The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - Caleb Williams and LeBron James

Episode Date: July 13, 2023

Colin discusses reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and why he is one of the best QB prospects we've seen in a long time The Broncos are a lock to be the bounce back team this season after a disappointing year Following LeBron's announcement about continuing his NBA career, Colin hopes he doesn't drag out retirement rumors in the later years of his careerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with.

And just because you have the capability that doesn't. 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 on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRedio.com or stream us live every day in the

IHart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox SportsPortes. Sports Radio. Here we go on a Thursday. Lots to talk about lots to do. In L.A. it's the hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for Megan House.

Part of your day. J. Mack last week, I'm taking tomorrow off. So J. Mack's going to deliver tomorrow's headlines today in our third hour. Last week it was the NFC. We kind of agreed. Today it's the AFC.

very interested. I already have a feeling of vibe on one of his picks, but I disagree with vehemently. But I watched the United States Men's National team, by the way. First of all, Panama outplayed us. They deserved to win.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time on that today, but Panama deserved to win last night. They outplay this. Way to start the show on a Debbie down. Well, well, well. Come on. It was our backups. It was our third stringers.

Hey, USA, Mexico was going to be Sunday at SoFi out here. I was all excited to take the family. It's over. disturbing loss last night. Not a major setback, but disappointing. All right. So they had the SBs last night for the 13th straight year. I didn't watch any of it.

But I was told Caleb Williams, USC quarterback won something called Best Male College Athlete. And I was reading a story this morning about Daniel Jeremiah. He's a scout, former multiple team scout, smart guy. And he was talking about how he doesn't remind him of Patrick Mahomes. He reminds him of Josh Allen. Now, I think he plays a much more composed game. He reminds me much more of Mahomes, so I disagree with the scout. I thought Josh Allen was wild out of control in college early in the NFL.

Caleb Williams is never out of control. Mahomes, by the way, people view him as wild. He's never out of control. Josh Allen sometimes is. Bad decisions, Red Zone. For a variety of reasons, I don't see the comp with Josh Allen nearly as much, and some of it's just emotional. I do see the Mahomes comp. But it is interesting because,

only three times since I've been doing this, I was not doing sports talk radio or television in the John Elway era. 2012 with Andrew Luck, 2021 with Trevor Lawrence, and 2024 with Caleb Williams. The only three times, not Peyton Manning, the only three times I believe that a college quarterback going into his last year is better than 75% of the NFL. Three guys. And they weren't perfect. Andrew Luck, I can remember talking to scouts who said he doesn't avoid contact. He's going to get hurt. He bangs into people.

He holds the ball too long. He thinks he can make a play. Wasn't perfect. Trevor Lawrence, people thought the ball dipped his delivery. He could sail the ball from time to times. And Caleb Williams, you wish he was an inch and a half taller. Sometimes he kind of runs backwards, making a play, but he'll get coached out of that. He does it less and less.

It feels like at the end of the year he didn't do it nearly as much as he did at the beginning of the year. probably won't be an issue. They're not perfect. And it's very, very rare. But they have something that I think is important in that they have this incredible confidence, but it's never narcissism. It's never conceded and it's never arrogance. That was the problem with Johnny Mansell. That was the problem with Cam. That was the problem with Baker. That they were confident, but it became conceit or arrogance, maybe both. It was obnoxious at times. And that's really important as a program. quarterback because you're the coach on the field.

We all know that. But leadership is one of those things that's hard to define. And you know it when you talk to it. And all three, Luck and Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams, I was lucky enough to talk to him early in their careers. The last time I saw Caleb Williams, he walked up to me and said, I'm not nearly as good as you say I am. Ever get that with Baker?

Johnny Mansell? No. all three, Luck, Trevor, Caleb, willing to take risks. That's a big thing. They're not deterred by interceptions. Not that they don't care, but they never lose confidence on an interception. But I wouldn't classify any of them as reckless. Andrew Luck wasn't reckless.

He was running for his life behind a terrible O line with no receivers. Twelve years, three quarterbacks that fall into this. Now, I love Sam Darnold, but he wasn't a general. talent. I knew a lot of GMs that liked him, but he wasn't generational. He had a flawed delivery. He was a linebacker at one point in high school. He wasn't a natural fluid quarterback. He was just a great kid. A gamer physical could move around. I missed. I thought he was going to hit. I missed. It became very apparent year two, year three, just a flawed delivery. Joe Burrow was not. Joe Burrow Jr. year looked like a college quarterback. Joe Burrow had a great last year, had to transfer. There's a lot of guys out there.

Justin Herbert, a lot of critics. People thought he was too mechanical. It wasn't until the Rose Bowl that the Chargers finally decided he's the guy. They still like too a lot. But it's very, very rare that you get somebody that going into their last year of college is better than 75% of the NFL. That's generational. That's different.

Great kid. He's got the confidence without the narcissism. And I would say with luck, Trevor Lawrence, and I've met Caleb Williams' dad, I would say in all three, the key. The key to it, parents. To be really confident, without the conceit, generally really good parents. All this stuff starts at home. All right, so I saw this story today at the Athletic.

The Athletic is that subscription model. Very interesting. I like reading it a lot. So there is a story today about Russell Wilson and the Broncos, where Randy Mueller, I know Randy, he's been on the show before, says there is a lot at stake for everybody this year. year, we know that to be true because Russell's got a monster contract. And if it doesn't work, Denver's going to be bailing water for several years. Sean Payton, everybody in the organization, has said this year is key. So I actually think Denver is going to be pretty predictable

offensively this year. There's three things we know to be true. Without argument, they have upgraded the offensive line. Now, you can argue they're receiving and tied-in cores this, this, PFF ranks at middle of the pack. I think it's better than that. but we can argue that. You cannot argue their left tackle, their best lineman's back. They went and got a top guard and a right tackle. The O line will be significantly better. Secondly, we know Nathaniel Hackett was over his skis.

By September, the Broncos last year, in September, had to hire a veteran assistant who could basically manage the game. By November, they took away play calling. It was a disaster. That we know, no dispute. And number three, also not a dispute. Sean Payton's one of the best last 20 years offensive coaches in the NFL. Those O-line, Hackett didn't work, Peyton's really good.

And the other break that I think really helps Denver is that if you look at the schedule only four times this year, will they face an elite defense? Washington, who's got a rookie quarterback, the Jets and New England, both at home, and then to Buffalo, a team that Jay Mack and many. believe is going backwards. That's it. That is it. There's a lot of defenses that may have a great player or two. Raiders, Miami, Chicago, Green Bay, Kansas City, Minnesota, Cleveland, Chargers, Detroit, Vegas again. They do not. There's no Steeler defense on here. There's no Raven defense. there's no Niner defense, there's no Bengal defense, there's no Philadelphia defense, there's no

cowboy defense. I'm often critical all the Cowboys. We have good personnel. It's a good defense. No cowboy, no Steeler, no Niner, no Eagle, no Bengal, no Raven. Bronco is going to score some points. So last year, despite the O-line being awful, Star running back being hurt, Nathaniel Hackett, they averaged 16.9 points a game. And the league average, was 21.9 points a game. So do I believe with a better all line, an easier defensive schedule, and one of the best coaches in 20 years, they'll go from 16.9 points a game to 21.9 points,

five points a game, to just get to the league average. Yes, I do with a lot of confidence. The question will be, can they get to 24.6 points a game? Because that's what playoff team scored. And my takeaway is that's exactly a touchdown more than last year. Yep, I think Sean Payton, better online, easier defensive schedule, is worth a touchdown a game. So I think Denver's actually fairly predictable.

I think they'll be closer to 24 and 25 points a game. I think if you look at their schedule, they're going to have to get into a couple of shootouts against Kansas City and probably Buffalo. But I think they'll be equipped. but when the schedule comes out, there are not a lot of elite defense. And we know Jets personnel, Steelers, Ravens, Niners, Ingalls, Bengals, Cowboys, those are really good defenses, returning most of your really good players. So I think they're a fairly easy team to figure out.

Now, they may lose a lot of close games. They may end up being an eight-win team or a nine-win team because they lose two games in overtime. But is Sean Payton worth a touchdown and that O-line? I think he is. I think it's going to be a fairly predictable season. They'll be middle of the pack or slightly above it in scoring and the 9-10 win category. 11 if they win the close ones, 9 if they don't.

J-Mack, very excited for today's show. LeBron's not going to retire. Clearly. That was a little cringy last night. Yeah, a little bit. Hey, can I go to the Broncos real quick? I'm looking at last year. So they started 2 and 5.

Tough hole. Do you know their first four games are favored in three of them? So Peyton and Russ get it rolling early. Obviously, they'll lose to the Jets in week five. But you face the Raiders and commanders out of the gate. There is an opportunity for Denver to jump out strong, unlike last year. Well, also, if you go back to when Hackett gave up the play calling,

they were a slightly better offense when he just gave it up. So in September, the general manager said, we're going to hire an assistant to manage the game in September. In November, they're like, okay, you can't call plays. So he basically just stood on the sidelines the last six weeks, and that's the best they were. And Denver, we know in the early season games have a big altitude advantage. They do. You know, you're warming up in the preseason.

Then you've got to go to high altitude and play the Broncos. They have an edge there so they can start out of the gate 2 and 0. Look at that schedule again. They get home games against. Shaky. Raiders defense against Washington's rookie quarterback. That's how they start the season. That Miami game will be difficult. But then they bounce back against the Bears. They should win that when they're a slight favorite there. They don't play an elite defense until the Jets at home in week five. And by the way, because of the Jets' schedule, the Jets could be a little beat up. Jets' early

schedule is daunting. The Broncos is not. So stuff sort of works in their favor this year. They start the season against weaker defenses. A lot of home games early. Not a lot. I mean, they're going to have to have shootouts with the bills. May have to get into a shootout at Detroit. A couple of shootouts against Kansas City. Capable of winning those.

But if you start looking at just drip, drip, drip, they're going to average about 25 a game. So NFC playoff teams last week, AFC this week. I'm just saying right now, you look at the AFC like Denver might be the 10th best team. and the AFC is unbelievably difficult to pick the playoff team, Colin. It's super hard. Just the AFC North is daunting.

Just the AFC North. We love Cincinnati. I mean, I'm on the Pittsburgh thing where I'm like, well, when T.J. Watt plays and Kenny Pickett plays at the end of the year, they won their games. You've got three divisions where three teams could make the playoffs. No question. That makes it extremely all right. Yeah.

It's going to be fun. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. days in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered. conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Cliverts Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clivert Show on the I-Heart

radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far far away, such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now entering the No Bull Zone, sponsored by credible great rates, none of the bull.

Outside of Nick Wright, I'm about as pro-Lebron as anybody could be. And outside of the decision, I don't think LeBron's had a lot of cringy moments. And by the way, politicians, star athletes, musicians, there's a lot of. hubris. There's a lot of entitlement. We see it with our politicians. So there's going to be some cringy moments. You're selling you all the time. Add on the social media stuff. I get it. It's not the end of the world. I did think, though, the decision, it didn't bother me, but it bothered a lot of people, so my sensibility could be wrong. But I thought this was a tad cringy last night. LeBron the Espies. Here we go. I don't care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do.

on the floor. The real question for me is, can I play without cheating this game? The day I can't give the game everything on the floor is the day I'll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today. Yeah, kind of over the top. Lucky for us. Standing ovation, playing to the crowd. I get it, but, you know, like, I understand it's a star-driven league. Like, I get it. But how about we make something cool in 2024 and beyond. An occasional moment of humility by a pro athlete. That would be great. By the way, I think that's why I like Yokic and Janus. I think it's why I like them. They're about the team and the community. It's okay. I know they won't get the ratings or selva shoes of others, but it's kind of nice, right? It's why I like college sports still.

They're kids. The coach can actually coach. Everybody's not fearing their job. and they're really grateful to be part of something local, a community. It's special. Tom Brady, I thought, did it right. Remember, his got at the end, it got weird. His wife wanted him to retire. He didn't want to retire. There was the Miami Dolphin thing. It got real wanky at the end. But I thought this was about a good job, as you can do, as a goat in any sport to retire. I'll get to the point right away. I'm retiring for good. I won't be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year. So I really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me.

My family, my friends, teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There's too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn't change the thing. Just the right tone. Just emotional enough. Kobe had one great performance at the end.

Jeter last at bat at Yankee Stadium. Wasn't it a walk-off single? Some elegance to it, classic Jeter. Seinfeld one last big episode, then he moved on to other stuff. I like LeBron and pro-Lebron. How lucky are we? Little cringy.

He shouldn't retire, by the way. He's still great in moments and spurts and occasionally great for overall. games. He wants to play with his son. That's pretty cool. But how lucky are we? There's a lot of good players in this league. One of them just swept you. The Lakers, the Lakers could be lucky, speaking of that, to beat the Nuggets in the series of the next two to three years, because it's highly unlikely. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Let's start with a team that we can't get enough of the New York Giants, Colin. Sequin Barclay and the Giants still in a stalemate over his contract. Risa reports indicated his week one availability is in question. Berkeley, according to the reports, is seeking up to $16 million per season. But Sequin called Cap on those reports tweeting out two hat emojis, meaning that's a bunch of malarkey. I don't know what to make of this. This Sequan Berkeley stuff, Colin. You know I side with him in this?

Right? I think we both side with Sequin. The Giants messed it up. But why are they trying to make him look bad with these reports? Oh, he wants 16 million. So I saw a story recently where another major insurer pulled out of Florida, right, because of the hurricanes. Okay. And so increasingly insurance companies are pulling out of Florida because they don't think because of the hurricanes. And a lot of this is climate change, bigger storms. There's some policy reasons behind it. And so insurance, I think about this, is just protection. That's why you pay so much for insurance. I've never been in a car wreck.

I've been paying it my entire life. So insurance is valuable. Could I not argue he's the best insurance company in New York, Seyquan Barclay. Now that you have gone all in multiple years on Daniel Jones, he's basically insurance to provide some certainty that Daniel doesn't go backwards. Brian Dayball, offensive coach. They hired him because it was some insurance that they, whether Daniel was great or not, Daybull would get the most out of him. I think we'd agree he did.

Oh, yeah. Well, then Sequin now is insurance on a game by game basis that you don't become reliant on Daniel Jones. So if you're going to pay Daniel Jones that, then you've got to keep Daibol and you've got to keep Barclay. All they are, it's insurance for this massive house, this infrastructure, Daniel Jones, this investment you made that's probably at this point, you paid too much for that. So now you just need insurance. Saquan Barkley, I know insurance is expensive, but he's got an argument.

What is the house without the insurance? You know what it is? Bad investment. You can have a most beautiful house in the block. If you've got no insurance, you live in California, earthquake. You live in Florida. So right now, Daibol is worth his weight in gold. Sequan's worth his weight in gold.

You have to make sure that this investment that you've gone all in on for three years, probably four, at least breaks even. Yeah, I mean, they did add Darren Waller the tight end. Who plays healthy frequently? Well, that's the thing. I mean, Waller gets hurt and Barclay's like a holdout. All of a sudden, this team, I'm talking, they're going back to like the five, six win territory, right? They're just not a good offensive unit, even though we love dable, right? Oh, I think he's spectacular.

One of the best in the league. Next up, let's stay in the NFC East. Jalen Hertz made a huge jump last season, leading his team to the Super Bowl, but ultimately coming up just short against Mahomes, despite a heroic effort. Well, Dallas Goddard was recently asked about ranking quarterbacks, and here's what he had to say about his teammate Jalen Hertz.

He's a dog. He's really good. I think he should be top three, top two. You know, it's hard to take anything away from Patrick. And you go down that list, and, you know, there's probably 10 quarterbacks that could be in the top five, depends on what fan base you are, but personally

speaking, Jaylon's in the top two. See, this is what I expected Justin Jefferson to say about his guy, Kirk Cousins. You got to pump up your guy. You wouldn't say top two, but you've got to say at least top five. Well, Jalen Hertz appears to be far more dynamic than Kirk Couss.

Jalen Hurts had one really, really great season. It is fair to say that, but it wasn't just a good season. It was a great season. MVP-calibre season. It was, and he had an incredible Super Bowl. hurt. By the way, what you're saying isn't wrong. Are we just going crazy off one great season? We've, like, Gino Smith, you and I both don't think he's going to back up last season with another one. I don't. I think he'll be fine. But I thought there was an element of surprise.

Now we got more recent Gino tape. I think Gino will be fine. But last year, I think he led the NFL and passer rating. I don't think that's going to happen again. Well, Hertz also lost his OC. We'll cease. I can very, very. But it wasn't like Jaylin was pretty good. He ran for 18 touchdowns. He passed for 25. I would have given him the MVP award. If he comes down off all these numbers, 25%, he's still a pro bowler.

If he runs for 13 touchdowns and throws 20 touchdowns, that's still like 33 touchdowns. That's top two or three in the league. So, I mean, his numbers are so spectacular if you take out the stuyken factor. Let's just peel off 20%. So he loses two to three touchdown runs. and two to three touchdown passes. He's still elite. You pull the other 31 GMs around the league.

After Patrick Wilhomes, who would you take as your second best quarterback? Everybody, Burrow around. I mean, listen, I like hurts a lot. Probably Allen because he's bigger and never had an injury like Burrow. Probably Allen. The point is Dallas Goddard is pumping up his guy. Of course. Yeah.

Justin Jefferson, you have to admit, you're coming around on that. Justin Jefferson. I'm not at all. Yeah, again, if it was a list of top 11. Oh, stop it. It's just saying you're hyping your guy. Final story in the NBA. Victor Wambayama, he's been shut down for the NBA Summer League

after that 27-point explosion in game two. He was asked about the differences between the NBA and playing in Europe. And Wembe Niyama may have added another target on his back. Here's what he had to say. The court is more open. It's going fast, but it's less physical. And I get found a lot, but now it's going to be. Nothing to compare.

Here, players are just flying, you know, there is more on the ground, pushing on the ground, big boxouts. Here it's great athletes, the best in the world. Way more talent. And yeah, but I like this better though. By the way, I hope nobody was offended. He's not saying the NBA is soft.

What he's saying is, because of the dynamic level and the speed of the NBA, it's a less physical game. And whereas Europe's a tank, Whereas Europe's a tad more plotting because it's not as dynamic. And if you watch the NBA, the speed in which they play, it's like hockey. If you watch really high-end hockey, it goes so fast, it's incredible. Less talented hockey players aren't moving as fast. The NBA's got so much speed and so many athletes.

The game flies up and down the floor. I mean, they're averaging 1.15 a night. It's not that the NBA is not physical, but it's hard to be a physical player if you can't shoot. You get lost. It's like it used to be in hockey you could clutch and grab. If you're just a fighter and a clutch grab guy, the game's too fast anymore. You can't play hockey if you don't have the speed. So I hope people aren't looking at this and saying, well, he says the NBA is soft.

The European game is a little bit more physical. Some of it is because it's just not as dynamic. We're already seeing pushback against women. Like anything he says is going to be criticized. I don't like this what's building, Colin. There's a lot of pushback online against basically anything Wemadiyama does. First game. Oh, he's terrible.

Two for 13. He's not a good prospect. Oh, the hype. And then he plays really well. Well, look what he said about the league. It's soft. We're doing this thing. Maybe it's just online, I hope.

It is online. Because everybody I talk to seems excited about one. Well, that's right. Everybody online hates me in real life. 33 years, nobody's ever said that in person. Like, you can't take online for anything. It's just very weird. Well, the other thing is, you have to just understand.

A lot of people peaked in high school. And so they hold on to the past. And so a lot of people are telling you, I mean, we all have friends who are at their core in college or high school, right? And things haven't turned out in real life. And so they kind of, anybody that's, there's some jealousy and some anger and resentment about new and progressive stuff. I get it. Okay. We shouldn't make fun of those people.

It's a reality. But there's a lot of people that want to tell you how great the NBA was in the 80s. Folks, they were playing playoff games and teams were scoring 69 points and 72 points. The New York Knicks and the Pacers played a series. there was one elite shooter in the whole damn series, Reggie Miller. Like seven guys couldn't hit a 15-foot jumper. Those nick teams could not shoot. Their guards, John Stark couldn't shoot.

The 90s NBA was so good. It was not. It was slow. People are nostalgic. Just like you've heard it in music, everybody loves the era they grew up. And they love that music thing and listen to it forever. Same with movies. Just because it connected with you as a kid.

And people feel that way about the NBA in the 80s and 90s. Go back on YouTube and watch some of those games. It's like, oh my God. This is not good basketball. No, it's slow. Very few people can shoot. It's plotting. Now, I do like some of the layering.

I like Kareem. I like Biggs. But the bottom line today is the players are bigger, longer, faster. They can all shoot. They're more skilled. It's just a totally different ball game. In fact, when a player is dynamic and can't shoot, and we all know those guards who they are,

they look out of place. They can't get to May and June basketball. So it's like you, the bottom line, line now is you cannot have two players on the floor at any one time that can't shoot. You can't. The Knicks used to have four. The spacing would be crippled. And made the Eastern Conference finals. When I tell people that like the power forward position, go look at all the Dale Davis, Anthony Mason. Can't play today. They would not be able to play on the floor right now. Can't play today. Can't. And people don't want to believe that. Well, look at Dremont. He's a non-shooter.

Okay. Draymond is one of the highest IQ passers picking on the perimeter. Look at players that were in the NBA. Tristan Thompson was viewed valuable, and over the course of four years, couldn't have him on the floor. He just couldn't shoot. And he was valuable for about a two, three-year period. And as the game changed, it's like, we're going to put Kristen on the floor? Because you had to have a love. LeBron can shoot. Even Matthew Delvedova could hit a triple. J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving, couldn't have him on the floor in big spots. It's funny. Remember J.J. Reddick mentioned about the point guards from the Bill Russell era. Yeah. He's like, they couldn't dribble with their left hand.

It's true. And that's fine. And we look back on the Bill Russell era, like, oh, Bill Russell's the greatest winner of all time. Like, listen, I know he had a great career. I don't want to get in this back and forth again. But the era of players from that, the point cars didn't dribble with their left hand. And you're telling me Bill Russell all of a sudden would be totally dominant right now? Like, it's just, I know people don't like to hear that, but there's a different level of everything.

The other thing is the game's global. So the pool of athletes is significantly bigger. So it's like we have more, baseball is this too. is increasingly global. I mean, it's been global for a long time. But it's like there's just more great athletes. They're coming from all over the world. The NFL remains a domestic league.

So I still contend guys that were good in the 70s. Walter Payton would be great today. It's not a global sport. The pool is domestic. So Jerry Rice would be great today. But most players in the 50s, 60s, 70s, NBA, baseball would not be as dominant. I mean, I always used the same example. When I was a kid in the 70s, the Reds were a dominant team.

They had one player that threw in the 90s. Don Gullet was a high school football star in Kentucky, number 35, left-hander Reds, had some injury issues. Don threw like 95 miles an hour. Now, he wasn't Nolan, but he was considered, oh, it's a heater. If you go to the Angel staff, eight guys throw in the mid-90s. Eight. Like, if you had a flamethrower, go to the Dodgers staffs. Don Sutton was the flamethrower.

It was a lot of guys throwing 88 to 90s. the athletes are bigger, stronger, and you could say, well, the nutrition, whatever. All I know is today's athletes in the NBA, way more skill. I mean, you put Randy Moss in the 60s NFL. What is Randy? Randy Moss, but in football, it's different. He would translate in any era. NFL, even Jim Brown.

NFL players translate better because the game's not global. So you kind of know what you get. And also, the game is fast as fast. I mean, Daryl Green, Washington Corner. It would be great today. Burner. But it's different in bad. Basketball is very highly skilled. Remember, football, you don't even have to play high school football.

You don't have to play college football. You could, in some cases, make the NFL. Antonio Gates. Yeah, tight ends. Right, right, right. Why? Because football's not as highly skilled. Golf, highly skilled.

Basketball, baseball. If you don't get in a batting cage in baseball, even a great hitter doesn't go in the cage for two months. Yeah. Golf. Take a pro golfer. You don't go to the driving range. You don't go to a putting green for two months. Basketball player, don't pick up a basketball for two months.

Like, that player will tell you. Like, you lose skill level. In the NFL, players take two months off, go to the beach, just to rest. So football's not as predicated on a specific skill. Now, obviously, a quarterback, yes. You want to anger any NBA old head? Can you imagine how good Zach Levine would have been in the 60s with the Celtics? Zach Levine

probably been the best player in the league in the 60s. He's unbelievable athlete now. Three's dunks. I mean, there was no Zach Levine type players in that era. I don't think he would be a winning player in the 60s either. Oh, stop it.

He would win in any era. He's so good. But, no, the argument is, basically, football's a bit different, but like baseballs, your golfs, your tennis tends to be equipment's big in tennis, right? Go look at the rackets in the 70s.

Look at them now. Like everything, you know, it's going 100 miles an hour. But in basketball, guys were just not in the 60s, 70s, 80s, they just were not this skill. And there's photographs of these guys smoking cigarettes at halftime. And all this, like, it's just different era crazies. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lines. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben. Host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our original. weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour?

I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry, in media, sports, and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

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

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford

show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot,

or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. podcast. In just eight days, the U.S. women begin their quest for a historic World Cup three-peep with a primetime showdown against Vietnam. The FIFA Women's World Cup next Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern only on Fox. So college football fans are the most delusional in my years of doing this. Nobody else is close. Maybe it's because it's the plaque on the wall. They're younger. But college football fans, I don't listen to any of them. love you to death. I know you love clat. I do too. I don't listen to them. Other fans I listen to,

they have different perspectives. Literally, it's all gas, no breaks with college football fan. Their coach sucks. Ours is the best. Jim Harbaugh is a great example. He now owns Ohio State. He's five for five taking jobs, turning it around almost immediately. In fact, Stanford was the worst team in college football when he took it over. They got to Orange Bulls a few years later. He got to a Super Bowl. He's better than Ryan Day. he is. Ryan Day has not been to a Super Bowl. Ryan Day now can't beat Michigan. Jim's better.

Doesn't mean Ryan Day's bad. Jim's better. Lincoln Riley, in his years, take out COVID, where it was all messed up. Lincoln Riley's won 12, 12, 12, 11, and 10. He's better than Brett Venables. It's not close. Lincoln Riley could get seven NFL jobs next year. Nobody would interview Brett Venables for a head coaching job in the NFL.

And the NFL is the best coaching league. It's not close. It's way better than college. Half these guys doing college are lost. So you can't listen to college fans. Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh, between the two of them, I believe, are nine for nine in turnaround jobs, mostly take shipwrecks and turn it around overnight. Stanford took a little longer.

They're great coaches. I mean, literally, if you, and now you got Sark. And so Sark's one of those that I defend, but I hear the critics. I do hear the critics. Now, I watched him at Washington, took over a zero-win program. Zero wins, turned it around. And he did turn it around. They were zero wins, five wins, seven a few years, nine, then he left.

He went to USC. They were a mess. Recruiting was excellent. Sort of turned him around and had personal issues. And now he goes to Texas and this year, their favorite overwhelmingly to win their conference. But the knock is oh has been. he can recruit.

He's a great quarterback developer. He's a little light on the details. All right. Details. So the theories always been with Sark, not the theory, but the belief, because, again,

I was a Brian Kelly fan when you were all dogging him. And I was a Harbaugh fan when you were all dogging him. And I'm a Lincoln Riley fan, and you're all dogging him. I'm a Sark fan. So the knock on Sark has

been details, attention to detail, close games, not so good. So let's go look at close games. One score games in Brian Kelly's career and Lincoln Riley. And then there's Sark. That's not good. So Lincoln Riley's amazing 24 and 9. Brian Kelly's equally amazing, 40 and 23. At Washington, USC and Texas, Sark's under 500.

So that leads you to believe, Sark's in trouble until you see the next graphic. And Jim Harbaugh, who's been to Super Bowls, is basically 500 in one score games. Even in recent years, last couple of years, he's five and three. Change one of those games, he's four and four. So my take on Sark is, I think Sark's really really good. The criticism is, because we know he can recruit, I watch Washington, USC and Texas, and within one year, they were better football teams.

No question. No question. Texas has a culture. They're big. They're fast. They're aggressive. Does he have to win more? One score games?

Absolutely. But Harbaugh, and no reasonable fan, not your crazy college fan, no reasonable fan is denying Harbaugh's really good at what he does. He now owns Ohio State. He owns the Big Ten. This is his best team coming back ever. Got to a Super Bowl, turned around Sandy. Diego, Stanford, the 49ers, and Michigan.

But I tend to be a Sark believer. I don't think they'll be in a lot of close games this year. I think you're going to blow out a lot of people. But you go to Lubbock, you go to Waco, you go to these night games in the Big 12, everybody's spreading it out. So this is to me, all the Sark critics, pins and needles this year. I'm a believer. But I was a believer in Lincoln.

I used to bring him on second year when he was coach in Oklahoma. I watched their games and thought, this cat's different. This cat is different. I love Brian Kelly even early at Notre Dame. I'm a Harbaugh guy. I'm a Sark guy. But the close game thing, it's not great. It's not great for James Franklin.

I think he's a good coach. Go look at James Franklin one-scored game. It's not great for Harbaugh. And so far it hasn't been great for Sark. Here's Sark at Big 12 Media Days. I really love our football team. I love their mindset. I love where they're at.

I know that there's been so much talk about the SEC and what's happening in 2024. But I think one thing that I love about this team that we have this year is their focus on 2023. And this opportunity we have here in the Big 12, it's going to be a heck of a season, great competition. And I'll make a prediction. The two biggest glamour programs in college football, not saying the best, but the best glamour programs are U.S. USC in Texas. The last time USC and Texas were great, college football's championship game ratings were historic. So I don't think Texas is ready to play for a national championship. I think USC is close, although I think LSU, Georgia, Michigan may be better. But Texas being good in college

football is really important. Ohio State's great. It's not a glamour program. Notre Dame tends to be kind of a glamour program. USC, Texas, glamour program. Miami Hurricanes haven't been good forever. It's kind of a glamour program. A little juice to it, little sizzle to it. So I think they're going to be really, really good this year. I do not, unlike everybody else, I do not love their quarterback. Brock Ewers like everybody else does.

Quinn Ewers, excuse me, I think he's a little loose. Doesn't play with urgency. Can get a little sloppy mechanically. But this is the year for Sark. And that he's not good in close game stuff. You got to be careful because Harbaugh's not great in close games. he's okay it's not a disaster but he's not brian kelly he's not lincoln riley so fired up for it so fired up for it by the way the kiler murray stuff he's talking now i'm gonna i'm gonna bring something

up uh albert brirer's going to be joining us next hour the kiler murray stuff why did you do that what was that look for you know i was i was talking with the producers i was like already thinking about tomorrow's show i'm like i might lead the show with kailer murray i mean the quotes he gave Colin, what? What? What's wrong with this guy? Well, he just said last year happened for a reason. Well, there's more. He just spoke recently again, and he's just, I don't think he fully gets it, you know, being a professional, being a leader, none of that stuff.

We talk about it. I mean, they gave him a lot of money. Well, yeah, I know, but that doesn't make you a good leader. It just makes you rich. You would think he would understand, hey, we're paying you a lot of money. You're the face of our franchise, Kyle. fall in line, like be a leader. I mean, look at the NBA. No, there's none of that. LeBron's been a good leader.

Steph's been a good leader. Janice has been a good leader. Yokic has been a good leader. Luca's been talented. He's like 23. Well, okay, but you're, Kyler Murray's not 40. I mean, he's a kid too.

So I'm saying is don't, don't confuse great player with leader. Steph's a great leader. I think Jalen Brunson with a Knicks has huge leadership skills. Jimmy Butler's got some, and he's bounced around. There's a big difference.

In the NFL, I feel like Joe Burrell's got incredible leadership skills. Jay Cutler was talented. So just remember, wasn't it last summer that Kyler was dealing with the homework clause in his contract? And now this summer it's, oh, Caleb Williams is going to be the number one pick. Arizona is going to take him and dump Kyler. And it feels like he's starting to understand that and has already ticked off. Well, they're going to, if they get the number one pick, they will take it.

Yes. Now then the question becomes, who wants Kyler Murray? Oh, there'll be plenty. You don't think anybody wants Connor Murray? Well, he does, I will say this. It's going to be a camp issue. I mean, let's be honest about it.

Yeah, he makes a lot. So it's not just like who wants him, it's who can afford him. And that's a different question entirely. Our number two, latest stuff with Albert Breer, it's the herd. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends

on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's. Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard 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 hosts Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have any with, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor.

It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.