The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - Do the Eagles still have a shot?

Episode Date: October 22, 2024

Fox Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez joins the show in studio to breakdown the Eagles offense and why they can still contend for a Super BowlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Mark Sanchez, five minutes. We missed him. Hopefully he missed up. We've got a lot of stuff to talk about. Mark, by the way, called the Eagles Giants game. We got Eagle questions. He's got Eagle video. Because Jay Mack said he thinks they're a top 10 team.

I like so much about Philly. I like the roster. I just like a lot. The GM, the owner, the fans, they're a relentless progressive organization. I got my Nick Seriani issues. Maybe I need to get over it. And also,

Jerry Jones just calling out his coach. Let's go back to Eagles Bengals. They got a great game this weekend. I don't know what to do with that. I don't understand the line. Tell what the audience, what the line is. Bengals are favored by two and a half, and then I'm seeing three.

And I'm like... In Cincinnati. Yeah. They don't have a home field advantage there. They lost to the Patriots there in week one. I think they lost to Washington at home. That's a weird game. I kind of like the Eagles here, but I don't understand, like, who has the edge in this one.

Well, best quarterback since week six has been winning most of the games. Again, this weekend, the best quarterback last night won the game and the big game. And Mahalms over pretty. Best quarterbacks are now winning the games. But Eagle strategy last week, we're going to run Sequin down your throat, keep you off the field. You could do the same thing against the Bengals. Bengals run defense isn't great. I expect the Eagles to control the football and then a couple big plays here and there to AJ Brown.

It's a great game. I don't know what to do with that. Or Seattle versus Buffalo. Oh, that's a really good game. Yeah. I don't know. Seattle's really banged up. By the way, but Seattle's defensive front is now healthy.

Healthy. And they get a pass rush. Yeah. They were, when Seattle's healthy, they've drafted really well. It's just those guys been banged up first month and a half. Now the Seattle defensive interior linements healthy, Mephy's healthy. Now they got team.

Yeah. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens dismantled Baker and the Buccaneers last night in Tampa. At only 27 years old, it's refreshing that Lamar is never in need of that constant affirmation. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio. And with that Mark Sanchez, we missed him last week. He's got Eagle stuff in our second part of this. Mark Sanchez now joining us, Fox Sports NFL analyst.

Decade in the NFL, 4-and-2 playoff record. So we'll get to the Eagle stuff because that's fascinating, and you always bring it. Playoff record. You hear that, Jamie? Fascinating video. So I want to start with this. There's so much I like about Lamar.

But he has this label. You know, in the big games, and I'm like, well, Monday Night Football is a big game for a pro athlete. 20 touchdowns, no picks. I find him, I didn't like the game plan last year in Baltimore in the playoff game. It wasn't an anti-Lamor. I didn't love the game plan. They wouldn't run the ball, which they led the league in. Okay, whatever, I'm defending him.

But my take is, when I watch him, I think he is a big play, big moment guy. And it's growing. I think it's growing. Okay. His pocket presence is growing. his ability to get from one to two to three some of the things we're going to talk about with these other quarterbacks we're going to talk about today in this segment that's where your graduation and maturation has to occur can i get from one to two to three can i eliminate number one pre-snap and start on two

yeah to expedite my read because these guys are blitzing the heck out of us and i'm not going to have as much time as i did before or whatever can i stay out of some of these third and longs by just taking what they give me. I might have that 15-yard ball down the field. I might, but I know I got this five-yarder right here. He's starting to get there. And bottom line is, because of his success early on, you're only going to be judged by how he plays in the playoffs. So come AFC championship time, if he's playing in it, it's, okay, how did he do compared to last year? Did he get the ball off on third down? Did they run it on third and three instead of drop back and pass or whatever it was last year on third and two, third and one, whatever it was? And he drops back five steps and has to throw it down

field. People are like, well, just run him after all year saying he needs to learn out of throw. You know, so it's going to be that for him, no matter what, his benchmark is how does he perform in those big games, whether it's Monday night or in the playoffs. We were talking about this is Derek Henry was available to the market. Dallas needed him and passed. But I mean, he is. You are in this league. I don't know.

That's a tough one for me. That's a stretch for me because I know that's a big time narrative. You don't know if he's going to play that well there. they're not that dedicated to the run there their offensive line isn't playing as well as the Ravens there you know what I mean like you can't say this is just a guaranteed plug and play you don't know how much gas he has in the tank

Lamar's Lamar's weaponry makes Derek 100% and he makes Lamar better I mean those two back there it's like come on man how are we tackling either guy one guy you have to suit up for with like a medieval night suit the other guy you have to put on like some PF flyers and run like Benny the Jet Rodriguez from the sandlot like you can't how do you stop that how do you stop that

so um you know if good luck tackling that big guy remember like Brandon Jacobs I remember when guys would have to tackle that dude you're like oh I don't want to sign up for that nobody wants to sign up and the weather's not even cold yet oh do I'm leaning into that as 180 pound corner in December I'm good on that I'll be in the booth. So I watched, I said this last night watching Kyler and Justin. I feel bad

for both. Because you can say what you about Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison felt disengaged, Conner's a stud, and they're pro athletes, but it's not an ideal, you know this very well, who you inherit. And Mahomes is great, but the Hunt family, Brett Veach, Andy,

it helps. And I watched Justin Herbert last night. He threw for 349 yards. His number one target was Will Disseley. I know it didn't look like 3.49. You know what I mean? It was the most unassuming 350 or 3.45. I triple check before I went on the air today. I'm like, I watched the game. I know.

I know. When you read the stat line, it just didn't feel like it. I feel bad for him. I just feel like they're at a place right now when you don't have quite those playmakers, your margin for error is so much smaller. So the punch out at the goal line. Rigors. Has a huge effect on the team, the momentum. Like, you need all those plays to bounce your way. Not the other way. And when those plays happen,

I mean, this is like, what a punch. Are you kidding me? That's an epic punchout. And then also just a classic mistake by a guy not being prepared right there at the goal line and not securing it. So it's hard. I mean, but then what do you say? Can we really, who are we going to go get? Who's coming to help out?

Deontay Johnson and Carolina? Like, they're one in 16. Like, maybe they go snag him, but he wants new contracts. So is it worth that kind of back and forth? Is Quinn Johnson coming back? Like, where are we going to go? Who's going to show up and help this team? Or, hey, you kind of look around, burn the boats, Cortez style, and just say, hey, man, this is what we got.

Figured out. That kind of feels like that's a hardball move. I mean, that I wouldn't be shocked. We call them this week, so I'm curious to see what the sentiment is there. But that has been his MO, right? He's going to bring the toughness. He's going to bring the energy. The quarterback is going to be a part of the run game.

the quarterback, he's going to try to take some of the load off the quarterback's shoulders and make sure that the run game's really rocking, you know, that's his thing. And so if that's the way it is, then you don't need premier wide receivers in their eyes potentially to make it look like the way you want it to look. Between him and Coach Greg Roman, who's, you know, those guys have had great success with Lamar, with Josh Allen, young Josh Allen, who ran the ball more, with Colin Gapernick, who ran the ball at a time. So, okay, is that what it's going to look like?

Maybe. There's a lot to break down. Anytime you're playing Mahomes, Andy Reid can make everybody look small. He's so adaptable. I mean, Shanahan, you come out of that, you're like, boy, he's no Andy Reid. He's still a great coach.

Brock Purdy didn't have a great Sunday. Even on a couple of big completions, it felt like he under threw the ball a little bit to the cowling kid. That would have been six. What did you see that I didn't pay attention to? I think turnovers are a big deal. the three picks are huge.

That's three possessions right there. I think the other thing is he's feeling the lack of talent around him. He's feeling these guys starting to drop out of the rotation. And he's got to make more plays. Forget the star-studded cast that he's got around him. Who's protected for that guy? You've got a rookie right guard. Trent Williams, you're trying to figure that out, been in and out of the lineup.

You know, what does that look like up front? And they've been going through that, even last. year in the Super Bowl. Remember, they had Burford at right guard, Feliciano, right guard, rotated those guys. Where did the pressure come from in the Super Bowl to win the game? He's got a wide open, Juan Jennings, to win the game and have a Super Bowl ring on his finger. And Chris Jones comes right through the A gap. In the biggest play, in the biggest game of his career so far, you know what I mean? So I think it's more protection related. I think these other guys, they're going to scheme them up to get open. The good coordinators are going to scheme these guys up

to get open. I don't care who the receivers are. We'll try and make it work. We're going to get our pick routes and rub routes and we're going to steal some routes to the back. The back's going to have 90 catches. Like, okay, fine. We'll figure that out. But I think up front, he's had to move more than normal, and now he starts to press a little bit. And that's a classic mistake of any quarterback when you have to press. You're making these throws. You're trying to do it with your arm. You're trying to do it with your legs. And that's where the pick start piling up instead of just taking the losses. Sometimes those small losses taking the sack, falling down, throwing the ball away, as boring as it is, okay, let's just try and live to see another down. Maybe they throw us a pick.

Maybe they fumble. Maybe they jump off sides on first down, boom. Now we got them. We got them backed up. We got field position. Maybe we return a punt for a touchdown. But you don't know if you give it away. And so I think that's kind of what the mode he's gotten into.

And, you know, that's something you coach out of a guy. You work through it with him and remind him of exactly what you're going to. what you have and it becomes a new formula to win the game. Cowboys and Eagles, we address both with Mark Sanchez next. 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. 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.

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And it's a fascinating team because this week, Jay Mack and I, the one game that's confusing, is Burrow and the Bengals at home against the Eagles. It's a huge game for Philadelphia. It is for Cincinnati, but I've been saying that for a month and a half. So let's talk. I've said all week is I like so much about Philadelphia. And the coach worries me. Regression from Hertz worries me.

But owner, GM, roster, receiver. Boy, A.J. Brown is something else. He's unbelievable. He's unbelievable. Very few teams feel like they're different with a receiver. Like, he leads the team. All right, so let's start with the first tape on the Eagles. Yeah, so I think a lot of this is footwork-driven.

I want you to understand that both of these plays that I'm going to show you are consecutive plays. One's a third and three. One's a fourth and three before they break this game open and beat the Giants. I think it's important for footwork, eyes, and timing. We talk about that a lot for quarterbacks. I think a lot of these things, when we used to get graded as players, you just get a plus, a zero, or a minus.

Zero is just, you did your job. A plus is like, wow, you went above and beyond. And a minus is, hey, I said three steps on footwork and you went five or you hitched too many times or whatever it is, right? And that would be for throw, like your actual accuracy of the throw, your footwork, and then your decision or your read, right? So you'd get three grades.

What you'd prefer is all three zeros or three pluses or a mix of zeros and pluses, if that makes sense. So if we roll this first clip, This is a classic man-to-man beater on third and three. It's called Mesh. You hear everybody say it a lot, but you get receivers picking for receivers or rubbing for receivers. But you get in these condensed formations. You force teams to designate that they're in man-to-man across the board.

And what kind of man-to-man you have to decide. Is it a four-man pressure or is it this? Man with a whole player or a plugger. We're going to call them a whole player. But I want you to focus on the footwork. What I prefer in Mesh is a burn-em-up five. quickest five steps you got in your footwork grab bag of feet right that's what i want not bouncy bouncy bounce i want a defined drop and i want your eyes to go to the rail route he's number one and

he's your alert remember he's the outside lane of the track so the inside linebacker is going to cover that rail route a j brown's going to run the shallow and pick for devonte smith coming through yeah so remember what i said about the outside lane and track he looks like he's winning the race but here comes McFad and the linebacker inside and he's going to catch up ground quick, then these two are going to pass like two ships in the night. That's the big deal right here on this play, and

he's supposed to spring Devonte Smith. AJ Brown is playing love of the game right now. This is like running the go route out the back of the end zone kind of thing. Like, you're helping your buddy spring him open. Jalen Hertz locks on to Gainwell on this railroad up the sidelines

and locks and locks and it never gets unlocked. It never, this shallow route by Devante Smith comes right into your vision. Gainwell's just a little extra sauce out there, and then he tries to throw to Devonte Smith late, and you're just, you know, I'm scratching my head in the booth like, dang, third and three man to man with the whole player, and they get that play called? Come on, baby, that's automatic. You know what I mean? Like if you're, if you're seeing it right, if your footworks right, if your eyes are right, that's a no-brainer, and Devante Smith is out the back door. Okay, watch this next play. Just so you remember, right, those two shallows and that middle hook,

player, that middle hook route, that makes a triangle. So this time, fourth and three, very next play. Look at the safety. After the motion, he's banging on his quads, on his thigh pads. That's telling the guy quads, quadricep muscles. We're playing quarters. Now, what's quarters? They're going to divide the field into four pieces. It's one big pie. Everybody gets a, 25% of the pie. The reason we put those safeties in red is because they have help on run. They have to help and run support. and they also have to help on some of these middle sit routes like we're going to see from Calcutara again. That's part of their job. So the corner is essentially going to be on an island like man to man.

And now he's got the go ball and the post. That's what he's worried about. The last play, remember, Gainwell was up the sidelines. A.J. Brown had the shallow, right? He's going to run across the screen. This time they just flip their responsibilities. Now the back's on the other side. A.J. Brown's going to have the go route.

the back's going to be part of this triangle again. Yeah. Coming out of the backfield. And then AJ Brown's going to be sprinting up the sidelines. And you're going to go press him one-on-one. You can go press AJ Brown like that. So there's your alert. Instead of the back coming out of the back field, now this is your alert.

Now watch these three guys make this triangle. Remember Phil Jackson and the triangle offense? Yeah. Same thing. Second level oblique stretch triangle read. There's a triangle. Isosceles the equilateral. Take your pick.

I don't care, right? back to geometry. But one, two, three. This ball's got to come out. And it comes out early, and he takes his alert on fourth and three. Look at where this ball is. He's getting pressure in his face.

Ball goes up the sideline about 40 yards down the field. And he converts a fourth and three. When the play before, he had the shallow walking out the back door for an easy first down. So what does it tell you? So there's physical traits there that are elite.

The deep ball throw is elite. Him to AJ Brown on deep balls is just unreal. But it covers up some of the issues with reading a defense, with getting through your progression, with nailing down that footwork. Because if he starts to do that, once he does that, this dude immediately will jump to the top 10 in the league in quarterbacks.

But until you're there, like there's other guys I want that can process better at this point in his career. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is there a guy there that can help him get there and kill him more? 100%. He helped Dack.

He helped Justin Herbert. Like, this guy can get him there. But until I see those things, those easy reads start to happen, I'm going to run the ball 45 times. Yeah. And that's what they did. And that's going to be their formula to win until that takes the next step. We talked about the maturation in the pocket. We talked about Lamar Jackson, all that.

It's that kind of incremental development and growth that you got to see from Jalen Hertz. Because he has the physical tools. I mean, are you kidding? He can run it. Yeah. He can throw the deep. throw us one of the best feetballs. That's why we compared them to Russell Wilson last year. Right.

They're very similar players. I want to end with this. So generally a good owner is going to support his people, even if he doesn't believe it. Right? You just in the middle of a season, you don't want to disrupt the flight. You don't want any

bumps. No doubt. Impulsive owners are trouble. Off-season fine. In-season, just steady the ship. So Troy Aikman says the Cowboys run bad routes. Mike McCarthy is those words don't mean anything. Jerry Jones came out this morning and doubled down on Troy Aikman saying, boy, you have to listen to Aikman. That guy is credible. I'm like, okay, that's a bad sign. It just gets noisy. It's just noisy. It's stuff I don't want to deal with. And not just as the head coach,

it's the quarterback right there. Like, I don't want to have to deal with that. I don't want to have to answer questions about that in the press conference. You know what I want to do? I want to watch the tape. Like we just watched and figure out, was my footwork right, where my reeds right? not what one of our greatest quarterbacks ever has had to say about our franchise currently this year. And I've dealt with it. I mean, Joe Namath would come out, you know, guys who played for the Jets before would come out and be like, oh, well, these guys can't do this because of X, Y, and Z. And then the very next day, you've got to go answer the question.

Of course, you sign up for it all. You're the quarterback, you're the leader. You got to handle it. But it helps when the owner, head coach, quarterback, everybody else is kind of rowing the boat in the same direction. You know, that makes the quarterback job a little bit easier. So you'd prefer that. especially during the season. But, you know, what's, what's McCarthy going to say when he gets hit up about it?

And then once again, it's a lot like the cadence thing. Remember, we talked about with Sala and Rogers and all that kind of stuff, when one guy gets the question and gets a response but hasn't conferred with the other party that's about to get the same question and they're not on the same page, it's kind of like, that's a little tough. Yeah. It's tough for me. That's the way it goes.

There's no excuses. But when you take those two sound bites and, you know, you know, you're not. neither of those two had a chance to talk. It's like, you know, it's like a police investigation, right? They're not going to let the two culprits sitting, you know, like, okay, you guys get your story, right? Then tell us the answer. Right.

So I can understand both sides. Everybody's got a job to do, but it's nice when everybody's at least rowing the boat in the right direction. All right. You have Saints and Chargers. I am not supposed to root. I'm supposed to be above it all, but I'm watching Justin Herbert last night, and I find myself, I'm empathetic to his plight because I'm not. I think in life when you're a young person, where you land has a significant impact on how you perform.

No doubt. I mean, you can say that for Rattler too. Like, hey, man, there's a big opportunity for you, but no Shahid. No, Lave. No, Lave. You got, like, where are we going here? So it's, there's a lot to deal with as a quarterback, and it's not always pretty. So we'll see how both these guys do.

Great job. Have fun this week. Yes, I appreciate it. All right. J-Mack with the news. No. No. This is the herd line news.

I just started with Tua Tungavalawa, who returns to practice tomorrow after he was placed on the IR and out of action since September 12th with that concussion. The hope is Tua will play Sunday against the Cardinals. That's obviously a big one. Miami's not totally out of it yet, Colin. They can come back with Tua in that offense. But here's Tua talking about his return with the media yesterday. I think the brain is, it's just very, there's just a gray area when it comes to that. If you do know that you're going to get long-term, you know, disease from it, or if you're not,

I just think there's a lot of gray with it. For me, this is what I love to do. This is what makes me happy, and I'm going to do it. I appreciate your concern. I really do. I love this game, and I love it to the death of me. That's it. So this is, Colin, a little bit troubling.

Listening to Tua, a gray area when it comes to the brain. Dr. Tunga Vailoa, can you please be a football player and not tell us about the brain? Like, I don't like what I'm hearing from him. I'm rooting for him. But, Colin, this is a little troubling if you ask me. Yeah, I mean, listen, these professional athletes start at 5, 6, 7 years old. Often a dad is a coach or a dad is an athlete. this is their life

and they dedicate it, they give up social, they don't go skiing, they don't hang out at the lake with their friends, they become athletes at nine years old or younger. This is who they are, it's who they're defined by, and I get it. I don't care if it deteriorates my life, I want to play.

Dad's a high school football coach. I may not agree with it, but I also can do this for 50 years. You can play for about eight years of prime. NFL careers are four and a half years. He may have one great, this is the last chance. My guess if he gets another concussion,

Miami's going to be like, we're done, this could be his last chance. I get it. If he gets another concussion, I mean, there's some ugly scenarios here where if he gets another concussion, it's really, really bad. I mean, just Colin. I don't know. I mean, I'm rooting for two, but it's a scary proposition.

Let's go to the next story, and that's the Detroit Lions. Listen, big win over the weekend, and now they get bad news. Reports are claiming Jameson Williams, their explosive wide receiver. He's facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy. Obviously, they'll be okay without him against the Titans this weekend,

but they will need him against the Packers in Green Bay in two weeks. That's a huge game. James is always stepping into something wrong all the time. Well, also, because people in their division, DJ Moore is a deep threat, Justin Jefferson's a deep threat, Reed and Romeo Dobbs are a deep threat, Detroit is a physical team with a better run game. But if everybody in your division can get that over-the-top quick score, you want to have it too. So although he's not an essential part in our view, we look at their O-line and golf and the run game and the tight end and Amar on St. Brown.

But a deep threat, you get to the NFC playoffs. Minnesota's got one. Green Bay's got one. San Francisco did have one now with IUC out. They don't. It's a big deal. By the way, Philadelphia's got one. Washington's got one.

Yeah, I mean, I like the lions. I'm rooting for them. I've got buddies who have been praying this team goes to the Super Bowl. If you stack up the skill position players, lions, Vikings, Packers, if you want to put Niners in there, whatever, Eagles. The lions are kind of down the list. They don't have receivers, Colin. After Amar on St. Brown, I'm surprised they haven't traded for anybody.

Cooper Cup. Stop. Played with Jared Gough. I haven't seen where you're hearing this from. Come on, they're not moving off Cooper Cup. Cooper Cup. Cup, according to multiple sources, is the Rams are taking calls. They want to get a second round pick in next year's draft.

They already have two threes. They have a first and two threes. Now, my guess he's only going to fetch a three. Well, first of all, he's not even healthy. You know, we don't know, but. These stories are being confirmed that Cooper Cup. You get Jared Goff, Cooper Cup? That's a big time get.

To me, that's the fifth. What is that? A 10% chance happening? Come on. The Rams are going to hand the Lions Cooper Cup. Why do they do that? By the way, he plays half the games. What do I care?

We're not in the Lions' galaxy right now. We have to rebuild parts of our offense. Well, they weren't last year. They got hot, and then they met the Lions in the playoffs. I would be shocked. But I do think the Lions need to. This is their all in time, man. Go get a receiver.

Go get an edge rusher. Final Story, Colin, is the NBA season. Tips off tonight. Lakers in action. There's another game, Celtics, I believe. Tomorrow night, though, the Sixers play. Oh. They host the Bucks.

as we alluded to earlier. Oh, excited. I can't wait to watch that tandem of Paul George and Embed. They are both officially out for the season opener. Now, there's also a report that Embed's likely to miss the second game as well. Oh, shocker. Okay. There's actually uncertain on O'Jolumbed's timetable to return.

Ambide told Darrell Mori at Media Day, we've got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason... Oh, okay. I'm healthy. As I pay for my season tickets, I got Philly season tickets, Eagle season tickets, Sixers season tickets, and he's just going to push it off to May. Well, just play 50 games and then be ready for the playoffs. Oh, okay.

NBA wonders why it has a problem. What's the problem? People like to see stars when they pay for an NBA. There's a lot of stars in the NBA. No, well, if you don't have MB, that's your biggest one. You got Tyrese Maxie out there. Why are you laughing? Maxie's your guy. He is my guy.

You've been hyping for a while. You're just being snarky. No, no, I should have bet the Sixers'Ce. season win total under, knowing that... Now, by the way, that Clippers game, is Kauai available? You know the answer to that. This has been like a five-year problem, and they casually dismiss it. It's a star-driven league.

NFL's not a star-driven league. It's a tailgate league. It's like, my quarterback's ready to go. Everybody knows half your team's hurt. Oh, by the way, producer Zach and Martin noted here that Embeded said he would never play back-to-backs in the rest of his career. Holy hell. And Paul George, he has not seen the court since...

injuring his knee on October 14. You can't take him seriously as a title team. That's fine. We got the Knicks. Nick Celtics and the Eastern Conference finals. No, I'm all in on Celtics, Nix, Nuggets, OKC, Minnesota. Those are my five. You know, we've got the Yankees in the World Series.

I'm excited. We had a shot at the Jets in the Super Bowl. That ship has sailed. And now we got a shot at the Knicks in the NBA finals. It's coming up. New York, baby. Sure it is. I haven't heard that in a while.

Everything's coming up New York. All right. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Live News. NBA season starts the night Rachel Nichols next. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. 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. Bet it in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, 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 where 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-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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

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 taun 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 Bo Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on Earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. 1993 Rachel Nichols, Fox Sports NBA analyst. Okay, so I think let's go with the big headlines.

J.J. Reddick, year one, LeBron and Brony, what do we expect? Yeah, well, tonight you can expect Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. to be in the stands when LeBron and Brunney make their debut as teammates officially. There's no plan that's been publicized about when or how they'll be out on the floor together. technically maybe they wouldn't be out on the floor together because they haven't said, but you've got to expect with all the expectations of the fans, the franchise, LeBron himself, and the Griffey's being in town, that we will see the two of them on on the floor together.

It's going to be interesting long term to see how JJ Redick manages all of those expectations during the preseason. We had fans in every venue they went to on the road at home calling for Brony in the third quarter if he hadn't played. Other players hear that. JJ's going to hear that. It'll be interesting to see how much. much Bronny plays with the big team, how much he plays in the G League, but JJ Redick has at least

so far shown an ability to manage all of that. And he's really made steps with the team in a few other directions too. Last year we heard players complaining about uncertainty, guys not knowing exactly what their roles were, the lineup changing so much, the game plan's changing so much. JJ has preached organization since the moment he got there, very clearly defined conversations with the guys, this is what I want you to do, this is what you can rely on, This is around the minutes I expect you to play. So guys have really opened up to that and they just feel a little bit more stable. Also, he said at his opening press conference, I believe in math.

And we know what that means. That means three is more than two. The Lakers were the third lowest team in terms of taking three-point shots last season. JJ, of course, is a former three-point shooter himself, has a very different attitude. We've already seen them improve and increase that in the preseason, and I would expect more of that this year, too. Okay, Boston trying to do something hasn't been done what? since the Warriors, they should be favorites.

I haven't felt any turbulence in the offseason. I mean, Porzingis' health is something you monitor. Your thoughts on that. Yeah, I mean, look, we don't expect to necessarily see Porzingis until 2025, and guess what? Hasn't mattered for this team at all. They had a historic, historic pace that they were winning at last year, and some of the numbers they put up didn't quite match that old Warriors team,

but still really got close in a lot of their wins and sort of records they set. And then, of course, in the playoffs, they were a tornado, one-for-one in the finals. So they're returning the whole team. Everybody knows what their roles are. Despite being a title team, some of them are a little chippy still. Jason Tatum heard everything that everyone said about him during the Olympics. They're still kind of young, by the way, except Horford. The window is way open.

You know, this team has depth. So a guy like Pershinga's not playing doesn't matter as much during this part of the season. To me, they are the heavy favorites again. And I always give credit to the champ no matter what. but in this case, I think that they have all the ingredients to repeat. The big question is always in the NBA is it's a long season. These guys played all the way through the finals last year. A bunch of them played in the Olympics this summer.

And so then you have to wonder, are they going to get worn out? You know, knock on all the wood with health. But if there was a catastrophic injury to one of those guys or even just an overuse injury that lingers, that could be something that sort of, you know, derails them a little bit. But already they look so good in the preseason again, I expect. them to have a great season. So I thought the Knicks, and you do this, I think they built themselves in the offseason to face the Celtics. They got cat for size, because Porzingus is an issue. Mikhail Bridges can do, he can defend. If you're facing Tatum, the Celtics got Derek White

Tatum on the wing, you need more wings. I don't know. I don't, listen, New York's had a bad decade of sports. I think the Dodgers will beat the Yankees. But I look at the way the Knicks are built. think they built a roster to beat Boston, and I think it's going to be formidable. Yeah, I mean, Jalen Brunson came out and said that. He said, we are all building to beat and chase the Celtics. So you are absolutely correct. Mikhail Bridges comes in, that wing defense that he provides, along with Josh Hart is going to be crucial against guys like Brown and Tatum and Derek White and that whole crew. So I think there's no question that they are looking to do that. And Kat, of course, gives them an offensive boost. He already has a good nickname, Colin. You know,

the corner markets and stores in New York are bodegas, and they always have those little cats hanging around looking for extra scraps or stuff. So people in New York call them bodega cats. So, of course, we now have bodega cat, which Josh Hark just calls them the big bodega. So chemistry is obviously going well there. The concern with them is, in bringing these guys in to fortify themselves against a team like the Celtics, they traded away a lot of their depth. So this team that last-

DeVangelo was a real catch-and-shoe guy last year. And just guys, you know, you'd have guys go down. Remember during the playoffs, it was, well, next man up, next man up. Some of those next man aren't here anymore. So it's going to be interesting, especially with the way Tibbs plays the starters with just a few minutes to see what happens there. So I think it's fascinating. I never understood the cat, Rudy Gobert, tandem, but it worked. Okay.

Now they move off Cat, who's talented, but sometimes felt like that's not what Aunt needed. So you go get Julius Randall, who is productive. he's a pro, haven't loved him in postseason basketball. I'm fascinated to watch. Aunt, I don't even count Gobert on the offensive. It's an Aunt Julius Randall offense. Julius can be a little ball, dribble-centric. What do we think about, I mean, you were with Aunt in Paris.

I mean, how do you think it works? I think it's going to work. I actually am very bullish on this Wolf's team. I think they could easily get to the finals if things fall, right for them. Anthony Edwards is such a star. We saw that last season. Then he was in France with this Olympic team and you should have seen

him. He was a sponge the whole way through. That's a cliche. We say that thing all the time. But when Kevin Durant spoke, it was like God was speaking to Anthony Edwards as far as he was concerned. And you've already seen him apply some of those lessons that he picked up in Paris. He's been more vocal in huddles on the sideline during this preseason.

And now we just have to see if he's willing or ready to take that extra step of just sort of the sophistication of a number one player. So we saw toward the end of the postseason, he got tired with all of that attention on him, right? Some of his decision-making when the defenses were really pressing down on him

wasn't at that championship level. And it was all fine because he's so young and so talented. But this is the season, he's got to refine some of that stuff. And Julius Randall, man, he's in the contract situation this year where he expects to perform and needs to deliver for his next deal.

So I think we'll see some good things out of him too. Yeah, he's a worker, he's productive. I like him as a player. he feels a little old school in the three-ball world, but he is productive. So you spent some time last week with Clay Thompson. So I would argue, you know, underrated is sometimes chemistry. And Clay Thompson is so chill. He may be a perfect fit with intense Luca.

And I would say at times some maintenance, Kyrie, your take on the clay fit. He's pretty chill. He doesn't need publicity. he's a catch and shoot. He doesn't need the ball. It could be a good fit. No, I mean, on paper, this is very encouraging. Personality-wise, you are absolutely right. He just fits in great with those two guys

and the rhythm that they established last season with each other. And, you know, Luca is the established Alpha, Kyrie very audibly conceding to that and sort of making a point about his role on the team. And Clay fits right in with that as well. Now you have even more guys with championship experience in that team. So where they want to go and win a title, you have a guy in the voice in the locker.

room who can tell them how to get there. We haven't seen so far yet with Clay what we had hoped for, which is that real comfort on the court. That is not back. But it might take a while. That's okay. And hasn't played with Luca a lot because of injury stuff. So I just think that we still have to see people who are already writing that off is like, see, it's not working there either. I think they're way early on that. I think that there's a lot of room to go with that partnership and how it's going to look. And Luca would like to win an MVP this year that is definitely on his mind and on the table. So we'll have to see how the whole thing. team sort of gels around him because he can't win an MVP if they're the number six or seven seed.

So we'll see where that goes. All right. We only have 30 seconds. 90 seconds. All right. Alex Caruso, Hartenstein's banged up from the Knicks, but Alex Caruso is a low-level big ad for OKC. I think my gut feeling is they end up in the finals against Boston or the Knicks. OKC, what do we know?

I like all of your thoughts here because I think they're going to be the number one seat again, women that's all said and done, and they absolutely could end up in the finals. They've had some playoff experience. Carusel is a dog. He'll defend. And he has a ring. I mean, like, these guys, you know, are ready. And Chey Gildress Alexander is ready. And he wants the MVP this season.

And certainly could get it if the Oklahoma City Thunder progressed the way that we expect them to. This is not a young, scrappy team anymore. Yeah. They're still young, but they're actually talented enough. Well, they had them scrappy. They added, they added classic sort of been around the block, overachieving

dude. I know Hartinstein's banged up, but Oklahoma, Sam Presti's built and they got a million draft pick still. I was going to say, they could still make a big move if they wanted to. If the right guy became available before the trade deadline, they still have all the assets to do something like that. And Hartinstein, yes, it's not

ideal that he starts the season, you know, sitting out, but it'll be fine. This is not an injury that you worry about for the whole season. Rachel Nichols, back in the fold for us. Great to see her. NBA begins tonight. We'll see you tomorrow. 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 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to Look Back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to The Clivert Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Keer Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need,

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