August 14, 2026 • 53 mins
LaVar Arrington & Plaxico Burress in for Colin Cowherd discuss #1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza making his NFL debut in preseason Week 1 against the Cardinals and whether he will start this season for the Raiders.
LaVar and Plaxico share their thoughts on Jayden Daniels reportedly sending LSU a cease & desist over not allowing LSU to distribute the number 5 to any future players and argue that Joe Burrow accomplished more in his LSU career but doesn't have his number retired by the university.
Plus, they side with Fever Head Coach Stephanie White's comments about the league's controversial officiating.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
All Right, all right, how's everybody doing out there? It's
LaVar Arrington and Flexico Burs. This is the Herd. Happy Friday.
It's August fourteenth, twenty twenty six. We got a nice
show for you planned and well football is back, not
the real thing yet, but this is an appetizer. And
(00:54):
last night in Las Vegas, the number one overall pitch
in the draft put on a helmet and took a
snap or two in an NFL stadium for the first time.
And we are going to tell you about how we
felt about it, what we saw, all those good things.
The game did not speed up. It looked like for
(01:14):
this kid, looked like he did really well. And there's
been a couple of those guys that have done very well.
But before we jump into that. You know, when the
up on game crew, you know we're missing TJ with
the total up on game crew, but we got well
my guys Stretched, I call him Stretch. You got to
call him mister Burris. Uh. We always do a check in, man,
(01:35):
how you feeling, how you're doing, how's everything going. It's Friday,
You're feeling good? What's the weather like? What's the deal?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Oh? Man, it's great. Man. It's Friday's birthday. Week Man,
going into the.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Week man, happy birthday? You getting old? Dog, you're getting old.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
But if I do remember correctly, I believe you're a
little bit older at me. But you know, we will
not talk about that. But hey, then going into the
weekend talking for ball man, weather's great here and on
the East coast, man, and uh, just no, blessed to
go around the sun for another year.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Man.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Indeed, indeed, all right. So there were a lot of
games on yesterday, and you know, I was going through
all of them and back and forth and switching through.
They were all on though, but I just you know,
I was going through it and I had to stop
when I was watching Mendoza and watching the Las Vegas
Raiders get get their game on it looked promising. And listen,
(02:33):
there's been a lot of conversations surrounding Mendoza, obviously being
the number one pick, but there were criticisms from some.
Some lauded him, said that he's going to be a
generational talent, while others said that he's kind of average,
may not even be the best quarterback in this draft. Well,
it looked like he had command of the huddle last evening.
(02:56):
It looked like he went through his progressions very well. Plexico,
I know you've caught balls from from some guys that
I mean, maybe Eli goz In. I think he'll go
into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I mean, why absolutely?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
And you caught from caught balls from Ben Roethlisberger. But
you've also caught balls from guys that maybe we'll never
remember or or hear about. You had the opportunity to
do both, and that was an experience that's valuable here
for this conversation, because my question to you is, when
you look at a guy like Mendoza and how he's
playing well, how he played in last evening's game, do
(03:34):
you can you tell by things you see immediately from
him in practice, and then if it translates into the
games that this is a guy or does it take
more does it do you need more time to situate
yourself or figure out or is it just different by player?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Oh, it's different by player. But you know, over the
last two years that I've been watching Fernando Mendoza last
night and him going out playing that game is pretty
much what I expected. Uh, you know, he was in
commander huddle. Uh, he was very active with the football,
throwing the ball to the sidelines and and making reads
and throwing the ball where it was supposed to go,
just like a six yard touchdown over the middle. He
(04:14):
knew exactly where he was going with that ball before
he threw it. And uh, you know, you can just see,
you know, his maturity. I think that. I think that's
the thing that stood out to me most, and him
just being able to run the offense and and be
efficient with the football. And it's pretty much what I
expected for him. But I hate when people start with
(04:36):
you know, so and so or he's a generational talent.
Let them let him. Let him have the opportunity to
go out and prove himself that he uh worthy of
the number one pick, and for him to you know,
continue to play well. But I'm looking at this whole
situation with Clint Kobiak and John Spotek, who is the
(04:56):
general manager for the Raiders. Uh, there's gonna be a
point in time in this in this season where Fernando
Mendoza is gonna be the starter because I can't see,
you know, Clint Kobak going into his first year as
a head coach and having Kirk Cousins as their starting
quarterback and they're not winning football games. The Raided Nation
is not going to be happy, very happy about that
(05:17):
if they're not winning. So I expect for Kirk Cousins
to be on the short least. I don't see him
going into games where you know, he's going to have
these two or three interception type games and Fernando Mendoza
is on the sideline. But you know, for him last night,
it was very positive. Uh. You know, even though it's
(05:38):
the preseason. He looked like the mature Heisman Trophy winning
quarterback that we expected to see.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Okay, plex, so you brought up Kirk Cousins and listen,
I know that that's your spartan brother and so maybe
that pained you to have to say short lead and
he might get benched for another ten guy. Talk to
me about Kirk. If this is indeed Kirk cousins job
to lose right now? Plex I say, if I'm Kirk Cousins,
(06:07):
I'm fighting with Max Crosby in practice. You know why,
because I got fight left. I'm going into these games
and I'm not just giving my job away. I was
brought here for a reason. I'm thirty seven years old,
so I'm getting up there, but I'm not so old
(06:28):
that I can't still deal out here on the football field.
How are you approaching this if you're Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I mean to be honest when you say that he
was bought there for a reason. I mean everybody was
just thinking he was going to be a mentor towards
Fernando Mendoza. I mean, I was very shocked whim when
Clint Kubiak named him the starter. Without those guys really
going into training camp and giving them an opportunity to
compete for the job rare. It's very rare that it
(06:58):
does happen. But you can see that. You know, both
of these guys can start for this organization right now.
But if you're Kirk Cousins, you just have to go
out and play well and hopefully be able to win
some football games in a very difficult division in the
AFC West. Everybody's predicting them to finish last in the division.
(07:21):
But if Kirk Cousins can go out and you know,
win some games that he's not supposed to and you know,
not turn the football over, which he has had issues
with in the past, I think he can, you know,
get through the season. But if they're not winning football
games and he's turned the football over, and you know,
the fans are down the coach's neck because they want
(07:43):
to see Fernando Mandoz, I believe that's the only reason
he's going to continue to be the starter. If he
does go out, play well and win football games.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You got to assume that the way Mendoza looked in
in the game last evening and listen, it was against
back up, it wasn't you're not getting schemed against. And
I think we both know. When the schemes come, that's
when you find out how young you are and how
(08:11):
new to this level of the game that you are.
When they start disguising coverages, when they start rolling down
different different players or they you know, and then you
realize that there's one player that can actually cover from
sideline to sideline and you didn't you know, expect or
intend for that. There's a lot of things that Mendoza
has to see and now I just wonder. It brings
(08:32):
me to the conversation of obviously, you know, we've heard
reports of what Tom Brady has has, you know, put
out there and sitting him and let him learn for
the entirety of the season. How much value do you
place on a rookie getting the opportunity to learn from
(08:54):
a veteran to sit and watch. Tom Brady had to
do it with with Drew Bletsoe. It ended up turning
into him having to play due to injury that took
place with with Bletsoe, and that's what started the career
of Tom Brady in New England. But it sounds as
though Tom Brady wants to take a very very measured
(09:14):
approach and how he gets you know, his franchise quarterback
up to speed to being a pro. And I don't
disagree with the idea of development. If there's one thing
that I've always believed in is learning a process, trusting
that process, executing that process. And if you know what
you know about the process, then you have a better
(09:37):
opportunity of having higher levels of success when you're called
upon to do what it is that your job calls
for you to do. Is there sign And you played
in Pittsburgh and you got a chance to play very early,
But is there something to be said? Because that is
one of those franchises that historically has taken their players
(09:57):
and they have absolutely gone through development, even to the
tune of letting a guy go and going and developing
somewhere else. Come back, We're going to continue to develop you.
If something happens. I know, for James Harrison, Clark Hagen's
goes down, he gets an opportunity. The rest is history.
But what's your take on the idea of what Tom
(10:19):
Brady thinks in terms of for this quarterback having a
fair opportunity, even being the number one overall pick, having
a fair opportunity to get the time to learn what
it is to be a pro and to be a
successful one.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Well, I'm not opposed to either decision, because you know,
when I came in in two thousand with the eighth pick,
they just basically gave me the playbook and say, hey,
you are starting wide receiver and go out and make
some plays and go out and be that, you know,
the number eighth pick that we drafted you for. And
with that, you know, I was, I was learning on
the fly, and you know, I kind of think that
(10:53):
that process also helped me groom me to become a
better player faster then me sitting on the side posted
me sitting on the sideline, watching and learning. And you know,
I had great, great mentors in front of me and
Courtney Hawkins and also Terrence mathis willing to teach me
the position along the way.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
But I can.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Understand where Tom Brady's coming from because he was a quarterback,
just like you said, Drew Blessed was already and established,
you know, Pro Bowl, All Pro quarterback, you know, during
that time, and he actually went down in that AFC
Championship game against US. Uh. Tom Brady did, and Drew
in columbs drew breathing. Obviously we lose that football game.
(11:35):
But you know, I can see where he's coming from
because he wants to give the young man the opportunity
to win. But also within that locker room, the players
know who the better quarterback of the two is because
they get the opportunity to see these guys day in
and day out, and I think that's going to be
the tell all, you know, for this football team and
(11:55):
for this decision and Tom Brady who's going to be
the starting quarterback going down the line because the locker
room is going to be honest with the coaches, uh,
you know, and how they feel and who they feel
is the best leader for them, you know, during the season.
So so so we'll see what happens with this Tom
(12:16):
Brady and him really wanting to see this young man,
you know, learn from the sideline, which is a great tool.
I've been a part of many great stories, like you said,
James Harrison and guys going down and being able to
go out and show themselves and you look up and there,
uh put their their Hall of Fame type players. So
(12:37):
I agree with them both, but I also understand what
he's coming to him where he doesn't want his quarterback
going into a season where they're not very good football
team and uh, you know, they they rattle his confidence.
So I just think that Kirk Cousins moving forward, He's
already come out and said, you know several times that
(12:57):
you know, it is his not his job to mental
court backs, and I kind of felt that, you know,
it was it wasn't the right.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
If they tell you your job, that's your job, player,
I hear you. I know he's come out and say this,
but I hear you, though, right, right, but better mentor him.
If that's what they're telling you, that's your job. Absolutely,
they're gonna get somebody who agrees.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
But this is a totally They're definitely gonna.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Gonna get somebody up in there and that agrees with them,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
So I understand it. I get it, and uh, but
I think at one point in the season early I
think halfway through the season, fenanden Medos will be the start.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
One guy that we know for certain isn't into mentorship
of young athletes or young players or young quarterbacks. I mean,
maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but I think we
know for certain that you know he's about him. Uh,
maybe that's a poor maybe that's a poor framing of him.
But we're gonna talk about it. And have you ever
seen a movie Groundhog Day? Well, you know what, We're
(13:56):
about to run this entire conversation back in the next set.
We'll get to mister Jerry Jones and how he is
super pumped up about something that's going on with the
Dallas Cowboys. A lot of excitement being generated. But yeah,
there's a quarterback in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
His name is Aaron Rodgers. Uh. He's said as much.
He's in his final season. But there were two quarterbacks
dealing last night, and they were rookies as well. It
leads to the conversation of we're seeing some rookie uh
quarterbacks play some some really really good football. We just
talked about Mendoza, We're gonna talk about Drew Aller, We're
(14:34):
gonna talk about uh Will Howard, We're gonna talk about
Carson Beck On the other side of this break, did
we get it wrong? Should this draft class of quarterbacks
been a little bit more respected? You're listening to The Herd.
That's Plexicobers. I'm LeVar Arrington and we'll be right back.
This is Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
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Speaker 3 (16:15):
All right, welcome into hour two of the show. As
you heard from the intro, Colin and Crew are out,
LaVar and Plex are in. We're going to carry you
for two more hours. Hope you guys are enjoying the
show thus far. Up and we're gonna jump right into it.
(16:36):
And this hour two plex A number is just a
number until it isn't. Jaydon Daniels he won the heisman
at LSU and twenty twenty three wearing the number five.
Nobody's worn it since, and this month LSU gave that
number to nineteen year old sophomore corner named Djic. Jaydeen,
(17:01):
Daniel's attorney sent LSU a letter telling the school it
can no longer use his name, his image, or his likeness.
His people say the family feels quote profoundly disrespected. Now
here's the fact that decides this whole argument, So write
(17:24):
it down. That number was never retired, not officially. Joe
Burrows nine isn't retired either. LSU has exactly one retired
football number, and that's Billy Cannon's number twenty from nineteen
(17:45):
fifty nine. Plexico and DJ Pickett. He was promised that
number in recruiting. You know how that goes in writing
or not. He was promised and by Lane Kiffen, who
honored it. Brian Kelly promised it first and never delivered it,
which means he would line uh. And then Brian Kelly
(18:08):
got fired and walked out the door. So you got
to believe that this is a very cut and dry
situation where Lane Kiffin came in. Pickett said that I
was promised the number. I ain't get the number of
Kiffin like, I'm gonna give you the number, retire the
number or don't. LSU wanted the motion of a retired
jersey without the paperwork of one, and now a teenager
(18:30):
is standing in the middle of a fight that was
never his. This is not about DJ Pickett. This is
about LSU doing what they need to do in the situation.
How do you see this plexico burst?
Speaker 4 (18:45):
You know what kind of feeled that you know, a
Heisman Trophy winner that number is a legacy and I
get it. I understand. DJ Pickett is not the guy
that everybody should be panting to figure out this finger
just like he came out and said that, you know,
he was promised this number. And when Brian Kelly was
the coach at LSU, he did not let anybody word
(19:08):
number five out of respect for Jayden Dames himself. But
you know, I think that you know he does it.
It's it's a legacy for him for to be the
Heisman Trophy winner. I just automatically assume if he was
a Heisman Trophy winner, that your number would not be
warned any any any more by any other player to
(19:28):
come through the program. So I was wrong. But if
you do look at it, Joe Burrow's number is not retired.
Is anybody on the l s U team wearing number nine? No,
I don't believe.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
So no one has worn it, right, It's not been retired,
but it's not It is never.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Issued, right, So why they're not extending the same grace
to George, to jayde Dames that they are extending to
Jeorge Burrow. I think that's the question that he wants
to know. And and uh, I don't. I don't even
know if they can stop LSU from using his name
and likeness. Nil, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
What it's going to be a conversation. But you're right,
there are certain elements that they just cannot stop. It's
owned its owned content by the university, like the rights
are with the university or who with the media rights
partner is whether it's lear Field or if it's Playfly,
it's there are elements that are owned by the school
that they're not going to be able to stop.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Right, But NOA Lane Kiffin, he's gonna do whatever he
has to do to get the best recruits at LSU
because you know, obviously he wants to win the national championship,
even if it does, you know, disrespect Jayden Dames. Moving forward,
He's going to recruit and give out any number I
believe to any player if they are promised to.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Yeah, it's a unique conversation for me. I spoke on
it on Two Pros and a Cup of Joe yesterday.
I'll just say this plex like, obviously the number thing
is is something that's pretty interesting to me. I built
a brand off of the number that I were in college.
If people are aware of and if you're listening, you
may or may not even known this, and you might
hear something new for the first time, But the number
(21:09):
eleven at Penn State is a number that is It's
an iconic number. It is the most recognizable number. It
has been synonymously connected to the best linebacker on the team,
and then it's slowly evolved into linebacker edge and plenty
(21:33):
of really really phenomenal football players have worn the number
eleven and built the cachet, built the legend, built the
pageantry and tradition that's connected to those two ones. So
for me, it's interesting take for me because I understood
(21:53):
the value of my number just from the standpoint of
what I felt I could do if I'm Jaydon Daniels
in this scenario, I don't think it's ever too late
plex to take a business approach to what you're doing.
Don't burn the bridge of the community that you built
two years building with like you're a transfer. But I'll
(22:15):
give you the I'll give you the grace that you
transferred because coaches left and COVID so you took your
talents elsewhere. I'm not gonna call you a mercenary where
they don't have any love for you. Plus, Joe Burrow
was a transfer as well, he left Ohio State if
people don't recall that. But here's what I'll say where
(22:37):
you have to really take a good long heart look
at what this situation and scenario represents, figure out how
to head a conversation with LSU behind closed doors. You
want to be made whole and respected as a Heisman
Trophy winner, which is very very rarefied air to accomplish
on the level where you win the Heisman. You've done it,
(23:01):
you were a top draft pick. You have done well
so far in your career in the league. Don't burn
the bridge to the place that you did so many
great things at. Just have the conversation. I hope you
hear this and take it upon yourself to challenge yourself
and your team. Instead of sending a cease and desists,
(23:23):
have a meeting set up. Have a meeting set up.
Here are the things that you would like to happen.
I had the opportunity to have conversations with Sandy Barber
and with coach Franklin, and obviously, honestly it goes all
the way back to even Joe Paterno was still the
coach of the team. So here's the original story of
(23:43):
how eleven started to get going. In the birth of
Stick City, Navarro Bowman was in college. Navarro wore number eighteen,
all right, I know, for the first time, for his
first time there, he wore eighteen. And some situations took place.
Situations happened. You know, there's no reason to rehash those,
(24:05):
but let's just say he needed a reset. He was
going through some personal things. He needed a reset because
it was either get a reset or he was going
to be off the team. And so there were several
conversations that I had with coaching staff, including coach Paterno,
where I advocated and made sure that he was being
protected in his time as a Penn State Niitney Lion.
(24:29):
So fast forward, we spent the summer together. We talked,
We had a great time. He spent time with the
family with Trish. You know, we sat outside in front
of the fire and talked about life and just centering yourself.
When we got to the end of that summer stretch,
I told him, let's reboot your brand and let's clean
(24:49):
it up and let's put a positive spend going into
this season with who you are, so they're not focusing
in on what the reports have said about you off
the field, but rather looking at it from the standpoint
of you are focused and dowed in on being the
best person you can be as well as the best
football player you can be. And I told him I
wanted him to wear number eleven. I want you so
(25:14):
much to be related to the person. I know that
when people see you, they're having the conversation like, oh,
he's wearing eleven. Oh He's like oh, and then it
gives them the opportunity to say, I remember who number
eleven was I wore it. Originally he was so good
that it wasn't about, oh, this dude is faking he's
wearing number eleven. He's not as good as LeVar Arrington.
(25:36):
They're looking at it like Navarro Bowman is a beast.
And it took his brand and blew it up there.
And it's funny because I was called Sticks. I saw
him on campus with the guys one time and I
heard one of his teammates holler out Sticks. I turned plex,
(25:59):
I turn around, like you don't know me, right, like
you don't know me? And and Bo was like, hey,
what up right? And Stick City was born. It became
a place because it wasn't just what I realized in
that moment was building, like giving him a new start,
building a legacy was important. The number. If somebody had
(26:20):
worn the number at that point, wearing the number would
have been cool, but the idea what it represented represented
so much more. And that conversation became the narrative and
the conversation that I had with Sandy Barber then idea
of the school with Coach Franklin, the head coach of
the school, and Coach Franklin and the rest of the
coaching staff took an ownership over the number and guarded
(26:45):
and protected it, and we had conversations. In fact, the
people that were ending up wearing the number, I was
talking to them because you knew you and I know
we were working with kids that were still in middle
schoo and high school back then. Right, So we're doing
these eight grade games, we're doing camps. You know, people
(27:07):
don't know this about us, but we're going all over
the country, all over the world to teach the game
of football to young people. Well, we were with you
might not even remember this. Micah Parsons was at the
under Armor game for one of our games and was
there as a future fifty and we had a great
(27:27):
conversation and it ultimately led to like, look man like
be bells about the rollout. I need a real dog
that's going to go to school and wear that eleven.
And he accepted the challenge. I talked to Abdul Carter
on social media. He was like, I'm gonna be the
(27:48):
next eleven. I looked at his film. I looked at
it twice. I looked at it again plex and I
was like, come on in, come on in. That has
become the trend The latest person wearing eleven is named
LeVar Arrington. And let me tell you something, I ain't
(28:09):
putting it like. You can't wear that number. I don't
give a damn what your name is. You're not wearing
that number if you can't ball, because you're not going
to mess up what we've created with the number. So
if I'm giving any advice, plex to to to Jay
(28:30):
Daniels and his family, take it upon yourself to build
what you want five to represent as a brand. Define it,
do what you need to do with it. Guys still
wear eleven on the offensive side of the ball at
Penn State. I don't even care people be like, oh,
Matt mcgloughan wore eleven, mentioned Matt mcglowan. Matt mcglowan wasn't
on the defense side of the ball. You don't. It
(28:52):
doesn't matter. You don't, You're you wearing the number, does
not matter. It's not stick City on the on the
offensive side of the ball. It's stick City on the
defense side of the ball, with that goon and goblin
that's putting that number on and going out there and
terrorizing people. That's what it represents. Because we have the
ability and we have the right to define what the
(29:15):
number represents when it was your number. I'm not gonna
be petty and be like, you're gonna wear this in
the lafe like like they can tell me who's gonna
wear my number. We're gonna have the conversation because I've
already defined it enough where if you make a decision
outside of what we've created, you're gonna have to deal
with that drama. Not me, you are, and I don't
(29:36):
have to say a word. So anyway, I would suggest,
and you tell me like you get the last word
on it, I would suggest, in this Jade and Daniels situation,
don't get mad and don't burn the bridge with the school.
You had great success there, You'll always be a Heisman
Trophy winner, and when all else fails, if you don't
have a Hall of Fame career, I'll be the first
one to tell you I don't even identify with my
(29:58):
pro career. I don't even identify fired with it. I
am a Penn State Nitney line through and through, and
that's what I bleed, the blue and white. That's my
deal pleasure.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Yes, yes you do, but I think it's quite clear
what what Jayden Daniels number five brand and this legacy represents.
I mean, he transferred from Arizona State and he was
absolutely fantastic when he when he was a quarterback for
l s U, when when winning the Heisman Trophy is
(30:28):
the biggest honor that you can receive in college football.
But you know, incoming different coaching staff and the miscommunication
behind what's what and the number five and number nine
and uh recruiting. So I do agree with you that
there's a better approach for Jaydon Daniels moving forward. But
(30:51):
you know, we'll see what happens. But I don't see
anything changing, you know, right now, especially with new head
coaching staff income Blaine's Kiffin, and you know, things are
just different being that Brian Kelly is no longer in.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Charge and Lane Kiffin does not have to respect the
idea is not I'm gonna use that. I'm not gonna
use this number because of Jane Dawn. It's not. He
doesn't have that type of connection and tie to LSU
and he does not have that connection and tie to
Jane Daniels. So unless you establish what the value of
that brand is going to be and what it represents,
(31:28):
you can't you can't possibly think that it's going to
be treated anything different than a number. All right, Coming
up next on The Herd, a first round cornerback is
facing eight felony count stretch and the defending Super Bowl champions. Well,
they just signed him anyway, that's not a rumor. That's
a business decision, and we're gonna walk you through it carefully.
(31:51):
On the other side of the break, you're listening to
The Herd with LeVar Arrington and my man Plexico Burst.
This is Fox Sports Radio. Will be right back.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search her
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
All right, welcome back into the show. This is The Herd,
splex Cooe Burrs, I'm LeVar Arrington. Yeah, we're gonna transition.
We're gonna stay basketball, but we're gonna go WNBA and Well,
on Tuesday night in Indianapolis, Stephanie White, Coach of the
Year in twenty twenty three, stood out a podium for
(32:36):
two and a half minutes, pound it the table and well,
she had this to.
Speaker 6 (32:43):
Say, I take personally any suggestions that I don't one
hundred percent. Always have my players. Bet I ride with
them ten toes down all the time, all the time.
They know that it's a shame that we can't have
an opportunity to talk about what great basketball there because
they are playing. The reality is with me, I will
(33:06):
always lead with love, I will always lead with grace,
I will always lead with humility, and I will always
lead with integrity.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Doesn't mean I'll always get it right. I'm also human.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
The hate, the fear mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that's
trying to hijack our league.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Will not win. It will win.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
We are united, we are connected, we will not be divided.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
She left up out it at presser Plexico without having
answered not one question. She was turned up. She was
she was feeling a certain type of way at first
blush at first glance of it. Again to the to
the audience, you have a daughter that is one of
(33:59):
the top high school prospects in the country and she's
I mean, she's an amazing basketball player, and this is
the environment that she's on a collision course to be in.
When you look at the current state of the WNBA
(34:19):
and everything that's going on. Let's just start the conversation
off for you as a father. Let's not go with
sports analysts right now. Put your daddy cap on. Are
you concerned? Are you? Are you are? Are you excited
that she's good enough where she's going to have the
opportunity to potentially make it to the WNBA? Like, what
(34:41):
are the thoughts that come in your mind when you
look at all of these reports that are are coming
out surrounding some of what seemingly is like almost like
a culture war that's taking place at the WNBA level.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
You know, obviously I've seen the game basically transcend within
the last you know, five years, and all of us
been basically circle behind Caitlin Clark and for myself to
you know, sit sit in you know, in the stands
weekend and week out. I love what a game of
(35:19):
basketball for these young ladies aheaded I mean, I really do.
It's competitive that that that they're passionate about, you know,
their play. Uh, they're very prideful and you know, they
go out and they play just as hard as the
men do. And I love where it's at. I love
(35:39):
to be a part of it. I honestly think it's
only going to continue to get better and years to come,
but there have to be somebody really has to like
take this thing by the horns and really get get
a get a complete understanding of what this game is
all about. It's not black or white, you know, it's
(36:02):
about a a lot of young women like pouring their
heart out into the sport. And you know, I saw
this Stephanie White thing, and I'm trying. I'm saying to myself,
why would I coach not support their players? And you
can tell a by the way you know, she she
let those purs out to the media that she's very
passionate about, you know, the ways that she cares for
(36:24):
her players, and I believe it. But it's like she said,
it's it's kind of sad, like the Lieutenant governor of
Indiana is like calling for her to be fired for
not supporting a player. And just like she said, we're
not talking about basketball, We're talking about other things that
takes away from the basketball game. And that's unfortunate. But
I think that moving forward, it's good. At the end
(36:45):
of the day, it's going to be very healthy for
the game moving forward.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
You know, I asked myself ten questions plex and if
you want to chime in on it. You're certainly welcome
to our answer, and then I'll stop and let you
have it. But I, as I looked at this scenario,
instead of getting caught up into so many narratives that
could end up falling off off of the tracks, or
(37:09):
could you know, take you off into the deep end.
It's always like some people try to go so doom
and gloom that you lose you lose the theme. Right,
So I just like starting writing now questions and answering
them to give myself clearity on such what would be
seemingly a complex way of approaching a professional category, and
(37:35):
the category being women's you know, pro basketball. So I
here's the first question I asked myself, Right, I've wrote
it down. Is the WNBA actually in trouble or is
this simply what arrival looks like for a league? No
one used to really argue about We talked so glowingly
(37:58):
about the Sheryls swoops in, the Teresa Witherspoons and all
of the Lisa Leslie's, but it was like, this is
where they're at. They're in this space, keep them in
that space. And it was just kind of like it
wasn't mainstream. It just just didn't. It was not as
(38:19):
like in your face as it is right now. So
I answer my question. I answered my question, and I
came to the conclusion this isn't as bad as it sounds.
What it is is we live in an opportunistic society.
And when you live in an opportunistic society, what do
people in the society do? They try to take advantage
(38:39):
of the opportunity. So it says to me that the
WNBA is not only not in a bad spot, but
they're actually trending in the right direction because you're getting hate.
And I'll be the first one to tell you when
you have success, the first thing that you breed is
haters and they come outside for some reason. Supporters will
(39:02):
come out and they will support, but their voices don't
seem to come across as loudly as a haters does.
So when you have a hater hating, you should be
happy that they're out here hating on you, because that
means you're doing something that is not only worth paying
(39:23):
attention to, but I created a feeling and an emotion
connected to it, and I'm using it to propel and
push myself into a situation of attention. What say you
to that first question.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
I have to agree with you, I really do. But
I really honestly believe that the game is going to
be in a better place because, like we are talking
about it, so there has to there will be a solution,
like they people will be able to come together after
you know, all this is going on privilege, and some
(40:02):
of the former black women who played in this league
earlier feel like they're not getting their flowers. That's not
what it's all about. It's about a game and beautiful
young women playing basketball. Now, I sit down and I
actually tune into w NBA All Star Games and watch
(40:25):
the whole game. I wasn't doing that five years ago.
So that so that to me says where this league
is headed, and I believe it's headed in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
All Right, What is the league's eligibility policy? All right?
Because when we talk about the haters, every hater ain't
going to be a dumb hater. You do have some
intelligent haters out there, that's Yes' when it gets a
little complicated sometimes when you get that intelligent hater and
you got those basketball players. The dudes out here acting
like morons, but nonetheless are proving an interesting point point,
(41:01):
I'm going to identify with a woman for the purposes
of being able to compete in the w NBA and
believe that I can dominate it. I think it's an
as andine thing, but nonetheless it has. It has garnered
and gained attention, and it led me to the question.
My second question was if there is a blank in
(41:24):
the eligibility clause, which in the CBA says that only
players who are women are eligible, but never defines what
woman is. Why wouldn't why this is one of my
biggest This is a big complaint for me if I
had one. Why would you not that day that this
(41:46):
became a conversation with male basketball players who are trying
to make a mockery of you in your league to
come out and say it, not only do I want
to be able to play because I identify with being
a woman to play in the WNBA, but if not
afforded the opportunity to play, I am suing for discrimination.
Why would the next day would you not release the
(42:11):
fact that we have made it very clear and made
the proper language in the CBA to say when we
say gender specific to a woman, that's what we mean.
You have got to be a woman in order to
participate in the w NBA.
Speaker 4 (42:32):
But that's what it says.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
I feel like it's left wide open because the messing
with it. It's being manipulated. It's a manipulation because a
person that identifies as being a woman, that is a
trans woman, can sit there and they can argue the
fact that they are a woman. I am a woman.
(42:59):
Do not call me a man.
Speaker 4 (43:03):
Okay, so so so so these are this, this is
the policy for the w NBA. It says that the
w NBA does not have a policy regarding the eligibility
of trans athletes.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Correct number one.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
So it says also in the root book, it says
article thirteen, Section one, the CBA states that only players
who are women are eligible to play in the w NBA.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Yeah, I got it, say, I gotta say it and
I gotta do it. It needs it needs to be
changed to born a born female. I am born a girl.
Because what we're doing now with the opportunist opportunists and
(43:52):
the people who are creating these conversations and so much
so that it's ended up on big time major news
outlets like Fox or CNN and stuff like that. You
have to actually put in language in my estimation to
shut this down, that you indeed have to be born
(44:15):
a woman with the physiological setup and composition of a
woman to be eligible to play not only in in
in the pros. I would even extend it to college,
high school, in any program ever, unless it is a
unless it is a multi you know, the both the
(44:38):
non gender specific. You know there's co ed sports out there,
Go participate in a co ed sport. Do not bring
that mess over here trying to create that type of narrative,
because you are placing people in a very very very
compromising situation, and I believe that within being in that
(44:59):
sit situation, they should have came out and made it
very clear that you have to be born a woman,
to be born a girl, born a female to be
eligible to play in the WNBA. Which it sounds crazy
to even have to state it that way, but that's
my feeling it well.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
I do feel that the that the w NBA player
policy of moving forward, they're they're going to be in trouble.
I really do think because this new CBA dial was
just signed in March, and there's no mention of transgend
athletes eligibility in this CBA, and that's the loophole that
(45:35):
they that they found moving forward. So I don't know
what they're going to do about it, because it's a
new CBA with that was just signed what four or
five months ago, and it's probably valid for another ten years,
you would assume. So it's gonna be a lot of
problems I believe for the NBA WNBA moving forward with
(45:55):
this whole transgender policy.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
All right. Then I wrote the question officiating will the
w NBA worked to try to find a balance of
how they're officiating, especially with all of the latest issues
that have been presenting themselves surrounding Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 4 (46:19):
You know what, this whole officiating thing was never a
problem in a WNBA until katelon Club got there. Can
you agree with that? Yes?
Speaker 3 (46:29):
I can.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
We were not even having these conversations about referees and
officiating WNBA games until she came in the league. And
it has become a problem because now with now with
white privilege and we are not getting the cause that
we're supposed to. So and so should be suspended for
(46:52):
the whole season because of the defiles Cunningham whatever her
name is, Sophie, But yeah, so they have to figure
out a lane that that there has to be some
fairness within this whole league, because right now Alyssa Thompson
Thomas with punching the girl in the throat, that's out
of pocket. I don't care who you are, what color
(47:15):
you are, you should be you should have been suspended anyway.
But I do feel that the officiating has got a
little out of hand. It's it's a more physical brand
of basketball that I've ever seen in the in the
w n B A and it goes all all the
way back to Clayton Clark. I really believe that because
(47:36):
we have not seen this kind of officiating before.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
I I this is what I truly dislike in the
truth of what you're saying, because what you're saying there's truth.
What I genuinely dislike is the fact that Caitlyn Clark
is one, in one instance, being villainized. In another instance,
she's being can a hero. I dislike both narratives from
(48:04):
where the origin of why you're making her a hero
or why you're making her villain where it comes from.
I absolutely dislike it. She goes out there and I
don't care if you're purple, the way she plays. The
way she plays the game is how you're supposed to
play the game. I don't care if you're a man
(48:26):
or a woman, what color you are. Caitlin Clark goes
out there and she plays basketball. If somebody, if somebody
did something to you on the football field plex and
they're talking trash to you, and this, that and the other,
what are you gonna do? Are you gonna back down?
Are you gonna be like, oh god, playing somebody, this
that and the other. And she doesn't, She does not
(48:48):
back down, and she stands her ground and she fights back.
And it's almost like.
Speaker 4 (48:55):
For one one.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
Side of it, it's like that you wanna if you
want to label that white privilege, and you go right ahead,
label at white privilege. I label that as that's a competitor.
That's how I see it. They're competing. You've tried to
frame this as she's exercising white privilege. Then there's the
other side of it where it's like it is white privilege.
You go, girl, you get them black girls hands and
(49:19):
poffy you is you stop them from hacking you like that?
Speaker 4 (49:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (49:24):
Why are we not talking about the brilliance of we
can recite, we can laugh at We can recognize Sophie
pointing the memes we can see take all of the
memes that are out here, and you recognize the memes,
the memes. But you don't know how good and how
talented Caitlin Clark really is as a player. You don't
(49:46):
know how talented Aja is as a player. You don't
know how talented these girls out here. Who's a young
lady with the goggles in the afro right now at you?
She is setting the game on fire right now, But
you don't know because you're too bit We should be
(50:07):
talking about the female version. You want to talk about
going that direction? Men? And when we should be calling
her the female Clark Kent of the w NBA because
she doesn't look like she should be superwoman, but she is.
She is with the thick framed glasses that make her
look like she's the you know, super ridiculously intelligent person. Anyway,
(50:33):
those were my questions that I had to get to
and and and plex. I just I just felt like,
for what it's worth, for all the pros and all
the cons, I think people need to take a step back.
They need to take a deep breath, a sip of
water and remember the humanity that's connected to everything that's
going on. These are people, They have feelings like us
(50:57):
as athletes. One of the things that we get upset
about so many many times is that we do not
feel like we're treated as people. We're treated as like
a mythical figure. We have feelings, We hurt, we bleed like,
we get tired, we get hungry, we have to go
to the restroom. All of those things that you have
to do in the course of your day that you
(51:17):
try to get through and get through, well, these people
have to do the same exact things. And I just
feel like with the WNBA, too much, as given much
as require, a lot is coming their way. A lot
of attention has come their way. Caitlin Clark has been
a lightning rod and a beacon of people paying more attention.
But there are a ton of talented players in the WNBA.
(51:39):
Take a deep breath and instead of looking for the
controversy and the dramas that are surrounding a lot of
the topics coming from it, take a moment to look
at it as a sports fan and tell me if
you didn't enjoy the competition and what it was that
they did when they were out there on the court.
That's what I would urge people to do. You get
the last word on it.
Speaker 4 (52:00):
You know what, man, it's it's it's a beautiful league.
It's a beautiful game. But it's unfortunate that we're talking about, uh,
you know, subjects and you know, issues that are taken
away from from these from these young women. And I
think that that's the most unfortunate part of it. But
I've seen this game grow and it's going to continue
(52:21):
to get get get get better, and everybody will be
better because of it, because because they're going to have
to find a way to find some fairness and equality
all the way through this league if they want to
continue to see, uh, did the game get bigger?
Speaker 3 (52:39):
That's Flexco Burds. I'm LeVar Arrington. The poll that decides
your entire college football season drops Monday and nobody's played
a down, plus the dumbest injury of the summer, and
it involves a Pro Bowl receiver, Snoop Dogg and a
very clean window. We'll talk about that. To close up
(53:02):
the show. You're listening to the Colin cow Herd. Well,
it's the herd, but Colin isn't here, So We can't
call it the Colin cow Herd Show because well he's
not even in Today. It's The Herd with Plexico Burrs
and LeVar Arrington. Today, that's what is gonna be called.
We're gonna take a quick break and we'll be right
back to wrap this thing up. It's Fox Sports Radio.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
All Right, all right, how's everybody doing out there? It's
LaVar Arrington and Flexico Burs. This is the Herd. Happy Friday.
It's August fourteenth, twenty twenty six. We got a nice
show for you planned and well football is back, not
the real thing yet, but this is an appetizer. And
(00:54):
last night in Las Vegas, the number one overall pitch
in the draft put on a helmet and took a
snap or two in an NFL stadium for the first time.
And we are going to tell you about how we
felt about it, what we saw, all those good things.
The game did not speed up. It looked like for
(01:14):
this kid, looked like he did really well. And there's
been a couple of those guys that have done very well.
But before we jump into that. You know, when the
up on game crew, you know we're missing TJ with
the total up on game crew, but we got well
my guys Stretched, I call him Stretch. You got to
call him mister Burris. Uh. We always do a check in, man,
(01:35):
how you feeling, how you're doing, how's everything going. It's Friday,
You're feeling good? What's the weather like? What's the deal?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Oh? Man, it's great. Man. It's Friday's birthday. Week Man,
going into the.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Week man, happy birthday? You getting old? Dog, you're getting old.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
But if I do remember correctly, I believe you're a
little bit older at me. But you know, we will
not talk about that. But hey, then going into the
weekend talking for ball man, weather's great here and on
the East coast, man, and uh, just no, blessed to
go around the sun for another year.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Man.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Indeed, indeed, all right. So there were a lot of
games on yesterday, and you know, I was going through
all of them and back and forth and switching through.
They were all on though, but I just you know,
I was going through it and I had to stop
when I was watching Mendoza and watching the Las Vegas
Raiders get get their game on it looked promising. And listen,
(02:33):
there's been a lot of conversations surrounding Mendoza, obviously being
the number one pick, but there were criticisms from some.
Some lauded him, said that he's going to be a
generational talent, while others said that he's kind of average,
may not even be the best quarterback in this draft. Well,
it looked like he had command of the huddle last evening.
(02:56):
It looked like he went through his progressions very well. Plexico,
I know you've caught balls from from some guys that
I mean, maybe Eli goz In. I think he'll go
into the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I mean, why absolutely?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
And you caught from caught balls from Ben Roethlisberger. But
you've also caught balls from guys that maybe we'll never
remember or or hear about. You had the opportunity to
do both, and that was an experience that's valuable here
for this conversation, because my question to you is, when
you look at a guy like Mendoza and how he's
playing well, how he played in last evening's game, do
(03:34):
you can you tell by things you see immediately from
him in practice, and then if it translates into the
games that this is a guy or does it take
more does it do you need more time to situate
yourself or figure out or is it just different by player?
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Oh, it's different by player. But you know, over the
last two years that I've been watching Fernando Mendoza last
night and him going out playing that game is pretty
much what I expected. Uh, you know, he was in
commander huddle. Uh, he was very active with the football,
throwing the ball to the sidelines and and making reads
and throwing the ball where it was supposed to go,
just like a six yard touchdown over the middle. He
(04:14):
knew exactly where he was going with that ball before
he threw it. And uh, you know, you can just see,
you know, his maturity. I think that. I think that's
the thing that stood out to me most, and him
just being able to run the offense and and be
efficient with the football. And it's pretty much what I
expected for him. But I hate when people start with
(04:36):
you know, so and so or he's a generational talent.
Let them let him. Let him have the opportunity to
go out and prove himself that he uh worthy of
the number one pick, and for him to you know,
continue to play well. But I'm looking at this whole
situation with Clint Kobiak and John Spotek, who is the
(04:56):
general manager for the Raiders. Uh, there's gonna be a
point in time in this in this season where Fernando
Mendoza is gonna be the starter because I can't see,
you know, Clint Kobak going into his first year as
a head coach and having Kirk Cousins as their starting
quarterback and they're not winning football games. The Raided Nation
is not going to be happy, very happy about that
(05:17):
if they're not winning. So I expect for Kirk Cousins
to be on the short least. I don't see him
going into games where you know, he's going to have
these two or three interception type games and Fernando Mendoza
is on the sideline. But you know, for him last night,
it was very positive. Uh. You know, even though it's
(05:38):
the preseason. He looked like the mature Heisman Trophy winning
quarterback that we expected to see.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Okay, plex, so you brought up Kirk Cousins and listen,
I know that that's your spartan brother and so maybe
that pained you to have to say short lead and
he might get benched for another ten guy. Talk to
me about Kirk. If this is indeed Kirk cousins job
to lose right now? Plex I say, if I'm Kirk Cousins,
(06:07):
I'm fighting with Max Crosby in practice. You know why,
because I got fight left. I'm going into these games
and I'm not just giving my job away. I was
brought here for a reason. I'm thirty seven years old,
so I'm getting up there, but I'm not so old
(06:28):
that I can't still deal out here on the football field.
How are you approaching this if you're Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I mean to be honest when you say that he
was bought there for a reason. I mean everybody was
just thinking he was going to be a mentor towards
Fernando Mendoza. I mean, I was very shocked whim when
Clint Kubiak named him the starter. Without those guys really
going into training camp and giving them an opportunity to
compete for the job rare. It's very rare that it
(06:58):
does happen. But you can see that. You know, both
of these guys can start for this organization right now.
But if you're Kirk Cousins, you just have to go
out and play well and hopefully be able to win
some football games in a very difficult division in the
AFC West. Everybody's predicting them to finish last in the division.
(07:21):
But if Kirk Cousins can go out and you know,
win some games that he's not supposed to and you know,
not turn the football over, which he has had issues
with in the past, I think he can, you know,
get through the season. But if they're not winning football
games and he's turned the football over, and you know,
the fans are down the coach's neck because they want
(07:43):
to see Fernando Mandoz, I believe that's the only reason
he's going to continue to be the starter. If he
does go out, play well and win football games.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You got to assume that the way Mendoza looked in
in the game last evening and listen, it was against
back up, it wasn't you're not getting schemed against. And
I think we both know. When the schemes come, that's
when you find out how young you are and how
(08:11):
new to this level of the game that you are.
When they start disguising coverages, when they start rolling down
different different players or they you know, and then you
realize that there's one player that can actually cover from
sideline to sideline and you didn't you know, expect or
intend for that. There's a lot of things that Mendoza
has to see and now I just wonder. It brings
(08:32):
me to the conversation of obviously, you know, we've heard
reports of what Tom Brady has has, you know, put
out there and sitting him and let him learn for
the entirety of the season. How much value do you
place on a rookie getting the opportunity to learn from
(08:54):
a veteran to sit and watch. Tom Brady had to
do it with with Drew Bletsoe. It ended up turning
into him having to play due to injury that took
place with with Bletsoe, and that's what started the career
of Tom Brady in New England. But it sounds as
though Tom Brady wants to take a very very measured
(09:14):
approach and how he gets you know, his franchise quarterback
up to speed to being a pro. And I don't
disagree with the idea of development. If there's one thing
that I've always believed in is learning a process, trusting
that process, executing that process. And if you know what
you know about the process, then you have a better
(09:37):
opportunity of having higher levels of success when you're called
upon to do what it is that your job calls
for you to do. Is there sign And you played
in Pittsburgh and you got a chance to play very early,
But is there something to be said? Because that is
one of those franchises that historically has taken their players
(09:57):
and they have absolutely gone through development, even to the
tune of letting a guy go and going and developing
somewhere else. Come back, We're going to continue to develop you.
If something happens. I know, for James Harrison, Clark Hagen's
goes down, he gets an opportunity. The rest is history.
But what's your take on the idea of what Tom
(10:19):
Brady thinks in terms of for this quarterback having a
fair opportunity, even being the number one overall pick, having
a fair opportunity to get the time to learn what
it is to be a pro and to be a
successful one.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Well, I'm not opposed to either decision, because you know,
when I came in in two thousand with the eighth pick,
they just basically gave me the playbook and say, hey,
you are starting wide receiver and go out and make
some plays and go out and be that, you know,
the number eighth pick that we drafted you for. And
with that, you know, I was, I was learning on
the fly, and you know, I kind of think that
(10:53):
that process also helped me groom me to become a
better player faster then me sitting on the side posted
me sitting on the sideline, watching and learning. And you know,
I had great, great mentors in front of me and
Courtney Hawkins and also Terrence mathis willing to teach me
the position along the way.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
But I can.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Understand where Tom Brady's coming from because he was a quarterback,
just like you said, Drew Blessed was already and established,
you know, Pro Bowl, All Pro quarterback, you know, during
that time, and he actually went down in that AFC
Championship game against US. Uh. Tom Brady did, and Drew
in columbs drew breathing. Obviously we lose that football game.
(11:35):
But you know, I can see where he's coming from
because he wants to give the young man the opportunity
to win. But also within that locker room, the players
know who the better quarterback of the two is because
they get the opportunity to see these guys day in
and day out, and I think that's going to be
the tell all, you know, for this football team and
(11:55):
for this decision and Tom Brady who's going to be
the starting quarterback going down the line because the locker
room is going to be honest with the coaches, uh,
you know, and how they feel and who they feel
is the best leader for them, you know, during the season.
So so so we'll see what happens with this Tom
(12:16):
Brady and him really wanting to see this young man,
you know, learn from the sideline, which is a great tool.
I've been a part of many great stories, like you said,
James Harrison and guys going down and being able to
go out and show themselves and you look up and there,
uh put their their Hall of Fame type players. So
(12:37):
I agree with them both, but I also understand what
he's coming to him where he doesn't want his quarterback
going into a season where they're not very good football
team and uh, you know, they they rattle his confidence.
So I just think that Kirk Cousins moving forward, He's
already come out and said, you know several times that
(12:57):
you know, it is his not his job to mental
court backs, and I kind of felt that, you know,
it was it wasn't the right.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
If they tell you your job, that's your job, player,
I hear you. I know he's come out and say this,
but I hear you, though, right, right, but better mentor him.
If that's what they're telling you, that's your job. Absolutely,
they're gonna get somebody who agrees.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
But this is a totally They're definitely gonna.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Gonna get somebody up in there and that agrees with them,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
So I understand it. I get it, and uh, but
I think at one point in the season early I
think halfway through the season, fenanden Medos will be the start.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
One guy that we know for certain isn't into mentorship
of young athletes or young players or young quarterbacks. I mean,
maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but I think we
know for certain that you know he's about him. Uh,
maybe that's a poor maybe that's a poor framing of him.
But we're gonna talk about it. And have you ever
seen a movie Groundhog Day? Well, you know what, We're
(13:56):
about to run this entire conversation back in the next set.
We'll get to mister Jerry Jones and how he is
super pumped up about something that's going on with the
Dallas Cowboys. A lot of excitement being generated. But yeah,
there's a quarterback in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
His name is Aaron Rodgers. Uh. He's said as much.
He's in his final season. But there were two quarterbacks
dealing last night, and they were rookies as well. It
leads to the conversation of we're seeing some rookie uh
quarterbacks play some some really really good football. We just
talked about Mendoza, We're gonna talk about Drew Aller, We're
(14:34):
gonna talk about uh Will Howard, We're gonna talk about
Carson Beck On the other side of this break, did
we get it wrong? Should this draft class of quarterbacks
been a little bit more respected? You're listening to The Herd.
That's Plexicobers. I'm LeVar Arrington and we'll be right back.
This is Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd wed
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Speaker 5 (15:08):
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Speaker 3 (15:20):
My wife wanted to kick me out of the house.
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(15:58):
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Speaker 3 (16:15):
All right, welcome into hour two of the show. As
you heard from the intro, Colin and Crew are out,
LaVar and Plex are in. We're going to carry you
for two more hours. Hope you guys are enjoying the
show thus far. Up and we're gonna jump right into it.
(16:36):
And this hour two plex A number is just a
number until it isn't. Jaydon Daniels he won the heisman
at LSU and twenty twenty three wearing the number five.
Nobody's worn it since, and this month LSU gave that
number to nineteen year old sophomore corner named Djic. Jaydeen,
(17:01):
Daniel's attorney sent LSU a letter telling the school it
can no longer use his name, his image, or his likeness.
His people say the family feels quote profoundly disrespected. Now
here's the fact that decides this whole argument, So write
(17:24):
it down. That number was never retired, not officially. Joe
Burrows nine isn't retired either. LSU has exactly one retired
football number, and that's Billy Cannon's number twenty from nineteen
(17:45):
fifty nine. Plexico and DJ Pickett. He was promised that
number in recruiting. You know how that goes in writing
or not. He was promised and by Lane Kiffen, who
honored it. Brian Kelly promised it first and never delivered it,
which means he would line uh. And then Brian Kelly
(18:08):
got fired and walked out the door. So you got
to believe that this is a very cut and dry
situation where Lane Kiffin came in. Pickett said that I
was promised the number. I ain't get the number of
Kiffin like, I'm gonna give you the number, retire the
number or don't. LSU wanted the motion of a retired
jersey without the paperwork of one, and now a teenager
(18:30):
is standing in the middle of a fight that was
never his. This is not about DJ Pickett. This is
about LSU doing what they need to do in the situation.
How do you see this plexico burst?
Speaker 4 (18:45):
You know what kind of feeled that you know, a
Heisman Trophy winner that number is a legacy and I
get it. I understand. DJ Pickett is not the guy
that everybody should be panting to figure out this finger
just like he came out and said that, you know,
he was promised this number. And when Brian Kelly was
the coach at LSU, he did not let anybody word
(19:08):
number five out of respect for Jayden Dames himself. But
you know, I think that you know he does it.
It's it's a legacy for him for to be the
Heisman Trophy winner. I just automatically assume if he was
a Heisman Trophy winner, that your number would not be
warned any any any more by any other player to
(19:28):
come through the program. So I was wrong. But if
you do look at it, Joe Burrow's number is not retired.
Is anybody on the l s U team wearing number nine? No,
I don't believe.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
So no one has worn it, right, It's not been retired,
but it's not It is never.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Issued, right, So why they're not extending the same grace
to George, to jayde Dames that they are extending to
Jeorge Burrow. I think that's the question that he wants
to know. And and uh, I don't. I don't even
know if they can stop LSU from using his name
and likeness. Nil, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
What it's going to be a conversation. But you're right,
there are certain elements that they just cannot stop. It's
owned its owned content by the university, like the rights
are with the university or who with the media rights
partner is whether it's lear Field or if it's Playfly,
it's there are elements that are owned by the school
that they're not going to be able to stop.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Right, But NOA Lane Kiffin, he's gonna do whatever he
has to do to get the best recruits at LSU
because you know, obviously he wants to win the national championship,
even if it does, you know, disrespect Jayden Dames. Moving forward,
He's going to recruit and give out any number I
believe to any player if they are promised to.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Yeah, it's a unique conversation for me. I spoke on
it on Two Pros and a Cup of Joe yesterday.
I'll just say this plex like, obviously the number thing
is is something that's pretty interesting to me. I built
a brand off of the number that I were in college.
If people are aware of and if you're listening, you
may or may not even known this, and you might
hear something new for the first time, But the number
(21:09):
eleven at Penn State is a number that is It's
an iconic number. It is the most recognizable number. It
has been synonymously connected to the best linebacker on the team,
and then it's slowly evolved into linebacker edge and plenty
(21:33):
of really really phenomenal football players have worn the number
eleven and built the cachet, built the legend, built the
pageantry and tradition that's connected to those two ones. So
for me, it's interesting take for me because I understood
(21:53):
the value of my number just from the standpoint of
what I felt I could do if I'm Jaydon Daniels
in this scenario, I don't think it's ever too late
plex to take a business approach to what you're doing.
Don't burn the bridge of the community that you built
two years building with like you're a transfer. But I'll
(22:15):
give you the I'll give you the grace that you
transferred because coaches left and COVID so you took your
talents elsewhere. I'm not gonna call you a mercenary where
they don't have any love for you. Plus, Joe Burrow
was a transfer as well, he left Ohio State if
people don't recall that. But here's what I'll say where
(22:37):
you have to really take a good long heart look
at what this situation and scenario represents, figure out how
to head a conversation with LSU behind closed doors. You
want to be made whole and respected as a Heisman
Trophy winner, which is very very rarefied air to accomplish
on the level where you win the Heisman. You've done it,
(23:01):
you were a top draft pick. You have done well
so far in your career in the league. Don't burn
the bridge to the place that you did so many
great things at. Just have the conversation. I hope you
hear this and take it upon yourself to challenge yourself
and your team. Instead of sending a cease and desists,
(23:23):
have a meeting set up. Have a meeting set up.
Here are the things that you would like to happen.
I had the opportunity to have conversations with Sandy Barber
and with coach Franklin, and obviously, honestly it goes all
the way back to even Joe Paterno was still the
coach of the team. So here's the original story of
(23:43):
how eleven started to get going. In the birth of
Stick City, Navarro Bowman was in college. Navarro wore number eighteen,
all right, I know, for the first time, for his
first time there, he wore eighteen. And some situations took place.
Situations happened. You know, there's no reason to rehash those,
(24:05):
but let's just say he needed a reset. He was
going through some personal things. He needed a reset because
it was either get a reset or he was going
to be off the team. And so there were several
conversations that I had with coaching staff, including coach Paterno,
where I advocated and made sure that he was being
protected in his time as a Penn State Niitney Lion.
(24:29):
So fast forward, we spent the summer together. We talked,
We had a great time. He spent time with the
family with Trish. You know, we sat outside in front
of the fire and talked about life and just centering yourself.
When we got to the end of that summer stretch,
I told him, let's reboot your brand and let's clean
(24:49):
it up and let's put a positive spend going into
this season with who you are, so they're not focusing
in on what the reports have said about you off
the field, but rather looking at it from the standpoint
of you are focused and dowed in on being the
best person you can be as well as the best
football player you can be. And I told him I
wanted him to wear number eleven. I want you so
(25:14):
much to be related to the person. I know that
when people see you, they're having the conversation like, oh,
he's wearing eleven. Oh He's like oh, and then it
gives them the opportunity to say, I remember who number
eleven was I wore it. Originally he was so good
that it wasn't about, oh, this dude is faking he's
wearing number eleven. He's not as good as LeVar Arrington.
(25:36):
They're looking at it like Navarro Bowman is a beast.
And it took his brand and blew it up there.
And it's funny because I was called Sticks. I saw
him on campus with the guys one time and I
heard one of his teammates holler out Sticks. I turned plex,
(25:59):
I turn around, like you don't know me, right, like
you don't know me? And and Bo was like, hey,
what up right? And Stick City was born. It became
a place because it wasn't just what I realized in
that moment was building, like giving him a new start,
building a legacy was important. The number. If somebody had
(26:20):
worn the number at that point, wearing the number would
have been cool, but the idea what it represented represented
so much more. And that conversation became the narrative and
the conversation that I had with Sandy Barber then idea
of the school with Coach Franklin, the head coach of
the school, and Coach Franklin and the rest of the
coaching staff took an ownership over the number and guarded
(26:45):
and protected it, and we had conversations. In fact, the
people that were ending up wearing the number, I was
talking to them because you knew you and I know
we were working with kids that were still in middle
schoo and high school back then. Right, So we're doing
these eight grade games, we're doing camps. You know, people
(27:07):
don't know this about us, but we're going all over
the country, all over the world to teach the game
of football to young people. Well, we were with you
might not even remember this. Micah Parsons was at the
under Armor game for one of our games and was
there as a future fifty and we had a great
(27:27):
conversation and it ultimately led to like, look man like
be bells about the rollout. I need a real dog
that's going to go to school and wear that eleven.
And he accepted the challenge. I talked to Abdul Carter
on social media. He was like, I'm gonna be the
(27:48):
next eleven. I looked at his film. I looked at
it twice. I looked at it again plex and I
was like, come on in, come on in. That has
become the trend The latest person wearing eleven is named
LeVar Arrington. And let me tell you something, I ain't
(28:09):
putting it like. You can't wear that number. I don't
give a damn what your name is. You're not wearing
that number if you can't ball, because you're not going
to mess up what we've created with the number. So
if I'm giving any advice, plex to to to Jay
(28:30):
Daniels and his family, take it upon yourself to build
what you want five to represent as a brand. Define it,
do what you need to do with it. Guys still
wear eleven on the offensive side of the ball at
Penn State. I don't even care people be like, oh,
Matt mcgloughan wore eleven, mentioned Matt mcglowan. Matt mcglowan wasn't
on the defense side of the ball. You don't. It
(28:52):
doesn't matter. You don't, You're you wearing the number, does
not matter. It's not stick City on the on the
offensive side of the ball. It's stick City on the
defense side of the ball, with that goon and goblin
that's putting that number on and going out there and
terrorizing people. That's what it represents. Because we have the
ability and we have the right to define what the
(29:15):
number represents when it was your number. I'm not gonna
be petty and be like, you're gonna wear this in
the lafe like like they can tell me who's gonna
wear my number. We're gonna have the conversation because I've
already defined it enough where if you make a decision
outside of what we've created, you're gonna have to deal
with that drama. Not me, you are, and I don't
(29:36):
have to say a word. So anyway, I would suggest,
and you tell me like you get the last word
on it, I would suggest, in this Jade and Daniels situation,
don't get mad and don't burn the bridge with the school.
You had great success there, You'll always be a Heisman
Trophy winner, and when all else fails, if you don't
have a Hall of Fame career, I'll be the first
one to tell you I don't even identify with my
(29:58):
pro career. I don't even identify fired with it. I
am a Penn State Nitney line through and through, and
that's what I bleed, the blue and white. That's my
deal pleasure.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Yes, yes you do, but I think it's quite clear
what what Jayden Daniels number five brand and this legacy represents.
I mean, he transferred from Arizona State and he was
absolutely fantastic when he when he was a quarterback for
l s U, when when winning the Heisman Trophy is
(30:28):
the biggest honor that you can receive in college football.
But you know, incoming different coaching staff and the miscommunication
behind what's what and the number five and number nine
and uh recruiting. So I do agree with you that
there's a better approach for Jaydon Daniels moving forward. But
(30:51):
you know, we'll see what happens. But I don't see
anything changing, you know, right now, especially with new head
coaching staff income Blaine's Kiffin, and you know, things are
just different being that Brian Kelly is no longer in.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Charge and Lane Kiffin does not have to respect the
idea is not I'm gonna use that. I'm not gonna
use this number because of Jane Dawn. It's not. He
doesn't have that type of connection and tie to LSU
and he does not have that connection and tie to
Jane Daniels. So unless you establish what the value of
that brand is going to be and what it represents,
(31:28):
you can't you can't possibly think that it's going to
be treated anything different than a number. All right, Coming
up next on The Herd, a first round cornerback is
facing eight felony count stretch and the defending Super Bowl champions. Well,
they just signed him anyway, that's not a rumor. That's
a business decision, and we're gonna walk you through it carefully.
(31:51):
On the other side of the break, you're listening to
The Herd with LeVar Arrington and my man Plexico Burst.
This is Fox Sports Radio. Will be right back.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search her
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
All right, welcome back into the show. This is The Herd,
splex Cooe Burrs, I'm LeVar Arrington. Yeah, we're gonna transition.
We're gonna stay basketball, but we're gonna go WNBA and Well,
on Tuesday night in Indianapolis, Stephanie White, Coach of the
Year in twenty twenty three, stood out a podium for
(32:36):
two and a half minutes, pound it the table and well,
she had this to.
Speaker 6 (32:43):
Say, I take personally any suggestions that I don't one
hundred percent. Always have my players. Bet I ride with
them ten toes down all the time, all the time.
They know that it's a shame that we can't have
an opportunity to talk about what great basketball there because
they are playing. The reality is with me, I will
(33:06):
always lead with love, I will always lead with grace,
I will always lead with humility, and I will always
lead with integrity.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Doesn't mean I'll always get it right. I'm also human.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
The hate, the fear mongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that's
trying to hijack our league.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Will not win. It will win.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
We are united, we are connected, we will not be divided.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
She left up out it at presser Plexico without having
answered not one question. She was turned up. She was
she was feeling a certain type of way at first
blush at first glance of it. Again to the to
the audience, you have a daughter that is one of
(33:59):
the top high school prospects in the country and she's
I mean, she's an amazing basketball player, and this is
the environment that she's on a collision course to be in.
When you look at the current state of the WNBA
(34:19):
and everything that's going on. Let's just start the conversation
off for you as a father. Let's not go with
sports analysts right now. Put your daddy cap on. Are
you concerned? Are you? Are you are? Are you excited
that she's good enough where she's going to have the
opportunity to potentially make it to the WNBA? Like, what
(34:41):
are the thoughts that come in your mind when you
look at all of these reports that are are coming
out surrounding some of what seemingly is like almost like
a culture war that's taking place at the WNBA level.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
You know, obviously I've seen the game basically transcend within
the last you know, five years, and all of us
been basically circle behind Caitlin Clark and for myself to
you know, sit sit in you know, in the stands
weekend and week out. I love what a game of
(35:19):
basketball for these young ladies aheaded I mean, I really do.
It's competitive that that that they're passionate about, you know,
their play. Uh, they're very prideful and you know, they
go out and they play just as hard as the
men do. And I love where it's at. I love
(35:39):
to be a part of it. I honestly think it's
only going to continue to get better and years to come,
but there have to be somebody really has to like
take this thing by the horns and really get get
a get a complete understanding of what this game is
all about. It's not black or white, you know, it's
(36:02):
about a a lot of young women like pouring their
heart out into the sport. And you know, I saw
this Stephanie White thing, and I'm trying. I'm saying to myself,
why would I coach not support their players? And you
can tell a by the way you know, she she
let those purs out to the media that she's very
passionate about, you know, the ways that she cares for
(36:24):
her players, and I believe it. But it's like she said,
it's it's kind of sad, like the Lieutenant governor of
Indiana is like calling for her to be fired for
not supporting a player. And just like she said, we're
not talking about basketball, We're talking about other things that
takes away from the basketball game. And that's unfortunate. But
I think that moving forward, it's good. At the end
(36:45):
of the day, it's going to be very healthy for
the game moving forward.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
You know, I asked myself ten questions plex and if
you want to chime in on it. You're certainly welcome
to our answer, and then I'll stop and let you
have it. But I, as I looked at this scenario,
instead of getting caught up into so many narratives that
could end up falling off off of the tracks, or
(37:09):
could you know, take you off into the deep end.
It's always like some people try to go so doom
and gloom that you lose you lose the theme. Right,
So I just like starting writing now questions and answering
them to give myself clearity on such what would be
seemingly a complex way of approaching a professional category, and
(37:35):
the category being women's you know, pro basketball. So I
here's the first question I asked myself, Right, I've wrote
it down. Is the WNBA actually in trouble or is
this simply what arrival looks like for a league? No
one used to really argue about We talked so glowingly
(37:58):
about the Sheryls swoops in, the Teresa Witherspoons and all
of the Lisa Leslie's, but it was like, this is
where they're at. They're in this space, keep them in
that space. And it was just kind of like it
wasn't mainstream. It just just didn't. It was not as
(38:19):
like in your face as it is right now. So
I answer my question. I answered my question, and I
came to the conclusion this isn't as bad as it sounds.
What it is is we live in an opportunistic society.
And when you live in an opportunistic society, what do
people in the society do? They try to take advantage
(38:39):
of the opportunity. So it says to me that the
WNBA is not only not in a bad spot, but
they're actually trending in the right direction because you're getting hate.
And I'll be the first one to tell you when
you have success, the first thing that you breed is
haters and they come outside for some reason. Supporters will
(39:02):
come out and they will support, but their voices don't
seem to come across as loudly as a haters does.
So when you have a hater hating, you should be
happy that they're out here hating on you, because that
means you're doing something that is not only worth paying
(39:23):
attention to, but I created a feeling and an emotion
connected to it, and I'm using it to propel and
push myself into a situation of attention. What say you
to that first question.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
I have to agree with you, I really do. But
I really honestly believe that the game is going to
be in a better place because, like we are talking
about it, so there has to there will be a solution,
like they people will be able to come together after
you know, all this is going on privilege, and some
(40:02):
of the former black women who played in this league
earlier feel like they're not getting their flowers. That's not
what it's all about. It's about a game and beautiful
young women playing basketball. Now, I sit down and I
actually tune into w NBA All Star Games and watch
(40:25):
the whole game. I wasn't doing that five years ago.
So that so that to me says where this league
is headed, and I believe it's headed in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
All Right, What is the league's eligibility policy? All right?
Because when we talk about the haters, every hater ain't
going to be a dumb hater. You do have some
intelligent haters out there, that's Yes' when it gets a
little complicated sometimes when you get that intelligent hater and
you got those basketball players. The dudes out here acting
like morons, but nonetheless are proving an interesting point point,
(41:01):
I'm going to identify with a woman for the purposes
of being able to compete in the w NBA and
believe that I can dominate it. I think it's an
as andine thing, but nonetheless it has. It has garnered
and gained attention, and it led me to the question.
My second question was if there is a blank in
(41:24):
the eligibility clause, which in the CBA says that only
players who are women are eligible, but never defines what
woman is. Why wouldn't why this is one of my
biggest This is a big complaint for me if I
had one. Why would you not that day that this
(41:46):
became a conversation with male basketball players who are trying
to make a mockery of you in your league to
come out and say it, not only do I want
to be able to play because I identify with being
a woman to play in the WNBA, but if not
afforded the opportunity to play, I am suing for discrimination.
Why would the next day would you not release the
(42:11):
fact that we have made it very clear and made
the proper language in the CBA to say when we
say gender specific to a woman, that's what we mean.
You have got to be a woman in order to
participate in the w NBA.
Speaker 4 (42:32):
But that's what it says.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
I feel like it's left wide open because the messing
with it. It's being manipulated. It's a manipulation because a
person that identifies as being a woman, that is a
trans woman, can sit there and they can argue the
fact that they are a woman. I am a woman.
(42:59):
Do not call me a man.
Speaker 4 (43:03):
Okay, so so so so these are this, this is
the policy for the w NBA. It says that the
w NBA does not have a policy regarding the eligibility
of trans athletes.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Correct number one.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
So it says also in the root book, it says
article thirteen, Section one, the CBA states that only players
who are women are eligible to play in the w NBA.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Yeah, I got it, say, I gotta say it and
I gotta do it. It needs it needs to be
changed to born a born female. I am born a girl.
Because what we're doing now with the opportunist opportunists and
(43:52):
the people who are creating these conversations and so much
so that it's ended up on big time major news
outlets like Fox or CNN and stuff like that. You
have to actually put in language in my estimation to
shut this down, that you indeed have to be born
(44:15):
a woman with the physiological setup and composition of a
woman to be eligible to play not only in in
in the pros. I would even extend it to college,
high school, in any program ever, unless it is a
unless it is a multi you know, the both the
(44:38):
non gender specific. You know there's co ed sports out there,
Go participate in a co ed sport. Do not bring
that mess over here trying to create that type of narrative,
because you are placing people in a very very very
compromising situation, and I believe that within being in that
(44:59):
sit situation, they should have came out and made it
very clear that you have to be born a woman,
to be born a girl, born a female to be
eligible to play in the WNBA. Which it sounds crazy
to even have to state it that way, but that's
my feeling it well.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
I do feel that the that the w NBA player
policy of moving forward, they're they're going to be in trouble.
I really do think because this new CBA dial was
just signed in March, and there's no mention of transgend
athletes eligibility in this CBA, and that's the loophole that
(45:35):
they that they found moving forward. So I don't know
what they're going to do about it, because it's a
new CBA with that was just signed what four or
five months ago, and it's probably valid for another ten years,
you would assume. So it's gonna be a lot of
problems I believe for the NBA WNBA moving forward with
(45:55):
this whole transgender policy.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
All right. Then I wrote the question officiating will the
w NBA worked to try to find a balance of
how they're officiating, especially with all of the latest issues
that have been presenting themselves surrounding Caitlin Clark.
Speaker 4 (46:19):
You know what, this whole officiating thing was never a
problem in a WNBA until katelon Club got there. Can
you agree with that? Yes?
Speaker 3 (46:29):
I can.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
We were not even having these conversations about referees and
officiating WNBA games until she came in the league. And
it has become a problem because now with now with
white privilege and we are not getting the cause that
we're supposed to. So and so should be suspended for
(46:52):
the whole season because of the defiles Cunningham whatever her
name is, Sophie, But yeah, so they have to figure
out a lane that that there has to be some
fairness within this whole league, because right now Alyssa Thompson
Thomas with punching the girl in the throat, that's out
of pocket. I don't care who you are, what color
(47:15):
you are, you should be you should have been suspended anyway.
But I do feel that the officiating has got a
little out of hand. It's it's a more physical brand
of basketball that I've ever seen in the in the
w n B A and it goes all all the
way back to Clayton Clark. I really believe that because
(47:36):
we have not seen this kind of officiating before.
Speaker 3 (47:40):
I I this is what I truly dislike in the
truth of what you're saying, because what you're saying there's truth.
What I genuinely dislike is the fact that Caitlyn Clark
is one, in one instance, being villainized. In another instance,
she's being can a hero. I dislike both narratives from
(48:04):
where the origin of why you're making her a hero
or why you're making her villain where it comes from.
I absolutely dislike it. She goes out there and I
don't care if you're purple, the way she plays. The
way she plays the game is how you're supposed to
play the game. I don't care if you're a man
(48:26):
or a woman, what color you are. Caitlin Clark goes
out there and she plays basketball. If somebody, if somebody
did something to you on the football field plex and
they're talking trash to you, and this, that and the other,
what are you gonna do? Are you gonna back down?
Are you gonna be like, oh god, playing somebody, this
that and the other. And she doesn't, She does not
(48:48):
back down, and she stands her ground and she fights back.
And it's almost like.
Speaker 4 (48:55):
For one one.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
Side of it, it's like that you wanna if you
want to label that white privilege, and you go right ahead,
label at white privilege. I label that as that's a competitor.
That's how I see it. They're competing. You've tried to
frame this as she's exercising white privilege. Then there's the
other side of it where it's like it is white privilege.
You go, girl, you get them black girls hands and
(49:19):
poffy you is you stop them from hacking you like that?
Speaker 4 (49:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (49:24):
Why are we not talking about the brilliance of we
can recite, we can laugh at We can recognize Sophie
pointing the memes we can see take all of the
memes that are out here, and you recognize the memes,
the memes. But you don't know how good and how
talented Caitlin Clark really is as a player. You don't
(49:46):
know how talented Aja is as a player. You don't
know how talented these girls out here. Who's a young
lady with the goggles in the afro right now at you?
She is setting the game on fire right now, But
you don't know because you're too bit We should be
(50:07):
talking about the female version. You want to talk about
going that direction? Men? And when we should be calling
her the female Clark Kent of the w NBA because
she doesn't look like she should be superwoman, but she is.
She is with the thick framed glasses that make her
look like she's the you know, super ridiculously intelligent person. Anyway,
(50:33):
those were my questions that I had to get to
and and and plex. I just I just felt like,
for what it's worth, for all the pros and all
the cons, I think people need to take a step back.
They need to take a deep breath, a sip of
water and remember the humanity that's connected to everything that's
going on. These are people, They have feelings like us
(50:57):
as athletes. One of the things that we get upset
about so many many times is that we do not
feel like we're treated as people. We're treated as like
a mythical figure. We have feelings, We hurt, we bleed like,
we get tired, we get hungry, we have to go
to the restroom. All of those things that you have
to do in the course of your day that you
(51:17):
try to get through and get through, well, these people
have to do the same exact things. And I just
feel like with the WNBA, too much, as given much
as require, a lot is coming their way. A lot
of attention has come their way. Caitlin Clark has been
a lightning rod and a beacon of people paying more attention.
But there are a ton of talented players in the WNBA.
(51:39):
Take a deep breath and instead of looking for the
controversy and the dramas that are surrounding a lot of
the topics coming from it, take a moment to look
at it as a sports fan and tell me if
you didn't enjoy the competition and what it was that
they did when they were out there on the court.
That's what I would urge people to do. You get
the last word on it.
Speaker 4 (52:00):
You know what, man, it's it's it's a beautiful league.
It's a beautiful game. But it's unfortunate that we're talking about, uh,
you know, subjects and you know, issues that are taken
away from from these from these young women. And I
think that that's the most unfortunate part of it. But
I've seen this game grow and it's going to continue
(52:21):
to get get get get better, and everybody will be
better because of it, because because they're going to have
to find a way to find some fairness and equality
all the way through this league if they want to
continue to see, uh, did the game get bigger?
Speaker 3 (52:39):
That's Flexco Burds. I'm LeVar Arrington. The poll that decides
your entire college football season drops Monday and nobody's played
a down, plus the dumbest injury of the summer, and
it involves a Pro Bowl receiver, Snoop Dogg and a
very clean window. We'll talk about that. To close up
(53:02):
the show. You're listening to the Colin cow Herd. Well,
it's the herd, but Colin isn't here, So We can't
call it the Colin cow Herd Show because well he's
not even in Today. It's The Herd with Plexico Burrs
and LeVar Arrington. Today, that's what is gonna be called.
We're gonna take a quick break and we'll be right
back to wrap this thing up. It's Fox Sports Radio.
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
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