July 5, 2025 • 33 mins
Colin examines the state of the Lakers amidst varying reports of LeBron's view of the team. Colin gives his thoughts on the Steelers going "all-in" this offseason. Former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer drops by, and Colin gives his latest edition of Where Colin Was Right and Wrong.
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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 cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Where Colin was right, Oh, Lebron opted in. I had
said this was it two three months ago. When Lebron
hinted it retirement, I said, oh my god, are we
going to do this again. It's four years in a row.
It's like the Brett Farb Tour. Lebron's not retiring. He's
too good. He plays joyfully. Los Angeles is good for him.
He's got Luka dontch. Yes he'll opt in. Yes he's
(00:49):
gonna play. It's nonsense and we were right.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Well, a week ago, goalie Matt Freeze, I said, look
too anxious over his head, nervous. Probably not our answer
for the United States men's national team in goal. And
then yesterday, during PK's three saves, got his hand on
two others. He rose to the moment. In my opinion,
(01:18):
he's secured the goalie job for Team USA. Where Colin
was right. Kaylin Clark isn't just the best young player
in the WNBA. She's Tiger Woods. Yesterday sold out her
shoe in ten minutes, according to reports, ten minutes. She's
getting the most votes in the All Star Game. She's
(01:41):
driving half of the league's television ratings. I said a
year ago, she is Taylor Swift with a jumper. She
is not just helping the league. She literally got a
teammate's jersey sold out in fifteen minutes. Sophia Cunningham just
by proxy, a player that had been in the league
(02:01):
seven years, just a teammate. She's getting stuff sold out.
She is bigger than either even the WNBA, which has
finally come around acknowledges where Colin was right. Former Pittsburgh
Steeler James Harrison last week admitted what we've been on
for years. Mike Tomlin's strength he's a players coach. Mike
(02:25):
Tomlin's weakness, he's a player's coach. Yes, many players can
handle that, but increasingly guys like Jalen Ramsey, who's only
but as good as the structure. He's been supported by
the Rams. It doesn't work. So this is what I've
(02:45):
said about the Steelers for years. I'm not saying Mike
Tomlin can't coach, but he's loose and details win in December,
January and February, and James Harrison admitting the organization is
to player friends.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Where Colin was wrong, James Harden.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Signed another deal two years, forty plus million a year. Listen,
I last year he shot forty one percent from the field.
He doesn't defend, he never shows up in the playoffs.
I am not denying his greatness. I am not denying
his Hall of Fame stature. I'm not denying offensive leads.
One of the great guards of all time. But if
(03:24):
Steve Balmer cares about winning and culture and how do
you win in the playoffs? Who is the best defensive
team in the league? Okasee, who won? OKC, That's not
the way to do it. Where Colin was right. Sean
Payton ranked number two coaching in the NFL by PFF.
Andy Reid number one. I just saw this weekend. He
(03:47):
took a bad offensive line. The old line is now
ranked number two. He took over a shaky defense. They
led the NFL in sacks. They upgraded at safety and
linebacker on players that were just niners a year year ago.
He inherited a horrible culture, a mess at quarterback, moved
off Russell Wilson, dead cap money, and in a division
(04:09):
with Andy Reid and Jim Harbaugh, took a rookie quarterback
to the playoffs. This is what I've been saying about
Sean Payton. He is direct, he is kurt, He can
turn people off. He is brilliant.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Where Colin was right.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I said last week there's seven athletes in America that
are untradeable. Aaron Judge is absolutely won yesterday to homers
four RBIs leeds baseball at three point fifty six second
in home runs. He's not just a great Yankee. He
went on a brief hitting slump the Yankees got shut out.
He is literally the centerpiece, as good as O Tawny
(04:44):
is if he takes a day off. I got Mokie Betts,
I got Maximunse, I got Freddie Freeman. He is the
centerpiece of East Coast baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Where Colin was robbed.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Austin Reeves declined ninety million from the Lakers why his
representation believes open market or the Lakers. In a year,
he's going to get closer to one hundred and fifty million.
I'd trade him tomorrow for Derek White. I think he's
a really good b player. They're Knights. He has an
(05:17):
a offensive night, but he's not dynamic vertically. He's a
good shooter, not elite. But I'm wrong because apparently often
in his reps CNA player where Colin was right. What
do you know? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers extended Jason Light
the GM. Do you realize the team with the longest
(05:39):
active playoffs streak in the NFC is the Bocks, not
the Eagles or the Ravens or the Rams. Excuse me,
Ravens refc Jason Light one of the best scouts ever
been on this for years. Tampa Bay, for years had
excellent rosters. They couldn't get the quarterback right. Jason got
(06:00):
Baker when a lot of people were doubting him. He
was one of the only two GMS that aggressively pursued
Tom Brady. Tampa will remain talent rich as long as
Jason Light is the GM.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and Nooneastern, nn AM, Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
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Speaker 4 (06:23):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You're asking what in God's name is the Fifth Hour?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Picture if you will a world will? We chat with
captains of industry in media, sports and more every week
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen
to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Here we go.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
It is a Tuesday NBA Free Agency in full swim.
We are live. It is the herd wherever you may
be and however you may be watching or listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Tyler Adams, US
Men's national team, Urban Meyer, Albert rereerstop by today.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
J Mack.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It was a if you're a Laker fan, it was
a disheartening day. But they've got new owners and new
owners have come. You know, you ever drive by that restaurant,
it says under new management, and they're going to change
the entire menu. They're not going to tweak. So I
think I want to read everybody J Mack. The headlines
that are circulating about the Lakers, who are the biggest
brand in the NBA, the Yankees of Major League Baseball.
(07:38):
These are the headlines this morning. Lakers reportedly preserving cap
space for next season. Dorian Finney Smith exit disaster. Lakers
gave up three draft picks for less than fifty games
of Dorian Phinney Smith. Jim rob Polinka facing ounting pressure
(08:00):
to keep the Lakers job, and I like this one.
Lebron James has no influence on free agency moves, says
an NBA front office insider. The Lakers are excluding him.
They should. He's forty one. So the Bus family for
years has talked themselves into believing, I get it, this
is their life. They talk themselves into believing we were
(08:23):
just a rotational player away. And the new owners of
this restaurant are saying, no, no, no, no no, it's
just not a little better chicken palm recipe. We're changing
the kitchen staff, We're changing the entire menu. This is
not about a better chicken palm. It's a forty one
(08:44):
year old star, another star in Luca where it's notable
that he's really working out this offseason. And they have
absolutely no size and the real value they have is
Austin Reeves. But another headline today they are not even
taking calls or gauging interest on Austin Reeves. So the
new owners, they know what success is all about. They
(09:08):
own the Dodgers. And I've argued this before. I think
the Dodgers, Mark Walters, I think it's the best run
sports franchise in North America perhaps ever. These people know
what they're doing. They let stars go if they see
problems around the corner. And so this morning it appears
(09:28):
they're going big game hunting next year. They do not
think this is a championship team. They're not going to
lose any sleep over Lebron being bummed out. They're going
to upgrade scouting and my guests, they are eventually going
to find their wizard, their guru, their GM. So the
Lakers need two centers like yesterday, the good ones are
(09:49):
off the market. Clint Capella, he's back to the Rockets.
Luke Cornett Celtics. Now he's the Spurs and Brook Lopez
to the Clippers. So let's not forget this. Put the
palm palms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round.
They lost convincingly in the first round, and they are
(10:09):
worse today without Dorian Finney Smith, they are worse today.
You know who's not worse, Houston? Houston is better. You
know who's not worse Denver. You know who's getting better fast,
San Antonio. So the ownership group knows what success looks like. Okay,
these new owners are antique experts, and they're telling Laker
(10:32):
fans this roster is a knockoff. I know what Grandma
told you. It's not a van Go. This isn't there.
The new Laker owners are telling you we know what
titles looks like, and an aging Lebron and a finally
working out in the offseason. Luca is not O Tawny
Betts and Freddie Freeman. I know it's painful, and I
(10:53):
understand the bus family for years. This is their baby,
this is their child, and they always believe, just like
we all do as parents, our kid's gonna be president
of the United States. Okay, maybe president of a company, okay,
hopefully president of a frat, okay, maybe a vice president
(11:16):
of something. You gotta be honest. You have to be
able to self evaluate. This is not a championship team.
Look what Denver's done in the last twenty four hours.
They finally got Yoki shooters, multiple and a backup. Big
San Antonio is getting better by the hour with all
their youth. Houston added more pieces. Oklahoma City, I've not
(11:36):
even mentioned them. And the brain trust in Golden State
they already got their sidekick, the staff, Jimmy Butler last year.
So it's you gotta be honest about this stuff. People
in Los Angeles. You know what well run looks like.
You know what championships looks like. It's called the Dodgers,
USC the Lakers, the Chargers a little bit until Harbaugh, Yeah,
(11:59):
there's they're selling you on that, and that's not what
it is. So the Rams brilliantly run, the Dodgers immaculately
run the Lakers mom and pop shop. It's all changing,
big game hunting next year. Not including Lebron in the discussions,
He's had a great career. He should not be dictating
(12:20):
any terms at this point, not saying you trade him,
we're gonna do the new guys say, we're gonna do
what we're gonna do because we know what winning looks like.
It's Otanian Bett, not forty one year old lebron and
perpetually out of shape or an average shape Luca. Okay,
here's another one. This is interesting this headline the Steelers
(12:41):
are officially all in. I heard that a lot yesterday
because they got Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and
tight end John Husmith. Well, if they're all in, that's
a pair of eights. Okay, that ain't pocket ass, folks.
So if that's all in, but it's I always. I
(13:03):
was asking somebody about three weeks ago, three or four
weeks ago about all the Steelers' moves, and he said,
some gms just make moves to make moves, but do
they have a plan. And that's a prime example. So
they get rid of a safety who's a little past
his prime, and they add a corner who's more expensive,
Jalen Ramsey, who's past his prime. They get rid of
(13:24):
a very high maintenance wide receiver in George Pickens, and
then they inherit a wide receiver who can be high
maintenance DK Metcalf. You're just making moves to make moves.
There is no plan. If you would have moved off
George Pickens and acquired Terry mcclaurin the adult in the room, cod,
that's a move I get. So you're letting go of
(13:45):
a guy passed his prime in the secondary and getting
a more expensive guy passed his prime in the secondary.
That's just a move to make a move. Well, we're
getting rid of a high maintenance receiver and getting another
receiver who's a bit high maintenance. You're just making moves
to make moves. You lost your left tackle nagieras George Pickens,
Mika Fitzpatrick, and I saw who you've added, I would
argue you're slightly less talented today. So this goes There's
(14:09):
no pattern with it. And this is what I've said
about the Steelers is that they're on the wrong side
of the ball. All their money now is tied up
in defense. They got more expensive moving off Minca for
Jalen Ramsey. Wrong, Just move off Minca. Stop there. And
these are not moves that make any sense. They're basically
(14:32):
the Steelers of the kid who pays off his student
debt and puts it on a credit card. Yeah, I
got rid of that debt. Now it's still debt, bro,
you still got debt at a higher interest rate. That
may make you feel better. And remember this is an
organization that has not signed TJ. Watt yet. So when TJ.
Watt signs, at least for probably a period maybe six months,
(14:56):
maybe less than that, he'll be the highest paid defensive
player in NFL history. So we're not even talking about
that yet. And you got to get that done, TJ. Watt.
I mean, those jerseys are all over the stadium. That's
going to be a terribly sensitive thing. All these moves.
What do they mean. Well, Matt Hasselback yesterday said, here's
what he thinks. The Jalen Ramsey move means.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
They do not care about the rest of the league.
They don't care about what anybody else does. They say, Hey,
we're the Steelers. This is how we operate. So I
don't think that's going to change. But I do think
this it looks like they're building a team to stop
the Cincinnati Bengals. It's almost like they have confidence in
what they have, like what we have can take care
of the Baltimore Ravens like we're good, but like man,
(15:41):
I don't know how we're going to stop the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like I do believe that there's a fear there of
like personnel wise, we don't match up.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Well well, a lot of teams matched up okay with
Cincinnati because the Bengals didn't even make the playoffs. So
if that's your concern, I go back to being concerned
about Baltimore. The Ravens have separated over the last several
years from the Steelers since he didn't even make the playoffs. Okay,
j Mac, let me bring in here. The Austin Reeves
(16:09):
thing is interesting because obviously that's the piece. That is,
he's one of the few underpaid players in the NBA,
scoring about nineteen twenty a game. The Lakers are saying
now they're not going to gauge interest, but I do
think it's interesting. The two things that jump out to
me Lebron's not being included at all. I do think
the Bus family felt like because of the COVID title
(16:31):
and the merchandise sales, they sort of owed Lebron something
a heads up that's done. And the other thing is
we're gonna go big game Honting. Next year, they've been
very I mean, that's a pretty clear signal that Lebron,
we know you want championships, but getting rid of Dori
and Finney Smith, not getting rid of him, him leaving
and then inheriting some small guard who's on, you know,
(16:54):
a young kid, but on like his third team. What's
the message to Lebron. It's bro that we're we're not
a championship team. That's what the ownership is saying to me.
We are going to figure out scouting upstairs, executives roster.
Next year is the big year.
Speaker 6 (17:11):
Yeah, and next year it sounds like the Bucks are
going to keep Yiannis and make it try to make
it go this year, well next summer, maybe Janness is like, hey,
I'm done, it's over, and then Luca and Janni's joined.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Forces in La.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
But let me ask you, if you're Lebron and you're
reading the tea leaves Colin, are you like, you know what, guys,
just get me to the East.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Just trade me Lakers.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
We're not winning anything. I can't We're not a top
five team in the West.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Send me to the East.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
I could get to the finals. Does he do you
think Lebron would actually do that.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
No, I think Lebron's business and it's a fair question.
I think Lebron has to look at it like this.
He knew his first couple of years in the league.
He's a smart guy. He knew the first couple of
years in Cleveland out of high school, they were not
a championship team. In fact, getting to the finals against
the Spurs, despite the fact they were swept, they were
ahead of schedule. Oh wait, from about that year on
(18:01):
until this past year, Lebron has felt like the team
he has is a championship level team. But at some
point you have to acknowledge Michael Jordan did when he
went to the Wizards. You know, Shaq was bouncing around
the league. He knew the last three or four years
he was not a championship team. I think Lebron is
smart enough to know. This is the first year in
maybe fifteen years, Lebron, you have to go back to
(18:22):
that getting swept by the Spurs, and I'm sure going
into that finals, Lebron thought he had a chance. This
is the first time in a long time that Lebron
sort of being told without being directly told, dude, it's
not about a championship. The organization is first, second, and third.
You've had a great run, but we're not going to
include you as we build going forward.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
I get that, McCullen. Let me just remind you, Lebron
was an All NBA player last year. Ever, he's like
twenty five, seven and seven, and he's paired with Luka Doncic,
So you have two of.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
The ten best players in the league.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
I don't think you're out of it, but I definitely
think there's an uphill climb in the West. Like, listen,
wacky things happened in the East. Jason him in Aliburton.
They look like they were gonna be in the conference
finals again next year. They're both out next season the
East and wide open. Like things can happen. Let's not
write the Lakers off just yet.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Well, remember things do happen, especially to forty one year
olds in their twenty third year. Also that you think
Lebron's gonna play eighty games and forty two minutes, Lebron
has to pace himself. You know who doesn't, Lou dort
Sga Chet Holmgren, Jay Dubb. I mean those guys Oklahoma
City can play nine guys A night. The Lakers now
(19:31):
have no center, very little depth, and you know how
it works, Jason. That means, hey, Lebron, we need forty
one minutes tonight and we need twenty nine points. So
it'd be one thing if this was the OKC San
Antonio Houston roster. Like Kevin Durant's a great example. So
they Houston extends Jabari Smith, who, like Kevin Durant, can shoot.
(19:52):
He's got length. Kevin Durant, you could literally tell him
before the season starts, we're gonna play sixty four games.
We got j Smith behind you. We want you ready
for the playoffs. Because of the depth, the youth, the legs,
and the athleticism Houston has. Lakers can't do that. They
just lost Orian Phinney Smith, that's one of their better defenders.
So what's gonna happen is Lebron's gonna have to play
(20:14):
thirty eight minutes and score twenty seven points for this
to be in the wet Maybe not in the East,
but in the West. So the great advantage Kad saw
that with Houston. I don't, I don't shen Goon can
drop twenty eight on any night. Amn Thompson's coming up
Jabari plays my position right behind me. So Lebron is
going to be once again, and we don't you know,
(20:35):
you cross your fingers on Luca's health. He's in good
shape reportedly, but lucas a guy that misses games, that
gets banged up. There are gonna be nights so that
it's Lebron and Austin Reeves having to both drop twenty
eight for them to beat at best compete with Oka.
See listen, it's not over.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
I'm not writing them off and anything can happen here
in the.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Next three four days.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Let's go out and get some.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Guys and get the Lakers back in contention where Lebron
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and Neon Easter not a em Pacific Urban.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Meyer is now joining US Urban. For years and years,
you knew, and I knew, and the world knew, the
SEC was better. And I don't know. I don't know
who's better in the middle or the tail end. But
I think if you took the top four teams today
in the Big ten, which would be Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon,
and then we can argue over for I think they
(21:29):
are today as good mine Lean is slightly better than
the SEC. Where are you at? Having coached in both conferences.
Speaker 7 (21:36):
Today, the transition of the Big Ten has been phenomenal.
On the triple option, we had James Franklin. We talked
about that because he came into the league a couple
of years after I did. In twenty twelve, calling it
wasn't even close. It was shocking. There were great players
in the Big Ten, but the stadium atmospheres were just okay.
(21:58):
The depth of talent was not there, and the certainly
the bottom half the Big Ten just wasn't very good.
That's changed, that's changed dramatically. The stadium atmospheres are incredible.
The addition of the four teams for the PAC twelve,
I mean, those are four legit teams. And how about
this stat This is interesting. In eight nine, there were
(22:20):
twenty eight players drafted average in the Big Ten. This
past year there was seventy one.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
That's over double.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
So how do you measure conferences? Championships? Big Ten the
last two years? And those are two great teams, the
Wolverings and the Buckeys, great teams. But then the second
way to measure at the NFL and the secs. I
think it's nineteen straight years they've had more draft picks
than everyone else. They still do, but the big pen's
much closer.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah, And I think, you know, we sometimes because Michigan
and Ohio State and Penn State are such big brands,
we kind of forget about Washington and Oregon. And I've
said this before about Washington. Every time in my life
they've had a great coach, Don James, I mean new
(23:09):
Heisel got him to a Rose Bowl, Chris Peterson, Caylin
de boor every time they have an elite coach, they
end up in a playoff. And I don't think people
in the at least in the South. I think they
do in the Midwest. They don't understand how good Oregon
is as a football program, whereas the SEC auded Texas
and Oklahoma. I think people view those as big brands.
(23:33):
Tell me how you view Oregon in Washington. Forget to
sc for a second. I don't think those schools get
the national respect. But I would argue Oregon in Washington
right now, are Oregon's better than Oklahoma? Washington's on the
same plateau? Where are you on that?
Speaker 7 (23:50):
I think nashally, Oregon's a different. It's a different duck,
but it's everybody looks at Oregon now, I mean the uniform,
the stadium, the success they've had. I think I actually
considered them a blue blood right now, even though they've
not won a national championship. The Washington now, I spend
time at Colorado State, I spent time at Utah's recruited
(24:13):
out West Washington is a diamond And like you said,
they've always had when they have Don James, they have
Brick new Heisl, they have some of those coaches Chris Peterson.
You're in the national championship hunt. They were just recently
in the championship hunt with Kaitlin de Bors. So you
added two great brands to the SEC. But I'll tell
you what, you got three legits and you just went
(24:35):
how about this? In the SEC, I count nine teams
that are expected to compete and win a national championship
for years. Are just three in the Big Ten outs five,
So they've added There's been some really strength added to
the Big Ten.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I think a lot of we all know the elite
NFL coaches in college, it feels like a young and
I think one of the advantages that Big Ten has
now Franklin's a great recruiter. Ryan Day's a great recruiter.
Michigan has always been a solid. I think Dan Lanning's
a great recruiter. Also, a big nil. USC now has
(25:15):
the number one twenty twenty six class. Jed Fish has
always been even at Arizona, you got all sorts of
NFL guys. Is that the reality is the Big Ten
now has excellent recruiting coaches. That feels like a big
part of that. I mean, when you were in the SEC,
who was beating you in the Big Ten for players?
I think there's guys now in the Big Ten that
(25:36):
go down south and pull players up.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
I'm glad you brought that up, because this is this
is real life. I leave the SEC and I come
to Ohio State and there was something called a gentleman's agreement,
and the gentleman's coach, Bilama, got really pissed off at
me when we turned a couple players. And you know,
I didn't know gentlemen agreement. I'm sure what that means.
In the recruiting. You got to go get players. We
have two kids from Aio committed to Wisconsin. Then we
(26:02):
got them, we flipped them, and people were saying, well,
you know, in this conference, you don't do that, and
I was like, I don't. I not saw that anywhere
in my contract. That's not against the rules. I got
a job at Ohio State to go win games, so
I'm going to recruit whoever the heck we want to recruit.
So the recruiting has changed dramatically. Like you said, you
(26:23):
think about the Big Ten coaches that are elite recruiters.
I'm not saying they weren't back in twenty twelve, but
there wasn't the emphasis on it is now. And as
a result, look at the difference. I just told you
seventy one players drafted in the Big Ten Conference last
year compared to twenty eight just ten years ago, fifteen
years ago.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Yeah, the recruiting has changed in college football. You know,
I don't fight new stuff. If new stuff comes in,
there's new rules, there's new cultures. I'm just gonna you know,
I'm gonna try to figure out, like Rick Patino said
on my show recently, when the world changes, you can
you can fight it, or you can figure out a
way to solve the new world. If you were recruiting now,
(27:05):
let's say you're a Buckeye and you're recruiting or a Gator,
whatever it is. How would do you attack the nil?
How would you attack it?
Speaker 7 (27:17):
I would You've got to get players, and I would
attack it the way the big schools are attacking it.
I would have find out. I would have distribution. I
would have a GM. I think Mark Pantoni, the guy
we hired here years ago, we still at Ohio State.
I still talk to him once in a while about
how they do this. But you know, you have to
put emphasis if they're if everybody's abiding by the same rules,
(27:38):
which now they are. A year ago, it wasn't the case.
You could go out and you spend and through the
collectives as much as you can. But I would put
premium on positions a lot like they do the NFL.
You got to pay what you got to pay for
a quarterback, for defense, ends, corners and receivers. You have
to do it, and I'd pay that center.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
So I would.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
I would distribute and build the best team you could
possibly can. And that's kind of what the top teams
are doing right now.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
The you know, it's funny how you perceive a coach
and how the public does. I've always loved Sark, But
I've said this about Sark. Great recruiter, great with quarterbacks,
hustler sometimes on the details. I kind of feel like
he lets the game flow and occasionally I'll watch him
(28:25):
and think it gets a little away from him. But
again I'm nitpicking. How do you view Sark when you
do a Texas game or you watch Texas? What do
you see? Does he have a trend? Does he have
a tell like? How do you view Sark?
Speaker 7 (28:42):
Why? I have friends that are around Sark that know
him well. I know him fairly well. He's always been
great to me. I think he's the elite offense. I mean,
that's I'm on to state the obvious. First, he's an
elite offensive coach. He was in the NFL, he was
in college as an assistant. As a head coach, they're
always going to be spectacular in offense. But a lot
like Lincoln Riley, is that you have to grow as
(29:03):
a head coach. You don't get championships for offense. That's
not how this game works. You get championships for great defense,
not turning the ball over, and efficient offense. And I
think he's grown into the position. He's still relatively young,
even though he's had some great jobs. So I view
him as one of the top coaches in the country
and that's why I got Texas's Well, I haven't picked
(29:24):
him for sure yet, but I'm still studying it. But
I think most people have that preseason number one with
a returning quarterback.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
You know a program you know well as LSU and
I like Brian Kelly, but it is a again, you
are recruiting your own players. You're everything's moving, and I
Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley. I look at him and
I think it doesn't quite look like I think it
should look yet, and Saban got out of it. I
(29:53):
saw in college basketball coach k and Jay Wright are
like a young man's game. I'm getting out of this.
Let's say l is Okay this year. Now, I like
their quarterback. I think they're going to be better than Okay.
But is there an argument with all the movement, there's
no off season that for the guys that are post sixty,
(30:14):
it's harder now than it's ever been.
Speaker 7 (30:18):
Well, you got to connect with players, and you look
at the best connecting guys and it's it's real. As
the younger the younger generation and That's always been kind
of the facts of coaching players. You know, you have
young guys on your staff. A big part of that
is what to lorid the locker room, to let you
know the locker room. So Brian Kelly, I admire him,
We're friends. We coached against each other. I visit his programs,
(30:40):
he's visited mine. To think that he's still coaching, you know,
I didn't see that happening. And then he saw an
opportunity at LSU. And I'll tell you this about Brian
Kelly's driven and he wants that national championship and you
don't move from South Bend. He did it for one reason,
and that's to go get that crystal ball. So I
know it's wrong and he's he's one of those guys
(31:02):
when he when he pushes really hard, great things happened.
So yeah, I didn't. I didn't see that one happened.
I didn't see him coaching this long. But when he
saw that opportunity showed up at LSU. We actually talked
about it a couple of years ago. He just thinks
that spectacular and the chance he could win it all.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Finally, you guys at Ohio State, you picked up produced
tight end again, another exceptional class. It's Caleb Downs, It's
Jeremiah Smith. Everybody loves the quarterback. If I said, give
me your top three teams in the country just in personnel,
I don't. I don't want to look at this schedule.
If I just said, like last year, by the end
(31:39):
of the year, Ohio State had more good players than everybody,
they looked like those Alabama teams where they were like
Tyson in their prime. People were getting intimidated. Name the
three best rosters right now personnel in America.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
Yeah, you said, you guys at Ohio State, I'm at Fox.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I'm not.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I was.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Texas, Texas, Ohio State and Penn State is following the
lead of the Wolverines and the Buckeyes, and that is
they have more seniors. Think about this, Colin, that I'd
never had a chance to coach fourth year players if
I did, is very rare. And the difference between a
fourth year player and a rookie or a freshman is
night and day. You're coaching grown ass men. You're coaching
(32:23):
that's a men's locker room compared to young person. So
I watch out for Penn State. Man. If Drew Aller
can really improves a quarterback. I agree with you, to
get the best backfield, I don't think it's close in
the country. They got an offensive line that they can't
wait to get on the field. So yeah, I think
Penn State, Texas, and Ohio State are three most talented.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, Urban Meyer, there's a golf course waiting. There's a
four iron waiting for you to grab it. So I
have first chased by.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
I'll see it.
Speaker 7 (32:52):
Gina and Georgetti's in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
And day tell me when you're in town. I'm ready
for it. Yeah. So Michigan, Michigan two years ago, Ohio
State last year. Penn States might call to beat Texas
in the National Championship. You know, keep your eye on Oregon. Yeah,
keep your eye on Oregon, but I think they're really good.
Ohio State will obviously be good.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sportsradio 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 (00:26):
Where Colin was right, Oh, Lebron opted in. I had
said this was it two three months ago. When Lebron
hinted it retirement, I said, oh my god, are we
going to do this again. It's four years in a row.
It's like the Brett Farb Tour. Lebron's not retiring. He's
too good. He plays joyfully. Los Angeles is good for him.
He's got Luka dontch. Yes he'll opt in. Yes he's
(00:49):
gonna play. It's nonsense and we were right.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Where Colin was wrong.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Well, a week ago, goalie Matt Freeze, I said, look
too anxious over his head, nervous. Probably not our answer
for the United States men's national team in goal. And
then yesterday, during PK's three saves, got his hand on
two others. He rose to the moment. In my opinion,
(01:18):
he's secured the goalie job for Team USA. Where Colin
was right. Kaylin Clark isn't just the best young player
in the WNBA. She's Tiger Woods. Yesterday sold out her
shoe in ten minutes, according to reports, ten minutes. She's
getting the most votes in the All Star Game. She's
(01:41):
driving half of the league's television ratings. I said a
year ago, she is Taylor Swift with a jumper. She
is not just helping the league. She literally got a
teammate's jersey sold out in fifteen minutes. Sophia Cunningham just
by proxy, a player that had been in the league
(02:01):
seven years, just a teammate. She's getting stuff sold out.
She is bigger than either even the WNBA, which has
finally come around acknowledges where Colin was right. Former Pittsburgh
Steeler James Harrison last week admitted what we've been on
for years. Mike Tomlin's strength he's a players coach. Mike
(02:25):
Tomlin's weakness, he's a player's coach. Yes, many players can
handle that, but increasingly guys like Jalen Ramsey, who's only
but as good as the structure. He's been supported by
the Rams. It doesn't work. So this is what I've
(02:45):
said about the Steelers for years. I'm not saying Mike
Tomlin can't coach, but he's loose and details win in December,
January and February, and James Harrison admitting the organization is
to player friends.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Where Colin was wrong, James Harden.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Signed another deal two years, forty plus million a year. Listen,
I last year he shot forty one percent from the field.
He doesn't defend, he never shows up in the playoffs.
I am not denying his greatness. I am not denying
his Hall of Fame stature. I'm not denying offensive leads.
One of the great guards of all time. But if
(03:24):
Steve Balmer cares about winning and culture and how do
you win in the playoffs? Who is the best defensive
team in the league? Okasee, who won? OKC, That's not
the way to do it. Where Colin was right. Sean
Payton ranked number two coaching in the NFL by PFF.
Andy Reid number one. I just saw this weekend. He
(03:47):
took a bad offensive line. The old line is now
ranked number two. He took over a shaky defense. They
led the NFL in sacks. They upgraded at safety and
linebacker on players that were just niners a year year ago.
He inherited a horrible culture, a mess at quarterback, moved
off Russell Wilson, dead cap money, and in a division
(04:09):
with Andy Reid and Jim Harbaugh, took a rookie quarterback
to the playoffs. This is what I've been saying about
Sean Payton. He is direct, he is kurt, He can
turn people off. He is brilliant.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Where Colin was right.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I said last week there's seven athletes in America that
are untradeable. Aaron Judge is absolutely won yesterday to homers
four RBIs leeds baseball at three point fifty six second
in home runs. He's not just a great Yankee. He
went on a brief hitting slump the Yankees got shut out.
He is literally the centerpiece, as good as O Tawny
(04:44):
is if he takes a day off. I got Mokie Betts,
I got Maximunse, I got Freddie Freeman. He is the
centerpiece of East Coast baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Where Colin was robbed.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Austin Reeves declined ninety million from the Lakers why his
representation believes open market or the Lakers. In a year,
he's going to get closer to one hundred and fifty million.
I'd trade him tomorrow for Derek White. I think he's
a really good b player. They're Knights. He has an
(05:17):
a offensive night, but he's not dynamic vertically. He's a
good shooter, not elite. But I'm wrong because apparently often
in his reps CNA player where Colin was right. What
do you know? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers extended Jason Light
the GM. Do you realize the team with the longest
(05:39):
active playoffs streak in the NFC is the Bocks, not
the Eagles or the Ravens or the Rams. Excuse me,
Ravens refc Jason Light one of the best scouts ever
been on this for years. Tampa Bay, for years had
excellent rosters. They couldn't get the quarterback right. Jason got
(06:00):
Baker when a lot of people were doubting him. He
was one of the only two GMS that aggressively pursued
Tom Brady. Tampa will remain talent rich as long as
Jason Light is the GM.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and Nooneastern, nn AM, Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
You're asking what in God's name is the Fifth Hour?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I'll tell you it's a spin off of that Ben
Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Picture if you will a world will? We chat with
captains of industry in media, sports and more every week
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen
to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Here we go.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
It is a Tuesday NBA Free Agency in full swim.
We are live. It is the herd wherever you may
be and however you may be watching or listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Tyler Adams, US
Men's national team, Urban Meyer, Albert rereerstop by today.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
J Mack.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It was a if you're a Laker fan, it was
a disheartening day. But they've got new owners and new
owners have come. You know, you ever drive by that restaurant,
it says under new management, and they're going to change
the entire menu. They're not going to tweak. So I
think I want to read everybody J Mack. The headlines
that are circulating about the Lakers, who are the biggest
brand in the NBA, the Yankees of Major League Baseball.
(07:38):
These are the headlines this morning. Lakers reportedly preserving cap
space for next season. Dorian Finney Smith exit disaster. Lakers
gave up three draft picks for less than fifty games
of Dorian Phinney Smith. Jim rob Polinka facing ounting pressure
(08:00):
to keep the Lakers job, and I like this one.
Lebron James has no influence on free agency moves, says
an NBA front office insider. The Lakers are excluding him.
They should. He's forty one. So the Bus family for
years has talked themselves into believing, I get it, this
is their life. They talk themselves into believing we were
(08:23):
just a rotational player away. And the new owners of
this restaurant are saying, no, no, no, no no, it's
just not a little better chicken palm recipe. We're changing
the kitchen staff, We're changing the entire menu. This is
not about a better chicken palm. It's a forty one
(08:44):
year old star, another star in Luca where it's notable
that he's really working out this offseason. And they have
absolutely no size and the real value they have is
Austin Reeves. But another headline today they are not even
taking calls or gauging interest on Austin Reeves. So the
new owners, they know what success is all about. They
(09:08):
own the Dodgers. And I've argued this before. I think
the Dodgers, Mark Walters, I think it's the best run
sports franchise in North America perhaps ever. These people know
what they're doing. They let stars go if they see
problems around the corner. And so this morning it appears
(09:28):
they're going big game hunting next year. They do not
think this is a championship team. They're not going to
lose any sleep over Lebron being bummed out. They're going
to upgrade scouting and my guests, they are eventually going
to find their wizard, their guru, their GM. So the
Lakers need two centers like yesterday, the good ones are
(09:49):
off the market. Clint Capella, he's back to the Rockets.
Luke Cornett Celtics. Now he's the Spurs and Brook Lopez
to the Clippers. So let's not forget this. Put the
palm palms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round.
They lost convincingly in the first round, and they are
(10:09):
worse today without Dorian Finney Smith, they are worse today.
You know who's not worse, Houston? Houston is better. You
know who's not worse Denver. You know who's getting better fast,
San Antonio. So the ownership group knows what success looks like. Okay,
these new owners are antique experts, and they're telling Laker
(10:32):
fans this roster is a knockoff. I know what Grandma
told you. It's not a van Go. This isn't there.
The new Laker owners are telling you we know what
titles looks like, and an aging Lebron and a finally
working out in the offseason. Luca is not O Tawny
Betts and Freddie Freeman. I know it's painful, and I
(10:53):
understand the bus family for years. This is their baby,
this is their child, and they always believe, just like
we all do as parents, our kid's gonna be president
of the United States. Okay, maybe president of a company, okay,
hopefully president of a frat, okay, maybe a vice president
(11:16):
of something. You gotta be honest. You have to be
able to self evaluate. This is not a championship team.
Look what Denver's done in the last twenty four hours.
They finally got Yoki shooters, multiple and a backup. Big
San Antonio is getting better by the hour with all
their youth. Houston added more pieces. Oklahoma City, I've not
(11:36):
even mentioned them. And the brain trust in Golden State
they already got their sidekick, the staff, Jimmy Butler last year.
So it's you gotta be honest about this stuff. People
in Los Angeles. You know what well run looks like.
You know what championships looks like. It's called the Dodgers,
USC the Lakers, the Chargers a little bit until Harbaugh, Yeah,
(11:59):
there's they're selling you on that, and that's not what
it is. So the Rams brilliantly run, the Dodgers immaculately
run the Lakers mom and pop shop. It's all changing,
big game hunting next year. Not including Lebron in the discussions,
He's had a great career. He should not be dictating
(12:20):
any terms at this point, not saying you trade him,
we're gonna do the new guys say, we're gonna do
what we're gonna do because we know what winning looks like.
It's Otanian Bett, not forty one year old lebron and
perpetually out of shape or an average shape Luca. Okay,
here's another one. This is interesting this headline the Steelers
(12:41):
are officially all in. I heard that a lot yesterday
because they got Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and
tight end John Husmith. Well, if they're all in, that's
a pair of eights. Okay, that ain't pocket ass, folks.
So if that's all in, but it's I always. I
(13:03):
was asking somebody about three weeks ago, three or four
weeks ago about all the Steelers' moves, and he said,
some gms just make moves to make moves, but do
they have a plan. And that's a prime example. So
they get rid of a safety who's a little past
his prime, and they add a corner who's more expensive,
Jalen Ramsey, who's past his prime. They get rid of
(13:24):
a very high maintenance wide receiver in George Pickens, and
then they inherit a wide receiver who can be high
maintenance DK Metcalf. You're just making moves to make moves.
There is no plan. If you would have moved off
George Pickens and acquired Terry mcclaurin the adult in the room, cod,
that's a move I get. So you're letting go of
(13:45):
a guy passed his prime in the secondary and getting
a more expensive guy passed his prime in the secondary.
That's just a move to make a move. Well, we're
getting rid of a high maintenance receiver and getting another
receiver who's a bit high maintenance. You're just making moves
to make moves. You lost your left tackle nagieras George Pickens,
Mika Fitzpatrick, and I saw who you've added, I would
argue you're slightly less talented today. So this goes There's
(14:09):
no pattern with it. And this is what I've said
about the Steelers is that they're on the wrong side
of the ball. All their money now is tied up
in defense. They got more expensive moving off Minca for
Jalen Ramsey. Wrong, Just move off Minca. Stop there. And
these are not moves that make any sense. They're basically
(14:32):
the Steelers of the kid who pays off his student
debt and puts it on a credit card. Yeah, I
got rid of that debt. Now it's still debt, bro,
you still got debt at a higher interest rate. That
may make you feel better. And remember this is an
organization that has not signed TJ. Watt yet. So when TJ.
Watt signs, at least for probably a period maybe six months,
(14:56):
maybe less than that, he'll be the highest paid defensive
player in NFL history. So we're not even talking about
that yet. And you got to get that done, TJ. Watt.
I mean, those jerseys are all over the stadium. That's
going to be a terribly sensitive thing. All these moves.
What do they mean. Well, Matt Hasselback yesterday said, here's
what he thinks. The Jalen Ramsey move means.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
They do not care about the rest of the league.
They don't care about what anybody else does. They say, Hey,
we're the Steelers. This is how we operate. So I
don't think that's going to change. But I do think
this it looks like they're building a team to stop
the Cincinnati Bengals. It's almost like they have confidence in
what they have, like what we have can take care
of the Baltimore Ravens like we're good, but like man,
(15:41):
I don't know how we're going to stop the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like I do believe that there's a fear there of
like personnel wise, we don't match up.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Well well, a lot of teams matched up okay with
Cincinnati because the Bengals didn't even make the playoffs. So
if that's your concern, I go back to being concerned
about Baltimore. The Ravens have separated over the last several
years from the Steelers since he didn't even make the playoffs. Okay,
j Mac, let me bring in here. The Austin Reeves
(16:09):
thing is interesting because obviously that's the piece. That is,
he's one of the few underpaid players in the NBA,
scoring about nineteen twenty a game. The Lakers are saying
now they're not going to gauge interest, but I do
think it's interesting. The two things that jump out to
me Lebron's not being included at all. I do think
the Bus family felt like because of the COVID title
(16:31):
and the merchandise sales, they sort of owed Lebron something
a heads up that's done. And the other thing is
we're gonna go big game Honting. Next year, they've been
very I mean, that's a pretty clear signal that Lebron,
we know you want championships, but getting rid of Dori
and Finney Smith, not getting rid of him, him leaving
and then inheriting some small guard who's on, you know,
(16:54):
a young kid, but on like his third team. What's
the message to Lebron. It's bro that we're we're not
a championship team. That's what the ownership is saying to me.
We are going to figure out scouting upstairs, executives roster.
Next year is the big year.
Speaker 6 (17:11):
Yeah, and next year it sounds like the Bucks are
going to keep Yiannis and make it try to make
it go this year, well next summer, maybe Janness is like, hey,
I'm done, it's over, and then Luca and Janni's joined.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Forces in La.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
But let me ask you, if you're Lebron and you're
reading the tea leaves Colin, are you like, you know what, guys,
just get me to the East.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Just trade me Lakers.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
We're not winning anything. I can't We're not a top
five team in the West.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Send me to the East.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
I could get to the finals. Does he do you
think Lebron would actually do that.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
No, I think Lebron's business and it's a fair question.
I think Lebron has to look at it like this.
He knew his first couple of years in the league.
He's a smart guy. He knew the first couple of
years in Cleveland out of high school, they were not
a championship team. In fact, getting to the finals against
the Spurs, despite the fact they were swept, they were
ahead of schedule. Oh wait, from about that year on
(18:01):
until this past year, Lebron has felt like the team
he has is a championship level team. But at some
point you have to acknowledge Michael Jordan did when he
went to the Wizards. You know, Shaq was bouncing around
the league. He knew the last three or four years
he was not a championship team. I think Lebron is
smart enough to know. This is the first year in
maybe fifteen years, Lebron, you have to go back to
(18:22):
that getting swept by the Spurs, and I'm sure going
into that finals, Lebron thought he had a chance. This
is the first time in a long time that Lebron
sort of being told without being directly told, dude, it's
not about a championship. The organization is first, second, and third.
You've had a great run, but we're not going to
include you as we build going forward.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
I get that, McCullen. Let me just remind you, Lebron
was an All NBA player last year. Ever, he's like
twenty five, seven and seven, and he's paired with Luka Doncic,
So you have two of.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
The ten best players in the league.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
I don't think you're out of it, but I definitely
think there's an uphill climb in the West. Like, listen,
wacky things happened in the East. Jason him in Aliburton.
They look like they were gonna be in the conference
finals again next year. They're both out next season the
East and wide open. Like things can happen. Let's not
write the Lakers off just yet.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Well, remember things do happen, especially to forty one year
olds in their twenty third year. Also that you think
Lebron's gonna play eighty games and forty two minutes, Lebron
has to pace himself. You know who doesn't, Lou dort
Sga Chet Holmgren, Jay Dubb. I mean those guys Oklahoma
City can play nine guys A night. The Lakers now
(19:31):
have no center, very little depth, and you know how
it works, Jason. That means, hey, Lebron, we need forty
one minutes tonight and we need twenty nine points. So
it'd be one thing if this was the OKC San
Antonio Houston roster. Like Kevin Durant's a great example. So
they Houston extends Jabari Smith, who, like Kevin Durant, can shoot.
(19:52):
He's got length. Kevin Durant, you could literally tell him
before the season starts, we're gonna play sixty four games.
We got j Smith behind you. We want you ready
for the playoffs. Because of the depth, the youth, the legs,
and the athleticism Houston has. Lakers can't do that. They
just lost Orian Phinney Smith, that's one of their better defenders.
So what's gonna happen is Lebron's gonna have to play
(20:14):
thirty eight minutes and score twenty seven points for this
to be in the wet Maybe not in the East,
but in the West. So the great advantage Kad saw
that with Houston. I don't, I don't shen Goon can
drop twenty eight on any night. Amn Thompson's coming up
Jabari plays my position right behind me. So Lebron is
going to be once again, and we don't you know,
(20:35):
you cross your fingers on Luca's health. He's in good
shape reportedly, but lucas a guy that misses games, that
gets banged up. There are gonna be nights so that
it's Lebron and Austin Reeves having to both drop twenty
eight for them to beat at best compete with Oka.
See listen, it's not over.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
I'm not writing them off and anything can happen here
in the.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Next three four days.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Let's go out and get some.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Guys and get the Lakers back in contention where Lebron
needs to be.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and Neon Easter not a em Pacific Urban.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Meyer is now joining US Urban. For years and years,
you knew, and I knew, and the world knew, the
SEC was better. And I don't know. I don't know
who's better in the middle or the tail end. But
I think if you took the top four teams today
in the Big ten, which would be Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon,
and then we can argue over for I think they
(21:29):
are today as good mine Lean is slightly better than
the SEC. Where are you at? Having coached in both conferences.
Speaker 7 (21:36):
Today, the transition of the Big Ten has been phenomenal.
On the triple option, we had James Franklin. We talked
about that because he came into the league a couple
of years after I did. In twenty twelve, calling it
wasn't even close. It was shocking. There were great players
in the Big Ten, but the stadium atmospheres were just okay.
(21:58):
The depth of talent was not there, and the certainly
the bottom half the Big Ten just wasn't very good.
That's changed, that's changed dramatically. The stadium atmospheres are incredible.
The addition of the four teams for the PAC twelve,
I mean, those are four legit teams. And how about
this stat This is interesting. In eight nine, there were
(22:20):
twenty eight players drafted average in the Big Ten. This
past year there was seventy one.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
That's over double.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
So how do you measure conferences? Championships? Big Ten the
last two years? And those are two great teams, the
Wolverings and the Buckeys, great teams. But then the second
way to measure at the NFL and the secs. I
think it's nineteen straight years they've had more draft picks
than everyone else. They still do, but the big pen's
much closer.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah, And I think, you know, we sometimes because Michigan
and Ohio State and Penn State are such big brands,
we kind of forget about Washington and Oregon. And I've
said this before about Washington. Every time in my life
they've had a great coach, Don James, I mean new
(23:09):
Heisel got him to a Rose Bowl, Chris Peterson, Caylin
de boor every time they have an elite coach, they
end up in a playoff. And I don't think people
in the at least in the South. I think they
do in the Midwest. They don't understand how good Oregon
is as a football program, whereas the SEC auded Texas
and Oklahoma. I think people view those as big brands.
(23:33):
Tell me how you view Oregon in Washington. Forget to
sc for a second. I don't think those schools get
the national respect. But I would argue Oregon in Washington
right now, are Oregon's better than Oklahoma? Washington's on the
same plateau? Where are you on that?
Speaker 7 (23:50):
I think nashally, Oregon's a different. It's a different duck,
but it's everybody looks at Oregon now, I mean the uniform,
the stadium, the success they've had. I think I actually
considered them a blue blood right now, even though they've
not won a national championship. The Washington now, I spend
time at Colorado State, I spent time at Utah's recruited
(24:13):
out West Washington is a diamond And like you said,
they've always had when they have Don James, they have
Brick new Heisl, they have some of those coaches Chris Peterson.
You're in the national championship hunt. They were just recently
in the championship hunt with Kaitlin de Bors. So you
added two great brands to the SEC. But I'll tell
you what, you got three legits and you just went
(24:35):
how about this? In the SEC, I count nine teams
that are expected to compete and win a national championship
for years. Are just three in the Big Ten outs five,
So they've added There's been some really strength added to
the Big Ten.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I think a lot of we all know the elite
NFL coaches in college, it feels like a young and
I think one of the advantages that Big Ten has
now Franklin's a great recruiter. Ryan Day's a great recruiter.
Michigan has always been a solid. I think Dan Lanning's
a great recruiter. Also, a big nil. USC now has
(25:15):
the number one twenty twenty six class. Jed Fish has
always been even at Arizona, you got all sorts of
NFL guys. Is that the reality is the Big Ten
now has excellent recruiting coaches. That feels like a big
part of that. I mean, when you were in the SEC,
who was beating you in the Big Ten for players?
I think there's guys now in the Big Ten that
(25:36):
go down south and pull players up.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
I'm glad you brought that up, because this is this
is real life. I leave the SEC and I come
to Ohio State and there was something called a gentleman's agreement,
and the gentleman's coach, Bilama, got really pissed off at
me when we turned a couple players. And you know,
I didn't know gentlemen agreement. I'm sure what that means.
In the recruiting. You got to go get players. We
have two kids from Aio committed to Wisconsin. Then we
(26:02):
got them, we flipped them, and people were saying, well,
you know, in this conference, you don't do that, and
I was like, I don't. I not saw that anywhere
in my contract. That's not against the rules. I got
a job at Ohio State to go win games, so
I'm going to recruit whoever the heck we want to recruit.
So the recruiting has changed dramatically. Like you said, you
(26:23):
think about the Big Ten coaches that are elite recruiters.
I'm not saying they weren't back in twenty twelve, but
there wasn't the emphasis on it is now. And as
a result, look at the difference. I just told you
seventy one players drafted in the Big Ten Conference last
year compared to twenty eight just ten years ago, fifteen
years ago.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Yeah, the recruiting has changed in college football. You know,
I don't fight new stuff. If new stuff comes in,
there's new rules, there's new cultures. I'm just gonna you know,
I'm gonna try to figure out, like Rick Patino said
on my show recently, when the world changes, you can
you can fight it, or you can figure out a
way to solve the new world. If you were recruiting now,
(27:05):
let's say you're a Buckeye and you're recruiting or a Gator,
whatever it is. How would do you attack the nil?
How would you attack it?
Speaker 7 (27:17):
I would You've got to get players, and I would
attack it the way the big schools are attacking it.
I would have find out. I would have distribution. I
would have a GM. I think Mark Pantoni, the guy
we hired here years ago, we still at Ohio State.
I still talk to him once in a while about
how they do this. But you know, you have to
put emphasis if they're if everybody's abiding by the same rules,
(27:38):
which now they are. A year ago, it wasn't the case.
You could go out and you spend and through the
collectives as much as you can. But I would put
premium on positions a lot like they do the NFL.
You got to pay what you got to pay for
a quarterback, for defense, ends, corners and receivers. You have
to do it, and I'd pay that center.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
So I would.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
I would distribute and build the best team you could
possibly can. And that's kind of what the top teams
are doing right now.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
The you know, it's funny how you perceive a coach
and how the public does. I've always loved Sark, But
I've said this about Sark. Great recruiter, great with quarterbacks,
hustler sometimes on the details. I kind of feel like
he lets the game flow and occasionally I'll watch him
(28:25):
and think it gets a little away from him. But
again I'm nitpicking. How do you view Sark when you
do a Texas game or you watch Texas? What do
you see? Does he have a trend? Does he have
a tell like? How do you view Sark?
Speaker 7 (28:42):
Why? I have friends that are around Sark that know
him well. I know him fairly well. He's always been
great to me. I think he's the elite offense. I mean,
that's I'm on to state the obvious. First, he's an
elite offensive coach. He was in the NFL, he was
in college as an assistant. As a head coach, they're
always going to be spectacular in offense. But a lot
like Lincoln Riley, is that you have to grow as
(29:03):
a head coach. You don't get championships for offense. That's
not how this game works. You get championships for great defense,
not turning the ball over, and efficient offense. And I
think he's grown into the position. He's still relatively young,
even though he's had some great jobs. So I view
him as one of the top coaches in the country
and that's why I got Texas's Well, I haven't picked
(29:24):
him for sure yet, but I'm still studying it. But
I think most people have that preseason number one with
a returning quarterback.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
You know a program you know well as LSU and
I like Brian Kelly, but it is a again, you
are recruiting your own players. You're everything's moving, and I
Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley. I look at him and
I think it doesn't quite look like I think it
should look yet, and Saban got out of it. I
(29:53):
saw in college basketball coach k and Jay Wright are
like a young man's game. I'm getting out of this.
Let's say l is Okay this year. Now, I like
their quarterback. I think they're going to be better than Okay.
But is there an argument with all the movement, there's
no off season that for the guys that are post sixty,
(30:14):
it's harder now than it's ever been.
Speaker 7 (30:18):
Well, you got to connect with players, and you look
at the best connecting guys and it's it's real. As
the younger the younger generation and That's always been kind
of the facts of coaching players. You know, you have
young guys on your staff. A big part of that
is what to lorid the locker room, to let you
know the locker room. So Brian Kelly, I admire him,
We're friends. We coached against each other. I visit his programs,
(30:40):
he's visited mine. To think that he's still coaching, you know,
I didn't see that happening. And then he saw an
opportunity at LSU. And I'll tell you this about Brian
Kelly's driven and he wants that national championship and you
don't move from South Bend. He did it for one reason,
and that's to go get that crystal ball. So I
know it's wrong and he's he's one of those guys
(31:02):
when he when he pushes really hard, great things happened.
So yeah, I didn't. I didn't see that one happened.
I didn't see him coaching this long. But when he
saw that opportunity showed up at LSU. We actually talked
about it a couple of years ago. He just thinks
that spectacular and the chance he could win it all.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Finally, you guys at Ohio State, you picked up produced
tight end again, another exceptional class. It's Caleb Downs, It's
Jeremiah Smith. Everybody loves the quarterback. If I said, give
me your top three teams in the country just in personnel,
I don't. I don't want to look at this schedule.
If I just said, like last year, by the end
(31:39):
of the year, Ohio State had more good players than everybody,
they looked like those Alabama teams where they were like
Tyson in their prime. People were getting intimidated. Name the
three best rosters right now personnel in America.
Speaker 7 (31:53):
Yeah, you said, you guys at Ohio State, I'm at Fox.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I'm not.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I was.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Texas, Texas, Ohio State and Penn State is following the
lead of the Wolverines and the Buckeyes, and that is
they have more seniors. Think about this, Colin, that I'd
never had a chance to coach fourth year players if
I did, is very rare. And the difference between a
fourth year player and a rookie or a freshman is
night and day. You're coaching grown ass men. You're coaching
(32:23):
that's a men's locker room compared to young person. So
I watch out for Penn State. Man. If Drew Aller
can really improves a quarterback. I agree with you, to
get the best backfield, I don't think it's close in
the country. They got an offensive line that they can't
wait to get on the field. So yeah, I think
Penn State, Texas, and Ohio State are three most talented.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, Urban Meyer, there's a golf course waiting. There's a
four iron waiting for you to grab it. So I
have first chased by.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
I'll see it.
Speaker 7 (32:52):
Gina and Georgetti's in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
And day tell me when you're in town. I'm ready
for it. Yeah. So Michigan, Michigan two years ago, Ohio
State last year. Penn States might call to beat Texas
in the National Championship. You know, keep your eye on Oregon. Yeah,
keep your eye on Oregon, but I think they're really good.
Ohio State will obviously be good.
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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