June 3, 2025 • 42 mins
Jason McIntyre fills in for Colin previewing the NBA Finals matchup between the Thunder and the Pacers and why the era of super teams has come to an end
Is OKC/Indiana the Finals the NBA wanted?
Are the Vikings concerned with QB JJ McCarthy?
Guest: Albert Breer
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to 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
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dot com, or stream us live every day on the
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh, it's a beautiful Tuesday out here in Los Angeles.
It's me Jason mcintich back for Tuesday. Colin Coward on vacation.
I'm joined today by Alex Curry. Alex, it's a great
week in sports. Mean, we got the NBA Finals coming up.
Major League Baseball had another thriller last night.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
That was good fun.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
That was fine.
Speaker 6 (00:48):
I stayed up a little too late watching the Dodgers
try to make that comeback, but it's okay.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
I woke up a little early.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I was workshopping some takes about four thirty am, just
in my head. You know, I felt like yesterday's show
was so good.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Your takes wake you up. Sometimes I do that.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
I keep a little notepad by the side of the bed. Oh,
and I'll like write things down when I wake up.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Random my middle of the night.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
You look next morning, I'm like, what I made a miss?
It's like a Seinfeld episode.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I'm made the.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Mistake of going in my phone in my notes section
and banging out some stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Then the light gets in your head. Good stuff. We
got a several great guests today.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Obviously we're talking NBA Finals, a little NFL. I don't
want to concern any Niners fans, but about seven minutes
from now, I got some bad news.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
But let's start with the NBA finals. Diud.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
You guys know I'm a big hoophead, right I'm in
multiple men's leagues. I won't talk about last night's game.
It was phenomenal.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
I was terrific. But listen, you know, Okase Indiana.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news,
but I'm not that excited for these NBA finals. You know,
I joked that Colin is the elitist here on the show,
but maybe it's me, cause you know, if I were
the NBA, I would have changed its motto to give
me super teams or give me death, because that's what
I like. Superstars in the NBA Finals, and.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
We don't really have that. We don't have dynasties.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We got debuts, and that just isn't as sexy as
what we've had here in the last I don't know,
quarter century, folks.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Let's be real.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
When the NBA had super teams this century, it was
at the height of its popularity. I mean, come on,
you put Lebron, Kevin Love, and Kyrie in the finals.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
That's a lot of pop that's juice.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I mean Kyrie Irving, he had a movie, Okay, Kevin
Love was ascending in Minnesota. Lebron changed teams and became
the villain in Miami. But you look at those super
teams in Cleveland, Miami. Hell, the greatest team ever assembled
in NBA history. Yes, that's true, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
Do you know how much excitement that was leading up
(02:46):
to the finals when you had all those stars gathered together. Hell,
you could even go back to the Boston Celtics with
our guy here, Paul Pierce, when he got Kevin Garnett
gifted to him and Ray Allen going up against and
gout Saul in the finals. Folks, that was star wattage.
Those finals were incredible. And I don't know about you,
(03:08):
but I know the NBA loves. Hey, we're about to
have our seventh champion in seven years. Hooray, hooray for
socialism in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Folks.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I'm sorry, but think back to that Denver Miami Heat series.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
You remember anything from that one? I had to ask
the staff this one. Hey, how many games did that go?
I don't remember it? Five game series? It was not great.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Even Phoenix Milwaukee. You know, you had a sending Yannis,
a sending Devin Booker. That series didn't have any pop.
I think Gianni's dropping fifty in the decisive game was
about it. But like those weren't great memorable series. Again,
the super teams they provided that. And I like Tyrese
Haliburton as much as the next guy. You guys know
(03:53):
I've been a big Indiana Pacers fan. In the finals,
I don't I just don't really see it. And you know,
I kind of I'm gonna bash Adam Silver here a
little bit because you're the reason we've got this.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
You wanted it.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I know you're doing the bidding of the owners, but
going away from super teams and pushing toward hey, everybody's
got a chance. I don't know that that's the answer.
And you guys can push back and say, no, the
NBA didn't want Indiana, OKAC, Yes they did because the
small markets were upset that all the stars were going
(04:29):
and enjoining forces.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
They don't want that.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So what you got is Adam Silver saying, hey, we're
going to reward teams that draft a superstar number one
or two or.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Whatever it is.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Hey, you know what, if you stay with the team
that drafted you, you could get the Supermax. Who the
hell's turning down three hundred million dollars, you know. And
now if you're drafted by a small market team, you're
incentivized to stay there because guess what. Everybody saw Lebron
Bolt from Cleveland and Kadie Bolt from OKC and they said,
that's it's not fair. We need to keep our stars
(05:03):
at home. Well, Adam Silver, I'm sorry, but you know,
fairness isn't really sexy or exciting. Exciting is player movement.
That's what gives the league the pop and super teams
being created is awesome. And so besides just the Supermax
and incentivizing everybody's stay, all of a sudden, it's like, hey, there,
we're gonna institute this thing called an apron and a
(05:26):
second apron, and oh, by the way, if you want
to get all these stars together, you're gonna have to
dip into the double apron and pay I don't know,
seventy million dollars. You have to write a check for
that as a penalty. And wouldn't you know it. But
all of a sudden, we're hearing chatter, Hey, this summer,
Yannis could be on the move because the super team
(05:48):
they tried to build in Milwaukee didn't quite work out,
and the super team Kevin Durant and Phoenix had didn't
quite payan out. So now all of a sudden, Janis
and KD are gonna hit the market. And to me
that it's exciting player movement, exciting stars joining forces.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yes, give me more of that. I like this Pacer story.
It's fun. OKC was built.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, hey, Sam Presty, tremendous job putting this team together.
And all I hear is they're not going anywhere. But
is anybody fired up about watching OKCE Indiana?
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Like, there's a world where we'll talk about it tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Probably I think Indiana can maybe be competitive, But there's
also a world where OKC smokes them in four, and
we're snoozing our way.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Through the NBA Finals.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
So I don't know, guys, it seems like we're it's
time to pour some out for the Super Team era.
My problem is, I'm not gonna smile because it happened.
I'm gonna cry because it's over. I already miss it.
All right, It's time to pivot to the NFL. And
I got some news last night.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Obviously, I'm texting with the staff and Zach sends me something, Hey,
I got some bad news for your guy, Brock Purdy
in the Niners. And I look at the numbers and
I'm like, well, yeah, I'm a Rock Purty guy. Listen,
don't tell me what I don't want to hear. And
so I say, why don't you strip out last year's
numbers from Rock Purdy and then come back to me
and I'll take a look at it. And so Zach
(07:13):
did that, and folks, Rock Purty when tied or trailing
in the second half not good. It's not just last season.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
There's a theme here.
Speaker 7 (07:23):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I do want to say, you know me, I love
a good underdog, Rock Purty.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Last pick in the draft.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I've been championing this guy for a couple of years, folks,
when facing a big deficit in his career. It's not
just last season. He hasn't been great now, obviously context
is needed here. Yes, I'm a Rock Purty guy. Guy
goes five to zero in his first season in the league, boom,
goes right to the conference championship, gets hurt against Philly,
(07:50):
comes back the next year.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
People were doubting him, not me.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Jmack all in on Rock Purty and what did you
know when he went to the super Bowl lost in overtime.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Okay, Rock Purty has shown a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
We got Chris Sims here talking about Brock Purty's growth,
and I'm gonna get it positive before I get negative.
Speaker 8 (08:07):
So here's Chris Sims talking Brock Party. I was encouraged
with a lot of stuff I saw from Brock Party
last year. I do feel like he did more off schedule,
more wow plays, more wow.
Speaker 9 (08:18):
Throws, making some more happen when it wasn't there to
be had. Maybe that he had the two years previous
to that. That's where I saw growth.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
In his game.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
He can't lose the surgicality that he had and running
the PA offense and being just an absolute machine with
making the right decisions play after play after play.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
So we're seeing positive growth from brock Purty.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
And I will add again context always necessary. Go back
to that Super Bowl run. They trailed Green Bay, came
back and got the dub. Rock Purty with the fourth
quarter comeback. Next week, in a memorable game against Detroit,
they trailed big down twenty four to seven at the half.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Purty engineers an awesome comeback.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yes, some of that was Dan Campbell fumbling the bag,
Josh Reynolds a brutal drop, some luck with the face
mask catch by the Niners, but San Francisco and brock
Purty came back to get the dub. So he has
had some comebacks. But by and large, Rock Purty is
great on the script and when that wears off, it
(09:22):
don't look good. Now, you can't just kill rock Purty
because it takes two to tango. And we know Kyle
Shanahan has had some failures. Okay, Kyle Shanahan, the head
coach of the Niners, was the OC in Atlanta when
he had Matt Ryan the MVP, and they gagged away
a twenty eight to three lead in the Super Bowl
(09:44):
against the Patriots. You can't put that fully on Shanahan obviously, However,
play calling has been suspect in big spots.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Fast forward to when he had Jimmy Garoppolo in the
Super Bowl against Patrick W.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Holmes and the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I remember this vividly because I had the Niners in
that one. They led twenty to ten in the fourth
quarter and they ended up losing and not covering. Now, again,
can't put it all on Shanahan, but it's a pattern.
Blows the lead as the OC in the fourth quarter,
second half against the Patriots, blows the lead in the
fourth quarter against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. And oh,
(10:24):
by the way, they had a double digit lead in
the second quarter when they lost the Super Bowl to
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid just a couple of years ago.
So there is a pattern of Shanahan struggling late.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
And my guy brock Perty.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
However, I'm still positive on rock Perty in the Niners
for this season.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
The schedule is extremely favorable.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I joke to a buddy that me, who has never
coached football at any level, I could get the Niners
to five hundred this season.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
That's how easy the schedule.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Is, and I'm not buying this hole. The rosters depleted,
the Niners are going to be very good folks. The
quarterbacks they're facing right out of the gate, Sam Darnold.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
In a new spot.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Who the hell knows who the Saints are starting at quarterback,
Kyler Murray.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Come on, we're not concerned there.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Trevor Lawrence and the Jags, by the way, they got
some problems Dirrity with Travis Hunter.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Will talk about that later. The Rams game's gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
But again, Michael Pennix, whatever the Giants trot out at
quarterback Carolina, you know, I don't know if Bryce Young's
gonna be starting then Cleveland. If you got four quarterbacks battling,
you got zero Tennessee rookie quarterback Colts at that stage
in the game, I don't know what's going on there.
So the schedule screams ten to eleven, twelve wins, maybe
(11:39):
thirteen for the Niners, and probably a number one seed.
But I'm the commander in truth, as I said yesterday,
and I gotta come clean. These brock party when trailing
numbers kind of sort of scare me. I'm not absolutely terrified,
but the numbers should scare you because listen the first
time Rock Perty's trailing. Wow, this is what he can't do.
(12:01):
He doesn't do comebacks. Kyle Shanahan, what are you gonna do?
And I think that's the kind of thing that can
seep into your head, and not only as a fan,
but as a coordinator, a coach, a running back, a receiver.
You start to wonder, can this guy get it done
when the chips are down?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So, Brock Purdy, there's some pressure this season. For sure.
You're now a fifty million dollar man.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You gotta act like one. We got a great show ahead, folks.
I'm so fired up and coming up next here on
the Herd. Oh boy, I've got a team of destiny
in the NFL this season and they're in the NFC,
And I don't think you're gonna agree with me, but
that's what we do. JJ McCarthy, keep an eye out.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
That's next.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter Not a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Back here on the Herd, got Albert Breer coming up
in twenty minutes. Maybe I'll ask him about the reporter
on social media who yelled at me over my Chador
Sanders take from yesterday.
Speaker 7 (13:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
We got a lot to talk about.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Where's my guy. We're buddies, we go way back, So
stick around for that. We got jovon Boja Lakers. People
stick and stay second hour.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
That'll be fun, all right.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
So part of the fun of being in sports media is,
you know, you get to make predictions and then you
obviously root for them so.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
You hope you're right. And a couple of years ago
on this show.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
I put kind of a steak in the ground, like
Mel Gibson braveheart style for a player. And I didn't
just do it out of the blue. You know, you
hear things people come through this studio. I have people
on my podcast I'm Out.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
And about trying to talk up certain.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
People in the NFL, and I kept hearing keep an
eye on this JJ McCarthy kid man at Michigan. He's
got some Moxie, Okay, I like, whatever that's worth, you know,
Matt Sarason from Friday Night Lights at Moxie.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Where'd that get him?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
And McCarthy just has a ho hum career twenty seven
and one at Michigan. No big deal, but I'll never forget.
He had a semi final game against Alabama, and I
think it.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Was either the first play of the game or the third.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
He throws an out pattern and the Alabama dB almost
picks it off, and I'm like, oh gosh, here I
am hyping up McCarthy. And he nearly screwed the pooch
on the first drive. And of course, as the game progresses,
JJ McCarthy has the ball with five minutes left, down
a touchdown against Alabama and the Rose Bowl. If that's
not pressure, I don't know what pressure is. McCarthy completes
(14:36):
a big pass on fourth down. He has a huge scramble,
ends up getting a touchdown, pass ties the game. They
win in overtime, and all of a sudden, JJ McCarthy, okay,
I see you, JJ, you got some pop. And he's
drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, but then he gets hurt
and misses the entire rookie season. He misses the season,
and Sam Darnald jumps in. Sam Darnold, who was drafted
(14:59):
by the Jets high couldn't do anything in New York,
bounces around and all of a sudden lands in Minnesota,
and Sam Donald is lights out last year, okay until
the end of the season, and national television kind of
poops his pants in the regular season finale with everything
on the line, playoff game, he gets destroyed, humbled at
home and they move on from Sam Donald. But all
(15:22):
you hear is like, I don't know if JJ McCarthy's
the guy. There's all this noise from reporters. JJ McCarthy
has not thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL yet.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
His last meaningful.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Pass was January eight, twenty twenty four, in that Rose Bowl.
I am coming out right now and telling America I'm
all in on JJ McCarthy and the Vikings. They will
play in the NFC Championship this year. I'm making my
prediction here in June of twenty twenty five. I am
all in on this team. Now, it's a couple things
at play. First, I want you to listen to somebody
(15:56):
who played with Josh Allen and who's now seen JJ
McCarthy up close.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Harrison Phillips. Here he is giving some praise to mister
JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Man.
Speaker 10 (16:06):
He's got some confidence, and he reminds me of like
Josh Allen when I was with him in Buffalo, coming
into his own and understanding the power that he has
to lead this organization.
Speaker 11 (16:14):
And he's doing a fantastic job doing that.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Oh really, you remind you of Josh Allen? Oh my, okay,
so I said earlier, I like when people come into
the studio and I'm a sponge, I try to learn stuff.
You guys might remember Aaron Jones, the running back. He
was in Green Bay and now I was on the Vikings.
Came in here during the commercial. I'm peppering these guys
with questions, what do you got with Without any prompting,
(16:38):
Aaron Jones could not stop talking about JJ McCarthy, the leadership.
The dude's got it. Sometimes you just had it. It's
a quality. You know, girl walks into a bar.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
She's got it. That's the girl.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Quarterback walks in and he's got command of the offense. Okay,
Aaron Jojes is running back raving about him. And then
we got a guy here at the network who happens
to know Kevin O'Connell very well. Kevin O'Connor really really
likes JJ McCarthy. Oh, by the way, you know, who
else likes JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Jim Harball. Do you remember what he said on this
show about JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 12 (17:14):
Arm talent, athleticism, it factor, winning with numbing repetition. When
people get a load of JJ and what he you know,
how he can throw the ball, how he spends it.
His athleticism is intelligence, you know, talk about it factor.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
You know, he's got it.
Speaker 12 (17:33):
The competitiveness that he has. And and they get around
him and they really start digging in and they start
talking to him.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
So you start adding these things up. Jim Harbaugh, who
knows a little bit about football, loves JJ McCarthy. Kevin
O'Connell is one of the brightest young minds in the league.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
That's undeniable. Okay, how do I know this? Well, I
don't know. Caleb Williams coming out of USC is like
on record saying I.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Want to play for Kevin O'Connell. How do I get
to Minnesota? Caleb Williams wanted to go to play for
Kevin O'Connell. And do you remember the pastronaut, one of
the great nicknames in the NFL, Josh Dobbs. Minnesota had
a quarterback injury. They traded for Josh Dobbs thrust him
on the field that week, he gets a win next week,
(18:19):
get to win.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Kevin O'Connell is freaking good, guys. I'm sorry. I know
there's a lot of good coaches in the league.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I've got it in my top five coaches already, and
he I don't think he's won a playoff game.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Lost with Kirk Cousins, lost with Darnold.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
And I've got Kevin O'Connell fifth of mine coaches in
the NFL right now. That's how in high regard I
have him.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Okay, so you add all this up. Harball loves it.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
J J.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Kevin O'Connell, super sharp mind who everybody wants to play for.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Remember, by the way.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Aaron Rodgers guys still not signed. I'm lifting my ban
on Aaron Rodgers. Yesterday I refused to mention the guy's name. Today,
I'm mentioning it because multiple reporters have come out and
said the reason Rogers hasn't signed yet with Pittsburgh's because
he's waiting for the Minnesota opening. He wants Kevin O'Connell
(19:10):
to want him. I don't think it's happening. I think
it's a bad look to kind of do exactly what
Brett Farvre did. Jets then Vikings.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
That's very losory. I digress.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Bottom line is everybody loves Kevin O'Connell. Kevin O'Connell loves
JJ McCarthy. Folks, we know the Detroit Lions. Alex and
I talked about this yesterday. Frank ragnow Detroit center.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
He just retired. Detroit has a new offensive coordinator and
a new center.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
That's not great. Green Bay we got some questions. I
think we'll be talking about the Packers. Jordan Love doesn't
seem happy with some of the comments coming out. There's
some noise around Green Bay. I don't know if they're
gonna be good enough. The Bears schedules brutal. Cowherd can
hype him up all they want, it ain't happening. The
team of destiny this year is the Minnesota Vikings. They
(19:57):
went fourteen and three last year. I didn't finish in
first place. So a fourteen and three team playing a
second place schedule, Guys, I don't think they're afraid of
the Bears. It's on the road, it could be a
tricky spot. Then they get the Falcons at home. The
no defense Bengals, the overrated Steelers, and the punchless Browns
(20:19):
who are probably gonna be starting Kenny Pickett at that
point five and zero in play right out of the gate. Listen,
I'm not advocating bet the win total now, but I'm
just telling you, as long as McCarthy's healthy, I like
this Vikings team a lot this coming season.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Let's go to Alex Curry with the news.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
No, no, turn on the news. This is the herd
Line News.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
I love how hot you are on a rookie QB
who haven't even seen it at about yet.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
But no, you made some good points.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
There's a lot of question marks in the NFC North,
which was the best I think the vision last year.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
There is a chance, but let's start with the defending change.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
They Seguon Barkley had a historic your last season that
culminated in a Super Bowl win.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
This year, he's the cover.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Of Madden It's so sick, and says his team knows
exactly what to do to achieve the same success as
last year.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
The best way I can answer that question is success
is not accident. We know the recipe, we know what
we know what it takes, so we can't skip any
steps to get to where we want to get to.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
And last OTA's it was the same thing.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
And we already know how training camp is going to be,
and we know how it's gonna be during the season.
Like I said, we know the recipe and we just
got to try to stick to it and a little
bit of luck when that comes in with staying healthy.
We do that with the talent that we have and
the coaches that we have when we'd be in a
good position.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
I mean, let's be honest, every championship team thinks and
believes that they can repeat, but.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It hasn't happened often.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
In NFL history, nine franchises have one back to back
of most recent obviously the Little dynasty we saw with
the Chiefs winning.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Three and five years.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Little Dynasty.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Well, we'll see if they can get back. But the
difference now.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Is they were in a let's prove everyone wrong here
last year.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Now they're gonna have the.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Biggest target on their back, yeah, in the league. So
it's there's a reason you don't have a bunch of
repeat champions.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
It's hard to do.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
But Saquon had an insane season and huge congrats on
his matting cover. It's his iconic, like back hurdle job,
like that was.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
The only choice.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
Like this had to be the photo and the cover
of Madden this year. So iconic, it's so sick.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
But it's just it's tough. It's tough to repeat.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Yeah, my I got listen. I was hyping this at
the draft.
Speaker 13 (22:38):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So I looked at Saquon's carries last year. You've heard
the curse of three seventy. If you have three hundred
and seventy carries, the odds are extremely high that you
get injured the next year. Based on history, Saquon only
had three hundred and forty five. Remember they set him
out the last week. Okay, but he also had thirty
three catches. The touches were signific, kid. You know who
(23:00):
else had a lot of touches two years ago.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
And what happened last year he was injured. I believe
Christian McCaffrey was on the matt and cover as well.
I'm not trying to wish anything into existence. I like
saque Eagles wont me a lot of money in the
Super Bowl, Alex I wouldn't. I'm I don't think they're
I don't think they're gonna repeat. I don't think it's
it's it's tough, schedule is difficult. I would say the
(23:25):
number one thing is to limit Saque's carries.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Like we got will Shipley in the draft. I don't
want him.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I don't think that's going to happen. But they did depend.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
On him more than they have star receivers too, So
it's just I think it's distributing, you know, distributing a
little a little more equal.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
I will say I'm also a big Saque sam right,
he came out of Penn State, such a good player.
It's just a good guy. He went to the Giants
that treated him like garbage, kind of like he's.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
So bad for Safty, like he he deserved that season.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
I think you would agree with some of this.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Sometimes crappy things have to happen to you in life
for the great to then follow. Yeah, and Saquon, let's
be real, he got screwed by the Giants. They were like,
we want to pay Daniel Jones, not you, but.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Just what still hilarious And then he goes to the.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Eagles and wins a super Bowl and what's this for?
Two thousand yards.
Speaker 10 (24:17):
Like a book.
Speaker 6 (24:19):
We've seen it with the Cup, was out with Matthew
Stafford with the Lions for a decade, goes to the Rams,
wins the Super Bowl. Like it's just it's when you're again.
A lot of factors have to happen. You have to
have a good coach. For Saint Juannie had a good quarterback.
They were a great one two punch. But it's it's
going to be interesting. It's not easy to repeat. I again,
(24:40):
let's see what what the injury report looks like comes
week one and everything else.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
But I said it a little while ago.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I'll go you right for Niners in the conference championship.
I mean it's way early to call it.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Yeah, obviously, luck and happen.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Who I haven't done this.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I got to do what I thought about it.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Will you give me? Ask me ask like tomorrow or
the next thing?
Speaker 11 (25:01):
He like, have a moment.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
Let me have a moment. All right, you just put
me on the spot.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
You're just you just did like a whole I am
so high on JJ and the Viking stake that they're
going to.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
You've got to read things, all right.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Well then I'm doing my job.
Speaker 5 (25:13):
All right. Well, let's go to the NFC North the Lions.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I've had the best back to back seasons in franchise
history under Dan Campbell the last two seasons, but lost
both coordinators to other teams. Now, despite that quarterback your
golf feels good about his offense.
Speaker 13 (25:28):
I'm sure casual fan would notice some of it. Yeah, yeah,
some of us different, some of it's the same. You know,
he's got a long background of stuff he's like that
he's done, and then he was here for for a
year through a lot of our success, So there will
be a lot of that carryover and some new. And
to be honest, I don't think that would have been
any different. You know, if you're returning with the same offense,
you always kind of had some wrinkles. But yeah, certainly
(25:48):
he has his flavor on the offense and has been
doing a good job.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
But they're not returning with the same offense. Yes, they
have a new offensive coordinator.
Speaker 6 (25:56):
But as we talked about yesterday to the Hall of
Fame Center Future Hall of Fame, we think Frank rad
Now announced his retirement.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
That is a big knock. That is a big knock
for your offensive line. Changes both their run game and
their past game.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
You're going from a top too offensive line to a
top ten offensive line.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Like there are going to be there are gonna be
a lot of hurdles.
Speaker 6 (26:21):
Not to mention they have one of the hardest schedules,
if not the hardest schedule in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
I don't want to you know, I got to be
positive about the Lions because Jared GoF lives kind of
near us.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Yeah, building a ridiculous house.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Faced a lot of adversity in his career and he's
persevered from it. But this is a lot of new
and a lot of changes.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
But do you think he also has the same dog
that I do English Stream Golden.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Retriever, and so I have any cream, any golden. So
I ran into Golf and his wife and you know
he watches the show. So I'm gonna I'm gonna be positive.
I'm not gonna be negative on the Lions.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Uh, good life to Detroit this season? The division, Gay,
I gotta be all right.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
I'll let you leave it there.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
I like I like Golf, He's a saying, smart guy.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
I also like people who overcome. Like the whole situation
of like Detroit taking him in. It's like we want
you here, Crams didn't want you. We believe in you,
We believe you can get us there. The grit that
everything Dan Campbell stand for that The whole team seems
like they would run through a brick wall for him,
Like I I good love, Yeah, I love the mindset.
I love how he's turned this team around in his
(27:30):
coaching tenure. So it's yeah, this is just this is
a lot of big changes, two new coordinators, losing your center.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
It's it's a big deal. But let's end in Washington.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
The Commanders were the Cinderella of last season as they
took the NFC by storm, and this year Washington won't
sneak up on anybody. But head coach Dan Quinn isn't
worried about his second year quarterback.
Speaker 11 (27:53):
Take a listen the amount of work that he puts in.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
That goes unseen here to get ready to play, to
you know, to learn it, to teach others, to you know,
connect the guys that's going through. There is no flinch
in Jade and Daniels as focused and relentless as you
could about getting better. And so that's why I said,
for for us around here, like man, we appreciate that.
Speaker 6 (28:19):
And that's the hope you have for every second year quarterback.
But now everyone has a full season of tape on you.
You're not taking anybody by surprise. I mean that was
the upper hand that the Commanders had last season. There
was so much new within the entire organization, and obviously
he had a Rookie of the Year season. But we've
seen a lot of these top tier rookie quarterbacks kind
(28:41):
of have that sophomore selop C. J. Stroud was the
most recent one. Are you expecting a little slump.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
From Jaden's Yeah, I think it's there's no way. He's
just clutch and dominant on fourth down. They were the
best foot down taenior in the league of one of
them last year. I mean, look at these stats.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Yeah, that was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
That's Argua with the greatest rookie season ever, right, I
mean with all those first place.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
All time quarterback Yeah, yeah, no, it was incredible. But
now it's like now you have a target on your back.
You know, everyone has a full season of tape on you.
Now people know what to expect. Steebo, Samuel Raby, Dunsole
new left tackle.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I like the Continuitysbury is still there a good team
that got better. Yeah, and I saw he added like
ten pounds of muscle.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Did you read that?
Speaker 4 (29:24):
So everybody in the season.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Yeah, you know, Alex, this summer, I'm adding ten pounds
of muscle. Are you just like James Danis?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Yeah, I don't see it yet, Damn Alex with the news.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd Line News.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
All right, is there concern for JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
My guy in Minnesota, Albert Rear tells us next, Rocket
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(30:06):
access dot Org number thirty thirty.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
at neon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 15 (30:16):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
You could catch us.
Speaker 15 (30:23):
Weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern, two to four
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course the iHeartRadio App.
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich. We talk
about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world.
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends
(30:45):
for the last twenty years and still work together.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
I mean that says something, right, So.
Speaker 15 (30:48):
Check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be sure to
check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern
two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of
the live show, just search Kobe known Rich wherever you
get your podcasts, and of course on social media. That's
(31:11):
Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Back here on the herd.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Let's welcome in a great guest.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter leads content strategist at the MMQB.
He covered the NFL since two thousand and five. I've
known him for a long time. Albert's getting ready for
a big summer with youth sports. Yeah, baby, you too,
right in the boat packed all your travel because you
(31:38):
got to go to fifty million camps.
Speaker 10 (31:40):
Right.
Speaker 11 (31:41):
Well, that's when my trivel for youth sports ends.
Speaker 10 (31:44):
So I got I got like a month and a
half full of lacrosse tournaments during vacation and then uh.
Speaker 11 (31:53):
And yeah, it'll be great. And then once I once
I hit the road.
Speaker 10 (31:56):
For the NFL season, which for as you know, starts
for me at the end of July. The summer's over
and we're locked in and ready to go.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Let me guess your first stop is going to be
Cleveland just because of Shador Sanders.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 11 (32:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Like last year I started out there actually because there
were five camps there, So LA is always a good
place to start just because.
Speaker 11 (32:17):
Of the number of teams that are in that area.
Speaker 10 (32:20):
It's almost weird that, Like I mean, it was ten
years ago there was no team there and now it's
become sort of a hi hub for training camps.
Speaker 15 (32:28):
I I.
Speaker 10 (32:29):
Don't know, Like there are a couple teams that I
think are really interesting going into the year. Like I
think Buffalo has great opportunity in front of them. Like,
so I look at them as being a super interesting team. Cincinnati,
if the Trey Hendrickson thing is still hanging out there,
you know, they got the receivers under contract, they'd be
an interesting place to start. I do put some thought
into where the first stop is going to be, so
(32:52):
definitely have to think a lot about that one. But
those would be a couple of places that I think
I look at.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
All right, let's start with Cleveland because Shadure Sanders is
dealing with his father piping in now and Dion one
on a podcast was kind of he said it hurt
him that his son slid in the draft, even though
his son admitted it was his fault. Now, listen, some
people are not happy with my take yesterday that Dion
needs to kind of zip it, locket, put it in
his pocket. Just don't talk about your kid anymore. I
(33:19):
know that's tough for people to stomach, but that's kind
of the reality, isn't it.
Speaker 11 (33:22):
I agree, I mean, I think that's what it is.
Speaker 10 (33:25):
And like, look like I know a lot of people
have made a big deal out of you know what
happened twenty one years ago when when Eli Manning forced
his way from the from the from the Chargers to
the Giants, and you know, at the time, I think
that there was that that concern out there, is Archie
going to be hovering over Eli's career? And you know
(33:45):
who we didn't hear much from after Eli Manning became
a Giant was Archie Manning. You know, he didn't hear
much at all from him. And I think it's fine,
you know, if if dads want to be involved in
the in the pre draft process, and sometimes there are
some things that go in do it where you know,
a father's counsel can really help. But I think once
they become pros, you know, it's an important thing for
(34:08):
the parents to push away and let the kid be
his own man. I mean, I still remember the Eli
Apple thing getting dropped off, you know at Giants training
camp or mini camp or whatever it was, and how
that stuck with him.
Speaker 11 (34:20):
I think this is a good.
Speaker 10 (34:21):
Opportunity for Shador Sanders to just say, hey, look like
now I'm just a random football player, you know, and
I'm going to carry myself like somebody who's trying to
make the team, who's trying to earn a paycheck, who's
trying to win a job, and it becomes harder to
do that if you've got voices around him speaking out.
Speaker 11 (34:37):
So I love Dion.
Speaker 10 (34:38):
I think he's done a great job at Colorado, but
i'd agree with you like I think this is this
is time to let you do or be his own man.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And I know that's tough. We're both fathers.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
It's very difficult to not defend your kid when there's
this nonsense going on.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
I get it, it's tough, but you know he's twenty three.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Help us settle a quick argument here on the staff,
Dylan Gabriel. I'm not saying he's an NFL quarterback, but
and you know him very well from following college football.
The fact that he was drafted by Stefanski in the
third round says something correct.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
They didn't draft him.
Speaker 11 (35:12):
Yeah, he killed the draft process. I mean, that's what
it says.
Speaker 10 (35:16):
And I've asked people about this, and I mean, I
like from what I understand, because that was higher than
most people had him going. You know, when I asked
around both the people in the Browns organization and people
outside the Browns organization.
Speaker 11 (35:30):
The way it happened is here's a kid who played.
Speaker 10 (35:32):
Six years in college, who has a historic amount of
reps in college, who won at three different schools, that
went through and aced the pre draft process, the meetings,
the combine interview, all of that stuff. So that's why
you look at it and you say, Okay, like, here's
a guy who can you know, at the very least
(35:54):
come in and be a functional backup, probably right out
of the gate. And you know, it really makes me
think of Kevin Stefanski's own history. He won with case
Keenum in Minnesota, if you remember, they went to an
NFC championship game, and that sort of strikes me as
what Dylan Gabriel can be like that Case Keenum, Chase Daniel. Like,
I don't know if, like if Dylan Gabriel will ever
(36:16):
be a long term starter, but right now I would
bet that he has a ten to fifteen year NFL career,
even if it's not as a starter, because of all
the experience he has, because of the traits that he
has as an accurate, efficient quarterback, and because of his makeup,
you know. And so I think that's one of those
the ceiling may be low, but the floor is pretty high.
(36:36):
And at that position, if you can have a cheap
backup for the four years that they're under that they're
on their rookie contract, it's not a bad bad floor
for a player when you're drafting someone in that range.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
This is why Albert wear is great. The case Keenum
Stefanski kind of it's damn good stuff. Hadn't heard that anywhere.
Let me ask about let's go to Frank ragnow retires
kind of abruptly. I saw the Lions didn't draft the
pure center. It sounds like did they want to convert
the Georgia Garden to a center A What did the
Lions anticipate.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
This or have any clue what was coming?
Speaker 10 (37:12):
Well, he hadn't been around, so like they had had
an idea that there was a possibility something could happen,
and they have Graham Glasgow and Tate Ratledge working at
that position.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
You know.
Speaker 10 (37:24):
Look like I think, just as far as Frank goes like,
this guy was the ultimate pro. And I think it's
a good development for players overall. Like I think for
three reasons right at JMAC, I think number one, players
have better information now on what football does to their
bodies and the impact it could have on them long
term and what it might mean for them playing golf,
(37:46):
shooting hoops with their kids when they're in their forties
and fifties, so they have more information. They also have
more money, which gives you the freedom to make decisions
like this. If you feel like you're in position where
you're set up for life, like you've got the flexibility
to make a decision like that, you know. And then
number three, I think a lot of these guys have
a better idea of what they're going to do post football,
(38:07):
which can be a really hard thing for guys to
detach from a game to which they've been identified from
the time they were eight, nine, ten years old.
Speaker 11 (38:15):
But in a lot of cases they have better they
have better.
Speaker 10 (38:17):
Plans for post football. So for those three reasons, I
think we've seen more and more of these. You know,
the front end of it was Patrick Willis, Calvin Johnson,
but since then it's happened more often, and so rag
Noow walks away after seven years, and again, like I
think it's from a global standpoint a good development for
players having the freedom to do this sort of thing.
Obviously it's not great for the Lions, you know, So
(38:40):
from that standpoint, I think you got to look at
it and say that was the strength of the team with.
Speaker 11 (38:45):
The foundation of their rebuild.
Speaker 10 (38:46):
It really it really was. You know, what their rebuild
was was was was founded on in the first place.
Rag Now and Decker were there. When Dan Campbell and
Brad Holmes got there, they drafted piney Sewel right away.
They the best line in football the last couple of years. So,
you know, now, I think the question becomes, can you
maintain that as a strength? Decker is getting older, rag
Now is now gone. You know, pine seol is obviously
(39:09):
a huge building block going forward. But can they be
top of the league or are they going to slip
a little bit in a very important position group we'll see,
all right.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Sticking in the NFC North Albert not career, but just
heading into this season, rank the quarterbacks in that division
for me, and I'm gonna assume JJ McCarthy's the starter
of Minnesota, Okay, So.
Speaker 11 (39:30):
I would say.
Speaker 10 (39:34):
I would say you would have to go Jared Goff
number one. I would say Jordan Love number two, Caleb
Williams number three, and Caleb Williams number three, and then.
Speaker 11 (39:47):
JJ McCarthy number four. It's just based on track record
and kind of where they are.
Speaker 10 (39:51):
I think that all four of them are in really
good situations, you know, so I think the baseline and
JJ might be in the best one of the four,
but I think all four of them are in pretty
good situation. And thanks, by the way, because I'm sure
that'll get aggregated everywhere.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Hiking again, guys, if you don't like, what do you
have against Michigan?
Speaker 4 (40:09):
All right, final question Brock Purty and Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
We've got about a minute unbelievable stat our staff came
up with the forty nine ers are zero to forty
three under Shanahan regular season when trailing by eight or
more in the fourth quarter. What on earth is the
issue with Rock Purty and Shanahan? Why can't they rally?
Obviously some of those games were garoppolo and so forth.
Speaker 10 (40:29):
Yeah, I would say like that that's sort of been
the issue with the offense in general. Is that so
much of the strength that offense is based on the
marriage of the run game in the past game, right,
Like so much as making eight different things all look
the same.
Speaker 11 (40:42):
And it's incredibly hard.
Speaker 10 (40:44):
To defend because you have to defend every inch of
grass out there because of the way that the offense
sets up structurally. So what happens when you're in third
and long, when you're in third and fourteen, when you're
in third and twenty, when the defense knows that you
got to throw the ball down the field, when you're
playing for behind and they know you need two or
three possessions to come back, what happens is that marriage
(41:05):
breaks down, you know, like, because then the defense is
gonna be willing to give you more in the run game.
And this is something that guys from that system have
really had to kind of work through. It's one of
the reasons why Sean McVay wanted Matthew Stafford so badly
four years ago was because he knew that was a
way to sort of break that element of being able
to beat a Shanahan offense.
Speaker 11 (41:26):
Is if you get on top of them, it really
it really puts them. It takes them. I would say,
it makes them fish out of water to some degree,
you know.
Speaker 10 (41:33):
So I think that's that's the first thing when you
ask that question that kind of sticks out in my head.
And then the other thing is, you know, just when
you've got a younger quarterback like generally, that's what they're
working through. It's what separates the great ones is, you know,
how do you play on third and long? How do
you play when you're playing from behind. Anybody can look
great when you're in second and four, when you're in
(41:54):
third and one, What do you look like when it's third.
Speaker 11 (41:57):
And fourteen and you're down twenty?
Speaker 10 (42:00):
You know, obviously that's a big hurdle for most quarterbacks
to clear when they're trying to go from good to
great great stuff.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Albert Breer, Monday Morning Quarterback
Speaker 14 (42:10):
H
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Oh, it's a beautiful Tuesday out here in Los Angeles.
It's me Jason mcintich back for Tuesday. Colin Coward on vacation.
I'm joined today by Alex Curry. Alex, it's a great
week in sports. Mean, we got the NBA Finals coming up.
Major League Baseball had another thriller last night.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
That was good fun.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
That was fine.
Speaker 6 (00:48):
I stayed up a little too late watching the Dodgers
try to make that comeback, but it's okay.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
I woke up a little early.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I was workshopping some takes about four thirty am, just
in my head. You know, I felt like yesterday's show
was so good.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Your takes wake you up. Sometimes I do that.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
I keep a little notepad by the side of the bed. Oh,
and I'll like write things down when I wake up.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Random my middle of the night.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
You look next morning, I'm like, what I made a miss?
It's like a Seinfeld episode.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
I'm made the.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Mistake of going in my phone in my notes section
and banging out some stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Then the light gets in your head. Good stuff. We
got a several great guests today.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Obviously we're talking NBA Finals, a little NFL. I don't
want to concern any Niners fans, but about seven minutes
from now, I got some bad news.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
But let's start with the NBA finals. Diud.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
You guys know I'm a big hoophead, right I'm in
multiple men's leagues. I won't talk about last night's game.
It was phenomenal.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
I was terrific. But listen, you know, Okase Indiana.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news,
but I'm not that excited for these NBA finals. You know,
I joked that Colin is the elitist here on the show,
but maybe it's me, cause you know, if I were
the NBA, I would have changed its motto to give
me super teams or give me death, because that's what
I like. Superstars in the NBA Finals, and.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
We don't really have that. We don't have dynasties.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We got debuts, and that just isn't as sexy as
what we've had here in the last I don't know,
quarter century, folks.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Let's be real.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
When the NBA had super teams this century, it was
at the height of its popularity. I mean, come on,
you put Lebron, Kevin Love, and Kyrie in the finals.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
That's a lot of pop that's juice.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I mean Kyrie Irving, he had a movie, Okay, Kevin
Love was ascending in Minnesota. Lebron changed teams and became
the villain in Miami. But you look at those super
teams in Cleveland, Miami. Hell, the greatest team ever assembled
in NBA history. Yes, that's true, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
Do you know how much excitement that was leading up
(02:46):
to the finals when you had all those stars gathered together. Hell,
you could even go back to the Boston Celtics with
our guy here, Paul Pierce, when he got Kevin Garnett
gifted to him and Ray Allen going up against and
gout Saul in the finals. Folks, that was star wattage.
Those finals were incredible. And I don't know about you,
(03:08):
but I know the NBA loves. Hey, we're about to
have our seventh champion in seven years. Hooray, hooray for
socialism in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Folks.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I'm sorry, but think back to that Denver Miami Heat series.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
You remember anything from that one? I had to ask
the staff this one. Hey, how many games did that go?
I don't remember it? Five game series? It was not great.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Even Phoenix Milwaukee. You know, you had a sending Yannis,
a sending Devin Booker. That series didn't have any pop.
I think Gianni's dropping fifty in the decisive game was
about it. But like those weren't great memorable series. Again,
the super teams they provided that. And I like Tyrese
Haliburton as much as the next guy. You guys know
(03:53):
I've been a big Indiana Pacers fan. In the finals,
I don't I just don't really see it. And you know,
I kind of I'm gonna bash Adam Silver here a
little bit because you're the reason we've got this.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
You wanted it.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I know you're doing the bidding of the owners, but
going away from super teams and pushing toward hey, everybody's
got a chance. I don't know that that's the answer.
And you guys can push back and say, no, the
NBA didn't want Indiana, OKAC, Yes they did because the
small markets were upset that all the stars were going
(04:29):
and enjoining forces.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
They don't want that.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
So what you got is Adam Silver saying, hey, we're
going to reward teams that draft a superstar number one
or two or.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Whatever it is.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Hey, you know what, if you stay with the team
that drafted you, you could get the Supermax. Who the
hell's turning down three hundred million dollars, you know. And
now if you're drafted by a small market team, you're
incentivized to stay there because guess what. Everybody saw Lebron
Bolt from Cleveland and Kadie Bolt from OKC and they said,
that's it's not fair. We need to keep our stars
(05:03):
at home. Well, Adam Silver, I'm sorry, but you know,
fairness isn't really sexy or exciting. Exciting is player movement.
That's what gives the league the pop and super teams
being created is awesome. And so besides just the Supermax
and incentivizing everybody's stay, all of a sudden, it's like, hey, there,
we're gonna institute this thing called an apron and a
(05:26):
second apron, and oh, by the way, if you want
to get all these stars together, you're gonna have to
dip into the double apron and pay I don't know,
seventy million dollars. You have to write a check for
that as a penalty. And wouldn't you know it. But
all of a sudden, we're hearing chatter, Hey, this summer,
Yannis could be on the move because the super team
(05:48):
they tried to build in Milwaukee didn't quite work out,
and the super team Kevin Durant and Phoenix had didn't
quite payan out. So now all of a sudden, Janis
and KD are gonna hit the market. And to me
that it's exciting player movement, exciting stars joining forces.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yes, give me more of that. I like this Pacer story.
It's fun. OKC was built.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, hey, Sam Presty, tremendous job putting this team together.
And all I hear is they're not going anywhere. But
is anybody fired up about watching OKCE Indiana?
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Like, there's a world where we'll talk about it tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Probably I think Indiana can maybe be competitive, But there's
also a world where OKC smokes them in four, and
we're snoozing our way.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Through the NBA Finals.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
So I don't know, guys, it seems like we're it's
time to pour some out for the Super Team era.
My problem is, I'm not gonna smile because it happened.
I'm gonna cry because it's over. I already miss it.
All right, It's time to pivot to the NFL. And
I got some news last night.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Obviously, I'm texting with the staff and Zach sends me something, Hey,
I got some bad news for your guy, Brock Purdy
in the Niners. And I look at the numbers and
I'm like, well, yeah, I'm a Rock Purty guy. Listen,
don't tell me what I don't want to hear. And
so I say, why don't you strip out last year's
numbers from Rock Purdy and then come back to me
and I'll take a look at it. And so Zach
(07:13):
did that, and folks, Rock Purty when tied or trailing
in the second half not good. It's not just last season.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
There's a theme here.
Speaker 7 (07:23):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I do want to say, you know me, I love
a good underdog, Rock Purty.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Last pick in the draft.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I've been championing this guy for a couple of years, folks,
when facing a big deficit in his career. It's not
just last season. He hasn't been great now, obviously context
is needed here. Yes, I'm a Rock Purty guy. Guy
goes five to zero in his first season in the league, boom,
goes right to the conference championship, gets hurt against Philly,
(07:50):
comes back the next year.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
People were doubting him, not me.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Jmack all in on Rock Purty and what did you
know when he went to the super Bowl lost in overtime.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Okay, Rock Purty has shown a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
We got Chris Sims here talking about Brock Purty's growth,
and I'm gonna get it positive before I get negative.
Speaker 8 (08:07):
So here's Chris Sims talking Brock Party. I was encouraged
with a lot of stuff I saw from Brock Party
last year. I do feel like he did more off schedule,
more wow plays, more wow.
Speaker 9 (08:18):
Throws, making some more happen when it wasn't there to
be had. Maybe that he had the two years previous
to that. That's where I saw growth.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
In his game.
Speaker 9 (08:28):
He can't lose the surgicality that he had and running
the PA offense and being just an absolute machine with
making the right decisions play after play after play.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
So we're seeing positive growth from brock Purty.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
And I will add again context always necessary. Go back
to that Super Bowl run. They trailed Green Bay, came
back and got the dub. Rock Purty with the fourth
quarter comeback. Next week, in a memorable game against Detroit,
they trailed big down twenty four to seven at the half.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Purty engineers an awesome comeback.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Yes, some of that was Dan Campbell fumbling the bag,
Josh Reynolds a brutal drop, some luck with the face
mask catch by the Niners, but San Francisco and brock
Purty came back to get the dub. So he has
had some comebacks. But by and large, Rock Purty is
great on the script and when that wears off, it
(09:22):
don't look good. Now, you can't just kill rock Purty
because it takes two to tango. And we know Kyle
Shanahan has had some failures. Okay, Kyle Shanahan, the head
coach of the Niners, was the OC in Atlanta when
he had Matt Ryan the MVP, and they gagged away
a twenty eight to three lead in the Super Bowl
(09:44):
against the Patriots. You can't put that fully on Shanahan obviously, However,
play calling has been suspect in big spots.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Fast forward to when he had Jimmy Garoppolo in the
Super Bowl against Patrick W.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Holmes and the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
I remember this vividly because I had the Niners in
that one. They led twenty to ten in the fourth
quarter and they ended up losing and not covering. Now, again,
can't put it all on Shanahan, but it's a pattern.
Blows the lead as the OC in the fourth quarter,
second half against the Patriots, blows the lead in the
fourth quarter against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. And oh,
(10:24):
by the way, they had a double digit lead in
the second quarter when they lost the Super Bowl to
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid just a couple of years ago.
So there is a pattern of Shanahan struggling late.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
And my guy brock Perty.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
However, I'm still positive on rock Perty in the Niners
for this season.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
The schedule is extremely favorable.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I joke to a buddy that me, who has never
coached football at any level, I could get the Niners
to five hundred this season.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
That's how easy the schedule.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Is, and I'm not buying this hole. The rosters depleted,
the Niners are going to be very good folks. The
quarterbacks they're facing right out of the gate, Sam Darnold.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
In a new spot.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Who the hell knows who the Saints are starting at quarterback,
Kyler Murray.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
Come on, we're not concerned there.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Trevor Lawrence and the Jags, by the way, they got
some problems Dirrity with Travis Hunter.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Will talk about that later. The Rams game's gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
But again, Michael Pennix, whatever the Giants trot out at
quarterback Carolina, you know, I don't know if Bryce Young's
gonna be starting then Cleveland. If you got four quarterbacks battling,
you got zero Tennessee rookie quarterback Colts at that stage
in the game, I don't know what's going on there.
So the schedule screams ten to eleven, twelve wins, maybe
(11:39):
thirteen for the Niners, and probably a number one seed.
But I'm the commander in truth, as I said yesterday,
and I gotta come clean. These brock party when trailing
numbers kind of sort of scare me. I'm not absolutely terrified,
but the numbers should scare you because listen the first
time Rock Perty's trailing. Wow, this is what he can't do.
(12:01):
He doesn't do comebacks. Kyle Shanahan, what are you gonna do?
And I think that's the kind of thing that can
seep into your head, and not only as a fan,
but as a coordinator, a coach, a running back, a receiver.
You start to wonder, can this guy get it done
when the chips are down?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So, Brock Purdy, there's some pressure this season. For sure.
You're now a fifty million dollar man.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You gotta act like one. We got a great show ahead, folks.
I'm so fired up and coming up next here on
the Herd. Oh boy, I've got a team of destiny
in the NFL this season and they're in the NFC,
And I don't think you're gonna agree with me, but
that's what we do. JJ McCarthy, keep an eye out.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
That's next.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter Not a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Back here on the Herd, got Albert Breer coming up
in twenty minutes. Maybe I'll ask him about the reporter
on social media who yelled at me over my Chador
Sanders take from yesterday.
Speaker 7 (13:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
We got a lot to talk about.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Where's my guy. We're buddies, we go way back, So
stick around for that. We got jovon Boja Lakers. People
stick and stay second hour.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
That'll be fun, all right.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
So part of the fun of being in sports media is,
you know, you get to make predictions and then you
obviously root for them so.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
You hope you're right. And a couple of years ago
on this show.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
I put kind of a steak in the ground, like
Mel Gibson braveheart style for a player. And I didn't
just do it out of the blue. You know, you
hear things people come through this studio. I have people
on my podcast I'm Out.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
And about trying to talk up certain.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
People in the NFL, and I kept hearing keep an
eye on this JJ McCarthy kid man at Michigan. He's
got some Moxie, Okay, I like, whatever that's worth, you know,
Matt Sarason from Friday Night Lights at Moxie.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Where'd that get him?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
And McCarthy just has a ho hum career twenty seven
and one at Michigan. No big deal, but I'll never forget.
He had a semi final game against Alabama, and I
think it.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Was either the first play of the game or the third.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
He throws an out pattern and the Alabama dB almost
picks it off, and I'm like, oh gosh, here I
am hyping up McCarthy. And he nearly screwed the pooch
on the first drive. And of course, as the game progresses,
JJ McCarthy has the ball with five minutes left, down
a touchdown against Alabama and the Rose Bowl. If that's
not pressure, I don't know what pressure is. McCarthy completes
(14:36):
a big pass on fourth down. He has a huge scramble,
ends up getting a touchdown, pass ties the game. They
win in overtime, and all of a sudden, JJ McCarthy, okay,
I see you, JJ, you got some pop. And he's
drafted by the Minnesota Vikings, but then he gets hurt
and misses the entire rookie season. He misses the season,
and Sam Darnald jumps in. Sam Darnold, who was drafted
(14:59):
by the Jets high couldn't do anything in New York,
bounces around and all of a sudden lands in Minnesota,
and Sam Donald is lights out last year, okay until
the end of the season, and national television kind of
poops his pants in the regular season finale with everything
on the line, playoff game, he gets destroyed, humbled at
home and they move on from Sam Donald. But all
(15:22):
you hear is like, I don't know if JJ McCarthy's
the guy. There's all this noise from reporters. JJ McCarthy
has not thrown a meaningful pass in the NFL yet.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
His last meaningful.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Pass was January eight, twenty twenty four, in that Rose Bowl.
I am coming out right now and telling America I'm
all in on JJ McCarthy and the Vikings. They will
play in the NFC Championship this year. I'm making my
prediction here in June of twenty twenty five. I am
all in on this team. Now, it's a couple things
at play. First, I want you to listen to somebody
(15:56):
who played with Josh Allen and who's now seen JJ
McCarthy up close.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Harrison Phillips. Here he is giving some praise to mister
JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Man.
Speaker 10 (16:06):
He's got some confidence, and he reminds me of like
Josh Allen when I was with him in Buffalo, coming
into his own and understanding the power that he has
to lead this organization.
Speaker 11 (16:14):
And he's doing a fantastic job doing that.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Oh really, you remind you of Josh Allen? Oh my, okay,
so I said earlier, I like when people come into
the studio and I'm a sponge, I try to learn stuff.
You guys might remember Aaron Jones, the running back. He
was in Green Bay and now I was on the Vikings.
Came in here during the commercial. I'm peppering these guys
with questions, what do you got with Without any prompting,
(16:38):
Aaron Jones could not stop talking about JJ McCarthy, the leadership.
The dude's got it. Sometimes you just had it. It's
a quality. You know, girl walks into a bar.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
She's got it. That's the girl.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Quarterback walks in and he's got command of the offense. Okay,
Aaron Jojes is running back raving about him. And then
we got a guy here at the network who happens
to know Kevin O'Connell very well. Kevin O'Connor really really
likes JJ McCarthy. Oh, by the way, you know, who
else likes JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Jim Harball. Do you remember what he said on this
show about JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 12 (17:14):
Arm talent, athleticism, it factor, winning with numbing repetition. When
people get a load of JJ and what he you know,
how he can throw the ball, how he spends it.
His athleticism is intelligence, you know, talk about it factor.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
You know, he's got it.
Speaker 12 (17:33):
The competitiveness that he has. And and they get around
him and they really start digging in and they start
talking to him.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
So you start adding these things up. Jim Harbaugh, who
knows a little bit about football, loves JJ McCarthy. Kevin
O'Connell is one of the brightest young minds in the league.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
That's undeniable. Okay, how do I know this? Well, I
don't know. Caleb Williams coming out of USC is like
on record saying I.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Want to play for Kevin O'Connell. How do I get
to Minnesota? Caleb Williams wanted to go to play for
Kevin O'Connell. And do you remember the pastronaut, one of
the great nicknames in the NFL, Josh Dobbs. Minnesota had
a quarterback injury. They traded for Josh Dobbs thrust him
on the field that week, he gets a win next week,
(18:19):
get to win.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Kevin O'Connell is freaking good, guys. I'm sorry. I know
there's a lot of good coaches in the league.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I've got it in my top five coaches already, and
he I don't think he's won a playoff game.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Lost with Kirk Cousins, lost with Darnold.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
And I've got Kevin O'Connell fifth of mine coaches in
the NFL right now. That's how in high regard I
have him.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Okay, so you add all this up. Harball loves it.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
J J.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Kevin O'Connell, super sharp mind who everybody wants to play for.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Remember, by the way.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Aaron Rodgers guys still not signed. I'm lifting my ban
on Aaron Rodgers. Yesterday I refused to mention the guy's name. Today,
I'm mentioning it because multiple reporters have come out and
said the reason Rogers hasn't signed yet with Pittsburgh's because
he's waiting for the Minnesota opening. He wants Kevin O'Connell
(19:10):
to want him. I don't think it's happening. I think
it's a bad look to kind of do exactly what
Brett Farvre did. Jets then Vikings.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
That's very losory. I digress.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Bottom line is everybody loves Kevin O'Connell. Kevin O'Connell loves
JJ McCarthy. Folks, we know the Detroit Lions. Alex and
I talked about this yesterday. Frank ragnow Detroit center.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
He just retired. Detroit has a new offensive coordinator and
a new center.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
That's not great. Green Bay we got some questions. I
think we'll be talking about the Packers. Jordan Love doesn't
seem happy with some of the comments coming out. There's
some noise around Green Bay. I don't know if they're
gonna be good enough. The Bears schedules brutal. Cowherd can
hype him up all they want, it ain't happening. The
team of destiny this year is the Minnesota Vikings. They
(19:57):
went fourteen and three last year. I didn't finish in
first place. So a fourteen and three team playing a
second place schedule, Guys, I don't think they're afraid of
the Bears. It's on the road, it could be a
tricky spot. Then they get the Falcons at home. The
no defense Bengals, the overrated Steelers, and the punchless Browns
(20:19):
who are probably gonna be starting Kenny Pickett at that
point five and zero in play right out of the gate. Listen,
I'm not advocating bet the win total now, but I'm
just telling you, as long as McCarthy's healthy, I like
this Vikings team a lot this coming season.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Let's go to Alex Curry with the news.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
No, no, turn on the news. This is the herd
Line News.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
I love how hot you are on a rookie QB
who haven't even seen it at about yet.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
But no, you made some good points.
Speaker 6 (20:47):
There's a lot of question marks in the NFC North,
which was the best I think the vision last year.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
There is a chance, but let's start with the defending change.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
They Seguon Barkley had a historic your last season that
culminated in a Super Bowl win.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
This year, he's the cover.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Of Madden It's so sick, and says his team knows
exactly what to do to achieve the same success as
last year.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
The best way I can answer that question is success
is not accident. We know the recipe, we know what
we know what it takes, so we can't skip any
steps to get to where we want to get to.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
And last OTA's it was the same thing.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
And we already know how training camp is going to be,
and we know how it's gonna be during the season.
Like I said, we know the recipe and we just
got to try to stick to it and a little
bit of luck when that comes in with staying healthy.
We do that with the talent that we have and
the coaches that we have when we'd be in a
good position.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
I mean, let's be honest, every championship team thinks and
believes that they can repeat, but.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It hasn't happened often.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
In NFL history, nine franchises have one back to back
of most recent obviously the Little dynasty we saw with
the Chiefs winning.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Three and five years.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Little Dynasty.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Well, we'll see if they can get back. But the
difference now.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Is they were in a let's prove everyone wrong here
last year.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Now they're gonna have the.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Biggest target on their back, yeah, in the league. So
it's there's a reason you don't have a bunch of
repeat champions.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
It's hard to do.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
But Saquon had an insane season and huge congrats on
his matting cover. It's his iconic, like back hurdle job,
like that was.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
The only choice.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
Like this had to be the photo and the cover
of Madden this year. So iconic, it's so sick.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
But it's just it's tough. It's tough to repeat.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
Yeah, my I got listen. I was hyping this at
the draft.
Speaker 13 (22:38):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
So I looked at Saquon's carries last year. You've heard
the curse of three seventy. If you have three hundred
and seventy carries, the odds are extremely high that you
get injured the next year. Based on history, Saquon only
had three hundred and forty five. Remember they set him
out the last week. Okay, but he also had thirty
three catches. The touches were signific, kid. You know who
(23:00):
else had a lot of touches two years ago.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
And what happened last year he was injured. I believe
Christian McCaffrey was on the matt and cover as well.
I'm not trying to wish anything into existence. I like
saque Eagles wont me a lot of money in the
Super Bowl, Alex I wouldn't. I'm I don't think they're
I don't think they're gonna repeat. I don't think it's
it's it's tough, schedule is difficult. I would say the
(23:25):
number one thing is to limit Saque's carries.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Like we got will Shipley in the draft. I don't
want him.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
I don't think that's going to happen. But they did depend.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
On him more than they have star receivers too, So
it's just I think it's distributing, you know, distributing a
little a little more equal.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
I will say I'm also a big Saque sam right,
he came out of Penn State, such a good player.
It's just a good guy. He went to the Giants
that treated him like garbage, kind of like he's.
Speaker 6 (23:55):
So bad for Safty, like he he deserved that season.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
I think you would agree with some of this.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Sometimes crappy things have to happen to you in life
for the great to then follow. Yeah, and Saquon, let's
be real, he got screwed by the Giants. They were like,
we want to pay Daniel Jones, not you, but.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
Just what still hilarious And then he goes to the.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Eagles and wins a super Bowl and what's this for?
Two thousand yards.
Speaker 10 (24:17):
Like a book.
Speaker 6 (24:19):
We've seen it with the Cup, was out with Matthew
Stafford with the Lions for a decade, goes to the Rams,
wins the Super Bowl. Like it's just it's when you're again.
A lot of factors have to happen. You have to
have a good coach. For Saint Juannie had a good quarterback.
They were a great one two punch. But it's it's
going to be interesting. It's not easy to repeat. I again,
(24:40):
let's see what what the injury report looks like comes
week one and everything else.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
But I said it a little while ago.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
I'll go you right for Niners in the conference championship.
I mean it's way early to call it.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Yeah, obviously, luck and happen.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Who I haven't done this.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I got to do what I thought about it.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Will you give me? Ask me ask like tomorrow or
the next thing?
Speaker 11 (25:01):
He like, have a moment.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
Let me have a moment. All right, you just put
me on the spot.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
You're just you just did like a whole I am
so high on JJ and the Viking stake that they're
going to.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
You've got to read things, all right.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Well then I'm doing my job.
Speaker 5 (25:13):
All right. Well, let's go to the NFC North the Lions.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I've had the best back to back seasons in franchise
history under Dan Campbell the last two seasons, but lost
both coordinators to other teams. Now, despite that quarterback your
golf feels good about his offense.
Speaker 13 (25:28):
I'm sure casual fan would notice some of it. Yeah, yeah,
some of us different, some of it's the same. You know,
he's got a long background of stuff he's like that
he's done, and then he was here for for a
year through a lot of our success, So there will
be a lot of that carryover and some new. And
to be honest, I don't think that would have been
any different. You know, if you're returning with the same offense,
you always kind of had some wrinkles. But yeah, certainly
(25:48):
he has his flavor on the offense and has been
doing a good job.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
But they're not returning with the same offense. Yes, they
have a new offensive coordinator.
Speaker 6 (25:56):
But as we talked about yesterday to the Hall of
Fame Center Future Hall of Fame, we think Frank rad
Now announced his retirement.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
That is a big knock. That is a big knock
for your offensive line. Changes both their run game and
their past game.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
You're going from a top too offensive line to a
top ten offensive line.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Like there are going to be there are gonna be
a lot of hurdles.
Speaker 6 (26:21):
Not to mention they have one of the hardest schedules,
if not the hardest schedule in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
I don't want to you know, I got to be
positive about the Lions because Jared GoF lives kind of
near us.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Yeah, building a ridiculous house.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Faced a lot of adversity in his career and he's
persevered from it. But this is a lot of new
and a lot of changes.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
But do you think he also has the same dog
that I do English Stream Golden.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Retriever, and so I have any cream, any golden. So
I ran into Golf and his wife and you know
he watches the show. So I'm gonna I'm gonna be positive.
I'm not gonna be negative on the Lions.
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Uh, good life to Detroit this season? The division, Gay,
I gotta be all right.
Speaker 5 (27:04):
I'll let you leave it there.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
I like I like Golf, He's a saying, smart guy.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
I also like people who overcome. Like the whole situation
of like Detroit taking him in. It's like we want
you here, Crams didn't want you. We believe in you,
We believe you can get us there. The grit that
everything Dan Campbell stand for that The whole team seems
like they would run through a brick wall for him,
Like I I good love, Yeah, I love the mindset.
I love how he's turned this team around in his
(27:30):
coaching tenure. So it's yeah, this is just this is
a lot of big changes, two new coordinators, losing your center.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
It's it's a big deal. But let's end in Washington.
Speaker 6 (27:42):
The Commanders were the Cinderella of last season as they
took the NFC by storm, and this year Washington won't
sneak up on anybody. But head coach Dan Quinn isn't
worried about his second year quarterback.
Speaker 11 (27:53):
Take a listen the amount of work that he puts in.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
That goes unseen here to get ready to play, to
you know, to learn it, to teach others, to you know,
connect the guys that's going through. There is no flinch
in Jade and Daniels as focused and relentless as you
could about getting better. And so that's why I said,
for for us around here, like man, we appreciate that.
Speaker 6 (28:19):
And that's the hope you have for every second year quarterback.
But now everyone has a full season of tape on you.
You're not taking anybody by surprise. I mean that was
the upper hand that the Commanders had last season. There
was so much new within the entire organization, and obviously
he had a Rookie of the Year season. But we've
seen a lot of these top tier rookie quarterbacks kind
(28:41):
of have that sophomore selop C. J. Stroud was the
most recent one. Are you expecting a little slump.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
From Jaden's Yeah, I think it's there's no way. He's
just clutch and dominant on fourth down. They were the
best foot down taenior in the league of one of
them last year. I mean, look at these stats.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Yeah, that was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
That's Argua with the greatest rookie season ever, right, I
mean with all those first place.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
All time quarterback Yeah, yeah, no, it was incredible. But
now it's like now you have a target on your back.
You know, everyone has a full season of tape on you.
Now people know what to expect. Steebo, Samuel Raby, Dunsole
new left tackle.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I like the Continuitysbury is still there a good team
that got better. Yeah, and I saw he added like
ten pounds of muscle.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Did you read that?
Speaker 4 (29:24):
So everybody in the season.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Yeah, you know, Alex, this summer, I'm adding ten pounds
of muscle. Are you just like James Danis?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Yeah, I don't see it yet, Damn Alex with the news.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd Line News.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
All right, is there concern for JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
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(30:06):
access dot Org number thirty thirty.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
at neon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 15 (30:16):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 5 (30:22):
You could catch us.
Speaker 15 (30:23):
Weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern, two to four
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course the iHeartRadio App.
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich. We talk
about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world.
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends
(30:45):
for the last twenty years and still work together.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
I mean that says something, right, So.
Speaker 15 (30:48):
Check us out. We like to get you involved too,
take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be sure to
check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio
and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern
two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of
the live show, just search Kobe known Rich wherever you
get your podcasts, and of course on social media. That's
(31:11):
Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Back here on the herd.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
Let's welcome in a great guest.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter leads content strategist at the MMQB.
He covered the NFL since two thousand and five. I've
known him for a long time. Albert's getting ready for
a big summer with youth sports. Yeah, baby, you too,
right in the boat packed all your travel because you
(31:38):
got to go to fifty million camps.
Speaker 10 (31:40):
Right.
Speaker 11 (31:41):
Well, that's when my trivel for youth sports ends.
Speaker 10 (31:44):
So I got I got like a month and a
half full of lacrosse tournaments during vacation and then uh.
Speaker 11 (31:53):
And yeah, it'll be great. And then once I once
I hit the road.
Speaker 10 (31:56):
For the NFL season, which for as you know, starts
for me at the end of July. The summer's over
and we're locked in and ready to go.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Let me guess your first stop is going to be
Cleveland just because of Shador Sanders.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 11 (32:10):
I don't know.
Speaker 10 (32:11):
Like last year I started out there actually because there
were five camps there, So LA is always a good
place to start just because.
Speaker 11 (32:17):
Of the number of teams that are in that area.
Speaker 10 (32:20):
It's almost weird that, Like I mean, it was ten
years ago there was no team there and now it's
become sort of a hi hub for training camps.
Speaker 15 (32:28):
I I.
Speaker 10 (32:29):
Don't know, Like there are a couple teams that I
think are really interesting going into the year. Like I
think Buffalo has great opportunity in front of them. Like,
so I look at them as being a super interesting team. Cincinnati,
if the Trey Hendrickson thing is still hanging out there,
you know, they got the receivers under contract, they'd be
an interesting place to start. I do put some thought
into where the first stop is going to be, so
(32:52):
definitely have to think a lot about that one. But
those would be a couple of places that I think
I look at.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
All right, let's start with Cleveland because Shadure Sanders is
dealing with his father piping in now and Dion one
on a podcast was kind of he said it hurt
him that his son slid in the draft, even though
his son admitted it was his fault. Now, listen, some
people are not happy with my take yesterday that Dion
needs to kind of zip it, locket, put it in
his pocket. Just don't talk about your kid anymore. I
(33:19):
know that's tough for people to stomach, but that's kind
of the reality, isn't it.
Speaker 11 (33:22):
I agree, I mean, I think that's what it is.
Speaker 10 (33:25):
And like, look like I know a lot of people
have made a big deal out of you know what
happened twenty one years ago when when Eli Manning forced
his way from the from the from the Chargers to
the Giants, and you know, at the time, I think
that there was that that concern out there, is Archie
going to be hovering over Eli's career? And you know
(33:45):
who we didn't hear much from after Eli Manning became
a Giant was Archie Manning. You know, he didn't hear
much at all from him. And I think it's fine,
you know, if if dads want to be involved in
the in the pre draft process, and sometimes there are
some things that go in do it where you know,
a father's counsel can really help. But I think once
they become pros, you know, it's an important thing for
(34:08):
the parents to push away and let the kid be
his own man. I mean, I still remember the Eli
Apple thing getting dropped off, you know at Giants training
camp or mini camp or whatever it was, and how
that stuck with him.
Speaker 11 (34:20):
I think this is a good.
Speaker 10 (34:21):
Opportunity for Shador Sanders to just say, hey, look like
now I'm just a random football player, you know, and
I'm going to carry myself like somebody who's trying to
make the team, who's trying to earn a paycheck, who's
trying to win a job, and it becomes harder to
do that if you've got voices around him speaking out.
Speaker 11 (34:37):
So I love Dion.
Speaker 10 (34:38):
I think he's done a great job at Colorado, but
i'd agree with you like I think this is this
is time to let you do or be his own man.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
And I know that's tough. We're both fathers.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
It's very difficult to not defend your kid when there's
this nonsense going on.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
I get it, it's tough, but you know he's twenty three.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Help us settle a quick argument here on the staff,
Dylan Gabriel. I'm not saying he's an NFL quarterback, but
and you know him very well from following college football.
The fact that he was drafted by Stefanski in the
third round says something correct.
Speaker 4 (35:11):
They didn't draft him.
Speaker 11 (35:12):
Yeah, he killed the draft process. I mean, that's what
it says.
Speaker 10 (35:16):
And I've asked people about this, and I mean, I
like from what I understand, because that was higher than
most people had him going. You know, when I asked
around both the people in the Browns organization and people
outside the Browns organization.
Speaker 11 (35:30):
The way it happened is here's a kid who played.
Speaker 10 (35:32):
Six years in college, who has a historic amount of
reps in college, who won at three different schools, that
went through and aced the pre draft process, the meetings,
the combine interview, all of that stuff. So that's why
you look at it and you say, Okay, like, here's
a guy who can you know, at the very least
(35:54):
come in and be a functional backup, probably right out
of the gate. And you know, it really makes me
think of Kevin Stefanski's own history. He won with case
Keenum in Minnesota, if you remember, they went to an
NFC championship game, and that sort of strikes me as
what Dylan Gabriel can be like that Case Keenum, Chase Daniel. Like,
I don't know if, like if Dylan Gabriel will ever
(36:16):
be a long term starter, but right now I would
bet that he has a ten to fifteen year NFL career,
even if it's not as a starter, because of all
the experience he has, because of the traits that he
has as an accurate, efficient quarterback, and because of his makeup,
you know. And so I think that's one of those
the ceiling may be low, but the floor is pretty high.
(36:36):
And at that position, if you can have a cheap
backup for the four years that they're under that they're
on their rookie contract, it's not a bad bad floor
for a player when you're drafting someone in that range.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
This is why Albert wear is great. The case Keenum
Stefanski kind of it's damn good stuff. Hadn't heard that anywhere.
Let me ask about let's go to Frank ragnow retires
kind of abruptly. I saw the Lions didn't draft the
pure center. It sounds like did they want to convert
the Georgia Garden to a center A What did the
Lions anticipate.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
This or have any clue what was coming?
Speaker 10 (37:12):
Well, he hadn't been around, so like they had had
an idea that there was a possibility something could happen,
and they have Graham Glasgow and Tate Ratledge working at
that position.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
You know.
Speaker 10 (37:24):
Look like I think, just as far as Frank goes like,
this guy was the ultimate pro. And I think it's
a good development for players overall. Like I think for
three reasons right at JMAC, I think number one, players
have better information now on what football does to their
bodies and the impact it could have on them long
term and what it might mean for them playing golf,
(37:46):
shooting hoops with their kids when they're in their forties
and fifties, so they have more information. They also have
more money, which gives you the freedom to make decisions
like this. If you feel like you're in position where
you're set up for life, like you've got the flexibility
to make a decision like that, you know. And then
number three, I think a lot of these guys have
a better idea of what they're going to do post football,
(38:07):
which can be a really hard thing for guys to
detach from a game to which they've been identified from
the time they were eight, nine, ten years old.
Speaker 11 (38:15):
But in a lot of cases they have better they
have better.
Speaker 10 (38:17):
Plans for post football. So for those three reasons, I
think we've seen more and more of these. You know,
the front end of it was Patrick Willis, Calvin Johnson,
but since then it's happened more often, and so rag
Noow walks away after seven years, and again, like I
think it's from a global standpoint a good development for
players having the freedom to do this sort of thing.
Obviously it's not great for the Lions, you know, So
(38:40):
from that standpoint, I think you got to look at
it and say that was the strength of the team with.
Speaker 11 (38:45):
The foundation of their rebuild.
Speaker 10 (38:46):
It really it really was. You know, what their rebuild
was was was was founded on in the first place.
Rag Now and Decker were there. When Dan Campbell and
Brad Holmes got there, they drafted piney Sewel right away.
They the best line in football the last couple of years. So,
you know, now, I think the question becomes, can you
maintain that as a strength? Decker is getting older, rag
Now is now gone. You know, pine seol is obviously
(39:09):
a huge building block going forward. But can they be
top of the league or are they going to slip
a little bit in a very important position group we'll see,
all right.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Sticking in the NFC North Albert not career, but just
heading into this season, rank the quarterbacks in that division
for me, and I'm gonna assume JJ McCarthy's the starter
of Minnesota, Okay, So.
Speaker 11 (39:30):
I would say.
Speaker 10 (39:34):
I would say you would have to go Jared Goff
number one. I would say Jordan Love number two, Caleb
Williams number three, and Caleb Williams number three, and then.
Speaker 11 (39:47):
JJ McCarthy number four. It's just based on track record
and kind of where they are.
Speaker 10 (39:51):
I think that all four of them are in really
good situations, you know, so I think the baseline and
JJ might be in the best one of the four,
but I think all four of them are in pretty
good situation. And thanks, by the way, because I'm sure
that'll get aggregated everywhere.
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Hiking again, guys, if you don't like, what do you
have against Michigan?
Speaker 4 (40:09):
All right, final question Brock Purty and Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
We've got about a minute unbelievable stat our staff came
up with the forty nine ers are zero to forty
three under Shanahan regular season when trailing by eight or
more in the fourth quarter. What on earth is the
issue with Rock Purty and Shanahan? Why can't they rally?
Obviously some of those games were garoppolo and so forth.
Speaker 10 (40:29):
Yeah, I would say like that that's sort of been
the issue with the offense in general. Is that so
much of the strength that offense is based on the
marriage of the run game in the past game, right,
Like so much as making eight different things all look
the same.
Speaker 11 (40:42):
And it's incredibly hard.
Speaker 10 (40:44):
To defend because you have to defend every inch of
grass out there because of the way that the offense
sets up structurally. So what happens when you're in third
and long, when you're in third and fourteen, when you're
in third and twenty, when the defense knows that you
got to throw the ball down the field, when you're
playing for behind and they know you need two or
three possessions to come back, what happens is that marriage
(41:05):
breaks down, you know, like, because then the defense is
gonna be willing to give you more in the run game.
And this is something that guys from that system have
really had to kind of work through. It's one of
the reasons why Sean McVay wanted Matthew Stafford so badly
four years ago was because he knew that was a
way to sort of break that element of being able
to beat a Shanahan offense.
Speaker 11 (41:26):
Is if you get on top of them, it really
it really puts them. It takes them. I would say,
it makes them fish out of water to some degree,
you know.
Speaker 10 (41:33):
So I think that's that's the first thing when you
ask that question that kind of sticks out in my head.
And then the other thing is, you know, just when
you've got a younger quarterback like generally, that's what they're
working through. It's what separates the great ones is, you know,
how do you play on third and long? How do
you play when you're playing from behind. Anybody can look
great when you're in second and four, when you're in
(41:54):
third and one, What do you look like when it's third.
Speaker 11 (41:57):
And fourteen and you're down twenty?
Speaker 10 (42:00):
You know, obviously that's a big hurdle for most quarterbacks
to clear when they're trying to go from good to
great great stuff.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
Albert Breer, Monday Morning Quarterback
Speaker 14 (42:10):
H
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