The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR-3-NBA playoffs, AFC

Episode Date: September 8, 2020

Colin talks about the NBA playoffs so far and why he likes the ClippersColin describes AFC teams in three wordsGuest: Tristan Thompson 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. 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 Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast.

For 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. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday 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. So we're in the heart of the playoff run here, and Tristan Thompson's played in the NBA for almost a decade.

Number four overall pick, four straight NBA finals. He knows all about playoff basketball, and he is now joining us live from his... I don't even know what you call it. It's not a studio. It's like it looks very academic. It looks like a study. A study. He's a study, very professional.

So it's funny, I was watching last night, Tristan. and Denver's a really good young team and they're a bunch of kids. And six minutes left, Doc goes, timeout, time out. And he gets all the veteran guys around him. He's like, all right, let's go, flip a switch. You've been in those timeouts late in games when you're trailing, Tristan. And is there a sense sometime when you're a veteran team?

And it's like, all right, guys, six and a half minutes left, let's go. And it looked like they literally came out of the huddle and they were just physical and they were pushing. and you've been one of those huddles like latent games for veteran teams who trail and should be winning but aren't yeah i remember those uh i remember those very vividly um usually it'd be their tea little or brawn come in and and slap the towel down and say yo let's stop playing around let's handle business man like um this team is not trying to do what we're trying to do we got bigger goals this is just a uh a little minor roadblocks so let's handle business so um that's exactly what we're trying to do we're trying to do we got big a That's exactly what the Clippers did.

You saw the switch just turn on when with Kauai with the mid-range pull-up, him coming off the pick and roll, hitting Montres Harrow down the lane, and just show you right there with Pat Bev getting the steal. Like they just turn the switch on it. And that's what championship level teams do. When the going gets tough and it's time to get buckets or get stops, they're going to figure out and make a way like that three right there by PG. You know, it's interesting, though.

I do think the good teams have been more inconsistent. in the bubble. Toronto, who's always kind of consistent all over the map, Milwaukee's down, Lakers have been either really good or really bad. Clippers don't play two great games in a row. And I wonder, Tristan, is it a bubble thing? Everybody is so out of their norm that it is kind of overwhelming. I mean, I can't figure it out, but it does feel like the good teams are not very

consistent in the bubble. You talk to players. What do you make of it? Yeah, I agree with you. I think Toronto is probably one of the most consistent teams for the last couple of years in terms of just playing hard for 40 minutes and competing at a high level. And like you saw against Boston, they just didn't look themselves, didn't look like themselves. But I think with the bubble, like you said, guys are just out of routine. You know, you're used to going to practice and coming home and being around your family and kids and having family dinner and just kind of having that routine, which is kind of like in this bubble, it's gone. It's just from, you know, arena to the room, to the meal room.

It's like almost like an AAU dormitory feel like you're in college. So I guess you're right with that, but I think, like, at the end of the day, there's no excuses, right? You know, if your team is supposed to be, you know, on the top in the league and trying to win a championship, you've got to be ready to play. And if it's whether it's turn the switch on or get some extra rest or go fishing, whatever it is to get your mind, body, right, you got to be ready to play. What's wrong with Westbrook? It feels psychological to me. I think, you know, it's like anything in life. If you struggled with something in life, and then all of a sudden a year later,

you're struggling with something that you've previously struggled with, it gets in your head. And I think the game's gotten into Russell's head right now. He can't even hit free throws. Have you ever experienced something like that? If you ever, all of a sudden you have a four or five game stretch, you're just not right mentally. What's wrong with him?

And do you understand it? I think, yeah, I've been there before. I've had four or five games where it's like, man, I just can't get these double doubles. You know, as a big man, we count all our double doubles. Every double doubles is like a golden nugget to us. So for me, when I go through times that it really comes down to like your teammates, coaches. But for you as a player, what you could do is just like, just make sure you stick to your routine, whatever your routine may be. So for me, it was like shooting 90 on the clock, make sure I'm out there on time, going through my routine.

Don't have, don't, don't, don't shortcut it. Just go through your routine like every. every other game the same way. But also, I think it comes down to, like, in the playoffs of the adjustments, but also comes on to coaching, like, how can we get the best Russell Westbrook? How can we get him going early? And kind of similar to when Paul George was struggling against Dallas, you know, Doc and T. Lou ran early plays for him to get him going.

So I think for Dan Tony in their offense against the Lakers, how can we get Russ easy buckets early? We know Russ's talent is, you know, getting an open core, you know, give them a single-side ISO where you can kind of back down KCP in the polls. and kind of get an easy bucket because, you know, once they see the ball going through the rim one time where you get an early dunk or early mid-range pull-up, it goes in, you start feeling confident, and you start feeling like, okay, I got my legs under me, I'm ready to go. Do you still like the Lakers to win it all?

Aren't you worried about Danny Green's inconsistency? Kyle Kuzma looks at times lost. I mean, I just, I don't know who their third best player is. Do you still like them to win it all? Yeah, I still like them to win it all. At the end of the day, when you got LeBron and AD, you know, that's a dynamic duel that the league doesn't really have right now at all. So when you have a dominant positionless guy like LeBron, because we can't say he's a guard or four, he's just positionless. And then when you have AD who's a top five player and at the big man position, you got to, you can never count them out.

I know, KCP and D. Green have, you know, they played well at times and sometimes they haven't made their shots. but I think the way that they're winning and which makes them in terms of like opposing team in terms of like scouting report you don't really know who's going to play well as their third stars of nights you know game two is Markiev Morris making all those threes so if you're a Dan Tony in the Rockas

do you go into the game saying hey when there's a pick and roll Markiev Morris are we going to blitz him or are we going to run them off the line so he can attack the rim it's almost like it could be anyone's night and for some reason if you go back in time Danny Green and KCP, when they're back against the walls. They always have a good game.

You saw against Portland. Yeah. By the way, Jimmy Butler, a year ago, I didn't understand why I left Philadelphia. I thought he maybe was a bad teammate. I thought he was hard to get along with. I didn't know how coachable he was. Now it looks like he made all the right decisions. It's kind of a transformation.

Are you surprised how he's transformed not only his game but his reputation? No, not at all. I think Jimmy Butler's got a lot of old school veteran leadership qualities because I play with Lebronso and I play with other, you know, really talented players. And everyone kind of leads in different forms. But if you look at Jimmy Butler's resume, he went, you know, he was in my draft. He went from a late first round pick from being a defensive guy making a couple shots to the Bulls to be in a cornerstone and them getting to, you know, deep runs into playoffs, to go into Minnesota, being a lottery team, taking them to the playoffs. Going to Philly, going to game 7 against the Raptors. If Kauai doesn't hit that shot,

I honestly think that Philly would have won that series in overtime. So, like, Jimmy Butler's got this, his heart and his grin and tenacity. Sometimes it rubs guys the wrong way, which caused people think, hey, he's a bad teammate. He's selfish. No, it's just that he loves to win more than anything else, and that's his main goal. So with this Miami Heat team, I think with them having that culture, we have Pett Raleys instilled since, shoot, since Shaq and James Pose and D.A. Him coming there was like a, it's like the perfect relationship because he wants to win so bad.

And the heat are all about no shortcuts, very militant. We're going to do this. We're going to do it the heat way. And it's either going to buy in or we're going to trade you. And I think with them and Jimmy Butler, it was like the perfect match. So I think his, his heart and love for the game is trickled down to the Tyler Hero, the bad amount of bayous. It's trickle down to all those guys where they're playing with this kind of like tenacity, this grit.

We're like, we're hungry and we don't give a damn who's in front of us. We're going to take our lunch meet. Yeah. So let's go back to LeBron. Lakers have been a little inconsistent. It's a veteran team. And LeBron mostly likes to play with veterans. That's always been his kind of thing.

He didn't have, I don't blame him. LeBron wants to win now. It's his year 17. He didn't have any interest developing young players. All the time I'm defeated. Yeah. And so I look at him and I look at this team. And I think it's not a great free agent year.

The cap's. coming down. It's not a very good draft. And I look at this and I think this is kind of his guys. And I don't know if this old team is better next year. Could I make the argument? This is LeBron's team. This is the chance to do it. Janus is now injured. The Celtics have had injuries. Golden State basically is resetting the franchise. Dame got hurt. Could I make the argument? This is the last year potentially LeBron can win a title. I wouldn't say, the last year LeBronk who with a title.

I think if you look at the front office and look how this team's constructed and I know LeBron, you know, he wants to win. Every year he plays, he wants to win a chip. I think this year is a great opportunity for them to win.

So I think this year, their mindset is kind of championship robust. But I think, you know, with this team, you're right. It's kind of made up how it's made, but he's got to, you know, LeBron's always done better with less. And everyone's always said that.

You know, if you look at the Cavalier team when he had Boobie Gibson and Moe Williams, you know, he's always played best. or even us, like when we, you know, when Kyrie was down or K-Love was down, we've always, he's always brought the best out of players. So I definitely understand what you're saying. I think for this team, the key is, you know, the Kuzma of the world, the Danny Greens,

the KCP, those guys are going to be so huge in terms of them getting to where they need to get to because a lot of people probably still think, you know, Clippers are a better team, but I, you know, I'd have an argument to say I believe the Lakers are. Tristan Thompson, nine years in the NBA. You look great as always. Thanks, Bud, for coming on the show. We appreciate it. Appreciate it.

Thank you for having me. You bet. The three-word AFC game, NFC tomorrow will be just around the corner. 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 where you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network

on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to? I do a little kill. Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS. on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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? 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, Keer Gaines, as 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. Joy Taylor with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. While we talk about the Andre Hopkins deal today, Cream Hunt has also agreed to an extension with the Browns.

Okay, he has. It is reportedly for two years and worth 13.25 million with 8.5 million guaranteed. That keeps him under contract in Cleveland for the next three seasons. They also have Nick Chubb under contract through the 2021 season. Now, Corrine Hunt under the contract till the 2022 season. So they have their running back situation short up. They better win. They got way too much.

talent not to win 9-10 games. I mean, I'm not picking on Baker, and I do think they'll win. You start stacking up the teams that have two good running backs, two good receivers, two good tight ends, two good tackles. Not. There's like four. Maybe, maybe four. This is one of them. This is significant. People forget, I think, how good Kareem Hunt was with the Chiefs. Obviously, only played in eight games last season because of the suspension. He had 43 rush attempts, 179 yards and two touchdowns last season, plus 37 receptions for 285 yards and one touchdown. He's a great player. Tied his career high at 5.8 scrimmages, scrimmage yards per touch.

So, yeah, this is significant, especially because he is technically the backup to Nick Chubb. Right. So that's a pretty good situation. I don't know that they're necessarily going to split touches, but can't ask for a better running back situation than that if you're Cleveland. I'm with you. I'm just going to wait on all Cleveland predictions until I see what happens. I bought into all the hype last year. I don't know why I should know better, but I just, now I have to wait.

I do like everything I'm seeing and hearing from Cleveland this year. Actually, you're not hearing much, which is why I like it. That's why I like it. You're not hearing anything. I don't need to hear how good you are. I heard that last year was this mistake. It was a fake news. And look, like last year was a completely ridiculous.

Like, we can be honest about it now. It was a ridiculous situation. The whole thing was ridiculous. This year, I feel better about it. I like that I'm not hearing anything. I just want to see them go out and do it. That said, I do have some deeper Baker Mayfield. I mean, look at what he has had to do.

was since he's come into the league. It's not easy. I mean, that's that's the that's the that's the downside to be in like a number one pick. Yeah, he's going to go to a bad team or a dysfunctional team. So cornerback Chedadavius white agreed to a four year 70 million dollar extension with the bills that will make him the highest paid corner in the league when it goes into effect. And he got very emotional when he was talking about his life changing extension. When I was able to finally call my parents on Dway and I told him I was like, I never. told you guys this after I got drafted, but I can finally say that we did it. And once I told my dad and my mom, it was a whole load that was lifted on my shoulders because I knew

that I could retire my parents. They'll never have to worry about anything. That's what, this is what's great about sports. It literally, you know, this is one of the reasons I've actually, forget COVID for a second, that I understand mask wearing. One of the reasons I'm into college football pushing through this is that. Yes. There are dozens of young players who will not play in college football this year who need the year to get drafted. Now, there's about 10 to 12 players in college football that can opt out. And there's still going to be first numbers.

The left tackle for Oregon, you know, he's top three pick. Like there's, you get about 12 guys at draft. You're like, okay. But this is what, did you know who this guy was seven years ago? Like he needed to play college football. And I know it, you know, all the doctors and the epidemiologists, listen, 24 and under humans in great shape in America. This is what makes sports great. It literally changes generations of families.

Yeah, he's getting 55 million guaranteed. Yes. That's a lot. It's generational money, yes. You can eat chicken wings in Buffalo every night of your life if you wanted to. You never have to take a night off. You can afford anything you want. Because it's guaranteed.

Any apple bees in Buffalo for the rest of your life. No, it's great. And I love seeing videos like that because it does kind of help to put in perspective that, you know, we get very callous talking about the moves and trades and deals and numbers and DAC and this and this and that and DeAndre Hopkins and millions. And it's like there are really people's lives being affected by this. It's so much bigger. I agree with you. the college thing is huge. There's just certain things.

I mean, Joe Burrow is a perfect example of that. If Joe Burrell did not play college football last year, we are not talking about Joe Burrow. I would argue Joe Burrell either doesn't get draft or he gets drafted. Look at Joe Burrell's career before last year. That's the biggest knock on Joe Burrow going into the draft. Kyler Murray. He only had one great year.

Kyler Murray's the number one pick. If he doesn't play, he's a baseball player. I mean, Baker Mayfield, you like one good year. He's in a different sport. I mean, it's like, you, you, And this guy now changes everything. His kids, his mom, his dad, his parents. Yeah, it's amazing.

So finally, NFL players swapping jerseys after game has become a tradition in recent years. And league-informed players, how they will be able to continue that tradition this season because of COVID. Players must inform their equipment manager that they want to swap jerseys. Then the equipment manager will remove the contact tracing device from the jersey, clean it, and then ship it to the opposing club's equipment manager. The league is also partnered with Tide, which will cover the cost of one replacement jersey per player. So they have a whole system.

Now, look, I know people are saying, this doesn't make any sense. They're going to be tackling each other and running into each other and grabbing each other. So what difference does it make if they exchange jerseys at the end? My point is this, whatever makes anyone feel comfortable or more safe or any kind of extra precaution that you have to take,

Just do it. Because look, everyone in the bubble is COVID-free, right? But still 80% of the people in there are wearing masks. Why? It's just something extra to help. Like, it's fine. People are like, well, it doesn't make any sense. It all makes sense if it helps a little bit, right?

It doesn't even matter if it doesn't help. Just let them do it. I don't like wearing a mask, but I just do to lubricate society. You think I want to cover all this up? No kidding. Look at this thing. You don't want to cover this face up. It's like a moneymaker.

It's like a moneymaker. No, I don't either. But of course, I'm going to wear a mask because this is what. we're supposed to do. And this is just another little precaution that they're taking, but they are going to still be able to exchange jerseys. So have we had a positive test in the bubble yet, NBA bubble? No.

No. And I just saw, let me find it, because I just retweeted it, that over the last week, one confirmed positive of over 2,000 players in the NFL. And they're not in a bubble. And they're, by the way, they're not in a bubble. Yeah. It's really remarkable. I'm going to throw out my prediction.

I had somebody call me this morning. Big Ten's going to play by mid-October. Yeah? Who called you? Somebody way up the food chain. That's kind of a dramatic thing to drop on America. What? I mean, because you have good sources, so you really think they're going to do that?

I think the Big Ten is looking at the NFL testing, and they're looking, I think people in the Big Ten, I think there are two very, powerful people in the Big Ten that are saying, timeout. We move too soon. We move too soon. This is what I'm hearing. I'm not making predictions, but I was told this morning two very powerful people in the Big Ten are looking at the landscape and the testing. I mean, these NFL players are banging up against each other.

They're going home. They're with their family. No tests. It's, it wouldn't surprise me. It wouldn't shock me. And I wouldn't actually hold it against them, I don't think, because everyone's just trying to do the right thing. I always said that. Listen, all these sports I thought would work, like UFC's an island, I thought it would all work. But college football, I just said two things.

The Pac-12 will bail at some point. They're timid. And the SEC will bulldoze through it. Right. After that, though, you're on a campus. It's very complicated. You can't compare college sports to anything else. It's just, there's all, my daughter's a college student. She's going. There's no classes. She's not going to classes. It's online. They're just making crap up as they go. So I'm not blaming anybody on this, but I will say this. I would be, and I'm not even going to make a prediction. All I'm going to tell you right now is the arguments in the Big Ten are intense, and there are powerful people on the side of we went too soon.

Two very powerful people. And I'm not even talking coaches. I'm not talking Harbaugh. I'm not talking Urban Meyer. I'm talking way up the food chain. Okay. I love breaking stories. Joy with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. Deliriously fun. I don't know why I like it so much. The three-word game we're doing the AFC today. NFC tomorrow. That's coming up next and best for last.

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. 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 beings. Either way, the podcast 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. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey for. from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little 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 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so just so you're not. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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 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 Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Happy fifth anniversary to us. Today marks the exact day. The herd moved from the East Coast to the West Coast and from a former company to my current company. Congratulations, us.

We're still on the air. We're doing going strong. And it's been fun. It's crazy. It's been five years. It's been almost five years since I've been in L.A. It's really wild. Yeah.

It's been a U.S. Unique five years. It has. Well, this is probably the most unique of the five years. I drove to work one day and the hills were on fire in Los Angeles. Yep. Remember that? That was the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life.

Yeah, it looked like a movie scene. It looked like something out of Lord of the Rings. It was crazy. But most days, it's 72 and sunny. And that's why we're here. All right. Here we go. It's called the three-word game.

I believe teams can be described succinctly and easily. And we're going to do the AFC today. So I always love the three-word game, and here we go. Let's start with Buffalo. Allen Diggs it. Josh Allen gets Stefan Diggs, a thousand-plus receiving guy in back-to-back years. Now, Josh Allen is big and can run. He's got 17 rushing touchdowns over the last two years.

That's more than even Lamar Jackson. Big arm, they didn't have a deep threat last year. They've got one. I do think they win the division. Miami. still Tua early. Ryan Fitzpatrick, 38, 16th season got the starting job. Tua will play.

My guess is early November. The schedule lightens up, Arizona, and a couple of games against the Jets. They are rebuilding their offensive front, and the early schedule has a lot of really good pass rushes. So I'd rather see the bearded one take the hit than Tua, who has a well chronicer. injury. New England. Bella checked out season. Eight players opted out, most in the NFL. Toughest schedule. Only returned five defensive starters. You can't tell me the most intelligent,

manipulative, and well-planned coach is just winging it. I believe this is part of a one-year restructuring to land a college quarterback. New York, flight's been delayed. Jamal Adams gone. CJ Mosley opted out. It's been a weird camp where wide receivers, most of them, have been injured, running backs, injured. I have very low expectations. By the way, it's not easy opening with the Buffalo Bills. That's a tough opener opener for Sam Darnold. Baltimore, Ravens lose Nevermore.

I think they have a chance to go 16 and 0. 112 straight to close the regular season. They had a point differential of plus 249, 249. So this is a powerful team that's going to win a lot of football games. How about Cincinnati? Cincinnati would be your average Joe. Joe Burrow is now the quarterback. Bengals have scored fewer than 20 points in 11 of their last 16 games last year.

Number one overall quarterbacks, only one has had a winning record as a rookie. Andrew Luck, who you didn't like and I loved. Your average Joe. Cincinnati's not going to be very good this year. Cleveland, Baker's fourth coach. 12 straight losing seasons, dysfunctional ownership and front offices. I like the offensive talent, and I think I like Kevin Stefansky. But even if you're a diehard Browns fan, don't you just have to kind of stay quiet and wait and watch?

quarterbacks who go into their third season with their fourth coach, you've got to be a little concerned. Pittsburgh, steel curtain closing. Missed the playoffs for back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2012, 2012, 2013. Big Ben is 38 years old. Do they have a dominant number one receiver? They usually do.

The offensive line is good, but in spots it's getting old. I kind of feel like, as Joy often says, It's still a good franchise, but the last half decade, it's mostly about underachieving. Let's go to the AFC South, Houston. Hughes ton of money. They just paid Deshawn Watson. They should have. But here's more troubling.

106 sacks in the last couple of years. And that's for a guy that's as mobile as anybody. When you pay your quarterback, finally, there will be some limitations surrounding the quarterback. DeAndre Hopkins. is gone. I just think there's too many good teams and well-run AFC teams. I don't think Houston's a playoff roster right now. Indianapolis, Rivers and Rookies. Well, their passing offense was 30th in the NFL, so they went and got Philip Rivers. Really good offensive line. But I think the key to this can Jonathan Taylor, the rookie running back out of Wisconsin,

and Michael Pittman, the rookie wide receiver out of UFC, USC. I think these are really important players because the offense last year outside of T.Y. Hilton was not terribly dynamic, not very vertical. So Michael Pittman and Jonathan Taylor, the old quarterback and the kids, keep your eye on the kids. How about Jacksonville? The Jaguar Select Fox Bet gives the Jaggs the best chance of having the fewest wins on any team. Eight years of losing out of the past nine. They've gotten rid of most of their good

players. It's fairly obvious what they're doing. Our second selection would have been tanking for Trevor. I think we know what the Jags are doing. How about Tennessee? They don't pass. Derek Henry has increased his carries in rushing yards in each of his last four years. The Tennessee Titans, basically in the playoffs, took the ball out of the hands of Ryan Tannahill, which I don't think is the wrong way to do it. They did add Giadabian Clowny. So, you know, this is a team that likes to run, will run, and is increasingly running. Let's go out West, AFC West, Denver, lock you up.

Drew Locke, 4 and 1 to end the year. Broncos' fourth different week one starting quarterback in the last. four years. John Elway, since Peyton Manning is doing his best to find it, it is not an easy position to solve. I do think Drew Locke has the arm, kind of the let it rip mentality, confident, little cocky that I like, and I really like their tight end running back and wide receiver weapons. We forget Melvin Gordon came over from the Chargers. They're good. How about Las Vegas? A grude awakening. six losses by 18 plus points.

Derek Carr, five losing seasons in the past six. Last couple of years, their record, 11 and 21, including a ton of blowouts. Los Angeles, need a change. Listen, one and two teams, the Cowboys or the other, that were top ten in offense and defense and missed the playoffs. Oh, did I say, need a charge? Not you need a change. Need a charge. The players are there.

We know the players are there. Top 10 offense, top 10 defense. That's not, it's like Dallas. We know there's talent there. They need an infusion of something. Is it Justin Herbert halfway through the year? We don't know. Derwin James out for the year.

Not good news for Los Angeles. And finally, Kansas City. Reedy set go. 10 plus wins in five straight years. Listen, we forget this. Andy Reid was winning before Patrick Mahomes. They just weren't winning at the next level. So there's our three-word game,

AFC, NFC tomorrow. You know, what's really interesting about that, so Andy Reid came out yesterday. And he was saying, you know, because people asked him, they're like, you won a Super Bowl. You know, you got some young stars. Chris Jones, Patrick Mahomes. You know, Travis Kelsey is fairly young.

Do you think you'll get a little head of yourself? And he's like, listen, man, we couldn't go out and party. It's called a pandemic. Nobody left their house. And what's really interesting about Kansas City, I was thinking about this, Joy, we forget. Even Patrick Mahomes, 11th in completion percentage, seventh and passer rating. They trailed in all three of their playoff games, including the Super Bowl. Their defense was kind of a wreck until about week 10, week 11.

I don't think we've seen close to what Kansas City could be. And that's not a, like Baltimore, I feel like I've seen what Baltimore looks like at their best. they just weren't at their best against Tennessee. But I've seen what Baltimore can be. And they were blowing people out by 20 and 30. I think Kansas City has got a lot of football to finish off. I mean, Patrick Mahomes admitted. He's like, I just kind of figured out how to read an NFL defense.

So his accuracy will get better. You know, you forget, had Miami not upset New England in week 17, Kansas City was a third seed. You're welcome. Yeah. So it's, you know, I think Kansas City. city has, and that's why I think they'll be hungry. I don't think they, I don't think San Francisco does either.

I think, I feel strongly, both the Niners and Chiefs are around for a lot of years. We'll see you tomorrow. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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?

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