The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - The 49ers have accomplished a lot

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

Colin is amazed at what the 49ers have been able to accomplish despite having a major hole at the most important position in the sport He believes he has identified the driving force behind Patrick Mahomes' greatest as we prepare to kick off the new NFL season The issues Colin has with Browns QB Deshaun WatsonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok.

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

84 was a wild. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday 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 IHartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSRour. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Here we go. NFL season starts tonight, live in sunny Los Angeles. It's the hurdle. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening or watching. Thanks for Megan us. Part of your day. A lot of choices out there. Man, good night, sleep.

J. Mack joining us, Greg CoSell, one hour from now and one hour. hour from out, J. Mack. I went to bed unsettled. Unsure. What do I do with the Giants, Cowboy? What do I do with the Panthers? What do I do with the Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Dolphins? I went to bed unsettled. And I woke this morning with answers. And I will provide those to our fellow Americans in one hour from now my final NFL predictions for the year. I love the confidence here early on a Thursday. I mean, goodness, great. You're fired up, huh?

When you have the answers, it's not confidence. Oh, you've got the answers to the test. It's facts. Oh, I see. Nice. All right. Let's start with this. Oh, football's here.

Last night opened the door. Breeze came in, poured myself one final cocktail. Before the season starts tonight, I want to be clear-eyed. Clear-eyed tonight. And I'm thinking about the 49ers because they signed both to do a massive, biggest contract in the league for a defensive dude, right? And I saw that Steve Young said this about their young quarterback Brock Purdy. He said, Kyle Shanahan didn't choose him.

John Lynch didn't choose him. The team chose him. The Niners are very unique in a quarterback-driven league. I went 17 years back. It's been the strangest quarterback cycle in the league. and I'll just go with the big names. There are several other starters, Blaine Gabbard, Nick Mullins. I'll stick with the big names.

2005, they get Alex Smith. He's going to be a star. Uh-oh, he's a bust. Oh, wait, he gets a good coach in Harbaugh. He's not a bust. He's good. Then he gets hurt, and they move off him. And then comes Colin Kaepernick,

who was really good, briefly, and unique, out of Nevada. And then he becomes kind of a semi-national activist. had never seen a quarterback do that. And then they move off him. And they get Jimmy Garoppolo, the world's most handsome man, who wins 75% of his starts but can't stay healthy, often gets hurt without getting hit. Weird.

And then they go get Trey Lance. And they trade up for him. And they give up first round picks. Oh, crap. He can't throw. And then they move off him. And the last pick in the draft, is Brock Purdy. What are they? Seven and O, eight and O, and he starts and finish his games.

And just to throw it in, Sam Darnold is now the most talented, arguably backup quarterback in the league. It's been a circus. And yet, two Super Bowl appearances and six conference championships. The only NFL franchise that has usually been for the last 17 years, fantastic, and they can't land the long-term quarterback. So for the record, Brock Purdy is not gifted. He's not. He is capable and he's coachable. And this is an incredibly stacked roster. But I think it's kind of cool.

In a quarterback-driven league, there's one team doing it differently. It reminds me of the mid-90s when the Nebraska Cornhuskers were winning national championships and not throwing the football like Miami was down south or other teams were. Now, it also tells you that Jim Harbaugh and Kyle Shanahan, are great coaches, but it illustrates something we talk about regularly. Finding the quarterback is harder than being a quarterback. Denver, Miami, 48 different guys have started a game since Marino and Elway. They just went and got Peyton Manning after a while in Denver.

And it's not like San Francisco didn't try. Alex Smith, a number one pick, Colin Kaepernick, a number 36 pick. When they gave Garoppolo that contract, it was like $100 million large. They've tried. They are paddling furiously beneath the surface. And all these smart guys, I know John Lynch, one of the smartest players I've ever covered, Stanford. Kyle Shanahan, half the league runs his offense. His dad was brilliant.

Jed York, smart guys all over the place. And they can't land the right guy long term. It's hard. There's a million anonymous geniuses. They're front-facing very public. But you know what I like about the Niners? And I really appreciate this. It's that Dana White quality that I love.

They take big swings and they don't settle. Too many people settle. Alex Smith was good, got hurt, moving on. Kaepernick Super Bowl moving on. Garoppelho Super Bowl moving on. Trey Lance, brief. People complained. Didn't give him a shot.

Moving on. Brought pretty bad this year. Next year, the draft in a quarter of. back moving on or maybe it's Sam Darnold. They take big cuts. They're front facing. We know who they are. They don't apologize for those big swings and they do not settle. I saw a headline this morning. Will the Niners regret going all in for Brock Purdy? Oh God, that's a sports writer's mindset. That's not how the Niners think. It's not how Dana White thinks. Take swings, play. take a big shot.

Don't be paralyzed by being wrong with an opinion or a draft pick. Will the Niners regret going all in? They're paying him less than a lot of people. He's not making any money. What do you mean regret going all in? He's 7 and 0 or 8 in0 with his starts. But they have done something nobody else can figure out how to do. Be excellent.

Get to Super Bowls. Regular to get conference championships. than Aaron Rogers. And they can't get the quarterback right long term. I like it. I like them. All right. So, Matt and Aggie, Kansas City's guy went to Chicago, got him to the playoffs, by the way, back in Kansas City.

And gave you a few breadcrumbs here on what's really the difference? Matt's been around football a long time. We know Matt, Pat Mahomes is talented. Duh. You can see it. I can see it. That's not a revelation. But the secret sauce to Patrick Mahomes. There's no one around that's as competitive as him. Nobody. That's just as simple as that. And I've been around a lot of people. No one's as competitive as him. So he's won and there's no one A.

Number two is just his his focus. And then number three is he doesn't miss anything. He sees everything. So whatever that is, if it's in a conversation, if it's watching video or tape, you know, whatever. You know, that first thing he said, it's what Michael had, it's what Kobe had, it's what Brady had, it's what Steph Curry has,

it's what LeBron has, competitive. I know a lot of people think all these athletes are competitive. No, they're not, not really. For a lot of Americans, it's a job,

it's a paycheck. And that's for a lot of pro athletes, too. They have size, speed, they have talent, they kind of worked hard. Some have worked really hard.

but they're not really that competitive. Tony Gonzalez, one of the best high ends ever. I asked him one time, how many people love the competition? Love football. He said, 3%. I've heard 5% to 10% from other great players. I've been in the media 30 years.

The big separator is not where you went to college. It's not your parents. It's not your LinkedIn. It's not your contacts. It's not your agent. Though all of those can help who wants it more. That's the guys that sit at the top of the, and women that sit at the top of the food chain. And I'm not sure where the fire always comes from. I mean, Mahomes' dad was a major league baseball player.

It was a better than average life. Steph Curry's dad, NBA. Playing golf as a kid at nice courses. That's a better than average American life. Stability in their lives. Yet they manufacture this chip on their shoulder, even when it shouldn't be there. And it's interesting. It, Maybe they were slighted by a girl on a dance in the eighth grade or a coach their sophomore year of high school or they were slighted in the draft by a round. But as they're compiling $500 million net worth, it still burns. Brady Mahomes. It's like this authentic anger that's utterly ridiculous. It makes no sense.

Tom Brady, you won. You won by 30. forget 45 you won he's still feisty i watched that michael jordan documentary hasn't played in 25 years he's still taking shots at isaiah thomas it should be like you know little scars brady should have for the draft right a little scar a kobe could have he and shack fought but instead they become scabs that they pick and they pick and it never heals. And 25 years later, I mean, Steph Curry, you won, Brady, MJ. And they still have it. And so does Patrick Mahomes. People that don't have the fire, it's hard for a Mahomes to explain it. I read an article this morning where Patrick Mahomes' dad said, who was a major league baseball player, even in the clubhouse, he'd see A-Rod and Jeter. The best players work the hardest. Work even harder. And Patrick saw that. He'll never let go. Always grinding, always trying to get better. It's that competitive thing. People make too much of who your agent is or where you went to school or who are you connected with and who can

you put in a resume. It's not what it is, man. How badly do you want it? Passion always wins with a moderate, at least moderate level of talent. And the winner is all of us, because Mahomes is the most entertaining player right now in the sport we all love. He plays tonight. The Chiefs play tonight. And if you look at recent history in September, the Chiefs probably win tonight. Although Jay Mack and I both, we both like the Lions and the points.

Where's the point at now? It would start. It was like six and a half for a while. I think it's four and a half depending where you look. But there's also some question about Kelsey. is he going to go? And what happens to the line then if Kelsey jumps in tonight? Owners saying maybe he's going to try. Six and a half, you take the Lions. If it goes down to four, you probably take the Chiefs. I just, I want to ask you something. So the top

two target guys on the Chiefs last year were Travis Kelsey and Juju Smith-Schuster by a mile. If Kelsey doesn't play tonight, the top two target guys are out. Two new tackles. You don't think the Lions have a legitimate chance to win this game out. No, absolutely. The margin of victory in the NFL is four. So if you're missing a Chris Jones and the Lions have PFF's fourth best O line, you can see a world. Cleveland almost pulled this off with Baker in a playoff game where Mahomes watched the entire first half from the sidelines. So I could see a world in which Mahomes has to rescue the team late, but watches a lot of the early game from the sidelines as Detroit just churns out rushing yards. And, you know, when you give golf time, he's a very accurate, above-average quarterback. And let's remember, it's not like Andy Reid's had weeks to prepare an offense for no Travis Kelsey, who hasn't missed it, who rarely misses games.

I mean, this is like what, you maybe have 72 hours to throw together the backup tight end and the third string tight end in Kelsey's place. It's a tall order for Andy Reid tonight. Yeah, Andy Reid is the greatest September coach, probably in league history. If you look at the numbers, Mahomes is absolutely the greatest September. quarterback in league history. So you think Kansas City wins tonight. And as a testament to how great Mahomes is, if you took the best defensive player from Goff and his best target and he had two new tackles, you would predict Goff, who's been to a Super Bowl and was the number one pick, would get routed tonight. But Mahomes has a way of overcoming a lot of obstacles. Just put this out there.

You know, you see some of those stats. Some of those were inflated thanks to Tyreek Hill and playing the Texans and the Cardinals. I do also want to add. Jared Goff. Jared Goff, 6-0 against the spread, I believe in week one in his career. I like, hey, this is a Jared. Just putting it out there. A lot of anti-Jarid Goff sentiment.

Not on the show. It's not my guy, but I think he's very good. I think he's very good. Give him space. He's very good. Give him time. He's a very good place. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having a lot of it. trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say it. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

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

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You are now entering the No Bull Zone, sponsored by credible great rates. None of the Bull. So, you know, listen, we all make mistakes. I've made more than most. recently, over the last few years, Deshaun Watson had some lawsuits, waged against him. A little creepy for my taste. But he's playing in the league.

It's going to be a hard guy for me to root for. I've got a daughter, close with my sister. Stuff to me just landed wrong. But, again, he's playing. Vegas likes Cleveland this year. And there are elements to Cleveland I really like. I think Miles Garrett's about the best pass. rusher in the world, but it's a list of a lot of T.J. Watson and Boses, there's a lot of great

ones. But I'm a little out on Cleveland. Some of it is the division's really good. But part of it is, is what is Deshawn Watson? It's been two years of mostly inactivity. So NFL.com ranked every quarterback in the NFL. Now, I didn't love their rankings, but they have Brock Purdy, Derek Carr, and Daniel Jones ahead of Deshawn, and Justin Fields and Mack Jones just below him. I do think there's, I think he's more talented than Daniel Jones, but enough of that. So they put him 18th. So whether you agree or not, he's not sniff in the top seven or eight. And when he left the sport, many thought he was in that group. So there are certain things in life that stay mostly the same. And then there are different cultures and businesses that change rapidly.

A tech, obviously. I felt like iPods were the thing. You had to have an iPod. And then 18 months later, the iPhone arrives and my iPod is somewhere in a shoebox, somewhere in the garage. They went from relevant to irrelevant. It felt like really quickly. I don't know what the timeline was. We saw it with Netflix. It's, oh, it's this fledgling streaming service. And then everybody in America is saying, come on over, Netflix and chill.

It became like a term everybody was using, right? Like stuff happens in tech really, really, really fast. And I don't have the exact timelines, but that's the way it's always felt with tech. I'm always playing catch up to try to figure something out. and then there's a new platform, a new device, and I'm always behind. And I think in football, Deshawn Watson was very good in 2020. But now it's 2023, and Joe Burrow has gotten really good, and Justin Herbert's really good, and now has a great O.C, and Trevor Lawrence has Doug Peterson, and Jalen Hertz has become a star.

They have all emerged. I think they're better people. I think they're better leaders. And I think they're probably better quarterbacks. And the AFC is jammed. the NFL changes rapidly. They fire seven coaches a year, meaning every four years you have all new coaches unless the name's Belichick or Andy Reed. And there's also the fact that by next year, his contract and the cap hit is so big,

they're going to have to constantly rework it or they won't be able to afford much around him. Plus, I just never trust Cleveland ownership. Plus, the lawsuits against him were creepy. How many quarterbacks have raised that trophy in the middle of creepy? We maybe later find out they're a little creepy, but I don't know. I just, I don't buy this. I just think the division is really good. I think Pittsburgh's defense is stacked.

I think Baltimore's offense for Lamar is finally stacked. I think Joe Burrow, Zach Taylor, Jamar Chase, and T. Higgins are unbelievable. And I think Cleveland finishes fourth. By the way, my NFL final predictions at the top of next hour, followed by Greg Kosell. Here's Jay Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

All right, let's get started with Nick Bosa, got that massive extension yesterday, highest paid defensive player ever, but nothing for Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is probably not equally as excellent, but he's phenomenal in the middle for the Chiefs. So Casey plays the Lions here in a few hours, and yesterday at a charity event, Chris Jones was asked if he thinks he's letting his teammates down. How have I let him down? It's just like when you're at your job and you ask for an extension, you ask for a raise. You're not letting anyone down.

Who are you letting down for asking your boss for a raise? So when you take the personal feelings out of it, you kind of get it. All I'm doing is asking for a raise. It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City chief for life. If a deal gets done, I can be out there tomorrow. Well, they're going to sign him because what Kansas City's been doing for the last several years, they are a little ahead of the curve. You know how certain teams in baseball and basketball got ahead on analytics?

I believe Brett Veach and the Chiefs are doing something, and it's going to become a template. Now, you may be able to only do this with Mahomes, and I could be wrong. But what they're doing and saying is, we're going to spend all our money on offense, with the exception of one great defensive player. We're going to stay young and reasonably cheap on defense, because we're going to make sure that Mahomes has protection, solid running game. He's got Andy Reed and weapons. We've identified the one weapon will not let go, Travis Kelsey.

But we're going to, I mean, they've spent a lot of money on all lines. They've let, but they've let all the weapons go except Kelsey. So they've identified the key to the offense is Andy Reed-Mahombs, Kelsey. They're not giving up, Chris Jones. Now, Bolton's emerging as a star. They got the kid, didn't they draft the kid out of Purdue last year? Parlaftus, yes. Interesting player.

So he, so, and they may sign them eventually. But I think what Kansas City is saying, and I've watched the Rams kind of watch this, is have your dog on the D-line. if you have two great but go pretty young the rest of the defense the world's changed they let go of their best corner a couple years and go to the Niners. Why?

Because they eventually had to pay them a homes and I think they'll sign Chris it's just, it's like the Bosa thing. All it takes is a phone call Diana Rossini told us yesterday. If you're battling with the bosses upstairs I don't do that by the way, I don't battle. Well, you'd probably have an agent or something, but Chris has one too.

All it takes is a phone call. And I think this thing gets done. But he's not wrong. He's not letting his team down. Just to be clear, he wants more money. He's a phenomenal defense player. Where I think you may be missing something, Colin. So you've been big on this whole top heavy. Mahomes. Oh, we got Mahomes. We got Kelsey. We got Jones. Well, now here you are week one and you might be without two of those three. And you start to look around that roster. I mean, I'm not saying this is a Rams level bad defense without Chris Jones. It's because they've got some players. I like the linebacker Bolton a lot. Yeah, he's good.

secondary looks good on paper. No, but they're a little top-heavy. Well, the Rams. By the way, Chargers have a much better roster than the Chiefs. It's not close. I agree. Philadelphia Eagles have a better roster. It's not a hot take. That's right. The Chiefs are probably seventh in the league in terms of roster.

So, I mean, maybe a little lower. They're very top-heavy. So we'll see. I'm seeing a lot of four and a halfs in Vegas, some fives. I still think the Lions are the side. I know people think that's light. No, you and I agree. I think the Lions are the side. But if we lose the bet, it's because...

This is not a big bet. I'm not putting $5,000 on the Detroit Lions. What is your... My average bet is $50. I mix it up. I have small money, a little more than pizza money, on the Lions money line to win tonight. I think they win $31.30. So what, $35? A little more than that. What are you going to get a $35?

When you order pizza for your family, it's $35? I don't live in Beverly Hills. I live out in the beach. I don't know. Well, I don't just order one pizza. You order multiple pizzas for your family. And then breadsticks. Well, how much has pizza cost? 50 bucks. Okay, we're in the same ballpark.

Okay, yeah. That's I bet 50 bucks again. 50 bucks on the money line is a decent little payday for the lines to start the season. Now, I got better wagers on Sunday. We'll get to those tomorrow on headlines. They're already asking for him, and I like some gains. Let's go to Joe Burrow. Next up, he declared he is ready to go for week one following his preseason calf injury.

He's also been waiting for that contract extension, said it is the last thing he's thinking about right now. only wants to play the Browns on Sunday. I think we still like the Browns, regardless of, you know, Burroughs 100%. Well, I'm not, I'm staying away in this game because the leadership of the Bengals I like much more, and I love Burrow. There is something to be said. There are weird matchups. The Niners own the Rams in the regular season. The Browns have had the Bengals number.

There are matchups that are, by the way, for years and years with even Aaron Rogers, the Vikings have always played the Packers tough. and yet the Bears can't get out of their way against the Packers. So the Browns have just played the Bengals tough. For years, the Steelers with Big Ben just you could put the Bengals and Browns down as Ws. And yet now it's the Bengals Division and the Browns match up very well with them. And I think a lot of it's Miles Garrett. They get to Burrow.

Well, it's someone, a guest on my podcast this week, outlined how Jim Schwartz has had a really good history against Joe Burrow. Well, he's a very good coordinator. He has kind of bottled up Burrow, whether it's a playoff game regular. season with other teams and Cleveland has the personnel to do it. We'll see if Denzel Ward goes. That's a big one, obviously, for the Browns and cornerback. Final story, Russell Wilson has faced a lot of criticism for his poor performance in his first year in Denver. This season, he's looking to get things back on track. He spoke about how he's dealt with the negativity. I'm used to some of those who believe and some of those who doubt. I think that when you're

you know, you're playing high stakes and playing, and you, you know, dream to be the best that you can possible be every day. There's always going to be people that question whether you can do it or not. And I think I've proven that throughout my career, what I can do. And that I've got to do it again. That's just the name of the game. I like that look, by the way, sleeveless and a hoodie on like some kind of vest. You know what I like about it?

What? It's not polished. What do you not polished? The look? He kind of look He looked... Dude, his tricep was bulging. I don't even think he was flexing.

That looked like he didn't spend a lot of time thinking about what he was wearing. Okay. Is this a Sean Peyton trickle-down thing? Well, no, we talked about this. Is that I like Russell. I see Russell probably every year at a Super Bowl party or something.

I like him. They're very good people. But I think the knock on him, that looks like... Look at the tricep. Come on. That's not because he's a pro athlete. He worked out.

But I'm saying that looks like he didn't spend a lot of time worrying about... He just grabbed a hat, put it on. I've never seen that. All his stuff is calculated. Come on. He's got a stylist and there are all this stuff going on. You think he has a stylist before practice? No, but I think when he comes to his locker,

they've picked out his outfit and here wear this. You think Russell Wilson is like you and I going into the drawer? Tom Brady, pulling out a t-shirt? Tom Brady had a Make America Great Again hat in the back of his locker. That's all scripted. You think that's just random? Oh my gosh. You know these guys think about this stuff.

I don't think they think about it all the time. Russell Wilson. Come on, man. his teammates have come out and said it's all an act. And I disagree with that, by the way. Yeah, I do too. I think Russell is, I think Kirk Cousins and Russell, they have a different life. They have great religious conviction.

This is who they are. I think Russell at times, I wish he would just let it go. You know, like when Kirk Cousin got mad, it's so human. Like, I know Russell gets mad. He has to. He's human. Just let it out. And that, he looked like he was sort of, I'm just guessing here, but he looked at,

he just grabbed something out of his locker, put it on and went. I like that. Hey, Broncos, if you're watching, get me that hoodie. hook your boy up. Seattle sent me stuff when I shaved my head. That's not a pro. We don't do that. Hey, look, no, you were asking about bets. The Broncos a smash spot this weekend.

Here's the thing. Raiders, who by the way, locked Chandler Jones out of the facility. Did you see him complaining on Instagram? Not good. They got to go to altitude. They took his key card? Yeah, they basically locked him out. It won't let him work out. First of all, I don't like to root four against people because I think the Raiders

have a lot of good people and I want to see Josh McDaniels. I want to see Josh McDaniels. Josh McDaniels stay in the league because I think he's a clever guy. I'm not going to root for again. But I will say this. I would like to see Denver win. I love Sean. Sean was great to this show.

I really like Russell a lot. I want to see Denver win. I think the league is better. Denver, people forget this. People out east do not realize how popular the Niners are. If you live out east, you have no idea. They're like in the NFL. They're like the Yankees out here.

The Niners will go to a Rams game and they'll have. 70% of the fans will be Niners fans. They'll go to a Raider game. It'll be 70% Niners fans. So people in the Midwest and the East do not understand how popular the Niners are. They've been good forever, my whole life. And the other thing they don't realize is Denver in like a six-state Rocky Mountain region. The Broncos are wildly popular out West. And a lot of that is Elway. They were so great for 15 years with Elway. There are Bronco fans everywhere out west. So when the Denver Broncos and the Niners win,

it's good. Rocky Mountains West, it's good for the league. Well, Rocky Mountain High? Colorado, Buffaloes are good. Denver, people, Craig Morton, Orange Crush, Denver's been good for a long... Is that a 70s reference on NFL? I thought you just did 70s baseball

reference. Hey, hey. NFL? You can't flip this brain switch off. It's around the clock. Quick reminder, Tom Brady's debut a couple years ago. Tampa Bay goes to New Orleans. in the opener. Do you remember what Sean Payton and the Saints did? Oh, they whacked it. Bodybag game. I mean, Brady was, had no clue

what was coming. So you like Denver? Big. I know it's a divisional matchup, but I've talked about divisional dogs are dangerous. Raiders aren't dangerous at all. But it wouldn't it be great Monday if they win, and Sean Payton and Russell Wilson, it's just fun. It's a good story.

Especially if I have a significant amount of money on the game and I have them, and I don't know if I can take a lot. Well, there's always been a thing. I'll tell the audience. Four is an interesting number. So a lot of times, most of the time, I bet the number. And so, like, if I see three and a half, I'm going to take the team getting what they call the hook. But when the number goes to four, I almost always take the favorite. I don't know why the psychological, I don't know what the numbers say.

But there's something about what Vegas is telling you is, we're not even going to worry about the hook. They're just the better team. So I think Denver, the number is telling you, four to me is almost always bet the favorite. And there's some sharps watching this, and I'm a totally idiot. I'm sure people are going to freak out. That's what they do. But I think when I see a four, there's not even a hook. They're not trying to get anybody.

They feel a team's absolutely better. So I think Denver's the play. I think that might be the only four. I got to go to this one app that basically aggregates. So Jacksonville Indies, four and a half. Yeah, this looks to be the only four on the board. Interesting. I like Denver.

I mean, you're going to make. a case for the Raiders? No. Okay. No. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Herd Lie News. You know, sometimes it's hard to come out and just say something, but you're kind of talking around it so you're saying something. I'll explain next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. This is Steve Kavino and Rich Davis. And together we are Kavino and Rich. Kavino and Mitch.

Thanks, buddy. That's right. Kavino and Rich, Fox Sports Radio's newest hit show. Heard weekdays from 5 to 7 Eastern 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the IHeart Radio app. Every Kvino and Rich show is available as a podcast. Just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast and subscribe. I'm such a rocking dude. The show features our unique take on sports, injected with some fun, humor, and relatability.

Listen to Kavino and Rich five days a week on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Covino and Rich, give me your hell, yeah. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for Raw, Untax. filtered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Cliverts Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at a podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what? went down and tried to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the AIDS. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The NFL regular season kicks off Sunday on Fox with a huge doubleheader. First, Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers take on the Steelers or other regional action. Then in America's Game of the Week, Jordan Love leads a Packers against Justin Fields and the Bears or the Rams Battle of the Seahawks. It all kicks off Sunday on Fox. Let me tell you something. That one o'clock window, you got to have some upsets in that puppy. Steelers, Niners, keep your eye on the Colts. That's bold.

By the way, we saw a little sneak of Anthony Richardson. And they kind of took him out of there and didn't give away. We predicted this. This was one of my, I said to you, to division rivalry. I know. And they're going to, but nobody has. any idea what offense the culture going to run. Nobody has any idea. The element of surprise is the only way Indy can beat the Jags. They have shown you now. What are they going to run with Anthony Richards? I have no idea. They're not going to beat them in personnel. They can beat them one way. You go to their place. You're a little overconfident. They bring out an offense with Shane Steichen that made Herbert Amazing Week 1 and Jalen Hertz and MVP level player. That's one of those stomach churning bets, Colin. You go to the window holding your nose. I'll take the Colts. I'll take the Colts to cover the...

I mean, Hon. Have you looked at their defense? How were they going to stop Trevor, Lawrence, Calvin Ridley, Ingram, E.T. And they don't they get a decent pass rush? The Colts defense is horrendous. Go look. It's like not Rams level bad. It's putrid. Come on. By the way, their backup running back, broken arm or something. And they got like their third string running back behind Anthony Richardson. Is their running back? Jacksonville has no idea what they're getting. Frank Wright. I mean, I mean, His history in week one has been a visible. Frank Reich's not there.

Oh, I'm sorry. Frank Reich is in Carolina, which is why I like the Falcons. Yes, thank you. God, boy, you take shots. I'm sorry. So sometimes you're just better off being vague. Vague's not bad. You're unhappy at work.

You don't need to call out your boss. Just be vague. Something's not clicking for me here at work. Vague is okay. Vague doesn't offend as many people. Vague won't get you into trouble. start mentioning names, people, everybody's a little insecure, myself included, obviously. So Caleb Williams is a quarterback for USC.

He's going to be the number one pick if he comes out, despite there being seven, eight first round quarterback potential picks. His dad, I've just met him once, I hear good things. So his dad came out last week and talked about, you know, the uncertainty. He'll go back to school if he doesn't like where he's going. and Caleb in a GQ, I'm told it was in GQ, I don't buy that magazine, it's just expensive clothes and people better looking than me. So GQ magazine has an article and Caleb Williams said, I've always been able to choose the team that I've played on. Everything's been scheduled for me, but now you're going into the next year of my career, the next part of my career, it's weird.

It's so uncertain. You don't know anything. You can't control anything. But you know how to act. That's honestly the weirdest part for me is the uncertainty. So they're sort of being vague, Caleb Williams and his father. Vague. And it's the right play.

You know what they're saying, though. I'm going to give you a second. What are they really saying if lie detector test or truth serum? What are they really saying? They're telling you, we ain't going to Arizona. That's what they're telling you. Who's on the staff at USC? TikTok, TikTok.

Don't wait too long. Cliff Kingsbury. Think he shared a story or 15? They're not going to Arizona. They don't trust the Bidwells. Houston, Cal McNair, a little nutty for my taste, but I think they'd probably go. Washington's got a new owner. Caleb Williams from the area, he'd go to Washington.

Indy's got a little bit of a zany owner, but a good coach and a smart GM. Tampa's bad, but they've won Super Bowls, good roster. Raiders kind of won won't won't. Caleb's in L.A. now. He'd go to the Raiders. They're being vague. What they're telling you is, we're not going to go play for Arizona, and I don't blame them. Kingsbury's on that staff.

You don't think Kingsbury and Caleb have ever had a disson. discussion. And I'm not saying Cliff's there trying to poison the well. You can't have a close relationship with somebody for six months a year and you don't have a moment where you put their arm around them. They ask you

a question about the NFL and they got an answer five. You don't think Caleb's ever prodded. You don't think Cliffs ever shared. I'm going to say probably in a moment between the two it's been asked and shared and it's totally legal. It's okay. I get it.

But vague is the position. You don't want to go out and say, I'm not playing for Arizona. Then you got the Arizona media. The NFL's unhappy. It puts Lincoln Riley in a weird spot. But if you go to GQ, again, a magazine that makes all of us feel insecure, it's just handsome people. But in this instance, I think you go to a magazine and say, you know,

the uncertainty is, it's weird. And the dad, by the way, you know, the dad comes out because a dad can say this because dad loves son. Dad can get away with saying, hey, he'll stay in college. Now, Caleb doesn't have to say it. Dad says it. And then you can all go, well, you know, Dad's out there. Just he's very emotional.

They're telling you, we're not going to Arizona. For the record, I wouldn't go to Arizona. I wouldn't go to Arizona or Houston. And if we're going to support Elway, and we're going to support Eli Manning, then you all better line up behind Caleb Williams and Arizona. because not every owner, Donald Sterling lost a franchise and should have. Robert Sarver lost a franchise and should have.

Daniel Snyder lost a franchise and should have. This league's always had a franchise or two or an owner or two that has not earned the right to get the best player in college football, arguably, in 10 years. Kids have power too. And in some extreme circumstances, an L.Way, an Eli, a Caleb, I backed Elway and I back, well, I wasn't on the air during Elway, but I backed Eli. I get it. So I got to back Caleb on this.

They're being vague, but they're telling you something. It's the smart play. At least that's my theory. So there's been a couple, this is kind of an LA segment just happened to be. So Matt Stafford's wife came out a couple weeks ago and said, you know, he doesn't really relate to the players that well. Stafford has since come out and said it's not that big of a deal. I love going to work and I love the guy. and I'm sure he does.

Also, there's a story this morning that Cooper Cop may go on the IR. That's not great. Here's Sean McVeigh giving you an update on his best offensive player, Cooper Cup. Just dealing with some soft tissue stuff, just trying to get him to feel back to normal. And when that end up occurring, then we'll have him back. But in the meantime, he will not be playing for us. You know, we had a feeling that there could be a couple weeks that, you know, we need to just be able to take it a day at a time,

and then hopefully we'll start to see some positive results as it relates to how he's feeling, what that means for his rehab program. And as far as like a timetable, you know, it could be anywhere between if we decide to put them on IR or it could be a couple weeks. Pre-seasons, I wouldn't take too much from them. But when you're outscored 109 to 34,

Cooper Cup probably goes on the IR, The O-line in camp was a jumbled mess. They drafted 14 players. All 14 made the team. Either Les Sneed had the greatest draft in the history of the league or some of the dudes can't play and they just need bodies. We got six or seven really gifted quarterbacks coming out of college next year. Matt Stafford's 35. He's had injuries.

If they trade him post-June 1st, the landings a bit softer, though it's a bit softer. though it's not pretty. He's owed a lot of money. My guess on this is if Matt Stafford tweaked an elbow or an ankle, trade deadline, move some pieces, they may shut her down again this year. Last year they had some injuries. Listen, Los Angeles is distracted, so people forget about you very quickly. But they do have a recent Super Bowl. McVeigh and Stafford Cup, they've been a lot of fun to watch.

The stadiums to meet, the best I've ever been in. It's a well-run organization, and because of Stan Kronky's wallet and the college talent, supposed to be this coming draft I've been told is the best in years. J. Mack was ahead of me on this. I think the Rams, if Cooper Cup goes on the IR, could be sellers at the trade deadline, getting second and third round picks. I think they would consider moving off Aaron Donald. again, Aaron Donald for a really high-end team that just lacks an interior pass rush, really tasty,

would have offers. By the way, Matt Stafford, somebody would go grab him next year. So if Cooper's on the IR, I don't know how they score. I mean, they've got some nice pieces. A right tackle, a tight end, a running back, I like. It's rough. Seahawks dropping 40 on them this week? Well, let's slow down, but they're going to...

Slow down. They're going to score. They're going to score. Greg Kosso next. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

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

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.