, this is a guy who had two hoop earrings like the back in the day.

I'm telling you, I'm all in. Anybody in the Shann Street. Ivy League. Hey, everybody. Do you just, do you hear? In Fitzpatrick, best quarterback ever, he went to Harvard. They're totally different. I want my coach smart.

I don't want him defensive-minded like McDermott. I've worked with some Ivy League people. And? Yeah, and. That's exactly what I said. That shots fired. Wow. Eastern Washington, the Harvard of the Paloos.

What are you against Yale? Did you not watch Gilmore Girls? Joking. That's a joke. No, I just think we're going to look back and we're going to say, oh, Burrow was hurt. Lamar's team fell apart. Mahalms had all these kids.

Trevor Lawrence stepped back. Herbert didn't have the right coach. C.J. Stroud wasn't ready. Titans were a mess. All the barriers are falling for Buffalo. And they finally, in the last month, have developed a run game. When you beat Dallas like that, only two teams in the league have gone up against Dallas and humiliated them physically.

San Francisco and Buffalo. my new Super Bowl. Hold on. Colin, that was a perfect spot. Can we take this? Is this taped? We're live, yeah. Alex, is this taped? Buffalo, San Francisco. I'm in. So just remember, Dallas was coming off three straight home games, had to go outdoors against a desperate Buffalo.

It was a perfect spot. Don't read too much into that. Because you're a beach guy. You're falling into Miami. Let me say something about December and January. It's cold. Miami's shown no ability to go in crappy, weather, play physical teams, and win. Buffalo lives for that, brags about it, embraces it. It's their DNA.

I'm telling you, Bill's Niners, I don't even need to watch the games. Oh, all right. Buffalo, what number are they? What number are they? What number is Buffalo in the AFC right now? They're not in the playoffs. Which one is it? So what?

They're not even in the playoffs. I know. Now, they could go there. That... They're ninth. And they need help, they need help to get in. We all need help. No, no, no.

They need other guys to lose. meaning. They're not like automatic. That Miami game, okay, damn it. They need help. We all need help.

We all need it. I'm just, listen, anybody can say, hey, I like the Niners and I like the favorites. If I told you,

pick a team not in the playoffs to shock people and win multiple playoff games. Nobody would deny Buffalo's it without a doubt. Fair enough. So it's not a Z.

It's not, and they just crush Dallas. But non-playoff teams currently are Houston with Case Keenham, Buffalo, Pittsburgh with Mason Rudolph, Denver, Raiders with Aiden O'Connell. Come on, those options are total crap. And look at the, say, come on, Dennis Allen, Falcons with Taylor Heineckee, Packers with your boy, Jordan. That just emboldens my Buffalo argument. There's one team not in the playoffs that we all look at and go,

yeah, I don't want no part of them. Cold Weather Buffalo as we head into Jam, Right. Miami wins this weekend. Baltimore loses. All of a sudden, number one seat up for grabs. Miami could, could get home field in the AFC. Do you think Buffalo's going to struggle to go in January to Miami and win? Not our two next. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an 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 Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite offers. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 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. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

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