June 24, 2025 • 41 mins
Colin analyzes Cooper Flagg ahead of tomorrow's NBA draft and why the Flagg comparison to LeBron is fair despite both players never having a "go to move"
He shares his "Bold AFC Predictions" for the upcoming NFL season and why the Chiefs are in a precarious position for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The 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. You're
(00:22):
listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go.
It is a Tuesday. We are ready to roll live
in Los Angeles. Sits The Herd. Wherever you may be
and however you may be listening. Thanks for making How's
part of your day?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Nick?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Right one hour from now, my buddy John Middlecop is
joining me. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. John, we had a
great show yesterday. It flew by. There's a lot of
things going on. The draft is tomorrow. Rick Patino's gonna
join us, which is how lucky are we? Really? Smart
guy and a great personnel guy, Rick Patino joins us
tomorrow and we're gonna go through the top eight or
nine picks. Nobody's smarter than a Rick on all this stuff.
(01:00):
He facedful lot of those guys. But John, did you
enjoy your first and the chair?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I did?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I was surprised my key card work this morning. But
I'm here so hit in the building.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Is king card worked again? So I saw this story.
The draft is tomorrow and Cooper Flag is going to
go number one. So he played at Duke, so obviously you,
me and our dogs watched Cooper Flag play a few
times and he was in the tournament. He's a great player.
I think he's a better version eventually, not now, but eventually.
I like a Jason Tatum Brian Scalabrine who does a
(01:30):
really good job. He's a broadcaster in Boston. We've had
him on the show before. He was talking about what
is game? What?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
What?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
What? What?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Cooper Flag's game is?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Like Lebron has scored fifty thousand points, doesn't have a
go too shot. I'm not sure he has a go
to shot. It's he's a basketball player that makes things happen.
Lebron's a freak of nature. Defensively, he's a freak of nature. Defensively,
Lebron can run point. He can run point sixty eight
point guards six eight point guard like. He trends like that.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I have never been into guys with an absolute go
to move. The best restaurants I've ever been at don't
have a signature dish. They just do everything well. You
can get a cob salad, you can get a chicken palm.
The cocktails are good, so are the desserts. Everything's good.
That's a good restaurant. And I always remember this when
(02:23):
I was in college. When I was in college, I
wanted to be a baseball announcer. I wanted to be
like a you know, like a Vince Scully or something right,
or a Dick Enburg. And I remember everybody had a
home run call. Everybody had a home run call. And
the two favorite guys when I was in college, my
two favorite broadcasters were a young Bob Costas and a
young al Michaels. And they didn't They didn't need a gimmick.
(02:46):
I didn't need a fly ball to left followed by
get out through spatch, little Graham all we're making fried
potatoes and ash just call the game. Be good at everything.
I don't need a signature home run call. When I
started watching uf Z twenty years ago, every fighter had
like one style. They were a kickboxer, a wrestler, or
a boxer. Now the best fighters can do everything. Quarterbacks,
(03:10):
I want mobility. I want you to be good in
the pocket. I want you to be good pre snap.
Jaden Daniels is good at everything. Yeah, he can run,
he's great in the pocket. He's smart, he's good pre snap.
He's good early in games. He's good in the two
minute drill. Like, I'm not looking for specialization. I don't
need a bag. James Harden's game feels shicky. He'll finish
(03:33):
as one of the great scorers of all time. Carmelo
Anthony would never take two steps back and hit a three,
like he didn't play defense. I think he'll be a
good broadcaster, but his game, I don't need definition on
one move if you have one like Kareem. Well, Colin,
what about Kareem? Yeah, but Kareem wasn't a ball handler.
(03:55):
He wasn't a playmaker. He didn't have the ball in
his hands much. Back in his era, point guard ran
the show and always had the ball. You would never
let the center or the power forward touch it until
they got the ball down low. So Kareem had to
develop a signature move and it was great for him.
But the best guys now like Wemby. Wemby can put
(04:17):
it on the floor. He can shoot a three, he
can drive he can do everything, and that's Cooper Flag.
I look at it this way. If I want specialization,
it'll be for a surgeon, a heart surgeon, a brain surgeon.
But I want my basketball players to be like a
general practitioner. I got poison IVY. I broke my wrist,
(04:39):
can you help me with both? I got a rash?
Help me fix it. I broke my ankle, can you
mend it? That's what I'm looking for. So I don't
need a go to move. I think Cooper Flag is
a more aggressive version of Jason Tatum. And what if
I always said about Jason Tatum, he's an A player.
If he was more aggressive, be an a plus player.
(05:01):
So that's what I think he's going to be. I
don't need a signature dish at a restaurant, and I
don't need a signature move. Kareem had to have one.
But in today's basketball, Lebron James led the NBA last year.
Think about this. Lebron James at his age led the
NBA in getting a bucket in the fourth quarter, and
(05:23):
the knock on Lebron is, well, he doesn't have a
signature move. That's because he's a better ball handler than
Michael Jordan or Kareem. He's a better ball handler. He
elevates others, he's smart. Lebron always gets a really good
shot when you need him to get a good shot.
He's not limited or boxed in or marginalized by having
(05:45):
to go to a signature move. So I think Cooper
Flagg is going to get drafted. I think he's going
to average almost twenty a game as a rookie. I
think he's gonna have a great backwall of defense in
Dallas and their bigs behind him. And the thing I
like most about him, he doesn't have a go to move.
He's not concerned about having a bag. And now this story,
(06:08):
and I feel like it's the thirteenth time I've done
this story. The Boston Celtics worked another NBA team on
a trade as soon as the season ended. Between Danny
Ainge and Brad Stevens, they seemingly work every team. It's
like Howie Roseman and the Eagles don't pick the phone up,
(06:29):
just don't pick it up. So Drew Holliday, I've always
liked Drew Holliday, but he got really old, really fast.
And the Celtics have new owners and their books are
all messed up. They gotta go work on their cap sheet.
So yesterday they called Portland. Portland took his monstrous contract,
and he's not the same player. He didn't make an
(06:50):
All defensive team last year. And this happens with guys
that played defense at a high level. You can age
very quickly. Defense is hard. Defense becomes injuries. Defense you're
on the floor. Defense is hard work. And Drew Holiday
has been a great defensive player, and for five years
I think it was all defense, right, he didn't make it.
He didn't make it last year, and he looked suddenly
(07:12):
kind of old. So the Celtics have to clean up
their books. They move him, they get and they get
a younger player, a cheaper player, a better offensive player
from Portland. And and Forredy Simons, who they're going to rent
for one year because Tatum's gone and they need his
scoring and then he's out. Now, Simon's doesn't really necessarily
fit Boston's culture. He's not a great defender, he doesn't
(07:33):
elevate others, but he can shoot threes, and nobody shoots
more threes than Boston, so he'll be a good fit.
But mostly what they did is got drew Holiday off
the books. They got second rounders in this deal, a
couple of them. They got a younger, cheaper player with
an expiring contract. How do they do it? But I'll
tell you what's happening in the NFL and in the NBA.
(07:54):
It's not just the big swing. You got to win
on the margins because you know, the salary cap in
the NFL's tight. And with the new Aprons and CBA.
In the NBA, Phoenix went big with Katie and Bradley
Beale and it was a disaster. Dame Lillard Milwaukee didn't work.
But look at what Indiana did with Obi Toppin for
(08:14):
a couple second round picks. That was a great move.
TJ McConnell, and go look at Sam Presty's geting Isaiah
Hartenstein or Alex Caruso. It's winning on the margins. Now
you are limited on the big swings. And I said
this yesterday. Most of our lives in the NBA, we
knew like Jerry West was a general manager or pat
(08:38):
Riley became a GM. We didn't talk gms. When talk,
I mean one of the great gms in league history.
Ninety percent of sports fans wouldn't know who san Antonio's
GM was. R. C. Buford. He was like the Howie
Roseman of the NBA. WA didn't talk about it. Now,
figure out who the gms are. You have got to
(08:58):
make the smart Remember Denver wins a title a couple
of years ago, and I fell for it. I'm like,
okay Yo kich is the best player in the world.
Gordon's a great defensive player. By the way, Gordon was
one of those margin moves. But all of a sudden
they lost KCP. Well, KCP was their shot maker late
of if Yo Kicch wasn't and they lose it was
it Bruce Brown. They lost another and you start losing
(09:19):
those guys. Well, Yokich is still great, Gordon's still great,
Porter still porter, Jamal Murray still Jamal Murray. Malone can
still coach. It was the guys on the edges. They
got bad. They got worse defensively, They became too Yokicch dependent.
If Murray got hurt, they didn't have another shot creator.
So it is now becoming a Margins league. And this
(09:40):
is what Boston just did. They got a guy who's
aging off the books. They get draft picks, Boston O's
against multiple draft picks. They get a younger, cheaper player
with an expiring contract who can shoot a bunch of
threes the day the season ends. The minute the season ends.
They don't do it during like Phoenix, they don't do it.
(10:00):
You know, Houston and Phoenix, they're doing it day of
the finals. Lee does not like that the minute the
season ends. Brad Stevens boom next day got a deal.
Draft picks younger, cheaper player off the books in the
year as Tatum's hurt. So you can go big game hunting.
And I'm not opposed to big game hunting, but I
don't consider Katie to Houston big game hunting. Jannis is
(10:21):
big game hunting. But when I look at KD, you
are accentuating a strength. You move some pieces, but you
don't have to pay a five year max for KD.
That doesn't feel like big game hunting. It's smart hunting.
But boy, Boston does it. Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens, it's
got This is what the NFL is really all about,
(10:43):
you know. It's like, that's why I kept saying for Chicago,
they went and got DJ Moore, didn't win any more games.
Watched Joe Tooney, Drew Dolman, the center, Jonah Dak all
those interior offensive linemen. Those feel more like well of
marginal moves. We don't talk guards on this show. Watch
Chicago improve dramatically. It's not just the wide receiver, the
(11:06):
left tackle in the quarterback. So the Celtics do it again.
You know you you know this as a former you
work for the Philadelphia Eagles. You know this is that
the media, myself included, we love the big swing, but
a lot of times it's it's fixing your guard center
guard combination. And in the NBA it's it's getting that
(11:27):
first guy off the bench and adding depth. It's becoming
a depth league because you can't stack your roster.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I was with the Eagles when they signed Non the
awesome Wah didn't go well last last year.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
How he signed Zach Bond, all Pro Super Bowl Special
Teams guy, four million dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know that's that that that it's a remarkable how
this stuff works so good for Boston. We got a
lot of stuff today. Caitlin Clark smartly turns down an offer.
We find out today, draft tomorrow, and one player I
think is pulling a lit little bit of a shader
Sanders and I don't love it. We'll talk about that.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Eastern not Am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Hi, this is Jay.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
I'm the producer of the Pauli and Toni Fusco Show.
Usually in these promos they asked you to listen to
the show. I'm here to ask you, please don't listen
to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who
have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to
the show so it can get Camps.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Who what, what the hell are you doing in our studio?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Get him? Paul, Ignore that fool.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Listen to the Paula and Tony Fusco Show on the
iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
He's still moving, all right.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Welcome back. So wait I said this yesterday. I wasn't
picking on the Oklahoma City Thunder. It may have felt
like it, but I said, in the last seven years,
I thought they were probably the fifth or the sixth
best championship team. They had one true, dependable elite scorer
and he had multiple bad games in the tournament. But
I think the thing I'm struck with with SGA is
(13:06):
what an adult he is, how mature he is, What
a nice guy he is, how consistent his personality is.
He doesn't take the bait from the media looking for quotes.
He's just a real grown up, a nice guy to
build your team around. He reminds me of Jalen Hurts
of the Philadelphia Eagles. I always trust him at the podium.
I know he's giving me his best effort. I know
(13:27):
he's coming in focus. Even when Jalen Hurts has a
bad Sunday and he had one against the Rams, I
know he was focused. I know he was concentrating. I
know it was the most important thing in his life.
And I like that. And I was thinking about this
this morning. If you watch the NBA in the eighties
and nineties, you could see how angry the players often
(13:49):
were by their dunks, Like Michael Jordan's career is largely
fueled by animosity and being cut by his high school
basketball team on camp. You notice how many good players
now don't dunk a lot, or you don't even remember
their dunks, even though they're bigger more athletic. They don't
do it. And years ago, in the eighties nineties, everybody
(14:12):
had a nickname Larry Legend, Air Jordan, a Keem, the Dream,
the Microwaves, the Admiral, round Bounder, Rebound, human highlight reel.
Every star had a nickname. Well, Colin, what about the
Greek Freak? A teammate started that because they couldn't pronounce
his name. Nicknames now often go to international guys, so
(14:35):
it's easier to remember and it's given to them by teammates.
Players don't need nicknames now, dunks and nicknames. When Magic
Johnson signed a twenty five year, twenty five million dollar contract,
you had to make money elsewhere. You had to make
it in shoes. There was no social media. So what
nickname got your poster, it got your brand, it got
(14:56):
your car deal, it got you deals and more money.
Bench in the NBA now they make fifteen million dollars
a year. SGA. We just use that to shorten his name.
It's the same with Joker. I don't think I've ever
in his entire career said Jannis's last name on the air.
(15:18):
I don't think I have the Greek free Yannis, So
I think it shows the growth of the NBA. I
think it's a global, international wealthy league. I've always compared
it to Premier League soccer or Barcelona Real Madrid. It's
grown up, it's adult, it's sophisticated. You don't have to
have a catchy nickname. Players aren't angry. They all go
(15:41):
on each other's podcasts. And that's my favorite part of
the young generation of players. They don't have to have
a signature move. They don't. They don't play angry. Now
maybe many people miss that, and I'll be honest, I
like Doctor J's dunks and the round mound or rebound
and angry Charles Barkley on and off the court was
(16:02):
kind of fun. But it's a new league. And here's
Alex Caruso talking about why SGA is a potential face
of the.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
League as far as you know, like face of the
league and best player on best team. He's got that capability.
I mean clearly, the year he's had MVP Western Conference Finals,
MVP Finals, MVP Champion, I don't think anybody in here
would question his ability. And I think the thing that
(16:29):
sets him apart is he'll probably be hungry for.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
More listen, star players today, Wemby. Do you know what
he did? Do you know what Wemby did this offseason?
He went to China a Buddhist temple to practice as
a monk. Jokich, by the way, he did not want
to be in the Nuggets parade. He wanted to go
back home. He wanted to hide. And you know, anytime
I see like you know, you'll you'll you'll You'll see
(16:53):
sometimes like athletes doing something, they're at a fan fast
or something. And I always think to myself, why you
don't have to join every club? Why? And this new
NBA players don't get into a lot of trouble. You
don't hear about it a lot. They're not at clubs
as often. They're on match dot Com or tender or
wherever young guys go. But it really does show a
(17:16):
pivot to the NBA. The stars are hiding. They don't
need ancillary income to make it after their shoes and
after their game. And sga is he's like the poster
for that. It's like never lights the fire. He is
Jalen hurts at a podium. If there's a fire, he's
the cooler. If there's impending trouble, he brings everybody down.
(17:38):
That's modern NBA basketball. That's my quarterback as an NBA star,
And you know I like that. John Middlecoff with the.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
News now this is the Herdline News.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Speaking of quarterbacks, Colin Josh Allen, coming off.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
An MVP season, but a season ended before.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He would have liked, losing a tight.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Game to the Chiefs in the AFC Title Game, Alan.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Said that while the MVP award was a great honor,
his resume still has a hole in it until he
wins the ring, adding that is the only goal.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Is you know, I look at him and I've thought
about this. Let's say he doesn't win a ring. I
think he will and I think he'll win a couple,
but then he'll be in that Jim Kelly, Dan Marino class.
He'll still be a Hall of Famer, but you just
won't talk about him as much. And I mean, if
you ask quarterbacks today. In fact, I heard Brady talking
(18:36):
about this a month ago. Who had the best Armi's
like Marino and what I don't want because Marino got
a lot of attention when he played. He had Don
Shulett with Dan Marino. He was a star. He was
on national commercials, I don't think Josh is that interested
in doing that stuff. Like he again, he's the modern star,
like he makes enough money this he's just got married
(18:57):
adn't to do a lot of commercials. I hope he
and I say this respectfully to Dan, I hope he
doesn't become Dan Marino, because I do think there's an argument,
including Elway, Marino and Mahomes, he's the most physically gifted
quarterback in the history of the league.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Well, think about it, we're coming off an era.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Obviously, Brady surpasses Montana, but Peyton was winning. Peydon won
multiple rings, Rogers won a ring, Mariez, Roethlisberger.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
They're all champions this era. Mahomes is the king. We know.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
The two next best quarterbacks are Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Burl's close.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
These guys are winning MVPs. They're great players. Yeah, who knows.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
I mean, what if Jared gofwin's a ring this year?
What if Purdy gets won in a couple of years.
I mean it's hard to get him now, these guys.
One of these two guys, Josh Allen or Lebar Jackson
could go ringless and have a Marina like.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Career where we go.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
He's one of the greatest players I've ever seen, but
he just couldn't get it done.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Yeah, and I also think josh and Lamar both and
I'm guessing here because players' careers last longer. I would
say josh and Lamar have probably four more prime years
and then three to four after that where they just
don't want to get hit as much. But you are
getting to a point with josh now he's expensive, there
are limitations on the roster. You got about four more
(20:12):
prime years and then it gets trickier because you're not
going to be paying him less because you're not gonna
have There's no other josh Allen on the market. He
could play till forty five if he wanted do. He won't,
but he could. So these years are important.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
And Joshua and like Lamar, has played well against the
Chiefs in these playoff games. Right, the defense just didn't
make a play, the coach screwed up. They'd been right there.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I'm with you. I believe that josh Allen will get
a Super Bowl ring for it's all said and done.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yeah, Okay, onto a team right down the road, the Rams.
They're fresh off of Hawaiian mini camp that we discussed yesterday.
One thing that came up in the Maui trip were
some comments that the president Kevin dimoff, and he discussed
one of the team's goals going forward outside of a
Super Bowl. We already have America's team and the Cowboys
and more recently the Chiefs. But according to dem demof,
(20:59):
the Rams are looking to become the world's team.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Is that possible? Collin Well, I mean, you know, it's funny.
They play in a lot of different places. Have they
played a game in Southeast as yet? I don't know
if they happen not in No I.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Mean they used to do that. I remember when I
was a kid in the nineties. But yeah, they've been
over there.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Well, they're not the most popular team in their division.
The Niners pay.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Far the most popular team in Los Angeles. I've been
to a Niner Rams game.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
The Niners seldom.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I think this is and again I think in the NFL,
to some degree, you are as popular as your quarterback.
I mean, the Philadelphi Eagles win a lot of years
on this show when I didn't talk about it. Uh,
then they get the owner, I mean they had bad owners.
They had weird wonky owners for a long time. Then
(21:43):
they get Jeff Lourie. Then it's Howie Roseman. I mean,
if they didn't have Jalen Hurts and they were banging
around looking for a quarterback, they're not on the show.
So I think in the NFL, because of the rule changes,
it really comes down to do you have an offensive
coach and a star quarterback. I mean, just take me Bay.
Green Bay felt huge during Forbes's tenure, gigantic Madden was
(22:05):
in love with them, and then they felt not quite
as big, kind of under achieving with Aaron Rodgers, but
they were still a huge brand. I mean, like in
their division. I think people are more excited about the
Bears this year than Green Bay because they're not at
this point, we're not sure if they're good at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Before we become the world's team, can we just become
the city's team.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I mean, they were the third biggest brand here, right
We've got the.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Dodgers, the Lakers, that's true, the Niners biggest brand Northern California.
I've lived in Philly, the Philly You got to be
the biggest brand in your own city before you can
take on the world.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Right by salesfair.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
I like the big, the big thinking. Though, last but
not least, your guy used to be your guy. Maybe
you've pivoted. Russell Wilson is a member now of the
Giants as he lands his third team in as many seasons.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Bouncing around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Speaking at the Fanatics Fest over the weekend, Russ broke
down his reasoning for signing with the New York Giants.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Here because of him, the big, big reason of it.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
You know, you know, I really wanted to play with
the guy that's was special like them. I think also too,
We've got a lot of guys that've put a lot
of hard work into it.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
We've got a really good defense rushing the fasts, and we've.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Got a lot of dudes.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Yeah, I'm not an anti Russ guy. I was a
big Ross guy because I never thought he got quite
the credit. But at some point you would have to
be loyal to honesty. Pete Carroll moved off him, Sean
Payton moved off him, and last year another team moved
off him, Mike Tomlin. So those are three Hall of
Fame level coaches all moved off him. And so my
take is they're seeing something on tape. There's something about
(23:38):
him that people aren't willing to put the hooks in
going forward, and so I just I think I've watched
and reassessed my earlier opinions.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
There's no disputing for the six seven years in his prime,
he was one of the best players in the league.
That's one of the more dynamic player I've seen him live.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
He got guys drafted.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
He was incredible.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
But whatever version this guy is now is no longer that.
Unless he's on the Giant that was his only option.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Where was he going?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I mean, and let's face it, if this doesn't go well,
which I don't think many people think it will, is
could this be his.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Last season in the NFL? You talk about this forever.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
These big brands, these big names, it's hard for them
to be backups.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Could this be it?
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Well, it's interesting. I had dinner with a Giants fan
last night and we were talking about Jackson Dart, and
my take is, I didn't love the draft of Jackson
Dart because Russell's gonna start and let's say they won
a couple early games, You're gonna keep playing him. Well,
then Jackson Dart plays only later and next year there's
six potential first round draft picks at quarterback, and I
don't think Dart is as good a prospect as most
(24:38):
of those. So by drafting Jackson Dart, unless they flush
out the GM and the coach, you're gonna have to
give Jackson Dart more runway. So it's a weird. It's
a weird thing. If you're Brian Dable and you start
winning with Russ, you can make an argument. If you
start I don't think they will compiling wins. Don't play
(24:59):
Jackson Dart right like, so don't have people see the
glimpses of excellence or else. Your owner is like going
to be no, no, don't draft this quarterback, and you're like,
they're much better prospects. So I think their quarterback situation's odd.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
What if they're not compiling wins though, and I don't
think they are, that's where the owner is going to
want to see him day Ball. You know, Tomlin had
this weird loyalty last year to Russ as the season
went on and wouldn't go back to Justin Fields.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I don't think day Ball and Joe Shane will.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
So I would expect We talked about this yesterday. Jackson
dart to be inserted much earlier than later.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, you know, I was thinking about this as I
was talking to a Giants fan last night. I looked
up the schedule. It shows you the depth in this
league right now. I mean, there's some really bad teams
at the bottom, but if you look at the Giants schedule,
don't I don't have high hopes for Dallas, but Washington
was a tire fire for fifteen years. They're now special.
(25:51):
Live at their first four or five games. Chargers always underachieved.
Won't anymore with Harball. I mean, you get Washington, Kansas City,
then you go into the Chargers two weeks later, will
Sewn Sean Payton's turned around the Broncos in Denver, Philadelphia, Philadelphia,
San Francisco. There are john there. There are some bad
(26:11):
teams in this league, but because there's more and more
good offensive coaches, more good gms. You talked about coaches
in the NFC, there are not a lot of There
are not a lot of rest stops in this league.
New Orleans is one of the teams we know will
not be good. It's a short list for still not
an easy place to play. That's on that dome and
they're going to the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Who knows how good that That's not an easy place
to play at the Patriots. I mean later in the
season that gets cold. This is a this tough schedule.
Colling Thiss got four or five wins written all over it.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Again, I was gonna say three to fourteen is not
off the radar. Oh, John Middlecoff with the news, Well,
that's the news, and thanks for stupping by the heard line. Now,
there's always been criticism with Lebron James, and you know
he can be polarizing. I understand that, but I've always
thought he elevates others. He's very unselfish when it comes
to bad basketball. He always works for the best shot.
(27:02):
I defended him early in his career when people are like, well, well,
how come he doesn't take the shot? Because he's always
been more magic than Michael Jordan. He's a great distributor,
one of the great passers ever, not just just I'm
not talking, I mean I'm talking in the magic bird class.
He's a great passer. It's not always clever, but it's great.
He gets the ball right in the shooter's hands at
(27:22):
the perfect spot, at the perfect time. The other thing
I always defended Lebron James on is he didn't join
the Slam Dunk Contest, and people are like, why not
Michael Jordan did. When Michael Jordan's brand was dunking, he
leaned into it because of his hand size and his vertical.
Michael again was like David Thompson. For those of you
(27:44):
in your twenties and thirties before Michael, there was a
player named David Thompson with injuries. He had a forty
eight inch vertical. His vertical was better than Michael Jordan's.
He was an unbelievable player. He didn't look like any player.
He was a better jumper than Doctor j and Michael,
but he didn't have quite the hand size apparently so,
but Michael leaned into the dunk contest. It was great
(28:05):
for his brand and Doctor j. But Magic didn't do it.
Bird didn't do it. Lebron could have done it, but
I always felt he was too big for it, the
same way I feel about Shoheo, Tawni and Aaron Judge. Now, yeah,
they did a home run derby once, they're too big
for it. And the story came out about Caitlin Clark
yesterday that she turned down a chance for the three
(28:28):
on three team at the twenty twenty four Olympics, And
it seems like an honor until you realize Jimmer Furdett
played on Team USA's three on three team. We have
to be honest with Caitlyn Clark. Now, she is not
part of the moment for the WNBA. She is the moment.
Ratings dropped fifty five percent, not just on fever games
league wide. She's too big for this. And Tom Cruise
(28:52):
should not be on Love Island. You know, whenever I
see celebrities, you know, on these I've seen these celebrity
shows like a Celebrity Island or celebrity dance competitions, I
always think careers not going well. Christian Polisic I defended him.
Why should Christian Bullisic be at the Gold Cup, Olympics
(29:19):
and Europe. That's what Yokich does. He makes his money
in the NBA. He plays for his country. There's no
reason for Jokis to play for the FEEBO World Championships,
and there's no reason for Polisic to be in the
Gold Cup. Tiger Woods very early in his career was like,
I'm not going to play every tournament. Scotty Scheffler now
uses great discretion when choosing tournaments. Rory McElroy has moved
(29:42):
off some so I think we have to be honest
about this. Caitlin Clark should be doing the Olympics. She
should be playing for the Indiana Fever. That's it. I
don't even want I wonder now at this point should
she be in the shooting contest at the All Star Game?
We know she's the best shoot in the leitue? Why
risk losing? Like there's what's the value. She's not gonna
(30:04):
make any more money. She's not gonna get any more
merch like for her, it has to be strategy. Years ago,
years ago, David Falk was Michael Jordan's agent. He told
me a fascinating story. I'm sure some of you have
heard it, some of you have not. But years ago,
Nike and they were gonna make money on this offered
Michael Jordan to play a one on one televised tournament
(30:27):
against Magic Johnson, and Michael turned it down, like Lebron
has turned down the dunk contest. Michael Jordan, not Magic.
Michael turned it down because Michael was smart enough to know.
He told David Falk. He goes Magic seen as the
team guy if he beats me at one on one,
(30:49):
and I don't think he will, but if he did,
then he's a better one on one guy and the
better team guy. We can't do that to my brand.
Did Michael Jordan lack courage? No, Michael smart. Michael knew
Michael better than Nike and David Falk. Really really talented
people knew Michael. Falk later admitted Michael was right. Michael
(31:11):
knew his brand better than even Falk and Nike. So,
Michael Jordan, I'm not playing magic one on one shoe
Atani is bigger than the home run derby Tom Cruise
can't be on celebrity cookoffs. I don't want to see it.
I want to see him a mission impossible and at
the con Film Festival. That's it with his arm around
(31:32):
Brad Pitt photo op. That's it. Okay, we got a
lot of stuff today, so we're gonna John and I
are gonna go. We're gonna do the af SEED today,
We're gonna do the NFC tomorrow. Are three surprises in
the AFC. Now the AFC is viewed now, better quarterbacks,
better conference? What will be three surprises. I don't know his,
(31:57):
maybe he doesn't know mine. That is neck, it's the hurt.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Eastern non a EM Pacific Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
With the Gold Cup quarterfinal as the US men's national
team takes on Costa Rica.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
No Easy, pat No Second Chances.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Coverage begins Sunday at six pm Eastern on Fox.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Nick Wright joining us top of next hour, so a
lot of things going on. Rick Patino will join us tomorrow.
I am told it is a very good draft. Last
year was very international. You know my take on this,
I think going forward, college basketball players will mostly dominate
the draft, where it's been very internationally driven many times.
(32:44):
And my theory is is that the NIL, not that
it saved college basketball, but it has made college basketball
much better. NIL. Now American colleges are able to go
buy the best European players at eighteen, and there's been
stories that they may consider shuddering the Spanish League because
American colleges down with the NIL are buying up their
(33:06):
best players so they come over here and play. They
get excellent coaching. Also, the G League, which I've always
thought is nonsense. It was like trying to hurt college
basketball and marginalize it. Very few G League players Amen
Thompson is one of the few G League guys I
really really love. Most of them never kind of define
their games. These finals were all about guys that went
(33:28):
to college for at least two years. SGA is an exception,
Chet Holmgren was an exception, but it was a lot
of two and three year players. So I think college
basketball is being empowered. And Rick Patino, we'll talk about
the draft. It is Rutger guys, and it's Arizona guys,
and it's Duke guys, and I think that helps the NBA.
(33:49):
That's what makes college football in the NFL so great
as the marriage is that you're rooting four against Baker Mayfield,
but you know who he is. You're viscerally connected to
Baker Mayfield or Caleb Willilliams. You may not lin like
Lincoln Riley, but you were interested in Kayla Williams because
of Lincoln Riley. And these college guys there's just you know,
they're either not they're going international, they're going G League,
(34:11):
They're gonna play college basketball. You're gonna see him at
least one year in March. But like a Zach Edy,
Purdue can pony up some money and he can stay
another year. And I was interested to watch Zach Edy
last year in college basketball. If Purdue was on, I
was watching. So I think this is going to empower
college basketball. The drafts going forward are going to be
more It's not that they're going to be more domestic,
(34:33):
but there's gonna be higher quality, more mature players like
Cooper Flag that can help you immediately. And I think
Cooper Flag with that great back front line for Dallas,
I think he comes in averages eighteen a game. They're
a playoff team. I think Dallas of healthy will be
the second best team in the West. Next year it'll
go you know, Oka see Houston in Dallas could be
(34:56):
very good. John, you're looking at me. You ready to go?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Okay, I'm just the gab fest over here. So we're
gonna do af SEED today, We're gonna do NFCED tomorrow.
These are our surprises. These would be surprising moves and
big headlines if they happen all start. I think Kansas
City is a wild card team. And Jim Harbaugh and
the Chargers. Now they have their running back situation, in
(35:20):
offensive tackles, set upgrade at receiver. Last year, the only
thing they were missing was juice. Offensively, their defense finish
almost near the top of the league. It went from
last to near first in one year. They built the
culture last year. But free agency and a draft, and
you know, you know Harbaugh is good at the draft.
(35:41):
I think they're going to be one of the better
teams in the league. I think they're an eleven twelve
win team. And the Chiefs come into the season, which
would concern me with offensive line issues. So I like
the Chargers to win the division.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
You're gonna think I'm nuts.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
This race is over. He's going to be the starting quarterback.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
You would have said two years ago, Baker Mayfield leads
Stamford to the playoffs, no chance. Last year, Sam Darnold
leads the Minnesota Vikings the fourteen wins.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
No chance? What does he get an Indy, an offensive.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Coach who created the start of Jalen Hurts' career. Yes,
a great running game, a lot like a couple years
ago when he had a healthy sake one Barkley. Jonathan
Taylor almost had fifteen hundred yards last year.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
The division stinks. The Jags haven't been good ever, obviously, the.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Houston Texas a lot of moving a lot of moving parts,
a lot of question marks with the offense, and the
Titans no death. So when you just look at the division,
you look at recent high picks who've resurrected their career.
The Colts have pretty good players and just a couple
of years ago Lou Amaruno. They're a new defensive coordinator,
one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Did he just get dumb overnight? No, the Bengals let
all their players go.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
So I think the Colts Daniel Jones a little like
Alex Smith when Jim Harbaugh got to the Niners.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
They're not gonna ask him to do something. They're not
looking for forty touchdowns here, throw me twenty.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Interesting Mike Tomlin and the Steelers after eighteen years when
a losing record will have one. First of all, I
think Baltimore, now they've upgraded their secondary, may have the
second best roster to Philadelphia in the sport. I think
Joe Burrow maybe the best quarterback on any Sunday in
the sport. Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback, well, he was five
and twelve last year. He didn't do well with the
(37:20):
defensive culture in New York. There's less dysfunction in Pittsburgh,
but not necessarily on the offensive side. They lost their
leading rusher, their left tackle, their leading receiver. I like
DK Metcalf, but he can me Booty too. I just
think the reality is they spend too much money on defense,
not enough on offense. The TJ. Watt contract extension will
be hovering over their head. I don't think they're going
(37:42):
to be a six win team, but I think eight
is probably the number. Mike Tomlin finally losing record.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Zach Taylor seems like a good guy, but I think
this will be his last season in Cincinnati. The Bengals
will have a new coach twenty twenty six. This team
feels like an NBA team, star players everywhere, price something's missing.
I mean, their star defensive player, which you kind of need.
A pass rusher nowhere to be found. The guy they
drafted to replace him showed up, said I'm out. I
(38:10):
mean classic Bengals Joe Burrow. We saw him throw a
bunch of touchdowns last year, have an incredible offensive season,
they still couldn't make the playoffs. Divisions hard, We're all
gonna pick the Ravens. The conference is really hard. How
good the AFC West is now the Patriots are going
to be much better. We think that the AFC South
would be a little more competitive. I just think this
Bengals thing, you could see it coming from a mile away.
(38:32):
And the other thing when you have Joe Burrow and
you have Jamar Chase, some of these guys in their contract,
think how desirable that job would be for some of
these coaches. And I just think that Zach Taylor again
seems like a nice guy. They always start slow and
they do a lot of negative momentum.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I feel like coming into this season for the Bengals.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And my final one Dolphins blowout Mike McDaniel and the GM.
They went from number two scoring offense to twenty two
last year inexplicably bad offensive line and no backup to Tua.
If you have two as a quarterback, the two things
you have to have are a good old line and
a capable backup. They have neither. They overpaid for Jalen Ramsey.
(39:12):
Now they're looking you know Tyreek Hill a lot of
splashy moves. I don't feel like there's a lot of steak.
It's a lot of sizzle. The best teams in this
league none of them have bad old lines. They just
lost Armstead just retired, so I don't like their direction.
I think McDaniels this is a team that's run through
(39:32):
coaches Scott Greer. Don't know him, but I haven't loved
the moves. I think both Greer, Chris Greer. I think
Chris Greer and Mike McDaniel are gone after eight. Remember
New England now is really good, potentially really good. Buffalo
is winning the division, third place against both the GM
and the coach removed.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Speaking of the Patriots, I think they make the playoffs.
I mean, is there a bigger coaching upgrade? I mean,
Pete Carroll and Mike Mike Crable's got more to work with.
Like you said, the defense stinks.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
And the other thing is they got an offensive coordinator
to go with Drake mate Josh McDaniels. Not a great
head coach, excellent offensive coordinator. Patriots' schedule not very difficult.
I like the Patriots to be playing some games in January,
like old times.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
You know, So here we go. I got the Chargers
winning the AFC West. The Steelers will have a losing record,
probably eight and nine. The Dolphins start over, total reboot,
and then John I don't think Daniel Jones leading the
Colts to the playoffs. He made the playoffs in.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
New York, I know, and way more talent on this roster. Again,
they're just looking nine to ten wins. I'm not talking
twelve thirteen. Could he save Chris Ballard and change Sikeins
career owners you passed away recently.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Obviously the girls are now in charge.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
I've said, you know, I think I've said this. You've
heard me say this. I like everything about the Colts.
They when Andrew Luck retired, they get wins. It was
pretty good, and then they get Philip Rivers for a
year it was actually excellent, but they felt like the
late owner had a strong opinion on the quarterback situation.
And Andrew luck leaving really illustrates how hard it is
(41:06):
to find a quarterback. Because they're old. Line's good, they
get a pass rush, they've got nice receivers, they have
a star backfield. They have maybe the first or second
mess guard in the league. In quit Now they have
really good pieces, but when Andrew Luck retired they did
a remarkable job. Wentz into Philip Rivers. They're just trying.
It's a life preserver offensive situation, and Daniel Jones may
(41:30):
be it. We're not talking thirteen wins, but playoffs in
that division may be nine for sure. Nick right around
the corner,
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. You're
(00:22):
listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go.
It is a Tuesday. We are ready to roll live
in Los Angeles. Sits The Herd. Wherever you may be
and however you may be listening. Thanks for making How's
part of your day?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Nick?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Right one hour from now, my buddy John Middlecop is
joining me. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. John, we had a
great show yesterday. It flew by. There's a lot of
things going on. The draft is tomorrow. Rick Patino's gonna
join us, which is how lucky are we? Really? Smart
guy and a great personnel guy, Rick Patino joins us
tomorrow and we're gonna go through the top eight or
nine picks. Nobody's smarter than a Rick on all this stuff.
(01:00):
He facedful lot of those guys. But John, did you
enjoy your first and the chair?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I did?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I was surprised my key card work this morning. But
I'm here so hit in the building.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Is king card worked again? So I saw this story.
The draft is tomorrow and Cooper Flag is going to
go number one. So he played at Duke, so obviously you,
me and our dogs watched Cooper Flag play a few
times and he was in the tournament. He's a great player.
I think he's a better version eventually, not now, but eventually.
I like a Jason Tatum Brian Scalabrine who does a
(01:30):
really good job. He's a broadcaster in Boston. We've had
him on the show before. He was talking about what
is game? What?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
What?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
What? What?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Cooper Flag's game is?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Like Lebron has scored fifty thousand points, doesn't have a
go too shot. I'm not sure he has a go
to shot. It's he's a basketball player that makes things happen.
Lebron's a freak of nature. Defensively, he's a freak of nature. Defensively,
Lebron can run point. He can run point sixty eight
point guards six eight point guard like. He trends like that.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I have never been into guys with an absolute go
to move. The best restaurants I've ever been at don't
have a signature dish. They just do everything well. You
can get a cob salad, you can get a chicken palm.
The cocktails are good, so are the desserts. Everything's good.
That's a good restaurant. And I always remember this when
(02:23):
I was in college. When I was in college, I
wanted to be a baseball announcer. I wanted to be
like a you know, like a Vince Scully or something right,
or a Dick Enburg. And I remember everybody had a
home run call. Everybody had a home run call. And
the two favorite guys when I was in college, my
two favorite broadcasters were a young Bob Costas and a
young al Michaels. And they didn't They didn't need a gimmick.
(02:46):
I didn't need a fly ball to left followed by
get out through spatch, little Graham all we're making fried
potatoes and ash just call the game. Be good at everything.
I don't need a signature home run call. When I
started watching uf Z twenty years ago, every fighter had
like one style. They were a kickboxer, a wrestler, or
a boxer. Now the best fighters can do everything. Quarterbacks,
(03:10):
I want mobility. I want you to be good in
the pocket. I want you to be good pre snap.
Jaden Daniels is good at everything. Yeah, he can run,
he's great in the pocket. He's smart, he's good pre snap.
He's good early in games. He's good in the two
minute drill. Like, I'm not looking for specialization. I don't
need a bag. James Harden's game feels shicky. He'll finish
(03:33):
as one of the great scorers of all time. Carmelo
Anthony would never take two steps back and hit a three,
like he didn't play defense. I think he'll be a
good broadcaster, but his game, I don't need definition on
one move if you have one like Kareem. Well, Colin,
what about Kareem? Yeah, but Kareem wasn't a ball handler.
(03:55):
He wasn't a playmaker. He didn't have the ball in
his hands much. Back in his era, point guard ran
the show and always had the ball. You would never
let the center or the power forward touch it until
they got the ball down low. So Kareem had to
develop a signature move and it was great for him.
But the best guys now like Wemby. Wemby can put
(04:17):
it on the floor. He can shoot a three, he
can drive he can do everything, and that's Cooper Flag.
I look at it this way. If I want specialization,
it'll be for a surgeon, a heart surgeon, a brain surgeon.
But I want my basketball players to be like a
general practitioner. I got poison IVY. I broke my wrist,
(04:39):
can you help me with both? I got a rash?
Help me fix it. I broke my ankle, can you
mend it? That's what I'm looking for. So I don't
need a go to move. I think Cooper Flag is
a more aggressive version of Jason Tatum. And what if
I always said about Jason Tatum, he's an A player.
If he was more aggressive, be an a plus player.
(05:01):
So that's what I think he's going to be. I
don't need a signature dish at a restaurant, and I
don't need a signature move. Kareem had to have one.
But in today's basketball, Lebron James led the NBA last year.
Think about this. Lebron James at his age led the
NBA in getting a bucket in the fourth quarter, and
(05:23):
the knock on Lebron is, well, he doesn't have a
signature move. That's because he's a better ball handler than
Michael Jordan or Kareem. He's a better ball handler. He
elevates others, he's smart. Lebron always gets a really good
shot when you need him to get a good shot.
He's not limited or boxed in or marginalized by having
(05:45):
to go to a signature move. So I think Cooper
Flagg is going to get drafted. I think he's going
to average almost twenty a game as a rookie. I
think he's gonna have a great backwall of defense in
Dallas and their bigs behind him. And the thing I
like most about him, he doesn't have a go to move.
He's not concerned about having a bag. And now this story,
(06:08):
and I feel like it's the thirteenth time I've done
this story. The Boston Celtics worked another NBA team on
a trade as soon as the season ended. Between Danny
Ainge and Brad Stevens, they seemingly work every team. It's
like Howie Roseman and the Eagles don't pick the phone up,
(06:29):
just don't pick it up. So Drew Holliday, I've always
liked Drew Holliday, but he got really old, really fast.
And the Celtics have new owners and their books are
all messed up. They gotta go work on their cap sheet.
So yesterday they called Portland. Portland took his monstrous contract,
and he's not the same player. He didn't make an
(06:50):
All defensive team last year. And this happens with guys
that played defense at a high level. You can age
very quickly. Defense is hard. Defense becomes injuries. Defense you're
on the floor. Defense is hard work. And Drew Holiday
has been a great defensive player, and for five years
I think it was all defense, right, he didn't make it.
He didn't make it last year, and he looked suddenly
(07:12):
kind of old. So the Celtics have to clean up
their books. They move him, they get and they get
a younger player, a cheaper player, a better offensive player
from Portland. And and Forredy Simons, who they're going to rent
for one year because Tatum's gone and they need his
scoring and then he's out. Now, Simon's doesn't really necessarily
fit Boston's culture. He's not a great defender, he doesn't
(07:33):
elevate others, but he can shoot threes, and nobody shoots
more threes than Boston, so he'll be a good fit.
But mostly what they did is got drew Holiday off
the books. They got second rounders in this deal, a
couple of them. They got a younger, cheaper player with
an expiring contract. How do they do it? But I'll
tell you what's happening in the NFL and in the NBA.
(07:54):
It's not just the big swing. You got to win
on the margins because you know, the salary cap in
the NFL's tight. And with the new Aprons and CBA.
In the NBA, Phoenix went big with Katie and Bradley
Beale and it was a disaster. Dame Lillard Milwaukee didn't work.
But look at what Indiana did with Obi Toppin for
(08:14):
a couple second round picks. That was a great move.
TJ McConnell, and go look at Sam Presty's geting Isaiah
Hartenstein or Alex Caruso. It's winning on the margins. Now
you are limited on the big swings. And I said
this yesterday. Most of our lives in the NBA, we
knew like Jerry West was a general manager or pat
(08:38):
Riley became a GM. We didn't talk gms. When talk,
I mean one of the great gms in league history.
Ninety percent of sports fans wouldn't know who san Antonio's
GM was. R. C. Buford. He was like the Howie
Roseman of the NBA. WA didn't talk about it. Now,
figure out who the gms are. You have got to
(08:58):
make the smart Remember Denver wins a title a couple
of years ago, and I fell for it. I'm like,
okay Yo kich is the best player in the world.
Gordon's a great defensive player. By the way, Gordon was
one of those margin moves. But all of a sudden
they lost KCP. Well, KCP was their shot maker late
of if Yo Kicch wasn't and they lose it was
it Bruce Brown. They lost another and you start losing
(09:19):
those guys. Well, Yokich is still great, Gordon's still great,
Porter still porter, Jamal Murray still Jamal Murray. Malone can
still coach. It was the guys on the edges. They
got bad. They got worse defensively, They became too Yokicch dependent.
If Murray got hurt, they didn't have another shot creator.
So it is now becoming a Margins league. And this
(09:40):
is what Boston just did. They got a guy who's
aging off the books. They get draft picks, Boston O's
against multiple draft picks. They get a younger, cheaper player
with an expiring contract who can shoot a bunch of
threes the day the season ends. The minute the season ends.
They don't do it during like Phoenix, they don't do it.
(10:00):
You know, Houston and Phoenix, they're doing it day of
the finals. Lee does not like that the minute the
season ends. Brad Stevens boom next day got a deal.
Draft picks younger, cheaper player off the books in the
year as Tatum's hurt. So you can go big game hunting.
And I'm not opposed to big game hunting, but I
don't consider Katie to Houston big game hunting. Jannis is
(10:21):
big game hunting. But when I look at KD, you
are accentuating a strength. You move some pieces, but you
don't have to pay a five year max for KD.
That doesn't feel like big game hunting. It's smart hunting.
But boy, Boston does it. Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens, it's
got This is what the NFL is really all about,
(10:43):
you know. It's like, that's why I kept saying for Chicago,
they went and got DJ Moore, didn't win any more games.
Watched Joe Tooney, Drew Dolman, the center, Jonah Dak all
those interior offensive linemen. Those feel more like well of
marginal moves. We don't talk guards on this show. Watch
Chicago improve dramatically. It's not just the wide receiver, the
(11:06):
left tackle in the quarterback. So the Celtics do it again.
You know you you know this as a former you
work for the Philadelphia Eagles. You know this is that
the media, myself included, we love the big swing, but
a lot of times it's it's fixing your guard center
guard combination. And in the NBA it's it's getting that
(11:27):
first guy off the bench and adding depth. It's becoming
a depth league because you can't stack your roster.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I was with the Eagles when they signed Non the
awesome Wah didn't go well last last year.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
How he signed Zach Bond, all Pro Super Bowl Special
Teams guy, four million dollars.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know that's that that that it's a remarkable how
this stuff works so good for Boston. We got a
lot of stuff today. Caitlin Clark smartly turns down an offer.
We find out today, draft tomorrow, and one player I
think is pulling a lit little bit of a shader
Sanders and I don't love it. We'll talk about that.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Eastern not Am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Hi, this is Jay.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
I'm the producer of the Pauli and Toni Fusco Show.
Usually in these promos they asked you to listen to
the show. I'm here to ask you, please don't listen
to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who
have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to
the show so it can get Camps.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Who what, what the hell are you doing in our studio?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Get him? Paul, Ignore that fool.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Listen to the Paula and Tony Fusco Show on the
iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
He's still moving, all right.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Welcome back. So wait I said this yesterday. I wasn't
picking on the Oklahoma City Thunder. It may have felt
like it, but I said, in the last seven years,
I thought they were probably the fifth or the sixth
best championship team. They had one true, dependable elite scorer
and he had multiple bad games in the tournament. But
I think the thing I'm struck with with SGA is
(13:06):
what an adult he is, how mature he is, What
a nice guy he is, how consistent his personality is.
He doesn't take the bait from the media looking for quotes.
He's just a real grown up, a nice guy to
build your team around. He reminds me of Jalen Hurts
of the Philadelphia Eagles. I always trust him at the podium.
I know he's giving me his best effort. I know
(13:27):
he's coming in focus. Even when Jalen Hurts has a
bad Sunday and he had one against the Rams, I
know he was focused. I know he was concentrating. I
know it was the most important thing in his life.
And I like that. And I was thinking about this
this morning. If you watch the NBA in the eighties
and nineties, you could see how angry the players often
(13:49):
were by their dunks, Like Michael Jordan's career is largely
fueled by animosity and being cut by his high school
basketball team on camp. You notice how many good players
now don't dunk a lot, or you don't even remember
their dunks, even though they're bigger more athletic. They don't
do it. And years ago, in the eighties nineties, everybody
(14:12):
had a nickname Larry Legend, Air Jordan, a Keem, the Dream,
the Microwaves, the Admiral, round Bounder, Rebound, human highlight reel.
Every star had a nickname. Well, Colin, what about the
Greek Freak? A teammate started that because they couldn't pronounce
his name. Nicknames now often go to international guys, so
(14:35):
it's easier to remember and it's given to them by teammates.
Players don't need nicknames now, dunks and nicknames. When Magic
Johnson signed a twenty five year, twenty five million dollar contract,
you had to make money elsewhere. You had to make
it in shoes. There was no social media. So what
nickname got your poster, it got your brand, it got
(14:56):
your car deal, it got you deals and more money.
Bench in the NBA now they make fifteen million dollars
a year. SGA. We just use that to shorten his name.
It's the same with Joker. I don't think I've ever
in his entire career said Jannis's last name on the air.
(15:18):
I don't think I have the Greek free Yannis, So
I think it shows the growth of the NBA. I
think it's a global, international wealthy league. I've always compared
it to Premier League soccer or Barcelona Real Madrid. It's
grown up, it's adult, it's sophisticated. You don't have to
have a catchy nickname. Players aren't angry. They all go
(15:41):
on each other's podcasts. And that's my favorite part of
the young generation of players. They don't have to have
a signature move. They don't. They don't play angry. Now
maybe many people miss that, and I'll be honest, I
like Doctor J's dunks and the round mound or rebound
and angry Charles Barkley on and off the court was
(16:02):
kind of fun. But it's a new league. And here's
Alex Caruso talking about why SGA is a potential face
of the.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
League as far as you know, like face of the
league and best player on best team. He's got that capability.
I mean clearly, the year he's had MVP Western Conference Finals,
MVP Finals, MVP Champion, I don't think anybody in here
would question his ability. And I think the thing that
(16:29):
sets him apart is he'll probably be hungry for.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
More listen, star players today, Wemby. Do you know what
he did? Do you know what Wemby did this offseason?
He went to China a Buddhist temple to practice as
a monk. Jokich, by the way, he did not want
to be in the Nuggets parade. He wanted to go
back home. He wanted to hide. And you know, anytime
I see like you know, you'll you'll you'll You'll see
(16:53):
sometimes like athletes doing something, they're at a fan fast
or something. And I always think to myself, why you
don't have to join every club? Why? And this new
NBA players don't get into a lot of trouble. You
don't hear about it a lot. They're not at clubs
as often. They're on match dot Com or tender or
wherever young guys go. But it really does show a
(17:16):
pivot to the NBA. The stars are hiding. They don't
need ancillary income to make it after their shoes and
after their game. And sga is he's like the poster
for that. It's like never lights the fire. He is
Jalen hurts at a podium. If there's a fire, he's
the cooler. If there's impending trouble, he brings everybody down.
(17:38):
That's modern NBA basketball. That's my quarterback as an NBA star,
And you know I like that. John Middlecoff with the.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
News now this is the Herdline News.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Speaking of quarterbacks, Colin Josh Allen, coming off.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
An MVP season, but a season ended before.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He would have liked, losing a tight.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Game to the Chiefs in the AFC Title Game, Alan.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Said that while the MVP award was a great honor,
his resume still has a hole in it until he
wins the ring, adding that is the only goal.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Is you know, I look at him and I've thought
about this. Let's say he doesn't win a ring. I
think he will and I think he'll win a couple,
but then he'll be in that Jim Kelly, Dan Marino class.
He'll still be a Hall of Famer, but you just
won't talk about him as much. And I mean, if
you ask quarterbacks today. In fact, I heard Brady talking
(18:36):
about this a month ago. Who had the best Armi's
like Marino and what I don't want because Marino got
a lot of attention when he played. He had Don
Shulett with Dan Marino. He was a star. He was
on national commercials, I don't think Josh is that interested
in doing that stuff. Like he again, he's the modern star,
like he makes enough money this he's just got married
(18:57):
adn't to do a lot of commercials. I hope he
and I say this respectfully to Dan, I hope he
doesn't become Dan Marino, because I do think there's an argument,
including Elway, Marino and Mahomes, he's the most physically gifted
quarterback in the history of the league.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Well, think about it, we're coming off an era.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Obviously, Brady surpasses Montana, but Peyton was winning. Peydon won
multiple rings, Rogers won a ring, Mariez, Roethlisberger.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
They're all champions this era. Mahomes is the king. We know.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
The two next best quarterbacks are Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Burl's close.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
These guys are winning MVPs. They're great players. Yeah, who knows.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
I mean, what if Jared gofwin's a ring this year?
What if Purdy gets won in a couple of years.
I mean it's hard to get him now, these guys.
One of these two guys, Josh Allen or Lebar Jackson
could go ringless and have a Marina like.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Career where we go.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
He's one of the greatest players I've ever seen, but
he just couldn't get it done.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Yeah, and I also think josh and Lamar both and
I'm guessing here because players' careers last longer. I would
say josh and Lamar have probably four more prime years
and then three to four after that where they just
don't want to get hit as much. But you are
getting to a point with josh now he's expensive, there
are limitations on the roster. You got about four more
(20:12):
prime years and then it gets trickier because you're not
going to be paying him less because you're not gonna
have There's no other josh Allen on the market. He
could play till forty five if he wanted do. He won't,
but he could. So these years are important.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
And Joshua and like Lamar, has played well against the
Chiefs in these playoff games. Right, the defense just didn't
make a play, the coach screwed up. They'd been right there.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I'm with you. I believe that josh Allen will get
a Super Bowl ring for it's all said and done.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yeah, Okay, onto a team right down the road, the Rams.
They're fresh off of Hawaiian mini camp that we discussed yesterday.
One thing that came up in the Maui trip were
some comments that the president Kevin dimoff, and he discussed
one of the team's goals going forward outside of a
Super Bowl. We already have America's team and the Cowboys
and more recently the Chiefs. But according to dem demof,
(20:59):
the Rams are looking to become the world's team.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Is that possible? Collin Well, I mean, you know, it's funny.
They play in a lot of different places. Have they
played a game in Southeast as yet? I don't know
if they happen not in No I.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Mean they used to do that. I remember when I
was a kid in the nineties. But yeah, they've been
over there.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Well, they're not the most popular team in their division.
The Niners pay.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Far the most popular team in Los Angeles. I've been
to a Niner Rams game.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
The Niners seldom.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I think this is and again I think in the NFL,
to some degree, you are as popular as your quarterback.
I mean, the Philadelphi Eagles win a lot of years
on this show when I didn't talk about it. Uh,
then they get the owner, I mean they had bad owners.
They had weird wonky owners for a long time. Then
(21:43):
they get Jeff Lourie. Then it's Howie Roseman. I mean,
if they didn't have Jalen Hurts and they were banging
around looking for a quarterback, they're not on the show.
So I think in the NFL, because of the rule changes,
it really comes down to do you have an offensive
coach and a star quarterback. I mean, just take me Bay.
Green Bay felt huge during Forbes's tenure, gigantic Madden was
(22:05):
in love with them, and then they felt not quite
as big, kind of under achieving with Aaron Rodgers, but
they were still a huge brand. I mean, like in
their division. I think people are more excited about the
Bears this year than Green Bay because they're not at
this point, we're not sure if they're good at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Before we become the world's team, can we just become
the city's team.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
I mean, they were the third biggest brand here, right
We've got the.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Dodgers, the Lakers, that's true, the Niners biggest brand Northern California.
I've lived in Philly, the Philly You got to be
the biggest brand in your own city before you can
take on the world.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Right by salesfair.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
I like the big, the big thinking. Though, last but
not least, your guy used to be your guy. Maybe
you've pivoted. Russell Wilson is a member now of the
Giants as he lands his third team in as many seasons.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Bouncing around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Speaking at the Fanatics Fest over the weekend, Russ broke
down his reasoning for signing with the New York Giants.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Here because of him, the big, big reason of it.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
You know, you know, I really wanted to play with
the guy that's was special like them. I think also too,
We've got a lot of guys that've put a lot
of hard work into it.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
We've got a really good defense rushing the fasts, and we've.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Got a lot of dudes.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Yeah, I'm not an anti Russ guy. I was a
big Ross guy because I never thought he got quite
the credit. But at some point you would have to
be loyal to honesty. Pete Carroll moved off him, Sean
Payton moved off him, and last year another team moved
off him, Mike Tomlin. So those are three Hall of
Fame level coaches all moved off him. And so my
take is they're seeing something on tape. There's something about
(23:38):
him that people aren't willing to put the hooks in
going forward, and so I just I think I've watched
and reassessed my earlier opinions.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
There's no disputing for the six seven years in his prime,
he was one of the best players in the league.
That's one of the more dynamic player I've seen him live.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
He got guys drafted.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
He was incredible.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
But whatever version this guy is now is no longer that.
Unless he's on the Giant that was his only option.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Where was he going?
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I mean, and let's face it, if this doesn't go well,
which I don't think many people think it will, is
could this be his.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Last season in the NFL? You talk about this forever.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
These big brands, these big names, it's hard for them
to be backups.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Could this be it?
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Well, it's interesting. I had dinner with a Giants fan
last night and we were talking about Jackson Dart, and
my take is, I didn't love the draft of Jackson
Dart because Russell's gonna start and let's say they won
a couple early games, You're gonna keep playing him. Well,
then Jackson Dart plays only later and next year there's
six potential first round draft picks at quarterback, and I
don't think Dart is as good a prospect as most
(24:38):
of those. So by drafting Jackson Dart, unless they flush
out the GM and the coach, you're gonna have to
give Jackson Dart more runway. So it's a weird. It's
a weird thing. If you're Brian Dable and you start
winning with Russ, you can make an argument. If you
start I don't think they will compiling wins. Don't play
(24:59):
Jackson Dart right like, so don't have people see the
glimpses of excellence or else. Your owner is like going
to be no, no, don't draft this quarterback, and you're like,
they're much better prospects. So I think their quarterback situation's odd.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
What if they're not compiling wins though, and I don't
think they are, that's where the owner is going to
want to see him day Ball. You know, Tomlin had
this weird loyalty last year to Russ as the season
went on and wouldn't go back to Justin Fields.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I don't think day Ball and Joe Shane will.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
So I would expect We talked about this yesterday. Jackson
dart to be inserted much earlier than later.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, you know, I was thinking about this as I
was talking to a Giants fan last night. I looked
up the schedule. It shows you the depth in this
league right now. I mean, there's some really bad teams
at the bottom, but if you look at the Giants schedule,
don't I don't have high hopes for Dallas, but Washington
was a tire fire for fifteen years. They're now special.
(25:51):
Live at their first four or five games. Chargers always underachieved.
Won't anymore with Harball. I mean, you get Washington, Kansas City,
then you go into the Chargers two weeks later, will
Sewn Sean Payton's turned around the Broncos in Denver, Philadelphia, Philadelphia,
San Francisco. There are john there. There are some bad
(26:11):
teams in this league, but because there's more and more
good offensive coaches, more good gms. You talked about coaches
in the NFC, there are not a lot of There
are not a lot of rest stops in this league.
New Orleans is one of the teams we know will
not be good. It's a short list for still not
an easy place to play. That's on that dome and
they're going to the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Who knows how good that That's not an easy place
to play at the Patriots. I mean later in the
season that gets cold. This is a this tough schedule.
Colling Thiss got four or five wins written all over it.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Again, I was gonna say three to fourteen is not
off the radar. Oh, John Middlecoff with the news, Well,
that's the news, and thanks for stupping by the heard line. Now,
there's always been criticism with Lebron James, and you know
he can be polarizing. I understand that, but I've always
thought he elevates others. He's very unselfish when it comes
to bad basketball. He always works for the best shot.
(27:02):
I defended him early in his career when people are like, well, well,
how come he doesn't take the shot? Because he's always
been more magic than Michael Jordan. He's a great distributor,
one of the great passers ever, not just just I'm
not talking, I mean I'm talking in the magic bird class.
He's a great passer. It's not always clever, but it's great.
He gets the ball right in the shooter's hands at
(27:22):
the perfect spot, at the perfect time. The other thing
I always defended Lebron James on is he didn't join
the Slam Dunk Contest, and people are like, why not
Michael Jordan did. When Michael Jordan's brand was dunking, he
leaned into it because of his hand size and his vertical.
Michael again was like David Thompson. For those of you
(27:44):
in your twenties and thirties before Michael, there was a
player named David Thompson with injuries. He had a forty
eight inch vertical. His vertical was better than Michael Jordan's.
He was an unbelievable player. He didn't look like any player.
He was a better jumper than Doctor j and Michael,
but he didn't have quite the hand size apparently so,
but Michael leaned into the dunk contest. It was great
(28:05):
for his brand and Doctor j. But Magic didn't do it.
Bird didn't do it. Lebron could have done it, but
I always felt he was too big for it, the
same way I feel about Shoheo, Tawni and Aaron Judge. Now, yeah,
they did a home run derby once, they're too big
for it. And the story came out about Caitlin Clark
yesterday that she turned down a chance for the three
(28:28):
on three team at the twenty twenty four Olympics, And
it seems like an honor until you realize Jimmer Furdett
played on Team USA's three on three team. We have
to be honest with Caitlyn Clark. Now, she is not
part of the moment for the WNBA. She is the moment.
Ratings dropped fifty five percent, not just on fever games
league wide. She's too big for this. And Tom Cruise
(28:52):
should not be on Love Island. You know, whenever I
see celebrities, you know, on these I've seen these celebrity
shows like a Celebrity Island or celebrity dance competitions, I
always think careers not going well. Christian Polisic I defended him.
Why should Christian Bullisic be at the Gold Cup, Olympics
(29:19):
and Europe. That's what Yokich does. He makes his money
in the NBA. He plays for his country. There's no
reason for Jokis to play for the FEEBO World Championships,
and there's no reason for Polisic to be in the
Gold Cup. Tiger Woods very early in his career was like,
I'm not going to play every tournament. Scotty Scheffler now
uses great discretion when choosing tournaments. Rory McElroy has moved
(29:42):
off some so I think we have to be honest
about this. Caitlin Clark should be doing the Olympics. She
should be playing for the Indiana Fever. That's it. I
don't even want I wonder now at this point should
she be in the shooting contest at the All Star Game?
We know she's the best shoot in the leitue? Why
risk losing? Like there's what's the value. She's not gonna
(30:04):
make any more money. She's not gonna get any more
merch like for her, it has to be strategy. Years ago,
years ago, David Falk was Michael Jordan's agent. He told
me a fascinating story. I'm sure some of you have
heard it, some of you have not. But years ago,
Nike and they were gonna make money on this offered
Michael Jordan to play a one on one televised tournament
(30:27):
against Magic Johnson, and Michael turned it down, like Lebron
has turned down the dunk contest. Michael Jordan, not Magic.
Michael turned it down because Michael was smart enough to know.
He told David Falk. He goes Magic seen as the
team guy if he beats me at one on one,
(30:49):
and I don't think he will, but if he did,
then he's a better one on one guy and the
better team guy. We can't do that to my brand.
Did Michael Jordan lack courage? No, Michael smart. Michael knew
Michael better than Nike and David Falk. Really really talented
people knew Michael. Falk later admitted Michael was right. Michael
(31:11):
knew his brand better than even Falk and Nike. So,
Michael Jordan, I'm not playing magic one on one shoe
Atani is bigger than the home run derby Tom Cruise
can't be on celebrity cookoffs. I don't want to see it.
I want to see him a mission impossible and at
the con Film Festival. That's it with his arm around
(31:32):
Brad Pitt photo op. That's it. Okay, we got a
lot of stuff today, so we're gonna John and I
are gonna go. We're gonna do the af SEED today,
We're gonna do the NFC tomorrow. Are three surprises in
the AFC. Now the AFC is viewed now, better quarterbacks,
better conference? What will be three surprises. I don't know his,
(31:57):
maybe he doesn't know mine. That is neck, it's the hurt.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Eastern non a EM Pacific Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
With the Gold Cup quarterfinal as the US men's national
team takes on Costa Rica.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
No Easy, pat No Second Chances.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Coverage begins Sunday at six pm Eastern on Fox.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Nick Wright joining us top of next hour, so a
lot of things going on. Rick Patino will join us tomorrow.
I am told it is a very good draft. Last
year was very international. You know my take on this,
I think going forward, college basketball players will mostly dominate
the draft, where it's been very internationally driven many times.
(32:44):
And my theory is is that the NIL, not that
it saved college basketball, but it has made college basketball
much better. NIL. Now American colleges are able to go
buy the best European players at eighteen, and there's been
stories that they may consider shuddering the Spanish League because
American colleges down with the NIL are buying up their
(33:06):
best players so they come over here and play. They
get excellent coaching. Also, the G League, which I've always
thought is nonsense. It was like trying to hurt college
basketball and marginalize it. Very few G League players Amen
Thompson is one of the few G League guys I
really really love. Most of them never kind of define
their games. These finals were all about guys that went
(33:28):
to college for at least two years. SGA is an exception,
Chet Holmgren was an exception, but it was a lot
of two and three year players. So I think college
basketball is being empowered. And Rick Patino, we'll talk about
the draft. It is Rutger guys, and it's Arizona guys,
and it's Duke guys, and I think that helps the NBA.
(33:49):
That's what makes college football in the NFL so great
as the marriage is that you're rooting four against Baker Mayfield,
but you know who he is. You're viscerally connected to
Baker Mayfield or Caleb Willilliams. You may not lin like
Lincoln Riley, but you were interested in Kayla Williams because
of Lincoln Riley. And these college guys there's just you know,
they're either not they're going international, they're going G League,
(34:11):
They're gonna play college basketball. You're gonna see him at
least one year in March. But like a Zach Edy,
Purdue can pony up some money and he can stay
another year. And I was interested to watch Zach Edy
last year in college basketball. If Purdue was on, I
was watching. So I think this is going to empower
college basketball. The drafts going forward are going to be
more It's not that they're going to be more domestic,
(34:33):
but there's gonna be higher quality, more mature players like
Cooper Flag that can help you immediately. And I think
Cooper Flag with that great back front line for Dallas,
I think he comes in averages eighteen a game. They're
a playoff team. I think Dallas of healthy will be
the second best team in the West. Next year it'll
go you know, Oka see Houston in Dallas could be
(34:56):
very good. John, you're looking at me. You ready to go?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
Okay, I'm just the gab fest over here. So we're
gonna do af SEED today, We're gonna do NFCED tomorrow.
These are our surprises. These would be surprising moves and
big headlines if they happen all start. I think Kansas
City is a wild card team. And Jim Harbaugh and
the Chargers. Now they have their running back situation, in
(35:20):
offensive tackles, set upgrade at receiver. Last year, the only
thing they were missing was juice. Offensively, their defense finish
almost near the top of the league. It went from
last to near first in one year. They built the
culture last year. But free agency and a draft, and
you know, you know Harbaugh is good at the draft.
(35:41):
I think they're going to be one of the better
teams in the league. I think they're an eleven twelve
win team. And the Chiefs come into the season, which
would concern me with offensive line issues. So I like
the Chargers to win the division.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
You're gonna think I'm nuts.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
This race is over. He's going to be the starting quarterback.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
You would have said two years ago, Baker Mayfield leads
Stamford to the playoffs, no chance. Last year, Sam Darnold
leads the Minnesota Vikings the fourteen wins.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
No chance? What does he get an Indy, an offensive.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Coach who created the start of Jalen Hurts' career. Yes,
a great running game, a lot like a couple years
ago when he had a healthy sake one Barkley. Jonathan
Taylor almost had fifteen hundred yards last year.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
The division stinks. The Jags haven't been good ever, obviously, the.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Houston Texas a lot of moving a lot of moving parts,
a lot of question marks with the offense, and the
Titans no death. So when you just look at the division,
you look at recent high picks who've resurrected their career.
The Colts have pretty good players and just a couple
of years ago Lou Amaruno. They're a new defensive coordinator,
one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Did he just get dumb overnight? No, the Bengals let
all their players go.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
So I think the Colts Daniel Jones a little like
Alex Smith when Jim Harbaugh got to the Niners.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
They're not gonna ask him to do something. They're not
looking for forty touchdowns here, throw me twenty.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
Interesting Mike Tomlin and the Steelers after eighteen years when
a losing record will have one. First of all, I
think Baltimore, now they've upgraded their secondary, may have the
second best roster to Philadelphia in the sport. I think
Joe Burrow maybe the best quarterback on any Sunday in
the sport. Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback, well, he was five
and twelve last year. He didn't do well with the
(37:20):
defensive culture in New York. There's less dysfunction in Pittsburgh,
but not necessarily on the offensive side. They lost their
leading rusher, their left tackle, their leading receiver. I like
DK Metcalf, but he can me Booty too. I just
think the reality is they spend too much money on defense,
not enough on offense. The TJ. Watt contract extension will
be hovering over their head. I don't think they're going
(37:42):
to be a six win team, but I think eight
is probably the number. Mike Tomlin finally losing record.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Zach Taylor seems like a good guy, but I think
this will be his last season in Cincinnati. The Bengals
will have a new coach twenty twenty six. This team
feels like an NBA team, star players everywhere, price something's missing.
I mean, their star defensive player, which you kind of need.
A pass rusher nowhere to be found. The guy they
drafted to replace him showed up, said I'm out. I
(38:10):
mean classic Bengals Joe Burrow. We saw him throw a
bunch of touchdowns last year, have an incredible offensive season,
they still couldn't make the playoffs. Divisions hard, We're all
gonna pick the Ravens. The conference is really hard. How
good the AFC West is now the Patriots are going
to be much better. We think that the AFC South
would be a little more competitive. I just think this
Bengals thing, you could see it coming from a mile away.
(38:32):
And the other thing when you have Joe Burrow and
you have Jamar Chase, some of these guys in their contract,
think how desirable that job would be for some of
these coaches. And I just think that Zach Taylor again
seems like a nice guy. They always start slow and
they do a lot of negative momentum.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I feel like coming into this season for the Bengals.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And my final one Dolphins blowout Mike McDaniel and the GM.
They went from number two scoring offense to twenty two
last year inexplicably bad offensive line and no backup to Tua.
If you have two as a quarterback, the two things
you have to have are a good old line and
a capable backup. They have neither. They overpaid for Jalen Ramsey.
(39:12):
Now they're looking you know Tyreek Hill a lot of
splashy moves. I don't feel like there's a lot of steak.
It's a lot of sizzle. The best teams in this
league none of them have bad old lines. They just
lost Armstead just retired, so I don't like their direction.
I think McDaniels this is a team that's run through
(39:32):
coaches Scott Greer. Don't know him, but I haven't loved
the moves. I think both Greer, Chris Greer. I think
Chris Greer and Mike McDaniel are gone after eight. Remember
New England now is really good, potentially really good. Buffalo
is winning the division, third place against both the GM
and the coach removed.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Speaking of the Patriots, I think they make the playoffs.
I mean, is there a bigger coaching upgrade? I mean,
Pete Carroll and Mike Mike Crable's got more to work with.
Like you said, the defense stinks.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
And the other thing is they got an offensive coordinator
to go with Drake mate Josh McDaniels. Not a great
head coach, excellent offensive coordinator. Patriots' schedule not very difficult.
I like the Patriots to be playing some games in January,
like old times.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
You know, So here we go. I got the Chargers
winning the AFC West. The Steelers will have a losing record,
probably eight and nine. The Dolphins start over, total reboot,
and then John I don't think Daniel Jones leading the
Colts to the playoffs. He made the playoffs in.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
New York, I know, and way more talent on this roster. Again,
they're just looking nine to ten wins. I'm not talking
twelve thirteen. Could he save Chris Ballard and change Sikeins
career owners you passed away recently.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Obviously the girls are now in charge.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
I've said, you know, I think I've said this. You've
heard me say this. I like everything about the Colts.
They when Andrew Luck retired, they get wins. It was
pretty good, and then they get Philip Rivers for a
year it was actually excellent, but they felt like the
late owner had a strong opinion on the quarterback situation.
And Andrew luck leaving really illustrates how hard it is
(41:06):
to find a quarterback. Because they're old. Line's good, they
get a pass rush, they've got nice receivers, they have
a star backfield. They have maybe the first or second
mess guard in the league. In quit Now they have
really good pieces, but when Andrew Luck retired they did
a remarkable job. Wentz into Philip Rivers. They're just trying.
It's a life preserver offensive situation, and Daniel Jones may
(41:30):
be it. We're not talking thirteen wins, but playoffs in
that division may be nine for sure. Nick right around
the corner,
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.