The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Middlekauff – 3 & Out – Chris Ballard crushing scouting; College/NFL QB projections; NFC North O/U's

Episode Date: July 9, 2019

Subscribe here to the 3 and Out with John Middlekauff Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff/id1352730623?mt=2. In this episode, Middlekauff on why a recent article written by Colts GM Chris Ballard shows why he's been succesful by trusting his scouting department, evaluates this year's crop of college QB's and gives his NFC North O/U picks. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to www.theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! 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 Clippers show on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Finding the perfect developer, designer, project manager, or whomever you may need is easy. You just have to know where to look. Find and hire the world's best talent right now on Upwork. the world's work marketplace. Millions of Americans are getting back to work.

CareerBuilder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. CareerBuilder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts so your perfect job lands right in your inbox. Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left. Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. This clip is brought to you by State Farm.

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Yeah, but that's what everyone says. Everyone says everything brings them joy. That's her whole thing. Okay, yeah, but when I stare at that limited edition box of cheese, it's in the corner of my room, that brings me joy. Or the Pokemon Oreos. Or the Pokemon Oreos that I keep, that brings me joy. That reminds me of my youth.

Wasn't that long ago. Listen to the MyCultura Podcast Network. Available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. What is going on, my people, everyone across this great nation. Hope you had a good 4th of July, three and out podcast, John Middleth, Texas blowing up. I planned on doing this a lot earlier today. It's about 7 o'clock on a Monday night.

But, you know, I'm on a little staycation, so I just kind of put it off. And then I started watching the home run derby, Jock Peterson, and Vlad Guerrero Jr. just going at it. Jack Peterson, actually, high school teammate, and was also, I think, a high school wide receiver. His teammate was Devante Adams, Green Bay Packer Star Wide Receiver, Palo Alto High School, also the high school at Jim Harbaugh. So a lot of people have, Jack Peterson, you know, could have been a football player,

but he hits bombs. Doesn't hit for average, but he hits bombs. You know, this is, we're in the doldrums right now. Everyone in the NFL texting a couple buddies. They're in the middle of vacations, spread out all over the world, France, Nantucket. I don't know, Belichick, but if I did, he's in Nantucket, follow Linda on Instagram. They're just all over, kicking it, hanging out. We got a couple weeks left, and football's about to start.

I tweeted out a little earlier. I was at the gym this afternoon. We got, I mean, I pay so much goddamn money for the gym. It better be nice. But I got this, we got a big flat screen TV and some chairs where you can chill. in the gym locker room, the men's locker room. I don't know what the women's locker room has. Not that I should or care.

But in the men's locker room, there's big TV. It's always got a basketball game on, football game on, whatever. Whatever season it's on, golf, you know, World Cup, you name it. Something always on going on. Now, if you go really early in the morning, sometimes I got like news on, but for the most part, it's always, you know, a game. Today, you know, early July 8th, I walk by, and there's like three dudes.

I almost said six. I wanted to hype it up, but it was legitimately three guys. Just watching the television, which was the Green Bay Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2009. And they were pretty locked in. I'm like, God, people are getting the itch.

I'm getting the itch. And I got the itch a little bit this morning, read about Chris Ballard. He wrote the MMQB. I don't think it's called that anymore, but whatever Peter King calls his article, I got something that I took away from that that I think that more people in the NFL can use. Some thoughts on just a little bit of a quarterback roundtable, some MVP bets.

Albert Brewer wrote an article on just some of the young college quarterbacks and just some initial takes on those guys before we head into the season. And then today we'll do the NFC North overrunners, Bears, Vikings, Green Bay, Detroit. But I want to start with this. And also, I'm out of Middlecoff mailbag questions. So you've got to slide up in my DMs. Fill those bad boys up. At John Middlecoff is my Instagram handle.

And you can ask whatever you want, and I'll answer them starting Friday again. I just don't have any questions. You guys have been partying too hard for July 4th. I get it. But I need you to come back and fill me with little content. You guys always ask good questions. And it's that time I need you. So I'm calling the people.

But I want to start with this. Chris Ballard, who Colin obviously knows really well. I know a bunch of people. I know Matt Nagy became really, really good friends with him when he was with him in Kansas City. Coach Reed loves him. Everyone seems to love Chris Ballard that have been around. I don't know him at all. I've never met him. But it's pretty clear he's pretty special. You know, like he's got, he's kind of got it. And he wrote this article. I highly recommend just go to Peter King's Twitter account and you can and click it. I don't even know what website Peter King, Wright's for I came to keep up with all the movement,

but he wrote the article for Peter, and it was really good. And he kind of got in-depth as much as he could without revealing some secrets. And if you watched his YouTube series, the one thing that you saw that he does a really good job of, and clearly the top personnel departments do this,

is he relies on his scouts. Like, they go into a meeting, and it's an open forum. You can say whatever you want. If you put in the work, and you have conviction and you believe something, you get on the table and you fight for the player. But the thing is, I would imagine they don't have that much disconnect in the room.

Because one thing that he wrote about was how they have this green beret that helps them, like, get around a lot of the fluff and the BS. When I was in Philly, we used to, what was the term that we used to call? Not a fraud. I have to think of the term. It's escaping my mind right now. I used to call him a con. So like if you walked, it was a con, a con man.

If you walked into the meeting in a suit or when we brought you in a top 30 visits and you've been arrested a couple times or just done stupid shit and you had on like a three-piece suit, you were just a con man. Like this is football, you can wear just normal clothes, we're just having a normal conversation.

We've got to get to the bottom of it. Don't be a con man. And I think the one thing that clearly Indy does very, very well is they know exactly what they were looking for. And I think that's always separated New England because their GM has been their head coach. So it's been a streamlined process. And I think with Seattle,

they obviously are on the same page and have been for years. Philly with Joe Douglas and Howie and what they've done the last two or three years with Doug Peterson, all on the same page. Andy with Dorsey and now with Veach completely on the same page. And I think what you're seeing Chris Ballard do in a short period of time, it's not just him. And like he said in this article,

yeah, I'm the ultimate decision maker, but I ask everyone for their opinion. And when you have a scouting department that is all locked in and all looking for the same thing in the sense of, not that it's like a group think and we're all trying to find,

like, get a consensus on something, but you all know exactly what you want at every position. And what type, as much as you are scouting the player, he had a great line in this. He said, the talent of a player, and he learned this, I think, from Jerry Angelou, he said, worked for him forever in Chicago.

The talent of a player determines his ceiling, but his football character, meaning how hard he works, how much he cares about the game, you know, just his drive, his toughness, all that stuff, determines his floor. And when you become a good team, and I was thinking about this today, when you become a good team, you stop drafting anywhere near the top 10. I mean, the Patriots always draft like 28 to 32. Like the Chiefs for the last, since Andy's been there, have always drafted in the 20s. The Colts now that Ballard's got this thing and they got a coach are always going to draft in the 20s.

Seattle's always drafted in the 20s. There's two routes you can take in the 20s. You can go home run derby and try to hit a home run. And there's usually a reason that guy is there if he, quote, unquote, has top 10 talent, but he fell to you at 24. Or you can try to hit a little bit, just knowing you're going to hit a double. because the one thing when you take a swing and you miss, it's pretty devastating when you're a good team because you are depending on these players to be good.

Like Chris Ballard showed last year, he was just trying to hit doubles. Now, when you get really high football character guys and people that care, a guy can kind of overachieve so a double can turn into a triple. Darius Leonard, obviously last year, Quentin Nelson, was a home run type swing because you were drafting number six.

but when you start nailing people in the late first rounds and in the second round, that means you know what you're doing. And to me, this guy just has this humility to him, has this kind of toughness aspect to him, has this, you know, as an evaluator. He's not really looking to be the sexiest guy in the room. You know, some people love... 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 SportsLice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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, 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. 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. Hey, 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. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet.

Help somebody, please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian.

I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know.

Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I love the super fast guys, the super good looking guys when they get off the bus. He just wants football players. And I think the one thing, and Bill Paulian is a Hall of Fame executive, but he had, sometimes he would take some big swings late in the 20s. And listen, he got Peyton Manning. That was just his philosophy. And it burned them a couple of times.

Like so far with Chris Ballard, he's kind of telling you, like, when I'm drafting at 24, 28, 27, we're looking to just get solid players. And we know we have elite players. and we're going to have to get elite players other ways. You're not going to get more than likely a Hall of Fame or a 28. But if you get an eight-year starter, you're in pretty good shape. I've seen countless, I saw bulky do it multiple times. Once that team got good, he couldn't hit on a player in the late 20s.

And it eventually caught up to him and it crippled the team. But the one thing the Colts have going for them is this scouting department and this mindset and this collective effort as a group being led by this guy. I'm all in. Again, I'm a sucker for an article. Granted, he wrote the article, but everything I've heard about this guy, everything I've seen his team do,

how well he handled last year, Josh McDaniels leaving him at the altar to get Frank Reich. I mean, that was not an easy situation. And it looks like he kind of hit a home run on that hire. Who knows that maybe he's better off with that hire than he is, would have been with Josh McDaniels?

Now, don't get me wrong. I thought Josh McDaniels, was the right guy for him to hire, who would have known that he would have backed out last minute? And that might be an all-time mistake for Josh McDaniels. But I'll tell you this, for all the Colts fans listening, I'm buying what he's selling. Millions of Americans are getting back to work.

CareerBuilder calls it the great rehire. And we want to help you get the best jobs before everyone else. Career Builder gives you the competitive edge to get the job you want, at the salary you want, with the benefits you want. We even send job alerts, so your perfect job lands right in your inbox. Go to careerbuilder.com today or get left with whatever jobs are left. Find your next job fast at careerbuilder.com. Imagine the biggest secret of your life.

Now, imagine trusting that big secret with the entire world. That is exactly what Tony Morrison did when he made the brave decision to share his HIV positive status in an open essay on Good Morning America's website. Hi, I'm Zach Stafford, host of In The Deep Stories That Shape Us. In this episode, we sit down with Tony to talk about his identity as a Filipino American, his work as a producer, and the role trust plays in our own journeys. Because sometimes, the road to healing can feel like a retrograde, forcing us to take a pause and reflect about what comes next.

Listen to In The Deep, Stories That Shape Us, an IheartRadio original podcast coming to you on the IheartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or whatever you listen to podcasts. The next chapter in your story includes knowing your status. Learn more and press play on your future at knowmystatus.com, sponsored by Gilead. This episode is brought to you by Royal Caribbean, an award-winning global cruise line. A vacation is what you make it. So are you ready to make the most of it? A Royal Caribbean adventure is the perfect opportunity to not just take a vacation, but to take a vacation.

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that comes to us from over 140 countries. So just don't take a vacation. Rise to the vacation. Come seek the Royal Caribbean. Visit royal Caribbean.com to learn more. Okay, let's dive into some of the quarterback stuff, and I'm going to start with Albert Breer. I came across his article on Twitter, basically just dove into all the top

quarterback prospects coming into this season. Some of them, Utah State has a guy, what Washington's going to have, Eason, who transferred from Georgia. There are a lot of guys kind of spread out around the country. We'll see you have this Michigan guy, Shea Patterson, if he can grow. But it's really a three-headed star class right now. at least on paper. Two at Alabama, from at Georgia,

because Clemson guy is not eligible, and Herbert at Oregon. And he got a bunch of good quotes, you know, like Albert always does. I actually think Albert has done a fantastic job transitioning from Peter King at the MMQB. He knows a lot of people in the league, a lot of scouting directors, a lot of scouts,

and he just gets good quotes. I mean, you just, you know, you know when people, the covered NFL, don't know people in the NFL, and you know when you read someone that covers the NFL that knows people in the NFL. I'm not talking agents. I'm talking scouting directors.

I'm talking GMs and I'm talking coaches. Because if you can't get that perspective, you're wasting everyone's time, because that's what matters. That's who's going to draft the players. That's who's going to play the players. So if you're not getting quotes from GMs and coaches, I don't put much stock into you as a reporter.

not trying to be an asshole. It's just a fact. But I want to touch on all three guys. I'm going to start with Tua. And Trent Dilfer was quoted in this article. He does that Elite 11 camp, and they've been around, spent a lot of time around him. I know a couple people at Alabama.

I mean, the way they were talking about this guy two years ago was basically like Russell Wilson meets Steve Young. And I think Trent Dilfer compared him to Drew Brees. Or maybe some people at Alabama that are there now compared him to Drew Brees in the sense that that's the guy. that ironically Sabin missed on. I think this guy is pretty special. And in the NFL, we know a couple things have gone out the window.

Height that quarterback is not a big deal anymore. And you can't be 5-5, but Tua's taller in Kyler Murray and Kyler Murray went one. Now, Tua is not an elite athlete. But the one thing Tua is, is very, very accurate. If you're very, very accurate in the NFL, it's hard to fail. I mean, Alex Smith had a hell of a career just because he was really, really accurate. Now, Tua's arms better than Alex. Now, the hard part about Tua is that his, sometimes when you're playing at an elite program, it's hard to evaluate you because your team is so much better than everyone else.

And he's playing with a wide receiver, number four, Jerry Judy. That's a top 10 pick next year. I mean, Jerry Judy might be a top five pick. Jerry Judy is a freak. So that's not going to hurt him, but I do think the reason we quote unquote pick these, quarterbacks apart is because I'm going to draft one of these guys in the top five, and then one day I hope to pay him like $150, $200 million. I love it when, like, I can't believe they're picking this guy apart.

Like, that's the business, people. Like, that's the whole point of this whole deal. Because if you don't pick him apart and you end up taking the wrong guy, good luck to you in your franchise. Because you're going to suck. I'll promise you that. And from what I've seen, I think too is an excellent prospect. And I think he's a borderline. it's hard to say this before season even starts,

but I'm pretty confident he's like a top 10 lock. Now we've seen shit change, but unless, you know, non-injury, I don't see how he doesn't go in the top 10. Jake Fromm, one thing I hadn't thought about that Breer was quoted. I think it was either a scout or a coach that said they were so impressed. Justin Fields, who's now at Ohio State, was the number one overall recruit at quarterback, was more dynamic than Fromp,

given that he can really run, just complete freak. Now, I think sometimes, like the NFL, we put some stock into that, and I say we, like, I'm not there, I'm just a media guy now, but you know what I mean. It is a big deal being a five-star recruit,

being the number one overall recruit, whatever, but you're also, once you get to the NFL, you're three or four years removed from that, but it is a big deal at the time when you beat out a guy that's one year younger than you, and you can't, take over because we know that the Georgia coaches wanted Justin Fields to be the

quarterback. He couldn't beat him out. He had a transfer because Jake Fromm was just that good. Now I talked to Move the Sticks, Daniel Jeremiah on my other podcast with Haberman. Haberman Middlecough, listen to that bad, but we talk a lot of football there too. And he said that he had talked to some people around the NFL that are a little unsure. But it was the first time that I thought, wow, this kid's got something. Eason, number one recruit, transferred. Fields, even a better recruit, had to transfer. And basically what Albert Breer's article was saying is that Jake Fromm has had pressure on him 24-7, 365 since he's been there. He's had no room for error.

I mean, they literally wanted to replace him last year and they couldn't. So I get maybe he's not the most physically gifted guy. I actually think his comp, just TV scouting him in the last couple years, probably an Alex Smith type guy. Doesn't have a great arm, but clearly is really smart, really competitive, and he's got something because they can't get rid of him. Now, this is a big year for him. but if he plays well, I don't see how he's not a first-round player. Now, the one thing, I'm going to keep saying all these first-round guys, because we're going to get into Justin Herbert right now,

there aren't that many spots, right? It's like Russell Westbrook's about to get traded in the NBA. Well, bring up the NBA standings. Most teams have pretty established point guards. Like most teams in the NFL have quarterbacks. And obviously they have quarterbacks. It's football, you've got to have a quarterback. But I mean quarterbacks that they either believe in,

or they've recently drafted high. There aren't that many teams in the NFL that have openings. Think about the last five or six years. How many guys have come into this league? Starting in like 2014. Derek Carr, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo, obviously the Bakers, the Sam Darnels, the Josh Allen's, the Lamar Jackson's. I mean, I'm 10 guys in the last five years.

I'm probably, Deshawn Watson, Mitch Trubisky. That's like 12. It's like, you know, more. third of the league has been drafted in the last five years. That's pretty nuts. And then Justin Herbert. To me, he's my biggest red flag. He's going to get drafted high.

He's a borderline first round lock because of his physical tools. But he's got a lot of pressure on him this year. The Pac-12's down. He opens his season with Auburn. I think it might be in Jerry's Palace. Maybe it's in Atlanta. I'm not exactly sure where that game is. But that's going to be everyone's watching.

Oregon's a top 10 team. Hell, they might even be higher whenever the preseason rankings come out. But they got to win that game. Now, if they win that game, there's going to be a lot of momentum. Everyone's going to be like, they're a playoff team. They lose that game, they're screwed. But, I mean, he's not necessarily screwed. But I'm just saying, like, the hike that could come by winning that game for this player,

he could, he has the momentum plus the physical attributes, plus all the character stuff, to be the number one overall pick next year. Now, he also has the greatest variance of, like, it could go the other way. But we've also seen, like, I saw Josh Allen, who I think there are some similarities as a player. Now, Herbert's much more polished, but I'm just saying, like, a guy with great physical ability that was terrible in college still went in the top 10.

So even if he had a really down season, I don't see how he falls that far in the draft. But I think no player has more to gain by just kind of dominating and his team playing well. Because Tua's kind of already Tua, right? Fromm is going to have some physical limitations. Like Herbert has all the physical positive attributes. He's got this huge arm. He's a good athlete, high character guy, out of big program. But they got to win a little bit.

And it's going to be on his shoulders to get the job done. And we're all going to be watching. God, I can't wait. 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 there. 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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 or 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, Keir 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.

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, hey, ref, my mom wants you to. wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shake my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility. of connection. This mental health awareness month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace,

and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Auburn, July 8th, that game's probably like August 30th.

I mean, we're about, you know, a month and a half away. Not that, not that far. So it's going to be fun. It looks like we're going to have a pretty good quarterback class. Definitely just at the top with those three guys. And then, like, every year, I'll be honest. I didn't know who the hell Daniel Jones was last year at this time. I couldn't have pointed him out of the lineup.

I didn't know probably anything about him. And that's the one thing Breer wrote in there that, like, there were a couple other guys just to keep an eye on. And they'll pop up, like, we'll have a feel for those guys like three or four games into the season. But right now, there's a senior quarterback somewhere or an underclassman somewhere that, we're not talking about that's going to come out in ball.

And that's what makes football so fun. It's because NFL, the season, like the college season goes hand in hand with the NFL season because it's basically the minor leagues. Like in baseball, you get drafted. I don't see you for three years. And the Giants drafted this kid, Joey Bart, number two overall two years ago. He's like the best catching prospect in forever. And I'm not going to see him for like two years.

I'm not patient enough to wait. Like, I want to see the guy. and then I want you to draft them and then I want you to play. Like that's what society demands in 2019. And that's what football gives us. And then there are a couple other things I saw. I've talked a little bit about this, but the MVP odds, I think right now you can get some pretty good odds.

I look the last time a guy has won back-to-back MVP's, Peyton Manning did it twice, like in the last 20 years, and then obviously Farve did it in the late 90s. Actually won three in a row. But it doesn't happen that often. So two people, Peyton Manning and Brett Farr than the last like 35 years have done. So it's very difficult. And obviously when Peyton did it, it was 08, 09, and 4-03.

Like, he was pretty well established into his career. I mean, Patrick Mahomes, what was so crazy about last year while it was his second season, it was his first year as a starter. So I would probably not bet on him to win it. Though, is there a chance he's like an all-time great and he just rattles off like four straight MVPs? Maybe. But for betting odds, to me, the guy, that I like, and it kind of hints back to what I opened the show with,

is I believe in the Colts. I think the Colts could win 12, 13, 14 games. And if they are the number one seed, which I don't think is out of the realm of possibility, though a little difficult just because their division is hard. But they don't have the first play schedule because the Texans do. But Lockett plus basically 8 to 1. Last year he was 39 and 15.

So if that number could get to like 43, and 12 and they go 13 and 3 you just watch Andrew Luck he's bound to win an MVP in his career I like those odds and then the other guy that I'm just I think's got a chance for a big year I think his team's gonna be really good it wouldn't shock me if they're like a one or two seed because they win like 12 or 13 games would be the Atlanta Falcons Matt Ryan last year was 35 touchdowns and 7 picks

everyone that plays fantasy knows like he had a pretty damn good year the defense was atrocious it wasn't his fall. They were throwing touchdowns. You can get him right now, the book I got, 28 to 1. 28 to 1. Now, the one thing that leaves me hesitant a little bit is like, when you think of Matt Ryan,

is he a two-time MVP? That would be the one thing, like Aaron Rogers won two MVPs. Is Matt Ryan going to win two MVPs? I mean, maybe he is. And then the other non-quarterback, I actually, obviously quarterbacks, non-quarterbacks, don't win this award. You know, beside Adrian Peterson, come back from an ACL running for 2,000 yards.

Like, it doesn't usually happen. But think about this. What if I told you the Jets went 10 and 6, and Levy on Bell just had like a Marshall Falk type season? Remember when Marshall Falk won the MVP? I think back in, where it would have been 2001, and just has like 25, 28 touchdowns. You know, like 13 on the ground, another 13 catching the ball, rushes for like 1,400, catches 90 balls and has 1,000 yards in the air. Like, I'm just, to me, at what are his odds?

I think his odds were like 80 to 1. I just liked them as just a, maybe it was 40 to 1. I actually, I didn't write it down. But it was big. It would have been my big Hail Mary, though very unlikely and I wouldn't put much money on it. There's a recipe for getting your car running just right. And whatever you're cooking up in the garage, you'll find what you need at eBaymotors.com. They have over 122 million car parts and accessories in stock.

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Because why? Why? Because I have cellulite because I have thick thighs. I can't do that. I can't feel sexy in my own skin. And those are the things that I want to break because there are so many women like me and I want to be and represent us, you know.

Obviously, there's always room for improvement. I always want to look better. I want to work out. I want to lose weight. But in reality, this is the body God gave me, and I've never really been skinny. Listen to the MyCultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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We've done the NFC East. We've done the NFC South. We've done the AFC South. We've done the AFC North. Now we will do the NFC North. So then we just have the West. There's no central in football, huh? So, yeah, we're running out of teams here.

Get us through the slow times. Get us through the slow times. Okay. Chicago, Minnesota, Green Bay, Detroit. Let's start with my favorite team. I'll be, listen, you guys know I'm biased. My guy Matt Nagy's head coach. A couple guys on the staff that I know, known for a long time.

So I'm rooting for the Bears. I am a, I parachuted in when they hired Nagy, and I became a Bears fan. I probably root first and foremost for my two teams in the Bay Area, more so the Niners, because I profit from their success. if they do well, more people listen is good for my business. But for this, like nationally, I don't really care. You know, I just root for the people I know. Like, I'm rooting for the Bears.

And luckily, I'm not that crazy because last year they're good. Like, clearly they're pretty good. To me, the biggest question mark I have by far for the team with the best odds to win this division is their defense. Now, on paper, their defense is absolutely stacked. and you talk to people on that staff, they go, geez, Louise, we look good in practice. But what will the drop-off be on game day with Chuck Pagano and Vic Fangio? Because I think it's pretty well established.

Vic Fangio is probably the best defensive coordinator the last 10 years. What he did in San Francisco and then what he did in Chicago. Like his teams kick ass and take names. Now, don't forget, just because Ryan Grickson basically screwed Chuck Pagano. Ryan Grisen had all the power, couldn't pick a player to save. his life, somehow kept the job there for five years just because he happened to fall into Andrew Luck. I don't totally hold all the indie stuff against Chuck.

Now, he's not a head coach, but don't forget, he was in Baltimore for a long time with Ray Lewis, and he was very, very, very highly thought of. Now, we're going to see there's a lot of pressure because this team, he's inheriting arguably the best defense in the league. With everyone coming back, they're all kind of like young and in their prime, and the expectation for this team is kind of to, you know, make a Super Bowl run. I would say Super Bowl would be strong. But like NFC championship game, I mean, they just had a home playoff game, usually the next step.

Look at the Rams two years ago. Hosted a home playoff game and loss. Next year they made the Super Bowl. I don't think that's totally unrealistic when you view, well, the head coach is an offensive guy. Mitch, there's a lot there to work with. They have a bunch of pieces on offense. Their offensive lines good. They have good receivers now.

They drafted the kid last year in the second round. Miller, they got Alan Robinson. They got rid of Jordan Howard because he wasn't a great scheme fit. They got Tariq Cohen. They drafted. I can't remember what school of the running back they drafted on, but I know they really like them. Obviously, I'm trying to think. Eagles drafted the guy from Penn State.

The Rams, I get my mid-round running back mixed up, but they're high on the rookie running back. And obviously the defense speaks for itself. Cleo Mac, him and Aaron Donald, the best two players, Don quarterback on defense in the league. Hakeem Hicks, I don't even know if he's underrated anymore. Absolute Monster. Roquan Smith is a badass. I mean, their secondary is just really good.

They're just really good. I mean, their team is loaded. So I like them to go over nine and a half. To win the division plus 170, I don't feel quite as strong because I actually think the division's a little better than I have been kind of talking about it, just looking at it.

Because I do think Minnesota, who over under 9, you could argue they might be more complete than the Bears. Because their defense is also elite, at least on paper. And Mike Zimmer is just a better defensive coach than Chuck Pagana. And offensively, they just have more pieces than the Bears.

I mean, the wide receivers tandem speaks for itself. Thielen Diggs, those two are awesome. Somehow they were going to trade Cal Rudolph, then they extended him. He's really good. I mean, catch touchdowns. Dalvin Cook, who is extremely talented. Now, I heard a stat. He's only played 17 of the possible 32 games for his first two seasons. Now, granted, part of that's a torn ACL.

But he's really talented. They got rid of Latavius Murray. But they're just their starters on offense. If Kirk Cousins can just play decently well, and he had moments last year, they could win the division. To me, both those two teams are double-digit win teams. The Bears over nine and a half. I like the Vikings over nine.

They also resign Anthony Barr. The Vikings are really good. You could argue on paper they're better than the Bears. So, you know, I don't hate the plus basically two to one Minnesota to win the division. I don't like the Packers. From the simple fact, I don't trust their coach at all. I just do not trust their head coach at all. I don't think the quarterback already doesn't like them, doesn't respect them.

Now, obviously, if the quarterback just plays out of his mind, that quarterback, his name's Aaron Rogers. You can beat any team on any given day. Their defense actually is not terrible. They signed two Smiths, Zadarius and Preston, signed Amos from the Bears. The Alexander, the corner they drafted, I think, two years ago, is really good. They're a good team.

Like, on paper, they actually have some talent. I just don't trust the head coach, literally at all. I don't. I had heard things about him before he got the Tennessee job that even Sean McVeigh wasn't really that higher on him Then somehow he became a coordinator And when he was a coordinator The Titans were not very good

They tears his Achilles And again, I'm not like tearing Achilles It's not some indictment on him as a coach But it does like that limits his ability in the OTA He's like he probably wasn't able to do as much How healthy is a crazy we were talking about this But how healthy is the coach going to be for training camp? I don't know

I just I don't see the Packers as a playoff team I actually think it's more likely, and this is going to sound crazy, and people are going to be like, you hate, I don't hate the Packers. I want to see Aaron Rogers be good. He's one of the more fun players I've ever watched in my life. But if this season for them is a disaster, like what if they went 5 and 11? Is LaFleur are one and done?

Because I actually think of all the coaches that could be a one and done this year, just given the expectations for the Packers. Can you imagine if they went 5 and 11, and Rogers just hates them? I can see LaFleur getting fired. So the 9 and a half, I like the under. And then the Lions, you know, they actually had a pretty good offseason on paper.

Added Danny Amadoli, kind of get that winning culture that Patricia knows. I love T.J. Hawkinson. They added Trey Flowers. Overpaid, but that's what you got to do. If Stafford, I already liked their receivers, even when they got rid of Golden Tate. Those two guys made plays. The running back they drafted from Auburn last year is a good player. Their defense needs to be a lot better.

But Matt Stafford is proven. Now, his wife, I think, had the brain, I mean, I don't think, I know, had the brain cancer. She had to go back. Hopefully she gets through this just fine. Like, to me, that is somewhat of a curveball on this. If she has any more complications, I can't even imagine being Matt Stafford trying to focus on football. But assuming she's fine, she makes everything out of it okay, and he's able to kind of focus, and she's, her health is good.

To me, the six and a half number on them, I think they could be a seven or eight win team. I don't think it's crazy that they get to, like, eight or nine, if Patricia's good. Now, I don't have any information to assume that, like, Patricia's going to be a lot better than he was last year, but he was terrible. Now, the one thing you'd say is they did bring in a lot of New England type guys. So if he's screaming the New England gospel, you need guys to kind of hear and believe in that gospel.

Well, T. Flowers believes in it. Danny Amendole believes in it. T.J. Hawkinson, a dude from Iowa. Like, that's basically New England, a college football, Iowa. Obviously, Stafford, just a high character guy, is going to listen to anyone. So, I think he, if we're going to find out this year if Patricia has anything else left in the tank. Like, if they're just terrible this year, he's just going to be fired and be a terrible Belichick disciple. But the more I thought about it, just looking at their roster a little bit, and again, I'm still a sucker for Matt Stafford.

I'm not saying he's a Hall of Fame player or anything. But if he's on, they have weapons for him, this, I mean, T.J. Hock is a really good player. That was a good pick. It's not crazy to think that they're really competitive. So the Lions, I actually like the Lions more and I like the Packers. But again, I strictly hate the Packers because I think their coach is a one-and-done coach. July 8th, I said it. Matt LaFleur is more likely to be a one-and-done coach than he is a playoff coach.

So Bears, Vikings, both over nine and a half and nine. You know, the value I couldn't hate on either taking the – taking the Bears basically 1.7 to 1 or the Vikings 2 to 1. You could do either one to win the division. I wouldn't bet on the Packers or Detroit to win the division. Even though Detroit, I mean, it would be the ultimate sleeper, be your classic, worst the first team. Every year we have it, right, you get them 12 to 1.

So you put $100 now and you make $1,200. You want to get really bald. You put $1,000. You make 12 Gs. Their roster, though, like I said, is a little better than I thought on paper. This division actually sneaky should be not bad. It's why it's going to be hard. Like, LeFlefour's got to beat Nagy and, Nagy and Pagano.

Minnesota, you got Zimmer and all of his offensive coaches. And then Detroit, you got Patricia. This is a weird coaching division after the first two teams. But I'm excited to watch it. Appreciate everyone listening. Have a good week, and I'll see you guys again Friday. If you work in IT, you'll want to check out Changemakers, a podcast, profiling IT industry leaders. We dive deep into IT profiles and learn what it takes to drive.

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Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and 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 Slical Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kare Games. This space is about black men's experiences,

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This is Clever 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 guy, this linebacker walks up to me,

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