The Herd with Colin Cowherd - NBA playoffs and who won the NFL draft

Episode Date: April 29, 2019

Colin discusses the top stories of the NBA playoffs including the Houston Rockets complaining, and the Milwaukee Bucks being blown out in game 1. Now that the NFL draft is over, Colin gives his thoughts, and how you can find out who really won. Guests include Doug Gottlieb, Chris Broussard, John Middlekauf, and Mark Schlereth.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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.

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sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last. Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Heard. We're listening to Fox Sports. radio. Here we go on a Monday, a pack Monday. This is The Herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. We are live in Los Angeles on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, one hour from now. One of our better ones, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong. I'm plenty of both on a draft weekend, an NBA playoff weekend, and Joy Taylor is joining me for hour one and hour two,

hour three today. Joy, how are you? I'm great. Good morning. It was a busy weekend. I tell you, March and April have been so good for us in sports, so good for us in sports. And I want to start with the NBA, the Rockets and the Warriors. The Rockets played them close and the Warriors pulled away at the end. There was a lot of controversy, not really, but, you know, the Rockets are complaining. We only shot 29 free throws, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. This is very interesting. So every year in the winter months, depending on where you live, that's two months, three months, five months, every year in the winter, it gets cold. Everywhere in America, except maybe Florida.

And so that's why I have a coat. Because every year at the same time, it gets cold. So I have a coat. I don't blame the weather. Man, it's cold. I didn't see it coming. In the NBA, similarly, every single year at this time, veteran NBA referees allow more contact.

That's a U problem. Buy a coat. Don't blame the refs. every year at this time, all the young refs that get manipulated throughout the regular season, they don't officiate in the playoffs. You get to the second round,

the conference finals, the finals. It is the best refs, a lot of veteran refs, and they don't let you manipulate. Same in hockey, same in football. Less is called. Okay?

Give me a break, Houston. The Houston Rockets have added a heavy dose of manipulation to their offense over the last several years. A, it makes it a much more difficult team to officiate. They are hard to officiate. You're never going to officiate the rockets perfectly. It's hard for veteran officials who have been in these playoffs for 20 years.

They're a hard team to officiate. And B, the officials have a right to take some of that manipulation territory back from the young officials who allowed it all regular season. James Hardin this year added a dimension to his offense. Did you watch? I did. He started falling to the floor five times. a game. He didn't do that three years ago. Did James Harden start falling to the floor because it was some physical disability?

It was a manipulibrium. It was equilibrium. He's got a medical condition. No, no, no, he started falling to the floor, adding a layer of manipulation to his offensive game. And the referees have a right to dictate terms in the playoffs. He led the NBA in free throws once again. That's fine. But the refs have a right to create their own territory. they're going to scale back on giving him all the calls all the young refs did during the regular season. The referees have a right to set a tone in a game or a series.

I attended and covered many Mike Tyson fights. He was officiated differently every time. Older refs are playoff refs, and they're not going to let manipulation take control of a series. You see it in hockey. You get to the second round, the cup finals, generally refs swallow whistles. They don't want to decide games. Go ask the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Remember that Saints Rams game?

Four hours. The refs let clutching and grabbing go all up and down the sidelines. Why? And even though this was a bad call, why? We're not going to decide. We're not going to create big plays on pass interference. Not every officiating crew is the same. In the NFL, it's understood.

Some officiating crews call. Call more holding, call less holding, call more PI, call less PI. Don't blame the refs. If you as an organization can't figure out that manipulation has never won the championship, best players have, that's a you problem. NFL officials, it is understood. Some guys call holding, some crews don't. Belichick's got a book a mile long. Kurt Schilling told me years ago.

He goes, I knew every home plate umpire's plate was different. There are umpires in baseball that have called seven no hitters, eight, nine. Other guys have never called one. The strike zone changes. It's your job to know the umpire strike zone. And I do think there is a responsibility not on the referees, but on a GM, a coach, a team, the analytics department, to know what officials give you what and what veteran officials will not give you that young officials will. They're not going to let James Harden falling down, flopping, kicking out.

act control the league. Start holding your team responsible and your stars responsible and your analytic department responsible and your GM responsible. Stop only holding the refs responsible. Saints fans, you had opportunities in that game.

You didn't get it done. James Hardin said something after the game and I just rolled my eyes with this. Pretty funny. I want you to listen to this. I just want a fair chance, man. Called a game, how it's supposed to be called and that's it. And I'll live with the results. But when you especially we all know what happened you know a few years back with kawai like that

can change the entire series just call the game how it's supposed to be called and and we'll live with the results oh interesting isn't that what james hardin's opponent said all year long call the game the way it's supposed to be called don't let him kick out and fall to the floor and manipulate the traveling call what james hardin complained about is what his opponents complained about all season long. The extra step nobody else in the league is allowed to take. The constant flopping and falling. Everybody that guards him complains.

By the way, when you add this layer of manipulation to your game, it is harder to officiate. The rockets are harder to officiate. I'm not saying the refs were perfect after day, but I always said this was Shaq. Shaq was harder to officiate. He like weighed as much as a cruise liner. You could bang into him. Shaq. It would knock over every guy in the league except Shaq. And Shaq used to say, guys, hang on me. And it was like, yeah, they weren't anti-Shack. Shack was harder to officiate. Michael Jordan was

harder to officiate. And James Hardin's harder to officiate. But you're not going to be allowed the level of manipulation you're allowed in the regular season. They gave it to you a couple times yesterday, but veteran reps have seen this game before. They've seen this game before. And refs absolutely have a right to set a tone in a game in a series. And the officials yesterday said in this series, James, the fall and flopping. This is not Tuesday night in January in Minnesota. It's not a bunch of kid refs. Not every ref in the NBA.

They're all human. They're all different. Some are way more capable than others. We know in the NFL, you ever watch the big NFL games? You ever notice you save the same eight, nine refs? Because they put the best refs on the big TV games. Not every NBA reft is great. the very good ones, they're officiating now,

and they're not buying that manipulation slash gimmick. I still think Houston can win the series. I pick Golden State to win it all, but I have no problem what I saw yesterday. All right, the NFL draft this weekend. I watched virtually all of it. I'm not going to lie. I love that six-rounder from Boise State.

I saw a bunch of headlines. Everybody wants to know who won the draft. I saw this one. Woo! New England won the draft. Really? New England won the draft. You do realize it's one of the most complex offensive systems in the NFL, and most rookies get overwhelmed by it, not to mention the New England Patriots don't play rookies much. It's useless to predict drafts, but especially New England's.

They're different. It is more cerebral. A lot of rookies get overwhelmed there. By the way, they didn't address the tight end situation. They didn't draft a tight end. What was their number one need? I could argue wide receiver and tight end. Let's look at New England's picks.

The first two guys, it is assured, will play a bunch. Nikiel Harry and Joanne Williams, a corner from Vanderbilt. They'll play a bunch. After that, by their third pick, Chase Winnevich, Michigan, that's the kind of guy that would literally be a bust on 22 teams in the league. I think he'll work for New England. But he's no guarantee physically. He doesn't pop and jump off the TV physically.

They also picked up a running back Damian Harris from Alabama who can't catch sort of a big deal with Tom Brady. I think he'll be their third best running back last year. I don't think New England got the most guys that can play. How are we judging drafts? First of all, if Josh Rosen can play and goes to Miami and is their starting quarterback for seven years, Miami won the draft. If Kyler Murray goes to Arizona and cuts it up, Arizona won the draft. The bottom line, if Daniel Jones kills it for the Giants, they won the draft. The draft winner is the team Seattle years ago that got Russell Wilson in the third round and got a Hall of Fame quarterback.

That was called a bad draft. If you didn't draft a quarterback, there's very little chance you will have won the draft because that's the difference maker in the NFL. I'll tell you three drafts I liked. I thought Green Bay, the first four guys Green Bay drafted will all play. I thought the first five guys, the Indianapolis Coles drafted. They went and got speed and need will all play. And the first five guys for the Baltimore Ravens will all play. In fact, they're fifth players of guard from Oklahoma, Ben Powers.

He's a grinder. He's perfect for Lamar Jackson in that offense. Ravens Packers, Colts, I thought their first four to five guys will all play. I'm pretty confident. They got guys that fit, guys that work, guys they can be patient with, those three. But let's be honest. If Kyler Murray is a home run for Arizona, they won the draft by a mile. It won the Seahawks won a draft with Russell Wilson.

It was called a terrible draft. They won a Super Bowl, got to two, and have a Hall of Fame quarterback. That was ripped as a draft. They won that draft by a thousand miles over everybody else. I will tell you, though, a draft I did not like, the New York Jets. Now, their first pick is the best player in the draft, Quinn and Williams. But after that, they are a rebuilding franchise. Okay, when you're a rebuilding franchise, fewer risks, please.

Take risks if you're the Steelers. If you're the Rams, if you're the chiefs of the Patriots. You can swing for the fence because you've established your culture and you have star quarterbacks and star coaches and star rosters. But when you're building like the Colts, when you're rebuilding like the Colts, you get dependable smart picks, you change the culture into dependable grownups,

you'll still hit some home runs because you generally draft in the top 10. So the Jets first pick is great. After that, it was medical issues, head cases, guys who were wildly inconsistent college players. I don't need to name them. You can see them on the screen on FS1. When you're building a culture is not when you should take wild swings on players who were inconsistent in college.

inconsistent college player is inconsistent NFL player. Medical issue college player, Sam Bradford, is medical issue NFL player. Guys don't suddenly get healthier in a more violent sport. So did New England win? Hardly. I'd take Baltimore, Green Bay, and the Colts in terms of top four to five picks. I'm not going to waste any time breaking down a fifth, sixth, seventh rounder. But I will tell you the Jets, I just don't like their belief system on drafts.

They're taking wild swings when they're rebuilding. I don't believe you do that. Jets have shown a history here in the last three or four years. They'll get the first pick right. They whiff a lot after that. The Colts get their first pick right and their second, their third, their fourth, and their fifth. Inconsistency at the college level almost always equals inconsistency or bust at the NFL level. The one draft I didn't like after their first pick was the New York.

coming up next, my favorite NBA reality check. You know, I was just going to ask you guys, was there a power outage in Milwaukee? It was the internet not working? I didn't get any emails from Bucks fans over the weekend. I just wondered if Twitter was down in Milwaukee. Didn't hear anything because I swear a guy had a power outage there. I didn't get a single tweet all Saturday. Sunday.

Interesting. We'll address the Celtics. Not so surprising win over the Bucks coming up. Be sure to catch the. live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app.

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 Slices Life 12 in 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, Tript 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?

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learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey.

I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I'm ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes,

coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WMBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals.

At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Great to have you back. Doug Gottlieb's going to be joining us, Mark Schlereth, Chris Broussard, John Middlough, last hour from the Bay Area.

It's the Her Joy Taylor is joining me on a Monday. Where Colin Wright, where Colin was wrong, 40 minutes from now, always love that. My favorite NBA reality check for all the months. Michael Jordan worshippers out there. Many of you in your 20s and 30s didn't even watch him play live. I saw every series and every playoff game he ever played. He's the greatest player probably in league history. LeBron, I think at his prime was close.

I think magic in his prime was very close. But here's a reality check with Michael Jordan. Do you know what his record was in the playoffs before Scotty Pippen arrived? Oh, I do one in nine, swept twice. What up, bruh? Doesn't fall in line with all your MJ worship. One and nine. He was crappy in the playoff.

swept twice. Because what we do in basketball, especially the NBA, we glom on to the star, and we think the star decides everything. If that was the case, then Kevin Durant would have won the West every single year. But his number two was unreliable Westbrook. And LeBron has only had great success when he's got an all-star as his number two, Kyrie, Wade or Bosch. Michael Jordan didn't do anything in this league except score.

He didn't do anything in the postseason until he got Scotty Pippin, one of the best 50 players of all time. We pay attention to the one, and the ones are key, but ones don't win in this league without a two. It's why I never bought into Denver, why I think the Raptors have limitations, and why I didn't buy into Milwaukee over Boston. I'll take Boston narrowly. If you look at the greatest team in league history, it's probably the Bulls in 95. The second best player was Pipp in a top 50 player. Second best team I've ever seen the Warriors. Their second best player, Steph Curry, the only unanimous MVP in league history.

The third best team I've ever seen, maybe the second best best, is the Showtime Lakers. Magic. The second best player was Kareem. Probably the best center in league history. By the way, Shaq and Kobe is probably the third or fourth best team I've ever seen. Whichever you preferred, it was a Hall of Fame or was the second best player. The Milwaukee Buck's second best player is Chris Middleton. he's a hard worker and a good kid.

But he played college for three years. Translation, it's not that gifted. Then he went to the NBA, rookie year average six points, and was demoted to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He has become a very good player. But if he's your number two, if he's your Pippin, if he's your Kobe, if he's your staff, you're not winning the title. And I don't think you're winning this series.

Now, Boston doesn't have a dominating number two either. But let's just for the sake of argument take Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum was a high school All-American, and then a college All-American, and only had to play one year of college at the best program Duke, and then NBA people said, get out of college, you're too good. Oh, and then as a rookie, made the all-rooky team, and in the playoffs, was actually shockingly good as a rookie. He didn't get demoted to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Now, he's not one of the stronger twos in NBA history, but he is a transformational basketball talent who's still a baby. Now, you can argue Al Horford's a two and Gordon Hayward's a two, or Jason Tatum's a two. I would say Tatum is their second best basketball talent. That's why I think this is a close series. The Houston Rockets number two player is a nine-time all-star in a first ballot hall of famer Chris Paul.

And why the Warriors are going to win their number two is Steph Curry. maybe the most transformational basketball player of my life outside of LeBron Magic and MJ. Nothing against Chris Middleton, but the reason I took Boston in this series was their two is a four, or at best a three, Chris Middleton. I like him. He's not a two. Jason Tatum has Knights, he's an absolute two. And I think long term, he's absolutely a two.

He didn't play particularly well in game one. but we spend so much time looking at the one. Kevin Durant got to one finals in the West before Golden State because he and the two didn't work. Look at the dynasty in our lifetimes, one of them, Spurs. Tony Parker was an MVP candidate and he was a two to Duncan. Then they switched, and then Duncan was the two and was the first ballot hall famer.

I can remember watching Larry Bird have back-to-back playoff games where he scored eight points, but they had a two named Kevin McHale who could score 24. It's not just about the one. Denver doesn't have Jamal Marie dependable two. Chris Middleton should be a three or a four. They're not championship teams. Now, I don't think Boston has the best two in the world,

but he is an absolutely elite basketball talent who, the reason Jason Tatum's not a one, he's too inconsistent. But on the night, he's good. Oh, he's really good. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

So Kevin Durant was impressive. again yesterday with 35 points in the game one win over the Rockets. Stefan Claver pretty quiet, but Durant took over and carried the team to a 104-100 win. And after the game, you were just talking about Michael, Steve Kerr said his scoring is comparable only to the goat. Have you ever seen anybody have a great four game stretch like Kevin is having? There's this guy named Michael something. Can't remember his last name.

I mean, he's the most skilled basketball player on Earth. You know, he's one of the most skilled basketball players to ever play the game. There's never been anybody like him. 6-11. You know, handles ball, shoots, threes, passes, defends. He's just an unbelievable talent. Yes. I tell you my story about Mark Few, USA basketball, Gonzaga coach.

And, you know, Popovich hired him, and he went and watched Durant for a week. When I asked him about Durant, he just laughed. He couldn't explain him. He was just like, You almost don't have to coach him. He's like, there's no such thing as a tough two for Kevin Durant. He's the only basketball player in the world that there really is. Because everybody's trying to make you run off the three-point line and shoot a tough two.

There are no tough twos. He's a seven-foot-one guy that shoots. It's almost like Kareem Skyhook at this point. Yes. Because he can just rise up over anyone. I just feel bad for anyone that has to guard him. He has a little ways to go before he's, you know, on MJ's numbers. Right, right.

But whoever the best player in the league at any time is is going to be compared to Michael Jordan. I don't think it's an egregious comparison because that's what we do with everyone who's at the top of the league at the moment that he is. And he's playing amazing. So we thought the Lakers were really going to swing for the fences in the wake of Magic's departure. But apparently they are not. Sam Amick and Bill Orham of the Athletic reported over the weekend. The Lakers never reached out to LeBron's former GM in Cleveland, David Griffin, before he agreed to join New Orleans. Sources also say they haven't reached out to the Warriors regarding general manager Bob Myers.

Same for Jerry West. until further notice. In other words, this is all on Polinka and Friends. Isn't that Fox News' morning program, Palinga and Friends? Polika and Friends? Is that it?

Polinka has led the way in interviewing candidates, Tyloo, Monty Williams, Juan Howard, and Jason Kidd, along with, as they mentioned in the reports, and Friends, Jeannie, Tim Harris, Joey Bus, Jesse Bus, Kurt Rambis,

apparently... A lot of friends. Her husband's wife is involved as well. Well, it just seems like it's this Palinka's show now. So it's going to be all on him what ends up happening. And that can be a good thing or a bad thing. You know, you got to get a bet on yourself sometimes. So finally, John Elway just can't help himself.

The Broncos wait until the 42nd overall pick to take a quarterback, in part because of the trust Elway has in Joe Flacco. Elway told Peter King, our comfort with Joe enabled us to pass on a quarterback. What made that decision is Joe is fitting really well with what we want to do offensively. And he looked great in our mini camp last week. He really put on a throwing exhibition last week in camp. I truly think we've got a guy coming into his prime. That seems like a little much, but I do think Flacco does fit.

If you look at John Elway's history and quarterbacks, he likes to look at John Elway's history and quarterbacks. Well, I mean, Peyton was good. Peyton was the best, obviously, but he likes big strong guys. He does. He likes the big guy that can throw the ball down the field in that Denver cold weather in the winter. That's what he likes. I don't have a problem with Joe Flacco in the spot,

and I don't have a problem with them waiting that long to take a quarterback, because I don't think this was a quarterback draft. And as we can see from the full screen that we have up right now, there's been a lot of them. But Joe Flacco is not going into his prime. No, he's not. I don't think that he's, I think he'll have a good year. Yeah, so do I.

I don't think he's going to be a disaster for them. Yeah, I agree. But going into his prime is just a little too far. We all know, so you and I know that John Allen went to Stanford, and we know he's smart, right? We know it's smart. Yeah. Okay.

It's hard. He's Exhibit A of, it's hard to find. find a quarterback. By the way, I don't think it's easy to find a quarterback. I think sometimes, you know, we use this example with MJ as well. When you are in an elite level of something, it's kind of sometimes hard to evaluate talent of your same vein. Because you either A, only look for things that you see in yourself. Yeah.

Or you're distorted by putting these, you're almost like projecting onto the talent that is not on the level that you want. or you get attracted to personalities. It is hard to evaluate talent. Yes. And when you're the one making the decision, you're the one that has to deal with the consequences of it. And he's so high profile in Denver. It's like, oh, I can't draft quarterbacks.

He coaxed Peyton Manning to come for a few years. That worked out. Give him a pass for a few years. He's going to live. He's not a pass for a few years. Payton Manning's been out for a while. I don't have a problem with Joe Flacco, and I don't have a problem with where they took the quarterback

because, like I said, this wasn't a quarterback draft. But in the next few years, they need to find their guy for the future. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Line news. To Monday, let's bring in the Dugger, Doug Gottlie, Fox Sports Radio, show after ours on what was a wild weekend of NBA and NFL draft. I love the draft. I'm a dork. I totally love it.

Let's start Rockets, the refraise what I said, which is, A, when you add a heavy dose of manipulation into your offensive game, you do become harder to officiate. They are. And I do think NBA veteran officials, who are mostly playoff officials, are less likely to be manipulated. and they do have a right to set a tone in the series. And I do think the refs said yesterday, I'm going to scale back in the manipulation a little. It's not like Hardin didn't get to the line, 14 hit 13. But I wasn't bothered by what I saw yesterday.

Well, I was bothered by the fact that it was hard to watch basketball because every time anyone goes up for a jump shot, they're trying to draw a foul. I heard Reggie Miller on the Dan Patrick show, and he's blaming World Be Free for this. Reggie, you ruined the game. You ruined it, okay? It's unwatchable.

Is James Harden right to say that all season long, if you came into his landing space, they were called for fouls? Yes, go back and watch. Even go back and watch the Utah series when they played this bizarre style of defense where they were actually playing behind him on his left side, forcing him into the lane to Rudy Gobert. I'd literally never seen that from any player

in the history of the NBA, where you're actually, you just want him to go and take a two. And go ahead, go ahead, in there. Rudy Gobert is in there. And it was, and they, Utah nearly pulled off an upset even in game five. Yeah. So he's not wrong to say that he's gotten those calls and the reps have, you know, put themselves in this corner in that he expects, you know, like a child, you let a kid get away with it long enough. They're going to become entitled and expecting to get those calls.

Right. On the other hand, the rockets can't win straight up. They can't win if they don't get calls. And this is how NBA playoffs have always been officiated. And by the way, he did get some calls. and they're challenging some of the Golden State Warrior shots as well. So I thought it was a hard watch. I think Reggie Miller's ruined basketball.

I think you have to go up straight, land straight, and if you do, I think they're going to call more fouls. Remember, game two is a completely different officiating crew, and the complaining generally works. He's going to get a couple of these calls, but I don't think they can win the series because you can only win the series if you get calls. It's really interesting, as if I like what you said there at the end. I never heard that before. if you had an understanding in basketball where you shoot straight up, and that's your landing radius. But the minute you turn, we're not going to expand your radius.

As an official, I would be like, listen, you may think because you're leaning and falling, I'm going to expand your radio. I'm not where your feet are when you shoot is what I'm given you. Because what Hardin's trying to do, he did it this year, Doug. He became falling Hardin. So he added a layer of manipulation. And I do think, Doug, ref struggled with it all. year. I think they really did. No, and the flopping every time and the throwing your head back

every time you're driving. It becomes really hard. In real time, it's hard to know. Do you get hit? Do you not get hit? You almost have to find a way to be extra punitive. You know, when you go back and watch a tape, if you see like in the Utah series, he acted like he got hit in the throat. Yes. And nothing happened. I know. You're like, wait a second. That, that, that, that, like, you use the word manipulation, right? It completely changes the tone of the game. Yeah. I almost feel like you have to find a way to two shots and the ball if we can. you flopping on replay. Here's the other big thing.

If we're going to call every time somebody gets in your landing space, I'm okay with it. But let's also remember, there's a reason they're able to create that space. They're creating the space through push-offs with this chicken wing, okay? Which we're not calling. It's okay. Like, look, I'm not going to call the chicken wing, but you can't, you create space. Now I've got to close up that space. I can't just let you shoot.

Additionally, the step-back travels. If we're going to call everything, fine, let's call everything. If we're going to call, you know, only absolute fouls, then that's fine, which is what I think they did. He's pushing off to create that space. This is a lot like the NFL. We want to review now, pass interference. Well, sometimes defenders get caught past interference because the offensive player pushes off to create the space, and the defensive player closes up that space, and that's where there's contact.

When does pass interference begin? When does the foul actually begin in basketball? Is it on the push-off or only when they close up that airspace? Let's talk Milwaukee, and I took. Boston in this series. I think it's a seven-gamer or a six-gamer. I did it because I think Brad Stevens is brilliant. Kyrie's one of the best closers in the history of the league, especially under six-four. And they do have some playoff experience. They've won series. They've gone seven. I think it's close, though. I think Yonis is amazing. But I do say this. The Celtics don't have a

defined two, but Jason Tatum is a unique basketball prodigy. Number three pick, one year at college, great, stunningly good playoff rookie year. Chris Middleton went three years of college, second round pick, was demoted first year to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He's worked his tail off to become about a three, not a two. The reason I don't buy Milwaukee is, if you pull back the reins on Janus, if you marginalize him to some degree,

I don't trust Middleton. I actually trust Jason Tatum more than Middleton as a basketball talent. Well, a little bit of this is, two things. One, I think you're marginalizing who the actual number two is for the Boston Celtics. Who is it? Al Horford. Because it doesn't show up in the stat column, right?

There's a reason that they won two national championships in college. There's a reason that they're able to do such a good job against Janus. It's not just the like-sized defenders, which is how this team is built. This team is built for a KD type player, for a Janus Santinacou

type of player where they have multiple guys that they can put on him. like people used to defend LeBron James. Same size guy, really hard to, you can't do it with just one guy. You've got to have a bunch of different guys. But Al Horford is so good at all the little things. He can make just enough shots so that your center has to guard him to NBA three point range. He can score just enough in the post where you can't get caught up in a bad mismatch in the low post.

He can defend just well enough on Janus and on guards on switches. He's remarkable. I actually think he's your second best player. And then you point out that Brad Stevens has stepped up his game. Brad Stevens was not great with this team in the egos and the personalities and the fighting over minutes during the regular season. Now you take Marcus Smart away, so that creates more minutes for everybody, more happiness. And then now it becomes about matchups and creating mismatches was where Brad is the best in the business. So I think we're underselling Al Horford and we don't realize the brilliance of Brad Stevens.

And then the last thing is this is a lot like the hardened discussion. The regular season is different than the postseason. Has been forever. It has been forever. So let's forget about the fact that the Bucks had the best record in the regular season. Basketball just becomes different. Yeah. No, I mean, they call it the second season.

It's a different year. It's okay. Okay, Doug, I'm going to have Doug stick around. There were so many fascinating draft stories. I thought all the networks did a great job on it. The Rosen story, now to Miami. Not the biggest. You guys, everybody's missing the biggest story from the weekend.

We'll come back with Dugger after this. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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 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

to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClice 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. 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,

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Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from Indembourg,

entirely different worlds. Just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that.

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Where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, top of the show, top of the hour, excuse me, hour two. Doug Gottlie, the Dugger is here joining us. Fox Sports Radio after my show, Joy Taylor, of course, as well. I want to start with what I thought was the biggest story of the weekend, Arizona Cardinals in totality. I think if Kyler Murray's great, I think he has a chance to be, they won the draft. I also think Josh Rosen It's really strange There are people doing bad things all over sports in general

And in the NFL we've got one star player You'll talk about I did really bad things And I can make an argument Should never play football again Josh Rosen has gotten a label as difficult And I'm like, I don't know Like I got to see proof after a while A hot tub in college does not resonate with me as a bad guy

I thought Rosen this weekend Handled this whole mess Better than I would have in my 50s with grace and humility. Tell people what he did. I mean, I said before, if I would have come to this network and six months in,

you know, we like Costas. You know, we're going to sit around and be like, I thought you, I moved my family. The whole, it's happened to me before. But, I mean, I thought Josh Rosen handled himself incredibly well. I did too.

I thought he became a sympathetic figure. I mean, not only did he post a thank you to Arizona Cardinals fans, but then he appeared at Larry Fitzgerald's charity softball game. Right? Yeah. Look, the thing about Josh Rosen is, although he's become a sympathetic figure, and the dolphins,

I mean, you're talking about pennies on the dollar, where not only do they only have to give up a late second round pick, but they also don't have to pay the signing bonus. So if he can become... He's free. I mean, yeah, it's an incredible deal for the dolphins. But there's a reason that the Redskins didn't want to trade for him, that the Giants didn't want to trade for him, that all of those other quarterbacks went before him. because Josh Rosen, there's two parts to it.

One, there's the thought that he's still fragile. I agree with that. He had the shoulder surgery that caused him to stop playing tennis. Yes. He was injured every year he played at UCLA. Not his fault. No. But also the thought that like, look, dude, you can't take it up to a beating.

The second part is the leadership aspect of it. You go back to when he was in high school, to when he's in college, to now as a pro. There just isn't anybody who says, you know who's a great leader. I love that guy. Right. They don't hate him. He's not Jake. Cutler, Jay Cutler was so

disliked in Chicago. They took him out of the locker room. He got dressed in an alternative locker room. True story. He was despised. Yeah. But there is fears that he could become because he's so bright and smarter than everybody else in the room. And knows it. Like, right. And that's something, like, look, I've, frankly

not here, but I've run into that where somebody says like, oh, you're so smart. That actually isn't the compliment that on paper it would read to being. So he's going to have to, he's going to have to take a breath and realize why it didn't work. Because whatever he did within that first year,

and a lot of it wasn't his fault. Like Steve Kime saying, Kyler Murray is my guy. Wait a second. You signed San Bradford for $20 million. You had Glennon for $5 million. They spent a lot of money on quarterbacks. Then he moved up for Josh Rosen.

You had a coach. You got rid of within nine months. You had two offensive coordinators. So those are all Kimes' decisions. Then now he's saying, no, no, no, no. Now I know what I want. That said, like, look, this is who, this is the reputation that Josh Rosen has.

And as you've said, and I agree with it, reputations when you're in your 20s, it kind of earned. And so he's going to have to figure out a way to balance his personality, his ego, his intelligence, and become a better version of himself as a leader in Miami. But where I support him is in all sports, and I'm not blaming any sport individually, but the NFL's got guys doing bad things to people. And they'll get second chances. This idea that we've kind of marginalized Josh, man, I got to see some video tape. I mean, I called out Baker Mayfield for a cop video.

I thought it was reasonable, right? Like, I don't want my quarterback doing that. I was literally like, that is outrageous. No, it was a police video. You're a quarterback. You're a man. Yeah, but let's not combine the two. Okay.

Like, I don't think, I'll get to, I don't think this is the biggest story of the weekend. I think the Tyreek Hill thing is. Kansas City football player, yeah. But, but let's also be honest. Like, this is, this was clearly a business decision. And the Giants had a chance to trade for them. Yeah. Not even necessarily a first round pick.

They could have traded. a better second round pick they chose not to do so. The Redskins had a chance. And they both said, we'll take prospects that aren't viewed as skilled as Josh Rosen. Right. Because we have tape on him. And there's been enough people that say he's just not a leader. And that's what I think you've missed on Baker Mayfield is you may not like his personality.

But every locker room he walks into, he owns. He takes over. And those guys want to play for him. And that's the stuff it takes to be an NFL quarterback. Now, look, let's not bury it. We can talk about winning the draft and losing the draft and the Raiders and Mike Mayock and overdrafting guys and Dave Gettleman. The Tyreek Hill story is the biggest story of the weekend.

We're talking the most dynamic offense. Maybe we've ever seen the NFL with the fastest player that we might have ever seen in Nashville. I think he is fast. With the only quarterback in the NFL who could possibly overthrow him and even he can't overthrow him. So the Kansas City Chiefs have lost their running back who led the league in rushing to domestic violence. Now they're going to lose their wide receiver.

He should never play football in the Nashville league. Not just because of this and because of the audio tape, because of what he did at Oklahoma State. Yeah. And, and, and, and then they traded for Frank Clark, who's got domestic violence and gave him $100 million guaranteed. But the Kansas City Chiefs who were one play away, one off-sides away from going to the Super Bowl, just lost high record.

Like, that's the biggest story. That's the biggest game changer of the weekend. I had an NFL executive tell me this. They said, listen, the draft is what you're trying to do is find duplication for guys who work. You occasionally get guys like Brady, who nobody works that hard. You can't find that work ethic where he goes to Costa Rica with his supermodel wife and is watching film all day.

You can't duplicate Tyreek Hill Speed. In the history of me watching football, there's nobody that makes Dion Sanders look pedestrian. And so I do think I wake up this morning, and I think Kansas City doesn't feel as much as we all like Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes, I would agree. They don't feel quite as big.

Let me shift to this, though. I'm not a real big believer in win the draft, lose the draft. But if you count free agency and your draft, the San Francisco 49ers have added D Ford, Kwan Alexander, Nick Bosa, Jeremy Garoppolo comes back, the Falcons, Coleman, the running back,

and I think they hit a home run with their second pick, which is a wide receiver from South Carolina. No team to me feels differently, athletically. Like, end of the season two this morning than San Francisco. Good God, you had D-Ford and Nick Bosa, and then Kwan Alexander? This is what they tanked for two years ago, right? And then they got Garoppolo and they're like, whoa, wait, wait, wait, that's kind of speeding ahead of the...

Now, look, it all works if Garapolo can play and stay healthy. Right. That's the big thing. If he can play and stay healthy, you have a guy who's an incredible play caller and seems to be a really good leader in Shanahan as your head coach, and you have a team that is ready to go, right? This could be what, basically what the Rams did, going back a couple years ago when they changed coaching staff, which is they had talent, they added talent with re-agency,

and they had drafted well enough for years. That's what it feels like with the San Francisco 49ers. Let's go back to the NBA. So you've been saying this for years. The last two and a half years. Kevin Durant's the best basketball player in the world. And I always felt he was two to LeBron. And then LeBron got hurt and he moved ahead.

I think you thought he's better than LeBron longer than that. Well, I just thought you go back to two NBA finals ago, right? Two NBA. Who was better in the second half of four of the five games? We judge players when we see them on the same court against a judge. other. And that's the reason that Kevin Durant went to Golden State was he wanted LeBron on an island so I can show the entire world who's the better basketball player. And he felt like he was and on the biggest stage, he was. And that's what he did last year. And you can say that LeBron

didn't have a good enough team and that's a fair argument. But that's not the argument we're making about teams or whatever. Who's the better player? Kevin Durant was the better player. And now, obviously, LeBron's gotten a little bit older and he's gotten hurt. I don't think LeBron's the second best player. I think Kauai Leonard, if you watch him over the weekend, The ability to play both ends of the floor is the difference maker. And that's what LeBron always had on James Harden, has always had on others. Yeah. And frankly, what KD and Kauai have on Steph Curry, who's magnificent.

But there's just things physically he can't do with the defensive. No, you know, I think it's fair. Like, I love Kobe Bryant. But the last five years of Kobe, he wasn't a defensive player. I mean, he was resting. And I get it, by the way. But I think that's a very fair argument that Kevin Durant actually, I'm not saying he's Yonis, the defender, but there's something there.

There's length and effort. we got to go. LeBron, I do think he can't play both ends. He's got to take time off. Doug Gottlieb after our show, Fox Sports Radio. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong. Hour 2 coming up in L.A. It's The Herd. One more Herd? The Herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the

IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Ah, here we go on a Tuesday. This is The Herd. Hour 2, not Tuesday, Monday, hour 2. you may be and however you may be listening we're live on iheart radio fox sports radio and fs one joy

taylor is joining us it is a monday i love this segment duck gotley just stopped by joy how are you i'm great you saw avengers this weekend excuse me i saw avengers this weekend with my son saw it saw it friday after the show he loved it's a little long it's it's long for for a superhero movie yes but it's excellent no spoilers though no spoilers if you can believe that because it's made like Yeah, I couldn't watch Game of Thrones and that. There was too many sorcerers for me. I have a sorcerer. There's only like one sorcerer and Avengers.

And Game of Thrones was excellent last night, by the way. Fantastic. All right, we do it every Monday, is that we make a lot of bold predictions. I think it's what makes our show fun. We don't have, we're not paralyzed by being wrong. Sometimes we are. Colin right, Colin wrong. Let's go.

Where Colin was right? Well, it must have been a power out of Jim Milwaukee. I didn't get many tweets from Wisconsin after the bucks lost the first. first game of that series. It's the worst game one loss by a number one seat since 84. Hey Milwaukee, you haven't been in the playoffs much for 30 years, so let me tell you how it works. Regular season performance is not an indication of postseason excellence. And this is a team that doesn't have a dominant two. And it's also a team that doesn't have a lot of experience in the playoffs.

And they got outcoached and outplayed badly at home. Janus was a minus 24. He got dunked on by Jalen Brown. Now, he's still a great player. I think they win the next game, and they could certainly win the series. But if you listen to Milwaukee fans, they thought they were going to shred the Celtics in four or five games. This is a long series with two excellent coaches. Boston's got, I believe, the better closer.

Kyrie Irving is harder to manipulate than Janus because he can handle the ball. And he's also a great perimeter shooter. aid driver. But Boston's defense basically said, we'll take Janice out. What's your second pitch? And your second pitch, not much to crow about. Where Colin was wrong. I've had about enough of Draymond Green.

In fact, Steve Kerr was seen this year saying, I'm about done with Draymond Green, but he has been excellent in game six against the Clippers, and he was great yesterday. Against the Clippers in game six, he went 16 points, 10 assists, 14 rebounds in four blocks, and was crucial. And yesterday, 14, 9 and 9. Listen, he is not the player consistently he was two years ago. But the last game against the Clippers and the first game against the Rockets, he does add a girth dimension, a tough guy, an annoying guy,

a physical component to the Warriors that, frankly, they desperately need now that Boogie Cousins is out. And I thought he felt really important against Houston, so I was wrong on that. Where Colin was right? Well, Josh Rosen, as predicted, is just too good not to go for a second round pick. And I thought Miami smartly went and grabbed him. And if he ends up flourishing, heck of a day for Miami. We've also been saying his arrogance is just you can't draft him.

Well, he handled the trade perfectly and graciously thanking the state, thanking Kyler Murray. Here's a little bit of it. Cardinals fans, thank you so much for all. of the continued support this past year. I know we didn't win as many games we all would have hoped, but had an unbelievable time really does. Kyler, I just want to congratulate you and your family and getting drafted.

Arizona's a really special place, and you're going to love playing and living here. Okay, maybe he's just faking it and he's inauthentic, but I've got to tell you something. A lot of bad guys all over sports. Show me proof. This is some sort of bad kid. There's a lot of projecting here.

I'd like some identification, some proof, some video. I thought the kid handled it wonderfully. And I'm happy for Miami, because I think Miami just got a free quarterback for three years. Absolutely. He doesn't, they're not going to cost anything. Arizona's already paid his guarantee money. It's free.

And for people being cynical about the video, everyone doesn't do a video. People get paid all the time and don't do videos. That's right. Why is this inauthentic? Where Colin was wrong. I said the New England Patriots would move up in this draft. Well, they moved up, sideways down. They moved more than anybody.

They had four trades Friday. They just, they went down, they went up, they dealt with the Rams a lot. Clearly the Rams, Sean McVeigh and Belichick have a relationship here. They were the most active team in the draft, but they did not move up. And also they didn't get a tight end. And the tight end was like the second most important part. So they also took a wide receiver, by the way, in round one. And I have said for years, they don't take wide receivers ever in round one.

So they went, they traded down, they went and got a wide receiver. They didn't get a tight end. And wasn't right on that. Patriots did the opposite of almost everything I thought they would do. Where Colin was right? Well, I said a couple of months ago that it just looked like to me that Kevin Durant was not only the best player in the league, but it kind of pulled away from everybody. He had 35 yesterday, and he didn't shoot a bunch of threes.

And in his last five games, since he said, I'm Kevin Durant, you know who I am, he's not only averaging 40, he's shooting 91% free throws, 40% 3.0.40%. and 55% field goal. Most of the great players in the NBA are called volume scores, meaning they need a bunch of shots. This dude doesn't even need a bunch of shots. This dude doesn't even need threes to get to 35. I want you to listen to the L.A. Clippers,

after they lost the series, two of their better players, Patrick Beverly, Lou Williams, had a great response in trying to defend Kevin Durant. You know, he's a hell of a player. The shots he took, you know, he made some tough shots. and you was a coach, what you tell us to do? Thank you.

To take, to, we tried everything. Right, fine. So we tried everything. We had several different coverages for Katie. And they didn't work. You do, yeah. I mean, listen, those are great dudes and good players, but he's MJ, he's LeBron and his prime, he's Kobe, he's Birdie's Magic.

Kevin Durant now, he is, he is. separated, as long as LeBron is out with an injury, maybe changes next year, but he's just separated from everybody else. And this is what's happened my entire life watching the league. The best player, when MJ was number one, and number two was like, Barclay. And Barclay was great, but he wouldn't MJ, not even close defensively. Where Colin was wrong. You know, I thought when Jeannie Bus took over the Lakers and fired her brother, Jim, I thought, okay, we're going to get less chaos, a grown-up, we're going to see a game plan.

And my knock is, it feels like the same thing that drove. me crazy with Jim Buffs. It's small. It's the country store. You know, I want to see Whole Foods. I want to see a national chain. I want to see Big here. I love the Rambus family. They're wonderful people. But now they're involved in the coaching search, and I don't really understand that, and they don't have a coach. A rival executive told me this weekend, it's like they're becoming kind of seen as like the NBA's most dysfunctional organization. I mean, in Los Angeles, clearly the Clippers now at least have a game plan. really feel like they're completely buttoned up.

And I like Jeannie, and I know Jeannie, but I kind of thought there was going to be a different level of accountability and professionalism and kind of on a macro level, a corporatization of the Lakers when Jim left and Jeannie took over. But I just, it feels too family, it feels too small, and I don't like it. Where Colin was right? Dave Gettleman of the Giants. He keeps trying to BS us.

He said, quote, this weekend, I know two teams would have taken Daniel Jones. before number 17. Oh, really? So you were sure you had to take Daniel Jones at six because you were sure two teams were going to take him at 17, even though Denver, sources saying now Denver had no interest in him, this is a guy who knew what Denver was going to do in the draft in Washington,

but didn't know this a week ago. During the season, I had gone to see Dwayne at Ohio State. I'd seen Dwayne play in the Big 12th. except the Big 12 anymore I don't even know the championship game you know in Indianapolis okay so you didn't know Ohio State

was in the Big Ten but you knew what teams in the draft were going to do stop BSing us you're over your skis you're over your head you're an assistant GM you're not you shouldn't be running a $5 billion organization don't tell me you

knew what other NFL teams were going to do because none of us do and I don't I mean, none of us do. And then tell me, you don't know Ohio states in the Big Ten. Guys over his skis, has been for two years. This proves it again. Where Colin was wrong. Kauai Leonard's now 14 and 0 against the Sixers.

I'm not going to already call this series. A lot of people I know like Toronto in this series, they think Philadelphia is too dysfunctional. The Baby Dinosaurs had a nice weekend. My thing on Kauai is I think he's a very odd franchise player. He doesn't pass and he doesn't communicate. I think I would struggle with him being my franchise game. guy. I like talking and passing. But he is a tremendous player. And there are times, a lot of

him, he looks like the second best player in the NBA. And I got to tell you, Philadelphia is in trouble here. This is a bad matchup. They just don't have anybody that works against him. And again, he had 45 in game one. He's 14 and 0 against the Sixers. He's a really different personality. And he's hard for me to get my hands around. But you can't deny, he's fantastic on both ends of the floor. Where Colin was right? Well, once Seattle signed Russell Wilson with that massive contract, I said, okay, you better figure out a way to get a bunch of draft picks.

You don't have any. Seattle turned four draft picks on Wednesday into 11 by Saturday. It was a great move and the exact move to Seahawks should make. Listen, once you pay a quarterback over $30 million, you've got to get a bunch of draft picks. Green Bay has done this. and you've got to start drafting the other side of the football because you've got to get cheap labor

because you're spending so much money, so much of your cap space, 12, 15% on one guy that you've got to get really inexpensive on other areas. And how do you do that? Get a bunch of draft picks, which allows you to whiff on some, but if you can hit on 50 or 60%, then you solve your financial dilemma. And tip of the cap to John Snyder and Pete Carroll,

they went from 4 to 11 draft picks, and they may miss on 5, but they need six new players and that's how you do it. Where Colin was right? I have always defended super teams. I don't think people root for the underdog. They say they do, but they don't watch the underdog.

And the Avengers movie made $1.2 billion in three days. There's not an underdog in that movie. It is the ultimate Golden State Warriors of movies. It's all stars. Nobody wants to watch the Denver Nuggets. Nobody cares outside of that area code in Colorado. The Denver Nuggets. Stars overwhelmingly are good for sports, good for box office, good for ratings.

Don't tell me you don't like the Warriors. Golden State and Houston's going to get a bigger number than Denver in Portland and Milwaukee and Boston and Philadelphia, Toronto. The Avengers proved it. When I first started this business years ago, one of my first takes was, I don't like the underdog. I want Duke to end up in the final. for every year, along with Kentucky, Kansas, and, you know, Syracuse.

And the Avengers is the opposite of underdog and the biggest, biggest grossing movie ever for three days. Coming up next, Mark Slara stops by. Denver Broncos, interesting. They picked a quarterback. What does it say? We'll talk about the NFL draft, what it all means next in 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 I Heart Radio app. 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,

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. SportsLice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClyce 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, 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. 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant, this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entire. entirely different worlds.

Just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small.

The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain.

It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world.

Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. The inaugural PBA playoffs keep rolling on FS1's knockdown Mondays.

Only 16 players remain in the hunt to strike it rich and take home 100 grand. The PBA playoffs round of 16 continues tonight at 9 Eastern on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. I've got two bowling trophies at home. I'm not going to lie, I was fairly dominant. Had a year I averaged like 188. I'm not going to lie. Did you really? Yeah.

I'd throw that ball at those pins. They didn't want. They didn't want. They didn't have pins won no part of you. Mark Slarath, three Super Bowl rings, a multiple time pro bowler. You know, it's funny about Josh Rosen. You did multiple Arizona Cardinal games this year. And it's very easy to look at his numbers and go, he's a bum.

But I actually watch them because I know the guys that run the organization. And I know Josh's family. And I thought, I'm going to watch Josh. Sure. What is your interpretation of his rookie year and now going to Miami? I don't care. You could put Iron Man behind the offensive line that he played behind, and you're going to struggle.

Yeah. Like I looked at the Arizona Cardinals just from a pure talent standpoint. O-line was horrendous. But beyond that, I mean, David Johnson, literally, and if he was sitting right here, he'd agree with me, he looked like he forgot how to play football. Right. Like there was so many busts, so many mistakes.

Yes, there was. Across the board. Yeah. There was two, you know, the volume of offense they tried to install under Mike McCoy for whatever reason. It was too much. They couldn't grasp it. They were awful up front. They were awful in the running back department.

Larry Fitzgerald, God bless him, because he's one of the great players that's ever played this game. He is truly a pro's pro. But when he's your most dynamic athlete at the receiver position in your 14 or 15 or whatever it was, like you've got problems. And that was across the board where they were. So I don't care who was playing quarterback for Arizona. That guy wasn't going to have success. And then he took a, I mean, he took a beating. I saw, and this was, this will be something that bothers people.

I saw an Atlanta game as I was preparing to call the, the Falcons game, where he got sacked six times. He must have got hit 15 times. And it was late in the fourth quarter. And you could just see, like, he was tired of it. He was like, I, like, I'm going to, I'm going to get killed out here. Like, I'm done. Yeah.

So there was that part of it. And obviously, as a football player, you know, that bothers you, but you understand that that was a bad football team. Yeah. I want to go to the Denver Broncos who drafted Drew Locke. Now, I'm not a huge Flacco fan, but I do think he fits the profile of what John likes, big strong kid. Denver gets cold, November, December, January. The history of the franchise is got to be able to throw the ball through a little bit of wind in Denver. And Flacco, I think, can do that.

then they went and got Drew Locke. Does that mean, you know, you live in Denver, you know Elway, you know what the Broncos do, what does that tell me? What's the message there? Well, I think there's a security blanket there. You're not forced to play Drew Locke. Right. He's a guy that they liked from the evaluation standpoint that they thought he was the best quarterback.

Okay. Available. All right. That fits their profile because John Elway, like John Elway does not want to go to 510. Like, that to me is just like, you know, that, you know, that was. would be like pulling teeth. Right. That's not who he is. So he fit the profile and he thought he was the best athlete, the best quarterback, had this best skill set. Yeah. By the way, a lot of people, all scout said he's the most, he was the best raw talent. He and Kyle Murray were the best raw

talent in the draft. Right. I think, I think you, I think it's really interesting because, you know, we all want to slap a grade on the draft, right? And we'll never know until, you know, two, three years down the row when we see these guys and how they develop and, and essentially how they adhere and how they play in the national football league. Because we've seen a lot of great college football players to get into the league, and they're overwhelmed by the league. And then we've seen guys that are free agents that come in and thrive in the league. So it's, you know, that's a tricky thing.

But they move back 10 spots. They move from 10 to 20. They got Noah fan, who's a legit first rounder. Dalton Reisner is a kid that on every, like, mock draft, he was draft somewhere between 20 and 32. So he's like a legit first round talent. And they went out and got a franchise quarterback. And they got a franchise quarterback who was in the first round in just about everybody's mock draft.

So you essentially traded back 10 spots and picked up two extra first rounders. You know, I mean, obviously they were drafted in the second. But I think you have to look at that and say, hey, if Flacco is truly in the prime of his career, like John Elway has said multiple times, great. We've got to back up for the next three, four years. And if he's not, by the way, great. The way as contract works, you're paying for two years, you're. He's gone. The next kid's in.

He's got one year of guaranteed money. Then two years left after that that aren't guaranteed. So you can cut him for nothing. Okay. Didn't know that. So he's only got one big year of money. He's got one year of guaranteed money on his deal. Oh, I thought it was two.

So that's good. You know, it was interesting over the weekend. Dave Gettleman, I think we've all met this guy. Sure. Big story guy, but doesn't really know anything. He's fooling you. And those guys are always exposed. Dave Gettelman last week acknowledged

he didn't know what conference Ohio State played in. It's been 103 years, Big Ten. But then he wants me to believe they took Daniel Jones at six because he knew what Denver and Washington wanted to pick, which both have said they got the guy they wanted. So I think we have a vice president who is now the president. This happens all the time in politics. Joe Biden doesn't feel as presidential,

but I thought he was a good too. Right? Like Dave Gettelman, I think there's just a lot of BS. happening and I think he's getting caught on camera. Am I wrong? I know and like Dave Gettelman was a scout in Denver when I played there. Okay. So like Dave Gettleman is a guy that will like he is a build your team from the inside out guy. Here was my biggest issue with Dave. Like if you love the guy, great. Do you want to marry the guy or do you just want to date the guy for a while, right? Because you took him at six, and then the whole excuse for taking him at six,

like, you're essentially acquiescing to the media going, well, well, there's a reason because we didn't think you'd be available at 15 because we had good intel that two other teams liked him at 15. I love the guy. I took my guy at six. He's going to be my future franchise after Eli. And stop talking. John, stop talking. Yes. Right? Like, you don't have to explain yourself. this was the guy that I evaluated that I think has the most upside potential and the highest ceiling in this draft and he was tutored by Cutcliffe

who was the guy who tutored you know Peyton Manning and Eli this is my guy and for the record end of store so often in this sport I've seen this with Gruden just stop talking at the podium like I talk for a living I make mistakes

I get it but if I ran Fox you would rarely see me talk and if I did I would be succinct Right. Gettleman's a rambler. And you're like, Dave, just say, you know, I would have walked up and said, I got to be honest with you. He's the closest thing to Eli Manning I've seen in this draft in a decade.

And everybody would be like, we've got two Super Bowls with Eli. I'm good with that. Right. Because everybody would know you don't meet Eli now. You mean Eli when he came in. When he came in. Because I think you can make that argument. I had a scout tell me about a month ago.

They said he thought he thought they would get the Daniel Jones at 17. and he goes, you can sell him as the next Eli. Gettleman never sold him the whole weekend as the next Eli. That's all you had to do. Instead of just rambling and Ohio State plays in the Big 12. God. Just making stuff up and then, well, I got good intel. And, you know, part of the whole draft process is the subterfuge, right?

You're lying to everybody. So I just like, if you like a guy, you evaluate a guy and you think that guy is a generational player, then own it. This is my guy. It's my guy and guess what? I get to make the decisions. Yeah. Mark Schleroth.

Great seeing you, buddy. Yeah, likewise, bud. Join it with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So the Browns would probably prefer O'Dell attend their off-season program, but it is voluntary. Yes. So new coach, Freddie Kitchens, isn't sweating O'Dell's absence, but that doesn't explain his testy response when he was asked about it.

You guys are always trying to define and drive. all lines in the sand and between coaches and players and players and players and that ain't going to happen anymore. That's not happening here. And there's no problem with Odell not being here. I'd rather him be here. He's not here. It's voluntary.

That's what the word voluntary means. He can decide to come or he can't. But under no circumstance, am I going to say that I'm pissed off at Odell for not being here? By the way, I don't like Odell missing it. And I don't like Levian Bell missing the gym. Getz, come on. You're the big star on the football team.

It's voluntary workouts. I know. These guys, this is what they do every single year. By the way, probably what they did last year with the teams they were with when they weren't new there. It's their training process. By the way, it's voluntary to get my wife an anniversary present every year. But it's really mandatory.

There's no, there's nothing in my marriage degree that says I have to get my wife a 19th wedding anniversary. But I don't. do. No, but it's understood. It is not understood that you need to be at voluntary workouts. There are a lot of guys that do training, don't go to voluntary workouts. Most of them would say, and I think some coaches would prefer that they not, actually, that they continue to go and stay in their routine and get in shape. It's voluntary workouts. It's not a big deal. The bigger thing that stood out to me is the you guys. We're already on the you guys with the media thing in Cleveland. It's not even training camp yet. It's you guys. You guys? You're used to.

to that. You got Odell, Baker, Jarvis. There's going to be a lot of you guys this year. All right, so a lot's been said about Josh Rosen's attitude. He seemed to be trying to set the record straight. He gave Monday morning quarterback some insight. So when his agent Ryan Williams called him to say the Cardinals might actually keep both quarterbacks, Rosen replied, then I'll just beat him out and Kyler can be the backup. He then added, I absolutely would have competed if they kept me, but I would have been kind of

bummed out about it because I knew I wouldn't get a fair shake. A GM's not going to draft a quarterback and draft another one the next year higher than play the first one. It's admitting you made two mistakes. I wouldn't hesitate to compete, but I would know preemptively I wouldn't get a shot even if I won the competition. By the way, that happens in baseball a lot where a baseball guy will have a great spring, and they bring up the higher drafted player. When I used to work in minor league baseball, that was a real thing, where a guy hits 380 in spring training, and the Major League team doesn't bring him up because he was a 12th rounder.

and they bring up the second rounder who hit 280 because they think, quote, he's our guy and he's got more talent. Josh Rosen's right about that. You're not drafting Kyler and sitting him. Of course he's right. That's what I've been saying this entire time. There's no, there's no point in keeping Josh Rosen. Whether you thought he had some potential or not,

you just drafted him last year. So if you draft another quarterback, you are by drafting another quarterback admitting that you made a mistake last year. And then if Kyler doesn't look good and you go back to Josh, Josh, you admit you made a mistake this year. On top of all the other mistakes that you've made because your team has a number one overall draft pick. So it can't just all be on the coaches and the players.

Somebody else made some mistakes too. Because you put the team together. He's totally right. I don't also get the whole attitude thing. Like, since when did it become a bad thing to be smart? That's what we're doing now? I know. It's incredible. Oh, I ever hear about what quarterbacks are too.

Oh, you want someone cerebral. You want someone who can study film and go up to the board. Don't be too smart. Don't use those big words. Finally, LeBron has a lot more free time on his hands this summer, so he attended his oldest son, Bronny Jr.'s first Nike E-Y-B-L event this weekend in Atlanta, and he wasn't the only one to make the trip. Coach Kay was also on hand to watch Brony Jr. play.

How old is he? Bronny is, I don't know how old Ronnie is, actually. It's been reported by Dave McMinneman that Brony has already had offers from Duke and Kentucky, even though he hasn't played a minute of high school ball. So I think he's in seventh or eighth grade right now. But I mean, he's going to, he's 14. He's going to end up going to a Nike school. I mean.

He feels like a Duke kid, right? Most likely Duke, but it's going to be a Nike school. I can't imagine that LeBron being the biggest face of Nike is going to go to anything other than a Nike school. Joy with the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. heard lie news. By the way, I hear a lot of this. I came up with a theory years ago because my first

10 years in this business, I would say who won the draft and I realized after a while it's a crapshoot. So when people ask me who won the draft, my takeaway is how do I know? Teams don't know. I talked to an executive this weekend that literally drafted a player and he's going to change his positions in the NFL. And he said, he's a late fifth round pick. We're going to move him. You're not doing that with first round picks. Secondly, if Josh Rosen hits for Miami or Kyler Murray for Arizona, that they won the draft, then you won't find that out for a couple years. But I do think there is a way for guys like me or women like me to go on the air and increase our accuracy and our prediction rate.

And that is take the free agents you have signed and the first two rounds or two picks in the NFL draft. Free agents are guys who have already excelled in this league. they have a very high percentage of excelling with you and your first two rounds or your first two picks, which either it is, generally have a higher rate of success. So therefore, I think there's four or five teams that I can say with some accuracy since the season ended until Sunday are better.

Number one is San Francisco. If you add D. Ford and Nick Bosa and Kwan Alexander to your front seven, you're going to be a significantly more athletic and physical football team. They also added a wide receiver, Debo Samuel, with their second pick, who has a chance to be an Antonio Brown-like player. He's an SEC wide receiver, South Carolina, is a monster.

And so San Francisco, free agency to their first couple picks, that's seven guys who are going to get on the field, and there'll be difference makers. I'll give you another team. They did not have a second round pick, but they did not have a second round pick, but they New York Jets. C.J. Mosley is going to change their defense. Quinn and Williams, their first pick. They didn't have a second round pick.

They added Lavian Bell. They added C.J. Mosley. Crowder a slot guy. They added a pro bowl guard from the Raiders. They added another wide receiver return guy, Josh Bellamy. They didn't have a second pick. Their first pick is Quinn and Williams. So if you add their six free agents

and their best pick, they're going to be a better football team. They're going to have a real running game and a better receiving court and a better pass rush. I don't think that's debatable. The Jets, Free Agent and your first two rounds of picks, I'm not going to count third round, guys. Your first two rounds of picks, they didn't have a second rounder. Those are players that will all play substantial roles. I'll give you another team. The Green Bay Packers,

the Green Bay Packers that are very smart thing in free agency, they spent money on mid-level guys. They got four guys who have a chance to start and their first three picks, including a center from Mississippi State, who I thought was the best center on the country. The Green Bay Packers brought on seven guys who will either start or contribute free agency, first two rounds of picks. And then I think the Philadelphia Eagles and the Raiders, similarly, if you go look at the Philadelphia Eagles, if you look at free agency in their first couple of picks, Philadelphia and the Raiders, are brought in guys that were going to make an impact.

I don't think there's any question about that. The Philadelphia Eagles bought in Malik Jackson, who's, by the way, next to Fletcher Cox, good luck blocking that stuff. Then they got my favorite offensive lineman Andre Lillard, a running back. and then the dark horse pick in the draft, CCR Segal Whiteside, we talked about him Thursday as the Stanford wide receiver who I watched a ton of.

That is seven players, free agency, and first couple of rounds who are going to make an impact. And again, the Raiders, I don't love everything they did, but the Oakland Raiders got nine guys between free agency and draft picks. They're all going to play.

The Raiders are going to be faster. They're going to be more athletic. You can't deny the Raiders. are a better football team. Now, some of these guys, they over drafted. Some of these guys, Trent Brown, they overpaid. But I'm not a salary capologist here. I'm just telling you, the Raiders are one of five teams, Niners, Jets, Packers, Philadelphia, Oakland. Season ended today. Acquisitions, free agency and draft picks. Those five teams are absolutely going to look different next year. That I know. Chris Broussard around the corner,

what to make a James Hardin and the whining rockets. Milwaukee. That was a dud at home. Both next in the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. 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. Rocker 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 Slic Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network. on TikTok. 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, Tript 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, 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.

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I'm ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax

investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki.

The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard.

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the I-HartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I-Hart Women's Sports. This Mother's Day, don't try to pull the wool over mom's eyes. Go to 1-800 Flowers.com, put in the code, Herd, H-E-R-D, 30 tulips, just 30 bucks. Mother's Day, not far off a couple of weekends away. Chris Broussard, former New York Times Sports Writer, Odd,

with Rob Parker on Fox Sports Radio is joining us. Okay, I'll just give you my take and you can react to it. The Rockets have added several layers of manipulation to their offensive game, and veteran NBA officials are not going to have it controlling the playoffs, and I thought the officials over the weekend took back a little of their own territory, and James Harden doesn't like it. Yeah, I'm generally with you. And first of all, the one player that should not be complaining about getting calls or not getting calls

it's James Harden. He gets more calls than any player that's well documented. But I think that Houston's focus is off. Now, if Mike D'Antony is publicly complaining about the officiating, but privately talking to his team about what we need to do better, I'm good with that. You're planting a seed, you know, a la Phil Jackson, a la Pat Riley, trying to get in the officials' heads for game too. But Mike's history suggests he may really be like,

It was just the officiating. We just got to do the same exact thing we did in game one, and we get a better whistle and we'll win, and that's not going to cut it. I think the reports have come out that Houston, you know, did studies on last year's series about how it was officiated and how Golden State, you know, does, you know, land in, quote, unquote, landing spots on three-point shots.

I think part of their game plan was to draw fouls on three-pointers. Yeah. And James Harden shot four for 16. from three. Now, he can have bad knights like that, but I think a big part of it was that he was looking for the foul on every shot. And I'll give you this. I do think in the first half, Clay, there were a few times. That one there. Yeah, that one there I thought was a foul. Right, where Clay definitely got in the landing spot. Yes. But the last play of the game, that one we're Hardin. First of all, Hardin jumps forward. Then he jackknife puts his legs up to draw the foul. If I can't

have contact with a guy shooting who jackknife and throws his feet out, then I can't contest the jumper. No, Gottlieb said this. If you created a new rule, and by the way, the NBA does this year to year, they'll change rules, that wherever your feet are, when you leave the floor, that's your landing spot. If you manipulate your legs, we're not increasing your radius. Thank you.

Because what Hardin's doing, he's trying to increase the radius in which I, and it's like, no, no, no, no, no. Defensive players have rights to. spot too. Yes. There's no question. So, yeah. And look, Houston, look in the mirror. You didn't take advantage of a back court where both players had bad ankles. You didn't take advantage of Steph Curry having five files. You didn't take advantage of Golden State turning the ball over 20 times. PJ Tucker had zero points. Clint Capella had four. I think they combined, he had maybe six rebounds, Capella. And so you also went to the line for all your complaining.

29 times, which is five more than you went during the regular season. Harden went to the line 14 times. In the last two postseason, he's averaged eight free throw attempts a game. So what are you complaining about? You got there almost twice as much as you usually doing the playoffs. So just man up, play the game, and win. Take it from the champs. So, you know, and I hear the reality is Golden State has something that is really hard to neutralize.

I do believe Hardin has had a series of bad playoff games over the last three years. He's disappeared in games. Golden State has the magic elixir that every basketball team's looking for. Kevin Durant feels so much better now than even the second best player. There's an answer for Hardin. He's not overly athletic. You know, I said this yesterday on Twitter. Hardin needs the officials to get a great night.

Katie needs the ball. Right. I think the difference in this series really comes down to, We can't, nobody can stop KD if he's in his zone, which is regularly. And I've said, look, the quote unquote title, the mythical title of best player in the world, you don't get it in the regular season. You get the MVP, you maybe develop a Hall of Fame career in a regular season. You become the best player in the world or an all-time great in the postseason.

And Kevin Durant, it's open to me. Like, Kauai is playing tremendously. Right. Let's just watch it. Janice I had in that conversation, obviously a bad game yesterday. Reminded me, though, of game two against the Clippers when it looked like Patrick Beverly had solved KD. KD came out with a huge answer and the rest is history.

Let's see if Janus can answer Al Horford. But to your point about KD, this is an overstatement, I'll admit. But he is almost, he's like the perfect basketball player. Like he's seven feet tall. Outside of Janus, he's the longest player in the league. Right. But he's also one of the greatest shooters we've ever seen. Top three ever, top four.

He can handle, get by you, finish at the rim, defend. He's a good passer. He can play in any system. He has that advantage over LeBron. You know, Steve Kerr said this yesterday. There's nothing like him. Like when Kareem came into the league, I can remember as a kid, Kareem was so dominant that when he went to UCLA.

Now, UCLA was a basketball power. You couldn't play as a freshman when Kareem played college basketball. Kareem went to UCLA. He took the freshman team, Joy, and they beat the national champions at UCLA. All the 17-year-olds. So, I mean, they changed rules for Kareem. Kevin Durant falls into a group, and I think MJ is in this. I remember when MJ played, I can remember sitting on the couch with a friend,

and I'm like, if I could have a basketball, build. It would be six, six long, big hands with a soft shooting touch. I watched Durant and I'm like, that's how you would build the modern NBA player. Right. Because back when Jordan was playing, you never envisioned a seven-footer playing on the perimeter like this. No. Like, no, he is phenomenal and this is getting a little of a tangent. This is why the thought of him going to New York with Kyrie, I mean, he's already in that top 10 all-time player. Yeah.

But if he goes to New York with a Kyrie and he can lead them to championships, if they three Pete this year and he can lead New York eventually to a championship or two, then you're really talking, okay, how high does this guy go? Does he pass Kobe? That's a big, that's a big. Challenge a LeBron. That's a big jump from what I'm watching today and winning titles in New York. It's a little, it's right.

I'm giving you that. You're projecting a little. I'm projecting, but the guy is phenomenal. and also just stop being a little as sensitive, and he'll be straight. All right, let's go to Milwaukee, Boston. I'm not going to lie. I called Boston in this series, and yesterday they did exactly this weekend what I think. This is why they're better.

I think they have the best coach. Certainly in the Eastern Conference, I think they have the best closer. I think they have playoff experience. And whereas Milwaukee, if Chris Middleton's your number two player, he's a good player, and I like him. He feels like a three to me or a four. This is why I took Boston, your takeaway on what you saw. Your notion of your second best player has to be at a certain level.

It has to be an all-star. LeBron James, when he was in Cleveland the first go-round, was different. He was all in on those role players. He wasn't thinking about recruiting. He wasn't worried about, I need a second star. He was all in. But he kept banging his head against the ceiling in the playoffs. And that's when he was at his physical best.

Right. And then he realized, I need a second star. Now he's to the point. He doesn't even want to waste. the season without a second start, right? Because he knows it's going to end before I can win the title. Janus is in that stage. And this is where a Janus could theoretically differentiate himself from a Durant

and all these other stars is if he could win a championship with this cast. But can you? That's the challenge for them. Can you? You make a good point. Middleton may be a third or fourth guy. But this is gut check time for Janus and coach Mike. Bootintholder. Yanis is probably going to

be the MVP. He got my vote. Boondhoes is probably going to be the coach of the year. The coach is already voted. Yeah, I have no problem with either of those votes. Right. But Janus, like I said, with Dorend, Duran answered the call of Patrick Beverly. Al Horford

embarrassed him. Now, Al blocked two shots. Jalen Brown dunked on him. Right. It was like, dude. And you see, look, Janus doesn't have the greatest moves because he hasn't had to. But let's see what he does. But Boothenhozer, I did not think, as much as I respect Brad Stevens,

I did not think he had a definitive coaching advantage in this series because Boonehosa's been great. But yesterday, he clearly outcoached him. When you go into somebody's building, shoot 54% against the best defense in the league and hold them to 34%. You made adjustments. You made tweaks that they weren't ready for. By the way, and this also goes back to, we got to it.

Kyrie leaving the Celtics. I think Kyrie and Brad Stevens, because Brad had never coached anybody that gifted, and Kyrie had never had a coach that cared so much about the regular season and culture, it was a little oil and water. But Kyrie, I think Brad Stevens is going to figure out Kyrie, which is, he's a superstar. Let's scale back on Tuesday night in Memphis. Because I don't blame that all on Kyrie Irving. Brad Stevens has never had a player like Kyrie takes a while. Another thing is, as great as Brad Steve's is, doesn't love confrontation.

And Kyrie, so Kyrie felt he had to step up and do some of the confrontational things, and that was the issue in the regular season. He's following LeBron's footsteps. Dramatic regular season. You create a lot of the drama. Come play off time. It's all good, and we play at our highest level.

Love my Celtics. Excellent stuff. Chris Bruce. I still got bucks and six. Hour three next. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search her to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

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 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

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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, 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. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect.

We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I'm ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like you don't feel on.

Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning.

It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Ah, we're live in L.A. Live, hour three, this is The HARD, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio. Fox Sports Radio.

right here on FS1. You can also catch us Sirius XM Channel 83. Joy Taylor is joining me. Joy, how are you? Doing great. Great, great, great, great, great weekend.

I watch the Avengers. You watch the Avengers and Game of Thrones. What'd you like more? Yes. Oh, that's tough. This Game of Thrones episode was a long time coming.

It was strong. I'm going to go with Avengers. Avengers, it was a pretty amazing movie. You thought it was too long. A little long, but it was good. It was a little long, but it was good. I thought it was actually. Excellent.

Crazy appearance by Batman in Avengers. Just came out of nowhere. You know, comic book nerds would be very upset with you because that's impossible. They're separate universes. I know there's separate universes. Whatever. Coming up in 15 minutes, John Middilcoffs, a guy I've relied on last couple of years. Former NFL Scout lives in the Bay Area, has some thoughts on the Raiders draft and the 49ers draft.

I thought the 49ers did really, really well. Later and best for last, proof. Definitive proof. James Harden is the last person on the face of the earth that should be complaining about free throws. But let's talk about this. The Rockets, and I like the Warriors in this series, but I do think it's going to go six or seven. The Rockets lost game one of the Warriors, but of course, they're complaining about the refs. Give me a break, Houston.

The Houston Rockets have added a heavy dose of manipulation to their offense over the last several years. A, it makes it a much more difficult team to officiate. They are hard to officiate. You're never going to officiate the rockets perfectly. It's hard for veteran officials who have been in these playoffs for 20 years. They're a hard team to officiate. And B, the officials have a right to take some of that manipulation territory back from the young officials who allowed it all regular season. James Hardin this year added a dimension to his offense.

Did you watch? I did. He started falling to the floor five times a game. He didn't do that three years ago. Did James Harden start falling to the floor because it was some physical disability? It was a manipulibrium. He's got a medical condition. No, no, no, he started falling to the floor, adding a layer of manipulation to his offensive game.

And the referees have a right to dictate terms in the playoffs. He led the NBA in free throws once again. That's fine. But the refs have a right to create their own territory. and they're going to scale back on giving him all the calls all the young refs did during the regular season. The referees have a right to set a tone in a game or a series. I attended and covered many Mike Tyson fights.

He was officiated differently every time. Older refs are playoff refs, and they're not going to let manipulation take control of a series. You see it in hockey. You get to the second round. the cup finals. Generally, refs swallow whistles. They don't want to decide games.

Go ask the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Remember that Saints Rams game? Four hours. The refs let clutching and grabbing go all up and down the sidelines. Why? And even though this was a bad call, why? We're not going to decide. We're not going to create big plays on pass interference.

Not every officiating crew is the same. In the NFL, it's understood. Some officiating crews call more holding, call less holdings, call more PI, call less PI. Don't blame the refs. If you as an organization can't figure out that manipulation has never won the championship, best players have, that's a you problem. NFL officials, it is understood some guys call holding, some crews don't. Belichick's got a book a mile long.

Kurt Schilling told me years ago. He goes, I knew every home plate umpires plate was different. There are umpires in baseball that have, of course. called seven no hitters, eight, nine. Other guys have never called one. The strike zone changes. It's your job to know the umpire strike zone. And I do think there is a responsibility, not on the referees, but on a GM, a coach, a team,

the analytics department to know what officials give you what and what veteran officials will not give you that young officials will. They're not going to let James Harden falling down, flopping, kicking out act control the league. Start holding your team responsible and your stars responsible and your analytic department responsible and your GM responsible. Stop only holding the refs responsible. Saints fans, you had opportunities in that game. You didn't get it done. James Harden said something after the game and I just rolled my eyes with this. It's pretty funny. I want you to listen to this. I just want a fair chance, man.

Called a game, how it's supposed to be called and that's it. And I'll live with the results. but when you, especially we all know what happened, you know, a few years back with Kaua, like that can change an entire series. Just call the game, how it's supposed to be called, and we'll live with the results. Oh, interesting. Isn't that what James Hardin's opponent said all year long? Call the game the way it's supposed to be called. Don't let him kick out and fall to the floor and manipulate the traveling call.

What James Harden complained about is what his opponents complained about all season long. The extra step nobody else in the league is allowed to take. The constant flopping and falling. Everybody that guards him complains. By the way, when you add this layer of manipulation to your game, it is harder to officiate. The rockets are harder to officiate. I'm not saying the refs were perfect after day.

But I always said this was Shaq. Shaq was harder to officiate. He like weighed as much as a cruise liner. You could bang into Shaq. It would knock over every guy in the league. except Shaq. And Shaq used to say, guys, hang on me. And it was like, yeah, they weren't anti-Shack.

Shack was harder to officiate. Not every NBA refute is great. The very good ones, they're officiating now, and they're not buying that manipulation slash gimmick. I still think Houston can win the series. I pick Golden State to win it all, but I have no problem what I saw yesterday. All right, the NFL draft this weekend.

I watched virtually all of it. I'm not going to lie. I love that six-rounder from Boise State. I saw a bunch of headlines. Everybody wants to know who won the draft. I saw this one. Woo! New England won the draft.

Really? New England won the draft. You do realize it's one of the most complex offensive systems in the NFL, and most rookies get overwhelmed by it. Not to mention the New England Patriots don't play rookies much. It's useless to predict drafts, but especially New England's. They're different. It is more cerebral.

A lot of rookies get overwhelmed there. By the way, they didn't address the tight end situation. They didn't draft a tight end. What was their number one need? I could argue wide receiver and tight end. Let's look at New England's picks. The first two guys, it is assured, will play a bunch. Nikiel Harry and Joanne Williams, a corner from Vanderbilt.

They'll play a bunch. After that, by their third pick, Chase Winnevich, Michigan. That's the kind of guy that would literally be a bust, on 22 teams in the league, I think he'll work for New England. But he's no guarantee physically. He doesn't pop and jump off the TV physically. They also picked up a running back Damian Harris from Alabama who can't catch, sort of a big deal with Tom Brady.

I think he'll be their third best running back last year. I don't think New England got the most guys that can play. How are we judging drafts? First of all, if Josh Rosen can play and goes to Miami and is there starting, quarterback for seven years, Miami won the draft. If Kyler Murray goes to Arizona and cuts it up, Arizona won the draft. The bottom line, if Daniel Jones

kills it for the Giants, they won the draft. The draft winner is the team Seattle years ago that got Russell Wilson in the third round and got a Hall of Fame quarterback. That was called a bad draft. If you didn't draft a quarterback, there's very little chance you will have

won the draft because that's the difference maker in the NFL. I'll tell you three drafts I liked. I thought Green Bay, the first four guys Green Bay drafted will all play. I thought the first five guys the Indianapolis Colts drafted, they went and got speed and need will all play. And the first five guys for the Baltimore Ravens will all play. In fact, they're fifth players of guard from Oklahoma, Ben Powers. He's a grinder.

He's perfect for Lamar Jackson in that offense. Ravens Packers Colts, I thought their first four to five guys will all play. I'm pretty confident. They got guys that fit, guys that work, guys they can be patient with, those three. But let's be honest. If Kyler Murray is a home run for Arizona, they won the draft by a mile. It won't even be close. I mean, the Seahawks won a draft with Russell Wilson.

It was called a terrible draft. They won a Super Bowl, got to two, and have a Hall of Fame quarterback. That was ripped as a draft. They won that draft by a thousand miles over everybody else. I will tell you, though, a draft I did. not like the New York Jets. Now, their first pick is the best player in the draft, Quinnon Williams. But after that, they are a rebuilding franchise.

Okay, when you're a rebuilding franchise, fewer risks, please. Take risks if you're the Steelers. If you're the Rams, if you're the chiefs of the Patriots. You can swing for the fence because you've established your culture and you have star quarterbacks and star coaches and star rosters. But when you're building like the Colts, when you're rebuilding like the Colts, you get dependable smart picks,

you change the culture into dependable grownups, you'll still hit some home runs because you generally draft in the top 10. So the Jets first pick is great. After that, it was medical issues, head cases, guys who were wildly inconsistent college players. I don't need to name them. You can see them on the screen on FS1. when you're building a culture is not when you should take wild swings on players who

were inconsistent in college. Inconsistent college player is inconsistent NFL player. Medical issue college player, Sam Bradford, is medical issue NFL player. Guys don't suddenly get healthier in a more violent sport. So did New England win? Hardly. I'd take Baltimore, Green Bay, and the Colts in terms of top four to five picks. I'm not going to waste any time breaking down a fifth, sixth, seventh rounder.

But I will tell you the Jets, I just don't like their belief system on drafts. They're taking wild swings when they're rebuilding. I don't believe you do that. Inconsistency at the college level almost always equals inconsistency or bust at the NFL level. The one draft I didn't like after their first pick was the New York Jets. Coming up next, a guy in the Bay Area, John Middilkoff, a broadcaster who's a former scout, he's been in these rooms before. What are coaches and GMs thinking today with their picks?

He's also got great insight on the Raiders and the Niners, who added in the last six months just a ton of new players. I think the Raiders overspent for some and overdrafted some, but they got better. 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 app. Casper.com celebrating their fifth anniversary, get 10% off any mattress through the 29th of this month. Casper.com code herd.

Additional fees could apply Alaska and Hawaii. John Middlecops, a former NFL scout, young guy that I depend on often, a writer for the athletic. He's part of the Hurd podcast network, three and out, and I love bringing him on pre-post the draft, because this is what he's done for a living.

He's joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network. John, let's start with this. You're in the Bay Area, and I said, I'm not smart enough for the draft to figure out who won it. But if you give me the free agent acquisitions, plus the first couple of rounds of the draft, I think my grading accuracy goes up. That said, I thought San Francisco, with the way I'd grade it, won the draft. D. Ford, Nick Bosa, Kwan Alexander, what did you make of the Niners draft overall and the direction they're headed? Well, clearly they had to improve up front, and they did that in the last two months.

DeFord Pro Bowler. Nick Bosa, widely considered by everyone that I know, I didn't like him as much as my friends in the draft or in the NFL, but they all thought that by far he was the best pass rusher, especially in a 4-3 defense. So you had Bosa, you add D-Ford. To me, the heat and the pressure is on Nick Bosa to be a really good player. anytime you draft a guy at number two overall that's not a quarterback, he has to be an immediate impact player.

You look at last year. I didn't like the Giants passing on Sam Darnold, but I know you didn't either. But they did get Sequin Barclay, who looks like a Hall of Fame level player. So if Nick Bosa has that level of impact, you know, an immediate pro bowler, a guy that's, you know, a double-digit-sack guy for six, seven years,

then the draft will be a home run. obviously and their second round pick. Debo Samuel. They had him in the senior bowl. He's a big time playmaker from the SEC, the best conference in America by far. He's going to have to make plays. You got Jimmy Garoppolo coming back. Like Nick Bosa, Debo Samuel is going to have to be an impact guy immediately.

So I'm with you. I don't put much stock in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh rounders. Because every year, and I saw it firsthand, and I still see it when I go to these practices. undrafted free agents beat these guys out all the time. And it's not that big of a deal because your fifth round pick, you're not financially tied to them. You can cut them with zero financial implication. Where with your first and second round pick,

you're given, obviously your number two overall pick, you're paying huge money. But even your second round pick, you're paying millions of dollars. They have to play and they have to play well. Let's go to Josh Rosen. I said I would have stayed with Rosen and drafted, you know, a great defensive player and then a great offensive lineman with a second round.

I don't like starting over again. What is your takeaway on what Arizona did with Rosen and Kyler Murray? What do you think? As a former scout, how's it land for you? I love Kyler Murray. And, you know, most people that you talk to do. I mean, he's a great player. But I don't think you can sum it up any other way that Arizona is a dumpster fire right now.

They just had a one and done coach. They just traded a guy that they drafted number 10 overall. that was a, you know, say what you want about Josh Rosen. He was viewed as the top prospect, like his freshman and sophomore years. Some injuries derailed that. But even with all the question marks, he still went 10th overall in a draft. You know, I think you easily could have justified going other positions. They're banking on Cliff Kingsbury.

Seems like a good guy. Seems likable. Obviously really good looking. But he didn't win in college. So to think, maybe Josh Rosen, who now goes to Miami, with a guy that had learned from Belichick. He brought, you know, Brian Flores, his offensive coordinator is O'Shea that came with him from Belichick.

They have Jim Caldwell there. Is it safe to say that the Miami Dolphins are a much more well put together, at least coaching staff and organization right now than the Arizona Cardinals? I think Josh Rosen actually won, and he's also a big winner of, he's kind of become a sympathetic figure. How likable was he with those videos on Twitter? field, he kind of got screwed over. I think people are now rooting for him to succeed, which was kind of the polar opposite last year, which is kind of cool. Is there a team, again, I won't

say won the draft until I can combine free agents and players, but you're a scout. Was there a draft a team that you liked a lot or a player that fit perfectly? I love Devin Bush, and the Steelers since Ryan Chazier went down were in desperate need of a middle linebacker. Now, the red flag is Vic Fangio, who knows linebackers probably than any other coach in the NFL. For some reason, didn't view this guy as a Roquan Smith level player, but clearly the Steelers do, and they evaluate two positions really well. Wide receiver and linebacker. And it's not, they're kind of like the Patriots. They don't trade up. If anything, they move back or just stay pat. And they got aggressive. They traded up to get the player they wanted. I think he's an immediate plug-and-play starter.

and obviously they got rid of some, they got rid of two really good players. I mean, Antonio Brown had 15 touchdowns last year and was an all pro. Levion Bell didn't play, but he's an excellent player. Now they got a higher character, a stud here in Devin Bush. It's kind of a transitional time for their franchise. But I love the mindset. I love being aggressive and getting the player you need, especially when there's some pressure now on the Steelers.

Kind of a transitional time, but people are going to want them to win. The Panthers drafted a quarter. Is it an indictment on Cam Newton? I already saw that the Panthers have come out just to kind of say, it's not an indictment on Cam. They want to protect them. They don't want to start a fire here. What does it say that the Panthers went out fairly high and got a quarterback?

To me, if it had been the first or second round, I'd read Flaggams future, but it's the third round. And I think the third round is kind of the start where you draft backups. I'm not a Will Greer guy at all. I think he reminds me a lot of Rudolph, the guy that Pittsburgh Steelers drafted last year from Oklahoma State. I think he's a backup. Now, there is questions with Cam's health. Can he stay on the field?

But if Cam is 80%, this guy doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of beating out Cam Newton or even competing with Cam Newton. So I don't think he poses a threat really at all. But you always need to draft quarterbacks. Anthra's haven't had a backup quarterback. The third round, to me, just the third round is too rich for this player. I wouldn't mind taking another player, but not this guy. I'm just not a big Will Greer fan. John Middilcoff's, a former NFL scout writer for The Athletic.

The podcast 3 and Out is part of my herd podcast network. It's a great listen. Finally, I depend on you for the Raiders. They added a bunch of players. Now, I think they overdrafted a few. I think they overpaid Trent Brown on the left tackle. But that aside, they brought in about nine guys. They should look different.

Do they translate to wins? What will they look like next year? Yeah, I mean, I think they tried to hit the fairway. They kept the driver in the bag and they pulled out of five wood and they just tried to hit the fairway. Now, the problem with that mindset, part of the reason they had three or two of these three picks was because they traded Khalil Mack, who's one of the best players in the league, and they traded Amari Cooper, who's upside as sky high.

And they didn't really get high upside players. Cleland Farrell, you watch the press conference, high character guy, leader of that team. I get it. But at number four overall, the expectation on that player are astronomical. I like Josh Jacobs. I just think you could have got him in the second round.

Once Howie Roseman jumped the Oakland Raiders to get the tackle from Washington State, who else was taking a running back? So, and I don't think they were worried about the value. They just wanted a specific type player or a guy that will listen to John Gruden, team captain level guys, which is fine. And I understand it, culture building. But the expectations on this team, as they transition to Vegas next year,

they got to start winning, Colin. They can't keep winning three, four games. And I don't think these players give them just some jolt this year. Now, I think they can turn into good players in the future. But that division, the chiefs are still going to be really good. the Chargers got a lot better. I think the Broncos had a really good draft. I think the Raiders should be better,

especially if Derek can just get a little more comfortable in this offense. He just, he didn't play well last year, but he has played really well in this league. So to me, they could be competitive, but I don't see how they win more than, I don't know,

seven games next year, especially when you factor in the schedule. Have you seen that schedule, Colin? Brutal. I mean, it's not even fair. So it's just, it's going to be hard. But they are much improved.

They have a lot of talent. But the other elephant in the room is, how is Antonio Brown and John Gruden going to get along? I'm not talking about May in OTAs. I'm talking about week six when he gets two targets. And, you know, they're three and four, you know, or they're 100 or 500. He's not used to losing. He's used to getting the ball a lot. He's an opinionated player.

To me, that's the storyline to watch. with the Raiders. John Middilkoff. Great stuff, buddy. Good talking you up in the Bay Area. Thanks, man. Thanks, Colin. Have a good one.

Good stuff today. Yeah. The Raiders are funny. I think they overpaid for players in free agency and over drafted everybody. But in the end, if you like something, you know, years ago, Steve Ballmer bought the L.A. Clippers and he spent $2 billion. And everybody's like, ah, it's like $600 million more than they're worth. And my takeaway was if you buy it cash and you know, you never plan on selling it, who cares?

Like if you buy a house and you overspend by 30,000, but you're like, this is where I want to retire, and I'm going to give it to my kids anyway, well, if you're going to own something for 28 years, who cares? It's not that big of a deal. And you can overdraft guys, but if you really love the running back from Alabama Jacobs and you think he's really a franchise back for the next seven years

and you wanted him and he fits your culture, okay, you drafted him late first, he could go early second, I'd just go after him. So they'll defend the Raiders. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

What do you always say, Colin? Aggressive wins, right? In sports, aggressive, generally does win. Sports and politics. Yep. Kevin Durant was impressive again yesterday, 35 points in the game one win over the rockets. Steph and Clay were pretty quiet, but Durant took over and carried the team to the 104-100 win. Yeah.

And after the game, Steve Kerr said his scoring is comparable only to the goats. Have you ever seen anybody have a great four game stretch like Kevin is having? There's this guy named Michael, something. I can't remember his last name. I mean, he's the most skilled basketball player on Earth. You know, he's one of the most skilled basketball players to ever play the game. There's never been anybody like him, 6-11. You know, handles, ball, shoots, threes, passes, defends.

He's just an unbelievable talent. You know, think about that. He can say that with Steph Curry, his point guard. Like that's, when Eric Spolstra could say, LeBron's the best player ever, and Dee Wade owned the city, that tells you how great he is.

To have Steph Curry and say, oh, he's the best basketball player ever, that tells you that Steph and Kerr have both had discussions. They know Kevin's ridiculous. Well, I mean, it would be unrealistic for Steph to have a problem with Steve Kerr's saying that. Not to mention, I'm sure that Steph enjoys winning championships

and Kevin Durant helps them do that, and he is a free agent coming up. So it's probably best to not have a problem with that anyway. But he's not wrong. I mean, I don't, whoever the best player in the league is at that moment is going to be compared to Jordan. Kobe got compared to Jordan. LeBron constantly gets compared to Jordan. And now it's Durant's time to get compared to Jordan.

And it's not that far off. Kevin Durant is an unbelievable offensive player like we have never seen before. He's Kareem-esque with his jump shot because he just rises above everyone. He's 6'11 and then just goes up. I mean, I feel bad for anybody that has to guard him. What can you do? What do you do? Just cross your fingers.

You just hope you can shoot more than that. What if a coach came into locker room and said, guys, I'm not going to waste your time tonight and just showed a picture of fingers crossed and said, this is our defense against Duran. Let's do the best you can. Pray tonight. I mean, it's kind of similar to Hardin.

Like, you know what Hardin's going to put up. Yeah, he's going to put up 28 points. Make sure that you can out shoot them. All right, so the Celtics beat up the bucks on the road in game one of the Eastern Conference semis. And apparently that's all former Celtic Paul Pierce needed to see. he says the series is over. Janus definitely has to play better,

but as a team, I don't know where Milwaukee goes from here. No, listen, I think it's over. The series is over. Yeah, they lost. When I watched this today, if Janus doesn't have a monster game and somebody else besides him doesn't step up,

Boston is just going to out-talent them. I mean, this is the fear that we had going into this series. Everything was going to be on Janus. If Janus has an off game, it's impossible. The Celtics have too much challenge. Yeah, well, this is why the difference, like Milwaukee hasn't been in the playoffs a while, so I don't blame their fan base.

Their fan base watches the regular season and thinks this is who we're going to be in the playoffs. It's like, no, no, no, no. It doesn't work that way. In the NFL, the regular season, most, it looks like playoffs mostly because every week you have to play, right? But in the NBA,

a young team without much play, playoff experience or wins, plays really hard in the regular season. And not every great team plays hard in the regular season. But when you get to the playoffs, everybody plays hard. You're playing the same team. So that advantage, Denver had it, Milwaukee had it, of we're just going to play like it's the final four. You lose that big advantage in Milwaukee.

A lot of Milwaukee's strength this year, Joy, they were number one in the NBA defense. Defense about effort. They just played hard every single night. and that advantage goes away in the playoffs and all of a sudden everybody, so I think Milwaukee could still win the series, but Boston's got more good players. Well, Yonis was also 7 of 21 from the field with 22 points,

and he had eight rebounds and just as many turnovers as assists at 2. So he's going to have to play way better than he did. And I don't, I feel like this is the reason why everybody doubted the bucks during the season, right? Like we went into the postseason when nobody really gave the bucks any credit because it's kind of what we've seen with Toronto. for the past couple years, and now Toronto has legitimate talent and experience to go along with a great regular season record. And they also have Pascal has elevated to a...

Oh, Seacom's... Yeah, like, he's gone... One of the reasons I never loved Toronto in the postseason, because I felt Kyle Lowry was there two, and I had limitations. Well, Kyle's now their three or there are four. So he has become, Pascal's become their second best player. I still don't think that's good enough to win a title, but he's really changed the dynamic. is much more real to that.

I mean, it is good enough to win the East, though. So finally, a lot's been said this week about Josh Rosen's attitude. Rosen seems to be trying to set the record straight about that. He gave Monday morning quarterback some insight. When his agent Ryan Williams called him to say the Cardinals might actually keep both quarterbacks, Rosen said, then I'll just beat him out and Kyler can be the backup. He added, I absolutely would have competed if they kept me, but I would have been kind of bumped out about it because I knew I wouldn't get a fair shake.

A GM's not going to draft a quarterback and draft another one. next year higher and then play the first one. It's admitting you made two mistakes. I wouldn't hesitate to compete, but I would know I preemptively, I wouldn't get a shot even if I won the competition. Some people will say, oh, you don't want to compete.

He's absolutely right. That's the way the game works. Well, it's not about competing. Fair competition. And look, like, fairs for Ferris wheels and fried Oreos, okay? But you have to have some semblance of this is an actual opportunity and not just

I'm sticking with this guy because my pride is too big to let him go for a second round pick. He was never going to get this job because he's right. It would have admitted that not only did you mess up on Rosen, then you messed up on Kyler Murray, not to mention all the other mistakes that you've made because you had the first overall pick in the draft. So you had to do something to get to that point anyway. So I think Rosen is won in this situation.

I know I might be a little biased because I'm a Dolphins fan, but I like the situation in Miami far better than I do with the Cardinals. He's going to have an opportunity to be a franchise. a legitimate opportunity to be a franchise quarterback there. And they are admitting that they are rebooting the franchise. Like they are starting anew. I would rather be in Miami's division despite the Patriots than Arizona's division where I've got to face Goff, Shanahan, Garapolo, Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, Sean McVeigh.

Arizona's division is the toughest in football. It's brutal. They're going to be an interesting watch though this year. Brutal. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Line News.

This is quite interesting. Another Cleveland Brown guaranteed a Super Bowl. Oh, sigh. NFL draft pick, Greedy Williams, nice player, although a bunch of good GMs passed on him. Not sure why. Actually, I am, but let's get on with it. The Browns are going to the Super Bowl this year.

Here's another Cleveland Brown guaranteeing playoff success. Roll the tape. Hey, Greedy, what do you know about the Browns? I know one thing that the Browns going to the Super Bowl this year. That's a fact. Funny. By the way, the Patriots have six Super Bowl rings, 11 appearances, and have never guaranteed a Super Bowl. Let him have a little fun.

Rookie head coach, big ego general manager, quarterback second year. I will take the Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl winning head coach, Super Bowl winning quarterback, elite general manager over second year quarterback guarantees rookie head coach and a GM that got fired two years ago. Would you prefer he say the Browns are just going to miss the football? playoffs this year, but we are certainly going to improve. I would prefer that he said, I can't wait to join this culture. We're young and haven't proven anything, but I can't wait to shock the world.

That would be fun. Guarantee, by the way, let me run a scroll right now of people that have guaranteed Super Bowls recently. Okay, Rex Ryan, Tony Romo, yeah, Rex Ryan, Terence Knighton, I remember that. Rex Ryan,

Bruce Ariens, Ryan Khalil, that was not good. Von Miller, Jalen Ramsey of the Rex Ryan. A lot of Rex, Shannon Sharp was right, actually. Plaxico Burris was right, actually. Joe Namath, oh, that was pretty good. Any more Rex Ryan's?

A lot of misses there on the Super Bowl guarantees. I mean, it's not advised. But, you know, am I? Remember what Jalen Ramsey said? Remember what he said before they face the Patriots? Let's play a bit. This is what guarantees get you. I ain't got too much to say, but y'all make sure y'all bring that same energy out here next week and the week after.

We're going to the Super Bowl and we're going to win that B'B. All righty then. We're going to win that. All right. How'd that next game turn out? Not great. Not great for them. Okay.

Coming up next, best for last, proof that James Hardin is the last player on earth who should complain about officiating. From award-winning mattresses, pillows, sheets, and duvets, Casper has transformed the way we sleep and the way we buy mattresses. By the way, I saw a rival company to Casper take a shot at him this weekend. Do you see that? You know you've arrived when your opponents start taking shots at you? If you don't got no haters, you're not popping. Right.

Exactly. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Discover Alert you if you find your. your social security number on any of the thousand risky websites. If they find it, it's free for card members. Sign up online, discover.com slash free alerts limitations applied. Doug Gottlie, Mark Slareth,

John Middlecough, where Colin was right, wrong, great show today. So, you know, there's the old saying don't bite the hand that feeds you, right? Understand who has helped you in life and don't turn on them. James Hardin, who's been the beneficiary of so many baskets and points.

James Harden essentially travels on all his shots. Everybody in the league is complaining about it. Every player's complaining about it. The officials have had a hard time officiating it. It's been the talk of the NBA season the last two years. James Hardin takes a step back that many people consider to be a traveling, and they don't call it.

And it's allowed James Harden to take a massive leap in production. Yet Hardin yesterday was complaining about the very people who have been feeding him for years and allowing borderline calls the refs. Here it is. I just want a fair chance, man. Call the game how it's supposed to be called, and that's it.

And I'll live with the results. Like, that can change the entire series. Just call the game, how it's supposed to be called, and we'll live with the results. Well, the knock, of course, is everybody has been claiming that James Harden. They wish the game would be called correctly, which is traveling for his stepback.

So he has benefited greatly from that call, Magic Johnson used to palm the ball and benefited greatly from that. They never called it. Michael Jordan had a couple of back to the basket moves where he moved his pivot, fit and looked like he traveled, and they let him have it.

They often do this. If a star creates kind of a new step, a new move, they allow it. But Chris Broussard made a point about James Harden complaining. First of all, the one player that should not be complaining about getting calls or not getting calls, it's James Harden. He gets more calls than any player that's well documented. Now, just to show you how staggering it is,

here's free throw attempts in the last five years combined. Hardin's number one, Westbrook is two. He has almost a thousand more free throws. And if you look at who's two and three, Westbrook and DeMar de Rosen, those are highly athletic players who are simply hard to defend because of their athletic ability. You're constantly chasing them. Hardin is not that level.

of athlete. So what it tells you is, officials are calling fouls against Hardin and his stepback moves, not because he's just more athletic, not because he gets, because they have allowed his stepback move. Hardin is on a historic pace in free throws. Here's the three players that have led the NBA in free throw attempts in five straight years. And here's what's ironic. Hardin, Carl Malone, and Wilt. And during each of the five-year stretches in which they have led the NBA in free throw attempts. 15 years, no titles. Because in Hardin's case, in Carl Malone's case,

and in Wilts case early with the Sixers, if you think you're going to win the NBA championship at the free throw line, you are not, mailman. Let me deliver some news to you. You're not winning titles that way. Referees in hockey, basketball, and football do not want to decide championships. in hockey football and basketball,

I've seen it for 40 years. They swallow whistles. Ask the Saints, don't blame the officials if you don't know that going in. And I really, like Chris Broussard said earlier, I think the Rockets came into this series analytically thinking, we got to get to the free throw line.

That's a you problem. The refs are not going to allow this series to be decided at the free throw line. By the way, the NBA today came out with their two-minute report. So the NBA comes out, and by the way, the NBA has never been afraid to rip its own officials. In fact, I've complained the two-minute report. It's not a great look for your league. They came out with their two-minute report.

They looked over it, and based on the rules, James Hardin draws Draymond Green into the air during his shot attempt. Put this up full screen. And Green jumps in front of Hardin and would have missed him if Hardin hadn't extended his legs. That's not an opinion. That is how the NBA, after watching that tape 100 times, that's how they call it. So Houston, your opinion, that is contact created by Hardin. And the NBA came out today in their two-minute report an hour ago and said, yeah, we would have called that on Hardin over Draymond Green. And to Doug Gottlieb's point, if you jump straight up, I have to give you a place to land.

but if you are jumping and extending your legs, well, where's your landing radius? What am I supposed to do as an official? The defensive player doesn't have any rights. The defensive player doesn't have any territory. So it's almost like if you're going to manipulate your landing area, it's almost like the IRS. If I was a company and I was manipulating my taxes,

the IRS could say, all right, we want some of this territory back. We're going to audit you with a full. finer tooth comb than we audit other similar companies. Because we feel you're trying to manipulate us, the IRS. And the IRS says, I don't have to audit everybody similarly. If we think you are manipulating our tax system, we will audit you with more ferocity, with more volume, with more agents. And the NBA is saying, all right, if you're trying to manipulate us, and by the way,

James Hardin is, this last year, James Hardin added a dimension to his, game, the fall down. Greg, you watch almost every Rockets game. He falls five times a game. That's not because his equilibrium got worse in the last 12 months. He is trying to add a layer of manipulation to his game. And the refs are like, okay, okay, and this whole year they've struggled with officiating. And there's been a lot of complaints.

But then you get to the playoffs and all the young officials are done and now it's veteran NBA officials and they're not going to let him manipulate them like young officials do. So here was the great response from Draymond Green to Hardin complaining about this call in the refs. I've been filed by James on a James three-pointer before. I ain't trying to hear that. Nah, I ain't going with that one. I'm straight. Yeah, he's not going to go with that one.

So the NBA came out with their two-minute report today, and they said Hardin initiated the contract, contact. And I said this earlier, it gets cold every year in the winter. It's my responsibility to buy a cold. I don't blame the weather. And every year in the playoffs, by the second round, officials allow more contact. That is not the official's fault. You have to be aware of that as an organization. And I think Chris Broussard brought up an interesting point.

The Rockets came into the series thinking they were going to win this thing at the free throw line. They thought we're going to manipulate this, and I don't think it worked. 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, 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 Podcast, 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 on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, S&L'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. Life is full of hurdles.

So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward.

At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One,

founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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