The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 3 - NBA, Kansas-UNC, NFC

Episode Date: April 4, 2022

Close to the end of the NBA regular seasonPreview of Kansas-UNC tonightThe NFC is going to be very weak next seasonGuest: Jim Jackson Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee 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. 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 Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard 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.

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and make your picks in their championship contest for a free chance of the jackpot. Well, he was a two-time All-American, two-time Big Ten player of the year. He does a lot of college basketball during the season, and we've said college basketball feels like an event now. It's kind of a bracket. Three weeks we're all in, but Jim Jackson's one of the few guys. he watches this stuff and broadcast it all year long. So we've been saying this this morning.

I don't even know how to explain North Carolina. Now, obviously, they've got one young, great player. But I look at him and I think, I mean, people didn't even know if they liked Hubert Davis as a coach. They don't have a bunch of five-star guys. They got like one. You've seen them play throughout the course of the year. Are you shocked Carolina and made it to the nattie? You know, I am calling it.

I actually had them, you know, during the tournament in, I want to say Fort Worth. And I know Hubert. Now, here's the thing about it. Coming in as an assistant coach, former player under Roy Williams, you know how to go. The expectations are going to be high. Plus is North Carolina. So at the beginning of the year, a lot of people were questioning whether Hubert was a right fit because Carolina didn't start off well. Well, it takes some time to really figure out the system and how Hubert wanted.

his guys to play. But spending time around the team, what I found and I figured out is why they became successful. They're brought in as a group. They're connected as a group. Hubert's personality fits the mode of who those young men are. Again, it took time. But as the year wore on, that the roles were more defined for Caleb Love, for RJ Davis, for Leaky Black, for Alcott, I mean, Baycott, Armando Baycott. And then they kind of got into a rhythm. them in the ACC. Think about it. ACC only sent five teams to the tournament. Two got into the final four. I think it's a lot to do with Hubert and his patience, preaching the right thing, playing the right way, but then those young men finally buying into what their roles eventually,

you know, turned out to be. And as a result, they got hot at the right time. They believed in each other, and they found themselves the third time against Duke, a rivalry game. And I urge you mention, can it live up to the hype because of all of that that went into Coach Kay's game? And then now, the national championship game. And that's how I think they got here. You know, Kansas, I watched them earlier in the year get rolled by Kentucky. And they've got talented players, but sometimes like Remy Martin, the Guard from Arizona

State can be a little inconsistent, can disappear. Most people like them to win tonight. or a favorite by three or four points. They had an easier route. You know, the Villanova game felt like very early. They took control. Nova was beat up physically. They don't come off a wildly emotional game like Carolina.

Is your feeling when you watch Kansas, they have more talent. Now, whether their chemistry works tonight, but who do you think is the more talented team? What do you make of Kansas? Well, you know, honestly, Colin, I think the talent base is spread across both teams. Because with North Carolina, you have Caleb Love, who's an outstanding player. Now, he may not be Ocho I-A-Baji, who's, you know, a big 12 player in a year consensus first team all-American. But the overall roster for Kansas doesn't wow you. They have very good players like Carolina, one outstanding player.

Really, Martinson be a game changer like you talked about. Ever since he got back healthy in the tournament started, he's been a different player because he has that type of game. David McCormack, if he plays well, can give you an input. DeWan Harris Jr. is going to give you something, but not a lot more than dribble penetration. He's going to play defense, not turn it over. So the lineup is not made with a bunch of stars. It's just a very solid team. So is North Carolina. And I think he just comes down to this. The team that makes least mistakes that can knock down open shots, and then you don't allow your opponent to stretch those runs out, those eight.

to two, 10 to two run. Yeah. You know, that's the thing, you know, and college basketball, a lot of times it's like this. You go through that three to five minutes stretch, whether it's in the first half or second half, where teams just separates itself.

If you can avoid that, then you give yourself a chance to win the basketball game. So that's why I say both teams are kind of more so evenly matched than we may think if you look at the roster. What are your impressions? If somebody says, Coach Shoshiewski, what do you think about? What's as he retires?

When he cut me? What you mean? That's what I think about. I think about when he cut me. And that was, you know, and a joy, you understand this about being petty, right? This was that when I was a sophomore in college in the summer, trying out for the goodwill team, played very well. I get the call on the last day of finalizing the team. And, uh,

coach case sits me down and, and he said, you know, he has his roster and who he wants and I got cut. So I kind of held a grudge against OJK, uh, since then. Now,

now, I appreciate everything they've done as a program. Don't get me wrong. And the players that have walked through that door. But yeah, that was always a little, a piece of me that I could never let go because that was the first time I ever got cut. I get it.

You don't get the roll. Hey. You don't get the role in Hollywood for the movie. You know, you're hoping that director doesn't win the Oscar. I get it. But I think it's success in the young men who played in the program and what he was able to accomplish during his tenure, which is a long time.

And you know, Colin, things change, the wins have changed. But for him to be as consistent. And then when he made the adjustment from going, from looking at a more older team to won and done, which he fought. But he understood that the trade wins, were shifting and that he had to be a part of it. And then he allowed that to happen. And the funny thing is when I talked to Coach K one time, he said, listen, people think that we have a system

here at Duke. He said, we don't. I basically look at the players that I have, each roster, and I adjust to the talent that I have or I adjusted the talent that's not as good. And that to me was very interesting as we think of Duke and the system. And this is how you play. He said, no. You know, we have more talented teams like when when zion was there and rj barrett that was totally different than other teams that they that they had in the past with no point guard and he played different so that to me stands out as well hey tell me a little about hubert davis i remember him um being a very graceful very gracious NBA player not a partier uh not a not a not a doesn't self promote a lot of people in carolina were like uh you know i don't know if this is the right guy it should

be noted that when Shishovsky got hired out of Army, he had a losing record. So nobody likes Shoshavsky at Duke when he first got hired. So, you know, Hubert can say, hey, the first choice is no is loved by fans. What do you make of him as a guy? I'll tell you what, he coached his butt off against Duke. He was barking at those officials every play of the game. What don't I know about him? This is personality, man. I mean, you know one thing he doesn't do? he doesn't use profanity with his players. But he comes across with this exuberance, this energy, this family atmosphere.

He really cares for this young man. Great interview. You would love to interview him because he's so sincere in what he wants to do and who he is as a person. I had the fortune. We played against North Carolina. We beat them in the Sweet 16, my junior year. He was my roommate for the Pan Am trials going into my junior.

year. And of course, I played against many times in the NBA. Soft-spoken, but at the same time, a fierce competitor. And I think people take that he is soft-spoken for granted that he's not really, because he doesn't have a lot of bravado, that he's kind of laid back, but that's not him. But so intelligent in how he coaches the game and looks at the game. And I think

that's why he's so successful. Here's the thing. he was a guy that played for North Carolina. He started North Carolina, and he was an assistant coach, but yet and still, it was some question about whether he was the right choice. And that's because North Carolina, the Dukes of the World, Kentucky, Kansas,

a lot of times when they hire a coach, what do they want, Colin? They want a splash. He wasn't a splash name. Right. But yet and still, he was the right person at the right time to take over for the program that needed

a shift in dynamics and thought process as post Roy Williams. Yeah, great stuff. Who do you like tonight? I like Carolina. And the reason why, I love Bill Self and what they do. It's something, being around

both teams, both teams are, I mean, just, I was saying a young man. But it was something about that North Carolina team. I just, I can't pinpoint it. I'm not going to say a team of destiny, but a team that really changed its course during the course of the year,

had to go through some adversity. had to figure out who they are and who they were ultimately going to be, had to lean into not being the best, but figuring out. And then when the stakes were the highest, whether that was Coach Kay's last game, or in the final four when they had to go up against, I mean, Coach Kay's last game at Cameron, or when they had to go play against Duke again, the focus, the attention to detail, staying with the game plan, not getting caught up in the moment, all of those attributes that allow you to win and compete for a championship,

They show. Jim Jackson. Good seeing you, buddy. Good seeing you too, brother. All right. Going to have a great one tonight. Can't wait. 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 document. recommended 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 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-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 you? little Kim. Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS. on the table right now.

So. Thank you 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.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip 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? 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, IHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. the Bears need receivers and the Bears GM Ryan Poles says he's not going to sweat if one

doesn't fall to them in the draft. He said it's funny because there's a lot of panic like you need receivers. I think Devante Adams was taken in the second, right? So there's talent there. It's not always going to be like that. I get it and we're going to be patient if it's not there. We're not going to do it and force it either. Yeah, Mooney, they have one kid I like. They have a good

tied end, a couple good backs. They have one receiver I like. They're not in a desperate. They've got talent. They have Equanimia St. Brown, Byron, Pringle. and Darnell Mooney. Mooney's good little player. I like Mooney. They have $16.48 million in cap space.

That's 11th most in the NFL. Last year, the wide receivers ranked 27th in receptions and 27th in touchdown receptions. Yes. I wouldn't say that there's a need for panic for the bears, but this is my, this is my anxiety with this organization. Yeah. When you have a young quarterback that you, know or feel like is the guy.

Go all in. What are you waiting for? What are you being shy about? Yeah. You don't have to pay him right now. So you should be spending money on free agents. By the way,

could I not argue? Go get D.K. Metcalfe. Keep him away from Green Bay. Seriously. Yeah. And so then Mooney's your two. D.K. Metcalf is your one in a very winnable division right now

because Green Bay shows real weakness offensively. I think D.K. Metcalf for them would be a really interesting get. If for no other reason, it takes the last potential star receiver off the market. Because you already know when you go play Green Bay, you're a quarterback deficiency. You're facing a Hall of Famer. Yeah, I'd like to see them go for it. When you're not paying these quarterbacks, that's the time to do it. Yeah, I don't really like you resting on what you have or not completely leaning into whatever it is that your quarterback

does well in giving him every advantage. That's when I don't have sympathy for organizations and things falling apart. You know you have a potential star in Justin Fields. Give him everything he needs to succeed. This is not the time to be conservative. This is not the time to make minor adjustments. Like you're just right there and you don't want to overpay. No, you should be overpaying.

You should be going all in right now with Justin Fields while he's there and while he's cheap. So Alex Smith spent three seasons with Washington. And he was recently asked on the Rich Eisen Show if he had any advice for Carson Wentz joined the franchise. You know, there's a lot of noise. There's a lot of distractions. That entire organization, everything surrounding it.

Obviously deservedly, it's been flawed the last 20 years. It makes it difficult to kind of focus in on the football. A lot of distractions. So to say that stuff going on in the building doesn't infiltrate the locker room or out on the field, it would be crazy. That happens everywhere. I think that's what great organizations eliminate and the bad ones have a hard time with. Wow.

And they need to have a new owner. There's a story out that they hid revenue. from other owners. And you can have all sorts of faults. But when you tell billionaires, I'm hiding money from you, I think the NFL needs to honestly step in here. I feel for different reasons, with the clippers being a different reason, sometimes a commissioner has to step in and say,

you have not earned the right to retain ownership. And I think Washington's at that point. Yeah, you haven't treated this responsibility with the respect that it deserves. That's right. Exactly. Not just for the fans, but also for the rest of the league, for people within the organization. which clearly has no respect for.

That's well documented how you treat people who work within the organization. I remember when I was younger. I don't remember how old I was. But there was legendary stories about how long the season ticket list was for Washington. Meaning, I can remember Pat Somerall talking about this on the air. It was like a 32-year waiting list to be a Washington season ticket holder. They have more empty seats now than virtually anybody, which is they've had really good players over the last decade.

By the way, they also had in the building Sean McVeigh, Matt LaFleur, and Kyle Shanahan. So it's not they've lacked coaches. It's not they've lacked players. They have one of the most talented defensive fronts in the league in the last five years. It's all ownership.

The front office is a mess. And ownership is suboptimal. And it's been that way. Since Stan Snyder bought the team in 1999, Washington is 156, 212, and 1. In a bad division. Two and six in the postseason. five winning seasons since he's bought in the team.

Okay. That's in the weakest division in the league. They are a mess. The last won of Super Bowl in 1991. Yeah, they're a mess. But it is a very forceful, dramatic thing. It's not a small thing to force an owner to sell. Yeah.

But, as we know, within any type of power circle, you can be nudged to sell. Yeah. You don't have to shove someone out the door, but you can make things so uncomfortable for someone that they understand it's better for me long term to move on from this. But look, I feel for Washington fans, but I feel for any organization that is poorly run at the top because that infiltrates, as Alex said. And Alex Smith is somebody whose reputation is beyond reproach. If he is saying this that it's difficult to be successful there, it is.

It is. Not that we didn't know that, but he is confirming it. Well, Ben Simmons has yet to make his debut with the Nets. It doesn't appear that's going to happen anytime soon. Steve Nash has ruled out Simmons for the rest of the regular season and the play in tournament. So that means he won't play until at least April 16th. He was traded to the Nets 65 days ago for James Hardin. Could they coddle him a little more?

I mean, this is a disaster. The Nets announced in March that Simmons suffered a herniated disc in his back. His most recent game will have been in June of 2021. Yeah, I mean, I don't, I've maintained from the beginning that the Sixers got the better of this trade because they got a player that actually participates in the game. Yeah, a Hall of Fame player when he's engaged is a Hall of Fame basketball player. I feel like sometimes the conversation around Ben Simmons is greatly exaggerated. It has been a bumpy road to say the least.

That's being kind for how all this is going. Now, I'm not saying that he's not injured, but following this roller coaster of news with Ben Simmons has really just been an exercise and futility. He's not playing. Oh, when is he going to be back? Or if he's back for the playoffs. He's not playing.

He's not going to play this season. Now he's not going to play into the playing game. So they do make it through the playing tournament into the first round. He's going to come back for that. You're going to try and force him into a new team. Listen, this is, when Kevin Durant left, we said, be very careful you're leaving a great GM, a great coach and a great star. And what you're seeing, Kevin Durant's no less of a player than Golden State.

He has been let down by teammates, Starrs, Ben Simmons, his front office, his bench. This is, and I said this before, if Mahomes would have left Kansas City and Andy Reid and said,

I just want to play with my buddy in the Jets, you'd be like, that's crazy. I think the media gave him a little bit of a pass and people say, well, you know, he just wanted to play with a friend. Man, this has derailed so many things. Kevin Durant deserves better

than Ben Simmons, this organization, Kyrie Irving's non-Vax nonsense. He just deserves better than this. It's embarrassing. He does. They're currently 10th in the East, and that is a reflection

of how things have gone this year, despite Kevin Durant's brilliance. But they still have the second best odds to win the finals at plus 500, according to Fox Bet. But I don't see how they win a seven-game series with the roster, how it's currently constructed.

And people keep talking about it, oh, if Ben Simmons comes back, how dangerous they're going to be. Ben Simmons is not a plug-and-play player anyway. He's not a guy that's just going to go out there and score. He's not a guy that is easy to, to mold into a situation. He hasn't played for them yet.

You expect to insert him into the lineup, hypothetically, if he was available in the first round, and it's just going to work. He's not that type of player anyway. Yeah. Like, this is, I've always thought that this move was for next year, but I just don't know how you can confidently build around a player like Ben Simmons. Like, how can he be your second star?

Oh, he can't be. I thought he could be. I thought he could be your lead star. Those, that ship has sailed. Yeah. Joy Taylor with the news Well, that's the news And thanks for stopping by

The Heard Lye News We only got about four or five regular season games left in the NBA So we're you know First round playoffs Actually I think in the East Generally the Western Conference For 25 years has been better

And more compelling I actually think the first round Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be really good Because I don't really buy Miami In Chicago even though they have really good records. I just don't see them as multiple series winning clubs. I think Boston is completely built.

They play real defense, completely built for the regular season. I think it's Milwaukee. I think it's Philadelphia. And then I think you have to keep your eye on Brooklyn just because if you go look at the numbers last year, Brooklyn was a bad defensive team last year. But in the playoffs, they kind of like flipped it and played harder. Veteran teams do that. So they got a lot of older players.

They'll probably be a better defensive team. team in the playoffs. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben. Host of the 5th Hour with Ben Mallor, along with my trusty sidekick David Gascon, would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory

journey. You're asking what in God's name is the 5th hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mallor show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture if you will a world when we chat with captains of industry in media, sports and more every week, explore some amazing.

amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions,

my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand-new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations

with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right 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 Jek.

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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan, Ryan, Korn, and I'm talking. 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. 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 Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Tankless made simple.com. Endless hot water. Choose Navian.

15-year limited warranty. There's a couple stories out there about a couple receivers on the market. Devonte Parker ended up going to the Patriots from Miami. Green Bay, Chicago, both in huge need for wide receivers. We were talking about when Brady retired, my takeaway was, why would he retire? Because the NFC now is essentially the Rams and the Bucks. Those are really the only teams that are great at quarterback, great at weapons, great at pass rush.

That's it. Green Bay does not qualify on the pass rush or the weapons. So Joy and I were looking at, I mean, you can really say this in the NFC. The Rams and Tampa are overwhelming favorites. And, you know, it's like Georgia and Bama are on the SEC, and that's how it ended up. It would be surprising if the Rams, I mean, just think about it, AGM, a coach, a quarterback, A D line, a receiver. That's what the league needs. They're A everywhere, similarly for Tampa.

So let's just match them up. Rams Tampa, Joy, the edge in the key parts of a football team. Okay, that's start at head coach. Who is the advantage? That's a big one, Rams. Todd Bowles, in the Jets, defensive coach, pretty conservative. is considered the best young culture creator in the league. He has won 68% of his games with Jared Goff.

Remember, he inherited sort of an offensive mess. So that's an easy one. Coaches matter. It's the Rams. Who is the advantage of quarterback? I think you have to go Matt Stafford. Younger, still in his prime. I thought he was the second half leading quarterback in the league.

He was the best fourth quarter quarterback in the league. Beat Brady twice head to head. Brady will be 45 going into the season. And Stafford, by the way, since he entered the league, has the most fourth quarter comebacks, 36 of any player in the league. Running back. I would probably say Tampa. Leonard Fernette's coming back.

You know, Rams issue is they couldn't keep their running backs healthy. Camakers, a little bit of a fumble issue in the playoffs. Bucks should be more run-oriented this year with Todd Bowles. So I think they're going to lean into their running backs. would not be shocked if Tampa didn't draft another running back, whereas the Rams have other needs like corner and offensive line. Wide receiver and tight end. It's very, very tough. I would probably go because of the uncertainty of OBJ. I would probably go Tampa. The Bucs receivers had the most receptions in the NFL last year. They had the most receiving yards, receiving touchdowns. The

distraction of A.B. is gone. They brought in a Russell Gage from Atlanta. And they also resumperse Chris Godwin. So they've had some health issues, but it remains to me the deepest, most talented, wide receiving core in the NFL, and adding gauge matters a lot, too. Who is the advantage of offensive line? I think this is probably becoming a strength of this team now. It was the weakness when Brady got there, but they went and got Shaq Mason at guard for the Patriots.

He's a top five guard. Tristan Wirff's top right tackle. Ryan Jensen arguably talked to center. So three of their offensive linemen are the best in the league. Andrew Whitworth retired from the Rams. So they'll save some cap space. But they have to concentrate now. The Rams in the draft have to go out and go at least on the interior of the O line,

pick up a draft pick. So I think this has become really the strength of this team outside of wide receivers. How about the defensive front? I would give it to the Rams simply because you have to double team, Aaron Donald. I'm not sure if Indomac and Sue is coming back. JPP, I think he's past his prime. They led the NFL with 62 sacks in a much better division than Tampa plays in. They had the highest pass rushing grade.

Now, Vaughn Miller's gone, but this franchise has drafted well. They get after the passers. So much of it is spearheaded by Aaron Donald, who is such a major disruptor. He and Greg Gaines, it just opens up alleys and opportunities for other people. Defensive back. I would go Rams because they. have the best pure corner in the league in Jalen Ramsey. So, I mean, safety's, you know, it's, I don't think it's that valuable, a resource or a position group. They have the best,

they lost Arias Williams in free agency, whereas the rams, the Bucks re-signed Carlton Smith, Davis. So, but I think Jalen Ramsey can take out a Mike Evans, and that's the difference maker, so I'd go Rams. Kicker? Matt gained the Rams, probably an edge here. So my feeling is, the things that matter. Head coach, quarterback, D-line, kicker scores points, whereas I think the O-line and the running backs, I think Tampa is going to pivot to a power team more this year in Brady's you know, 22nd, 23rd season. Whereas I think the Rams with Alan Robinson and young receivers would prefer to open it up more. The Alan Robinson pickup is huge.

People have no idea. And that's what we talked about cap space earlier. How do the Bears not afford Alan Robinson? But the Rams do paying Stafford, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey. So look at the Bears and look at the Rams. The Rams are paying their quarterback, one of the biggest salaries in the league,

and could still afford Alan Robinson and Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey and Bobby Wagner. The Bears aren't paying big money to any wide receiver or their quarterback or an offensive lineman traded Kalil Mack. So if you think front offices are equal, the Rams are paying top of the market. Corner, middle linebacker, defensive line quarterback. Last year they were paying Stafford and Jared Goff. And they could not afford to keep Alan Robinson or Kalil Mack and they're not paying

Justin Fields or a receiver now anything. So you tell me front offices are the giants are a mess. They have no cap space or no great players, and they're not paying their quarterback. It's not even. What are they saying in real estate? Top 10% of the realtors sell 80% of the homes. It's the same thing. You've got a veteran GM with the Rams, a rookie GM of the rookie GM and coach with the Bears.

It's a mismatch. In every other industry, you know, it's like college basketball. You've got Jay Wright, you know, is way up there. And, you know, Bill Self is way up there. You've got a handful of really high-end coaches. And you've got some good coaches, and then you've got guys that'll get replaced in about three years or less. It's the same thing in the front office. Everybody always says, oh, there's only five great quarterbacks.

Only five great GMs. It's only five great owners. I mean, Washington, mess of an ownership. Cleveland, mess of an ownership. Houston, mess. I mean, those are three times. Detroit, mess. Chicago, not great.

Like, you got bad all over the NFL. And Chicago cannot figure out the cap. They all have a whole. They all have a hard floor and a hard cap. If you're not paying your quarterback, you've got to be paying somebody. Who are you paying? Well, and the bears, a little bit like the Lakers, big brand. They are really old in spots.

And they've got to, so they're really in a total rebuild. They don't, it's not a great O line, not a lot of great weapons. Their defense is good, but aged. It's not as good as it was three years ago. Now, Kaleel Max out. So they're in a rebuild everywhere. Chicago really is in a, they're in a, they're in a, much greater rebuild that everybody wants to admit.

Everybody thinks Chicago's close and Jacksonville's a mess. I don't think they're that far away. I think they're after the free agency. They're very close. It's the same team. And you just cross your fingers that both young star quarterbacks can make it. Tonight, Kansas and North Carolina, we had Roy Williams on earlier, the former Tar Heel coach.

So they hire Hubert Davis. And just like when Mike Shosheski got hired, there's a lot of doubters, whether he's the right guy. They are not a program like Kentucky that just gets five-star guys. They're not a program like Villanova that gets mostly three-star guys. They dabble in both. And, you know, what's interesting is Shishvsky now out. John Shire will take over, very good former Duky.

And here is Hubert Davis and everybody, you know, so now it's a new game. So now it's John Shire and Hubert Davis. And Hubert is off the way. Really good start. I asked Roy Williams, even though he was wildly successful like Coach K, there were very, very different people. And I asked Roy about his relationship with Coach K. We compete like crazy, but we do love our sport.

We do love our kids. I made a joke one time to the media. They were asking about a relationship. And do we go out to dinner? I said, oh, guys, he's got basketball and his family. I have basketball in my family. I said, besides, how can you trust somebody? that doesn't play golf.

And Mike said, why would you say that? I said, Mike, it's a joke. But he doesn't play golf, so he didn't even understand the joke. But no, we have a really, really good relationship based on total respect. Yeah, two absolute legends. It's Hubert Davis, it's really important that he succeeds because stylistically, optically, he's not the coolest guy, never been a self-promoter. but boy, did he coach his butt off. He is.

The officials were warning him. I was talking to Ian O'Connor, who was at the game, he's a sports writer in New York. He said, the officials were asking him to sit down from the opening whistle. Like, he was engaged on every play. He made a difference in that game and miss free throws for Duke. So I don't know who I like. All I know is Carolina is getting about four points.

I'd probably take the points. I think you're going to have a two and a three-point game. Yep. Speak for yourself. Joy will be on that around the corner. We'll see you tomorrow. It's the herd. 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.

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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, 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 Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but the show. celebrated. So let's get to it.

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