The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 1 - Rory goes back to back at The Masters, NBA playoff matchups

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

Colin Cowherd discusses Rory McIlroy becoming the 4th player all time to win back-to-back Masters after another thrilling finish in the final round. Colin explains why Rory is cementing himself as one... of the top golfers ever after a 10-year drought failing to win a major championship. He looks at the NBA playoff matchups See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.
Starting point is 00:00:12 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. Tired and sick.
Starting point is 00:00:26 Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. 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 Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.
Starting point is 00:00:45 This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an Acapella 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 ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's
Starting point is 00:01:09 telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. 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. I'm Michelle McPhee. And I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets,
Starting point is 00:01:53 a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. is somebody coming after me. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud 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 on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Starting point is 00:02:35 Here we go. It is a Monday. We are live. It is the hurt. Wherever you may be, NBA playoffs are set. Thanks for making us. Party your day in a Monday. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, one hour from now.
Starting point is 00:02:52 J. Mack is back, and I want to talk about what everybody watched and what everybody was talking about yesterday. And this happens all the time. We've seen it with the superstars in our sports. Otani, John Elway, Michael Jordan, Rory McElroy, you see this incredibly audacious talent. And you're waiting for the first title, the first cup, the first ring, the first major, right? Or the first masters. And you're just waiting and waiting. And then when they break through like Rory did last year, it seems to give you this confident of a champion.
Starting point is 00:03:28 I thought the entire weekend, especially yesterday, was about recovery shots. And Rory McElroy, O for 16, now two for his last two at the Masters. He couldn't find the fairway all week. 31. That's all the fairways he hit. That's the lowest ever for a champion. His putting yesterday missed multiple birdie opportunities. On the par fives, over four days, he was minus 10. He did not play great golf through.
Starting point is 00:03:58 throughout. I mean, through six holes, he was two over and lost the lead. And then the birdie started piling up. He attacked 12, 13, 12s, a brutal hole, birdie, birdie. And this is often what it takes. You could see it with an L way, who went to many Super Bowls and got blown out. And he finally gets the run game. He gets the first. And everything kind of changes. Rory has never been Tiger. If Tiger went into a major with a lead on Sunday, seven strokes, he may win by 12. He suffocated the field. He didn't let people back in. That is not Rory. I mean, Rory can be wild. He can kind of add lib, be overly aggressive, which was often a Phil Mickelson tendency. And he lets you back in. He lets the field back in. I mean, he could have easily lost that
Starting point is 00:04:50 yesterday, even on 18, two-shot lead, one hole to play. It's like, bro, bring out a five wood. Let's just get it right in the middle of the fairway. Nope. Brings out the driver and maybe at his worst shot over four days. And that is Rory. Only Rory can lead by largest lead through 36 holes. And you tune in yesterday and you're like, they're going to crown him with another one. And you look up an hour and a half in and you're like, nope, nope, lost the lead. And then gets it back. And then almost comfortably wins back to back. I mean, he entered the back nine, three back,
Starting point is 00:05:28 and then it felt like an hour of 15 later, you're like, oh, no, he's got a comfortable lead. He opened the door. Others had opportunities. Scotty Schaeffler, Rose, Cam Young, but they couldn't close it. And I feel like we're seeing the fourth stage of Rory's career. There was the prodigy stage. There was the rock star stage.
Starting point is 00:05:49 there was the 10-11-year major drought stage. And now this is the legendary stage. The confidence of a champion, recovery shots, he's entering that. Is he greater than Phil Mickelson, who never won a U.S. Open? Rory's got the Grand Slam. Only a handful of golfers have won back-to-back at Augusta. He's great theater. He's great for the sport.
Starting point is 00:06:14 He's magnificent for the Masters, which had some challenges. The network covering it on 18, but here was Rory after. It's hard. It's hard to win golf tournaments. Especially around here. You've had maybe a couple of runaway winners over the years, but it always seems to be a very tight finish at this golf course. So I think it's the nature of the golf course.
Starting point is 00:06:43 It's the nature of what's at stake. But I really wonder, had he not won last year where you had to go to a playoff hole, would he have all those great recovery shots yesterday? I don't know. Rory, Tiger, Nick Faldo, Jack Nicholas, back-to-back Masters Champions. And he is absolutely great for the sport. All right, not counting playing games, the notable NBA playoff matchups are set. Been a rough year for the NBA.
Starting point is 00:07:16 I know, it has. Too many three-point shots. Stars missing games. an embarrassing tanking epidemic. Do they love the game or their legacies? I'm not sure. In my life, as we head into the playoffs, I've said this couple weeks ago, there's always, I think, really only three teams that can win a championship.
Starting point is 00:07:34 Celtics and OKC are the easy ones. Who's the third team? San Antonio would be historically young, but they've got a transformational player. I like Denver, but they've been banged up all year. Yokic has never been and missed this many games. Minnesota's talented. Why are they a sixth seed? And the Knicks are a fun story. And it's always cool when you have a big popular New York team in the playoffs in any sport. But let's be honest. No bench can't defend the three. Two best players are defensive liabilities. Every single champion, the last 30 years, has been a top three seed. So, yeah, I know you want the underdogs to win, but it's probably going to be Boston or Oklahoma City. My question is, do I like, like Denver or do I like San Antonio? Yokic is the best player. Aaron Gordon, however, has missed half the year. Murray's been healthy, but Yokic hasn't always been healthy. I think the one thing
Starting point is 00:08:33 I like about Denver is there's one player in this league that can attack Wembe. Go right at him and succeed. And that is Yokic. So if I had to say, is there a fourth team or maybe this is the third team, it would be Denver and not San Antonio. San Antonio. San Antonio. is historically way too young to win a championship. These two teams, Denver and San Antonio, met a couple Saturdays ago. It was a fantastic game. It went to overtime. And if you'll watch the game, a couple of things were clear.
Starting point is 00:09:05 Yokic is not intimidated by Wembe. And between Murray and Yokic and Gordon and their age, they're going to be a really tough out for either the Thunder or the Spurs. Chris Bruce Ardenai, after watching that game, felt the same way. Yokic was taking it to Wembe in overtime, which was true. But what I took from it is what you were saying. Like, I was watching that game like, oh, man, this is where you see the experience of the Denver Nuggets versus the inexperienced, the naivety, just never having been there of the Spurs.
Starting point is 00:09:46 And it showed up late in that game. So we've had seven different champions in seven years with the new aprons and collective bargaining. It's really hard to repeat. I'm just hoping the playoffs can deliver something because the regular season delivered a whole lot of nothing between the tanking epidemic and stars missing 73 or 75 percent of marquee television games and an overload on threes where it's homogenous and repetitive. they could really, really go for a great playoff stretch. We just watched March Madness, and what makes it so amazing is that it's sudden death. That is the opposite of the NBA playoffs. Seven games, seven games.
Starting point is 00:10:32 So there's not as much urgency. I think most of the great playoff action could come in the West. Again, I'm going to take OKC, Boston, and San Antonio is my three teams. If I had to pick a fourth, it would be Denver. A lot of stuff going on. You know, the Masters, you know, golf purists are a lot like soccer snobs that you know how soccer fans are. Soccer snobs. Well, we watch the Spanish League regularly and the Euro championships.
Starting point is 00:11:07 All right, Ethan, you knock yourself out. I show up for the World Cup. Golf guy can be a little like that. Well, I've got a four handicapped and I watched the Valero open twice. Well, I have a social life. Congratulations. But I will say the pushback on Rory McElroy is really interesting to me. So one of the pushbacks on him is, and I've said this my entire career, I don't root for underdogs. I like favorites. I like stars. I've got a life. You do too. I got a family. I got stuff I'm doing. I like stuff to suck me in and bring me in. And one of the criticisms of Rory McElroy is that he didn't want to play in the Texas
Starting point is 00:11:47 tournaments. He had no interest. And he's like, you know, I'm going to practice and this other players are eligible to do this. He went to Augusta, flew his golf stream into Augusta, a play, a couple practice rounds. He'd fly back, have, you know, dinner with the kids. And apparently that just, golf purists don't like it. And my take that, you know, success begets success. I have no problem with that. Here's Rory McElroy addressing how well he knows this course. He zoned in on this course and decided I'm not going to waste my time. His words on the Texas stuff. I honestly just don't like the three tournaments leading up to this event. I'd rather come up here. You know, I did a couple of days where I dropped Poppy to school, flew up here, played, landed back home and had dinner with her or had dinner with Eric and probably like, I, I, I didn't.
Starting point is 00:12:47 did a couple of day trips like that where I felt like that was a better use of my time than than going to Houston or San Antonio. Again, I love the authenticity. He's from Northern Ireland. The Texas tournaments don't work for him. And what he did at Augusta, the many practice rounds, others can do it as well. So I think, you know, that quote by him will undoubtedly rankle some. I don't get it.
Starting point is 00:13:14 I'm not a golf purist. I love the sport. I love watching the major. I sat in front of a TV for five and a half straight hours like many of you yesterday. But I think what makes him unique is, you know, he like Tiger, Prodigy, rock star, 11-year major drought, and now we're getting into the legendary stage. I mean, it feels like to me we've got a ton of runway left. He's 36.
Starting point is 00:13:39 He's in unbelievable shape. I really like the guy. And I don't know how to explain it other than some people have that. that sticky quality where I just can't turn the TV off. I just can't wait for the last shot. Again, on 18, we didn't necessarily see all of his shots, but I loved it. So J. Mack is back from some island far away. We are, you know, a little more than a week from the NFL draft.
Starting point is 00:14:05 Great story this morning I read on Fernando Mendoza. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong at about 45 minutes from now. Jay Mack, you're feeling rested and ready to go? Yeah, I just got a bit of a head cold. I'll power through it, you know, like the lights come on. ready for action. Can't wait. I was following you on social media, Instagram, no Twitter. But it seems like you had a great week without me, man. Hopefully you weren't getting too used to it. No, no. John Middlkoff has always does a great job.
Starting point is 00:14:29 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. Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from the odd couple on Fox Sports Radio. And in addition to hearing us live weekn nights from 7 to 10 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show. That's right. You can now watch the Odd Couple live on YouTube every day.
Starting point is 00:14:59 All you got to do, search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube. Again, YouTube, just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out on YouTube and subscribe. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.
Starting point is 00:15:17 We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember.
Starting point is 00:15:33 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.
Starting point is 00:15:53 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.
Starting point is 00:16:13 Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letter 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.
Starting point is 00:16:30 Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's
Starting point is 00:16:46 telling you exactly what happens. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions,
Starting point is 00:17:01 the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer-beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the actual
Starting point is 00:17:18 action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-Live 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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.
Starting point is 00:17:44 Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jenchian won. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena 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.
Starting point is 00:18:09 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. You know, you see it with actors. Some people may be great actors, but there's no aura. You know, Killian Murphy is somebody that's on the screen. Like, my eyes are immediately drawn to him. It's just, he's got a unique look, a unique intensity. And I feel that you can't fake interesting.
Starting point is 00:18:40 Like Michael Jordan had the persona and the style and the fashion and the coolness. I've always said, Michael will always be more beloved than LeBron because he was cooler than LeBron. LeBron's great, amazing. Michael was great and amazing and cool. And people say, oh, Jason Tatum is the face of the NBA, and he's like, I'm like, he's not that interesting and he doesn't have an aura. I'm not saying he's not a great kid.
Starting point is 00:19:01 It's just, I don't see the aura. And for years and years, I've been told, this is the next tiger, and this is the next tiger. And I just don't feel it. Rory's the only one that kind of feels like it. So, I mean, Scotty Schaeffler's amazing. So is Jordan Speath. but they've got kind of a Mike Trout feel to him. I respect them.
Starting point is 00:19:18 They're amazing. Purist love them. And there's just, I just don't feel the juice. I'm sorry. I mean, Scotty Schaeffler once got arrested at a golf tournament. Three days later, nobody cared. You know, I mean, that would be a story around Rory McElroy seven years later. We'd be referencing it.
Starting point is 00:19:36 Yeah, it just disappeared. So I think Rory's very, maybe it's because Rory is jacked, or he's wild, or he's emotional or he's vulnerable or he let you back in or like Phil Mickelson, you think he's got the tournament wrapped up and suddenly he trails. I don't know he can be combative. He's assertive. He's got some leadership qualities. He was, you know, on the forefront of the live PGA debate, good for him. But for years, I've been told this guy is going to be the next guy and there's just certain golfers. Arnold Palmer had it. You know, Phil had it. Rory's got it. Tiger obviously did. the bear did. It reminds me a little bit of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassie. Pete Sampras had the
Starting point is 00:20:18 Grand Slambs. Agassie had the star power. You know, Maconroe had the star power. You know, I never felt Boris Becker was just great. So we've seen it in golf. David Duval at his height, unbelievable. Didn't get me to a TV. I know. I'm not a purist. I don't have a three handicap. But Nick Faldo had a little bit of that. And Rory was asked about the comparisons now winning back to back to Falko. Today I tie Nick. So, yeah, there's obviously going to be that conversation and that debate is going to be hard. But it's a cool conversation to be a part of.
Starting point is 00:21:01 So, but again, like I, you know, it took me 10 years to win my fifth major and then, you know, my sixth ones come pretty, pretty soon after it. So, yeah, I'm not putting a number on it, but I certainly don't want to stop here. Yeah, I've said for years, if you care, I care. And Scotty Schaeffer at one point won a golf major and said, you know, it's not the most important thing to me. When Rory's on a golf course, it feels like the most important thing for him. He's screaming and yelling, and that matters. He lets you in. You see the highs and lows.
Starting point is 00:21:35 Anybody who's ever golfed, I don't care if you're a scratch golfer has, you know, had money on the line, had dinner on the line. had dinner on the line and just hit his worst shot at the worst time. That's Rory. And to be this dominant and have the occasional bad shots and Miss Bertie Puts and have a lead and blow it, and then he can be majestic for a seven, eight, nine hole stretch. You just get a little bit of everything with Rory McElroy. And I think it's fascinating.
Starting point is 00:22:04 Not that many golf, I mean, I've been watched the Masters like all of you forever. And I love the U.S. Open, especially on certain courses like Pebble. Beach, always love the British. But, I mean, look, there's a great example of Rory McElroy arms in the air. You can just know how much it means to him and his
Starting point is 00:22:20 family. If you care, I care. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, let's start with something I care deeply about. Yannis and the Bucks and the storylines
Starting point is 00:22:36 continue. Doc Rivers is quote, stepping down. as the Bucks coach. It's really unclear why he would step down. A lot of money coming his way. Maybe he knows Yonis is gone. But Doc Rivers is done. Apparently there were some locker room issues late in the season.
Starting point is 00:22:54 Yeah. According to Sam Amick. Yeah. The first name being floated. Wait for it. Taylor Jenkins, who was last seen feuding with John Morant back in the day in Memphis. Yeah. Get excited.
Starting point is 00:23:07 Colin, everything the Bucks have done to try to keep Yonner. Jonas has been a disaster. They tried for Dame Lillard. Did not work. They did the Miles Turner thing. I don't know if you saw his numbers this season. Total bust. And then the Doc Rivers.
Starting point is 00:23:19 Nothing's working. And now we begin the summer of Janus. I don't know. Do you think this has any impact on the big guy? I mean, it's interesting. Because when Doc Rivers got the job, my take is, okay, he's going to be a little bit like a Joe Torrey with the Yankees. Kind of a senior statesman, been around. I mean, Joe Torrey had been fired multiple.
Starting point is 00:23:40 times before the Yankees, but he comes into New York, he can handle the media, the honest thing felt kind of combustible with ownership, he's been around the block, and I mean, there's, he's always been knocked by not being a great in-series, in-game coach. That's been the criticism forever, but I figured he just kind of handle the dysfunction, and I'm not sure if it's his fault or not, he hasn't. It's festered, it's gotten worse. And this goes back to something John and I talked about last week is when a star, when people mention retirement, they're thinking of it, they're retired. They Aaron Rogers has talked about it so much.
Starting point is 00:24:18 Four years ago, he was talking about retirement. That's about the time he stopped working out in the offseason regularly. And it's the same thing. When people talk about unhappy with the contract, you've got to make moves fast. Because the longer you wait in this league, the less leverage you'll have. And now the sport Jason has changed. He's not a perimeter player. There's more threes than ever.
Starting point is 00:24:37 he's had multiple lower body injuries. I mean, I think he'd be a great fit with a Knicks. But how much, I mean, if you put him on the market, I don't know how much he gets now. No, you're right. That's a good point. I don't think he's going to get what he could have got a year ago before all the injuries. Listen, I don't want to hammer Doc Rivers.
Starting point is 00:24:55 He's had a really good career. We're not going to call it great. But I will say, Colin, I can't think of a professional sports coach who's done less with more than Doc Rivers. He had those stacked Clippers teams. He had loaded Sixers teams. He had Janice. Colin, he's got, you know, he had a great run in Boston with Hall of Fame players. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:25:18 I just, I can't put him in the elite class all-time coaches. Obviously, a really good coach. But to me, he's not elite. Well, I mean, yeah, I mean, I don't think anybody was arguing that. I mean, he's, I mean, listen, he gets along with people, social, you know, very social, Yes. Like, he's very, very well liked. But the criticisms that have haunted him is he's blown a lot of series leads and he's not great X's and O's guy.
Starting point is 00:25:45 And in the end, the one thing we thought he would be really good at is kind of, you know, just like Blake Griffin and Chris Ball, kind of making it all work. You know, creating sort of a uncaotic atmosphere. It's just festered. It's worse than ever. Yeah, definitely. All right, let's move on to the Lakers, Colin, and the NBA playoffs. in the West. Listen, I did miss a lot of this being out last week, but things have gone downhill for the Lakers bad, yet they still have home court advantage. They will host the Rockets in the
Starting point is 00:26:14 playoffs, thanks to a wacky Nuggets win over the Spurs on the season finale. JJ Reddick had an interesting comment. He was honest, without Luca and Reeves, and by the way, there's no updates on those guys. We don't know if it's going to be two weeks, three weeks. Anyways, Luca definitely going to miss game one. J.J. Reddick said everybody wants to play. us. I'm sure everybody wants to play us. Let's get that out there. Everybody wants to play us. There's probably teams that are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second round matchups as well. We've seen some of those teams, you know, rest their entire lineup, basically. So we can't be concerned with all of that. Yeah, I mean, I think the reason they're not
Starting point is 00:27:03 mentioning Luca or Austin Reeves is because they're not going to play in this series at all. And if they were, it would be a hot topic. But they're done. I mean, it's actually, this was, this was the perfect matchup. If even Luca or Austin, if you didn't get both back, you got one back. It's a really good matchup because Houston's a flawed team with no true point guard. And they don't force Luca and Austin Reeves to defend like a Minnesota would with aunt or Oklahoma City would with SGA.
Starting point is 00:27:31 Houston was the perfect matchup. I mean, I do not remember. I honestly, try to think back of the NBA. And I don't have some encyclopedic knowledge of the league. But I don't remember a singular game. The Lakers were the hottest team in the league before Denver got hot in the last three weeks. They were the hottest team in the league. They were 15 and 2 in March.
Starting point is 00:27:50 They go to Oklahoma City. Their first and third best player get hurt and the season's over. In one game, it literally ended March. Might as well have not happened because we were looking at the play. and going, oh God, Houston's in big trouble. Yeah. Lakers would be favored. I don't remember a regular season NBA game where a team went from hottest in the league.
Starting point is 00:28:13 People were saying they're absolutely a Western Conference Finals team, too, can't compete in the first round, which I think right now they can. We would agree. Listen, I hyped that game as one of the games of the year. It was over within five minutes. And I did see your take afterward, calling them a fake Louis Vuitton bag, which is not very nice. but I would say their two best players are out. Austin Reeves. LeBron's been awesome.
Starting point is 00:28:37 Austin Rees is a better player. He can create more right now. So, Colin, the Rockets are just going to put Amman Thompson on LeBron and say, who else is going to initiate an offense. That's right. What are we doing? Luke Kennard here? I think Lakers are cooked unless those guys come back.
Starting point is 00:28:51 Final story, Colin, let's go to the NFL draft. We are less than two weeks away. Some drama trying to get manufactured in what's kind of a dull draft at the top. But Tom Pellasaro claims the Cowboys are the team most likely to make a move up, targeting someone like Rubin Bain Jr. There's some stuff floating around about him. Or Sunny Stiles, possibly if either of those guys drop out of the top five. The problem with this draft at the top is there's not a lot of juice.
Starting point is 00:29:21 After Mendoza, there's no quarterback, right? You've got a couple skill position guys. Dallas is expensive and talented in their defensive front. Roshan Gary now, Kenny Clark, Quinn and Williams. overshone, why would they move up? I mean, there's two good corners that'll both be available. Well, one will be available for sure with Dallas's 12th pick. And I mean, to me, I, why move up? I don't think, I mean, I think the best play, there's an argument, Fernando Mendoza is my favorite player in the draft. I would argue Jeremiah Love at running back is another can't miss.
Starting point is 00:30:00 I think the most underrated players probably that LSU corner but I don't see the value in moving up. Dallas needs two to three players in the back end of their defense and they can get two. If the Cowboys get lucky, I don't think he'll be available.
Starting point is 00:30:21 But Caleb Downs is moving down these mock draft boards. But to me, Dallas spends a lot of money on their D-line, their quarterback, and their star receiver, like, they need to get inexpensive and talented on the back end of their defense. Yeah, there's going to be guys available. Caleb Downs would be amazing, but I think his floor is like the Cincinnati Bengals. There's no way the Bengals are letting him go. Their back end is maybe the worst in the league.
Starting point is 00:30:46 But, yeah, I'm not buying this trade-up Cowboys. I don't see. Yeah, Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping me. The Herd-Ly News. So Nate Tice used to be on the athletic Robert Mays football podcast that a really deep dive on Fernando Mendoza, who at this point I think has entered a space where he's undervalued.
Starting point is 00:31:10 He talked about how he basically his ability on outroutes, maybe the best he's ever seen at college. They talk about his toughness that he doesn't play hero ball. He just hangs in, either throws the ball away or takes. a shot. He's effective on the move. He goes through a series of numbers. And he notes that Tyler Linderbaum, the second best center in the league, was also acquired. What I find fascinating about Fernando Mendoza is, again, I'm constantly told this new dual-threat quarterback coming out of Blank University is going to change the game. And they never do. Or this Alabama quarterback is the next Drew Breeze, and he never is.
Starting point is 00:32:03 Or that this cocky, undersized quarterback has the moxie of a Super Bowl champion, and it never transpires. Like I keep being told dual threat guy is going to change the league, or real cocky, confident, small guy is going to change the league. Or this Alabama quarterback is Drew Breeze, and I don't buy any of them. And yet we've got a 6-5 guy who on a couple of different NFL routes is about as accurate as a college quarterback's ever been, good arm, obsessed, kind of a Brady, Tom Brady level, obsessed, humility, grateful. I mean, Indiana, my entire life was just an awful football program. And last year they go 16 and 0 in maybe the toughest, I mean, of the college football playoffs we've had, it was as tough as any. His red zone numbers don't even make sense.
Starting point is 00:33:02 His red zone numbers in 2024 and 2025, 49 total touchdowns, no turnovers. The kid complete 75% of his throws. Think about this in the college football playoff. Ohio State defense, Miami defense, nine touchdowns, no turnovers. I don't get it. And a lot of people, I think some of this is,
Starting point is 00:33:25 well, Kurt, Sidney. Go back a year when Kurt Signetti punted, you know, like the 47-yard line trailing late in the game against Notre Dame. And we were all going, what a fraud. Give me a break. Why are you playing not to lose big? And then the following year, I'm supposed to believe Kurt Signetti is Nick Sabin times Bill Belichick. I think Kurt Signetti is excellent.
Starting point is 00:33:53 But if you go back to this team, they could have lost if Mendoza is not the quarterback. I think they lose to Miami, they lose to Ohio State, they lose to Penn State the game you're watching, and could have lost to Iowa and Oregon, they probably win those games. So I think Kurt Signetti is an excellent coach, excellent. I'm not arguing that at all. But just go back a year and change, we were crushing and appropriately so, Kurt Signetti, because he was punting near midfield losing Big the Notre Dame, as if he was protecting sort of, hey, we're going to get beat. we don't want to get embarrassed. He was getting clobbered. So I really don't get it. I mean, versus ranked opponents last year, and not just ranked opponents.
Starting point is 00:34:38 Miami and Ohio State defenses were stellar against ranked opponents, 74% completion percentage in the college football playoff, 75% completion percentage. I think is ball placement, accuracy, toughness, size, arm. People say, well, you know, he's a little, he's a little mechanical. That's what they said about Peyton Manning and Justin Herbert. That doesn't feel like a legitimate criticism. Yeah, it's Kurt Signetti punted from the Notre Dame 48, trailing 20 to 3 in the fourth quarter. We were crushing him.
Starting point is 00:35:11 And the next year, he's better than saving. I think Mendoza is the difference here. And I think Signetti's an excellent coach. But I think all coaches look better when they have Brady. I mean, we've seen Belichick in Cleveland, pre-Bradie in New England. the Matt Castle year and when Brady left. I mean, Belichick was considered way up here. The smartest coach ever.
Starting point is 00:35:35 He, Tom Brady leaves and he makes Matt Patricia the offensive coordinator. I mean, at pre-Mendoza, Signetti against Notre Dame, we're like, what a boring, uncreative game plan that is, non-competitive, punning at the 48, trailing by 17. I don't know. Here's Greg CoSell on Mendoza. I think being highly efficient playing the position, being an outstanding ball distributor, and an executor of a well-schemed offense is a good thing, Colin. And we've lost the ability to celebrate that because more and more quarterbacks are great athletes than ever before. But Mendoza, just to me, plays the position the right way.
Starting point is 00:36:19 He plays the position the way you have to play it to be consistent. Not to be flashy, not to be on highlight shows, but, you know, to play it the right way, snap after snap after snap. And by the way, that's a trait too. It's interesting. The writer, when talking about Mendoza, he went back to several games. And this person was doing the athletic football podcast. He has the most accurate out-rout thrower he ever remembers in college.
Starting point is 00:36:50 The thing I like about him, he's already got the Raider playbook. The kid's obsessed and grateful and humble. all the qualities that gave us, you know, a lot of those same qualities gave us Joe Montana and Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. So it's just weird. We live in a world where the quarterback is often overvalued or overhyped. I think Mendoza goes the other way. It's like, I don't get the critics. I mean, I liked Indiana's talent a lot.
Starting point is 00:37:18 Omar Cooper's a really good player. Omar Cooper's going to probably go in the second round. You know, he didn't have a Devonthe Smith in college. He didn't have, you know, an A.J. Brown in college. You know, Omar Cooper's a really good player. I like him a lot. He's probably going to go top of the second round in a weak draft. Right? Like, he could be the fifth receiver taken. There you go.
Starting point is 00:37:41 Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the 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 it. We're the first people to do podcasts.
Starting point is 00:38:00 Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how did 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. This is how you guys remember it going down?
Starting point is 00:38:24 Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, 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,
Starting point is 00:38:41 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 Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letter help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day
Starting point is 00:38:59 and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
Starting point is 00:39:15 podcasts. 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 happens. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies,
Starting point is 00:39:32 and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. 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.
Starting point is 00:40:03 And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 won. I mean, she went down to three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.
Starting point is 00:40:31 She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena 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.
Starting point is 00:40:53 Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Coming up tonight on FS1, we've got a good one in the NL East. When Pete Crow Armstrong and the Cubs take on Bryce Harper and the Phillies. Tonight, 6 Eastern on FS1. What's interesting, I guess, as we get ready for a Rockets-Lakers series, it's really boiled down because of the Luca and Austin Reeves injuries to LeBron, old LeBron, against old Kevin Durant. One of them is going to lose in the first round. If LeBron loses, we will not question his resume.
Starting point is 00:41:31 We'll be like, we get it. At this age, he can't carry him. I don't think we'll question LeBron. The only thing we'll question if LeBron loses his future with the Lakers. He could still play next year and be a very effective top 20 player in the league. we don't question. Can still beat people off the dribble. He just can't play 43 minutes a night in a series like this with the men Thompson guarding him.
Starting point is 00:41:54 Can't do it. So if LeBron loses, it is a, that's a bummer. I wanted to see him against Houston with Luca, Austin Reeves, and LeBron. If Kevin Durant loses, don't just sort of, and I love Durant, but don't just sort of look at the resume and go, when do you win big without Steph Curry? I mean, think about this. The Rockets. We're second in the West last year.
Starting point is 00:42:19 They add KD and this year they're fifth. Well, Fred Van Bleet, don't want to hear it. Not interested in listening to that debate about the loss of Fred Van Bleet, undrafted. Good player, good player. So to me, Kevin Durant, not that his resume or legacy is on the line, but I mean, he did something at one point in his career that's kind of unprecedented. going to leave a dynasty and one of the great teammates in the sports history staff to go to Brooklyn and play with Kuki Karee. It did not work out well. In any other sport, if Aaron Judge
Starting point is 00:42:59 said, I'm going to leave the A's. Let's say this. O'Tonnie's like, you know what? Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, you know what? I got a buddy the place for the Royals. We'd be like, yeah, visit him in the offseason. If Mahomes is like, you know what, my best friend, right tackle for the New York Jets. Good, vacation and the Cayman Islands in the offseason. I mean, he left, KD. left a dynasty. And Steph Curry and Steve Kerr to go to Brooklyn in that, you know what show. So I, this was going to be a really interesting series.
Starting point is 00:43:38 It's a little interesting because either LeBron or KD are going to be shown the door. Here's Nick Wright last week on how important it is. that at least a couple of these playoffs series in the NBA go the distance or are captivating? The NBA definitively, these playoffs better be nothing but six and seven game epics. Because the last two months of the regular season have been teams trying against teams trying to lose and 30 points. So the playoffs better be cinema for the NBA. I think they might be, but they need to be. So back to Rory, in the last 40 years, Tiger Woods has won the most majors at 15.
Starting point is 00:44:30 So everybody else is battling for second place. Rory, Phil Mickelson, and Faldo are at six. And I think there's a real debate now, Rory or Phil Nicholson. Now, Phil took him a while to win some of those majors. he had kind of a fun, crazy life. I tend to think Rory, with this win, kind of surpasses Phil. It was a couple of reasons. And I love Phil Mickelson.
Starting point is 00:44:57 A couple of reasons. Rory's got the Grand Slam and Phil never won a U.S. Open. Now, and some of it was Phil Mickelson's doing. Phil finished second at the U.S. open six times. And I mean, we were all. I mean, anybody with a soul, a heart was rooting for Phil. But, you know, Phil's career was maddening. Unbelievable.
Starting point is 00:45:22 Lefty, unbelievable talent. But he doesn't have that U.S. open. Rory does. The second thing is, and, you know, this is the reality of sports. Mickelson was never the number one golfer. Tiger was forever. He was number two. Mickleson was number two. I looked it up this morning for 270 weeks. There was a guy named Tiger that was number one.
Starting point is 00:45:47 So Rory's been number one for 122 weeks. I don't know if he's currently number one. He's not, but he's got a long runway. And so I also think Rory, who's in impeccable shape, Phil got into better shape really late. Rory is an impeccable shape. I think since he broke through at the masters last year. He's just playing with a different level of confidence, which is what happens. It could be John Elway. It could be Michael Jordan. There's just a different level of confidence. But I tend to put Rory inches ahead because of his number one ranking and he's got the Grand Slam. He and Mickelson share something in common. Really aggressive. Sometimes, oftentimes of their benefit. sometimes you're shaking your head at the decisions they make in a golf course.
Starting point is 00:46:43 He talked about it yesterday. If you watch that perspective piece for an hour before the Masters, the Masters has historically rewarded, really aggressive golfers on Sunday. So, you know, for the criticisms, well, Mickelson, you know, he couldn't win U.S. opens. There was Tiger. I would argue Rory, the depth of golf talent. right now globally is about as good as it's ever been. So that's just the reality of Erez.
Starting point is 00:47:12 You don't get a lot of credit for seconds. Tom, Kite, and Mickelson finished second in a lot of big tournaments many times. Here was Rory on Saturday heading into the pivotal final round. I'd like to think that I'll play a little bit freer and I'll play like I've already. got a green jacket, which I do. Sometimes I maybe just have to remind myself of that. Yeah, I mean, Ricky Fowler is another guy that a lot of top ten finishes, a lot of almost really close. But I think, I think Rory feels like to me by inches has kind of moved ahead of Phil Mickelson, who is next to Tiger as popular as any golfer. I love that Brooks Kepka had a good weekend,
Starting point is 00:47:59 five under. I love that. So it is just fascinating. I, you know, When the live tour came out, my take was I always root for the golfer. I root for the individual. And our government has been in relationships with Middle Eastern oil. I'm okay if individual golfers, I've always watched for the golfer, not the course. The exception is Augusta. I didn't think it was the most lively weekend. And think about this, what have you to take a Rory out of the weekend?
Starting point is 00:48:35 I think it would have felt like an incredibly flat tournament. He gave us the incredible burst early, and then he falls out of the lead. Then he comes roaring back and fitting on 18 when he probably just should have played it safe. He didn't. Into the woods it goes. He recovers like he did all day yesterday.
Starting point is 00:48:56 All right, Colin Wright, Colin Wrong Hour, two on a Monday next. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas.
Starting point is 00:49:10 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.
Starting point is 00:49:29 We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. on Humor 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?
Starting point is 00:49:51 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. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.
Starting point is 00:50:09 That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 in the TikTok podcast. network on TikTok. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've
Starting point is 00:50:41 ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.