The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 3 - USA, Playoff

Episode Date: December 1, 2022

Thoughts on the USA Men's team so far in the World Cup More on the College Football playoff   Guests: Alexi Lalas, Bruce FeldmanSee 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.

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

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind 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 from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go. Our number 3 live in Los Angeles. Undisclosed location. It's the Hurt.

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, back on FS1 Monday. Nice. We'll respite. Nice break. Staff was able to get last couple of days. It's a great NFL weekend, by the way. Fantastic. Also, some college football games of note. I do not think we'll see the upsets we did last weekend. Like Oregon State beating Oregon. I don't think that's that big of an upset, to be honest. You watch the second half of that game. Is Oregon State better than Oregon? I don't know. Look like it.

Nine yards of carry for about a half an hour. I'm not sure that was an upset. Because I think Jonathan Smith is maybe the most underrated college football coach in the country. One game USC played this year, one where I thought they got out-coached. It was in Corvallis, especially in the first half. USC was off and they attacked the right areas to attack. Good to be here today. I had a guy on a couple hours ago.

Jeff Howe, athletic. I'm on the athletic every day reading somebody. And he was talking about the quarterback market is going to be really lively. Brady may go to the Jets, San Francisco. The Aaron Rogers one's fascinating, and this is not a criticism. It's really fascinating. He turns 39 here like in two days. So think about how valuable hitting on your picks are.

So if I told you right now, so Green Bay trades Aaron Rogers wherever they trade him, and they get a first and a second, I think he's certainly worth that. Maybe you get a first this year and a second next year. I'm just throwing it out. I have no insight on that, but that seems reasonable because he is 39. So Green Bay would have two firsts and two seconds. if they hit on just a wide receiver and just a tight end, they hit. Forget the other two picks early. They go defense.

If they just hit on those two, they would have Christian Watson emerging as a really good player. Romeo Dobbs looks really good. They hit on another receiver and a tight end. They already have a capable tight end. They have Aaron Jones. And PFF gave them a ranking top three O line. in the NFL. Wouldn't you move off Aaron Rogers? And

because you're not paying Jordan love anything? In the free agent market, you could fill any hole. Any hole. Because Christian Watson and Romeo Dobbs and Aaron Jones and that old line, that's significantly better than what

Justin Fields walked into. Significantly better than what Joe Burrow walked into. Trevor Lawrence walked into. Mack Jones walked to. David Bocdiari, Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, Romeo Dobbs. If you just hit on, let's say they go, and the first pick they get, one of their two first round picks is late first. They make a trade with somebody, and they take Jordan Addison at

USC, who I think is the late first, early second receiver. He's very mature kid. He'll come in and play. I don't know what his ceiling is, but he's going to be productive very quickly. He could end up being sort of an Emmanuel Sanders, like smart, productive, ceilings lower, but really productive. Christian Watson, Jordan Addison, Romeo Dobbs, Aaron Jones, David Boktiari. You can move off Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, because Aaron's gone, and maybe Alan Lazzard. You're going to have all, even with a dead cap hit for Aaron Rogers, you're fine. Dead cap hit hurts a lot less when you get a quarterback and you're not. paying him anything and he can win games. You don't feel it nearly as much. So the Packers,

I'm not saying you have to move off Aaron, but theoretically, if Jordan Love over the next five weeks, you're like, he is mobile. He's like 64 and mobile. And I watched them and you watched him. And he was snapping the ball off. He looked significantly more comfortable than a year ago against Kansas City. We know he's big and we know he moves well. That's not the issue. It's, You know, does he have the confidence? Can he sit there and read the field? It's the Zach Wilson issue. Zach's got a good enough arm.

Doesn't look like you can read the field. So it's, you know, and there's a time, Jeff Howe came on earlier, and I asked him. I don't think Aaron leaving is that zany. Let's say what we saw the other night was real. Yeah. I would very strongly consider moving Aaron Ross. So would I. Because, again, this team, we thought they were going to be, I thought they were going to be better defensively this year.

And I know they've had some injuries. I thought they obviously would be better offensively. So this is a team that we didn't realize was probably starting to rebuild. And it's not going to be a long-term thing. It's not like a Chicago Bears rebuild or Houston Texans rebuild. It's not like a multiple year thing. But it's one of those things where if you flip Rogers for a couple first-row picks, maybe, and then some, then you start the rebuild.

You know you're not going to contend for a Super Bowl next year, probably. I mean, unless Jordan Love is like Patrick Mahomes, and we just don't realize it. But, you know, you really start to turn the clock towards 2024, and you've got your quarterback of the future in place, and then all these draft picks start to, like, creep toward their prime. Yep. You've got yourself a great situation.

This isn't college basketball. These kids come out of college. Three and four years. They're 23 years old. By their second year, Romeo Dobbs and Christian Watson could be 75 catch, six touchdown guys next year. I mean, they could be like real players. You've already gone through four years of high school, three or four years of college, second year NFL. You've got like a decade of football.

This is not like you spot a guy in high school basketball, one year, 30 games at Carolina pros. That guy is not even able to drink in the hotel bar. You got a kid. Even if he's John Morant. He's a kid. Needs time. physically, mentally. NFL guys come in at 23.

They're ready to play. Get them a year in the system. That's why a Jamar Chase, the really special guys, they pop immediately. But I do think there is something about Aaron. He's a lot of work. And maybe you've never experienced this, but anybody in their late 30s on

has experienced what I'm about to say. You work with somebody that's really talented but difficult and prickly and you always feel like you're walking on eggshells. And I think that's Aaron. And I think it was far of at the end. There's no owner. It's the quarterback, Packer quarterback syndrome.

A lot of power. I mean, who's going to push back on Aaron? Brian Gudenkuntz? Come on. He wears dockers. It's not happening. All right. I'm going to take a break.

We're going to come back. Alexei Lollas from Doha. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio 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're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert 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.

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

or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of 2. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Alexi Lawless, former defender for the United States men's national team and sometimes a verbal defender of Greg Burrhalter and our club. 94 and 98 World Cup performer. Alexi is joining us, Fox Sports Analysts from Doha. My friend, how are you?

You've been wonderful. How are things? It's good, my friend. Greetings. Yeah, this is incredible, man. This is a, so it's been a really interesting tournament on the field, the field. You've got to seen our incredible Fox Sports set that we have down here in Doha, Qatar, and it's been great, and it just rolls on, and especially when it comes to this U.S. team,

they're doing us proud, and it's been fun. Okay, second youngest team in the tournament, Netherlands next. What will the match look like? You know, there is the advantage we're playing as underdogs, house money. Could they get tight? I've seen this at March Madness. All tournaments are like this, Alexi. The favorite, maybe leads one-nil late. They get tight. Hell, Iran almost came back to score on us. Do we have a shot here? My guess is we do.

Absolutely, we have a shot, Colin. And for a number of different reasons, not the least of which is, this is a very good U.S. team. And, you know, while, you know, back in the 1900s, back in the previous century when I was running around, it was kind of a happy to be there. And certainly getting out of the group was an accomplishment. And the rest, to your point, was kind of gravy. That's not the way that this generation was brought up or the way that they look at this. opportunity. And yes, they are young. Yes, they are inexperienced and yes, on paper,

the Netherlands is a better team. But to your point, the U.S. also, in a strange way, gets to return to what made us kind of successful in the past, which is that underdog role and lower expectations versus the Netherlands team. I think if you ask in Netherlands, they recognize that they are coming up against a very good team. I don't think they're going to take us lightly, but I also think that this U.S. team, whether it's Christian Polic, whether it's Weston McKinty, whether it's Matt Turner and goal, are going to relish this opportunity, and it is an opportunity against a good team, not a great team. So if the U.S. were to beat the Netherlands on Saturday, it would not be this historic, life-changing type of

moment. Would it be great and would it be celebrated? Absolutely. But we have to also come to the realization at a certain point that we should expect our team and this team in particular to be ready for these types of situations and to absolutely give them a game and do more than give them the game. You know, go out there and get that win. Not be stupid. be mature and they are mature. They know what the World Cup is right now, and there's plenty of talent, there's plenty of depth, and they're feeling it right now.

So, listen, I like Greg Burhalter. He took over the Titanic, the Conca Calf Gold Cup, Nations League, they qualify, they get out without a loss, he's cleaned up the defense. I see a lot of positives. I have not loved the substitution patterns,

but I've tried to add context to that, Alexi, by saying, generally you get three, Qatar you get five, so it's a different substitution pattern. You are playing guys, maybe you wouldn't. Maybe you're getting minutes to people looking down the road. I don't love

what I've seen from Shaq Moore. He's been a bit overwhelmed. Is that a fair criticism that the substitution patterns or choices have not been ideal? A hundred percent, it's a fair criticism. And I give Greg Burrhalter a B-plus so far. Like you said,

all the things that he's done over the cycle that's all fine and well, but ultimately we knew, and he knows he's going to get judged in the World Cup. Well, you go undefeated in the group stage, you let in one goal on a penalty, you have two shutouts, and you really were the better team when it came to playing the best team in that group, which was England. Having said that, it's not been perfect. To your point, the substitutions, they have not been good, and they have not come in and fundamentally change the game in a positive way, if anything, when you're talking about a Shaq Moore, I think more importantly, the Haji Wright substitution the other day, it was mind-boggling in terms of the way that those guys came in.

And not only did they not add anything, but I think that they really took something away, and it was really problematic. So he's got to get those right going forward, whether he's using all five or using all three. The other thing, we've talked about this before on your show, set pieces, set pieces, they are so important, and this team has been abysmal. Yeah. They have a set-piece coach. They have an actual coach whose job it is. You've got one job. Set pieces. And this team has not been good on set pieces.

And who knows? Maybe it's the one set piece that's the difference between this team beating the Netherlands and not beating the Netherlands. So they better find a way to fix that right quick because in the course of the... Yeah, no, they are. And to your point, that's the second criticism. They've been sloppy. There's a lot of questions about G.O. Raina.

And I would say, listen, on a young team, he's like the teenager. He just turned 20. is it possible there's rumors and speculation about the relationship burholter georreina i swear to god i read something about a father involved i don't know what it is my takeaway he's a kid it's the world cup is it possible that gregg just doesn't feel quite yet comfortable with him look the gregg burhalter's job is to get the best collection of players on the field not the best players but the best collection of players on the field now georena might be one of those ultimately in the moment moment. But this is, as you said, a young player. This is a player that has shown that he has been

fragile from a physical perspective. And look, you don't mess with it when it's going well. And it is going well. What I like to see him at some point get on the field? Yes, but Greg Berhalter, just like any coach in any sport, he's not going to do something that's detrimental. This is not AYSO. Nobody's playing games here. Nobody's, you know, making a point or dying on a type of hill because somebody said something, you can be a couple. And I'm not saying that there's anything going on behind the scene, but you know as well as I do that this is, this is, is big boy and big girl type of stuff here. And you play the players that you think are going to win because the arena is going to

help his team win. It's a good talent. And it would be nice to see him on the field. And who knows, maybe against the Netherlands. But if he comes on the field, maybe he makes that difference right now. But I also don't think that this is a distraction in terms of what's going on behind the scenes with this team. I'm sure Gio is not happy.

That's not playing. I don't think he's being a cancer or anything. But ultimately, Greg Berhalter, things have gone well. And you've got to trust him given the track record so far. Yeah, and also great college basketball players and great college football players enter the transfer portal in great programs. Sometimes people are unhappy. You're not going to get a roster where everybody is getting the minutes they want, especially on a national team. So Polisick's injury, if you had to guess today, play or not, I don't think, listen, goals have been hard.

So Polisic to me feels his skill would be really missed. Do you think he plays today? Oh, 100%. he plays on Saturday. As a matter of fact, our own Jenny Taff just reported from the camp that she interviewed him. And he gave that smile, and you could tell that this is a guy who, well, he was hurt, he's recovered. He's going to be fine. I think he's going to be 100%. You know, will he have some sorters? Yeah, but he's shown in this tournament. He's grown through this tournament that he's gone from a boy to a man to be quite honest. He had that

wonderful moment. Obviously, he sacrificed for himself, his team, and his country had to go to the had to go to the hospital, but you saw him after he actually greeted his team when they got back to the hotel because he came from the hospital right to the hotel. I mean, this guy was smiling, and this is a shy guy. This is a, you know, Oshucks type of personality off the field. But on the field, you know, he had his moment. And just from a practical perspective, I think that there is nobody on the team that the Netherlands would game plan for other than Christian Polific.

That's how to this team in terms of taking players on and really causing problems. for whoever they left is playing. Finally, Qatar got criticism. It's not an ideal site given the weather. It'd probably be more comfortable in Ireland right now. But be that as it may, your takeaway, your honest sort of takeaway on how you've been treated as a site, just kind of the entire spectacle of it so far. Look, I mean, from a weather perspective, it's been great to be quite honest with you.

And they moved it to November and December to appease people that was really concerned. They also have climate control in the stadium. So it's been pristine conditions on the field and pristine conditions also for the fans in those areas. The Qataris have been wonderful. They have treated us incredibly. You know, everything has been as worked the way that they said it was going to an advertisement to the world. The game did not go on. So that didn't quite work out the way that they wanted in terms of guitar.

Chual tournament. We've had some wonderful games on the field. And I think that ultimately it's going to be a positive message and a message about, a country and culture that is evolving, that is changing, that is doing the world in 2022 and beyond, especially if you want to have that global commerce and that global travel and all the different stuff that's going on. So, look, I can only tell you from being here on the ground that everybody has been wonderful, and from a soccer perspective, it's been a really cool and interesting tournament.

Alexei Lawless, I love your Twitter account. It's one of my favorites. I really do. You and Colin Quinn, the comedian, I think, are my two-frey. Yeah, my two favorite accounts. You know how highly I think of you and your work, and I have loved every second of this. Canada has let me down.

That was my dark horse pick to be really dynamic, but instead maybe it's us. It's us, my friend. Hey, listen, before you let me go here, just let's tell you your viewers and listeners out there, that you have been a champion for this game for a long time, and I know you have made a point of putting it in your soccer spectrum out there, in your palette of sports out there,

and you've learned along the way, and you have been, you know, it's really important because obviously you come from more traditional American sports, but you recognized early on that this was going to grow, this was going to get bigger. Even back in our ESPN days, you sought people out to learn about the game, and I appreciate that.

The soccer folks out there appreciate that, and I think that it has made you better because you have a responsibility, as you know, that have a knowledge of all the sports that are going on, especially the ones that are going to continue to get bigger and bigger. I think we're seeing huge numbers in terms of people. They're coming into the soccer tent. You've been there all along, so I really appreciate that, my friend.

Alexi Lulles, Fox Sports, crushing it. Thanks, buddy. All right, see you. Yep. Now, it's been fun. I think it's beautiful. You know, they call it a beautiful game. One of the things I was always attracted about is that as you get the over-commercialization

of all these sports, 245-minute uninterrupted halves. It's quick, man. Starts at four. Like, honey, I'll be in the car by four. 5-50, let's go to the restaurant. I mean, NBA, and I love the NBA. Good hell. I mean, the last two minutes of a big game, it's just agonizing.

That's why my wife likes going to, like, fights, like UFC. Hour, let's go, party. Soccer is beautiful. It's fluid. Don't be enough. You know, you don't have to like it. I don't care. I love it.

I could care less if you like it. I mean, I know people that live for baseball. I couldn't tell you the last time I watched that entire regular season, baseball game. Now, Dodgers in the playoffs, Yanks in the playoffs, playoffs playoffs playoffs playoffs games are different. But yeah, I mean, it's just part of the enjoyment of soccer to me is the fluidity of it. It's just, it starts, it goes. And that I ran last 20 minutes, there was no goal scored. Pins and needles.

I mean, really, I was getting angry. I was like, okay. John Strong, the announcer, who's a great story, went to Lake Oswego High School, and it's not like the voice of American soccer. Just a great story. He's like, somebody get it out of here. I'm like, yes, that's exactly, just kick it out. Get it out of the zone.

Ryan with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, this just in, we just have a little bit of breaking news coming out, although unfortunately not that surprising. The Michigan running back Blake Corum is opting for surgery, so he is officially done for the remainder of their season.

He had that injury going into the game against Ohio State was very limited for the most part, although he did play in little spots. So he is opting for surgery. No Big Ten championship game for him, no potential college football playoff game for him if they win and continue to advance. So a great story, a great season for him, but that injury has ended his season. So now let's dive in on some NFL. The drama never ends for Kylie Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.

Oh, geez. Yeah, right. The latest example of this, his former teammate, Patrick Peterson, on his All Things Covered podcast with Brian McFadden. Well, you'll hear Bryant talk first, and this is what they said about. about Kyler Murray, how he treats his head coach Cliff Kingsbury. Vocally, Kyle Murray is talking about, and I don't like how he's doing that. I think he should keep some things privately. But it tells me he doesn't care about his head coach.

And he's putting everything on the head coach basically saying. Tyler Murray don't care about nobody but Kyle Murray. That's just a matter of fact. And, of course, Kyler's response to this on Twitter after these comments started to go viral was, this isn't true. you are on some weird blank at P2 which is Patrick Peterson's Twitter handle

you got my number if you really felt like this as a big bro or a mentor you're supposed to call me and tell me not drag me so your podcast can grow that's funny yeah I mean I appreciate when guys

say things that are uncomfortable and I've supported Kyler Murray and I think he's sick talented I think he throws the prettiest ball in the league. But prettier than Mahomes and Josh Allen. It's the prettiest ball in the league. But he's like difficult. I think we can say that officially. Yeah. No, I think

with Kyler, it's obviously been difficult because they've done so much. I mean, they had Josh Rosen. They were willing to move off him after one year to go with Kyler. They got him Cliff Kingsbury, who they've had a long history with. They went and got him DeAndre Hopkins. They went and traded for Hollywood Brown from the Ravens.

They got him Zach Ertz. Like, they have really done everything they can to really make this a success for Kylie Murray. They were improving every year up until this year. So do you toss this year out or do you look at it and go, clearly he's unhappy and do we need to make him happy? They just gave Cliff Kingsbury an extension. So Arizona's in a better spot than Denver. At least they have draft picks and at least Kyler's in his prime. Sure. That's something. All right, let's move it along to this. You've spent a lot of time talking about Jeff Howe of the Athletics article this morning. We had him on the show earlier about a potential reunion between

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. He's talking about the quarterback carousel, mostly hypothetical, a little bit of reporting in there as well. Apparently Bill Belichick and the Patriots, they have some rabbit ears because they've already heard all this chatter and they're already trying to shout down all of the noise. Patriots reporter Mike Reese was on the sports hub in Boston and said this about the Patriots that they are, quote, in full commitment to Mac. Make no mistake about it.

They're all in on Mac. So as we talk about this, they are. are not second-guessing that position. That's quite a quick, swift response to what is just a bit of a think-piece, hypothetical, fun column. Well, I think Jeff is accurate and has good sources, and so the athletics great. They got real journalists.

And so when they write stuff, it's credible. I DM occasionally with some of the writers, and Jeff's is very, very credible to me. Yeah. I mean, I think also for the Patriots after what happened earlier this season, which you had talked about being happy with Zappi and, you know, doing some maybe Mac is whack type of discussions. You know, there was a weird quarterback situation that they had earlier this season. So I think anytime they see a little bit of smoke, maybe some embers smoldering about some other rumors starting,

they're quick to try and stomp that out and move past this. No, that's what big companies do. And we'll wrap it up with this. It was a bit of a surprise when the Chiefs did trade up to draft Patrick Mahomes before the MVP, before the Super Bowl. Mahomes was on the New Heights podcast hosted by the Kelsey Brothers, and he shared some insight about what the draft process was like in Kansas City. He talked about when he met Coach Reed, and they were going through play after play after play, just trying to quiz him. And he revealed this. I'm going to give you a little bit of the inside scoop.

He had met with then offensive head coordinator Matt Nagy, and Matt Nagy, and Matt Nagy, was such a fan of Mahomes, he gave him all the plays ahead of time. So Mahomes said, I stayed up all night studying the plays over and over and over again. I absolutely crushed that interview with Andy Reed. And he goes, I was also hearing rumors that some teams later in the draft might draft me. So that I told Andy Reid, hey, there's a couple of teams that might draft me. So if I get past 12, I don't know if I'll be available. Well, the chiefs ended up trading up and drafting him at 10.

So you got to love those little nuggets when the players finally want to be. to come out and tell you what really happened behind the scenes. Listen, if you were Mahomes and you did your homework and you knew Andy Reid who got like B quarterbacks, I mean, Donovan McNabb was always like a B B plus, got him to a Super Bowl. Yeah. Of course. Like, align yourself with the best possible scenario. That's why the Jordan Love thing's fascinating.

Jordan Love could get his first opportunity if they traded Aaron with like a left tackle star, a running back star, emerging stars at receiver. That's not the way it works. He always got a bad O line, a second tier wide receiver. You could be Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. Yeah, you don't have the right. I mean, Lefleur isn't a bust. I think he's totally overvalued, but he's capable. Sure.

I just don't think when he goes up against a Vrabel or a Shanahan, I feel like he gets, he just doesn't make. the adjustments, the better coaches do. Right. He might not be top five in the league, but he's certainly not. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Which is what overwhelmingly most of the coaches are, somewhere between like seven and 20. That's, you know, obviously math-wise, that's where they're at, a big chunk. Ryan with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. And what I mean by that is generally, you're going to have top five quarter. in the league and they're going to stay there for about a decade. Mahomes, Josh Allen, Herbert, Burrow, unless they're hurt, they're going to stay there. So the most quarterbacks coming in are going to be somewhere between like six and 15. If they're a bust, they're gone very quickly. Nobody's coming in that's smarter than Belichick and Andy Reid anytime soon. So, you know, most of your coaches that get a shot, even if Nick Surreani's the guy,

he's probably somewhere between like seven and 15. Great, stands the test of time. could be a law partner, could be a surgeon at your local hospital, just not a lot of great. Bruce Feldman's around the corner. We got a college football playoff coming. Cannot wait. Started today, I'm ready.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hi, this is Jay Glazer, and you may know me for the world of football or fighting or even shows like HBO's ballers. What you don't know is for my entire life, I have lived in something I refer to as the gray. depression, anxiety.

So now I'm coming out with a new podcast. Unbreakable, a mental health podcast with Jay Glazer, where each week, while we talk about mental health, I hope to describe it. Give it words. Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer 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, 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, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from Batsy, 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,

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

ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We can talk about how complicated other banks make it to redeem credit card cash rewards, or let's talk Discover. cash in any amount in any time redeem it discover dot com slash redeem rewards his name is bruce feldman he's a writer for the athletic fox sports college football reporter so let's first of all let's let's let's get to the things at hand of u sc utah friday on fox michigan produce saturday night um i have a i've been very cautiously optimistic with u sc bruce i said nine

and three good bowl game they have absolutely been well coached and got better in several units. They're a better team today. When Eric Gentry plays, the defense is at least situationally better. I kind of think USC wins comfortably against Utah. How do you view that game? I agree with you, Colin. I mean, last time out, Utah got him in the second half.

Really, it was no fault of the offense of USC. It was ultimately Cam Rising just made, kept on making plays. Yeah. And really the biggest difference, Colin, because I'm kind of where you said you were as well, nine and three-ish expectations. Look, if you go, look back at that UCLA game a couple of weeks ago, you know, UCA had the ball and had a chance to win in the last minute and a half or so,

and DTR gets picked off by Corey Foreman makes a really good play. To me, that kind of epitomizes what's different about where this team is. The offense has been great, probably even better than I think any U.S. defense could have hoped or expected. but the defense, which is really, really shaky, the one thing you have to give them is they have found a way to make some turnovers. And Alex Grinch has got them playing opportunistic football.

And here's a guy like Corey Foreman, who came in with a huge reputation, you know, number one player in the country, hadn't done all that much, but in a key moment, makes a big play, they get a turnover. And they are so good on offense that they can just get a couple of players from the defense, that's enough for them,

and I think that's going to make them a playoff. You know, what Bruce was really interesting, I felt three months ago, they just couldn't compete with Bama, Georgia, Ohio State. I wasn't sure if they could compete with Clemson. But, you know, seasons unveil the truth. And I even think they could play with Georgia now. I may be nuts, but I think George, I saw Missouri outplay them. I saw parts of the Kentucky game. Georgia Tech gave a problems early. I don't see Georgia as unbeatable. I think they're the best team, but I think teams. But I think teams. TCU and USC could both play with Georgia. Am I nuts? I don't know about the TCU part. I think USC would be really dangerous for Georgia.

To me, it reminds me a lot of a game that happened in the Rose Bowl for Lincoln Riley. He had Baker Mayfield. Yeah. I think when you look at this team, the confidence they are playing with, Caleb Williams is going to run away with the Heisman, I think. It's headed in that direction. I think as great as Baker was in that offense, Caleb is even more of a problem because he is so great at extending plays,

making off-platform throws. His receivers, I think, are – it's a deep group. It's a fast group. I think they're even more dangerous than that team that had Georgia on the ropes. You know, now, now maybe Georgia's a little better now than they were, you know, four or five years ago. But I think they're dangerous just because of how good – how special. Let's say that. The quarterback is, and he is the guy who's the wild card in this game

where I think he has them believing they can beat anybody. I think they're dangerous. I'm not saying, I guarantee you, they'd win that game if it comes to that, but I think they have a puncher's chance because they have the best player in college football, and they are feeding off his energy and the way he makes plays. Yeah, by the way, Michigan's star running back now is out for the rest of the year, Blake Corum. So they beat Ohio State without him. It's different, though, if you can prepare knowing he's not going to play. So, you know, that now, Michigan's not quite the team we thought or would be.

Let's talk about, I want to talk about that before we go to the playoff. Part of football that's big to me, anyway, Bruce, is an identity. I feel USC quickly has built a little bit of an identity, which is, they get turnovers and hand it to an all-star cast on offense. And that's their identity. They're ball hawking. You can gash them against the run. But they punch the ball out.

That's their identity. They're going for turnovers because they know to a game, they're going to get a touchdown on one. So my issue with Ohio State these days isn't their recruiting or that Ryan Day can't coach. I'm not sure what their identity is. I grew up. They were linebackers. edge rushers, physical. Bruce, they're not as physical.

Utah, Oregon, Michigan, I see teams gashed them. What do you make of what's happened in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry? You know, Colin, being down on the field and around the Michigan sideline last week for that game, the thing that jumped out at me was Michigan had so much confidence that they were the tougher, more physical, more resilient team. And eventually, Ohio State broke in the second half. Michigan outscored him 28 to 3. We talk about Blake Quorum.

We knew going into that game right before from talking to people around Michigan. Blake Quorum was going to play, and he was not going to be the same guy. Just not dynamic. You weren't going to see a jump cut. He was a leader, and he would help them from a present standpoint, but he could not give them what they need. Donovan Edwards really limited in terms of playing with a cast on his hand, but he still hit two huge runs on them that broke the game wide open.

But I think it comes back to right now you have one team in Michigan, which has so much belief in confidence. Jim Harbaugh, when he got Stanford going from a wretched program into a powerhouse, said he was going to build a bully of the West Coast, and he did that. He has done it again in Michigan, and these guys believe, and I think even to tie it back a little to the USC thing about their identity, I think USC guys believe. They believe in Caleb, and now this thing is, and certainly in Lincoln,

this thing is carried over to the defensive guys. Again, they're not, they're nowhere, it's like the 85 bears, but they know that they can make some plays, and I think that is something they're hanging their hats on. And when that happens with college guys who are, you know, 18, 19, 20 years old, I think it makes them really dangerous because I think they just, they feel it. And the other team, if they don't, and again, I saw this, I heard this from the Michigan players in the middle of the game.

They felt like they pointed over at Ohio State, and they just felt like Ohio State doesn't have the same level of toughness, and they were going to fold. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened last week. Yeah, yeah, Bruce Feldman, he's there for the biggest games. We both like USC a little more comfortably. So for years and years, Bruce, you know, I take pride in the fact that I move off stuff. I've given new information.

I'm willing to flip and change. I'm not real rigid as a guy or stubborn. I'm looking for new stuff all the time. I was an anti-playoff guy. And then just over the course of time, my takeaway is with Alabama's dominance, the sport's becoming too regional, and it's a sport I love.

And so I think this year the ratings, since they've been tracking them, more minutes of college football have been watched this year than any time in the last six years since they've tracked the minutes of college football watch, pre-game shows, post-game shows, games. And I think a large degree of that is,

USC's better. You know, there's less regionalization. The West Coast has meant more this year. And you bring in L.A., the Bay Area, Seattle, big markets. So I am pro-playoff. I don't think it makes Tennessee, Alabama, or Bama, Auburn, irrelevant. Those are still classic matchups in great games. Any apprehension about the playoff, though, from Bruce Feldman?

No, because I think for the people are going, look, if Michigan, Ohio State game wouldn't be as big as it was last week because the loser would still be in the playoffs. You know what? If TCU loses or if USC loses, especially if USC loses, there's a decent, and if there's a good chance Ohio State would be in the playoffs. Yeah, yeah. I don't think it diminishes. What I think it will do is a bunch of other games that most people write off, you know, like in terms of you have a national appeal for the game. All of a sudden now, it has playoff implications when they're the 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, all the way down to like 16 or 17 team college.

They're just not the nationally relevant games. Now I think they will be, and I think ultimately that's a really good thing for the sport. Listen, I'm going to admit maybe sometimes I'm an antagonist. I love hardball and all his weirdness and quirkiness. I'm sorry. I know he's the worst interview. He's hard. I love seeing him win.

I really do. How do you, how do you, what's your relationship with Jim? You know, he's always tells you what's on his mind in that point. And I think, you know, he is good for college football. Yes. What he did at Stanford was amazing. What he even did for the Niners when they were bad and he got him in the Super Bowl really impressive. What he's done is taking them a while.

You know, I did a big story in the athletic a few weeks ago about how they change the culture. What has changed in the last two years? but I think this guy, you know, when Michigan football is rolling, it is a massive brand. That fan base was starved. I mean, how many times they've heard on our air or other places, Urban Meyer was 7 and 0 against them. I mean, I think they wanted to puke after hearing it so many times. And I think for them the last two seasons, not just to beat Ohio State, but to, like, bludgeon them and blow them off the field, I think that has energized.

A lot of people who probably had the fatigue of Ohio State and just kind of the status quo. And Jim Harbaugh gets off the mat. Remember, he was two and four going in, you know, coming off of 2020, took a big pay cut. A lot of people had them on the hot seat. And then all of a sudden now they have dominated the big 10. And they're going to look like if they obviously, you know,

win the big 10 against Purdue this weekend. they're probably going to be the number two seed. And even without play corn, they're going to be a tough out for somebody because they are so physical and have such belief in their identity. Yep. And I think that is so important. You've got to give employees an understanding of what they are so they can lean into it.

And I think right now Ohio State's a little lost on that. And I think USC's got it. Michigan's got a style. Clemson. I watch Clemson. I'm not sure what their offensive identity is. I'll take less talent. slightly less talent and an identity, because I just love watching Michigan play.

Bruce Feldman, New York Times bestsellers, Fox Sports, biggest games. He's always there. Incredibly connected at the athletic, read him regularly. Bruce is always your tremendous. Thanks, man. All right, thanks, Paul. We'll see you soon. All right, Bruce Feldman.

We got journalism on the show today. It may not be me, but we know the phone numbers of journalists, and we bring them on. I went out last night, pizzaana in Brentwood, and just gorge myself on pizza. Just to an unhealthy level, it was so good. Is there any other way to eat pizza, to be honest? Who goes, I'll have one slice of pizza place. I don't get it. Oh, I just went nuts.

It was family time, my son, my daughter, and I'm like, I'm going in. I'm going all in on this. had an Italian beer pretended like I ate some chopped salad and just wolfed down a pizza so good the best Alexi Lawless Bruce Feldman

Greg CoSell Jeff Howe that was fun Ryan, Greg we're all going to be back tomorrow doing the same thing radio only May shower only difference not sure

I said May poor Ann All right, live in Los Angeles. It's been the hurt. 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 progress. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology

of Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.