The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - LeBron carried the Lakers

Episode Date: April 25, 2023

Colin's thoughts on the Lakers taking a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Grizzlies He reacts to the Jets and the Packers officially agreeing on a trade for Aaron Rodgers Can the Bucks come back to beat the Heat?See 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. On the Look Back at it podcast.

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Oh, what a Tuesday. J-Mack wearing green live in Los Angeles, it's the hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Nick Wright in one hour from now, what a show we have planned. J-Max got his jets green on, very fired up, and that's the second biggest story after the Lakers win last night. But, all right, finally got it done.

Trade some pieces. Mostly the compensation looked like we thought it would mostly look like. we thought it would mostly look like. Where there's smoke, there's fire. It does appear that most of the trade rumors and draft pick situation was all very much online with what was reported. And here we are. Yeah. Feel good?

Feel great. I did not want Rogers for the longest time. Remember, I was an advocate of Lamar Jackson. Now that I have Rogers, let's get those Super Bowl tickets, baby. Let's go. Fired up, Colin. All right. Let's start with the Lakers.

The Lakers game last night gave you really a glimpse of everything the Lakers are. the good, the bad, and the ugly. Anthony Davis got hurt again and didn't play great. Yeah, I've seen that. DeAngelo Russell, a couple of big shots but had a plus minus of minus 16. Dennis Schrooter, how can you be in the league this long and still make those mistakes? Austin Reeves had moments, but there's clearly a ceiling. He was trying too hard last night.

And LeBron saved the day. That's kind of what the Lakers are. They're a very limited offense. It's a low ceiling offense. with two great players, one brittle, one old and brittle, with a defensive coach. The good news is, thankfully, Memphis is worse. Memphis shot 39% from the field and 21% on three-pointers. John Morant is spectacular.

They've got all sorts of offensive issues and a bit of a fraud as a team. They've got depth, but are a long way from contending for a title. The reason, though, the Lakers should be optimistic is that on their good nights, They're very good in the fourth quarter. They can hand the ball to still one of the top 10 players in the league in AD, although not last night, can be a top seven player. And because the clippers are all beat up, the sons have old brittle players. The warriors are old in Sacramento's probably too young.

So there's a reason some years in the Oscars, you have four or five good movies, right, that could win the Oscar. This is one of those years in the Western Conference where like American Beauty or the shape of. water would win the Oscar. There's not a lot of great out there. And the Lakers over the last three years, if you really watch them play a lot, LeBron in the last three years since the bubble championship, has been waiting for AD to take the baton. He's not going to ever. He did for about three weeks at the end of the regular season. So LeBron kind of, he lets the game come to him. That's why the

Lakers are 18th in the NBA in first quarter scoring. LeBron is begging his teammates to get up and going. They never do because Malik Beasley and Jared Vanderbilt and Dennis Schrooter and DeAngelo Russell, they're bounce around the league guys. But the Lakers are also with all these bounce around the league guys first in fourth quarter scoring. How is it possible? Because LeBron now is a highly efficient.

player. He starts slow, crosses his fingers, that AD stays healthy, and they can take a lead. They usually let him down, so he has to be a good second quarter player to keep it close in half and a great closer. And last night was LeBron at his best. It had a lot of MJ. Picked his spots, and then at the end of the regulation and in overtime, he was the best player on the floor. 22 points, 20 rebounds, the ultra-rare 2020. and LeBron talked about it after. Just trying to be as great as I can be offensively, but even more important on the defensive end.

And I'm sure that was kind of the mindset tonight. When my teammates told me I had 20 and 20, I had no idea that I had 20 and 20. And the first time I've done it in my career. I've done some pretty good, cool things in my career. I've never had 20 and 20 before. So that was pretty cool, I guess. It feels like this Laker move by LeBron has been two parts.

He first comes to L.A. to build up his business, move off a lot of the young guys, get AD, and it got him a championship. This is the second version of it the last few years, where he's waiting for AD to take the baton and be the guy. Because at this point, if you look at the contracts, they're not going to rebuild with stars. They tried the Westbrook thing. It didn't work. Trade deadline, they moved parts. It's a lot of Malik Beasley's, Jared Vanderbiltz, DeAngelo Russell, and driven and ascending but limited Austin Reeves.

LeBron's wanted to hand that thing over to somebody and be the number two guy. But last night, once again, great late, fourth quarter scoring. They lean into LeBron in year 20 and he delivers. Okay. The Jets and the Packers delivered the trade. So the way it works in the NBA, whoever gets the story. star in a trade wins the trade. But it's different in football, right?

Because football offensively is about choreography. If a quarterback who's pretty good Russell Wilson gets a bad coach, Nathaniel Hackett, it gets ugly fast. You can be a really good quarterback and you have a bad left tackle and there's injuries. Matt Stafford, you're banged up, the old lines banged up. And you can go from winning the Super Bowl to into the tank. So it's different. and in the NBA, whoever gets the stars,

5B players and draft picks don't equal the star. And there are some potholes for Aaron Rogers in New York. They have a young defensive head coach, defensive head coach that's unproven. The division's good, the conference is great. Ownership, no thanks. And many of the Jets' best players are young, first-second-year players,

not ideal for an old, prickly veteran. but the Jets should still win this trade. And the reason being they were so bad at quarterback last year, unwatchable to a past his prime, Hall of Fame level quarterback who can still on any Sunday be great. That alone should change the culture, the attitude, and the locker room in New York. The fact the Jets won seven games last year is hard to imagine.

It's hard to wrap your brain around. They were 29th in scoring. Between the two quarterbacks, They had 15 touchdowns and 15 picks, or maybe it was 14 touchdowns and 14 picks. It was awful. They were second to last in passing touchdowns. And yet they won seven games. It's hard to imagine how they did it.

So infusing Aaron into a franchise that has not been on Sunday night football in like 12 years. The Jacksonville Jaguars have won, not just been in, have won three playoff games. Since the Jets were last in the playoffs, The Lions get to the playoffs more regularly now than the Jets. So to go from that quarterback and that offense to Aaron Rogers, from the optimism, the attitude, the cultural belief, it should really be a game changer for them. But the Packers are on a different timeline.

If Jordan Love even becomes Kirk Cousins with a little mobility, they find out by Thanksgiving, we got our guy. He's good enough to win this division. Maybe not every year like Fav and Aaron Rogers, but he's a franchise quarterback. That's a win for them. Even if they find that out and go eight and nine and don't make the playoffs, there's a feeling of optimism for the Packers. Eight and nine for the Jets, the timeline's different. That's a disaster. Aaron may play one year. So when people talk about who won the trade, the Jets have to be great. immediately. And there's a chance for it, going from Zach Wilson, Mike White, to this.

It should be just a referendum on new football, optimistic football, home runs, over the top. It's not a complete offensive roster, but it's the difference between a hail storm and bright blue skies. The day feels different, and it should with Aaron. for Green Bay, if they find out at any point in this season, Jordan Love is good enough to be a franchise quarterback. You know what? Post-Farv and Aaron Rogers, that is a win. And I think it's possible, maybe probable, I don't know. Here's the GM of the Packers, Brian Gudenkoons, yesterday.

Obviously, Aaron was going to enter a time in his career where, you know, he was going to be ending and we had to be prepared for the future and get prepared to try to move forward. right so yeah that's that's part of the national football league you know so great players are going to come they're going to go and you got to be prepared to continue to add good football you know players to your roster so that your team can win i've said we're really excited where jordan can go he needs to play and having him sit another year i think um would really delayed kind of you know where we're going and what we're trying to build i've said before i don't think jordan loves going to be a top eight, nine quarterback.

If he was, they would have seen it, and they would have not signed Aaron to an extension, considering all the drama he created last three years. But I also don't think he's a disaster. An E.J. Manuel, you know, Isaac Wilson, where you kind of feel like pretty early, this isn't going to work, because then they would have re-signed Aaron again. I kind of feel he's somewhere, Jordan Love, between 12 and 20.

And again, if he's 90% of DAC, kind of Kirk cousins with a little mobility. I think it's a win for Green Bay. And I have no idea if that's true. We've seen virtually no proof he's great or terrible. We don't know. But for the Jets today, you go from that to bright blue skies,

feels like a win for them. I mean, look at J-Mack. He wanted Lamar Jackson three hours ago, and now he is over the moon. It does, but it does feel different. Three weeks ago. Three weeks ago. I mean, you used to be an East Coast guy.

You wake up, gray skies cold, or you wake up in Manhattan Beach blue skies. It changes the day. It changes how you feel. Aaron's going to change how the locker room feels. Jordan Love isn't. Like, that's not a bad thing, but the Packers have been capable for 20-some years. I think they still feel, hey, we'll be capable. The Jets, again, this isn't a small thing.

The Lions and the Jags now are more consistent playoff teams than the Jets. Like, I think Aaron totally shifts the way you think, the way you construct an offense, the locker room, the culture, right? I think they clearly pass the dolphins in the AFC East.

That's obvious. They're better. And then the question becomes Buffalo Bills or the New York Jets. And I know you're going to say, oh, it's the Bills. It's Josh Allen. I'll just point out

the Jets did beat Josh Allen last year. I forget which bum was starting a quarterback for the Jets. But according to pro football, focus, the Jets had the worst quarterback play statistically in the NFL, worse than the Bears. And won seven games.

And won seven games. Even if the defense falls off a little bit, this Jets offense with Aaron Rogers, Garrett Wilson, Brees Hall. They got to get another tight end. We're looking at it probably in the neighborhood of 10, 11, 12 wins.

And I think that's maybe conservative. I think if somebody offers you 11 wins, you should take that right now in the AFC. You know, the Rams. Got Stafford and had that work out for them. Pretty decent, right? Well, they had an offensive genius at coach that helps in an offensive league.

It does kind of help. And it does. It is the NFC. The Jets have Nathaniel Hackett, who is the opposite of a genius. And it's the AFC. I've seen the Jets schedule, not in order, but we know who they play. There's a lot of pro bowl quarterbacks. And there's a lot of really good coaches.

We also have Soss Gardner, the best quarterback in the league. So other than Colin, other than the Chiefs and the Bengals, you tell me who is definitely better in the AFC than the New York Jets. Oh, really? The team that scored 10 points at home against the Bengals in the playoffs, the team that saw Josh Allen regress,

gosh, don't get me started, coward. We got three hours here. I'm so armed with all the information on the Jets. It's looking good. You're going to be on that Jets' Reddit board the minute we go to commercial. I don't do Reddit, my friend. You don't know.

I'll just barrage you with text messages where the good news rolls in. Is D' Andre Hopkins next? We'll find out. It's pretty. interesting player. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

I don't care 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 Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam Jette. 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, 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, so. 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. So I watched the Milwaukee Bucks meltdown. Tough day for Wisconsin yesterday. Aaron Rogers officially gone and the Milwaukee Bucks had one of the great meltdowns I've ever seen. It was like I was watching two games. There was the first game. And then there was the last six minutes of regulate.

What a disaster by Milwaukee. But let's talk Jimmy Butler for a second. He's really now become what we think Kauai Leonard is. He's just available. He's a great on-ball defender. He doesn't live off the three, though he can hit it. He's maybe the best get a bucket guy in the league. He's shooting 63% in the playoffs.

Kauai and Butler had a little bit of tough childhoods, not recruited by the top schools. They've gotten a simmering intensity and a chip on their shoulder that's old school. Like Kauai, Jimmy doesn't blow you away in the regular season, but the playoffs arrive and the dude is just a totally different cat. He has scored 40 plus points seven times since he's been in Miami. All seven have been playoff games, and that is really saying something. That's facing the best defenses.

Everybody's equally rested, the best coaching staffs, and he goes to another level. But the difference between Kauai and Jimmy Butler is Jimmy is engaged and he talks a lot, sometimes so much he drives people crazy. He's a communicator. He shows up. He's available. He's verbal.

He works well with his coach and the staff. And that's the difference. You get a lot of the greatness of Kauai, but he deals with people. And right now, Jimmy Butler is the scariest guy in the Eastern Conference. Tatum, let's be honest. do we trust him late? M. Beads banged up again. Janice doesn't have the variety of ways to score that Jimmy Butler can,

and Jalen Brunson's fantastic, but he's just smaller. There's limitations around the rim. Jimmy Butler is it. He is doing this playing with four undrafted guys. Think about that. Four undrafted players, two undrafted starters, and they've got Milwaukee, the number one seed absolutely on the brink. I don't know if Milwaukee can win three straight games.

I don't know if they can. I watched that game last night. How can a champion be that nervous and that out of sorts late? I don't care if it's on the road. You're going up against undrafted guys. What's amazing about Butler and the heat is, is that they were the worst regular season offense, and right now they're currently the best postseason offense

facing a top defensive team. Here's Jimmy after. I love the competitive aspect of it, I guess. I think this is where all the best players, they just, they show up and they show out. And I'm not saying I'm one of those best players. I just want to be looked at as such. And I just go out there and I compete. I want to do everything for my team to win, along with everybody else on his roster.

I think Coach Pat and Spow wanted me here for a reason. I feel like this is part of that reason. He really matches the intensity of the franchise. I've said this for years. It's hard to be intense in Miami. The beach, the aqua water, it's sunny every day. It just screams. Grab your sandals in a book and head of the water.

Butler is perfect, though. He is an old school grinder. And Dwayne Wade, by the way, was perfect. Went to a small school Marquette, always trying to prove people wrong. There's a certain kind of player. I was told this by an NFL GM. years ago. The dolphins have to draft maturity because if you're marginally immature, you will not work in Miami. It's too distracting. That's why DeAngelo Russell the first time didn't work here

and maybe not work this time. Immature guys get distracted. Butler and De Wade are old school, engaged and committed. I don't even know what I watched last night. Sitting there on the treadmill, I'm like, Milwaukee is melting in Miami and couldn't be happier because, you know, This is such a great franchise, and Jimmy Butler, he is one of those great players. Right now in the East, it's the last guy I want to face. J-Mac with the News. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd Line News.

Great game in deep. Jimmy Buckets. You and I were texting, it's like, what is happening? Well, on back-to-back nights now, we've seen teams totally collapsed leading late. I mean, the Denver Nuggets storm back against Minnesota, and then Miami, against Milwaukee? How do you go on a 12-0-0 run in, like, the final two minutes? Ask yourself this.

There are losses, and then there are losses that, like, leave a mark culturally. Yeah. Like, I'm watching that game last night, and I'm like, can Milwaukee recover from that? Yonnas had a triple double, too. It's not like he played bad coming back. Brooke Lopez. What was that, like, 36? Something like that.

It's like... Where was your guy in Middleton last night? Well, I think we've acknowledged. He came into the season hurt. They're going to, they have to move off that, or he's... I mean, he vanished. Yeah. And Drew Holiday could not stop.

Nobody could stop. Jimmy Butler. All right, first up, not great news, Colin. This happened right after we exited the show yesterday. Deeran Fox, the tremendous guard from the Sacramento Kings, has a fractured tip of his left index finger. Look like it happened on that drive to the hoop. He starts shaking his hand.

He's listed as doubtful for game five. That is extremely disappointing. If he plays, he's going to need a protective covering on his finger. he's obviously lefty. You know, here's the thing, too. I don't know if you believe this. I think Sacramento looks like the baby warriors, but the Warriors have about one more guy that can hit a three.

I kind of feel like Sacramento to be a championship team needs like one more 16 point a game guy, like to infuse. What they can't lose is Deerrin Fox. Like Golden State, if you told me Clay wasn't playing, I'd be like, okay, I've got Jordan Poole, I've got guys that can hit baskets. Like they, they're margins in Sacramento offensively. They're a very good team.

But between the pacing, the maturity, and his ability to get a basket from anywhere, it's a huge loss for them. I mean, there was an extra day before game five. So that kind of favors the Warriors. Steph Curry's old. And now the bad news with Fox's finger. I don't know, man. I thought the Kings were in great shape.

This is obviously terrible. But let's be honest. I don't want to hear any excuses. Dramon and Gary Payton. were both out. Their top two defenders for game three. And the Warriors... Not because of injury.

He is stupidity. He's stomping on something. But they were out and the Warriors had their best defensive performance. Great teams overcome. I don't care if it's the 98 Bulls and Rodman. Great teams overcome. Gary Payton playing like 15 minutes a night is not the same as Deere and Fox. I hear excuses.

Oh, come on. I'll just point out one number for you. You're going to love this. So the Warriors in the series with Steph Curry on the floor. They are plus 45. Steph Curry off the floor, minus 38. Basically, they can't do anything when he goes to the bench for a breather. Yeah, so for all the Jordan Pool fanboys.

I like pool a lot. Yeah, but he is a starter for the Orlando Magic. He is not a starter for an elite team in the NBA. He's too goofy and unpredictable and inconsistent. One thing to watch, Sabonis attempted 16 free throws in the two games at home. They go to Golden State. He attempts two free throws. The officiating got fair.

Or is he dinged up when Draymond Green stomped on him? I don't know. He stomped on him. What are he talking about? It's the Draymond stomped game. It's real. Don't defend your guy. All right, next up.

Oh, geez, the paper clips. They've officially ruled Kawhi... I'm sorry for laughing. Kaui Leonard's out for game five. I mean, you're Steve Balmer, J. Mack. You own a sports franchise. I'm Steve Balmer? I'm going to walk off the set right now and just spend money.

If you were Steve Balmer, though, this is the tipping point. This series is like, okay, I'm done with it. I've done this for four years. Steve Balmer's legendarily known for getting on stage at Microsoft. His first big press conference with the Clippers. He's a highly emotional guy. He loves basketball. He's a great owner.

He Balmer loves basketball. You know what he doesn't love when great basketball players are consistently unavailable? If you're going to do load management, this is not how it ends. Can I get a definition on knee sprain? What the hell is that? A knee sprain? and he's missing three straight games? Listen, I'm sorry.

I know players get injured. It's just so weird how Jimmy Butler always plays through pain. Some of these guys are warriors. And I feel bad bagging on him. But anyways, here's Ty Loo making it clear at practice that this is not a case of load management. He's definitely hurt. Like, he's not load management where he's taking time off, you know.

He's shown, you know, in his past, He's played through injuries in the playoffs. And so if it's something he can't play through, then, you know, it has to be pretty serious. And so, you know, we're not talking about he's sitting out because he's an old man's where he's tired or nothing like that. Like, it's an actual thing, you know, so what the outside is saying, like, who cares? So with Deerun Fox, we got an image of him attacking the hoop getting hit on the hand,

and then he's shaking his hand. You know, like, we know that's where he got hurt. Show me the play. where Kauai's even touching his knee and not feeling great or getting balky or limping off. There still doesn't exist. Like what is going on? Well, that's what I've been told for the better part of two years, is that what is going on is the constant question.

I've said before, Kauai should wear like the Riddlers uniform with question marks on it. Like nobody really knows. Everything's a mystery. He's an unorthodox personality. Do you remember the end in San Antonio where he was actually like practicing with the team and Tony Parker gave interviews where he's like, yeah, I mean, he looks good out there practicing with us and then he's just not playing in games.

Maybe it's a mental thing. Kind of stinks because talent-wise, you know, this guy's pretty damn talent. He's a top 10 player in the league when he's healthy, but he's Jimmy Butler. I mean, he's like Jimmy Butler. Butler is a real dog and always wants it. And by the way, Jimmy Butler plays hurt. I've been told all the time. Jimmy Butler's never 100%.

He's always dinged up. And that's the kind of thing you can't, there's no scouting report. You know the draft is this week. You can't get in the heads of these guys and know who really, really, really is going to play through it. Some guys have different pain tolerance. I mean, Jimmy Butler has been banged up in his career. You cannot play as hard as Jimmy Butler and be 100% healthy in the playoffs. It's impossible.

There's too many collisions. Dwayne Wade was never healthy by year four in the NBA. You can't hit the floor like Dway. You can't play defense like Dwayne Wade and wake up and like, I'm 100%. Like at some point, it's like Trent Dover once told me in the NFL. By October 1st, nobody plays at 100% including punters and quarterbacks. Something's pulled, something's sore, something's not right. All right, final story, NFL draft.

I don't really know where to go with this, Colin. But Will Levis, something's going on. Somebody's messing with the betting markets. According to Fox bet, Will Levis's odds to be the first pick overall have improved. Last night, he was plus 5,000. No shot. This morning, plus 2,000. Now they're at plus 550.

Now, let's be real. Limits are very low at all these places. You can't go and put $10,000 down on this. I don't even think you can put $5,000. A lot of it's like $250,000. $500. So where, is this offshore? Who's coming up with these lines?

This is Fox bet. So this Fox bet. Okay, so somebody knows that lines don't move like this unless there's like LeBron's out of a game. Well, there was one report I saw, and again, who knows the credibility of it, but that Will Levis is telling people, I should be the number one pick. I'm going to be the number one pick. He's that confident of a guy.

We know that because he's taking bathroom selfies when he's shirtless and stuff. But this seems a little silly, right? Like, let's just start the draft it too. And I mean, Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network, you know, he's gone on the record. Like, it would be like a massive shocker if Will Levis goes second, much less first. So I'm not putting a lot of stock in this. It is the silly season. I don't know, Colin.

I think Bryce Young should and will go number one. Right. we need a camera on you for the first and second pick because if Will Levis goes that high, I don't know. You might have to do bathroom selfies to pay off a better. I mean, like, Colin, this is getting a little weird. Like, it's a 500 quarterback in the SEC who threw for 100 yards against Vanderbilt and a loss. I know.

Didn't have a lot to work with, but that's fair. I called two different executives in the league and asked their opinion, just said, what do you think? And all of them say, even with time to throw, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, falls in love with his arm. He loves his arm. You know who the comp is, is Jay Cutler? Oh, gosh. Is that a big arm, SEC? Big arm, big problem. Well, big arm, SEC, non-football power, blew everybody away, but kind of an enigma as a guy. Yeah, remember the playoff game, uh, Bears playoff game? Yeah. And it just, well, and also, Jay Cutler was like,

how can a guy be that smart, smart guy and be that difficult and have that little self-awareness? one of the knocks on Will Levis is, you know, he's a really smart kid, mom went to Yale, and yet his judgment. So he and Cutler are kind of the comps. You get this big SEC guy to non-football power with a huge arm, and he's a bright guy, and then sometimes you look at his self-awareness and judgment, and you're like, I don't get it. I mean, we've seen big arms in the league before, Jamarcus Russell out of big arm. Yeah, big arm doesn't. I'll just say this last thing.

Usually when there's this much smoke around one player, something's going to be. on with another player. Who are they trying to protect? We've seen a lot of C.J. Stroud bashing in the last like 10 days. Is somebody putting everybody onto Will Levis because they like Stroud? Or maybe they like Anthony Richardson? I think that's probably where this is going. I think you're right. That's interesting. I can't imagine somebody this in love with Whitelette's. You're the old magician. Look over here. Yes, a little misdirection. Very interesting. I think Indianapolis is at the root of all this. I would agree with you. I think the Colts want one of these guys, Stroud or Levis.

Or Richardson. I think the Colts are... Can you text your buddy Ballard? Can you come on the show today? Is he available? Chris is not going to talk for the next five days. He hides. J-Mack with the News.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Mod News. So I was going to, at the top of next hour, I was going to take, as of this morning, based on your O-line, your coach, your coordinator, your health, your age, who are the 10 best quarterbacks in the AFC? Just to give you an idea of how good the quarterback play is in the AFC, it is. We started doing the list today.

It's crazy. I think only one or two NFC quarterbacks could make the top 10 in the AFC. Can you give a tease? Is Roger's top five? I'm not going to get into that stuff. I don't get, I don't, I don't, there's no, be patient. You got your quarterback, just be patient. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd,

weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Husman Zada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris.

You can only name a show with that tight. of talent on it. Up on game. We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arrington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast from. 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. Others say it's unleashing. human potential. Either way, the podcast, 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. Clipper 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. 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 a little camp? 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 you're not. But just so you 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Fox Saturday Baseball heats up with an NL East rivalry. Ronald Acuna and the Braves take on Pete Alonzo and the Mets or the Cubs take on the Marlins. It all goes down Saturday at 4 Eastern, 1 Pacific on Fox. So Aaron Rogers now leaves Green Bay, and, you know, it's pretty remarkable that you go from a Brett Fav to an Aaron Rogers. It is absolutely striking to me. I wrote down the numbers this morning how similar Farv and Rogers were. Now, it's a bit more of a passing. league, and that has to be considered a little. The NFC over the last three or four years has really deteriorated, so Aaron got a little

weaker NFC. For a lot of FARV's run, the NFC felt like the better conference. But if you match their stats up, you know, it's amazing. So Aaron has a slight edge in passing touchdowns, a slight edge in winning percentage, Favv a slight edge in wins and losses in the playoffs, Aaron a slight edge in MVP's. Again, Aaron played in a little bit more of an offensive league. I always preferred Aaron over far because I thought he was a more efficient quarterback. I thought the gunslinger stuff was good to sell Wrangler jeans and forwards, but in the end, I want my quarterback not

making big mistakes and big games. But it's interesting. Both dominated average divisions, both eventually traded to the Jets, both left Green Bay with one Super Bowl and a prickly relationship with the front office. Both were replaced by a late first round quarterback pick. Both watched the Packers overwhelmingly draft defensive players in the first round. Both won a Super Bowl after huge free agent signings. Reggie White got Farr of a Super Bowl. Charles Woodson got Aaron Rogers a Super Bowl.

Both could be their own worst enemy. Farve the Gunslinger, sometimes didn't want to be coached, kind of doing his own. thing, ad-libbing, spilling a lot of paint as an artist. And Aaron could be difficult, not committed in the off-season's, picked his favorites, wide receivers, tight ends, teammates. Both were their own worst enemy. Both overwhelmingly had offensive coaches, never had an owner. Both had to deal with the reality of Green Bay football, which is very rarely, are you going to attain the top free agents on the market? I mean, they dealt with the same stuff. It's not like they had one guy had all defensive.

coaches and one guy had all offensive coaches. They had the same support system. Neither one of them. I mean, Brett Farv remarkably had very few great wide receivers. Aaron probably with Devante Adams had the best receiver either one ever had. But again, Aaron often did it, you know, with some Alan Lazards and some lower round offensive linemen. I just think it's incredibly striking how similar their careers are. And I've always called it the great. Green Bay quarterback syndrome. Because it's the smallest city in all of American professional sports, you are so big and so important.

Combine that with no owner in that you kind of are the most powerful, leveraged, popular quarterback in the league. Wisconsin doesn't have a lot of celebrities. Green Bay's got none except usually the star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. And I think psychologically, you start feeling that power. You start feeling how valuable you are. Farve, about four years before he left, was said publicly. I don't want to make changes.

I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm thinking about retirement. Meanwhile, Aaron Rogers, last four years. I'm going to do what I'm going to do. I want my Randall Cobbs. I want my old quarterback coach. Make sure you take care of David Bakhtiari. And, you know what I mean?

I'm kind of half committed in the offseason. It's just incredibly striking how similar they are. Brian Gudenkoons, helps run the Packers, talks about life without Aaron. I have so much respect for Aaron and not only the person, but the player that he is, and there's so much gratitude in what he's done for this organization. Again, it would have been nice to have those conversations, but at the same time, over the last few years, I kind of understood that that may not happen. So it's different.

And like I said, that would probably hit me a little bit at some other juncture when I don't have a lot on my plate. I'll tell you, when I look at this, I know everybody's getting worked up. But there is something about Aaron that is true. He was better as, you know, if you go look to his first year starting with Green Bay, despite being in the system for three years, he was six and ten. He lost a lot of close games, but he was six and ten. He wasn't great his first year as a starter.

Then his first year with Matt Lafleur, Nathaniel Hackett. They won a lot of games, but he wasn't dialed in as much as he was the following year. So there's a lot of new parts here. There's a new locker room, a new city, a new coach. It's the same offensive system, but it's new teammates. And so Aaron's gotten to a point that he's, I don't know if he's like far stubborn, but he's sort of far reluctant where he just doesn't want to do new stuff and he doesn't want to deal with new teammates.

He said he was 90% into retirement. that's what he said. So I think my, I wish and I hope Aaron stays for two years because I think it's going to be a little turbulent year one. I do not believe the New York media, which leans left, the media leans left, I lean left and it always has. Just be honest about this stuff. Fox News is an outlier.

Most media is moderate to left and they're going to attack him for the vaccine stuff. No, they're not. And here's why, because he's going to win games. The bottom line is, Aaron, you're going to go from Zach Wilson and Mike White to Aaron Rogers. Every day is going to be a parade. Every day is going to be a win.

There's going to be so many fascinating stories. People are like, how is he going to handle the media? Remember, it's different in Major League Baseball where the media is around the batting cage every day. The media only gets their shots at Aaron Rogers once a week. And increasingly, pro athletes go on to YouTube shows. They do their own thing. They don't need the media.

Aaron's going to be fine with the media. he's going to do just fine. It's going to be bright blue skies every day. There's going to be a lot of positive error and stuff. You know, New York sports, I did this the other day. Since 2000, the state of California has got 36 championships. New York's got five and the football teams playing Jersey. They don't win a lot.

The Yankees have been disappointing for 10 years. The Knicks are usually a tire fire. The fact that they lead a series, they're throwing parties on the streets in New York, getting out of the first round. Brooklyn's a chronic perpetual mess. The Jets, the Detroit Lions have, I think, played two or three playoff games since the Jets were last in it. Jacksonville's won three playoff games since the Jets were last in it.

So I think the arrival of Aaron, you know, if you look at the history of New York stars, this feels a little bit like A-Rod to New York. So the people that have succeeded in New York, Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Aaron Judge, a lot of these guys are small town kids who do not get distracted. They're very, very close to their family. Jeter and his family, Eli Manning in his family, Aaron Judge, small town kids, not distracted, not into the New York Nightlife. They grew up in small towns. They're a little intimidated initially by all that stuff. They lean heavy into their family.

They can talk a lot, but they don't say anything. That's what succeeds in New York. What doesn't necessarily succeed in New York to the level you think is somebody that loves the big city and is viewed themselves as a star, Jeremy Shockey, A. Rod, Aaron Rogers, Brett Farve. When you come into New York and you're an established star and you got your commercial, and you're already a big name. It's usually not quite as success.

Now, A-Rod obviously won a World Series with the Yankees. But A-Rod was a star before he got there. Brett Farr was a star before he got there. By the way, Carmelo Anthony was a star before he got there. A lot of the stars pre-New York, you don't quite get what you think you're going to get. It's the small-town kids who lean into their family. They don't get caught up in the lifestyle. They go over to Jersey.

They buy a couple of acres. They hide. They go to the ballpark. They don't care about the media. They smile. They're gracious with their time and they don't say anything. That's Jeter. That's Eli.

That's Aaron Judge. By the way, that's kind of Chad Pennington was a little like that. Mark Sanchez came out of flashy USC, did a GQ spread, and there was a lot of distractions. So my take is Aaron will be treated well because he's so great and they're just starving for wins. but the history of New York is when you're a star before you get there, it can be a little turbulent. Expectations are higher. You kind of lean into that stuff.

And I'm fascinated to watch it. So quick note, listening to what you just said about Rogers and excitement, last year he had young wide receivers in Green Bay. He was not excited to work with them. Now, is that more about management never giving them what he wanted? I know he got Cobb, but what's your concern level? I mean, the Jets have one of the youngest

offensive skill position group in the league. Yeah, that's why I don't get this Mahalms Joe Burrow stuff. Tom Brady never got criticized for it. But LeBron doesn't like playing with young guys. Peyton Manning didn't. Brady didn't. Like these highly intellectual athletes

who have systems, they don't want to deal with 22-year-olds. Yeah, Tom Brady didn't want the slot receivers they've got. Hey, bring in my guy, Antonio Brown. So how do the Jets solve this? DeAndre Hopkins. I mean, to me, I'm headed. Yeah, I mean, I would go get a veteran wide receiver.

But I mean, let's not just blame Aaron. Brady didn't like young guys. Brady liked his guys. LeBron doesn't like young guys. Peyton Manning liked his guys. These highly intellectual athletes who come in, they don't want to be teachers. They don't want to be mentors.

They want to win games right now. They don't want to teach you how to run the right route. Hour number two. Live in LA, 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, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it, with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.