The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Jerry Jones, Baker Mayfield, Bowl games

Episode Date: January 1, 2020

Filling in for Colin Cowherd, Jason McIntyre discusses if and when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will fire Jason Garrett. What Browns Quarterback Baker Mayfield needs to start doing, and the upcoming College Bowl Games. Guest appear: Albert Breer and John Middlekauff Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

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Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played. with and just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast what's up guys

this is clivert taylor the fourth and on my podcast the clivert show i'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff like being an internet famous referee we're in the middle of a game this linebacker this linebacker walks up to me he goes a ref my mom wants you to wave at her what Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 SportsRadio.com Or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome to 2020, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome

to the Colin Cowherd Show, The Herd here. I am your host, Jason McIntyre, in for Colin, who I guess partied really hard last night. He told me he would be listening this morning, though. Hope everybody had a safe, phenomenal New Year's Eve. My parents always love to joke that Jason, New Year's Eve Amateur Hour. You never want to go out on New Year's Eve. So what did I do? I started New Year's Eve by playing 18 holes of goals. Yes, yes, something I had not done. Geez, probably eight or nine years. It was a little taxing. My back is hurting this morning, but always love to try new things. Ended the year with a bang. And today, oh boy, we got some fireworks, ladies and gentlemen. A couple bowl games,

although I will rue the demise of New Year's Day college football. Remember when it mattered when there were like eight bowl games on New Year's Day and you just sat there flipping the channel. That's no more. There's just four games today. And they aren't even really good, which means you'll probably be listening to the show. So we got a lot today,

a couple great guests to break down the chaos of the NFL coaching carousel. We all wait with bated breath on Jerry Jones to make a decision on Jason Garrett. I play a lot of Texas Hold'em with my buddies. And I like to say poop or get off the pot. And Jerry Jones, come on, what are we waiting for?

You know, I can't imagine a scenario where Jones keeps Garrett. But again, folks, we're talking about a 77-year-old billionaire. You know, this is a guy who loves the attention. And there was no way he was going to fire Garrett or part ways with Garrett, whatever you want to call it. He was never going to do that on Black Monday. Jerry Jones needs his own special time for that. He needs the attention and all the focus on him. I've got a mind-blowing NFL playoff stat that you have to listen to.

It's coming up in about 11 or 12 minutes. I know the herd audience loves to gamble. This is the most important stat for Wild Card Weekend. I will give that to you shortly. And finally, I've got some great advice for Baker Mayfield. I recently signed my third grader up for jujitsu. And I sit in on the classes. I bring my computer and I watch and make sure, you know, he's having fun.

And the jujitsu teacher offered an amazing pearl of wisdom that's going to apply to Baker Mayfield. I know you guys saw the video from the Bengals game, so stick around for that. But I want to start the show here. You guys are aware of what happened in Cleveland this week, right? Obviously, Freddie Kitchens gets dusted. There's a parting of the ways with the general manager. But what the media is not telling you is that the nerds are taking over football. And I'm not saying that in a bad way.

That's not a derisive word. Nerd is cool. I love to nerd out now, okay? Whether it's college football, bowl games, NFL drafts, whatever it is. Being a nerd now is cool. It means you're probably pretty smart, right? It means you're maybe rich or building some wealth. You know, and there's a decent chance if you're a nerd, you're dating an Instagram model,

because that's kind of how the internet works right now. Listen, I don't think I could have built a website, sold it, and then pivoted to radio and TV if I hadn't nerded out on sports. So there's nothing wrong with being a nerd. But the nerds, folks, right now, are taking over football. And the football guys, they're kind of being shown the door. That's what happened in Cleveland. The story behind the story is, show me the analytics. And if you don't, I'm going to show you the door.

And what went down in Cleveland? This is going to be a thing moving forward in the NFL. We've already seen the nerds take over baseball. And again, being a nerds, cool, Saber Metrics. Hello, they made a movie called Moneyball, which was phenomenal. Okay? It flipped baseball on its head, and analytics have taken over baseball. Anybody who's playing baseball right now at a high level in the majors

is winning because of Sabermetrics, analytics, really spreadsheet baseball. Now you can argue whether or not that's good for the sport. That's another discussion. But the nerds have won out. And then you look to the NBA right now. Folks, it's a three-pointer or a layup. That's what the efficiency numbers say.

That's what the robots and the computers are telling teams. Shoot threes. Shoot layups. Don't do the mid-range. We'll pull you out of a game if you shoot a mid-range jumper. I actually went to the Lakers Mavericks game Sunday night out here in L. and, you know, if you get the media credential, you get to go on the court beforehand.

And I'm there with a guy who works at a rival network. He's a big gambler. And we're court-side, and Jared Dudley and the Lakers are warming up. But I know Jared Dudley a little bit because he came through FS1 and I talked to him. And if you guys listen to my Saturday radio show on Fox Sports Radio, you know I'm a sponge when anybody, coach, player, GM, owner comes through the building. So I got to be friendly with Jared Dudley and he comes over, daps me. up on the baseline.

And we're talking a little bit about NBA and the holidays. And my buddy says to Jared Dudley, hey, I saw you working on your floater. Your floater game needs some work, say jokingly. And Jared Dudley, of the Lakers, says, who cares about the floater? It's all threes and layups,

baby. That's what analytics has done to the NBA. Again, we can discuss if that's good or bad, but hello, Golden State Warriors. Hello, Houston Rockets. Not in the playoffs. But, analytics. has taken over baseball and the NBA. Football's kind of pushed back.

However, the Cleveland Brown's front office debacle this year, it all came down to analytics versus the football guy. Okay? Now, guess who survived in Cleveland? The analytics guy, who just happens to be Paul de Podesta. If you saw Moneyball, which I referenced earlier, he was the guy that Jonah Hill played, very nerdy, very by the book.

This is a guy who went to Yale. He's a slave to numbers. He survived in Cleveland. The football guy. John Dorsey, lifelong football guy. He got dusted. Folks, if you're not on board with the analytics, if you're not on board with spreadsheet football

and the algorithms that make up all this stuff, you're in trouble. Okay. John Dorsey was a football lifer. I looked him up just to get some background on John Dorsey, the Browns GM who got fired. And this guy was an alpha football player, okay? Played linebacker for four years, drafted by the Packers, okay? Gets a job as a college scout, is in the Mike Holmgren tree or family, if you will. Mike Holman leaves for Seattle. John Dorsey, he goes to Seattle with him. Then he comes back to Green Bay, ends up in Kansas City. But what happened in Kansas City to football guy, right, was he was a bad communicator. There was a story that they ended up cutting Jeremy Macklin, a wide receiver.

And John Dorsey did that by leaving him a voicemail. Great communication there, John Dorsey. Anyway, he comes to Cleveland and builds this amazing roster. And this time last year, right, the Browns had finished that strong in the regular season. Baker Mayfield looked good, okay? And then they add Odell Beckham. And everybody says, this is one of the most talented rosters in the league. If you Google most talented rosters in the NFL in 2019, the Browns are top 10.

Heading into the season built by a football guy. So what happened this season? Well, the Browns did not do very well. Okay. They had a ton of talent, undeniable, but their coach was abysmal. Okay? And Baker Mayfield regressed. They lost a lot of games.

So season comes to an end. and the owner, big money guy, he's got a decision to make. Do I stick with the football guy, John Dorsey, who built this awesome roster? Or do I stick with the analytics guy who loves a good spreadsheet? And he was successful in baseball, okay? If you've seen Moneyball, hey, DiPadesta and the A's built something awesome. Didn't win a World Series, but he did very well. Went to the Dodgers, turned them around in like one year.

They hadn't been to the playoffs, I think, in like 16 years. Deepa D'Desta. 31-year-old GM. I'm not being mean, calling him a nerd. You guys nerdy. And guess what? He wins instantly. So this guy's been crowned, and this is where we're headed in sports.

Okay, if you guys follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and all this stuff, you know I'm big on gambling. The biggest thing I learned this year, and I'm doing, you know, I'm the gambling guy at FS1. I do these videos for college and NFL picks all the time. I go on lock it in the gambling show. FS1's all in on gambling. And the biggest thing I learned in sports gambling in 2019 was, if you don't have an algorithm or a model,

you're going to be in some trouble. I'm not saying you're throwing darts, but unless you've got a machine behind you, because trust me, the Vegas sports books, they all do. You're going to be in some trouble. The analytics, the robots are taking over, folks. So the Cleveland Browns decide, well, do I go with the football guy or the analytics guy?

and you know what made Brown's owner Jimmy Haslam's decision a lot easier? He looked in his division. And did you guys notice what happened in Baltimore? I'm sure you guys are aware. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, best team in the league, Super Bowl favorite now. But what's the story behind the story in Baltimore? Well, this year, John Harbaugh,

the coach of the Ravens, who was on the hot seat last year, remember with Flacco struggling, he brought in a 25-year-old Yale graduate who majored in behavioral economics. Okay? A 25-year-old Yale graduate to make all of the Fourth Down decisions, all of them. How do you think that worked out?

I'm just going to ask Cash. How do you think it worked out on Fourth Down for the Baltimore Ravens and the 25-year-old Yale grad? Wow, look at that. The Baltimore Ravens were the best fourth down team in the NFL. 70% conversions, ladies and gentlemen. They hire a nerd from Yale.

He bangs it out on the spreadsheet. What do the analytics say? Go here. Don't go there. The Baltimore Ravens had the most fourth down conversions in the NFL this year. 17. They were 17 and 24. 70%.

The robots are coming for the NFL. The robots are coming. They're winning. and it's not a negative that this is happening. I just want a lot of football guys to wake up out there. You've got to get on board with what's happening in the NFL. The analytics are coming, and the Browns just decided I'm going to let the analytics guy build our roster going forward, not the football guy. Now, finally, I want to wrap up.

I know you're thinking, Jason, there's a lot of Cleveland Browns to open the show. it's not about the Browns as much it is about the big picture in the NFL. I just told you it happened in baseball. It happened in the NBA. The NFL is the next frontier. Now, a quick word before we go to break on Baker Mayfield. Okay? You had a tough year.

Great stat for you here. Guess who threw the most interceptions inside the 10-yard line this year? Not James Winston. Baker Mayfield. three interceptions inside the 10. Of course, it just so happens that I bet them in two of those games. And, hey, you know, Baker Mayfield had a rough year. I know Colin beats up Baker Mayfield a lot, okay?

And everybody thinks I don't like Baker Mayfield because of the cell phone comment I made during his rookie year on the herd. I just want to say this. If you've seen the video from Week 17, Brown's Bengals, they're in the tunnel, and, you know, a couple bozos, in the crowd are yelling at Baker Mayfield. You're going to lose to a 1 in 14 team. Ha, ha, ha. Another fan calls him

Johnny Mansell, I believe, if you listen to the video. And Baker Mayfield shouts back, come down here and tell it to my face. And then, you know, something else that's kind of inaudible. I do believe it has a bad word in it. Here's my piece of advice to Baker Mayfield. And I'm not talking down to him. I'm just talking from experience.

I'm older than Baker. I've been through a lot. I've dealt with a bunch of bozos and meatballs out there. So my son is in jujitsu, as I said, third grader, signed him up. And the jiu jih T teacher tells this story. So this group of students from a karate class are walking down the street to the dojo. And as they come up to the corner, there's a man with a horse, you know, walking a horse across the street. And they're stopped at the stop side.

So the horse is startled by the group of karate kids and involuntarily just kicks back because you don't run up on a horse, okay? So these guys walk up behind the horse, the horse kicks back. The star student of the karate class is at the front and he dodges the horse kick, right? Wow, out of the way. Slick move.

Shows off its reflexes. The entire class is like, oh my gosh, do you see what Sammy did? He's amazing. So they get to the dojo and they tell the sensei, Sensei, you missed Sammy dodge a horse kick. He really is the best student. He's awesome. Oh, Sammy, we look up to him.

And the sensei's upset. And the sensei says, if he was my star student, he would have been on the other side of the street. Everybody goes silent. The theme, of course, the lesson is to avoid conflict. Baker Mayfield, I know there's fans out there yelling all the time. at players and athletes. You had that NBA guy yelling at Isaiah Thomas,

and Isaiah Thomas went in the stands. Avoid conflict. Guys, every fan out there has a phone and is recording. I've never seen this happen to Russell Wilson, to Tom Brady after two decades. Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rogers, Baker, avoid conflict. Okay?

Go on the event. side of the street. Prove you're the best by avoiding it. You can do it, Baker. I'm rooting for you. Coming up next here on the herd. Oh, boy. Folks, NFL wild card weekend is upon us.

And I've got the most important stat. Before you put any money on any of the games, the most important stat on Wild Card weekend. That's next here on the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeart Radio app. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough.

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Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies,

and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls,

we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is CliverTaylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it.

Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. It's like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45.

How high can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe on my best. Just say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva

as part of my Cultura podcast network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Back here on the herd. Happy New Year's Day, everybody. I am Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd. Cowherd and I waiting for Jerry Jones to pull the trigger and decide what he's going to do. I mean, I can't imagine Jason Garrett. any scenario where he's back, but if it happens, we will have it for you instantly, and I believe

Cowherd will stop by his own show to talk about it. We got Albert Breer coming up in about eight minutes to talk about the NFL coaching carousel. A lot of strange moves. Doug Marone, staying in Jacksonville, mildly surprising. I think a reporter out there last week said he was getting dusted didn't happen. Redskins make a move with Ron Rivera. I don't know how I like that. But just to follow up on the nerds taking over football discussion from last hour or last segment. So Dave Gettelman, the GM of the Giants, you know, he's taking a lot of heat. He just spoke with the media and said, we've hired four computer folks. Computer folks.

You know what this is? This is ownership saying, Dave, you're old school. You're an old school football guy. You drafted a running back. Second overall. Bring in some analytic people. What does Dave Gettleman do? We hired four computer folks.

I love it. Love it. All right. Wild Card Week kicks off Saturday. The matchups are tasty. Buffalo, Houston is the first game. Houston always in that first game. The lines actually come down.

Buffalo was a three-point dog. Now they're two and a half. So some early money showing on the bills. Then you got Tennessee, New England, Saturday night. That's a perplexing one. Don't make a mistake there, guys. You know what to do. Vikings were getting eight in New Orleans.

A lot of people are saying the saints are the favorites to come out of the NFC. Going to Green Bay will not be easy second round if they do go there. And finally, Seattle, Philly. Philly opened as a favorite, and everybody's bet Seattle. I don't know why. We'll talk about that soon. But before you lay a cent on any of those games, this is the most important stat when it comes to Wild Card Weekend, okay?

since 2002, when the NFL expanded, quarterbacks making their first playoff start 1231 and 1 against the spread. 1231 and 1 against the spread, straight up. Quarterbacks making their first playoff start are 14 and 30 straight up. Now, that does not include when two first-time playoff quarterbacks battle, just for the record. So what happened last year, Jason? Okay, so last year, there were three first-time playoff quarterbacks. Lamar Jackson, lost.

Mitcher Trubisky, lost. Deshawn Watson, lost. Okay, fine, Jason. Let's go to 2018. What happened? Jared Goff, Rams, lost. Marcus Marriota. Here we go, finally.

Marcus Marriota now relegated to backup in Tennessee. Mariotta won beating the Chiefs. It was an amazing comeback. They were down 21 to 3, if you remember that game. And they came back and won 22 to 21. Brutal defeat for Andy Reid and the Chiefs. So I'm telling you, be careful backing playoff quarterbacks, making their first start. How many of them are there this year, Jason?

Funny you should ask, heard audience. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills. Ryan Tanaill. Tennessee Titans. Now, if you remember, Tannehill got to the playoffs with Adam Gaze in Miami, but Tana Hill was hurt. They had to start Matt Moore, and they got crushed in Pittsburgh. The other first-time quarterback in the playoffs is Carson Wentz.

Now, a lot of you, well, the Eagles have been to the playoffs twice. That was Nick Foles both years, guys. Wentz had gotten hurt both times. So three first-time starting quarterbacks this week. Alan Tannahill Wentz. Just a reminder, they are 12, 31-1 against the spread, dating back to 2002. If you want to bet those guys, be careful and know that the numbers are not in your favor. Now, I will say I've already taken two of these games, and I did take one first-time quarterback.

Josh Allen, I backed the bills getting three. it's down to two and a half. I just feel like, you know, Houston is not very good. I do believe Houston is very beat up. I know they're getting J.J. Watt back, which is huge. But as soon as J.J. Watt went out, the Texans run defense just got shredded. They have a ton of injuries. And chiefly on offense, Will Fuller.

Monitor his health status. It appears he won't play. Will Fuller's always hurt. But the key is Deshawn Watson with Will Fuller is an awesome quarterback, because he's got Hopkins underneath, Fuller Deep, to stretch the field, and it's a big advantage for Deshawn Watson. No Will Fuller, I don't, if he doesn't play, I'm, you know, I really like Buffalo's chances to win outright. The other game I took, and listen, you guys who know me from social media and going on the herd and all those FS1 shows, you guys know I am a Jets fan. I do not like

the New England Patriots. As of right now, I'm on the New England Patriots. Their favor by five and a half against Tennessee, and it's one of those, I can't back a first-time playoff quarterback on the road in Foxborough. I'm just not doing it. I know the Patriots have looked awful. They were laughable in that week 17 dumpster fire against the Dolphins. That's got to be one of the worst losses of the Belichick era. I mean, you win that game at home against a putrid bottom five team in the NFL and you get a buy in the first round. They lost outright as 16-point favorites.

By the point spread, that was the worst loss in the NFL season. Well, Jason, why are you backing them? Well, I just told you. Ryan Tadale going on the road in his first playoff start. The Tennessee Titan Secondary, if you look at the analytics, the Titan Secondary is abysmal. It's really bad. And Tom Brady, despite having a banged up Edelman and Mohamed Sunou

and that rookie kid from Arizona State, you know, they have not looked good. There's actually value on the Patriots here, because it's going to be very difficult for Tanna Hill to move the football against one of the best secondaries in the league. Don't fall for the trap. Well, I just saw Tennessee crush Houston. Houston was playing all their backups.

Go look at Tennessee's hot streak. I think they won something like 6 of 8 or 7 of 9. Who did they beat? They beat one good team, and it was a fluky game. beating the Chiefs, 3532. Kansas City had two special teams debacles in the final five minutes, or the Chiefs win that. Tennessee, I don't want to say smoke and mirrors because they have some talent.

I love the kid Brown, the young receiver, he's very good. But I'm on New England, and I'm on Buffalo. The other two games in the NFC, I'm still a little up in the year on. Seven and a half is a big number. I want to see what's up with Dalvin Cook for Minnesota. And I think the game of the weekend will be Seattle, Philly. I don't know what people see in Seattle.

I have no idea. So they're down their first three running backs. They had to pull Marshawn Lynch off his couch. Marshawn Lynch two weeks ago was playing video games eight hours a day. And now he's a running back for a playoff team. Come on, get out of here. So I'm leaning Philly there. But coming up next here on the herd, bringing in a buddy of mine.

I've known him for a long time. He's one of the best NFL reporters around. He is Albert Breer, the senior. NFL reporter for Sports Illustrated. He's going to come in. He's a big Ohio State Buckeyes fan. So he's very distraught. We were texting over that Ohio State Clemson game.

I can't tell if that falls into the amazing football game, one for the books, or, oh, that was kind of ugly, and Ohio State lost it more than they wanted. So maybe Breer will want to talk about the Buckeyes. But we've got Albert Breer's senior NFL reporter for sports. Illustrated, joining the herd now. Albert, good morning. How are you? How are you doing, Jay Mack?

Great. Happy New Year to you. I'm sure you wish your Buckeyes were in a better spot. Really unfortunate loss to Clemson. How are you handling that defeat, by the way, Albert? Well, thanks for bringing it up right off the bat. I'm not handling it. Great. I'll turn that way. Yeah, you know, it's interesting because, you know, when you went to a school at a place like this, you sort of get the sense every snow off the way and all come together, you know, and, It happens, you know, quite a bit. I say fairly regularly, but when you have a team like that, it's the nature of rooting to a college team.

You know, like, you know a lot of the guys are going to be gone the next year. That's just the way it is. And so, I remember, like, the team, how that felt, like, that, you know, it just felt like that was the best team in the country. And I think you look at the way that a lot of those guys have gone on to produce the NFL, and you have a hard time arguing another way. wise. They lose to Michigan State, you know, and that's sort of it for them.

And, you know, it's sort of the same thing this time around where it's just, you know, you look at the guys like Chase Young and Jeff Okuda and K. Dobbins and all these guys got there will be really, really good pros. You had this whole thing come together, and then at the end, it just doesn't work out. You could argue. Go ahead. I said, and you sit for a kid like Sean Wade, you know. Oh.

I mean, he's been a great player in fostering. and I mean, man, like maybe the officials got the call right, but for a kid to have his year-end like that, maybe his career end like that, you know, I just, I don't think it's right, you know. I don't think the rules right. I don't think taking a first round pickoff at a field like that for something that like, you know, look, like, could he have avoided it, maybe, but I don't think anybody would sit there watching a game and say if he didn't know the rules. That was an adjectical event. Yeah, definitely. You could argue, though, if Ohio State shows up in the first half against Wisconsin, they're the number one seed, they blow out Oklahoma, and then they're in the title game.

I mean, who do you think was a better team? Ohio State was a better team on the field. They just – three mistakes that killed him. But all right, Albert, let's get to the NFL. Let's start number one. Before we get to the Browns, let's start with Jerry Jones. We're waiting for him to poop or get off the pot. I don't know.

It's taken a while. I mean, I'm assuming Jerry wants maximum focus on his decision. So I don't know. Maybe it doesn't come today because there's a bunch of college football. But, I mean, what percentage chance could Jason Garrett actually survive? Is there any percent? You know, I would have said no two days ago. I would have said no a week ago.

If he'd asked me a month ago, if they didn't make the playoffs, what chance does Jason have been surviving? I would have said zero percent. and, you know, there are people on that staff who are now starting to speculate that Jerry's thinking about it. And, you know, I somebody theorized to me, like, with all these college coaches sort of in the running, is it possible that, you know, Jerry and Stephen are potentially putting out feelers to see if, you know, guys would come or not? Wow. You know, I just, there's, like, a lot of moving parts there.

And look, like, this is another thing about the Jason higher in the first place nine years ago. So this is more than a football relationship. This is like a personal relationship between that family and the Garrett family. And I think I've said to you before, J-Mack, like, this isn't – if he fires Jason, it's not just Jason's failure. It's also Jerry's failure. Jerry was the one who let Jason into the coaching meeting, into the game planning meeting, into the ESS golf meeting, when he was still a player because he knew Jason wanted to coach when he was done.

This is the same guy who hired Jason as the offensive coordinator before he hired Wade Jones as head coach in 2007, which is like almost never happens, right? And then a year later, he pays Jason Garrett $3 million. At that point, Jason Garrett, the offensive coordinator, was making more than the head coach. You know, and then, and then three years after that, he fires the guy's boss and promotes him, which rarely happens in the NFL. And so, I mean, the level of investment that Jerry and Stephen, and the rest of the Jones family have made,

and turning Jason's hair into the head coach for Dallas Cowboys is in front. And, you know, I think in a lot of ways, Jerry looks at Jason instead of, I have a huge hand and bringing him along and making the head coach the Cowboys. And so I think that's what's difficult about it for Jerry is it's not just the head coach's failure in this case. It's also the failure of a 25-year investment by the Jones family to try and get Jason in a position to do the job that he's done over the last nine years. Talk with Albert Breer Senior Reporter Sports Illustrated. Albert, let me move on to the Cleveland Browns.

I open the show. It feels like the nerds are winning in football, finally. We've seen the analytics guys take over basketball and baseball. And Paul DiPodesta, analytic guy, saber metric guy. He survives the carnage in Cleveland. And I wonder how much the, you know, the Ravens, bringing in that 25-year-old kid from Yale, a behavioral science or whatever.

And he's making all the fourth-down calls. Listen, John Dorsey brings in football guys, builds an awesome roster on paper, and Freddie Kitchens, you know, kind of ruins it. I don't know. Is this a victory for nerds over lifelong football guys? I would wait before we meet that. And I'm not saying, like, in a broad sense.

Because I do think, like, I mean, what, like, there's, football is different because you know, like when when the analytics will go to sports, right? Like in baseball, they're basically working from zero. In basketball, they're basically working from zero. A lot of people came in,

they came into football, and in football, they were already doing film study. They were already doing some of the statistical stuff that we have seen come into other sports, and so they weren't working from zero. You know, like football, like there was, we weren't calling it analytics, but quality control

coaches are analysts, you know. And so, like, I think that's where some of the class was in a broad perspective. As for what's happening in Cleveland, here's what I can tell you. There were rumblings around the public pedestrian was going to leave the Brown's organization. And that sort of went back and forth a little bit. The sense I got was that Paul, if Paul was ever going to have more power and he's had the owners here, he was going to have to move to Cleveland. and I don't think he's moving to Cleveland.

That could change over the next week or two, but he's been working from San Diego. And my guess is, my guess right now would be that he hasn't changed his mind and he probably will remain in San Diego and not move to Cleveland, and that limits how far up in the organization he can really go. That said, the owners do listen to him.

And, you know, they look at how he advised them over the last five years, and he's been right on something. So in 2016, he wanted them to hire Sean McDermott. They hired Hugh Jackson, as that worked out. Last year, he wanted them to hire Kevin Cofansky. They hired Freddie Kitchens.

And we don't know if Cepansky is going to be a great head coach, but he had a really good year in his first year as the full-time offensive quarterback inter Minnesota this year. And so he's been right on certain things, which is giving him credibility with the ownership. So he does have their ear. it's ultimately going to be the Haslam's decision on what to do here. And I think the key thing is going to wind up.

The key thing at all is going to be alignment, right? And, you know, that's been the problem. They've had all these arranged marriages over the last nine years that has almost as long as a team. So I think whoever the head coach is, whoever they pick as the next head coach, you know, is going to have a say in the way the place is structured, which is why John Dorsey, you know, decide to say, okay, I'm out of here. And, you know, ultimately, I think it's, you know, going to wind up

is either, you know, Paul B. Podesta winds up, you know, getting the guys he wants. Maybe he's Andrew Barry from Philly and Kevin Cistanski from Minnesota. Wow. Maybe it's the Haslund love Josh McDaniels. Maybe it's Josh McDaniels, neither is Dave Ziegler or Nick Casario coming over. Maybe Elliot Wolf gets elevated with Mike McCarthy. They work together in Green Dead coming in. You know, I think the key thing for the Haslons here in the North Union I hear a lot about over the next few weeks is alignment,

is making sure as a general manager and the head coach are on the same page. And so Deep Pedestas is on all this. You know, it does, it is a factor, you know, but ultimately it can be Jimmy making that decision. And if the guys that Deepa Depeda wants in there aren't the guys the same guys Jimmy wants in there, and Jimmy's probably going to think twice because Deepa Desper Desire has been right in the past. Yeah. But whoever it is, it's going to be the head coach. I think it's going to have a huge role in however that thing is going to be set up going forward.

And the big thing is going to be, we're going to pick the head coach and everything is going got a little line around. Wow. Great stuff. You could follow him on Twitter at Albert Breer. He's a senior NFL reporter at Sports Illustrated. Albert, happy new year and keep up the good work. All right.

Happy New Year, Jim. All right. That was Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated. I can't get over the fact that he said there's a chance people on Jerry Jones's staff think that maybe Jason Garrett survives. That would be an absolute stunner for me. Holy cow, that would be a shocker. Coming up next year on the herd.

I got some interesting, a really interesting insight on what the heck the Miami Dolphins are doing. I know you don't care about the dolphins, but they are in position to draft a quarterback. Did you hear who they just hired to run their offense? What on earth are the Miami Dolphins doing? I got that for you next here on The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross.

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost the time. mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff

nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker. You know these kids. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out of my. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

This Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about Define the Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us a lot. us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, IZAD, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Back here on the herd, happy new year, everybody. College football bowl games today, not many of them. Boy, New Year's Day, been rendered irrelevant for college football. We'll talk about that at the top of the next hour. Boy, I can't get over what Albert Beer just told me about. There are people on the staff in Dallas who think maybe as Jerry drags his feet, Jason Garrett survives.

And I let that marinate over the break. And I'm like, all right. Is there any scenario? And again, I think Jason Garrett's done a very poor job this year. As an in-game coach, I didn't think he was great. But again, he's like family, so it's tough for Jerry to part ways with him. Let me, again, Jason Garrett, nine years in Dallas. Two playoff wins.

He's basically alternated really good year fallback or average. or average. Really good average, like the last six years. But there, oh boy. Listen, I don't want you to take this the wrong way. Don't come and fill up my Twitter mentions or my Instagram DM. Don't come in there and say, you're defending Jason Garrett. But there is something to the idea of compound interest and gradual growth over time.

You guys know how compound interest works. You took Econ 101 in high school or college. and you put $1,000 in the bank. You don't touch it. Minimal interest right now, interest rates are garbage. But you don't touch it. You leave it there. And it just grows every year.

That interest just compounds on itself. And 10 years later, you got more money. 20 years, you got a lot more money. And the idea in the NFL, like the Cleveland Browns have, where in a decade, they've had six different coaches, there's no compound interest there. It is just a revolving door of crap. And I am not saying the coaches were crap, but, you know, the idea that you're going to change a coach every year, every other year, that's not going to get you anywhere.

You've got new systems, new players, new ideas, new ethos in the building. Like, you want to build on something. And having Jason Garrett there for nine years, there is the idea of continuity and growth. Now, growth isn't always, you know, visible. It's often invisible. Nine years is a lot for Jason Garrett, but think about if you got fruit growing on a tree in the backyard. It doesn't, you don't go out there on Tuesday after putting the tree up Sunday and expect to see, you know, big apples on your trees. That just doesn't happen.

Okay? You need to be patient. Growth is gradual. It's often mysterious because you can't really see it. We've got to be patient. Again, nine years, if this was five years of ineptitude, I could see the argument of let it bake. These college football coaches who come in, Jim Harbaugh,

you know, the fans in Ann Arbor, they want him gone. This idea that Jim Harbaugh hasn't won a title. Guys, you see how many 10-win seasons he has? More than the last two coaches combined. Okay? And again, I'm not defending Jim Harbaugh. Listen, in the big spots, he's been bad. but there is this idea that you really

growth is mysterious and I wonder if Jerry somebody's in his ear saying listen on the alternating theory year Jason's due to bounce back next year maybe next year's the year and I know you've been saying this for five years or you could argue two decades and then there's a whole puppet angle of Jerry Jones

he wants somebody he can control so he can continue to have the spotlight I really do think there is something to continuity, compound interest, and growth. And I don't know after nine years if, I mean, like, again, I've been banging on the drum. Jason Gary, you got to get him out of there. He's terrible. But then you, you know, you pull back a little bit. You don't be irrational.

And you're looking and you're like, huh, maybe there's a case to think about keeping him. But elsewhere in the NFL, I will say this. I saw this move and I just, you know, I don't understand it. So the Miami Dolphins, they actually had a pretty good year. They started off awful. They were a laughing stock on their way to maybe being one of the worst teams all time. Brian Flores, new coach. He starts to clean out the toxic guys in the locker room.

And, of course, Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Harvard quarterback, really has a good year. And they finished strong that big win over the Patriots. So what did the Dolphins do? this week? They went out and hired Chan Galey, a 67-year-old guy who has worked with Fitzpatrick twice to some success. But he's been out of football for two years. You're telling me, you got the, I think they have the fourth pick or the fifth pick in the draft. I don't know. The dolphins are picking high. Tua Tungavailoa is going to be there for them. It makes all the sense in the world. You're telling me you want to get a 67-year-old.

GM who's been out of the league for two years, who likes and works well with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and you're bringing him in? Is that signaling to you that the dolphins want Ryan Fitzpatrick? I think he's 3037. As their next quarterback? Is that possible? Now, the last time Gaylee and Fitzpatrick were together, and I know this because I'm a Jets fan, 2015.

Fitzpatrick was great. It was his best season of his career. But you know what happened at the end. Week 17, they need to beat the Buffalo Bills to get in the playoffs. And I won't forget this because I'm a Jets fan and I remember all the garbage. Okay, from the fake spike touchdown from Dan Marino to that gutting Pittsburgh Steelers lost in the AFC title game. Fitzpatrick had a great year in 2015. Chan Galey was his offensive coordinator.

And what happened in week 17? Fitzpatrick turned into a pumpkin and failed miserably. One score game, final Jets drives, interception at the Buffalo 8, interception at the Buffalo 34, and an interception to end the game. I can't believe the Dolphins are thinking of making Fitzpatrick their starter next year. I'm floored. Tua is out there. You got to get Tua. All right.

Coming up here, one hour in the books on the herd. I'm Jason McIntyre in for Colin. Hope everybody got a great safe New Year's Eve. starting to have 2020 right with no hangover eating healthy you're going to the gym tomorrow coming up next year oh boy folks college football the championship in 10 days what's going on today sadly a whole lot of nothing college football it's hurting welcome to my new podcast learn the hard weight with me your host and your favorite therapist care games and in recognition of mental health awareness month i'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health

field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer-beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

What's up guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, A ref, my mom wants you. to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. and finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall.

And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stopped by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hour number two, here on the herd. New Year's Day, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. I think Colin says, however, or wherever you are and however you may be listening. Something along those lines, right? I'm getting a nod in the studio. I'm Jason McIntyre in for Colin. I was just texting him. Hey, man, if Jerry gets rid of Garrett, you're more than welcome to come on your own radio show.

He seems eager. You know Colin, right? He's up for chatting anywhere about. sports. Good guy. Really good guy. I got to say, it's been a great decade for me. I hope everybody had a great decade, not just year, decade. I made the move across the country. I got a job at FS1 and came out doing Fox Sports Radio. I'm doing some writing for Fox Sports Digital. Really fun. I had a great decade, great year. Hope everybody else did the same. I'm not much of a make a list for, you know, things I want to work on in the new year. I'm not one of

those guys. I do have, I'm big on the list because I'm one of those guys who writes things down to remember, whether it was studying for tests in college, I should say cramming for tests in college. I know, I like to write things down and I was writing down some college football notes here for the show today. And one of the nuggets was for the first time in college football history. Florida State, Nebraska, and Miami all had a losing record. This came up because yesterday, or two days ago, whatever it was, Florida State played Arizona State in some exhibition bowl game. And Florida State had six turnovers and lost. And it resulted in them having a losing record. Nebraska and Miami also had losing records. And I got thinking as I'm writing this down,

man, the same way your grandparents talk to you, if they were sports fans, about Notre Dame dominated in the 1920s, Newt Rockney, Army, Navy, all those were the programs in the 50s and 60s. I almost am beginning to wonder, when I'm old, talking to my kids, kids, am I going to say, boy, you guys have no idea how, Awesome, Florida, State, Nebraska, Miami. Oh, those were the programs back in the day. I was bullish on Nebraska this year, guys.

They laid a massive egg. Oh, my gosh, disappointment. Miami, they can still turn things around. They got great recruits in the state. FSU will see. I like the Norville hire. Very good move for them. But right now, it's all about Clemson and the SEC.

It feels like Clemson is. taken over college football. I don't know how you quantify a dynasty. I don't know if there's a hard and fast. This is what a dynasty is. But for me, Clemson is certainly a dynasty. And folks, I got to start this hour. You know, we got a couple of bowl games kicking off right now.

Minnesota against Auburn. Not that sexy of a matchup. Derek Brown, the Auburn defensive tackle. If you're one of those guys who's into mock drafts, I posted one. I did one for Fox Sports recently. Derek Brown, the big space eater in the middle. Just watch him on Auburn.

He just moves people around. If you don't double-team him, he's going to wreck you. He's not quite Aaron Donald, but he's in that galaxy. Auburn, Minnesota. And then the other game is Alabama, Michigan. And we'll get to Jim Harbaugh in a sec. But I do want to quickly talk about Clemson, LSU in the national title game. Because, folks, oh my gosh.

How on earth is LSU favored? Yeah, I'm going there. The line on this game is crazy. So right now it's at about four, no, I'm sorry, it's five, five and a half. When LSU beat Oklahoma, or should I say Chokeloma last week, and Clemson survived Ohio State,

the line hit six, six and a half. There was even a juiced seven out there. And I know that because I got it. How is LSU favored by this much against Clemson when a month ago, one month ago, when Vegas does their hypothetical lines if this team faced this team in the playoff? Clemson was favored over LSU. A month ago. And now Clemson defending national champs is an underdog against LSU?

This is mind-boggling. I'm stunned. I took Clemson at four, five. and seven. It blew through six so quick, I didn't even get it. I don't understand how anybody's taking LSU here. So in a month, Clemson, which was favored over LSU, Clemson has beat every team at his face and covered the spread,

except for Wofford, which was, you know, an FCS matchup, they set their starters the entire second half, whatever. And now the line has moved by about a touchdown? This is such an overreaction to what we just saw on Saturday night. I'm telling you, folks, the only side in this game has to be Clemson. And everybody's saying, well, did you see what else you did to Oklahoma? Folks, Oklahoma had no business being here. Remember, they weren't even going to be in the playoff unless something happened,

namely Utah losing and Utah got destroyed. Don't tell me about the Utah Texas game last night. It's totally a different subject from Utah being in the playoff. You guys know if you lose your final. game of the season and then go into a bowl game, you don't care. Utah was looking at being in the playoff. Okay? Instead, they lose to Oregon. They have to go to Texas to play the Texas Longhorns.

They had no motivation to be there. One of their own players last night gave out a quote saying, we were looking at it as a trip to San Antonio, as if anybody goes there for fun. I don't know if we're on Ryan in San Antonio, no disrespect. Remember the Alamo. But Oklahoma games. gets obliterated by Joe Burrow and LSU.

And now LSU's favorite over Clemson, remember, Clemson beat Ohio State. The short memories people have around here is just hilarious. And around here, I mean, in the United States, any sports fan, social media, if I open the phone lines, Ryan, we're not going to do this, but if I open the phone lines, I guarantee you we'd have people say, oh, LSU is a better team.

There's so much better. They're going to kill them. Do you guys remember a week ago? A week ago, the topic was, oh, is this the best team in Big Ten history? That was a real storyline. Is this one of the best teams in Big Ten history? Ohio State was dominant. Before the Big Ten title game, Ohio State, ladies and gentlemen, Ohio State was headed

toward the number one seed. they would have killed Oklahoma too. So Clemson beat the better team. And I actually thought, and again, I said this to Albert Breer last hour. Like, I thought Ohio State was the better team against Clemson. They just made three mistakes, really. Two brutal penalties that resulted in touchdowns. And then the unfortunate Justin Fields' miscommunication with the receiver

that was an interception in the end zone to wrap up game. I mean, Ohio State is really, really good. Oklahoma stinks. So I don't, this line is so confusing to me. Remember, there's an extra week off this year. I guess college football doesn't want to go up against, you know, the NFL. So somehow they push this game back two weeks, which is obscene, right? That is huge for Clemson. Huge. Both their receivers who are potential first round picks. Ross and Higgins. I think it's Justin Ross and T. Higgins.

Two great receivers. They both got hurt. One of them missed like the entire first half of the Ohio State game. Ohio State was just hitting hard. And they get now two weeks to get healthy for LSU. And I know LSU playing at home, basically. It's probably going to be 80% LSU fans. But I just want to ask.

you this, before you run to the window or your local guy and you say, oh, give me LSU, give me LSU. When was the last time LSU trailed in the second half of a football game? You have to look way back. They did not trail in the second half against Alabama. You got to go back to the Auburn game, where LSU trail for about six minutes at home, 13 to 10. And I was digging into that game last night. You can watch some of these games if you look hard enough on YouTube. And LSU just made a bunch of mental mistakes. They had a turnover on Down to the Auburn 1, a fumbled punt that resulted in a quick Auburn touchdown.

Burrow, who was amazing, he got picked off. And it was just one of those not crisp performances from the LSU offense. But they had Alabama the next week. So LSU hasn't faced adversity in, I don't know, nine weeks? Well, we just saw what Clemson went. They were down, I think it was 13-0, Ryan, or 16-0-0. I thought they were dead. I did live bet them in the middle of the game, though, because it's Clemson.

I think they won 28 or 29 straight games. Trevor Lawrence. I mean, how good is Trevor Lawrence? The other hot take I had from that college football playoff, there's two games. I thought Trevor Lawrence's performance was more impressive than Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow had seven touchdown passes, but Trevor Lawrence was just a straight-up warrior. I was so in awe of that guy.

I think I tweeted out, even though I'm a Jets fan, whoever gets Trevor Lawrence, they're going to be my second favorite team. He is so easy to root for. He's got the hair flip like sunshine from Remember the Titans. I mean, and he's just, I mean, he rushed for 100 yards. He got hit so many times in that game. And folks, that's 60.

year touchdown run. Against a defense full of future NFL players was one of the most amazing quarterback runs I've seen since, I don't know. I mean, some of the Lamar Jackson, Mike Vic, even the Steve Young touchdown run, if you guys remember that stumbling, bumbling into the end zone. Like that Trevor Lawrence, I've watched that replay probably 50 times. I put it up. I don't do a lot of highlights on my Instagram page because like Jerry Jones, I'm a narcissist.

I just want photos of me and, you know, take some mine and gambling stuff and whatever. I posted that video because it's just that run. I could keep watching it. It was just how did this guy do this? Just amazing. So really interesting college football bowl stuff. I love the championship. And as we get set to go to break, guess what happened in Alabama, Michigan?

I think it was a first offensive play for Alabama. Okay? I don't know why they're receivers. are starting, Jerry Judy just caught an 85-yard touchdown pass on the first offensive play for Alabama. Michigan got the ball back. Michigan got the ball to open the game. The guy ran the kickback 50 yards. I couldn't do anything. Alabama, first play, I think. Jerry Judy, who is, for my money, the best receiver in college football, he will be. Probably the first or second receiver off the board, the NFL draft. You can't get Jerry Judy one-on-one with a

cornerback from Michigan. Judy Rossim. 85 yards house call. Alabama with their backup quarterback. Seven. Michigan, nothing. Now, I didn't actually bet a side in this game. I took the over just because you don't know

how long Alabama is going to play their guys. But not really an interesting game unless Jim Harbaugh gets destroyed and then everybody will call for his head again. But coming up next tier on the herd. NFL playoff games on the horizon. Dallas Cowboys, not in the playoffs, but the Philadelphia Eagles are. And folks, I mentioned it last hour. There's an incredible stat about first-time playoff quarterbacks.

You've got to hear it. Can Carson Wentz deliver? He's never beaten Russell Wilson. That's next here on The Herd. I'm Jason McIntyre in for Colin. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough.

Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app, Search learn the hard way and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more,

follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is CliverTaylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Will Farrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend Janet.

Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later. We're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey.

With all the snacks and drinks. Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar something here? Just hit it. Oh, what are y'all doing?

Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. Can you believe? I would buy it. Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious.

Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You are. I'm not an alcoholic. You are. I'm lucky I'm not a killer. I love this team, and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh.

Oh, listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, Snoop. Ring it in the New Year with Snoop. I am Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd here on the herd. I hope everybody had a great, great New Year's Eve. Safe, of course, and waking up not too hungover this morning. I've seen a lot of jokes on Instagram about how, you know, there's pictures of what the gym looks like on January 2nd. And it's basically like the Black Friday memes of people bumrushing Target as soon as the doors are open.

You always want to be healthy and start the new year right. But I don't know how big I am on New Year's day making resolutions. It's like just be good all the time, you know, plus resolutions don't last long, maybe a couple weeks at best. But we are here on the herd. It's a new year, new decade. And as of now, Jerry Jones has Jason Garrett still employed as the head coach for a second decade of the Dallas Cowboys. We'll see what happens with Jason Garrett here.

Remember, we had Albert Breer on last hour who said people in the building are starting to wonder, does Jerry have a change of heart and say, you know what, let's keep Garrett around. I mean, I don't know how Cowboys Nation will take that. I kind of want to open the phone lines, but we're not going to do that. It just seems to me like it would be asking for trouble.

Again, I did go on a riff last hour about, you know, continuity and the value of keeping people in place and compound interest. Again, we're seeing the opposite of that in Cleveland. You look at this last decade, the Cleveland Browns had six different head coaches. Look in their division at the two teams that have been successful. The Steelers, one head coach, Mike Tomlin, the Ravens, one head coach, John Harbaugh. Brown's a revolving door. Again, I'm not saying keep Jason Garrett.

I'm not saying that, but I think it's worth exploring your options. Who do we have out there? I like Matt Rule a lot. I think Matt Rule is going to be a great coach. Listen, a lot of people who don't follow college football but really do follow the NFL closely, they don't know about Matt Rule. I mean, this is a guy who has turned around two pretty awful college football programs. Matt Rule, one of these no-nonsense disciplinarians, okay?

I thought that Cleveland Browns could have used him with that young locker room full of egotistical potential stars who really think that their stuff doesn't stink. I mean, we're talking about O'Dell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Miles Garrett. The egos on these guys is massive. You need a no-nonsense guy to get in there and really break him down a little bit. Matt Ruhl at Baylor is a – I mean, this guy's a great coach. He went to Temple. Temple. Okay?

They had won eight or more games just three times in the last 39 years. They won 10 games twice with Matt Rule. So then he goes to Baylor. And, you know, Baylor was 1 and 11 the year before Matt Rule got there. Within three years, they're playing in the Big 12 title game. This guy would be a home run higher. I like Matt Rule a lot. It's funny, the Browns reached out to him.

He said, no thanks. It kind of shows you with the state of the Cleveland Rounds. I think if Dallas is really looking around, Lincoln Riley obviously makes a ton of sense. Now, the bloom is kind of off the Lincoln Riley rose, right? If you look at Lincoln Riley that first year with Baker Mayfield, I mean, how phenomenal were they? They lost in that semi-final to Georgia in what I think was the best college football

semifinal game since we started the 14th playoffs. 54 to 48. If you look at that video on YouTube of that game, Lincoln Riley was an amazing play caller. So many NFL players all over the field. And that was, of course, the game where Baker Mayfield does the Philly Special catches a touchdown pass, and then does the throat slash gesture before halftime. And of course, they lose the game. Baker Mayfield hasn't changed at all.

So it's just, I think Lincoln Riley's still a very good coach. Listen, defensively, they've been a joke in the last two years. And it's tough to hire somebody and sell them to your fan base coming off a 62 to 17 loss or whatever it was against LSU. but again, that's not on Lincoln Riley. They were a two touchdown underdog in that game. Oklahoma doesn't have any defensive. Their defense is weak outside of Kenneth Murray. He got hurt during the game.

Other options for Dallas will get to here with Herdline News in about five minutes, but still no verdict from Dallas. It's really tough for me when I break down these NFL wild card weekend games to pick the Philly Seattle game, right? So it's a rematch from earlier this year. Seattle, of course, Russell Wilson.

They went into Philly, beat Philly. And that was when the Eagles were really struggling. They've turned it around, but here's why I don't know if I buy the Eagles. Okay? So they get hot at the end of the year. Everybody's excited. Oh, Carson Wentz's lights out. Cowherd on his own show has really been gassing up.

Carson Wentz. Carson Wentz says look good. I'm just going to briefly mention the four teams that Carson Wentz faced to get hot here at the end of the season. The New York Giants twice. They have the third pick in the draft. That's how bad they are. Carson Wentz beat the New York Giants twice, and we're getting excited. He also beat the Washington Redskins.

They have the second pick in the draft. They were awful this year. And Carson Wentz beat the Dallas Cowboys in a game. You know, Carson Wentz was very good against Dallas. He's throwing to guys who they were pulling out of Nativity church scenes, okay? And throwing in the lineup, and Carson Wentz is throwing TD passes and beating the Cowboys. It's not like this guy went out there and beat the Niners or the Ravens. But at the same time, I'm not in at all on the Seattle team.

I mean, you know, you look at the Seattle Seahawks, and this is a team basically, that won a bunch of one-score games, and we know year-to-year, that tends to flip. So Seattle, 11 and 5, hooray, they won a bunch of, they almost won the division, they almost beat the Niners twice, Russell Wilson, blah, blah, blah. Seattle had, I believe,

the worst point differential of any playoff team. Point differential matters more than win-loss record. When loss, things are happening, you know, things get fluky, Seattle had in the NFC the worst point differential of any playoff team plus seven out of 11 and 5. So how does that happen? Well, let's dig into the games. They beat the Bengals by one.

They beat the Steelers by two. That was the game Big Ben got hurt. And I forget if it was Mason Rudolph or Duck Hodges who came in, but Russell Wilson won that game by two. They beat the Rams by one when Greg the leg, Zerline missed a last second field goal. They beat the Browns by four. Oh, that was the game where Kitchens lost me. He was terrible. Beat the Falcons by 7.

By the way, that wasn't even the Matt Ryan Falcons. That was Matt Ryan's backup. Okay? They beat the Buccaneers by 6 in overtime. They beat the Niners by 3 in that Luck Box Monday Night football victory. Are you sensing a theme here, guys? Come on, Heard audience. You're smart.

Are you seeing what I'm doing here? They beat the Eagles by... in a pretty close game. They beat the Vikings by seven where they had to hold on. They beat the Panthers by six, and the Panthers are awful at the end of the season. Like, I don't see what's impressive about this team outside of Russell Wilson. The defense is bad. The running back situation is ghastly. They lost Josh Gordon, which was a big hit. I'm leaning toward taking the Eagles. I just want to see about the injury report.

Like, is Lane Johnson going to play? Is Zach Ertz going to play? I think the herd audience knows, you know, the gambling situation here. And I would actually tease the Philadelphia Eagles. I think that's where the value is. If you can get them, you know, at home getting eight maybe. Because they were favorites initially. Now they're underdogs because everybody's betting Seattle. If you could tease the Eagles up to eight, oh, come on.

Through the key numbers of three and seven, I would like the Eagles to beat the Seahawks. We'll talk about the other games later, but next, we can do a little herd line news with Ryan Bershinger. Ryan, how are you? Happy New Year to you. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News.

Happy New Year to you, Ryan. Jason, thank you. What do you got for us in Heard Line News? Well, we have some more NFL coaching news. The announcement that we've been expecting for the last couple days, the Redskins officially announced Ron Rivera as their new head coach this morning, along with Jack Del Rio coming back to the NFL as their new defensive coordinator. Yesterday, Colin said that this was a huge mistake on Rivera's part.

It says it's a great hire for the Redskins. However, a guy like Rivera, who's a veteran coming into a situation where he's taking on a quarterback who is already very far behind all the other quarterbacks in the NFC East and he doesn't really see his ceiling being anywhere. close to the other quarterbacks in the NFC East. What do you think of this higher and what do you think of this situation? I was actually positive on it. Ron Rivera, good coach.

Not great coach, but he's a grown-up. And this is a young Washington team. My first thought was, are the Redskins going to go get Cam Newton? Because the Panthers looks like they're probably done with a new coach, new owner. Cam's been injured a lot. Do the Redskins make a move for Cam Newton? Because they have the Haskins on the rookie deal. We don't know.

Rivera's going to want to win after getting fired in Carolina. Can he win with Haskins? I don't know. I do love the idea of Jack Del Rio, good defensive mind, adding Chase Young to the mix from Ohio State with the second pick. You know, in Carolina, they had a guy, Mr. Julius Peppers. And you've got to wonder if Chase Young kind of fits that role as a massive defensive end. I like what the skins are doing.

I don't hate the run, Rivera. or higher. Okay. Awesome. Keeping it with other veteran coaches in the NFL, Mike McCarthy is a high commodity once again. As Ian Rapp report reported today, McCarthy is set to interview with the Giants this week.

Mary Kay Cabot reports that he is interviewing with the Browns tomorrow, and he's already interviewed with the Panthers twice. Jason, what do you think about these situations for Mike McCarthy? Do you think he's a good fit in any of these? Oh, I don't, you know, the Jets kicked the tires on McCarthy last year. and this is a guy who won a lot in Green Bay, but did he win because he had Aaron Rogers? Or did he win because he's a good coach?

This is a difficult one. I was kind of happy the jet didn't take him. I was happy with the Adam Gaze hire, although, let's be realistic, Gays did not like the world on fire this year. Ryan, are you more into the recycled coaches who have already been through, or do you want to get new meat, new blood in there?

I find it really interesting because last off season, everybody was looking for the new Sean McBay. Yes. And now all of a sudden we're turning back the clock again. Chan Galey's back. Obviously, Ron Rivera gets a job right away. I think that this would be a good fit for potentially the Panthers. I think the Browns, well, there's strong leadership there for the Browns that would fit really well. I mean, I've grown up a Packers fan.

I like McCarthy and he obviously, you know, he brought a Super Bowl. Yeah, but I mean, you're a Packers fan, so you know this better than anybody. What happened at the end with McCarthy and Rogers? They just never got. How do you not get along with this? I know Aaron Rogers is a little prickly and had issues with some people, but that guy's super talented. Don't you figure out a way to wake and make it work? Right.

Yeah. I honestly have no idea. It really seemed like Aaron and McCarthy wanted to go in their own direction. And for whatever reason, there didn't seem to be a lot of compromise. there. Not a lot of allowing Aaron to do his own thing. Aaron at the same time was kind of being stubborn and not really fully molding to what McCarthy wanted to do at the end there. I think it ultimately came down to it was just time to move on. The same idea with Rivera and the Panthers. You know, Rivera's a good coach, but it was just time for something new there. Things get a little

stale. It's interesting. Things haven't gotten stale with Mike Tomlin. That's right. Things haven't gotten stale with Bill Belichick. As long as you're winning, it's fine. The second you start crumbling with some losses, yeah, they're moving on. So, I'm wishy-washy on McCarthy. I will say this. I am very pro outside the box. Ryan, I don't know if you know my background. I was in newspapers and magazines,

and I realized, like, this stuff is starting to die. The Internet's coming. So I started a website. I kind of came in the back door to TV and radio. I don't have a lot of radio experience. I'm sure it shows today. But, yeah, I've only been doing radio for, like, three years. A lot of the guys at Fox, Doug Gottlie, Nick, Colin.

These guys have been doing it for a decade or more. So I'm playing catch up. I came in the back door and they brought me in as a new different guy who sees things differently. And I kind of would lean to the new different fresh guy, a Matt Rule, a Lincoln Riley, a Matt Campbell at Iowa State instead of a retread who's been around for a couple decades. That's just me, though. No, I'm with you. I think Matt Rule is going to be great. I think he's a strong hire, whoever gets him.

Uh, moving on though, yesterday, when Rams GM Les Sneed was asked if he regretted at all giving record contracts to both Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, Sneed said, quote, those are human beings that gave a lot to this organization and deserve to be compensated. Also adding that the idea that these large contracts restricts them in any way is a quote unquote false perception. Uh, Jason, what do you think? Do you think that maybe he should regret these contracts in any way? or did he make the right move and giving Jared Gough a record deal? Well, first of all, what's he supposed to say? Right. He's not going to totally take a dump on Todd Gurley or Jared Gaw?

Yeah. Todd Gurley, just unfortunate. I mean, don't blame Sneed. Maybe blame the Rams doctors. How do they not see this? Something's going on with his knee. He was not the same guy he was two years ago when he was like an MVP candidate.

Jared Goss a little different. Like, I bet if McVeigh had, as Druthers, he wouldn't be paying his quarterback, and I like Jared Goff, a good quarterback. I don't think he'd be paying him top, top dollar, because you want to be able to pay your quarterback on the cheap and build everything else around, building on the rookie deal. They go to the Super Bowl with Goff on his rookie deal, when you can add Marcus Peters and Talib and all these guys. I don't know.

It just doesn't feel like they're getting their bang for their buck with Goff, but that's kind of what, I mean, the Minnesota Vikings paid, currently. cousins a lot. They're going to the playoffs finally, but you got what was the alternative to golf? Like not paying him and losing him? Did you have a backup plan? Can't kill less need for you to move.

All right, for sure, for sure. Last thing here, Jason, how did you spend your New Year's Day? Oh, gosh, I didn't, wouldn't want you to ask. Listen, I talked about the nerds are winning, right? Yeah. And the nerds are taking over. Folks, I spent my New Year's Eve prepping for the show.

First time I've ever hosted the herd. I have hosted it with Chris Bussar before, but I never hosted it solo. And I wanted to have the best topics and the best stories available. So I spent my New Year's Eve watching, you know, the Fox, Maria Menuno's hosted with Steve Harvey or whatever. And then I watched the ball drop on CNN and texted family, talked to my family, and went to bed early. And I watched a little Mandalorian. Are you watching that? I finished it.

Oh, you did? Okay, no spoilers. I'm a little behind, but it's pretty awesome. The baby Yoda. Oh, yeah. Very cool. I see some clapping in the studio here. All right.

Yeah, Mandalorian, I will certainly be going home and watching probably the rest of the series today. I don't think these games are that good as I watch Michigan tie up Alabama. Nice old drive there from the Wolverines. Yeah, no, I spent the night in with a few friends of mine. We did watch a bit of New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey on Fox last night. And you also, I'm sure, caught as well, Rob Grunkowski. Yes. one of the hosts of the show as well.

Did you see when he hosted the slippery stairs contest a couple times? You know, I saw the beginning where they teased it up. Yes. I didn't see the actual slide part happened. Was it good? Legitimately entertaining. By far, one of my favorite things on New Year's E programming outside of Mariah Carey a couple years ago. Oh, that's right.

So wait, let me ask. What did they put on the stairs? I'm assuming like Vaseline or something like that. I didn't seem like it was just water. It was sticking to them in a little. weird way. But later on in the programming, you might have caught. Steve Harvey had a Lego head made of him. And Rob Grunkowski got a little excited later on in the night. And he took it upon himself to spike the Lego head. We have the sound of that. Okay. All right.

What are you doing? Are you serious? Is Steve Harvey not happy? I don't want to work with him no more. Why is he here? Why are you here? What is wrong with you you're mentally embellished this nut right here than broke the you know all it is to get them brown legos

wow now you got me I want to go on YouTube and look this up it sounds like was it was it felt authentic uh yeah yeah I mean it was definitely gronk being drunk and Steve Harvey being Steve Harvey but uh yeah I'm all for gronk getting all of these opportunities

he is wildly entertaining uh it was just a ton of fun watching him yeah I thought it was a legitimately good Gronk is, let's keep bringing them back every new year. Put him on everything. Yeah, Gronk dominating. And his girlfriend, she seems like she's pretty good at whatever she does. Very good.

Yeah, yeah. Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Coming up next year, thanks, Ryan. On the herd. Folks, I have a pretty basic question to ask. It's very basic. Is Baker may feel good at playing quarterback in the NFL? It's basic.

I don't know if we know the answer. That's next here on The Herd. I'm Jason McIntyre in for Colin Coward. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase. that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth?

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast,

Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. A rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got him in this. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.

And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He run up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball like. After you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Back here on the herd, happy New Year's Day, everybody.

I am Jason McIntyre in for Colin. Colin Cowherd tells me he's running errands on New Year's Day. I wonder if he's just hung over and doesn't want to come on. Just kidding. I doubt Cowherd lived it up like that last night. I know he's going to be firing on all cylinders tomorrow on the herd. So I'm stepping in for him here on New Year's Day. Almost two hours in the books, this is so much fun. You know who's not having fun? Baker Mayfield. And I asked this last break, is Baker Mayfield good at playing quarterback? and I gave out this stat earlier in the show. Baker Mayfield led the NFL in interceptions inside the 10-yard line.

Most quarterbacks, you know, they attended 20 to 40 passes inside the 10. Baker had 38% completions inside the 10-yard lane. 38%. The only starter with a worse completion percentage inside the 10 in the NFL was Andy Dalton. he was on the one to win, Bengals. So worst completion percentage inside the 10, number one, Andy Dalton, number two, Baker Mayfield. Most interceptions inside the 10, Baker Mayfield. Now, I had this theory that Baker Mayfield plays much better as an underdog when he has a chip on his shoulder.

So he's a walk-on because nobody would offer him. Well, the place he wanted to go wouldn't offer him a scholarship. He's a walk-on at Texas Tech. And, of course, a bunch of quarterbacks get hurt. Baker Mayfield goes in, and he's pretty darn good. Nobody had heard of this guy outside of, you know, a little area where he grew up. And Baker Mayfair was awesome. And then he gets into a riff with Cliff Kingsbury.

You know, that's an interesting story itself. But the starter who was injured comes back. Baker bounced and he ends up transferring to Oklahoma. Again, an underdog has an awesome year at Oklahoma, is the Heisman trophy winner. They lose in the national semifinal. But then he's the number one pick in the draft. Baker Mayfield goes from being a plucky underdog

that everybody roots for. Oh, he's a little guy. It's undersized. It's only six feet, but he's going number one. He's an underdog. Everybody is rooting for Baker Mayfield. and he's kind of been not good in the NFL. Put up good numbers as a rookie.

Remember, though, he was an underdog as a rookie because Hugh Jackson started Tyrod Taylor. So Baker Mayfield, still an underdog as a rookie, has a good year. Now, here we go. Year two, expectations. Odell Beckham joins a team. We're going to the playoffs.

Baker Mayfield led the NFL, unofficial stat, of course, in commercials, national commercial. Baker Mayfield's no underdog anymore. He's now a favorite. And with a favorite tag comes expectations. How did Baker Mayfield perform with those expectations?

Given Jarvis Landry, a good tight end, David and Joku, well, we thought he was good when he was drafted, and O'Dobbeckham. And Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Baker flopped. So good as an underdog, not so good as a favorite when there are expectations. And I said it in the last hour. Baker, you've got to clean up your act off the field, not between the hash marks. And I told you guys have seen the video by now,

season finale against the Bengals. The Browns are getting ready to, you know, go on the field, they're in the tunnel. And a couple bozos in the crowd have their camera phones and are yelling stuff at Baker Mayfield. Hey, Baker! You're going to lose to a one-win team! and so another guy basically calls him,

says something about Johnny Mansell. Baker Mayfield, very clear on the audio, shouts back at the fan. Why don't you come down here and tell that to my face? And then there's a couple other words. It's unclear what he says, but there's a bad word. You don't have to look hard for this video.

It's out there. And, you know, you can't do that as a starting quarterback in the NFL. So Baker has a bad year. He compounds it by getting in rift with fans. He gets in online beefs with people because he's obsessed with social media. Like, it's just all unraveling for Baker Mayfield. I don't know if he's a good quarterback.

And in the first hour, I said, listen, Baker, I got some advice for you. And I got this advice from my third grade son's jujitsu teacher. Yeah. Third grade, this is basic advice. Avoid conflict. And I'll tell the story again. A group of friends are one. walking to their karate dojo, walking down the street, and they come upon a man with a horse

on the corner. And of course, the kids startle the horse so the horse kicks back. But fortunately, the best kid in the karate class is at the front of the line. And he dodges the horse kick. An incredible show of, wow, look at those skills. He's so amazing. Way to go. So the kids run to the studio, the dojo, and tell the sense, oh my gosh, you should have seen Sammy Dodge's kick. He's amazing. The sensei was upset. He looks at them and says, if he was my star student, he would have been on the other side of the street. The lesson, of course, avoid conflict. And Baker hasn't done that. Somebody needs to sit Baker-Mafield down and say, listen, man, I know this stuff made you good, but you can't thrive off.

meatballs in the crowd yelling at you and people saying stuff on social media, you need that inner drive. Forget about all the outside noise and avoid conflict. Baker Mayfield's got a long way to go. Fox Sports had me write a piece. How would you fix the Cleveland Browns?

Of course, number one was Fire Freddy Kitchens. No-brainer. Well, number three was to get some competition in there for Baker Mayfield. Get him focused on playing quarterback. Just because you went number one, it doesn't mean squat. We saw Josh Rosen go, I believe, number 10 a couple years ago. After one year, the Cardinals shipped him out of town.

They got a new coach. They said, bye. Nothing is given in the NFL. It will humble you quickly. If I'm the Cleveland Browns, I would pursue a guy like Marcus Marietta to be my backup. I would pursue someone like a Case Keenum, who's a pretty good backup.

He's a career backup. He had one really good year in Minnesota to push Baker. Say, Baker, we're not giving you anything. You were the number one pick, but guess what? The guy who picked you, he gone. The coach who had you, he gone. This is a new regime. Strap in, Baker.

Grow up. Stop getting in online fights and talking to these dopes in stadiums. You don't need that. You're better than this. All right. hour is coming up here on the herd of Jason McIntyre in for Colin. What do we got to talk about?

We got to talk about some college football. We got a guest coming in to talk NFL draft. Folks, I have a great college football stat for you before you bet clubs in LSU. You've got to hear that next on 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. Welcome back to the heart. heard ladies and gentlemen our number three happy new year everybody i am your host jason mackintyre in for colin cowherd here on a january first new year's day we got some bowl games in action looks like there's another touchdown on the board Minnesota takes the lead over auburn and the crowd claps i guess bowl games huh we'll do some college football this final hour

I wonder if we'll have any more NFL news. Still waiting. TikTok, TikTok on Jerry Jones to make a decision on his head coach, Jason Garrett. Jason Garrett now last decade, head coach of the Cowboys. And still this decade for now, he is the coach of the Cowboys. I hope everybody had a great New Year's Eve and is either recovering or starting a new year right. A couple college football games in action today. just four of them.

And I want to quickly riff on. Just listen, I open the show talking about the nerds taking over in pro football. As we see the Cleveland Browns keep the analytics guy and dump the football guy. It's an interesting power struggle. The NBA, the nerds have taken over. Baseball, we know they have. College football, not quite the same. Analytics are starting to become prevalent.

And I will say this. I talk a lot about gambling for Fox. Digitally, when I go on Cowherts show, I go and lock it in. Let's say, gambling's here to stay. And if you don't have an algorithm, if you don't have some kind of model, you're kind of throwing darts, folks. Two games today, I saw no edge on either side. It's more fun, obviously, to pick a side and be right.

Yay! But the real move is to follow with the machine. says, and just take it. Machine said, take the over in Alabama and Michigan, take the over in Minnesota, Auburn. Not as exciting, again, to take it over. You want to pick a side and root? So I took the overs. And it's early, but both are looking good. I do want to, you know, bash college football for a second if I could. I know Fox does a great job with that. I watch all the games. Big Noon was phenomenal for Fox this year, a massive home run. But like, I, I, you know, I, You know, I'm a little nostalgic for the days when you'd wake up and there'd be like eight bowl games and you'd have to get two TVs next to each other or you'd have to get the remote.

Boom, boom. What do we, you know, that's not really the case now. There's four games today. Two on right now. Then there's the Rose Bowl later on and then there's a game tonight. Off the top of my head, I don't even know who's playing. Like it's just one of those. Oh, Baylor's playing.

tonight, that's right. Baylor, Georgia. It's just one of those situations where it's not like the old days. Now listen, I know the idea of nostalgia, the theme of nostalgia, if you will, is whatever you liked as a kid, as a teenager, you're going to like forever. So Ryan here in the studio played

some Snoop earlier. And if you ask me, well, Jason, who are your favorite rap guys of all time? Snoop Doggy Style is one of the best rap albums ever for me. That's just how it is. Dr. Dre the chronic. I mean, I got my license. And of course, I was that dopey kid who wanted like a sound system in the car, but I only had my parents Volvo. And I convinced my dad, hey, can I put two 12 inch subs in the trunk? And my dad was okay with it. So I had my, you know, my parents Volvo driving around bumping the chronic with

two 12-inch subs in the back. And I bring out my friends. I get the car on a Friday night. And it was like, those are memories that last forever. They're embedded. Love the chronic. Love Snoop Doggy style. That album is epic.

So many songs made it huge from that. And like, with college football, my greatest memories. Obviously Clemson, Deshawn Watson was amazing. The Vince Young. Rose Bowl against Maddie Liner and USC. That was an amazing game. But the reality is, like, I loved college football when it was wall-to-wall New Year's Day games.

That's just not the case anymore. And what has happened, of course, is college football has become big business. Don't tell that to the dumb NCAA. They refuse to believe that. But college football is such big business that it's more beneficial for the business to have island games.

where you're the only game on TV and they spread out the games. Can you believe there are now bowl games after New Year's Day like many? I don't know who's playing in them. But there are bowl games after New Year's Day. Not just the playoff championship, Clemson, LSU, but regular bowl games.

It doesn't make sense to me. Why? Because it makes more money. You get more money through the TV deal to put them on separately. And I don't love that, but that's where we are in college football. That's how things work and things evolve. And folks, we're seeing this in sports too.

I just mentioned we're seeing it in gambling. Every day I'll get the email what the machine spat out. And if the machine says there's value in the Coppin State, Valdosta state over, I'm taking it. If the best under on the board is, you know, Houston Baptist, you know, versus Northwest Missouri State, that's what I'm taking. And that's where we're headed in the NFL right now. It's all about the analytics.

NBA has been that way for a while. Baseball is the really interesting one, where it is basically the numbers say, hey, when you go to the plate, you want to walk, you want a home run, or a strikeout. And obviously, you don't want a strikeout, but why does a strikeout matter? Well, listen, if the numbers say, the analytics say, the harder you swing, the better chances for a home run.

And is that helping or hurting baseball? Well, there's much less action if the only action is walk home run or strikeout. You're not supposed to steal bases anymore. They're like telling you, don't steal bases. Remember when Ricky Henderson was just dominating the base paths in the 80s? I love Ricky Henderson. One of the most quotable athletes I've ever followed. I have a lot of his young rookie cards

and Ricky Anderson, I love them, big fan. Nobody seals bases anymore. Now it's all about matchups and lefty versus lefty and let's go to the bullpen eight times. The games are getting longer. The games are getting boring. Much less drama, much less action. It's taking longer because of the changing of the pitchers.

So analytics are helping teams, but they're kind of hurting the game. Now, you could argue the same for basketball, and I could do an entire hour on this. I won't. We've barely done any NBA today, but the Sabre metric situation, the NBA, the analytics say,

shoot a three-pointer, preferably a corner three, or take a layup. Don't just shoot a mid-range jumper. It doesn't make sense. Now, is this better for the NBA? I will argue the NBA in the last decade has been phenomenal. with the rise of the Golden State Warriors before Durant and with Durant

and shooting the three. And, you know, obviously LeBron at the height of his powers, NBA's been great with the three-pointers. But other people will tell me, Jason, I can't watch the NBA. It's all three-pointers. Nobody dumps the ball down to the center

like you remember it when you were a kid, right? Just like the music. Nobody does that in the NBA anymore. There's hardly any back-to-the-basket players in the league. It just doesn't happen. And is that good for the sport or bad? Well, a lot of people miss it.

They miss the Olajuwon and Shaq and Jabbar. And I've had this debate with folks, with the analytic guys, and with friends who like sports. The NBA has gotten so three-point heavy. Think about this. What would Patrick Ewing be in today's NBA? Patrick Ewing is an all-time great center, probably one of the 30 best players in the league in the history of the league. I loved him. I was a big Knicks fan. What is Patrick Ewing now?

If he's in the NBA now. I mean, he can't defend the pick and roll. We know that. I mean, he's seven feet tall. I just put him in a pick and roll blender all game. Okay. So what would Patrick Ewing be? So the game has changed so much. And if you're not changing, you're falling behind. Guess what? Go look at what the Knicks have done since Patrick Ewing left. It's ghastly. Yeah, I'm actually a Jets fan and a Knicks fan. of that happened while I was born in New York. My family moved because my dad got a job in D.C. So he moved when I was a little kid. And I've never followed the crowd ever in anything.

And everybody growing up loved the Redskins when I was in D.C. And I refused to get on board with everybody else. I said, no. Different. I'm going to take my New York Jets. because I was born in New York. Why not the Giants? I don't know. I cannot think back and remember

why I took the Jets over the Giants. Giants were good at the time. Remember Phil Sims in the 80s? Really good football player. I think they won one or two Super Bowls, the Giants in the 80s. I don't know. Guys in the studio here aren't giving me a signal.

But I took the Jets. And I've just never followed the crowd in anything. And right now, if you're not, not following the crowd with the analytics and the advanced metrics, you're falling behind. Now I will point this out. The one team in the NFL that is surged ahead of everybody is the Baltimore Ravens. And they are two for two in the not following everybody and the analytics.

And we talked about it first hour. The Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh, this is a guy who was on the hot seat last year, decided, I need to get with the program. So John Harbaugh went out and hired himself a 25-year-old guy from Yale. 25-year-old kid who majored in behavioral economics. He makes all their fourth-down decisions. How smart is that?

That's analytics in the NFL. John Harbaugh, great coach, right? Won a Super Bowl? But in recent years, they've fallen behind. So not only did they get on board the analytics train, and I absolutely love this. They decided we're not going to play the same football that everybody else is.

They draft Lamar Jackson at the end of the first round. A lot of questions about Lamar Jackson. What box does he fit in? You can't put him in a box? Well, can he pass the ball? Well, he's a runner, but he's slight. Is he going to get hurt?

And looking at my own career, I kind of fell into similar outside the box. What is he? People keep trying to put me in a box. What is Jason? What is his website? What is he? And people ask, what is Lamar Jackson?

So people went with Baker Mayfield, they went with Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen. Lamar Jackson felt a fifth in the first round. And what did the Ravens do this year? They didn't say, hey, we want you to play in our offense. They put the offense around Lamar Jackson.

They built around his skill set. That's so smart and so different from what everyone else in the NFL is doing. These old school coaches, hey, this is what we do. You do what we do. No, we're going to play to your strength, Lamar. And wouldn't you know it? The Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the NFL, playing to their quarterback strengths.

They don't look. If you watch the Ravens, and then you watch, watch any other team in the NFL. They're not doing the same thing as anyone else. Don't follow the crowd. Be your own person. And the Ravens, not only are they going to analytics, but they're going against the grain. Lamar Jackson is going to win the MVP this year by going against the grain. The Baltimore Ravens have the number one seed in the AFC by going against the grain. The value is not following the crowd. You're going to look at a bunch of people. This is a great experiment, okay? You're going to look a lot of it. I'll go on my Instagram today, and you'll see all these people making their New Year's resolutions. And they're going to say, I'm going to read this book and this book. I will guarantee you, if you go and look at the books that people say they want to read, there are all those books that are like the bestsellers and they're on the New York Times bestseller list.

they're just following the crowd why don't you be different and find the books that aren't part of the crowd but have value that are going to add value to you when it becomes discussions with your boss discussions with your peers me with topics on the radio

I ain't reading what everybody else is reading you could be damn sure I'm not following the crowd there's no value there be different strive to do different think independently. That, my friends, is where I think a lot of the value is. Coming up next year on the herd, I'm Jason McIntyre. In for my buddy Colin Cowherd on a New Year's Day.

I'll give you my picks for Clemson and LSU and Wildcard NFL weekend is upon us. I'll give you those as well next year on the herd. Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd. 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.

Back here on the Herd. I am Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd. On a lovely New Year's Day out here in Los Angeles. Nice and sunny weather. Hope you guys are getting the same wherever you are in this beautiful country. 2020. I will say this. I am reluctant to pass this song because it might have just.

just been one of those weird internet things. So my wife sees this thing on Facebook where it says, don't sign your, you know, your checks or any documents with the date 1 slash, you know, 5 slash 20. Because theoretically, I guess they're saying to protect yourself, someone could take whatever you sign and just add like 17 after the 20. And then it looks like you signed this thing three years ago or

five years ago, whatever. So sign it at the end with the full year 2020 instead of just slash 20. If that makes any sense. Does that make sense? Okay, I'm getting a nod, but a skeptical nod. All right, here we are. Let's just update the bowl games real quick. The bowl games you're not watching.

Oh, perfect timing. Auburn, touchdown, 50-yard pass. 17 for Auburn, 17 for Minnesota, late first half. Alabama. Remember, they scored on their first play, 85-yard touchdown. TD pass to Jerry Judy. They haven't scored since. Michigan is doing what everyone thought they might.

Run the football. Alabama can't defend the run. Alabama's got three start. I think two or three starters out. Prepping for the NFL draft. So they've kind of sputtered stopping Michigan. And Michigan and Jim Harbaal lead 13 to 7. Interesting.

We've done a ton of NFL and college football on the show. I just want to, one quick. NBA thing real quick. So I did this thing last year with a couple guys that I used to work with on the website where we gambled nightly on the NBA.

Now that is a fool's errand because the NBA is just absolutely bananas with the high variance. But you can either pick one game, two, three, however many, wherever you see the edge. And I'm doing pretty well so far, six games over 500. Last year I was doing great. I think I ended up

Nine games over 500, which is pretty good. Listen, NBA's crazy. I do want to say, so the bucks are 18-point favors tonight against Minnesota, and I'm like, that seems high. And then I remember that the big chatter right now in Minnesota is Carl Anthony Towns, who's injured, is not happy. And he wants out.

Folks, about a month ago, I ran into Steph Curry at my gym. Steph Curry was getting hand surgery in Los Angeles. He was here. So he was living near where I live. I don't run into him at the gym. I start talking to him. You know, I take a photo with him because I'm a nerd. Remember, nerds are cool.

And I say to Steph, hey, Steph, I've been pushing this thing on my radio show. It's pretty funny. I'm just going to bounce it off you. You guys continue to be bad. You don't come back. Clay doesn't come back. You get the number one pick. You package that with DeAngelo Russell.

And he starts smiling. And I go, you call up the bucks? And he goes, Janice? And I go, yeah. Or forget if Janice is unhappy. Find the best unhappy superstar in the NBA and say, hey, he wants out the way Anthony Davis wanted out, Kyrie Irving wanted out, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, on down the list. All these stars want out every year at somebody.

And you say, we got the number one pick in DeAngelo Russell. Give me Carl Anthony Towns in Minnesota. And if you're Minnesota, what are you going to do? Carl Anthony Towns doesn't want to play. You got to trade him. You have to. That's how it works now. The stars run the league.

Carl Anthony Towns is chirping and the chatter is he wants out. So I mentioned this kind of deal to Steph Curry a month ago. It's now starting to emerge. Keep an eye on Carl Anthony Towns as the next disgruntled NBA star. All right, back to the NFL and college football real quick. So I was looking at the wildcard games a little more in-depth during the break. and I think I've got my official four picks. Obviously, you guys know I do videos for Fox NFL college football every week during the season.

It was not a good college football season. NFL was better. But I'm telling you right now, my picks are in. I got Buffalo plus three. It's now two and a half. So a little small beating the closing line number there for me. I'm taking the Patriots, folks. I am.

I think they will beat the Tennessee Times. I gave you that great stat the first hour. First-time quarterbacks in the playoffs since 2002, 14 and 30 straight up. Now, that's risky taking Josh Allen first-timer. Ryan Tannahill also first-hour. Patriots, I think the defense just smothers Tennessee and Patriots win. I'm going to reluctantly take the Saints. It's a big number.

Kirk Cousins, not a first-time NFL playoff quarterback. He did start a game in Washington. the little revenge game for the Minnesota miracle. You guys remember that. And then finally, I'm taking Philly for sure now against Seattle. I still want to look at that injury report for the Eagles, but that'll be a team I'm on Eagles. So those are my picks for Wild Card.

College football playoff, I told you, I am invested heavily in Clemson plus four, five, and seven. I would take six, too, but it's no longer there. I like Clemson. And it's funny, I talked in the last segment about go opposite the crowd. This theory does apply to gambling as well. The world is on the LSU Tigers against the Clemson Tigers. Everybody remembers what they last saw.

What they last see. LSU, Joe Burrough, 17 passes. LSU, I think it was 62 to 17. Blowout City. Oh, LSU's the best. Meanwhile, Clemson, what did they? Oh, Clemson struggled against Ohio State. That's right.

Clemson really labored against Ohio State. Needed an epic comeback. Oh, well, if not for that targeting and the running into the punter. Yeah, all that applies. Give me Clemson. Give me Clemson. And I don't want to hear the belly aching about Ohio State got jobbed. I said it, guys, earlier.

Ohio State was the better team, I thought, in that game. They, however, made a couple big mistakes. And Trevor Lawrence is a money player. I would say if you asked me for my best NFL prospects at quarterback coming out of the draft, for a long time it was Andrew Luck was the best. I think Trevor Lawrence is the best. I mean, this guy has never lost a college football game. I think he's 29 and 0, 28 or 29 and 0, whatever it is.

and he is just a phenomenal competitor running the football at 6'4.6? Come on. This guy's a monster. Trevor Lawrence versus Joe Burrow is going to be fun. Everybody's taking the over. They think it'll be points on points. The games on turf indoors. Remember, Clemson played that tough game against Ohio State outdoors, and the footing was awful.

Guys, fallen from the jump. Injuries left and right. This one's on a turf indoors. Now, listen, LSU has track stars at receiver. They have three awesome receivers. And Clemson has awesome receivers. They have an awesome running back. I think the difference here is on defense.

I give a slight edge to Clemson defensively. They just saw Ohio State. An amazing team. We talked earlier on the show. Ohio State a week ago was being considered one of the best big 10 teams in football, in college football history. That's how awesome that Ohio State team was. Heisman finalistic quarterback, couple NFL future receivers,

not as high round picks as LSU or Clemson, but they'll be drafted. J.K. Dobbins could be a first round pick. That Ohio State team is sick. Now you'll be prepared heading in to face LSU. But will LSU be prepared? bear. The one time they got a stiff competition was against Alabama. And Alabama has some major superstars, three wide receivers who will be drafted. And it was a 46-41 close game. Now, Clemson's defense is better than Alabama. We know that. And Clemson's offense, I believe,

is as good as Alabama with a better quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. So yeah, for me, it's Clemson, guys. I don't want to disappoint the LSU fans out there. I know the herd is strong in this and of course Colin has his history with Dabo Sweeney, which is a fun history. And are you ready for this? Dabo Sweeney. Seven and one straight up. Seven and one against the spread in college football playoff games.

That's facing Urban Meyer. That's facing Nick Sabin multiple times. I like Clemson in the playoff game. All right, coming up next, we have a great guest joining us. He's in the HARD Podcast Network. He's been a scout. He knows NFL teams as well as anybody.

John Middilkoff joining the show. John, good morning and happy New Year. How are you? Happy New Year to do. To you, how's it going? Excellent, John. We're having a fun little show on New Year's day. I'm watching the bowl games here.

Let's start with the Bull Games. Has anything yet jumped out at you? I'm surprised Jerry Judy, he already has a TV catch, is even playing. Minnesota moving the football well. But any future NFL guys jump out to you today, watching the bowl games. Yeah, I think a couple things have jumped out. Last night, Zach Moss played in that game, the running back for Utah, and Jonathan Taylor is going to play today in the

game for the Rose Bowl. Now, obviously, the Rose Bowl is bigger than the Alamo Bowl, but both those guys, I mean, Jonathan Taylor's, you know, probably a fringe late first round or ends up going to the second, and Zach Moss, probably second, third round. These bowl games that don't have, you know, playoff implications are really risky for these guys at running back, just because as we know, right, they only have so much tread on those tires as a runner. So I understand wanting to play with your guys and your teammates. And trust me, I get it. But, man, it's really risky.

And then the bus that's kind of coming out of this Alabama game. And I think we've been hearing right for a little while for maybe a couple weeks, the two might come back. And that would be, yeah, I mean, that would be nuts. That would be stupid. I do think if you look at it from Tua's perspective, you know, if he's not going to be healthy, or by the draft time and he would fall, let's say, you know, between 20 and 30. I think last year, the 20th pick and down started like $11 million and down.

Well, this year, if he was fully healthy, right, he'd be a lock to go right behind Burrough. And who knows? Once the draft process starts, maybe he'd go ahead of Burrow. Probably not. But he would go, you know, top five, which is, you know, around $30 million. I think the last year, the top three picks got $30 million. So it is like a $20 million difference. But he's also a guy if he does return.

Now, trust, I mean, we know, it's not like, it's not act like Alabama's not taking care of their guys. That he's had other injuries even beside the hip. So it would be a major risk. But these Bama guys, man, it's a little different. Who knows? Yeah, I would say 0.0% chance to. I mean, if anybody smart's talking to him, the more tape they get on you, John, you follow

this stuff. the more they expose you, right? Justin Herbert stuck around Oregon, thinking, oh, enhance my draft stock. Well, I mean, Joe Burrow flew past him here in like two months, and Joe Burroughs now probably going to go number one overall. Justin Herbert falls. We know Lawrence is going number one next year. Who knows what other quarterback could emerge?

Yeah, to me, the main variable is just the hip injury, and, you know, would it terrify teams? Does he know stuff? But again, like that wouldn't necessarily go away in a year. It is just, you know, the hip injury without it, he's clearly coming out and going, it would probably be one two, right, Borotua. I just think sometimes these injuries just kind of derail your thought process and get you in a weird place.

That's, I'm with you. Otherwise, I'd say, yeah, 0% chance. The guy would never return because, you know, liner's done it right. Tebow came back, but he wasn't that level of player. We rarely see it with a guy that's a locked top five pick, but his hip did get just, dislocated and he's clearly still limping around. So it's kind of a weird situation. Very weird. We're talking about John Middlkoff here on the herd, Jason McIntyre, in for Colin. All right, let me ask you this. Did you see the news, John, that Chan Galey is coming out of

basically retirement at 67 years old to be the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. Now, why does that matter? Well, the Miami Dolphins are picking fifth, and I did a mock draft for Fox, and I had Tua going fifth to Miami. I got to ask it, what do you do you do? and hiring a 67-year-old Chan Galey, who has worked with Fitzpatrick twice in Buffalo and New York. I don't understand what's going on in Miami. Any idea, John? Well, it makes no sense. If you watch them, you know, down the stretch, they went five and four of their last nine games, I think. Fitzpatrick was making place. The offensive coordinator they fired, Chad O'Shea, was with Brian Flores for years in New England. So they had been working together for a long, long period of time. My, my second,

spidey senses and conspiracy theories go off and say, well, maybe Bill forced him to fire him because he wants them back because he knows Josh is going to leave. But that's a little too inside mob football-like. But I don't understand it. It really just on the surface, just them firing the offensive coordinator, to me, makes no sense. They traded away all their players. They were good. I mean, Devonte Parker resurrected his career.

Fitzpatrick making plays left and right. I think the average football fan would be like, yeah, I thought the Dolphins coaching staff did a really good job. It wasn't just Florida, the offensive coaches. And then, like you said, to come with a curveball of a guy that's old and been out of the league, did you say, I think I saw him the ticker, like 15 or 16. Like, he's been out of the league for years. Yeah, I think 17 was his last year, like 67 years old.

I don't know. It's just something's going on there. And it's weird. I got that one, a red flag too. I don't know. I don't know any inside information, but that one, it's very, very bizarre. Yeah, all right.

We'll talk with John Middlkoff, here on the herd on New Year's Day. All right, John, let me ask you this. I kind of opened the show joking that the analytics nerds have won out, especially in Cleveland. Football guy, John Dorsey, he's been dusted. And Paul DiPodesta, the analytics nerdy guy, Jonah Hill portrayed him, obviously, in a money ball. Money ball.

You know, Deepa Depaesta is going to stick around. I don't know. Is this bad news for Baker? Mayfield in Cleveland. The guy who hired him or who, you know, drafted him, John Dorsey's gone. His coach, Kitchens, gone. Your thoughts?

Well, I'd say anytime you work in any business, let alone a business that's paying you a lot of money, and your number one supporter is no longer hand-in-hand with you in that business and it's fired. You know, it's one thing if the guy leaves and there's a transition when he's fired, and obviously the coach, Freddie Kitchens, was another big Baker-Mafield guy.

That's a problem. Now, when you draft a guy number one overall and you pay him all that money, he's playing this year no matter what. But there is tangible pressure in 2020 on Baker Mayfield to not be a debacle on the field. And that's what he was this year. I mean, it was one of the worst quarterbacks, starting quarterbacks. You could argue the worst. I wouldn't go that far, but he was definitely a bottom five starting quarterback, the majority of this season. So if that happens again, this could be his last season.

Cleveland. Now, the one thing you'd say is he wouldn't be like teetering on a Jamarcus Russell type just out of the league bus because he was so good out of college. Any college football fan knows he was really good. I was a big fan. He does not look like that player anymore. So there would be a ton of teams with huge draft raids on them that would want them. Now, the curveball is this immaturity stuff that Colin was leading the charge on, he was dead right. Right? Every time we turn a corner, we see Baker Mayfield, just doing something that not even, we're not even comparing him to like act like Brady or Breeze, just act like a normal quarterback. Just kind of lay low and he can't really do it. And then when you when you kind of double down of playing bat on the field with that,

it's going to turn off a lot of the people around the league that did like him. Remember there was a story that like the Patriots really loved Baker Mayfield last year whenever he was coming out and they were going to trade up for him. Well, how would Bill Belichick be a huge fan of him right You know, it just, it doesn't really add up. Now, where Belichick and guys like that would be, can I get Baker Mayfield off another bad year for like a six-round pick? Yeah. They'll circle the waters like that.

Yeah. But his value of being a highly thought-after player right now is at an all-time low and he's going to need to battle back. I also think the analytic stuff in football is a little overblown. Like we've been taught, what do you think the combine is? The 40 times, the splits, the weight, the just the production. I mean, it's been analytics the whole time.

It's different because you can't, it's harder to isolate stuff for, like in baseball, it's a bunch of individuals playing a team sport. In football, the analytic guy doesn't know the play call or doesn't know all the responsibilities unless you're working hand in hand with the coaches.

And I think sometimes that's where it gets difficult is when the coaches won't work with you. But Paul D. Podesta is also the person that went on record saying Carson Wentz couldn't play. and it was leading a charge with Sashi Brown when they traded back, remember, and didn't take Deshaun Watson. So let's not act like he's, you know, Bill Walsh. Good stuff. All right. Let me get you out of here with this. If I'm the Browns, I definitely, definitely try to unload Odell Beckham for whatever I can get.

Your thoughts on Odell Beckham. Where will he be playing next year? Well, to me, it depends on the coach. Like if they get, let's say they get a guy with some pelts on the wall, like a Mike McCarthy, you know, or Ron Rivera signed, but a guy like that, you know, that's done it before and he wants them, then I'd go, well, that guy can handle him. But to me, if, like, they somehow get Josh McDaniels, it wouldn't feel like a Josh McDaniels type player. He would be gone.

I think it's very dependent on the coach. Because if you are Mike McCarthy, I think you'd want him, right? Wouldn't you want a really good team? Like, you'd want to win, right? But do you want that headache? I mean, he's the highest paid player on the team. The production isn't there. entire off season, he's missing the OTAs, and people were like, oh, who cares?

There was no continuity with him in that offense. You have to just think he doesn't want to be there, right? Yeah, see, that's the kicker. Does he want to be there? Of course not. I mean, anyone saying that is just clueless. He didn't pick them. They picked him.

Yeah. But to me, if you get a McCarthy, if I'm him, I'm trying to convince him to, like, want to beat him. trust me, I don't want to be here, kind of like an NBA type conversation, then I would trade them. My problem would be if I was them, when they, what they had to trade for them, a first round pick to get them. And it wasn't, it's not like it was a top 10 pick. It was like pick 17. But is anyone giving up a first round pick right now?

Maybe, you know, like a Chiefs or a 49ers at the end of the first round, but you're not getting the same value. Now, could you argue you just kind of eat the cost? You know, if he's saying I have to leave, then maybe you do. So, yeah, I'd say it's very dependent on the coach, and more than likely, if you look at their history, they're going to hire a guy that's never been a head coach, and that guy would probably want him out. So I would lean he won't be on the team next year.

All right, John Middlcoff, former NFL Scout, host of the Three-N-Out podcast on the Herd Podcast Network. Follow him on Twitter at John Middlcoff. Great stuff, John, and happy New Year. Yeah, happy New Year, Jason, Steve. All right, coming up, we close out the herd on New Year's Day, final segment. Back, I'm Jason McIntyre.

in for Colin Coward. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. A little romantic music here on New Year's Day. Back here on the herd, I am Jason McIntyre in for Colin Cowherd. So Colin was at the ready. We were texting, hey, listen, if Cowboy stuff goes down, come on on your show and fire. And nothing happened.

I was just speculating here. Tomorrow, if he's going to dump Garrett. Tomorrow is probably the day, right? The bowl games are done. There's no NFL games tomorrow. Tomorrow, there's nothing. Tomorrow is the day. You don't want to dump Jason Garrett,

who you've worked with for nine years. He's like a son to him on New Year's Eve. Okay? That wasn't happening. You're not doing it New Year's Day because there's other news. There is straight up nothing tomorrow. Tomorrow is the perfect day for Jerry Jones to move on from Jason Garrett. Now, if he doesn't, that would be a colossal upset.

Speaking of upset, so I just said earlier this hour, I like Clemson against LSU. I would not call that an upset. Even though the spread is five, maybe it's six, I just don't see that as an upset. Clemson's defending national chance. By the way, last year, six-point underdogs against Alabama. and they boat raced them. They crushed them. I wouldn't call it an upset.

We'll see how the narrative is nationally. A lot of people, remember, they're just going to go to the window and say, oh, I love, love me some, LSU. Joe Burrow, so good. Oh, I love Joe Burrow. Joe Burrough's good. Bengals will probably take them number one overall. But give me Clemson.

You know, wild card games, I'm interested in them. the following weekend is the, you know, that's considered the best weekend in the NFL. You get the divisional round games and then Monday, you get Saturday and Sunday, and then you get Monday with the national championship. Now, I do have some crummy news, folks. I just got the schedule for my daughter's first grade basketball team. I am the assistant coach. I didn't want to be the head coach because I'm head coach of my son.

It would have been a little bit much. Their games are on Sundays. What? I was floored when the schedule came out. I'm like Sundays, that's just unbelievable. Who has basketball games on Sundays? My son, our opener is Saturday. Now, if you listen to my Saturday radio show, you know I'm big on this, folks.

The biggest piece of advice I would give you besides what I said earlier about think outside the box, be different, don't follow the crowd, is if you like sports, coach your kids when they're young. It is so rewarding and fun and wide. Watching the growth. Now, it is some, there are some obvious frustrations. I've learned a lot. I've lost sleep, yes, over lineups, and are we going to beat this team?

And I will remember this forever, okay? I'm coaching my son's second grade soccer team. We were dominant, okay? We lost one game when our best player got thrown out at halftime because he had a broken finger. And he played the first half. They didn't care. But then he scored an amazing goal at the end of the first half. and tied the game.

And the other team said, oh, that's dangerous. We can't let him play. So they kicked him out, which is garbage. Then we lost another game where I was not there, my assistant coach, who might be listening. You're to blame for that one. And we're playing in the mythical championship against a team from my son's school in the final game.

We had to reschedule this game because we couldn't play it earlier. And it's halftime and we're losing two to one. And our two best players are crying. Like they're so upset. We got a goal taken away. It's not fair. And my son made me so proud.

I still tell him about this. He's like, said the kid's name. He goes, calm down. It's only halftime. We're in this. We got this. And I was like, look at my guy here. My little son, I'm so proud of him.

And of course, we dominated the second half. We had to settle for the tie. We did hit the crossbar twice, but we tied it up. And it's just coaching your kids is so rewarding. So I will be coaching. Hashtag Dad Life, my third grade basketball team, my son, and then my daughter, first grade. Quick note on our second grade basketball team,

because I know the herd audience cares about youth basketball in Southern California. We were undefeated last year, dominant, and then lost in the championship. I don't know if we'll get back. Our team kind of got split up because you had to have a draft. Okay, that's enough about youth sports. Hashtag Dad Life. It was a ton of fun hosting the herd today. Really good time.

Listen, the podcast will be up. A couple good guests. We talked wild card action. We talk college football. I tried to go over some life lessons with you guys because, you know, you always got to think big picture. I know it's just sports. And guys, you wear your jersey out and you're a fan,

and that's fun. And yes, I wear jerseys. Don't let people tell you that as a grown man, you can't wear a sports jersey. Whether it's your rep in your soccer team or you like this player or just. Jersey. Yeah, in the summer out here, I'll rock a jersey and go to the beach. If you go on my Instagram, I have a throwback Larry Johnson Hornets jersey that is awesome. There's nothing wrong

with a grown man wearing a jersey. We are sports fans. We get emotional about sports. They're fun. They're exciting. Let us wear jerseys, people. It's 2020. I'm happy. 2020's here. I just had a great decade. I hope you and yours have a phenomenal decade. You guys can catch me on the herd. I think I'll be on Friday as a guest with Colin. I hope everybody had a safe New Year's Eve. Again, I'm Jason McIntyre in for Colin. Had a lot of fun today. Enjoy 2020. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm 10. I'm 10. I'm Timbo, in every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline.

And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite, unhumored me with Robert. 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host kids. games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with.

And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, the Clivert I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.