The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 3 - Chris "The Bear" Fallica Handicaps the NBA Playoffs and Awards

Episode Date: April 17, 2026

Danny Parkins talks with former NFL OL Geoff Schwartz to preview the NFL Draft. Chris "The Bear" Fallica stops by to dive into the latest odds for the NBA Playoffs, NBA Awards, and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. 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 ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless. And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. She can win.

She's an outsider to win the French fame. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any service. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman.

Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRedio.com

or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Back in on The Hurt, I'm Danny Parkins in for Colin. And it's a Bear Betts hour. We got the bear coming up later on in the hour. But joining us now, my old buddy, I followed him and covered him when he was on the Kansas City Chiefs, former draft pick of the Panthers.

You played for the Vikings and the Giants, Fox NFL analyst, Jeff Schwartz, with us here on the herd. Jeff, my friend, thank you. you very much for the time. Most mocks seem to have the Chiefs-going defense, and I get it. They have secondary questions. They have pass-rush questions. I've tried to argue that it's a rare opportunity to be picking in the top 10 in the middle of Mahomes' prime, and he hasn't put up MVP-like stats since 2022, and you almost owe it to him to go get him a real weapon if you could figure out a way to get Carnell Tate. Do you think there's any shot that the Chiefs go offensive weapon with

their first draft pick? If Tate is there at nine, I think it's absolutely an opportunity for them. I think they would consider that. The thing is Tate's probably not going to be there, right? Like, that's the problem is that the chiefs are in a spot where they might have to draft one player that's sort of available at nine. But let's say Delane is gone and Tate is gone, gone, you're drafting Bain. Now you need a pass rush. So don't get me wrong.

I love that draft for the Chiefs. But Tate is there at nine. I think you have to draft them. And that presumably means that Rue and Bain is gone, right? And that Delane is gone as well. And Tate's the best player still there on the board. at nine. So if he's there, yes, I don't think he's going to be there. I think that the chiefs have to come out of the draft with a pass rusher and a cornerback at 29 or vice versa either way. And then if Tate is there, sure, grab Tate at nine. But the Chief's defense, they have no pass rush. That's out of Chris Jones that are effective and reliable. And their secondary walked away this office. You know, trade one of those guys away. And it's a good cornerback draft at the top. So I think the chiefs have to come out, cornerback, pass rusher. And then if Tate is available, yeah, sure, grab him at nine. we know Mendoza's going one, so the draft, in effect, starts at two.

There's five teams with two first round picks. We just talked chiefs. The Jets are another one. Do you have a strong feel on who will come off the board second overall to the Jets? I think it's going to be David Bailey for really one reason. And that's a he's a pass rusher now, right? They need a pass rush help immediately. And Reese, who's the other option at two, can be a pass rusher, right?

He's not Michael Parsons, but the idea is he can play off the ball linebacker and then transition obviously to a pass rusher. Maybe in year three, he turns into more of a primary pass rusher. Data Bailey is a pass rusher now. He's that guy immediately. So you don't have to worry about getting Reese ready to play line. Reese will be a great player. Don't get me wrong.

But Bailey comes and now to immediately becomes a pass rusher. There are things he's got to work on, obviously. But the explosiveness, you can't teach that. As a blade to dip and finish, you can't teach that, right? So there are elite traits there that I think make him go second overall. So Reese, fantastic player. If the draft Reese, nothing wrong with that. I think to take the guy who's proven now to be a pass rush, and that's Bailey.

We'll get back to some of the college prospects, but it's also a day for deals, and it's not just about picks. It can often be for players in exchange for picks. One of your old teams, the New York Giants, apparently are at an impasse with Dexter Lawrence. He's wanted a contract for a couple of years. Did not have as good of a year last year as he's had in the past, but a tremendously disruptive interior force, just 27 years old. be given up draft capital and you would be signing him to a massive contract what do you think the future holds for dexter lawrence i think i think i think that's what the future should be for him right and look he's an interior defense alignment like some of years he's going to have half a sack

but still be a very good football player some years he's got seven sacks right like that's the nature of that position where we have ways to measure success for defense alignment without actually looking at sacks anymore right we have well now teams always track pressure rate but like you know these things, right? And the importance of a guy like that in the middle of your defense, you have to be able to rush the password, be good on defense. In the middle, I'd say, first and foremost, on the edge secondary, right? You have a player like that who could eat up blocks in the run game and the past game. I think you pay them. This is what happens, by the way, with new management. Now, I know Joe Shane's still there, but Harbaugh is running the show, okay? And so you have a player that he did

not draft. He didn't draft Lawrence. He comes in and immediately says, I want more money. And Harbaugh goes, I'm not going to you play yet for me. I'm not giving you more money. feels like a natural impasse to have right now. I do think they do pay them. I don't think anyone trades for him. It would be surprised if that happens. You pay him, you make him happy, and you have one of the best DELons in the NFL.

Keep that going. Yeah, listen, if the Bears figured out a way to go get him, I feel like you would improve their team significantly. I would sign off on that trade yesterday. Everyone always wants to talk quarterbacks with a draft, but sometimes there are not enough good quarterbacks to draft. Ty Simpson, people think is the second guy. but he only has one year of starts, but he has impressive tape,

but he didn't beat out Jalen Milro two years ago at Alabama. So it's a very polarizing pick, but supply and demand, oftentimes, someone's going to say we can control him for the fifth year option, we'll do the Jackson Dart thing, we'll trade back in to the latter part of the first round to take a flyer on a quarterback. Do you expect Ty Simpson to go in the first 32 picks and be a first rounder? I do, and there's still good numbers for over one-and-a-half quarterbacks in the first. round. And a couple reasons why. One is you mentioned, right? Like if you, if you want this guy,

you might as well get him, right? Now, you might not take him three overall because that's a little early and you have a draft board, right? So you follow your draft board a lot of times. But it's worth knowing the Jets have the first pick in the second round. So if you're Arizona, if you're Pittsburgh, if you're maybe even the Rams or the whispers, the Rams might want a quarterback. You have to get ahead of the Jets at the top of the second round, presumably, right, to make sure you get that guy. But does feel like it seems to go in the first round. Look, the reason why we have comps, okay? And they're not always accurate,

but we have comps, right? We have a long list, you know, history of the NFL, and we comp guys out with height, weight, measurables. And when you're starting experience for quarterbacks, it's not good. It's not good comps. He would be overcoming a lot of things

that have not gone well in the past. Chewico, that's why Arizona's not drafting third. It's not why the Jets are not drafting him second overall, but you come back in the first round. I think he's going to go in the first round. I mean, Arizona right now, Brissette today announced, like he's not sure.

lots more money. I mean, you're not giving them more money. You go draft Ty Simpson. All right. So a ton of teams, when you read these offseason articles, the biggest needs, I feel like 25 teams, one of the three is offensive line. Because there's five of you guys. So basically every team could use it. But when we talk about offensive linemen, it can feel, no disrespect. It can feel a little like boring. Oh, my team drafted an offensive lineman, but it's obviously how it works. Who is a player that if, this fan base has him called to their team. You're like, no, no, no, that's something that should be excited

because you think they can be, you know, 10-year starter, potential all pro, like serious high ceiling on the offensive line. The best offensive line in this draft is, is Vega, Iona, the guard from Penn State. It's not sexy to have a guard from Penn State be the best player in this draft, but he's the best offense lineman now in this draft. Now, I think what's interesting about this draft is that a lot of the tackles are going to be taken are not left tackles. Now, you need a right tackle, too, so don't get to.

me wrong. You need both sides. A lot of times top of the draft, we tend to draft left tackles, right? There's really run in Freeling who's like sort of a left tackle if he can get there with his technique and continue to grow as a player. But the other guys are either right tackles or maybe moving into guard. Nothing wrong with that, of course. If they're a good solid football player, they become an all pro guard. You play guard?

I did play guard. Yes, I was a failed tackle too. Now, these guys aren't going to fail like I did to go inside, but they're, you know, for no, like their best position might be inside, right? And so, but Vega, you get him right now, again, not sexy, like immediate starter, immediately one of the, you know, a good guard in the NFL. So he's the one to me. And middle of the first round potentially, right, is his basement. The lowest he'll go is like the Chargers, I think, at 23.

But, you know, look at the Ravens, potentially 14, the lines, maybe at 17. Like, there's a place for him early in this draft. He's the most ready right now. I think these other guys are going to be good. But again, like they play right tackle. They play guard. Vega right now, man. he's a monster. I think he's the best player.

So when we talk about quarterbacks, it's the talent of the quarterback, but it's also the situation that they are going to. I don't think Mendoza, if he was in the Caleb draft, would be the first pick, right? I don't think he is that level of talent. But he's clearly accomplished a lot and is clearly a very good talent. But as I was looking deeper into it,

the situation that Bryce Young went to in Carolina, the situation that Caleb went to we thought was amazing, but there was Matt Iber Fluse. He ended up having two coaches in two years. Situation Cam Ward went to. All three of the last three quarterbacks who've had number one picks, two coaches in two years. Go back to Trevor Lawrence. Urban Meyer, same thing. All of a sudden, Fernando Mendoza aligned with his coach, Clint Kubiak. You like Colton Miller at left tackle. You love Linderbom at center. You got Bowers. You got Gentie. They signed Naylor. J.P.J. at one of the guard spots. But quietly, the Raiders have put Fernando Mendoza,

in an above average situation for a number one pick overall quarterback. Would you agree? I do. I think the ratings have done a great job of rebuilding this team very quickly. When they got a senator, look, you think about the NFL, right? Like the best quarterbacks in the NFL for years and years years, not just this generation, always had a great center, right? They kind of go hand-in-hand.

Now you paid Linderbom all the money, great. You should do that, right? So they can pair them with Mendoza. Talk about the weapons. They have an elite tight-in. Like they have one guy immediately, elite guy, elite running back. And they improved their offense and wine. And Kubiak, we saw last year him run that, the offense in Seattle.

And we know that offense, that Shannon-Hen-McVeigh offense, has produced a ton of points, a ton of yards. It's been good for quarterbacks. And so I think Mendoza fits perfectly than what they want to be. And the thing about Mendoza, too, is, look, he's not a perfect prospect. You mentioned it in different drafts. He might be the fifth quarterback taken. But I will say, I was very impressed this year. In the biggest moments of the season, he always came up big, right?

Go back to the Oregon. He throws a pick-sixth at Oregon. next drive, boom, touchdown. The Penn State game, right? They're backed up after a sack. No timeouts, two-minute drill. Bing, bang, boom, touchdown, zero pressure. Great catch by Cooper, but still a great throw.

In all these big games, he played so big. And now you bring him to the Raiders, you give him a quarterback from the offense. I think he'll be good immediately. Jeff Schwartz, check him out on Bear Betts, Fox NFL analyst, friend of the show and friend of mine. Thanks, Jeff. Appreciate you, man. Take care, buddy.

Thanks for having me. All right. Talk to you soon. That's Jeff Schwartz. Yeah, all of a sudden, Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders are maybe not ready to win in the AFC West, and their defense might give up 30 points per game. But for a number one overall pick quarterback, he doesn't have to start right away.

They got cousins. He can take notes from Tom Brady, like three-fits of your offensive line, including center and left tackle. Pretty good situation for a number one pick to walk into. 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 Heart Radio app. Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show. That's right. You can now watch the Odd Couple live on YouTube every day. All you got to do, search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube. Again, YouTube, just search Odd Couple FSR.

Check us out on YouTube and subscribe. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

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

This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife-12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay.

Listen, Lerabakina is arguably the best player in the world. right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Let's get to Rachel with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News.

in your first season feeling like you're getting, first of all, hit constantly and just having everybody after you and saying you're terrible versus the situation he's walking into, you're right. It's a huge difference maker. I like it. And they say learning an NFL offense is like learning a new language. He's not, he's not, Clint Kubiak's not going to get fired after one year. So he should have some stability at head coach. Yeah. I mean, I barely speak English. I only know one language. So there you go. Amen. Let's talk about tonight. Dremont Green, by the way, weighing. in on the rookie of the year debate, sweeping the nation between Cooper and Khan. Take a listen to his take a listen to his take before he plays tonight against the Suns. When did winning stop matter for anything? Basketball is about winning and losing. So he's affected winning in a major way. And I think that has to come for something.

He's averaged over 18 points, led the NBA in three-point shooting. It has been a key figure in helping turn an organization around. You know, the Charlotte Hornets are playing in a playing game. No one saw that coming. And it's a large part due to the emergence of Khan Kanupu as their lottery pick last year. Look, we've been talking on and off about this the whole show. I agree with you. I disagree respectfully with Jaman.

The last 20 years, only three of the rookie of the year winners have been on winning teams. Draft picks go to bad teams, right, Danny? Yeah. It's not that winning doesn't matter. It's that it doesn't matter for this. Right. Right. Obviously, the goal of the sport is to win.

And for MVP, it matters. For coach of the year, it matters a lot. For all NBA, I would even argue that it should be at least one of the factors or a tiebreaker. But not for a rookie of the year because these guys can't control the situation they're going to. And also, we usually don't. Oh, again, only three guys that the last 20 years have had winning records on their teams. In some cases, not really because of them. You can't say it doesn't matter for the 17 years, but it does matter this year.

is some consistency, so I'm with you for sure. All right, the Spurs, speaking of teams that had a rookie of the year, one after the other, might I say. The Spurs don't have traditional playoff experience because they do have such a young team. But Darren Fox, the only point guard, you know, the point guard who's really the only guy with real playoff experience in there, says that his team does have an advantage compared to others that are young. He points out that a lot of the young teams, Danny, they're weaker on defense, that they get a little lost on defense. And that he just thinks that especially because of Victor Webonyama, that they are more prepared defensively than other young teams.

I think they're more prepared because you have players on that team who adjust really well. You know, it's not a one-game March Madness. It's, you get a whole series to adjust. These guys are smart and adjust. Do you think all the factors going to make them more, you know, more of a not-typical young team? Well, listen, I think that, This is purely anecdotal, but at the NBA All-Star game, I loved the video of the video of Yokic asking Wembe for his autograph.

And then he was like, and can you draw a little picture of an alien on it? It's like when Yokic, the multi-time MVP champion, average or triple double, has made it the norm, first guy ever to lead the league in assists and rebounds and oh yeah, it's 27 points per game. When he is asking this guy to sign his name and draw a picture of an alien, I have to be willing to be open to the possibility that it might be different. Right? Like, it's like Michael Jordan, right? LeBron James, guys have had to crawl, then walk, then run. That is like how NBA history goes in the playoffs.

You got to get to the playoffs, then you got to advance a little bit, and then ultimately you break through. I think that should apply to the Spurs who are a crazy young. team, like if you remove Harrison Barnes, like they're one of the youngest teams in the NBA. But he's an alien. So like conventional wisdom about experience, about defense translating, about youth, like, it might not apply to the seven-foot-five guy that shoots threes. Yeah. I love the video you're talking about. I also loved Yokic walking into the locker room this year and seeing Wembe reading before the game. It was like, because the previous year he saw that too. And I think Yokic thought it was a big.

bit. So he walked in this year and he was like, you're reading a book again? And he's, and Victor was like, yeah, I read a book before every game. And I love that. He's different, Danny. He is different, he is different, but it is an all-star game. Like, it's an exhibition. You can probably hang out. And by the way, Wendy showed this all-star game, he treated as a real game. So there you go. He did. Yes, right. Zayflower said something on a podcast recently. And this was interesting about John Harbaugh. He's a little insight. He's looking forward into the Jesse Minter era in Baltimore being a little easier during the week. Take a listen here.

Bro, we're doing one-on-ones, week 17. What? Yeah. Hey, I ain't going to lie. Right, right, right. Why my anchor is my day, man, hey, boy. Week 17s, we're doing one-on-ones. Everybody out there, you're tired.

You're still going. Physically, your body, like, how you manage that, though? You know what I'm saying? Don't. Like, that was low-key. That was a lot of, we had a lot of. We had a lot of injuries. I talked to the new coach.

He worked with hardball in 2017, so he know how it was. He know how we worked with hardball. So he's like, you're going to get your work, but like it's going to be a little bit easier, like, on your body. I mean, look, we know the old saying, right? In football, it's not if you get hurt. It's when you get hurt. And maybe if you practice too hard during the week, you're getting hurt a little more often. I don't know.

Do you buy this? Not really. Listen, John Harbaugh's teams did underachieve in the postseason relative to their regular season success and their scheme, but Lamar Jackson also played worse. So if Lamar Jackson played up to snuff, I don't know that we're talking about this. If Mark Andrews catch us a ball,

I don't know that we're talking about this. It's another thing that happens in football a lot is you'll go from, and I know John Harbaugh's background is special teams, but like you go from the hard-nosed disciplinarian to the player-friendly coach or you'll go from the defensive coach or the offensive coach

and you kind of go back and forth. So I think it is totally reasonable for Jesse Minter, first-time head coach to maybe be highlighting some of the differences between him and John Harbaugh. But there were a lot of reasons why the Ravens don't have banners

to show for it. And I don't, I have a hard time believing it's because of their practice habits in week 17. I mean, we just put it up there. They are the third most in injuries over the last 10 years. So I don't know. I agree with you, though, in terms of the coaches

and sort of where they have to come in. We hear this all over sports, right? He was too hard on them. He drove them too hard. Now we've got a players coach who really listens to us. And then after like five years of that, it's like, oh, man, he came in here and he brought some order, and he told people and people knew what to do,

and he held them accountable. And that's what we want. Nobody knows. Yeah, exactly. You try one thing it doesn't work, so you're going to try something else. And by the way, maybe that will work. I just have not totally convinced that it is causal, right? Is it causation or correlation?

That feels a little bit more like correlation to me. That's Rachel Nichols with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. 25 minutes until Rachel has to hit submit on her NBA awards ballot. I cannot wait. You'll publish it.

So I cannot wait to read all of the votes. it officially come in. But coming up, again, she's the journalist. I'm the gambler. The bear, Chris Felica, he hosts Bears' bets. There's a market for these things. What are the odds makers saying is going to happen in the NFL draft? We'll talk to Bear about it.

Coming up, I'm Danny Parkinson. And for Colin, this is The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers. And guess what? We have some big news.

What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts.

We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names. of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

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

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

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama,

the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris.

Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen she went. I mean, she went down at three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface,

because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court-side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Welcome back to The Herd. We'll get to Rachel Nichols' NBA Award ballot before the end of the show. But joining us now, you see him on Big Noon kickoff. He is our gaming expert around here.

He is the bear. Chris Felica, check out his Bear Betts podcast. wherever you get your podcasts. So I want to talk mostly NFL draft with you here, Bear, but how are you seeing, given the NBA awards market? You know, if I had a vote, and I don't, it would be hard for me not to look to what the gambling markets are suggesting. How are you seeing as the ballots leak out,

its impact on the markets, and vice versa? It's been really strange because you have the oddity of the ballots still being out there while the playing games were going on. And how does Conkineppel struggles the other night affect the rookie of the year market? It's only human nature to maybe take that into account. How does Denny Obdiya's unbelievable performance take into account his candidacy on Most Improve or Sixth, but whatever it was. I think if you follow the prediction markets out there, you've seen a move towards

Cooper Flagg being a little bit more of a favorite. and you've seen, do you take a little bit of money? Now, will there be enough voters out there that use those playing games or something that's technically a regular season award? I don't know, but if it is close, one or two votes, either way,

could wind up flipping the script. If I were voting, I would vote for Cineppel's rookie year. I don't think you can look forward to saying, oh, he's going to have a better career than Cinepple, or he's going to be an all-time greater. Oh, you're going to look back in five years and regret your vote.

What Keneple did this regular season? With the shooting efficiency and leading the hornets into the postseason, potentially, I think carries a lot of weight. Last thing on the NBA, I have had the thunder all year. It's not some sort of revolutionary thoughts. They were the preseason favorites. Now it's about even money. Them or the field, the field would be a small favorite.

Do you have a bet that you, if someone doesn't like it, like where's good value for you on the board in the NBA playoffs. And good value on the board actually involves the Flunner. And I would bet them to win the Western Conference in around minus 150 or so. You've got to lay a little bit of a price. But you look at, you basically have a, you have a first round by. Second round, you're getting the winner of the four or five, which is either a rocket's team that they will hammer or a shorthanded Lakers team.

So the, the Thunder are going to be in the Western Conference final against the winner of that Spurs Nuggets series. So I think if you can bet their thunder to win the West, I think that's the way to go, and you can maybe play around with that series against whomever survives, whoever survives, San Antonio or Denver.

The value bet that I like overall in the NBA is Cleveland. I think the calves are being overlooked in the Eastern Conference. Everybody's kind of assumed that, because Boston is healthy now, they're going to be the best team, and they've taken a ton of money,

the Pistons are the number one C. But the Cubs really reshape their team and you can get some really nice prices on them to win the Eastern Conference. They kind of, you remember the old like choose your own adventure book series? Like the Cavs kind of did that with their playoff format. We're like, okay, we want to be in the four or five.

We want to play Toronto or Atlanta. Avoid the Nick Celtics in the second round. We want the Pistons. So it's a little playing with fire there, but you have to like their confidence. knowing that they feel that they match up a hell of a lot better with Detroit in the second round than they would the other teams. And there they're in the conference final. And again, you could be in a position there with an opportunity to a nice price to play around and get yourself a nice profit.

Yeah, Mitchell, Hardin, Allen, and Mobley have still played less than 100 total minutes together. So they're saving it all for the postseason. Let's get to the NFL draft. It's about minus 1.30 the Ty Simpson goes in the first round. Is that better winner? Is he a first round pick? I think he is. I think if you look at multiple levels, and we're both college football guys, we follow it. The fact that he went to the NFL draft and turned down a good bit of money in the transfer portal in NIL to stay in college,

leads me to believe that he has some kind of first round promise and a ton of first round grades down. I think there are two ways of thinking here. You can look at a couple of potential landing spots. I think logically most people think you need to get in front of the Jets who own the first pick in the second round, which would make him obviously a first round pick. And I think Arizona has been a logical team to maybe land Ty Simpson, but maybe look for another team, a dark horse type team. Remember a couple of years ago, nobody expected Atlanta to be the team to land Michael Pennix Jr.

It was going to be Pittsburgh. It was going to be the Raiders. It was going to be someone. And there were the Falcons who came up and took them. Maybe a team like the Rams. You have a year or two left of Matthew Stafford. You can sit behind him, learn in that McVeigh offense. No pressure to play this year.

Maybe if things fall right for the Rams, maybe they can fall back a couple of picks and maybe take Simpson mid-first round. And that could be a team that maybe pops up and raises them eyebrows on draft nights. But I do think Simpson will go in the first round. You mentioned the Jets. You know, they control the draft in a lot of ways. It's the second pick. We know Mendoza's going one.

They have two first round picks. They have the first pick of the second round. People assume it's a pass rusher at two. Bailey, Reese, and Reese, I'm curious. Who do you think goes to in between those two pass rushers, assuming you think one of them goes to the Jets? Who do you like more? Yeah, I am a Jets fan full disclosure.

It's why I'm pretty dialed into what people are saying about the Jets at least publicly. It was Reese all along. and then all of a sudden, when the Cardinals came out, oh, we might be open for business at three. If Bailey is there, then all of a sudden to turn into, oh, the Jets are taking Bailey and everybody had the group think that Bailey was going to be the picket too. I think a lot of times maybe you see these people in the mock draft world

and the media world. Maybe you're kind of doing a little, I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine type of deal. In giving the Jets Bailey, you may be doing them a little bit of a favor to create a little buzz for that second overall pick to maybe think that maybe a trade might be open with the Jets might be able to fall back and still get the guy they want. If I'm making the pick, I'm taking Reese. I think he's kind of a

mini Micah Parsons type potential player. You can do so much with him. If I'm making the pick, I'm taking Reese. I actually made the bet actually earlier today on Arvel Reese a little bit of plus money to be the Jets picket to. So Jeremiah I love everybody knows he's great. And I love him, everybody loves him. I think some of the teams that he's being mocked to are kind of crazy. Running backs don't make bad teams good. They can make good teams great. Right? This is well documented. Christian McCaffrey did not have a winning record on the Panthers. Bejohn Robinson still has not had a winning season. We saw what happened with Ashton Genty last year. Sequin Barkley did not win until he got to Philadelphia. The only top 12 pick

running back in the last like seven years to have a winning record on his rookie deal is Jemir Gibbs and he went 12 and he went to a good Lions team. Like it's an outlier situation thing. Where do you think Jeremiah Love is going to end up? I could see him going to Washington potentially. It would be a good landing spot. And I do know that Arizona, the team that I had mentioned, they were enamored with him at the NFL Combine at Indianapolis.

So maybe the Cardinals are in business for Jeremiah Love. if they can fall back a couple of spots and maybe not use the third overall pick of the draft on a running back. Maybe you fall back to five or six, and he's still potentially there. But I'm with you. I thought the Raiders made a mistake last year, taking Gentie that high. It seems like the only team in the top 10 that you could go to right away and be on a good team would be with the Kansas City Chiefs. They do have a need of running back, but we'll love be there at nine. I doubt it. But I'd watch the car. Cardinals and the commanders as the two teams in the top 10 to where he could potentially go.

The Giants would fascinate me for him, and the Giants fascinated me because they could go in a whole bunch of different directions. And I do think that they are a talented team if you believe in Jackson Dart. And I happen to be a Jackson Dart believer. Do you have a bet or an inkling on what the Giants end up doing with the fifth overall pick? I've seen Sonny Stiles mocked to them. I've seen Love. I've seen Caleb Downs. It seems like the Harbaugh and the administration

they're keeping people guessing. You can never go wrong with a young rookie quarterback and giving him a linchpin on the offensive line. I think Margoa from Miami is the best offensive lineman in the draft. Maybe his future is at guard. But I think you look at the John Harbaal, Ravens-type teams, good offensive lines. I think Margoa is the most pro-ready lineman out there.

And I think the Giants with some of the weaknesses they've had on that unit in recent years, that would be a really good. Maybe it wouldn't be the flashiest pick, but it probably would be the best pick. We'll be watching you on Big Noon. We're listening to Bear Betts. The draft's less than a week away. You're giving out horse racing winners in the commercial break. He does it all.

He's the Bear. We'll talk to you, man. Take care. Have a good weekend. All right. Thank you. That's Chris Felica, the Bear. All right.

Without further ado, two. and a half minutes left in the show, but I mean, really, she's got a full eight minutes. And this is not a bit. I love a good bit. You came into today with legit questions and debates on your MBA awards ballot. You have your computer there. You still have not submitted it yet. This is amazing to me. So you're one of a, you have to be the last person to submit, which is awesome. I have been the last person at times. I am very, it's not because I'm indecisive. I'm very thoughtful about this stuff. And I think it's important. You're talking about players' careers, how they're thought of. All-MBA is really how we measure players across generations. The defense is different. The rules are different, whatever, whatever. But how many all-MBAs did he make when he was competing against his peers? That stuff's important. So while you and Chris were talking, I started filling out the ballot. And it's funny, everyone must think MVP is first. MVP is actually the last individual award they ask you for before they get to the team, all-MBA, all-defense. team awards. And I will tell you, I have just put in Shea Gildress Alexander's name to the top of my MVP.

So there you go. And I will finish out the, during the next commercial break, I'll finish out the all defensive teams, the all NBA teams. But after, you know, really giving it as, as you've seen today, you know, some really considered thought. Wembe is changing the game of basketball. Shea has just had such a spectacular season. I think it's hard to ignore. And Yokic, by the way, anyone who votes for him, I understand, I give it to them. I really hope in the next few days, and when the MVP is named, we can just get rid of this sort of talk radio discourse. And you must hear it, Danny, of, I can't believe you picked him. That's stupid. Or you shouldn't have a vote.

Any of these three guys, if you were voter and voted for them, you know what you're talking about. Yeah, I think all three have great cases. And this has been truly fascinating to watch as you kind of went back and forth. over the course of the day. I know you were grinding extra stuff during the commercial breaks and take this very, very seriously. So Rachel, this has been a lot of fun. And that's big news there. Maybe the last ballot to be submitted for SGA. It's entirely possible. That's great. Thank you very much to Rachel Nichols. So SGA gets the vote. She had Kate Cunningham on first team, All-NBA. I'm about halfway done with a marathon six-hour day. Six hours, kind of slow for a

marathon. It's really no problem. TV. I'm Danny Parkinson for Colin. This is The Hurd. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. and we don't care where you hear it.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless.

And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast for no nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay.

Listen, Lerabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbs, Podcasts on the IHartRadio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.