The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 3 - Who survives between John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, is the NFL MVP race settled?

Episode Date: December 30, 2025

Reports continue to swirl about the job security for two NFL coaches ahead of Sunday, and Colin weighs in. Nick Wright stops by and bucks the idea that Drake Maye has now definitively taken the lead for the MVP race over Matthew Stafford. Nikola Jokic is out four weeks, but Colin doesn’t think the Lakers can take advantage of any of this in the Western Conference. Colin doesn’t want to see Oregon quarterback Dante Moore on the Jets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and 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. We're listening to Fox Sports Radio. He's a busy guy doing a lot of things. Multimedia. We don't want to take too much of his time now that he's in the third hour. He's a co-host and a friend. First thing is first. His name is Nick Wright. His name is Nick Wright. And it's interesting. You're very busy. That is hold on. Hold on. Hold on.

on. That is one hell of a way to explain. I got bumped from the spot I've been in for seven years for Joel Klat. When I got the text, like, hey, can we move you? This is like, it's a herd hierarchy, then Nick Wright every Tuesday for damn near a decade. Honestly, I said yes, of course, and in my head, I'm like, oh, Tom Brady must be coming on. Like, that would make sense. I was like, guy that's why I turn it on. And I love Joel, best-looking man in sports TV. But it just a very quick, anytime the ego gets a little too big, it's nice to have a reality check.

And it's Joel class schedule far more important than within with something we've done for a decade. So no problem. I'm glad you could make time for me, Mr. Coward. Thank you. You bet. I did tell them yesterday. I said at Perfirm in the second hour, it has to go through Nick. so I did, you know.

It's fine, no problem. Don't worry. So I still, I just don't buy Buffalo. I don't think you can win a Super Bowl, trailing seven out of eight weeks. They're so bad in the first half. They're worse than Cleveland since week 10 in the first half. So I have them 10. And by the way, I've said this for the Chargers.

You can't win multiple playoff games with an O line that bad. You can't win when you constantly put a, a cape on Josh Allen. Anything jump out to you here? Well, so I guess here's what I would say. I feel like you can do the, you can't win a Super Bowl with X with every team this year. Like if I were to go through your hierarchy, I would feel like the Seahawks. We're going to trust Darnold in four straight or three straight huge spots. Feels tricky. The Niners. The team that gets to the quarterback less than any team in the league, that many defensive injuries, going to do it. Patriots have looked great. The real knock on them is simply a quarterback's first ever playoff

run. He's going to go all the way, and they haven't faced the stiffest competition. The Jags have, you know how much I like Trevor Lawrence and want to believe in the Jags, but they were a shaky team until five weeks ago. They were winning despite not playing great. The Rams are they playing their worst football of the season at the worst time of the season? The Eagles have played 32 halves this year, Colin. Three of them, 10%. They have negative yards passing. One in 10 halves, they go negative yards passing.

We don't trust, to me, the Broncos are the Texans offense or the Bears defense. And then you get to Buffalo. So I agree with you, it's a yeah-but season. here would be the positive case for Buffalo after Sunday night. I didn't know their defense had that in them. The defense actually bowed up in that game. They got let down by Josh Allen, who's been great, made some mistakes. The sack he took to take him out of field goal range.

The fumble is bad luck, but didn't chase after it, and he missed an easy throw. Can Josh Allen, who, by the way, this is the other question, never won a road playoff game, win three in a row to get to the Super Bowl, if not now win. But I just feel like there is not, now that the Rams look a little shaky, and I don't think we have the clear-cut, you know, all well-rounded, perfect team this year. This is what happens. The moral of the story is this is what happens when the Chiefs aren't in the playoffs.

Everyone's got issues. I mean, it really is just not the same. It's just so much better. when the chiefs are there and then there's a standard to hold teams to such a bummer yeah that's actually true and funny it's both you know

Philadelphia is a fan I said this earlier if I said I'm going to tell you the tendencies of this franchise their coach spars with fans they fire Super Bowl winning quarterback winning coaches

they move off Super Bowl winning quarterbacks They go halves without completing a pass. Their coach is a fire starter and sometimes feels kind of immature, and there's draw between their star receiver and the quarterback. You'd be like, okay, that's Carolina, the Saints, the Jets. Yeah. Are the Eagles the greatest dysfunctional franchise in American sports?

I don't expect you to know hockey. They're kind of dysfunctional. What a great question. So I don't, so I'm not, I consider myself, I know this doesn't sound arrogant, a true top shelf basketball and football historian, not so much baseball. So I, like, were the Billy Martin Yankees like this, were they really good? I don't, you know, I'm not quite sure. Typically, when we think of dysfunctional teams, you think of, you know, the Vikings. when they had, you know, earmuffs kids, the sex boat stuff in the 2000 aughts.

I think of the Trailblazers team that you covered. Yeah. And that, by the way, like the Blazers, they were good. They went on playoff runs. But you don't think of champions. Maybe you could argue the Barry Switzer Cowboys had some of this. And that is, maybe the similarity is just really stacked roster. that the roster, the talent becomes almost mistake proof.

But Matt, Colin, here's what we now know. Philly is going to be the two or the three seed. And we know, so they're going to play either the six or the seven. If they're the two, they get Green Bay. I think they should be okay in that spot. But if they are the three, if either they lose this weekend or Chicago wins, and Philly is the three, then the three seed will be playing either. the Niners or the Rams. We know that, guaranteed. Those are the only two teams that can be the six.

Man, I feel like I like either of those teams to go to Philadelphia and beat them, given how they're playing right now. I just can't trust. They don't have Seq, they have Sequan, but Seacuan hasn't been able to save them this year, and they were playing their worst football of the year. They lost three straight. Jalen had the five turnover game. They then beat Josh Johnson and Kenny Pickett, and people are like, it's fixed. I don't know that it's fixed. And in Buffalo, it didn't seem fixed, even though the defense, hats off to Fangio,

the defense is unbelievable. I don't think that's going to be enough for them this year. So I acknowledge, we all have biases. I'm a trait-ist with quarterbacks. I always say, I want my quarterbacks like my furniture, big and hard to move. I like big, I like strong, I like tough. I like, I like guys who throw picks.

I like guys that throw it down the field. Sure. And then, and now I don't know what to do with Brock Purdy because he looked like a version of it. He looked awesome. I mean, the last three weeks, with a good old line, he missed. He didn't have Kendall, Trent Williams,

and you and I have been on this, and I think you and I have mostly been right on the quarterback stuff. I look at Brock Purdy, I'm like, not big in a big arm he's a pretty good athlete and then i watch him and i'm like okay three or four weeks in a row he's as good as any quarterback in the league i could say well it's it's shanahan but tray lands didn't work garropolo was okay wasn't this what do we make of purdy so listen i i think both things can be true the last two weeks in particular he's been sensational And last week against Caleb, he went blow for blow, throw for throw with a guy who you and I both believe has MVP caliber traits.

So I am not taking anything away from Purdy for what he did the last couple weeks. That can be true, while it also can be true, that the information we gleaned from seeing Mack Jones in this office. offense with these players for half the season, not be as good as Purdy, but be really good. Be, you know, oh, wow. If you had never seen Mack Jones before, you'd be like, okay, that's obviously a franchise quarterback, but we know he's not. So I think that can go into the Purdy grade and evaluation. I also have said, and people don't believe me on this, and I'll be honest, I don't even

know if I totally believe myself on this when I say, I'm not trying to be a Brock Purdy. hater. I'm just trying to give credit where it's fully due. But I want that to be the case. And the reason I say that is, it's not that I don't want Purdy to get credit. It's that credit, there's only so much credit to go around. And to me, this year, the two leading actors for the Niners have been Kyle Shanahan, who has been brilliant, and Christian McCaffrey, who I think is the offensive player of the year in this league. I think Christian McCaffrey having another 2,000 yards from scrimmage season, the touchdowns, the touches, the only consistent person on their offense all year to have them a game away from the one seed. He has been brilliant.

Purdy, since he's come back from injury, has been very good, and the last two weeks has been exceptional. I still am hesitant, and in fact, not hesitant, I am at the moment unwilling to elevate him past a certain tier of quarterbacks because of. of what I saw Mac Jones doing because of what I saw Purdy look like last year, but he's been awesome the last two weeks. There's no doubt about it. I would say I had Mike Vrable on earlier, and I didn't ask him this because I had talked about it earlier, but it was very easy in year two to go, Lamar should be MVP because he's so explosive and dynamic and stylistically so unique. And it was very easy with Mahomes. He was winning so many games to go, yeah, that's an MVP.

He throws left-handed. He's got the best arm in the league. The guy is clever. He's fun. I think it's harder to look at Drake May and go, he's very accurate. He's very sturdy. I like his leadership. It's all hard, until last night you were like, let's give it to Stafford. Three weeks ago, let's give it, let's give it to Alan. Drake May is Brady with a little bit of mobility. And Brady to the very end, Seth Wickersham wrote a column once.

I remember this reading it. And to the very end, there were sources saying in the building, a lot of quarterbacks could win here. I'm like, could a lot go to Tampa and hoist a trophy? I don't think so. So I think Drake May is going to now, now win MVP. And I'd argue he has been the most consistent quarterback in the league since week three. So here, listen, I think Drake May is awesome.

I think that, and I came on with you two months ago. And I said, May and Vrable are a lesson for all the perpetual rebuilding. franchises that it does not take five years. If you have the right coach and the right quarterback, it takes two years. And they've only had the coach for one year. So if you've had the same coach and same quarterback for two years and it's not working, one of them, at least one of them is not the right guy. I said a month ago that when I am doing the top five quarterbacks in the league, forget, you know, in 10 years or moving forward. Right now this moment, Drake May is on that list. I believe in Drake May. I think he's excellent.

And if he wins MVP, I don't think it's a crime. But I think what is happening to the NFL MVP over the last three seasons is a crime, a sports crime. And that is this. It feels to me, Colin, like because we do the MVP horse race starting in week four, that what the MVP race has actually come down to is this. it feels like everything up until December 1st is simply about determining who are the three or four quarterbacks eligible for the award. And this year it was Stafford, way ahead of everyone, Drake May and Josh Allen snuck in at the end.

And then it's as if there is a whole new season. And amongst those three players, MVP just becomes December player of the month. It's like, okay, Stafford, May, and Allen, who has the best closing kick? That guy's the MVP. Because I am 10 days removed from Matt Stafford throwing for 450 and scoring 37 on maybe the best team in the league, one of the best defenses. We are 17 or 20 days, 14 days removed from Drake May having the worst game of his season. Again, he's had a great season. but against Buffalo in a big spot.

I think Drake is excellent. If I had a ballot, he would be second on it. But what bothers me about where I think the MVP race is going is, if you took all 32 games these two guys have played, 16 each, and rearranged the order randomly, I think Stafford wins 9 out of 10 MVPs. But because Drake May is finishing best, and Stafford's had one of his worst games,

he's going to win it. I think Stafford's been the best player. this year. That's what I think. Well, you've got a hit show that starts around the corner, and since we pushed you to like a co-pilot, I got to go. I know it's unbelievable. I got the show. I also have a very, very demanding podcast boss that demanded two episodes for me this morning. I'm just working. I'm just working like crazy. Happy holidays, Colin. Great to see you, brother. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. All right. The super fun, talented. Nick Wright, First things first after our show.

I am a very demanding boss. I think, you know, Jay Mack knows that. Pedal to the medal. So nice to have Rable on today. He already sent me a nice text. He's a nice guy. The NBA is interesting because I grew up. My first player I love was Dr. Jay.

And I was reading an article today about Peter Vessie retirement. It was a great, great article about, you know, covering all the he's old NBA stars. And the NBA's always been a sport. Like, style matters. Like culture, style. I mean, like Walt Frazier, the way he dressed, everything, but, you know, Walton was against authority.

Like, that's, football's really not about that. Football's about winning games. But it did, the quarterback position, it's just, it's funny now, you can go to the very end of Tom Brady in New England. And I swear it's Seth Wickersham, great writer. there were writing articles at the end of the Brady run and there were sources in the building saying, you know, a lot of guys could win here.

And I'm like, all right, Cam tried, Mac tried, Garoppelho tried, not winning nearly as much. It's, and then there's the divorce, Belichick, Brady, and you're looking, you're like, yeah, Tom was about 75% of it, probably. Maybe 65, he was the greater part of it. but like Drake May's game is so efficient and it's not boring boring is the wrong word but it's just so efficient it doesn't jump through the television

he just completes passes one after another after another and he's very good against the blitz which young quarterbacks generally are awful against the blitz so he doesn't get into trouble he's not running for his life So much of Drake May is pre-snap getting out of trouble and completing seven out of ten throws. Meet Tom Brady with movement. Out of pocket movement. 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, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines,

accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name?

Huge news. We've 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 throughout there.

But this one's extra special. So how did 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. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember. going down? Yes. I have a very different memory

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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 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 headwriter,

Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the 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 athletes 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 question. 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 Slicelife Life 12 in 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 won. 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, Lena Rubakina 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. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee.

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Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Harm. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jay Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Oh boy, Colin, big day. In the NFL, we got some breaking news out of Dallas. The Cowboys just released cornerbacks Trayvon Diggs.

Two years after signing him to a $97 million extension, more egg on the face of Jerry Jones. We'll hear from him shortly. Diggs is going to go through waivers. And you know what, Colin? I think he's eligible to be picked up by any team in the playoffs here. We're still waiting on that. I don't know if anybody will take a gamble on him. One could argue, hey, he hasn't been a good scheme fit with Eber Fluse.

Well, what are you doing dumping him? Because Eber Fluse is toast anyway. But the Cowboys remain a mess. He's going to be $8.5 million a dead cat money next year. Got to love that, Jerry. I think the Cowboys are going edge rusher and corner in round one of the draft. Here's your boy, Jerry Jones, talking about releasing Trayvon Dix. We had a high expectation in our secondary, and I thought we would be good at all phases of it.

That's a team-wide breakdown for us not to play a better defense than we've had. Not an Uber Fluse breakdown per se, just him. Yeah, I think they're terrible at Corner. Terrible, yeah. Obviously, tough day for the Diggs family. We know what his brother's going through in New England right now, with some charges. Colin, I can't get over the fact that Jerry Jones is,

he's the owner of the team, and they release a cornerback who's barely done jack squat this year, and the first thing Jerry does is go give an interview about it. The owner, when are we going to get perspective here? This is goofy. Colin, what is happening still? I'm just, this is, if you're a Cowboys fan, hey, you know who's next?

It's bland. The other guy they paid. We'll see what happens with him. Like, I know you love the Jerry movie. for Quinn and Williams. I think, they're going to get the top corner

in the draft. They're going to get a top three edge rusher. How would they get in the top corner back in the draft? Well, there's two really good first round

corners. They're going to get one of them. And then they're also going to get probably the third best edge rusher, second third best edge rusher. So they'll solve

some of their defensive issues. Quinn and Williams is Kenny Clark. They haven't drafted that poorly. They overshone, has been a good player.

I think they're, I like overshund. He's very good. I think their bigger issue is, do you love the staff? Because there's, Nick Wright just said this. Wait, you haven't even got to Pickens. Pickens is the big one. What do you know?

You tagging him? You paying him? No, no, no. Flournoy, C.D. Lamb, Turpin, go draft another fifth round receiver. Did Florinois look great because everybody was focused on the whiteouts and Florinois's left alone? Or is Flournoy like an emerging stuff? Well, C.D. Lam's a guy that you sometimes you have to bracket and double team.

So Turpin and Florenton are going to get it. I think Florin is a good player. Yeah, I like him. Lamb had a case of the dropseys this year. Come on, listen, you could put lipstick on a pig all you want. This is a disaster situation in Dallas. Let me just say this. Disaster.

Let me just say this. New England, I think I've hit four in a row, maybe five, of predicting who's going to double their win total. Based on if they make a move at coach, Dallas will be my team next year. Well, who are they getting? Come on. Come on.

They're dumping shoddy, one and done? Halfley, Dayball Halfley, come on. Really a never first time head coach in the NFL? Well, I mean, Jason Garrett had never been a coach. He was on the staff for years. He was Jerry's guy. Jerry wants a, I'm not going to.

I'm just going to say stuff I regret. Anyways, let's move on to the Chargers, Colin. They secured a playoff spot, but they have ruled out Jim Harbaugh. I'm sorry not. Jim Harbaugh has ruled out Justin Herbert for this week, as well as other starters, which is smart. They are now massive underdogs against Denver, and again, it doesn't mean anything.

Thank you, Jim Harbaugh, and here's sound of Harbaugh sitting his guys. Health and winning, you know, that's it. Yeah, there's no way to predict. We're going on the road, first round. All potential teams would be good. The guys that need to have the most bruises that need the, the most healing. We'll pull them back.

Justin Herbert would be won. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. Tomorrow, listen, we've got something. I'll tell you what. What do we have tomorrow? You don't need Burma Holmes in the playoffs. Some of these playoff matchups are fascinating. Okay, the Chargers Patriots, let's do it.

I've saving my pick for... I would say New England at home would win that game. Interesting. Let's just break it down real quick. Who's got the head coaching advantage, New England Chargers? They're both A coaches. Both are great. So no edge. It's a watch. Okay, who's got the quarterback edge?

Well, I think at this point, Herbert is so seasoned. But, I mean, Drake May's first playoff game, that's a at home pressure. Kaleel Mack coming off the edge. Jesse Minter, D.C., that's a tough ask for a week one. Yeah. But if it's snowing, SoFi's chargers going into a snowstorm, that's not great overrated narrative.

I totally disagree. If this somehow is three and a half, I'm considering next year's salary just on the chargers side. I just love horrible. Listen, man, and they're resting their guys. I love it. Patriots are playing their guys because they still have a shot at, I think, the number one,

but Denver would have to lose to the charges, which isn't happening. Can we just, real talk? I don't like looking through the 15 permutations for what could happen. Do you like doing that? or no. Well, there's not 15 of them. I think... No, no. I mean, they set

me Chargers playoff. There's... Okay, fine, not 15. There's six different things. If Baltimore wins... Tomorrow I'll do an AFC playoff picture stating that Baltimore wins. And then that... Because that, I think they're going to win. Then we know what's going to happen. And I think... You know, I think nobody's

talking about. Denver's going to have all home games. They don't lose at home. Jacksonville's the only team in two years that's got them at home. And Jacksonville, Chargers, Texans, those are warm weather teams having to go playing snow. So you sounding confident that Sean Payton's going to the Super Bowl, huh? Make it interesting, perhaps? Take a deep breath.

I'm excited. All right, final story, Colin. We got some crappy news out of the NBA, Nicola Yolkich. Currently, the best player in the league had just a brutal moment here where his own player backing up steps on his on Yokic's foot, the knee buckles. There was some major fears. The good news is ligaments are intact, and it's a hyper-extended knee. He's going to miss at least four weeks.

If you are in the awards market, Yokic missing four weeks cannot win the MVP because they have this silly, got to play 65 games or whatever. And Yokic now is missing four weeks. He can't win the MVP. So obviously the Nuggets have major injury problems right now. Aaron Gordon is down. I mean, they're starting guys I'm not familiar with. Colin, this is really good news for the young San Antonio Spurs,

who are establishing themselves, I believe, is the best team in the league. It's OKC and the Spurs at the top of the West record-wise. If the Lakers can tread water without reefs, listen, the Nuggets for a month, what are they going to be 5 and 15? They're not going to be good without Yokic at all. There's a chance for the Lakers to gain some ground. Oh, come on. They're not. Lakers have so many, they're so bad right now defensively.

Why don't you start saying nice things about him? Because JJ Reddick will then come on the show. JJ Reddick's busy. I mean, they have these NBA guys coaching, living on four and a half hour sleep. He's trying to fix the defense. I think JJ Reddick's busy. I think, you know, everybody's like, oh, JJ Redick, he is, you know, he's really rough on these players. It's okay if the NBA players occasionally Charles Barkley and JJ Reddick don't,

pandered them. NFL guys get crushed all the time. So what? Be better win games. Lakers stink defensively. Somebody needs to call them out. Go off. Coward. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Lakers' fourth worst defensive rating in December in the league. Fans know it. Think about this. They don't have any 3-&D guys. Like the NBA as a 3-&D league has been for a decade. In December, opponent shot 41% from the three-point line.

They just can't get out to defend it. It's brutal. I mean, that's just brutal. And that's a roster composition issue. That's not J.J. Reddick's fault. I mean, it's been a 3-and-D league forever. They don't have any 3-&D guys. Jared Vanderbilt's got some dexterity.

He's a little bit, he's versatile as a defender, but so I don't have many versatile defenders. It's an offensive roster. That's not JJ Reddick's fault. Don't blame him. He inherited it. It's the Hurt. Be sure to catch live editions of the HARD

weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's us to 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 throughout 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. 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 for 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 helped make you funny. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the 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 athletes 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.

people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife-Live 12 in 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 won. 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, Lena Rubakina 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 I-Heart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal consulting. I've ever come across.

When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Saturday, primetime hoops is on Fox with a big 10 showdown as fifth-rank Purdue takes on Wisconsin. It all tips off at 8 p.m. Eastern Saturday on Fox. Thursday, big college football games. I think Oregon, Texas tech's going to be interesting. So Dante Moore is fascinating. There could be a domino effect. Here's my big opinion.

And it actually helps Oregon, helps Dante Moore, and hurts crappy NFL teams desperate for a quarterback. I don't think he's going to play particularly well against Texas Tech, but I think Oregon probably finds a way to win. He was good against James Madison, five touchdowns, surrendered yards, completed 70%. He wasn't great against Iowa. He was. It was bad weather.

He wasn't great against Indiana. He was good against Penn State. They turned out to be not very good. I like Dante Moore a lot, but he's 20 years old. What a disaster it would be to send him to the Jets. What a disaster it would be to send him to a bad. team with a shaky ownership. I want to see the kids succeed. Reportedly he's a great kid. And I think Texas Tech, Oregon's best case scenario for the program is they win. And Dante,

maybe has a bad pick, doesn't blow everybody away. I think that's best case. Because Darnold, look how good Darnold is. And remember how good Darnold was in college at USC. see, he went to New York, the dysfunctional jets, and he was 20, and it was a disaster. So you can't overcome weird ownership, bad coaching, shaky front offices, weak rosters, no matter, unless you're Andrew Locke at a college. So here is Todd McShay last week on the show about Dante Moore going forward. I love him. I think he's going to be a great pro.

if he were solely listening to my advice, I would say go back to school for another year, man. Because I have evidence from 25 years that I've gathered, that the number starts that he has, which is what, 17, I think at this point, it'll be 18, 19, 20, somewhere in that range. The chances of him succeeding with another 12, 13, 14 starts next year are significantly higher.

25 years of data telling me that. Todd's right so it's just he's a really talented kid but we've seen this time and time again you get stuck with the wrong franchise look at how good Sam Darnold is now

winning record Carolina winning record Minnesota winning record Seattle disaster in New York so the other thing I tend to see myself as America's honesty broker

I had the voice of college football, Joel Clad on earlier, who is also the voice of reason on USC and Notre Dame ending their, at least for the time being, I think they'll resume it at some point, perhaps, but ending their rivalry and Clatt sees it like I do. Listen, it does not move anybody. I can't believe I'm saying this, but like to schedule Notre Dame. Because they have such an advantage over these teams that are playing in the Big Ten in the SEC's cases, much more difficult schedules.

And now there's this bar, like a minimum bar where all Notre Dame has to do is being the top 12 with their schedule. That's crazy. Miami, if Notre Dame side deal, would have been intact this year. Miami, who just beat Texas A&M in the playoff, Miami would have been bounced out by Notre Dame and Miami beat Notre Dame.

Think about that. Meaning there could be a scenario if USC Notre Dame played. USC beat Notre Dame is ranked ahead of Notre Dame and would get bounced out by Notre Dame and their automatic bid. Think about that. Miami this year would have been bounced out

and they beat Notre Dame head to head. And had four common opponents and beat three of the four. So just put yourself USC in Miami's shoes. They would have been knocked out and beat Notre Dame. So again, I said before all these former Trojans that are upset. Are any of you guys business guys?

Any of you guys entrepreneurs? Would you go into a business deal where a guy had a size, deal that you didn't know or you didn't have, even if you did know, and he can take a majority of the profits because of the side deal. I wouldn't do a business deal like that. Colin, can I ask, why do you, I know you hate this Notre Dame auto in the top 12. Why do you think the committee cut the deal with him then? Why would you do the deal at Notre Dame? Hey, cool playing a conference. No, we want you. Why do you think they said your auto top 12? Because

Notre Dame's a huge brand. Yeah, they are. And also, Notre Dame cut a deal because Notre Dame knows if USC doesn't play us, our schedule will easily be the weakest of any top 10 to 12 program. They knew it.

So now, this could all be averted if you didn't have these automatic qualifiers like Tulane and James Madison, if you took those out, then I think USC would be more comfortable saying, hey, if we're ranked top 12, we get in. But now you can be ranked 10th if you're USC. Notre Dame 12th, you could have beaten them head to head. And Notre Dame gets in automatically. I'm not going in. Yeah. It's smart by Notre Dame, right? You would admit that. You can say the other side is

like upset. Why would you do it? But it's smart for Notre Dame smartly is prioritizing the playoff. Yeah. And we're not, we don't care about a conference. We don't need no conference. Because guess what? We've got to deal with NBC. And teams are willing to play us for a marquee game, right? Cincinnati, all these other middling-tier programs. And guess what? Notre Dame, they then could bake in one loss of season and still get to the playoffs. It's genius business from their end. And USC says, no can-do.

We're now in arguably the toughest conference. If you look at USC schedule next year, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, at Indiana, at Penn State. Well, we don't know if Indiana and Penn State are going to be great, but the other two, yes, that's tough. Indiana is going to be really good. They got major money and a great coach. They got NFL dudes everywhere.

They're not going to be top 10, though. Come on. Oh, I think they are. Really? Okay. Mark Cuban, you see the writing checks. Have you seen the two families writing checks for Indiana? Indiana's got a great business school.

Indiana's here to stay. I think this deal makes sense for both sides, USC and Notre Dame. There's no loser here except the fans who mess the game, right? I mean, Michigan used to play Notre Dame. They stopped playing it. The sport's more popular than ever. I think college football is a bit of a mess, but it's a... That's for sure.

You know, well, but you know, not everything that's a mess. I've gone, I mean, we've all gone to events. We've all gone to parties. We've all been in relationships that are a bit of a mess, but they're fun. USC played nine conference games this season. I don't think you need to add another. 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 have 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. Tired and sick. 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 I-Heart 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. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment and the stuff nobody gets to hear.

Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 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. Jench who win. She's an outsider to win the French fame. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennar

Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now and I actually can win on any surface. 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.