May 1, 2024 • 41 mins
Colin gives his first set of NFL standings for the upcoming season after the draft and free agency.
NFL reporter Rachel Nichols joins the show in studio to discuss LeBron James' and Kevin Durant's future following their early playoff exits
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, here we go live in Los Angeles. It's
the Hurt wherever you may be, however you may be listening.
Thanks for making us part of your day. Are we
gonna go out tonight? Chop it up a little bit,
let's do it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I would say likely.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'm probable.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm in better shape than David Giannis, So.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
You're probable tonight.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Do you have a non contact cap spraying to worry about.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I do have a foot injury suffered in the soccer tournament.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Over the weekend.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I know you've been limping around the bill.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
I am limping.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'll be fine. I'm trying to you know. We got
a championship game in.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Another basketball league Monday.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Yeah, and then multiple leagues.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
That's what I do.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So all the coaching hires are done, all the free
agent moves are done, all the draft is done. We
all know if you hit all three of those, or
even two or three, you can be a better team.
That doesn't necessarily mean it will dramatically change where you
finish in the standings. We know Harbaugh is a perfect
(01:24):
fit for the Chargers, but they still plan a division
with the Chiefs. We know the Bears are going to
be a much better offensive team, but the Packers and
lines are stacked so a lot of teams. I think
Chicago is going to be the most improved team. They
just happen to plan a division which offensively is the
most loaded division in the league by a long shot,
(01:45):
offensively with three offensive coaches. So I'm going to lay
out this morning, and it's pretty easy when you really
start thinking about it in terms of best quarterback, worst quarterback,
and that's kind of how this stuff mostly works. So
here we go. Let start AFC. I'm just gonna predict
the standings in the AFC East. I have Josh Allen
(02:07):
just like Mahomes are Brady, I'm gonna win the division
for as long as he's in his prime. Number two
is Miami. I love their roster. I think it's the
best roster. They don't have real holes here. They don't
have a great on line. It's not bad. Number two
with a great offensive coach, Jets Aaron Rodgers, who by
the way, is not in his prime. He's not as
good as Jordan Love today. Jet's finished third, and then
(02:27):
I think it's pretty obvious New England's got a rookie
quarterback and a rookie coach. I did like to pick,
and I do like what they did in the draft,
finally going heavy offense. But I feel pretty good about
that division. Let's go to the AFC. North Baltimore was
the best regular season team last year, argument the best
run team in football. I think they're gonna be great
again in the regular season. Cincinnati gets Joe Burrow back.
(02:48):
When Joe Burrow's healthy, he either wins this division or
gets to the playoffs. And have been noisy, a lot
of noise. I don't like with T Higgins, but I
like Joe Burrow a lot. Three Pittsburgh. I think Russell
Wilson will succeed. At what level he succeeds, I don't know.
And I didn't buy Cleveland last year. I don't buy
him this year. I think Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry
(03:10):
are excellent, but there's things upstairs they have to deal with.
And I think it's a really good division AFC South.
This is now a good division. We've rolled our eyes
at it for years. Get out of that. Tennessee stinks.
Everybody else is good. I'm gonna go Houston. I love
what they've done with personnel the last two drafts and
free agency. I think they've just hit it out of
(03:31):
the park. I mean they've done like Green Bay level
stuff in the draft last two years. Excellent Jags, and
it will be a fight to the finish. I love
getting Brian Thomas, their weapons with Trevor Lawrence and an
offensive coach or substantial So I'm gonna have the Colts three.
I like the Colts. I worry greatly about Anthony Richardson's
(03:52):
playing style. Trevor Lawrence and C. J. Stroud sit in
the pocket. I don't worry about that. Anthony Richardson is
so dynamic and I like this Colts team. Is he
gonna miss three or four starts? That could be the difference.
Easiest picking the League Titans for fourth. I don't know
if Will Levis is gonna work or not I just
roster personnel. I like the new coach they have there.
You go, and finally, AFC West Kansas City's young defense
(04:16):
by the end of last year was a monster. They
went and got Xavier Worthy. I don't know if it's
gonna work in the draft, but if anybody can make
it work, it's Andy Reid and Mahomes. I think the
Chargers become a really solid two. I do worry about
losing Keenan Allen, Austin Eckler, Mike Williams, lost a lot
of offensive pieces, but they went out and got a
Hayden Hurst. They went out and drafted a receiver. Number
(04:38):
three is gonna be Denver, and I think if bo
Nicks hits, and I think he will, they'll be And
I also love the end they got in the draft.
I think they're gonna be a really good team. Good
could be nine to ten. I don't think it's twelve
to thirteen. And the Raiders just don't have the quarterback yet.
Like the Raiders. Like the Raiders roster outside of quarterback,
really like the Raiders roster. All right, let's go to
(04:59):
the U. I think Philadelphia is offensive pieces with an
offensive coach and Jalen Hurt are substantial. This is a
well run organization that takes big swings. I'm gonna take
Philadelphia to win their division. They replace their coordinators. My
guess is they're an upgrade over last year. I'm gonna
pick a little bit of a surprise. I think Washington,
Jayden Daniels, all those college starts. I think they're gonna
(05:20):
be pretty feisty next year. Dan Quinn more than confident.
Cliff Kingsbury. Offensive line's okay, but I mean even the
Philadelphia Eagles great old line lost to Hall of Fame Center.
So I'm gonna have a little bit of an upset here.
Washington feels like a nine to a ten win team.
Dallas will be right behind them, but they are going
to be incredibly reliant on Dak Prescott. They're weak in
(05:43):
the running back spot. They have one tight end ceed Lamb.
Gallup's now gone. I think they're very dependent on Dak,
and the numbers tell you when Dallas gets dependent on Dak,
they're not as good. Giants just don't have enough pieces.
Rumors today they're looking at Drew Locke at quarterback. You
forget it. Let's go NFC North, which I think now
is probably the most talented division in football. I'm gonna
(06:05):
take Detroit. I like everything about Detroit, even Dan Campbell.
The front office is great, Jared Goff, best online in football,
good pieces. I like everything about Detroit. I think they
end up at the NSC Championship. Who they face will see,
but I love Detroit. I'm a huge buyer on green Bay.
Jordan Love shocked me his improvement last year. Now J
(06:26):
Mack still wants to see him eight ten games. I
was blown away by how good he was. He's just
a little wild and I think he's more far than
Aaron Rodgers. But boy have they drafted well this draft,
like all their drafts excellent. Green Bay is the best
drafting team in the league. We just got to own
that a number three, and I think they'll be you know,
they got a rookie quarterback and there's gonna be some
bad Sundays, but Chicago three and again, they're gonna be
(06:49):
a better team. If this division was Wonky, I could
see him making the playoffs. But god, this talented division,
and I think they're gonna be a really, really fun
offense to watch. And then I think Minas will be
the best fourth place team in football. I think Minnesota
could win eight or nine games. I love their offensive pieces,
but again, it's just sometimes the fifth best team in
the SEC could win the Big twelve. I just feel
(07:12):
like Minnesota picked the wrong division. Let's go to the
NFC South. I think it's a slam dunk. I think
Atlanta's gonna win this division. Tampa's gonna be feisty, but
we're gonna forget about the Kirk Cousins, Michael Penox drama.
This is a really good football team offensively, Raheem Morris
shark cat Tampa's two, and again, I think it'll be
a feisty battle. Tampa also had a great draft. Their
(07:33):
first four picks all really nice players. I'm gonna do
Carolina third. I'm with j Max. I think they finally
got Bryce Young, some weapons. I think they're gonna make
a surge next year. I don't like right now New
Orleans situation. I just don't feel good about it. I'm
gonna have the Saints fourth, maybe their third, but I
just don't like the way it feels right now. I'm
not sure that coach is gonna be there next year
(07:55):
by Thanksgiving. Finally, another really really good division. I think
had a great draft. I think they played at the
end of last year. They got that old line right.
I'm gonna take the Rams to edge out San Francisco
in that division, and Matt Stafford is the difference. Poka
Nakua now going in Cooper Cup is healthy. The old
line is fantastic. The Niners offensive line is very much
(08:19):
in question, and we don't know their receiver situation. They'll
be good. I don't think they'll be quite as good
as last year. Their second Arizona third. I gotta be
honest with you. I think Arizona has a chance to
make the playoffs. I watched them at the end of
last year. That new coach. They play hard, they play hard,
and a Seattle a talented fourth place team. I'm from
(08:44):
the Pacific Northwest. I don't get any joy out of
saying Seattle is fourth, but that's what I see. J Mack.
Beyond the AFC East, where you're not reasonable.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
You basically have the waste the standings ended last year,
don't you, And almost every division except for Dallas and
then the Rams and Nick Atlanta and yeah, but the
foul everybody's gonna have the Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I picked the best quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Well, Chalky Cec.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
By the way, I went real Chalky in March Madness,
I said, Ukhon's gonna win and the Super Bowl, Yeah,
I mean chalk. There's a reason it's chalk. There's a
reason teams are favored. And with that, NBA to night
MAVs clips huge game. Rachel Nichols cover the NBA since
nineteen ninety three. It is good to have Rachel on
again on the show today. These NBA playoff games, you know,
(09:32):
it's funny, remember a few It was like a week ago,
Nick Nurse was yelling on the sidelines. The rest couldn't
hear him, and last night Tibbs was yelling, and well,
you can't hear anybody. Yeah, so everybody's always like, well
the coach was saying this, The officials couldn't hear Nick Nurse,
the Nick players couldn't hear Tibbs. And so you have
to remember basketball in New York and Philadelphia is a
(09:53):
wonderful television product. You're not going to be able to
hear the coach if he's twelve feet away, and last
night you got into that situation. I still like the
Knicks in the series yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I mean, look, the odds are the odds for a reason.
They've got Game seven at home. That being said, if
the Sixers really come out strong in Game six and
just thump the Knicks, I'd be a little bit more
worried about the Knicks in a Game seven because they
will have had multiple opportunities to close it out, and
we've seen it so many times. Once that happens and
it gets into a team's brain, But I think the
Knicks are favored. I do think though, that Joel Embiid
(10:25):
may have finally found his guy in Tyrese Maxi, and
that no matter what happens to the Sixers if they
lose this series, they have to feel good going into
the off season. Because you remember last off season we
were at the point where the James Harden drama was
going on and Darryl Mory is a liar being held
up all the way in China, all of these kinds
of things. Joelle's getting a little frustrated. He actually liked James.
(10:46):
They got along really well, so then it was like, hey,
come on, why can't you work this out with him?
That kind of thing. He'd gone through all the Ben
Simmons drama and been so patient with the franchise of that,
and there are a lot of rumors swrolling around of
if things don't go well this season, Joel Embiid is
going to ask to be a New York Nick And
guess who was it Joel Embiid's wedding this past summer
as well New York Knicks president Leon Rose, who was,
(11:08):
of course Embiad's former agent. The two are still close,
and the rumors had just got even more swirling after that,
and Tyrese Maxie steps into that void after Harden is
traded all season, becomes a guy that Joel knows he
can rely on, and then in that game last night,
not only went full Reggie Miller with the shot making,
but carried Embiid when Embiid was clearly too hurt to
(11:32):
do a lot of things he normally does.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Now, I think the KD rumors make a lot of sense,
first of all, because Phoenix needs to reboot. It's not
working all the perimeter stuff, so and the feeling is
they could get more for Booker, but he's kind of
the central piece. He's kind of the Phoenix kid and
the Beal contract, there's not much you can do with it.
The Durant piece you could move. Also, Julius Randall, if
(11:58):
the Sons got him at actually provides a little bit
of what Phoenix isn't, which is physical and tough. You're
not going to go get DeAndre aytonback because Booker couldn't.
He didn't fit the locker room. So Julius Randall, who's
a really nice player, if he's your three, probably not
a two he could fit. But I do think there's
something to be said about New York is that for
(12:19):
years and years you know this organization better than I do.
For years and years, they reached. Yes, they gave up
the farm for Carmelo. Then he was a big chandelier
in an empty mansion, and then you know Amari Stodemier
had bad knees, and it's just like, oh, they reach.
They've actually because they they made a nice move at
the trade deadline. They've become a really smart patient franchise.
(12:42):
But now I think EMBIID or my preference is Katie.
I think the time is now. Katie's thirty six started
next year. Do you think that Katie stuff is realistic?
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah? I mean, I mean, look, first, the EMBIID was
definitely who they had their sights on, and I do
think Tyree Maxy has changed that equation in terms of
MBID being happy in Philadelphia, So then it becomes who
else do you get? Fortunately, og Ananobi looks like he
wants to be in New York, and so when they
are able to resign him, I think that is going
to be a win for them long term, and then
they still have room to get someone else. Kat makes
(13:14):
so much sense to me because you and I talked
about this last time I was on the show. I
think that's where he should have gone all along, if
you're gonna leave Golden State. And we can debate whether
he should have or not the Knicks or where he
should have gone after that, it was the natural fit
for him and the fact that he sort of missed
that opportunity. If he could go back and get it now,
I think that that fan base would embrace him. And
(13:35):
once that fan base embraces you, and they are the
largest fan base in the NBA, then it quiets some
of the other noise around the league of other fan
bases griping about oh KD asked for another trade, or
Kd's moving again, or this guy can't find a home
or his legacy this or that. I think that it
would be a smart move for Kevin, and I think
it would be a smart move for the Knicks. But
you know, look, we'll see if they want to disrupt
(13:57):
the chemistry that they have by bringing in a big
a star as Durant, or if they want to go
a different route and just keep adding these pieces of good,
good players. I mean, Jamar de Rosen is a name
that's come up for New York. He's a guy who
is an excellent, excellent basketball player, can bolster a lot of.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Areas that they need, doesn't take the ball to Brunson's hands,
doesn't take two three.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
And also is not going to change sort of the
geometry of the locker room the way bringing in a
Kevin Durant wood. So it just kind of depends on
what they want. But if the Sons are looking to
get off of Katie's contract and Katie is looking for
a place he can go where he won't just get
hit with a mountain of criticism all over again, I
think New York could be that place.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
You know, it is interesting the Bucks, the Sixers, and
the Lakers have each had three coaches in six years each,
so how seasons end, you know you can get swept.
It's landing different than a six game series. So you
have Dallas where Kyrie and Luca have really gotten along.
And if they lost this series in seven or they
(14:58):
win this series, I think they bring the and back
and it's good. But if Dallas gets beat tonight and
without Kawhi for the Clippers again and you got kind
of old heads Harden and Westbrook and Paul playoff p
and Kawhi is not there and they're knocking you out
right and they win this series. Dallas is fascinating because
(15:18):
it took Dirk Novitsky forever to get the pieces. He
never really got a second star. He got a good chemistry.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Stand Steve Nash just didn't keep him yeah, at a
different time, and then he moves to Phoenix.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
But it's like, what does Dallas do. Cuban sells the team,
what does Dallas do if they don't get out of
this series? Are that you're going to bring it back?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
They kind of have to. They made decisions at the
trade deadline that lock them into a path for the
next couple of years. I think if Dallas loses the series.
One of the big reasons would be because of Luka
Doncic's knee. It certainly was a big factor in why
they lost the last game. You could just see it.
He wasn't his mobile out on the court, and he's
still able to beat Luca, and he still scored points
and he still did things. But that difference between being
(16:00):
a very very good player and being the best player
on the floor, which is what we always say is
the deciding factor in NBA playoff series, is that knee.
So I'm curious to see what happens tonight when he
comes out. Does he look like he looked in Game four,
which was not his mobile, a little stiff. He'd made
so many great strides on defense over this last season
or two, and those are really gone in that game
because he just couldn't move around and defend the way
(16:22):
he wanted to. So if we get that Luka Dancic
and that's the reason that they end up losing this series,
I don't think you have to blow anything up or
do anything because that's just Hey, it's bad luck that
he had this knee injury at that time, and I
think Luca will have patience knowing that that might be
the reason. If things go wrong in a very different way,
then we can have that conversation. But the way things
are looking right now, they're super competitive. They're still favor
(16:43):
to win, even though you know, you look at the
games the Clippers have still on their floor. They've got
two of the next three. But the Maps are favored
to win, and they certainly have players who can get
the job done.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I'm surprised by people that I respect buying into the
Lebron could be out of LA. I just don't see
it at all. This is Jenie Buss is a wonderful person,
and she does a great job at her job, but
she's not a rich owner. And to get those local
cable deals. This is why Kobe at the end was
(17:17):
way past this print. They paid him a fortune. Yep,
you get whatever its spectrum.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Worth, every dollar to that franchise.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Lebron sells tickets, They sell out all their games. I
know what they charged for court side. Ye, they're not
doing that in a rebuild. No, So why all the
Lebron leaving LA talk?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
You know, because if he did, it would be such
a big story that it's a little too tempting for
people not to talk about Lakers fans people even within
the organization, and the fact is that he is more mercureable.
He holds things at arm's length. He certainly is going
to make them sweat it. In my opinion, if I
had to guess the way this is going to play out,
I would say that he opts out of his contract.
I would say that he then makes them wait a
(17:55):
few weeks to decide that he's going to come back.
And it's not about the money. They've already leaked that
they'll offer him as much money as he wants. They've
already leaked that they'll draft Ronnie if that ends up
being what he wants. It is about the roster, and
I think it is going to be very interesting to
watch Lebron through that first week of free agency, because hey,
maybe he just resigns with the Lakers and done with it.
(18:16):
But the more likely scenario, given his history, is that
he waits a little while and he shows up a
tem Usa training camp which starts July sixth, and he's
got Steve Kerr talking in his zero on a piece
of video that runs all over TV, and then people say, oh,
what what about? What are the Warriors interested? In getting him.
Oh Joe, he's sitting next paling around with Joel Embiid.
I know that the Sixers would love to have Lebron,
(18:38):
So I think he's going to let some of that
talk fester to make sure that they make the moves
in free agency and at the draft that he wants
them to make, because that didn't happen at the trade
deadline this year, and we haven't really seen Lebron have
the influence he had over that front office maybe since
the Russell Westbrook trade, since he sort of promoted that
and that didn't work out. We just haven't seen Clutch
(19:00):
have the same voice. We haven't seen Lebron have the
same voice in the Lakers roster moves. He is the
opportunity this summer if he takes it to have that
voice because he can hold withhold from them. Am I
going to resign or not?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So we got into this discussion yesterday and it's kind
of a thirty thousand feet discussion. It's not urgent, but
I think it's fascinating is that, you know, the NFL,
it's the shield that's the star of the league baseball,
it's its history and it's past, but international soccer and
the NBA. Your league's as good as your star and
your team. And Jordan left, and the NBA embraced Marberry
(19:36):
and Steve Francis and Iverson, remarkable players, but the audience
didn't like him, And so fifty percent of the people,
I mean, Tiger Woods left, golf tournament's folded. Yes. So
the face of the league question, and I said this,
you have to want to be the face of the league.
Jordan did, Magic did, Kareem didn't. So you have to
(19:56):
want it. I think Aunt Edwards would embrace it. But
it's Minnesota. People forget this, Rachel. Outside of Lebron and Cleveland,
the stars in my life Jerry Western, La Doctor, Jan Philly, Magic, Birdarde,
they're all big markets. Yeah, so Minnesota. My guess is
(20:17):
wemby ant and not whether they work or not. I mean,
if you had the guest face, Jokics doesn't want to
be the face of them. I'm not sure Luca wants
to be the face of the league, your guest next
eight years, ten years.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Look, i mean, Luca's already twenty five, so I think
he's he's We've already talked about how big a star
he is. I think he's gonna finish second in MVP voting,
so he is poised to become you know, when Lebron
and Steph and kd all retired, let me a score.
I think Luca will be the face that we see.
But when you look at the generation behind him and
the young guys coming up, I have to say Victor
(20:51):
webin Yama is being sold short in these discussions in
a way I don't quite get. I think Anthony Edwards
is a superstar. He is so magnetic, obviously has the game,
but also, as you said, has the drive, has the
killer instinct. Commercials are fantastic. But Victor webin Yama, to me,
if he has good health, could end up as a
top five player of all time. I think we have
(21:12):
already seen the indications of that, and I know it's
very early, and I will be happy to stand up
and say I'm wrong if I'm wrong, but that is
what I am seeing right now. And I think that
he is going to become eventually the face of the
NBA because he is just going to keep winning. I
think whether it's Defensive Player of the Year, whether it's
eventually MVP, whether it's eventually titles. I think we will
be saying his name over and over and over again.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
You know, it's interesting take shack out Centers usually haven't
been the face of the league. They get, they break down,
they don't sell shoes, and people don't see themselves as
being shack Yeah. But it's interesting because the new wave
of European bigs, they handle the ball, they're flashy, they pass.
It's a more fun game. It's just not power.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Power usually isn't the face of the league. People want
like Moses Malone. They want they.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Want moves, Babe, Yeah, they want moves.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Moves and Wemby and Chet Holmgren both they yeah, moves.
They got all sorts of juice. So it's great seeing
you so tonight. Dallas Lakers. You're at that game tonight,
right or excuse me, MAVs Clippers. You like the you
like the MAVs. I'm I'm I think Westbrook's gonna hit tonight.
I have a feeling Westbrook's gonna deliver. Harden's been so
(22:25):
good in this series. I feel like Dallas is the
last two days, has worked on We've got to get
the ball out of his hands. He ate them alive.
You have a lean tonight.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
How you feel I'm gonna this is toss up, because honestly,
I really think it depends on the health of Luca's name,
which they won't know till after he participates in warm ups.
If I had to say, say Clippers tonight MAVs for
the series, is that an hedge?
Speaker 1 (22:47):
That's a real hedch that that last game was such
good television.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So, Rachel, when does James Harden turn into a pumpkin
game six or seven.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Point? But he was so good last week.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
They so good, And you know what I like about
the situation he's in right now is that in Paul George,
he has someone next to him who can be just
as explosive, more explosive in some cases, but James still
has a green light to shoot in the scenario without Kawhi.
When he was playing the role in Philadelphia, where he
had some explosive in Joelle Embiid, he didn't have the
(23:18):
green light to be the James Harden of old. He
had to be more of a compliment with Kawhi out. Yeah,
he can be a little bit more of that James Harden,
but it's not Iso James Harden because he has Paul
George next to him, so hopefully doesn't run out of
gas for Cliffers fans. But I do think that Luca
has the potential to be the best player in the series.
The best player in the series usually wins the playoff series.
(23:40):
It just depends on his physical health.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I feel I feel like a supporter of Paul George.
No good player in the league gets more crap than
Paul George.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I think he is the most underrated player in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
It's incredible. I watched his you know what's funny years
ago people kind of bagged on his playoffs when he
was losing to Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and he had
right Roy Hibbert and basically, you're like a shooting guards.
It was a good roster, it's a good team.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was the great guy for that moment, but it
was not Big three.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I think Paul George is an unbelievable player, absolutely, and
all the unbelievable players get love and he doesn't get even.
When you look at his regular season playoff numbers, they're
very even. It's not like you get one guy and
the other guy. Now, you could look a little bit
at Harden's playoff numbers and you see a small decrease
in performance. I don't know. I think I think Paul
(24:30):
George is great. Rachel izoas wonderful to see.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
You one more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours
a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app.
Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Navian tanklessmade Simple dot Com Tankless waterheater saving your energy
bills fifteen year limited warr and dy Jmack with news.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No, no turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
This is the Herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
So it's some optimism for the war Hawaukee Bucks. They
had a big win last night over the Indiana Pacers,
and now, according to Doc Rivers, Yannis and Dame are
very very close to returning and they are scheduled to
work out on the court during the today's off day.
They have to head back to Indiana out. They add
(25:18):
Damon Giannis.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Well, I liked Milwaukee. I said, if Yiannis could play
four games, I like Milwaukee. So I don't know, can
you come back? Get the chemistry perfect? Indiana a tough
place to play. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Pacers are big favorites for this game.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I know because they go seven, I would take the Bucks.
I'm not sure they can win games.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Try to tell you. I mean we told the audience yesterday.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Listen Middleton and these Vets they're not laying down. You know.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
These guys aren't dogs. And the Pacers there't there a
young team, so we kind of saw that coming.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Bobby part Is dropping twenty nine last night. He's a
solid player, very solid.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I kind of like the Pacers at home. That's a
big number the way to cover. I think now they
could go nuclear from three again. Miles Turners seven for
ten to three. Pacers are kind of plucky. And I'll
just say this, the Knicks and Sixers are gonna be
so exhausted after this series that either the Pacers or
Bucks are gonna have a chance early to steal one
right because.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
The Knicker I mean well, I mean, look at Mbid
played forty eight minutes. He gets one day's rest and
he plays the Knicks again. Knicks are winning games. So
the Nick said, three guys play over fifty minutes, but
they're not beat up. I mean Embiid is limping around, yeah,
and he has a history of those late series games.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
How much can Jalen Brunson handle like again he's gonna
have to go against Halliburton.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I think he can handle the rest of this series.
But at some point it's like Jimmy Butler, like when
he goes on these in previous years, these long runs,
it's like, you do get to a point where they're
human beings. They run out of gas.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Next up go to the NFL, the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
They lost two of their top receivers this offseason and
digs In gave Davis, so the team went out and
drafted Florida State's Kean Coleman, who's turning into a bit
of a character, a really talented kid. Josh Allen was
pretty pumped about it, adding he talked to Coleman before
the draft. Here's Coleman on getting drafted by the Bills.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
He uh texted me, you know the day of it
was like, you know, you the guy I wanted. I
watched a lot of receivers and you know I won't
play with you, and I'm like I've been I've been
saying the same thing. I want to go play the
guy that went number seventeen and you know, be a
great quarterback after he's one of the best in the
league right now, and and I would let it be
catching passing from I'm waiting.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I'm ready for that. Do not be surprised if he
and Harrison are the best receivers in this draft. He's
an insane talent. Everybody's selling their Buffalo bill Stock. Did you, okay,
you watch college football? I do. Go look at their draft.
They've been drafting very well.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Through you.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
The teams that draft well, Green Bay, Tampa, they draft
well every year. Buffalo drafts well. I love their draft.
This kid's an insane talent.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
He's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Good luck against Hey, good luck against sout Gardner.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
By the way, two times against sout Garter, he.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Will lock him up. Tell the Jets are.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
In great shape against his Buffalo team, the Jets, he's
at the front.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
I wish I will say this. I was thinking about
this the other day. I'm not jealous of much. I'm
not like an envy guy, but I wish I do
sometimes look at fans and wish that I loved a
team so much that it beered into delusion. The kind
of love. It's the kind of love you have for
your children. No, it's nuts, like you think they're going
(28:33):
to be president of the United States going around, you know,
doing dumb stuff. It's like there are guys out there.
I mean, Laker fans really thought they were going to
roll the Nuggets. And I look at it and I think, God,
I wish this is a business for us. I wish
sometimes I had a team that I had no ability
to I mean, I love Washington. I grew up with
the Huskies. And I said, they're going to beat Texas,
(28:54):
and then I said they're going to get traunced by Michigan.
I mean literally, the games went exactly, There's no way
they were gonna beat Michigan. Texas had bad corners, Washington
had great receivers. I said, they're gonna they're gonna beat Texas,
and all my friends were like, Nanny, I'm like, no,
we're gonna get run by Michigan. And everybody was mad
at me, and I'm like, guys, I'm a grown up,
so that's my thing. I'm a realist. Well, you're not major.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
You are a delusional Jets in the off season, excited
about the Jets.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
I'm fired up, but I'm not delusive. You have Mark.
You have literally in the last month and a half
turned Josh Allen into uh gardnerman shoes. I mean, he's
just like a guy in the league. He is the
most physical, including Mahomes. He's the most physically gifted player
in the NFL at his position. Jets sounds including Mahomes.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
I even wrote on social media the Jets have the
worst quarterback in the division and I.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Got major pushback. Jets.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
You don't know if Drake Maker, I'm a Drake may guy.
That being said, I do believe. I'm a realist. And
guess what, go look at the gamble of gods.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
And the Jet.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
The market likes the Jets. I'm telling you this defensive
front is gonna bottle up some folks.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Sauce Gardner elite receiver. I'm sorry, quarterback college can't even
get the positions right now. I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
He's gonna lock up every receiver in the division.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Buffalo is gonna be really good again. May not beat
the Chiefs, but this organization in the last eight ever
since they got this front office, they haven't had a
bad draft. They overpaid for von Miller, but they haven't
had a bad draft.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Their draft picks hit a new segment idea Wednesday, wager
every week on Wednesday, you flow to bet that we
have to go and the next one I'll do a bet.
My Wednesday wager will be Bill's under wind tows that
team is gonna struggle this year. I'm go look at
their defensive dep turm. I'm not just making this up.
They lost like five guys. They had a nice draft.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
They lost safeties, centers, didn't lose quarterback.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
They quack, they've got a quarterback period, what else?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
What else you They didn't lose edge rushers, they didn't
lose a quarterbackon Miller he was great, and they's just safety.
Come on. And then they went and drafted one from
I think Utah.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Okay, Wednesday wager, we're gonna make it a thing. Final
story is the Eagles. They signed aj Brown to a
three year, ninety six million dollar extension, made him the
NFL's best paid receiver. Yesterday, Brown spoke to the media
for the first time since the deal and was asked
about his extension. What's the significant of the highest paid
(31:25):
receivers in the Inland Creator nothing, You're nothing.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I want to prove it. You know again, that is
uh a blessing.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
You know, I can say but you know, uh, we
don't play on paper, you know, and nobody cares what's
in the bank account.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
When you set them between them lines, he'll be a fine.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Remember when I bet him to win the MVP of
the Super Bowl against the Chiefs and he had a
touchdown catch and I was like, oh oh, and then
he kind of didn't do much after that.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
You know what, we pay receivers. I don't have a
problem with any of these those. I mean, you know,
whe's Te Higgins on that Higgins should not be on
that list. He's not in that space. You don't want
to player I like T. Higgins.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
You don't want the Bengals to pay two receivers.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Do you see a team with two receivers on there?
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Oh, look at that Philadelpia Eagles and you just picked
them to win the division.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Well, I think Devonte and A J. Brown have higher ceilings.
I think T. Higgins is very good, very very Chase
in Higgins, No, I think Chase is great, and I
think Joe Burrow is great, and I think their edge
rusher is great. I think T. Higgins is very good.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
A J.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Brown is a total game changer. I mean, listen, Tennessee's
franchise fell apart when Life All franchise went into the tank.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
When he likes TM got fired, He's not getting Rabel's gone.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Aj. I mean when Aj Brown, when I had to
let him go. Remember that Mike Brabel press conference. He
was ticked, he ticked, he was just dejected. There was
a pall over the franchise. Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Owning a Mercedes been ev isn't just extraordinary, it's extra easy.
Full remote access to your vehicle from your phone via
the Mercedes Me Connect app. Vehicles All Electric Choice, All yours.
Learn more at mbusa dot com slash eq.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon easternn a EM Pacific.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Hey, this is Tom Berducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions and what
may have occurred to the dugout maybe in the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
It's the book of Joe Podcasts.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scenes in Major.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
League Baseball, cars, wind, whatever else we want to talk about. Yeah,
well there are no boundaries, right.
Speaker 6 (33:44):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app,
on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Pete Alonso powers the Mets against the Rays, or Julio
Rodriguez and eRNAs take on the Astros. It all begins
at seven eastern on Fox. Check for the game in
your area.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
All right, j macm so, I saw this story. According
to the NFL Network, Drew Locke has a chance to
compete with Daniel Jones for the starting quarterback job. The
Jets are so lucky. The Giants are in their town.
They're really lucky. So remember the Giants years ago. It
(34:30):
was the twenty eighteen draft, about five years ago. The
Giants had the number two pick and they said, no
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, no no no, no, no, no, no
no no, we just need to give old Eli another weapon.
And they got Saquon Barkley. Things haven't been good at
(34:52):
quarterback since. Remember they instead and it was a strong
quarterback class. Mark Jackson, I was a great quarterback. Las
The Giants are like, Nope, we're not going to move
in the most important position. Let's just get our old quarterback,
another weapon the quarterback that wasn't really working at that point.
So this year it is a strong quarterback class for
(35:15):
the Giants. They have the number six pick. Nobody thinks
Daniel Jones is the guy. Pennix, Nick's, JJ McCarthy, Drake
may No, let's just get Daniel Jones another weapon that
will be the answer. It's a second time now that
(35:36):
they've had a strong quarterback class, a great draft pick.
Clearly it's time and they go get replaceable weapons over
the quarterback. This is another reason why I'm defending Atlanta.
(35:57):
If butchering the draft is picking one of the best
quarterbacks in its class. If that's butchering the draft, I'll
butcher everyone. Butchering the draft is saying, let's cling to
what's not working at quarterback and get another weapon that
sets the franchise back. What Atlanta is doing maybe turbulent
(36:19):
for a year. I've never been in a flight that
wasn't turbulent. Does it take off in land? Okay, I'm good.
The bottom line is the Giants. That's a catastrophic move.
What Atlanta is doing is gonna work, is gonna be
choppy initially, and it maybe, but I'll go two capable
(36:39):
quarterbacks over none. And that's where the Giants are. They're
now bringing Drew Locke in. What team is this? I mean,
come on, that's why I'm defending Atlanta. You can all
bang on Atlanta. Here's what you never hear in the NFL.
I got two guys. I may have the two best
quarterbacks in the invasion. That's a problem. That is rich
(37:02):
guy going. I paid seven million in taxes. You know
my house on the beach needs new shutters. I'm really
up against it. That's not a problem. Okay.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
This goes back to process and results. And if the
Giants front office and Dable said we're gonna talk to
all the quarterbacks in this draft and then not take
one to me, that's a message sent to the owner.
You put your money on Daniel Jones. We will give
him one more chance, and then after that, when when
(37:32):
it doesn't work out, we are going to go draft
our own guy. I think they just bought themselves a
year by not taking a quarterback with the six picks.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You're a big process guy.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
I like process.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Yes, yeah, Sixers tried that. How's it working out?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
The process is still ongoing, Sixers, they tried that process.
But this does not feel like a war between the
owner and the front office.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
That Sixers slogan rule the league. Nobody had a better
slogan than the process didn't work. Of course, the process.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
Okay, So let's say they draft Penics at six.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Okay, they get Penic six six.
Speaker 4 (38:08):
He's got no weapons at all.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
He's not gonna succeed.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Then the owner looked at him and says, you wanted
this guy over the guy I paid. You're out of here,
and then you recycled. So I think day Bowl and
the GM together crafted this narrative. We want McCarthy, Hey,
Drew Locke, he could get in there, and they're manufacturing Hey,
the owner wanted to.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
So that's the next story you're going to hear. So
your worst case scenario is I have a really talented
quarterback who in year one doesn't have enough weapons. That's
a bad scenario. A bad scenario is we got a
receiver who's good, we think, and nobody to throw to him.
That's that's my scenario. Isn't that the Raiders we got
and the Raiders, by the way, tried to move up
(38:48):
for Panics, but they wanted too much. The Raiders knew
it was an issue. The Giants were sitting there and
could have figured it out. The Raiders didn't make I
have this. The Raiders were absolute interested moving up, but
Atlanta and all these teams were driving a hard bark
and then they're like, we're not we need players too,
So they went and got probably the most guaranteed guy
(39:09):
to succeed maybe in the whole league, is that brock Bauers.
Raiders have players, don't don't kid yourself. But when you
have these great picks and everybody in the room knows
you're not hoisting a trophy with this guy Pennix, you
don't know. No, maybe he's not a hoisted trophy guy.
But when four teams, including the one that drafted and
wanted him, that's not the way Daniel Jones drafted. When
(39:31):
Daniel Jones got picked, it was like, the hell's going on?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Where's that guy who drafted Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
He's probably not in the league right He's working at
a bagel shop in Brooklyn.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
And the owner paid Daniel Jones. So day Bulls trying
to make lemonade out of lemons, and he squeezed everything
he could out of Jones two years ago got.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
A playoff with I'm a huge day bol fan. This
is not a day Ball issue. I don't think they're
particularly well run. I'm not even a front office GM guy.
I think I think he's been good.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Mostly in five games calling. Is it a Brian Dable problem?
Because that would be on.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
The pot us the Giants need to happen. Could really
help them, Is that Will Levis and Bryce Young hit.
Then there's only one team in the league next year
that has absolutely taken a quarterback first pick Giants. The
problem Raiders bad, My bad, Raiders. Giants need quarterbacks. I
mean this year you had like seven teams were vying
(40:22):
for it, but next year only two Raiders. Giants have
to have a quarterback if Will Levis hit. So if
you're the Giants, you are rooting for Bryce Young to
hit and Willy whatcher?
Speaker 3 (40:32):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Not tell these guys talk. I had this conversation with
a general manager Monday night, this exact conversation, and he's like,
I've never been a bigger Bryce Young fan. I've never
wanted Bryce Young. It was a general manager that may
be in the line for a that's the way it works.
But to have the pick and not have to move
up and and I can if My big problem is listen,
(40:56):
I found the guy Josh Allen for a couple of years,
didn't have a weapon. It's worked. I won a lot
of games. Lamar Jackson didn't have a legitimate receiving group
until last year. They won a lot of games. I
can live with having the quarterback and we're a little
light on weapons. I can't have the Giants.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Okay, the Giants did add no offensive line last year.
Every quarterback they have was getting killed. Pennix behind that
line might not have survived to Halloween.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Well, you do have other picks besides the first pick,
you could you have a second, third, fourth, You can
get other pla. It was the richest tackle draft I
ever remember, and it was flushed with second third round
receivers and they went wide receiver. Huh hey. But the process,
it's a catchy slogan. Our process beats everybody.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
Make the deets look good?
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Right, the processes in the work still all right? Our
three next
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
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, here we go live in Los Angeles. It's
the Hurt wherever you may be, however you may be listening.
Thanks for making us part of your day. Are we
gonna go out tonight? Chop it up a little bit,
let's do it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I would say likely.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'm probable.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm in better shape than David Giannis, So.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
You're probable tonight.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Do you have a non contact cap spraying to worry about.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I do have a foot injury suffered in the soccer tournament.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
Over the weekend.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I know you've been limping around the bill.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
I am limping.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'll be fine. I'm trying to you know. We got
a championship game in.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Another basketball league Monday.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Yeah, and then multiple leagues.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
That's what I do.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
So all the coaching hires are done, all the free
agent moves are done, all the draft is done. We
all know if you hit all three of those, or
even two or three, you can be a better team.
That doesn't necessarily mean it will dramatically change where you
finish in the standings. We know Harbaugh is a perfect
(01:24):
fit for the Chargers, but they still plan a division
with the Chiefs. We know the Bears are going to
be a much better offensive team, but the Packers and
lines are stacked so a lot of teams. I think
Chicago is going to be the most improved team. They
just happen to plan a division which offensively is the
most loaded division in the league by a long shot,
(01:45):
offensively with three offensive coaches. So I'm going to lay
out this morning, and it's pretty easy when you really
start thinking about it in terms of best quarterback, worst quarterback,
and that's kind of how this stuff mostly works. So
here we go. Let start AFC. I'm just gonna predict
the standings in the AFC East. I have Josh Allen
(02:07):
just like Mahomes are Brady, I'm gonna win the division
for as long as he's in his prime. Number two
is Miami. I love their roster. I think it's the
best roster. They don't have real holes here. They don't
have a great on line. It's not bad. Number two
with a great offensive coach, Jets Aaron Rodgers, who by
the way, is not in his prime. He's not as
good as Jordan Love today. Jet's finished third, and then
(02:27):
I think it's pretty obvious New England's got a rookie
quarterback and a rookie coach. I did like to pick,
and I do like what they did in the draft,
finally going heavy offense. But I feel pretty good about
that division. Let's go to the AFC. North Baltimore was
the best regular season team last year, argument the best
run team in football. I think they're gonna be great
again in the regular season. Cincinnati gets Joe Burrow back.
(02:48):
When Joe Burrow's healthy, he either wins this division or
gets to the playoffs. And have been noisy, a lot
of noise. I don't like with T Higgins, but I
like Joe Burrow a lot. Three Pittsburgh. I think Russell
Wilson will succeed. At what level he succeeds, I don't know.
And I didn't buy Cleveland last year. I don't buy
him this year. I think Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry
(03:10):
are excellent, but there's things upstairs they have to deal with.
And I think it's a really good division AFC South.
This is now a good division. We've rolled our eyes
at it for years. Get out of that. Tennessee stinks.
Everybody else is good. I'm gonna go Houston. I love
what they've done with personnel the last two drafts and
free agency. I think they've just hit it out of
(03:31):
the park. I mean they've done like Green Bay level
stuff in the draft last two years. Excellent Jags, and
it will be a fight to the finish. I love
getting Brian Thomas, their weapons with Trevor Lawrence and an
offensive coach or substantial So I'm gonna have the Colts three.
I like the Colts. I worry greatly about Anthony Richardson's
(03:52):
playing style. Trevor Lawrence and C. J. Stroud sit in
the pocket. I don't worry about that. Anthony Richardson is
so dynamic and I like this Colts team. Is he
gonna miss three or four starts? That could be the difference.
Easiest picking the League Titans for fourth. I don't know
if Will Levis is gonna work or not I just
roster personnel. I like the new coach they have there.
You go, and finally, AFC West Kansas City's young defense
(04:16):
by the end of last year was a monster. They
went and got Xavier Worthy. I don't know if it's
gonna work in the draft, but if anybody can make
it work, it's Andy Reid and Mahomes. I think the
Chargers become a really solid two. I do worry about
losing Keenan Allen, Austin Eckler, Mike Williams, lost a lot
of offensive pieces, but they went out and got a
Hayden Hurst. They went out and drafted a receiver. Number
(04:38):
three is gonna be Denver, and I think if bo
Nicks hits, and I think he will, they'll be And
I also love the end they got in the draft.
I think they're gonna be a really good team. Good
could be nine to ten. I don't think it's twelve
to thirteen. And the Raiders just don't have the quarterback yet.
Like the Raiders. Like the Raiders roster outside of quarterback,
really like the Raiders roster. All right, let's go to
(04:59):
the U. I think Philadelphia is offensive pieces with an
offensive coach and Jalen Hurt are substantial. This is a
well run organization that takes big swings. I'm gonna take
Philadelphia to win their division. They replace their coordinators. My
guess is they're an upgrade over last year. I'm gonna
pick a little bit of a surprise. I think Washington,
Jayden Daniels, all those college starts. I think they're gonna
(05:20):
be pretty feisty next year. Dan Quinn more than confident.
Cliff Kingsbury. Offensive line's okay, but I mean even the
Philadelphia Eagles great old line lost to Hall of Fame Center.
So I'm gonna have a little bit of an upset here.
Washington feels like a nine to a ten win team.
Dallas will be right behind them, but they are going
to be incredibly reliant on Dak Prescott. They're weak in
(05:43):
the running back spot. They have one tight end ceed Lamb.
Gallup's now gone. I think they're very dependent on Dak,
and the numbers tell you when Dallas gets dependent on Dak,
they're not as good. Giants just don't have enough pieces.
Rumors today they're looking at Drew Locke at quarterback. You
forget it. Let's go NFC North, which I think now
is probably the most talented division in football. I'm gonna
(06:05):
take Detroit. I like everything about Detroit, even Dan Campbell.
The front office is great, Jared Goff, best online in football,
good pieces. I like everything about Detroit. I think they
end up at the NSC Championship. Who they face will see,
but I love Detroit. I'm a huge buyer on green Bay.
Jordan Love shocked me his improvement last year. Now J
(06:26):
Mack still wants to see him eight ten games. I
was blown away by how good he was. He's just
a little wild and I think he's more far than
Aaron Rodgers. But boy have they drafted well this draft,
like all their drafts excellent. Green Bay is the best
drafting team in the league. We just got to own
that a number three, and I think they'll be you know,
they got a rookie quarterback and there's gonna be some
bad Sundays, but Chicago three and again, they're gonna be
(06:49):
a better team. If this division was Wonky, I could
see him making the playoffs. But god, this talented division,
and I think they're gonna be a really, really fun
offense to watch. And then I think Minas will be
the best fourth place team in football. I think Minnesota
could win eight or nine games. I love their offensive pieces,
but again, it's just sometimes the fifth best team in
the SEC could win the Big twelve. I just feel
(07:12):
like Minnesota picked the wrong division. Let's go to the
NFC South. I think it's a slam dunk. I think
Atlanta's gonna win this division. Tampa's gonna be feisty, but
we're gonna forget about the Kirk Cousins, Michael Penox drama.
This is a really good football team offensively, Raheem Morris
shark cat Tampa's two, and again, I think it'll be
a feisty battle. Tampa also had a great draft. Their
(07:33):
first four picks all really nice players. I'm gonna do
Carolina third. I'm with j Max. I think they finally
got Bryce Young, some weapons. I think they're gonna make
a surge next year. I don't like right now New
Orleans situation. I just don't feel good about it. I'm
gonna have the Saints fourth, maybe their third, but I
just don't like the way it feels right now. I'm
not sure that coach is gonna be there next year
(07:55):
by Thanksgiving. Finally, another really really good division. I think
had a great draft. I think they played at the
end of last year. They got that old line right.
I'm gonna take the Rams to edge out San Francisco
in that division, and Matt Stafford is the difference. Poka
Nakua now going in Cooper Cup is healthy. The old
line is fantastic. The Niners offensive line is very much
(08:19):
in question, and we don't know their receiver situation. They'll
be good. I don't think they'll be quite as good
as last year. Their second Arizona third. I gotta be
honest with you. I think Arizona has a chance to
make the playoffs. I watched them at the end of
last year. That new coach. They play hard, they play hard,
and a Seattle a talented fourth place team. I'm from
(08:44):
the Pacific Northwest. I don't get any joy out of
saying Seattle is fourth, but that's what I see. J Mack.
Beyond the AFC East, where you're not reasonable.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
You basically have the waste the standings ended last year,
don't you, And almost every division except for Dallas and
then the Rams and Nick Atlanta and yeah, but the
foul everybody's gonna have the Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I picked the best quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Well, Chalky Cec.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
By the way, I went real Chalky in March Madness,
I said, Ukhon's gonna win and the Super Bowl, Yeah,
I mean chalk. There's a reason it's chalk. There's a
reason teams are favored. And with that, NBA to night
MAVs clips huge game. Rachel Nichols cover the NBA since
nineteen ninety three. It is good to have Rachel on
again on the show today. These NBA playoff games, you know,
(09:32):
it's funny, remember a few It was like a week ago,
Nick Nurse was yelling on the sidelines. The rest couldn't
hear him, and last night Tibbs was yelling, and well,
you can't hear anybody. Yeah, so everybody's always like, well
the coach was saying this, The officials couldn't hear Nick Nurse,
the Nick players couldn't hear Tibbs. And so you have
to remember basketball in New York and Philadelphia is a
(09:53):
wonderful television product. You're not going to be able to
hear the coach if he's twelve feet away, and last
night you got into that situation. I still like the
Knicks in the series yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I mean, look, the odds are the odds for a reason.
They've got Game seven at home. That being said, if
the Sixers really come out strong in Game six and
just thump the Knicks, I'd be a little bit more
worried about the Knicks in a Game seven because they
will have had multiple opportunities to close it out, and
we've seen it so many times. Once that happens and
it gets into a team's brain, But I think the
Knicks are favored. I do think though, that Joel Embiid
(10:25):
may have finally found his guy in Tyrese Maxi, and
that no matter what happens to the Sixers if they
lose this series, they have to feel good going into
the off season. Because you remember last off season we
were at the point where the James Harden drama was
going on and Darryl Mory is a liar being held
up all the way in China, all of these kinds
of things. Joelle's getting a little frustrated. He actually liked James.
(10:46):
They got along really well, so then it was like, hey,
come on, why can't you work this out with him?
That kind of thing. He'd gone through all the Ben
Simmons drama and been so patient with the franchise of that,
and there are a lot of rumors swrolling around of
if things don't go well this season, Joel Embiid is
going to ask to be a New York Nick And
guess who was it Joel Embiid's wedding this past summer
as well New York Knicks president Leon Rose, who was,
(11:08):
of course Embiad's former agent. The two are still close,
and the rumors had just got even more swirling after that,
and Tyrese Maxie steps into that void after Harden is
traded all season, becomes a guy that Joel knows he
can rely on, and then in that game last night,
not only went full Reggie Miller with the shot making,
but carried Embiid when Embiid was clearly too hurt to
(11:32):
do a lot of things he normally does.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Now, I think the KD rumors make a lot of sense,
first of all, because Phoenix needs to reboot. It's not
working all the perimeter stuff, so and the feeling is
they could get more for Booker, but he's kind of
the central piece. He's kind of the Phoenix kid and
the Beal contract, there's not much you can do with it.
The Durant piece you could move. Also, Julius Randall, if
(11:58):
the Sons got him at actually provides a little bit
of what Phoenix isn't, which is physical and tough. You're
not going to go get DeAndre aytonback because Booker couldn't.
He didn't fit the locker room. So Julius Randall, who's
a really nice player, if he's your three, probably not
a two he could fit. But I do think there's
something to be said about New York is that for
(12:19):
years and years you know this organization better than I do.
For years and years, they reached. Yes, they gave up
the farm for Carmelo. Then he was a big chandelier
in an empty mansion, and then you know Amari Stodemier
had bad knees, and it's just like, oh, they reach.
They've actually because they they made a nice move at
the trade deadline. They've become a really smart patient franchise.
(12:42):
But now I think EMBIID or my preference is Katie.
I think the time is now. Katie's thirty six started
next year. Do you think that Katie stuff is realistic?
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah? I mean, I mean, look, first, the EMBIID was
definitely who they had their sights on, and I do
think Tyree Maxy has changed that equation in terms of
MBID being happy in Philadelphia, So then it becomes who
else do you get? Fortunately, og Ananobi looks like he
wants to be in New York, and so when they
are able to resign him, I think that is going
to be a win for them long term, and then
they still have room to get someone else. Kat makes
(13:14):
so much sense to me because you and I talked
about this last time I was on the show. I
think that's where he should have gone all along, if
you're gonna leave Golden State. And we can debate whether
he should have or not the Knicks or where he
should have gone after that, it was the natural fit
for him and the fact that he sort of missed
that opportunity. If he could go back and get it now,
I think that that fan base would embrace him. And
(13:35):
once that fan base embraces you, and they are the
largest fan base in the NBA, then it quiets some
of the other noise around the league of other fan
bases griping about oh KD asked for another trade, or
Kd's moving again, or this guy can't find a home
or his legacy this or that. I think that it
would be a smart move for Kevin, and I think
it would be a smart move for the Knicks. But
you know, look, we'll see if they want to disrupt
(13:57):
the chemistry that they have by bringing in a big
a star as Durant, or if they want to go
a different route and just keep adding these pieces of good,
good players. I mean, Jamar de Rosen is a name
that's come up for New York. He's a guy who
is an excellent, excellent basketball player, can bolster a lot of.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Areas that they need, doesn't take the ball to Brunson's hands,
doesn't take two three.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
And also is not going to change sort of the
geometry of the locker room the way bringing in a
Kevin Durant wood. So it just kind of depends on
what they want. But if the Sons are looking to
get off of Katie's contract and Katie is looking for
a place he can go where he won't just get
hit with a mountain of criticism all over again, I
think New York could be that place.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
You know, it is interesting the Bucks, the Sixers, and
the Lakers have each had three coaches in six years each,
so how seasons end, you know you can get swept.
It's landing different than a six game series. So you
have Dallas where Kyrie and Luca have really gotten along.
And if they lost this series in seven or they
(14:58):
win this series, I think they bring the and back
and it's good. But if Dallas gets beat tonight and
without Kawhi for the Clippers again and you got kind
of old heads Harden and Westbrook and Paul playoff p
and Kawhi is not there and they're knocking you out
right and they win this series. Dallas is fascinating because
(15:18):
it took Dirk Novitsky forever to get the pieces. He
never really got a second star. He got a good chemistry.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Stand Steve Nash just didn't keep him yeah, at a
different time, and then he moves to Phoenix.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
But it's like, what does Dallas do. Cuban sells the team,
what does Dallas do if they don't get out of
this series? Are that you're going to bring it back?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
They kind of have to. They made decisions at the
trade deadline that lock them into a path for the
next couple of years. I think if Dallas loses the series.
One of the big reasons would be because of Luka
Doncic's knee. It certainly was a big factor in why
they lost the last game. You could just see it.
He wasn't his mobile out on the court, and he's
still able to beat Luca, and he still scored points
and he still did things. But that difference between being
(16:00):
a very very good player and being the best player
on the floor, which is what we always say is
the deciding factor in NBA playoff series, is that knee.
So I'm curious to see what happens tonight when he
comes out. Does he look like he looked in Game four,
which was not his mobile, a little stiff. He'd made
so many great strides on defense over this last season
or two, and those are really gone in that game
because he just couldn't move around and defend the way
(16:22):
he wanted to. So if we get that Luka Dancic
and that's the reason that they end up losing this series,
I don't think you have to blow anything up or
do anything because that's just Hey, it's bad luck that
he had this knee injury at that time, and I
think Luca will have patience knowing that that might be
the reason. If things go wrong in a very different way,
then we can have that conversation. But the way things
are looking right now, they're super competitive. They're still favor
(16:43):
to win, even though you know, you look at the
games the Clippers have still on their floor. They've got
two of the next three. But the Maps are favored
to win, and they certainly have players who can get
the job done.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I'm surprised by people that I respect buying into the
Lebron could be out of LA. I just don't see
it at all. This is Jenie Buss is a wonderful person,
and she does a great job at her job, but
she's not a rich owner. And to get those local
cable deals. This is why Kobe at the end was
(17:17):
way past this print. They paid him a fortune. Yep,
you get whatever its spectrum.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Worth, every dollar to that franchise.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Lebron sells tickets, They sell out all their games. I
know what they charged for court side. Ye, they're not
doing that in a rebuild. No, So why all the
Lebron leaving LA talk?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
You know, because if he did, it would be such
a big story that it's a little too tempting for
people not to talk about Lakers fans people even within
the organization, and the fact is that he is more mercureable.
He holds things at arm's length. He certainly is going
to make them sweat it. In my opinion, if I
had to guess the way this is going to play out,
I would say that he opts out of his contract.
I would say that he then makes them wait a
(17:55):
few weeks to decide that he's going to come back.
And it's not about the money. They've already leaked that
they'll offer him as much money as he wants. They've
already leaked that they'll draft Ronnie if that ends up
being what he wants. It is about the roster, and
I think it is going to be very interesting to
watch Lebron through that first week of free agency, because hey,
maybe he just resigns with the Lakers and done with it.
(18:16):
But the more likely scenario, given his history, is that
he waits a little while and he shows up a
tem Usa training camp which starts July sixth, and he's
got Steve Kerr talking in his zero on a piece
of video that runs all over TV, and then people say, oh,
what what about? What are the Warriors interested? In getting him.
Oh Joe, he's sitting next paling around with Joel Embiid.
I know that the Sixers would love to have Lebron,
(18:38):
So I think he's going to let some of that
talk fester to make sure that they make the moves
in free agency and at the draft that he wants
them to make, because that didn't happen at the trade
deadline this year, and we haven't really seen Lebron have
the influence he had over that front office maybe since
the Russell Westbrook trade, since he sort of promoted that
and that didn't work out. We just haven't seen Clutch
(19:00):
have the same voice. We haven't seen Lebron have the
same voice in the Lakers roster moves. He is the
opportunity this summer if he takes it to have that
voice because he can hold withhold from them. Am I
going to resign or not?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So we got into this discussion yesterday and it's kind
of a thirty thousand feet discussion. It's not urgent, but
I think it's fascinating is that, you know, the NFL,
it's the shield that's the star of the league baseball,
it's its history and it's past, but international soccer and
the NBA. Your league's as good as your star and
your team. And Jordan left, and the NBA embraced Marberry
(19:36):
and Steve Francis and Iverson, remarkable players, but the audience
didn't like him, And so fifty percent of the people,
I mean, Tiger Woods left, golf tournament's folded. Yes. So
the face of the league question, and I said this,
you have to want to be the face of the league.
Jordan did, Magic did, Kareem didn't. So you have to
(19:56):
want it. I think Aunt Edwards would embrace it. But
it's Minnesota. People forget this, Rachel. Outside of Lebron and Cleveland,
the stars in my life Jerry Western, La Doctor, Jan Philly, Magic, Birdarde,
they're all big markets. Yeah, so Minnesota. My guess is
(20:17):
wemby ant and not whether they work or not. I mean,
if you had the guest face, Jokics doesn't want to
be the face of them. I'm not sure Luca wants
to be the face of the league, your guest next
eight years, ten years.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Look, i mean, Luca's already twenty five, so I think
he's he's We've already talked about how big a star
he is. I think he's gonna finish second in MVP voting,
so he is poised to become you know, when Lebron
and Steph and kd all retired, let me a score.
I think Luca will be the face that we see.
But when you look at the generation behind him and
the young guys coming up, I have to say Victor
(20:51):
webin Yama is being sold short in these discussions in
a way I don't quite get. I think Anthony Edwards
is a superstar. He is so magnetic, obviously has the game,
but also, as you said, has the drive, has the
killer instinct. Commercials are fantastic. But Victor webin Yama, to me,
if he has good health, could end up as a
top five player of all time. I think we have
(21:12):
already seen the indications of that, and I know it's
very early, and I will be happy to stand up
and say I'm wrong if I'm wrong, but that is
what I am seeing right now. And I think that
he is going to become eventually the face of the
NBA because he is just going to keep winning. I
think whether it's Defensive Player of the Year, whether it's
eventually MVP, whether it's eventually titles. I think we will
be saying his name over and over and over again.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
You know, it's interesting take shack out Centers usually haven't
been the face of the league. They get, they break down,
they don't sell shoes, and people don't see themselves as
being shack Yeah. But it's interesting because the new wave
of European bigs, they handle the ball, they're flashy, they pass.
It's a more fun game. It's just not power.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Power usually isn't the face of the league. People want
like Moses Malone. They want they.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Want moves, Babe, Yeah, they want moves.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Moves and Wemby and Chet Holmgren both they yeah, moves.
They got all sorts of juice. So it's great seeing
you so tonight. Dallas Lakers. You're at that game tonight,
right or excuse me, MAVs Clippers. You like the you
like the MAVs. I'm I'm I think Westbrook's gonna hit tonight.
I have a feeling Westbrook's gonna deliver. Harden's been so
(22:25):
good in this series. I feel like Dallas is the
last two days, has worked on We've got to get
the ball out of his hands. He ate them alive.
You have a lean tonight.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
How you feel I'm gonna this is toss up, because honestly,
I really think it depends on the health of Luca's name,
which they won't know till after he participates in warm ups.
If I had to say, say Clippers tonight MAVs for
the series, is that an hedge?
Speaker 1 (22:47):
That's a real hedch that that last game was such
good television.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So, Rachel, when does James Harden turn into a pumpkin
game six or seven.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Point? But he was so good last week.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
They so good, And you know what I like about
the situation he's in right now is that in Paul George,
he has someone next to him who can be just
as explosive, more explosive in some cases, but James still
has a green light to shoot in the scenario without Kawhi.
When he was playing the role in Philadelphia, where he
had some explosive in Joelle Embiid, he didn't have the
(23:18):
green light to be the James Harden of old. He
had to be more of a compliment with Kawhi out. Yeah,
he can be a little bit more of that James Harden,
but it's not Iso James Harden because he has Paul
George next to him, so hopefully doesn't run out of
gas for Cliffers fans. But I do think that Luca
has the potential to be the best player in the series.
The best player in the series usually wins the playoff series.
(23:40):
It just depends on his physical health.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
I feel I feel like a supporter of Paul George.
No good player in the league gets more crap than
Paul George.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I think he is the most underrated player in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
It's incredible. I watched his you know what's funny years
ago people kind of bagged on his playoffs when he
was losing to Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and he had
right Roy Hibbert and basically, you're like a shooting guards.
It was a good roster, it's a good team.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was the great guy for that moment, but it
was not Big three.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I think Paul George is an unbelievable player, absolutely, and
all the unbelievable players get love and he doesn't get even.
When you look at his regular season playoff numbers, they're
very even. It's not like you get one guy and
the other guy. Now, you could look a little bit
at Harden's playoff numbers and you see a small decrease
in performance. I don't know. I think I think Paul
(24:30):
George is great. Rachel izoas wonderful to see.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
You one more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours
a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app.
Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Navian tanklessmade Simple dot Com Tankless waterheater saving your energy
bills fifteen year limited warr and dy Jmack with news.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No, no turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
This is the Herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
So it's some optimism for the war Hawaukee Bucks. They
had a big win last night over the Indiana Pacers,
and now, according to Doc Rivers, Yannis and Dame are
very very close to returning and they are scheduled to
work out on the court during the today's off day.
They have to head back to Indiana out. They add
(25:18):
Damon Giannis.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Well, I liked Milwaukee. I said, if Yiannis could play
four games, I like Milwaukee. So I don't know, can
you come back? Get the chemistry perfect? Indiana a tough
place to play. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Pacers are big favorites for this game.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I know because they go seven, I would take the Bucks.
I'm not sure they can win games.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Try to tell you. I mean we told the audience yesterday.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Listen Middleton and these Vets they're not laying down. You know.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
These guys aren't dogs. And the Pacers there't there a
young team, so we kind of saw that coming.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Bobby part Is dropping twenty nine last night. He's a
solid player, very solid.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I kind of like the Pacers at home. That's a
big number the way to cover. I think now they
could go nuclear from three again. Miles Turners seven for
ten to three. Pacers are kind of plucky. And I'll
just say this, the Knicks and Sixers are gonna be
so exhausted after this series that either the Pacers or
Bucks are gonna have a chance early to steal one
right because.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
The Knicker I mean well, I mean, look at Mbid
played forty eight minutes. He gets one day's rest and
he plays the Knicks again. Knicks are winning games. So
the Nick said, three guys play over fifty minutes, but
they're not beat up. I mean Embiid is limping around, yeah,
and he has a history of those late series games.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
How much can Jalen Brunson handle like again he's gonna
have to go against Halliburton.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I think he can handle the rest of this series.
But at some point it's like Jimmy Butler, like when
he goes on these in previous years, these long runs,
it's like, you do get to a point where they're
human beings. They run out of gas.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Next up go to the NFL, the Buffalo Bills.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
They lost two of their top receivers this offseason and
digs In gave Davis, so the team went out and
drafted Florida State's Kean Coleman, who's turning into a bit
of a character, a really talented kid. Josh Allen was
pretty pumped about it, adding he talked to Coleman before
the draft. Here's Coleman on getting drafted by the Bills.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
He uh texted me, you know the day of it
was like, you know, you the guy I wanted. I
watched a lot of receivers and you know I won't
play with you, and I'm like I've been I've been
saying the same thing. I want to go play the
guy that went number seventeen and you know, be a
great quarterback after he's one of the best in the
league right now, and and I would let it be
catching passing from I'm waiting.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I'm ready for that. Do not be surprised if he
and Harrison are the best receivers in this draft. He's
an insane talent. Everybody's selling their Buffalo bill Stock. Did you, okay,
you watch college football? I do. Go look at their draft.
They've been drafting very well.
Speaker 4 (27:48):
Through you.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
The teams that draft well, Green Bay, Tampa, they draft
well every year. Buffalo drafts well. I love their draft.
This kid's an insane talent.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
He's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Good luck against Hey, good luck against sout Gardner.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
By the way, two times against sout Garter, he.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Will lock him up. Tell the Jets are.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
In great shape against his Buffalo team, the Jets, he's
at the front.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
I wish I will say this. I was thinking about
this the other day. I'm not jealous of much. I'm
not like an envy guy, but I wish I do
sometimes look at fans and wish that I loved a
team so much that it beered into delusion. The kind
of love. It's the kind of love you have for
your children. No, it's nuts, like you think they're going
(28:33):
to be president of the United States going around, you know,
doing dumb stuff. It's like there are guys out there.
I mean, Laker fans really thought they were going to
roll the Nuggets. And I look at it and I think, God,
I wish this is a business for us. I wish
sometimes I had a team that I had no ability
to I mean, I love Washington. I grew up with
the Huskies. And I said, they're going to beat Texas,
(28:54):
and then I said they're going to get traunced by Michigan.
I mean literally, the games went exactly, There's no way
they were gonna beat Michigan. Texas had bad corners, Washington
had great receivers. I said, they're gonna they're gonna beat Texas,
and all my friends were like, Nanny, I'm like, no,
we're gonna get run by Michigan. And everybody was mad
at me, and I'm like, guys, I'm a grown up,
so that's my thing. I'm a realist. Well, you're not major.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
You are a delusional Jets in the off season, excited
about the Jets.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
I'm fired up, but I'm not delusive. You have Mark.
You have literally in the last month and a half
turned Josh Allen into uh gardnerman shoes. I mean, he's
just like a guy in the league. He is the
most physical, including Mahomes. He's the most physically gifted player
in the NFL at his position. Jets sounds including Mahomes.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
I even wrote on social media the Jets have the
worst quarterback in the division and I.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Got major pushback. Jets.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
You don't know if Drake Maker, I'm a Drake may guy.
That being said, I do believe. I'm a realist. And
guess what, go look at the gamble of gods.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
And the Jet.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
The market likes the Jets. I'm telling you this defensive
front is gonna bottle up some folks.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Sauce Gardner elite receiver. I'm sorry, quarterback college can't even
get the positions right now. I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
He's gonna lock up every receiver in the division.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Buffalo is gonna be really good again. May not beat
the Chiefs, but this organization in the last eight ever
since they got this front office, they haven't had a
bad draft. They overpaid for von Miller, but they haven't
had a bad draft.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
Their draft picks hit a new segment idea Wednesday, wager
every week on Wednesday, you flow to bet that we
have to go and the next one I'll do a bet.
My Wednesday wager will be Bill's under wind tows that
team is gonna struggle this year. I'm go look at
their defensive dep turm. I'm not just making this up.
They lost like five guys. They had a nice draft.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
They lost safeties, centers, didn't lose quarterback.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
They quack, they've got a quarterback period, what else?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
What else you They didn't lose edge rushers, they didn't
lose a quarterbackon Miller he was great, and they's just safety.
Come on. And then they went and drafted one from
I think Utah.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Okay, Wednesday wager, we're gonna make it a thing. Final
story is the Eagles. They signed aj Brown to a
three year, ninety six million dollar extension, made him the
NFL's best paid receiver. Yesterday, Brown spoke to the media
for the first time since the deal and was asked
about his extension. What's the significant of the highest paid
(31:25):
receivers in the Inland Creator nothing, You're nothing.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I want to prove it. You know again, that is
uh a blessing.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
You know, I can say but you know, uh, we
don't play on paper, you know, and nobody cares what's
in the bank account.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
When you set them between them lines, he'll be a fine.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Remember when I bet him to win the MVP of
the Super Bowl against the Chiefs and he had a
touchdown catch and I was like, oh oh, and then
he kind of didn't do much after that.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
You know what, we pay receivers. I don't have a
problem with any of these those. I mean, you know,
whe's Te Higgins on that Higgins should not be on
that list. He's not in that space. You don't want
to player I like T. Higgins.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
You don't want the Bengals to pay two receivers.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Do you see a team with two receivers on there?
Speaker 4 (32:09):
Oh, look at that Philadelpia Eagles and you just picked
them to win the division.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Well, I think Devonte and A J. Brown have higher ceilings.
I think T. Higgins is very good, very very Chase
in Higgins, No, I think Chase is great, and I
think Joe Burrow is great, and I think their edge
rusher is great. I think T. Higgins is very good.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
A J.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Brown is a total game changer. I mean, listen, Tennessee's
franchise fell apart when Life All franchise went into the tank.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
When he likes TM got fired, He's not getting Rabel's gone.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Aj. I mean when Aj Brown, when I had to
let him go. Remember that Mike Brabel press conference. He
was ticked, he ticked, he was just dejected. There was
a pall over the franchise. Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Owning a Mercedes been ev isn't just extraordinary, it's extra easy.
Full remote access to your vehicle from your phone via
the Mercedes Me Connect app. Vehicles All Electric Choice, All yours.
Learn more at mbusa dot com slash eq.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon easternn a EM Pacific.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Hey, this is Tom Berducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions and what
may have occurred to the dugout maybe in the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
It's the book of Joe Podcasts.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scenes in Major.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
League Baseball, cars, wind, whatever else we want to talk about. Yeah,
well there are no boundaries, right.
Speaker 6 (33:44):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app,
on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Pete Alonso powers the Mets against the Rays, or Julio
Rodriguez and eRNAs take on the Astros. It all begins
at seven eastern on Fox. Check for the game in
your area.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
All right, j macm so, I saw this story. According
to the NFL Network, Drew Locke has a chance to
compete with Daniel Jones for the starting quarterback job. The
Jets are so lucky. The Giants are in their town.
They're really lucky. So remember the Giants years ago. It
(34:30):
was the twenty eighteen draft, about five years ago. The
Giants had the number two pick and they said, no
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, no no no, no, no, no, no
no no, we just need to give old Eli another weapon.
And they got Saquon Barkley. Things haven't been good at
(34:52):
quarterback since. Remember they instead and it was a strong
quarterback class. Mark Jackson, I was a great quarterback. Las
The Giants are like, Nope, we're not going to move
in the most important position. Let's just get our old quarterback,
another weapon the quarterback that wasn't really working at that point.
So this year it is a strong quarterback class for
(35:15):
the Giants. They have the number six pick. Nobody thinks
Daniel Jones is the guy. Pennix, Nick's, JJ McCarthy, Drake
may No, let's just get Daniel Jones another weapon that
will be the answer. It's a second time now that
(35:36):
they've had a strong quarterback class, a great draft pick.
Clearly it's time and they go get replaceable weapons over
the quarterback. This is another reason why I'm defending Atlanta.
(35:57):
If butchering the draft is picking one of the best
quarterbacks in its class. If that's butchering the draft, I'll
butcher everyone. Butchering the draft is saying, let's cling to
what's not working at quarterback and get another weapon that
sets the franchise back. What Atlanta is doing maybe turbulent
(36:19):
for a year. I've never been in a flight that
wasn't turbulent. Does it take off in land? Okay, I'm good.
The bottom line is the Giants. That's a catastrophic move.
What Atlanta is doing is gonna work, is gonna be
choppy initially, and it maybe, but I'll go two capable
(36:39):
quarterbacks over none. And that's where the Giants are. They're
now bringing Drew Locke in. What team is this? I mean,
come on, that's why I'm defending Atlanta. You can all
bang on Atlanta. Here's what you never hear in the NFL.
I got two guys. I may have the two best
quarterbacks in the invasion. That's a problem. That is rich
(37:02):
guy going. I paid seven million in taxes. You know
my house on the beach needs new shutters. I'm really
up against it. That's not a problem. Okay.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
This goes back to process and results. And if the
Giants front office and Dable said we're gonna talk to
all the quarterbacks in this draft and then not take
one to me, that's a message sent to the owner.
You put your money on Daniel Jones. We will give
him one more chance, and then after that, when when
(37:32):
it doesn't work out, we are going to go draft
our own guy. I think they just bought themselves a
year by not taking a quarterback with the six picks.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You're a big process guy.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
I like process.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Yes, yeah, Sixers tried that. How's it working out?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
The process is still ongoing, Sixers, they tried that process.
But this does not feel like a war between the
owner and the front office.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
That Sixers slogan rule the league. Nobody had a better
slogan than the process didn't work. Of course, the process.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
Okay, So let's say they draft Penics at six.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Okay, they get Penic six six.
Speaker 4 (38:08):
He's got no weapons at all.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
He's not gonna succeed.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Then the owner looked at him and says, you wanted
this guy over the guy I paid. You're out of here,
and then you recycled. So I think day Bowl and
the GM together crafted this narrative. We want McCarthy, Hey,
Drew Locke, he could get in there, and they're manufacturing Hey,
the owner wanted to.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
So that's the next story you're going to hear. So
your worst case scenario is I have a really talented
quarterback who in year one doesn't have enough weapons. That's
a bad scenario. A bad scenario is we got a
receiver who's good, we think, and nobody to throw to him.
That's that's my scenario. Isn't that the Raiders we got
and the Raiders, by the way, tried to move up
(38:48):
for Panics, but they wanted too much. The Raiders knew
it was an issue. The Giants were sitting there and
could have figured it out. The Raiders didn't make I
have this. The Raiders were absolute interested moving up, but
Atlanta and all these teams were driving a hard bark
and then they're like, we're not we need players too,
So they went and got probably the most guaranteed guy
(39:09):
to succeed maybe in the whole league, is that brock Bauers.
Raiders have players, don't don't kid yourself. But when you
have these great picks and everybody in the room knows
you're not hoisting a trophy with this guy Pennix, you
don't know. No, maybe he's not a hoisted trophy guy.
But when four teams, including the one that drafted and
wanted him, that's not the way Daniel Jones drafted. When
(39:31):
Daniel Jones got picked, it was like, the hell's going on?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Where's that guy who drafted Daniel Jones.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
He's probably not in the league right He's working at
a bagel shop in Brooklyn.
Speaker 4 (39:39):
And the owner paid Daniel Jones. So day Bulls trying
to make lemonade out of lemons, and he squeezed everything
he could out of Jones two years ago got.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
A playoff with I'm a huge day bol fan. This
is not a day Ball issue. I don't think they're
particularly well run. I'm not even a front office GM guy.
I think I think he's been good.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Mostly in five games calling. Is it a Brian Dable problem?
Because that would be on.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
The pot us the Giants need to happen. Could really
help them, Is that Will Levis and Bryce Young hit.
Then there's only one team in the league next year
that has absolutely taken a quarterback first pick Giants. The
problem Raiders bad, My bad, Raiders. Giants need quarterbacks. I
mean this year you had like seven teams were vying
(40:22):
for it, but next year only two Raiders. Giants have
to have a quarterback if Will Levis hit. So if
you're the Giants, you are rooting for Bryce Young to
hit and Willy whatcher?
Speaker 3 (40:32):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Not tell these guys talk. I had this conversation with
a general manager Monday night, this exact conversation, and he's like,
I've never been a bigger Bryce Young fan. I've never
wanted Bryce Young. It was a general manager that may
be in the line for a that's the way it works.
But to have the pick and not have to move
up and and I can if My big problem is listen,
(40:56):
I found the guy Josh Allen for a couple of years,
didn't have a weapon. It's worked. I won a lot
of games. Lamar Jackson didn't have a legitimate receiving group
until last year. They won a lot of games. I
can live with having the quarterback and we're a little
light on weapons. I can't have the Giants.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Okay, the Giants did add no offensive line last year.
Every quarterback they have was getting killed. Pennix behind that
line might not have survived to Halloween.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Well, you do have other picks besides the first pick,
you could you have a second, third, fourth, You can
get other pla. It was the richest tackle draft I
ever remember, and it was flushed with second third round
receivers and they went wide receiver. Huh hey. But the process,
it's a catchy slogan. Our process beats everybody.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
Make the deets look good?
Speaker 1 (41:40):
Right, the processes in the work still all right? Our
three next
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