The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Lakers

Episode Date: August 31, 2022

Doug talks about the Lakers, the Clippers, and staying relevant in Los Angeles. FSR NFL insider Adam Caplan joins the show, and the Dodgers are the first in MLB to 90 wins. #douggottliebshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver 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 I Heart 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.

Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD 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 Hurt at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHartRadio app by searching heard. We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome in. This is the herd, wherever you may be,

and however you may be making this part of your day. Thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlie, in for Colin Cowherd. Getting you ready for week one of the college football season. Kicks off tomorrow night. Stillwater America. Central Michigan taking on Oklahoma State. That would be a fun one.

Of course, you got baseball tonight. Dodgers and Mets at City Field. Dodgers won their 90th game last night. I went that one. You're like, that seems like a lot of games. Yeah, they're on pace to win more games than any team in the history of the sport in the regular season. Yep. Yep.

Plus, you got Serena playing in what would be her last match. If she loses tonight. which is also in Queens or in Flushing, which is literally right next door to City Field where the Dodgers and the Mets are playing. And first pitch. And did they say first serve? Like, you know, like her match starts at 7 o'clock Eastern time.

I don't remember like basketball, it's tip off, football, it's kickoff, baseball, first pitch. What do they say in tennis? I don't know. They say first serve at 7 Eastern? I don't know. You know, Jeannie Bus had this wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, and we talked a little bit yesterday about the fact that, you know,

whatever she meant, she tried to rephrase, but what she said was that Russell Westbrook was their best player last year. That had everybody rolling their eyes. I mean, even reading it, you're like, oh, come on. Well, what I meant was most consistent, like he played more games than the other guys. sort of. But she had this to say, and I thought this was interesting, on the idea of LeBron retiring a Laker.

It is a big vote of confidence when LeBron James signs a two-year extension when he had many months to do so. Sure. And it was a priority to us. It's a priority to the Laker brand that he retire a Laker. We'll probably enjoy watching him. as he approaches becoming the all-time leading score and history. Yeah, I mean, that's a cool.

It's going to be a cool build-up and a cool game, right? Albert Pooleholst is trying to say it, seven hundred home runs, and he's actually getting closer to doing it with the St. Louis Cardinals, but paying him top of the market for it, you know, you have to ask yourself, why are the Lakers doing this? Why are the Lakers doing?

And I understand there's not every team can wake up the morning before their first game of the season and say, we're doing this to win a championship. Look at the NFL. The Detroit Lions aren't playing to win a championship. I'm not saying it's not possible. It's just crazy, crazy, crazy unlikely. Right. Crazy.

The Lions, they just want to be respectable. They are not in the position yet to where you can go, hey man, they got a shot. They don't. The Green Bay Packers have had all of the respectable success. They've built up a team or an excellent defensive team. It should be a very good running team. I don't know about the weapons for Aaron Rogers,

but that guy has a tendency to be able to figure it out. But it's like a different sport or a different goal. The Lions just want to be respected. the Packers are playing to win the whole thing. Make sense? But the Lakers, we're always told at Lakers, we're competing for championships, but are they?

Are they? I mean, even in what Jeannie's saying, Gene didn't say, hey, LeBron's coming back to the Lakers for two more years because we're going to try and win three championships. I can win a championship this year. Do I think they have a better shot if they have Buddy Healed and if they have Miles turned?

Yeah, it gives them a little. legit shot blocking center. Not sure totally fits with how LeBron likes an Anthony Davis at a five, you know, but maybe that changes. He wants somebody to fend the back line, fend the rim. And a buddy heel who I think we all think we'll shoot a better percentage, even if he doesn't shoot as much, playing with the Lakers, playing off LeBron, playing off Anthony Davis.

Like that makes it, that at least puts them in the conversation. But if we all believe that LeBron is going to play with Brown, and now LeBron is opening up the idea of playing with Bryce. And the Lakers, their first answer behind why re-sign LeBron James at this point is, you know, he's going to break the all-time scoring mark. It feels like the Lakers are just doing this for relevance. Hey, let's just stay relevant. We don't want to be an irrelevant.

We had that stretch, you know, at the end of Kobe's run, where we weren't relevant, we just weren't good. Part of it was Kobe got hurt. But then we weren't going to win a championship. Let's just stay relevant, fill the arena, and then maybe next year or in future years, maybe then we can get somebody to resign. Next year, we'll have the cap space. We're just trying to stay relevant.

And that sounds like something that's not relatable to you. I can relate to it. The hardest thing at times about moving in media is there are certain spots you go to where you feel far less relevant. You feel far less relevant. and you fear that. And what happens when you don't feel relevant? And maybe this is a better analogy.

You ever been in a conversation, you know, or you're at a dinner table and everybody's talking, everybody's sharing thoughts on business and ideas? And I can just tell you personally, you feel a little overwhelmed because what I do, it's kind of that of a simpleton, right? Like there's not deep thoughts and algorithms and, you know, the amount of, of deep intensive research it takes in the financial sector or the type of foresight and understanding of the entire landscape if you're doing real estate commercial residential so sometimes you're sitting at a at a at a at a table maybe you're playing cards you maybe just

talking with the fellas or whatever and everybody's talking and sharing and it's a really interesting conversation and you just at some point in time you're like I haven't said anything in a long time. I feel like I'm just, do they do they not know I'm here? And you blurt something out or you say something like, ooh, that didn't come out like I wanted to come out.

It's because you're searching for relevance. You want to be relevant in a conversation. People do it in business meetings all the time. You know, they say, you get two ears, one mouth, listen more, talk less. But there are times in which you feel like, if I don't say something, add something in the conversation, I'm just

going to be the guy here taking notes like I'm some underling some peon. And what happens inevitably when you're trying to be relevant is you make a bad decision because the decision is based on relevance, not based on the likelihood of success. Just be good.

It's like the kid who has to have the new shoes or the kid who, in warmups, has to do all the special dunks and stop everything. I want to do a move. I want to, like, you're just trying to be relevant. You're just trying to let people know you're there.

Whereas the best way for people know you're there is to just do your job really, really well. And they're like, who did this? He did this. Oh, then you're relevant. Jeannie hanging on to LeBron. Like LeBron, if you polled Laker fans, he says LeBron of Laker,

they're like, I guess. He's played for the Lakers for four NBA seasons. Four. He's won an NBA championship. do I think the bubble should have like some sort of aster's okay they still won the damn thing right historically it's going to go down L.A. Lakers 2020 NBA champions right but he's a he plays for the Lakers doesn't even feel like he is a Laker at the end of this contract he'll have been a Laker for seven seasons and I guess by then he'd be like yeah all right he's

He's a Laker sort of won a title. He'll have played with the Lakers longer than Will Chamberlain played for the Lakers. But it just feels like they're doing it to stay relevant, not to be great. And that goes counter to what the Lakers have always strived for and what LeBron has always represented. On the other hand, you got the Clippers. Who do I think they want to be relevant? Sure.

but they're building an arena in the city that the Lakers have owned for 50 years in Inglewood, right? They brought back to, they're not really L.A., but let's just say Southern California-born stars won a superstar. Like the Clippers are building a championship team. They are a championship or bust team. And their owner has talked about nothing but winning. a championship. And granted, if one team has 17, the other team has zero, you obviously winning one would put you in a relevant conversation, I understand. But the Clippers, on the

other hand, a recent survey of execs and scouts, were voted the team most likely to win an NBA title this season. Think about it for a second. The Lakers have been an abject disaster the past two years, like to get, to sneak into the playoffs and then have a lead, talk a bunch of trash and get bumped out of the playoffs by the sons and then not make the playoffs the following year. If you're the, for the Lakers, those are terrible years. For terrible years. And usually when those things happen, everything, they fired the coach.

but usually everything is on the table in terms of change. Everything. And yet the Lakers truthfully are like, yeah, let's run it back. We had injuries. You weren't any good when everybody was healthy. To this point, you've added Patrick Beverly. Like, that doesn't make you,

that doesn't take you from an average NBA team to a team competing for a championship. The Clippers also weren't healthy, didn't have their superstar the entire season, have made some tweaks, but they're operating under the premise of, we're going for it. They don't care about relevance.

We can't even have a conversation about relevance until we win. And I think what happens when you're trying to make decisions based upon relevance and not success, I think that's when you make, look at me, I want attention sort of decisions, whereas the attention should come from the success, not from the desire to be relevant. Am I articulating that the right way?

I think I am. I'm getting some nods. Maybe it's just because Ryan Music and Jason Stewart are on the payroll. But they are nodding. I think I articulate the way I want it. All right, we're excited to announce this Saturday morning on Fox Sports Radio.

We have a brand new college football pregame show taking you right up to kickoff. Fox Sports Radio's countdown to kickoff, presented by BetMGM, launches this Saturday live 9 a.m. turn to noon at 6 to 9 a.m. Pacific time. Brian knows our host, former All-American Penn State left guard, Rich Orneberger. He's awesome. And picks wise, lead betting analyst Jared Smith will take you right up to college football kickoff every Saturday morning on Fox Sports Radio the IHeart

radio app presented by BetMGM. The Eagles, uh, low-key made a significant trade yesterday to improve their secondary. How close are the Eagles to being one of the elite teams in football? We'll ask Adam Kaplan, our NFL insider, next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, 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.

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And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J.

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

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness, in this 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. Trip 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

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Fox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio app. Hope you having a great day. it is, it's really amazing sometimes to see great regular season teams. And we just can't, we can't do it. We can't appreciate it. And I want to talk about that later on this hour. Daniel Jeremiah next hour, we got a great bass for last for you. Oh, oh, you're going to, you're going to love this.

Adam Kaplan joins us Fox Sports Radio NFL Insiders. He's also co-host of Inside the Birds podcast. And let's start with the Eagles, since you do host a podcast, focusing on the Eagles. What do you think of the mood they made yesterday to solidify their secondary? The team knew this. But if you looked at the Saints and Chauncy. Jalen Hertz is a guy who, you know, look, when he was at Alabama, he was good to a point, right?

And obviously Tua came in and took them to a higher level. When he was at Oklahoma, if you go back and look about midseason, they were like, you know, let's just not go through the progression thing. If you don't have it, just run the football. and he was very effective in how he played. There was a ceiling there. It felt like last year, the Eagles saw the same ceiling, but maybe that was just because of his lack of experience.

Has that changed? Has he evolved any during this off-season and pre-season? Yeah, starting with- Fair enough. Cowboys. Tyler Smith apparently is going to replace Tyron Smith. And I get that they're putting out there. Oh, Tyron Smith can be back at the end of the season.

Remember, he hurt the knee and ripped the hamstring off the bone. Yeah, and he's a gigantic man. I don't see it. What is the league saying about what the Cowboys look like, what feels like limping into the season? Yeah, from people I trust, very, very raw. You'd rather I'm not, because you and I talked about, he's not going to be a race tackle, which was a little bit to work, left tackles.

Tom Brady said he has a lot of stuff going on. Yeah. I think we all feel like we know on some level what that is. But when you factor in the injuries to his center, other pieces of the offensive line, and we shouldn't undersell Granc retiring. Gronk was an offensive lineman. Like, the rarity in what Gromk could do is you could leave him, man up on a defensive end, and he could hold his own as opposed to other guys who are talented past catchers,

who, you know, they'll just block a little bit just because they have to, right? So you lose a ton of offensive line help. And there's the distraction of the 11-day absence of the retiring and coming back. I mean, look, I don't think it's a Farrv type of thing. But remember, Favre, when he came back that last year in Minnesota, I mean, it was an abject disaster. The roof actually fell in in Minnesota. What are your thoughts on this Buccaneers team in Brady coming out of retirement?

but still not feeling like he's completely all in like he has been for 20 years. Yeah, I doubt him, but he's also 45 years old with it. Yeah, and, I mean, honestly, losing the Senate, losing Jensen, I mean, we, we, I don't, I can't tell you anything about the quarterback position at the level of guys that know what they're talking about. But I do know if anybody who's watching for 20 years, if you get to his feet, especially up the middle, you know he's going to get to his spot and get, and pick you apart. And you go back to the Ravens, to the Jones. Giants, the teams that gave him trouble were teams that pushed him off that spot, got up the middle of,

got up the middle of the offensive line, right? And that appears to be... Yeah, the interior of their defense is two years ago. So that's, and everything he said is soccer will be a Hall of Fame. What is the league's reaction to Jimmy Garoppolo taking $6.5 million to stay in San Francisco? Well, it wasn't. He goes, look, it's the young quarterback. And they can go very, very far. It is really good. This is an insurance policy. I know they don't want to say that they... And he is not a patient fellow.

normally. Adam, I know you got to run. We really appreciate you join us in the herd. You got it. Thank you. I mean, like, you look at the Niners roster and Debo, Samuel,

Brandon Ayyuk, George Kittal, Trent Williams. On the, defensive side, you know, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner,

I mean, they got, they got dudes, dudes. In a league of the best of the best, they have some of the absolute best in the league at certain spots.

Let's get to Rhyme Music with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Doug, there's a feeling in the air. Do you know what season it is? It's a top hundred season? Oh, look at you. Nailed it.

Some might say summer, you wouldn't be wrong. You might say almost fall. They also wouldn't be wrong. But as you said, Doug, it is. List season. List season. Yeah, the NFL is on the cusp of kicking off the regular season. Sports media companies across the spectrum pumping out lists. ESPN, perhaps or not, in response to NFL media's list, has released their top 100 players of the upcoming NFL season.

I will read off the top 10 in addition to some other notable parts. In order, Patrick Mahomes, number one. Aaron Donald, Aaron Rogers, Cooper Cup, Josh Allen, T.J. Watt, Justin Jefferson, Jalen Ramsey, Miles Garrett, and Devante Adams. Followed by some other notable quarterbacks. You have your guy, Justin Herbert at 11, Russell Wilson at 13, and Tom Brady at number 20. I think Nick Bosa is too low, but, you know, it's hard because, you know, he lost 2020 to injury. But 2021 and 2019, I mean, he was ridiculous. So I think Nick Bosa at 15 strikes me as a bit too low. Brady at 20 is interesting, but, you know, that has it behind what, Josh Allen, Herbie?

It would have. Holmes and Russell Wilson? and Russell Wilson. And Aaron Rogers, that's about right. Correct. So specifically for the quarterbacks, if you just highlight the quarterbacks, where they're ranked and then rank them up against each other, you would have Brady as the sixth quarterback, Joe Burrow at 7, Matthew Stafford at 8, Dak Prescott at 9, Lamar Jackson at 10. And there's no Deshaun Watson in this, right? I did not see Deshaun Watson.

Yeah. It's a curious omission. Also, Derwin James is a little bit low at 43, but whatever. I mean, he's a star at safety. So, I mean, like, look, first thing is if I look at this list, okay? I look at this list. I think the Chargers have like six guys in the top 50. Look at you.

No, no, no. I'm like... Doug, are you showing me your lightning bolt? No, listen. Look, Keenan Allen's at 49. That's one. J.C. Jackson's at 45. That's two.

Derwin James is at 40. That's three. Did I just add in a bunch of guys? I may have added in other guys. I mean, they have. You rounded it up to the nearest stuff. Oh, Joey Bosa and Herbie. That's five.

They have five in the top 50. Five. I didn't vote on it. I don't know what the lists mean. I think they got it about right. I also think that it's at least interesting. So Deshaun Watson not on this list, but part of it is he didn't play last year.

He's not going to play the first 11 games. Yeah, I think that's, mostly, look, think whatever you would think about Deshawn Watson, but the premise for this list is specifically for 2022. So I'm guessing he was not included since he will be missing a majority of 2022. Yeah. But that one strikes me as interesting. It also, you know, it's really hard, obviously.

Trent Williams, I think, is the only offensive lineman on this list. When, you know, so much of a team's success is up the middle, offensively, defensively, but especially offensively your ability to protect. There's a few other offensive linemen, but he is far and away the highest. Quint Nelson. Yeah, Quinn Nelson's on there too. Correct. Some other interesting.

A bunch of Niners and bunch of chargers. True. I did find this interesting with another L.A. team. Matthew Stafford 8th seems a little low and for Russell Wilson to be ahead of him at what I think would be fifth.

Well, there's a lot of Russell Wilson's interesting. He gets a lot of passes. And we're only saying this because Colin's not here today, by the way. Otherwise, you know, I might not have a job on Monday. Well, yes, but Tom Brady being that low, too. I mean, we have to, we have to. So, I mean, like, look, Russell Wilson wasn't good last year coming back from the injury. But was it coming back from the injury?

Or was it Russell Wilson wasn't good? Or do we want to blame Pete Carroll or blame their system or blame whatever? I will say this about Russell Wilson and all of the Broncos hype. and him being ahead of Matthew Stafford on this list. When you look at, everyone likes to talk about the Broncos roster and what he's stepping into. The Rams had a better offensive line when they got Matthew Stafford. Cooper Cup is head and shoulders far better than any player

that is currently on the Broncos roster. And Alan Robinson might be, or at least on par with anyone that the Broncos have on their roster. So I have a hard time believing that Matthew Stafford would be anything but more improved in his second year with Sean McVey in that system. So I get, look, Andrew Whitworth was a great left tackle and he retired. So you got to really see what Joe Noteboom can do in the first full season. But I have a hard time believing that Matthew Stafford's going to go from the season he had winning the Super Bowl and somehow not at least as good, if not better in year two. Wait, wait.

I was listening Monday when J-MAC was hosting. Didn't he say the Rams might not make the playoffs? That is the words of Jason McIntyre. Let's just say in the morning prep. Morning prep, it was something that was discussed. Did you say, you sure you want, you sure you wanted to, that's where you want to go? And he said, yeah, I believe it. And I said, hey, bud.

It's absolutely possible, you know, they have a ridiculously difficult schedule. and injuries do happen. And they've had to reconfigure their offensive line again. But they have the best receiver in football. They didn't have the running back all of last season. He's back. They have their quarterback. And they're pretty salty on defense.

Like with Aaron Donald up the middle and Jaylon Ramsey in the back, that's not a hill that I would like to die on. What else you got? Let's get some other stuff other than just NFL football. The list stuff is. great. It's fun. You know, but I... You got to get your junk food in before the main course comes in another week.

You do. You got to prime the palate a little. You know what it is? It's a lot like eating junk food where like all of a sudden, a couple hours later, you're like, yeah, I'm hungry again. How about this, Doug? Let's turn our attention to Major League Baseball. It's seemingly a never-ending cycle of bad news for the San Diego Padres right now. The new news of the morning regarding their young star, Fernando Tatis. Junior. His scheduled shoulder surgery is being delayed about a week because he has strep throat. Now, is this major? Of course not, but this is obviously a schedule he has, a surgery he has opted for

while he is serving an 80 game suspension for performance enhancing drugs, which is on the heels of him trying to return from an injury that he reportedly suffered after a motorcycle accident in the off season coming off a year in which they collapsed at the end of the year and they paid him a massive contract extension. So look, he's a very talented player. I understand why you would have paid him. The thing I find so interesting about this recent run of unfortunate news for the Padres as they try to build a juggernaut to contend with the likes of the Dodgers,

Fernando Tatis was not a player that you paid a bunch of money to in free agency from outside of your organization. It's curious to see how this is unfolded, knowing that you've had to be a player. eyes on him for years and this recent run of unfortunate events doesn't seem so surprising anymore. Wait, so you think they should have known that he, what he was, what he was using? Not necessarily what he was using, but just it seems like he has a pattern of behavior that perhaps is not the most disciplined.

Right. That's fair. I mean, that's the old Chris Carterism, right? Money doesn't change you. It makes you more of who you are. Correct. And they should have known who he is. Correct.

Yeah. Yeah. On the other hand, I do think you would, one would think, one would think that in this day and age, like, is it really worth getting caught over? And now you have to wonder if you're the Padres. Like, what is he going to be like when he returned? Because if you're, I mean, look, if you're buying what he's selling, it was a first time I, you know, I'm trying to get rid of ringworm, like, fine. that does not feel like that's what happened. So the question is, when did he start using

and how much of an effect did he have on his, although very short-lived, but incredibly successful past in Major League Baseball? That's the part that I'm most worried about is what's he look like when he comes back if he's not on the juice? What's it look like when he comes back? Give me that Baker-Mayfield story real quick.

Well, Baker-Mayfield had some critical comments of his former team, not necessarily critical, but talked about looking forward to playing against them when he said that according to an NFL network member, Celentia Freeland, said that I'm going to F them up talking about his former team in the Cleveland Browns

in week one of the next upcoming season. Miles Garrett was asked about those comments and, well, he kind of echoed something I've heard from you, Doug. We've known he has this type of demeanor and that attitude for better or for worse. It works for him. I'm not mad at him using that fire and that chip on his shoulder. to help him play to a level he has.

He's been successful in what he's done. Look, the thing, and I agree, this is Baker. Baker being Baker. But the other part of Baker on the field is he's got to have dudes to make plays for him because what he has is he has the swag. He has the, he has the walk, he has the talk, he has, all of those things. I just don't think he has the tangibles to be great. And I think ultimately that gets exposed.

Now, maybe some of it was he was injured last year or scheme. It helps. He has Christian McCaffrey, who does have the tangibles. So go along with Baker's intangibles. And that's Ryan Music with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly news.

The 162 games in baseball. And the Dodgers have won their 90th game already. Does it matter? We discuss next in The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben, host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor,

and would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mallor show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mallor on the Iheart radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced 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, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

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

The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrate. 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 Jett. 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 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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, so... Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes, I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years. for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host,

and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth,

or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast,

learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Doug Gottlieb in for Colin. This is the herd, Vox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio app. So I was watching the Dodgers and Andrew Haney take down the, he got out of a jam. What inning was that when he, I want to say,

was that the fifth inning, Jay Stu? I think fifth inning he got out of a jam. It's kind of a weird night for him. He gave a bunch of hits, but also got himself out of it with strikeouts. The Dodgers end up getting their 90th win of the season. 90th win of the season. That's crazy. And so then I was like, didn't the Mariners,

don't they the Mariners have the winningest Major League Baseball season ever? You know, wasn't that that that's like the one Mariners team? And I was like, yeah. So I end up looking it up, you know. And the most wins in Major League Baseball history, right? If you kind of, you go back, you're like, oh, wait, wait, wait, there was the Cubs in like the early 1900s, you know.

And that was what they went, 116 games. And then, you know, I was looking at that Mariners team. And I was thinking, why do the, you know, there's 1906 Cubs. won 116 games. Oh, you remember that team. And of course, in 2001, the Mariners tied that record with a 162 game season. When the Cubs did in 1906, there was 154 games, right? So in terms of win percentage, obviously, it was a lot better with the Cubs.

The Dodgers clearly on pace for more wins, right, as they're 41 games over 500. and we have gotten to this place. And this is a little bit of what college football has always tried to kind of bring us back to. College basketball doesn't really matter unless you're undefeated. The NBA, like, do you even know who had the best record last year in the regular season in the Eastern Western Conference? I mean, Suns had in the West, right? Who had in the East? Does anybody know?

Music, do you remember? who had the most wins in the Eastern Conference last year. Okay. It was not the Bucks. Nope. I am blanking. There's a team that I am not thinking of because it wasn't the 76ers either. Nope.

I'm really trying to do this off the top of my head without looking. Miami Heat. We have gotten to the point to where we're like, we don't really care about the rig. It's all about championships. It's all about rings. It's all about post-season. Which is great. It's a higher level of competition.

But there is some things. to what the Dodgers are doing, isn't there? Now, look, again, I'm not a Dodger fan. I just, you got to kind of respect what they're able to do here. And, you know, look, we can point out that the Padres haven't had Tatis, but it's not like that roster isn't incredible. Their division is not the strongest division, even in the National League.

Right, the National League East with the defending champions, with the Mets, who of course they play against night, with the Phillies, a stronger division. But still, 90 and 30, 90 and 38, plus 287 in run differential. The closest team to that is the New York Yankees or plus 196. They are just eviscerating the leak. And I want you to keep in mind, Kershaw's hurt, Gonsolins hurt. I mean, it's not like they've,

it's not like they've been solid or, or unbelievable in terms of their bullpen, right? With Craig Kimbril, they've had plenty of injuries. They've had plenty of other issues. Now, kind of an all-star team sort of roster, but still, dude, Max Muncie's hit 187 and they're 41 games over 500. It's crazy, right? So I don't know.

I'm just at this place where you're not going to anoint them as the greatest team ever, but you could if they win a World Series. You could say, this is the greatest season a baseball team has ever had.

They win a World Series. And it'll take more wins to win this World Series than any of those other historic teams. So they have to prove their competitive greatness in a different style of the exact same sport. It's at least something to factor into your mind because we do chase watching greatness. Coming up next.

Will John Gruden be given a second chance in the NFL? He wants one. Will he get it? I'll tell you next in the hurt. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an 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 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 which 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 experience. excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford 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 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. 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 IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.