The Herd with Colin Cowherd - NFL, Kaepernick, Tua Tagovailoa, Chiefs, Cowboys

Episode Date: June 12, 2020

Colin discusses the NFL switching it's stance on social justice protests, and Colin Kaepernick, how Alabama's history could tell how well Tua Tagovailoa will be in the NFL, and why this off season has been great for the Chiefs and bad for the Cowboys. Guests include Ric Bucher, Andrew Whitworth, Andy Reid, and Jason McIntyre. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is 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. I mean, 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. Hey, what's good, y'all?

You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD 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 Hurt at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHartRadio app by searching Hurd. Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Friday. We are live in Los Angeles, and this is The Hurd. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening, Andy Reid's on the show today, Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs Coach, we're on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, and Joy Taylor is joining me through another week. In three hours, we'll be through another week.

week. I'm going to take Monday off. But here we are. We're getting dates now. We're going to have the MLS July 8th. My prediction is baseball will be July 10th, and we're going to hear about it within 36 to 24 hours. NBA players are grumbling. That's going to be July 30th. How are you? I'm great. Yeah, they moved it up a day. They moved it up a day. Interesting. Yeah. So one of the things I've always liked about the NFL. There's a couple of things I like about the NFL. Number one, they're always willing to change. And I've said this before. I grew up as a young kid, I was a baseball fan. And I was a baseball play-by-play announcer. My first play-by-play when I wanted to be a sportscaster in college, I was on a 10-watt station in eastern Washington doing baseball games.

And I can still watch baseball postseason. But I think what's always kind of turned me on to the NFL is they're constantly elevating the league, and they're constantly changing to make it a better product. But there's been one thing about the NFL. They have never been what you would call player-friendly. It's always been sort of like the owner, the GM, and the coach run it. I understand that that's business. I mean, I don't have what power do I have here?

Broadcasting is the same way. It's largely I have bosses. I've got a Murdoch. I've got my bosses. And then I come on and talk. And if they're in a good mood, I can come and talk tomorrow. But times are changing. And players make more.

And players, frankly, if you watch the NFL, they matter more. Quarterbacks now matter more. And I think the NFL with Colin Kaepernick is now showing what the strength of the league is. In the last week, Roger Goodell went to, I think, his basement and said, I'm not going to worry about Trump's tweets. I'm with the players. And then two days ago, we're going to give two. $250 million over the next decade to social justice campaigns.

And the next part of that is, I'm listening to my players. We've got to make it right with Kaepernick. And 32% of Americans are still outraged. If you want to be outraged and take away 9 to 10 hours of Sunday enjoyment, go for it. I'm not. Okay? I never loved him protesting at work.

I don't think I could ever do that. But I was never bothered by the protest itself. That's what we're based on. He's going to get a tryout. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawk coach, yesterday admitted. He got a call. So I know, you know, somebody's interested, you know, and he, you know, so we'll see what happens with that.

I thought that was, the irony of that was crazy because I know I was coming on your press conference. You guys are going to ask me many questions about this day. I got a phone call today for the first time. It's happening. I'm with the players. $250 million. Cap, they're going to do right by him.

He's going to get a tryout. He's six, four and a half. He's lean. He's athletic and he's mobile. He's got a big arm. Not always the best touch, big arm. And I do think three and a half years of inactivity, it is a long time. His rust will have rust.

But this is why I like the NFL. Like they're not needing to be right. They're trying to get it right by the. the players. And this has always been kind of the last league or the players feel like even start quarterbacks. I want out of here. Franchise. I still want out of here. We'll franchise you again. I've never liked the franchise tag. I like players having the same rights I do. Mobility. Now, I do think you should have to stay a place four and five years. And the NBA structure is they pay you more if you stay. But if you want to leave, I've done this, you should be able to leave.

If you think you want better management, better opportunities, you want to play more. And I think the NFL now is doing what turned me on to them years ago and took me from a baseball fan to a football fan. They're constantly listening and changing and being nimble. And some people will say this as a weakness. I don't. I don't. He's got two things going for him, Colin Kaepernick. One, the NFL stylistically is moving into his style of play.

And number two is, there are reports now. Bruce Ariens said this week, I may carry three quarterbacks. With the virus, I've got to have a third quarterback. If that's the case, he's making the league. This is why I like the NFL. I don't always have to agree with him. But if I feel you're trying, if you're listening and evolving, I'm in. And the Kaepernick thing, it's going to happen.

Nick Wright says, hey, before you count him out, he may be rusty, but he is an NFL quarterback. I think he's good enough to be one of the 75 guys that's on a roster. I mean, I agree we're in the golden age of quarterbacking, but the backup quarterback for this upcoming season for the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas Chiefs is Chad Hennie, who has thrown five passes since Cap was a starter. In the last four years, Cap might have missed three of them. He's still managed to throw 330 passes in those four years. Hennie's thrown five. And we are also seeing a shift stylistically to where more and more quarterbacks play Cap style. It's happening. Pete Carroll says I'm getting calls. It's happening. Pete Carroll says, I'm getting calls. It's

happening. So why I like the NFL, listening to the players, the last league to empower the players. But it's a new world. And by the way, that world now is 40 million dollar quarterbacks and four or five billion dollar franchises. And you should listen to them, at least more than you have. Okay, I'm going to strongly disagree with this opinion coming up, but that's what this show is all about. Chris Sims played in the NFL, Phil Sims son. He is not. a fan of Tua. He is a big fan of Jared Stidham. I am opposed to both those opinions.

Here he was on Boston Radio. Yeah, he's not a proven commodity. I'm not so sure what he is yet, but I do like him, and I rank them in front of some other people who are certainly more proven like, you know, a Marcus Mariotta or a Brian Hoyer. Why is he had a Tua?

Because he's more talented than Tua. Really? What's the creation of Alabama? I mean, what do you don't think that? Now you're speaking my language. Now you're speaking the truth. You don't think Jared Sidham or like Justin Herbert would have set the world on fire if they got to play with four first round receivers and two first round tackles?

Okay, so Tua is a creation of Alabama. Now, I know what you're thinking. Oh, coward's going to bristle. So let's just take the emotion out of it. There's an argument to me made, Tua could be a creation of Alabama. Since Nick Saban took over Alabama, 97 players have been drafted. Only 14 have been pro bowlers, and only ones of first ballot Hall of Famer, Julio Jones. I like Minka Fitzpatrick and Derek Henry and C.J. Mosley when he's healthy a lot.

But those aren't great odds, and many of those are defensive players, the core strength of Alabama. None of his quarterbacks have done anything. It's a safe offensive system where the quarterback rarely gets hit and throws to first round wide receivers and tight ends. That is not how the NFL works. Quarterbacks, find me the litany of NFL starting quarterbacks from LSU and Alabama and Ohio State and USC and there are not many. In fact, here's last year's playoff quarterbacks, Joy. In the AFC, they went to college at Wyoming, Texas, A&M, Texas Tech, one power Clemson, Michigan, Louisville.

That's a basketball school. The NFC quarterbacks, the Better Conference, Eastern Illinois, junior college, Cal, Purdue, North Dakota State, and NC State, Wisconsin, Michigan State. One world-class power Clemson, and they weren't a power before Deshawn Watson. got there. Chris Sims may be right. Now in this instance, I think Tua has the instincts, kind of the intuitive feel for the game from the first time I saw him on tape that few have.

But the line, a creation of Alabama, is very real if you look at what works in the NFL. For a quarterback in the NFL, it's 75% discomfort and 25% comfort. In college football at powerful schools, it's 75% comfort and 25% discomfort. So the more times you can get hit, 24 starts for Tua at college. 23 of 24, LSU, the exception this year, he had better talent around him. Now, I think Tua is different. I think he's unique, his leadership skills, his accuracy, his ability to see the field. I don't worry about the injury like everybody else.

But before you bristle, no. Look at the playoff quarterbacks not named DeShon Watson. They mostly come from basketball schools. They didn't play with NFL offensive linemen. It was a series of three, four, and five years of discomfort. I'm here to see it. I think two is going to work. But before you dismiss the comments, we have a history.

where great college programs do not produce great playoff winning quarterbacks, at least in the last 20 years. All right, good stuff today. Okay, we've got some video. I know the guy that took the video, and I think there is something to the video. Very mysterious. That is coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on 5.5. Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

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

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

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Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kaii's, He 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 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 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 all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct.

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 therapy. Carepics, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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

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

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? this is Clifford Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Casper's the sleep company. Outrageously comfortable mattresses, not outrageous prices. Casper.com. Go there now for more information.

Upgrade, the Father's Day sale is offering free contactless delivery and free returns. It is nice to have you in. Rick Buecker around the corner. This NBA plan, is it unraveling right now? players are not happy. They've gone from this COVID virus staying in their homes, isolated. Now you're asking them in three weeks to go to Orlando and be isolated, some up to two and a half months. Is it unraveling?

There are increasing players that are unhappy. It looks like baseball, MLS, football, college sports coming back. NBA appears more tenuous this morning than ever. And Rick Buecker will join us. So I used to work in Tampa and really good people. people. It's very hot in the summer. And the Buccaneers weren't nearly as good when I was there. They were good when I left. Trent Dofer was there. Then Tony Dungey took over. I left and they won a bunch of games. But it was really a fun team to cover. It's the last NFL team I really covered.

And so I work with a staff, Channel 13, WTVT, Fox 13. And so they are very good at investigating. And they've been investigating Tom Brady. What's going on? Where are they practicing? they messing around at. Say, illegal to hold practices right now. Joy, here's the footage. Eight, nine players. Brady, a running back, several tight ends, and a slot receiver. Are we on to something? It is interesting. So I brought this up to the staff. Do you notice the minute they sense the helicopter, they won't run a play? I'm not, I'm not indicting anybody. I'm just saying we will talk to the, we will talk to the sports producer. at this station regarding this footage of Tom Brady.

Apparently the station has been trying to find. They've been hovering all over the city, St. Beaton Tampa, to find Brady working out with Gronks in this footage. And they officially found them yesterday. It's fascinating. Remember Tom Brady walked into the wrong house? He's needed security in his home. He's a rebel in Tampa Bay.

He is a total rebel in Tampa Bay. And so we're going to bring on somebody that is a part of the sports department. apartment that is chasing. I did think it was funny, though. You know, they were practicing all day. It's very New England. The minute the choppers overhead, they stop. They just, oh, we're just out here. It's a picnic with pads. It's no big deal. So we will talk to Kevin O'Donnell from that station. Here is Joy with the News. Turn on the news. This is the Herd Line News. No hometown love, huh? What do you mean? I mean, they're covering their team.

Well, it's illegal to hold practices, but it was interesting because it was a slot receiver, running backs, three to four tight ends and a receiver. But it's not illegal to work out. It's not illegal to work out. So what they're essentially doing, Tom's pride trying to get the language down with his, you know, let's face it, his tight ends, his running backs, a slot receiver. Here is the language we will use. Ariens has the offense, but there's a certain language Tom's going to use because you're going to have this marriage of Bruce Ariens' aggressive offense. and the efficiency of Brady's offense. And so they're marrying, and Tom's got no OTAs and abridged preseason.

And Brady's like, I'm not coming down here to struggle. We got to get the lexicon right. We got to get this stuff right. So is this chopper gate? Chopper gate. Good Lord. Spygate, deflategate, chopper gate. There's always something going on.

Belichick smirking somewhere. He loves this. So speaking of Tom Brady and Gronk, they were obviously a very powerful duo in New England. But according to Diana Rusini, defensive coordinators around the league are not all. all that concerned about them reuniting in Tampa. She said opponents know they will still be a threat, but they don't think that they're going to be the Brady and Gronk that we've seen in the past.

Well, they won't. Gronk's going to be overwhelmingly a mentor, a tutor, and a blocking tight end. That's what he's going to be. Well, they have two other. Really good tight ends. And two star receivers. I will say, though, Gronk does look like he's back to his full weight. Yeah.

I can't remember how much weight he said he lost. but he looks like he's back. The year off may have done his body good. I mean, every year, of course, you're going to get slower. I'll make a prediction. He had a year off away from impact, but... 34 catches, four touchdowns, and a tremendous red zone blocking tight end. And that's going to be...

Again, you got, what is it, O.J. Howard and Cameron... Great. Yeah. So those are really good young athletic players. If Gronk has 34 catches, four touchdowns, and in the red zone, he's a tremendous either decoy, target, or blocker. That's all you need from your third tight end. Yeah, I mean, when I saw this news, I was surprised because I really didn't think that Gronk was going to stay retired. But, yeah, again, it's not that I think that Gronk is coming back to be what he was in New England with Tom Brady.

I think his value is far more intangible and is a locker room situation. Now that I don't think he can still play football at a high level, but. There shouldn't be the expectations that he's going to be the dominant grot that we saw pre-injury and pre-retirement. So NBA GMs wanted more roster flexibility heading into the Orlando bubble, and it looks like they're going to get their wish. The league will reportedly allow teams to expand their rosters to 17 members, including two-way players. When the season restarts, the increased rosters could help protect teams against key injuries. But also, obviously, if anyone tests positive for coronavirus and is forced to isolate, according to Shams, players who have signed an NBA G-League deal this year or the previous year

are expected to be available to sign in the restarted season, which makes Jamal Crawford or J.R. Smith eligible. Apparently, there's also a smaller group of free agents that can be signed into the space because they want to obviously limit people that are going to be not quarantined or not, you know, they haven't been following whatever protocols that they've been putting in place for NBA players leading up to the restart. So Damien Lillard said he did. not want to play the rest of the season if his team didn't have a real shot to make the playoffs. If the Blazers, well, the Blazers are tied with the Kings and the Pelicans. They're all three and a half games behind the eighth place, Grizzlies.

And Lillard sounds a lot more confident in returning now that the restart plan is in place. In an interview with Vanity Fair, he was asked if he would want a matchup with the first place Lakers if they secured that last playoff spot. And he says, of course, I think we could beat them. Dame is always on the extreme confidence side. He and McCollum are a great offensive back court. They're a poor defensive back court, and it's not a good, it's, I don't think it's a great matchup for Portland. I will say, though.

Oh, they'll shoot their way to a win. I don't think it's, well, look, I have no problem with Dame saying this. Like, Dame should have ultimate confidence in his team. What's he going to say? I think we're going to lose or I would hate to go up against the Lakers. Of course he's going to say that he thinks they could win. Why wouldn't he think that? But I don't really know what to expect when the season starts.

What can we expect? I know we're all predicting this based off of what we saw during the regular season, but this is completely unprecedented. I wouldn't be surprised if something really dramatic turns out. No, I mean, listen, one of the things that's been discussed, Joy, is the potential for injuries because you're going from zero to 60. injuries. Anthony Davis tweaks an ankle.

It's LeBron and crossing your fingers Danny Green hits some three. So I think you're going to absolutely have upsets. I don't think there's... Yeah, I don't think that's that far-fetched to imagine. It's just going to be it's going to be on precedent, of course, because they're going to be in this quarantine bubble.

Denver to me looks like they can get upset. Super young. They need the chemistry. They're excellent at home. they have, so they got hurt with time off. That's a young team building chemistry. I definitely think it leans. Denver, Denver looks like to me. Veteran teams are going to have the advantage.

Yeah, Denver's to me, a team I could say going, they come in and it's a young team and they don't play particularly well and the chemistry's off and they don't have veterans that have succeeded in the postseason. And I think Denver's really good, but I could see them getting snagged by somebody. That said, I would not be surprised if there was a really dramatic upset because everything is just going to be completely different than we've ever seen before. Yeah, Joy with the News. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. Senior writer Bleacher Report. Rick Buecker, my friend, is now joining us, brought to you by, do we have him yet? Oh, okay, I'm sorry. He's not quite ready. So here's a story that is kind of developing. Yahoo, significant number of players in the NBA, disappointed their voice wasn't heard in a decision to restart the season.

Well, to that I would say they probably talk to seven or eight of the most powerful voices. That's generally how it works. And others believe black players sequestered to entertain and ease the league's economic burden amid racial tension as bad optics. One of the things I've said about this, when I looked at the NBA and the challenge, you know, baseball hadn't started, NFL hadn't started, college football hadn't started. It's very difficult for a sport in the middle of a season. You know, you're taking a road trip with your family and halfway through it, you have a major crisis. To me, the answer is simplicity. How do we just shorten the season and make it quick?

I thought we should have 16 teams go right to the playoffs, playing about four different arenas around the country, Dallas, Orlando, Los Angeles, allow the players families to be fairly close. Eastern players, Midwestern players, and Western players. That was my initial plan. And let's get right to the playoffs. Let's not have more coaches, more teams, more trainers,

more bodies, more older bodies, who are prone to problems with COVID-19. Instead, the NBA, I think, tried to appease a lot of people. Now we've got 22 teams, and that's more players than coaches, and they're in one area. And I think the more players sit and think and talk and sit on the back porch and have a glass of wine and talk to their wife and think, I could be gone for 67 days, and I'm sequestered. And the NFL guys aren't and baseball guys aren't and college football teams aren't. and I'm sequestered and I get it. You went from isolation of COVID to isolation in Orlando.

That is a big ask. Listen, I'm an optimistic person. But after about 12 weeks, I was getting like COVID fatigue. Like, you know, you're asking players to go from isolation to now the bubble, more isolation. It is a tough ask. It is a tough ask here. The initial reaction is going to be, I can't believe these players.

I can. Believe me, I can. Rick Buker's joining us, brought to you by Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. Let's bring him in, Fox Sports NBA analyst. Does it feel like to you with the story surfacing now today, Rick, that this thing could potentially unravel? I mean, they don't even report until July 8. That's three and a half weeks from today. I don't know that it's going to unravel because the financial impact on both the players and the league is. so great that you have to come back and play. You have to come back and play in some form or fashion. Now, did they bring too many teams back? Yeah, I believe that they did. And I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but they orchestrated this so that you could get Zion Williamson back because he's such a, he's such a draw. Has anybody seen Zion Williamson? I want to know what kind of shape he's in. How much of Zion Williamson are we actually going to see? when we see everybody back.

But the reality of it is that if they had not come back and played and they didn't get a certain number of games in, that the owners would have gone back to the drawing board and said, if we're not playing, we are taking such a financial hit. And our salary cap mechanism for next season is so problematic because so many teams will be technically over the cap or pay. the luxury tax, we're going to have to tear up the collective bargaining agreement and start over. And nobody wanted to see that happen because that honestly would put next season in jeopardy.

This is always the problem, though, when it comes to players not feeling like their voice is heard. Since I've been covering the league, this has been a problem with the rank and file. The Kauai Leonard's and the LeBron Jameses and maybe even the Chris Pauls, they all want to play, because they have something to play for. They have a championship to get out of this. The vast majority of the players are now looking at it going, I'm going to come back. I got to spend a month to get back in shape.

I'm going to play eight, nine, maybe 12, 15 games. And then I'm done. And I'm going to be sequestered for two months for all of that. The reality of that is starting to hit. But the truth of the matter is, the other side of it is that we would see a brand new collective bargaining agreement, and the players would probably take a harsher, there would be a harsher impact for them if that happened than whatever they have to endure for a couple of months.

Yeah, no, if there's a new CBA with the cap coming down and revenues coming down, that is not good for the players. Let's just talk specifically about LeBron James. When I saw that story this morning that players are unhappy, my first thing is, well, is LeBron happy? Because I felt this with Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan had an incredible close relationship with the late Commissioner David Stern.

He did matter more. He changed marketing. He changed ratings. He changed net worth of franchise owners. Do we still believe that LeBron is all in? I do believe that he looks at this and says, I don't know what next year holds. Like, can I get another championship?

this is an opportunity for me to be able to do that. So I do believe initially he looked at all the reasons why this was going to be difficult and it was going to be more challenging. Well, it is. I talked to an assistant coach on one of the teams that has a chance at winning the championship this year. And he said, the mental challenge is going to be the biggest part of this. Whoever is the mentally toughest team is ultimately going to get this done. And I believe that LeBron thinks, you know what, when it comes to being able to overcome the mental challenge, I've got as good a chance as anybody else.

I want to go ahead and get this done. It's the rest of the guys who are looking at it saying, tell me again why I'm coming back to do this, because I don't see the return. Only if you have a shot at winning a championship, is there a reason that you would be all in for making this happen? You know, it was interesting. Darry this week kind of took a shot at the media, and he said, you know, I don't think the media is fair with James Harden. And, you know, James Harden, I think most people, he treats the media well. Kauai doesn't talk to us. Kevin Durant's prickly.

Westbrook yells at us, and we're fine with them. It is interesting, though, that this is the second or third time that Darry has felt it necessary to defend. James Harden, which is more interesting to me than the actual defense of James Harden. Why does he feel a need to defend him? Is Harden unhappy? I mean, why does he feel the need to speak on his behalf? That to me is the real question. So, because if you look at all of the moves that Darrell has made, Darrell has constantly tried to reconstitute this team to give James Hart. an opportunity to win a championship. And let's face it, it has been interesting,

but they've never been the team to beat. And where they are financially now is they're stuck. They're not going to be able to add pieces. They're going to have to remove a few. And so I understand why he's making that argument. this going all the way back to why Oklahoma City traded James Hardin in the first place. Number one, he didn't want to be there and didn't want to be the third wheel behind Russell and Kevin. But the other part of it was that Sam Presti looked at it and said,

if we don't win a championship, I need to have the requisite assets to be able to go to Kevin and Russell and say, but we can still add something. We can still get better. What do we need to add to this equation to make us better? They got draft picks, they got young players. There was always the hope that they could be better. When you look at the rockets right now, where they are financially and where they are with their talent,

there are no up-and-coming young players. There's no Shay Gilgis Alexander that you can say, hey, you know what? He's not quite there, but he's, you know, he'll be even better next to. year. There's hope for the future. Financially, they're going to have to get rid of a key piece. They may even have to move Russell Westbrook.

So that's where I think Daryl is anticipating. You know what? We didn't get there and we're not going up the mountain. We're coming back down. Yeah. Rick Buecker is joining us. As I look at this 22 team format, I do think it's too many teams. do you think there's any chance any chance over the next week Adam Silver he embraced gambling

he listens to players it's a player run league is there just the chance that he'd go you know what I'm watching everybody go back to college I have mostly 25 to 30 year old males we're going to play in Orlando Dallas L.A that there is a chance that he would just say our players run happy like a lot of them 40 and 50

This is unraveling. Even 50% chance that you would have a season, but he would literally on a dime, change it and break it up to appease players. No chance as long as he feels there's a health risk involved, that there's still the uncertainty of how does the virus spread? Can we keep everybody safe? I mean, that is first and foremost because, and I posited this question the other day, what's worse? that Major League Baseball never comes back or the NBA comes back and then has to stop and shut it down because they've had some sort of an outbreak or they've had enough guys that contracted the virus where they had to quarantine them and it just disrupted the proceedings,

enough so that you didn't think it was a legitimate playoff scenario. I don't know, but that's where, that's the number one thing now that they've said we're coming back and playing, is that Adam has to make certain that the pandemic does not intrude upon the continuation of this season. And until he feels comfortable enough that that can't happen, he's going to maintain this. Now, can we get to a point where we get past the training camp and we get into the regular season, where we are a month from now, and he loosens the restrictions in terms of going in and out of the bubble, yes, I could see that. And I could see that that would ultimately relieve players enough to say, okay, we can continue with this. But I can't see a situation where he says, we're going to go back to the drawing board or we're going to have multiple places or we're going to change it dramatically because as he has said, and I believe he's being truthful, the health of the players and more important, not allowing the pandemic to force them to a full stop is his number one priority.

Rick Buker, good seeing. You about to have a good weekend. You too. Fox Sports NBA analyst. Coming up next, you know, we're all trying to fill some space here without the games, and we will have games in early July. ESPN's been doing some lists, and most, we kind of disregard. They came out with one today that's actually fascinating, and if you're an NFL fan, it's really, really fascinating on the advantage

or disadvantage your favorite team has due to continuity. It's really interesting, and that's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves,

their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the V man's 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 a 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 picket 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 yeah, yeah, literally. But just so you all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed correct. 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 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 iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

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

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Rectechgrills.S.com. Rectech grills, uncompromising warranties. Use your phone. Start the grill before you get home. Wi-Fi compatible. Cook without being there. RecTechgrills with an S.com, the last grill you'll ever purchase. So listen, I have sympathy for anybody that does what we do for a living, which is talk about sports, and there are no sports. We can't quite explain it, but our podcasts, our radio ratings, our digital's gone up, our impressions have gone up on social media. Is it just because people are home, or are we just that brilliant? Anyway, the point being is people are doing lists, they're doing creative guests, we're doing what we can to fill space. We're the opposite now of political pundits who have never had more politics to talk about. We have no sports to talk about, but we get through it.

We've had some incredible guests. Yesterday we had four great guests. So here's a list that I actually thought was fascinating. And not only do I think it's interesting, I think it matters. So ESPN went out, my former employer, and said, okay, we're going to do a continuity list. We're going to take how many offensive snaps are returning this year? Because nobody had an OTA. We're going to have a short and preseason.

There's not going to be as many practices. so the veteran teams have an advantage. So they took your offensive snaps that are returning this year, your defensive snaps, players that are returning, your coordinators, your non-coordinators, your starting quarterback, your coach. Continuity. Who has the most continuity in the league?

So here's the top five teams in continuity. Hmm. What do they have in common? Buffalo 1, Kansas City, 2, Colts 3, 49ers, 4, Steelers 5. In my opinion, what they have in common is great general managers. Brandon Bean of the Bills is excellent. Brett Veach of the Chiefs, Chris Ballard of the Colts, John Lynch of the 49ers, Kevin Colbert. They don't all have world-class quarterbacks.

They don't have Hall of Fame head coaches yet. We don't know if Sean McDermott's going to be a Hall of Fame coach. But they've all got really highly thought of GMs. What does that mean? GMs are underrated. Now, to prove my point, because you know I like being right, let's go to the five teams with the least, least continuity. Look at this list.

It's very funny. So it's Cleveland, New England, Dallas, the Giants in Carolina. So what about their GM situation? Cleveland's got a new one. The Patriots don't really have one. the owner is the Cowboys, the Giants have a M-G-M-G-M-G-M-G-M-A-G-M-A-G-Matter.

If you start looking at the bottom five and the top five, the thread, who's running it? Remember, the GM hires the coach, and the GM finds and drafts the quarterback and runs the scouting department. I don't think there's any league, because, you know, we know this in the NBA. The players get on the football.

phone and they talk and they move, you know, Paul George Kauai, they move and change a franchise. It's very fair to say it. Star players really shape the NBA. You know, coaches matter. GMs are important. Star players change the league. They run the league. That's the way it works.

You know, in baseball, I would say certain agents like Scott Boris. I mean, we know managers don't matter as much in baseball. How do we know? Because the average salary for a baseball manager is 700,000. Now, think about that. You coach in big cities for 162 games, and you make $700,000. Boise State's football coach makes two and a half times that. So in college football, you work in small towns without the commerce.

You coach 12 games, and on average, a college football coach makes $2 million a year. They don't like to coach at USC right now. A lot of fans don't. He makes $4.5 million. Okay, he just ranked the seventh best pack 12 coach yesterday. So the point being, we know it's not. not the manager in baseball. The general managers

analytically matter, but in the end, it's the agent positioning players. In the NFL, the power base starts with the general manager. And there's two teams that jumped out to me. Let's first talk about Kansas City. When I look at Kansas City, they have something I think is very important.

And this is why they could run the AFC for a long time. They have an A owner GM coach quarterback. Quarterbacks A plus A's. If you have a A and all four leadership positions in the NFL, you are a Super Bowl favorite or a Super Bowl bubble team every year. What is interesting is Baltimore is spectacular. But I believe Kansas City's got the better quarterback and the better coach.

And you can argue the slightly better GM. Owners, they're both capable. So I sit to myself and I think, Kansas City's got the second most, 85% of their snaps are returning. Is Baltimore going to become the Steelers? really good, but it's Peyton Manning and Tom Brady just edging them out and you feel like at the end of it. I got a Super Bowl, but man, we left a lot on the table. Well, Baltimore, because of Kansas City and the four A's A plus with Mahomes, I look at their continuity and I'm like, man, this is going to be a tough beat. This is going to be a tough beat in a season with a virus.

And then the team on the other side I think of, on the bottom five is Dallas. So we got a virus. They don't have Dax contract figured out. They have no continuity, new coordinator, new coach. I have usually been pretty favorable to the Cowboys. I don't think I have a Cowboy brand, but I've usually thought they're better run than people think. They draft better than people think.

I am just not. I am not in on the Cowboys this year. I'm just not. This list kind of doubles down for me. Like, just not the continuity. They don't have DAC buttoned up. I'm not sure McCarthy loves DAC. We got new coordinators, too many holes, too much new.

This is just, I don't feel great about the Cowboys this year. The good news for Dallas, they've added a seventh playoff team in both the AFC and the NFC, and I think they have a chance to be the seventh. But this is a rare year for me. I just don't feel it with Dallas at all. I look at this list this morning, I'm like, man, you got to get that buttoned up. They don't have that buttoned up. They got new things everywhere.

They got holes over their defense. They're bringing in Alden Smith, crossing their fingers that he has an impact. I just don't like the vibe of Dallas this year at all. Andrew Whitworth, Pro Bowl left tackle for the Rams is going to be joining us coming around the corner. Andy Reed as well on a Friday, hour one, down, hour two 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.

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

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. 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 all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the

table right now. So, oh. Thank you 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 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 iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clifford Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

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

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clipper. show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Oh, here we go. I was just about to have a sip of tea. You love that tea. I am back to tea today. Off of coffee for at least six hours. This is The Hurt, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening.

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. 15 minutes. Andrew Whitworth joining the show, the L.A. Rams left tackle. Reed today. We're going to get to the bottom of that chopper video in Tampa. Kevin O'Donald's an old friend of mine. I used to work with him. That chopper video. I'm interested because Tampa, you know, it's when I worked in Tampa. So I've lived in, I grew up in rural Washington State. Yes. And then I went to, um, where to go? Then I got a job in Vegas, which is all sorts of excitement. Mike Tyson was there and the late Jerry Tarkhanian and mobsters and stuff. Vegas had mobsters when I moved there at that time, like real mobsters. I once went

into a restaurant and I made eye contact for the mobster. I had to go pee. I refused to go to the bathroom because I thought he would whack me. Because I just watched like Goodfellers or something. I just didn't feel safe. Yeah, it was Tony Spilatro. Then I went to Connecticut. No, then I went to Tampa for a couple years.

Bad management, but I liked the people. Then I went to Portland and I had, you know, it was next to my mom and that was good, my sister. And then I went to Connecticut, which was a great place to raise my kids. And then I came to Los Angeles. And the point being, I've moved around.

When I was in Tampa, though, it's a very chill town. It's not a celebrity town. It really is. It is a, you know, Miami is international. Yeah. Orlando is family. You know, Tampa is old and quiet. And then Tom Brady, the goat, walks into town.

And it's like, like when Peyton Manning went to Denver, they had had John Elway. They knew what a rock star was like. Green Bay's had Farvin Aaron Rogers. Like Tampa has never gotten the quarterback right. It's the only organization in the NFL. Think about this. It's the only organization. They've done a lot right.

They've had a Hall of Fame coach, Tony Dungey. They've had a lot of great players, Warren Sapp. A lot of great defensive players. Selman Brothers, Derek Brooks. They've had the players. I think they have good ownership. They've had good GMs, Rich McKay. They've never had a star quarterback.

They're the only franchise in the NFL. That is it. You can go look. So they don't know if they're local. Carolina's been around an hour. They had cam. Like even new franchises. It's like that is it.

So for Tom Brady to go down there is so unique. It's such a sleepy retirement mecca and all of a sudden the goats there. So the choppers are trying to find race practicing. He walked into the wrong house. He's on high school fields. He's completely. He's dangerous. He's dangerous Tom Brady.

He's living on the edge. Supermodel and Tom Brady moved to your town. Tampa's a surprisingly sleepy town. So anyway, we're talking about this. A defensive coordinator in the AFC talked to Diana Rossini. She's an NFL reporter and said, you know, they just don't look at Gronk and Brady is the same thing. And here's the reality of it. We've had six quarterbacks.

I don't count Kurt Warner because Kurt Warner was not a Hall of Famer when he moved. But we've had six quarterbacks move late in their career. They were Hall of Famers, guaranteed Hall of Famers. and then they move in the last few years. Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Brett Farv, Peyton, Manning, Warren Moon. Now, Namath was a disaster. It was back in the late 70s for the Rams.

He took a couple of snaps. He was terrible. But by and large, the recent guys, Farve got to an NFC championship. Manning got to two Super Bowls. Joe Montana got to an AFC championship. Warren Moon moved at the end and went to a couple of different Pro Bowls. It's mostly been good.

So Tom Brady is going to succeed there. It's just what do you think succeeding is? So I'll make a prediction on this. I mean, he's going to inherit two great receivers, three capable tight ends. They drafted a running back. The offensive line was good except right tackle, and I think they got, they solved that. So here's my prediction on the over-unders for Tom. So I want you to put this down.

I'm actually less optimistic on Brady than Fox bet is slightly. I'm going to go 10 and 6 is the win-loss record. But here's what I'm going to do on the stats. 28 TDs, 13 picks. They struggle a little in September. 64% completion percentage, passer rating 955. How's that land for you?

It goes about right. I don't think he's going to have a MVP level season. But those are good numbers. That's better than Matt Ryan. I expect him to have a good season. That is slightly better than Matt Ryan's career average. Do you think he's going to be slightly better than Matt Ryan's career average? What's Matt Ryan's career?

passer rating. Look, I bet you it's like 93. 94. So those numbers right there are a little bit better than Matt Ryan. Kind of on a Matt Ryan pace. That's what I expect. Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback to ever play the position. I understand he's 43 years old. He didn't have a terrible season last year and he's getting improved offensive pieces.

So what is Matt Ryan's passerating? 94-6. I was a good guesser right there. And what is his career completion percentage, Alex? 65. So basically, Brady's going to pull a Matt Ryan this year. That's what I'm predicting. And Matt Ryan's going to be getting at a lot of Hall of Fame votes.

And it's been to a Super Bowl. Matt Ryan's a two-time Pro Bowl or maybe, but a good, I mean, Matt Ryan's definitely top 12 quarterback in the NFL. Brady's going to have a top 12 year. So his stats will be, you know. I mean, I feel like that's pretty conservative for you, actually. I know. That's what I'm thinking.

Once again, honesty broker. Oh, my God. So Matt Ryan averages 27 touchdowns and 13 picks. I literally did Matt Ryan's career stats. That's what he's going to be. He's going to be Matt Ryan. I think, well, if you, last year before this was an option, if I was to say to you, put Matt Ryan on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I would say playoff team. Right. And so now, yeah. So I think a 43-year-old Tom Brady is going to give you a Matt Ryan year. Now, these are better. no, I shouldn't say that. Matt's had really good weapons at wide receiver and tight end. Not quite this good, but he's had good weapons. And when he's had good weapons and the right offensive coach, Matt Ryan won an MVP. So there you go. We're going to have Matt Ryan

with a supermodal wife is going to be starting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And that to me feels like a playoff. That's why I pick him to be a playoff team. The question is, why did he leave? Because he had all that continuity. And I think one of the reasons he left is New England has failed at drafting skill people. I think Tom's looking at the world. We can't get that one thing. We do everything right. We're lousy at that. And I'm tired of pulling this wagon every year.

I don't know that they did have continuity, though. I think that played a major role in why he left. Yeah. Dante Scarnacki retired. Yeah. I don't think he aligned with what Bill Belichick wanted anymore. I think he was worn out with it. A couple Saturdays ago, I had Gotham Chopra on my podcast. He did Tom Brady, Tom versus Time documentary. And I asked him why Brady left for Tampa.

He needed a challenge. I mean, he still, and I think everybody knows, he still wanted to play. He still felt like he had a lot more in him, but he needed the personal challenge. He needed to sort of reimagine himself, reinvent himself, the challenge of a new culture, a new place, new teammates, all of that sort of thing. And I think that's the type of thing I've seen in a lot of athletes, especially his caliber, like the elite athletes, it's like they need to find that edge to motivate themselves. over and over again? Yeah. By the way, speaking to quarterbacks on a separate topic, so I was talking the other day about quarterback play, and I said, Aaron Rogers doesn't throw many interceptions. And surprisingly, Carson Wentz is the only guy in the league that

plays that well but doesn't have interceptions. But I said, I'm not some, I don't get, I'm not paralyzed by interceptions. I never have been. And I got a lot of pushback. You don't know what you're talking about. I wrote about this in my first book, you heard me about Andrew Luck had 18 interceptions and nine were essentially punts, is that I've been in the stock market for 28 years. Yesterday, it lost 1,800. If you're afraid of risk, don't go to the stock market. I've bounced around four or five times in my career. I have had great success, I mean, for me in the stock market and my career, and I've used risk. The point being is, go for it. Let it rip. I don't care if you have 13 interceptions. You give me 29, 30 touchdowns. I'll take it.

I don't want safe. And I got a lot of pushback. And my argument's always been this. And I looked this up. The average NFL team, now think about this joy, scores 24 points a game. So that means they score four times. It's three touchdowns and a field goal. The average NFL team gets 13 possessions.

And with all the good quarterbacks in the NFL, with all the leagues being offensive, with all the rules helping offense, you score on four of 13 possessions. in the NFL, meaning it's where you throw the interception. Deep in your red zone, you just took points away. Bad pick. It's your own eight-yard line where teams generally don't throw, horrendous pick. Between the 40s, between the 35s, we got bad kickers in this league. We got about three great kickers in this league.

Baltimore's got one. They're overblown. So yesterday, PFF came out with a stat to validate this. Here's the highest two-year checkdown rate in the NFL. These are quarterbacks that don't take risk. They check it down. Here are the names for our radio listeners. Blake Bortles, Mason Rudolph, Gardner Minshue,

Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, Case Keenham. Now, Deshawn Watson's in there. I think he's checking down essentially to save his life. Here are the quarterbacks who had the lowest checkdown. These are the Go For It guys. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes. Now there is Mitch Trubisky, Kyler Murray, Sam Donald, Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo,

Lamar Jackson. Okay. So the Let It Rip quarterback. there you go. Which group do you like? Then they went to on third down. This is real gut check time. Everybody knows I'm throwing. Here are the highest two-year checkdown rates on third's downs when coaches want you to go for it. Gardner Minshew, Eli Manning, Jeff Driscoll, Case Keenum, Blake Bortles, Dak Prescott,

quarterbacks that we think are conservative or frustrates. Here's the lowest checkdown rates on Thursday down. Josh Allen, Big Ben, Mahomes, Darnold Baker, Wence, Matt Staffer, Lamar Jackson. So the point being, is this league, the numbers are showing you. You check down, you play it safe. You won't throw any interceptions, but you got to make plays in this league. You got to go out and make plays. So it's one of those things.

I'm not saying I like interceptions, but more risk with a greater upside is worth a pick a week. You give me four touchdown passes. It'll take a pick. It's better than one touchdown pass, two touchdown pass, no picks. Efficiency matters. But look who is in the Super Bowl. A great high-risk quarterback won it. Jimmy Garapolo, higher risk.

Mahomes, higher risk. Lamar was in that playoff. Higher risk. That's what I'm here for. Okay. Andrew Whitworth, Pro Bowl, left tackle, L.A. Rams is 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 IHeard Radio app.

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

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaders to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 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 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

discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that 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, 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

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 that's two different levels of trust i want you to just really be a good person join me keer gains is we have real conversations about healing growth fatherhood pressure and purpose on my new podcast learn the hard way open your free i heart radio app search learn the hard way and listen now what's up guys this is cliver taylor the fourth and on my podcast the cliverts show i'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game.

This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. We've got a full weekend of NASCAR action coming your way from Miami, starting tomorrow with the Xfinity series on Fox, followed by the truck series over on FS1. Then on Sunday, the NASCAR Cup series continues with the Dixie Vodka 400, live at 3.30 Eastern, only on Fox. Andrew Whitworth is an all-pro left tackle, first for the Bengals, now for the L.A. Rams, 15th NFL season for Pro Bowls. It says here he's the oldest offensive lineman in the NFL. How about that? Well, Tom Brady's the oldest quarterback. He's a boat.

That's a great honor, actually. Yeah, no kidding. The guy lasted. I'd love to be the oldest sports talk show host in America at some point. Right. Like 104 and I'm knocking out rants. You've got to be kidding me. Andrew Whitworth joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network.

Well, let me ask you about that. So when you wake up in the morning, do you feel like the oldest offensive NFL offensive linemen? Right when I wake up, I do. feel like the oldest off of the time. There's no doubt about that. But as the day gets going and I get moving, I feel pretty good. I can't complain. Listen, we're seeing a lot of changes. The NFL was always the league to me. The NBA has always been a players league. Baseball, guys get tenure, no-cut contracts. But the NFL's always felt like more a GM league and a coach league. And I think it's changing.

And I think Roger Goodell made the right move in his basement to say I'm with the players. I like the $250 million over 10 years for social justice. And I also think the players are saying, you got to go solid with Kaepernick. You got to give him a shot. And I think that's what the players want. And I think the players right now deserve empowerment. How does it land for you on the Kaepernick situation? I agree.

I think it's been time for the ownership and players and really the NFL and a whole and entity to get together and to be realized that we have the greatest sport on the planet. And if we can figure out a way to be together and united in these things, that just makes it even more powerful and more opportunity for us to all be successful. And Kaepernick's no different. I think somebody giving him a chance and an opportunity, I think it's something that needs to happen. And it's something that all of us as players just don't understand. I mean, we really don't understand how a guy can play at that level as well as he had and really have not gotten just even an opportunity to try and make a team and get on a roster somewhere and see where he's at. even people talk about the layoff,

but what about just giving him an opportunity to see where he's at now and get him on a field? I think all the players would really appreciate that and feel it's a move in the right direction. You know, there was a list that came out yesterday about the teams in the NFL, and I thought it was, you know, we're all trying to fill space here,

but it was an interesting list. The teams that have the most continuity coming back and the teams with the least continuity. Now, the Rams are closer to the middle and least than they are the most continuity. you know, Kansas City, San Francisco, mostly bringing back Buffalo the same teams. Go to your career.

You're a veteran player. You pick up stuff really quick. But boy, with no OTAs and a bridge preseason, is continuity understated, overstated. How long does it take to pick a playbook up? I think it really depends. If you're talking about bringing guys in that are veterans and they're new and maybe to a team,

but they've been around the league. and played a lot of football, I don't think continuity is going to be as big a factor because you're going to really have guys that know what it's like to be successful. They know what it takes. But when you're talking about a young roster and you're saying, hey, some of these guys haven't had the experience in the NFL, the NFL game, the NFL playbook, and that's where your lack of continuity is coming as young, young players, that's going to be a struggle.

And it's going to be tough, you know, there's going to be moments in the game, moments throughout the season where there's going to be ups and downs. And I think that that's really the difference to me is when you're talking about young player continuity, I think there can be a big difference. I look at in 17, me coming over to the Los Angeles Rams and John Sullivan as well, and joining that offensive line. We've never played together. But, man, we had a great couple seasons together and a great run.

Just because we had experienced guys that had been playing a lot of football, but it was our first couple of years just playing beside each other. Three teams this year may start a rookie quarterback, a Miami with Tua, Burrow and Cincinnati, your old home, and I think Justin Herbert will get a run later in the season. Regardless of how good I think they'll be, and I think they'll all work to some level. What will be the most important thing for a player like Tua or Joe Burrell?

I think really the tough thing with young quarterbacks to me is I think you always see the argument of sitting them out or playing them early. I think that really comes down to really above the neck type things. If you think they're a guy that, one, they either understand concepts really well, and you think they'll be sharp enough to know what we're trying to do and how we're trying to get it done, then I think already I drafted them because I think they have a skill set,

then I'm going to play that guy early. Or two, if mentally up top, I think that they maybe don't all have a full grasp of the concept, but they can make plays, you know, they're good at ad-libbing and just making plays from leaving the pocket and keeping them on the move and play actions and things, then you play them early. But if you feel like they're really raw and they're not going to have that ability to, hey, you know what, they don't quite understand the NFL concept game. they didn't run a lot of those concepts in college,

then it's going to be pretty new to them stepping on an NFL field. So I think those coaches all have to individually see where they're at. And I really think those young quarterbacks there that you just listed are guys that could play early and should have an understanding of NFL concepts based off some of the offenses they were running. You know, it's funny about, like in basketball, analytics have changed the game. Everybody shoots threes. You can't shoot mid-range jumpers. Baseball analytics has changed everything.

I think in football, it's more analytics. I don't think you can reduce players to stats. I do think there are players that lubricate locker rooms that have a certain leadership or a toughness. So grading players, I watch games. I know guys that are valuable that may not grade high. And, you know, so I think the analytics in football, I always think being smarter is better.

But it's interesting. Aaron Rogers didn't make PFF's top 50 players. And my takeaway was, okay, that's data. I can't. We may have reached their tipping point on what I can tolerate with data. Having been on the field against Aaron, what about the assertion that he's not a top 50 player? Oh, man, I think it's just absolutely absurd. You know, I think that's one of those things that PFF was great at maybe given a little more value to certain positions

and maybe a little bit better understanding for people watching the game to truly value, you know, what percentage a guy did his job or how good he was at a certain aspect of the game. But I think really when you get into this scoring system and how, you know, really uneven it is at different positions, I think it's hard to really come up with a top 50 list that leaves Aaron Rogers off of it and call any grading system very good. So that's a tough nugget for me to swallow there. I don't see how that one works out. By the way, Aaron Donald, I think, was number one or number two.

You don't have to directly block him. But I'm sure on occasion, your bodies collide. just give me a sense. They think he's the best defensive linemen since Reggie White. The first time you collided with an Aaron Donald, what was your takeaway? You know, really, I think what makes Aaron different is I think you look at young rushers, different rushes across the league. There's talents and abilities they have.

There's, hey, this guy's got a lot of strength or leverage or length. But really, Aaron, what makes him so special is he really has all of those things, but his constant just, he's moving forward towards the quarterback the entire time the play's going on. There's no hesitation. You can stop him, but you can only stop him for so long. You look at some of the best rushers throughout history of the game. That's really what you say about him. His guys might have blocked him, but they really more just slowed them down and getting to the

quarterback, and the quarterback was able to get rid of the football. Aaron's one of those guys. One way or another, he's getting close to the quarterback. You just better hope you got one that's either getting away from him or getting out of the pocket fast. He's got in, I'm watching video here. His feet are different. He's so quick. Quick and balanced, Colin.

You see a lot of guys have that ability to move like that and they fall down after a couple steps or they get off balance when somebody pushes them. But he has the ability to do all that and stay on his feet and stay balanced and powerful. And it's just a rare trick to have. I want our audience to watch these tapes. Watch this next one right here. Look at his feet, 300 pounds. He's just so quick.

they just don't make them like that. Finally, you played at LSU. You understand Louisiana and the sensibility. Drew Breeze is a guy I've admired for a long time. Then I thought he was tone deaf. And then he apologized. Do you think with his resume of caring for people, charities helps him get through

what's been a pretty bumpy couple weeks for Drew Breeze? I think in the end, yeah, his character will carry him through it. I mean, I think it's one of those things that, we really look at everything we've talked about in this. It's about the ability to listen and learn. You know what from not saying that you didn't have mistakes in the past or you won't have mistakes in the future. But the opportunity to just really, you know, let your heart guide you listen and learn to people and see where you can be a part of the solution.

And I see Drew is a guy who wants a solution who wants love and everything for all people. And there's no doubt about that. So whether his judgment or what he said was taken, you know, by some people is wrong and by him understanding it and realizing, hey, you know what, I got to do better. I trust that Drew really is made of the right stuff to understand. It's all a process for all of us. I think his resume of caring for people at the end of the day will shine through, and that's obviously what I hope.

And I think that for all of us, that ability to realize that none of us are perfect, and hopefully as we all take the right steps together, we can make this world a better place. Well, he's sitting in one of his cool rooms with a little Los Angeles sunset picture or something up there. Is that Oregon or I don't know where that's at? You know, Colin, this is what I stare at when I zoom every day at work, and I'm thinking to myself, you know, I don't want to be in an office, you know, listening to Plays, but I don't want to be on a Zoom, but I'd love to be in the ocean somewhere near wherever that is. You know, at some point soon, whenever things open back up, I'd love to go get a little vacation and experience some good sunset. Good seeing you, buddy. I appreciate it.

Thank you, as always. Andrew Whitworth, Rams, left tackle, going to get a lot of Hall of Fame votes with Aaron Donald's feet, man. It's just he is, he's like a quicker version of Reggie White. And Reggie White was unbelievable. Never forget how good Reggie. Yeah, appreciate it. You can argue the two best players in NFL history. Some will argue with Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor.

I'll tell you that. A lot of people argue that. Yeah, I mean, like the two best players are not offensive players. Get your free credit scorecard today. Even if you're not a Discover customer, learn more at Discover.com slash credit scorecard limitations apply. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no.

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Only pay for what you need. Well, the Seahawks hosted Colin Kaepernick for a visit in 2017. And even though they decided not to sign him, Pete Carroll said he was impressed. Now Carol says interest is picking back up around the league. And a team even reached out to him to talk about Kaepernick.

So I know, you know, somebody's interested, you know, and we'll see what happens with that. I thought that was, the irony of that was crazy because I know I'm coming on your press conference. You guys are going to ask me many questions about this day. I got a phone call today for the first time. There you go. He also said that he regretted that they weren't the ones that signed him back when, and back then they didn't just do it. He thought it wasn't the right fit necessarily for them because he held him in such high regard.

He didn't see him as a backup quarterback and didn't want to put Russ in that situation. That's why he said that they didn't sign him back in 2017 when they brought him in. I am starting to feel optimistic that he will be on a team at some point this season, possibly even for training camp. Yeah, I mean, I think the players want it. Oh, absolutely. And I actually think deep down Goodell wants it. Let's like, you know, the last couple years I've had this feeling with the NFL

that it's like they're on pins and needles about Trump tweeting something. There's just this like, okay, the kneeling thing. I don't want to operate in fear. That's not the NFL's. That's not how they, it's an aggressive league. Let's, 250 million. We're with the players, not Trump. Kaepernick's back playing.

I don't think he's a starter at this point. Three and a half years is too long. But it's like, instead of living in fear, being paralyzed by it, let's just keep moving forward and get this stuff going in the right direction. Well, we talk about it all the time that, you know, if you're operating in a world where you have to walk on eggshells. It's not a real world. You're not making any progress.

And you're certainly, you are not in control of the situation. I felt like they absolutely caved to the president in that spot, which was very confusing to me, considering it's a collection of some of the richest, most powerful men in the world owning these teams. So to be, you know, pushed around or influenced that level by some tweets really, really felt like this. Like, you actually, you as the NFL have a tremendous.

amount of power and influence. You don't have to listen to anyone. And normally you don't. Okay, so let's say 10% of NFL fans just can't, they just can't deal with the kneeling and they leave. I honestly think that that is. I'm just throwing a number. Okay, let's say it's 5%.

I would say it's like of people who are actually truly not going to watch NFL football. So 2%. Like even if they say they don't, they're actually secretly watching NFL football. I'm talking about the people that will stop watching NFL football because Colin Kaepernick is back or because players kneel this fall. So you think it's 2%. I think it's 1%. Okay. And I think it's higher.

Maybe 1%. So I think it's sweet of 4. Well, let's meet it 2%. Okay. All right. If those people can't grow, then you just go on. Like if the NASCAR fans who are like, I'm not watching because of the can't, bye-bye. The world's passing you by.

Yeah. Like you can't sit living fear. walk on eggshells. Let's get him in. I think it's interesting. I do think he has real challenges. Three and a half years inactive is forever in a league with so many good young quarter of them. The conversation has never been, is he going to come back in and be a starter? Even in 2017,

the Seahawks were evaluating him as a backup. That's what they brought him into B. So does he deserve a job? Yes. And I do think he's going to get one. As far as people saying, if they're going to literally stop watching the NFL? All right. have a lot more time on Sunday. Pick up a hobby.

So Chris Sims has been counting down his top 40 quarterbacks and recently revealed that Jared Sidham is at number 35. And he explained why he ranked Sidham higher than one of the most anticipated rookies entering the league this year. Yeah, he's not a proven commodity. I'm not so sure what he is yet. But I do like him. And I ranked them in front of some other people who are certainly more proven like, you

know, a Marcus Mariotta or a Brian Hoyer. Why is he had a Tua? Because he's more talented than Tua. Really? What's the creation of Alabama? I mean, what do you don't think? Now you're speaking my language. Now you're speaking the truth.

You don't think Jared Sidham or like Justin Herbert would have set the world on fire if they got to play with four first round receivers and two first round tackles? Well, we'll know in four months. We'll know on Stim him in three months. I don't agree because we've seen, we haven't seen, well, I obviously. we haven't seen anything from Tua in the league either, so that's not, that's not fair. They're at basically the same level. We've seen none of Cidim, and we've seen none of Tua in the league. However, everyone's pretty much on the same pages to it.

Normally, I would tend to agree with him. I did think it was kind of strange that no one took into consideration that Alabama is not known for producing quarterbacks at all. And in Tua's run, it's probably, I would say this, the receiving cores at Alabama over the last three years have been sensational. Yeah. They're not a factory just for defense anymore. The first four or five years of Alabama, their receivers were okay.

They're unbelievable now. Like three and four guys that play in the NFL. So that's helped to us. That's elevated to him. That's a critique that has been held against Joe Burrow throughout this entire season and going into the draft that he played with an incredible amount of talent. And that wasn't held against Tua at all. So it is very strange to me.

That said, I do think Tua is going to be good, and I think he's going to be better than Jared Sidham. I can't. I am so jack to watch. And I think he's going to have a far better career than Jared Sidham. But I could be completely wrong because nobody knows. Yeah, I tell you what, I am so jack to watch Miami play. I'm so jack to watch Tua. Listen, you know the NFL, one of the strengths of the NFL, the bad teams are interesting.

I cannot wait to watch Joe Burrell play. Yeah. I have not turned a Baker-Mafield game off in two years. If Tua's playing, for Miami, I am going to be, this is the advantage of the college system where I watch you for three years and I have an affection or a disdain for you. Who even interest in their career? Like bad, like Kyler Murray, couldn't take my eyes off him.

It doesn't work that way. Bad NBA teams, I'm out. Bad baseball teams. I grew up in Seattle Mariners. I'm out. Well, there's also a tremendous amount of urgency that the NFL provides in those spots that doesn't really imply. But urgency and crap is still crap.

Yes, but when it's urgency plus interesting, even if it's crap, you know, then it's still content, if you will. So finally, Derek Henry signed his franchise tag, which guarantees him $10.2 million this season, and the Titans are hoping to lock him in for the future as well. Tennessee GM John Robinson said the team has spoken with Henry's reps over the last couple weeks. The conversations have been positive in both sides,

hopes to get a deal done soon. He led the league in carries and rushing yards last year and was tied for first in the league with rushing touchdowns. He's unique. 16 with Aaron Jones. He is, he's one of my favorite players to watch play football of all time. Yeah. He's just completely electric, electric, dominating.

He makes everyone else on the field, including the linemen, look small. Yeah. I can't imagine being in the secondary having to tackle him. Just like, you know what he reminds me of a more athletic, faster Jerome Bettis like he's just so dominating and just completely

runs down but faster yes faster and more athletic but just like just I mean it's a bus coming down the field he deserves a long-term deal I can't believe

that they gave Ryan Tannahill a long-term deal before Derek Henry yeah he'll get one but he deserves and he's also sort of the face of the franchise now absolutely

yeah joy with the news well that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd line We used to work together in Tampa. He's a reporter now circling over Tom Brady's legal workouts. Footage of Brady on a high school field with Gronk and others. We go to Tampa for the inside story of what it is like to cover the goat in Tampa,

kind of a sleepy beach town. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsLice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the 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 you. 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 you 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 conversation.

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

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

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

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

Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Well, years ago, I worked in Tampa. And our producer, our top producer in the shop was Kevin O. O'Donnell, he's become an excellent anchor and an award-winning reporter for Fox 13 in Tampa, WTVT. And Kevin is going to join us, his intrepid reporting skills via the Coward Global Satellite Network. Okay, Kevin, you're a dogged reporter. I know that.

So how long were you, who gave you the scoop on where Brady and Gronk were? Because you were looking for it for a month, I was told. Yeah, actually, I've been looking for him. a month. As soon as he got here, Colin, I said, you know what? You know, with everything shut down right now, Brady has got to get with these bucks receivers and get out on the field and practice. You know, James would do that. He would start, you know, February, March, and he'd go two days a week with guys routinely, maybe about a dozen guys. And I said, you know, Brady has to do this with COVID going on right now. So I kind of circle

the places I knew that he can kind of go maybe stay under the radar a little bit. And we've been checking on those places. Well, I got a few places. players that I've done some stories with recently that have joined the group. And they told me, yeah, we're going to do these things about two days a week, maybe three, because Tom wants to actually amp them up now that we're getting closer to July. So I knew the places that he had to go. I was also told that the Buccaneers had scouted out facilities, fields around the Tampa Bay area about two or three months ago to try to find the most secluded spot in Berkeley Prep, but certainly a secluded spot. There's no way to get access publicly from the

There is except for one section of the corner of the end zone. And the newspaper about three weeks ago got about seven shots of Brady and some of the players there. But Brady, as you see in the middle of the field right there, is now out of view for the public. The only way to get to him is the chopper. And so I put in a request about three weeks ago to start hitting some of these fields on certain days that I knew that he would be there. And we finally got him yesterday. Unfortunately, we share the chopper with. two other competing stations, and we had to give the video to that.

That was the unfortunate part of it. Boo. By the way, am I crazy? The minute the chopper's over there, Brady stops working out. Am I nuts? He knew you were there. Oh, he did. And if you saw the video that we had, he actually went to center with Ryan Jensen

playing quarterback to snap in the ball, just kind of messing around. He knew we were there, but they completely stopped as soon as our chopper came in a view. our chopper actually was only allowed to be there for about two minutes. That's why we couldn't stay around to get some better shots of them maybe running plays because it's only two miles west from Tampa International. And air traffic control called our chopper and said, you need to clear the area. Kevin, no done.

Bruce Ariens was on the other line telling them, hey, get those guys out of there. So, listen, he's a rock star. He's got a supermodal wife. He's the greatest quarterback ever. Tampa is a great NFL city, great owner, great fan. They've had GMs. They've had great the Selman brothers. They've had Derek Brooks, Warren Sapp.

Tony Dungey, they've never had a great quarterback. He's the biggest star in the league. What is it like for the chilled, laid-back Tampa to have the greatest quarterback ever in it now? Oh, people are going crazy right now. And Colin, you talked about it. He's a rock star. Tampa Bay has never had a rock star at any of their professional sports teams. You think about it.

They've had a lot of stars, a lot of pro bowlers, a lot of all-star players, a lot of guys that have gone to, actually, the Hall of Fame with Wade Boggs, but never a rock star like Tom Brady. So this town, he arrived really at a strange time because everything was locked down in March. So I think people are just building up the anticipation of finally be able to see Brady. And he's done a really good job staying under the radar a little bit. He got busted at one of the public parks trying to work out by the city of Tampa. So he was busted there. He broke the action and break in. He walked into somebody else's house thinking it was Byron Lefwich's place.

But those are only two times that people have seen him because he's done a really good job. He's in one of the most visual spots, though, living in Derek Jeter's house. A lot of people can just pull up on their boats or their C-dos and kind of look over the fence and try to see Brady. But he's done a really good job of kind of standing out of the spotlight. But I tell you, when this thing opens up and the NFL returns in July in training camp, I think people are just going to go crazy. They want to see Brady. I'll tell you this. The ticket sales went through the roof as soon as they made that official announcement.

They had 7,000 people on hold waiting to sign up for season tickets. in March. Two questions, three minutes. First one. Realistic expectations, the average fan in Tampa thinks the Buccaneers will win. How many games? I think 10 to 12. I think anything short of going to the Super Bowl is going to be a complete bus because Bruce Arian says this definitely makes them a Super Bowl contender. And I said this back in January when the season was over. I said there's one move that the Bucks need to make. That's to sign Tom Brady. And your friend Paul Delagato, our weather guy, just said, are you crazy. There's no way they're ever going to get Brady, right? I said, I'm telling you, Paul, it's the only move they can make. Put everything they have, throw it on the table,

chips in on this guy because this is the best move in the history of their organization to get a guy like Tom Brady that's available, the goat, the greatest player to ever touch a football in the NFL. This gives them a chance to win the Super Bowl, and they certainly have the pieces around him offensively to make this thing click. They've got to get on the field together, though, and I think training camp is going to be brutally important for them. The longer this thing that goes, I think it's going to be a little bit tougher on it. But I see them in the Super Bowl. It's going to be them or the Saints.

And I think it's going to come down to those two in the NFC. Wow. Finally, one minute left. What is your favorite memory working with me? Wow. There's one that just popped out right away. And you've got to remember this. We're in Tallahassee covering the NCAA championship.

And my sister had just been down to visit. her son had chicken pox. I never had chicken pox. And all of a sudden, we're at the hotel that night, and I have a little blister. And I'm like, Colin, I get this weird blister on me. I hope I don't get, I caught this for my sister getting chicken pox. I said, have you had chicken pox? You picked up the phone.

You called your mom. She goes, Colin, you've never had chicken pox. We get in the car to head back to Tampa, and I'm like shivering to death. I said, Colin, crank up that heat. We drove four and a half hours with the heat on high. You try to crack the window to let some air in because. you're ready to pass out and I'm screaming at you. I'm freezing. Close the windows. So you call me about 13 days and it's the same as COVID, a 14 day incubation period. You call me on the 13th day

and go, I'm clear. I don't have it. I'm good. I go, Colin, you got one more day. You called me the next day and you go, you, I'm not going to repeat it on the air. Came down with it. And I had to be your nursemaid for two weeks because your girlfriend wasn't down you. I had to take oatmeal baths. I wish I was kidding. Thanks. But worst thing ever, right? Yeah.

Pleasure to work with. It's great seeing you again. Very happy for you. You look great. Thanks, Colin. You too. And enjoy all your success out there. All right.

Thanks. Kevin O'Donnell, the Intrepid Award winning reporter. You give me chicken pox? And I was living by myself. I was a disaster. I had to take oatmeal baths. I remember that. I can remember the vehicle we were in.

He was freezing. And I'm like, Kevin, it's 140. We're like in Yemen. I can't. I didn't even know what Yemen was at that point. I rolled the window down one inch. He's like, I'm freezing. He was getting chills.

That sounds awful. It's part of our, well, not every, it's part of being a young intrepid sports reporter. Oh, no. I mean, yes, there's plenty of those stories. I never caught chickenpox, though. All right. Good stuff. Start your day with M Drive Start, Nutrition and Protein, M Drive Start.

He's got a great memory. He's got, I started putting all that stuff together. MDrive Start.com. McIntyre. Andy Reid of the Chiefs. My friend Andy's coming up, hour three. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Great to have you back. He's been one of my favorite coaches for a long time. I talk about one of the things I like about the NFL, it can be a little bit the opposite of baseball where it's always trying to elevate as a consumer, as a football watcher.

I like creative coaches. I remember saying this about, it's probably about 12 years ago. I said Philadelphia is a tough town. and this Andy Reid guy and this Belichick guy, they throw it on third and three. They're like, they're not doing the old school football. That just looks different. And I love it. And I think we're seeing it with quarterback play.

The NFL's adopting college schemes. And I just don't think it's a good time to be rigid in America, whether you're a coach, a GM, a player, a commissioner, and one of my favorite people, Andy Reid is now joining me via the Coward Global Satellite Network. You know, it's funny now for you. years and years, everybody knew Andy you were a great coach. But you know, the Philadelphia talk show hosts, oh, the big game, Andy.

You got it with, well, you won the big game. So are you, do you sleep just a little better this off season knowing you got that puppy and nobody can take it away from you? Well, Colin, I'm one of the few chubby guys that doesn't sleep a whole lot. But when I do, I've always slept pretty good. So I didn't let anybody, I don't let those things bother me. You know, you have one of eight teams with five primetime games. You are the target.

Everybody wants you on TV. Your schedule is going to change. Is that okay for you? Is that create some obstacles in training and preparing being on television in different times? Yeah, how great is that, though? I mean, that's almost a reward for the hard work that our guys have put in, and whether it's the coaches or the players, it's a great tribute to the organization. and how they handle themselves.

So I look at it like, let's go, man. Wherever you want to play, you want to take us to McDonald's, we'll play there. It really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what time. We take it as a nice compliment. You have unbelievable continuity. Only the Buffalo Bill slightly have more continuity among players, coaches, assistants than you do.

How big of an advantage is that in the year of COVID that everybody is virtually coming back? Well, listen, it's like you. Joy is phenomenal. So I'm lucky to have great assistance that just bus their town. They like being here. So we've been able to keep guys here. Clark Hunt sets it up that way and where it's like, you know, there's a family atmosphere to it. So some of these guys are younger guys and some kids. And in this time, right now, just like you said, when things where time is of the essence, It's great to have everybody coming back. And Brett Veach, on top of this, Colin, has done a great job in bringing players back. So he re-signed a bunch of guys to keep that continuity there with the team. You know, Andy, it's really interesting that, you know, the famous line by Bill Parcells, if I'm going to cook the dinner, I want to shop for some food. But I would say even more so in your case, because of your stylistic coaching and your creative nature,

it's really important for an Andy Reid to have a great relationship with a general manager because you are different. You don't have a classic system. You're kind of like, hey, let's give me the players. This is what I'll do with them. Do you want a lot of say in your personnel to college or do you just give him what works for you?

Or do you ever twist his arm? Do you want power in drafting and getting players to work with Patrick? You know what, for 14 years in Kansas City, or excuse me, in Philadelphia, I did that. So, I mean, I had say on it, and I wanted to be involved, and so I was. And I made the final decisions on things. I got here, and I just wanted to coach. I wanted to get back to the thing that I'd love doing most.

Dors was here, who I had a relationship with John Dorsey. Brett Veach came along with us from Philadelphia, Brett wasn't up-and-comer. And when Dorst stepped aside, then Brett stepped in and has done an unbelievable job. Pat Mahomes really is here because of Brett Veach and the effort in which he put in to find him, he wore Dorsey at an eye out on this kid. And so that's how we end up taking him. It was just Brett relentlessly hammering us.

And he did the same thing in Philadelphia with Lashon McCoy and Deshawn Jackson. and all the guys, the major guys there, he was involved with and responsible for having us take. You know, it is when you get a Hall of Fame coach like you and a Hall of Fame quarterback talent like Mahomes, you're going to have quite a run here. At some point, you're going to have to pay him some money, and then you have to make some decisions on protection, and that's the world. But you got about a year and a half of you should be okay on that spot. But I look at Patrick, and I've seen him in public twice.

the social justice stuff he talked about this week. I feel like you're, you guys are so lucky. His personality. He's such a good kid. And I just want you to talk about the value of that beyond having a great arm and being a great athlete, the value that Mahomes brings to the franchise as a human being. Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, as great a player as he is, he's even, a better human being. He's smart. He gets it. You know, Colin, when you find guys that kind of have a pulse on life, even at a young age in which he is, he just, he understands. And he's able to navigate him through, he's able to navigate through tough situations and whether it's in a game and or off of the field. And so, and he cares about people. I mean, he loves people. He wants to, you see him sitting at all tables, man. I mean, he can go around the dinner table and talk to anybody. And it's just a joy to be around.

And the greatest part about this calling is he's so young and he's just going to keep getting better on my end, the football side. He's just going to keep growing and growing. Now, he's won a Super Bowl. Can you yell at him anymore? What if you're upset with him? Can you bark at him? Well, I don't, you know, I really don't have to bark at him too much.

I try to communicate the best I can. them and teach. I mean, that's what that's what we're here to do. And, you know, in this day and age, you do too much barking and guys kind of turn you off and then you're not getting in the full message. So I'm finding a way to ear canal them a certain way, right? And get it in there where we can get it deep in the id and they remember it when the clock's running down and big guys are chasing them. So you, you are maybe the only coach that's given Belichick fits. And one of the reasons, I believe is because he eats up system guys, but guys that come in every September with new looks and new wrinkles and Bill hasn't seen it, frustrate even the greatest coaches.

So I know in this pandemic, you've been just drawn up plays. I know you. You're sitting up there drawn all this craziness. If I said to you first snap September 10th, September 12th, how many new plays? Have you just sat with your wizard board and drawn up? Well, I've got, yeah, I mean, that's what we do. And so I've had a lot of time to do it. And I love doing that part of it. And we've got some good stuff. And the challenge is to keep challenging Patrick and to keep them growing to give them that opportunity. Players hate to be sitting there stagnant. So it's one thing you love doing as a coach is just finding that one more thing that you can get to even make them greater than they already are. So that's what. But that's what we do and we enjoy doing it. And I've got a lot of time to do it. And we've got some really good stuff, man. I can't.

I can't wait. I know you're picking the Denver Broncos, but I can't wait. I jump in and get this thing rolling. Well, come on. I have time to amend my picks. Andy, it's June, for gosh sakes. All right. I thought I put this shirt on to kind of remind you, you know, that it's time to go almost

and that you get the right team right. All right, I'll have to readjust that. Finally, had you ever had barbecue before you got to Kansas City? Well, I had, but it was on my habachi in the backyard in Los Angeles. So it's a lot different than it is here. This is big time. And I'm trying to find one, and this is a real goal. I'm trying to find one that I don't like. So they all are phenomenal and terrible for my waistline. but they take great pride in that here, and it's really fun to be around. They take our parking lot up here once a year,

and they have these contests, and I'm begging to be a judge in one of those. They won't let me. I think they're afraid of me eat all the products. Oh, I love Andy Reed. Great seeing you. Keep grinding away. I'm so happy for you.

Say hi to Brett and everybody there for me. I do, Colin. I appreciate you, man. Thank you. All right. Andy Reid, the great Andy Reed. It is nice because for years and years, I'd be arguing. Are you people watching the games?

Do you get how clever this guy is, how creative he is? He's doing what Belichick is on offense. And then he finally gets one. And then everybody grovels to me. We're sorry, Uncle Colin, you were right from the very beginning. That's what they say. That's what did people come up to me on the street? Uncle Colin, please.

I'll take it back. All right, whatever. Some of us just see. We have these piercing x-ray eyes. We can see stuff happening before it happens, Joy. Joy Taylor, with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. He really made me want some barbecue now. Have you ever had Kansas City barbecue? Oh, no, no, no. See, I grew up, this is pathetic. So I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. No barbecue. Sure.

A lot of fish. Then I moved to Las Vegas. Not a lot of barbecue. Tony Ramos, Tony Romas was a, not Tony Ramos. Tony Romas was a chain barbecue place. Loved it, but not really authentic, like an, individual store. And then I went to Tampa. Again, that's a big seafood area. And then I went, where do I go from Tampa? Then I went to Portland. That's big seafood. Jake seafood. That's a

big legendary restaurant. And ringer, ring side, the steakhouse. And then I go to, where do I go from there? Then I went to Connecticut. That's not barbecue. And then I moved to Los Angeles, and that's not barbecue. You know what? You've been, you've been deprived of barbecue throughout your life. I have hovered around. The Carolinas are about the only states I've never spent significant time in. And I've been in a Kansas City. I've been to Kansas City for an hour or two. So I've never really done barbecue.

I've been a seafood kid. Yeah, Texas, Kansas City. What about you? So you're Miami-Pittsburg. That's not barbecue. No, but there's like, dude, you get some barbecues going on. It's not known for barbecue in Pittsburgh, but it's all, like, meat and potatoes, heavier food in Pittsburgh.

Like, I've had barbecue before, not the traditional, you know, Carolina. on Kansas City, Texas barbecue, obviously. But yeah, I've had barbecue in Texas and Kansas City. Yeah. Tennessee is also known for barbecue. Yeah. So I just have picked the wrong state. I tell you something, I've eaten a lot of good seafood in my life.

Yeah. I've eaten a lot of good seafood. Yes. Well, this is a perfect transition. Speaking of slimming down, Nicola Yokic took some criticism. Saw this. About his game shape and weight at the start of the season. Look at him.

He is listed at 284 pounds. No way. But after a three-month hiatus, well, that's what he was listed at, which, 284, sorry, not 384. He looked like a whole different person when you made an appearance at a Serbian gym this week. There's no word on how much weight he actually lost, but it is a dramatic. Okay, let's guess. So he was how much on the left? 284 pounds.

God, I would have guessed 300. Okay, so 284. I'm going to go 239. What does that look like to you? Now he is 6-11. He's very tall, yeah. I'd say it's somewhere in the 230s, high-2-30s. Yeah, I don't think he can be lower.

I don't think he can be in the 220 range. Yeah, I would say 2-30s, probably right. He is the best passing big man since Arvita Sabonis. That is so dramatic. Look at how different he looks. How long did it take? Three months. Is that even healthy?

I don't know. Is that treadmill it? The Nuggets President Tim Connelly said last week that he sent me a picture. with no shirt on. He's got abs. I've never seen him have abs before. I mean, a big part of his game is just how... Joey, people haven't seen him. People just haven't seen him play. He's the best player in the league. Nobody's watched because they haven't made a deep playoff run. He's a tremendous player. He is the best passing big man. In my life, Arvita Sabonis and Bill Walton, both played with the Blazers, are like different level passers. He's like a point center. I mean, he literally,

He's a brilliant passer. He's a great court vision and touch. I got to see him play now. That's such a dramatic transformation. So speaking of one of the greatest passes of all time, Magic Johnson is the latest superstar athlete to get his own documentary. The feature film will cover his glory days

as a five-time NBA champion up until his successful transition to entrepreneur. Filmmakers say that Magic's granted them unprecedented access to make the film, which includes archival footage from his playing days as well as interviews with him, his family, fellow NBA players and business leaders. It's going to debut sometime in 2021. Now, I actually think unlike Brady, who's had a lot of linear success, you know, Magic retired early.

He was tragic Johnson early. His career, it's not MJ fascinating, but it's interesting. Magic's had a lot of fascinating obstacles overcome. Also, one of the things that's hard to describe, if you're in your 20s, you just don't remember this. You didn't see it in your 30s. Right. When he and Byrd walked into the league at the same time, I mean, it was like 12 years. One or both were in the finals.

Like, it was their league. Like, Michael Jordan was great, right? But he retired a couple times. Magic and Bird ran the league for 12 years. Well, that's, you mentioned, like, there's so many young NBA fans who don't really, truly know the story of. of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and what a great all-time player Magic Johnson was. They only really

know him as like, oh, Magic used to play. And he was good. And now he's a businessman and he was involved with the Lakers for a little while and that went badly. Like, they haven't seen him really play in what he was. The three best players in my life take centers out are Michael,

LeBron, and Magic. So again, and you know, that's not a shot at Durant or Kobe or anybody. The three best best basketball players I've seen in my life are Michael slightly ahead of LeBron. LeBron's, I think, a stronger, better defender than Magic was at his core, and then Magic Johnson. Magic was a phenomenal talent.

Now, he did inherit Kareem. That's a great point. A lot of people feel like Kareem would be, should be in that conversation. Well, again, I take centers out. Just a different category of center. Kareem's probably the greatest. Oh, yeah, he's the greatest center. All around.

Yes. But, like, from high school to the end of his program. career, maybe the greatest basketball player. He won at such a high level at every single level he played. Wilt was not a great teammate and could be flaky. Kareem was a better defensive player. I think Kareem was a better team player. He was more focused.

And I also think Kareem developed in my lifetime the only unstoppable shot. In the history of the game, there's only one shot that's never been duplicated and was virtually unstoppable my entire childhood, Kareem's hook. Why has no one ever really tried to match? I think some guys have thrown up an ugly hook, but it's hard to top Picasso. Like, it was so elegant. So finally, the NFL has taken the next step in their commitment to social justice. The league is donating $250 million over the next 10 years to programs combating systemic racism.

In a statement yesterday, the league said they will continue to work collaboratively with players to support programs to address criminal justice reform, police reforms, and economic and educational advancements. $250 million. It's a real thing. Yes, that's a very, very real number. Over the course of 10 years, but regardless, that's still a tremendous amount of money. Yeah. Not just words, actions. And I think that's what players have said.

Words are one thing, actions another. I'm really glad that the NFL is taking these aggressive steps like we talked about earlier. I think Kaepernick will end up in the league on a team at some point this season. And, you know, everything that's happened over the last two weeks really feels like, it feels like, it feels like, for the first time and a long time people are actually listening and making real effort to... Do you want to fight with the players? Do you want them with you or fight against the players?

What do you want? Like in life, it's not... It's so funny about this. People are like, you're caving! Do you want to fight with your employees or against them? The leagues don't exist without the players. You can make... Of course, the leagues don't exist without the owners and the capital, of course. But if there's no players, there's no league.

And by the way, leagues don't grow with boring ones. players. They grow exponentially with great players. Say it all the time. No one's ever showed up, maybe with the exception of Dallas Cowboys, to an NFL game to see an owner or the GM or to, you know, just kick it at the stadium. They're there for the players. They are the reason why the leagues exist. I'm really glad the NFL's taking this step. Good stuff. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. Jason McIntyre. It's one of my favorite segments. of the week. He makes predictions. They are strangely often right. Jason McIntyre. Tomorrow's

headlines today will be joining us to wrap up our Friday show. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. So exciting times, 14 of the 22 NBA teams in Orlando will be done within 53 days. So about 70% of the teams. That's still 53 days. And the tough thing for the NBA is you're hearing stories that players are like, the more they think about this, are like, man. So June, July 8th, they're headed to Orlando, and then three weeks of practice, and then July 30th, they play. It's a lot of isolation.

I've said before, I think the pressure is really on Janus and Milwaukee. I've got titles with Kauai. I've got titles with LeBron. This is the great player. I'm waiting for the Milwaukee buck. So I thought we'd bring in Jason McIntyre. We do this every Friday. It's called Tomorrow's Headland.

lines today. He is joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network. So Rick Buecker told, you know, it's interesting. Buker told us earlier that even though it may look like it's about ready to unravel in Orlando, the reality is no league is built for multiple pandemic shutdowns. So if the players, if they did cancel stuff, the salary cap comes down, they do a new CBA. And it would be bad for the players. So I think we're getting getting an NBA season this morning. Do you feel that way?

Yeah, I don't know if you can mention this, Colin, but one of the issues the players are having is, okay, we're quarantined for seven weeks. What about the wait staff in Disney? The maids, the people delivering us food, the people making the food, are they in a bubble? And the NBA players are slowly realizing they're not in a bubble. They're free to come and go. And the players are like, wait, we're quarantined for seven weeks. I can't see friends and family. But these guys who are working around us who may have the virus, they're not quarantined.

So it's like a weird situation. I do agree with Rick, though. We will get through this. All right, here we go. Tomorrow's headlines today. What's going to be the headline for the most disappointing team when it resumes? Okay, so the 76ers came into the season. A lot of hype.

The headline will be reset the process. Now, Colin, on your show before, I've compared Simmons and Embed to Penny and Shaq back in Orlando. They got to the finals, but ultimately the ego's. clashed. And unfortunately, that's where we're headed with Simmons and Embed. I have a great stat for you here. The 76ers had the best home record in the league this year. Better than the Bucks, better than the Lakers. They were 10 and 24 on the road. I mean, that's Nick's level bad. Now you've got to go to a bubble. Ben Simmons, of course, coming off the back injury. I've got some real concerns coming out of this. They could get bounced in the first round. Would not

shock me, Colin, if all of a sudden in the offseason we see Ben Simmons or Mb no longer in Philadelphia. Yeah, young teams are more prone to problems on the road, and they're an incredibly young emotional team. So that's the classic, bad on the road, great at home, big emotional mood swings for them. All right, tomorrow's headlines today. What's the headline for the Dark Horse title team? Okay, so we've got the most unique postseason in the history of sports. I don't see why maybe we can't have a major surprise.

The headline will be Houston. We have a contender. I wanted to add a question mark there, but listen, the Houston Rockets. Colin, you know I'm a gambling guy. You look at the odds.

Fourth best odds to win the title, Houston Rockets. And they're not even really top four in the West right now, and they certainly wouldn't be top three in the East. Seriously, the odds are there because this is a team that can get hot. We've seen them get hot from three.

Lose a series or win a series. Now, Colin, One big factor here, I don't know if a lot of people have talked about it. James Hardin has asthma, okay? And that is a preexisting condition for COVID-19. So Hardin, if you notice so far last seven weeks, he has gotten super healthy. He's lost a lot of weight. I hope he's in good shape because this Houston team, which we love to bag on your guy, Westbrook,

they have a legitimate chance to get hot. LeBron and the Lakers do not want to see the rockets in the second round. Well, and also, we know that the kind of ball-centric nature of Hardin and Westerner Westbrook can tire by the playoffs. So they've had a three-month stretch where they're going to be incredibly healthy. They're going to have their energy and their legs. So that is an advantage for a veteran team. Major advantage.

All right. Tomorrow's headlines today, what's the headline for the team that wins the East? So if I had to pick a surprise from the East, this one's easy for me. I've loved them all season. The headline will be the rise of Kay Walker. obviously I'm a big Star Wars nerd Rise of Skywalker. Come on, Colin, get into it.

Listen, Campbell Walker, for me, is a better fit on this team than Kyrie Irving was last year. We knew that was a nightmare. He feuded with the young players in that series against the bucks. And I just like this Boston team because they got five guys averaging double figures. They're very versatile on the wing.

They're warriors like last couple years, you know, with Tatum and Brown and smart. They can switch on everything. And the big question ultimately is going to be, who do you trust more, Colin? Boston's supporting cast or Janus's. And at the beginning of the season, I had Lakers and Celtics in the finals, and I'm sticking with it. I really do like Boston to shock the world. I think Jason Tatum, be honest, who's the second best player in the East, Colin? I think it's Jason Tatum. Yeah. Give me Tatum over Embed over Simmons, and I think Boston can pull off a shocker.

Yeah, I think they actually match up well with Milwaukee. Jalen Brown can give you 18 any night. Gordon Haywood, Jason Tatum, Kevin Walker. And I also think they have a really good coach. They, they, if, if, if Utah had Jason Tatum, they remind me of Utah at West. It's just Jason Tatum's a game changer. All right. Tomorrow's headlines today. What's the headline for the team that wins at all, the NBA championship? So I've known you for a while now.

One of your favorite things is we're in the interesting business. Colin, there would be no bigger, interesting story than this headline. The headline will be it's LeBron's world after all. Come on, and Disney, this is perfect. It would set up, Colin. LeBron at 35 wins a championship with his third team, okay, taking down, presumably the clippers, then the bucks. And I just think from a sports perspective, this would be tremendous.

This would be one of those moments where it's like, where were you when you watch the most interesting postseason in the history of sports? We've never seen anything like a bubble. And LeBron pulls it off. I do believe LeBron will win the finals MVP. I like the Lakers. And I'm not being a homer. You see LeBron over my shoulder here in my office.

I'm living out here in L.A., near a couple Lakers. And I do root for the Lakers, but I really think they are the team to beat in the bubble. So Jason McIntyre, you know, I coaxed him to come out here. He used to live in Philadelphia, and I coaxed him to come out to California and the beaches. You seem happier now. Oh, my gosh. Life is good, Colin. I just celebrated four years since moving out here.

It was June 1, 2016, and now we hit the four-year mark. having a lot of fun, FS1, Fox Sports Radio. I'm doing Fox Digital stuff, and I do have something else in the hopper that should be announced here in the next five or six weeks. Yeah, he's always doing stuff. He's just making stuff happen. Try to live the dream, big guy.

All right. Jason McIntyre, big lead. Good talking to you, bud. All right, man. Enjoy it. All right. Get your free credit score card today, even if you're not a Discover customer

and include your FICA credit score, which is, of course, used by all the top lenders in America, learn more at discover.com slash credit scorecard limitations apply. All right, Alex, you've got to put up my Tom Brady over under. So we did this earlier today where there's some people saying that Brady, an AFC scout said like it's just not the gronkin Brady or shot, is my prediction on Tom Brady.

We've got footage now of him hovering, helicopter channel 13 hovering over. Let's not worry too much about the win-loss record. I say 10 and 6. They're a playoff team. I think New Orleans and Tampa are the playoff teams in that division. 28 touchdowns, 13 picks, 64% completion percentage, and a passer rating of 955.

I didn't know this when I did it, but those are essentially Matt Ryan's career averages. So do I think Tom Brady, with those weapons, will put up the average Matt Ryan year? I think when you consider that he has a new system and a new coach, and he is 43, and I think it's a very good division. There's no easy Sundays here with Bridgewater, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan.

There are no easy Sunday. It's a much tougher division. This is the video, by the way, for our television viewers, this is the footage. Kevin O'Donnell confirmed my suspicions that the minute the helicopter flew over, they stopped practicing. Brady went to pretend he was a center. Well, that actually, it makes sense because he said they could only stay over the field for two minutes. So the minute they saw

the chopper, all those bucks are like, we're not, no. Say that again, John, you think Brady did well? Remember, they can only be there for two minutes because air traffic control, because it's close to the airport, said you have to get out of here. Right. Do we think that's intentional by Brady? I think it's just so funny that

it was so covert and private. You're not allowed to have practices. Well, they're not really practicing. I'm not taking sides on this. It's kind of a practice. It's a practice. Well, if you go to a football practice. Special teams, one area. Right. But that was how many

guys? Like 10 guys? Well, that's what an offensive practice looks like, isn't it? Six and eight guys? Yeah, that's not a practice at all. Kind of. How? How's it a practice? You're practicing kind of the... I mean, you are practicing things. You're practicing

the language of football. You know how football practices it's everybody. They don't scrimmage very much. It's just everybody's off in their own unit. Yeah, you know, you get your little position coaches and Yeah, I understand, but that doesn't, that's not... Looks like, what is that guy in the black warm-up suit? That looks like a coach. 24, six, eight, ten.

Yeah, maybe. I'm not saying it's Bruce Ariens. I'm trying to make excuses for Tom here, but... No, I'm not, I'm not indicting him. I just think it's... I mean, it... Yeah, by the way, Brady's the only one in shoulder pads. Right.

It's more of like, you know, a football get-together. Yeah, it's something like that. A walk-through or something. Well, I mean, he's... I mean, I mean, I mean, I am surprised. I mean, it's great footage, obviously, but, you know, he's trying to be better for, you know, I can see, like, national news trying to catch him.

No, I, you know, or the Patriots. It's just, it's, I don't know why, you know, the collective bargaining agreement, they have limitations on, you know, I don't know if it reads like this. They don't want players to be forced to practice. Right. But if you called up seven guys and said, we're going to go for two hours, work on routes, why can't I do that? Well, if I want to work harder.

Why can I do that? If there's no coaches there, it probably is allowed. All right. Rick Buecker, Andrew Whitworth of the Rams, Andy Reed, and Jason McIntyre, and we got through another week. I'm off Monday.

Joy is not. I'll be back Tuesday. Going to take a little long week and hang out with a fam. Thanks so much for joining us. Be safe. And thanks for joining us in Los Angeles. It's the herd.

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