The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - Jim Harbaugh's future

Episode Date: January 9, 2024

Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt joins the show to talk about Michigan win, Jim Harbaugh's future, and the state of college footballSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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 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 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific.

Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day in the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Well, the SEC's long run is over. Jim Harbon, Michigan National Champs. Joel Clatt, voice of college football for Fox Sports. He's got the Joel Clat Show, college football podcast, wherever you get your podcast. So we had said we thought Washington, Texas match that well. Washington, Michigan was a different ball game.

The game kind of looked like a lot of people thought it would look. I mean, it did in a lot of ways. I thought I give Washington a lot of credit for actually making it the game that it was in the middle part of the game because it looked like Michigan was going to run them out of the building, to be honest with you, and literally and figuratively there early. Michigan

does such a good job, and I know this is in the weeds, but when you talk about stopping the run, you've got to have what's called gap control, a player for every single gap in the offensive front. And what Michigan does better than anybody else in the country is if there is one guy outside of his gap, they exploit it.

Bam, and that's what you saw in those big runs early in the game. And then ultimately, this is the stat that just jumps off the page to me. And this is why I think Jesse Minner is going to have an incredible future. Washington with Michael Pinnock, Adunze, Polk, and McMillan, all healthy, all ready to go. 13 possessions, 13 points. Masterful job on the defensive side.

And obviously that started with those defensive tackles and their ability to win the line of scrimmage. Yeah. So, you know, Harbaugh's legacy at Michigan, he won 10. We were both there for the first game. He beat Utah. Yeah. 10 wins first year, national championship, final year.

What's his legacy from what he took over to what he finished? I don't see how he's anything short of a Schembeckler-esque legacy. I just failed to see why his legacy wouldn't be up there with the greats in the history of Michigan football. Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carroll, Harbaugh. Well, and that's, I'm just talking about Michigan, but at the college level, I've said this, for a long time. Jim Harbaugh is one of the very rare coaches that have had

success at both levels. It doesn't happen all the time. And now he's proven that he can be the best coach in college football. He's proven that he was within a snap of the Super Bowl. Jim Harbaugh right now is a top three to four football coach

any level on the planet. Yeah. And all these agendas and all these haters, it's been a bad year for the Lamar Jack and Jim Harbaugh critics. You know, I said this before, but his family is very close. Yeah.

The Chargers is the best job available, but Washington's interesting. The parents can move, Baltimore, Washington, see their grandkids. He doesn't have it to face his brother. He's uncomfortable with that. He can go to Washington.

That division's got Jalen Hertz, Dak, Daniel Jones. He gets the number two pick. Washington has the most cap space. Chargers, I think we both agree with Herbert. It's a really good job. Sure. Short term, that's, I mean, that would be the obvious place to go. Washington's not terrible.

I don't disagree with that. I think those are the two locations that he will look at the most. And, of course, you know, he's got an extension on the table that will make him one of the highest, if not the highest paid college football coach in the sport. Now, what he's going to have to weigh is, does he want to deal with the ridiculous and inept NCAA, or does he want to go and try to prove that he can actually complete the mission at the next level and win the Super Bowl and be one of these guys like Pete Carroll and Jimmy Johnson that can win it at both levels? I think it's an interesting question. You know, he loves Michigan.

He is Michigan in so many ways. And he loves, it's such a fascinating year because I've called, well, let me back up for a moment. I've called 16 of their games since 2021. Michigan. Michigan games, 16 of them. And so I've been around him a lot, probably more than any other analyst in the sport. And I can tell you that this transformation over the last three years, he is a much more jovial, happy, and communicative coach than he ever was before. He genuinely loves his players.

He genuinely loves Michigan. And he genuinely did not understand what in the world was going on with this investigation. I met with him constantly and he would he would be like I don't get it. They've searched my phone. They've searched my laptop. What more do you want? I'm telling you the truth is the way that he went through this. And so I think his level of or I should say his desire to stick around and deal with the bureaucracy of the NCAA is next to nothing.

Let me put it to you this way. He got a notice. The program got a notice of allegation. what was it two weeks ago last week about that stemming from the quote unquote recruiting violations a kid showed up at their building during a COVID dead period and you know

they fed him and then apparently there was some analysts that were on the field when apparently they shouldn't have been on the field during a practice and then the NCAA is claiming that he was not forthright with information and so on and so forth and so they said notice of allegations that's illegal meanwhile

there's still rules about inducements on the book on the books with the NCAA. You cannot pay a player to come directly to your school. And this signing period, I saw players roll up to their signing day. They haven't signed.

Not supposed to have a dollar. In Bentleys. And Lamborghinis. And Bentleys. And Jim sitting here thinking to himself, you're giving us notice of allegations because a kid showed up during a COVID-dead period? Like, in his mind, he doesn't understand this.

And why would you deal with this? Why would you deal with the potential six, an eight-game suspension from an organization that you don't trust, nor do you don't respect. Yeah. He's also, his strength as a coach is this relentless, repetitive building of structure. The NFL create structure. It's a very structured league. College football makes $7 billion a year, and they don't have a president, a CEO, a schedule maker.

So I think Pete Carroll struggled with this. At the end, he was like, you know, I love the kids. And I love so much. about the sport, but this inability to solve issues that are clearly solvable that the NFL solves. There's a free agent

period. There's a cap. There's a... The draft. Yeah, like, everything in the NFL is built on structure. Nothing in college football is built on structure. And I think Jim deserves better. Well, I mean, you can put it that way. I think that he might desire a little bit better. And let's face it,

he came back to the college level for one reason to restore what he feels like is order or excellence at his favorite place, his alma mater, at Michigan. He's done that. There is nothing left to prove at Michigan. If he wants to stay there and deal with the NCAA and coach kids, then he's going to. And I guarantee you that he's going to love doing it. And if he wants to challenge himself at the next level, I believe that he'll have his pick of jobs, which as you've put it, and I would 100% agree, would be the Chargers or Washington. Yeah.

So, Panics didn't play well, but he's a statuesque, beautiful thrower, a goff, a Matt Ryan, a Tua. And when those guys are hurried and face pressure, they're not very good. Yeah, I mean, Brady wasn't good in that situation. Yeah, so I don't think less of him. That's what he is. He's Tua was his comp, and Tua under pressure is not great. I don't really get J.J. McCarthy as a high-level pro. Feels a little small and slight to me, build-wise.

I think he benefits greatly from the coach, the O-Line, the run game. Penix kind of has to carry Washington. McCarthy sort of manages Michigan. Let's put it a different way. Everything that you said is correct. Michael Pennix is asked by his coaching staff and his structure and philosophy of offense at Washington to make anywhere between 20 to 35 on the high end, last night it was 35, NFL-style throws. Like drop back, make the read, post-snap, and throw with timing, anticipation, and accuracy.

They ask a lot. They ask a lot of him, and he's excelled. Now, that's hard to do, and you see the product of a defense that's going to confuse you and put pressure on you, and that's what happened a night to go. On the flip side, J.J. McCarthy, very talented player. Really like J.J. McCarthy. Athletic, good arm, excellent player. He's asked to make about five in the NFL throws.

That's it. He made one to the tight end. And the throw to the tight end was excellent. By the way, it was still off of play action. Now, he's got great ability. But what they were asked to do with their respective programs was vastly different. One is, I think, very translatable to the National Football League. That would be Michael Pinnock's. The other one is not so translatable.

It's harder to say, well, I know exactly what J.J. McCarthy is as a prospect, because he's just not asked to do that. It reminds me a little bit when Colt McCartney's. Koi was at Texas. Yeah. And he obviously could move. Colt was a little small, but he wasn't asked to do, because that was during the Mac Brown, they had a lot of talent.

They were winning those recruiting wars. And it was like, I like Colt, but I don't know how good he is based on, they're not asking him to do my, I love Matt Leinard. They weren't asking him to do a ton. Yeah. Panics is asked by a program that dominates three-star recruits, carry us to the promised land. Well, and I think to some degree, this is playing out in front of, of our eyes this year with C.J. Stroud, the way that what he was asked to do at Ohio State

is exactly what he's doing now with the Texans. It is completely translatable. And it's, and it's working. Now, obviously, they've got a good defense and some good structure there, and he's got more talent around him than, let's say, a Bryce Young. But I think that I'm higher on Pinnock's than most. I would take him, too. I would take him. I would take him. in the top five or six picks. I think that the injury history is going to be a concern. McCarthy is a harder evaluation for me because of what we're talking about. I don't know how translatable his game is. Now, he's very unselfish. He would be great in the locker room. I do think he has the ability. I just haven't seen it on a consistent basis, which is why I've

made the assertion. If I was advising JJ McCarthy, I would tell him to go back to school. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. 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 I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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 was 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 for finishing that sentence. Yes.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If Jim leaves, who gets the Michigan job? You know, I think there's a coach on their staff that is 1-0 against Ohio State, and that's Sharon Moore. Yeah.

I honestly think it's as simple as that. Because Harbaugh is going to take his D.C. I would imagine, so Jesse Minner is the defense coordinator. People love him. Jesse is, he's got NFL DNA. Remember, I told you the story last week about Mike McDonald and Jesse Minner. And like, Jesse's going to want to go back to the NFL at some point. This would be seamless and easy entrance into the NFL as a coordinator if he were to just follow Jim,

if Jim decides to go to the Chargers or commanders. I do believe that Sharon Moore makes a lot of sense for Michigan because they've built something very special. He gets it. And he gets it. and he's a part of that. And so you can have a continuation of what you know is working at the top end. And in a lot of ways, it would feel a little bit like a Lincoln Riley or a Ryan Day at Oklahoma or Ohio State. And you're trying to continue excellence, which is very difficult to do.

I actually think it's easier to continue excellence for someone that's been within the program than outside and trying to bring in something totally different. Because everything Michigan's doing is right. So a new guy comes in and has his way of seeing it, and all you're doing is unraveling stuff that's working. How in the world would someone from the outside walk in front of those players? Will Johnson still has to be there next year. Mason Graham still has to be there next year.

Colston Loveland has to be there. And if someone walks into the room and is like, all right, we're going to change some things up. They're going to be like, beat it. Yeah. You know, so for those reasons, I think Sharon makes a lot of sense. Okay, Crazy Town Buckeye fan, probably sitting there today going, Mike Vrable to the Buckeyes.

Ryan Day is safe, right? I would, yes. I mean, any reasonable person would. Of course. He couldn't beat Harbaugh at the end. Pete Carroll was struggling with a Seahawks. Guess what? There's only been like three times in history that a Sabin assistant has actually beaten Nick Saban.

Maybe it's more than that, but you get, I mean, like, the percentages are so low. He's struggling with Harbaugh right now. He's struggling with Michigan right now. Speaking of Ryan Day. You know how quickly it can turn around? And this is, by the way, an overarching point that I would love to make today is, and this, I think, will be in the vein of what you're asking. Okay. Last night was the most hopeful and inspirational national championship game that college football has had in 15 years.

And the reason is, is because it no longer has to look one way. It doesn't have to be that you've had a top three or four recruiting class for four straight years. and you've got a top three composite roster littered with 10 or more five-star athletes. For 15 years, that's what it had to be. You could not win a national championship unless you were LSU with Burrow, Bama or Clemson or Georgia. Yeah. It just, like, it wasn't possible. Ohio State did it with a roster that was incredibly talented in 2014.

They always had an SEC level roster there. And last night, we saw two developmental roster. filled with veteran players, really good coaches, and the team that won, their average recruiting class in the last four years was outside of the top 10. Their composite roster from a talent perspective is ranked 14th in the country this year, and they had exactly two five-star players. It no longer has to be what it used to be in college football. There are now 15 to 20 programs that I believe wake up today

and can legitimately say, we can do that. We can do that. We can be fundamentally sound and tackle in space well and win at the line of scrimmage and develop a great culture to go and win a national championship. And we're going to have access because it's going to be a 12-team playoff and not this four-team invitational that's been an eye test. So let's bring it back to Ryan Day. Ryan Day is sitting there watching his rival play for and win the national championship.

Meanwhile, he just got a commitment from, I think, the best SEC running back last year, which was Quinn Sean Jenkins from Ole Miss. He's going to Ohio State next year. He's a great player. Ohio State can get right back into the fold. They'll be fine. With Ohio State. With Ryan Day.

They're already in the playoff. Like, Ohio State's always going to be fine. I just don't, I don't get the Vrabel thing. Call me crazy. He's an NFL guy. He is. And it's like, you're telling me Mike Vrable wants to go deal with the mess that is college football and recruiting and transfer portal and NIL?

Beat it. Come on. Yeah. Well, I mean, I said this. Jay Wright had 10 years to coach. Villanova. I'm out. She's.

Shevsky was already leaving. I'm out. Roy Williams. Three of the best coaches in college basketball. One Jay Wright had 10 years. They looked at this portal, which is worse in college basketball than football and said, we're out. You can have it. And so I think guys like hardball, listen, man, very rarely does timing work out perfect?

You win the natty. The portal's a bit of a mess. The conference is expanding and getting tougher. And Justin Herbert's available. That doesn't happen. I mean, if you think of the NFL, great jobs available. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay got one, but Green Bay doesn't have an owner

and they don't get free agents. So you had Aaron late middle of prime, pretty darn good job. Mike McCarthy got Dak, Cowboy job, pretty good job. I would argue Herbert this moment is as good as Aaron was late.

I mean, I think Herbert's a 6-5-2-40. You just don't get a star quarterback in a good roster. Those jobs don't open up. under contract, it's usually Carolina, Atlanta. That's why Washington's interesting because Harbaugh can be like, listen, most salary caps. I can go by players. And oh, by the way, I'll be good in the draft because I just recruited most of them.

And I recruited Drake May. So, I mean, Harbaugh recruited all these college quarterbacks. Drake May is an interesting one. He's really good. He's really good. He's under the radar because of the flash of Caleb Williams and the great late here of Pinnix and the Heisman of Jaden Daniels, but

sneaky the guy that in 10 years we could look up and be like, oh yeah, that makes a lot of sense, is Drake May. He does a lot of things well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he looks good. I mean, listen, the commander's job is interesting. Selfishly, I'd love Jim

to stay at Michigan. He's great for college football. We have Fox. We have some Big Ten games on next year. Well, and not only that, but again, think of that point that I was making about the hope that last night gave to the whole sport. Oh, yeah. I mean, last night opened up the sport as open as it's been in 15 years,

and I think that's a great thing. Listen, I look at college football like I do my family. I can't wait for this. No, same thing. I love it. Now, I get my family. We're not for everybody. College football is not for everybody.

It's a bit of a barnyard musical. But I look at college football, like it's got so many flaws that drive me crazy. Oh, man. And my wife and I sometimes, let's pour an 11 a.m. Some sauce here. It's a little wild at the family ranch. I love, despite all the silliness and flaws and goofiness and the frustrations with college football, NFL's got so much more predictability and structure, it's grown-ups.

I love the sport, and I thought last night was such a wonderful moment. I do think that the real growth potential of any sport in our country lies with college football. Oh, no, no. If it's a $12 stock, buy it. A hundred percent. And the reason is is because there is so much value left on the table. We just had to – guys, guys, I know – and I know this is going to sound like a knock. It's not.

It's not a knock. Preface. We just had to have a national championship game on cable on a Monday. night. Like, just rethinking the way that we do the biggest events in our sport, there's 10%, 15%, 20, 25%

growth, just in doing it better. Yeah. Scheduling it better. Yeah. Much less really fixing some of the structural issues with the sport, moving the playoff closer the regular season. You know, like when everybody cares about college football around Thanksgiving, why not start the playoffs?

I don't know. I mean, it's been, literally December has been like this real estate in college football, it's been like this big piece of land on the water in Los Angeles. Not for sale. And they're like, NFL, do you want to just jump in and take it? This is I've been going to yelling about baseball forever. If you shorten the season to 120 games, August is wide open. Now that nobody plays starters in the preseason in the NFL, college football's idol. There's about a four to five week period in August. We're all dying for big games. Baseball could shorten their season, start the playoffs, October.

like 11th, or August 11th, and be captivating before pro football gets rolling and college football. You know, I just really want to hang on to that Thursday night, 15 degrees in Philly, where you're playing a game six for the World Series on November 8th. Like there's real estate in college football. December 1 to January 5th. I mean, the national championship should be on New Year's Day. Like, own something, or a Saturday night at a minimum, at a minimum. But, but, By the way, you know what you could do? You could go to the NFL and you could say, hey, listen,

you're playing these Saturday games. You know what we can do? Rather than just a double header on Wildcard weekend on Saturday, let's make it a triple header. Two NFL games, and then the network that does the second NFL game, they also do the College National Championship, which is a Saturday night primetime event. Now you shove 35 million viewers or more,

40 million, directly into a national championship game. That's how you take something that's kind of not what it should be, low 20s, high 20s, millions in terms of the viewers, and you increase it by 15%. Like just some forward thinking in our sport, and there's so much growth. Think how popular college football is, and it's poorly run. It's the restaurant that does everything wrong and has a line around the block. It does everything wrong, and we still love it. It's boxing in 1991.

That's what it is. Aram Don King nonsense. I can't wait to watch. Yeah, and it's like, when is Mike fighting? I'm in. It is crazy. Joel Clatt, the voice of college football. We agreed.

It's just a lot this year. We agreed a lot this year. Well, you know, I am a fan of disruptive forces. And so I think you and I privately, although we didn't air it, we were kind of, I was kind of, I know it was my huskies. I was rooting for hardball all year because it was just, sticking it to rigid people with agendas. I love this year.

It was a good year. Good year. Good year at college football. Thanks for having me on all the time, man. Yeah, we went either way. We weren't sure if we were going to bring you back this year, but we decided. Was it up in the air? We liked your energy. Well, you know what? I'll be like Sequan, and I'll just take a tag next year.

If you just want to tag me for next year, I'm in. Joe Clat. He's got podcast. Wherever you listen to podcasts, I listen to them in my bedroom. But wherever you listen to him in my bedroom, but wherever you listen to him, Go get to Joe. Before I go to bed. That didn't need anything. Oh, right, right.

All right. Back in a second, The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, we're Kavino and Rich. Fox Sports Radio every day, 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Overpromised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two-hour show.

We never get to everything. Honestly, because this guy is overpromising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubberlips. Blame and me. Well, you know what? It's called over-promise. You should be good at it because you've been over-promising women for years. Well, it's a Kavino and Rich after show, and we want you to be a part of it.

We're going to be talking sports, of course. But we're also going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called over-promised. Well, if you don't get enough, Kavino and Rich, make sure you check out over-promised. And also uncensored, by the way. Maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's going to be the best after-show podcast of all time. There you go.

Over-promising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen to Overpromised with Kavino and Rich on the IHeartRadio 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. 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-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 all day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have age. 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. All right, welcome back. Joel Clat, Nick Wright, both crushed today now.

J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line. news. So we've got drama in New York with Sequin Barkley, Colin. Listen, obviously it was a terrible year for the Giants. Sequin not feeling great about the franchise tag. And yesterday, Giants GM, Joe Shane said the team wouldn't rule out tagging him this offseason something Barkley doesn't seem too pleased about. We talked more than enough last year to be honest. Not just talking

with Joe, but the whole negotiation thing. I'm going to let my agents handle that. I'm numb to it. If you're going to do it, just don't wait until March 5th. Get it over with. If not, let me go. Simple. Yeah, I'm not giving him a five-year deal. So I've said, players agree to a franchise tag. I have a right to use it.

And running backs could be Austin Echler, Seekwon Barclay. I'm not denying their value. But it's a position. The last position in football, you're allowed to hit him from mostly any angle, and he's had injuries before. So I can like somebody a lot and tag him. That's part of the structure and part of the design of the salary cap. You like a player a lot, but it's a position in which history indicates you can find talent in the fifth, six, seventh round.

Here's my favorite part of this whole Sequin thing. So they didn't want to pay him. They decided to pay Daniel Jones because Sequin had an injury history. So who got injured this year, Colin? Daniel Jones, the guy they paid. The Giants screwed up. There's no putting the genie back in the bottle. I would personally let him go.

Just, you know, again, last year with Daniel Jones healthy. Dayquam was awesome. They got to the playoffs won a game. Yeah, I would not have had a problem for a couple of year contract last year and franchised Daniel Jones. But I'm not going four or five years. I mean, listen, he's a very good player. He has a market. This idea, you know, I hear this all the time. Running backs are treated unfairly. No, they're not. By the way, guards, safeties, tight ends to this day, tight ends are underpaid. So I just think running back has certain limitations on its value. They're still making. eight figures annually if you're good.

What do the G men do in the top 10 in the draft? Now, before you answer, I'll just say Daniel Jones's contract is a cumbersome one. If you draft a quarterback in the top 10, that's going to probably ruffle some feathers and speculation that he's gone.

Do you try to rebuild the offensive line? Evan Neal's been total garbage. Well, they need weapons. So they need weapons. To me, I would go get a receiver with their pick. I think you could move down a couple of spots. I don't think they're going to draft

a quarterback. I think I probably would, but again, I'm not getting the top two or three quarterbacks. The reality is, the defensive front's pretty good. There's not a corner you should draft that high. My take is it's an offensive tackle draft. They have a left tackle

I like a lot. Andrew Thomas was good? Do you want to go get another good tackle? You could. The problem is you're not going to be drafting this high again, probably. Let's take Daniel's healthy next year. You go eight and nine. Okay? That's very kind. Yeah, so fine, you're drafting about 12th next year.

You're not getting an elite quarterback at 12th, so why not take one this year? You're not, if Jaden Daniels fell to the Giants, I would take him. He might be there, Bo Nix? Absolutely. Michael Panix? Absolutely. Yeah, I also think you can argue that you could move, again, this draft, you could move down three spots and get a really good player. This is a strong draft.

Generally, there's about 15 first round players. This year, they say there's 18 to 20. And so I think the Chargers Giants could move down four or five, six spots, still get a great player, and get another second or third round pick. Giants have multiple needs on offense. They need to right tackle, a second receiver. Well, the defense wasn't good either. They need to replace Barclay probably later in the draft. Let's go to Minnesota here. Kirk Cousins coming off a. torn Achilles. And it's weird. Is he going to be a hot name in the, you know, free agency for quarterbacks?

I don't know. We'll have to see speaking yesterday at his exit interview. Kurt Cousins would ask how he would look, think about giving the Vikings a hometown discount, Colin. Okay, here's what Kirk Cousins had to say. I thought a really good question, Kevin. And one I thought about pretty much my whole 12 years is that question. I do think it's important to be aware of. I think that God has blessed me financially beyond my wildest dreams. So at this stage in my career, the dollars are really not what it's about.

Today's point, structure is probably more important. This is huge, low-key, huge news in the NFL. If Kirk Cousins is giving them a hometown discount, enabling them to pay Justin Jefferson. You remove probably the best quarterback on the market. Now you're looking at Russell Wilson. Well, Kurt Cousins has his priorities right in his life. It's family first.

He's a very good human being. He's got... Listen, the guy is one of the most accurate throwers the last 10 years in the league. He's a very, very solid quarterback. I've always said he's Dak Prescott, better thrower, not his mobile. He's a very solid quarterback. Not to look at anybody's pocket. but just a quick, you know, tally here.

It looks like he's made around $200 million in his career. Yeah, some guy was, an NFL reporter was arguing with me yesterday that Cousins was going to get $45 million a year. And I'm just like, I don't, where's that coming from? But if Cousins is like, I'll take 30 from the Vikings, because, you know, he goes to Minnesota, Twins games, you know, his family's there, he's big in the community. Minneapolis's a great place to live.

Great place, great people. You've been there? Yeah, my wife worked there years ago and just speaks. It's a wonderful place to live. I know nothing about the community. Climate change. It's going to be Palm Springs in about four years. What are the mask mandates like?

Sorry, that's for another show. Anyways, final story, NBA, the Grizzlies had grizzly news last night, Colin. Shaw Morant, season-ending shoulder surgery. Brutal year for Moran, the 25-game suspension, and now surgery ending his season. Ah, just brutal. Memphis was kind of on the uptick with him, six and three, when he returned. turned. This is not great for the league, Colin. Well, this is bad.

I had said, Derek Rose was his comp. He's a more slender, spindly version of Derek Rose, and Derek Rose had injuries. When you are not a great shooter and score a lot of your points in traffic, you see this with a lot of guard.

Now, Russell Westbrook is really thick, but John Wall was another guy that didn't score a lot from the perimeter, not a great shooter. So, Steph Curry and Steve Nash can stay outside and play a while, But I always worried about, always worried about John Morant, a mediocre perimeter player who without the hand check can get past anybody into the basket. The downside is you get to the basket with significantly bigger, stronger players. I mean, he weighs about a buck 70.

He's going up against the guys that weigh 270. And so I think this has always been the concern. Zion, we worried about his weight and torque. John Morant, we worried about this, crashing to the floor, scoring at the rim. He's a very thin frame. If you zoom out and look at this macro, this is horrible for the league. They were hoping Jha and Zion, who were in the same drive, could be like the next great American players. Neither of them has panned out.

And frankly, I'm a little worried about John Moran, giving his off-the-court stuff. Like now he's not playing basketball for, I don't know, what, the next, like, eight months? No, I mean, it feels like we have seen the most dynamic part of his game. Career. Well, it's just, it's not great. Hopefully he, uh... Well, we still got the self-examination. The Celtics are good, Denver's good.

Oh, the league's going to be fine, but long term, I think they were hoping Jha Moran could be a star. He's hugely popular among young kids. Yeah, I mean, if they were thinking Zion and Jha were two comets, two rockets. Not quite Larian magic, but like, you know, a scaled-down version of... A lot of fun. Like really fun. I mean, we talked about them for two years nonstop, and it's O-N-2. Bummer. J-MAC with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Line News. I'm going to have to buy into the Clippers. They are playing like crazy. What am I going to do with the Clippers? Well, that's why we have Colin Wright wrong segments. I was wrong on that one.

They were awful early, but they're pretty... Have you seen the movie Major League, Charlie Sheen? Yeah. Just a bit outside. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that one happens. A little bit. I haven't, you know, I don't watch streaming or movies during the football season.

Football season is basically over. It just, and I don't watch... I know what the Netflix logo is. looks like. I just don't watch it. Are you watching Reacher yet that I told you about? I don't have time. I got games to watch. There's no games tonight, bro. What are you doing? Go on to dinner, have some fun.

I'll live a little there. Boosy Tuesday. Here we go. No. 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 IHeartRadio

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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled 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 Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.