The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Next Level Mahomes, Driven LeBron, Deconstructing Lance

Episode Date: July 30, 2020

In this full show edition of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, we have yet to see the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes' next level as an NFL quarterback. He admitted recently that he grasped the reading of defenses only last season after falling behind in several high-profile games. Also, Colin goes on the defense for Lakers' forward LeBron James after an article came out accusing LeBron of being competitive to the point of acting anti-social. Finally, Colin deconstructs comments made by Houston Astros' pitcher Lance McCullers after McCullers criticized the punitive pitching of the Dodgers' Joe Kelly.Guest include: Chris Broussard, Peter Schrager, Jason Terry and Daryl Johnston Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

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

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd.

We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. The NBA is back. We are live in Los Angeles, and this is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we're on Fox Sports Radio and right here on FS1. Live a damn fine show today. Very good.

Very good show. I'm not going to lie. Joy Taylor is joining me. Joy, how are you? I am the best I've been in many months. We have NBA basketball today. We have been walking through the desert with no water for six months. Today, we've come upon a lake with fruit. We were at the oasis.

Vegetables. Yes. We will eat tonight. Let me start with this. The media doesn't have a lot of courage. They don't. They just don't have a lot of courage. Everybody's got to follow in line.

That's why I don't have that many media friends. Most of my friends are like business friends. They're aggressive people. Men, women, aggressive. Not worried about following in line. So yesterday, the NFL top 100 voted on players did not make Patrick Mahomes the number one player in the NFL. I've got no problem with it.

I'd probably put him there, but, you know, it's okay. Yeah, Lamar Jackson finished number one. Russell Wilson, too. Oh, my God, Patrick's four and the third best quarterback. So let me ask you, did you watch the Super Bowl, where Patrick Mahomes was outplayed by Jimmy Garoppolo for three and a half quarters? Midway through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, with superior weapons and a superior veteran coach,

Patrick Mahomes had no touchdowns, two picks, and should have had three, and was outplayed, outplayed by Jimmy Garopolo. Did your television not work? Did you watch the game that he trailed at home to Houston 24-0? in the playoffs? Orway, he was shut out in the first half the year before in the AFC championship against Bill Belichick and looked awful, finished the game, completing 50% of his throws and trailed by four touchdowns entering at home the fourth quarter. Or did you watch him get outplayed by Jared Goff a couple years ago?

Patrick Mahomes is unbelievably talented, but he admitted, quote, late this year, unquote. I learned how to read a defense. He's not without fault. I'm going to throw a number at you and you're going to be surprised. I'm going to tell you this. He's not the best athlete in the league at quarterback. Patrick Mahomes ran a 4-8-40. Lamar Jackson is twice, twice the athlete.

Lamar Jackson's the fastest player on his football team. Patrick Mahomes may not run the fastest 40 at quarterback for the Chiefs. He's a 4840 guy. He's not as dynamic athletically as Lamar Jackson. He's not as experienced or as elusive as Russell Wilson. Why Russell never gets hit? He doesn't have the release of Aaron Rogers, nor does he see the field like Tom Brady

and probably Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. He is not without fault. Do you realize Patrick Mahomes' fourth quarter passer rating last year in the regular season? It was 18th. That is with a. Andy Reed, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey, Mitchell Schwartz, Damien Williams. That is with an unbelievable, unparalleled, unrivaled, schematic Andy Reed weapon cast.

He was 18th. He was getting beat badly at home, shut out by New England, worked in the Super Bowl. He was not great in the Super Bowl for the first three and a half quarters. Now, now, is he a great talent? Oh, absolutely. Does he have the best arm? Oh, God, absolutely. Is he the most fun to watch?

He and Lamar are way up there. But I don't think he's as strong as wince. I mean, when I watched Cam Newton coming to the league, I was like, the hell is that. Oh, my God, Big Ben. Patrick Mahomes is a slender kid who ran a 4-840 who's got a baseball arm, is fun to watch, is kind of got a Magic Johnson flare. for the game, and I love him. But he is not without fault.

He admits this year, I just figured out how to read a defense. It's a little late for that, but he's progressing. I've said before. I don't think he's scratching the surface, but I think we have another level of Patrick Mahomes. I think he's going to take it to another level. I remember when I used to come back and criticize Aaron Rogers. I used to say, I don't think Aaron Rogers is great.

He's not the leader of Tom Brady. I think he throws the ball away too much. I don't think he always is the best guy in the huddle. I can remember saying that six, seven years ago and getting nothing but heat on that and saying, I think Aaron is an unbelievable talent, but he's kind of, he's 6-2-215. He's not big and strapping and strong.

He gets hurt. And sometimes he can be condescending. And he has a weird thing where he doesn't have a lot of come from behind wins. And it's not always the Packers' fault. And not every teammate likes him. And I think Aaron's a first ballot Hall of Famer, but God, five years ago, I got crap nonstop.

It wasn't until about two years ago when the media, even in Green Bay, started saying some of Aaron's problems are Aaron's fault. Mahomes isn't a perfect player. I think there's a lot of things Russell Wilson does better. I really do. I think there's a lot of things Drew Breeze does better at the line of scrimmage. I think Lamar Jackson's a way better athlete.

Patrick Mahomes ran a 4-840. In high school, I run a 4-75. Me! I'm a radio idiot. Okay. So Aaron, the gap. between Aaron Donald and the next best defensive player in this league is the Grand Canyon. I mean, who's the second best defensive lineman in the league, Fletcher Cox?

I don't even think he's close to Aaron Donald, and Fletcher Cox is a pro bowler and going to be a Hall of Famer. The gap between Mahomes and the other quarterbacks based on multiple skill sets, it's not that great. Some guys are better at stuff. And again, I can like you, but can we at least acknowledge Russell Wilson is overcome an antiquated offensive system, a battle line, and undrafted wide receivers. No tight end. I mean, Russell Wilson is taking a lot of nonsense and getting to the playoffs. Can we acknowledge that Patrick Mahomes has the best, his coach drives Bill Belichick crazy. Andy reads a wizard. Travis Kelsey's the best tied end with George Kittled in football. Tyree kills the fastest human

that's ever put on pads. And Brett Veach is one of the first. of the smartest drafting guys in the league. This idea that everybody's got to follow in line. What I really loved about yesterday, this is what I really loved about it, that Patrick Mahomes went to Twitter. He's very funny. And he put a pencil up there. I'm taking notes.

I'm taking notes on this. That's why I love Patrick Mahomes. That's why I love him. He gets it. He's got a little chip on his shoulder. This is the best thing that ever happened to Patrick Mahomes. This is the best thing to ever happened to him. He's too young to be getting $500 million and being the talk of the town.

This is a great day for Patrick Mahomes. He got a little chip on his shoulder. Hey, Patrick, you're the third best quarterback in the NFL. No, not third best player. You're the third best quarterback in the NFL. That's what players think. That is honestly jet fuel for Patrick Mahomes. And why he'll win more Super Bowls and form more MVP's

and make everybody in Kansas City happy. All right, I got this story. NBA's back tonight. We have arrived at a lake plentiful with fruit and vegetables. Looks like somebody's looking for, a true hoop website or something, Henry Abbott, who I know and like, but what in God's name is going on with Henry. He says, LeBron James, the least told story in the NBA,

is LeBron's oppressive, overwhelming, and antisocial competitiveness. It is icky. It's the most under-told story in the NBA. Abbott noted that James struggles to be around normally motivated, gets impatient with those who don't work as hard. Little tolerance for mistakes. In fact, Henry at one point says this. This is worth a chuckle.

LeBron's current teammate, Anthony Davis, may be softening him since he has a special affection for the big man. Wait, time out of. I want LeBron to be more like Anthony Davis. What the hell out of here? That's the last thing I want LeBron to be is that soft. Yeah, I'm sorry, Henry. I'm sorry, True Hoop, magazine, website, whatever you are.

we've spent 15 years comparing LeBron and MJ, mostly doing a poor job. We finally figured out their match. They're obsessive. Because 99% of the players in the NBA are playing for a paycheck. LeBron's playing for immortality. So is Kobe.

So is Michael. So are the great. So is Elon Musk. So is Jeff Bezos. So is Bill Gates. So is steep jobs. They're ruthless. They're relentless.

because they're not doing it for a paycheck. 99% of people in America are going to work for a paycheck to be content, to get their kids through school. They like their job. They don't live it. That's fine. But for the truly gifted, it's different. And we should never ask them to come down to us.

They're not demanding we go up to them. LeBron James is not demanding that Alex Caruso be 6'8 and Tower and Tomahawk Dunkett. He's not asking Alex Caruso. so to do that, or KCP, but he will not. He sure as heck will not go down to your workout standards. Thank God somebody with the Lakers is obsessive. Do you think their front office is as good as the Clippers? I don't.

You think their owners as rich as the Clippers? I don't. Do you think their rosters as good as the Clippers? I don't. Thank God he's compulsive. Thank God somebody with the Lakers is. Somebody is focused and driven and willful. would I respect Michael Jordan more?

Let me ask you this. As a parent, one of my greatest fears, other than my kids running into traffic, one of my greatest fears is they will not live up to their potential. I think my kids are really good. They're curious. They've got empathy. They're smart. One of my biggest fears is I'm on my deathbed, and they took all that potential and didn't

do anything with it. You're a parent. Doesn't that worry ever? You just want the best for your kids. Use all your gifts that I didn't have. Would I respect Michael Jordan more today if he was less relentless, less willful, and wouldn't have tapped every ounce of greatness

out of his potential? That's why we loved Kobe and why we love MJ. That's why we love LeBron because you get so rarely a Tiger Woods or an Oprah or an Elon Musk who are flawed. But they have this massive intellectual capacity or athletic capacity or emotional capacity. And they just squeeze that damn towel and they get everything out of it and you become an icon. LeBron doesn't ask you to be as great as him.

But he should never lower his standards for me or you or Alex Caruso. This article is nonsense. I want LeBron to be more like Anthony Davis. In what lifetime? I want everybody that has nearly as much talent as LeBron. School teacher, scientist, engineer, radio host. Be relentless. Be willful.

Be a pain in the arse. Occasionally not every day. What you want for your kids is what the greats all through this country give us. It's why we'll get through COVID. because we got 9,000 people working on vaccines and they're brilliant. The idea that I'm supposed to look at the greats in this country, the Mark Cubans, the Obamas, and I'm supposed to go, you know, if they could just slow down a little for me,

nah, not remotely interested. And with that, stop babing Zion. That story coming up. up next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way,

this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are

chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. We pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84's big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan, Ryan, Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it.

And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. This idea that LeBron is antisocial.

When you look at LeBron, have you ever thought there's somebody that's antisocial? That's what True Hoop wants you to believe. No, great people often don't want to hang around mediocre people because they're busy doing stuff. I mean, seriously, like LeBron, anti-social. I can tell you this. I know exceedingly well LeBron's best friend.

You can criticize LeBron for stuff. Anti-social is not it. That is, there are, I've met a lot of antisocial people. I'm antisocial. I like animals more than most people. I like my dogs. I'm more antisocial. The idea that LeBron's antisocial.

What? Dude, his whole thing is outreach and touching and connecting with people. Yeah, like that's what people don't, like, they criticize him for that for like wanting to be friends with everyone and bringing the league together and. God. Taco Tuesday. Yes, it's, uh, you, yo, yeah, yeah. Definitely not antisocial. Okay.

So I, so here, here's the other thing. And I was just talking about my kids and my fears as a dad that they won't at least achieve some of their talent, some of their capacity or, or. they won't reach at least some of the heights, I think they could. We tend to, and I hope I'm not guilty of this, we all baby our kids. There used to be something called helicopter parents where parents hover over their kids. Now they call it bulldozed parents, where parents like clear a path so their kids have no problems. They call them bulldozed parents. I saw it a lot in the Northeast.

I saw it a lot in the Northeast with prep schools. Parents just bulldozing a path so their kids have no struggles. Dad on the phone yelling at the principal, how could you give you? my child to be. It's bulldozing parents. So you end up raising a bunch of weenies who aren't used to like getting pushback in life. You'll notice most of the great quarterbacks in the NFL. We talk

about this all the time. Got told no, got hit, got hurt, junior college, too short, too slow. You give everybody a perfect childhood. It's rough. I'm not saying Zion Williamson had a perfect childhood. That's not what I'm saying. But I'm already hearing a lot of this.

Let's slow down on Zion. Let's protect Zion. This is, we're asking, Talking too much of Zion, here's his coach, Alvin Gentry, as Zion debuts tonight, hopefully, talking about Zion going forward. I think he's a very mature kid, you know, he's a 20-year-old kid. And I think a lot of times we forget about that as we did with LeBron, you know. You know, these guys are still kids. You know, he does what all the 19 and 20-year-old people do. So I think we've got to be a little bit careful about, you know,

and all this extra things on his shoulders. He's here to play. He's here to have a good time. You know, hopefully he'll be healthy enough to play or, you know, him conditioning enough to play. But other than that, we should treat him like a 20-year-old. Oh, stop. You're the one, coach, who just compared him to LeBron.

You put him in the same sentence with LeBron. And he's not going to be LeBron. He's not going to be that good. Zion can handle it. Kids today are so much smarter, so much more self-aware. There's so many advantages with technology. Zion knows what he's doing. He has more support than players did in the 70s and 80s.

Warren Buffett always talks about this. Every generation of kids has a better life and easier life and more support than the previous generation. Nutritional advantages Michael Jordan didn't have. Therapy advantages, psychology, coaching advantages. and support. Personal, personal coaching. Zion could get on the phone today and get Adam Silver, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Mike Shoshchewski on the phone within five minutes. The NBA commissioner, the best college basketball coach, the Olympic coach, the best player

in the game, the greatest player ever, the second greatest player ever, he could get all of them on the phone in five minutes. On a cell phone, he could be shooting a basketball with his left hand and talking to him with his right hand. Stop bulldozing the kids. He can handle it. Zion's a smart kid. He was asked yesterday about the bubble. You know what he said in three words?

I want a hoop. I want a hoop. Let me hoop. He can handle it. Did you see how this kid handled Duke when he got hurt? Did you see how he handled it? He handled like a 45-year-old. I'm 50.

I had cereal for breakfast. I can't handle it. This kid handled the Duke situation. Definitely. smartly like a grown-up. Have we seen Patrick Mahomes? Patrick McHamombs could, if he didn't have his act together, could unravel tomorrow. He goes to Twitter last night, a little clever thing.

These kids today, these athletes, I've been saying this now for a while. It is unbelievable how lucky we are as sportscasters and fans. Find the bad guy. Find the turd. Find the bad NBA guy. I mean, don't get me wrong. The Lakers look like a reality show. they got the goofiest set of guys in the league.

They literally should be on hard knocks NBA. But they're goofy. There's not a bad guy in the league. NFL's got some guys you have to worry about. I'm not saying it's perfect, but the stars, J.J. Watt, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, yeah. I mean, they're like good kids.

They got a fortune. Zion's going to be fine. His coach should stop putting him in a sentence with LeBron James. That's not fair because he's not going to be LeBron. Good God, he's not going to be LeBron. We're not going to see LeBron. There's never going to be another LeBron. That's over.

It's like Tiger Woods. For 12 years, Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson's great. Brooks Kepka, we're never going to see Tiger again. He wasn't even a comet. He was a planet. He flew by. We had to change the gravity.

It's like mentioning him when LeBron is unfair, he can handle it. This kid from day. Day one, Duke basketball, shoe explodes, knee is heard. He has been a total, a 19, 20-year-old kid today is a 30-year-old in the 70s and 80s. The coaching, the nutrition, the trainers, the guidance, the financial support is so much better today. Get Mike Shashefsky on. Ask him what it was like his first two years at Duke and ask him what he's created now.

Those kids come out of Duke, they are ready to roll. They are ready to go. They got financial support, insurance, parental support, therapy, nutrition, training. I mean, they got these kids. You don't think Kansas, Duke, Carolina, those kids come out of those programs and they see miles ahead of where kids 70s, 80s, even Michael Jordan saw in the 90s. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. The Patriots had a number of players decide to opt out of the 2020 season. This sparked a conspiracy theory that Bill Belichick was the mastermind behind the players' decisions so that the team could tank in 2020. But tank? It's not tanking. Why are we on this? It's not tanking. Because we're not creative enough to come up with a better term.

We are. We call it restructuring. That is not. I mean, restructuring is not as, it's not as palatable as tanking is. Tanking. Tanking is easy for a right. to say because it gets a headline and clicks. Yes, I'm saying. Restructuring.

That's not sexy. But restructuring is what they're doing. They're not tanking. Nobody thinks they're going out there like, listen, we're going to lose 24-0. What they're doing is, ooh, Brady left. We got a salary cap issue. They're doing what the dolphins did last year. But what did they call it?

They called it a tank. Dolphins were never tanking. They were overwhelmed early. When you watched what the dolphins did last year, if you actually watched the games. No, in the beginning, I did think that it was a tanking, because I didn't know what was going to happen with Brian Flores. But once I watched Dolphins, because I'm a Dolphins fan.

So once I watched the games, I was like, oh, well, they have an actual plan. Vision. This is very interesting. Brian Flores is actually a good coach, and they're actually developing their young players, and they're playing hard, and they seem to be building a culture. So I'm okay with this. I'm not okay with tanking. Yeah, there is no tanking in the NFL.

You can't tank in hockey and football. It's too violent. You'll get hurt. Well, the problem is players, don't actually tank, right? Organizations tank, players don't tank. So if an organization is planning on tanking,

they're going to bring, they're either going to drop all their stars, right, which is what the dolphins essentially did, but the dolphins were developing their young players and building a culture. If you're tanking, you're just going to just go with whatever is there and not give them any support whatsoever because you want to lose.

But players don't want to lose because players are always auditioning and getting tape out there for their next job. Same as coaches. Coaches don't tank. Why would coach tank. It goes against what coaches and players are wired to do as human beings. Organizations and front offices tank. So they're still

going to go out there and play hard. They're just not going to have the support and the talent that they need to win. But that said, Patriot's Safety, Patrick Chung, who's one of the players that opted out, is shutting down those rumors in response to the theory. He tweeted, whoever said that is dumb. Yeah, if you call it

tanking, it is dumb. Right. So I've always felt like this was the last year for the Patriots, even before Cam was there. Now I think they are more interesting because Cam is there, but then this has actually thrown a new curve in the situation because they're going to be missing a lot of great players. And again, I don't have a problem with any players sitting out in this situation. Whatever the case may be, whether they have someone at home that's vulnerable or not. Like, this is a pandemic. Everyone is dealing with it,

however they want to deal with it. We have no idea what's going on. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. So if you don't want a player, you feel vulnerable or you don't want to put your family at risk, okay. Like, there's no argument for me. They're physically going out there and putting yourself at risk. So I'm fine with that. But regardless of whether they opted out or not, this season for the Patriots, which is not going to be a season that is going to lead them into the future.

It's just an experiment with Cam. We'll see what happens. I'm interested in watching and players are opting out, so we'll see what happens. So the ACC has announced their plan for football in 2020. The conference will have an 11 game schedule with no divisions starting the weekend of September 12th. Each team will play 10 conference games and one non-conference games with two by weeks. That's so if anything happens, COVID-related, they have a little more flexibility in the schedule. Notre Dame will be included in the conference for this season and will be eligible to play in the ACC title game.

This is finally the way it should be, which is Notre Dame is no longer an independent. Let's get out of the BYU-N Notre Dame independent. We've moved past that. Get into a conference. Yes. And all television revenue, including that from Notre Dame's NBC games, will be split between the 15 institution. So the ACC championship game will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina on either December 12th or 19th and will feature the top two teams with the highest conference winning percentages.

So the ACC has a plan, obviously pending everything that's happening in the country at that time, but they do have a plan. So Anthony Davis has been healing since he got poked in the eye during the team's scrimmage Saturday, despite some concern that he wouldn't be available tonight. He fully participated in practice yesterday. And he said the plan is for him to play in the Lakers' first game against. the clippers. He was wearing some protective goggles during some of the practice as well. That's fine. Get out there. He said he didn't anticipate having to wear the eyewear in the game,

but he gave it a test run. LeBron jokingly called him Anthony Jabar Davis. Bottom line is play. LeBron would play with that. Well, LeBron's played with the mask before. Of course. Which is incredibly uncomfortable. Rip Hamilton for the pistons played for like a year. Yeah. I mean, you don't want anything on your face when you're playing basketball if you're not used to wearing dogs. Yesterday, I poked myself in the eye seven, eight times during the show yesterday. Still talked. Still talked. This is right here is guts.

Tough work over here. All right. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. All right. Brought to you by Mercedes Best, the Best or Nothing.

Chris Broussard, basketball guy, Fox Sports NBA. We got hoops tonight. So true hoop comes out. True hoop comes out. Henry Abbott writes a story. Said LeBron's antisocial. He's overly competitive. Anthony Davis had softened him and my takeaway is

what time out? I want LeBron to be more like Anthony Davis. I don't buy it. I mean like I don't understand the criticism of LeBron. I don't buy this he's obsessive stuff. I think he's relentless like the all-time greats like Elon Musk like Michael George. What are your takeaway on it? Yeah. And look, I know Henry well. He was a former editor of the NBA at ESPN.com and a great guy, great reporter. But I agree. First of all, LeBron is far from antisocial. I mean, LeBron is one of the most gregarious people that you'll meet, particularly in the NBA.

So that was wrong. I do think he's obsessed with greatness, which is what all the greats are. Michael Jordan, obviously, was obsessed with greatness. And sometimes when you're obsessed with greatness, it rubs people that don't mind being mediocre or okay or very nonchalant about winning. It rubs them the wrong.

way. We saw it with Jordan, Magic Johnson for all the smiling and all that. He was obsessed with greatness. Same with Larry Bird. Isaiah Thomas. That's how the greats are. So there's no issue there. And I even thought like the story talked about how because of LeBron's personality that some guys haven't liked playing with him and things like that. I think it's more about the fact that when LeBron plays, he, he, everything goes through him. I think that is what has kind of pushed more players away than just LeBron's obsessiveness and control over everything. Now, I'm not saying it doesn't rub some guys the wrong way, but I think the bigger challenge

is that everything goes through LeBron. When he's on the team, he becomes a system, he makes all the plays, and that can be challenging when you're a great player. Even a Kyrie Irvin, who's a point guard, had to back off and let LeBron handle the ball most of the time. Yeah, which has never bothered me, but I do believe it's a reality to play with LeBron James. DeWay, Kyrie Irving, it's LeBron's team. Now, Lakers, Clippers tonight, does it matter more for one of the teams and why? Colin, as excited as I am about this game just because it's the return to basketball, what makes me even more excited are

the dynamics now. What has happened in the bubble? The Lakers are focused. They are zeroed in. James looked like he hasn't missed the beat. He looks like he's in great shape. And that team is serious. And the clippers are the opposite. They got guys going in and out of the bubble, guys, you know, going to the nightclub. And Kauai doesn't look good in the first three exhibition games.

So my point is this. If the Lakers can't beat the clippers tonight under these circumstances, they've got AD, they've got LeBron, they're healthy, And the Clippers are without their third and fourth best players, Lou Williams and Montres Harrell, and maybe their fifth best player, Patrick Beverly. And if they still beat the Lakers tonight,

then I don't know how you can think the Lakers are going to beat the Clippers and the playoffs if they lose tonight. Now, I think the Lakers will win, but if they lose, that'll be three losses in four games this season. Twice the Clippers will have been without their full complement of players. and now they're just kind of lollygagging through the bubble so far and they still can beat the Lakers? This is, I would say, virtually a must win for the Lakers,

assuming they play LeBron and AD 30 plus minutes and try to win. So Charles Barkley came on the other day and he said if the Lakers win, it's up to Anthony Davis. I don't see the Lakers as a championship team. I think they're going to be really good because of LeBron and AD, but I don't like their bench. I think it's an odd mix of guys. way past their prime.

I don't trust Kyle Kuzma in a big spot. Alex Caruso is limited. I've never seen him in this moment. I don't think the Lakers are a championship team. But your thoughts about how valuable A.D. is. Is he more valuable than LeBron? I think the Lakers are the second best team in the league. I think the Clippers are the best.

So I think if somehow the Clippers get upset by someone else or if the Lakers get past them, I think they'll win it. I think they'll beat Milwaukee or whoever were to come out of the east. Look, LeBron is clearly the Lakers most valuable player. I mean, he makes everything go. But I do agree with Charles in that AD will be the key. That doesn't mean he'll be the finals MVP necessarily, but he will have to be dominant against the clippers

because Barclay's right. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they match up well with LeBron. We saw in the first two meetings of the regular season, George wasn't even playing. And LeBron was not able to take over to four. quarters because the clippers have great perimeter defense. That means Anthony Davis, who the clippers have no matchup for, is going to have to be dominant in the fourth. And Colin, that's one

thing I'm going to be watching for tonight. In their three games, he's averaged 26 points, so that can fool you and make you think, oh, wow, AD's had his way with the clippers. But no, he's had eight points in the fourth quarters of the three games combined. That's 21 minutes. He's got to be much better. I've been saying it all year. The Lakers need to get AD used to being a go-to guy in the fourth quarter. So Alvin Gentry says, oh, come on. Slow down on Zion. We're putting too much weight in his shoulders. It's like LeBron.

And my take is Zion has shown us since Duke. He's a big boy. He can handle this. He's got maturity beyond his years. Nobody thinks he's going to win the title. That Alvin's bulldoze parenting him. He's clearing all the runway. for him. It's like, Alvin, chill out.

Well, this is, this is what Alvin does. And Alvin's a great guy. Anybody in the NBA will tell you that. But he under, under, what is it, under promises and overdelivered. That's what he, he sets the tone. He always downplays everything. So, um, I look, I think right now, and as you said earlier, you're absolutely right. First of all, why are you putting him in the same sentence as LeBron if you want to downplay expectations? I think right now, Colin, everything is great. All we expect from Zion is big time scoring and excitement. That's it.

Some dunk, some excitement, some hype, and you give us 20 plus points. He can do that. The challenge for Zion will come in a few years, perhaps, if it becomes a challenge, is when people start expecting him to win. Right now he's got two, three years, four years maybe of a honeymoon period. Yeah. Well, we just want the hype. We just want the highlights, 25 points, and you're good.

you're an all-star every year. Once we start saying, okay, can you win? That is when the challenge will become for Zion because I'm not convinced yet that his greatness, and he's going to be a star, will lead to winning, though, because, you know, can he rebound the ball at big numbers? We'll see. He's only giving you seven a game right now.

And they're winning. They're 10 and 9 with him, Colin. They were 11 and 5 in the 16 games before Zion reproof. or Zion returned. So they were already playing. Well, the good thing for him is he's with a really good young team. You got Lanzo, you got Ingram, you got Drew Holiday. So they should be in a position to win in a few years.

I'm not sure if he'll be the driving force, the number one guy, but he'll put up big numbers and they should be a pretty good team. So Nick Wright and I are going to be at my house tonight, having some tequila, watching it and going on Instagram. And so you'll want to check that out, Bruce Ard, because there'll be a lot of basketball knowledge being driving. on IG live. I've never done Instagram live tonight.

I'm doing it with Nick Wright and tequila. That sounds exciting. It kind of is. Exciting. Yes. Sounds dangerous. Good seeing you, buddy. All right, man.

Not too much. Not too much tequila, he said. Of course. Just one little drop of tequila. So that Nick, Nick, Nick's a tequila guy. I'm not. So we'll see. Don't drink tequila?

No, I do not. No, no dark liquors, no rums for me. No whiskey. No rum, but tequila is. Yeah, I have snake dreams with wine. I'm very limited. You are. Yeah.

Vodka. You should try non-acoholic beer. Not going to happen. Get the beer gut without the tipsy. Not interested. Coming up next. What is Major League Baseball doing? What are they doing?

That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is. not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments

and sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me

or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day but just so y'all know I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack so I'm starting to see there's a through line

We also have AIDS on the table right now so Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important year for black people Really? Yeah for me it's one of the most important

years for black people in American history Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

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

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, 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. So strange, the Dodgers had the 2017 World Series potentially taken from them because the Houston Astros cheated. They had a spreadsheet called Codebreaker in which they stole signs and then relayed them to hitters.

That's sort of a no-no. They lost draft picks, but they never had a game taken from them. Yet Major League Baseball suspended for eight games, meaning the Dodgers will pull. probably lose once or twice more because Joe Kelly pitcher's been suspended for throwing at and over the head of Houston Astro batters. Lance McCullors is a fine player pitcher for the Astros, and he did not like what Joe Kelly did. Joe Kelly threw a ball behind Bergman's head on 3 and 0 on purpose. Not only did he, you know, take it upon himself to, you know, I guess, send a message,

but he wasn't even part of the team during that season. You know, we knew coming into the game that he likes to go off script. So it is what it is. It was done unprofessionally. What he did after you punched out, Correa was unprofessional. Running into the dugout was unprofessional. So it is what it is. We're here to play baseball.

We just want to win. So, you know, that's it. Let's deconstruct some of those comments. Joe Kelly did it on purpose. Did you not cheat on purpose? Joe Kelly was unprofessional. Ringing the 2017 World Series wasn't unprofessional. All we're here to do is win.

No, in 2017, that's not all you were there to do. You were there to rig the sport. Stop talking, Lance. Stop talking. Baseball, and other sports don't have this. baseball polices itself. Baseball doesn't have a clock. Other sports have a clock.

Baseball doesn't. Other sports have a salary cap. All of them. Baseball doesn't. Baseball has a lot of things. Unwritten rules. Other sports don't. Baseball's unique. And baseball also has a system in which they police themselves. And if you cheat, you will have a small, hard baseball thrown at you.

Colony, throw it his head. He's a professional pitcher. He knew where it was going. These are pro athletes. They can move out of the way. Find me the litany of players hit in the head, boinked by a baseball who never played again. It's short.

When Astro supporters and players and fans and coaches talk about Joe Kelly's intent, he threw it a guy. Your intent was to rig the sport. I'm going to go with that's worse. And baseball never really punished you. draft picks, fired your GM. Ooh, talk about a slap on the rest. So baseball didn't take away any games from you.

So Joe Kelly is doing what baseball pitchers and players do. And by the way, it is allowed because I've seen it a thousand times. John Smoltz came on our show, Hall of Famer, and said, yeah, occasionally I was asked to throw it, guys. All right, you throw a little high. What, would I only get a hitch on the ankles? You rig the World Series and I get a throw right at your butt. That's it? You weren't limited.

Why am I? I have no problem. When you work at a company, you have to know what you can get away with and what you can't. In football, if you jump off sides, this is why a lot of edge rushers, Joy and I talked about this yesterday. This is why they guess, they guess, they get to five-year penalty. This is why you see two or three times a game, a great edge rusher.

He is guessing. He is looking at that ball. He is moving off. Because it's not much of a penalty. in the NBA occasionally to send a message, second quarter you do a hard foul. Guy gets a couple free throws. That's why guys occasionally hard foul.

In baseball, if you cheat or stare at a home run, like it or not, there will be repercussions. And that ball's a weapon, and it hurts. And these guys throw 98, and you'll get one in the ribs, maybe sail it high. Joe Kelly can occasionally be wild. He knows where the ball's going. nobody got hit, nobody got hurt.

But baseball was absolutely hurt by what the Astros did. I think repercussions are okay. You stole something from us. Baseball didn't make it punitive. This time we took it into our own hands a little. A little fine, a little suspension. I'm not saying life should be a prison yard, right? That's not what I'm saying here.

But throwing the ball to a guy, throwing behind him, Eight games seems a little stiff to me. This is baseball. In football, you get a five-yard penalty. In baseball, you get a 98-mile-an-hour heater to the ribs. Don't cheat. That's a you problem, Houston, and stop talking, Lance McCullors. Intent?

Shh. Don't want to hear it. On purpose, shh. Not interested. All we're here is to win. You had a spreadsheet called Codebreaker. Hour two. Peter Schrager.

Next. Want 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full. year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman

on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care where you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's

a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross

double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the look Back Added podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

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

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

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keer 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. Ah,

it's hour two. Jason Terry, former NBA champ, I'm going to be joining this hour. Peter Schreger, too. Live in Los Angeles. Getting warm here.

It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Fox Sports Radio and right here, FS1. Good show today. First hour just roared through. Very aggressive. I've become very aggressive. Very aggressive sports takes.

Joy Taylor's joining me. Whenever I hear the Astros do this, like the Dodgers are throwing at the Astros. What if it kills him? What if I can't live a what if life? What if I drive to work today and somebody teabones me? I can't sit and worry about it. nobody's getting killed in baseball.

Give me the litany of players who've even, like, had their careers manipulated by getting hit with a fastball. Like, stop with the what-if stuff. I throw a fastball at your ribs. It gets a little away and goes high. Duck. You're a pro athlete, duck. I mean, it's also why they were helmets, but. Yeah, they were batting helmets.

I mean, I didn't love throwing at his head. I have no problem with throwing at him. Yeah. But, again, I just don't want to hear from the Astros. I have some self-awareness. I don't want to hear from you. If it's another team talking about it and they don't love it. Okay, I'll listen to that.

The Astros I have no interest in hearing from. They had a file called Codebreaker. I mean, it's like, this is, you got to pay your dues. You cheated. You got the World Series. No one's taking it away. It's in the books. All right.

Now you got a huge break. There's no fans to boo you at every single stadium. This is what it's going to be. Yeah. So tonight, NBA's back. I do not think the Lakers are a championship team. I think they're just asking too much of LeBron. I don't like the bench.

Kyle Kuzma's not a legitimate three. You don't know what you're getting, Kuzma. 26, one night, zero the next. 36 one night, four, the next. He did this all regular season. It's who he is. He loses confidence, and I don't think LeBron trusts him. And I think Anthony Davis is somebody that I've never seen an alpha dog.

I've never seen it. He's just talented. And I think in the NBA, in the playoffs, two things matter. Talent and leadership. And he's just talented. Charles Barkley, though, disagrees. He thinks Lakers are a championship team. I've always said this.

I love LeBron, everything about him, but it's going to come down to Anthony Davis. Because you think about this, LeBron is going to have his hands full with Paul George and Kauai offensively and defensively. So at his age, that's a lot to ask to handle those two guys. Nobody in the NBA can match up with Anthony Davis.

To me, he's going to be the guy who's going to dictate whether the Lakers win the championship or not. and I think if that's the case, it's a knot. I've never seen him be a dog. I've never seen him be a leader. I've never seen him bark at a player. When KG and Rondo were in Boston, they would bark at Doc Rivers.

Forget teammates and opponents. Miami, LeBron, Wade, Bosch, barking at Mario Chalmers. Great teams are verbal, and they bark and they demand and they got dogs. Anthony Davis is simply talented. I've never seen it. All the Anthony Davis fans go, oh, look, numbers.

Numbers! Numbers! He had those numbers in New Orleans. They won a single playoff series. I know he gets numbers. The playoffs aren't about numbers. The playoffs are about leadership. Because these games are close.

And the better coaches and the better stars and the better... I've seen bird yell at people. I've seen MJ. I've seen Magic. I've seen Kobe. I've seen LeBron. I've seen D. Wade. I've seen Kevin Durant bark at guys.

I've seen Draymond Barkett guys. Never seen Anthony Davis do it. I want to see it. Otherwise, you're just talented. I'm over talented. The world's full of talented people. Doesn't have many leaders. World's got talent everywhere.

NBA's got talent everywhere. How many leaders are there? Five, eight, seven. Not a lot of leaders. So if it's coming down to Anthony Davis, even on those Pelican teams, remember when they won that playoff series against Portland? The leader in that series was Drew Holiday and Rondo.

That's what everybody talked about. They're like, God, Drew Holiday just took the series over. Anthony was just talented. And I don't think talent wins it alone. I think Toronto won the championship last year. They got some breaks with health, but they had great leaders on the team. They had veteran players. They had a coach that people believed in.

They had Kauai Leonard. There was leadership all over that locker room. That Warriors team wasn't just talent. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, Draymond, have real leadership qualities. LeBron D. Wade, go last 25 years in the NBA. You go look at that Dallas team that shocked everybody. There was leadership there. Rick Carlisle.

It was a veteran NBA team in Dirk and Bitsk because it's a bunch of old guys. They weren't the most athletic. They had leadership. San Antonio's dynasty is about leadership, not just talent. So if Anthony Davis is the reason you're going to win, you got to give me more than stats, got to bark at guys, got to get after guys. Got to hold guys accountable.

Leadership's hard. Talent, you wouldn't be in the league if you didn't have it. NFL came out yesterday. NFL.com top 100 players voted on by the players. A lot of its nonsense. But they're, you know, they're mostly accurate. Number one, Lamar Jackson, two, Russell Wilson,

three, Aaron Donald, Patrick Mahalms, number four. And I think the thing I was happiest about, and you know what it's going to be, the players now are finally acknowledging Russell Wilson's great. battle lines, below-average tight ends, seventh round running back, antiquated offensive system.

I was talking to a former NFL quarterback last night. A guy I've never brought on this show before really smart. And he said, Russell Wilson is the doing more with less quarterback in the league. That's not to say he's without flaws. But if you look at Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, they got the coach and the system and the line and the weapons and the running backs, and Russell does not.

This is finally players. By the way, last year, Russell Wilson was ridiculously 25th in this. This is players going, oh, we get it. And that's okay. One of the things, Bill Maher is a commentator on HBO, and he said this for years and years with politics, stop yelling and screaming because everybody doesn't get everything at the same time. time.

Twelve years ago, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were opposed to gay marriage. It was a bad take, but you can't demand growth and perfection. If we're going to grow, then we've made mistakes. And we've been on the wrong side of history and wrong side of humanity. And so players for a long time, they just didn't get Russell Wilson. And maybe he's a little smaller. He doesn't have the Mahomes arm. The system over there was very Marcheon Lynch and defense.

and the defense had a nickname and Pete Carroll's a legend. But players now are acknowledging, all right, guy, they have him second best player in the league. That's, this is where he should be, top three player in the league. I've said, I think he's the best football player in the world. I don't necessarily think he's the best quarterback talent. I think Mahomes is currently the best quarterback talent in the NFL. I could argue Aaron Rogers is the second best quarterback talent. Lamar is probably the greatest athlete and getting better at the quarterback stuff.

But Russell, to me, is the best football player in the league. if you combine playmaking, toughness, leadership, IQ, self-awareness, elevating others, world's best football player right there. And by the way, I've had, I used to say this about Ladani and Tomlinson when he played for the Chargers. I thought he was the best football player in the world. He never fumbled. He could catch. He could block.

He could run. He was a leader. He never got in trouble. He made everybody better around him. I thought LaDan Tomlinson for about five years was the world's best football player. I'm not saying most valuable, but literally did everything well. I think Aaron Donald right now. is probably the second best football player in the world.

And Russell Wilson won Aaron Donald, too. The gap between Aaron Donald and the second best defensive player in the league, it's absurd. Aaron Donald's graded everything. Pass rush, double-teamed against the run, leadership, never gets hurt, has to be schemed. So it's nice. The players finally got it. Took them a while. I get it.

By the way, I started the show today talking about. There's an article out there criticizing LeBron for being antisocial. True hoop went out and said, you know, he's antisocial. He's overly obsessive, which I don't even know what that means. I mean, you're obsessive or I don't know what over it. What's the line on obsessive? But I saw a story in May, and I just, I roll, sometimes the media wears me out. Most people in the media are not aspirational.

I mean, if you wrote two columns a week, and that's all you do, it's a nice lifestyle. You go to games, get free hot dogs, a couple of columns a week. You're not trying to change the world. But don't criticize people like Michael Jordan and Elon Musk who are trying to change the world. So Slate, which is kind of everybody's a victim website, they wrote an article about Michael Jordan. And the headline was, is there anything more to Michael Jordan than basketball? If this documentary is the final word in his legacy, the answer is apparently not. Oh, good hell.

Had an incredible relationship with his mother. great relationship with his wife, close to his kids. He has an incredibly tight circle of friends, same guys for 25 years. He's got a hobby, golf, loves it. If that, and oh, by the way, his profession, he's the greatest in the world at it, not just basketball, but apparel. If that's not a full life from some sports writer for slate, what's your life look like?

The documentary was a journey through the 1998 season when the general manager said, we're firing Phil Jackson regardless. That's what the documentary was about. It was about a season of Michael Jordan. They sprinkled in his family. They sprinkled in parts and elements of his life. But his wife did not appear in it.

Michael probably didn't want his wife in it. He probably didn't want his kids in it. You know, a lot of people in my business don't put their kids on Twitter or social media. They don't want their kids out there. The idea that Michael Jordan has this shallow life, oh my God, he sleeps with a basketball. What a shit. If I know somebody and they have a great relationship with their parents and a great relationship with their kids and they've had professional success and a good hobby, I'm out.

That's a great life. Parents, kids, tight friends, good career, and yet even have a hobby. Everybody should have a hobby. Everybody should have a good hobby. That's not a complete life. Like the media is, you know what? Most of the media aren't aspirational. They write their two columns, get a free hot dog at a game and go home.

That's what your life is. You just don't get. You don't get those like Michael and LeBron. And we have politicians in this country. They're immortal. They want to be, they see they can change the world, not just change a comma on a column. Michael doesn't have a life.

I mean, people are, it's incredible. the gall of it. If that's not having a life, I would like to sign up. Yeah, can I have Michael Jordan's lousy life? Great relationship with his mom, his kids. He's had the same, Michael's had the same group of about six guys he runs with for 20 years. That's the way to do it. Also, being obsessed with what you are great at is not a bad thing.

Yeah, like, if I was obsessed, if I was obsessed about, like, singing, and I have no, I can't sing. I have no ability. I can't carry a single tune. Yeah, actually, I think we all probably know someone like that who's obsessed with something they like, but they are not particularly talented at. It's called American Idol. People spend 20 years and, like, at one point,

Simon Cal goes, your grandma told you you could sing. I'm here to tell you you can't. That's sad. Being obsessed of something you're not good at. If I was obsessed with golf, it'd be pathetic. I'm losing nine golf balls around. That would be pathetic. Being obsessed with basketball,

if you're Michael, why not? That's what God gave you some gifts. Chase that thing to the end. That's what you're supposed to do, actually. Peter Schrager's going to be joining us next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superheaval. Human documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger

than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space. For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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, in this month. I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you're 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Fox Thursday Night Baseball is coming out swinging.

And this week, J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonzo square off as the Red Sox take on the and other regional action. Francisco Lindor leads the Indians against the twins. That's tonight at 7 Eastern on Fox and the Fox Sports app. Check local listings for the game in your area. Dodgers Astros, I watched

three hours of it last night. I'm not joking. I haven't watched the regular season baseball game for three hours and 10 years. I watched three hours of the Dodgers Astros. One, one, two, two, three, X rating just sat there the whole time. Port a cocktail. It's great to have sports back on. It is. Guys, you're getting older.

Doesn't mean it has to be bad. Check it out. MDrive from N.com. MDrive from N.com. Refind your prime with MDrive. Good to have you in. By the way, we were talking about this earlier. The tanking story on the Patriots, Patrick Chung came out and said that patriots aren't tanking. Anybody that says that is dumb. Words matter. Terms matter.

It's not tanking. It's restructuring with an eye on the future. Back in 2011, Peyton Manning was cleared to play by the Colts. The medical staff cleared Peyton Manning to play. and the cult said no he said we're not we're not going to play him Andrew Luck is available is that tanking

it's restructuring Payton Manning was clear duplamatically and the owner and the GM decided we would be best served if he did not play we've seen this before allowing players to go not signing free agents

three A plus college prospects words matter That's why, have you ever noticed this, instead of calling somebody a salesperson, companies call them account executives. Because salesperson's like, here comes Bob, the salesperson, he's going to sell you, sales guy. But account executive, Bob's an executive, he's got several accounts. We used to call secretaries. Now it's an executive assistant. She works with an executive, and she is assisting him into great things.

Sounds more formal and professional. Gwyneth Paltrow got a divorce. It was not a divorce. Gwyneth Paltrow called it a conscious uncoupling. Now, that's nauseating in very Hollywood, but it was a conscious uncoupling. It's not tanking. It's restructuring. 2011, Peyton Manning can play.

Sit. My young child, the prodigy in Stanford is next. We are restructuring with an eye on the future. That's all they're doing. I feel like I have to teach America all day long. It's exhausting. It's exhausting having to show America what's happening. Peter Schrager.

I don't have to teach Schroger anything. He is joining us in New York City. He's on Good Morning Football. Watch it after you watch our show. Look at Schreger. So, by the way, last year, fourth quarter, Passer rating. Mahomes was 18th. I love him, but he ran a 4-840. He's not as athletic as Lamar. He's not as elusive as Russell Wilson. He's unbelievable, and I love him. But I saw him get shut out in the

first half against New England and the AFC championship a year ago. I saw him play poorly for three quarters in the Super Bowl. Don't I have a right to say, Aaron Donald's the best football player. Lamar's the best football player. It's not crazy, is it? Crazy. Patrick Mahomes is the best football player this league has seen in decades. This is the greatest talent and the second we can tear them down, we find a way to do it. I see these results as the peers voting for it so I can't take any, you know, a fan, it's a writer. It's not like I'm not the one who's disparaging him, but the last game we saw, you know, we're sitting there in a green room calling for the Super Bowl and I got Carissa and Greg Olson next to me. It's a 10-point lead with seven minutes left and they start

preparing their thoughts to explain how the 49ers put the cabash on the chiefs. And it's a slow down, Slow down. This guy is never dead, and this guy is unlike anyone else in the league, and he runs that wasp play, runs a couple plays like this. Sorry, Richard Sherman. I know they voted earlier in the year, and I'm not going to disparage Lamar or Aaron Donald, but I've seen Lamar Jackson contained in the final two playoff games I've seen him play. Last year against the Chargers in this past season against the Titans. I've never seen Mahom stopped. Even when they stopped him for the first three quarters in that Patriots AFC championship game, they found a way to score 31 points in that game.

I don't know. Colin, again, these lists, Madden rankings, NFL network rankings, people can get upset. Mahomes is the best player football in the most important position in the most important sport in our country. So I'll stick with Mahomes. Thanks. All right. So when did I last have you on last Thursday or something? Yeah. Okay. So the Jamal Adams trade happened.

So I was looking it up last night. There's only been like in the last 30 years, like eight players who have been traded for two first round picks. Only three defensive players. One of them was Khalil Mack. Yeah. Okay, this is a safety. If you look at units, how units are paid in the NFL, only tied end in the last

10 years has been below safety in terms of average pay. I got no axe to grind. I'm from Seattle, but man, they gave up a lot for Jamal Adams. No? Sure did. And you're hitting it, Colin. Everyone's looking at this as he's such a good

player. He was a top 10 pick. He plays the safety position. The Jets have already got a lot of money wrapped up in a linebacker, a running back in Levion Bell, and they're going to have to pay Sam Darnold. When Jamal Adams went on the record with the New York Daily News,

the Friday before that weekend, and essentially called his general manager a liar, called out his head coach, and then tweeted about the ownership group. That was that. He wrote his own farewell letter out of New York, and then when the deal came in, Jets couldn't say no. Look, here's the truth. This is a fantastic

player and just what he's going to be awesome in seattle i think he fits their culture great but last year at the trade deadline openly telling members of the dallas cowboys to tell their their franchise and come and get me and doing it publicly jets could not start the season knowing that this guy might have to want to be paid 15 million dollars is a malcontent and doesn't play the position that they want to invest their money when you budget a team out so it's basically joe douglas saying i'll take the picks. We'll go from there and we'll pay Sam Darnold, and we'll see what we can do. I don't have doom and gloom on the Jets on this thing. I think both sides did make out well. But like you said, the Raiders got less for Khalil Mack, one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL than the Jets

did for a safety with two years left on his contract, who has been publicly belly aching for the past six months. So I think the Jets made out well, and I think the Seahawks are going to make out really well, because if Adams is happy, there might be no better safety in the league. In 2011, Shrags, Peyton Manning was clear to play. and the Colt said, no. We have a prodigy in Stanford we like very much a quarterback. I never thought that as tanking. I think of it as restructuring.

I'll give you an example. I sold recently some Starbucks stock. I didn't buy it to sell it. But I'd made some capital gains this year, and I thought, now's a good time to take a step back for two steps forward. I'm not calling it tanking, but the most prepared detailed team, they have a plan on how to go to the bathroom is the Patriots. I'm supposed to believe all this stuff now.

Four times as many players have opted out than any other team. They were not aggressive in free agency. They had no real plan when Brady left. They let go of marginally expensive players. I'm not calling it tanking. That's not what I'm saying. But it does appear to be very timely restructuring with an eye on quarterbacks next year. Can we at least acknowledge that?

I've spoken to so many executives at different teams about what the heck is going on in New England, especially the last 72 hours with all the opt-outs of these veteran players. And of course, each player individually has a valid reason, and we're not going to get into all that. But it does seem odd that the Patriots would have stars that are making $8 million, other stars that are making big salaries opting out while others are not. And here's the feeling. It's one of two things. Belichick has something up his sleeve, which you might indicate might be a look towards the future.

and say this season, we're going to take a mulligan on it. We're going to compete. We're going to do it again. But guess what? There's a chance that if it doesn't work out, well, here's some reasons why, and maybe we can go from there. The other thing is that maybe Belichick said to his players, hey, do what's best for you. I will not hold it against you. And if you really want to go do this, go for it. And then we'll be back in better than ever next year.

I am fascinated by this Patriot situation. And yet, Colin, unlike that Colts team, who I couldn't even tell you who the quarterback was, It might have been Curtis Painter that year. I'm not sure. I wouldn't bet against the Patriots. Not in the AFC East. And as long as that man is calling plays, and as long as Josh McDaniels has drawn up the offense,

I'm not picking any other team to win that division. Buffalo Bill is included. I got to tell you, I still think the Patriots, as long as he's there, we'll find a way to compete, whether they want that or not. By the way, it is interesting. What did you make up in that NFL top 100 pull? Aaron Rogers wasn't the first best quarterback,

the second best quarterback, the third best, the fourth bet. They had him, I think it was six best quarterback in the NFL. You and I, I think, last couple of years have, you know, acknowledged he doesn't quite look the same. It's kind of like players now who held him in goat status four years ago. There is a little erosion with Aaron Rogers, I would say, current vibe or legacy, right?

I don't, I mean, look, 13 and 3 last year, limited offensive weapons. Devante Adams injured, and they still went to the NFC championship. game. I don't know how his peers view him and they clearly look at guys like Lamar and others, but what I was fascinated by, Russell Wilson, Colin, got zero votes for MVP last year, meaning the writers who vote for the MVP, zero votes. In fact, the crazy stat, Russell Wilson has never received an MVP vote in his career, not one, ever. The list of guys who've gotten at least one MVP vote is endless. For Russell Wilson to finish second above Patrick Mahomes, above Aaron

Rogers in the eyes of the players to me was what's fascinating. But as far as Rogers goes, everyone's telling me that he's dialed in, motivated and you hear the same story every year, he's going to make it work. I don't think the shine is off Aaron Rogers just yet. I think he might have one last chapter

as a Green Bay Packard and it might be this season. Shreg looks great. Shreg's got about a day. He didn't shave this morning, so he's got razor stubble. He's got the hair back of Joy. He know what he looked? I just watched a, I just watched a mob special in New York. He looks like a tough guy. You wouldn't want to mess with this guy.

Which family? Which are the five family? Which borough? I'm watching it too, Colin. You got Paul Costellano and John Gotti. I mean, I'm in Brooklyn. Am I an underboss? Am I a captain? Am I a soldier? Where am I at? Shraig, you're kind of working a Bradley Cooper hangover look.

He does. I'll take that too. Joy, I'll take that one. I think he's got a Brooklyn. He doesn't have a Staten Island look. It's either Manhattan or it's Brooklyn. It's definitely Manhattan. Yeah. I'm thinking Patrick Bateman American Psycho. Christian Bales.

Excellent reference. Great movie. Excellent. Shregs, good morning football and stuff. Good seeing you, buddy. Love you guys. Thank you so much for having me. You bet. Always enjoy a nice beer or a cocktail at home. Why not do it with your own bar,

a little outside beauty or a bar cart built by Lowe's. Get inspired. Go to yourself. Go to Lose.com. Show us your transformation with a hashtag Lose Goals. product styles at lows many to choose from. Mine's coming along. Here's Joy with the News.

No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. That's one of my favorite movies. What's that? American Psycho. Oh, it is. Really?

I don't hold it in that highest. I think... Really? Well, Brett Easton Ellis is a great author. So he wrote the book I like. The movie didn't... Really? I love that movie. So the Chiefs have lost a second starter for the 2020 season.

the team announced that running back, Damian Williams, has decided to opt out. The chiefs will now rely on first round draft pick, Clyde Edwards-Hillair from LSU. Oh, boy, he'll play day one. To fill the void in the backfield. So he was, Damian Williams was obviously a big part of the Super Bowl win. He caught the go-ahead touchdown with less than three minutes to go and clinched the win with 38-yard touchdown run with one minute remaining. So Super Bowl hero not going to be there.

But I do like that they have Clyde Edwards-Hallair to step. in there. He's, Foxbet has him second behind Joe Burrow with the best odds to win offensive rookie of the year. He's a good pass catcher. He'll fit into Kansas City really well. He was a really exciting piece of LSU last year

year and I like this pick for Kansas City in the draft so I'm really interested to see how he does. I mean, obviously being able to step into a system with Andy Reed and already a set offensive system this year for a rookie is going to be a great situation for him regardless, but now he's

actually going to get a lot of playtime. Obviously, the other starting guard, Laurent DuBernay Tardiff, opted out as well. He's going to stay in Montreal working with patients. COVID. He's a doctor. So there's been a lot of talk about the NBA title having an asterisk this year. Chris Vos joined that conversation and he disagreed that the title will be less meaningful. He said some people are saying this year's championship is going to have an asterisk next to it. Hell no, it's legitimate. If anything, winning a championship during a pandemic will go down as one of the biggest achievements in the history of the game. I actually agree.

No, let's be honest. LeBron's number one in the Western Conference. He'll be the only guy potentially that wins a title without a single home game. It's a total. Milwaukee doesn't get any home games.

You ever play, you've seen Milwaukee's home record the last two years? If Milwaukee wins it, I'm not delegitimizing it. It's incredible. Well, I think the conversation isn't so much about

if one of the favorites win, like the Clippers, the Lakers, the Bucks, even, you know, the Celtics. I think it's more about if something happens in a team that we did not have in that conversation at the top of the league wins a championship. But to Chris Bosch's point, and I think I'm leaning this way as well now because I'm like, you know, I kind of want to wait and see what happens before I determine how I feel about this year's championship. But with everything that's going on, the unbelievable job at the NBA has done setting up the bubble and keeping everyone safe inside the bubble and everyone following the rules. obviously we haven't been there long, but up until this point, they've done a tremendous job.

I'm with him. This is an unbelievable, unprecedented situation that they're in mentally, emotionally, obviously physically, the anxiety of dealing with everything else that's going on in the world on top of having to play basketball. I'm with him. This is one of those situations that we're going to look back on. And if anything, we're going to talk about what an incredible feat it was to come back, finish the season, and win a championship in this time. I don't think an astric is even necessary. We mentally will remember it that way, but it's not going to delegitimize

the championship in any way. No, I think it looks like the optics. I think it's the aesthetics are great. I think the whole thing is going to work. I mean, I think MLS and NBA, the bubble. Hockey, by the way, same thing, 800 tests, no positives. The bubble may be the way to do it. It may be the only way to get this crap done. Also, you know,

just really strong, strong, patient, measured leadership. Who would think that that would be important? important and leads to success. The odds win the NBA title, according to Fox bet. Bucks favored at plus 250, Lakers plus 250, Clippers plus 300, Rockets plus 600, Celtics are best bet on that board.

Best bet on that's the dark horse team. Best bet on the board right there. I may just knock down a couple. I may put down a crisp Hyundai on the Celtics, a Hyundai. Whoa. I'm going to go a Hyundai with my Lowe's bar cart. What's your standard? For what, excellence?

domination? What do you mean my standard? Like you have a standard bet, right? I usually do a hundy. Okay, yeah. I mean, you've told me before. And then some every once in a while, you'll get really crazy. Not a lot. I bet a hundy. I bet a hundy a lot. No, but didn't like twice last year. Oh, no, no, no, a couple times a year. Yeah, I bet. I bet. I bet a Clemson to beat Ohio State. And I'm not even going to get into what I bet. It was a, for me, it was a massive amount. It was, for me, it was a. I didn't even tell my wife. It was too much money. I felt, I would even tell Ann. I'm like, I'm not even getting. You felt like you were being disrespectful.

Believe me, because I could have bought a nice tennis bracelet for her with that. Like, if she knew I bet that, she would be. See, that's like when I gamble, I have a certain amount that I'm comfortable with losing. Yeah. And past that, it's not a loss to me. It's just like, that was my investment, my entertainment. $100. If you win $100, it's enough to feel good because I can take my wife out the dinner.

Yeah. If I lose it, I'm fine. Well, yeah, because it was like your entertainment dollar. I'm not going to ever get into a space where I'm like getting anxiety about how much I'm going to lose. Speaking of the Rockets being favored, Rockets Guard Eric Gordon suffered a left ankle sprain during the team scrimmage Tuesday. His x-rays came back negative, which is good, but he's still going to be out for approximately two weeks. The Rockets play their first seating game tomorrow against the Mavericks. It's a bad break for them.

It is. Eric Gordon is a great player for them in a very crucial piece. It's good news that he's only going to be out for two weeks, but obviously we're all monitoring these kind of early injuries to see. how they manage them in there. Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed. That's not helping the rockets. Good stuff. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. NBA tonight, Jason Terry, played in that league for 20 years. He's joining us next, The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Listen up, fellas.

Use the right tools. Revolutionary Company called Manscape, the Lawnmore 3.0, geared with skin safe technology, free shipping 2, 20% off. Go to manscaped.com. The code is H-E-R-D. Jason Terry is supposed to join us here in a minute or two. Played 19 years in the NBA.

Is he ready to go? 19 years. Let's bring Jason Terry on. He's an Arizona Wildcat assistant coach now. Former NBA guard is joining us. So I'm interested in here. Houston, Hardin and Westbrook, small ball. You're a coach now.

I think you played with Hardin and Houston. It's very ball dominant. Jason, this small ball with Westbrook and Hardin, how do you think it's going to work in the playoffs? Well, when you have two of the most dynamic and prolific scores this NBA has ever seen, you give yourself a realistic chance to win. And I think playing small ball is very different than all the other teams in the field. And so that too gives them a competitive advantage. Now, obviously there's challenges in the

paint. They don't have much rent protection. But I'm telling you what, they scored the ball so well those two guys and they put so much pressure on your defense that you're going to have to devise a game plan to be able to stop them. And if their role players are hitting threes like PJ Tucker and the other guys, I mean, they're going to be a tough out for anybody to face. Definitely a tough matchup for sure. Some have suggested that the clippers have taken this whole regular season way too lightly. The Lakers, in contrast, they look like they wanted to be the number one seat. The clippers have substituted extra Landry Schmatt as missed 17 games. Paul George, 30, Kauai, a dozen. Everybody's saying, you know, they don't, you know, it's just very laid back.

Do you buy that, that the Clippers haven't quite found their urgency this year? Well, I just believe because of the things that you named, you know, injuries, guys managing minutes, you know, their chemistry is not quite where they want it to be. And hopefully, you know, in this bubble environment, they can get it speed it up a little bit. And so eight games is going to be tough to do it. I mean, you've got three guys, Montrez-Hara, Lou Williams, and Patrick Beverly, guys that have missed time, even though they're in the bubble environment. So that chemistry is still going to be a little fragile.

Yeah. But when you have guys at Aldoers and then a Hawaiian who has proven on the biggest stage and the biggest moments that they can deliver, they got a chance. They have a real issue shot. And Doc Rivers is a great coach. He knows how to get his guys ready and he'll have them prepared for the battles that they will face. Not going to be easy, though, but they'll definitely.

be ready because defensively is where they hang their hat. Okay, Lakers don't have much of a bench. I don't trust Kyle Kuzma yet in a big spot. I like LeBron A.D. and Danny Green, but man, there's a bunch of questions after that. Are they a title team, Jason, in your opinion? 100%. I mean, you're talking about LeBron James. Out of the last nine years going to the finals eight consecutive times, you had last year to kind of rest, reboot.

and re-energize and get that fireback burning. He is chasing not only champions. He is chasing greatness. And you can see it. You can see it in his demeanor, his mentality, the way he answers questions. I mean,

he has a lot to move in year 17 in his career. He still has plenty of juice left in the tank. And then you add Anthony Davis, who at one point when he was healthy, was probably the top three players in our league. And still can say that. to this day. If you look at any games, those are small sample size, nine career playoff games. He's averaging 30 plus points in over 10 rebounds at game. This is a weapon that LeBron has not

had in all his finals runs. But if you do know the similarity in all his finals runs, he has had another dynamic score next to him. Kyrie Irvin, Duane Wade, in the times that he's won the championship. So I believe he has a team to do it. He also has some experience. experience on that coach and step, the friend of mine, Jason, kid, will have him prepared and ready for the challenges he will face. I know Anthony Davis is talented, but I've never seen the dog, and the playoffs are about the dog, barking, hold teammates accountable. I don't care that he's going to get 27 and 12. I want some leadership from Anthony Davis. I don't know, Jason, if he has it. Does he?

Is that in his DNA? Yeah. Not his role on this particular team is to lead. All he has to do is deliver consistently, give consistent defense, make baskets, and when his number is called, he doesn't repeat the lot or put the, put the defense in a vulnerable position. And then rent protection. If you look at the Lakers, they have three dynamic rent protectors, Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, and Jabel McGee. No other team in the league, Eastern Conference or Western Conference, has that trifecta of rent protection. And you know you're going to need that when it comes to a half-port, grinded out game. in the playoffs.

Zion Williamson, I love him. What should I expect from him as a 20-year-old in his first potential playoff run if he can get there? What is a reasonable thing to expect from a 19-20-year-old kid? Well, I think there's going to be some highs and lows, right? You're going to see the dynamic ability of his ability to score, his ability to make highlight real plays. He's become a great pastor also, a facilitator when he's been double team.

But I'm telling you, in the playoffs, as a young player, you're just not ready for the intensity level. It's not anything that he's ever faced in the NCAA tournament or anything that he's faced this season. So I think the intensity level is going to be a adjustment for him. And then facing the same opponent, right, facing the same opponent who is going to know and take away your strengths on the offensive end. He's going to face different type of coverages. You know, he may see some double teams. It's going to be adjustment for him. But what I can tell you, physically, he has it.

That kid is going to be a star in his league for years to come. It's all about mentally as far as he's going to be able to develop. You know, how far, how long will it take forever to develop mentally, that killer mentality that we've seen in young players like Kobe Bryant at a young age, or Brian James at a young age, those type of players. fits it. He has the body type. Arizona Wildcat assistant coach, friend of the show, 19 years

in NBA or Jason Terry. It's great seeing your nice office there today. Jason, good luck to you in the Wildcats down in Tucson. Bear down. There you go. Bear down. You know, the NBA, the thing about the intensity, we got about eight games. It's going to take about

three weeks until we get to the playoffs. It starts tonight. So the first eight games, a lot of it is, you know, crossing your fingers on injuries, guys get in shape. There's a couple of teams like the Pelicans that can play their way into the playoffs. Maybe, I think it's kind of said. I think we know who's a playoff team and who's not a playoff team. I don't think you need as many games.

I will say this about the NBA. I always said football is Italian food. It's pizza. Everybody sort of likes it. It's lasagna. It's pizza. NBA is more sushi. You're into it or not.

There's a lot of critics of the NBA. You know, there's people that don't like the way they handle China. and they're very much into their politics and their players are very outspoken. But remember this about the NBA. The people who are into it don't care. I like the NBA. Have since I was like nine years old. I don't care about that stuff.

I don't care about the China situation. I mean, in the end, every single league has a story they'd rather not go public. I mean, the NFL, and we love the NFL. Joy's brother was a Hall of Famer. They had to write a $900 million check for some concussion stuff. they didn't, weren't real forthright on baseball had a steroid issue. I don't know for a decade and everybody knew about it. These leagues aren't perfect.

They're businesses. Amazon's got issues. So does Apple. They're not perfect businesses. But I would say this about the NBA. I think Adam Silver has done a great job. I think the aesthetics of what I've seen so far is so much better than I thought. Every time I watch one of these highlights when I'm talking to a guest,

I'm like, I thought it was just going to. be. I honestly, I remember thinking, this is going to be like Rutgers Park. It's going to be like a park. It's going to be terrible. And I got to tell you something, it looks great. I mean, I think the baseline, I wish they had an ad along. It looks a little hollow on the baseline. But side of the courts looks fantastic. They have done such a good job. No positive tests. They're going to have a handful of guys leave the bubble. Whatever's chicken wing, girl. friend, I'm not a moralist. Overall, I think the league's done a great job.

Tip of the cap, Adam Silver. Done a great job. All these leagues have. But I think the NBA deserves a lot of credit. This was not easy. Ask the airlines. Ask American restaurants. Ask governors.

Ask our president. This stuff's hard. Hour three next. 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. All right.

Here we go. It's hour three. We're live in Los Angeles. Had an earthquake today, 4.5 on the Richter. This is the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Joy Taylor felt the earthquake this morning. Joy, please explain. It's terrifying. I've felt a couple earthquakes, but they've all been when I'm awake and you just kind of feel like you get busy or something for a second and then you realize what's happening. but this one woke me out up out of a complete sleep. What time? 4.30 in the morning? Yeah. Yeah, that's what time.

I woke up at 4.30 this morning. Did not know what woke me up because I was sound asleep and I woke up and I knew something woke me up. Yeah, I heard it and felt it. And it was loud. It was really scary because you don't know. First of all, like you're waking up and your house is shaking. So that's obviously disturbing. But you don't know when it's going to end.

Right. So even though it was only a few. seconds, it feels like an eternity because you're like, okay, like, is it going to get worse? Is it going to keep going? Everything's going to fall apart. And then I was in a complete sleep. So I was panicking. Yeah. I've been in several earthquakes. Often people rally around me as I save lives and things are falling from the sky. In this instance, I was home alone and it did wake me, although I didn't know until about 10 minutes later when I grabbed my phone and everybody freaked out about the earthquake what it was. So, well, that's good. That's happened to me before too. Like I've kind of woken up and

then the next day found out it was an earthquake, but this one I was very aware it was a shaker. Then we were in our morning meeting this morning and it, yep, and we were like five stories up, little nervous. It's always an interesting experience. But it's like, I mean, everybody's got something. You live in Hawaii. You got volcanoes. Well, yeah, I mean, yes. Like, people always ask in California if you, like, you feel earthquakes. And you're like, yeah, it's part of the deal. But the difference between earthquakes and, well, I guess, I don't know if they can predict volcanoes. You can predict hurricanes. You just you don't know when an earthquake's going to happen. I would rather live in a place that shakes uncontrollably for 10 seconds every 20 years than someplace that has nine months of lousy weather.

Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's we live here. So that's the trade off that we're making. NFL top 100 list is out. Daryl Moose Johnson, broadcaster, former cowboy, three rings, join us. His thoughts about the rankings of some of the players. Best for last. I love this game. It's called the three word game. I'll take all the teams in the bubble. My three words about what I expect to see. But last night, the NFL network released their top 10 players. They slowly do it. They released 25 every day.

Their top 100. And people were very upset with where, you know, Patrick Mahomes landed. Lamar Jackson finished number one. Russell Wilson, too. Oh, my God, Patrick's four and the third best quarterback. So let me ask you, did you watch the Super Bowl? where Patrick Mahomes was outplayed by Jimmy Garoppolo for three and a half quarters. Midway through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl,

with superior weapons and a superior veteran coach. Patrick Mahomes had no touchdowns, two picks and should have had three, and was outplayed, outplayed by Jimmy Garopolo. Did your television not work? Did you watch the game that he trailed at home to Houston 24-0 in the playoffs? Or what he was shut out in the first half, year before in the AFC championship against Bill Belichick and looked awful, finish

the game completing 50% of his throws and trailed by four touchdowns entering at home the fourth quarter. Or did you watch him get outplayed by Jared Goff a couple years ago? Patrick Mahomes is unbelievably

talented. But he admitted, quote, late this year, unquote. I learned how to read a defense. It's not without fault. I'm going to throw a number at you and you're going to be surprised. I'm going to tell you this. He's not the best athlete in the league at quarterback.

Patrick Mahomes ran a 4-8-40. Lamar Jackson is twice, twice the athlete. Lamar Jackson's the fastest player on his football team. Patrick Mahomes may not run the fastest 40 at quarterback for the Chiefs. He's a 4840 guy. He's not as dynamic athletically as Lamar Jackson. He's not as experienced or as elusive as Russell Wilson. Why Russell never gets hit.

He doesn't have the release of Aaron Rogers, nor does he see the field like Tom, Brady, and probably Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. He is not without fault. Do you realize Patrick Mahomes' fourth quarter passer rating last year in the regular season? It was 18th. That is with Andy Reed.

Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey, Mitchell Schwartz. Damian Williams, that is with an unbelievable, unparalleled, unrivaled, schematic Andy Reed weapon cast. He was 18th. He was getting beat badly at home, shut out by New England, worked in the Super Bowl. He was not great in the Super Bowl for the first three and a half quarters. Now, now, is he a great talent?

Oh, absolutely. Does he have the best arm? Oh, God, absolutely. Is he the most fun to watch? He and Lamar way up there. But I don't think he's as strong as wince. Not as big. I mean, when I watched Cam Newton coming to the league, I was like, the hell is that.

Oh, my God, Big Ben. Patrick Mahomes is a slender kid who ran a 4-840 who's got a baseball arm, is fun to watch, is kind of got a Magic Johnson flare for the game, and I love him. But he is not without fault. He admits this year, I just figured out how to read a defense. It's a little late for that, but he, he, He's progressing.

I've said before. I don't think he's scratching the surface, but I think we have another level of Patrick Mahomes. I think he's going to take it to another level. I remember when I used to come back and criticize Aaron Rogers. I used to say, I don't think Aaron Rogers is great. He's not the leader of Tom Brady. I think he throws the ball away too much.

I don't think he always is the best guy in the huddle. I can remember saying that six, seven years ago, and getting nothing but heat on that and saying, I think Aaron is an unbelievable talent, but he's kind of, he's 6-2, 21-15. He's not big and strapping and strong. He gets hurt. And sometimes he can be condescending.

And he has a weird thing where he doesn't have a lot of come from behind wins. And it's not always the Packers' fault. And not every teammate likes him. And I think Aaron's a first ballot Hall of Famer. But God, five years ago, I got crap nonstop. It wasn't until about two years ago when the media, even in Green Bay, started saying some of Aaron's problems are Aaron's fault. Well, Holmes isn't a perfect player.

I think there's a lot of things Russell Wilson does better. I really do. I think there's a lot of things Drew Brees does better at the line of scrimmage. I think Lamar Jackson's a way better athlete. Patrick Mahomes ran a 4-840. In high school, I run a 4-7-5. Me! I'm a radio idiot.

Okay. So Aaron, the gap between Aaron Donald and the next best defensive player in this league is the Grand Canyon. I mean, who's the second best defensive lineman in the league? Fletcher Cox? I don't even think he's close to Aaron Donald,

and Fletcher Cox is a pro bowler and going to be a Hall of Famer. The gap between Mahomes and the other quarterbacks based on multiple skill sets, it's not that great. Some guys are better at stuff. And again, I can like you, but can we at least acknowledge? Russell Wilson is overcoming an antiquated offensive system, a battle line, and undrafted wide receivers. No tight end.

I mean, Russell Wilson is taking a lot of non- and getting to the playoffs. Can we acknowledge that Patrick Mahomes has the best, his coach drives Bill Belichick crazy. Andy reads a wizard. Travis Kelsey's the best tied in with George Kittal and football. Tyree kills the fastest human that's ever put on pads. And Brett Veach is one of the smartest drafting guys in the league.

This idea that everybody's got to follow in line. What I really loved about yesterday, this is what I really loved about it, that Patrick Mahomes went to Twitter. He's very funny. a pencil up there. I'm taking notes. I'm taking notes on this. That's why I love Patrick Mahomes. That's why I love him. He gets it. He's got a little chip on his shoulder. This is the best thing that ever happened to Patrick Mahomes. This is the best thing to ever happen to him. He's too young to be getting $500 million and being the talk of the town. This is a great day

for Patrick Mahom. He got a little chip on his shoulder. Hey, Patrick, you're the third best quarterback in the NFL? No, not third best player. You're the third best quarterback in the NFL. but players think. That is honestly jet fuel for Patrick Mahomes and why he'll win more Super Bowls and form more MVP and make everybody in Kansas City happy. All right. I got this story. NBA's back tonight.

Oh, we have arrived at a lake plentiful with fruit and vegetables. Looks like somebody's looking for clicks. A true hoop website or something. Henry Abbott, who I know and like, but what in God's name is going on with Henry? He says, LeBron James. James, the least told story in the NBA, is LeBron's oppressive, overwhelming, and antisocial competitiveness. It is icky. It's the most under-told story in the NBA.

Abbott noted that James struggles to be around normally motivated, gets impatient with those who don't work as hard. Little tolerance for mistakes. In fact, Henry at one point says this. This is worth a chuckle. LeBron's current teammate Anthony Davis may be softening him since he has a special affection for the big man. Wait, time out. I want LeBron to be more like Anthony Davis.

What the hell out of here? That's the last thing I want LeBron to be is that soft. Yeah, I'm sorry, Henry. I'm sorry, True Hoop, magazine, website, whatever you are. We've spent 15 years comparing LeBron and MJ, mostly doing a poor job. We finally figured out their match. They're obsessive.

Because 99% of the players in the NBA are playing for a paycheck. LeBron's playing for immortality. So was Kobe. So is Michael. So are the great. So is Elon Musk. So is Jeff Bezos. So is Bill Gates.

So is steep jobs. They're ruthless. They're relentless because they're not doing it for a paycheck. 99% of people in America are going to work for a paycheck to be content, to get their kids through school. they like their job, they don't live it. That's fine. But for the truly gifted, it's different.

And we should never ask them to come down to us. They're not demanding we go up to them. LeBron James is not demanding that Alex Caruso be 6'8 and Tower and Tomahawk Dunkett. He's not asking Alex Caruso to do that or KCP, but he will not. He sure as heck will not go down to your workout standards. Thank God somebody with the Lakers is obsessive. Do you think their front office is as good as the Clippers? I don't.

You think their owners as rich as the Clippers? I don't. Do you think their rosters as good as the Clippers? I don't. Thank God he's compulsive. Thank God somebody with the Lakers is. Somebody is focused and driven and willful. Would I respect Michael Jordan Moore?

Let me ask you this. As a parent, one of my greatest fears, other than my kids running into traffic. One of my greatest fears is they will not live up to their potential. I think my kids are really good. They're curious. They've got empathy. They're smart.

One of my biggest fears is I'm on my deathbed, and they took all that potential and didn't do anything with it. You're a parent. Doesn't that worry ever? You just want the best for your kids. Use all your gifts that I didn't have. Would I respect Michael Jordan more today? if he was less relentless, less willful, and wouldn't have tapped every ounce of greatness

out of his potential. That's why we loved Kobe and why we love MJ. That's why we love LeBron, because you get so rarely a Tiger Woods or an Oprah or an Elon Musk who are flawed. But they have this massive intellectual capacity or athletic capacity or emotional capacity and they just squeeze that damn towel and they get everything out of it and you become an icon. LeBron doesn't ask you to be as great as him, but he should never lower his standards for me or you or Alex Caruso.

This article is nonsense. I want LeBron to be more like Anthony Davis. In what lifetime? I want everybody that has nearly as much talent. is LeBron. School teacher, scientist, engineer, radio host. Be relentless. Be willful. Be a pain in the arse. Occasionally not every day. What you want for your kids is what the greats all through this country give us. It's why we'll get through COVID. Because we got 9,000 people working on vaccines and they're brilliant. The idea that I'm supposed to look at the greats in this country,

the Mark Cubans, the Obamas, and I'm supposed to go, you know, if they could just slow down a little for me, nah, not remotely interested. Troy Aikman had that, he had that DNA, that genetic makeup, very intense leader, willing sometimes to be not liked. Now Daryl Moose Johnson, who played with him, will join us. Talk about the NFL Top 100. COVID, what do you do? How do you go to camp? What happens if a player backs out?

What would you think of them as a teammate? That's joining us. Darryl Moose Johnson coming up next, Foxport. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say it. Yep, that's me,

Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

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Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on The Look Back at a podcast. I'm Sam J.

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Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

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on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Occasionally like a cocktail at home. Having one tonight with Nick Wright watching the NBA, low is an unexpected choice to find bar accessories. Check

it out. Get inspired. Do it for yourself. Lowe's.com. Show us your transformation. Hashtag Lowe's Goals. Relax and joy. Little bar cart I'm creating at my house. Nick Wright will see it tonight. Darrell Johnson, Fox Sports, three Super Bowls, over a decade playing in the NFL. He is joining us from his house in Dallas. So, you know, I thought it was that NFL releases the top 100 list, and some of its nonsense. Some of it I just roll my eyes at. Mahomes was the third quarterback. Lamar was first and Russell was second and everybody's all crazy.

And then I think it shows the depth of quality quarterback play. It is interesting, though. I've been on this for about four years that Russell Wilson plays the position differently and we don't know quite how to put our arms around him. And he finished as the number two player in the league and ahead of Mahomes. When was the first time, because you've done Seahawk Games Moose, that you did a Seahawk game with Russell Wilson? And you finally were like, oh my Lord.

This is Steve Young. This is, when was the first time you truly appreciated him? Well, really the first time we did a game because we had the meeting with him, and I was so impressed with him as a young man that I was really excited to see how he was going to play on the field. And he followed it up. And you always hear about the intangibles at the quarterback position. And it was amazing when we sat down with them. They were everywhere.

And you just wondered how the guys were going to gravitate to that. And just watching his growth, his development, you know, how he's become, you know, the centerpiece of that franchise and the success that they've had year in and year out, the consistency. And it all starts with Russell. So for me, the biggest thing was, you know, kind of forming your own opinion of what you thought he was going to be after meeting with him. And then going out and doing that game and seeing everything you hoped would happen from the quarterback position happened. He's got the will to help his team in critical possessions. he wants the ball in his hand at the end of the game when it's on the line. There's just all the things that you can't teach a quarterback.

He has all of those. And it was great to see a transfer from the meeting room out on the field. You know, it's interesting. Lamar Jackson was number one. And I wouldn't make him the number one quarterback. But athletically, Mahomes ran a 4-840. Lamar's like a 435. Athletically, he's just crazy.

There's just nothing else like him in the league. What I like about Lamar is instead of running from his critics are being defensive, he is acknowledged in the last two years, I need to get bigger, I need to be a better pocket quarterback. He's really owned it. He's really come out and say, I heard my critics. I think they're right. What do you think is the next, is this what he is now, or do you think there's a next level for, and you played with Troy when he was real young, is there a next level for Lamar? I think the step that he took last year was amazing. And I think the fact that he has Greg Roman with him as his offensive coordinator. He can play to his strengths.

I think he'll continue to grow probably the next two seasons. And then you'll really start to see him refine his crap, you know, especially when you have somebody who knows that they have to work on the things that maybe aren't as, as at the level that some of the other guys, the Russell Wilson's, the Patrick Mahomes. When you have somebody who understands that and embraces that the way Lamar does, you know, the sky is the limit for him. And I like the point that you brought up. And it goes back, you know, early in my broadcasting career when we had Michael Vic playing in the

league and people were trying to spy him and you're like he's the most athletic guy in the field. There's nobody that can govern him. So why would you put a spy on him? And that will be the problem that Lamar presents the defense is moving forward as Greg Roman continues to find different ways to use it. So I'm excited to see, you know, what's going to happen to him over the next two years in his career. And I love the fact that, you know, maybe a little bit of disappointment on draft day when he came out and kind of that same mentality that we're seeing right now. You know, I'm not going to sit here and whine about it. I'm not going to complain about it.

I'm going to go in. I'm going to work. I'm going to wait for my opportunity. And then when I get my opportunity, I'm not coming off the field. I'm going to make it really, really hard for you to go back to the starting quarterback. You know, I've said this before. I get why players don't like the franchise tag. I'm not a huge fan of it.

And I'm not always for the players. There are times I think owners have rights. They create the capital. The XFL folds. because, you know, the owners aren't making money. You can have, you do need capital. So I'm not always pro player. I don't love the franchise tag.

I could make an argument, and I like Dak. I don't love him. I like him. I like his leadership. I like his maturity and toughness. But I could understand this morning if he's like, I made my owner $400 million. This team was a mess.

Networks didn't even want to put us on for about a year. And I won the division twice. Would you understand if there was a little, resentment by DAC thinking, guys, I made people a lot of money here in Dallas. This is the biggest brand in the world for sports. What if he's a little bitter? You'd be okay with it?

Absolutely. I was a little bitter in my career at times. I can't sit here and judge other people. When you're competitive, just everything you just talked about with LeBron James, and you went not only into sports, but into business as well. When you're wired that way, you also want to be validated. in the belief that you have in yourself. So, yeah, there were two negotiations for me when I was a little bit bitter.

You know, I felt that I was underappreciated. You know, my first opportunity for a good contract, the organization told me, hey, you've done a really nice job the last two seasons, but we want to see it one more time. So before the franchise tag was even in place, I got kind of the franchise tag, not to the numbers they are today, but I got a one-year deal, not a substantial increase in pay, but it was kind of a, let's see it one more time. If you approve it, we'll get you the big next year. We'll get you the big contract.

You better believe you're a little bit frustrated and a little bit bitter. Now, what do you do with that? You know, for me, okay, you just put everything into my court. Now, I'm going to go out and show you that you probably should have signed me to the contract this year. And when you chose not to, I'm going to control the outcome next year during the course of negotiation. So it's really just how you handle it. How do you react to it and how you respond to it? And I think that DAC, everything you said, I absolutely agree.

You know, you really like him. We just talked about Russell and the intangibles that Russell has. You know, DAC has a lot of those same qualities and those same character values. You know, I see him embracing this and making the Cowboys, you know, pay for the fact that they franchise tag them this year. You know, it's interesting. I asked Jimmy Johnson one time about leadership. And he goes, I don't know what it is.

He goes, Troy had it, whatever it is. He goes, I can't explain it. And when I watch, like, Patrick Mahomes, I thought Carson Wentz at the end of last year. That was leadership. Everybody's hurt. He just put the team on his shoulders. When you, leadership isn't talent.

There are, you know, Matt Hasselbeck, I thought, had some real leadership skills. I don't think he had the biggest arm or the greatest skill set. When you go back and you look at Mahomes, one of the things I like about Patrick is his ability to improvise, ad lib, open to coaching, which, by the way, not everybody is. When you go back to Troy Aikman, if you can define it, what made, we all know Troy had an arm, what made Troy great? Because Patrick has a chance to be Troy, reel off multiple Super Bowl here.

In hindsight, what was it with Troy that you first noticed that was just different than other guys you'd play with or seen? There's a unique quality that not only plays. players have, but I think a lot of the great coaches have. I think it's one of the common threads. And they have the ability to make you want to be the best you possibly can be so they will respect you as a player. And that's what Troy has. You know, that's what Troy did for all of us. I wanted, I wanted to earn his respect. When he talked about me to other people, I wanted him to talk, you know, with, you know, a lot of complimentary, you know, things. You know, he works hard.

You know, just all the things that I valued, I wanted him to see that in me. I wanted him to respect me as a player. And I had a coach in college who was the same way. It's very rare when you get that. And it's probably one of the components that LeBron had and all the other people that you mentioned in that previous segment. You want to earn their respect. You want them to value as a teammate. And that was one of the great things that Troy had.

And then when you get a group of guys who all want to do that together, that's when you see a team really become something. special. And the one thing that I think, I don't know Patrick Mahomes while I haven't been around him, I don't know if he has that quality. The thing that I love about Patrick Mahomes is his passion for the game. And that is infectious as well. So there's a number of different ways to be that leader. And it was one of the things that our great teams had. We had a number of different guys who led in different ways. You know, Eric Williams, you know, was our physical presence. You know, Michael Irvin was the heart and soul of the team, the emotional leader. Troy was where the buck stops. He was the alpha leader in that group of probably six or seven guys with great leadership qualities.

That's when it gets fun. And I think with a guy like Patrick Mahomes, the passion he plays the game with, you know, just having all those guys around. He always seems like he's having fun. It's going to be a lot of fun to see his career progress as well. By the way, as a dad, you would understand if a player said I'm opting out, you know, a newborn. As a teammate, though, when you were, you know, you're on those Dallas teams and you know, this is legacy stuff here. You guys are great. Would there be a...

I mean, I could see myself saying if a teammate opted out, man, you're killing us here. But then part of me would be like, okay, he's a dad. There's kids. How do you reconcile all that? Because when you play... Football's so hard, practice with football's hard. Football practice is hard.

How do you reconcile it if a teammate just says, I'm out for the year? It's his decision. These are such unusual times. I think one of the things that our country is struggling with right now is just to let all of us have the information, have the data, understand the science, and then let us make our own decisions. How do we want to live our life during these unprecedented times?

And I think that that's what the NFL has done kind of in a microcosm. And I would have no issues whatsoever if Nate Solder was my teammate. And he was a cancer survivor. And he had a son who was a cancer survivor. and he has a new boy baby boy at the house. For him to walk away from the NFL season this year, absolutely, completely understand that. And for whatever the reasons are for each of these individuals as they decide to opt out for the NFL season, they shouldn't be judged. It's their decision.

They've got all the science. They've got all the information in front of them and let them make that decision. You know, you would hope that you would get together as a team and everybody would discuss it before you went in. And then as these decisions are made, everybody understands and everybody can talk about it. But I like the way the NFL is doing it. They've given them the protocols, which are outstanding. I think they've got a really good shot at doing this. I think they're learning a lot from baseball right now,

is baseball is the other professional sport that's not trying to create that bubble. There's going to be some challenges for the NFL. They've done a lot of good things and put a lot of good things in place. Some guys aren't going to be comfortable with that, and they're going to opt out. There's going to be challenges. There's going to be situations during the course of the season that nobody could have anticipated and prepared for. And it's just how do we react at that time? It's great seeing you again.

We talked, by the way, we talked lacrosse for 10 minutes before we went on the air today. We've got that. Well, it's great seeing you, Moose. Always appreciate it. Love your work. And a couple times a year you stop by first. And I really appreciate you doing it. You're a busy guy.

Thank you so much. My pleasure. Always good visiting with you. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Okay, good stuff. Yeah, Nate Solder of the New York Giants left tackle. He has some, there's some medical stuff in his family and he was uncomfortable.

And to Moose's point, I get it. You know, like what we figured out very early with COVID, it's not about you. I'm not wearing a, I'm wearing a mask for your grandma. Right. Well, that's part of the reason why it's been so difficult to get under control because people only care about themselves. Right. Like we're wearing masks for your sick mother who I could give to you and then you could inadvertently give to her. That's the whole thing about it.

Right. So like if you're not wearing a mask, you're really saying you don't care about anyone else. Right. Like just advertising that. But to his point, even more than that, even if you're not, even if you're not, if you don't have a medical issue in your family and even if you aren't necessarily in a vulnerable space, this is everyone's individual choice whether they want to put themselves in that situation or not. Like, this is not a normal situation. Yeah, and by the way, many of the players in all sports that are moving out, they're people with newborns. Their wife's pregnant, six months

pregnant. Sure, but even if you're just a single person by yourself, like you don't, maybe you don't want to put yourself in that physical space. You don't know how it affects anyone person to person. So whatever choice you make is no one should be judged for opting out of that situation. By the way, you like a beer at a bar, a cocktail at home, create an outdoor bar. Lowe's has all the accessories. Home project. Next few weeks, I'm doing mine.

Get inspired. Do it yourself. Loz.com. Show us your transformation. Hashtag Lose Goals. Joy Taylor with the news. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

So LeBron usually logs off from social media during the NBA playoffs to focus on his game. But this year, he says he will not continue that tradition. I won't be turning my phones off during this run. I can't afford to. I have to continue to checking with my family. You know, every single day, checking on my mom, making sure, you know, everything is still going well, especially in the uncertainty of what 2020 has brought to all of us. So I can't afford to do that and just lose directly.

contact with everybody. But I'll be, you know, as locked in as I can't be under the circumstances. I won't cheat my teammates. I won't cheat our fans and I won't cheat myself. So I'll be ready to go. By the way, he was sitting in a very, a throne-like. It was a very nice chair, wasn't it? Yeah, it was.

I fully understand this. I don't think this is necessarily requirements, you know, to make it through the playoffs. I do think it's cool that LeBron does this and, you know, limits distractions and normal circumstances. But these are not normal circumstances. So you absolutely need to be in touch with the outside world when you are in a bubble and, you know, checking in with your family and everything else. And also, you know, LeBron has a lot going on. So we completely unplug during a time like this really wouldn't make a lot of sense.

I tell my kids, just have your phone on. Don't turn your phone off. Like have it on. Something could happen. But it also can be a very distracting. and consuming thing to be on your phone all day, especially now. But what if I'm choking on an acorn? My kids need to know, I need help.

You got to keep your phone on. Why would you choke on an acorn? I just threw it out there. I'm saying you keep your phones on, America. Stuff can happen. So Matt Ryan is entering his 13th NFL season, but he hasn't had many chances at winning a Super Bowl. When he was asked if he would rather win a Super Bowl ring or get into the Hall of Fame,

he clearly has his sights still on the Lombardi trophy. You know, right now it's, Super Bowl ring is what's motivating me to get out of bed, right? It's about winning that. And so hopefully one will go with the other, but if I had to take one, I'd take the Super Bowl ring. That's not an easy, that's not an easy question. Don't judge an athlete. Don't judge an athlete for that.

Hall of Fame is the greatest honor. To be Hall of Fame, 350 guys have gotten that. What would you rather have? Would you rather have one, have a great career, which Matt Ryan has had. Not Hall of Fame career, but great career. He's going to get boats. And a Super Bowl ring. Okay, I'll give you this.

Or 100% haul of fame. If you're telling me I could have a Hall of Fame Russell Wilson career. No Super Bowl, so. No Super Bowl. Or have a really rocky career and get the hell beat out of me and play on a bunch of teams. But one year I get a Super Bowl, I take the Hall of Fame career. But if you're asking me, I have a great career with a Super Bowl and a great career Hall of Fame, then the Super Bowl is hard to pull away.

Because it's about winning to me. But if you're giving me, Hall of Fame means for 15 years, a generational wealth, or listen, not everybody's a quarterback. You're a left guard. You're cut nine times. I think I go with Hall of Fame. And generally, I'm someone who believes you play to win championships. I'm the same way.

But if I have to choose between one championship, like you said, what are the circumstances? It's like some random year you happen to land with a team that's hot that year and you win a championship. Would you rather be Charles Barkley or J.J. Barrella? Well, I'm just throwing it out there. What would you rather be? Well, yeah, that's my point. Like, are you a legend of the game?

Dan Marino. You are part of the game's history if you are in the Hall of Fame. I'm the same way. That means you can't, you truly can't tell the story of the NFL without you if you're in the Hall of Fame. Or you win a championship. It's tough. I don't know. I mean, because winning a championship is what you play for.

But bottom line is. Bottom line is, if we had a Super Bowl in radio or the Hall of Fame and radio. Yeah, I'm taking a Hall of Fame. One great day or a career. By the way, it's outrageous. I'm not there yet. You got guys WKRP in Cincinnati did updates in the Radio Hall of Fame. I'm out here.

I'm pretty sure you will make it into the Radio Hall of Fame. I'd be surprised. You ever seen who's in the Radio Hall of Fame? All jokes aside. Sales guys, weasily executives. I feel confident that you will be in the Hall of Fame. I'm digging ditches over here with hockey scores for seven months until tonight.

You know what? Honestly, this stretch of shutdown put you in the hall of it. And you're coming with me. Oh, thank you. Thank you. I can't tell the story of the herd during COVID without Joy Taylor. Finally, MLB laid down punishments after tempers flare between the Dodgers and the Astros Tuesday nights. Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly received an eight game suspension for his actions. Eight.

It's absurd. He's appealing his decision and continue to play until the process is complete. and Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts, got a one-game suspension that he served last night. Astros manager, Dusty Baker, received a fine. It's funny, to take any wins from the Astros? Yeah, I mean, the bottom line is for me, I didn't love throwing at his head. I don't mind throwing at him. We knew that was going to happen.

I don't love throwing at his head. It doesn't move me either way. I'm not outraged. However, I just don't want to hear from the Astros. I don't care. I don't care what your opinion is. Other people around baseball, sure, I'll hear it and then make my own decision. But when it comes to the Astros opinion, I'm just like,

interested. Look at him. I watched this whole game last night. I watched three and a half hours of this thing. I'm here for all of it except for the talking while backing up. If you're going to do the talking, walk forward. Yeah, when I trash talk, I walk right to the guy. I mean, otherwise, what are you doing? What's the purpose of it?

Yeah. It's like, hold me back guy. When I talk trash, I stay seated with a microphone in front of me. I'm very intimidated. Yeah, that's actually what we do. All right. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Herd Lod. NBA season restarting tonight. Nick Wright's going to come to my house. Yeah, we're going to drink tequila. Do Instagram live, I swear to God. Playing the three-word game next in the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

NBA season resumes tonight. Pelicans, jazz, Clippers, Lakers. And best for last, we do what we do about five, six times a year. We call it the three-word game. Everybody can be described. Every team in any sport in three words. Here we go. Lakers.

LeBron's last chance. 17th season. It's not a good draft. There's nobody in free agency of note. LeBron's getting older. I don't think he trusts Kuzma. Danny Green will just be older. Another year for Anthony Davis on that worn body.

LeBron's last chance. Clippers. Kauai becomes legend. No player is ever one of finals MVP with three different teams. In fact, no player has ever won the finals MVP in two conferences. He wins it now. I think you have to put them in the top 10 players of all time. Nuggets.

Not enough experience. All their players are kids. Yokic is 25. Jamal Murray's 23. Gary Harris is 25. There's a lot to like about Denver, but we've always known the NBA playoffs is about baby steps. First you make it. It's like Milwaukee.

You make it, then you win a series, then you win a couple series. They're still. Denver's good, but they're a year away. Jazz. Not enough note. Once Bogdanovich got hurt, wrist injury, they don't have enough scores. Donovan Mitchell's the only starter over 15 a game. They're like Boston without a Jason Tatum.

There's a lot to like. Lot to like. Thunder. Shock of season. Do you realize since mid-January? They've had the best record in the NBA. I'm not joking. 17 and 5.

Now, outside of Chris Paul, it's a bunch of dudes averaging like 12 points a game. And I think the playoffs is situational basketball. So you've got to have more dudes. They are the best story of the season. That is about coaching, Billy Donovan, Chris Paul's leadership. They've been a great story. Chris Paul, by the way, led the league in clutch points this year. That's kind of surprising, right?

How about the Rockets? Small ball world. They trade Clint Capella and Robert Covington in February. They don't have a starter over 6'7. They chuck up a lot of three-pointers. I think they have a chance to surprise people because they're so unique. You can't prepare for them. If you go big, you can limit Westbrook maybe at the rim,

but you won't keep up with them. You can't get too big against Houston. They're going to run you up and down off the floor. So I don't know how much success they'll have, but they will be in spurts. They will be incredibly difficult to defend. Mavericks. Cool hand, Luca.

Highest scoring offense by any team in 45 NBA seasons. Isn't that remarkable? Highest scoring NBA offensive rating, 1.16.7. Porzingas, Luca. Mark Cuban, has got to love this. His star is 20 years old, hardworking nose to the grindstone. How about the Grizzlies? Want some more.

And J.A. Morant. A tremendous fun young talent. This is a team that has struggled against better teams. They're a rebuild. So it's okay. Eight and 20 against winning teams. But all rookies in the NBA,

John Morant led all of them with 11 double doubles. He is a spectacular. Very much Westbrook with a better shooting touch. A little better shooter than Westbrook. Same hyper-athleticism. Trailblazers. Don't doubt. Dame. They also get

Nerkich back and Zach Collins back. Portland's very interesting. They could work their way into the playoffs. They get their size back. We know Dame now that Steph Curry is out. He's the best shooter in the playoffs. He's the best shooter in the bubble

now is Damian Lillard. Watch out. Pelicans. The Zion King. Listen, they were plus 10 points a game when he was in minus three and a half when he was off the floor. Brandon Ingram's a more complete player.

This kid is the straw that stirs the drink. First rookie to average 23 points and six rebounds since Shaq. And 92, 93, as a rookie. Bucks. Everybody hates Chris. That's funny. Chris Rock Show. Chris Middleton said he didn't touch a ball for like three months, four months.

Come on, bro. You can't make that public because if you struggle, we're all going to hammer on you. They're also 9-1 without Middleton this season, and he's got a max contract, so a lot of eyes on Chris Middleton. He needs to play well. Janus will. Chris Middleton needs to play well.

Raptors. Back to extinction. You know what? They crushed bad teams this year. 35 and 4 against the NBA's junk. Sub-500 against winning teams. They're going to miss Kauai. Get a bucket, get a stop.

In the bubble. Celtics. Dark Horse Champs Number two defense Three guys average in 20 plus a game Jason Tatum was a top six player in the league At the end of it Most people think situationally

Brad Stevens is the best or second best coach in the league Watch out They're my dark horse champs Miami Still too young Like Denver feels like a year away For their top six players are kids Now Jimmy Butler's been terrific

I get the coach and a star player. Very dangerous. And like Houston, they shoot a lot of threes. They can be streaky, but they shoot a ton of threes. And the 76ers, Philly ain't special. They're horrible on the road. Chemistry issues. They're 19 and 19 in their last 38 games.

They started the season really well. Maybe the time off did them well. I just don't think they're. next level special. I don't think M. Bede and Simmons work together. All right, I'm going to do Instagram live tonight. No idea how to do it. I'm so nervous about this.

Tequila and Instagram lies. But you're not going to drink tequila. No. Nick is going to drink tequila. I need total clarity. Nick will be out there off the rails. So you're not going to have any drinks? No, maybe. One. I need clarity and I have to be functional for Instagram Live tonight.

Represent my Instagram page. Okay. We'll have a cocktail at my home bar built by Lowe's. Very, very good stuff. I want you to check it out. Go to Lowe's.com. Transformation. Hashtag at Lowe's goals.

Make your own bar cart. Mine's amazing. Their glasses are great. The cart's amazing. Lowe's. See you tomorrow. Want more HARD? The herd streams 24 hours a day,

seven days a week within the IHard Radio app. Search HARD to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Another podcast from some SNL. late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, 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. Imagine an Olympic. where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast,

The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, Follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

On The Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.

Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.