The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Eric Shanks and Rod Woodson

Episode Date: December 29, 2021

FoxSports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks joins to talk what it was like for the Fox network to bring John Madden to the network. NFL Hall of Fame Safety Rod Woodson also joins to talk Madden and his days in Oakland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It's hour two. It is a Wednesday, a special day here. A lot of emotions. Live in LA, it's the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio FS1. The man to my right, who you are watching here on FS1 is Eric Shanks. He is the CEO of Fox Sports. He is my boss. He is who hired me and who scolds me from time to time. And Joy Taylor and I are lucky to have him as a boss because like John Madden, the late John Madden, he has very few rules.

Show up on time. Do your show and don't bother me. And so let's just get right into this. You had a very illustrated in the documentary. So let's educate our audience on this. Your background, all the bosses I've had in my life, I've told you this, have different backgrounds. Some are in sales, summer in literature. Yours was in TV production. You have a great sense of television.

You've given me advice and little things here and there. No other boss has done that. So you were in trucks in Europe and all over learning television. Graduate from you're a Hoosier, Indiana. And take me back to pre-John Madden at Fox, just where you were at, because I want to build this to your relationship. Where were you at? Where was Fox at?

What was going on? Right. First of all, thanks for having me. You've been great to see you. You too. And I know that Rinaldi wasn't available for some reason, and so you just called upstairs to have me come down. Of course.

So, you know, when you say learning, you have to have people to learn from. And, you know, at the moment that CBS lost the NFL, I was working at CBS for a producer named Richie Zions. Yes. And a legendary director named Sandy Grossman, who ended up... Legend. He was Madden's director even at CBS and then at Fox. And so, again, you know, time and a place for everything.

When CBS lost the NFL, Fox was having to start something new, and there were a lot of people available at CBS. And so I was lucky enough to be able to come along with Richie and the crew that he put together to do the NFL over at Fox. And clearly, you know, if you watch the All Madden documentary, Fox had nothing at the time. Didn't have studios, didn't have a building, clearly didn't have people that knew how to do the NFL. And so Rupert brought in David Hill, David Hill brought in Ed Goren, and they just started figuring out how could they get credibility. And there really was only one answer at the time.

And that was to bring John Madden over from CBS to help start this fledgling new sports network. So did you know John well? Obviously, you formed an incredible relationship over time. When he came over to Fox, how well did you know John? Oh, no. I mean, it would be like, you know, I was the guy sweeping the floors. Okay. So getting to know John was, you know, over time and being able to work, you know,

on projects that he was working on, whether it was the Thanksgiving games or playoff games or the All Madden show. And, you know, look, I, I had the privilege at Indiana to work for Coach Knight as well. And so Coach Knight and John, if you did your job, well, if you showed up to play hard, if you were on time and paid attention, pretty simple things to do, you know, you would be allowed to stick around. And that's kind of, you know, what happened, at least with me being able to ride the coattails of some certain people and then, you know, just. soaking up every second of it, right? I said there's a certain integrity to John. I could see him chopping it up with Lombardi in his office, Bill Walsh and Belichick.

He loved football, the people who played it. He was a mentor and he was a coach. So as your relationship grows and you have a television production background, Nick Wright talked about this briefly, how Madden made TV better. Explain that. Yeah, and I think that in the documentary, you know, if there was anybody that we, you know, would have loved to have given more time to, it was Bob Stenner. Bob Stenner is John's producer, and, you know, Sandy Grossman passed away in 2014. But Bob and Sandy were the people who had to take what John wanted to show and what he wanted to talk about and how to make that into television.

And so it was Bob and Sandy that really brought John's passion for football alive. and they were curious enough to bring things out of him and then figure out either through graphics or camera angles or new camera angles or replays. They're the ones that brought John to life. And, you know, the opening line of the documentary, John, in his own word, says, my life is football, but it's complicated.

And it really, really was. It's almost like if I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand type of thing. and everything sitting in a production meeting with John was about football. It was about getting the football right. It was about getting the, and he was, he just had blinders on about it. You either did it right or you didn't do it. And that's just, you know, that's the way that I was raised with my appreciation for football here.

And I think it's what we do every, every Sunday throughout every crew. When you were in a booth with John and when you were around John, why, did Summerall, who's a bit of a broadcasting minimalist, the late Pat. I always feel like radio is for the play-by-play guy, TVs for the analyst. So there was a sense with Summerall that his minimalistic style work with John, but he also played, and I always thought that mattered. John liked players. Yeah, John would always describe the, the, the, uh, partnering with Pat. And he loved it in the sense that Pat would set him up but not lead him, right? And as the minimalist, John could go wherever he wanted to go.

So very minimalist set up about, you know, gain of six, now it's, you know, second and four and just stop. He would listen to John. And what John loved was that Pat would have a sentence or a very quick button at the end, right, to turn a phrase. And John just loved it. And he would always talk about how that's the routine in the booth that made them successful. And, you know, look, you do take a look at a lot of teams trying to replicate that today. You certainly do. John didn't like to fly.

Many people do not in America. John was one of the more well-documented stars who didn't like to fly. Did that at any point create challenges for Fox? No, I think they pretty much had it down. you know, the Madden Cruiser predated Fox. So, you know, Sandy Montag, you know, kind of, it's, again, well documented in the All-Madden documentary. But Sandy had come up with a deal to create the Madden Cruiser. They had their drivers.

They had Willie. And it was a pretty well-oiled machine. I think the only things that mattered as a BA was figuring out, because there was no email. and there was no faxing. How did you get a hold of him? So we would have to get these big stacks of press releases from the NFL and from the teams. And you'd have to figure out with Willie, okay, on Tuesday, he's going to be at a truck stop in Kansas. So we would FedEx things to a truck stop in Kansas waiting for Willie and the Madden Cruiser to get there to get his materials to prep for the next game.

And then, you know, if you were a BA or a stats guy every once and a while at the end of a game, John would just say, hey, you know, what do you do and, you know, come with me on the bus. There were people who were kind of constantly on the bus, but then people who would get invited to go, you know, from place to place after a game. I've said this before, not recently, but people who were big in the 70s, 80s on TV, Madden, Johnny Carson. There was, we could never equal it. There's XM, I mean, just for audio, there's radio, and there's simulcast, and there's podcasting. It's all fragmented. And we're all caffeinated and staring at our phone.

So it's a very distracted audience. But when John came to Fox, there's four networks. Cable wasn't that big of a deal. I don't even think sports talk radio was a thing. So John was a massive star. I mean, and again, in a million different. areas, commercials. Give me a sense how big he was, being in the presence of him amongst the public. Yeah, I mean, I would have to think that at the time, John and Michael Jordan were kind of at the same time, same place.

And if you were with John, he had, you know, he would step off the bus. He would go into a stadium. You'd be at a restaurant. you know, the celebrity was off the charts. And he had time for everybody. Like, you know, there's just saying, people like to say that John never went fast, right? And he had time for everybody. And it was, you know, as a BA, I guess,

if you were looking to get, you know, dinner reservations or anything done, all you had to do is say his name, and it opened every door, right? And so there would be a lot of times where as a BA, you would want... B.A. being for our audience. Oh, a broadcast associate. So like the low man on the totem pole, you know, on a production team, which is what I was, you know, at the time. And, you know, he would...

There wasn't any place that you couldn't eat or couldn't stay, you know, at the time with John. And, you know, there were presidents that would stop in the middle of the street in New York to have a conversation with John. He was that big. He was a teacher. do you remember kind of putting you on the spot? One of the first or second things, I mean, you have a background in television. Was there ever a moment that you thought John taught you something about TV?

Oh, yeah. I mean, 100%. It was, you know, all about football. So the first time that I ever kind of got lit up by him was we were going to put this brand new graphic on the screen. and it was going to be these computerized players that were moving around to show a playbook. And we were very proud of ourselves. And he noticed immediately that the hash marks

were college hash marks rather than NFL hash marks. And we had worked on this forever, and he just lit us up. And it just made you realize every time I look at something, how you have to scrutinize through the authenticity and love of football, that you have to get it right. And you know, you talk about details, You would sit in, he loved lobby hangs.

And so whether it was the Ritz Carlton in Chicago or the Weston in Dallas, everybody that was around John just loved the lobby hangs. You know, he would get into town a couple of days early. And the attention to detail, he was like Sherlock Holmes. He would point at somebody's shoelaces and say, you know, he's tying his shoelaces off to the side. You don't want to do business with that guy, right? Or, you know, his shirt has, you know, got a button off here.

And he would notice these. things and just love to talk to you about the detail and what it means to a certain person. And you see that come through in the broadcasts exactly, his attention to detail. And I think that's what people loved about him, is he would take you inside the game that you just couldn't see with your own eyes. I mean, when I think of Fox, I think of the NFL, Madden and Simpsons. When did Fox know, the Murdoch family know? When was it absolutely apparent?

Oh, we're a real network. now. When you sensed other networks knew, we got a fourth network, and they're legitimate. And Madden was a huge part of that. Was there a moment epiphany of, this is working fast? Yeah, again, I'll just

tell the stories that have been told to me, which is, at the time that Fox got the NFL, you know, what are there, 209 markets in the country? So you need a station in all 209 markets. I think when Fox first got the NFL, they had like 50.

So there were 150 markets where Fox didn't even have stations to broadcast the NFL. They were like, okay, we got the NFL. Holy crap, we got to go get these stations now. And I think once you got those stations, then you said, okay, now it's real. You actually have this distribution mechanism like the other networks. And that's when the fourth network was born. You had a great trust and relationship. I've only known you six years, but I've at least three times.

since I've known you, we've been in a conversation, and you just randomly brought up, you know, I was talking to Madden this morning. So when you, if I could, be nosy, when you talk to John, what was it often about? Yeah, it was usually about the confluence of football and television, you know, so take, for example, if the NFL was going to put a new emphasis on a rule or a replay review, either John would call me. because he was on the competition subcommittee or the coaches, you know, subcommittee and he would say, okay, they're thinking about this rule.

Based on your camera configuration, are you going to be able to get the shot that the replay officials need to be able to enforce this rule? And we're thinking, and so now we're going through the camera configurations with John about something that is, that he needs to take back to the competition committee

about how that's going to happen. And this is well into his 80s, right, that he's doing this. Or, you know, I would, at the beginning of each season or at the end of each season around the Super Bowl, I would talk to John about the games that we would request for our schedule for the next year. I'd send him the list of our top 25 games and we would go game by game. Like where we think that team is going to land and what are games?

And the things that I learned from John is, you know, if it sounds like a game, it is a game. Right. And that's why, you know, the NFC package is obviously important to us here at Fox. but, you know, Dallas, Washington, no matter where they are in the standings, that sounds like a football game. Yeah. And that's going to do a good rating. And so we learned that from John. You could take, you know, you could take, you know, a nine and two team that isn't one of the great traditional franchises.

And even though it might be a better football game, doesn't sound like a game. And so that's what we do a lot of times when we're deciding is we go back to Madden, does it sound like a game? When you told me a year ago, I had a year ago, I had a lot of it. asked about John at lunch and you said, you know, I think you told me you were working on this. And John was always larger health, I think was, we all knew he wasn't in great health. You were caught off guard, I imagine, by his passing. But where did it land for you kind of emotionally knowing when you heard the news, you were able to get the documentary done and let John see it?

And I always felt you didn't say this to me, but I felt it. you did feel you were a little on the clock. Well, yeah, I mean, I think it caught everybody, you know, definitely by surprise yesterday when we all started getting the calls. And then, you know, you just, you felt grateful. Because, you know, we had talked to his son, Mike, about how the family had gotten together to watch together. And that, you know, afterwards,

words, John went around to everybody in the family and asked their opinion and what they liked about it. And then, you know, Mike said that John, you know, said that he really liked it as well. And so you're just grateful for some weird reason, timing-wise, that it did work out that way. You know, you're kind of in shock still that it worked out that way. But being able to, being able for him to see it. And I think the last line was, you know, he was so humble and he had such humility that I don't think he realized until he was a part of the documentary and seeing how Tom Rinaldi and Joel Santos used other people's interviews to play back for him, like Lawrence Taylor, what he really did did mean to them. I think he was actually kind of surprised. And being able to do that,

you know, it's going to live with you for a long time that you feel like it did the right thing. At Fox, we have a recently signed a very, very long deal, like 11 years minimum. I won't get into the labyrinth of all the contracts and how it works, but we are an NFL network. You know, I was thinking about this, and not to put you on the spot,

but I thought there should almost be something this point forward that Madden is connected to the NFL? I was like, you know how, I don't know, I was just, I was driving in this morning thinking, you're going to be on the show and I thought, I wonder, Eric, you will have thought of this if there is something to honor him going forward. Yeah, so there's been some discussion, you know, already,

and I think people are feeling the same way, what is the right thing to do. And I think, you know, obviously between us and I did talk to the commissioner, actually about a little bit about that this morning, like what is the right thing that we would all want to do and get behind and what's appropriate with the family. So I think there's no doubt that there's going to be something. It's what is, what is it going to be at and at the right time to honor him and, you know, keep the essence of John alive for a long time. There was an essence to John. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. You could see him.

I mean, you could literally see John sitting with Belichick, Walsh, Lombardi, Noll. I mean, you can just... Well, there's that. You know, there's that coach's club, right? And there's coaching trees. You know, John came from, you know, Coriel and people talk about the Shula coaching tree or the Walsh coaching tree. But John is unique from all of them in that because his coaching career lasted, you know,

10 years. And then he became a broadcaster. His coaching tree jumped into a broadcasting tree. And if you think about at least this place right now, you know, our lead NFL producer that produces the Super Bowl, John's BA for a very long time, Ritchie Science. Another BA that worked for John, Chuck McDonald, is now our lead college producer, right? And we have directors paired with him that are part of the Madden Coaching Tree. The guy who produces the World Series. on Fox. Pete Macheska, John's AD and on his crew.

And then even the person who produces the Daytona 500 for us, Barry Landis, was John's stats guy when I met him. So every, it's not just football, every sport that we do is part of this madden coaching tree. And then you jump to other networks, right? Like Fred Godelli was at ESPN and

Sunday night football. And it just jumps from, you know, people at CBS who were still a part of John's coaching tree. So no matter what network and honestly no matter what sport, his impact and the way that people enjoy sports is going to be felt for a really long time to come. It's generational, definitely.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Yeah. Thanks for having me. You bet. CEO, Fox Sports, Eric Shanks, back in a second. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app.

Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. 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 you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions,

my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right 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. Talk 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 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 you 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. 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.

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? 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, as 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 hard way and listen now. Sunday the race of the playoffs continues on Fox with a huge doubleheader. It's a full slate of games with playoff implications highlighted by the Cardinals taking on the Cowboys in America's game of the week.

Check local listings for the matchups in your area only on Fox in the Fox Sports app. Well Cardinals Cowboys is fascinating but not for the reasons we thought probably a month ago. What is going on with Arizona? So we know, you know, it's really interesting. Buffalo is getting really healthy. Tennessee is getting really healthy. So all of a sudden the AFC, which looked like two weeks ago, Kansas City and everybody else, here come the bills and here come the Titans, all getting healthy.

The Rams, similarly, are getting healthy in the NFC and Tampa is all banged up. So Arizona should be getting some players back to the Cowboy Arizona game. Like, what's the real Arizona? I've been arguing that a lot of this downturn is simply you can't lose a James Connor, a DeAndre Hopkins. Kyler is still a young quarterback. This past weekend, Justin Herbert, he had a good game. I mean, 330 yards, 77% completion, but he had 13 starters out. It's one thing taking away a tight end and a receiver from Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers.

It's another from Kyler Murray and Justin Herbert. And so I think Arizona's problems can be solved by getting key offensive pieces back. think the chargers are getting back key COVID pieces. And by the way, the NFL yesterday, this is noteworthy, from 10 to five games like the COVID CDC. So you can get players back. This happened. I think yesterday we discussed this. So I think Arizona will reemerge as dangerous because they haven't been for about three weeks offensively.

Enjoy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. Well, Aaron Rogers is having an incredible season, playing through a broken toe, very painful, but likely will win back-to-back MVP. So why not share more feelings about COVID protocols? He recently spoke with Pat McAfee about the stricter protocols for unvaccinated players in the league.

And he said, what I don't understand is it makes no sense to me to continue to spread this narrative that non-vaccinated players are more dangerous or these super spreaders, which has. hasn't been proven to be true. I don't understand this two-class system that exists in our league. There's not many unvaccinated guys left in the league, but it's obviously not a pandemic of the unvax. Obviously, we know about what happened with Aaron Rogers earlier in the season, saying he was immunized, was actually not vaccinated. So per the NFL protocols, Aaron Rogers doesn't have to test for the 90 days because he had the virus.

So he doesn't have to test because he has the antibodies because he actually got COVID. He's in that window until a few days after the NFC championship game. So it actually bodes well for them as far as Aaron goes with the new variant that he doesn't have to test. Now, Carson Wentz yesterday, he got a huge break, right? Because the NFL's gone from 10? If they apply it to people who are already in quarantine, which I don't know why they wouldn't. Because the NFL and NFLPA agreed yesterday to shorten the amount of time that team personnel who have tested positive, to quarantine for five days instead of 10 days if they don't show systems.

And that's for vaccinated and unvaccinated players. Okay. So that's a huge. And listen, it's not even a break. Like, that's what the CDC has said. For this variant. For this variant. For where we are at this point in the pandemic.

There's a lot of hysteria going on and it's perfectly understandable for people to be upset. There's a lot of changes. We've talked about a lot. Change is very difficult for people. Yeah. I get it. But at the end of the day,

both sides of this. When we get good news, we need to embrace the good news as well. We don't have to live in despair because of the identity that this is created for everyone. Yeah, I think the NFL is doing a pretty good job on this. I mean, college football is just canceling games hours before they're supposed to be there. Yeah, and it's chaos. And so, you know, and it's like, time out. This is the difference. This is what I've said about college football sport I deeply love, is that college football does not have a CEO. Yes. They're literally canceling bowl games hours before teams travel, they're away from their families for Christmas, and an hour before it's like, yesterday the holiday bowl, UCLA is like, oh, we can't play.

It's like, okay, the NFL, and this is difficult, I do like how, and some people don't like this, they think it's unfair, but the NFL is taking everything they get from the CDC, and they're constantly changing it because they just want to get games in. That's what they're telling us to do. All pandemic long, there's been like two pockets of people, essentially, right? And then there's a small sliver of people in the middle, like you and I, that just make good decisions, right? For the most part.

This has become very tribal, as we know. Yes. Okay. And it's exhausting. But the CDC has been telling us what to do, guiding us through this. When the CDC says it's five days instead of 10 days, you can't be like all of a sudden like, wait a minute, we're not going to listen to what the CDC says.

When all along you've been yelling at the other side to tell them to do what the CDC said. So the CDC is saying this is contagious, but not as punitive. Right. So if you get it, You don't have to be away from everybody for even a week, just five days. And so the NFL, and by the way, that's what they should do. It's a contagious but not as deadly virus, closer to a flu. The two people I know that have had it, it's been a fever and nothing else,

which feels more like the flu. So I think the NFL is doing it right, but it does show you the gap between college and pro football. I mean, college is lost. It's a disaster. And this is, I'm with you. This is exactly why you need someone in charge. It can't just be, I mean, this is utterly. There's no one representing the athletes.

Yesterday I was asked by somebody. I didn't have an answer. Somebody asked me, well, who's testing the UCLA players? And I'm like, I don't know. Is it the school? I mean, if I was Georgia or Michigan, I wouldn't test my players. I know they're not in danger. And if they're, I mean, seriously, if you test your players if you're Michigan or Georgia playing Friday, why?

Well, I mean, I guess that they are, actually, I don't have an answer either. my assumption would be that if someone shows symptoms, then you have to test everyone, which is a big part of what's going on with the NBA right now, is that if you have anyone who shows symptoms or anyone who test positive for whatever reason, then everyone who's been around them has to test. And because this variant is so contagious, but not punitive, people can be positive and have no idea because they're asymptomatic. So to me, it's not about the question of testing or not. It's if they're asymptomatic and the CDC has changed the protocols or the recommendations, then the protocols have to change. Everything can't be a conspiracy, guys. Like, I'm busy, okay? What am I supposed to do? I'm just going to do what I'm told to do. It's not that hard. I've got stuff to do today.

I've got naps to take. I've got errands to run. I can't be digging up Reddit stories all day long. Like, this is what the CDC said, so they should adjust the protocols. That's what it is. It's the end of the story. So the Packers have been steady all season long,

while the Chiefs have been a little rocky, but they've made a comeback. According to Fox Bed, both teams currently have the best odds to make the Super Bowl at Plus 400. The Chiefs did begin the season at 3 and 4, but they've improved to 11 and 4. And they're also the favorites to win their conferences

with the Chiefs at plus 170 and Packers at plus 190. Both led by potential MVP candidates. Rogers has the best odds at minus 175, according to Fox bet. The next best odds win the Super Bowl are the bucks at plus 600, the Bills plus 800, Rams at plus 850, and the Cowboys at plus 900. By the way. Cowboys is interesting.

Speaking of this, the bucks were favored weeks ago. Why are the Green Bay Packers favored over the bucks? New information. Packers getting healthier. Bucks getting more injuries. So literally the odds makers, this is what new information does, have flipped Tampa and Green Bay as favorites in the NFC. Why?

Bucks with injuries. Packers healthier. Several players are probably worth half a point. You add it all up at slight. Now, I still think if Leonard Fernette can play, Tampa is a tough matchup for Green Bay. Well, they're rushing defense. Well, I've watched Green Bay struggle to put away the bears and the Browns,

and in both instances, there were lots of mistakes by the quarterbacks for the bears and the Browns, and Green Bay could not put either away. That, Green, teams feel like Buffalo this morning is getting healthy. They got a D-line back, an O-line back, Cole Beasley back. Like, this morning, Buffalo is better than three weeks ago. This morning, I think Green Bay feels worse to me than three weeks ago. They're not putting people away. Isn't this always the question with Green Bay at this time of the year?

It always is. They're pretty, but can they punch? They're always pretty. They got an MVP. They're unbeaten at Lambo. It's becoming, to me, the last two to three weeks, Green Bay started looking like the last four-year Green Bay. Pretty, not tough.

Because they didn't start that way. They felt this year like they were different, like they were more physical. So Carson Wentz was placed on the COVID-19. yesterday. So his status for the Sunday's game against the Raiders is in question. If he's unable to play, Sam Ellinger would get the start. He's appeared in three games, has 10 rushing yards, and has not

attempted to pass this season. So that is not great news for the Colts who are attempting to get him back. Carson Wentz, that is. According to the athletic Zach Kiefer, the Colts are also discussing, we talked about yesterday briefly, possibly getting Philip Rivers back for the game. He was 11 and 5

with them and went to the playoffs last year. He's obviously retired. and is coaching high school football now. Despite retiring last off season, Rivers did tell the LA times in August he wouldn't rule out a return. They're nine and six and hold the fifth playoff spot in the AFC. Now, as we just discussed a few minutes ago, the new COVID protocols could bode well for Carson Wentz if he is asymptomatic.

If he has any symptoms, then he may be in quarantine for longer. But this isn't a big game for the Colts. Oh, absolutely. Fifth playoff spot in the AFC, host and the Raiders. There's six and a half point favorites, according to Foxx bet, but we're going to have watch list leading up into the weekend to see who's going to be available a quarterback for that. Good stuff, Joy, with News. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Line News. By the way, I saw this story. Aaron Rogers said on the Pat McAfee show that his decision on the NFL future is constantly on his mind. And I thought, that's the opposite of living in the moment, but be it, as it may, it's a big decision. And he says, his quote here is, I just, what will be the happiest place for me going

forward. Well, to me, happy as a quarterback is winning, and then Green Bay is winning. So I don't think he's going to leave eventually. But it is interesting. You know, the grass is always greener, right? And Aaron's quote is, it's constantly around my mind. What does happiness look like in the future? I think that's the thought process. It's not a specific place or destination. It's what's going to make me happiest moving forward. Well, obviously winning games is going to make him happy. But it is interesting. There's no perfect landing spot. So Tom Brady in New England never had the control he wanted. Peyton Manning and Marino almost never had the defense they wanted. Joe Montana, six years of Steve Young behind him breathing down his neck. Bradshaw never had a tight relationship with Chuck

Knoll. Troy Aikman did with Jimmy, but it didn't last long enough. Farve never had great weapons. So there's no perfect landing spot. What does happiness look like? There is a downside to Green Bay. They don't get the free agents. They're more of a developed-the-pearl. players we draft destination. I could argue, though, that makes the team closer because there's no nightlife and less to do. They don't bring outsiders in. That creates a very tight community within the walls of the organization. And for every downside, there's an upside. There's silver lining. There's duality. So I'll say it again, there is no perfect place. I think Aaron Rogers in Green Bay.

the issues are small some of the dramas created by him all-time greats Montana Brady Manning there's no perfect place for a quarterback if you're too good early the expectations are ridiculous if you don't win early it gives ammo to the critics he's won enough he needs one more Super Bowl to put him in a little tighter circle as one of the all-time greats

and he's got a shot again this year it's the hurt I'm George Reister, host of the Reister or Wrong podcast. This is the intersection where sports, business, society, and pop culture meet the truth. Absolute fire on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Facts only. Make sure you check your feelings at the door because no BS is allowed. We keep it 100. This is where real conversations happen.

Listen to the Rice or Wrong podcast on the IHeartRadson. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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 panes. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care which I'll say. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement

to my brand new podcast. The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, This is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-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 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. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, 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. 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. person. Join me, Keir Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app,

search Learn the Hardway, and listen now. Hall of Famer, 17 years, 11 Pro Bowls, three Super Bowls. Rod Woodson still holds the league record for most interception returns for a touchdown, most fumble recoveries, third most picks and league history. The great Rod Woodson now joining us. Lives in Vegas now. So John Madden touched a lot of people. You, of course, were touched by Chuck Knoll was his rival.

By the time you got the last few years of Chuck Knoll, you didn't go against Madden. But he had such great influence in that rivalry, the Steelers and the Raiders. What are your early memories of John Madden? I mean, first, he's an iconic football coach. And the way he has brought that team back and how he built it, kind of that no man, you know, that nomad type player that he gets guys who really are not won it anywhere else in a national football league. And he gets them to play for the Raiders and they play at their best and they won multiple Super Bowls. I mean, to think about what John is, and I look at him like, okay, is he going to be remembered more as a football coach? or the man who has his name on Madden football that, you know,

e-sports, everybody's playing nowadays, and that's all they do. And, you know, for me, I was personally, if I could get on the All Madden team, you knew you were tough, physical on defense, and you want to tackle somebody. That's how John did his defenses. So having, getting that John Madden sweater, if I can get that yearly, that was like a big huge honor for me. And then, you know, I just remember where John Madden and Steve Marriuch used to have a boxing ball tournament.

And I used to go there multiple years in a row. And I got to meet John outside of football, outside of being in the booth. And he's a great human being. He owned all of Pleasanton where, you know, he lived at. I mean, that was this, he was the mayor of Pleasanton. So just to get to know him personally was a great honor. and he's going to be sorely missed in the football world. Well, as a former Steeler, we've talked about this.

The Steelers have always been very pro player. They love their tradition. I think they should have had a succession plan three years ago for Ben. You could see he was not aging quite as well. Some guys age great. Some guys don't. And Ben wasn't a guy that lived in the off-season at the workout room. He had a life.

He wasn't doing you know, avocado ice cream like Brady or Russell Wilson literally, you know, working out in the desert all offseason. That's not who Ben is. So, you know, we said, I don't think Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson, I don't think their teams will let go of them. But the Steelers, I mean, I look at Rod, they've got a defense, a Hall of Fame coach, a stable front office, excellent young rookie tight end, a powerback, good receivers. What would you do at quarterback? Would you go to Sean Watson? Would you go draft? What would you do?

I can tell you this, Colin, they're not going to go to Sean Jackson. I mean, Sean Watson, excuse me. I don't think that's in the card for the Steelers. That's not who they are. They do need a quarterback. I mean, you think about everything that's been and has done for the Pittsburgh Steelers over 63,000 passing yards. He's won two Super Bowls.

The guy more than likely will be in the Hall of Fame. their future quarterback is not in that building right now. You know, I would like to see them go out and get, you know, maybe of Aaron Rogers. Doesn't want to be in Green Bay, you know, after this year to, you know, give up a couple number ones and get a guy like that for a couple of years. Or do you go on a draft and say, I need to build from the draft and we need to get younger again because they are a little older in some of the positions. They lost a lot of the offensive linemen this past year, but they do have some key pieces. The defense is solid. T.J. Watt, I mean, one of the best players in the national football league, consistently getting after the quarterbacks.

So pieces are there. But I don't think their future quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers is in-house right now. I think they have to look out of that. And maybe out of the box, maybe getting a free agent, a trade, maybe for Aaron Rogers, somebody like that. Or going back to the draft the way they normally build their football team. I got to ask you finally about Derek Carr. He's dealt with this could be a sixth coach in nine years. If you were Derek Carr, would you go to the organization and say,

guys, I've given you everything I have. I got one year left. I want out. What would you do if you were Derek Carr? I don't. Somebody will take him. Oh, yeah. That's for sure.

I mean, he's third in passing right now in the National Football League. I mean, right now, you think about it, they're 28th in rush offense. So that hampers what he can and cannot do. I think Derek is one of those players. I think he's going to be very loyal to the Raiders. You do. He's been there the whole time. I do.

I think that's who he is as a human being. He's a great person. If you ever really met him and got to know him, he's a great human being. I think he's been playing lights out for the Raiders this year. I think they need him. I don't know if I would let him go if I was Mark Davis. I think he needs to be there. Until they find a quarterback, they can say, you know what,

in two years or maybe a year after, you know, Derek Carr, his last year, whatever that might be, then I could see them letting them go. But next year, no way. Derek Carr, I think, needs to be the, the Las Vegas Raider quarterback in 2022. They got to get the running game going. That's the downside of this football team right now. The running game has been very lacking this year.

And Derek has really picked up the pieces with all the stuff that's happened around him, losing Nelson Aguilar the year before. Then what happened with rugs and Waller is being hurt for multiple games in a row. And he still has played really good football for him. He's been a great leader in the community. And he's been a great leader on the football. field. Yeah.

Rod, you look great. Great to seeing you, my man. Go out and golf. Enjoy the Vegas weather. You're a lucky guy. And an all-time great. Good talking to you again. Good talking to you, Colin.

Take care of yourself. Rod Woodson, who believe it or not, still holds the record. He holds several in the NFL, but most picks for TDs still holds it. I mean, been out of the league for a year, still holds it. And now it's a passing league. So there's more opportunities for defensive. guys to do that. Yeah, it is. We were talking about this earlier with Matt Stafford. So the Rams gave up two first and a third. And because the Rams are good, that's a late for two late firsts and a late third.

Stafford is going to double, go from 20 to 40 touchdown passes in the first year of McVeigh system with Robert Woods out and Cam Acres out. So he lost his top back and his second best receiver and he's going to double goff in terms of touchdowns, and he's got to this point four times as many three touchdown games. So it's already been a steal for the Rams. So Joy and I talk about this. What can you give up? I've said this for years.

Derek Carr is the life preserver of the Rams. He's not the issue. They have Hunter Renfro, Waller, Carr, Colton Miller, the left tackle, Jacobs. The offense has pieces, but he can't win by shootout every week. You've got to be good defensively at some point this decade. Hour three next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.