The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - The career of Michael Jordan

Episode Date: February 17, 2023

Colin celebrates Michael Jordan's 60th birthday by pointing out the similarities between him and LeBron James There should be some concerns for Bears fans about their QB Justin Fields The NFL is going to make a rule change before things get out of handSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm 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, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but the show. celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern,

9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we are. Last show for a while.

I've in Los Angeles. It's the Hurt, wherever you may be. However you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. J-Mack joining alongside. We're both going to get a little ski weekend. Your kid's doing the skiing. I'm doing the skiing.

Nine days to take a breath post Super Bowl. This is our final show. and there are a lot of things building up. It's going to be slow next week in sports. It's not slow today. Got the dunk contest this weekend. I know you're excited. Been to a couple of those.

It's actually in Salt Lake, and I'm headed there tomorrow morning, so it was hard to get tickets. There's a lot of people. You got Ski Week, by the way, in California, has this thing where I know it's weird, but it's... A little bit much, yeah. It is. We have a ski week, so kids get out to go skiing. We have a lot of mountains.

I'm more excited for spring break, which is right around the corner after March Madness. So I want to talk about Michael Jordan. It's 60th birthday. He's still like mythical, right? And we always kind of pull apart LeBron and Michael. And I think they're viewed as the two best basketball players ever. You know, centers. Kareem had some genetic advantages being that tall.

And, you know, Bill Russell was part of a dynasty where they just. simply had more good players than everybody. He won 11 titles. But I think most people look at LeBron and, you know, Michael is the two greatest basketball players. They're the two greatest basketball players I've ever seen. And their careers actually have a lot of similarities. They had four stages. So if you go to stage one for Michael Jordan, they couldn't get the coach right. He eventually fell in love with one coach, Doug Collins, but they had to get rid of him. But they couldn't get the roster right. Took him a while to get the right coach. He won scoring titles. It was the show off stage, we were witnessing something that Larry Bird couldn't wrap his brain around.

He was dropping, but nothing in terms of titles. LeBron's first stage had a coach he loved Mike Brown. Everybody loves Mike Brown. They couldn't get the roster right. He had misgivings like Michael did about the Bulls owner. LeBron started at the end having misgivings about the Cleveland owner. They got to a finals, swept, couldn't win a title, couldn't get things right. Stage. two for both. Stage two, Michael finally gets the great Phil Jackson and the great Scotty Pippen. He gets his Robin and he gets his coach.

He goes on a run. Not just scoring, pulling back and giving a little more. Centerpiece still, but now he's got help. Stage two for LeBron, he finally gets a Hall of Fame coach like Jordan did in stage two and his best Robin D. Wade. He's not every night having to lead the team like Jordan in stage two, although he is clearly the centerpiece. But lots of shooters on the wing, lots of great players around him,

including a Pippin for Jordan and O.D. Wade, the great Robbins ever, right? And then stage three, of course, is Michael takes a break and then comes back in that bumpy year losing to a week. Orlando, right? And stage three for LeBron is he moves away from the dynasty. And then he goes back to Cleveland. Jordan went back to the NBA. LeBron goes back to Cleveland. That first year, they're good. It gets very bumpy at the end. Everybody gets hurt. He and Matthew Delavadova against the Warriors. Michael wins it.

The second year he's back. LeBron wins it second year in Cleveland. All right. And then you go. And then again, very good vibes. the second time back for Michael, great vibes for LeBron going back to Cleveland. No longer the villain, there's the letter, it feels wonderful. And then stage four, it gets really messy for both. The Warriors, the Wizards situation was just a mess. Teammates didn't like him. And the Lakers situation.

LeBron didn't like the young kids, got rid of him now probably regrets. He doesn't have Coosma, Anthony Davis. They get a bubble title, but let's be honest about the four or five years here for LeBron. It's just messy. It's just how many players, how many lineups, how many guys he's bothered by. Even Anthony Davis, I was told again last night by somebody close to the Lakers. LeBron A.D. is not ideal.

It's not perfect. It's not great, despite what you may see on a video clip, digital clip here, there. And the lesson we learn from both is, as great as LeBron and Michael Jordan are, they were at their very best when they had support. an elite head coach and a great Robin the entire time. The ownership situation, never perfect for LeBron. He and Dan Gilbert issues Laker ownership right now.

Feels small like the corner store among billionaires. And Michael Jordan, Jerry Reinsdorf, is never tight. Jerry Krauss, the GM, never great. Both were at their best with the coach and that teammate, and neither in the end can overcome bad leadership. We pull these guys apart. Their careers went in stages. There are a lot more similar than we think.

MJ's brand continues to thrive. And when LeBron retires in three or four years, his will last for two decades as well or more. So I want to talk about speaking of Chicago, the Justin Field story. Three days ago I brought this up and I was considered ridiculous and ludicrous. Now everybody's talking about it. So there's something called the placebo effect.

I read about it a couple days ago again. It's pretty well known that you can talk yourself into being sick or getting better more quickly. Studies indicate, you've all heard this, if you take a pill that has no medical advantages, but you think it works, to some degree it does. If you wake up in a bad mood, it's up to you to turn it around or it's going to be a crappy day. Our minds control our health to a strong degree. And so there's always been an understanding cold weather is harder to play in for quarterbacks, right? But yet Brady Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Big Ben often saw it as an advantage. Brady saw it as an advantage that Peyton Manning,

who played in the warm SEC, and then in a dome and Indy would have to go to Foxborough. He viewed it as an absolute advantage. There's a clip on the internet we can't use because of licensing where in a snowstorm, they have Mahomes on the bench mic and he's going on saying, I'm a snow guy. He goes, I love it. I'm just sitting back there, linebackers can't move. I love playing in the snow. Burrow, Midwest kid, always views it as an advantage. Justin Fields from the South Georgia, a lot warmer weather, does not like the cold weather. He's talking to, was it Barstool? Yeah, pardon my take podcast. And he talks about how the Chicago weather is really, really a bummer and hard to plan. I hope we just get a dome. I don't care if we're at

Soldier Field. I don't care if we're in Arlington Heights. I hope we get a dome. You know, it can be cold. It can be 10 degrees. With no wind, you're fine. But with that 15 mile per hour, rent, We've probably won. I mean, you can't fight it. It's tough. When it's that cold, you have to bundle up, like, put a bunch of layers on and stuff like that, and your body's cold, so you're not warmed up. So I feel like way slower in that cold weather.

It's hard to stay warm in that weather. If you look at Farv and Brady and Bradshaw and Ben and Aaron Rogers, even the California kid, they all say they view it as an advantage. Brady has won 87% of his games in cold weather. Mahomes passer rating, 111. Burroughs, 105. They're not seeking comfort. All of them are seeking an edge. It is an edge to play in Chicago.

Field sees it as an issue. It's hard. I feel slower. It goes back to the placebo effect. You're talking yourself into this thing not working. Like, I get it. It's cold. Great quarterbacks are not seeking. comfort. They're all seeking an edge. Chicago's an edge. Kids got a big arm, a big frame.

And if you look at Fields record in just temperatures under 40, it's awful. 0.7, 61% completion percentage, passer rating mid-80s. I got news for you, Justin. Chicago's not getting warmer. It's not getting warmer. And I was thinking about this. The Bears, I've never trusted Bears ownership. or front offices. The great organizations manipulate the draft. I'll just throw this out to you. And this is part of what I love doing this show. Just kind of throwing something out there. So if the Bears called Atlanta tomorrow with the eighth pick and said, we're going to give you Justin Fields. Atlanta's got a star tight end, a star receiver, kids from Georgia playing a dome, bad division. Atlanta, Arthur Blank,

doesn't want to be awful again. And they don't think Desmond Ritter's the guy. I watched them last year. The Jew fields is bigger, stronger, more athletic. There's some wow there. It's mostly run wow. It's almost all run wow, but there's some wow there. So Atlanta says, hometown kid, we'll bring him back. And they give Chicago picks. And now, Houston, who may like Bryce Young and Indy, who their owner said loves Bryce Young, we heard his owner say that. Chicago goes, so I still got the number one pick. And I just got additional picks. And then you call Indianapolis.

And Indy says, we love Bryce Young. That's what their owner said. And they don't want to risk having Houston take the number one. So then Indy gives you picks, and all you have to do is move back to four. And if you don't see a huge disadvantage, Bryce Young, Will Levis, C.J. Stroud. And in fact, Chicago is cold and windy in Bryce Young, who played in California and the South. they may view him in Chicago as not the arm strength or the size they want for durability in that cold, windy weather. They may, their scouting department may like Will Levis.

They may like C.J. Stroud. So then Indy gives you more picks because they're a dome team and a warm weather conference. They want Bryce Young. It picks out of Atlanta, picks out of Indy, and you're in the number four spot. And you're a cold weather team. If you look at the history of cold weather, it's big, strong armed guys that win. Even in Chicago, Jay Cutler, Brett

Farr, Aaron Rogers, Joe Flacco, Big Ben, Tom Brady 6'5, 225 with a very good arm. The Teddy Bridgewater kind of players, they don't, that are not built for that stuff. Big, strong arms. Even guys that didn't succeed at a high level. Jay Cutler, big arm.

You could completely manipulate this if your Chicago, get picks from Atlanta, get picks from Indy, and still get a guy, Will Levis, big arm, Smart kid. I don't know. I mean, none of these guys as rookies are going to have their act totally together.

They're all going to situations that are difficult. But when you're already talking about, you don't like the cold and you don't like the wind and I don't run as fast. Listen, I don't like it either. But I'm not going public as a quarterback. It's the placebo effect. It's already in your head. So, you know, five days ago, four days ago when I brought this up, it was outrageous and ridiculous. It's getting discussed on every network for a reason.

There are sources now saying people are discussing it for a reason. Chicago needs multiple players, not just an edge rusher. Call Indy. Manipulate Atlanta. Feels right to me. Feels right to me. A lot of stuff going on today. Kevin Durant spoke.

Did not play for the Suns last night, but he spoke and he will play after the All-Star break. Adam Silver is concerned about his league. And what do you know? It appears the NFL is not going to allow that rugby scrum by the Philadelphia Eagles to continue. We'll have all that coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard 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 super. Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way,

this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve

to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space.

For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right 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 a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you 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. 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. Sometimes I can't figure out why you even argue with me. Where Colin was right on a Friday, I said yesterday, oh, nothing but pushback. This rugby scrum they use in the NFL, the Eagles did, they're not going to, that thing's not going to last. Dean Blandino used to work for the league. Now Fox Sports said

the league will address it. They're going to get rid of it. One of the things I said yesterday is you're going to have 32 teams using this six and seven times a game. And Sean Payton, sure enough, came out yesterday and said, I will absolutely use that thing to death on third and fourth and one. It is absolutely a weight advantage. It's an unstoppable play. It's an automatic. Folks, as I said yesterday, leagues want to get rid of automatics. Automatic equals boring. That's why the NFL moved the PAT back. It was too easy. This is too automatic. Nobody's picking on the Philadelphia Eagles. They found a loophole in the quote tax system and now it's time for the NFL slash IRS to close the loophole. Also smart people.

this is where baseball is just dim. The NFL's always been the smartest run league. They get there a TV show. They understand that and they're willing to make changes quickly. They've changed the catch rule. They've changed different penalties because it hurts the quality of the TV product. You know, you ever go on a long drive on a rural road? You've got to be able to see problems.

You've got to see them before they happen. So Department of Transportation in America, these long rural roads you go on. we've all been on them. I used to go on one all the time to college, Vegas to L.A. And they have these things on the side of the road. They call them, I wrote it down, rumble strips, where they put them off to the side. So we don't have an epidemic in this country of thousands of cars flying off the freeway at three in the morning, right? But there's no, there's no visual stimulation on a long drive in America on a rural road. And so if somebody dozes off, your car hits them, makes a big noise. It wakes you up.

Again, we didn't have an epidemic of this happening, but the Department of Transportation's like, you know what, this could be a problem. There's no stimulation here. A lot of people driving on these roads at three or four in the morning, people are weary, they're tired. So they create them. They saw around the corner before it became an epidemic, right? Third and fourth and one are huge plays in football games.

You do not want to make those automatics. Quarterback sneak is fine. That's an individual, often a star player. trying to find a little crevice between center and left guard, center and right guard, and they don't always make them. A lot of fourth and one quarterback sneaks don't work. This is a bunch of guys pushing a quarterback forward. It's just pure tonnage.

There's nothing aesthetically pleasing. It's not creative. It's not clever. And this is a television show. I always, baseball cracks me up. Like, who with a social life or any life wants to sit around for inning 18 of a baseball game? on a Tuesday night. Finally, baseball came to terms with, we go to extra innings, we start with a man at second.

We do not want to play 18-inning baseball games where there's nine people left in the stadium in Cleveland on a Tuesday. People have lives and a job. It's aesthetically not pleasing. You want more stadiums to be more full. That's why baseball stadiums should be smaller, packed. It's like the bar you walk by and you want to go to because there's a vibe. Empty baseball stadiums for hours in the 8th.

18th inning or a bad, bad look. Baseball's finally figured that out. The NFL's always understood. It's a TV show. It's a bad aesthetic. Sean Payton's like, yeah, I'm going to use that thing six times a game. That's what you'd have. The NFL's seeing a potential mess, an optic mess for a TV program, number one TV program in America, before it arrives in mass. It's the right move. Nobody's picking on Philadelphia. Really? There's no. Nothing out there to stick it to Philadelphia. The Eagles are one of the best draws in the entire national football league. They really are.

The Eagles have a big brand not only locally but regionally. A part of that television rating was not just Mahomes. The Eagles, we've been watching the Philadelphia Eagles play I have for 50-plus years, right? Good teams, bad teams. You remember all their best players. Nobody's picking on anybody. It's just bad TV and a bad trend, J-Mack with the news. No, no, no.

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We disagree on that one, but reasonable minds can disagree. I like the play. I like anything that's automatic. Give me a layup. Like me three-point shot from the corner? Automatic.

Ring it up, baby. Let's get started with the Arizona Cardinals. Their new coach, Jonathan Gannon, congrats to that guy. I wish him very best of luck. Good luck, buddy. He's very excited, Colin. He's the one to work with Kyler Murray. Here's what he said about teaming up with his.

injured quarterback. I have a very specific vision of how I want to play on offense, and the person that comes in here to run the offense is going to understand that everything that we do will be structured around the quarterback position to maximize his skill set, and we have an elite one. Well, all of that is true. You know what I like? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Kyler is elite.

Define elite. He's a top 10 quarterback in the league? He's very good. You just did your list, and he didn't sniff the top. I don't think he was 11 or 12. He's had a rough last six months. He's been difficult, but he is an elite talent. He's been difficult.

Look at how nice you're being. Have all these jobs that all these coaches are taking. The Texans job and the Carolina job, all these jobs everybody's taken. Which job actually has a star at quarterback, Arizona? Okay. So it's a challenge. It's an obstacle, but I did see Kyler Murray a couple days ago. Do you notice this?

You pick this up. He put a video out. saying I'm working out. So he is aware of the bad mojo and the bad PR. So Kyler's like, hey, everybody, I'm working my butt off. I like that self-awareness. I like that. So I will see your, oh, this is a job with an elite quarterback,

and I will raise you this. Here are the three candidates who are interviewing for the OC job next this coming week. The Cleveland Brown's quarterback coach, guy I've never heard of. I didn't even write his name down. All right. Washington Commanders' wide receiver coach, don't know his name either, and the New Orleans Saints running's back coach.

Those are the three position guys coming in to be your OC. Not quite Ryan Dayball or Eric B. Enamee or somebody you've heard of. Colin, let's just be real. This is not a good job. Nobody, you even said it last week. Nobody wanted this job. Well, Brian Flores is who I would have hired. Brian Flores reportedly was offered the job and said, no, thank you. I'll go to Minnesota.

And for the record, I think he's a fantastic coach. Minnesota on a lateral move, right? He's being a defensive coordinator, which he's been before. Oh, no, no, no, no. This was a head coaching job. Yeah, I would have paid Brian whatever it takes. Brian is great. Brian is difficult, and I think he is exactly what Kyler Murray needs.

But we've had a lot of these over the course of our lifetime watching. I would rather have a talent that's needy than no talent. I'm not saying this is a great job. I'm not. It's a bit of a tire fire. But if you told me, I got to hire somebody, they are super talented, but they're needy or somebody that's got no talent, which is about 10 of the quarterbacks in the league, not very talented. Everybody loves Mitchell Trabisky.

Great guy. Everybody loves Taylor Heineke. You know what I love? talent. Aaron's difficult. You like ego, too? I think it's endemic in sports. Kevin Durant's got an ego.

I'll take him. Rank the starting quarterbacks in the NFC West next season. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. You want to play that game? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do. Okay. Number one.

Stafford's number one. Undeniable. Now, two is tough. Take your time on this one. No, no, two's not tough. It's Collar Murray. It's not even tough. And I would say, Stafford concerns me.

greatly because he won't rework his contract so they can't fix the O line and he had a litany of injuries. You're worried about a guy who won't rework his contract when this other guy cried to remove a clause from his contract about homework? So you got Kyler 2 ahead of Brock Purdy slash Trey Lance? Yes. And so Gino Smith, who was, did he win like some award for? I'm the crazy one.

You have Brock Purdy ahead of Kyler Murray. Going into next season, yeah. Kyler Murray probably won't play until Halloween at best. Gino Smith might be ahead of Kylea Maria at this point right now, going into next season. You do realize that Brock Purdy, a seventh round pick with a stacked roster, had elbow surgery, and probably will not see the field in September. I think he's out for six months. He's also undefeated in games he started and thrown a pass in the second half.

Congratulations. I had to get that out of the second time. Of course, he couldn't finish the last game because he's going to be out for six months. This division flipped. Remember last year, it was like the best division in football. Now it's a bit of a tire. No, no, no, I'm not saying it's not. But our argument here is,

you're telling me I get a talent that's got drama. I got news for you. Big Ben had a lot of drama. Aaron's a lot of drama. Cam was a lot of drama. There's a lot of drama right now some drama. Kyler. Big Ben was drama for 20 years. A lot of those coaches, the drama had alpha coaches. Mike Tomlin

pounce his fist. You're listening. John Harbaugh, done a lot of winning. Jonathan Gannon? I'll be honest with you. I don't think Aaron's listening to anybody, and I don't think Big Ben listened to anybody. Cam at the end did Who was Big Ben listening to? He was doing things his way

And Aaron's not listening to anybody And I mean, I again I'm not I don't want to be I don't want to be positioned here As I think Arizona's a great job But that kid can play There's some issues with him

But he can play It's so weird how we flipped on on Kyle Murray You're all in But you're defending him Maybe I'm just used to dealing with egos and divas Oh geez That's a bit harsh Okay next up

Eagles, they lost their OC and their DC to head coaching jobs. Nick Siriani is not worried. They got a lot of talent on staff. Here's Siriani after losing both coordinators. Shane and Jonathan were successful not only because Shane and Jonathan are good football coaches, but also because they have good assistance and they have good people working with them. And so I feel like we have a lot of good in-house options, which is always going to be where I start because, you know, that's just always kind of been how I've learned of, you know,

grooming the people that you have in attempts for when this day happens that you're ready to go. I think he's got his dog on his hat there. I think they're going to be fine, but I think it's very, very realistic to say they're not going to be as good as next year. So what are they, so? Do they go from 13 wins to 11-ish still win the division? I think it's very hard to lose an elite coordinator. I don't think Shane Steichen right now is on the market.

Again, things, they had some, this year, you said this, you caught this very early. You said it in August. It was one of your first weeks on the show and you said, have you looked at Philadelphia's schedule? It's just bad quarterback after bad quarterback. And you were right. And their defense was eventually exposed when they faced a good quarterback. So now you're losing your D.C. You're losing your O.

Seven defensive starters are free agents. And Kelsey retires, it's not the same O-line. I got paid jail and hurts. In the NFC, I don't think them declining 15% stops them from winning a division and even being the number one seed is very possible. Now, now, if Brock Purdy didn't get injured and was going to start all the games, I'd feel differently because I talked to somebody last night who met Brock Purdy recently. He is absolutely convinced he is a long-term NFL starter.

Confidence, poise, accuracy. He does not think it's lightning in a bottle. He is convinced that Trey Lance will get better, but Purdy is going to be the quarterback for the next foreseeable future. Aaron's not going there too expensive. Brady retired. Shanahan is absolutely into him, thought they would have beaten Philadelphia if he was healthy.

I'd say the other good news for the Eagles. Colin, the NFC is just devoid of talent. It's a mess. 49ers, maybe the Packers, maybe the Rams. Tomorrow, if Tomorrow Rogers goes to the AFC, I mean, I can literally say with confidence, San Francisco and Philadelphia are overwhelming favorites. Even Kansas City, as much as I like them, Cincinnati is a handful. I mean, Lamar makes Baltimore dangerous.

Buffalo, there's obstacles. Sean Payton, Herbert now has a legit O.C. It's so lopsided. It is ridiculous. By the way, for years and years, the NFC was better. We'd do it in the NBA. For 25 years, the Western Conference simply better. Now I like the teams at the top of the East.

It's cyclical, you know? When I was growing up, the Big Ten was the conference. Now 15 years, it's been the SEC. All right, final story, Russell Westbrook and the Jazz. They have not agreed to terms on a buyout. He's expected to come to terms and hit free agency here. Possibly this weekend. The Clippers have reached out,

and they seem the most hot for. him. Also, the heat, the bulls, who I don't know what that's all about. They're like the 10th seed in the east. And the Wizards, who got a nice dub this week with Kyle Kuzama, also might be interested in Russell. Russell Westbrook, if I could play him in the second and third quarters, I'm not going to make him a starter, and I don't want him late in games. But he is productive. And I think a lot of people see 30 minutes of production, 26 minutes of production. He's not a guy you want in the floor in half court situations late. He's not that kind of situational guy you want. But you know, you look around the NBA, who can give you 28 minutes

and 16 points and five assists? He's very productive. He's not good situationally. Regular season. If I want to get some guys rest and I want somebody to give me 27 minutes a night, Westbrook's fine with that. I just don't want him near, near the offense with four and a half to go in a tie game late. I don't want him near the floor. So the Clippers front office goes to Kauai and Paul George. Hey guys, we're thinking about bringing in Russell. Westbrook. You be Kauai Leonard. Well, don't, you can't be Kauai Leonard. He wouldn't say anything. You'd be Paul George. What's your reaction if I say, we're going to bring in Russell Westbrook. You're Paul George. Well, first of all, Kauai Leonard wouldn't say anything because he doesn't talk.

I know. I think players like him and players, like I don't think the Clippers, I don't think it makes sense. A, they have a very strong head coach. So Tailu can handle anybody. Secondly, we know that Westbrook's not humbled. He just keeps bouncing around. He's still convinced. Five teams in five seasons. You would have thought that would affect the Lakers situation. He still is just who he is. That's fine. So they have a strong coach. They're fine. You have Kauai who's nonverbal. So even if it was bothering Kauai, you'd never know. Paul George is like the vocal leader, but physically the second. And my guess is Paul George would be like, didn't they play? They played together. Didn't they play briefly together? Yeah. I mean,

I think he left him, so he obviously doesn't love him. But I think Westbrook's one of those guys that players won't bad mouth. He's good in the room. He's fun. But I just don't, you know, not everybody is everything. Westbrook has a role. It's off the bench. Second and third quarter is giving me 26 minutes.

He is highly productive. He's not situationally capable of, I don't trust him in the postseason and the half court. I mean, he's a non-shooter. Like, if Miami was interested, like Jimmy Butler's not really a shooter. No, I know. It kills the spacing. I don't. I would not be shocked if Russell Westbrook was not playing basketball, you know, going forward the next three months.

Like, I don't see a logical spot for it. You know, I was talking to somebody. He's not selling tickets if you're like one of these Chicago Bulls. Like nobody's going to the arena to see Russell Westbrook. That's not a thing. You know, in baseball, personality is muted. If you don't analytically work, nobody wants you. But basketball's always had a soft spot for creative, hyper-refer.

athletic, fun players who analytically are not great. And that's part of basketball and part of why I love basketball. There's an artistry to it. There's a fashion sense to it. There's a style. There's an aesthetic that matters. You say it's crazy. Swag is a thing. Absolutely. And so

Westbrook will always have fans. He's not a winning player. Zach Levine, I mean, not a winning player, but he plays above the rim, highly vertical, wild and fun and spectacular. Remember white chocolate? People fell in love that guy. Jason Williams. I love that guy. Wasn't a winning player, but he was fun. Baseball, Cody Bellinger, as great as it looks. Analytics don't work.

Out. Dodgers, like, out. Doesn't matter what it looks like. He's great-looking kids. Got a big looping switch. Doesn't work. Baseball mute personality. The NBA not only doesn't, it kind of wraps its arm around unique and different.

And Westbrook's got a slot in this league. And so I think players, the culture in the NBA, they're like, do it he can play. he can play 26 minutes a night he's a guy's guy they like him all right you could play him I'm not planning late

I'll pass up all right Jamek with the news well that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd lie news so I just want to read this headline to see your reaction

I just want to watch your face so I'm going to put this up so I can look at your face Daniel Jones giant contract to come in at over 35 million per year I read that that's not the onion

that's not the Are you being serious? Over 35 million? That's what it says here. That's what it says here, according to Jordan Renan. Hope I got it right. Oh, yeah, I know that guy. Come in at over 35 million per season.

I've got some thoughts on that. Hey, by the way, any wide receivers clamoring in free agency to get to New York and catch passes from Daniel Jones? What do they run the wildcat there all the time? Wingty offense. They don't run the Wildcat. Come on. Do you love Jets fan over here taking shots at the point? at the playoff giants.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hi, this is Jay Glazer, and you may know me for the world of football or fighting or even shows like HBO's ballers. What you don't know is for my entire life, I have lived in something I refer to as the gray, depression, anxiety. So now I'm coming out with a new podcast. Unbreakable, a mental health podcast with Jay Glazer. Where each week, while we talk about mental health, I hope to describe it. Give it words. to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered. conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clivert 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 Jette. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what you? 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 80s.

To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Sunday, the 2003 NASCAR regular season gets underway with the Great American Race. The Daytona 500 Sunday at 2.30 Eastern only on Fox and the Fox Sports app. So the story is interesting. So the New York Giants, Daniel Jones, his contract, is going to come in at over 35 million a year. That would make him the ninth highest paid quarterback in the league. Now, I mean, that takes your breath away.

It's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. So I am not defending it, but let me put this in context. It will probably end up being like the 12th or 13th highest paid contract because Hertz is going to sign a deal. Burrell is going to sign a deal. They're going to get a lot more money. Herbert, Hertz, Burrow, maybe Lamar. So he would be like 12 to 13th highest paid.

I think he's about the 18th best quarterback in the NFL. I also think two A-plus-plus prospects are coming in next year so he could become 18th to 20th within a year. I think Brian Daibol did a great job. He's in a really tough spot. He didn't get the first three years of cheap Daniel Jones to bring in a bunch of great players. He got, hey, can you be the savior?

And then we're going to need you to be an accountant because he's going to get really expensive fast. And that's not where Daniel Jones is. Jones is going to help you out. But because the previous GM butcher the rebuild, mostly, and because the previous coach was mostly clueless,

Daible just had to be a savior. And now immediately he's got to pay a guy who's probably 18th best quarterback in the league. And so again, if a guy is paid as the 12th highest and he's the 18th best, it's not the end of the world for a year. If you could franchise, tag him, hit on some draft

picks, that's not the end of the world. The question becomes long-term. What do you do? And again, quarterback position, these kids are better, sooner. If Bryce Young hits, Caleb Williams hits, Drake May hits, three more that are more talented than Daniel Jones. Now you go from the 17th, 18th best quarterback to the 21st, and he's paid above middle of the pack. There's only two current ways to get to the Super Bowl. It appears, and we've been watching this for years.

You have to have a superstar at quarterback, like a Burrough Mahalms, big time arms, Stafford. Stafford was the number one high school quarterback, number one college quarterback, number one pick. Stafford's a big time guy. Okay. First year in L.A. wins a Super Bowl. Right? So that's the way to do it. Or to have a guy that's really, really, really, really talented, really, really, really talented,

but you get him on the rookie deal so he's cheap. A Jalen Hertz, a Jared Gough. Well, Jared Gough was the number one quarterback draft pick at a cow. You know you've got to be good to be the number one draft pick at a cow. Even Aaron Rogers at Cal was like 20-something. And so, and Jalen Hertz has blossomed. him into a real star outplayed arguably Mahomes in the Super Bowl. That's not who Daniel Jones is.

He gives you about 15 touchdowns a year. So the kiss of death in the NFL for Super Bowls, it doesn't mean you can't win a division. It doesn't mean you can't win a playoff game. The kiss of death for Super Bowls is slightly above average quarterback, and you're paying them a lot. Tannehill, Dack, Kirk Cousins. And that's the space at best Daniel Jones is in.

Tannahill can move, good enough to be a number one seed, DAC. I mean, I know he's a fourth rounder. Dak went 13 and 3 as a rookie. And I think we all know Kirk Cousins is one of the more accurate throwers the football on the planet, shrinks in big games. But if Daniel Jones, and I think the ceiling is kind of Dak, Tannahill, Cousins, the way to win with that is in that first three years.

The kiss of death out of the Super Bowl window is slightly above average and paying them a lot. Can't get there. So if you're paying Daniel Jones $35 million, I would assume franchise tag for Sequin Barclay, or do you let him walk? Franchise tag. It's a running back. Okay. Well, the other problem is the receivers. Kenny Galladay is getting cut.

We know that. Well, you've got to hit on a couple drafts. Other receivers. Sterling Shepard is a free agent. Darius Slayton is a free agent. Richie James, who was actually good for them is a free agent. Now, I'd let two of those guys walk. I'd probably keep one.

Is it tough off season for the Giants? I'm coming off the playoffs and a playoff victory. I think that's a tough decisions to me. So let me, again, make it positive. Daniel Jones, after the other star sign, this contract would be about 12th highest in the league. There's been Tanna Hill, I think, was the number one cap hit one of the last couple of years.

It's not close to that bad. The second thing is the defense is really good and the coaches on the right side of the ball and excellent. So there's some real promising things. Can I push back on the defense being good? Well, let me ask you. Because the Eagles shredded them twice with Jalen Hertz. Well, that's because you're handing the ball after every three and out.

So this league is about getting the right positions right. Okay, let's start with this. Head coach, offensive. Giants have that. Edge rusher. Giants have that. Star running back isn't vital, but it helps Sakewan Barclay have that. Left tackle.

Giants have that. The Giants have an average quarterback. They are not good at all at wide rate. They're just capable. They don't have a one. I could argue they don't have a two. And so they've got elements. If they hit on a receiver,

they're a playoff team. At the end of the first round, they hit in a receiver. You have a lot of recipe. Eagles shouldn't quite be as stacked. I think we both agree Dallas pulls back slightly, and I never trust Washington. So I could argue if you came back with the same team,

just more dynamic at receivers, you're a playoff team. NFC. So if Daniel Jones is getting 35 million a year, what is Derek Carr, who we would both agree, has been a better quarterback? Oh, yes, no question. So wouldn't you rather just pay a little bit more for somebody you trust more in Derek Carr than Daniel Jones? I think they look at Daniel Jones as a big, strong guy who can run. I think the Mara family lived through chaos. And I think they almost look at Daniel Jones and see Eli, who took years to get it right, like year four. I think they look alike.

I think he's more athletic than Eli. I think he's coachable. He comes from, you know, he's a smart. Daniel went to Duke. Eli's super bright. I think they, and Eli wasn't always great in New York. They had a lot out and down. It started ugly.

Then it was great. It ended ugly. They had bad years even in Eli's prime. And I think the Mara family is tight. They don't want to be the Jets. They don't want chaos. Let me ask you. It's a blue blood football organization.

And they believe in the NFC, they can, well, they've already seen it. They can be a playoff team, get out of the chaos space in the NFL. Everything lined up for them this year. Yes or no? Can Daniel Jones elevate wide receivers? I don't believe so. Can Derek Carr? Well, Devante Adams complained a lot about him this year.

I would blame Josh McDaniels, but. I like Derek Carr, but I don't see him as. the classic Mahomesboro elevator. I don't see that, but I like him. I'm trying to be glass half full. Yes, you are. If the Eagles, I think the Cowboys are pulling back in the Eagles a little. The Giants hit on three or four picks.

I like their GM. You've got a better football team. NFC's wide open. Hour two to Friday next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite, unhumored me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David, David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

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

or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human