The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR-2-Raiders, NBA title, Aaron Rodgers

Episode Date: September 10, 2020

Derek Carr and Jon Gruden don't work well togetherNobody from the Eastern Conference is winning the NBA titleAaron Rodgers is not better than Tom BradyGuest: Greg Cosell Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast.

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

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled 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 IHeard 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. 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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go at Tower 2. We're live in Los Angeles. This is The Heard. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Fox Sports Radio and right here FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me. Greg Kosell in a couple of minutes. Football season begins tonight. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. The two highest paid quarterbacks right. Patrick Mahomes is at the beginning of a dynasty against Deshawn Watson. Can he be more than a great player and a great highlight player? Can he win big games?

later in the year. Tonight's a big game. How does Deshaun Watson look? Certainly didn't have the support system right now. Patrick Mahomes does. Joy Taylor, how are you? Oh, I'm great. NFL is back.

I can't. I just say I honestly can't get over it. It's amazing. It really is. I may let this beard grow. It appears to be growing faster with the football season. Well, you know, it's full. So when Baker Mayfield came out, I was very critical of his judgment.

I thought he was a good talent and a great prospect. And so when I said, everybody has a comp, right? Like I said when Andrew Luck came out, I said his comp is John Elway. And you laughed at it, but the first five years, it looked like John Elway.

And everybody's got a comp. And I said with Baker, everybody was given these grandiose comps. And I said, I think his comp is Case Keenham with a better arm. You got a better arm than Case. Athletic ability, size. Case is more mature.

Baker's got a better arm, but it kind of looks the same to me. That was considered clickbait and out. They're now on the same team. And about a week ago, there was a scrimmage for the Browns. I'd like to read you what Mary Kay Cabot reported. Here's what happened at the scrimmage. Mayfield got a slight wake-up call a couple of weeks ago.

His first team offense lost to scrimmage, the case, Keenham, and the second team offense. And Mayfield was working against the second team defense. And Keenham, who had the second team offense, was facing the first team defense. Oh, by the way, the session ended with Baker throwing a pick in a goal line situation. Oh, is that clickbait? Now, I think Baker's going to have a good year. But I think Case Keenham, if he was starting today, with this roster, would have a good season. And if Baker does go 11 and 5, don't send me your tweets.

Because Case Keenom went 13 and 3 a couple years ago when he had talent. Ask yourself this. Who do you trust? I trust Vegas. Foxbet, people that are in the gaming space, the Browns with all this talent have an over-under of eight and a half. If Case Keenham was announced the starter today, you really think it would drop precipitously?

I mean, if you had a great quarterback with these weapons, like Mahomes, it would be 11 and a half, Aaron Rogers, 11, Russell Wilson, 11, 11 and a half. With all these weapons, Noah's Ark, two of everything, the over-under in Cleveland with Baker is eight and a half. That's guaranteeing two wins easily over Cincinnati. If Case Keenham's a starter tomorrow, what do you think it drops to what? Six.

Nah, Case Keenham won 13 games a couple years ago with Minnesota. I am not saying case is better than Baker. What I am saying is what you viewed as a clickbait. Now they play together, scrimaging. It's not crazy. Baker is talented, but he's not top six, seven, eight, nine. We got to slow down. Never was.

We got to slow down on that. I know a football season is official when I bring Greg CoSell on. This is like Christmas without the snow and the chill. Greg CoSell, 41 years at NFL Films is joining us by the phone today. I can't even believe. Even my wife said this. She goes, it's going to be so weird to watch Tom Brady in an orange uniform and Bill Belichick is not on the sideline. And my wife doesn't even like sports.

And listen, I don't recall what you had said. I mean, Tom's obviously got a lot of weapons. The running back position is much better today than it was a year ago in Tampa. But I do look at Brady as not much of a playmaker now. He's excellent in terms of efficiency. But this offense has some deep threats. and downfield throw guys. How do you think it all looks early, Greg, Tampa Bay, Tom, and these weapons?

Well, assuming, I think that it will be a very interesting mix of Bruce Ariens approach, which is being aggressive and pushing the ball down the field, and what Brady does really well, which is a lot of play action, quick game. We saw what they did in the wing on the last number of years, all those bang play action throws in the middle of the field. He certainly has tight ends to work with. Godwin is phenomenal, working between the numbers, very strong, very physical. So the parts are in place to run both an Ariens offense and a Tom Brady offense.

And Ariens has been doing this a long time, and I think he'll mix and match, and it will end up being a very, very effective offense. But I just want to say one thing. You said something that fascinated me about being efficient versus being a playmaker. do we believe now that you cannot be a high-level NFL quarterback if you're not quote-unquote a playmaker? In other words, a Mahomes, a Watson, players who make plays outside of the structure of the play call and the design of the play. Is that now absolutely part of the game? In other words, are we not going to see Tom Brady's and Drew Breases and Phillip Rivers anymore?

I think the way the game has changed, they will still win games. but when you face a Mahomes and you do not have that element in your game, and Mahomes and the young quarterbacks are increasingly efficient and make plays. I'm not saying it's going away, but the structure, the rules, I think the added playmaking with increased efficiency, because I think Mahomes will just get more efficient over time. I would agree. I think it's going to be, I'm not saying Jared Goff can't win games.

but if I get Mahomes as efficiency and the over-the-top playmaking, boy, it's a rough, that's a rough obstacle, right? No, and I'm not disputing that, but it's interesting that Jared Goff was in a Super Bowl two years ago, did not win, obviously. Jimmy Garoppolo was in the Super Bowl last year. Didn't win, but played reasonably well. So that's a question that I spent all summer as I've broken down at home while I was, you know, as we all were at home.

I was anyway. I watched probably 20 quarterbacks to deep dives, and it's a question every single day watching tape. I kept going back and forth in my head as to the evolution of the quarterback position and where we're going. Yeah. You know, it's really funny. So Pete Carroll, big at USC, and then he goes to Seattle, and he wins a Super Bowl, and we

have just annoyed Pete as he is just tremendous. He's going to be a Hall of Famer. But now analytics are coming in. Now the wolves are sharpening their teeth. And people are saying, listen, they run the football too much. Russell Wilson has to. It's kind of a Jurassic offense at times. The offensive line play has not been good.

And Wilson seems like increasingly Russell is saving a very outdated offense. Is that a fair criticism when you look at film of Pete Carroll? and what their dimensions offensively. Well, here's the way I would answer that question, and I love Russell Wilson. I think he's going to be the league MVP this year. I love the player. But for years now, I think he's been in a league eight years.

Yeah. So they've had the same head coach, but they've had two different coordinators, and they've chosen to play this way from day one. Yes. So the question is why, and only Pete Carroll can really answer that. So are they playing this way?

because Pete Carroll is beholden to a philosophy, no matter who the quarterback is? Or are they playing this way? Because as good as we all think Russell Wilson is, and there's no question he's really good. That's not my point. But that they believe that they get the best out of Russell Wilson playing this way. And if they were to, quote, unquote, let him loose, as a lot of people are saying, that that would somehow diminish his play. So they're with him every day, Colin.

We're not. So I don't know the answer to that, but they've chosen to play this way for all eight years that Russell Wilson's been in the league. It's driving some people crazy. I'm one of them. No, I love Rob. Believe me, I love Russell Wilson. I mean, this is a team. They get their big plays in two ways.

They go max pro and they push the ball down the field in normal down in distant situations. or Russell Wilson moves around and is as good as there is and making those second reaction improvisational plays. But they are not a team that comes out throwing the ball. This team is built, as you said, there's no mystery to their offense. It's run the ball with base runs, play action and play action boot. That's what their offense is. So I want to talk about Aaron Rogers.

Two years ago, there was a discussion. I did not buy into it, but it was a narrative and a discussion on talk shows. Aaron Rogers, Tom Brady, which is the goat, to which I said, I don't think it's really close. I think Montana, Peyton Manning, Elway, you can argue people. I don't, I need more of Aaron. I need more years. Now we see three straight years of Aaron's declining, passerating, and completion percentage. Now, it's always the push-pull, the egg, you know, we always ask about that.

Is it Green Bay's front office doesn't give him weapons, or is it Aaron who's not coachable? I do think they have a star receiver, a star back, and a way above average offensive front. When you now in your offseason look at Aaron Rogers and we point fingers at the decline, what do you see? Well, and I've talked about this with you for years. And I think when you look at Aaron Rogers, you see a player who is supremely talented, capable of making outside of structure plays at the highest level in the game, can make any throw to any part of the field from any body position, any platform, throwing platform. And this is not an interpretation.

This is what the tape tells you. There are a lot of throws within structure that he leaves on the field. And he now has a coach whose background is somewhat Kyle Shanahan, who believes in pure structure that the scheming of the offense dictates how the quarterback is going to play and where he throws the football. And I don't know what's an Aaron Rogers head, Kyle, neither do you, I'm sure. But maybe he struggles with that.

I don't know the answer to that. But I can tell you that the film shows that there are too many throws that he leaves on the field. I think he only threw three touchdowns last year off play action. Someone can easily check that. But in an offense, in a Matt LaFleur offense, that's a very, very low number. Well, their drafts showed you they have questions about him.

that certainly for sure. Didn't give them another one. They also told you, by the way, how they see their offense. They drafted another back, who I know he's third on the depth chart right now, Dylan, as the season starts, but he'll play. And then they drafted in the third round, a kid from Cincinnati, Josiah Degora, who essentially is a Kyle Ushcheck player. Yeah. So, I mean, Matt LaFleur is telling you how he sees his offense.

Let's go to Jimmy G. 21 and 5 as a starter, but I can't deny that Kyle Shanahan took the ball out of his hands in key playoff spots. And I have said it's very important that your coach trusts you. I didn't feel like at the end of the year, he did. Is that fair? No, I think they're a highly schemed offense. And I think that Garapolo is at his best when he's rhythmic in his drop, is set in his delivery. I think he's a really good fit for that.

See, this is the classic case of scheme versus quarterback. You know, it's a really well-schemed offense. So when Garapolo executes the offense well, people don't say, oh, Garapolo is good. They say, Kyle's really well-schemed. And then Garapolo, if he has a bad moment, then they say, oh, Garapolo's not very good. You can't really have it both ways. I think Garapolo has the mentality and mindset of a pocket quarterback. He plants and delivers.

He'll sit there in the pocket, late in the down on his back foot, and with that compact delivery, he'll make throws. He can make throws without stepping with his front foot. so he can be patient in the pocket. He was very good on third down. He trusted the scheme. He turned it loose. In some ways, it's like saying if a basketball coach gets guys open jump shots, are we blaming the guy hitting the open jump shots?

Are we saying, well, he's not very good? You know, this is a well-schemed offense that Garapolo executes well. Is he Patrick Mahomes? No, he's not Patrick Mahomes. He doesn't have that kind of ability. But he's a very efficient pocket player in a well-schemed offense. And don't forget, he doesn't have a ton of experience. He's still growing.

Yeah. By the way, I was saying this earlier to start the show today is that, you know, we forget with Mahomes. He was only 11th in completion percentage, seventh and passer rating, and only had eight touchdown passes last six games. He admitted he'd just learned to read a defense. There's a lot of meat on the bone. I think we're just seeing the beginning of him. I think what we see with Jared Goff, this is what he is.

A beautiful deep ball thrower with a nice touch. I look at Mahomes and I think we could have a lot. more he could go to another level. Is that hyperbolic? Do you buy some of that? No, I think that he'll get better. You know, it's interesting, and this is a great conversation. I don't know the answer to this.

The other kinds of things I think about with quarterbacks, will Mahomes, as he advances, be less likely to be a second reaction player? In other words, always have that in his back pocket as a parachute because he's capable of it, but will he become even more efficient from the pocket and stay in the pocket more? because he'll see things quicker, better, and deliver the football. You know, that's the thing. As you get older and play in the league longer and learn more and digest more, do you end up being far more efficient from the pocket?

Because there's no question he's a great thrower to the football. You know, now he moves around a lot. So it's a great question. I don't know the answer to that. Yeah. All right. Our big play of the week, obviously, we'll go back to last year, and it does include Sir Patrick Mahomes.

Yeah, and I chose this. play because it was the first possession of the third quarter in the AFC playoff game last year between the Chiefs and the Texans obviously playing tonight. And the Texans had come out in this game and played almost all man-to-man coverage in the first half. So they come out in the third quarter and let's run the play right now. They come out in the third quarter on the first possession the Texans do and they end up playing zone cover two. And here's a 48-yard completion to Sammy Watkins. And the reason I chose this play is because it had so many. cool element. See, the Texans showed man to man initially. You see the five on five, just as they had done

the entire first half. This looks like man coverage. And then if you focus your attention on three specific defenders, you can see that these guys will move in such a way that it becomes cover two. And they move just before the snap after everything has been all set. So now what happens is man to man became cover two. The Texans rotated. And don't forget, they played zone. man the entire half. Then you'll look at the corner up top, another cover two corner. So Watkins is just running a corner round. Now, this is a great route to run against cover two, because it's in a void. And Mahomes sees it instantly. This is why I love this play, Colin, because Mahomes saw this instantly after spending the whole first half having to defeat man.

He sees zone, and they rotate to zone. It was disguised and late movement, and yet he saw that instantly. So it kind of plays off what we were just talking about. about his ability to recognize, his ability to eliminate and isolate and make the right throw. God, what's amazing? He had to do it in about half a second. Oh, well, that's, yeah, that's playing quarterback. No kidding. That's a good piece of tape. Greg Kosell, great talking to you. We'll speak soon. All right. Thanks, Colin. Appreciate it.

That was really what Kosell does at his best right there, is that this whole game is just trying to deceive the quarterback. I'm watching the tape, and I'm like, oh, that's man-a-man. three steps back by the right corner, you're like, oh, coverage changed. It changes the entire play. Mahomes picks up on an instantly, boom, goes to the right side. Like that is what makes this game so incredible. It's just so much mental aptitude. Can you figure stuff out fast?

And Mahomes admitted by the end of the year, he figured out how to, Russell Wilson said, year three, light went on. Everything slows down. This is a hard league. That's why it's so amazing to see all these young quarterbacks flourish. year two. You used to be, you know, I mean, Peyton Manning in year four through a zillion interceptions, it is a tough league to figure out.

Coming up next, Gruden Derek Carr, an anonymous source. It's not going to work. We'll talk about that next. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped 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 J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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. Thank you 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 Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own

experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on Earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search learn the hard way and listen now. Fox NFL Sunday is back this week with a great slate of early games. Then it's a blockbuster in America's game of the week as Brady and the New Look Bucks take on Breeze and the Saints. Check local listings for the games in your area or watch it on the Fox Sports app.

So, Colin, let's get into one of your Super Six picks for the week. Buck's Saints is one of the matchups. Give us a winner and a final score. I would probably take the Saints because they're more familiar with each other, and winning a fairly close game. I think there's going to be a lot of points. I think Brady's not going to have the crowd and the Superdome to deal with,

so I think you're looking at 3430 somewhere. I'd probably go with the more familiar Saints. That's my guess. By the way, a team I'm not high on at all is the Raiders. They have to move, and I think the Gruden-Darck-Car relationship is problematic.

Very interesting. According to Mike Sando, who we trust, he writes very good articles. execs and evaluators anonymously talked about what they expect with the 32 teams. Here's what they said about the Raiders, execs and evaluators. The quarterback is a little worrisome to me.

He played well in that system, decent stats, but I don't recall being around an NFL quarterback who has to talk himself into being confident publicly. Confident players are confident players. Teammates feel it. Everybody sees it. With Carr, are we going to, is he going to, is he going to grow out of that and be a player who leads this team or is Gruden's personality too strong for it?

This is my issue. And I think this stuff matters. I'll give you an example. Quarterback head coach relationships matter. Gruden is blunt and demanding. Cars more sensitive. If you go back and look at Aaron Rogers and Mike McCarthy, Aaron's California cool, cocky, McCarthy's the Milwaukee cop. They wore each other out.

John Elway and Dan Reeves. Elway was Stanford, West Coast, football family, big confidence. Dan Reeves, small southern town, played under town Landry, undrafted, very conservative. They wore each other out. Troy Aikman, buttoned up, all business, totally focused. Barry Switzer, really loose, kind of wild, really outspoken. It didn't work. quarterback coach relationship is vital.

This one doesn't work for me. One guy's demanding blunt. The other guy a bit more sensitive needs support, arms wrapped around him regularly. That's not what Gruden does. It is my concern similarly with Adam Gase and Sam Darnold. Adam Gase is intense and very rigid. If you watch Sam Darnold play, he plays a loose, fun game. He plays with a lot of.

feel. There's a lot of feel to his game. He's not a rigid player. Sam plays with a lot of feel. He's a let it rip guy. Adam is very rigid, very intense. This is the play. Do it this way. I don't think their relationship is great. Beyond the other jet front office issues historically, roster issues, I don't think Gase and Darnold's personalities are perfect. I don't, and I, by the way, I have the Jets this year as much as I like Darnel. I think they're a six and ten team. I think the Gase-darnold relationship is off. I think Gruden and Derek Carr. It matters. It mattered for Elway and Reeves.

He got better with a new coach. It mattered. Jimmy and Troy similarly focused all business. Brady and Belichick, both driven, no-nonsense, aspirational, all about the team. This is why Breeze and Peyton, totally intense. All football. Creative, clever risk takers. I think the Raiders quarterback coach thing, I think it's problematic.

Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. It was a little New England flavor sprinkled around the Dolphins organization this year. Yeah, no. Van Nuoy is one of them, left New England to join the dolphins this off season. And he is looking forward to getting the chance to face off with his former team on Sunday.

Yeah, I mean, going against them, they're familiar with me, going to you know, I'm familiar with them. I'm excited for this task. You know, they've been talking trashed before years I've been there, so I'm excited to see if we both can back it up. He was traded to the Patriots in October of 2016 and was with them through 2019, so won two Super Bowls with New England.

Fox bet has the Patriots favorite at minus six and a half against the dolphins. I don't like that number. There's so many, there's so many, you know, week one's always tough, especially with no preseason. I have no idea. Week one is usually tough. Don't you usually avoid betting week one? No, I've said before.

Last year I had a winning week, week one. I struggled down the stretch. But week one is tough and now we have no preseason. And no fans. So are the home team's going to be flat because they need that juice and expect the juice of the home crowd? And it comes off like a scrimmage. I mean, I have no idea what we're getting. I wonder if also because there are no fans, well, some places will eventually have fans.

I'm not sure entirely what the. But there be no big. It's not going to be a big home field advantage. But I wonder because of that, because you generally don't pay too much attention to the sidelines during an NFL game. Like in NBA games, the bench has been huge for the energy of the players on the court. Because, you know, you have a big play and it's like you usually turn to the crowd and get hype. Now you're like looking towards your bench and the bench is very like emotionally involved in what's happening.

So I wonder if you're going to have to be very engaged on the sideline now. like when the defense is off the field, are they hyping up the offense? Like, what is that energy going to be like? Because there's no fans. Again, it's the big question mark. I don't have answers. I mean, it'd be one thing if we just didn't have fans,

but we didn't have fans or OTAs or preseason. You know, I mean, it's just there's so many things. And then we also have, you know, there's going to be some, you know, are there going to be a player to protest, the social injustice, the stuff? Some teams may be really into that. other teams maybe kind of head down. I don't know what I'm getting. I have no idea. It's just it's totally unprecedented for so many reasons. So Super Bowl winning

quarterback Akib Taleb has decided to retire from the NFL after 12 years in the league and during his announcements on his new podcast called to the booth. He revealed that before he chose to walk away, Bill Belichick called him and tried to convince him to join the Patriots this season. He really wanted me to come in and strap tight ends. I was halfway out the door. I got flights. I started finding apartments. I kind of kind of start going through that schedule. I kind of seen Kittles, Kelsey, Waller. I looked at this schedule.

I said, oh, this over with hers. Once I said that, once that negative thought crossed my mind, I was like, man, my heart, my competitive edge, like I ain't really in it like that no more. It's a very honest revelation. No, and I like that he realized that. Like, it wasn't anything more than the minute I doubted it, that spoke volumes about where,

my heart was. Like he had the self-awareness as a veteran player. This is what we always talk about. Self-awareness is big in sports. Yes. He acknowledged right away. Oh my God, that thought went through my head. I'm out. I'm done. I remember we were interviewing Misha Tate on Undisputed, and that's when she said she realized she was done. But she was actually in the octagon came across her. Like, I don't want to do this anymore, which is a really bad space to decide you don't want to, you don't want to fight anymore. But yeah, this is, this is a very common, you know, if your body doesn't take you out of it, which happens to some guys,

or you've just given all you can and you're rubbing your Super Bowls and it's just like, it's just time. This is one of those situations where it's like, yeah, I just, I don't want to do it anymore. Like he said he looked at the schedule, like, I don't feel like locking him down.

Like, it's a very, it's a very honest thing. And everybody realizes that at their own individual moment. Akeb is going to join us here on the herd at 2.15 Eastern. So we can ask him about that. So finally, we've had a pretty, pretty uneventful bubble as far as the drama goes. However,

Daniel House's status for the remainder of the Rockets Conference semifinal series against the Lakers is in jeopardy as he is under investigation for a potential bubble violation. So we heard about this yesterday. Chris Haynes reported that he allegedly let a female COVID testing

official into his hotel room. House has reportedly denied any wrongdoing and the league is obviously investigating it and expected to make a ruling about his status before game four tonight. He was a late scratch in game three for personal reasons.

Okay, can I just, do we have to use the word investigation? Well, that sounds like... I mean, they do. They kind of have to investigate it. Like, they have to interview everyone and see it's an investigation. I mean, it's not... Investigation sounds very serious, but this is a serious situation. What if he made a mistake and

somebody came in? Yeah, listen. To be clear, I am not inferring anything. I have no sources. I am just telling you the story. I don't know. I don't personally care what went on. I'm just saying the league has to investigate it

because they have to see if there was a bubble violation. Like there's a reason why these rules are in place to keep everyone safe. And they've done an amazing job of doing that. He's a young guy probably got a little, you know, investigation sounds like, oh, literally there was a shit. shipment of meth that was delivered in his room. It sounds so serious. The league is looking into the matter. A young male full of testosterone.

I don't know what felt lonely. I don't know who was involved. I don't know if that was the situation or if I have no idea. I don't have any answers. All I'm telling you is what is what they are investigating, what Chris Haynes is reported. This is a big deal, though. He's averaging 11.4 points. He's their six man.

No, the series is over. He's not able to play and they have to put him in quarantine because. Because the bubble violations is a very big deal. Series over. So the Lakers of 2-1 series lead, the Rockets cannot afford to lose him. So this is actually significant news for the rockets if a violation from the league looking into it. If the league finds that there was some protocols that were not followed, if that's a softer way to put it. When you're talking about kids, investigation would be.

They're not kids. They're grown men. And this is this investigation is just the way to say that you look into something. Because that's what's a better word. How about the league is looking into a possible... The league is reviewing the circumstances surrounding this alleged violation. It's a protocol misstep.

Perhaps. Perhaps they are looking into it. Is like, yeah, we got, there was... Okay, but, okay, fine. I'm with you. Investigation is... It sounds way. It is the appropriate term.

It sounds aggressive and very serious. However, this is a... serious matter. We are talking about health and they have these protocols in place for a reason. They've done an impeccable job. There's been no positive tests. Yeah, right, yeah. The league's making this sound

so serious. It is serious. He's a young man that's an alpha. I don't know if there was even anything inappropriate that happens. That doesn't even mean that there was anything inappropriate that happens. If my kids get a D on a class, we discuss it.

There's no investigation. You're not going to to investigate how that happens? Let's save investigations for the White House, for political leaders, for CEOs. The NBA is inquiring if a player is under investigation. Violated. It sounds very serious. He's being, the matter is being looked into. There we go.

There we go. The matter's being looked into. God, he's a kid. He's a kid. He's a grown man. He's just a 25-year-old kid. He's a grown man, but that doesn't matter. Under investigation is strong, while the correct term, they're looking into the matter.

There we go. Folks, people. You know, you can't be locked in a hotel for nine weeks. This stuff happens. It's amazed the first time. We don't even know if it happens. That's because they're looking into it. All right.

Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. All right, I got to get to Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush around the corner. Akeb Taleb retired. He's joining us, too.

Don't go anywhere. NFL season starts tonight. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hart Ration. 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, 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, 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 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 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. Then you're 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations

with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns Dustin Ross

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Keer Gaines is we have real conversations about healing growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. By the way, nothing against the Celtics and the Raptors, but I just can't. I watched that game last night and it was fun. The last 11 NBA championships have been won by Kauai, LeBron, or the West. This year will make it 12 out of 12.

Nobody in the East is winning. It's like when I watch a Pac-12 football game, I'm like, oh my God, this is so full. on Oregon Cal double overtime. I know they can't beat Georgia in LSU and Bama or Clemson, but it's fun. Like I watched that game last night and I'm like, Kyle Lowry's not beating LeBron and AD four times.

That's not happening. And he's not beating Kauai Leonard and Paul George four times. That's not happening. Last 11 titles in the NBA. Last 11. Kauai won. LeBron wins or the West wins. It's going to be 12 straight.

So I, you know, I go back and look at what has happened in this league. Kauai's winning the title. LeBron's holding the trophy or some. out west. Now they're both out west. So the Eastern Conference now is very much Pact 12 football. It's fun. There are weekends. I'm like, that's the most fun college football I watched. But I don't think it can beat Ohio State, Clemson, or Alabama. And I don't think, I don't think Toronto doesn't have the guy. I mean, Pascal Sauccom was very disappointing in this series. He hadn't given you a ton.

So you're kind of depending on Lowry. Lauerie ain't beaten. LeBron right now. I got into this discussion there or day with somebody. It may have been you, Joy, is that LeBron James, it was. So last year he got hurt. So for the first time in LeBron's life, after like eight straight finals, he got like three months to just watch basketball. Then he comes back for the season. He plays real hard for two months.

And we got three more months off. LeBron's never been this rested. He is totally rested. I mean, LeBron's been great, but there have been times over the last five or six years. You're like, how does this guy keep going? God, it's another playoff run. It's another finals. The other night I'm watching LeBron and I'm like, oh, my, he's the

energizer, buddy. It's like LeBron's body is, he's always been meticulous about his body, but he's just not playing very much in the last year and a half calendar year. So you're getting like, and you're getting LeBron chasing down. Has anybody noticed how many shots LeBron is blocked in the bubble? Like LeBron used, when LeBron broke into the league, his big thing for the first five years, beyond his talent was he used to have these chase down blocks. It was his signature move. You know, Michael Jordan had the tongue.

in the mid-range game. LeBron would run, chase All-Stars down the floor and swat your shot off the backboard. And after about year six, seven, he stopped doing it because it's a lot of energy. And he became much more about growing his offensive game and developing a three-point shot and developing a low post game after he lost the Mavericks. This is the first time in like five or six, seven years. LeBron is back to blocking shots all over the court. it's because he's got energy.

It's because he didn't play much of last year. He didn't play this year in the bubble. So now, like even though it's year 17, I feel this is the freshest LeBron we have had in four years. He's not injured. He's totally healthy. He's finally, he's got his most talented in his prime coworker, Anthony Davis.

Nobody, you think Jason Tatum and the Celtics are beating LeBron in AD four times? God no. No. And they're not beating this clip. team four times. So this is not, you know, and again, I can watch sports, Pac-12 football, and have a ball. Oregon beats Cal and double overtime. And I'm thinking, there's some NFL players on the field that are not beating Clemson, Ohio State and Alabama. That's how I feel about last night watching Boston and Toronto. Unbelievable game. Wildly entertaining. I mean, just, it was

an appetizer. The main course is out west. By the way, Raycon's newest wireless earbuds, the everyday E25 airbeds, best one yet, 15% off by Raycon.com slash heard. I want to talk a little Aaron Rogers here, if I could. Aaron Rogers said yesterday he believes the Packers are flying under the radar in 2020. And you know, it's really interesting. Two years ago, everybody brought this Brady Aaron Rogers, who's the goat? And I said, timeout, time out, time out. Payton's not in that?

Brett Farb isn't in that? I mean, Bradshaw, Aikman, come on, Montana. Come on. We're moving way too fast on Aaron. He's halfway through his career. So I went this morning, Joy, and we looked up prime years. And when I mean my prime years, how many years have you been a great quarterback and you have been a top two to three quarterback in the league?

Top one or two. Tom Brady, we counted this morning. 15. Dan Marino, 11. His knees fell apart late. Peyton Manning 14 prime years. L.A. 15, 5, 16. Bree is about 12, 12 and a half, 13.

Then we went and looked at Aaron Rogers 15 years in the NFL. His first three he didn't play were down to 12. His rookie year, he was 6 and 10. Didn't win a lot of games. Now we're down to 11. Take a year away, he got hurt. And the last three years, one an injured year, and the other two, he's had a clear decline in passing efficiency,

completion percentage, quarterback rating. Aaron Rogers' prime years, eight. And I don't, that's why I think this year for Green Bay is fascinating. I don't consider them as good as Mahomes. I don't consider them as dynamic as Lamar Jackson. I do not consider them right now as complete as Russell Wilson, who I think's getting better, not worse. And then we got all these guys, when they're healthy, like a Carson Wentz,

that we're like, whoa, this is kind of special. So I think this year is fascinating for him. Two years ago when I pushed back on Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, who's the goat? And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Today, it's very possible his prime years. He had eight of them, which is about half of Brady. And Tom Brady had three Super Bowls before Aaron was drafted. And this morning, most people in the NFL think,

Tom has a better chance to win one this year. So the argument was always absurd. And I've also made the point is I think Aaron's first seven years in the league he was better than Russell Wilson. I think two years ago Russell Wilson became the better of the two. And now everybody else is finally going, eh, coward's right. I think Russell has surpassed him. I think Russell's the best football player in the world. Mahomes is the greatest quarterback talent. I don't think Russell can do certain things Patrick can. The difference is, I think, line of scrimmage, efficiency, I get all the playmaking with Russell, and I get that. With Mahomes, I get playmaking, and his efficiency will just get better, maybe by the end of this year. But it is, it's kind of, I think it's fascinating to watch.

You know, Aaron no longer has the ring argument. He's got one. And a lot of people don't think, myself included, they're going to get to another one. He doesn't have the stats argument. What the argument for Aaron now is, he is super efficient. And I just think about that. Two years ago, you were all over me when I wouldn't buy into Brady Rogers, who's the goat. Today, Aaron Rogers' go-to tag is he's really efficient. He doesn't throw interceptions. It's not touchdown passes. Those are declining.

It's not passerating. That's coming down. Not completion percentage. Instead of the goat conversation, it's, you know, he's very efficient. He never makes the big mistake. So I think this is a fascinating year for Aaron Rogers. Have we kind of seen it? Remember, he comes from a different generation.

The generation of quarterbacks entering the NFL the last four to five years, it's the 11-on-11 camp kids. It's the 12,000 snaps by the time you're 13 years old kids. This new generation of quarterbacks, not only are many more talented, they're better, faster, with more snaps taken by the time they're 12 to 15 years old. So this generation now, it's getting good, really, really, I mean, small school guys. Kyler Murray was a baseball guy. Wyoming guy.

Lamar Jackson, he's just a running guy. You wake up and you're like, oh, my Lord, these guys are playoff quarterbacks. So I think the Aaron year is really fascinating. Can't wait to watch. I haven't making the playoffs, winning 10 games. but have we seen by far and away the best. MDrive4Ferman.com, check out Boost and Burn. Burns muscle. Burns fat. More muscle.

MDriveferman.com, hour three 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

A win is a win. I don't care which 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 experience. excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfilled 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 IHeard 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. On the Look Back at a podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84's 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. It was a wild year. It was a wild year.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.