The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - Thank you Jimmy

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

Where Colin was right and wrong Plus, 3-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Johnson joins the show to announce his retirement from a Hall of Fame career as a broadcaster for Fox SportsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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. Oh, here we go. It's hour two. It is a Monday, Jimmy Johnson, the Hall of Fame coach. It was something to talk about in five minutes. I'm excited for that.

I'm excited for it. I'm not going to get into details. I'll just say it. It will not be the typical Jimmy Johnson stop by. who has taught me more football than even more than J-MAC and that's hard to believe. Jimmy Johnson has taught me a lot about football.

Paul Pear's stopping by. So every Monday, do you write wrong? This is a fun time of the year, by the way. We're getting into the NFL free agency, Debo Samuel, one of the first moves. It's going to be very busy next three week. Plus, you love March Madness. I watched some college basketball this weekend

to keep up with, you know, the guru over here, the Sven Gali for college hoops. I did go eight and two on, on Saturday. Post of the best. I've never met anybody like you. One and three Sunday. Not great, but... All right. We do it every Monday at this time. It's called Colin Wright, Colin wrong. Here we go. Where Colin was

right? Debo to Washington. Both Jay Mack and I thought this was an obvious one. He's a great chess piece. He's not your classic wide receiver, but for the right kind of play designer, Cliff Kingsbury. I think it makes a ton of sense. He's only had 1,000-yard receiver. But I think, you know, I think Belichick

in New England did this for years when they find chess pieces. Andy Reed does a good job with this. I like Debo. I think it was time to move on, and I think Washington's the perfect fit, and we predicted it. Where Colin was right? We said Matt Stafford, we thought would stay with the Rams, but the Raiders were making a real push. It's been announced yesterday the Raiders offered, and this was our guess, 100 million,

50 million guaranteed two years. I thought the Raiders would go to a third year to get him. They didn't, and therefore he stayed with the Rams. I was told the Rams wanted him. They feel they're too close to a Super Bowl and another trophy to move off him. Matt didn't make a lot of money last year relative to other star quarterbacks. He wanted a better deal. He'll get it.

Where Colin was wrong. I thought Travis Kelsey would retire. I thought it was time. I thought he looked tired in the Super Bowl and he only had in three playoff games, one touchdown catch. He still blocks. He's still tough. He's still great on third down. He's got a year left.

And let's be honest about this. You'd rather have Travis Kelsey on your team than not. He tends to be a very good big game player. But I had predicted that I thought this was with Taylor Swift, his life, his podcast, it was a perfect time. He's had almost 10 surgeries, but he's coming back at least for one more year. Where Colin was right? I love Kevin Duran, but story this weekend, he's going to get traded by Phoenix,

and he has been reduced to a guy that scores 27 a night on bad teams. And I think he's really valuable. I still think he's got two or three huge years left. I wish he would have considered the Warriors. He wasn't comfortable with that. Can't blame him, I guess. But, you know, five years ago, we were talking about, is he better than LeBron? And maybe he doesn't care.

But I feel like his legacy, I hope it remains all-time top-10 stuff because he's one of the best basketball players I've ever seen. Where Colin was right? I didn't like Aaron Rogers using his leverage to bring in Nathaniel Hackett and Alan Lazzard and Devante Adams and story this morning the Jets are going to move off Devante Adams,

who I like a lot. But in the end, I think GM should GM, coaches should coach, quarterback should quarterback. Listen, you know how hard it is to be a good GM and a good coach? Quarterbacks should do what they do.

And that's okay. Aaron's a smart guy, but I never thought it was going to work. I didn't think having your buddies on the team matters. Sometimes being a great quarterback is being uncomfortable, not just comfortable.

Where Colin was wrong. You know, I've been skeptical on Bill Belichick at college, but he has signed up for HBO Max. They do that hard-knock show, which no coach likes. He would never do it in the NFL, and it tells me that Bill is a little bit more committed to the college game. And by the way, a couple of Bill's friends are Jimmy Johnson and Urban Myers. So, I mean, he's got guys leaning on him if he has to have questions about it. But I have always thought this was kind of a one-and-done. But I think him going to hard-knock shows, Bill's willing to get.

get uncomfortable because he would have never done this in the NFL and he's doing it now in college. Where Colin was right? Well, I predicted one of my five bold NBA predictions with Paul George and Joel M. Bede would not even play 20 games together and it's been announced that Joe L. M. Bede's shutting her down for the season so they will not play 20 games together. Listen, M. Bede's an unbelievable talent, but Biggs who get hurt early get hurt often. And this has been, we've got to be honest, been a disappointing career, considering many were comping him to Shaq five years ago. Where Colin was right. Ashton Gentie, the running back from Boise State, announced this weekend he said,

running backs are not only back, they're kind of integral to football. Yes. When the media a year ago said running backs are being treated unfairly, I said they're going to get paid. Running backs are a quarterback's best friend, especially in December, January, and February. When it gets cold and windy, they get first downs, they block for you. It's easier to find them out of the backfield. Running backs will always matter in the NFL. They create physicality, especially if they can do multiple things which Genty can do.

Look at Sequin Barclay's value, Derek Henry's value in Baltimore. I think there's been a wide receiver bubble in the NFL. I never think there's a running back bubble. I will take a star running back. Physical toughness can block a little, catch a little any day of the week. Colin right, calling wrong on a Monday. Well, Jimmy Johnson, I've said this before. There's been a handful of people in my life.

When I used to do the weekend shows at Fox, I would hurry up and get the makeup on, and then I would go into the break room, and I would basically pester Jimmy Johnson for 30 minutes, asking about pulling guards and slot receivers. and Jimmy Johnson would patiently answer all my minutia and nonsense. And he is joining us now live, the Hall of Famer, the two-time Super Bowl champion. So I owe you a debt of gratitude as I ask you about rover backs and nickel coverage and dime coverage. And you would smile at me and patiently as I sat there eating food and asking. And I just want to say thank you for that.

Even in your off-season, you're willing to come on the show. So a thank you. A genuine thank you for me, Jimmy. Well, thank you, Colin. As you know, probably the most fun I've ever had in my career, and that's counting Super Bowls and National Championships, was at Fox Sports. You know, I have an absolute ball with my friends on the set, and the best friends I've ever had there with Fox. And then I tell you, on top of that, you know, I love working for Eric Shanks, our CEO,

and our producer, Bill Richards, but I've made an extremely difficult decision. I've been thinking about it for the last four or five years, and I've decided to retire from Fox, and I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss all the guys, and I'll see them occasionally. But it has been a great run starting back 31 years ago. You know, it's being met. I've got to call this weekend from Shanks, and this is something inside the building,

we knew it was coming over the last couple years and they've talked you into it. One of the ways you are viewed in the building is the way you were viewed as a football coach. You're kind of the general manager and the coach of the show. Otherwise, you know, Bradshaw, he'll never stop talking. And, you know, basically you have to coach the guys on the set. But don't be humble for a second. I think you loved that. Is that you viewed your, that's how we viewed you.

You were the coach on the set behind the scenes. And if you could, for a moment, share that with the audience why you love that. Well, I guess it goes back to all the years that I coached. And you look at the guys on the set, you know, not only are their best friends, but, you know, I watched Terry play in college when he was at Woodlawn High School and we recruited him for Louisiana Tech. I coached Howie Long in the Blue Gray game when he just left. Villanova. I had Michael Strayhan there in Dallas and I was going to draft him and he

reminds me of it many, many times. It was a mistake. I was trying to get him cheap and New York jumped in front of me so I wasn't able to draft him. I actually had a scout in his home on draft day and so we're all very very close and Kurt Menofee was he was in Dallas when I was in Dallas. And so it was just natural for me to be somewhat of a coach. And Bill Richards, who, you know, I love to death, you know, he kiddingly calls me my, calls me assistant producer. Because I would have suggestions on what to do on, or maybe our own the field segment, etc. So I just kind of played the same role that I played for many, many years as a head football coach you know jimmy um there's a handful of people that have done it none better than you you were a

dominant college coach that's hard then you were a dominant NFL coach i think that's harder you're also then uh you're a hall of famer broadcasting hall of famer um they're all uh hard um how are you able college coaching and pro coaching is different now it's a little more similar now than it was in your day. Was there ever a moment? You're a Hall of Famer Football Broadcasting College. Do guys like you ever have self-doubt? Was there ever a moment in Dallas that first year?

You thought, this is a bad. I've been asked to chew a lot. I'm not sure I bit off too much. Colin, absolutely not. I can tell you the story. And Dave Wanstead and Tony Wise, they can verify this. When I was at Oklahoma State University, I went to a little restaurant, and we were struggling.

I said, you know, guys, hang with me. We're going to win a national championship. We were an ancestor restaurant. And we ended up winning a national championship at University of Miami because I took all of them with me. And we were going through that one in 15 year. We went to a little Mexican restaurant right there close to Valley Ranch. And I told the guys, I said, listen, I said, we're making some moves now that are going to hurt us in the short, term. We traded our starting quarterback. We cut the leading receiver because he couldn't play

the caliber that we wanted then. And we made some trades, obviously trade in Herschel Walker, but we made 51 trades in five years. And I told the guys that said, listen, I know it's a real struggle right now, but you hang with me because we're going to win a Super Bowl. And that's it. I mean, I might have sounded like a crazy man because we were going one in 15. But I said, we're making some moves now that are going to help us three years. years from now. And so you say, was there any doubt? No, there wasn't any doubt. And it wasn't that we had a dream. And I said this at the Hall of Fame induction. We didn't dream. We truly believe that we were going to get it done. I think if you believe that you're going to

get it done, you work to make it happen. If you dream, you're hoping that it happens. But we work to make sure it happen. You know, I think, more than ever, coach and quarterback, I've always said this, if you get the coach right and the quarterback right, everything else will work itself out. You'll figure it out. I've said Sean Payton and Bo Knicks. I got Sean, I got Bo Knicks. I don't know what's going to happen if they win trophies, but they're going to be fine in Denver. They're going to be fine. But quarterbacks now make 70 million, 60 million. They're social media stars, shoe deals. You didn't deal with that, But I still contend that the Andy Reeds and the Patens and the guys like you, you just make it work.

I look at you and Troy, Troy gets emotional. When you got into Hall of Fame, I'm watching that. That makes me emotional. What was the relationship even then? Because Troy was getting banged up. He was getting criticized. Quarterbacks go 1 in 15. If they don't, you know, Dallas Media was not giving you guys a pass.

how did your relationship get so tight or was it always like that? No, it wasn't always right. I actually tried to recruit Troy to Oklahoma State there in Henry, at Oklahoma. I was in his home when he was a sophomore and junior, and Troy was just here at the house two weeks ago. We had a strained relationship that first year because I drafted Steve Walsh with a supplemental pick

and I knew Troy was our guy, but I wanted to take Steve Walsh because quarterbacks are so valuable. I knew that I would be able to trade him. I actually started trying to trade Steve Walsh a month or two after I drafted him. But I had to kind of walk a tight rope because I couldn't brag on Troy knowing that I was going to trade Steve Walsh. So I had to kind of brag on both of mine. I kept saying we got two quarterbacks, but I knew exactly what I was going to do. and then I ended up trading walls for a one, two, and a three. But that upset Troy that I didn't go all in on him that first year.

But after the first year, then, you know, I started making overtures to Detroit to get our relationship better. And like I said, we're best friends now. He was just here two weeks ago. So, again, it was a strained relationship because of the way we were dealing with things. Plus, we went one in 15. that'll strain any relationship. But it got better and now it's fantastic. You know, Bill Belichick, I remember when he left New England,

I think he was grateful for Bob Kraft, but in the end, richer owners now, Jimmy, they're all billionaires. And the richer owners get, they'll just run, they'll 50 million to rounding air, they'll just blow out his staff. I have never seen more impulsive owners. in my life in the NFL. There used to be one crazy guy or two. Now it feels like half the league's owners think they're coaches. And when Belichick left, he acknowledged that. You had relationships that may have been impulsive, but you turn it into championships. Do you think it's harder to coach

today? I mean, there's a lot of ways it could be easier, but the owners, Jimmy, they're all billionaires, and that has a way of making owners think they know a lot more football than they do. Yeah, I think it's more difficult with the owners, but what makes it a lot easier if you got a great quarterback. You got a great quarterback that you can overcome a lot of things. But you're talking about billions of dollars. And, you know, Jerry and our relationship was fine for a while because he borrowed $140 million. He was trying to pay off that loan. So he spent all of his time trying to make money to pay off the loan.

So he really didn't bother me. Now, once he got the loan paid off after we won the Super Bowl, then he wanted to jump into football business. But, yeah, I think the relationship with Bill and Kraft probably was a little strained there at the end. I told Bill, in fact, he came down here right after he left doing him with his girlfriend, and I was talking to him. And I said, you know, the NFL stuff, but, you know, college football with the NIL and the transfer portal, that's a headache. He said, yeah, but there are headaches in the pro football as well.

Yeah. When you ultimately made this decision, if you just joined us, Jimmy Johnson has announced his retirement from Fox. You kept coming back, and we talked into it about four different times. Right. That's the truth. And there are people in the hallway this morning that are a little melancholy about all this. How do you hope? I mean, you achieved everything.

Three different Hall of Fames. How do you hope you're viewed? How do I'm? I mean, obviously you're successful at three different Hall of Fames. What matters? If I'd never met Jimmy Johnson, I walked up to somebody say, tell me about Jimmy Johnson. What at a value level? What matters to Jimmy Johnson?

Why? What your relationships? You know, the guys that were here, like I said, a couple of weeks ago, some former coaches and Troy and, you know, players, etc. Yeah, they were talking about it. I said, you know, the thing I try to do is I try to bring out the best in everybody. Everybody that I came into contact with. And I tried to have some interaction.

The way you bring out the best in people is you have interaction with them. you communicate with them. The biggest problems I ever had with anybody is when I didn't communicate. And that's what happened to Jerry and I own our relationship until it got fixed here later on is we stopped communicating. And, you know, it never gets better if you don't talk about it. It never gets better if you don't interact and, you know, not necessarily, you know, pumping somebody up and praising them, but, you know, just acknowledging.

them, you know, and say, hey, you need to pick it up a little bit. You know, maybe in a kidding way, but you need to have some interaction with individuals. But I tried to bring out the best in everybody that I came into contact with. I don't care what their role was. I don't care how important they were. I don't care if they were a Hall of Fame player or an intern on our set. I tried to bring out the best in everybody. How are you going to watch football next year and not send Eric Shanks written notes on email about things he needs to tweak. Colin, I've got three TV set up, and you know how much I love watching football. Terry said, Bradshaw, he told me that day before yesterday.

He said, guy, you're going to be able to sit at home and watch all those college games without me, and you're going to watch all those pro games without me. I said, yeah, but I'll be watching them with a cold beer. Absolute pleasure. One of the best people I've and smartest people I've ever met in this business. And you've always treated not only people behind the scenes here. Interns, producers, nobody sees. But I just want to put it out there.

You treated me great. And I appreciate it, Coach. Colin, I loved every minute of it. And thank you. I appreciate it. And, hey, thanks to Flock Sports. I mean, it was really the best time. of my entire career.

And you mentioned at the Hall of Fame College, Hall of Fame Pro, Hall of Fame Broadcasting, the best time of my career was with Fox Sports. Great to see you, Jimmy. Thanks, man.

The great Jimmy Johnson retiring at Fox. You know, I had all these football questions. I was going to ask him. Yeah, forget it. Doesn't matter. Let's talk about the stuff that matters. For people that don't know

behind the scenes, Jimmy was essentially, along with Bill Richards, that's been number one for, I think, 31 years in a row. The Fox show has been number one for 31 years in a row. Bill Richards is the producer, and it's a lot. It's a lot. There's a lot of live shows, and you do live television, you bounce around to city to city to city. It's a lot of work. It is hard, and on any given segment, it can go sideways fast.

And the guy on the set that was the glue, Menefi, the host, obviously. and Jimmy Johnson. And with that, we take a break. Jimmy Johnson retiring from Fox Sports. It's the herd. 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, 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?

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. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did 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. Oh, 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 for 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 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 Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman helped make you funny. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast,

I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface.

Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court-side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back, the great Jimmy Johnson, who had worked at Fox for a long time, part of 31 straight years. Fox being number one pregame show, and it's not necessarily close. Jimmy Johnson just announced his retirement on the previous segment. and got emotional at the end, probably.

I'm surprised he held it together that long. He is so revered in the building. And so we hope we can get him on a couple of times because I'm telling you, he's watching football. Jimmy's not giving up football. He just doesn't want to fly to L.A. And, you know, there's a lot of work. Believe me, it's a lot of work.

But he'll be watching football. He would sit on a Saturday. He'd fly into town, and he would sit all day, Saturday, and watch college football. and I mean all day, nine in the morning to midnight. He was legendary for going on these incredible walks throughout Los Angeles. So if you were ever driving in Los Angeles and you saw Jimmy Johnson walking around, he'd go walk four miles down to get some lunch into his 70s,

and that was really Jimmy Johnson. It was not an actor in Los Angeles playing Jimmy Johnson. It was actually Jimmy Johnson, and so we're going to miss him greatly here. But he'll always be part of the family at Fox. Here is J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Go back to the NFL Combine. Travis Hunter, obviously, is not working out, but he is interviewing with teams, talking to the media, iced out with the really nice, expensive chains, obviously. But an interesting nugget came out from a report in the athletic about saying, about Hunter, saying the Star has not made any positional demands. Hunter has told teams, Hey, draft me, I'll do whatever is needed. Do you believe that?

Do you think that's come in there and do my head? I think that's the smarter tact. That's what you should do. Before you're an employee, you should not. Tell them what they want to hear. Hey, I'm willing to do anything. You want me to be a special team's gunner? I'll do that too.

You know? Well, it doesn't matter how talented you are. To some degree, those are job interviews at the combine. and I think what you don't want to do is make demands. And so, especially if you're not even an employee yet, it's all part of the game. You want to come across as hardworking, focused team player. So I think he's been, whether that's just his instincts or Dion Sanders whispered in his ear, I think that will help a lot.

It's not a great draft, and you can certainly argue he is easily the most dynamic athlete in the draft. Okay. I guess I would say everywhere he's gone since high school, probably since youth leagues. He's been the best player on the team and done whatever he wanted. Receiver, defensive back, and he's been dominant. He's going to have to now go to a team, and he's not going to walk in there.

Hey, I'm Travis Hunter. I'm doing whatever I want. Well, if he goes to New England. Oh, that's... Okay, he would be the best athlete on that team. But, Mike Vrable, you think he's going to take a rookie coming in and saying, calling the shots? Well, what I think he provides to New England is ill.

elite, dynamic, athleticism, and speed, and they don't have a lot of it. So I think he's one of those kids that will go to an NFL team, and he will be the best athlete day one on half the NFL teams. I think he's that good. And by the way, I think he can play both ways, but I think you have to make, you have to at some point make a choice. And my take is wide receiver is where coaches will want him to play, and if he can work himself into some DB work,

But remember, D.Bs, they tackle running backs and they tackle tight ends. And, you know, I would worry. If he went to New England and became their best wide receiver, I wouldn't want him playing D.B. Because they already have Gonzalez from Oregon. They have a number one D.B. You could be situationalally, he could be like D. That's right.

Late in the game, nursing elite, we want you in on this series. We need it. We need to stop. Travis, get in there, make a play as our die in our dime coverage package. Can you do it? And I think he probably will come up and make the play. He's talented, obviously. Next up, Colin, is the commanders.

Talked earlier about getting a heist, grabbing Debo Samuel for just a fifth round pick when Dallas spent a fourth on Mingo. What a joke. However, interestingly, Washington's not done. I don't know if you saw this, but their tight end, Zach Ertz, is a free agent. They're not in some chatter about retiring.

He caught 11 passes against the Eagles in that playoff loss. Led them by a mile. Also, four of their top six receivers, not scary Terry, the other guys, are pending free agents. I think Debo is the first step here. I don't think they get involved in T. Higgins, but you go down that wide receiver list, and their defense obviously needs some work.

But keep an eye on this team loading up on town. Listen, what is remarkable about Washington is how far they went with how average that roster is. Their O-line needs help. Their back-in, secondary needs help. to me, they may have had the seventh to eighth best roster in the NFC. NFC, maybe the 15th best roster, 20th best roster in the league. So outside of Terry McLaren, Jaden Daniels, and a couple of D-Linman,

they need a ton of help. Some of it, like Debo Samuel in a week-wide receiver draft, isn't available. But they'll probably draft a running back and offensive tackle. So, I mean, between free agency and the draft, I don't even think it's probable. It's likely, including Debo, they'll have seven to eight new starters. There's a wide receiver at Stanford coming out. Big, big, big, big body kid. He's got a lot of talent.

They need some more dudes. And again, if they lose Ertz or a few retires, that's a huge loss. He was outstanding for them last season. I think second on the team in reception was 66. After that, it's like Zechias, Noah Brown. Yeah. That's a lot of three-fours, not really, too. Final story, Colin, is back to the NBA.

Anthony Edwards, boy, he had a night last night. Just cooking 44 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and a beatdown of the hapless, woeful Phoenix Suns. Anthony Edwards, of course, continues to torch Phoenix. And why is that? Well, the media asked him about it. Here we go. Kevin Durant.

Yeah. Anywhere as Kevin Durant plays, I'm going to be ready to play him. Not because, like, me versus him. Yeah, me versus him, but more so just like, that's my favorite player of all time. He's the greatest player to me of all, you know what I'm saying? So it's just like, I want to beat him. I want to go against him. So, yeah.

It's interesting that that would be his favorite player, because Ant is more Kobe M.J. Right? Like, he is highly dynamic, highly vertical, whereas Durant has got kind of a dirt-newitki feel to him. Like, just impossible to get at a shot, catch and shoot guy. It is interesting. They're just different body types, and stylistically, they're very different players. Phoenix has nobody to match up with Anthony. He just destroys them.

Look at this record. Seven and O, remember the sweep last year? I don't know if you saw the highlight, but in a fast break, they tried to bounce it off the court. And Anthony Edwards goes up to dunk, and Bradley Beale just shoved him in the middle of the air, got a flagra foul. Anthony Edwards just lights up when he puts I would love to see him go against SGA and OKC in the play-in I'm just telling you Anthony Edwards I'm not betting against that guy

he's too good in the high-levered spots man that guy's got in it. I like this Minnesota team your boy, uh, Finch yeah I like him too I think I'll be interested to watch him play I think the Julius Randall still worries me at times I think sometimes they'll miss a little bit of Carl Anthony

Towns offense but they'll win playoff series. They're not a one and done. J-Mack with the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Paul Pierce is going to be stopping by.

Did you watch, in the last hour, did you watch a lot of the combine this weekend? No, I had a lot of youth family stuff, so I was able to get the clips and friends are texting me some of the good stuff. Well, I mean, the first thing that's obvious is just there's more guys that are big and fast. Like some of these defensive linemen, they just run like, it's crazy. Like last year, the kid at Florida State, Fisk, the Rams picked, I remember watching him and just thinking people that big shouldn't run that fast.

That's what he's running like a tight end used to five years ago. So it's funny. We talk about this draft. It's not a great draft. It's not an amazing draft. And my takeaway is there's just more big fast guys. I mean, I thought Will Howard had a rough weekend. And Will Campbell, the offensive tackle from LSU, may get moved inside.

He's not long enough. And there are some numbers with length for tackles that predicates you're more of an interior blocker. But I just saw so many guys. It just felt like every other guy was running a 4-3-8 to a 4-4-8. It's just bigger, stronger, more cut, faster athletes. It's amazing. Technology in this country just keeps getting better. Cars keep getting better.

Football players all get better. The only sport, weirdly, that doesn't get better is basketball. The guys from the 80s and 90s are better than everything today now. Forget bigger, faster, stronger. I mean, you see these offensive linemen running a sub 540? That's beating like quarterbacks from back in the day. Like, these guys are machines, yet for some reason people are just wedded to their favorite players of all time. Yeah, the basketball, you know, it's really funny.

So, you know, this weekend I was in Chicago. And it is funny how, you know, people have a view of things. Like people in Chicago view Los Angeles as crazy town. And I'm like, you know, I'm saying, you do realize you ever go to YouTube or watch Netflix or use Zoom or YouTube? Those are all California-based and there's a lot of smart people. And believe it or not, despite our taxes, all those. those companies are flourishing and flourished in their growth. California is fine.

It's the fourth or fifth biggest economy in the world. It's fine. In the world? Yeah, in the world. It's like fourth biggest economy. But there's a perception. And there is a perception. I think it's interesting.

And I get people saying this about the NBA, is that nobody likes it. And folks, that's like saying nobody likes your home and you just got double the price on your home that you thought you would get. The NBA signed an 11-year $76 billion deal for TV. I don't think they predicted two years ago they would get $76 billion. Money talks. You can say somebody's popular.

You can say they're not popular. You could say Rock's not a good actor. Rock made $88 million last year. So somebody's watching his movies. Somebody in America thinks he's wildly entertaining. Do I think he's the late Philip Seymour Hoffman? No, I don't. But, you know, maybe he was more, you know, people don't go to the theater anymore, so maybe they don't appreciate that art, right?

So, you know, my takeaway is, in the end, as they all say, scoreboard. Scoreboard is $76 billion over 11 years. NBC may lose money on the deal. I think they will. I mean, I've said before, I'm going to watch the NBA because I like it. I don't really care what anybody else thinks. I like the NBA. It's not the NFL to me.

It's not the World Cup. it's not even a Dodger Yankee World Series it's not college football Ohio State Michigan but it has value but it is funny sometimes like people can say certain things but it's scoreboard what you sell your house for

if you got double the number you thought you would get scoreboard all the stuff about popular unpopular they got the money so the owners are happy the commissioners happy the players are happy the agents are happy that's what matters in the NBA now now NBA now NBA

in four years may not be happy. They don't even get finals with their contract, and they get a conference final every other year. I don't like that deal for NBC at all. Amazon's got a reservoir of cash. It doesn't matter. The incumbent ESPN ABC will be fine. But it is interesting.

Everybody's got strong opinions. It might take is if you get the bag, if you get the number, that's all that matters. For these leagues, owners, players, executives, agents, that's what they care about. That's why all these big contracts

always leaked to the press. They want to make sure everybody knows. You can say what you want about my guy. My guy got his. So once you get the contract in life for your house, for your league, for your player, from your boss, from the corporation, that's, get the contract. Everything else is kind of white noise. If you feel like owning a home is out of reach, Rocket is here to give you back the keys because they believe everybody deserves a shot at the American Dream. Own the dream. Visit Rocket.com. Call 800 for Rocket.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9.5. 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's Steve Kavino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Kavino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the IHeart Radio app. Why should you listen to Kavino and Rich?

We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world? We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say.

I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio. Maybe the most interactive show on Planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino & Rich live on Fox Sports Radio in the IHeart Radio app from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino-Nrich, wherever you get your podcast and of course on social media. That's Kavino and Rich. Hey, it's us to 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? 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. 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. 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 Podcast. 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. 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's Michael and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jen Chinchin win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay.

Listen, Lernerabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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.

Sunday, the NASCAR Cup series, heads to FS1, with some door-to-door action at the jewel of the desert in Phoenix. Pre-race kicks things off at 2 Eastern with the green flag flying at 3.30 on FS1. So there's a lot of overreactions to Debo leaving the Niners. Listen, they have 12 draft picks. Okay, they've got multiple thirds, fours. Niners are going to be okay. Okay, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Ayuk, Joanne Jennings.

George Kittle was a pro bowler last year. Ricky Pearsall looks like he can play. Brock Purdy's a good distributor. I don't think he's a superstar, but he's a good distributor. Trent Williams, top three left tackles coming back to play one more year. They need rebuilding of their O-line and secondary. I saw a mock draft today where they were taking Will Johnson the corner from Michigan, who I think is a, if he goes to the Niners, they just stole.

They had the best heist in the first round because I think Will Johnson was banged up. Will Johnson's unbelievable player. And I don't think there are many unbelievable players in this draft. There's about eight. Will Johnson's one of them. So if he falls to the 49ers, and because you have two quarterbacks and you got some tight ends clogging up, taking some picks, if Will Johnson falls to the Niners, the drafts a success.

He's a great get for them. But Debo leaving the Niners is a little like Jimmy Butler leaving the heat. They're both really good players. but it was time. It was time for Jimmy Butler to go. They were tired of each other. And Debo and the 49ers, they're just Brandon Ayukes chirping.

Debo wasn't happy. Christian McCaffrey got hurt. It's just time to break up the band. And, you know, the dirty little secret about Debo is, as a wide receiver, he has 1,000-yard season. That was four years ago. He gets banged up a lot. He's not, he is a great chess piece

for a coach who can design the right place for him. So he's a, two things can be true. He's a great fit in Washington, and it was time to go in San Francisco. That's why they drafted. I said this a year ago when they drafted Ricky Pearsall. I said, my take is that's for Debo. They're getting it, Ricky Pearsall's not going to beat anybody down the field. He's a chess piece.

You can put him in the slot. You put him in motion. Ricky Pearsall's got, he's like a poor man, a poor man's Debo a little bit. And I think Ricky Pearsall had that, you know, the gun situation yesterday, last year where he got shot. So his season this year will start. off with more inertia and more momentum and more optimism and better health. But Jimmy, you know, the Bay Area got a guy that was tired of his environment, and they're moving off a guy that got tired of his environment.

And that's okay. But like when you have 12 draft picks and you have multiple thirds and multiple force, it may not be a great draft, but I trust John Lynch to hit on 60, 65, 70 percent of the draft picks. They need an offensive tackle to replace Trent Williams eventually. They need a cornerback. I go back to the O line, probably need a safety, a linebacker. Greenlaw is expensive. You don't want to get rid of Fred Warner.

So they've got like obvious needs. And most of the things they need in the draft are available. I draft another running back behind Christian McCaffrey. So Jimmy Johnson, earlier this hour, officially retired from Fox Sports. You know, how many people in the country are Hall of Famers in three different categories? NFL coach, college football coach, and broadcaster. Here was Jimmy, who's been sort of our coach on Fox Sunday, NFL Sunday, announcing his retirement about 45 minutes ago.

The most fun I've ever had in my career, and that's town in Super Bowls and National Championships. was at fox sports uh you know i i have an absolute ball with my friends on the set and uh the best friends i've ever had uh there with fox and uh and i'll tell you on top of that you know i love working for eric shanks our ceo and and our producer bill richards uh but i've made a extremely difficult decision i've been thinking about it for the last four or five years and I've decided to retire from Fox. And I'm going to miss it. I'm going to miss all the guys.

And I'll see them occasionally. But it has been a great run starting back 31 years ago. And I think I can share this. So when I used to work on Sundays, I would get in early and I would ask Jimmy a bunch of questions. And I love college football. And Jimmy loves college football. So we would talk a ton.

We didn't talk as much cowboys as you think. We talked a ton of college football. and we relived those Miami hurricane days. And, you know, what was so funny is those hurricane teams were sort of seen as outlaws. But the truth of it, what Jimmy was really proud of, is how many were good student athletes, that how cohesive the team was. He, I mean, he just loved those players. And you go back, there's, you could YouTube it, those games.

against Notre Dame. And, you know, there was this, you know, this narrative of what his teams were. Crazy outlaws, rebels. I think one of the games was, wasn't it called Catholics against the convicts? Like it was, I think they did a 30 for 30 on that, the other place. So, but he had just, he was so, not only, he did he coached the dolphins and coached the canes and he lives down in the Keys. You know, Dallas was perfect for Jimmy Johnson

because now there's a lot of coaches. Coaches now make $15 million a year, right? Jimmy was one of the first rock star head coaches. Part of it was, you know, the Miami Hurricanes were rebels and outlaws, and then there was the Dallas Cowboys, and some of it's the good fortune of getting high-profile jobs. But it was the hair, and it was, I mean, he's a great, like, banquet speaker. I've been in a few rooms with Jimmy. He takes the room over. But, you know,

one of the things that Jimmy was really good at, and some coaches are good at this, Sean Peyton loves personnel. Jimmy Johnson was not only good at it, he loved personnel. He loved, if he was coached the Cowboys on a Sunday, he'd watch college football. And I always said this, Bill Belichick's a great coach, but I never thought Bill was sitting around on Saturday watching college football. Urban Meyer told me all the years of college football coaching. He didn't watch the NFL on Sunday. He was in the film room on Sunday breaking down film. And Jimmy is different. Jimmy loves college football. And I think, you know, you are good in life at what you dedicate yourself to. And there's a reason. It wasn't a happenstance. Jimmy would log 15 hours

of watching college football on Saturday. He's the first guy up, last guy to go to bed. And they would walk into the studio on Sunday and crush it on our number one, show for 31 years of Fox kickoff. All right, hour three, Paul Pierce joining us live in Los Angeles on a Monday. It's the hurt. 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. 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, 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.

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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless. And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast

for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. Gentry win. She's an outsider to win the French fan. And she likes Clay. Listen, Leonard Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now and I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 documentation. branded 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.