November 8, 2024 • 34 mins
Colin marvels at Lamar Jackson's performance in a comeback win against the Bengals and how he continues to prove his doubters wrong. He gives his best bets for week 10 of the NFL season in the Blazin' 5. Plus, World Series Champion Jack Flaherty joins the show in studio to talk about their heated series against the Padres in the playoffs and how everything changed in their series clinching win over the Yankees
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Here we go on a fur ride day. What a
show we have. Jack Flaherty of the World Series Champion Dodger,
stops by Joel Klatt, stops by Blazing Five. We've been
pretty decent on our picks in the last few weeks,
Blazing five. I love my Blazing five picks. A few
underdogs this week. The Herd is ready to roll on
(00:50):
a Friday now. I was thinking about this. Jmac remember
on three or four years ago and the media was
getting into this Thursdays or bad for football. The players
aren't ready. It's actually, if you talk to players, they
love Thursday football because they get a second by they
can go on vacation for five. Every player I've talked
to is like, yeah, you don't hit in practice. It's
(01:11):
a light practice, you usually face a rival, then you
get a second by. So sometimes the media overreacts to stuff.
And I also think sometimes the media is late on
stuff all the time. And I want to talk about
something today about Lamar Jackson. So all of us, when
you mentioned the top ten quarterbacks of all time, everybody
puts stan Marino in there. Everybody puts Stan Marino in
(01:34):
never won a Super Bowl. Why does Lamar Jackson have
to win a Super Bowl? That's one of the best
players in the history of the league. I mean last night,
his defense is terrible. Dereck Henry didn't do much, He
couldn't trust his kicker. Joe Burrow was on fire. He
trailed twenty one to seven, and he won the game.
I mean the Ravens were down twenty one to seven
(01:54):
third quarter. You never thought it was over. You didn't think, oh,
Lamar can't play from behind. That team needed four touchdowns
in the last four drives. Boom boom, boom boom delivered.
Oh that wasn't enough. Now they need a two point conversion.
When they went for two, did you ever for a
second thing Cincinnati would stop him.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
I didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And even though when the Bengals went for two. I
kind of thought they wouldn't make it despite the Ravens
defense being bad. Why because as great as Joe Burrow is,
and he's great, Lamar's got more tools in his bag.
A two point conversion with a bad defense against Lamar
Jackson is like a thousand percent going to happen. But
(02:34):
I didn't trust Cincinnati and I love Burrow. Lamar Jackson.
Remember when the big knock on him was, hey, he
can't play from behind this year, trailing eleven touchdowns, no
picks in a passer rating over one hundred and twenty,
Trailing three times this year, he's come back and won
games trailing by ten. That was a huge knock. All
(02:57):
he does is proved people wrong. DNO's a top ten
quarterback all the time and every list he makes it
wear his trophies. But Dan Marino was different. Probably the
most seamless, effortless thrower we've ever seen. This is the
greatest playmaker in the history of football at that position.
(03:19):
I mean he makes Michael Vick look you know, talented,
I guess almost pedestrian, and the kid's incredible. Lamar Jackson
has become the show Miss MythBusters. Remember that show MythBusters.
That's what Lamar Jackson is. The only difference is none
of the myths are ever true. Okay, Okay, you still
got that one where he doesn't win enough in the playoffs.
(03:41):
Keep doubting this kid, go ahead, keep doubting him. I mean,
I watch him this tiptoe thing down the defensive sideline,
like what is that? I mean, if that was in
high school against the high school defense, it would be insane.
He's doing stuff, jump shot into the end zone. He's
doing stuff nobody can do. And if you're gonna say
(04:03):
Marino's a top ten player ever because he just threw
the ball more effortlessly than what is Lamar Jackson, I've
never seen a player like that. And what really defines
him beyond his great athletic ability. It would have been
easy for him because in high school and college he
didn't have to be amazing in the pocket. But in
the NFL, every athlete's great, even the average ones. The
(04:26):
margins are thinner. He could have easily just said I'm
gonna run around, make Pro bowls, get rich, and now
they didn't want to do that. He wanted to be
an all time player. So he comes back with traps.
He's bigger, he's thicker, and then he loses weight because
he thought he got slow, and then he improves in passing.
(04:48):
He is an excellent pocket quarterback right now. I mean
to me, I'm watching Burrow and I'm watching Lamar. They're
both great from the pocket. The difference is he has
so many tools in his bag that he made Burrow
just look really talented. And Joe's an all timer. So
there's just I don't even know. I don't know what
defense beats him. You can figure out. The answeredis to
(05:12):
beat most quarterbacks, even the good ones like Tom Brady
or Aaron Rodgers, get pressure on him. That doesn't work.
It doesn't work. I mean Cincinnati had pressure on him.
Cincinnatis got one of the best rush ends. It didn't work.
They needed four touchdowns he delivered at the end, and oh,
by the way, that wasn't enough. They needed a conversion.
(05:34):
And I don't think I even outside of maybe the
Toush push, I've never seen a conversion. I was so
absolutely sure that was going to be converted with Lamar
Jackson and I don't even feel like that. I kind
of feel like that with Andy Reid and Mahomes, but
not to that level. Here's John Harbaugh on the amazing
Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
It starts with Lamar and oftentimes it ends with Lamar.
But in between Lamar and Lamar, there's a lot of
great players out there. You know, they're that are that
are are torounded him. And I think that's kind of
where offense is at right now. And our offense still
knows that they can get a lot better. Mean, all
the things in the first half, those are things that
we definitely can do better.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yes, there are a lot of great players in Baltimore
around Lamar Jackson, but they didn't do anything. But the
defense was terrible. Dereck Henry not much. They missed a
pat They'd eleven penalties, some on offense, but eleven penalties. Uh,
just just nothing like it in the world ever. And
(06:34):
if you're gonna put Marino in that top ten without
a trophy room, you gotta start considering Lamar Jackson. Never
seen anything like this. Now, I want to talk about
the Cincinnati Bengals going for two. I don't care what
analytics say. I'm usually a believer, usually a believer, especially
for a road team playing a superior team that was
(06:59):
Tampa Bay on Monday. You're a road team, you're facing
a superior team. My rule, once again, you go for it.
Your defense, Cincinnati defense was exhausted. Lamar Jackson was literally silly, ridiculous, unstoppable.
And I just don't think in life you want to
leave in footballer life your fate to others. You're gonna
(07:20):
leave the fate to a coin flip. Remember Baker Baker
Mayfield's reaction Monday when they lost a coin flip. He's like, yeah,
game over. And the longer this game went on, the
clear it was Baltimore was the better team. And I'm
always amazed by how many people in life allow others
to control their fate in life and in football. Go
(07:42):
for it, take a swing, don't leave it to others.
Here's the utter thing. When you get into these high
leverage situations in any sport. It could be the end
of an NBA game. Who's your best player, Joe Burrow,
Jamar Chase, Give your best players the ball. I remember
(08:02):
years ago USC played Texas for a national championship. Lend
A White was a nice player, Matt Liiner, Reggie Bush.
Make sure they control that fourth down. They didn't get it,
Texas got it, came back one. In these high leverage situations,
Russell Wilson throwing in the Super Bowl, give it to
Marshawn Lynch. You had Joe Burrow, you had Jamar Chase
(08:25):
Baltimore couldn't stop either. Go with your strains. The other
thing is, if you have a huge flaw as a
football team or a basketball team, hide it. What was
the flaw last night Cincinnati's defense? You don't want to
go to overtime losing a coin flip or Joe Burrow
is going to be doing a Baker Mayfield. All right,
lost the coin flip. And I think fans should want
(08:49):
their coaches to be aggressive because remember, you can't be
tied just to the result. The last time these two
teams played, Cincinnati got hyper conservative in a overtime and
tried a long field goal and end up losing. And
yes they lost this way too. Don't get married to
the result. The truth about this play was there were
(09:11):
there was a pass interference. Now it wasn't called right,
and Burrow got hit in the head. It wasn't called,
but being aggressive allowed that to potentially be called. Now
I wouldn't have called the burl hit, the play was over,
and I wouldn't have called the holding passer inference because
it was away from the ball. But if it was called,
they wouldn't have been outraged by it. But by being aggressive,
(09:33):
you put your team in the opportunity to potentially get
those calls. You don't with a coin flip. So I'm
gonna support going for it on the road inferior team
facing a superstar quarterback. It's just like Monday, Baker played great,
Burrole played great. Mahomes is better, Lamar's better on the
(09:53):
road defense can't make stops. Same exact situation, it really is.
It comes down to both cases. I'm not giving Mahomes
the ball again. I'm not leaving my life up to
a coin. I'm going for it. Here's Zach Taylor the
coach after that, what was on that came.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
Here to win, here to win, and it's sickening that
this has happened twice to us. That's what it is.
We gotta find a way to close out these games.
You know, we got our opportunity and got down there
out went for two and just didn't work out for us.
We just got to figure out a way to make
that last play to win the game.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Well, I mean they could have won both those games
against Baltimore. Spend a little more money on defense. I
mean that Trey Hendrickson, guy, by the way, is playing now.
Remember he was holding out off season. He leaves the
NFL in sacks. He was holding out all off season,
and they still don't want to pay Jamar Chase or
t Higgins. I mean, that's not good for the locker room.
That and that's not good for the culture and the vibe.
(10:51):
I'm just saying Baltimore pays it stars Cincinnati makes him
go through the ringer. That that would help winning games two,
improve the culture in the locker room and the vibe
in Cincinnati. J Mack Blazing five fifty minutes from now.
You know there are certain weeks. I had a winning
week last week. Certain weeks I feel really good about
(11:13):
my picks.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
Aren't you one to oher? Already?
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We gave out Bengals yesterday.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
We gave out Bengals yesterday. We're both on a heater
in our college picks. But there's weeks the pick that
I so I always have six picks. I give the
staff six picks. I come in, they lay it all
out and then I ditch one.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
Which one did you do?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I'll tell you the one I ditched. I bet it
was Rams Dolphins. No it wasn't. I ditched betting against
Mahomes O smart moves. I waited for the number this
morning if it moved up, because you and I talk
about this. We bet the number, not the team. You
bet the number. So the number had it gone up
half a point to a point, I would have bet it.
But I am not betting against I'm willing to bet
(11:52):
against Mahomes as especially as a big favorite. He's never
been a great, big favorite. Bet But I'm gonna just
watch the bone new Patrick Mahomes battle and not better.
The Broncos did the boat Nicks Mahomes battle.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Broncos did get him last year.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Remember they beat him pretty soundly. I believe at mile High.
No no, no, no, I mean the Chiefs. The Chiefs have
lost to the Raiders. The Chiefs have an unforced error
every year, every year, even the Brady teams. It's a
long season. They're they're it's all games are not equal.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Can you tease the Blazing five?
Speaker 6 (12:25):
You could?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
You could tease the Chiefs under a field goal to
like one and a half. No, we don't have to
have lea. We keep it simple and I don't want
to get too complex here. I'm a simple man.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern AM Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
I'm i gotta be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I've been a little warm.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
In the last couple of weeks with my blazing five picks.
Let's turn the heat up.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Feeling it, Let's blaze it up. It's Collins Blazon five bills.
It cold.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I like the Holts plus four. Listen, Flacco is gonna
be fine. It was the first game starting. Give them
some reps. He'll be fine. Buffalo Jonathan Taylor. Buffalo didn't
defend the run particularly well. Jonathan Taylor one hundred plus
scrimmage yards for the last five games. Good offensive line,
they will run the ball, they have a chance to
control the clock, and they have tied for the most
(13:21):
takeaways in the AFC. Here's what scares me about Buffalo.
They're getting more Josh Allen Reliant twelve rush attempts, one
hundred and six passes over the last three games. Back
to back games with an interception. They're getting a little
Josh Allen heavy. They've got nineteen players on the injured list.
They come off a very emotional divisional win against Miami.
(13:45):
I think the Bills go on the road, they get flat.
It's a must win game for the Colts in a
feisty division. Bill's got their division wrapped up. I'm gonna
get the upset here. Take the points. Upset, Colts twenty
seven Bills, Vikings at Jaguars. Love the Vikings. Trevor Lawrence
won't play. It's gonna be Mac Jones. The entire offense.
(14:07):
Six different starters for the Jags on offense are banged up.
Vikings only losses to the Rams when they got healthy
in the Lions. They're a fast starting team. So Minnesota
on the road takes the lead. They're actually the best
first quarter team in the league. They'll quiet the crowd.
What there is of one offense Number two in the
NFL in Minnesota in big plays and Sam Darnold's hot
seven of his eight starts one hundred plus passer rating,
(14:30):
tied for the best in the NFL. The Jaguars defense
is off full. It is terrible. They're a slow starting team.
The defense is thirtieth or worse in almost every unit.
Listen to this. They allow six yards of play that
is unheard of a fast starting Minnesota Vikings offense. A
(14:54):
quarterback and coaching advantage. Mac Jones against Darnold, I'm gonna
lay this seven points. Vikings win by ten, thirty three
to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Steelers at Commanders.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I'm gonna take Mike Tomlin off a bye as an underdog.
He's the best underdog coach maybe of his generation. Take
the Steelers plus the three points. Back to back games
with four hundred plus yards. Russell Wilson is really keying
in on George Pickens thriving together. Here's the thing. Their
defense is terrific. Number one red zone defense, So even
(15:27):
if Washington busts off some big plays, they'll settle more
often from for field goals and touchdowns. And the Commander's
defense is bad twenty eighth best red zone defense. And
I kind of like what I've seen from Pittsburgh's red
zone offense. In run game with Russell Wilson, I have
a feeling Pittsburgh's gonna control the clock, pound the rock,
(15:49):
move the pocket, and when the Commanders do move the
ball against the great defense. They'll move it some, they'll
settle for field goals. I'm taking Mike Tomlin off plus
the points as an underdog to beat Washington twenty seven
to twenty four.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Forty nine Ers and Buccaneers.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Listen, we said yesterday this is the bet of the week.
I'll take forty nine Ers minus six and a half.
They're getting healthy, They're coming off of bye. McCaffrey, Deebo, Samuels,
Juwan Jennings are all back. They've won four or five
games under Shanahan, the last four or five off of bye.
Number two in total offense, and that's using number three
and number four running backs, defense, multiple takeaways in three games.
(16:33):
You got a ticked off San Francisco team getting healthy.
They're gonna eat Tampa's on a short week off a
physical overtime game with Kansas City. Their defense allows thirty
three a game, and they are falling apart. Baker's not healthy,
couple of the backs aren't healthy. Mike Evans still out.
Vitavia isn't one hundred percent. This is a bad, bad
(16:54):
spot for Tampa. I like the Niners to win comfortably
thirty to twenty.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Dolphins and Rams.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
You know the wise guys like Miami here, I do not.
I like the Rams three game winning streak. They're eight
and three when they're healthy with Puka, Cooper Cup Stafford
Kyron Williams. And they are healthy and Miami goes on
the road again, this time all the way cross country.
The story of the Rams is how good their defensive
rookies are. They lead the NFL and hit sacks, interceptions.
(17:27):
This defense is a bunch of rookies and second year players,
and they're getting better by the week. Tua better at
protection shared versus unlockable. I don't think it's Stafford as
much as it is this defense for a team that
now travels for the second straight week, and I don't
like Miami doesn't get a pass rush, so Stafford is
going to be really comfortable. They don't defend the run again.
(17:50):
I think the Rams win time of possession, control the
line of scrimmage at home, control the clock. Dolphins fly
cross country after the Buffalo trip. I like the Rams
to win thirty to twenty four. Whise guys like the Fins.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I do not be sure to catch live editions of
the Herd weekdays in noonon eastern not a im pacific.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Well, how lucky are we? Young man? Jack Flarity grows
up in Los Angeles, goes to school here, gets drafted
first round by the Saint Louis Cardinals, spend like seven years.
They're a good organization, and then he ends up in
Detroit and one day you're in your clubhouse, Jack Flaherty,
joining us eight years July thirtieth, GM comes up to
(18:34):
you and says you've been traded to the Dodgers. Was
your first reaction? Has a lot of pressure?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
No, definitely was not. That's a lot of pressure. It's like, Wow,
I can't believe that this is real. I can't believe this,
this is happening. I knew I was gonna get traded
it it was pretty much. It was made very evident
to me, like, yeah, we're gonna move you. We don't
know where, and then it's gonna be the Dodgers. Like
how quickly can I get this text off to my
mom before it breaks because this is going to happen
(19:04):
really quick, just so she didn't see it from elsewhere
and be like and I just just one word was Dodgers, And.
Speaker 6 (19:12):
Yeah, that was That was that was all my thought.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So and they relied on you that we said. It's
almost remarkable. They won forty different pitchers used in all
three series. I've never seen this a bullpen game in
the World Series, I thought, I said out loud, I
thought the Podrays had you. The Podres series was different
because that team is all attitude. And when you came here,
(19:37):
did you realize how intense the Dodger Podre rivalry was.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
No. I think you see it. You could see the games.
Speaker 7 (19:44):
You see the way that it had gone and the
way that it had gone over the last couple of years.
I think it was twenty two when San Diego beat them,
But I didn't realize the record difference on the season
until we played them because I got there for it
was the series they were playing in San Diego.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
They had one more game.
Speaker 7 (20:03):
I flew in just to be there with the team
before we took off for Oakland, and you.
Speaker 6 (20:08):
Know, they beat us pretty bad.
Speaker 7 (20:10):
You know, it was a it was a rough day
and but the atmosphere was awesome. But then it was
just different. I didn't really realize how intense it was.
I had been in rivalries before with us in the Cubs,
being in Saint Louis, but that one was uh talk, Yeah,
there was a lot of a lot of back and forth,
and it kind of felt like the second we didn't
(20:31):
react to everything that was going on, and we played
our game and we worried about us, the better position
we were in, like just kind of like one of
those things like they like it felt like they you know,
they were trying to get under our skin. Yes, and
you know, personally like I let it happen. And in
game two where things got emotional, and uh, it felt
like once we just worried about us and went about
(20:53):
our business and relaxed a little bit, we were able
to relax a little bit before Game four and uh yeah,
we took care of business.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
So Freddie Freeman, you know, these first hitting home runs
are insane. As a pitcher, we don't think that offense,
we know, we know, you know, pitching with a lead
probably helps a little. But it felt like those Freeman
home runs kind of change the pitching, like almost gave
(21:20):
you guys more confidence. You were more aggressive.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
Pitching with a lead absolutely is a difference, especially in playoffs,
when you have a lead and you can go out
and attack the other team and you can go out
and it opens the door to go get strike one
and just to to go right at guys and and
to be aggressive and not really worry about like, you know,
I gotta I gotta pitch the corners. And especially if
you're on the road. Now, you've got momentum going out there,
(21:45):
and it's just like, how quickly can I get these
guys back to hitting and how quickly can we get
you know, these guys back up again. So for me,
my job at that point is how quickly, you know,
just let's just get these guys out and get these
guys back in the doug out and let them keep
swinging it. Let's build this lead, and let's end this
game early. Because momentum in the playoffs is a real
thing and is everything, and once that thing starts to shift,
(22:09):
things can happen quickly and can go in whatever direction
that it wants to go.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
One of the things that struck me Jack Flaherty joining
us if you're listening on radio, Dodger Great came July
thirtieth at the deadline from Detroit and was really crucial
in the playoffs. I'm struck by Otani's the biggest superstar
in the game. Mookie Betts is one of the greatest.
I compare him to Joe Morgan. Probably you wouldn't remember
that as well. Joe Morgan I thought was the best
(22:36):
baseball player I ever saw, but because he was around
Johnny Bench and Pete Rose, he was overshadowed. Mookie Bets, similarly,
is an insane talent. I don't understand where he generates
that power. And then you have Freddy Freeman and guys
like you, and then Clayton Kershaw's not pitching, but there's
an aura around him, and then Walker Buehler, and here's
Dave Roberts having to manage injuries and resources. I'm struck
(23:00):
by the body language. How positive. I don't sense ego. Oh,
if Otani wanted to be a jerk, he.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
Could be, Yeah, he could be.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
What when you came to the organization, were you immediately embraced?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
I was, and it was it was Uh. It was
one of those things.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
I had known a couple of a handful of guys
on the team already, so for me coming in, and
I had known Doc a little bit, and we had
we had family friends that knew each other, so I
felt like it wasn't. It wasn't a bunch of hey,
nice to meet you's. It was a bunch of hey, man,
good to see you, like like we all knew each other.
It wasn't like, hey, I'm so and so. It wasn't
(23:36):
you know, hey I'm Will Smith, Hey I'm Mookie Bets.
It was like, mok, it's good to see you Will,
Like how we doing, how are we gonna make this
thing happen?
Speaker 6 (23:42):
So it was a lot more of that where I
have known or.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Gotten to know some of these guys a little bit,
where they just embraced they They brought me in, embraced me,
and I felt like I just, you know, just seamlessly
fit in and was able to go out, have a
good start in Oakland and just just go from there.
We had a bunch of injuries and uh, but it
was it was really just next man up. Whoever, whoever
was ready to pitch, whoever was ready to go that day,
give it everything you got and just go out and
(24:08):
do it.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I thought the Padres actually matched up better than the
Yankees or Mets did against you. I thought they kind
of matched up. But they're a team, as you told
me during the break, they play with a lead, there
are a lot of emotion. They don't play as well
from behind. Going into the World Series, and I just
looked at the batting order and I thought, you know,
once you get past like a Stanton down, I just
thought that your pitching would beat their hitting, whereas you
(24:30):
guys can put Tommy Edmund batting ninth and it's like
he'll eat you alive. What was the scouting report going
into the World Series? Was there a sense that you
feel like we got the better we got the better
team here.
Speaker 7 (24:45):
Look, I think that for me, it was just trying
to keep guys off base when it was trying to
you have to get the bottom of the order out
because once you get up, if you've got guys on
base and then you've got you know, Glabor, Soto, Judge
and Stanton coming up, you've got problems.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
You got a lot of problems.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
So you have to you have to get the bottom
of the order out so that you're not facing those
guys with runners on. And if I can get to
a point where I'm facing you know, Soto, Judge and
Stanton without runners on, we'd be in a we'd be
in a better spot, you know, we trusted our lineup,
what they were gonna do. You got the NLCS MVP
hitting ninth for part of it when when we got it,
which is crazy crazy, And but then that goes to
the no ego thing is Tommy has no ego.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
He won the MVP, he was unbelievable.
Speaker 7 (25:25):
NLCS, hey, by the way, we're gonna hit you ninth,
but then you know against rodn we're gonna hit you
fifth because you're maybe a little bit better right handed.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
But none of those guys had in the ego.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
Mooki show hey, Freddie like they just wanted to do
whatever it took to win, and they did it. And
that guy comes down to sacriflies. You got Mooki celebrating sacriflies,
which it's not to say he wouldn't do that in
the regular season, but the emotion that he would show
of like I got the job done, we got a
run because every single run mattered, and what we were
(25:57):
able to do so it was I mean, the whole
playoffs was a grind, and our offense like they they
they showed up and and and and really they helped
us throughout the throughout the World Series.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
The I mean, you've picked Saint Louis good. Franchise been
a little lean in recent years. Detroit's had down years.
How I mean, I I watched the R and D
for the Dodgers. They don't miss on trades very often.
They bring up minor league guys. They're all good. I mean,
they're they They overachieved for a big for a team
that could spend a lot of money and overspend, they
(26:31):
spend it smartly. They passed on Manny Machado, Zach Grienky.
They don't always just spend the most money. I still
can't figure out how they got Monkey Betts and why
Boston let them go. But how is it different? Do
you feel having been with four let's say you've been Cards, Orioles, Tigers, Dodgers.
This is not the knock other teams. I always felt
the Dodgers were kind of elegant, they kind of stately
(26:53):
like it. Does it feel different?
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (26:56):
You feel the you feel the you feel the the
like like that. They're any any place they go, they're
the They're the bigger, better team. And you know, like
Matt Camp he told me this, he said, it's just
different wearing the Dodger blue.
Speaker 6 (27:13):
And it's different having Dodgers across your chess. He said,
guys just.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
Come here and you just like the level of their
game just steps up for whatever reason. And maybe it's
it's the guys you're playing with that make you feel like, hey,
I'm almost the same level as this guy. Like I
get to I get to work, I get to work
with him every day. Or the staff that they bring around,
and how much staff that they have to give you
information or to help you out, and and the way
(27:38):
that they watch you work, go about your business, the
way they watch you throw, the way that their their
meetings are held. Everything it is. It is top tier
from top to bottom, and you know, every single part
of it goes that way, and I think it goes
a long way where you continue to see the success
throughout the regular season no matter who's out there.
Speaker 6 (27:58):
It's not the same team every year. There's a different
piece here and there.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
And then you know, the playoffs just comes down next.
Any I mean playoffs, anything can happen. And I know
that they you know, they they they caught a lot
for not winning in the in the past, but anything
can happen in baseball. The playoffs is every The best
team doesn't win every year, and you know, the Dodgers
have been they've been the best team. And when you
go to certain cities that you when you go to
(28:22):
certain cities, teams are like, okay, like we we got
a real team coming in now and and that's that's
the feeling that you get when you play them.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
When the when the Yankees melted down in the fifth,
I mean it was I've never seen anything like You've
never seen it. And they were not a great fielding
team to begin with. You guys were a better fielding team.
But when you're in that, when you're in that dugout,
because it kind of felt like we're going back to
l A, Yeah, we're going back to l O that way,
And in that fifth inning, I'm just I'm going all
(28:51):
the Yankees are playing tight, which is remarkable because you're
the favorite and you played loose. They're their underdog, and
could you sense they just got tight?
Speaker 7 (29:01):
I think we could sense it from the feeling in
the in the stands, Like before the intros of Game three,
whatever reason, we were all kind of looking at each
other and just were like it just it feels like
a nervous energy in the stands and we couldn't quite
pinpoint it, and we were like, let's just go out
and play and like have some fun. We got Walker
(29:21):
Bueler on the mound, one of the best big game
pitchers out there, is like, he's gonna go do it.
Our bullpen is fresh and healthy, because you know, y'all,
Mota had pitched well the day before, and I did
enough in game one, and it was like, let's just
let's go out win this game and then this end
this series and and make go up three to oh
so we uh yeah, it felt And then game five,
(29:45):
I've that ending was crazy.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
Everything that could have gone wrong.
Speaker 7 (29:48):
For them did everything, and we still had to capitalize
because that that played with with Rizzo and and Cole
happens and we're like, oh my goodness, like like thank goodness.
But then Freddy gets a hit, Tail gets a hit,
and then and now we're now we're tieball game.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
And now it's like, okay, now.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
You took advantage of the momentum. They gave you an opening,
and you took advantage such advantage.
Speaker 7 (30:09):
That's the way it goes. Momentum is a housting. They
I didn't pitch well to start the game. They had
all the momentum Cole's throwing a no hitter. We get
a couple guys on an air here there, and all
it took was one hit from Freddy and then it
was then it was game all.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
So you're intense on the mound, you look like you are,
and it's funny. Dave Roberts is the nicest guy, it
feels like. And you you pitch sometimes angry you are
you are. I mean, I mean you're like intimidating looking.
So when you were coming today, I'm like, this guy,
he's got an edge. When Roberts comes to the mound,
(30:46):
do you guys, is it always like an understanding? Do
you ever fight to stay in What are those discuss
because you're a very intense guy out there and you're
not in person, but you are in the mound. When
Dave comes out there, is it ever gotten intense?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
No.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
Every time he's come out, he he has signaled before
he got out there that he was gonna to bring
in the bullpen. There was only one time where we
had a discussion. And it was my first home start
against the Pirates and I got through five innings and
you know, he comes over to me and I know
he's gonna tell me, hey, you're done, and I just
(31:21):
kind of looked at him, and guy, I just was
like no, and he was like, what do you mean.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I was like, I was like no, Like I'm good.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
I felt like that day I could throw one hundred
and fifty pitches and my arm was gonna be fine,
and I had play in the tank and he just
and he was like okay, and he and he and
he walked back and and I went out and I,
you know, I threw one hundred and ten pitches or
whatever it was like, and he he he comes to
get me. I didn't finish the inning, and you know,
some of the pictures were like we even like seeing
(31:49):
that where we let it, we let a guy go
over one hundred pitches as you're like second start here.
And I was like, I don't know, man, I felt
like I could throw one hundred and fifty pitches today.
And Doc, to to his credit, was like okay, like
if you if you you say you got it, like sure,
and he let me go out and I, you know,
pitched well for for that inning, didn't get out of it,
and he came and got me at the right time.
So that was the only time. Otherwise, the discussions on
(32:11):
the mound, we haven't had any. It was it was
usually hey, you know, good job, we're gonna get you,
or you know, I didn't pitch well, and it was like, hey,
we're gonna pick you up. We're gonna we're gonna go
win this game, which is kind of how Game five was.
It was like, hey, we're gonna pick you up.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
We got you.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Obviously you knew before you got here how great o'tawny was.
What was the moment when he was a teammate. It
could have been at the cage. It could have that
you went, all right, that's different.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
Oh, there was a there was a ball that he
he hit. It was against Colorado against uh Kyle Freeland,
and he and he took a pitch that was up
and then left on left and he and it was
a pitch up here, and he hit it out to
left center and he hit it about ten rows deep
in the left center, which you don't do is a
left handed hitter at all.
Speaker 6 (32:57):
And then we all went and.
Speaker 7 (32:59):
Watched exactly where the pitch was and then we saw
its two balls above the zone and he hit it
out and we were like, that's that's not normal. And
they had watched him all year and been with him
and everybody was still like, wow, that was that was incredible.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
And and show is just you know, he's.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Just you'll just be like, you know, he looks like
a movie star.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Yeah he is.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
He's a he's a stud. He man that that dude
is He's incredible and he will and he's just he's
as cool, comic collected as they come. He just uh yeah.
Him showing some emotion is is different. But it's he's awesome.
Speaker 6 (33:32):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
By the way, Arawan is a very bougie. It's very
high end. You've gone total la. You've got your own
smoothie at air one. My daughter's like, she tells me
she owed air one. I'm like, is dad paying for it?
So I know what it costs to get a smoothie
at Airwan. You've got your own smoothie. Yeah, you're you're uptown. Yeah,
look at it?
Speaker 7 (33:51):
Is that your Yeah, that's that's the smoothie right there
before the big game. Uh yeah, it was right before uh,
right before the World Series.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Congratulations full blown, La. Yeah, what a story. Your mom
ran the Little League.
Speaker 6 (34:04):
I think Sherman Oaks yeah, Sherman Oaks the league.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Your backstory is incredible. You become a Dodger, You're so valuable,
and this was a real pleasure. You are welcome any time.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Know, you're kind of intimidating when you pitch. They told
me you were on the show Tuesday, and I'm like,
I'm not gonna say anything. I'm not going to get
Jack worked up. But you know what you do, put
the classic game face on. It is the day you pitched.
Different upstairs.
Speaker 6 (34:29):
It's very different. It's very different.
Speaker 7 (34:30):
And I come in, I don't talk to anybody, and
really I think it's it's a different thing. And guys
are you know. They got to ask like do you
like to talk on days you pitch? And I just no,
And then they start to realize, like that's just.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
That's just how I gotta be.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
It is it is game day.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Yeah, it's different.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Great meeting you.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
All Right, we'll take a break. J MA is gonna
come back with his picks. Jack Flaherty, what a pleasure
world series, champ La Kid, great story. It's the Herd
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Here we go on a fur ride day. What a
show we have. Jack Flaherty of the World Series Champion Dodger,
stops by Joel Klatt, stops by Blazing Five. We've been
pretty decent on our picks in the last few weeks,
Blazing five. I love my Blazing five picks. A few
underdogs this week. The Herd is ready to roll on
(00:50):
a Friday now. I was thinking about this. Jmac remember
on three or four years ago and the media was
getting into this Thursdays or bad for football. The players
aren't ready. It's actually, if you talk to players, they
love Thursday football because they get a second by they
can go on vacation for five. Every player I've talked
to is like, yeah, you don't hit in practice. It's
(01:11):
a light practice, you usually face a rival, then you
get a second by. So sometimes the media overreacts to stuff.
And I also think sometimes the media is late on
stuff all the time. And I want to talk about
something today about Lamar Jackson. So all of us, when
you mentioned the top ten quarterbacks of all time, everybody
puts stan Marino in there. Everybody puts Stan Marino in
(01:34):
never won a Super Bowl. Why does Lamar Jackson have
to win a Super Bowl? That's one of the best
players in the history of the league. I mean last night,
his defense is terrible. Dereck Henry didn't do much, He
couldn't trust his kicker. Joe Burrow was on fire. He
trailed twenty one to seven, and he won the game.
I mean the Ravens were down twenty one to seven
(01:54):
third quarter. You never thought it was over. You didn't think, oh,
Lamar can't play from behind. That team needed four touchdowns
in the last four drives. Boom boom, boom boom delivered.
Oh that wasn't enough. Now they need a two point conversion.
When they went for two, did you ever for a
second thing Cincinnati would stop him.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
I didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And even though when the Bengals went for two. I
kind of thought they wouldn't make it despite the Ravens
defense being bad. Why because as great as Joe Burrow is,
and he's great, Lamar's got more tools in his bag.
A two point conversion with a bad defense against Lamar
Jackson is like a thousand percent going to happen. But
(02:34):
I didn't trust Cincinnati and I love Burrow. Lamar Jackson.
Remember when the big knock on him was, hey, he
can't play from behind this year, trailing eleven touchdowns, no
picks in a passer rating over one hundred and twenty,
Trailing three times this year, he's come back and won
games trailing by ten. That was a huge knock. All
(02:57):
he does is proved people wrong. DNO's a top ten
quarterback all the time and every list he makes it
wear his trophies. But Dan Marino was different. Probably the
most seamless, effortless thrower we've ever seen. This is the
greatest playmaker in the history of football at that position.
(03:19):
I mean he makes Michael Vick look you know, talented,
I guess almost pedestrian, and the kid's incredible. Lamar Jackson
has become the show Miss MythBusters. Remember that show MythBusters.
That's what Lamar Jackson is. The only difference is none
of the myths are ever true. Okay, Okay, you still
got that one where he doesn't win enough in the playoffs.
(03:41):
Keep doubting this kid, go ahead, keep doubting him. I mean,
I watch him this tiptoe thing down the defensive sideline,
like what is that? I mean, if that was in
high school against the high school defense, it would be insane.
He's doing stuff, jump shot into the end zone. He's
doing stuff nobody can do. And if you're gonna say
(04:03):
Marino's a top ten player ever because he just threw
the ball more effortlessly than what is Lamar Jackson, I've
never seen a player like that. And what really defines
him beyond his great athletic ability. It would have been
easy for him because in high school and college he
didn't have to be amazing in the pocket. But in
the NFL, every athlete's great, even the average ones. The
(04:26):
margins are thinner. He could have easily just said I'm
gonna run around, make Pro bowls, get rich, and now
they didn't want to do that. He wanted to be
an all time player. So he comes back with traps.
He's bigger, he's thicker, and then he loses weight because
he thought he got slow, and then he improves in passing.
(04:48):
He is an excellent pocket quarterback right now. I mean
to me, I'm watching Burrow and I'm watching Lamar. They're
both great from the pocket. The difference is he has
so many tools in his bag that he made Burrow
just look really talented. And Joe's an all timer. So
there's just I don't even know. I don't know what
defense beats him. You can figure out. The answeredis to
(05:12):
beat most quarterbacks, even the good ones like Tom Brady
or Aaron Rodgers, get pressure on him. That doesn't work.
It doesn't work. I mean Cincinnati had pressure on him.
Cincinnatis got one of the best rush ends. It didn't work.
They needed four touchdowns he delivered at the end, and oh,
by the way, that wasn't enough. They needed a conversion.
(05:34):
And I don't think I even outside of maybe the
Toush push, I've never seen a conversion. I was so
absolutely sure that was going to be converted with Lamar
Jackson and I don't even feel like that. I kind
of feel like that with Andy Reid and Mahomes, but
not to that level. Here's John Harbaugh on the amazing
Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
It starts with Lamar and oftentimes it ends with Lamar.
But in between Lamar and Lamar, there's a lot of
great players out there. You know, they're that are that
are are torounded him. And I think that's kind of
where offense is at right now. And our offense still
knows that they can get a lot better. Mean, all
the things in the first half, those are things that
we definitely can do better.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yes, there are a lot of great players in Baltimore
around Lamar Jackson, but they didn't do anything. But the
defense was terrible. Dereck Henry not much. They missed a
pat They'd eleven penalties, some on offense, but eleven penalties. Uh,
just just nothing like it in the world ever. And
(06:34):
if you're gonna put Marino in that top ten without
a trophy room, you gotta start considering Lamar Jackson. Never
seen anything like this. Now, I want to talk about
the Cincinnati Bengals going for two. I don't care what
analytics say. I'm usually a believer, usually a believer, especially
for a road team playing a superior team that was
(06:59):
Tampa Bay on Monday. You're a road team, you're facing
a superior team. My rule, once again, you go for it.
Your defense, Cincinnati defense was exhausted. Lamar Jackson was literally silly, ridiculous, unstoppable.
And I just don't think in life you want to
leave in footballer life your fate to others. You're gonna
(07:20):
leave the fate to a coin flip. Remember Baker Baker
Mayfield's reaction Monday when they lost a coin flip. He's like, yeah,
game over. And the longer this game went on, the
clear it was Baltimore was the better team. And I'm
always amazed by how many people in life allow others
to control their fate in life and in football. Go
(07:42):
for it, take a swing, don't leave it to others.
Here's the utter thing. When you get into these high
leverage situations in any sport. It could be the end
of an NBA game. Who's your best player, Joe Burrow,
Jamar Chase, Give your best players the ball. I remember
(08:02):
years ago USC played Texas for a national championship. Lend
A White was a nice player, Matt Liiner, Reggie Bush.
Make sure they control that fourth down. They didn't get it,
Texas got it, came back one. In these high leverage situations,
Russell Wilson throwing in the Super Bowl, give it to
Marshawn Lynch. You had Joe Burrow, you had Jamar Chase
(08:25):
Baltimore couldn't stop either. Go with your strains. The other
thing is, if you have a huge flaw as a
football team or a basketball team, hide it. What was
the flaw last night Cincinnati's defense? You don't want to
go to overtime losing a coin flip or Joe Burrow
is going to be doing a Baker Mayfield. All right,
lost the coin flip. And I think fans should want
(08:49):
their coaches to be aggressive because remember, you can't be
tied just to the result. The last time these two
teams played, Cincinnati got hyper conservative in a overtime and
tried a long field goal and end up losing. And
yes they lost this way too. Don't get married to
the result. The truth about this play was there were
(09:11):
there was a pass interference. Now it wasn't called right,
and Burrow got hit in the head. It wasn't called,
but being aggressive allowed that to potentially be called. Now
I wouldn't have called the burl hit, the play was over,
and I wouldn't have called the holding passer inference because
it was away from the ball. But if it was called,
they wouldn't have been outraged by it. But by being aggressive,
(09:33):
you put your team in the opportunity to potentially get
those calls. You don't with a coin flip. So I'm
gonna support going for it on the road inferior team
facing a superstar quarterback. It's just like Monday, Baker played great,
Burrole played great. Mahomes is better, Lamar's better on the
(09:53):
road defense can't make stops. Same exact situation, it really is.
It comes down to both cases. I'm not giving Mahomes
the ball again. I'm not leaving my life up to
a coin. I'm going for it. Here's Zach Taylor the
coach after that, what was on that came.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
Here to win, here to win, and it's sickening that
this has happened twice to us. That's what it is.
We gotta find a way to close out these games.
You know, we got our opportunity and got down there
out went for two and just didn't work out for us.
We just got to figure out a way to make
that last play to win the game.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Well, I mean they could have won both those games
against Baltimore. Spend a little more money on defense. I
mean that Trey Hendrickson, guy, by the way, is playing now.
Remember he was holding out off season. He leaves the
NFL in sacks. He was holding out all off season,
and they still don't want to pay Jamar Chase or
t Higgins. I mean, that's not good for the locker room.
That and that's not good for the culture and the vibe.
(10:51):
I'm just saying Baltimore pays it stars Cincinnati makes him
go through the ringer. That that would help winning games two,
improve the culture in the locker room and the vibe
in Cincinnati. J Mack Blazing five fifty minutes from now.
You know there are certain weeks. I had a winning
week last week. Certain weeks I feel really good about
(11:13):
my picks.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
Aren't you one to oher? Already?
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We gave out Bengals yesterday.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
We gave out Bengals yesterday. We're both on a heater
in our college picks. But there's weeks the pick that
I so I always have six picks. I give the
staff six picks. I come in, they lay it all
out and then I ditch one.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
Which one did you do?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I'll tell you the one I ditched. I bet it
was Rams Dolphins. No it wasn't. I ditched betting against
Mahomes O smart moves. I waited for the number this
morning if it moved up, because you and I talk
about this. We bet the number, not the team. You
bet the number. So the number had it gone up
half a point to a point, I would have bet it.
But I am not betting against I'm willing to bet
(11:52):
against Mahomes as especially as a big favorite. He's never
been a great, big favorite. Bet But I'm gonna just
watch the bone new Patrick Mahomes battle and not better.
The Broncos did the boat Nicks Mahomes battle.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Broncos did get him last year.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Remember they beat him pretty soundly. I believe at mile High.
No no, no, no, I mean the Chiefs. The Chiefs have
lost to the Raiders. The Chiefs have an unforced error
every year, every year, even the Brady teams. It's a
long season. They're they're it's all games are not equal.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Can you tease the Blazing five?
Speaker 6 (12:25):
You could?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
You could tease the Chiefs under a field goal to
like one and a half. No, we don't have to
have lea. We keep it simple and I don't want
to get too complex here. I'm a simple man.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern AM Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
I'm i gotta be honest with you.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I've been a little warm.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
In the last couple of weeks with my blazing five picks.
Let's turn the heat up.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Feeling it, Let's blaze it up. It's Collins Blazon five bills.
It cold.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I like the Holts plus four. Listen, Flacco is gonna
be fine. It was the first game starting. Give them
some reps. He'll be fine. Buffalo Jonathan Taylor. Buffalo didn't
defend the run particularly well. Jonathan Taylor one hundred plus
scrimmage yards for the last five games. Good offensive line,
they will run the ball, they have a chance to
control the clock, and they have tied for the most
(13:21):
takeaways in the AFC. Here's what scares me about Buffalo.
They're getting more Josh Allen Reliant twelve rush attempts, one
hundred and six passes over the last three games. Back
to back games with an interception. They're getting a little
Josh Allen heavy. They've got nineteen players on the injured list.
They come off a very emotional divisional win against Miami.
(13:45):
I think the Bills go on the road, they get flat.
It's a must win game for the Colts in a
feisty division. Bill's got their division wrapped up. I'm gonna
get the upset here. Take the points. Upset, Colts twenty
seven Bills, Vikings at Jaguars. Love the Vikings. Trevor Lawrence
won't play. It's gonna be Mac Jones. The entire offense.
(14:07):
Six different starters for the Jags on offense are banged up.
Vikings only losses to the Rams when they got healthy
in the Lions. They're a fast starting team. So Minnesota
on the road takes the lead. They're actually the best
first quarter team in the league. They'll quiet the crowd.
What there is of one offense Number two in the
NFL in Minnesota in big plays and Sam Darnold's hot
seven of his eight starts one hundred plus passer rating,
(14:30):
tied for the best in the NFL. The Jaguars defense
is off full. It is terrible. They're a slow starting team.
The defense is thirtieth or worse in almost every unit.
Listen to this. They allow six yards of play that
is unheard of a fast starting Minnesota Vikings offense. A
(14:54):
quarterback and coaching advantage. Mac Jones against Darnold, I'm gonna
lay this seven points. Vikings win by ten, thirty three
to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Steelers at Commanders.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I'm gonna take Mike Tomlin off a bye as an underdog.
He's the best underdog coach maybe of his generation. Take
the Steelers plus the three points. Back to back games
with four hundred plus yards. Russell Wilson is really keying
in on George Pickens thriving together. Here's the thing. Their
defense is terrific. Number one red zone defense, So even
(15:27):
if Washington busts off some big plays, they'll settle more
often from for field goals and touchdowns. And the Commander's
defense is bad twenty eighth best red zone defense. And
I kind of like what I've seen from Pittsburgh's red
zone offense. In run game with Russell Wilson, I have
a feeling Pittsburgh's gonna control the clock, pound the rock,
(15:49):
move the pocket, and when the Commanders do move the
ball against the great defense. They'll move it some, they'll
settle for field goals. I'm taking Mike Tomlin off plus
the points as an underdog to beat Washington twenty seven
to twenty four.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Forty nine Ers and Buccaneers.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Listen, we said yesterday this is the bet of the week.
I'll take forty nine Ers minus six and a half.
They're getting healthy, They're coming off of bye. McCaffrey, Deebo, Samuels,
Juwan Jennings are all back. They've won four or five
games under Shanahan, the last four or five off of bye.
Number two in total offense, and that's using number three
and number four running backs, defense, multiple takeaways in three games.
(16:33):
You got a ticked off San Francisco team getting healthy.
They're gonna eat Tampa's on a short week off a
physical overtime game with Kansas City. Their defense allows thirty
three a game, and they are falling apart. Baker's not healthy,
couple of the backs aren't healthy. Mike Evans still out.
Vitavia isn't one hundred percent. This is a bad, bad
(16:54):
spot for Tampa. I like the Niners to win comfortably
thirty to twenty.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Dolphins and Rams.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
You know the wise guys like Miami here, I do not.
I like the Rams three game winning streak. They're eight
and three when they're healthy with Puka, Cooper Cup Stafford
Kyron Williams. And they are healthy and Miami goes on
the road again, this time all the way cross country.
The story of the Rams is how good their defensive
rookies are. They lead the NFL and hit sacks, interceptions.
(17:27):
This defense is a bunch of rookies and second year players,
and they're getting better by the week. Tua better at
protection shared versus unlockable. I don't think it's Stafford as
much as it is this defense for a team that
now travels for the second straight week, and I don't
like Miami doesn't get a pass rush, so Stafford is
going to be really comfortable. They don't defend the run again.
(17:50):
I think the Rams win time of possession, control the
line of scrimmage at home, control the clock. Dolphins fly
cross country after the Buffalo trip. I like the Rams
to win thirty to twenty four. Whise guys like the Fins.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I do not be sure to catch live editions of
the Herd weekdays in noonon eastern not a im pacific.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Well, how lucky are we? Young man? Jack Flarity grows
up in Los Angeles, goes to school here, gets drafted
first round by the Saint Louis Cardinals, spend like seven years.
They're a good organization, and then he ends up in
Detroit and one day you're in your clubhouse, Jack Flaherty,
joining us eight years July thirtieth, GM comes up to
(18:34):
you and says you've been traded to the Dodgers. Was
your first reaction? Has a lot of pressure?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
No, definitely was not. That's a lot of pressure. It's like, Wow,
I can't believe that this is real. I can't believe this,
this is happening. I knew I was gonna get traded
it it was pretty much. It was made very evident
to me, like, yeah, we're gonna move you. We don't
know where, and then it's gonna be the Dodgers. Like
how quickly can I get this text off to my
mom before it breaks because this is going to happen
(19:04):
really quick, just so she didn't see it from elsewhere
and be like and I just just one word was Dodgers, And.
Speaker 6 (19:12):
Yeah, that was That was that was all my thought.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So and they relied on you that we said. It's
almost remarkable. They won forty different pitchers used in all
three series. I've never seen this a bullpen game in
the World Series, I thought, I said out loud, I
thought the Podrays had you. The Podres series was different
because that team is all attitude. And when you came here,
(19:37):
did you realize how intense the Dodger Podre rivalry was.
Speaker 6 (19:42):
No. I think you see it. You could see the games.
Speaker 7 (19:44):
You see the way that it had gone and the
way that it had gone over the last couple of years.
I think it was twenty two when San Diego beat them,
But I didn't realize the record difference on the season
until we played them because I got there for it
was the series they were playing in San Diego.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
They had one more game.
Speaker 7 (20:03):
I flew in just to be there with the team
before we took off for Oakland, and you.
Speaker 6 (20:08):
Know, they beat us pretty bad.
Speaker 7 (20:10):
You know, it was a it was a rough day
and but the atmosphere was awesome. But then it was
just different. I didn't really realize how intense it was.
I had been in rivalries before with us in the Cubs,
being in Saint Louis, but that one was uh talk, Yeah,
there was a lot of a lot of back and forth,
and it kind of felt like the second we didn't
(20:31):
react to everything that was going on, and we played
our game and we worried about us, the better position
we were in, like just kind of like one of
those things like they like it felt like they you know,
they were trying to get under our skin. Yes, and
you know, personally like I let it happen. And in
game two where things got emotional, and uh, it felt
like once we just worried about us and went about
(20:53):
our business and relaxed a little bit, we were able
to relax a little bit before Game four and uh yeah,
we took care of business.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
So Freddie Freeman, you know, these first hitting home runs
are insane. As a pitcher, we don't think that offense,
we know, we know, you know, pitching with a lead
probably helps a little. But it felt like those Freeman
home runs kind of change the pitching, like almost gave
(21:20):
you guys more confidence. You were more aggressive.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
Pitching with a lead absolutely is a difference, especially in playoffs,
when you have a lead and you can go out
and attack the other team and you can go out
and it opens the door to go get strike one
and just to to go right at guys and and
to be aggressive and not really worry about like, you know,
I gotta I gotta pitch the corners. And especially if
you're on the road. Now, you've got momentum going out there,
(21:45):
and it's just like, how quickly can I get these
guys back to hitting and how quickly can we get
you know, these guys back up again. So for me,
my job at that point is how quickly, you know,
just let's just get these guys out and get these
guys back in the doug out and let them keep
swinging it. Let's build this lead, and let's end this
game early. Because momentum in the playoffs is a real
thing and is everything, and once that thing starts to shift,
(22:09):
things can happen quickly and can go in whatever direction
that it wants to go.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
One of the things that struck me Jack Flaherty joining
us if you're listening on radio, Dodger Great came July
thirtieth at the deadline from Detroit and was really crucial
in the playoffs. I'm struck by Otani's the biggest superstar
in the game. Mookie Betts is one of the greatest.
I compare him to Joe Morgan. Probably you wouldn't remember
that as well. Joe Morgan I thought was the best
(22:36):
baseball player I ever saw, but because he was around
Johnny Bench and Pete Rose, he was overshadowed. Mookie Bets, similarly,
is an insane talent. I don't understand where he generates
that power. And then you have Freddy Freeman and guys
like you, and then Clayton Kershaw's not pitching, but there's
an aura around him, and then Walker Buehler, and here's
Dave Roberts having to manage injuries and resources. I'm struck
(23:00):
by the body language. How positive. I don't sense ego. Oh,
if Otani wanted to be a jerk, he.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
Could be, Yeah, he could be.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
What when you came to the organization, were you immediately embraced?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
I was, and it was it was Uh. It was
one of those things.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
I had known a couple of a handful of guys
on the team already, so for me coming in, and
I had known Doc a little bit, and we had
we had family friends that knew each other, so I
felt like it wasn't. It wasn't a bunch of hey,
nice to meet you's. It was a bunch of hey, man,
good to see you, like like we all knew each other.
It wasn't like, hey, I'm so and so. It wasn't
(23:36):
you know, hey I'm Will Smith, Hey I'm Mookie Bets.
It was like, mok, it's good to see you Will,
Like how we doing, how are we gonna make this
thing happen?
Speaker 6 (23:42):
So it was a lot more of that where I
have known or.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Gotten to know some of these guys a little bit,
where they just embraced they They brought me in, embraced me,
and I felt like I just, you know, just seamlessly
fit in and was able to go out, have a
good start in Oakland and just just go from there.
We had a bunch of injuries and uh, but it
was it was really just next man up. Whoever, whoever
was ready to pitch, whoever was ready to go that day,
give it everything you got and just go out and
(24:08):
do it.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I thought the Padres actually matched up better than the
Yankees or Mets did against you. I thought they kind
of matched up. But they're a team, as you told
me during the break, they play with a lead, there
are a lot of emotion. They don't play as well
from behind. Going into the World Series, and I just
looked at the batting order and I thought, you know,
once you get past like a Stanton down, I just
thought that your pitching would beat their hitting, whereas you
(24:30):
guys can put Tommy Edmund batting ninth and it's like
he'll eat you alive. What was the scouting report going
into the World Series? Was there a sense that you
feel like we got the better we got the better
team here.
Speaker 7 (24:45):
Look, I think that for me, it was just trying
to keep guys off base when it was trying to
you have to get the bottom of the order out
because once you get up, if you've got guys on
base and then you've got you know, Glabor, Soto, Judge
and Stanton coming up, you've got problems.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
You got a lot of problems.
Speaker 7 (25:02):
So you have to you have to get the bottom
of the order out so that you're not facing those
guys with runners on. And if I can get to
a point where I'm facing you know, Soto, Judge and
Stanton without runners on, we'd be in a we'd be
in a better spot, you know, we trusted our lineup,
what they were gonna do. You got the NLCS MVP
hitting ninth for part of it when when we got it,
which is crazy crazy, And but then that goes to
the no ego thing is Tommy has no ego.
Speaker 6 (25:24):
He won the MVP, he was unbelievable.
Speaker 7 (25:25):
NLCS, hey, by the way, we're gonna hit you ninth,
but then you know against rodn we're gonna hit you
fifth because you're maybe a little bit better right handed.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
But none of those guys had in the ego.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
Mooki show hey, Freddie like they just wanted to do
whatever it took to win, and they did it. And
that guy comes down to sacriflies. You got Mooki celebrating sacriflies,
which it's not to say he wouldn't do that in
the regular season, but the emotion that he would show
of like I got the job done, we got a
run because every single run mattered, and what we were
(25:57):
able to do so it was I mean, the whole
playoffs was a grind, and our offense like they they
they showed up and and and and really they helped
us throughout the throughout the World Series.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
The I mean, you've picked Saint Louis good. Franchise been
a little lean in recent years. Detroit's had down years.
How I mean, I I watched the R and D
for the Dodgers. They don't miss on trades very often.
They bring up minor league guys. They're all good. I mean,
they're they They overachieved for a big for a team
that could spend a lot of money and overspend, they
(26:31):
spend it smartly. They passed on Manny Machado, Zach Grienky.
They don't always just spend the most money. I still
can't figure out how they got Monkey Betts and why
Boston let them go. But how is it different? Do
you feel having been with four let's say you've been Cards, Orioles, Tigers, Dodgers.
This is not the knock other teams. I always felt
the Dodgers were kind of elegant, they kind of stately
(26:53):
like it. Does it feel different?
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (26:56):
You feel the you feel the you feel the the
like like that. They're any any place they go, they're
the They're the bigger, better team. And you know, like
Matt Camp he told me this, he said, it's just
different wearing the Dodger blue.
Speaker 6 (27:13):
And it's different having Dodgers across your chess. He said,
guys just.
Speaker 7 (27:16):
Come here and you just like the level of their
game just steps up for whatever reason. And maybe it's
it's the guys you're playing with that make you feel like, hey,
I'm almost the same level as this guy. Like I
get to I get to work, I get to work
with him every day. Or the staff that they bring around,
and how much staff that they have to give you
information or to help you out, and and the way
(27:38):
that they watch you work, go about your business, the
way they watch you throw, the way that their their
meetings are held. Everything it is. It is top tier
from top to bottom, and you know, every single part
of it goes that way, and I think it goes
a long way where you continue to see the success
throughout the regular season no matter who's out there.
Speaker 6 (27:58):
It's not the same team every year. There's a different
piece here and there.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
And then you know, the playoffs just comes down next.
Any I mean playoffs, anything can happen. And I know
that they you know, they they they caught a lot
for not winning in the in the past, but anything
can happen in baseball. The playoffs is every The best
team doesn't win every year, and you know, the Dodgers
have been they've been the best team. And when you
go to certain cities that you when you go to
(28:22):
certain cities, teams are like, okay, like we we got
a real team coming in now and and that's that's
the feeling that you get when you play them.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
When the when the Yankees melted down in the fifth,
I mean it was I've never seen anything like You've
never seen it. And they were not a great fielding
team to begin with. You guys were a better fielding team.
But when you're in that, when you're in that dugout,
because it kind of felt like we're going back to
l A, Yeah, we're going back to l O that way,
And in that fifth inning, I'm just I'm going all
(28:51):
the Yankees are playing tight, which is remarkable because you're
the favorite and you played loose. They're their underdog, and
could you sense they just got tight?
Speaker 7 (29:01):
I think we could sense it from the feeling in
the in the stands, Like before the intros of Game three,
whatever reason, we were all kind of looking at each
other and just were like it just it feels like
a nervous energy in the stands and we couldn't quite
pinpoint it, and we were like, let's just go out
and play and like have some fun. We got Walker
(29:21):
Bueler on the mound, one of the best big game
pitchers out there, is like, he's gonna go do it.
Our bullpen is fresh and healthy, because you know, y'all,
Mota had pitched well the day before, and I did
enough in game one, and it was like, let's just
let's go out win this game and then this end
this series and and make go up three to oh
so we uh yeah, it felt And then game five,
(29:45):
I've that ending was crazy.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
Everything that could have gone wrong.
Speaker 7 (29:48):
For them did everything, and we still had to capitalize
because that that played with with Rizzo and and Cole
happens and we're like, oh my goodness, like like thank goodness.
But then Freddy gets a hit, Tail gets a hit,
and then and now we're now we're tieball game.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
And now it's like, okay, now.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
You took advantage of the momentum. They gave you an opening,
and you took advantage such advantage.
Speaker 7 (30:09):
That's the way it goes. Momentum is a housting. They
I didn't pitch well to start the game. They had
all the momentum Cole's throwing a no hitter. We get
a couple guys on an air here there, and all
it took was one hit from Freddy and then it
was then it was game all.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
So you're intense on the mound, you look like you are,
and it's funny. Dave Roberts is the nicest guy, it
feels like. And you you pitch sometimes angry you are
you are. I mean, I mean you're like intimidating looking.
So when you were coming today, I'm like, this guy,
he's got an edge. When Roberts comes to the mound,
(30:46):
do you guys, is it always like an understanding? Do
you ever fight to stay in What are those discuss
because you're a very intense guy out there and you're
not in person, but you are in the mound. When
Dave comes out there, is it ever gotten intense?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
No.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
Every time he's come out, he he has signaled before
he got out there that he was gonna to bring
in the bullpen. There was only one time where we
had a discussion. And it was my first home start
against the Pirates and I got through five innings and
you know, he comes over to me and I know
he's gonna tell me, hey, you're done, and I just
(31:21):
kind of looked at him, and guy, I just was
like no, and he was like, what do you mean.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I was like, I was like no, Like I'm good.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
I felt like that day I could throw one hundred
and fifty pitches and my arm was gonna be fine,
and I had play in the tank and he just
and he was like okay, and he and he and
he walked back and and I went out and I,
you know, I threw one hundred and ten pitches or
whatever it was like, and he he he comes to
get me. I didn't finish the inning, and you know,
some of the pictures were like we even like seeing
(31:49):
that where we let it, we let a guy go
over one hundred pitches as you're like second start here.
And I was like, I don't know, man, I felt
like I could throw one hundred and fifty pitches today.
And Doc, to to his credit, was like okay, like
if you if you you say you got it, like sure,
and he let me go out and I, you know,
pitched well for for that inning, didn't get out of it,
and he came and got me at the right time.
So that was the only time. Otherwise, the discussions on
(32:11):
the mound, we haven't had any. It was it was
usually hey, you know, good job, we're gonna get you,
or you know, I didn't pitch well, and it was like, hey,
we're gonna pick you up. We're gonna we're gonna go
win this game, which is kind of how Game five was.
It was like, hey, we're gonna pick you up.
Speaker 6 (32:23):
We got you.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Obviously you knew before you got here how great o'tawny was.
What was the moment when he was a teammate. It
could have been at the cage. It could have that
you went, all right, that's different.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
Oh, there was a there was a ball that he
he hit. It was against Colorado against uh Kyle Freeland,
and he and he took a pitch that was up
and then left on left and he and it was
a pitch up here, and he hit it out to
left center and he hit it about ten rows deep
in the left center, which you don't do is a
left handed hitter at all.
Speaker 6 (32:57):
And then we all went and.
Speaker 7 (32:59):
Watched exactly where the pitch was and then we saw
its two balls above the zone and he hit it
out and we were like, that's that's not normal. And
they had watched him all year and been with him
and everybody was still like, wow, that was that was incredible.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
And and show is just you know, he's.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Just you'll just be like, you know, he looks like
a movie star.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Yeah he is.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
He's a he's a stud. He man that that dude
is He's incredible and he will and he's just he's
as cool, comic collected as they come. He just uh yeah.
Him showing some emotion is is different. But it's he's awesome.
Speaker 6 (33:32):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
By the way, Arawan is a very bougie. It's very
high end. You've gone total la. You've got your own
smoothie at air one. My daughter's like, she tells me
she owed air one. I'm like, is dad paying for it?
So I know what it costs to get a smoothie
at Airwan. You've got your own smoothie. Yeah, you're you're uptown. Yeah,
look at it?
Speaker 7 (33:51):
Is that your Yeah, that's that's the smoothie right there
before the big game. Uh yeah, it was right before uh,
right before the World Series.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Congratulations full blown, La. Yeah, what a story. Your mom
ran the Little League.
Speaker 6 (34:04):
I think Sherman Oaks yeah, Sherman Oaks the league.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Your backstory is incredible. You become a Dodger, You're so valuable,
and this was a real pleasure. You are welcome any time.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Know, you're kind of intimidating when you pitch. They told
me you were on the show Tuesday, and I'm like,
I'm not gonna say anything. I'm not going to get
Jack worked up. But you know what you do, put
the classic game face on. It is the day you pitched.
Different upstairs.
Speaker 6 (34:29):
It's very different. It's very different.
Speaker 7 (34:30):
And I come in, I don't talk to anybody, and
really I think it's it's a different thing. And guys
are you know. They got to ask like do you
like to talk on days you pitch? And I just no,
And then they start to realize, like that's just.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
That's just how I gotta be.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
It is it is game day.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Yeah, it's different.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Great meeting you.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
All Right, we'll take a break. J MA is gonna
come back with his picks. Jack Flaherty, what a pleasure
world series, champ La Kid, great story. It's the Herd
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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