The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - LeBron James' latest milestone
Episode Date: March 5, 2024Nick Wright from First Things First joins the show to celebrate LeBron James becoming the first player in league history to score 40,000 career points More on where Russell Wilson could end up and wha...t teams should realize about his ability going forwardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Right, here we go.
Hour two.
Just ran back to the set.
As you say, workshoping takes in the coffee room.
It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening.
Thanks for making us part of your day.
You know, one of the things I love about the NFL draft, I don't pay a lot of attention to the NBA draft.
This next draft is a kid from France.
everybody likes. There's a kid at Kentucky that's surging, everybody likes. But in the NBA
draft, you've got a couple of rounds. There's usually about six guys. And even when they're
great like Wemby or Chet Hongren, your first year in the league, it's hard to make a real impact.
You couldn't go out in the NFL. We were talking about the New York Giants. The New York Giants,
if I'm the New York Giants, I draft a quarterback, then I get a receiver in a corner in the
second round. There's plenty of both. And you could be a playoff team. You just got to get
the quarterback right now. He may not start week one. But the Daniel Jones situation,
You've got to address it.
You can't double down on wrong.
He was a reach at six.
Go get a quarterback.
Have him sit behind Daniel Jones for a year.
You know, you don't have to dump him and have dead cat money.
So bring him in.
Daniel Jones, kid behind him.
Home sat for 16 games.
Somebody can sit behind Daniel Jones for 16 games.
There's a lot of things the Giants have.
I think the Giants are a fascinating team.
They've got an offensive coach I like.
They've got a left tackle.
There's only about eight great ones in the league.
They've got one of them.
They've got an edge rusher, I like.
They have really good defensive players up front in the box.
They need a receiver, they need a corner, and they've got to get quarterback right.
I like their GM.
I like their coach.
I like the left tackle.
I like their edge rusher.
I don't know what they'll do with Seekwan Barclay.
I read today they're not going to franchise tag him.
I would probably, with a young quarterback, probably want to keep a star running back.
Barkley, when healthy, he's very, very good.
Jim Harbaal wants him with a charger.
Not sure they can afford him.
But that's what I love about the NFL draft.
Seattle, these teams go out.
The Rams last year.
They had a second and two-thirds.
All of them, exceptional.
A guard, a pass-rusher, defensive tackle.
All exceptional.
Didn't even have a first-round pick.
And they went from, as J-Mack was saying,
this is a bad team, bad roster, to making the playoffs.
To making the playoffs.
That's why the NFL draft is something I pay attention to,
and I don't pay attention to any other draft.
You can literally change your fortune.
The Rams did it.
I mean, look what.
Green Bay has done the last couple of years with wide receivers and tight ends.
Aaron Rogers leaves, they're in better shape now than they weren't errands last year.
They are stacked at wide receivers, stacked at tight end.
So, you know, you get the quarterback and the coach right in this league.
You can make a lot of mistakes.
And I also think the draft gives you opportunities.
A team like the New York Giants could get their future quarterback, a starting receiver, a starting corner.
That's a pretty good draft.
that's a game. It's a team that made the playoffs
year before last with Daniel Jones.
So who they draft, I don't know.
I think the chargers are in a rare situation.
They got some cap issues.
They have the number, what is it, five pick.
I'd move down to like nine, try to get another third round pick
and go solve all your issues.
It's just, that's why the draft is so fun that we can.
It's like fantasy football.
You can play along.
And nobody's mock draft is ever that right,
but it's still fun to play.
By the way, I saw this yesterday.
Caleb Williams,
was asked who the goat was at quarterback, who his goat was, and he said Aaron Rogers.
And I think it's funny because, you know, Aaron Rogers, been to one Super Bowl,
and Tom Brady's got a Super Bowl trophy room.
But young NBA players sometimes, you'll ask him who their goat is, and they'll be like Russell Westbrook.
Not LeBron.
And I get it because they physically are never going to be LeBron.
But Westbrook's hyper-athletic.
He's fun.
He's productive.
He loves the game.
He plays with passion.
he's diving on the floor.
Like, I get it.
Nobody ever says, my goat is Tim Duncan.
Okay, Mr. Fundamental.
You know, that's people, you know, he's more engineer than Popstar.
I get it.
Tom Brady's highlight reel is a lot of efficiency and pre-snap reads and timing
and eight-yard completions to Wes Welker and Julian Edelman.
Caleb Williams is mobile and dynamic.
and can escape.
That's Aaron Rogers in his prime.
So, you know, the guy that can jump over a train
is a lot more fascinating than a guy that made the train.
And never to forget that, you know, Kobe Bryant,
Kobe Bryant was worshipped.
Tim Duncan was respected.
A lot of kids wanted to be Kobe Bryant.
They played like Kobe Bryant.
They go to the gym.
They want to be Kobe Bryant.
Nobody's going to the gym wanting to be Mr. Fundamental.
But they both have five rings.
and in fact, Duncan won more regular season MVP's
and more finals MVP's.
But not a lot of players saying, I want to be Tim Duncan.
And I'm okay with somebody saying, my goat is Aaron Rogers, not Tom Brady.
I get it.
So much of quarterback play in this league, success is pre-snap and timing and worth ethic and efficiency.
That's why I've always understood guys that say, like Westbrook's my guy.
Westbro, I said this years ago, even though he drove me crazy.
Westbrook's one of the few guys in the last 10 years.
LeBron's obviously another.
I would pay to watch.
I get press passes.
I thought Westbrook in his prime was UCLA, Oklahoma City in his prime.
He was jumping over forwards.
Just like nobody else out there.
There's a reason Michael Jordan put him on his brand.
He had some Jordan in him, some Dominique Wilkins in him.
With that, we bring on Nick Wright, who vacationed, you know, when you have a show,
with an unlimited budget. The hosts have an unlimited budget. This guy's...
Oh, I know you're not talking about vacation. Here's where I didn't vacation to, Colin.
One of my mini vacation homes. And raise your hand if you can say that. Oh, I'm the
hand up. By the way, I was just about to compliment you. You had two all-time lines there.
Did you just make up the guy who made the train is not as fascinating as the guy who jumped over?
the train?
Yeah.
Was that, I've never heard that before.
Yeah.
I also don't know that I'm familiar with jumping over trains, but you put it perfectly.
Like, I was like, I've never heard.
I googled it while listening.
I was like, did college, is that like a saying?
That was great.
I really enjoyed that.
That was really good.
How are you?
Well, we're starting off at a good foot.
So, you know, it's funny about the quarterback coach thing.
Russell Wilson, there was a moment when Sean
Peyton said, stop kissing babies, you're not running for office. And that was the moment I thought,
yeah, this isn't going to work. This is like Tebow and Greg Williams, the former defensive
coordinator who's all ego and brash. Like sometimes personalities don't work. But I do think
Russell should be thankful. I'll lay this out briefly. He was viewed by a lot of people as washed.
He had one fewer touchdown pass than Mahomes last year. The same number of total touchdowns as Lamar.
He was viewed as cringy, expensive, and washed, and he's not now.
He's got a market now.
Could I not argue, you can say whatever you want about Peyton and his blunt, kind of raw personality.
But Russell was largely done in the eyes.
It was considered that contract a disaster, and now somebody may get him for free.
Well, yeah, so I think, I disagree with you here in this regard.
I think the only reason Russ has a market is because he might play for the minimum.
Because of the way the contract with the Broncos works out is he's going to make $39 million next year no matter what.
So it's in his interest to have his future employer pay him as little as possible because the Broncos have to foot the rest of the bill.
I agree with you that I think Sean Payton got the most you could get out of him.
I disagree with you that all of a sudden he's going to have a robust market.
I think he will land somewhere in a quarterback competition.
I don't think he's a guaranteed day one starter,
and I don't think that right now, if he was in the position Kurt Cousins is in,
where it's like, hey, I'm a free agent.
How much do people want to pay me?
There would be a real market for him,
but because there's going to be fewer quarterbacks than there are teams that need them,
and he's going to play for the league minimum because his money's the same,
I think he'll land somewhere.
But the fact that the Broncos would rather take the biggest dead cap hit by a factor of two
in league history to move off him, I don't think that necessarily helps his status.
But I do agree that last year, Sean Pagan got the most you could get out of
at this point a limited player you know it's as somebody that grew up in the northwest you know you
kind of like the teams you grow up with and i i do think there's a case to be made that for about
eight years two things happened with russell wilson pete carroll's legacy was fired twice
seven to nine seven and nine russell arrived and kind of changed the entire franchise as much as
pete and marshawn lynch and richard sherman did for eight years he also got a lot of guys drafted that
were undersized.
So he's not going to end up in the Hall of Fame.
I doubt that very seriously.
But I do think it's easy to dump on him.
I think mobile quarterbacks, Cam Donovan McNabb, come to mind, who are kind of average
in the pocket, but exceptional out of the pocket, age quickly.
That's why I like Kyler Murray, who I actually think is great in the pocket and out of
the pocket.
But what is your legacy for Russ?
I do see him as a guy that had for about eight years a remarkable career and got other
guys drafted.
So I agree with a lot of that.
I also think that people are doing a little revisionist history in a negative unfair sense
when they're doing the, oh, how good was he ever actually?
No, he was pretty damn good very quickly.
His rookie season, people should go back and look at that playoff game against Atlanta.
They ended up losing that game.
He had a 20-point second-half comeback or an 18-point second-half comeback.
then got trumped in the end by a late Falcons field goal.
The next year they, of course, win the Super Bowl.
The next year, again, he played really poorly in that NFC title game against Green Bay,
but did hit the throw in overtime to put them in the Super Bowl before.
So I think we're being unfair to act like, okay, it was always exclusively Legion of Doom,
Marshawn Lynch.
No, Russell Wilson's ability to extend plays, and to this day what he's still excellent at,
I think at this point it's the only thing he's excellent at, is the almost lollipop deep ball accuracy.
When he had that combined with the mobility, no, he was very good.
So I agree with all of that.
Here's the other side of Russ's legacy, which is the damage you can do,
by, I don't want to say believing in yourself too much, because that sounds awful.
Yeah.
But Russ, all of a sudden, and there were great stories written about it,
and he was on, it was the Super Bowl between Brady and Mahomes,
and Russ was in the commissioner's box sitting next to Roger Goodell at that Super Bowl.
And it seemed like, and he talked about how he wanted to, you know,
be where those guys are and be an MVP candidate and be able to a guy that could,
call his own plays.
And he wanted more than at that point he was able to handle.
And I think that really was the beginning of the end for him.
He wasn't satisfied with where he was, which sometimes can be good, but sometimes can also lead
to what it led to, which is his ugly exit from Seattle and then this really disastrous
tenure in Denver.
So I want to talk LeBron James.
So by and large, I've been, I think when you're a public figure forever, I mean, we've seen Belichick's legacy go from here to here to, right?
Like the dynasty's not helping matters.
So I think anybody, I don't care if it's a politician, I don't care if it's a basketball player or a talk show host.
If you're in front of the camera for 30 years, you're going to get dinged.
So there's times that LeBron says, you know, leave my son alone.
And I think, LeBron, you're the one that foisted him up there.
nobody was talking about your son.
You wanted to play with him.
You said he could be a Laker.
That's kind of on you.
But I do think, and I did defend him during, when he did the press conference and went to Miami,
I did not think it was the end of the world.
It may have been clunky, turbulent, but it wasn't the end of the world.
And I want to ask you, I look at 40,000 points.
And I said this last week when you were globetrotting.
I said that a 40,000 point, you can no longer compare my.
Michael and
LeBron.
Like Mahomes, you can look
at it and go,
he does a lot of things.
He does a lot of things Tom can't do.
So I don't have a problem
with that discussion percolating,
Tom Patrick.
But I'm not sure what Michael can do now
that LeBron
can't. Like distance, shooting.
He can rely on his myth makers.
I mean, listen,
so I got very frustrated.
with my dear friend Chris Broussard yesterday on television.
And we try not to do the goat debates.
We treat the goat debate like a peppermint frappuccino.
It's great once or twice a year.
But you don't want to have it back to back days.
You know, it can't do you.
Like, let's roll it out.
But occasionally it really hits the spot.
And yesterday was one of those days.
And here's the thing, because Brew made the point,
and he's not wrong, that Tim
Typically in sports, you know, we value peak more than longevity.
True.
And I understand that to a degree, but there, it is to me more of a tapestry.
Like, you could argue Randy Moss's peak was higher than Jerry Rice's, but the longevity
is so overwhelming.
No one argues that Moss was actually better than Rice.
The LeBron versus Michael Peek is an argument.
It's what you can make the case for Michael, you can make the case for LeBron.
I would argue the best single year, either one of them ever had, was LeBron in 2013.
League MVP, finals MVP, 27-game winning streak, three votes, waiting for defensive player of the year.
I think that's the best single season.
I agree.
I know Michael won defensive player of the year and MVP in the same season, but that year was 89.
They didn't even make the conference finals, let alone the NBA finals.
So they're, you know, win the championship.
So one year peak, I think it's LeBron, you could argue it's Michael.
Two year peak, LeBron in 1213 versus Michael in 91, 92, or 96, 97.
Call that a coin flip.
Three year peak is Michael.
Four year, like the peak stuff goes back and forth.
Yeah.
The longevity is a 10-7 round.
The longevity is not close.
The longevity is a joke.
The Michael, and this is where I get frustrated.
And people can, you guys can maybe show it.
the tweet, because it'll be very easy to find, because it was all over social media yesterday,
of the AP article, when Michael Jordan as a wizard got to 30,000 points, he was the fourth
guy to do it. They stopped the game. They gave him a trophy the size of the Larry O'Brien.
Meanwhile, Wilm Malone, Kareem already had been there. Nobody cared. So when Michael got to 30,000
was the fourth guy, they're like, oh my God, that's why he's to go. LeBron gets to 40,000, gets a brief
standing ovation and what does the internet say?
Oh my, you're going to act like this is a big deal.
Yeah, we're going to act like it's a big deal.
We're going to act like when somebody does something that if from this moment forward, Colin,
when Binyama averaged 35 points a game every year for 15 straight years,
he wouldn't have 40,000 points.
So yeah, when a guy is the best teenager ever, when a guy is the best 20-year-old, 21-year-old,
22 year old ever. And now he is the best old guy ever. When that guy is doing it and people are like,
it's compiling. It would be compiling if he averaged 11 points a night. He's averaging 25 again.
So yeah, I think it matters. And I think the fact that when folks try to poke at him, they're like,
you know what? That press conference he gave in 2011 after the finals loss sure was bad.
I was in college when that happened. Like, give me a break. And so maybe,
not quite in college. But yeah, so there you go. There's your peppermintrapichino, Colin.
That's one of your better analogies ever. And as somebody who's done a few analogies,
I'd steal that if you wouldn't have said it publicly. It was very good. So,
I appreciate that. I have been higher on the Celtics than you during this run,
but I got on this thing yesterday with Chris Mannix and he was apoplectic. He could barely
get on set. He was trembling. I said, I'm starting to feel a little bit like. He's probably
wearing his Celtics pajamas.
Old Manix.
Old Manix.
My buddy Manix, who still has the tweet up,
would you trade Janus for Brad Stevens?
I wouldn't.
I love Manix, but that exists out there, Chris.
Go ahead.
All right.
Oh, yeah.
Go ahead.
Boston's getting into a Buffalo Bills feel,
where it's like,
okay, I know Jim Kelly and Josh Allen are good.
I'm not denying their Hall of Famers,
and Jason Tatum's great,
but I don't feel he's a top four to five player,
somebody else, you know, in the league now, Denver, and I don't see Buffalo getting through Kansas City, who will be better next year, or Boston getting through Denver, which has more length, which doesn't have really an injury-prone guy like a Porzingis in the starting five.
And I said with Boston, they have to win this year.
The Knicks are going to go get a number two in the off-season.
M. Beds coming back.
Yannis may go to somebody else in the east, or they'll may be.
another move. Denver's going nowhere. Lakers are probably going to go get a scoring guard
somewhere. They'll get rid of D-Lo. Again, the Warriors want to make a move for Janus, which is
very possible if they get jettisoned early in the playoffs. And I said, this is the year. I don't
want to hear about it. But Kansas City was vulnerable this year. Young. Buffalo didn't beat him.
It's like, I'm sorry. I feel like, am I unrealistic? The Celtics have to win.
Yes. No, the Celtics have to win. They have to win.
And listen, now it's not fair to compare a team with the proud history of the Celtics to the bills.
I mean, the Celtics do, as we all know, have won championship since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
I mean, give me a break. I mean, I get it, guys.
They won a bunch of titles. You know what I mean?
During pre-Nixon administration, but in the last 35 seasons, they're dead even with the Raptors.
So I have pumped the brakes on Title Town a bit, Boston.
However, what I will tell you is this.
They are seven games clear of the field.
While I agree with you, Tatum is not obviously Yokic or Janus.
Their starting five is the best in basketball.
If the worst guy in your starting five is either Drew or Chris Staps,
you have an amazing starting five.
They are healthy.
They are defending.
They are scoring.
If they, I say all that to say this.
If they don't win the championship, then you have to have the hard conversation of,
do we have to make a massive change to win the championship?
That's not unfair.
They have the fifth best point differential in NBA history right now.
That should be the expectation.
And while you are just focusing on Denver, I'm telling in my, I think Milwaukee,
assuming Yanis's Achilles is okay, is I.
still very dangerous.
But the other team that if I'm Boston,
I'm still terrified of,
is the playoff Miami Heat.
And I know every year people are like,
no, that not the Heat.
All I know about the Heat is,
in the last five years,
they've been to the NBA Finals twice,
or in the last four years,
pardon me,
they've been in the NBA Finals twice,
and they were a game seven,
Jimmy Butler three away
from being there a third time.
And this Heat Team is better.
They're not playing Kyle Lowry.
the addition of Rozier is good.
This team, the hero will be healthy, you would think, is better.
So the heat could be the Celtics round two matchup,
because the heat can climb up to the four-five line.
And so that would worry me.
But, yeah, if Boston doesn't win the title this year,
then you look at Tatum Brown and say we probably have to make some type of change.
But they're the huge Vegas favorites to win the title.
So they should win the title.
I don't think they will.
All right.
Good to have you back.
Hadn't seen you in a while.
I mean, there was like a, it was a con trail into the studio yesterday as you flew in just in time for the show.
I listened, I did, I did barely make it.
Time change is wild from Tokyo.
We flew in.
I left.
It was weird.
Yeah, it was crazy.
But it was good time.
Saw some castles, did some great history.
Saw a panda bear.
You know, in real life.
So it was wonderful.
Colin, I'll see you soon.
Love you, man.
Nick Wright, going to places I've never even visited.
But, you know, hey, I got a little.
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Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.
It's the enhanced games.
Some call it grotesque.
Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,
embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care what I'm saying.
Yep, that's me.
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 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
and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.
Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?
Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.
I know what you're thinking.
What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?
Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.
I'm Sam Jett.
And I'm Alex English.
Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down,
and try to make sense of how we survived it.
Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,
waxing all about crack in the 80s.
To be clear, 84 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.
Mark Medina last hour, going to talk some NBA.
Milwaukee's on a little bit of a heater.
Chris Manix told us that yesterday, said, watch out.
They're a different team than they.
Well, look at J. Mack rolling his eyes.
And a call of on the beat reporting, on the floor reporting, boots on the ground reporting.
Jay Mack with a news.
No, no, no, no, turn on the news.
This is the herd line.
Manix had boots on the ground.
You know where he had boots?
During the commercial break yesterday, he said, oh, I like O KC to beat the Lakers.
You heard it.
I said to you and the guy, I'm betting Lakers.
How'd that work out?
Well, I didn't tell you to bet that game.
I know.
I told you I was on Lakers.
He loved OKC yesterday.
No, we like Manix.
Good guy.
Nick was going after him, huh?
Did Manix say that?
I'd take Brad Stevens over Yonis?
Anybody that is pro Celtics, Nick Wright is going to push back.
I did not know.
I was unaware of it.
Well, he did that.
He's very true.
The Celtics have one title.
It's the fall of the Berlin Wall.
That's true.
So it's a very big brand, not a lot of titles.
And that was my only take yesterday is, I really do believe that if the bucks, like, get one and done or only win a series, I think there's going to be moves there.
And I think there's going to be a massive market, including the Warriors, giving five number one picks, multiple expiring contracts, or at least a couple,
expiring contracts to get Janice.
Man, okay. All right. Let's get to the NFL.
Broncos, they're releasing Russell Wilson at the start of the new league year.
He went 11 and 19 in Denver. Not great.
Now they'll have to take an $85 million dead cap hit, largest in league history.
But I do want to point out, the Packers last year took a $40 million dead cap hit for Aaron Rogers.
And they made the playoffs. And they won a game, didn't they?
Yeah, they beat the Cowboys on the road.
So it can be done.
Obviously, this is double and then some of the Aaron Rogers.
You have to hit.
Oh, by the way, bucks.
Yeah, there's another one.
Tom Brady.
They took a dead cap hit.
They made the playoffs.
The baby.
First of all, the cap's more massageable than people think.
You can massage it.
Secondly, if you have a great draft and you hit on five picks and you get four or five guys
you're not paying anything to when they're starting, there's a way to get around stuff.
Like the Jets a couple years ago, you know, you talk about missing.
on Zach Wilson, but they hit on four or five picks, and all of a sudden the Aaron Rogers
deal is not punitive.
The last one on that list was Carson Wentz.
Also, the NFL just gave teams more money, $30 million more dollars.
The key is, Carson Wentz was on that list for the Eagles, a big one.
Two years later, they're in the Super Bowl.
Like, it can be done.
The problem is the quarterback?
Now, I'll ask you, is Bo Nick's going to be the guy in Denver?
I talked to a former NFL quarterback last night.
I'll tell you later on.
And he does not like Bo Nix as a prospect.
So if that's not your guy in Denver, who is the starter in Denver for Sean Payton this year?
And don't tell me it's the guy, the backup that they had this year, the kid from the Raiders, whoever that guy is.
I'm spacing on his name now.
Raiders have to get a quarterback.
Jared Stidham was the guy in Denver.
He can't start the season.
Bownicks is not good enough to go to a bad fit and work.
Whoever Sean Payton gets, Bo Nix panics J.J. McCarthy.
My guess is they will succeed.
whoever they get will succeed
because I do think they have the coach
they have the weapons
you know there are things Denver has
now they're going to have to hit on other draft picks
but I do think whoever lands
in Denver will work
I think whoever lands in Washington
with Cliff Kingsbury
and all that cash base has a very
good chance to work
wait I just want to be clear here
if J.J. McCarthy goes to Denver
at 8 or wherever Denver is down
then I'm going to think it's probably going to work
to some level if J.J.
McCarthy goes to a defensive coach, and he doesn't get the great coaching you got at Michigan.
I mean, if you go from college to the pros and get a worse coach, you're in trouble.
But if you go to Sean Payton from Jim Harbaugh, you've had nothing but great coaching.
And, I mean, Denver's got some nice weapons there.
So I think Jay-J. McCarthy, I'm not saying it doesn't work, what I'm saying is outside of Caleb
Williams, who I think is good enough, like a Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck to overcome some
nonsense. I think
most of these guys are very much
dependent on who's their first coach.
How's their first offensive line? So, just to be
clear, Trevor Lawrence was the first pick. They drafted
number one the next year again. That's how bad
they're. Well, the coaching situation.
It did not work out well. I'll just say this.
Maybe, let me see if this makes sense.
If J.J. McCarthy goes to the Broncos
with a second round pick, second round.
Well, he's not going to. I like that. I don't
like J.J. McCarthy to Denver at eight. I just
don't. Do you know the pressure is going to be on that
kid? Doesn't Denver have the 12th pick?
12th to 8, whatever, in the top 15.
If he goes second round, I love that pick.
Because you can get like a bona fide starter right out of the gate with the first round.
I just, I don't love him at 8 to Denver.
Do you?
12.
12.
12 is almost middle of the round.
I'm more comfortable.
I think the bigger story is the Giants.
They, I mean, you've got to go out and get a quarterback.
I don't care.
You can't keep, you know,
Years ago, I started a business.
Mark Cuban, I asked for some advice on email.
He said, hey, just double down on the stuff that works and move off stuff that doesn't.
Don't be stubborn.
Daniel Jones is not working.
Giants stop being stubborn.
Listen to Mark Cuban's advice.
If you're starting a business, your ideas, some of them don't work.
The Daniel Jones idea, it doesn't work.
Move.
So you can keep doubling down on it, but at some point, go get somebody who is,
is going to supplant him and then go get your wide receivers and corners later.
Is it fair to say if Daibol doesn't figure it out this year?
He's on the hot seat by Thanksgiving.
I would hire Daibol in two minutes if he was.
Well, I'm not saying he's going to fire, but a hot seat.
Listen, man, it went downhill fast, the defensive coordinator stuff.
Listen, you can say what you want about Daible.
Salon Daibel can bear him.
One guy got Daniel Jones into playoffs.
I think he's pretty good coach.
Obviously, no doubt.
Next up, the Bucks.
They locked up Mike Evans yesterday.
Now they've got to get their quarterback.
Baker Mayfield has said he hopes to remain in Tampa,
but according to Diana Rusini,
he's not willing to take a hometown discount to stay with the team.
So now we're hearing Patriots and Baker,
no hometown discount.
Colin, I know he had some issues with his family member
and some financial stuff.
If Baker's out here saying, like,
I need $45 million a year,
I don't know if, is there a price point
where Tampa says not for us?
We're going to move on.
Yeah, everybody's got a price.
What is it?
I don't know what it is, but I don't want the first number to be in the fours.
But if you have to go mid to high threes, yeah, I think that's very reasonable.
So Dax's going to get 55, maybe, and Baker's going to settle for 30.
Well, Dax win in 12 games a year every year.
Dack has been more consistent as a personality.
So let's be fair to Dac.
Dak has, his career has been a B-plus career.
Baker's had B-plus moments.
but there's been some turbulence.
Okay.
And so remember, when I'm paying you,
there's a lot of things I'm paying you for.
Your production, your talent,
your intangibles, your maturity.
Now, I think Baker's pivoted, turned a corner
on the maturity stuff.
But I think, you know, like cousins
and Dak, I know exactly what I'm getting.
Baker can still run a little hot and cold,
and I don't think, I think I'd pay Dak more than Baker.
Even though I think Baker throws a better ball
when he has time to throw.
Baker sees Tua. Let's say Tua gets $50 million a year.
I think Baker throws a better ball than Tua.
Okay, so what does Baker say if Tua gets 50 million a year from my, which sounds insane?
Well, he's going to want 50 million, and I would say, well, one guy was in the MVP voting and one guy won a bad division.
Yeah, one guy won a playoff game last year.
That was me.
Don't make me hate Baker.
I'm not hating Baker.
He has a market.
I've said this.
I think Tampa's perfect.
But there is a price point, and my price point with Baker would probably be, okay, if you're not going to do it, I'll go get Kirk Cousins for 40 if you won't.
go for 34 to 35.
I'll just go get Kurt Cousins
and get more consistency, but maybe not the
high-end throws that Baker can make.
Everybody's got a number.
Final story. The Giants.
The aforementioned giants, they gave Daniel Jones
that terrible four-year, $160 million
extension last off-season,
but they could be ready to move on. New York
is reportedly absolutely
done with Jones,
who's recovering from a torn ACL.
Rich Eisen said
he heard multiple times at the Combine,
The Giants have buyer's remorse with their quarterback.
That should surprise nobody.
But the interesting thing is, Sequin, not going to tag him, he's moving on, and now they're moving on from Jones too?
Do we know for sure that they're moving on from Sequin?
Well, they're not tagging him, and it was like an acrimonious contract.
Remember last year?
I can't see that happening.
Okay, let me ask you this.
How good is Daniel Jones without Seacuan Barclay?
Terrible.
Yeah.
And he's only mediocre with Sequel.
So they don't have good receivers.
So no Sequin and bottom five receivers, that Daniel Jones thing,
you almost have to keep Sequin.
I mean, to me, I mean, Justin Herbert, you know, doesn't have a great receiving core outside of Keenan Allen,
but he keeps Justin Herbert.
So, I mean, Daniel Jones without Sequin Barclay, what is he?
Why don't you just pull the plug on both and just say, we're going to get the tank?
We're going to start over now.
Because this is going nowhere.
Okay, now, that's a play.
So if you're the Giants, and you have your draft pick and you say,
we're moving down three spots, getting a third second round,
and then you get a quarterback, maybe a McCarthy, and then I get a receiver, a corner.
And then a running back, I don't have a problem of that idea ever.
Here's what's not working.
Daniel Jones.
And here's what would be a disaster.
Daniel without Saquan Barclay.
So if you want to move off both, and I can move down a slot or two,
because you move down in the first round like two spots.
You get a second pick.
So now I've got three seconds.
I don't have a problem with that.
I am for start over or sign Barclay for at least a couple years to keep him around.
But there's no way you can say I get Daniel and no Barclay.
That is fourth place.
That is screaming bottom five team in the league.
I think we both agree they're in the cellar in the NFC.
Well, with no Barclay.
I like Drake made better than whoever the Giants have a starting quarterback next year.
I think you would too, right?
Yes.
J. Mack with the news.
Well, that's the news.
And thanks for stopping by.
The Herd Lye News.
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Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.
On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app.
Hey, it's Ben Mather, host of the fifth hour with Ben Mather.
It 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 Mather show,
a cult hit overnights on FSR.
Why should you listen?
Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry,
in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more.
Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.
It's the enhanced 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, Clivert Taylor the 4th.
You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,
or my career in sports media.
Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.
And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.
This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,
creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.
One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment
and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.
The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that
don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.
So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where
you need to be.
Listen to the 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 a here, unpack what went down,
and try to make sense of how we survived it.
Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,
waxing all about crack in the 80s.
To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack.
I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you all know.
I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.
So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.
We also have AIDS on the table right now.
Thank you for finishing that sentence.
Yes.
I don't think there's a more important year for black people.
Really?
Yeah.
For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.
Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple.
podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Saturday, it's a huge regular
season finale on Fox.
First 10th ranked Creighton takes
on Villanova at 2.30 Eastern, then at
5. 8th ranked Marquette
battled Xavier. And in prime
time, second rank Yukon faces
Providence. It all tips off Saturday
on Fox. Yukon's going to
win the national title. Stop.
No, right now. I'm going to say it right now.
Yukon is winning the Natty.
Are we taping, Ryan? Put this in the archive.
This is live.
Hurley is an excellent coach.
They're not going back to back.
They're not.
That happens to case.
Listen, I think they're the favorites now, or up there, but that's not the worst bet in the world, Colin.
I like to go out in the limb.
By the way, hit another three-team parlay last night in college hoops.
Who was on it?
Seriously.
The last leg was Baylor, but I think there was like a Central Connecticut.
Some team you've never heard.
Central Connecticut, you do get to a point.
I'm concerned that you may have an issue.
You could fight an edge, buddy.
The Athletic did a story about where Russell Wilson will land next.
And so they gave a bunch of teams, and I'm going to read the teams they gave you.
New England, Atlanta, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Vegas Titans.
So my take is Russell's not good enough at this point to elevate average personnel.
Titans, Patriots, get them out of here.
I do think he's talented enough and has enough in the tank to get the Steelers,
the Vikings and talented Atlanta on the right track offensively.
And that's what I think you're looking at.
He's not going to take limited offensive personnel in Tennessee and New England and make it special.
But I would say the Steelers have Arthur Smith now as their OC.
Go look at Ryan Tannahill's best two years, and it ain't close.
He was great.
Tannahill was a pro-ball level quarterback one time in his life.
Well, for one period.
A couple of years with Arthur Smith.
So the Steelers have better offensive personnel than Tennessee does.
They've got two legitimate star young receivers, a very good tied end, and I think two capable running backs.
So I think, and Ryan Tannihil got to an AFC championship game with Arthur Smith.
And I think one thing I've said, and I think it's fair to say this, I think the Steelers do,
Steelers and the Packers do a very good job of drafting and developing.
But could I not say this and it wouldn't be fair for the last like seven years,
that Pittsburgh's been in one of the more immature offenses.
Armartevis Bryant, Lavian Bell, A.B., Big Ben, George Pickens, Deonte Johnson, Chase Claypool.
Somebody's always uncomfortable.
Somebody's always complaining.
Somebody's calling out a teammate.
I think Pittsburgh's been an immature offense.
There's always way too much noise.
Even Big Ben.
It could be very dramatic.
That's the one thing with Russell Wilson.
Optimistic.
He's a new.
adult, he comes in, married kids, gets it right, stabilizes.
Russell Kirk Cousins can stabilize.
They may not elevate you.
Their ceiling may be lower, but their floor is pretty high.
And, I mean, I think the Steelers sometimes feel like their offensive personnel feels like a wild reality show.
And Russell is sort of a sitcom dad.
He'll be responsible, mature.
So I do think there are places.
Now, J-MAC has come out with Minnesota as a landing spot.
if Kirk Cousins leaves, I don't think that's terrible either.
Although I think Kevin O'Connell is a real got the guy won a game with Josh Dobbs without a practice.
So I don't know if Russell brings too much baggage, emotional stuff.
There are some qualities.
He's been criticized by teammates.
He struggled now with two coaches, Pete Carroll and Sean Payton.
And it's okay if you struggle with a coach.
I don't think Bruce Ariens and Tom Brady in the end was great.
I don't expect every coach and every star quarterback to work,
but both Pete Carroll and Sean Payton had some issues with him,
and I think if I was Kevin O'Connell, I'd be like,
well, Sean Payton, Pete Carroll are pretty good coaches.
Russell ended poorly with both.
That's something I would look at as a coach,
whereas Kirk Cousins felt he was slighted in D.C.,
but he gets along great with Kevin O'Connell.
So there are things about Russell's personality, fair or not,
that I have to look at and go,
I mean, we've said this about certain NBA players.
They're like, they just don't work with coaches.
And in the NBA, they're firing coaches every 15 minutes.
But Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh, never forget what he did with Ryan Tannahill for two years.
People have short memories.
Tanyl was out of this world, like Pro Bowl votes.
Like Tos, Tannahill was great for two years one time in his life.
Not before and not after.
One time.
And he didn't have a ton of great weapons back then if you go back and look.
He didn't have a ton of weapons.
They were always O-line was okay.
Perimeter weapons were okay.
They had a great running back.
Tanyhill was great for a couple years.
Then Arthur Smith went to Atlanta.
Arthur Smith may be one of those guys.
That's a tremendous coordinator.
Not a great coach.
Brandon Staley was a very good coordinator.
He may not be a head coach.
Some guys aren't.
Some are vice president.
Some people are not going to run the show.
Arthur Smith could be that guy is in Pittsburgh.
So there you go.
And I think the Minnesota one's a good call by you.
I think it's something.
Can I push back?
on something. So you said the Steelers, offensive weapons are better than the Vikings.
And I'm like, hold up. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Hockison.
Give me those three over, you know, Deontay Johnson, who complains a lot.
Pickens, who's a bit of a space cadet, and Fryer Mouth, who I like and is good.
But I think the Vikings trio is better.
I think Pittsburgh has Warren and Naji Harris.
Yeah, the better at running back, but much better at running back.
And I'll say this, what's a tougher, where are you making the playoffs, Warren?
in the AFC and Pittsburgh or in the NFC?
That's an interesting one.
So I think one of the things that makes Tom Brady really successful is he's strategic.
Yeah.
And Tom Brady, it's not crazy that Tom looked at the entire landscape and thought,
I don't already want to play Josh Allen twice here in Mahomes.
I'm not only going to go to the NFC,
I'm going to go to a division where the only obstacle is a very old and sometimes athletically limited Drew Brees.
I don't think it's a coincidence.
I don't think Tom said, I want to live in Tampa.
He showed up at the wrong house.
His wife was a supermodel at the time.
She wanted to go to Miami, which is more of an international city.
Tom chose the place that was the weakest division,
where it assured it would be an easier as he was rebuilding the offense.
He brings in Gronk A.B.
So if you're Russell Wilson and you had a choice, this is interesting.
You do look at the AFC and go,
Joe Burrell-Lamar Jackson, but let me tell you something.
Go look at Green Bay and Detroit.
Detroit's young, inexpensive talent?
I'm telling you, the Vikings Packers, that division, that division, and by the way, three
offensive coaches all smart.
So it's not like going to Minnesota's Cupcake City.
I'll push back a tad.
Jordan Love had half a season of quality football.
Okay, can we just see a little more?
I know he was really good.
I agree.
He's half a season.
I agree.
Lions are going to be very good again.
It comes to me, it's got to be Atlanta or Minnesota.
Those are the two.
I just worry like, you know, there's the real housewives of Atlanta.
Trust me, Russ's wife is going to get the invite to that.
Now you got the side-to-stuff.
You think she's turning that down?
Come on.
She's got a lot of kids in a busy life.
Perfect for reality television.
There's no real housewives of Minnesota.
I don't think.
Well, they have a real housewives of Salt Lake.
It's possible.
Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy,
not quite, unhumored me with Robert Smygo
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 headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.
Where does your group perform?
We do some retirement homes.
Those people are starving for banter.
Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
On the Look Back at a podcast.
From 1979, that was a big moment for me.
84 was big to me.
I'm Sam Jay.
And I'm Alex English.
Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down,
and try to make sense of how we survived it.
With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.
Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.
Before it 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, 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 Cliford Show.
This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators,
and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.
So let's get to it.
Listen to The Cliford Show on the IHeard 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.
This is an IHeart podcast.
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