June 3, 2026 • 40 mins
Colin looked ahead to Game 1 of the NBA Finals and explained why Wemby being the greatest player and biggest star is good news for the NBA and campaigned for an Aaron Donald return in LA
LA Rams GM Les Snead talked about how the Myles Garrett blockbuster trade went down and Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid talked about Travis Kelce's return and gave us an update on Patrick Mahomes' rehab coming off his torn ACL
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here we go, NBA Final Start, Teddy Aaron Donald, back
to the Rams. Welcome in, Andy, Reid stops by. We'll
go to New York Talk, NIX, RAMSGM Less Snead in
the house. Here we are on a Wednesday. Thanks for
(00:51):
joining us. A lot of options out there. We appreciate it.
So Mitchell Robinson broke a finger. He is questionable for
tonight's Game one. He is their best defensive big. You'd
prefer your best defensive big to be healthy when he's
facing Wimby. So it's not great news, but the best.
(01:13):
You know, the NBA has always been at its best
when the best player is also the biggest star Magic
shack Lebron Curry. You know that. That's MJ obviously. So
your best player is your biggest Star. Where the NBA
(01:36):
gets into trouble is when your best player isn't your
biggest star. Sga Yokish, Tim Duncan, Moses Malone won back
to back MVPs. That's when the league's kind of swimming
and feels rudderless. So his first championship would guarantee and
(01:59):
mean the best player Wemby, best two way player right
now would be the biggest star. I don't know if
it happens this year, it may start next year. But
they did beat in the Game seven, the defending champs.
Boxing has a unification bout. The NBA, in my opinion,
(02:19):
could use theirs. So New York against Wemby is a
no lose proposition for the league. The Knicks either get
their first championship in fifty three years. They're charging now
more for tickets than Manhattan rent. Google it it's true,
or Wemby begins a Bill Russell Jordan magic Bird Shack
(02:44):
like transformation of the league. There is so much to
like about New York. They're older, their wings are big
and physical. Karl Anthony Towns is the best shooting big
maybe ever. Brunson's on a heater og matches up we
think with Wemby, and they've actually played very well against
(03:07):
the Spurs this season. There's so much to like about
New York in this series, but I can't get past
this number. When Wemby plays just fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes.
The Spurs are thirty nine and six since February first,
(03:28):
and thirteen and one against the East. That one loss, though,
is to the Knicks. But I still like San Antonio
in this series in six or seven games. Why they
have the best overall player that matters, They have home
court advantage that matters. The Knicks have a crucial injury
(03:51):
to the one guy that physically can go toe to toe.
We think Mitchell Robinson with Wemby, he's injured. Also, the
Spurs are much more battle tested. I mean, in May
the Knicks played two close games two and we're far
superior to both teams. We didn't know until this past
(04:14):
weekend if the Spurs were even superior to the other
team in the Western Conference finals. So I like the
Spurs home court, have Wemby, battle tested, don't have a
key injury that worries me. Dylan Harper appears to be back.
Here is Wemby on tonight's NBA Finals.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
How do you feel about the fact that a lot
of the world's at the basketball world, even the general world,
is going to be watching the series, And how does
that spotlight motivate you?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
And how do you feel comfortable in that spotlight doesn't
motivate me.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Next, at the end of the day, on the twenty
thousand people fit in the arena, so it doesn't really
make a difference.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I like everything about him. Smart, he'll talk to the press,
He's got a sense of humor. He's dominant, he wants it.
Unlike other European players, he really wants to dominate everything
from the regular season to the NBA Cup, to the
All Star Game to the playoffs. He's really really into it.
It matters to him. Years ago, I started a business
(05:21):
and I started it with a good friend of mine
and we sat down one time we talked about what
kind of people do we want to hire, and I said,
I want people that are competitive and care. If they're
just showing up the work, what's the point. Do you
really love the business? Do you really care? Are you
willing to be competitive and put it out there. That's
(05:42):
what I love about Wemby. He wants this so badly,
and not all players do. In fact, not all star
players want it to that level. All right, this story
came out yesterday. It's kind of interesting, kind of frightening.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
When Miles Garrett signed with the Rams, they went from
favorite to strong favorite to win the Super Bowl. And
then yesterday Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report called Aaron Donald.
He said, would you consider coming back to the NFL?
He said, yeah, I'm flirting with the idea. Oh good,
(06:20):
hell so he retired at thirty two. Today he's only
thirty five. Remember Kalais Campbell is thirty nine and still
an above average defensive lineman. Thirty nine years old. Cam
Hayward was the highest rated according to PFF, the highest
rated defensive tackle in the NFL last year. He's thirty seven.
(06:42):
Aaron Donald's had no major injuries, All Pro first team
the year he retired, started every single game. He simply
lost motivation. The Rams were ten and seven, they weren't
a Super Bowl team. They lost in the first round,
and he was and there's video to prove it. He
was being triple teamed. He just lost motivation. To me,
this literally makes sense, and I want you to think
(07:03):
about this. We talk a lot about offense. If Aaron
Donald came back, and there's no doubt in my mind
he would be elite. You'd have Byron Young on one side,
Miles Garrett on the other. Poona Ford was the number
one rated nose tackle in the NFL last year, Braden
Fisk has been a hit at defensive end, and Kobe
(07:25):
Turner will get a big payday. Let me insert Aaron Donald.
That would, without question be the greatest compilation of defensive
line talent ever put together. And I don't even know
if it's close. And then here's the thing about Aaron Donald.
As you age, all of you people watching me right
now in your fifties sixties, as you age, you like
(07:47):
to work, but you want your work to be meaningful,
not pointless or fruitless. So, and I really believe this,
Tom Brady would have kept playing. One of the reasons
Tom Brady retired was the Bucks were eight nine and
they were getting really old, really quickly. If the Bucks
(08:09):
would have been eleven and six and co Super Bowl favorites,
Tom Brady would have played, and maybe two more years
could have been three. I still think he could play now,
So it's once Miles Garrett signs you started looking at
it going okay, and remember Aaron Donald go to his
(08:29):
ig page. Okay, he didn't have umbrella drinks at the beach.
He hasn't put on weight. It's Aaron Donald working out.
That's the thing. He loves. Aaron Donald ig page, Aaron
Donald working out. So here, here's Sean McVay trying to
(08:52):
wipe the smile off his face when he was asked
yesterday about reuniting with Aaron Donald.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
If he's interested, you know, there's no question.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Here's what I say.
Speaker 7 (09:05):
You talk to Aaron and you see what he's saying
about that. But here's what I would tell you guys overall,
too is you know, Aaron's a guy that I stay
really close in touch with, and I know the respect
that he has for Miles. Talk to him about the
opportunity to be able to bring him on board. If
Aaron decides he wants to dust him off at the
age of thirty five, I bet you he could still
do it at.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
A pretty high clip. Yeah, don't. I don't question at all.
Kalaos Campbell's still a really good football player. I think
he's gonna be forty this season and Cam Hayward is
still elite. So this is well, Colin, why didn't he
come back when Jared Verse was there? I like Jared Verse.
(09:45):
He's not Miles Garrett like this. This defensive line would
I mean again, you don't want to go crazy. Injuries happened,
Stafford could get banged up. But if Aaron Donald came back,
I mean, have him come back week eight. I just
(10:08):
can't even believe that story. Just absolutely frightening. Jmak we
got so much stuff going on today. Caleb Williams became
the first Chicago Bear ever on the cover of Madden.
That's something James Dolan. People can say what they want
about James Dolan. James Dolan is the one that made
(10:29):
the desation on Tibbs and also made the decision on
Mike Brown. Really fascinating thoughts on the difference between Brown
and Tibbs here Now.
Speaker 8 (10:40):
Well, do you remember the Mike Brown situation. He was
not their first choice, He was not their second choice.
They really wanted Michael Malone, the Denver Nuggets coach who
ended up at UNC.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
They wanted Jason Kidd, They didn't want Mike Brown.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
I love stories like this colin where Mike Brown's like
the third choice and now he's instrumental in driving them
to the finals.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Well, I think one of the things that was attractive
about Mike Brown, and Mike's a really nice guy, is
that he's worked in several formulas with several coaches and
several ecosystems. He's always been known as a good listener
and a good collaborator. Malone and I like him is
really intense, and he battled previously with a GM and
Tibbs is really intense. So when those stories came out,
(11:22):
I didn't necessarily buy the Malone to the next story.
My take was, well, Malone is similarly intense and not
necessarily known as a great collaborator. I'm I'm sure Malone's fine,
but you know, Tibbs is pretty rigid. Mike Brown's kind
of I don't know if it's his mantra, but it's
sort of His brand is Mike works well with anybody
(11:44):
like Mike is willing to work. He'll tweak stuff all
day long. He's a collaborator and that's why he's always
employed in this league. Like people like Mike, they like
to work with him, and he's always been a great listener.
He kind of takes the pulse of his locker room.
And Mike's just going to be employed forever because people
generally root for people like that and they like and
he doesn't have to be the star of the room.
(12:05):
That's not his thing. So I've also I've also got
some thoughts on one of the coolest things about tonight's final,
and it's really it's instructive for the NBA. It's good
for the NBA. It's a good message. That's next. We're live,
It's the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
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Speaker 4 (12:43):
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Speaker 1 (12:57):
Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and coming away. Well,
it's his fifteenth year being the GM of the Rams,
and in the last nine seasons seven playoff appearances, including
two Super Bowl appearances, and after the Miles Garrett trade,
they are overwhelming favorites to get back to at least
(13:18):
the conference championship game and many after the Garrett move.
And we liked them pre Garrett move. It even feels
more emboldened and less need is joining us live from
his office in Los Angeles. I don't know if you're
a GM or a part casting director. It's star after
star after star. Let's start with Miles Garrett less when
(13:39):
I read a story in March they reworked his deal,
and that was about the time you guys kind of
all sat down. Take me back to March. When the
conversations on Miles started.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Was in March when they did rework is deal. It
was not a major rework. It was the Browns pushing
a bonus that he was owed in terms of when
you pay that bonus from let's call it March till
more closer to the season.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
So whether that was a signal or not.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
I've never asked Andrew hey why they did that or didn't.
But you know what, maybe maybe there's a possibility that
we you know, that that Miles could be available.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
So we knocked on the door.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
I think I've said this many times over the last
probably twenty four hours. Miles is going to be on
the Cleveland Browns Mount Rushmore whenever that is.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
And so it was.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
It was an easy no for Cleveland Andrew Cleveland. It
was like, you know what, it's better for Miles to
be a Cleveland Brown than an la Ram.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
But we kept knocking.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
We kept knocking, we kept knocking, and we were able
to finally get something done over the course of about
a five to six week process.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So listen, I know how much you guys like Jared Verse,
I know how much time you put into drafting scouting.
How hard was it I and I imagine it was brutal.
How hard was it to say, okay, well include Jared
Verse and the deal?
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Well, I think Colin, we tried to get the deal.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Done via just draft picks. That was that's what we
were trying to do.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Then the then the draft comes and goes continue trying
to do that. Late laid in the down Cleveland mentioned
it would take Jared Verse to get the deal done,
and that was a no for us, right it was
at that point, Wait a minute, Jared's been a big
part of who we are, who we've become, since we've
drafted him, since we started retooling that defense. Uh, because
(15:34):
that was he was just a piece of our puzzle
that we weren't planning to We were planning to have
him for a long time. So uh, like a lot
like initially when we call it Cleveland, it was a
no initially when Cleveland asked for Jared Versus.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
It was a no.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Overtime though, as it got closer to to June first, Uh,
and it was going to be, Hey, are we going
to do this or not? Jared was Jared was something
they were definitely demanding it, and we had to make
that difficult choice, which was very, very difficult for us.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So Stan Kronkey, who I know a little bit. Ultimately
you have to go to Stan on the biggest moves.
And the super Bowl is in La. And I said
the other day, I said, I wouldn't I wouldn't be
surprised if you know it's in La. Stan's baby Sofi Stadium.
You know, if you're arguing back and forth, you know,
it's a darn good place to end up in a
(16:25):
super Bowl and it's your home stadium. When you when
you called Stan on this, or if you did and said, hey,
this is this is a big move, did you guys
talk to your owner?
Speaker 5 (16:37):
It's definitely And I think that's that's very important, Uh
talk about called them because when you make a move
like this and you get to remember this, this is
this occurred in June. We didn't knock on their door
until free agencies over, so you know, this was this
was an opportunity we decided to seize, but it wasn't
something we planned for. And we had already gone through
(16:57):
kind of a free agency plan when we traded for
Trent and then we signed his copilot, his partner in
Kansas City and free agency. So that's you know, having
sand having his family as ownership. They've always allowed, you know,
allowed us to be flexible, be a little.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Bit out of the box.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
They're the one that they're the ones that uh, you know,
provide us the ecosystem and give us a thumbs up
to do this.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
So a major shout out to them.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
I can't say this having the super Bowl and so
far is a nice coincidence. Uh, we're probably all greedy.
We probably show up and play a super Bowl anywhere.
Uh and and and I can't say this too Colin,
this is this is June one. Uh, double one tendre
not intended. We still got miles to go before that game.
That's kind of how our ecosystem works. We're well aware that, right,
(17:45):
we were close last year. There's that's evidence that right
with Matthew Stafford, with our core, right, we can we
can contend. But I always go evidence is the past. Uh,
the future is still the future. We got to go
earn that. We gotta we gotta make that a day
at a time. Just because we do something or make
a major move like this on June one, it guarantees
(18:06):
nothing in the future.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
So Sean McVay keeps very close to certain players. Andrew
Whitworth has been unbelievably valuable to you guys. You bounce
stuff off in with young offensive lineman. Andrew's just a
great guy. I know that Sean and Aaron Donald have
a very strong relationship. I saw that story come out yesterday,
and you see a million stories and I'm like, I
don't know. He retired early. I can see it happening.
(18:30):
I go to his Instagram page. He's not on the
beach drinking cocktails. He's working out every day. I'm like, yeah,
Kalais Campbell's thirty nine, he's still good. When you heard
that story with Aaron Donald, come on, be honest. First
first thought.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Was, here's that new thing.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
I don't think Aaron's truly been tempted to come back
since he's retired. I do think, right, let's go off
the excitement around the Miles Garrett Tray. I'm thinking he's tempted.
He's really tempted for the first time. Uh Now, whether
that temptation leads to leads to you know, it comes
to fruition or not.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Tom will tell. That's just how Aaron is.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I think he.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I think, hey, if Aaron warda come back, I'm like you,
if Kayles can do it at thirty nine, Aaron can
do it at thirty five in some form of fashion.
I know this about Aaron Donald. At his core, he
wouldn't come back unless he thought, you know what, I
could really really really help the rams.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
That's just how he's wild. That's his that's that's that's
in his DNA.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Yeah, finally missing a workout.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
He's never missed a workout. Colin, that's.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
That guy. He is one on one. I mean, there's
been four or five NFL defensive players in my life.
Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Miles, Garrett, Aaron Donald. It's a
pretty short list. They're just different, and that cat is
just different. I got to ask you, I got to
ask you about ty Simpson here. If you've got in
a little look, will taste a little You got anything
(19:55):
for me on ty Simpson because I defended that move.
I totally understand it. Watch the ton of them in college.
Have you seen it? Get you? What are you seeing?
Speaker 5 (20:05):
We're early, We're just getting on the field, just doing
eleven on level.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Remember this is eleven on eleven without pads.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
You can appreciate what Tie is going through in terms
of coming in as a rookie and has to learn
right an offense. We're I mean Seanan his offense with
Matthew at the helm. I mean, this isn't this isn't
a called an undergraduate level outfit here. I mean this
is at the pH d level. So you can always
see the rookies, you know, have to go through just
(20:33):
to be able to ingest the offense, digest it and
then process it on the field. But as we've gone
into some seven on seven, some eleven on eleven, right,
you've seen some of those Ty Simpson moments, some of
the passes that he made.
Speaker 6 (20:46):
I call it the anticipation.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
So that's always really really cool to see from a
rookie because it's not this is not an easy ecosystem
for a rookie to come in and let's call it
earn equity and trust less.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
It's great seeing you is always congrats on the moves,
Cross your fingers on Aaron Donald and say hi to
Sean for me. I will do that all right, lest
need fifteenth year GM of the la Rams. Yeah, Aaron
Donald's just different like he is. I remember one time,
I think it was at a us C game or something.
I'm on the sidelines and I look over here in
(21:19):
Donald and it's just like, I mean, you know, I
always said this about Dion Sanders. I remember watching Dion
at Florida State and there was a game and I've looked,
I've tried to find the video and I can't find
it on YouTube. But at the time that he was
at Florida State, like the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State,
they were like the athlete rosters, like the fastest guys
(21:40):
in college football. And I remember it's I think I
was at the Palace Station in Las Vegas. I literally
was in Vegas and it was like a punt return
and Dion Sanders is pulling away from the fastest Miami Hurricanes.
I mean like he's taunting them on like a punt
return or maybe it was an interception, but he's faunting
(22:00):
Hurricane players who were faster than everybody. Aaron Donald next
to big, tough guys, like there's a Mike Tyson quality.
Even in a room of tough guys, everybody's like, I
don't want a piece of that. I got no interest
in that. Aaron Donald is just different. So top ten
players in the NBA Finals, Frank Isola been covering the
next long time. It's going to be joining us, mit
(22:23):
it is. I'm trying to think of the last NBA Finals.
Maybe it was Lebron against the Warriors. I'm trying to
think of the last NBA Finals. I was this geeked up.
I was telling my wife yesterday. I'm like, this one
feels big. Certain stuff feels big before they toss it up.
I mean, there was a couple of those that Warriors calvs.
(22:48):
Final when Lebron won a title. What was interesting about
that four or five of the games were blowouts. The
games were awful. If you go back and look, you know,
the three point shot was coming into its own, was
taken over the league. There were a lot of them,
awful blowouts in that series. I think, I think you're
gonna have close games in this series because I think
that it's hard to blow the Spurs away because they're defensively,
(23:10):
they can make things very difficult. And I think we're
I think we're gonna I think we're gonna have four
or five really close games. That's my thing.
Speaker 8 (23:18):
Warriors Celtics a few years ago, that was good. Curry
against Tatum Brown.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
No, but it didn't have the hype because the Knicks
feel different than everybody, and it was an older version
of the Warriors. It wasn't the best version of the
war It was the old Warriors. These are the young
Spurs with the young Wemby and the Knicks. I mean,
the Celtics have been good most of my life. The
Knicks haven't really been good since the pat Riley years,
(23:43):
and they haven't won title since Walt Fraser, Earl Monroe,
Willis Reid.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
There's a there's a whiff of Chicago Cubs, Boston Red
Sox with the Knicks. Like those teams had not been
to the World Series forever. They get there.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 8 (23:56):
You know, all the old timers are geeked.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
But this.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I mean, you saw the numbers for thunder Spurs Western
Conference Finals. I mean I think it was fifteen million,
almost sixteen million. So this, this final is gonna be
a big one for the league. Adam Silver, by the way,
doing cartwheels. That SGA and the Floppers are at home
and Wemby is in the finals against the number one
media market.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Well, yeah, it's not as much market size anymore. I mean,
the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls put up massive numbers.
It was the story, it was the Little Jazz, it
was the legendary MJ flu games stuff like that. It's
not really market size. Although I do think the Knicks
market helps them, but I mean San Antonio, we don't
think of it as a captivating market. But unlike previous
(24:38):
Spurs teams. It's a captivating team because their ceiling is
so dang high. Hour two Mack.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
One more Herd. 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 1 (24:55):
So we always do this. Whenever there's an NBA Final, Conference, Championship,
World Series, a massive series that everybody's talking about. We
get out the yellow pad. We write down are ten
best players in order, and it gives us sort of
a sense of who should be favored in this series.
I have said, there's a lot of reasons to like
New York. I'm gonna take the Spurs in six. I
(25:19):
think they've got the best player, home court advantage. I
do think a lot of the Knicks streak is based
on a cruddy Eastern Conference, but they're playing out of
their mind. They have a great roster composition. And so
here we go. Here's my top ten players in the
NBA Final Number one, Okay, it's Wemby. He's got thirty
(25:40):
five more rebounds in twenty eight more block shots than
any other player in the postseason. Spurs are thirty nine
and six since February one. When he just plays fifteen minutes,
he changes the calculus on the floor like nobody else.
I don't think his offensive game is quite refined yet
or consistent. But he also helps other players. This team
(26:03):
leads the league in corner threes. That's because of Wemby.
He's number one, number two Jalen Brunson. Listen the NBA's
best plus two twenty six with him on the court
this postseason. He is the soul, He's the heartbeat. Is
he a little bit of a defensive liability, so was
Steph Curry. He hustles, and they also have players around
(26:24):
him that can protect him. He's one of the best
clutch players. High iq EQ Villanova guy just perfect. I
mean he went to New York, he took less money.
He is your classic team first guy. Hard to dislike.
I've got him at two, number three now. I like og.
People think I like him too much. First of all,
(26:46):
long physical. They may match him up against Wemby. You know,
he can have off games, but he's a body type.
I talk to people in the NBA about this, like scouts.
They're like his body type, his ability to do a
little finance, but also be physical. He is so valuable.
They're twenty seven and five when he gets twenty points,
(27:07):
so they just don't lose much. And again against San Antonio,
his dexterity, his length, his physicality will be huge. Number
four Stefan Castle leads all players and assist this pole season,
plus he's second in points for the Spurs. Now I
used to think he was a real streaky shooter. I
don't think that as much now. He is hyper aggressive.
(27:29):
He was at you, Connie is now for the Spurs
on both ends of the floor. Sometimes do a fault offensively,
but you know he's gonna rebound, he's going to defend,
he's gonna be physical. He's just again the word dexterity.
He's just does so many things. Well, I've got him
at four. Carl Anthony Towns one of the great jump
shooting bigs of all time. He hopefully for the next
(27:52):
can pull Wemby away from the iron again. Now he's
an assist guy. The rigidity of Tibbs. You know you
kind of knew what you had with kat Mike Brown
and his staff in that Atlanta there he said, Now
I know a little point center here, take the ball
away from Brunson. Don't make us as bruntson Centric brilliant
and they haven't lost since I have Cat at five.
(28:14):
Number six would be Dylan Harper, only non starter in
my top ten. I think the kid's gonna be amazing.
I think he's unbelievable. I can't believe he's this good,
this early, the youngest player twenty years old all time
to have a twenty ten game in a conference final. Quick.
He can shoot. A lot of young players struggle with
(28:35):
consistency shooting, averaging thirteen points a game shooting fifty two
and a half percent in the playoffs. Dylan Harper at six,
Mikhale Bridges, who logs a lot of minutes nineteen a
game and sixty three percent shooting over this last nine games.
I mean, they gave up a lot to get him.
I didn't think he had the greatest year, but again,
(28:58):
he's a wing defender at an elite level. Not all
I mean mcale Bridges is largely what the league's transitioned
to over the last decade. You know, a three and
D guy. So McHale's Bridges at number seven. Darn Fox
at eight. He's not totally healthy He's been a clutch
Player of the Year in the NBA. One year he
(29:18):
led the NBA in steals. He's a two time All Star.
I thought he was huge in a couple of games
against Oklahoma City. He scored fifteen points in all of them.
Mattered so again on a very young team. His intelligence
and maturity and ability. He's got a little bit of
a Brunson where he'll step up in big spots and
take that shot. Won't always make it, but he'll take it.
(29:40):
He's at eight. Josh Hart another guy that logs big minutes,
does a lot of little things. Deflections, hustle, plays nova guy, smart, tough.
For the record. On this team, he gets some open
looks and he's been hitting him so I always thought
it'd been more of a defensive guy. But if you
leave him open, will burn you. Unless you're a Knicks
(30:03):
fan and watch every night, you don't understand his value
to the team. Logs a lot of minutes. Josh Hard
at nine and Devin of Asel at number ten. Another
one of these great young players for the Spurs. He
often guards the best opponent like he guarded Aunt in
that series against Minnesota. Three pointers made again. Can they have.
(30:24):
So it's almost weird how young the Spurs are and
all of their young players feel like you trust them
to take a big shot in a big moment. That
is so counter to the NBA I've watched where you know,
the playoffs, young guys shrink. So here's my top ten
(30:45):
five apiece, and I think that's all we have. I
think we have an incredibly even finals. Mitchell Robinson latest
word is going to play.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Weekdays and
Noone Easter n a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Andy Reid has never worn those twenty seven years coaching
fourteen years in Kansas City. So what I use your
off season just sitting around writing up gadget plays and
trying to I bet you're on YouTube right now looking
to nineteen thirty eight Rose Bowl. When's the last time
you drew up a play?
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Yeah, her being in me and I were doing it
this morning, So it's it's all good.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
We're right in the middle of these OTAs.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
So we just got off the field, and they're always
they're always fun to do because you get to do
those type of things.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
You get to put stuff in and it might be
new and new. Wrinkle here there.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
You know, older players. A lot of times, older players
retire like Aaron Donald retired at thirty two. He was
still great, but they don't like the process. They don't
like camp. And I get it, like, like, you know,
you know, I've been doing this show a long time.
You've been coaching a long time. How do you keep
it fresh? Because you do get a new batch of
draft picks every year? How do you keep it fresh
(32:03):
for you?
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Yeah, listen, I love doing what I'm doing. I mean,
you're one out of thirty two guys in the whole world.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And I think the older you get, the more you
appreciate that that you have the opportunity to sit here
in the National Football League again, the highest level there
is of football, and get to coach these guys that
are phenomenal guys.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
And they all stay.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
The same age, Colin, We get older, so you know,
so they're full energy.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
They bring out the best in you every day.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
They challenge you and keep you as young as you
can be at sixty eight.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Now, you got a couple guys out there, they got
real rich, like Kelsey. Now you know he's rich and
he could retire and you guys had some discussion at
some point you sat down and you know, he's obviously
done well for himself. Why do you think he came back.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah, well, it's obviously not for the money. That's not
what it's all about. He's done so well for himself
that way. I'm proud of him for that. That's not
an easy thing to do in this league, and not
only as a player, but also having a profession that
he can bank on once he gets done, and arguably
is marrying the most famous woman of the world, so
(33:24):
and a sweetheart at that. So he's sitting here and
he wants to play. That's what he wants to do.
And he didn't want to end on what we did
last year. That's not where he wanted to finish his career.
So he was all in right from the get go
after the season ended. And I appreciate that with him,
(33:47):
that how much he loves to play the game. There's
one thing though, He's a great player, but the heart,
man is unbelievable. He just this guy wants to play
every snap, every practice, snap, every game snap, competitives all
get out.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
So Mahomes got an acl most of these Price saw
story on Daniel Jones the other day. All these young athletes,
the doctors are so good, the medical advances. I mean,
now Daniel Jones is taking snaps two days ago and
I'm like, I thought he was going to miss September.
Where are we with Ma Holmes? And do you check
on Patrick every week or do you just kind of
let the medical staff do it? And I mean how
(34:25):
often you check up on that?
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Yeah, listen, there's a balance there. I mean, I trust
our medical staff.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
First of all.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
I trust doctor Cooper did the surgery and we listened
to him. I'm not going to go against what the
experts say on that most of although I'm with Patrick
every day he's practicing.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And then we kind.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Of gauge what we're putting them in on and well
we're not and make sure that he gets work. But
at the same time, he's not getting hit or somebody
falling on him, and that until it continues to heal,
and there's a there's a time process there, whatever that
time is.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
Everybody does it different.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Everybody's different on this thing, so different guys heal different
at different rates. And and then the rehab part of it.
He's been relentless with that Colin. I mean, it's it's
crazy how much time he has spent on this thing,
and and and so it's he's.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Doing it the right way.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Can I guarantee that he's going to be playing on
the first game, No, I can't guarantee that. I mean,
let's let's take it day by day and see what happens.
And if he can go and he can give himself
out arms away, that's that's great. If he can't, then
he's not going to play. And that's why we picked
up justin so he's here and we'll play him.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
You know what's interesting is I think Patrick's such a
unique kid is that I remember Tom Brady didn't want
to do any commercials. He didn't want to do any
commercials for years, and everybody can you know, Baker Mayfield's like,
I'll do him first day. Mahomes is so globally relevant.
The sport now is big in Europe. I was just
over in Spain. You see NFL jerseys over there. It's everywhere.
(36:07):
And that he's such a likable personality. He's in commercials,
he's rich, he's done this, and yet there is something
so regular and normal about Patrick, like he's just like a.
He's a kid. He's like, he doesn't get affected by it.
I don't how do you explain that? Maybe I don't.
Maybe it helps that he's in Kansas City, he's not
in New York, in LA. I don't know. But he
(36:28):
seems like so normal, considering he's arguably the best NFL
player that's coming to the league in twenty years.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Yeah, he grew up in a locker room.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
I mean, that's what I would attributed to His dad
is a guy, but he was a great player in baseball.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
He made him hang around with him in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
And mom's a good lady, so they raised him right,
and he handles it the right way.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
It's a little bit like you know, when you went
to Spain, you know McIntyre, you know, he took over and.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
Yeah, I mean, you know, come on, some people just
have it. You know. I got tired of hearing all
the bad things about the Chiefs.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You know, I know by the way McIntyre runs into
at an event, Mahomes and he comes the next day,
he goes, I can't believe what a great guy he is.
And I like, yeah, if Mahomes ripped you every day,
you wouldn't be a nice guy. Mahomes is up there
being oh j mc and like, you know, thank you Magott.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
No, Macott tire motivates me. I like that. He would
be a good coach. He motivates me.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Thank you, mister Reid, thank you. Yeah, he motivates you.
He frustrates me. So I'm glad one of us gets
out of it.
Speaker 4 (37:43):
Andy.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
The only good thing about him right now is that
he's in la That's the only good.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Thing, you know, Andy, Now you know you and I
are closer. I'm in Chicago, and I don't know if
you know this and all that la freofrew stuff. Chicago
is an incredible food city. I eat steak twice a week.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Now, I eat about that.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
Oh my god. It's just these Midwest people. They eat
the right way. They don't mess around right.
Speaker 4 (38:09):
I was in Green Bay.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
I was in Green Bay for seven years and we
used to go down to Chicago all the time.
Speaker 4 (38:14):
Great city. It's a great city.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
It is all right. Finally there you're you're in this world.
Got Kenneth Walker. Now he is a bruiser. He is,
I mean at Michigan State, at Seattle. He is yards
after contact so and I said this there today. You
guys picked up a running back out of actually a
kid out of Nebraska. I think is a really interesting
player and I think he'll he'll get in your rotation.
(38:38):
But Kenneth Walker, how do you he's a big carry
guy and he I mean you can you can rely
on him for two hundred and forty carries a year.
How do you monitor that? Because he'll run through people.
He's not gonna avoid contact. Are you a little worried
about Hey, we need this guy regular season, postseason. He
is a bruising head, first run. How are you going
(39:00):
to use him?
Speaker 4 (39:02):
Yeah? Listen, I love his attitude.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
You know, we're in the middle of these OTAs, so
even though we're in shorts and run around, but he's
one hundred miles an hour every play and it looks
like he really loves the game. And he is a
bruiser man. He's all of muscle and he's going to
get you know, he'll get a few carries, i'd say,
(39:24):
during the season, so it'll be good for him to
keep keep growing as a football player. And that's what
he wants to do. And you saw in the playoffs
what he can do. Have you saw it where he can.
He can be a third he can be a third
down back, he can do goal line, shortyards, the whole works.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
There, Andy Reid kid, good way to end our show.
Emmit Johnson's that running back out of Nebraska coach is
always great to see.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Him, all right, Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
All right, and I'm god glad he called out Jmak
for his tomfoolery. That was a very welcome refreshing. My
shot will not stop buzzing right now.
Speaker 8 (39:59):
People are freaking out, Colin.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
That was wild
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Foxsports 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 Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here we go, NBA Final Start, Teddy Aaron Donald, back
to the Rams. Welcome in, Andy, Reid stops by. We'll
go to New York Talk, NIX, RAMSGM Less Snead in
the house. Here we are on a Wednesday. Thanks for
(00:51):
joining us. A lot of options out there. We appreciate it.
So Mitchell Robinson broke a finger. He is questionable for
tonight's Game one. He is their best defensive big. You'd
prefer your best defensive big to be healthy when he's
facing Wimby. So it's not great news, but the best.
(01:13):
You know, the NBA has always been at its best
when the best player is also the biggest star Magic
shack Lebron Curry. You know that. That's MJ obviously. So
your best player is your biggest Star. Where the NBA
(01:36):
gets into trouble is when your best player isn't your
biggest star. Sga Yokish, Tim Duncan, Moses Malone won back
to back MVPs. That's when the league's kind of swimming
and feels rudderless. So his first championship would guarantee and
(01:59):
mean the best player Wemby, best two way player right
now would be the biggest star. I don't know if
it happens this year, it may start next year. But
they did beat in the Game seven, the defending champs.
Boxing has a unification bout. The NBA, in my opinion,
(02:19):
could use theirs. So New York against Wemby is a
no lose proposition for the league. The Knicks either get
their first championship in fifty three years. They're charging now
more for tickets than Manhattan rent. Google it it's true,
or Wemby begins a Bill Russell Jordan magic Bird Shack
(02:44):
like transformation of the league. There is so much to
like about New York. They're older, their wings are big
and physical. Karl Anthony Towns is the best shooting big
maybe ever. Brunson's on a heater og matches up we
think with Wemby, and they've actually played very well against
(03:07):
the Spurs this season. There's so much to like about
New York in this series, but I can't get past
this number. When Wemby plays just fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes.
The Spurs are thirty nine and six since February first,
(03:28):
and thirteen and one against the East. That one loss, though,
is to the Knicks. But I still like San Antonio
in this series in six or seven games. Why they
have the best overall player that matters, They have home
court advantage that matters. The Knicks have a crucial injury
(03:51):
to the one guy that physically can go toe to toe.
We think Mitchell Robinson with Wemby, he's injured. Also, the
Spurs are much more battle tested. I mean, in May
the Knicks played two close games two and we're far
superior to both teams. We didn't know until this past
(04:14):
weekend if the Spurs were even superior to the other
team in the Western Conference finals. So I like the
Spurs home court, have Wemby, battle tested, don't have a
key injury that worries me. Dylan Harper appears to be back.
Here is Wemby on tonight's NBA Finals.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
How do you feel about the fact that a lot
of the world's at the basketball world, even the general world,
is going to be watching the series, And how does
that spotlight motivate you?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
And how do you feel comfortable in that spotlight doesn't
motivate me.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Next, at the end of the day, on the twenty
thousand people fit in the arena, so it doesn't really
make a difference.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I like everything about him. Smart, he'll talk to the press,
He's got a sense of humor. He's dominant, he wants it.
Unlike other European players, he really wants to dominate everything
from the regular season to the NBA Cup, to the
All Star Game to the playoffs. He's really really into it.
It matters to him. Years ago, I started a business
(05:21):
and I started it with a good friend of mine
and we sat down one time we talked about what
kind of people do we want to hire, and I said,
I want people that are competitive and care. If they're
just showing up the work, what's the point. Do you
really love the business? Do you really care? Are you
willing to be competitive and put it out there. That's
(05:42):
what I love about Wemby. He wants this so badly,
and not all players do. In fact, not all star
players want it to that level. All right, this story
came out yesterday. It's kind of interesting, kind of frightening.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
You know.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
When Miles Garrett signed with the Rams, they went from
favorite to strong favorite to win the Super Bowl. And
then yesterday Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report called Aaron Donald.
He said, would you consider coming back to the NFL?
He said, yeah, I'm flirting with the idea. Oh good,
(06:20):
hell so he retired at thirty two. Today he's only
thirty five. Remember Kalais Campbell is thirty nine and still
an above average defensive lineman. Thirty nine years old. Cam
Hayward was the highest rated according to PFF, the highest
rated defensive tackle in the NFL last year. He's thirty seven.
(06:42):
Aaron Donald's had no major injuries, All Pro first team
the year he retired, started every single game. He simply
lost motivation. The Rams were ten and seven, they weren't
a Super Bowl team. They lost in the first round,
and he was and there's video to prove it. He
was being triple teamed. He just lost motivation. To me,
this literally makes sense, and I want you to think
(07:03):
about this. We talk a lot about offense. If Aaron
Donald came back, and there's no doubt in my mind
he would be elite. You'd have Byron Young on one side,
Miles Garrett on the other. Poona Ford was the number
one rated nose tackle in the NFL last year, Braden
Fisk has been a hit at defensive end, and Kobe
(07:25):
Turner will get a big payday. Let me insert Aaron Donald.
That would, without question be the greatest compilation of defensive
line talent ever put together. And I don't even know
if it's close. And then here's the thing about Aaron Donald.
As you age, all of you people watching me right
now in your fifties sixties, as you age, you like
(07:47):
to work, but you want your work to be meaningful,
not pointless or fruitless. So, and I really believe this,
Tom Brady would have kept playing. One of the reasons
Tom Brady retired was the Bucks were eight nine and
they were getting really old, really quickly. If the Bucks
(08:09):
would have been eleven and six and co Super Bowl favorites,
Tom Brady would have played, and maybe two more years
could have been three. I still think he could play now,
So it's once Miles Garrett signs you started looking at
it going okay, and remember Aaron Donald go to his
(08:29):
ig page. Okay, he didn't have umbrella drinks at the beach.
He hasn't put on weight. It's Aaron Donald working out.
That's the thing. He loves. Aaron Donald ig page, Aaron
Donald working out. So here, here's Sean McVay trying to
(08:52):
wipe the smile off his face when he was asked
yesterday about reuniting with Aaron Donald.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
If he's interested, you know, there's no question.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Here's what I say.
Speaker 7 (09:05):
You talk to Aaron and you see what he's saying
about that. But here's what I would tell you guys overall,
too is you know, Aaron's a guy that I stay
really close in touch with, and I know the respect
that he has for Miles. Talk to him about the
opportunity to be able to bring him on board. If
Aaron decides he wants to dust him off at the
age of thirty five, I bet you he could still
do it at.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
A pretty high clip. Yeah, don't. I don't question at all.
Kalaos Campbell's still a really good football player. I think
he's gonna be forty this season and Cam Hayward is
still elite. So this is well, Colin, why didn't he
come back when Jared Verse was there? I like Jared Verse.
(09:45):
He's not Miles Garrett like this. This defensive line would
I mean again, you don't want to go crazy. Injuries happened,
Stafford could get banged up. But if Aaron Donald came back,
I mean, have him come back week eight. I just
(10:08):
can't even believe that story. Just absolutely frightening. Jmak we
got so much stuff going on today. Caleb Williams became
the first Chicago Bear ever on the cover of Madden.
That's something James Dolan. People can say what they want
about James Dolan. James Dolan is the one that made
(10:29):
the desation on Tibbs and also made the decision on
Mike Brown. Really fascinating thoughts on the difference between Brown
and Tibbs here Now.
Speaker 8 (10:40):
Well, do you remember the Mike Brown situation. He was
not their first choice, He was not their second choice.
They really wanted Michael Malone, the Denver Nuggets coach who
ended up at UNC.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
They wanted Jason Kidd, They didn't want Mike Brown.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
I love stories like this colin where Mike Brown's like
the third choice and now he's instrumental in driving them
to the finals.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Well, I think one of the things that was attractive
about Mike Brown, and Mike's a really nice guy, is
that he's worked in several formulas with several coaches and
several ecosystems. He's always been known as a good listener
and a good collaborator. Malone and I like him is
really intense, and he battled previously with a GM and
Tibbs is really intense. So when those stories came out,
(11:22):
I didn't necessarily buy the Malone to the next story.
My take was, well, Malone is similarly intense and not
necessarily known as a great collaborator. I'm I'm sure Malone's fine,
but you know, Tibbs is pretty rigid. Mike Brown's kind
of I don't know if it's his mantra, but it's
sort of His brand is Mike works well with anybody
(11:44):
like Mike is willing to work. He'll tweak stuff all
day long. He's a collaborator and that's why he's always
employed in this league. Like people like Mike, they like
to work with him, and he's always been a great listener.
He kind of takes the pulse of his locker room.
And Mike's just going to be employed forever because people
generally root for people like that and they like and
he doesn't have to be the star of the room.
(12:05):
That's not his thing. So I've also I've also got
some thoughts on one of the coolest things about tonight's final,
and it's really it's instructive for the NBA. It's good
for the NBA. It's a good message. That's next. We're live,
It's the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
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Speaker 4 (12:43):
Two Pros and.
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Speaker 1 (12:57):
Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and coming away. Well,
it's his fifteenth year being the GM of the Rams,
and in the last nine seasons seven playoff appearances, including
two Super Bowl appearances, and after the Miles Garrett trade,
they are overwhelming favorites to get back to at least
(13:18):
the conference championship game and many after the Garrett move.
And we liked them pre Garrett move. It even feels
more emboldened and less need is joining us live from
his office in Los Angeles. I don't know if you're
a GM or a part casting director. It's star after
star after star. Let's start with Miles Garrett less when
(13:39):
I read a story in March they reworked his deal,
and that was about the time you guys kind of
all sat down. Take me back to March. When the
conversations on Miles started.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Was in March when they did rework is deal. It
was not a major rework. It was the Browns pushing
a bonus that he was owed in terms of when
you pay that bonus from let's call it March till
more closer to the season.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
So whether that was a signal or not.
Speaker 5 (14:08):
I've never asked Andrew hey why they did that or didn't.
But you know what, maybe maybe there's a possibility that
we you know, that that Miles could be available.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
So we knocked on the door.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
I think I've said this many times over the last
probably twenty four hours. Miles is going to be on
the Cleveland Browns Mount Rushmore whenever that is.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
And so it was.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
It was an easy no for Cleveland Andrew Cleveland. It
was like, you know what, it's better for Miles to
be a Cleveland Brown than an la Ram.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
But we kept knocking.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
We kept knocking, we kept knocking, and we were able
to finally get something done over the course of about
a five to six week process.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So listen, I know how much you guys like Jared Verse,
I know how much time you put into drafting scouting.
How hard was it I and I imagine it was brutal.
How hard was it to say, okay, well include Jared
Verse and the deal?
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Well, I think Colin, we tried to get the deal.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Done via just draft picks. That was that's what we
were trying to do.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Then the then the draft comes and goes continue trying
to do that. Late laid in the down Cleveland mentioned
it would take Jared Verse to get the deal done,
and that was a no for us, right it was
at that point, Wait a minute, Jared's been a big
part of who we are, who we've become, since we've
drafted him, since we started retooling that defense. Uh, because
(15:34):
that was he was just a piece of our puzzle
that we weren't planning to We were planning to have
him for a long time. So uh, like a lot
like initially when we call it Cleveland, it was a
no initially when Cleveland asked for Jared Versus.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
It was a no.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Overtime though, as it got closer to to June first, Uh,
and it was going to be, Hey, are we going
to do this or not? Jared was Jared was something
they were definitely demanding it, and we had to make
that difficult choice, which was very, very difficult for us.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So Stan Kronkey, who I know a little bit. Ultimately
you have to go to Stan on the biggest moves.
And the super Bowl is in La. And I said
the other day, I said, I wouldn't I wouldn't be
surprised if you know it's in La. Stan's baby Sofi Stadium.
You know, if you're arguing back and forth, you know,
it's a darn good place to end up in a
(16:25):
super Bowl and it's your home stadium. When you when
you called Stan on this, or if you did and said, hey,
this is this is a big move, did you guys
talk to your owner?
Speaker 5 (16:37):
It's definitely And I think that's that's very important, Uh
talk about called them because when you make a move
like this and you get to remember this, this is
this occurred in June. We didn't knock on their door
until free agencies over, so you know, this was this
was an opportunity we decided to seize, but it wasn't
something we planned for. And we had already gone through
(16:57):
kind of a free agency plan when we traded for
Trent and then we signed his copilot, his partner in
Kansas City and free agency. So that's you know, having
sand having his family as ownership. They've always allowed, you know,
allowed us to be flexible, be a little.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Bit out of the box.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
They're the one that they're the ones that uh, you know,
provide us the ecosystem and give us a thumbs up
to do this.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
So a major shout out to them.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
I can't say this having the super Bowl and so
far is a nice coincidence. Uh, we're probably all greedy.
We probably show up and play a super Bowl anywhere.
Uh and and and I can't say this too Colin,
this is this is June one. Uh, double one tendre
not intended. We still got miles to go before that game.
That's kind of how our ecosystem works. We're well aware that, right,
(17:45):
we were close last year. There's that's evidence that right
with Matthew Stafford, with our core, right, we can we
can contend. But I always go evidence is the past. Uh,
the future is still the future. We got to go
earn that. We gotta we gotta make that a day
at a time. Just because we do something or make
a major move like this on June one, it guarantees
(18:06):
nothing in the future.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
So Sean McVay keeps very close to certain players. Andrew
Whitworth has been unbelievably valuable to you guys. You bounce
stuff off in with young offensive lineman. Andrew's just a
great guy. I know that Sean and Aaron Donald have
a very strong relationship. I saw that story come out yesterday,
and you see a million stories and I'm like, I
don't know. He retired early. I can see it happening.
(18:30):
I go to his Instagram page. He's not on the
beach drinking cocktails. He's working out every day. I'm like, yeah,
Kalais Campbell's thirty nine, he's still good. When you heard
that story with Aaron Donald, come on, be honest. First
first thought.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Was, here's that new thing.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
I don't think Aaron's truly been tempted to come back
since he's retired. I do think, right, let's go off
the excitement around the Miles Garrett Tray. I'm thinking he's tempted.
He's really tempted for the first time. Uh Now, whether
that temptation leads to leads to you know, it comes
to fruition or not.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Tom will tell. That's just how Aaron is.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I think he.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I think, hey, if Aaron warda come back, I'm like you,
if Kayles can do it at thirty nine, Aaron can
do it at thirty five in some form of fashion.
I know this about Aaron Donald. At his core, he
wouldn't come back unless he thought, you know what, I
could really really really help the rams.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
That's just how he's wild. That's his that's that's that's
in his DNA.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Yeah, finally missing a workout.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
He's never missed a workout. Colin, that's.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
That guy. He is one on one. I mean, there's
been four or five NFL defensive players in my life.
Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Miles, Garrett, Aaron Donald. It's a
pretty short list. They're just different, and that cat is
just different. I got to ask you, I got to
ask you about ty Simpson here. If you've got in
a little look, will taste a little You got anything
(19:55):
for me on ty Simpson because I defended that move.
I totally understand it. Watch the ton of them in college.
Have you seen it? Get you? What are you seeing?
Speaker 5 (20:05):
We're early, We're just getting on the field, just doing
eleven on level.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Remember this is eleven on eleven without pads.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
You can appreciate what Tie is going through in terms
of coming in as a rookie and has to learn
right an offense. We're I mean Seanan his offense with
Matthew at the helm. I mean, this isn't this isn't
a called an undergraduate level outfit here. I mean this
is at the pH d level. So you can always
see the rookies, you know, have to go through just
(20:33):
to be able to ingest the offense, digest it and
then process it on the field. But as we've gone
into some seven on seven, some eleven on eleven, right,
you've seen some of those Ty Simpson moments, some of
the passes that he made.
Speaker 6 (20:46):
I call it the anticipation.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
So that's always really really cool to see from a
rookie because it's not this is not an easy ecosystem
for a rookie to come in and let's call it
earn equity and trust less.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
It's great seeing you is always congrats on the moves,
Cross your fingers on Aaron Donald and say hi to
Sean for me. I will do that all right, lest
need fifteenth year GM of the la Rams. Yeah, Aaron
Donald's just different like he is. I remember one time,
I think it was at a us C game or something.
I'm on the sidelines and I look over here in
(21:19):
Donald and it's just like, I mean, you know, I
always said this about Dion Sanders. I remember watching Dion
at Florida State and there was a game and I've looked,
I've tried to find the video and I can't find
it on YouTube. But at the time that he was
at Florida State, like the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State,
they were like the athlete rosters, like the fastest guys
(21:40):
in college football. And I remember it's I think I
was at the Palace Station in Las Vegas. I literally
was in Vegas and it was like a punt return
and Dion Sanders is pulling away from the fastest Miami Hurricanes.
I mean like he's taunting them on like a punt
return or maybe it was an interception, but he's faunting
(22:00):
Hurricane players who were faster than everybody. Aaron Donald next
to big, tough guys, like there's a Mike Tyson quality.
Even in a room of tough guys, everybody's like, I
don't want a piece of that. I got no interest
in that. Aaron Donald is just different. So top ten
players in the NBA Finals, Frank Isola been covering the
next long time. It's going to be joining us, mit
(22:23):
it is. I'm trying to think of the last NBA Finals.
Maybe it was Lebron against the Warriors. I'm trying to
think of the last NBA Finals. I was this geeked up.
I was telling my wife yesterday. I'm like, this one
feels big. Certain stuff feels big before they toss it up.
I mean, there was a couple of those that Warriors calvs.
(22:48):
Final when Lebron won a title. What was interesting about
that four or five of the games were blowouts. The
games were awful. If you go back and look, you know,
the three point shot was coming into its own, was
taken over the league. There were a lot of them,
awful blowouts in that series. I think, I think you're
gonna have close games in this series because I think
that it's hard to blow the Spurs away because they're defensively,
(23:10):
they can make things very difficult. And I think we're
I think we're gonna I think we're gonna have four
or five really close games. That's my thing.
Speaker 8 (23:18):
Warriors Celtics a few years ago, that was good. Curry
against Tatum Brown.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
No, but it didn't have the hype because the Knicks
feel different than everybody, and it was an older version
of the Warriors. It wasn't the best version of the
war It was the old Warriors. These are the young
Spurs with the young Wemby and the Knicks. I mean,
the Celtics have been good most of my life. The
Knicks haven't really been good since the pat Riley years,
(23:43):
and they haven't won title since Walt Fraser, Earl Monroe,
Willis Reid.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
There's a there's a whiff of Chicago Cubs, Boston Red
Sox with the Knicks. Like those teams had not been
to the World Series forever. They get there.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 8 (23:56):
You know, all the old timers are geeked.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
But this.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I mean, you saw the numbers for thunder Spurs Western
Conference Finals. I mean I think it was fifteen million,
almost sixteen million. So this, this final is gonna be
a big one for the league. Adam Silver, by the way,
doing cartwheels. That SGA and the Floppers are at home
and Wemby is in the finals against the number one
media market.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Well, yeah, it's not as much market size anymore. I mean,
the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls put up massive numbers.
It was the story, it was the Little Jazz, it
was the legendary MJ flu games stuff like that. It's
not really market size. Although I do think the Knicks
market helps them, but I mean San Antonio, we don't
think of it as a captivating market. But unlike previous
(24:38):
Spurs teams. It's a captivating team because their ceiling is
so dang high. Hour two Mack.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
One more Herd. 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 1 (24:55):
So we always do this. Whenever there's an NBA Final, Conference, Championship,
World Series, a massive series that everybody's talking about. We
get out the yellow pad. We write down are ten
best players in order, and it gives us sort of
a sense of who should be favored in this series.
I have said, there's a lot of reasons to like
New York. I'm gonna take the Spurs in six. I
(25:19):
think they've got the best player, home court advantage. I
do think a lot of the Knicks streak is based
on a cruddy Eastern Conference, but they're playing out of
their mind. They have a great roster composition. And so
here we go. Here's my top ten players in the
NBA Final Number one, Okay, it's Wemby. He's got thirty
(25:40):
five more rebounds in twenty eight more block shots than
any other player in the postseason. Spurs are thirty nine
and six since February one. When he just plays fifteen minutes,
he changes the calculus on the floor like nobody else.
I don't think his offensive game is quite refined yet
or consistent. But he also helps other players. This team
(26:03):
leads the league in corner threes. That's because of Wemby.
He's number one, number two Jalen Brunson. Listen the NBA's
best plus two twenty six with him on the court
this postseason. He is the soul, He's the heartbeat. Is
he a little bit of a defensive liability, so was
Steph Curry. He hustles, and they also have players around
(26:24):
him that can protect him. He's one of the best
clutch players. High iq EQ Villanova guy just perfect. I
mean he went to New York, he took less money.
He is your classic team first guy. Hard to dislike.
I've got him at two, number three now. I like og.
People think I like him too much. First of all,
(26:46):
long physical. They may match him up against Wemby. You know,
he can have off games, but he's a body type.
I talk to people in the NBA about this, like scouts.
They're like his body type, his ability to do a
little finance, but also be physical. He is so valuable.
They're twenty seven and five when he gets twenty points,
(27:07):
so they just don't lose much. And again against San Antonio,
his dexterity, his length, his physicality will be huge. Number
four Stefan Castle leads all players and assist this pole season,
plus he's second in points for the Spurs. Now I
used to think he was a real streaky shooter. I
don't think that as much now. He is hyper aggressive.
(27:29):
He was at you, Connie is now for the Spurs
on both ends of the floor. Sometimes do a fault offensively,
but you know he's gonna rebound, he's going to defend,
he's gonna be physical. He's just again the word dexterity.
He's just does so many things. Well, I've got him
at four. Carl Anthony Towns one of the great jump
shooting bigs of all time. He hopefully for the next
(27:52):
can pull Wemby away from the iron again. Now he's
an assist guy. The rigidity of Tibbs. You know you
kind of knew what you had with kat Mike Brown
and his staff in that Atlanta there he said, Now
I know a little point center here, take the ball
away from Brunson. Don't make us as bruntson Centric brilliant
and they haven't lost since I have Cat at five.
(28:14):
Number six would be Dylan Harper, only non starter in
my top ten. I think the kid's gonna be amazing.
I think he's unbelievable. I can't believe he's this good,
this early, the youngest player twenty years old all time
to have a twenty ten game in a conference final. Quick.
He can shoot. A lot of young players struggle with
(28:35):
consistency shooting, averaging thirteen points a game shooting fifty two
and a half percent in the playoffs. Dylan Harper at six,
Mikhale Bridges, who logs a lot of minutes nineteen a
game and sixty three percent shooting over this last nine games.
I mean, they gave up a lot to get him.
I didn't think he had the greatest year, but again,
(28:58):
he's a wing defender at an elite level. Not all
I mean mcale Bridges is largely what the league's transitioned
to over the last decade. You know, a three and
D guy. So McHale's Bridges at number seven. Darn Fox
at eight. He's not totally healthy He's been a clutch
Player of the Year in the NBA. One year he
(29:18):
led the NBA in steals. He's a two time All Star.
I thought he was huge in a couple of games
against Oklahoma City. He scored fifteen points in all of them.
Mattered so again on a very young team. His intelligence
and maturity and ability. He's got a little bit of
a Brunson where he'll step up in big spots and
take that shot. Won't always make it, but he'll take it.
(29:40):
He's at eight. Josh Hart another guy that logs big minutes,
does a lot of little things. Deflections, hustle, plays nova guy, smart, tough.
For the record. On this team, he gets some open
looks and he's been hitting him so I always thought
it'd been more of a defensive guy. But if you
leave him open, will burn you. Unless you're a Knicks
(30:03):
fan and watch every night, you don't understand his value
to the team. Logs a lot of minutes. Josh Hard
at nine and Devin of Asel at number ten. Another
one of these great young players for the Spurs. He
often guards the best opponent like he guarded Aunt in
that series against Minnesota. Three pointers made again. Can they have.
(30:24):
So it's almost weird how young the Spurs are and
all of their young players feel like you trust them
to take a big shot in a big moment. That
is so counter to the NBA I've watched where you know,
the playoffs, young guys shrink. So here's my top ten
(30:45):
five apiece, and I think that's all we have. I
think we have an incredibly even finals. Mitchell Robinson latest
word is going to play.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Weekdays and
Noone Easter n a em Pacific.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Andy Reid has never worn those twenty seven years coaching
fourteen years in Kansas City. So what I use your
off season just sitting around writing up gadget plays and
trying to I bet you're on YouTube right now looking
to nineteen thirty eight Rose Bowl. When's the last time
you drew up a play?
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Yeah, her being in me and I were doing it
this morning, So it's it's all good.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
We're right in the middle of these OTAs.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
So we just got off the field, and they're always
they're always fun to do because you get to do
those type of things.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
You get to put stuff in and it might be
new and new. Wrinkle here there.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
You know, older players. A lot of times, older players
retire like Aaron Donald retired at thirty two. He was
still great, but they don't like the process. They don't
like camp. And I get it, like, like, you know,
you know, I've been doing this show a long time.
You've been coaching a long time. How do you keep
it fresh? Because you do get a new batch of
draft picks every year? How do you keep it fresh
(32:03):
for you?
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Yeah, listen, I love doing what I'm doing. I mean,
you're one out of thirty two guys in the whole world.
Speaker 9 (32:10):
And I think the older you get, the more you
appreciate that that you have the opportunity to sit here
in the National Football League again, the highest level there
is of football, and get to coach these guys that
are phenomenal guys.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
And they all stay.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
The same age, Colin, We get older, so you know,
so they're full energy.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
They bring out the best in you every day.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
They challenge you and keep you as young as you
can be at sixty eight.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Now, you got a couple guys out there, they got
real rich, like Kelsey. Now you know he's rich and
he could retire and you guys had some discussion at
some point you sat down and you know, he's obviously
done well for himself. Why do you think he came back.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah, well, it's obviously not for the money. That's not
what it's all about. He's done so well for himself
that way. I'm proud of him for that. That's not
an easy thing to do in this league, and not
only as a player, but also having a profession that
he can bank on once he gets done, and arguably
is marrying the most famous woman of the world, so
(33:24):
and a sweetheart at that. So he's sitting here and
he wants to play. That's what he wants to do.
And he didn't want to end on what we did
last year. That's not where he wanted to finish his career.
So he was all in right from the get go
after the season ended. And I appreciate that with him,
(33:47):
that how much he loves to play the game. There's
one thing though, He's a great player, but the heart,
man is unbelievable. He just this guy wants to play
every snap, every practice, snap, every game snap, competitives all
get out.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
So Mahomes got an acl most of these Price saw
story on Daniel Jones the other day. All these young athletes,
the doctors are so good, the medical advances. I mean,
now Daniel Jones is taking snaps two days ago and
I'm like, I thought he was going to miss September.
Where are we with Ma Holmes? And do you check
on Patrick every week or do you just kind of
let the medical staff do it? And I mean how
(34:25):
often you check up on that?
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Yeah, listen, there's a balance there. I mean, I trust
our medical staff.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
First of all.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
I trust doctor Cooper did the surgery and we listened
to him. I'm not going to go against what the
experts say on that most of although I'm with Patrick
every day he's practicing.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And then we kind.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Of gauge what we're putting them in on and well
we're not and make sure that he gets work. But
at the same time, he's not getting hit or somebody
falling on him, and that until it continues to heal,
and there's a there's a time process there, whatever that
time is.
Speaker 4 (35:06):
Everybody does it different.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Everybody's different on this thing, so different guys heal different
at different rates. And and then the rehab part of it.
He's been relentless with that Colin. I mean, it's it's
crazy how much time he has spent on this thing,
and and and so it's he's.
Speaker 4 (35:26):
Doing it the right way.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Can I guarantee that he's going to be playing on
the first game, No, I can't guarantee that. I mean,
let's let's take it day by day and see what happens.
And if he can go and he can give himself
out arms away, that's that's great. If he can't, then
he's not going to play. And that's why we picked
up justin so he's here and we'll play him.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
You know what's interesting is I think Patrick's such a
unique kid is that I remember Tom Brady didn't want
to do any commercials. He didn't want to do any
commercials for years, and everybody can you know, Baker Mayfield's like,
I'll do him first day. Mahomes is so globally relevant.
The sport now is big in Europe. I was just
over in Spain. You see NFL jerseys over there. It's everywhere.
(36:07):
And that he's such a likable personality. He's in commercials,
he's rich, he's done this, and yet there is something
so regular and normal about Patrick, like he's just like a.
He's a kid. He's like, he doesn't get affected by it.
I don't how do you explain that? Maybe I don't.
Maybe it helps that he's in Kansas City, he's not
in New York, in LA. I don't know. But he
(36:28):
seems like so normal, considering he's arguably the best NFL
player that's coming to the league in twenty years.
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Yeah, he grew up in a locker room.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
I mean, that's what I would attributed to His dad
is a guy, but he was a great player in baseball.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
He made him hang around with him in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
And mom's a good lady, so they raised him right,
and he handles it the right way.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
It's a little bit like you know, when you went
to Spain, you know McIntyre, you know, he took over and.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
Yeah, I mean, you know, come on, some people just
have it. You know. I got tired of hearing all
the bad things about the Chiefs.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You know, I know by the way McIntyre runs into
at an event, Mahomes and he comes the next day,
he goes, I can't believe what a great guy he is.
And I like, yeah, if Mahomes ripped you every day,
you wouldn't be a nice guy. Mahomes is up there
being oh j mc and like, you know, thank you Magott.
Speaker 4 (37:30):
No, Macott tire motivates me. I like that. He would
be a good coach. He motivates me.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Thank you, mister Reid, thank you. Yeah, he motivates you.
He frustrates me. So I'm glad one of us gets
out of it.
Speaker 4 (37:43):
Andy.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
The only good thing about him right now is that
he's in la That's the only good.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Thing, you know, Andy, Now you know you and I
are closer. I'm in Chicago, and I don't know if
you know this and all that la freofrew stuff. Chicago
is an incredible food city. I eat steak twice a week.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Now, I eat about that.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
Oh my god. It's just these Midwest people. They eat
the right way. They don't mess around right.
Speaker 4 (38:09):
I was in Green Bay.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
I was in Green Bay for seven years and we
used to go down to Chicago all the time.
Speaker 4 (38:14):
Great city. It's a great city.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
It is all right. Finally there you're you're in this world.
Got Kenneth Walker. Now he is a bruiser. He is,
I mean at Michigan State, at Seattle. He is yards
after contact so and I said this there today. You
guys picked up a running back out of actually a
kid out of Nebraska. I think is a really interesting
player and I think he'll he'll get in your rotation.
(38:38):
But Kenneth Walker, how do you he's a big carry
guy and he I mean you can you can rely
on him for two hundred and forty carries a year.
How do you monitor that? Because he'll run through people.
He's not gonna avoid contact. Are you a little worried
about Hey, we need this guy regular season, postseason. He
is a bruising head, first run. How are you going
(39:00):
to use him?
Speaker 4 (39:02):
Yeah? Listen, I love his attitude.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
You know, we're in the middle of these OTAs, so
even though we're in shorts and run around, but he's
one hundred miles an hour every play and it looks
like he really loves the game. And he is a
bruiser man. He's all of muscle and he's going to
get you know, he'll get a few carries, i'd say,
(39:24):
during the season, so it'll be good for him to
keep keep growing as a football player. And that's what
he wants to do. And you saw in the playoffs
what he can do. Have you saw it where he can.
He can be a third he can be a third
down back, he can do goal line, shortyards, the whole works.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
There, Andy Reid kid, good way to end our show.
Emmit Johnson's that running back out of Nebraska coach is
always great to see.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Him, all right, Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
All right, and I'm god glad he called out Jmak
for his tomfoolery. That was a very welcome refreshing. My
shot will not stop buzzing right now.
Speaker 8 (39:59):
People are freaking out, Colin.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
That was wild
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.