The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - NFL predictions, Murray

Episode Date: July 20, 2022

Colin gives his NFL predictions  The Cardinals would be lost without Kyler Murray    Guest: Warren MoonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You're listening to Foxxport. Sports Radio. Oh, here we go. It's hour two. We are live in Los Angeles. Joy and I went to boogie parties last night separately. Who knew? It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening.

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. So I lean on Joy a lot in between segments. Like Pete Alonzo of the Mets, I deadlifted in between segments. But I also lean on Joy a lot in between segments to ask her certain things culturally. Yes. And I have been told I can't. You can't use certain words that I would like to use because I'm just in my head and I can't get it out. And Joy is like, you'll sound like you're trying too hard to be cool.

So I've got a word right now. I'm going to try to fit this word into the show. Do you use words that will make you sound cool to be. Well, I like to be on the cutting edge of culture. I think everybody can see that by the way I dress. I like to be on the cutting edge of culture. And you guys are a million miles late on Paul Goldschmidt who nobody is. Nobody has said that all-star Paul Goldschmidt is good.

All these baseball guys are sitting out there going, coward is literally changing the game. Because I'm out here saying Paul Goldschmidt, one more All-Star year is a Hall of Famer. Nobody talked about Paul Goldschmidt. And then there's a word that I may be a little late on, but I'm told I can't use it. You'll have to guess.

I mean, you might as well throw it out now. I'd like the word, and I don't know what it means, but I kind of have a feeling is crunk. and I want to use it multiple times in today's show and Joy is like you can't use that word. It's not a swear word. It means crazy or something. And I think this segment's going to be crunk.

And she's like, don't say that. Do not say that. We are not doing that. All right. So it's not. So I'm not going to use it anymore. No, I wouldn't work that in. You know, when you, you sprinkle a little too much lit.

You were very excited about lit. There wasn't in the bag has been used quite a bit. Oh, you can't use getting the bag anymore. Well, it's not get in the bag. It's not get in the bag. No, it's get the bag. So I can't use that anymore. You can.

Just you want to use it sparingly. You want to lightly season things. I tend to just show. Yeah, you got to. I open up the salt shaker and just douse it. Well, yeah. I crush it. Because you're using the salt.

You need to mix in the seasoning. That's how it goes. Paul Gold Schmidt, seven time All-Star. Okay. Hall of Fame. Four-time Gold Glove Award. Four-time Silver Slugger Award. So maybe he doesn't need another all.

Hank Aaron. Would you vote? Would you vote him in a home run, National League home run leader? Would you make him, would Paul Goldsmith today? Strong year in 2013. Is he a Hall of Famer? I think if you give me one more All-Star game, boom, Hall of Famer. That has never been said on American Broadcasting Networks before.

I mean, I think people know that Paul Goldschmidt is good. Oh, I'm not saying good. I'm saying Hall of Famer. Anybody can say he's good. Obviously, he's good. This place, I'm breaking. You said nobody has said that he's, nobody has acknowledged. he's great. He's great. He's not good. He's a great player. You're right. Correct. Okay, let's do

these. So we do three big NFL predictions. I do them all through the year, but this is, let's get serious. This is serious now. Camps are starting to open. Rookies are showing up. So I get three of these. I open with this, and then I get one amendment in the middle of preseason injuries, and then I look at the whole preseason. If there's any changes, boom, here we go. Little light music. Let's start with the AFC. Now, there's seven playoff teams in each. I am yellowing the playoff teams. Bills will win the division. I think they'll be a 12 and five team. They're my favorite to win the Super Bowl, but I thought they were going to win it last year. The dolphins have pivoted to the offensive side of the ball. I like what they're doing.

I'm guessing a little here on their rookie head coach. I just think they have so many exceptional offensive players that I think they're going to score their way to a playoff spot. Patriots weird offseason don't like where they're hands. headed, not dynamic enough on the perimeter, and the Jets will be better, but not a playoff team. Buffalo Dolphins in the playoffs. AFC North is harder. I'm going to go, I'm going to do what you're not supposed to do. If you lose the Super Bowl, you're supposed to not be a playoff team the following year. I think the Bengals have a star quarterback, a star coach, and I also think they really solved the one dilemma. The fact they got to a Super Bowl with

that offensive line is remarkable. The Steelers aren't dynamic enough at quarterback to get to the playoffs. The Ravens have had a weird offseason, and I think Deshawn Watson gets suspended for six games. The Browns will be the most talented fourth place team in the NFL, but if you don't have Deshawn Watson until Thanksgiving, you're just going to start behind the eight ball. Bengals are your playoff team. They win the division at 10 and 7. These teams can't beat each other up. AFC West. This is the best division, in my opinion, by a long shot in football. Broncos, chiefs, chargers all make the playoffs. I think the Raiders could. The Raiders and Cleveland will be the best fourth place teams easily in the NFL. Denver wins the division at 11 and 6. I think

Russ, like Stafford and Brady, was built to be a catalyst on a super talented roster. I love their front office. The Chiefs, I worry a little bit about Tyreek Hill. Also, sometimes the six-game stretches Mahomes falls into mechanically. The Chargers are too good not to make the playoffs. They've solved their left tackle. They got another edge rusher, Khalil Mack. They went out and got J.C. Jackson at Corner. I think this team's on the upswing. I didn't buy into them last year like everybody else. Maybe I did. Everybody loved them last year.

I don't know. I can't remember. Broncos Chiefs Chargers all make the playoffs. AFC South, it's been wonky for years. Matt Ryan finally gets elite protection. I still think they lack the perimeter wow to be a Super Bowl team. I like their structure. But the really important positions like wide receiver left tackle corner. I don't love them. Their best

players are guard and a linebacker. And the linebacker struggles to stay healthy. But I think the coach, I think the front office, I think Matt Ryan, it's going to be a boring 10 and 7 team. And again, I think the Jaguars will be improved. I think the Titans

will be solid. But I have seven playoff teams in the AFC and this would be my guest today. Bill's, Bengals, Colts, Broncos win the division. Dolphins, Chiefs, Chargers are the wild card teams. I really, the AFC North to me, I got so many questions.

I know I'm not supposed to take the Bengals because they lost the Super Bowl. But Burrow is different. Jamar Chase is different. Their edge rush is excellent. Zach Taylor is smart. And everybody else in that division worries me for one reason or another. Ravens and Browns have been too noisy. All right, let's go to the NFC. We start with the NFC East.

This is my least confident pick out of all of them. I don't love anybody. Nick Saryani was the shock of the year, but I do think Jalen Hertz will get better. I think he's productive. I think it's a bad division. I really worry about Dak Prescott without Amari Cooper, relying on C.D. Lamb.

Is Tyron Smith going to give me nine games? Twelve, what do I get at left tackle? They don't have the edge rush. Randy Gregory's gone, so you're really dependent on Micah Parsons to generate some of that stuff. I'll go Cowboys, Commanders, Giants. Giants are a bad team.

I do like the new people in charge. I'll take Philadelphia and it hurts to win it. I didn't think the Eagles had a very good offseason. And that may be good enough to win the division, literally one off season. NFC North. I've told you, I think the Vikings are the shock of the league. They've got a new coach, a coach that is pro offense. Kirk Cousins has not had a strong relationship with Zimmer for two years.

They lost more close games than anybody in the league. I think Cousins, who has some limitations, will feel support. I think part of his issue in these big games, he didn't believe Zimmer supported him. They'll be the most improved team in the league. I think they're 13 and 4. The Packers, because of Aaron and Lafleur and their defense, will be good enough to make the playoffs in the weaker NFC. But I do not think Aaron has a history of not trusting young receivers. It takes a long time for him to trust you.

I don't think he's going to trust in September and October, a rookie from an FCS school. Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb have been great pros way past their prime. Packers sneak into the playoffs, but they don't get any more Lambo games. NFC West, best division in the NFC. Rams will be 12 and 5. Good team. I do think they'll have some lulls. It is hard to win the Super Bowl.

You don't quite have that oomph the following year. Arizona is a very viable two. Kyler Murray will resign. Listen, I came down to this on the Niners. The roster and the coach, I like too much. I don't think Trey Lance has to be great. I think if he's good, I think if he completes 61.5% of his throws, and George Kettle stays healthy and Debo's there.

I think they're a playoff team. Seahawks look like they're tanking to me. That's an easy four. NFC South, I've said before, I don't think Tampa's a Super Bowl team. Four Nett came in out of shape. Tom doesn't seem as focused. It's not coming back. The division is awful.

So they're going to end up winning 10 or 11 games. I'll go 10 and 7. But I think we'll recognize throughout the course of the year, they're not a Super Bowl team. By the way, I watched the Bucks and the Rams second half last night. That game should have been a blowout. I know it came down to the Cooper Cup catch. If Camakers doesn't fumble twice, they blow them out by four touchdowns. That game was not really close if you watched it.

NFC playoff picture looks like this, and it's the weaker conference for sure. Eagles, Vikings, Bucks, Rams win their division. vision, Packers, Cardinals, 49ers, are playoff teams. There you go. He's a Hall of Famer. He was the Brady before Brady. He played forever and was good forever. Warren Moon joining us.

All right, you saw my little prediction. Is there any one of those predictions that you're like, coward, come on, Colin, you're out of your mind. No, Colin, you're always spot on. You know that. All right. So you're okay with them. Let me ask you, as we look around right now.

I know Garoppolo has injury issues, but Warren, I'm a big believer in. I'd rather have a guy give me 14 weeks than not be good. And I trust him. I've seen him in big games, Warren. I've seen him at Lambo. I've seen him against Mahomes. I want Jimmy G. in my locker room, even if I can't get him for 17 weeks. He's only got one year left on his contract.

Would you roll the dice with his injury history? No, I think they made the commitment. to the young kid and that they want to go that direction. And I think having Jimmy over his shoulder is not going to help his development. So I think as soon as they get Jimmy out of there and let Tray Lance just be the guy, I think that's going to be best for them moving forward. So, yeah, you've had success with him, but you also know his limitations. And I think that's one of the reasons why you went after Tray Lance.

So now is Tray Lance's team give it to him and let's go with it and see what you got? You put all that into getting up to the third overall pick to get him. So you've got to have trust in that pick. So you go ahead and go with him for your future and bring in another backup for him. It's interesting with Trey Lance. I know he's big enough. He's strong enough. He's athletic.

They say he's coachable. I've met him. He's a smart kid. I don't love aesthetically, optically, the way it looks when he throws. He's like, it's hard to me. Now, not everybody throws it like you or Marino. You had a very natural rhythm. Dan Marino,

Justin Herbert throws a beautiful ball. Kyler Murray, the baseball background. Trey, it's pretty tough to watch. Do you worry, can you can you change, like in baseball you can change your swing a little bit? Can you change your throwing motion

at 22 years old, Warren? You know, you can. You can tweak it a little bit. You don't want to do anything major, but I mean, you look at, say, Philip Rivers when he played, he didn't have the greatest delivery either, but he was very effective. So there's a lot of quarterbacks that didn't throw the ball with perfect form or perfect fundamentals,

but they were able to be effective and successful. So that might be the same thing for Trey Lance, but over a period of time, maybe that changes. Maybe he gets with a Tom House or somebody like that in the offseason like Brady did, and he kind of tweaks his delivery a little bit. Ronald Cunningham had a really long delivery when he first came in. He was able to cordon that up. So there's things you can do with your delivery, but you don't want to attention. you're with it too much. So, you know, it's interesting the Kyler-Marie situation is, you know,

I read a story this morning, pro football talk said, how good will he be? What's his ceiling? And I thought to myself, well, your ceiling includes a lot of people. I mean, what was Matt Stafford's ceiling? We didn't realize it until he got Sean McVeigh, right? So sealing encompasses a lot of questions. I don't know what your ceiling is. Do you have a good coach? Do you have support? Do you have protection? Do you have a great weapon. I look at Kyler-Marie and I think, I know what Arizona is without him. Lousy. So I'm paying him. What do you make of the situation? I know it's early. I know he went public. It's uncomfortable. But what would you do if you ran that franchise? You know, I do just what they're doing right now. They're just kind of taking their time.

Everybody knows that Kyler Murray is a great talent. You know, he is really little, so he does have limitations as far as maybe throwing the football. over the middle of the field, and he won't always have the great vision that some of the older quarterbacks will have. But the thing I think that bothers them is not his talent, and I'm for every quarterback and every player getting as much money as he can. But when you have a quarterback that comes out and takes his team off of his social media, when he doesn't show up for the OTAs and things in the offseason, and he's just a young guy,

he's not somebody that's been around 10 or 12 years, been to multiple pro bowls that can afford to do that. Just some of the things that he's done that they're kind of immature that don't show great leadership for being the franchise guy. I'm sure that bothers the Arizona Cardinals and the fact that he's missed some games and he's very small and he hasn't played well towards the end of the season. So all those things I think are going through their mind. They know they have a talented player. There's not a lot of those guys walking around. I think eventually he will get his money, but I think they are being very very, cautious about it right now and there is no hurry to get to getting paid right now.

By the way, I got to ask you this because you were a star at college, but you didn't end up in the NFL initially. All this NIL stuff. And people are kind of freaking out about it. And my takeaway has been, well, college football feels like more business than college sport. It should have a CEO and doesn't. And they weren't prepared for this. So this avalanche of the NIL has caught the NCAA off guard, and it's their fault. It's not the player's fault. Of course they should if somebody had given me a million dollars from my house to go to Eastern, I would have, you know, let's be honest about this. Kirby Smart said, and he said, you know, if he's going to pay all these guys so much money, he goes, if I'd have made a million dollars my freshman year of college, I wouldn't be

the coach of Georgia. And I think to myself, well, we don't know that. Money doesn't change everybody. That's just projection. Nobody has any idea. I mean, there's a lot of successful people who come from successful families. That doesn't mean, what do you make of the NAL? Do you think it's too much? Are you worried about paying guys in high school to come to a college? What do you just make of it as a former great college player? Yeah, I love the fact that players are going to be able to get paid right now. There's no question about it that more needs to be done other than the scholarship and your room and board. But there needs to be some type of limitations or some type of structure with that program. And right now it's just a free-for-all. And I don't think it should be used for

recruiting purposes because it should be for the guys who are already in the program or college students in that program and those are the guys who should benefit from it. Have you seen any of these guys who have received all this money in any type of ads or anything? They're not using it for that. It's supposed to be used to use their name and likeness and they're not using their name and likeness. They're just paying the money. That's right. There's got to be from structure to it. I think there's got to be something where there's a little bit more equality. with it because you've got guys on the team now that are maybe an offensive line and there might be all SEC two years in a row but some freshman comes in who's never played it down

and gets a million bucks. There's going to be dissension on football teams because you've got guys now riding around in Mercedes-Benz on campus and eat the state games and you've got your offensive line eating pizza and try to get whatever they can. So they've got to make some type of equality to go along with it so everybody feels like they're included in this system. But I am all for players getting paid money. There's just got to be some kind of uniformity to it.

By the way, I had no idea that our staff had old Warren moon footage. This one, I've said this before. You know what? That was like Super H. film, too. I remember those games. There's Warren, University of Washington. By the way, I'm going to tell you right now, I always said Warren was the first great quarterback.

This is Husky Stadium. I can tell from the staining, and he goes down the right side. Is that Spider-Gains? That's Spider Gaines. Yep, Spider Gaines right there. Number 93. Okay, this is against, is that Ball State or Indiana, Warren Moon. This is maybe on the road.

And there's your tight end. I don't know who that. Who is that? No, Scotty Greenwood. Okay, Scotty Greenwood. Here's Warren rolling out. I'm fascinated by this. This is the footage I grew up.

This is like, to me, Bigfoot footage. This is unbelievable. I've never seen this footage on our network. There's Spider Gaines again in the corner against Stanford. Look at that. When you watch that footage, what do you think? I was very slim back in those days. I was only about 200 pounds back then.

And I could run and throw at that time. But as I got into the NFL and got smart, I stopped running the football. It's great seeing you, Warren. Great seeing you call it as always. Take care, my man. All right. So he brings up the interesting point. And I've heard coaches say this.

They're like, listen, we want to pay everybody. but it is weird if the quarterback makes 9 million and a really good guard makes nothing it's like it's weird in the NFL everybody's making at least some scratch and it's like a weird and so I think coaches are like what happens you know like Caleb Williams at USC is going to make five large

the offensive linemen make nothing like I don't know does it disrupt chemistry I don't know it's for NIL and Caleb Williams is more famous more marketable than you know His name, his image, and his likeness. Then the offensive lineman.

Again, I don't think that the money is going to continue to be the level that it is. It is obviously extreme right now if you have someone making, you know, seven or nine million and then you have offensive linemen making, you know, 2,000 from whoever. Obviously, that's a big disparity. But doesn't every Alabama player know that Bryce Young's going to make the most money? Don't they just know that? Right. Just kind of like how in the NFL the quarterback tends to make the most money.

but the NFL is a pro model so everyone does get paid. This is still an amateur model, but it's not meant for wealth distribution and it's not meant for paying players. Now, to Warren's point, that's how it's happening right now is people are just getting paid. Where is the ROI?

Where are the ads? What is being exchanged here? And that's what I think will need to get regulated. But yes, I mean, people who are more valuable in theory, make more money. That's how works. Yeah. I mean, I, what I hear from a lot of coaches, some of it I buy, which is I think you do need structure for everything. Like I am a fairly structured person. This show is structured. We prepare for it.

I think structure does matter to some degree. But you don't want to become so rigid that you're just structure-centric. And it's okay if some guys make a lot and some guys don't make a lot because the players all understand that quarterbacks touch the ball every play. Right, but also there are certain industries where there are no, there's not necessarily regulations. I mean, a movie star could make 200 million on a movie and another star could make one million on a movie. That's what it costs to get that star on the movie. Like from what I understand, there's not a salary tap in Hollywood. Well, here's the other thing. Let me argue against the coaches that are like, you know, these SEC coaches like Sabin and Kirby Smart that I don't like to have, have knots in the locker room.

Well, time out. When Nick Saban was making $10 million a year and his assistants are making $600,000, why isn't their animosity there? Why is making – I mean, it's not like Nick needs the money. He's not spending it all just to pay his bills when Nick was making nine times what the average college coach was. Right. Why wasn't their animosity there? I think most young people realize –

quarterback's going to make a lot of money. Your best edge rusher in college, like Will Anderson for Alabama, best edge rusher. He's going to make a lot of money. Everybody gets it. Rice Jones going to make a lot of money. Everybody gets it. Who's their best receiver? He's going to make a lot of money. There's going to be like three guys in every team, the great teams, Ohio State. C.J. Stroud, their top receiver, their best edge rusher.

Those are the money positions. I think players get that. Well, also, that's going to happen as you move on into your careers as well. Yeah. Like the best salesperson makes the most money. That's how it works. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app.

Search Hurd to listen. or on demand whenever you'd like. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, 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 we're you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode, with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing, and we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Saturday, it's baseball night in America on Fox. Catch the next chapter in baseball's oldest rivalry as the Giants take on mookie bets and the Dodgers

or the Guardians take on the White Sox Saturday at 7 Eastern on Fox. Check for the game in your area. You know, I say this is that all the most, money now comes in all these pro leagues from television. And so TV is going to largely tell you this works and this doesn't. Like the Big Ten, people are saying, well, Fox engineered that deal. So what if they did? Look how much that Fox pays the Big Ten. I always said this about March madness. Why doesn't CBS not select the teams? That's somebody else's job. But CBS pays for the wedding.

They pay a billion dollars a year for the wedding. They can't make up the seating chart. When I pay for weddings, I don't want crazy Uncle Phil next to stepmom, Margaret, because she's crazy. And so is he and I want them sitting on different places. I'm paying for the wedding. CBS is paying for March Madness. If they want to have Louisville and Kentucky meet in the second round, damn straight, they have a right to it. They're not telling if they're not selecting who gets in the tournament.

but it's a television show. I got no problem with CBS saying this is who we want to play in the second round. They're not choosing who gets in. And Kentucky could play anybody in the second round. We just think it's a better TV product if Michigan faces Michigan State in the second round. I got no problem with that. But like baseball last night, baseball is finally allowing one of its big partners, us, to, you know, we're saying, hey, push, push, push.

play a game in the middle of a cornfield. It'll be great. It was. And the ESPN's like, we're going to put a clock on this home run derby. We're going to kind of jazz it up. It's better. And last night, you know, Fox is like,

all right, we're going to put cameras everywhere. We're going to have the pitcher talking. It's fantastic. Here was Alec Mano, the pitcher for the Jays, and he's talking to Smolts in the booth, and it was riveting. It was captivating. Here we go.

There's one. That was perfect, man. He caught it. Pretty, pretty good. Two up, two down, and a couple K's. John, what do you got for him? I won two. Make this slider look like a strike on the outside corner

and make it disappear off the corner. I'm thinking the slider too, but I think if I execute a good heater up. Yeah? He's seen the sinker twice. Something that stays true. Might throw them off a little bit. I think we're going to go with that.

Let's see what target calls. Right down the middle, but we'll take it three puntsies. Let's go! Makes the game better. It's not like networks, all these networks go to these leagues and say, we want to make your product worse. What they're saying is baseball, we're going to liven it up a bit.

We're going to make stuff feel big events. I thought that was fantastic. Literally watching batters try to hit a baseball, and you're literally sitting there thinking, there was a curveball thrown or a slider thrown last night, and the camera was on. on the batter. The drop in that, the movement on that pitch, it's like, how does anybody hit a baseball?

But, you know, I hear this all the time about the Big Ten realignment and the SEC realignment and ESPN's got, look at that thing. ESPN's got too much control here and Fox. Are they negotiating? Why wouldn't they? If you're paying for the wedding, you should have the right to make up the seating chart. No? I mean, if I'm paying you your salary, I don't get any say.

We're a combo deal here. We're doing business together. Let's not kid ourselves. College football is a business. ESPN should be able to say, SEC, we don't want that game, we want this game. I mean, you're going to play anyway. We're just going to tell you what time you're going to play.

Why wouldn't they? We're paying you billions of year. And in many instances, these TV networks are losing money on the deal because they want content, right? So it's not like, I mean, you can go to every single network. Every single network, including this one, has a contract with a pro league somewhere. They're losing money. So it's like, hey, we're paying for all the salaries.

All you guys are driving Mercedes because of us. We're losing a little money on this, but your great content. Can we have a little bit of a say? I think overwhelmingly TV networks have made sports better. All the cameras, all the angles, the intimacy, you're my king players. I think I am a consumer. I'm watching an All-Star game last night, and I'm like, it keeps me watching the game longer. This is interesting.

So whoever I did that was, congratulations to you, whoever puts the mics on and came up with a cornfield baseball game and whoever put a clock on the home run derby, make leagues a little uncomfortable. Make them do things that enhance the consumer experience because it's hard to get rich people to do anything they don't want to. So if it takes a TV network, any network to make the leagues try new stuff that you and I can benefit, good God, you watch NFL games now. They got that camera that swoops down and you're like, you're getting angles you've never seen before. I mean, if I'm going to sit there for six hours and watch it on a platform, I think the platform has some say too. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no.

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Oh, NBA offseason drama and rumors and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and there's still both of the Nets. Durant has publicly supported Kyrie throughout all this because he reportedly didn't like how the team treated Irving during the season. Now there are some who believe that Katie may have requested the trade to get away from Kyrie Irving. Here's Dave McMenneman's report from Monday. Now there is a school of thought speaking to people around the league. that they think that the Durant trade request wasn't actually about him getting out of Brooklyn.

It was about getting Kyrie out of Brooklyn. Now, the thinking behind this is Durant's signed a four-year contract extension with the Nets when Kyrie Irving wouldn't or couldn't sign his own extension and then requested a trade after Kyrie Irving opted in to return to the Nets. So if you're making that math, math, then it would make sense. How about if it's this simple? There's been all sorts of rumors about KD. Yeah.

He's going to go to the Warriors. He's going to go to Phoenix. He's going to go to Miami. He likes Kyrie. He doesn't like Kyrie. He didn't get along with Hardin. He loved Hardin. So there's a million reports.

How about if I add one more? This is my conjecture. KD. made a mistake leaving Golden State. He knows it. And now he didn't know how the hell to get out of it. And the honeymoon phase is over. And now he's stuck in a lease and he wants to dissolve the relationship.

And he just doesn't know how to do it. No, I agree with you. I think that that's what it is. He's too smart. not to know. Kevin Durant is too smart to think Simmons, me, and Kyrie are winning the title. The Celtics are getting better. The bucks are getting Joe Ingalls now in Middleton back.

They're not getting worse. The Warriors could be better. Like, he's, he knows, Miami's not going away anytime soon. Philadelphia could be better. That Kevin Durant simply made a mistake like we all do in life. He knows it now. The honeymoon's over. The relationship doesn't work.

And he just doesn't know how to get out of it. That's why he went dark. because he's sitting there and thinking, I need some time by myself, because I don't know, I got four years left on this lease. How do I get out of this apartment? How do I get out of here?

I don't know that he is at the point that he regrets leaving Golden State because maybe he really was unhappy there. That's fair. But that Brooklyn wasn't necessarily the right choice or that this experiment was a failure. Now, that depends on how you define success, obviously. But for Kevin Durand, I'm sure it's winning a championship.

and to your point, that that's not a championship roster. And I don't know if they have a championship coaching and I don't know if they have a championship bench. And we've seen for quite a trend now that those are the components that you need outside of having stars. Obviously, stars are vitally important. The bench for Golden State was pretty vital in this championship run. You know, the coaching and the culture, all those things matter. And you're not just going to manufacture that in, Brooklyn. So I think that there's a very good chance both of them are back on the team next year.

And then we will get to see the next version of whatever the Nets are with Ben Simmons, assuming Ben Simmons plays, which again, until I see him on a court, I'm just going to assume that he doesn't. What if Ben Simmons doesn't play next year? And they say it's a mental thing. You got to just, at some point, the league has to step in and say, we're going to give Brooklyn their money back. Like, it's not fair. I mean, seriously, if Ben Simmons doesn't play next year, he didn't play all year. We had nine reports he was going to play. He never played. A myriad of excuses.

What if he doesn't play next year? Kevin Durant is absolutely trapped for the rest of his career. He's 34. I mean, this situation, and I think Kevin Durant's too smart. Kevin knows how do I get out of this lease? I got to get out of this. I feel, Brooklyn has all the leverage. She's under a four-year deal.

I know. I have sympathy for Katie here. Like, listen, when he moved, I said it's a huge mistake going Steph to Kyrie. okay I was right but in the end he is trapped unless somebody can make now now because they're paying Aiton it's not going to be Phoenix it's not going to be golden state so Miami looks like a potential destination but I don't know how in the world if they're not giving up BAM or Butler how that thing works out well they can't give up BAM that's right unless they get another team involved or Ben Simmons isn't on the team and there there's no point in him going to Miami if Butler's not there so but but again what is br Brooklyn doesn't have to do anything. I don't have any insight. I just think Kevin is sitting there thinking, it happens in life.

You make a mistake and you sit there and go, how do I get out of this relationship? No, I mean, he obviously does not want to be there or he went into requested a trade. So he obviously is not liking the situation. So the Lakers have been linked to Kyrie all offseason, but they have yet to provide the nets with an enticing enough offer. LA is also targeted Buddy Healed and Eric Gordon as alternatives.

If they're unable to acquire Kyrie and a recent. report from David McMahon indicates that these moves aren't necessarily independent from each other and the Lakers could potentially pull off trades for these. Here is Dave. They have interests in Eric Gordon and Buddy Heald, perhaps in addition to Kyrie and the piece that would have to be moved in order to get that done would be Taylor and Horton Tucker. But it could also end up being the plan B if they can't get this Kyrie situation to come to bear. Again, I would like both of these players for the Lakers. They need some depth.

They need some additions to this roster. But I just, I don't know how the Lakers are going to do any of this if they're not going to be flexible with those picks. Because that's just what has to happen. And I don't understand why they're holding on to those picks. I don't either. I am not a pick hoarder, as you know, in a situation, they're just, I don't get it. It's, it's like 20 years from now. I mean, make trades in the next couple years to get some more picks.

I don't get it. So Sportico just recently released the NFL's annual box office reports. Crazy. Detailing net ticket revenue, tickets sold, and visiting teams share. I was shocked by this. This is surprising. I was shocked. The Raiders are the top of the list.

Boom. How about the Raiders? $19 million in their first season at the Legion Stadium. Have you been to the stadium yet? Yes, I went to the stadium for a wrestling event. Oh, that's right. It was magnificent. That's right.

And I talked to my friend Bill Simmons, and we sat almost in the front row. I saw Pat McAfee was there. Yes. It was a lot of big, important people there. I love the stadium. It's, I'm a, I'm an old person now. I'm really into logistics. Like, how can I get in and out? I'm like that person that's walking into that commercial.

Like, oh, we're going to leave in the third quarter. That's me. I'm not leaving in the third quarter. But I love that it's like very easy to get in and out of it. Right off the freeway. It's very convenient for anyone that's going there. There's like an awesome pedestrian bridge. Yeah. Like the flow of the stadium. is great. It's beautiful inside. We should, you know what, we should have a, we should, as a staff,

we should just go over there and have a Sunday, a Raider game. We've got to call Mark Davis. We talk about the Raiders a lot. Mark owes us a suite for a game. Mark, you owe us a sweet for a game. How are we getting there? Well, we'll just fly all the, you know, a flight. Well, you know, it's not that's only right. It's like a 40-minute flight. We've got on South. a long flight. We have a big staff. Well, it's called southwest.com. Just get on there and buy a ticket. Very convenient.

Flying it Sunday. Well, the Patriots, Rams, Giants and Cowboys filled out the rest of the top six. None of those names are particularly surprising. But I do think it is interesting. I'm with you that the Rams and the Raiders are that high in the list because they just moved. And a lot of people had doubts about how Las Vegas was going to be able to maintain this level of a team.

I think the hockey team did wonders for them getting shocked us. Yes, because it was very well supported. But, I mean, it's a huge community. And there's obviously a lot of tourism and travel there. If you're going to make a trip to go see your team, why wouldn't you go to Vegas? Well, Raiders, I said this for years. I always knew the NFL would work. It's only eight home games.

And the other thing is, what do you bet in Vegas? Football. The two communities in America that are the biggest, most rabid sports fans, Honolulu and Vegas, and Vegas just got a team. You go over to Hawaii, they've had the Pro Bowl there. It's a huge. The islands love the NFL. Vegas loves the NFL. You just, they bet it Sunday at sports books in that city are packed. Hockey being big there shocked me. Eight home games for NFL fans. I knew it would be successful. That's also like an awesome arena for the hockey arena. I mean, they have the Las Vegas Aces there already, the WMBA

team. But if they do move an NBA team. Does the WNBA team do well? Yes. Oh, they do. All right, there you go. They like their sports. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Live. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's Ben, Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Mallor. 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. 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, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little camp? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you're not just so you're not. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast. Learn the Hardway with me, your host. and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking.

Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So I was reading this, PFT as a website, and they were talking about Kyler Murray one week until camp opens, no news on his new deal. And one of the lines said, yes, the team has been better with him, but how good will he be and what's his ceiling? And that's an interesting question. What somebody's ceiling is is just total conjecture and a guess, right? it's like asking how many records will this artist sell well how good is the label will the label will the label support he or she will he or she have a good songwriting team will he or she have a

good producer i don't know what the ceiling is but i know they help the label i know they're really talented she's really good he's really talented i mean what was matt stafford's ceiling Oh, let me guess. You guys all predicted he was going to win a Super Bowl. Matt Stafford wasn't great until he met Sean McVeigh. So when you're asking me, what's the ceiling on Kyler Murray? There's too many elements to it. Here's the better question.

What are we without this performer? The Arizona Cardinals are lousy in chaos and irrelevant without him. The ceiling question is, is he good enough to get you? to the playoffs. Yeah, I just saw that. Is he good enough to make plays in a playoff game and win it or multiple? Yeah, I think so if he's got the right coach and support system. What was my, why do I have more listeners now than I did seven years ago at ESPN? Did my ceiling go up? Or did I have more marketing and support and better people around me? Sealing to me is too many. What's Justin Herbert ceiling? I don't know. The first year he had the wrong coach in a horrible offensive line,

but he was productive. Last year, he had a rookie head coach who drove me nuts, but he was productive. Maybe his ceiling will never be realized because he'll never get Sean McVeigh. The question is, what are you without the performer? And if the answer is irrelevant, lousy, and in chaos, sign he or she. Hour three next. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygle and friends.

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

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced. games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at a podcast.

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. Eighty-four was big to me. Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year.

It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win. 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, 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 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. an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.