The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 1 - Robert Kraft not inducted into the Hall of Fame, Sam Darnold has shown good character

Episode Date: February 3, 2026

Colin Cowherd reacts to Patriots owner Robert Kraft not getting inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and why this is a bigger mistake than Bill Belichick failing to get selected his first time on the ballot. He credits Sam Darnold’s character and work ethic for overcoming the struggles early in his NFL career to starting in the Super Bowl for the Seahawks. Colin also gives his thoughts on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I understand. that a lot of you have financial envy or animosity. But I saw this story this morning. Robert Krabb not voted into the Hall of Fame class in 2026. So let me ask you, where's the outrage? I mean, Bill Belichick, I had to spend three days on it. Where's the outrage? Well, Colin, come on.

Owners don't matter. Oh, really? Titans, Jets, Browns, perpetually hazmat spills. Nuddy coincidence. Dan Snyder took over a Washington football team that had a 30-year season ticket waiting list. 24 years, Washington was a train wreck. The NFL kicks him out the next year they're in the NFC championship. I bet that's just a nutty coincidence, too.

New England was awful before Robert Kraft got there. Five straight years of losing seasons. In fact, in that half decade, they had the worst record in the last record in the last. league. Robert Kraft buys them. The next year they're 10 and 6. What are the chances? Pre-Belichick, with

Belichick, post-Belichick Super Bowls. I've worked for over 35 years in radio and TV. I have had seven corporate owners. There is an inarguable, undeniable, I'll die on this hill.

Direct correlation. between the quality of the owner and the quality of the management and decisions that are made with people. Robert Kraft, 11 Super Bowl since he bought the team. That's more than the rest of the AFC East, the AFC North, and the AFC South combined. Joe Burrow, last several years, has been the best quarterback in the league, statistically. He can't make the playoffs. You know why, and I know why. It's not the right tackle or their lack of depth at inside Mike linebacker.

It's the cheap ownership. I mean, go look at baseball. The Yankees have as much annual revenue as the Dodgers. Dodgers have better owner. Dodgers have better owners. Excellence in every company I have always worked at. Every corporation starts at the top and it is continually reinforced every day top down. Doesn't start at the bottom.

I mean, look in New York. George Steinbrenner. Owned the Yankees for 37 years. Won seven World Series titles. It wasn't managers. He had 23 different managers, if you count, hiring Billy Martin multiple times. He had multiple GMs. He had multiple players on the rosters.

The only common through line was George Steinbrenner. 37 years, seven World Series titles. Multiple managers, multiple stars, multiple infielders, multiple infielders, multiple pitchers, multiple relievers, multiple GMs, multiple scouts. One common denominator, George, since he's passed away, 15 years, kids took it over, bagel, no World Series title, because they don't have his vision, they don't have his courage, and they don't have his passion. I mean, I'll die on this hill.

People don't like owners, they're rich guys, give me a break. Every year I talk about this, to be a dynasty. You can occasionally get lucky and win a Super Bowl. You know, you have a, you know, it all works out. You have a good roster. But generally to be a dynasty, great owner, great GM, great coach, great quarterback, at least an A-minus at all of them. It is to do a dynasty.

So remember when Mike Vrable got fired by Tennessee, considered one of the weirdest, most political ownership groups in the NFL, Well, Tennessee said he didn't smile enough around the building. And Vrable comes back to New England, gets hired. Remember what he said. I also want you not to take this organization for granted. I've been a lot of places. This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, great coaching.

Enjoy it. It's not like this everywhere. Thank you very much. it's it's not like this anywhere it's the best owner in the league i don't know robert craft i don't know a son i've never met them this isn't a favor it's a guy that's been on the air for 35 years and had seven different corporate owners direct correlation i say this all the time that all of us make about 12 decisions a day and i'm not talking about what pair of pants to wear but we all make 10 to 12 decisions a day that could influence somebody else or ourselves

And the better owners make the right decision 10 to 11 out of 12 times. I mean, William Clayford owned the Detroit Lions forever. And they were a mess. He passes. His wife takes it over and then his daughter. And suddenly they're really good all the time. I don't buy it. I don't buy that it's a coincidence.

So you tell me when Belichick doesn't make it, people dismiss the fact that I'm like, you guys do realize he will make it eventually. And he should make it in, but he's won 44.5% of his games without Brady. And you dismiss that. Well, I mean, I mean, Robert Kraft won pre-Belichick, during Belichick, post-Belichick. And if you ask me today, the next dynasty in the NFL, if I had to put my 401K on it, I would say Drake, May, Mike, Ravel, Robert Kraft, Josh McDaniels.

You think this was a terrible organization. before Kraft. They were the New Orleans Aints, the Saints. They were terrible. They were cheap. Nobody wanted to play for them. Nobody wanted to scout for

the next year. They win 10 games. I don't think that's luck. I don't buy in coincidence. So if you're going to be outraged that Belichick didn't get in, you may want to be a little bothered that Jerry Jones is

in and Robert Kraft isn't. That doesn't bother you at all? A little? Does me. So Sam Darnold is sort of the talk of the Super Bowl. Right? He's the odds on favorite to win MVP.

And he had a bite this week. A lot of people have a right to be better. I don't think you ever should be but you get bad parents, you get bad bosses, you get bad breaks, you didn't get good genetics, you're sick a lot. Like there's a lot of reasons to be negative, right?

Like to think you haven't gotten the breaks. Now, in pro sports, let's just say Sam Darnold did not get the best opening boss. Todd Bowles was his first boss and he was on the hot seat as head coach. go ask Caleb Williams in Chicago what it's like to enter the NFL with a coach that's on the hot seat it unraveled. Then he gets Adam Gase, disaster,

does not have in three years a pro bowler. Adam Gase was so bad he has yet, since he was fired, to get a full-time NFL job. And Sam Darnall was never bitter. And then he goes to Carolina with Matt Ruhl. That was a complete circus. He gets benched at one point

that in late November, He finally gets the starting job at Carolina again, goes four and two. And then Kyle Shanahan brings him on and loves him and tells Kevin O'Connell, the players loved him, the locker room loved him. He's good enough to start. He didn't for us, Brock Purdy did. In your life, if you don't get breaks, I understand it's easy to play the victim and be passive-aggressive. I mean, Baker Mayfield last week, he's still taking shots at people.

Aaron Rogers' personality while he was winning was passive-aggressive. Sam Donald got a disaster with the Jets, a mess in Carolina. And when he was asked about it, did he point fingers? Was he upset? What he's bitter about stuff? No, this is what he said. I was really blessed to be able to get drafted to the Jets. Obviously, things didn't work out the way that I wanted to there.

And then I went to, you know, the Carolina Panthers, where I made a lot of great friends. And then went to San Francisco, you know, was able to be a backup there and for a great player in Brock Purdy, learn under, you know, a great coach in Kyle Shanahan, Brian Greasy, the Kubiaks, obviously. And then I went to Minnesota. And again, I was with some really great coaches,

some really great players as well. Yeah. When you stumble in life, your personality and how you handle it will dictate how many other great opportunities you receive. And Donald is totally respected throughout this league, not just because of the quality of play the last couple of years, but because of the quality of the human being. He had every reason to be better. Adam Gase has not had a full-time job since the Jets.

Zero pro bowlers. Went into the league in a hot seat. ownership. Then he goes to Carolina. He could have just said, man, I got my first round money. I'm going to go sell insurance. I'm going to go start a band in Oceanside, California. Head down, humble, grateful. That's why the league is rooting for him. When you see a guy that's talented, like a Jay Cutler and he suddenly is out of the league or Cam Newton, and I got nothing against Jay Cutler or Cam Newton, but they didn't get extra multiple opportunities to reinvent themselves. That's on them, not the rest of the league. Darnel just kept getting phone calls.

Come on in. We're interested. And there was no reason after the Jets in Carolina to be impressed. Kyle Shanahan, the league's quarterback whisper said, no, I hear good things. Brought him in, then called Kevin O'Connell and said, he needs to start in this league. I would build my team around him. And then Minnesota, let him walk out of the line. the door and their GM just got fired. J. Mack, I got a good night's sleep. I'm full of it today. I can tell. Very fired up.

Boy, I mentioned an NBA player to you before the show. I mean, it was like a 30-second rant. I loved it. I'm fired up. This is a good show. It'll be a fun one with Brady. So there's a lot of talk. Tom Brady's coming up in 45 minutes. There's a lot of talk about Janus and the trade deadline, and there's a few days left. be very careful about trade deadline moves. That's next.

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Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. spreading a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast where people could call in and say, hey Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little

Notepad Hey Jonas and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel.

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The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So listen, the NBA regular season is long and can be kind of tedious and repetitive. I mean, how many three-pointers did you watch in last night's games if there was any? So the trade deadline gets everybody fired up.

But even if you get a star like Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks, they got swept in the first round of the playoffs. KD to the Sons. They won a playoff series that year and eventually got whacked. They mortgaged their future and it was a mess after that. So Janus being traded gets everybody fired up. The Knicks are involved, the T-Wolves, the Miami Heat, the Warriors. So Janus has hurt, again, not going to be back until March. So it's this year, it's a sunk cost.

You're not winning a title. because anybody that gets him, you have to remember you're getting a guy that's coming off an injury again. And Janus is not a plug and play guy like KD. That's not what he is. He has a high usage rate. Only Luca in the entire league. And Janus is a much better defensive player than Luca. But only Luca, for a star, has a higher usage rate.

It's like James Harden. You have to build the offense around Luca or James Harden or Janus. He's not an off-ball guy. He is defensively. He's remarkable defensively. So your entire offense has to be built around Janus. That takes a camp. That takes an offseason.

So it's like in the NFL. You can grab a pass rusher at the trade deadline. Or Seattle grabbed Rashid Shaheed, who's great on special teams, and kind of a one-rout receiver, deep threat down the sideline. You're not grabbing a quarterback at the trade deadline and getting to Super Bowls and winning Super Bowls. It just doesn't happen very often. So that's Janus. I do think the one team that makes sense, because remember, lots of injuries, he's 32 at some point next season, and as big guys get hurt, they don't get hurt less as they age. So I don't think

he's a smart move necessarily for the heat or the Knicks, because I think the Knicks future is good with or without Janus. And I think Yonis' is future. is limited, and I think the Knicks' offense runs through Jalen Brunson. You would need an entire camp minimum to figure out Janus who needs the ball and Brunson. Golden State, to me, is interesting because they don't have any immediate future. Minnesota's good with or without him. The Knicks are good with or without him. Golden State's not even remotely interesting without him. So are you willing to give up four drafts?

picks and your future to bring yonnas to the warriors yeah because they've they've i mean let's be honest about the warriors they're not interesting now and everything is about step curry's timeline so you've already basically said we don't like young guys we get rid of comminga wiseman didn't work jordan pool we moved out you have to work with step and though step needs the ball in his hands he's not Luca. He's also great off the ball. Jalen Brunson needs the ball. Luca needs the ball. Yonis needs the ball. So the Knicks to me is weird. Golden State isn't the Knicks. The Knicks could get to the finals this year. My guess is Detroit or the Knicks get, without Jason Titton, get to the finals. Warriors may not make the playoffs without Yonis. So why not sell your future? You've already

told us you don't really care about your future in Golden State because you're willing to give up Kaminga and you move off young players. So that's the one that makes sense to me. But this idea at the trade deadline, I mean, KD was the ultimate plug-in-play guy. Phoenix got him. They won a playoff series. That is not Yonis. I mean, he has the ball in his hands. Has to. He's not an off-ball offensive guy because he's not a shooter. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

All right, Super Bowl 60 right around the corner this Sunday, Colin. And the players took part in opening night yesterday, taking questions from the media. Drake May, obviously in year two with the Patriots, is already getting MVP attention. And broke down what advice Tom Brady gave him ahead of Super Bowl week. I've met Tom a few times, and one of the best things he said, there's no shortcuts to it. There's no shortcuts to putting in the work. and the proofs in the pudding and knowing that the shortcuts that people take

or can try to take it's not worth it. Get the most out of what you put into it and he's been great at that and he obviously showed that throughout his career. Yeah, that would be the advice Tom Brady would give. What's the saying? The elevator to success is out of order. You got to take the stairs.

Yeah, that kind of deal. However, I got a number for you that's a little surprising. So Drake May's a young quarterback under the age of 25. Would you know that Mike McDonald has faced 10 quarterbacks under the age of 25 in the last two seasons? Their record

is 1 and 9 against Mike McDonald. Seven touchdowns, 12 picks. The one win? Brock Purdy. That's it. Young quarterbacks have struggled big time. Brock Purdy came out of college with a lot of starts. So he was like an older rookie in terms of experience, yeah.

So young quarterbacks against McDonald's schemes have struggled. And let's be real, Drake Mays had a brutal postseason. Now, I know you can one half a weather against Denver, but I mean, if C.J. Stroud isn't throwing the football all around the field, what do you have five turnovers and a half? Drake May hasn't been great. If you look at some of the Super Bowl MVP odds, not a lot of Patriot skill position players are high. Everything is telling you that the Patriots are going to struggle offensively in this game. Yeah, yeah. It's good. I think, well, I think it's an undergame.

I think it's a lower score. I think it's 27, 23, or it's. That would hit the over. Over was 46 last I checked. Yeah, that would work. I think it's a very low scoring game because I think New England's defense is underrated. And sometimes these young quarterbacks get to the Super Bowl first time and it ain't an easy go, right? They might get back here. He's got a good coach. You know, I like Seattle.

Tom Brady, by the way, coming up here in 40, 35 minutes. All right, let's move on to the New York Giants. John Harbaugh has himself an offensive coordinator. Colin, it's your guy. Matt Nagy. Yeah. Yeah. Kansas City Chiefs OC.

I mean, he's so valuable to the franchise. They just said, you want to go find a job? Go for it. They didn't fire him. It was just a parting of ways. And Nagy hit the open market, and he landed with the New York Giants. So our stat guys came up with the... You don't like him.

How did the Chief's offense do with Denki the last three years? They finished 9th, 16th, and 20th. That's with Patrick Mahomes. I'm a Jets guy, so I can't back to this. Go ahead. Go ahead. I'm sure you're thrilled. What's his claim to fame?

He got to the playoffs. I always said. He got Mitch Trubisky to the playoffs twice in a division where Aaron Rogers, Matt Stafford, and Kirk Cousins were all in their prime. Yeah. And what did Trubisky do outside of Matt Naggy? So I, again, I think it's interesting. When you say, look at his Kansas City numbers, some of that is, in my opinion, is the more Mahomes makes

and Mahomes' salary kicks in, they don't have a run game in Kansas City. That's not his fault. They don't have an offensive line you can trust. That is not his fault. And he wasn't calling plays, to be fair. Andy Reid was the guy. I don't know, I'm just saying.

A lot of guys get second chances in this league. Robert Sala in New York, it was a mess. He gets a second chance. Maddanky got Mitch Tribisky to the playoffs twice. And he doesn't get a second chance. So he's not even getting a hedge-cour. coaching job here. He's just getting a good coordinator job.

Well, there is pressure because I don't, I don't remember Harbaugh being a medal on the offensive side of the ball in what, right? I don't think he is. No, he's more of like a CEO, right? So there's going to be some pressure on him with Jackson Dart here for Nagy to deliver. And you look at the Giants numbers since 2017. They rank 31st in wins losses. Look at that record. 31st. This is how bad they've been the last eight years, points per game and yards per game. And then you can see in the small fine print, the only team ranking 30 second and all those is the Jets. You know what's interesting?

So points per game since 2017. 19 points a game for the Giants. Do you know what Bill Belichick's career average of points is without Brady? 19 points a game. So when everybody freaks out about Belichick not getting in, take Tom out of his career, Belichick averages 19 points. That's atrocious.

Robert Kraft? I thought you'd say that one for Brady. here in 30 minutes. No, I just, I mean, I had nobody's outrage that Jerry Jones is in the hall. Robert isn't. But I had three days you have to fend off. By the way, Belichick came within like a vote of getting in. Didn't he? He had 11 people vote. No, if he had, I think I could be wrong on this, but I think he only missed it by a vote or two. So we don't, yeah, that's interesting. All right. Final story, Con, let's go to the NBA. Listen, this, we've been hearing about this for a while. We've been on this for a minute now.

Now, the Lakers are building around Luca and Austin Reed. That's clear. And it sounds like, according to a report from NBA insider Jake Fisher, that LeBron's time with the Lakers is over, quote in Jake here, the Lakers are ready to move on from LeBron, and I think LeBron is ready to move on from the Lakers as well, adding it's a foregone sentiment in L.A. right now.

Now, my only pushback, Colin, is this idea that LeBron is going to leave his son, Brony, and just bounce to clear. Cleveland or some. His son's not nine. His son's on the team. His son's not a child. His other son plays at Arizona. So you're going to leave the West Coast and just go go play somewhere else for one more year for a farewell tour? I don't think, why does LeBron need a farewell tour? So what do you think he does? Well, let's let's talk about this because I think it's substantial. The new owners of the Lakers, they had a piece before they bought them. So they bought them. So they bought it.

a small chunk of the Lakers. Infused Jeannie Bus and the bus family with some money. But they never looked at the Lakers as an organization. They wanted to keep anybody. They got rid of all the buses. And so this year is kind of research development. They're basically not making any hasty moves. And LeBron and Rich Paul, they want to know what's going on.

And the Lakers owners are not going to give them the answer they want. Just like Pat Riley years ago with LeBron, when LeBron wanted spolster fire, Riley came down 15 minutes later and didn't give LeBron and his guys the answer he won. And he always held some reservoir of resentment about that. And he left, right? Which is, why would you leave like a really good organization like the Miami Heat for the calves? It worked, but it's weird. And so LeBron, his whole career has kind of gotten his way.

And the new Laker owners shouldn't and aren't giving LeBron and his camp the answer they want. So the way to make this work is be totally respectful, build a statue, whatever you have to do. But we talked about this yesterday. If Luca is your star, and he is, and J.J. Reddick is your coach, offensive coach. Austin Reeves, you can argue for him to be part of this,

but you have to build a roster stacked with rim protectors and athletic wings. LeBron doesn't qualify as both. And he's really expensive, and he can't play big minutes every game. So it makes no sense to keep him or extend him. None. I can think two things. LeBron's unbelievable.

He's been a good steward for the league. He's a little thirsty on social media, whatever. But who isn't? But it makes no sense on a financial, athletic, business, macro view to retain LeBron. It makes no sense for this team. You can, for his salary, you could go get multiple athletic young wing defenders. It doesn't make sense to

retain him at a $50 million price tag. However, this is where it gets interesting. What if LeBron says, I love it here, I want to stay with my son, we've set up camp in L.A. I've got all these projects. I'll stay here for $20 million. Is that the kind of number that

the Lakers are like, boom, boom, there you go? No, that is not LeBron's personality. Well, that is what we don't know. Now, he historically has wanted to control the chessboard and know what's coming. That's over. He's out of control, and that's got to be tough, Colin. Listen, it's just like anything else. You know, when dad controls son and then son gets a strong opinion of his own,

dad struggles with that. LeBron has literally controlled, I mean, Adam Silver during COVID called LeBron. Remember, Kyrie Irving is like, cancel the year. The bubble, you know, irrelevant player. Dwight Howard, cancel the season. Remember that? And LeBron came out, talked to Adam Silver, and LeBron said, we're playing the season. Yeah. So the commissioner has leaned on LeBron and should have. When Kyrie Irving's going, you know, the earth is flat. Let's cancel the season. Like, stop talking. So LeBron's had this control. I am sympathetic for somebody that's kind of run the show forever. Like, I'll give you an example. Tom Brady, less than 30 minutes. When Brady was in New England, he didn't run the show. Tom acknowledged he took pay cuts it was Belichick show Tom was always the good soldier

Tom was and then the end of it after 20 years of it he's like I'm tired of always being second kind of tier like I'm tired of it then he goes to Tampa and he wins so LeBron's the opposite no pay cuts take the most money I'm the guy and now you're being asked late in your career bro we're you don't make sense athletically you don't make sense financially for team and I think it's really hard. I think LeBron is down playing it. But if you listen to LeBron, over the last, I've talked about this, you and I've talked about this, the last month to two months, listen to his comments after games. LeBron has shifted down. I mean, he is now very, I'm just doing the best I can't. LeBron knows it's over. Reality is said. He, it's set in for,

he's not bitter. He always says, I'm about basketball. I'm being respectful here. LeBron is telling you he knows it's over. He's too smart not to know it's over. So it's interesting because the Cleveland Cavaliers' rumors about LeBron returning next year are still out there. There's a world where Cavs fans have talked themselves into a pretzel. We can get Janus. We move off Mobley.

We get Janus. We get James Hardin. He can take a pay cut because... And we get LeBron on a pay cut. And we've got this super team. No, it's Cleveland. And I don't see it happening. It's a fun topic.

Would Janice sign in Cleveland to play with old guys, the Hardin and LeBron? I mean, there's a lot of stuff out there, Colin. You and I like LeBron. I think he's averaging 22, 7 and 6 or 6 and 5. It's the NBA before the deadline. It's not hard to get a good shot. I mean, I went to watch a Laker game against the Bulls in the first quarter.

It was practice. I mean, both teams were shooting like 57, 60%. Did they have 20 in the first half of that team? Yeah, I mean, it's just nobody's playing defense. pre-trade deadline. I heard Tim Legler a couple weeks ago said he cannot believe the lack of intensity in some of these NBA games.

I went to one. I mean, I turned to my wife. I'm like, this is like a practice. It's a long season. Yeah. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Hurdline News. The, you know, Tom Brady, Cam Hayward, and Sam Darnold's early quarterback whisper, Jordan Palmer. He texts me over the weekend. He goes, I've got great Darnold stuff. The whole journey of Sam Darnold's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

Guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, huge news? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to us. people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers.

This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey Jonas, and then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter 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. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything, happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen she went. I mean, she went down at three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

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

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

and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 26 NASCAR Cup season begins.

Under the lights in prime time with the clash at Bowman Gray. Let the mayhem begin. Tomorrow night, 6 Eastern on Fox. You know who J. Mack I haven't heard from last couple weeks? Who's it? Who's that? Crypto bros. Oh, yeah.

Where'd they all go? Well, they went back to their fast food jobs. That's what happens with the market crashes. They were all lecturing us for years how they were going to, you know, financial expertise. Crypto bro. I went out to eat the other night. I said, hey, can I pay in Bitcoin? They said, no.

Shocker. So, okay, the staff and I have a disagreement. They're trying to sell me on something. I do not buy it. So, Dak Prescott wants the Cowboys to resign George Pickens. Okay, I think the most overrated player in the NFL. And at any one time, there's about seven in the league, is talented but needy star receiver.

So the Seahawks moved off D.K. Metcalfe. Super Bowl. Kansas City moved off Tyreek Hill. Two Super Bowls. Pittsburgh moved off George Pickens, made the playoffs with a 42-year-old quarterback. New England won six Super Bowls without Randy Moss.

None with them. And I like Randy. Can be a little high maintenance. San Francisco this year went 12 and 5. Brandon Iyuk didn't play a snap for the record either to Debo. Debo went to Washington. They went from great locker room to not a great locker room. So I looked up this morning, the highest paid wide receiver average in the NFL.

Find me all the playoff wins. Jamar Chase, C.D. Lamb, D.K. Metcalfe, Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin. I always loved Terry McLaurin. Then he got a big fat contract. and now I don't love them as much. A.J. Brown, a lot of drama. Brandon I, Youke, Tyree, killed. Where are all the playoff wins?

So, because I, and I've said this, Dak Prescott, when Des Bryant left, his interceptions went down, his passerating went up, his yards per game went up, his completion percentage went up because Dak didn't have to babysit.

I've talked about this, privately for a long time. I'm not babysitting adult men. And a lot of athletes come into the NFL, and for whatever reasons, it's often wide receiver, you end up having to be a babysitter. And it's like, I'm sorry,

but George Pickens, Dak Prescott's made every cowboy receiver a star. He made a Mari a star. And Cidie Lamb a star. I mean, did he not? He's made... George Pickens. Everybody careers over.

made him a star they have a six-round pick i think it's a second year in the league ryan flornoi for the cowboys i thought last year i'm like oh this kid's good dack's gonna make this kid rich so i i i'm i'll die on this one i do not believe receivers make quarterbacks i think if you have a b plus a a minus a plus quarterback they make the wide receivers for years and years people left brady where did they go witness protection program where'd all the receivers go. I mean, Tom, Moss was invisible, goes the New England star, leaves Tom. Randy Moss wasn't less talented before or less talented after. Like you, you receivers are, I love JSN. You never hear from him. He doesn't demand the ball. And by the way, just because you demand, doesn't make you a bad person.

I don't think, I don't, Des Bryant, not a bad person or Brandon Ayyuk. But football, this is not the NBA. You cannot pander to your star. I mean, for years, OBJ, it was like, oh, the Giants revolt. OBJ is not winning games. He's just a talented kid, really talented, just a really talented guy. So I saw that, here's by the way, Dak Prescott. You know what he's going to say. Quarterbacks, they like their security blankets.

Here's that. We've got to make sure that we are complacent with what we've done on our side of the ball. We've got to get one of our guys signed and make sure that we take a big step on offense as well. You said getting one of your guys signed. Yeah. Which one you're talking about? Yeah, the guy out here. The guy out here that doesn't have a contract no matter whichever way that they got to do it. He's an important piece of this offense. It's an important piece of what we're

trying to do. And so leave it to those guys. Obviously, if I need to get involved, I've said before I will, but confident and Jerry. Yeah, whatever. I think they're fine without George Pickens. I think the high maintenance, the, I need the ball, kind of center of attention-wide receivers. Go look at the highest-paid receivers in the league.

Find me the playoff wins. Quarterback, coach, left tackle, great pass-rusher, veteran center, interior linebacker that can call defensive plays or interior, you know, free safety, strong safety, give me somebody in the middle of the field that can kind of direct traffic. You can have the expensive wide receiver who's drama creating. Go for it. Knock yourself out. So when the Rams won the Super Bowl,

they've only had one first round pick in the last, I think it's nine years. And it was Jared Verst. They hit on it. But during the parade, the GM, Les Sneed said, F them picks. And it was funny. It's made into merch. It's very, very funny. So obviously, draft picks matter.

But the Rams won a Super Bowl without those first round picks, right? And so it was funny because they won. You can say F them picks when you win. You can be cocky if you're Gordon Ramsey or you're Bill Maher and you have a history of success and a history of success and you've been relevant. Okay, Brandon Bean is the GM who just got a job promotion with the bills. And this is, he basically used the same language. He was interviewed by Ty Dunn, excellent journalist who we brought on this show. and he basically said on the Joe Brady hire, F the outside.

He's talking about the fans here. F the fans. It's about the right selection for the team. If we win, they'll love it. It's the same thing I said when I took Josh Allen. Can we stop bringing up that you drafted Josh Allen? It was a long time ago, okay? There was a band back in 2003 that created a song Stacey's mom.

It was a huge hit. You don't know the band, you know the song. Okay, nobody cares about the draft or the GM. They know Josh Allen. So, again, if you're successful over the course of time, you know, Bill Parcells, Belichick, kind of that dismissive, snarky, cocky stuff, I think plays really well. It plays well at a Super Bowl parade where Tom Brady has had a few too many margaritas or less need is saying F them picks.

But the reason he said F the outside is because a fan poll said only 8% of Bill's fans. These are the people that get up, jump off their van, jump on tables before games, that literally snowblow the driveways of Bill's player. Bill's players. They will go to the stadium

on the day before or the day of a game to shovel snow and you're saying F the fans. You're not successful enough to say that. If you had a couple trophies, maybe it would land differently. It just doesn't land well. I mean, this is probably the most loyal fan base. My wife used to have to go to Buffalo a lot. She's like, nicest people in the country, Buffalo.

I wouldn't say F the picks during a Super Bowl winning parade is funny. F the outside slash fans is not funny. It's dismissive, cocky, and stop bringing up Josh Allen as your pick. We know you hit on it. And this is the same general manager who when popular local radio hosts, I think it's WGR, legendary Buffalo station, came out and questioned their draft and said, you didn't get enough wide receivers, and we found at the end of this year, they probably could have used two more wide receivers. This was Brandon Bean's reaction.

You guys were bitching in 2018 about Josh Allen. You guys wanted Josh Rosen, and now you guys are bitching that we don't have a receiver. I don't get it. You got to have a show and you got to have something to bitch about. But bitching about wide receiver is one of the dumbest arguments I've heard. It actually landed. for the hosts. At the end of the year, they were going to

Brandon Cooks was their go-to guy. They didn't have a perimeter-wide receiver. And whenever I hear, I get you guys have to have a show. Well, the bills also have to have a GM and you're it. But to me, F the outside is basically saying F the fans.

You may have the best fan base in the country. These people grab shovels and go to the stadium. Like, I wouldn't be shocked if Terry Pagula doesn't demand that Brandon Bean offer an apology. I think this is really bad. And I don't know him. I don't care. I've got six or seven GMs I talk to. He's known as a good cap guy, but F the outside.

The outside is snowing and your fans have shovels clearing the stadium. That doesn't play to me at all. And, by the way, I like a little cocky. I love Parcell. and I lot, you know, Greg Popovich in his prime was tough on reporters. And Gordon Ramsey and Bill Marr, I can take snark. I'm okay with it. Got to have a couple trophies.

You can't be the organization in the league that we look at and go, why don't they have a trophy? That GM can't be snarky. Just me. Tom Brady, top of the hour, the guy that's never snarky. So I'm still on this thing. Outrage that Belichick doesn't get in. Nobody cares that Kraft doesn't.

You're not bothered. I'm unbothered, correct. What has Kraft done to get in the hall? Like, owners getting in the Hall of Fame is tough. You can be like, well, they have all these championships. Well, how did they get them? Belichick, Brady. Who hires them?

The owner. Well, technically, I guess the GM could hire the coach. Kraft has a say. They don't like each other. You know that, right? Craft of Belichick. It was an ugly ending. Yeah, but Belichick's,

one pre-bill, post-bill, during bill. You just don't think. I mean, you're a co-owner of a soccer team. Do you think you have influence over the coach, the roster, the morale, and the direction? Not as much as I'd like, but it's fun to be part of the discussions. When you say not as much as I like, what you're telling me is you do think you have

the ability to change direction, morale, revenue. Owners matter. You may hate them, but they matter. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick.

And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it.

But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guidance. 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. Winning on clay is an art. The rallies are relentless. and at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know.

I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garros. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennarabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface.

Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis Podcasts on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 Heart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.