The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - The top 100 NFL players

Episode Date: July 31, 2024

Nick Wright joins the show to talk about Jayson Tatum, Caleb Williams' attention to detail, the worst teams in the NFL, and more Colin looks at the top 100 players in the NFLSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, welcome in, hour two in Los Angeles. It's the hurt, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. J-MAC, my kids got back from their big trip to watch the Olympics and to hang out. and so funny when you're my kids the stuff that they love like I'm like how was uh how was your you know flight and everything and how was your trip and she's like oh my god we had two meals on the plane and I'm like well yeah it was like 11 hour flight she's like oh they were it's delicious and we got

then they brought cheese on at the end and I'm like you know you got to be grateful for the little things. Do they, Virgin Atlantic? Is that what they flew? No, they flew just, you know, actually, if you look up the best global airlines, you know an airline that may be the best in the world.

Emirates? Emirates is number one. My brother's flying Emirates right now. I've never been on it. It's supposed to be. You can shower and work out. Air France is actually really, Air France is probably better than our best airlines.

My daughter said that. He's like, that's a whole different ballgame. I am like, well, you did get the big bus. You know, you do the direct LA, France, you get the big bus. Oh, yeah. So that's, you know.

Nice. It's nice. So, um, hard knocks HBO. So I've said before, I don't love the league, the NFL. I don't love them mandating that you have to do this.

I don't think it's fair. And they always pick the bad teams. So it's like timeout. You know, we don't, A, the bad teams need all the help they can get. Cameras around their training camp does not.

help. And now the NFL's added a second All-access show mid-season. I don't like it. I like the access I get selfishly, but I don't think it's, I mean, the last thing the New York Giants need is more dysfunction. It's us seeing it. And camera, I don't care if you, you were the nicest family in the world. If you put cameras around your family for six months, they'd see some bad language and they'd see your temper and, you know, they'd see the authentic you. We all. We all go to work and smile and say the nice stuff and then you know we all have bad days and bad moments i have been amazed by the access HBO has and i don't think it's made joe shane the gm and the front office look all that buttoned up uh so they leaked their draft board so now it wasn't

in the pre draft so that's good but draft boards i had the great honor uh to be in the chargers draft board years ago and they color-coded. This, you know, character issues, injury concerns. They also have color codes for team leader, captain, great guy, can build around him. And that color coding got out. Now, it's not the end of the world, but it could be potentially if there's a character issue used against the giants and people on the internet, I haven't seen it, but the staff says that it's all over the internet today.

And so I think when you have the giant situation where you've got. an owner that's growing impatient. I believe there's a couple of things they do well. I think the coach is really smart. Their defensive line is a handful. Most of my life, the Giants have gotten the defensive line right. But, you know, we know now that they wanted to move off Daniel Jones, right? The first couple of episodes, that's probably not great for the confidence of Daniel Jones.

If Fox was doing some All Access show and I was hearing about my bosses, you know, we like this other guy, actually. We'd like to move up on the draft board and get this. Probably not great for my mentals and self-confidence. So the draft board leaking out. In the end, it's not the end of the world. It's no big deal. But it does confirm my feeling about the best teams in the NFL that they're really, really buttoned up and sometimes with the giants. And maybe this is unfair because they're giving up so much access.

They don't look entirely buttoned up. Again, you put cameras around everybody, you're going to get their worst moments. And it's not like HBO. They could do 8,000 hours of film, and they're going to use 28 minutes of it. So I understand that you're going to take the chaotic bites, but it hasn't always been great, in my opinion, watching it. Nick Wright, haven't talked to him in a while. First Things First Host. So I have been watching a lot of Olympics.

The other day, I was just glued to our men's gymnastics. team NBC I think has done a great job of storytelling. I've also watched the men's and the women's basketball. So let's talk about the men's team. If I said to you, what jumps off the TV, Nick? What to you has maybe surprised you or has been the thing that just is you can't unsee? Well, I mean, the best players are the oldest guys. I mean, LeBron has been the best player by far. KD. came back for one game. He He looked like the best player, played basically a perfect game of basketball, and Steph has been as consistent.

The only other guy who's even in the conversation is Anthony Davis. And so under this format, with rest between games, with these guys, I know KD obviously coming off, you know, an injury scare, but otherwise the guy's healthy. I really think that you can make the case that those are the best American-born players still. So that jumped out to me, and it's remarkable. Steph, LeBron, and KD are all older than Larry Bird was in the 92 Olympics when in the 92 Olympics was like, oh, that's old broken bird.

Well, LeBron, Bird was 35. LeBron turns 40 in a few months. Katie and Steph are 35 and 36. So that is in and of itself remarkable to me. The other thing that obviously has jumped out is, it wasn't a mistake to not play Jason Tatum. And I think people are looking at it a little wrong, which is Tatum is not competing with Drew Holliday or Derek White for minutes

because those guys have specific roles as defensive guards. He's obviously not competing with BAM A.D. or Embed for minutes, because those are the bigs, and Embedd's obviously been disappointing. He is competing with the wings for minutes, which means he's competing with LeBron James, who is better than him, Kevin Durant, who in one game certainly looked better than him, and then the question mark, Devin Booker. But with this shortened three-point line,

those long twos Booker loves so much are actually threes, and he's been excellent. And so I don't blame Steve Kerr for not playing Jason Tatum. It is just an odd few months for Jason Tatum where he final, I shouldn't say finally. He wins a championship and somehow winning the championship and then being on the Olympics, he might have a ring and a gold medal. And when people are doing their one through 10 NBA player rankings, they move Tatum down over the last couple months.

That's incredibly odd, but obviously it jumps out. I want to shift to the NFL, and I had said this earlier, the gap between the Alzheimer's and even very good players. And Tatum's a great example. very good player. The gap between an all-NBA guy and a legend, LeBron's Michael Kobe Shack. It's gigantic.

Here's the gap between Mahomes and everybody else. The top 100 players voted on by the players has come out. The Chiefs don't have a single player in the first 90. They are absurdly top-heavy. Chris Jones, Travis Kelsey Mahomes.

The Jets have six. The Dolphi. The orphans have seven. The crappy giants have two. Denver's got two. The Chiefs have none. And it's like he's become... The Niners who the Chiefs...

Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. The Niners who the Chiefs just beat in the Super Bowl have seven in the top 30. They have seven in the top 30. The Chiefs, you know, have... Now, to be fair, I, you know, I think Creed Humphrey should have been on there. I think he's the best center in football now that Kelsey retired. I think Trent McDuffie should... should have been on there. He was an all pro corner, but he wasn't.

Legerius Sneed, who's no longer on the team, was an all pro-caliber guy. He also was not on the top 100. So it's not even like, oh, but they had a guy who then left the team. Yeah, what they have is I think the chiefs have a lot of good young players and then the greatest player in the history of the league. Not the most accomplished, not the goat. I understand that. but the most talented, uplifting, make everyone their best self-player, and obviously a great

scheme to go along with it. And then you add Travis Kelsey, who is the greatest postseason receiver ever. Like that's receiver or tight end. The most prolific postseason pass catcher ever is Travis Kelsey, and Chris Jones, who is now the Aaron Donald's retired, the best-de-tackle in football. All of that comes together. You don't have to have. star team. Now, the Niners, on the other hand, do have an all-star team, and they have, according to

this list, one of the 10 best quarterbacks in football, quarterback ranked number 28 on the list. I think that's absurd on its face. I don't think there's anyone that actually thinks Brock Purdy is better than Matt Stafford, but he ends up higher on the list than him. And so, yeah, I mean, it was a little surprising to me that Creed Humphrey didn't make the list, but other than that, you kind of knew it would be Mahomes, Kelsey, and Chris Jones, and then a bunch of guys that folks, you know, tend not to, they either overlook or tend not to believe in until they're holding the trophy at the end of the year. So this is a little thing. I can just see it now. You're going to give me crap for this. But you shouldn't, because you're a great poker player,

and poker is about detail and precision and bluffing. So it's, you're a, you're a great poker player. And poker is about detail and precision and bluffing. So you're probably, you probably lie to me half the time. You're probably a great bluffer. Oh, no. Sure. Go ahead. So I said this years ago, and we have the video of it,

there was a moment with Dak Prescott. And I got crap for this, but he threw a cup over his shoulder, and it missed the garbage can. And he went and picked it up and put it in. Because somebody else was going to have to do that if he didn't. And I thought, he was a rookie. And I thought, oh, this is a guy. is a moment. He gets it. He's not a narcissist. He's not selfish. And he also knows, just be

respectful for the environment. So Caleb Williams talked to his teammates the other day. There's a story out. He said, guys, the locker room's a mess. Clean it up. You got janitors here doing all of our work. We're grown men. Clean this crap up. It's embarrassing. And one of his teammates came out, a veteran, and said, man, he gets it. Like, it's about the details. And I know this has a hat on backwards field to it. But I honestly, I looked at that with Caleb Williams and I went, it's

going to work. That, it's going to work on that. And look at you're laughing at me. You're already laughing at me. No, I'm not laughing at you. This is what I tell my youngest daughter sometimes. I'm not laughing at you. I'm smiling out loud. This is just,

I'm so happy with this. You can hear it. Like, no, because here is the thing. It is, this is one of those things you say, like the hat on backwards thing, that if the quote is pulled, you will have people attack you. And yes, in a way it is absurd, but also in a way, much like the hat on backwards thing, it is the exact mind frame that all of us use to evaluate people or personalities or actions. It's this, to me, I'm going to use not the apples to apples analogy, but I'll land the plane, I promise. I think that there is nothing more disqualifying about a human being that you could, you know, just casually observe than if they treat people in the service industry terribly. I'm like, oh, you just don't have you, you, there are things about you that I know I won't like, that I doesn't, there, I know, I know. I know.

know just from observing that one thing that you and I are going to be fundamentally opposed on a lot of things. So I think that is the same logic of, and I remember the DAC thing from eight years ago, which was, oh, it's not everything. And if he hadn't gone and picked it up, it would be, it wouldn't necessarily be a big deal. But it does give you a small window into who that person is. And Caleb Williams, who I do think one of the unfair knocks on him was going to be entitled, spoiled, diva. The fact that he is saying, hey, guys, let's not leave all of this to the janitorial staff or the trainer, not trainers, but the equipment managers. I do think that is a bit of a window. So I don't think that that is nothing.

I don't think it's ridiculous. now, there's a little confirmation bias for me, I'm sure, because I think the Bears are going to be excellent and I think Caleb is going to be great. But whenever, if people are watching this and saying that's ridiculous, I think a good test is always, well, what if the exact opposite story came out, how would you think about it? What if the story that came out is Bears locker room pretty pristine, except for Caleb Williams Stahl, which is a pigsty. Everybody's picking up after themselves, except for him. He's got old Gatorade bottles and dirty towels and all of it.

If that would be at least a little concerning for the franchise quarterback, then the opposite has to be at least a little reassuring for the franchise quarterback. Finally, well, maybe not finally. I said yesterday and the day before, and I got a lot of crap for it, I said, listen, if you pay your quarterback $55 million, I don't want an asterisk. There's no asterisk. With Tua, he's the only quarterback where, as long as he doesn't have to play in cold weather, I love him. Well, I can't pay a $55 million.

I saw the Kansas City game, and that's with Tyreek Hill, the best deep threat in the league. So Jordan Love may be young and raw, but there's no qualifying. He's got a whip. He can move. He's smart. Great at the podium. Coachable. Two has got an asterisk and not even the injuries. The last five AFC championship games are played in 33-degree weather with wind. I don't like the contract. It's double what I would have paid him.

Yeah. You tell me. So I don't listen. The love thing, let me start on love just quickly. Love is just very unique because we've never had a player get to the end of their rookie deal and seem to warrant this type of extension with this small of a playing sample. Yeah. And so the love, the love, but what we've seen is excellent, but there is a concern in the back of your head of, man, what if he just caught fire for two months? We don't have enough to,

you know, base it off of, but you had no choice. Tua, I feel like everyone knows what he is, and some people are just, I guess they feel like it's mean to admit it, which, which is he is a physically limited, undersized quarterback who has an ideal roster of weapons, an excellent offensive-minded head coach, and despite that, plays his worst football of the year against his best best opponents. Last year, the reason they had to go to Kansas City in round one was because Baltimore and Buffalo beat them in week 17 and 18. and he also, obviously, to your point, doesn't play well in the cold.

So to me, the Tua contract is bad on multiple levels. The first one is this. Even if you think he's good, Colin, does anyone think during this contract, he is going to be better than Mahomes, Lamar, Josh, C.J. Stroud, and I think I'm leaving one out that everybody loves. But that's four. Oh, Joe Burrow. Thank you, the Joe Burrow.

That's five. In his conference. That's not even to mention your guy, Justin Herbert, or my guy, Trevor Lawrence, throw all those guys out. Even his biggest supporters, I don't think, believe he's going to be top five in his conference. If you're not top five in your conference, then you're probably not going to be able to earn this contract. And the other piece of it that I think is just, to me, obvious, but a lot of people struggle with, is you don't have an obligation to pay a guy at this position based on what he's done. You have an obligation to your team to pay a guy based on what you think he will do.

Right. And by paying him, you know he's not going to have this type of roster or supporting cast around him long term. And so I would not have done it. I also, on the cold weather part of it, Colin, it is interesting. Not being able to play well in cold weather is a way bigger AFC problem than NFC problem. Because in the AFC, the best teams, the Bills, the Chiefs, the Ravens the last few years, Cincinnati the year before, the Jets, if JMAX is right and they get it together. The only team that's been consistently in the mix is Miami that is not outdoor cars.

cold weather. Houston, obviously, we'll see if they get there. They have a dome. The NFC, on the other hand, it's Green Bay and Philly are outdoor cold weather. Dallas is a dome. San Francisco's decent weather. Detroit's, well, the whole NFC North essential, or the NFC South, I should say, plus Detroit's a dome, Minnesota's a dome, the Los Angeles Rams. You might be able to play in the NFC and get through a playoff run without having to go outside. You're not going to be able to do that in the AFC unless Miami gets the one seed, and I don't think Tua has proven that he's good enough start to finish in the season to get a one seat. I want to circle back to something. This will be my finally. One of the things that struck me before what struck you was, oh wait, Anthony Davis

and LeBron, if you count the exhibition games, maybe the two best players. it is almost an indictment of the Lakers that the two best players in the world, AD has just been dominant. And LeBron's the best player. And my take is, they're not winning a playoff game? Like what? What was my take? It's like if I'm a Laker fan, if we just get a three, if we just get a third, what do you make of my perception there? So it's totally maddening.

I totally, it's an indictment on coaching. it's an indictment on roster construction and the Lakers, much like the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, has decided, you know what? We weren't close to good enough last year, so let's make no changes. And there has been a rush in the media over the last few years to prematurely downgrade LeBron's stature in the league

as far as his player ranking because it's like, oh, he's in year 19, oh, he's in year 20. He's in year 21. he's almost 40 years old. When LeBron is producing, not at the level he was a decade ago, where he was hands down the best player in the world, but where, again, the point I was making at the beginning,

take out Luca, Yokic, and Janice, those three guys. Is there a player alive who is obviously clearly better other than those three guys than LeBron James is right now? I don't think so. I think he's the best player on Team USA. If someone wants to say, well, Shea Gilges, Alexander, fine, I disagree, but fine, that would put LeBron at five. Anthony Davis has been healthy the last year and a half. He's been available, and the Lakers still can't get anything done.

And so, yeah, that is an indictment on Polinka. It's an indictment on Darwin Ham. Also, and I know they want a title with him, but these Olympics have not been great for Frank Vogel's stature either. It's like, well, I had LeBron and AD. Then I had Kevin Durant and Devin Bucker. I could do nothing the last few years with either one of them. They all seem to be pretty good at this stage. So yeah, it is an incredibly frustrating thing.

And one last point on this, Colin, because LeBron is locked in and emotionally super invested. I wonder if it is bouncing around in the back of LeBron's head, man, these might be the last really meaningful basketball game. of my life. Yes, yes. If he stays with the Lakers and they're clearly not making any more moves and his plan is only to play one or two more years, he might, while I'm sure he believes, well, maybe we can go further, I'm sure he is recognizing it's on the board that the highest stake games I play in the rest of my basketball life are these next few weeks in Paris. Yeah, it reminds me of Brady's last couple of years. They won the super, Bull. Then they had to move off people and they didn't have quite the roster. And it did feel like in

the biggest moments, you know, Tom still had it. Tom wanted you to know, oh, I could keep playing. I'm still, I don't have, I don't have the roster. I don't have the O line. But I'm the same way, I do think Tom at the end, the games for Tom and LeBron most of their career, they've prepared diligently for every game. But I do think at the very end, Tom and LeBron are like, like, no, these games actually mean more. I'm a, this, I want to. On that note, yeah, on that note, start to interrupt, but I know we have to go.

Just real, just the next time, because I know you and Tom at this point are, you know, personal, deep personal friends, close friends, you know, he hangs out on the couch, you guys chat. The next time you guys have one of your powwows, I know it's going to be about, you know, Cowboys Browns and his broadcasting on Fox in the NFL, carve out two minutes to get his take on that exact thing.

about his take on LeBron at this stage in his career. Because I don't know that I've ever heard Brady talk long form about LeBron, but those two guys and like maybe Lionel Messi are the only people in the world who really know what the other person's going through. I'd be super interested in that. So when you're talking with your buddy Tommy, who I know you call him off the air, like if you could ask him about that, that'd be helpful for all of them. Of his many hats, Nick is now a producer for the herd, which is...

Yeah, producing the herd. Yeah. Anything, the more you can do. That's what they always say, Colin. The more you can do. The great Swiss Army knife of my generation. Nick right. Good seeing you, buddy.

See you. All right. Bye. That is true. Messy, Brady, Aaron Donald. That's a pretty good class right there. There's a soccer guy. Yeah, a little pushback against these are LeBron's final hugely important games.

You think they're getting through, I mean, seriously. The Denver OKC. We're barely 500 at like the All-Star break and went to the finals. Let's not overreact. Yeah, but they also have one of the top three players in the world in his prime. What, LeBron and AD aren't one of the best duels in the league? LeBron's not in his prime. I don't know his Olympic performance said those are other fights.

Yeah, well, again, one game a week, two games a week with the best players. The NBA is a shlog. It's once you get out of your prime, it's 82 games. Olympics, all my teammates are great, and I play twice a week, against significantly inferior competition. South Sudan's only a 28-point underdog today. I don't know if you look at the line. That's a whole different ball games.

Conference finals two years ago. I don't think it's over for the Lakers. I know you guys want to shovel dirt on the grave of the Lakers. That's fine. Go for it. Not for me. I am not beloved in that building. You wanted to trade Anthony Davis like two weeks ago.

Now you're like, wow, he's a beast. Two years ago. Okay, okay. I'm willing to pivot and move off stuff as a new guy, new body, new durability, I like him now. New energy.

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One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the I-Hard Radio app. Search heard to listen live 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 IHard 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, filtered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only

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Jamack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, your buddy, Sean Payton, has a heated quarterback competition in Denver. So they move off Russell Wilson. Yeah. They draft Bo Nix.

They sign Zach Wilson, and they have the incumbent backup, Jared Stidham. Well, Zach Wilson was figured to be in the mix. I mean, he was running with the ones. All of a sudden, his, you know, He was skipped in the rotation for first team reps yesterday. Sean Payton chimed in. Look, we've got a plan. Yesterday, Beau ran with the ones, Zach with the twos.

Today, he said he was with the ones, so no news to announce there. I know you're looking for, but. Sean, just a clear call with Zach get time for once? We'll see. Looks like Bowenix is taking over the reins. What about Stidham? You'll be a backup. That's what you're supposed to say.

What about him? Well, 60 quarterbacks played. I have no problem with you carrying three quarterbacks. I got Stidham's, you know, he's a two or a three, but I got no problem with you, you know. You're going to use a backup at some point most teams in this league. Does look like Bonix has separated. The calendar doesn't even say August. I'll tell you right now, I think of all the teams in the league, the idea that, the idea

that Denver has the worst roster in the league. So, first of all, they arguably have the best corner and a top five safety. They have two backs. P. Rine, I think it's Williams, the other one. Giovante Williams coming off some injuries. And P. Rine. Capable tight ends. They have Mims Cortland Sutton and the rookie Franklin who Bow Nix played with.

They have an elite guard and an excellent left tackle and a brilliant offensive play designer and collar. This idea that Denver has no talent is nonsense. They have seven or eight elite players. Really high-end guys. How many guys in the top 100, though? Two, I'm kidding. Patrick Sertan, obviously. Bo Nix will be there by next year.

Oh, stop it. Goodness gracious. I know you love that guy, but goodness. That's over the top. All right, let's go to, oh, Miami. Things got heated at Dolphins Camp yesterday. No. And it wasn't just the temperatures in Miami.

It was a big scrum at a battle, and Tyreek Hill saw it as a positive. saying, I think the fight today was amazing. We need that. This is where you fight. And then after practice, Jalen Ramsey had a big speech about how the team needs to be the bully this season. Miami, talking tough, Colin, huh? Ah, scrappy.

I don't think fights at practice. I mean, I'm not rooting for them, but I'll make an argument that the NFL should reduce their preseason to two games. and elevate their inner squad scrimmages significantly. There's no reason for four games. They reduced it to three. I would reduce it to two. Listen, this has been my argument forever. College football has no preseason games,

and you're only allowed 17 hours of practice a week, and they figure it out, and in week one, they can play. These are kids with classes, girlfriends on campus, young immature players don't have any preseason. And LSU and USC seasons will be decided. decided to some degree at least the perception how good they are on week one. You could do no preseason to me. I don't think that'll ever happen.

But I would reduce the preseason and have more of these inter-squad practices. And when you do these inter-squad practices and you have like two to three, so you invite the Raiders in town for two days or the dolphins, that's when the fights break out. When you're playing, you know, you're playing guys practicing two and three times against the same guys. If the Giants do team practices with the Ravens, by the third practice, There's fights.

You don't want to practice the giants. They're garbage. You're not kidding it. You might as well do an inner squad squibbage. That's more competitive than the Giants. But let's just recap the dolphins offseason. Okay. Yeah.

Tyree Kiel says, I need to get paid more once Jefferson gets paid. Okay. Then next step. Tua is I need to get paid. The gets paid, show me the money. Yeah. And now Jalen Ramsey talking about being a bully. A lot of talk.

A lot of talk. A lot of noise. Out of these dolphins. have them as a playoff team. Well, I'm just looking at their depth chart here. So basically their best two defensive linemen, Philips and Chubb, they're coming off injuries. ACL and Achilles, they're

not even going to start the season. And Wilkins is gone. Wilkins is gone. So now you're potentially starting two rookies on the edge, chop Robinson out of Penn State and another guy they're like him, though. Colin, this defense is a joke. Like, it is terrible. Chop Robinson's going to play. He's got some

chops, right? He's good. I think he's pretty good. But the offensive line is spotty at best. I don't want to say the window's already closed because they were good last year. Remember, they were leading the division. AFCEs for a while. Well, they fell apart physically. They often fall apart late. As temperatures get cold, we've been over this.

It's not rocket science. I don't know about this dolphin scene this year. I can see things unraveling. Tyree Kiel unhappy, Jim Ramsey. Well, we also know, and this is, we know they're not Buffalo. So let's just eliminate that. Also, Cincinnati gets Burrow. Herbert gets Harbaugh, Trevor Lawrence gets his best roster, and Anthony Richardson's back.

Those wild card spots are going to be much more competitive this year. Last year it was Aaron Rogers got hurt, Burrow gets hurt, Herbert gets hurt. Last year, you could, may have been the last easy year for five years to get into the AFC playoffs. You could kind of slide your way into it. the guys that had bad coaches now have good coaches Trevor Lawrence has his best roster CJ Stroud year two

and the quarterbacks are all young other than Rogers you can still sneak into the NFC playoffs as a wild card maybe you know you're not a great team last year Green Bay was a bunch of kids and they got into the playoffs they probably don't in the AFC

but the AFC last year because of the quarterback injuries is the last team maybe it's not going to be The AFC is loaded, and the teams getting in are going to be really good as long as the quarterbacks mostly stay healthy. All right. Final story. Let's go to the Olympics, where Team USA has their second group play match here in about, what, 90 minutes against South Sudan. Yeah.

Obviously, they narrowly beat South Sudan in the exhibition game. But let's talk about Joel and B. Because he has not had a great Olympics. He only played 11 minutes in the opener against Serbia. He seemed to kind of pout during the media. media time there this week and said, this is a great setting for me because I'm playing with a lot of great players.

In the NBA, I'm used to being the guy. Now you've got to give it up, so I'm loving it. Adding, I really want to make sure I empower my teammates, so this is a great experience for me. He's being booed every time he touches the ball because he could have played for friends. Well, he's also been lousy for the offense. He's gotten in the way.

He's a ball stopper. With the Sixers, he gets the ball at the elbow. Same thing. And it's like, okay, what am I going to do here? Pass. He's like taking his time. Like that doesn't fly with this team. Somebody's convinced him that he's just a brilliant perimeter player.

And A.D. Was forced to go outside. The Lakers wanted him to become more perimeter. He didn't like it. He went back in and dominated. So some A.D. was shooting too many jumpers, moved in and back to dominate. To me, M.B. has got to be eight to 12 feet from the basket.

He's too often on the perimeter. Get him out of there. Yeah. I'll just say this. I don't think he's not going to. play at all in the second half today, but South Sudan has a lot of wings and guards and switches and threes. That ain't Embed. Embedd is a center. He is a seven-footer. He is not going to move great on the perimeter. I don't think this is a great matchup. I don't expect a lot of playing

time from him today. Don't freak out if he has a terrible game. He's just not having a great Olympic. Well, they also have AD and Bam, so they've got big. They've got size. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. 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, I'm Doug Gottlie. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the

interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Ghalib on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

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

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. 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 what you need to be.

Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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 Jette. And I'm Alex English. 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 y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of ton-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to bowl your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So the NFL players, they do this annually, vote on the 100 top players in the league. So, you know, quarterback is what we all stare at. So now, they're down to the first 90 players. Now,

Mahomes and Lamar are not in it yet. So I can assure you that Mahomes will be number one or two. I would imagine number one. Lamar will be somewhere in the top 10. So that will mean they have 12 quarterbacks so far. For our radio audience, I'll read this. They have Josh Allen as the third best quarterback in the league. So Lamar is going to be somewhere 2 to 11.

Mahomes will be number one. So quarterbacks in the NFL that are rated in this top 100, obviously it's all positions. So there's Josh Allen at 12. Jalen Hertz 15, DAC at 16, C.J. Stroud 20, Brock Purdy, the 28th best player voted on by players. Jordan Love 34, 2 at 36. Joe Burrow 39, Matt Stafford, criminally underrated at 42. Jared Goff, Ditto, at 48. Justin Herbert, likewise, at 75. Kirk Cousins, 81, Aaron Rogers, 92, Trevor Lawrence at 94. So, what does that tell you? It tells you so far, let's see, one, two. So far there are, is that 14, I'm counting?

And they've got two more coming. So 16 of the 100 best players will be quarterback, 16 of the one. And half the league. So half the league is working the phones and trying to find the guy. The other half has their guy. It's basically the easiest way to say it. Half the league, they got their dude. Half the league wants their dude.

And I don't really have a problem with the first three. Mahomes, Alan Lamar, put them in any order you want. I'm good with it. What do you make of, well, let me just ask you. Anything that jumps out to you, Jay Mack? Let's remind the audience that this voting took place like last November. And if you think around that time, there's a lot of questions, why aren't there more chiefs players? He didn't carve up the Cowboys.

Didn't love it. I didn't really done much. And by the way, the Chiefs at that time were not a juggernaut by any stretch. The 49ers were, which is why they have a ton of guys on the list here. I just noticed, Kyler Murray, you think he cracks the top ten? Your guy completely left off the top hunting. Yeah, well, let me just say this. He was injured last year.

Well, and the players a lot of times are good at playing. To have, you would admit, Stafford at 42 below Tua even you would acknowledge below Brock Purdy Dac Prescott? You have to remember last year Tua was on fire. They dropped

like 70 points on the on the Broncos. They were offensive machine like one of the all-time great offenses last year. Stafford last year was on fire in November 2. Good. He had a very good season last year. I think the bigger star was Puka and it was like

oh Pooka to Coo is better than Cooper Cup. And it was was less about Stafford. Yeah, listen, I can't get too worked up about these lists. No, I'm just throwing it. Are you fired up about it? Are you like angry? No, I'm not angry. Right now you've got 14.

You've got two more. What it's telling you is the players view Aaron Rogers as the 15th best quarterback in the league. You played four snaps last. Well, but again, remember, players, people have memories. It's not like, you know, this is actually, in fairness, I think Aaron's closer to 15th than one at this point in his career. I do not think if you go to his last year at Green Bay with a good O-line, with a good coach,

with good weapons. I don't think... What's he going to do this year? 3,500 yards, 25 touchdowns, like average numbers, right? I think he will look like somewhere between the 10th and 15th best quarterback. That's where I think he is at this point. I think the rest of the world,

except the players, have Aaron in the top six. I do not. I don't think that's why I think 40 years old, off-surgery, so-so committed off-season. I don't put him there. They're probably going to be a, we're going to run the ball a lot and win with defense. That's my guess.

This is not going to be Aaron Rogers, aaron it out 35 times a game. I just, I don't see that in the cards. CJ Stroud, sure, maybe. I mean, I think both of us think this morning, Jordan lover, Aaron Rogers. I think Jordan's better. Wait, wait, for this season?

Yes, no question. He's younger. He's got a better arm. He moves better. Don't have the injuries. He's more committed. All right, I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you. Not by a lot. I'm not saying the gaps, the Grand Canyon.

I'm saying when I watch Jordan Love play, his movement, his arm, dude can, he can spin it. Yeah, I wish we could pull. But by the way, our staff, excellent work here. Last 10 starts, including the playoffs between the two of them. And by the way, those numbers aren't particularly close. Nine of those 10 games are Packer games. So give me a break on Aaron.

them play. What if we extend it from 10 to, I don't know, 17, like a real season? Aaron, Jordan, Jordan doesn't even be, barely has 17 starts. Oh, interesting. Don't forget Aaron's first year as a starter, six and 10. What, want. You sandbag and son. I don't think I,

again, this is not a criticism. 40 years old off of surgery with a, with a rebuilt old line. But I'm just saying is, I think, again, Aaron's a first bout hallfamer. I think he's closer to the 15th best quarterback than the first. How's this? Aaron Rogers has stuff to prove this year. Yes.

I don't think Jordan Love does, right? He has a ride. Well, Rogers definitely does. Coming off the injury? Hour three in L.A. next. 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.

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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away,

such as the biology of tontons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, 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. It was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.