The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Herbert, Durant, Rodgers

Episode Date: November 23, 2022

Colin defends Justin Herbert from recent criticisms and why he's the most under coached star in the NFL right now Thoughts on Kevin Durant and the Nets losing to the Sixers last night Aaron Rodgers talks about retirement again   Guest: Joel KlattSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Oh, here we go. It's hour two. Joel Clats around the corner. Terry Bradshaw next hour live in L.A. It's the herd wherever you may be. However you may be listening. I heart radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. I'm not here tomorrow.

J.Mack is not either. I'm not here Friday. I'll be back to following Monday. We'll be back to following Monday. So today, smorgasbord just had Greg Co. Sell on. He likes Kenny Pickett. That's good for Steeler fans.

So he likes what he sees with Kenny Pickett. I don't see a lot of wow, but I see something, just not a lot of wow. Now, big story today is that Zach Wilson has been not only benched, but he's inactive. So they're basically going to reboot his career, which tells me he not only lost the staff, he lost the team by saying no at a press conference when asked how culpable he was for the L. Being a grown-up matters. It may be unfair.

But he and Drew Locke and James Winston and others, I've criticized Johnny Mansell and Baker. They're just not ready to run a franchise. They're just not mature enough. They don't quite understand it. They don't lack talent. Zach's got a real arm. So does Drew Locke. James is super talented.

Baker's got a good arm. But I think the undoing is his maturity. Because as a starter, he's 5 and 2. It's very rare when a young quarterback's 5 and 2 starting and you bench him. Like it doesn't happen ever. For Mike White, he lost the room. Jamek? Yeah.

It's official. I have to retire the name the Mormon Mahomes. to describe Zach Wilson. I'm contractually no longer allowed to say that in public on social media or anything. It did not happen for Zach Wilson. We move on. We move on. Okay, so Emmanuel Acho does a show after us speak, a couple of shows after us.

He was talking about Justin Herbert of the Chargers, getting a pass by the media, and he came out this week. It could have been, I don't know exactly what day it was, but here's what he said and it got a reaction. Justin Herbert is a social media quarterback. What do I mean? Justin Herbert makes throws that can go viral on social media in this day and age. On social media, they don't show you interceptions. That's not fun.

People aren't going to retweet a pick. People aren't going to retweet a bad sack. People aren't going to retweet a bad decision. We always look for Justin Herbert to succeed. But had Tua made the mistake to throw a pick in the end of the game with two timeouts remaining, he'd be crushed, like Joy said. Had Jalen Hurststone a pick with two timeouts remaining at the end of the game, he would be crushed. But for whatever reason, our beloved Justin Herbert, he does it, and we simply look away.

Uh, totally disagree. Here's why. Does coaching matter in football? Just let that soak in. Does coaching matter? I don't know. I'm watching two of this year and I think it does. I'm watching the Saints without Sean Payton this year.

I'm watching the Giants pivot from Joe Judge to Brian Dable. Does coaching matter? In two and a half years, Justin Herbert has had coaches who I think have undercoached him. So there's a difference between. excuses and reasons. In two and a half years quarterbacking, Justin Herbert's defenses have been ranked 23rd, 29th, and 29th. And because of that, he leads the NFL. The Chargers as a team lead the NFL since Justin Herbert arrived with nine blown fourth quarter leads. Atlanta's second. Why? Because he's often watching somebody get the ball, come back, and take the lead from him.

against the terrible defense, 29th last year, 29th this year. That's the first thing. So the other thing to remember, he is asked to mostly win shootouts. This year, Jalen Hertz and Tua, if you go to both Jalen and Tua, their top two receivers, have not missed a single start. Not one. Herbert with a bad defense who has to outscore teams, his two best receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, have missed nine starts.

He's not getting help on the defensive side, and he doesn't have his two targets. It should be noted that Herbert, in terms of game-winning drives, is third in the NFL since he entered the league. 11. That's more than Mahomes. And they also lead the NFL in blown leads. well, that's mostly his defense. I think there's a big gap between reasons and excuses. Tua now has a brilliant offensive coach.

Jalen Hertz has a loaded roster and lots of support on the defensive side. Justin Herbert's got a bad defense. His star receivers aren't available. And once again, he's staring at five and five. I think there's a difference between excuses and reasons at 6.5, 2.30, a 4.2.3. college student that's mobile with a cannon for an arm. I think he's the most under-supported great quarterback in the league. That's my take.

And with that, the voice of college football at Fox Sports, Joel Clatt joining us. He's got Michigan, Ohio State this week. I mean, you don't get, even as great as those programs are, you don't get a lot of undefeated versus undefeated with the Buckeyes and Wolverine. And by the way, I think that we should probably, you know, really a pretty appreciate this. I don't know how often that this is going to happen in the future, meaning with these types of stakes, because of the changing landscape of college football, like let's say

the Big Ten does away with divisions where Michigan or Ohio State could play in the Big Ten championship game. Well, then this game loses the stakes that it has, or let's say the college football change and expands like it will in the coming years. And we just think, hey, you know, both of these teams will be in the playoff. This game means everything. This Saturday and both at 11 and oh, you know, I'm just going to appreciate this one for what it is. All right. Blake Corum, I like Michigan all year. I had

him in the last several weeks, number one. They are not the same team without a healthy Blake Corum. Not even close, actually. Not close. Corum is a fabulous running back, and when he went down against Illinois, they took a drastic turn.

Now, his normal backup, Donovan Edwards, is a very good player. And when Donovan is out there, they don't miss Corum as much. Now, they still miss him, but not as much. But with Edwards and Corum not on the field against Illinois, Colin, it was drastic how much different that they were. Let me just give you some numbers to bear that out. This is a team that is one of the best rushing teams in the country, and I'll give you the fact that Illinois is a good defense.

But C.J. Stokes and Isaiah Gash averaged three yards per carry in the second half. Like, they're not going to beat Ohio State unless Corum or Edwards is healthy and ready to go. that's the biggest question of the game right now. And of the week is, are those guys going to be ready and available and ready to threaten the defense? Okay. Bryce Young, to me, is a plug and play guy in the NFL. Caleb Williams next year will be a number one pick. The year after that, there's a kid at Carolina, May, who are great.

C.J. Stroud, to me, has talent. I don't think he's necessarily an elevator all the time. He's hit and miss. He loses confidence. The offense can be eh. I watch him and I think it just depends on the half I see Ohio State. I see a lot of bad halves with him. No, I disagree. I think he's perfectly suited for that offense.

I think that he does a lot of things really well. He's got a strong arm. His feet are as good as anybody in college football. Now, he might not threaten the defense like Williams does outside of the pocket, Caleb Williams. But his ability to throw in rhythm and on target allows them to create explosive plays because of the yak, the yards after the catch. It's a simple equation when it comes to yak. Timing plus ball. By the way, this is an old Bill Walsh thing, right?

Timing plus ball placement equals yards after the catch. And yes, the wide receiver has to be athletic and create space and do all those things. But when you watch C.J. Stroud play, part of what makes Ohio State so dangerous is the fact that the ball is on time and on target that the wide receivers can run through it and into spots where they can create after the catch. So his ability is a bit more nuanced, which is why I, you know, You know, anticipate. Yeah, that's right. So it's harder for you to see. Easier for someone like me to see. You know, although, listen, I'm thankful for guys like you. You know, because it allows me, you know, the opportunity to come and teach. Yeah. And that's certainly. Trevor Berwick had a nuanced knockout punch. Mike Tyson had a knockout punch. I'm sorry. I tend to like like a knockout punch, not nuance around the fringes. But hey, it's just me. The best battery in college football is Stroud Marvin Harrison Jr.

Well, Marvin Harrison's about 70% of that. Well, I mean, he's pretty. Can you say that about any court? Any wide receiver quarterback? No. The wide receiver is never 70% of it. He's never even 50% of it. Okay? And while Marvin Harrison, Jr. is a fabulous player,

Stroud's really good. By the way, if Williams loses to Notre Dame, then the Heisman is Strouds to lose. We know who the better quarterback is there. Maybe, but that doesn't mean that that's who the Heisman is going to go to. Nuisance. Let's talk. So I think this is a danger spot.

I will say this. For who? For what? Notre Dame fans, I'm getting a lot of budget. he's texting me with a clover leaf because they're surging they play the kind of football it's got a little michigan field to it they're going to pound right at you yeah good running game that is not what u sc defends well no the trojans coming off a wildly biggest win in eight years for the program yep this feels like to me this is a last play of the game game yeah this one's going to come

down listen if if Notre Dame has the ability to run away with this game and if if u sc is going to win it's going to be close. Let me just give you some background on this game. This is how much better Notre Dame. Notre Dame is not the team that lost to Marshall and Stanford. They've gotten so much better. In six of their last eight games, they've run the ball for over 200 yards. Oh, yeah. Okay, so like they can get the job done in their first six games of the season. Total ball control. Keep it away from USC. And their first six games of the season, Colin, they were averaging 24 points per game. Not great, obviously, right? And that's why they were struggling. Do you know in their last five, they're averaging 40 a game.

Notre Dame is? 40 a game. So their offense can score points now running the football and they're physical and they're unapologetic about the way that they're going to attack you with multiple tight ends on the field and they're going to come in and they're going to extra gap you to death.

And then there's this other element of Notre Dame's team that matches up really favorably against USC. And that's their past defense. Notre Dame's past defense is 16th in the country. In the last four games, they've had eight interceptions and giving up only five passing touchdowns.

Do you know the last time Caleb Williams faced a passing defense that was as good as this Notre Dame passing defense? Do you remember when it was? Do you know when it was? Oregon State. No. Iowa State last year. Do you know what Caleb Williams' line was in the Iowa State game last year?

I did not watch that particular game. Eight of 18, that's 44% for 87 yards and a pick. So he's going to be faced. the best past defense since that day. Same head coach, same system. Now, granted, he's better than what he was late last year, but there might be some scar tissue there. And there's one thing I know about Caleb Williams, and it's that he will be and get frustrated at times. Part of that is born out of his supreme confidence that he's always going to be able to make a play, and generally he does, because he's fabulous. And by the way, I do think he is the best player in college football.

The last five games have cemented that for me in the way that he plays and what he means to his team. Having said that, his frustration in this game, he better keep to a minimum because there will be moments when they don't succeed on offense because of what I'm telling you. And they might have way fewer bites at the apple than what they normally do. Let's say they average 14 possessions. They'll get nine. They'll get maybe 9-10 because of that run game for Notre Dame. So they better play efficient. And he better make those throws when they appear.

there's no getting out of jail free card. This is not going to be like UCLA where you can go down first two series of the game, not get touchdowns, not get points in the red zone, and then still come back and win. All right. Can we throw up the college football rankings? I didn't have a problem with him. Of course you didn't. Well, I'm a guy that doesn't have a problem saying the truth. And so I got no problem. Interesting. I think you're a guy that like the committee just bases all of this off preconceived notions. So this is what the playoff committee gave us. What bothers you there? Don't you? You just wait and see. I'll give you exactly what I got a problem with. Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, TCU, LSU at 5. USC at 6, Alabama,

Clemson, Oregon, and Tennessee. That's what the committee gave us as the top 10. Now, I think that there is a clear oversight here. And I will start with this. The committee as it's constructed is a failed experience. Oh, come on now. It is. And I know that because they do not allow the games on the field to alter their preconceived biases and notions. Okay, like how? Because every week, it doesn't matter the opponent or what goes on on the field. They just move up a spot in always the same position. The example is that over the last two weeks, after LSU beat Alabama and was, put above USC, then over the last two weeks, they've just moved like that sequentially, right? LSU, one spot above USC. Well, I'm sorry, did we not see LSU?

LSU go on the road to an Arkansas team who had just lost to Liberty and was playing their backup and actually had their third string quarterback take snaps in that game, and LSU won by three? Did we not see that? Because I did. Did we not see LSU play UAB last week? Because I did. In the meantime, USC was out there without some of their best players as Addison was banged up and trying to get healthy. They smoked Colorado.

And I know that that's not a great win, and I'll give you that. But they smoked them. But they smoked them. Exactly what they should do. They smoked him. It wasn't roll into Arkansas and win by three. And oh, it was cold. We had to have hot chocolate.

Give me a break. Then they went out last week, went on the road, USC did, and beat UCLA. And that's a good UCLA team. That's a capable UCLA team that has two top 25 wins based on what the committee has been telling us, Washington and Utah. And yet, they don't get any credit for that? I don't understand this. By the way, Alabama just continues to move up ahead of Clemson. And didn't we just see them play Austin P?

Am I not like, I'm sorry, Austin P. Not only did they play them in November, but they only won 34-0-0. If Alabama beats Austin P. Yeah, sorry, I'm getting all frustrated here. Beats Austin P. 34-0 in September, the sky is falling. If they don't beat them by 57 points, The sky is falling.

But in November, it's totally fine. And we can just allow it to happen. Why are preconceived notions? And that's where it gets me to my last point. Alabama is the preeminent program in the country. Nick Saban is the best college football coach that I've ever seen, and I think that has ever lived. And this program is doing something that we will never see before.

But that's not what we're ranking right now. We're ranking this version of Alabama. So Alabama is great. And in 2020, they won the national championship. And guess how many one possession games they played in 2020? One. One. Yeah.

Guess why? They were a great team. It's not this year's team. Guess how many one possession games they've played this season? Five. Five. Yeah. And they've only played eight power five games up to this point.

We're not even to the Iron Bowl. They've played five one possession games. They're three and two in those five games. So aren't we basing these wins against Alabama and viewing them as if they're beating the great Alabama teams when Alabama this year is just not what they have been? Again, Bama fans, don't come after me because you are the preeminent program in the country. Greatest coach of all time. But that's not the team you have this year. So now all of a sudden, Patient X is Alabama.

And everybody is getting jumps off of that. and the preconceived bias of what we thought BAML was to begin the year as the largest betting favorite to ever come into a college football season is now affecting how teams are ranked in November. And that's a problem. And that, my friend, is the nuance to why the committee is a failed experiment. That feels harsh, but good, good explaining there. You did some excellent explaining. Thank you. Let's look at Clats' top ten.

I don't have a problem with it. I think George is the best team and everybody else is, uh, close. I think Ohio State's probably the second best team. I think you pull a little heat on C.J. Stroud. I don't think, I think if, I've said this, if Corum was healthy, I think Michigan beats them. Let me ask you this. People have said like, why do you care so much about these rankings? And this year, maybe even more so than others, I don't think there's a great team. Like any given day. No, I saw Georgia struggle against Missouri. Exactly. Exactly. Kentucky. So, so. This season, again, this season, that's what we're supposed to be ranking.

That's what we're supposed to be competing for is this championship. And this season, it matters who gets that fourth spot. I don't think that, now, hey, Georgia may blow out the fourth place team. They may lose to LSU. I'm not sure. But I will tell you this, these spots this year, because there isn't a great team, more coveted than ever before. This is not the last four years.

Remember, we had Trevor Lawrence. That was a great Clemson team. Then we had Joe Burrell. That was a great LSU team. Then we had the COVID-Bama team. They were fantastic. Last year we had the six draft picks off of that defense for Georgia. We don't have a team of that caliber this year.

I think Georgia's got a really high ceiling and Ohio State has a high ceiling, but they both struggled. I mean, Maryland gave Ohio State for a long time major issues. Both of them, I think, have a lower floor than maybe, you know, what some of those great teams in the last four years of that. Let's circle back. We've got a couple of minutes left. Okay, here we go.

I'm going to hold you to this. Please. Because a lot of times you're just, you know, you're straddling stuff. I'm demanding an opinion here. Okay. Because you're not calling this game. You're calling the big one. It sounds like you got Notre Dame beating USC.

I think Notre Dame wins. Woo! I think Notre Dame wins. I will tell you this. Football is a game of matchups, and this is a bad matchup for USC. And listen, I love Caleb Williams, and I love what USC is doing. That's not a great matchup. No.

If UCLA would have stuck to the run game late in each half when they had timeouts and had ability to stick to the run game, they probably don't throw those picks. They probably win the game. So like, guess what Notre Dame is going to do? Stick to the run game. And that's a problem for USC. So I'm going to go with the Irish. The best bet on the board in college football is Notre Dame plus six, six and a half. It's the side. Now, look, Jay Mack, is it five now? Is it going down? It's got to be going down. I think, I bet you it gets to five by Saturday. Listen, when you have, if you go look at the history of biggest win in eight years for a program, I don't care what program. it is. The following week for

20-year-old kids, it's hard to, Lou Holtz used to say, you get a different team every week. USC, the city was just all, everybody that's USC, they were, everybody was biting nails all weekend. Oh, my God. All right, match it the following weekend against arguably a better

team. And it is hard to sustain your best time and time and time again. This is, this is why the cupcakes in November are such a big problem, right? Ask LSU and Georgia, how tough it is to play your best every single week. That's why Tennessee, Tennessee, excuse me.

I'm sorry, Tennessee. That's why they just got 63 put on them. 63! I know. By South Carolina. Because they have to play a league game every week. You know who can bring it every week? Me.

Thank you. I appreciate that. Oh, were you going to do? No, I was going to jump you. I appreciate that. I'm really thankful for this show, by the way, in all seriousness. On Thanksgiving week, you guys have a phenomenal show. I appreciate the way.

that you've always treated me and bring me on and having our great college football banter. And I appreciate your listeners. And yes, I do enjoy coming on here and absolutely destroying Colin every week. So when you come up to me in the airports and at the games and say that, I agree. And I'm thankful for you too. I mean, it has to be said that part of my treating you that way is contractual. That's so good. Michigan, Ohio State, Joel Klat, I cannot wait for.

I'm going to take all year I thought Blake Corum. They were going to take the air out of Ohio State's offense. If you don't give me him at 100, I got to go, Buckeyes. Good game, though. Good game. Happy Thanksgiving, bud. Happy Thanksgiving, bud. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart Radio app.

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J-Mack with the news. No. No. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right. Let's go back to the Jets benching Zach Wilson for this game against the Bears. Mike White's going to start. Joe Flackle will back him up.

Zach Wilson inactive, as we discussed. That's crazy. We now have sound of Robert Salas press conference. Here's what he said about the benching. Zach's career here is not over. I know that's going to be the narrative. I know that's what everybody wants to shout out, and that's not even close to the case.

The intent, the full intent, is to make sure Zach gets back on the football field at some point this year. The young man needs a reset. His decision-making's been fine. His practice habits, all that stuff have been fine, but there's some basic, fundamental things that have gotten really out of whack for him.

And this is just an opportunity for him to sit back, focus on those things, find a way to reconnect to all the different things that we fell in love with during the draft process. And it's something that I feel like he's going to be able to do. Well, that sounds good. I think that's about as good at messaging as you're going to do. I like that. Okay, so I tried, I've been looking hard to find the only guy I could think of who was a high pick who was benched.

Do you remember the career of Marcus Mariotta? Sure. In Tennessee, was drafted number two overall. Got banged up a lot. He was a starter for like four and a half seasons. and I remember it vividly because I had bet this game. Tennessee goes into Denver. Marietta is awful.

Benched for Tanna Hill, and that was it. He was done. Tana Hill gets them to the playoffs. He becomes a starter in Tennessee. Do you know what Marietta did for the next two years? He was the backup in Vegas. Sat, I think he barely got in a little bit. It might have started one game.

Now, he's the starter. So basically three years after he was benched for Ryan Tannahill, Marcus Mariot is back as a starter. Colin, if I put you on the spot and said, does Zach Wilson start another game this season, you would say? No. I would say he'll be the first. the backup to Derek Carr in Vegas next year. That is it. He's got a spicy take.

Well, no, I mean, he'd be a really talented backup guy with a big arm, close to where he grew up. He can head back out west. I think he's got a sour taste in his mouth. I think if you ask Zach where he'd like to be, you know, Nevada and Utah, neighboring states, he'll go back. Parents can watch him, be there every week. He's got the BYU fan base. He'll come watch him. I think he'd be the backup for Derek Carr, inexpensive backup. But, but also, I think it'd be a good move. by Zach because you'd get an offensive coach. Look at what Josh McDaniels did to rookie Mac Jones.

Look what he did. You know, the development of Mac Jones. By the way, Mac Jones is regressed without Josh McDaniels. So my takeaway is up, I am Zach. I would love to eventually move out, go back west, find an offensive head coach, salvage what I can. And I think the Raiders would be a great spot eventually. And I think the Jets are going to be looking at Garoppolo to move on because Saul is like,

I'm not getting a third year here and not making the playoffs. That ownership group. So Salah's got to make the play. Now, I think he's done a great job. But the GM's not getting fired because he's at too many home runs. Sala, Miami's not getting worse. Buffalo's not getting worse. So, I mean, to me, the Zach Wilson experiment, he may come back this year.

But with the elevated play of Josh Allen and Tua, I could see hands raised in a room. They move on. He goes back out west and they go get Garoppola. So there's a lot to chew on there. But I'll say this, the GM for as much as you love him, and I know a couple other people in the media like him a lot. He's now whiffed badly on two top ten picks. Mackay Beckton has been a colossal bust.

He was a bust. And Zach Wilson ain't the dude. So, I mean, you can hit on all the picks after that you want. Let's admit now that's two top ten picks that have been big swings and misses. And I didn't love Zach Wilson, and Bechton had a huge weight issue. I mean, in college, that was the knock, is that he was just going to, and that's exactly what happened. So what's interesting is they rolled the dice on two number one picks,

and their college concern became their pro reality and both have struggled. Believe. People tell you who they are. Believe them. One other note, we know when there's like seven or eight new coaches in the league, every coach thinks I can fix this guy. So there is going to be a market at some point for Zach Wilson. Somebody's going to say, geez, look at the tape of this guy.

Look at his pro day. He's flinging the ball around 60 yards. Somebody may want to give him a look. I can see that happening. And I can hear the audience laughing. Oh, Zach Woolson, he stinks. The guy's got some talent. We just haven't fully seen it yet.

All right. Next up. Colin, I know you love a little November NBA. Check it out. Things got heated in the desert last night. Here's DeBook blocking Austin Reeves standing over him. Now, DeAndre Ait comes over, and Patrick Beverly's not having that. He just body checks.

Yes, from behind. Bit of a cheap shot. Body checks, DeAndre A. A bit of a cheap shot. Well, after the game. He said, he was just standing up for his teammate. All right.

You know, I'm not going for that. You know, so that's what I saw. Obviously, it's unfortunate that it happened on national TV. But, you know, me regards to what's going on, I'm a big fan of protecting my teammates, and I'm a big fan of a foxhole guy. And, you know, I put on the jersey, and I commit to a team, I commit to a city, you know,

it's kind of my motto. You know, I'm a foxhole guy, so. Very unfortunate. situation, though. By the way, you see Westbrook jumped in there, too. Westbrook and Beverly. Westbrook's defending his guys. How about that? We know what Patrick Beverly is. This is his shtick. My beef here, look at Devin Booker on this play. Okay? You block the shot, you stare down, talk trash, and then look what he does after this. Look at the Lakers bench and starts talking. Colin, I don't know what happened to

Devin Booker. I like this guy a lot. He ran his mouth to Luca. You remember in the playoffs last year? And then Luca beat his ass in seven games. Just whooped him and was looking up at him at the foul line saying, you're not talking now when you're down 30 at home in game 7. Colin, I like Devin Booker a lot. I don't know what's going on with this guy. He's just chirping at everybody. Can you win a title first before you talk trash?

Remember he talking to Clay Thompson and the Warriors? You remember that? Yeah. Yeah, no, no. David, hey, settle down, buddy. Settle down. All right, final story. I should just let you take this away because, Kawhi Leonard, Colin. Your favorite guy. Oh, God. Cannot catch a break.

He finally returned after missing like 17 months with the ACL. And he's not playing again? injury. Now he's out again with a right ankle sprain. He's out tonight. He's played in five games this season. Take it away, Colin. Go ahead. I know you love talking about it. I really like everything about the

Clippers. You can't build around Kauai. He's a great player. I've said this before. There are certain people you can build around in any business, a radio business, a sports business, a law firm. And then there are just people that are talented. Kauai is super talented. You can't build around him. You can't build around Anthony Davis.

They're both really, really talented. But when you You can't rely on somebody physically, and Kauai is nonverbal. So, I mean, I don't think people that was banging on Paul George. I mean, Indiana built around Paul George for years, and they gave the Miami Hedles all sorts of trouble. LeBronzie, too. Absolutely. So I'd build around Paul George. I am over Kauai.

Do you remember what happened at the end in San Antonio with Kauai? Oh, they gave him away. Well, essentially, he was practicing with the team, but when it was time to play, he's like, no, I'm not ready. And some of the players started to come out and say stuff. Now, there's been guys who played in the NBA, come here to FS1. I've asked them a million times. Does Kauai Laird have that dog in him? Does he want to play and go out there and rip your throat out and win the title?

We talk about this repeatedly. You know, when you do a movie franchise, the Avengers, you've got to trust that you can build it around Robert Downey. Early in his life, you couldn't. Later, Robert Downey matures. It's like, okay. we're going to build this puppy. Matt Damon. We can build around Matt Dave. These are decisions you have if you're going to do four and five and six movies. Not every actor you can build around. Same in pro sports. Some guys are nonverbal. They're odd. They're temperament. I'm not going to build around James Harden. But in his prime, I'd love to have him on my team. I think Kauai has reached that point. It's just I can't visit. And also, maybe he talks within the organization, but you can't tell me Steve Balmer. Remember, he joined a great culture in San Antonio won a title. He joined a great culture in Toronto.

The Clippers are building around it. They're building a new arena, I think, and I'm done. It's just, again, don't confuse lack of talent. I said three years ago on this air, I thought he was the number one, get a stop, get a bucket guy in the NBA. I think he's a great player. You got to be, if Howard Stern showed up to work once a week, the man around talented. You got to show up to work. So this is where it gets interesting, Colin.

When do the clippers, players, start to chirp privately or to the media? Oh, I think privately they're below 500? Paul George is going to be chirping? I mean, John Wall has sat out two seasons. He didn't come back to watch Kauai Leonard, not play basketball. I would just keep an eye on some of the clippers and rumblings. I mean, how many years is this these guys supposed to have like a dynasty, right? Because Wall George and Quill Leonard?

Wall's played pretty well. He has. How about Reggie Jackson? Well, Reggie's, oh, Reggie loves Reggie. Yeah, that's the guy. if I'm in the media and I'm covering the clippers, I'm talking up Reggie Jackson all the time. Reggie Jackson. chatting with him in the corner.

Hey, Reggie, what do you think about Kauai? Reggie Jackson has Michael Jordan's confidence. And there are moments when he's, you know, he just, Reggie. He's one of the most underrated trash talkers in the league. He knows he can cook anybody off the dribble. And then he's going to tell you about it too. And I just wonder, when do people start saying, man, what's up with Kauai Leonard? Because we saw it with the Spurs.

I think it was, I don't know if it was Tony Parker was a guy. Some guys turned against him. Some guys were like, dude, come on. Very good work there, J-MAC. J-MAC with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The HARD LINE News.

I thought I saw something last night that is, it's really interesting on Kevin Durant. I don't know how it's going to play. We'll talk about that coming up. And some thoughts on Aaron Rogers. He was asked about retirement yesterday, and I had a thought on that. It's not anti-Aren. Be sure to catch live editions of The HARD, weekdays, and New Neon, Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app.

He's by Carmen. I'm Dan Byrd. We have a brand new fantasy football podcast called I Want Your Flex. Twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday, we come up with new episodes to not only look back at what happened, what you need to do at that minute, and also look ahead of what's coming up in the fantasy football world. That's right, Dan. Every week we're going to scour the waiver wire to find the pickups to turbo boost your fantasy lineup. Sit, starts, fantasy football players' rankings to get you ready to dominate the competition. Listen to I Want Your Flex with Mike Harmon and me, Dan Byer, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and 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. in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

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

Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 but you got to do a little count. 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, 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. So LeBron James did not like being a villain when he left for the Heedles. He later said he wanted to play for the love of the game and joy, not. to be hated. Aaron Rogers has acknowledged he didn't like the vaccine pushback he got. I mean, you know, social media is, it's, you know, it's just the reality of if you're a president, if you're a commissioner. I mean, does anybody like Goodell, Roger Manfred, Adam Silver? Nobody likes anybody.

But professional athletes are often in their 20s or early 30s, and I think it's harder to compartmentalize that stuff, the onslaught. They're on their phone more generationally than a commissioner is. So I think for an Aaron or a LeBron or a Kevin Durant, it's hard to be a villain. And Brooklyn has become the league's villain. Last night, Kevin Durant, Kyrie and Simmons lost by 9 to a Sixers team that didn't have

Embed, Hardin, or Maxi. They're just now a bad basketball team. And Kevin Durant, because of Kyrie's is not a likable guy for a lot of reasons. Simmons is detached and a lube not likable. And Kevin Durant's coming to terms

with since he left the Warriors where he was very likable. Not just finals MVP, but, you know, the Warriors are kind of cocky and fun and likable and they play a flashy brand and I think everybody loved Kevin. I still think people like Kevin, but he acknowledged this is not a likable team and they're the league's villain. There's a lot of emotions, a lot of you just want to play well. You know, you know the fans are going to be involved and get excited. Well, not get excited, but just bring that best. But that's at every arena. Everybody wants to see our team fail.

Nobody likes Ben. Nobody likes Kat. Nobody likes myself. So it might be like that in every road arena. You know what I'm saying? So it's just something we got to deal with. But I thought he did a great job with just handling it and playing his game. And we had a chance to win.

We just didn't. I think people do like Kevin Durant. I like Kevin Durant. I like him. I love his game. A little sensitive. So what? He's a young guy.

Has a right to be sensitive. Doesn't mean you're less of a human or less of an athlete. Aaron's a little sensitive. It's okay. But I don't think it's the fact that he's unlikable. And now you can't blame Steve Nash. All the people that used to blame Steve Nash, well, he's gone now. So now it's just, it's a bad basketball theme that doesn't win a lot of games.

So I said it at the time and I'll say it again. I thought leaving the Warriors for Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn was a tragic mistake that his agent and his shoe company should have talked him out of. I think increasingly, I think Kevin wants to be liked. I think that's his personality. He'll tell you he doesn't want to be liked. I think he wants to be liked. I think this is going to wear on him.

And I think he's a little bit trapped. But I don't think Brooklyn's unlikable because of Kevin Durant. I think Simmons is detached. Kyrie is not my cup of tea for a variety of reasons. I think he's a culture and a coach killer. And that's the reality, though, Kevin Durant today. Another story, so Aaron Rogers, I don't like when my quarterbacks are talking retirement, but he was asked about it by Pat McAfee on the YouTube show.

And, you know, Aaron Rogers came out and he talked a little bit about it. You know, this was foisted upon him. He said, you know, I'm proud of what I've accomplished. I'm not looking forward to the end. Life after football is going to be a tough transition for every player. I don't know when that's going to be. I don't know if it's going to be after the season or after three more season. So again, he was asked about it.

He had a comment. I will say this. I have been tough on Aaron Rogers and I don't like my quarterback talking about retirement. Devante Adams is like, I don't know what? Is he going to be here? I mean, Brady may retire tomorrow. He's always all in. He's letting you, I'm playing to the, I'm playing to 50.

But I will say this. I think Aaron will be much more likable in retirement. People forget that Charles Barkley was wildly controversial and at times unlikeable as a player. Go look at Barclay's track record. He's incredibly likable as a commentator. He's funny, self-deprecating. Kobe Bryant ran through, he was hard to coach. Go read three rings by Jeff Perlman.

Hard to play with. War people out. And then Kobe retired. And he became an ambassador for the WNBA and coaching his lovely daughter. Kobe became much more likable. He did the basketball, life of basketball. He won an Oscar. I think Aaron's going to age well.

I think he's going to be really appreciated. I think in a team construct, Aaron can be a little prickly, at times condescending and aloof in a team construct. But as an individual, he's got brainpower, he's funny, really bright, good conversationalist, has strong opinions. I don't see him as a guy that would want to be pinned down to a network to be a broadcaster, but I could see him being a guest here, a celebrity tournament, he'll do funny commercials. you know, I think Aaron's going to be one of those Charles Barkley guys that we kind of crushed him sometimes when he played.

He could be a little mean, a little chippy, a little, but I think he's going to age incredibly well. And I think we'll think of Aaron Rogers very fondly. And he's one of the 12 most, you know, I was just jotting down during the commercial break, the 12 most talented quarterbacks I've ever seen, most talented. You know, he's like six. I think we tend to remember. Nobody remembers MJ and the Wizards. It just like disappeared. Of all the 30s for 30s done, the one that's never been done that I think is fascinating

is Michael Jordan's wizard career. Nobody's ever done that 30 for 30. We've done stuff on Andre the Giant. And we don't do Michael Jordan and the Wizards. People forget what a mess it was. It's fascinating. Maybe they can't get the video. Michael won't do an interview.

He was unlikable. It just disappeared. Nobody remembers Joe Namath at the end. I mean, it's almost like Montana didn't play for the Chiefs at the end. We don't remember the bat. What we do is we go back and look at the highlights. We hear the announcer on YouTube, describe your game winning drive. And I think Rogers will be a very iconic, smart, handsome, funny, engaged, doing things

on his scheduled, former NFL star, and he'll be really likable. He'll have a Berkeley feel to him where when you see, when Aaron's in town, he'll, he'll give you time. He'll be funny. He'll do things on his schedule. But I do think sometimes Kobe in the team construct, a little bit too much of an individual, a Barclay in the team construct that worked in Phoenix. Didn't work in Houston with Pippin. And Aaron, sometimes when you put him around a team, a little bit too much of an individual, you know, that's okay. That's okay. Sometimes pro athletes have to be selfish. Legacy precious metals, these are rough economic times, chaotic stock market. Legacy. Gold.

silver. Should it be part of your retirement plan? Call 866-674-Hard or visit by Legacygold.com. Terry Bradshaw around the corner plus Jason McIntyre's tomorrow's headlines today. I don't have a blazing five, but I trust this guy's picks. And he's the only guy I know that bets and wins college basketball. So if you could do that. No blazing five. I'm devastated. Oh my goodness. But there are games I like. I'll be on my social media. I love Notre Dame in the points this weekend. Yeah, I'm with you on that. Ohio State, Michigan? I'm going to stay away from that because of an injury.

I do think the Giants and the points, nine, nine and a half. I'm with you on that. I like that. I think I'm going to watch the line. If the Vikings, New England goes back to what? Three. It's at two and a half, yeah. Okay, so I would take the Vikings to cover if it's at two and a half or three.

Those are my bets. All right, 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 I-Heart 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 grow. Tessk, 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 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening

to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about Black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.

Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan. celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.