March 14, 2025 • 52 mins
Colin points to the major hole in NBA analytics with the Warriors bringing home another win since acquiring Jimmy Butler and the value he's added that doesn't show up on a stat sheet. He gives his AFC playoff predictions following the week of free agency. He talks to 4-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby about his new contract with the Raiders and competing against Patrick Mahomes. Plus, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few joins the show to discuss their prep for another run through the Big Dance
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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
noone 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 1 (00:27):
Here we go on a Friday, and a good one.
It's gonna be Mark fugh Gonzaga coach selection weekend. Here
we go Selection Sunday, Max Crosby the Raiders. Yesterday I
made my NFC predictions. Those are the difficult ones. The
AFC one hour from now generally a little easier because
(00:49):
you have four star high end quarterbacks than the AFC.
We know it's a quarterback centric and generated league, so
that will happen in one hour from now, so j
mac So, I got three different samples. I watched first
quarter of the Warriors with friends, listen to the second
quarter driving, and watched the second half at home by myself,
(01:11):
and they good.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
This thing is getting really really interesting.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Another tomato can that the Warriors beat up another nice victory.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah beat.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Steph Curry was asked about retirement and a great quote
he said, it's not about stats or anything. It will
be Can I still dominate a game? Here's the good news.
He didn't last night and they blew out another team.
And I want you to think about this, think about this.
So they traded got him out of town. Andrew Wiggins
(01:45):
wing player eighteen points a game in his career. They
brought in Jimmy Butler, wing player career, eighteen points a
game that shouldn't radically change the team, right, eighteen points, leaves,
eighteen points arrives. No, Nope, our hunch, My hunch was right.
Totally different players. Wiggins's soft, empty calories floats around, forgettable,
(02:08):
and Jimmy Butler is intentional, intense, physical, impactful, there's a gravity.
Analytics does not measure all this stuff. Wing players eighteen
a game. No, totally different players. Butler generates double teams,
He's creative, he gets guys shots. He is an attacking player.
(02:29):
Every possession he creates advantages. Wiggins benefited from advantages created
by other players, and that is the big difference. Jonathan
Kaminga returned last night. Oh another twenty points a game.
Last night you had eight guys in double figures. Butler
(02:49):
wasn't even one of them. Steph didn't even play well.
But it shows the hole in a lot of analytics
and a lot of stats. Eighteen of game leaves, eighteen
in game award, totally different team, eight.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Guys in double figures.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
They got a guy from like the Netherlands, a big
who has a nice shooting touch, and Warriors are now
thirteen and one with Jimmy Butler. And again he did
not play last night particularly well. But this thing is real.
I know you're saying, well, it's a lot of tomato cans,
but when your two best players don't play well and
(03:24):
you blow people out, just it's an incredible influence. We
all know Steph has always had a massive influence on
the history of basketball. Combine that with the influence Butler
has with the Warriors, and here's shack.
Speaker 6 (03:40):
After the last three four years, everybody's been running the
three man weave with a table the key. Every team
is shooting threes, and they want to blame the analytics.
It's because everybody wanted to beat the Golden State Wars
because of this guy.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yep, it's a real thing. And by the way, not
only is it influencing the Warriors and influencing basketball, it's
influencing ratings. The ratings in the last three weeks. A
big part of that because Lebron's not playing again and
I still don't contend Luca's the TV draw. I think
Lebron and Steph for the TV draws. Warriors with another
(04:18):
dominating win last night, So I saw this. If you
want to know why they keep building casinos and companies
like Draft Kings are doing well, the Steelers have attracted
the second most Super Bowl bets this week. That's the
appropriate response, laughing. This is why the hause Owas wins.
(04:40):
So memo to the people betting the Steelers to win
the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers last thirty starts. He's eleven
and nineteen, passer rating under ninety, completing sixty three percent
of his throws, and has not won a playoff game
since like twenty twenty one. He'll be joining ahead coach
that hasn't won a playoff games in twenty sixteen.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
And by the way, but there is.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
A there is a lure and a llure to Aaron
Rodgers because who was the most bet team last year
in twenty twenty four to win the Super Bowl. Chiefs nope,
Bill's nope, Niners nope, Lions nope, Eagles nope, Ravens nope.
It was the New York Jets with Aaron Rodgers. So
Tomlin is toned af to offense and Aaron's passed his prime.
(05:29):
So that's just not saying that's not even saying playoffs.
That's not saying playoffs. So and I here's something that
doesn't get talked about with the Steelers, and this is
why I've said Aaron Rodgers should go to the Giants.
Better left tackle, offensive coach, great weapon, you'll have more power.
And the rosters aren't that different. They're really not. Pittsburgh's
(05:51):
just better. They're not that different. Pittsburgh doesn't have a
left tackle. Giants do. But have you ever noticed this?
And I never hear anybody talk about this, So everybody
knows in the business. Mike Tomblin's a motivator, right, That's
why his teams play well as underdogs, but not his favorites.
He's a great motivator. But when does motivating not work
(06:14):
in the playoffs, Because everybody's motivated, right, but for a long,
tedious regular season, the guy that can bark boy September, October, November.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It can help.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
But if you go to the last twelve Steeler games,
they're three and nine and a lot of blowout losses.
Motivation is nonsense. Screaming and yelling and getting guys fired
up doesn't mean anything in the playoffs. Guys are ready
to go, They got their bonuses ready, they want a trophy.
Everybody's doing the same thing, focusing on that moment sudden
(06:47):
death football. You don't need motivation, You need analytics. You know,
you need circumstantial greatness, situational brilliance and so and what's
doubling down on that? The raw raw becomest row for
Pittsburgh every year at the end of the year. If
you go back and look at a stat the Steelers
(07:08):
in December or later the last two seasons have been
one of the worst teams in the NFL. Five of
the last seven seasons, the Steelers have lost three plus
games in a row late in the year. Why is
this because as the game has gotten smarter and more offensive,
the motivating defensive coach that stuff wears out by December.
(07:28):
You can only give the same speeches so many times
it falls on deaf ears. So the Steelers have become
one of the bad NFL teams at the end of seasons.
That motivation stuff. It's great early, it's great over a
long season. It's great when you're an underdog. It doesn't
mean anything against the Ravens, Bills or Chiefs or Tom
(07:50):
Brady in his prime. When it's you know, January, it
doesn't mean anything. So the Steelers five of the last
seven seasons. Russell Wilson could tell Aaron Rodgers, if you
got there, it gets old, nobody wants to hear it.
It doesn't have the same impact. So you know they
are the second most bet team. Uh, just the idea
(08:13):
of Aaron Rodgers and adding DK Metcalf for one hundred
and fifty million dollars, and DK Metcalf says, I don't
even care whose quarterback here.
Speaker 7 (08:22):
They made me feel we felt welcome first off, and
then secondly they made me feel like they had they
had the right decision, you know, with who's going to
be throwing me the football? And you know, I'm not
making a decision in the quarterback room, so I'm just
gonna try to do the best of my abilities to
you know, you know, help whoever they have out there
throwing the football, so you know they they make the
(08:43):
correct decisions, you know, to bring the quarterback in here.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
So I'm just gonna roll with.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That mid March, no idea who the quarterback is? Does
that sound like a super Bowl team. I don't even
know who the quarterback is. We got like four guys.
We got offers out for four guys. Now it's interesting.
So I've been saying this week, Mike Hunch, he signs
with the Steelers, I would sign with the New York Giants.
I would sign with the Giants. I think the Giants
(09:09):
have more pieces that work for aaron offensive coach, young
star receiver, excellent left tackle, and a couple of wins
over the Cowboys. I think the idea of going to Pittsburgh,
you got Joe Burrow twice, you got the Ravens twice.
Cleveland's got a great coach and a very good roster.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
No thanks.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean Pittsburgh doesn't have a left tackle now, Miles Garrett,
probably Hendrickson coming off the edge, and whoever Baltimore has
this year. So it'll be interesting to watch. But to me,
the idea that the second most bet team. It's just
the allure of the Steelers brand, the allure of the
alpha Mike Tomlin, the allure of Aaron Rodgers, their bet
(09:50):
to win the Super Bowl more than the teams that
we almost feel it's an automatic they win their division.
It's crazy, that's the house almost always wins for a reason.
Cowboys are fighting. The process in Philadelphia is officially over.
And the Lakers, once again, even with Luca and Austin
(10:12):
Reeves playing great, are awful and get blown out.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Did you notice that?
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Listen, you were doing so good and then you had
to throw in that jab at the Lakers unnecessary. It's
like a flagrant foul right there. Come on, they were
missing three starters college, but real quick to go back
to the Steelers. Can you just give me the thought
process which you think people are betting on the Steelers
and it can't just be Aaron Rodgers and DK metcalf.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh, I have to say.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So, here's what I think like when people bet bitcoin.
I mean, there's no centralized bank in America that acknowledges
the Warren Buffetts, who, by the way, ditched eighty billion
dollars at applestock and bought bonds a year ago. Looks
pretty smart today, right, Well, they don't buy it at all. Right,
most of the top financial people they appease the bitcoin crowd.
(10:55):
But when you buy bitcomb coin, you're buying hope, you're
buying a cent. Hey, I'm ahead of everybody else buying
the Steelers is Hey, I'm gonna buy him before they
get Aaron Rodgers and watch them pop. But it's just why,
it's why the house wins. Aaron in the last thirty games,
(11:16):
two conferences, two coaches, both Lafleur and Mike Tomlin, considered
above average. He's eleven and nineteen passer rating in the eighties.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That's what he is. That is exactly what he is.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And Tomlin, between Aaron and Tomlin, they do not perform
well late in the year. The numbers don't lie. So
it's I think it's it's the bitcoin crowd. You're betting
that you're smarter than everybody else, and you're getting in
on something before it truly explodes.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
And that would be forty one year old Aaron Rodgers.
That that's what you're betting on.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Hope with DK metcalf Ooh wow.
Speaker 5 (11:51):
DK Metcalf. He's gonna swing the title odds right there.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Only again, Dk Metcalf is probably worth half a point
a game.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
This is why the house always wins, because the general
public is not that smart.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Huh. That's a straight up dumb bet.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
If one of my friends was like, hey, Steelers to
win the title, Like, what are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (12:06):
That? That's insanity.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So now in forty five minutes, I will give you
my AFC predictions.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I'm looking at the AFC West. Is that the best
coach division of all time?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I hope you have the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Play Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, Pete Carroll. You know,
like they always say, when you sit down at a
poker table, if you can't spot the mark, it's you
who's the mark. I mean, that's just a Super Bowl
trophies everywhere, or at least getting to them. I mean
that is a three Super Bowl trophies and a Natty
(12:43):
Trophy and a Super Bowl appearance in Jim Harball. That
divisions hard. My guess. On the AFC West this year,
nobody wins more than twelve. Nobody wins fewer than eight.
It is just going to be all jammed out. I
think the NFC North is almost as good, but we
just don't know if JJ McCarthy can play. I mean,
(13:03):
I say what you want about Geno Smith. I know
we can play. I don't know what JJ McCarthy is
in Minnesota, so I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So yesterday, in the much harder to predict NFC, I
had three new playoff teams. Today we do the AFC.
Now that's a much easier conference to predict. Last year
I went four for four on division winners Mahomes, Alan Lamar,
C J. Stroud pretty easy. So I think the AFC
(13:41):
is much much easier to predict. Yesterday, you know you're
throwing darts on some of it. I don't know how
how well the Niners draft. I don't know how good
is Darnold and Seattle.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I think I know, I don't know. So today we
go to the AFC again. I think this is an easy, easier,
much easier conference to predict.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Let's start with the AFC East.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
If Josh Allen is in his prime like Brady was,
he will win this division going away.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Front office coach.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
They've added Joey Bosa, Joss Palmer, a couple of good linebackers.
It's the best team going away. They got the star quarterback,
the starback, the left tackle. You know they're gonna be fine,
and a good ed rusher, capable coach. Patriots one of
my surprise teams in the league. I think they have
the second most town in quarterback in the division. I
don't think it's particularly close in Drake May. They got
(14:37):
to get him weapons in the draft, but it's a
very good tight end running back draft. And they upgraded
with Mike Frablett, coach from Girodmeo who just didn't work,
and they spent a lot of money, so it's gonna
be a different team. I think they will double their
win total, no question. Dolphins third, No notable upgrades, but
smart coach, capable quarterback. If Tron Armstead retires a left
(15:00):
tackle that is a problem. That is a problem. And
the Jets, I mean it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I got a new.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Coach downgrade at quarterback from Aaron and justin fields.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think this is an easy one. Bill's Patriots, Dolphins, Jets,
AFC North, great Division. I'm gonna go Ravens, Bengals, Steelers Brown. Okay,
the Ravens. The only thing I worried about is is
Ronnie Stanley the left tackle coming back? Answer is yes,
Bengals cheap franchise. They're three best players. Burrow, Jamar Chase Hendrickson,
(15:32):
even t Higgins are four best players. Aren't particularly happy,
very very top heavy. But this year I think basically
Burrow and their star receivers will lead them narrowly to
a wild card berth whether or not Aaron Rodgers goes
to Pittsburgh or not. They are tone deaf offensively, and
over the last five years they just consistently get bad
(15:52):
late in the year. Steelers third, and I like the
coach in Cleveland. They got Miles Garrett re signed. But
you know what, are they fish rots from the top
or the head or something like that. What's the saying.
I just don't trust the organization ownership AFC South, so
I think Tennessee will be the most improved team. I'm
(16:13):
gonna take the Texans Titans Colts and Jags. Now the
Texans are rebuilding the old line. They moved off three guys,
so I think they had to. They fired Bobby Slowick.
But again, I get the best quarterback, I get arguably
the best coach. So I'm gonna go with the Texan CJ.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Stroud.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
I mean again, I'm gonna do it again this year.
Best quarterback in the division wins. I think cam Ward
actually is pretty electric and win some games for the
Titans and will arguably be the second best quarterback in
the division. And also you're kind of guessing on him.
You don't know what he is, so generally you need
an off season to figure out what a quarterback is.
(16:49):
I think cam Ward comes into some backyard football. But J.
Mack likes the Titans as a surprise team. I do too,
potentially as a playoff team. I like the Colts roster,
but they're going into camp with the quarterback competition that
sounds very collegiate. Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson don't love either.
Like the coach, the GM the roster. Colts third. I
(17:10):
don't know what to make Trevor Lawrence hasn't been what
we thought They've got a new coach again, do you
trust the front office. I'll watch their draft. It is
what it is, finally the best division in football. I
mean you get literally everybody. I'm gonna go Chargers win
the AFC West, Kansas City's the wild card team, Broncos third,
(17:33):
Raiders four, So I'm gonna lean into Jim Harbaugh. I
think Nause Harris is the perfect running back for this offense.
They brought Mike Williams back, a physical receiver. I thought
their improvement last year was remarkable. I think they'll keep improving.
We've got to be honest about Kansas City. They're not
(17:53):
winning all those close games again. Their offensive line is
in total flux. At left tackle, They're going to a
left tackle that's never started. They let go of Joe Toney,
their best offensive lineman. I think Denver made two big
swings on defense with Hufunga and Greenlaw. I think they
both pay dividends. I think I even think the Raiders
will be viable Geno Smith, they got their O line set,
(18:18):
Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, Max Crosby. I think their defense
has some players. They were all banged up last year.
They gave the Chiefs fits twice this division. I don't
think the winner of this division wins more than twelve,
whoever it is, and I don't think the fourth place
team wins fewer than eight. So I think this is
the best division going away in football. I mean, the
coaching is Jim Harbaugh, Andy Reid, Sean Payton, and Pete Carroll,
(18:42):
and Pete's got Chip Kelly, and Andy Reid's got Spags
and Kansas, and then all of a sudden you got
the Chargers have Jesse Minter on defense with Harball. This
is arguably the best coach division in the history of
the NFL. So my division winners, I'm gonna do it
like last year, with one exception, Bill's Ravens, Texans, Chargers
(19:03):
wild card teams are the Patriots, Bengals, and Chiefs. So
I have five new playoff teams, two in the AFC
here Patriots, Bengals, and three in the NFC. So I
have five new playoff teams. There have been at least
four and often more for thirty five years in a row,
(19:27):
so some of you fanboys are going to be upset,
but you have to have minimum four new playoff teams.
So my new playoff teams yesterday, I had Seattle in
the playoffs that didn't make it last year. I had
Atlanta winning their division. I believe in Michael Pennix.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
That was a new.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Playoff team here. I've got the Patriots in Bengals, I'm
forgetting somebody in the NFC. So and I wherever Aaron
Rodgers lands, if he goes to Minnesota, I had the
Bears yesterday. My bad is a wildcard team. So wherever
Aaron goes. If he goes to Minnesota, my guests says
(20:06):
he's a backup. By like October, they're gonna start J. J. McCarthy.
If he goes to New York, they're not getting past
Philly and Washington. If he goes to Pittsburgh, he probably
is worth a game over Russell Wilson. But Russell Wilson
was already good until the end, and all the raw
ros stuff just doesn't pan out at the end of
the season. And so I don't think Aaron's going to
(20:26):
change the dynamics of any division football at this point. Again,
last thirty games, he's eleven and nineteen, his passer ratings
under ninety. That's with Matt Lafleur. You know, that's with like, okay,
it was the Jets. Well it was also green Bay,
so most of those games, majority of them were close
to majority of your half. There were Green Bay games
with Matt Lafleur, so he didn't make the playoffs. Last
(20:47):
year they lost to Detroit at home. Remember that was
the last game of the regular season.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
So you want some pushbacker, Yeah, I do. Of course,
this is tough because I like this team a lot.
I was just drilling down on the Chargers a little bit.
It Do you know how many teams they beat last
year that made the playoffs? Won Denver twice. That's it.
They did not beat anybody good all season. And I
look at the Chargers offseason, Colin, how were they upgraded?
Speaker 8 (21:14):
Naw?
Speaker 5 (21:14):
J Harris, is that an upgrade? Mike Williams bringing his
corpse back to run?
Speaker 3 (21:18):
What run?
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Down the field?
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Like?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I don't see the improved. I don't see how the
rosters are.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
What have we said about Jim harbaugh first three years
in the NFL? I did you see their draft last year?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
A lot of guys that could play.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I guess my disagreement would be, like, I think the
Broncos have improved their team dramatically, and the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I don't think they're like status quo.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Well, I said, the winner will not win more than
twelve games and the loser will not win less than
fewer than eight. I think the division goes down to
the last three weeks. I think health. What worries me
about the Broncos Hafunga and green law struggle to stay healthy. Well, yeah,
that's a real thing. And by the way, Garrett Bowles
has had some hell stuff at left tackle. So a
lot of their guys, like the Niners, like year, I
(22:00):
worry about Denver staying healthy for eighteen weeks.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
I am a little to go to a last place team,
not the Jets, the Jags.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
You have just sold all of your Trevor Lawrence stock Uh.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
So you're done, done, You're off lords. No, No, here was.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
A time where you would not take a call on him.
He was in that group from him and it's over.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Well, you know it's funny.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
So Greg co Sel for years and years kept telling
me over and over. The tape tells you he is
not close to Josh Allen, that he doesn't see the
field as well as he should. He tends to run
sometimes to a fault. He gets banged up and listen.
There was always a question about Trevor Lawrence. Here was
(22:41):
what was the knock? He really likes football? Does he
love it? That was the Andrew Luck criticism. Andrew Luck
had a big, broad life. He really enjoyed football. He
didn't live for it. He wasn't Brady, he wasn't obsessed.
He's not obsessed like Brady or Breeze, just obsessed. Trevor
Lawrence is going at it and likes it. But he
(23:01):
said when he got drafted, it's not the beginning and
the end of my my It's not. It doesn't define
it doesn't yet.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Well, I kind of want.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
I want football too at some point as a quarterback
to define you for I'm not asking forever. I'm just
saying for like twelve years, it's got to be kind
of the center point. I mean, I'm not I'm not
asking football players to not have a life and be
happily married and have capentine. But for the ten for
the eight years you're in your prime, I need you
to really be focused, really care deeply.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
He's distracted, right, It's not like he's like, oh, I
love sports cars or whatever.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
He just football is like eh, I'm playing football. Cool.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
It's not like Tom Brady's obsessive commanis you.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Know what most people in my Steve Jobs was obsessed
and he changed the world. You know most people that
are obsessed. All these devices we have, they're built by
obsessed people. So I know everybody wants you to be
balanced and healthy. I like people that deeply care about stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
I think quietly.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
Trevor Lawrence is like probably one of the ten most
interesting figures heading into the season because Colin. There was
talk like do we even extend him? Like how much
money do you give him? Because he hasn't been the
number one pick you thought he'd be. He was supposed
to be generational.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Yeah, well that's why the NFL is great. You can
be a second, third, fourth, fifth round pick like Max
Crosby who's joining us, live six years, fourth Pro Bowls.
He leads the NFL and tackles the loss over the
last four seasons.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
You know, I've told you this before.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
I love you, man, and you did something this week
that I think you are very willing to talk about
the demon that you've overcome.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You've been very willing.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
There was a picture you put on your Instagram so
I'll ask you about it because you put it out
there first.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I wouldn't otherwise.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
But I've talked to you about this before, and there
are people right now in this country struggling with what
you were struggling with. Do you remember the day that
you just said I'm over this, I'm going to change
my life.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Do you remember that day?
Speaker 8 (24:55):
Absolutely? Absolutely?
Speaker 9 (24:56):
First off, Colin's great to see you always, you.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
Know, you're my guy.
Speaker 9 (25:01):
But yeah, man, I'll never forget it, you know what
I mean. That was the biggest day and most important
day of my life, you know, besides the day I
married my wife.
Speaker 8 (25:08):
And the day of my daughter was born.
Speaker 9 (25:10):
I wouldn't be here in this position if I didn't
make that, to make that decision for myself and my family,
you know, to get healthy and put myself first and
get the help I needed. So yeah, man, it's been
a it's been a hell of a journey ever since.
It's been five years already. It's crazy. How how time flies?
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Do people ever come up to you and thank you
for your messaging and willingness to talk about it?
Speaker 8 (25:33):
Yeah? All the time.
Speaker 9 (25:34):
You know, my first year and once I got a
year of sobriety, that's when I came out of public
about it. Yeah, because honestly, I had you know, I
had a guy like Darren Waller in my locker room
who was very public and open about it, and I
was kind of terrified to, you know, tell people that,
you know, I was an addict and I was going
through what I was going through. But seeing a guy
like that and seeing and talking to other people a
(25:56):
big influence, you.
Speaker 8 (25:58):
Know, talk about their struggles to be about it.
Speaker 9 (26:00):
I think it was super important because of my platform
and how I can impact others and get back because
you know, a lot of people don't like to talk
about it, but there's millions of people who suffering from addiction,
so very open and honest about it, and I think
that's the most important thing.
Speaker 8 (26:15):
You know, you live one.
Speaker 9 (26:16):
Life, and you know as many people as you can
help is the best thing you can possibly do.
Speaker 8 (26:19):
So that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
So you are now in the best division in football.
It's crazy. I mean, look at the coaches, Sean Payton,
Andy Reid, Spags, Jim Harbaugh, Jesse Mincher. Now you have
Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly. So when Pete speaks to
the team or you individually for the first time. What
was Pete Carroll's message?
Speaker 8 (26:42):
Compete?
Speaker 9 (26:42):
You know, he talks about it all the time. No
matter what we're doing, we're gonna compete. We're gonna have
fun when we do it. And the culture is first
and foremost. You know, Pete everywhere he's been has created
a culture of winning and fun. And it doesn't mean
you're not working hard. It means that everybody enjoys showing
up every single day.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
We have one of the hardest jobs in the world.
Speaker 9 (27:05):
There's a reason why there's only fifteen hundred NFL players
on the planet, you know what I mean. There's eight
billion people and there's only a tiny, tiny group of
people that can really do it every day. So you
have to enjoy the process, and that's something that he's
big on. I've talked to a ton of people that
he knows and as coach. They've reached out to me,
from you know, Marshawn Lynch to Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett,
(27:27):
all those guys. They all the wording and how they
approached me about how Pete is and how he operates
are all so consistent and they absolutely love love him
so I'm super excited. You know, me and Peter have
only known each other for a couple of months now,
but I can't wait to continue, you know, building that
relationship and continue to do it together and build a
winner here.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
You know, it's funny the quarterbacks that you pursue. So
you got Mahomes who moves really well and throws can
throw left handed. Bo Nix is smaller but way more
athletic than people think. Justin Herbert Justin her it's a
bit of a house when you rush, do you is
that usually you don't care?
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Or do you like? Are there angles you take on? Guys?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Do you think differently when rushing? Bo, Justin and Patrick absolutely?
Speaker 8 (28:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 9 (28:14):
You know, they all have their strengths, strengths and weaknesses,
and it's up to me to figure out the best
approach every single week because every quarterback is different, every
team is different, every coach is different, and the schemes
that I gotta you know, go against change weekly, you
know what I mean. I know I'm being circled every
week and they're gonna double teamy.
Speaker 8 (28:35):
Triple team ship and all that.
Speaker 9 (28:38):
So for me, it's like an ultimate mind game more
than anything, because I'm trying to figure out how to
break that break that code, and it's become more and
more of a challenge, but it's become more and more exciting,
you know what I mean, over the years, because it's
like I take it, you know, I take it as
like a sign of respect.
Speaker 8 (28:58):
You know that teams are coming after me, but.
Speaker 9 (29:01):
You gotta you gotta be so locked in and you
gotta find those couple of plays in the game. Okay,
if they get in this formation, this is how I'm
gonna approach this and this is where I'm gonna change
the game.
Speaker 8 (29:08):
Like that's literally how.
Speaker 9 (29:09):
I'm watching the film, like I'm watching my film all
you know, leading up to it.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
How can I improve? How can I be the best
version of myself?
Speaker 9 (29:15):
And then okay, where is these these these little windows
I can I can capitalize on? So yeah, every quarterback
is different. You know Pat is, I mean, Pat is
one of one.
Speaker 8 (29:26):
He's different.
Speaker 9 (29:26):
You know, he's gonna try to make every single play.
You know, guys like Josh Allen Lamar, even Herbert, Like
Herbert's gonna you gotta you gotta smack him over and
over and over again because he's gonna literally like he'll.
Speaker 8 (29:39):
Be on it, damn near on his back and he's
still trying to get rid of the ball and make plays.
Speaker 9 (29:42):
So yeah, it's it's all you know, it's ultimate respect
at the end of the day.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
But they know, like my job is to is to
kill him, and they're the ones, you know, trying to
trying to play quarterback. But also they know.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
I'm I'm trying to take their head off at the
same time.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
So I've said before there are very few d defensive
players that lead teams, that are the soul of the team.
And when you were talking about contract, I had said
on this show, I said, when I think raiders, even
in the seventies and eighties, I think of Max Crosby.
He looks like a raider, he plays like a raider.
You talk a lot of trash. Is that to fire
(30:18):
you up? Or is it to intimidate others? Because you
you should be in my business. You never stop talking.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Who's that for?
Speaker 8 (30:28):
I think it's a mixture, and I do appreciate that. Colin.
I know your boy over there. I've seen one of
the clips.
Speaker 9 (30:32):
I'm gonna I'm gonna keep my opinion to myself, but
I know you know football, Colin I don't know about
your boy over there, but I would just keep it
like this, you know, for me.
Speaker 8 (30:41):
I get fired up.
Speaker 9 (30:45):
It just depends, like honestly, sometimes if you're just in
a that day, you can't predict how you're gonna feel
every single day. Sometimes you're gonna be in the best mood. Ever,
some days they're gonna be in a dark place. Like
that's just what comes with it. And I sometimes I
just talk is kind of like get myself going, you
know what I mean, like try to get myself Like
if I feel like I'm not one hundred and ten
(31:07):
percent myself, I might just start a fight in the
middle of practice just to get myself going, you know
what I mean. So it just kind of depends on
where my mind's at, in what space I'm at.
Speaker 8 (31:16):
You know.
Speaker 9 (31:16):
I don't like to try to chase a feeling because
some you know, like if you have a great game,
some guys will go be like, Okay, I need to
feel like that.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Again, And how do I get to that?
Speaker 9 (31:25):
You can't chase There's never gonna be that exact feeling,
you know.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
What I mean.
Speaker 9 (31:28):
You just have to go with the flow and be
where your feet are and find whatever space you're in
and maximize that because that's just reality.
Speaker 8 (31:39):
That's how life is.
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Some days you wake up and you have the big
smiley face, Hey I'm gonna have a great day. Some
days your body's sore, you're hurting, but you still have
to find a way to be at your best. So
I just feel like there's no perfect recipe to it.
You just have to You can't try to overthink it
and try to make something that it isn't.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
I just try to go with the flow.
Speaker 9 (31:57):
And some games I'm quiet, i might not say a
single word and I'm just laser focused. Some games I'm
just something pissed me off, or I'm you know, trying
to get myself going, and I'm just on somebody like
Raven's game, like I was talking the whole game. Some
other games, I've had some of the best games in
my career and I'm sitting there smiling the whole game,
not saying a word, not talking. Just I just I
(32:18):
just go with the flow, you know what I mean.
I don't try to force any type of vibe or energy.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Finally, for about a week, you were the highest paid
non quarterback in the world, and I know you're not
about money. Guy. Every time I see you jeans T shirt,
you're watching UFC. But do you ever that day when
you sign that contract, who'd you think about? What'd you
think about that one day? The word money was like
a big discussion in your life.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Yeah, honestly, you know this, you know, being the second
time that I've gotten an extension, you know, the first
time was like, oh my god, you know what I mean,
Like it was just crazy, like I did it, you know,
I got this you contract and I always like had
that in the back of my head. How would that feel?
And I feel like the first time it was like
this big thing and for the outside world, you know,
(33:09):
I was like the third or fourth highest paid and
at that time, and I'm like I'm a top five.
Speaker 8 (33:13):
Guy now blah blah blah blah blah, and it meant
a lot more to me. Then then I felt like
it's to the outside world.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
But this time around, like setting history, you know, resetting history,
being the highest paid non quarterback.
Speaker 8 (33:24):
I feel like the.
Speaker 9 (33:25):
Outside world was like a huge, huge response, and for
me it was just like another day, Like I can't
even explain it, you know what I mean, Like I'm
so laser focus right now and being at my best
and getting back healthy and.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
Preparing for this next season.
Speaker 9 (33:38):
I got so many goals and things I want to accomplish.
I truly like I just wanted to get get to
a point where I was happy and where I'm comfortable
and my family's comfortable, and I'm just the same as usual.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
I was.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
Literally the day I signed my contract, I'm in there
boxing with the guys and getting my work in.
Speaker 8 (33:56):
Before I went inside my contract.
Speaker 9 (33:58):
My agents and all them are looking at at me
like I'm like, I got to get my work in first.
I'm going, you know what I mean, Like this is
most important. I wouldn't I wouldn't have the deal if
I'm not putting in the work. So it really it's
it's unbelievable, don't get me wrong. Like it's it's an
absolute blessing. Like I am set beyond set, and my
kids are set and all that is incredible. But truly,
right now, like I'm just focused on building, you know,
(34:20):
trying to win a Super Bowl most importantly and building
a Hall of Fame resume, and that's that's my focus
every single day.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Hey, hey, do you meet Gino yet? Gino Smith have
you met him.
Speaker 8 (34:29):
Yet, Yes, I have. He was. He was in the
building a couple of days ago.
Speaker 9 (34:32):
So the second, like the news broke, I had been
on FaceTime with him like five minutes before. He called
me the big smile and was all fired up. So yeah,
I was super fired up. I'm super happy that he's
a part of our, part of this team now, and
I just have heard nothing but great things about him.
So just taking it one day at a time. You know,
we're building our relationship and I've been a fan of
(34:53):
from Afar for a long time.
Speaker 8 (34:54):
I think Gino.
Speaker 9 (34:56):
You know, people have opinions, you know how the beginning
of his career run things like that, But look what
he's done is he's gotten you know, as the years
have gone by, and he truly is a really, really,
really good quarterback. And I know he's still far from satisfied.
So yeah, we've had some great conversations and you know,
we're definitely excited to get to work together.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
It's so great seeing you.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
I'll be going to more UFC fights now here in
the next couple of months.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
It's always great to see you.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Congrats to you and your family and sharing some personal stuff.
Sometimes I don't know if I should ask those questions,
but you're always very appreciative and you give great responses.
And there's people out there that have dealt with what
you did and you're five years free of it, and
it's amazing. And I just love seeing you. Man. I
appreciate you coming on the show.
Speaker 8 (35:41):
You're the best brother in Colin.
Speaker 9 (35:42):
I see all your clips, man, all the love and
respect you show it truly means a lot. Man, You're
one of the best in the game. So I appreciate you.
I'll be seeing you soon, all right.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Max Crosby, and I've said this before, there are very
few defensive players. Lawrence Taylor's won. He defined the Giants.
It was not Phil Simms. It was a Lawrence Taylor
to find the Giants the toughness. Max Crosby's the Raiders,
like you have to be like Lamar Jackson. To me,
I would argue this, Maholmes does not define the Chiefs.
(36:12):
I think Andy Reid shares in that Spag shares in that.
I think Lamar Jackson is the Ravens like he's the
soul and the fabric. I cannot see him playing for
any other team. Max Crosby's a Raider. And then if
you followed the NFL since the seventies, eighties, nineties, you
go back to Lyle Alzado and Matouzak and all the
(36:32):
tough guys with the Raiders and Jack Tatum and even
their offensive guys. You know, tough guys. Crosby's a Raider.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 10 (36:50):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together We're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 11 (36:55):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 10 (37:08):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 11 (37:17):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Right so check us out.
Speaker 10 (37:23):
We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls,
chop it up. As they say, i'd say, the most
interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive
show on planetar. Be sure to check out Covino and
Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app
from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific.
And if you miss any of the live show, just
search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and
of course on social media.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Is one of the guys I love in this business.
Mark Feugh, Gonzaga basketball coach.
Speaker 6 (37:51):
T USA.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Good lord, Yeah, I listen. I listened to the other night.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
I watched and listened to that Saint Mary his game
and they were pushing you around and getting a whistle
and yeah, and you know.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
It's it's funny about this. You've got a bit of a.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Formula, the international stuff, Washington, stay. You got a little
bit of a formula. And you know, it's it's interesting
that guys now come to you, I mean, Chet Holmgren
like like it used to be you were banging on
doors and guys now come to you. So I was
talking to a friend of the other day, I said,
the downside to that is you've got to be more
(38:31):
selective because more people want that's right, like it used
to be if they come all taken. So do you
get into situations now where you're like, oh, he's really good,
we don't we don't have a spot for him.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (38:47):
I think it's the biggest thing, Colin, is just kind
of staying true to your culture. I mean, and you
can get tricked a lot of times just on chasing talent,
and we st it still happens to this day. But
I think in the end, what we've found up here,
like what fits us is just staying true. I mean,
we we have to have somebody that that really really
(39:08):
loves basketball and wants to work and then also just
values team and uh and then and then in some
cases sometimes we have to teach our transfers that a
little bit. We we we've kind of had to had
to do that this year. I think it it's taken
a while for some of our guys to kind of
really latch onto to that and and figure out that's
(39:30):
that's that's what needs to be done. And uh. But
I'll give this group a lot of credit man. We
we uh we lost a ton of games, you know,
in the last one or two possessions this year, and
it has not broke their spirit.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (39:45):
They were very, very driven down the stretch and uh
uh you know the other night, I think it all
came to fruition.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yeah, what I was thinking about this, Has your experience
with Team USA helped you at all in the NIL world,
which is kind of like semi pro in college? Like,
what do you take from you because everybody looks at
college and pro as two different worlds. Is there anything
they share that you've learned. Have you pulled something from
(40:12):
college that can help you a Team USA when you're
dealing with Lebron and staph or vice versa.
Speaker 12 (40:17):
Oh, hey, tons of it. I think my players are
so tired of me referencing them and and I was
listening earlier to your show and just a great take
on Lebron. I reference him so much with our team
on just how he impacts winning. I mean, he is
just all about winning and hit his preparation and how
(40:41):
much film he watches. He watches as much film as
the coaches is, how he takes care of his body,
and then to your point, how he communicates on the floor.
I talked to my team time and time again. I mean,
he hits the floor and he's calling out every ball screen,
he's calling out every coverage, he's talking on offense. It's
amazing and I think that's why he's one of the
greatest winners in the history of all sports if you
(41:03):
ask me, when you see the impact that he has.
But then I'll reference steph on on his his routine
every day and how great he was at the end
of every practice, no matter how hard we went or
how long it been. He's in there just wrapping out
his shots and he's gonna take in games and uh yeah,
And then the players are probably a little tired of it.
(41:25):
But it's been a great source for me. And then conversely,
I shared with the USA guys like, hey, you know
you can you know you watch that Court of Gold series.
This is one and done. This is not a seven
game series. And you guys, you know this is my
world now and you can't have we can't have a
bad day. And to their credit, man, their competitive will
(41:46):
shined bright in the in the biggest moment for us
to be able to get that gold and get it done.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Yeah, hey, by the way, So I'm gonna throw my
hat on and by the way, rip me to shreds
if I'm wrong, because you know, you know a million
times more than I do.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
I said the other day, I said, Cooper.
Speaker 12 (42:02):
Are you you were wrong on the on the hair
like hair product comparison to to making the athlete get
stronger in the in the weight room or whatever. Earlier
I thought that was this strange analogy, the great take
on Lebron hair product. Yeah, I didn't quite. I didn't
grasp that, but I'm usually right on with you, pal,
but you lost me there.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
Okay, So we were talking about Cooper Flag and he
just does everything well, score and transition, can use his body,
and I said, he's got some Jason Tatum to him
where there's nothing. I look at Jason Tatum and say,
he can do kind of everything. Who is the comp
for Cooper Flag? Because I think Duke's were really good
and I think this kid mark he's ready to play
(42:45):
in the NBA. It feels to me like right away
and can score right away.
Speaker 6 (42:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (42:50):
Well, he showed that this summer. He scrimmaged against us
and he was ready to go from the jump and
went right at us. You know, it was just this
GrimAge was our first scrimmage. Our guys were just getting
off the beach and everything with USA and vacation. But yeah,
he was very, very impressive. And the and the great
thing about him, man is he's he's he like to
(43:13):
your point, he does everything well. I mean, he can
score if he has to. He's got a great feel
for the game. I mean, he's got tremendous positional size.
He Uh, John's done a great job with him, I think. Uh,
and he played for a great coach in Kevin Boyle
at Mont Verd And uh, he really understands defense and
(43:35):
he impacts the game in a big way on the
defensive end. So yeah, he's gonna he's gonna have a
huge impact from day one. But it's gonna be one
of those impacts like he does everything well. You know,
I think people are gonna pick up the paper and
look at the stats and it's not always about that.
It's it's, uh, you know a little bit like Lebron.
He impacts winning in a big way.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Has there been a team I ask you this every
year and tell me a team that none of us
talking heads talk about, and that you've seen him or
watched them or scouted them, and you're like, yeah, I'd
rather avoid them in the tournament.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
I don't have any real interest.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
Has there been a little bit of a sleeper that
you know sometimes we talk about the Dukes and the
Gonzaga and the Carolinas, a little bit of a team
that you think is better than people quite realize.
Speaker 12 (44:23):
I mean, I think people realize how good they are.
I do, but listen what Houston's doing, what Kelvin's been
able to do, and to go through that league. I
think they went nineteen and one in that league is
just remarkable. And the intensity that they bring in the
physicality that they bring and now you know, their offensive
(44:48):
efficiency is better than it has been. I had a
chance to watch them last week a little bit and
I just came away just I mean, I've always been impressed,
but was really impressed with that. Was That's probably one
that jumps out. I don't know if that really counts
as an under the radar team.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Though, Hey, you you told us. I remember when chet
Holmgren was coming out and I said, ah, he's skilled,
a little skinny, and you said, oh no, this guy
is tough. This guy's a fighter, yes, and I gotta
tell you he's good. He is a fighter. He is tough.
By the way SGA I saw him in college, I'm like,
(45:25):
what is that skinny? That kid's developed into something that's insane.
Speaker 12 (45:31):
My goodness, he torched us not this summer, but the
year before and in USA, and I mean I got
to see him up close and personal in that just
he's one of those guys. You know how Steph changed
the analytics back in the day with shooting threes. I'm
telling you, SGA with that pull up jumper and the
tough two. I mean, watching that firsthand, uh, it was funny.
(45:54):
I mean I was sharing that with Tylu like, Okay,
our drop coverage isn't gonna work. Yeah, but this guy
we had to cart start trapping him because he's just
made that's a that's a layup for him, that little
pull up, and that's what you give up and drop coverage.
But yeah, they've had a terrific, terrific year mark their
head coach has done a beautiful job to kind of
navigating through that and Chet I think that's one thing
(46:15):
that's being underrated a little bit, is check coming back
for them. I mean, you talk about just adding another
incredible piece and just an incredible entity. And he's a competitive,
competitive dude man, and he he's got a big, big,
strong belief in himself and he's his body might not
look like it, but that dude is his nails.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:37):
You know what we were talking about this earlier A
couple a couple more is that I said I like analytics.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
I absolutely believe in it.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
But I always joke what I really like is MA analytics,
which is when you get into big games, I want
Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins both average eighteen. Jimmy Butler
is a handful Like they're both wing guys that average eighteen.
Speaker 3 (46:59):
They're totally different players.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Is that when you get into the tournament sometimes I like,
I always love Jalen Suggs. I like guys that get
in your kitchen. I like physical guys. Do you think
sometimes with analytics, are there players that you've had or
seen at USA and you're like, yeah, I'm sorry, the
analytics don't quite get the player.
Speaker 12 (47:19):
Absolutely, And I'm so with you on that point. At
some point, I mean, it just comes down to who
who can make up, who can make a play and
especially as you get deeper into the tournament, you know,
and deeper into the game, It's gonna come down to,
you know, do they have that moxie? Do they have
that grit? Do they have that toughness? Do they have that?
(47:41):
Everybody says they have confidence and swag, but do they
really really have that?
Speaker 11 (47:46):
Uh?
Speaker 12 (47:46):
I mean again, I reference the Team USA, but look
at you. Look at the shots Steph said, Look at Lebron,
the shots that he made down the stretch. Look at
the the pull up that KD hit against Serbia. I mean,
just monster, monster shots and just happened. Because those guys
are just so good and have such incredible belief in themselves.
(48:08):
You have to have a guy like that going down
the stretch of the games, and analytics has nothing to
do with that fact. You got to just throw it
out the windows. In some cases, Colin, you'll be playing
against the guy and the staff will say, well, is
she's twenty percent from three? And I'm like, I don't care.
At the end of the game, you know we are
double teaming him because I've seen him time and time again.
(48:29):
Just make those shots.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (48:30):
Finally, I'm not a big pill popper, but a week ago.
My daughter, I'm a crappy sleeper, she said, Dad, I said,
I can't sleep. She goes, oh oh. She pulled out
her pharmacy drawer and she gave me magnesium. And you're
a you're a lousy sleeper too.
Speaker 12 (48:52):
Yes, in season in season, I'm bad sleeper, have you?
Speaker 3 (48:55):
And now tell me your magnesium backstory.
Speaker 12 (48:59):
Well, first of all, I was listening to that show
and it was a day we were kind of setting
this up your retire staff. It was just fit to
be tied with you on magnesium. And they were saying
you were a maniac, and I was saying I was
texting back with them. I was like, I thought that
was one of his best shows. So yes, my daughter
(49:19):
came to me and actually shared this scene with Magnese
and she had this little oil shed rubbing on the
bottom of your feet, Dad, And I was like, come on,
and I'm just telling you, I slept for eight hours
at and I was the best sleep I've had in
a while. So when you started going off on't I'm
a big believer.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Hey, by the way, two final fours, you look great.
Your energy is through the roof. I Jay Writ's a
friend of mine. I couldn't figure out why you retired.
You probably didn't want that. Nil, nonsense. You should just
Steph Curry said something here, and Steph said, I'll retire.
It's not about stats. When I can no longer dominate
(49:57):
a game, I'm out. Is there gonna be something with you?
Because your energy is insane, you're in great shape. What
will be the thing where you're like, all right, I'm
gonna shut her down in golf and go to my
you know, lake house and hang out.
Speaker 12 (50:12):
Yeah, don't, don't forget fly fishing there.
Speaker 3 (50:15):
That's good. That's good.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (50:20):
I mean I think probably when when you don't feel
you're having the same type of impact on your guys,
and then and then the other thing I would say,
calling like, I honestly think there's a point where you
get to where you know, other people need to enjoy
this spot, you know, and and other people need to
(50:40):
have the chance to do this too, you know. That's
why I don't see hanging on till you're you know.
I mean, some guys it's fine if they want to
hang on till they're eighty, But I just think it's
time at some point it's good to share it. I
got a great staff here, and it's time for them
experience as as a head coach, you know at some point.
So I think all of those factors go in it. Uh,
(51:00):
you know, as long as it's still fun. It's a
huge challenge adapting. I mean, we could do a whole
other show on all the adaptations that have needed to
be made in the last like twelve months in this profession.
But you know, you just you have to be willing
to kind of be flexible. And then I think doing
the USA Basketball stints have really helped me kind of
understand it from maybe the professional side.
Speaker 3 (51:22):
Yeah, it's great seeing you, my man. Great scene.
Speaker 12 (51:25):
Yeah you too, Mark. You look well rested this.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
Week, and you will be in about a month. You'll
be well rested in a month. Great thing.
Speaker 12 (51:36):
Yeah, all right, take care, all right.
Speaker 1 (51:38):
He just you know, he's he and coach k have
really figured it out. You do a little bit of
the Olympic stuff, which is just so fun, so international,
and then you you dominate a college landscape and uh,
it's you know, I went to college right next to
gone Zaga, so it's a Spokane's really a beautiful place.
Even the winner it's cold, So what you're indoors playing basketball.
(52:00):
If it was too nice, you'd want to be outside.
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
noone 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 1 (00:27):
Here we go on a Friday, and a good one.
It's gonna be Mark fugh Gonzaga coach selection weekend. Here
we go Selection Sunday, Max Crosby the Raiders. Yesterday I
made my NFC predictions. Those are the difficult ones. The
AFC one hour from now generally a little easier because
(00:49):
you have four star high end quarterbacks than the AFC.
We know it's a quarterback centric and generated league, so
that will happen in one hour from now, so j
mac So, I got three different samples. I watched first
quarter of the Warriors with friends, listen to the second
quarter driving, and watched the second half at home by myself,
(01:11):
and they good.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
This thing is getting really really interesting.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Another tomato can that the Warriors beat up another nice victory.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah beat.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Steph Curry was asked about retirement and a great quote
he said, it's not about stats or anything. It will
be Can I still dominate a game? Here's the good news.
He didn't last night and they blew out another team.
And I want you to think about this, think about this.
So they traded got him out of town. Andrew Wiggins
(01:45):
wing player eighteen points a game in his career. They
brought in Jimmy Butler, wing player career, eighteen points a
game that shouldn't radically change the team, right, eighteen points, leaves,
eighteen points arrives. No, Nope, our hunch, My hunch was right.
Totally different players. Wiggins's soft, empty calories floats around, forgettable,
(02:08):
and Jimmy Butler is intentional, intense, physical, impactful, there's a gravity.
Analytics does not measure all this stuff. Wing players eighteen
a game. No, totally different players. Butler generates double teams,
He's creative, he gets guys shots. He is an attacking player.
(02:29):
Every possession he creates advantages. Wiggins benefited from advantages created
by other players, and that is the big difference. Jonathan
Kaminga returned last night. Oh another twenty points a game.
Last night you had eight guys in double figures. Butler
(02:49):
wasn't even one of them. Steph didn't even play well.
But it shows the hole in a lot of analytics
and a lot of stats. Eighteen of game leaves, eighteen
in game award, totally different team, eight.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Guys in double figures.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
They got a guy from like the Netherlands, a big
who has a nice shooting touch, and Warriors are now
thirteen and one with Jimmy Butler. And again he did
not play last night particularly well. But this thing is real.
I know you're saying, well, it's a lot of tomato cans,
but when your two best players don't play well and
(03:24):
you blow people out, just it's an incredible influence. We
all know Steph has always had a massive influence on
the history of basketball. Combine that with the influence Butler
has with the Warriors, and here's shack.
Speaker 6 (03:40):
After the last three four years, everybody's been running the
three man weave with a table the key. Every team
is shooting threes, and they want to blame the analytics.
It's because everybody wanted to beat the Golden State Wars
because of this guy.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yep, it's a real thing. And by the way, not
only is it influencing the Warriors and influencing basketball, it's
influencing ratings. The ratings in the last three weeks. A
big part of that because Lebron's not playing again and
I still don't contend Luca's the TV draw. I think
Lebron and Steph for the TV draws. Warriors with another
(04:18):
dominating win last night, So I saw this. If you
want to know why they keep building casinos and companies
like Draft Kings are doing well, the Steelers have attracted
the second most Super Bowl bets this week. That's the
appropriate response, laughing. This is why the hause Owas wins.
(04:40):
So memo to the people betting the Steelers to win
the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers last thirty starts. He's eleven
and nineteen, passer rating under ninety, completing sixty three percent
of his throws, and has not won a playoff game
since like twenty twenty one. He'll be joining ahead coach
that hasn't won a playoff games in twenty sixteen.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
And by the way, but there is.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
A there is a lure and a llure to Aaron
Rodgers because who was the most bet team last year
in twenty twenty four to win the Super Bowl. Chiefs nope,
Bill's nope, Niners nope, Lions nope, Eagles nope, Ravens nope.
It was the New York Jets with Aaron Rodgers. So
Tomlin is toned af to offense and Aaron's passed his prime.
(05:29):
So that's just not saying that's not even saying playoffs.
That's not saying playoffs. So and I here's something that
doesn't get talked about with the Steelers, and this is
why I've said Aaron Rodgers should go to the Giants.
Better left tackle, offensive coach, great weapon, you'll have more power.
And the rosters aren't that different. They're really not. Pittsburgh's
(05:51):
just better. They're not that different. Pittsburgh doesn't have a
left tackle. Giants do. But have you ever noticed this?
And I never hear anybody talk about this, So everybody
knows in the business. Mike Tomblin's a motivator, right, That's
why his teams play well as underdogs, but not his favorites.
He's a great motivator. But when does motivating not work
(06:14):
in the playoffs, Because everybody's motivated, right, but for a long,
tedious regular season, the guy that can bark boy September, October, November.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It can help.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
But if you go to the last twelve Steeler games,
they're three and nine and a lot of blowout losses.
Motivation is nonsense. Screaming and yelling and getting guys fired
up doesn't mean anything in the playoffs. Guys are ready
to go, They got their bonuses ready, they want a trophy.
Everybody's doing the same thing, focusing on that moment sudden
(06:47):
death football. You don't need motivation, You need analytics. You know,
you need circumstantial greatness, situational brilliance and so and what's
doubling down on that? The raw raw becomest row for
Pittsburgh every year at the end of the year. If
you go back and look at a stat the Steelers
(07:08):
in December or later the last two seasons have been
one of the worst teams in the NFL. Five of
the last seven seasons, the Steelers have lost three plus
games in a row late in the year. Why is
this because as the game has gotten smarter and more offensive,
the motivating defensive coach that stuff wears out by December.
(07:28):
You can only give the same speeches so many times
it falls on deaf ears. So the Steelers have become
one of the bad NFL teams at the end of seasons.
That motivation stuff. It's great early, it's great over a
long season. It's great when you're an underdog. It doesn't
mean anything against the Ravens, Bills or Chiefs or Tom
(07:50):
Brady in his prime. When it's you know, January, it
doesn't mean anything. So the Steelers five of the last
seven seasons. Russell Wilson could tell Aaron Rodgers, if you
got there, it gets old, nobody wants to hear it.
It doesn't have the same impact. So you know they
are the second most bet team. Uh, just the idea
(08:13):
of Aaron Rodgers and adding DK Metcalf for one hundred
and fifty million dollars, and DK Metcalf says, I don't
even care whose quarterback here.
Speaker 7 (08:22):
They made me feel we felt welcome first off, and
then secondly they made me feel like they had they
had the right decision, you know, with who's going to
be throwing me the football? And you know, I'm not
making a decision in the quarterback room, so I'm just
gonna try to do the best of my abilities to
you know, you know, help whoever they have out there
throwing the football, so you know they they make the
(08:43):
correct decisions, you know, to bring the quarterback in here.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
So I'm just gonna roll with.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That mid March, no idea who the quarterback is? Does
that sound like a super Bowl team. I don't even
know who the quarterback is. We got like four guys.
We got offers out for four guys. Now it's interesting.
So I've been saying this week, Mike Hunch, he signs
with the Steelers, I would sign with the New York Giants.
I would sign with the Giants. I think the Giants
(09:09):
have more pieces that work for aaron offensive coach, young
star receiver, excellent left tackle, and a couple of wins
over the Cowboys. I think the idea of going to Pittsburgh,
you got Joe Burrow twice, you got the Ravens twice.
Cleveland's got a great coach and a very good roster.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
No thanks.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean Pittsburgh doesn't have a left tackle now, Miles Garrett,
probably Hendrickson coming off the edge, and whoever Baltimore has
this year. So it'll be interesting to watch. But to me,
the idea that the second most bet team. It's just
the allure of the Steelers brand, the allure of the
alpha Mike Tomlin, the allure of Aaron Rodgers, their bet
(09:50):
to win the Super Bowl more than the teams that
we almost feel it's an automatic they win their division.
It's crazy, that's the house almost always wins for a reason.
Cowboys are fighting. The process in Philadelphia is officially over.
And the Lakers, once again, even with Luca and Austin
(10:12):
Reeves playing great, are awful and get blown out.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Did you notice that?
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Listen, you were doing so good and then you had
to throw in that jab at the Lakers unnecessary. It's
like a flagrant foul right there. Come on, they were
missing three starters college, but real quick to go back
to the Steelers. Can you just give me the thought
process which you think people are betting on the Steelers
and it can't just be Aaron Rodgers and DK metcalf.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh, I have to say.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So, here's what I think like when people bet bitcoin.
I mean, there's no centralized bank in America that acknowledges
the Warren Buffetts, who, by the way, ditched eighty billion
dollars at applestock and bought bonds a year ago. Looks
pretty smart today, right, Well, they don't buy it at all. Right,
most of the top financial people they appease the bitcoin crowd.
(10:55):
But when you buy bitcomb coin, you're buying hope, you're
buying a cent. Hey, I'm ahead of everybody else buying
the Steelers is Hey, I'm gonna buy him before they
get Aaron Rodgers and watch them pop. But it's just why,
it's why the house wins. Aaron in the last thirty games,
(11:16):
two conferences, two coaches, both Lafleur and Mike Tomlin, considered
above average. He's eleven and nineteen passer rating in the eighties.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That's what he is. That is exactly what he is.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And Tomlin, between Aaron and Tomlin, they do not perform
well late in the year. The numbers don't lie. So
it's I think it's it's the bitcoin crowd. You're betting
that you're smarter than everybody else, and you're getting in
on something before it truly explodes.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
And that would be forty one year old Aaron Rodgers.
That that's what you're betting on.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Hope with DK metcalf Ooh wow.
Speaker 5 (11:51):
DK Metcalf. He's gonna swing the title odds right there.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Only again, Dk Metcalf is probably worth half a point
a game.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
This is why the house always wins, because the general
public is not that smart.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Huh. That's a straight up dumb bet.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
If one of my friends was like, hey, Steelers to
win the title, Like, what are you talking about?
Speaker 4 (12:06):
That? That's insanity.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So now in forty five minutes, I will give you
my AFC predictions.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I'm looking at the AFC West. Is that the best
coach division of all time?
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I hope you have the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Play Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, Pete Carroll. You know,
like they always say, when you sit down at a
poker table, if you can't spot the mark, it's you
who's the mark. I mean, that's just a Super Bowl
trophies everywhere, or at least getting to them. I mean
that is a three Super Bowl trophies and a Natty
(12:43):
Trophy and a Super Bowl appearance in Jim Harball. That
divisions hard. My guess. On the AFC West this year,
nobody wins more than twelve. Nobody wins fewer than eight.
It is just going to be all jammed out. I
think the NFC North is almost as good, but we
just don't know if JJ McCarthy can play. I mean,
(13:03):
I say what you want about Geno Smith. I know
we can play. I don't know what JJ McCarthy is
in Minnesota, so I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So yesterday, in the much harder to predict NFC, I
had three new playoff teams. Today we do the AFC.
Now that's a much easier conference to predict. Last year
I went four for four on division winners Mahomes, Alan Lamar,
C J. Stroud pretty easy. So I think the AFC
(13:41):
is much much easier to predict. Yesterday, you know you're
throwing darts on some of it. I don't know how
how well the Niners draft. I don't know how good
is Darnold and Seattle.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I think I know, I don't know. So today we
go to the AFC again. I think this is an easy, easier,
much easier conference to predict.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Let's start with the AFC East.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
If Josh Allen is in his prime like Brady was,
he will win this division going away.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Front office coach.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
They've added Joey Bosa, Joss Palmer, a couple of good linebackers.
It's the best team going away. They got the star quarterback,
the starback, the left tackle. You know they're gonna be fine,
and a good ed rusher, capable coach. Patriots one of
my surprise teams in the league. I think they have
the second most town in quarterback in the division. I
don't think it's particularly close in Drake May. They got
(14:37):
to get him weapons in the draft, but it's a
very good tight end running back draft. And they upgraded
with Mike Frablett, coach from Girodmeo who just didn't work,
and they spent a lot of money, so it's gonna
be a different team. I think they will double their
win total, no question. Dolphins third, No notable upgrades, but
smart coach, capable quarterback. If Tron Armstead retires a left
(15:00):
tackle that is a problem. That is a problem. And
the Jets, I mean it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I got a new.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Coach downgrade at quarterback from Aaron and justin fields.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think this is an easy one. Bill's Patriots, Dolphins, Jets,
AFC North, great Division. I'm gonna go Ravens, Bengals, Steelers Brown. Okay,
the Ravens. The only thing I worried about is is
Ronnie Stanley the left tackle coming back? Answer is yes,
Bengals cheap franchise. They're three best players. Burrow, Jamar Chase Hendrickson,
(15:32):
even t Higgins are four best players. Aren't particularly happy,
very very top heavy. But this year I think basically
Burrow and their star receivers will lead them narrowly to
a wild card berth whether or not Aaron Rodgers goes
to Pittsburgh or not. They are tone deaf offensively, and
over the last five years they just consistently get bad
(15:52):
late in the year. Steelers third, and I like the
coach in Cleveland. They got Miles Garrett re signed. But
you know what, are they fish rots from the top
or the head or something like that. What's the saying.
I just don't trust the organization ownership AFC South, so
I think Tennessee will be the most improved team. I'm
(16:13):
gonna take the Texans Titans Colts and Jags. Now the
Texans are rebuilding the old line. They moved off three guys,
so I think they had to. They fired Bobby Slowick.
But again, I get the best quarterback, I get arguably
the best coach. So I'm gonna go with the Texan CJ.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Stroud.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
I mean again, I'm gonna do it again this year.
Best quarterback in the division wins. I think cam Ward
actually is pretty electric and win some games for the
Titans and will arguably be the second best quarterback in
the division. And also you're kind of guessing on him.
You don't know what he is, so generally you need
an off season to figure out what a quarterback is.
(16:49):
I think cam Ward comes into some backyard football. But J.
Mack likes the Titans as a surprise team. I do too,
potentially as a playoff team. I like the Colts roster,
but they're going into camp with the quarterback competition that
sounds very collegiate. Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson don't love either.
Like the coach, the GM the roster. Colts third. I
(17:10):
don't know what to make Trevor Lawrence hasn't been what
we thought They've got a new coach again, do you
trust the front office. I'll watch their draft. It is
what it is, finally the best division in football. I
mean you get literally everybody. I'm gonna go Chargers win
the AFC West, Kansas City's the wild card team, Broncos third,
(17:33):
Raiders four, So I'm gonna lean into Jim Harbaugh. I
think Nause Harris is the perfect running back for this offense.
They brought Mike Williams back, a physical receiver. I thought
their improvement last year was remarkable. I think they'll keep improving.
We've got to be honest about Kansas City. They're not
(17:53):
winning all those close games again. Their offensive line is
in total flux. At left tackle, They're going to a
left tackle that's never started. They let go of Joe Toney,
their best offensive lineman. I think Denver made two big
swings on defense with Hufunga and Greenlaw. I think they
both pay dividends. I think I even think the Raiders
will be viable Geno Smith, they got their O line set,
(18:18):
Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, Max Crosby. I think their defense
has some players. They were all banged up last year.
They gave the Chiefs fits twice this division. I don't
think the winner of this division wins more than twelve,
whoever it is, and I don't think the fourth place
team wins fewer than eight. So I think this is
the best division going away in football. I mean, the
coaching is Jim Harbaugh, Andy Reid, Sean Payton, and Pete Carroll,
(18:42):
and Pete's got Chip Kelly, and Andy Reid's got Spags
and Kansas, and then all of a sudden you got
the Chargers have Jesse Minter on defense with Harball. This
is arguably the best coach division in the history of
the NFL. So my division winners, I'm gonna do it
like last year, with one exception, Bill's Ravens, Texans, Chargers
(19:03):
wild card teams are the Patriots, Bengals, and Chiefs. So
I have five new playoff teams, two in the AFC
here Patriots, Bengals, and three in the NFC. So I
have five new playoff teams. There have been at least
four and often more for thirty five years in a row,
(19:27):
so some of you fanboys are going to be upset,
but you have to have minimum four new playoff teams.
So my new playoff teams yesterday, I had Seattle in
the playoffs that didn't make it last year. I had
Atlanta winning their division. I believe in Michael Pennix.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
That was a new.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Playoff team here. I've got the Patriots in Bengals, I'm
forgetting somebody in the NFC. So and I wherever Aaron
Rodgers lands, if he goes to Minnesota, I had the
Bears yesterday. My bad is a wildcard team. So wherever
Aaron goes. If he goes to Minnesota, my guests says
(20:06):
he's a backup. By like October, they're gonna start J. J. McCarthy.
If he goes to New York, they're not getting past
Philly and Washington. If he goes to Pittsburgh, he probably
is worth a game over Russell Wilson. But Russell Wilson
was already good until the end, and all the raw
ros stuff just doesn't pan out at the end of
the season. And so I don't think Aaron's going to
(20:26):
change the dynamics of any division football at this point. Again,
last thirty games, he's eleven and nineteen, his passer ratings
under ninety. That's with Matt Lafleur. You know, that's with like, okay,
it was the Jets. Well it was also green Bay,
so most of those games, majority of them were close
to majority of your half. There were Green Bay games
with Matt Lafleur, so he didn't make the playoffs. Last
(20:47):
year they lost to Detroit at home. Remember that was
the last game of the regular season.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
So you want some pushbacker, Yeah, I do. Of course,
this is tough because I like this team a lot.
I was just drilling down on the Chargers a little bit.
It Do you know how many teams they beat last
year that made the playoffs? Won Denver twice. That's it.
They did not beat anybody good all season. And I
look at the Chargers offseason, Colin, how were they upgraded?
Speaker 8 (21:14):
Naw?
Speaker 5 (21:14):
J Harris, is that an upgrade? Mike Williams bringing his
corpse back to run?
Speaker 3 (21:18):
What run?
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Down the field?
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Like?
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I don't see the improved. I don't see how the
rosters are.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
What have we said about Jim harbaugh first three years
in the NFL? I did you see their draft last year?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
A lot of guys that could play.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I guess my disagreement would be, like, I think the
Broncos have improved their team dramatically, and the Chargers.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I don't think they're like status quo.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Well, I said, the winner will not win more than
twelve games and the loser will not win less than
fewer than eight. I think the division goes down to
the last three weeks. I think health. What worries me
about the Broncos Hafunga and green law struggle to stay healthy. Well, yeah,
that's a real thing. And by the way, Garrett Bowles
has had some hell stuff at left tackle. So a
lot of their guys, like the Niners, like year, I
(22:00):
worry about Denver staying healthy for eighteen weeks.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
I am a little to go to a last place team,
not the Jets, the Jags.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
You have just sold all of your Trevor Lawrence stock Uh.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
So you're done, done, You're off lords. No, No, here was.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
A time where you would not take a call on him.
He was in that group from him and it's over.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Well, you know it's funny.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
So Greg co Sel for years and years kept telling
me over and over. The tape tells you he is
not close to Josh Allen, that he doesn't see the
field as well as he should. He tends to run
sometimes to a fault. He gets banged up and listen.
There was always a question about Trevor Lawrence. Here was
(22:41):
what was the knock? He really likes football? Does he
love it? That was the Andrew Luck criticism. Andrew Luck
had a big, broad life. He really enjoyed football. He
didn't live for it. He wasn't Brady, he wasn't obsessed.
He's not obsessed like Brady or Breeze, just obsessed. Trevor
Lawrence is going at it and likes it. But he
(23:01):
said when he got drafted, it's not the beginning and
the end of my my It's not. It doesn't define
it doesn't yet.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Well, I kind of want.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
I want football too at some point as a quarterback
to define you for I'm not asking forever. I'm just
saying for like twelve years, it's got to be kind
of the center point. I mean, I'm not I'm not
asking football players to not have a life and be
happily married and have capentine. But for the ten for
the eight years you're in your prime, I need you
to really be focused, really care deeply.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
He's distracted, right, It's not like he's like, oh, I
love sports cars or whatever.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
He just football is like eh, I'm playing football. Cool.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
It's not like Tom Brady's obsessive commanis you.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Know what most people in my Steve Jobs was obsessed
and he changed the world. You know most people that
are obsessed. All these devices we have, they're built by
obsessed people. So I know everybody wants you to be
balanced and healthy. I like people that deeply care about stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
I think quietly.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
Trevor Lawrence is like probably one of the ten most
interesting figures heading into the season because Colin. There was
talk like do we even extend him? Like how much
money do you give him? Because he hasn't been the
number one pick you thought he'd be. He was supposed
to be generational.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Yeah, well that's why the NFL is great. You can
be a second, third, fourth, fifth round pick like Max
Crosby who's joining us, live six years, fourth Pro Bowls.
He leads the NFL and tackles the loss over the
last four seasons.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
You know, I've told you this before.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
I love you, man, and you did something this week
that I think you are very willing to talk about
the demon that you've overcome.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
You've been very willing.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
There was a picture you put on your Instagram so
I'll ask you about it because you put it out
there first.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
I wouldn't otherwise.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
But I've talked to you about this before, and there
are people right now in this country struggling with what
you were struggling with. Do you remember the day that
you just said I'm over this, I'm going to change
my life.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Do you remember that day?
Speaker 8 (24:55):
Absolutely? Absolutely?
Speaker 9 (24:56):
First off, Colin's great to see you always, you.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
Know, you're my guy.
Speaker 9 (25:01):
But yeah, man, I'll never forget it, you know what
I mean. That was the biggest day and most important
day of my life, you know, besides the day I
married my wife.
Speaker 8 (25:08):
And the day of my daughter was born.
Speaker 9 (25:10):
I wouldn't be here in this position if I didn't
make that, to make that decision for myself and my family,
you know, to get healthy and put myself first and
get the help I needed. So yeah, man, it's been
a it's been a hell of a journey ever since.
It's been five years already. It's crazy. How how time flies?
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Do people ever come up to you and thank you
for your messaging and willingness to talk about it?
Speaker 8 (25:33):
Yeah? All the time.
Speaker 9 (25:34):
You know, my first year and once I got a
year of sobriety, that's when I came out of public
about it. Yeah, because honestly, I had you know, I
had a guy like Darren Waller in my locker room
who was very public and open about it, and I
was kind of terrified to, you know, tell people that,
you know, I was an addict and I was going
through what I was going through. But seeing a guy
like that and seeing and talking to other people a
(25:56):
big influence, you.
Speaker 8 (25:58):
Know, talk about their struggles to be about it.
Speaker 9 (26:00):
I think it was super important because of my platform
and how I can impact others and get back because
you know, a lot of people don't like to talk
about it, but there's millions of people who suffering from addiction,
so very open and honest about it, and I think
that's the most important thing.
Speaker 8 (26:15):
You know, you live one.
Speaker 9 (26:16):
Life, and you know as many people as you can
help is the best thing you can possibly do.
Speaker 8 (26:19):
So that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
So you are now in the best division in football.
It's crazy. I mean, look at the coaches, Sean Payton,
Andy Reid, Spags, Jim Harbaugh, Jesse Mincher. Now you have
Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly. So when Pete speaks to
the team or you individually for the first time. What
was Pete Carroll's message?
Speaker 8 (26:42):
Compete?
Speaker 9 (26:42):
You know, he talks about it all the time. No
matter what we're doing, we're gonna compete. We're gonna have
fun when we do it. And the culture is first
and foremost. You know, Pete everywhere he's been has created
a culture of winning and fun. And it doesn't mean
you're not working hard. It means that everybody enjoys showing
up every single day.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
We have one of the hardest jobs in the world.
Speaker 9 (27:05):
There's a reason why there's only fifteen hundred NFL players
on the planet, you know what I mean. There's eight
billion people and there's only a tiny, tiny group of
people that can really do it every day. So you
have to enjoy the process, and that's something that he's
big on. I've talked to a ton of people that
he knows and as coach. They've reached out to me,
from you know, Marshawn Lynch to Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett,
(27:27):
all those guys. They all the wording and how they
approached me about how Pete is and how he operates
are all so consistent and they absolutely love love him
so I'm super excited. You know, me and Peter have
only known each other for a couple of months now,
but I can't wait to continue, you know, building that
relationship and continue to do it together and build a
winner here.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
You know, it's funny the quarterbacks that you pursue. So
you got Mahomes who moves really well and throws can
throw left handed. Bo Nix is smaller but way more
athletic than people think. Justin Herbert Justin her it's a
bit of a house when you rush, do you is
that usually you don't care?
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Or do you like? Are there angles you take on? Guys?
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Do you think differently when rushing? Bo, Justin and Patrick absolutely?
Speaker 8 (28:13):
Absolutely.
Speaker 9 (28:14):
You know, they all have their strengths, strengths and weaknesses,
and it's up to me to figure out the best
approach every single week because every quarterback is different, every
team is different, every coach is different, and the schemes
that I gotta you know, go against change weekly, you
know what I mean. I know I'm being circled every
week and they're gonna double teamy.
Speaker 8 (28:35):
Triple team ship and all that.
Speaker 9 (28:38):
So for me, it's like an ultimate mind game more
than anything, because I'm trying to figure out how to
break that break that code, and it's become more and
more of a challenge, but it's become more and more exciting,
you know what I mean, over the years, because it's
like I take it, you know, I take it as
like a sign of respect.
Speaker 8 (28:58):
You know that teams are coming after me, but.
Speaker 9 (29:01):
You gotta you gotta be so locked in and you
gotta find those couple of plays in the game. Okay,
if they get in this formation, this is how I'm
gonna approach this and this is where I'm gonna change
the game.
Speaker 8 (29:08):
Like that's literally how.
Speaker 9 (29:09):
I'm watching the film, like I'm watching my film all
you know, leading up to it.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
How can I improve? How can I be the best
version of myself?
Speaker 9 (29:15):
And then okay, where is these these these little windows
I can I can capitalize on? So yeah, every quarterback
is different. You know Pat is, I mean, Pat is
one of one.
Speaker 8 (29:26):
He's different.
Speaker 9 (29:26):
You know, he's gonna try to make every single play.
You know, guys like Josh Allen Lamar, even Herbert, Like
Herbert's gonna you gotta you gotta smack him over and
over and over again because he's gonna literally like he'll.
Speaker 8 (29:39):
Be on it, damn near on his back and he's
still trying to get rid of the ball and make plays.
Speaker 9 (29:42):
So yeah, it's it's all you know, it's ultimate respect
at the end of the day.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
But they know, like my job is to is to
kill him, and they're the ones, you know, trying to
trying to play quarterback. But also they know.
Speaker 9 (29:54):
I'm I'm trying to take their head off at the
same time.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
So I've said before there are very few d defensive
players that lead teams, that are the soul of the team.
And when you were talking about contract, I had said
on this show, I said, when I think raiders, even
in the seventies and eighties, I think of Max Crosby.
He looks like a raider, he plays like a raider.
You talk a lot of trash. Is that to fire
(30:18):
you up? Or is it to intimidate others? Because you
you should be in my business. You never stop talking.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Who's that for?
Speaker 8 (30:28):
I think it's a mixture, and I do appreciate that. Colin.
I know your boy over there. I've seen one of
the clips.
Speaker 9 (30:32):
I'm gonna I'm gonna keep my opinion to myself, but
I know you know football, Colin I don't know about
your boy over there, but I would just keep it
like this, you know, for me.
Speaker 8 (30:41):
I get fired up.
Speaker 9 (30:45):
It just depends, like honestly, sometimes if you're just in
a that day, you can't predict how you're gonna feel
every single day. Sometimes you're gonna be in the best mood. Ever,
some days they're gonna be in a dark place. Like
that's just what comes with it. And I sometimes I
just talk is kind of like get myself going, you
know what I mean, like try to get myself Like
if I feel like I'm not one hundred and ten
(31:07):
percent myself, I might just start a fight in the
middle of practice just to get myself going, you know
what I mean. So it just kind of depends on
where my mind's at, in what space I'm at.
Speaker 8 (31:16):
You know.
Speaker 9 (31:16):
I don't like to try to chase a feeling because
some you know, like if you have a great game,
some guys will go be like, Okay, I need to
feel like that.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Again, And how do I get to that?
Speaker 9 (31:25):
You can't chase There's never gonna be that exact feeling,
you know.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
What I mean.
Speaker 9 (31:28):
You just have to go with the flow and be
where your feet are and find whatever space you're in
and maximize that because that's just reality.
Speaker 8 (31:39):
That's how life is.
Speaker 9 (31:39):
Some days you wake up and you have the big
smiley face, Hey I'm gonna have a great day. Some
days your body's sore, you're hurting, but you still have
to find a way to be at your best. So
I just feel like there's no perfect recipe to it.
You just have to You can't try to overthink it
and try to make something that it isn't.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
I just try to go with the flow.
Speaker 9 (31:57):
And some games I'm quiet, i might not say a
single word and I'm just laser focused. Some games I'm
just something pissed me off, or I'm you know, trying
to get myself going, and I'm just on somebody like
Raven's game, like I was talking the whole game. Some
other games, I've had some of the best games in
my career and I'm sitting there smiling the whole game,
not saying a word, not talking. Just I just I
(32:18):
just go with the flow, you know what I mean.
I don't try to force any type of vibe or energy.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Finally, for about a week, you were the highest paid
non quarterback in the world, and I know you're not
about money. Guy. Every time I see you jeans T shirt,
you're watching UFC. But do you ever that day when
you sign that contract, who'd you think about? What'd you
think about that one day? The word money was like
a big discussion in your life.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Yeah, honestly, you know this, you know, being the second
time that I've gotten an extension, you know, the first
time was like, oh my god, you know what I mean,
Like it was just crazy, like I did it, you know,
I got this you contract and I always like had
that in the back of my head. How would that feel?
And I feel like the first time it was like
this big thing and for the outside world, you know,
(33:09):
I was like the third or fourth highest paid and
at that time, and I'm like I'm a top five.
Speaker 8 (33:13):
Guy now blah blah blah blah blah, and it meant
a lot more to me. Then then I felt like
it's to the outside world.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
But this time around, like setting history, you know, resetting history,
being the highest paid non quarterback.
Speaker 8 (33:24):
I feel like the.
Speaker 9 (33:25):
Outside world was like a huge, huge response, and for
me it was just like another day, Like I can't
even explain it, you know what I mean, Like I'm
so laser focus right now and being at my best
and getting back healthy and.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
Preparing for this next season.
Speaker 9 (33:38):
I got so many goals and things I want to accomplish.
I truly like I just wanted to get get to
a point where I was happy and where I'm comfortable
and my family's comfortable, and I'm just the same as usual.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
I was.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
Literally the day I signed my contract, I'm in there
boxing with the guys and getting my work in.
Speaker 8 (33:56):
Before I went inside my contract.
Speaker 9 (33:58):
My agents and all them are looking at at me
like I'm like, I got to get my work in first.
I'm going, you know what I mean, Like this is
most important. I wouldn't I wouldn't have the deal if
I'm not putting in the work. So it really it's
it's unbelievable, don't get me wrong. Like it's it's an
absolute blessing. Like I am set beyond set, and my
kids are set and all that is incredible. But truly,
right now, like I'm just focused on building, you know,
(34:20):
trying to win a Super Bowl most importantly and building
a Hall of Fame resume, and that's that's my focus
every single day.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Hey, hey, do you meet Gino yet? Gino Smith have
you met him.
Speaker 8 (34:29):
Yet, Yes, I have. He was. He was in the
building a couple of days ago.
Speaker 9 (34:32):
So the second, like the news broke, I had been
on FaceTime with him like five minutes before. He called
me the big smile and was all fired up. So yeah,
I was super fired up. I'm super happy that he's
a part of our, part of this team now, and
I just have heard nothing but great things about him.
So just taking it one day at a time. You know,
we're building our relationship and I've been a fan of
(34:53):
from Afar for a long time.
Speaker 8 (34:54):
I think Gino.
Speaker 9 (34:56):
You know, people have opinions, you know how the beginning
of his career run things like that, But look what
he's done is he's gotten you know, as the years
have gone by, and he truly is a really, really,
really good quarterback. And I know he's still far from satisfied.
So yeah, we've had some great conversations and you know,
we're definitely excited to get to work together.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
It's so great seeing you.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
I'll be going to more UFC fights now here in
the next couple of months.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
It's always great to see you.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Congrats to you and your family and sharing some personal stuff.
Sometimes I don't know if I should ask those questions,
but you're always very appreciative and you give great responses.
And there's people out there that have dealt with what
you did and you're five years free of it, and
it's amazing. And I just love seeing you. Man. I
appreciate you coming on the show.
Speaker 8 (35:41):
You're the best brother in Colin.
Speaker 9 (35:42):
I see all your clips, man, all the love and
respect you show it truly means a lot. Man, You're
one of the best in the game. So I appreciate you.
I'll be seeing you soon, all right.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Max Crosby, and I've said this before, there are very
few defensive players. Lawrence Taylor's won. He defined the Giants.
It was not Phil Simms. It was a Lawrence Taylor
to find the Giants the toughness. Max Crosby's the Raiders,
like you have to be like Lamar Jackson. To me,
I would argue this, Maholmes does not define the Chiefs.
(36:12):
I think Andy Reid shares in that Spag shares in that.
I think Lamar Jackson is the Ravens like he's the
soul and the fabric. I cannot see him playing for
any other team. Max Crosby's a Raider. And then if
you followed the NFL since the seventies, eighties, nineties, you
go back to Lyle Alzado and Matouzak and all the
(36:32):
tough guys with the Raiders and Jack Tatum and even
their offensive guys. You know, tough guys. Crosby's a Raider.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 10 (36:50):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together We're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 11 (36:55):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 11 (37:04):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 10 (37:08):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 11 (37:17):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Right so check us out.
Speaker 10 (37:23):
We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls,
chop it up. As they say, i'd say, the most
interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive
show on planetar. Be sure to check out Covino and
Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app
from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific.
And if you miss any of the live show, just
search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and
of course on social media.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Is one of the guys I love in this business.
Mark Feugh, Gonzaga basketball coach.
Speaker 6 (37:51):
T USA.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Good lord, Yeah, I listen. I listened to the other night.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
I watched and listened to that Saint Mary his game
and they were pushing you around and getting a whistle
and yeah, and you know.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
It's it's funny about this. You've got a bit of a.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Formula, the international stuff, Washington, stay. You got a little
bit of a formula. And you know, it's it's interesting
that guys now come to you, I mean, Chet Holmgren
like like it used to be you were banging on
doors and guys now come to you. So I was
talking to a friend of the other day, I said,
the downside to that is you've got to be more
(38:31):
selective because more people want that's right, like it used
to be if they come all taken. So do you
get into situations now where you're like, oh, he's really good,
we don't we don't have a spot for him.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (38:47):
I think it's the biggest thing, Colin, is just kind
of staying true to your culture. I mean, and you
can get tricked a lot of times just on chasing talent,
and we st it still happens to this day. But
I think in the end, what we've found up here,
like what fits us is just staying true. I mean,
we we have to have somebody that that really really
(39:08):
loves basketball and wants to work and then also just
values team and uh and then and then in some
cases sometimes we have to teach our transfers that a
little bit. We we we've kind of had to had
to do that this year. I think it it's taken
a while for some of our guys to kind of
really latch onto to that and and figure out that's
(39:30):
that's that's what needs to be done. And uh. But
I'll give this group a lot of credit man. We
we uh we lost a ton of games, you know,
in the last one or two possessions this year, and
it has not broke their spirit.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (39:45):
They were very, very driven down the stretch and uh
uh you know the other night, I think it all
came to fruition.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yeah, what I was thinking about this, Has your experience
with Team USA helped you at all in the NIL world,
which is kind of like semi pro in college? Like,
what do you take from you because everybody looks at
college and pro as two different worlds. Is there anything
they share that you've learned. Have you pulled something from
(40:12):
college that can help you a Team USA when you're
dealing with Lebron and staph or vice versa.
Speaker 12 (40:17):
Oh, hey, tons of it. I think my players are
so tired of me referencing them and and I was
listening earlier to your show and just a great take
on Lebron. I reference him so much with our team
on just how he impacts winning. I mean, he is
just all about winning and hit his preparation and how
(40:41):
much film he watches. He watches as much film as
the coaches is, how he takes care of his body,
and then to your point, how he communicates on the floor.
I talked to my team time and time again. I mean,
he hits the floor and he's calling out every ball screen,
he's calling out every coverage, he's talking on offense. It's
amazing and I think that's why he's one of the
greatest winners in the history of all sports if you
(41:03):
ask me, when you see the impact that he has.
But then I'll reference steph on on his his routine
every day and how great he was at the end
of every practice, no matter how hard we went or
how long it been. He's in there just wrapping out
his shots and he's gonna take in games and uh yeah,
And then the players are probably a little tired of it.
(41:25):
But it's been a great source for me. And then conversely,
I shared with the USA guys like, hey, you know
you can you know you watch that Court of Gold series.
This is one and done. This is not a seven
game series. And you guys, you know this is my
world now and you can't have we can't have a
bad day. And to their credit, man, their competitive will
(41:46):
shined bright in the in the biggest moment for us
to be able to get that gold and get it done.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Yeah, hey, by the way, So I'm gonna throw my
hat on and by the way, rip me to shreds
if I'm wrong, because you know, you know a million
times more than I do.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
I said the other day, I said, Cooper.
Speaker 12 (42:02):
Are you you were wrong on the on the hair
like hair product comparison to to making the athlete get
stronger in the in the weight room or whatever. Earlier
I thought that was this strange analogy, the great take
on Lebron hair product. Yeah, I didn't quite. I didn't
grasp that, but I'm usually right on with you, pal,
but you lost me there.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
Okay, So we were talking about Cooper Flag and he
just does everything well, score and transition, can use his body,
and I said, he's got some Jason Tatum to him
where there's nothing. I look at Jason Tatum and say,
he can do kind of everything. Who is the comp
for Cooper Flag? Because I think Duke's were really good
and I think this kid mark he's ready to play
(42:45):
in the NBA. It feels to me like right away
and can score right away.
Speaker 6 (42:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (42:50):
Well, he showed that this summer. He scrimmaged against us
and he was ready to go from the jump and
went right at us. You know, it was just this
GrimAge was our first scrimmage. Our guys were just getting
off the beach and everything with USA and vacation. But yeah,
he was very, very impressive. And the and the great
thing about him, man is he's he's he like to
(43:13):
your point, he does everything well. I mean, he can
score if he has to. He's got a great feel
for the game. I mean, he's got tremendous positional size.
He Uh, John's done a great job with him, I think. Uh,
and he played for a great coach in Kevin Boyle
at Mont Verd And uh, he really understands defense and
(43:35):
he impacts the game in a big way on the
defensive end. So yeah, he's gonna he's gonna have a
huge impact from day one. But it's gonna be one
of those impacts like he does everything well. You know,
I think people are gonna pick up the paper and
look at the stats and it's not always about that.
It's it's, uh, you know a little bit like Lebron.
He impacts winning in a big way.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Has there been a team I ask you this every
year and tell me a team that none of us
talking heads talk about, and that you've seen him or
watched them or scouted them, and you're like, yeah, I'd
rather avoid them in the tournament.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
I don't have any real interest.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
Has there been a little bit of a sleeper that
you know sometimes we talk about the Dukes and the
Gonzaga and the Carolinas, a little bit of a team
that you think is better than people quite realize.
Speaker 12 (44:23):
I mean, I think people realize how good they are.
I do, but listen what Houston's doing, what Kelvin's been
able to do, and to go through that league. I
think they went nineteen and one in that league is
just remarkable. And the intensity that they bring in the
physicality that they bring and now you know, their offensive
(44:48):
efficiency is better than it has been. I had a
chance to watch them last week a little bit and
I just came away just I mean, I've always been impressed,
but was really impressed with that. Was That's probably one
that jumps out. I don't know if that really counts
as an under the radar team.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Though, Hey, you you told us. I remember when chet
Holmgren was coming out and I said, ah, he's skilled,
a little skinny, and you said, oh no, this guy
is tough. This guy's a fighter, yes, and I gotta
tell you he's good. He is a fighter. He is tough.
By the way SGA I saw him in college, I'm like,
(45:25):
what is that skinny? That kid's developed into something that's insane.
Speaker 12 (45:31):
My goodness, he torched us not this summer, but the
year before and in USA, and I mean I got
to see him up close and personal in that just
he's one of those guys. You know how Steph changed
the analytics back in the day with shooting threes. I'm
telling you, SGA with that pull up jumper and the
tough two. I mean, watching that firsthand, uh, it was funny.
(45:54):
I mean I was sharing that with Tylu like, Okay,
our drop coverage isn't gonna work. Yeah, but this guy
we had to cart start trapping him because he's just
made that's a that's a layup for him, that little
pull up, and that's what you give up and drop coverage.
But yeah, they've had a terrific, terrific year mark their
head coach has done a beautiful job to kind of
navigating through that and Chet I think that's one thing
(46:15):
that's being underrated a little bit, is check coming back
for them. I mean, you talk about just adding another
incredible piece and just an incredible entity. And he's a competitive,
competitive dude man, and he he's got a big, big,
strong belief in himself and he's his body might not
look like it, but that dude is his nails.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:37):
You know what we were talking about this earlier A
couple a couple more is that I said I like analytics.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
I absolutely believe in it.
Speaker 1 (46:46):
But I always joke what I really like is MA analytics,
which is when you get into big games, I want
Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins both average eighteen. Jimmy Butler
is a handful Like they're both wing guys that average eighteen.
Speaker 3 (46:59):
They're totally different players.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Is that when you get into the tournament sometimes I like,
I always love Jalen Suggs. I like guys that get
in your kitchen. I like physical guys. Do you think
sometimes with analytics, are there players that you've had or
seen at USA and you're like, yeah, I'm sorry, the
analytics don't quite get the player.
Speaker 12 (47:19):
Absolutely, And I'm so with you on that point. At
some point, I mean, it just comes down to who
who can make up, who can make a play and
especially as you get deeper into the tournament, you know,
and deeper into the game, It's gonna come down to,
you know, do they have that moxie? Do they have
that grit? Do they have that toughness? Do they have that?
(47:41):
Everybody says they have confidence and swag, but do they
really really have that?
Speaker 11 (47:46):
Uh?
Speaker 12 (47:46):
I mean again, I reference the Team USA, but look
at you. Look at the shots Steph said, Look at Lebron,
the shots that he made down the stretch. Look at
the the pull up that KD hit against Serbia. I mean,
just monster, monster shots and just happened. Because those guys
are just so good and have such incredible belief in themselves.
(48:08):
You have to have a guy like that going down
the stretch of the games, and analytics has nothing to
do with that fact. You got to just throw it
out the windows. In some cases, Colin, you'll be playing
against the guy and the staff will say, well, is
she's twenty percent from three? And I'm like, I don't care.
At the end of the game, you know we are
double teaming him because I've seen him time and time again.
(48:29):
Just make those shots.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (48:30):
Finally, I'm not a big pill popper, but a week ago.
My daughter, I'm a crappy sleeper, she said, Dad, I said,
I can't sleep. She goes, oh oh. She pulled out
her pharmacy drawer and she gave me magnesium. And you're
a you're a lousy sleeper too.
Speaker 12 (48:52):
Yes, in season in season, I'm bad sleeper, have you?
Speaker 3 (48:55):
And now tell me your magnesium backstory.
Speaker 12 (48:59):
Well, first of all, I was listening to that show
and it was a day we were kind of setting
this up your retire staff. It was just fit to
be tied with you on magnesium. And they were saying
you were a maniac, and I was saying I was
texting back with them. I was like, I thought that
was one of his best shows. So yes, my daughter
(49:19):
came to me and actually shared this scene with Magnese
and she had this little oil shed rubbing on the
bottom of your feet, Dad, And I was like, come on,
and I'm just telling you, I slept for eight hours
at and I was the best sleep I've had in
a while. So when you started going off on't I'm
a big believer.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Hey, by the way, two final fours, you look great.
Your energy is through the roof. I Jay Writ's a
friend of mine. I couldn't figure out why you retired.
You probably didn't want that. Nil, nonsense. You should just
Steph Curry said something here, and Steph said, I'll retire.
It's not about stats. When I can no longer dominate
(49:57):
a game, I'm out. Is there gonna be something with you?
Because your energy is insane, you're in great shape. What
will be the thing where you're like, all right, I'm
gonna shut her down in golf and go to my
you know, lake house and hang out.
Speaker 12 (50:12):
Yeah, don't, don't forget fly fishing there.
Speaker 3 (50:15):
That's good. That's good.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (50:20):
I mean I think probably when when you don't feel
you're having the same type of impact on your guys,
and then and then the other thing I would say,
calling like, I honestly think there's a point where you
get to where you know, other people need to enjoy
this spot, you know, and and other people need to
(50:40):
have the chance to do this too, you know. That's
why I don't see hanging on till you're you know.
I mean, some guys it's fine if they want to
hang on till they're eighty, But I just think it's
time at some point it's good to share it. I
got a great staff here, and it's time for them
experience as as a head coach, you know at some point.
So I think all of those factors go in it. Uh,
(51:00):
you know, as long as it's still fun. It's a
huge challenge adapting. I mean, we could do a whole
other show on all the adaptations that have needed to
be made in the last like twelve months in this profession.
But you know, you just you have to be willing
to kind of be flexible. And then I think doing
the USA Basketball stints have really helped me kind of
understand it from maybe the professional side.
Speaker 3 (51:22):
Yeah, it's great seeing you, my man. Great scene.
Speaker 12 (51:25):
Yeah you too, Mark. You look well rested this.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
Week, and you will be in about a month. You'll
be well rested in a month. Great thing.
Speaker 12 (51:36):
Yeah, all right, take care, all right.
Speaker 1 (51:38):
He just you know, he's he and coach k have
really figured it out. You do a little bit of
the Olympic stuff, which is just so fun, so international,
and then you you dominate a college landscape and uh,
it's you know, I went to college right next to
gone Zaga, so it's a Spokane's really a beautiful place.
Even the winner it's cold, So what you're indoors playing basketball.
(52:00):
If it was too nice, you'd want to be outside.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.