The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - NFL news and more

Episode Date: December 14, 2023

Thoughts on who might be the number 1 pick in the NFL draft More on Draymond Green's indefinite suspension and what message this sends  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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,

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by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Well, he works for Bleacher Report. He's a friend as well. Had a good dinner last night. Lots of story. Jordan Schultz, NFL Insider, stops by our show today in studio, and we love having him in studio for the second time.

He's on Speak Today, and he is on the phone. You insider guys, that phone bill, I don't even want to see it. How are you doing? I'm doing great, Colin. Yeah, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, Bernie, eight, ten hours a day, 12 hours, that screen time goes up. So you were just in Dallas. Dax's performance this year is, by any standard, highly functioning, very productive.

Does this performance change the contract, the offer, the extension? I think it does. First of all, over his last eight games, 25 total touchdowns, two picks. He's been the best quarterback in the league over the last two months. And when you think about Dak Prescott, he is the epitome of what it is to be a Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Stalbach, Aikman, Prescott and he is going to get both sides are highly motivated to get a deal done this off season and he is going to get a massive extension in the range of 55 to 60 million dollars. Wow.

Yeah. And when you think about who has the market right now, it's Burrow at 55. So Dak's going to get somewhere in that range and I think he's really earned it. And I believe that he has all the leverage. I mean, I was just in Dallas. And when you ask around, people will say he can't get traded, he can't get tagged. And as well as he's played, this. season and the record they have, the MVP candidacy, Super Bowl candidacy, he has earned that contract

and it's coming. So there's Big Ben was critical of Mike Tomlin, so Mike's never had a losing season, and that certainly has value, but the Steelers brand is not Detroit. You know, they've won championships. They've hoisted trophies. A lot of frustration with Matt Canada. This is not, Mike's not inclined to make coaching moves in season. He did.

Is he under pressure? is his job employment in jeopardy. Where are we with Tomlin? Can I say that Steeler fans are a little spoiled? I mean, they basically have had three coaches in six decades. They wanted to run Bill Cowell out of town because he couldn't win the big one. He does. Tomlin comes in.

He wins the Super Bowl. He is a Hall of Fame coach in his early 50s. So in my estimation, when I've asked around, not only is Tomlin not on the hot seat, but if he were not to be there next season, it would be, by his own volition. And I have no reason to believe that he doesn't want to be the Steelers coach. But if they were to fire him hypothetically,

there is a laundry list of teams, Colin, that would say, I want Mike Tomlin. That's without question. There's also two networks I've been told would hire him immediately for the pregame shows. There's two in the running.

So Tomlin's considered get him on television. I just think Mike Tomlin, he's a leader of men. He is, they did something basically unprecedented. As you mentioned, they fired Matt Canada, their OC about a month ago.

They just don't do that. They don't do it. They've had a slew of injuries. Watt, Friarmooth, Pickett. They haven't had great quarterback play. Now it's Trubisky. You know, Mason Rudolph's 5 and 4 as a starter. Maybe he'll get an opportunity.

But they're still, this season has felt like not a disaster, but it's been so up and down roller coaster. They're still in the playoff hunt in the AFC. So all things considered, and we also know Tomlin's never had a losing season. You know you're going to win 9, 10 games as a floor with Mike Tomlin. Half the leave would love that. So he will be the Steelers coach the next season unless he wanted to leave, which I don't see. You have very good connections with Daniel Jones and the Giants.

Now, Daibol has won games with Daniel, Tyrod Taylor, Tommy DeVito, which the first time I saw him play, I thought he was a borderline college quarterback. So Daibu's obviously a home run. He's not in any danger. Does it muddy the waters with Daniel Jones' future? So he's owed $40 million max, or I should say fully guaranteed next season. Daniel Jones. So he will be back next season.

The question is, would he be ready week one? Tommy DeVito's been a great story. He's also won some games now. They're only one game out of the wild card. And that's pushed their pick back, hypothetically. So you're not going to get one of those top two quarterbacks. Where do they pick? I think right now they're eight or nine.

So when I think about the Giants, Jones will be back. Joe Shane will be back. Dayball will be back. And when they gave Daniel Jones that extension, it wasn't just about the play on the field. was about he replicated a lot of the same things that Eli Manning did. He was the Giants quarterback. He was a statesman. He was the epitome of what the Mara family wants. So when I think about Daniel Jones, whether you think he's a good quarterback, not a good quarterback, he embodied what the

Giants were looking for. And I've asked half that lockerer about him. You will not hear a bad word about Daniel Jones. They love him. Sequin loves him. The receivers love him. So I believe he'll be ready, hopefully week one, and I believe he'll be the quarterback next season. That doesn't preclude them from taking a quarterback, but considering how well the Vidos played as a UDFA, that's a great story, they have been pushed down now in the draft. So the bears are fascinating because one of the things I look at, Jordan Schultz joining us, Bleacher Report, NFL Insider for our radio audience, one of the things I look at is, does the coach, if he's struggling, is he at least mastering his side of the ball? So Chicago's defense is now playing better. So they get Montez Sweat,

They made a couple of acquisitions in the offseason. Their run defense has been excellent. We saw him shut down Detroit last weekend. So I think Caleb Williams is too talented not to restart the rookie quarterback clock. And I do think there's value for Justin on the market now with his improved play. Iber Fluse is fascinating to me because his side of the ball is actually playing pretty well. So let's try to create some clarity here. Let's start with Iber Fluse.

If they want out, does he keep it? his job. He does keep... I think even right now, he's put himself in a great position. You know, the last month has been really impressive. Actually, since they got sweat, you know, they extend him. The defense has really been elevated. I would

say over the last month, two fields has been more efficient. He's played better. You see having DJ more what that's done for him. It's been a tough situation in Chicago, you know? And I know this administration with Ryan Poles, they did not hire, he did not hire Eber Fluse. But the body,

bottom line is, when I think about what Iber Fluse could do for this team in the future, it's a lot different than what it looked like six weeks ago. Because suddenly, they have an identity. They're tough, they're physical. You know, Justin Fields over his last 17 games has about 3,000 yards passing, another 1,200 rushing. Those are pretty good numbers. He's growing. So anyone that says the Bears have already made a decision, that's assonine.

I think it's a week-to-week evaluation. But to answer your first question, Colin, the Bears went out, which, by the way, if they did win out, they'd probably be a playoff team. also only one game out, which is hard to believe. I think Iberflus would be back. And I think he's earned it. I give him a lot of credit because they looked like that season was going really downhill fast, and they've battled through it.

No, I mean, there's Green Bay has done that. The Rams have done that. The Bears look like a different team. In-season coaching is really hard, and their defense is playing good. So, let's go back to the Caleb Williams component. So he's... Talented. Very talented. Now, you could do

via Carolina, you get the number one pick. So Fields, And this is a real component. Coaches don't have salary cap. So you can keep Eber Fluse and just let him go through his contract. You start keeping Justin Fields. You eventually have to pay him. That's true.

Today, do you think he's playing for his job in Chicago or deep down, they'll probably pivot and move him for picks? Well, so this is year three. You could still get him on a pretty good number of the next two years, fourth and fifth years. You know, so I think if the season ended today, I would have to believe that Fields would still be the quarterback of the future. I'm also a believer in Justin Fields.

I've always been a believer. I think he is immensely talented and he's still growing as a quarterback. And one of the reasons I believe in him is the work ethic. Now, everyone will tell you my guy works hard, he works hard. I caught up with Quincy Avery, who was his longtime quarterback coach going back to middle school. He told me in all his year is coaching. Justin Fields is the only guy that's ever come in on off days and he had to tell him, you can't throw today. I need you to leave the facility and go rest.

When I think about that, the Bears have never had a great quarterback. Even when they went to the Super Bowl with Grossman, even when they won a Super Bowl with McMahon, they've never had a great quarterback. I want to believe that Fields is the guy. I think he still has to prove it more, but he's played well enough. Now, you mentioned Caleb Williams. We've heard the transcendent. We've heard that about the Andrew Lux.

We've heard that about a few guys, you know, Peyton Manning, that have really succeeded as a number one pick. I don't know if I'm not a quarterback of Valiance. teams love Caleb Williams. A lot of teams like Drake, Drake May. A lot of teams like J.J. McCarthy. If Fields is going to play this well as he's done the last month, to me, it's worth bringing him back for years four and five at a good number. Maybe it's Marvin Harrison. You reunite him with an Ohio State guy and they didn't play together. But the bottom line is they're going to have the number one pick because the Panthers are going to be the worst record in the league. And I have to believe that both Fields and Iber Flues right now are trending toward having the opportunity at least to be back.

Let's talk Jim Harbaugh. There's been various reports about him and the Bears. What do you hear on Harbaugh in this coaching cycle? So the reason I'll say the Bears will not happen definitively is because when Harbaugh was at Michigan, Kevin Warren was the Big Ten Commissioner. They don't like each other. In fact, you could say they despise one another

based on the comments in the media. So Kevin Warren, who's the president of the Bears, is not going to bring in Jim Harbaugh. Now, I'm not saying Harbaugh wouldn't go back to the NFL. If you were to bring a national championship to Michigan, They haven't had one since 97 with Lloyd Carr. It's hard to believe when you think about Schembeckler. If he were to bring a national title, or even if he doesn't,

the success he's had at Michigan restoring that program and the money that would potentially come in the NFL, it is plausible. Also, he was suspended for three games this year. He could be suspended again next season by the NCAA. Michigan would love to keep him on essentially a lifetime deal, give him tremendous unprecedented money. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jim Harbaugh was back in the NFL because there's going to be interest.

We already saw it with the Vikings a couple years ago. It will not be with Chicago Bears. Okay. Let's talk Brandon Staley. Do we know, so now Justin Herbert's gone. He regressed this year. You're sourcing, Jordan Shultz, joining us, Bleacher Report, on Staley's future. Is it imminent?

Is it over? I think the two hottest season in the league are Staley and Rivera. We knew Frank Wright was out. We just didn't know when and then it happened quickly. Staley is probably next to me. He's 24 and 23 with the bolts. He's 0 and 1 in the playoffs. They had that kind of catastrophic loss to, yeah, in Jacksonville.

When I think about Brandon Staley, he was brought in to be a defensive wonderkin, right? He's 41 years old. He had great success in L.A. as a defensive guy. The defense has not played great with respect to Khalil Mack. They've had some injuries, but it has not played great, right? And then you've mentioned Herbert, not having the acceleration that we probably thought, especially after that contract. Brandon Staley probably has the hottest seat in the legal next to Rivera.

If they were to lose tonight, wouldn't surprise me if he was gone. But he will not be the head coach of the Raiders or the Chargers next season. And Ron Rivera won't. In both instances, I think you'd lean to an offensive coach. When, you know, you've been doing this now a while. You used to do the NBA and you shifted to the NFL. It's interesting. When I think of NFL owners, it's a boys club and it is the sport in America.

It's the English Premier League here. has your access change from covering basketball to football? Are there certain elements of basketball that talked that don't talk in the NFL? What's the difference as an insider of both leagues? So the NFL in some ways is more accessible because there's so many more players and agents. The staffs are much bigger. When you think about an NBA roster, it's basically 12. You have three or four coaches.

You have a trainer. The NFL roster is physically. 53, you've got 100 coaches, you got executives, you got personnel guys. There is a lot more opportunity for access. And I think because the NFL in many ways has become the true 365 sport in America, the way they market the draft, the Combine, the Senior Bowl, there's just more opportunities, right? And it's a heavily covered league, Colin. I love the NBA.

But I'd be lying if I told you I don't really love cover in the NFL in large part because of the access. and just the fact that I think given the sheer number of people, you can have more conversations a little bit easier. I want to talk finally about there has been some successes. Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carroll, Bill Walsh, actually coached college too. Marve Levy, I think briefly was in college. By and large, most college coaches that go pro, there's been a lot of stumbling. Spurrier, Saban, Urban Meyer, just doesn't fit.

The cultures are different. Is there anybody in college? Lincoln Riley two years ago was discussed. By the way, they'll be fine. Now everybody suddenly thinks Lincoln Riley just can't coach. Is there a hot college coach out? A couple years ago, it was Matt Rule. It did not work.

Owners tend to watch what works and what doesn't. They pull back. Give me a college coach out there. Is it Lincoln Riley? Well, Lincoln Riley, for a lot of reasons, he is an offensive guy. He's young. He's vibrant. He has the relationship with Caleb Williams.

Interesting. You have that. I think Ryan Day has certainly been discussed out of Ohio State. Harbaugh as well. Those would be the three that come to mind. You know, Kingsbury was in Arizona as well. Generally, it doesn't work. If you're going to do it, it typically is better to go from the NFL to college, Urban Meyer. I'm sorry, Nick Saban is probably the best example of that. But those would be the two or three names that come to mind. I think out of all three of those, though, without question, Harbaugh would be the trendiest guy, and there will be teams trying to, coax him out of, out of Ann Arbor. Yeah, well, we'll keep you updated, bring you by. Caleb Williams, I thought was a lock one, but I do hear things behind the scenes. You drink, man? Yeah, there are just people that question, it doesn't bother me at all. A lot of people think he can be moody and emotional.

When you're 23, 22, I was, everybody is. It doesn't bother me. But, you know, people, you get these narratives. And I thought Trevor Lawrence, Locke, and Caleb were the most obvious ones I've seen. but I never got pushback on Trevor Lawrence or luck. I am hearing a little pushback, which sounds like you are on Caleb. Actually, I would say less. So can I, do we have time for quick?

So I actually asked Cliff about him. Cliff has been in an SC this year working with Caleb, and he said he is enormously gifted. You know, with respect to Manzal and Kyler, who he had. You know, and there's been the comparison to Mahomes, who Cliff also had at Texas Tech. And I don't know if it's fair to compare Caleb Williams to Patrick Mahomes, but you can see some of the improvisation.

He's an unbelievable athlete. He'll probably put on a little bit more weight as he goes to the NFL. He's still a little slight. But there's not a throw he can't make. And Cliff has told me he's as talented as he's seen, maybe next to Mahomes, you know, second to Mahomes. And that says a lot. He had a lot of great quarterbacks.

I would also say with Drake May, I've asked some people at Carolina, what kind of guy is he? And it reminds me of what we heard about Justin Herbert coming out of Oregon. where the players loved him. And people would say he doesn't talk enough, he's not a leader, that's BS. When you talk to people in Carolina, they love the fact that whenever he does an NIL deal, Drake May, he gets the offensive line. He gets the whole team. When he had opportunities to go in the portal, he stayed in Chapel Hill.

Drake May is going to be a great quarterback. Now I'm not saying he's better than Caleb, but there are discussions about both those guys from number one pick. Jordan is great seeing you again, buddy. Thank you, Colin. I had a blessed. All right. According to FBI, data break-ins property theft, spike this time of the year. year. It's why SimplySafe home security is offering 50% off new systems with a fast protect plan. Check it out.

Works effective. Simplysafecollan.com. C-O-L-I-N. SimplysafeCollin.com. I have a great parlay for you this weekend. Thanks to Draft King Sportsbook. New users use the code herd, H-E-R-D when you download the app. Here's my parlay picks. People will sell their Packer stock because they lost to an average Giants team, but they're at home. I'll give up the three and a half. I think they beat the bucks handily. Brown's minus three and a half hosting the Bears. Chicago looked great, but Cleveland's defense at home will be a different matter entirely. Browns by a touchdown. And the bills minus two at home? Yeah, I like all three favorites. I'll take them over the Cowboys coming up a highly emotional thrashing of the Eagles. You want to take the herd parlay. Check out

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See show notes for full details. 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, 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 yeah, yeah, yeah. 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. When your business reaches a certain scale, challenges begin to surface. You deserve a tailored solution. That's what NetSuite provides. Their KPI checklist is absolutely full.

free. Go to net suite.com slash her. J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, try to get excited, Colin. Raiders, Chargers tonight, from Vegas. Aiden O'Connell,

Easton, Stick. Justin Herbert's out. Keenan Allen is out. We don't know if Devante Adams is going to play. I wonder if they just shut him down, you know, if he or if he just tells him, hey, shut me down. I don't want to play. Josh Jacobs, unlikely to play. I mean, this is, Is it a rough Thursday night football?

Neither team in the mix for anything. Unwatchable. I mean, I'll say this. You know I went to Raiders Jets this season. That stadium is incredible. The Super Bowl is going to be at Vegas. By the way, are we doing any shows from there? I don't think so.

Okay. I got some buddies who are like, hey, you know, we can show you and Kyle. Cowherd around. Well, weren't you going to go there for the Jets? If the Jets were going to make the Super Bowl. Yeah. Technically, there's still a lot. Technically, they have not been eliminated.

this is okay sure Zach Wilson who knows now all right let's move on to next up the Colts what a story

they've been Gardner Minshu is the starter Shane Steichen the coach and they are currently the seventh seed in the AFC and they will take on the six seed

Steelers this week Michael Pitman says the team recognizes the urgency to keep it tight in the AFC listen this is a go either way game

I almost want to take the Steelers here any thoughts for you on Colts trying to fight for the playoffs against Tomlin? Well, Tomlin generally went back into a corner, you know, that he does pretty well. He's a great underdog coach, and he's also a great, he's a great coach when nobody believes on him, because he's been criticized many times over the last 10 years. So I had the Steelers make it as a wild card team, so that part of me, you know, I'd like to be right.

No, but for you do want to be right, but what's your interest level in Steelers at Chiefs in the Wildcard round? Like, that's going to be a blood bath. That's not even worth watching. No, no, I don't think I think you're... At dolphins? Come on. Those are bad games. Listen, I'm not a Buffalo Bills fan.

Josh Allen sneaks in there. I'm just telling you, nobody wants to face it. Oh, no, no. If you're asking me who I want in the playoffs, it's Sean Payton and Russell Wilson and Buffalo. Yeah. Those are more interesting than the Colts in Cleveland. Look at the QBs, 5, 6, 7. Flacco, Trubisky, Minshu.

Yeah, of course I would take Josh Allen. I'd take C.J. Stroud. He's interesting. A rookie in the playoffs? He's got the concussion. Well, he'll be back. for the playoffs. You saw two of last year, really.

Well, two had had multiple. Fair. Yeah, I mean, it's, I don't basically care who wins these games, but am I rooting? Do I like the Russell Wilson-Paeton story? I think it's a great story. And on our show, if they won a playoff game, the next day, it would be good for our show. Like, it would be a fascinating story. And I think Buffalo, everybody bailed on him, McDermott in trouble, them winning, would be a fascinating story.

I'm rooting for interesting. Remember how good he was last year here on the set like every week and then during the commercial breaks? He just had all these shoes. He's still text. He's very interesting. I mean, if I ask him a question, he'll give me an answer within the day. He hasn't replied to my texts. Well, you're not that close with him.

He likes me more. That's accurate. Final story. We're 24 games into the NBA season. The Sun's Big Three finally took the court together last night. How about that, Colin? And wouldn't you know it? They lost.

116 to 112 to the Brooklyn Nets, who have been kind of spicy this year, Listen, it's going to take this team with three big stars. Well, you don't want to be the Brooklyn Nets when Kyrie, KD, and Hardin never play together, and you get to the playoffs and they have like six, seven, eight games together. So it does matter. This chemistry thing, now, again, it's early, so let's not be overly dramatic. But it does matter.

You need to have 15, 20 games on the floor together. I mean, when the Lakers get Zach Levine, LeBron will make it work quickly. But you want, I mean, you want with Zach Levine's style, You want 12 to 15 to 20 games where you play with a lead, situational basketball. It takes so much of basketball. Talent obviously matters in coaching, but it's a field sport. And it takes a while to kind of like, what is Beal Like?

What is he not like? I still contend Phoenix and Denver are the two most talented teams in the West, but I think Zach Levina the Lakers bears watching. It's interesting. One thing that's clear from the Nets is their bench is just they got nothing, Colin. Their bench could do nothing last night. They could do nothing against the Lakers in that playing. You're talking to Sons?

I'm sorry, Sons, yeah. They just have no bench. Well, let me ask you this, though. So the Celtics don't have a bench. Denver doesn't have a bench. The Sons don't have a bench. If you have star players that are expensive, you have no bench. Would you rather have a bench or star player?

Because the Celtics Nuggets and Sons have no bench. The problem with the Sun's star players are KD's old and hurt often and Beals hurt. Tatum doesn't have a big injury history. I don't think Holiday does and Jalen Brown doesn't. So I would definitely take the Celtics younger three over the suns. Yeah, no, I think they're a better team. They've proven it so far. But Denver last year, and I could be wrong on this,

but I think their bench was rated like, you know, 17. It's just, I always feel, I felt this forever. Do you have somebody who can get points off the bench? Just one guy. Do you have somebody that can get hot, a Joe Johnson, you know, like that kind of guy? Yeah, yeah. Can you give me 22, like, once a series? You know, when the heat had LeBron and those guys, you could pull it, whether it was an Alan, a Mike Miller,

a guy that comes off and can give you quick points if everybody else is struggling or the matchups don't work. So I don't think you need a deep bench. It's nice to have a guy that can score off the bench when sometimes some nights your stars are in foul trouble or they're cold. Yeah, no, totally agree. J-MAC with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. Good stuff today. Jordan Schultz full of information. Greg CoSell, Chris Mannix. Next. Don't go anywhere live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Pauli Fusco here with Tony Fusco. Yo, of course you know us as the host of the number one rated show in all the sports talk, the Pauley and Tony Fusco show. Yeah. Now the suits at Fox Sports Radio gave us this air because they wanted us to tell you how great our show is. Why? Yeah, instead of us doing that, let's just let our millions of fans do the talking.

Yeah, play the tape. You don't know crap about sports. Why am I even on this crap? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That's the wrong tape. Wrong tape. Just forget that. Look, listen to the Pauli and Tony Fusco show on the iHart Radio app, Apple Podcast,

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 what you'll say. 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 Podcast, 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 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 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 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 Make sure you play this week's Fox Super 6 free-to-play game. Download the Fox Sports app and enter for free. For a chance to win your share of $10,000 in weekly cash prizes. All right, a lot of stuff going on.

Yonis is getting all worked up. Draymond Green suspended indefinitely. Our buddy, Chris Manick, senior writer, Sports Illustrated in Phoenix. So he's going to watch the Suns coming up, and he just watched them before we get to the Sun. And so Draymond Green suspended indefinitely. It feels right. It's not a big surprise. But what did, you know, that's very nebulous.

What does indefinitely mean when the commissioner talks to Draymond? How do you see it? I don't think the NBA knows yet what indefinitely means. I think the NBA has just come to the conclusion that everything they've done up until this point has not worked. They've suspended him, what, four times in the last nine months. They just suspended him five games a month ago because of what happened in the incident in Minnesota. He has been ejected from three games this season, which is barely two months old. So I think in the league office, the conversation they have was, well, just giving him a suspension with a target date for a return isn't getting the job done.

What we've got to do now is create this indefinite suspension, create some benchmen, and sit him down until we believe he's reached those benchmarks. I think it's safe to say, Colin, that we're not going to see Dremont back within 10 games. I think that will be probably the minimum for the amount of games Dremond is suspended. But the NBA is purposefully keeping this open-ended because everything they've done up until this point has not made one bit of difference. Yeah. Well, the Warriors are going through a weird time.

Wiggins looks shot. Clay Thompson, I don't think is getting the extension. So there's a lot going on there. You know, it's the Yonah situation. So I threw this out earlier. So I've seen Young, the puppy, Ernest, Raw, Janus, loved him. And then I've seen the United States sports machine hardened him. Now he swears more.

He calls people out. Last night he's going after the ball. I'm totally comfortable with both because I think to be a sports star, whether it's MJ, Bird, Magic, Dr. Jay, you have to be resilient. This pro sports will beat you up. The wealth, the criticism, Adam Silver said my players mentally, it can be in bad spots. I'm okay with the frothy on us. I really am.

But it is different. It does feel like Chris, over the last couple of years, he's got a little more attitude, he's got stronger opinions. Are you seeing that? Are you hearing that? Absolutely. I'm seeing it. I'm hearing it.

I'm witnessing it. I mean, I went to Milwaukee multiple times during Janice's rookie year to write profiles on. This is the guy that, you know, as a teenage rookie, used to send money by hand to his family back in Greece through Western Union and then effectively hitchhiked two games, you know, back home. Now he's kind of got this surliness to him that you haven't seen at different times during his career. This latest incident was one of the more bizarre that I've ever seen. I mean, look, there are two game balls that exist out there. And the Pacers and Rick Carlisle made it clear afterwards.

They didn't necessarily need to have the actual game ball. They could have had the backup to give to their rookie. This feels like a situation that could have been resolved with a couple of conversations in the half an hour after the game or 45 minutes before the Pacers took off. They weren't just going to put this ball on a bus and send it back to, you know, send it away back to Indiana immediately. Janice's reaction to all this in real time just was befuddling to me and really befuddling to a lot of the people that I talked to.

Yeah. Listen, when you work in a public setting, you're Draymond Green, you're Janus. We see your emotions in real time. Most of us can go to our cubicle and blow off some steam. These guys can't. So I do want to talk about the Spurs. Like we knew they weren't going to be a great team. Like Detroit.

We knew they were going to be bad. They're really bad. Is San Antonio bad? Is it part of the plan? Wembe? How did they view it right now? Are anybody impatient? Is he as good as advertised?

Listen, all these guys are kids. This isn't the NFL. You know, Chris. They haven't been in college for four years. They still come in as kids. Where are we on Wemby, the Spurs, and his development? I think we're right where we need to be. I mean, this is stage one of a multi-stage

process in San Antonio. If you look at that Spurs roster, Wenbanyama might be the only absolute keeper on that roster. You do have some good players. Devin Vassell is a good player. Jeremy Soshan is a good player. Keldon Johnson is a good player. But these are certainly players that San Antonio would trade in the right situation. They are not operating right now with a functional point guard. Jeremy Soshan is a power forward who's playing point guard there. So the next step in Wembenyama's development is getting him a point guard that can compliment him in whatever way that may be. There's also going to be a time in the years to come that San Antonio is going to flesh this roster out with responsible veterans for that roster.

I mean, you look at what Houston was over the last couple of years where they were just a bunch of young kids and the inmates were running the asylum. different story this year where they've got Fred Van Bleet. They've got Dylan Brooks and a collection of veterans there who can be role models for those young guys. That's something San Antonio, I'm sure, is going to emulate over the next couple of years, bringing in the right veterans to work with and play with Wenbenyama. Because if you look up in Detroit, which you just mentioned, that is a biblical disaster. I mean, that is a train wreck. And part of that is because they don't have.

veterans on that roster that can show guys like Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes and some of the other lottery picks they've had in recent years the right way to do things. So I think San Antonio, they'll ride this season out. They don't care what their record is at the end of it. And then this offseason, they'll study, they'll do a post-mortem on this year, and they'll find the veterans that makes sense. So, you know, I had said a year ago, J. Mack is my witness, that if the NBA had a March Madness, one-and-done tournament,

I think LeBron next to Yokic would be my favorite player for one game. Well, he went 7-0, they win the end-season. So now there's the Zach Levine story. So I don't necessarily think, Chris, I can think two things. I don't think he's a winning player as a one. But I think as a two or three, like Wiggins, he can be a very nice, high-flying, complementary offensive piece. He's not going to elevate others necessarily, but he could elevate a team.

So whereas I didn't love him in Chicago as sort of the go-to guy, I do think LeBron tends to manage players well. I also think DeLo is not in their long-term plans. So the Zach Levine piece, how do you see it, Chris? How's it being discussed in the league? Well, if you're going to make a market for the three guys in Chicago with the most trade value, with Zach Levine, DeMarie, DeMardo Rosen, and Alex Caruso, you would reverse the order when it comes to the guys that are most coveted.

Alex Caruso, great contract, two-way player, can fit into any system. The Lakers know that because they won a championship with Alice Caruso on the roster. Demar DeRosen, his lack of three-point shooting is a problem, but he's on an expiring contract, so there's value in taking him on both short and long-term. Zach Levine, not to take away from his individual talent because he is an electric score, But he's a very one-dimensional player. He's not a playmaker, per se, though you can have him handle the ball at times. He's not a great defender.

And he's got, what, three years left on that contract. And he's a guy that in the past has had history of knee issues. So if I'm a team like the Los Angeles Lakers, the guy I am trying to pry loose from Chicago is Alex Caruso, because I know what Alex Caruso can do. I know he can play opposite LeBron James. I know he can compliment Anthony Davis. I would be willing to give up some assets to go and get Alex Caruso long before I made a run exactly. Wow, that's really interesting.

I know that LeBron like Caruso. Finally, Celtics are a very good home team. Like Denver, not much of a bench. Like Phoenix, not much of a bench. But when you have younger players, that's okay. Phoenix older players, the bench could be more crucial in the postseason. again, it's early. Your thoughts on the Celtics, you know them well.

I think my first take in the first month was Denver and Boston were clearly the two best teams in the league. And I thought, without Harden, Philadelphia and Maxie was fascinating. I didn't know if they were good. Where are you now in the East? Where do the Celtics land for you? To me, they're number one in the East, as they are in the standings. I love their top six. Their top six is as good or better than every team.

in the NBA. Chris S. Porzingis has been exactly what this team needed. Drew Holiday has been exactly what this team needed. So as long as those top six guys are healthy, I'm confident in Boston. They do, I think, need one more guy. Coming into this year, Colin, I said the Celtics had six and a half usable playoff players because Peyton Pritchard to me was kind of a half because two years ago, he was kind of reliable last year, not so much. He's still kind of that half. He's still a guy I'm not sure I can count on yet in the postseason. Sam Hauser has had a phenomenal shooting first half of the season. But if you remember, Sam Hauser last year had a phenomenal first year first half of the season, could not shoot the ball

down the stretch, didn't play in the playoffs. Luke Cornette, not someone that played in the playoffs last year. If I'm Brad Stevens, I'm going out there and I'm looking for someone, whether it's another big to be that third man, the rotation around Forzingis, and, and Al Horford or somebody else in that back court that's better than Peyton Pritcher. That, to me, would be the kind of transaction that would put Boston ahead above everybody else in the NBA. Chris Manick, Sports Illustrated, volume as well. Good seeing, my man.

You got it, Colin. All right, he'll be watching Phoenix has a fight to cover. So there you go. That, you know, it really drives people crazy. So this in-season Laker tournament, they're hanging a banner, which I think is great. It's not going to be like a champion. Banner, it's going to have a different color to the banner, and I have no problem

with it at all. Oh, to listen to the old heads, is a disgrace. It's an in-season tournament. It's the first of its kind. It did help some ratings. It was fun to watch. They took a swing. Hockey baseball, college basketball, and the NBA are struggling with regular season ratings. They're trying something new.

I'm for it. I agree with you. Are you having trouble, like, talking to some sports fans lately about some topics? Like, one right there. Like if you engage with some people and they're arguing against the banner is just mind-blowingly dumb. People really are worked up about it.

When people get worked up about stuff there's often envy. Oh. I think just to be obnoxious, they should put it right next to the championship matters. Make it bigger. Just really tweak them. Really poke them in the ribs. Lakers won 7 and no in season tournament.

It was fun. podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.