The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - LeBron Keeps the NBA Relevant

Episode Date: July 7, 2025

LaVar Arrington and Jonas Knox are in for Colin Cowherd and explain how LeBron is the only thing keeping the NBA relevant this time of year. The Raiders will be the most "Feel Good, Last Place Team" t...his season. Plus, OnlyFans, fake athletes, tiring out Travis Hunter and more! #2prosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.
Starting point is 00:00:12 We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.
Starting point is 00:00:30 you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:01:04 I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.
Starting point is 00:01:42 That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific.
Starting point is 00:02:18 Find your local station for The Herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It is the heard Fox Sports Radio. LaVar Arrington. Jonas Knox, fill again for Colin. You can find us on the IHart Radio app. You can also find us on hundreds of affiliates all across the country.
Starting point is 00:02:59 You can find LeVar and I weekday morning, 6 a.m. Eastern time, 3 o'clock Pacific alongside Brady Quinn. It's called two pros and a cup of Joe. And when there's no Brady Quinn, it is black and black and draught. track here on this Monday morning after a long holiday weekend. I got it first. After a long holiday weekend. I don't know why we can't just be happy for Deshawn Watson. Why do you have to be so negative about the whole thing? The guy got married. Congratulations, Deshawn Watson. He's got a $1.3 million ring. He does? Yeah. Or she does.
Starting point is 00:03:33 Says his band is worth up to $1.3 million. Some people have had that saying, you can't hide money. Let me ask you that. Why is it worded that way worth up to $1.3 million? Because it's only worth what somebody's willing to spend, right? It could appraise for that amount. What is there incentives in it? Like, well, if you meet all these incentives, it'll be worth $1.3 million.
Starting point is 00:03:54 Like what? Don't go to the grab lab? It'll be worth $1.3? You can't clean it with a towel. That keeps the value. That's the incentive. Don't clean it with a towel. That's true.
Starting point is 00:04:11 Tile is cleaner. That's a great point. All right. So with that being said, speaking of Ohio, Okay. LeBron James was hanging out at the Cavs practice facility. Was he really? Yeah, there was a picture that went out of him there
Starting point is 00:04:33 and some people started to speculate, oh, is he going back home? Is he going back to Clems? Cleveland, this and that. And he basically responded on social media with something along the lines of, I live here, I practice here every off season, there's nothing
Starting point is 00:04:47 different about this. You practice at the Cavaliers facility? He works out there all the time. He works out there constantly because he lives out there. And so he said That's not strange? No, I don't think so. He does it every year. That's not strange every year?
Starting point is 00:05:03 Not, I mean, whatever. He's working out there. It's their practice is strange to me I don't know there's a hundred different places you could go work out other than another team in the National Basketball Association
Starting point is 00:05:17 that doesn't come across this strange well he's I'm starting there but okay that's fine but his point his point was I'm here every off season are you all that bored
Starting point is 00:05:29 go get another plate of food okay but is every off season like this for LeBron James that's the question LeBron has to ask himself, and that's the question that needs to be asked and answered. Does this offseason give you something different than any other offseason? And the answer has to be yes. Really?
Starting point is 00:05:47 Yes, it does because of the uncertainties of what's going to take place based off of the selling of the team of the Lakers, based off of bringing in Luca Donchich, based on where they are as a team. And to me, it just seems like the handwriting is on the wall that, that this Lakers team is possibly positioning themselves to be able to move on from LeBron James. So in that context, yes, I mean, he has to know that. I don't, I mean. You can't be upset and up in arms if people are looking at you doing something that you've always done. But in the moment of where that could be a possibility of a destination for him to land,
Starting point is 00:06:29 he's there working out. That's strange. I mean, but that's strange. Like if he was working out. in South Beach if he was working out I mean I don't know hold on now if he's in South Beach and he's working out on the beach
Starting point is 00:06:44 or on Ocean Ave you might be like okay speculate and he can give you a legitimate I just like being in Miami I'm always in Miami if he's in Cleveland and he's in the flats or you just doing what he's doing somewhere
Starting point is 00:06:59 in and around Cleveland he can take the speculation and he can drown out the speculation. He can delete it. He can eliminate it. You're working out at the Cleveland Cavaliers facility. That's weird.
Starting point is 00:07:16 I don't think it's not weird. If I was playing for the Washington, back when I was playing for the Washington Redskins, then Washington Redskins, if I were to be in Texas and I'm working out at the Dallas Cowboys facilities, because I've always
Starting point is 00:07:31 worked out there. First and foremost, why would I always work out at the Dallas Cowboys facility. He looks there. Man, that's weird, bro. That's weird. I don't know how you don't see it at it's weird or you're being an instigator. I'm not.
Starting point is 00:07:44 I don't think it's weird. That is weird. He does it every office. There's nothing new about this. It's nothing different. The first time he did it. Okay, but if he does it this many times. It doesn't make it unweird that he's doing it for years.
Starting point is 00:07:57 It makes it weird that it's not weird. Look, I think that he enjoys the speculation. I think he stirs that up a lot. I think that's, you know, he can try and be dismissive of it and say, well, you know, you guys need to get a life basically and go get another plate of food. And I'm here every offseason. I think he likes to stir it up. He probably knows deep down this is going to generate some sort of reaction somewhere or another. I look at it from a general standpoint.
Starting point is 00:08:24 This is another indication that the NBA without LeBron, what do you got? Because when he's gone and the end is near, what is there? Like he really is the lifeblood of topics and discussion in the National Basketball Association. And he's good at. He's great at it. He's good at. And if this is all winding down and he's out in the next couple of years, people that cover the NBA, people that love to talk about the league,
Starting point is 00:08:55 oh, it's not as bad as everybody thinks it is. And, you know, they get pissed off. And we point out the separation between the NFL and the NBA, you better start. stirring up some other storylines or stirring up some other stars in the league. And this isn't a face of the NBA. It's a life of the NBA. And without LeBron James, it feels like the NBA is on life support when it comes to interest, intrigue, and talking points. What else is there?
Starting point is 00:09:22 Talent? Yeah. I'd say there's talent. Yeah, there's talented players. You have young talented stars. You have some older talented stars. You have star power in the NBA. Is it interesting?
Starting point is 00:09:35 I would say the better question would be Does the NBA have enough relevance and enough To me, cashé, to be interesting Outside of like what LeBron James or like Shaquille O'Neill Or like a Kobe Bryant or like a Michael Jordan or a Magic Johnson Do they have the ability to? Is there a player that exists that can transition into those positions of interest outside of the talent on the court.
Starting point is 00:10:15 I don't, I think there are personalities within the NBA that could be those. But I find myself asking the question, are we in a day and age, are we in a time where social media and different things have taken away, it's really taking. taken away the ability. It's desensitized fans. It's desensitized fans. And for what it's worth, I think it has desensitized athletes as well. How do you build as big as Shaquille O'Neal or Michael Jordan if you can get a
Starting point is 00:10:52 hold of them so easily? Now, granted, when LeBron James was coming in, that transitional phase was, that stage was taking place. So he wasn't all the way fully acclimated to be. in a world where social media dominated it, technology dominated it. Now, while you may see the NFL, because it leans so deep into the brand and the shield, that they don't seem to be losing any momentum, and in fact, maybe even picking up momentum. But in basketball, it's such a personality-driven sport that when you see the guys like Shaquille O'Neill,
Starting point is 00:11:30 you see them in person and it's like you've met somebody that came like from somewhere else. You meet these guys and there was this sense of just wow, I just met this person. That element is gone. And I think the homie element is there like working out at a different facility that is in the NBA and you play for another team,
Starting point is 00:11:58 the exchanging of jerseys, which happens in football. but I just feel like it's weird how cool guys are these days. And they're not only cool with one another, they're cool with the fan bases. Like that connection is there. And I don't think that the relevance of like the praise factor or the, you know, posting them high on a pedestal type deal.
Starting point is 00:12:22 I don't feel like that's prominent anymore. And I don't think that players actually prioritize trying to be that type of a personality or a brand. I really don't. We've talked about this before to where the NFL has its own ecosystem, where the NBA is starved for, we need a superstar, we need big markets. They have to drive it.
Starting point is 00:12:44 And in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes plays in Kansas City. Like, Rogers was in Green Bay. It doesn't, like, the NFL, anybody could be a great team with a great quarterback. And because it's its own ecosystem, it's super. seeds all the other big market, celebrity status that comes along with it. Man, it's not like Patrick Mahomes has got this, you know, vibrant personality and this real colorful. No, the guy just plays football.
Starting point is 00:13:11 He plays football and he's on a team with, you know, with a tight end who's dating Taylor Swift. Like, it's just, it's a whole- Which became more relevant than football. So don't think that football isn't guilty of trying to find ways to leverage celebrity as well. Yeah, but football's not determined. on one player. The success and conversation around the NFL
Starting point is 00:13:33 isn't just determined on one player. Man, Tom Brady retired. Sweet. On to the next. Like John Elway, all these greats. I think it comes down to what you mentioned earlier is the relevance of the franchises. Like Green Bay is not a big market.
Starting point is 00:13:48 It's not a great market. But the relevance of the franchise drives it. The people love their franchise. The communities rally around their franchise. They create a very, very nice size. captive audience. You have that in the NFL and it's because of the shield and it's because of the brands of those franchises. You have that in a few teams in the NBA, but you don't have that collectively. So the relevance of what you're trying to do has to exist in certain, certain markets
Starting point is 00:14:17 in order for it to be as impactful as you need it to be. And that's why you always try to keep the Lakers as strong as you can, maybe keep the Knicks as strong as they can, try to keep the Chicago Bulls as strong as you can. Try to keep the Chicago Bulls as strong as you. as you can. You saw what they just did with the Dallas Maverts. You try to keep the Dallas Mavericks as strong as you can. You have to try to keep those anchor teams, those anchor markets. You got to try to keep them stocked up with some type of relevant talent because you're not the franchises in these different markets. You just have OKC win at all. What's the buzz? What was the parade like after? And I asked this question for anybody that's driving around right now or listening on the podcast, take LeBron James out of the NBA. What do you want to talk about?
Starting point is 00:15:11 Dang. Honestly. You have to be a real fan of the game to be able to answer your question. And I think that's the biggest indictment. I loved the NBA finals. I thought it was great because it was great basketball. And you didn't have any drama. there was no subplots or issues going on.
Starting point is 00:15:28 It was just two really good teams who were pretty evenly matched, much more evenly matched, I think a lot of people realized. How many brands comparable to LeBron James or Shaquille O'Neill or Kevin Garnett or Kevin Duran or Steph Kirk? How many of those guys were in that series? Well, that's the thing. How many? None, but that's, but no, but that's crazy.
Starting point is 00:15:47 That's the thing. And those were the two best teams in the playoffs. And it was a great series. I had thoroughly enjoyed it. But I look at the NBA differently to where I think a lot of people focus on this storyline attached to it and the name brand attached to it. And after LeBron, you don't have a lot of that. There's not a lot of that going on. And with LeBron's career winding down, I think people are going to get a harsh dose of reality when he's gone.
Starting point is 00:16:16 Oh, we've got to actually put some work in and really start pushing some. You don't realize how much he carried, John. Wow. No, it's a great point. I mean, and even earlier, you talked about, we talked about JPP and the fireworks situation. If you have something that happens in a major market, which, by the way, it's interesting that JPP was a giant and O'Dell Beckham makes the catch as a giant. It's certain markets where if you do something personally, it can take your brand beyond the scope of just being a helmet and jersey and cleats. But it doesn't happen very often.
Starting point is 00:16:51 You get used to seeing guys with helmets on, being totally covered up, and it's what the team is doing. In fact, in most cases, it's actually set up for the coaches to actually become the stars of what's taking place. You look at the coaches and they're singled out. Look at how many times we looked at Xerces on the New York sideline before he got – Oh, Robert Saw. My guy. Can, right? You can look at Stefansky.
Starting point is 00:17:22 He's got to look to him. You look at Dayball. It's like, he's got to look to him. You look at, you know, any of these coaches in and around the league, they get a ton of attention because you can see them. You can see them. The dynamic of how we bring in or how we digest and how we receive the content from football is much different than how we receive it from basketball.
Starting point is 00:17:49 We are looking. look at basketball players as entertainers, like singers or actors, right? Because you can see them. You can see them. And so with that being said, if you can see these guys, and listen, they're putting
Starting point is 00:18:04 them in commercials. I think Progressive had the OKC Thunder kids and the guys in their commercial and you had the Big Three in their commercial and stuff like that. They get commercials and they are relevant to the
Starting point is 00:18:20 audiences that are consuming them, it's just that you don't have that next level brand like a LeBron James that's in the pipeline to actually carry it from a megastar standpoint. There's not one that exists. I can't think of one personality.
Starting point is 00:18:37 Anthony Edwards is the only personality that you can say is comparable to the personalities that we've gotten to know through the years where you want to know that individual in particular, but you don't have a Kevin Garnett. You don't have a Paul Pierce. You don't have those type of very big personalities that are making you look at the game
Starting point is 00:18:58 from an entertainment standpoint of the storylines, not just the game itself and what the outcomes of the games are. And that's something that once LeBron James leaves, you're going to have to figure out what that conversation is. Bone dry. The well is dry once he's gone. By the way. Steph Curry.
Starting point is 00:19:18 You got Steph Curry. That's about it. Steph Curry, Draymond Green. And I mean, if we're talking in the annals of being the greatest ever, you'll say maybe Stemann falls in like a Dennis Rodman type of category. Right? Like you had a superstar in Dennis Rodman but was never the star, but yet his brand was very pronounced.
Starting point is 00:19:42 That's Draymond Green. So you have it in Draymond Green and Steph Curry. There might be a couple more if we really, really dig deep for it. But, man, I mean, it's not to the level of what. we're talking about with the LeBron James. By the way, our hearts are with everyone affected by the Texas flooding. IHeart is partnering with the Community Foundation
Starting point is 00:19:59 of the Texas Hill Country to support flood relief. The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund is helping provide food, shelter, medical care, and long-term recovery for those affected. All donations go to trusted local organizations. Join us in supporting recovery efforts at
Starting point is 00:20:14 Community Foundation.net. It is the herd here on Fox Sports Radio, LeVar Erington, Jonas Knox in for Colin. And there is a team in the NFL that's got goals of winning. They've already done it this offseason. We'll explain how right here on FSR. 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. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up on Game.
Starting point is 00:20:50 What is up on game, you ask? Along with my fellow pro bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on game. We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arrington, T.J. Husmanzada, and Plexico Burris
Starting point is 00:21:15 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you give you. your podcast, bro. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?
Starting point is 00:21:33 Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.
Starting point is 00:21:49 And, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
Starting point is 00:22:19 podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 eye heart. Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:22:54 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.
Starting point is 00:23:17 Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer 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, Tript Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase
Starting point is 00:23:44 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?
Starting point is 00:24:02 Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose
Starting point is 00:24:17 on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Oh, man. It is the herd here on Fox Sports Radio. Levar Erington, Jonas Knox, tearing it out the frame here on a Monday. Whoa.
Starting point is 00:24:38 Coming up a little over 20 minutes from now as we fill in for Colin. That's how you feel. Over 20 minutes from now. We are going to tell you about somebody who, is crack the code of a superstar in the world of sports. So cracking of the code of a superstar in the world of sports, that'll be yours here. Come on, man. I mean, it's crazy to think.
Starting point is 00:25:03 Like, we're sitting here joking about it, and it's like very real. It's like very real. Like, that is astonishing. Hey, there's ways you can make money these days, you know? There's all sorts of ways you can make money these days. Azelia, with her only fans, makes the same amount in a year that James Harton does at $36 million. Stop playing with me. Go ahead, Iggy.
Starting point is 00:25:32 Get your cash. Maybe she got a better step back. I don't know. Dang. Baby. She got something that's better. That's for 36 million. What's you got 30?
Starting point is 00:25:48 God. All right. Anyway. They're athletes too. They sure are. Yes, they are. Is Joey Chestnut an athlete? People think that professional eaters are athletes.
Starting point is 00:26:08 They're not. Because he was on ESPN, he's an athlete. Okay. All right. Cornhole. Is it considered a sport? Is eating food considered a sport? No.
Starting point is 00:26:20 I don't think so It's not a physical feat or an athletic feat to compete with somebody on eating food and the amount that you can eat. You don't find that to be competitive. What is the breakdown of what sport is? Do you know how many people I compete with on the drive home if I want to get to the stoplight faster, if I want to beat somebody in traffic? That doesn't make me an athlete. I'm not racing on days of thunder because I beat some guy to the off ramp on my way home because the 101 is a disaster.
Starting point is 00:26:50 Like, I've just, like, competition, you can compete in everything. It doesn't make it a sport. But people think, well, it's on ESPN. It must be a sport. Really? Okay. An activity involving physical exertion. Is eating physical exertion competitively?
Starting point is 00:27:07 If you're eating, is that physical exertion? But physical exertion, you could get that doing a lot of things. I'm just asking. Come on, Lee, jump on in. Yes. Is that physical exertion? You're breaking the sweat. Okay, okay.
Starting point is 00:27:19 Now, does it involve a skill in which an individual has to utilize it to compete? Yeah, they can train. Is it a skill to be able to eat competitively? Yes. What do you think, Jonas? Cool, a skill, cool. That's awesome. Like, there's guys that can juggle knives, too.
Starting point is 00:27:42 And is it used as a form of entertainment? Absolutely. Then it's a sport. All right. It's disgusting. By definition, competitive eating Joey Chestnut is an athlete. That's physical exertion. Is cornhole a sport?
Starting point is 00:28:00 There's physical exertion. And there is, if you've ever cornholed, by the way. If you've ever played the game, it takes skill to be able to do it. There's eye-hand coordination. I'll say this right now. There's not a person at the network who could beat me a cornhole. Not one. not one they get lit on fire
Starting point is 00:28:21 I think we should start bringing one in and playing during the break okay on God you don't want anything yeah I mean nobody's using this stuff I think that would be really cool we'll compete against the cockroaches that are and the bats
Starting point is 00:28:34 and they got that sonar they should be a denies chief they got that sonar so you know they're going to get the bags in there all right so um so yeah again herd line news coming up a little over 15 minutes from now uh cracking the coat of a superstar athlete. By the way,
Starting point is 00:28:54 so Max Crosby does the SAC summit that he hosts with Cam Jordan and Von Miller. They all get together in Vegas. Yeah, it's awesome. And you've seen this sort of with the tight ends and a lot of these position groupings getting together and just trying to work and get better. And so
Starting point is 00:29:10 he was talking just about the success that they're looking for in Las Vegas. And he said, quote, individual success and things like that are awesome, but it's not why you play the game you play to win. We just saw it in the NBA. OKC just a couple of years ago.
Starting point is 00:29:26 It was one of the worst teams in the league. But they had a lot of young guys. They trusted the process. They developed. And now their world champions were trying to win. I want to win so badly. I put everything into it. I want everybody else to think like that. And that's been my goal, just bringing as many guys along as I possibly can. That was Max Crosby talking about his desire for the Raiders to start winning some games there. I don't believe that the Raiders are going to be a factor when it comes to the playoffs,
Starting point is 00:29:57 when it comes to competing for a Super Bowl in that division. I don't. But what I would say, it does feel for the first time in a long time, and this isn't a shot at Antonio Pierce. I just think he was in a situation where they had no real plan or direction. It does feel like they've at least got some plan and got some direction. I don't think it's going to result in them winning a bunch of games and they're going to the postseason. But Gino Smith is an upgrade.
Starting point is 00:30:26 You've got P. Carroll there. There's a whole bunch of energy in the building. Tom Brady's involvement. SpyTech's there as the GM. It does at least feel like they're on the path heading in the right direction after a lot of years of what are we doing? We're just reacting to the Gruden firing and trying to make a bunch of moves that just failed miserably from every. Everybody's info and input into the organization. All those moves failed.
Starting point is 00:30:52 It didn't work. And now at least they're on the path, hopefully getting back to where they're a respected organization. I mean, keep in mind, they added Ashton Genty to the team. They got Brock Bowers. I mean, they got some talent on this team. Yeah. But it's the AFC West. So let's reel in ourselves on getting carried away about they have the right direction.
Starting point is 00:31:13 Geno Smith is a fine quarterback. is he a bona fide franchise guy that can go into the AFC West and contend against the likes of Patrick Mahomes Justin Herbert
Starting point is 00:31:29 which I mean obviously you know that that goes without saying it could be a he defines himself this year or it could be he could be just a you know a guy that we keep saying should be a franchise guy but isn't quite a franchise guy and
Starting point is 00:31:45 And then you got Buddy in Denver and Bo Nix. Bo Nix, man. And I think Bo Nix has the capabilities with Sean Payton as his coach, which, by the way, if you bring into the coaches the full. Pete Carroll, arguably is the odd man out just because of how old he is. I mean, trying to reestablish it. Trying to reestablish what you've created at his age in a new space where things have been so topsy-turvy
Starting point is 00:32:16 is very chaotic and it's probably going to be very difficult. You got Andy Reid over here who's already got his systems in place and it works. It's an auto-pallet. You got Harball over here who has proven he is barred none like second to nobody in terms of being a dope coach
Starting point is 00:32:36 and I look for them to take a tremendous step forward this year with him having a little bit of time under his belt now. And then you have Sean Peyton like talk about is there a better is there a better division of coaches in the in the national football league in one singular concentrated place probably not and he reed has super bowls yeah uh what's what's sean payton john pey has super bowls uh peterl's got a super bowl p carroll's got a super bowl hardball has a super bowl appearance so national
Starting point is 00:33:14 championship. And he's a national championship guy. I just, you know, I think that it sounds good. And much like when John Madden told me my second year in the league that he would bungee cord out of the
Starting point is 00:33:29 good year blimp at the 50 yard line for the halftime show if the Washington Redskins at the time now the commanders had made it to the Super Bowl. I think if John was still living and had an interview with Max Crosby,
Starting point is 00:33:47 he would most likely respond to Max Crosby the same way he responded to me when he asked me, did we have a legitimate chance with our team to be able to make it to the Super Bowl? Well, look, in Max's defense, he just said, you know, they're trying to win games, they're trying, you know, he's trying as much as he can. He was rewarded with the contract extension this year.
Starting point is 00:34:09 I don't think, like I said, that they are a factor from a playoff standpoint. But don't you feel better about them? No. You don't feel better about that? Why should you feel better about them? Because they upgraded a quarterback. They've got a coach who's actually got support,
Starting point is 00:34:24 unlike your guy Antonio Pierce who was just trying to. You thought that Antonio Pierce had support. I mean, it sounded as though they were supporting AP to build this team and built the culture. And then they went away from them after a year. They've not done anything that's really different from what they've done in the past. they've made splash hires in the past. You don't think Gino Smith has an upgraded quarterback?
Starting point is 00:34:47 Yes, because they didn't have a starting quarterback last year. But he ain't too far off from a backup quarterback. That's now a starting quarterback. I mean, let's not get carried away here. Gino Smith is a fine football player. He's not an elite. Do you look at him as one of the elite quarterbacks in the league right now? No.
Starting point is 00:35:07 Then what are we talking about? That is the wrong team. If Gino Smith went to a different team and a different division, sure. The NFC West is wide open. All right. So just generally speaking, your feeling about the Raiders, is it not different this year than it has been the past couple of years? Are they going to finish ahead of the Broncos?
Starting point is 00:35:34 Probably not. Then they're going to finish last. Yeah. What? The wants her to feel good about it. But my point is they're not going to be a factor. but they've at least started in the right direction. Are they going to finish ahead of the Chargers?
Starting point is 00:35:48 Probably not. Then they're probably going to be last. Yes. All right. Yeah, there's still last plate. Listen, now, I'm not trying to sell the Raiders as a Super Bowl. I don't want to get into the business of being a supporter of being a great loser. Like, you're a better loser than this loser team over here.
Starting point is 00:36:04 I don't want to get into that business. Okay, but wouldn't you say 6 and 11 feels different than 4 and 13? No. I don't know. You still, but you, I mean. And there's an energy there. Pete Carroll's got some energy. You've got Pete Carroll like he's Doc Holiday falling off a horse with bloodline out of shirt.
Starting point is 00:36:21 I mean, he's kind of like Doc Holiday, man. I ain't going to go his bag. He ain't a longer. I don't think so. He's in great shape. Not a longer. He still throws the ball, but he's old. He's got that energy.
Starting point is 00:36:32 He's got Gino there, Tom Brady's influence in the building. I remember when Joe Gibbs came back and started coaching. And it was like the reunion of cocoon out there on the football field. man on everything like you you look at what you had Don bro he was using yeah man you had Don bro he was using a walker out there on the field you had one he had oxygen he had to have an oxygen tank with him I mean there's something about being an old coach bringing back the old gang like listen Pete Carroll isn't like that but I mean Gibbs did that and literally Chip Kelly's back come on man chip Kelly's a brilliant football mind it's he made some
Starting point is 00:37:11 good moves. I just don't until you see differently from a team like the Raiders there's no way you could definitively say you feel good about a team like that especially in the division and how
Starting point is 00:37:27 competitive that division is. I want to make a statement here and I want this you can F8 this behind the scenes there if you want to save this. I'm going to make a statement here right now the Las Vegas Raiders will be the most feel good last place team in the NFL this upcoming season. Of all the last place teams in the NFL this upcoming season,
Starting point is 00:37:47 we're going to feel best about the Raiders. That's happening. You think so? I think so. That's how that's going down. Why don't you put that in your pipes and smoke it? You think so? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:00 All right, let's determine, and we got to go pretty quickly here, but let's determine what are those last place teams? I'm not ready to go that far into it. I'm just saying right now, the Raiders you're going to feel good about at the end of this year. Hey, you know what, though? Heading in the right direction. There's other teams you look at you go, oh, they're just terrible. That team stinks.
Starting point is 00:38:22 Cleveland Browns. Terrible. Will the Jacksonville Jaguars finish last? Not ready to go there. Not ready to go there. Will the Steelers finish last place? Well, no, because of the Browns. Will the Carolina Panthers finish in last place?
Starting point is 00:38:40 No Oh Yeah I think the Saints will The Saints are terrible Will the Jets No I think the dolphins will Will the Dallas Cowboys
Starting point is 00:38:56 Or Giants Maybe one of those teams I'm not as high on Washington As everybody is A lot of people who are high at Washington Unless they lose Scary Terry to Pittsburgh Which if that happens
Starting point is 00:39:11 That'd be crazy But I think you should be high on Washington. You should be. They're going to be competitive. Listen, like I said, we've got a whole training camp and we've got preseason games. I'm not ready to break down. The New England Patriots. No, I don't think the Patriots are finishing last. I think the Dolphins are in that time. Oh, come on. Yeah. I'll tell you, the Raiders, feel good last place team of the NFL I don't buy that at all. That's like saying the Jets are a really feel good last place
Starting point is 00:39:40 finishing team. They're in the same category in comparison in Congress. I don't agree with that. I don't buy that, Jonas. That's cat. By the way, what does that mean? You're lying. I'm kidding. By the way.
Starting point is 00:39:53 You're lying. We are brought to you by Navian. Save big on your water and energy bills with a Navian tankless water heater. Navian tankless water heaters provide endless hot water for spa like comfort. Navian makes it easy to go tankless. Visit tanklacedsimple.com. Up next. Up next, we are going to tell you about how somebody has cracked the code.
Starting point is 00:40:14 of a superstar player in the NFL right here on FSR. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast?
Starting point is 00:40:34 Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually... come up with the name Hey Jonas, guys. I honestly don't remember.
Starting point is 00:40:48 I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas.
Starting point is 00:41:08 And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. but thanks for remembering that guys listen to hey jonas on the iheart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcast just listen we don't care where you hear it another podcast from some s nl late night comedy guy not quite unhumor me with robert smigel and friends me and hilarious guests from bob odenkirk to david letter help make you funnier this week my guest s nl's mikey day and head writer streeter sidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter where does your group perform we do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:41:55 Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 panes. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Starting point is 00:42:18 Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets. meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee,
Starting point is 00:42:47 and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?
Starting point is 00:43:10 Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my. my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Oh, we've got the very latest on a quarterback competition in the NFL. That'll be yours here again coming up a little over 10 minutes from now. Before we get to the Heardline News with Ryan Music, I want to let you know that you're listening to us now.
Starting point is 00:43:39 But did you know you can also see us? Be sure to check out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube. You'll see a whole bunch of video highlights from our shows. Be sure to subscribe so you always have instant access to our Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News.
Starting point is 00:43:59 Yeah. Ryan Music. Yeah. Okay. NFL football, baby. Let's go. Travis Hunter, trying to become the first two-way superstar in modern NFL history. aspirations of being an all-pro cornerback
Starting point is 00:44:17 and an all-pro wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars after winning the Heisman trophy at Colorado. Well, Travis Kelsey, he was on the Bustin with the Boys podcast. Bussing with him. He offered this analysis on Hunter playing both ways in the NFL. If he plays corner, they're going to run deep balls at him all day. They're going to run the wide receivers just take off on them all day
Starting point is 00:44:40 just to try and get his like him tired. I was like, why wouldn't you just attack him that way? It's one way to do it. He's got to be playing man. Duh. Clearly everybody would If you're going to try to run him
Starting point is 00:44:59 down field, I mean, Kelsey, just stick to playing offense, bro. There it is. There's called this safety, right? And when you play in zone coverage, if they're trying to just run him off, there's like this thing called a safety, right? And zone coverage, he covers his zone,
Starting point is 00:45:21 and that safety covers the zone over top of him so that your corner doesn't have to run down field every single play. Anyway, sound good in theory. I'm sure when he thought about it and it came out his mouth, it was like, you know what? That makes a ton of sense, but you're clearly not calling defensive teams. So I know Labar and I worked together too long because I saw the look on his face. I knew he was going to go, duh.
Starting point is 00:45:49 Duh. If you got a coach that's dumb enough to keep that young man in man coverage, all game, it just keeps sprinting him downfield in coverage. Go balls. That ain't about Travis Hunter. That's about the coaches. That's what I would say. Oh, my God.
Starting point is 00:46:08 Just run them downfield every play, you know. We'll get him tired. Hey, are y'all running man with Travis? Hey, is Hunter running? Is he running bed? All right. Go route. Fly, fly route.
Starting point is 00:46:19 Like, all right. It's like when you want your toddler to go to bed, it's just take him, just get him tired. Just run him around the yard. Just get him tired. And then finally he'll be good to go. That's how you handle it. Oh, there you go.
Starting point is 00:46:31 That's not exactly how it goes on. Let's wait and see if Travis Kelsey's brilliant idea comes to pass when the season is starting. I don't think that's going to keep him from getting all pro as a cornerback or as a receiver. There you go. All right, staying in the NFL. The NFL Network's top 100 players list as voted on by the players. They're starting to release
Starting point is 00:46:54 it in increments. We're starting to get a look at the early spots on the list. Dolphins quarterback Tuatunga Vailoa showing up at 91 on the list. Now notable drop of 55 places versus last year.
Starting point is 00:47:11 So Tua barely checking in on the list this year. How y'all feel about I mean, if he could stay healthy. I've been doing this show with you for so long. I just figured I'll let you say it because I was going to say it exactly the same way you did. That's the problem with him is that he hasn't been able to stay healthy. When he stays healthy and he produces, they're a completely different team. There splits with him in the lineup and not in the lineup are drastically different.
Starting point is 00:47:40 And he just can't stay healthy. I remember I bought this car. It was an Amadine color car. with a caramel inside. It was a gorgeous car. It was one of the first cars I ever buy. It was Mercedes-Benz. And it always had something wrong with it.
Starting point is 00:48:00 You ever have a lemon? You ever get a lemon of a car? Yeah, it's in the parking lot. Okay, well, yeah, there you go. Over there. You ain't going to highly rate a lemon. As nice as that car was, I drove my excursion all the time
Starting point is 00:48:13 because I always was dealing with some type of issue that had me roadside. Lost its rating, lost its ranking, and lost its trust with me, and I drove a way lesser of a car because I could trust dealing it,
Starting point is 00:48:30 and it was dependable, and that's why Tua is probably down 50 spots. I mean, you know who the backup is there? Zach Wilson. So they've got two Polynesian quarterbacks there in the room. Zach Wilson's Polynesian?
Starting point is 00:48:44 How's that work? No way. Yeah, it is. I don't believe it. Look that up. I'm not bad. We'll have proof of that coming up after the break. Let's see.
Starting point is 00:48:53 We've got a major Polynesian update coming up next year. That's major. That's a major break. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers.
Starting point is 00:49:11 I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast. called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.
Starting point is 00:49:20 We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite.
Starting point is 00:49:42 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 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.
Starting point is 00:50:02 Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know.
Starting point is 00:50:29 Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports
Starting point is 00:50:53 and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.
Starting point is 00:51:13 This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.

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